Kitty Birthday Pop Up

If you are a regular visitor here at my blog, you know I love fancy fold cards.  I recently came across this Box Stand Fun Fold Card by Dawn O on YouTube.  Here is her blog post that has all the measurements for making this landscape version and another portrait version that she talks about in the video. It's so easy to make and if you don't allow your die cut to go above the panel like I did, it will fit in an A2 envelope!!  Easy to make, easy to mail, and an extra surprise for the recipient.  This will NOT be the last one I make.  You can put a panel on the back up the pop up panel to write a message. 

To make it fold properly, you need to keep the pop up panel flat.  So no pearls or gems....however, I was able to squeak by with adding stickles to the flower centers. 

I did my best to get a picture of it folded flat.  It will do OK in an envelope but was a bit un-cooperative for photos.  As I mentioned earlier, if my oval for the kitty did not extend beyond the rectangular panel it would still be an A2 size.  I'll make a custom envelope on my envelope punch board.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Bazzill (green), Georgia Pacific (white)
Patterned Paper:  The Paper Studio
Stamp:  I borrowed a friend's stamp for the kitty.  I forgot to write down the name.  If I find it, I'll come back and edit it.  The sentiment is from the Stampendous (Birthday Wish) clear stamp set.
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black (kitty image), Versafine Onyx Black (sentiment)
Copics: N1,3,5,7; YG03, 05; W1, R02, 81, 83, 85; Y11, 15,17
Tools/Embellishments:  Sakura Gelly Roll pen (black), Stickles (Star Dust), The Twinery baker's twine, button from stash, Spellbinders dies (Classic Ovals Large & Small), Bazzill flower (pink), Memory Makers flower (green)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Scrapbook Blessings Club - Use Pink, Green, White
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #256 - Color Inspiration Board (I chose to use light and dark pink and the yellow/gold colors)
Cuttlebug Mania - Use Stamps
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #225 - Anything But Square
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #371 - Use a Sentiment
Chocolate, Coffe & Cards Challenges #90 - Spring Has Sprung
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #244 - Anything Goes
ABC Challenges - "I" for Inspire (show your style - my style is layers, fancy folds, and if I color an image it's usually with Copics)

Thanks for stopping by to visit today.  I hope you're having a great weekend.

Sending Love

I have another Valentine card to share with you today using another Deedee's Digi Sending My Love set.  I'm using the pre-colored version on this card and it made the card come together so quickly.  I fussy cut the image and popped it up over the background paper.  After printing out and die cutting the sentiment, that panel was inked and matted.

This week's Sweet Sunday Sketch was the inspiration for my card design.  I layered and popped up some die cut hearts.  The top heart in each set and the two red hearts on the sentiment panel received a coat of Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents.  The hearts on the letters also were coated with Glossy Accents.  The interior sentiment is from the Owl My Love set.

For some added interior interest, a series of hearts were die cut into the sentiment panel allowing the red cardstock background to show through.  Faux stitching completes the interior decorating.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (red)
Patterned Paper:  ColorBok (Hootenanny 8 x 8 pad)
Stamps:  Deedee's Digis (Sending Love, Owl My Love)
Ink:  Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass)
Tools/Embellishments:  Spellbinders Dies (Petite Ovals Large and Small), Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts (Hearts), Staedtler fine tip marker (black), Glossy Accents, Zig Wink of Stella Glitter brush marker (red, clear)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sweet Sunday Sketch #255 - Sketch
Sentimental Sundays Challenge  #245 - Seeing Red (a little or a lot)
Inky Impressions Challenge #196 - Valentines/Love
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #233 - Valentines
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #231 - Love is in the Air

I hope you've had a good day.  I'll be back shortly with one last Valentine's Day card to share with you.

Somebunny Loves You

I made this Valentine for our grandson.  Shaker cards are popular right now and I've tried them before but when I saw this see-thru shaker on Dawn's YouTube channel, I decided to give one a try.  I put my own spin on it and made a square window and the image is on a panel on the card interior.

 I used this adorable set from Deedee's Digis called Sending My Love.  Perfect for letting our grandson, who loves too far away, know that we love him.

I used fun foam to add space for the sequins and beads.  This was much easier than having to use two layers of foam tape.  I think the sequins move around better too since they don't get stuck in the adhesive on the edges of the tape.

Supplies
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (red)
Pattern Paper:  Colorbok (Hootenanny)
Stamps:  Deedee's Digis (Sending My Love, Owl My Love), some computer generated sentiments
Tools/Embellishments:  Darice Inc. fun foam, Acetate and sequins from my stash, V's Sweet Ideas star sequins, Cousin Corp of America glass bugle beads, Spellbinders Dies (Square Small), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Fish Tail Stax), Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts (Hearts), Zig Wink of Stella Glitter brush marker (red)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday #245 - Use Red (a little or a lot)
Craft Your Passion Challenge #248 - Anything Goes
Eureka Stamps Challenge #127 - All is Love
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #231 - Love is in the Air
Going Gray with Scrap Creations - Love
Cuttlebug Mania - I {heart} You
Digi Choosday Week 6  - Love
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - All Creatures Great and Small (bunny)
Inky Impressions Challenge #196 - Valentines/Love
Crafty Creations Challenge #282 - Owls, Hearts and/or Love (hearts and love)
4 Crafty Chicks #233- Valentines
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge #84 - Love is in the Air

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll come back soon.

Guess Whoo Loves You?

I've seen critters popping out of holes in trees a lot lately on the internet. I decided to give my neglected Stampin' Up Owl Punch some attention and came up with this card.  This Woodgrain Backdrop stamp set from Lawn Fawn is one of my favorites.  It stamps and embosses so well.

After die cutting the holes in the "tree trunk," I inked them lightly to help give them a little more definition.  The tree/owl panel is popped up over the background paper.  The sentiment was computer generated because I didn't have a stamp that said exactly what I wanted.  The sentiment was cut with a fish tail die and then matted before being adhered across the bottom of the tree.

The answer to the question was also computer generated and die cut, matted & popped up on the interior sentiment panel.  The rest of the sentiment is from the Sending My Love digi set from Deedee's Digis.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollection (kraft), Bazzill (red), Georgia Pacific (white)
Patterned Paper:  The Paper Studio
Stamps: Lawn Fawn (Woodgrain Backdrops), Deedee's Digis (Sending My Love), Computer generated sentiments
Ink:  ColorBox Fluid Chalk (Chestnut Roan), Versafine (Vintage Sepia)
Tools/Embellishments: Staedtler fine tip marker (black), Winter of Stella glitter brush marker (red, clear), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Blueprints 1, Fish Tail Stax), Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts (Hearts), Spellbinders dies (Standard Circles Large), Stampin' Up (Owl Punch, Crystal Clear embossing powder)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Inky Impressions Challenge #196 - Valentines/Love
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #214 - Embossing (heat or dry - I used heat)
Crafty Creations Challenge #282 - Owl Love You (Owls, hearts, and/or Love)
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #233 - Valentines
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #245 - Seeing Red (a little or a lot)
The Kraft Journal Challenge #210 - Pick 3 (I have a Top Fold, Red and Hearts)
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #231 - Love is in the Air
Going Gray with Scrap Creations - Love
Cuttlebug Mania - I {heart} You
Eureka Stamps Challenge #127 - All is Love
DigiChoosday Week 6 - Love is in the Air
Craft Your Passion Challenge #248 - Anything Goes
V's Sweet Ideas Challenge #31 - Red, White, or Pink (use any or all of these colors)
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #84 - Love is in the Air

Thanks for stopping by today.  I'll have a couple more Valentine cards to share with you soon.

Praise Thee More and More

Here we are at the last Wednesday for January 2015.  It's hard to believe that we're already this far into the new year.  It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday.  This week we're focusing on Psalm 71:14, "But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more."   As we go thru life, there are many things that will try to pull our thoughts away from the Lord.  However, we must make it a matter of the will to trust in Him continually and praise Him more and more all the time.  No one can make us sin, it's a choice we make.  In the same way, no one can make us turn away from the Lord.  It's a choice we make.  Let's choose to trust and praise the Lord.

I chose to use this week's Mojo Monday (MOJO382) sketch for my card design.  It's tall and skinny week at Mojo Monday so my card this week is 4" x 8.5".  An unusual size to be sure, but it will easily fit in a regular business size envelope.  I also kept it fairly flat for easier mailing.  With increasing postage costs, that's something I'm thinking about more and more as I made cards.  One of our sponsor's this week is All Dressed Up Stamps.  They generously provided some of the DT with some images and papers to use.  I was able to play with Love Spring Time and Autumn Papers 1. I printed the image and digi papers on Georgia Pacific white cardstock.  I cropped them close to the finished size before printing in order to save ink.  What you can't see is that the horizontal strip covers a gap in the background floral paper.  Another ink saver when using digi papers.  It pays to take time to think about how you might want to use the papers before you print.

I colored the girl with Copic markers and then decorated her dress and bow with Enamel Accents polka dots.  The verse panel is also accented with Enamel Accents.  The background behind the girl was stamped with white pigment ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.

I used foam tape to pop up a the background panel, the girl and the verse panel.  I'm really liking foam tape over pop dots.  Things just feel so much more solid.  The above picture also gives a peek of the interior decorating. 

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (image), Recollections (kraft), Cor'dinations (Scarlet)
Patterned Paper: All Dressed Up Stamps Digi Paper (Autumn Papers 1)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (Psalm 71:14), All Dressed Up Stamps (Love Spring Time), Stampin' Up wood mounted (Itty Bitty Backgrounds)
Ink: ColorBox pigment ink (Frost White)
Copics: R20; Y21; E00, 01, 07, 08, 09, 11, 33, 35, 37, 50; N3, 5; 100
Tools/Embellishments: Sakura Micron .01 marker (black), Sew-Ology seam binding, My Favorite Things die-namics (Mini Scallop Edge), Spellbinders dies (Petite Ovals Large and Small, Petite Scalloped Ovals Small), Stampin' Up embossing powder (Crystal Clear), Enamel Accents (white)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Mojo Monday (MOJO382) - sketch
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #243 - Anything Goes
PDE Linky Party - Kids
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #212 - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you are having a good week and will have time to spend in your craft space.  The Word Art Wednesday blog is sure to have some inspiration for you and there's a free digi for you there as well.

Get Well Soon {Mended Heart}

Today I have a get well card to share with you.  The recipient had a heart procedure done so I thought the band-aid over the heart was appropriate.  :)  I've had the Lawn Fawn Get Well Soon stamp set and coordinating dies for a couple months and have been wanting a chance to play with them.  This is the first time I was able to get them inky.  I colored the images with Copics and then cut them out with the dies. They were also given a coat of Wink of Stella.  I also used the Lawn Fawn Heart Lawn Cuts for the heart.  It is cut out of white cardstock and also colored with Copics.  The heart and bandaid are popped up on a heart embossed panel that is matted with a couple Spellbinders die cuts. I used my recent "go-to" sketch from Dawn.  A few rhinestones finish it off.

The sentiment is from the same stamp set and is stamped on a banner die cut and popped up with foam tape.  The card stays pretty flat so it was easy to mail.

Tip:  Have a go-to sketch so that when you need a card in a hurry you don't have to put a lot of thought into the card design.  Changing up the papers, stamps and embellishments will be enough to keep them from all looking the same. Keep a note in your craft area of the sizes you need to cut your various layers and making a card will be quick and easy.  This is also a great way to use up scraps.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Paper Reflections (Denim Classic Laid)
Patterned Paper: Pebbles (Family Ties 6x6 pad)
Stamps: Lawn Fawn (Get Well Soon clear stamp set)
Ink:  Memento (Tuxedo Black), VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Copics: E31, 33, 35; Y11, 13, 15; N0,1, 3, 5; R22, 24, 27, 29; BG 10, 15; YR07; Y13, 15, 17; 100
Tools/Embellishments: Zig Wink of Stella Glitter Marker (clear), Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts (Hearts, Get Well Soon), Spellbinders dies (Picot Edge Circles, Standard Circles Large and Small), My Favorite Things die-namics (Fish Tail Stax); Gelly Roll Pen (black); Want2Scrap Baby Bling (silver), The Paper Studio embossing folder (Tiny Hearts)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #243 - Anything Goes
Pile It On Challenge #53 - Hearts and/or Flowers
Tuesday Throwdown #229 - Facets for Crafting (rhinestones)
Top Tip Challenge - Something New (Lawn Fawn Get Well Soon stamps and dies are new to me)
Cuttlebug Mania Challenge - Wildlife
Crafty Creations Challenge #281 - Something Old, Something New (the stamp set and dies are new, the circle dies and embossing folder are old)

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you'll come back tomorrow when I'll have a new Word Art Wednesday card to show you.

Once In Every Life...

I have a quick anniversary card to share with you today.  A friend asked for me to make a card for her husband for their anniversary and here is the result.  I used on old sketch from Operation Write Home (sketch #16) as my inspiration.  My pictures don't do the card justice in its simple elegance.

The black patterned paper has romantic words/phrases.  I really like this Bo Bunny pad for weddings/anniversary/romantic cards.  It just has an elegance about it!

The sentiments, inside and out, were stamped with VersaFine ink and then heat embossed with a clear glitter embossing powder.  You can see it a little better in this picture.  I really like the sparkle it adds.

The interior decorating of the card mimics the front but still allows plenty of room for her message.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (red)
Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny (Enchanted 6x6 pad)
Stamps: Stampabilities wood mount (Once in A While), Mark's Finest Paper (Celebrate Big clear stamp set)
Ink: VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments: Darice Whispers embossing powder (Clear Glitter), silver rhinestone flourishes (Want2Scrap Inspire Swirls by Nina Brackett), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Blueprints 1)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #237 - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes
Fan-tastic Tuesday Challenge #66 - Anniversary card
Penny Paper-Crafty Challenge #208 - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #352 - Sparkles (gems and glitter embossing)

Thanks for stopping by to visit today.  I hope you'll come back soon and often.  :)

Glory to God in the Highest

This card has LOTS of embossing.  I used Versamark with gold embossing powder for the images and sentiments.  The front panel was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and then accented with a gold Wink of Stella pen.  I have had the CTMH stamp set for several years and have always had trouble stamping this city-scape.  This time I tried it with my Fiskar's stamp press and had no problems getting a good stamped image.

The front panel is popped up over the gold embossed main image.

The inside has a lot more gold embossing.  The flourishes are from an old BG Figgy Pudding stamp set.  The Merry Christmas is a Stampendous set and the verse is from Mark's Finest Papers.  It's hard to believe but I used four stamp sets on this card and NONE of them were digis.  :)

Supplies:
Carstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (red)
Stamps (all clear stamp sets): CTMH (Bethlehem -retired), Basic Grey (Figgy Pudding), Stampendous (Christmas Wishes), Mark's Finest Papers (Christmas Music)
Ink: Versamark
Tools/Embellishments: Spellbinders dies (Rectangles Large), StampCraft embossing powder (Gold), CuttleBug embossing folder (Baby's Breath), Zig Wink of Stella brush marker (Gold)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #235 - Lots of Layers
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #35 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Christmas
Eureka Stamps Challenge #117 - Celebrations
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday #64 - Embossing
PDE Linky Party - Christmas
ABC Challenge - Yuletide
Divas By Design - Feeling Festive
Pile it on Challenge #48 - Sprinkle It (use anything you sprinkle on your project - glitter/embossing powder/flocking/etc.)
Outlawz Twisted Thursday (TT120414) - Anything Goes with the "Twist" of Christmas

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you'll visit again soon.

Thou Shalt Call His Name Jesus...

Hi!  I'm glad you stopped by today.  Since it's Wednesday, that means it's time for another Word Art Wednesday challenge.  This week our focus verse is Matthew 1:21, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins."  As we anticipate Christmas, it's easy to overlook the real reason we celebrate.  Jesus' birth is truly the "reason for the season."  Jesus came to earth so that one day He could go to the cross to die for our sins.  Many people love to talk about the baby in the manger.  However, talking about Jesus dying on the cross is not quite so popular.  But this is a core belief of our faith.  If Jesus hadn't come to die for our sins, we could have no home in Heaven.  That He was willing to give up the glories of Heaven for a season to come to live here on earth just because He loved us...Wow!  If that doesn't give us cause to celebrate then I don't know what does. Let's not forget Whose birthday we're celebrating!

I love this Away in a Manger digi set from Deedee's Digis.  I thought it was perfect to illustrate the focus verse this week.  

The image was colored with Copics and die cut.  I used some clear Wink of Stella on the baby blanket.  It added a little shimmer to got along with the shimmer in the snowflakes and gems.

The inside has a few more snowflakes and gems.  There's faux stitching and doodling inside and out.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), DCWV (blue), WorldWin (vellum),  scrap of glitter cardstock
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey (Figgy Pudding)
Stamps:  WORDart by Karen (Matthew 1:21), Deedee's Digis (Away in a Manger)
Copics: R20; Y35, 38; YR21; N3; B000, 21, 23; W1; E00, 11, 31, 33, 35, 37
Tools/Embellishments: Spellbinders Dies (Petite Oval Large, Petite Scalloped Oval Large, Create-a-Flake 4), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Blueprints 1), Queen & Co rhinestones, Staedtler fine tip marker (black), Zig Wink of Stella brush marker (clear)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Outlawz Friday Coloring Challenge (CPC112814) - Anything Goes with a Christmas Twist
Scrapbook Blessing Club Challenge #35 - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #235 - Lots of Layers
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Holiday Cards
Eureka Stamps Challenge #117 - Celebrations
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #179 - Free is Good (the snowflake dies and Staedtler markers were gifts and I received both digis for free)
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #223 - Bling It On
Cuttlebug Mania - Snowflake(s) and a sentiment
PDE Linky Party - Christmas
Digi Chooseday Week 48 - Christmas

V's Sweet Challenge #29 - Holiday Theme
Path of Positivity Challenge #21 - Faith

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  As always, I'd encourage you to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog for inspiration and to pick up your free digi.

There's a New Challenge Blog in Town!!

Today a new challenge blog, Anything Goes With a Twist, is launching and Deedee's Digis is a sponsor for this first challenge.  Anything Goes With a Twist is a blog for card and non-card projects.  Each challenge will be Anything Goes but with a "twist."  They kept it easy for the first one and there isn't a twist - it's just Anything Goes.  :)   The blog has all the rules/details for participation.

My project today uses two sets from Deedee's Digis:  Turtle-rific Day and Teacher's Pet.  This is a birthday card/gift card holder. You can find one I made with a coffee theme and only one gift card here.  A YouTube tutorial by Holly Krautkremer gave me the inspiration for this project.

I used the pre-colored owl from Teacher's Pet as the focal image. The owl was printed, fussy cut and popped up on the Happy Birthday circle.  The matted image panel is attached to a belly band that holds the card closed. Some glossy accents to the owl's eyes and beak give him some fun dimension.

Two little "file cards" provide a place to write a personal message and tuck into their own little pocket.  This card was for our son-in-law's birthday.  He always makes a point to write a note in cards that he and our daughter send to us.  So, my husband and I wanted to both send him a note on his birthday. Having two little cards gave us both room to write our birthday messages.

Here is the card completely opened up.  The two little note cards are in the top pocket and then we put gift cards in the bottom two pockets.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections (kraft), Georgia Pacific (white), Core'dinations (chipped sapphire)
Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye (Remarkable)
Stamps:  Deedee's Digis (Turtle-rific Day and Teacher's Pet)
Tools/Embellishments:  Spellbinders Dies (Petite Scallops Circle Large, Labels 4, Labels 4 Small, Standard Circles Small), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Pinking Edge), Glossy Accents

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sundays #226 - Use Kraft Cardstock
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #30 - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #341 - Spots and Dots
The ABC Challenge - U is for Unique
CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Must cover base w/Patterned Paper

Thanks for visiting me today.  I hope you'll play along in the new challenge over at Anything Goes With a Twist. You could win a $10 shopping spree to Deedee's Digis.

Canine Birthday Wishes

My husband's co-worker has a shih tzu dog that she adores.  She is celebrating a birthday this week so this image was perfect for her card.  I didn't have an appropriate stamp or digi so I went looking online.  I found this public domain image at wpclipart that was perfect, pre-colored AND it came with permission to use it freely.  I used the sketch from the Clear It Out Challenge blog but am too late to enter it in the challenge.  Shading around and under the dog was added with Copics.

The image and sentiment panels are popped up a little off the background. 

This card has a sentiment stamped as part of the interior decorating.  The finished card is 5.5" square.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Unknown (Pink, gray/brown)
Patterned Paper:  Prima
Stamps:  Inkadinkado (front), Stampendous (Birthday Wish)
Ink:  VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments:  Spellbinders dies (Classic Squares Large and Small), Lacey Squares, Classic Ovals Small, Lacey Ovals), Fiskars border punch (Apron Lace), pearls (The Paper Studio), Copics (N0, 1, 3, W-1)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #219 - Decorate inside and out
Papertake Weekly - Spots and Dots
Going Gray with Scrap Creations - Animals
Fan-tastic Tuesday Challenge #48 - Anything Goes
Dies R Us Challenge #7 - Birthday

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you'll come back tomorrow when I'll have a new Word Art Wednesday card to show you.

Picture Perfect Congratulations

Deedee's Digis released quite a few new sets last week.  This card uses the Picture Perfect set.  The camera, speech bubble and checked paper are just a few of the choices you have when you use this set.  I chose to use the pre-colored camera but an outline camera is also available for you to color.  I cropped one of the sentiments from the Stitchy Stars set to put in the speech bubble.  I used the sketch from the current Clear It Out Challenge but won't be entering this card in their challenge because I didn't use any die cuts.

The camera has gold and silver glitter accents courtesy of Wink of Stella brush markers.  The lens and the 2 hearts were also accented with Glossy Accents.  The camera flash has a small rhinestone for a little extra sparkle.

I didn't have red brads so I colored white ones with a Copic marker and then gave them two coats of clear embossing powder.  I just colored a brad, dunked it in embossing powder while it was still wet, heated the embossing powder until it melted and repeated the dunk/heat cycle one more time.  These last two pictures also show my interior decorating.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), DCWV (metallic blue/gray)
Patterned Paper & Stamps:  Deedee's Digis (Picture Perfect, Stitchy Stars)
Tools/Embellishments:  Copic marker (R29), Wink of Stella glitter brush markers (gold, silver), Making Memories brads, Recollections fine detail clear embossing powder, Staedtler fine tip black marker, Glossy Accents,  Gelly Roll white gel pen

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #219 - Decorate Your Card Inside & Out
Scrapbook Blessings Club #26 - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenge #47 - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #271 - Well done/Congratulations

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you'll come back to visit again soon.

Milly Cuddle Time

I think this rubber stamp image from Lili of the Valley is just adorable.  I've used it on a card before (here)but it's so fun to color, here it is again.  :)  Yes, I tend to make most of my kitties gray - that's because Sasha (aka SashaBelle) is a Russian Blue.   I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch 222 as my design jumping off point.  I changed things up a little but still kept the basic design elements.  I stacked the "hello" die cut again.  I really like the subtle dimension that gives without having to use pop-dots. This card is 5.5" square.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (navy)
Patterned Paper:  DCWV
Stamp: Lili of the Valley (Milly Cuddle Time)
Ink:  Memento (Tuxedo Black)
Copics: Milly (Shirt-B000, 21, 23, 26; Skin-E00, 11; R20; Hair-Y11, YR20, E31; Dog-E50, 25, 31, N7; Cat-N1, 3, 5, 7; Table-C0, C-1)
Tools/Embellishments:  Spellbinders Dies (Circle Large and Small), Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts (hello), Fiskars Border punch (Apron Lace), Jillibean Soup baker's twine, button from my stash, Stampin' Up Night of Navy marker

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #154 - Critters
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Sweet Stamps Challenge #172 - Ribbons, Buttons and/or Bows (I used all 3)
Pile It On Challenge #23 - Use Patterned Paper
Delightful Challenge - All Tied up (use ribbon, string or twine)
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge #313 (PWC313) - Make a square card
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #210 - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting with me today.  I hope your week is off to a good start!

Hello {Loon}

I have a quick card to share with you.  It uses the current Mojo Monday sketch (MOJO348) and a new word die I recently purchased.  My husband just spent the last week in Ely, MN, on a fishing trip with our son and 4 other men.  It was on a family vacation in Ely where I first fell in love with loons.  They are so pretty in real life and I loved watching them on the lake.  When I found out that Kathryne at StampArt Design by Kathryne had 3 loon digis, I was so excited.  This card uses one of them, Sarah's Babies.  I inked the sky and water and used the negative of  a die cut to help make my clouds.  I wish I'd done a better job at the horizon line but....there's always next time.  The "hello" die was cut 4 times -- three times with white cardstock and once with the matching blue patterned paper.  The die cuts were adhered on top of each other to add dimension.  The the top was given a coat of glitter from a Wink of Stella clear brush glitter marker and then a coat of Glossy Accents.  A ribbon, button and baker's twine bow add more dimension and faux stitching finishes it off.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (kraft)
Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye (Miss Caroline - Dolled Up 6x6 pad)
Stamp:  StampArt Design by Kathryne (Sarah's Babies)
Ink:  Stampin' Up (Bliss Blue), Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass)
Tools/Embellishments:  ribbon (May Arts), baker's twine (The Twinery), button from stash, Sweet 'n Sassy Lacey Eyelet Border die, Lawn Fawn Lawn Cut (Hello), Glossy Accents, Staedtler fine tip marker (brown), Zig Wink of Stella (clear)

I'm entering this in the following challenges:
Mojo Monday (MOJO348) - Sketch Challenge
Delightful Challenge - All Tied Up (Use ribbon, string or twine - I used ribbon and twine)
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #210 - Anything Goes
Pile It On Challenge #23 - Use Patterned Paper
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #21 - Anything Goes Using Digi Stamps
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes


Thanks for stopping by today.

The Lord Liveth...

It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday.  This week's verse takes us back to the book of Psalms.  "The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted."  Psalm 18:46  This verse is all about praising the Lord.  When you think of all the things He has done for us, He deserves our un-ending praise.  The psalmist mentions just two of the many, many reasons to praise the Lord.  He's our Rock.  When we feel like our lives are a snow globe that someone keeps turning upside down, it's good to know that He is steady and unchanging. He provides our salvation.  This one alone is reason to praise Him for all eternity - and I believe that those of us who have accepted His gift of salvation will be doing just that forever and forever.

I kept the card design simple to keep the focus on the verse.  The Scrapbook Blessings Club currently has emboss resist as their featured technique.  I really enjoy this technique and chose to use it to make a frame for this verse.  A solid color frame, 3 rhinestones and some white dots made with a gel pen complete the card.  The frame is popped up over the verse and solid color mat.  I used a copic marker to go around the inside edge of the frame.  The finished card is 3.75" x 5".

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (purple)
Stamps:  WORDart by Karen (Psalm 18:46); Recollections (clear floral stamp set - I can't find a specific name)
Inks:  Distress Ink (Shaded Lilac, Spun Sugar, Peacock Feathers), Versamark
Tools/Embellishments:  SU Crystal Clear Embossing Powder, Uniball Signo white gel pen, Copic (V09), Spellbinders (Petite Oval Small, Petite Scalloped Oval Large), rhinestones (The Paper Studio)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
The Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #20 - Anything Goes (Featured Technique:  emboss resist)
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #207 - Funky Flowers
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Botanical
Just B Creative Crazy - Anything Goes
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday - Here Comes Summer
Paper Crafting Challenges #10 - My Favorites (spellbinders, white gel pen, Scripture, matting, flowers, bling)
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge #311 - Flowers
Divas by Design - Anything Goes

I hope you'll stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog and pick up your free digi as well as see the projects the rest of the Design Team have made.  I do appreciate you taking the time to visit today.  Thank you.

I Will Look Unto the Lord

It's Wednesday again, so that means it's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday.  This week's focus verse is found in Micah 7:7, "Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation:  my God will hear me."  I don't know about you, but I find it easier to look to the Lord for answers that it is to WAIT for Him to answer.  However, I know the Lord hears me, and He will answer me when the time is right.  God always answers us.  Sometimes it's "yes," sometimes "no" and sometimes "wait."  Most of the time, what helps me wait for the Lord's time table is wanting HIS best for me.  I know His way is best and if I wait on Him to work things out, I'll be much happier than if I work it out on my own.  While waiting is never easy, knowing you have the Lord's best is well worth it.

I thought this hot air balloon image was perfect for this week's verse.  It's a great reminder to keep looking up to the Lord.  I used the Love Lifts You Outline digi set by Daydream Designs.  This great set also comes in a color version which you can find here.  I used the balloon with the blank banner section and added this week's verse there.  I also removed the hearts on the top sections and made them solid panels.  Since I ended up fussy cutting the balloon, I made life easier for myself, and added a little texture, by using baker's twine for the ropes.  After coloring the balloon with Copics, I used a VersaMarker on the pink and purple parts of the balloon to add two coats of clear embossing powder.  I really like the shine and texture and gives the balloon and basket.  The balloon is popped up over the sky panel.

I made the sky background by sponging the edges of a petite scalloped oval.  I started with a 4.25" x 5.5" piece of white cardstock.  I started the sponging in the top left corner and worked my way across and down the page.  I just sponged along the edges of my scalloped oval and then moved it to a new area turning it so that all the "clouds" weren't going in the same direction (I see now I should have done a little more turning).  Then I die cut the panel and inked around the edge.  The card base is made from two scalloped ovals.  In the picture above, you can see where I cut a small piece off the bottom three scallops on the back panel so that the card will stand up on a flat surface.


Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (card base), Neenah Solar White (image)
Stamps:  WORDart by Karen (Micah 7:7), Daydream Designs (Love Lifts You Outline Digi set)
Ink:  Memento (Paris Dusk)
Markers:  VersaMarker, Copics (V01, 04, 06, R81, 83, 85, 100)
Tools/Embellishments:  baker's twine (The Twinery - charcoal), SU embossing powder (Crystal Clear), Spellbinders (Petite Ovals Large, Petite Scalloped Ovals Large)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday #195 - Make Your Own Background Paper
Tuesday Throwdown #184 - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - Just Because (anything goes)
Our Daily Bread Designs Shining Light Challenge #192 (ODBDSLC192) - Shaped Card

Thanks for stopping by today.  As usual, I would encourage you to visit the Word Art Wednesday blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has made and to pick up your free digi.

Owl Gift Tag

My Once in a While card was chosen as a Winning Recipe at Catered Crop this past Sunday.  As a result, I have the honor of being a guest designer for them during their current recipe challenge.   This time they want us to take a break from cards and feature gift packaging, tags, bows and/or treat holders.  I chose to make a tag.

One of this week's sponsors at Word Art Wednesday is Diane's Daydream Designs.  She has several adorable owl sets.  One of her newest ones is Falling For You Owls.  Diane generously provided digis for the Design Team to use this week so, of course, I had to choose this new owl set.

I printed out one of the digis from the owl digi set and fussy cut it.  I then inked the edges.  I used an embossing folder to emboss the burnt orange cardstock and then inked it with the direct-to-paper technique.  I finished this layer off with some faux stitching.  I used some brads to attach the owl digi to the burnt orange layer and then adhered them to a kraft tag.

Another piece of the burnt orange cardstock was used on the card back.  "To" and "From" stamps were heat embossed with white emobssing powder.  This layer was then attached to the tag base.  A few ribbons were added so that the tag can be tied onto a package.  An added bonus is that the tag can also be used by the recipient as a bookmark.  I really like making tag do double-duty.  It kind of makes them part of the gift.

This was a very simple project and Diane's pre-colored digi made it even easier. 

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific, Bazzill, Recollections
Ink:  Memento (Toffee Crunch)
Stamps:  Diane's Daydream Designs (Falling For You Owls), Studio G
Embellishments/Tools:  VersaMarker, Stampendous White Opaque embossing powder, Crop-o-dile, Uniball Signo White pen, Cuttlebug embossing folder (Distressed Stripes), Zutter Round-it-all (1/2"), Offray ribbon, Doodlebug Designs brads

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday #172 - Humorous
Crafting When We Can #53 - Seasons
Craft Your Passion #180 - Fall Colors
Digi Darla #80 - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown #165 - Something with Wings

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today.

Graceful Speech

This week's focus at Word Art Wednesday is Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."  This verse is one of those that makes me say, "Ouch!" According to Dictionary.com, some synonyms for grace are: forgiveness, charity, mercifulness, kindness, love, and leniency.  I know my speech is not always full of grace. Many times I'm too quick to be critical or harsh (antonyms of grace).  In Bible times, salt was valuable and sometimes used as currency.  So for something to be seasoned with salt meant it was valuable.  To apply this to our speech, it means what we say should be of value to those that hear us.  Another "Ouch!"  How often is what I say worth hearing?  Not often enough! I don't know about you, but I need this reminder to let my speech be full of grace and to speak things of value.   I should post it where I can see it often.

For my card this week I chose to use this new digi by Deedee's Digis.  I thought this little kitty and his bird and butterfly friends looked like they were very friendly and kind.  After all, in real life, it would take a very kind cat to let a bird perch on its head and smile about it.  :)  Want to know something else very kind about this kitty image?  He's a freebie on the Deedee's Digi Blog!!  You can find him here.

 I really like easel cards and decided to try my hand at making a circle easel card.  I kept it monochromatic by using papers in various shades of green.  The grass, bird and butterfly make me feel like I've just stepped outside on a sunny day and am spending some time enjoying the wonders of nature.

Rows of green gems set off the verse and the top row acts as a stopper for the image panel.  I used faux stitching around the circles to add a finishing touch to the edges.  I added some stickles to the butterfly and bird for a little additional sparkle.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  Studio G
Digi Stamps:  WordArt By Karen (Scripture), Deedee's Digis (Cat and Bird)
Copics:  R20, 81, 83, 85; Y11, 13, 17; YG03, 05; N0, 1, 3, 5
Tools/Embellishments:  Staedtler Fineliner (green), Uni-ball Signo (white), Sakura Glaze pen (on kitty's nose), Stickles (Star Dust), gems (Studio G), Spellbinders (Grand Circles, Lacey Circles, Standard Circles Large and Small)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday #171 - Something Tweet (have a bird or birds on your card)
Digi Darla's Challenge #79 - Anything Goes
Twist of Faith #54 - Monochromatic
Inky Chicks #12 - Stitching (real or faux)
Cuttlebug Mania - Back to nature
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #144 - Anything Goes
Scrapbook Blessings Club Tutorial Challenge #2 - Circle Easel Card

Thanks for stopping by to visit for a few minutes.  I hope you'll go by the Word Art Wednesday blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has to show you and to pick up your free digi.  I also hope you'll be able to link up some projects (up to 5 are allowed) this week.  Our sponsors for this challenge are Digi Darla's and Nice Crane Designs.  They both have a nice prize to be given to random winners.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

It was time to get reacquainted with another favorite....Rhubarb!  Scrapping Everyday Miracles 2nd Birthday Bash Card Challenge #4 is to make a Thanksgiving or Christmas card using a sketch they provided.  One of my favorite Rhubarb images is Rhubarb's Stocking so that's what I used.

I made a frame using Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles Large & Small.  After I backed it with some patterned paper I added Rhubarb to the center with some thin pop dots.  I used another die to make the snowflake and topped it with a flat metal dot.  The sentiment is a sticker from the Echo Park Season's Greetings paper collection.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific, Recollections, Bazzill, Core'dinations
Patterned Paper:  Echo Park (Season's Greetings)
Stamp:  Sweet 'n Sassy Digi (Rhubarb's Stocking)
Tools/Embellishments:  Copic Markers, Best Occasions Metal Dots, Offray ribbon, Spellbinders (Deckled Rectangles Large & Small, Create-a-Flake Four) Sakura pens (Glaze, Green Star, Clear Star)

I'm entering this card in these additional challenges:
Sentimental Sunday #163 - You've Been Framed (frame your image)
The Kraft Journal - Pretty Papers
Fab 'n Funky #179 - Christmas in July
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #215 - Christmas
Shelly's Images - Christmas
Crafty Ribbons #52 - Anything Goes (must use ribbon)

Thanks for stopping by today.  I'm not really ready to think about Christmas but....Rhubarb was fun to visit.  :)