Christmas is Right Around the Corner!

OH!  SMACK MY MOUTH!!!  LOL
Hello Again!

Well, we are at it again!  LOL

BFF Diane (Nellie's Nest) has challenged me to participate in the

current The Paper Players Challenge and I accepted (call us crazy .. like we don't both already have a ton of things to do! lol)  But this just looked like too much fun to pass up!

Here is the sketch we are to follow ...

What do you think??

I REALLY need to get going on all the holiday cards
I am going to be needing this year so that was my choice of theme
for this fabulous sketch.  And, all the panels came from one
particular paper pad ... Carta Bella 'A Very Merry Christmas'

I used the Tutti Designs 'Stitched Nesting Tags' 

for my tag element and Baker's Twine for the embellishment.
At the last minute I spotted this  Sue Wilson 'Frosty Snowflake Border'
laying on my work table and decided to add it to the bottom.



 While putting my card together, I first had the panels laid out on a white card base but didn't like how it looked with this 'vintage' styled design paper so I switched to a red card base ... then I still didn't think the panels stood out enough so I decided to edge each panel with a wide tip Silver Pilot marker ... that was better!

INSIDE

YAY!  One more card created to add to the Christmas Card Stack!
NOW, I best get back to that long ToDo List that MUST get done today!  LOL
But, this sure was fun and I hope you'll come play along!  I love a good sketch challenge!!
Be sure to pop over to Diane's blog to see what she has created 

Challenges to share in:
The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge #33 - ATG Christmas
Scraps of Life by Scrapymo - July Rudolph Days Challenge
Die Cutting Diva's Challenge #380 - ATG
Allsorts Challenge Week 278/9 - Tags
Cute Card Thursday Challenge - #541 - ATG

Until next time . . .

Thanks so much for stopping by...

As always . . .

Dies R Us Inspiration - You Are A Star!

Hello All!

Today I'm filling in for DT member Felicita over on the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog!

 

Through the month of July the planets in our solar system were the closest and brightest they have been or will be for many years and hubby & I had been keeping a watch each evening.  It's been fascinating!  Being able to see the brightness & red color of Mars even when it was positioned close to an almost full moon was amazing.  So that is what was my inspiration for today's creation.

 

 

Product used are as follows:

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Tim Holtz Oxide Distress Ink

Memory Box Open Studio 'Over the Moon and Stars'

Lawn Fawn 'How You Bean?' Stars Add-On

 

Memory Box 'Beloved Stars' #99056 (Out of Stock)

 

Once I decided I wanted to use Moon & Stars as my theme, I had to create my night sky and here's how that came about.  First I sponged on my various distress inks onto my card stock going lightest color to darkest using large sponge daubers.  Being sure to leave some 'light' in the center.

 

 After applying the blue colors, I wanted to add that 'night sky' darkness and used the Oxide Black Soot ink and a small finger dauber for that process.  I didn't want to get too much black so used the small dauber vs the larger ones.  After applying the black, I went over the outside edge with the large sponge dauber used for my darkest blue shade (Faded Jeans) to smooth things out.

Next I wanted to add some background stars so mixed up some white paint with water and applied with a painters brush in a 'stippling' motion ... very lightly.  The paint I used has a pearl finish so it has a sheen depending on how you look at the card.

Now it's time to gather all my pieces and start assembly.

 I die cut 3 of the larges stars in the Memory Box set and before gluing them together, I snipped the 'bow' from the beloved stars die cut and glued it between star #1 and #2.

 

Obviously the moon was die cut from a piece of yellow card stock and the extra stars from the die cut were also positioned here and there around the main star.

 

 

I've used my Tim Holtz positioning platform for the stamping on the star.  Would have been easier had I thought to do that FIRST before I had my card all assembled but I'm still happy with the end result.

 

I hope you've enjoyed what I've shared today!

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
 CHALLENGE BLOG
  FACEBOOK
  INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

As always . . .

 

Summer Time

Hello All!

I can't believe we are already into the month of August!  I still have so many things I want to do before the weather changes ... but maybe I'm getting ahead of myself!   With the way the climate has changed here in Ohio, we won't get snow until 2019 so I still have plenty of time!  LOL

Today Diane (Nellie's Nest) and I are challenging each other again to join in the same fun challenge and inspire each other with what we created.  I chose Addicted to CAS as our challenge blog to participate in today because I need all the CAS practice I can get!  Their theme this time around is SUMMERTIME.

For the background on my card I have used Tim Holtz Distress Broken China ink and a large sponge dauber.  And for my summertime scene I've used the Taylored Expression 'Beach Border' die.  It was cut from white card stock and colored using my Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.  Then, popped up using dimensional tape.

As many of you know, hubby & I took a month long holiday in May and visited some of the islands of French Polynesia!  OMG they were so amazing!  So this was my SUMMERTIME inspiration.  We actually stayed in a tiki hut out in the beautiful blue waters of Tahiti ... awesome!

INSIDE

The birds on the front of my card is a stamp from Stampscapes and the inside sentiment is a stamp by Endless Creations.   The palm tree on the inside is a die by Frantic Stamper called Tall Palm Tree.  My rectangle sentiment panel was die cut using the Tutti Designs Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangles and I sponged the edge using the same Tim Holtz blue ink.

Challenges to share in:

Catch the Bug Photo Challenge at Bugaboo

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - CAS

Stamplorations CAS Challenge - Summer Vacation

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Make Your Own Background

Cards in Envy Challenge - On the Beach

Well that's it for me today!  I'm so happy you have taken the time to stop by and say hello!
Be sure to pop over to Diane's blog to see what she has created

Have a great weekend ahead!

As always . . .

Exciting News . . .

Hello Everyone!

I have some exciting news to share with you today!

There's a new challenge blog out there in blogland  and I'm on the design team!

Our first challenge begins TODAY!

How about that!  What fun!

This new challenge blog I'm referring to is the  

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog.

This is a monthly challenge with an Anything Goes Christmas theme.

You can enter up to 5 times and you can also share your creation with as many other challenges as you wish!

Being on this team will certainly help me get in the mood to make holiday cards.  I always wait until Fall then run out of time getting everything created I need. 

I hope you'll come check out this new challenge and then join in the fun!

Here's what I have to share with you today!

This beautiful white-on-white creation is actually 1 of 20 I was commissioned to make for a friend in North Carolina.   Here's how it came together . . .

 

First I gathered together the dies I needed and they consisted of:

Spellbinder Holiday (S6-040) '5x7 Holly Frame'

Cheery Lynn Designs (B481)  'Joy to the World'

Memory Box (98390) 'Leaping Deer'

Since all of these dies were intricate, I used a sheet of wax

paper between my paper and my dies.  Made it SO MUCH EASIER. 

After adhering my 5x7 frame background panel to 

my A6 cards using my tape runner, I adhered the holly 

circle using Art Glitter white glue.

Step 2:   I adhered the corner die using the white glue just inside

the holly frame.

Step 3:  The 'Joy to the World' was next to be positioned

inside my holly wreath.

Lastly, I added dimensional tape to the back

of my leaping deer and adhered him

on the left side of my card.

VIOLA!

All I need now is a sentiment for the inside and these cards are ready to

be on their way to N.C.

Here's another peek at the finished card . . .

A few drops of Nuvo White Crystal Drops were added for balance.

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.

Challenges to share in:
Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge - Holidays
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Christmas
Fab n' Funky Challenge - Christmas in July

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you are having a fabulous week!

As always ...

Double D - Don't BUG Me!

Hello Friends!

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

Team Diane is hosting today and the theme is:

Don't Bug Me!

Here's what I've created using a VERY OLD  Stampin' Up stamp set (circa 2006).

And, here's the fabulous mood board Diane has created for your inspiration:

I stamped my image onto Vellum and white card stock.

Using various blue & green Spectrum Noir alcohol markers to color in the backside of the dragonfly, I then used a spray adhesive to adhere it to the card stock image.  The white card stock image was previously die cut using the Tutti Designs Scalloped Stitched Square die set.

To create my accent panel behind the dragonfly panel, I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks to create a panel I would use to die cut.  I used 'cracked pistachio' and 'peacock feathers' onto watercolor paper.

After my panel was dry, I die cut it with this fun Dee's Distinctively 'Lattice 1' die.

A few accent dots of White Nuvo Crystal Drops and my card is complete.

I hope you'll come join in our challenge fun!
 YOU could be the lucky winner of a fabulous prize offered up by Diane!
Here's what is up for grabs this challenge ...

An assortment of butterfly, ladybug and insect stickers for card making.

 
 So be sure to pop over to the Double D Challenge Blog to see all the details and amazing samples created by our VERY TALENTED design team ladies!!

Challenges to share in:
Crafting by Design August Challenge - ATG
Creative Moments Challenge #149 - ATG
Ellibelle's Creative Moments August Challenge - Feature a Creature

Thanks so much for stopping by!

  Hope to see you at Double D!

As always . . .

Dies R Us - Black & White

Hello Everyone ... Happy Wednesday!

Today I have a card to share for the current challenge over on the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  

The theme is BLACK & WHITE (no other color).

This was a very easy and quick card to put together with the help of Sue Wilson!

The product from the Dies R Us store I have used are as follows:

Sue Wilson  Frames & Tags Collection - Poppy

 
 Sue Wilson Mini Expressions - Hello & Hi
 
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Glossy White

I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I've created today 

and will come join in the challenge at DRU. 

 Hope to see you there!

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