Winter Blues

Still working on "cleaning up" my craft desk and trying to use up some bits and pieces that are hanging around.  The little house scene was actually a piece leftover from the snowman card I showed in my last post.  It was just a little piece but I thought it was cut and worked perfectly for the focal point of this sketch.  All of the patterned papers and card stock pieces were scraps and the die cut snowflake border piece is something that I have had for years and years and years!!  Someone sent me a very sweet gift of a whole bunch of the die cut snowflake borders --several different styles.  I now have one border left to use.

Supplies:

Stamps: PaperTrey Ink "Just Sentiments: Be Merry"

Dies: My Favorite Things "Blueprints 14" stitched circle

Challenges:

ABC Christmas--C is for cute and D is for die cuts (I used die cuts)

Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers--sketch

C.R.A.F.T. #749--Christmas

Creative Fingers #295--anything goes

Make My Monday #246--faux or real stitching

 

Brrr . . . .

 After finally finishing up all My Valentine's Day cards, I was "cleaning" up my desk and playing with a few things that were on there before I put them away.    This little snowman was cut out from a commercial Christmas card that we received this year (I think, it could have been last year).  I die cut is with a rectangle die and then used a small dessert plate to trace the rounded edge.  Then I die cut another of the stitched rectangles out of light blue card stock and ran it through my die cutting machine with a snowflake embossing folder.  I blended and swiped on white pigment ink on top of the snowflakes so help them stand out more.  The silver letters were from a pack I bought about 18 years after my first child was born and I thought I was going to get into scrapbooking.  Turns out, I didn't get into it and I have a bunch of the letter left.  They are supposed to be stickers, but the adhesive is long gone so I have to glue them on.

I used a bit of red ribbon that was on my desk and is now almost finished.  I die cut some snowflakes from white glitter paper to add a bit of sparkle and shine.  You can see a little of the sparkle in the photo below and you can also see the shine from the foil on the scarf and you can see how the raised edges of the embossing have been brought out with the white ink.  

Supplies:

Dies: My Favorite Things "Blueprints 14" stitched rectangle and "Sweet Snowflakes" 

Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder

Challenges:

ABC Christmas--C is for cute and D is for die cuts

Can You Handle the Pressure--anything goes with the optional twist: something that starts with "F" (this may be a little stretching it, but I have "F"rosty the snowman.  I also used frosty colors.

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends # 248--anything goes

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #617--sketch

Little Red Wagon #795--winter blues

C.R.A.F.T. # 749--Christmas

Creative Fingers #295--anything goes

The whole herd

Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, the challenge is: Tie It Up (use twine, ribbon, etc.)

Here is my card for your inspiration:

This card was made from a bunch of bits and pieces that were left over from other projects.  While I was making Valentine's Day cards, the pieces were sitting on my desk and a sketch design really sparked a creative thought on how to use them all up together.  The white piece with the embossed horses was left over from a commercial Christmas card that I had cut apart to use other pieces of on a different card and thought this piece was too fun to throw away.  The top silver star border is actually two small pieces that were just long enough to hide behind the main panel.  I did have to die cut a second border to go along the bottom.  The two gray pieces are actually ribbon and I only had to trim off a bit from each piece to make them the correct length for the card (I don't know why I had two pieces cut from the same ribbon?)  And last but not least, the two silver "charms" and the tiny bit of twine were also in the bits and pieces stash.  And the three silver stars were the stars left behind when the border was cut out.

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: My Favorite Things "The Whole Herd"

Dies: unbranded label die from Amazon; My Favorite Things star border and Western charms (both are OLD sets no longer available)

Challenges:

CRAFT Rocket #122--Happy Birthday

Pretty Papers--red

Cupcake Inspiration #611--red, black and white

Fab n' Funky #610--stitching, real or faux (stitching on my die cut)

Sweet Stampin'--masculine makes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #248--anything goes

Snippets Playground #500--Celebration with snippets 

Cardz 4 Guyz #366--sketch (took a little liberty with it, but I think the basics are still there)

Double D--the color red

 

Hello, love you lots

 Hello, everyone!  It's time for the mid-month reminder for the challenge from the Creative Moments Challenge blog.  The theme is: Make it Cute.  I am using an image from our fabulous sponsor: All Dressed Up.

 Here is my card:

I had some fun using up some items that were in my bits and pieces stash or sitting out on my desk.  The patterned papers were ones I used on almost all of my Valentine's Day cards this year.  The plaid "hello" was cut from a scrap of that paper.  The gray "hello" mat was left over from a previous card; the color just didn't quite go, but it was perfect for this.  The black heart border and the little black hearts the came out of the border were also left overs and provided a nice pop of accent for all the sweet pinkness!  I had a few pink hearts in my bits and pieces stash and they finished everything off perfectly.  Even the image was a left over!  She is part of an image of three girls together and I had used the other two back in November and she was just hanging around waiting to be colored up and put on a card.  Basically, the only things that were not left over were the card base and the background paper piece.

I used my mini MISTI to get the sentiment stamped perfectly, I started by putting the "hello" mat in the MISTI and stamping the sentiment where I wanted it to go.  Then, I adhered the plaid piece in place, put it back in the MISTI and stamped the sentiment again (actually several times to get the best coverage).  Thanks to the MISTI it was lined up perfectly and looks like one continuous sentiment even though it covers both the main layer and the mat layer.

You have all month to play along.  So, get inky and link up your creation; I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies:

Stamps: All Dressed Up "Best Frocks" digi (I used one of the three girls); My Favorite Things "Something for Everything" sentiment

Dies: My Favorite Things "Essential Hello"

Challenges: 

Crafter's Cafe #316--anything goes with the optional twist: spots AND/OR stripes

Crafty Gals Corner #264--fill in the blank: pink . . . (pink everything!!!  papers, card stock, markers)

Word Art Wednesday #688--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Penny's Challenge #590--anything goes

Di's Digis--circles everywhere

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #248--anything goes

The Paper Shelter #626--with love

Two more

 I thought my previous post had my last Valentine's Day cards, but then I got thinking and realized I still had two more I hadn't posted yet.  So, I went looking and found the photos and here they are:

The first one was for one of my three girls.  I made them all similar but different.  Each of them had the same focal panel and elements, but the scarves are different and the layout for the rest of the card.

The second card was for my cousin.  Since he is a guy, I decided to steer clear of the pinks and used some blues and greens.  

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; PaperTrey Ink "Kid Kuddos" sentiment

Dies: unbranded label die from Amazon; My Favorite Things "Tag Builders #5" heart

Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner #264--fill in the blank-pink . . . (I used pink card stock, papers and twine)

Crafty Catz #687--anything goes with the optional twist: use a die

Creative Fingers #294--anything goes

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #616--sketch

Fab n Funky Challenge #610--stitching, real or faux (stitched label die)

The Paper Shelter #625--add a heart

Card #2:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" 

Dies: Sweet n' Sassy Stamps heart

Challenges:

Creatalicious Challenge #286--anything goes with the optional twist: use green

Try a Sketch on Tuesday #663--sketch

Make My Monday #245--love

Shopping Our Stash #541--thrice as nice (at least three patterned papers)

Word Art Wednesday #687--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Penny's Challenge #590--anything goes

Sweet Stampin'--masculine makes

Final batch

I managed to finish up my Valentine's Day cards yesterday (the day before Valentine's Day).  I really thought I got an early start and was going to be finished in plenty of time, but as always I was finishing up at the last minute.  This first one is for my husband's brother.

I had a really great time using this adorable bear set!  It's designed to be a Christmas/winter set, but since Valentine's Day is in February, I think it worked perfectly!  I added a little red tag and some black die cut hearts that have been sitting in my bits and pieces stash for a while.

 The second card is for a sweet older lady from our church.  She has been in an assisted living facility since December, so a friend and I went to visit her on Valentine's Day and I decided to make her a little card.

And the final one is for one of my daughters.  I used the same image/sentiment combo for all three girls, but changed up the layout and the combination of patterned papers for each one, so they are similar but different.

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; Verve "Take Note" sentiment

Dies: unbranded label die from Amazon; Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio" little hearts left over from die cutting a scalloped border

Challenges:

Creative Inspirations--Love is in the air

Love Those Pretty Papers--red

Crafty Catz #687--anything goes with the optional twist: use a die

Cupcake Challenge #611--red, black & white

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #616--sketch

Little Red Wagon #794--red alert

Card #2:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" sentiment

Dies: Sweet n' Sassy small hearts

Challenges:

Unicorn Challenge #106--dots AND/OR stripes

Double D--hearts

Creative Fingers #294--anything goes

Make My Monday #245--love

Shopping Our Stash #541--Thrice as nice (use 3+ patterned papers)

Word Art Wednesday #687--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

The Paper Shelter #625--add a heart

MY Favorite Things Sketch Challenge #3--sketch

Card #3:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; PaperTrey Ink "Kid Kudos" sentiment

Dies: unbranded label die from Amazon; My Favorite Things "Tag Builders #5" heart

Challenges:

Creative Sketches #99--sketch

Fab n Funky #610--stitching, real or faux (stitched label die)

Penny's Challenge #590--anything goes

A few more

 I've had a chance to create a few more Valentine's Day cards this week.  This first one is for my husband.  I didn't want it to be all girly, so I used some blue and greens, but there are still hearts in the stenciled background!  I stamped the bear on the card base and used a previously created mask so I could stencil in the background.  I also stamped the scarf portion on a scrap of patterned paper and adhered it in place.  

The second card is for one of my kiddos.  They are all teenagers, but they are still my kiddos.  For this one I used both the cutie bear and one of the adorable penguins from the same set.  I also paper pieced their scarves as it is the perfect way to dress these little guys up!

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" and "Everyday Sentiments"

Stencil: My Favorite Things heart stencil

Challenges:

Sweet Stampin'--love

Creative Inspirations--love is in the air

613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: lots of love

Aud Sentiments #321--love/anniversary/wedding AND/OR shimmer

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #247--anything goes

Cardz 4 Guyz #365--CAS

Creative Knockouts #540--love/anniversary/wedding/Valentine's Day

Make My Monday #245--love

Card #2:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; PaperTrey Ink sentiment set

Dies: Sweet n' Sassy Stamps small hearts; unbranded label die

Challenges:

Pattie's Creations #227--anything goes

Colorful Options--pinks or rainbow

A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--love is in the air

Double D--hearts

C.R.A.F.T. #748--love/anything goes

As You Like It--favorite? stamping or digital imagers (I definitely prefer stamping.  It allows me to combine images like this bear and penguin and make them hold hands!  Also, I can change the color of ink in the sentiments)

Crafty Catz #687--anything goes with the optional twist: use a die

Sketch Saturday #769--sketch

I mean it

 Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, the challenge is: Makes Me Smile

Here is my card for your inspiration:

Still working with these super cute bears and having so much fun paper piecing the little scarves!  This is what makes me smile: the bear and his little scarf!!  The pink ribbon was left over from some packaging and between this card and another I was able to use it all up (which also makes me smile!).

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: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" and "Essential Sentiments"

Dies: My Favorite Things "Stitched Heart STAX" and "Blueprints 13" banner

Challenges:

Di's Digis--have a heart

Cards Galore #132--anything goes

Unicorn Challenge #106--dots AND/OR stripes

Crafty Calendar--hearts

Give a Crafter a Cookie #201--hearts galore

Colorful Options--Pinks or rainbow

Little Red Wagon #793--teddy bears

Creative Knockouts #540--love/anniversary/wedding/Valentine's Day

Because

 Hello, everyone!  It's time for a new challenge from the Creative Moments Challenge blog.  The theme is: Make It Cute.  I am using an image from our fabulous sponsor: All Dressed Up.

 Here is my card:

I had some fun with these cute little llamas and some patterned paper.  I thought the blue was a fun and slightly unexpected addition to the traditional pinks of Valentine's Day.  I was able to use some blue rhinestones with an oily type coating that give them a nice color changing quality.  I have had them forever and was so glad to be able to pull at least some of them in on this card.

You have all month to play along.  So, get inky and link up your creation; I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies:

Stamps: All Dressed Up "Llama" digi; Verve "Take Note" sentiments

Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps heart

Challenges:

Sweet Stampin'--love

Di's Digis--have a heart

Cards Galore #132--anything goes

Crafty Calendar--hearts

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #201--hearts galore

613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: lots of love

Aud Sentiments #322--Love/Anniversary/wedding AND/OR shimmer

A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #247--anything goes

Double Trouble #184--Love is in the air (Thing #1: 3 patterned papers, 2 shapes {circle and heart}, 1 image or sentiment; Thing #3: one or more hearts; Thing #2: Try a Sketch on Tuesday--sketch)

Try a Sketch on Tuesday #663--sketch

Having fun

I'm still having a lot of fun making Valentine's Day cards and playing with different items that are either lying on my desk or in my bits and pieces stash.    This first card uses a tag that was made from left over pieces from a card you can see here.  I added the final, last bit of hot pink ribbon and added a few more left over die cut hearts.  It seemed to need just a little bit of something, so I added pink nuvo enamel to the hearts to give them a puffed up, shiny look.

This second card is a bit different.  My oldest daughter has her first boyfriend and he has just moved to the area and is staying with my in-laws.  They live right across the street from us, so we have him over for dinner every night.  I wanted to make a Valentine's Day card for him, as well, but I didn't think pinks and "I love yous" would work for him.  So, since I had the dark blue card stock sitting on my desk, I went with blue and greens.  I just LOVE this adorable little bear and I am having such a great time paper piecing these scarves!!

The third card uses up some more of those bits and pieces from my stash--the hot pink rectangle on the tag, the stitched banner and all the little black hearts.  They really pop against all the pink and pull in the black from the penguin.  It's hard to tell because it's so tiny, but I did paper piece his little scarf as well.

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: Verve "Text Objects"

Dies: My Favorite Things "Tag Builders #5"

Challenges:

Shopping Our Stash #540--crafty remnants

Sweet Stampin'--love

Unicorn #106--dots AND/OR stripes

Creative Inspirations--love is in the air

613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: lots of love

Colorful Options--shades of pink OR rainbow

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--love is in the air

Double D--hearts

Creative Knockouts #540--love/anniversary/wedding/Valentine's Day

Card #2:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; Verve "Take Note"

Dies: unbranded Amazon die

Challenges:

Word Art Wednesday #686--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Cards Galore #132--anything goes

Aud Sentiments #322--Love/anniversary/wedding AND/OR shimmer

A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #247--anything goes

Try a Sketch on Tuesday #663--sketch

Little Red Wagon #793--teddy bears

As You Like It--favorite: stamping or digital image (I have a LOT of digital images and while I do like the ability to resize, I am definitely a rubber/clear stamp girl!  I'm not super tech skilled, so I love that you can stamp your physical stamp anywhere you want.  Case in point, I was able to stamp my sentiments after I put the rest of my card together.  I also like the fact that you can use a different ink color as I have with the sentiment.  And, I can paper piece much easier with physical stamps.)

Card #3:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" and "Essential Sentiments"

Dies: My Favorite Things "Tag Builders #5" and "Blueprints 13"

Challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations #610--add a tag

Di's Digis--have a heart

Creative Sketchy Girls#99--sketch

Crafty Calendar--hearts

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #201--hearts galore

Snippets Playground #499--anything goes with snippets (the hot pink rectangle, stitched banner and little black hearts were all in my bits and pieces stash.  The little penguin was stamped on a scrap of white card stock and the patterned papers other than the base panel were scraps)

C.R.A.F.T. #748--love/anything goes

 

Wintery Love

Sometime last year I was asked to be a Guest Designer for Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.  This month, I am finally getting the chance.  They have two fabulous sketches that you can work with for the entire month.  Here are my two cards:

I had this adorable stamp set out and had used it for a birthday card and decided to use it again to create a Valentine's day card.  I really love paper piecing on simple images and the scarf on this guy is perfect for the patterns.  I stamped him and then stamped him again on the patterned paper, cut the scarf out and adhered it in place.  Then I stamped some hearts around him in a pale pink ink.  The snowflake was already die cut and sitting on my desk .  I finished everything off with some gems, some ribbon and an adorable little tag.

 

My second card uses some more images from the same stamp set.  These penguins are super cute.  I created a little scene where the penguins are marching off to the mailbox to send some love.  Super cute!!  I added some glue with some chunky glitter to create a "ground" for each of the images to add a bit of sparkle.  The sentiment is from the same set, but it actually reads "May Your Heart (And Mailbox) Be Packed With Merriment", but I wanted it to be for Valentine's Day, so I masked off the "Merriment" so I could stamp "love" instead.  I was FINALLY able to use up that heart ribbon in the background--I have had it FOREVER!!!  I also added a bit of a fancy border die cut piece to add a bit more interest.  I finished it off with some pink rhinestones that were left over from projects my girls did years and years and years ago! Oh!  And I paper pieced each of the scarves on these little cuties!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will go check out the Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 blog for more inspiration.

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU Polar Pals" and "Everyday Sentiments" for 'love'; Pretty Pink Posh "Penguin Pals" small hearts

Dies: Memory Box "Lindeman Snowflake"; unbranded label die

Challenges:

Creative Fingers #293--anything goes

Cupcake Inspirations #610--add a tag

Penny's Challenge #589--anything goes

Card #2:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU Polar Pals" and "Everyday Sentiments" 'love'

Dies: Papertrey Ink border die; Kat Scrappiness "Slimline Distress Edge" nesting dies

Challenges:

Creative Knockouts #539--something to say

Shopping Our Stash #540--crafty remnants (ribbon and border die cut from scraps)

Fab n' Funky #609--include a stamped image

Word Art Wednesday #686--anything goes with an uplifting sentiment

ART Impressions Stamps #396--highlights (I used a white gel pen to add highlights to the penguins, the mailbox, and the hearts on the letters)

Bear Love

Lately I've gotten a chance to just play with some crafty supplies.  I've been working at making some Valentine's Day cards and have been having fun with using some patterned papers and this adorable polar bear stamp set.  I'm loving being able to paper piece the little scarves!                             

On this first card, I finally, finally, finally was able to use up that heart ribbon--I've had it forever!  The dark pink ribbon was left over from some sort of packaging, I've still got a bit more left. 

With this second one, I had a lot of fun using different scraps of patterned paper.  I was also able to use up all the oddball pink rhinestones that I've had for quite a while.  Don't you just love this cute little bear?!!

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU Polar Pals"; Verve "Text Objects"; Papertrey Ink "New Leaf"

Dies: Papertrey Ink "New Leaf"; My Favorite Things "Tag Builder Blueprints #5" hearts; unbranded label die

Challenges:

Atlantic Sketch Challenge #614--sketch

Creative Knockouts #539--something to say

Creative Fingers #293--anything goes

Shopping our Stash #540--crafty remnants

Word Art Wednesday #685--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Penny's Challenge #589--anything goes

Little Red Wagon #792--anything goes

Krafty Chicks #753--anything goes

Card #2:

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU Polar Pals" and "Essential Sentiments"

Dies: My Favorite Things "Stitched Heart STAX" and "Blueprints 13" stitched banner

Challenges:

Sketch Saturday #768--sketch with the optional twist: include a heart

As You Like It--favorite: gems or pearls? (I usually prefer gems.  I love the sparkle and shine they add.)

Simon Says Stamp Monday--have a heart

Fab n' Funky #609--include a stamped image

The Paper Shelter #623--pretty in pink

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes

Cold Birthday

Happy February 1st!!  It's time for a new challenge on the Critter Crazy Challenge blog!  As always, it is a month long challenge: Anything Goes as long as you feature a creature.  Here is my card for your inspiration:

OH!  MY!  GOODNESS!!  I LOVE this adorable little bear!!  He is really part of a set that is designed for Christmas/winter cards.  But I thought he was super cute and since February is still wintery (sometimes) around here, I thought he could work well for a February masculine birthday.  Other than the paper pieced scarf, this is a truly one layer card.  I stamped the little bear and them stamped him again on a post it note and used that as a mask so I could stamp the snowflakes behind him.  Then I stamped the scarf portion on a scrap of blue patterned paper, cut it out and adhered it in place.  Then I stamped the sentiment and it was done!

Thanks for stopping by!  Hop on over to the Critter Crazy blog and check out the details and the rest of the projects from the Design Team.

Supplies:

Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" and "Everyday Sentiments"

Challenges:

Crafter's Cafe #315--anything goes with the optional twist: birthdays

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #263--fill in the blank, snow . . . (I used snowflakes)

Creative Knockouts #539--something to say

Crafty Catz #686--anything goes with the optional twist: blue & green (I used blue)

Creative Fingers #293--anything goes

Addicted to CAS #275--center focus

Fab n Funky #609--include a stamped image

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes

Little Red Wagon #792--anything goes