Spring is Here!

Hello again - last post for the evening - must get myself off to bed!
Monday morning will be here much too quickly
and I will be dragging myself desperately into the kitchen for coffee 

This time I have an Easter card to share with you - take a look:

Digital image by Bugaboo digis. 

I think this might be my favorite card of the 3 I made tonight 

mostly because of the bright springy colors and papers.

I have spring fever something fierce right now! 

Just can't wait to be doing a little gardening of my own.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Catch the Bug Challenge - April Anything Goes

City Crafter Challenge Blog Week #205 - Easter/Spring

Simply Create Too  Challenge #58 -Easter or Bunnies

Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog - Easter

Try Stampin on Tuesday Challenge #161 

I used the sketch below but not the twist of adding a photo

Whew - I've completed my marathon sharing of cards tonight. 

I appreciate that you've stopped in to visit me and allow me to share and inspire you.

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

H is for Happy...Spring and Easter

Hello friends and followers - hope you are having a great day!  I've been taking some much needed personal time from work this week and enjoying some time with my darling daughter who is on spring break.  We've had lunch, gone shopping and had pedicures together (very relaxing).  I've also been catching up on lots of little (and not so little) projects as well which hasn't left me as much time for crafting as I'd hoped  - 

but I have managed to make a few cards that I'd like to share with you.  

Today I have an Easter card.  It's nice that Easter is a bit later this year -  more time to get my cards together for family and friends.  Plus, maybe by then the snow will be gone and we will really be experiencing some spring weather and flowers.  Ahhh... a lovely thought.

 Here's my card:

This cute digital image was a recent Friday Freebie at Bugaboo Stamps called "Bunny Chic Topper" - absolutely couldn't pass it up!  Did you notice the cute little chickies in the paper?  I thought it was perfect for this image.  

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:
                   Stella Says Sketch Challenge #206 at the Catch the Bug Challenge Blog.  
                                                                       Here's the sketch

Creative Card Crew Challenge#58 - Animals

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #64 Anything Goes/optional twist "Birds of a Feather"

Digi Galore - Anything Goes

Sister Act Challenges #49 - Anything Goes

4 Crafty Chicks Challenges #187 - Spring 

Thanks so much for popping in to visit me today.  I hope to be back again today with another card to share with you.  Til next time friends....hugs and happy crafting! D

Easter Wishes - ATS&M Challenge #88 - Holiday

Hello friends! Time for another weekly challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  This time the challenge is our Holiday Challenge.  That means you can make any holiday themed card or project.  

We have the wonderfully creative Anni as our guest designer again this week. 

Check out her blog - you'll be glad that you did. 

Here's my DT card to share with you for ATSM Challenge #88 - Holiday.

This is a CASE of a card that a friend of mine, Marlene (whom I also affectionately call ET) had made using the watercoloring technique.  I embossed the stamped image prior to putting on the watercolor so that I would know where I wanted each color to go.  I had so much fun making this card and am really pleased with how all the colors turned out!  Isn't it fun to be inspired by others?  I hope that I've now inspired you to play along with us this week at ATS&M Challenge #88 Holiday.  The rest of our lovely DT members have made some wonderful creations to share with and inspire you as well.  Please go visit and say "hi".

Thanks once again to our wonderful challenge sponsor Shery from STAMPlorations who is offering a prize to our challenge winner this week.

  
I am also entering my card in these challenges:
Crazy 4 Challenges 228 (C4C228) Shake your Thing (Free for All)
4CC - Challenge #186 - No Patterned Paper

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today! Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D

Egg-spect the Un-Egg-spected

Hello friends - hope you are having a most wonderful weekend! 

Didn't this card just make you smile?  

I love that funny little kitty hatching out of the egg.

Un-eggspected indeed - LOL.

This darling digital image comes from Deedee's Digis and is the March Digi of the Month called "Uneggspected".  I got it for free by participating in the previous digi of the month challenge. 

I definitely want to keep getting great free digis each month so I'm playing along again this month.  

You too can get free digis to enter in the Deedee's Digi of the Month Challenge.

Just pop on over to the challenge site and get the details.

I'm also entering this card in these challenges:

Inkspirational Challenge 52 (totally inspired by the bright colors and Easter/spring theme)

and

Catch the Bug Challenges - Stella's Sketch 205

   

So that's it for me tonight :o)  Off to bed I go to get my beauty rest.  

I hope I've inspired you to create something fun and enter one of these challenges.  

Creativity loves company :o) 

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

Happy Easter Every Bunny - ATSM #83 Holiday

Hello friends! Hope you had a restful weekend. I was fortunate enough to have a 3 day weekend which I really needed to try and kick this cold that just doesn't want to go away :o(.  I think it's because of our crazy weather (warm one day, cold and snowing the next - constant wind either way) that many people are having a hard time getting completely healthy, including me.

Oh well...enough of my woes.  Let's talk about the new challenge starting today at Addicted to Stamps and More! Oh...and before I do that, allow me to welcome Cathy from Cathy's Card Spot as our guest designer for the next two challenges.  She does such lovely work! Please go visit her and take a look at her creations.

Now back to the challenge at hand.  ATSM #83 is our Holiday challenge.  You can make any holiday card or project to share with us.  I chose Easter and I used a digi from our sponsor this week

Here's my DT card:

Details: Cardstock - whisper white, basic grey and smoky slate (all Stampin Up)

Designer paper - Watercolor Wonder (Stampin Up)

Sizzlit Framelit Dies - Starburst (Stampin Up)

Digital image - by Kathryn at Stamp Art Design and colored with copic markers and spicas.

Sentiment: from "Every Bunny" (Stampin Up - retired)

Extras - sequins and Stickles in yellow. 1/8" ribbon in Daffodil Delight (SU).

Last week in our Make Your Mark Challenge (ATSM82) I saw a card in our gallery #24 by Valerie Ward that I just knew I had to case.  I had to improvise a bit on my layers as there wasn't an in-between level for either of the starburst dies.  I decided to keep all the other colors neutral so that the image really pops.   Finished card size is 5 1/2" square.  

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Just Us Girls #228 Color (I used orange, yellow and purple plus neutrals)

and

Make it Monday #179

Hope you like this card and will decide to join us this week at ATS&M for Challenge #83 Holiday.  The rest of our lovely DT members have made some really wonderful creations to share with you as well so please go visit them and say "Hi".  Til next time friends...hugs and happy crafting! D

ABC Challenges #22 - Easter & 4CCC #135 - Easter

Hello dear friends and blog followers - Happy Friday and Happy (almost) Easter.  Is it just me or did Easter kind of sneak up on us?   My how time flies...happens as we get older, I'm afraid.   I get the honor this week of sharing another card with you as a reminder that there is still time to join in on the ABC Challenges #22 - Easter (ABC22).  Here's what I've prepared to share with, and inspire you:

I decided to go with a more traditional Easter card this time.  I had this negative image sitting on my desk from a recent card and it looked like the perfect frame to use around this cross.  I also spotted the pierced oval cut-out on my desk and decided to add it around the image as well.  I really love the effect I got by layering these pieces.  I stamped the cross in Black and then colored in the flowers and leaves with watercolor pencils.  I had lots of these gorgeous flowers that I had been itching to use, so I added them around the framed image.  My Easter sentiment is on the inside instead of the front since I already have so much going on there.  I think this one will be hand delivered to my Grandma so that the flowers don't get all squished ;o)

I'm also entering this card in the 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #135 - Easter since I've not been able to join them for a while.

Hope you like today's card and that I've inspired you to play along with us at ABC Challenges #22 - Easter.  I sincerely wish for each and every one of you to have a very blessed Easter.  Til next time...Hugs and Happy Crafting. D 

Addicted to Stamps and More! - Addicted to Colors Challenge #38 {Regal Rose, Sahara Sand and Tempting Turquoise}

Hello dear friends and blog followers!  I have another Easter card to share with you for the ATS&M Addicted to Colors Challenge #38 {Regal Rose, Sahara Sand and Tempting Turquoise}.  

I got this darling little stamp during a visit to a Hobby Lobby.  Oh My Goodness - have you ever been in one of those stores? It is an awesome experience for crafty people.  I'm actually glad that we don't have one of those stores locally, as I would spend too much money there. But it sure was fun to visit.  I really was almost overwhelmed after a bit as there was so much to look at and touch.  But then I spotted this darling chick stamp and in my basket it went - just too cute to pass up :o)  I literally could have spent hours in there but my husband and son started acting like monkeys until I couldn't ignore them anymore and had to leave (so sad - but probably best for my pocketbook). Those two ya-whos (my husband and son) have figured out how to get me out of a store when they've had enough by acting ridiculous. One time they wanted to get out of Target and were following me around with a Whoopie Cushion - ducking in and out of the aisles and laughing hysterically (can you just imagine?). I just kept ignoring them until people started looking at us all very strangely. Then I decided it was probably time to go - since we do go there quite often and it would be embarrassing to be kicked out by the management.  My daughter just starts complaining about her feet hurting - that's a little easier to tolerate, until she decides to just plunk herself in the middle of the aisle and whine for a "driving" cart (oh for crying out loud!).  I guess you can figure out why I usually avoid shopping with all of them as much as I can - lol!  It's a little better to take them grocery shopping as everyone splits up and takes a section of the list. The unfortunate part is we usually end up with quite a bit that wasn't on the list. :o)

So, back to the card for this week. I first stamped these cute little Chick-bunnies on Sahara Sand cardstock and colored the bunny ears with my Regal Rose and Tempting Turquoise ink and a blender pen.  I wasn't sure the colors would show up very true on the SS cardstock - but it turned out pretty good.  Then I fussy cut around the image to put on the rest of my card.  My mojo took a massive nosedive after my fussy cutting and I had a hard time deciding what else to do. It's such a bummer when your MOJO suddenly disappears!  I fussed around for a while trying to decide what to do - trying different patterned papers and embellishments, but nothing seemed to please me, so I ended up thinking I should just go the CAS route.  I pulled out an embossing folder to help give the big blank space some interest, and added a block of the blue to help the chicks stand out a bit more - ta da, Done! Whew :o)  

Well - that is enough from me for today! I hope you enjoyed your visit here and will come back again.  I'd really love to see what you create this week for the ATS&M Addicted to Color Challenge #37 - so go get busy won't you??!  The other gals on the DT have prepared some wonderful inspiration for you this week. I hope you will go visit them too.

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

Easter wishes for ABC Challenges

Hello dear friends and blog followers - so happy that you've decided to stop in and visit me today.  Yesterday I hosted our monthly card group at my house - what a delight all of those ladies are! Each one of them is so special to me and I sincerely enjoy their company. I feel quite blessed to be part of such a wonderful and crafty group.  Last week I shared a card with you that I had made to exchange yesterday using "ugly" paper from one of the ladies - well, at least what the person exchanging it felt was "ugly".  My card for this week's challenge at ABC Challenges - "Easter" uses a second piece of paper that one of the gals gave me to use. She thought it was terribly ugly when she gave it to me - and terribly pretty when I showed it to her yesterday - hehehehe.  I was quite please with myself that she liked what I did with her ugly paper! Well, after all beauty is all in the eye of the beholder - but embellishments can certainly make a difference too in how beautiful something looks (kind of like adding earrings and a necklace for a special night out) :o).

I took that "ugly" paper she gave me and added a bottom layer of another piece of DSP that coordinated quite well with the orange in the carrots.  A little distressing around the edges of both layers added some dimension to it.  I inked the edges of the bottom layer with Early Espresso, and the carrot paper layer with Tangerine Tango.  Then I inked up my new single stamp "Ears to You" from Stampin Up! and used one of my favorite Sixxiz framelit die cut shapes for the main image (I'm kinda wishing I had done the middle bunny in orange - that would have been fun too).  Some more edge inking with the Tangerine Tango and then I popped it up with some dimension dots.  I added some flowers to cover a big blank area that didn't have any carrots on it and therefore looked out of balance to me.  I think those little green flowers look a bit like small cabbage plants that rabbits love to chomp on - don't you?  The main orange flower was originally a white paper daisy that I inked up with a finger dauber and some Tangerine Tango ink.  Loved how it turned out - and a perfect way to get everything to coordinate.  

I have only made three Easter cards this year - may not have time to make many more.  It seems odd to me when Easter sneaks into March instead of April - kind of catches me by surprise and the weather still feels more like winter than spring when its that early in the year.

I hope you will decide to join us this week at ABC Challenges for our Easter themed challenge.  We had an amazing number of gorgeous entries last week for our Flower challenge.  I gotta tell you that I just love visiting your blogs so I can't wait to see what you come up with for Easter.  Please pop on over and visit the rest of the DT who have made some wonderful cards to share with you for inspiration.

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