End Of June

Last day of June.  Last day of the June Bug challenge at the Die Cut Diva's Challenge.  A big Thank You to Bugaboo for their sponsorship.  So, one last card for June,  this one featuring the little Bugaboo Brat Bugs.

With the bug theme, I pulled out some old designer paper with flowers and butterflies.  After coloring the image with copics, I cut it out with a Spellbinder circle die and backed it with a Spellbinder Scalloped circle.  The butterfly on the fabric vine is cut with a Martha Stewart punch from a piece of shiny designer paper,  a line of liquid pearls for the body.
Thanks to all who participated in the June challenge.  I'll be back tomorrow, July 1, with a new challenge.

Challenges:
Sweet Stamps - bright colors
Simon Wednesday - anything
MFT color challenge - blue raspberry, persimmon, yellow, white
Crop Stop - anything (Martha Stewart)
Die Cuttin Divas - anything  
Come and Get It - cute cards

It's A Grand Ole Flag

Red, White, Blue.  That is the challenge at the Kraft Journal this week.  Just in time for the 4th of July this Saturday.
This card will be going into my last box to Operation Write Home to thank someone in the military.  Isn't it great that so many of our troops are coming home that OWH needs to close?  I have enjoyed making and sending cards to OWH and will miss that but there are other organizations and avenues that I am looking into where I can send cards.  I just won't be making so many patriotic cards.

The embossed panel is Light Kraft cardstock from the Kraft Outlet.  It is embossed with a Darice embossing folder.  After stamping the sentiment (Unity) onto white, I made a border on top and bottom with Airmail Washi Tape.  The three strands of cord above the sentiment piece is Natural Hemp Cord and Dark Jewel Hemp Cord.
The blue star is a wood piece that has been in my stash for who knows how many years.  I brushed it with a Copic marker before attaching .  The tiny little stars on the embossed piece are cut with a Verve die.  I love them - just the right size for the E.F.
The digital image is colored with Copics.

Challenges:
Simon Wednesday - anything
Crafty Creations - red, white, blue
Craftin Desert Divas - July 4
Cuttlebug Mania - sentiment
Without Words - summer holiday
V's Sweet Ideas - favorite technique (embossing folders)
Stamplorations - stamps and washi tape
Daily Marker - 30 days coloring

Pink Ladybugs

Have you ever seen a pink ladybug?  I haven't either but I love this paper with my fav colors, so pink ladybugs it is.

Because I am still experimenting with my Copics an Spectrum alcohol markers, and because I always print up more than one digital image at a time, I made two very similar cards.

I like the coloring on this second card better than the first but I like the double scallop ovals on the first.  The second card is actually a negative cut frame so it looks kind of neat IRL but I still prefer the double scalloped ovals on the first card.
The digital images are by Bugaboo, our sponsor for the June Bug challenge at the Die Cut Diva's Challenge.  There are still four more days to play.

Challenges:
Papertake - use three (three strand of cord)
Simon Wednesday - anything
Pennys Paper Crafting - anything
Daily Marker - 30 days coloring

Let Freedom Ring

  The challenge this week at the Kraft Journal is to make a CAS card with the theme Let Freedom Ring.  I am temped to use my blog as a soap box to point out how our freedoms are being taken away and how those of the Christian faith are being attacked more and more.  It saddens me.  Hopefully each of you are aware of how much government is intruding into our lives and how we are losing our freedoms bit by bit.  If you aren't aware, you better get informed and start defending your freedoms before they are gone.  Okay, done with rant.

The image and the sentiment are Doodle Pantry and are printed onto a piece of Buff Ivory.  I cut out an oval with a Spellbinder die, used it as a mask, then stamped the script (Stampin Up  BG stamp).  With the mask still in place, I traced around it with a Tim Holz Distress Marker and then sponged around the edge of the oval with Tea Dye Distress ink.  After coloring the image with Copics,  I glued it onto a Brown Kraft card base.

Challenges:
Inspiration Destination - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Simon Wednesday - favorite product (Doodle Pantry,  distress ink )
Crop Stop - anything
The Daily Marker - coloring

Key To Peace and Joy

This quote is such good advice.  I keep telling myself to enlarge it and make it into something to hang on my wall.  I might even use this sketch and same papers.   But for now - a card.

The sketch at Sketch Saturday was a great sketch for this quote.  I used embossed paper with clock hands to represent moments.  The key(die) is cut out from the designer paper on the left to represent the key to peace and joy.  The quote reminds me of the Bible verses, Philippians 4:6-7,   "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
It is easy to praise and thank God in the happy, good moments.  Much harder to thank Him and trust Him in the tough times.  "In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
 I Thessalonians 5:18
I made this card for someone going through some tough physical and financial problems.  I hope it will be encouraging.

Challenges:
Sketch Saturday
Di's Digis - use a die cuts (key,rectangles)
Die Cuttin Divas - masculine (key die- Poppy Stamps, Curved Rectangles - Spellbinder )
Inspiration Destination - anything
Cute Card Thursday - quote
Word Art Wednesday - anything 

Humor For A Friend

A few days ago, I talked an hour on the phone to an old friend.  We both have moved over the years and now are about as far away in the U.S. as possible.  As years go by (23 now since the first move) we talk to each other less and less but it was so good to talk the other day.  I don't like to talk on the phone but this was fun.
I decided to send a card saying how much I enjoyed our over the phone visit.  Both of us love humor so I picked this funny sentiment by Ginger's House.

The sketch is found at Sketch Saturday:

The pizza slice and the paper are both Doodle Pantry.

Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments - anything
Inspiration Destination - anything
Simon Wednesday - favorite product (Love Doodle Pantry )
Cute Card Thursday - quote
Paper Creators - anything 
Stamplorations - stamps and washi tape

A Boy and His Dog

 No, your eyes and mind are not playing tricks on you.  No, I did not post this card two days ago; it is just VERY similar to Monday's card.  In fact, the only things different are colors, washi tape instead of twill, and blue cord instead of natural.  I liked Monday's card well enough to make two.  This one will go to OWH.

Supplies used:
Light Kraft - the Kraft Outlet
Brown Kraft - the Kraft Outlet
Red polka dot washi tape - Stampin Up
Blue polka dot washi tape - the Kraft Outlet
Puppy Paws embossing folder - Darice
Oval Dies - Spellbinder

Challenges:
Pink Gem - use blue
Daily Marker - 30 days of color
Di's Digis - use die cuts
Craftin Desert Divas - masculine
Stamplorations - stamp and washi
Simon Work It Wednesday - one or more colors of the rainbow
Die Cuttin Divas - masculine 
Simon Wednesday - favorite technique and/or product (embossing, die cutting, and my beloved twine)

Boys Will Be Boys

That is our theme this week at the Kraft Journal - any masculine card.  I am blessed to have seven grandsons.  This is a card I made for one of them.  He has a new spotted dog so I thought this would be a good card for him.  The digital image is one of DearieDolls.  She sure has some cute ones.

I started with Brown Kraft for the base.  The puppy paws are embossed onto Light Kraft card stock with a Darice embossing folder.  Then I sponged on a little distress ink to emphasize the paws.  I love the Natural Hemp Cord at the Kraft Outlet - all the colors,  but the natural color is my favorite, especially for masculine cards.  It is looped around the Black Polka Dot Twill Ribbon and then I just knotted three more pieces onto the one that is over the ribbon.
The image is cut out with Spellbinder Oval and colored with Copics.
 The Kraft Journal challenge runs from today until Sunday pm.

Challenges:
Papertakes - masculine
Crafty Sentiments - masculine
Inspiration Destination - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Penny's Paper Crafting - favorite embellishment (twine)
Sister Act - anything
Scrapyland - anything
Di's Digis - use die cuts
Daily Marker - 30 days color challenge

Happy Campers

My daughter and two little kids are going on a road trip.  They will camp along the way.  So I am sending them a card wishing them a good time.  There was once upon a time when we used to take our kids camping and even though it was hard work getting eight of us ready, we usually did have fun.  If you call flat tires, putting up the tent in the dark, camping in the rain, bug bites, etc fun.  But we do have lots of memories!

I used the sketch at MFT as my spring board.
Some of the die cuts are Cuttlebug, some are Impression Obsession all cut with my trusty Cuttlebug.  The word strips are cut from a piece of designer paper.

Challenges:
MFT sketch
V's Sweet Ideas - favorite technique (die cuts)
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Sister Act - anything
Pink Gem - something blue
Scrapyland - anything
Paper Creators - anything
Crop Stop - anything
Stamping Boutique - summer fun 

Butterflies, Dragonflies, and Ladybugs

After "fudging" a bit on my card Friday (using a snail instead of a bug), I thought I better make up for it with this card.  It has three kinds of insects.

Hi, everyone.  At the Die Cut Diva's Challenge we continue on with the theme of June Bugs.  I think this Knobby Knees Girl by Bugaboo is so cute.  After coloring her, I embossed Swiss Dots around the image and drew a border around it giving it a framed look.
The Dragon Fly border at the top is made by repeating the image several times in a row before printing and then cutting the strip with decorative scissors.
The orange flowers are from my much used Asterisks Cuttlebug dies and the centers are black pearls.

Have you entered the June Bug challenge yet?  The Die Cut Diva's would love to have you play along.  The sponsor this month is Bugaboo.

Challenges:
Scrapyland - anything
Simon Monday - plants
Simon Work It Wednesday - one or more colors of the rainbow (orange, green, red)
Cute Card Thursday - summer colors
Sweet Stamps - anything
Daily Marker - 30 day color challenge
CAS-ual Friday - summer 

Mustang Birthday

It is Monday, again.  Is everybody ready for a new week?  How about a new challenge at the Kraft Journal?  This week the challenge is to Pick Three from the list of black, white, red, car, fish, bunting, dictionary pages, masculine.  As usual, I used more than three of the choices.

I love this Doodle Pantry digital image of a classic Mustang and the paper that comes with the set.  Besides the Light Kraft card stock from the Kraft Outlet, I also used a piece of Black Burlap Ribbon. I added some gears because I was so anxious to use my new gear dies.  I have wanted some gears for such a long time and now finally have some.  I cut them out using Light Kraft, Brown Kraft, and a dark chocolate card stock.
The sentiment is a Stampin' Up stamp and the lines at the back of the car is a Unity stamp.  The image and backing layer are cut out with Spellbinder Ovals.

Challenges:
Scrapyland - anything
Dis Digidesigns - use die cuts
Paper Creators - anything
Papertakes - anything
Simon Wednesday - masculine
Craftin Deserts - masculine
Doodle Pantry - anything 

Curious Puppy

Another cute Bugaboo image for the Die Cut Diva's Challenge - June Bugs.
I know that technically a snail is not a bug, but it does as much damage in my gardens as a bug!  And besides, I could not pass up the opportunity to use my new digital image of this Cute Puppy.

 For this card I cut out a fence with a MFT die, put some grass behind the fence with a die cut using a MFT Icicle die, and then put the puppy and grass in front of the fence.  The puppy is still attached to the "grass" that I colored with Copics so just part of him is fussy cut, down to the grass line which I cut with decorative scissors.  (Hope that makes sense.) I colored so much grass, I added some darker clumps with a darker green Copic (like weeds in my yard!) For the blue "frame" around the "hello", I cut out a rectangle from the turquoise paper with a Die-namics Rectangle Stax then glued in onto the lighter blue base.  The "hello" and the clouds are more MFT and Memory Box die cuts.   Two little white flower brads hold the front of the card in place when it is open.
Here is a side pic:

I'm not trying to brag, but I think this card came out so cute.  It will be fun to send off to one of my grandchildren.
The Die Cut Divas want to see your June Bugs.  The challenge is open until June 30.

Challenges I will enter:

Crafty Creations - all creatures great and small
Scrapyland - anything
Craftin Desert Divas - summer creations
Paper Creators - anything
Pile It On - focus on coloring
Daily Marker - 30 days coloring
Paper Takes - anything

June Bugs

June Bugs - that is the new challenge for the month of June at the Die Cut Diva's Challenge Blog.
Bugaboo is our generous sponsor again this month and boy, do they ever have a lot of bug images to choose from.  The DCDC team had no problem finding images to showcase for you.  Here is one:

As I was coloring this image, Sketchy Floral Teapot,  I knew I wanted to emphasize the ladybugs so I stamped ladybugs (Stampin'Up) on a strip of white card stock,colored them, lined it with red grosgrain ribbon and used that behind the oval that I had cut with Spellbinders Ovals.  The sentiment is an old stamp that I have stored with my "bug" stamps.  (I'm sorry, I have no idea what company).   The sentiment is cut with Die-namics Circle Stax.
All those vine-like squiggles in the image gave me the idea of adding some wire tendrils.  My collection of wire is so neglected but fun to use it every once in a while.
Come join us with your June bugs this month at the Die Cut Diva's Challenge Blog.

Challenges:
Pink Gem - flowers
Crafty Creations - all creatures
Craftin Desert Divas - summer creations
Cute Card Thursday - too cute
Simon Wednesday - anything
Pile It On - coloring
Daily Marker - 30 day coloring

Missing My Dad

The new challenge at the Kraft Journal is Father's Day.  My dad has been gone 5 years now and I still miss him.  But I have a wonderful husband who is also a wonderful dad to our kids so I made a Father's Day card for him.  He loves golf!  He doesn't get a chance to go out to a course much, but he practices his swing and putting on our property and lawn.

I started with Brown Kraft for the card base.  The digital image of the golf bag is from Little Claire's and the golf ball and tee are Doodle Pantry.  I cut the golf bag panel so the green would extend over the edge when I cut the rectangle with a Die-namic Rectangle Stax.  Both images are colored with Copics.  The sentiment behind the Metal Label Holder is computer generated.  A little Baker's Twine and brads hold the Metal Label Holder in place.
The Kraft Journal Challenge ends Sunday, June 7.  We would love to see the Father's Day cards that you make.

Challenges:
Tuesday Throwdown - anything 
Simon Wednesday - anything
Party Time Tuesday - anything
Pile It One - coloring
Daily Marker - 30 Day Coloring
Simon Work It Wednesday - colors of the rainbow (red, green)