Recycled Beauty

This week's Simon Says Stamps Monday Challenge is "Recycle Something." Since one of my favorite things to do is recycle/upcycle, I took some time today to make cards for this challenge. Was fun digging in my stash of papers and miscellaneous items to find treasures that I could put to use.

For this card, I cut up an old Christmas card. I loved the sparkly pastel scene, and cut it into two panels to remove the center sentiment. The little angel was also fussy-cut from the same card and attached with a strip of foam tape. The sentiment, a vintage PSX wood mount stamp, was embossed on dark green cardstock, adds some bold contrast. Lastly, I adhered the mismatched items together by layering them atop a lavender oval that holds them all into a cohesive whole. [I remember hearing that line years ago in a college art class. Makes me sound really smart, right? Unless I am using it incorrectly or out of context. Ha.] 

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Recycle Something      (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

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

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #421                 (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

I wanted to make another card for the Outlaws Songs and Rhymes Challenge, "Ring a Ring o' Roses" and googled posie to see what that flower looks like. Was surprised to learn that it isn't a flower, it is actually a small bunch of flowers.  So… this old Stampin' Up stamp is the perfect fit. As the wind whips the snow into a blizzard outside I love that this card brings the promise of Spring.

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenges- Songs and Rhymes- Ring a ring o' roses.     (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Clean and Simple                    (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Last weeks Monday Challenge at wecraftcards was to create a card that included washi tape and twine, and Outlawz has a fun new Challenge called "Crash your Stash." This weeks challenge was to use eyelets. I have never used eyelets, but a friend gave me a bunch of them a while ago so it was fun to learn that they were so easy to use.  And they worked perfectly for the knotted "rope" on my card. [I googled nautical knots and found a few good videos on You-Tube on "carrick bend knot " instructions. I used a few small strips of washi tape in the upper left corner, a map from a scrapbook kit [I tore the edges to make it look weathered], a sticker of a ship, and punched a small anchor from the silver lining of an envelope. The sentiments on the front and inside are computer generated.

 

Entered into: 

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge-Tape and Twine                                      (wecraftcards.com/forum)

Outlawz Challenge- Crash Your Stash- Jan [Eyelets]                                     (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

The current  Butterfly Challenge focuses on the letter "Y".  My second entry for this challenge features a beautiful pansy teacup. [I removed the rubber from it's wood mount several years ago, but I think this is from Embossing Arts or Stampendous.] The card includes the color Yellow (in the flowers) and the theme Image ("You" in the sentiment). I've always loved old fashioned tea parties, so I tried to create a vintage feel to this card with the patterned "wallpaper" and doily under the cup. The sentiments on the front and inside are both from Victorines Originals digi set named "Elegant Sayings." [You can find the set of nine beautiful digis on sale now for just $4. But don't wait too long. The owners are soon retiring and selling down many of their images and stamps. Find the digi set here. They set is also available in clear stamps.]  

 

Entered into: 

Butterfly Challenge- #115 Letter Y (Photo)                              (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)
Double D’s Challenge- Looking Back in Time                          (daranddiane.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #370-#371 Anything Goes           (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)
Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Jan                (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Time to recycle

This week's Simon Says Stamps Monday Challenge is "Recycle Something." Since one of my favorite things to do is recycle/upcycle, I took some time today to make some cards for this challenge. Was fun digging in my stash of papers and miscellaneous items to find treasures that I could put to use.

This first card uses an old South Dakota map for the card base and the envelope, plus pheasant feathers that I've had for a few decades [I know that because my husband's MS has prevented him from hunting since the late 1990s. Am glad the feathers didn't disintegrate.] The fishing lure and Gone Fishing sentiment are from a scrapbooking kit. Besides adding feathers, I also used a silver gel pen to add some highlights to the hooks The inside sentiment is computer generated.  

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Recycle Something                             (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

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

This is my final entry for The Paper Shelter's current digital image challenge. I had fun using one of their images that I recently won named, "Where're we goin'?"

Colored the cutie with Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen. Used some travel themed background paper and the small suitcase in the lower left corner from a scrapbook kit. The sentiment is a vellum sticker that I've had in my stash for a few years. And, I added a piece of vellum atop the background paper to help the digi image stand out more boldly. 

 

Entered into: 

The Paper Shelter- #366 Digital Image                                   (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #370-#371 Anything Goes          (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Decided to make another card to enter into Power Poppy's Creative Confetti "Half and Half Challenge" [where an image is cut in half, with one half colored.]  I remembered making this type of card many years ago- as in back in the late '90's. I used a vintage PSX wood mount stamp named "Hybrid Rose." These cards go together so easily that I made two of them in different colors.

 

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenges- Songs/Rhymes- Ring a Ring o' Roses  (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Half and Half                       (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2019/01/creative-confetti-lets-go-half-half.html)

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. Here are details-

I came up with the idea for the first card when I saw a sweet penguin shape card made by artist Dina Kowal [you can find it here.] 

I used the template to make a baby card, hand sketching and coloring the little blankie. Thinking that the little cutie needed something to cuddle, I looked through my teddy bear stamps. Nothing looked right… and then I realized that a little, stuffed penguin would be perfect. Dug through my stamps and found a happy little penguin in a set that my mom gave me several years ago. [Sorry but I don't know who makes it as it wasn't in the original packaging. I did provide a photo. If you recognize the set, please let me know who makes it. Thanks.] The Welcome Baby sentiment is a freebie from Papercrafts Magazine [you can find it here.]

And the inside sentiment is computer generated.

For the North Pole card, I stamped the little penguin and North Pole sentiment onto white cardstock.  Fussy cut both then colored the penguin and added Polar White Flowersoft to his hat. Cut a thin scrap of patterned paper to make the pole for the sign, adding a bit of shading with a grey marker and highlights with a white gel pen. The snowy scene background is super easy to create. [I posted a tutorial on how to make it back in November 2017. All it takes is a paper scrap, ink pad, and tree stamp. You can find it here.] 

The inside sentiment is a freebie from TLC Creations. 

 

 

 

 

Entered into: 
Twofer Card Challenge- #12 Birds                                                   (twofercardchallenge.blogspot.com)

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

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #421 Anything Goes  (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk) 

Di’s Digi Stamps- Snow Much Fun                                                  (disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

Outlawz Challenges- Saturday Paper Ala Mode- Winter Snow  (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- Jan                      (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)
Doing Life- Create with TLC Challenge #25                                  (desiref.blogspot.co.za)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Clean and Simple                (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

The Cutie Pie Challenge- #131 Cute, Clean and Simple               (cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com)

Getting Older

For this week's challenge at QKR Stampede I made a card using a QKR digi image and digi sentiment (Q-digi 4101 Knome Lady and Q-digi 17201 When You Get Old) that you can find at stamponit.net.

I colored the stout little Gnome with Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen. Added wispy clouds with a template cut from scrap paper, decorative chalks and a makeup sponge.  I carefully chalked on the edges of the image. But… the great thing about chalks, is then I do make an oops… it can just be erased with a wonderfully effective Tombow MONO Light Eraser [it doesn't ever smudge or tear the paper.] I used my photo program to crop the sentiment in two, using the "punch line" on the inside. It makes me chuckle… especially since I currently resemble that fact.

PS To see more fun cards, stop on by the QKR Stampede where the weekly challenges are always Anything Goes and prizes are awarded (qkrstampede.blogspot.com)

Entered into: 

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greetings- Wing It                          (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

The Paper Shelter- #366 Digital Image                                            (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

A2zscrapbooking Monthly Challenge- Jan [Anything Goes]       (a2zscrapbookingblog.com) 

My fifth card for Bugaboo Stamps 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash is for Wednesday's Challenge-Humor Me.  The sentiment on the back of the standing card always makes me giggle. [That sentiment and the one on the front of the card are both computer generated using a fun font names Curlz MT.] The image is one of my favorites from Bugaboo named "Unicorn Set." I colored the little cutie with Spectrum Noir and white gel pen, having fun making the rainbow tail and mane. I created a unique fold that allowed the unicorn to take center stage. [You can find the instructions on an earlier post, here.] 

The background with the pretty rainbow is actually stationary that I picked up at Goodwill. The sparkly clouds were fuzzy-cut from an old card [I love upcycling]. I included a close up to show you that they do include sparkles that twinkle a bit but don't overwhelm. 

Am entering this into several challenges including 2craftycritters Challenge [the ladybugs on the image and added to the sentiment. Am hoping that an insect can be classified as a "critter."], Cute Card Thursday's Banish the Blues [the card background is a pretty robin's egg blue and the rainbow often banishes emotional blues!] and Simon Says Monday "Recycle Something" challenge [sparkly clouds from an old card.]

 

 

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash-Wed   (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- #22                                            (2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com)

Cute Card Thursday- #565 Banish the Blues                              (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Word Art Wed Challenge- #370-#371 Anything Goes              (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Recycle Something                 (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

My sixth card for Bugaboo Stamps 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash is for Thursday's Color Challenge.  The bold striped background paper includes all of the required colors except yellow. I added that color with a strip of yellow vellum, using my Scor Pal to create a fluted cupcake paper. It was easy to attach. After coloring the sweet Bugaboo image named "Cupcake Peeker," I slit the sides of the cupcake image with an Xacto knife, slid the ends of the yellow vellum beneath it and taped them in place. You can't see it very well in the photo, but the vellum cupcake paper adds some fun texture to the card. I thought the right side of the card needed a bit more color, so I cut a few hearts from red plastic document folders.  These wonderful office supply items come in a pack of assorted colors and you can find them in office supply stores. [They're often cheaper than colored vellum and are more translucent.  You can write on them with a fine-line permanent marker and they are also easy to fussy-cut with a nice, sharp pair of scissors.] Added a bit of snail adhesive to the back of the hearts and then attached them, sliding the large one under the vellum sentiment.

Am entering this into several challenges including Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge [middle row of TicTacToe- hearts from the first square, a sweet image for free space, and bright colors from the last square] 

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash-Thurs      (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge                                              (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

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

My final card for Bugaboo Stamps 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash is for Friday's Photo Inspiration Challenge.  I used a bold striped background paper to reflect the colors in the photo, and the used two Bugaboo images [Mini Set Monster Blocks and Dollar Candle Cake] to recreate the cake photo, complete with a googly-eyed monster topper. So fun! The sentiments are computer generated. The final touch was a sprinkling of sparkly stars [you can't see it very well in the photo, but they have a holographic bling.] Am entering this into several challenges including Outlawz Festive Friday [it will make a great child's birthday card- the twist to this the Festive Friday challenge.]

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash-Friday     (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

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

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

My final post today is to share details of how you can win this wonderful Blog candy from a sweet Norwegian blogger named Tindaloo. For details, visit Tindaloo's blog.

[Please note that the giveaway will end on January 31st. at 11:55 PM. Norwegian time] 

Flower Power

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, I used a digi set from Oddball Art  named "CoolHippie Flower Power Peace Van." When I saw this set, that includes both a plain and a decorated van, I knew that I wanted to use it to make a card with a great freebie sentiment, "You Add Color To My Life" from Desert Diva. Added a small rainbow upcycled from an old piece of stationery and puffy stickers that I recently found at Hobby Lobby to decorate the inside sentiment. The sentiments on the front of the card are computer generated. Am entering the card into several challenges including Power Poppy's Creative Confetti "Half and Half" [where an image is cut in half, with one half colored. My take on the challenge is a bit different as I have two images… one is colored, one is not] and the Do-Al[l] Challenge that requires we show something twice on a project. [I'm hoping that the two vans will qualify, even though when colored they are no longer identical.].

 

Entered into:

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

The Paper Shelter- #366 Digital Image                         (thepapershelter.blogspot.com.ar)

Do-Al[l] Creative- Think Twice                                       (do-allkreatives.blogspot.com)

Power Poppy- Creative Confetti- Half and Half           (powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2019/01/keeping-old-or-ushering-in-new.html)

The new Butterfly Challenge focuses on the letter "Y".  My first entry for this challenge features a lovely digi from Beccy's Place that I made into a tag, colored with Spectrum Noir markers and white gel pen. The card includes the color Yew (in the small butterfly and sequin flowers) and the theme Image ("You" in the sentiment). Note- you can find the freebie digi here. Am entering this into a few challenges including Simon Says Monday Challenge, "Recycle Something" [the flower sequins were cut from an old sweater that I found at a local thrift store], and Tuesday Outlawz Color Challenge Bingo [Diagonal from lower left to upper right- sequins, free space, and dotted swiss background, but its blue vs. the pink on the ribbon]

 

Entered into: 

Butterfly Challenge- #115 Letter Y                                            (butterflyspotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

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

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Recycle Something             (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greetings- Wing It                  (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

Outlawz Challenges- Tuesday Color Challenge [CC0115]       (Outlawzchallenges.ning.com)

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

This is my third card for Bugaboo Stamps 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash. Monday's Challenge is an "Anything But a Card" Challenge. A sweet friend crocheted a Christmas towel that I gave to my MIL. In response, I made her a packet of cards that she can send to her grandchildren. Her nine-year-old grandson loves football and is also an artist. So I made a refrigerator magnet for him. Printed off a copy of the Bugaboo image named "Football Boy" and made it into a refrigerator magnet by adding a large square of an adhesive magnet sheet to the back. I colored the little guy's skin, silver cleats and silver face mask on the helmet because those items can be hard to color with crayons or school markers but left the remainder of the image uncolored. Wanted the little artist that will receive the card to be able to finish coloring the image and then proudly display it on their fridge. [I did attach the magnet to the front of an A2 card front with repositionable tape for easier mailing.] I decorated that card front with a digi sentiment from Eureka Stamps named "Believe" that you can find here]  I left the inside of the card blank so that Grandma can use it for any occasion. 

 

Entered into:
Bugaboo Stamps- 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash-Monday          (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com) 
A2zscrapbooking Monthly Challenge- Jan [Anything Goes]                (a2zscrapbookingblog.com) 

DigiStamps4Joy- #156 Anything Goes                                                      (digistamps4joy-sa.blogspot.co.za)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Clean and Simple                   (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

My fourth card for Bugaboo Stamps 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash is for Tuesdays BINGO Challenge. The shape card features a Bugaboo image named "Peeker March." I don't know if Leprechauns are ever girls [in real life!] but mine is because she is being sent to a little four-year-old sweetheart named Lucy. I think she'll like getting a card on St. Patrick's Day. [Note, I colored the gold coins on the image brown to add the long hair.] My card incorporates the first BINGO column- die-cut [shape card], Gem [three green ones on hat] and ribbon [a wee bit 'o gold, of course.] The great sentiment on the front of the card is a freebie from TLC Creations. 

 

Entered into: 

Bugaboo Stamps- 9th Annual Monster Birthday Bash-Tuesday  (catchthebugblog.blogspot.com)

Word Art Wed Challenge- #370-#371 Anything Goes                    (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Doing Life- Create with TLC Challenge #25                                     (desiref.blogspot.co.za)