myasperations 8-30-22

When I saw that Beccy’s Place is the current sponsor of the Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge, I wanted to use one of Beccy’s images in the challenge, especially when I saw the color board. It is a perfect fit for the set Disco Fever! And the Outlawz challenge “twist” of friend reminded me that one of my good friends from high school loved all things Disco. So this is going to be my card for her this year when she turns the big 65! She’ll love all the wonderful details in this artwork, especially the "hangy-downy" parts to her arms since we both resemble that fact these days. Ha! 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Beccy’s Place Digital Stamp (Disco Fever)

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

·   Puffy Heart Stickers- Sticko’s

·   Front Sentiments- cut from scrapbook paper and a freebie from Papercrafts Magazine

·   Inside Sentiment- Digi- Beccy’s Place Digital Stamp (Disco Fever)

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge- photo with Twist: add “friend”

        Since I’m a Contributor for Beccy’s Place (sponsor), I’m entering just for fun!

Beccy’s Place Challenge- August  Since I’m a Contributor for Beccy’s Place, I’m entering just for fun!

Outlawz Challenge- August 2022 Linky

Paper Funday– #44 ATG (w/Opt. Friendship)

I picked up this wonderful birthday digi recently because I like it, it is just $1.50 (US), and it reminds me of my teen years (you know… when disco was in!)  Some striped paper, plus the sheen of metallic-colored stars finished off the card, which didn’t even need a front sentiment. So fun!

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Dr Digi House of Stamps (Birthday Cheese)

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

·   Sparkly Star Stickers- Dollar Store

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Digi Chooseday Crafting Challenge- Week #34 Anything Goes  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- #101 Shimmer and Shine  

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- August                   

Cute As A Button- August: CH #83 Anything Goes

STAMPlorations is a wonderful family-owned business, and I’ve enjoyed using their stamps, digis, and other products for several years. For this card a used a wonderful digi named “Rustic Birdhouse” that I printed on kraft cardstock, fussy-cut, then added a weathered woodgrain texture with markers and a white colored pencil. I used a few items from my stash, including a dusting of a wonderful product named “Flower Soft” to add snowy accents to the little house! (I love that it comes with its own “Home Sweet Home” sign above the door. Such great attention to detail!

I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Christmas Craft Creations “Winter Activities” (My mom became an avid birdwatcher in her later years. She had several birdhouses and feeders outside of her window at the nursing home and loved seeing the many birds- and the antics of the squirrels- that visited, especially in the winter months when food was scarce. She never wanted us to bring her treats. Instead, she’d ask for bird seed!)  

(An added note, I recently learned that STAMPlorations artist/owner Shery Russ was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer this past April. You can read about her journey and see some sweet family photos HERE. Shery is an amazing person who welcomes our support in several ways… including prayers!)  

Shery and her Family! 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Stamplorations (Rustic Birdhouse)

·   Shaded with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and highlighted with a white colored pencil

·   Snow made with Flower Soft Polar White you can find HERE

·   Card Front- Upcycled from an old card

·   Front Sentiment- Rubber stamp removed from wood-mount  company unknown)

·   Inside Sentiment- Lili of the Valley Digi Stamp Set (Christmas Wishes)

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

STAMPlorations- Never ending Anything Goes Challenge                 

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #557-558 Anything Goes                   

Christmas Craft Creations challenge- Winter Activities               

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday  (Christmas)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #609 AG      

Rudolph Days Challenge- August 

myasperations 8-28-22

In April, I stumbled upon a Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers group {BYSHC}, which was new to me. They were also hosting the  Spring into Christmas 2022 Linky Party, with some fine prizes. I’ve enjoyed entering their challenges and linky parties ever since! The current sketch was a perfect fit for this stamp I’ve had in my stash since the late 1990s from Denami. I embossed it with silver EP on a silver circle tag (also from my stash) then added some stars! The sentiments are a few of my favorites from Eureka Stamps (a company I also discovered in the late ‘90s, when a dear friend and I opened a stamp store in South Dakota. It was a three-year-long adventure and the start what is sure to be a life-long hobby!)  

Supplies: 
·   Wood Mount Stamp- Denami “Baby Jesus” (retired but occasionally seen on EBay)
·   Sentiments- Eureka Digital Stamp found HERE
·   Star Stickers- Hobby Lobby
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  
{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge FB- #25 August 2022
Cupcake Inspirations- #551 Theme Challenge-Hobbies             
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- #101 Shimmer and Shine  
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #557-558 Anything Goes                   
Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #608 AG      
Cute As A Button- August: CH #83 Anything Goes
 
I enjoyed the August Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers {BYSHC} so much that I made a second card with it… this time a Happy Birthday car in honor of Scribbles Design's 9th BDay! Their current challenge requires the use of a mandala or zentangle as the focus of our project. I found a mandala on a free Coloring Page on artist Mariola Budeks FB page that works perfectly with a Scribbles Designs sentiment. A scrap of yellow vellum “lights” the single candle, and lots of bling (with Stickles and sequins) creates a fun party feeling.

Supplies: 
·   Mandala Digi- Free Coloring Page by Mariola Budek Art (available HERE)
·   Front Sentiment- Scribbles Designs Freebie (Happy Birthday)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Inside Sentiment- Freebie from TLC Creations
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  
Scribbles Designs Challenge- #111 Get Your ZEN On
Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday Anything Goes  
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday  (anything Goes)
Allsorts Challenge- Week 690-1: Anything Goes  
Patties Challenge- #197 Anything Goes (Aug)

I was so happy earlier this year when Power Poppy started offering challenges again. The August theme is to include a sentiment as a focal point of our creation. I love strawberries, and the sentiment that comes in this Cherries and Berries set from Power Poppy. After realizing that the checked paper background resembled a tablecloth, I decided to go with that idea. I created dimensional mats to resemble “berry boxes” like those I remember from my childhood with woven strips of brown cardstock taped together on the underside. I liked the look of the mat at an angle on the paper. But after adhering it, I couldn’t bear throwing away the corner. So I adhered it along the bottom edge of the card… making it appear that at least one other person is enjoying berries and perhaps a beverage to celebrate the special birthday!
I’m entering this in several challenges including Outlawz Sunday “Summer Days” (when growing up 4^th of July was a favorite celebration for my family, and making hand-churned ice-cream, topped with freshly picked strawberries was always part of the holiday fun!)   

Supplies: 
·   Digi and Sentiment- Power Poppy Digi Set (Cherries and Berries)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  
Power Poppy- The Blossom Challenge- Going Sentimental          
Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Summer Days
Outlawz Challenge- August 2022 Linky
Di’s Digi Stamps- Add a Sentiment  
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- August                   
Jan’s Digi Stamps- August 2022 Anything Goes    

myasperations 8-26-22a

This is my second card for the current Double D’s Challenge and it features a wonderful truck digi, a freebie from the Homemade by Paula blog. After printing the image onto vellum I colored it with markers on the backside and added a few highlights on the front with white and silver gel pens. I cut a section from an old map to make a background for the truck. To attach the vellum, I cut four slits in the map and slid the corners of the vellum into them, taping the corners in place on the back of the map. The sentiment is computer generated. 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Freebie from Homemade by Paula (GMC Truck)

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

·   Sentiments- Computer Generated

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  
Double D’s Challenge- Wheels                                                          
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #557-558 Anything Goes                   
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday  
Outlawz Challenge- August 2022 Linky
Polkadoodles Challenge- Week #34 Anything Goes                     

I needed to make a summer-themed birthday card for a friend with a sense of humor. So I used a funny sentiment from my files, a template found on Pinterest (searched “Flipflop Card Template”), an upcycled calendar page, and other items from my stash to make my card!

I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Sunday “Summer Days” (hot days on a cool beach rockin’ flip flops is the definition of fun for so many of us!), Simon Says “Shimmer and Shine” (one of my favorite things about spending time on the beach is watching sunrises and sunsets… which always seem magical as they send shimmery color across the water. So beautiful!)  

Supplies: 

·   Flip Flop Template from Pinterest.

·   Sentiments- Computer Generated

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  
Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Summer Days
Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Birthday Greetings    
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- #101 Shimmer and Shine  
Colorful Options Monthly Challenge- Turquoise       
Digi Doodle Studios- #52 By/At/Under the Seas

I wanted to make another Faux Stepper Card for the current Butterfly Challenge because I love this fold that the challenge sponsor, Mrs. A, provided. It’s new to me and I like finding new folds, especially when they are as easy to make as this one!)  I had found a packet of B&W plaid sunflower silverware holders on sale at Hobby Lobby and decided that one of them would take center stage on my card.  A few punched butterflies, scraps of vellum, a freebie sentiment, and a strip of wonderful burlap butterfly ribbon (that was in a prize pack from an earlier Butterfly Challenge win (Thanks Mrs. A!) My card features three of the Colors- Fandango (Bright Pink-hard to see but the vellum in the top wings is pink, bottom wings are orange), Fulvous (Dark Yellow), and Forest Green, and two  Themes- Faux Stepper Card and Butterfly.

I’m entering this card into several challenges including The Paper Shelter and the Sisterhood of Crafters “Frame It” (I used a sticker tag with a shabby chic feeling to frame the sentiment. I like the contrast it offers to the bold plaid), and Path Of Positivity Challenge- Celebrate YOUR CREATIVE SELF (the goal was to make something special just for myself. When life is busy and stressful, as it has been for a while now, spending time in my craft room is my therapy. So... the sentiment on this card is a perfect reminder of why my cardmaking hobby is good for my sanity and my soul!) 

Supplies: 

·   Plaid Sunflower Paper- Silverware Holder from Hobby Lobby (Thanksgiving section)

·   Butterfly Punch from Martha Stewart.

·   Instructions for Faux Stepper Card can be found HERE

·   Sentiment-A freebie from TLC Creations

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Butterfly Challenge- #172 F is for Faux Stepper Card       

The Paper Shelter- #522 Frame It

The Sisterhood of Crafters- Frame It

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- August

Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #103 (Celebrate YOUR CREATIVE SELF) 

myasperations 8-26-22

The Double D’s Challenge has been a favorite of mine for several years. The current challenge theme is “Wheels” and I love that it allowed me to use one of my favorite stamps- a wonderfully realistic motorcycle! I made the bike look like it is moving by stamping it with black ink on glossy cardstock. Then, while the ink is still wet, I gently pull my index finger across the ink from the front of the motorcycle to trail behind it. I then added additional details to the image with a silver pen and a white gel pen.  I found the sentiment by googling “sayings about motorcycles” and added a few metal embellies to the card using my desk stapler. Easy Peasy!
I’m entering this card into several challenges including Cupcake Inspirations “Hobbies” and Papercraft Challenge “Summer Fun” (I grew up in a Harley Davidson-loving family. My dad and one brother were mechanics, so we had three of them. Summer and fall would find us flying down the road, feeling the wind- and often bugs-on our faces! I can no longer afford the maintenance and insurance for a hobby that is only an option for about half the year, so they are now a fond memory!)              

Supplies: 
·   Stamp- Deep Red Stamps (MOTORCYCLE) Available via many sites on the web
·   Sentiments- Computer Generated
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  
Double D’s Challenge- Wheels                                                          
Cupcake Inspirations- #551 Theme Challenge-Hobbies             
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday  (Anything Goes)
Outlawz Challenge- August 2022 Linky
Papercraft Challenges-  Challenge #85 Summer Fun
Di’s Digi Stamps- Add a Sentiment  
Papercraft Challenges-  Challenge #85 Summer Fun
 
One of my favorite challenges is the Butterfly Challenge, partly because the sponsor is a sweetheart, and she provides easy-to-follow instructions for making a creative fold card each time. The current creative fold is a Faux Stepper Card which is really easy to make. My card features all the colors-Fandango (Bright Pink), Fulvous (Dark Yellow), Flirt(Violet), and Forest Green plus two of the themes, Faux Stepper Card and Butterfly.
I’m entering this card into several challenges including The Paper Shelter and the Sisterhood of Crafters “Frame It” (the wonderful sentiment is from my scrapbook stash and looks wonderful with a triple frame of complimentary colors), and Path Of Positivity Challenge- Celebrate YOUR CREATIVE SELF (the goal was to make something special just for myself. I always enjoy making creative fold cards, love the color purple, and the sentiment on this card lifts my spirits)

Supplies: 
·   Butterfly Punch from Martha Stewart.
·   Instructions for Faux Stepper Card can be found HERE
·   Sentiment, heart charm, vellum and patterned papers from my stash.
Entered into:  
Butterfly Challenge- #172 F is for Faux Stepper Card       
Allsorts Challenge- Week 690-1: Anything Goes   (0ption of roses)
Digi Chooseday Crafting Challenge- Week #34 Anything Goes  
The Paper Shelter- #522 Frame It
The Sisterhood of Crafters- Frame It
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #557-558 Anything Goes                   
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- August                   
Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #103 (Celebrate YOUR CREATIVE SELF)

I enjoyed making the Faux Stepper Card, that I decided to make another one! This time I used a digi that is as sweet as can BEE, added a sentiment on the back of the card, a bit of bling and a “floating” bee.
I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Sunday Rhyme “Summer Days” (when I look out our front window bees are buzzing around our front flower bed. Ahhh… summer!), Simon Say’s "Shimmer and Shine" (Stickles add bling to the bee’s wings) and Dare 2 Be Artzy “Fun Fold Cards” (I will be making many more of this wonderful, and easy to make, card fold!)

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Little Scraps of Heaven (Beelieve In Yourself)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Sentiments- Snap Click Supply Co- Meredith Cardell (Sweet As Can Be Set)
·   Vellum, acetate scraps, scrapbook and Stickles from my stash.
Entered into:  
Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Summer Days
Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Birthday Greetings    
Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #655 Cute Animals
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- #101 Shimmer and Shine  
Dare 2 Be Artzy–August Challenge: Shaped or Fun Fold Cards
Paper Funday– #44 ATG
Patties Challenge- #197 Anything Goes (Aug)