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!

School Card

Here's another card to encourage our grandson as he starts his junior high school days. I love the back pack image. It's Recollections - I got it on clearance at Michaels a couple of years ago.  The faux Washi strips are images from Close to My Heart as are the chevron stamp and the bubble "Hi." I used my new Hero Arts Shadow Inks (Butter Bar, Orange Soda), CTMH Tulip Ink, and Versa Magic Gingerbread Chalk Ink. The card stock is from my stash. Everything is flat to the card for ease in mailing.

I'm entering these challenges:  Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes; Brown Sugar #113- Anything Goes; and Sister Act #76- Anything Goes.

Easter Bunny

I'm back today with an Easter card for my grandniece. She's a teen now, but she still likes bunnies and Easter treats!

Everything is from my stash.  I used a Martha Stewart Punch All Over the Page punch to make the scallop circle.  The bunny image is CTMH and so is the ink. The bunny and sentiment are fussy cut and popped up. I bought the sentiment a few years ago from the $1 bin at Michael's. The pearls are Recollections.

I'm entering these challenges:  Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Happy Easter or Sweet Treats; Challenges 4 Everybody #40-Anything Goes; Stamping Sensations-April Challenge-Dies or Punches; and Open Minded Crafting Fun #8-Easter or Pastel.

I hope you have a great day!

613 Avenue Create #53 - Anything Goes-Option Color, Sights & Sounds of Winter

This is the first Sunday of the New Year.  We're off to a very cold start in my neck of the woods. Our new Challenge at 613 Avenue Create has the option of the Colors, Sights and Sounds of Winter.  There's nothing I like more on a freezing Winter morning like this than a nice cup of tea:

The image is by our sponsor SquiggleFly  - "Women Are Like Tea Bags."  You get 3 images, the tea cup, a tea pot and this sentiment which I put inside the card:

I have a thing for tea.  We are tea drinkers, no coffee in our house.  I'll be using the tea pot image soon for sure.  I'm a complete pushover for tea stamps and digi images!

The cardstock is Recollections. I made my own background paper, stamping the dark green CS with snow flakes using CTMH Olive ink. I colored the image with Sharpies and used a Copic Colorless Blender for the very first time.  (It was a Christmas gift.)  It's hard to see that I used my Clear Wink of Stella pen to add sparkle to the tea in the cup, the vapors rising from the cup, and the saucer.  Love that Wink of Stella!

I'm entering these challenges:  Card Makin' Mamas #78 - Anything Goes; Keep It Simple #30 - Anything Goes; and One Crazy Stamper - January Anything Goes.

Stay warm while you create your project for this week's challenge!

A Christmas Card

This is the first year I handmade every Christmas card that we mailed.  Last year I used the last of my store bought cards.  I had been mailing and/or handing out some hand made and some store bought (left over from before I started card making).  We don't have a large Christmas card list - only about 30-40, so it wasn't as if I had to make hundreds of cards.  I officially got started in October, although I had made a few for challenges earlier.  Anyhooo, here's one:

Everything is from my stash.  The stamp, sentiment and ink are CTMH.  The DP and card stock were actually scraps.  The card base is Recollections.

I'm entering these challenges:  Aud Sentiments Challeng Blog #96 - Christmas; Milk Coffee Challenge - Any Christmas Creation; and Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stamp It Out.

One of my dance groups is performing at a nursing home this afternoon.  And this evening I'm performing with another group at Global Winter Wonderland at Turner Field in Atlanta.  So I'm off to get my costumes together.  Happy Crafting to you!

613 Avenue Create Challenge #31-Anything Goes: Use a Sentiment Twist

Hi, Everyone,

I have taken a bit of a blog break due to a visit from my grandson.  But I'm back now. This week's challenge at 613 Avenue Create is Anything Goes with a Sentiment Twist.  Here's my inspiration for you, using Rick St. Dennis' Snowman with a Squirrel image:

I need Christmas cards so I was pleased to use this cute image.  Card Stock & DP:  Recollections; Baker's Twine: Martha Stewart; sentiment: CTMH Say It in Style; ink:  CTMH Desert Sand, Black; Distress Markers and Sharpies; Sequins - WalMart.  It's hard to tell from the picture, but the snowman and decorations have a bit of sparkle from CTMH Stardust Glitter Glue and a Jelly Roll glitter pen.

I'm entering a few challenges:  Mema's Crafts - Anything Goes; Make It Monday - Anything Goes; and Sparkle Creations Weekly Christmas Card Challenges - Optional Sketch.

Stop by 613 Avenue Create to enjoy all the creativity on the blog!

CAS at Jackson's Digital Expressions

Happy Tuesday! We have the CAS Team on display today at JDE using Robert's images and images from our sponsor, Bugaboo.  Be sure to visit the site to see what the DT has made. You will love what you see!  My first card uses Robert's Back to School image. I'll send this to my grandson!

Supplies:  Cardstock: Marcos Paper; die cut: gift from a friend; Stamp: Hero Arts Anytime Messages; Ink: CTMH Black Dye Ink; Sharpies

I also made this card using Bugaboo's Stick Horse image - he's so cute!

Supplies:  Cardstock: Marcos Paper; DP: CTMH, Recollections; Stamps: CTMH Celebrate the Everyday; Buttons: My stash; Sharpies.

I always smile when I read about how some folks struggle with making a Clean and Simple card - that's all I ever make.  Not that mine are great examples of the CAS style - I simply don't know how to make any other kind!!

I will enter my cards in a few challenges as soon as I have time.  Enjoy your day!

Butterfly Card for my Friend

A dear friend is having a bit of a struggle lately.  She's a wonderful, thoughtful and kind person, and she's one of my line dance instructors.  So I made a card that all of us in her class can sign and give to her. I really hope it brightens her day.

And here's a closeup of the sentiment:

I'm entering this card in the following challenges: Make It Monday (Anything Goes), Paper Crafting Journey (Anything Goes), and Scrapbook Sisters (Things with Wings).

Supplies:  Stamps: CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy Bundle, Card Chatter - Sympathy; Cardstock: Recollections; DP: Colorbok; Martha Stewart butterfly punch; Ink: CTMH Blush; Pearls: Recollections.

How I Stretch My Stamps at Virginia Lu's Blog

The talented Virginia Lu is sharing again - she's presenting free lessons on stretching your stamps.  And there's a challenge - enter your project and you could win.  This first lesson concerns using a partial image or part of a background stamp.  Here's my card:



I liked cutting off the width of my hexagon stamp.  This allowed me to add pearls in the white spaces which might not have worked had I not used a partial image.

Supplies:  Cardstock: Marco's Paper, Recollections; Ink: Versa Magic Purple Hydrangea; Stamps: CTMH Wicked and For Every Occasion; Pearls: Recollections. 

Sketch Time at Jackson's Digital Expressions

Good morning!  We have a new Anything Goes Sketch Challenge at JDE.  Go to the site and see what the DT has posted - there are some beautiful cards.  Winners from last week are also posted. Here's the sketch:

Here's my card:



I love this sweet image - Go Night Night II.  It reminds me of my sons and grandson when they were babies.  It's amazing how a child can sleep with his little behind up in the air!  I've entered my card in the following challenges:  Make It Monday (Anything Goes), DelightfulChallenges (Anything Goes), and Tammy's Scrapin Corner (Anything Goes Any Artist).

Supplies:  Cardstock: Marcus Paper; DP: Recollections; Die Cuts: given to me by a friend; Sharpies, Bick Mark-Its, Water Color Pencils; Pop Dots and Corner Chomper.

Graduation Card

It's been a while since I've had to create a graduation card.  The daughter of a friend of mine graduates from high school soon, and so I made her this card.  I had envisioned it a bit differently, but this is how it turned out.  It's CAS, as usual, and I do like it.  I hope my friend and her daughter like it.  This card could be for a boy or a girl so if I need another, I'll probably just duplicate this one.  I've decided to enter it in two challenges:  Make it Monday (always Anything Goes) and CAS-ual Fridays (Polka Dots). 

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Recollections and my stash; Inks:  Stazon Black, CTMH Black, Versa Mark Red Magic Chalk Ink; Stamps:  Studio G and Stampabilities Cling Rubber Stamp, Polka Dot; Fiskars scallop punch; pop dots.