Joy

Happy August!  I can't believe it's here already (but I think I say that every month)!  It's time for another challenge from Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.  As always, it is Anything Goes (as long as it is Christmas related) for the entire month.  Our sponsor is the fabulous Bugaboo Stamps and the prize is 7 images of the winners choice.  Here is my card:

See those corner brackets in the bottom two corners.  They are actually die cuts, but since I cut them out of the same color card stock as the main panel, they turned out looking like they were embossed instead.  It is a great way to add interest to plain corners without taking away from the focal point
If you have been playing along with us, then you already have a good head start on those Christmas cards.  If not, well, it's time to start.  It's so nice not to be scrambling to get cards finished in time to get them sent out.  I know, because it's happened to me several times.

Challenges:
Inspiration Destination #44--anything goes
Mod Squad--use a die (must be a die that One Happy Cut sells--mine is the Spellbinders "A2-Filigree")
Shopping Our Stash #212--diamonds are a girls best friend (black rhinestones)
Tuesday Morning Sketches #311--sketch

Christmas Card Challenge #39--anything goes
{Pin}spirational Challenge #145--inspiration photo (I was inspired by the Christmas Theme)

Craftin' Desert Divas--Christmas in July
Jo's Scrap Shack #99--anything goes
Winter Wonderland--Christmas Carols/Songs (I'm using Frosty the Snowman)
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long #52--anything goes



Supplies:
Stamps: Bugaboo Stamps "Chubby Snowman Scarf" digi; Clear Dollar Stamps "Flourishes" sentiment
Dies: Spellbinders "A2 Filigree"oval; MFT "Ornate Corners"

With Sympathy

I seem to have had a lot of sympathy cards to make lately.  And though it is not a fun occasion to craft for, I do enjoy the challenge of making something beautiful yet sedate.

Challenges:

CraftDee Bow-Z--anything goes with a handmade bow

Cute Card Challenge #384--citrus (I went with the orange, lemon, grapefruit and a bit of lime colors)

Southern Girls--anything goes

Inspiration Destination #44--anything goes

Penny's Paper Challenge #238--use ribbon or twine

Addicted To Stamps #155--inspiration photo (I went with the colors and the flower theme)

Word Art Wednesday #194--anything goes

Creative Inspirations #323--flowers

Top Tip Tuesday--I used the middle row: pearls/gems, sentiment and flowers

Fan-tastic Tuesday #96--make it feminine

Sketch Saturday #37--sketch

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI "Mum's The Word" and "Boutique Borders: Sympathy"; JustRite Stampers "Crackle" background

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

You Complete Me

Tomorrow (Friday) my husband and I celebrate our 16th anniversary!  Boy does time fly.  I was trying to think of something cute and not too girly when I remembered that I had this digital set from Sweet 'n' Sassy Stamps called "You and Me".   It is a collection of several images of items that go together such as salt & pepper, milk and & cookies . . . and coffee and donuts. : )  Now, I don't like coffee AT ALL, but my husband does and we both like donuts.  I really like double chocolate glazed donuts, so this image is perfect for us.  He is the coffee and I am the donut. : )  I paper pieced the mug and added Glossy Accents to the glaze on the donut to give it that nice shiny look.  It's super cool in real life.  Makes me want to take a big bite.

Challenges:
Inspiration Destination #44--anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner #30--anything goes
MFT #239--sketch

Craftin by Designs--month long anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #194--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
V's Sweet Ideas #36--celebrate

Supplies:
Stamps: Sweet n' Sassy Stamps "You & Me" digi set
Dies: MFT "Pierced Hearts" and "Blueprints 13" stitched panel; Spellbinders "Classic Ovals, large"

The House That Stamps Built--Anything Goes

Hello, All, and welcome to another What If Wednesday at The House That Stamps Built blog.  This week our challenge is Anything Goes!  Yeay!!  I know everyone likes those.  Today I have a serene card that I made as a sympathy card for some friends who just lost their mother/mother-in-law.  As we live in Rhode Island, I thought this ocean view had a nice calming feel to it.

 Here is the inside with this beautiful sentiment from Repeat Impressions:

I also stamped the main image again in a pale gray and I love how the sentiment overlays it and ties everything together.  Make sure you head on over to The House blog to get the full details and see the rest of the projects from the DT.  Then get inky and play along; there is a $25 gift certificate up for grabs!  And don't forget, if you like any of the stamps I used today, I have a 10% off code on the left hand side of my blog.

Challenges:
As You Like It Challenge--favorite single color and why (my all time favorite color is blue, right now I'm into the turquoise shades.  I'm not sure why I love it so much, but I think part of it is the calm feeling of it.  I'm a quiet introvert and like things nice and calm)
Viva La Verve July week 3-- sketch

Fab n' Funky Challenge #269--no patterned paper
DRS Designs #184--a stitch in time (I used a stitched die)
Brown Sugar #156--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #116--anything goes
Dis Digis--handcolored image
Creative Fingers--anything goes
Raisin Boat #36--summertime
Eureka Stamps #151--anything goes
Pattie's Creations #112--make a splash (must have water in your image)
Die Cuttin' Divas #226--the great outdoors
Top Tip Tuesday--tic tac toe (I used the ribbon/twine, punches/dies, and stitching row across the bottom--my stitching is the stitched die)

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "2902-P. Bass Harbor Light (lg)" and "4014-H. Warm Memories"
Dies: Verve "Flag it" and "Strong Anchor"; MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched panel and 'washi' tape strip

iphone birthday

My brother-in-law's birthday is this week (same day as my anniversary, by the way) and he is a total Apple gadget guy.  I actually bought this stamp set and die set with him in mind.  It just seemed a perfect fit.  I think these dies are the cutest things; I've actually used them on 3 different cards already this month.

Challenges:

Your Next Stamp #19--sketch (I tilted the center panel a bit)

Creative Fingers Challenge--anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge #116--anything goes

Brown Sugar Challenge #156--anything goes

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes

Inspiration Destination #43--anything goes

Fab n' funky Challenge #269--no patterned paper

Crafty Creations #294--four (I used four enamel dots)

Sweet Stampin'--boys and their toys (a toy for grown up boys)

A Gem of a Challenge #149--birthday wishes

Crafting with an Attitude--anything goes

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Friend Request" and "Typewriter Text" background

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" and "Blueprints 13" stitched panel; PTI "Heart 2 Heart #2"

Hugs

Hi, everyone!  Today on The House That Stamps Built, we have a special event for you.  It is a Blog Hop to help celebrate (and promote) some special new dies that Repeat Impressions is releasing.  Repeat Impressions is know for Flip Cards and these new dies are for creating the flip cards without having to do all the measuring!  Yippee because I hate measuring!!!    There are two sets of dies being released: this scalloped set and a stitched set.  Both are fabulous.  You can view and purchase the dies here.  You can view and purchase all the flip stamp sets here.  During the blog hop we will be giving away two sets of dies, one scalloped set and one stitched set.  All you have to do to be entered into the drawing is comment!  Between The House That Stamps Built blog and each of the Design Team blogs you have 9 chances to win if you comment on each blog.  If you only comment on 3 of the blogs you get 3 chances to win, etc.  You have until 5 pm Eatern Time to comment.  The winners will be announced on The House blog and the Facebook page on Monday the 27th. And without further ado, here is my card:

The rest of the DT is showcasing these dies in a vertical arrangement, but I saw a tutorial on YouTube  that showed this horizontal arrangement and I had to give it a try.  I also wanted to show that there is more than one way to use these awesome dies.  Just a warning: there will be a bunch of pictures in this post.  To begin the flipping process, you pull on the ribbon and the panels begin to flip one by one.  It's pretty cool.

You can see that the top panel has flipped to the left and the second panel is showing.  You can also see a hidden sentiment has started to appear.  The next photo shows the third panel.

And here is the final panel with the bear finishing up his hug.

And here is another look, sort of an action shot:

To finish off my inspiration for you, he is the inside--a sneak peek of a new sentiment set that will be released next month.  Shhh. . . Don't tell.

Now I will send you off to finish up the rest of the hop.

Kathy

Cheri

Patti

Deonna

Heather--that's me!

Melissa

Karen

Joy

                                       The Repeat Impressions blog--The House That Stamps Built

Challenges:

Art Impressions #164--In with the new (the dies are BRAND new and the stamp set is new to me;  so is the technique)

Aud Sentiments #136--anything goes

If You Give a Crafter A Cookie #23--inspiration photo (I was inspired by the blue and pink)

Creative Craft Cottage #44--anything goes

Crafty Creations #294--four (I have four image panels)

The Paper Shelter--anything goes

Crafty Gals #29--to die for

Inspiration Destination #43--anything goes

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes

Di's Digis--handcolored image

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "7205-W. Hugs Flip Set"

Dies: Repeat Impressions "Flip Fancy Die Set"

You Make Me Smile

So, here it is Wednesday again!  That means it's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built and this week it is a sketch.  Here it is:

And here is my card based on it:

I love a good sketch and almost always begin with one when I start creating a card.  But, I have to admit, that tilted square (or maybe it's a diamond) had me stumped for quite a while.  I had in mind using a frame to accentuate my image, but I couldn't find the right sized die I wanted to use.  Lol!  You see, I am a very messy crafter and my desk gets covered in everything while I'm creating and I think the die I wanted is buried in there somewhere.  So, I had to go on to plan B and I found this fun square shape and had the brilliant idea to do a bit of spotlighting on my card--only coloring the part of the image that is on the square.  I think it turned out kind of fun.  CAS but sort of not at the same time.  Anyway, now it's time to hop on over to The House blog and see how the rest of the DT has interpreted this sketch.  Thanks for stopping by!

Challenges:

Sister Act Card Challenge #145--anything goes

MFT Summer School Session #2--secondary colors (I have purple and green and the flower centers are an orangy yellow)

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #23--inspiration photo (I was inspired by the deep purple and the daisy cookies)

Aud Sentiments #382--anything goes

Little Miss Muffet #116--anything goes

Creative Fingers #89--anything goes

Time Out Challenge #35--nature with the optional twist: animals

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "9705-M. Jar", "9706-U. Flowers" and "8602-W. Smile"

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle; Spellbiners "Standard Circles, large" and "Medallion TWo"

Music for the soul

Welcome!  Today begins a new challenge on the Love To Scrap! Challenge Blog and it's a favorite for all: Anything Goes!  We have three amazing sponsors:

Sami Stamps

Stitchy Bear's Digi Outlet

Lost Coast Designs

I got to work with this Piano Keys Border from Lost Coast Designs.  I had something else in mind; something with a quote about music that would allow the border image to be very prominent.  But then I remembered that I had this sweet piano image that I had yet to use and I knew the keys border would be perfect with it.  It really adds to the whole feel of the card.

I did some paper piecing on the girls dress; I really don't do this as often as I should.  I just love how it looks.  I printed the Piano Keys Border on white card stock, but to make it fit in more with the softer look of the rest of the card, I sponged some light gray ink around the edges.

Now it's time to head on over to the LTSCB blog and see the full details and the projects from the rest of the DT.  Thanks for stopping by!

Challenges:

Sugar Pea Designs #28--sketch

Inspiration Destination #42--anything goes

Penny's Paper #236--anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges #268--flower delights

Creative Inspirations #322--let's color

Shopping Our Stash #210--paper piecing

A Day For Daisies #125--add some sparkle

Cards Galore--stamp or digi

Paper Nest Dolls--anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge #145--anything goes

Brown Sugar #155--girly

Supplies:

Stamps: Lost Coast Designs "Piano Keys Border" digi; A Day For Daisies "Music for Me" digi

Hello

In my last post I showed my soon-to-be-one nephew's card and mentioned that his birthday is the day before his Daddy's birthday.  So this card is for the Daddy, my brother.

Challenges:
Kraftin' Kimmies Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes
Inspiration Destination #42--anything goes
Penny's Paper #236--anything goes
MFT #237--sketch

MFT Summer School--Gallon, quart, pint (color ratio)
Fashionable Stamping #101--All About Men
Wags 'n' Whiskers #158--birthday
Craftin' Desert Divas--birthday

Supplies:
Stamps: MFT "LLD Friend Request"
Dies: MFT "Smartphone" and "Blueprints 13"

1st Birthday

I never realized how many birthdays are in my family during the month of July until this past weekend when I went shopping for them all!!  Of course, one of them is my nephew who is turning one next week (so I've never had him to think about before).  He was born the day before his Daddy's birthday, sweet, huh?

 I just love this little truck!  I'm so glad I finally ended up with a nephew because he's the only little boy in my life right now.  And that means I have a reason to buy all those really cute "boy" stamps. :)  Here is the sentiment on the inside:

Challenges:

The Paper Shelter #212--use some circles

Creative Inspirations #322--let's color

Tuesday Throwdown #255--tic tac toe (I used the stamp, enamel dots, die cuts row)

Fashionable Stamping #101--All about Men (a little guy counts, right)

Wags n' Whiskers #158--birthday

YNS #18--sketch

Sister Act Card Challenge #114--anything goes
Craftin' Desert Divas--birthday
Vintage Stamping Challenge--travel

Supplies:
Stamps: YNS "Keep on Trucking"; PTI "Big Birthday Wishes" sentiments; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps "Celebrating Milestones" number 1
Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large" and "Standard scalloped Circles, large"; MFT "Blueprints 13"; PTI "By the Numbers" large #1
YNS gumdrops

So glad there's you

I can't believe that it is already my third challenge with the Repeat Impressions Rock Star Team over on The House That Stamps Built challenge blog.  This week we have two fabulous photos for you to by inspired by.  Here they are:

         

You can be inspired by either one and let me tell you that there is so much to be inspired by in them.  Can you guess what inspired my card?  : )

I started out by stamping my hot air balloon, then stamped it on a post it note and cute it out to use as a mask.  After I put my mask on the image, I stamped the clouds.  I also made masks for them and then sponged on blue ink to create the sky.  Removed the masks and colored up the balloon.  The doily wasn't actually large enough to put behind the tags, so I cut it in half and attached it to the back of the tags with about 1/2 inch gab.  The crocheted lace hides the gap on the top and you'd never know.  It's just a great way to stretch (ha, that was a good one) the uses of your dies.

Now, it's time to hop on over to the challenge blog and see how the rest of the DT interpreted this challenge.

Challenges:
Creative Fingers #87--anything goes
Viva La Verve July week 2--sketch


Crafty Catz #287--summertime
Sister Act Card Challenge #114--anything goes
Creative Craft Cottage #43--Layer it up
Top Tip Tuesday--summer fun
A Gem of a Challenge #148--Red, white, & blue
Frosted Designs--Red, white & blue plus something old AND something new (the stamps are brand new and everything else is old; specially that doily die)
Vintage Stamping Challenge--travel
Crafting Musketeers #27--anything goes
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "9113-K. Hot Air Balloon", "3403-F. Clouds", and I'm so glad there's you sentiment
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13"; Spellbinders "Floral Doily Motifs"

The Magic

ACK!!  It's the middle of July already!!  That means it's time for our mid-month inspiration on the Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra blog.  It's Anything Goes (Christmas related, of course) all month long.  This is an awesome way to get a jump on those Christmas cards.  Here is my card:

The challenge from Mark's Finest Papers is to heat emboss your image in white on colored card stock and then highlight with the same color ink.  It is very subtle, but I highlighted the "presents" banner in the sentiment and added some ink to the presents on the bottom.  You can see it a little better in this next photo.

See how the banner and the presents are a little darker than the rest of the card stock?  Thanks for stopping by!  And if you haven't gotten started on those Christmas cards; it's time!

Challenges:
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps--anything goes
Sweet Stamps #230--Traditional Christmas colors
Come And Get It--Christmas in July
Sweet Stampin--Christmas in July
Mark's Finest Papers #270--white emboss on colored card stock; highlight with same color ink
Sketch Saturday #369--sketch (I turned it on it's side so I could create the corset look)

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #237--Deck the Halls (presents, bows)
Verve Diva Inspiration Challenge--sensational stripes
Cas-ual Chic #1--embossing
Sister Act Card Challenge #114--anything goes
Crafty Calendar Challenge--Christmas in July
Craft Dee Bow-Z--anything goes with handmade bow
One Sweet Challenge--Christmas in July
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--Dots & stripes
Sparkles Christmas Challenge#54--use ribbon, lace or twine

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Peace on Earth" and "Borderline"
Dies: Sweet n' Sassy snowflake die

#happy birthday

I've had this Smartphone die for a couple months now and finally got to use it!!  Isn't it cute?  After putting it together, I realized the dark purple and the dark gray combo makes it a little hard to see the detail of the phone.  I made this for a young friend of mine that is turning 17.  So what do 17 year-old-girls like?  Smartphones!  And this one also happens to like making cupcakes (so do I!), so I combined both together to create this really fun card.  I used the same cupcake set to create the border down the right hand side AND the "patterned paper" on the left side.

Challenges:
Inspiration Destination #41--anything goes
Penny's Paper Challenge #235--anything goes
Inky Impressions #217--use 2 or more dies
Fab n' Funky #267--inspired by a song (mine is Happy Birthday)
Word Art #191--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Creative Craft Cottage #43--Layer it up
Tuesday Throwdown #252--no patterned paper
Loves Rubberstamps #159--anything goes
Die Cuttin' Divas #223--sketch

Make it Monday #217--creating your own custom stamped borders
Craftin' Desert Divas--birthday
Jo's Scrap Shack #95--anything goes
V's Sweet Ideas--Celebrate
Crafting By Designs July challenge--anything goes
YNS #17--sketch or color combo (I used the color combo)


Supplies:
Stamps: PTI "Baker's Dozen"; MFT "Friend Request" sentiments; JustRite Stampers star background
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" and "Smartphone"
YNS Gumdrops

A Happy Hello

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week is a Designer's Choice Challenge from the fabulous Patti: White Plus one other color.

Here is my card:

 It turned out a bit more shabby chic than I first planned, but I love the final result.   I started out by partially inking up the music background stamp and stamping it onto the stitched panel, then I lightly sponged the edges to distress them a bit.  I also sponged the edges of the embossed panel.  For the circle, I used some frantage embossing powder to create some dimension (I just learned how to do this the right way and am sooo excited!).  The butterfly was stamped in Versamark on vellum and then embossed with white embossing powder.  I fussy cut the butterfly and then colored on the back with the aqua ink and popped it up with pop dots.
Now it's time to head on over to the challenge blog and see what the rest of the DT has done with this challenge.  And remember, if you like any of the stamps I used, I have a 10% discount code over on the left hand side of this blog.
(And on a side note, Cas-ual Fridays Stamps is starting a new challenge blog: Cas-ual Chic and it's all about adding layers and "stuff" to your projects.  First challenge starts July 10th)

Challenges:
Creative Craft Cottage #43--Layer it Up!
Clear It Out--theme: anything goes, Stash: anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown #252--no patterned paper
Loves Rubberstamps #159--anything goes
Mojo Monday #405--sketch

Jo's Scrap Shack #95--anything goes
Crafty Catz #286--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #113--anything goes
If You Give a Crafter A Cookie #22--photo inspiration (I went with the blue and white and my frantage is like the sprinkles)

C.R.A.F.T. #318--embossing
Scrapper's Delight #46--anything goes
Crafting with an Attitude--anything goes
Card Mania Challenge #70--anything goes
Dragons Lair Challenge--shabby chic

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "6806W--Sheet Music", "9717W--Happy Hello" and "9001W--Butterfly (lg)"
Dies/embossing folders: Spellbinders "Fleur Di Lis Squares" and "Standard Circles, large"; MFT "Blueprints 13"
PTI "Aqua Mist" cardstock and ink

Wishing you a

Merry Christmas in July!!  Today begins another challenge from Love To Scrap! Challenge Blog: It's a Triple Play.  That means you have to use 3 of any kind of embellishment (be creative, you'll find lots of triples if you try) and please make sure you have stamping (either rubber/clear or digital) somewhere on your project.  The three sponsors for our challenge are:

Karleigh Sue Designs

Pickled Potporri

Bugaboo Digi Stamps

I got to work with an image from Bugaboo Stamps and I chose this adorable Little Penguin Winter, hence the Christmas card.

 With the 4th of July holiday just past, I felt in a patriotic mood and went with the red, white and blue color scheme.  I think it's a bit unexpected and fresh for Christmas, don't you.  For my triple play, I have 3 flowers, three brads, three pearls and three types of embellishments: ribbon, flower, pearls.
Here is the inside of the card with the remainder of the sentiment:

Challenges:
Jo's Scrap Shack #95--anything goes
Crafty Catz #286--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #113--anything goes
Brown Sugar Challenge #153--red, white and blue
Frosted Designs--red, white & blue with a twist: something old AND Something new (pretty much everything on the card is old, the new is the Zip Dry glue that I used to adhere everything.  It was the very first time I had used it and I think I really like it; it holds well and didn't wrinkle at all)
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #135--animal(s) plus a sentiment
Little Miss Muffet #115--red, white & blue
CraftDee Bow Z--anything goes with handmade bow
Cards Galore--stamps or Digi
Sparkles Christmas Challenge #54--use ribbon, lace or twine
Penny's Paper #234--anything goes
Addicted to Stamps #151--anything goes
Mod Squad--Patterned Paper
Crafty Creations #292--red, white and/or blue
Creative Inspirations #320--sketch

Shopping Our Stash #208--baubles, buttons & bows
Crafty Calendar Challenge--Christmas in July
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #236--add a sentiment
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #87--make it floral
A Gem of a Challenge #148--red, white & blue
Hiding In My Craft Room--red, white and blue with a twist: Christmas in July
East Wind Challenge #34--patriotic--include country colors
Come and Get It--anything goes with flowers

Supplies:
Stamps: Bugaboo Digi Stamps "Little Penguin Winter"; Verve "Merry & Bright" sentiment and snowflakes inside
Dies: Spellbinders "Layered Poinsettias" and "Standard Circles, large"