Wednesday, July 30, 2014

**Anything Goes/Sketch** New Challenge with Creative Moments!!

Happy Hump Day!  It's time for another challenge with Creative Moments, and this fortnight it's Anything Goes with the option of following our sketch.  This is the sketch we're using this challenge:


I always love sketches cause there's so much you can do with them!  Just rotating them even ninety degrees gives a whole new layout.  I stayed with the traditional though and followed our original sketch.  Our lovely sponsor is A&T Digital Designs and I'm using the Pip digi stamp.


I'm of course linking to a few challenges:


Our challenge runs for two weeks and you can enter up to three times.  Be sure to visit our blog to see what the rest of the DT created.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

(Last Minute) Christmas In July

Here I am at the last possible minute with my entry for Tis The Season Stamping's challenge.  It's a color challenge this week, and I did my best to hit the mark.


I made some gold embossing paste to stencil my background, but my pistachio looks a little dark compared to theirs.


Soooooo obsessed with stencils and embossing paste right now.  I also used dry embossing and gold ink on the edge of the card, since the paste was kind of matte, which I wasn't expecting. It looked shimmery when it was wet.  Oh well.

I'm just entering two challenges with this card:

Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Monday, July 28, 2014

It's My Third Blogiversary!!!

Happy Blogiversary to me!!  Three years ago today, I started my blog.  I'm so proud of myself and all I've accomplished in the past few years. I spend so much of my time making specific things for challenges and stuff, I wanted to make something that was really just for ME, to commemorate this.  I'd gotten a new stencil a week or so ago, so I saved playing with it for this project.


I'm so happy with how it turned out.  The sparkles don't really show up in the photo but the silhouette is all glittery and the quote is just amazing.  I think I'm calling it Ideas of Mischief.  I wanted to leave it flat and frame it but it wound up a large card, and I'm okay with that, too.  I'm really trying hard to branch out from the standard A2 cards all the time, and I think this is a step in the right direction. I'm sooo excited to be adding to my stencil collection and using them more and more.


Closeup of some of the quote and my bling border.  LOVE the bling border!

I'm celebrating three great years of blogging fun by entering a bunch of challenges:


Thanks so much for looking and sharing this accomplishment with me.  Happy crafting.  Laters!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

**Just For Fun** New Challenge With Crafty Creations!

Happy Hump Day!  Time for a new challenge at Crafty Creations!  Our theme this week is Just For Fun.  Create something that makes you smile.  I knew I wanted something music inspired, and that I wanted to make a card suitable for a tween or child. Here's what I created.


I'm of course linking to some challenges:
Be sure to check out the blog and see what the rest of the DT has created!  You can enter our challenge up to two times.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Monday, July 21, 2014

**Anything Goes** New Challenge with Crafting From The Heart!

Happy Monday!!  It's the start of a new week and that means a new challenge at Crafting From The Heart! Our theme as always is Anything Goes and we've got two lovely sponsors this challenge.  First up is Chi Chi Memories.  I chose to use the Candy Girl digi, going for a bit of a Kawaii look.


I want to enter this in a few challenges:
Our second sponsor this week is Lacy Sunshine.  I've been dying to work with these images and picked Sadie.


I'm going to enter this card in a few challenges as well:

Be sure to visit the blog to see what the other DT have created!  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Sunday, July 20, 2014

**Anything Goes** New Challenge with Hobbycutz!!

Hi everyone!  It's time for a new challenge at Hobbycutz and our challenge theme is ANYTHING GOES!

I've been wanting to use the Round Film Strip wood cut for awhile on a card, and I've finally been able to work it into a theme!


I'm linking to a few challenges:
Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's makes on the blog!  You can enter this challenge up to three times so be sure and play along with us.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Friday, July 18, 2014

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge, Week 6

This was SUCH a hard project for me!!  I'd never worked with burlap except in a ribbon or a printed die cut that I just adhered as is.  Coloring it was a new animal, and I'm so not entirely happy with it.

The COC3 Challenge this week is Altered Burlap Panels using Tim's products.  If you don't have a copy of A Compendium of Curiosities Vol. 3, you can get one here.  COC3 is being sponsored this fortnight by the fabulous Funkie Junkie Boutique.  One lucky winner will get a $25 gift certificate to their store.


I had SUCH struggles with this panel!  First of all, the color.  I wanted a purple and red background, but as it dried, the red took over.  The more purple I added, it just made the red darker.  Oh well.  You also can't see the collaged music background, ink took it over.


The inspiration for this, like 99% of my art, was music.  I almost put a few lyrics from "Brave" on here, but I decided to just let the statement speak for itself.  The bow and bag of arrows on the dressform signify strength.

And a tiny bit the Green Arrow.  I looooove watching Arrow.

I'm entering some challenges of course:
Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

**Anything Goes/Use One Flower** New Challenge With Creative Moments!

Hi everyone!  It's time for another challenge at Creative Moments and this fortnight it's Anything Goes with the option to Use One Flower.  This was SUCH a challenge for me 'cause I like to use flowers in threes, but I managed to make it work.  I'd been hoarding the flowers I made for the TH Tattered Floral Challenge last year, and this was a chance to use one!  Our amazing sponsor is Delicious Doodles, and I'm using the New Butterfly digi.  Printing it on neon paper made accessorizing so easy and fun.  That's an option with digis that I always forget about and need to embrace more often.


I'm loving these fun summer colors!!

I'm entering a few challenges:
You've got two weeks to play with us and can enter up to three times!  Be sure to visit the blog and see what the rest of the DT created.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Snowing in July

I've been trying to make a Christmas card at least every other week this year.  I've done pretty well so far, but I almost missed the current challenge at Tis The Season Stamping!  I got this finished (again) just in the nick of time.

This fortnight the challenge was to create something inspired by this photo.  I *love* inspiration challenges, and I love this picture.


I knew instantly that I wanted to work with snow and a turquoisey-teal shade.  I went looking for a stamp I got last year and never used, and amazingly, found it the first place I looked.  That never happens.


I've had these Christmas buttons forever and never used them.  I love how they make the card pop.  I dyed the twine myself to match the card.


I'm entering just a couple challenges:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting!  Laters!

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Unforgetable

I don't know why people "celebrate" the day that someone died.  I know they remember it, there's no forgetting it.  But people have get togethers and masses and things, and I'm always confused by it, a little.  Then I realized a few weeks ago that it's only confusing to me because that's not how I cope with things.  I don't wanna talk and be maudlin and depressed.  I try to remember good things and go on from there.

This day is NOTHING compared to the day my grandmother died, and I have a whole other set of emotions set aside for that day.  But today is a sad day for me, because I don't have to know someone to feel bad for them and to miss them.

A year ago today, Cory Monteith died.  And 364 days ago, at this exact time, I read on FB that he had died.  Glee changed forever that day.  Music changed.  I changed.

Everyone has stuff that they love, and I loved Glee.  The most played songs on my iPod?  All Glee covers.  Glee was Finn and Rachel and now that's broken forever.  No happy ending for that show.

It makes me wonder, a little, why some actors can't behave like adults just long enough to finish a freaking series (see: Gossip Girl) without hating each other so much that the series suffers.

I mentioned before not understanding how other people remember the day someone they loved died.  I realized that I remember things with art and with music.

So today, I'll watch Glee, and I'll listen to Cory sing, and I'll make art.  That's how I deal.  That's what makes me feel better.

Also, I made this.


I don't like sympathy cards, so I made this instead.  My contribution on a day like this.  Hugs to all my Gleeks today.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

**Anything Goes** New Challenge with Crafty Girls!

It's time for another Anything Goes challenge at Crafty Girls, and we've got two lovely sponsors this fortnight.  First up is Bugaboo Stamps. I'm really crazy about these Bobble Head digis, I've used a few of them and they're just adorbs.  I chose Hoot Hoot Hooray for this card.


Our second sponsor is The Stamping Chef, and I'm using the Rosalind image for this card.  While I'm sooo crazy about arrows right now, I also picked it 'cause I'm a Sagittarius.


Make sure you visit the blog and see what the rest of the DT has created.  You've got two weeks to play along with us and you can enter up to three times.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

**Let's PARTY!** New Challenge with Crafty Creations!!

Happy Hump Day!  I'm spending mine this week in the craft room, which is perfect cause it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Creations!  This fortnight our theme is Let's Party, so grab those streamers and birthday hats and get your celebration on!

Our sponsor this challenge is Fresh Brewed Designs.  Given the party theme, I chose to use Latte Party digi stamp.


I wanna enter a few challenges:


Be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has created on the blog.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Monday, July 7, 2014

**Anything Goes** New Challenge with Crafting From The Heart!

Hi everyone!  I'm so excited to announce my new DT position with Crafting From The Heart!  This week our theme is Anything Goes and our lovely sponsor is Sparkle N Sprinkle!

I chose to use the Catherine Hat Lady digi, because she reminds me of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.  I do love the Royals :)


I'm entering a few challenges of course:
You can enter our challenge up to three times!  Make sure to check out our blog to see what the rest of the DT has created this week.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Sunday, July 6, 2014

America the Beautiful

Happy 6th of July! (I was sick on the 4th, so sue me!)  I've been on a tag-adorned-card kick lately, so here's what I made for the holiday.


I used a ton of different techniques in this card (including my first failed attempt at making my own embossing paste) and I'm crazy about it!


Don't you just LOVE this digi from Sassy Studio Designs?

I wanna enter this in some challenges:
Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting!  I'm off to work on some other projects.  Laters!

**Favorite Color Combination** New Challenge with Hobbycutz!!

Happy Sunday everyone!  Let's get this week started with a new challenge at Hobbycutz!  Our theme is Favorite Color Combination, and this is so very hard for me!  I love about a hundred different combos and at any given moment would call them my favorites.  So I looked to the digi this week to see what colors would be my favorites this time around, lol.  Our lovely sponsor is A & T Digital Designs!


I chose to use the Gamnut Baby digi for this card, and decided to make it in blue, green and white.  Those colors always compliment each other so well.


It's so cute to me because the baby looks so much like my brother's friend.  They say everyone has a twin....

I used the fence from the Hobbycutz Decorative Border Strip on this card. I just gave it a quick whitewash with a light sponged on coat of shimmery white paint.  I love how the wood still shows through.

I want to enter this card in a few challenges:
You can enter our challenge up to three times!  Be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has created on our blog.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting!  Laters!

Friday, July 4, 2014

Compendium of Curiosities 3 - Week 5

It's nearing the end of week 5 of the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge and I've got my card finished in time, yay!  I have to say the watercoloring technique that was the challenge this week was the EASIEST part of this card!  I'm so obsessed with this technique now, you'll be seeing a lot of it in my cards the next few weeks.

ANYways, this challenge is Distress Watercoloring.  It can be found in Tim's latest book, A Compendium of Curiosities Vol. 3 and if you don't already have a copy, you can purchase it here.

Once again COC3 is being sponsored by Inspiration Emporium, and one lucky winner gets a $50 gift certificate!  Lucky girl or guy!

I knew what stamp I wanted to use for this card but the embellishments gave me a hard time.


I think I'm happy with the outcome.  The pearls were so different for me, but I do really like them.


The watercolor, I love.  Love love love.  Pink and blue are so great together.  And this card forced me to open an old TH paper pad I'd been hoarding for like three years.

I'm entering this card in a few challenges:
Thank you so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

**Anything Goes/Celebrations** New Challenge with Creative Moments!

Happy hump day!  We've got a new challenge at Creative Moments, and it's all about Celebrations this fortnight!  Of course you can always play along with Anything Goes, but it's fun to shake it up now and then.

When I think of celebrating, I always think of birthdays.  Our lovely sponsor is Sassy Studio Designs.  The first image that spoke to me is this Disney Fan Sassy so that's what I made this card with.


I'm of course linking to a few challenges:

Make sure to play with us this challenge, you can enter up to three times.  Visit the blog to see what the other DT members have created.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Christmas In July (take one)

I say "take one" because I think we both know there's more where this came from!  I'm always at the last minute with the Tis The Season Stamping challenges, and this week is no exception.  They're having a sketch challenge, and I gave it a go at the last minute.


Here's how I interpreted it:


I really like the dimension of it.  I'm so obsessed with my Curvy Tattered Banners right now!!

I'm linking to a couple challenges of course:
Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!


**Photo Inspiration** New Challenge With The Craft Garden!

It's a new month and time for a new challenge at The Craft Garden!  This month we have a photo inspiration challenge for you.  We want to see what inspiration you pull from this photo:


I knew I wanted to do something masculine and that's always a struggle for me.


I wanna link this to a few challenges:



You've got until the end of July to enter and you can enter up to three times!  Can't wait to see what you come up with!  Be sure to visit the blog and see what the rest of the DT created.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

**Make it A Duet** New Challenge With Mema's Crafts!

Hi everyone!  We've got a new challenge at Mema's Crafts for the month and July and the theme is 'Make it A Duet".  Use just two colors (you can accent with black and white) in your project!  This was a really fun one.  We've got two great sponsors this challenge, the first is Kenny K Downloads!  It was hard to choose but I picked the Elf Queen.


You may enter our challenge up to three times and you have until July 31st to enter.  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting!  Laters!