One Last NCM Challenge (and Card)!

I was enjoying my Spring Break, minding my own business - blog
hopping this morning and to my great surprise on Joan's blog, Dear Paperlicious, I discovered there was yet one more National Craft Month challenge!  Wooo!  My next stop was the Right At Home Blog to read the details!  The last challenge: use a background stamp.  This caused a bit of a quandary for me - I've been trying to feature Right At Home products this week, but I don't have any of Nicole's background stamps.  Earlier in the week, I created a background sheet using RAH's Abstract Florals for this card and scraps were still on my desk, so I put them to good use on today's card with RAH's Cup of Joy stamps and the one of the Script Greeting dies.  Covering my bases, the coffee cup is stamped with a Happy Birthday background stamp from MFT.

Challenges Entered:
Cards in Envy March 19/ - No patterned paper
Dream Valley #175/ - Spring colors
Through the Craft Room Door 3/27/ - AG
Retro Rubber #83 - AG/ (1 year old RAH stamp; 2 years MFT)
Time Out Challenges #105/ - Birthday

CAS Colours & Sketches #261 - Sketch Challenge

We have a fun sketch for you this week on the CAS Colours & Sketches Blog.  I went on a binge and bought some new card-making supplies recently.  This card makes use of some of the new additions to my collection!  The stamp is Wish Big from Ellen Hutson Essentials and the little rectangle window is from MFT.  I am so thrilled with how this turned out.  It's a birthday card for my son-in-law and I love the humor in the illustrations and the sentiment!!





I adapted Patricia's sketch by moving it to the right side of the card to make room for the hippo on the inside.

The inside of the card is CAS and pretty cute, too!!  Hope you will play along with us this week!  Take a peek at the DT makes here!

Challenges Entered:
Send A Smile 4 Kids 3/17 /- Teen Card for AG
Creative Fingers #142 - AG
Just Add Ink #397/ - Just add "H" - (Hippo!!)
Polkadoodle Crafting Challenge Wk. 8 - AG

My Time to Craft Challenge #365 - Monochomatic

Mags wants us to use a Monochromatic theme for  Challenge #365 on the My Time to Craft Challenge Blog.  The directions are to pick a color and use variations on it.  This one is a happy accident for me. I started this card with a different challenge in mind, but there wasn't enough stamping.  All of the variations of mauve ended up to be perfect for this monochrome challenge.  The butterfly die cuts are treated with a touch of Copic marker and Wink of Stella for shine and the wings are rolled inward to give the butterflies dimension. 

Hope you will join us for the latest challenge on My Time to Craft!

Challenges Entered:
Cut It Up #142/ - AG
Aud Sentiments #197/ - For A Friend
Crafting with an Attitude #36/ - AG
A Bit More Time to Craft #62/ - AG
Monochrome Magic #8/ - AG

New DT Announcement! ATSM Challenge #278

G'Day Mates and welcome new blog visitors from Down Under!  This is my first post as a member of the Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge Blog, which comes to us from Australia.  I was thrilled when Kylie invited me to joint this group of talented and culturally diverse designers!

Holiday is the theme for ATSM's Challenge #278.  I've been on a quest to make Valentine cards for my grandkids and am coming to the end of my list.
My card uses products from a variety of companies.  The heart die cut is from Sugar Pea Designs, the  embossing folder is a Cuttlebug, and the stamp is an oldie from Stampin' Up, called Happy Heart Day.

I hope you will take a look at the rest of Team A's takes on the holiday theme and then play along with us in the ATSM gallery!

Challenges Entered:
Moo-Mania & More #159/ - Valentines/Love
Paper Shelter #325/ - For the One You Love
Pause, Dream, Enjoy #6/ -Valentine Card or Treats
Unicorn Challenge #29 - Valentine/Love
Cards In Envy 2/5/18/ - Love you so much
Stamps & Fun=Creativity 317/ - Hearts
Always Fun #44/ - AG
Mod Squad 2/7/- Hearts

CAS Colours & Sketches - Challenge #253

Our CC&S Challenge this week is to choose a sketch from 2017 and create a seasonal card.   I used sketch #214 and brought out the wreath embossing folder I used for my "Joy" card again.  Last year I was lucky enough to win a card challenge sponsored by DRS Designs and picked up this cute pinecone stamp.  I used Copics and colored pencils for coloring (including the pinecone tips with E41) along with some Stickles for a little extra sparkle and then fussy cut the pinecone.  It's the first time I've inked it up and am so pleased with how it turned out!!





















This will be our last challenge for 2017; you have two weeks to enter.   We'll be back on January 9th with a sketch challenge featuring our new DT members.  Hope you will join us in the new year!


Challenges Entered:
Colouring in Scrapland/December /- Christmas
Crafty Cardmakers #202 /-  Christmas
Simon Monday Challenge/ - Christmas
Use Your Stuff #292/ - Christmas is Coming
Penny Black & More/ - December/CAS
Christmas Card Throwdown/ - Pick a previous challenge from 2012 or 2013  (Challenge #9/Sept. 2012 red, brown, white)

My Time to Craft Challenge #357- Halloween or Cats

Suzanne is this week's My Time To Craft theme designer and she has chosen Halloween or Cats for us to play with.  I've used a digi stamp from QKR Stampede called Autumn Breeze for my Halloween image.  I paired her with some textured paper I found on clearance at Micheals a year ago - which was perfect with this scarecrow image!  The sentiment is from PTI's Keep It Simple Birthday III Mini stamp set.

I had fun coloring this image.  I've been taking a self-paced online class called, Marker Painting Foundations  from Amy Shulke at Vanilla Arts and am trying to practice using what I have learned on all of the images I color.  One of the things Amy teaches is using colored pencil on top of  Copics to add additional depth and highlights.  I've also changed my technique to coloring from dark to light - which has been a big adjustment.  The other secret trick is using N0 or N2 to shade under the colors.  I've been learning a lot and recommend the class if you want to work on your shading and blending.

Hope you will join us this week.  Before you get started, take a peek at the DT creations on the MTTC Challenge Blog!

Challenges Entered:
Alphabet Challenge/ - P is for Pumpkin
Crafty Catz #389/ - AG with Autumn Colors
QKR Stampede #266/ - AG
Aud Sentiments #191/ - Halloween + Sentiment
Moving Along with the Times #56/ - Autumn/Fall
Seize the Birthday 10/12/ - AG
Time Out Challenge #94/ - Photo Inspiration

CAS Colours and Sketches #243 - Colour Challenge

Back with this week's color challenge.  Emily is hosting the CC&S challenges this month and she's got three fun colors for us to play with - Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake and Pear Pizzaz.  I know this colored image isn't exactly simple, so I left that for the card design.  The oval shape has been sitting on my desk since last fall, so it was wonderful to use it over the image and then adhere both to a Crumb Cake card back.  The image is called Tiny Townie Fay Loves Fall from Stamping Bella.

Hope you will join our CAS Colours and Sketches challenge this week.  Hope to see your card in the gallery!

Challenges Entered:
Cards In Envy 10/2/ - Fall leaves
Color Inspiration Monthly Challenge - October
Dream Valley #164/ - One for the Girls
Oh-La-La Creations #238/ - Harvest Time
Dare 2 B Artzy October - Fall Colors
Dragonfly Journeys #102/ - Pumpkin Spice
Stamping Sensations October - Autumn Glory

CAS Colours & Sketches #229 - Sketch Challenge

Holy Hannah, Jane's sketch had me on the ropes and pushed my thinking a lot! I went through my stamps, but couldn't find anything that worked.  In the end, the card turned out, but it's not at all what I had in mind when I started!  When I uploaded it to the CAS Colours & Sketches blog, my design looked super-similar to Jane's card!  Crazy!

I used flower dies from MFT and made the centers with distress inks on watercolor paper.  After playing with ink placement, I sprayed it lightly with water and die cut it.  The variation added some fun interest to the flowers.  The background embossing folder is a larger one from Cuttlebug.  A simple color palette makes the white flowers and centers pop!

Hope to see you card in the gallery this week on the CAS Colours and Sketches Blog!

Challenges Entered:
Stemplegarten #62/ - CAS
Sparkles Forum Challenge #93 July - Embossing
International Art & Soul #11 - Flowers
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #60/ - AG
Creatalicious Challenges #117 - AG/ dies or punches

Sandra Caldwell New Release Friday

Back with another Sandra Caldwell image from the Babycakes Designs and Digis Etsy shop.  This one is called #1101 Wormie Apple.   May's sketch from Die Cuttin' Divas helped design my card.  I tried adding white colored pencil on top of my Copic colored apple to give additional texture.  I've seen this technique used at vanillaarts.com and am contemplating taking a class because the idea of combining Copics and colored pencils intrigues me.  Pop on over to the Sandra Caldwell Facebook Group and see what else is in this week's release!





















Challenges Entered:
Die Cuttin' Divas #315/ - May Sketch
Cute Card Thursday #476/ - AG
Crafting By Designs May Challenge - AG

CAS Colours & Sketches #221 - Color Sketch

Happy May!  Samantha is our hostess this week and she has a fun color combination for all of us.

I am using a PTI set called, Botanical Blooms. The Rose is stamped on Melon Mambo paper, heat embossed in white, fussy cut and popped out over the Copic colored leaves.  A little Copic BG000 behind the leaves and a die cut sentiment complete the card.  Love how this turned out!

I hope you decide to play along with us at CAS Colours and Sketches this week!

Challenges Entered:
Always Fun Challenges #4/ - Flowers
Incy Wincy Designs/ - May 1-13 CAS
Crafting When We Can #143 - CAS
Glitter 'N Sparkle #237 - Flowers
Paper Players #342 - Tic Tac Toe (bottom row: pink, leaves, flower)

Playing with Colored Pencils and White Embossing Powder

Just spending time in my craft room playing this morning with a new purchase from Avery Elle Stamps (Floral Frame), colored pencils and white embossing powder on kraft paper.  The white embossed sentiment is from W Plus 9 and finished off with some splatters of diluted white acrylic paint, a couple of rhinestones and twine and a button.

I am loving the look of colored pencils on kraft paper.  I got a package of 36 colored pencils from Costco for less than $10 - and they seem to do the trick!  I invested in Copics a few years back, so I don't want to put lots of money into other coloring media!  I'm pretty pleased with how these colored up!

Challenges Entered:
CAS-ual Fridays/ - No Dies Allowed
TGIFC #100/ - inspired by Mercedes Weber (love all of her flower cards)
613 Avenue Create March Challenge/ - No digis
Cute Card Thursday #470/ - Spring Fever
International Art & Soul #4 /- Embossing
Make My Monday #42/ - White embossing

A Day for Daisies January Challenge - Two or More Layers

Happy New Year!  It's hard to believe we are already one week into 2017.

I am crazy about layers, so this month's challenge theme (Two or More Layers) is a no brainer for me!  I count five layers!  No Copics on this card; I tried my hand at colored pencils.  I love how they look on kraft paper (even though this is Sahara Sand).  I just have an inexpensive set of 24 Crayola colored pencils, and was pleasantly surprised how well they worked.  I bought a Prismacolor white for the shading.

You can't tell from the photo, but her wings sparkle.  I made the background paper using a Hero Arts stamp (thanks Daria!!- Love it!!) and white embossing powder.  White gel pen gave the appearance of snow in the globe.  Sketch Saturday's great sketch helped give me a plan for my card design.





Get your layers on and join the A Day for Daisies Challenge this month!   You have until January 31st to upload your card in the gallery.  Remember, challenge winners receive ADFD images and a chance to be a guest designer.   Check out the inspiration from the DT here!

Challenges Entered:
Sketch Saturday #444/
Crafting By Designs January Challenge - AG
Crafty Gals #104/ - Use Something New (Hero arts stamp and blue MFT paper)
Little Red Wagon #375 - Something New (new stash bg stamp and paper)
Craft Rocket #30 - Something New (Hero arts stamp and blue MFT paper)
Fab & Funky #332 /- Little Girls

New DT Spot!

Hi Everyone,
I'm super-excited to announce my first post as a member of the CAS Colour & Sketch Challenge! It's thrilling to be invited to join this talented crew and take advantage of the opportunity to develop my CAS eye.  The new DT members officially begin posting in January, but each of us are being introduced to the blog in December.

This week's CAS C&S Challenge #203 is a seasonal sketch.  We chose one of the sketches from 2016.  I know coloring an image with Copics isn't exactly simple, but Sketch #164 was a perfect layout to showcase A Day for Daisies' beautiful Gentle Baby digital stamp.  The Amuse Studios' sentiment is in black embossing powder.   I stamped the white background with SU's Polka Dot stamp and Versa Mark ink and then used Iridescent Ice, added the image, and used a corner-rounder for the sides.

I hope you will join try your hand at a CAS card this week and play along with the challenge.  I'll see you with a new CAS card in January!!

Challenges Entered:
Dream Valley #146 - Christmas
TTCRD Dec. 6th/ - AG
Crafting By Designs 12/7/- Here Come the Holidays
Christmas Cards All Year Long/ - Dec. Anything Christmas

A Day for Daisies - November Challenge

The November Challenge on the ADFD blog is to Use Some Burlap.  Originally I was planning to use a strip of burlap, but in the card construction process, I decided to create a frame from burlap which ended up becoming the card's background!  There's a whole lot of strong double-sided tape on this card!

I've never colored a cooked turkey before, so this was a challenge for me.  Google images helped me figure out what to do (in addition to quite a few years of turkey cooking experience!!)  I masked the image and stamped over it with SU's French Script background stamp and distressed the edges.  MFT's stitched frame dies created the frame and the "with gratitude" is a Lil' Inkers sentiment die.

Copics used:
Turkey:  E30, 31, 33, 35, 53, 37
Cranberries:  R11, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 39
Daisies:  Y11, 13, 15, 19
Small flowers:  BV13, 04, V15, 09
Leaves:  YG 03, 45, 67, G43

I hope you will play along with us this month.  A guest DT spot is one of the prizes!  Take a peek at the rest of the DT's work here.

Challenges Entered:
Crafting By Designs - November AG Challenge
Just Keep on Creating - November AG Challenge
Creative Inspirations #261/ - AG
Little Red Wagon #366/ - Happy Fall Y'All
Crafty Girls #29 /- AG
Time Out for Challenges #69 /- Give thanks with a Grateful Heart
World Wide Open DT Challenge/ - Oct. 15-Nov. 15
Tic-Tac-Toe Challenges/ -  #21

CAS Condolences

This is my second post for today.  I've needed a sympathy card for a colleague and decided to use the colors from CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge #196.  I used Wild Wasabi, More Mustard and Cherry Cobbler.  It's also an entry for their DT Call.  CAS isn't my normal style, but I love to stretch myself with CAS cards.  The stamp set is Banner and Wreath from Avery Elle.

Challenges Entered:
CAS Colours & Sketches #196/

A Day for Daisies - First Flight

Hi Everyone,
Back with another ADFD images, called First Flight.  I just love this one.  I know I say that a lot, but there is something about Tammy's style that continues to draw me in.  I think it's the sweet faces.  Aren't these two girls cuties?  I think I'll send this to my granddaughters.













Freshly Made Sketch's #259 provided the layout for the card.  I dug into my stash for some Halloween paper from Crate Paper and started coloring.  I masked the image and stamped over it with a SU Polka Dot background stamp.  As I started to add new things to the card, it pulled my eye away from the image, so I elected to keep it CAS.  No enamel dots, die cut sentiments, ribbons, bows, extra sentiments, etc.!

I hope you will play along with our October Halloween Challenge on the ADFD Blog.  There's just one week left!

Challenges Entered:
Freshly Made Sketches #259/
Crafting By Designs - Halloween Challenge
Crafty Gals #94/ - Be Fab-BOO -Lous
Creative Inspirations #260 - Halloween/Fall
As You Like It /- Old or New Stash & Why (Old because it creates room for new!!)
Creative Knockouts #164/ - Embossing
Cute Card Thursday #448/ - Halloween
Crafty Catz #343/ - AG + Embossing
Simply Create Too #120 - Halloween