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.

Holiday Blessings

I've had the Tim Holtz/Sizzix die of the (angel) wings sitting out for a while looking for a reason to use them. Here is a Christmas card with the wings in all their glory. Although you can't really tell from the scan, there is a lot of texture on this card. The layers of the wings are embossed vellum, suede paper, and glittered paper. The star in the background and the sentiment frame are glitter paper. The background is letterpress (Sizzix) and sprayed with distress stain spray. All of this is mounted on a textured teal cardstock base. The sentiment is stamped using a SweetStamps stamp.

My card is being entered into several challenges: SweetStamps --non-traditional Christmas colors; Simon Says Monday challenge -- anything goes; Tuesday Throwdown -- Christmas;
Stampendous --holiday happiness; The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge -- tic tac toe (diagonal - die, glitter, star); Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; and Dies R Us -- anything goes with a die cut.

Be Thankful

I had a wonderful and busy day in the studio today. I used the Mojo Monday sketch challenge as my layout inspiration. However, I made a few artistic prerogative changes. First I turned the sketch 90 degrees to the right. Then, instead of a card, I made a tag.
I started with a black tag cut using a Tim Holtz die. The layering panel was dry embossed and then highlighted with distress ink. My stamped top panel was made using the acorn blueprint framelits set from Tim Holtz ( a prize from Mario and Tim for the 12 Tags challenge)  That is really a fun set to use. The layered acorn represents the circle on the sketch. I added the sentiment on the ribbon hanging from the top.
My tag is being entered in these additional challenges: Ink on my Fingers Sunday challenge -- black; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Mixed Media -- stamps.

Ornament Tag

As the weather forecast threatens a cold, arctic blast in Chicago, thoughts go to the Christmas season. Today I am sharing a CAS Christmas tag. The tag was die cut from green cardstock. The ornaments (Our Daily Bread Designs) were stamped on white card stock and heat embossed. Then they were die cut using Spellbinders dies (available at Classy Cards n such). "Peace on Earth" was stamped on the tag and embossed in silver.
I am entering this tag in these challenges:Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- ornaments;
Classy Cards n Such -- ornaments; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Friends of Speedy -- red, gold, green; Our Daily Bread Designs -- holiday; Addicted to CAS -- tag; Inspiration Journal -- happy holidays; Artistic Stamper -- Christmas is coming.

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.

Paper Roses

I was in the mood today to make a tag. I die cut a tag from kraft cardstock. Then for a change of pace, I pulled out my gelatos. I scribbled on the tag and then smoothed the color out by rubbing with a damp cloth. I then used a stencil and some Dylusions ink sprays. I die cut the lattice framework (Tim Holtz-Sizzix) twice--once from grunge paper and once from a sheet of cardstock that I had stamped with the Rogue Redhead music background. I colored the lattice with a silver gelato and used the diamond shapes with the stamped music for the inserts. The sentiment is a quote from the Word Art Wednesday challenge which I framed with a Sizzix frame colored with a gold gelato. The roses were made using the Cheery Lynn miniature rose die and a piece of cardstock from a Tim Holtz paper stash.
I am entering my tag in these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- die cut flowers; Ink on my Fingers Sunday Challenge -- paper roses; 3 Muses -- roses; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge -- Tag It; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes.

Set It Free

My card today is a double side step card. I'm still in summer mode, so I went with butterflies, birds and garden flowers. My birds are seen in a cage, but the door is open so they can fly free.
After cutting the base card in a blue-grey, I added a scripted design paper. The butterflies are from Tim Holtz's Butterfly Frenzy decorative strip die. They were colored using alcohol ink. The birds and floral stamps are from SweetStamps and were colored using distress markers. The bird cage is a Cheery Lynn Designs diecut. The sentiment is typed on the computer.
 I am entering my card into these challenges: SweetStamps Blog Monthly Technique Challenge -- double side step card; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge -- use rubber stamps to celebrate Stamptember; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Frilly and Funkie -- summer garden ( What says summer garden better than butterflies, flowers, and birds?)

Sunflower Garden

For this card I had a chance to pull out some stamps from Kitchen Sink Stamps. I love how the image is colored by the stamped ink and has so much detail. The background behind the sunflower was done using a stencil and distress inks. The Cheery Lynn frame die adds a festive look to the card especially with the pearls added to the two corners. The sentiment is a stamp from Club Scrap.
My card is being entered into these challenges:  Cheery Lynn Designs -- frame it; Classy Cards 'n Such -- sunflower inspired (available at CCnS are Cheery Lynn frame, distress inks, pearl bling); Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Sweet and Sassy -- border stamps or die; MFP Colors -- orange, yellow, and pink; Art With Heart -- anything goes.

Summertime

simon

This card is a definite celebration of summer. I had a chance to use a  lot of my little Cheery Lynn dies and lots of bright colors. I started with a bright summer sky blue card base. I then stamped it with the music Behind the Scenes from Rogue Redhead Designs. The lattice was then added. I added the fringe for grass, flowers and the insects -- dragonfly, butterfly, bee, and ladybug. All of the dies are from Cheery Lynn Designs. The sentiment is a Club Scrap stamp.
I am entering my card into these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs --hot time in the summer; City Crafter -- animal magic; Simon Says Wednesday challenge -- anything goes; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- music.

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.

Along the Beach

I had a very peaceful afternoon and this card is the result. I love it when I can mix and match stamps from different companies and everything works. My water and sand (both stamped twice), the birds and the sun are all Cornish Heritage Farms stamps. The children playing on the beach are Rogue Redhead Designs stamps. The quote is a Quietfire stamp.
The scene was stamped on watercolor paper. I used distress markers and a waterbrush to watercolor the images. The card base and sentiment panel frame are kraft cardstock.
I am entering this card into these challenges: Kraft Journal -- sun;  Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations -- day at the beach; Frilly & Funkie -- cool water; Dies R Us Challenge -- Day at the Beach [spellbinders die].

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.

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.

To Have and To Hold

Ever since I received my Cheery Lynn Beautiful Bells Doily, I have had this card design in mind. This week I was finally able to create my card. I used shades of kraft and beige as the background. It's not the traditional colors for a wedding card, but I love the white doily against the kraft. Adding the mini fanciful flourish and baby's breath flowers complete the wedding theme. In addition to the Cheery Lynn Designs challenge of weddings, Kraft Journal had a summer color challenge. The colors worked perfectly with my card. The wedding sentiment is a stamp from Stampsmith.
I am also entering my card into these challenges: Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes and Dies R Us -- weddings.

Call Him Father

My card is a CAS card honoring all fathers. I started with a teal base card. The sentiment strip across the middle is a piece of design paper from my stash. The sentiment is a stamp from Club Scrap. My focal image is from SweetStamps and is colored using distress markers.
I am entering this card in these challenges: SweetStamps -- for Dad ; Tuesday Throwdown -- special man; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations --Father's Day; Stampin' for the Weekend -- anything goes.

Friendship Bouquet

Today I have a card for a friend. I started with a light gray polka dot background. I decided that a Cheery Lynn doily would make the perfect frame for my bouquet. I stamped the SweetStamps bouquet on a piece of white cardstock.Then I cut it out in a circle using the out of the box technique. Distress markers were used to add color. The side ribbon holder was cut using a punch. To finish off the card I added a few bright pink buttons and a tiny tag with the sentiment "Friend".
My card is being entered into these challenges: SweetStamps -- ribbons, buttons, and bows; Ink on My Fingers Sunday Challenge -- friendship; and Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes.

Creativity

I couldn't miss this week's challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challege. The theme is to use an artistic stamp. Has someone been peeking at my stamp collection? After a difficult time deciding which stamp I wanted to use, I pulled out David. For my background I went back to Creative Chemistry 101.I used the archival resist technique. The sentiment is also one of Tim Holtz's stamps.
I am also entering this card into these challenges: Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations --cardstock only; Word Art Wednesdays -- anything goes.

Leave Ordinary Behind

Summer will soon be here and I'm ready for a vacation. I love this Tim Holtz sentiment, " Leave ordinary behind". It has so many interpretations. For the background, I used an embossing folder to add a little texture. I then die cut the suitcase and parts and assembled it (Tim Holtz/Sizzix). I added a couple of stamped stickers from my travels (I wish). A tag was used for the sentiment.
 I am entering my card into these challenges: Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge -- vacation/travel; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; and Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations --die cuts/punches.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Today's Bloggers Challenge is animals. What represents animals better than Noah's Ark? This adorable image and the accompanying sentiment are both stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs. The layout design is the sketch challenge from Mojo Monday. The image was colored using distress markers. Kraft cardstock was used for the base card.
 My card is also being entered into these challenges: Mojo Monday --  sketch; Kraft Journal -- color challenge; Our Daily Bread Designs -- all ODBD stamps; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; and V's Sweet Ideas -- kid's theme.