365 Cards - Day 25

I've enjoyed the Alphabet challenges over at 365 Cards this week, and the saga continues  (although I must admit that I'm a little tentative about an X challenge appearing tomorrow.  LOL.  I guess we'll see what Pam has in store!)

Here's today's - Day 25:

P Polka Dots
Q Quilting
R Red

I must admit that this is a CASE card.  I was completely inspired by a gorgeous card called "Happy Heart" by HB on Splitcoast Stampers.  I wouldn't have thought to try such a tight zigzag stitch on a card if I hadn't seen how effective it was on hers.  Thanks HB... whoever you are!  :)

DP is all from the "Fly a Kite" line (October Afternoon); Pearls are Zva; Sentiment is TH for Stampers Anonymous; Flower is Prima.

I got a hot dude waiting downstairs for me, so I gotta bolt!  Friday nights rock!  Hope yours is as fun as mine!

Flowers and Birthdays...

The dust is still abounding in my household because I spent the entire two days crafting and spending time with friends!  My kinda weekend!!  Betty Crocker, I am... NOT!

Started Friday with a bit of a craft room tidy and have come to the realization that my paper stash is ridiculous.  Two drawers full of 12 x 12 sheets + a box of books + a box of scraps (both rather big boxes).  I love paper... seriously, I do.  Colours, texture, pattern = heaven in my mind.  But still, things are getting out of hand with this obsession.  So I hereby swear not to buy any more paper until I've used up half of what I already have!  (except for the staple black and white card stock if I should run out of it... a girl's gotta be realistic)

I started my purge by making use of my scrap box and my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die cut.   Flower time!!   Making these is the perfect activity to do while visiting with a friend or, in my case on Saturday, watching hockey...   I cut out two of each (for a total of 8 flat paper flowers) of 12 different papers, packed and brought them along to my brother's house ...and started crumpling and layering when the hockey game started.   They're a bit time consuming, but I love the way these look:

Here are some of the cards I made from these luscious paper flowers this weekend:

I also made some simple birthday cards using the Cuttlebug birthday plate, and some giant brads that I found on clearance a year ago (stash cleansing is good!).   The balloon bows are kind of fun, too, I think:

My stamp stash is pretty major, too.   I have so many stamps that hadn't even been inked yet, so I thought I'd get to working with those...   This little dude is from Sugar Nellie - from a set called "Skull Boyz"  (don't think it's available any more)  I used Versamark and black heat embossing, then coloured him with a white gel pen.   LOVE IT!!  Why did I wait so long to stamp these guys, they are sooooo cute!    

Crafty weekends rock!  Craft on, my friends, craft on....

- Carolyn

365 Cards - Day 117

Ahhhh, it's good to be back.   We've suffered a few self-inflicted internet issues and I finally caved and hired someone to come in and fix the mess I made.  Last time I try to change wireless network settings... I swear!  I've learned my lesson...  I'm a nerd, not a geek.  ;-)


So, I'm up late reading blogs like crazy ('cuz I missed it) and I see that Pam posted the 365 card challenge for tomorrow.  I don't care that it's 11:30 - Haul out the glue and get craftin' sistah!  *happy sigh*


The challenge: Favourite 5

Favourite Colour:  Orange

Favourite Embellishment: Twine

Favourite Sentiment: Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous "Just Thoughts"

Favourite Card Shape or Size:  Square 5 x 5

Favourite Tool:  Distress Ink applicator thingy (what the heck do you call it?!!)

Cardstock - CTMH; Kraft - PaperSource; Design Paper - Basic Grey "Boyfriend"; Sentiment - Tim Holtz; Embossing Powder - CTMH Denim; twine, brads, burlap & button - stash!

Card Challenge Catch Up

Why, oh why do weekends fly by so quickly, and Mondays last forever?!


I'm having a crappy day, so I'm in my craft room for some paper therapy.  I do feel a little more 'normal' now, but you and I both know that won't last.  Call it temporary sanity...


Here are the fruits of my glue-y labours.  365 Cards - Day 90 was a card recipe: 5x5 card, 2 Design Papers (layered here), 3 stamps (2 sentiments, and the leafy background stamp was repeated), string or twine, and 4 blooms:

I like those Wild Orchid roses... but not on this particular card.  Not happy with it at all.  Leaves would have worked better with this motif, IMO.  Oh well, they're glued now!!


365 Cards - Day 91 - Super Sketch Sunday.  I took some liberties with the sketch, but was definitely inspired by it!  (I really love Pam's sketches!)

365 Cards - Day 92 - Tissue Paper.  A little or a lot, we were challenged to use tissue paper on our card.  I chose to make tissue curtains for this little diorama card.   

Isn't that picture just darling?!  My mom is an infamous thrift shop shopper, and she found a pile of wee Dutch kids books from the fifties.  Now they're all mine!!  Wonderful illustrations!  I have scanned it and printed it a few times so I could do a bit of decoupage layering.

Orange Birthday: Cardstock - Bazill Basics; DP - Basic Grey "Mellow"; Sentiment Stamps - Hero Arts (I think); Background leaf stamp -  CTMH; Paper Roses - Wild Orchid Crafts; Twine - Stash.

Life is Art:  Cardstock - Bazill; White Card - Copic coloured with Copic & Staedtler markers; DP - Basic Grey; Stamp - Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous; Bling - Dollar Store; Brads - stash.

Peter's Hobby Horse:  Cardstock - CTMH & Bazzill; DP - Cosmo Cricket "Boyfriend"; Brad - Stash.  Illustration - Thrift Store 'score'!

I really appreciate you dropping by to take a look at my work.  I hope you have a great day!  ~ Carolyn

365 Cards - Challenge # 196

Today's Challenge at 365 Cards is called: Just a Touch... And here's the specific challenge: Using a stamped image (ink or digi), use black on white, and just add a touch of color somewhere. I'm going with the "less is more" theory on this one!

OK, so my finished product doesn't exactly adhere to the 'less is more' part of Pam's edict. The image does, though, so that must count for something!

I started with an image/sentiment from Stampers Anonymous by Tim Holtz and just coloured in a few sun rays and the heart with my Staedtler markers. I noticed that I smudged the stamped impression AND managed to get inky fingerprints on the bottom. I had to laugh - and leave them there - after all, isn't that the message of this sentiment?! :D

I wanted funky, so I pulled out my June Bug papers and went to town.

Cardstock - Bazzill; Design Papers & Glazed Brads - Basic Grey "June Bug"; Image - Stampers Anonymous; Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black; RicRac - Rusty Pickle; Burlap - Dollar Store

Well, I'm off! Meeting my friend Betty and going for a makeover! When we're both stunning, we're going for lunch and then off to Precious Memories for some shopping. Gotta feed my paper habit. Yay!! I LOVE weekends!

I hope you're all having a great day!

A Couple of Sketch Challenges...

Mojo Monday's Week 102 Sketch is gorgeous! This is one I can see myself using over and over again. It's so versatile (as you can see by the DT examples)

It's the first time I've inked up my Basic Grey mini owl stamp set... and boy, is it cute, or what?!! I'm pretty certain that if I don't send this one to my daughter (who is crazy about owls) she may never phone me again... so it's heading to you, Allison... don't you worry! Hoo Loves ya? Mummers, that's Hoo!

I started with a dollar store blank card/envelope combo; Design Paper - Sassafras Lass; Green Paper - DCWV; Scallop Circle Nestabilities; Creating Memories Circle Cutter; Mini Buttons & Ribbon - unknown origins in stash.


Unscripted Sketches # 22 was a lot more challenging.

There are so many elements to this sketch that, quite frankly didn't all fit on my smaller format card - so I ended up flipping the sketch and doing a pared down version of it. I do really like it though.

This card features another new stamp... this one's from Stampers Anonymous: Tim Holtz's Fairytale Frenzy set, which I adore. I've put myself on a spending freeze for a while now before the American Express card melts. LOL Between the paper addiction and the rubber stamp bliss, I'm poor, but happy!!

Once again I started with a dollar store blank card/envelope combo (6/$1 - and in great colours!!); Design Paper - Basic Grey "Wisteria" & Costco pack; Ink - VersaFine in Imperial Purple & Spanish Moss; Embossing Powder - CTMH Gold; Ribbon - from la stash;



I made one more card for no reason at all... no challenge, I mean.
I made it simply because I wanted to play some more with the Sassafras Lass paper. I LOVE this paper!! I also wanted to colour, so I inked up a Gorjuss Girl and sat her on the front of the card. No sentiment... perhaps I'll put one on later, when I decide what I want it to say.

Card Stock - Bazzill Basics; DP - Sassafrass, Basic Grey & DCWV; Watercolour Pencils - CTMH; Ribbon & Brad - from the outta hand stash.

That concludes this crafty day. Tomorrow my folks are coming over for lunch after church, so it'll be nice to just visit. I hope you're having a wonderful weekend, too.

Blessings...

365 Cards - Challenge 188

It's Touchy-Feely Friday over at 365 Cards! What does that mean? The specific challenge is to use felt or flocking on your card.

I chose the flocking... and kept it simple by using DCWV's La Creme Stack! Delish neutral palette with classic patterns and texture... Of course, I had to add a bit of colour and sparkle for my Gorjuss little fairy...

Design Paper - Die Cuts With a View "La Creme"; Image - Sugar Nellie; Chipboard Sentiment - Dollar Store; Ribbon - Michael's; Rose Stickles & CTMH Watercolour Pencils.




OK, it's late... I'm snoozy, but only because I couldn't resist staying up late to get an early start on Friday's challenge AND to play with my new Artistic Outpost stamps. I want to play some more, but I do have to work tomorrow, so this quickie post and it's 'hit the hay' time!

This one's not for a challenge...it's just for fun.

Cardstock -CTMH; BG Stamp - Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz; BG Ink - Versamark; Designer Paper - Basic Grey; Ribbon - Rusty Pickle; Flower - Prima; Sentiment - Artistic Outpost "Geek is Chic" set; Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black; Metal Sculpting net & decorative pins - Dollar Store.

Night all...

365 Cards - Challenges 185 & 186

What a great vacation!! So Grand Rapids isn't exactly Maui, but as both my daughters were there, I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else! The hugfest was completely rejuvenating (I've missed them both so much!!) and I feel great. :D

I've been busy catching up at work, and today I did a bit of catching up on card challenges, too. OK, just two of them - but it felt so good to play with glue again!

Challenge 185 at 365 Cards - Feeling Blue

The specific challenge was to have at least 3 shades of blue on our card. DT Tammy gave us yet another inspiring example with her lovely ice blue card with a glorious bow (I am bow-challenged, so I can only aspire to have a glorious bow... alas, the best I can offer is a passable bow LOL)

I am in need of some baby cards, so I chose to make a baby blue boy card in response to the challenge.

Cardstock - Bazzill; Design Paper - Rocking Horses by Karen Foster & Blue Dots by BoBunny; Ink - VersaFine Majestic Blue; Fabric Brads - Dollar Store; Alpha Stamps - CTMH;






Challenge 186 - Ad Inspired

I love the Ad Inspired challenges at 365 Cards. We are given a picture and told to go for it! The entries are so unique and varied, because each designer takes inspiration from a different part of the picture (colour, subject, mood) It's so much fun to create... and it's so much fun to feast your eyes on what others have created! Today's pic was chosen by Kristie (sexy heels, tea set & rose in a glass) and her example card is a real knockout! Love the houndstooth background and how the rose pops off the card. :D

The picture inspired for me a fantasy of music, romance and whimsy - and so my card has elements of all three.

The sentiment reads "Learn to pause... or nothing worthwhile will catch up to you."


Design Paper - unknown from stash; Black & Red cardstock - Bazzill; Flowers - Prima; Brads dipped in glue & Martha Stewart Onyx glitter; Ribbon - Rusty Pickle (black lace from the Boo collection & oversized red rickrack from the WhipperSnapper collection); Sentiment - Stampers Anonymous (Just Thoughts by Tim Holtz); Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black;

I hope y'all are havin' a great day! Blessings...

365 Cards - Challenges 171 & 172

3 more sleeps, and I'm off for a week. I'm so looking forward to flying to Michigan to see my daughter, Allison!! I haven't seen her in over a year (I'm going through withdrawals). This may actually be my last post for a while - busy days before we fly off. Have fun carding without me!

365 Cards Challenge 171 was a Tueday's Trio: Triangle-Sticker-Button, you must incorporate these three things in your card.

While my card does have all three things, I'm not happy with it. I like the components - but not the way they work together... but I'm low on time, so it will have to do.

I think I'll be covering up the sticker 'hi' with another, more visible sentiment in black (to offset the dark frame)

I do LOVE this stamp though - this giraffe has attitude!! My husband laughed out loud when he saw him, too. I HAD to buy him!! Some things you just can't resist. :D

Cardstock - Bazzill Basics; Frame - Little Yellow Bicycle; Black Crackle Paint - Tim Holtz; Stamp - Dog Gone Stamps; Buttons - from stash; Stickers - Making Memories

365 Cards Challenge 172: ABCs and 123s. The details: Create a card with alphabet stickers and include at least one number. Don't have alpha stickers? If you have a stamp set with individual letters and numbers, that qualifies as well.

This was actually a very quick card for me. My friend, Kieran, sent me this image in an email, and I knew right away I had to use it for a card. I'll probably use it again, too... I can imagine all sorts of pithy captions. LOL

The inside reads "Again..."

Cardstock - Bazzill Basics; Patterned Paper - Karen Foster; Stickers - Making Memories

Work calls....gotta go

Have a GREAT day (and if I don't see you for a while, have a GREAT week!)