Celebrate! It's almost Independence Day!

I can't believe that tomorrow is Independence Day here in the USA.  May your celebrations be grand ones!

I have a card I made using products from 2 of my favorite companies.  The digi is from Di's Digi Stamps, and the papers are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  I've made it red, white, and blue to celebrate the 4th!

The digi is Bluebell Bear, colored with Copic markers.  The digi papers, by We Are 3, are Roses Are Red. 

I used cutting dies by Yvonne to create the card, and some crinkle ribbon by a retired company, 3 Girl JAM.  

Here's a look at all the papers in the Roses Are Red paper pack:

It's time to finish getting ready for July 4.  I have to get the flags ready, hang the bunting, make more ice, and of course, find the sparklers!!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Monday Challenges -- Celebrate
Lemon Shortbread -- ATG
Papercraft Challenges -- Red, White, and Blue
Outlawz Tuesday Challenge -- Red, White, and Blue, plus a bow
Always Fun Challenges -- Patriotic
D.L. Art -- July Linky Party
D.L. Art Thankful Thursday -- Red, White, and Blue
Cute N Crafty Challenge Blog -- 4th of July
Get Creative Challenges -- Shaped Cards

Dance! for Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez

Greetings, crafty friends!  I'm still in my first week of retirement, but I have to tell you, this is good stuff!  It's a goal worth reaching for!  Last evening a couple of my good friends took me out for a retirement dinner and it was so nice to be celebrated.

Speaking of celebrating, do you like to dance?   I've never been much of a dancer, but I admire the quality in others.  Here in NW Wisconsin, most of our dancing seems to be done at wedding dances to a polka band, and most of the men need a few beers in them before they'll hit the dance floor.  It's not the most elegant dancing you've ever seen.

But, I digress.  I have a most elegant ballerina to share with you today.  She's by Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez:

Isn't she sweet?  My arthritic toes hurt just looking at her!  But she sure is graceful!  I love her sweet expression and confidence.  

I colored this ballerina with Copic markers, then used dies from Yvonne to cut out the card.  The dotted heart designer paper is also from Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez.  She has some wonderful papers in her shop you can find HERE. 

Patricia had a recent release of mermaids and she has a sale going on in her shop right now.  Use code 'mermay' to receive 50% off all digis in her shop!  Start shopping!

Visit the Kinda Cute Facebook group, too, for a monthly challenge, more inspiration, and some really great people! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Festive Friday -- ATG
D.L. Art -- June Linky Party
IDCB -- ATG
TTCRD -- ATG

Thanks, Mynn --An MHKDesigns Blog Hop

Today is a bittersweet day today.  We are wishing our good friend, Mynn Kitchen well, as she dedicates herself to her teaching -- something she has found that she really, truly loves.  How blessed she and her students are for that!  It's bittersweet, though, because it's also my last post for the MHKDesigns team.  I've so enjoyed being on this team for nearly 2 years now, and working with the fabulous images and papers that Mynn provides, plus working under her loving leadership and guidance.  She has been a true friend to me while I've been on this team.

It's the first of the month which would usually mean it's time for a new challenge at MHKDesigns, and also for a new set release. But sadly, Mynn, the very talented owner of MHKDesigns and card creating genius, has made the very tough decision to close the blog (the Etsy store will remain open for the time being at least, but nothing new will be added to it) to focus on what's important to her, her life as a teacher.

Instead of the usual first of the month post, we are having this thank you blog hop for Mynn Kitchen.

Here is the hop order:

Judy

Rocky

Shawna

Jess

Julie  -- You are here!

Dawn

Janie

Em

Asha (not posting, but please leave our DT Coordinator some love)

Here's what I made for this hop, using Majestic Medallions:

This first card was colored with Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils.

This 2nd card uses the sentiment from Majestic Medallions, and the butterfly from Butterfly Wisdom.  I colored the butterfly twice, fussy cut it once, and used foam tape to give it some dimension. 

The designer papers on both cards are also from MHKDesigns, and were printed on my laser printer. 

That's it for me.  Now, hop on to the lovely Dawn's blog and see her beautiful creation! 

Fly High -- All Dressed Up introduction!

Greetings, fellow craft lovers.  Today is a big day for me.  I've known for quite some time now that I made the All Dressed Up Facebook design team, but today, we are officially introduced!  Yea!  I'm very excited about this as I've been an All Dressed Up fan since about 2014!  I've tried out for the team several times before, but this time, luck was with me.  

I pondered my intro card for awhile, then chose an image that had some of my favorite elements, flowers, fairies, faces, and hair.  It also lent itself well to a shaped card -- one of my favorites to make, so here's my first "official" card as a Dressy Girl:

This card uses Little Flower Fairy, colored with Copic markers.   The Little Flower Fairy is delightful, isn't she?  She makes me think of spring, which is taking it's sweet time about arriving here in Northern Wisconsin.

The 'Fly High' sentiment is from a Rubbernecker Stamps.  The card was created using a die from Yvonne dies.  The background paper is from Close To My Heart.  The butterfly die is from Sizzix, and the crinkle ribbon is from a company no longer in business, but I was on her design team and still have a ton of her ribbon -- 3 Girl JAM.  

You'll be seeing more All Dressed Up projects from me -- at least 2 each month.  Look for new releases, and Facebook Challenge inspiration.  I'd love to see your projects in the All Dressed Up Facebook Group!  Check out the All Dressed Up Challenge Blog, also, for the latest in challenges, inspiration, and new releases.  

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends -- ATG
Outlawz Saturday Paper ala Mode -- Leaves 
D.L. Art - April Linky Party 
D.L. Art, Thankful Thursday -- Spring
TTCRD -- ATG
IDCB -- ATG with real stamp option (Fly High is real stamp)
Stamping Sensations -- one for the girls
Crafty Sentiments Challenge -- One for the Girls
Ellie Belle's Crafty Wednesday -- Say it with Flowers
Paper Crafter's Linky Party at Ellie Belle's  -- ATG