Thank you, Di!

I've been blogging now for nearly two years and have "met" some wonderful people during that time… and some very creative challenges. One of the challenges I really enjoy is named The Snippets Playground. It requires the use of scraps that Di, the site host, affectionately calls "Snippets." Di has hosted the twice a month snippets challenges for seven years, providing amazing prizes each time… all out of her own pocket. She has an infectious personality, filled with humor, whimsy and a love of critters, the latest is an adorable pup named Dudley.

Recently Darnell, one of Di's friends, organized a secret "Thank You,Di Blog Hop" and invited all of us who know and have grown to love Di to create a card in her honor and post it to a special place on Darnell's blog. I am so happy to do that. [I'd also like to note that Darnell hosts a challenge that I love. It is called the Twofer Challenge and really stretches me to think outside of the box. You can learn more HERE.] 

Below is my card for Darnells Secret Thank You Di Blog Hop. I used lots of snippets to make this card, plus a felt guitar that I purchased at JoAnne's. The sentiment is computer generated to reflect the fact that Di truly is a Rock Star!

And, what better way to honor Di than to create a second card for her current Snippets Playground Challenge? This shape card uses lots and lots of snippets, including tiny bits of paper, vellum, ribbon, and even acetate. [I went all out for you, Di!] The little cuties hand-lettered tag reflects the feeling that so many of us feel- "We Love EWE Di!"

[Am also entering this card into the current Butterfly Challenge, it fits into the color theme with the Kelly green vellum leaves on the little vellum flowers.]

 

Entered into: 

Darnells Secret Thank You Di Blog Hop                                  (djkardkreations.com)

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

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

Pixie's Snippets-Week #344                                                       (pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com)      

Butterfly Challenge- #116 Letter K                                            (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Di’s Digi Stamps- Emboss It [wet or dry]                                (disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #372-#373 Anything Goes          (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

STAMPlorations is having a big celebration right now that includes a hop and linky party with some great prizes. And they offer five gorgeous free STAMPlorations/Shery Russ images to help get you started. You can find them HERE.]  This digi image, named "Coffee and Dog roses" is colored with Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen. [This image was a freebie for a Blog hop in 2017. You can nab it HERE.]  The die, one of Taylored Expressions Block Party dies, adds a nice contrast and provides something on which I could tie a pretty rose-colored bow! The inside sentiment is a freebie from Desert Diva [you can find it HERE.] 

Entered into: 

Stamplorations- Hey Love Linky Party    (stamplorations.blogspot.com/2019/01/hey-love-hop-linky-party-free-love-spring-digis.html)

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

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Love is in the Air                 (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Cute Card Thursday- # 567 - Valentines!                                 (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Love this sweet digi that was the image for this month's FB challenge at LeAnn's World 101 [it is called Beattle Bug and you can find it HERE.]  I couldn't resist turning it into a flower-power bug with some wonderful patterned paper and a bit of paper piecing. I used the sketch from this week's Saturday Sketch challenge to guide my layout, and the sentiments are computer generated. Totally cool, right?

 

Entered into: 

LeAnnes World- Challenge #18–Love bug                           [FB]

Sketch Saturday- Week #548                                                  (sketchsaturday.blogspot.com) 

Kitty Bee Designs- #135- Birthday                                         (alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.com)

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

Vintage and Valentines

I am a packrat… and that comes in handy sometimes. This is one of those times! The B&W photo on my card is actually a hotel room key I saved from a business trip to Washington DC back in 2014. I'm hosting this week's challenge at wecraftcards Forum and decided to use this gem as my inspiration, naming my challenge "Make Mine Vintage." Added a stamped unicycle image, onto which I added a bit of silver coloring with a gel pen [you can't see it but it is there] and a touch of brown for the "leather" seat. This stamp was in a bag of unmounted stamps that I found at a thrift store a few years ago, so I don't know the company that makes it. However, when googling to try to find who makes the stamp, I discovered that bike is actually called a velocipede or a Penny-farthing (after two coins of different sizes) and just realized that the bike on the stamp and the one on the hotel key have the large wheel in different places. To me, either option looks pretty perilous to balance and maneuver! The tag is from my scrapbook stash. And, I left the inside blank because I'm not sure how I'll use this card but will probably be a snarky "You're HOW old?" type of birthday card. 

 

Entered into:

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge-Make Mine Vintage           (wecraftcards.com/forum)

Double D’s Challenge- Looking Back in Time                             (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #372-#373 Anything Goes               (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

I am hosting the Sunday Challenge at Outlawz this week. The theme is always Songs and Rhymes, and this week's song is Roses are Red [lyrics- Roses are red, my love, Violets are blue. Sugar is sweet, my love, But not as sweet as you.] My card that was featured for the challenge was made in memory of my mom, whose name was Rose. I even used lace from my mom’s stash [that my sibs passed on to me when mom passed away back in 2012.] She would have loved this card. The rose and leaf are both made with vintage wood mount stamps from Hero Arts. The Love die is from Stampin' Up, and the inside sentiment is a freebie from Desert Diva [you can find it here.] 

I made a second card that reflected the "sugar is sweet" song lyrics using a cute digi image named "Sugar Cube" from Bugaboo Stamps. Wanted to give the card the feeling of a garden tea party, so upcycled a beautiful photo from an old calendar for the background and added a bit of paper lace cut from a doily. Of course, added some sparkle to the sugar cube with microfine glitter. The inside sentiment is computer generated and printed on vellum so that another scrap of the calendar can show through. Am also this card into the Bugaboo Stamp- Stella Says Sketch Challenge and  Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge.

 

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenges- Songs and Rhymes- Roses are Red          (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

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

Bugaboo Stamp- Stella Says Sketch Challenge #702                  (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

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

STAMPlorations is having a big celebration right now that includes a hop and linky party with some great prizes. And if you use their images in your creations you get extra points [and they offer five gorgeous free STAMPlorations/Shery Russ images to help get you started. You can find them here.] The digi image I used is named "Framed roses and coffee." It's colored with Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen. The sentiment on the front is a tag from a scrapbook kit and the inside sentiment is a digi from Eureka Stamps [ES-digi 28605 Happy Valentines Day] that you can find at stamponit.net.  I added a bit of bling to the front and inside sentiment by fussy cutting hearts from gold and red glitter paper. Oh... and I created the heart shape on the front of the card but cutting a large heart from scrap paper, lightly tracing around it with a pencil, then coloring within that pencil line with Spectrum Noir markers, blender marker and white gel pen. Super easy technique that give a special look to a card. 

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Love is in the Air       (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Stamplorations- Hey Love Linky Party    (stamplorations.blogspot.com/2019/01/hey-love-hop-linky-party-free-love-spring-digis.html)

Midweek Fun

If you stopped by from Penny's weekly challenge, I apologize for my late posting. Here in the Midwest, it is currently 35 degrees below zero [with winds making the air temp feel like 55 below]. We had no internet access from 4 PM yesterday [Tuesday] until just a few minutes ago. I feel bad for the cable crews that were out in these record low temps to restore our service. Our furnace is struggling to keep the house warm. So, I'm posting this late... while sitting in my recliner, wearing long johns, sweat pants, two pairs of wool socks, two sweaters, and a hoodie, plus have a blanket draped across my lap.  I thank God for coffee on days like this.  Anyway... on to my posting- 

It's Wednesday! So time for another challenge at Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Blog.  Penny's challenges are always Anything Goes and prizes are awarded from one or more sponsors.  Stop by the blog to check it out! (pennyschallenges.blogspot.com) This week, I used a digi set from our challenge sponsor DigiStamps4Joy named "Cheese and Wine." [Sadly, this wonderful shop is going out of business, with their last day to purchase digis tomorrow- January 31. So… stop by HERE before they close to purchase any of their digis at half price.]

I used a unique fold that allows me to enter this card into a challenge that is new to me at a wonderful blog spot named "The Sisterhood of Crafters." Their current challenge is to create a card that includes a diamond shape or shapes. [I am not sure what this fold is called, but it is made by cutting a 5.5 x 11 inch strip of cardstock. Score and fold at 4¼ inches to create an A2 sized card that has a flap you can fold in to make a center flap. For my card I cut the front of the card into a diamond shape, with the wide end along the crease- see photos.] I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and used a strip of borders from my scrapbook stash to add a fun edging along the diamond.  The sentiment on the inside flap is from a wonderful Etsy shop named TlcCreatesVintage. This set, named Faith and Hope Word Sentiments, contains 24 sentiments for just $2. You can find it here. I left the inside section of the card blank so I can add a sentiment later, or use it to send an encouraging note. 

 

Entered into: 

The Sisterhood of Crafters- Diamonds                   (thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com)

DigiStamps4Joy- #156 Anything Goes                   (digistamps4joy-sa.blogspot.co.za)

My second card for STAMPlorations hop and linky party is a yummy one. And the image and both sentiments are freebies… that's pretty neat, too, right? The sweet cupcake image cut from the free STAMPlorations/Shery Russ image named "Framed rose and Cupcake' and coffee"  You can find the full image and several others HERE. The sentiment on the front of the card is a freebie from LoveSVG. You can find it HERE. The inside sentiment is a freebie from Decosses Dynamite Doodles. You can find it HERE.  The red lips background is from a packet of cards that I picked up at Target years ago.

 

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Love is in the Air     (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Stamplorations- Hey Love Linky Party                         (stamplorations.blogspot.com/2019/01/hey-love-hop-linky-party-free-love-spring-digis.html)

Power Poppy's current Creative Confetti challenge is called "Tutti Fruiti" and requires the use of fruit as a focal point. I used Power Poppy's clear stamp set named "Tea in the Garden" and patterned paper that is covered with strawberries. Yum! Am also this card into the Bugaboo Stamp- Stella Says Sketch Challenge and Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge.

 

 

Entered into: 

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Trutti Fruiti                (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2019/01/pick-right-focal-point.html)

Bugaboo Stamp- Stella Says Sketch Challenge #702    (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

The image on the front of this easel card and the sentiment on the inside are both freebies from TLC Creations.  I printed the image onto light lavender parchment cardstock, made the base from that same cardstock, and added layering with purple cardstock. I then used a few shades of purple in the image, and fussy cut snowflakes from patterned paper, including as many shades of purple as I could find, so that I can enter this card into Bugaboos current color challenge which focuses on… you guessed it… purple!

 

Entered into: 

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

Doing Life- Create with TLC Challenge #25                                   (desiref.blogspot.co.za)

Bugaboo Stamps- Jan Color Challenge                                            (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #422 Anything Goes   (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

I discovered a wonderful challenge blog last month named Jingle Bells. Their current challenge is called "Look What Santa Brought Me" where we are invited to use new crafting goodies we received for the holidays and use them on your holiday card. My goodies were from a Santa named Bugaboo Stamps. [I won $30 gift card in their annual weeklong Holiday celebration, and this was one of the many cute stamps that I picked out. ]The sentiments are computer generated.

 

Entered into: 

The Paper Shelter- #367 Shades of Blue                                  (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #372-#373 Anything Goes          (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Jingle Belles- Look What Santa Brought Me                          (jinglebellesrock.blogspot.com)

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

Where's the Cake?

For this week's challenge at QKR Stampede I made a card using a Eureka digi (ES-digi 4301 Birthday Dinosaur) that you can find at stamponit.net.

I colored the silly Dinosaur with Spectrum Noir markers but didn't like the color. It looked so dark and flat. So… I decided to "bounce" the large marker tip of a just filled blender to see if it would provide some texture. It worked!  I studied the boldly striped background paper and picked a few orange markers to color Dino's spots and spikes. Colored the candles and his eyes with white and green, then added the candles glow with a yellow marker. I added Glossy Accents to the spots, spikes and candle glow then sprinkled them with chunky clear glitter. I printed off a copy of his little party hat, coloring it, fussy-cutting it then adhering it to a scrap of white paper and attaching it to his head with foam tape. The final touch was a little green pompom. So fun! The sentiments are computer generated.

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

Am entering this into several challenges including a few that are required to include a critter. I wasn't sure if a dinosaur fits into that category. But the definition is "a living creature" and dinosaurs were living creatures a looong time ago. So… am hoping they qualify.

Entered into: 

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

Cute Card Thursday- #566 Critters                                          (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- #22                                     (2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com)

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

My card for this months challenge at Tiddly Inks features their adorable image named "Snow Wishes and Snowman" that is now available for just $1 here. The background papers are from a new Echo Park set and the sentiment is from a Lili of the Valley digi set named "Christmas Wishes." [The snowman has a sprig of holly on his hatband so this card will go into my already growing stash for next Christmas.] Am entering this into several challenges including Simon Says "Alcohol, Drinks and Inks" [I'm drinking a cup of hot chocolate with a shot of Peppermint Schnapps as I type this. Am thinking this little snowman is enjoying the same thing. I mean, just look at that contented grin on his face!] Bugaboo Stamps "Bingo" [diagonal column from lower left- something blue, players choice- snowman image, sentiment] and several winter or snow themed challenges.

Entered into: 

Tiddly Inks- #221 Anything Goes                                                     (tiddlyinkschallenge.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Alcohol, Drinks or Inks            (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Bugaboo Stamps- Jan BINGO                                                           (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #421 Anything Goes   (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Kitty Bee Designs- #134 - Winter Blues                                          (alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.com)

Di’s Digi Stamps- Snow Much Fun                                                   (disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

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

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Let It Snow                               (christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.co.uk)

I made a card for a challenge last week that included a nautical theme. Since I had a few knotted "ropes" that I had made with twine on my desk, I decided to make another nautical card with a vintage feeling for Double D's "Looking Back in Time" challenge. [I had googled nautical knots and found a few good videos on You-Tube with "carrick bend knot" instructions. They were very easy to make.] The wonderful ship image is from a bag of miscellaneous clear stamps that I picked up at a thrift store a few years ago so I have no idea who makes it. The wonderful CS Lewis quote is computer generated.

Entered into: 

Double D’s Challenge- Looking Back in Time                                  (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #370-#371 Anything Goes                   (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

I received this wonderful bit of card candy from a stamping friend named Elaine. I used a Sketch Saturday layout and brightly colored paper to make the sweet little bike the center of attention. The final touch was to add the little pink bow. As I sit snuggly in my house while snow swirls past my window, I love the promise of Spring that this card brings.

Entered into: 

Sketch Saturday- Week #547                                               (sketchsaturday.blogspot.com)       

Birthdays and Butterflies

It's Wednesday! So time for another challenge at Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Blog.  Penny's challenges are always Anything Goes and prizes are awarded from one or more sponsors.  Stop by the blog to check it out and see the other DT's wonderful creations! (pennyschallenges.blogspot.com)

This week, I used a digi image from Sheepski Designs named "Birthday Cocktail." You can find it here.  I googled photos of ice in a cocktail glass to try to capture some realism. Colored them with Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen. Loved the look of bright blue with the B&W patterned paper, so added an oval cut from a blue plastic document folder.  These wonderful gems come in a pack of assorted colors and you can find them in office supply stores. [They're 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.] The celebrate tag on the front and sentiment on the inside are both from my scrapbook stash. I added a bit of the blue plastic folder behind the sentiment to match the front of the card. The final touch was to add some bling to the card front with several diamond rhinestones. Am entering this card into several challenges, including Sheepski Designs FB Challenge and their blog challenge "New and/or Old" [the digi image is new and the background paper has been hanging out for over 10 years in my paper stash. I know it was at least that long because I remember buying it while we still lived in South Dakota and we moved to Wisconsin in 2007.]

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Alcohol, Drinks or Inks      (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Cute Card Thursday- #565 Banish the Blues                            (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

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

Sheepski Designs- #22 New and/or Old                                    (sheepski-designs-challenges.blogspot.com)

My final entry for the current Butterfly Challenge that focuses on the letter "Y" is precious to me. It features some pressed wildflowers that were in my mom's treasure box. We used to pick prairie wildflowers when I was a child in South Dakota. I remember when she found this card at a thrift store a few years ago. She said we should dry some flowers and make cutouts like this to use them in cards. Sadly, we never had a chance to do that before she passed away in 2012. So… I made this card in her memory. She would have loved it. Especially since I think these flowers are wild roses… and her name was Rose. The card includes the colors Yew (in the top flower and background), Yale Blue (in the butterfly and die cut circle), and the theme Image ("YOUr" in the sentiment). The sentiment is from Decosses Dynamite Doodles. You can find it here.

Am entering this card into several challenges including Bugaboo Stamps Bingo [diagonal column from lower left- something blue, players choice- flowers, plus sentiment] and Outlaws Challenges- Songs and Rhymes "Ring a ring of rosies."

Entered into: 

Butterfly Challenge- #115 Letter Y                                                        (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Outlawz Challenges- Songs and Rhymes- Ring a ring o' roses.      (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #370-#371 Anything Goes                      (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Bugaboo Stamps- Jan BINGO                                                                (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

This week's Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is "Clean and Simple" This type of card is the hardest for me to do. But, I do like a challenge! For this card I used a unique fold from a card I received several years ago. The stamp is a little gem that I found in the discount bin at Michaels. I think it is a cute little candle, shining all by its itty bitty little self. [I made the candle glow by punching a circle from a paper scrap, centering it over the candle flame and then using a makeup sponge to add yellow chalk along the outer edge of the circle.] The beautiful butterfly is a freebie from Maxum Made Studio.

Entered into: 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Clean and Simple       (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

The Cutie Pie Challenge- #131 Cute, Clean and Simple     (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

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