Happy, down to my bones

Man, I am getting my pennies' worth from Dilly Beans' Girlie Skellie digi collage sheet; I rarely buy pre-colored images, but they are fun! For this card, I printed the Sugar Skull image on vellum, then reversed it and printed it onto a thin metal sheet (Making Memories). I wasn't sure how well that would work, but I dried it with my heat tool and sprayed it with a matte coating, and was able to handle it fine. The flowers are made from the rest of the same metal sheet; more on that later. The backing piece is a red vellum that I cut in my Big Shot, using the same die set as I used for the sentiment, which I made by combined the flowers from the collage sheet and the wonderful sentiment from Create with TLC.

Fetch-a-Sketch #17

Inspiration/Challenges:

Aud Sentiments: Happy (digi sentiment provided by sponsor, Create with TLC)

Fetch-a-Sketch #17 (right)

Shopping Our Stash Challenge 39: Metal Mania sponsored by Dilly Beans Stamps

This card is more fun in person, because there's so much texture:

I bought the Spellbinders Flower Creations die to use for my sister-in-law's wedding invitations (which turned out great!), and of course it just went on super-sale at Jo-Ann's! But I'm still glad I bought it from CropStop; the big box stores get enough of my money!

After cutting out the skull, I had exactly the right amount of metal left for the die plate. It embossed like a dream, but I didn't get a great cut even after running it through my machine many times, so I ended up cutting them out. Then I heat-embossed each piece with a different color and put the flower together with a brad (the top, purple piece is glued onto a small brad).

I gave this to my husband last night...he came home with a new laptop, which in our house is a little like getting a pair of feet! He's been saving for it for so long; I'm so happy for him!

Fetch-a-Sketch Challenge #13 sponsored by Dude Time Doodles

Dude Time Doodles is sponsoring this week's Fetch-a-Sketch challenge, so you know there's going to be some great inspiration from both Design Teams! I had lots of fun making this card, using the sketch & Santi Beaches.

It's a bit difficult to see, but the base of this card is acetate (clear plastic).

Hope you'll join along at Fetch-a-Sketch, and maybe even pull out your Bonibleaux Designs/Dude Time Doodles images!

Stamps: Santi Beaches & Presents! by Bonibleaux Designs/Dude Time Doodles, sentiment from Studio G, pine tree stamp by Tim Holtz, FIskars frame stamp

Paper: Hammermill, Recollections, acetate, stash DP
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Tim Holtz paper distresser, needle, Marvy heat tool, Martha Stewart detail scissors, ZipDry glue, ZIG glue pen, Singer sewing machine, acrylic block, ProvoCraft corner punch
Supplies: Recollections embossing powder & flocking, thread, Versamark & Memento inks, tulle

Simply Merry

Here's a quick Christmas card I whipped out the other night.

Inspiration:

Fetch-a-Sketch Challenge #11

Samuel Taylor's November Challenge: Christmas Card

Crazy 4 Challenges C4C114: Black + White + WOW

Happy Divorce!

Despite all one's wisdom & best intentions, sometimes Life Happens. My friend's marriage ended suddenly three years ago, and she's really risen to the challenge and is doing great. The breakup took about a year, but since then they've just been going through the legal hoops (expensive hoops!) to end the legal part of the union. Well, I was talking to her yesterday & she said that next week it will be final. Whoo-hoo! She said that if she had the time (she's a mom, who has the time?!) she might throw a party or something, so I thought I'd make her a card. I know she'll get a huge kick out of it. Transition is tough, and people who get through it even stronger certainly deserve a card!

I was inspired by the following challenges:

Fetch-a-Sketch #10

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #55: Brown, Cream, Pink

Craft Your Passion #83: Anything Goes + Brown

Stamp: Our Betty by Funky Hand


Update 11/18/11: Thank you all for your lovely comments on this card. And thank you Crafty Cardmakers for choosing it for your Top 5 for Challenge #55!

Invaders, possibly from Space!

Don't you just love it when a card comes together? I received the Computer Fun Lili of the Valley rubber stamp for my birthday (thanks Mom!), and thought it would go perfectly with the paper from my Smirk for Men set. I've had the Space Invader stamp for years (well, my husband has; Mom gave it to him. Thanks again Mom!), and the little cut-outs are from a card set I designed last year for my husband's birthday.

This card was also inspired by the following challenges:

• Sweet Stampin' Challenge: Masculine
• Fetch A Sketch Challenge #9 (I rotated the sketch 90 degrees counter-clockwise)
• Truly Scrumptious Challenge #68: Shaker Card/Boxes

Pretty Spooky

Wow, I'm so honored to have made the Top 3 for Dude Time Doodles' Think Pink challenge. I'm so excited I could poot! (Please see my card to understand that last statement!) I couldn't resist taking up their invitation to participate in this week's challenge, and I'm excited to be trying out for their Guest Design Team call too. Won't you join me?! The deadline is October 18.

I don't usually do this, but I combine two color challenges onto this one card. For the background color scheme I used the Brown theme at DYSU, and I incorporated the Pink necessary for the Dude Time Doodles challenge.

Apart from the color, the other part of the Dude Time Doodles challenge is to use their fantastical freebie, Eyegor. Isn't he just something else! The hanging pieces are actually Shrinky-Dinks that I printed out and shrunk in the toaster oven. The middle one has a tiny Eyegor on it!

For the layout, I went to the always-great Fetch-a-Sketch.

Inspired by the theme at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge, I tore the background pieces, and used my distressing tool on all the edges, including ones I cut with deckle scissors. I also sponged some Antique Linen distress ink onto the image piece.

Thanks for the inspiration everyone!

Update: Whoo hoo! This card won me the November Guest Designer Spot at Dude Time Doodles!