Christmas Wishes

Welcome to October!!  If you haven't already, it is time to start on those Christmas cards!!  And to help you out, we are starting a new challenge on the Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra blog.  As always we are an Anything Goes (as long as it is Christmas related) challenge and it runs for the entire month.  Our sponsor is the fabulous Bugaboo Stamps and the winner will receive 7 images of their choice.  Here is my inspiration for you:

Challenges:
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long #56--lots of texture or layers
Viva La Verve September week 3--sketch

Wags n' whiskers #162--glitter/sparkle
Creative Craft Cottage #48--anything goes
Inky Impressions #274--dots & stripes (there are dots and stripes on some of the presents)
Simon Says Work It Challenge--use a stamp
Little Miss Muffet #121--bingo (I used the "dies/sentiment/glitter" column)
Aud Sentiments #141--Let's get started on Christmas
Dis Digis--animals acting like humans (the bear is sitting and wearing a scarf)
Jo's Scrap Shack #107--anything goes
Creative Fingers #94--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #248--stick it down (I used adhesive and foam dots and I used spray adhesive to adhere the glitter)
Hiding In My Craft Room #218--any holiday
Sweet Stampin'--use a non-white card base
Christmas Card #43--anything goes
Die Cuttin' #255--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Bugaboo Stamps "Polar Bear" digi; Verve "Ornamental Christmas"
Dies: PTI "Fancy Flakes"
Papers: American Crafts
PTI "Aqua Mist card stock
YNS gumdrops

Hello there

Welcome to another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week we have an easy one for you: Anything Goes.  Easy, right?  Here is my inspiration card:

I love word sets and this new one from Repeat Impressions is really fun.  So many options!

Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge #145--autumn
Come And Get It--clear it out (the ribbon I've had for years)
Eureka Stamps #160--anything goes
{Pin}spirational Challenge #150--inspiration photo (I was inspired by the orange, brown and the leaves)

Fashionable Stamping #103--words
YNS #23--sketch

Creative Craft Cottage #48--anything goes
Sugar Pea Designs #20--falling for fall
Jo's Scrap Shack #107--anything goes
Creative Fingers #94--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Hello Cling Set"
Dies: Spellbinders little tags
Papers: Authentique
Punches: Fiskars "Upper Crest"

Sketch Challenge

It's Wednesday and that means another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week we have a sketch for you:

And here is my take on it:

Make sure you hop on over to The House blog to see the full details and what the rest of the team has done with this sketch.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge--use a stamp
Crafty Cardmakers #148--make it sparkle
The Paper Girls #88--sweater weather (I LOVE summer, but I'm always very happy to see Fall roll around.  I can't wait to wear jeans and a sweater in the crisp fall air)
One Stitch At A Time #246--leaves
Sweet Stampin--emboss it! (embossing folder)
Hiding in My Craft Room #217--freestyle
Wags n Whiskers #162--glitter/sparkle
Creative Fingers #93--anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. #329--add some bling
Scrapper's Delight #48--anything goes
Clear it Out Challenge--Theme: autumn; stash: leaves
Fantastic Tuesday #104--colour me autumn
Creative Craft Cottage #48--anything goes
Verve Inspiration Challenge--autumn lovelies

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "4009 W In All Things"
Dies: MFT "Falling Leaves"
Darice "Woodgrain" embossing folder
Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon "Glitter Jewel Tones" collection

Every Leaf

Today marks the start of another challenge on the Love To Scrap Challenge Blog crew.  It's a big favorite of everyone: Anything Goes!  We have three fabulous sponsors:

Bugaboo Digi Stamps

DRS Designs

Sparkle N Sprinkle

For my card, I was given a beautiful set of fall images and sentiments to work with from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I love fall: the leaves, the pumpkins, the smells, the cooler weather--just love it!  

The sentiment and branch image are both from Sparkle N Sprinkle as well as the cute little acorn "embellishments".  I printed them, colored and fussy cute them and added them to the cluster of leaves for a fun little touch.  Don't you just love that sparkly rust colored ribbon!?  I've been using a bunch of the brown ribbon from the same set lately, but this color just fit so well with my color scheme.  The sparkle in real life is just sooo beautiful!

Challenges:
One Stitch At A Time #246--leaves
Hiding In My Craft Room #217--freestyle
Wags n' Whiskers #162--glitter/sparkle
Verve Inspiration Challenge--Autumn Lovelies
Creative Fingers #93--anything goes
Di's Digis--Fabulous Fall Colors
Creative Knockouts #107--Happy Fall Y'All
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge--die crazy

Supplies:
Stamps: Sparkle N Sprinkle "WOA-Acorn Image", "WOA-Branch Image" and "WOA-Every Leaf Speaks sentiment"
Dies: Spellbinders "A2 Filigree Delight"; MFT small leaves
Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon

Photo Inspiration

Happy Wednesday!  We have another challenge for you today from The House That Stamps Built.  This week is an inspiration photo challenge and here is the photo:

Isn't it beautiful!?  I really liked the combination and contrast of the light and dark colors.  I had just seen a new bleach technique on Pinterest and decided to give it a try as I thought it could give me that same light/dark feeling.  Here's how it turned out:

In real life, this card is soooo pretty.  But it's really hard to capture the full effect in a photo (or it's hard for me anyway!)  So, here is a second photo that shows the embossing:

Here's how I made it.  I started with black card stock; used versamark to stamp Repeat Impressions' "Butterly (lg.)", which I then embossed with black embossing powder.  Then I made a little mixture of water and a little bit of bleach.  I used a paint brush to brush on the mixture inside the embossed areas.  It was so fun to watch the color changing right before my eyes.  The contrast and depth created by this technique is really awesome.  I hope I inspire you to give it a try.  I mounted that panel on kraft card stock to mimic the light and added a melon bow, because, well, it just needed some real color in there. : )  A fun little tag with a word from one of our brand new word sets and a few pearls and it's done!  I can't wait to see how you are inspired by this picture.

Challenges:
Aud Sentiments #140--anything goes with a sentiment
Creative Knockouts #126--CAS
Crafting with An Attitude--anything goes
Crafty Calendar Challenge--anything goes
V's Sweet Ideas #38--technique Tuesday (use a new technique)
Craft Dee Bow-Z--anything goes with handmade bow
Scrapper's Delight #48--anything goes
Little Miss Muffet #120--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "9001W Butterfly (lg)" and "Hello Cling Set"

Shell-abrate!

This card is for my husband's birthday.  I think it turned out soooo cute!  I used every creature in the set to create the stamped light teal panels and the focal panel.  Just love this adorable set!

I finished off the inside with another fun sentiment and two of the little sea cuties.

Challenges:

Through The Purple Haze--Happy Birthday

The Paper Nest Dolls #9--anything goes

DRS Designs #191--A real cutie!

Crafty Ribbons #126--Happy Birthday (the red "strip" is a ribbon)

Creative Knockouts #106--CAS

A Gem of a Challenge #153--boys, boys, boys

Sketch Saturday #378--sketch

Die Cuttin Divas #223--Fun with Puns

Supplies:

Stamps: YNS "Sea Creatures"; Cas-ual Fridays "Woot, woot" (birthday sentiment); PTI "Big Birthday Wishes" inside sentiment

Dies: Spellbinders "Labels 1"

Love and Life

This week is a busy week for my family occasion wise.  Tomorrow is my brother-in-law's birthday, Friday is my In-law's anniversary, Saturday is my husbands birthday and Monday is my birthday!  Lots of cards to be made!!  This one is for my in-laws for their anniversary.

Challenges:
Clear It Out--theme: autumn, stash: leaves (the leaves are actually die cuts, but they are using up part of my card stock scrap stash)
Fashionable Stamping #103--words
Lacy Sunshine--winds of change: changing seasons
Creative Fingers #92--anything goes
Viva La Verve September week 2--sketch

Crafty Catz #292--autumn colors
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #27--inspiration photo (I was totally inspired by that gorgeous background and tried to recreate it on my card)

Addicted To Stamps #161--anything goes
Where The HeART is #1--add some text
Verve Diva Inspirations Challenge--Autumn Lovelies

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Text Objects" sentiment; PTI "Grid Lines 2" background stamps
Dies: MFT leaves (also used for embossing the narrow blue panel) and "Small Doilies"; Verve
"Vintage Oval"

Monster-ous

Every time I look at this card, I just can't help grinning!  I just think it's sooo cute and fun!  I love these little monsters and can never decide which is my favorite.  I used two of them to create the background panel and a third for the focal panel.  There is at least one more in the set that I just couldn't fit in.  This card is for my brother-in-law, who is a BIG Ohio State fan, so I used the Ohio State school colors.  I don't know that he'll even notice, but I thought it was a good idea. : )

Challenges:
Sugar Pea Designs #30--sketch

Hiding in My Craft Room #216--Super Scraps (every piece of card stock except the red base was from a piece of already cut stock; the twine was a left over 3 inch piece and I've still got some left!)\
A Gem of a Challenge #153--Boys, boys, boys
Creative Fingers #98--anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #390--Numbers
Aud Sentiment #140--anything goes
As You Like It--Favorite Die and why (the Blueprints die SET is my favorite right now; I use it on almost every card.  I LOVE the stitched die that creates a perfect panel for an A2 card and the "washi" tape die is so fun for sentiment"
DRS Designs #191--a real cutie!
Inspiration Destination #50--anything goes
Penny's Paper Challenge #244--anything goes
Addicted to Stamps #161--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp--use a stamp
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #200--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Supplies:
Stamps: YNS "Silly Monsters"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched panel, curved tag and washi tape strip; PTI "Numbers" border die
PTI Pure Poppy card stock

Country Christmas

It's time for our mid-month inspiration on the Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra blog.  We are an anything goes (Christmas-related, of course), month-long challenge, so you have plenty of time to enter in AND work on your Christmas card stash at the same time.

I love this country Christmas image and I wanted to give it just the slightest bit of color (though I have used it with absolutely no coloring) so I pulled out my colored pencils.  I haven't used them in quite a while.  Head on over to the blog to see what the rest of the DT has created and them come play along.  I love Christmas and I can't wait to see what you have created.

Challenges:
Sparkles Christmas Challenge--Oh! Christmas Tree
Christmas Card All Year 'Round--A Country Christmas
Craft Dee BowZ--anything goes with handmade bow
Simon Says--use a stamp
Crafting By Designs--Getting ready for Christmas
C.R.A.F.T. #238--Christmas
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long--anything goes
Crimbo Crackers #89--transport (horse)
Winter Wonderland--anything but square
ABC Christmas--R is for things beginning with R (ribbon, red paper
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #246--festive trees or greenery
MFP #279--use both gold and silver (gold thread on the button, silver star brads)
Sweet Stampin--make a scene
Christmas Card Challenge #41--anything goes
Lacy Sunshine--winds of change: changing seasons
Viva La Verve September week 1--sketch

Creative Inspirations #326--vintage

Supplies:
Stamps: Flourishes "Country Time Christmas"
Dies: Verve "Flag It"; Spellbinders "Radiant Rectangles" (oval)
Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon

Give Thanks

Today begins another challenge on The House That Stamps Built blog.  Our theme this week is: Falling for Fall--Autumn.  Here is my card:

The colors I used aren't super Fall-ish (except for the green and brown), but these are some gorgeous fall papers from an Authentique pad I have.  I think it is called "Grateful" but not sure.  Anyway, the little "dots" on the upper piece of paper are actually acorns.  They're so cute in real life.  Because of the tones of the papers, I decided to stamp my leaf in brown, but I stamped off on a piece of scrap paper first to get a muted image.  I love Fall and all the images/colors that go along with it, so I can't wait to see what you create for our challenge.

Challenges:
Aud Sentiments #139--Fall fun
Crafting Musketeers #29--autumnal colors
Cute Card Thursday #389--autumn leaves
Di's Digis--Include a sentiment
YNS #22--sketch

One Stitch At A Time #245--gratitude: what are you thankful for (I'm always so thankful for the cooler Fall weather; specially this year after a very hot and humid August)
The Paper Girls #87--grateful/thankful
Sweet Stamps--Anything goes
Where the heART is #1--add some text

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Maple Leaf Sil." and a sneak peek of a new words set that has not been released yet but will be soon!
Dies/punches: Verve "Flag It!"; Fiskars "Upper Crest" border punch
Papers: Authentique "Grateful" and PTI "Ripe Avocado" card stock
Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon

Last Days of Summer

Happy Labor Day!!  I can't believe it is September already!  But there are a few more days of summer left to enjoy, which brings me to my card.  Today begins a new challenge on the Love To Scrap Challenge Blog.  The challenge theme is: Do a Double Take--use at least two patterned papers.  Our sponsor's for this challenge are:

Imagine That! Digis by Kris

A Day For Daisies

The Stamping Boutique

I was given this beautiful image from The Stamping Boutique: Laundry Line-Summer.  Isn't it so fun!?

Now, head on over to the LTSCB blog to see the full details and see what the rest of the DT has created.

Challenges:

Creative Fingers #41--anything goes

Jo's Scrap Shack #104--anything goes

Di's Digis--include a sentiment

Crafty Catz #211--anything goes

Crafting with an Attitude--anything goes

Dragon's Lair Challenge--three of a kind (3 "buttons")

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

Inspiration Destination #49--anything goes

Penny's Paper Challenge #243--use a sentiment

Sugar Pea Designs #19--summer sweetness

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2--sketch

Crafting By Designs--anything goes

Creative Inspirations #325--warm colors

Clear It Out--theme: anything goes, stash: anything goes

Supplies:

Stamps: The Stamping Boutique "Laundry Line--Summer"digi; Your Next Stamp "Sea Creature Sentiments"

Dies: Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics Rectangles" and banner; MFT "Blueprints 13" 'sun'; PTI "Bitty Button Stacks"

Fall Is In the Air

It's time for another What If? Wednesday Challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week we have a fabulous color challenge for you:

Now, these colors would be perfect for summery cards as they are definitely "hot" colors.  But when I see them, I think Fall!  I'm not trying to rush it, by any means, but I do love Fall, and the colors, and the decor, and . . .  So, here's my card:

I used the "Maple Leaf Silhouette" stamp from Repeat Impressions and used the "rock n' roll" technique.  It's been a looooong time since I've done that, and I really like the look it gave to the leaf.  Now, head on over to The House Blog and see what the rest of the DT has created.  Don't forget I have a 10% off your entire RI order coupon code over there in my left sidebar.  I can't wait to see what you do with this challenge.

Challenges:
The Paper Nest Dolls #8--anything goes
Crafting with an Attitude--anything goes
Vintage Stamping Challenge #35--anything goes
YNS #21--sketch

DRS Designs #189--feeling sentimental
Creative Knockouts #104--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #139--fall fun
If You Give a Crafter A Cookie #26--inspiration photo (I was inspired by the colors of the red apple and yellow pencils)

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps #295--Fall

Supplies:
Stamps; Repeat Impressions "5127K Maple Leaf Sil." and "I'm So Glad . . ."