My Precious....

One of my all time favorite paper pads is the DCWV Winter Stack.  I look at the papers, imagine what I could create, and lovingly tuck them away.  I bought the paper pad for this ONE sheet.  Shopping Our Stash has challenged us to use a precious item from our hoard.  Deep breath....

Great for a winter birthday.  The Can You Case It #100 sketch was perfect for highlighting the fab paper layered with silver and snowflake embossed cardstock.

Two in One Day!!!

OK, I have been better at creating than posting, lately. 

Lovely as a Tree heat embossed in white, inked with Chipped Sapphire and Broken China Distress Inks, highlighted with Perfect Pearls, accented with a navy ribbon, and mounted on navy card base.  This will be a thank you note. I am linking this up with The Male Room #23 - Christmas or Holiday. 

Snowflake Die Cut!

I have been so busy with the holidays, I have neglected my paper passion.  God is always good, bringing the blessing of family and friends.  Santa was good to me, bringing goodies and gift cards.  Here is a Joann score - a beautiful snowflake die for $5!!! 

Holographic mirror paper accented with 8 faceted crystals.  I had planned to add a sentiment, but the die cut, bling, and shiny black paper were all this card needed.  I will be using this as a holiday thank you, and linking it up to The Male Room #25 - Seasonal, and Mod Squad Anything Goes. 

As an aside, I encourage you to carpe diem - seize the day.  For months, my cyber-friend Leslie (from The Crooked Stamper, Shopping Our Stash, and others) and I have been trying to schedule time to have coffee.  There was always something in the way - kids, job, spouse, house, etc.  Well, Leslie died Christmas Day.  Now I will never have the chance....  Don't let life's "busyness" get in the way of what is really important - connecting with others.

Simon Says Create

I had a UFO from Simon Says Create from last October.  This piece is a 12" x 12" canvas, showing a bunch of different techniques we learned over the weekend.  The basic butterflies and hearts were finished but not assembled. 

We used gesso, heat embossed resist, stenciling, water coloring, die cuts, and pooled thread on canvas, burlap, corrugated cardboard, and paper.  What a great reminder to use the many tools and techniques we have in our arsenals!!  Thanks to Shopping Our Stash for the prompt to finish this great project!!

Come join W2SB for a Night Before Christmas soiree! 

Winter Thank You

I used a Stamper's Best sentiment heat embossed on heavy white cardstock, cut into a tag.  The silk moire ribbon matched the paper and the embossing powder perfectly!!  The background paper is part of my Winter Wonderland hoard.  I couldn't use just plain paper, so I stamped snowflakes and heat embossed them with SU! Iridescent Ice and clear embossing powder.  The snowflakes were die cut with my new Lawn Fawn dies.

A close up, showing the pretty embossing. 

I am linking this up with the Can You Case It challenge #98, the sketch looks like this:

Hope you had a fun, crafty weekend!  Be sure to join us at Words 2 Scrap By Night Before Christmas challenge!

Black and Gold Dasher

I love the black and gold combination for Christmas.  Add in Dasher, some wet and dry embossing, and I am a happy girl!

First try, I embossed the background with a wide stripe and embellished the heat embossed Dasher with tiny silver studs.   Nice, but it could be better. 

Second try, I used a snowflake embossing folder for the background, and embellished Dasher with tiny heat set crystals.  I like the second one with the busy embossing and narrower ribbon better.  Which one do you like better?  Why?

I am linking this up with the Color Throwdown #371 and the Mod Squad Ingredients Challenge (I used Embossing, Ribbon, Rubber Stamp, Bling, and Die Cuts). 


Come play along with us at Words 2 Scrap By for our Night Before Christmas challenge!

Non-Traditional Christmas Card

Love this navy and cream card, but wondering if there is something missing?

MFT letter dies, Martha Stewart snowflake punch, and K & Co pearls.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Scrap By - the Night Before Christmas is coming early!  I am sharing this with Always Playing with Paper (Non-Traditional Christmas), CAS-ual Friday (snowflakes), and The Card Concept (navy, cream and snowflakes). 

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

The challenge at Words 2 Scrap By is to make a project inspired by the poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.  I choose the phrase "The stockings were hung from the chimney with care..."

 

 Instead of the traditional red and green, I went with pink and lime green.  Stockings cut from scraps on my KNK Zing, accented with stickles and rhinestones.  Come play along with us through December 28. 

Embossing Two Ways

I never seem to have the right color embossing powder to go with my projects, so I tried different combinations of ink color and powder to give me a different color.  Nailed it!!! 

 

Core'dinations Pearls paper embossed with Darice and Cuttlebug folders, Sweet Stamps sentiment stamped in Megan Elizabeth Limelight ink and heat embossed with Stampendous Pearlized Amethyst.  I didn't have a snowflake punch large enough the mat the sentiment, so I improvised and used a Moroccan Motifs die cut.  I am linking this up with Fusion {Blue Christmas},  Simply Create - Snow/Mostly White and Cuttlebug Mania's Embossing challenge.  Check back on December 1 for the Words to Scrap By December challenge!

Christmas Floral Card

If you read many of my posts, you already know that I am a paper hoarder.  Special papers require special projects!

I took more that 25 photos of this card, and none did it justice.  This one will have to do...  Stacy Stamps silver foil poinsettia paper.  The flower was stamped on vellum and heat embossed in silver 3 times, colored on the back side with red and green alcohol inks, then layered and attached with tiny silver brads.  Red velveteen and silver ribbon.  The Mod Squad Christmas Floral challenge. 

Thanksgiving Pilgrim

I made this card specially for one of my brothers, a John Wayne fan.  I know it was a lame reference, but he loved it!!!!

The collar and buckle were made with Spellbinders dies.  The belt and tie are Offray ribbons.  Button brads are from my stash.  I am sharing this with The Male Room Thanksgiving or Thanks challenge.  One more day to play along with the Words 2 Scrap By Movember challenge!

No Stamping

What a great opportunity to use some of my (many) Doodlebug stickers. 

Cheery Lynn butterfly die and Doodlebug sentiment sticker colored with Sharpie Gold Metallic marker.  The black paper has a mirror-like shiny finish.  I am sharing this with Shopping Our Stash No Stamping challenge.  One more day to play along with teh Words 2 Scrap By Movember challenge!

Masculine Birthday Card with Numbers

The theme at Less is More is Numbers.   That screams birthday card to me!! 

I hope this is CAS enough for the challenge.  The number layer is Hero Arts, stamped in Versamark and heat embossed in clear.  Inked with Distress Inks Chipped Sapphire, Tumbled Glass, and Broken China. Fiskars sentiment heat embossed in white.  Love this navy and white combo!  There are a few more days to join us at the Words 2 Scrap By Movember Challenge!!

Dasher - The Best Reindeer EVER!!!

I am a lucky owner of a Stampin' Up Dasher stamp.  I love using him as a focal point on cards.  Here is my latest:

I am sharing this one with the Merry Monday Use a Reindeer challenge.   Dasher and sentiment heat embossed in black.  Silk ribbon layered over ivory satin ribbon.  You can still play along withe the Words 2 Scrap By Movemeber challenge for men's health - come join us!!

Gratitude

I know that hand written thank you notes are a bit out of fashion, but I still make and send them.  How can decent manners be out of fashion?  :)

Love this.  One of my hoarded papers.  What's not to love about shades of purple, gray, and blue snowflakes and berries?!?  The darkest berries are highlighted with glossy accents.  "Thanks" is cut with a Taylored Expressions die that was in my goodie bag at Simon Says Create, and nested in a circle cut with a Spellbinders die. 

I am linking this up with the following:  Shopping Our Stash Thanks and Cuttlebug Mania Thank You.  Lots of time to play along with us at the Words 2 Scrap By Movember challenge for men's health!!

Red, White, Kraft, and SILVER?!?!

NOTE:  Grrr.  A few hours too late to link up, again.....

The Always Playing With Paper Challenge uses this image for inspiration:

I get the colors, but SILVER?!?  OK, challenge accepted!

Kaisercraft Home for Christmas paper, images, and sentiment (Kaisercraft gave these to attendees at Simon Says Create!!).  Be sure to play along with our Words 2 Scrap By Movember challenge!!!

Funky Christmas Colors

I have some hoarded MAMBI Christmas paper is some of the BEST colors ever, and it fit right in this week's Color Throwdown challenge.  Here is the color inspiration:

Here is my card:

Neat & Tangled Winter Wishes sentiment (a giveaway from Simon Says Create)! on MAMBI patterned paper, highlighted with lots of Glossy Accents and snowflakes stamped in Simon Says Stamp white pigment ink and clear embossing powder.  Simple, but I am happy with it!!

Shopping Our Stash - Western Theme

Wow!  After being absent for the past few weeks, I had a really productive day!!  The Shopping Our Stash challenge is to create a project using an American Western theme.  I admit, this was a tough one for me.  Not really my style, but I am happy with my card.

DCWV papers, sentiment is stamped with an old CD shaped stamp, and die cut.  Hmm.  Maybe I should have embossed the patterned papers with a star folder...  Next time!  Come play along with us at Words 2 Scrap By Movember challenge. 

Pearl & Silver

The Mod Squad Challenge this month is to create a project using silver and/or pearl as the main colors.  I didn't know that November is lung cancer awareness month and these are the colors.  Lung cancer can strike anyone, and affects smokers and non-smokers alike.  Many times, it is not diagnosed until the latter stages.  If you have a nagging cough, hoarseness, shortness of breath, trouble swallowing, or anything that just doesn't seem right, see your doctor!!!  (Rant over.)

The embossed layer is an amazing holographic silver metallic card stock.  The butterflies are fussy cut from white pearl paper.  Sentiment heat embossed in black.  Bling is from my stash.  In hindsight, I wish I had used either pearl or black bling, but it is fine the way it is.  I am also linking this up with CAS-ual Fridays Precious Metals challenge, hopefully it is CAS enough!  Be sure to stop by Words 2 Scrap By for our Movember challenge, open through November 28!

The Male Room Theme - Sympathy

I prefer sympathy cards to be CAS, and this card fits in with The Male Room Sympathy challenge perfectly. 

Sizzix Cattails embossing folder, silver matte paper layered on a dark grey card base, Unity sentiment stamped in VersaFine black ink and clear embossing powder, corners rounded with We R Memory Keepers Crop a Dile.  Come play along with the Word 2 Scrap By Movember challenge in honor of men's health!!

The Crooked Stamper #10

This month's sketch looks like this:

 Here is my version:

 Hot Off The Press image, sentiment from Hero Arts Acts of Kindness set I received courtesy of Simon Says Stamp at their Create event.  Both colored with Intense watercolor pencils.  DCWV Winter papers embossed with the Cuttlebug Snowflakes folder and highlighted with Glossy Accents.  Not exactly what I envisioned, but it worked out OK.  Come play along with the Words 2 Scrap By Movember challenge!

Color Throwdown #367

This time around, the Color Throwdown inspiration photo looks like this:

 

Here is my interpretation:

 Unity sentiment, Spellbinder flower die, stash sticker, Fresh Vintage papers.  The gold background is very shiny, thus hard to photograph.  Come play along with us at the Words 2 Scrap By Movemeber challenge!

Stamped and Cut Window Thank You Card

I have to admit that, when I first saw the House of Cards challenge and read through the tutorial, I was going to pass.  It just didn't look like me.  And my first attempt REALLY wasn't me!

Nope, not me.  So I tried again. 

MUCH better!!!  Spellbinder die, SU Sincere Salutations sentiment, leaves stamped in various Distress inks, and the layer popped up with dimensional dots. I'm also linking this up with the Mod Squad Challenge Give Thanks, and the Cards in Envy Gratitude Challenge.  Come play along with us at the Words 2 Scrap By Movember challenge!

SOS #226 - Light My Fire

This week's theme over at Shopping Our Stash is Light My Fire, use something related to light. 

 Lamp from Technique Tuesday, sentiment old SU!, DCWV Fall and Halloween Basics.  Sometimes, no matter how much work I put into a card - it still doesn't come out the way I wanted :(.    Plenty of time to play along with our Movember challenge at Words 2 Scrap By!

Merry Monday #178 - Red & Gold

Life has been busy for weeks, and I finally has a little time to craft!  The Merry Monday challenge this week is to create a card using red & gold. 

Spellbinders Dove of Peace die, sentiment heat embossed in gold.  I used a gold Sharpie metallic marker.  It is pretty, but not as shiny as my Krylon leafing pen.  Good lesson!  Pop on by Words 2 Scrap By for our Movember challenge!!

Words 2 Scrap By Challenge #23 - Movember

Welcome to the Words 2 Scrap By Challenge #23 - Movember!  As my mother used to say (may she rest in peace), what's good for the goose is good for the gander. 

Here is my offering:

Papers from The Paper Studio Glasses, 'Staches, & Ties.  Unity sentiment.  Favorite Findings mustache tied with black twine.  Topped off with a large brad and SU! ribbon scrap.  Come join us in promoting men's preventative health care!!

Color Throwdown #364

This week's inspiration:

My version:

That cute, 3D owl is from Hearty Crafts.  He sports some great gloss and glitter accents.  Come play along with us at Words to Scrap By - Fight Like a Girl Challenge!!!

Shopping Our Stash Acetate Challenge

I REALLY struggled with the Shopping Our Stash Acetate Challenge, but I think my card came out really well!

Martha Stewart snowflake punch, Paper Inspirations sentiment heat embossed in silver on navy paper.  And I thought mirrored paper was hard to photograph!!!!

Jingle Belles - Pink Holiday

The Jingle Belles have challenged us to create a Christmas card using PINK!!  I love pink for Christmas, and have been hoarding this MAMBI paper waiting for just such a challenge! 

Sincere Salutations sentiment, Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing folder.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Scrap By - Fight Like a Girl!!

Boobs!!

October has pink and boobs popping out all over.

Image and sentiment from SU! Fashion Statements.  Sizzix Moguls embossing folder.  Offray ribbon.  I am sharing this with the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers B is for Boobs challenge.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Scrap By - Fight Like a Girl!!

Wooden it be Nice....

I have been humming the Beach Boys the entire time I was working on this card!!!

The Shopping Our Stash challenge is to use wood on a project.  The camera is a wood embellishment, and the background is a wood looking textured paper, washi tape for the banners.  The October challenge at Words 2 Scrap By is to Fight Like a Girl - come join us!

Autumn Colors

I would love Fall a lot more if it wasn't a prelude to Winter.  I love the temperatures, smells, holidays, and lack of gift giving requirements. 

I think I made 7 of these, using different proportions and different positioning.  Some wound up in the recycling bin, others were adhered to card bases.  This one was my favorite.  Scattered Straw Distress ink, Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves stamping, dark green card base.  I am trying to learn that it is OK to make things that don't work out.  I can always recycle!!!  Come play along with the October Words 2 Scrap By challenge - Fight Like a Girl!!

I am sharing this with The Male Room - Autumn Theme. 

Birthday Butterfly

I have been playing with Distress Inks, and learning a lot. 

Spun Sugar Distress ink, masked with torn re-positionable paper, heat embossed with Versa Fine black ink and clear embossing powder.  Happy accident, the Distress ink was slightly damp, and the embossing powder adhered to the pink ink, also.  Sentiment from Unity, butterflies from Martha Stewart, ribbon from Offray.  The photo does NOT do justice to this card!!!  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month - come play along with us at the Words 2 Scrap By - Fight Like a Girl challenge!!!

I am adding this one to the Mod Squad Anything with Wings, and the Always Playing with Paper Birthday challenges. 

Words 2 Scrap By - Fight Like a Girl!

The October challenge at Words 2 Scrap By is to Fight Like a Girl!

SU!  Fashion Statements image and sentiment heat embossed, die cuts from Sizzix and Spellbinders.  I made a bunch of these for my cousin, who is fighting a good fight!! Come play along with us at W2SB!

Colors of Fall

I so love playing with Inka Gold, so many ways to play.  I mixed the Inka Gold with a little bit of water, and this is the effect:

Embossed background highlighted with Inka Gold red, gold, brown, and copper, heat embossed sentiment, both edged with Krylon gold paint.  I love this!!!  I think this will be my Thanksgiving card!!!  I am linking this up to the Cards in Envy Colors of Fall, Simply Create Too Autumn Splendor, and the Simplicity Thanksgiving challenges.  There are still a few days left to play along with the Words 2 Scrap By Ahoy Matey challenge!!!

Color Throw Down #351

This week's inspiration looks like this:

Here is my version:

I put on my big girl panties and used some of the last of my DCWV Lemon Flower Mat Stack papers, TPS sentiment stamped in Megan Elizabeth Limelight pigment ink and heat embossed in clear.  OWH sketch B-27.  Just a few more days to play along with the Words 2 Scrap By September challenge - Ahoy Matey!!

Wheels!

I have a bazillion brads - and I am on a quest to use some of them!  This is for the Cuttlebug Mania Wheels challenge. 

The Eyelet Outlet dump trucks are on hills of kraft paper I embossed with an old Sizzix alligator texture plate, tore the hills, and inked, with an SU! sentiment.  Just a few more days to play along with the Ahoy Matey challenge at Words 2 Scrap By - join us!

Flower Focused Card

I am having such fun playing with with my Triple Circle die.  The Mod Squad challenge is to make a card with a flower as the focal point. 

Old Marvy flower punch layered with a brad center.  SU! sentiment.  Fun!  There are a few more days left to join us for the Ahoy Matey challenge over at Words 2 Scrap By!!