A Bittersweet Announcement

Hi, everyone! It's the second Wednesday of a new month.... which means it's time for a new Words 2 Craft By Challenge. But, before we get to that, we have...

A Bittersweet Announcement

This month's challenge is our last Words 2 Craft By challenge... at least for now. As one of our I-Teamers said, all good things must come to an end.

Six years ago, Sybrina and I, along with a few crafty pals, decided to start the word-inspired challenge blog Words 2 Scrap By. Along the way we have been blessed to work with so many wonderfully talented and incredible generous crafters. Heartfelt thanks go to:

• Sybrina, W2CB co-founder and my partner-in-craft these past six years.
• Past and present team members who never failed to awe and inspire with their incredible interpretations: Annie, Bernadette, Celeste, Greta, Jennifer, Mary Anne, Marty, Penny, and Tina. 
• Peggy, who designed our banner and badges.
• All of our guest designers. Unfortunately, this senior brain of mine is incapable of remembering the names of all you wonderful designers. Fortunately, you know who you are.  :)
• Kim Hughes of Paper Smooches, who kindly sponsored several challenges.  
• Each and every one of you wonderful fellow crafters. Thank you all so very much for your support these six years!!!

Since this is the last challenge, we've decided to change up the awarding of prizes this time around. Instead of awarding a prize to a single challenge winner, we are going to randomly select three challenge entrants and three W2CB followers to receive $10 gift certificates to Paper Smooches.
This month's words come to us from Saint Francis of Assisi.

For it is in giving that we receive.

Thank you, everyone, for all of you encouragement and support!  You have given me so much!  Here is a gift that I am giving this holiday season.  I like to give something to my co-workers, but there are a lot of them, and I don't want to make anyone feel like they have to reciprocate.  

I used a tutorial I found HERE, and eos lip balm I found at Costco (9 for $10.99 - a steal!!!).  The plaid paper is from Lawn Fawn, accented with ribbon and jewels.  I am in love with this super simple paper purse.  I think it is a great way to present an inexpensive gift.  

Color Throw Down

I have been pretty absent lately, making that push to finish Christmas card.  I play along with the Jingle Belles most weeks, but I am still short.  This week's Color Throwdown is perfect for Christmas.

I find that clean and simple cards are more difficult to create than lots of layers:

Words 2 Craft By will have a new challenge starting of December 9 - come play along!

Words 2 Craft By Mid Challenge Reminder

This month's words of gratitude come to us from Sam Lefkowitz.

When asked if my cup is half-empty or half-full 
my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup.

I found a 12 x 12 sheet from American Crafts with small blocks with sayings.  I love these for mass producing cards.  Bonus - it coordinated nicely an Echo Park paper pad I already owned!  

You have until December 4 to join Words 2 Craft By for this gratitude challenge!!!

Autumn Blessings

Try Stampin' On Tuesday has a sketch challenge:

Woodgrain embossing folder, Sizzix die cuts, older Fiskars sentiment. 

Come play along with us for the Words 2 Craft By glass half full challenge!!!

Ombre Teal

The challenge form Just U Girls this week is Shade of Teal:

I need a few more cards for my sister's birthday gift.  She likes cards that are encouraging and CAS.

I used Iced Spruce Distress Oxide to create the ombre effect on the heat embossed strip.  Since I didn't have the exact paper to match, I inked a piece of white paper before I die cut "Prayers".  I really like this layout with the inking for added interest.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By where ur glass is half full!!

Thinking of You

The Color Throwdown has this pretty inspiration:

Purple flowers are my favorite:

Older SU! Paper Pumpkin sentiment, Swirly Bird images and die.  The Mauve Mist ink looks pink in the pic but i really light purple.  Eggplant Envy paper and ink.  Leaves in Old Olive.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our Cup Half Full challenge!!!

Sketch Challenge

I needed a birthday card for my dear sister in law, and Tuesday Morning Sketches had the perfect layout!

I used some old K & Co papers, and my favorite Painter Poppy stamp:

Happy Birthday, Tammy!!!

Falling Leaves

Just Us Girls has a photo challenge this week:

I needed a fall card for a family that does not do Halloween. 

Our leaves have been boring this year.  Not enough rain, and way too warm late in the season for pretty colors.  I had to make my own! Be sure to pop by Words 2 Craft By for our heroes challenge.

Thanks and Giving

Try Stampin' On Tuesday has a sketch challenge:

And Time Out has this one:

I love fall colors.  This year I am seeing a lot of teal mixed in and I love that too!!

This Neat and Tangled sentiment needs to be the focal point, and this sketch is perfect for it!  The striped paper is from Echo Park's That My Boy pad.

W2CB #70 Reminder - Always Be...

This month's W2CB challenge is based on the following phrase: 

Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman.  

Then always be Batman.  Source Unknown

 Batman is a selfless, flawed hero.  Kids of all ages (including my husband, a major fan) love him.  Many of my cards are donated to Cards for Soldiers, and they never have enough cards for boys.  I made an SVG and cut a bunch of these with my KNK Zing. 

 Black base, gold oval, black bat, rounded corners - done!  Super cute and easy to mass produce.  Be sure to share your hero, bat or other project with us at Words 2 Craft By through November 13.

Oxide Inking

The Color Throwdown challenge this week:

I broke out my oxide inks and a stencil and came up with these:

I used Weathered Wood and Shaded Lilac for the one on the right, and thought it looked too blue.  The Milled Lavender and the larger stencil for the card on the left looks better to me, but they both work! 

Pink for Christmas?!?

Why not!  The Jingle Belles have a Pink Christmas...for the Cure challenge. 

I combines silver glitter paper, pink glitter paper, and silver matte paper for this pretty one.  I added clear rhinestones to the centers of the snowflakes for extra sparkle.

Encouragement

Time Out has the following:

Sometimes you just need to be reminded that even when someone is gone, they left behind a legacy of love. 

I tried to make the ombre look like sunrise/sunset.  Paper Pumpkin sentiment. 

Sweets for the Sweetie

The Twofer Challenge this round is:

I broke out an older Hero Arts stamp and die set, and came up with these:

The pink cake is cut from Doodlebug paper, the black and white one is stamped.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our Heroes challenge!!

Halloween Invitation

As much as I enjoy making cards, sometimes email is more practical.  That's why I LOVE Paperless Post.  They make great looking electronic cards.  We are having a Halloween party, and plan to invite more than 100 people.  Making that many invitations and managing the attendees requires more time than I have to spare. 

Paperless Post emails super cute invitations, tracks RSVPs, and even provides direction to the venue!!!

The "envelope":

I could have customized the stamp, but I thought it looked like Poe's Raven!

Here is the invite we are sending for the party:

What a fun, easy way to invite guests and keep track of who is attending!!

Color Throwdown

Love this week's inspiration:

May favorite combo for the holidays!

One snowflake is my shaker filled with silver glitter, navy, black, and white sequins.

Breast Cancer Awareness

I friend asked few card baskets me to make up a few card baskets for a breast cancer research fundraiser.  Here is one of the cards:

I used the Concord & 9th Hope Label die cut as a mask, stenciled the card with Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide, and used a We R Memory Keepers chomper to notch the corners.  I rarely make one layer cards, but I think this one works!  Sharing this with Time Out:

Tall and Slim

Paper Players has a sketch challenge this week:

My fall version:

Iridescent embossed vellum base, burlap paper for the center strip.  The large leaf is from a Lia Griffin project stack other cut from Spellbinder dies in iridescent papers.

Masculine Birthday

The challenge over at The Male Room is to make a project with an embellishment.  Considering that most embellishments are girly, it took a bit of thinking.

I started with a piece of heavy mirror paper, and embossed it with a Sizzix diamond plate folder.  I used very old Scraps of Time Walnut Ink Crystals semi dissolved in alcohol blending solution.  Even though I wore gloves, I am shocked and surprised) that my hands are NOT stained with the ink!!  I am a bit of a sloppy creator :).  I attached the sentiment with brads (my embellishments). 

Elegant Reindeer

I love working with metallic papers, almost as much as I hate trying to photograph them!

The navy is shimmer paper, the strips are glitter, and the reindeer is mirror.  I used a older EK Success border punch for the stars, and topped it off with a knotted silver ribbon.  Sharing this with the Try Stampin' On Tuesday's sketch challenge:

Peggy's Birthday - Also Known as Talk Like a Pirate Day!!

Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day - and Peggy of PegBoard Crafts birthday!  Fits in perfectly with the Words 2 Craft By Ahoy There! challenge.

Cut this cutie from an old Cricut cartidge, sentiment from Fiskars.  Click HERE to play along with us through October 2!!

Beautiful Butterflies

The Card Concept has the following inspiration:

Such pretty colors!  Here are my Clean and Layered versions:

Two different looks, same die cut butterfly, same patterned paper, same rhinestones, same sentiment!

Happy Fall!!

Not so much here is southwestern Ohio.  It has been 90 degrees+ for the past week :).  Fusion has the following challenge:

I made a lot of pretty trash working on this challenge.  Still unsure of my color combination.

DCWV burlap paper, stash ribbon.   Be sure to stop by Words 2 Craft By for our Ahoy Matey challenge!!!

Twofer Critters

The current challenge at Twofer: 

I used a cute dog die to create these:

Pop by our latest challenge at Words 2 Craft By for our Pirate challenge!!

W2CB #69 - Ahoy Matey

September 19 is Talk Like a Pirate Day, and this month's Words 2 Craft By challenge plays right along!

The sailboat is from the SU! Swirly Bird set, paper from Carta Bella Ahoy There pad.  Please join us for our challenge through October 2!

Splish Splash

Just Us Girls is having a Wild Card challenge this week, with the prompt plash Something on It.  

I love the look of "flicking" ink to create a multi color background.  Adds the look of dimension without the bulk:

Pacific Point, Granny Apple Green, and Lemon Twist inks.  I tried adding a few flowers, then sequins.  Nope, I liked it best plain!

Corner Fold Card

Or should I have called this post Corner Fold Card FAIL?!?!?   I wanted to make a Mary Engelbreit like card for a friend:

Not exactly my favorite!  But I did manage to do well enough to join in the Color Throwdown this week:

Boo to You

The Paper Players have a sketch challenge this week:

The round element was screaming for me to make it as a shaker card: