Sock Monkeys! For Bugaboo Stamps

Do you remember sock monkey?  Talk about taking me back to childhood!

Today's Friday Freebie at Bugaboo Stamps, is Sock Monkey Blocks.  Here's what I did with the digi:

Aren't those Sock Monkeys just the cutest?  I love their expressions!  They were super easy to color up, and I used Copic markers on these Sock Monkey Blocks.  I backed each block with black card stock for lots to contrast, then mounted them on a 9 x 3 1/2 card.  The sentiment is a sticker from Paper Wishes.  The chevron paper is an old paper pack from Fancy Pants that I've had around for years, but seemed a perfect match for these Sock Monkey Blocks. 

Head on over to the Bugaboo Stamps store to pick up this week's freebie, then do some more shopping.  There's so many great digis & rubber stamps to choose from! Then, color them up and join the challenge at Catch The Bug. Check out the Bugaboo Stamps Fan Club on Facebook, too. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
Craft Rocket Challenges -- ATG
Lemon Shortbread -- ATG

Pamper Yourself! for QKR Stampede

It's Friday!  Somehow, it's the last Friday of the month, AND the last day of August.  I seriously don't know how either of these things happened.  And, to confuse me even more, it's the unofficial last weekend of summer -- Labor Day.  Gulp!

Since it's Friday, I do know it's time for a new challenge at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog. Challenges are Anything Goes, all the time!

I've been on a bit of a turtle and frog roll lately, but I think this is my last one -- for a bit anyway.  I just love these turtle images from QKR Stampede. Today, I made a card using Bathing Turtle (Q-digi2602):

I colored Bathing Turtle with copic markers. The sentiment is computer generated.

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  This is the Birthday Bouquet Collection. 

Birthday Bouquet

Check out the Labor Day sale at We Are 3!

I hope you find time to join us this week at QKR Stampede for our Anything Goes challenge.  We've got great digis that you can win, and I'd love to see what you create! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- August LInky Party
Craft Rocket Challenges -- ATG
Not Just Cards -- ATG
Seize the Birthday -- ATG

Look Around & See Beauty -- a Bugaboo Stamps Tutorial

I'm guest designing the next several months at Bugaboo Stamps (Woot! Woot!)  One of the assignments of guest designers is coming up with a monthly tutorial.  This always makes me pause a bit, because gee, really, do I have anything unique to share?  We're all at such different crafting levels, it's difficult to know. Well, today you'll find me on the Catch the Bug blog, so check it out! 

I love making shaker cards, so I thought I'd share a tutorial on how I use some basic dies in my collection to construct them, hoping perhaps it will help someone out there in the crafting world!

Here goes!

First, I used just the sentiment from the Beauty-Butterfly sentiment set. 

Here are the supplies:

You'll need stacking dies (I find square of circle dies to be easiest to use.  I used square here), acetate (I have even been known to save acetate from store packaging), card stock of your choice, foam tape or fun foam, sequins, and a card base.

First, cut out the sentiment and the acetate.  Both of these use the largest of your dies.

I like to tape my dies down with washi tape.  It holds them in place without ripping the paper or removing color from it.

Next, cut out the frame.  This takes two dies that are close together in size.  I'm using Spellbinders square dies for this card. Again, I use washi tape to secure them to the paper:

Here are all the layers cut out, ready to assemble:

I added some white pigment ink around the edges of the violet paper.  If you look closely, you can see the piece of acetate that is cut the same size as the sentiment.

Now, to assemble the card...

I attached the piece of violet paper to the front of the white card base, then taped the sentiment piece to the front of that.  The frame is glued with tacky glue to the front of the piece of acetate.  On the back side of this, I attach either foam tape, or a piece of fun foam cut with the same dies that cut the frame, and glued.  With this card, I used foam tape.  Make sure the tape goes all the way around the frame.  Holes leave a place for sequins to escape.

Next, place sequins or beads, just in the middle of the sentiment.

Peel the tape off, or add glue if using fun foam, and carefully place on the sentiment square.

Embellish the card to your heart's desire, and you have a shaker card!

Here's another card I made using a new set of Quotes from We Are 3 Digital Shop.

Both of these cards use papers from We Are 3. They use Watercolor Batik (paper the sentiments are printed on), Rainbow Gingham (the frames), and Pastel Burlap (card bases). 

The clear acetate that I used on these cards was purchased from The Cutting Cafe Shop.  The foam tape is from Close To My Heart. 

Do you visit the Catch The Bug blog regularly?  There's tons of great inspiration to be found there, plus challenges, news of freebies and sales, and so much more! Check out the Bugaboo Stamps Fan Club on Facebook, too, for even more great stuff!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

TTCRD -- ATG

D.L. Art -- August Linky Party

Not Just Cards -- ATG

Out of This World -- a New Release at Bugaboo Stamps

The Bugaboo Stamps team has had a bit of a vacation, but it's over and they (we?) are back in the groove.  Today is New Release day at Bugaboo, and what a cute one it is!  This is Monsters 4 Block:

I used 3 of the blocks on the outside of the card.  I colored them with Copic markers, cutting them apart.  

The 4th square is on the inside of the card:

I hardly ever decorate the insides of my cards, so this is a BIG deal!

The designer paper was found at Pixel Scrapper, and it's digital. 

This card is 9 x 3.5, and will fit in a business sized envelope.  

I hope you check out what the rest of the Bugaboo design team did with this super fun New Release, then go buy it!  Do some more shopping in the Bugaboo Stamps Store while you're there!

Come back tomorrow.  I have a tutorial to share with you here and on the Catch the Bug Blog.  

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- August Linky Party
613 Avenue Create -- optional twist -- magic/fantasy
Send a Smile 4 Kids -- ATG
Jo's Scrap Shack -- ATG

Donut Be Afraid!

Woohoo!  I managed to get this month's progressive freebie colored and made into a card for The Outlawz Progressive Challenge.  It took me nearly all month to do it, but it is done, and here it is!

This Donut Hippo is by Sandra Caldwell, I sure appreciate her sponsoring the challenge this month.  

I colored Donut Hippo with Copic markers, then fussy cut it.  The sentiment is computer generated.

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  I used 2 different paper collections -- Happy Birthday, and Celebrate. 

Happy Birthday Collection

Celebrate

The silver flower things that kind of looks like a dish scrubby is from Close to My Heart.  It has been retired for a long time, but I still had one in a package, and I thought it matched well with the hippo.

OK, time to wrap this up and start some supper for the hubs.  

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Outlawz Progressive Freebie -- August

D.L. Art -- August Linky Party

Crafty Friends Challenge -- Animals

Yappy Birthday!

I'm invited to a surprise birthday party for an 80 year old friend today, and she's a big dog lover, so I need some sort of dog-related card for her.  I think I came up with a good one!

I used this month's progressive freebie image from the Dragon's Lair Designs on this, and colored it with Copic markers.  

The card is based on this week's sketch from The Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  Here's the sketch I used:

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  I used one of the new August releases, Dog Love, also Brick Fire Station (banners) and Shabby Glam (Blue paper)

Dog Love

Brick Fire Station

Shabby Glam

Well, that's it for this card.  I have to go pick up the surprise birthday girl's 96 year old mom and get her to the party.  Talk about a celebration!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Dragon's Lair August Coloring Challenge -- Facebook

Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge -- August 21

D.L. Art -- August Linky Party
Dragonfly Dreams -- Dog Days of Summer

Lil' Rosie -- for Scrapbook Stamp Society

I'm on the Scrapbook Stamp Society blog today with a very fun image that I colored. It's another Lil' Rosie image.  This is img723, found in the My Besties Shop. 

I colored img723, Lil' Rosie, with Copic markers.  There is a lot of detail to challenge yourself and make this coloring very fun!

You'll find img723, other Lil'Rosies, many new and classic digis, pre-colored stamps, acrylic stamps, paper packs and more in the My Besties Shop. 

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop. They are the Tropical Delight Digital Papers. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

D.L. Art -- August Linky Party

My Besties Scandinavian -- ATG

Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog -- ATG

My Besties Dutch Challenge -- ATG

My Besties 3D Challenge -- ATG

My Besties Spanish -- ATG

My Besties Aussie -- ATG

Color It Create It Show it Off -- ATG

My Besties International -- ATG

My Besties French -- ATG

You're the Best! for Di's Digi Designs Challenge Blog

Today is the start of a new challenge at Di's Digi Designs Challenge Blog.  Challenges always last for 2 weeks.  This time, the theme is "Fancy Folds".

I made a fancy fold card I've long admired, but never attempted before, It's a twisted easel card, using the darling Mouse With Love:

I colored Mouse With Love with Copic markers, then used a couple of circle dies from Lifestyle Crafts to cut it out and back it.  The papers on this card are from Crafter's Companion, as is the sentiment stamp.  

And there you have my first twisted easel card.  I hope you come up with your own fancy fold card, and find time to enter it in our challenge at Di's Digi Designs Challenges these next 2 weeks! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Crafty Friends Challenges -- Animals
Hiding in My Craft Room -- Any Occasion
Colour Crazy Challenge -- ATG
Creative Fingers Challenge Blog -- ATG

Happy Birthday -- for Aloha Friday Challenges

It's time for some mid-challenge inspiration on the Aloha Friday Challenge blog.  This time the theme is a popular one -- Birthdays. We all need birthday cards, right?

I had the great fun of working with a new sponsor for me -- Nitwit Collections.  I used the Poppy Collection, and it had so many fantastic elements to work with, including beautiful papers.  I actually made 2 cards with it, I was having so much fun!

Here's the birthday card for the Aloha Friday Birthday Challenge:

I created the whole card digital.  The paper clip, the flower, the button, the lace.  It's all digital.  How fun!

Here's the second card -- very similar, just switched out a couple of the elements:

I hope you find a chance to join in the Aloha Friday Challenge.  There's still a week to go. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- Birthday 
D.L. Art -- Thankful Thursday -- Thank you card

Time for a Vacation! Friday Freebie at Bugaboo Stamps

It's Fridaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!  And that means you can pick up a freebie at Bugaboo Stamps.  Today's is an image AND a sentiment, and it's chock full of humor!

I just love Stella and her humor.  This one is Stella Passport. There's some logic there, isn't there?  

I colored Stella Passport with Copic markers, trying to make Stella look as old and crabby as I could.  The sentiment that comes with the Stella Passport set  seemed to need center stage alongside Stella, so that's what I did.  I didn't want to detract from the image and the sentiment, so I added one embellishment, a simple airplane that I found in the Silhouette Design store.

Go, pick up this week's Friday Freebie in the Bugaboo Stamps Store.  While you're there, check out the New Releases, the digis being added from the old store, the sale section, and all the other wonderful digis you will find at Bugaboo Stamps.  Then, color something up and join in the challenges at Catch the Bug.  I'd love to see what you make, and you'll have a chance at even more free images!  Check out the Bugaboo Stamps Fan Club Facebook Group, too! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- August Linky Party
AUD Sentiment -- ATG plus a sentiment 
Crafting with an Attititude -- ATG
Outlawz Twisted Thursday -- Use Red, Blue, and Yellow

Got Mustard? For QKR Stampede

It's Friday, and the last Friday before school starts in the small town where I live.  I think there will be many people packing as much of summer as they can into this last week of summer -- including picnics.  That is the inspiration behind today's card for QKR Stampede Challenge Blog, where challenges start every Friday, and they are always Anything Goes!

This digi is Q-digi12809 Got Mustard.  I was afraid if I colored the ant black, I'd lose all the detail, so I used my Copic markers, and made a red ant, along with a reddish, pink hot dog. 

The gingham papers for this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  They are from the Rainbow Gingham Collection. 

The sentiment is computer generated.

I hope you join us this week at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog for our Anything Goes Challenge.  I'd love to see what you create, and we've got great digis you could win! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Monday Greeting Challenge -- Just Because
TTCRD -- ATG
Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday -- Feature a Creature
Polkadoodle Crafting -- ATG

Sunflower Thank You -- for Scribbles Designs

It's the 23rd of the month -- the day I leave a bit of inspiration over on the Scribbles Designs Blog.  

There are lots of freebies in the Scribbles Designs Shop. I made this card with a free Sunflower image, and a free, matching sunflower paper:

I colored the sunflower images with Copic markers, then fussy cut each of them.  The sentiment, also from Scribbles Designs, is one of the Words Sentiment Set (#047).

The Scribbles Blog has a monthly challenge.  Currently, there's a "Year of the Dog" theme going on, so you can have lots of fun with that one!  Come join us!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- August Linky Party
D.L. Art Thankful Thursday -- Thank you Card
Lemon Shortbread Challenge -- ATG

Blooms & Butterflies -- an All Dressed Up Stamps New Release

Wendy Burns, the artist of All Dressed Up Stamps, comes up with the most incredible New Releases each month.  I am totally enthralled with Blooms & Butterflies, the digital stamp that I got to play with this month!

I printed Blooms & Butterflies 2 times, colored it with Copic markers, and layered it on my card front. I used the blooms, sizing them at 3 different sizes, colored them with Copic markers, and fuzzy cutting them.  I used them as embellishments on the card.

The card front was cut out on my Silhouette Cameo 3, with a file I found in the Silhouette Design Store. 

There are more New Releases this month from All Dressed Up Stamps. You can find them in the All Dressed Up Etsy Store.  You can see what the super talented design team does with them by checking the All Dressed Up blog, and the All Dressed Up Facebook group.  You'll also find challenges at both those places for you to enter to try and win these beautiful digis for yourself!  Or, you can purchase them in the All Dressed Up Etsy Store and color them up. I'd love to see what you create with them!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Larson -- August Linky Party
DigiChoosday -- ATG
Mod Squad Challenge -- Rainbows or Butterflies
Tuesday Throwdown -- Up in the Air

Mermaid Missing You -- for Kinda Cute and The Outlawz

I'm guest designing today for The Outlawz Sunday Songs & Rhymes.  The song for this week's challenge is Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid.

What choice did I have but to color up a mermaid?

I created this Under the Sea themed card with a mermaid from Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez because she has some great mermaids! This is Mermaid Staring at the Moon, colored with Copic markers.  

The papers for the card were found in the Silhouette Design Store and printed on a laser printer.  The card is a side step card.  I computer generated the sentiment.

I hope you enjoyed my mermaid card.  I enjoyed the chance to guest design for Lynn and the entire Sunday team at The Outlawz! 

Check out the Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez store for her whole mermaid collection -- and other wonderful digis and clear stamps. Then, look at her blog for her wonderful coloring, and designs from the design team.  Great inspiration!  There's also the Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez Facebook Group where you'll find a monthly challenge, more inspiration and news. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Brown Sugar Challenges -- Fairies and Fantasy
Colour Crazy Challenge -- ATG
D.L. Art -- August Linky Party
Not Just Cards -- ATG
D & D Challenges -- Moon &/or Stars
Unicorn Challenge -- At the Beach

Proverbs 27:19 -- For We Are 3 Digital Shop

Sale!  Sale!  Did someone say sale?   Bonnie, the owner of We Are 3 Digital Shop is having a sale, going on through Monday, August 20. 

Here's a card using some of the products featured in the sale:

This card uses the Inspirational Paper Collection and a sentiment from the Thoughtful Sentiments collection. 

Inspirational Paper Collection

Thoughtful Sentiments

I used a Spellbinders die set that I hardly ever get to use on this card, 3 of the papers from the Inspirational paper collection, layered one on top of the other, and some gems and a card base from Close To My Heart.

Check out all the inspirational quotes, and the Inspirational Paper Collection that Bonnie has on sale in the We Are 3 Digital Shop. You won't be disappointed!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art - August Linky Party
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
Creative Fingers Challenge -- ATG

Hope your birthday is Dino-rrific! a Friday Freebie from Bugaboo!

It's Friday, and that in itself is dino-rrific!  It's Friday Freebie at Bugaboo Stamps which notches the day up a level.  Add in that today's freebie is super cute, and you've got one wonderful Friday on your hands!

Here's my creation with today's Friday Freebie from Bugaboo Stamps:

I colored this super cute dinosaur with Copic markers, making him both lime green and violet because, well, I think dinosaurs probably were, right?!?  Who really knows?  Then, I added a fun gingham paper from We Are 3 Digital Shop, paired it with my own sentiment, and voila!  My fun birthday card is complete.  Oh, and I think dinosaurs just might have painted their toenails pink, too.  Again, who really knows?  Revlon should study this, perhaps!

Rainbow Gingham

Check out the awesome Catch the Bug blog for great inspiration on today's freebie, challenges, Oldies but Goodies, and more ideas than you can imagine!  There's also the Bugaboo Stamps Fan Club Facebook Group to check out for more fun, inspiration and news.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Crafty Sentiments Challenges -- animals
Outlawz Festive Friday -- Birthday
2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge -- ATG with a Critter

What's New with You? for QKR Stampede

It's Friday!  Friday, Friday, Friday!  That means it's time for a new challenge at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog. The challenges are Anything Goes, all the time!

This week, I used the digi News (Q-digi7604) to create this: 

I colored the News digi with Copic markers, then fussy cut it.  I backed it with a piece of black card stock for contrast.  

The designer paper behind the centipede is from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  It is one of the papers from the Watercolor Batik paper collection. 

The sentiment was computer generated.  The circles are a die.

I hope you can join us this week at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog for our Anything Goes challenge this week.  I'd love to see what you create, and we've got great digis you can win (like this one!)

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
AUD Sentiment -- ATG with a sentiment
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
Polkadoodles -- ATG

Birthday Boy -- for Sasayaki Glitter

It's time for a bit of mid-challenge inspiration at Sasayaki Glitter Challenge Blog. The theme this month is "male".  Naz has some adorable male images in the Sasayaki Glitter Etsy store.  Check them out here!

For today's inspiration, I used the Sasayaki Glitter image, Benny (image #148) to create this:

I colored Benny with Copic markers.  Doesn't he have the most mischievous expression on his face?

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  I used the Roses Are Red paper collection. 

The Happy Birthday sentiment is a die that I cut.  It is from Diamond Press.  The stitched oval dies are from Spellbinders dies. 

I hope you find time to still join in on the Sasayaki Glitter "Male" challenge.  It will run until September 2, so there's still plenty of time to link up!  Have fun coloring!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Monday Greetings -- Kids
Craft Rocket Challenges -- ATG

For My Friend -- and DigiStamps4Joy Challenge Blog

August 15 -- I can't believe how fast August is going! The days aren't getting cooler yet (I wish!), but they sure are getting shorter.  Signs of Autumn are creeping up on us.  When I'm out and about, I keep seeing sunflowers, and I just love them!  They inspired me to create this card for some mid-challenge inspiration at DigiStamps4Joy.

Our optional theme this time is an easy one -- add a sentiment.  I almost always add a sentiment to my cards, so this was an easy one!  
This card uses the digi, Sunflower (jl875), colored with Copic markers, then fussy cut.

The sunflower designer paper behind the image, and the sentiment, are both from the New Releases this month at We Are 3 Digital Shop.  The paper is one of the papers from the Sunflower paper collection. The sentiment is from the Itty Bitty Birthday Sentiment Collection. 

A little Timeless Twine finishes off the card. 

The challenge at DigiStamps4Joy is Anything Goes with an optional Add a Sentiment or greeting.  It goes until August 31, so you still have plenty of time to enter, and there are great prizes to win -- like this awesome Sunflower digi! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- August Linky Party
DigiChoosday -- ATG
Outlawz Saturday Paper ala Mode -- Summer

Puppy Love -- a New Release at We Are 3 Digital Shop

If you know me at all, you know I love dogs, so when Bonnie at We Are 3 Digital Shop released a new paper collection this month, Dog Love, I knew I'd love it!  Here's a little card I created with it to use for a thank you for a gift I got for my new pup: 

I used the treat paper from the collection, and found this card in the Silhouette Design Store to cut out.  

Dog Love paper collection

Speaking of puppy love, I have a new pup, Winter.  He has a best friend, Roger.  Here's the 2 of them together.

They are 4 days apart in age, and fairly closely matched in size, so they have so much fun playing together.  Plus, they are very tired out after, so they take long naps, and the puppy parents are happy about that! 

Dog Love -- check out this new release, and the other fantastic new releases in the We Are 3 Digital Shop! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Sunny Day Crafting - Animals 
D.L. Art -- August Linky Party
2 Crafty Critter Crazies -- Anything with a Critter