It's all about you

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

The challenge this time is: Show Some Green
And here is my card for your inspiration:

This patterned paper reminds me of confetti, so I thought it was perfect to pair with this adorable birthday present image.  It was the basis for my color combo (although the green was a given for this challenge).   I really wanted to used some more balloons, so I decided to have some fun and decorate the inside as well.

I hope you will get a chance to play along with us; I can't wait to see what you create.  And make sure you hop over to the Di's Digital Designs blog to see what the rest of the team has made for this challenge.

Supplies: 

Stams: Di's Digi Stamps "It's a Purrfect Day" digi; Papertrey Ink "Through the Trees" birthday; CAS-ual Fridays "Shenanigans" inside sentiments

Dies: Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics A"; MFT "Happy Trio" and "Bundle of Balloons"

Challenges:
Penny's Challenge #465--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #243--anything goes with a sentiment
Creative Fingers #180--anything goes
Your Next Stamp #133--inside & out
Cuttlebug Mania--tic-tac-toe (I used the middle column: colored ink {markers and green ink on the inside sentiment}, die cut, ribbon)
Crafty Sentiments--anything goes
The Paper Shelter #416--colour it
Simon Says Wednesday--anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #428--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Little Red Wagon #538--balloon time
My Favorite Things #478--sketch

C.R.A.F.T. #546--inspired by a song (the song Happy Birthday)
Krafty Chicks #496--all occasions (birthday)
Cutie Pie Challenge #144--cute and cuddly animals

Water colored scene

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built and this week it is a fan favorite: Anything Goes!! And here is the card I created for your inspiration:

Last September at the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo, my mother-in-law and I took a water

coloring workshop with ART Impressions.  It is really awesome because you use stamps to "water color" on water color paper.  They have designed lots of special stamps perfect for creating beautiful water colored scenes.  But, the beauty of the technique is that you can do it with any rubber stamps (I have done it a little with clear stamps as well, but I guess they don't hold the color as well).  So, in need of a masculine birthday card this week, I pulled out one of my favorite Repeat Impressions stamps and gave it a go.  After I was almost completely finished and I was trying to pull some color out for the background, I pulled out too much from the trees and made a big mess!!  I fixed it by adding some dot "leaves" to create more of a forest look.  Live and learn!  Then I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die and added a little banner sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the House blog to see the rest of the DT's creations and then get inky and play along with us.  And if you need any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your ENTIRE order coupon code over in my left sidebar.

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Bass Harbor Light (lg)", "Random Dots", and "Happy Hello"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle

Challenges:

Alphabet Challenge--W is for Anything you wish
Cardz TV #108--anything goes
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #126--anything goes
Incy Wincy Designs--anything goes
Shopping Our Stash #414--the great outdoors
Penny's Challenge #465--anything goes
Double D--saying "hello"

Southern Girls--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #245--anything goes with a sentiment
Retro Rubber #129--anything goes (I have had this image [and the sentiment] for 4 1/2 years and the dots for 2 years)

Love letters

It's my turn to share my Pick of the Week for The House That Stamps Built.  I was inspired by another card I found on Pinterest:

I just loved those little patterned envelopes and how they were used as a border for the card!  Repeat Impressions has the most adorable little envelope: "Love Letter".  I definitely had it in mind when I saw my inspiration card.  And here is my card:

I stamped the envelopes on little scraps of my favorite paper pack and cut them out with scissors.  TIP: if you want  your fussy cut images to look fabulous, take a black marker (NOT an alcohol marker, those can bleed!) and just run it around the edges of your image.  It covers up any spot where you might not have cut perfectly along the lines.  I stacked them up and used nuvo drops in dark pink and light pink to add dimensional hearts on the envelopes.  I used the 'love' from "Love Stencil" and a die cut 'you' to create the sentiment.  The dotted heart was in my bits and pieces stash and I finished everything off some more Nuvo drops.

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Love Letter" and "Love Stencil"
Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"; Simon Says Stamp "You"; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps small heart

Challenges:
Through the Purple Haze #164--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Love To Craft Challenge #43--anything goes
Cheerful Sketches--sketch

Crafty Calendar--use dies and punches
Sheepski Designs #32--hearts and/or flowers
Power Poppy Creative Confetti--inspired by a song (I was inspired by the song "Please, Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes)

Paper Funday #14--anything goes with the optional twist: Valentine's Day
Sweet Stampers #41--hearts and/or flowers
Crafty Gals #204--add a heart
Cupcake Inspirations #487--love/Valentine's Day

Simon Says Wednesday--add a sentiment
Little Red Wagon #537--Have a heart

Doctor's orders

I'm (very) slowly cleaning up my crafting area and finally getting around to putting stuff away that has been sitting on a particular work surface for a very, very long time.  Well, some of it is new stuff that I have gotten and just haven't had time to take care of and some of it is older, and older, and  . . .  well, you get the idea.  AND, while I'm putting stuff away, I'm actually trying to use it (I know, gasp!) first--which is part of why it is going to slowly.  So, the set I focused on the other day was "Mixed Messages" by Cardz TV and it has all these fabulous sentiments for all sorts of occasions.  One that caught my eye was the one I used on this card: "Doctor's orders . . . feel better soon!"  We have a man at our church that has been having a lot of health issues for quite some time and ended up in the hospital with surgery and all that goes along with it this past week.  I thought the sentiment would be perfect for making a card for him, and I remembered this adorable image that I have not used in a really long time.  It always makes me think that the bear and his little friends are sad, or perhaps not feeling well.  I've used it for get well cards before and thought it would work again this time.

I used some fun patterned papers to give it a "cheer you up" feel and finished it all off with some nuvo drops in autumn red and midnight blue.

Supplies:
Stamps: Cardz TV "Mixed Messages"; Pixie's Cottage bear image
Dies: Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics A" rectangle

Challenges:
Tuesday Morning Sketches #542--sketch

The Cutie Pie #144--cute and cuddly animals
Dies R Us #139--wild things
Word Art Wednesday #427--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Cardz TV #108--anything goes
Make My Monday #116--critters
The Paper Shelter #415--for the boys
Addicted To Stamps #377--make your mark (spectrum noir markers)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--add a sentiment
Aud Sentiments #245--anything goes with a sentiment

Tall and Skinny

Sometimes there are challenges that just catch my eye and I know I really want to play along just because it seems so fun.  When I saw Double Trouble's "It's a Tall Order" challenge, I knew I was going to make time to play along.

I've had several of these tall and skinny card bases for quite a while.  Someone gave them to me years ago when they were cleaning out their stash.  I've only used a couple because I never really know what to do with them.   I also had been having fun with scraps a week or so ago and made these paper pieced mugs AND I already had them stacked together like this, which is also perfect for the challenge.  I had the doily die cut in my bits and pieces stash (it was a gift from a friend) and when I went to look for some patterned paper, I found the background piece already cut to the exact size I needed!  I so love using up scraps!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Lawn Fawn "Thanks a Latte"
Punches: Fiskar "Upper Crest" border punch

Challenges:
Double Trouble #50--It's a Tall Order (Thing #1: tall and skinny; Thing #3: stack it up; Thing #2: play along with Try Stampin' On Tuesday)
Creative with Stamps #47--red

Merry Little Christmas #17--anything goes
Winter Wonderland--anything goes
Holly and Ivy #65--anything goes
Crafter's Cafe #236--use pink and/or red
Try Stampin' on Tuesday #443--sketch

C.R.A.F.T.  #545--Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #477--anything goes Christmas with the optional twist: use some green
Use Your Stuff #392--circles
Alphabet Challenge--W is for Anything you Wish

Happy Moments

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

And here is the card I created:

I was inspired by the pinks and purples in the color swatches.  Mine don't match up exactly, but it was the starting point.  It's been a while since I've used my favorite blooms from the "Flower Power Separates" collection so I was happy to pull them out and play.  The purple ribbon was in my bits and pieces stash and the little strip of pink patterned paper was a scrap that was already the perfect width, I just trimmed a little bit of the length. I wanted to add some leaves, but didn't want to take away from the color scheme, so I die cut them out of vellum and colored the back side with a green marker.  It adds a very subtle touch of green.

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you head on over to The House blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has done with this photo.  And if you "need" any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your entire order coupon code over in my lift sidebar.

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Happy Moments", Flower Power Separates "Daisy Outline Large" and "Daisy Outline Small"
Dies: Verve "Vintage Oval" and "Sprightly Sprigs"

Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Love To Craft Challenge Blog #43--anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #427--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Alphabet Challenge--W is for anything you Wish
Cardz TV #108--anything goes
Crafty Friends #129--gemstones/pearls
Pink Gem Challenge--anything goes
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #126--anything goes
Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #356--sketch

Masculine love

One of my last Valentine's Day cards.  This one is for my brother-in-law.  I had the embossed piece in my stash since September.  I got it at the Stamplistic booth at the Scrapbook Expo last September.  They have the most fun products, specially the gilding polishes.  The demonstrator made this to show how you can combine the pastes to create a weathered, patina look.  It started with an embossed background and when she was finished she gave it to me to take home.  It's been sitting there waiting to be used, but I wasn't sure what to do with it as I definitely didn't want to cover it up.  I decided it would be perfect for a masculine card.  I die cut the letters for "love" out of black card stock and added some copper shine and mint metallic gilding pastes to mimic the patina on the embossed piece.  I added some black grossgrain ribbon and some antiqued copper eyelets to finish everything off.

 Ooo . . . I just love the shine on this!  The depth of the embossing and the layers of color is just fabulous!

Supplies:
Dies: PaperTrey Ink lowercase alphabet; MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle

Challenges:
Cards Galore #72--anything goes
Through The Purple Haze #164--anything goes
Love To Craft Challenge Blog #43--anything goes
Crafty Calendar--use dies and punches
Power Poppy Creative Confetti--love, anything but a heart

Creative Inspiration--anything goes
Crafty Creations #406--anything goes
Moving Along with the Times #113--no image
Creative Fingers #179--anything goes
Cardz 4 Guyz #238--use brads or eyelets
Fab n' Funky #408--love, love, love
Creative Moments #184--anything goes with the optional twist: love
Cute Card Thursday #621--CAS
Incy Wincy--anything goes

Bee Mine

This is the Valentine's Day card for my oldest daughter.  I finished it just in time!  She is not a fan of pink, so I mostly used other colors and snuck in just a little bit of pink.  I pulled out a set I have not used in a long time--"Sweet & Cool".  I thought of it after I saw these fun bee and honeycomb papers.

 Now, I know it doesn't look at that exciting at first, but when you pull the little ribbon tag, this sweet little bee pops out!

 Isn't he so sweet!!??  I know she is going to love this!

The little dotted heart was in my bits and pieces stash and I used a bit of ribbon left over from the tag to give it a little flare.  I even found two heart brads in my stash and put them to good use.

Supplies:
Stamps: YNS "Sweet & Cool"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" tag and "Double Slider Loop Slots" for the slider mechanism; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps small heart
Taylored Expressions "Set the Scene: Clouds" stencil

Challenges:
Hand Stamped Sentiments #332--sketch

Pattie's Creations #167--love, love, love
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Die Cut Divas--hearts and flowers
Brown Sugar #298--anything goes
Penny Black--animals, birds, butterflies
Creative Craft Cottage #126--add a heart
Crafty Creations #406--anything goes
Crafter's Cafe #236--use pink and/or red
Penny's Challenge #464--anything goes
Fab n Funky--love, love, love
The Paper Shelter #414--with a sentiment
Crafty Gals #204--add a heart
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--2 or more patterned papers
Art Impressions Stamps #276--movers and shakers

It's a bit high

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

The challenge this time is: Use a Digital Image
And here is my card for your inspiration:

Here is one of my very last Valentine's Day cards.  I used this adorable image, which isn't really a Valentine's Day image, but I thought it was really sweet!  I used one of my favorite techniques for using up scraps to create the pieced together background.  All you need is a bunch of 1/2 inch strips.  It's a great way to used up those favorite patterned papers that you just can't throw away.  I used my mini MISTI to stamp my sentiment several times to get it nice and dark.  I framed/matted the image with some torn mulberry paper and finished the whole card off with a little bit of ribbon that was in my bits and pieces stash.

I hope you will get a chance to play along with us; I can't wait to see what you create.  And make sure you hop over to the Di's Digital Designs blog to see what the rest of the team has made for this challenge.

Supplies: 

Stamps: Di's Digi Stamps "It's a Bit High" digi; Verve "Text Objects" sentiment

Dies: MFT "Stitched Heart STAX" (I didn't actually use it to cut, I traced around it and then cut the shape out with scissors so it would be a little bit larger) and "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle

Challenges:
Unicorn Challenge #51--anything goes
Cutie Pie Challenge #144--cute and cuddly animals
Pattie's Creations #167--love, love, love
Through the Purple Haze Challenge #164--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Die Cut Divas--hearts and flowers (flowers in my patterned papers)
Sheep Ski Designs--hearts and/or flowers
Brown Sugar Challenge #298--anything goes
Creative Craft Cottage #126--add a heart
2 Crafty Critter Crazies--anything goes
Dare 2B Artzy--love is in the air
Kat Scrappiness--hearts
Tuesday Throwdown #450--make your own background
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #135--inspiration photo (I was inspired by the colors and the cute animals)

Your Next Stamp #132--make your own background
Sweet Stampers #41--hearts and/or flowers
Try Stampin' on Tuesday #444--sketch and optional twist: use up your scraps

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--use more than 2 patterned papers
Creative Moments #184--anything goes with the optional twist: love

Cute-a-saur

Earlier this week, I showed the cards I made for my nephews.  This card is for their older sister.  I used the same dinosaur set I used for one of the boys, but I added a lot of pink the make it more girly!

 I used all of the dinosaur images in the set and one of the cute sentiments behind a little lift up flap.

I finished it off with some die cut hearts and some Nuvo drops in 2 shades of pink.

Supplies:

Stamps: Sugar Pea Designs "Prehistoric Friends"

Dies: Lawn Fawn "Peek-a-boo background" die; Sweet n Sassy Stamps small heart

Challenges:

ART Impressions #276--movers and shakers (lift up flap)

Cute Card Thursday #621--CAS

Little Red Wagon #536--wild one

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #204--add a heart

The Paper Shelter #414--with a sentiment

Crafter's Cafe #235--anything goes

Creatalicious #180--anything goes with the optional twist: hearts

Creative Inspirations--anything goes

Love To Craft Challenge Blog #43--anything goes
Sugar Pea Designs Mix It Up #64--sketch or inspiration photo (I was inspired by the colors and the hearts)

Pastel love

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week we have a fun Tic Tac Toe board for you:


  Here is what I created for your inspiration:

After sketch challenges, I think tic-tac-toe challenges are one of my favorites.  There are always a bunch of fun options to use.  I used the bottom row: stencil, vellum, hearts and I also used gems/pearls, pink and dimension.  My card started with a sketch and then I found a scrap of patterned paper (the floral piece) and that gave me my color combo (plus the fact that I knew I needed to use some pink).  I used a striped stencil and my Spectrum Noir markers in pink and turquoise on the left-hand side of the card.  The turquoise ended up being too bright and really drew your eye away from the focal point of the card, so I covered it with a piece of vellum which softens it, but still lets the color show.  On the right hand panel, I stamped the heart from "Love Stencil" repeatedly and then stamped the Postcard stamp over top.  I lightly inked the edges with gray.  Then I took a piece of vellum and embossed it with an embossing folder so it would stand out from the stamped background.  I finished it all off with a die cut heart, a love sentiment (popped up on some foam tape) and some pearls,

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you head on over to The House blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has done with this photo.  And if you "need" any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your entire order coupon code over in my lift sidebar.

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Love Stencil", "Postcard"

Dies: Sweet n Sassy stamps small heart
Darice embossing folder

Challenges:
Crafty Friends #128--love/romance
Incy Wincy--love, love, love
Make My Monday #115--I heart you
Unicorn Challenge #51--anything goes
Die Cut Divas--hearts and flowers (there are flowers in the strip of patterned paper)
Dies R Us #138--XOXO (hearts, Valentine's, love)
Sheep Ski Designs #35--hearts and/or flowers
Stinkin' Inkers--make an impression
Creatalicious #180--hearts
Creative Craft Cottage #126--add a heart
Dare 2B Artzy--love is in the air
Artsy Stamper #9--hearts and flowers (flowers on my patterned paper)
Tuesday Throwdown #450--make your own background
Try Stampin' on Tuesday #443--stitching and/or sketch (I used the sketch)

YNS #132--create your own background

I dig you!

This is the Valentine's Day card for my youngest nephew.  He's almost 3 and his favorite things are TRUCKS and construction vehicles, specifically "diggers" and dump trucks.  So, I made him a card with both a "digger" and a dump truck.

 I stenciled the background with a cloud stencil and added a dirt pile with some gravel patterned paper I found in my stash.  I created a fun little track for the "digger" to move along on its way.

I just watched a video by Jennifer McQuire on how to create a pop up element inside your card, and I thought it would be so fun to create a little dump truck pop-up for the inside of this card.  I stamped a dirt splatter to go with the theme and added the Valentine's Day sentiment.

Supplies:
Stamps: Your Next Stamp "Keep on Truckin'" and "Large Dirt Splatter"; Verve "Valentine's Plain Jane"; Repeat Impressions "Sandcastle" I used just the birds
Dies: Lawn Fawn "Stitched Hillsides" and "Slide On Over"

Challenges:
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #125--anything goes
Crafts Galore #72--anything goes
Pattie's Creations #167--love, love, love
Power Poppy Creative Spark--love: anything but a heart


Creative Inspirations--anything goes
Paper Funday #14--anything goes with the optional twist: Valentine's Day
Crafty Creations #406--anything goes
Penny's Challenge #464--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--with love
Cute Card Thursday #620--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #244--love/Valentine
Creative Fingers #179--anything goes
Cut it Up #195--love is in the air
Sweet Stampin'--all you need is love

Tricera-tops

I'm still working on my Valentine's Day cards.  This one is for my oldest nephew who is almost 6.  He LOVES dinosaurs, so it was a no brainer to make him a card with these adorable dinos!

 I made a fun little scene with several of the images from the set and some "gravel" patterned paper I had in my stash.  I created a pull out tab with a hidden sentiment:

 (Sorry for the blurriness of the photo!)

I stamped the Valentine's Day sentiment inside along with another triceratops.

Supplies:
Stamps: Sugar Pea Designs "Prehistoric Pals"; Verve "Valentine's" Plain Jane
Dies: Lawn Fawn "Stitched Hillsides" and "Slide on Over"; Paper Smooches "Cute Clouds"; MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle
Taylored Expressions cloud stencil

Challenges:
Cardz TV #101--anything goes
Use Your Stuff #291--critters
Unicorn Challenge #51--anything goes
Crafts Galore #72--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Crafty Calendar--use dies and/or punches
Brown Sugar #298--anything goes
Penny Black--animals, birds, butterflies
2 Crafty Critter Crazies--anything goes
Paper Funday #14--anything goes with the optional twist: Valentine's Day
Crafter's Cafe #235--anything goes
The Paper Shelter #413--for the one you love
C.R.A.F.T. #543--love/Valentine's Day
Krafty Chicks #493--stamp act

Merry Christmas

I won this adorable little Clearly Besotted "Jingle Bells" set from the Pixie's Workshop Christmas giveaway and it just arrived in the mail this week.  I just had to ink it up.  As I was looking for some paper to go along with it, I came across this sheet that already had the trees on it.  I thought it would be fun to have the reindeer "flying" over the trees.  The reindeer was stamped on a scrap of white and the bit of ribbon was in my bits and pieces stash.

 I used the second reindeer in the set to create a cute little tag.  I did some paper piecing with his nose and belly.  The tag was made with all scraps; part of using up the last bits of a Christmas paper pack.  The sentiment is from the "Jingle Bells" set as well.

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted "Jingle Bells"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" tag shape; Lawn Fawn "Double Slider Surprise" banner

Challenges:
Pixie's Crafty Workshop #371--anything goes with snippets
Tuesday Morning Sketches #540--sketch

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #125--anything goes
Use Your Stuff #391--critters
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Creative with Stamps #47--red
Penny Black--animals, birds, butterflies
2 Crafty Critter Crazies--anything goes
Merry Little Christmas #19--anything goes
Craft Rockets #67--bows and/or buttons

You're sweet!

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps.  This week is a Designer's Choice Challenge and Donna has chosen: Hearts

And here is the card I created:

This challenge is very timely as Valentine's Day is coming up upon us!  I used a LOT of hearts, even reusing the the heart cut outs from the border die cut as the shaker elements.  I created the background with the heart from the Love Stencil stamp. Then added the heart border die cuts and a strip of scrap red patterned paper.  Finished the background off with two bits of scrap lacy border die cuts that we left over from another project and were in my bits and pieces stash.  As I mentioned before, I used the heart pieces from the border die cuts as the shaker elements and saved one to embellish the sentiment panel.  I used the same patterned paper as the background to paper piece the cupcake liner. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you head on over to The House blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has done with this photo.  And if you "need" any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your entire order coupon code over in my lift sidebar.

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Love Stencil", "Cupcakes" and "Sweet" sentiment

Dies: Lawn Fawn "Say Cheese"; Verve "Border Trim Trio"

Challenges:
Southern Girls--anything goes
Kat Scrappiness--hearts
YNS #132--share the love
STAMPlorations--Love Link Up

Cute Card Thursday #619--Valentine's Day
Krafty Chicks #492--anything goes
Crafty Friends #128--love/romance
Incy Wincy--love, love, love
Make My Monday #115--I heart you
Double Trouble #49--Again and Again (Thing #1: groundhog day--repeat an element.  I used the heart stamp -and hearts in general- over and over)