613 Avenue Create Challenge #194 - Getting Sentimental

Hello, my friends!  Welcome to our February Challenge at 613 Avenue Create.  We have the option to use the color blue and make the sentiment the focal point. You'll want to see the DT projects.  They are great.  Here's my card:

I made my own background paper by using a sponge dauber to put the distress ink circles on white card stock. Then I blended the same distress ink all over the panel. I added baker's twine and a banner made from Washi tape. The sentiment was die cut from a paint chip. This is a clean and simple card for my grandson - big surprise there!

Card stock:  Recollections
Ink: Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink
Die:  Kudos by Paper Smooches
Washi Tape:  My stash

Challenges:
Darnell's NBUS #10 (NBUS=Die (a 4 part die; one part used in NBUS #9)
Happy Little Stampers February CAS Challenge - Blue
Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge #302 - Anything Goes

      

Thanks for visiting!

613 Avenue Create #157-Anything Goes-Option CAS

Happy New Year, Crafty Friends!!  I can hardly believe that it is now 2016.  I don't really make resolutions, but I do try to change some things for the better in the new year.  I want to blog more regularly in 2016. I hope to try new techniques and card styles.  I want to enter challenges again.  We'll see how it goes - LOL!!

This week at 613 Avenue Create our Anything Goes challenge has the option to create a CAS card or project.  That's nothing new, because all I ever do unless challenged to do otherwise, is create CAS projects.  Anything else is extremely difficult for me.  Here's my card using just one pre-colored image from Melonheadz Illustrations Stand Ye in Holy Places.  (Eureka Stamps is a sponsor also.)  I made this card for one of my line dance teachers who is retiring in March.  She loves cowboy boots. It's safe to show the card now because she doesn't know anything about my blog.

All papers are from my stash.  I created my own DP by painting white Recollections cardstock with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink. I love the ombre look that I created. (Actually, at first I tried sponging the ink onto the cardstock, but it looked terrible so I decided to use the ink as paint on my craft sheet.)  I used an embossing folder to put dots on the circle which I cut with a Nestie. The boots are fussy cut and popped up. I used a Sizzix die (Jutebox) to cut the music notes.  (BTW, both dies are new - never been used before.) The sentiment (also popped up) is Close to My Heart - I used a scrap of the paper I made when I sponged the ink.  It's hard to see, but the star on the boot has a touch of clear Wink of Stella.

I will be back to enter some challenges:  4 Crafty Chicks-Anything Goes; Crafty Friends #22 - Use Something New; and Scrapper's Delight #51- Anything Goes.

Be sure to check out the DT's inspiration on the site. And you'll definitely want to see who won the last challenge.  Happy Crafting!

Joining in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #5

Imagine my surprise when I got back to visiting blogs this morning and saw that Darnell had posted another NBUS Challenge...When I made this card this weekend, I thought of Darnell and NBUS. I bought this darling die months ago, and stored it away. I thought to myself, I should label this NBUS when I post the card on my blog. In fact, I almost posted it yesterday. I guess it was meant to be a NBUS challenge entry - LOL!!

I water colored the background with Worn Lipstick and Picked Raspberry Distress Ink. I cut the background paper down and rounded the corner using a Corner Chomper. The border trim is a Martha Stewart sticker. The sequins and papers are from my stash.  The sentiment is from CTMH.

My NBUS items are the Impression Obsession Coffee Cup Die and the Picked Raspberry Distress Ink.

These are the challenges I'm entering:  NBUS #5; Simon Says Monday Challenge - Stamp & Punch/Die Cut; and Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes.

Here's to you - have a great day and craft your heart out!!

613 Avenue Create #119-Anything Goes-Option: Create Your Own Challenge

Hi, Crafty Friends! We have a different Create Your Own Challenge Twist to our Anything Goes Challenge this week.  Just use this chart:

 

Our sponsors this week are Melonheadz Illustrations, Scrapper's Delights and Di's Digi Stamps.  I used an image from Melonheadz Polly Put the Kettle On Combo Pack. This is a delightful tea inspired digi set. I'll be using the other images for sure since I have a thing for tea - LOL!

I made a square card for encouragement (event). My trends are Watercolor, Stencils and Sequins. Using a stencil and water color paper, I sponged distress ink over the stencil. Then I lightly sprayed water through the stencil. I blotted the paper with a paper towel before removing the stencil, after which I used a heat tool to dry the paper. I cut it down to fit my 5x5 card front. The image is colored with Spectrum Noirs and cut with a scalloped oval Nestie die. I inked the edges of the die before popping it up on the card front. The sentiment (also popped up) is from the $1 bin at Michaels - I've had it for years. The sequins are from my stash.

I'm entering these challenges:  Brown Sugar Challenge #141 - Distress; Sister Act Challenge #101 - Anything Goes; and CCEE Stampers 1515 - Stencils.

I hope you find some time to craft today :)

Beach Scene

Hi, All! My card today is also for my husband. We're longing for Spring and Summer. We love Georgia, but we miss our California beaches which were so close. This is the card I gave him for his birthday:

I sponged the background and added some glitter where the water met the sand. I used Distress inks, but don't remember which ones. The cute little beach chair is a die from Obsession Impression. The umbrella is a stamp which I fussy cut. I stamped the greeting on a cloud stamp. My star fish are a bit too perfect, but my attempts to draw them and cut them out looked pitiful so I used dies.

These are the challenges I'm entering:  CASology #137 - Tropical; Simon Says Monday Challenge - B is For... (Beach for my card); and Happy Little Stampers March CAS Challenge - Sponging.

Happy Crafting, Friends!

You Have to be my Friend...

This is my second post today. I wanted to enter CASology's Challenge for week 130 - Friend.  I've had this stamp for years and have never used it. I bought it with my best friend in mind.  We have been friends since we were 9 years old. Now we're grandmothers together, so you know this sentiment is oh so true!

I used water color paper and embossed it with dots. Then I wet the paper and painted it with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink.  I stamped the sentiment in Hero Arts Orange Soda ink. The flowers were cut with a die, but I don't know what it is. I inked the edges of the flowers and added a bit of bling. All paper is from my stash.

I'm also entering 4 Crafty Chicks #230 - Best Friends and Uniko Studio Challenge #17 - Love & Friendship.

Spray Mist and Distress Ink

Hi, Ya'll! It's another cold winter day here in Georgia - 43 degrees.  We've had a lot of fog this week and some rain also. But I'm not complaining because it's not snowing. I had to make a sympathy card. I decided to try something new - color spray. I got some Recollections spray on clearance several months ago. I've never used it before, but I like it. I also used some Distress Ink and water colored a piece of Tim Holtz Water Color Paper from which I cut the sentiment using a Nestie. Since the spray and Tim Holtz paper were NBUS (Never Been Used Schtuff), I'm entering Darnell's NBUS Challenge #3 for the second time. I'm also entering Virginia's View Challenge #11 - Clean Slate for the second time. Also, I'm entering Simon Says Monday Challenge - Inky Background, Stamplorations Inks and Stamps, and Happy Little Stamper Watercolouring.

I hope you have a great day!

Feel Better

Brrr! It's cold as all get out here this morning.  With the wind chill, it's 10 degrees...I hope you're enjoying better weather than we are, but I know a lot of you are not. Try to stay warm. I'm posting a feel better card for a friend who's just a bit under the weather. It's a quick and easy card:

The cascading hearts are from my new Confetti Stencil from Heidi Swapp. The stencil also has hearts and dots. I used a dobber and Spun Sugar Distress Ink.  The tea pot is from a Graphic 45/Hampton Art/Sizzix stamp and framelits set. I stamped it on paper from my stash and popped it up. The sentiment is PaperTrey Ink. I added sequins from my stash.

Since the stamp/die and Distress Ink are NUBUS (Never Been Used Schtuff) that I've had for over a year, I'm entering Darnell's NUBUS Challenge #3. I'm also entering Virginia's View Challenge #11-Clean Slate and Simon Says Monday Challenge (Old & New). I've told you the old, the new is the stencil. I just bought it about a week or so ago. I'm also entering Just Us Girls #275-Trend Week Stencil.

613 Avenue Create #103 - Anything Goes Option-First Day of Winter-Use Snowflakes

Because Winter arrives today, our newest challenge at 613 Avenue Create has the option to Use Snowflakes.  (I sure hope we don't get any snow this winter here in Georgia.)  Our sponsor is the always fabulous Rick St. Dennis.  I've used Mrs. Frosty:

I embossed Coredinations cardstock with a Tim Holtz Snowflake embossing folder, applying Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink directly from the pad to the embossed snowflakes. I colored Mrs. Frosty with Spectrum Noir Markers, adding a bit of black Wink of Stella to her eyes, mouth and buttons.  Her body has a coating of clear Wink of Stella.  I cut her out with a Scalloped Oval Nesties, dusting it with blue chalk before removing it from the die.  The sentiment is a Cricut cut, also coated with clear WOS.

I'm entering these challenges:

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Anything Goes; Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Winter Inspiration; Brown Sugar Challenge #125 - Christmas;  Stamplorations December Challenge - Stamps and my favorite Technique (October Challenge - Embossing); and CASology #126 - Snow.

Again, I kept it all flat for ease of mailing. I love the texture of the embossing and the look of the distress ink. Happy Crafting, my friends!!

613 Avenue Create #75-Anything Goes/Best Friends' Day

Good morning! This week's challenge at 613 Avenue Create has the option of creating something for your best friend because today is Best Friend's Day!! Our sponsors are A Random Fan, Eureka and Vectoria Designs.

My best friend lives in California, and I have known her since I was in the 4th grade. Yes, we go WAY, WAY back - LOL!!  She's married to a great guy - he and my husband are good friends. Our children are cousins. We are auntie and uncle to each other's children and grandchildren. One of her sons and two of her granddaughters live not far from us here in Georgia, so we see them throughout the year. My best friend and I talk all the time, preferring talk to texts and e-mails (we're old school - LOL!) But we do text and e-mail pictures back and forth of the grand kids as any self-respecting grandparent would :)  Anyhoo, here's the card I made for her using Eureka's Sun Flower:

I colored two sun flowers with Distress Markers and Distress Ink. I stacked one on top of the other for depth and then used pop dots to attach the flower to the card base. It's hard to see in the picture, but the flower has a coating of clear Wink of Stella. The side border is a Martha Stewart sticker I got ages ago from Marshall's. The sentiment is a rub on from Close to My Heart that I've had for probably 6 or more years. The card stock is from my stash.

I'm entering these challenges:  Craftitude #66 - Pop it Up; Sister Act #60 - Anything Goes; Darnell's NBUS #1 - Anything Goes/Friendship Theme;  Inkspirational Challenges #58 - Clean and Simple; and Time Out Challenges #7 - Summer/Flowers.

I hope you have a great week!

613 Avenue Create #69 - Anything Goes. Period!!

Hi, there, friends! Our challenge at 613 Avenue Create this week is Anything Goes with no twist - how's that for a change? Our sponsors are A Day for Daisies and Bugaboo Digi Stamps.  I used ADFD Freehand Butterfly #1 - here's my card:

I put the design on my butterfly by using a stencil- how cool is that! I used a Heidi Swapp flower stencil, sponging Distress Ink for the pattern, and dusting the butterfly with chalk. The DPs are scraps. I mounted the fussy cut butterfly on Nesties. I don't know who made the border punch that I used. It's hard to see, but I added a bit of sparkle with Wink of Stella and a couple of sequins. I'll add a sentiment when I decide what occasion I'll use the card for.

I'm entering these challenges:  Crafting from the Heart #16-Anything Goes; Pixie's Snippets Playground #122; Crafty Cardmakers and More #115-It's a Bug's Life; Butterfly Challenge #6-Glamorous; and Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Clean and Simple.

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Using A Stencil

I have been inspired by my blog friend Virginia Lu to create a card using a stencil. This is the first time I've used a stencil. I wanted to enter Virginia's View Challenge #2 - Stencil.  Here's my card:

 

I used a Heidi Swapp stencil that I got on sale at Michael's. After taping the stencil down, I used a sponge and inked the spaces with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink.  I added a layered flower from my stash and put a button in the middle. The button has orange baker's twine in the center. I deliberately did not put a sentiment on the front.

I want to thank Virginia for encouraging me to step outside my comfort zone. She's an extraordinary card maker, with two blogs. Pay her a visit soon if you have not already done so.

Trying A Water Color Technique

Today I tried something entirely new for me - a water color technique using Distress Inks and Distress Markers. My friend Virginia Lu has a new challenge blog - Virginia's View Challenge. The first challenge is Water Coloring. A few days before I saw Virginia's new blog, I had actually tried a water color technique which was a total failure. I decided to try again so I could enter Virginia's challenge. I'm actually a bit pleased by this result - at least I didn't want to throw it away - LOL! I do hope to improve on my technique by making more water color cards.

For the flower, I used 3 Distress Markers, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick and Barn Door.  I stamped the CTMH image in Black Versafine ink.  I used the lightest marker in the middle of the flower, then the two darker colors going outward.  (I just scribbled since I was going to fussy cut the image.) I sprayed the flower with water and moved the paper around so the ink flowed. I dried the image with my heat gun and then fussy cut it. Later I added yellow to the inside with a Sharpie.  For the background I squished Peeled Paint and Mustard Seed Distress Inks on my craft sheet.  I sprayed the areas with water and dipped my paper into in, moving the ink around.  After heat drying it, I scribbled Faded Jeans in the center, sprayed it and heat dried it.  (I felt that the area behind the flower needed to be a bit darker for contrast.)  I used several colors on the leaves and fussy cut them also.  I popped up the flower and added sequins and a sentiment.  I distressed the edges of the panel with scissors and CTMH Dutch Blue ink. I sponged blue ink on the white card base. After gluing down the water color panel, I added clear Wink of Stella to the flower and was done.

I'm entering these challenges:  Virginia's View Challenge #1 - Water Color; Make It Monday #181 - Anything Goes; Through the Craft Room Door March 4 Challenge - Anything Goes.

613 Avenue Create #45-Anything Goes Optional Twist Holiday Thanks

Hi, Y'All!  Today's Anything Goes Challenge at 613 Avenue Create has the option of Holiday Thanks - a Thank You or Hostess Gift.  Using our sponsor Bugaboo Stamps, the DT has had fun creating some inspiration for you.  Enter the challenge and you could win 7 digis from Bugagoo! Here's my thank you card using AKV Turkey:

I colored this cute little turkey using Martha Stewart Markers.  Everything is from my stash.  I sponged Distress Tea Dye Ink around the image while it was still in the Nestabilities Oval die.  The sentiment is CTMH.  I used Martha Stewart Baker's Twine.

I'm entering these challenges:  My Sheri Crafts #123 - Fall/Thanksgiving; Brown Sugar Challenge #67 - Anything Goes; Craftitude #52- Anything Goes/Use Twine or String; Memas Crafts - Anything Goes - Option "Thanks".

Get crafty and make something!  We'd love it if you dropped off a project at our house.

Sketch Time & Birthday Celebration at JDE

Today we have another Anything Goes Challenge with an optional Sketch twist at Jackson's Digital Expressions. We have two sponsors this week,  The Cutting Cafe and Bugaboo Stamps.  Check JDE to see the DT's inspiration and find out our winners from last week. Here's the optional sketch:

My first card is a Robert Jackson image:  Just Purses 2.  I entered into the challenge at Make it Monday.

Supplies:  Image: RJ's Just Purses 2; Cardstock & DP, my stash; Ink:  CTMH Tulip; Nestabilities Oval Die; Stamp: CTMH Birthday Script.

Then I made another card - this one to celebrate Robert's Birthday - August 29.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROBERT!!! Robert shares his birthday with a twin sister Kezia. To celebrate, there will be Surprise Gifts throughout the week.  And, if you want a Big Shot, go to the JDE site and leave a comment which includes the phrase "I am an Expressions Big Shot."  Your name will be entered into a special drawing!!

I entered this card in the Whoopsiedaisy Challenge. I used the same sketch, but changed it up a bit. My image is from the It's About That Time Printable Stamp Set at The Cutting Cafe. I think the clock is a nice masculine touch in this case. It doesn't really show in the picture, but I brushed all the cut edges and cardstock with distress ink. I hope Robert likes it!  And Happy Birthday to Kezia, too!!

Be sure to join the celebration at JDE!!!

Supplies:  Cardstock & DP: My stash; dies: CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge; Ink: Tea Dye Distress Ink; Stamp: CTMH Celebrate the Everyday (promotional stamp set); Bic Mark-Its.

Holtz It Right There

The twist on our Anything Goes Challenge at Jackson's Digital Expressions is to use Tim Holtz products in your project.  I decided to distress the background of my card.  I balled up the cardstock, then smoothed it out.  I swiped the cardstock with two distress inks:  Fired Brick and Tea Dye.  Then I sprayed the paper with water and dried it.  It reminds me of dye tied fabric.  My Robert Jackson image is A Lil Prayer.  She's so sweet.  I love her little curler cap.  It's hard to see in the photo, but she has 2 pink rollers in her hair!

Be sure to go to the challenge site to see what the rest of the design team created.  The projects are wonderful.  Be sure to join in - we have some great prizes, including a chance to be a Guest Designer.  I'm entering my card in challenges at Make It Monday (anything goes), Tammy's Scrapin Corner, (anything goes), and Crafty Cardmakers (distress it).

Supplies:  Inks: Fired Brick Distress, Tea Dye Distress, CTMH Chocolate; Recollections cardstock; Stamp: CTMH TLC; Coloring: Copic E35, Bick Mark-Its, Sharpies, Watercolor Pencils, Blending Pen; Flowers, my stash; water mister, pop dots.