Mid-Month inspiration

Just popping in with some mid-month inspiration for Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.  Think of it as a little reminder to come play along with us.  It is a month-long Anything Christmas Goes challenge.  Doesn't get any easier than that!

Challenges:
Crafty Creations #256--For the Birds
Tuesday Throwdown #182--Roses are Red, Violets are Blue (I know this was probably intended as a Valentine's Day Challenge, but I do have red and blue, and there are even flowers in my patterned paper)
The Stamping Chef #16--anything goes
Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 #6--sketch

C.R.A.F.T. #246--Christmas in February
Sparkles Christmas Challenge--#37--anything goes
Brown Sugar #81--Use a die cut or punch
Sister Act Card Challenge #44--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Whimsy Stamps "Christmas Cardinal" digi; Verve "Ornamental Christmas" sentiment;
Dies: Sweet n' Sassy snowflakes dies (I spritzed them with a bit of Snow Queen Glimmer Mist for a fun sparkle)

Birthday Wishes

I created this card for the Papertrey Ink Challenge of the Day (Feb 13) to create a card using different "building blocks" from each of their designers.  These are the elements I chose (some random, some with a little bit of strategy to go with supplies I actually have)
Ashley--dark chocolate: color 1
Betsy--sweet blush: color 2
Christina--new leaf: color 3
Danielle--Whisper white--neutral color
Dawn--sketch: #4
Erin--Birthday: occasion
Heather--heat embossing: technique (I heat embossed the sentiment)
Lauren--pearls: embellishment
Melissa--ribbon: fiber

Other Challenges:
Verve Floral Fantasy Challenge--add flowers
Sweet n' Sassy Celebration--think spring (flowers--we could definitely use some spring)
Mod Squad--Thinking of Spring
Milk Coffee Challenges--girly
Crafty Ribbons #76--ribbons and bows

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI "Damask Designs" sentiment (selectively inked); Verve "Joyful Blooms" flowers
Dies: PTI border Die
Cardstock: PTI sweet blush; SU! Chocolate Chip

Last batch

Here is my last batch of Valentine's Day cards.  I finished and mailed them out yesterday.  They might arrive in time.  The first one uses a non-traditional color scheme and  a very unique layout.  I think I like it, but not quite sure. : )  I was able to use up some little strips of paper that I just couldn't throw away.  And the butterfly is from my "bits and pieces" stash.  It is slowly growing smaller!

Challenges:

Southern Girls--Bling it, bling, bling

Sentimental Sundays #193--add sparkles, bling, and buttons

Seems a Little Sketchy #58--sketch

Our Daily Bread Designs #190--Love/Valentine's Day with non-traditional colors

Scrap Creations--Valentine's Day

Crafter's Cafe #50--must have hearts (the little orange "flowers" are made out of tiny punched hearts)

Delightful Challenges--Love Notes (hearts, music, letters)

Supplies:

Stamps: Verve "Happy Valentine's Day" plain jane

Punches/dies: PTI leaf die; McGill hearts punch; Fiskars heart cutting template; Martha Stewart butterfly punch

I think this one is so adorable!!  I know the House Mouse mice are usually brown, but gray went with my color scheme much better.  Plus all the mice I have ever seen are gray.

Challenges:

{Pin}spirational Challenge #94--inspiration photo

Tuesday Morning Sketches #236--sketch with the twist of lace & pearls

Sweet Stamps #156--Love

Paper Pretties #297--red, pink & white

My Heart Pieces--Red is the symbol of love

Supplies:

Stamps: House Mouse; Verve "Take Note" sentiment (heat embossed with white embossing powder)

I loved the color/paper combination on the previous card so much, that I used it again on this card.  Plus, I already had all the papers out.  And I even used a piece from my "bits and pieces" stash: one of the white doilies.  It actually has blue patterned paper on the reverse, but the white side works just perfectly for this.  I just die cut a second one to match.

Challenges:

Viva La Verve February week 1--sketch (and I used the red, pink, and gray color scheme)

Cuttin and Stampin--writing instrument (the pencil)

Creative Inspirations #252--Love

Word Art Wednesday #119--anything goes

Crafting by Design--anything for love

Fab n' Funky #203--Love/Valentine

Divas By Design--with love

Charisma Cardz #4--Inspired by a movie (You've got Mail)

Supplies:

Stamps: Verve "Take Note" sentiment, envelope and pencil

Dies: spellbinders "Floral Doily Motifs"

Perk Up

This card if for my Grandmother for Valentine's Day.  She enjoys a good cup of coffee; I thought she would appreciate the coffee theme. : )  Don't you love that little heart button?  I found it in my stash.  No idea where it came from, but it was perfect!

Challenges:

Verve Diva Dare--Perk Up

The Squirrel And the Fox #63--Love

Mojo Monday #332--sketch

Eureka Stamps #76--Love is in the air

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI "Heart to Heart #1"; Verve "Take Note" sentiment; Our Daily Bread Designs "Crochet" background stammp

Dies: PTI "Heart to Heart #1"; 

I love you

Isn't this little cutie adorable?  I thought she was perfect for some paper piecing and even added a little bit of lace for trim on the apron.  And the little speech bubble?  It's adorable too.  I won this set of all sorts of speech bubbles and I figure I would probably never use it.  But I had speech bubbles on the brain and when I went looking I found this one with the heart.  The little heart is embossed and then I inked it up before I took it out of the die.  CUTE!

 Here's a close up of the little sweetie.

Challenges:

Crafter's Cafe #49--1 ribbon, 2 designer papers, 3 die cuts, 4 pearls

Patties Creations #83--use red in your IMAGE

Your Next Stamp #9--sketch

Wags 'n' Whiskers #122--bingo (I chose the row "pearls, heart, ribbon"
Card Mania Challenges #40--Love is all around
Loves Rubberstamps Challenge #90--paper piecing

Supplies:
Stamps: There She Goes "Farm Fresh"; Verve "Take Note" sentiment
Dies: spellbinders A2 rectangles, "Say What?" die; Sweet n' Sassy heart die

Manly Valentine

This is a nice masculine card for my Brother-in-law.  Nothing too froofy.  I think the eyelets add to the masculine look and feel.

Challenges:
Die Cuttin' Divas--sketch

Brown Sugar #80--Valentine's Day
Crafty Catz #217--Love is in the Air
Di's Digis Challenge--Love and/or Valentine's Day

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Happy Valentine's Day" plain jane
Dies: spellbinders A2 rectangles; Sweet 'n Sassy hearts dies

Warm and Fuzzy

This is my Valentine's Day card for my niece.  She's 1 1/2 and just the sweetest thing.  I thought this adorable little lamb and the cute sentiment were perfect for her.  I even managed to use an item from my "bits and pieces" stash: the focal circle.  I think It has blue patterned paper on the back, but the white part worked for me.
 
Challenges:
My Favorite Things #162--sketch

Sister Act #43--anything goes
Fussy & Fancy #67--Be my valentine
Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge #14--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: There She Goes "Farm Fresh"; Verve "To the Moon" little hearts
Dies: Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio Die"; Spellbinders classic circles, large and scalloped circles, large