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7/14/2020

When I think of Summer, I think of sunshine and flowers. And bees . . . those masters of pollination that are increasingly in short supply. But there's plenty of bee here with this super cute digital image, Baby Fairy Bee, by Mo Manning.

I managed to color this fairy's hair pretty good this time. That's not always a given! And I like the composition of the card, too. Hot damn, this card's a masterpiece!

I used a stencil and sponged on two different shades of yellow to create the honeycomb on the inside of the card. I added the black lines to resemble a bee's flight and also threw on a few enamel dots for good measure. And because I can't leave well-enough alone, I Stickled the wings.

It's a wrap for "There's a Stamp for That's" bi-weekly challenge. Have a buzzy day!

In sympathy

9/5/2019

This card features both a stenciled background and a sentiment from CAS-ual Fridays amps. The sentiment is part of a set called "Peace & Comfort" and the stencil is called "Curtis."

I used my stellar math skills to create the card base, and even got it right four out of five times! (It's the ruler that has the problem, not the stamper, right?!!) I used some temporary adhesive to hold the card front closed and stenciled in the green background. I rooted around a pile of scraps to find this classy - but unnamed - designer cardstock, trimmed, layered, and glued the panels to the "gates" of the card.

I stamped the large sentiment using my MISTI tool and filled in the open space of the lettering with a Copic marker. I created the sentiment and added it to the belly band with adhesive that I remembered to out only on the part of the sentiment panel that would attach to the belly band - yay for the home team!

And that is a classy sympathy card if I've ever seen one . . . and I have seen a few. Even created a few! Toot-toot! (That was me tooting my own horn. Thanks for listening!)

Puppies!

9/2/2019

I'm entering this image in the following challenges:

http://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com (Anything Goes with a critter)
https://digidoodlestudioschallengeblog.blogspot.com (Birds and Beasts)
http://craftyanimals.blogspot.com (Anything Goes)

The challenge over at A Place to Start is anything goes with the option of masking. I used Simon Says Stamp's "Chillin'" set and stamped the darker dog first, because that's the image I want to be intact, in front, of the other dog.

The next step in masking is creating the mask that will cover the image I want to be in the front on a sticky note. After stamping it, I fussy cut it out of the sticky note and added it on top of the image to be saved.

Finally, I stamped the second dog on top of the mask, making sure it is in just the right place. Then it's time to color and add to the card.

Back-to-school retrospective

8/19/2019

I'm planning a back-to-school card for next week but thought it would be fun to look at previous back-to-school cards until the new one is available. You can sure see my style evolving over time . . . and the constant struggle with hair and skin!

This is a real back-to-school favorite! I love this image from SLS Lines because it's SO SPOT ON! While I can't find this image in Etsy any longer, there are some hilarious hipster dudes to color up!

SUCH an oldie from Sassy Cheryl (Cheryl Grant) back when her images were available through Squigglefly, which I really miss! You can find her images here now.

Another card featuring a digital image I really like, this one from Pure Innocence. by Heather Ellis. I believe she now sells her stamps through My Favorite Things, but you can still find some of her images here.

Pop! Fizz! Clink! Cheers!

8/5/2019

"The sentiment from this colorful card comes from Taylored Expressions "Simple Sentiments Background" stamp and the (discontinued) papers are from Stampin' Up! I think this makes a perfect congratulatory card for a man, which is this month's challenge at the Southern Girls' Challenge Blog!

This is a really simple card: I covered an A2 card base with the green paper and added the layered red panel on the left. I used a die to cut the teal circle and mounted it on a piece of reddish-orange paper. Fussy cut the bottle from one of the papers, added the stamped strip from Taylored Expressions, and voila!

I'm playing along with:
* Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog (Spots and/or Stripes)
* Paperbabe Stamp Challenge (Summer Fun - image and/or colors)
* Just Add Ink Challenge Blog (The Letter C)

Kelly

Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!

7/8/2019

This guy is waaaay more friendly than the robot from "Lost in Space," though!

Today it's another challenge from the Southern Girls Challenge blog - Boys are the Bomb! I found this cute robot online as a coloring page. I resized him, colored him with Copics, used a sentiment from Simon Says Stamp called "Sketch Tulip Bouquet," and added flags at the top. I also drew in some dots in the bottom left-hand corner that I smudged on my way to photograph. I'll be looking for some really big pearl embellishments to cover my mess!

I'm playing along at the following places:

I'm excited to see your submissions. . . I sometimes struggle with masculine cards and look forward to your inspiration!

Kelly

Hooray for Today!

7/1/2019

For July's "Anything Goes" challenge at "A Place to Start," I chose this happy girl, called "Hooray for Today," which is a digi from StudioDudaArt on Etsy. I was drawn to the look of utter joy on her face.

I colored her with Copic markers and added her to the top section of a modified matchbook card. I added a line of flowers on the bottom section so it appears she is jumping from a point behind them.

I gave her shoes after I took the photo - erf!

I entered this card at:

A Bit More Time to Craft ("Anything Goes")
Crafty Friends Challenge Blog ("Things Beginning with the Letter 'B'")
Creative Knockouts ("For the Girls")

Please join us at "A Place to Start" for a super easy "Anything Goes" challenge!

Junkie Fest signage

6/27/2019

I attended Junkie Fest 2019 in Minneapolis, MN, in June and made this door sign that includes paperpiecing and digital images from Vera Lane Studios. That paper piecing was a bugger - I pieced the dresses, unicorn horns, and the "flower" eyes - especially since I was doing it on my bed the night before my 4:30 AM airport drive! (My dogs were extraordinarily helpful with the small pieces of paper. . .)

I've never actually created anything bigger than a card, so I had some challenges with making the girls the right size and balancing them with the text. I like the final product even though it didn't win a prize.

Spots, Dots, and a Sprite

6/11/2019

I wonder if the Sprite people knew what they were doing when they chose that name.
Something to think about!

This Southern Girls' challenge is sponsored by Colour of Love and Three Button Studio. Show them some love by heading over and making a purchase!

My card, on the Southern Girls' challenge blog, features Valentine Sprite, from "Colour of Love" shop. One of the best things about digital images is that you can choose the size. I created an A7 card because of all the detail work it required. (Now that I'm 50-something I don't see as well as I used to!)

I know this is a spots and dots challenge. You can see some of the dots in the paper under the main image. I decided that all the hearts and little bits on the image counter as spots. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right?

To add a little pizzazz to the card, I added Stickles to the berries, the pearls on the sentiment, and the freckles on her face. I also tried out Nuvo's glitter marker in Strawberry Bonbon. The jury is still out on the glitter marker. I buffed some of it out because it was just too much. It may dry lighter but in my moment of panic, I buffed first!

I continue to work on my Copic coloring skills. THE STRUGGLE IS REAL! Try as I might, I can't get hair right. I DO feel pretty good about the dress, though! And the face is pretty good. I tend to do less when I should probably do more. My friend, Sandy Allnock, suggests you pick up a BV000-BV01 to create more shading that looks natural. I wasn't sure how that would look with the greenish tones I selected, but often use a BV00 for added shading. (I'm too afraid of the BV01!)

I'm entering this in the following challenges:
* Allsorts - "Fantasy World"
* The Happy Craft Challenge - "Anything Goes"
* The Crafty Addicts - "Anything Goes"

Hop on over to the Southern girls' challenge blog and show us your creations that have spots and dots! Here are the details:

*Only 3 entries per person on regular challenges and 1 on Anything Goes Challenges.
* Please when you add your link if you are from NZ or Australia then add AUS or NZ after your name.
* Please link using your post link not your blog link and link back to us in your post.
* Please enter in no more than 9 OTHER challenges.

Hope you have loads of fun playing along. If you do not have a blog you can email us HERE
Challenges are open to ALL PAPERCRAFTERS! As long as your entry fits the challenge criteria YOU ARE IN! The idea is to have fun and play along, the bonus is the prizes.

Prize winners are chosen by Random.Org and the top 3 or 5 are chosen by the DT.

Stencil me this, Batman!

6/3/2019

For this card, I used the "Carolyn" stencil from Simon Says Stamp with Memento Luxe inks in Nautical Blue and Pear Tart. I also used a silver pad from Hampton Arts for the outer area that doesn't look very silver at all!

I didn't want the stencil design to be lost with lots of additions to the card front, so I went with a simple embellishment from Heidi Swapp that I picked up from Tuesday Morning.

The stencil itself is pretty thin, so you must tape it in place to keep it from shifting when you are adding in the color. I recommend using painter's tape to both the paper being stenciled and the stencil itself for best results. Because this stencil is fairly large, I also used a relatively small solid surface so I could turn the paper and stencil to make brushing on the color easier.

The last thing I did was go back over the card with a Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen to give it a little more zing. And, as it turned out, I added a LOT of zing! (That moment you realize your newly-primed virgin sparkle pen is hovering over your stenciled card. Yeah, that moment. Derp, which sounds a lot like DRIP!)

Sigh. Note to self...

I'm playing this card at "Simon Says Stamp" (Anything Goes), "The Crafty Addicts" (Anything Goes), and "Tuesday Throw Down" (Stenciling).

That's all from me for A Place to Start's current for this challenge. I'm looking forward to seeing what you create!

Sparkle and shimmer for the win!

5/15/2019

Just a sweet little card for my first design team challenge at Southern Girls'! The challenge is to create something with sparkle and shine. I used the "Two Little Mice" from sponsor All Dressed Up as the main image on this card.

The mice were colored with Copic markers and fussy cut before being added to the card.

While I'm all about Wink of Stella and Spectrum Noir shimmer pens, I went a different direction with sparkle and shimmer on this card.

The base layer has shimmery dots on it - how could I go wrong with shimmer AND dots! - and reflects in a pink way that draws out the pink and green in the designer paper I used.

And for a little more shine/shimmer, I added Stickles to the green flowers.

To the right, you can see the bouquet that features both Stickles and pink heart-shaped rhinestones. The smaller mouse's single stem also has a rhinestone on it!

I chose this particular image because I wanted to use it with the sentiment at the top of the card. It was originally a scrapbook page insert that I (reluctantly) cut down to work with the mice. I added some pink metallic thread to accent the rest of the card. What a perfect match!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

- Digidoodle Studio Sparkle and Shine challenge
- Sweet Stampers animal challenge
- All Dressed Up anything goes challenges

I'm looking forward to seeing your creations for this challenge. Sponsors are below! Check out the Southern GIrls' blog for more details!

It's a new(t) challenge!

5/4/2019

Whoo-hoo! This is my first card as part of the "A Place to Start" Challenge Blog. If you're not familiar with the blog, I encourage you to go check it out - there are a lot of helpful resources - and you can never have enough ideas.

My card today features paper piecing. I can't draw; even my stick people are unidentifiable! I like paper piecing because it adds a polished look to an image. Here, Newt's tropical shirt (Hambo) has been paper pieced. To paper piece, either stamp out the entire image or print out the image onto designer paper. Cut out the section from the designer paper you want to add to your about-to-be-improved image and glue into place. Easy-peasy!

This image (and accompanying sentiments) works for new year, divorce, and change-is-good cards! Totally geared for a guy, too!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

https://crazy4challenges.blogspot.com/ (scraps)
http://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com/ (critter)
https://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com (layers)

Girl with petunias

4/24/2019

I've added this little gem to a blog challenge about creative "firsts." I Photoshopped this photo of one of my nieces, and it came out pretty good for a complete novice.
And it only took two days!

Not a two I-did-a-little-bit-of-this-and-then-I-mowed-the-lawn-baked-three-dozen-cookies-and-deep-cleaned-the-bathroom days. Two ten hour days. Oy! There are many changes I'd make if I decided to do it again, but it's good enough for this auntie!

Baby, baby, baby

4/22/2019

This new baby card was a breeze to make and is also an easily replicated sketch.

I started with one of the shirt images from Simon Says Stamp's "Oh Baby" clear stamp set. I stamped and fussy-cut each little shirt and colored them with Copic markers. I added white, glossy Nuvo Drops to each of them for interest and threw in a few more drops on the card for fun. I made the sentiment on my computer (I'd make the font larger if I had to do it all over again) and cut it into a fishtail flag with a white layer behind it.

After choosing the stamp set, I picked my papers, which is how my process generally begins. The mommy-to-be had selected many things in her new baby registry with this seafoam green in it, which helped guide my selection. I'm crazy for any paper with dots on it, so I paired the large dotted paper with a chevron paper in complimentary colors, all from my scrap bin.

I was really happy with the result and it only took 15 minutes once I had my supplies in place!

XOXO

2/21/2019

This gal is such a hoot! She came as part of a set of Cupids from Chubby Mermaid's site on Etsy. I need refills on so many of my Copics that she comes across as very "flat." Filling those will be an afternoon of fun!

How cute is this little guy? I got him from a digi artist on Etsy. I paired him with some long-since retired Stampin' Up! designer papers. I created the pennant and tucked it under a sparkly foam heart I picked up at Dollar Tree.

Ta-dum!

Hey, Bro!

10/5/2018

Eesh! The color of this orange paper did NOT photograph well.

The Bride

10/3/2018

Stenciling is fun!

10/1/2018

After a wild ride learning how to use a stencil, I made this card using a sentiment from Creative Vision Stamps' "Simply Said" set. I was going for a 70's vibe with my color choices and added some of my speciality "tatting" around the bottom area.

This little set - the "big three" - is a must-have for cardmakers. Wander on over to the website and check out this set and lots of other really great stamps!

Cranky kitty

9/30/2018

This sullen Halloween Trick-or-Treater (who really reminds me of the little brother in "A Christmas Story) comes from Creative Vision Stamps' "Pet Monsters" set. The image is stamped then colored with Copic markers and mounted with a sentiment on some pretty plaid paper.

This set has so much fun in it and the images hold their own whether used separately or together.

Masculine Doggone It

9/28/2018

This little bit of deju ve was stamped using Creative Vision Stamps' "Gone To Heaven" set. I wanted something that reads masculine. The main image was heat embossed and colored in from the back with Copics. I added Wink of Stella to the front side of the wings, colored the bone with white gel pen from the back, and added dark ink to the eyes and nose on the back side.

Sadly, I'm going to wear this set out, but it will be done with love. Our fur babies mean so much.

Gold for days!

9/26/2018

Oh, the shine of this card made using Creative Vision Stamps' "Beary Merry" set! Unfortunately, you can't really tell from the photo. The background is a Foilable that took about 40 seconds to make once the Minc was heated up. I added a layer of gold glittery card stock on top of that and cut a hole to fit the sentiment

I often challenge myself to use an item from a stamp set that is NOT the main image. The sentiment here, heat embossed with glittery gold powder, stands solidly on its own without using one of the images. (I have another holiday using a set without the main image here.)

This is a great stamp set for those who celebrate Christmas and those that celebrate Winter and the start of a new year. Head over to the website to get yours now!

Doggon it...

9/25/2018

This sweet card was made using Creative Vision Stamps' "Gone to Heaven" set. As a dog over x 5, I know what it would mean to lose one of my kids." This card features lots of paper layers, seam binding tape and - most importantly - an action wobbler under the dog's head!

Creative Vision Stamps has lots of dog stamps for those of you who need a dog stamp fix every once in a while. Check out the website for more cute dog stamps!

OoooOOOOOoooo..

8/31/2018

I used Creative Vision Stamps' "Pet Monsters" for this Halloween card. The die I used on top of the sunset background, really sets the mood.

I was a little slow on the uptake with this set. The images are pets: cat, hamster/gerbil, mouse, and no, that's not a raccoon, it's a dog. Yes, PET monsters. Yeesh!

Let's hear it for Halloween, Fall, and candy; whether you hand it out or just buy it for yourself, costume or not!

You sweet thing, you!

8/30/2018

The cupcake and sentiment on the tag are from Creative Vision Stamps' "Hello, Cupcake!" clear set. I was craving a little chocolate while making this, so I went with chocolate frosting and a sprinkle of glitter on top.

I am in the "Cupcakes are manna from Heaven" camp when it comes to baked goods and plan to use this set MANY times in the future. It's just so sweet!

Dragonflies...yum!

8/29/2018

This green guy is surrounded by breakfast. The bad news? He can't reach any of them! I can toadilly relate since it's not 1:20 PM, and I haven't had any breakfast yet!

I used a Creative Vision Stamps' "What Bugs You" and a Foliable with Holly Jolly foil for the background.

This clear set has a lot of possibilities including birthdays and masculine. The cute flies also have potential beyond the frog/bad day.

Gotta go . . . my stomach's growling and this kid will not be eating any flies!