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.

Think Pink

It's that time of year when you get to wear your heart on your sleeve, or at least show them on your cards. Valentine's day is just around the corner. Today's card was made for a darling four year old who just happens to be my granddaughter. It's safe to publish it since she has no access to my blog or Facebook. She loves fairies and pink is her favorite color. So this card is a perfect match. The base card is white cardstock. The pink background panel is a background die. I cut the heart and embossed it with a candy hearts folder. the adorable fairy die cut uses a Cheery Lynn Designs die. The hugs and kisses stamp is from Quietfire stamps.
I am entering this card into the following challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- tickled pink; SweetStamps -- pink, white, and one other color; Marks Finest Papers Friends of Speedy -- die cuts or punched items; Dies R Us --hearts; Mixed Media Monthly -- think pink.

Sweetheart

Love is in the air. Doesn't this couple from Tim's found relatives look happy! I think the heart (Cheery Lynn Designs) and music background (Tim Holtz Paper Stash) emphasize the love. The sentiment (Quietfire) is framed by a stencil arrow (Tim Holtz).
I am entering this card in these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- sweet hearts; SweetStamps -- heart; Simon Says Wednesday challenge -- have a heart; and A Vintage Journey -- use a portrait.

Snowmen

This card is quite appropriate for today. Although the snow isn't really deep here in Chicago, it has covered everything outside. It's the time that snowmen start to appear.
It's also the time of year where many challenges want to see something "new" for the New Year. Since I didn't receive any new art products over the holidays, I decided to take this opportunity to try out a couple of my never-before-used products (ie. new to me). The background panel was done on a gelli plate. Not too long ago I ordered the smallest gelli plates, but I never got a chance to use them. For this card I used the 5"x 7" plate. I love the fact that it fits nicely in the tiny space I have on my table for working. The other new item is the snowflake border die (Cheery Lynn). There's also a little something old on the card. The snowflakes on the background were stenciled with Ranger's metallic pearl dabber paint. That's been around (and unused) for quite a while. The snowman stamp (Tim Holtz) and the sentiment stamp (can't remember) have been in my collection for a long time.
My card layout is based on the sketch challenge from Mojo Monday. I am also entering my card in these challenges: Kraft Journal--take your pick (die cut, white, snowman); Simon Says Wednesday -- something new; Frilly & Funkie -- anything goes; Dies R Us -- something new; Artistic Stamper -- new beginnings; Great Impressions -- snow friends; Mixed Media -- something new for the New Year; V's Sweet Ideas -- something new; Ink on My Fingers -- anything goes; Cheery Lynn Designs -- snowflakes.

12 Tags of 2014 -- December

There's nothing like meeting a deadline just under the wire. Today is more than just New Year's Eve; it's the last day of the last month of the year 2014. I've managed to keep up with Tim Holtz's 12 tags of 2014 and it seems I've made it again. This is such a pretty tag. I did have to adjust a few things, but the similarity is there.
I wish everyone reading this a wonderful holiday season and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Holiday Blessings

I've had the Tim Holtz/Sizzix die of the (angel) wings sitting out for a while looking for a reason to use them. Here is a Christmas card with the wings in all their glory. Although you can't really tell from the scan, there is a lot of texture on this card. The layers of the wings are embossed vellum, suede paper, and glittered paper. The star in the background and the sentiment frame are glitter paper. The background is letterpress (Sizzix) and sprayed with distress stain spray. All of this is mounted on a textured teal cardstock base. The sentiment is stamped using a SweetStamps stamp.

My card is being entered into several challenges: SweetStamps --non-traditional Christmas colors; Simon Says Monday challenge -- anything goes; Tuesday Throwdown -- Christmas;
Stampendous --holiday happiness; The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge -- tic tac toe (diagonal - die, glitter, star); Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; and Dies R Us -- anything goes with a die cut.

Christmas Decor

I've been missing from Blogland for quite some time. Family matters have taken a lot of my time. My entry for Bloggers Challenge, although a bit late this month, is an example of what has kept me busy.The challenge this week is ornaments. My grandson (3rd grade) also needed ornaments to help decorate his classroom. So we spent some nana/grandson quality time making ornaments. The balls are made with clear floor wax and glitter. They are so easy to make, even an eight year old boy can do it. The stars are made using the Tim Holtz ruler texture fade. I must thank Shelly Hickox (Stamptramp) for the basic idea. When I saw her ornaments, a lightbulb popped in my head. I knew they would be the perfect ornament for a classroom. I cut the strips and punched the holes for the brads. My grandson inked the raised parts of the embossed rulers and inserted the brads. We had a fun afternoon making ornaments and the classroom got some pretty cool ornaments.