Patience of a Gardener

 Just a break from my usual Christmas card, as I realized that we are at the end of the month and I had one more progressive challenge to do.

The image is from SheepSki Designs called Claudia's Plant. The image is colored with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut with Gina Marie Designs Wonky Stitched Ovals. The sentiment is from Daydream Designs by Diane. It must have been a freebie somewhere along the way. I die cut it with one of the dies from MFT Blueprints 32 (retired) and inked it with one of the Spectrum Noir markers I used for coloring. The background paper is vellum with a design. Very pretty IRL. I added the leaf in the top corner as an embellishment. I am entering these challenges:

• The Oultawz Progressive challenge: use Claudia's Plant from SheepSki Designs
• Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge: sketch 
  
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Pattie's Creations challenge: anything goes

Thank you for stopping by today. Our Thanksgiving dinner with the twins went well yesterday but the big hit was the blueberry pie my daughter made. LOL! So tonight we are having turkey chili to use some of the turkey up. Stay safe! Peace and all good!

Donna

Gnome for the Holidays

 Well, it's been a very busy week and I am late getting this post up as we were out at Baby Creek for a break without Internet. But today begins the new challenge at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. As usual our theme is anything Christmas (cards) goes but we add an optional twist. This month it's a personal favorite: gnomes! Our sponsor is SheepSki Designs and Andrea has lots of fun gnome images. And Lisa has designed some fun gnome papers, so check it out! Here's the card I made for the design team.

My gnome image is Garden Party from SheepSki Designs (thank you Andrea!). I colored with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut with MFT Stitched Squares. I added Stickles to each of the gnomes' hats using lime green, eucalyptus, baby blue, diamond, aquamarine. The papers are 2 of the papers from the Gnome for Christmas kit from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. 

I added a die cut bow from Die-cutting Essentials #59 All Wrapped Up. I used green glitter paper for that die cut and also all the layering. The ribbon is from my stash. I am entering these challenges:

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2: sketch #204 
  
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas: anything goes
• Merry Little Christmas Blog: anything Christmas goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes 
• Penny's challenge: anything goes

The twins will be here tomorrow. We had them overnight Wednesday night and Valerie had a ball stomping in rain puddles after the rain stopped but woke up the next morning not feeling well, so neither could go to school them on Thursday. Lots of other things going on this past week and no crafting. I hope that will change this coming week. Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your visits! Stay safe! Peace and all good!

Donna

Gnome Friend Like You

Greeting! Welcome to another week. According to our president this is supposed to be a very tough week. Please be safe and stay healthy. In the meantime, I seem to have found time and motivation to make some cards. Here's my card for today.

The background for this card with the cute little mushroom house and scenery is from Limited Runs stamps. It's the progressive freebie for this month. I added SheepSki Designs Giant Mushroom Gnomes (last month's freebie from The Outlawz)  to the scene by coloring, fussy-cutting and popping them up. The coloring was done with Spectrum Noir markers. I made a computer-generated sentiment and die cut it with MFT Fishtail Flag Sentiment Strips. The designer paper is from my scrap box (probably one of my finds from the thrift store). I am entering these challenges:

• Sketch Saturday: sketch 
  
• Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge: anything goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: anything goes
• Creative Knockouts: outside fun
• A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper challenge: use patterned paper

Time to go get supper going. Thanks so much for stopping by. Be safe and stay healthy! You are all in my prayers!

Donna

Gnome Matter What

It's been a long week, but we celebrated my FIL's 90th birthday in style; even with the Corona Virus hanging over our heads. The family and friends celebration on Saturday was a lot of fun and the family dinner on Wednesday (his real birthday) was really awesome! But I am glad to be back home,  in my own bed, even if it means we are self-quarantined. There's gnome place like home! Speaking of gnomes, here's a card I finished this evening.

The adorable gnome image is from Sheepski Designs called Giant Mushroom and is the progressive image at The Outlawz this month. I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut it with MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Squares. The clouds behind the image were stenciled with MFT Cloudy Day Stencil. The sentiment "I Love You Gnome Matter What" is computer-generated. Both of the designer papers are from my stash. I found both of them at a thrift store. The cloud paper is die cut with MFT Stitched Basic Edges 2. I backed all the layers with black card stock. To finish off the card I colored a wooden heart with some of the colors I used on the gnome hats and used Gina K Crystalline Drops to make it looked stitched and give it texture. I am entering these challenges:

• Sketch Saturday: sketch 
  
• Simon Says Monday challenge: stencil fun
• A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps and More: anything goes 
  
• The Outlawz Progressive challenge: use the gnome image from Sheepski Designs

I did make a trip to the grocery store for some fresh stuff this afternoon. Tomorrow we are going to run over and pick up the twins and keep them for the day. They haven't been out of their tiny apartment since Sunday so I think they'll be happy to run our house for a while. We can't take them anywhere but here, everything is closed. Thanks for stopping by. We have storms moving through so I'm going to call it a night in case the electric goes out. Take care! Be safe and stay healthy!

Donna

12 Months of Christmas Link Up

Normally I post for the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up challenge on the first of the month. This time we were away from home on vacation and I didn't have the supplies needed to make and post my card on time. So this month I am posting with the Merry Maidens instead of the Sleigh Belles. Our theme is always anything goes but we offer a twist in case you'd like a little extra challenge. This month the twist is Winter Blues. Lisa designed a set of gorgeous papers for this month. I am using two of the papers on my card.

Our sponsor this month is Sheepski Designs and I am using Andrea's Snow Happy image. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir and Copic markers. The wings have Wink of Stella on them. The image and backing is die cut with Spellbinders Large Octagons and popped up with foam tape. The designer papers are from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.

The large quilled snowflake isn't attached to the project. That's my second quilled project that I've done and I haven't gotten it affixed to a card yet. Just used it as a photo prop. I am entering these challenges:

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2: sketch 
  
• The Alphabet Challenge: W is for anything you wish
• A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas: anything goes
• Simon Says Stamps Wednesday challenge: 2 or more patterned papers

We were supposed to have the twins all day today, but their Dad caught the flu and then passed it on to them. So say an extra prayer that they are up and around really soon as their normal happy little selves. I hope you will check out the 12 Months of Christmas challenge and play along with us. What  a great feeling to have those Christmas cards started for 2020. Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! Big Hugs!

Donna

Love

I had some time to play and wanted to finish my progressive challenges for January before we left for Florida. This card is for The Outlawz Progressive challenge.

The image is from Sheepski Designs called Bear Love. I colored the image with American Craft markers and die cut the image with Gina Marie Designs Cross Stitched Rectangles. The designer paper is old scraps from my stash. The banners were die cut with MFT Essential Fishtail Sentiment Strips. The heart embellishments to the left of the image were die cut from Simon Says Stacked Hearts die. I used Glossy Accents on the heart embellishments. I also added some accents with white gel pen. I am entering these challenges:

• Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge: use the Sheepski Design image Bear Love
• Sheepski Designs challenge: new or old (new Image and old designer papers)
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Sketch Saturday: sketch 
  
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: something new (image)

I am beginning to pack for our trip to Florida. Tomorrow morning I volunteer at Head Start and then I'll continue to pack the trailer up tomorrow afternoon. Our temperatures have been around 50 this week but tomorrow they are supposed to drop by 30 degrees. We'll be back in the deep freeze again. Tom said we are supposed to get snow on Saturday and we are leaving on Friday. Great timing! Have a super day!

Donna

New Year, New Challenge

Happy New Year to you all! I've been working all day to get things back to normal. The last of our sons left on the 30th but we had the twins all day yesterday so their parents could get things back together again. So today is the first chance I've had to get things put away and get the laundry and dishes done. Now if I could just get some craft time in. LOL!
Since it's the first of the month, there is a new challenge beginning at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. Our sponsor this month is SheepSki Designs and Lisa has created a really fun paper pack that you could win too. I've included the included the preview below.

The optional theme this month is to make any shape but a rectangle for your card base. I love the new papers this month. So I used them on my project.

The image is Snowmen Selfie from SheepSki Designs. I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers. (I got 2 new sets for Christmas.) I die cut the base of the card with Spellbinder's Scalloped Circles. The image I die cut with MFT Stitched Circles. The sentiment is from MFT Happy Pawlidays stamp set, heat embossed with white embossing powder on black cardstock. I die cut the sentiment with Impression Obsession Mini Rectangle Tags 2. I added some detail with a white gel pen and Ruby Slipper and Baby Blue Stickles. This was such a fun card to make! I hope you will join us this month at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. It's never too early to get started on your Christmas cards for 2019!
I am entering these challenges:
Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown: winter sparkles
Crafty Hazelnut Christmas: anything goes Christmas or New Year
Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes

Check out what the rest of the design team has created at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. You won't be disappointed. Hope your 2019 is off to a wonderful start. Take care, stay safe and warm!

Donna

Inky Day

I love Tuesdays. It's usually the only day of the week that I don't have a scheduled place to be. So it's my day to catch up on laundry, dishes and household jobs and hopefully get a bit inky. This morning I started the laundry and decided to defer dishes until after lunch and I got some ink time in. Here's what I created.

image was created by Andrea Norris of Sheepski Designs for an Outlawz special challenge celebrating their 7th birthday. I colored the image with Koh-I-Noor Woodless pencils and mineral spirits. Die cuts used: Spellbinders Teardrop Circles, Gina Marie Designs Cross Stitch Rectangles, and MFT Blueprints 32 for the hearts. The hearts are stacked three high with glue for a slight dimension. The designer paper is from my scrap box The sentiment I got from a blog candy with no indication of the company but it might be Unity Stamps. I embossed the sentiment with clear embossing powder to make it shine. I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Special 7th Birthday challenge: use the sunflower image
• Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge: sketch 
  
• Cards in Envy: give it some heart
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

Our weather is up close to 70 degrees yesterday and today and I've been taking full advantage by getting some walking in. But tomorrow we are back into the 40s again. Lots of rain this week but so far most of it has missed us. Hoping that things warm up soon and stay there. Thanks for stopping by today. Hope your day is warm and happy too.

Donna

Happy May Day

Wow! I can hardly believe we are starting the fifth month this year. I'm the hostess for the CAS challenge at The Outlawz this week. It's May Day and that can mean different things in different countries. But it can mean a celebration of spring and the coming of summer. It's often celebrated with flowers. So our challenge this week is to use flowers on your project.

My card features an image from Sheep Ski Designs. The image was the progressive image for the April challenge at The Outlawz. I colored it with Copics. I die cut the image with MFT's Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Square Stax. I inked the edges with Lemonade distress ink. The card base is yellow card stock and the background designer paper is Purple Tartan Paper from Create with TLC.
I hope you head over the the CAS challenge and check out my DT sisters' designs. Awesome work! And then play along with our easy peasy challenge this week.
I am entering these challenges:

• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: anything goes
• Inspiration Destination: anything goes
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• Hiding in my Craft Room: freestyle

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your month of May gets off to a great start. This is my last month of working three-quarters time. I'm looking forward to working less hours. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Donna