Monday, January 30, 2017

Magic Mice!

Yesterday was a Valentine...today it's "Christmouse"!  Don't you just love the family of 5 mice? Merry Monday Challenge #233 Their challenge is to have "5" of something. I had 5 hearts too but one fell off somewhere...the cat will find it. Just as long as the cat doesn't find a mouse! 

Because I watercolored it, I will enter it in Happy Little Stampers January Watercolour Challenge. Can you believe January is almost gone...I just snuck in under the wire with that one! 

Then, the colors I used were chosen two challenges. Color Throwdown #427 in which I used SU Mint Macaron, Melon Mambo (a shade of pink) and Tempting Turquoise (aqua)...that's the mama Mouse's outfit, papa's too...but it looks totally different. The middle "child" has on an outfit of Perfect Plum and Pink Pirouette...she is gray like her mommy. The younger brother and older brother are a lighter shade of brown...that must have been the dominant gene :-) The older brother has entered the challenge below my card.


The older brother and hearts on the card were inspired by... 

Red, White and Tan

Thanks for looking at my joyful mice!

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Three challenges for today's card...

Joanne's sketch at The Paper Players Challenge #329 was truly a challenge but a fun one. You don't even want to know how many hours I spent on this card and how many mistakes I made. Yesterday my first shaker card was easy and today it was like I had never made a card! Here's Joanne's sketch...
Here's my card (thank you LeAnne for showing me I could overlap my squares and, boy, did I overlap!)...

Inkspirational Challenge #127 is a polka dot challenge and Inspired By All The Little Things #41 has a photo/color challenge.

 
If you haven't checked out all these challenges, I encourage you to do that.

My card base is Real Red. The red glimmer hearts in the gold frame do not show up too well in this photo, but they do shake! I cut the squares from the January Paper Pumpkin kit card stock and the sentiment is stamped from the kit. I heat embossed it in gold. The gold foil frame is a tad too big, I think. It stuck before I realized it! I think I need to re-watch a video on shaker cards!! The Swiss polka dot strip is from the Fabulous Fancy Foil Acetate; of course, the glue shows through! Again, I don't think my 7 year-old pen pal in Maine will notice. She and her brother are the ones with Cystic Fibrosis. 

Thanks for looking!

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Be Mine?

CAS(E) This Sketch #206 came to my rescue today! I was making a valentine card using my December 2016 and January 2017 Paper Pumpkin kits. This is my first shaker card and it's amazing how easy it was. However, when I went to stick my card base to the shaker part, I turned it over and to my surprise it was quite crooked. There was no way to remove it. A few days ago,, I had written down the sketch from Thursday...
 
So, now, here's my card!


The Real Red mat (4 1/4 x 5 1/2) is behind the Whisper White card base (5 1/2 x 8, scored at 4). I did it that way so I could write on white. I think next time I will make the card base 5 1/4. My biggest problem was figuring out how to measure for the Red Glimmer piece. If you know how to do that, please leave me a comment. I punched hearts in Blushing Bride Glimmer,Red Glimmer, Dazzling Diamonds and Silver Glimmer papers.

For the inside, I used the cut-out square from the front frame, die cut a heart and stamped it. The DSP is from Stacked with Love. The rest of the ingredients are from the Paper Pumpkin kits. There are a few flaws but I don't think my 9 year-old penpal from Maine will mind!

Thanks for looking.


Friday, January 27, 2017

Will I Sell This Tomorrow?

Since I have sold six cards in the past two days, will I sell this tomorrow? I hope so! Before I do, I'm entering it in the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #272. What fun this was! I think it's masculine, but my husband doesn't. Let me know your opinion by leaving a comment. Thanks for looking!

Tasty Trucks

Hey there, ho there! Wahoo...I sold six cards over the past two days! Today I sold this one. 

It's all Stampin' Up products, of course! My card base is Whisper White, with a mat of Birthday Fiesta DSP. The top circle is a Stitched Shape die cut of Crushed Curry, stamped with both Pacific Point and Emerald Envy. I can't tell the difference! The bottom circle is the same die cut, but larger, in Pacific Point. I stamped the truck (from the Tasty Truck stamp set) in Emerald Envy and fussy cut it, popping it up with dimensionals. The side panel was done with Pacific Point ink, using my blender pen. The awning was done in Crushed Curry ink, again using my blender pen; the ice cream cone and cupcake are Tip Top Taupe and Watermelon Wonder from the same stamp set. I thought this might be a good choice for Create with Connie and Mary challenge which is on Facebook. 

Thanks for looking!

Cupcakes and Seashells

These are the other two cards we made yesterday at our card group. I have already sold them! 





I also sold the iris one that I posted yesterday! That was a successful day!

Thanks for looking.

Still Learning, Still Trying

Yesterday was our group card making. After a delicious lunch and a birthday celebration, we settled down and made three cards. This one I am entering in the Paper Players CAS #328 Flower Challenge

I just love irises and am still trying to learn to watercolor properly. What do you think? I, apparently, am still learning how to get my mats situated properly, oh well. I am also still trying to figure out how to do things on my blog! Because of that, I'll do a second post after this one!



Thanks for looking!

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Hello Honey!


My card for today is submitted for Stamp Ink Paper Challenge #83. I took a little artistic liberty with the placement of the sentiment and replaced the "banner" with 3 enamel dots. They ARE in a straight line (smile). My inspiration came from Splitcoaststampers Color Challenge CC619. Because everything I used was a Stampin' Up product, I have entered it in SUO Embossing Challenge #166. Because I felt my card was Bold and Bright and slightly resembled the sketch at TSOT's Challenge #306, I am entering it there as well. This card has a lot of miles on it already and it hasn't even left the house! Challenges are so much fun. If you have never tried one, visit one of the above...you won't be sorry.

My card base is Tempting Turquoise. The DSP is from the 2014-2015 In Color pack (Hello Honey), the flower and sentiment are from the Avant Garden set and stamped in Rich Razzleberry. The stem is stamped in Wild Wasabi. I only embossed the top and bottom with the Petal Burst folder. The Whisper White circle was a die cut from Stitched Shapes. The scalloped mat is 2 3/8" SU punch. The three dots are Rich Razzleberry enamel dots. I think that covers it!

Thanks for looking!!

Monday, January 23, 2017

Christmas Again!

Yesterday I was humming a Christmas carol and my son said we were past that season. Well, apparently, I am not! Neither is the Merry Monday Blog nor Crafty Hazelnut. She also has a Monthly Patterned Paper Blog. I'm entering my card in those challenges as well as Sunday Stamps #144. Wish me luck!


My card base is Very Vanilla with a Cherry Cobbler mat. I stamped the sentiment from The Sounding Joy with Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla and used my Stars Framelits dies to cut out the three stars. The star (top right) is from Photoplay's Luke 2 paper pad. The bottom left star is from SU Warmth and Cheer paper stack.

For the inside, I used Versamark ink and embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder. I wanted to use my Very Vanilla stamp spot but alas, it has disappeared in my reorganization of inks and drawers. Perhaps the cat batted it somewhere? I was disappointed how the "all" turned out, but not enough that I won't send it in 328 days! Christmas is only 47 weeks away :-)


Thanks for looking!


Sunday, January 22, 2017

Challenges

Yesterday wore me out making one card. Although my lower back is 99% better, it's that 1% that gets to me. So, I wanted to make a clean and simple flower card that would take 10 minutes at the most, with little bending or twisting.

Thanks to the challenge at Paper Players 328 and Flower Challenge #4 Blue & Yellow this was quick and painless. My card is below these two challenge banners.

Paper Pumpkin kits came in handy for this. The flowers are stamped in Pacific Point and Crushed Curry and the stamp is a two step stamp from the April 2016 kit. What looks like it could be washi tape as the border is actually a strip of paper from the April 2015 kit. I took the Crushed Curry stamp spot and smooshed it across the paper. This card was quick and painless! Thanks for looking.



Saturday, January 21, 2017

I'm Dragon While Time Flies








Here's the deal for today...the sketch challenge at TSOT #305 and the color challenge at Fab Friday 104. 

Today is one of those days when my heart says, "You want to make a card!" and my body is singing (to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)..."no, no, no you don't!" Well, my heart is much stronger than my body so you will see which one won...oh, you already know because of the above challenges.

I made this for the birthday of my friend's daughter (56). I hope she likes dragonflies. Some people don't. Once upon a time a little girl was told they were also called darning needles and they would sew your ears shut if they landed on her. My father was guilty of that but I have forgiven him. They are such beautiful creations. I am still cautious because...who knows?

All products are Stampin' Up. The lighting was not the best today, but I used Very Vanilla for my card base, the upper dragonfly is die cut out of Sweet Sugarplum and layered on Very Vanilla. The lower dragonfly was die cut out of copper foil and popped up with a dimensional. These dies are from the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits. The DSP is the new one named "Inside the Lines". It can be found in the Sale-a-Bration catalog but in order to get it (it's free), you need to place a $50 order. I would love you to do that, but I digress. I colored parts of the DSP with the new watercolor pencils using Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight and Old Olive. I blended it out with my blender pen. I may end up coloring one more flower at the top. Underneath the DSP is a Copper Foil mat. The sentiment is stamped in Soft Sky, with a little Soft Sky sponged on the white parts of the DSP. 

For the inside I punched three corners with the retired trio punch. The sentiment and flower are from the Avant Garden set, which is free if you purchase $50. They are stamped in Sweet Sugarplum and the stem is Wild Wasabi.

Now here's the second deal...if you purchase a 3-month Paper Pumpkin subscription through me (click on the link above), you will be able to choose a free product from the Sale-a-bration catalog! I ordered a 3-month subscription on January 10th (the cut off date) and I'm so happy I did. My PP kit is full of items to make beautiful Valentine cards or candy boxes. I can't wait to see what February and March kits bring.

Sorry this blog was not as short as my other ones but my thoughts are draggin'! Thanks for looking!!





Friday, January 20, 2017

Busy Little Bees

My friend asked me yesterday to make a card for a mutual friend who is 92 and has fallen in love with a 99 year-old man. They lived in the same assisted living community and just moved in together. She wanted the card to say "So happy that you are shacking up!" I wasn't comfortable with that so, with a suggestion from one of my FB peeps and inspiration from a card by Dawn Griffith, this is what I ended up with...and my friend was absolutely delighted with what I had done!



I will admit I was quite happy with the way it turned out...so much so that I am entering it in a challenge. Just Add Ink #343. All products are SU with the exception of the sentiments. I used Basic Black for my card base, Color Me Irresistible Specialty DSP brayered with Daffodil Delight, the dies from Dragonfly Dreams and dies and stamp from Shooting Star bundle. The sentiments were punched with the retired Word Window. This is my first spinner card and, I can promise you, it won't be my last! So much fun!!

Thanks for looking and it's nice to be back in the card room.

Monday, January 16, 2017

Down and Out

Unfortunately, I hurt my back last week and haven't been able to make cards. I had so many more recycled material cards I wanted to do but card making for me came to a screeching halt. I am hoping by the weekend I will be able to get back to cutting, embossing, twisting, bending and doing something other than icing, every-other-day visits to the chiropractor and pain meds. There are lots of challenges out there in which to participate! In the meantime, here's a card from when I first started in September 2015. Lovely as a Tree never gets old!

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Recycling is Good!


LeAnne will be sorry she created a monster with her recycle challenge! This one took NO time at all. I had to create a quick card for a friend today. The banner is from a scrap of rubber matting that my son used to keep one printer from sliding off another in my card area. The lime green paper is from one of my PEO books that he printed for me about 4 years ago (something old). (I could be a recycle hoarder!) The circles were done with the SU Stitched Shape Framelits and the sentiments are from SU's Thoughtful Banners and Dragonfly Dreams stamp sets (something new). 
So, here are the challenges I am entering this in. The color challenge is from Stamp, Ink, Paper #81. Of course, I HAVE to enter it in the PP #326The sketch challenge is from TSOT #304The optional theme was something old and something new...I covered that!


MY CARD!!!!

What can I do to dress up the inside?

Thanks for looking!

Screening?

Like I said, I love LeAnne's challenges so here is another card for the PP #326 Recycle Theme.


If you look closely, you will see screening (in the upper right of the flower) from our windows in Florida that were ruined by stones being kicked up by the lawn mowers. The flower is from Bloom with Hope. The aluminum was foil leftover from wrapping tortillas to warm in the oven and dry embossed. I am also participating in SIP Challenge #81 and "V" for Violet Alphabet Challenge This is so much fun!

Thanks for looking!

Monday, January 9, 2017

Go Green!

My husband asked me a month ago, "Why are you saving the green plastic decoration from your Dragon Roll?"
I told him that you never know when I might use it on one of my cards. Needless to say, he just shook his head.

The Paper Players has a challenge, in which I am entering this card. It's a recycle challenge. Theme Challenge - PP #326 involves using something that is recycled. Et voila! 

The leader of our Card Caring ministry at church and her husband are closing on a house this week. Since I and another friend are taking her place Friday, I made this for our group to send to them. Here's the inside...
I thought it was whimsical! Thanks for looking!!

Sunday, January 8, 2017

More Masculine

We all need more masculine cards, right? I made this one in the minutes it took me to cut the paper, stamp, glue and add enamel dots! Maybe 5 minutes? Take a look see...




Saturday, January 7, 2017

New Dies from Stampin Up!

Today I continued working on card kits for the Cards of Caring Ministry at church Friday the 13th. I'm hoping that will be a lucky day for me and that the ladies will enjoy their kits. Here we go...



This card was made using the new Dragonfly Dreams stamp set, Detailed Dragonfly Framelits and the So Detailed Framelits. "Happy Birthday Wishes" is from the Avant Garden stamp set, which is in the Sale-a-bration catalog. The lace on the inside is one from the Delicate Details set in the Sale-a-bration catalog. Every $50 purchase of product from SU, earns a free product from that catalog. What a deal...you can get the same deal...just stop by "my store". Instructions are on the left side panel. Thanks for looking!

Friday, January 6, 2017

Cards Made This Week (a/k/a Boring Title!)

This is a card I CASE'd from Linda Bauwin. It is such an easy technique. Look for her video on You Tube! It's a card I plan to make with our church group and I think it will fly as a masculine card. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment. The stamp is from Dragonfly Dreams.


The following are the cards I made at our card club yesterday. I never tire of making Christmas cards!



Thanks for looking!


Monday, January 2, 2017

Yes, Deer!

Can you tell I'm in love with you Deer (dear)! This is for the TSOT #303 challenge as well as Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper January 2017 Challenge.




Do you like this one better than the Crumb Cake? It's Cajun Craze and much bolder. The DSP is from SU Petals & Paisleys. I also used the Stitched Shapes Framlit for the deer square.

Thanks for looking!

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2411

Welcome to another PIP Challenge . Here is what I created for it... I just love the background digital from our   awesome sponsor ... This w...