Lucky Green

March has finally arrived. Although we are still covered with snow here in Chicago, the weatherman is promising warmer temperatures in a couple of days. I sure hope he's right.
My card today, created with the Mojo Monday sketch in mind, celebrates St. Patrick's day. My card base uses kraft cardstock. The white background is dry embossed using a Tim Holtz background texture fade. The green panel and shamrocks are cut from glittery cardstock. The sentiment is one of the Tim Holtz stamps and is framed with glossy gold. The card is finished with a pearl embellishment that I have hoarded for a long, long time.
I am entering this card in these challenges: Mojo Monday -- sketch challenge; Simon Says Monday challenge -- just a hint of clover; Kraft Journal --St. Patrick's Day; Great Impressions -- go green; Art With Heart Challenge -- go green.

Be Mine

This card was made for my grandson. I know he will love the crazy bird from Tim Holtz. Notice how the bird is checking out the Valentine heart. The background is a die from Spellbinders. I used distress stain to add some color. The card is a top fold card with a twine bow embellishing the top.
I am entering this card into these challenges: Kraft Journal -- take your pick (red, hearts, twine, top fold); Simon Says Wednesday Challenge -- all creatures great and small; Dies R Us -- hearts; Inspiration Emporium -- love is in the air.

Thanks

This will be my last post today. It's been a while since I had time in my studio, so I kept working. As I look back, it seems that there were quite a few sketch challenges. This card follows the Kraft Journal sketch challenge. I used a different color palette for me -- grays and kraft/brown. My stamp is from Quietfire Designs. The background uses 2 shaded of gray and the banner is a dark shade of gray. The oval and the card base is kraft cardstock.
I am also entering this card in these challenges: City Crafter -- one word sentiment; SweetStamps -- Thanks; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- thanks/ Thanksgiving; Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations --at least two shades of gray.

Happy Halloween

Please don't think me weird, but I'm in a happy place because I am making Halloween cards this year. I'm not really a Halloween fanatic, but I love the fun that surrounds this holiday. As you may recall, last year I had health issues all during the fall season. I had new Halloween stamps and dies, but could never use them. This year I'm in the fun Halloween zone.
The base card is kraft cardstock. I then used a pewter backing panel. The background is orange cardstock with spider webs die cut from the pewter cardstock. The Halloween wreath and raven are cut from dark brown cardstock. The sentiment panel is orange cardstock with the sentiment in deep purple. All of the die cuts are done with Cheery Lynn dies.

I am entering my card into these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- Halloween; Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- falling in love...with Halloween die cuts; Kraft Journal Monday -- no pattern paper; and SweetStamps -- dies.

Along the Beach

I had a very peaceful afternoon and this card is the result. I love it when I can mix and match stamps from different companies and everything works. My water and sand (both stamped twice), the birds and the sun are all Cornish Heritage Farms stamps. The children playing on the beach are Rogue Redhead Designs stamps. The quote is a Quietfire stamp.
The scene was stamped on watercolor paper. I used distress markers and a waterbrush to watercolor the images. The card base and sentiment panel frame are kraft cardstock.
I am entering this card into these challenges: Kraft Journal -- sun;  Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations -- day at the beach; Frilly & Funkie -- cool water; Dies R Us Challenge -- Day at the Beach [spellbinders die].

To Have and To Hold

Ever since I received my Cheery Lynn Beautiful Bells Doily, I have had this card design in mind. This week I was finally able to create my card. I used shades of kraft and beige as the background. It's not the traditional colors for a wedding card, but I love the white doily against the kraft. Adding the mini fanciful flourish and baby's breath flowers complete the wedding theme. In addition to the Cheery Lynn Designs challenge of weddings, Kraft Journal had a summer color challenge. The colors worked perfectly with my card. The wedding sentiment is a stamp from Stampsmith.
I am also entering my card into these challenges: Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes and Dies R Us -- weddings.

Live Life

It's always fun creating something for the Compendium of Curiosities III challenge. Tim Holtz's techniques result in so many unique works of art. There is a new challenge every two weeks from his book, A Compendium of Curiosities III. The current challenge is Layering stencil: texture paste from page 49; and a special thanks goes to Inspiration Emporium for their generous sponsorship. Of course, I can't reveal the technique (but it's laid out clearly in Tim's book), but I will say that I used several stencils, a couple of Stampers Anonymous stamps and lots of color (distress stains and distress ink).
I am also entering this card into the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- anything goes; Kraft Journal -- shabby chic; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge -- stencil it.

Happy Mother's Day

I think that this is a perfect challenge card to show today. It's Mother's Day and I want to wish all my friends a very Happy Mother's Day.

I used the Mojo Monday sketch as my layout. I die cut the small tag using kraft caardstock to coordinate with the kraft base card. The image is from SweetStamps and is colored using Prisma pencils. The background is design paper from my stash. The diamond panel was embossed using a Tim Holtz Sizzix folder. I highlighted the leaves with perfect pearls for the sparkle. The sentiment is from Rogue Redhead Designs.
I am entering my card into these challenges: SweetStamps -- for Mom; Mojo Monday -- sketch; Kraft Journal -- Just for her.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Today's Bloggers Challenge is animals. What represents animals better than Noah's Ark? This adorable image and the accompanying sentiment are both stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs. The layout design is the sketch challenge from Mojo Monday. The image was colored using distress markers. Kraft cardstock was used for the base card.
 My card is also being entered into these challenges: Mojo Monday --  sketch; Kraft Journal -- color challenge; Our Daily Bread Designs -- all ODBD stamps; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; and V's Sweet Ideas -- kid's theme.

Nothing but Happiness

Here's another St. Patrick's Day greeting, this time in a tag format. I layered a green panel over a kraft tag. I kept the tag CAS because I wanted the sentiment to be the focus. The sentiment stamps and the image are all from Club Scrap. I added a little bling to represent celebration.
My tag is being entered into these challenges: The Kraft Journal -- tag; Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- lucky; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Stampin' for the Weekend -- anything goes; Take a Word -- green.

Tranquility

For my card today, I pulled out a product that I haven't used in ages. I created my image background with alcohol inks. My stamp is an oldie, but favorite from Club Scrap. The card design is based on the sketch from Mark's Finest Papers Oriental Sketch Challenge.
My card is also being entered in these challenges: Flourishes Timeless Tuesday -- use a stamped image but no coloring; and Kraft Journal --birds.

Love

I love challenges that make me veer from my norm. This card is an unusual shape card. I used the Infinity Doily angel wing to make the base card in white. Then I adhered the Infinity Doily die cut in kraft as the front layer of the card. I cut the base and front so the result was a kind of diamond shape. I love the result. Along the bottom left side I added die cut leaves (flourish leaf strip), a handmade red rose (large rose), and several die cut violets (build a flower embellishments#2). All of the die cuts except the letters are from Cheery Lynn Designs. I cut the tag and stamped a flower flourish (SweetStamps). The letters for the sentiment are from Tim Holtz.
My card is being entered into these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- shaped card; Kraft Journal -- use a die cut; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge -- get krafty; and Frilly and Funkie -- bloomin' marvelous (hand made flowers).

The Best Part of Myself

This Valentine is somewhat non-traditional -- no hearts, no pink or red, no lace. Yet, I think it is my favorite Valentine I made so far this year, and I have the perfect person to give it to.
I found this piece of designer paper in my stash and I have been waiting to use it. This wonderful sentiment stamp comes from Quietfire Designs Rubber Stamps as does the hugs and kisses. The kraft base and center panel is unusual for Valentine's Day, but works perfectly with the card. I like how the center diamond panel extends just a bit above and below the card. (Yes, it fits into a 5 1/2" square envelope.)
My card is being entered into these challenges: Ink on my Fingers Sunday Challenge -- Shine on You Crazy Diamond; Kraft Journal -- love; Frilly and Funkie -- Valentine's Day with a twist, no hearts.

Another Steampunk Valentine

I'm not sure how it happened, but another steampunk Valentine just rolled out of my studio. The layout of my

card is based on a turned version of the Kraft Journal sketch challenge this week. All of my die cuts are from Cheery Lynn Designs. I especially love the corset. It's a great image. I used Core'dinations paper embossed with Valentine hearts (Cuttlebug) and sanded for the background. Behind the corset is an oval of embossed (Sizzix) vellum. The design paper is from Club Scrap. Kraft cardstock was used for the card base.
My card is being entered into these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs --  tickled pink; Kraft Journal -- sketch; Mark's Finest Papers Friends of Speedy challenge -- dry embossing; V's Sweet Ideas blog challenge -- red, white, and pink; and finally (only a day late) Bloggers Challenge -- embossing.

Life is Good

The SweetStamps monthly challenge for Dec 15 - Jan 14 is to make an easel card. The focal floral frame stamp is from SweetStamps and is colored using distress markers. The sentiment stamps are from Artistic Outpost. The base card and sentiment panels are kraft.
I am also entering this card in the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge which is anything goes and in the Kraft Journal challenge which is a color challenge using pastel pink, yellow, blue, white and green. I don't usually do color challenges, but these colors worked so well with the floral frame.

Perfection

Flowers are what the doctor ordered for this dreary day. I think that this oval frame die from Tim Holtz is quickly becoming one of my favorites. And to think, I thought I didn't need it.

To make my card I started with a kraft base card and the frame cut out of kraft paper. The inside of the frame is cut from a Tim Holtz metal foil tape sheet to represent a mirror. The flowers and vase is a SweetStamps stamp which I colored using distress markers. The sentiment is from Dyan Reaveley. The design paper and lace border is from my stash.

I am entering my card in the Kraft Journal challenge which is lace it up and in the SweetStamps challenge which is kraft paper.

Love Blooms

For my challenges card today, I decided to make a long, skinny card -- one that fits in a #10 envelope. I started with a kraft base card. The white background panel was first stamped with the vines (SweetStamps).  Then I dry embossed the panel with a wicker basket design (Cuttlebug). Since the card was longer than my folder, I had to hold my breath and force myself to cut a slit in the folder. Tim Holtz does this all the time, so I guess it's okay. lol The doilies were cut from my large and tiny felicity dies (Cheery Lynn). The butterflies and ovals are also cut from Cheery Lynn dies. My focal image (SweetStamps) was stamped using the marker watercolor technique. The sentiment is from Club Scrap.

I am entering this card into several challenges. The colors on my card were influenced by the color challenge at Kraft Journal. Cheery Lynn challenged us to use doilies. Both SweetStamps and Word Art Wednesday have an anything goes challenge. Stampin' for the Weekend is challenging wants to see butterflies.

Forever Friend

This is a card which uses several older and seldom used stamps. I love when that happens. My dog is from Rare Images. The paw prints are from a Hero Arts set. The sentiment is a Chapel Road stamp. I used Club Scrap paper for the card base and black, Kraft Outlet kraft paper for the background panel, Core'dinations for the layering panel and Stampland paper for the image and sentiment. The collar buckle is from Tim Holtz.
I am entering this card in several challenges: Mojo Monday -- round or square challenge, Kraft Journal -- cute critters, Word Art Wednesday --anything goes, and Mark's Finest Papers Inspiration Thursday -- Boxers.

Birthday Cupcake

My card was inspired by several interesting challenges this week. The layout is based on a rotated sketch from Mojo Monday. The Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge is celebrating its 3rd year, so the challenge is to create something birthday related. Two separate challenges. want to see something inspired by cake. Our Daily Bread Designs' challenge is inspired by cake and MFP Inspirations' challenge is luscious cakes. The inspiration images are below. MFP Simple Salutations wants to see cards for men.( Yes, my card has lots of pink, but I think the tone of the pink and the card treatment are quite appropriate for a man). The Kraft Journal challenge is tie it up.

My card features the pink, white, and animal print of these two cakes. The base card is kraft cardstock. The horizontal panel and cupcake wrapper are cut from animal print. The rest of the cupcake is colored with distress markers. Distress markers also highlight the sentiment. I added a little Viva Decor glitter line to the frosting for a little dimension. The stamp is from the Tim Holtz collection. The background is a piece of pink core'dinations paper which was double embossed (Cuttlebug folders) and sanded. Since this was a man's card, I added the string bow (dyed with spun sugar distress stain) instead of a flower.

Hollywood Romance

My card layout is based on the Mojo Monday round or square sketch challenge. Kraft Journal challenged us to use any sketch on our card. Stampsmith had a tic tac toe challenge this month. I chose the top row which was ribbon-pattern paper-pink.
To create my card I chose a pattern paper from a Prima pad. The image and sentiment are from Stampsmith.  I used kraft cardstock for my base card and found ribbon to match. I can't remember where the dried flower sticker is from, but I know I've had it for ages. Now May is officially over and I can get ready to start on my June challenges.