If I Had a Star...

It was love at first sight for this die from Heartfelt Creations (Spellbinders). I cut two of the diecuts from glossy red cardstock to use as my frame for the sentiment (Quietfire). This is my Valentine for my Sweetie. Even though the frame is quite ornate, it is really a CAS card. I love the bright glossy red against the white cardbase.
I am entering my card into these challenges: Bloggers Challenge -- love is in the air; Tuesday Throwdown -- love is in the air; City Crafter --you matter; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Fashionable Stamping -- black, white, hint of red; Great Impressions - love, love, love; V's Sweet Ideas -- red, white, or pink; Dies R Us -- hearts.

Christmas Decor

I've been missing from Blogland for quite some time. Family matters have taken a lot of my time. My entry for Bloggers Challenge, although a bit late this month, is an example of what has kept me busy.The challenge this week is ornaments. My grandson (3rd grade) also needed ornaments to help decorate his classroom. So we spent some nana/grandson quality time making ornaments. The balls are made with clear floor wax and glitter. They are so easy to make, even an eight year old boy can do it. The stars are made using the Tim Holtz ruler texture fade. I must thank Shelly Hickox (Stamptramp) for the basic idea. When I saw her ornaments, a lightbulb popped in my head. I knew they would be the perfect ornament for a classroom. I cut the strips and punched the holes for the brads. My grandson inked the raised parts of the embossed rulers and inserted the brads. We had a fun afternoon making ornaments and the classroom got some pretty cool ornaments.

Good Friends

 It's Friday and time for Bloggers Challenge. This week the challenge is friendship. I created this CAS card using the layout from the Addicted to CAS sketch challenge.
I started with a red card base. I pulled out a favorite stamp set from Rogue Redhead Designs, Milliner Misses. I love these ladies and the sentiment works so well with the challenge.

A Salute to Veterans

Today's Bloggers' Challenge is to use the colors red, white, and blue. My card is a salute to veterans in honor of Veteran's Day. I started with a white cardstock base. I used my Statue of Liberty stencil and Versamark. Then I heat embossed the image using clear embossing powder. I added the flag and stars die cuts (Tim Holtz) and the "Brave Hero" dog tag die cut (Cheery Lynn). And may I add, A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR BRAVE VETERANS!

Give Thanks to Him

This week the Bloggers Challenge is give thanks. I started with a Cheery Lynn die (Madrid Flourishes Rectangle Boutique Stackers Frame). I used the large border and part of the middle border. The sentiment is Psalm 100:4, an ODBD stamp. The background uses the embossed stains technique from the current Technique Junkies newsletter. although it's hard to see on the scan, the gold ink over the embossed leaves really gives a beautiful metallic glow.
I am also entering this card in these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs --borders and edgers; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Our Daily Bread Designs --Scripture inspiration; TJ Try That Technique -- embossed stains.

Crazy Enough

"Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do" What a fun truism expressed by this Artistic Outpost stamp! This week the Bloggers Challenge is black, white and a splash of color. It was the perfect challenge to use an unused Sizzix die which I had in my stash for a long time. What better technique is there to use for this kind of challenge than the chalkboard technique. You can't get much more black and white than that.
Besides Bloggers challenge, I am entering my card into these challenges: City Crafter -- focus on sentiment; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; SweetStamps Monthly Challenge -- chalkboard technique; Artistic Outpost -- anything goes using Artistic Outpost stamps.

Autumn

The first official day of Autumn 2014 is just around the corner, so why not a card celebrating autumn. My card layout is based on the Mojo Monday challenge sketch. My colors were all chosen to represent autumn. My background is a more current take on a technique I learned at my first stamp show, years ago. Then it was Versamark and chalk. For this card I pulled out my Pan Pastels. The colors are so much richer than any chalk I have in my stash and they work in a similar way. I stamped the background  on watercolor paper (for the tooth) with Versamark ink. Then I added the Pan Pastels. The technique is easy to do, and quite effective. All of the sunflower stamps are from the latest Heartfelt Creations release. I do love sunflowers! All of the die cuts were cut with Spellbinder dies.) All of the coloring was done with my Pan Pastels. The sentiment is a Club Scrap stamp.The diagonal design paper is from my stash.
I am also entering my card in these challenges: Bloggers Challenge -- fall colors; Simon Says Monday Challenge -- techniques; City Crafter -- diagonals; Dies R Us -- fall festival; Inspiration Journal -- fall is in the air; E-Play -- fall; Art With Heart -- fall back.

Cold Days and Warm Memories

My card today shows that you can follow Tim Holtz techniques and use Tim Holtz products, stamps, and dies without going the grunge route. Now don't get me wrong; I am a big, big fan of grunge. This card just went along a slightly different direction.
This week the Compendium of Curiosities 3 challenge is stamps and framelits from page 63 of Tim's book Compendium of Curiosities 3. To get all of Tim's ideas you need to check out his wonderful book. This week the challenge is sponsored by the generous Inspiration Emporium.
In the background are three trees from the tree blueprint framelit set. The first and third trees are dimensional. The center is a simple stamp and die cut. Mr. Snowman is from the Snowman Blueprint framelit set and uses all of the individual pieces. Added to this adorable fella are three black buttons to add to his outfit. The ground snow is torn white paper. The sentiment is from Great Impressions. The falling snow and the snow on the trees is Stickles.
Today's Bloggers Challenge worked perfectly with this card. The theme is buttons. No snowman is complete without his buttons. The Sunday challenge at Ink on my Fingers is depth and 3D. Both the trees and the snowman are dimensional thanks to layers and pop dots.
I am also entering my card into the anything goes challenges at  the Tuesday Throwdown challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.

Never Too Old

Today was my grandson's first day back at school. He's now a third grader. How time flies! My card today  is for all those students going back to school, no matter how young or old.
I started my card with a panel cut from Graphic 45 paper. The print is tone on tone and light, but it is there representing schoolwork. I then embossed the school paper over the print using distress stains and a Sizzix embossing folder. The children eagerly heading to school (my words) is a stamp from SweetStamps. the sentiment is a Quietfire stamp.
My card is being entered into these challenges: Bloggers Challenge -- back to school; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge -- back to school; Marks Finest Papers Tutorial Time on Speedy Challenge -- distressed stains pattern background; ePlay Blog Challenge -- embossing

Birthday Rose

One always has need of birthday cards. This particular card was made with someone special in mind. Hopefully, she won't see it before I give it to her, but it's prettier in real life, so it will be ok. This week the challenge at Bloggers Challenge is birthday cards.
My background is an example of Tim Holtz's Faded Layers technique. I can't describe the process, but you can find Tim's directions in his Compendium of Curiosities book on page 58. This is the current challenge at Compendium of Curiosities 3 which, by the way is being sponsored by the Funkie Junkie Boutique.
The birthday banner is a Cheery Lynn die cut as is the border band. The rose is a Sizzix die. The bee and the letters are Sizzix/Tim Holtz dies. The stencils used are from Ranger (Dina Wakley and Tim Holtz).  The stamped rosebuds are from SweetStamps.
I am also entering my card into these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- fun with letters; City Crafter -- roses; SweetStamps -- in the garden; Sweet n Sassy -- summery with die cut; Marks Finest Papers Colors challenge -- yellow, green, blue.

A Boy and His Dog

It's Bloggers Challenge time again and this week the theme is Dog Days of summer. I went with the dog idea and used this adorable Stampsmith stamp of a boy and his dog. The image was colored using distress markers and some colored pencils. My sentiment is part of a Cornish Heritage Farms Stamp. My background is from my Gelli plate. I used various shades of distress paint. Then I used a stencil and stencil paste to add the dots. I kind of thought they looked a little like dog prints. Over the entire background I added distress stain. As a finishing embellishment I wrapped twine around the panel to keep it boyish.
 I am also entering this card into these challenges: Fashionable Stamping -- child's play; and Cornish Heritage Farms -- use three different mediums (paint, stain, embossing paste, markers, colored pencils).

Daily Life

Although I like to post  my card for bloggers Challenge early on Friday morning, I'm late but still managed to post on Friday. I have a good excuse for being late; my two daughters took me out for lunch yesterday (just because) and I didn't get a chance to finish my card.
My background was made using a chevron stencil and lipstick pink and faded jeans distress ink. The quote from Quietfire was stamped on woodgrain paper. I used a leafy sticker which a good friend of mine gave me because she knows I love to do papercrafts. I added a twine bow along the side to finish the look. I used a white card base.
I am entering my card into these challenges: Bloggers Challenge -- pink, green, and blue; V's Sweet Ideas -- anything goes; and CAS-ual Fridays -- a tic tac toe challenge. I chose the diagonal -chevrons, white, twine.

Noel in July

Today marks exactly six months until Christmas. I'm really enjoying the current Christmas in July challenges. I missed the Christmas card season last year since I spent 2 1/2 months in the hospital, so I'm ready to play with my Christmas dies and stamps. On my card today I tried something that I had wanted to try ever since I got the tree line on the edge die. I cut the trees three times and layered them to make a forest background. I dabbed a little picket fence distress paint on the trees and sprinkled them with a little clear rock candy glitter I cut the sentiment "Noel" from sparkly cardstock. The poinsettia was cut from Tim Holtz Christmas paper and then tinted using distress ink. (All of the dies used are from Tim Holtz.)
I created this card for these challenges: Bloggers Challenge-- Christmas in July; City Crafter -- Christmas in July; Tuesday Throwdown -- handmade flowers; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes.

Miracles

This weeks Bloggers Challenge is quotes. My card layout is based on the current Mojo Monday sketch challenge.
To make my card I started with a sage card base. I used a Spellbinders embossing die to make the background of butterflies. The decorating panels are Graphics 45 designer paper. I needed spots and dots. My quote is from Quietfire stamps. The quote is from a poster by Karen Salmansohn. I really like this saying.

I am also entering my card into these challenges: Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- red; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge --spots and dots; and Craft-Dee Bowz -- anything goes with a handmade bow.

I Pledge Allegiance

Today's Blogger's Challenge pennants or fishtails. This theme worked perfectly with the Our Daily Bread Designs challenge theme which is red, white, and blue or patriotic. I started with a white base card and added a piece of red and white striped design paper which I had left over from another project. It was the perfect size for what I needed. Then I cut the pennant flags using a Tim Holtz die. I stamped stars (Artistic Outpost) on the pennant flags with white ink. I then stamped the Pledge of Allegiance (ODBD) and die cut it with a circle die. The layering panel and flourish were cut from gold metallic cardstock. I am also entering this card into the Word Art Wednesday challenge which is anything goes.

Happy 4th of July

  

Hoping everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July today! 

this week's Blogger's Challenge is red, white, and blue. My card is a bit non-traditional for a 4th of July card, but it certainly fits in with the red, white, and blue. I started with a red base card and added the blue panel. I stamped the sentiment (Artistic Outpost) along the fold edge of the card. The face (Prima) was stamped on a piece of Tim Holtz watercolor paper. I then masked her and stamped (Hero Arts) the background. I used the distress watercolor technique from Tim Holtz's Compendium of Curiosities 3 Book, p. 39. This just happens to be the  current CCC3 challenge. (A special thanks to Inspiration Emporium for their generous sponsorship.)
My card is being entered into these challenges: Blogger's Challenge -- red, white, and blue; Classy Cards 'n Such -- red, white, and blue (Tim Holtz's distress markers can be purchased there.); Tuesday Throwdown -- anything goes; Compendium of Curiosities 3 challenge -- distress watercoloring; Mark's Finest Papers Simple Salutations -- patriotic; Art With Heart -- red, white, and beautiful; V's Sweet Ideas -- red, white, and blue.

Friendship

This week the Bloggers Challenge is friendship. I used the Mojo Monday challenge sketch as the layout for my card. The background design papers are from Graphic 45. Aren't those two girls adorable? The doily and butterfly are Cheery Lynn die cuts. The sentiment is a Quietfire stamp.
I am also entering this card into these challenges: Ink on My Fingers Sunday Challenge -- green; Simon Says Wednesday Challenge -- anything goes; and Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes.

Father's Day

It's Friday and that means it's time for Bloggers Challenge. I've been missing in action for a couple of weeks, but I'm back today! This week the challenge is masculine since June is the month of Father's Day.

Today's card is based on the Mojo Monday sketch challenge. My background panel is a piece of Tim Holtz design paper. The strip down the side is a Cheery Lynn die cut. The father's day stamp is from Club Scrap and is stamped on a Cheery Lynn die cut. The image and sentiment (stamped on a Spellbinders die cut) are stamps from Artistic Outpost.
I will be entering this card into these additional challenges: Dies R Us -- one for the boys/Father's Day; Frilly & Funkie -- for all fathers; Simon Says Wednesday Challenge -- Father's Day/masculine.

Easter Blessings

It's the season of Easter and this week Bloggers Challenge has the theme Easter. I chose this adorable little girl with her bunny as my focal image. The stamp is from SweetStamps, as is the sentiment stamp. The background panel has been dry embossed using a Cuttlebug floral folder. The basket and vines are diecuts (Spellbinders). The basket was cut from wood paper. The flowers are felt flowers (from my stash) with centers of Viva Decor gold (Classy Cards 'n Such). I used a favorite technique on the girl and bunny. Her clothes and hat are paper pieced using design paper. The bunny was cut from a soft paper towel to give a furry feeling. She was fussy cut to layer over the basket.
This card is also being entered into these challenges: Simon Says Wednesday challenge -- Easter or sweet treats; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Mark's Finest Papers Friends of Speedy -- Easter; Fashionable Stamping -- favorite techniques; Classy Cards 'n Such -- Easter Inspirational Sentiment.

Magic Inside Us

This week the Bloggers Challenge is stencil it. I used Tim Holtz's stars stencil and a touch of bleach to stencil the panels on my card which is based on the Mojo  Monday tall and skinny sketch challenge.
The base card is kraft. The focal sentiment is from Artistic Outpost. Since Kraft Journal challenged us to show inside and out, I am also sharing the inside of my card. All of the stamps are also from Artistic Outpost. The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is happy birthday.
I am also entering my card into these challenges: Ink on my Fingers Sunday Challenge -- brown; Take a Word -- stars; Simon Says Monday challenge -- anything goes; Marks Finest Paper Friends of Speedy -- up in the sky; and Word Art Wednesday --anything goes.