Spring Vacation

Okay... I don't have a clue what I did... but the font keeps changing to super small after I update it.  I've corrected it over ten times and it keeps happening. So I give up and apologize that some of this post will be hard to read. 
I also removed by Google translation gadget because every time I opened my blog  I got an alert that it was infected with a virus. So it's gone... hopefully for just a little while until my virus scan settles down. 

I love this sweet image from The Paper Shelter named "Where're We Goin'?" Colored it with my Spectrum Noir and attached it to a tropical photo from an old calendar. Wish I was in that paradise right now. The "Hello" sentiment on the front is a freebie that you can find HERE. The inside sentiment is from a Beccy's Place set named "New Friends." 

 

Entered into:  

The Paper Shelter- #374 Digital Image                                         (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

The Sisterhood of Crafters- One for the Ladies/Girls                 (thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Whatever the Weather     (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Didn't get this posted before the 17^th but decided the Leprechaun magic will continue after the holiday. So… here is a wee bit 'o Irish lore to brighten your day. The little guy is from an old SU set that is long retired, and the inside sentiment is a freebie from LoveSVG. You can find it HERE.

Entered into: 
Mod Squad Challenge- Layered Looks                                    (modsquadchallenge.com)
Simon Says Monday Challenge- Miniature/Tiny Things    (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greetings- Fantasy                (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Cute Card Thursday- #573-Celebrate                                      (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Outlawz Challenges- Twisted Thursday- Anything Goes    (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                        (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com) 
Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Feeling Lucky                  (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2019/03/creative-confetti-feelin-lucky.html)

My final card is for the current Outlawz Challenge named "Crash Your Stash." It is a new challenge for the site, that is celebrating it's 8^th Birthday this month, and I love that it encourages me to use items that have been dormant for too long. This little cutie, inspired by the sweet bears at the Little Scraps of Heaven site, was sketched lightly onto mulberry paper and then carefully torn into shape. The eyes, nose and pink ear accents were added with paper scraps, cut to size and highlighted with a white gel pen. The little greeting accent is from my scrapbook supplies. Ahhhh… so cute.

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenge- Crash Your Stash- Mulberry Paper    (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

The Cutie Pie Challenge- #133 Beary Sweet                         (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #378-#379 Anything Goes      (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Polkadoodles Challenge- Week 11-Anything Goes              (polkadoodle.blogspot.com)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March       (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Signs of Spring

My final card for the Double D's Challenge "Let's Make Some Music" challenge lets me use another scrap of vintage sheet music salvaged from my hubby's family home. His grandmother had been a choir director at her church and we discovered boxes of old choir books and sheet music when cleaning out the basement before his mom moved into assisted living. This page seemed a perfect backdrop for the beautiful peony image from an Embossing Arts wood mount stamp. I colored the flower and leaves with Tombow markers. The colors seemed too bold, so I decided to mute them with a white colored pencil. It worked beautifully. A scrap of paper doily and strip of ribbon provides a lovely edging. Will be sending this card to my MIL for Easter. I know that she will love seeing that I'm putting the sheet music to good use.

Entered into: 

Double D’s Challenge- Let's Make Some Music                          (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Songs and Rhymes- Seasons                     (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

The Paper Shelter- #374 Digital Image                                         (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                               (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Pixie's Snippets-Week #348                                                            (pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com)      

I love making Spring and Easter cards.  For this one, I printed the vintage image onto vellum and colored it from the underside. An oval of cream mounted behind the vellum creates a focal point. I like adding a butterfly to Easter cards to show new life so decided to add a butterfly to this card which allowed me to  enter it into the current Butterfly Challenge that features the letter C.  My card includes the color Cerise [which is a bright shade of red]  and champagne [the cream color oval behind the vellum and, of course, my card includes the required butterfly. The front image freebie from TLC Creations. You can find it HERE.

The inside sentiment was also a freebie from TLC Creations, but it doesn't appear to be available anymore. I'm entering this into a few other challenges, including wecraftcards Forum challenge "A Wing [butterfly] and a Prayer" [inside sentiment] and Mod Squad Challenge that requires layering of the image [I printed off, colored and fussy cut several of the clumps of violets and leaves that I layered upon the vellum image to add more color and depth.] 

 

Entered into: 

Butterfly Challenge- #119 Letter C for Centre Step                   (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- A Wing and a Prayer      (wecraftcards.com/forum)

Mod Squad Challenge- Layered Looks                                        (modsquadchallenge.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #378-#379 Anything Goes            (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

I love origami but find that the patterns are often complicated. This one isn't and I LOVE the results. (You can find the pattern HERE.) I was thinking of how much my mom would love this card as I was making it. The patterned paper would have made her smile and she would have loved that I used the dusky blue vintage lace from her treasure stash. I added a computer generated sentiment that reminds me of my mom's personality. She was beautiful, kind and had a welcoming gift of hospitality that made others feel special. She's been gone for many years and I miss her so very much.  

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Feminine/Girly                 (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)
The Sisterhood of Crafters- One for the Ladies/Girls          (thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com)

Do-Al[l] Creative- Fancy Fold                                                   (do-allkreatives.blogspot.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March         (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Mid-March Fun

For this week's challenge at QKR Stampede I made a card using an wonderful Eureka digi  sentiment named "Heart Puppy." You can find it HERE . I found the  simple background on tan parchment paper in my stash. Had made it years ago with rubber bands twisted onto a rubber brayer, rolled them across in pads and then onto the paper. The enamel dots add a little fun to the card. The inside sentiment if a freebie from DDDoodles. You can find it HERE.  To see more fun cards, stop on by the QKR Stampede where the weekly challenges are always Anything Goes and prizes are awarded http://qkrstampede.blogspot.com Am entering this card into several challenges including If You Give a Crafter a Cookie [the pup is black and white… and has built in "Sprinkles"]

Entered into: 

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #11 Festive Sprinkles           (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #378-#379 Anything Goes          (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

I love Conie Fong's sweet images. This one named "Bella with Gift" is especially adorable. I used some wonderful music score background paper that I picked up at Hobby Lobby recently just for this Double D's challenge, "Let's Make Some Music." Since is looks a little aged, I opted for a color scheme that includes Victorian shades of Spectrum Noir markers in burgundy, green and brown, plus my favorite white gel pen. The inside sentiment is from a Hero Arts Digital set named "Words of Love" that you can find HERE. 

                                                

Note- I removed my original card made with this image because I had altered the image, replacing the candy box with a gift box for a Mothers Day card. I removed it from my blog after I was notified that is a violation of Conie's guidelines for using her images to alter them in any way. In my career as a Drug Prevention Specialist I teach an ethics course that includes info on copyright laws so I'm glad that I was alerted to this violation. I would never knowingly act in an unethical manner in that job... or in this passion [creating cards.] So this card includes Belle in all of her beauty. 

Entered into: 

Conie Fong Art & Design Group- Monthly Challenge [FB-March]     (www.etsy.com/shop/ConieFongArt)

Double D’s Challenge- Let's Make Some Music                                      (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Feminine/Girly                                    (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)
The Cutie Pie Challenge- #133 Beary Sweet                                             (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

My final card for this post is actually two cards! I absolutely love the intriguing stamping opportunity called "Twofer Card Challenge." The goal of this fun challenge is to use the exact same stamp or die to make two cards with distinctly different designs for two different occasions. For the current "Balloons" challenge, I used one of my oldest stamps, the little jack-o-lantern balloon from a company named Azadi Earles that is no longer in business. 

For the window card, I used a die cut window and a few patterned papers. The little ghost was sketched onto a scrap of vellum and fussy-cut. The little Eeek sentiment is a freebie from TLC Creations. The inside sentiment is a freebie from Birdscards. You can find it HERE. 

For the kitten card I used a rubber stamp from Biblical Impressions. You can find the little cutie HERE. The grey and white batty background and the little eek on the inside of the card are freebies from TLC Creations. The "BOO" on the inside is made with alphabet stickers.

 

Entered into: 

Twofer Card Challenge- #14 Balloons                                        (twofercardchallenge.blogspot.com)

Bugaboo Stamps- Make a Scene                                                  (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)
Outlawz Challenges- Songs and Rhymes- Seasons                 (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Whatever the Weather  (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Cute Card Thursday- #573-Celebrate                                         (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March           (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Spring Showers

This sweet image if from a Beccy's Place digi set named Stanley in the Rain. You can find it HERE.  I paper pieced Stanley's slicker using the same process I used on a rain slicker card yesterday. [Just pop back one day and "read all about it."] The clouds are cut from vellum. The chipboard sentiment on the front is from my scrapbook stash and the inside sentiment is a freebie from Create with TLC. You can find it HERE. 

 

Entered into: 

Beccy’s Place Challenge- March                                                      (beccysplace.blogspot.com)

Bugaboo Stamps- Make a Scene                                                      (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Kitty Bee Designs- #138 – Animals                                                (alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.com)

The Cutie Pie Challenge- #133 Beary Sweet                                 (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- #24                                               (2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Wed Challenge- Whatever the Weather                   (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

If you've followed my blog for very long, you'll know that I like using vellum. Found this beautiful holly vellum in a card making kit at a thrift store a few years ago. I love its subtle elegance, which plays a nice backdrop to the super blingy embellishment that a friend gave to me a few months ago. I slid a filigree die cut the vellum to add a bit more interest and did the same with a small Hope die.[Sorry, I don't know who makes the two die cuts since I removed them from the package a while ago and attached them on a magnetic base.]  The inside sentiment is from a Beccy's Place digi set named Lamb of God. You can find it HERE. 

Am entering this card into a few challenges including If You Give a Crafter a Cookie-'s  "Festive Sprinkles." The little red rhinestones I attached to the vellum holly berries resemble the sprinkles and the lettering style of the die cut and the lettering on the cookie look similar.]          

Entered into: 

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie- #11 Festive Sprinkles                            (giveacrafteracookie.blogspot.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #427      (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #378-#379 Anything Goes                          (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com) 

Through the Porthole

It's Wednesday! So time for another challenge at Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Blog. Penny's challenges are always Anything Goes and prizes are awarded from one or more sponsors.  Stop by the blog to check it out! (pennyschallenges.blogspot.com) This week, our sponsor is "Fred She Said," and I used a few images from their digi set named "Emma the Mermaid." You can find it HERE. The sweet image is colored with Spectrum Noir markers plus a white gel pen. The sentiments are both computer generated. I had fun making a tri-fold card and creating a "porthole" on the front with a ring cut from cardboard, some aluminum foil and a handful of silver brads. So cute.

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                             (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Polkadoodles Challenge- Anything Goes Week 10                    (polkadoodle.blogspot.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March              (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Do-Al[l] Creative- Fancy Fold                                                        (do-allkreatives.blogspot.com)

While I had this Hero Arts rubber mount stamp out this weekend to make the card that I posted yesterday, I decided to stamp it onto a background made from a section of music from a vintage choir book. I was thrilled when my SIL gave me a whole boxful of choirbook that she found when cleaning the basement of the family home. Some of the music is nearly 100 years old. My hubby's grandmother was a choir director and, thankfully, a packrat. I love using them on cards. I wanted a lighter touch on the coloring than I could get with my Spectrum Noir markers, so used Tombow Markers and watercolor pencils and a white colored pencil. So pretty.

Entered into: 

Double D’s Challenge- Let's Make Some Music  [photo]                  (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

A2zscrapbooking Monthly Challenge- Color It In    (Logo)              (a2zscrapbookingblog.com) 

Waiting for Spring

After yet another blizzard this weekend, I love this sweet Bugaboo image on this card that reminds me Spring WILL come this year. The sentiment is from a Beccy's Place digi set named Stanley in the Rain. You can find it HERE.  I colored the image and the little raindrops with Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen. Oh... this item is paper pieced. I printed two copies of the image, one on kraft cardstock and one on white cardstock. Colored the one on white cardstock with a few shaped of yellow and the white gel pen. You can't see it in the photos, but before I fussy cut them, I covered the yellow hat, boots and "slicker" with a strip of clear packing tape to make them shine like the real thing. In real life, it adds a nice touch of realism to the card.

Entered into:

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Whatever the Weather     (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Outlawz Challenges- Songs and Rhymes- Seasons               (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Create a Scene              (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Bugaboo Stamps- Make a Scene                                               (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Kitty Bee Designs- #138 – Animals                                         (alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.com)
2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- #24                                        (2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com)
The Cutie Pie Challenge- #133 Beary Sweet                           (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

My second card for the current Butterfly challenge features a Hero Arts rubber mount stamp that I've had for a few decades. It includes the color bluebell [on the ribbon] and a bow and butterfly to fit the theme. I used a delicate pastel colored patterned paper, mounted atop an embossed white card. The image was colored with Tombow markers and a white colored pencil. 

 

Entered into: 

Butterfly Challenge- #118 Letter B for bi-fold                          (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                            (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March            (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

A2zscrapbooking Monthly Challenge- Color It In                    (a2zscrapbookingblog.com)  

My final card is for The Paper Shelter's current challenge, Let It Be Spring. I used one of their cute digi images named French Brunch but swapped out the items in her shopping bag. I cut out the baguette and bottle of wine and replaced them with a nice bunch of tulips from Patties Creations, the sentiment is a freebie from Scrapbookandcards, and the background is a free coloring sheet from Favoreads printed on kraft cardstock.

       

Entered into: 

The Paper Shelter- #373 Let It Be Spring                            (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #376-#377 Anything Goes      (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Cute Card Thursday- #572-Anything Goes!                        (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 
Polkadoodles Challenge- Anything Goes Week 10             (polkadoodle.blogspot.com)