Get Ready to Rumble

Happy Tuesday! My middle child and I share a love of football, in particular the Colts, since we are from Indiana. Although we haven't had a lot to cheer about the last few years we still love to watch. So each year as the season gets under way I try to send him a card.

The football balloon images are from Eureka Stamps. I tied silver threads around each balloon and they hang below the sentiment but they are hard to see in the photo. The sentiment is from Create with TLC and colored with Spectrum Noir and Copic markers and die cut with MFT Stitched Ovals. The background designer paper is from Imagine That Digis by Kris from the Touchdown 3 Digi Paper set. Of course everything needed to be Colts Blue! Go Colts!
I am entering these challenges:

• QKR Stampede: anything goes; option: keep your eye on the ball
• Anything Goes with Create with TLC Element: use a Create with TLC element (sentiment)
• The Outlawz Monday challenge: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Digi Choosday: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper challenge: use patterned paper

I wanted to celebrate my 1500 blog post and I missed it by a bit. This is number 1503. And since I am leaving on vacation tomorrow I'm going to wait until I return to post some blog candy. Then it can be a birthday blog candy too. So stay tuned for that. Hope you have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Donna

Christmas Delivery

Aaaah, Rudolph Days! I love getting another Christmas card done ahead. I have a feeling that Christmas time will be very busy with the twins. So why not get things rolling ahead of time.

I used a Bugaboo image that I colored with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut with Spellbinder's Splendid Circles. I inked the edge with Fired Brick DI. The background designer paper is from Lawn Fawn. The sentiment is from Altenew Halftone Holidays and die cut with MFT Essential Fishtail Sentiment Strips. I added some twine for embellishment. Truly an eclectic card with all those companies represented. LOL!
I am entering these challenges:

• Stella Sketch at Catch the Bug: sketch 
  
• Rudolph Days: card for Christmas anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: anything goes; something old (twine is very old)
• Hiding in my Craft Room: any holiday
• The Outlawz Saturday Paper ala Mode: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Extra challenge: anything goes Christmas
• Bugaboo Crafty challenge: use a Bugaboo image

Hope your Monday and week are off to a great start. Thanks for stopping by today. I have dosing team projects to work on this week and Wednesday we'll be leaving on vacation for 2 weeks. So I will be taking a little break from crafting (and the twins, sniff, sniff!) but having fun doing other things. Take care! See you again very soon.

Donna

Just Be Me

Happy Sunday to all! As I was looking for another stamp the other day I ran across this sentiment stamp that I won from Paper Makeup Stamps eons ago. Sadly they are no longer in business. I don;t think I have ever used it and I love the sentiment so I decided it was high time to get moving on it.

Just in case you can't read the card in the picture, the sentiment says:

I you're alone, 

I'll be your shadow. 

If you want to cray,

I'll be your shoulder.

If you want a hug,

I'll be your pillow.

If you need to be happy,

I'll be your smile.

But anytime you need a friend,

I'll just be me.

Isn't that a great focus for a friend card? I used the Tuesday Morning Sketch as my inspiration turned 90 degrees.

The background "doily" is cut with Spellbinder's Splendid Circles with a scrap of plain paper. The background paper is textured and also a scrap I had laying around. I inked the edges of the sentiment with Mustard Seed DI to match the card base and added some flower petals (from Dollar Tree) with some gems as centers for the flowers. I think it turned out really nice!

I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch above
• The Friday Outlawz challenge: flowers
• Penny's Challenge: anything goes
• Scrapping4Fun challenge: anything goes
• Scribbles Designs: the power of words

I am off to get the twins for the day and they'll be here for dinner tonight so it will be busy. Hope your weekend has been lovely and you are looking forward to the week ahead. Take care.

Donna

Happy Birthday Cupcake

Welcome to the weekend. I was with the twins this evening and as usual I am bushed but I wanted to post this card before I fall into bed.

 

The adorable little monster digi is for the progressive challenge at Gerda Steiner Designs.The digi is called I didn't eat it (yet) - Birthday Monster Digital Stamp. I printed him twice in different orientations and colored him with Spectrum Noir markers. Everything else I used was scraps laying around my desk. I love the striped paper with all the great colors on it. I cut windows out using MFT Inside & Out Stitched Rounded Squares. The ribbon was a scrap from my ribbon box and I liked that the colors matched the colors that I colored the little monsters. So I popped up one monster and tucked the other into the window. The sentiment is from my stash. I unfortunately don't know where I got it. I used MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags to die cut the sentiment, then I inked it with Peacock Feathers DI which matched one of the stripes on the background paper. I'm really happy with the way this card turned out. Super cute!
I am entering these challenges:

• Gerda Steiner Designs August challenge: use the Birthday Monster digi stamp
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• The Outlawz Thursday challenge: anything goes with twist of birthday
• Seize the Birthday: anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps: anything goes 
  
• Die Cuttin' Divas: birthday celebration

Well, the day is done. Gone the sun. (Can you hear the song or am I the only Girl Scout who sings this?) I am headed for bed. Thanks for stopping by. Have to get my beauty sleep before the twins descend on my tomorrow for the whole day! Have a super weekend.

Donna

Hugs and Fishes

So my first card for my progressive challenges this month is for The Outlawz challenge. The image this month is a cute fish in an undersea landscape. drawn by Jean Chaney of Tangle Street Colorway.

I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and water colored the background with Salty Ocean DI and a water pen. The bubbles have dimensional magic added to them for texture and the fish has Wink of Stella for some sparkle. The sentiment is from Paper Makeup Stamps (no longer in business). I heat embossed the sentiment on back card stock with white embossing powder and die cut it with MFT Essential Fishtail Sentiment Strips. The frame is die cut from ToDo Rectangles.

I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Progressive Challenge: use the fish image
• A Bit More Time to Stamp: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Crafty Sentiments Design: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter

Well, it's been a busy day. I got a lot accomplished but more to go tomorrow. I think it's time to call it a night. Have a wonderful Friday. One more day before the weekend. Take care!

Donna

Santa Bear

A quick post for now as I have a bunch of stuff to do this afternoon including picking up the twins. So my card today is obviously Christmas.

The image is from QKR Stampede. I colored him wit Spectrum Noir markers and then die cut the card in the shape with Gina Marie Designs Wine Labels dies. I added Diamond Stickles to the bear and burgundy Stickles to the border. The sentiment is from Altenew Halftone Holidays stamp set and dies. I used MFT Elf Green and Memento Rich Coca ink.
I am entering these challenges:

• QKR Stampede: shaped card
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: anything goes
• The Outlawz Friday challenge: Christmas
• A Snowflakes Promise: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Extra: anything goes

That's it. I am off and running to the next thing to get done. Happy Thursday! 

Donna

Camp Create - Final Day

Happy Wednesday! I finished up my Camp Create challenges and posting my last challenge card. Day 5 was using dies to create a fun background! Delightful Die Cutting. I used the same technique that she showed in the video.

It's a pretty simple card, although it seemed to take me forever to make it. I first used ink blending on a separate piece of card stock using Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed and Fossilized Amber to create the ombre effect. Then I did the same on my card base. From the card stock I cut three of the stars from MFT Pierced Star Stax taped together so they would stay together. I placed the stars on the inked background and then added my sentiment from Simon Says Stamp's Watts Up? (no longer available). Used my MISTI to place the sentiment and get a good impression. So that ends Camp Craft for this year. Looking forward to trying again next year for sure since this was my first attempt.
I am entering these challenges:

• Camp Create Day 5: Delightful Die Cutting 
  
• Penny's Challenge: anything goes
• Addicted to CAS: friends 
  
• Koala T Challenge: yellow
• A Bit More Time to Craft Extra challenge: anything goes

Now it's back to my desk to get my progressive challenges done this month. We are getting ready to leave for vacation so I need to get those taken care of. Have a wonderful hump day!

Donna

MFT Campfire - Camp Create

Good evening! I am finding a bit of time to finish up my MFT Camp Create projects. Tonight I finished up the bonus campfire challenge: Awesome Ombres. Fun video that shows three different ways to create the ombre effect. I chose to use all one color to make this masculine birthday card.

The background is a Paper Studio embossing folder. I love the frame and the fun Celebrate! sentiment that is embossed. I used Peacock Feathers DI to create an ombre piece that I die cut with MFT Stitched Ovals. The ribbon is from my stash and I used a buckle to add some embellishment. I die cut the "You" from the MFT You Trio, and I decided to use some faux stitiching done with white gel pen to make it stand out. The sentiment is from the MFT All About You stamp set and was heat embossed with white embossing powder on black card stock. I finished it off with a few sequins from Lawn Fawn.
I am entering these challenges:

• Camp Create Bonfire challenge: awesome ombres 
  
• Atlantic Hearts challenge: sketch 
  
• Tuesday Throwdown challenge: add metal (buckle)
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: add a sentiment
• Monday Outlawz challenge: feature the sentiment
• Crafty Sentiments Designs: anything goes

That's it for me today. I hope to get back to my craft table tonight but we'll see how that goes. One more MFT challenge project to go. It's been such fun! Have a wonderful day!

Donna

New Release at Imagine That Digis by Kris

Happy Tuesday! Today is a new release over at Imagine That Digis by Kris. Six new sets are being released all related to some degree to back to school. And they feature manatees. So cute! I chose to work with Manatee Soccer because our nephew just made the high school JV team as a freshman. So I made him a congrats card for making the team!

His team colors are blue and white. This is their "away" jersey's, blue shirt with white numbers. He of course is number 12. I masked the image to ink up the grass and sky. The grass is Mowed Lawn DI and the sky is Salty Ocean DI. The clouds are made with a scalloped punch out. You can see a tutorial of how to do the sky. I cut out the image and edged it with MFT Stitched Inside and Out Rounded Squares. And the base is light green card stock. Here is the inside of the card featuring a sentiment from the new stamp set.

And I aided another soccer ball. All images were colored with Spectrum Noir markers. I just think the sentiment is so fun! I die cut it with MFT Essential Fishtail Sentiments Strips. I hope you will pop over the the Imagine That Creative Playground and check out all the new sets and what the awesome design team has done with them. So many new fun things to play with!

I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Wednesday Sketch challenge: sketch 
  
• Digi Choosday: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: anything goes
• A Bit More Time for Crafting: anything goes

Thanks for dropping by today. I haven't had much time to craft but maybe this evening. At least I can always hope. We are supposed to get rain today. We need it so badly. It's so dry here. Everyone around us gets rain and for some reason it goes around us. It's so strange. Have a wonderful day!

Donna

Monochromatic Magic

Back with Day 4 of MFT's Camp Create. It's been such fun watching the videos and pulling things together for some fun trying out the technique. The video used a background stamp for the monochromatic technique. I didn't have any background stamps from MFT so I used one from Penny Black.

The background stamp is Penny Black's Allover Pattern. I used Altenew inks in rose quartz, puffy heart and purple wishes colors. To finish off the card I used MFT Happy Hippos stamps and dies. I stamped the hippo in Memento Black ink and colored with Spectrum Noir markers. The sentiment was stamped in the purple wishes ink and then I added a bit of twine for some interest. Love the background!
I am entering these challenges:

• MFT Camp Create Day 4: monochromatic magic 
  
• Creative Knockouts challenge: tic tac toe (stamp, sentiment, ribbon/twine)
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: add a sentiment
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Crafty Animals: anything goes

That's it for me today! It's a busy day and I wanted to make sure I got this posted. I'll be with the twins most of the weekend so I don;t know how much crafting I'll get in. Hope your weekend is splendid!

Donna

Background Bonanza

Fun week of crafting as I am trying to eke out time to play along with the MFT challenges. Day 3 is all about backgrounds. The video shows several ways to make a rainbow background. I just chose a couple of colors: salty ocean, shaded lilacs and seedless preserves distress inks.

I used the MFT One Way Chevron stencil to create the background with the distress inks. I used the MFT All About You stamp set and the MFT You Trio dies to make the sentiment. I white heat embossed the sentiment on a scrap of black card stock and then die cut the "you" from a scrap. To finish off I adhered sequins and stars to the background. I really like this one.
I am entering these challenges:

• MFT Camp Create challenge: day 3 backgrounds 
  
• Addicted to Stamps and More: photo inspiration (i used the colors) 
  
• Seize the Birthday: anything goes
• 4 Crafty Chicks: sequins
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: add a sentiment

Thanks for stopping by. I am hoping to get another card done today but we'll see how that goes. Hope you are looking forward to some relaxing crafting in your schedule. Have a great day!

Donna

Magnificent Masking

Day 2 at MFT Craft Camp is all about masking. I'd actually never tried this before so it was lots of fun.

I used the negative from Spellbinder's Labels 13 to create a mask and then masked off each section with painter's tape. The top section was mustard seed, orange marmalade and picked raspberry distress ink. The bottom section was mowed lawn distress ink. I die cut the grass with MFT Fresh Cut Grass die. I stamped,colored and popped up my little girl from MFT Love You With All My Heart (retired). Both sentiments are from that same stamp set. To finish off I added some Neat & Tangled sequins. Lots of fun making this one!
I am entering these challenges:

• MFT Craft Camp challenge: use a masking technique 
  
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: add a sentiment
• The Outlawz Thursday challenge: layers and dimension
• Penny's challenge: anything goes
• Crafty Friends: anything goes

That's it for me tonight. The twins were awesome this evening. Valerie figured out how to blow bubbles with her saliva. Both of them are just a hoot. They were jabbering back and forth to each other after we took a walk. It was just too funny. Hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by. I am heading for bed.

Donna

Inlaid Die Technique

My Favorite Things is having a Camp Create this week. Each day they have a video for a technique for you to try.

Monday's technique was Inlaid Made Easy. And the Tuesday Morning Sketch this week looked like it was perfect for this. So I used the sketch to create my card with the inlaid die technique.

I used three sets from My Favorite Things to make the card.  I first cut the white card stock with MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Square dies. If you watch the video you will find that you work from the back forward, so I started with that set first. Then added the Happy Hippos stamps and matching dies. Popped all of that into the yellow panel and then die cut the flags with MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags. I added some tone on tone stamping from the Happy Hippo set with some other little stamps using Fossilized Amber distress ink.
I am entering these challenges:

• MFT Camp Create Day 1: inlaid die technique 
  
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Koala T Crafts: turquoise or yellow or balloons
• Crafty Animals: anything goes

Back to watching the twins today. My little mini vacation is over. I've missed these cute faces so I'm more than ready to see them today. Who could resist those cuties?

                                             Valerie                                            Arthur

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

Donna

You Make Me Smile

Happy Tuesday afternoon. This is move in week for the university students. Traffic is a mess. You can't get near a grocery store or Target/Walmart, so it must be time to stay in and craft. Besides that the temperatures are back to high 80s and the humidity is up. I did my walking early this morning before it got too hot.

My card today uses the freebie over at Pattie's Creations. Isn't it a great flower image! I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut it with MFT Cross Stitch Ovals. The plaid paper is from Imagine That Digis by Kris Sweet Pastels. I added some ric rac and some flowers from the Spellbinder's Square Bracket Edge Box dies. I punched black centers from my scrap box. The butterflies are from Cheery Lynn. The sentiment is from MFT All About You stamp set.
I am entering these challenges:

• Pattie's Creations Design challenge: anything goes
• The Outlawz Wednesday challenge: sketch 
  
• A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes
• Tuesday Throwdown: anything goes
• Happy Little Stampers: anything goes with dies
• Simply Create Too: use flowers

I hope to get some more fun in at my desk today but dinner time is calling me. Have a wonderful day!

Donna

Time To Be Jolly

Happy Sunday! It's been gorgeous weather here for a change. Much cooler but still hardly any rain. But the sun is shining and the temperature has been nice. No air conditioner for some time now. Is this August?
I was thinking Christmas again and came up with a really cute card.

I think the singing bunnies are just adorable! They are from Eureka Stamps called Caroling Bunnies. I colored them with Spectrum Noir markers and then gave them some zing with my Wink of Stella pen. The "snow" I cut from a scrap with MFT Basic Edges 2. The sentiment is from Altenew Halftone Holidays. I added some eksuccess stickers (music notes) as embellishment. I really like this one.

I am entering these challenges:

• QKR Stampede: used Eureka stamp and inspired by music
• Sketch Saturday: sketch turned sideways 
  
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: anything goes
• Outlawz Friday challenge: Christmas
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Extra: anything goes Christmas

I have some crafting time today so I am hoping to get a jump on some of my upcoming card needs. I hope your weekend has been relaxing and you've had some crafty time too. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Donna

Floral Thank You

Happy Friday, I think! I kind of have my days mixed up, All day I thought it was Saturday. But we are supposed to go to the Indianapolis Indians game this evening with friends and that was on Friday. LOL! Being retired does not help you know what day of the week it is but who really cares. Right? I got a quick card finished today. It should have been quick but I was experimenting with stamping the layers on the flowers so it wasn't as quick as it could have been.

This uses the Altenew Bold Blossoms stamp set and dies. These are stamped using several colors of distress inks and some Altenew inks. The flowers are die cut with the matching dies to the set. The plaid paper is a piece from my scrap box. The sentiment is from Hero Arts sentiment set.  I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches for this card.

I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch above
• Happy Little Stampers CAS: flowers 
  
• Simply Create Too: use flowers
• Sweet Stampers challenge: clean and simple
• Addicted to Stamps and More: clean and simple 
  

I just noticed it's raining outside. Yippee! (It's not raining in Indianapolis where the game is tonight). We need rain so badly. Everyone around us has gotten rain lately but none for us. My plants need it so badly. Doing a happy dance. Thanks for stopping. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Donna

My First Pop Up Box

Happy Tuesday! Today is an amazing new release over at Imagine That! Digis by Kris. Throughout today over at the Imagine That! Creative Playground the design team will be featuring the products from this new release with their amazing projects. I am showcasing the new Flamingo Birthday stamp set. And I decided to try something I hadn't done before: a pop up box card.

I used the tutorial over at Splitcoast Stampers to help me work through this card. It took me a couple days to work through this one, not because the instructions are difficult but because I kept changing my mind about what I wanted as pop ups. LOL! The designer paper that you see on my card comes with the set as well as the flamingo image and the sentiment(there are a bunch of sentiments).

I fussy cut the flamingo and added some additional pop up items: MFT Happy Birthday Circle, MFT Heart Balloon, Spellbinder's Scalloped Hearts in two sizes.The extra sentiment stamped on the heart balloon is from Simon Says Happy Thoughts. I really enjoyed creating this pop up card and would do it again for sure!

Here are all the wonderful new products available today at Imagine That Digis by Kris!

Flamingo Beach

Flamingo Birthday

Flamingo Christmas

Tropical Breeze Digital papers

Plus, Kris has bundled all of these sets with the Flamingo Dress Up set, out special set for August at a very special price.  

I hop you will pop over to The Creative Playground to see all the wonderful projects from the design team. They are spectacular!

I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Throwdown: interactive card
• Simon Says Monday: Happy Birthday
• Monday Outlawz challenge: celebrate
• Alphabet challenge: K is for kinetic
• Koala T Crafts: balloons
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Catch the Bug: three layers, scallops and hot pink

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you have a marvelous Tuesday!

Donna

Work of Art

Good evening or almost good night. When I finish this post I am heading to bed for sure. It's been a long day. But I wanted to share the card I finished today for a friend's birthday.

The image is from QKR Stampede called Artist Bear. I colored him with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut the image from MFT Cross Stitch Ovals. The next layer I die cut the sentiment, from Create with TLC, with Gina Marie Designs Cross Stitch Rectangles.  On that layer I used 

Jack Frost Glimmer Mist (it gives the card a really nice shimmer) and then splatter painted with Fired Brick, Mustard Seed and Mowed Lawn distress ink to give it a splatter painted look. The yellow layer is a textured paper that isn't showing up in the photo. The base is blue card stock. I added a couple of brads to the image die cut and the image is popped up with foam tape.
I am entering these challenges:

• QKR Stampede: anything goes; make it humorous
• The Outlawz Wednesday Sketch challenge: sketch 
  
• Doing Life Create with TLC challenge: use a Create with TLC element (sentiment)
• Simon Says Monday: Happy Birthday
• Creative Knockouts challenge: furry friends
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter

Well, my bed is calling me and tomorrow is another day. Thanks for stopping by and checking our what I've been up to. Hope you had a great start to your week!

Donna

Halloween Treats

Well, it's almost the end of the weekend. How do we move through these weeks so fast? I made several cards with the Gina Marie Designs Stitched Quilt #3 die. It was lots of fun to die cut it and then piece it back together. For this card I die cut it twice: orange and black.

It's a pretty simple little card. Most of it is that fabulous stitched quilt die. The little image is from Create with TLC. I fussy cut him and popped him up from the front of the card. I don't send a lot of Halloween cards but I do send a few especially for the twins.

I am entering these challenges:

• Doing Life Anything Goes with Create with TLC Element: use an element from Create with TLC (mouse image)
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: anything goes
• Thursday Outlawz challenge: faux stitching
• Addicted to Stamps and More: any holiday 
  
• Crafting by Designs: anything goes

Short and sweet today. But since I mentioned the twins: today is their 10 month birthday. So I'll leave you with a picture taken today for the occasion.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful week!

Donna