summer - Another SCS Dare to get Dirty challenge

Recipe:  Art Impressions Pop Up; leather-like blue cs; SU Fundamental phrase; shiny blue gems; chalk to add "waves" to the water.  This SCS Fan Club Dare to Get Dirty challenge hostess is aislinnshannara.
Sketch    House that Stamps Built
Summer:    Art Impressions
                     C.R.A.F.T.
Beach :     Creatalicious
Birthday:     Fresh Brewed Designs

QKR Stampede #202 - Down on the Farm

This is my DT card for the QKR Stampede challenge this week - "Down on the Farm". You may enter as many as 3 cards by 6pm EDT on Thurs., Aug 4.   I saw this Whistling Cow image at the QKR store, and decided it would be great for our granddaughter's birthday.  We have kind of a running joke about the fact she likes cows!  (Maybe it is a rich rancher she would like to find!)  Both the image and sentiment are QKR.    I added some tiny black gems to the sentiment.   I used Washi tape and a piece of  flocked dot DP to continue the black and white theme.  (
CHALLENGES:  
Sketch (tweaked):   Tuesday Morning Sketches
Animals:    Corrosive Challenges
                    Pink Gem 
                    Crafty Sentiments
On the Farm:    Crafting by Designs
Birthday:     Fresh Brewed Designs 
Texture (DP; gems):   Simon Says Monday
Naked stamping:   DRS
Any:       A Bit More Time to Craft. 
                 Classic Design Team 
                 Little Claires Designs 
                 Crafting-with-Dragonflies      
                 Aud Sentiments
                 Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper
                  Lil Patch


 

Relaxin; with an iced latte

DP by Lily of the Valley; Art Impressions image, rubber Cafe sentiment; paper piecing; sequined hat, shiny green gems, gold metallic pen for earrings; the glass is colored to contain iced coffee!
Inside:   "God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things.  Right now I am so far behind I will never die..."
Challenges:
Sketch:    Catch the Bug
Birthday:    Digi Choosday
Birthday with bling:  Great Impressions
Polka Party:   Dragonfly Journeys
Layers:   Art Impressions
Ready for summer:   Crafty Catz
Places to go (the lawn chair!!!):  Frilly and Funkie
Coffee:   Fresh Brewed

Girl Friends

Art Impressions people and sayings should bring a smile if not a laugh!  I used one of my favorite inside-the-card sayings:  "I don't do exercise... It makes my coffee spill!"
Recipe:  Stamps  -AI;  colored with Prismas;  Funtape washi tape; unknown DP and gems.
CHALLENGES:
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches
Laughing with you:   Art Impressions
Colors:    Your Next Stamp
Any, with sentiment:   Aud Sentiments 
Circles (on washi tape):  Stampotique
"Yummy" :    Double Click Connections   
Food:   Cute Card Thursday
Coffee:   Fresh Brewed 
Tea for Two:   Cardz4galz
Just us Girls:   Chocolate Coffee Cards 
Birthday celebration:  Polkadoodle 

For Terry

I hope this is ok for a masculine card.  Our son-in-law has a broken ankle, so he is pretty much confined to the recliner (there should be a remote in his hand LOL!).  Our daughter quilts, so that is a good touch in this Dearie Doll pre-colored image.  I use it a lot - quick and easy as that is often necessary for a get well type of card.  I used several papers acquired at a recent yard sale.  The little brown strips are duct tape that looks like plaid burlap, and the other narrow strip is washi tape.
CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Sketch:                   Mojo Monday
Use some yellow:   Fresh Brewed Designs
Spring:                   DRS Designs
For a man:             Morgans Artworld
Humorous:             Allsorts
Any:                        Brown Sugar Challenge
                                 Crafty Friends
                                 Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 
                                 Inspiration Destination
                                 
                                  
 

Baby Card - Design Team card for Eureka Stamps challenge 187

I thought it would be a good idea to have a generic card in my stash - hence the "neutral" yellow tones!  This adorable Baby Zebra and the sentiment with the great font are from the digis available at Eureka Stamps - they also come in the more traditional rubber stamps.  This week the challenge is to create a baby card.  The challenge is open through Sunday, and you may enter a maximum of 3 times.  The papers, button and Washi tape are from my stash.  The image is colored with a dark grey Prisma.
I used the sketch from Paper Craft Crew, but I am entering too many challenges to participate in theirs.
CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Make your mark (color):  Addicted to Stamps
Button:                                The Paper Shelter  
Pastel:                                  Fussy and Fancy 
Yellow:                                 Fresh Brewed Designs
Baby:                                    Crazy Challenge
                                              Crafting-with-dragonflies
Any:                                      Crafting in a Beautiful Mess   
                                              Crafting-with-friends                 
                                              Crazy4challenges 
                                              Creative Moments  
                                              Little Claires Designs 
                                              Crafty Sentiments
                                              Crafty Gals Corner
                                              Artistic Inspirations
                                              Lemon Shortbread
                                              The House that stamps built 
                                              Inspiration Destination 
                                              Simon Says Stampblog Wednesday  
                                              DLArt

Eureka challenge #183 - paper piecing

The challenge this week at Eureka stamps is paper piecing.  This is a fun way to add texture and a bit of dimension.  It is also a great way to create a different look for items of clothing as well as other images.  I have learned that it is important to choose patterns carefully - I find that dainty patterns work best for me.  I used two different patterned papers - for the dresses, the ribbons in the hats, and the backgrounds. I used markers to add a touch of color to the flowers on the hats. I used a darker golden yellow for the mats, and a sheer gold ribbon to add a final touch - along with the shiny gems.  Here is another tip if this is a new technique for you - color the rest of the image (the part next to the pieced layer) before adhering the DP in order to achieve a well blended edge.  (I'll bet you can figure out how I know that!)  I recently read a tip to use Stickles around the edge of the main image - I tried it here, though you cannot really see it well on the screen.  It does a lot to highlight the image.  I lightly sponged the image and sentiment, and distressed the edge of the circle to give a bit of a distressed look.
The new Eureka image I used is Best Friends, and the new sentiment is also from Eureka.  It is a font I really like.
Sketch:                Share Joy Challenge
Spring (I used colors and the pretty dresses to represent spring):
                             Digitally Sweet 
                             Fresh Brewed Designs
                             Crafty Sentiments Designs
 Bingo:     Row 1 - sentiment, flowers on hat, gems:
                             The Paper Shelter  
Bingo - Row 2 -  distressing, new image, texture, ribbon: 
                             Fussy and Fancy
Touchy, feely:      Simon Says Stamp Wedneday
Ladies:                 Digi Choosday
Child:                   Fan- tastic Tuesday
Sparkle:               Crafting for all Seasons
Layers:                 Frilly and Funkie 
                              Craftin Desert Divas     
Any:                      Lemon Shortbread
                              Jo's Scrapshack 

Leaping ladies

I think this Art Impressions (pre-colored)  pop-up set, Enjoy the Ride, works well for challenges that include "leaping" - it is leap year, after all.  I just have no idea why they are running, leaping and jumping - just havin' fun!  (Actually, though, most folks of this generation probably ache too much to leap very high!!!)  The three gals and the purse are popped up on pop dots.  The sketch also gave me a chance to use some underutilized Washi tape!

CHALLENGES ENTERED: 
Sketch:                     Sweet Sketch Wednesday2
Shake, rattle, roll:    Art Impressions Stamps
Birthday:                  Di's digi Designs
Hop, skip, jump:      DRS Designs      
"Pop":                       Inkspirational Challenges
Girly:                         Fresh Brewed Designs
Color (blue, green):  Cupcake Inspirations
Any:                          One Crazy Stamper
                                  Craft Your Passion 
                                  The Paper Nest Dolls

Love in the RV park

For some of you this may seem a rather unusual card for the "love" themes.  However, we know several couple who have found love the second time around, after losing a spouse.  Many of these "more mature" couples have known each other for some time through associations in their RV travels.  This scene (Art Impressions pre colored and die cut pop-up) is realistic, but I must say our friends are better looking!  I added some of the layers from the set, but not all.  BG pieces are from a Martha Stewart collection, and one corner features embossed hearts from Darice.
Sketch:                    Sweet Sketch Wednesday2
Sunshine:                The Paper Girls
Hearts:                    Fresh Brewed Designs
Embossed hearts:   Cuttlebug Mania
Love is in the air:   Crafting for all Seasons
Love, love, love:     Art Impressions Stamps
Love:                       Frilly and Funkie  (funky)
                                 Lunagirl Moonbeams

Hearts and a rose for DH

I hope this is masculine enough.  Hubby is always so thoughtful - he wrote a poem and brought a rose for me (yes, already) - he always says he'd buy a million if he could.....awwwww...!1 After 58 1/2 years we just don't come up with much of anything new!
Enough of that...
I lucked out the other day as I popped in to JoAnn's - they had Darice folders at 6/$10 - this is one  that I came home with.   I had to use it.  The image came from A Day for Daisies, several weeks ago.  I colored with Brilliance ink and an aqua pen.  The tiny heart is part of the image but I cut it out and popped it up a little.  Die cuts by Spellbinders, and the heart ribbon from my stash.  I did the sentiment on the computer.
CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Sketch:      Sketch Saturday
Hearts:      Craftin Desert Divas
                   Deep Ocean Challenge
                   Whimsie Doodles
                   Double Click Connections  
                   Fresh Brewed Designs
                   The House that Stamps Built  
                   Mod Squad Challenge
Love:          Dies r us
                    Polkadoodle
                    Whimsy Inspires 
Use red:      Di's Digi Designs

Valentine:   The Paper Girls
                     The Paper Shelter
Any:            CCCdigicreations

Christmas 2015 #35 - recycled

I need to make a bit of a dent in the large stack of cards I have been saving - my goal is to make simple cards to donate - but I never get started early enough on that project.  Oh, well, maybe next year...
In the meantime, I found one that would work behind the window.  (I hope you can see the wings of these young angels - I had to crop quite a bit to get the faces to show!)  The blue bg is embossed with Tim Holtz' bg folder, and the sentiment is by Stampourri.
Sketch:         http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/
Angel:          http://classycardsnsuch.blogspot.com/2015/12/ccns-challenge-114-angels.html
Christmas:    http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/  
                     http://craftyfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/
                     http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/#
                     http://polkadoodle.blogspot.ca/2015/12/week-49-polkadoodles-crafting-challenge.html
                     http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
Warm & cozy:  http://die-cut-divas.blogspot.com/
Non-traditional:        http://morgansartworld.blogspot.com.au/

Christmas 2015 #32

Most of my 2015 Christmas cards have been green with white or cream, but I decided to try something different.  Over the years I have saved quite a few card fronts, and it is hard for me to figure out how to recycle them and still have  the look of a hand crafted card.  I hope I succeeded with this.  I felt the Mojo sketch lent itself to using a recycled card through the window,  though for the sketch I should have positioned it a bit higher on the base.   I inked the Sizzix Time Holtz brick embossing folder.  The red strip is Washi tape, the window die by Poppystamps,  and the sentiment is computer generated.  I printed a few sheets on different papers - with sentiments in varying shapes - handy to have ready to use as needed.
Sketch:                http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/
Christmas:         http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
                             http://craftyfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/
                             http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com/2015/11/dlart-thankful-thursday-challenge-169.html 
                             http://www.addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com.au/
Tis the Season:   http://creativeknockouts.blogspot.com/
Traditional:         http://inkyimpressionschallenges.blogspot.com/
                            http://digichoosday.blogspot.co.uk/

Hi to Leah

We have a granddaughter who is spending this semester at school in New Orleans.  She is taking several culinary courses.  As I was browsing through some blogs earlier today I saw a digi of a pastry chef - but by now I totally lost track of where I saw it.  (Anyone know what I am talking about?)  A search resulted in a site called Broken Box, where I found this cutie - Baker Toodle (http://www.brokenboxstock.com/).  It is pre-colored - I changed the hair color, and added a few shiny touches, as well as her name.  My handwriting is terrible but I managed 4 letters!
Sketch:           http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
Colors:            http://www.drsdesignsblog.blogspot.com/
Orange:           http://reasonableribbon.blogspot.ca/search/label/challenges
Handwriting:   http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.com/
For the kids:    http://morgansartworld.blogspot.com.au/

Die cut thanks

Some of my favorite techniques - 1) adhere Washi tape to plain cs.    2) I do not use this often - but for contrast and added texture - double cutting the die cut words - in this case, teal on cream.
In retrospect I wish I had sponged the edge of the Labels piece - I did not use a mat because the next size is just too large.   (That makes a wish list - that the labels did not have such a great difference in size.)
Sketch:          http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
No stamps:    http://frillyandfunkie.blogspot.com/
Thank you :   http://thepapergirlschallenge.blogspot.com/
Any, with fave technique:   http://www.scrapbookblessingsclub.com/2015/09/september-challenge-anything-goes-with.html

Speedy recovery

I did take some liberty with this sketch - just had a hard time figuring out how to put circles together!  Instead, I cut Cheery Lynn butterflies from the reverse side of the DP (Craft n Craftin).  The swirls are Die-namics dies, and the sentiment computer generated.  I tore it and distressed with red chalk.  I also sponged a bit of red on the main image (Stampin Up Sweet of You set.)
Sketch:            http://vlvsketches.blogspot.com/p/link-list.html
Sunny colors:  http://www.flonzcraft.com/vsc/
Sentiment:       http://glitternsparklechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Summer:         http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/ 
Any:                http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
                        http://ema-ginationstation.blogspot.com/2015/05/ag-no-34.html

Red and black

I enjoy the challenges at Classy Cards 'n Such - this one is more of a challenge due to my limited supplies, but I managed to combine a rooster (SU Provencal); the colors, and a product - the Freedom Tear Drops I just received as a prize from them. The sentiment is Recollection, and the embossing and die cut are Cuttlebug.
Sketch:    http://yournextstamp.com/blog/category/challenge/http://yournextstamp.com/blog/category/challenge/
Wings:     http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com/
Red. black, rooster:  http://classycardsnsuch.blogspot.com/2015/06/ccns-challenge-90-red-black-rooster.html
Use a stamp:             http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/
Any:         http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
                 http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

Shaped card

This is way outside of the box for me - I have made only a small handful of shaped cards, but I like the results using this die set (Nestabilities Majestic Elements) and will probably do more.  I also seldom use orange - now there are several from recent days.  BTW, the outer oval is more soft peach than it appears here. The butterflies are by CC Designs, in a springy pale orange.  I added several shiny orange gems.
Shaped card:   http://craftingbydesigns.blogspot.com/
                          http://stampotiquedesignerschallenge.blogspot.com/
Die:                   http://suzypantssmarty.blogspot.co.uk/
Birthday:          http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
                          http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com/
Spring die:       http://frillyandfunkie.blogspot.com/
Texture:            http://creativeknockouts.blogspot.com/
Orange:            http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com/2015/04/dlart-thankful-thursday-challenge-154.html
Up in the air:   http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.com/
Inspiration (color):   http://www.addalittledazzle.com/dazzling-diva-challenge-71/

Good for a smile

This image makes me smile - I can almost hear the thump thump of the wagging tail!  He is called Harry - by Whipper Snapper, I think.  I used a couple of pieces of DP from the Animal Fanatic pack I got some time ago at Big Lots, and added a few extra bone punches, and Washi tape from Stamped Blessings.
Sketch:    http://sweetsketchwednesday2.blogspot.com/
 For boys:  http://thepapershelter.blogspot.com/2015/04/challenge-199-for-boys.html
Masculine:  http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/
Animal:      http://disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.com/ 
 Orange:     http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com/2015/04/dlart-thankful-thursday-challenge-154.html
 Birthday:   http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com/
                   http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
Make me smile:  http://artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2015-04-17T05:00:00-04:00&max-results=10
Inspired (by color):   http://www.addalittledazzle.com/dazzling-diva-challenge-71/
Any:           http://www.scribbleandscrapcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/      

Another sympathy card

This is another card that will be sent to our friend Don.  Phyllis lost her battle to cancer yesterday, and several church groups want to remember her. 
Supplies:  Cuttlebug border embossing folder; Darice Sympathy; Prima and other flowers; lt and dark green cs gems
Sketch:   http://scrappingeverydaymiracles.blogspot.ca/search?updated-max=2015-03-11T06:00:00-04:00&max-results=2
Flowers:   http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
Flowers:   http://www.lunagirlmoonbeams.com/
Any:    http://ema-ginationstation.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2014-10-30T00:00:00-05:00&max-results=1
           http://scrappers-delights-challenge-blog.blogspot.co.uk/

Happy March!

WOW!  This year is already about 1/6 over!  Where does the time go...
First of all, my apologies for an Oops... will have to fix this one!  The embossing folder has images going in different directions, but not upside down!  I grabbed the layer and started adding tape - not paying attention to the direction.  No time to work on it any more now as we have to leave early for church....
Supplies:  Misc cs, stamp by CraftSmart;  SU sentiment (very old!);  markers; orange gem, Washi tape.
Sketch #86, spring:  http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/
Spring:  http://www.flonzcraft.com/vsc/
One colored image and one sentiment:  http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
Layers:     http://crafterscafeblogchallenge.blogspot.com/
Birthday:  http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/
Animal:     http://doubleclickconnections.blogspot.com/
Rubber stamp:  http://toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/
Any:        http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.com/