Fuzzy Hugs

The number of Get Well cards I have made and sent are very few.  Sometimes not knowing what to write inside the card intimidates me and prohibits me from sending one.  (Same holds true for a Sympathy card)  But the recipient of this card has been ill for a long time and is really in need of encouragement.  I hope she will be blessed to know that I care and am praying for her.

I have had this adorable image of bunny slippers and matching paper (Doodle Pantry) for ages and never used them.  Just think the set is so cute. 
As you can see, I printed the image twice, cutting out the head and popping it up with thin dimensionals.  Even though it will be extra postage, I added pearls for noses and then three pearls on the ribbon.   Pinks are hard to match up so was pretty tickled that one of my pink card stocks blended with the pink in the paper.  Some of the lace in my mom's lace stash worked perfectly too.
Sketch is found at What if Wednesdays:

Other Challenges:
Kaboodle - use ribbon
Your Next Stamp - color inspiration
Through the Craft Room Door - anything
Tuesday Throwdown - anything
Party Time Tuesday - anything
Simon Wednesday - use pearls

Rash of Birthdays

There are a few months in the year where there are a ton of birthdays in my family.    March and April are two of those so I am concentrating on that theme right now.
I think this digi image and sentiments by  From the Heart  make for a cute birthday card with a little humor thrown in.

I not only used the Stamp of the Month digi which I received from From the Heart, I used the sketch from their weekly challenge blog.

A few years ago, one of my daughters gave me the Celebration DCWV stack.  I love it.  Lots of fun birthday paper, textured paper, some pages with metallic accents.   That is what I used on this card - textured and metallic.  It is going to a son-in-law so the base is Kraft which helps keep it masculine.
Banner is cut with a die cut (MFT, I think).  Image is colored with Prisma pencils.

Challenges:
From the Heart - sketch
Through the Craftroom Door - anything
Die Cuttin Divas - mardi gras colors
Party Time Tuesday - anything
Tuesday Throwdown - anything
Stamping Boutique - die
Crafty Cardmakers - bird 

Something Warm To Drink

Sounds like a good idea since the winter storm rolled in this weekend, dumping snow on us and with  the northeaster blowing and creating drifts against our doors.  But "something warm to drink" is also the digi makeover challenge at Paper Makeup Stamps beginning today.

 The image and sentiment are from this set:

I love the BG paper which is the Citrus Stack by DCWV.  It is textured with the design being raised and shiny.  Perfect colors for how I colored the cup. 
Question:  Do you color your image first and then look for matching paper?  Or do you find paper first and then color you image?
I almost always color my image first and then madly go through my stacks of paper and mounds of scraps to find coordinating paper.  I occurs to me often that backwards but I can't seem to break myself of the habit. LOL

Well, I hope you will be able to take some time to grabs a cuppa something warm, make a card depicting that, and enter the challenge at Paper Makeup Stamps.  See you there.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Penny's Paper Crafting - lots of layers
Cards Galore - add gem
Repeat Impressions DCC212 - All Heart

Doodle Pantry Sponsoring

Doodle Pantry is the sponsor this week at Cupcake Inspirations where the challenge is this photo:

I chose the adorable Tweet Hello set for my card, using one of the the pre-colored images, and pieces of Doodle Pantry digital papers (from various sets) from my overflowing scrap box

 

and the sketch at Your Next Stamp: 

Cupcakes Inspirations invite you to play their challenge.  Doodle Pantry is offering 3 images to the winner.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Penny's Paper Crafting - lots of layers
Totally Paper Crafts - spring
My Craft Spot - pun
Crafty Cardmaker - birds

Looking Forward To Spring

We see little hints of Spring - daffodils poking up, faint color on tips of branches, some warm days and then we have the forecast of snow this weekend.  It is those crazy weeks between winter and spring.  Aren't we all ready for Spring?  I get anxious around this time of year.   So here is a card in anticipation:

I knew I wanted to go with the wood theme so I just kept playing around until I came up with this combo.  I used a piece of Kraft and embossed with a wood grain EF then rubbed some ink on the top to bring out the dimension.  The piece of wood grain designer paper is a sneak preview of some new Doodle Pantry papers coming out in a few days.
The image is by Robyn's Fetish.
Sketch is MFT

So while I wait (impatiently) for more signs of Spring such as bird's nests, I will continue to enjoy the early signs and also the majestic eagles that are so plentiful in February and March.

Challenges:
Kraft Journal - die cut
Crafty Cardmakers - birds
Cuttin and Stampin - spring
Penny's Paper Crafts - lots of layers
Totally Paper Crafts - spring
My Favorite Things - sketch

Oh, So Easy Chalk Board

The chalk board look is not one that I have taken to, but with some of the digital images at Diane's Daydream Designs, I could get to like it.  I've used a pre-colored digi for this card:

Can't get much easier:  print, cut, punch a border, add ribbon.  Presto.  The swirls in the top corners are even already done for me.  Yep, I like the idea.

Even though Valentine's day is over, our deployed troops still need love cards all year round to send back home.  This digi (and there are more chalk board digis at the store)  makes for a quick, lovely card to send to OWH.

Challenges:
Simon Wednesday - use Kraft
Stamp and Create - love 
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything
Brown Sugar - use a punch
Frosted Designs - love plus color inspiration
Stamping Boutique - love

Keep Your Face To The Sunshine

Paper Makeup Stamps has a new challenge - dimension.
Because most of my cards go to Operation Write Home, I keep them quite flat but I can add some dimension with a thin two sided foam tape.  That is what I did for this card.

After printing the sun image two times on two shades of yellow, I cut them out and stacked the face of the sun on top the rays with the dimensional tape. (after I added some color with pencils)
To make the frame, I used a Spellbinder die to cut out a negative space on the front of a folded card then glued the white card to the inside behind the negative space.
The card seemed a little plain so I did a little piercing in the corners and added dew drops to the sun's cheeks.

Hope this card brought you a little sunshine to your face.
Come join us at Paper Makeup and take the digi makeover challenge.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything
Penny's Paper Crafting - mono
Open Minded - mono 

Spending Time With Friends

Isn't it nice to have a friend who enjoys the same things as you?
Created With Love Challenge this week is "friends" and the sponsor is Lacy Sunshine.  I am using a  Lacy Sunshine  Eleanor and Pickles image.

Hope you will come on over to Created With Love and take the challenge.   See you there.

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion - girly
Kaboodle - button and twine
Creative Knockout - spots and dots
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything 

Unmatched, Unconditional

That is the Love of God - unmatched, unequaled, unconditional.  I am so glad His love for me does not depend on what I do or say, or what I don't do or don't say.  It is totally unconditional.   This stamp set by Our Daily Bread Designs speaks of that kind of love.

For some reason, I always go to the browns with this set.  This time I took a Vanilla piece of C/S, stamped the image and sentiment with  Holtz Tea Dye Distress Ink and then swiped the C/S with that ink and Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink.
Cardstocks used are Stampin Up Chocolate Chip and Creamy Caramel.

Challenges:
ODBD - love
Simon Monday - we love stamps
Penny's Paper Craffing - monochromatic
Sister Act - anything
Totally Papercrafts - love
Open Minded Crafting - monochromatic
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Still In Love

My husband does not like Valentine's Day.  That was hard when we were first married (okay, for the first 20 years!).  But his not acknowledging a commercial day no longer gets under my skin and I do not interpret it as a lack of love.  We have been married almost 46 years and we love each other more than ever.  After I finally got beyond expectations and comparisons, I could see his love for what it is - true and faithful. 
Even though he does not buy any cards, candy, or flowers, I still show my style of love by giving a card, making a special meal, and a heart shaped cake.
This is the card I made for him:

 

The sketch I used is the Sketch at My Craft Spot: 

I love the banner dies from MFT.  What is really great is to be able to fold them flat so you can put the card in an envelop and yet it pops up when you take the card out.

The BG paper I used perfectly matched the color of the image.

 I love this digital image but I don't have it anymore because I lost so much when my old computer went down.  So I can't even tell you what company it came from.  I printed it out months ago and just getting around to using it.  If any of you know the maker, please let me know in the comments.  I would love to have it again ( and give proper credit). 

Challenges: 

Kaboodle - to my sweetheart 

Love to Create - red

Penny's Paper Crafting - monochrome

Sister Act - anything 

Brown Sugar - use punch or die

Stamping Boutique - Valentine/love

Love to Scrap - use the work love 

Stamp and Create - love

Feeling Puzzled This Valentine's Day?

I was puzzled as to what kind of Valentine to make for my 12 year old grandson until I saw the adorable mazes at Doodle Pantry.

Laurie Wilson has made several sets of mazes.  They are so clever.  You can find them at the Doodle Pantry Store.  Here is a pic of the set I used for this card:

Here is the inside of the card:

For this I used the Maze Background set and one of the sentiments:

I used the sketch at What if Wednesdays and non-traditional colors of Kraft and orange.  Really pleased with the results.
Here is the sketch:

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day.

Challenges:
Simon Monday - we love stamping
Kraft Journal - love
ODBD - no red or pink
Through the Craft Room Door - anything
Simon Wednesday - Kraft
Crafter's Cafe - hearts
What if Wednesday - hearts
Sister Act - anything
Totally Papercrafts - valentine/love
Stampin Boutique - valentine/love
Crafty Cardmaker - masculine

My Take on a Sketch

If you follow my blog, you will know that I usually not only use a sketch as a guide, I take it very literally.  Lately I have been spreading my wings a bit and doing more loose translations of sketches.  I guess I am finally, after all these years, being able to think outside the box.
When I saw the sketch at Sketch Saturday, I knew what image I wanted to use and how to use it.

This adorable puppy is a digital image you can find at Daydream Designs.  Katlyn Traxler created him and he is just too cute.  I used a textured Kraft cardstock and very lightly swiped a distress ink pad over the cardstock in order to add a little bit of color, giving it the look of fur.
Paper pieced the neck scarf and heart and then added liquid glaze to the heart.
Okay, now the sketch that I used:

 I finished my Valentines !!  I have a few more to share with you.  I hope you have been able to pick up a few ideas.
Thanks for looking.

Challenges:
Kraft Journal - love
Love to Create - red
Sketch Saturday - sketch 
Through the Craft Room Door - anything
Love to Scrap - use the word love
Open Minded Crafting - show love
Stamp and Create - Love in the air

Hemmed in With Love

My husband and I have to laugh at ourselves (and at each other) when we have those "senior moments".  It seems we are doing more and more dumb things or forgetting more and more scheduled tasks and events.  Well, it was my turn for one recently - last Monday.
I scheduled a post with a card featuring a Paper Makeup Digital image.  The challenge that I was announcing was "anything goes".  But I posted the wrong card.  The only way you would have known, was if  you compared it to my card on the Paper Makeup blog.  So this week the challenge is "Hearts".  Thankfully both cards had hearts so I'm still okay with this card.
This is one of my favorite images at Paper Makeup.  Just love her sweetness.  And of course, she made a perfect Valentine for one of my granddaughters.

The patterned paper strips and the paper for her dress are all from one piece of patterned paper in a fairly new stack.  Popped the image up with some thin dimensional and added a little ribbon , keeping it very mailable.

Hope you like her.  If you are curious about last week's card, you can find it at Paper Makeup's blog for this week because it is showcased there for this week's challenge!  Confused?  That makes two of us !

Thanks for looking.

Challenges:
Timeless Tuesday - red and love
Cuttin and Stampin - sweethearts
Simon Wednesday - have a heart
Gem of a Challenge - all you need is love
Divas that Cut Paper - girly
Love to Scrap - use the word love

Loads Of Love

Another Valentine with a Doodle Pantry image.  This time with the Wagon Hellos set.

I'm trying to be better about making the insides special so this is the inside:

I just love the pre-colored images and it is so fun to use the coordinating papers.  Sometimes that is the hardest part for me - finding patterned papers to match.  This paper is actually from the HeartfulHeart set.  The beauty of the Doodle Pantry sets is that so many of them are interchangeable.
It is a puzzle to me that the colors do not stay true in photos but IRL the purple fish tail is the same color as the purple hearts on the patterned paper.
The sketch is MFT:

The cardstock used are Stampin Up except for the Aqua strip.  It is an old scrap of textured CS.  After The card was finished, it still looked a little incomplete so I added some stitch lines on the fish tails. That really helped give it a little interest.

Thanks for looking.  Hope you are doing well with your Valentines.  Only three more to go for me.

Challenges:
Simon Monday - love notes
Timeless Tuesday - red and love
Cuttin and Stampin - Sweetheart
Simon Wednesday - have a heart
Pennys Papercrafting - something new and something old
Brown Sugar - valentine
Craft 4 Eternity - with love
Gem of a Challenge - all you need is love

Friday Fun Day

It is odd that we look forward to weekends (TGIF) even though we are retired.  But sometimes weekends are still really special because it is then that we get to have grandchildren come for a visit.  Two are here today and two more until Monday.  But before anyone arrived, I took the time to make a card.

Using stamps from two different unity sets, I also used the sketch at Unity

The patterned papers are miscellaneous.  The heart with twine is punched out with a SU punch.

Could you do me a favor?  When I made this, I had a grown son in mind. So when you comment, would you let me know if you think it is okay as a masculine card or is it too feminine.

Challenges:
Unity Fridays with Flair
Unity - sketch
Crazy Challenge  - love is in the air
Simon Monday - love notes
Kraft Journal - here's my heart
Crafty Cardmakers - masculine
Timeless Tuesday  - red and love
Simon Wednesday - have a heart

Brown Sugar - valentine

Craft 4 Eternity - with love
Pink Gem -all you need is love
Open Minded - show some love

Time For Sending Love

Just a few more Valentines to make.  19 done, 5 to go.
Here is one that I made with Paper Makeup Stamps image, superimposing one on another and then merging one next to the other. 

I followed the Mojo Monday sketch and really like how it turned out.  I think it could go to a daughter or a son.
Here is the sketch I used:

It is very faint in the photo, but I stamped a few hearts with Versamark in the top left corner.
Patterned paper is Recollections.  Coloring is done with Prisma Pencils.

Challenges:
Mojo Monday
Simon Monday - Love notes
Crazy Challenge - love is in the air
Craft Your Passion - love is in the air
Kaboodle - Valentine
ODBD - L.O.V.E.  l=layering, o=one brad, v=the word Valentine, e= ebony black cardstock
Through the Craft Room Door - anything
Timeless Tuesday - red and love
Cuttin and Stampin - sweethearts
Simon Wednesday - have a heart
Pink Gem - all you need is love
Open Minded - show some love
Stamp and Create - love is in the air

So Very, Very Excited

Yes, I am totally jazzed that the Seahawks won the Superbowl.  But this post is not about that excitement but the excitement I have about being added to the Daydream Design Team.  Diane has some of the cutest digital sets around and I am honored that she chose me to join her team.  You can go here to see the team members and here to look around her shop.
The digital set I chose to showcase is perfect for this time of year - Valentines Day and cold outside.

Isn't this image just so cute.  I used a pre-colored image and then added some more color here and there, highlighting some of the hearts with Sakura Clear Star and adding liquid glaze to her boots.
The sentiment comes with the set.  I cut it out with a die and backed it with GKD Red Hot cardstock cut out in same shape but cut out with scissors.

Thanks so much for looking and of course love it when you take time to comment. 



Challenges:
Crazy Challenge - love is in the air
Simon Monday - love notes
Craft Your Passion - love is in the air
My Craft Spot - Valentines for kids
Totally Papercrafts - CAS
Pink Gem - love
Crafty Creations - season (winter)
Your Next Stamp - photo inspiration
Divas that Cut Paper - girly/or pink

Love All Around

Paper Makeup's new challenge for the week is "anything goes".  Because I am working on Valentines, I chose this image, Moody For Love,  to color with Prisma Pencils.

 

  and added some hearts from this set, Hugs and Kisses:

 

I have made several Valentines with a sheet of patterned paper; the piece at the bottom of the card is a scrap piece from that.
Card base is GKD Green Grass.

Come join us at the digi makeover challenge at Paper Makeup Stamps.  You have until Sunday, Feb. 9 to enter.

Challenges:
Crazy Challenge - Love is in the air
Simon Monday - Love letters
Craft Your Passion -valentines/love
Kaboodle -Valentines
Pennys Paper Crafting  - spots and dots
Crafty Catz = anything
Totally Papercrafts - CAS

Baby's First Birthday

The new challenge this week at Created With Love is "babies" and the sponsor is Stitchy Bear.  I used a digital image of a cute bunny holding and number 1.  I thought I would make an early first birthday card for my youngest grandson who will be turning one in a few months.

The paper is from a DCWV stack called Nana's Nursery Baby Boy.
I printed the image onto GKD textured paper.  Up close it resembles fur.  The eyes, nose, teeth, and inside ears are done with Prisma pencils.  Tails must be fluffy so I used Liquid Applique.  Bunny is popped up with dimensionals.
The corduroy brad buttons are Stampin' Up.  Card base is GKD Raspberry Blue.

Come join the fun at the Created With Love Challenge. You have til Sunday, Feb. 9 to enter.

Thanks for looking.

Operation Write Home Card Bowl Challenge

This is the last of the three cards that I am entering into the OWH challenge.  You can find the Super Bowl colors in a previous post, and the Masculine card in Brown here.
This card followed the sketch at OWH.  Here is my take:

And here is the sketch

It is always good to make thank you cards for our deployed heroes.  I am so glad this was an easy sketch because I am so short on time today.  Some patterned papers, one stamp, and three buttons = my kind of CAS.

Have a great day.  Enjoy the game.

It Is Groundhog's Day

With all the hype of Super Bowl, did you remember is is also Groundhog's Day?  There is the cutest groundhog set of digital images at Doodle Pantry called Giddy Groundhog.

Here is a pic of some of the images and sentiments in the set.

I used a lined image and colored it with Prisma pencils.
Hope you have a great day and if you don't go in for football, I hope you have a great Groundhog's Day.  Here is hoping he does not see his shadow because I am ready for Spring.

Tomorrow Is Super Bowl Sunday!!!!!

Go SEAHAWKS !

Last year Laurie Wilson at Doodle Pantry came out with some football birds.  I turned one of them into a Seahawk.

Using a precolored image, I added more color here and there, add #12 (I'm sure you have heard of the 12th man) and also added the Seahawk on the helmet.  I didn't know I could cut out something that small!
Love the green grid paper and the footballs are a row from one more of the papers included in the set.
The shape of the football took me several attempts.  After I finished cutting it and distressing it, my husband pointed out that it needed laces.  Oh, boy.  Thinking cap.  Solution:  pieces from my elongated hole punch which is really meant for punching holes for ribbon.
All in all, I really think it turned out cute.
Next year, in time for football season,  I will make cards similar to this one to send off to OWH.  I think they would be cute to send home to a young son.
Here is a pic of the Football Birdie set, showing some of the images and sentiments

Go, Go, Go Seahawks !!!!

February First

It is already February and already time for another release at Doodle Pantry.  Laurie Wilson just keeps coming out with wonderful digital sets.  And there are SVG files too.
Last month I made a few cards with the Glee Tree 1 set.  This month  there are more trees in a set called Tree Glee 2

This was so fun to make.  I used a pre-colored image then added a little more color and veins on the leaves.  The fence and clouds were made with dies. 

Here is a pic of some of the images and sentiments in the set:

It is so fun to think about having a tree for each season and papers to match !

Make sure you go to Doodle Pantry to see the new sets for February and also check out what the other team members created.  Lots of eye candy.

Thanks for looking.
Happy February.