Fishy Birthday Wishes

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:

I used the diagonal: By the Sea, Texture, Bright colors.  The card was mostly inspired by the blue patterned paper in the background.  I found a larger scrap of it a couple months ago and used a bit for another water card.  I had three small pieces left and I have had this idea in my head since I made the other card.  The three scraps were just exactly the right size.  I added texture with a "bubble" stencil and used it to dry emboss the main panel.  For a bit of extra fun, I made it into a shaker card by adding some clear seed beads to each circle to represent air bubbles.

I had to use the mirror image technique for the fish in the top circle to add a little interest.

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 "Large Tropical Fish", "Small Tropical Fish" and "it's your birthday" from the Holy Crap set

Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"
Taylored Expressions bubble stencil

Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments--anything goes
Shopping Our Stash #402--gone fishin'
Tuesday Throwdown #438--color inspiration

Simon Says Stamp Monday--midsummer blues
Sweet Stampers #35--dies and/or punches
Creative Fingers #169--anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #594--circles
Dies R Us #126--bright colors
Pattie's Creations #161--beach/under the sea
Cards Galore #66--anything goes
Cardz TV #95--anything goes

A Child is Born

Today is my turn to share my Pick of the Week over on The House That Stamps Built blog.  While I was making a different card this week, I remembered a little trick that I like to use but hadn't thought of in a while.  If you have nesting dies like I do (or actually any die that has a little edge around it), you can use this trick to create a small border around your shaped die cut.  For this card, I used a circle die, but it also works great for ovals or other rounded shapes.  I used one size of my circle dies to cut the circle with the poinsettia, and the next size up to cut the green mat.  It's just leaves too much green showing and here is where the trick comes in.

 I took the green circle and the same die that I used to cut the white circle, and taped the circle die onto the green circle.

 Then, I took my scissors and cut right up against the die.  The metal edge is a nice guide.

 Continue cutting around the edge until you have a perfect circle.

 And then, you have the perfect mat for your circle; just the right size.

 And here is my finished card:

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "For Unto You" and "Poinsettia"
Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large" and "Radiant Rectangles"; MFT "Blueprints 13" fishtail banner

Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T. #524--Christmas
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #55--anything goes
Merry Little Christmas Challenge #13--anything goes
Brown Sugar #292--anything goes
Love To Craft Challenge Blog #37--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes
Cards Galore #66--anything goes
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'--anything goes with the optional twist: Christmas in the sun (I did not use the optional twist)
Mojo Monday #520--sketch (I turned it sideways)

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #111--anything goes
Cardz TV #95--anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #399--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #197--3 or more layers
Crafty By Designs--anything goes

Christmas Blessings

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

The challenge this time is: Circles
And here is my card for your inspiration:

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 "Poinsettia Mouse" digi; Verve "Beyond Measure" sentiment

Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"

Challenges:
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
The Paper Shelter--anything goes
Crimbo Crackers #190--anything goes
Pink Gem Challenge--anything goes
Double Trouble #35--Thing #1: 3 colors (red, green, white), 2 patterned paper, 1 sentiment or image
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'--anything goes with the optional twist: Christmas in the sun (I did not use the optional twist)
Christmas Cards All Year Round--add a tree (trees in my patterned paper)
Crafting with an Attitude #54--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Crafty Calendar--anything goes
Sheepski Designs #29--animal madness
2 Crafty Critter Crazies #29--anything goes
Craft Rockets #62--anything goes
Crafty Sentiments--anything goes
Penny's Challenges #442--anything goes
Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 #166--sketch

Creative Moments #174--anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. #423--Christmas
Cute Card Thursday #554--circles
Aud Sentiments #233--animals

Hello

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps.  This week is a Designer's Choice Challenge and Esther has chosen: Try a New Technique (it doesn't have to be something brand new, just something new to you that you haven't tried before)

And here is the card I created:

After looking through my Pinterest boards to see what techniques I might want to try, I decided on the Faux Tin Tile technique.  It was really easy and fun!  Adhere tin foil to a piece of card stock, emboss it with an embossing folder, and score it into squares (I scored every inch).  For a little bit more depth and age, I then dry brushed over my "tiles" with a mixture of green and turquoise, straight black and straight white acrylic paints and then wiped most of the paint off with a paper towel.  The pints stayed in the debossed areas and added a bit of patina to my "tiles".  I also die cut my frame from some card stock covered in tin foil and then painted it white to hopefully give it a bit more interest.  The bookprint is actually from an old (really old) encyclopedia set that my parents were getting rid of several years ago.  And the seam binding ribbon and bow used up a small length of ribbon that has been hanging around for quite a while.  I stamped, colored and fussy cut my favorite flowers and leaves from the Flower Power Separates set.  Finished everything off by die cutting the word "hello" three times from dark brown cardstock and adhering them all together for a bit more dimension.

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 "Daisy Outline, large", "Daisy Outline, small", and "Leaf Outline, large"

Dies: Spellbinders "Floral Ovals"; Simon Says Stamp "Painted Hello"

Challenges:
Shopping Our Stash #401--base it on a book (used an actual page of a book)
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Crafty Gals #197--3 or more layers
Word Art Wednesday #399--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Cute Card Thursday #593--anything goes
Krafty Chicks #466--anything goes with the optional twist: embossing (I used dry embossing)
Cardz TV #95--anything goes
Sketch Saturday #575--sketch

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #358--anything goes with snippets (all the flowers and leaves were stamped onto scraps of white card stock, the seam binding was a little 6 inch scrap and the book print was a scrap--and a recycled bit!)
Craft Dee Bow-Z--anything goes with handmade bow
Creatalicious #168--anything goes with optional twist: distress it (I distressed my tiles with paint)
Dare2B Artzy--anything goes

Adorable Panda

A new month has arrived and that means a new challenge from the Love To Scrap Challenge Blog.  This month's challenge is Shape Shifter (Create a shaped card).  Our fabulous sponsor is The Paper Shelter.

And here is the card I created:

This little guy is called the Most Adorable Panda and he really is super cute!!  I created a quick and easy little scene for him using a could stencil and some patterned papers and dies.  Nice and easy and cute!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Head on over to the LTSCB blog to see what the rest of the team has created and to get the full details of the challenge.  Then get inky and play along with us; I can't wait to see what you create.

Supplies:

Stamps: The Paper Shelter "The Most Adorable Panda" digi; MFT "Essential Sentiments" greeting

Dies: Spellbinders "Labels 27"; MFT "Blueprints 13" circles dies; Paper Smooches "Cute Clouds"

Taylored Expressions cloud stencil

Challenges:
Stamplorations Mixed Media--anything goes as long as you used a stencil

The Paper Shelter--anything goes
Crafty Creations #395--anything goes
Creative Moments #173--anything goes
Crafty Friends #113--summer colors
Tuesday Throwdown #437--furry friends
Shopping Our Stash #401--base it on a book (The Only Lonely Panda by Jonny Lambert)
Die Cuttin' Divas #431--anything goes
Crafty Sentiments--anything goes
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes
Little Red Wagon #508--digi do

Happy Anniversary

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  As it is the 5th Wednesday of the month, we have a fabulous sketch for your inspiration:

And here is the card I created using the sketch:

My husband and I are celebrating out 20th Anniversary today!!  This is the card I made for him.  When I first saw the bottom horizontal element of the sketch, I thought right away that it was perfect for ribbon and a bow.  But once I started thinking about using the sailboat, I thought it would be fun to turn it into a nautical type knot.  I used some leftover twine that I received as some packaging and I think it turned out pretty cool.

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you hop over to the House blog for all the details and to see what the rest of the team created.  And if you need any of the stamps I used, make sure you check out the 10% off your entire order coupon over in my left sidebar.

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Sailboat" and "Happy Anniversary"
Dies: MFT "Designer Label STAX", "Blueprints 12" stitched circle and "Blueprints 13" fishtail banner

Challenges:
Creative with Stamps #40--stripes

Creative Craft Cottage #120--summer
Sweet Stampers #34--summer
Stamplorations Theme and Sketch--anything goes

Moving Along With the Times #102--splish splash
Make My Monday #101--for a guy
Crafty Catz #472--anything goes with the optional twist: on the beach
Crafty Friends #113--summer colors (I used the cool blues of the ocean and the hot corals of the tropics)

Shine

I have one last chance to play along with my crazy cousins over on the Double Trouble challenge blog and it starts today.

WELCOME to Challenge #34 -

Let the Troubles Begin!

"Grab your Stuff" 

THING 1: Trouble Maker

says, "This is a 1-Week Free-for-All Challenge so have a little fun creating with "Some Thing", "Any Thing" and "Every Thing".  

It's time again to grab your bone folder, your stuff, and create something new. We think this is easier than folding a fitted sheet! It's time to use "stuff" you have in your stash (new and old).   

You can Stop here...OR  

THING 3: Twisted Sister
says "Sunshine on my shoulder makes me Happy."  Click HERE and Sing-along with John Denver.  Use paper and/or techniques (stenciling, embossing, sponging, masking, die cutting) and create your impression of Sunshine, Sunburst, and/or sunrays.

This is an OPTIONAL twist but would make Twisted Sister even Happier and give you an additional chance for Double Trouble's random draw.  

THING 2: Double Dare

dares you to multiply the fun and link up your project with any of our previous partner(s) below for extra chances to our Random Draw. Make sure you read their guidelines carefully and observe their dates. We don't want you to get into Trouble with them.

This means: each time you link with a previous partner, or multiple partners with the same card, you gain additional chances for each partner challenge you entered. Please make sure you identify them in your blog along with our Double Trouble link.

Pile It On 

2 Crafty Critter Crazies 

Retro Rubber Challenge 

Three Amigos Blog Hop

We are saddened by the announcement of the closing of this challenge July 31st 

and thank them for their support in partnering with Double Trouble.  

There is still time to combine and enter their July Challenge.  

Adios Amigos.

Color My Heart Color Dare

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

Heart2Heart

Try Stampin' on Tuesday

Brown Sugar

The Crafter's Café 

The Paper Girls 

Use Your Stuff  

Cupcake Inspirations 

Creative With Stamps 

The Joy of Sets - TicTacToe 

And here is my last creation for you for the month:

I took full advantage of the free for all and created another Christmas card for my stash.  I used the current sketch from Try Stampin' on Tuesday (for Thing #2's challenge), but I completely missed Thing #3's challenge to use something representing sun or sunshine.  BUT, I do have the word "Shine" in my sentiment . . . so . . .   Anyway, the stamped snowflake strip was in my bits and pieces stash just begging to be used and since it was perfect for the horizontal element in the sketch, I was happy to oblige.  I used a brand new embossing folder for the background and inked the edges and the raised script with a light gray ink pad to bring more attention to the embossing.  The snowflakes were die cut out of some very glittery paper and the sentiment was stamped onto a tag die cut that I turned into an ornament.

Thanks to Suzanne and the rest of the Double Trouble team for letting me play along with them this month, it's been a lot of fun!

Supplies:

Stamps: Verve "Beyond Measure" sentiment; PTI "Fab Flakes"

Dies: PTI "Tag Sale #4" and "Fancy Flakes"; Elizabeth Craft Designs "Beautiful Baubles" ribbon die

Park Lane embossing folder

Challenges:

Christmas at Sweet Stampin'--anything goes with the optional twist: Christmas in the sun (I did not use the optional twist)
Divas that Cut--anything goes with the optional twist: patriotic (I did not use the twist, though I did use red, white and blue!)
Crafty Calendar--Christmas in July
Power Poppy Creative Spark--Christmas in July
Sheepski Designs--Early Christmas/winter
ABC Christmas--N is for no peeking, O is for ornament
Merry Little Christmas--anything goes
Shopping Our Stash #400--Christmas in July
Word Art Wednesday #397--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Crimbo Crackers #189--anything goes
Pixie's Crafty Workshop #357--anything goes with snippets (the "patterned" strip was in my bits and pieces stash and the small snowflake, ornament and hanging ribbon were all die cut from scraps)
Try Stampin' On Tuesday #418--sketch

Crafty Sentiments--anything goes
Crafting By Designs--get ready for Christmas
Crafty Creations #395--anything goes
Mod Squad--all that sparkles
Creative Moments #173--anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #592--no patterned paper
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #448--anything goes with the optional twist: twine or ribbon