Oh Christmas Tree

I was given the opportunity to be the guest designer for Double Trouble Challenge for the month of July.  Today begins the second challenge of the month.  Here are the details:

WELCOME to Challenge #221 - Let the Troubles Begin!

Challenge runs from Monday, July 20th thru Sunday, Aug 2nd

Here is Thing 1's 3-2-1 Recipe - "Christmas in July"
Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun
Specific information is available by clicking on each ingredient.
        3 Colors of Your Choice (Neutrals Do Not Count as one of the three choices, but neutrals can be used in addition to the colors of choice) 

        2 Layers (Card Base does not count) 

        1 Holiday Sentiment

Directions: You MUST include at least the required minimum of each ingredient for successful results and a chance in our random drawing... but you may enhance your project by using more than the ingredients stipulated.

THING 1: Trouble Maker says, "We had snow much fun with our previous 3-2-1 'Christmas in July' recipe. If you participated, you already have a head start on your holiday crafting. Let’s celebrate, stir up some more trouble in the kitchen, and create another project using all the ingredients from our 3-2-1 recipe above!

"Let me give you a heads-up: Twisted Sister is changing the optional twist for this challenge, but Double Dare is still giving you a choice of two sketches."

You can stop here...
OR
play along with Thing 3's Optional Twist and/or Thing 2's Optional Dare and earn additional chances in our random drawing. 

THING 3: Twisted Sister 

says, "'Wow, Double Trouble. How simple is that? I'm ready to take on snow much more fun.

"I'm craving a change from traditional red and green. The Jingle Belles Unicorn Christmas color palette to the left looks way more fun. So, my optional twist is to use at least three non-traditional Christmas colors (your choice) in our recipe above. OR, select three colors from the Jingle Belles palette to earn another chance in our random drawing." 

Optional Twist: If you included non-traditional colors in your project, then you have earned another chance in our Random Drawing. If you use three colors from the Jingle Belles Unicorn Color Palette instead, then you will earn another random drawing chance.

THING 2: Double Dare
says, "Double Wow!! Repeat: Click the clipart to the left for another peek at sketches #699 and #700 from our sister challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday. My optional dare is to combine your choice of either sketch with the Double Trouble 3-2-1 recipe for Christmas in July.

To prevent backlinking, please ensure your project is not posted, published, or entered anywhere before July 21st. Following this guideline will earn you TWO additional chances in our random drawing!

Want to earn another chance in our random drawing? If your project includes at least three colors from the Unicorn Color Palette, with or without using TSOT sketch, you can also link it up at the Jingle Belles Urnicorn Color Challenge until Aug 2nd.

Here is my card:

I chose three of the colors from the unicorn color palette: light pink, turquoise, and the pale green.  I added some fun patterned paper that pulled in some of my colors to the right hand side of the card.  And the pink card stock looked much too plain, so I found a text background stamp and stamped that in a slightly darker pink, and I think it gave just the right amount of interest.  I decided to have a lot of fun with the sketch I chose and made it a fun fold card:

And for even more fun, I turned the Christmas tree element of the sketch into a shaker element!

I used some sequins in colors that matched my color scheme--both inside the shaker element and on the front of the card.  The little star was backed with gold glitter paper, and I die cut the "merry" out of gold card stock and backed it with a white die cut layer for a little more stability before adding it to the card.

As always, there was a lot of doing first and THEN thinking about it, so I probably put in more effort than I really needed to, but I am quite pleased with the results, if I do say so myself.  

I hope you will come and play with us.  I can't wait to see what non-traditional color schemes you come up with!

Supplies:

Stamps: Papertrey Ink "Just Sentiments: Be Merry" I masked off the "merry" so I could just add "Christmas" to go with my die cut sentiment; MFT "Typewriter text" background stamp

Dies: Picket Fence Studio "Merry Christmas Die Set"; MFT "Christmas Tree Window"

Challenges:

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--M, N, O (m is for merry)

Cards Galore #149--anything goes

Crafter's Cafe--Anything goes with the optional twist: Christmas in July

Die Cut Divas--Christmas in July

Try A Sketch on Tuesday #670--sketch

613 Avenue--anything goes with the optional twist: any holiday

Creative Creases #117--anything goes with a fun fold

Pearly Sparkles #121--Christmas in July

Fab 'n' Funky #641--Christmas in July

Alphabet Challenge--F is for festivities

Make My Monday #282--Christmas in July

Little Red Wagon #867--pink

Crafty Catz #718--anything goes

Creative Fingers #326--anything goes

Jingle Belles--unicorn holiday color palette

Inkspirational Challenge #372--Christmas in July

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #282--anything goes

Merry

Hello, everyone!  It's time for a new challenge from the Creative Moments Challenge blog.  The theme is: Shimmer and Shine.  I am using an image from our fabulous sponsor: Love to Color.

 Here is my card:

I started with this adorable dragon all ready for Christmas!  I colored him up and fussy cut him out and added super fine diamond glitter to his hat and silver Nuvo glitter pen to his wings.  In real life you can see the sparkle and shimmer really well, but not so much in the photo.  You can see it a bit better in the photo below.  I used a matte gold cardstock for the base and mats--it's not a shiny as a gold cardstock, but it adds a subtle shimmer.  My gold ribbon has sparkly edges and I finished everything off with some shiny gold pearls.

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: Love to Color "Flamesnort Santa Hat" digi

Dies: Picket Fence Studio "Merry Christmas Word Die Set"

Challenges:

Creative Fingers #326--anything goes

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--M, N, O (I used M is for merry)

Cards Galore Challenges #149--anything goes

Pattie's Creations #244--anything goes with handcolored image

Crafter's Cafe--Christmas in July

Die Cut Divas--Christmas in July

Craft Rockets #138--animals

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 #165--sketch

Moving Along with the Times #191--use a coloring medium (I used my Spectrum Noir markers)

613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: any holiday

Pearly Sparkles #121--Christmas in July

Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog--Christmas in July

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #281--anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #641--Christmas in July

Alphabet Challenge--F is for festivities

Make My Monday Challenge #282--Christmas in July

Hats Off

Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, the challenge is: Create your own background.

Just a reminder that we are trying to get to 1,000 followers on our challenge blog!  We are so close, I believe we are only 3 followers away!  When we reach 1000 followers we'll have a random drawing from all of the entries in the challenge in which the magic number is reached and reward the lucky drawing winner with a box full of crafty goodness.  So, be sure you've checked the Followers box on our sidebar and pass the word to your crafty friends. We're still at 997 so let's make this challenge be the one!!!

Here is my card for your inspiration:

We had 5 young people from our church graduating this year and we had a little reception after the church service a couple weeks ago.  This is the card that I made for each of the three young men (the two young ladies are my daughters so I didn't make them a card, yet, they're still finishing up).  I started by stamping the caps in the background to make it look like they are falling after being thrown up in the air in celebration.  Then I die cut the sentiments from black and gold cardstock.  I was trying to decide whether I liked the black "congrats" better or the gold, when my youngest daughter suggested layering them together.  She's pretty smart, that one!  I stamped the sentiment in the corner and while everything looked good, it still needed something.  So, I die cut some tiny gold stars and sprinkled them around the caps and the sentiment  and I think they finished everything off perfectly!

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: Taylored Expressions "The Inside Scoop Stamp Set--Grad"; Repeat Impressions graduation cap

Dies: Papertrey Ink "congrats" die; MFT graduation die set; Stamps of life flip card star die set

Challenges:

Crafty Catz #717--anything goes

Creative Fingers Challenge #326--anything goes

Cards Galore #149--anything goes

Unicorn Challenge #122--no patterned paper

Word Power--anything goes with the sentiment as the focus

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #281--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday--back to school (mine is more the ending of school, but it does have to do with school--if not fitting the theme, please remove.  Thanks!)

Word Art Wednesday #760--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Pink Christmas

 Good morning!  Today I am sharing my project as a Guest Designer for Double Trouble Challenge.  Here are the details:

WELCOME to Challenge #220 - Let the Troubles Begin!

Challenge runs from Monday, July 6th thru Sunday, July 19th 

Here is Thing 1's 3-2-1 Recipe - "Christmas in July"
Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun
Specific information is available by clicking on each ingredient.
        3 Colors of your choice (Neutrals Do Not Count as one of the three                   choices, but neutrals can be used in addition to colors of choice)
        2 Layers (Card Base does not count)

        1 Holiday Image 

Directions: You MUST include at least the required minimum of each ingredient for successful results and a chance in our random drawing... but you may enhance your project by using more than the ingredients stipulated.

THING 1: Trouble Maker

says, "'Christmas in July' is a fun and quirky commemoration of the traditional winter holiday... so why wait until December to create a little holiday cheer? It's the perfect time to mix sunny skies with snowy vibes and celebrate the season in the most unexpected way. It's also a great way to get ahead of your holiday stash! 

Let's celebrate, stir up some trouble in Double Trouble's Kitchen, and create a project using all the ingredients from our 3-2-1 Recipe above.

You can stop here...
OR
play along with Thing 3's Optional Twist and/or Thing 2's Optional Dare and earn additional chances in our random drawing.

THING 3: Twisted Sister 

says, "Even though the July 4th weekend has passed, Trouble Maker wants to celebrate 'Christmas in July.' She will probably think this idea makes snow sense, but why not go with a 'patriotic-meets-festive' vibe? We can have snow much fun with a 'Star-Spangled Christmas.' My optional twist is to use stars and/or stripes in our 'Christmas in July' 3-2-1 recipe above."

 

Optional Twist: If you have included stars and/or stripes in your project, you will earn another chance in our Random Drawing. 

THING 2:  Double Dare

says, "Click the clipart to the left for a sneak peek of sketches #699 and #700 from our sister challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday.

"My optional dare is to combine your choice of either sketch with the Double Trouble 3-2-1 recipe for 'Christmas in July.' To prevent backlinking, please ensure your project is not posted, published, or entered anywhere before July 7th. Following this guideline will earn you TWO additional chances in our random drawing!"

Want to earn another chance in our random drawing? If your project includes stars and/or stripes, with or without TSOT sketch, you can also link it up at the Jingle Belles Challenge until July 19th.

And here is my card for your inspiration:

My three colors are red, pink, and a blue-ish gray.  I have at least 4 layers once you get to my image, and I have 1 snowwoman image.  For Thing #3's challenge, I added stars and I followed one of the sketches:

I hope you will get a chance to play along with us; I can't wait to see what you create for this challenge!

Supplies:

All papers and image ephemera are from Not 2 Shabby

Stamps: PaperTrey Ink sentiment

Dies: unbranded circle die from Amazon; Pink & Main "Roses" die set--banner; My Favorite Things "Blueprints 13" Stitched Rectangle

Challenges:

Creative Knockouts #574--Christmas in July

Crafty Catz #717--anything goes

Creative Fingers #326--anything goes

Jingles Belles--stars AND/OR stripes forever

Try a Sketch on Tuesday #699--sketch

Die Cut Divas--Christmas in July

Pearly Sparkles #121--Christmas in July

Cupcake Inspirations #638--anything goes

Winged Beauties

Happy July 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:

I wanted to try something a little different for me.  I don't do a lot of CAS cards, but I have been creating them more and more lately.  I chose three butterfly images and lined them up down the center of my panel using my mini misti.  I then chose three inks from the same family and stamped the butterflies in an ombre look beginning with the lightest at the top and moving down to the darkest ink on the sentiment (which looks black, but is really a very dark purple).  Then I die cut the panel with a wonky stitched die and adhered it to a plain white base.  I really like how simple it is and how pretty the butterflies turned out.

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: Picket Fence Studios "Butterfly Beauties"; MFT "Something for Everyone" sentiment

Dies: wonky stitched die (I can't remember where I got this from, but it is an actual company!)

Ink: Altenew "Enchanted Garden" mini quartet

Challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations #638--anything goes

Crafty Catz #716--anything goes

Creative Fingers #325--anything goes

Sweet Stampin'--anything BUT birthday

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #280--anything goes

Fab n' Funky #640--something beginning with B (butterflies)

Word Art Wednesday #759--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Water color chair

Hello, everyone!  It's time for the mid-month reminder for the challenge from the Creative Moments Challenge blog.  The theme is: Pastel or Bright.  There is no sponsor this month, we are playing just for fun.

 Here is my card:

Several years ago, my mother-in-law and I went to a stamp convention and took a class with Art Impressions.  It was so fun and we came away with a number of beautiful water colored images.  I had forgotten all about them until I pulled one out for a different card.  I thought this one was so pretty and perfect for the quick birthday card I needed to make.  I pulled out some soft papers to match the image and added some purple mulberry paper to frame the image.  This isn't exactly pastel, but the colors are soft and definitely not bright.

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: Art Impressions Stamps (various water color stamp images); Verve "Be Blessed" sentiment

Dies: wonky die (unknown)

Challenges: 

Cupcake Inspirations #638--anything goes

Crafty Catz #716--anything goes

Creative Fingers #325--anything goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #280--anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky #650--something beginning with B (butterflies, blue)

Thinking of you

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

Here is my card for your inspiration:

This card was made almost entirely out of scraps, most of which were already on my desk.  The three different patterned papers I used were scraps from the same paper pack--still sitting on my desk from a different card I had made recently.  The butterfly and the sentiment were actually stamped and die cut from the same scrap of blue patterned paper from the background panel of the card.  I had to go dig out some silver card stock for the frame and the blue mats were not from scraps, but everything else was.

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: Picket Fence Studios "Butterfly Beauties"; MFT "Something for Everyone"

Dies: Pickled Fence Studios "Butterfly Beauties"; MFT "Blueprints 13" sentiment strip; Atlenew frame

Challenges:

Cards Galore #148--anything goes

Die Cut Divas--anything goes

Cupcake Inspirations #638--anything goes

Crafty Catz #716--anything goes

Creative Fingers #325--anything goes

Sweet Stampin'--anything BUT birthday

Inkspirational Challenge #370--leftovers

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #280--anything goes

Pixie's Snippets Playground #535--anything goes with snippets

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #687--sketch