Chilly Christmas

  Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  

This week, the challenge is: 

Snowmen

And our fabulous sponsor is:

Oddball Art

Here is my card for your inspiration:

My inspiration started with a sketch (which I will list below) and that red dotted ribbon which was in my bits and pieces stash--left over from a project I did last fall.  I die cut two of the "merry christmas" sentiments and adhered them together for dimension.  I did the same for all the little white snowflakes.  I finished it off with some red sequins to add a little sparkle!  You can't see it in the photo, but I added a bit of sparkle pen to the sentiment die cut.  In real life it's subtle and beautiful.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the Cut It Up blog for the full details of the challenge and to see what the rest of the Design Team has created. 

Supplies:

Stamps: Oddball Art Co. "Chilly Willy Snowman Head"

Dies: PaperTrey Ink border die and snowflakes; Lawn Fawn "merry christmas"

Challenges:

Unicorn Challenge #73--Let's see red

Pattie's Creations #191--anything goes

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

Sheepski Designs--use some red

Christmas with the Cuties #57--anything goes

Craft Rocket Challenge #89--sparkle/bling

C.R.A.F.T. #627--Christmas

Creative Fingers #225--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #582--anything goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #176--anything goes

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #461--sketch

Cupcake Inspirations #538--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes

More Recycled Christmas cards

Happy Thursday!  I have the honor of being a Guest Designer for the Krafty Chicks Challenge for the month of February!  

This week, the challenge is: All Occasions (so pretty much for any reason)

And here are my cards ('cause Christmas is definitely my favorite Occasion):

Both cards were created by recycling Christmas cards my family received this past Christmas.  They were just too beautiful to throw away!  For the first card, I die cut a Lawn Fawn frame out of a kraft colored card stock.  I die cut it twice and layered them together for some dimension.  I then adhered it in place on the Christmas card, placing it to highlight different areas, and then trimmed off the remainder of the card.  The top left panel only had a little bit of branches showing, so it was the perfect place to add a sentiment.  I stamped it several times with black ink and then stamped it one more time on a piece of white glitter paper.  I colored the heart with a red marker, fussy cut it out and adhered it in place on the sentiment.  I added the glitter paper to go with the glitter that was in the greenery on the original card.  It's touch to capture it in the photo, but in real life it is so sparkly.

The second card was even easier!  I die cut a stitched rectangle from the front of a Christmas card.  Then, I die cut the word "Jesus" out of gold glitter paper, adhered it in place and stamped the small sentiment to finish it off.  (Well, to be honest I stamped the sentiment first, and then adhered the die cut, but only because it was easier.)

Two easy, CAS cards done and two beautiful Christmas cards recycled!  It is a win-win in my book!!  Thanks for stopping by!  And thank you to the Krafty Chicks team for allowing me to design with them this month!

Supplies:

CARD #1:

Stamps: Verve "Peace On Earth"

Dies: Lawn Fawn "Peek-a-boo Backdrop"

CARD #2:

Stamps: PaperTrey Ink "Inspired: Jesus"

Dies: PaperTrey Ink "Inspired: Jesus"; MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle

Challenges:

CARD #1:

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--cabin/cottage (with the optional twist: add pink)

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #228--add a heart

CRAFT #627--Christmas

Crafty Catz #583--anything goes with the optional twist: add a sentiment

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #176--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes

CARD #2:

Sparkles #133--use some gold

Crafty Calendar--anything goes

Craft Rocket #89--sparkle/bling (gold glitter paper)

Creative Fingers #225--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #582--anything goes with the optional twist: use some gold

Little Red Wagon #642--make it stitched 

CAS birthday

 Happy Thursday!  I have the honor of being a Guest Designer for the Krafty Chicks Challenge for the month of February!  

This week, the challenge is: CAS (Clean and Simple)

And here is my card:

I have had these felt balloons (from Stamps of Life) for at least 2 1/2 years and haven't found a way to use any of them until now.  I actually used three of them on this card and it inspired me to use the remaining 3 here.  This was probably one of the fastest cards I've ever made.  I had the idea in my head and didn't take very long to turn it into reality.  I adhered the balloons with liquid glue and added a little bit of twine to hold the strings together.  Then I stamped the sentiments and voila!  Done!

Supplies:

Stamps: CAS-ual Fridays "Shenanigans"

Challenges:

Less Is More #458--birthdays

Fab n' Funky Challenges #545--birthdays

Penny's Challenge #515--anything goes

Sheepski Designs #59--use some red

Card Challenge

 I've been looking at playing along with Kendra's Card Challenge for a couple months, but just haven't had the time.  Today, I finished my first set for Challenge #5.  I used the templates to create Valentine's Day cards (and one birthday card, 'cause the sketch just looked like a cake or stack of presents to me!).  This post will be very heavy with photos; don't say you weren't warned!  I wasn't able to take a photo of all the cards together (or even necessarily get them in the correct order) because I needed some of them on time (for my family) and the others are just going to be late.  The theory behind these cards is that you take 6 sheets of coordinating 6 x 6 patterned paper and following Kendra's cutting templates and sketches, create 15 coordinating cards.  Anyway, here are the group photos:

The first 4 were the ones I needed to actually have on Valentine's Day.  The top three are for my three girls (hence the "Baby Bear" reference) and the fourth was for my parents who were staying with us for the weekend.

I don't have a group photo that includes the card made following sketch #4 because I sent it out in a hurry to my grandmother before I remembered to add it into a group photo.  You will see it in the individual photos farther down in the post.

All the images and sentiments (except the very last card's sentiment) are from the MFT "Bear Hugs" stamp set.  I just got it a week or two ago and it was so adorable I HAD to use it!  I used light gray bases for each card and added matting with a strange gray/green/brown card stock I have had for a really long time.  I actually managed to use up almost 3 sheets of it.  For the heart accents on each card, I used the same red glitter paper.  Most of the details are self explanatory.

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" all the hearts

Challenges:

Cards Galore #96--anything goes

Cutie Pie Challenge--hearts and flowers

Card #2:

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" all the hearts; Spellbinders "Classic Ovals, large" and "Scalloped Ovals, large"

Challenges:

Pattie's Creations #191--anything goes

Use Your Stuff #441--hearts/love

Card #3:

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" all the hearts (even that little heart strip on the right; it's the negative left over from die cutting the little hearts used on other cards); Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large" and "Scalloped Circles, large"

Challenges:

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

Sweet Stampin'--love, love, love

Card #4:

I altered the sentiment on this one by masking off everything but "Love you"

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" all the smaller hearts; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps large heart

Challenges:

Crafty Calendar--anything goes

Cupcake Inspiration #537--Valentine hearts

Card #5:

I used a stencil with light gray ink to create some interest on this one.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" the tiny heart; Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio" border die and the larger hearts are from the cut out pieces.

Stencil: MFT hearts

Challenges:

Sheepski Designs #59--use some red

Creatalicious Challenge #228--anything goes with the optional twist: make your own background

Dare 2B Artzy--love

Card #6:

I also altered the sentiment on this one so I could stack it instead of using it long as it was designer.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: Sweet n Sassy Stamps large hearts; the small heart is left over from die cutting the border for card #5

Challenges:

Creative Inspirations--with love

Craft Rocket Challenge #89--sparkle/bling (red glitter hearts)

Card #7:

I also used the stencil on this card, masked the sentiment so I could stack it and added a bit of red, dotted ribbon.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" the heart strip; Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics A" rectangle that I turned into a tag

Challenges:

We Love Stampin'--anything goes with the optional twist: stenciling

Sweet Stampers #65--Furry Friends

Crafter's Cafe #282--Make your own background

Card #8:

Again, masked the sentiment so I could stamp it in two different places and used a bit more of the ribbon.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: the hearts are left over from cutting out the Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio" border die

Challenges:

Moving Along with the Times #139--love, anniversary, wedding

A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes

Card #9:

Added a bit of red and white twine.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" heart

Challenges:

Crafty Gals #228--add a heart

NBUS (Never Before Used Stuff) #35--anything goes with never before used stuff (I just got the stamp set so this is the first time I've inked it up.  And the paper pack has been sitting around unopened for couple years)

Card #10:

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" all the hearts; Spellbinders "Classic Ovals, large"

Challenges:

Unicorn Challenge #73--Let's see red

Di's Digi Designs--use red and/or pink

Cardz 4 Guyz #289--love cards (this one is for my nephew who is 7)

Make My Monday #168--Three (3) hearts

Card #11:

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" all the hearts

Challenges:

613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: whimsical valentine

Penny's Challenge #515--anything goes

Card #12:

I masked the sentiment again to stack it and used a slightly smaller heart die than the other large ones (still from the same die set, though)

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: Sweet n' Sassy Stamps heart

Challenges:

Crafting Happiness #128--anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #531--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Card #13:

Masked the sentiment so I only got the "love you" part in.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" all the hearts

Challenges:

Creative Fingers #224--anything goes

Creative Moments #231--anything goes with the optional twist: love it or hate it

Lil' Red Wagon #641--make it masculine

Card 14:

I think this one is probably my favorite!  I cut the bottom mat layer from the same card stock the card base is from, but I inked the edges with a bit of light gray ink to make it stand out and add interest.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs"

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" the smallest heart; the larger heart is left over from Verve's Scalloped Trim Trio border die

Challenges:

Aud Sentiments #291--love

Card #15:

This one just HAD to be a birthday card.  I could not unsee the present or cake stack in the template and I just had to go with it.  The "ribbon" and bow are from an Elizabeth Craft Design Baubles die set and I used a sentiment from a different set from MFT.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Bear Hugs" image and "Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings

Dies: MFT "Smartphone" the little tiny heart; Elizabeth Crafts Design ornament topper.

Challenges:

Less Is More #458--birthdays

Fab n Funky challenge #545--birthdays

Valentine texting

Happy Friday!  Not only is it almost the weekend, it's also time for a new challenge on the Cut It Up Challenge blog!  This challenge is very timely with the theme of: Love/Valentine's Day

Our sponsor for this challenge is the Cutting Cafe:

And here is my card:

I chose to work with the Cutting Cafe's Feb 14 (Color 1) file.  It is a whole page of cute and colorful love/Valentine's Day themed images.  The texting image caught my eye right away as I have a smartphone die set from MFT that was perfect to use with it.  This card will go to my husband so I didn't want to make it too fancy and girly.  I used some scraps of paper for the background (the dotted one I only had to trim a little off the top to make it fit), die cut my phone out of some scraps of card stock and added some little die cut hearts that were left over from a border die cut I used on a different project.  All in all, it was a very quick project and used up a bunch of scraps!  Win-win in my book!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you will hop on over to the Cut It Up blog to see what the rest of the team created.  Then get creative and play along with us; I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies:

Stamps: The Cutting Cafe "Feb 14: Color 1" printable stamp set

Dies: MFT smartphone and "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle; Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio" hearts left over from the heart border die

Challenges:

Snippets Playground #421--anything goes as long as you use snippets

Shopping Our Stash #463--my heart BEETS for you (use hearts and/or vegetables)

Try Stampin on Tuesday #541--sketch with the optional twist: red, pink, gold

 

Die Cut Divas--angle it

Creatalicious #228--anything goes with the optional twist: love

Word Art Wednesday #530--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Simon Says Stamp Monday--love it in the air

Use Your Stuff #441--Hearts/love

Cupcake Inspiration #537--valentine hearts

Cardz 4 Guyz #289--love cards

Pink Christmas

 Happy Thursday!  I have the honor of being a Guest Designer for the Krafty Chicks Challenge for the month of February!  

This week, the challenge is:

Christmas

And here is my card:

Every year, I think it is such a same to throw out all the beautiful Christmas cards we receive in the mail, so I save them, thinking I will do something with them.  After a while, I decide I won't and I throw them away.  Well, this year, I actually decided to recycle them.  I created a post a couple weeks ago that showed 3 cards I had created out of pieces from one commercial card.  This card was also created from a card I received (though this time, I used all the elements that could be reused).  I die cut out the sentiment and matted it on red cardstock.  I found some card stock that coordinated with colors in the trees that I fussy cut out.  To keep the background from being too plain, I embossed the pink layer with a snowflake embossing folder before adhering it to the teal card base.  The sentiment and baubles on some of the trees are glittery, so in real life this is quite sparkly and shiny with the red sparkle and the gold element.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 12" stitched rectangle (it only has stitching on one side, so I ran it through my die cutting machine again after flipping the die around so it would have stitching on both top and bottom of my sentiment panel)

Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder

Challenges:

Sparkles Christmas challenge #133--use some gold (gold on "Merry" and on elements on the trees)

Die Cut Divas--angle it

Creative Fingers Challenge #224--anything goes

Crafty Calendar--anything goes

Christmas Kickstart #59--sentiment takes center stage

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #175--anything goes

Peace On Earth #9--anything Christmas goes with the optional challenge of this mood board (I used the color pink and Christmas trees)

Recycled Birthday

 I received several Christmas cards that I thought I could recycle to create new handmade cards.  And yes, I did say Christmas.  This present was one out of three that were on a Christmas card.  One of the presents definitely looked Christmasy, but this one said "Birthday" to me.    I've had these felt balloons from Stamps of Life for several years and this was the perfect card to finally use them on.  Rather quick and easy to make, and pretty cute, too!

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Essential Sentiments"

Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"

Balloons and paper from Stamps of Life

Challenges:

Try Stampin' On Tuesday #540--monochrome and/or sketch (I chose the sketch)

Creative Fingers #224--anything goes

Double Trouble Challenge #102--something, anything, everything (Thing #1: anything goes; Thing #3: play with a previous partner--Try Stampin' on Tuesday)

Cards Galore #96--anything goes

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

Crafty Calendar--anything goes

Crafting Happiness #120--anything goes

Penny's Challenge #514--anything goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #175--anything goes

Retirement

 Happy Thursday!  I have the honor of being a Guest Designer for the Krafty Chicks Challenge for the month of February!  

The challenge this week is: Stamp Act (you must using stamping on your project)

And here is my card:

This sweet little stamp set from Sugar Pea Designs is perfect for masculine retirement cards.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps: Sugar Pea Designs (I think this set must be retired; I can't find it on the website)

Challenges:

Cardz 4 Guyz #288--something beginning with "P" (patterned paper)

Creative Fingers #223--anything goes

A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes

Cards Galore #96--anything goes

Cutie Pie Challenge #167--simple starts

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

Crafting Happiness #120--anything goes

Penny's Challenge #514--anything goes

Elephant Birthday

Happy February!!  I have the privilege of being the Guest Designer for Critter Crazy challenge for the month of February!  I'm so excited and so honored to have been asked.  As always, the challenge for the month is Anything Goes as long as you feature a critter.  Here is my card:

This is the final card in a set I have been making with a One-sheet Wonder template.  One-sheet wonders use an entire sheet of patterned paper to create a group of cards.  This particular one I used makes 12 to14 cards, I believe.  If you would like to see the rest of them, you can go here, here, here, here, and here.  For this card, I added a small scalloped border, a vellum die cut circle, and some blue rhinestones.  The photo below shows the card and three tiny little pieces of patterned paper that were left over after making all the cards!  And the only reason they are left is because I trimmed them off to make some of the paper fit my layouts better.  Otherwise, I used an entire piece of 12 x 12 patterned paper on this set.

Please head over to the Critter Crazy blog to see what the team has created and for the full details of the challenge.

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Adorable Elephants" image and sentiment

Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"; MFT "Stitched Scallop Trio"

Challenges:

Pattie's Creations #190--anything goes

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

C.R.A.F.T. #624--anything goes

As You Like It--favorite coloring medium (I love using my Spectrum Noir markers--the blending is fabulous!)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes

Krafty Chicks #596--all occasions

Crafty Catz #580--anything goes with the optional twist: add flowers (I have flowers on my patterned paper)

A Gem of a  Challenge--anything goes