End of 2018

This Fall the All Dressed Up FB page offered this cute image, named "Girls Christmas Stocking" as a freebie. I love the sweet little stocking that she is holding, but when a friend asked if I could make her a Valentine's card to send to her 4-year old, purse-loving, granddaughter I decided to "extend" the use of this image for that purpose. [A friend introduced me to the concept of extending the use of stamps/digis by adding or changing portions of an image to give them a different theme and/or feeling.] I turned this Christmas image into a Valentines card by simply placing  a 3-D purse sticker on top of the stocking. The little purse actually has an opening that the grandma can fill with a small treat or shiny quarter. Since the little girls favorite things are pink and ballerinas, I used a pink color scheme and made a tutu from a scrap of pink tulle [with hot pink sparkly spots.] The inside sentiment is a digi from Eureka Stamps.

Am entering this card into several challenges including Bugaboo BINGO- middle row: Monochromatic, pearl and lace.  

 

Entered into: 

All Dressed Up- Anything Goes                                               (alldressedupchallenges.blogspot.com)

All Dressed Up- Anything Goes- Seasons/Holidays            [FB]

Bugaboo Stamps- BINGO                                                         (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)
Mod Squad Challenge- Love is in the air                               (modsquadchallenge.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Twisted Thursday- Anything Goes   (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

I needed a wedding card and decided to use a colorful Zentangle Champagne bottle that I clipped from a planner a few years ago. [I do so love to upcycle things.] Made a layered background with patterned paper and then attached the champagne bottle  image with gold photo corners.  Stamped "Mr. & Mrs." [image is off wood mount, but I think it' from an old Stampin' Up set] on a small strip of vellum and positioned it on the bottle label. Embossed a Posh Impressions "Best Wishes" sentiment in gold on a strip of vellum. Layered this atop a strip of sage green paper. [Instead of using double stick tape, which will show through the vellum, I cut two slits in the sage green paper and slipped the ends of the Best Wishes vellum into these slits. Taped them down on the backside to secure the vellum in place.]  

Entered into: Wedding Champagne

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Party Time                  (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes     (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

I found this sweet image [a freebie] a while ago at TLC Creations and love it because the little girl looks like the daughter of a dear friend. Needed a get well card and decided this image is sure to brighten my sick friends day. The sentiment is a freebie from Desert Diva.  

Entered into: 

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge-Get Well Soon                 (wecraftcards.com/forum)

Cute Card Thursday- #562 Anything Goes                               (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Word Art Wed Challenge- #366-#367 Anything Goes           (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

I just love this cute little Christmas Mouse that was a free gift this month on the Whimsy Stamps and Inspiration FB page. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers, did a bit of paper piecing on the ornament, adding a silver foil ornament topper and a bit of sparkly silver gel pen to the ornament hanger. The HoHoHo ribbon was an after Christmas find at JoAnnes last year, and the sentiment is a TLC Creations freebie from the Doing Life Blog 

Entered into: 

Whimsy Inspirations- #110 Anything Goes (FB)                              (whimsyinspires.blogspot.com)

Doing Life- Create with TLC Challenge #25                                       (desiref.blogspot.co.za)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #418 Anything Goes   (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

The Paper Shelter- #366 Anything Goes                                             (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Outlawz Challenges- Sat Paper Ala Mode- Warm Winter Wishes  (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Snowball Fight

Note- I appreciated that one visitor notified me none of my links worked. Not sure what happened but I just redid them. So... if they are not working, please note that in a comment. Thanks. 

For this week's challenge at QKR Stampede, I made a card using a Eureka digi image (ES-digi3204 Bear in Scarf Digital Stamp) that you can find at Stamp On It 
I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and a white gel pen. Had fun using some scrapbook supplies [patterned paper, snowflake punches and metal sentiment tag] to spotlight the cute little snowball launcher. The final bit of bling was added with a snowflake cut from an upcycled holiday card. The inside sentiment it a favorite freebie from TLC Creations 

PS To see more fun cards, stop on by the QKR Stampede where the weekly challenges are always Anything Goes and prizes are awarded. 

Entered into: 

The Cutie Pie Challenge #130 Add a Little Sparkle           (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes          (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Dec           (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Happy Little Stamper- Christmas-Anything Goes             (happylittlestampers.blogspot.com)

I won 10 free images in Bugaboos Christmas Challenge and this is one of the sweet images that I rescued from my very large wish list. It's named "Snowmen Snowflakes Collage" and was fun and easy to color. Of course, I needed to complicate things by cutting the squares out… mainly because of ink bleed… but I liked the result. This is the last strip of this elegant lace from my mom's stash [but I have tons more of other types of lace so no worries.] I used this lace because I thought it looked a bit like icicles, a perfect fit for a snowy card.  The Hello die cut is from a packet of misc items that I purchased from Joannes and the inside sentiment is a favorite digi from QKR [Q-digi16108 Thinking of You, you can find it at Stamp On It]  One reason I like this sentiment is that it gives me a reason to use one of my beloved puffy heart stickers [from a pack I found at Walmart that contains 113 assorted puffy hearts  for just 99 cents!] Am entering the card into Bugaboos current BINGO challenge, using the items in the last column for a Bingo- Bugaboo image, lace and blue.

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- BINGO                                                                       (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Twisted Thursday- Anything Goes                 (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Cute Card Thursday- #562 Anything Goes                                         (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Had fun using a past freebie from Gerda Steiner for this cute card. [A few freebies are available on the site. Others are sent out occasionally in their newsletter. Find the freebies and sign up for the newsletter here ] I remembered making an easel cookie card a while ago that I really liked, so did a bit of checking and found it here. I  sketched a large circle that would fit on an A2 sized card onto a scrap of kraft cardstock. Added an uneven "edge" and sketched a few chips to make the circle into a cookie. Lastly, added a bit of texture with a tan marker, then used markers in several shades of brown, and a white gel pen to bring the yummy chocolate chips to life. The sweet little mouse didn't have a tail that was showing, so I added one swirling off to his left side. Isn't he adorable [and I'm not a lover of mice... the real ones I mean.] 

The sentiment is from a Tiddly Ink's sweet set named "Cookie Bugg and Extras." [available on sale right now for just $1.50 here]
Am entering this is several challenges including Simon Says Monday's "Party Time" theme. At our house, warm cookies are a reason to party... especially warm out of the oven with milk. Yummmmmy.  

 

Entered into: 

Gerda Steiner Designs- Share Your Designs Challenge         (gsd-stamps.com/blogs/share-your-designs)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Party Time                            (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #366-#367 Anything Goes           (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Dec 26th

Wanted to make a card for the Outlawz Challenges- Twisted Thursday- "Decorative edge." The beautiful Holly image is upcycled from an old Christmas card [so I don't know the company that makes it]. I decided to make an elegant card, adding copper colored Nuvu Drops, copper-colored cardstock trimmed with a Fiskars Decorative scissors [Victorian pattern] plus cardstock in burgundy and navy blue. The sentiment on the front of the card is from a Lili of the Valley digi sets named "Christmas Wishes." The source of the inside sentiment is unknown as I pulled the rubber from its wood mount a few years ago.
Am entering the card into a few other challenges including "If You Give a Crafter a Cookie"" [card features festive colors and image, plus the swirly background resembles frosting.]

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenges- Twisted Thursday- Anything Goes- Decorative Edge       (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #109                                                                          (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

CAS-ual Fridays- #215 Dry Embossing                                                                     (CAS-ualfridays.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                                           (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

I love this cute image named "Latte Lizzie" from a company named Whimsie Doodles that is no longer in business. I'm glad that I have a lot of their images as they are wonderful. The sentiment on the front of the card is from a Beccy's Place digi set named "True Beauty" and the sentiment on the inside of this card is a freebie from  TLC Creations 

Entered into: 

Double D’s Challenge- Let It Snow                                                         (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Sat Paper Ala Mode- Warm Winter Wishes    (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes                    (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Dec                     (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #366-#367 Anything Goes               (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

For this card for the Little Scraps of Heaven [LSOH] monthly challenge, I followed the sketch and used a LSOH digi image named "Bear with Ornament" which as the weekly freebie earlier this month.  [See the current freebie at LSOH Designs ] The sentiment on the inside of this card is a freebie from  TLC Creations  (Am entering this card into a few other challenges including Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge [i used several of the colors in the inspiration photo.] 

 

Entered into: 

Little Scraps of Heaven- December [Sketch]                                 (lshdesigns.blogspot.com)

The Cutie Pie Challenge #130 Add a Little Sparkle                      (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge                                               (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #417 Anything Goes   (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Made this card with two freebies- Beccy's Place digi image, "Wine Bottle and Wedding Rings"  and a fun 'I need a HUGe Glass of Wine" sentiment (from thedecoratedcookie FB page ). I made the base of the card by first inking up an old Pinterest wood mounts speckly stamp with gold pigment ink and covering an A2 sized card made with tan parchment paper. After using a heat gun to make sure that the pigment ink was set, I gently smooshed burgundy and hunter green pigment ink pads onto the card front.  While the ink was still wet, I sprinkled stardust embossing powder on the card, shook off the excess and heated it. The grape vines that drape over the wine bottle were made with an old Stampin' Up set named "Decorative Grapes" [one of the first stamp sets I ever bought back in the 90's.]

Entered into: 
Beccy’s Place Challenge- Dec                                 (beccysplace.blogspot.com)
Simon Says Monday Challenge- Party Time       (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Gift Packets

I make packets of cards to give as Christmas gifts for co-workers and the pastors and staff at our church. When putting them together I discovered that I was short a few Valentines and 4^th of July cards. So this weekend I stepped away from finishing Christmas cards to make them. The sparkly silver kiss with sweet vellum tag on a chocolate brown circle is from a Valentine's Day "card candy" exchange last year. I added a few layers of heart cutouts, a tan parchment journaling card, a dotted swiss bow and a few pieces of bling to decorate the card. 

Entered into: 

The Cutie Pie Challenge #130 Add a Little Sparkle                (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

Cute Card Thursday- #561 Anything Goes                               (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Word Art Wed Challenge- #366-#367 Anything Goes           (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

For this 4^th of July card, I used a sweet DigiStamps4Joy image named "Little Miss Liberty." The plastic "celebrate" sentiment on the front of the card is from my scrapbooking stash. I sewed it onto the card with fine fishing line. The inside sentiments are computer generated.

[I just noticed that I forgot to color the flame on her torch. Will need to do that before I put this card in the gift packet!]

Entered into: 

DigiStamps4Joy- #155 Anything Goes                         (digistamps4joy-sa.blogspot.co.za)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Party Time               (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Party Time         (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Dec   (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

I love this little clear stamp set from Lawn Fawn named "Winter Fox." The image is adorable and the sentiment works beautifully for many kinds of cards- birthday, thinking of you, miss you, and more. This time I uncycled a "window" from an old card, mounting it on the front of an A2 card and cutting the window from the card front. I used scraps of patterned paper to make a quilt square. Then, using a die, I cut the quilt into a circle. When I laid the colored image onto the quilt, the background patterns overpowered the little guy. So I added a layer of vellum atop the "quilted" circle.  I stamped the sentiment from the set onto white cardstock and cut it into a circle, which I layered onto two additional circles. I die cut another circle in white cardstock, the die cut three more circles for layering. I hand-lettered a small "hello" onto the white circle, attempting to match the font in the Lawn Fawn sentiment. The final touch was to add assorted stickers onto the front and inside of the card.

Entered into: 

Double D’s Challenge- Let It Snow                                                                                            (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Warm Winter Wishes  (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

A2zscrapbooking Monthly Challenge- Winter Wonderland  (Logo)         (a2zscrapbookingblog.com) 

My final card in this posting is a simple, corner folded Christmas card. [I found instructions on Pinterest, but simplified the process by just folding a bottom corner up, then adhering a circle cut from cardstock atop the fold.] The sparkly apron and oven mitt are from a Christmas Card Candy exchange from a few years ago. I love the polka dots in the images and decided to use polka dots in the papers and ribbon that I used in my card. The sentiment is from my scrapbooking stash.

Entered into: 

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #109                                             (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                               (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #417 Anything Goes  (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Christmas and a Wedding

This weeks' Confetti Challenge at Power Poppy is to make a tag. I used a pre-cut tag, scraps of patterned paper, a bit of yellow vellum and sparkly stars punched from upcycled cards to make the tag. The paper pattern includes a nativity related sentiment/song lyrics, so I used a wonderful Baby Jesus image form a Beccy's Place digi set named "Lamb of God" as the tags focal point. Added two short strips of sheer ribbon and the tag is done.

 

Entered into: 

Beccy’s Place Challenge- Dec                                                             (beccysplace.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greetings- Merry Christmas        (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Tag You're It                             (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2018/12/creative-confetti-tag-youre-it.html)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Dec                       (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #417 Anything Goes    (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Leann’s World progressive challenge on FB for December offered an adorable digi name "Priya" that is available right now for just $1 [at www.etsy.com/listing/667345033/priya-digital-stamp] Used my Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen to add color. The sentiment is computer generated. [After I took the photo I realized that the inside sentiment has the wrong punctuation. It needs a ? not an !]

Entered into:  

LeAnnes World- Challenge #16 [FB]                          (www.facebook.com/groups/1836531013324656)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Party Time             (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Party Time       (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Cute Card Thursday- #561 Anything Goes                (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

I always love creating with the Little Scraps of Heaven [LSOH] digi images and this card is no exception. Following this month's challenge Sketch as my guide, I used a LSOH image named "Vintage Snowman" [available now for just $1 at www.littlescrapsofheavendesigns.com/Item_788/Vintage-Snowman.htm] 

The sentiment on the front of the card is from a Beccy's Place digi set named "True Beauty." The inside sentiment is a freebie from Birdscards [www.birdscards.com/snow-scene-card/]

Entered into: 

Little Scraps of Heaven- December  [Sketch]                          (lshdesigns.blogspot.com)

Double D’s Challenge- Let It Snow                                            (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

CAS-ual Fridays- #215 Dry Embossing                                     (CAS-ualfridays.blogspot.com)

Happy Little Stamper- Christmas-Anything Goes [Snow]    (happylittlestampers.blogspot.com)

Di’s Digi Stamps- Winter Holidays                                             (disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Outlawz Challenges- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Warm Winter Wishes  (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

I recently won a few Time for Tea digi images and used one this weekend to make a wedding shower card. The beautiful image is called "Wedding Belle" [Isn't that a nice play on words?] The sentiment on the front and the inside sentiment are both freebies from Papercraft magazine [papercraftsmag.com/content_downloads/mrandmrs_copy.jpg] and [papercraftsmag.com/content_downloads/Happily_Ever_After_12542.jpg] The final touch was adding a little bling to the card with gold photo corners. Am entering this card into several challenges, including the Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge. 

Entered into: 

Time for Tea Challenge- Anything Goes  [FB or web]              (etsy.com/uk/shop/TimeForTeaDesigns)

The Paper Shelter- #366 Anything Goes                                     (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #366-#367 Anything Goes             (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

DigiStamps4Joy- #155 Anything Goes                                        (digistamps4joy-sa.blogspot.co.za)

Outlawz Challenges- Wednesday Sketch                                    (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)