Shelly's Images Challenge

OH SCRAP!

No, no ... nothings wrong ... this is the theme for our challenge at SHELLY'S IMAGES this week! LOL!  Wait till you see what the design team has created ... I tell you, they are sure keeping me on my toes these days ... these ladies are really hard to keep up with in the craftiness department!

Today we are featuring another fabulous Shelly's Images digi image ... called "NOEL".

With our theme being SCRAPS, I simply opened my huge bin of scrap holiday papers and dug in.  Actually, I colored my image first ... this time using ZIG markers since they had a fine point ... THEN picked out my papers.  The snowflake embellishments are self adhesive felt from Joann's and the corner holly die is by Cheery Lynn Designs (B184) purchased at Joan's Gardens.

What a fun challenge this has been!  I think I will challenge myself to use MORE of these SCRAPS for my upcoming holiday creations!  I hope you'll come join in the challenge ... 

Here are a few additional qualifying challenges I'd like to enter:

Platypus Creek Digitals: Christmas Red & White

Stamping Sensation - Traditional Christmas

Avadares Challenge - Christmas

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long #36 - Anything Goes

 

Thanks for stopping by and till next time ...

The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge

Hello my friends!

It's time once again for a new challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters and I hope you'll come join in the fun!  Today's challenge is an easy one!  With Thanksgiving only 1 Week away, we need to hurry and get those cards in the mail so we are asking you to create with this in mind . . .

THANKSGIVING

CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAY!

We are thrilled to have Shelly Images as our sponsor this challenge and one lucky winner will receive a $9 gift voucher to Shelly's Images store.

Since I am fortunate enough to be a member of the Shelly's Images DT, I am delighted to share not just one but three different cards with you utilizing various SI images & sentiments.  

Using 'Pilgrim Girl Colored Version' image.

CARD #1 - Having this image PRECOLORED saved me a lot of time and I don't know that I could have colored it as beautifully as Shelly has with her copics!  I did add the yellow chalk out around the image but that was it as far as coloring.  The turkey is a Cricut cut, the corners were made with the SU photo corner punch and the paper is Karen Foster.

Using "Thanks Sentiment2" image.

   CARD #2 - This beautiful sentiment pretty much says it all!  I simply die cut it with my Spellbinder classic ovals & scallop ovals.  The design paper was a scrap piece (DCWV I think) and the fall ribbon was also in my stash.  A slight sponging of Tim Holtz 'brushed corduroy' was added to the sentiment panel to mute the brightness of the white cardstock.  A Kaiser bronze pearl was also added to the center of the flourish.

Using two images "Pumpkins" and "Thanks Sentiment".

CARD #3 - For this last card I have actually used another piece of the same Karen Foster dp used on my first card.  The striped paper panel is from DCWV.  Corners are from the SU photo corner punch and scrap cardstock.  Three embellishment adorn this creation ... buttons (Bucket O'buttons), Kaiser pearls & Doodlebug Designs Doodle Twine.  OH ... and I've used the COLORED VERSION of the Pumpkins image (so time saving)!

Here are a few additional qualifying challenges I'd like to enter:
Chalk-Ah-Lot Cafe - Thanksgiving (Card #1 around the image)
 Creative Inspirations Paint - Turkey, Turkey
 One Stitch At a Time - With Thanks
Outlawz CAS Challenge - Thanks (Cards #1 and/or #2)
 Pile It On - Let's Be Thankful
Scrappy Frogs Challenge - Give Thanks
Sentimental Sunday - Thanks/Thanksgiving (Card #3)
Card Makin Mamas - Thanksgiving / Thank You Cards
QKR Stampede - Turkeys Strut Your Stuff (Card #1)
Sweet 'n Sassy - Thanksgiving

NOW it's your turn to come on over to The Sisterhood of Crafters and share your Thanksgiving creations with us.  You have 2 weeks to play and have a chance to win this fabulous prize.

Hope to see you there!

Have a wonderful day and as always ...

Won't Be Long Now . . .

Hello fellow bloggers and thanks for stopping by today!

WOW!  I couldn't believe it was 72 degrees yesterday (actually got a little sunburn), which gave me one last chance to complete all my outside work before YOU KNOW WHAT hits!  Leaves are all taken care of, grass is mowed for the last time, equipment is moved around to have the snowblower easily accessible and even had one last Pizza & Beer Party on the deck before putting the deck furniture away for another year.  Sure felt good to be out in the sunshine!

I've been wanting to take part in the Craft A Scene Challenge so I finally took a few moments and put this card together.  The challenge is 'Troubled Skies' and I've used Tim Holtz inks and Stampscapes 018E Cloud (Cumulus) for my troubled sky.  My image and sentiments are from the Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps 'Winter Wishes-SL46' and 'Christmas Express-SM47'.

Here's a close up showing the snow in the sky and on the icicles.  I have such a hard time getting a good picture to show the added sparkle in my cards ... guess I need to spend more time figuring out the settings on my camera!

Other qualifying challenges:

Dream Valley Challenge - Anything Goes

Great Impressions - Celebrating the Season

 Joanna Sheen Challenge - Cold & Frosty

Quirky Crafts Challenge - Layer It Up & Let It Snow

Robyn's Fetish-IDIC #133 - Anything Goes

Scrapper's Delights Challenge - Anything Goes

Crazy4Challenges - Inspired by one of your favorite Christmas Carol 

(Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!)

Okay ... time to get busy!  With being outside playing all day yesterday, the inside of my house is protesting!!  LOL  Guess I'd better show it a little attention (or even a lot!)

Have a fabulous day and as always . . .

Joan's Gardens Challenge #41

Hello all!  Are you ready for the weekend?

They are saying it's going to be in the 70's here in NE Ohio and that means this will probably be my last chance to get the remainder of my outside work done before the snow flies!  So, just in case I don't get any crafting time in over the weekend, I wanted to be sure and create for one of my favorite challenges tonight!

Here's a card I 'quickly' created for the challenge at Joan's Gardens.  This week is a very easy challenge ... use Red, White & Green on your card!  It doesn't get  much easier than that!

I actually was able to use up some of the red & green scraps I had laying around on my crafting table from all the creations I made for last week's craft show!  

Here are the items used on this card (those in red were purchased at Joan's Gardens) . . .

• Cheery Lynn Designs DL143 -Ornamental Wreath & Bow
• Cheery Lynn Designs B186 Merry Christmas Set 
• Cheery Lynn Designs B184 Holly Corner 
• Cuttlebug EF 
• Red Stickles 
• Christmas Red and Green cardstock
• White cardstock

I hope you'll come join in the fun at Joan's Gardens and be sure to check out all the awesome products she has available at her store.

Here are a few qualifying challenges I'd also like to enter into:

Christmas Stampin All Year Long - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge - Anything Goes

 The Stamp Man Challenge - Emboss It

Simply Create Linky Party #10 - Papercraft

Southern Girls Challenge - Christmas Projects

 Well that's it for me tonight!  Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Just A Note ... to say Thanks!

Hello my friends!

Just a quick post to share with you a little of what I've been doing the past couple of days.

From last week's craftshow I was asked to create 25 kids kard kits for a lady who thought the children in her class would LOVE making these for their families.  So I got busy and found all the supplies needed and happy to say they are ready for Mr. Mailman.

Here is the finished card . . .

I also completed 100 Christmas Cards for my cousin but will hold off sharing them with you since some of my family (who will be receiving this card) also follow my blog... don't want to spoil the surprise!  However I can tell you the front of the card is a BEAUTIFUL photograph my cousin took outside her home last winter right after a driving snowstorm!  On of those storms where the snow actually blows sideways ... the sky & snow in this photograph are GORGEOUS!

One other thing I completed today ... that I CAN share with you ... are Thank You gifts for my daughter to give two of her neighbors.  My daughter had surgery in October which was supposed to be 'not that big of a deal' ... but as luck would have it, things made a turn for the worst and the surgery turned out to be MAJOR vs MINOR!  Well, long story short ... my daughter is NOT one to 'sit around' and ended up doing MORE THAN SHE SHOULD and to keep her off her feet so her body could heal, her doctor put her on strict bed rest.  Luckily two of her neighbor ladies were kind enough to lend her a hand with meals and served the family feasts fit for a King ... or in this case, Queen!

She had commented she wanted to do something to express her deep appreciation for their kindness and I offered to whip up a few paper crafts along side anything else she might have in mind.  I suggested a Tissue Box Cover and a box set of Note Cards for each of the ladies.

 One of the ladies (Becky) likes bright, happy colors ... like rainbows!  

I found this paper at Flower Factory and thought it would be perfect!  A little fancy cutting and a computer generated sentiment and this set is ready to hopefully make her smile!

The other lady (Linda) is very much a 'country girl'.  

She has a small farm and loves country living. 

I also found these designer papers at Flower Factory.  A touch of SU ribbon and another computer generated sentiment and Viola!

It warms my heart to know my daughter & her family have people in their neighborhood who care and are willing to lend a helping hand! 

Speaking of saying thanks ... I can't thank YOU enough for showing me support in your following and comments.  It truly means the world to me ... so, THANKS!

P.S.   Prayers go out to those living on the East Coast who not only are trying to get back to normal after last week's Hurricane Sandy, but have now been hit with a Nor'Easter!  Hang in there ... brighter days are ahead!

Joan's Gardens Challenge #40

Good Morning my friends!  WOW is it getting Brrrr Cold outside!  In the 20s last night ... but wait ... it's going to be in the 60s over the weekend!  And we wonder why we are all getting sick with colds/flu ... 

Anyways, I'd like to share with you a couple of cards I have made for the current challenge at Joan's Gardens.  This week she & Selma are taking it easy on us and have made the challenge an ANYTHING GOES ... as long as it is WINTER based.  So here we go ...

Recipe for this card:

Paper:  Christmas Red cs, White cs

Stamp:  Paintbox Poppets  (Christmas Miss)

Ink:   Versafine Black

Accessories:  Prismacolor markers, ZIG markers, X-PressIt High Tack Foam Mounting Tape 1/4", Sizzix embossing folder, QuickieGlue, Deco Art Glamour Dust, Fiskars swivel craft knife

 I wish my photo would show you how pretty this card really is with all the 'sparkle'!

Items highlighted in RED were purchased at Joan's Gardens.

This next card came together so quick & easy!  I JUST received this new Stampendous stamp from Joan's Gardens and couldn't wait to ink it up!  As you know I LOVE Vintage style and this stamp really called out to me.  

I stamped the image on white cardstock using Tim Holtz 'brushed corduroy' distress ink.  Then after distressing the edges using my Zutter Distrezz-it All.   I used the same TH ink and sponged around the edges as well as on the front ... just up to the oval.  I then used ZIG red & green markers to color in the poinsettas.  My background doily is from the Wilton Cake isle of Joann's and after inking with the same TH distress ink, I have crumpled it up and attached it to the back of my image.  Once placed on my card which has a background paper from the KaiserCraft 'turtle dove' paper pack, I added gold Stickles around the oval and highlighted the flowers on the doily.

 Another little touch of sparkle is on the roof tops where I used Quickie Glue and Deco Art Glamour Dust.  I cropped & darkened this image to hopefully show you the awesome effect this gave my card.

Other qualifying challenges are:
Through the Craftroom Door #43 - Anything Goes
Anything Goes Challenge #79 - Anything Goes
Bearly Mine Challenge #60 - Anything Goes
Everybody-Art Challenge #212 - Embossing
 Loves Rubber Stamps #25 - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes (Optional Extra - Christmas)
Sweet Stamps #90 - Christmas
Card Mania Challenge - Embossing
The Crafty Blogger - Christmas Anything Goes
Oo La La Challenge #117 - Christmas

I hope you've enjoyed seeing these two cards and have even drawn a little inspiration from my work!  Hubby & I are headed up to Brunswick, OH shortly to Hollo's Paper Company.  That is where I can buy my cardstock (all colors/weights) for $1.50 a POUND!  I have a couple large orders to fill before Christmas so I'm headed out to get the paper & envelopes I need in order to get started. 
Have a fabulous day!

Crafty Secrets DT Challenge & Nov Linky Party

Hello my friends!

It's time for a new LINKY PARTY at Crafty Secrets!

Join Our Linky Party 1st Monday Each Month 

with $50.00 Random Winner !

 Crafty Secrets have been busy little beavers.  You'll want to be sure and pop over to the Heartwarming Vintage blog to see all the new things they have available and also hear about many other new things that are still in the works.  Why not subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss any of the excitement! 

Today's Linky Party theme is:

CHRISTMAS

 and I've been playing with a few of the new Digital Christmas papers & images to create this multi-fold card which will be a special Christmas card for my Mom this year!  She loves vintage as much as I do and since she "doesn't do the internet" and won't see this post, it will be a surprise!

This is the front of the card in 'closed' position.  I've started out with one of the beautiful digital papers which will be available on the new Christmas CD and this particular sheet is called 'Santa Baby'.   I have scaled down its size in order to use it as my A6 card front.  Here is a view from the front as you open the card . . .

Each page of this multi-fold card utilizes 'papers' from this new Christmas CD either in the form of background or the entire page itself!  I also used images from our Christmas Images & Journal Notes Booklet, Christmas Memories Stickers, and Winter Wonderland Vintage Cuts.   The only items used that were not Crafty Secrets were Stickles, ribbon, lace, and a few die cut snowflakes / flourishes.

(turn it over and this is what you will see . . .)

 I have no doubt this card will be sitting on my mother's mantle LONG AFTER Christmas is over!  I think she's going to just LOVE all the beautiful detail in these papers and images.

REMEMBER ... TODAY begins Crafty Secrets monthly Linky Party for November!   So, please be sure to pop over to the Heartwarming Vintage blog  to check out all the new sets, see the beautiful samples the DT girls have been creating, and leave a comment there to get in on a chance to win a $50 Crafty Secrets Gift Certificate. 

Please Visit Our Design Team Blogs !

• Vicki Chrisman Team Leader
• Michele Kovack
• Julie Campbell
• Rebekah Faries

 Don't forget ...  ANYONE can play along in the linky party with us and we'd sure love to have you join in the fun!  All you have to do it create something using Crafty Secrets Products , post it and link up on the Heartwarming Vintage blog.

Here are a few qualifying challenges I'd also like to link this creation to:

Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes

The Corrosive Challenge - Know when to Fold 'Em

 Eclectic Ellapu Challenge - It's a Vintage Thing

Gingerloft Challenge - No Coloring Allowed

 Great Impressions - Holidays

The Crafty Pad - Anything Goes

In hopes of making it easier for you, here is a list of our

Websites, Gallery & Store

• CraftySecrets.com
• Our Store Locator
• Visit Our New ETSY Store!
• Visit Our Shopatron Store
• Join Us On Facebook

 See you at the Party!!!

OH  WAIT ... before I go ... I just spotted this while checking out other challenges to play! 

This awesome Crafty Secrets image awarded me a Top Pix over at Great Impressions Challenge last month!  How fabulous is that!  Here is their comment . . .

Darlene
"Wowzers Darlene!  Could you please come tie all my bows? (lol!)
Your card is perfection!  The colors are gorgeous and I love how your sentiment
touches on the flowers.  Your scalloped edge tucked below that amazing bow is
a wonderful extra element too!  Congrats on being my Top Pix!"

Okay ... NOW I'm done talking!  

Sorry it was such a long post and thanks for hanging in there with me!! 

2012 Craft Show was a SUCCESS!

Happy Sunday fellow bloggers!  

I feel so much better, now that I've had a good nights sleep and the pressures of the crafts shows are behind me!  If you follow my blog you have seen some of the goodies I've made to share & sell this year and I'm thrilled to report it was a HUGE success!  There are 150+ vendors at this show and I think they had a record number of people come through the doors yesterday!  I actually DOUBLED my sales from last year ... how awesome is that!

This is my 4th year participating in this craft show and each year has gotten better & better!  Of course, I think my display and products have gotten better & better too!

I've learned that segregating products works best for me.

Everyday cards are together on the left, separated by categories in the plastic media boxes so they can thumb through them ...

specialty items/fancy fold cards, kids card kits are in the middle along with advertising custom made Monogram Card Sets

 and Christmas gift card holders, money holders, Hershey bar pouch stocking stuffers, Christmas Cards (individual & sets), as well as all the tissue box covers are on the right and down the other table.

My best sellers this year were:

Hershey Bar Pouches

Tissue Box Covers

Money Holders (both Christmas & Wedding)

Everyday cards: Birthday, Sympathy & Baby

I wish I had made more Hershey Bar Pouches but you just never know if they will sell or if you're going to have to eat all those candy bars before the expiration date!  LOL!  This year I could have sold three times as many ... I'll keep that in mind for next year!

I have to give a big shout out to my friend Kim Bradfield who came and sat with me all day!  There were times when there were people the whole way around the table looking and asking questions and I don't know what I would have done without her help!  THANKS SO MUCH GIRLFRIEND!!!

I was also pleased to see my crafting friend Lana Edwards (Blest With Stamps) was able to secure a space for this years show!  We were quite far away from each other but visited each others booths through out the day to see how things were going.  Lana forgot her camera so I grabbed a quick photo for her before the show got started.  

Lana's work is gorgeous and her display looked AMAZING!!!  

Lana is my friend who got me involved in going to the Goodwill/Thrift Shop looking for old items that we can challenge each other to alter.  Here are a few of the altering challenges we have done in the past ... Clock ... Jewelry Box ... Mirror.  She tells me she had a successful day also and is looking forward to next years show.  Way to go girlfriend!!

Well, that's about it for me today!  Now I need to get my cave back in order ... yikes!  That's going to take awhile ... I have stuff EVERY WHERE!!  LOL!!  But before I go, I want to share with you a photo of the head of cauliflower Mark & I found at the local indoor farmer's market this morning ... this thing is HUGE ... (have no clue what I'm going to do with all of it), but it was too beautiful to pass up.  AND, they were ALL this size ... WOW!  Cauliflower on steroids!  LOL!

Hubby said we needed a helicopter full of Marines to get this thing home!

(hence this photo with his remote control Marine Helicopter ... you know how it is ... anything to keep hubby happy!  TeeHee!)  Okay ... now I need to go clean & separate this thing ... I wonder, CAN YOU FREEZE CAULIFLOWER?  Guess I'll have to google that one!

Have a wonderful day everyone and as always, thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and say hello!

Looks like it's going to be a dry day ... maybe I can get my outside work FINISHED!  Although I think shoes, jacket & a hat might be required (I don't wear shoes till it snows ... I'm a flip-flop kind of gal).

ENJOY!

TUTORIAL - Wedding Money Holders

Hello Dear Readers and Happy Friday!

I'm as ready as I'm going to be for tomorrow's craft show and since I had a request to share the way I created a few of my craft show items, I thought I'd share one with you today (others to follow).

Here are the easy steps to create a Wedding Money Holder like this one:

Items used for this creation:

• One (1) 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of white cardstock cut 8" x 8" square (reserved cut piece for bellyband)
• Two (2) pieces of design paper - (1) cut 7 3/4" x 2 1/4" and (1) cut 7 3/4" x 1 3/4" (front panels) 
• Scrap of Red Cardstock to die cut flourish
• Border Punch - I used Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch
• Adhesive to attach designer panels
• 1/8" Scor Tape (or Red Line Tape)
• Gold Pilot Marker
• Congratulations Stamp & Versafine Black Ink
• Embellishments of your choosing - I used Cheery Lynn Designs SM Fanciful Flourish (B117S), Reflections Handmade Florals and Diamond Stickles

Cut your base cardstock at 8" square ...

Score at 2" and 5 1/2"

Your designer paper panels will be cut

7 3/4 x 2 1/4"

and

7 3/4" x 1 3/4"

Remember to save your cut off cardstock piece for your bellyband.

Since you will have WHITE against WHITE on the inside of your money holder, I like to use a gold or silver Pilot Marker to EDGE the money holding panel.  You simply lay your cardstock on a scrap piece of paper and starting at top edge of your panel gently drag your marker down to make a simple defining edge line.

To seal your ends on the money holder panel, I find Scor Tape works great.  You can of course use any adhesive you prefer but try to keep it narrow so the money/check fits without a problem.

Once you have sealed your inside money panel, you are ready to create your Belly Band from the scrap of paper left over from cutting your base holder.

I don't like for the band to be too tight so I chose to lay it under my holder and mark with my bone folder where I want my score lines then took it over to my Scor Pal and did my scoring.  

Now lets make that belly band pretty!

I wanted my fancy cut band to match up in the back so I found this way worked perfectly.

After scoring my belly band, I laid my SCORED line right at the end of my punch and began punching.

  Being sure to line up my dots so I got a nice even cut the whole way down.

Next, I FLIPPED OVER my panel and lined it up the same way I did the first side ... this way they were sure to match up in the back ... side to side.

Once you adhere the belly band together in the back, you are ready to adorn the front in what ever style you'd like.  Here I chose to use a simple Flourish, a Paper Rose and a touch of glitter using Diamond Stickles.  Of course it is safer to add your Stickles to your flourish and let it dry ... BEFORE you put it on your band ... but to save time this morning, I free handed the Stickles AFTER I adhered it to the band.

Add your paper flower and VIOLA!

I used Aleene's Tacky Glue for the flower and  Art Glitter (dries clear) glue for the flourish.

So, there you have it!  It's really a very simple design that you can gently adorn or you can GO CRAZY with embellishment ... totally up to you!!  Here are a couple other holders I have ready for the show:

For this one, I made TWO different belly bands. 

That way it can be used either as a Wedding card or as a 50th Anniversary card!

 AND, on this last sample, I did a little extra.  I made a HOMEMADE flower using McGill Star Lily Punch (P/N 64511) and also a matching envelope (legal size white envelope).  The sentiment on this card is from the new JustRite Clear stamp set called Large Fancy Sentiments (CR-03815).

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and samples I have created this week.

I will be back soon with tutorials on the Hershey Bar Pouches I made for this show and also a requested tutorial on the Zig-Zag card.  So please come back soon!

In the meantime, have a FABULOUS day/weekend and know I appreciate each and every one of you!!

Qualifying Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks #114: A Day to Remember
 Craft Us Crazy #29 - Black as primary color and/or party theme
DL.ART - Anything Goes
Forever Friends - Anything Goes
 Simply Create  - Anything Goes
One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
 The House that Stamps Built DCC1024 - Anything other than a Card
The Paper Shelter #88 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamps - No Square Cards