Brrrrrr. I'm Cold

Hi all.  Just came back from a wonderful warm week of vacation.  And now I am cold.  It actually is not as cold as it seems or even as cold as before I left for vacation  but it sure seems cold after being in Hawaii.
Speaking of cold:

Isn't he cute?  New digital image and set by Doodle Pantry from the  December release which we are revealing early this month instead of waiting until Dec. 1 and  there is a spectacular sale going on too.  Go to the Doodle Pantry store and pick up some darling digital sets for  40% off.  Go to the Doodle Pantry Digital Doodles Blog for the details and preview of all the wonderful new sets being released for the month of December.  Hurry - the sale ends December 3.

After coloring the image with pencils, I added glaze to the balloon, liquid pearl to nose and dots on cake, and some Stickles to the die cut snowflakes and torn snow.
Even though the BG paper had snowflakes on it, I ran it through the Cuttlebug with a snowflake EF too.

Hope you like him.  He will make for cute winter birthday cards.

Our vacation was lovely but I am always glad to be back home, back to my computer, back to familiarity, back to card making!

Thanks for looking and for taking time to comment.

Challenges:
Crafters Cafe - anything
Simon Wednesday Challenge - anything
Bearly Mine - anything
Get Inky - onward, upward
Sister Act - anything
Pink Gem - winter wonderland

Created With Love - Miss You Challenge

There is a new challenge at Created With Love . Make a card with the theme of  Missing You.  As you see, I did not use those specific words but did convey the message. 
For this card I used the beautiful  colored digital image of the chickadee on the branch and the corresponding blossom by Broken Box.

I added some swirly leaves that are cut out with the Flanciful Flourish by Cheery Lynn Designs.
The sentiment and the die cut "you" are by Simon Says.
Come on over and play the challenge at Created With Love; you may win some digital images by Broken Box.

Thanks for looking and thank you for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Penny's Paper Crafts - anything
Sister Act - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Stamp and Create - feathers

Paper Makeup Challenge - Tag Set

The new challenge at Paper Makeup that starts today is to make a set of tags.  Christmas is only a month away.  Exactly a month today!  So it is not too soon to make some tags.
I chose to make some simple tags using the Paper Makeup digital set "Color It Winter Tags"

Each tag has a different embellishment:
Holly berries are red pearls
Heart on the mitten is filled in with red Stickles
A blue gem in the middle of the snow flake and some Sakura Clear Star on each portion of the flake
Liquid black pearls for the coal on the snow man.

Here is a pic of the digital set from Paper Makeup

I super imposed the images onto the tag.  Because the images and the tag are casual drawings, I cut out the actual shape of the tag but glued it onto card stock cut with straight lines.  I wanted to keep that casual look.
Thanks for looking and taking time to comment.  Now go get busy and make some tags.  You may win some digital images by Paper Makeup Stamp company by playing in the digi makeover challenge.

Thanks for looking and taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Great Impressions - holiday card or tags
Timeless Tuesday - winter scenes
Penny's Paper Crafting - anything
Paper Shelter - Christmas is coming
Simon Monday - Christmas countdown

Celebrating Life and the Goodness of God

One year ago today (Nov. 20, 2012)  I had an unplanned open heart surgery.  As each month passes from that date, I become more and more thankful for the grace of my wonderful God.  Not only did He get me into the hospital for the surgery when I didn't know I needed it, but He also had the financing of it all taken care of too.  We thought we were in between insurance plans, thinking the new plan would start in 10 days.  Seriously, Lord?  Couldn't You have kept me healthy for 10 more days?  How will we come up with over 100 grand?  But then we found out that we were covered after all. Why do I ever doubt Him?  He is always in control and always ready to show me His power, His grace, His love, His care.

I love this verse from the Psalms.  Sometimes my gratitude to the Lord is so great, I have to go to the Psalms to help me express it.  So many of these verses I learned when I was a small child and they well up within me when I think of how blessed I am.   I think this is one reason I work in Awanas - to help the children learn the verses when they are small so they will know them forever.

Sorry to be so gabby.  This has been such a week of reflection and gratitude for me. Just had to let some of it out!
Most of my Thanksgiving Cards have been sent out or ready to be mailed.  This is the last one. Good feeling to know they will be received on time, even early.

I won't be near a computer on Thanksgiving Day so let me take this post to wish each of you, my dear followers, a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

The sketch I used is at My Craft Spot

Card base is Kraft.  Brown c/s is SU Chocolate Chip.
Image, scripture, and BG paper is Doodle Pantry. The image is pre-colored.  I just added some more color in spots for dimension.
Buttons are die cut from Kraft with Memory Box dies.
Veggies are popped up with dimensional tape.
Ribbon and bow are seem binding.

Just a reminder - there are still a few days to purchase the Doodle Pantry digital sets created as a fundraiser for OWH .  Here is some more information on that.

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Sentimental Sundays - giving thanks
Pile it On - with thanks
Kraft Journal - colors
Craft Your Passion - buttons
Twist of Faith - with thanks
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Ribbon Carousel - any holiday
House that Stamps Built - thanks
Get Inky - thanks, thanksgiving
Penny's Paper Crafty - anything

Dandelion Wishes Of Love

This is such a neat digital image by SKDigis.  I hate dandelions but I do think they look neat when they turn white and fluffy .  These Valentine dandelions are such a cute idea - blowing wishes of love into the wind.

I wanted a little bit of sparkle for this simple card so I used a Silver Metallic paper and Clear Star Sakura pen on some of the hearts.

It is Monday so there is a new challenge at Created With Love.  The theme is "Anything" so the sky is the limit.  We would love to have your play with us.  SKDigis is our sponsor.

Thanks for looking and for taking time to comment.

Challenges:
Sister Act - anything
Crafty Catz - no squares
Simon Monday - mystery (mystery flowers)
Chocolate, Coffee, and Cards - monochromatic

A Cup Of Thanks

I love some of the pottery that I have seen in Mexico.  This cup just needed those kinds of colors.  The digital image and sentiment are by Paper Makeup Stamps.

There is a new challenge at Paper Makeup - make a card expressing thanks or as this card says, to espresso thanks. Just make sure to use a digital stamp.
Originally, I was going to use a border along the side, using the border die cut and some paper with all these cup colors.  But after cutting it out, I shortened it and just put a piece under the cup.  Now, what to do with the sentiment?  How about one of  the fish tale banners I keep seeing.

Click here for the digi makeover challenge.  We would love to have you play along.

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:

Pile It On - with thanks
Simon Wednesday - thanks
Penny's Paper Crafting - use a sentiment
Sentimental Sundays - thanks
Crafty Catz - anything
Get Inky - thanks

A Nutty Thanksgiving Card

One more card to send off for Thanksgiving.  It does not look like a Thanksgiving card on the outside because I made it for a grandson.  But I will show you the inside too.

The digital image and sentiment are by ?  Sorry, I did not label it properly when I downloaded it. The acorns on the outside and sentiments inside are by Doodle Pantry.

The base is Kraft.  Image panel is lined with SU Carmel.
The sketch is Sketch Saturday

Thanks for looking and thank you for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Pile It On - tools Cuttlebug, dies
Kraft Journal - any sketch
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Simon Wednesday - Thanksgiving
Penny's Paper Crafts - sentiment
Brown Sugar - Thanksgiving
Crafty Catz - no square
Wags and Whiskers - cards for kids
Ribbon Carousel - Thanksgiving
Divas that Cut Paper - celebrate
Cards Galore - cards for kids
Get Inky - Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Cards

I am so thankful for so many things.  At this moment, I am thankful I am finished with this card. LOL

And you are looking at this and asking, "So what's the big deal?"
Firstly it took a lot of time to color each of those leaves but what took the longest was the inside:

Because I saw a few pop up cards this week, I thought it would be fun to make one.  It took me way to long to figure out what size to make the pop out strips.  Then it took quite a while to cut out the leaves, emboss them, sponge some, glue them on.  Then when it did not turn out the way I envisioned,  there was a bit of disappointment.  But I do like it. It is for a granddaughter and think she will like it.  I know her mom will.  And now I can say I have done a pop up card.  So all is well.

Materials used :  Kraft, Ruby Red card stock, digital paper by Doodle Pantry, burlap ribbon (Kraft Outlet), bronze leaf brad, cocoa ink, digital image by Eureka. 

I used the sketch at Timeless Tuesday, flipping the sketch on the right

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Pile It On - tools: cuttlebug, embossing folders
Simon Monday Challenge - use ink
Kraft Journal - use any sketch
Love to Create - thanksgiving
Simon Wednesday Challenge - thanksgiving
Crafty Catz - anything
Wags and Whiskers - cards for kids
Divas that Cut Paper - celebrate
Stamp and Create - leaves
Ribbon Carousel - holiday
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Paper Shelter - for someone special

Friday Thanks

It is time to make some cards of thanks as we approach Thanksgiving Day.  Here is one I made with Unity Stamps.

The sketch I used is at My Favorite Things:

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges: 
Friends with Flair
Pile It On - tools (die and piercing tool)
Love to Create - thanks
My Favorite Things - sketch
Twist of Faith - lots of layers
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Crafty Creations - dies and punches
Simon Wednesday - thanks
Penny's Paper Crafting - sentiment
House of Gilli - thanks

Happy Birthday Balloons

Another birthday in the family. This card is for a six year old.  I used the Doodle Pantry set, "Birthday Bash".

 The recipient loves bright, loud colors, especially orange and crazy designs and shapes.

It is not often I make a card that is not A-2 but this one just had to be longer than the norm. 
I printed the pre-colored images ( box ,balloons, and sentiment) where I wanted them to be on the card, Then printed up another page with balloons and box so I could do some paper piecing. (Green balloon is colored with Kohinoor pencils) The twines are put on with score tape on the first layer balloons and then tucked into the back side of that panel by slipping them through a cut I made with a craft knife.  I added diamond glaze to the balloons before I cut them out and popped them up on the card. Also fussy cut out some of the ribbon on the box so I could put it on top of the twine.
The edge is a Reflections punch. 
I really like how it turned out because it really shouts this little girls name.

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Ribbon Carousel - celebration
Crafty Cardmaker - paper piecing
Frosted Designs  - gift on card
Di's Digis - girly
Crafty Creations - punches
Penny's Paper Crafting - sentiment
Paper Shelter - someone special

Happy Monday Again

This is my second post today. This card features an adorable digital image by Paper Makeup Stamps.  The challenge  this week is stitching real or faux.

After paper piecing her dress, I colored her sash, bow, and heart with a red pencil.  The button is a die cut - piece of Kraft.  Used some of my favorite hemp twine from Kraft Outlet to sew the button on and make some loops. 
I used the sketch at Your Next Stamp.

We would love for you to enter the challenge at the digi makover challenge.  Real or faux stitching.

Thanks for looking and thank you for taking time to comment.

Challenges:
Pile It On - tool - sewing machine, die cut, Cuttlebug
Simon Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything
Di's DigiDesigns - girly
Your Next Stamp - sketch
Crafty Cardmakers - paper piecing

It is Monday, A Very Special Monday

Veterans Day, Remembrance Day.  I hope it is more than just a day off from work for you. Did you see my post yesterday?  Did you hop over to Operation Write Home or the Doodle Pantry Blog to see the announcement about the new digi sets, proceeds going to OWH?  Take time to do it now then come back to see this thank you card I will be sending to thank one of our military heroes. 

This cute digi cup image and sentiment are by Paper Pretties.  The challenge at Created With Love is to make a Thank You card.  Paper Pretties is sponsoring the challenge and the winner will receive 6 digital images .  
Don't you love to do paper piecing?  I do.  I used to shy away from it but now I love it.  I printed this cup twice.  Once on white card stock so I could color the coffee and another time onto the designer paper so I could cut it out (and cut out the coffee part) and glue it over the coffee copy so it looks like the coffee is inside the cup. 
All the designers papers are scraps.  

Come over to Created With Love to play in the challenge.  Maybe you will win some digital images by Paper Pretties. 

Thanks for looking and thank you for taking the time to comment. 

Challenges:
Penny's Paper Crafting - lots of layers
Sister Act - anything
House of Gilli - thanks
Pile It On - tools - craft knife, scissors, die
Crafty Cardmakers - paper piecing
Love to Create - thanks

Eeek! Squeal! So Excited

Two of my favorite involvements is (1) being on the design team at Doodle Pantry and (2) making cards for Operation Write Home.  So can you even imagine how excited I am that Laurie Wilson, creator of Doodle Pantry, created some new digital sets for OWH?  The proceeds from each sale are going to help OWH.
Here is a little explanation from Laurie:

"Today we are sponsoring the OWH sketch challenge #198  and we decided to also release 2 new products for a special OWH fundraiser!

Here you can see we bundled two BRAND NEW just released today products called Missing You and With Heart 

and they are marked at a bargain price together of ONLY $5.00!

You can use these sets for everyday cards for your own family and friends OR for our heroes to send home. They are very versatile and the With Heart set in particular would also make GREAT Valentines for kids!

Doodle Pantry will be donating about 70% of the profits of each sale of the BUNDLE from Nov 10 thru Nov 30.  If you are a big supporter of OWH and know how desperately they need monetary help and hand made cards for our heroes to send home while deployed, PLEASE hurry and get these adorable downloadable digi sets before Nov 30 so that you can help support OWH and their mission.

Click  HERE to go directly to the bundle at the Doodle Pantry shop. 

Thanks for supporting OWH and for joining their sketch challenge for an additional chance to win a Doodle Pantry gift certificate prize!"

So I made up some cards using some of the pr-colored images, some of the sentiments, and some of the papers.  It was so fun!  Here are a few using the OWH sketch: 

And here are a few more with a different layout.  (I told you I had fun with these!)

 

Make sure you head over to OWH to play the challenge.  And to the Doodle Pantry Challenge Blog  to play our challenge # 40 there. 

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges: 

Cards Galore - animals

Our Daily Bread - OWH - Valentines

Ribbon Carousel - holiday or celebration

Sister Act - anything

Simon Wednesday - CAS

Word Art Wednesday - anything

Joy To The World

Second post for today.
I am one of those who waits til after Thanksgiving Day before I get into Christmas decorating. In fact, I won't do anything until December 1.  I am going to be busy and away from my craft room quite a bit these next two weeks so I won't even be able to think Christmas until then.  But I did make a Christmas card today.

I don't think you can tell from the pic, but I cut out a frame from the patterned paper with the help of the Cuttlebug and a rectangle die and placed it over the tree panel rather than putting the image panel on top the patterned paper.  The tree stamp is Our Daily Bread Design.  The poinsettia in the left corner is a digital image by Doodle Pantry. 
I love the card base color.  It is GKD Lipstick Red.
I used a few gems and some Stickles. 

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Our Daily Bread Design - inspired by a song
Timeless Tuesday - negative die cut
Simon Wednesday - CAS
Sister Act - anything
Great Impression  - Holiday card
Divas that Cut - celebrate
Word Art Wednesday - anything

So Blessed Indeed

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed when I realize how blessed I am.  Wednesday evening I spoke to about 100 grade school children, talking to them about Veterans Day and the freedoms we have.  While preparing for that talk (and also as Thanksgiving Day approaches), I was reminded how blessed I am: family, friends, freedoms, home, etc.  And then when I top my list with what God gives me through my relationship with Jesus, I am overwhelmed.

This stamp set by Unity is cute and to the point.

The image and the sentiment are Itty Bittys called "So Blessed".  When inking up the stamp for the image, I inked it with brown but then wiped away the ink from the leaves, applied several shades of orange with a Tombow marker, "huffed', then stamped.  (Oh, I also wiped the brown ink off the bushes and applied green to the stamp.) When I colored the house, I just tapped the paper with my blending stub that I had dipped in OMS and then rubbed onto a Kohinoor pencil.  I wanted just a stucco or brick look.
For the border piece - it is a piece of digital paper by GKD which I stamped with a leaf from the "Where You Should Be" set.  I inked only some of the leaves on the branch before stamping.

Okay, that was a long description that you probably didn't even care about, but you got it anyway !
LOL
The sketch is at Unity

Thanks for looking and taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Unity - sketch
Friends with Flair - anything
Sentimental Sundays - autumn
Our Daily Bread - Count Your Blessings
Crafty Creations - autumn colors

Sister Act - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Harvest, Gratitude, and Apples

My favorite season, Autumn, continues.  Even though the weather is turning colder, I still love this time of year.  The end of the garden but now all the yummy  apples, pumpkins and squash.  And I put off making jam until now (I freeze the berries after picking them in the summer) so I have rows of jars filled with gorgeous shades of reds and purples.
Living in Washington, we have so many varieties of apples, all yummy and fresh - my inspiration for this card.

The image and sentiment are GKD.  Card stock is Kraft from MME Funday Everyday Fun 6 X 6, GKD Red Hot and GKD Jelly Bean.

This is the sketch I used at Tuesday Morning Sketches and decided to keep the card as close to the sketch as possible so I put a few "stitches" in the corners with hemp twine.

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Sentimental Sundays - Autumn
Kraft Journal - harvest
Bearly Mine - anything
Crafty Creations - Autumn colors
Penny's Paper Crafting - lots of layers
Crafter's Cafe - friends
Stamp and Create - feathers or leaves
Love to Scrap - anything
Wags and Whiskers - fall colors
Your Next Stamp - photo inspiration
Twist of Faith - memories
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Another Birthday - Imagine That

This digital image by Imagine That is so cute.  I will definitely be using it again.  It is a freebie this month in the progressive challenge.

When looking for a background, I remembered this digital paper by GKD.  It reminds me of bubbles and I love the colors.  So talk about simple - print, print, and paste.  I did add some Diamond Glaze to the balloons to give them shine and polka dot ribbon to give a little interest.  You gotta love these colored digis!

Thanks for looking and for taking the time to comment.

Challenges:
Pile it On - animal with character
Bearly Mine - anything
Simon Wednesday - CAS
Imagine That - image
Divas That Cut Paper - celebrate
Paper Creators - blue
Cards Galore - animals
Ribbon Carousel - celebrate
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Look At The Bright Side

We said good-bye to one of the nicest Indian Summers I can ever remember; exquisite fall colors, warm temperatures, dry.   I knew it had to come to an end but it came abruptly with downpours of rain, high winds, and snow on the mountain tops.  But even though November brings cold, wet, weather, it also brings in a season of thanks - in fact several months of reflecting on our blessings and being thankful.
Here is a cute digital set by Paper Makeup Stamps that is a reminder to accept the "bad" as well as the "good"; to look at a glass half full and not half empty.

 

Putting  Diamond Glaze on the raindrops really makes them look wet.

I popped up the clouds with different dimensions.  You might be able to see some of them in the next pic.

There is a new Digi Makeover Challenge today at Paper Makeup Stamps.  The challenge is to use lots of layers. Come join the fun.

Thanks for looking and thank you for taking the time to comment.

Challenge I am entering:
Crafty Creations - make your own BG paper
What if Wednesday - paper piecing
Sister Act - anything
Crafty Catz - paper piecing
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Happy Announcement

So happy to announce with this post that I am now on the Design Team for Created With Love.  I am really excited to work with these gals and excited to work with digitial images from many different digital stamp companies.  This card is one of the cute digital images you can find at DigiDarla Designs.  They are the sponsor for the challenge this week at Created With Love. This week the challenge is to use red and green.

I had so much fun making this card.  Musical BG paper.  Paper piecing the book of carols.  For the trim on the carolers hats, I printed out the images on white card stock and then ran the two images through the Cuttlebug using a different embossing folder for each.  I also used an embossing folder for the snow.  (It is really a wood grain folder but cut out and pieced on, I think it looks like snow.)
I added a few blue snowflakes with a StampinUp stamp.  The clothes and faces are done with  Prisma pencils.

Thanks for looking and thank you for taking time to comment.
Simon Wednesday Challenge - anything
What if Wednesday - paper piecing
Sister Act - anything
Pink Gem - Christmas is coming
Great Impressions - holiday card
Crafty Catz - paper piecing

Another Cup of Coffee, Please

I had so much fun printing out coffee mugs from the new released Doodle Pantry set, I made two more cards.  The sketch for both cards is House that Stamps Built 
I finally learned to print the digital image on regular paper first to see if that is the size I need for the card.  (Don't know why I didn't do that before.)  After printing them onto a white cardstock, I cover those images with designer paper.  You can use a removeable tape runner or permanent if you tape it above the image.  Print the image on the designer paper.  One extra step I did for these was to print the image on white cardstock, color the coffee on the white cardstock, use a craft knife to cut out the opening on the designer paper, then glue the cup over a piece of  the white cardstock that had the coffee.  This way the coffee looks like it is inside.  More of a 3-d effect.

Miscellaneous designer paper was used for strip and mug.  The BG designer paper comes with the Doodle Pantary digital set.

I love the sentiment on the card above.  I used a variety of designer papers and the numbered tape is washi tape.

In my post yesterday, I forgot to mention a sale at Doodle Pantry November 1 - 7.  25% OFF all new release sets. You can find the details here.
Also, don't forget to play the challenge at the Doodle Pantry Digital Doodles Blog.  You could win $15.00 worth of digital images and you will receive a free featured set (pic below) just for entering if you use a Doodle Pantry image.

Thanks for looking and thank you for taking the time to comment.
Now I think I will go have another cup of coffee.

Challenges:
Simon Monday - anything
Simon Wednesday - anything
What if Wednesday - paper piecing
House that Stamps Built - sketch
Sister Act - anything
Party Time Tuesday -  anything
Our Daily Bread - no ribbons or lace
Word Art Wednesday - anything

November Doodle Pantry Release

Okay, I confess - I am a coffee snob.  I won't drink coffee made from grounds in a can.  We grind beans as we go and we pay extra for the beans we like.  My son is worse than I am.  He roasts his own coffee beans.
Having said all that, I was excited with a new set from Doodle Pantry.  Great big mugs and really cute sayings  about coffee.

For this card I used the lined version but printed on one of the patterned papers that comes with the set.  I actually used  pieces of three of the patterned papers in this set.  To make the coffee rings on the paper and newspaper, I just rubbed ink on the bottom of a spray bottle I have on my desk and applied it to the paper.The sketch I used is the the #40 sketch at From the Heart

For this next card, I used one of the precolored cup images and then  super imposed a sailing ship from the Doodle Pantry set " Old Ship".  I will probably be sending this to my son sometime.  I think he will agree with the sentiment!

Recently I obtained a die by Memory Box which is three sizes of buttons.  I used it for the first time on this card cutting out brown c/s and one from an old dictionary page.  I like them because they are flat - great for mailing.

The sketch is Sketch Saturday.  It was a perfect sketch to change the card a bit, having the front smaller than the back.

I hoped you liked these cards.  I know you will LOVE the new release at Doodle Pantry so check them out here.
Oh, before I go, here is a pic of some of the images and sentiments in this set. There are more options than show up on this pic page.   Look at those biscottis  and beautiful papers- love them.

Thanks for looking and thank you for taking time to comment.

Challenges:
From the Heart - sketch
Sketch Saturday - sketch
Simon Monday - anything
PartyTime Tuesday - anything
Simon Wednesday - anything
House that Stamps Built - paper piecing
Pile it On - 2 embellishments
Word Art Wednesday - anything