Leap Year Fun

This week's challenge at Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Blog is sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps.  I used their digi named "A Kids View BBQ." Because three weeks of constant blizzards have totally messed up my schedule, I was in a time crunch to get this card made. So, for the second time ever, I used a pre-colored image. To make it feel a little more like my work, I added shading and highlights with Spectrum Noir markers and a white gel pen. I paired the image with a freebie from Dearie Dolls named "Dad's BBQ". You can find it HERE. The sentiments are computer generated. The final touch was to add some translucent red enamel dots and black mini-rhinestones.

Penny's challenges are always Anything Goes and prizes are awarded from one or more sponsors.  Stop by the blog to check it out! http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.com/ Am entering this into several challenges including Bugaboo's Photo Inspiration [my card includes red, white and several shades of grey, plus I think there is chicken on the grill!!]

 

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- Photo Inspirations                           (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)
The Sisterhood of Crafters- In the Red                         (thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com)
Kitty Bee Designs- #137 – Food and Drink                (alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.com)

Made this card to fit into two challenges this week, SS Monday's "Vintage" and Double D's Mood board " Pink and White".  I used the typewriter from a retired Stampin' Up set named TapTapTap, colored it several shades of pink and fuschia with Spectrum Noir markers. A few scraps of fun paper and computer generated sentiments finish the card.  

 

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Vintage/Past Times              (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Double D’s Challenge- Pink and White                                       (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

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

For my third entry into the If You Give a Crafter a Cookie challenge that features baby themed cookies, I used a sweet freebie image from Beccy's Place named "Quilted Horse." You can find it HERE. I paper pieced the little cutie and added sentiments from a few retired Printworks stamps.

 

Entered into: 

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #111 Baby                            (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

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

Word Art Wed Challenge- #376-#377 Anything Goes      (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Mod Squad Challenge- Use Stripes                                       (modsquadchallenge.com)

This month's challenge at Little Scraps of Heaven [LSOH] is "What's Your Fav?" They have so many wonderful images that it was hard to pick just one. So I'll just say this is my first "fav" as I'll be making more cards before the end of the month with other LSOH images. I love this cute image from a digi set named, "Love Bots."  (You can find the set HERE for just $1)  I used the paper piecing template that comes with the set and fussy-cut the little bot from dark grey and metallic papers. For the background, I used some pink chevron paper plus a wonderful pattern of monochromatic gears printed on regular copy paper using the free digi that I found HERE.  The sentiments are from a great digi set designed by Beccy Muir at Beccy's Place. I printed them on vellum and colored in a few of the words to add some contrast. The balloon on the front was made with a scrap of a red plastic document folder.  These wonderful office supply items 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.]

 

 

Entered into: 

Little Scraps of Heaven- February [What's Your Fav?]       (lshdesigns.blogspot.com)

The Paper Shelter- #372 Birthday Creations                         (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Sketch Saturday- Week #552                                                    (sketchsaturday.blogspot.com)

My final card was inspired by a card that I saw on Pinterest and the large assortment of rhinestones that were in my sweet mom's craft stash. The hardest part of making the card was arranging the bling. Was thankful that mom was such a packrat of all things sparkly.

Entered into: 

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #426 Anything Goes  (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes                     (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)
Rudolph Days Challenge          (scrapsoflifebyscrappymo.blogspot.com/2019/02/february-rudolph-days-challenge.html)

Wild Rides

I wanted to make a few more cards for the current Wednesday Simon Says Challenge, things with wheels… and this stamp, from a company named Deep Red Stamps was just begging to be put to use. [You can find the stamp HERE.] After stamping the image in Memento black ink onto glossy cardstock, I added the illusion by purposefully smudging the image, pulling my fingers through the ink before it dried.   (This works best if you stamp the image on glossy paper and gently pull the ink in the opposite direction of the desired movement.) Added a little red marker and silver gel pen, some papers, punched stars and a computer generated sentiment and this card is ready to go. I mean… ready to ride?

Am entering this into several other challenges including Mod Squad's current challenge that requires the use of clear of rubber stamps on the card. And Saturday Sketch challenge [I did flip the sketch on its side, put the sentiment into one of the rectangles and enlarged the circle.]

 

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Vintage/Past Times            (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Mod Squad Challenge- Clear or Rubber Stamps                    (modsquadchallenge.com)

Sketch Saturday- Week #552                                                     (sketchsaturday.blogspot.com)

This month's challenge at Little Scraps of Heaven [LSOH] is "What's Your Fav?" They have so many wonderful images that it was hard to pick just one. So I'll just say this is my first "fav" as I'll be making more cards before the end of the month with other LSOH images. I colored the LSOH image named "Loads Of Love" with Spectrum Noir markers. I reduced the face and torso of "Bunny with Egg", fussy-cut and positioned him as the driver who delivers a truckload of Easter eggs. The background was created with a page from an old calendar and the sentiment is a wood-mount stamp from Printworks Stamps [which sadly closed its doors last Spring with the owner retired. Thanks, Anette, for 30 years of high-quality products and such beautiful cards to inspire us.]   

Entered into: 

Little Scraps of Heaven- February [What's Your Fav?]       (lshdesigns.blogspot.com)

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

Wanted to make a baby card to enter in the current "If You Give a Crafter A Cookie" and was inspired by several shape cards that I found on Pinterest. I used a Stampin' Up button stamp to make the … well… buttons! Scraps of doilies added a "lace" on the legs and neckline and punched flowers decorate the pocket. Added a little extra interest by carefully sketching "Stitches" onto the jumper with a pencil. While I had my Pinterest stamps out, I added a sentiment to the inside and front of the card.

Entered into: Baby Jumper

Cute Card Thursday- #570 Buttons/Enamel Dots                    (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #111 Baby  (Photo)                   (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

My final card for this posting is from another stamp business that closed within the last few years. This plane and banner are from a clear set named "Vintage Rides" from The Crafts Meow. The sentiment is computer generated. I mounted the plane and banner onto cloud stationary background paper, and a little bear sticker is the dapper pilot.  

Entered into: 

Word Art Wed Challenge- #374-#375 Anything Goes     (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Di’s Digi Stamps- Include an Animal                                   (disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

My final card for this posting is another entry for the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge named "No Stamps Allowed." I used another old Ziggy sticker [from my stash. The layout and Ziggy image is similar to the Ziggy card that I posted yesterday, but this one has a different sentiment, pose, background paper and matching flower. So simple to make but also kind of charming, doncha think?  

Entered into: 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- No Stamps Allowed      (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Feb                (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Sweet and Funny images

I had such fun creating this card… because I love the whimsical feeling of the sweet image from The Paper Shelter named, appropriately, "The Fairy And The Wizard." I used the background that comes with the set but flipped it upside down so that it looks like the wizard is creating a shower of flowers onto his love. And… I added a few puffy flower stickers that I recently picked up at Hobby Lobby. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen [I used the white gel pen to add the transluscent look to her wings plus used a silver gel pen to add some filigree patterns to his belt and hood. You can see these details in the photo.] The sentiment is from a Beccy's Place set named "Azaleas."

  

Entered into: 

The Paper Shelter- #371 Things that Fly                                                   (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration & Challenge- Love     (cck-digitalstamps-challenge.blogspot.com)

ScribblesDesignsChallenges- #74-Three or More Layers                     (scribblesdesignschallenge.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #374-#375 Anything Goes                           (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

I created this card, for the current Bugaboo Stamps Photo Inspiration Challenge using two Bugaboo Digis, "Roly Poly Chef Pie" and the sentiment from the digi named "Gertrude More Pie."  The shades of grey with a few shouts of bright red reflect the colors in the Inspiration photo. I'm entering this into a few other challenges, including Sketch Saturday [I used a variation of the sketch, placing the sentiment on one of the rectangles and the sentiment on the small circle] and Cute Card Thursday [I used translucent red enamel dots. on the front and inside of the card.] 

 

 

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- Photo Inspirations                                 (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Sketch Saturday- Week #552                                               (sketchsaturday.blogspot.com)

Polkadoodles Challenge- Anything Goes Week 8             (polkadoodle.blogspot.com)

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

Cute Card Thursday- #570 Buttons/Enamel Dots           (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com)  

I find that I am using digis more and more in my card making, so it was fun to pull out my stamps to create a card for the current Mod Squad Challenge that required the use of clear of rubber stamps. For this one, I used a large Stampscapes image name "Old Mill." 

Since my last attempt at using watercolors didn’t turn out quite as I hoped, I decided to try again. This time I stamped the image with black pigment ink and embossed it with fine line black EP. Then, instead of using watercolor pencils, I pulled out a set of watercolors that I'd purchased many years ago but had seldom used. I was careful not to use too much water and was happy to see that the colors didn't get muddy as they usually did for me. So… yay. I CAN do it. [But to be honest, I still like my markers better.] The sentiments on front and inside of the card are both computer generated.

Entered into: 

Mod Squad Challenge- Clear or Rubber Stamps                       (modsquadchallenge.com)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Vintage/Past Times              (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Color It Up   (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2019/02/creative-confetti-color-it-up.html)

My final card for this posting is just the opposite of my last. It is for the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge named "No Stamps Allowed." For this card I used an old Ziggy sticker [and by OLD, I mean Old. I remember buying them when I was in High School, so during the late 1970's. They weren't very sticky anymore, but they are so cute. I am also entering this card into the current butterfly challenge, which features the letter "A." This card includes a color [apple green] and the theme [aperature- I diecut a circle from the striped green paper and mounted it atop a light mint square of paper square. After fussy cutting around the Ziggy sticker, I carefully slid his foot down behind the cutout circle and then gently slid it into place. The final touch was to punch out four small butterflies, and add bodies, antennae and flutter trails. So cute!

Entered into: 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- No Stamps Allowed   (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Butterfly Challenge- #117 Letter A                                          (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

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

Seeing Stars

I absolutely love the intriguing stamping opportunity called "Twofer Card Challenge." The goal of this fun challenge is to use the exact same stamp or die to make two cards with distinctly different designs for two different occasions. The current theme is "Stars" so I dug into my rubber and clear stamps for inspiration. It didn't surprise me that I was drawn to a favorite Denami Stamps wood mount. [I stripped this star banner image from the wood a few years ago to be able to use it with my MISTI. I don't use this stamp very often, but when I do it is usually for Christmas and Graduation cards. Hence, the cards for my Twofer entries.]

 

For the first card I paired the stars with an angel image from a Stampendous set. Both were embossed in gold, the stars on some pretty brushed metallic card stock and the angel on vellum.  Colored the vellum on the underside of the image with Spectrum Noir markers, tapping the light blue marker to obtain some additional texture.  The inside sentiment and small star stamps are also from the Stampendous set, once again stamped on vellum. I used paper scraps to make the "frame" for the sentiment and add a few stars. The final touch was to add some bling to the front of the card with mini-rhinestones.

For the second card, I stamped the star border on a strip of black paper and gold embossed it. Used three additional wood mount stamps on this card- Eureka Stamps "Lg. Boy Graduate" and "Congratulations" and a Stampin' Up's "Hooray" [from a retired greeting set.]  Made this card for a friends son who will graduate in the Spring from my alma mater in South Dakota. The school colors are purple and gold. Forty-three years ago it really bugged my friends and me that the guys got to wear graduation gowns and caps in a rich regal purple color, while the girls were stuck wearing an ugly flat gold color. [The fact that we referred to the particular shade of gold as "baby-poop yellow" shows our disdain for the color. No one and I mean NO ONE, looked good in that color. Today when I look at photos, they make me laugh remembering our complaints. Although, I do still think that the color makes me look kinda zombie-ish, as my skin took on a greenish tone. So funny.]

I'd like to provide a bit more info about the Stamps used in my cards.

Denami Stamps-  Twenty years ago when a friend and I owned a stamp store in South Dakota, Denami Stamps was one of our most popular lines. They were high quality stamps and the owners, Gary and Nami Nakamura, were such nice people. I'm sure that they are still nice people selling good quality products because they are still in business. Stop by their website to check out their images. Bet you'll find something that you like. 

Eureka Stamps- This line was also very popular in our store. And the owner was also very kind and generous. I was thrilled to learn that Eureka images are still available [in rubber/clear stamps and digi images] at Stamponit.  I am on the Design Team for QKR Stampede, whose wonderful images are also available via Stamponit.  [Stop by their blog to see my latest card that features another Eureka image that cat lovers will love.]  

Entered into: 
Star [Christmas]

Twofer Card Challenge- #13 Stars  (logo)                   (twofercardchallenge.blogspot.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #426           (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk) 

Jingle Belles- All That Glitters                                       (jinglebellesrock.blogspot.com)

Star [Graduation]

Polkadoodles Challenge- Anything Goes Week 8      (polkadoodle.blogspot.com)

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

Mod Squad Challenge- Clear or Rubber Stamps        (modsquadchallenge.com)

As I post this cute Spring card, I am looking out my window as yet another blizzard rages. This is our fourth in a little over two weeks, and this time we got 7 inches of snow, dumped atop the 6 inches that remain from the big storm a few days ago. Sitting in my recliner, with my laptop perched on my lap, I can't see out of the window because a 4½ foot high snowdrift blocks my view.

So, this Easter card provides assurance that Spring WILL arrive sometime in the coming months. It features a sweet image from Di's Digis named "Bunny Treats." I'm entering this card into a few challenges that are reflected in the card.

The first one, Power Poppy included the following requires that we "pick up a coloring medium that you haven't used for a while and play!" I like the look of watercolors but even after taking art classes in college have never mastered them. So… used watercolor pencils on this image and had to do a lot of work with a white gel pen to "fix" the muddy colors that resulted. [Even had to cut out the front two eggs, which were no longer pastel when I was finished with my brush, and paper piece replacements with pretty patterned paper. The ribbons on the eggs were also a muddy mess, so I sketched them onto colored vellum, fussy cut and then paper pieced the vellum replacements onto the muddy messes.] In truth, it took me longer to fix the colored image than it would have taken me to color it with my Spectrum Noir markers. So… 'twas a good reminder that I can't be good at everything!

The second, Butterfly Challenge, invites us to create a card that includes specified colors and themes. This card includes all of the required items… which is often a stretch to do.  All three of the color options- Amber, Almond and Apple Green- are included [in the butterfly wings and a few of them are in the water-colored image]. All three themes are also included- Aperture and Acetate [in the oval "window"], Anything goes [I chose tri-fold card] and, of course the card must feature a butterfly [my card has three! Two are printed, in color, on vellum. All I needed to do was to add the little body and antennae and love how they add a bit of realism to a card. You can find the freebie to download HERE.  

The "Rejoice" sentiment on the first flap is from a company that is no longer in business named The Crafts Meow, and the inside sentiment is computer generated.  

 

 

Entered into: 

Di’s Digi Stamps- Include an Animal                         (disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Butterfly Challenge- #117 Letter A                              (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday-Photo Inspiration      (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Color It Up           (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2019/02/creative-confetti-color-it-up.html)

Compared to the other cards on this post, my final one was super easy to create. Since I was making it for the current Simon Says Wednesday challenge that allows no use of stamps or digis, I used a "Love" diecut from Stampin' Up [or I should say I used the scraps from using the Love die, including the little bits that fill in the letters] and a computer generated "you" to create the sentiment. The card base is made from paper scraps, including the glossy red fake leather paper [upcycled from the front cover of an OLD scrapbook that I picked up at a rummage sale for a quarter] and wonderful black and white patterned paper [upcycled from the inside of an envelope.] Easy peasy. Am entering this card into two other challenges including Bugaboo Stamps photo inspiration [I based my card on the color scheme, red, white and shades of grey.]

Entered into: 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- No Stamps Allowed         (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Bugaboo Stamps- Photo Inspirations                                          (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #374-#375 Anything Goes             (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)