Masculine Birthday Card

One more birthday card before I get back to the Valentines.
Send A Smile 4 Kids needs cards for children up to age 19 so I am trying to make cards for a variety of ages.  Cards for teens always give me trouble but I think this one would be acceptable for a boy in his teens.

I stamped the main image on a post it note, cut out the truck to use as a mask, then stamped the stripes with three colors.  After removing the mask, I stamped Mark's Finest Stamps image with a darker brown.  The sentiment is by Scrappy Moms.
Again I used the sketch at Stamplorations, mirroring the sketch because of the direction of the truck.

     
Challenges:
Stamplorations - sketch and cas
SAS4K - birthdays
Simon Wednesday - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
DLArt - January challenge

Yeehaw

Taking a break from Valentines today, I made a few birthday cards for kids.

On the first card I stamped with black before coloring and cutting and for the second card, I stamped with brown.  I sure like the black better.  This is a rubber stamp by 2 Cute Rubber Stamps called Cowboy Kid that  I have had for ages.  So cute.  Or should I say "2" cute?
Happy Birthday sentiment is Scrappy Moms.  Paisley is SU.
After coloring the image with Copics, I cut it out with a MFT Circle Stax die.  Perfect size.
The sketch is Stamplortation

Challenges:
Tuesday Throwdown - anything
Simon Wednesday - anything
DLArt - January challenge
SAS4K - birthday
Stamploration - sketch and cas

Lacy Valentines

Looking through all my Valentine/love/heart pieces, I found these.  I forgot I had them.  The trifold card is from LeCrystelle.  The beautiful lacy hearts are cut with the Spellbinder dies of the same name, Lacy Hearts.

These pieces are so intricate, I thought it best not to add much more so I just put on a few pearls.  The sentiment is stamped with an old rubber stamp and Tim Holz Tea Dye Distress ink.

Challenges:
Sweet Stamps - shabby or vintage
All Sorts - Valentines
DLArt - thankful Thursday
Simon Says Wednesday - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Tuesday Throwdown = anything
Crafty Sentiments - anything
Classy Cards and Such - neutrals
Stampin Boutique - die cuts
Crop Stop - anything  (pearls, ink)

Teen Boys and Valentines

Those two don't go together very well.  I do make each of my grandchildren Valentines each year.  It is one more way for me to let them know that I love them.  But now that they are getting older, it is getting more difficult, especially for a 14 year old boy.  Humor is usually good and corny is better because he probably thinks it is corny to even get a Valentine.  So, here is what I came up with for this year.

The papers and image are Doodle Pantry.  I colored the hamburger with Copics. The Washi tape (which is reflecting the light from the flash) is SU.
I tweaked the sentiment a bit.  It is a sentiment by Doodle Pantry.  The original reads "miss you" and I changed it to "love you".  It didn't come out perfectly but well enough.

Challenges:
Tuesday Sketch 336:

Crafty Sentiments - anything
Tuesday Throwdown - anything
DLArt -January challenge
Cute Card Thursday - boys
All Sorts - Valentines
Stamping Boutique - punches
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Simon Wednesday - anything 

Lots of Valentines

Yesterday the weather changed every few hours but it was been mostly gray (and cold).  A perfect day to be in my craft room to make Valentines - and I have a lot to make - 25 for my kids, grandchildren, and husband.
Here is one of the cards I made today with the sketch at From the Heart.

I love the colors at the MFT color challenge, plus, I wanted to make a Valentine card with non-traditional colors.
The image and sentiment are by From the Heart.  I tweaked the sentiment a bit so I could add the "you", cut with a Simon Says die.
I chose the designer papers to represent the steam.
The recipient loves lattes AND whipped cream so this should be a perfect Valentine for her.

Challenges:
From the Heart - sketch
MFT - colors
Crop Stop - Cuttlebug, Scorepal
Inspiration Destination - anything
DLArt - January challenge
All Sorts - Valentines
Word Art Wednesday - anything 
Paper Sweeties - colors inspiration 

Birthday Cards for Kids

One of my new outlets for my cards this year is Send A Smile 4 Kids.  The latest request is for birthday cards.  Here are two I made today - one for boy, one for girl (which will be obvious when you see them!)

Supplies used:
Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle
Miscellaneous scrap dotted paper
GKD and SU cardstock
Copics
and of course Liquid Glaze for the balloons

The image and sentiment are From the Heart
Sketch is From the Heart

 Challenges:
Pile It On - first initial (M for mouse)
Simon Wednesday - critters
Cute Card Thursday - just boys
Send a Smile 4 Kids - birthday
Pink Gem - lots of pink
Stamping Boutique - die cuts
Die Cut Divas - something new (new digital image)
DLArt - January challenge
Paper Creators - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything

You're Tea-rrific

A thank you card using a set by Doodle Pantry - first time I have used it.  So pretty.

I love using the Doodle Pantry digital sets because I can choose between coloring or using a pre-colored image, as I did on this card, and because the papers come with the sets so everything co-ordinates.  I used the individual flowers for the corners and the sentiment that comes in the set too.  I am no longer on the design team so this is not an official endorsement but I do love Doodle Pantry so I am letting you know how much and recommending that you check out their huge store.  I have so many of their digital sets so one of my goals this year is to use some I have never used.  This is in direct conflict with my other goal which is to use more of my clear and rubber stamps that sit on the shelf.  I guess the only solution is to make cards every day so I can use both!

The die cut is Spellbinders Stately Circles.

Challenges:
Double D - photo inspiration
Simon Says Monday - new
Simon Says Wednesday - new
Dies R Us - new
Word Art Wednesday - anything
DLArt - January challenge

Feline Valentine

Here is another Valentine for Send A Smile 4 Kids this time using a sketch at From the Heart.

Very simple.  I used a piece of vellum embossed with a Darice EF.  Image was cut with Spellbinder dies.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Send A Smile 4 Kids - valentines
Crafty Sentiments - anything
DLArt - anything
Crop Stop - anything (Darice Hearts EF)
From the Heart - sketch

My Heart Forever

Here is a Valentine's card I made CASEing Laura Basson's beautiful card.

For this card I did several techniques that I have never done before.  One was multiple stamping with the same stamp, creating the whole card front.  The other thing was to stamp with four shades of ink for an ombre technique.
The next pic is that of Laura's card so you can see what I cased.

I love those loops around the sentiment so I used gold cording.
My heart stamp and the sentiments are both  GKD sets by Tami Mayberry.  Sentiment is cut with a Simon Says banner.

Challenges:
Dies R Us- somthing new
Die Cut Divas - something new
Stamplorations - CASE
Simon Monday - something new
Simon Wednesday - something new
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Crafty Sentiments - anything
Creative Moments - anything

 

Kittens

Aren't kittens just so cute?  Too bad they grow into cats.  No offense to all you cat lovers.
Here is a really cute image, new this month, by From the Heart.  I thought it would make a really cute Valentine.

The sketch is at Die Cuttin Divas

The circles are cut with MFT Circle Stax, tag is Spellbinder and the hearts are Cuttlebug.

Challenges:
Stampin Boutique - anything
Dies R Us - new

Die Cut Divas - new
Simon Monday - new
Simon Wednesday - new
Word Art Wednesday - anything
From the Heart - new stamp of the month
Paper Creators - anything
Die Cuttin Divas - sketch
DLArt - January challenge

My Favorite Day

My favorite day is going to be here before we know it.  I'm talking about Valentine's Day.  I love it.  Crazy too, because it is my husband's least favorite day and therefore he totally ignores it.  But I love it anyway and make more cards for this day than any other.
One thing on my "to do" list this year is to make cards for Send a Smile 4 Kids.  This is new to me but I am pretty excited about doing it.  So here is the first card for that organization. (I actually made eight of this card).

On my computer, I printed the words four places on the sheet so that I could cut four card front panels.  After cutting and trimming to correct size, I ran them through the Cuttlebug with a Darice EF.
The red and white hearts (first time I have used this file) and the image are all cut with the Silhouette.  The image is Doodle Pantry Little Boy Valentine.  I used a pre-colored version. (Look at all the coloring I saved myself!)
Now for the fun part.  This would be a cute enough card (at least I think so) but I wanted to make it really fun for a child so I made a wobble and put it on the back of the truck.
How do you photograph a moving piece?  And I am too inept to know how to include a video so this next pic is a poor attempt at showing you the moving truck. You will have to take my word for it that it really wiggles and gives my child-like heart great pleasure twanging it!!!

So there you have it.  I think I am going to make a few more for my grandsons.  Maybe they will get as big a kick out of it as their gramma!

Challenges:
Send a Smile 4 Kids - valentines
Simon Monday - new
Crafty Sentiments - anything
AllSorts -what's new
Sweet Stampin - new
Little Scrap Pieces - anything
Paper Creators - anything
Doodle Pantry - AIMPC 13
Word Art Wednesday -  anything
Simon Wednesday - something new
Crop Stop - Darice EF, score tape
Die Cut Divas - something new