Merry Little Christmas Time

Hello Everyone!

It's a new month and that means the start of a new monthly challenge

over on the Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog.

 

 

Do you remember a stamp company named LaBlanc from the early 2000's?  Well this is one of their stamps and I've always loved the vintage Santa images so of course I just had to have this stamp in my collection.  

 

I've done some simple pencil coloring and added this sweet 'Boy on Sled' silhouette by Impression Obsession (DIE108) as an accent.  You know what they say about 'He sees you when your sleeping ... he knows when you're awake!'   Well it looks like he's watching when you're out sledding too!  LOL

 

I hope you've enjoyed today's Christmas card and I can't wait to see what you create and share over at the Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by and wishing you a fabulous week ahead!

As always ...

 

Creating with something new . . .

Hello Dear Friends & Happy Friday!

Isn't this BEAUTIFUL?

Today I have a card to share using a new stencil & die I purchased thanks to my BFF & 1st Class Enabler Diane (Nellie's Nest).  These new fun products are from a company named Del Bello's Designs and the stencil is called Christmas Snowflake Flourish Bauble Stencil from their Sweet Poppy line.  Isn't it awesome!!

I couldn't resist and just had to order the coordinating die too.  This stencil JUST came back in stock so if you want one, don't hesitate ... get it ordered NOW!!  What beautiful Christmas cards I will be sending this year!  Oh yea, I was telling you about the coordinating die ...

This company is so, so nice and FAST shipping too!  Which is always a plus in my book!  I hate waiting for weeks ... with some companies, by the time it gets here I've forgotten what to do with it!  LOL  Ever have that happen??

I have used various TH distress oxide inks for the inking on my stencil.  The image is by Stampscapes, called Lakeside Cabin - 147F.   I used a Tombow Marker #977 to color in the cabin. White Nuvo Crystal drops & a Paper Rose holiday sentiment die were used to complete my card.

 Entering the following challenges:

Christmas Craft Creations - ATG
July Rudolph Days - ATG

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday Challenge - Christmas In July

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - ATG
Word Art Wednesday - ATG

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - ATG 

The Male Room Challenge - Christmas in July

Here are a few of my first attempts with this fabulous stencil.  Not too shabby for my first try but attempt #5 is the only one I felt deserved to be turned into a card  to share today.  I'm sure I will get better at my ink shading in time ... might need to watch a few YouTube videos for some tips & tricks.

I hope you'll check out this new (to me) Del Bello's Designs company and if you enjoy magical/mystical products, they also carry a line of Lavinia that you'll want to scope out!
 

 Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Wishing you a FABULOUS weekend ahead!
As always . . .

Two Hot To Work - Part 2

Hello Friends . . .

Remember the other day when I posted this card, created by cutting up one of the many contribution cards  I have on hand?

Well today I'm sharing the card I made using the other portion of the same image that I had cut off to create the first card.  You know what they say ... Waste Not, Want Not! 

Isn't it amazing and fun to see what you can do by upcycling something that would have just gone to waste.  Well I do give my contribution cards to the church for them to use since I make my own but still ... from time to time I like to cut one up and see what can be done (quickly).

Since I had cut this image through the picture, that left one side without a border.  I simply adhered it to a scrap of white card stock then added a strip of yellow satin ribbon to give it a little extra character and hide the seam at the same time.

The background panel is a very old scrap piece from a 12x12 paper, I've placed the image at a slight angle and then die cut out the letters to create the word HELLO. 
VIOLA ... ready to mail a quick note to a friend who I haven't seen since Covid hit!

Well, there ya have it!
What are you creating today?
Doesn't have to be a papercraft!  Maybe you're sewing or cooking something!
Would love to hear about it!

Have a wonderful day ... stay healthy ... that Covid Monster is still lurking about!!

As always,

Make The Cards Challenge #26

 

 Welcome back friends!

It's time for a new challenge over on  Make The Cards Challenge.

Today we are having a skektch challenge ...

 

 My first thought was a slimline card for this sketch but between my computer and my worktable I totally forgot that point (old age ya know, lol) and began my background panel on a 4x6 watercolor sheet  ... ugh!  So an A6 card it is!  LOL

To get the background silhouette, I knew I wanted to use a technique I had seen on one of my friends blogs where you ink up a watercolor panel using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink, THEN spritz your stamp with water and stamp down.  Of course the water reacts with the oxide ink and pulls the color back off.

Silly me spritzed the stamp with too much water so I totally lost the image so I stamped the image again using a slightly darker shade of TH green oxide ink.

I reached into my scrap pile for the three horizontal panels and used one of the words from the Sue Wilson (CED5430) Friendship die set for my sentiment.  The bee was laying on the corner of the work table so of course I had to add him as an embellishment.   'Which means, now my sentiment reads "Bee Grateful" LOL. 

 I hope you'll come join in our challenge fun ... here's the link for you one more time ...

Make The Cards Challenge

 As always . . .

  Don't forget to check out the *NEW CHALLENGE BLOG* we (BFF Diane & myself) have starting on September 1st.  DT Call is now open ... would love to have you apply.  Please pop over for all the details here:  FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE BLOG

Sisterhood of Crafters - The Ocean is Calling and I Must Go!

  Hello my friends!

Today I have a card for the new challenge over on The Sisterhood of Crafters!

Our theme, chosen by Birgit this time around, is:

 

The Ocean is Calling and I Must Go!

 

As you can see, I have taken Birgit's theme quite literally and created an under the ocean scene using a variety of dies I have in my stash.  To be quite honest, I had this background panel laying on the work table for quite some time and decided today was the day to put it to use.  Product used are:

Tim Holtz 'Bubbles Layering Stencil' (THS138)

 

 Tutti Designs 'Slimline Cross Stitched Rectangles'

 

Frantic Stamper Angel Fish (FRA-DIE-09509)
Little B Mermaid (102413)
Joy! Craft 'Diver' (6002/0767)

Computer generated sentiment.

 

I hope you'll come join in our challenge fun at The Sisterhood of Crafters!
My 'sistahs' have created some fabulous creations to help inspire you ... 

be sure to pop over and check them out!

As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!

Don't forget to check out the *NEW CHALLENGE BLOG* we (BFF Diane & myself) have starting on September 1st.  DT Call is now open ... would love to have you apply.  Please pop over for all the details here:  FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE BLOG

 

*** EXCITING NEWS - HAVE YOU HEARD? ***

Hello Friends ...

Have you heard about the new challenge blog my BFF Diane & I have put together?  I know ... call us crazy!!  LOL    It's going to be a little different and I think you're going to like it ... please be sure to check out all the details!   

It's called FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE BLOG and we have a DT CALL going on right now and extends through the end of July.  The challenges will begin on September 1st, so you'll want to be sure to check it out and mark your calendars so you don't miss out on the fun.  

Hope to see you there!!
This is going to be FUN!!!

Too hot to work so let's craft . . .

Hello dear friends!  I hope this finds you all healthy & happy!  

As my title indicates, I find it to be too hot outside to work on our outdoor project (99.8% complete ... photos coming soon) so  I'm taking advantage of the situation and hanging out in my crafting cave.  I've had a lot of catching up to do and with that now being accomplished, I decided to play in a challenge or two and here's what I've come up with.

The challenge that caught my eye was the Less is More Challenge where the theme is:

and the card we were to case is this one ...

I made this card in a matter of minutes since I upcycled one of the many cards I have from various companies that we make contributions to.  I cut the card front from the backing then did a few more cuts before putting it together on my new card front and adding a sentiment.  Quick, Easy and I think really, really cute!!

Challenges to share in:

My Time to Craft Challenge #462 - No Patterned Papers
A Bit More Time to Craft July Challenge - Anything Goes
Love to Craft July Challenge - Anything Goes

Well, it's finally cooled off a bit so I guess I'd better head outside and get some work done. 
Thanks for stopping by ... sure appreciate your support!

As always . . .

Make The Cards Challenge #25

 Welcome back friends!

It's time for a new challenge over on  Make The Cards Challenge.

Today we are having a themed challenge ...

 

Oh my goodness ... I had so much fun with this card and I'm truly amazed how much I like how it turned out.  I simply went with the three steps above and VIOLA!!!

• For my sunshine I've used the Sue Wilson 'Ray of Light' (CED7104) die and cut it from marigold cardstock.  
• For my 3 flowers, I've used an older Memory Box die called 'Large Antilles Floral Right Corner' (#99690) cut once from white card stock so I could color the flowers with my Tombow markers and a second time from lime green card stock.  I then snipped the flowers from one panel and glued them to the other.
• For my 2 lady bugs, I dipped into my scrapbook supplies and found these cute ladybug stickers.

Of course I felt I needed a sentiment so I die cut the Frantic Stamper 'Brush Script Hello' from white card stock and colored it using the same Tombow marker I used for the flowers.

 So there you have it!
How cute is this card and it took no time at all. 
I love being on this DT ... each week the required project makes me think outside the box and be a little more creative ... love that!

I hope you'll come join in our challenge fun ... here's the link for you one more time ...

Make The Cards Challenge

 As always . . .

 

Don't forget to check out the *NEW CHALLENGE BLOG* we (BFF Diane & myself) have starting on September 1st.  DT Call is now open ... would love to have you apply.  Please pop over for all the details here:  FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE BLOG

 

Double D Challenge - Colors of Summer

 

 Hello Dear Friends!

It's time once again for a new challenge over on the Double D Challenge Blog!

I'm happy to say I am hosting today's challenge and today's theme is:

 

 Colors of Summer

  

and here's an inspiration board I've created to help get you started . . .

 

 I have had this paper & I even bought the coordinating brads several years ago while visiting my BFF and other half of Double D, Diane.  Even though the colors are not totally reminiscent of those on the inspiration board, they are still the colors (and yumminess) of summer.

The prize offering to one lucky player this challenge is this fabulous set of ink pads:

 Nuvo Diamond Hybrid Ink Pads - Tropical

 But you have to play to win!!

 Be sure to pop over to our Double D Challenge Blog and check out what the design team ladies have created ... they are amazingly talented and I'm sure you'll find more wonderful inspiration!

Hope to see you there!

As always . . .

Don't forget to check out the *NEW CHALLENGE BLOG* we (BFF Diane & myself) have starting on September 1st.  DT Call is now open ... would love to have you apply.  Please pop over for all the details here:  FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE BLOG

 

Perfectly CAS Challenge #17

 

  Hello Friends!Today starts a new challenge over on the Perfectly CAS Challenge Blog. 
Here's our theme for the month of July:

 I have many embossing folders but today I chose the Provo Craft - Cuttlebug folder called 'Honeycomb'.  By using a golden yellow card stock for my base card, I simply embossed the right 1/3 and then added a 1/2" strip of black card stock.

 My bees were created using Dee's Distinctively Bee Set (IME230).  I die cut from the same golden yellow (a scrap) and a scrap of black card stock then combined them to make my bees.

 

I hope you will join in the challenge - just make sure you understand the rules.

For all the rules check out the 'How To Play' TAB under our challenge header.

The challenge is all about helping you stay
within 1/3 of your card to make sure it is CAS.

 

Challenges to share in:

 A Bit More Time to Craft July Challenge - AG

A Perfect Time to Craft July Challenge - AG

Daisy Chainn Challenge #54 - Use dies and/or Stencils

Dies R Us Challenge #173 - AG

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Emboss It

I look forward to seeing what you create.

 Thanks so much for stopping by!
As always . . .

 

 

Don't forget to check out the *NEW CHALLENGE BLOG* we (BFF Diane & myself) have starting on September 1s.  DT Call is now open ... would love to have you apply.  Please pop over for all the details here:  FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE BLOG

 

Make The Cards Challenge #24

 

 Welcome back friends!

It's time for a new challenge over on  Make The Cards Challenge.

Today we are having a color challenge ...

 

And a new term begins today which means HELLO to a few new members and GOOD-BYE to a few others.  Here's our 3rd Quarter DT group:

 

 Believe it or not, I struggle with color challenges!  Half of my brain keeps going to a simple color block design but the other half says "NO! ... you can do better than that!"  So while going through my MANY design papers I came across this awesome Amy Designs 'Underwater' 6x6 2-sided pack and found this beautiful sheet. 

 

It's bright colors on one side and the same design in muted colors on the other side ... pretty cool.  If you look closely, you will see all four of these colors are within the design.  I've added a dot of each color using Nuvo Crystal Drops across the top of the sentiment panel just as a color reference.

The scuba diver was one of eight images on the flip side of the 'sand panel' so I did a bit of fussy cutting and popped him up to accent the sentiment which is from Stampscapes.

I hope you'll come join in our challenge fun ... here's the link for you one more time ...

Make The Cards Challenge

 As always . . .

 

Don't forget to check out the *NEW CHALLENGE BLOG* we (BFF Diane & myself) have starting on September 1s.  DT Call is now open ... would love to have you apply.  Please pop over for all the details here:  FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE BLOG