I'm a Krafty Gal Now!!!! Kraftin' Kimmie Friends 2,000+ Followers - Christine's Sketch

Hello sweet friends and followers!

I have some really WONDERFUL NEWS 

to share with you today...

I am now a Krafty Gal 

for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!!!!!!!

As my month as a guest designer was coming to a close 

I was feeling soooo sad to be leaving that 

fabulous group of Kraft Gals. I didn't want it to end. 

I was preparing myself to do a "Thank You for having me"

blog post and then I was invited to stay as a Krafty Gal.

EEEEEeeeee....happy dancing!!

So now my post is a 

"Thank you so much for keeping me" - LOL

I'm seriously over the moon to have this opportunity.

I LOVE Kraftin Kimmie Stamps and 

I love being part of this amazing group of 

talented and wonderful women. 

I hope you will be inspired by my krafty creations :o)

I'd like to share my first official card as a Krafty Gal

that I made for the Kraftin' Kimmie Krafty Krop

to celebrate Kimmie's birthday and reaching

2,000+ followers in the Kraftin' Kimmie Friends Facebook Group.

But first... let me show you Krafty Gal Christine's sketch

that my card is based on.

as an added element to the sketch

(for double the chances to WIN some Krafty Ka$h)

Christine has chosen "Add PINK".

Ohhhh she is a girl after my own heart - LOVE Pink!

Here's what I made:

 this darling fairy is "Clarabelle" and the sentiment

comes from one of her other fairy friends "Tinkerbell". 

Per Christine's wish I used lots and lots of pink

and it makes me HAPPY :o)

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Stamping Sensations - February Challenge "Anything Goes"

Loves Rubberstamps - Challenge #136 Pink and  Girly

Crafting for All Seasons Challenge #94 Things with Wings

613 Avenue Create Challenge#108 - Anything Goes

If you missed the party this weekend at Kraftin' Kimmie

you still have all week to participate in the Krafty Krop.

There are six awesome sketches and extra themes that

you can play along with for a chance to WIN some

Krafty Ka$h to spend in the KK Shop!

I hope that you will join the fun.

I can't wait to see what you create!

Til next time friends...hugs and happy kraftin'! D

One Sketch - Two Cards - Two Different Looks: 52CCT February Sketch Challenge

Hello friends - happy weekend and happy February! A brand new month and some new challenges from 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  We also have some new DT members this month. So excited to have them!  Please go say "hello" to each of these lovely ladies.

The first week of the month for 52CCT is a sketch challenge and we have a fun one for you this week that has lots of possibilities for your creativity.  You can flip the sketch and use any shape for the oval. Just make sure we can still see the basic sketch in your creation.
As soon as I saw this sketch my brain went right to washi tape for the strips in the sketch.  I also had a couple extra die cut ornaments in silver foil that I thought might be a good substitute for the oval shape.

The only washi tape I had to go with this silver was a bit unconventional for the so I really had to think about how to make this work.  I decided to use the traditional A2 card size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") instead of square.

Here's what I came up with (a very non-traditional color combo):

I was happy with how it turned out, but then... I was shopping at Staples this afternoon and came across a wall display of all kinds of new washi tape - ooohhh heaven.  I had a terrible time deciding which two to narrow it down to but finally snatched up a silver and gold.  Here's the second, more traditional with lots of bling, using the silver washi tape and another silver foil die cut ornament: - take a look:

This card uses 3 different textures with the silver, there's the super shiny (ornament), the glittery (brads and snowflake) and the mat-finish (the washi tape and sentiment).  Kind of hard to photograph - but it's really lovely IRL.  This is my favorite of the two cards :o).  

I'm entering the first card (black/silver/green) in the 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #179 Anything Goes and Crazy Egg (4CCC#179)

I'm entering the second card (blue/silver) in the following challenges:

Merry Monday #93 - Ornaments

Twisted Tuesday Challenges #68 - Gimme a "T-A-P-E" - Use washi tape and something that begins with a T, A, P or E.  My E is embossing. 

Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Silver & Blue Christmas

and 

Festive Friday #24 (FFC24) - Photo Inspiration - Ornaments and glitter is what inspired me in the photo.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today.  I sure hope that you will consider joining us this week at 52CCT. Please go visit my lovely DT teamies and see what they've made to share with and inspire you too.  

Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D

52CCT - January Stash Challenge {Double Embossing}, MOJO Monday 329 {sketch}, Merry Monday #92 {Colors w/Ribbon}, The Card Concept 2, Festive Fridays {Photo Inspiration} & Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Goes

Hello friends - happy weekend!! Time for another challenge at 52CCT. This week our challenge is to use two types of embossing - heat and dry.  I'm a huge fan of texture on cards and use dry embossing quite a lot.  I don't as often do the heat embossing though as I'm usually crafting at night when everyone else is in bed.  They don't much like to be woken up to the sound of my heat gun :o)  What a silly family I have!

So I made my DT card earlier in the evening to oblige them - lol.  Take a look:

All supplies from Stampin' Up!

Ink and paper colors: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla (sounds like a dessert doesn't it?)

First I embossed the star with Early Espresso and heat set it.  Then I stamped the JOY over that with Cherry Cobbler ink and embossing powder and heat set again. Heat embossing gives things such a nice subtle sheen.  I sponged some crumb cake ink around the edges of everything to add a bit of distressing.  My dry embossing is from a retired snowflake embossing folder (one of my favorites).

For additional inspiration, I used the sketch from MOJO Monday 329

the Colors w/Ribbon challenge at Merry Monday #92.

The Card Concept Challenge #2 Use Texture (my first time here thanks to Sue for the link).

Style = Vintage

Festive Friday FFC23 (also my first time thanks to Sue) with this photo inspiration

and

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - January "Anything Goes"

 I'm really happy with how this turned out.  Lately I've been making a lot of "cute" cards so it was a nice change of pace to make a vintage card.   

I hope that you will decide to play along with us this week at 52CCT.  The rest of the DT have made some gorgeous cards to inspire you as well.  Please go visit them and leave a little love.  Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today. Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D

  

52CCT - Sketch Challenge #23, Merry Monday #81 - {Santa}, Let's Get Inky - Stamp A Happy Christmas

Hello friends - here it is November already. Wow!  Our hostess for this whole month at 52CCT is Louise and she has started us off with a great sketch.

I LOVE the circle shapes and the diagonal lines of this sketch.  Here's what I made to share with and inspire you to play along with us this week at 52CCT:



I knew immediately which stamp set I wanted to use with this great sketch.  Who can resist a cute Santa? Not me! 

 

I know that the rest of the DT members over at 52CCT have also made some amazing cards using Louise's sketch to share with and inspire you to play along with us this week - please go visit them and say "hi".  I hope to be visiting you soon as well!

 

I'm also entering my card in my DT friend Nonni's new Challenge (which runs through December 24th) called Let's Get Inky where the theme for the first challenge is Stamp a Happy Christmas. That means to create a Christmas card where stamping plays a  main role. Since Santa is my main stamped image I thought this would fit for her challenge. 

I am also entering my card at Merry Monday #81 - Santa.

 

Thanks so much for visiting me today.  Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D



52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown Color Challenge #17 and Merry Monday Sketch #61

Hello dear friends and followers and happy weekend to each of you! Time for another challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown (52CCT) and Mynnette has given us this stunning color combo to play with.
Here's what I've made to share with and inspire you.

I'm really tickled with how this turned out.  I used the sketch at Merry Monday to make my card (see sketch below).  

I used a circle Sizzlit Die to cut out the front of the card panel and then nest my snowflake within that.  I love the highlight effect it gives to the card.  I added a strip of embossing in the middle and lots of bling.  Hope you like it too!  Here's what I did on the inside:

I hope that you will decide to join the challenge this week at 52CCT.  Our DT has come up with some amazing cards to inspire you.  Please go visit them - you'll be glad that you did.  

Before you join us this week please take note of our clarified rules around the color combo challenges as noted below:

Rules for Colour Challenges

Christmas cards made for colour challenges should only contain the colours stipulated. 

However, certain 'neutral' colours may be included.
If a colour challenge includes any of the stipulated neutrals that is the only neutral allowed on that occasion. For colour challenges not using a neutral ONE neutral may then be included for example
Red, Green & White - only the neutral white can be used. (Black ink may be used here ONLY for the purposes of stamping an image or printing a digi image).
Red, Green & Blue - ONE neutral can be used on your card.
Our Neutral colours are: Black, White, Cream, Kraft & Gray. A flesh tone can also be added when colouring skin.
Please note that Gold and Silver are here classed as colours.

Hopefully this makes things more clear about what colors to use to be eligible to win an honor and/or prize here at 52CCT. :)

Well off I go, we have a busy mother's day weekend planned with a volleyball tournament (most of the day Saturday), and yardwork, and spoiling my own mom a bit with lunch and a movie (I guess that's kind of a treat for me too :o) ).  My family asked me what I wanted for myself for Mother's Day and I said I wanted breakfast in bed and 2 solid hours to craft my heart out. Maybe I should throw a bubble bath at the end of the day into the wish list too :o)  I feel incredibly blessed to still have my Mom and both Grandmas in my life as well as to have experienced two of my own miracles who call me "Mom".  So even though I want to be a bit selfish with my crafting and bubble bath time, I really just want to soak up some time with my kids and my wonderful Mom. I'm also so thankful to have many women friends who support me in so many ways. I will be sending them a few cards this weekend too. Take a moment to celebrate the special women in your life this weekend - we are so blessed to have each other.

Til next time... hugs and happy crafting! D

52CCT - Ribbons & Bows, Merry Monday #54, ABC Christmas - F is for Felt and MOJO Monday

Hello dear blog friends and followers - hope this post finds you all doing exceptionally well.  Time for another challenge over at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - whoo hoo!  I feel so lucky to be part of this design team as we have such a great team and I get the opportunity to make a Christmas card each week of the year.  I don't know about you, but I find it extremely hard to make myself purchase Christmas cards from a store when I know how much more special it feels to send someone a handmade card - and I know the recipients love it too.    By just making a card a week, by the time November rolls around I will have a great stash to send out to family and friends without the last minute stress of trying to make a bunch. LOVE it!!

So on to the challenge for this week.  Louise is the hostess for a couple more weeks and this week she has picked the theme of ribbons and bows.  Here's what I've prepared for your inspiration this week - hope you like it!

Now the inside:

I am entering this card in the following challenges which helped me with my inspiration:

ABC Christmas Challenges - F is for Felt or Fabric

Merry Monday #54 - Snowman Theme

MOJO Monday #285

 

Hope you will decide to pop on over to the 52CCT site and see what the other lovely ladies have made and then decide to link up your own gorgeous Christmas card creations using ribbons and bows!  Til next time... hugs and happy crafting! 

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - A Recipe Challenge, Merry Monday #45 {Sketch} and CCAYR - January Challenge "Anything Goes Christmas"

Hello dear blog friends - hope this weekend finds you to be happy and healthy! I have made a fun card based on the challenge issued by our wonderful Ruth for 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown . Ruth has chosen a recipe challenge - 1) use patterned paper, 2) use glitter and 3) you must decorate the inside of your card.   So here is what I came up for our darling Ruth's challenge at 52CCT:

the front with the DSP and the glitter paper

and here's the inside:

Whenever I'm faced with a challenge like this I like to have a sketch to help ground all the ideas that start flying around in my head.  So I went and checked out another one of my favorite challenges Merry Monday to see if they had a sketch this week and to my delight they did.  Here is the  Merry Monday #45 sketch challenge that I used for my card:

I have found that I like to make cards using punches (I think I might actually have way too many of them so I need to find new ways to use them every chance I get to make me feel better about how many I own - LOL :o) ).  I am also entering this card in the Christmas Cards All Year Round January Challenge "Anything Goes as Long as its Christmas".  I hope you like this card and thanks for stopping by to visit me today.  

I hope you will decided to accept Ruth's challenge this week.  You only need to link up the front of your card on the challenge site - but remember to show us a picture of the inside on your blog so we can see it when we come to visit you.  I can't wait to see what you come up with! 

Pop in and visit the other lovely ladies who have made some fabulous cards for your inspiration too.  Til next time...Hugs and Happy Crafting!  P.S. Hello to my two new followers - I'm honored that you've joined in :o) 



52{Christmas} Card Throwdown - November Embellishment Challenge and Merry Monday #42

 

Hello friends - hope you are all doing well. Since I had to work Friday I missed out on most of the Black Friday sales. I usually start my Christmas shopping at this time of the year so hopefully there will still be some good bargains to be had :o) Fortunuately I am in really good shape Christmas card-wise as I have been both designing for 52CCT for several months now and have also played along with the Merry Monday Challenges whenever I can too. Don't despair if you are a bit behind on making Christmas cards - just go grab your stuff and start creating! To help you get going this week Mynnette has a great Embellishment challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - to use pearls on your cards.  Here's what I came up with: 

I LOVE using pearls on my cards but for some reason I was a bit stumped as to what I would do this week until I saw the fabulous sketch at Merry Monday #42.

I hope the polka dot paper I used doesn't distract too much from the fabulous snowflake.  In real-life it looks quite elegant but as I'm looking at this picture it looks a bit busy - here's a little closer look:

I sure hope you'll decide to play along this week at 52CCT - I'd love to come visit your blog and leave you a note.  Thanks so much for stopping by - til next time... Hugs and Happy Crafting!!

 



 



52CCT - Embellishment Challenge, Christmas Stampin All Year Round & Merry Monday July Challenge

Hello all you Christmas card loving folks!  Time for another 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown Challenge.  Since it's the fourth week of the month, the 52CCT Embellishment Challenge #7 is to use brads on your creation.  So how fun is that??  Brads are such a great way to add dimension and depth to your projects.  I chose to add sparkly brads to mine. Pop into the challenge blog and check out what the other design team members have done with brads to provide you some inspiration. You're gonna love it!

In addition to my DT post I am participating for the first time in the Christmas Stampin All Year Round July Challenge which is to include a Christmas flower (holly or poinsettias) on your creation.  And am also still participating in the Merry Monday July challenge which is to make 4 Christmas cards (one each week) based on a past sketch.  My card today uses sketch #16 (see below). 

I just love this sentiment which is from a NEW Stampin Up set called "More Merry Messages".  I used a retired SU Sizzix die called Stocking Accents for the holly and added some glittery brads for the berries in the middle.  I think the result is a fairly clean and simple card but a bit of added depth.  One of the challenges of making a card with several brads is the issue of mailing them (it costs more or they may get torn up).  I don't usually let that stop me though - I just pop it into a padded mailer envelope and send it off.  I figure if I went to the extra effort to make a more special card then I'm not going to fuss about the extra postage. I'd rather it gets there still looking lovely :o) 

Here's another view of the card:

I hope you will join us this week at 52CCT!!! I'm having so much fun sharing my creations with you as a DT member and I am continually amazed at the inspiration that I am getting back from all of you.  I'm so glad that you create and share with us! I try to pop in and leave love notes for as many of you as I can.  Hugs!

Supplies (all from Stampin Up): Cardstock - Old Olive (base), Cherry Cobbler,Very Vanilla, and Garden Green.  Textured embossing folder (perfect polka dots - my all-time favorite).  DSP - Jolly Holiday (retired). Ink - Riding Hood Red.  Stamp sentiment - More Merry Messages.  Glitter brads in Brights (red).