Another Smorgasbord of Cards

For my final entry into the Power Poppy challenge called "Inspire Me" I loosely CASEd a card made by Elizabeth Zaffarano that was featured on  May 29, 2017 (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2017/05/inspire-me-Monday-coloring-multiple.html) Instead of poppies, I punched leaves in fall colors and added some depth and distressing with Spectrum Noir markers. My braided edge is meant to echo the diamond scoring on the blue. background of my inspiration card  I haven't added a sentiment strip yet, because I am not sure if it will be a Thanksgiving or birthday card. Instead, I added a sheer bow to add additional texture to the card.

 My inspiration-

Entered into: 

Power Poppy- Inspire Me                                              (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2018/07/go-ahead-inspire-me.html)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge-Challenge #205      (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

I love making humorous cards… and they are super easy to create when you can start with a funny digi with a matching sentiment. "Stella and Gus Socks and Sandals" from Bugaboo is a perfect example! I decided to cut the image and sentiment apart to make a gate fold card with a punch line. Once again, upcycled a calendar page photo. Am entering this card into several challenges including Bugaboo Photo challenge (beach scene), wecraftcards Wednesday Challenge (I'm hosting this week and decided to call the challenge  Make  Me Chuckle) , Simon Says Monday Challenge Wild Things (I can't think of anything wilder that Gus on the beach in socks, sandals, and a speedo!)

 

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- July Photo Challenge (Tropical)                    (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Wild Things                              (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

We Craft Cards Wednesday Challenge-Make Me Chuckle        (wecraftcards.com/forum)

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #99 (tropical)                              (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

This All Night Media stamp is dated 1981, so I've had it for about 36 years!  I don't use it very often, but when I do, I usually stamp off the edge of the card so that the naughty cat looks like he is escaping the scene vs. holding a balloon. The sweet little cat print stamp is from Stampendous.. I found the inside sentiment on the internet years ago. Have tried to locate the original author with no luck. However, I did find its first mention online at cyberslayer.co.uk/jokes/diary-of-a-cat-day-751.  

 

Entered into: 

Cute Card Thursday- #540 Too Cute                                              (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #344-345 Anything Goes     (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

I usually enter several cards into the SumMoreFun challenge and realized, with all the Christmas card making, I've not entered ANY for the current challenge. I remembered that I had some swirly patterned papers in my stash and used it to make a paper pieced butterfly card. I drew on some really curly antennae, outlined the paper pieced butterfly wings with a thick marker line, and cut a pudgy little body from a scrap of black cardstock. The sentiment is from Stampendous.

Entered into: 

SumMoreFun  Challenge- Mood Board                        (summorefun.com) 

Double D’s Challenge- Don't Bug Me                            (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

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

A Smorgasbord of Cards

My final entry into The Paper Shelters current challenge was made with an image named "Fancy Dinner." I fell in love with this quirky image when I first saw it because my dear hubby loves all things Orc, Troll or Ogre! So wanted to make him a special card for his 62^nd birthday. After creating a few computer generated sentiments, this is it. Am thinking it will make him chuckle!

 

Entered into: 

The Paper Shelter- #349 Anything Goes                (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Wild Things        (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

I am loving that I can continue the Christmas in July party by highlighting the current Bugaboo Freebie in their new photo challenge. A card made by Lyn in the Friday Challenge inspired me (you can see it here- mypurplehouse.wordpress.com/2018/07/27/bugaboo-christmas-in-july-day-7-friday-freebie-photo-challenge). I love the way she added texture to the sand with her copics, so I tried to mimic that. Love the results! (I added a photo of the sentiment close up since the smaller version looks a bit fuzzy to me.) 

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- July Photo Challenge    (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Cute Card Thursday- #540 Too Cute                                (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Had seen a poster with this sentiment a while back and finally made the fun sentiment into a card. Took me a little time to figure out how to create the teal sentiment rectangle with white lettering, but once I did was easy to print it off. Googled "Keep Calm posters" and sketched one of the crowns that I found there onto gold paper (actually upcycled from a chocolate truffles bag), added bling and voila! 

Entered into: 

We Craft Cards Wednesday Challenge-Teal, Purple, Gold       (wecraftcards.com/forum)

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

Artistic Inspirations Challenge-Challenge #205                        (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

Just discovered a fun new challenge named "Give a Crafter a Cookie" and it looks like a great opportunity. I made a card for their current challenge, "Tropical" using a clipart pineapple image (clipartix.com/pineapple-clipart-image-5255), a computer generated sentiment and several different background papers. I fussy cut several of the Hibiscus flowers from the paper to add more tropical flavor.

Entered into: Pineapple

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #99 (tropical)                             (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

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

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #344-345 Anything Goes     (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

End of July Creations

This card is my final entry into the July Challenge at Little Scraps of Heaven. I used one of their sweet images plus graduation stickers (sentiment, a stack of books and mortarboard cap) for this creation. I added the "Yay" sentiment with a pencil… to add some realism to an otherwise whimsical card.

 
Entered into: 

Little Scraps of Heaven- Anything Goes (FB)           (lshdesigns.blogspot.com)

Cute Card Thursday- #540 Too Cute                          (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

This adorable image is from a company named Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez, and the images are just that- CUTE! For this card, I used two freebie images, "Fairy Hada" and "Banner Frame." Tried a new technique I'd seen a few years ago called debossing. First I stamped colored and fussy cut the Fairy Hada image. Then, placed the cut image, face side down, on a mouse pad and used a metal stylus with a large ball tip to lightly burnish the backside of the image to create a lightly raised 3D look. The image is attached to the card with foam tape to help maintain the raised image when mailed. (I added a side photo to try to show the slight 3D effect on her head and wings.) 

 

Entered into: 

Kinda Cute by Patricia Alveraz- July Challenge (FB)                (kindacutebypatricia.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #344-345 Anything Goes     (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge-Challenge #205                          (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

I like the colors and themes for the current  Butterfly Challenge that revolves around the letter O. I used a Hero Arts stamp and die set to create a Zig Zag Fold card that includes all of the challenge elements including all three colors- Orange, Old rose and Olive  (the butterflies) plus all three themes- One layer, Oval (shows when card is closed and both flaps are together), and Overlap (the butterflies overlap the card when closed.) The sentiment is one that I cut from a wood block a while ago. I think it's either from Stamoing up or Hero Arts. I learned how to do the partial die cutting with the butterfly die in this Jennifer McGuire video as www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx93Rj4IRDQ

 

Entered into: 

Butterfly Challenge- #104 Letter O                                                 (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

A2zscrapbooking Monthly Challenge- Birthday Bash (July)    (a2zscrapbookingblog.com) 

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

I've had this wood-mount stamp from Uptown Stamp Company for many years. Ran across it when making cards for several Christmas in July challenges and decided to use it to create a card with pine trees to enter into the Christmas Crafts All Year Round Challenge.             

Entered into: 

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Include a Tree                         (christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.co.uk)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #396 Anything Goes (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

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

More Christmas in July Cards

Have been having fun creating cards for Bugaboo's Christmas in July Event. Here are my last three cards made for these fun Bugaboo challenges.

The Wednesday Challenge is to create a funny project with a funny photo inspiration. (Santa's frilly panties made me think of a Whimsie Doodles digi set named "Christmas Undies." I used the undies and panties digis for the background and the sentiment as the focal point. I didn't have any red vellum, so made the holly leaves green plastic document folders.  They come in a pack of assorted colors and you can find them in office supply stores. They are often cheaper than colored vellum and are more translucent.  You can write on them with a fine-line permanent marker and they are also easy to fussy-cut with a nice, sharp pair of scissors.) I blinged out the berries with red rhinestones.

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- Christmas in July- Wednesday                        (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Cute Card Thursday- #540 Too Cute                                               (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Krafty Christmas                       (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Thursday holds a color challenge. I used one of Bugaboos digis named "Polar Bear" as the focal point of the card. I layered him on patterned paper and cardstock in the required colors. (The close-up photo shows the yellow and peachy pink color, plus you can see that I printed off another set of the little bear feet, colored and attached them with foam tape so that they pop up a bit.) The sentiment is from TLC Creations (createwithtlc.blogspot.com)

 

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- Christmas in July- Thursday    (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Doing Life- Create with TLC Challenge #21           (desiref.blogspot.co.za)

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

Friday offers a photo challenge with a beachy theme. I just knew that I had to use this funny image from Dearie Dolls (freedeariedollsdigistamps.blogspot.com.) I upcycled an old calendar page for the beach scene background and created the sentiment on my laptop.

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- Christmas in July- Friday                    (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

The Paper Shelter- #349 Anything Goes                           (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Penny's Challenge- #390 Anything Goes                          (pennyschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

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

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

My final card features a stand of pine trees (embossed in green) framed within a Christmas Sentiment. I had seen a similar card on Pinterest, so freehanded the word NOEL, making the "O" by using scrapbook stencils to find the right sized circles. After fussy-cutting and attaching the letters, I decided the card needed more color. A few fussy-cut holly leaves and berries did the trick! The inside sentiment was created on my laptop. (Decided I like the look of this card so will be saving my letters to use as templates for future cards!)

Entered into: 

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Include a Tree                         (christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.co.uk)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #344-345 Anything Goes     (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge-Challenge #205                          (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

Joining QKR as a DT!

I've had so much fun being a guest designer for Beccky's Place that I was excited to recently be invited to join the amazing team of DTs at QKR Stampede (qkrstampede.blogspot.com). Back in the late 90's when I owned a stamp store with a dear friend, we carried dozens of stamp lines. Last year when I curiously researched which stamp companies we carried in the store were still in business, I was excited to learn that Eureka Stamps and also Biblical Impressions were still available via the web. In the process, I was introduced to QKR Stampede digis. They also have some great images and sentiments!  I look forward to sharing them with you in the coming weeks! Here is my first card at a QKR DT! 

This image, named "Wish in a Bottle" can be found here (www.stamponit.net) It's available as a digi (code Q-digi10902) or stamp (cling or rubber mounted, code Q-10902)  

For my card I printed the digi off on sturdy paper, then watercolored the bottle and cork. When it was dry, I lightly sketched a line across the image, designating where the water line would be and fussy-cut around the bottle above that line. I attached this bottle onto a rectangle of cloudy sky (aka scrapbook paper) with double stick tape, and then lightly painted some "waves" across the bottom of the digi with a few light washes of pale blue. A darker shade of blue and fine tip brush was used to add depth to the ripples on the surface of the water. The rich blue coloring of the water is made with a scrap of a blue plastic document folder.  (You can find them in office supply stores. They come in a pack of assorted colors, are often cheaper than colored vellum and are more translucent.  They are also easy to fussy-cut with a nice, sharp pair of scissors.). I cut this blue plastic to size and added a small amount of tape to attach it over the digi (I provided a close up so you can see this.) Also, before attaching it, I added a bit more coloring to the ripples. I finished the image by adding some highlights with a white gel pen on the bottle, cork and even the ripples. (Yes, you can write on the blue plastic with a white gel pen. Who knew?!)

I created the sentiment on my laptop for both the front and inside of the card. Also, I sized this card to fit into a normal envelope. (I have a ton of them and seldom use them anymore, plus this tall thin image works beautifully with this size envelope!)

Am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Artistic Inspirations Challenge-Challenge #205                          (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes                    (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #344-345 Anything Goes     (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

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

                  

I've always loved the sweet images at Tiddly Inks Stamps. This pair of cuties is from a freebie, named Elf Coloring Page, that I received in December 2017 (I think it was emailed to anyone that placed an order in November?) I was in the mood for fussy-cutting (for some reason that's as relaxing as coloring to me) so after printing the digis and coloring them with Spectrum Noir markers, I fussy-cut and mounted them on patterned paper backgrounds. They didn't stand out enough, so I added a shaded outline that helped them to pop! The sentiments on the front and inside of the card are from TLC Creations (createwithtlc.blogspot.com)  I planned to make a gate fold card, but ecided instead to just make the card wider than usual. I added an additional photo to show it from another angle. 

 
Entered into: 

Tiddly Inks- Anything Goes                                                               (tiddlyinkschallenge.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Krafty Christmas                       (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Doing Life- Create with TLC Challenge #21                                  (desiref.blogspot.co.za)

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

Here is another of the coffee themed ATC's that I created for The Happy Little Stamper monthly challenge. The cute image is from a Lawn Fawn clear stamp set named "Winter Fox." The sentiment is from a Verve Stamps set that I purchased during the 2017 Coffee Lovers Fall Blog Hop. I paper pieced the mug to add a bit more color to the image. 

Entered into: 

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

Happy Little Stamper- ATC-Coffee                      (happylittlestampers.blogspot.com)

Double D’s Challenge- Tea and/or Coffee          (daranddiane.blogspot.com)
Cute Card Thursday- #540 Too Cute                   (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com)