Double header Monday

It's Monday and while we prepare for a hoedown at school, it's Christmas on my blog for the moment.  I am ready to share two completely different styles for Elizabeth Mae's this week.  Last week, there were several new holiday images added to the site.  Have you seen them yet?  Click here to view.  ****Also when you stop by check out the call for the design team!***** Come join us!
I decided to use the Emma with present for my card.  I loved the Santa hat and ornament jammies. 

Totally non traditional with this one.  I wanted to make a fun card.  Lots of older supplies used for this cutie.  I had to pull the fun flock out for her trim on the hat and pajamas. 

Supplies used:

cardstock: Paper Studio

pattern paper: Rusty Pickle and Crate Doll Collection

image: Elizabeth Mae's

stamp: KI Memories

ink: Hero Arts black

rhinestones: craft

flock: Stampin' Up white

floss: Stampin' Up Sage Shadow

other: foam dots

After I made this card, I wanted something a little more shabby and  chic so I decided to use the spotted dress form image for my next card.

This card uses more current items.  I paired some Authentique with older Making Memories and like it.  I can't image how on earth someone uses an entire collection for one season.  Am I really that much of a hoarder?  I have items I can't part with or just never did use when I bought. 

Supplies for card:

cardstock: Paper Studio

pattern paper and sticker words: Authentique

image: Elizabeth Mae's

ribbon, flower, stick pin,word die cut: Making Memories

trim: craft (sprayed with mists)

doily: Wilton

ink: PTI Vintage Distressing

rhinestones: Queen & Co.

other: foam dots

Challenges I would like to enter my card into are:

OSAT: #86 Christmas

The Ribbon Girls: Jingle All The Way to Christmas

Trick or Treat for Paper Playtime!

Yeah we made it to free candy day!  Anyone rushing out to buy candy for tonight?  I am proud to say I am prepared.  I am hoping for lots of trick or treaters.  Plus, I recently replaced my door bell so it'll be safe to use that button again.  I had the original one that came when I bought my house.  It was decayed in the middle and people were literally frightened to push it because the light was exposed on it.  Let me just note that being married to an electrical engineer does not mean he willing fixes electrical items around the house.  That was a squabble.  I bought the new fixture and tried to get the old one off with much sweat.  It didn't want to come off.  I guess he knew he was headed to the big green bin.  Noticed I made it a "he"  ;-)  anyhow, DH was forced to fix because it was not secured and we were looking rather ghetto like with the broken door bell.  It was kinda embarrassing.  Not really a kinda-it was for sure embarrassing.  Don't even get me started on the dead fir tree in the planters.  Ugh! 
Onto my card.  This week is an anything goes new or old at Paper Playtime. The prize is a $15 gift certificate to the Crop Stop. Maybe it will be a re purposed door bell fixture even?  I wish I saved it to haunt my DH with this evening. Hee hee! 
I used a super cute rat that's well disguised with a mask and some glitter for my card.  A really cool friend sent me a package of these Cricut designs.  I just covered a cardbase with some Authentique and started layering.

I would seriously give this fellow some candy if he rang my doorbell.  I mean he is dressed up and the sparkles would dazzle me.  Winner! 

I hope you will join us for the challenge!  You can link up below.

Speedy Recovery

Happy Sunday to you!  This week at Sentimental Sundays we are using Heart Songs birth flower's for a new challenge.  I was excited to use  daffodils for my card because they are said to promote good fortune plus the little cups are so exquisite!  The colors are so vibrant and we tend to see these popping out of the ground in early Spring as a sign that hopefully our winter has ended.  Yesterday was an icky day filled with snow and sleet so this seems like the perfect timing  for someone not enthralled with Winter weather.  I paired my card with a wish for a quick recovery.

                                    I hope you like!  Off to get a huge list of items completed. 
Supplies used:
cardstock: white
pattern paper: EP Summer Days, The Girls' Paperie Cabbage Rose, Sassafras Lass;
doily; Wilton
image: Heart Songs
stamp: SP& Company
ink: Hero Arts black
ribbon: craft
tools: stapler
Copics

                                                               Challenges for my card:
Come & Get It Challenges: Anything Goes
Lily Pad: Texture
Mark's Finest Papers: #79 Use Your Scraps
Sweet Stampin: Anything Goes

Kitty Cat Halloween

Me again!  Two posts in one day is my way!  It's almost time for free treat night and I prepared a super cute card for Penny's in honor of this fun night.

Okay, I must first say I was a little worried about how this kitty from Digi Darla  would turn out with my coloring.  I wanted to do black but truthfully, you have to master blending with that and I am still working on this.  I even watched a video on how to color black hair on a digi image and still not even close to what I would consider worthy of showing.  Next idea was to use grey.  Here it is.  I paired this image  with Authentique's Orange ledger paper and Terresa Collins Halloween print.  The stripe is from The Paper Studio which I punched with the Martha Stewart doily punch.  I added a polka ribbon which I attached with staples cause that's how everything seems to get attached these days in my household.  Yeah, I admit I have stapled hems in a bind.  Anyhow, I thought the card was showcase worthy and even better that I can mail it without extra postage!  Woot woot! 

Challenges I would like to enter my card in:

                                                               Allsorts: #126 Halloween

Crafting for All Seasons: #12 Halloween

Craft Your Days Away: #31 Halloween Colors

Di's Digi Designs: Halloween

Dream Valley Challenges: #18 Halloween

I Brake for Challenges: #12 Halloween

The Crafty Pad: #144 Halloween

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Halloween

Top Tip Tuesday: 57 Trick or Treat

Thank you for stopping by!

Autumn Blessings

Just heard on the weather today that we might get white flakes Saturday.  What!?!   No way!  I am not prepared in the slightest and to top it off, it's homecoming for DD.  Well, I guess I better get prepared because it's not up to me if it happens.  I am going to dig in the chests for winter attire and  go shopping for a wrap to keep DD warm in the chilly evening.  She is so excited for this event and I am too! 
I am here today to share my card for Crafty Creations.  It's a "leaf" with a fall palette  this week so I decided to use this pattern paper. 

I used this scrap of paper paired with a polka dot October Afternoon circle.  The stamp is K. Andrew.  Are you tired of me using these yet?  I am only just getting started!  This weekend I used an entire set to make an altered mini book that I will share soon.  The rust ribbon was used for my wedding invite last month and matched nicely with the paper so I tied a big bow with a button for embellishing.  I bought the felt leaf several years ago at Target in the Dollar Spot.  I added a few rhinestones for sparkle to finish it off.

Challenges I am entering this card in:

Fashionita Fridays: #94 Autumn

Lexi's Creations: #51 Just a sentiment

Paper Pretties: #177 Embellish (bling, felt leaf, ribbon, floss, and button)

Scrapbook Sisters: #58 Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter: #37 Anything Goes

There She Goes: #127  Autumn

Thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Birthday

I am going there today.  Yep, I am bypassing two months worth of holidays to get right to the big gun holiday-Christmas.  I am so going to be prepared this season.  :-) Yeah right!  LOL!  My amazing SIL celebrates her birthday in December and I want to be sure to have a proper handmade card for her.  I always feel guilty buying a card off the rack.  I really hope I didn't just ruin your image of me.  It happens though. 
The card I share today is for Crafty Creation's newest challenge: Holiday Birthday cards.

I think I might type this for every card I do but I seriously like this card because it has jingle bells!  How can one not like the sound these tiny pieces of metal make upon shaking?  Well, unless it's 16 preschoolers shaking them violently before they are supposed to in our Christmas program.  :-) 

A super simple card and easy to make with one single sheet of pattern paper (Authentique) and quite a few embellies.  I layered the red velvet trim  and added those large Making Memories sheet music poinsettia's with a button and two bells using some silver twine I found in my garage.    Next I stamped the sentiment (Lil Inker's) with black ink  and then attached the library bracket with brads.  Two photo corners were placed on the left edges  and then I added some Platinum Stickles to the birds nestled on the branch.  Done!

Challenges for this card:

ABC Christmas: "U" for unused stash (bells, flowers, library bracket, brads, and photo corners)

Clear It Out: Trims (velvet and silver twine)

ICSketches: #136 Sketch

Sisterhood of Crafters: Birthday

Use It Tuesdays: #17 Metal (brads, library pocket, and bells)

Thanks for hopping by!

Buttons and Bows

It's Monday and work is calling! I guess most people are heading back in to start this new week. At Paper Playtime we welcome a new challenge. For this challenge you can create any type of project you would like as long as you include a SENTIMENT and our theme for this challenge is to use BUTTONS & BOWS!

 Onto my card for this challenge.   I made two but am showing one here.  The Paper Playtime site shows both.  :-)

I used lots of products on this card. It began with white card stock and then the layering began!  7 gypsies papers paired with  MME and Bazzill deep chocolate cardstock with a bracket edge border.  Next came some lace, and a thick red velvet trim.  I punched  a circle and scallop to which I added a    3-d butterfly for the focal point.  The sentiment is K Andrew.  For my button and bow I added hand dyed seam binding with a brown button. 

Our Sponsor this week is LYNN of BOOTS AND BLING TIME. She has a new blog, so please stop by and tell her hello and FOLLOW her if you like what you see. She is offering for a prize the CRATE PAPER NORTH POLE COLLECTION KIT shown below.

Hope you will join us!

Challenges I would like to enter my card in:
Corrosive Challenges: #135 Flying Things
Cupcake Craft: Buttons and Bows

It's a Heavenly Day!

It sure is!  Feeling blessed and excited to be able to sit down and share my latest card for Sentimental Sundays this week.  Yesterday, I was completely grouchy and down right tired.  My daughter had a birthday party to attend that required me to drive her to so I dragged myself upstairs and changed.  I applied a bit of makeup to attempt to make me feel better but I still felt pretty yucky.   But DD asked me to take her so I had to go through.  We arrived to her friend's house  and I told her I loved her with a hug for a goodbye as I departed.  I decided to run a few errands that consisted mostly of returns.  Not fun.  I had 9 things to return to 9 different stores.  Ugh!  I returned 3 items in 2 1/2 hours and then headed back to get DD.  As I rang the doorbell to the friend's house, I knew I needed to put my smile on and a thought crossed my mind.  I realized sooner than later this won't be an option and sadness engulfed me.   The door creaked open and there stood my beautiful daughter all smiles.  She reached out to hug me and then she said, "I tried to call you and check on you Mom but you didn't answer your phone."  BAM!  It hit me that I needed to move that yuckiness to the side and step up to a better place.  It was obvious that my mood was affecting her. 
With that, a new day starts and it's heavenly!  Much love to my daughter for always showing me what life is all about and even more to our Heavenly Father for blessing me so. 

This is my fancy fold.  Pretty creative huh?  Did I mention I have been feeling rather blah?  LOL!  Okay, so this gate folded card started with a deep purple cardbase which I layered with Webster's Pages. ***When I make my gate fold cards, I like to make the left panel slightly larger so it overlaps on the right because the card will close better. ***  I like the contrast of two different papers on the front to break up the card and show the fold.  I have made these type of cards with pattern paper and cut the middle to have a seamless and perfectly matched pattern in the past.  It looks pretty cool if you are not planning on adding more layers or embellishing.   Now I added a lace and fiber trim along with a doily purple border  for a trio of yumminess on the left.  The sentiment is K Andrew Stamps which I stamped on a Webster's Pages journal label.  I then added a blossom in navy blue with two small Prima roses in purple, a twine ribbon, and a green leaf. 
I was very pleased with the end result and have a decided to send this to a new friend I met recently.  I hope she likes! 
Thank you for stopping by!  Have a blessed day!
Challenges for this card:
Allsorts: Lavender and Lace
Crafty Ribbons: #4  Ribbon & Lace
Fairy Fun Friday: #63 Sugar n Spice
Frosted Designs:  Fabulous Friday Challenge: Trim
Polkadoodle: #44 Ribbons & Bows
Top Tip Tuesday: #55 Use Designer Papers (also added  a tip above)

Thanks to good hearts like you!

Today I want to say a special thank you for those whom frequent my blog because I really do appreciate it.  Because of you, I find a reason to create and  share my love for crafting.  Much thanks and ♥  for helping me to do this.    Tonight I am dedicating some time to catch up on my blurfing.  I think I have a thousand posts to review so I am plan on making a hot beverage and catching up. 
For now, I want to share two cards.  The first is for Penny's and features Karen's Doodle's Bigsby, the cutest little mouse! He's cute because he's on paper.  IRL, not a fave creature for me.  I can handle one anywhere but in my house.  :-)

I started with a white cardbase and then layered with a Fancy Pant's print paper for the top and then the bottom is a Terresa Collin's Christmas paper ledger.  I love using themed papers for everyday use.  I have been hoarding this scrap for some time.  I added a large rick rack trim stapled with my tiny attacher.  The sentiment is from SP & Co's Bold Sentiments stamped with black ink and a little red button for embellishing.  I did add two craft colored photo corners for the image because I wanted it to look finished. 

Challenges I would like to enter this card in:

Crafty Boots Challenge: Zoo or Animal

Lollipop Crafts: #52 Critters

Ruby's Rainbow: #14 Cute and Cuddly

Paper Shelter: #35 We Love Animals

My next card is for Crafty Creations.  Another scrap paper feature. 

I used Sass Lass (sad to read they are closing their doors), American Crafts, and Crate Paper (read about it being bought by American Crafts here) for this.  The image is a Stretch n Bubbles I won and decided fit perfectly with this K Andrew sentiment.   That's a Westrim pom pom fiber stapled again with my tiny attacher.  Can you tell I love it?  :-) 

Challenge I would like to enter this card in:

Crafty Cardmakers: #53 Anything Goes

Stampin Sisters in Christ: #110 Anything Goes

Woodware USA: #47 Anything Goes

Okay, the vegan chili is burning!  Off to check again.  Have a great evening and thank you again!

Celebrate Fall

I was walking fluffy dog (my name for him) this morning and it was so amazing to see the tips of leaves starting to change colors.  A few have fallen and the gentle rustling is so sweet to my ears.  Although, it frightens the fluffy dog sometimes.  After said walks, this is where he goes. 

It's a mute point to get him off the furniture.  He's allowed to at his home so it's useless trying here.  He looks up at you with these huge puppy eyes and it makes me want to squeeze him next to me.  I don't know if he will ever give up that stare if it gets him so much attention.  Previous pets I have owned have never been allowed on the furniture.  This dog is lucky but also a great companion.  Plus he's super soft with that angel like hair. 

My fall card today was completely inspired with the weather and a little Patty Griffin.  I am revisiting her Downtown Church album with much happiness.  A little dancing in my chair while sewing, cutting, and coloring.  Pure joy to me!  Fluffy dog sitting across from me looks up every now and again to see my movements and then closes his eyes again.  :-)

This card uses Elizabeth Mae's "Candy" image.  I added a Webster's Pages pattern paper that I stitched to the yellow cardbase and then layered a leaf doily.  The image is popped up on a Creative Imaginations ledger paper that's been wrapped with a polka dot orange ribbon tied with a yellow button in white floss.  I cut a SRM sticker to make the sentiment.  I sometimes get crazy like that.  I wanted it be a little different than the usual. 

Challenges I would like to enter my card in:

Creative Stamp Friends: #35 Autumn Colors

Fairy Fun Fridays: #63 Girly

I Did It Creations: #76 Anything Goes

Kaboodle Doodle: #88 Leaves

Moving Along with the Times: #119 Autumn Leaves

One Stitch At a Time: #83 Anything Goes

One Stop Craft: #152 Anything Goes

Paper Play: week 40 Autumn Colors

The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan: #3 Autumn

Thank you for stopping by!

Halloween Projects Galore

Officially Fall  but it feels more like Spring  here.  It's beautiful out.  This weekend we have a guest (dog)staying with us.  He's 15 pounds of white fluff and love .  I took the furry boy for a walk and he was sniffing everything he could.  He's pretty tired right now.  It's been awhile since I have owned a pet so trying to get back into the habit of remembering when I last took him out, he ate, etc.  A joy to have around.

I joined a Halloween swap on flickr and wanted to share the items I made for my partner.  I think this is the first elective post I have made in a while.  Usually they are for DT work.  I feel super honored to be a part of the design teams but I must say I am starting to feel a little robotic like with the motions.  I got behind prior to my wedding and thought it would be fine afterwards.  Not.  I am still struggling for time  but I was determined to make it a great swap and really enjoy it!  Our objective was to make an altered matchbox with three handmade items.
I made a Poe inspired box.  The glittered crow clips on so it can be removed to place as a decoration somewhere else.

When I joined this group,  found a cool new way to alter matchboxes.  Instead of sliding the box inside out, I cut the slide to open and close with brads. 

This picture shows how it opens and closes better.  I covered the box with distressed stripe paper, distressed in black ink, and then began embellishing.  I used a gauze material draped around the harlequin print paper along with orange glitter ribbon with a popped up label.

To go in the box, I made some stick pins and a necklace. The stick pins have various beads and I colored some of the tops.  I used tags for my decorative packaging with more harlequin paper and a paper word cut out.  The necklace is a glass pendant with a large harlequin bat label. 

I also made this altered slide holder using matching papers from above

I stamped the crow on the front and layered with some punches, lace doily, and glittered ribbon.  It's all distressed with black ink and tied with a fun ribbon.   I covered the inside with spider stamps to match the web paper.  The slides are covered with a specimen sticker and mini postage die cut image.  I think they would be cute with a little photo or attaching a ribbon to make an ornament. 

Here's the inside:

Finally my treat bag for her which is orange muslin with a crow stamp and trick or treat sentiment.  I added the boa trim. 

I miss altering like I used to.  I did a few more things for her but in case she looks here, want her to be a tad surprised.  :-)

Thank you for stopping by! 

Challenges I would like to enter in:

2 Sisters: #60 Halloween

Challenge Up Your Life: #54 Halloween

Crafty Ribbons: #3 Boo-tiful Halloween Projects

Drunken Stampers: #76 Halloween

Forever Night Challenges: Trick or Treat

Fussy and Fancy: Fall/Halloween

Our Craft Lounge: #86 Trick or Treat

Secret Stamper: #155 As Long As It Sparkles

So Artful Challenge: As the Crow Flies

Stamptacular Sunday: #133 Distressing

A little love goes a long way

A quick post from me with my Elizabeth Mae card.  I am excited to share this one because I pulled some ancient papers out to use on it.  I have four sheets of this crossword puzzle paper eagerly awaiting to be used and it finally happened after 6 years!  Wow!  That's a long time.  It's by DMD.  Do they still exist?  Not even sure.  When I bought this paper I was sure I would use multiple sheets hence the quantity I bought.  There it sat, lonely in my paper bins.  It was buried under newer styles but I saved it to create this whimsical card.  I picked the  Angel Girl for the heart challenge because I originally intended to place a heart in her hand but that didn't work out so... I went with the next idea which was to add the heart to the sentiment sticker from SRM on the velvet pink ribbon.  That's tiny Maya Road heart in purple.  I punched a pink print with my Martha Stewart doily punch and then layered with some eyelet trim and then a layer of the velvet ribbon.  Love my layers!  :-) 

I hope you will come join us!  Check out what the rest of the designers did here. 

Places I would like to share my card:

Crafty Cardmakers: #53 Anything Goes
Crafty Catz: #102 Things with Wings

Crafty Purple Frog Challenges: Lots of Layers

CES Challenge: #56 Pretty Girls

Craft Your Passion: #78 Anything Goes with a twist on Ribbons

Creatalicious: #26 Anything Goes

One Stitch at a Time: Digi and use favorite (ribbon)

Paper Sundaes: #89  Lots of Layers

Pile it On: #40 Do It For Fun
Sew Many Cards: Anything Goes

Paper Playtime #57 Challenge and Guessing Game

Halloween is drawing near and we are starting to see black, orange, and purple in the stores, so at Paper Playtime our newest challenge is to use these colors on your Cricut  project.  Our sponsor, The Scrapbook Queen provided Action Wobbles for the design team to use on their creations.  What are Action Wobbles you ask?  Click here to read more!
The Cricut Creations design team have designed some super spooky and cute projects to share with you.   Click here to see them in the action!
But there's more!  Get those Halloween socks out and share with us!  We want to see your tootsies in style.  The design team has a little game for you.  Can you match the designer's feet and name correctly? 

There are 3 ways to win great prizes!  (You must be a follower at Paper Playtime)
1. Enter a Cricut project using the colors black, orange, and purple and you could win 6 Action Wobbles.

2. Take a picture of yourself wearing your  Halloween socks and you win Cricut color markers

3. Leave a comment guessing whose Halloween feet belong to which Paper Playtime Designer and you could win Cricut color markers. 

Sew Special

Hello and hope you are well on this Sunday!  I am happy to be back in a normal routine.  Well, as normal as I can be.  ;-)  I have a sewing themed card to share with you today for Sentimental Sunday's newest challenge.   We sadly are saying goodbye to Ann Vento, the founder of the blog.  She has been such a huge inspiration but she has lots of new ventures beginning so she needs to devote her time to these.  I wish her the best!  Our new founders have arranged for some great new challenges, sentiments, and always prizes from very popular companies that you won't want to miss. 

This cute little mouse is Cocoa and you can find him at Sweet n Sassy Stamps, our wonderful sponsor this week.  I kept a simple color palette today.  Just one piece of pattern paper too!  Amazing for me!  I am trying to use up all the doilies I have can you tell with all my cards featuring them lately?  I am kidding but I promise to step away from them for next week's cards.  I made myself put them away from my eye sight because I found myself clinging to them. I did a few simple stitches because it is a sewing theme after all and then stamped a SP & Co. sentiment with black ink.  Not too much here.

I hope you will join us for our latest challenge. Many blessings to you!

Challenges I would like to enter my card in:

4 Crafty Chicks: #57 Anything Goes

Crafts 4 Eternity: #39 Anything Goes

Digi Stamps 4 Joy: #28 Anything Goes

Druken Stampers: #75 Get Well/ Thinking of You
Little Miss Muffet Challenges: #19 Animals and Monsters

Sew Many Cards: Anything Goes

The House That Stamps Built: Animals