12th Birthday

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

The challenge this time is: Lots of Green
And here is my card for your inspiration:

Green is perfect for this time of year: St. Patrick's Day, spring or my baby's twelfth birthday!  I can't believe she is 12 already!!  Her favorite color is green, so I took the opportunity to create her birthday card with this challenge.  I had already colored the little girl's dress and made it polka dotted before I went looking for patterned paper.  And I found a perfect match!!  The sparkly gold "2" was in my bits and pieces stash, I just had to cut a "1" to finish the number.

Supplies:

Stamps: Di's Digi Stamps "It's a Bit High" digi; MFT "Essential Sentiments"

Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large" and "Teardrop Circles"; PTI number border die

Challenges:

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #38--tic tac toe (I used the the first column down: green, square, polka dots.  And actually, I used every square except "rainbows")

Cute Card Thursday #530--mothers (or feminine)

Little Miss Muffet #184--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--girl power

Penny's Challenge--anything goes

The Paper Shelter #329--let it be spring

Crafting By Designs--anything goes

Crafty Sentiments--anything goes

Die Cuttin' Divas #359--use green

Shopping Our Stash #344--national dress day (the little girl is wearing a dress)

Pile it On--circles

2 Crafty Critter Crazies--anything goes

Creatalicious #134--girly

Always Happy Birthday--anything goes with the optional twist of patterned paper

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

Pattie's Creations #144--lots of green

Craft-Dee BowZ--anything goes with handmade bow

Aud Sentiments #198--anything goes

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 #151--sketch

Cuttlebug Mania--ribbon and bows

I carrot 'bout you

Happy Friday!!  It's time for another challenge from Jo's Scrap Shack.  As always, we are now an Anything Goes challenge.  

Our sponsor this week is the fabulous Lawn Fawn:

And here is my card for your inspiration:

 I had so much fun with this one!  I created a shadowbox card (my first) with a lot of dimension and lots of adorable bunnies!  I thought I had pinned a tutorial for a cared like this, but I guess I didn't so I had to do a little figuring, but overall it was not too hard.  It folds mostly flat so it will fit in an A2 envelope and mail with regular postage.

 I won this "Some Bunny" stamp set from Lawn Fawn last month and was so excited to be able to try it out.  The bunnies are so cute.  I stamped the bunnies, carrots, and garden box on scraps of white, colored them, and fussy cut them out.  I die cut two stitched hills for the inside, sponged a white panel with clouds for the back and die cut a channel for the third bunny to hop along.  You can see a bit more of the dimension in the photo below.

The pattern paper was one I had received as a freebie with an order from Lawn Fawn and was the starting point for my color combo.  The sentiment banner was in my bits and pieces stash, I trimmed it down and notched the end for a little more interest.  

What do you need to do to enter?

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your blog post that includes your challenge entry project, using the linky tool on Jo's blog. 

2. Be sure to include a link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering your project into

3. THREE entries per person are allowed for each challenge and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. For all entries -NO BACK LINKS ACCEPTED- 

The date on your blog post should be dated between the start date & the end date for the challenge you are entering, in order to be eligible for the challenge prizes

5. You may link up to other challenges but be sure to link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering 

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

WILL NOT be eligible for the top 3, any sponsor wins or any random wins by Jo

All random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

You have until March 16 th by 12:00AM (eastern, USA) time to link up.

All winners will be announced during the week of March 18th.

Have fun and we look forward to seeing what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps: Lawn Fawn "Some Bunny"
Dies: Lawn Fawn "Stitched Hillside Borders" and "Slide On Over"; MFT negative of "Bold Stripes Cover Up" for banner

Challenges:
Penny's Challenge #370--anything goes
The Paper Shelter #329--Let it be spring
Crafting By Designs--anything goes
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #77--anything goes
2 Crafty Critter Crazies #12--anything goes
Use Your Stuff #302--anything goes
Penny Black--feature a creature
Lawn Fawn #24--fun with dies
Brown Sugar #276--spring or easter
Creative with Stamps #24--bunny

Scor-pal #46--all things bright and beautiful (I'm maybe stretching it on the beautiful, but it is definitely bright)

Lots of jars

 Happy first Wednesday of March!!  Spring is coming!!  And today begins a new challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week is a Designer's Choice Challenge and Esther has challenged us with: Just Jars (create a project with a jar or recycling a jar or a tag for a jar--as long as it involves a jar).  We got hit by the big Nor'easter this past weekend and were without power for two days.  On Friday since there was no power and there's not too much to do when there is no power, I lit some candles and had a good long play in my craft area.  I had so much fun with this challenge that I actually have 3 projects to share with you.  Here is the first:

 I've had this collection of small die cut elements that I have been saving for a Christmas shaker card: little snow flakes and tiny glittery circles among other things I've been saving in my bits and pieces stash.  So that was my first project.
     My second project is a simple Christmas notecard that could be either a Christmas card or maybe a Christmas "thank you."

I've had this card base with the embossed rectangle in my stash forever and finally found the perfect use for it.  It's a bit smaller than an A2 card, which makes it the perfect size for showcasing this Christmas jar.  I had one layer of the poinsettia in my bits and pieces stash so I cut two more to finish the flower.  The sprigs were also in the stash, I just colored them with a green marker to match better.  and the gold, glittery jar topper was a leftover piece from the first card.

     And last, but not least, I made a tag: 

This was almost completely made from bits and pieces.  The tag was in my stash, made from lots of leftover bits of scrap paper, as well as the flower (which I recolored to match the papers), the sprigs which I also colored to match and the bit of ribbon wrapped around the top was left over from the first card.  The jar was stamped on a scrap of white, so the only thing that was not a scrap was the piece of vellum the sentiment was stamped on.
I hope you will get a chance to play along with us.  I showed several ways to use a jar, but the possibilities are endless!  I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies:
Card #1
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Jar" and "Christmas"
Dies: MFT "Stitched Scalloped Trio"; the shaker elements were created with PTI hands of time and snow globe, Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio", and Neat and Tangled "Falling Circles Cover die"

Card #2
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Jar"
Dies: Spellbinders "Layered Poinsettias"; Verve "Sprightly Sprigs"; MFT "Stitched Scallop Trio"

Tag
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Jar", "Daisy Solid, small" and "Happy Birthday"
Dies: Verve "Sprightly Sprigs"; MFT "Blueprints 13" tag

Challenges:
Card #1
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge--anything goes
heARTful Stamping--anything goes
Cardz TV #37--anything goes
Alphabet Challenge--Y is for your choice
Crimbo-Crackers #153--anything goes
Love To Craft Challenge Blog #20--anything goes
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'--anything goes
Craft-Dee BowZ--anything goes with handmade bow
4 Crafty Chicks #392--just add a sentiment
Aud Sentiments #198--anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #519--anything goes
As You Like It--single or multiple layers (while I love the look of single layer done well, I'm definitely a layer girl!)
Cuttlebug Mania--ribbon and bows

Card #2
Try Stampin' Or Not--tic tac toe (I used the diagonal line: purple, flowers, glitter)

Incy Wincy--ultraviolet
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #375--anything goes with the optional twist of vintage or shabby chic
Sheep Ski Designs #12--flowers
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--use flowers
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends--anything goes
Inspiration Destination #145--anything goes
Creative Fingers #143--anything goes

Tag
Time Out Challenge #104--be bold
Pixie's Crafty Workshop #321--anything goes with snippets
Crafty Calendar--add a tag or make one
Just for Fun--die cuts

Sympathy

This is one of the cards I made last week when I got a chance to just "play" with some new stamps.  This is a gorgeous layering set from Altnew so actually I really was playing to see how all the layers worked.  And the sentiment is from a set I received at Christmas and had yet to ink that up.

Supplies:
Stamps: Altnew "Garden Treasure"; Stampendous "Sincere Sentiments"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle

Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #160--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #324--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Crafty Creations #361--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #198--anything goes
4 Crafty Chicks #392--just add a sentiment
Crafts Galore--anything goes
Sheep Ski Designs #12--flowers
Alphabet Challenge--Y is for your choice
Cardz TV #37--anything goes
heARTful Stamping--anything goes

Under the weather

This is the second card I made using this fun twist on a joy fold.  If you want to see my other card click here.  As I was looking through one of my packs of patterned paper, I came across this umbrella paper and it was a perfect match for the sentiment.

 The print paper is from the same pack and it says "rain, rain, go away . . ."  Such a cute paper pack!
Here is the card partially open:

 And all the way open:

I added the cute little umbrella on the inside to go with the papers and the sentiment on the outside.

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted "Under the Weather"
Dies: Spellbinders "Labels 27" and "Labels 4"; PTI  "Button Stack #2"

Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday--whatever the weather
Pile It On--circles
2 Crafty Critter Crazies #12--anything goes
Die Cut Divas--monochrome
Crafty Hazelnuts' Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Craft Galore--anything goes

Sending TLC

I finally got a chance to "just play" with some stamps I've had for a over a year and haven't had a chance to ink up yet.  Actually, my mother-in-law and I got together and had a stamping day.  It was a lot of fun and it was great to be able to stamp without having to make something specific.  We started off by learning a new (to us) card fold.  It's similar to a joy fold.  This is the first card I created:

 Like I said, I've had this Clearly Besotted stamp set for almost a year and a half and haven't use it yet.  But I will probably be using it more often now; it's so adorable and so sweet for get well cards.  This little bear is so cute and the blanket was just begging to be paper pieced.  Here it is partially open:

 And all the way open:

I stamped the sentiment inside and added a few of the accessory images to dress it up.  I had so much fun with this fold and the stamp set that I made a second card I will be posting as soon as I add the finishing details.

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted "Under the Weather"
Dies: Spellbinders "Labels 4", "Labels 27", "Classic Circles, large" and "Scalloped Circles, large"; MFT "Blueprints 12" flowers

Challenges:
Fussy and Fancy Challenge #206--favorite colors (my absolute favorite combination for cards is pink and green)
Penny's Challenge #369--anything goes
Crafty Gals #160--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #324--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Crafty Creations #361--anything goes
As You Like It--single or multiple layers (I definitely love layers, it adds texture and interest and allows you to use mixes of patterns and colors)
Cute Card Thursday #519--anything goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge #198--anything goes
4 Crafty Chicks #392--just add a sentiment
Crafting with an Attitude #37--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Dies R' Us #92--use pastel colors
Penny Black--feature a creature
Creatilicious #134--anything goes with the optional twist: girly
2 Crafty Critter Crazies #12--anything goes
Pile It On--Cirlces
Try Stampin--or Not--On Tuesday #2--tic tac toe (I used the center column: coloring, flowers, scallops)

Start Again

It's March and that means it's time for a new challenge from the Love To Scrap Challenge Blog.  This month the challenge is Anything Goes and our sponsor is Blank Page Muse (formerly Sin City Stamps).

And here is my card for your inspiration:

Mixed Media projects are totally out of my comfort zone, but the stamps sent to me by Blank Page Muse were just begging to be used on such a project.  So, I gave it my best shot and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.  I started out with watercolor paper and gelatos: a light blue, brown, coral (which I love because it has a nice shimmer to it) and a tiny bit of gold all of which I mixed with water and painted onto the paper.  After drying it with my heat gun (because I am way too impatient to let it dry on its own), I stamped the bird cage image randomly over the sheet with a dark gray.  Then I randomly stamped the clock face with versmark and heat embossed them with gold embossing powder.  I then used a heart stencil and Black Soot Distress Oxide ink to stencil the lower left hand corner. I heat embossed the bird image with gold embossing powder on a bit of paper I water colored with the coral gelato and fussy cut it out.  I stamped part of the sentiment on a piece of water colored paper painted with the light blue gelato and inked the edges with the black soot distress ink.  I stamped the rest of the sentiment directly on the image panel.  I die cut some clock hands from black and swiped some gold gelato over top to highlight them.  I finished everything off with some clear texture dots and heat embossed the edges of the panel with vintage blue frantage powder.  I love the sparkle in it, you can see the glitter in the photo below.

After I finished my card, I realized that their was a feather in my bits and pieces stash that I had meant to pair with these stamps, so . . . I had to make another card.  Another mixed media type card; I think I'm actually starting to enjoy it. : )  Here is card #2:

I am so excited to finally get to use this feather.  It has been in the stash for a really, really, really long time and I had pretty much despaired of every using it.  But it worked perfectly with these stamps and this style of card.  I used the same coral/peach and light blue gelatos as the first card.  This time I mixed them with a little bit of water and painted stripes on a dry piece of water color paper.  It gives a bolder look.  Then I used some very watered down silver/gray gelato to paint on through a stencil to add a little bit more interest to the background.  Originally I had stamped the sentiment directly onto the background, but it didn't stamp well, so I stamped it onto a scrap piece of water color paper that I had been experimenting on.  The yellow makes me think of a sunrise so it works perfectly with the sentiment.  I die cut a clock face out of vellum and the clock hands out of a light gray, then I smeared some of the coral, blue and yellow gelatos on with my finger to give them a bit of antiquing.  The little heart was in my bits and pieces stash; I colored it with the blue gelato to match.  And the bird was left over from the first card after I decided I wanted to use the gold embossed one.  So, this card uses up a bunch of those little "bits".  

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

Supplies:
Card #1:
Stamps: Blank Page Muse "Bird Small Butterflies Flourishes Art Rubber Stamp", "Every Day Is a New Beginning", "Free As a Bird Word Art Stamp", "Steampunk Watch Face" and "Small Vintage Bird Cage"
Dies: PTI "Hands of Time"
Stencil: MFT "Tiled Hearts"

Card #2:
Stamps: Blank Page Muse "Bird Small Butterflies Flourishes Art Rubber Stamp", and "Every Day Is a New Beginning"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 25" stitched rectangle; PTI "Hands of Time"; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps heart die
Stencil: Stamplorations "Flourishes"

Challenges:
Card #1
Blank Page Muse--blue, hearts and time
Sweet Stampers #11--things with wings
Southern Girls--nature
Creative Fingers #143--anything goes
heARTful Stamping--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday--in my garden
Shopping Our Stash #343--stashed stencils
Addicted to Stamps #281--anything goes


Card #2
Inspiration Destination #145--anything goes
Crafty Creations #361--anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #324--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner #160--anything goes
Penny's Challenge #369--anything goes