Pretty Pastels and Pink For Paper Makeup Stamps

Gift wrapping is not my strong point.  I hate spending money on wrapping paper so I usually buy gift bags at the dollar store.  But sometimes I get creative and make a gift bag and tag.  Well, here is the tag.  Now I just need to get busy and make the bag!

 

The tag is made with textured designer card stock.  The flowers are raised and have a sheen to them like they were embossed with clear EP.   The package is pieced with textured paper too which makes for a fun wrapping.  The bow/ribbon is gold paper. 

The image is popped up a bit on the tag

I used an image and sentiment by Paper Makeup Stamps. The new weekly challenge begins today - "Pastels".  Head on over and play the digi makeover challenge. 

Challenges: 

Through the Craft Room Door - anything 

Cuttin and Stampin - paper piecing

Tuesday Throwdown - make digi pop

Sister Act - anything

Word Art Wednesday - anything 

Totally PaperCrafts - pink 

Crafty Catz - anything 

Pink Gem - ribbon and lace

Your Next Stamp - colors

Wonderful Wings

There is a sketch at Unity.  One of my Unity stamps was a perfect fit - so I made three cards with the same stamp, same sketch, and same color combo. (I am getting better about making more than one card at a time.  It helps to get more cards off to Operation Write Home. )

 

Here is the sketch: 

Challenges: 

Unity Stamp - sketch 

Unity Fun With Flair - anything 

Through the Craft Room Door - anything 

Sister Act - anything 

What if Wednesdays - wings

Mother's Lace

A few years back, my mom and I started sorting through some of her craft supplies, getting rid of a lot of it because she is 91 and does not do crafts any more.  She used to make porcelain dolls and make their clothes too, so she has more lace than a fabric store!   I don't do much sewing any more so I only took some of the lace that I thought I could use on cards.  I used a piece on this Mother's Day card.

The digital Magnolia blossom and sentiment are by Doodle Pantry.  This is actually a pre-colored image. I added just a little more pink in the center of the flower.
I love pinks and greens together - so feminine, so "mother". 

Challenges:
Pink Gem - Mother's Day
Stamp and Create  - ready for Spring
Sister Act - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
My Craft Spot - anything
Penny's Paper Crafty - favorite color combination
Through the Craftroom Door - anything
Kaboodle - dream of spring
Great Impressions - spring celebrations
Crazy Challenge - flowers

Daisies-They're so Friendly

"I love daisies.  They're so friendly.  Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?"
Remember those lines from You've Got Mail?   I can't work with daisy images or make floral arrangements with daisies without thinking of those lines.  (One of my favorite movies BTW)
Well, Diane's Daydream Designs has a new set with daisies.  After working with them, I think I can say they are friendly.  I know they are fun.

These are three Mother's Day cards that I sent to Operation Write Home last week.
On the first two cards I used brads in the centers of the daisies.  On the third card I used liquid pearls.
Here is the link for Diane's Daydream Design where you can see this set and other new sets for Mother's Day and Easter.

Challenges:
My Craft Spot - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Creative Knockout - wings
Sister Act - anything
Totally Papercraft - border
Pink Gem - Mother's Day
What if Wednesdays - flowers
Crazy Challenge - flowers 

Thank A Hero (or Anyone)

Each month I try to send off 40 cards to Operation Write Home.  In each box, I include some "Thank You" cards expressing gratitude to those who serve our country.  Most of the cards which the service men and women will send back home are flat, not many embellishments, very mailable.   But the thank you cards don't have to be "mailable" because they are sent in a box.  They won't have to go through the machines at the post office.  So I add bulky embellishments on some.  Here is a CAS thank you card on which I added wooden stars.

The sentiment is by Paper MakeUp Stamps.  Their new challenge is to make a Thank You card.  (It does not have to be going to a deployed hero.)   Hope you will play along.  The challenge runs from March 24 to March 30.
          
Challenge I am entering:
Tuesday Throwdown - tic, tac, toe (die cuts, digi, cas)
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything
Brown Sugar - anything
Through the Craft Room Door - anything

CAS Card For A Busy Day

Sunday, my anniversary, March Madness, company equals =  forgot to post this card.  I know you all understand.  You've been there.   But I did want to post this even though it is late in the day.  Doodle Pantry is a Sponsor at the 613 Avenue Challenge  when the challenge is anything goes but with a twist - birds of a feather, so wings, feathers, birds.
This beautiful digital image by Doodle Pantry is Pretty Peacock and I used a pre-colored image.

It is so beautiful on its own so I sized it large, then just added some liquid pearls, gems, and a little blue distressing.
Stop by the Doodle Pantry Blog and see what some of the other team members came up with. 

Challenges:
Love to Create - CAS
Craft Your Passion - green
Kaboodle - green
Creative Knockout - wings
Sister Act - anything
Crafty Catz - bling
Pink Gem - Mother's Day

Sweet Lil Cowboy

The cowboys need equal time ! (see previous post)  And this little cowboy is equally cute.  He is a stamp by 2 Cute Stamps.

 

FUN !

On the first card, I used a little piece of "snake skin".  This is a technique that I tried several years ago.  I haven't done it since and this is the last little piece left so I will need to make a new sheet sometime soon.  You can find this technique on the Gina K Design Stamp TV blog.  Here is a link for the technique.
I kept these cards really simple because I used such busy paper.  The sketch is Seems A Little Sketchy.

Love to Create - CAS
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything

Sweet Lil Cowgirl

It was love at first sight when I saw this adorable cowgirl at Digital Delights.

I did some paper piecing, cutting out most of the image so the arms and legs are behind the clothes.  This beautiful wood grain paper is by Doodle Pantry.  Sentiment is by Paula.  The buttons are die cut from card stock which I embossed before cutting out.  The twine is my favorite natural hemp twine from Kraft Outlet.

The sketch is at What if Wednesday:

 Here is a second card with just a few more "buttons" and different designer paper (scrap piece) which I streaked with More Mustard ink.

Challenges:
Love to Create - CAS
Tuesday Throwdown - tic, tac, toe (die cut, digi, CAS)
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything
Stamping Boutique - 2 buttons, digi, ribbon(twine?)
Open Minded Crafting - buttons
Divas That Cut Paper - emboss

Fun On Friday

This is a rather late in the day post but I just finished this card, love it, and anxious to post it.  It is bright and sunny outside which makes me happy.  Sunshine makes me think of California where one of my precious granddaughters lives.  I think she will like this cute whimsical image by Meljen Designs.

First time using my brand new embossing folder by Darice.  Papers are from a Celebration DCWV stack and have a fun sheen to them.  Embossed piece is Kraft.

Challenges:
Our Daily Bread - 6 hearts
Through the Craft Room Door - anything
Tuesday Throwdown - tic tac toe (die cut, digi, CAS)
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Cuttin and Stampin - colors
Meljen Design - girls want to have fun
Sister Act - anything
Totally Papercrafts - borders

Divas that Cut Paper - emboss
Verve - polka dots

Tulips and Mother's Day - Both Coming Soon

Tulips.  I love them.  In about 4 weeks I hope to post a photo of the fields in the next county from where I live.  Hundreds of acres of tulips.  But until then, here are a few Mother's Day cards (going to OWH) using Doodle Pantry digital images from the Tulip Wreath set.

 

I made each of them a little different from each other.  I think the first one is my favorite.  Which one is your favorite? 

This next pic shows some of the images and sentiments you get with this set: 

This set also comes with outline images, but I just love using the pre-colored ones.
You can't see it in the photos of the cards, but I layered some of the tulip blossoms in order to add some 3-D but kept them fairly flat to keep them very mailable.
The Mother's Day sentiment is Verve.  "Mom" is GKD.

Challenges:
Verve - polka dots
Your Next Stamp - colors
Pink Gem - Mother's Day
What if Wednesday - flowers
Simon Wednesday - Mother's Day
Sister Act - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Colors of the Rainbow

Colors of the Rainbow - that is the digi makeover challenge for this week, March 17 - 23 at Paper Makeup Stamps.

I cut into my last sheet of this paper from a big DCWV stack.  It makes for a fun BG for rainbow, umbrellas, anything having to do with rain.  Ribbon is GKD.
I colored the rainbow with Prisma pencils, sponged a little blue around it.  The clouds are popped up with dimensionals.
The digital set I used: 

Sketch is found at What if Wednesdays:

Speaking of rain - it has rained so much and so hard around here, I now own on waterfront property!  Seriously, there are fields that look like lakes.  But no rivers crested so roads are still fine.  Before I start complaining, I better read the sentiment on my card again.

Challenges:
Stamp and Create - ready for Spring
Through the Craft Room Door - anything
Sister Act - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Open Minded Crafting - use buttons
Simon Monday Challenge - luck of the Irish

Reading or Cardmaking

My two favorite hobbies, pastimes, and addictions are reading and cardmaking.  I'm not sure how many cards I made last year, but I know I sent 470 to Operation Write Home.  Since the trouble started in my shoulder in September (diagnosed in January as frozen shoulder), I have done more reading than usual.  Since the first of November, I have read 16 books. I was shocked when I took time to figure that out.
The challenge at Created With Love is to make a "girly" card.  I chose this image by Lacy Sunshine, which is the sponsor this week and colored her with pastel colors.

This could be me - book and coffee, although I don't read romance novels as a rule.
I wanted to do something a little bit different and fun so this is the sketch I used found at Seems a Little Sketchy: 

flipping the sketch.  The piece of woodgrain paper is digital paper by Doodle Pantry.  I fussy cut the image, after coloring her with Prismas pencils, and used dimensionals to pop up that image.

Come on over to Created With Love and join our challenge.  It runs from today, March 17 to March 22.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Without Words - hobby or leisure
Sister Act - anything
MFT - color palette
Bearly Mine - for girls

Do You Give A Hoot?

I hope so because it is so important to support our deployed troops.  That is why I made some "thank you" cards for them (and had so much fun playing with these digital images and sentiments by Diane's Daydream Designs.)

 

I have two that are my favorites: 

and:

 But then I added googly eyes:

I think I might have to put googly eyes on all of them - I really like them.  What do you think? (Do you give a hoot? LOL)

Not only was it so fun to use these images but I used up a lot of scrap pieces of patterned paper AND some very old SU sticker strips that I have had for at least 12 years.  The strips of flowers, polka dots, and scallop strips are all from old SU scrapbook kits.

After making the fronts of the cards, I continued having fun by printing our sentiments for the insides.
So for the cards that say on the front  "Whoo appreciates your service?"  the inside is:

For the cards that say on the front, "Whoo's proud of you?"  the inside is:

How fun is that?  I will also write a handwritten note inside each card.
So the Diane's Daydream Design sets that I used are Birthday Bash KD kit, Playfully Patriotic Sentiments, and Owl Always Love You Sentiments.
I used the sketch at Sketch Saturday:

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion - young at heart
My Craft Spot - cute critters
Kaboodle - no square
Through the Craft Room Door - anything
OWH ODBD- thank you
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything

Purse'nally I Think You Are Wonderful

It is so fun making cards for my granddaughters because they are so varied in their "pursenalities."  (just had to throw that spelling in!)  But seriously, how fun to create cards for them because some are sooo girly and some are more rough and tumble types.

Lots of bling was a necessity for these purses.  The digital, pre-colored purses are from a new set by Doodle Pantry.  The set comes with sentiments and papers.  (I used a piece of non-Doodle Pantry paper from my scrap box).
Gems, liquid pearl dots, and popping up the flower on the middle purse.  I was planning on using round gems but since moving into a new craft room, I have not been able to find my container of small gems so I used the diamond shape ones.  At least the color worked out well - they are a pale apple green.
Here is a pic of some of the elements in this set:

Cute?
I used the sketch at MFT:

and also the color pallete at MFT

Challenges:
Kraft Journal - green
Kaboodle - no square
Penny's Paper Crafting - no square
Sister Act - anything
Brown Sugar - sparkle
Bearly Mine - one for girls

Right On The Button

Recently I downloaded and started using a new publishing program, Serif.  I had always used Microsoft Publisher but it is very old and was not able to use some of the new digital images I have recently added to my files.  My main use of the program was for aligning and printing digital images but I never took the time to really learn all the fun things one can do with a program like this.  Well, that is starting to change.  Do you know you can change the outline colors of your digital images? Or print borders around them? Or.......?  Looky, looky at what I learned to do. (I'm sure most of you already know how to do this, but I am so pleased with myself for tackling this ! LOL)

Using all digital images by Paper Makeup Stamps, I changed the sentiment to pink, putting a border around it, made the grass green instead of black, changed the outline of the ferns to light green, flower- purple, butterfly- pink.  Then I got busy coloring with Prisma pencils.
It was so fun!  Anxious to learn some of the other features.  Now I will be spending more hours at my computer.  (My husband doesn't think that is possible !)
Here are the sets I used:   Color It Summer

and from Faith, Hope, Love set

Speaking of Paper MakeUp Stamps, there is a new challenge beginning today and ending on Sunday, March 16.  The challenge is to use buttons on your card.

Have a great Monday and now if you will excuse me, I need to go learn something else with my new program.

Challenges:
Cuttin and Stampin - butterflies
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Penny's Papercrafting - no square card
Sister Act - anything
Frosted Designs - quotation marks
Stamp and Create - ready for Spring
Your Next Stamp  - Photo inspiration
Crafts Galore - use digi or stamp

Time For Spring and Spring Birthdays

 I know I am pushing it a little, but I am so ready for Spring so I changed the background of my blog.  I love it and can hardly wait to see real blossoms on real trees.
One more birthday card for all the March birthdays on my calendar.  This one for my mom.  I love all these beautiful, bright colors -so full of hope of Spring.  Her bouquet has the same color flowers - love that.

All the patterned papers are pieces in my scrap box.  I stamped the flowers onto cardstock then cut them out.  I have die cuts for them but always like to trim them closer to the stamped lines.  Flowers and sentiment are Verve.
Sketch is Mojo Monday

Challenges:
Pile It On - bold and bright
Craft Your Passion - birthday
Through the Craft Room Door - anything
Party Time Tuesday - colors
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything
Crafty Creations - birthday
Cards Galore - use a stamp
Stamp and Create - ready for Spring
Verve - polka dots
Bearly Mine - one for girls

Have a Hoot On Your Birthday

There are some new digital KD kits at Diane's Daydream Designs.  I am having so much fun playing with them.  And, wow, do they ever make card making easy!  This one is called Birthday Bash.
 For the front of the card, I just printed out the panel, rounded the edges, backed it with blue cardstock,  added some googly eyes, three metal brads, then glued it to pumpkin pie cardstock. 

And the inside - print, cut, glue.  These panels are even pre-colored.

 

How easy and how cute. 

Here is the link so you can check out this and other KD kits.

Challenges: 

Pile It On - bold and bright

Craft Your Passion - birthday 

Our Daily Bread - metal 

Through the Craft Room Door - anything 

Word Art Wednesday - anything 

Crafty Creations - birthday 

Sister Act - anything 

 

Think Spring

Think Spring is the challenge at Created With Love beginning today and running until March 16.

Our sponsor this week is Robyn's Fetish.  This digital image shouts Spring.
I used a new (to me) embossing folder from Stampin Up and a piece of ribbon leaves to keep the branch and leaf theme throughout the card.
Are you anxious for Spring - come play with us a Created With Love and show us how you are thinking Spring.


Challenges:
Kaboodle - emboss
What if Wednesdays - sketch
Craft 4 Eternity - texture
Crafty Catz - anything
Divas That Cut Paper - emboss
Cards Galore - use digi or stamp

He Is The Anchor That Holds

Welcome to a new challenge at Paper Makeup Stamps - a favorite - Anything Goes.

Most of the cards I make with scripture are CAS with a focus on the scripture.  For this card I used Psalm 62:7 from the Be Still set and the Anchor by that name.
After cutting out the anchor, I covered it with Versamark and then embossed with clear EP.

The Paper Makeup Challenge runs until Sunday, March 9.  Come play with us.

March Is Here - Yeah!

March is here which means Spring is on its way.  It also means a new release at Doodle Pantry.  I always just LOVE the first of the month and seeing what Laurie Wilson has created for another month.  Here is a card made with one of the new sets, Tweet Birdhouses.

Cute?  Just love everything in this set.  It comes with lined images too if you want to do your own coloring.  For my card, I used a pre-colored image, printed it twice, cut out the bird and little fences so I could pop them up a bit for 3-D.  I can't believe I cut out those TINY little things but it was worth it.
Cloud, fence, and branch are die cuts.Do you see the little bit of a chain? - piece of an old bracelet.  Thought it would be fun so I punched a hole and fed the chain through to the back of the card stock, securing it with score tape on the back side. I added some silver Sakura ink to the loop and the mail box latch.

Head over to Doodle Pantry and check out all the new, wonderful sets.  And play along with the Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge and receive free digis for playing along using a Doodle Pantry image.  Lots of free images to choose from to get you started.

Challenges:
Through The Craft Room Door - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Tuesday Throwdown - anything
Creative Knockout - 1 border, 1 image, 1 sentiment
Sister Act - anything
Craft 4 Eternity - texture
Crafty Catz - anything