For USAFA grads

Next week our granddaughter graduates from the Air Force Academy.  We have met several of her friends, and I want to share this card with them.  I saw this Julia Spiri Aviator Cai image on Facebook, and had to have it - Granddaughter and some of her friends are headed to the AF Pilot training after graduation.  The logo is from the AF site.  The die cut is by Spellbinders.
Sketch:  Stella Says Sketch
Any, with a vendor die:  Scrapyland
Any, with a cat: Show us your Pussies

Surprise Kitty DT card for Crafter's Cafe World Art Day

This  is my DT card for the new challenge at the Crafter's Cafe.  We are recognizing World Art Day by creating works of art or using artistic techniques. That sounds like just about anything card makers would do - so be sure to get your entries in!    Take a look at the blog to see the artistic creations done by my fellow DT members as well as to check out the details of he challenge.
 Here is my framed portrait of Surprise Kitty by Knitty Kitty Digis.  You can buy this cute image at their store here.  I colored her with Prismas and Twinkling H20's- to add a bit of shimmer to the cake.  The words on the bg paper include "I love my kitty" and Purrrrrrrr....
Challenges entered
Sketch:   Cheerful Sketches
Critter:    2 Crafty Critter Crazies
Any cat:    Show us your Pussies
Any:   Creative Moments
            Crafters Castle. 
            Angies Digital Stamps
 

DT Card for QKR Stampede challenge #277 - Anything Goes

Beginning with this challenge, the QKR Stampede weekly challenge will be a favorite - Anything Goes.  You have a chance to win some QKR images - more if your entry uses a QKR/Eureka digi or stamp.  The deadline (up to 3 entries) is Thursday at 3 p.m. EST.  We hope to see your entry!
The digital image I selected is called Bandaged Cat.  I am not sure if this is technically paper piecing - since I printed and fussy cut the entire image from a piece of DP!   The sentiment is also from QKR Stampede.  I used various pieces of patterned paper, adding sequins and bits of ribbon. The images are new for this challenge, and the sequins are from a never used pack.
Sketch (10 challenge max):   Feeling-Sketchy
New:    Simon Says Stamp Monday
             Simon Says Stamp Wednesday 
Cats only:   Show us Your Pussies
Any:     Scrapbook Stamp Society
             2 Crafty Critter Crazies
             Corrosive Challenges
 

Snippets Window

I recently won a nice prize from the Snippets Playground challenge - this window die by Die-namics, and this cat stamp by Paper Xtra.  I wanted to use both, and thought this sketch would work, but I think in retrospect the kitty is a bit too large.  Oh, well - I usually post just about everything I make, so it will have to do!  I used the wood grain embossing and a bit of a branch also by Die-namics.   I added some punched rose butterflies.
I think I outdid myself with snippets!  The cat is stamped on the piece from the window.  I found a bit of the tree DP that just fit, and used scraps for both the rose and blue embellishments. I think I actually used up a scrap or two.
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches
Window & rose color:   Butterfly Spot Challenge
Animal/birds:   Crafty Friends
                            Crafty Catz
Inspiration:   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday 
Spring:    Die Cuttin Divas
                 Penny Black at Allsorts
Any:      Show us your Pussies
              Imagine That Digistamp 
              Creatalicious 
              Jo's Scrapshack 

Mistletoe Kitty

Image - a Christmas freebie, including the pre-colored image, from Imagine That Digistamp; Paper Studio DP; Washi tape - mounted on white cs; button dies cut in gold glitter cs.  I use the dies to keep the card flat enough to mail.
Sketch:    Life-in-Snapshot
Bingo - diagonal - sentiment, digi image, button:   The Paper Shelter
Any using Imagine That Digistamp:  Facebook Imagine That Digistamp
Traditional Christmas colors:   Double D
Christmas:  Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge 2
                     Allsorts
                     Hiding in my Craftroom 
Pattern Paper:   Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper
Any:   Crafty Catz  
            Show us Your Pussies

SCS Falliday Fest '16 - CAKath

I have a few challenges left to finish in order to fill the requirements for Yeti status at the SplitCoastStampers Falliday Fest - 30 cards and 5 tutorial projects.  I may make it by Monday!  CAKath;s challenge is to feature a pet - and many will go as thank you cards for a Humane Society to send out.  Mine, actually, is for a request by our youngest granddaughter.  Her roomie is a cat lover - specifically, hairless cats.  I had to resort to a google search to find an image.  I used a bit of DP from my stash as well as a gold strip and some ribbon to complete the card. The sentiment is by 7Gypsies library stamp.
Sketch, colors:   Your Next Stamp
Cute:     AudSentiments

SCS Dare to Get Dirty - stampersandee challenge

This is another of the week-long challenges  at SplitCoaststampers for Fan Club members (fee required).  I am hoping to complete the 40+ challenges, but it is looking less and less likely!
Stamp by Belse; colored with Twinkling H20 - Playful Peony; LifeStyle Crafts embossing folder; Spellbinder banner dies; brads.  IRL the embossed layer is more pink than red!
Sketch:   Catch the Bug - Stella
Animal:   Pink Gem
Pink:  In the Pink
Cat:   Show us your Pussies

Eureka Stamps challenge #189 - Buttons and Bows

This week for my Design Team card at Eureka Stamps I selected these adorable kittens - "Big n Little Cats".  The challenge is "buttons and bows, found here:   Eureka Stamps.   Both the image and sentiment are available as stamps or digi images at Eureka.  They have lots of cats - I may use them all for my granddaughters who really like their cats!  I thought this funky DP resembled the stripes on the kitty, and I completed the black and white design with polka dotted DP and ribbon.  If you look closely you will spot the button at the left. This completes the middle column for the tic tac toe challenge. 2 + 2 + 2   - 2 DP; 2 Embellishments (ribbon and button); 2 ovals.
 CHALLENGES ENTERED: 
Sketch:             Cheerful Sketches         
Monochrome:  Crafty Catz
Black &white:  Dies r us
Die Cuts:          Tuesday Throwdown
                           Starstampz
Polka dots:        Simon Says Wednesday
Stripes & dots: Chocolate Coffee Cards
2 + 2 + 2:           DRS Designs
Digi image:       Crafty Friends
Cats:                 Show us your pussies 
For a child:      Crafty friends
Tic tac toe:       Crafting for all Seasons
Critter:            Critters and Creatures
Any:                 Not Just Cards
                          Our-crafty-corner.
                          The paper nest dolls
                          Crafty Calendar
                          Crafty Sentiments 
                          Inspiration Destination 
                           
 

Fluffles

Fluffles image; Lily of the Valley DP; peach embossed with Embossalicious EF; colored with watercolor pencils and aqua pen - highlights with white gel pen; black bow. Fluffles is enjoying his/her own tiny garden!
CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Sketch:                 Sketch Saturday  
Creature:             Fantastic Tuesday
                              Penny Black at Allsorts
"B" -black bow:  DRS
Garden:                 Come and Get It
Any:                       One Crazy Stamper 
                                Jades Sparkly Butterflies 
                                Creative Fingers    
Water color with white highlights:   Art Impressionsstamps               

Larry and Smoky - for Leah

I took this photo while at their home for Christmas - had I thought about using it on a card I would have taken more care with the photography.  Oh, well.  Our granddaughter's birthday is soon- she misses her cats (a lot) while away at college - so it occurred to me to send a reminder!  She is just starting a NEW semester as well as a NEW year of her life.  The photo is new, as is the DP (Lily of the Valley).  I used a button die, tied with cord; washi tape; Martha Stewart punch; misc. cs.
Sketch:                Share Joy
Warm and cozy:  Fattastic Tuesday 
You Crack me up: Dragonfly Journeys
 Kitty:                   Show us your pussiecat          
New:                    Crafty Calendar
                             Eureka Stamps
                             Cuttlebug Mania 
Any:                     Not just Cards

Dearie Doll Christmas

My Christmas cards  have a spiritual theme, but I could not resist this Dearie Dolls image - so I made a card to send to our granddaughter - you see her included in my photo at the right.  (She is in her first year at the Air Force Academy - she is fortunate to be able to go home from time to time, but she misses her cat!)  This will be unsigned so she can send it to a friend.   I used the Dearie Dolls image (thank you for sharing your talent, Mary Ellen).  Where are you in CO?  The image is new, but the DP has been in my stash for a long time - have no idea of the origin!
Sketch:      http://sweetsketchwednesday2.blogspot.com/
Critter:      http://incywincydesigns.blogspot.com/
                   http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/
Be merry:  http://artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com/2015/11/challenge-172-be-merry-plus-new-2015.html
Any:           http://jwscrapshack.blogspot.ca/  
                   http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com/2015/11/dlart-november-linky-challenge.html
In with the old (DP):  http://lawnscaping.blogspot.com/
Inspiration (oh, my - what happened to that tree???)   
                   http://www.theshabbytearoom.blogspot.com/
      

HB, Granddaughter

I am kind of winding down my card making for a few weeks - just have some other fun plans!  But I do have a few that I need to finish at the last minute.  This is for our granddaughter - she likes her cat she had to leave at home!  I should have her in her Air Force Academy uniform - oh, well, these patriotic colors should do.   The image is a pre-colored one by Dearie Dolls, and I use a lot of scraps to finish the card.
Sketch:  http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/

The kitty in the Window

This week the TeaPotters are card shower is going the the cousin of a member who is facing the removal of a kidney - as well as other health issues.  She is definitely in need of cheer.  Since she likes cats, I used this image from A Day for Daisies, and cut it out - so it appears she is looking in the window - or is she inside looking out?  I added some cord for the curtains.  The window die is Cheery Lynn - I did not include the shutters that are part of the die . For the music theme - do you recall "How much is that doggie in the window?"  That song popped in my head when I thought of this card - substitute kitty, of course.
Teapot challenge:    http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/teapot-tuesdays-f260/mmtpt373~september-22-2015~mud-balls-hair-balls-no-its-teapotters-ball-t603411.html
Sketch (rotated):      http://die-cut-divas.blogspot.com/
Framed image:         http://adayfordaisies.blogspot.com/
Cut the card:            http://artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com/2015/09/challenge-168-cut-your-cards-week-2.html
Music:                      http://alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.ca/
Orange:                    http://dragonflyjourneys.blogspot.com/

GD's #5

Another card for our granddaughter...She loves her cat!  Double sided paper from an animal pad. Ribbon I have had a long time; Spellbinder slider die, and a sentiment that is separated from its mates!
Black, white, one color:  http://cagichallenge.blogspot.ca/
Any:                   http://inspirationdestinationchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/ag-no-48.html

Roses and a kitty

I struggle to color flowers, especially roses, so I  hope this pretty print will work!  I used swirls (white layer) and roses - inspired by the shape of the cupcakes, and some of the colors (Desert Divas challenge).  IRL the colors look much better together - the bottom panel is pink, not lavender.  The image is from A Day for Daisies.  I added pink stickles to the wings.
Sketch #85:   http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/
Sequins:        http://adayfordaisies.blogspot.com/  
Roses:           http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/
Cupcakes and colors:  http://www.craftindesertdivasblog.com/

Kitty and mice

Every summer I meet a customer who routinely purchases a dozen or so "cat cards" to give to her friend the cat lover.  I appreciate the sales, but it does keep me on my toes to locate a variety of images!  I recently found new ones at Dearie Dolls - this is a colored image - and they are freebies.  Hooray for the variety, and thank you, Dearie Dolls!  I added glitter to the flowers on the chair, and cut the kitty's head, to make a smaller panel.  The circle and strip are both DP, and the bg is Cuttlebug's You - I inked just a few of the words before embossing - a kind of spotlighting technique, I guess.   The ink does not seem to show well on the screen - "kind", "loving" and "stupendous" are the ones with a bit of dark pink ink.  The flowers are Petaloo, with gems added, and the ribbon is a sparkly pink.
Sketch:  http://sweetsketchwednesday2.blogspot.com/
Circles and squares (well, it is almost a square!):  http://chocolatecoffeecards.blogspot.com/
Special lady (my customer's friend):  http://crafterscafeblogchallenge.blogspot.com/
Pink:  http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com/
Flowers:  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/
Ribbon, bling:  http://wagsnwhiskersrubberstamps.blogspot.com/
Any:  http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.com/
Feminine:  http://glitternsparklechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/

Say Cheese!!!

In a few months I will probably have a customer who would like several cards featuring cats - time to get started!  I found a website with lots of free cat (and other) images - not sure she is still adding, but I have a small collection!
http://sliekje.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00%2B01:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00%2B01:00&max-results=32
I colored with chalk pencils.  Texture is from the layered ovals, washi tape and flowers.  The dp is also lightly textured.   The scalloped ovals may be purchased at classycards'nsuch. The card is an A2 rectangle.
Sketch:  http://adieforasketch.blogspot.ca/
It's Raining cats (kitty and an umbrella):  http://classycardsnsuch.blogspot.com/2014/03/ccns-challenge-25-raining-cats-and-dogs.html
Digi:  http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/
Not a square:  http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/
Texture:  http://creativecornerchallenges.blogspot.de/
Any:  http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.co.uk/
   http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.com/

Fluffles in Pink

I have not used a Fluffles for a while - the pink challenge seemed just right for this cute kittie.  The sentiment is Paper Pretties.
Sketch:  http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/
Pretty in pink: : http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/
Bright and beautiful:  http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.com/
Monochromatic:  http://liastampz.blogspot.com/
Any   http://lejdesignschallenge blog.blogspot.co.uk/
Cute and sweet:  http://suzypantssmarty.blogspot.com/
Pattern Paper  http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.com/

Ready for fall

This is Kitty's Flutter Friends from High Hopes, with a Paper Pretties sentiment.  The BG paper is Basic Grey, and I used a couple of BG scraps for the butterfly and tiny circle punches.  The sentiment is edged with scissors, and I used Nesties for the circles.
Sketch:  http://adieforasketch.blogspot.de/
Dies/punches:  http://highhopesstamps.blogspot.com/
Fall:  http://basicgreychallenges.blogspot.com/
Wings:  http://www.craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.com/
Birthday:  http://stampandcreateblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Challenge
Any:  http://www.ladyanneschallenges.com/stamp-challenge.html

Vanishing pearls

There really are pearls here - 4 on the circle and one in the flower.  I also used lilac to complete the middle column of the tic tac toe challenge.  The DP has been in my stash for a LONG time.  I added embossed strips and a bow.  The image is Fluffles enjoying a summer day in the sun.
Tic Tac Toe:  http://creativecraftchallenges2.blogspot.com/
Any, with a sentiment:  http://avenue613.blogspot.com/
Sunny day: http://papermakeupstamps.blogspot.com/
Any:   http://scrap-creations1.blogspot.com/