My Time to Craft Challenge #241 - Bear(s)

Howdy friends!  Happy weekend to you!  I've had such a fun time this month making cards for the weekly challenges at My Time To Craft Challenges and would like to thank the lovely DT for having me as a guest designer and asking me to stay on.  So Awesome!

I took spring break vacation from work this week and have been spring cleaning as well as making some cards.  Are you ever absolutely amazed at what you collect over a period of time?  I thought I had done a pretty good clean out of my craft stuff about a year ago - but somehow I've either managed to completely replace it (hmmmm... wonder how that happened) or it has multiplied.  If I could just resist patterned paper that would be half the battle :o)

So, you are probably wondering why I made a Christmas card with the spring weather right around the corner (finally!).  Well...the MTTC Challenge #241 is to use a bear or bears on your creation.  I remembered that I had purchased this fun digital image from Your Next Stamp while ago and then didn't get around to using it right away. Plus...I love to make Christmas cards no matter what the weather :o).

It's been a while since I made a step card and I saw that the March challenge at Christmas Cards All Year Round is to make a Christmas themed step card, so I thought I'd give it a go.  I like how it turned out and I used up some of my paper stash in the process (bonus).

I'd also like to enter this card in Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - March Anything Goes and Completely Christmas Challenge #5 - Anything Goes.

The MTTC DT have made some really wonderful creations to share with and inspire you.  I hope you will go visit them and leave a little love.  And then promptly dash to your craft area and make something to share with us this week with a bear or bears on it for MTTC Challenge #241.

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

52CCT - March 2014 - Pick A Previous Challenge - Color

Hello friends and happy weekend!  It's the fifth Saturday of the month, which means it's "Pick a Previous" week at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown (52CCT)!  This week we'd like for you to check out the 52CCT Colour Combos Archive tab, choose a combo that we've used for a prior challenge, and create a Christmas card with it.  Then share your card with us - we'd love to see what you make!  Please tell us in your blog post which of our previous color schemes you've used for your card.

I used the January 2014 Color Challenge

and here's my DT card - hope you like it!

Digital image by Lacy Sunshine - Coco

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been taking some on-line copic coloring classes for skin and hair.  

I'm really excited about how this card turned out! 

I hope that  you will decide to join us this week at 52CCT!

The rest of my lovely DT pals have also made some wonderful Christmas creations

to share with and inspire you this week. Please go visit them and say "hi".
We also have our guest designer Scraplady for one more challenge.
It's been lovely having her with us this month sharing her crafty Christmas creations.  

I am also entering my card in the following challenges:

Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Bingo

I used the middle column - Snowflakes, Free and Blue

 

Lacy Sunshine Challenge #29 - "Anything Goes"

 Freshly Made Sketches #129

Note: I used the sketch above from FMS129 however am not linking to that challenge as I am entering more than 3 challenges in total with this card.  I did, however, want to give them a shout out for the fabulous sketch.

Christmas Card Challenges #17 - Anything Goes

Crafty Hazlenut's Christmas Challenge Extra - March "Anything Goes"

Kit and Clowder March Challenge - Wings

Feeling Crafty Challenge #26 - Use a Digi and Bling (glittery snowflakes & candy dots on my card)

Alphabet Challenge Blog - D for Die Cuts (big snowflake is from a die strip)

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

Heard You were Dragon...Get Well Soon

Hello friends - a quick post to share another card I managed to get done this week.  We've had the lovely and talented Anni as our guest designer at Addicted to Stamps and More! these past couple of weeks. I've always loved her fun, clean style and have finally succumbed to temptation and purchased a couple stamp sets from The Alley Way Stamps.  Here's my card using one of my new purchases :o)

Stamp set from The Alley Way Stamps - "Enchanted

It seems that I never have a get well card on hand when I hear that someone is not feeling well.  

By the time I  would get around to making them a card, they would already be better - then it seems silly to send a card.  So I decided to make one today to have on hand that I can quickly grab.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Unscripted Sketches #249

Simon Says Wednesday Challenges - Anything Goes w/buttons

The Corrosive Challenge Blog Challenge #195 - photo inspiration (my 2nd entry)

Creative Card Crew #58 - Animals (my 2nd entry)

Sisterhood of Crafters - Animals

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today - I'm sure glad that you did. 

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

F is for Friend

Hello dear friends and followers!  A quick post today to share a card I made using a Lacy Sunshine digital image that I got for free from the wonderful Heather - just for playing along in her Facebook contest at Lacy Sunshine Crafting and Design Group (there is a tab and link to this on the Lacy Sunshine Challenge Blog site).  Here's my card using "Mayde's Puppy Bathtime" - hope you like it!

I love this image because it reminds me of my little doggies. One of them especially loves to dig in the yard and often comes into the house with a very dirty face and paws.  It drives me crazy I tell ya', especially since they are mostly white - or should be if they aren't diggin'.  But... then they look at me with those big dark eyes and suddenly it's hard to remember why I'm irritated at their dirty faces. 

They are just so stinkin' cute and such great cuddly company.

Anyway...as I mentioned, a shorter post today as I need to get my taxes done.  I've been putting off this task as long as I possibly can, but am now feeling like I better "get em done".  

Oh..and go grocery shopping, visit my Grandma and maybe give the dogs a bath too :o)

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

    The Paper Players #188 - sketch

Lacy Sunshine Challenge Blog - #49 "anything goes"

Sister Act Card Challenge #50 - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Challenges - Challenge #14 "Anything Goes"
Digi Galore - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today - I'm sure glad that you did! 

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

Stay Classy and Sassy

Hello again! I'm back to share another card I made last night.  

I recently purchased several Kraftin' Kimmie stamps (mostly thanks to Nicole from Nicole's Craft Nook and her lovely creations using these stamps) and am in love with them! They are absolutely a joy to color with my copics.  Without further ado...here is my card using "Hey Hot Stuff".

   This card is going to a special friend of mine for her birthday.The image reminds me very much of her fabulous self.  I'm especially pleased with how the hair turned out this time.  I hope she will like it!

I have something else to share with you,  I've been taking an online hair and skin coloring class. 

I love to color with copic markers and felt it would be fun to hone my skills,
 so I signed up and joined the classes at Kit and Clowder.  

This is an 8 week course but you can do it at your own pace - thank goodness. 

I will probably need about double that time to get through it all with my more than full-time job.  

Anyway... I've already learned a ton and am really enjoying the progress I'm seeing in my coloring.  

Over the course of the next couple of months you will see my efforts too 

(the good and the not so good) - practice definitely helps :o).

If you like to color with alcohol markers and want to improve your skills, I would highly recommend this.

The cost is very reasonable (I've paid as much for a live 3 class session and learned a lot less),

the videos, instructions and homework materials are very helpful, and there 

are lots of additional learning opportunities with great digital images.
You can get to the Kit and Clowder site by clicking on the button on my blog side bar.  

This weekend Kit and Clowder will be doing a Live Colour Along tutorial using a Kraftin' Kimmie stamp called "Hannah Hearts".  I can't wait to colour her up and share it with you after the session.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Kraftin Kimmie Challenge 222 - Pretty in Pink

Sentimental Sundays - Challenge #199 - Flowery Springtime (lots of flowers)

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly - Sketchy Free for All (I used sketch #88)

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today - I'm sure glad that you did! 

Til next time friends...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

Love You Bunches for BIC#50, Corrosive Challenges #195, Less is More Week #164 - Recipe of 3

Hello dear friends and followers! Today I have a fun CAS card to share with you 

that I made to enter in a couple challenges that I've been wanted to play along with lately.

I'm thinking that this will be for my DH this year for our 23rd Anniversary.

He recently told me that he likes my CAS (he didn't use the correct terminology - he said "plainer - less fussy") cards the best.  It doesn't get much more CAS than this, so I think he'll like it. 

Details: Stamps - Veggin Out and Face It (The Alley Way Stamps)

Ink: Memento Black Copics - G03, G05

Cardstock - Whisper White and Gumball Green (Stampin Up)

The first challenge is The Alley Way Stamps Be Inspired Challenge (BIC) #50:  Re-Inspired

I drew the green color and the nature theme from the photo below for my inspiration

  

The second challenge is Less is More - Week 164 Recipe

they want to see 3 of something on our CAS cards - 

two bunches of broccolli and a heart in the sentiment makes 3 of my something for the recipe.

The third challenge is The Corrosive Challenge Blog Challenge #195 - Go Green

I used the first option of the three which is the photo color inspiration

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today - I'm sure glad that you did.  

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

Think Spring!

Hello dear friends and followers - happy weekend to you!  On the first official day of spring we had snow - groan.  But in the spirit of optimism, I believe that it really is just around the corner (even though it's only 23 degrees today) :o)  Until spring really gets here I'll make a few cards with lovely spring images to help fake myself into believing that we are "almost there" - lol.

I made this card using a digital image I got for free.  How did I do that you might ask? Well last month I purchased the special digital image of the month and used it on the February challenge at From the Heart Stamps. Then this month, because I had participated and used the February digi of the month - in my email box came a freebie for the March Challenge.  How cool is that?  Part of the fun of blogging is "sharing the love" with others - so consider yourself shared with on this wonderful opportunity to get a free digi.

Here's my card which I am entering in the From the Heart March Stamp of the Month - Hamlet Pigwit Think Spring"...take a look:

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:

MOJO Monday 337

STAMPlorations March 2014 Challenge - Stamps and Spring

Crazy 4 Challenges 228 - Shake your Thing (Anything Goes)

Inkspirational Challenge #52 (I was inspired by the colors and spring theme)

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

My Time to Craft Challenge #240 - Mother's Day (or cards for a special lady)

Hi there - so happy that you've popped in to visit me today.  I have some exciting news that was announced last week...the lovely ladies at My Time to Craft Challenge Blog asked me to stay on as a permanent DT member.  I can't start full-time until September but I'm SO EXCITED to be part of this team.

This week for MTTC #240 we'd like you to make a Mother's Day card - or a card for a special lady

I chose to make a Mother's Day card - take a look:

I am lovin' this woodgrain stamp (it's so realistic looking)!  I used a die cut to make the hole in the tree for the owl to peek out of.  I took the piece I cut out and put it behind the main panel to continue the wood look.  Then I used a sponge dauber to make it look a bit darker from the inside.  Pretty CAS and sweet. I think my Mom will like it :o)

The lovely ladies at MTTC have made some wonderful creations for your inspiration this week. Please pop on over and say "hi" to them (here).  I hope you will decide to join in the fun this week. I can't wait to see what you make!

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

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #186 - No Patterned Paper

Papertake Weekly - for Mum (or a Girlie)

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

52CCT - March Stash Challenge - Paper Flowers

Hello friends and followers!  

Time for another weekly challenge at 52CCT.

This time it's a stash challenge

and our DT hostess Patricia

wants us to use paper flowers.

Here's my DT card:

This card is made almost entirely from parts and  pieces of my stash. 

The flowers (large and small) and light green squares were from  previous ideas that didn't materialize.

I decided to make a quilt looking pattern. 

Probably the closest I'll ever come to making a quilt

with my very limited sewing ability :o).

After putting the pieces all together I added some lovely buttons 

and a few candy dots and viola - it was done.  

Oh boy does it feel good to have used up some of my bits and pieces!

I hope that you will shop your stash and play along this week at

52CCT March Stash Challenge - Paper Flowers.

My lovely 52CCT DT buddies have made some gorgeous
Christmas creations using paper flowers.  

I'm also delighted to tell you the we still have our March Guest Designer, Scraplady, with us.
 Please go visit the 52CCT DT and say "hi".

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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

ATS&M Challenge #87 - Make Your Mark

Hello lovely friends and followers!  Time for a new weekly challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More! 
But before I tell you about the challenge I'd like to say a big WELCOME to our guest designer for the next two challenges - Anni.  Love, love, love her fresh fun style, and I think you will too.

Now, back to the challenge at hand.  ATS&M Challenge #87 is "Make Your Mark".  For those of you who are just finding our challenge - Make Your Mark means we want to see you use some sort of coloring medium (other than just an ink pad) such as alcohol ink markers, gelattos, watercoloring, crayons, colored pencils, chalks, etc.   I have made a springy creation to share with you using one of my favorite forms of coloring, markers applied directly to a stamp to create different sections of color
 - and I added a new twist and did a little watercoloring on it as well.
Take a look please:

This is a long and skinny card - measures 3 1/2" x 6".   I've been playing around with different watercolor techniques the last couple of weeks to teach my card class.  I colored my stamp with markers and then spritzed with water before stamping on the watercolor paper.  I repeated this several times, as you can see, to create the flow of flowers across the card. I used two different colors of both the peach (Calypso Coral and Peach Parfait) and the green (Lucky Limeade and Gumball Green)  On the stamp the sentiment is actually right next to the bottom of the stem  on the flower bunch.  I inked it up separately with a marker and put it at the top of the card instead.  I was nervous about spritzing too much so I used a light touch and then went over the edges of the image after stamping it with a watercolor pen every so lightly as well to pull a little more of the ink out and create the watercolor effect. Really pleased with how it turned out :o).

This week at ATS&M, we have a fabulous sponsor - STAMPlorations.  

I don't currently have any of their stamps, but after seeing what some of my fellow DT members have made (for this challenge and at the STAMPlorations challenge site) I don't think it will be long before I'm the proud owner of a few - hehehe.  The STAMPlorations March Challenge is Stamps and Spring.  Since my card fits perfectly into that category, I'm going to join the fun over there too :o).

I hope that you will decide to join us this week at ATS&M for Challenge #87 - Make your Mark.  My wonderfully creative design teamies have made some amazing creations to share with and inspire you as well.  Please go visit them and say "hi".
Til next time friends...hugs and happy crafting! D

My Time to Craft Challenge #239 - Charming (use a charm)

Hello dear friends and followers - so happy you've decided to come visit me today!  Time for another weekly challenge at My Time to Craft Challenge Blog.  For MTCC #239 the DT want to see you use a charm somewhere on your creation.  Here's my Guest Designer card to share with you this fine weekend:

I used a starburst technique that I taught my card group a while back on this card.  It's a great technique to either showcase or use up some of your patterned paper stash.  I wish I could tell you that this paper was from my stash but the truth is I fell in love with the flowered paper when I saw it and then searched to find the perfect image to use with it.  Come on admit it... I bet some of you have done it :o).   The blue jean looking paper is from my stash though so I'm not completely hopeless - lol.  

I hope you will decide to join us this week at MTTC Challenge #239 - Charming.  The MTTC DT ladies have made some gorgeous creations to share with and inspire you. Please take a moment to go visit them and say "hi".  It's always nice to spread a little love don't ya think?  

I am also entering this card in the following challenge:

Creative Card Crew - 57 Charms (use a charm)

Sister Act Card Challenge #57 - Anything Goes

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

Seeing Stars - 52CCT March 2014 Theme Challenge - Stars

Hello friends and happy weekend to you!  Sending a special howdy to my newest follower - so happy to have you along in my crafty journey.   Not sure about the rest of y'all but I am very glad that it's the weekend.  Time to recharge my mental batteries - ahhh :o)

It's also time for another great challenge at 52CCT and it's a good one.  This third week of March 2014, our hostess, Patricia, has chosen a terrific theme challenge for you - Stars. That's right, we want to see Stars on your Christmas creations this week - preferrably more than one as it is plural - just saying :o).

Here's my card to share with you this week:

Lots of stars in the paper and I added a few punched ones as well. 

Isn't this image just darling?  She makes me smile.  

I hope that you will decide to join us this week at 52CCT for the March Theme Challenge - Stars.  The other lovely DT ladies have made some gorgeous Christmas creations to share with and inspire you.  Go check it out and and say "hi" while your there. We also have our guest designer, Scraplady, with us again. She makes some lovely creations!  Hope you see your card in the gallery this week.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:

Your Next Stamp (YNS) Fun Friday Challenge #10 - sketch

Papertake Weekly - bingo (used the middle row)

Twisted Tuesday Challenge #71 (2TC71) - Clean design with Twist of color Green

Crafty Hazlenut's Christmas Extra challenge - March Anything Goes

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

ATS&M #86 - Anything Goes

Hello friends and followers, so nice of you to stop by to visit me today!  Time for another weekly challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  This week Darnell is our guest designer - love her work and so glad to have her with us :o).  Oh and did I mention...she is darn funny too?

ATSM #86 is the ever popular "Anything Goes" - whoot woo!  You know you love it and we definitely love seeing what you come up with.  Here's my Anything Goes to inspire you to play along with us this week:

This is my second birthday box card.  I decided to go "springy" this week for a special friend in mind.  Here's a couple more views:

I used a combo of 4 different stamps and 3 different die sets and 2 punches to make this card.  

I LOVE this new watercolor wonder designer paper.

Short post for me today as it's early in the week and already a bit crazy for me.  I didn't sleep well last night. I think it's that darned leap forward time change.  Kicks my fanny every year for about a week afterward - just seems to throw everything out of whack.  I am however, really looking forward to spring and the pretty flowers that will start poking their pretty faces out of the ground. That thought makes me happy!

I hope that you will decide to join us this week at ATS&M Challenge #86 -"Anything Goes".  My lovely DT buddies have made some gorgeous creations to share with you and our new sponsor this week is (drum roll please) is STAMPlorations.

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

You're so Sweet...Bashful Buttons Boo

Hello lovely followers - happy, happy weekend to you!  I have a sweet card to share with you today that I made using a digital image I got for free from Lacy Sunshine.  Heather gave her Facebook fans and members a special deal to get one of two very different images for free to use. She called them her "dark side"- Amelia and  "light side" - Bashful Buttons Boo, images.  I absolutely couldn't resist this darling Bashful Buttons Boo image as she reminded me of my own sweet daughter many years ago. So I choose the light side :o)

How perfect is this paper with the image?  I guess that there are some definite advantages to being a DSP paper hoarder from time to time (that is if you are willing to cut it up - lol).  From time to time I take all my little scraps that really would be useful on a card (but I just can't seem to throw away) and punch out (or die cut) a bunch of small shapes to keep for future use - such as flowers, hearts, stars, small circles, snowflakes, butterflies, and buttons. Yep...buttons. And I used several of those on this card today (yay me -  using up some bits and pieces!) :o).

I might have mentioned that I am learning to be better at coloring skin and hair on my digital images.  Still not an expert by any means but I think I'm getting better all the time.

I am entering this card in the following challenges (in addition to posting to the Lacy Sunshine gallery).

Lacy Sunshine's Challenge 28 - Use Spring Colors

Alphabet Challenge Blog - B for Buttons and Bows
House of Cards - Cute/Fun & Add a Button (I have several paper buttons)
and

Sweet Sunday Sketch #209 (oops - missed the deadline on this one, but it's a great sketch).

Looking forward to a weekend of catching up on all the things I didn't get done during the week.  I know that sounds really odd - but I like order and neatness and right now chaos is reigning in my home and life, so I need to take charge.  Not sure if I'll have much time to craft (big sad face) - but I'll feel much better when order is restored.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!  Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today.  Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D

My Time to Craft Challenge #238 - Frame It!

Hello dear friends and followers - it's time for another weekly challenge at My Time to Craft Challenge Blog where I'm still delighting in the joy of being the Guest Designer for March :o)  MTCC Challenge #238 is "Frame It". We want to see a frame of some sort around your main image.  Here's my card to share with you this week (and hopefully inspire you to play along):

I used a new thinlit die cut for the photo frame. This is rapidly becoming one of my favorite dies to use.  I wanted it to look like Stella was leaning out of the frame a bit so I snipped around the image as closely as I could and then let the balloons go over the frame edge just a wee bit.  Then I made sure that the sentiment fit inside the frame where I wanted it to be before gluing Stella back in.  I love how the background paper almost looks as if it has a few swear works on it - goes along with the crabby look on Stella's face.  Quite happy with how it turned out overall - hope you like it too! :o).

The other lovely ladies over at MTCC have also made some beautiful creations to inspire you.  Please go visit them as well.  Hope to see your card linked up the the MTCC #238 gallery this week!

I am also entering this card in these challenges:

PapertakeWeekly - Anything Goes (optional make your own flowers)
Bugaboo Catch the Bug Challenge - March Anything Goes - oops missed this one!
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes Birthday
Make it Monday - #181

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

Ugly Christmas Sweater..52CCT March 2014 Color Challenge

Hi friends thanks for stopping by! Did the title of this post grab your attention?  In a moment it will become clear - lol.  This week at 52CCT is our color challenge and our March hostess, Patricia, has chosen a goody for us to use. Take a look:

To play along and be eligible for our TOP HONOURS you need to use at least 3 of these colors on your Christmas creation - but it's fine if you use more too :o).  I used 5 of the 6 on my card (all but the light blue).  Without any more anticipation, I present to you... my Ugly Sweater card.  Hope you like it :o)

As soon as I saw this great stamp and die cut set I knew that I just MUST have it. It's just too cute and you can make your sweater many different ways.  This is one of the sentiments in the set - and my favorite one. I stamped the sweaters on some DSP called Sweater Weather (how perfect is that).  When you zoom in on the photo you can see that it almost likes as if it has fibers.  Then I decorated the sweaters with stamps and one of the die cuts (reindeer) using Navy Blue ink.  I wanted one of them to look kind of ugly and the other one to look "cute"ugly (if that makes sense - lol).   A quick, CAS card - and perfect for someone with a sense of humor about the holiday season :o)

This past season our family attended our first Ugly Christmas Sweater party.  We were on the hunt through the local thrift stores to find the awfulest (is that a word?) most hideous sweaters we could for the event as we were pretty sure that there must be some kind of prize for the ugliest one.  We laughed and laughed while we tried on sweaters.  People were stopping to laugh with us and help us hunt. It was quite funny really.  My husband and son couldn't find a man's sweater to fit them so they ended up with ladies sweaters. Guess you can probably figure out that they both have very good senses of humor about them.  Quite comical really :o) I found one that really wasn't that bad - but I'm pretty sure my darling Grandma donated it about 25 years ago.  Everyone kept calling me "Grandma Hester" when I had it on :o)  I don't feel so bad about that though as she is the cutest, tiniest little grandma around - so it's a compliment (big smile).  Ok... so here's the really funny part about my ugly sweater story...MOST of the people didn't even bother to show up in an ugly sweater. Can you believe it?!  We felt kind of silly - especially my husband and son.  Oh well... we had a very good time as a family shopping for our ugly sweaters so it was worth it!

So..time for you to go visit the other lovely ladies on the 52CCT DT and see what they have come up with for Patricia's March Color Challenge.  We have a talented Guest Designer - Scraplady - joining us this time too. She makes really lovely cards and we are happy to have her with us.  I hope that you will decide to join us this week!  I can't wait to see what you make.

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

Tobi says Thank you

Hello friends and followers - happy almost Friday!  Today I've made this card using a digital image that I just won from the Your Next Stamp March Blog Hop.  It's called "Tobi watering the roses".  I think she is just too cute and I'm soooo excited to have gotten her.

I quickly colored her up and am entering her in the YNS Fun Friday Challenge #9 using this sketch.

Still practicing my shading and hair and skin coloring techniques with my copic markers.  I can see some improvement - especially in the hair on this one - quite happy with how it turned out!  Hope you like her too :o) She kind of reminds me of my daughter when she was smaller and liked to "help" me with the flowers.  Oh hey - did  you notice the little blue birds in the patterned paper?  I was tickled to have found that to use.

I'm also entering this card in these challenges:

Papertake Weekly Challenges - Anything Goes (option: make your own paper flowers)

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Cute

The Paper Players Challenge #185 - Thank You cards

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

ATS&M Challenge #85 - Photo Inspiration

Hello friends! Time for another weekly challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More! We have a new guest designer joining us for the next two challenges.  

Welcome to Darnell - we love your gorgeous creations and are happy to have you joining us.  

ATS&M Challenge #85 is a Photo Inspiration Challenge based on this image:

I used the colors and the theme of strong women for my DT card. Take a look please:

This is a skinny card (3 3/4" x 6") as I wanted as much of the panel to show as possible.  I made the main panel by using a watercolor technique.  I pounced 3 different pink stamp pads  (Pink Pirouette, Calypso Coral and Melon Mambo) down on a plastic sheet and then spritzed with water.  Then I placed my watercolor paper over that and kind of mushed it down and around a bit.  I lifted it and then spritzed again and then put it down one more time.  I heat set it and then let it set over night before adding the embossed sentiment (drat - I got it a bit crooked).  Then I used my gorgeous grunge set to add a few extra spots by using Basic Grey (stamped off once first) to the panel.  Really  happy with how it turned out and plan to show my card group this technique later this month.  Messy but fun, and the results are stunning. 

The other lovely ladies on the ATS&M DT have made some beautiful creations to share with you based on the photo inspiration.  A big thank you to Kathryne for being our prize sponsor this week.

The challenge winner will receive 5 digital images of their choice.

Updated to add that I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
Virginia's View Challenge #1 - Watercoloring


and
STAMPlorations Bi-Weekly Sketch Challenge #7 - Sketch
(thanks Nonni for telling me about this).


Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today! I'm sure glad that you did.  I hope that you will decide to join us this week at ATSM for Challenge #85. Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D