AAA Cards - White Space (Christmas) Challenge

Hello crafty friends,

Can I share a secret?  I'm not good w/white space.  So when I started working on a card to submit to the current AAA Cards - Maxi White Space w/optional twist of Christmas in July I tried to keep my design as white as I could manage.

And this is what I came up with.  Somewhat busy, but technically there's a lot of white space, right?

Thanks for stopping by and wish me luck.

Time Out Challenge #138

Hello crafty friends,

The current Time Out Challenge has a "Funny" theme and is sponsored by CAS-ual Fridays! 

Therefore, I couldn't help but reach for the WTF2 stamp set (LOL, it's not want you think) .  This stamp set is perfect for those BIG digit birthdays, but also for some friendly encouragement cards.  And seriously, I don't know anyone who wouldn't love to get a WTF card... LOL.

I used the Lawn Fawn Reveal Wheel die set and one of the cats from the Katzelkraft Les Chats stamps set.

I stamped a sentiment longer than the reveal window, making it so the reader has to spin the wheel around to read the whole message.  This was my first time using the reveal wheel set and as you can see making a long message means the wheel has to spin up instead of down, so I glued the little arrow pointing up to reflect that.  Normally the window would reveal self contained mini messages, so the direction you spin the wheel is not a big factor.

I stamped "happy 50th birthday" on the inside of my card.

Thanks for stopping by.  Until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 215

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #215.   Our theme for this challenge is ...

I have to admit I don't do a lot of dry embossing, so I created a very simple die embossed element for my card.   I die cut a tag and using the Treble Clef die, I created an embossed element on the corner of the tag.  I tied the Treble Clef die with Holiday music theme pattern paper and sentiments from the Mistletoe & Holly stamps set.  

My last card for this challenge is a simple thank you one using the "thanks" die from the Smiling die set.  This card goes out to Michele.  A simple, but heartfelt thanks for offering this newbie (me) a spot on this design team.  It's been a wonderful experience.    

Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 214

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #214.   Our theme for this challenge is ...

The inspiration photo made me think of ornaments, so I created a card with a large ornament.  

I created a circle ornament from white glitter paper using the Ornament Tag die.  On red and green glitter papers I stamped and die cut a few flowers and leaves from the Pretty Posies stamp and die sets.  I glued my flowers and leaves onto the white ornament die cut and glued that onto my card.  I added the "Merry" from the Merry die set and a few Nuvo drops as my finishing touches. 

Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 213

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #213.   Our theme for this challenge is ...

So for my card I used gold glitter paper and gold metallic paper.  First I positioned and die cut the Funky Flakes from the gold glitter paper that would become my card top panel.  I used score tape to attach this panel to my card base.  It was during this step that I kind of messed up.  the score tape was so strong that it didn't give me a chance to adjust the die cut flake openings, so when I added my metallic die cut flakes I end up with gaps that showed the white card base :(    

As you can see, I made some of the flakes dimensional by adding a second flake that was only glued at the base.  

Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 212

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #212.   Our theme for this challenge is this sketch...

I created this card using the Bushy Tailed stamps set.  

the card front in raised on foam for dimension, under it distressed inked several colors to make the cute animals pop.  My banner is glued flat to the gray card front. 
Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 211

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #211.   Our theme for this challenge is this photo...

Here's my interpretation of the photo...

I LOVE FALL and I loved the wood background of the inspiration photo, so I used wood-grain embossing folder for my cards main background.  Next incorporated the photo's single large leaf as several smaller leaves using the Pretty Posies stamp set.  I used the banner and the "thanks sooo much" sentiment from the Bushy Tailed stamp set to connect my two leaf groupings. 

I used metallic watercolors to color my stamped leaves and to "distress" my wood-grain backgound.  All the elements have a great metallic look to them, but sadly the pictures don't show it. 

Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 210

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #210.   Our theme for this challenge is ...

A color combination of pinks and grays.  I love gray, but I have to admit I don't use pink too often.  So I took up the pink challenge and created two cards using stamps from the Peaceful Garden set.

here's a close up of card one... 

here's a close up of card two...

 
Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 209

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #209.   Our theme for this challenge is ...

and I made this...

I used the Flower-case Alphabet, Full On Floral stamp sets to create all my floral elements.  The Hello I hand wrote after practicing with a pencil mamy, many, many times.

Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 207

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #207!  Our theme for this challenge is a color scheme of mint and neutrals...

I used the Peaceful Garden stamp set and matching Garden Fri-Dies to created these two cards:

On the first card, I created a heart wreath with the leaves from the Garden Fri-Die.  

On the second card, I created a cluster leaves in white, teal and gold embossed under a center flower. 

Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 204

Hello crafty friends...
Welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #204!   Our theme for this challenge is ...

I took some creative license and turned some flower stamps into butteries... ok, I admit they look more like caterpillars, but "art" is in the eye of the beholder. 

The flowers I converted come from the Truth Is stamps set.  For this card, I separated the flowers from their steins (don't worry they can be connected again to stamp whole).  I stamped (in rainbow colors) and fussy cut the flowers, turned them into butterfly wings and created butterfly bodies with Nuvo Drops.  I hand drew the antennas.   For the black glitter die cut smile I used one of the words from the Smiling Fri-Die set.

Remember... 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Inspiration Squad - Challenge 201

Hello crafty friends... welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #201!   The theme for this challenge is Masculine cards in summer colors.

I created this card for someone who's having a pool party birthday next month.  

I started by tracing a pair of boys swimming trunks in pencil on printer paper. Don't over think this part, it's a simple design, but it still took a few tries to get the look I wanted.  Once I had a shape, I liked, I fussy cut it out.  Now that I had a working outline, I traced around it several times on my front card panel.  Remember to use a pen/maker that will work your the coloring method you will be using.  I colored with Distress Oxidize inks, so I used an fine tip precision pen by American Crafts.  

Next came the fun part.... I took the tiny star and flower stamps from the Sassy Smile set and stamped patterns onto swimming trunks.  I used blue, green, orange and yellow colors for a fun summery feel. The #BIRTHDAY sentiment is from the Rad 2 stamp set.  

What are your playing for? 10 winning entries will be highlighted on this blog each Thursday before a new challenge is set to go live the next day.  In addition, Michele has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the overall winner at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.   If the chosen winner has used CAS-ual Fridays stamps and/or dies as the main focus in the card, that gift certificate will increase to $50.

Thanks for stopping bye... until next time, take care.

Don't Worry About a Thing

cuz every little thing gone by alright...

Hello crafty friends,
I have a tall card for you today. I just had to get this Little Birdies trio stamp set from Cas-ual Fridays Stamps. And my first card with it had to be a rainbow water-colored one.  I paired the birdies with a few stitched speech bubbles dies and sentiments from the Little Birdies stamp set.

Here's a short video showing how I die cut the Little Birdies trio stamp using the matching solid die.

I'm submitting this card to:
Simon Says Monday Challenge (A Trio Of Something), which runs until next Sunday.
CAS Watercolor Card April Challenge (Bird), which runs until 4/24th.

For the Dog Lovers

Hello crafty friends,

I have a fun boy/guy card to share with you today. This card obviously started with the CUTE dog wearing headphones stamp from Brutus Monroe Rockstar Pets stamp set (there's a super COOL cat in the set also).  I colored them w/my zig watercolor brush pens, using a clear wink of stella to move the watercolor around for lots of sparkle.  I also used the Die-Versions Birthday die, which is no longer available (I think).  The spatters on the background are from a water down black wink of stella and in person they look more grey than black, which is kind of cool and edgy.

Thanks for stopping bye... wish me luck in the following challenge (s):
2 Crafty Critter Crazies: Challenge #12, which runs until 3/25
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge (Anything Goes 4 kids or Boys), which runs until 4/6
Cute Card Thursday: Challenge 521 Celebrate, which runs until 3/21
Cardz 4 Guys: Challenge #190 things with tails, which runs until 3/27
Time Out Challenge #105 our 4th Birthday, which runs until 3/28

Inspiration Squad - Jan2018 Challenge 191

Hello crafty friends,

Happy Friday... and welcome to CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #191.  Can you believe it's the middle of January already?  Good time of a coffee theme challenge, don't you think?  I'm a Hot Chocolate kind of girl, but I still enjoyed playing with the new coffee theme stamps and dies CAS-ual Friday recently released.  I made several cards... two of them for this challenge.

For card one, I used the Peace, Love & Coffee from the Short & Sweet Collection ...  I started w/the banner piece and build my card around it, by adding a second banner cut from brown glitter card stock and by using a Tim Holtz coffee stain stencil to get my perfectly placed stains.

For card two, I used the Peace, Love & Coffee from the Short & Sweet Collection again... this time I started by adding soft pencil lines across my card and repeat stamping the tiny cup and my sentiment within the channels the pencil lines created.  I was going to erase the pencil makes when everything was dry, but I ended up liking the lines, so I kept them.

Thank you for stopping bye today. I look forward to seeing your coffee theme submissions to this month's challenge. 

  

Trick or Treating

Hello crafty friends,

I got both my digital and physical stamp loving friends cover with these projects.  The digital stamps I got from MMedelIllustrations, but you can find some of her designs in physical format at Brutus Monroe.  

Working with digital stamps is so easy... I love that I can size them to my needs.  And you can see that on my print sheet I only printed the heads on some of the characters.  I was thinking wobble heads when I printed them, but changed my mind later.

 Once printed... I cut them out using my scan&cut2 or color them:

I used Frankie, Wolf boy, and Mummy Girl on this card,  

which I started by stamping houses in the background high up, so they would look far away.  Next I drew in the houses walkways... keeping in mind where my three kids would stand.  Once the background was gone, I add my kids.  The girl mummy I glued directly to the background, the boys I popped up w/foam tape.   I finished the card by added the white "stars" with my white glaze pen.

Since I had extra characters and an art journal layout in need of filling,

I used some of them on it and I love how it's looking.  But it's still a work in progress.  It needs more details and the house needs colors. 

Thanks for stopping by today, until next time... take care.