Dusting off the Cricut and Challenges

Well this was a real learning day lol!  Never try a new technique..on a project..due out the next day! So many talented card makers make distressing paper with ink look...easy. Well this is my first attempt with Tim Holtz. First I was just going to ink the edges..a little got on other parts of the card, so I inked the whole thing. *sigh*. The one thing I did find was a "stay put bow, stay put ribbon tutorial". Thank you Michelle!  Yeah I know I am a little behind.  The bride was a freebie from the good people over at SVG cuts, she has a cute tutorial on making a card with this cut as well.  Thanks for listening to me rehash this experience lol.  I have entered this card in the following challenges:

1. Creative Card Crew: Flowers
2. Stamp Something: Celebrate
3. Sew Many Cards: Anything Goes
4. Catch the Bug: Anything Goes
5. Stampin B's: Red White and Black card
6. Sweet Stampin: Punch it out
7. Stamp Scrap and Doodle: Open Challenge
8. One Stop Craft Challenge: Congratulations
9. Incy Wincy Designs: Sparkly Glitter

A special thank you to all the crafter that take the time and interest to provide us with challenges to keep us motivated. 

Last of my Nurse cards...for awhile and challenges!

This is Nurse Margaret from Bugaboo Stamps! I made a small set of four all occassion cards for my hairdresser, all had a nurse theme.  I have entered this card in the following challenges:

1. 
   
   Papertake Weekly: Sketch
2. 
   
   Sweet Stampin: Punch it out
3. 
   
   Stamp Scrap and Doodle: Anything Goes
4. 
   
   Crafty Emmas Store Challenge Blog: Hats!
5. 
   
   Catch the Bug: Anything Goes
6. 
   
   Sew Many Cards: Anything Goes

Whew! Thanks to all those who provide us with challenges and thanks for looking!

More Nurse Themes and Challenges

Hi everyone, I hope you are not bored with my nurse themed cards, I still have one more to make after this by next Monday! This of course is Bugaboos Stamps "Nurse Stella". One of the challenges I am entering is at Tuesday Taggers and they are giving away an awesome prize this week. Their sponsor is Ribbon Oasis just click on the name (highlighted in yellow)  to be taken to their website to see their fab ribbon:  I have entered this card into the following challenges:

1. Fun with Shapes and More- Use Lace
2. Stampin for the Weekend - Use a tag
3. Charisma Cardz - Anything goes
4. Sketch Saturday - Sketch
5. One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes
6. Tuesday Taggers - All Sorts
7. A Spoon Full of Sugar - Anything Goes
8. AI Factory- Anything Goes

Thanks so much for looking and for the challenges.  I won 3 digis with my Vein Whisperer card from Wink Wink Ink.  It was so hard to choose only three.  I was a winner chosen by Random, but I still won! A cautionary tale to other novice card makers joining in on challenges, please read all the entry qualifications on the blog where you are entering your card.  I made a huge mistake a couple of weeks ago and I am afraid I waisted some very nice peoples time. Sorry! I will try to be more careful. 

The Vein Whisperer and challenges!

Here is another card for my hairdresser.  I want to make a complete set of all occassion cards spot lighting her new career. This is Bugaboo's "Nurse Margaret". The "Vein Whisperer" sentiment is from Create with TLC. Paulette at TLC has some great images and sentiments for sale and she  also gives away  many free digi stamps and sentiments. I felt this sentiment was perfect for this digi! The sentiment inside the card is also from Bugaboo and reads "Trust me...I seen this on T.V. once. I have entered this card in the following challenges:

1. 
   
   Sketch Saturday-Sketch Challenge
2. 
   
   Secret Crafter-Anything Goes
3. 
   
   Stamp Something-Use a Digi

Thanks for looking and for letting me play along with all the challenges!

More with Bugaboo

So many people in today's economy are having to change careers.  My hair dresser now works for a hospital.  I thought I would make her some "nurse themed" all occassion cards she could have on hand for her new co-workers.  This of course is Bugaboo's "Stella".  I have entered this card in the following challenges:

1. 
   
   If the shoe fits-Color Challenge
2. 
   
   Your Next Stamp-Anything goes
3. Sketch Saturday-Sketch

Thank you for Looking!

A Birthday card for Sue using a Victoria Case digi

This is a birthday card for my friend Sue.  The digi image is "Fabiana" by Victoria Case. I have entered this card in the following challenges:

1. I heart to Stamp- Sketch Challenge
2. The Cats Pajamas-Color Challenge
3. Penny's Challenges - Birthday Card
4. Your Next Stamp- Anything Goes
5. Flutterby Wednesday-Use Pink and a Fairy

Thank you for letting me play along!

Crafting with Bugaboo Stamps!

A birtday Card for my friend Amber using Bugaboo Stamps "Scarlette". I have entered this card in the following challenges:

1. 
   
   The Character Cafe-Sketch Challenge
2. 
   
   Penny's Challenges-Birthday Card
3. 
   
   Your Next Stamp-Anything Goes 

I really appreciate the challenges being offered, it keeps me creating! Thanks for looking!

Birthday card and Challenges!

I have been crafting this weekend!  This is my first finished project. A birthday card for a friend.  One of the challenges was something old and something new.  The papers I dug out of my armoire and they have to be several years old.  The new would be the actual embossed card base.  I was to use two mediums for another challenge and I used Prisma color pencils and chalk. Thanks to the talented people who bring us all the challenges!  Here are the challenges I have entered this card in:

1. 
   
   Secret Crafter-Clean and Simple
2. 
   
   Bee Crafty-Anything Goes
3. 
   
   Penny's Challenge- Happy Birthday Challenge
4. 
   
   Your Next Stamp-Anything Goes
5. 
   
   Die Cuts R Us- Anything Goes
6. 
   
   The Shabby Tea Room- Old Meets New
7. 
   
   Sketch Saturday-Sketch Challenge
8. 
   
   Paper Sundaes-Mixed Medium
9. Crafty Calendar Challenge- Use blue and an optional extra Flower

Thanks for looking, happy and productive crafting to everyone!

Flintstones and Challenges

I loved the Flintstones growing up.  And I made this Birthday card for my favorite Flintstone fan.  I have entered this card in the following challenges:

1. 
   
   ICS Sketches-Sketch Challenge
2. 
   
   Paper Cutz- Use metal
3. Sentimental Sundays-Clean and Simple

It is always tough to do a card for a male, no glitter, no flowers, no bling lol!  So here is my simple card. Thanks for looking!

Christmas in August

I need to start getting my Christmas cards ready.  I am a slooow crafter! I wanted to try a more detailed sketch, with a more detailed recipe.  The image is from Bugaboo stamps it is one of her character stamps "Stella".  I love love love Bugaboo! I have entered this card in the following challenges:

1. Sketch Saturday-Sketch Challenge
2. Secret Crafter- Make a Start on Christmas
3. Paper Sundaes- Christmas in August
4. Aud Sentiments-Anything goes
5. Winter Wonderlands-All I want for Christmas
6. Crafty Creations-Recipe Challenge

Thanks for looking and thank you for the challenges!

A Get Well Card and Challenges!

This is a Get Well Card I made for a friend.  He is a big duck fan.  I have entered the card in the following challenges:

1. 
   
   365 Cards- Keep it Simple Challenge
2. 
   
   Aud Sentiments- Anything Goes
3. 
   
   Cooking with Katie- Recipe Challenge
4. 
   
   Paper Play Challenges-Sketch Challenge
5. 
   
   Stamp, Scrap and Doodle-Get Well Card
6. 
   
   Stamping for the Weekend-Anything Goes
7. 
   
   All Sorts Challenge-Park Inspiration
8. Sentimental Sundays-Clean and Simple

Thanks for looking and special thanks to those wonderful bloggers who take time to post challenges and keep us motivated. The image is a coloring book image and the sentiment is from Raindrop Echo Designs :)

Welcome Home Stella Arie and challenges

My beautiful Niece Stella Arie was finally able to come home after almost two months in the hospital. I made her this card and have entered it in the following challenges:

1. Just us Girls- Color Challenge

2. Kraftin Kimmy- use Starsin your project

3. Stamp Something- use a digi image

Welcome Home Stella Arie!

Challenges and a card for Aunt Louise

This is a Birthday card for my Aunt Louise and I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. I heart 2 stamp- Sketch Challenge

2. Kraftin Kimmy- Use Stars in your project

3. Stamptacular Sunday- Use two digi stamps in your project

4.Secret Crafter- color challenge use Blue and Cream

5. Stamp Something- use a digi image

6. Create 4 Fun- Make a Birthday Card

Happy Birthday Aunt Louise!

Birthday Card for Sierra

This is a Birthday Card for my Niece Sierra. I hope she loves it!

The Captain

Wow, been awhile since I posted, life gets in the way.  I was invited to a party for The Captain as she was home on leave.  She has been in the Air Force for 22 years. I made this card to say thanks for her service.  The image is a coloring book page.  The scattered starz and sandbags are from a kit and I do not know who the artist is.  On the inside of the card I used a freebie cluster from the awesome Raspberry Road Designs!  Thanks for looking :)

Ahh Bugaboo Stamps!

Yeah another Stella image from Bugaboo Stamps. Make sure you stop and take a look at their images, especially the Character ones! This card is for my friend Sandi who is really under a huge workload, I hope this makes her smile.  I have entered this card in two challenges:

1. Sketch Saturday- provided the sketch for the card.

2.Stacey's Stamping Stage- provided the color challenge

 It is a rather simple card but I am practicing with different pattern papers. Practice, Practice! Thanks for looking!

STEELLLLLA!

Wow do I love Bugaboo Stamps! This is Stella and she shares her outlook on life in general with the rest of us who need a laugh.  I made this card for a friend who just had surgery, I hope it makes her laugh.  I am entering this card in 5 Challenges:

1. The Pink Elephant Sketch Challenge- Bugaboo is sponsoring this week!

2: Colour Create Challenge- use Red, Black and Off White

3. Dare U 2 Digi Stamp- Use Pearls

4. Saturday Spotlight- a "clean" card challenge

5. Creative Card Crew- Get well soon

Stella is dressed in a nurses uniform, which are typically white, I am not sure I am "trendy chic" enough to pull of the black and red nurses uniform.  What can I say... Baby Steps, practice, practice.

Color Challenge and Double Digis!

Hi Everyone! I made this card for my Mom's Birthday.  I used Zig and Copic markers along with Prismacolor pencils and OMS to color my image. I am entering the card in two challenges. 1. A color Challenge at Papercraft Planet and 2. Pollycraft has challenged us to use two digital images. The image of Stella was a freebie from Bugaboo stamps, isn't she great!  The frame is a freebie from a kit (sorry don't remember where I got it).  Color challenges are tough for me, not sure I got this one to blend like I wanted. Practice, practice, practice. Thanks for looking!

Birthday Card for LaLa

Hi all, this is a birthday card I made for my grandaughter Makayla.  The image is one of the Tillys from Wendy's Digital Doodling, check out her blog and her store for some great images! I have started to try my hand at challenges, it helps me complete my projects and gives me such inspiration from some very talented and generous bloggers.  This card is entered in four different challenges. 1. I entered it in the Dare U 2 Digi Stamp challenge to use your punches, 2. I used a sketch from Friday Sketchers, 3. the color challenge at Colour Create required I use red white/off white, chocolate and pink and 4. Cooking it up with Katie required the use of a punch, a sticker and a family theme. I got the brown and beige digi papers as a freebie with a kit and I am sorry to say that I do not remember where I got it, so thank you to all designers that share the creations with the rest of us.   I used liquid applique on the hearts in the digi image, zig and copic markers as well as prismacolor pencils and OMS. And the Happy Birthday is an older sticker as I try to use my stash! Thanks for looking!

Card with a male theme

Wow, male inspired cards are not easy.  Recently a friend's husband had to have a mamogram. That had to be difficult for him, so I made him a card when the test showed all clear.  My friend said his favorite breast cancer awareness slogan was "Save Second Base" so I made him a card with that theme.  The sentiment inside reads "Congrats on a clear Man-o-Gram".  I also entered this card in a challenge at Secret Crafter.  The challenge called for a monochrome card. I combined two resized coloring page images  in Paint Shop Pro. Thanks for looking.

Practice with Photoshop

This is my first experience combining images with Photoshop. I was successful, although unsure of exactly how I did it! I have combined images from two very generous and talented sources. The girl image is Mrs. Tilly Claus a freebie supplied by the talented Wendy at Wendy's Digital Doodling. She has some great images and if you get a chance please check out her blog here. Both the lamp post on the outside of the card and the inner cluster frame are from a wonderful site called Raspberry Road Designs. Both images are free and they have wonderful and generous talent. I check their blog daily. Check out Raspberry Road Designs here. I added pearls to Mrs. Tilly Claus coat and stickles to the snow flakes and lamp post. I used the homemade flower soft fluff for the snow. I used Prismacolor pencils and OMS to color her. The only exception is I use a copic marker for all my skin tones. And yes for my item at least a year old..the metal snowflake brad has been in my stash ..forever! I added a few rhinestones to bling it a bit. The idea to crop the top of the Mrs. Tilly Claus image and place it on the inside of the card is not my original idea. However, I cannot remember who I scraplifted (cardlifted?) it from. Sorry! I am still a work in progress! Thanks for looking and have a great week.

Wolverine BDay Card for Christian

Hi everyone and Happy Thanksgiving. Today is my grandson's birthday too! I made him a card to go with his bday gift. He wanted Wolverine claws and so I also made a Wolverine card. I also included a picture of him with his bday gifts. I still have a long way to go as far as coloring my digis. This Wolverine digi is actually a free coloring book page. I also used Zig Markers to color him and Prismacolor pencils on his hair. The markers seem to work better on large areas. Thanks for looking.

Not A Creature

I have started the very ambitious challenge of creating my own Christmas Cards this year. I have also decided that for every project I do, cards or scrapbooking, I will force myself to use my stash! I have so much STUFF. I consider my stash to be any embellishments or papers I have had for more than one year. You are likely to see some very dated items in the next few weeks!

For this project, the silver poinsettia is from my vast stash and is probably more than a year old. It has a disco feel! The tangled mouse image I purchased from the very talented and generous Dustin Pike. The image is from his "Not a Creature" collection. Dustin is also dabbling in SVG's for all those scal/cricut users. Give Dustin's blog a look here and mark your calendar for November 25, Dustin is having a huge sale on his images!

I got the idea, and the scal cut file for the photo corners on the inside of the card from the amazing Penny Duncan. This lady shares so many of her ideas and files for free. Give Penny's blog a look here. I have decided I have a real problem with "white space" on my cards. I love digi images but I never know quite what to do with all that white space around the image. I am working on it! Thanks for looking.

Do Something Cheeky!

Ok I am starting to get the hang of coloring digi images. I think I have decided that Prismacolor color pencils are going to be my instrument of choice. Here is a card I did using an image I purchased from the awesome Mo Manning at Digital Pencil Too. You can view Mo's wonderful images at her store HERE. I knew I had to have it as soon as I saw it. My DD had to have a hamster, then she had to have two because the first would be lonely. Then she started college and moved out and now I have hamsters. I affectionately call them the lil fat girls because..well they are really fat. The sentiment inside the card reads "Do Something Cheeky!" Thanks for looking :)

The Mummies

Hi everyone. These are Hershey chocolate bars decorated to look like mummies. I found this wonderfully creative idea at the Chic n Scratch free tutorials. You can view the fab tutorials HERE. I am making these treats for my co-workers. They are really easy. I wrapped my sealed Hershey bar in foil, then wrapped cream colored paper around each bar. Then just tear your strips of a little shade darker paper, chalk and glue. I used wiggle eyes and made name tags for my bars. They are cute!

Birthday Card for Sue B!

This is a birthday card for my friend Sue B! The stamp is a digital I bought from The Stamping Boutique, very nice people over there! The inside of the card reads "Forget health food, at our age we need all the PRESERVATIVES we can get!" I got that sentiment as free word art, sorry I don't remember where. I used stickles on the Bee Hive and I got a little carried away, the paper got a little to wet and started to buckle, however it was ok once it dried. Another lesson learned on my 3rd card ever made and only the second one colored. Have a great week!

Birthday Card for T

Well, here is my first ever coloring project. The first picture is of the front of the card and is actually a coloring book page I colored with Zig Markers. The second picture is the inside sentiment. This is a Birthday card for my friend Theresa. Her nick name is T, thus the teapot and sentiments. All the nice gals on the Frugal Scrapper yahoo group assured me that the coloring gets easier and..better lol! If you come across this let me know what you think!