Finishing the Month

It’s Friday, so time for another challenge at QKR Stampede!  Stop by the challenge, which is always “Anything Goes” and several prizes are awarded. Maybe you’ll be inspired to enter a card or two yourself? My DT card features a QKR digital image named Fishing Fly. (Yes, there is a digital image there, embellished with a pheasant feather and some iridescent thread, plus a bit of coloring with markers and a silver gel pen on the barbs.  Scraps of an old map, white vellum, and a blue plastic document folder provide a base for the card front.  I don’t know the author of the wonderful sentiment on the front of the card, but I know it’s source. I found it some time ago on a blog named “All Poetry” where the writer noted that the sentiment was taken from “a little plaque my grandad had on his dresser.” I created the inside sentiment to allow the card to be a good fit for any special event. I usually use it for a birthday card or retirement card and it always generates a smile or chuckle!  

 

Supplies: 

·    Digi- QKR Stampede (Fishing Fly Q-digi20302)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol marker, Sakura Gelly Roll white  and silver gel pen

·    Front Sentiment- Computer Generated (found on the web HERE.)

·    Inside Sentiment- created by Moi!

·    Scraps of an old map, vellum and blue plastic document folder, plus pheasant feathers and iridescent thread from my stash 

Entered into:  

Pixie's Snippets-Week #370                                                                             

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                       

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #424-425 Anything Goes                   

Friday also means that I get to share DT cards for the Colour Crazy Challenge. This challenge is also an “Anything Goes” but it adds a requirement- the creation needs to include coloring in “any colouring medium you like, onto any project you like, and in any colours you like.” I’ve never outgrown my love for coloring… which is why I so love making cards! Our sponsor this week is Polkadoodles and I had fun creating a magical card using a digi set named Hello! Kathy here sharing a card that features a magical image and sentiments from a Polkadoodles set named Wizardy Magic Little Dude. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen then adhered the little wizard to an upcycled calendar page. I embellished the card, and the sentiments, with zigzags of paper scraps to represent Harry's birthmark, and a few sparkly star stickers. (I like to extend my supplies. One example of this is that I upcycle the outlines of the sparkly stickers by fussy-cutting around them. I like how they look on the inside sentiment, scattered among the full star stickers. Am entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge (I thought the rustic grey background on my card looks a bit like the weathered wood, the scarf and zigzags add shouts of red, and I envision that owls and other critters could happily live in those trees behind the Post Office!)  

ONE ADDED NOTE: The Colour Crazy Challenge is looking to expand the Design Team and have a few positions available. We are a friendly and helpful team, challenges go live every Friday at 8am GMT and last for two weeks. We have four teams who post once every 4 weeks (although you can join in more often if you want!) and we have lots of wonderful and generous sponsors who allow us to use their images. We are looking for individuals who colour their own images, who have their own blog and a facebook profile. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, drop the challenge coordinator an email HERE. Closing date is 14 February. (I really enjoy being a DT for CCC. We have a nice assortment of sponsors, the number of comments we provide is very manageable, the process for submitting our finished cards is easy to follow and Ruth is wonderful in helping newbies learn the ropes! If you like to color and are looking to try your hand at being a DT, I suggest you check it out!)

 

 

Supplies: 

·    Digi and sentiments- Polkadoodles- (Wizardy Magic Little Dude)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Sparkly Star Stickers- Hobby Lobby

·    Upcycled calendar page and assorted paper scraps from my stash

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge- Old Post Office  (Photo)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Anything Goes                                 

The Paper Shelter- #412 Digital Image

This is my fourth card made in honor of Scribbles Design's 7th birthday. A special challenge is being held that features penguins in honor of their first penguin digi named “Brrrr.” For this card, I used two digis from a talented young artist named Sherry West. Sherry has an Etsy shop HERE a FB page HERE and is also making a name for herself as an author. Her first children’s book, named “It’s Raining Cats Dogs And Pollywogs,” quickly sold out the first run on Amazon shortly before Christmas. How exciting is that?! She has created many adorable penguin digis, and this card features two of them named Peekaboo and Hi!  The sentiments are computer-generated. (I had fun coming up with the simple greetings. I especially love that the baby penguin doesn’t speak yet… he simply exclaims, “Eeep!”)

Supplies: 

·    Front digi- Sherry West (Peekaboo Penguins)   

·    Inside digi- Sherry West (Hi! Silly Penguin)   

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Sentiments- Computer Generated

·    Background paper- Hobby Lobby

Entered into:  

Scribbles Designs Challenge- 7th Birthday- Penguin Surprise

Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Things That Make You Happy      

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Jan                                  

Old & New Creations & Treasures

The Conie Fong Art & Design Group FB challenge this month allows both new and old creations with Conie’s wonderful images. I made a Birthday Card using the Butterfly Princess digi, plus am entering two of my favorite cards made with Conie Fong digis during 2019: Bella with Gift (originally posted HERE) and Snowy the Penguin (originally posted HERE. Check out the original posts to get details and see the inside of the Bella card. It is a beauty!) I used a boxed card as my base. It is from a set that I found at Goodwill last year. I love the variety of fronts, and I helped the inside sentiment to match the digi on the front my printing an extra butterfly. (I did just notice that I need to add the antennae to that little critter!) I am entering the Butterfly Princess card into several other challenges including the Outlawz Saturday Challenge (butterflies make me happy, and during this cold and windy flu season, butterflies mean Spring… which I’m already longing to see!) and the Butterfly Challenge (My card includes all three colors: Riffle Green/Raspberry/Rajah-light orange, and all three themes: Butterfly, Ribbon-tied into a bow, and Raised Up-foam tape beneath the bow and then oval that holds the cute digi. I added a photo so show this.) 

(Note- I’m only entering Bella and Snowy cards in the Conie Fong challenge as they have been previously posted on my blog so they wouldn’t qualify for any other challenges.)

  

Supplies: 

·    Card 1- Butterfly Princess digi- Connie Fong, digi can be found HERE

·    Card base is from a box  of Birthday card rescued from our local Goodwill

·    Card 2- Bella with Gift digi-Connie Fong, digi can be found HERE

·    Card 3- Snowy the Penguin digi-Connie Fong, digi can be found HERE

·    Front sentiment- Desert Diva Freebie  (Hello How Are You?)

·    All are colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Assorted background papers from my stash

Entered into:  

Conie Fong Art&Design Group- Jan Challenge-Anything Goes (Option- Happy Birthday)

Butterfly Challenge- #135 R for Rocker Card  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Anything Goes                                 

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                       

Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Things That Make You Happy      

My final entry into Di’s Digi Stamps current Challenge features one of Di’s sweet digis named “Three Chilly Polar Bears.” I wanted to make them really stand out, so they take center stage on a Bridge fold card. (I love that these cards are so easy to make yet are fun to send because I know that they are often displayed. Especially when I send them to my 96-year-old MIL. She loves sharing cards on the shelf outside of her room at the assisted living facility where she now lives… and those that stand by themselves are her favorite. So I am thinking she will love this one!)

Supplies: 

·    Digi- Di’s Digi (Three Chilly Polar Bears )

·    Sentiment- Imagine That Freebie Digi Set “Jenn & Friends” (No longer available)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Assorted background papers from my stash

·    Instructions for Bridge Fold card can be found HERE.

Entered into:  

Di’s Digi Stamps- Winter and/or Snow                                                  

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #112

The Paper Shelter- #412 Digital Image

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #424-425 Anything Goes                   

One of my new years resolutions is to make a few Christmas cards a month in order to build a stash for this year's holidays. I’ve always loved this cute Azadi Earles image, which is one of the first stamps I ever bought. It was in the late 90’s so it is a wood-mount stamp. I’ve downsized my collection of these space taking wood mounts, but this one has survived my annual cuts, mainly because he was one of my mom’s favorites. She loved to color and loves cute critters, so this image won in both of those categories.

Supplies: 

·    Sheep Wood Mount Stamp- Azadi Earles (Company no longer in business)

·    Inside Sentiments- Computer Generated

·    White Liquid Applique on the hat- (Available from several places, if you check the web.)

·    Stamped on grey parchment cardstock- available from most office supply stores.

·    Assorted background papers from my stash

Entered into: 

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Anything Christmas or Holiday Related

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #474 Anything Goes 

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Jan                                  

Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday- Anything Goes

Cardinals, Penguins and Bugs… oh my!

I always enjoy the weekly challenges at Power Poppy because they often really do challenge me! One of the January challenges was to create a card that is “small and sassy”. I used a scrap of cardstock to create a gate-fold card that measures approximately 4x4.5 inches and added an element of sassy by using a wonderful pair of birds from a Power Poppy digi set named “Cardinal Couple.” The main reason I think they look sassy is that I once had a pet budgie (parakeet) named Charlie that was very sassy and his antics resembled the cardinal on the teacup. Charlie was finger tamed, which meant that I could hold out my pointer finger and he’d quickly hop onto it to come out and “play.” His favorite game was when I’d lay a half sheet of paper on a small table beside my recliner. He’d immediately hop from my finger to the paper and proceed to rip it into little pieces. After he ripped each piece, he’d hop to the edge of the table, drop the scrap from his beak and watch it fall to the floor. Then he’d happily hop back to start the process again for 20-30 minutes at a time. When his paper was gone, he’d tilt his head and look at me then squawk an order for more. If I was busy and ignored him, he would fly to my shoulder and softly bop his head against my neck until I replenished his paper supply. He was so fun! 

I’m entering this card into several other challenges including Outlawz Saturday Challenge- Things that Make you Happy (Charlie Bird provided my hubby and me lots of laughs with his many antics!),  and Simon Says Challenge- Besotted With Your Pets (Charlie’s been gone since 1978 and we still talk about how fun he was to watch.)

 

 

Supplies: 

·    Digi- Power Poppy (Cardinal Couple Digital Stamp)

·    Sentiments- Power Poppy (Chickadee in Barberry Digital Stamp Set)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Background papers from my stash

Entered into: 

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Small & Sassy  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Besotted With Our Pets                   

Rudolph Days Challenge- January

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #618 Green

Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Things That Make You Happy      

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Anything Christmas or Holiday Related

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #474 Anything Goes                 

This is my third card made in honor of Scribbles Design's 7th birthday. A special challenge is being held that features penguins in honor of Scribble's first penguin digi named “Brrrr.” (Don’t you love that?!) For this card I used two Scribbles digis, both freebies (an ice cub and an owl turned penguin named “Hoot” (again… great name!) The front and inside sentiments are also both free digis. (I have a large collection of freebies that I’ve gleaned over the last few years. It is a favorite hobby.)

 

Supplies: 

·    Digi- Scribbles Designs freebie named “Hoot”

·    Digi- Scribbles Designs freebie named “Ice Cube”

·    Front sentiment- Desert Diva Freebie  (Hello How Are You?)

·    Inside sentiment- Imagine That Freebie Digi Set “Jenn & Friends” (No longer available)

·    EK Sticko Stickers Winter Snowflakes - Walmart

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Background paper and a scrap of ribbon from my stash

Entered into:  

Scribbles Designs Challenge- 7^th Birthday- Penguin Surprise  (SD)
Bugaboo Stamps- Photo Challenge                

Di’s Digi Stamps- Winter and/or Snow                                                  

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #422-423 Anything Goes                   

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #490

For my final card this posting, I made a get well card with a freebie digi of a vintage canning jar that I'd discovered a few years ago and saved to my laptop. I printed it off on an acetate transparency sheet (an old office supply store purchase back when I used an overhead projector to make presentations. Yep. I'm OLD.) Since tape would show through the acetate if I taped it to the card, I opted for a different process that was a little time-consuming but well worth the trouble. When I trimmed the acetate, I cut little "flaps" (½ -1 inches wide and 1-2 inches long) on each side of the jar. I attached a scrap of grey cardstock to the back of the lid on the jar with a few small strips of double-stick tape and trimmed it to fit. When finished, I added a few highlights with a white gel pen and set the jar aside.

I die-cut a few sprigs of foliage in green, then created a homemade stencil by die-cutting a trio of the foliage sprigs on a squared of acrylic. I then used this stencil to sponge green sprigs on the front and inside of the card. I oopsed on the stenciling on the left side of the card front, so covered that with a strip of floral paper, stamped and colored a ladybug inside of where the jar would be attached and added the die-cut foliage. After cutting small slits in the card front, I slipped the flaps into the slits, folded them open and taped them down with transparent tape on the inside of the card. The inside of the card features more stenciling and a "bug trail" created with little lines meandering across the page and sentiment. So fun! Am entering this card into several challenges including Outlaws Tuesday Color Challenge (my card includes several colors from in the photo including green, red, tan and grey in the shading of the jar and bug), and Outlaws Crash Your Stash Challenge- Stencils (I created a stencil from the paper scraps left after I die cut the foliage. Worked perfectly!)

 

Supplies: 

·    Vintage jar digi- a freebie from the Graphic Fairy. You can find it HERE.

·    Front sentiment is handwritten

·    Inside sentiment is from an old Stampin’ Up Wood-mount Set (retired)

·    Bug- Hero Arts Wood Mount Stamp (no longer available)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    The Foliage Die is from a company named Our Daily Bread that appears to be out of business. I did find a similar one from the company Paper Smooches that is available from Simon Says and other on-line companies.

·    Background papers from my stash

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge- Old Post Office (Photo)

Outlawz Challenge- Crash Your Stash- Stencils                                     

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                       

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #112