Valentines Day Post #2 - LOVE you

Hello again!

I had the day off yesterday and got to spend some good 

crafty time to myself in my craft room yesterday 

(when I wasn't following my sick hubby around with the Lysol can). 

I'm back with a second post to share the card 

I made for my sweet daughter for Valentine's Day.

details: Mini Monster stamp set by Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps

Papers and larger red enamel hearts by Doodlebug Design. 

Die cut "love" and tiny enamel hears by Stampin' Up! 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Kraftin’ Kimmie Challenges “Anything goes”

The Sketch Files - February ON THE SPOT 

4 Crafty Chicks Challenges #390 - Lots of Layers

My Time to Craft Challenges #364 Love is All We Need

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenges "Add a Die Cut"

Little Red Wagon Challenges #433 "Luuurve"

 If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #87 (photo inspiration)

and

{PIN}spiration Challenges #209

I appreciate that you came to visit my blog today!

Thanks so much and have an awesome crafty day! 

Hugs! D

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps - May 2017 NEW Release Blog Hop Celebration

Happy Mother's Day!

Are you ready for some amazing inspiration today?!
I sure hope so because the SIX new clear stamp sets that we've
been sharing all week for KRAFTIN' KIMMIE STAMPS are
  NOW available in the krafty shop AND we're celebrating
with a Krafty HOP! The Krafty Krew and our fantastic 

guests have pulled out all their creative genius karma

and have some amazing creations to share with you today
featuring the new stamps for May!

This month of new releases has been my favorite so far 

(okay I know I've said that a time or two before but really

I think it is!!!).   Grab your favorite beverage, get comfy
and start hopping along with us.    

I'm using one of the two fantastic new sets by artist Cheryl Grant

called "COWS IT GOING".  Take a peek!

I got some Prisma Color colored pencils for my birthday 

this year (a set of 72). This is my first real attempt at coloring 

the entire image with them.  I'm pretty happy with how it looks :o) 

This stamp set just steals my heart.  I love cows! 

Thanks so much for popping in to visit me today. 

Now off you go to the next person in the list.  Enjoy! 

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps NEW Release DAY FOUR and ANYTHING GOES Challenge

Happy weekend crafty peeps! 

I get the pleasure of being your hostess for this week's 

challenge and because it's peek week for the May NEW releases

at KRAFTIN KIMMIE the theme is ANYTHING GOES!

Today is the final day of peeks and the release party
is this afternoon at 2pm EST on Facebook!
I hope you can join us for all the fun and excitement and prizes! 

Our final sets are by artist Annie Rodrigue! We know that so many
of you LOVE Mermaids And we've got TWO new one for you!
 First up is FLORENCE FINBOTTOM!

And the second one is SANDY SEAWATER!

I used Sandy Seawater on my card today - take a peek:

I stamped these images in Memento London Fog (light grey) ink
so I could try the no-lines technique.  Many of my krafty DT
teammates have this technique mastered but I've only done it one
other time before.  I'm pretty happy with this second attempt, but then
I think it would be hard to mess up this beautiful image too much :o)!

I'd like to also enter this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenges - Going Dotty
Craft Rocket Challenges #37 - Fantasy
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges #328 - Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks Challenges 4CC #350 "Celebrating Women

Okay so it's back over to you now!  Remember it's ANYTHING GOES
so you can create a card, scrapbook page or altered item with any stamp
but if you use a Kraftin' Kimmie stamp you'll double your chances to WIN!
Use any sketch, any design, any embellishments! Have some krafty fun
and join us this week because we'd LOVE to see your KKS designs.
You have a week to play with this challenge and at the end of the month,
we'll announce a WINNER from all of the weekly challenges for May!
I hope you can play along for your chance to WIN a $20 Gift Certificate
to use on ANYTHING you want in the shop! Wanna win?

Don't forget to pop on down to the links below and visit the
Krafty Krew and Guests listed below.  They have lots of super FUN
designs to show you featuring these awesome new stamps!

  

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps NEW Release May 2017 DAY THREE Peeks {Just Chicken In}

Hello Hello Hello sweet friends!

How's  your week been?  Who's glad it's Friday?!

Oh yessssss my hand is way up in the air!

I'm so happy you are here to visit me again today because

the sneak peeks of the NEW clear stamps sets release

for this month at KRAFTIN' KIMMIE continue and
today we are featuring a couple super cute NEW animal sets
 by artist Cheryl Grant. What's springtime like down on the farm? 

Lots of FUN according to these kiddos and animals!


I'm featuring one of the sets called JUST CHICKEN IN.
Oh my goodness I just LOVE this set!
There's a main image featuring Lexi feeding her chicks
(with a lending paw from her kitten), and two additional
animal images  with a mother hen and a gorgeous pony!
And there's four punny coordinating sentiments!



Here's my card to share with you today:


I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More #241 Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart Challenges #158 Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon challenge #393 Punny Projects

You will see both of today's sets in action as you hop around the Krafty blogs!
 You'll see the list of Krafty design team members and Krafty Guests
below and be sure to leave some love at each stop because one lucky
commenter is going to WIN a gift voucher to the krafty shop!

ALL SIX of the new May clear stamp sets will be released on
 Saturday afternoon! Be sure to join us at the LIVE Online Release Party
beginning at 2pm EST! Come join us to help celebrate the new release,
check out lots of krafty kreations, have a chance to win some prizes
and hang out with all our krafty friends! Hope to see you there!

Kraftin' Kimmie Challenges #379 "Summer"

Hello wonderful crafty peeps!

It's the last Saturday of April already - wow!

Do you have any fun weekend plans?

It's supposed to be cold here so I made a big pot

of homemade vegetable beef soup. I'm not excited

about the cold - in fact I really am ready for the

warmer weather.  But the rain is making things green

and I do love homemade soup on a cold day :o).   

I have a card to share with you that I made for 

Kraftin' Kimmie Challenges #379 where the theme

this week is SUMMER!  Oh I am really looking 

forward to summer! Sunshine, flowers, popsicles,

time at the lake, warm weather, green grass, 

flip flops, and bbq time with family.  

 My card today features one of the beautiful lasses 

from  the KKS clear stamp set called Tweetie Birds.

I used lots of flowers on my card (and in the dsp) because 

summer to me means flowers, sunshine & birds singing!

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges as well:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenges - Anything Goes

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenges #326 Anything Goes and DT Call

Crafty Creations Challenges #340 Anything Goes

Crafting With Friends Challenge #42 Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today!

I hope you will come join us this week and share you own

beautiful creation with a Summer theme.  

Hugs! D

Barn to Be Wild - SugarPea Designs Mix It Up Challenge #27

Hello again cafty peeps!

I'm here to share another card I made for the
SugarPea Designs Mix It Up! Challenge #27


  This card uses the SugarPea Designs clear stamp set
called Barn to Be Wild and a couple of the coordinating 

Sugar Cut dies.  Here it is:

This card was extremely easy to put together thanks to this piece 

of paper from the Countryside Charm Patterned Paper Collection

(so excited that I finally used it !)  

Here's the inside too

CUTE huh?!

I'd also like to enter this card in these challenges:

Creative Knockout Challenges #177 - Finish the Inside

The Brown Sugar Challenge Blog: challenge #234 Anything Goes
Crafty Creations Challenges #333 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers Challenge Blog #123 - anything goes
Jo's Scrap Shack - Fun Friday Challenge #172 Always Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping in to visit me today!
Hugs and happy crafting wishes to each of you! D

Best of Cluck - SugarPea Designs Mix it Up Challenge #27

Happy Monday sweet friends!

I'm back again to share a second card

that I made Sunday to enter in the
SugarPea Designs Mix It Up Challenge #27 - Anything Goes. 

This card was made using the super sweet

Best of Cluck stamp set (and coordinating dies).
I knew as soon as I saw this set that I had
to have it!  But it has been sitting in my
"waiting to be inked" stash (very sad) for several
months until now.  I also had these really
pretty papers from the
Countryside Charm Patterned Paper Collection
in my stash as well.  I'm so excited to have
made this card and to have checked two items off
my crafty New Year's resolution :o)

and here's the inside too

Oh my gosh...doesn't that broken egg just

crack you up (pun intended)?!

I am entering this card in these challenges as well:

A Bit More Time to Craft Challenge #36 - Anything Goes

Card Mania Challenges #88 - Layer It

Connie Can Crop Monthly Challenge #54 - Anything Goes

Countryview Challenges January 2017 - Anything Goes

Cards Galore Encore Challenges - Happy New Year 2017 - Anything Goes

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #121 Things with Wings

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges #311 - Anything Goes

My design layout was from MOJO Monday #479

(now closed)

Thanks so much for stopping in to visit me today! 

Hope your Monday was fantastic and the rest of 

your week even better.  Hugs! D

"It's Your Birthday..." SugarPea Designs - Rice, Rice, Baby

Hello sweet friends!  

I found some myself with the luxury of

having some "just for fun" extra crafting time 

over the weekend so I pulled out a few of

my "yet to be inked stamps" and had a blast 

creating with them.

   Do you make New Year's resolutions?

I don't usually make them - mostly because it seems
that I inevitably fail in keeping them lol.  BUT....

this year I did make 3 crafty resolutions 

1) use more of my "yet to be inked" stamps

2) use up more of my designer paper stash 

before purchasing more (this one is going to

be the most difficult because I think I 

truly have an obsession with patterned papers)

3) get a couple of my cards published  and...

hopefully 4) be awarded a guest designer spot for a 

couple of stamp companies or blogs that I really like. 

I'm super happy about this card because it fills two of

my New Year's crafty resolutions - using an inked
stamp set called Rice Rice Baby from SugarPea Designs

and some of my designer paper from my stash.

I colored this with my copic markers.  

here's the inside too

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenges - Be Square

Sugar Pea Designs Mix It Up Challenges #27 - Anything Goes

The Brown Sugar Challenge Blog #233 Anything Goes

Seize The Birthday Challenges - Welcome Back! Anything Goes Birthday

Creative Knockouts Challenges #176 - Celebrations

Thanks so much for visiting me today!
Hope you have a fantastic (and crafty) week!

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

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

Birthday card in a Box

Hello friends and followers, thanks for stopping by to visit me.  A special hello to my newest follower Kristie! So happy to have you along :o)

Today I taught my card group how to make a really cool 3D card that I've been wanting to try.  I'm excited to share it with you too.  Warning...this is a bit photo heavy.

So...here's how the card looks when folded flat:

Eww - I really need a manicure :o)

And here's how it looks as you start to open it:

And...wait for it....here's how it looks when it's fully opened:

TaaaDaahh!

A birthday card in a box!  Is that fun or what?  Here's a look from the side:

Lot's of fun to make and sure to bring a smile to the recipient :o).  If you would like to get the instructions for this card just leave me your email address in the comments and I'll happily send it to you.  The details for the products are listed at the end of this post (all products are from Stampin Up!).  

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Seize the Birthday - Topping Option - Hearts

Sentimental Sundays Challenge #194 - Pack a Punch (use a punch on your card). 

I used a decorative label punch and a tiny circle punch and a cupcake punch.

Papertake Weekly Challenges - With a Heart (show a heart somewhere on your project)

Divas By Design - With Love (the heart and the Love Ya word bubble).

City Crafter Challenge Week 198 - Love Bug (create a card or project with the word love in it)

See the Love ya word bubble on my card to meet this challenge. 

Thanks again for stopping by! Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D

Card products used (all are from Stampin Up!):

Cardstock - Soft Suede (base), Coastal Cabana, Poppy Parade, Baked Brown sugar. 

DSP - Retrofresh designer series paper 

Word Bubbles - Stamp set "Just Sayin;" with coordinating Word Bubbles framelit dies.

Arrow: from the On Film framelit dies.

Punches: Cupcake Builder, Decorative label, circle from Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack

Stamps: Perfect Pennants (heart, stars, Make a Wish) and Just Sayin' (love ya, whoo hoo and how old?)

Ink colors: So Saffron, Tango Tangerine, Soft Suede, Costal Cabana, Strawberry Slush (heart)

XOXO for my Sweet Daughter - Happy Valentine's Day

Hello friends - Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you are feeling loved today! 

I have a card to share with you today that I made for my sweet teen daughter. 

I got to use several new products on this card (lucky me)! Truth be told, I bought the paper pack, dots, and digital image specifically with a valentine for her in mind (not like I probably didn't have something in my stash already - lol) as I wanted it to be extra special. 

Take a look please:

Digital image - Sami Stamps

I had so much fun creating this card - put lots of extra love into it! My daughter squealed with delight and said "it's soooo cute Mom. I LOVE it!"  Made my heart happy that she liked it so much :o)

I picked up the colors from the papers and colored them in the image using copic markers (E000, E00, E02 - skin, R27, R29 - coat, RV02, RV06 - hearts, Y21, E31 and E34 - hair, E53, E55- mittens and scarf, #E51,E53 -earmuffs, and RV000 all over color shading around image).  That darling, glittery "xoxo" is a die cut with glitter paper.  Isn't it just "to die" for??? LOL

Well enough of my silly humor for now. Thanks for stopping by and letting me share with you again today.  

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Sami Stamps #0010 - Add a touch of Glitter

The bright pink hearts have sparkle added with copic spicas (very hard to see in the photo) 

and the xoxo is red glitter paper.

Divas By Design - With Love

Papertake Weekly Challenge - With a Heart 

Make it Monday - MIM#178

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

ABC Challenges #46 - 3 in a Row

Hello dear friends and followers, can you believe it's Monday already? How is it that the weekends fly by so quickly?  Seems as if I'm just starting to make headway on checking off the items on my weekend "to do" list and suddenly its Sunday and I still have lots of unchecked items.  Maybe I ought to stop making the list - feels almost as if I'm setting myself up for failure sometimes - LOL.  

Anyway...time for another great challenge over at ABC Challenges.  Last week you amazed our DT with your beautiful fall themed cards.  This week for ABC#46 - we have a 3 in a Row challenge for you. I LOVE 3 in a Row!! So many options to choose from.  You can choose any 3 that make up either a column (vertical), row (horizontal) or diagonal.  My card uses Row 1 - Halloween, Pattern paper and 2 or more embellishments - but it could also fit the 2 or more embellishments, Any Stampin Up image and Use a punch (diagonal to the bottom right). Take a look:

I recently saw this sunburst technique and had to try it (thanks Dawn O for the video).  I also recently purchased the new envelope punch from Stampin Up! and made a coordinating envelope for my 5 x 5 card.  The sunburst technique is a great way to use up some of your scraps of patterned paper. Was really pleased with how this turned out and taught it to a class this weekend.  

Hope you enjoyed my card this week and I sure hope that you will pop on over to ABC Challenges to see what the rest of our lovely DT ladies have made to inspire you.  We love getting your entries each week - looking forward to visiting your blogs soon! 

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

Card details (all products from Stampin Up! unless noted otherwise): Cardstock - More Mustard, Basic Black, Whisper White.  Stamps: Bootiful Occassions (sentiment) and Halloween Bash (new SU holiday catalog).  Papers are from the designer series paper (regals, brights & neutrals).  Punches: bat (retired) and decorative label.  Rhinestones from Close to My Heart.  

52CCT - Ruth's September Sketch #21

 

Happy Saturday friends!  Time for another challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown (52CCT), the home of opportunity for getting your Christmas card stash done in plenty of time for Christmas while having lots of fun doing it :o).  

 

Each month one of the DT member get to take a turn with setting the challenges.  Ruth is our hostess for the month of September and she has started us out with this terrific sketch.  

 

And here's what I did with it:

 

I haven't done a great deal with this stamp set since I bought it so I thought I'd dust it off a bit and give it a go while I'm waiting for some of my new goodies to come in.  Added three little self-adhesive dots in Crumb Cake in the corner (wishing now I'd have used red so they stand out better).

Colored up the stamps with my SU markers using Real Red, Lucky Limeade and Gumball Green.  Don't they look like yummy holiday drinks?  Whose ready to celebrate with me?? Guess it might be a bit early yet so I'll take a rain-check :o)

 

Welcome to our Guest Designer for the month of September - Margaret.  Margaret's blog is called Em's Paperdaze.  She has been a regular player of our challenge for a very long time - we are delighted to have her join us this month! To see Margaret's card and the lovely creations from the rest of the 52CCT DT just click here. 

 

If you haven't been joining us, September is a great time to get started. You'll still have plenty of cards by the time Christmas rolls around if you join us each week.  Hoping you'll decide to join us this week!  Til next time... hugs and happy crafting! D   

'ABC' Challenges #40 - Stamps, Ink, Paper (no embellishments)

Hello dear friends and followers - happy Monday to each of you.  Hope you are all doing well!  This week the challenge at 'ABC' Challenges #40 is to use only Stamps, Ink and Paper.  The paper can be just cardstock or patterned paper - but we'd like you to avoid using ribbon, brads, charms and other embellishments.  Your card doesn't have to be CAS - it can have lots of layers.

I struggled a bit with this myself as I love to add embellishments of some sort and knowing that I shouldn't this week made it all the more tempting (isn't that how it goes - you want what you shouldn't or can't have sometimes :o) ).  In any event - here's what I came up with for my DT card - hope you like it:

I colored my sentiment stamp with markers to bring in the colors of the polka dotted background.  I bumped up the middle with dimension dots and created the layered sentiment.  The stamped cupcakes (stamped with Versa mark ink) were an after thought as I thought it looked too plain and needed something else. Not absolutely in love with this card - but it could easily be given to a kid, a teen, a man or a woman - so that part I like.  Oh, and I like the polka dots - they feel happy to me :o)

Hope you will decide to play along with us this week at 'ABC' Challenges #40.  The other lovely ladies on the DT have made some beautiful cards to share with you as well - so please go visit them and see.

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

52CCT - Color Challenge #19 {Dark Red, Dark Green, Dark Brown and Vanilla} and Merry Monday - July Challenge "Anything Goes"

Hello dear friends and followers - time for another challenge over at 52{Christmas} Card Throwdown - or 52CCT for short.  This week Patricia has chosen a very elegant color combo for our 52CCT Color Challenge #19.  These are the only colors we want to see on your Christmas cards this week - no black, no white, no blue, no light green, no pink... you get the idea. There are just so many possibilities with this color combo - we really want to see what you can come up with in true color challenge style.  Here's what I made this week:

My card base is 6 inches square.  I had this retired DSP from Stampin Up! that was absolutely perfect for this week's color challenge.  With paper that gorgeous - I didn't need to do much else in terms of stamping or embellishments.  This is one of those times that my stash of paper really worked to my advantage ;o)  Those little dots by the sentiment are called candy dots - they are new from Stampin Up! and they are fabulous. They are self adhesive so there is no poking a hole and trying to open those tiny little prongs from the brads.  I love them!  I used Early Espresso textured cardstock for the base and the sentiment. The green layer is called Always Artichoke and is one of my all-time favorite elegant greens.  

I am also entering this card in the Merry Monday - July Challenge "Anything Goes".

Well... not much else to say other than "I hope that you will decide to join us this week at 52CCT for Color Challenge #19".  Please go check out what the rest of the talented DT has made for your inspiration. Til next time...hugs and happy crafting friends. D

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - Sketch Challenge #18

Hello friends and followers!  This week at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - 52CCT - we have a sketch challenge from Jacqueline to get your creative card making juices flowing.  Lots of possibilities with this one. Take a look at what I did with it:

As you can see, I flipped the sketch on its side. I had so many other ideas for this sketch - but ultimately decided to stick with what seems to be my evolving style of choice - I guess I would call it "cute".  I really love whimsical and cute images with bright colors. My card is 6"square which leaves lots of room inside for my message as well as the traditional Christmas of the kids and dogs. Not much stamping on this one thanks to the coordinating DSP that I've used.  I love to use DSP and have been trying to use up more of my unbelievable amount of stash (who knew I had such a problem? I might need an intervention -hehehe).  However, it also feels kind of off to me when I don't stamp at all (or very little). 

The other gals on the DT at 52CCT have made some wonderful cards to share with you as well this week - you can see them here.  So...off I go for today. Hope to see your Christmas card soon using Jacqueline's sketch in our gallery this week!  Thanks so much for stopping by - I'm sure glad that you did.  Til next time...hugs and happy crafting! D    

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #47 "Make Your Mark"

Hello friends and followers, so nice of you to visit me today.  Last week was the very favorite theme of "Anything Goes" at ATS&M and WOW did you all blow us away with your fabulous creations.  This week is another favorite at Addicted to Stamps and More - it's Challenge #47 "Make Your Mark".  This challenge has traditionally been one in which we want to see  you use markers (Promarkers, Copics, SU, Spectrum, etc.) but we've had some requested from folks asking to include colored pencils and watercolor crayons as well.  After a quick consideration of this we decided that this was a good idea and I personally can't wait to see the new level of creativity this brings to our challenge.

My card for this week is made using a digital image from Whoopsi Daisy.  Whoopsi Daisy has been our generous sponsor this month and I've really enjoyed using their darling, whimsical images.  I went with a more muted color scheme this week using BG72 and BG75 for the dress.  The printed image is a little over 4" square so I made my overal card base 5 1/2" square to showcase it better.  I've been going more CAS lately in the essence of time mostly (and I wanted to get better at it).  But I felt inspired to bling it up a bit this time and I'm quite please with it :o)

Just finished the most lovely of long weekends.  The weather was sunny for a bit and rainy at the right times (when I had to be inside).  Got to go to farmer's market with my family and stroll around with  cup of hot chocolate with huckleberry whip cream (yummy!).  It was sunny but only about 55 degrees so I needed something warm to sip on :o).  My son was home for the weekend and he kept us hopping as usual.  Every morning he would get up and say "what's the plan for the day Mama?"  No laying around being lazy when he's here to visit. Just little things to cherish and make my heart happy. Thanks for letting me share.

Well... time to get a move on.  I hope you will find time to play along with us this week at ATS&M. Pull out those markers, colored pencils and/or watercolor crayons and get to creating 'cause I can't wait to visit you and see what you've made!  The other loverly ladies at ATS&M have made some amazing creations for your inspiration as well so please pop in and visit them.

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

ABC Challenges - Sketch

Hello dear friends and followers!  This is the start of a brand new week (the last one in the month of May) and another fun challenge at 'ABC' Challenges.  This week we have a sketch challenge for you. Take a look at my take on it.

I've used a couple of new products from Stampin Up! (Sneak Peek) for my card today - NEW Designer Series paper and NEW washi tape.  This is the first time that I've played with washi tape. I must admit that I was wondering what all the fuss is about washi - but I get it now :o)  It's really versatile and easy to use.  You can achieve a different look depending on how you decide to use it - such as I have by flagging the ends.  The cup is from a retired Sale-A-Bration set that I seemed to fit this paper nicely. Usually I get rid of my retired sets but this one has a lot of cute images in it and I had hardly used it - so I decided to keep it. I colored the stamp with SU markers to get the three color effect.

The other ladies on the DT at 'ABC' Challenges have also made some beautiful cards to share with you this week so I hope that you will go visit them as well and have a look.  Hope to see your own beautiful card in the challenge this week too. 

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

ABC Challenges - Wedding

Hello friends and followers - especially my newest one - welcome!  This week at ABC Challenges the theme is "Weddings".  We want to see your beautiful wedding cards (could be wedding shower or engagement as well).  For a change I decided to wing it and didn't go looking for a sketch to use.  I had a piece of the partial circle left over from my recent Christmas card laying on my desk so decided to use it for the stamped image and just let the rest of the card design follow.  I decided to keep it simple this week and forgo embellishments - can't really call it CAS because there isn't much white space on this card due to the DSP I used, but the image is definitely front and center so that you can tell what kind of card it is without a sentiment (I kept trying to put a sentiment on the front of this card due but it just looked to busy with the  words that are within the dress image - so decided to leave it off and put it on the inside).  I also kept my color scheme more subtle since I don't have a particular couple in mind right now.  My card base and image is made from a new SU color called Smoky Slate (sneak peek). As you can see, this is a softer grey with just a touch of purple in it.  I really like it and think its going to be a very versatile color.

Hope to see you join us this week at ABC Challenges.  Please go visit the other DT members who have also prepared some amazing cards for your inspiration.

Thanks so much for stopping by today - sure glad that you did.  Til next time... hugs and happy crafting! D