Thinking of You

 Morning Friends . . .

I have a quick card to share with you this morning using elements that have been sitting around my crafting cave for awhile now.

 The background design was created by using up some of the many designer paper scraps I have on hand and the flower was made (along with many others) a few years back when a friend & I got together and spent a day making flowers using Heartfelt Creations stamps & dies.  The sentiment is from an old Stampendous stamp set.

Quick & Easy . . . Hope you like it and are inspired to grab some of those elements you've just had sitting around in your craft room and turn them into a beautiful card like I have today. 

 Challenges to share in:

 Dragonfly Dreams April Challenge - CAS (ends 5/1)

 C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #778 - ATG (ends 4/30)

 Creative Inspirations Challenge #37 - ATG (ends 4/30)

 Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,
I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!!

As always . . .

 

Pick 3 Challenge Time #4

 Hello friends!

It's time again for a fun new challenge over on the Pick 3 Challenge Blog.  

Here's this months Elements Board . . . 

 

  Here's what I've created  . . .

 

The elements I've chosen today are: 

 Friend - Boots - Rain

 
For my background 'rain' element, I've used a never before used 3D embossing folder from my stash that I actually think BFF Diane sent to me a few years back, by Sizzix and called 'Rain Clouds'.

My 'boot & friend' elements come from one of a few Tonic Craft Kits that I bought awhile back but forgot about until today when I remembered the one kit was called 'Boots & Bouquets'.  I've colored my stamped image using Tombow markers and die cut the sentiment & boot using the coordinating dies in the kit.

 

 This is such a fun challenge to create for!  
Half the work is already done for you once you choose your 3 elements!

Points to Remember:

• Your Project must contain at least 3 of the 6 elements given.
• Please tell us which elements your project contains.
• A Limit of 6 Entries per Challenge.
• Check back to see if you're a Winner!

You have until the 17th of the next month to link your project.  
The Winner and Top Picks of each challenge will be announced on the next new challenge post starting the 20th of that next month.

Challenges to share in:

DL.ART Thankful Thursday Challenge #391 - ATG optional: Showers (ends 4/30)
Time Out Challenge #311 - Pick 2 - RAIN & BLOOM (ends 4/29)



 I Spy with my Little Eye  Chlg #35 & 36 - Spring Flowers / Spring Showers (ends 5/17)
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie Chlg #215 - April - Rainy Days (ends 4/30)
 Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #274 - April Showers (ends 4/27)

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,
I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!!

As always . . .

 

Peace on Earth Challenge #110

 

Hello Friends and welcome back to my blog! 
SO happy you stopped by!

Today I have a card to share for the new challenge over on the PEACE ON EARTH CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE BLOG.  Of course the theme is Anything Christmas and we hope you'll come join in the fun! 

Here's a fun inspiration board we've created to help get you started ...

 

I just LOVE the old Red Barns as well as the Red Covered Bridges!  I live a half hour away from Amish Country in southern Ohio and when we go down there shopping I enjoy seeing all the barns in that area.

  Today I printed an image from online ... die cut it using the frame from a holiday die set in my stash then matted it in red card stock to bring more focus to the barn.  The background paper of white poinsettias is a scrap left over from creating purse gift card holders last Fall and was purchased at Hobby Lobby.  My sentiment dies are by Heartfelt Creations and were an RAK sent to me by my N.C. friend Sandy.  She also die cut extra white panels so I could glue them together for added dimension.    The snowflake is another die from my stash.

 PLEASE be sure to pop over to THE BLOG and check out the amazing designs our design team has created for your inspiration.  What a group of talented ladies!!  Then come join in the fun!!  

 As always ... thanks again for stopping by!

With Sympathy

 Happy Saturday Friends
and welcome back to my blog!  
So happy you stopped by today!

I've created a card to share today that satisfies an unfortunate need. 

 Sadly, I find myself needed more & more sympathy cards these days so the 'Sympathy' challenge over on the CAS on FRIDAY blog caught my eye and I quickly created this card.

The rainbow background paper I felt was fitting . . . this is the backside of one of the A2 panels in my Blue Knight Stamps 'Stormy Sky' paper pack. 

 

 The floral stamp is by Impression Obsession and the sentiment stamp comes from my 'Doni Collection' and is by Paper Smooches.  I used a yellow Tombow Marker to color in the flower centers.  

Other challenges to share in:

Krafty Chicks Challenge #816 - CAS (ends 4/20) #kraftychickschallenge


 

 Fab'n'Funky Challenge #635 - CAS (ends 4/28)

 Well that's it for me today.
Hope to see you back here again tomorrow!
Until then . . .

Born to be Wild

 Hello Friends . . . Happy Friday!

Today's card was a very quick, easy & fun card to create!
There were a few challenges out in blogland that I wanted to join in on so I combined them and came up with this card.  Very easy peasy thanks to Mr. Monkey which came from a set of  Zoo Animal Cut Outs (#1965821) purchased at Hobby Lobby and the sentiment is from a 'Repeat Impressions' set I've had in my stash for years and rarely think to use them.

 Challenges I'm sharing in are:

 Little Red Wagon #854 - Inspired by a Song (ends 4/22)
Song is:  Steppenwolf - Born to be Wild (Easy Rider - 1969)

 Critter Crazy Challenge #109 - ATG with featured critter (ends 4/25) 

 Crafty Animals #104 - ATG with animal (ends 4/27) 

Krafty Chicks #816 - CAS (ends 4/20)

Fab'n'Funky #635 - Clean & Simple (ends 4/28)
Alphabet Challenge - Z for Zoology (ends 4/30)

I hope you have a fabulous weekend ahead!  
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by! 

 As always . . .

 

Fractured Backgrounds . . .

 Hello Friends . . .

I've spent the last couple afternoons creating fractured backgrounds using those 12 x 4 scraps I purchased at Stamplistics a few weeks back.  They were 50-55 panels for $2.99 and all double sided. So needless to say, over the next year you'll probably see several cards created with a fractured card design background. lol

From each group of coordinating papers I put together at the store, I've been able to create at least 5 A6 background panels from each set. Here are the panels & card I've created with the yellow/orange scraps.

 

For my card I created a fractured design with a white panel in the center in order to showcase this pretty flower that was stamped from a Penny Black stamp set called 'finest petals'.  After stamping I colored the flowers using Tombow markers then fussy cut with scissors & a swivel craft knife.

 

 The sentiment is from Tutti Designs and Black Nuvo Crystal Drops were used for additional dimension.

I hope you've enjoyed today's share. 
Happy Day and thanks so much for taking the time to stop by! 

 As always . . .

 

Double D - Tea or Coffee

 Hello Dear Friends!

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

 

Here's today's theme:

 

TEA or COFFEE

 

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

 

 

 I could have gone in so many directions on today's card but here's what I ended up with and I'm very happy with the outcome  . . .

 

 As you all know, I just love these 3D toppers!  They make such a quick & lovely card!  This one is from the Hearty Crafts 'Coffee & Tea' (#HC9069).  I had the frame hanging on my extras peg board and thought the 'chocolate' color would work well with the coffee theme.  My background paper comes from a 6x6  pack called 'Coffee Break' by P13 (thanks Diane for the RAK).  

 

   

 

You'll want to be sure to pop over to the Double D Challenge Blog to see all the details and amazing samples offered up by our VERY TALENTED design team ladies!!

 Thanks so much for stopping by!
Hope to see you at Double D! 

  As always . . .

 

Bee-autiful Birthday

 Hello Friends!

I hope your Tuesday is off to a good start!
I'm happy to say I have already done some outside work this morning until it started to sprinkle then decided to take a break for awhile and hopefully go back out to do more a little later in the morning.

Anyways, I decided to other day to create a (think it's called) double Z fold card and use the happy BEE stamp/papers that were laying out on my table from a previous card commitment.  What do you think?

 

 

 Open View

 

The focus image flowers & bee are from a Hero Arts Kit stamp set that I bought several years ago and just love!  I'm not typically one who buys 'kits' but luckily when I saw that one & it caught my eye, I quickly made the purchase . . . it didn't take long to sell out, never to come back again.
 

I've used Tombow markers for my coloring and the paper is from the Eco Park Paper Co. called 'Bee Happy'.  I need to see if they still handle this 6 x 6 pad as I'm nearly out!  

Such an easy card fold, I should make more of this style ... I think the folks at my craft show would like it!  For them, it would be 'something different!' 

 Challenges to share in:

Colorful Options April Challenge - Celebrating Yellow (ends 4/28)

Creative Creases April Challenge - ATG w/fun fold (ends 4/30)

Girlz Rebel Challenge #51 - Flowers (ends 5/8)

Well, that's my share for today!

Hopefully the rains will pass by and I can return to my spring clean up outside.  Lord knows I have a lot of it staring me in the face!  LOL

Happy Day All and thanks so much for taking the time to stop by! 

 As always . . .

 

Too Much of a Good Thing . . .

 Hello Friends . . .

Here we are at the start of yet another week (wow they sure are going by quickly) and even though I should be either doing house work or outside work I chose to create a card to share here on my blog after being inspired by KathyK's card HERE while doing my challenge blog commenting. 

 I have had this Penny Black stamp set (Allegro) for years and had totally forgotten about it until seeing Kathy's card.  

 

It was always one of my favorites!  Obviously over the years my 'stash' has increased & some of those oldies but goodies have gotten forgotten. 

 The current challenge over on the Penny Black Challenge Blog is Anything Goes w/Optional 'Pastel Colours' so of course I just had to play along!  Here's what I've created . . .

 

Taking a white card stock panel I used the residual ink in my small figure sponges to create the pastel background colors.  Then a light spray of TH distress ink spray.  After a little time to dry, it was time for stamping.  I finished off my image panel with a few pastel colored Nuvo Crystal Drops.

 I find such wonderful inspiration from my fellow crafters ... thanks Kathy!!

 Challenges to share in:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #275 - ATG (ends 4/18) TOP 5 WINNER
We Love Stamping April Challenge - Spring (ends 4/30)
Allsorts Challenge #847 - In the Garden or ATG (ends 4/25)

Well that's it for today!
Once again time is getting away from me here in my crafting cave so I'd better quit playing around and go get some serious work done lol.  Hope you have a wonderful day ahead!

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

Making backgrounds from scraps . . .

 Hello Friends . . . Happy Sunday!

Today the sun is shining and the temps are supposed to be in the 70s so that means I'm headed outside to do some much needed spring flower bed clean up but before I do that, I wanted to share with you a couple of cards I created while playing around with the 'scraps' I got while shopping at the Stamplistics store up Cleveland way a couple weeks ago.  

They do classes at Stamplistics so they end up with a lot of 12x12 end cuts to do something with.  Wisely, they have them all stacked & laid out neatly where you can selected what you want and however many fit in the clear bag they offer (usually 50-55 sheets) you can purchase for under $3.  I went through and chose some coordinating papers and have finally started creating some background panels from them. 

 For instance . . . here's one of the groups of papers I chose and cut them into strips to created these four background panels ... they are next to be turned into cards.

      

The fractured card technique is perfect for scraps and there are so many variations!

 

Card #1 
This is a group of blues & greens that I chose and how fun that the flip side of one panel had trains on it . . . perfect for a Baby Boy Card.  

 

 After creating the background I simply went to my book of baby dies and came up with this cute train and It's a Boy sentiments..  Viola!   While the images were still in the dies I did my coloring with Tombow markers.

 

 Card #2 
is a pretty Birthday card ... again, the background is created from scraps that I thought would go nicely together.  What do you think?

 

 I didn't want to cover the background so I decided to stamp/color & fussy cut this pretty Simon Says 'Wild & Free Flowers' stamp.  Water coloring was done with Tombow markers, the sentiment flag was laying on the work table left over from a past project so stamped my birthday sentiment & added a few Nuvo Crystal Drops for accent.   OH ... and after photographing I realized I should have rounded the corners of my base card to match in with my purple matting so did that and rephotographed.  
Much Better!  LOL

Challenges to share in:

We Love Stamping April Challenge - SPRING (ends 4/30)
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Favorite Color (ends 4/25)  Purple has ALWAYS been my favorite color!!

Addicted to Stamps & More #514 - Any Occasion (4/15)

 Well that's it for today!
Lunch time is quickly approaching so I'd better quit playing around in here and go get some serious work done lol.  Hope you have a wonderful day ahead!

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

Can You Handle the Pressure - Twist - Blue on Blue

 Hello Friends, thanks for stopping by today!

We have a new challenge starting today over on our new Can You Handle The Pressure Challenge Blog and the TWIST theme is ...

Blue on Blue

Remember, the twist is optional but you MUST use an embossing folder on your projects to qualify for the prize.  Heat embossing is also permitted but only in conjunction with an embossing folder.

 Here's what I've created to inspire you today ...

 

 Quick, Easy and so much fun to create!

 

I've used an old swiss dot embossing folder then a variety of TH distress oxide blue inks to create my background.  The flower cluster is a topper from the Hearty Crafts 'Flowers Blue/Violet' Easy 3D Topper set.  The sentiment is from the Rubbernecker '#3494 Birthday Lillies Set' and I've used a die from the Cottage Cutz #CCB021 'Double Stitched Rectangle Set' for the panel. 

 

     

 

 

 I do hope you'll come check out our challenge blog and play along.

Challenges to share in: 

 Creative Knock Outs #568 - Embossing (ends 4/15) ✓
Make My Monday #275 - Monotone (ends 4/19) ✓

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,
I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!!

As always . . .

Heartfelt Condulences

 Hello Friends . . . Happy Friday!

WOW!  Another week has gone by and time is just zipping by!!  Need to make the best of each & every day because they seem to be passing by faster than they used to!  LOL

Anyways ... with that being said, I was in need of a quick sympathy card so turned to my Blue Knight Stamps products and created this card.  

 

After convention a few weeks ago, I stamped, colored and cut several of the  Blue Knight Blossoming Branches Stamps/dies to have on hand for such times as this.

         

 

The background paper is the 'back side' from the Misty Moons 6x6 papers.

 

 |
The stamped sentiment comes from my 'Doni Collection' and is from one of her Paper Smooches stamp sets.  Well . . . busy day ahead so I'd best get after it!

**  UPDATE ** 

After all was said and done, there was 'something' that bothered me about this card and finally decided it was 'missing' something!  Crazy as it may sound, I'm not happy with a sky that doesn't have birds in it so here we go . . .

 THERE!  THAT'S BETTER!  lol

Have a wonderful day my friends and thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today!

As always . . .