Saturday, December 30, 2017

Twist & Pop

I was surprised how quickly this card came together. The fun fold is actually pretty easy to make, especially when I followed this tutorial- https://www.maymaymadeit.com/blogs/news/twist-pop-up-card-the-easiest-way-i-could-figure-out  It impressed my sweet hubby. He actually gave a double wow response when I showed it to him!
The cute image and sentiment on my card are from Bugaboo. I provided close-ups of the rock stars on the inside of the card because they are pretty classy with funky glasses, plus I gave them bright streaks of color in their hair (er...wool!)
Entered into: 
We Craft Cards Wednesday Challenge- Twist & Pop        (wecraftcards.com/forum)
Cute Card Thursday- #509- Anything Goes                       (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 
                               
This card features a portion of a stamped image from Art Impressions named Golden Oldies Party Group #U-1552 (the stamp is now retired, but you can see it here). I fussy cut these two cute characters from the image, colored them then layered the card. Finished it off with a small sentiment tag from Lili of the Valley. Am entering it into the current Stella Says Sketch challenge at Bugaboo Stamps.
Entered into: 
Bugaboo Stamp- Stella Says Sketch Challenge                 (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes          (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)
Doing Life- Create with TLC Challenge                               (desiref.blogspot.co.za)
                             
Haven't entered a card into the Word Art Wednesday Challenge for a while. So used an old PSX sentiment stamp, embossing folder and some flowers that I fussy cut to craft this card. Tied up the design with a wonderful bow and ribbon strips that I rescued from a box of Godiva chocolates a few years ago. (I never throw anything away!!) 
Entered into: 
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes               (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Beccy Muir, a favorite and very creative stamp and digi designer from Australia, shared her favorite cards for 2017 on your blog (Beccy's Place) and invited us to do the same on our blogs. Since I started blogging this year, getting to know people like Beccy has been one of the unexpected benefits! Going back and reviewing the hundreds and hundreds of cards and other items I've made was quite fun. Here are my favorites using Beccy's wonderful images. (You can visit her online store here http://beccysplace.com) 
The first ones are from Beccy's digi set named "Seasonal Windows."  Love the scenery and the sentiments show up on many of my cards. So versatile! Just realized that I haven't made a card with the Spring window yet. Will need to do that soon (maybe it will chase the winter cold spell away if I make a card?)



These last two cards use the summer window (enlarged one section of it) and winter window a front & back set of cats from Art Impressions.  

The next few cards are from the Gnomes in my Garden




And a few other misc favorites, from several of Beccy's Freebies (she has LOTS available for free download.) 


Friday, December 29, 2017

Winter Fun

This is my final card for the current AAA Sparkle challenge which I've really enjoyed! The image and sentiment are both freebies from TLC Creations (createwithtlc.blogspot.com) Colored the cute image with alcohol markers, then mounted it onto scrapbook paper that features a spattering of simple snowflakes. Then added a nice amount of glitter to make the card sparkle. The sentiment is mounted on a scrap of glitter paper to add more sparkle. (You can see that more clearly in the close up of the image.)
Entered into:
AAA Card Challenges- Sparkle   (Add logo)                       (aaacards.blogspot.com/)
Doing Life- Create with TLC Challenge                               (desiref.blogspot.co.za)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes          (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)
                             
The current Power Poppy Challenge is entitled 12 Days of Christmas. This is my final entry for Day 11, Festive Beverage Tag. The base of the tag is a Door Hanger. The sweet and slightly drowsy looking penguin is named Finn, a wonderful creation from artist Beccy Muir, owner of Beccy's Place Stamps. She has created several Finn digi images, this one is named "Finns Scarf."  The sentiment is cut from an old greeting card. The tag is hanging on a bottle of Peppermint Schnapps. I wanted to take the box of hot chocolate and a bottle of Schnapps to a holiday party. Had asked my hubby to pick up the  Schnapps, but guess I should have specified that we didn't need a vat of the stuff! 
 
Entered into:
Power Poppy- 12 Days of Christmas (Day 11)  (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2017/12/power-spark-with-twelve-days-of.html)
Beccy’s Place Challenge- December                                       (beccysplace.blogspot.com)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge2- Extra for Dec    (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.com)
                               
My new friend Linda gifted me with a handful of digis of my choice from The Paper Shelter. This digi named "Well Wrapped Up" with her arms spread wide made me think of the wonderful saying "I love you THIS much!" so I made a snowflake card with a Valentine twist. Decided to add a heart on a string to carry out the valentine theme and also to add more depth to the card. I lapped the string behind her thumbs, testing it to make sure it was a little taut when the card was opened, and then taped the heart cutout to the string.  So fun!
Entered into:
The Paper Shelter- Anything Goes                     (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)
Cute Card Thursday- #509- Anything Goes     (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Treats and Sparkles

The current Power Poppy Challenge is entitled 12 Days of Christmas. Am entering this Gingerbread encircled treat holder into the Day 7 Challenge- Altered Container.  Used an empty frosting container and the adorable digi set from Power Poppy.  I love printing them off on kraft brown paper and adding a bit of color with alcohol markers, the finishing the treats with white "frosting" with a white gel pen. Yummy!
Entered into: 
Power Poppy- 12 Days of Christmas-Day  7    (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2017/12/power-spark-with-twelve-days-of.html)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #363 Anything Goes  (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)
                               
I enjoy trying to come up with ways to "extend" my stamps and digis, using them in unusual ways or to follow a theme. This is an example that. On my card, Eureka's "celebrating kitty" stamp is jumping for joy while enjoying a gingerbread cookie. Another little gingerbread guy is trying to hide. I guess that he doesn't want his head bit off!  I'm entering the card into a few challenges including a  Christmas challenge, one at QKR (that sells Eureka stamps),  Pixie's Snippets because I used odds and ends of papers to make the card (a scrap of vellum and holly scrapbook paper, a corn from a red plaid napkin, and small pieces of kraft paper on which I drew and colored the little ginger guys), and Di's Digi Stamps because the theme is Holiday gifts… and I think that Gingerbread is one of the yummiest parts of Christmas. I often package them up to give as gifts. (Will be using the Power Poppy Gingerbread Family digi set to make treat containers like the one featured above!)
The sentiment is from a Beccy's Place digi set named Candy Shoppe. 
Entered into: 
QKR Stampede- #276 Anything Goes       (qkrstampede.blogspot.com)
Di’s Digi Stamps- Holiday Gifts                 (disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)
Pixie's Snippets-  Week 311&312                (pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com) (note want prize in comment)            
Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge2- Extra for Dec      (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.com)

Am having fun making cards that Sparkle for the current challenge at AAA Cards. The sentiment is from a digi set called "Medley of Greetings 1" from tlcCreations (now on sale for $1.80 at http://icraftgifts.com/k/medley-of-greetingsCreated a sparkly butterfly with some gems from my stash plus added a bit more bling with two small rhinestones and silver corner mounts. Lots of deep maroon backdrop makes the card a CAS plus helps the sparkles pop.
Entered into: 
AAA Card Challenges- Sparkle   (Add logo)                       (aaacards.blogspot.com/)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes         (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes             (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)
                             
This beautiful digi, named Lizzy, from Whimsy Stamps was offered as a freebie on the "Whimsy Stamps and Inspiration" FB page in mid-September. I finally had some time to color it. Mounted the sweet image on some tissue wrapping  paper that I found when looking for sparkly things to use on cards for the AAA challenge (in the process discovered that I have enough glitter and glittery things to last a lifetime!) Finished the card off with aqua photo mounts that I've had in my stash forever and a freebie sentiment from desertdiva (desertdiva-hannelie.blogspot.com)
Entered into:
Whimsy Inspirations- Anything Goes                   (whimsyinspires.blogspot.com)
Cute Card Thursday- #509- Anything Goes        (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Coffee, Cake and More!

I recently won a few digi sets in a FaceBook Challenge from a company that was new to me, Crafting Desert Diva. This is one of the sets that I picked, "Coffee Hero." Don't you love him? I created the city scene with compilations of images I found via google. I cut the Batman symbol and spotlight from vellum. Took a little time but I ended up with a fairly simple process. First I cut a small oval from vellum, then sketched and cut the symbol with an Exacto knife from the oval. Next, I sketched a cone shape on the vellum and attached the oval with the cutout on top (with just a small smudge of adhesive.) Also, since I didn't want the adhesive to show, I used the Exacto knife to cut around the one skyscraper and slid the spotlight cone behind it. Then taped that vellum cone to the back of the scene. Also decided to position the spotlight point behindBatman'ss head so that it could be attached without the adhesive showing.) The "But First, Coffee" sentiment is a free digi from here-thechildatheartblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/But-First-Coffee.jpg
Entered into: 
Craftin Desert Diva                                               (www.craftindesertdivasblog.com)
Cute Card Thursday- #509- Anything Goes    (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes          (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)
                               
Made one final card for the current Simon Says Monday challenge. I stamped a birthday cake image that I've had for many years (but don't know the name of the company since I pulled the rubber off of the wood mount). After coloring the image, and adding a "shadow" with a light grey marker, I "frosted" the cake with Liquitex Modeling Paste.  While the modeling paste was still wet, I added "sprinkles" that I made by cutting very thin strips of colored scraps and then clipping their ends into tiny multicolored shreds.  The sentiment is a vintage Hero Arts wood mount stamp, inked with a Kaleidacolor Pastels Rainbow pad.
Entered into:
Simon Says Monday Challenge- Party     (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

My final card for the SumMoreFun Happy New Year challenge is made with a free digi from desertdiva-hannelie.blogspot.comI used the colors from the mood board including metallic, pink and some pink bling!  (Since it has sparkle and is CAS- at least for me- I'm' also entering it into the current AAA Card Challenge.)
Entered into: 
SumMoreFun  Challenge- Happy New Year   (summorefun.com)  
AAA Card Challenges- Sparkle                          (aaacards.blogspot.com/)

Making another snowman card for a few challenges. This one uses a free digi from Little Scraps of Heaven Designs (They offer a freebie every week. This is one of my favs- shdesigns.blogspot.com) I first printed the image on white cardstock, colored it with alcohol markers and then cut it down in size.  I also cut around the outer edges of the mittens with an Exacto knife. Next, I used a few alcohol markers to sketch a wood pattern on a scrap of paper and then cut three strips for the sled. I pulled the gloves up and positioned the sled slats with foam tape before adding a bit of adhesive to the gloves to make them look like they are "holding" the sled. Lastly, poked a small hole beneath the top slats of the sled and pulled a bit of string through them, draping the string over the top of the sled and then taping the string ends to the bottom of the card. Put the layers of the card together, adding black photo corners and a sentiment from a digi set named "Fins Scarf" from Beccy's Place.
Entered into:
Penny's Challenge- Snowmen                                                           (pennyschallenges.blogspot.com.au)
Double D’s Challenge- Baby Its Cold Outside                               (daranddiane.blogspot.com)
Little Scraps of Heaven                                                                      (lshdesigns.blogspot.com)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #363 Anything Goes  (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge2- Extra for Dec             (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.com)