Thursday, October 31, 2013

Hey Cute Ghoul - Happy Halloween

Hello friends and followers - so happy that you've stopped by to visit me today.  I have a card to share with you that I made for my sweet teen daughter for Halloween.  I made a fancy fold card recently for my DT card at 52CCT and I had so much fun with that I decided to practice some more and make another one.  I was so pleased to see the HUGE grin on my daughter's face this morning and she said "This is the prettiest card you've ever made"!  I'm not sure if its the best one I've ever made, but I kind of think its close :o) This is the last Halloween card I made for the season and I'm so tickled that it made my little girl smile.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks Crazy Egg Challenge #166 - Halloween
Mo Manning's Digital Challenge #208 - Fantasy w/a Mo's image
Stampin' Royalty Challenge #200 - Anything Goes
Twisted Tuesday Challenge 2TC62 - Free for All (make anything you want - twist is anything goes)
Corrosive Challenge #186 - Tic-Tac-Toe (I used the middle row)

The digital image is from Mo Manning called "teen witch" and is colored with copic markers. The sentiment is from Paper Smooches (so perfect for this image), flowers are from my stash, and the papers are from a DCWV halloween stack that I picked up on sale at my local craft store this past weekend.

That's all for tonight - til next time friends... hugs and happy crafting! D

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Addicted to Stamps and More! Challenge #69 CAS, ATCAS - One Layer and DD#76

Hello friends and followers - happy last week of October.  This week at ATS&M Challenge #69 is CAS.  I thought I'd switch gears a bit from the halloween track that I've been on lately and make a birthday card.   I apologize for the poor photo - think I need to recharge the camera (that really is a white card base). 

The sentiment is from one of my oldest and most favorite sets. You might have seen another one of these stamps used yesterday on my card for ABC Challenges.  While I had the set out, I thought it might be fun to use another one of them.  

My colors were based on the pretty combo at  Dynamic Duos #76 (see below) - the sentiment is in Perfect Plum and the balloons are in Wisteria Wonder. 
and since I did go with a one layer card I'm also sharing it over at the ATSM sister challenge called ATCAS where the code word is... yup, you guessed it ONE LAYER. 

One layer CAS cards are very difficult for me - but hey...that's why it's called a challenge - it's all about stretching yourself creatively :o)  Several of my DT pals from ATSM also are on the DT for ATCAS - they do such a fabulous job and I don't get to play along over there as much as I might like to - except for today.
I sure hope that you will go visit the rest of the DT at ATS&M and then decide to play along with us this week.  There's a fabulous prize to be won - how can you resist the temptation to try???? 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me - I'm sure glad that you did. Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D

Seeing Shades of Purple for Dynamic Duos #76

Hello friends! I'm excited to share something a bit different for me today.  I made 2 - yes TWO - one layer cards. Shut the front door!! I was up late and on a roll - haven't been sleeping much lately due to a bit of work stress that keeps me awake. Decided to do something productive and try a technique that I haven't used for quite a while (or terribly successfully I might add).

My color combo is from the Dynamic Duos Challenge #76 - Wisteria Wonder and Perfect Plum.

I first inked up the block(s) with the Wisteria Wonder and then stamped over the top of the blocked spot(s) with the Perfect Plum.  At first I was disappointed that I didn't get a very even effect across the block when I transferred to the paper. But then I decided that this is exactly what I do like about it (does that make sense?)  because it is definitely a one of a kind that probably wouldn't look the same no matter how many times I did it.

I asked my daughter what she thought and she really liked the Wishes card but kind of wrinkled her nose at the Happiness card.  She said "I like them but they are different from what you usually make".  Exactly!! That's what I was going for - LOL.

What do you think? Do you like it - or do you think it looks "messy"?  I'm really curious since it's a different style for me - be honest, I can take it :o)  Hugs...D

Monday, October 28, 2013

ABC51 - "What's Old is New Again" - Use your oldest stamp set.

Hello friends - Happy Monday!!  This week at ABC Challenges #51 we would like to see you use your first (or one of your oldest) stamp sets to make a card. I had a lot of fun digging through my forgotten stamps while getting ready for this challenge.  Unfortunately, I recently went through a massive clean out of my craft stuff and sold lots of my old sets (bummer!) at a garage sale. But did keep a few of my favorites from long ago.   It was kind of hard for me to remember which ones were oldest, so I decided to use a stamp from a set that my sister bought for my birthday (many moons ago) when I was just getting started with stamping.   There are 4 sentiments in the set - this one is my favorite. Take a look please...
I think I'm going to have to use the other 3 sentiments now - just because :o). I also might be using some of the other forgotten stamps I found (it felt a bit like Christmas) soon.   

Do you have a basket, or drawer, or closet etc. with some older or forgotten stamps that would love to see some ink and be used on a new and beautiful card?  I'll just bet you do!  

The other ladies on our DT at ABC Challenges have also risen to the challenge and pulled out some old stamps to make some gorgeous cards for your inspiration. Won't you go visit and see what they've made?  I hope that you will decide to join us this week. Till next time... hugs and happy crafting friends! D

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Are you Playing w/ ATSM #68?

Hello friends and folllowers - hope you are all doing well!  Today I'm sharing a second DT card I made for Addicted to Stamps and More! (ATS&M) Color Challenge #68.  This time I decided to make an easel card. It's kind of skinny and narrow (3" x 6") - a fun size to use.  I debated on the grassy strip because usually in Montana we have snow on Halloween - but it worked perfectly with the colors and image, so I went with it even though I was tempted to put a dash of white flocking on there to look like snow :o)

Have you joined us at ATS&M yet this week?  If not, I'd sure love to see your entries using this color combo.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Divas by Design - "Spooked" (anything Halloween)
Stampin' Royalty Challenge #199 (photo - see below) - I liked the pumpkins and the colors
and 
City Crafter Challenge Blog Week #182 - Pumpkin Patch.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today - I'm sure glad that you did. Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D



Friday, October 25, 2013

52CCT - Technique Challenge #22 - Fancy Fold

Hello dear friends and followers, so happy to have you join me today.  Here it is the last weekend of October and thus also my last challenge for the month as hostess of 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown (52CCT).  I've had such fun being the October DT hostess for 52CCT.  It's always a bit nerve-wracking I think to choose the challenges and then cross your fingers and hope that people like what you've put out there for them to try.  So... that being said, here's what I chose for the 52CCT - Technique Challenge #22: 
I have long admired the talents of so many crafters when it comes to cards with a fancy fold.  I decided to challenge not only you - but myself too, as I have only just started learning how to make different folds for my cards.  My DT card to share with you today is a new fold for me - take a look:
I'm so tickled with how it turned out. But...I must admit as I was making my cuts and trying to measure it out I did start to doubt myself and asked myself "what were you thinking when you picked this challenge?". LOL
Here's a side view to show the fold a bit more:
  I'm honestly so happy I gave this a go and plan to make a couple more now that I know what I'm doing.  To see some more terrific fancy fold Christmas cards - please go visit the rest of the lovely ladies on the 52CCT DT.  I hope that you will decide to join us this week and I can't wait to see what you've made. 

I'm also entering this card in the Merry Monday Challenge #80 which is to create a Christmas card that either uses music or is inspired by a Christmas carol.  Can you guess what my Carol is...really more of a song than a carol - but it was always my kids favorite...Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer :o)   
Well... since I stayed up so late getting my card together, I guess I'd better get myself to bed now and get some beauty rest (a gal can never have too much of that as far as I'm concerned).  Til next time friends...hugs and happy crafting! D

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

ATSM #68 - Color Challenge {Certainly Celery, Basic Black & More Mustard}

Hello dear friends and followers - so glad that you're here to visit me today!  Wow - what a great turn out we had last week for the Make Your Mark Challenge at ATS&M.  Choosing the winners is going to be difficult for our team (especially for me).  

This week ATS&M Challenge #68 is a Color Combo Challenge (see above) which features some colors that are perfect for fall or halloween.  We haven't had as much success as we would like with the color challenges lately so after this one we have decided to try something new in place of it that we hope you'll enjoy more.  

Our sponsor this week is NiceCrane Designs - who by the way is offering a fabulous prize to our Top Honor (check out the ATSM Challenge site here to get more details). 

I've used one of the NiceCrane Designs digital images for my DT card.  Take a look if you please:

I opted for a very clean design so that the image really took front and center on the card, and added just the "teensiest" touches of color to the image using a blender pen and ink pads.  My designer paper is from a retired collection called Spice Cake (Stampin Up!) - loved that paper for its rich fall colors.  I have enough still to make a matching envelope too! I think this will make a great Thanksgiving card - or Thank You card. Haven't decided yet which - so I left the inside blank for now.  

The other lovely ladies on the ATS&M design team have come up with some gorgeous inspiration for you as well.  Please go visit them and check out their lovely creations.  I hope you will decide to join us this week!

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