Smokin'!

I've enjoyed being a Guest Design Team member at the Colour Crazy Challenge for the last few months. One thing I love about their challenge is that it requires that the images used are not pre-colored. Since I love to color it is a perfect fit for me, so I was thrilled when I was invited to become a regular DT. The sponsor for this challenge is Bugaboo Stamps and I had fun making a card with their digi named "Heels Polka Dots." I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers and a white gel pen. I had used bounced the bullet end of a light grey marker around the image to add some contrast but didn't like how it looked.  Tried to lighten the shade with blending fluid, but it didn't help. So… when it dried, I provided a layer of white gel pen. When finished, I thought that it looked a little like the heel was "Smokin'"! The sentiment is computer generated.

PS To see examples of beautiful coloring by the Design Team members, stop by the Colour Crazy Challenge site. You'll be glad that you did!

Entered into: 

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

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

Outlawz Challenges- Twisted Thursday- Corners, Borders, or Framing        (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

For this week's challenge at QKR Stampede I made a card using an adorable Eureka digi named Baby Animals that you can find HERE for just $2.00.  Back in the 90's I made a card at a Stampin' Up party using this template. It has been in my files ever since and I pulled it out to make this card. Printed off just just used the little elephant digi  and colored it with Spectrum Noir markers  to match the flowers in the patterned paper that I used to make the onesie. To help the little Elli not get lost in the background, I used a few circle stencils to sketch the white circle around the image, and then to make another circle from peach colored vellum. Used the same two-circle framing for the inside Welcome Baby sentiment, which is a freebie from Papercrafts Magazine. You can find it HERE.  [BTW- the little amber colored gem on the tail of the sentiments heart is covering a little oopsie that I had with my marker. I'd already trimmed around the sentiment and didn't want to have to do that over. Besides, a little bling can usually fix most anything, right?]

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

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

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- #24                                (2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com)
Polkadoodles Challenge- Anything Goes Week 9          (polkadoodle.blogspot.com)

I have always been an avid reader so this sweet image from Time For Tea named "Reading Girl" warms my heart. These days I listen to audio books, mainly so that I can create cards while authors create characters that draw me into the stories. I love that. The wonderful image that peeks out behind a nice haze of vellum is a freebie from TLC Creations. You can find it HERE. The books that the reader is sitting upon and the sentiment on the inside are both freebies from Winkwink. You can find them HERE. The final touch was to add a bit of bling and whimsy with a spattering of sparkly stars.

Entered into: 

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

A2zscrapbooking Monthly Challenge- Color It In                    (a2zscrapbookingblog.com) 
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes                 (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Recent challenges that required the use of wood or clear stamps made me dig into trays and boxes that have been ignored for some time. I found this vintage looking image and sentiment at a thrift store a few months ago and they seemed to be a perfect fit for the current Simon Says Monday Challenge theme "Vintage/Past Times." I colored the image and sentiment with Spectrum Moir and a white gel pen and used a paper doily to add to the vintage feeling.

Entered into: 

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

Cute Card Thursday- #571 Greens                                          (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 
Word Art Wed Challenge- #376-#377 Anything Goes       (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)