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

A Trio of Cards

I had fun creating this card with a cute Di’s Digi image and a computer-generated sentiment. The water and snowdrifts are made with torn vellum and the star is trimmed from the Di’s Digi. Since the card celebrates the birthday of a King, I added both silver (on the front) and gold (on the inside) plus gems on the crown. (Note- this digi was offered as a freebie on the Kit and Clowder FB page on November 16, 2019. However, I can’t find it on Di’s website so am thinking it is no longer available.)

I’m entering this card into several other challenges including the TIME OUT Challenge- Be YOU (the instructions are “We want to know more about you-show us in form of a card! This could be your favorite card making style, what food you love...the list goes on!) I love Christmas and the reason we celebrate it, plus I love cute critters, especially bears and penguins.

Supplies: 
·   Digi- Di’s Digis (KC Wintertime)  
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Silver photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 13 Sheets 13 Colors Photo Mounting Corners)
·   Inside Sentiment-Computer Generated
·   Crown Sticker- Jolee’s Boutique
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into: 

Di’s Digi Stamps- Show Some Snow    
TIME OUT Challenge- #179 Be YOU
Digi Doodle Studios- Anything Goes 
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays (Christmas)
Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Anything Goes  
Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge                             
Incy Wincy Designs- Anything Goes

This month’s Cute As A Button’s January Progressive Challenge freebie on FB is a wonderful New Years' image. I used my Paint program to layer the png digi atop a free starry background paper from Polkadoodles. (This paper is part of a whole bundle of freebies that was released on the 4^th of July.  I’m not sure how long it will be available, so you might want to grab it now. The link is in the supply list below.) I added shading and highlighting to the girl's shirt, making sure that the background stars stood out. I then printed off an extra copy of the bells, plus the young beauty's head and hands-on white cardstock then colored, fussy-cut, and adhered them. A bit of paper-piecing with scraps of background paper cut into triangles added color and patterns to the banner. Sparkly stars and black photo corners complete the card.

Supplies: 
·   Digi- Cute As A Button (Ring In The New Year) Free Progressive Freebie on FB
·   Front and Inside Sentiments- Jan’s Digi Stamps Digital Set (Happy New Year)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white & silver gel pens
·   Sparkly Heart Stickers- Hobby Lobby 4^th of July
·   Starry Background- Polkadoodles- Free digital bundle (USA 4th July Celebration)
·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources
·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Cute As A Button-Facebook Progressive Freebie Challenge #44 Ring In The New Year

Polkadoodles Challenge-Week #3 Anything Goes
Jan’s Digi Stamps- January 2021 Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter- #453 New Beginnings
Besties Challenge- January Anything Goes
Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Anything Goes

Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star 

This is my second entry into the current Butterfly Challenge. I used some beautiful holographic butterfly paper (that I won at an earlier Butterfly Challenge) on the front of the card. I had printed off an extra copy of the sentiment used on the New Year’s and realized that it is the perfect fit for a birthday card. How fun is that?!  I then fussy-cut one of the butterflies from the sparkly paper to embellish the inside. 

My card includes two of the colors-Geranium (bright pink) and Granny Smith (Apple green) plus one of the themes- Butterfly. I am entering this card into several other challenges including Lil Patch of Crafty Friends (who is celebrating their 6^th Birthday!)    

Supplies: 

·   Birthday Diecut- DieSire EdgeAbles
·   Inside Sentiment- Jan’s Digi Stamps Digital Set (Happy New Year)
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into: 
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #150 Anything Goes (Happy 6^th Birthday!)
Butterfly Challenge- #150 G is for Gap Fold             (photo)
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #475-476 Anything Goes                   
The Sisterhood of Crafters- Diecuts and/or Embossing Folders
Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #670 Birthdays
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- January 

Coffee, Roses and Peeps? Oh My!

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, we have a new sponsor, The ArtsystamperShop.  As a DT, I had a hard time selecting just one of their images… so I picked TWO. My first card features a beautiful glass mug from their Coffee Set, which actually features a lot of great images and sentiments. I used my paint program to layer the png version of the glass mug atop a freebie background image, changing the transparency of the digi so that the Happy New Year text shows through the glass mug. I added a bit of depth to the digi with alcohol markers and a white gel pen (although I am realizing that the coffee looks pretty weak! I will darken it up before I send it out.) Since I didn’t want the whipped cream topper to be transparent, I printed that onto white cardstock, fussy-cut, and adhered it atop the mug. The metal sentiments are from my stash, where they’ve lived for nearly a decade!
I’m entering this card into several other challenges including the Outlawz- Festive Fridays Challenge- (my card represents the Special Occasion of a New Years Celebration), and The Paper Shelter- New Beginnings (New Year's resolutions often mean new beginnings for many of us. I personally and praying for changes this year. The first is that… please God… COVID is eradicated.) 

 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- The ArtsystamperShop (Coffee Set)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Sentiments- Metal Sentiment brads (purchased from Oriental Trading company in 2012!)
·   Background- Eyelet Outlet Freebie (Happy New Year’s Background) Click on the link next to the image
·   Silver photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 13 Sheets 13 Colors Photo Mounting Corners)
·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into: 
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #475-476 Anything Goes                   
Let’s Craft and Create- Ch #167-Anything Goes  (Option- Cheers to You)
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                
The Paper Shelter- #453 New Beginnings
Cute As A Button- Jan: CH #64 Anything Goes + (Option) Cheers to You!
Incy Wincy Designs- Anything Goes

My next card features a digi, sentiment and patterned background from The ArtsystamperShop. I colored the vase of roses and it was looking pretty good until I messed up one of the leaves. The more I tried to “fix” it, the worse it looked. So… a circle of my trusty vellum came to the rescue! A die-cut “Hello”, gold photo corners, and papers from my stash finished what turned out to be an elegant card.  

 

Supplies:

·   Digi and green lace background paper- The ArtsystamperShop (Vintage Roses)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Front Sentiment- “Hello” cut from Cottage Cutz Butterfly Hello Die
·   Inside Sentiment- “A Garden of Happy Thoughts for You” from The Artsystamper Shop (Vintage Roses)
·   Gold photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 13 Sheets 13 Colors Photo Mounting Corners)
·   All other items from my stash

Entered into:  
Double D’s Challenge- Flowers in Containers  [photo] 
The Sisterhood of Crafters- Diecuts and/or Embossing Folders   
Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #534 (Optional twist- Tie It Up)   
Outlawz Challenge- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Anything Goes   
Createful Heart Designs- Jan Challenge #28  
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- January

As we are in a deep freeze with winter weather here in Wisconsin, Spring is working its way into my craft room. Peeps are popping up and creating beautiful cards. The peeps wreath on this card is a free Cut File (I used is as a digi, but the link in my supplies list shows some adorable projects made with Cricut & Silhouette!) I’ve had the ribbon, with its country pattern of checks and hearts since I inherited my mom’s craft stash. It reminds me of her as she really liked country and primitive crafts. She would have LOVED this wreath!  
Note- the inside sentiment is from a company named Little Scraps of Heaven. Tricia Veinot Moore, owner/artist of LSOH offers a weekly freebie. This cute little bear was a past freebie. Stop HERE to nab the current one. And, while you are there, you might want to do some shopping because right now all the LSOH digis are on sale just $1.) If you want to get a weekly email notifying you of the current freebie, scroll down to the very bottom of the page to sign up for the newsletter. Easy Peasy! Tricia also has a FB page HERE.

I’m entering this card into several other challenges including the Simon Says Monday Challenge- On A Roll (the wreath is a circle, made up of lots of peep body and head circles ) and the TIME OUT Challenge- Be YOU (the instructions are “We want to know more about you-show us in form of a card! This could be your favorite card making style, what food you love...the list goes on!" This card reflects my playful nature and my love of Easter, which brings the promise of New Life that was given to us on that first Easter morning so many years ago!)

Supplies: 
·   Peeps Wreath- Scrapbookandcards.com Freebie (Easter Peeps Wreath Cut File)
·   Front Sentiment- Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Easter Joy)
·   Inside Sentiment- Little Scraps of Heaven (Sweet Peep Digi Set) No longer available
·   Ribbon and papers from my stash.
·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  
We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- Wreath Me Some Love!
Simon Says Monday Challenge- On A Roll
TIME OUT Challenge- #179 Be YOU
CCC Digi Creations- #121 Include a Sentiment
Createful Heart Designs- Jan Challenge #28  
Outlawz Challenge- Crash Your Stash- Anything Goes