SOS -Once Upon a Time

Shopping Our Stash has a Once Upon a Time challenge to create something inspired by a fairy tale. What says fairy tale better than rainbows and unicorns?

The white edges were spattered with purple and silver ink. Paper from Echo Park, Fiskars sentiments, My Favorite Things rainbow die. 

Shine Bright Like a Diamond

The Shopping Our Stash challenge this time is to Shine Bright Like a Diamond, use lots of bling or use something that shines light like a sun, lamp, candle, etc.  I used the Taylored Expressions Holly Holiday layering stencil, and replaced the berries with rhinestones (on the left) and sequins (on the right).  The sentiments are from the Taylored Expressions Simple Strips.   

The layering stencil creates 3 card fronts at once, and Simple Strips stamps and cuts 18 sentiments at once.  Makes mass production so easy!

Tiny Buttons

The entire time I was working on this card, I had the Tiny Bubbles song running through my head!!  Shopping Our Stash had a challenge to dig deep into your stash and create with old-school favorites like eyelets, brads, ribbons and/or buttons.  I have thousands (no exaggeration) of said items in my hoard.  

We created a similar card in the Elle's Studio class from Crop and Create using stamped flowers.  I used a couple of punches for the flowers and added the coordinating buttons as the centers, and some tiny flower buttons instead of bling.  I used scraps of same paper I used for the flowers to make the rainbow accents.  I popped up the "friend" with a bit of foam tape to make it the same height as the buttons.  Fun!!!

Happy Birthday!

 I needed a masculine birthday card, and came up with this:

NOW I know what I was thinking when I bought this sentiment!  It is perfect for this guy.  Sharing with The Paper Craft Crew sketch challenge:

And with the really fun challenge form Shopping Our Stash:  WTHeck Embellishments, go through the stash and find embellishments that make you wonder why do you even have them, and use them.  

Blending In

 Shopping Our Stash has a fun Blending In challenge - use ink blending on the project.

Reverse stenciling technique using Taylored Expressions Jelly Donut, Cookie Monster, and Blue Corn in, with Chantilly stencil and black ink.  The effect is so pretty, it can stand on its own with little embellishment.  Added the heat embossed sentiment, a few coordinating layers, done!

Fly Away

Shopping Our Stash has a fun Spread Your Wings challenge this week  - Anything With Wings.  

I am not normally a Michael's paper fan, but the Gilded Ink pad has so many possibilities!  The gorgeous purple, blue, and gold made me think of butterflies.  These beauties are from Brutus Monroe.  Sentiment strip from Taylored Expressions.  The gorgeous paper is from Michael's Recollections - Gilded Ink.  I'm not normally a fan of their paper, but I couldn't resist!

You Deserve a HAND!

Shopping Our Stash has a fun challenge they are calling You Deserve a HAND.  They want to see projects that feature hands or make a congratulations card.  Hands on a card always make me think of babies.  

The gatefold card has a fun buckle type closure:

American Crafts My Baby patterned paper, stash image and sentiment.  

Missing You Like Crazy

I treated myself to the Taylored Expressions Simple Strips bundle for Christmas, and I love how easy it is to get straight, even cuts for narrow sentiments.  

I used a Recollections embossing folder, various die cut hearts, and a preprinted Simple Strips sentiment.  I inked the edges of some of the hearts to keep them from blending into the background.  Sharing this one with Shopping Our Stash My Heart BEETS for You challenge, use a heart or vegetables.  Check out the design team inspiration, very clever!

New Year's in July?!?

I have a number of friends who do not celebrate Christmas, I try to make a few cards that are general Celebrate or New Year's.  

I paired a great sentiment from a new-to-me Avery Elle set with a die from The Paper cut.  These older MAMBI papers matched Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide perfectly!!  Sharing this with Shopping Our Stash Hanukkah/Christmas in July and The Paper Players Fancy Fold challenge.

SOS - UFOs

Shopping Our Stash is a challenge meant to encourage using up what is in our stockpile.  The prompt to create something out of a UFO (Unfinished Object).  Great push to thin out an overflowing basket.  

I included a picture of what I pulled out of the basket.  I think I set it aside because I could see a few glue spots.  I need to be less critical of my work - no one looks as closely as I do!!!  Amy Butler paper, Simon Says sentiment, SU ribbons.  I made another 6 cards using UFOs I found in my basket!!  

Shopping Our Stash - Stuck On You

It has been a while since I played along with Shopping Our Stash.  I didn't realize how much I missed this group!  Their challenge is to use a sticker.  I broke out the leftovers from an Echo Park Fashionista paper pack and made a few of these:

I hope to post more often, as I have joined the ranks of the unemployed and now have a little more time on my hands ;).  

Just Keep Swimming!

My poor blog has been neglected lately.  I have been creating, just not entering challenges.  Life is crazy fun, and even when it's not, I try to just keep swimming!!

Hero Arts stamps, Scattered Straw and Spiced Marmalade ink for the fish, Faded Jeans for the sentiment.  Lawn Fawn stitched dies.  Sharing this with the Shopping Our Stash You're So Punny challenge, and the Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch challenge:

Don't forget to stop by Words 2 Craft By our barefoot in the grass challenge through July 3!!

Inspired By Quilting

This week's challenge over at Shopping Our Stash is create a project Inspired By Quilting.

This Echo Park Bundle of Joy papers are on of my favorites, and I have a hard time throwing away even small bits.  I hoard these scraps and punch them into scalloped squares.  When I get enough, I lay them in strips, emboss with a swirly embossing folder, add ribbon, and a sentiment.  If there are baby motif, I make baby cards.  If not, I make them as "Hello" type cards.  Makes me feel better about creating pretty trash!

Those who know me personally are aware that my MIL is an amazing quilter who has authored numerous books, holds patents related to hand applique, and programs machine embroidery designs!  Her company is Heirloom Stitches, check out her website!

Hearts on Fire

Shopping Our Stash has a Hearts on Fire challenge this week.  Here's mine:

Older Fiskars sentiment.  The hearts were cut with an American Crafts baby girl patterned paper a coordinating solid pink.  I hope to get back to blogging now that life seems to have slowed down from the holidays!   Be sure to stop by Words 2 Craft By for our Hope challenge!

Reindeer Fun

Shopping Our Stash has a 'Tis the Season challenge, and The Color Throwdown has this inspiration image:

My interpretation:

SU! Papers, Hero Arts sentiment, Mama Elephant reindeer.  I love this one!!!

Come join us at Words 2 Craft By for our Angels challenge through January 2!

Washi Washi Washi

Shopping Our Stash has the challenge Washi Washi Washi.  Anyone else thinking Brady Bunch?!? 

I am a bit of a washi tape hoarder buyer.  This white and silver set by Recollections is my most recent purchase.  Love the contrast with the red paper and ink!!

You've got a friend in me....

The Tuesday Morning Sketch this week:

Here is my version:

Love this color combo!!!  Also haring this with Shopping Our Stash "It's Raining Cats and Dogs".

Love You!

Been making a lot of cards for Cards for Soldiers.  Haven't been playing along with many challenges lately, but thought I would play along with a few. 

Love the hearts die, but there sure are a lot of tiny piece!

Playing along with Try Stamping on Tuesday:

And the Shopping Our Stash Not Your Average Card Challenge (make a shaped card). 

Christmas in July

Shopping Our Stash has a kraft challenge this week. I love the look of kraft and white or eggshell. Since I always find myself short of Christmas cards, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to add a few to my stash.

The embossing folder was a Tuesday Morning find from Richard Gray, and the texture reminded me of warm winter sweaters.  I mounted the textured kraft on matching paper, and popped up both panels with dimensional tape.  While I like the eggshell color paper and proportions better, I like the twine on the white card better than the twill tape.  Option are good, learning is great!!!

Color Slider Christmas Card - Photo Heavy Post!!

I wanted to make a color slider card.  In the process, I made a lot of pretty trash!!!

I inked the background with oxide inks and added the snowflakes in white, cut the snow with a stitched dies, stamped the Recollections image, patterned paper DCWV.  I stamped the image on the transparency with Staz-On, and colored the other image with Derwent watercolor pencils. 

I am sharing this with The Paper Girls Challenge #156 - Transparencies, and Shopping Our Stash #362 - Christmas in July, and Jingle Belles All Bundled Up.  Wow!!!!  I rarely am able to enter more than one challenge at a time!!!