Cute Critters

I short time ago I won a Createful Heart Design challenge and was honored to be asked to be a Guest DT by artist/owner Mary. I selected this adorable digi named “Blue Jean Buddies” and had fun coloring the digi, especially because Mary added so many great details including stitching, a label, and even an embroidered sunshine on the small pocket. Amazing! I added clouds with a stencil, makeup sponge, and chalks. Since I love adding texture and depth to my cards, I used a few silver brads for the button and pocket corners, plus printed off an extra copy of the little gopher in the pocket so that I could pop it up with foam tape.  
When I was growing up we always had odd pets that we happened upon when spending time in the great out-doors- salamanders, frogs, and once, three little gophers that were orphaned after the neighbor’s cat nabbed their mom. My siblings and I visited the library to find out what kinds of things they would eat, then hand-fed them peas, carrots, and any other veggies we could find… plus lavished them with attention (whether they wanted it or not!) We were able to keep them alive long enough to “release them into the wild” a few weeks later. They were so very cute!  

Supplies: 
·   Digi- Createful Heart Design (Blue Jean Buddies)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Front Sentiment “hello”- handwritten  
·   All Night Media Cloud stencil (no longer available)
·   Decorative Chalks, makeup sponge, silver brads and papers from my stash.

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday  

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- March 2021

Bugaboo Stamps- Things With Wings 

Di’s Digi Stamps- ALL ABOUT B's Challenge (Birds and Blue Jeans)

It’s time for the mid-month challenge at QKR Stampede, which is always “Anything Goes” and several prizes are awarded. Maybe you’ll be inspired to enter a card or two yourself? My DT card features two sweet little ducks celebrating a birthday!  I had fun adding googly eyes because... well... who doesn't like googly eyes?!  

I’m entering this card into several challenges including Cute Card Thursdays- Celebrate (Birthdays are a reason to Party!) 

Supplies: 
·   Digi- Eureka Digital Stamps (Ducky Doing Splits) and (Ducky Dancing) Also available in unmounted or cling-mounted
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Front Sentiment- QKR Rubber Stamp (Happy Birthday)
·   Inside Sentiment - Computer Generated
·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #676 Celebrate

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #480-481 Anything Goes                   
Polkadoodles Challenge-Week #11 Anything Goes                       
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March

My final card for this posting is for one of my favorite challenges called the Butterfly

Challenge. Each challenge includes a specific creative fold as one of the themes, but the

sponsor, Mrs. A, provides easy to follow instructions that are really helpful. The current 

creative fold is a unique Joy Fold. It features two of the colors (jade green leaves and Japanese

Carmine/light burgundy in her dress, flowers, and butterfly) plus two of the themes (Joy fold,

a butterfly and jewels, one at her neckline and one on the inside sentiment.) I love the sweet

digi from The Paper Shelter named “Little Butterfly” which just shouts SPRING! 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- The Paper Shelter (Little Butterfly)

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

·   Front Sentiment “hello”- handwritten  

·   Front Sentiment- Mudmaven Freebie (Wishing You a Very Happy Birthday

·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  
Butterfly Challenge- #153 J is for Joy Fold 2       
The Paper Shelter- #460 Digital Image
We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- Fun Fold Card 

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- For The Girls

Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

Celebration Panels

I am honored to have served as a Guest Designer for Beccy Muir at Beccy’s Place and am now one of her “Contributors” (which means that she provides me with digis or clear stamp sets four times a year and I get to create cards or other items with them!) It is always fun to see what items she will invite me to use.  This time, the digi set is one that I think I’ll be using often as both the images and sentiments cover so many reasons to celebrate!

The first card features the gift panel in the set. I wanted to use a scrap of dotted paper that reminds me of confetti as my base, so colored the ribbons on the gifts in colors to match the dots! The inside sentiment is a favorite from another of Beccy’s digi sets. When finished, I just had to top the card off with a sprinkling of heart-shaped confetti because it is so very festive!

I’m entering this card into several challenges including Di’s Digi Stamps- ALL ABOUT B's (it has lots of Bows!) and Outlaws Tuesday Color Challenge (my card features most of the colors in the inspiration photo plus a little extra bling!)

Supplies: 

·   Digi and front sentiment- Beccy’s Place digital set (Celebration Panels)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Inside Sentiment- “Wishing you a Beautiful Day” from Beccy’s Place digital set (Azaleas)

·   Assorted cardstock, patterned paper, and heart-shaped confetti from my stash

Entered into:  

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #676 Celebrate

Polkadoodles Challenge- Week #10 Anything Goes 

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge-Inspiration Photo     

Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

Di’s Digi Stamps- ALL ABOUT B's Challenge

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Make it Feminine

 
I know that sunflowers are usually yellow, but I’ve also seen some that are deep gold/almost orange in color which is how I decided to color the blooms on this bookmark made with the Sunflower Panel in the digi set. Some strips of ribbon and a sentiment from Beccy’s “Hello Sunshine” digi set finishes off the pretty bookmark

Supplies: 
·   Digi and front sentiment- Beccy’s Place digital set (Celebration Panels)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Inside Sentiment is from Beccy’s Place digital set (Hello Sunshine)
·   Sheer black dotted swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s
·   Assorted cardstock, patterned paper, and brown satin ribbon from my stash
Entered into:  

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #141
The Paper Shelter- #460 Digital Image

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #480-481 Anything Goes                   

Jan’s Digi Stamps- March 2021 Anything Goes   
Dragonfly Dreams- Include a Flower or Flowers

I want to wrap up this post with an apology and a few words of gratitude.
First, I apologize that this posting of items made with Beccy’s new digi set is late. I got my second dose of COVID vaccine this week and was wiped out by fatigue for a few days. Am glad to be feeling a bit better now. Yay!
Now, the gratitude. I am thankful that I work at a behavioral health/treatment facility with some pretty amazing people. A few of our receptionists made unusual care packages for our staff after we got our shots. They contained assorted chocolates PLUS a little baggie full of frozen peas!  (See the photo for details!) And I’m thankful that the vaccine might help life to return to something closer to “normal” soon. I really miss coffee dates with my friends!

Go Badgers!

t’s Friday and time for the Colour Crazy Challenge. This challenge is 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 Scribbles Designs and for my DT card I made a birthday card that features a digi image from Scribbles Designs named Badger. I didn’t know much about badgers except that it is the mascot of one of the four Universities of my state, Wisconsin (Go Badgers!) so I did some web research to help with coloring the image. I also learned that they are mostly nocturnal creatures and many live in the northern woodlands of the state, so I used an old picture postcard from Northern Wisconsin as my background. The inside sentiment is a freebie from Simply Crafts magazine. And the front sentiment, from Scribbles Designs, is named Eat Cake. (I'll have mine with ice cream on the side, please!) 
I’m entering this challenge into several challenges including Outlawz Color (the scenic photo on my card holds several of the colors in the Inspiration Photo), Double D’s Book Covers (my card reflects the book cover on the lower left- night scene and includes a critter!), and Di’s Digi Stamps (Badger starts with the letter B.)

Supplies: 
·   Digi- Scribbles Designs (Badger)
·   Sentiment- Scribbles Designs (Eat Cake)
·   Inside Sentiment- Simply Crafts 171-Bonus sentiment downloads (Happy Birthday)
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  
Double D’s Challenge- Book Covers                                                                   
The Paper Shelter- #460 Digital Image
Bugaboo Stamps- Anything Goes  
Di’s Digi Stamps- ALL ABOUT B's Challenge 
2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- March 2021                                 
Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge-Inspiration Photo              
Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

A friend who knows that I love all things coffee gave me a packet of these wonderful B&W beverage napkins a few years ago. I made this card by separating the layers of one of the napkins, which leaves the coffee cup slightly translucent.  I slipped a scrap of patterned paper behind the cup and love how the red stripes show through.  I added freebie sentiment and sparkly Christmas stickers to add a little bling!

Supplies: 
·   Beverage napkin and assorted papers from my stash.
·   Front Sentiment- TLC Creations Freebie (Beginning to Look a Latte Like Christmas)

·   Inside Sentiment- Computer Generated
·   Sparkly Holly  Stickers- Hobby Lobby
Entered into:  
Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #141
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #480-481 Anything Goes                   
Polkadoodles Challenge- Week #10 Anything Goes                      
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday  
Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #532Anything Goes
Pattie's Creations Challenge- #180 AG

Chocolate, Please?!

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!
My DT card features a sweet Easter digi from Cute As A Button named Eggstrapretty. After coloring, and doing a bit of fussy-cutting, I put my card together, adding a computer-generated sentiment with a twist of humor (or in my case… reality… as I’d REALLY prefer the chocolate version!)

I’m entering this card into several challenges including The Butterfly Challenge- #153 J is for Joy Fold 2 (it features two of the colors Jasmine/pale yellow and Japanese Carmine/light burgundy) and one theme (yellow butterfly on the front, and second butterfly on the inside), Digi Doodle Studios- Something Beginning with “F” (Flowers) and CCC Digi Creations- #123 Use lace, ribbon and/or flowers  (my card has lots of flowers and lacy filigrees in the background paper.)

 Supplies: 
·   Digi- Cute As A Button (Eggstrapretty)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Sentiments- Computer Generated
·   Patterned Paper from a Crafters Companion Sara Signature Paper Pack
·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Beautiful Blossoms

CCC Digi Creations- #123 Use lace, ribbon and/or flowers

Butterfly Challenge- #153 J is for Joy Fold 2       

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration & Challenge- Easter or Floral

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March                    

Digi Doodle Studios- Something Beginning with “F”

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Make it Feminine

Besties Challenge- March Anything Goes

I don’t use rubber stamps very often these days. Except occasionally I pull out my Stampscapes to create scenery cards. I love their realism and details, especially when stamped with black pigment ink and clear fine line embossing powder and colored with bright alcohol markers. Attached to a gatefold base and computer-generated sentiments, the card went together pretty quickly.

Supplies: 

·   Rubber Stamp- Stampscapes (Cloud with Sun-Lg.)

·   Rubber Stamp- Stampscapes (Old Mill)

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

·   Sentiments- Computer Generated

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #480-481 Anything Goes   

Jan’s Digi Stamps- March 2021 Anything Goes

Createful Heart Designs- Challenge #29 (Feb)

Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Trees 

Hello March (Take Two)

It’s the first of the month which means it’s time for a challenge at Sheepski Designs. This month’s theme is “Girls, Girls, Girls” and I used one of my favorite Sheepski Designs digis, named Emmy’s Hat, for my DT card. I wanted it to be really girly, so I created an ornate background with a sheet of Crafters Companion patterned paper that features a wonderful frilly design. I fussy-cut around the frills so that I could tuck the top of Emmy’s hat under them. I also cut a rose from the background paper to decorate the wide brim. Additional fussy-cut frills decorate the lower front left corner and the inside of the card. Silver photo corners add a final touch of elegance and… well… bling!
PS Stop by the Sheepski blog to learn more about the monthly challenges. Maybe you’ll be inspired to enter a card or two yourself and have a chance to win some wonderful digis created by artist Andrea Norris!

I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge (my card includes the first three pastels on the color swatch, plus features a delicate white doily in the background paper.)  

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Sheepski Designs (Emmys Hat)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Front Sentiment- Couture Creations Die (Hello Friend)
·   Inside Sentiment- Computer Generated
·   Patterned Paper from a Crafters Companion Sara Signature Paper Pack
·    Silver photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 13 Sheets 13 Colors Photo Mounting Corners)
·   All other items from my stash.
Entered into:  

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #152 Anything Goes

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

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge #675 Feminine

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge-Use 3 of five Plus a Doily

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration & Challenge- Easter or Floral

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- March 

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Make it Feminine

I recently had a request from our church for Get Well and Sympathy cards and printed off a few Bugaboo images and Imagine That sentiments to quickly meet the request. I often add butterflies to sympathy cards to symbolize new life and this delicate butterfly, from a free set  I found on the web a few years ago, is one of my favorites. I printed it on vellum to add a bit of translucent realism. After fussy-cutting and attaching the butterfly to the card, I cut a body from a scrap of black paper, then added the head and antennae with a fine-line Sharpie black marker (after first sketching them with a pencil to determine size and placement.) 

I’m entering this card into several challenges including the Butterfly Challenge (two colors- Iceberg and Inch Worm, plus two themes-marker pens and a butterfly), Outlawz Twisted Thursday Anything Goes (Circle in a Square- the closeup shows that I added circles of light around the candle flame with yellow chalk and a white gel pen, plus a little rhinestone sparkling in the center), 2craftycrittercrazies Challenge (butterflies are one of my favorite categories of “critter”!), and Digi Doodle Studios- Something Beginning with “F” (Flower and Flame.) 

 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Bugaboo Stamps (Thoughts and Prayers Candle)

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

·   Inside Sentiment- Imagine That Digistamps (Sentimental Thoughts)

·    Pastel Vellum Butterfly- Freebie available from HERE

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into: 

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- March 2021

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes

Butterfly Challenge- #152 I is for Inside Out Card       

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #479-480 Anything Goes 

Createful Heart Designs- Challenge #29 (Feb)

Digi Doodle Studios- Something Beginning with “F” 

Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday Anything Goes (Optional Twist- Circle in a Square)

Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge               

Hello March

It’s the first of the month which means it’s time for a challenge at QKR Stampede which is always “Anything Goes” and several prizes are awarded. Stop by the challenge and maybe you’ll be inspired to enter a card or two yourself?
My DT card features a pair of Eureka digi and sentiments that are purrfectly wonderful together! (I did cut the sentiment in half to decorate both the front and the inside of the card, and the little pawprints are also inside of the card.) The patterned papers that I found at Hobby Lobby last month also are a perfect pairing, especially when a few of the hearts are fussy-cut and paper-pieced together to add some fun contrasts!
     
Supplies: 
·   Digi- Eureka Digital Stamp (Cat with Hearts) Also available in unmounted or cling-mounted
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Front and Inside Sentiment- Eureka Digital Stamp (Cat-astrophe)
·   Pioneer Black Photo Corners- available from several sources
·   Red and Black Background papers with hearts- Hobby Lobby
·   All other items are from my stash.
Entered into:  

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #140 

Scribbles Designs Challenge- #9 Heartfelt

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- March 2021 

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday  

Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

I’ve worked in several jobs over the last few decades. All involved working with kiddos… but my favorite was when I was a member of the “Play Life Department” on the Pediatric Ward of a hospital. And yes… you read that correctly, I was paid to play! Since much of my work involved spending time with pediatric and teen cancer patients and their families, it wasn’t always fun work. This kiddos were often pretty sick, so my time with them sometimes involved talking about “hard things” like getting shots… or just holding them when they were sick so that their exhausted parents could get some rest. But, knowing some of those little fighters changed my life. They were some of the bravest people I’ve ever met! One thing that I loved to do is to help them decorate the playroom (yes… we had one of those!) or their individual rooms for various holidays. Halloween was one of their favorites. So… I collected quite an assortment of pumpkin stencils that I now occasionally use for cardmaking. This is one of those stencils. I reduced it down on a copier and fussy-cut this sweet Micky Mouse to highlight the freebie sentiment. So fun!

(PS One of my favorite Halloween memories in that job was when one of our middle-school aged patients decided to dress up as a Martian for our party. She painted her face and chemo-bald head green (with just a little help and lots of giggling), donned headband antennae and rocked the party with made-up Martian lingo! Her spirit was amazing and infectious! She was in remission when I last saw her and I pray that she is one of the survivors in her fight with cancer.)

Supplies: 

·   MM Silhouette- Fussy-cut from paper scrap using a pumpkin stencil

·   Front Sentiment- Mudmaven Freebie- (Walt Disney Quote)

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter- #458 Clean and Simple

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #479-480 Anything Goes 

The Sisterhood of Crafters- Anything Goes

Jan’s Digi Stamps- March 2021 Anything Goes