Sitting Pretty

Well, here it is June already!  Time sure flies when you're having fun. : )  Since it is the beginning of the month, it is time for another challenge from Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.  As always, we are an anything goes (Christmas related, of course) month long challenge.  Our sponsor each month is Bugaboo Stamps and the winner will receive 7 images of their choice.  Here is my card using the adorable "Polar Bear" image:

Isn't he just the cutest thing ever?  And I think he looks even more cute sitting on this little snow hill. For the "snowy" background I inked up my embossing folder with white ink and then embossed the blue panel.  It wasn't as dark as I wanted, so I used a white gel pen to highlight some of the dots to look more like falling snow.

Challenges:
Hiding In My Craft Room #201--Freestyle (anything goes)
Wags 'n' Whiskers #155--seeing spots
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #231--color it (I used sharpie markers)
Jo's Scrap Shack #90--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #108--anything goes
Winter Wonderland--Christmas tags
Cute Card Thursday #375--Too cute!
Aud Sentiments #132--Cute plus a sentiment
DRS Designs #176--easy as 1-2-3 (I used 1 image, 2 colors, and 3 dies)
Penny's Paper #229--anything goes
MFT #230--sketch

Fab n' Funky Challenge #261--Christmas
Crafty Creations #296--All creatures great and small
Crafting by Designs--getting ready for Christmas
Fan-tastic Challenge #87--add texture
Crimbo Crackers #81--anything goes
Little Miss Muffet #112--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Bugaboo Stamps "Polar Bear" digi; Verve "Ornamental Christmas" sentiment
Dies/embossing folders: MFT "Blueprints 13" tag, sentiment banner; PTI "Fancy Flakes"; Cuttlebug dots and snowflake embossing folders

With Sympathy

This was my first "commissioned" card ever.  One of the young guys that works for my husband passed away last weekend and my husband asked me to make a sympathy card to send to his parents.  All the guys at the job are going to sign it and I think the family will really appreciate the gesture.

It is a very close CASE of this card I had found and instantly fell in love with.  I used the same dies and most of the layers, but I added a border die for an extra bit of color and changed up the butterflies a bit.  Also, since so many people (70ish) are going to sign it, I didn't put any dimensional embellishments.  All surfaces needed to be pretty flat.  So, instead of pearls on the butterflies, I added little white dots with a gel pen.  It gives the look without any bulk.  Here is the card I CASED:

Gorgeous, isn't it?!

Challenges:

Jo's Scrap Shack #90--anything goes

In the Pink #70--things with wings

DRS Designs #176--easy as 1-2-3 (I used 1 sentiment, 2 shapes {rectangle and oval} and 3 butterflies)

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes

Penny's Paper #229--anything goes

Inspiration Destination #35--anything goes

Addicted to Stamps--anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #185--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Tuesday Throwdown #246--anything goes

Sentimental Sundays #260--with sympathy

One Sweet Challenge--things with wings

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI "Boutique Borders: Sympathy"

Dies/punches: Spellbinders "Radiant Rectangles"; PTI border die; Martha Stewart Butterfly punch

Father's Day

Time to get a start on those Father's Day cards; it will be here before you know it!  Actually, I only made this already because I loved the sketch from Jo's Scrap Shack and knew some patterned neck ties would fit it perfectly.  And they do!!

See, cute, right?!

Challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper

Brown Sugar Challenge #136--Father's Day

Jo's Scrap Shack #88--sketch (see it above)

Hiding in my Craft Room #199--button it up!

Sweet Stamps #222--favorite color(s)--Blue is my absolute favorite color, and green is close behind

Sugar Pea Designs--Hey, Dude!

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes

Penny's Paper Challenge #228--anything goes

Inky Impressions #212--faux stitching/doodling (I used a stitched die on my main panel)

Supplies:

Stamps: Verve "Strong Anchor" sentiment

Dies: PTI tie; Verve "Flag it!"; Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics, rectangle"; MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle

Love and life

Another quick, and utterly adorable, anniversary card.  I love how this turned out.  I followed the sketch pretty much exactly; I used the negative space from the largest heart as the space for this sweet sentiment.  And I popped up the crazy patterned heart for a little interest.

 And here is the sentiment on the inside:

Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
In The Pink #69--Stitching (I used a stitched die on both the main layer which you can't really tell in the photo and on the inside)
Sister Act Card Challenge #106--anything goes
Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge--add pink
Open Minded Challenge #36--wedding/anniversary
Sweet Stampin'--CAS
MFT--Pagemaps sketch

Word Art Wednesday #189--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Crafting By Designs--sentimentally
Mod Squad--positively negative
Inspiration Destination #34--anything goes
Penny's Paper #228--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Text Objects"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle and "Pierced Heart Stax" large heart and chevron patterned heart; Sweet n' Sassy heart dies

Monster anniversary

Aren't these little monsters cute?  I needed to make an anniversary card for my sister and brother-in-law so I made one of these little guys into a girl monster.  See her little pink toenails?

Challenges:
Creative Craft Cottage Challenge #39--all that glitters
Crafty Creations #289--color challenge (I used kraft, pink, green and white)

Sister Act Card Challenge #106--anything goes
Your Next Stamp #14--sketch

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge--add pink
Open Minded Challenge #36--wedding/anniversary
Fashionable Stamping #198--Old Favorites; forgotten stamps (the background stamp I've had for a long time, but didn't have a big enough stamping block to hold it until recently, so I really haven't used it more than one or two times)
Fantastic Tuesday #86--no patterned paper
MFT Color Challenge #21--kraft, ripe raspberry, tickled pink, fuse green

Inspiration Destination #34--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: YNS "Silly Monsters"; PTI "Damask Designs" sentiment; Rubbernecker Stamps "Flourish" background
Dies: PTI "Heart Border"; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Heart die; Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics rectangle"; MFT "Blueprints 13"

Blessed is the man

Good morning!  Just popping in with a birthday card for my husband's grandfather.  His birthday is today.  We are a very close family, both in relationship and in location.  My in-laws live right across the street from us and my husband's grandfather and wife live in an in-law apartment in the same house.  So, we see all them everyday.  It is so good to be close to family.  Anyway, here is the card:

 I had something completely different in mind, but when I went looking to see what Scripture verses I had and came across this one that I hadn't used yet, things went in a whole new direction.  And I altered everything I tried, too.  Originally, I was going to use the argyle pattern on the whole background, but once I got it all stamped, it was just too bold for what I was going for.  So, I trimmed it down to the strip and liked it much better.  I wasn't going to use any embellishments as this is for a man, but it looked to plain without anything.  I crossed my fingers and looked through my stash for some black enamel dots, to no avail.  I even though about melting down some perler beads, but didn't think heating up the oven for three was really worth my time.  In the end, I found some black pearls, and I know pearls usually are NOT embellies for male cards, but as they are black, I think they work great.  I combined a couple sentiments on the inside and added a strip of the argyle pattern from the front.

Challenges:

CAS-ual Fridays #139--birthday with black, white, orange and turquoise

Word Art Wednesday #183--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Mod Squad--mix it up (use stamps from different sets)

Addicted to Stamps #144--CAS

C.R.A.F.T. #311--birthday

Sister Act Card Challenge #106--anything goes

Viva La Verve May week 3--sketch (I turned the elements sideways to fit my verse)

Sweet Stampin'--CAS

Fan-tastic Challenge #86--no Patterned Paper (my pattern was stamped)

Supplies:

Stamps: Verve "Jeremiah 17:7" plain jane; JustRite Stampers "Pattern Basics"; PTI "Big Birthday Wishes" second part of inside sentiment; YNS "Silly Monsters" happy birthday

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" banner and stitching

Simple Manger

Hello, All!  Today begins a new challenge from Love to Scrap! Challenge Blog.  For the next two weeks the challenge is Anything Goes.  (I know you all love those!)  We have three fabulous sponsors:

Bugaboo Digi Stamps

Prize: 7 images of the winner's choice

Sparkle N Sprinkle

Prize: Image(s) of choice to winner up to $15 value from the SNS Exclusive Line 

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More

Prize: 3 images of the winner's choice

I chose to use this fabulous image from Robyn's Fetish.  I have had it for quite a while and hadn't had a chance to use it yet.  So, since they were one of our sponsors, it was the perfect time to color it up!

I know it is only the middle of May, but it is never too soon to get started on those Christmas cards.  I've been making them throughout the year for the past several years, and it definitely cuts down the stress of getting them all finished in time to get them sent out for Christmas.  Now, head on over to the LTSCB to see the inspiration from the rest of the DT.

Challenges:

Crafting Musketeers #25--use a die cut

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper

Craft-Dee BowZ--anything goes with patterned paper

Cuttlebug Mania--ribbon

Inspiration Destination #33--anything goes

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes

Chalk N Stock--anything goes with chalk (I used chalk to create the glow of the star and the "halo")

Sister Act Card Challenge #106--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #229--use some of your favorite things (ribbon, rhinestones and Christmas images!)

Come And Get It Challenge--ribbon & bling

Supplies:

Stamps: Robyn's Fetish "Manger"

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13"; Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics, rectangle"

Papers: American Crafts "Jolly"

PTI Aqua Mist card stock and ribbon

Joy

Happy May 15th!  It's time for our mid-month reminder for Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.  As always, we are an Anything Goes Christmas challenge and it runs to the end of the month.  Here is my inspiration for you:

Challenges:
Crafting Musketeers #25--use a die cut
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--vintage
Craft-Dee BowZ--anything goes with a handmade bow
Crimbo Crackers #80--use a die cut
Completely Christmas #62--touch of silver (my silver charm)
Cuttlebug Mania--ribbon
Loves Rubberstamps #151--Add a sentiment
Word Art Wednesday #183--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
ABC Christmas--J is for Joy
The Paper Shelter #285--Charming (use a charm)
My Favorite Things #228--sketch

Inspiration Destination #33--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #105--anything goes
Jo's Scrap Shack #87--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #228--vintage or shabby chic

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Star of Wonder"
Dies: PTI "Rustic Wreath"

Every Experience

My good friend and her husband adopted a little boy last February and they have been dealing with a lot of hard issues since then.  I made her this card for Mother's Day to remind her that God has a purpose for this situation (and every situation) and has put each of us in this relationship for a reason.  The sentiment on the front reads "Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see."--Corrie Ten Boom

Please excuse my thumb in the picture below, but I had to hold the card closed as it has some fun folds as you sill see in the other photos.

 Several years ago someone gave me a ton of card making stuff; mostly different shaped card blanks.  This is the first of the fancy folds that I have actually used.  They kind of intimidated me, but after making one, I think I will be more likely to use them in the future.

 And here is what is looks like on the inside:

The sentiment reads "Motherhood is a journey of time, love and memories.  Happy Mother's Day!"

Challenges:
Craftin' Desert Divas--Mother's Day
Crafty Ribbons Challenge #118--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #104--anything goes
Fussy & Fancy Challenge #138--lots of flowers
Raisin Boat #31--Moms & Dads
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge--anything goes with patterned paper
Craft-Dee BowZ--anything goes with a handmade bow
One Stitch At A Time #236--Special Lady
East Wind Challenge #30--Mother's Day, add flowers
Eureka Stamps #139--feminine card
Loves Rubberstamps Challenge #150--anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown #243--flower for her
Tuesday Morning Sketches #229--sketch

Clear It Out Challenge--theme: anything goes, stash: anything goes
Verve May Inspiration Challenge--Let it Bloom
Word Art Wednesday #182--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Fab n' Funky Challenge #258--May flowers
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes
Digi Designs Challenge--Fun/fancy folds

Supplies:
Stamps: Sweet n' Sassy Stamps (Can't find it on their website) sentiment on the outside and another old retired set "Happy Mother's Day" and "Friend" sentiment; Flourishes Stamps "Jewish Proverb: Motherly Love"
Dies: Verve "Sprightly Sprigs"; MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle; Spellbinders "Labels Four"

Blessed . . .

We have an older woman who just started attending our church.  She is a widow and is a bit estranged from her two children, which is very sad.  I thought she might not be celebrated this Mother's Day, so I made her a card.  Our family has sort of adopted her and I hope this will be a blessing and not a painful reminder of what she has been missing.

 Here is the sentiment on the inside:

Challenges:
Cuttlebug Mania--We love to stamp
Word Art Wednesday #180--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Crafty Ribbons #118--anything goes with ribbon
Sister Act Card Challenge #104--anything goes
Fussy & Fancy #138--lots of flowers
Viva La Verve May week 1--sketch

Crafty-Dee BowZ--anything goes with handmade bow
The Paper Nest Dolls #5--anything goes
Jo's Scrap Shack #86--Happy Mother's Day
Suzy Bee's #77--no patterned paper
One Stitch At A Time #236--for a special lady
East Wind Challenge #30--Mother's Day: add some flowers
Eureka Stamps #139--feminine cards
Tuesday Throwdown #243--flowers for her
Stamping Our Stash #200--Big, bold & Beautiful (red is a very bold color and I think the big flower is a very bold accent; the ribbon and pearls are from my stash)
Verve May Inspiration Challenge--Let it Bloom

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Surley Goodness" flowers, "Be Blessed" leaves, "Luke 1:45" plain jane; Hero Arts French Script (on flower panel); JustRite Stampers "Crackle Background"
Dies: Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics" rectangles; Verve "Sprightly Springs"; MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle

Mother's Day

Don't you just love this gorgeous iris!?  Bearded irises are so frilly and so beautiful and come in so many fabulous colors.  My mother-in-law really likes purple (and it's the only color I thought I could safely color) so it was really a no-brainer. : )

Challenges:
Verve May Inspiration Challenge--Let it Bloom
Crafty Cardmakers #138--Make your own background (used a background stamp and covered it with a coverplate die)
Sweet Stamps #220--For Mom
Eureka Stamps #139--feminine cards
Mojo Monday #396--sketch

East Wind Challenge #30--Mother's Day; add flowers
One Stitch At A Time #236--for a special lady
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #77--no patterned paper
Jo's Scrap Shack #86--Happy Mother's Day
Pattie's Creations #110--use a flower/flowers image
Raisin Boat #31--Moms & Dads
Craft-Dee BowZ--anything goes with handmade bow
Brown Sugar Challenge #144--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #104--anything goes
Craftin' Desert Divas--For Mom

Supplies:
Stamps: Fred She Said "Bearded Iris" digi; Flourishes "Jewish Proverbs: Motherly Love"; Our Daily Bread Designs "Crochet Background"; Hero Arts French Script (stamped on butterflies)
Dies: Verve "Flag It" and "Embossed Oval"; MFT "Mini Chicken Wire" and "Blueprints 13" tag; Martha Stewart butterfly punch

Stitched with Love

Good Morning!  Today begins a new challenge on the Love to Scrap! Challenge Blog.  The theme for the next two weeks is: A Stitch In Time (use real or faux stitching on your project).  We have three fabulous sponsors:

Lacy Sunshine Stamps

3 images of the winners choice

Heartfelt Creations

$25 gift certificate

Angie's Digi Stamps

3 images of the winner choice

I made this card using an image from Angie's Digi Stamps; what could be more perfect for a stitching challenge than  a sweet little girl doing some hand sewing?  This will be my Mother's Day card for my mother.  She is a fabulous seamstress and taught me everything I know about sewing (unfortunately, I wasn't all that interested and I am not very good at it, but I can hold my own around a sewing machine).  She also taught me how to cross-stitch (which I am quite good at) and we used to do that a lot together when I was a teenager.  All that to say, that I think this card is perfect for her, specially the sentiment "Memories are Stitched Together with Love".  I even used a cute little heart button to tie in the "love" theme.

I used an actual sewing machine to stitch around the edges of all the layers and used a stitched rectangle die to cut out my image, so I've used both real and faux stitching.  Then I finished off the inside with the same papers and the stitched rectangle die.

Now it's your turn; we can't wait to see how you use stitching on your project.

Challenges:

Digi Sketch Challenge--button's & bows and a sketch

Craftin' Desert Divas--Mother's Day

Word Art Wednesday #180--anything goes

The Paper Shelter #201--Love is in the air

Crafty Ribbons #118--anything goes with ribbon

Creative Knockouts #87--complete the inside

Craft-Dee BowZ--anything goes with a handmade bow

Jo's Scrap Shack #86--Mother's Day

Supplies:

Stamps: Angie's Digi Stamps "Daisy May Sewing" digi; Clear Dollar Stamps digi sentiment (from a fundraiser they took part in several years ago); PTI "Tucked In: Mother" inside sentiment

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle and Labels die (I think it is retired); I cut a little slit in the end so I could thread my ribbon through

The darker button is from Funky Hand and the others are all recycled off clothes my girls have outgrown

Mr. & Mrs.

Just popping in with a sweet little wedding card for friends of ours that are getting married in a couple weeks.  I actually managed to use up a few pieces from my "bits and pieces" stash (and added one, but still a net gain!); I need to work on that more again.  And see the striped ribbon?  It is actually a piece from the bride's bridal shower--it was on one of the favors.  I just couldn't bear to throw it away and now I'm so glad I held on to it.  The red rose I made, the others were a prize I won a few months ago.

Challenges:
Sugar Pea #15--anything goes
Eureka Stamps #158--add some bling
Cuttlebug Mania--We love to stamp
Loves Rubberstamps #149--use at least 2 dies
Top Tip Tuesday--duo challenge (Mr. & Mrs.)
The Paper Shelter #201--love is in the air
Crafty ribbons #118--anything goes with ribbon
Brown Sugar Challenge #144--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #104--anything goes
Fussy & Fancy #138--lots of flowers
V's Sweet Ideas #34--embossing (I heat embossed the sentiment/frame and dry embossed the kraft layer)
Cards Galore Challenge--anything goes
Dragon's Lair Challenge--a bouquet of flowers
YNS #13--sketch


Supplies:
Stamps: PTI "Mat Stack 2" frame; Martha Stewart wedding set for Mr& Mrs.; Hero Arts music background
Dies: PTI "Hearts Border" die and "Canvas/Linen" embossing plate; Spellbinders "A2 Basics, Rectangle"; Verve "Sprightly Sprigs" leaves; Fiskars flower punch