For Janet

Here is another card using some of the new to me pre folded 5.5 x 8.5 card bases.  The pre-coloredimage is from my files - originally from a site called Antique Images.  The two panels are textured ribbon, and the dies are Spellbinders.
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches
Any, with a die:   Scrapy Land 
New:    Whoopsi Daisy
Any:  Angies
           Pammies Inky Pinkies
            Corrosive Challenges

Crafter's Cafe Jan. 15 challenge

For the new year, the Crafter's Cafe is beginning a series of dual themes - choose whichever you prefer!  The mid month challenge offers the option of "layer it up" or CAS, using yellow.  I chose to do layers - I counted eight.  The image is Heart Bouquet by Creative Bug.
I used watercolor pencils to color the hearts.  The papers are from a pad of Valentine DP by Martha Steward - one I have had for several years.  The dotted strips are Washi tape.
Sketch:  Cheerful Sketches
Any:   Corrosive Challenges 
            Dream Valley
            Cute Daisymay

Humor for Anne

This is for the Tuesday Tea Pot party at SplitCoastStampers.  We are sending cheer to Anne this week.  If you would like to join us, look here for details.  The added challenge is to do a humorous card, with a touch of red if possible.
Pre colored digi by Dearie dolls; computer sentiment; DP by AMuse; stitched ribbon; Darice embossing folder.  I have had the image in my files for a while but this is the first time I printed it, so it is new to me. 
Sketch:    Stella Says Sketch
New:   Dragonfly journey
            Simon Says Stamp Monday
            Whoopsie Daisy 
Any:   Corrosive Challenge 
            Dream Valley 
 
 

 
 

Snowman with Plaid

This cute snowman is called Snow Posh, by .Creative Bug   one of the sponsors of the cuttent challenge at the Crafter's cafe.  The theme of the challenge is Use Lace and/or Christmas, and it runs for two weeks.  We hope to see you there - check out the prizes, rules and other details here. 
I used more of the plaid cs to paper piece his hat and scarf.  The sentiment is computer generated.
Sadly, Becy's month of Christmas challenges is drawing to a close -  I did not actually make it to "S", but I had fun trying.  Maybe next year!! 
Sketch:   Stella Says Sketch
"S" - snowman:   Beccys Challenges
Inspiration (plaid and white):  Tuesday Throwdown 
Christmas:  Crafting by designs 
Any:  Crafty Sentiments 
           Pammies Inky Pinkies
           Simon Says Stamp Wednesday 
            Whoopsi Daisy           
 

Recycling again

I have saved a lot of images from cards we have received, and it is time to use some of them.  Besides having an opportunity to use attractive pictures, it helps me - my eyes will just not allow my to color images any longer.  This Sketch Saturday sketch is perfect for using such picutres.  I added some shiny twine and a punched border (Martha Stewart punch)
Sketch:   Sketch Saturday
Any:   Jos Scrapshack
            Whoopsi Daisy
            

More butterflies

CS - from my new watercolor pad by Recollections; unknown DP for the Spellbinder butterflies and Cuttlebug sentiment; black borders; burnt orange acrylic dots.
Sketch:  Tuesday morning sketches
Black, purple, orange:   Pile it on challenge
 "B" - border, burnt orange, butterfly:  Butterfly Spot
Embellishments (dots):   Art Impressions
Any:  Pammies inky pinkies 
            Cute daisy may
 

DT Card for the Crafter's Cafe challenge #203 - use 3 of something

The current challenge at the Crafter's Cafe is to use 3 of something.  I have the 3 circles, of course, but if you look carefully I have 3 punched bones in the corners.  This image is calIed Happy dog - and I   think this doggie is happy about that!  The image comes from one of our sponsors, the QKR Stampede.  Check out the Crafter.s Cafe blog for details.  There are some fun prizes to be won.;
Circles - dies by Spellbinder;  Image - Happy Dog by QKR Stampede;  BG- Cuttlebug Happy Birthday folder, with splattered Walnut ink from my old stash.  I think this birthday folder is the first embossing folder in my stash!

Sketch:   Housethatstampsbuilt
Oldest stash item:  Pile it on
Splatters:   Tuesday Throwdown
What makes you happy:   Diecuttindivas.
 Any:   Simonsaysstamp Wednesday
             Corrosive Challenges
              Cutedaisymay  
               Craftysentiments
              QKR stampede 
   

Experimenting with Tri-fold Nativity by AI

This uses a new set, Nativity,  from Art Impressions - a prize that I just won.  It includes 4 stamps and 2 dies.  You see the 3 layers in the view above - the main stable and sentiment, the inner manger, and the baby revealed in the last view.  The two dies create openings to show the inner layers.
I used chalk and stencils for a background - in subtle colors.

Challenges:  
Christmas:   Diecuttindivas
                     Modsquadchallenge 
                     Cutedaisymay
                      Sasayakiglitter
Inspiration:   Pinspirationalchallenges
"On" (star on roof):  ABC Christmaschallenge 
Any:   Createsandmakes
            ttcrd.blogspot 
           Simonsaysstampblog Wednesday
           Crafting-with-friends

Recycling for Christmas 2018

The image and background mat are recycled from an old Christmas card.  I added some gold mesh and shiny ribbon as well as DP from my stash.
Sketch:   Cheerful Sketches
Any die:    Simonsaysstampblog Wednesdaychallenge
Christmas:   12 months of Christmas
                    Kitty Bee 
                    Di'sdigidesignschallenge
                     Sasayaki Glitter
                     Whoopsie Daisy
Add sparkle:   Simonsaysstampblog Monday
 

Christmas 2018

I am determined to upcycle several of the Christmas cards I have been saving.  Unfortunately, I am also addicted to sketch challenges, and many of the sketches do not work well with the shapes of cards I have.  So when there is one that works, I want to jump at the chance!  This is a sort of spotlight technique - after I cut the oval I decided that I could use the rest of the image for a background - bonus!!!  The card base is actually a double sided piece of cs  The stars are punched, and I added gold cord.
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches
"on" the snow:   ABC Christmas Challenge
 Christmas in July:    Whoopsie Daisy
                                   Ikesworldchallenge 
                                 Kitty Bee\
                                  Star stampz.
Any:   12monthsofchristmas
 

DT card for challenge #193 at the Crafter's Cafe: sketch and/or colors

This time the challenge at the Crafter's Cafe offers an option - follow the sketch or use the colors blue, green and yellow - or combine them.  I have opted to use both.  This image, Birthday Crocodile from Lia Stamps, is perfect for the green - colored with water color pencils, Twinkling H2O, and an aqua pen.. I would not have thought of using blue, but I like the combo a lot - and the touches of yellow work well.  This spotty embossing folder, some Washi tape, and a plastic clip are finishing touches.  The sentiment is computer generated.
Stop by the Crafter's Cafe blog to see the inspiration by the DT, and to see details on how to win some great prizes!  You may enter as often as you wish, with unlimited challenges.  The deadline is Friday April 13.
Sketch -   Crafter's Cafe
Digi, using cool colors:   Paper Shelter. 
Any:   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday
           Pammies 
           Cute Daisy May 
           Crafty Sentiments 
           Crafty Gals Corner 
           The Crafty Addicts 
           Not Just Cards  
           Jo's Scrapshack
           Inspiration Destination

"New" birdhouse stamp

I stopped by a yard sale on Saturday - and really had to restrain myself.  They were selling stamps (even sets) for a quarter or fifty cents!  I selected several I thought I might use - now I am kicking myself for not just getting them all and then giving them away.  This is called Neighbor Birds by Stampington.  I colored with Twinkling H2O's and watercolor pencils.  The sentiment is from SU Year Round Cheer - a set that had not even been mounted.
Sketch:   Feeling Sketchy
Animals:   C.R,A,F,T.
Feature creatures:   Penny Black at Allsorts 
Wooden birdhouses:   Frilly and Funkie
Tic tac toe diagonal (DP, fav color, stamp): Aud Sentiments 
Any/not square:    Cute Daisy May
                                Fab n Funky 
Use DP:   Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper 
 Any:    Word Art Wednesday

Valentine for hubby

After 60 years, it is hard to come up with new ideas!  I chose to use DP with words this time.  These are all papers from a Martha Stewart stack - I got it on clearance a few years ago.  Since I don't make many Valentines, it has lasted a while!  The panel on the left is actually Christmas burlap - but the red works!  I added some shiny gems.
Sketch (10 challenge max.):  Feeling-Sketchy
Love is in the air:   Simon Says Stamp - Monday 
                                 Rubbernecker
                                 Allsorts
It must be Love:      Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday
Have a heart:   Addicted-to-Stamps-
Say it with words:   Fab n Funky
A Way with words:    House that Stamps Built
3 or more pattern papers:  Southern Girls 
Any:  Whoopsie Daisy

Flowers for an anniversary

Image by Eureka, colored with Prismas; Heart die by Spellbinders, Washi tape, Darice butterfly embossing folder.
Sketch:  Tuesday Morning Sketches
Flowers:  Cute Daisy May
Inspiration (Flowers) :  Pinspirational
Colors:    Paper Girls Challenge
Any:  Pammies Inky Pinkies
           Crafty Sentiments

Serene farm scene

Recently I have seen several beautiful cards that feature lovely backgrounds as a base for silhouette images.  Some are sponged and some are "squished".  I decided to try my hand.  I used various Twinkling H20 inks with an aqua pen.  I have several colors of this ink but still was somewhat limited - though I am pretty happy with the result.  (I painted the base cs in the location where I knew the digi would be printed.)
Digi - Beccy's Place Nell's Cottage;  Twinkling H2O ink; Spellbinder circle dies;  Cuttlebug embossing folder, SU sentiment (very old!); twine, scrap of DP, green cs.  For my snippets I used a bit of twine and small pieces of green to back the DP, as well as a bit of cs for the sentiment.
Sketch:  Mojo Monday
"Snippets"    Pixies
Go Green:   Crafty Cardmakers
Going round in circles:   Whoopsie Daisy
Add green:   Delicious Doodles
Dies:    Happy Little Stampers
Any:   Beccys Place

Shepherd - traditional colors

Image - QKR Stampede, colored using aqua pen and water; Freckled Fawn acrylic star; DP - Faith pack by Paper Studio.  I like the torn edge to expose a bit of white, for an impression of texture.
Sketch:Tuesday Morning Sketches
Traditional colors:   Double D   
Many layers (7):    Whoopsi Daisy  
Two patterns:   Pile it on Challenge
Any Christmas:    Christmas at Sweet Stampin
Any:   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday

Blessings for William

Recently a young man was baptized during one of our church services.  He has little family support, and this must be a difficult situation for him.  I want to encourage him in his faith journey.  I hope this has a masculine feel to it.
Image - Sweet n Sassy digi, colored with metallic markers; DP by DCWV; golden cord with a metallic thread; Blessings die - Cheery Lynn.
Sketch:  Tuesday Morning Sketches
Colors:    Dragonfly Journeys
Die cut/punch:   Cute Daisymay
Any:   Word Art Wednesday

SCS Dare to Get Dirty challenge continues - Cathe Mac

Digis by QKR;  ProvoCraft DP; Nesties circle dies, Gel pens, shiny gems, AMuse pink cs.
Sketch:    Die Cuttin Divas
Pink & Girlie:   Cute Daisymay
Any:  Stamped Blessings

QKR Guest Designer - Paper Piecing #197

Today I changed hats, and will join the QKR design team for a few weeks.  This week the challenge at  QKR Stampede  is Paper Piecing.  You may enter as many as 3 times, and you have a chance to win 2 digital images - the prize is 3 images if you use a QKR image.
I have been wanting to use this cute image for a while, and I think it worked well to paper piece the cactus and also the lazy turtle. (I think he is trying to keep cool in our 110+ temps in AZ!)  This  Relaxin Turtle is by QKR, and the sentiment is Eureka.  I used the same pattern paper for the Spellbinder border style die cuts, and backed it with black.  The sun is from a Cuttlebug Die.  I used scraps for all the paper piecing and the strips.  The image is new to me; all the papers are old, including the blue sky.
CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Sketch:   Stella Says Sketch
Layer it up:    One Stitch at a Time
                         Corrosive Challenges
Bingo - column 3:   Get Creative 
Stuck on you (cactus):  Dragonfly Journey
Pattern Paper:    Simon Says Stamp - Monday
Bring on Summer:   Cute Daisy
Summer:   Starstampz 
Old, new and blue:   Pile it on 
Animal:    C.R.A.F.T.
Scraps:    Paper Girls
 Any:    Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
              Love to Scrap
               Crafting with an Attitude

Easter Blessings, everyone

Once again I used the Eureka Stamps Lily Cross and sentiment (digis).  The bg papers come from my stash, and I added a bit of Washi tape.
Green + Sentiment (5 CH)  Whoopsi Daisy
Sketch:     Sketch Saturday
Easter:     Inky Chicks
                  Pink Gem
                  Jo's Scrapshack