Three Lovelies

I loved the reminder to make more children’s cards in this week's challenge at The Paper Shelter. For this card, I cropped the image in their set named “Not Exactly a Big Bad Wolf” to highlight the pensive look on the beautiful little girls face.  Paired with the background that is part of the set, and a few snowflakes dies from Lawn Fawn, the scene matches the computer-generated sentiment perfectly. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen, cut a circle of fake fur fabric for her hat’s pompom and raised the image a big with foam tape. So pretty!

 

Entered into:  

The Paper Shelter- #405 Card for a Child

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Winter Wonderland

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Stockings or Other Winter Clothing

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #607 Anything Goes

Polkadoodles Challenge-Week 45 Anything Goes                                  

Classic Design Team Challenge- #11 November

This next card, created for the current Butterfly Challenge features flowers from my garden that I pressed in an old phone book, an oval die-cut, and a wonderful digi sentiment from Eureka  Stamps that you can find HERE for just $2. The challenge is named “O is for One Layer Card” I didn’t meet that challenge (hardly ever do!!!) I did meet the following requirement- Color: Olive (pressed flower leaves), Orchid (one of the layers behind the sentiment) and Theme: Only one Extra Embellishment (vellum butterfly sticker) and Oval.

Entered into:  

Butterfly Challenge- #131 O is for One Layer Card           

Simon Says Monday Challenge-Thinking of You                                   

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Thinking of You                              

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Nov                                  

Let’s Craft and Create- #153 Anything Goes (Nov option- Thank You/Thankful)

My final card for this posting features a lovely image and sentiment from Power Poppy named “Snowy Church.” I followed this week's Sketch in the Creative Confetti Challenge, coloring the image with Spectrum Noir markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen. After getting the layers of patterned paper, ribbon, and image adhered to the card front, I added Polar Flower Soft to create the wonderful snowy texture. So fun! (BTW- the wonderful striped background is actually on the front of a premade Christmas card. I picked up a box of them for 90% off at Goodwill this Spring. The inside sentiment is stamped with a vintage Azadi Earles wood mount,  I decorated with a bit of paper and ribbon to match the front.

 

Entered into: 

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Sketch It Out!

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #412-413 Anything Goes                   

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #482 (Optional twist- Christmas)

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                       

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #463 Anything Goes                 

A Trio Of Cards

I love this sweet image from Bugaboo named Tooth Fairy Sleeping and created a cardstock placard that features the little cutie, stars, and a vellum envelope to hold the tooth bounty! It meant to be leaned against a bedside table lamp or bureau top so that the lucky recipient doesn’t risk losing the new cash in the blankets! I colored the winged cutie with Spectrum Noir markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen. The “Believe” sentiment is a digi from Eureka Stamps that you can find HERE. I'm entering this card into several challenges including the We Craft Cards Monday TicTacToeChallenge- first column: Die Cuts,  Metallic and Animal or Bird (I googled and fairies are considered “Mythical Creatures” and creatures are animals, right?!)

 

 

Entered into:  

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- TicTacToe

The Paper Shelter- #405 Card for a Child

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                       

Bugaboo Stamps- Anything Goes

Do-Al[l] Creative- #35 Anything But A Card  

This is my final entry into the Coffee Lover’s Blog Hop features a wonderful image from Little Blue Button named Coffee Love. I colored the pretty miss with Spectrum Noir markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen. The sentiment, found on a Her View From  Home FB posting, is computer generated. (I laugh every time I read it! My husband guffawed when I shared my card with him. So fun!)  The layout was drawn from the current Bugaboo Stella Says Sketch Challenge. I am also entering it into several other challenges include Simon Says Wednesday “Thinking of You” (because I do think about cake a lot!), and Outlawz Tuesday color challenge (I used several of the yummy rich colors in my card.)

 

 

 

Entered into: Little Blue Button Stamps-Coffee Love

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop- Fall/Winter 2019

Bugaboo Stamp- Stella Says Sketch Challenge #718                              

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Thinking of You                              

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge (Photo)

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #607 Anything Goes

Classic Design Team Challenge- #11 November

My final card for this posting highlights a free Merry Christmas sentiment from Desert Diva (there are three free versions from which to pick.)  The pretty ornament is from a Little Blue Button digi set named "Christmas Joy."  I colored it with a few red Spectrum Noir markers, added highlights with a white gel pen, and added a rhinestone center. Finish it off with plaid Christmas paper, a bit of green embroidery floss tied into a bow and some gold thread to hang it from the sentiment… and tada!  

 

Entered into:  Little Blue Button Stamps-Christmas Joy

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #412-413 Anything Goes                    

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #462 Anything Goes                 

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Nov                                  

Fun Times

It’s Friday, so time for another challenge at QKR Stampede!  Stop by the challenge, which is always “Anything Goes” and several prizes are awarded. Maybe you’ll be inspired to enter a card or two yourself? My DT card features a fun digi from Eureka Stamps named “Bundled Up Moose .” I colored the cutie with Spectrum Noir Coloring System alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen. (I absolutely love his baggy leg warmers!) I printed off a few copies of the image, coloring, fussy-cutting and layering them with foam tape to add some depth. A bit of Polar White Flower Soft adds some soft texture. I framed the regal beast on the front of a boxed Christmas card, adhering him atop a few colors of cardstock.  The inside sentiment is actually on the inside of the boxed card, which I decorated with a sticker I picked up at Hobby Lobby

 

Entered into:

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Stockings or Other Winter Clothing

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #607 Anything Goes

Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #462 Anything Goes                 

Sheepski Designs- #32 Christmas Is Coming

Incy Wincy Designs-Animals                                                                 

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- #32                                                       

This week's sponsor for the Colour Crazy Challenge is All Dressed Up and I created my DT card with a great image named “Three Little Party Girls”. I colored the sweet image with Spectrum Noir markers, a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen and a silver gel pen. The inside sentiment is a freebie from TLC Creations. You can find it HERE. (I love this digi because I have two sisters and we’ve loved dressing up since we were very young. I had fun using appropriate hair colors and also using our favorite colors in each of “our” dresses. I’m going to make another of these cards so that I can send one to both Carol and Judi. They will love them!) 
I’m entering this card into several challenges: Outlawz Sunday Songs and Rhymes- Over the River  and All Dressed Up Christ is Coming (my sisters and I especially liked dressing up for Christmas. Our grandparents loved it… especially when we wore matching dresses. So… mom pushed for that loooong after we still enjoyed being all matchy-matchy!), Simon Says Monday and Wednesday Challenges (I’m so very thankful for my two sisters and will be sending each one of these cards with a “thinking of you” note. We text often, but it’s not the same as a handmade card!) and lastly the Outlaws Tuesday Color Challenge (the rich browns, rusts, and  blues in my card match the inspiration photo, and the three cuties are almost as sweet as the pictured treats!) 

 

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenges- Songs and Rhymes- Over the River

All Dressed Up-FB Challenge Christmas is Coming                              

Simon Says Monday Challenge-Thanks/Thanksgiving                          

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Thinking of You                              

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge (Photo)

All Dressed Up- Anything Goes- #98 Anything Goes                             

I love this cute image named “Fluffy Gustav the Coffee Monster” from a blog named Useless Trinkets. (And the great news is that it’s a freebie! You can find it HERE. But wait… there is more great news. There are several other free images… and many have a coffee theme. How great is that?!) I colored Gustav with Spectrum Noir markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen. The free sentiment also comes from the UselessTrinkets link (and there are also many other freebie sentiments.) I easily made the sentiment into a talk bubble with my Word program. Want to know how? Then read on.

 Talk Bubble Instructions- 
1) Copy and paste the desired sentiment on to a document. 
2) Click “Insert” on the toolbar. 
3) Click “Shapes” 
4) Scroll down to “Callouts” 
5) Select the shape of the talk bubble you prefer. Your pointed icon will turn to a “+”
6) Position the “+” onto your document over the sentiment and click to drop the talk bubble in place. It will probably not be transparent and will blot out your sentiment. Don’t’ worry just move on. 
7) Click on the talk balloon to highlight it, then click “Shape Format” on the toolbar.
8) Click on “Shape Fill” 
9) On the drop-down menu click “No Fill” and your talk bubble will magically appear!  
10) To change the color of the outline, click on the talk balloon, the ‘Shape Format” on the toolbar, then “Shape Outline” 
11) On the drop-down menu select your preferred color and weight (thickness) for the talk balloon. 
12) You should now be able to move the talk balloon by clicking on it, “grabbing” one of the outlines and move it where desired.  To change the size, click on the dots in the corners and pull to adjust as desired. To change the position and length of the “talk tail” click on the colored dot at its tip… and move/pull it until you get the look that you want.  (I just made up that title! I’m talking about the little arrow part of the talk bubble.) Sometimes it takes a bit of time to negotiate the shape, size, and position of the talk bubble for an image… but with practice, you can create these little additions in a snap. And they are so very easy to fussy-cut and adhere.

I’m entering this card into several challenges including two with CAS related themes (If you follow my blog, you’ll agree that this card is about as CAS as I get. I hope it qualifies!!)

 

Entered into:  

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop- Fall/Winter 2019

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- C&S ONE LAYER
The Sisterhood of Crafters- CAS

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #412-413 Anything Goes                   

Classic Design Team Challenge- #11 November

Let’s Craft and Create- #153 Anything Goes (Nov option= Thankful- as in so very thankful for coffee!)

Coffee anyone?

Hello! It’s the first Thursday of the month, so time for a new challenge at Imagine That Digi Stamps. For my DT card, I used a digi, sentiment and patterned paper from an Imagine That set named Coffee Boy.  The card front features the cute boy, colored with Spectrum Noir Coloring System alcohol markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen, layered atop one of the papers from the set, plus a paper scrap and a fun sentiment from my scrapbook stash. The inside sentiment is also from the digi set. It's hard to see in the pics, but I did add a few golden brown gems on the front and inside of the card to give the card a bit of bling. 

One added note- The designer/owner of Imagine That, Kris Breach, provides her DTs with a coupon code that allows any friends a discount on their next digi order. If you stop by the shop I know that you'll find lots of digis you'll want to add to your collection. Then, make sure to enter your card into this months challenge with an "Anything Goes" theme for a chance to win a $12 coupon to the Imagine That Digistamp shop, or a Top 3 award which includes 2 free digi sets of your choice and an invite to be our Guest Designer in the next challenge!  You can find the full rules HERE.

Entered into: 

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop- Fall/Winter 2019

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge (Photo)

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #607 Anything Goes

Classic Design Team Challenge- #11 November

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Nov                                  

There are several autumn challenges right now and I wanted to make a card to enter into them. I decided to put this sweet digi named  Bugaboo Scarecrow Sitter to work, perching him with foam tape on a bale of straw (made with a retired Art Impressions stamp.)  The wonderful background image named “Harvest Night” was created by artist Shell Becker. Shell is currently a DT at Outlawz where she donated this scene to be the November 2017 Progressive Challenge image. (I’m checking to see if the digi is available for purchase anywhere and will post that info when I receive it.) I colored the scarecrow with

Spectrum Noir Coloring System alcohol markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen and layered orange vellum over the background scene. I will be sending this card to my 96-year-old MIL as a Thinking of You card. She recently moved into a memory care facility and I try to send cards regularly to brighten her day. This one is sure to do the job!

 

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday- 

Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Autumn Colors             

Bugaboo Stamps- Anything Goes
Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #106

Di’s Digi Stamps- Colors of Autumn                                                      

Polkadoodles Challenge-Week 44 Anything Goes                                  

I wanted to make another card for the Christmas Cards All Year Round Challenge "Stockings and Other Winter Clothing." I used the tutorial found HERE to create a star fold card for the base, attaching snow patterned paper and assorted stickers. Upon this fun fold card, I perched a sweet little snowman made with a free candybar wrapper digi that you can find HERE.  I sketched a snowman shape around the image, then trimmed it to size. Since the image is precolored, I just added a "winter scarf" made with a strip of blue ribbon that I tied around his neck. I let the ends hang free so they can blow in the winter wind! I'll be sending this card to a friends 5-year-old daughter, jotting a note inside and folding a few treats into the folded center. I think she'll love it!

 

Entered into:  

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Stockings or Other Winter Clothing

The Paper Shelter- #405 Card for a Child

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #117 Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #412-413 Anything Goes                   

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                       

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #462Anything Goes  
Fabrika Fantasy Challenge- #36 Wintertime

Chocolate, Coffee & a Butterfly

Last weeks challenge at wecraftcards was to make a wreath out of individual stamps. Since mostly use digi images these days, I wasn’t sure what I’d make. But digging through my stamps I found two wood mount cookie stamps that I’ve had for a few decades. (They were made by a sweet couple in my hometown. After they retired, they started a rubber stamp business in their basement and sold them at craft fairs across the Midwest. I designed several images for them to make into stamps… and these cookies were two of those images. It was so fun to play with them… but it made me really hungry for cookies! I cannot find the source of the sentiment on the front right now but will add that info here when I do stumble upon it. Since I have thousands of digis in hundreds of folders on my laptop… sometimes I can’t locate them by name. However, I do know that the sentiment on the inside is from a Tiddly Inks digi set named Cookie Bugg and Extras. (You can find it HERE for just $1.50!)

Am entering this into several challenges including Outlawz Color Inspiration (photo), 

  

 

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge 

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #117 Anything Goes

Cute As A Button-#50 Anything Goes   Optional Twist- Thankful for You

Let’s Craft and Create- #153 Anything Goes (Nov option- Thank You/Thankful)

I love when the Coffee Lovers hosts a Blog Hop as they always have a ton of great prizes! Their current Fall/Winter Blog Hop has an amazing number of sponsors this year. So… I’m glad I finally found some time to make some cards. This is my second entry. I hope to get more made and entered in the next few days. The image is a free digi from Dearie Dolls named Coffee Chef. You can find this handsome guy HERE.  The wonderful sentiment is computer generated, but I found it on one of my favorite FB pages named Sweatpants And Coffee. Stop by to enjoy regular servings of inspiration, humor and also fun coffee sayings… and be prepared to giggle and/or say “Awwwww.”

 

Entered into:  

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop- Fall/Winter 2019

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #106
Bugaboo Stamps- Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #481  

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Nov                                  

My last card this posting was created for the wonderful Butterfly Challenge. It meets a few of the requirements for the challenge- one Color (olive green in the leaves) and two Themes (A butterfly, which also happens to be one extra embellishment!) Called a "Hidden Message Card" it features an unusual but fairly simple fold technique that I found HERE.  The roses and leaves are stamped with two solid Posh Impression wood-mount stamps, the Butterfly is a sticker from Hobby Lobby, and the sentiments are computer-generated. I sketched and attached a small instruction card that explains how to "open" the cards many layers.

  

Entered into: 

Butterfly Challenge- #131 O is for One Layer Card           

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Thinking of You                              

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- #32                                                      

Classic Design Team Challenge- #11 November