Skipping a Beat

 I won this adorable stamp set from My Favorite Things and it just came this week. As soon as I saw this cutie and the so sweet sentiment that came with it, I knew it had to be used for a Valentine's Day card for my husband.  I mean, seriously . . . "You Make My Heart Skip a Beat"?  It just had to be!

The card was almost completely inspired by challenges that had expired by the time I got it finish. : (  But I had them stuck in my head and it looked like I imagined so I kept going with it anyway.  I did manage to use up an item from my bits and pieces stash: the white scalloped circle.

Challenges (and inspiration from past challenges):
Sister Act Card Challenge #42--anything goes
My Favorite Things #161--sketch (unfortunately, I didn't finish in time, but I still like the sketch a lot)

One Sweet Challenge--Love
Cutie Pie #62--My cute valentine
Love to Scrap #23--Who Loves you Baby? (use the word LOVE)
The Paper Girls #49--Love your Love
Cuttin' and Stampin' #5--Sweethearts (I was also inspired by the color combo of their previous challenge: pink, orange, gray; sadly, I was also too late for that one!)\

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Text Objects" sentiment, "To the Moon" little heart trio inside, "Happy Valentine's Day" plain jane; My Favorite Things "Jump For Joy" image and sentiment inside
Papers: My Mind's Eye "Collectables";
Dies/punches: spellbinders standard circles, large; SU! scalloped circle punch

Princess Jasmine

Last but not least, my oldest daughter's favorite Disney princess is Jasmine.  I've really loving the look of stamping on patterned paper lately, so I decided to give it a try myself.  My parents had an OLD encyclopedia set that they were getting rid of, so I snagged one to use for text paper.  It worked perfectly to add stamping to it.  So fun!  The largest butterfly was in my "bits and pieces" stash; I just punched two smaller ones to go along with it.  The stash is growing smaller!

Challenges:
Seems A Little Sketchy--sketch

Raisin Boat #19--Valentines
CRAFT #244--Love/Valentine's
Time-Out Challenges--Love/Friendship
Sister Act Card Challenge #42--anything goes
One Sweet Challenge--Love

Supplies:
Stamps: Sassy Studio Designs "Jasmine Honey" digi; Verve "Happy Valentine's Day" plain jane; Clear Dollar Stamps "Elegant Flourishes"
Die/punchess: spellbinders rectangles; Martha Stewart butterfly punch

Princess Ariel

My youngest's favorite princess is Ariel and who can blame her?  I mean, look at that red hair!!  This is the first card I have made in a while that doesn't use something from my "bits and pieces" stash.  I was on a good roll for a while, but don't worry I'm still working on it.  The hearts ARE left over from a border die I used on a previous card, so in a way they are scrap pieces.  But I wouldn't have held on to them, so I don't know if it counts.

Challenges:
Raisin Boat #19--Valentine's
Our Daily Bread Designs #188--use pink, red & white ONLY
Tuesday Throwdown #180--one-layer
Creative Inspirations #250--stamping
CRAFT #244--Love/Valentine's
Sister Act Card Challenge #42--anything goes
Crafty Catz #216--anything goes
V's Sweet Ideas #20--red, white, pink
Cards Galore #2--add a gem, or glitter, or candy or any bling ( I added two rhinestones for her earrings and three for the barrette in her hair; I also added glitter pen on the white parts of her dress)

Supplies:
Stamps: Sassy Studio Designs "Ariel Honey" digi; Verve "Happy Valentine's Day" plain Jane

Belle of the Ball

My three girls love all the Disney movies, specially the ones with the princesses (surprise, surprise!)  I won some digi stamps from Sassy Studio Designs a while ago, and when I saw the princess "Honeys" I HAD to get them.  My middle girl's favorite is Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" so this card is for her.  I managed to use an item from my bits and pieces stash: one of the yellow flowers.  So, I punched out a few more and stuck them together and they work beautifully.  The little hearts, though not technically from this stash were leftovers from a border die I used on a previous card.

Challenges:

Seems a Little Sketchy--sketch

Raisin Boat #19--Valentine's Day

Eureka Stamps #74--anything goes

Milk Coffee Challenge--Valentine's/love

Just Add Ink #200--inspiration photo (I think you can see where my inspiration came from)

Sister Act Card Challenge #42--anything goes

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge #14--flowers

One Crazy Stamper--anything goes

Supplies:

Stamps: Sassy Studio Designs "Belle Honey" digi; Verve "Happy Valentine's Day" plain Jane; SU! hearts background stamps

Dies/punches: Spellbinders rectangles; PTI leaves; flower punch

Dance Partners

Isn't this image so cute?  She just looks like she is dancing her little heart out.  If you've been visiting my blog anytime during the past week, you know I'm working on whittling down my "bits and pieces" stash--those scraps that you can't throw away because it could work for something!  Well, I had one layer of one of these flowers in that stash.  So, I punched out 5 more, crumpled them up and voila!  The stash is disappearing very nicely. : )

Challenges:

Squigglefly #4--Have a Heart, please (they are little and faint, but I have 6 hearts around my sentiment)

Sassy Cheryl #201--Don't be square (my base is a rectangle, and then the circle added to the top.  Definitely NOT a square)

Sweet Stamps #154--lace and hearts

Loves Rubberstamps #88--use lace

Crafter's Cafe #98--use ribbon and/or lace

Sister Act Card Challenge #42--anything goes

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge #14--flowers

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge--anything goes as long as it is covered in patterned paper

Supplise:

Stamps:  Squigglefly Stamps "Dance Partners"digi by Cheryl Alger; Verve "Happy Valentine's Day "plain jane

Dies/punches: spellbinders Floral Doily Motifs; flower punch

Mr. Spike

Time to start on the Valentine's Day cards.  I love sending them to family and a few close friends, specially elderly relatives that probably don't get any other cards.  They need to be reminded that people love them, too.  As I was looking through my digi images, trying to find some that I haven't put in the proper folders yet, I came across this adorable Mr. Spike.  I just had to print him out.  Oh, I almost forgot!  I did manage to use up another scrap from my "bits and pieces" stash: the brown oval.  And do you see the little tiny heart on the the sentiment panel?  It is one of the cut outs from the border: a perfect embellishment.

Challenges:

Wags n' Whiskers--sketch

Word Art Wednesday #117--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Winter Wonderland--Digi Days (for this month it can be non-holiday related)

Sister Act Card Challenge #42--anything goes

One Crazy Stamper--anything goes

Crafty Hazlenut's Patterned Paper Challenge--anything goes, MUST use all patterned papers

Supplies:

Stamps: Clear Dollar Stamps "Mr. Spike" digi and sentiment

Dies: spellbinders classic circles, large and standard ovals, large; Sweet n' Sassy heart dies; Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio" border die

Penguins

Welcome to February!!  That means it's the beginning of another month-long "Anything Goes (as long as it is Christmas related)" challenge at Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.  Seriously, it's "anything goes"; it doesn't get any easier than that!  The sponsor is Bugaboo Stamps and the winner will receive 7 of their adorable images.  This month, I got to work with "Little Winter Penguin".  I think he is soooooo cute.

 So cute, in fact that I couldn't make just one card.  I "had" to make two!  And on both, I managed to use up some items from my "little bits and pieces" scrap stash.  On the black and white one, I had a little bit of the star border hanging around, so I punched a second piece out for the bottom  border and cut a bit off to finish up the top.  The join is behind the little penguin.  I really shouldn't tell you that, but maybe it can be an inspiration to use up some of those little bits you are hanging on to.

The second card didn't use up much of the stash, but the ampersand was hanging out there and it was perfect for this sentiment after I did a little bit of masking and embossing.

Now is the time to getting working on those Christmas cards so you're not all stressed out about it come December!  Come on and play; head on over to the Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra to link up.

CARD ONE:

Challenges:

Your Next Stamp--sketch and inspiration photo (I chose the sketch)

Christmas Card Challenge--anything goes (Christmas)

Eureka Stamps #74--anything goes

Paper Pretties #295--texture (embossing folder, rhinestones and popped up image)

One Sweet Challenge--black and white

Fab n' Funky #201--Christmas

Winter Wonderland--Digi days (must use a digi)

Supplies:

Stamps: Bugaboo Stamps "Little Winter Penguin digi"; Verve "Merry And Bright" sentiment

Dies/embossing folders: Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio" star border; cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder

CARD TWO:

Challenges:

The Squirrel and the Fox #62--embellishments (use at least 2)  I have SU! jeweled brads, ribbon and dies/punches

Tuesday Morning Sketches #234--sketch

Scrap-creations--favorite embellishment (mine is definitely ribbon)

Cutie Pies #61--cute January blues

Lexi's Creations #108--fancy folds (I forgot to take a picture but mine is a gatefold card, top and bottom; the white scalloped border is where it opens)

Frosted Designs--winter blues

Sister Act Card Challenge #42--anything goes

Supplies:

Stamps: Bugaboo Stamps "Little Winter Penguin"; Verve "Merry and Bright" sentiment

Dies/punches: Spellbinders Fleur De Lis squares; Martha Stewart scalloped border punch