A Latte Thanks

Another month has come to a close.  Like you, I am amazed at how fast these months fly by.  At the Die Cut Diva's Challenge for May, Doodle Pantry has been our wonderful sponsor.  So here is a thank you card going their way via cyberspace.

 

I love this set Coffee and Biscotti with both the outlines and the colored digitals.  The sentiment is from The Grind.
Pretty simple card with some old designer paper and both the image and the sentiment cut out with Die-namics Circle Stax.  The "brads" on upper right are really melted Pearler beads.  Very fun making those - so many colors to choose from.
Thanks to all who participated in the May challenge.  And again, a big thank you to Doodle Pantry.
June challenge starts tomorrow, June 1.   See you then.

Simon Monday - thank you
Tuesday Throwdown - anything
Simon Wednesday - anything
Party Time Tuesday - anything

Blushing Bride

It is an honor to be a guest designer today for Stamping4Fun.  The theme is Weddings/Engagements.  I always think white on white for a wedding card but hardly every make one.  So, true to form, I made one with Blush Blossom card stock.  (I wonder if my color choice was subliminal - blushing bride!)

The lace and ribbons are very old items from my stash, as is the wedding bells stamp by Stampin'Up.  The sentiment is cut with a Silhouette file.

A big thank you to Stamping4Fun for letting me be a guest designer this week.

Challenges:
Craft Dee Bowz - anything with a bow
Tuesday Throwdown - anything
Simon Wednesday - anything
Inspiration Destination - anything 
Party Time Tuesday - anything

Sketch With Circles

I took the sketch at MFT and used circles instead of triangles.  These stamps are so old and have not seen use for years.  I think they were from Clear Dollar Stamps,  a company that is no longer is operation.

MFT Sketch:

Embossing folder is Provo Craft Cuttlebug.  Circles are cut with MFT Die-namics Circle Stax.

Embossing Two Ways

As you know, I make it a point to send thank you notes to our heroes when I send a a box of cards to Operation Write Home.  When wondering what to do for the new challenge at the Kraft Journal - Embossing, I decided to do dry and wet embossing.  My inspiration came from two beautiful cards that I have in my "to be cased" file.  Photos of their cards are at the end of this post.

So here is what I came up with:

Stating with Light Kraft card base, I embossed the sentiment (Great Impressions stamp set with proceeds going to OWH) with Copper embossing powder.  I also embossed a strip to be the back of the stars die cut.  This is a MFT die cut - love the results.  The white piece is embossed with a Darice folder.  It is layered onto Brown Kraft.  The four stars (three on white embossed panel and one by the sentiment) are left overs from the die cut.  The cording is Baker's Twine and Natural Hemp Cord.

Thanks to the ladies who my inspiration.  Here are their beautiful cards.

and

The challenge at the Kraft Journal started today and ends Sunday 6 pm CST.

You Take The Cake

How many idioms do you use?  I use them all the time and it drives one of my daughters crazy.  Many of them don't make sense and she get tired of asking "who started that? and what does it mean?"  I use a lot of them without thinking much about it but I was curious about "you take the cake".  It actually came from being a winner of a cake walk.  How many of you knew that?  You never know what trivia you are going to learn on someone's blog!
Well, with all that aside, let's go onto another phrase that I have used a lot for my kids and grandkids - Sweet Stuff.

This sentiment and the image are both Doodle Pantry digital stamps and from the set Cake and Cookies.  Doodle Pantry is the sponsor for this month's challenge at the Die Cut Divas.  (and also happens to be my favorite digital stamp company).  I cut out the cake image and green layer with Die-namic Stax .  The sentiment is cut with a Spellbinder Ribbon Tag then sponged with a bit of brown ink.  The flower was cut with my Sihouette but the leaves are cut with a Cuttlebug die.
There is still over a week to play along with this month's challenge - Something Yummy to Eat.  The challenge ends May 31.


Challenges:
Crafty Creations - colors: brown, green, white
Stamping Boutiques - die cut
Cuttlebug Mania - ribbon
Stamploration - stamps and leaves
Simon Says Work It Wednesday - yellow
Die Cuttin Divas - include a flower

Something Vintage

The new challenge at the Kraft Journal this week is "Anything Vintage".  For my card I used a Doodle Pantry image of an antique bicycle as the focal point, printing it on Buff Ivory paper.

I started with Brown Kraft cardbase, layering it with a Dictionary Page.  For the fishtail, I embossed a piece of Brown Kraft with a Cuttlebug folder and then rubbed on a little distress ink.  Next to that I put a piece of Black Twill Tape.  To go along with the Vintage look, I used a Label Holder putting the sentiment inside.  Final touches were the metal brads and the Earthy Hemp cord wrapped around the top of the fishtail.
We would love to see your creations at the Kraft Journal Challenge blog.  The challenge ends Sunday p.m. 5/24.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Stamping Boutique - die cut
Time Out - grunge
Scrapping4fun - technique (emboss)
Party Time Tuesday - anything
Doodle Pantry - anything 

Birthday In A Box

Fun, fun, fun.  That is what I had making this card.  I had never made one of these before, and even though they take a bit of time,  I will make some more.

The sentiment and all the images inside the box (balloons, hat, present, cake) are digital images by Doodle Pantry, who is the wonderful sponsor this month for the Die Cut Divas Challenge.

After printing the images from Cute Cake and Birthday Bash, I cut them out with the Silhouette ( a lot easier than fussy cutting!)  The Big Wishes sentiment is cut with a Labels Three Spellbinder die.

Challenges:
Pink Gem - more than one fold
Scrapyland - anything
Stamping Boutique - die cut
Penny's Paper Crafting - more than one fold
Time Out - photo inspiration 
Inspiration Destination - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Inspired By A Sketch

Had a little time to play.  Came up with this simple, yet pretty (in my opinion - hehe) card.  Don't you love these colors? 

The sketch is Sketch Saturday:

Hero Arts stamp, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Spellbinders oval and scalloped oval, ribbon and lace from my stash.


Challenge:
Papertakes - in the garden
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Crafty Creations - choose 3 colors )pink, green, white)
Scrapyland - anything
Di's Digis - flowers
Stamping Boutique - die cut
Cuttlebug Mania - ribbon
Party Time Tuesday - anything
V's Sweet Ideas - emboss

Beautiful Summer Butterflies

We don't see very many butterflies around our parts.  I get pretty excited when I see one.   So, I settle for images. LOL  There are so many images to choose from.

I have always loved this stamp by Stampin Up.  It is colored with Copics.  The main panel is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. The fishtail is embossed with a Stampin Up folder.
Sketch:

Challenges:
Sweet Stamps - wings
Word Art Wednesday - anything
MFT - sketch
Pennys Paper Crafting - anything
Cute Card Thursday - add a brad
V's Sweet Ideas - emboss

Pick Three for May

The new challenge for this week over at the Kraft Journal is to pick three.  Here is the list: pink, buttons, ruffles, seam binding, feminine, mint green, stamped tag.
I love the stained Grungy Prim Tags at the Kraft Outlet so I made that and the big flower (a stamp by Hero Arts) the main focus. The twine wrapped around the tag is from the Pastel Hemp Collection.  On the top of the tag I tied a bow of seam binding.  I debated adding the die cut vine (MFT) but it seemed to look better, tying in the green of the bow.
The flower is made up of three layers, colored with Copics.
Card base is Light Kraft cardstock.
I hope you will join us at the Kraft Journal and show us what three you choose.

Challenges:
Simon Work It Wednesday - yellow
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Scrapyland - anything
Stamping Boutique - die cut
Craft Dee Bowz - anything with bow

Mother's Day Card for My Mom

The other Mother's Day cards that I made went to OWH but this is the one I will be giving my mom.  She is 92.  I am so blessed to have had her all these years.  I always try to make her a card that is a little special or out of my ordinary.

This was fun to make because I used a Silhouette cutting file making that beautiful white flower and vine cut out.  Then I did a technique that I have never done before. I think it is called smooshing.  I put a few drops of ink on an acrylic block, spritzed it with water and then "smooshed" the cut butterfly onto the ink.  I really like how it turned out.
Here is what I did to the inside:

Challenges;
Pile it On - mother's day
Sweet Stamps - mother's day
Papertakes - anything
Inspiration Destination - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Craftin Desert Divas - mother's day
Simon Work It Wednesday - yellow

Daydreaming

This little guy has been in my bin of leftovers way too long - now finally on a card.

He was printed on GKD textured cardstock that reminds me of fur.  I added a bit of color for shading.
The grass is MFT Icicles and Your Next Stamps grass.  The YNS die also cuts out flowers so I ran it back through the Cuttlebug cutting yellow flowers.  MFT clouds.
I don't have the digital bear image any more.  The sentiment is by Meljen Designs.
Sketch:

Challenges:
Die Cuttin Divas - sketch
Papertakes - anything
Inspiration Destination - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Scrapyland - anything
Paper Creators - animals
Simon Wednesday - sentiment

Like Your Style

Yep, another image from my pile of left overs.  This one was even distressed and mounted but never used.  It is a digital and my tendency is to print them too large and then not know what to do with them.  When I saw the sketch at My Favorite Things, it gave me an idea on how to use the digital piece. 

The paper behind the image, sentiment, and buttons is Ivory Buff from the Kraft Outlet.  It has a linen texture to it.  The buttons are cut with MFT button dies and the sentiment is cut out with a Spellbinder tag.
The image and sentiment are by Diane's Daydream Designs.
Sketch:

Challenges:
Scrapyland - anything
Papertakes - anything
Penny's Paper Crafting - anything
Pile It On - special lady
Inspiration Destination - anything
Simon Wednesday - sentiment
Word Art Wednesday - anything
My Favorite Things - sketch 

Mother's Day This Sunday

The challenge this week at the Kraft Journal is to make a Mother's Day card and none too soon because as all of you (in the U.S.A) know, we will celebrate our moms this Sunday.
Here is a card I made using a Bugaboo image.  So cute and see where it says "your are the best mom ever??    On the digital image that is a blank so you can fill in your own word - mom, sister, friend, etc.

The main panel over the green card base is Buff Ivory.  The pennant banner is cut with a Verve die.  I used some green hemp from the Dark Jewel Hemp Cord collection to "string up" the banner.  The image piece is cut with a Spellbinder Labels One die and then sponged with a bit of green.
The "MOM" letters on the right side are from the Hodge Podge Magpie Stickers.
The image is colored with Copic.  The flowers are cut using a Cuttlebug die.  The leaves and stem under the flower on the left is a SU stamp which I fussy cut. Centers of the flowers are green pearls by Want 2 Scrap.

The Kraft Journal Challenge ends Sunday 6 pm Central time.  We would love to see what you make for your mom.

Challenges:
Classy Cards n Such - Mothers' Day
Pile It On - Mothers' Day
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Cute Card Thursday - anything
Sister Act - anything
Craftin Desert Divas - Mothers' Day
Scrapping4Fun - flags
Sweet Stamps - or mom

Remember to Smile

A few months back I was asked to make a card for a dentist.  This is one of the images that was left over from printing.  It is a Doodle Pantry image.

For all these cards on which I am using up left overs, I am keeping them simple and flat in order to send to OWH.
The image is precolored.  The blue designer paper is also Doodle Pantry.  The red striped paper is sparkly embossed paper from a DCWV stack (Sparkly yet does not rub off - very important if sending to OWH)
It is hard to see in the photo but there is an embossed edge around the digi image.  I cut it out with on of  the MFT Die-namic Rectangle Stax  dies and then ran it back through the Cuttlebug to embossed an edge. 
Paper Sketch #34

Challenges:
PaperTakes - sketch
Inspiration Destination - anything
Cute Card Thursday - use a sentiment 

Just Taking a Break

It's a beautiful day and I have been working outside in the garden area and I will get back out there in a few hours, but I need a break.   And besides, if I pull too many weeds, my wrist will be too sore to craft!  Yikes!  Must prevent that!
Here is another card using up another left over digital piece.  It has been in my "to use up" bin for so long, I can't even find it in my computer.  So I think it is one I lost with my computer crash.  Sorry, can't remember the company who put it out.

 Card base is Brown Kraft from the Kraft Outlet.  Patterned papers are pieces from my stash.  The buttons are three different colors of card stock, cut out with a MFT button die.
Sketch is Sweet Sketch Wednesday2

Now, back to work for me.

Challenges:
Sweet Sketch 2
Die Cuttin Divas - kid theme
Inspiration Destination - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Paper Creators - use an animal

Women In The Military

Along with my thank you cards to our deployed troops, I try to send a few feminine ones.  After all, we have a lot of women military personnel who need our thanks.
I really like this pink camouflage print - fun to use for T shirts.

I cut the T shirt out with MFT Graphic T Die-namic and stamped the #1 with the corresponding stamp set.  The stars stamped with Versamark onto the pink background is from the MFT set Pretty Pocket.
The tag is from The Kraft Outlet.
Sketch:

Challenges:
MFT sketch
Cuttlebug Mania - use a stamp
Simon Wednesday - anything
Simon Monday - anything
Inspiration Destination - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Personal Challenge Continues

Yes, I am making headway with the left over pieces.  Here is another cute image that I printed and colored long ago, yet never used til now.   This one is by Samistamps.

Sketch #85 at PaperTakes

The hearts are colored with Copics to match the hearts on the dog.  The large heart is cut out with a ProvoCraft Cuttlebug die Hearts#2.  The little hearts are punched out.

Challenges:
Die Cuttin Divas - kid theme
Paper Takes - take your pick - sketch
Inspiration Destination - anything
Sister Act - anything
Paper Creators - animals

May 1

It is May Day but I am not posting a card with flowers this time.  Instead I am announcing a new challenge at the Die Cut Divas Challenge Blog.  I'm so excited to tell you that Doodle Pantry is our wonderful sponsor this month.  I was on Doodle Pantry's design team for several years, just recently stepping down.  My heart is still there.  Laurie Wilson's digital images are my absolute favorite of any digital store.
This month the theme for the Die Cut Diva's challenge is Something Yummy to Eat.  There is no shortage of digital images at the Doodle Pantry Store for that theme.  Over the course of the month, I and the other DCDC team members will give you a few samples from the DP store.
Here is my first card:

The pears are from the set  Pears and Raspberries.  Before printing I transposed the pre-colored lips from Kissy Lips and a pre-colored mustache from Mustache Mish Mash onto the pears.  After printing, I cut them out with Die-namic Circle Stax and colored the pears with Copics.  The beautiful background paper comes with the Pears and Raspberries set.

I hope you will check out the new challenge at Die Cut Divas and the Doodle Pantry Store too.

Challenges:
Simon Monday - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Simon Wednesday - anything
Cute Card Thursday - use a sentiment
Sisters Act - anything
Simon Work It Wed - yellow
Pink Gem - sweet treats