Love BIrds anniversary

This is a fun image (by Pollyraft) for a whimsical anniversary card.  I selected the Basic Grey bg paper ("Jade") as it reminds me of an outdoor scene.  The hearts are Spellbinder dies, and the ribbon is woven through pieces of a Martha Stewart border punch.  Flowers are Petaloo.  I have had this scrap of BG DP for about 3 years.  I printed and colored the image a long time ago.  The rust colored mat is a pretty new purchase - first time use for this color.
Sketch - see above for "stash":  http://sketchandstashchallenge.blogspot.com/ 
Weaving:  http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.co.uk/
Flowers, with BG dp:  http://basicgreychallenges.blogspot.com/

Sympathy, purple and white

If you look through my blog, you will see that this style is one of my favorites, although I seldom seem to stamp with colored ink - though I have a good collection of inks!  This uses a Whiff of Joy sentiment and I think the border is Verve, cut and embossed with Nesties dies.  The punch is EK Success, and the vellum dove is from a Cheery Lynn set purchased at Joan's Gardens.  The bg is CB Swiss Dots.  Embossing and die cuts were done on my Cuttlebug.
Sketch:  http://tuesdaymorningsketches.blogspot.com/
Condolence:  http://lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.com/
Purple:  http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/
"D" for Dorothy, dots, and die cuts:   http://cuttlebugmania.blogspot.co.uk/
Any:  http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/

Lazy Summer

Here is another cute (free) digi from sliekjestamps.  I used:  CB HB folder, some misc plaid DP, paper tape, sheer ribbon, Prismas, a shell charm, distressed edges.  I made tiny whimsical plaid clouds from a Cheery Lynn die that I purchased not long ago from Joan's Gardens.
Sketch #80 :  http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/
Plaid, birthday, embossing, dimension:  http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2013/06/this-weeks-challenge_20.html
Summer:  http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/
Summertime fun:  http://digidarlas.blogspot.com/
At the beach:  http://digidarlas.blogspot.com/
Beach : http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/

Summer fun on the beach

This Cool Cat is a Hambo digi.  I colored with Prismas, and used Ranger Enamel Accents (white) for the cat - I think you can see a hint of the texture.  I added a scrap of DCWV summer DP, some twine, and a die cut sun (from the CB Olivia alpha set.)  In case you are wondering, I am not sure what that pink liquid could be...
Sketch:  http://www.sweetsketchwednesday.blogspot.com/
Summer fun:  http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.com/
Summer fun:  http://paperprettiesblog.blogspot.com/
Beach:  http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/
Sunny weather:   http://carabbiemomentsofcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

Springtime Glitter and Shine

Flowers by

Whew!  I am running a bit late - too many interruptions! This image is Penny Black (Cheesecake) - thanks to their website for some coloring inspiration.  I used a chalk pencil to color the mice, and kind of smudged with my finger to blend and reduce the amount of color.   The icing is shiny white enamel accent paint with glitter glue sparkles.  I used prismas for some of the other color. Other items: flowers by Petaloo; rhinestones;  DCWV Spring Stack dp, DCWV coral cs; glitter (along edge); Arrow by Basic Grey.
 Sketch:  http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/
Cute:  http://glitternsparklechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Spring:   http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/
Cute:  http://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com/
Sparkle and shine: http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.com/
"A" - arrow: http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-04-02T01:15:00-04:00&max-results=3
Girly:  http://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.com/

Spring fishing

This will be a fun card for some fisherman friend.  I used spring colors (misc. papers); added a bit of a banner and twine to enhance an image from Digi Darla.  I colored the fish with watercolor and chalk pencils, and sponged with lemon colored chalk - probably too faint to show up.  Since the second line was too wide for the Nestie, I just cut into the body of the image to place it over the die while cutting.  I am satisfied with that result.  (Using the next larger Nestie would have made the image too big for this card - and with too much white showing.)  In retrospect I wish I had trimmed the A and R a bit more. 
Serendipity - as I was getting out my twine, I re-discovered an old mesh bag I saved for something, some time!  Well, this was the time - I hope it looks a bit like a net.
Sketch- with spring):  http://sweetstopsketches.blogspot.com/
Green:  http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/
 Banner:  http://chocolatecoffeecards.blogspot.com/
Sherbet colors (green, peach, apricot, lemon - hope I saw them right!!!):   http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.co.uk/

Two sympathy cards

This is another image I got at creatwithtlc.com   I think it works well for CAS cards - which I rarely do as they are pretty much out of my comfort zone.  For the first one, I used a dark grey backing and corner punch - but do not like it as well.
The second is my re-do for this challenge:  http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/
I used a dark teal and shades of grey for the two colors.  Ribbon, rhinestones, and glitter on the flowers are the three embellishments - and this time I did limit myself to one layer!  I used a pastel chalk pencil for coloring, and an embossed frame from Cuttlebug.

Old Age

I recently discovered a source of digital images I know I will use often.  This blog is not meant to promote any product, but I hope no one minds if I let you know about this source.  I got this image via the blog createwithtlc.com; it is called Learning from Old Age.  I know that my friends will enjoy the humor.
I used shades of lavender and grey; flowers from Petaloo, and vintage lace that came in a box at an estate sale. The DP is Paper Pizazz. The image printed this way, with the lavender strip and shaded image.
The sketch:  http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/

CAD in red and white

I am part of a small group of bloggers on Splitcoaststampers who are continuing a challenge of making a card a day.  Originally the members of a larger group each were to make 100 cards in 100 days, without purchasing new items.  Well, I am sure many of us made purchases to celebrate the completion of that challenge!  I know I did.
For my card I used several CB and SU embossing folders, a bit of red ribbon, and white TearDrop Flatback pearls from Pizzazz Aplenty.
Red and White challenge:  http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/
Use Pearls:  http://songbirdchallenges.blogspot.com/ 
  
Our card a day group also has a weekly challenge.  I posted the one for today, which is to use a card of a fellow member for inspiration.  Excuse the length - there will be several links here.
Our SCS thread: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/blogging-groups-f290/card-day-blog-group-full-blogging-t557553-6.html
I hope to use additional cards for inspiration, but I started here:



This is from:  http://confessionsofaleft-brainedstamper.blogspot.com/

Sympathy

It is always a good idea to have some sympathy cards on hand.  The image and sentiment are SU Thoughts and Prayers.  I used CB Swiss Dots and Victoria folders, a Nestie die, and tiny butterfly punch.
Black and white with a color: http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.co.uk/
Sketch:  http://thatcraftplaceblog.blogspot.com/

Rainbow Heart for a sister

I had several things in mind when I planned this card - I hope that I have had at least moderate success.  First of all, I am trying to increase my inventory of cards to sell at our RV park craft sales.  The past couple of years I have barely been able to keep up, and I would like to have a few more unusual cards available for requests I often get.  This is for a sister - I hope the color choices are not too somber.
The heart stamp has a label of Westminster Enterprises, and the sentiment is computer generated.  I used a variety of grey cs.  The darkest bg comes from a pack of shiny cs.  The main bg is dry embossed with the CB You folder.  I used Nesties circles and eyelet circles, and a Martha Stewart punch around the page punch.  The half pearls are from Pizzazz Aplenty.
This is the only rainbow I could think of, for this challenge:  http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-04-17T00:01:00-04:00&max-results=3
The shades of grey:  http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.com/
The sketch:  http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/stella-says-sketch-challenge-108.html
I created my own paper lace and added tiny half pearls:  http://chocolatecoffeecards.blogspot.com/

Mother's Day - for a kitty afficianado

Whew!  I have really been running behind this week, but I think I made it to complete some of my favorite challenges.
I used a Penny Black image from Purrfect Day, and a JustRite Happy Everything greeting.  I used pastel chalk crayons, and tried smoothing the color with brush coloring tools.  If any of you have a better solution, I would be glad to hear it.  The DP is from a Big Lots pack, and the shiny ribbon is Texture Bobbin brand.  I added glitter and Recollections rhinestones for more bling.
The sketch:   http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.com/
A Mother's Day card:   http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.com/
Glitter and bling:  http://doyoustackup.blogspot.com/
A case of Helen's lovely card:  http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/   (I focused on the blues and the use of flowers).
Use a critter:  http://critterchallengeblog.blogspot.com/