Sweet Birthday Wishes

It's Saturday!!  That means it's time for another challenge from Di's Digi Designs.

The challenge this time is: Use an item or items from your stash

Isn't she so sweet!?  So, the patterned papers are brand new, but I've had the vellum for several months and the pearls and sentiment stamp set for years!  And the two pieces of ribbon were in my bits and pieces stash.  I was doing really well using up pieces from that stash for quite a while, but recently I've gotten away from using anything from there (maybe because I already used all the good bits!).  I really need to get back to doing that.

Supplies:

Stamps: Di's Digi Stamps "Birthday Cake Teddy" digi; Verve "Surely Goodness" sentiment

Dies: Spellbinders "Standard Circles, large"; MFT Scalloped border

Challenges:
Unicorn #34--stitching real or faux (I used a stitched die)
Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Brown Sugar #280--use 2 patterned paper
Aurora Wings #68--anything goes
Crop Stop #41--anything goes
Sunny Day Crafting--animals
Make My Monday #76--colored image
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
The Paper Shelter--anything goes
Penny's #390--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes
Crafty Creations #371--anything goes
Little Miss Muffet #194--anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #540--too cute!

4th birthday

Happy Friday!!  It's time for another challenge from Jo's Scrap Shack.  As always, we are now an Anything Goes challenge.  

Our sponsor this week is the fabulous Lawn Fawn:

Here is the card I created for my little nephew's 4th birthday:

Box cards are always so fun and I thought my nephew would enjoy one.  Hopefully, he doesn't enjoy it too much and ruin it, but I guess it's his and he can do what he wants to it, right.  I stamped, colored and fussy cut the bunnies and slices of cake and then got to work creating a little scene with them.  I only had three bunnies at first, but then thought it would be really cute to have one peeking around the number 4.  Plus, now there are 4 bunnies to go with the number 4.

It's really hard to see in the pictures as the bunnies cover most of it, but I used a Taylored Expressions stencil to create clouds on the background piece.  You can see it a little bit in the photo below.

What do you need to do to enter?

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your blog post that includes your challenge entry project, using the linky tool on Jo's blog. 

2. Be sure to include a link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering your project into

3. THREE entries per person are allowed for each challenge and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. For all entries -NO BACK LINKS ACCEPTED- 

The date on your blog post should be dated between the start date and the end date for the challenge you are entering, in order to be eligible for the challenge prizes

5. You may link up to other challenges but be sure to link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering 

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

WILL NOT be eligible for the top 3, any sponsor wins or any random wins by Jo

All random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

You have until Aug 3rd by 12:00AM (eastern, USA) time to link up.

All winners will be announced during the week of Aug. 5th.

Have fun and we look forward to seeing what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps: Lawn Fawn "Somebunny"
Dies: Sweet n Sassy fence and grass border dies; PTI lowercase alphabet and "By The Numbers"
Taylored Expressions "Set the Scene: Clouds" stencil

Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Love To Craft Challenge Blog #34--anything goes
Sheep Ski Designs #16--for someone special
Lawn Fawn #33--fun folds
Creative Fingers #150--anything goes
Sunny Day--animals
Moving Along with The Times #76--wild animals
Make My Monday #76--colored images
Crafty Sentiments--anything goes
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Penny's Challenge #390--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes
Crafty Creations #371--anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #540--too cute!
4 Crafty Chicks #413--interactive cards

Just breathe

This is my reminder post for the Time Out Challenge.  We have a lovely inspiration photo for you:

I really wanted to focus on the canvas hanging on the wall.  So, I used some watercolor paper and some of my SU! dye inks to water color a similar "canvas".  Then I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and finished everything off with some little bird stamps.

Once again, I used some burlap as a mat to add that texture in.

Thanks so much for stopping by and Thanks a whole bunch to the TO team for having me guest design alongside them.

Stamps; Stamplorations Say It Big: "just breathe"; Repeat Impressions "Sandcastle" but I used only the birds in the image.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday #344--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Stamplorations CAS--CAS cards

Stamplorations Never Ending Challenge--anything goes with Stamplorations product

Art Impressions #237--summer vibes
A Gem of a Challenge #224--summer time/holidays
Addicted to CAS #141--summertime
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes
Penny's Challenge #390--anything goes
Crafty Creations #371--anything goes

With Thanks

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week it is an Anything Goes challenge.  All three of my daughters got baptized last weekend (such a proud moment as a parent!) and several people gave them very generous gifts.  So, now we are need of some "thank you" cards.  This is the first:

     I started off with a Stamplorations stencil.  I inked it up with some Almost Amethyst and then went around the edges with Wisteria inks.  It still looked a little plain, so I used a dark purple colored pencil to add texture and depth to the petals.  Stamped the two parts of the sentiment with a dark gray ink and then stamped the butterflies adding darker ink from a marker around the edges and then using the colored pencil to add detail.  Everything was mounted on a deep purple card stock.  It's simple, but really quite stunning in real life.  LOVE it!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Thanks" Cling set and "Butterfly Sil. (sm)"
Dies:  MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle
Stamplorations: "Peony #2"

Challenges:
Unicorn Challenge #34--stitching, real or faux (I used a stitched die)
Stamplorations CAS Challenge--anything CAS goes

Stamplorations Never Ending Anything Goes--anything goes using Stamplorations product

Crafty Sentiments--anything goes

Sparkly birthday

Simon Says Stamp is having a kids only challenge and when I told my oldest daughter, she decided to play along.  This is the second card she made, the first one (due to my misreading the challenge) didn't have any sparkle on it.  So, she made this one, and it is FULL of sparkle!  She did this completely on her own and I think she did a fabulous job!

 I did print out the digi for her, but she did all the rest.  In the photo below you can see all the sparkly goodness!  She even used glitter pen on the wings and the bottom of the dress; all on her own!

Supplies:

Stamps: Little Blue Button Stamps "Princess Fairy"; PTI "Damask Designs" sentiment

Challenges:

Cardz TV #57--anything goes

Word Art Wednesday--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Penny's Challenge #389--anything goes

Crafting By Designs--anything goes

Use Your Stuff #321--birthday

Simon Says Stamp Kids Summer Challenge--add Sparkle

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #86--anything goes

Make My Monday #75--fantasy

Crafty Calendar--totally girly

Two different seasons

Happy Friday!!  It's time for another challenge from Jo's Scrap Shack.  As always, we are now an Anything Goes challenge and our sponsors for this week are Little Blue Button Stamps and Just Me Digital Stamps.

I got to work with images from Just Me Digital Stamps and if you are unfamiliar with this company, their images are super cute!!  I have two cards for you today as one of the other designers was unable to make a project for the challenge and I really wanted to show off these adorable images.  The first card is a bright, cheery, summer card:

     This image totally reminds me of being a kid.  My grandparents used to have a giant (and I mean giant as at least 4 of us could ride on it) dragon blow up floaty and seeing this little girl on her giant flamingo makes me thing of that.  I used my mini Misti to create the curved sentiment.
     My next card turns things around 180 degrees and is a nice, chilly Christmas card:

     I just could NOT resist this adorable image when I saw it.  I think snowmen are super cute and this little bear is so adorable.  This set actually comes with the bear separate, the snowman separate, this image and another image with the two of them holding hands, and one more with them holding a string of ornaments.  Would have used them all if I had time!  I created the background panel by piecing together strips of Christmas paper scraps.  I love doing this when I get down to the end of a paper pack and there aren't any pieces big enough to actually do anything with.  But the strips create awesome background.

      Thanks for stopping by!  Head on over to Jo's blog to see what the rest of the team created.

What do you need to do to enter?

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your blog post that includes your challenge entry project, using the linky tool on Jo's blog. 

2. Be sure to include a link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering your project into

3. THREE entries per person are allowed for each challenge and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. For all entries -NO BACK LINKS ACCEPTED- 

The date on your blog post should be dated between the start date and the end date for the challenge you are entering, in order to be eligible for the challenge prizes

5. You may link up to other challenges but be sure to link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering 

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

WILL NOT be eligible for the top 3, any sponsor wins or any random wins by Jo

All random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

You have until July 27th by 12:00AM (eastern, USA) time to link up.

All winners will be announced during the week of July 29th.

Have fun and we look forward to seeing what you create.

CARD #1

Supplies:

Stamps: just ME Digital Stamps "Flamingo Floating" digi: Verve "Just a note" sentiment

Dies:  Spellbinders "Standard Circles, large"; MFT sun die; Paper Smooches "Cute Clouds"

Challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Crafty Calendar--totally girly
Dies R Us #101--birthdays
Brown Sugar #380--use 2 patterned papers
Always Happy Birthday--anything goes with the optional twist: birthday cake
Crop Stop #41--anything goes
Craft Rocket #50--summer
Tuesday Morning Sketches #462--sketch

Hand Stamped Sentiments #294--inspiration photo

CARD #2

Supplies:

Stamps: just ME Digital Stamps "Snowbuddies" digi

Dies: Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics A" rectangle; PTI "Fancy Flakes" snowflake

Challenges:

Christmas at Sweet Stampin--anything goes
Cutie Pie #124--tic tac toe (I used the middle row: buttons, ribbon, die cut)

Creative Craft Cottage--the most wonderful time of the year (definitely Christmas is my favorite!  Though, I really do love summer, too!)
2 Crafty Critter Crazies #16--anything goes
A Snowflakes Promise #53--anything goes
Double Trouble--Thing One: Christmas ONLY and Thing Two: link up to Heart 2 Heart Challenge
Heart 2 Heart Challenge--Christmas in July
Try' Stampin On Tuesdays #372--sketch

Hiding In My Craft Room #361--Super Scraps Saturday with a twist: Christmas in July
Sweet Stampers #22--Christmas in July
{Pin}spirational Challenge #220--Christmas in July inspiration photo

Shopping Our Stash #362--Christmas in July
Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #170--Christmas in July
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--use a die cut and/or punch
Mod Squad--Christmas in July
C.R.A.F.T. #477--Christmas
As You Like It--favorite: buttons or ribbon?  (I would have to say ribbon as it can be used as a simple embellishment just plain or fancy with lots of loops and bows and it comes in all the colors of the rainbow.  I do like to use buttons as well, though I prefer ribbon and sometimes, like on this card, I used both!)
Aud Sentiments #208--Christmas in July

Hello, Sunshine

So, Esther asked me to be a guest designer on the CropStop blog and of course, I said yes!  So, here I am with a card for your inspiration:

I started out with some white co'ordinations card stock (which of course, I cut using my Fiskars paper trimmer!) for my base and scored it with my scor-pal as a top folding card.  For my next layer, I used the Darice Woodgrain embossing folder to emboss another piece of co'ordinations card.  Then I used my Ranger mini ink blending tool to ink the edges of the embossed panel with Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress ink.  I use Spectrum Noir markers to color my image twice, so I could cut out the two larger sunflowers and pop them up with some foam tape.  Then I used Ranger Cinnamon Stickles to dot the center of the flowers.  I love the sparkle it adds.  I matted the image panel with some My Favorite Things brown card stock and then layered that on some My Favorite Things patterned paper.  I heat embossed my sentiment with white embossing powder on a scrap of the same MFT card stock and added 3 tiny rhinestones.  For adhering things together, I use my Tombow permanent adhesive runner for most things.  I used it to adhere the image panel and the mats together.  But whenever I adhere embossed panels, I like to use scor-tape as I feel it gives a stronger hold.  In the picture below, you can see more of the sparkle from the stickles.

Thanks for having me again, Esther!

Supplies:

Stamps: River City Rubber Works "Sunflowers lg." digi; Verve "Joyful Blooms" sentiment

Darice Wood grain embossing folder

Challenges:
Craft Dee Bow-Z--anything goes with handmade bow
Crafty Calendar--totally girly
Creative Inspirations--all tied up
Creates and Makes #22--anything goes
Creative Fingers #150--anything goes
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #86--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday--add a little sparkle (the stickles on the flower centers and the little rhinestones)
Die Cuttin' Divas #378--lots of layers
Crafty Sentiments--add a sentiment
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Crafter's Cafe #200--lots of layers
MFT #394--sketch


Penny's Challenge #389--anything goes

Just Breathe

     A couple weeks ago, I was picked as the Top Pick at Time Out Challenge and was asked to be a guest designer!!  I'm so honored by the request.  So, for this two week Home Sweet Home challenge, there is a beautiful photo for you to take inspiration from:

Isn't it just beautiful!?  And so peaceful and calming.  The sponsor for this challenge is Stamplorations and here is the card I created using one of their fabulous stamps:

     The thing that caught my eye right away in the photo was that pillow with the blue and white stripes, so that is what I started with for my card.  I stamped some distress stripes all along the length of the card, just eyeballing the spacing.  To pull in some of that texture from the furniture, I pulled out a piece of burlap and used it as a mat for my sentiment panel.  My sentiment looks black, but it is actually a navy blue to pull in the dark blue pillow in the inspiration photo.  This sentiment seemed perfect to go along with the peaceful feel of the photo.  I finished it off with a scattering of sequins in beachy colors.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Make sure you head over to the Time Out challenge blog to see how the Design Team interpreted this challenge.  And come back here on the 26th when I will have a mid-challenge reminder post for you.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stamplorations "Just Breathe"; PTI "Distressed Stripes

Challenges:
Love To Craft Challenge Blog #24--anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #342--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Stamplorations CAS Challenge--CAS

Southern Girls--tic tac toe (I used the diagonal: white, stamps, ink)

Stamplorations Never Ending Anything Goes Challege--anything goes with Stamplorations products

Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Addicted To Stamps--anything goes
Penny's Challenge #389--anything goes
Craftaholics R Us #29--anything goes

Seaside Birthday

Happy Wednesday!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week we have a beautiful inspiration photo for you:

You can choose to be inspired by the colors, the photo or both!  It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to interpret it, but finally decided I wanted to emphasize the actual pieces of sea glass in the photo:

     So, I picked a beachy image colored it using the tan and aqua blue from the color combo and added small pieces of sea glass in colors the match the ones in the photo.  I have used this sandcastle image a couple times, and I think this time is my favorite.  The colors I used really make it come alive.  Wendy already added some shading/shadows in the image, so I just added a little bit darker sand colored marker and it really adds so much depth.
     I hope you will be able to play along with us.  I can't wait to see how this photo inspires you!

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Sandcastle" and "Birthday"
Punches: Fiskars "Upper Crest" border punch

Challenges:
That's Crafty--close to nature
Craft Rocket #50--summer
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Stamplorations CAS challenge--CAS

Creative Knockouts #254--summer fun
Sketch Saturday #522--sketch

Crafty Catz #425--anything goes with optional twist: think summer
Cardz TV #56--anything goes

Puppy play

Simon Says Stamp is having a kids only challenge.   When I told my twelve year old, she decided to play along.  This is the card she created all on her own (other than a little help setting the eyelets):

Unfortunately, I didn't read the challenge properly and you are supposed to add sparkle to your creation.  So, she did create another card to enter that challenge and I am going to enter this card into some other challenges for her.

Supplies: 

Stamps: DRS Designs "Doggie Dilemma with Fence" digi; YNS "Silly Monsters" sentiment

Darice paw print embossing folder

Challenges:

Cards Galore--anything goes

Card Mania--anything goes

Crafting with an Attitude #41--anything goes

Love To Craft Challenge Blog #24--anything goes

Dare 2B Artzy--birthday

Always Happy Birthday--anything goes with the optional twist: birthday cake (I did not use the twist)

2 Crafty Critter Crazies--anything goes with a critter

ART Impressions #236--masculine

Moving Along with the Times #75--male themed

Craftaholics R Us #28--turquoise

Creative Fingers #150--anything goes

Alphabet Challenge--H is for happy birthday

Cardz TV #56--anything goes

Use Your Stuff #321--happy birthday

Crafty Sentiments--add a sentiment

Christmas in July

It's Saturday!!  That means it's time for another challenge from Di's Digi Designs.

The challenge this time is: Christmas in July
And here is my card for your inspiration:

Supplies:

Stamps: Di's Digi Designs "Snuggle Muffs"

Dies: Spellbinders "Standard Ovals, large"; PTI "Fancy Flakes" snowflakes

Challenges:
CraftDee Bow-Z--anything goes with handmade bow
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'--anything goes
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--tree (there are two trees in my image)
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Creative Inspirations--all tied up
Creative Craft Cottage--the most wonderful time of the year (definitely Christmas!)
2 Crafty Critter Crazies--anything goes with an animal
Snowflakes Promise #53--anything goes
Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 #140--sketch (I tweaked it a little by using snowflakes for the square elements)

As You Like It--favorite celebration and why (I love celebrating Christmas--even though I hate cold weather!--I love everything about it, the decorations, the goodies, the presents, and most importantly the celebration of the birth of God's Son!!)
Crimbo Crackers #162--anything goes
Crafting By Design--anything goes
The Paper Shelter #347--holiday time
Penny's Challenge #388--anything goes
Crafty Creations #370--anything goes
Little Miss Muffet #193--anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #538--ribbons and bows
Sweet Stampers #22--Christmas In July

Christmas treats

Happy Friday!!  It's time for another challenge from Jo's Scrap Shack.  As always, we are now an Anything Goes challenge and our sponsors for the week are The Cutting Cafe:

and Digi Stamps 4 Joy:

First off, a disclaimer: this post has a LOT of pictures, but The Cutting Cafe gave me an awesome set of cutting files/templates and I had a lot of fun.  Here is a picture of the entire set of nugget holders I created:

 I used the same elements on all of them so they would all coordinate, though I don't think I would give all of them to the same person.  But, I was thinking perhaps little teacher gifts or something like that.  I started off using up some scraps by cutting little strips to fit around the nugget candies.  They are so adorable, I just had to take a picture of all of them!

 Included in the file is a template for these strips (which would be awesome if you had an electronic cutter, which I don't) but I just cut strips of patterned paper 1 1/4 inches by 3 inches.  Then applied some adhesive to one end of each strip, wrapped it around and adhered it to the other end.  I would recommend a strong adhesive as some of them kept springing open which was both fun and annoying.
     On to the packaging.  For all of the little holders, I used red cardstock and decorated them with a die cut snowflake, and stamped "for you" tag and some green organza ribbon.  The first one is probably the simplest, but it is super cute.  It is a "sleeve" that is designed to slide into a little treat bag (The Cutting Cafe sells them and they are perfectly sized for this).  I didn't have time to order any bags, so I had to create my own out of a larger cellophane bag.  The nuggets sit in the sleeve which helps give them stability and keep them in line.

 See how the sleeve holds them all in place?

The next one is probably my favorite.  It is called the matchbox style box and the inside box just slides right out of the frame.  The template included both window versions (like I used here) or solid.

 And here is how it looks sliding out:

 The next one looks very similar from the front.  Again, the template included both a window and a solid option:

 Instead of sliding out, this box has a flap that you can just lift up.  I used a scalloped border punch to decorate the flap to add a little bit of extra prettiness.

 And last but not least is a little fold over box.  The template comes with several different decorate options for this one, but I opted for the plain style so I could add my own decorations.

 Here is the side view:

 The template did come with a little box that sits inside and holds the nuggets, but I guess I didn't print it out so when I got to putting everything together, I didn't have it, so I just put a couple strips of adhesive on the bottom and adhered the nuggets right on so they wouldn't fall out.

Phew!!  Like I said, a lot of pictures!!  So glad you made it until the end.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will play along with us this week.  I can't wait to see what you create!

What do you need to do to enter?

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your blog post that includes your challenge entry project, using the linky tool on Jo's blog. 

2. Be sure to include a link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering your project into

3. THREE entries per person are allowed for each challenge and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. For all entries -NO BACK LINKS ACCEPTED- 

The date on your blog post should be dated between the start date and the end date for the challenge you are entering, in order to be eligible for the challenge prizes

5. You may link up to other challenges but be sure to link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering 

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

WILL NOT be eligible for the top 3, any sponsor wins or any random wins by Jo

All random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

You have until July 20th by 12:00 AM (eastern, USA) time to link up.

All winners will be announced during the week of July 22nd.

Have fun and we look forward to seeing what you create.

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI "Mat Stack 2" for you sentiment

Dies: Poppy Stamps "Lindeman Snowflake"

The Cutting Cafe "Assorted Nugget Holders" cutting file/template

Challenges:
Cute Card Thursday #538--ribbons and bows
Pause, Dream, Enjoy #28--anything goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge #26--anything goes
Crafty Creations #370--anything goes
Penny's Challenge #388--anything goes
Crafty Sentiments--Christmas in July
Sweet Stampin' Challenge--Christmas in July
Hiding In My Craft Room #360--Christmas in July colors
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #393--anything goes with the optional twist: use twine or ribbon (I used both)
Stamplorations Tagplorations--anything goes with tags

Crimbo Crackers #162--anything goes
As You Like It--Favorite celebration and why (Christmas is my favorite thing to celebrate!!  Why?  Because it marks the birth of Jesus Christ, the only one who is able to make us right with God.  Also, I love the decorations and the goodies and the presents!)
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Creative Craft Cottage--the most wonderful time of the year (CHRISTMAS!!!!)
Creative Inspirations--all tied up
Divas That Cut--Anything But a Card
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'--anything goes
Scor-pal--3 of a kind (make a matched set--I hope 4 of a kind is ok!)
Craft Dee BowZ--anything goes with handmade bow