Christmas!

Hoping to spend more time participating in challenges.  They make me stretch my creativity.  I appreciate the time and energy that design teams put into the inspiration and posts.  

Love this Christmas card!  Can't you just hear this guy's snark!  Tim Holtz deer, Lawn Fawn and Martha Stewart snowflakes, SU sentiment.  Sharing with the Make The Cards Christmas theme challenge.  

SAS4Kids Winter Themed Cards

It’s Saturday and time for another fun challenge here at Send a Smile 4 Kids!  This month, we are focusing on winter-themed cards.  I don't know about you, but I always need thank you cards after the holidays.  I have an embarrassing amount of hoarded blue and silver paper that is perfect for thanks you cards sent after the holidays!

I die cut the Lawn Fawn "thanks" first from metallic blue, and offset layered a white die cut.  I also added another another layer behind the one that was offset.  I learned this from Cathy Zielski of CZDesigns.  Easily adds a bit of solid dimension and interest without bulk.  The silver, gray, and metallic blue striped paper is from an older, beloved DCWV pad.  

Happy Holidays from SAS4Kids

 It's time for the November challenge from Send A Smile 4 Kids!  This month, we are making holiday cards.  When I saw this sentiment from Stampin' Up, I knew I had to use it for SAS4Kids cards.  

While SAS4K is featuring holiday cards 4 kids this month, any kiddie-appropriate card can be linked up for this month's challenge.  While you aren't required to donate your card to SAS4Kids in order to play along with us, one of our hospitalized patients would love it if you did. 

Send A Smile 4 Kids Celebration Challenge

This month's challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids is a holiday or celebration card.  I made a Thanksgiving thank you card.  

I used a Darice Scroll Corner embossing folder on COREdinations paper, and sanded the design.  The pumpkins were die cut.  I think the sentiment is perfect for SAS4Kids!!!

Christmas is on the Way!

 The Paper Players has a "By the Numbers" challenge.  

I used the Stampin Up 25 Days of Christmas embossing folder inked with Old Olive in a new-to-me technique.  I edged the panel in gold, and then used stash ribbon to make it look like a package.  The stars were too small to use my gold marker, so I thinned a drop of gold reinker, and used a pin to paint.  Not perfect, then then neither are the stars!

Texture and Layers Galore!

Happy 600th challenge to Just Us Girls!  What an accomplishment!  In honor of 600, they are challenging participants to include 6 of something on their entry.  

There are 6 layers on this card, 4 textured embossing panels (isn't the cream pearl pretty with the embossing?!?), the sentiment and it's burgundy layer.  I made 3 of these with the various pieces, 1 sadly botched.  This is a fun layout to make multiples.  The JUGs word week:

Send A Smile 4 Kids Fall Cards

 It's the first Saturday of the month... which means it's time for a new Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge!

I cut the circles using my Hero Arts infinity dies, layered them onto a piece of textured cardstock, and hand drew the stitches.  The hair was cut freehand.  Super easy and fun to do!

Hope you'll stop by the Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge blog and check out our DT fall cards. Then, stop back by later this month to link up a card of your very own. Even though we are focusing on fall cards this month, any kid-friendly card can be linked up for the challenge.

If you are interested in donating your card to one of our hospitals, please check each shipper's current needs. Due to Covid, not all of our hospitals are accepting cards at this time. 

Thanks for stopping, and happy crafting!

Great Washi Layout from Make the Cards Challenge

Make The Cards Challenge blog has a sketch challenge that is great to use some of my (massive) washi tape hoard.  

Here is their inspiration sketch:

Color Challenge

Just Us Girls (JUGS) has a fun pink, yellow, and green color challenge.  I recently saw a stencil that looked like a water blob, but it was sold out.  No problem - I made my own with some old drafting film and my Scan and Cut!

Here are their colors:

I used Distress Oxides Spun Sugar, Squeezed Lemonade, and Twisted Citron, and added the Ranger sentiment in Basic Grey.  I flicked on a bit of water, using a fan brush, a trick I learned from Cathy Zielski.  The shape of the brush definitely makes a difference!!

You're A Hot Mess

Paper Craft Crew has a horizontal sketch challenge.  Thought it was a great way to use a Color Burst background I had in my stash, and the Hero Arts Sentiment was perfect for the "messy" strips.  

This sketch will be great for the many strips of patterned paper scraps.  

Send a Smile for Kids has a fun Thank You challenge running through the end of the month.  Come join us!

Send A Smile 4 Kids - Thank you!

This month's challenge from SAS4Kids is to create a thank you card for a child to give to a staff member or special person.  

Such a sweet puppy to say a special thanks!  Come join us at SAS4Kids and show us how you say thank you!

Send A Smile 4 Kids - Christmas in July

 This month's challenge at SAS4Kids is Christmas in July.  I decided to make an easel card.  

The snowman disc is a removable ornament, and includes an attached string for hanging.  Sentiment from Clearly Defined, snowflakes cut from a Lawn Fawn die.  I think this will really brighten a child's day!

Come link up with us at SAS4Kids and show us how you celebrate Christmas in July!

Funky Color Challenge

Just Us Girls (JUGS) has a fun color challenge this week.  

I used a Spellbinders die cut 4x into DCWV adhesive paper and an InLoveArts sentiment die.  I used every scrap and am so happy with the results!!  Here is the original JUGS inspiration:

WAY Outside My Comfort Zone...

 I buy a lot of my craft supplies from crafters in Facebook groups.  A very kind lady in one of the groups gifted me a Unity stamp set that is completely different than my usual style.  Made me try something new, as I don't color much, and I don't usually use images of people.  I'm pretty pleased with the end result!

Fab Friday has a color challenge using Stampin' Up colors, but all brands are welcome.  I used Stampin' Write markers for everything expect her hair.  I didn't have a marker anywhere close to brown, so I used some watercolor pencils.  The layers are Granny Apple Green, the raincoat So Saffron, the duckling is So Saffron and Pumpkin Pie blended together.  

Sketch Challenge!!!

The Paper Craft Crew has a versatile sketch challenge. I made my version with Echo Park I Love My Cat paper, My Favorite Things I Miss Your Hugs sentiment. 

I inked the Paw Print embossed background to highlight the paws. Here is their sketch:

Happy Day

Playing along with a new to me challenge - Color Hues.  Their prompt is blue and brown.  I always need more masculine cards, and these are the perfect colors!

SU Mosaic Madness stamp and punch, Tufted embossing folder, with Crumb Cake and Misty Moonlight paper, Soft Suede and Misty Moonlight in.  I added a water droplet type jewel to the center of each mosaic for a little interest.  

Birthday Calories Don't Count!

 The Color Throwdown challenge colors are super fun:

I interpreted the colors a little softer than the inspiration image.  

Echo Park papers, Reverse Confetti sentiment and die cute.  

Send A Smile 4 Kids - Tweens & Teens

This month's challenge at SAS4Kids focuses on tweens and teens, who are often forgotten.

Echo Park papers, Simon Says sentiment.  I made the enamel dots with perler beads, melted in the oven on parchment paper.  I made about about 1000 dots in 24 different colors for about $3.  No black or brown, somehow they didn't turn out as nice as the other colors.  Come join our challenge and create a card for a teenager!

My Heart is with You

 Try Stampin' On Tuesday is having a sketch challenge, with an option for a masculine project.  Since most of my cards go to deployed military, masculine cards are always needed.  

The sentiment and die cut are from Reverse Confetti, and the background paper is from DCWV Far East.  I added some narrow ribbon for the vertical elements to finish it off.  Here is their sketch:

Cards for Soldiers and Send  Smile 4 Kids accept cards if you are so inclined!

A Hexagon Hello

 Great challenge from a new to me blog using hexagons:

I punched the hexagons from alcohol inked paper with some gold mixative, and layered them on some pretty gold paper.  I embossed the Mauve Mist paper with a honeycomb folder, and added some metal accents from my stash.  I'm playing along with the Make The Cards sketch challenge:

And of course, I missed the deadline by about an hour...

Enjoy Today

When I saw the Paper Craft Crew sketch challenge, I immediately thought it was perfect for washi tape!

Love the narrow washi with the gold layer.  

Rainbows and Ice Cream

 I'm trying to get back to entering challenges.  I have been creating, just not playing along with the great inspiration that challenges provide.  Today, I am playing along with Try Stamping on Tuesday's sketch challenge, with the optional theme rainbows.  Perfect for using my new to me Reverse Confetti Love & Ice Cream stamp and die set.  

I don't have a rainbow die, so I nested some circle dies, and trimmed accordingly.  Love this!!!

Sending Comforting Thoughts

Here is my take on The Paper Players red, grey, and black color challenge:

Darice embossing folder on silver matte paper, Spellbinder cardinal, older CTMH sentiment stamped in Stazon.  Unfortunately, have needed too many of these cards recently.  Damn covid.  

Send A Smile 4 Kids - To Special Men

The May SAS4Kids challenge is to create a card for a child to give to a special man in their life, nurse, doctor, parent, grandparent, friend, etc.  

I love using the cut-aparts in paper pads.  Expands my repertoire of sentiments and images, and you can't go wrong with how perfectly they coordinate!  I embossed the white background with a random stars folder, to pull out the stars in the background of the sentiment panel.  I like to keep masculine cards a little more clean and simple than feminine ones.  

Come join the challenge and show us your cards for a special man!

Soft colors for Easter

 I like to send a lot of Easter cards,  As much as I love this one, I don't have the patience to create very many of them!

Lots and lots of die cuts!!  Kat Scrappiness base die, I think the others are Gina Marie?  Anyone?

Sharing this with The Color Throwdown # 635.  I used the colors, but in a much softer palette:

Sunshine and Laughter

 Who couldn't use a little sunshine and laughter?

Cath Zielski inspired me to break out my Distress Inks to create not just a background, but also the cardstock used for the die cuts.  For the butterflies, I used Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade.  The background and oval were inked with Tumbled Glass and Mowed Lawn.  I added a Hero Arts sentiment.  The butterflies were too plain, so I cut out the black centers from a Cheery Lynn die, and trimmed down to fit.  

Sharing with the Just Us Girls color week challenge:

And with the Paper Craft Crew's sketch challenge:

Fur Baby Sympathy

 A dear friend just lost her Golden Retriever.  

I like clean and simple sympathy cards  Darice embossing folder, Unity sentiment.  The paper and ink are More Mustard.  Sharing this with The Paper Players, Ann's CAS challenge - Animals.  

I think that the loss of pets has been even harder during quarantine.  We are spending so much time at home with them.  Plus there are very few rescue puppies available, at least in the mid-west.  After losing our Yellow Lab last November, we applied for 53 dogs before we were chosen as Charli's new family.    

Send A Smile 4 Kids - Cards 4 For Boys

 Welcome back to another Send A Smile 4 Kids challenge!  This month, we are focusing on Cards 4 Boys.

Stampin' Up Dinoroar paper, retired.  I cut the dino out on my Brother Scan and Cut and cut the rectangles with stitched rectangles from Lawn Fawn,  I added a rub on sentiment from my stash, and glossy accents to the red berries for some depth and texture.     

Be sure to join us at our Cards 4 Boys challenge!

 I can't believe how long  it has been since I posted!  We were fortunate to have been chosen to receive a beautiful furbaby from Lucky Tales Rescue in Kentucky  I forgot how much work a young puppy requires!  Here's Charli!  She is about 14 weeks old and as busy as a toddler.  Mixed parentage, some Lab, Mastiff, and who knows what else.  

I did find some time today to join in the Color Throwdown pink, red, and black challenge and The Paper Players Red, Pink, and metallic challenge.  

Here is their inspiration:

I replaced the repeating hearts with hexagons I cut on my Brother Scan and Cut, and added a SSS sentiment.  

Since I haven't been able to get up to my craft room, I have been doing a bit of beading, making and selling these cute glue fobs.  I got tired of losing my Art Glitter pin.  $6.50 + shipping, just let me know what color/style!