myasperations 2-12-24

    Times have been (and are continuing to be) tough for digital image artists. Over the last few years, many shops have closed for several reasons, and more are announced every month. This blog posting makes this fact so very apparent as two of the digis I used, from Sheepski Designs and Chin-Chou Kuik, are no longer available. The third, from Beccy’s Place, will not be available after June 30^th of this year when all digi images will be discontinued. It is so sad to see this happening as many of us have become friends with these artist/shop owners. We miss them… and wish them the best in the next step of their lives! 

      After winning a recent Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge I was excited to be asked to be a Guest DT. I was more excited when I learned I got to choose a digi from sponsor Sheepski Designs for my card. I served as a DT for Sheepski Designs for five years and loved working with artist/owner Andrea Norris, a talented, kind, and generous person.  Proof of that is that even though Andrea closed her Etsy shop on Dec 31, she is still sponsoring challenges for other companies… and providing her wonderful digis to the winners.

     This card features a Bridge Fold Card with the digi named “Mallows” taking center stage! I printed, colored, fussy-cut, and adhered the scenes Mallow-lover and items needed to create his yummy snack. I gave the bonfire a few embellishments to add texture- Stickles provide sparkle to the flames, and a twist of wool roving provides a bit of smoke. (I provided a side view of the card which helps to show the wispy smoke and the side fold of the bridge card.)

 

Supplies: 

·   Bridge Fold Tutorial- Lot of options available on Pinterest. I used one that has a 5x8 inch base which fits this digi.

·   Digi- Sheepski Designs (Mallows) Sadly, this wonderful shop closed at the end of 2024.

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

·   Stickles- Diamonds (added to flames)

·   Forest patterned paper- Hobby Lobby

·   Front Sentiment- “Enjoy the Little Things from  Beccy’s Place Digi Set (CuddleBugs)

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Wool roving, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into: 

Polkadoodles Challenge- Challenge 3, Week 1- AG                      

Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes: Jan-Feb 2025

Crafty Catz Challenge- #687 AG

 

    If you have visited my blog before you might know that I seldom create CAS (Clean&Simple) cards as I prefer coloring, fussy cutting, layering and/or embellishing. That said, I made this card to enter into this month’s We Love Stamping Challenge, since this card involves just a touch of each of those preferences… so wonder if I could classify it as “Kathy CAS”? (If not, I will enter it in the optional AG option!)

     This sweet and simple Valentines card features a Ching-Chou Kuik’s digi named “Love Is In the Air” and it went together pretty quickly. The sky was created with light blue chalk, a cloud stencil cut from a scrap of paper, and a makeup sponge. Easy to make and provides a soft background for balloons.

     I’m entering this card into several challenges including Colorful Options: February Mood Board  (the predominant colors in my card are red and pink, includes several hearts, plus small roses in the young lady’s hair!)  

  

 
 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Digital Stamp from Ching-Chou Kuik (Love Is In the Air) Sadly Etsy shop is closed.

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

·   Front Sentiment “Happy Valentine’s Day”- Hero Arts (retired)

·   Inside Sentiment- Computer Generated (Original source of saying is unknown. I saw it in a store window years ago!)

·   Cloudy sky created with decorative chalks, a makeup sponge and stencil made with a paper scrap.

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Strips of satin ribbon, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into: 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Love is In the Air

Park Hopping-My Happy Place (Feb)   Celebrating Valentines Day at Be Our Guest Restaurant at Disney 

           World  (Photo)            

Colorful Options Monthly Challenge: February Mood Board 

We Love Stamping- February: CAS (optional AG)           

    A few months ago I nabbed this wonderful “Old Cook Stove” digital image from Anne’s Digital Art, I made a birthday card with it earlier this month and have a feeling it will become one of my “go-to” digis for any card that features cookies or cakes! This time the happy chef, and both of the sentiments, are from a fun Beccy’s Place digi set named “Birthday Bears.”

    Note- If you haven’t heard the news, Beccy Muir recently announced that she will be discontinuing the digital images section of Beccy’s Place at the end of June. Beccy explains the reasons she has made this difficult decision HERE. So, if you have plans to add any of her digi sets to your collection, or have any gift cards you need to use, you have several months to go digi shopping. In addition, she has added a “Digital Stamp Sale” section to her shop, in which she has posted a large number of digis and sets from the past, priced from $3.00 to as low as 31¢ for a set (US rate.) Since I often use sentiments from Beccy’s digi sets on my cards, I made sure to pay attention not just to the images but also the sentiments as I fill a cart with these treasures before they are gone forever! (Sad sigh!)            

Supplies: 

·   Digi and sentiments-Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Birthday Bears) Available only until June 30th

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

·   Digi- Anne’s Digital Art (Old Cook Stove)

·   Shading, highlights and accents added with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Marvy Silver Marker, Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Patterned papers- Hobby Lobby

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Anything Goes 

The Paper Shelter- #625 Add A Heart (Hearts embellish the Old Cook Stove!)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #687-688   

Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #775: Use Red and/or Pink