Four to End the Month

I just realized that I have several cards to post before January draws to a close, so this posting will be packed full!
I wanted to make one final floral themed card to enter into the current Double D challenge… and ended up making two. Decided to enter this one since, with all the fussy-cutting, it took the most time to create! Plus, a few scraps of scrap paper and a few turns on a seldom-used corrugator created leaves with texture. 

I remembered making one of these cards many years ago, and found a template on Pinterest that loosely served as my guide. The flowers were created with scraps from my large collection of patterned paper. This card will be sent to my sweet 98-year-old MIL. Due to COVID we haven’t been able to see her, so I try to send her cards and letters on a regular basis.

Supplies: 

·   Flowerpot Pocket Card Template can be found HERE
·   Tag Sentiment was trimmed from a Bugaboo digi (Ladybug Hello)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Inside Sentiment-Unknown Source (from a Michaels Dollar bin years ago!)
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  
Double D’s Challenge- Flowers in Containers  
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #475-476 Anything Goes                   
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- January                 
Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Anything Goes              
Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge
 
The second floral card features a beautiful freebie from artist Conie Fong. I had fun coloring it in pastels, with white gel highlights. An Outlaws Sketch provided an interesting layout that features a scrap of patterned paper with a beautiful filigree design. I perched a few pretty butterflies, cut from scrapbook stickers, to finish the card.  

Supplies: 
·   Digi- Conie Fong FB Freebie (Flowers In A Vase)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Front Sentiment - Beccy’s Place Digi set (Hello Sunshine)
·   Inside Sentiment- loveSVG Freebie (Happy Birthday)
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  
Conie Fong Art & Design Group [FB]- Monthly Challenge- January Anything Goes              
Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Spring Spring Spring 
Polkadoodles Challenge-Week #5 Anything Goes                         
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays

Outlawz Challenges- Wednesday Sketch  

Since I’m a DT for Sheepski (sponsor), I’m entering just for fun!

A few years ago I signed up for Gerda Steiner’s newsletter, and this is one of the freebies I’ve received since then. You can sign up on the GS website HERE, where you’ll also find several other free digis!) Paired with items from my stash, plus two sentiments from my digi collection I have a sweet birthday card. (I often add details with a white gel pen. I provided a close-up of this sweet bear's face so you can see them!) 
I’m entering this into several challenges including the  Butterfly Challenge. It features one Color- Heat Wave (Orange) and one Theme Butterfly.  

Supplies: 
·   Digi- Gerda Steiner Freebie (Mouse with Cookie) no longer available
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·  Front Sentiment- “Sweet Birthday Wishes” Imagine That digi set (Ice Cream to My Cone)
·   Inside Sentiment- TiddlyInks Digi set (Cookie Bugg) no longer available
·   Sheer black dotted swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  
Gerda Steiner Designs- Share Your Designs Challenge- January
Bugaboo Stamp- Stella Says Sketch Challenge #902                
The Paper Shelter- #454 Happy Birthday
Butterfly Challenge- #151 H is for Herringbone Card (photo)
 
The January challenge at Little Scraps of Heaven Designs states, “Create a tag using any LSHD piecing highlighting any goal you would like to achieve or change you would like to see in 2021.” I looked through my LSHD collection for inspiration, and this digi, named Love Mom Bear jumped into my hands! It reminded me how much my Mom loved making cards together. After she was in a nursing home, she loved getting my handmade cards in the mail. In her memory, my goal this year is to send out more cards than I have in past years. With so many friends and family members suffering through additional months of social isolation, I think that getting mail is more important than ever. So… I want to do what I can to brighten their days! This past year the time I spent in my craft room provided me with hours and hours of stress management and produced lots of cards.  So, whenever God puts someone on my heart in the coming months, I’m going to send them a card!
I’m entering this into several challenges including the Path Of Positivity Challenge with the Optional Twist- Look for the Positive. (My positive is trying to make something good out of this difficult time. I’ve worked in the field of mental health promotion and drug prevention for nearly four decades… and with so many people struggling with depression and anxiety this past year, I hope that sending out cards can brighten a few lives!)

Oh, forgot to mention, I added some depth to the sweet image by printing an extra copy of the heart and roses. I colored, fussy-cut, and attached them with foam tape. You can see proof of this by the shadow in the close-up photo.  Plus, by looking at the photo I can see that the roses are attached a little bit crooked!  And you can see the little wink of a rhinestone I added to the sentiment. Mom always did like her bling! 

Also, this cute digi set is on sale right now for just $1.00! (That's 75% off!) 

 

Supplies: 
·   Digi- Little Scraps of Heaven (Love Mom Bear)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  LSOH Love Mom
Little Scraps of Heaven-(FB) January (Goal or Change)       
Incy Wincy Designs- Anything Goes
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #671 Valentines
Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #87 (Optional Twist- Look for the Positive)
         Since I’m a DT for Sheepski (sponsor), I’m entering just for fun!

Imagine That (X3)

I was thrilled a few months ago when Kris Breach, artist/owner of Imagine That Digistamps started offering monthly challenges again! I served on Kris’ DT before she took some time off and really enjoyed working with her… and creating with her wonderful artwork.  She now offers Progressive Challenge each month. And since I love bears, I really like the current one that features a sweet Panda. I created a gatefold card, added a softly colored sky with chalks and a cloud stencil, then colored the digi with bright colors. The final bit of color was added with heart stickers.

PS- The January Progressive Challenge set includes digis, sentiments, and papers all for just $2.99. And if you enter a card into this month’s challenge, you’ll get next month's digi set for free! But hurry, the challenge ends on the 31st. Check here for details! 

I'm entering this card into several challenges including We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- Sentimental Ol' You (Must contain the word LOVE ), The Sisterhood of Crafters- Create Your Own Background  (I created the cloudy sky with a stencil, decorative chalks and a makeup sponge) and Outlawz Tuesday Challenge (I used all three of the colors on my card and also created the cloudy background.) 

 

 

Supplies: 

• Digi and sentiment- Imagine That Digital Stamp (Panda Love Drops) 

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

• Cloud Stencil- All Night Media (no longer available)

•  Heart Stickers- Hobby Lobby

• All other items from my stash.

Entered into:

Imagine That Blog Progressive Challenge- January (Panda Love Drops)

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- Sentimental Ol' You 

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #671 Valentines

The Sisterhood of Crafters- Create Your Own Background   

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge-3 Colors and Twist-Make Your Own Background

I recently attended a team-building workshop with other managers at my agency. The trainer provided some wonderful exercises to help increase our productivity and my favorite involved making paper airplanes. I wanted to send her a thank-you card and these digis from Imagine That were the perfect fit! To make one of the paper airplanes look like it was suspended in the air I made a Z-fold card that included a smaller z-fold made from a strip of acetate. I printed and fussy-cut the three planes and set them aside. I loosely attached the cloud background paper to the card base, leaving the edges free until after I determined where I wanted to place the plane onto the card. After deciding this, I lifted the edge of the cloud paper and slid the long end of the acetate "brace" under it, adhering the end with tape.  [You can see this in one of the photos.] I next taped the other end of the acetate in place on the inside of the card by cutting a slit into the cloud paper, sliding the acetate inside and taping it to the card, thus hiding the tape from view. When the acetate is in place, I taped the plane to the card front. A sentiment and a few star stickers finish the fun card that is sure to delight the trainer who will receive it.

I'm entering this into several challenges including Di’s Digi Stamps- TicTacToe  (Diagonal- upper right to lower left- Something Blue, digi image, sentiment) and Scribbles Designs Challenge named The Power of Eight (In honor of their 8th birthday this challenge requires that entries include exactly 8 items. Item 1- my card base, 2- cloud paper 3,4 and 5- airplanes, 6- sentiment, 7- black layer behind the sentiment, 8-sparkly star stickers).

Supplies: 

• Digi and sentiment- Imagine That Digistamps (Airplanes) 

• Z-fold card video tutorial 

• Papers, a strip of acetate, and star stickers from my stash.

Entered into:  

Di’s Digi Stamps- TicTacToe

Scribbles Designs Challenge- #96 The Power of Eight

Incy Wincy Designs- Anything Goes

Polkadoodles Challenge-Week #4 Anything Goes 

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays  

Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Anything Goes   

My final card this post is a Sympathy card that features a Bugaboo image and an Imagine That sentiment. I wanted the card to have an elegant look, so used rich colors, plus a few strips of ribbon that include beautiful stripes of satin and gold thread. Small pearls add a bit of gleam and sparkle to the floral accents and candle flame. 

I'm entering this card into several challenges including Bugaboo Stamps- Jan Color Challenge  (my card features most of the colors, but some in deeper shades.)

Supplies: 

• Digi- Bugaboo Stamps (Thoughts and Prayers Candle)

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

• Inside Sentiment- Imagine That Digistamps (Sentimental Thoughts) 

• All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Bugaboo Stamps- Jan Color Challenge   

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #138  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #475-476 Anything Goes  

Dragonfly Dreams- Pearls and/or Gems 

Cow'nt Your Blessings

It’s Friday and time 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 making cards is stress therapy for me!! 

This week's sponsor is Bugaboo and I selected a sweet image for my card named Cownt Your Blessings. I colored the cute bovine pair with alcohol markers and a white gel pen and perched them atop a plank of wood (background paper.) A brightly colored card base topped with cowhide patterned background paper and a layer of vellum (that mutes the bold background a bit) completes the card. The inside sentiment is included with the digital image, I just added some spots to the COW lettering and also cut spots from scrap paper to frame the sentiment.  

Supplies: 

• Image- Bugaboo Digital Stamp (Cownt Your Blessings)  

• Cowhide background paper-Imagine That Digital Stamp Set- Lil Cowpokes (retired) 

•  All other items from my stash

Entered into:  Team B Bugaboo Cow’nt your blessings

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #138  

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #475-476 Anything Goes                   

Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Anything Goes   

Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

 

A friend surprised me with a handknitted scarf this afternoon. I wanted to make her a thank

you card and since we used to go on regular coffee dates, this sweet little Gnomie named

Antoni from Digi Doodle Studios makes a perfect messenger! I upcycled the front panel (with

the die cut sentiment) from an old card, saving a strip of it to embellish the inside sentiment. I

plan to add a note about setting a time for coffee as soon as safety allows. I really miss coffee

dates with friends! 

I'm entering this card into several challenges including Bugaboo Stamps- Jan Color Challenge

(my card features the colors, but several are in deeper shades than the ones pictured.)

Supplies: 

·   Digi-Digi Doodles Studios (Antoni Coffee Gnomie)

·   Upcycled Thank You card

·   Inside Sentiment “Warm Winter Wishes” Imagine That Digi Set (Jenn & Friends) Retired

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  Digi Doodles-Antoni Coffee Gnomie

Digi Doodle Studios- FB Challenge- Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #536 (Optional twist- Thank You)   

Incy Wincy Designs- Anything Goes

Bugaboo Stamps- Jan Color Challenge   

Besties Challenge- January Anything Goes

I always plan a special card to enter into the monthly Rudolph Days Challenge. This one

features sweet gingerbread digis, lots of snippets of paper from my stamping and

scrapbooking stashes, plus a few great sentiments. I like to use kraft brown paper when I make

gingerbread houses and people as they look great with white gel “frosting.” On this card, I

especially like the peppermint candy embellishments I made for the inside sentiment. I

trimmed the little images from a scrap of Christmas paper, then wrapped them with small

squares of cellophane cut from an upcycled cellophane treat bag. The cellophane wouldn’t stay

closed with just a twist, so I cut very thin strips of transparent scotch tape that I wrapped

around the twist to hold it in place. Easy Peasy and oh so cute!)

Supplies: 

·   Digi Images- Power Poppy Digi Set (Gingerbread Family)

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

·   Front Sentiment- “Sending Warm...” from Beccy’s Place Digital Set (Gingerbread Wishes)

·   Inside Sentiment- “Spreading Holiday Cheer” Power Poppy Digi Set (Gingerbread Family)

·   All other items from my stash

Entered into:  

Rudolph Days Challenge- January 

Pixie's Snippets-Week #395

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays

Polkadoodles Challenge-Week #4 Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- January

January Twofer Challenge

One of my favorite monthly challenges called the "Twofer Card Challenge" requires the use of the exact same stamp or die to make two cards with distinctly different designs for two different occasions. The January Challenge is named "Flowers” and I didn’t know if I’d get to play along this month since I’ve been having dental pain for a while. My dentist sent me to an oral surgeon who did his magic and after a bit of recovery time, I’m on the mend. I was able to happily spend most of today in my craft room. My first order of business was to pick out a flower stamp or die. Since I am already longing for spring to get here, I decided on a wonderful bucket of tulip stamp that I’ve had for a few decades to make my two cards.  

 
Supplies: 

·   Wood-Mount Stamp- Tulips in a Bucket (PSX) Company no longer in business

Entered into: 

Twofer Card Challenge- #34 Flowers

Tulips speak Easter to me. I always love seeing their bright shouts of color reaching for the sun at the beginning of Spring! So I just had to make an Easter card! I embossed the image and colored it with a set of watercolors. (That is why the card front looks a little muddy. I've never mastered this medium even after taking a few watercolor classes in college but I do try my hand at it again every so often. I did try to "freshen" the tulips up with a white gel pen, which helped a little.) I also wanted to give the bucket a tarnished metal look, so I embossed the bucket onto the uncycled silver liner from a coffee can, fussy-cut, and adhered it atop the plain one (I did need to use an Xacto blade to lift the tulip on the lower right so I could slide the silver bucket under it to get some layering.) , I also added Glossy Accents to the tulip leaves and blooms to try to copy their waxy texture. Two sentiments and pink rhinestone hearts to add a bit of bling… and the card was done!  
I’m entering this card into several other challenges including Path Of Positivity Challenge- Look for the Positive (I love watching the changing of seasons. Spring flowers signify HOPE to me!)  and Stamping Sensations-Favorite Stamps (I’ve been stamping since the late 80s and many of my first stamps were from PSX. This is one that has survived many family moves and the related downsizing of my wood-mount stamps.)

 

Supplies: 

·   Wood-Mount Stamp- Tulips in a Bucket (PSX) Company no longer in business
·   Colored with a set of watercolors from my stash and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Couture Creations Butterfly Garden Mini Cutting Die (Hello Friend)
·   Inside Sentiment- “Happy Easter” from Beccy’s Place Digi Set Easter Joy
·   Pink Rhinestone Hearts- JoAnnes
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into: 
Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Spring Spring Spring 
Double D’s Challenge- Flowers in Containers  
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #475-476 Anything Goes                   
Stamping Sensations- Favorite Stamps
Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #87 (Optional Twist- Look for the Positive)
         Since I’m a DT for Sheepski (sponsor), I’m entering just for fun!

For my second card I stamped the top portion of the tulip stamp on the corners of a light blue patterned background and lightly colored them with chalks. The sparkly Valentine stickers are from my scrapbook stash. I love the style of script on the Amore Sticker and the inside sentiment… as it gives the card a wonderful romantic feeling!

Supplies: 
·   Wood-Mount Stamp- Tulips in a Bucket (PSX) Company no longer in business
·   Colored with Decorative Chalks applied with Q-tips
·   Inside Sentiment- “Happy Valentines Day”-Hero Arts Words of Love digital set (no longer available)
·   White photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 13 Sheets 13 Colors Photo Mounting Corners)
·   All other items from my scrapbook or cardmaking stash.
Entered into: 
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Make Your Own Background
Polkadoodles Challenge-Week #3 Anything Goes                         
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                
Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Anything Goes
Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

I was enjoying using a softer color palette for my Twofer cards, so decided to follow that trend during my cardmaking gig today. Ching-Chou Kuik is celebrating a birthday in January, so the theme for her monthly Challenge is [wait for it…] Happy Birthday! I decided to use her beautiful digi named “Hello Butterfly” and incorporated pastels and light greys for a softly muted tone. The card base adds great texture and pale color, as it was made from a sheet of hand-made paper. To add a bit of sparkle to the card I used Liquid Pearls, Nuvo Crystal Drops, and Stickles on the flowers and dragonfly.  (Oh… and if you look closely you can even see that he has tiny googly eyes!)
I’m entering this card into several other challenges including 2craftycrittercrazies January Challenge (I think this huge dragonfly would qualify as a critter?!) and Scribbles Designs Challenge named The Power of Eight (In honor of their 8^th birthday this challenge requires that entries include exactly 8 items. Item 1- my card base, 2- coral layer, 3- white layer with digi, 4-grey patterned frame, 5-sentiment layer, 6- dark green layer, 7- light green layer, 8-white photo corners.

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Ching-Chou Kuik (Hello Dragonfly)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Buttercup Liquid Pearls (flower centers), Bottle Green Nuvo Crystal Drops (dragonfly body) Crystal Stickles (wings)
·    Front Sentiment- “It’s Your Birthday from Power Poppy’s digi set (Cuppa Cupcake)
·   Inside Sentiment- “May Your Day Blossom” Power Poppy’s digi set (Blossoming Cherry)
·   White photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 13 Sheets 13 Colors Photo Mounting Corners)
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into: 
Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration & Challenge- Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday
Ching-Chou Kuik's FB Challenge- [FB] Happy, Happy, Happy New Year    
Ching-Chou Kuik's FB Challenge- [FB] Happy Birthday Ching-Chou Kuik!
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #150 Anything Goes (Happy 6^th Birthday!)
Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #670 Birthdays
Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Anything Goes              
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- January                 

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- Jan 2021                                      
        Since I’m a DT for QKR (sponsor), I’m entering just for fun!
Scribbles Designs Challenge- #96 The Power of Eight