Sweet little boy

Friends of ours just had a little boy (Easter Sunday, in fact).  So, this little CAS card is for them.  So cute!  I just love the piercing around the rectangle.

Challenges:
Raisin Boat #22--Moms and Dads (not for my mom or dad, but it is for a special mom & dad)
Love To Scrap #28--scrap lift 3 or more elements from this layout (I chose blue, green, circles, and letters {words})

Sugar Pea Designs #4--CAS
Word Art Wednesday #129--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
The Paper Shelter #155--for the boys
Art Impressions #134--masculine
Sentimental Sundays #204--CAS (with a sentiment)
Creative Knockouts #34--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "To The Moon" sentiment
Dies: sizzix star die; spellbinders A2 Matting Basics
Paper: DCWV Christmas pack (from a couple years ago)

Christmas Carols

Happy Friday!  Time for another challenge from Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.  This week, it could be easy OR hard, depends on your cardmaking style. : )  Anyway, the challenge is: use ribbon as your only embellishment.  The sponsor this week is Broken Box Stock and I got to use this cute image called "Caroling Toodles".  Here's my card:

I went with a rather untraditional color scheme again this week.  It was inspired by the piece of green paper on the card base.  It was the only piece big enough to cover a card base. : ) At least in the stack of paper I was working with.  So, I went with it.  And I even managed to use a bit of ribbon from my bits and pieces stash: the green on the right side of the main panel.  I've been slacking off on using up that stash, so I was happy to be able to work something in this time.  Now it's time to hop on over to the CSAYL blog, check out the rest of the DT projects and then play along.

Challenges:

Twisted Tuesdays #74--I need your Paperwork (use at least 3 dps and the twist: writing or doodling--I doodled the black line around my image and added some little "snowflakes" to the image)

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #173--use a hat

Wags 'n' Whiskers #127--lots of layers

Christmas @ Sweet Stamping--glitter, glitter everywhere (the green paper has glitter around the blue circles, I used glitter pen on different parts of my image and the small snowflake in the bottom corner is covered with glitter)

The Squirrel & The Fox #68--use die cuts or punches

Scrap Creations--anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown #192--lots of sparkle

Party Time Tuesdays #169--anything goes

Christmas Challenges with Sketches #120--sketch (they ask for the sketch not to be posted)

The Crafter's Cafe #60--add glitter

Supplies:

Stamps: Broken Box Stock "Caroling Toodles"; Verve "Ornamental Christmas" sentiment

Dies: Spellbinders standard circles, large; Sweet 'n' Sassy snowflake die

Little Tree

I can't believe it, but it is Friday again, already!  Time for another challenge from Christmas Stampin' All Year Long and this week, it is a sketch:

I love sketches; in fact, I almost always start my cards with a sketch and go from there.  I just wasn't feeling this one, though.  It took a while to figure out how I wanted to dress it up a bit.  I used some unusual colors for a Christmas card, but in the end, I think I like it. : )  It's tough to tell in the photo, but several of those little metal "candies" have cute little patterns on them: chevrons, dots, hearts, etc.

I would love to see your take on this sketch.  Everyone always interprets sketches in different ways.  So come on and play along.  Go to the CSAYL blog for all the details.

Challenges:
Crafts Galore Challenge--creating with color: use your favorite (pink and green is my favorite color combo for card making, and I added a bit of blue which is MY favorite color)
Southern Girls #89--Earn Your Stripes
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #172--make it square, or use a square
Creative Inspirations #261--lots of layers
ABC Christmas Challenge--H is for Home (decorating the tree is always the first thing I do for Christmas)

Supplies:
Stamps: Tiffany Doodles "Christmas Star Tree #1) digi

Prayers

A quick little card I made for some friends.  Another card using my new favorite "The Sweet Life" stamp set.  Love those gorgeous roses!

 Here's the inside:

Challenges:
Crafty Ribbons #85--anything goes
Mod Squad Challenges--spring colors: pick at least three of the following (I used the three greens, the dark blue and the lavender--on the pearls)

Crafter's Cafe #59--CAS
Seems a Little Sketchy #62--sketch

Make it Monday #160--heat embossing on a die cut and/or two step stamps (I heat embossed my frame on the frame die cut and it was much easier the way the video showed!)

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI "Boutique Borders: Sympathy" frame and sentiment, "The Sweet Life" flowers and "Turing a new Leaf" leaves; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps "The Future" inside sentiment
Dies: PTI "Boutique Borders: Sympathy", "Turning a New Leaf" and "The Sweet Life"
Ribbon: PTI Ocean Tides dotted satin
Inks: PTI "Aqua Mist", "Ocean Tides"; SU! "Night of Navy"

Easter Blessings

I wasn't going to make an Easter cards.  I usually don't; I don't think too many people send them out anymore.  Anyway, there were so many Easter challenges out there in blog land, AND I remembered I had this stunning cross image from Eureka Stamps, so I decided to give it a go.

Challenges:
Milk Coffee Challenges--Easter
Sentimental Sundays #202--Embossing (dry or wet)
Eureka Stamps #85--Happy Easter
Our Daily Bread Designs #198--He is risen with pastels
Sweet Stamps--anything goes: embossing
Loves Rubberstamps #99--Easter or spring
Cuttin' And Stampin' #15--Easter
Word Art Wednesday #128--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Crafty Creations #261--white plus one other color
Digi Stamps 4 Joy #90--Easter or spring
Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2--sketch

Treasured Times Rubber Stamps Challenge--Easter

Supplies:
Stamps: Eureka Stamps "Draped Cross with Thorns"; Flourishes "Easter Blessings" sentiment
Dies/embossing folders: Spellbinders "Radiant Rectangles"; PTI "Boutique Borders: Sympathy" die; Sizzix "Botanicals" embossing folder

One lone tree

Though the weather is finally warming up here in Southern New England, it is time for some mid-month inspiration from the Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for the month of April.  And that means another Christmas card from me.  As I am always running behind, I chose to go very CAS for this one .  The card blank already had the oval cutout, so all I had to do was stamp the sentiment and the tree, add some silver stickles to the tree, rim the cut out in silver and add the rhinestones.  Oh yeah, I also added a bit of black paper to the back of the card to give it a little more contrast.  Quick and easy.

This picture shows off the stickles a bit better.

Have you started on your Christmas cards, yet?  There's still plenty of time to play in this month's challenge.  It's easy: Anything Christmas Goes!

Challenges:

CAS-ual Fridays--ovals

Crafty Musketeers #12--monochrome

Sparkles Christmas Challenge #39--inspired by a Christmas carol or song (Silent Night)

CRAFT Challenge #254--Christmas

Sister Act Card Challenge #52--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #170--make it square (or use a square)

Wags 'n' Whiskers #126--CAS

Supplies:

Stamps: SU! "Lovely as a Tree"; Verve "Star of Wonder"

Magical Birthday

This is a birthday card for my sister.  We kind of have a bit of a joke about unicorns, so I think she is going to love it.  Plus, it's girly and sparkly and magical; what girl wouldn't love that?!  I forgot to take a picture of the inside--which isn't that interesting anyway.--but the sentiment reads "Wishing you a Magical Birthday".

Challenges:
The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge #8--anything goes
One Stitch At a Time #208--use a digi
Lacy Sunshine Challenge #31--Make it Feminine
Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge #24--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #52--anything goes
Time Out Challenge #3--Happy Birthday with the optional twist of making it masculine (I did not go masculine!)
Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2--sketch

The Stamping Chef #24--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: The Paper Shelter "The Princess and Her Unicorn" digi
Dies: Spellbinders Fleur De Lis squares, Labels 4, Radiant Rectangles; Sizzix star die; Fiskars flower punch

Mom

My mom's birthday is next weekend, so this card is for her.  Both of us love pansies and as we live in the cool northeast of the US, they can survive all summer and are one of the first plants out in the stores in the spring.  I just saw some at my local grocery store this week.  They made me so happy!  : )  They are just so cute; love their little faces.

Challenges:

One Sweet Challenge--ringing in spring

Sarah Hurley Challenges--stitching: real or faux (used my sewing machine for real stitching and and embossing technique to give it the look of quilting)

Dis Digis--spring

Viva La Verve April week 1--sketch

One Stitch At A Time #207--Flowers

Make it Monday #159--no-sew quilted card

Crafter's Cafe #58--spring

Divas By Design--Easter or spring

Time Out Challenges--Happy Birthday with the optional twist of making it masculine (I didn't use the optional twist)

Crafty Ribbons #84--Flower Power

Sweet 'n' Sassy--Happy (pansies make me happy and my mom makes me happy. aww . . . )

Brown Sugar #89--Mother's Day (it isn't for the actual Mother's Day, but it is for my mother for HER day)

Sister Act Card Challenge #52--anything goes

Supplies:

Stamps: Stitchy Bear "Pansy & Butterfly" digi by Delicious Doodles; Flourishes "A Mother's Love"; SU! "Classic Caps" initial

Dies: spellbinders classic circles, large and fancy squares; PTI lacey border

Embossing folder: cuttlebug damask

PTI Ocean Tides card stock and dotted ribbon

Silent night

It's Friday and that means time for another challenge from Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.  This challenge is: Non-square card or project.  Now, maybe I cheated a bit, because I rarely ever make a square card.  I almost always make rectangles, which are not squares.  The rest of the DT (most of them anyway) made other shaped cards, so you'll have to go to the CSAYL blog and check them out.

I went a bit vintage-y with this one.  Not my usual style, but it worked.  Now, go forth, get inky and play along.

Challenges:
Sparkles Christmas Challenge #39--inspired by a Christmas carol/song
Flat Friends Challenge #39--include a sentiment
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--poinsettias
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #171--seeing red
Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge #23--anything goes
Treasured Times Challenge #15--mix it up (I used a new style, mixed digis, clear stamps and rubber stamps)
Sentimental Sundays #201--vintage/steampunk
Mojo Monday #340--sketch

Eureka Stamps #84--ribbons and bows
Holly Jolly--ribbons and bling
Word Art Wednesday #127--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Paper Pretties #305--punches (my smallest flower is made with a punch)
C.R.A.F.T. #254--Christmas
Completely Christmas #5--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Emma Canning church digi; Verve "Star of Wonder" sentiment; Hero Arts cling rubber musical score (it's very faint, but I stamped in on the tilted panel)
Dies: spellbinders poinsettia, and classic circles, large; flower punch

Monster birthday

April is a big birthday month in my family.  So, it's time to make some birthday cards.  I got this stamp set from Your Next Stamp a month or so ago and just HAD to pull it out and play with it.  All the monsters just make me smile and the sentiments are all so fun.

Challenges:

Crafty Creations #260--blue and yellow

Divas by Design--anything goes

The Stamping Chef #23--anything goes

One Crazy Stamper--anything goes BUT NO digis

Word Art Wednesday #126--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Crafting by Designs--anything goes

Charisma Cardz--anything goes

Just Add Ink #209--just add layers

Sister Act Card Challenge #51--anything goes

Your Next Stamp #11--sketch

The Squirrel and the Fox #67--all creatures great and small

The Paper Girls Challenge #53--inspiration layout (I went with the birthday theme)

Twisted Tuesday #73--photo inspiration with the twist of "make us laugh" (I was inspired by the pattern on the jester's costume, and the color blue from his costume)

Raisin Boat #21--It's a guy thing

Supplies:

Stamps: Your Next Stamp "Silly Monsters"

Dies: spellbinders classic circles, large

YNS blue gumdrops

It's your day

I made the perfect birthday card for my dad!  Perfect because he loves to sit in his recliner and watch TV and even more perfect because my siblings and I bought him a new TV for his birthday.  Perfect, I tell you!

 Here's the inside.  The sentiment cracks me up and I think the remote controller is so cute!

 And now for something even cuter.  If you want you can skip this part, but if you want pure sweetness, then, read on.  While I was making my card, one of my 5 year olds wanted to make a card, too.  So I helped her a bit, but she did all the stamping and coloring and picked out the papers (mostly because I used those papers, too.)  Here is her card:

 Then, I had to go out for a while and left Daddy in charge of things.  So, since one twin had made a card, the other wanted to make a card, too.  Completely unsupervised and unassisted, she made this card:  All hand cut by the way, they don't know how to use the paper trimmer, thank God!

 And I guess she decided it was such a success that she made a second one.  And look 3 different sheets of patterned paper (that I bought myself for Christmas by the way) mutilated, I mean, cut into.  But it is really cute, and she actually picked papers that went well together.  And you can't tell, but there are about 4 layers of flowers all popped up on pop dots.

Aren't these cards just the cutest things??!!  Remember, they are only 5 years old.

Challenges:
Raisin Boat #21--It's a guy thing
Paper Nest Dolls #7--anything goes
Cuttlebug Mania--make us smile
Loves Rubberstamps #91--anything goes
Twisted Tuesday #73--inspiration photo with a twist: make us laugh (my inspiration was the harlequin pattern on his costume and the blue color; plus masculine)

One Crazy Stamper--anything goes (no digi stamps)
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes as long as it is covered with patterned paper
Word Art Wednesday #126--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
My Favorite Things #170--sketch


Supplies:
Stamps: Raisin Boat "It's a Guy Thing"
Papers: Recollections (Michael's brand) used on all the cards
Dies: spellbinders A2 matting basics rectangles

Poinsettia Bear

Happy April, everyone!  I can't believe it is hear already.  AND it's Friday so another challenge from Christmas Stampin' All Year Long has gone live.  The challenge is: use lots of layers.  Easy right?  The sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps and I got to use this adorable image "Poinsettia Bear".  Isn't he cute?

 Now, lots of layers seems pretty straight forward, right?  But I'm going to show you how I used layers 3 different ways.  The first is obvious: I used lots of layers of papers.  The second, maybe obvious too: my poinsettia has 3 different layers of petals.  And the third is in my image.  You can see in the next photo that I used pop dots to pop up several layers on the image.  I printed the image out 4 times and used different parts of them to add dimension.  I did manage to use a piece from my bits and pieces stash: that gold star border.

Now it's time to head on over to the CSAYL blog for all the details and to see how the other designers added layers to their projects.  Then link up your project, I can't wait to see how you interpret this challenge.

Challenges:
Little Miss Muffet--anything goes
Crimbo Crackers #61--anything goes
Christmas Card Challenges #18--favorite coloring medium (markers are mine)
Lacy Sunshine--add flowers
Cutie Pie Challenges #66--cute with dies & punches
Sweet Stamps #163--dies
Christmas Cards All Year Round--poinsettias
Patterned Paper Challenge--month long anything goes as long as it is covered with patterned paper
Sweet Sketch Challenge 2--sketch

ABC Christmas--G is for glitter
Desert Island Craft Challenge--use at least 3 of the following (I used #3, 4, 5--my sentiment, 8, 9)
1.  something hidden/a surprise
2.  purple
3.  twine
4.  die cut
5.  heat embossing
6.  for a man
7.  dog or cat
8.  distressed
9.  sparkle
10.  moveable parts
Southern Girls--floral frenzy
C.R.A.F.T. #253--recycle/World Earth Day (the gold paper I used is recycled wrapping paper)
DRS Designs #116--Who's the (em)boss--my sentiment is heat embossed
Completely Christmas #5--anything Christmas goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Bugaboo Stamps "Poinsettia Bear" digi; Verve "Ornamental Christmas" sentiment
Dies: spellbinders A2 Card Basics--rectangles and poinsettias 

Frosty Snowflakes

Happy April!  Three months gone in 2014; how's your Christmas card stash coming?  If you've been playing along with us at Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra, then you have gotten a good jump on them.  If you haven't been playing, now is a great time to start.  The challenge is easy: anything Christmas goes and you have all month long to play along.

 I just love this cute little snowman!  I used him and these glittery snowflakes to create a little wintery scene.  Fun!  The patterned oval was from my bits and pieces stash and as promised last month, here is a picture of the stash.  I'm going to try to remember to update it every month.

 I added a picture of what the stash looked like at the beginning of March:

Unfortunately, I have added a few items to the stash this month, but I have actually managed to use up a lot of the items in it.  Do you have a stash like this?  Maybe it's time to give yourself the challenge of using it up.  It's kind of fun. : )  Now, go get started on those Christmas cards and then link it up with as at CHNCC2.

Challenges:
Fab n' Funky #205--Christmas
Seems a Little Sketchy--sketch

The Stamping Chef #22--anything goes
Pattie's Creations #88--anything goes
Christmas @ Sweet Stamping--brrr . . . it's cold outside
Little Miss Muffet--anything goes
Christmas Card Challenge #8--use your favorite coloring medium (mine is markers)
Cutie Pie Challenge #66--cute with dies and punches

Supplies:
Stamps: Bugaboo Stamps "Chubby Snowman Scarf" digi
Dies: spellbinders ovals and scalloped ovals, large; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps "Small Snowflakes Dies"