End of Month Creations

It's Wednesday! So it’s time for another challenge at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog where challenges are always Anything Goes and prizes are awarded from one or more sponsors.  Stop by the blog to check it out!

For this challenge, I liked two of the digis so much that I asked to make two DT cards for two different sponsors. My first DT card features an image from SheepSki Designs named “Elsa.” I had fun creating her beautifully fluffy fur with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and a white gel pen. Doesn’t she look gorgeous against the fall background from an upcycled calendar page? The We Are 3 sentiment and a fluttering of mini die-cut leaves finish the card.

I’m entering this card into several challenges including Do-Al[l] Kreatives’ Inspired by a Song (What Does the Fox Say?- Now just try to get that tune out of your head!) and Bugaboo Photo Inspiration (inspired by the beautiful trees).

Supplies: 

·   Digi- SheepSki Designs (Elsa)

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

·   Front Sentiment- We Are 3 Autumn Sentiment set can be found HERE

·   Cardstock and mini die-cut leaves from my stash

·   Upcycled calendar page

Entered into:  

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Add A Photo  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Animal Antics

Bugaboo Stamps- PhotoInspiration                                  

Do-Al[l] Kreatives #45 Inspired by a Song

Spectrum Noir Community Group (FB)- Sept-Autumn/Fall  

My second DT card features a digi a sentiment from Stampers Delights named “Chibis Photo.” I loved coloring this little cutie but wasn’t sure how I was going to color the butterflies until I found a stack of 12x12 paper that I’d purchased a few months ago. In the confusion of working remotely due to COVID, I’d put a box of craft items in my garage… and it just resurfaced.  I’m so glad I found it because this sheet of elegant paper works so beautifully on this card… and provided me with inspiration for the flourishes I added to the butterflies and to her dress. I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Saturday Challenge- Thinking of You (I’m thinking that a “You’ve Captured My Heart” sentiment means I’m thinking of you?!) and the NBUS Challenge (first time I used this lovely paper. I hope I can find more of it!)  

 

Supplies: 

·   Digi and inside sentiment- Stampers Delights (Chibis Photo)

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

·   Sentiments- Computer Generated

·   Assorted cardstock from my stash

·   Patterned Paper- I think this is from a Crafters Companion-Sara Signature Paper Pad I purchased this summer, but I tore them out to separate by colors so am not sure which pad. Sorry! 

·   Puffy Heart Stickers- Sticko’s from WalMart (The pack contains 113 assorted puffy hearts for just 99 cents!)

Entered into:  

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #129

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- September 

Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Thinking of You 

NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff!)-  Challenge #18           

     

I wanted to make a card that could be considered masculine to enter into the challenge at Di’s Digis… and thought a fishing card might work. (However, this card is actually being sent to one of my staff members who is an avid fisherwoman!) I fussy-cut the fish from a sheet of scrapbook paper I found at Hobby Lobby on a recent shopping trip, and added a bit of shading with a grey marker and highlighting with a white gel pen. The background is an upcycled calendar page, and the sentiments are freebies (front of card) and computer-generated (inside of card.) I’m entering this card into several challenges including Incy Wincy Designs- Let’s Celebrate (especially during this stressful time in history, I think a day spent fishing truly is a reason to celebrate!)

Supplies:

·   Front Sentiment- Birdscards Freebie (Have a Fintastic Day)

·   Inside Sentiment- Computer Generated

·   Fish- Scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby

·   Shading on fish with a grey Spectrum Noir Classique markers and highlighting with a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Background on card front-Upcycled calendar page

·   Background on inside of card-old map from my stash

Entered into:  

Di’s Digi Stamps- Make It Masculine 

Incy Wincy Designs- Let’s Celebrate

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #142 Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #458-459 Anything Goes  

                 

Holiday Fun

I love fall colors, so creating this card made me happy, happy, happy! Printed the Power Poppy digi on Kraft cardstock and colored the blooms and leaves with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and a white colored pencil. The leaf on the inside is a real one that I plucked from a tree in our yard last fall. It’s been tucked away in an old phone book (remember them?!) until I pulled it out for this card. I carefully stuck it atop a strip of packing tape, gently pressing it into the tape, then used a pair of sharp scissors to trim the excess tape from the leaf. (This helped to keep the brittle points of the leaf veins from breaking off.) I am entering the card into the Power Poppy BINGO card (diagonal from the upper left: Use a Background Stamp-I printed the digi large enough to cover a large portion of the card’s background, Use the color blue, and Use Twine).  

Supplies: 

·   Digi and Inside Sentiment- Power Poppy’s digi set (Autumns Opulence)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Aquarelle white colored pencil

·   Front Sentiment- “Thanks” Die-cute upcycled from a greeting card

·   Kraft and blue cardstock, patterned papers, and twine from my stash

·   Pressed and dried maple leaf- from our yard, Fall 2019

·   EK Success EKCB01 Cutter Bee Precision Scissors 

·   Black photo corners from Amazon (WXJ13 13 Sheets 13 Colors Photo Mounting Corners)

Entered into:  

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- TicTacToe                                    

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #458-459 Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #520 (Optional twist- Colors of Autumn)

Spectrum Noir Community Group (FB)- Sept- Autumn/Fall  

This month’s challenges at wecraftcards Forum are based on movie themes. I made it for the challenge at wecraftcards Forum named “The Incredibles.” The requirements noted, “The Incredibles are a normal looking family with hidden superpowers. So your challenge is to create a card that appears "normal" on the outside but has a surprise of some sort inside (i.e. explosion card, box card, twist card, pop up card, etc.)” I decided to make an explosion card, using a colorful Christmas paper placemat as the insert. (I often use wrapping paper of paper placements for explosion cards, because they are easier to fold than cardstock, and allow for nice sharp creases. If you’ve never made an explosion card, they are really easy and provide a nice “wow” factor for the recipient. The link in my supply list is one of the best-written tutorials I’ve seen. Give it a try!)  The card also features images from a yummy Power Poppy’s digi set! You can’t really see it in the photos, but the white “frosting” created with Liquid Pearls provides a bit of realistic texture and sheen. I’m entering this card into several challenges including Power Poppy’s Color Your Image which requires “ Any PP image on colored cardstock”  (I used the Gingerbread Family digi on kraft brown cardstock), The Paper Shelters Blast From the Past and Path or Positivity Challenge Family Ties (My mom was the head cook at our school and really liked to bake. So… the holidays meant pies for Thanksgiving and many dozens of cookies for Christmas. Cookie baking remains a favorite tradition, especially when shared with friends and neighbors), and Christmas Crafts All Year Round Use at Least 2 Things starting with S (Santa hat, Sweet Treats and Sentiments).

Supplies: 

·   Digi Images- Power Poppy digi set (Gingerbread Family)

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

·   Explosion Card Insert- Instructions found HERE

·   Sentiments- Computer Generated

·   Kraft, white and green cardstock

·   Liquid Pearls- White Opal

·   Christmas gingerbread says border and paper placemat from my stash

Entered into:  

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- The Incredibles

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Color Your Image                       

Incy Wincy Designs- Let’s Celebrate

The Paper Shelter- #442 Blast From the Past

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #653 Folds

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #509 Anything Goes

Rudolph Days Challenge- September

Christmas Crafts All Year Round- Use at Least 2 Things starting with S

Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #83 (Optional Twist- Family Ties)

This card features a spooky black cat silhouette that I stumbled upon when web surfing. It’s from an assortment of Halloween window silhouettes created by set designer Dave Lowe who gives permission to use this, and many other great silhouettes, for free. (see details below) I printed the cat in greyscale onto copy paper, then adhered it to a scrap of black paper, and carefully cut it out with my Cutter Bee Scissors. The fence was made from woodgrain patterned paper, and the wonderful starry background paper is part of a bundle of freebies from Polkadoodles (grab it now as it was first posted on the 4^th of July and I don’t know how long it will be free!) It is hard to see in the photo, but the cat's slanted eyes are cut from the black paper, allowing the yellow moon to shine through. I colored them green and added small black pupils and a dot of a white gel pen to add highlights and bring the feline's eyes to life! 

Supplies: 

·   Black Cat Silhouette- See Dave Lowes free assortment HERE

·   EK Success EKCB01 Cutter Bee Precision Scissors 

·   Starry Background- Polkadoodles- Free digital download bundle (USA 4th July Celebration)

·   Front Sentiment-TlcCreations Freebie (You are Spooktacular)

·   Inside Sentiment- Birdscards Freebie (Happy Halloween)

·   Assorted cardstock and woodgrain patterned paper from my stash

Entered into: 
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Animal Antics

Double D’s Challenge- Don’t FENCE Me In                                   

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- September

Polkadoodles Challenge-Week #39 Anything Goes        

              

Weekend Fun

This week's Simon Says Challenge is named Steampunk and I knew just which image I wanted to use on my card! “It’s Tea Time” from The Paper Shelter features a beautiful steampunk image. I appreciate that most of The Paper Shelter digi sets include a background. For this one, I printed it off in shades of grey so that the steampunk beauty would stand out when colored in shades of rose, burgundy, teal, and aqua, with silver accents. I tried to add a vintage look to the card by adding a lacy square paper doily on its base. A few gears, cut from metallic silver paper add to the steampunk theme.

Supplies: 

·   Digi- The Paper Shelter (It’s Tea Time)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white & silver gel pens

·   Sentiment labels from my scrapbook stash

·   Assorted background papers, metallic silver cardstock, and a square doily from my stash

·   Gears- Darice Embossing Essentials Dies Gears

Entered into:  TPS Its Tea Time

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Steampunk 

The Paper Shelter- #442 Blast From the Past

Besties Challenge- September Anything Goes

Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday Anything Goes

Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

Last month I made 30 baby announcements for a couple of dear friends who just had a baby this week.  They knew they were having a baby (so bring on the PINK) and their theme was elephants, so I used this cute elephant digi from Little Scraps of Heaven (LSOH) on two of the card designs for their announcements. I shared one design a few weeks ago. Here is the second one. (I’m glad I remembered to take photos of the cards before I sent them on!) To simplify the process of making 30 cards, I appreciated that the LSOH digi is pre-colored. I just added a bit more contrast with a light grey marker for shading, a bit more pink on the ears, and a white gel pen for highlights. I’m entering this card into several challenges including Incy Wincy Designs “Let’s Celebrate” (I love celebrating new babies!)

Supplies: 

·   Pre-colored Digi- Little Scraps of Heaven (Easter Elephant Egg)-retired

·   Enhanced with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Circle template, assorted background papers, and silver photo corners from my stash

Entered into:  

Little Scraps of Heaven- Anything Goes Challenge  (FB)    

Incy Wincy Designs- Funny or Let’s Celebrate

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #129

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Animal Antics

Day of the Month Challenge- Elephant Appreciation Day

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- September            

 
This month's challenge at the wecraftcards challenge has been based on movie themes. The current challenge is named “27 Dresses” and just required us to have a dress featured on our card. (BTW- 27 Dresses is a fun movie!) I love paper folding so found a favorite template I’ve used in the past and got to work. This sweet card is the result! I used a scrap of old vinyl wallpaper to make the dress, loving how the stripes look on the skirt, and on the peplum that I added with an additional scrap of the wallpaper. I wanted to keep the background simple, so that the dress got all of the focus, and remembered a box of brown notecards with an aqua line along the edge that I recently picked up at Goodwill. They were perfect! Added a pretty ribbon bow at the waist, and an upcycled greeting to finish off my card.

Supplies: 
·   Folded Dress Template can be found HERE
·   Brown notecard, a scrap of vinyl wallpaper, and a strip of ribbon papers from my stash
·   Front Sentiment-Upcycled from an old card
Entered into: 
We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- 27 Dresses
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #142 Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #458-459 Anything Goes                   
Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #653 Folds
Pixie's Snippets-Week #387                                                                     

Dream Butterfly

When COVID first prompted the Safe At Home orders, I saw a few wonderful freebies on FB from a company named Impression Obsession. I nabbed those digi’s and visited the shop to find lots more amazing freebies PLUS some wonderful scenic stamps and digis. I’m always on the lookout for butterfly images so I just had to have this beautiful digi plus a few others that you’ll see in the future!

For this card, I first adhered cloud stationery to the front of an A2 card. I next used a ruler to draw a frame around the digi, then colored the scene inside of the butterfly outline.  When finished I cut out the uncolored sections inside of the frame, trimming the antennae from the image and setting them aside. I added a layer of vellum to the colored image, then used a pencil to trace the antennae onto the backside of the vellum. Am entering this card into the current Impression Obsession Challenge (Autumn Colors, plus Spectrum Noir and Crafty Catz Autumn Challenges), and the Butterfly Challenge (includes the colors- Delft blue and Dandelion, and themes- butterfly.)

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Impression Obsession Digital Stamp (Dream Butterfly)

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

·   Inside sentiment- Imagine That Digi Set- Pandas  (Thinking of You) 

·   Cardstock, assorted background paper, vellum, and foam tape from my stash

Entered into:  

Impression Obsession Challenge- Autumn Colors               

Butterfly Challenge- #147 D is for Double Point Fold 

Spectrum Noir Community Group (FB)- Sept- Autumn/Fall

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #520 (Optional twist- Colors of Autumn)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #458-459 Anything Goes