OWH Love No Hearts

I feel an odd combination of joy and sadness as I pack up my last box of cards for OWH.  Joy that we have fewer and fewer of our sons and daughters deployed, and sadness at losing the community of crafting "friends". 

Washi tape and simple sentiment matted in red and mounted to a black card base (the inside of the card is white).   Come play along with some OWH'ers at the Words 2 Scrap By challenge blog. 

For Precious Child

Funny how the cards we need change over the seasons of our lives.  Graduation, then shower, wedding, baby, sympathy, etc.  I find myself at the point where friends are being blessed with grandchildren, but are also losing family members.  I will be making a lot more of baby and sympathy cards this year for my Christmas gifts.

Simply Create Too's challenge is called "For a Precious Child".  The little dress embellishment was one of my Mom's garage sale finds.  I really miss her. 

Inka Gold is Fabulous!

I love working with Inka Gold on black paper.  Rich colors, usually with a masculine feel. 

Tim Holtz Time Pieces embossing folder on black paper, Inka Gold color Old Gold to highlight the raised embossing, "birthday" from a Cuttlebug embossing folder highlighted with the same medium.  I am a bit schitzo when it comes to music.  This could relate to the Beatles "They Say It's Your Birthday", Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle", Hootie and the Blowfish "Time", or even Ke$ha's "Tik Tok".  Pick your era!!!  I am linking this to The Male Room Song Title challenge.  "Sugar" sweet - that's the Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com challenge this month - come play along!

Just Beachy!!!

I love the beach, sitting in a chair under an umbrella, adult beverages, toes in the water.  Someday... 

A day at the beach is certainly a happy day for me! I am linking this up to the Cards In Envy Just Beachy challenge.  Have you checked out the sweet challenge over at Words 2 Scrap By?!?  Plenty of time to join in the fun!

More Color Burst Experiments

I have been playing with Color Burst water color powder, and making quite a mess of my craft room and of my own skin - but I have come up with some pretty cool combinations.

This is actually a snow globe stamp turned upside down and fussy cut.  The fish is made with red and yellow Color Burst, paper pieced eyes and lips.  The water in the fish bowl is Color Burst blue and green powder, with a transparent plastic layer on top.  The background is blue and white patterned paper from Cloud 9 Design - Wild Indigo.  I LOVE this! I am entering this into Shopping Our Stash #210 - Paper Piecing, and in the Mod Squad Water or Sky challenges.   Have you checked out the sweet July challenge over at Words2ScrpaBy.blogspot.com? 

Color Throwdown # 351 - Lilac, Pink, Black

This week at The Color Throwdown #351, the colors are lilac, pink, and black.  LOVE!!!  I have been playing with Color Burst powdered watercolor ink, and this challenge fit perfectly with some of the paper backgrounds I have created.  The first card has a shiny background, the second a striped texture. 

I used Freshly Made Sketches #185 for my layout.  The butterflies are cut with Cheery Lynn Designs die and the paper created with Strathmore Watercolor Paper and Colorburst powder.  Ribbons are SU! and Offray.  Pierced rectangles are from Lawn Fawn.  Sentiments are older Fiskars clear stamps.  Come play with us at the Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com sweet July challenge - Friends With Chocolate!

Mod Squad - Fast and Easy

The Mod Squad challenge is to make a Fast & Easy card.  No problem for me!!  Lots of layers, but easy assembly line type card. 

I LOVE these!  Both patterned papers are from the Carta Bella Summer Lovin' 6 x 6 pad.   I didn't use an embossing folder (shocking!), but the white paper has a great texture, and the seam bindings are really soft.  Stop by Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com for a sweet July challenge!

CAS-ual Fridays CFC 141 - Embossing

The challenge is to create a CAS card with embossing. 

SU! Image and border stamps embossed in gold for a wedding card.  I trashed a lot of paper making this one, but I love the end result!!  Check out the sweet challenge over ta Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com!

Cards in Envy: Just Beachy!

Cards in Envy:  Just Beachy Challenge. First my card, then the explanation:

My dear friend from Dog Days with Diana brought me a treat on her last visit - Color Burst.  My craft room is now covered in Color Burst powder (note to self:  turn off the ceiling fan before using this watercolor powder).  My fingers are stained (note to self:  wear gloves).  But an inky crafter is a happy crafter, right?!?  I tapped blue Color Burst onto dry watercolor paper, spritzed on plain water, tilted the paper to spread the color, and .  It looked OK, but boring.  So I spritzed on pearl mist, and moved the paper.  Ahhhhh!  Much better.  The second application of water added the lighter channels, and highlighted the channels with iridescence.  The chipboard fish are from MAMBI, and accented with clear sequins.  The bubbles are also clear sequins, and look like they are in a straight line in the photo, but not in person.  Huh?  Sentiment from Unity.  Not the greatest outcome, But I thought I would share my process anyway.  I learned a lot!!!  Need another challenge?  Check out Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com.  

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - R is for Rude

I love this R is for Rude challenge!!  Unfortunately, I don't have any rude sentiments (those of you that know me are probably shocked), and my printer is out of ink.  I had to make do with this:

Unity sentiment and image.  I tried to make the ribbon look like toilet paper, but that didn't work out so well...  That's OK, I like it anyway!  Check out the sweet Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com July challenge. 

TGIF Challenge!

This a new-to-me challenge blog.  Thought I would play along with their sketch this week:

 My version:

Stamper's Best sentiment, washi tape is a 50 cent score from WalMart.  Come play with us at Words2ScarpBy.blogspot.com for our sweet July challenge!!!

Paper Girls Challenge #83 - Babies!

Love this!  I never think to make baby cards, until I really NEED one, so this was a great prompt from The Paper Girls Challenge Blog. 

CTMH Woodlands sentiment, American Crafts patterned paper.  Be sure to check out the tasty July challenge at Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com!

Patriotic Birthday Card

This has been one of the best weekends (creatively) I have had in a LONG time.  My house is trashed, there's no food, the laundry is piled high - but who cares!  :)  Stampin' Celebration Challenge has a sketch challenge, Addicted to Clean and Simple has a code word challenge, and Less is More is having a red, white and blue challenge:

Here's my version:

Coredinations white pearl paper, Unity sentiment heat embossed in white, stars die cut with Spellbinders.  Make a wish on a falling star!!  Do you have Friends with Cholocate?  The play along with us at Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com!!

Red, White and Blue - Happy Fourth!!!

Happy Birthday, America!  I have had the privilege of traveling around the world, and have visited many amazing places.  But I always came back.  Thank you to the men and women, from all countries, who have left their families and fought for the right to speak, worship, and live freely.  

The Thank You card is for the Operation Write Home Our Daily Bread Designs challenge.  The other is for the Color My Heart Color Dare #149.  I used the Deconstructed Sketch #46, Bo Bunny Liberty papers, Cuttlebug Stars embossing folder, Spellbinders die cut stars, and Crystal Eye Candy heat set stars.  The Thank You sentiment is from Fiskars, the other from Unity.   Come play along with us at Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com - Friends with Chocolate!!

Shopping Our Stash #208 - Baubles, Buttons, and Bows

The Shopping Our Stash challenge it to use Baubles, Buttons, or Bows.  Here is mine:

Unity image and sentiment, stamped in VersaFine black and heat embossed with clear, paper pieced, buttons punched and attached with purple and white baker's twine.  Thelayers are cute with Lawn Fawn pierced rectangles dies.  Come join us at Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com, where our challenge is "Friends with Chocolate". 

Color Throwdown #349

This week's challenge at the Color Throwdown looks like this:

One of my favorite color combos - teal and orange!  Here 's mine:

Still working on thank you cards for my friend.  SU! orange Retro Fresh patterned papers, chipboard embellishment, Offray ribbon with a textured orange accent,Recollections kraft paper.  Spellbinders die cuts.  Come check out the chocolate themed challenge at Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com! 

Make a Wish!

I am working on my CAS skills.  This one makes me happy!!

Me & My Big Ideas Celebrate paper and embellishments, Unity sentiment, stash bling.  I am linking this up to the Mod Squad Challenge to use patterned paper, and I think the colors fit with the House of Cards color inspiration:

Come join us at the Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com July Chocolate challenge!

OWH Sketch 258

The Sketch and my version:

Come play with Sybrina and me at Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com, a monthly challenge blog from a couple of OWH cardmakers!

Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers - W is for Wine

The challenge at The Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers is W is for Wine.  I give a lot of my cards as Christmas gifts, and many of my friends are wine lovers.  Perfect to get me moving on my gifts!

Stamp Impressions paper pieced image , Lawn Fawn stitched dies, SU! Vineyard background stamp in Anna Griffin green and heat embossed with clear powder.  Be sure to check out the Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com July challenge - Friends with Chocolate!

Color Throwdown #348

This week at The Color Throwdown, the inspiration photo looks like this:

 

Here is mine:

Basic Grey Oxford paper, Fiskars sentiment, chevron and spots embossing folders.  Come check out the July challenge over at Words2ScrapBy.blogspot.com - Friends with Chocolate!

Words 2 Scrap By - A friend with chocolate!

Welcome to the July Words 2 Scrap By challenge!!  Did you know that July 7 is National Chocolate Day?  What could be better?  Unless wine is involved (LOL)!!!  Come play along with us!!!!

Sweet Shoppe cupcake paper, Fiskars sentiment.  Die cut cupcake and button, pink and white baker's twine (thank you, Annette!), OWH sketch #244.  We are Finishing Strong at Operation Write Home.  With the draw down in the military, OWH is also drawing to a close.  The last shipment of cards is due August 1!!!