What's on Your Playlist?

That's what I want to know of this Fairy, whose headphones are tuned to music only she can hear.  The image, called Faerie Funk I, is from artist Deanna Davoli, and is available at Queen Kat Designs, along with a zillion other fantasy, funk, goth and even steampunk images.  My wish list over there is miles long!!
Here, my music lover has been colored with Copics.  I extended her right wing out a bit to fit into the design of my card.  I used patterned papers from Sassafras (Head Phones On) and Colorbok (Girly Girl).  The cardstock is from PaperTrey, called Hawaiian Shores.  I printed the sentiment because I really want to know:  what's on your playlist?  Turn up the volume if you want to listen to mine!
And as always, keep crafting!

April Fools' Blog Hop Will Make You ROFL

That's right, Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog is hosting a Blog Hop on a jokesters fave day, April 1!!  And let me tell you, the cards will definitely tickle your funny bone.  Our sponsor for the blog is Jessica aka Floppy Latte's Digital Designs, and her images are sweet.  They work so well in all kinds of cards, even ion those featured on our hop, whose theme is to make you laugh or surprise you.
I'm saving the cards I made with FLDD's images for the hop, but here are a couple cards to get your funny on.

My first card uses a Squigglefly digi image, and the talking dog is really not very grateful, don't you think??

My second card uses a Hambo Stamps digi image and its easel design is perfect for riddle and punchlines.

You'll just have to wait to see what the DT has come up with for FLDD's digi's.  And wait, there's more.  Floppy Latte's Digital Designs is offering a $10 gift coupon to her line of digi's to one random winner!!  So don't forget to come back on Sunday for some fun and funny cards and projects!!

Hearts for the Homeless Dinner

A few posts back, I showed off some of the Auction Basket banners for the Catholic Charities Hearts for the Homeless Fundraising Dinner.  I was just told that they needed five more banners, and the coordinator of the shindig absolutely loved my banners!  I got a chance to introduce myself when she came out to present information (and make a plea) for their food drive.  Here in Des Plaines, Catholic Charities can buy from the Chicago Food Bank the food that they distribute at their food pantry, at ten times the purchasing power of our own dollars.  So our Religious Education program (formerly known as CCD) is hosting an Un-Food Drive.  So far we've raised over $1200 in just four classes, which amounts to over $12,000 worth of food to distribute to those in need!! 
Anyway, the Hearts for the Homeless is a program that (duh) helps homeless individuals and families get back on their feet.  This annual event is their big fundraiser of the year, and last year I donated a couple baskets to auction off.  This year, I donated items to put into baskets, as well as these handmade banners that hopefully will catch the eye (and the wallet) of the guests.

Most of the baskets hold a night at a local (or downtown Chicago) hotel and a gift card.  My first banner is themed Romantic getaway.  I used a digi image from Squigglefly called Badonkadonk (one of my faves), by artist Chesney Young. I colored her with Copics, Stickled her lipstick and heels, and placed her on some luscious patterned paper that was leftover from a project. I popped the lettering with black dots, and added a couple of handmade flowers (thank you, Shannon) and some pearls to embellish, framing the whole thing in black and adhering it to foam board.

The second banner has a birthday theme, and I mixed and matched the letters to spell out Birthday Surprise.  I used a real birthday candle for the first "i", and added a couple "balloons" (punched circles and snips of wire wrapped around the last letter).
I'm bringing these two to work tomorrow because our Youth Director, who also co-chairs the event, is going to wrap up more baskets and can bring them along.  I should be able to finish the other three needed on Saturday, when I get to crop with my peeps!!  Can't wait, need to scrapbook so badly, but I get such short time chuinks in my craft room that cards are all I have time for!
p.s. My first banner is going into the Squigglefly challenge--this week it's Anything Goes, as long as you use a Squigglefly image.  Go check them out!!

Squigglefly Anything Goes Challenge

When was the last time you did something for the first time?  I think a person stops growing when they stop challenging themselves.  My card reflects my mood, as well as showcasing a March new release digi image from Squigglefly. 
It's another easel card.  Sorry, can't stop making them, they're so easy peasy to create!!  The image is  called Ladybug Leaf Canoe by artist Monica Estill. 
I originally wanted to create a waterfall on the inside of the card, and use a quote about "looking before you leap" but couldn't find a good quote.  So I went off in another direction, which often happens when you explore (or craft).  This ladybug seems to enjoy the ride, whether he has a destination in mind or not.
Anyway, here's your chance to challenge yourself.  Just use a Squigglefly image and create something new.  If you don't use Squigglefly, you won't be in the drawing to win, so here's where you can pick up a couple FREEBIES.
Check out the wonderful cards the design team made to inspire your creativity at the Squigglefly Challenge Blog.  And as always, keep crafting!!

Eternity

Here's a sweet card featuring a Queen Kat Designs stamp called "Unicorn" by artist Christina Lynn Myers.  Spring weather has definitely hit the Midwest and has inspired me to create with all the lush colors of the season.
I took a piece of patterned paper from CTMH, ripped it a tad, inked it up good on the edges and stamped the heck out of the background.  I used a few other stamps from QKD, like Vintage Necklace and Clock Face.
After coloring my unicorn image and placing it on my card, I added a strip of coordinating paper and some buttons to finish it off.  Hope my card inspires you to color your world!!
You can catch this stamp as well as all the new March releases HERE.  Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook. You never know what they're giving away there!!
Happy Crafting!!

Girls' Day Out Treat Cards

Here's the last of the Treat Card Boxes I am making for this weekend.  My mom and sisters and I enjoy getting together, away from families and spouses, for a few laughs, some snacks and a game of Liverpool Rummy (dead but not forgotten).

Today's card features Hambo Stamps digi image "Spring Bunnies".  The image was colored with my trusty Copics in Easter Pastel colors, which fits right into this week's challenge at the Hambo Hoedown.  I made my Treat Box Card using a tutorial found at Jinky's Crafts Blog, but changed it up a bit by replacing the Treat card with an easel card.
I know the girls are going to love the cards as well as the Aerated Chocolate Kisses in the boxes.  The project is easier than it looks, and I have decided to use the template for Make & Takes for the crop I'm going to next Saturday.  They can add their own favorite Easter candy.
So put on your dancin' shoes and swing on over to the Hoedown for your chance to win!!

Squigglefly Challenge and Blog Candy Winner

What's better than having a stash of pretty flowers with which to craft?  Having a stash of pretty flowers that you made from leftover patterned paper!! 

Squigglefly Challenge Blog has a new challenge this week.  They're asking you to make a card or project using handmade flowers.  I just started making my own flowers, and I love what I create, so this challenge was easy peasy!!

I am making several Treat Box easel cards with an Easter theme for a girls' day out this coming weekend with my mom and sisters.  This will be card #2, which will probably go to my sister Kathy, since she's always got the music on in her car!

I used Squigglefly digi image Rabbit Symphony by artist Linda Birkinshaw.   I colored the image with my trusty Copics, cut it out in an oval shape, and framed it with cardstock.  I had this cool patterned paper leftover from another project, and popped on a few jewels a clip and my handmade flowers.  For my tutorial on these easy-to-make flowers, click HERE.

I printed my sentiment, which reads: "Some Bunny Thinks You're Sweet" on my computer, then used my Epic Six and Scallop Ovals die from Nestabilities to cut out my sentiment and to frame it.  More jewels went with the sentiment, and then I used dimensional tape to adhere the sentiment to my card so that the easel part of it would stand up on its own.

Here's what my card looks like when it is open and standing up, looking pretty!

You can get this digi image, plus lots more, at the Squigglefly Store.  There are new releases every week, and there are some beautiful Spring images coming out.

Remember, if you want to win free digi's, you need to use a Squigglefly digi image on your challenge project!  Don't have one?  Click HERE for Freebies.

Now get to crafting and I'll see you at the Squigglefly Challenge Blog!!  Have fun!

I almost forgot!!!  I offered some Blog Candy, a Sweet Pea Rubber Stamp, to those who left comments on how they recycled, upcycled and otherwise are "going green" in their craft room.  I enjoyed reading all your compliments about my suggestions, but this guest had a great idea for stretching her adhesive budget. 
Melissa said:  You've been inspiring me to upcycle and recycle! On most of my cards, if I need to pop dot something, I use the outline of the pop dots (the background that's left after using the actual circle dot, it just has holes in it!) Instead of throwing it out, it's still useable.

Melissa, your Sweet Pea stamp will go postal this week, and thanks for playing!!

Some Bunny Loves You

...especially this bunny, called "Lil Ragamuffin Bunny" from Addicted to Stamps.  Here she is, showcased on a 2-in-1 card and treat box. 

I went over to Jinky's Crafts Blog and watched the tutorial for making a 3-in-1 card with treat box and treat bag, but wanted something easier.  So I mixed up her instructions a little and came up with a treat box attached to an easel card.

This project is made using two pieces of cardstock and some patterned paper.  It's all in the way it's scored.  So where, oh where, is my green element on my card?  It is St. Pat's Day, and the last day you can win blog candy.  All you have to do is tell me how YOU are going green in your craft room!

My trick today?  I sometimes get packaging that has a clear window with a piece of acetate, either in the mail or something I may have bought at the store, totally un-craft-related.  Well, you guessed it, I save those clear pieces of treasure.  When I cut out the window for my treat box, I found a piece of stahed acetate that I adhered to it and voila, a treat box with a window!!

So I plan to make a few of these for the next girls' day out with my mom and sisters.  I'll box them with the cool scoring tool I have called the Boxer/Enveloper ScorBoard.  With it I can make envies up to a couple inches thick!!  Here's what the card will look like laying in its box.

Cardstock: DCWV Textured Stack
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey Sulky
Image: Addicted to Stamps by artist Sherri Baldy
Ink: Copics and Tim Holtz' Distress Ink Tattered Rose
Diecuts: Nestabilities Lacy Ovales
Embellies: Making Memories Heart-shaped brads, paper roses by Michael's Reminisce line, adhesive-backed pearls, paper rose stickers by Shabby Chic, Stickles

Are you interested in free digi images from Addicted to Stamps?  Click HERE.http://addicted-to-stamps.blogspot.com/p/freebies.html

Now for the really fun news!  Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog has a new challenge that started yesterday.  Make an animal-kingdom themed card for this challenge, using one of their digis.  You can see the details HERE!!  Good luck and have fun!!

Irish Eyes are Smiling

This new release from Queen Kat Designs, called Faerie Funk I by artist Deanna Davoli., is just too much fun to stop coloring!  This time around, she's celebrating the Irish holiday in full style, with the wearin' o' the green (and orange).  Are you ready to honor St. Pat?  My corned beef is ready for the crockpot, the cabbage ready to steam, potatoes waiting, yup, we're ready!!  Yummy!!!
While I'm dreaming of an Irish feast, let me tell you that my projects are still environmentally green.  The background that you see here is from a pad of Post-It notes I bought in Hawaii years ago for my husband's and my anniversary.  I colored the bit of lace that I had snagged last summer with my Copics, and the butterfly was leftover from another project.
Now hightail it out of here and visit QKD for more fairies and other fantastical creatures!!  And remember to keep crafting!

Hugs from Hambo Stamps

Hambo Stamps has a new line of digi images called the Bailey collection.  I have a couple of these images, and just this week received the newest one, called "Bailey Hug" digi image.  What's even better is that I got him FREE!  Just for playing in the Hambo Hoedown, at Hambo Stamps Challenge Blog, you can get free digi images!

Their challenge this week is to use STRIPES.  Who doesn't have patterned paper with stripes in it, so how easy is that??

I used CTMH patterned paper that I received in a PIF from a good friend and fellow crafter, Melissa R. I distressed it with Tim Holtz Distress ink. 
For my image, I used a combination of Copic markers, as well as the new Spectrum Noir markers from Crafter's Companion, on top of paper piecing.  A heart-shaped brad and some Stickles finish off Bailey.  The sentiment was ink-distressed to match the rest of the card.  I placerd the image and sentiment on a "frame" that I cut out using my Epic Six machine and "Lacy Scallop Oval" die from Nestabilities.

An acrylic button with a piece of raffia finishes off the embellishments and I have a nice simple card that will be mailed out today to a friend whom I found out this week had heart surgery!!  She's doing well, but in for a long recovery.

Do you like "Bailey Hug" digi image?  You can get him HERE, plus get free digis just by playing in the Hambo Challenge Blog challenges each week.  Who doesn't like free?  Go on and put on your dancing shoes now.  I don't mind a little competition!! LOLhttp://hambostamps.com/digishop/

Taking Time For ME

Just like this cute image from Addicted to Stamps, who's taking time out of her busy schedule to relax with a bubbly bath, I'm taking time to unwind by making a Spring card.  I received this wonderful image from Holley in her February Blog Candy Blitz.  I love this image and can foresee a lot of coloring going on in my craft room in the future!!
Her name is Bath Time Kitty by artist Sherri Baldy.  Although the picture is of bath delights, the floral patterned paper, fleur-de-lis frame and flower spray all say garden, and that's why I'm uploading it to the Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog.  Their challenge is to give your project a "Garden Patch" look and feel.  Not only did I use up excess flowers on my card, but my "going green" tip for the day is to save even the smaller lengths of felt borders, as shown on my card.  Just a one and a half inch piece of felt border made a great stand in for some greenery among my flowers, turning it from a splash of flowers to a spray of flowers!

Sisters Are Different Flowers From the Same Garden

Here's another card using a Squigglefly image by artist Diane Carubia called "Very Beary Fairy".  A fellow crafter was cleaning out her stash (to make way for new stuff) and generously fed my paper addiction with a large baggie of patterned papers.  Weehee!!!

When i saw this patterned paper by Paper Pizzazz, I thought it would be the prefect Spring background for my beary fairies.  I printed out two sizes, and made a sisters-themed card. 
Squigglefly blog has a new challege this week, and it's a recipe:  use a flower, a clip and patterned apper on your project.  This is my second card for the challenge, and I like it! 
Now I bet you're wondering, "where's the "going green" on this card?  well, have you ever used FlowerSoft?  When I do, I make a mess and sometimes my colors get mixed together on my table.  I don't throw it away.  I put it in a mixed color baggie for a card like this!  My waving lines of grass are made fuzzy with leftover FlowerSoft!!
And that's my tip for the day, besides to check out the March 1 posting about BLOG CANDY.  Share your "going green" tips and you could win!
And, as always, keep crafting!!

Slowly but Surely...

...my stash of leftover papers is dwindling.  Well, maybe dwindling is too strong a word.  Depleting? No, decreasing?  Well, it IS decreasing, but I still have five metal file cabinet drawers of leftovers to "deplete, decrease and dwindle down.  But a journey of a thousand steps begins with the first one!

So I stepped onto the path of recycling by using leftover papers for my new Squigglefly card.  The image is brand spanking new, called "Tween" by artist Fawn Palmer.

I remember when my own daughter was at this stage of womanhood. Her arms were long and gangly, she seemed to trip over the flowers in the rug, and the tug between her childhood toys and her grownup ideas were at war.

She has grown into her maturity very well, I would say.  I would be proud to be her friend, if given that chance lter in life.  I hope it is offered.

Meanwhile, my card follows this week's Squigglefly Challenge rules, which is to make a card from a RECIPE.  Recipe challenges ask for specific elements on your card or project.  This week players are asked to make a card using PATTERNED PAPER, a CLIP and a FLOWER.  The clip seems to be a little camera shy, as it is hiding behind a bit of fluffy fiber.  My flower is the last of a package of Iron-On flowers I found in the clearance bin for 25 cents.  My patterned paper came from the deep dark depths of my file cabinet.

Tween digi image comes with great sentiments.  AS you can see on my card, I printed the sentiment Happy Birhtday".  On the inside of the card, the rest of the sentiment can be read, "To the Most Beautiful 'tween
I Have Ever Seen!"  Tweens, especially girls, need a lot of boosting of their self-image. Everything seems to be falling apart at this time - friendships, crushes, schoolwork, parents "understanding" what she's about, her body (ewww, you mean I have to do that every month??!).  It's difficult to make the transition from child to teen, so a little help every now and then (or more often) goes a long way!

I'll step off my soapbox now, and invite you to join us at Squigglefly for this week's challenge!  And as always, crafters, keep on crafting!!

Color Blocking with Squigglefly

My "going green" project is rolling along, and my stash of leftovers and rescued items are being upcycled into works of art.  Today I'm happy to show you a card that makes use of those skinny strips of patterned paper cut off of larger pieces bound for layouts and cards.  I like to pull out bunches of them to make a tryptych or color blocked background for my cards.  Here, I pulled out three strips of leftover papers and placed them side by side against a black background.  It made the perfect backdrop for my Squigglefly digi image "Chi Anniversary" by artist Fawn Palmer.  I love that the image comes in black and in black outline.  With the outline version, you can color in the Chinese characters with any color you wish (I did mine in Copic BG72/Ice Ocean). Before I framed the image on black, I attached a brad and stuck it through the card face, just loose enough for it to move from side to side, or "wobble" a bit. 
Why, you may ask?  If you check out this week's Squigglefly challenge, they ask for a card with something that "wobbles".  Since marriage is like riding a merry-go-round, I thought a little wobbling of the sentiment was perfect for the occasion!! LOL 
Other ways you can use small pieces of leftover papers are as paper quilt blocks, frames for embellishments, small punched embellishments, photo corners, cut out as pennants on a card, etc.
Have fun with your leftovers, enter for a chance to win my blog candy (see March 1 post), and keep crafting!

Under the Sea

How would you like to look dwn into the water and find this creature staring up at you?  I think my pants would be wet and not just from the waves splahing onto me!!
However fantastic as it would seem, this mythical creature from Sweet Pea came alive today in my craft room, compliments of my trusty Copics and a little imagination.  The image is called "Under the Sea" from artist Katerina Koukrotis.  I tried to get as much depth as possible so that she looked like her face was closer to the surface than the rest of her body.  I glitzed the bubbles with some jewels, and wrapped some fiber around the card fron on the top.
I framed her with the negative cut from my Nestabilities die and Epic Six machine.  So my card is not only green in color but also environmentally speaking. 
And while we're on the subject, only six more days for your chance to win some blog candy!!  Check out the March 1 post for the details!
And as always, my friends, keep crafting!

Upcycling Leftover Bits of Paper into Handmade Flowers

My card today uses a new March release from Queen Kat Designs called Faerie Funk I by artist Deanna Davoli.  After coloring her with my trusty Copics, I glitzed her punk-dyed hair with a little Stickles.  I framed her with textured cardstock diecut with QuicKutz Cookie Cutter Frame (CC-SHAPE-045-1) and my Epic Six.  I then placed her on leftover patterned cardstock, adding some lace, pearls and handmade (by me!) flowers.  Except for her wings, she could be anyone's teenage daughter.  Love those headphones--I wonder what's on HER playlist?!

I'm on a roll with my March "going green" project.  How are you doing?  Today, I made the handmade flowers for this card.  I took a few pieces of leftover double-sided patterned papers I had saved from previous projects.  My downfall (and success) has always been that I throw nothing away!  Today this habit showcases a success story.

I punched circles from these bits of paper; some regular and some scalloped all around 1to 11/2 inches wide.  Then I brought out my brads, some wax paper and my can of spray starch.  I chose to make my flowers with five circles.  I laid out five circles at a time, and sprayed them with the starch.  While still wet, I pushed each circle onto the end of the brad, closing it when all five were together.  Turning it around, I pulled each circle up and squeezed it toward the center, keeping my fingers wet with starch. 

When all five circles were squeezed up together, I placed the "almost" flower on the wax paper and gently pulled apart each of the circles into a flower shape.  You can pull apart and squinch together until you like what you have.  Then I tackled the other sets of circles until I had wet handmade flowers.  The hardest part was waiting for them to dry (so I used the time to make this card using the QKD stamped image.

So that's my "going green" project for today, and a great way to use up all those little pieces of patterned paper that were too pretty to toss!  If you're interested in some blog candy, check back on my March 1 blog post for the details and your chance to win.  Contest ends March 17th (kinda like finding your own personal pot of crafting gold, huh?!).
And don't forget to check out all the March releases from QKD!

A Little Lenten Humor

Friday will be here very shortly, and as a Catholic, that means no meat during Lent.   So what to eat in place of meat?  A little sole comes to mind.  Luckily, these fish aren't on the menu (this week).  I'll probably make a veggie pizza for the family.

Meanwhile, I made this Z-Fold card for this week's Hambo Hoedown.  I hadn't made a Z-fold card in a while, and I like the way it unfolds to reveal, well, anything you want!
Here, my card is closed and the scene is of two cross-eyed lovers.  Even their air bubbles are shaped like hearts!  I used some patterned paper that I had snagged over the summer at a rummage sale.  The digi image, called Sole Mates from Hambo Stamps, came with four sentiments, and the fish originally are together with digi hearts between them.
I fussy cut the fish apart to place one on the front of my card, and one (with dimensional tape) on the inside of my card.  Except you can see part of the inside even when the card is closed!  And of course you see the word SoleMates.

When the card is opened, it not only will stand on its own, but opens up the scene and also delivers the card sentiment: "Happy Anniversary to a Couple of...Solemates".
I love how you can catch a glimpse of the whole whale with this folded card.

So now you need to put on your dancing shoes and hurry to the Hoedown to play in their challenge.  Its a TicTacToe challenge.  They offer nine different elements you can use for your card or project, but your choice must make three across to make TicTacToe.  There are several different combinations, so everyone's cards are sure to be different and inspiring.  Here's their TicTacToe Board:                                                                    

orange	ribbon	stripes
glossy accents	blue	dry embossing
dots	green	buttons

  Hmm, didn't come completely through, but you get the idea.  I went for TicTacToe down the middle column, using the boxes with RIBBON, BLUE and GREEN.  If you look at my card, the inside fold, on which the sentiment has been written, is decorated with ribbon and fiber, thus making my three across!
So what are you waiting for?  Happy Crafting at the Hoedown this week!

Going Green is the Challenge...

...not only on my personal blog, but at Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog as well!  So here is an easy project that fits right into the Spring of things (play on words there).  I had purchased a few colored bud vases from michael's last year, but hadn't done anything to them.  I think because of my Spring allergies I have a psychological block when it comes to flowers.
So I happened onto the bud vases and thought one would make a nice gift for my co-worker, who doesn't suffer from allergies like me and plans for gardens and flowers and vegetables thrill her to no end.

I chose the green bud vase, since it is nearing St. Patrick's Day and, well, let's face it, "going green" challenge???



I chose an image from the Popcorn the Bear "Thanks a Bunch" stamp set and colored it with my trusty Copics.  A little Stickles to glitz the centers of the flowers and I adhered him to my vase. But the flowers stuck out so!  After a little trim and a cut here and there, you can see from the front view that he is holding two large flowers, and when you turn the vase around...


I adhered one of the "cut-offs", as well as added a couple single flowers, also from the set.  Since mommy duck never lets her ducklings stray far from her, I also colored a larger Mommy duck and adhered her to one side of the vase.


So all the sides of my vase sport stamped images from the Thanks a Bunch stamp set.  I finished off the vase with some raffie and a bead or two and I have a lovely gift that I pulled together from leftovers in my own craft room. 


I could open up a craft store with the supplies and leftovers I have stashed in every space possible, but I am too greedy to give it up, I am!

Below are a photo of the vase showing the mommy duck, and the Copics I used to color my images. The browns are of course for Popcorn and the rest are for the flowers and the ducks.




Here's the closeup of Popcorn:

So now that I hope to have inspired you to "go green" and recycle, reuse and upcycle your crafts, why don't you try a project using a Crafter's Companion stamp and join in the challenge?  The prize this month is your choice of 3 sets of Spectrum Noir markers. 

Oh boy, would I love to get my hands on more of those.  I already have the Reds and Pinks and can't wait for payday to add to my collection.  They are great alcohol markers that blend so easily for dimensional coloring, and the price is very economical!

If you are interested, I have Blog Candy this month.  Check out the March 1 post for details!!

Going Green with the Chi

Chi digi images, that is from Squigglefly Designs!  Fawn Palmer has some awesome images using Chinese characters that you can find at the Squigglefly shop. 

Meanwhile, I am mastering the art of upcycling, cleverly disguised as "cleaning out my stash".  I flipped through my file folder of blue patterned paper leftovers, and found the smallest pieces from which to punch out some circles. 

I punched enough of the same pattern to line my folded card edge with them, folding over half the circles onto the back side.  Then I took some of the same and some coordinatinf circles and made a 3D "balloon" or "bubble" as an embellishment to my card. 
Finally, I printed out my Squigglefly image and cut it with rough edged scissors and gave the edges a bit of the same coordinating color from the circles.
Another CAS (Clean And Simple) card made for my "going Green" project.  Not a lot of the color green here, but wait, there are more days in the month to play...

For the details on the 3D embellishment, I punched the circles and folded them in half, with the pattern on the inside fold.  I took 5 of them and started adhering the folded circles to each other.  After it was "built", I placed it on my card.  I've used this 3D embellishment as flowers as well.

Did I mention I have Blog Candy I am giving away to one lucky person who follows my blog and comments on my posts?  Check out my March 1 posting for the details!

Hambo Hoedown Humor

Good Morning, crafters!  I finally had a chance to sit down and create this weekend!  Between taking care of family, work and presonal health, it has been quite a week!  But now to show off the few minutes I had on my own today.

I made a card for this week's Hambo Hoedown, using the digi-image I received FREE just for playing in the challenge!  The digi is called Monsterweights and comes with not one, not two, but three sentiments!!  I used the image with the sketch Hambo provided for their challenge, and made it into a Get Well card.  The center of my flower embellishment sports a button from a package of nurse-themed buttons I snagged when my local Michael's store closed for good (a sad day for all here).  The inside of the card uses the sentiment: "Thought you could use a lift."
Love the humorous sentiments and digi's that Hambo Stamps offers!!
Now how about a free digi?  Well, all you have to do is dance in this week's Hoedown, and they will send you one free!!  Everyone is a winner!
Got some short lengths of ribbon?  They are perfect for that extra strip of color on a card, like my orange bit of ribbon on my own.  Always going green and recycling!!

Squigglefly New Release!

Nothing says Spring like a new kitten.  And nothing says "It's time to add onto your digi image collection like a new release from Squigglefly!!  Here's Teacup Kitty digi image from artist Louise Gardner.  Isn't that kitty so sweet?  Don't you just want to take her up in your hands and put her up against your cheek and let all your worries just melt, along with your heart?!

At least, that's what would happen to me if I started with one little kitty!  Then it would turn into two, because of course she's lonely and needs company.  Then three, because a little competition never hurt anyone. Then four to get rid of that bothersome threesome, then...

Well, the inside of my easel card says it all!

So, it's no little kitties for me, which is okay for my family, as half of them are allergic to cats!  I have to feed my kitty craving by coloring Squigglefly kitties and making cards.

You can get Teacup Kitty and other new releases from Squigglefly Stamps.  Want to win a free digi image?  Try the Squigglefly Challenge Blog.  This week's challenge is to make a card using a Squigglefly image with a SPRING theme!

p.s. (Did you notice my kitty's favorite toy is teetering on the edge of the teacup? Be careful, little mousie, or you'll be my kitty's lunch).

CHOCOLATE BLOG HOP CANDY WINNER:
Random generator has chosen commenter number nine.  That's Holly!  Holly, email me your mail addy and I will send you the Housemouse Chipboard Album I made for the Hop, and Congrats!!!

Don't forget that I have BLOG CANDY for one random person.  Check out the March 1 blog post for details!!  My card is green, and not just because of the pretty green bow atop my kitty's head.  The card base was made from a legal-sized manila folder that the office couldn't use anymore.  The manila is nice and strudy, especially for irregularly folded cards, like this easel card.  Show me your "going green" project!!

Going Green with Queen Kat Designs

Another day, another use for paint chips!!  This time I glued two pieces of coordinating paint chips together, punched a hole in the center of the square, cut in from each corner to ALMOST the center (because of course if you cut all the way to the center you would have four triangles!) and then punched holes on the left corner of each "almost triangle" of my paint chip.  I attached each hole-punched corner with a brad, so that the corners, when brought to the center, formed a pinwheel.
I added a large jewel onto the brads end so it wouldn't show.

So what can you do with a handmade pinwheel made out of paint chips?  Practically anything, crafters, the sky's the limit.  Today I made a card using Queen Kat Design's "Unicorn" by artist Christina Lynn Myers.  Since the pinwheel was a combo of navy and teal colors, I stamped my image with Navy ink, then used coordinating teal colors for the image, adding a little Copic shading with RV00 for the lines of my mythical creature.

I'm having fun with my newest sets of Spellbinders Nestabilities.  This one is called FLeur de Lis Rectangles.  I inked an embossed card front for the background, added some teal webbing, popped my pinwheel onto the side, with the metal charm letters spelling out DREAM, and attached my image to the card to finish it off.  If you look close you can see a little printing on the paint chip; that identifies the color.  I kind of like the fact that it shows up!!

So three things to remember from this blog post:  Queen Kat Design has new releases, which includes this gorgeous Unicorn image; I am giving away Blog Candy to everyone who "goes green" and links a photo of their project in the comment section below; and there are a million uses for paint chips, as well as other items you may have thought of as trash.

Check out the QKD Facebook page for all the March releases in the next week.  Check out my March 1 post for details of my blog candy challenge.  Keep crafting!!

Going Green in Honor of St. Patrick with a Challenge and Blog Candy

From now until St. Pat's Day, I will be showcasing some GREEN projects, in more ways than one.  For instance, today I colored a Sweet Pea image from artist Terra Bidlespacher called "The Shore".  After I cut the image out with my Fleur de Lis Rectangles Die from Spellbinders, I chose a paint chip from my local Menards store for the background of the cardbase.  I've had several of these multi-color paint chips since forever (well, more than a year), without using them up, so I figured now was the time!  I set off my scene with a few tiny seashells salvaged from a broken bracelet, and a wisp of fiber in coordinating colors, and my card is complete. 
p.s. (The inside of the card uses the negative cut from the Spellbinders die. Totally green, inside AND out)

So I am giving a personal challenge to my followers, and whoever happens upon this blog post.  Show me how you reuse, recycle, or upcycle and on St. Pat's Day, and I will give away a Sweet Pea rubber stamp to a random winner.  You can use the color green on your project, or you can recycle something to make it a "green" card or project in economical terms.  One link to your gallery or blog post only, which you need to put into your comment when you leave me some love.  I'll announce the random winner on March 17th, so here's hoping the little leprechauns are working in your favor!!