myasperations 4-18-24

     This month’s Progressive Challenge at Outlawz provided a beautiful tulip digi created by Sandra, one of the Challenge's generous artists. I wanted to create shouts of bright colors to herald the arrival of Spring, and a field of tulips from an upcycled calendar page provided the needed inspiration! A black die-cut, B&W dotted ribbon and a few scraps of vellum provide a bit of contrast, helping the colors pop even brighter.  
     I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Sunday Challenge: Calling the Role (the line in the poem that inspires my card is “Present early one and all…O the Joy of Spring.” Right now I have a crop of violets in my small flower garden, so I know that tulips will soon be popping up! Yes to Spring!), and Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge (my card features five of the colors on the wheel), Path Of Positivity Challenge: Power of Words: Love/Relationships (A Mothers Day card encompasses both of these words.)

Supplies: 

·   Upcycled Calendar page featuring a photo of a Tulip Festival in Kansas

·   Free Digi provided for Outlawz Progressive Challenge April 2024 (Sandra’s Amsterdam 

     Tulip)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll gel pens

·   Front Sentiment “Thinking of You”- Victorine Originals Digis (Company no longer in 

     business) 

·   Inside Sentiment-“Happy Mother’s Day” from Imagine That! (The company is no longer 

     in business, and I miss Kris, a lot!) 

·   Sheer black dotted Swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s

·   A2-sized die-cut and other items from my stash.

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenge- Progressive Challenge (April) Amsterdam Tulip

Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Calling the Role   

Outlawz- Tuesday Color Challenge- Color Wheel 

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Love and Friendship (April: Add a flower!)

Cupcake Inspirations- #592 Theme  Challenge  (Flowers)   

Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #120 (Anything Goes Positive- Twist-Power of       

    Words: Love/Relationships)

Allsorts Challenge- Week 776 Spring  (Option AG)

The Paper Shelter- #592 April Showers Bring May Flowers

We Love Stamping-Spring

     A few current challenges have ocean/water themes… so I decided to pull out a digi that I received for participating in last year's MerMay challenge at Sweet November Stamps (SNS) FB challenge. Her name is Brook and she looks wonderful in shades of PINK (which is the theme for the April SNS challenge!)

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Brooke Wavedrifter) MerMay 2023 freebie

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front Sentiment “Aim to be Mermazing” from Sweet November Stamps digi set (Capri)

·   Inside Sentiment- a freebie from Birdscards (Have a Fin-tastic Day)

·   Gold photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 Photo Mounting Corners)

·   Stickles-Diamonds

·  All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Friends of Sweet November (FB) April  

We Craft Cards- Mermaids

Double D’s Challenge- Water Related  

Papercraft Challenges- Challenge #105 Fairies and other Mystical Beings

Art Wednesday Challenge- #643-644

Paper Funday- #64 Anything Goes 

     Back in the late 1990’s I co-owned a stamp store with a dear friend in South Dakota. I found an old notebook from back then with a sketch for making a Christmas elf card with paper scraps plus assorted circle templates and punches. I remembered making one back then, and decided to create one for the current ABC Christmas Challenge “H is for Hats”. Found a bit of fake fur in my stash and a few googly eyes… that provides some added texture. So fun!
     I’m entering my card into several challenges including Park Hopping-My Happy Place (This is another of my favorite challenges… as it has introduced me to many new amusement parks. This card was inspired by Santa’s Village which is on my bucket list!) 
 
Supplies: 

·   Christmas Elf created from assorted paper crafts.

·   Front Sentiment- “Christmas? Bring it on”- Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Finns Scarf) Retired

·   Background Sentiments on front and inside of card from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Gnome 

     Style) Retired

·   HoHoHo and Santa on inside of card are from my scrapbook stash.

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

ABC Christmas Challenge-H and I are for…?  ‘ H is for Hats’

Park Hopping-My Happy Place (April)     Santa’s Village     

Beccy’s Place Challenge- April  

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday (Christmas)

Outlawz Challenge- April 2024 Linky

Snippets- Week #478  

Di’s Digi Stamps- Scraps and Stash  

myasperations 4-17-24

    This is my final card for the current Butterfly Challenge, one of my favs! This card features three of the Colors- Electric Yellow, English Lavendar, Emerald Green  plus three of the themes: Embossing (swirl embossed vellum) Embellishments (black photo corners  and Butterflies.) The yellow one was sketched with a fine-line permanent marker on a scrap of yellow vellum.   I found the light green and lavender butterflies on a scrapbooking site years ago and printed them on vellum (See web link for a free sheet of these butterflies in my supplies list.)

   I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Sunday Challenge: Calling the Role (the poem inspires the flowers and butterfly on my card. To me they reflect the Joy of Spring!)

Supplies: 

·   Vellum Butterflies- freebies from a gorgeous Scrapbooking website HERE.

·   Front Sentiment “With Heartfelt Sympathy”- from Imagine That! (The company no longer in business, and I miss Kris, a lot!) 

·   Inside Sentiment “Wishing You Comfort and Joy”- from Jans Digi Stamps (Basket of Hope) Sadly, company no longer in business.)

·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Butterfly Challenge- #195-E is for Edge to Edge Shaker Card 

Paper Funday- #64 Anything Goes   

Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge- Anything Goes

    This has been a rough year, with so many talented artists closing their shops. This blog posting makes that so very apparent as three of the digis I am sharing are no longer available- Imagine That!, Jan’s Digi Stamps and now Ching-Chou Kuik joins that growing group. It is so sad to see this happening as these artists have become friends to so many of us. We miss them… and wish them the best in the next step of their lives!

    I had fun creating this monochromatic card using Ching-Chou Kuik’s digi named “Christmas Imprint.”  The elegant background paper is from a place offering a large assortment of freebies (including this set with six different designs).

    I’m entering it into several challenges including Park Hopping-My Happy Place (This is one of my favorite challenges… as it has introduced me to many new amusement parks. I found two adventure parks that include snow, one is in Florida (Snowcat Ridge) and the other is in western Wisconsin (Badlands Snow Park, which offers 25 snow covered acres with 7 hills including several of the steepest, tallest, and longest in the country with 5 rope tows during winter months!)

Supplies: 

·   Snowflake Digital Background paper- Free set of 6 Designs from Free Pretty Things for You (FPTFY) available HERE

·   Digi- Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps (Christmas Imprint) Sadly Etsy shop is closed.

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front Sentiment “Merry Christmas” Sticker from Hobby Lobby

·   Pioneer Silver Photo corners- available from several sources

·   Stickles- Diamonds

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Christmas Craft Creations challenge- April-Non-traditional Colors  

Colorful Options Monthly Challenge: April Pastels  (optional rainbow)      

Park Hopping-My Happy Place (April)   

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday (Christmas)

Outlawz Challenge- April 2024 Linky

     I love coffee, and I know that I’m not alone in that passion. So I regularly make coffee-themed cards. This card features one of the first digital images I found on the web. I posted a card made with it on my blog back in May 2017 (HERE.) I also just discovered that it was featured on the Dearie Dolls website HERE so this pudgy little chef has a special place in my heart!  

     The Pop-Up Accordion fold took a little time to put together, but a YouTube tutorial helped with the tedious task and I love the resulting card! Plus, it helped me to use up lots of scraps from my ever-growing collection!

    I’m entering it into several challenges including ABC Christmas Challenge:” H is for Hats” (This cut chef is wearing a hat, which some web research notes is called a Toque and is “an essential symbol of a chef’s expertise and professionalism.”

               

Supplies: 

·    Tutorial for Pop-up Accordion Card HERE

·   Digi- Freebie from Dearie Dolls (Coffee Chef)          

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Inside Sentiment "Delicious Christmas Wishes ” -Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Christmas Cheers

·   Inside Sentiment- “It’s a Wonderful Life… after Coffee” (From my scrapbook stash).

·   Back Sentiment and other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

ABC Christmas Challenge-H and I are for…?   ‘H is for Hats’

Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge- April #28 Coffee and/or Cocoa  

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #643-644

myasperations 4-16-24

     I created this card to enter into the current Simon Says Wednesday Challenge which requires an interactive card. This interactive "flip card" features two (front and back) digi/sentiment images from Eureka Stamps.  I served as a DT for the QKR/Eureka Challenge for several years and was saddened when they closed their online shop last fall. They will re-open if they find a buyer for their stamp lines. I hope that happens, as they offered so many great wood and rubber stamps and digital images.) 

     The light blue star-patterned paper is from a USA Patriotic digi set that Polkadoodles released a few years ago as a freebie. It includes lots of goodies, but I use this paper the most, for many reasons and seasons. I checked and it is still available for just $1.30 in US currency. The link is in my supplies list, plus I posted a WM pic of the set below.)

   I’m entering this card into several challenges including Allsorts Challenge (but instead of making a Spring card, I’m using the optional AG!), Polkadoodles Challenge (mainly because my card features their wonderful paper!), Papercraft Challenges: Fairies and Other Mystical Beings (I think a Wizard falls into that category?)

Supplies: 

·   Digis- Eureka Stamps (One Year Older and Magic Card) (Currently Not Available)

·   Inside Sticker Happy Birthday and sparkly stickers- Hobby Lobby

·   Starry paper-Digital download bundle from Polkadoodles (USA 4th July Celebration)

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Interactive

Allsorts Challenge- Week 776 Spring  (Using Optional theme of AG)

Polkadoodles Challenge- Week #14 AG                                          

Papercraft Challenges- Challenge #105 Fairies and Other Mystical Beings

     This is my second entry into the Butterfly Challenge, one of my favs!  This card features three of the Colors: Electric Yellow, Elegant Rose, and Emerald plus three of the themes: Embossing (white embossed rose spray) Embellishments (white photo corners) and Butterflies.    

   I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Sunday Challenge: Calling the Role  (the poem inspires the flowers and butterfly on my card. To me they reflect the Joy of Spring!)

Supplies: 

·   Scripture Freebie from timewarpwife.com printed on vellum (Vintage Floral Wreath-James 4)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Butterfly Digi printed on Vellum- Eureka Stamps (Currently Not Available)

·   White photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 Photo Mounting Corners)

·   White embossed roses and greenery trimmed from an upcycled wedding card

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into: 

Butterfly Challenge- #195-E is for Edge to Edge Shaker Card   

Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Calling the Role    

Outlawz Challenge- April 2024 Linky

Cupcake Inspirations- #592 Theme  Challenge  (Flowers)   

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #643-644

We Love Stamping-Spring (optional AG)    

    I was happy to discover a few new coffee themed challenges this year. I made this card to fit into two of them: Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge (Coffee and/or hot chocolate  theme) and Christmas Craft Creations challenge (non-traditional colors theme.) A few digi sets from Beccy’s Place provided the yummy mug and sentiments. And, the pretty blue and white Christmas plates on the patterned paper I used for the card remind me of my grandmother's Spode China set that was part of our  holiday feast at my Grandparents farm in Nebraska during my childhood.

   I’m entering this card into several challenges including Park Hopping-My Happy Place (the swirly-twirly shape of the mug holding the yummy beverage makes me think of something you’d see in Dr Seuss Book, so I googled and found a Seuss-inspired park in sunny Florida! Seuss Landing at Universal Studio Orlando!!)

Supplies: 

·   Front Digi from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Christmas Cheers)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front Sentiment  “Sending Love this Christmas” from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Gingerbread Season)

·   Inside Sentiment “Sweet Holiday Wishes” from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Christmas Cheers)

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Christmas Craft Creations challenge- April-Non-traditional Colors 

Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge- April #28 Coffee and/or Cocoa  

Beccy’s Place Challenge- April   

        Since I’m a Contributor for Beccy’s Place, I’m entering just for fun!

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday (Christmas)

Park Hopping-My Happy Place (April)     

Paper Funday- #64 Anything Goes      (Optional Twist: Sweet Treats!)