Sunday, January 27, 2013

Chinese New Year (of the Snake) 2013



Friday Mashup  posted this challenge this week and I absolutely LOVED it!
  
It is in celebration of The Chinese New Year - 
The Year of the Snake which starts on February 10th. 

 I learned the technique of making paper lanterns from doing this challenge. 

 I do not own a crimper. 
 Remember I live WAY out in the country,  about
 100 plus mile round trip
 from the nearest craft store.

 And I just started card making in
 October of 2012 so my inventory of such items is pretty non existent.
 That being said, I pondered the problem of the lantern for a few seconds and had one of those
 eureka moments when I looked down at my handy dandy
  Scor-Pal.  
I simply scored the CIRCLE  of 
white craft paper,
 turned it over and
 inked it a with a Color Box Gold Brush Pad.
  Not too shabby.
  New technique!!! 
Yeah!  I can do this on a limited budget, I really can!!!

I dry embossed the "background" paper with 
Nathanie's Penwork Cuttlebug folder from Cricut
and lightly stamped and distressed it with the same Gold Color Box ink.

The top and bottom of the lantern were scrap strips in my box.

-The sentiment I found on line searching for
Chinese Horoscope signs,
knowing it was the Year of the Snake
(thanks to the great write up about the tradition on Friday Mashup's site).
I printed out one of the symbols on red cardstock, used an embossing pen, and some gold embossing powder to finish it.
I tried to glitter it black and it just didn't work for me -
the glitter kept falling off.


So I gave up, scraped the remainder and started over again.

I made the tassel out of some
 blended thread that my Mom had given me,
 a gold "brad,"
 a red ribbon and attached everything together with double sided tape.

I mounted the sentiment to give it a little added dimension.


The 2013 stickers I found at Dollar Tree.
They wouldn't stick to the
Dry Embossing so
 I had to give them a little help by adding some Sticky Glue.

This is one of those fun cards to make
it just pope out at you.
Plus I learned all about the Chinese New year
and
enjoyed a history lesson in the process.

It's all Good!!!

Challenges I am entering in this card are:

Simon Says Stamp - Paper Piercing :)
Tsunami Rose Anything Goes
Bunny Zoe's - Anything Goes

Paper Pretties - Try a New Technique
psst....
I'm waiting for my
5 new digis for
Winning one of their challenges!

I'm a happy stamper!!!)
But they don't have a Badge for me, sniff, sniff....
Oh well, I'm gonna love the digis!!!

Word Art Wednesday - Challenge #64 - Anything Goes
and we're adding on:
(Thanks for sending me an invitation to join in.
My first visit and first chalenge.  Great Site !!!)

Clear It Out - Theme: Circles and Stash: Anything Goes
They also have a DT Cal for all ya'll interested.
I know I'm going to apply.

Love To Create - Three Favorite Colors
and I've come to the conclusion after doing this challenge that I'm not ure i
really have a favorite)
I just LOVE all colors
They also have a DT Cal

Inky Impressions - Celebrate

Top Tip Tuesday -Lavishly Luscious Layers

Papertake Tie Up Your Loose Ends (a bow)

Aud Sentiments Bingo
(I went straight across the middle
"Happy" - Embossing and used the tassel as my charm

Penny's Paper Crafty #111 Embossing (wet or dry)

Friends of Speedy TV
Creative Uses for Ribbon (I believe making tassels applys perfectly :)

Fussy and Fancy #81 - Circles
(who would have ever thought your could make such beautiful lanterns out of white cardstock circles?)

Top Tip Tuesday - Layers
http://toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/2013/01/challenge-94-lavishly-luscious-layers_29.html

Fab'n'Funky
Challenge 155 - Favorite Colour Combo


Come and Get It Challenges - Tic Tac Toe (I'm straight up the middle - Embossing, free & Red)

Challenges 4 Everybody - #12 - Anything Goes

Have a Blessed Sunday! 


Come Back Soon


Friday, January 25, 2013

Thank You With A Little Glam






Wow - talk about bling!!! 
 Believe it or not all of this striping is made from white satin ribbon that I 
inked and attached to cardstock.

The inspiration for this card came from
 The Shabby Tea Room's Just Pretty Challenge.
  You had to use the colors in the photo AND include Stripes and A Flower.
  Since I didn't have any stripped paper to match the colors, I simply
 MADE my own.  

The idea for the Thank You was from the
  Pixie Studio's challenge
 (that I missed by not posting this card yesterday when I was supposed to - duh!)


I used 1/8" scor tape (scor-pal.com) in between the ribbon and added the glitter. 
 So easy and it stays on so much better than glue.


All this ribbon (striping) certainly works for the
FOST (Friends of Speedy TV Challenge)  #56 where they wanted 
Creative Uses for Ribbon
 (wonder how often it is used to make striped paper?).  

The ribbon also worked for  Paper Pretties ribbon challenge.  
Too bad I missed that one too - (wow) -
 BUT,
 it works for their new challenge to
 Try A New Technique. 
 AND, 
while visiting their site I found out I won Challenge 241 and get some
 goodies from their store. 
 YES!!! 
 I'm a happy little crafter!!!

Just as soon as I finish this post I bet ya'll know where I'm headed.


A little "dry" embossing here with a Cuttlebug folder.


 The sentiment was embossed with white powder and then embossed again  with glitter.
  This was a great tip since I only own 3 colors of embossing powder and was limited to what I could do.  This little tidbit of info allowed me to use my existing inventory of "stuff" to a much greater extent.   I just found this technique on Gink K's site and had to try it. You can see the video here 


I die cut the flowers out of white cardstock, inked them with the same Memento Angel Pink that I used on the ribbon and the card  and added some Flamingo Liquid Pearls(rangerink.com)


Assembled the flower and added more liquid pearls to the center of it and put it all together.

Challenges that I am entering with this card (and sometimes, specifically WHY) are:

Penny's Paper Crafty Wet or Dry Embossing Challenge #111
Aud Sentiments Bingo Challenge (I went straight across the top - Die Cut, "Thank" and "You")
Bunny Zoe's Anything Goes
Digi Darla's DDC #46 - Feeling Sentimental
Papertake Weekly - Tie Up You Your Loose Ends (A Bow)
Top Tip Tuesday - Challenge 24 - Lavishly Luscious Layers
Catch The Bug - January Bingo 
(I went across the top - Designer Paper, Sentiment and Pearls (liquid pearls for me)
Creative Craft Challenges2 - Challenge 2 - Bling It Up

Tsunami Rose - Anything Goes
 (By the Way - I just won one of their challenges too - 
I'm going to get one of their beautiful journals that I have been 
REALLY - REALLY wanting. 
 Thanks so much!
  I LOVE your stuff!)

and last but never least - 

Simple Salutations  on MFPSpeedy TV - Challenge 29 (Use A Flower) -
 this is a site for clean and simple cards, but even with all the bling on this one -
 it still fits that category perfectly,
 I think.

Wishing you many blessings today! 

 Prayers going out to a beautiful friend 
who I went to school with pretty much from
 kindergarten until we graduated together,
 Natalie,
 who is having surgery today!  


Thursday, January 24, 2013

I (heart) you - CAS Card


I sometimes forget to make a Clean and Simple Card 
and am glad for challenges like the one at
Card Makin' Mamas this week (A Simple Little Challenge) (http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-simple-little-challenge.html

It's really hard to stop right here when
 I know I can add
 swirls, bells, whistles, ribbons, glitter and glam.
This card, however, can be made up literally in minutes. 
 Great for those times you've GOT to have something to 
get in the mail right NOW!

The card base and 2 alternating layers were 1/8" increments
(according to my Scor-Pal - http://www.scor-pal.com/). 

 The sentiment and heart were stamped
 (the stamps were my daughter's from years ago)
 and embossed with Ranger Red Embossing Tinsel (rangerink.com).



  This is a new product I got from Blitsy recently and I really like it.  
I bought it with the intention of using alot of it on my Valentine's cards.

Some Dollar Tree double sided satin ribbon and 
3 whole "gems" and this 
turns out to be a pretty good card.


I die cut the sentiment layers with the Spellbinders
 Grand Calibur - Nestabilities Card Creator A2 Matting Basics B.
 This set makes card making so easy! 
 I can't wait to find the Basics A on sale somewhere - or better yet win it 
(and you know I'm practicing the power of positive thinking because



I've already labelled all of these for my "B" set).

I'm entering the following challenges with this project:

Tammy's Scrapin Corner -  Red and/or Hearts

Craft Challenge - Valentine's Day or Love @ Trimmies Craft Challenge

DDC #46 - Feeling Sentimental @ Digi Darlas
(I'm also entering their DT)

Anything Goes @ Bunny Zoe's Crafts (entering this DT also)

Aud Sentiments - Bingo Challenge (I used flowers/ribbon and "love") @ http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/inspirational-bingo.html

Penny's Challenges - Challenge 111 - Embossing - Wet or Dry






Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Veni, Vidi, Visa (I came, I saw, I charged it)


When I started combining a few of the challenges I wanted to enter, 
I knew I needed to find some sort of whimisical quote about shopping. 
 I found this one on the internet by Swoosie Kurtz and thought it was
 PERFECT!  

I typed in into a Word program and printed it out on 
Mustard Cardstock then used my Grand Calibur and a
 die from the
 A2 Matting Basics B  from
 Spellbinders
set I have to cut it out.

The card colors were used for The Play Date Cafe 
(A Study in Beauty - PDCC165) @
 They suggested Plum, Mustard & Rose for their colors.
  I'm really liking how
 "tropical"
 it makes it look. 
 I'm going to make a mental note to remember this combination.

Usually my favorites are white, silver and blues but I'm liking this so much I'm going to enter it in Love to Create Challenge #49 - Share Your 3 Favorite Colors @ http://lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.ca/2013/01/challenge-49-share-your-3-favorite.html

The layout was from The Deconstructed Sketch #85 @
Here's a copy of their Sketch it you want to join in on the fun.

Alicia's Challenge #2 - Use Your Favorite Crafty Item (http://aliciaschallenge.blogspot.com/2013/01/challenge-2.html)
inspired me to purchase one of her Digi's from her store @ 
Alicia's Little Shop
I really wanted to enter her challenge to have a chance at the
 10 Copic Markers she is giving away.
  I don't have the first one - 
so I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed 
that I get to try them soon!

 (How's that for positive thinking?)


This is only my second time using a digi and
 I use 20 year old colored pencils, 
 but hey,
 it works
I'm thinking I can use plenty of practice, though.

I'm entering the Design Team Call and the
Digi challenge from Sweet N Sassy Stamps 
Anything Digital #SNSDC88 @
(we can only hope)!

You know how you have
 'that' designer paper that you won't use because you are
 "saving" it for that special project -
 well today I decided I needed to
 start using some of the paper I've been collecting.
  It also helped me to be able to enter
 Bugaboo Stamps Catch The Bug January Bingo Challenge (http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/januarybingo-challenge.html). 
 I went straight across the top of the board with 
Designer Paper, Sentiment and Pearls.

I have never owned Washi Tape
  (and quite honestly had to look it up to see what it was -
 yes I'm new at this) - 
but when I saw that I was allowed to
 "make" my own for this challenge at
 Simon Says Stamp -
 immediately I used the 
pink and white polka-dots in lieu of my tape.
  I think it looks like many of the cards which actually use it
 (but it is super easy to use though, and will need to check it out) 


Because of the pearls and bling,
 Cute Card Thursday Challenge #252 
- Diamonds are Forever (diamonds or bling) @
and 
Creative Craft Challenges2 -
 Blng it up @

I am also entering:


Stamp N Doodle

Incy Wincy Design - Make Us Laugh @
(thought the sentiment was great for this one)
 PLUS
 they have a DT Call that I'm hoping to quality for.

Paper Pretties Challenge
is Ribbon
I didn't have any to match this card so I colored my own.


The shoes and the purse on the digi allow me to submit this card to 
MFP Speedy TV Simple Saluations Challenge #28 - @

Inky Impressions Challenge #93 - Tag It @ 

I was so excited to get a delivery from
  Blitsy.com  today -
 haven't tried out EVERYTHING yet,
 but it's still early.
 If you haven't tried them yet, you should really check them out.  
They have GREAT prices!


Whew - I'm done!  (smiling)
Have a great night.
Thanks for stopping by!



Monday, January 21, 2013

Merry Christmas Owl in White


I absolutely love this little 
Frosty Owl from Meljen's Designs
 he is one of the freebies
 offered on their site. 
Go check it out.

 Thanks for the freebie!

 He's so adorable!


 I'm new at the coloring thing 
- so I had to practice a little.  
It won't be my last - 
I really like the digis.   


The layout for this card was inspired by 
Christmas Card Challenge  Week 8 

The frosty owl  digi from Meljen's Designs -
 Challenge #143 - White Out (All white except the image) @ http://meljensdesignsdt.blogspot.com/2013/01/challenge-143-white-out.html

I added liquid pearls  in bisque from
 Ranger (www.rangerink.com) and some
 Polymark Dimentional Fabric Paint in white pearl iridescent


Top Tip Tuesday - Challenge 93 - Fur or Feathers @ http://toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/2013/01/challenge-93-fur-or-feathers-way.html


MFP Speedy TV Christmas Card Challenge @  CCC2013 

Digi Designs Saturday Fortnightly Challenges - Winter Challenge @ http://disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.ca/2013/01/winter-challenge.html

Stamping With The Dragon- In The Winter Garden Challenge @ http://stampingwithdragon.blogspot.com/2013/01/stamping-dragon-challenge-in-winter.html

Love To Create Challenge #49 - Share Your Three (3) Favorite (colors) - @ http://lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.ca/2013/01/challenge-49-share-your-3-favorite.html

Can you tell that mine are White, Blue and Silver!!! (but let's not forget the glitter and sparkles - you know you can never have enough)





Card Makin' Mamas - Simple Little Challenge (Clean and Simple) @ http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-simple-little-challenge.html

Clear It Out Challenge @ The Cutest Blog - Theme (Circles) Stash (Anything) @ http://clearitoutchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/01/its-challenge-time.html

2 Sisters Color Challenge #127 (Brown - White - Blue) @ http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/challenge-127-color-challenge.html




Cute Card Thursday Challenge 252 - Diamonds Are Forever (diamonds or bling) - @ http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/challenge-252-diamonds-are-forever.html

Thanks for checking out today's card.

Wishing you a blessed Monday!

See you soon!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Serenity

Don't you just love the colors in this card?
  It's so soothing.....



The color choices came from the 


The gorgeous graphic/digi came from The Graphic Fairy.  
She has the most BEAUTIFUL graphics and digis available for free on her website!!!  
You should really check this one out!


 I am also entering Sweet 'n Sassy's SNSDC88 challenge - 
Anything Goes/Digital with this card @

The Serenity sentiment was from some vellum sayings
 I bought years ago  
 I just scanned it on my printer -
 adjusted the size to fit my card, printed on mint green cardstock, 
cut with my Grand Calibur with a Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics B die, 
added the plum colored backing to it 
(also cut with the same dies - next larger size). 



The sentiment and ribbon allowed me to enter this card in 
The Perfect Sentiment's PSC62 - Encourage Me with Ribbon challenge @ http://perfectsentimentschallenge.blogspot.com/2013/01/psc62-encourage-me-wribbon.html
 and also
 Paper Pretties Ribbon challenge  (PWC - 241) @


Stamp n doodle - Anything Goes @

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Anything goes -


The tulle was in my stash from a wedding I did
 YEARS ago. 
 I simply took my green stamp pad and inked it up. 
 Voila! 
 Perfect for the mint green I needed in this card 
AND
 the recycled material makes it possible to enter this card in
 FOSTV Challenge 44 - @




Some embossing, 



I added liquid pearls to the flowers
 (and as some extra "bling" on the card) to give them some shine



Sometimes you have to invent ways to do this craft
 (especially when you are a newbie, like me).
  This is my paper weight from my desk -
 works great to keep the tulle down until the glue dried.


 Notice the extra bling aroud the ribbon
 (this was added, simply due to a 
"minor" glue accident, but turned out really pretty. 
 Those of you who know my work, know that I can
 NEVER 
have enough bling and glitter!!!



Thanks for stopping by and checking out my newest passion.

Any suggestions and feedback are ALWAYS welcomed!
So please feel free to leave a comment.

Oh, yeah - and how cool is this!!! 

 My newest badge 
from
 2 Sisters Challenge Blog @

Thank you to sponsors who make this even more fun than it already is!

Wishing you a beautiful Sunday!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Make A Wish





Ya gotta love an all purple card - it's just so feminine and fancy.

The layout idea came from a
combined with the
 MFP Sketch With A Twist Challenge 29 - with
 the twist being a purple card
 (think this is a winner!!!) @



Initially I was going to use the white lace, but tried
 coloring it with my stamper and then
 colored it all.  
Note to self - remember to color BOTH sides when using a bow..
 I'm learning the hard way!


 The rounded corners also from 365 Cards - Day 7 - Rounding the Corner @ http://365cards.blogspot.com/2013/01/day-7-rounding-corner.html
 (but had to "hide" a couple of corners because
 the challenge has a
minimum of ONE but a maximum of THREE corners).


Most of the patterns used here are from Colorbok's Fancy Fleur pack.


 Electic Ellapu's Challenge recipe:
 1 die cut, 2 pattern paper and 3 embellishments and a ribbon   @ http://eclecticellapu.blogspot.com/2013/01/pink-teams-challenge.html



I keep baggies with various size cuts of flowers that I use frequently. 
 I've begun to learn that if I cut them out of a neutral paper,
 I can dye and color them to
 match pretty much anything.



Of course, the project isn't done until I add some
 Liquid Pearls from
 I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!!!  


Wasn't satisfied with the lace alone - had to add a strip of satin ribbon, just for good measure.


See the butterfly -
 I hope everyone at Red Carpet Studio (RCS - 19) can see it too!!!


Some 1/8" scor tape from
 around the edge of the sentiment layer gave me some
 additional bling -
 and
  ya'll know how much I love
 SPARKLE!!!


Perfect Sentiments - Encourage Me (add ribbon)  PSC 62 @ http://perfectsentimentschallenge.blogspot.com/2013/01/psc62-encourage-me-wribbon.html

Stampin Dragon - Anything Goes @

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Anything Goes @

2 Sisters - Challenge #125 - Celebrations @

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes - Challenge 2 @

Scrap It Girl - January Challenge - Bling, Glitter, Shine and Sparkles @ http://www.scrapitgirl.net/index.php/2013/01/01/january-challenge-december-winner/

- Until next time - 

Wishing you a blessed day!


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Better Get Better



Love the colors on this card! 

 I have a "friend" in the hospital
 (we only know each other from Facebook, 
even though we all live in 
a very small community in south Florida).  

This card is for you Mr. Graves!

The color choices came directly from The Play Date Cafe- Deep & Soulful PDCC164 @ http://theplaydatecafe.blogspot.com/2013/01/deep-soulful-pdcc164.html.

The layout design was from
 365 Cards - Day 6 - Super Sketchy Sunday @


I changed my mind on the sentiment  at the last minute!

The blue cardstock, and sentiment block and sentiment work well for
 Cute Card Thursday's Challenge 251 - Beat the Blues! @



Stampin Dragon "Anything Goes" @

Bunny Zoe's "Anything Goes" @


Bloom


I stamped the image on 
water color paper quite awhile ago
 and then my daughter gave me this Studio G "BLOOM" stamp for Christmas -
 a perfect match.


I wanted to use
 baker's twine for this,
 but only had a grey color - so
 I colored it green with an ink pad and a dauber. 
 You know what they say about necessity being the mother of invention...


The flowers were a Hero Arts stamp and some basic card stock from my stash.


I kept this card very clean and simple

Challenges:

365 Cards Day 5 - Back to Nature/Clean and Simple @


Sketch with a Twist Challenge #28 - w/baker's twine - @