This Card is Toad-ily CAS

At least, my idea of CAS. I like to embellish with whatever my fingers find while roaming my stash, so a card with a layer of patterned paper, an image and a sentiment is, to me, clean and simple.
I started with a blank card front I found in my stash. Sometimes , if I have the time, I'll use up whatever is left over from a sheet of patterned paper and adhere it to a card. The I put it somewhere (and I usually forget where) to use for a quick card.
The image I colored up is from Scribbles Design Store. He's my favorite character over there. This is Carl. Say HI to everyone, Carl! You can find all her frog images HERE. Anyway, I used the following Copics to give my toad some life: Y00; G99; YG03,05, 23. I added the flies for ambience. LOL
Scribbles Designs Challenge blog has a CAS challenge right now. While everyone's idea of CAS is different, they want us all to showcase our coloring. I think I did that!
That's all for now, crafters! Have fun!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Scrapbookers PhD - CAS (use a stamp-Scribbles by Sandy)

Crafting by Designs - Thinking of You

Double Click Skittles - Any Animal

Inspiration Destinations - Anything Goes

Ruby's Rainbow Challenge - Anything Green

Kraftin Kimmie's Wonderful Wednesday Challenges - Anything Goes

Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes

Anything Goes at Craft Your Passion

Today brings some uber cold temps (I went to work at 0 degrees) and a challenge from Craft Your Passion to warm your creative spirit. This week's sponsor is Bugaboo Stamps and I got to play with Ava Deacon Friends.
I used colors I normally don't work with-purples, yellows and greens, but I really like the way it turned out. I embellished with several die-cuts, a few jeweled flowers and a pretty 3D butterfly, and colored my image with Copics.
A simple card, simply made, took ten minutes to put it all together because all I had to do was reach into my stash!
Come play in Craft Your Passion's newest challenge for your chance to win!!

Other Challenges I am Entering:
Crafting Muskateers - Cute
Shopping Our Stash - The Big Screen (movie inspiration is My Girl)
The ABC CHallenges - D is for Die-cuts I used 4!
Paper Creators - Love is in the Air
That Craft Place - Movie Inspired - My Girl

Anything Goes at the Outlawz Greetings Challenges

Time for another challenge from the Outlawz Greetings, and it's my favorite kind - ANYTHING GOES!! I love the freedom that is enjoyed in an Anything Goes challenge. How About you? Do you get inspired by having requirements for your projects, or does it matter? In fact, where do you find your inspiration? I love Pinterest and other crafters' blogs, but if I'm not near my computer, then I pull out all my lovely papers (my precioussss) and get inspired by their colors and designs.
Today it was a feather sticking out of my painting drawer. I thought it would look pretty with a pale flower, which led to my papers, and then I wanted a silly image.
My silly image is from Robyn's Fetish and is called "Be Kind to Your Web-footed Friends". Robyn's Fetish is one of this month's sponsors, and I like to surf their store for inspiration (and shopping).
I colored my image gently, with just a few Copics. Doesn't it remind you of Jack & the Beanstalk? Wish it would lay me a couple golden eggs.
Leftover pieces of patterned papers help to decorate my background, along with a stray piece of ribbon. The sentiment (a necessity for the Outlawz Greetings challenges) was in a file of leftover punchies as well. I am serious this year about not buying more stash. Finally, I tossed on a few jeweled flowers to embellish and my card is complete.
I hope you get a chance to play in the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week. Below are a few other challenges I am entering:

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes w/optional twist birthday
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
That Craft Place - film inspired Father Goose w/Cary Grant & Leslie Caron

The Corrosive Challenge - Things with Wings
Open-Minded Crafting - Up in the Air

Well Done, Google Maps, Well Done

Last year my hubby and I were driving to an Outback Restaurant. We used Google Maps, which led us...wait for it...not to the restaurant. Yet Google Maps said it was there!!
When Ike's Art World Challenges blog offered this freebie on their blog (called Lamp Post Diva) it reminded me of this story, and I couldn't help but make a card. Sometimes you have to take inspiration wherever it rears its head. LOL
I used some lovely Prima paper from their "Tagged" collection, a gift from Betty of Simply Betty Digital Stamps. I loved the patterns on the paper so much I decided to go with a color-blocking design, something I haven't done often. A peek in my embellishment box netted me the strips of tiny jewels, a couple Skittles and the swirly clips my card needed to embellish it. And a rifle through my ribbon container landed me a few snippets of ribbon and fiber to wrap around some of the small blocks. Everything but the new digi came from my stash,  the whole card took me twelve minutes from start to finish, and I was well done before hubby got home from work today!
So, Ike's Art World Challenges has a great challenge running now:  Make Us Laugh, and I believe my card qualifies. Check out the challenge blog-even if you don't play in it, you'll go away with a smile on your face!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes

Scrapper's Delights - Anything Goes

Wonderful Wednesdays - Anything Goes

Party Time Tuesdays - #195  Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Creative Colours - specific colors

Card & Scrap - Anything Goes

Shopping Our Stash - The Out-of-Towners

Crafting Musketeers - Cute

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

Giggling Down the Path of Positivity

Laughter is the best medicine. Studies have shown that people heal faster and handle serious medical side effects when they get their daily dose of humor. The movie “Patch Adams,” about a doctor who used humor as part of patients’ recovery regimens, was based off a true story.

So when I heard that one of the alumni in our religious ed program was diagnosed with leukemia and undergoing treatments, I decided my goal would be to help ease his days with laughter. I created a journal of jokes, riddles, puns and comics that hopefully will see him through some very boring or tough days.
I created the cover using a digital image from Meljen's called "Doctor Bear." It's perfect for my theme of laughter, which is this month's challenge theme at the Path of Positivity Challenge blog. After coloring him with my Copics, I found a leftover piece of Peanuts Gang patterned paper with which to frame him.
Some various other patterned paper pieces added color, and I printed the quote in Microsoft Word. I scattered a few buttons onto the cover and I'm ready to fill the pages with funnies. I already printed out a few jokes and cartoons from Photobucket, and have several joke books leftover from when my son was young.
I'm thinking of leaving parts of pages, or maybe a few full pages, blank, so that his friends and family can add their own funny stories and jokes to the journal. what do you think? Fill it up completely or leave some room for additions? Let me know! And please keep my young friend in your prayers. He has a long road to walk before he sees good health.
Back to the Path of Positivity Challenge:
It's always Anything Goes as long as you craft with the theme in mind-this month it's Laughter. It could be a CARD, CANVAS, PHOTO, ALTERED ART, anything crafty. If the theme of Laughter is not well explained in your project, please describe how it relates in your post.
There are two guest sponsors this month:
Meljen's Designs
and Limited Runs

Challenges I am Entering:

 Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes

Meljens Designs Challenges - Loving You

Crafty Catz - For the Boys

Simply Create Too - Anything Goes

Wags & Whiskers - For Someone You Love
Ike's Art World Challenges - Make Us Laugh

Love Is in the Air at the Outlawz Greetings CHallenge

 This week I am still making and sending Valentine's cards to my good friends. Which is perfect for the Outlawz Greetings challenge that starts today - Make a card about LOVE or using RED, WHITE AND PINK. I made a Z-fold card using a digi image called Time with You by DeeDee's Digis. DeeDee's is one of the Outlawz Greetings sponsors this month. As you can see above, part of my image is just peeking from the inside of the card. When opened you see the whole thing.

The clock came with several sentiments. I cut mine apart so that it could grace both the outside AND inside of my card. It reads: I love spending time with you. I colored my image with Copics, added a little shimmer, then framed each word with cardstock before adhering it to my card. I used bakers' twine to give the card balance by attaching the first part of my sentiment to several tiny hearts that I punched from scraps of leftover papers, and finally to the cute bunny holding onto the last heart. I embellished with a few cardstock stickers and doodled a border around the edges.
I'm sending this card to my daughter-in-law, who has captured my heart with her commitment to my son almost two years ago.
In the mood to make a new card? Try the LOVE theme, or use pink, red and white and come pay in the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week.

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Splendiferous Creations - Love is in the Air

-Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Love is in the Air
Fussy & Fancy - It's All about Love
Jo's Scrap Shack - Valentine
Patti's Creations challenge blog - Valentine's Love (must use image)
Simply Create Too - Anything Goes
Sister Act Challenge blog - Anything Goes
That's Crafty challenge blog - Be My Valentine
Wags & Whiskers - For Someone You Love
Just Add Ink - Inspiration

4 Crafty Chicks - Valentines

Scrap & Craft challenges - Valentines/Love/Romance

Speed Craft Challenges - Animals (must create & finish in 15 minutes or less--who takes more than that to make a card?!! LOL) 13 minutes
SLS Lines challenge blog - Anything Goes

Hiding in My Craft Room - Super Scraps Saturday
We Do Dobabdoo - Hearts & Flowers

There's Something in Your Pocket!

Today starts a new Anything Goes challenge at Craft Your Passion, and DeeDee's Digis is sponsoring us this week! She's offering a prize of a $15 Gift Code to Deedee's Digis store. That's a lot of digi's!! Thank you, DeeDee's Digis!!

I got to play with an image from the Pocket Pal Frog sheet. There are outline and colored images in the set, as well as papers and sentiments. I used the outline image so that I could take out my Copics  and have my way with them. I also used the Pink paper, some Stripe paper and one of the sentiments.
I printed all of them twice so that I could cut out and adhere a select few with dimensional tape.
This sentiment is one of my favorites, and so true. Just like my favorite pair of jeans (with 7 pockets), I can never have too many friends. My whole card reminds me of an old Christmas movie starring Glen Ford and Hope Lange, titled "Pocketful of Miracles." One of the themes of the story revolves around friends coming to the rescue of an apple cart vendor, played by the great Bette Davis.
Now it's your turn to play in Craft Your Passion's newest challenge!! Follow the rules for your chance to win that fabulous gift code!!

Challenges I am Entering:

613 Avenue challenges - Anything Goes w/optional twist RAK

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

That Craft Place - Film Inspired "Pocketful of Miracles"

Anything Goes at Catch the Bug Challenges

It's Anything Goes at Catch the Bug challenge blog, and I created a bookmark today. I seem to create a lot of bookmarks, but lose track of them. I don't know if my family steals them (we are all avid readers) or they just disappear off into the land of mismatched socks and such.
Anyway, I have a sweet image from bugaboo called Dottie Beach that I colored with my trusty Copics. After fussy-cutting her, I framed her on a die-cut. I doodled around the edges with white gel pen to give it a bit of a border.
i used another die-cut (from my Cricut) to embellish, and placed both onto cardstock...too plain! So I used a border punch for the top and bottom, finishing them off with tiny pearls. And I'm happy with my new bookmark. Now onto a new book!
Meanwhile, take out those images and inks and play in the Catch the Bug challenges!!

I am entering my project in:
That Craft Place - Anything Goes
Hiding in My Craft Room - Wild, Blushing Rose (color challenge)
2 Cute Ink - Love/Valentine

Inching My Way toward a New Outlawz Greetings Challenge

Today the Outlawz Greetings asks crafters to measure up--by using INCHIES on their projects! I made a few inchies to decorate my card ala subway art theme. Then I colored up and cut out my image from DeeDee's Digis.

The image sheet is called "Whole Latte Love" and comes with two different latte cups and several sentiments. I used the sentiment "a little love to go." My paper used to be 12x12 patterned paper for scrapbooking, but I found a piece in my stash and used it for my card. I liked the mosaic look so much that I made my inchies from 1 inch squares of the tiny blocks, matting them onto gold cardstock. I placed a few of them into the design on my paper, and arranged the rest to continue the design on the card. 

To make the to-go cup pop (literally), I cut two slits and eased the edges of the cup cover into them, bending my image forward to give it the look of a rounded cup. I placed a sweethearts brad into the cup, and added a couple more around my "canvas." I added some pearls and a flower as embellishment and my to-go card will be standing on my hubby's desk when he gets up on Valentine's Day.

DeeDee's Digis is but one of several sponsors this month at the Outlawz Greetings challenges. She has some awesome stamps for sale!

DeeDee's Digis

So, crafters, grab your choice of ink and let's see you create a project using inchies. Don't forget that to qualify for prizes at the end of each month, you must use a sentiment on the front of your project.
Happy crafting!
Other Challenges I am Entering:
ABC Challenge Blog - C is for Cupid
Card Mania - Add Some Red
Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes
Words2Scrapby - Do something Different(Inchies and a pop-up feature-cup)
All Sorts Challenge Blog - Love is All Around
Not Just Cards - ANything Goes #12

Altered Art Project for Craft Your Passion

I love surfing my local Goodwill store. I found a combination cork board/dry erase board for 49 cents! I guess the price fixer couldn't handle the psychedelic look of the frame, but it inspired me to make an altered home organizer.
My daughter is attending community college for her first two years, and often she's at class before I go to work (and vice versa). We needed a way to communicate our daily plans, reminders, etc. Her  phone doesn't get a signal while she's there, so now we can leave messages and love notes to each other.
I used a digi image from Stitchy Bear called Hippie. After coloring her with Copics, I fussy-cut her out and popped her onto some fun patterned paper from Color Bok. Another piece of a different sheet from the same paper stack gives a nice border to the bottom of the cork board part. I used buttons to make stick pins for messages, receipts, etc. As you can see, our message board is up and running, and working great!
Craft Your Passion challenge blog has a new challenge today, and their challenges are always ANYTHING GOES (my fave kind of challenge). Why don't you check out the inspiration at the challenge blog, leave a little love and play in this week's challenge?! Stitchy Bear is this week's sponsor, and she has zillions of cute, sassy images to color up!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Scrappy Hands - Family (a way of keeping in contact with my teen daughter)

That Craft Place - Anything Goes

Kraftin' Kimmie - Peace & Love

2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes (no cards/ATCs)

Crafting Musketeers - Cute

Recycle, Re-purpose & Re-invent - Anything Goes (must re-use something; My thrift store find)

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - any theme/must be altered art.mixed media
Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Working Ahead Again

I have a big problem when I try to clean off my work table. I'll get to a certain image, paper or embellishment and ZAP the muse will strike and I make a "quick" card---creating a bigger mess than when I started. Does anyone else have this same problem??

Today it was finding a stash of Christmas embellishments...

...which led me to thinking about The 12 Months of Christmas Cards Progressive Challenge blog,

...which led to these two new Christmas cards.

 The first uses a cardstock background on which I doodled a border with white gel pen. I used Christmas stickers and adhesive glittery snowflakes. Very easy, very quick!
The second uses a Squigglefly digi image, adhered to an embossed and distressed background of blue cardstock. Again, I embellished with snowflakes. Santa is grinding out a love song, as he just visited several hundred houses where Mommy was caught kissing him (optional theme). Shh! Don't let Mrs. Claus find out...

And I now have another two Christmas cards to add to my growing stash. As a bonus, everyone who plays in the 12 Months of Christmas card challenge (entering two cards)  receives free digital paper from Lisa of Decosse's Dynamite Digis. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!! LOL
Now, the trick will be to keep my work area clean and organized so that come Thanksgiving, I can find all my lovely cards to send out!!  Wish me luck!

You Asked for It, Chicago!

As I write this post, I glance out my window and think back to summer, when temps rose close to 100 degrees several times. Many Chicago friends on Facebook were moaning and groaning and wishing it would cool off. Well, congratulations! It not only has cooled off, but my gas grill in the backyard is buried under snow. So far we've had 20 inches and there's a light snow wafting down from pregnant clouds. We've had our first blizzard of the year, and it's only February!
So, for all you whiners out there, I created a card using the Bugaboo image "Happy Now?" My blue and pink card is filled with shimmery snowflakes and glittery jewels. There's even a snowman acting like Vanna White, offering the "punchline." Really, I used to love snow, until I had to drive in it, and shovel it, and stomp through it. But there are benefits to heavy snow:

My school calls a SNOW DAY and I don't have to go to work

the potholes are filled in with packed snow and my car finally has a smooth road

the white flakes cover the dirty piles left by snow plows

my granddaughter comes over and plays in our yard

Wherever you are in the world, be careful what you wish for. It may just come true, Chicago style!!

Happy crafting!!

Challenges I m entering:

Clear It Out Challenges: Anything Goes using anything goes stash (Gosh, I haven't bought new product in months)

Inky Chicks - From (your country) with Love (Chicago, USA)

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Laughing Down the Path of Positivity

I saw a quote the other day on Pinterest and I think I'll make it my mission for the rest of the year: "If I can make at least one person smile or pee their pants a little, then my day was not wasted"
Laughter is good for the soul, and to make people smile is a valuable talent. I even smile at strangers (it makes them wonder what I'm up to). 
With this new mission in my life, I created a card for the Path of Positivity Challenge blog, whose theme this month is LAUGHTER. I found the perfect image at Limited Runs. It's called "Over a Puddle"  I'm sure it wasn't designed to be used with the sentiment I printed up in Word, but that's how I roll. I love to mix it up and come out on top of the belly laughs and guffaws.
After coloring my image with Copics, I tossed her onto some leftover patterned paper, using a paper doily to frame it. AND I am proud to say I colored the doily with some of my homemade shimmer spray. I placed my sentiment onto a tag, and added some trim and colorful and glittery pinwheels for embellishment.Here's the image from Limited Runs:

This month the Path of Positivity has two amazing sponsors. Limited Runs and Meljen's Designs. And here's how you can win:

• A prize package of 4 (non-colored) images from Meljen's Designs for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• A $10 gift certificate from Limited Runs for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

There will also be:

• One digital designer paper (made to order in a couple different ways) from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky voter who leaves a comment.
• One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge.

You can catch more inspiration at the challenge blog, as well as a project from their guest designer, Helen, at her personal blog, Crafting Helen.

Before you go, let me leave you with a few great movies that will have you holding your sides and gasping for breath:

Rat Race

Hot Tub Time Machine

Arsenic and Old Lace

Shrek

Airplane

Enjoy!

When One Door Closes...

It's said that when one door closes, another door opens. In my case, it is so true. After a couple years designing for Squigglefly Designs, the company is about to close its doors. I learned so much from being on their team, and was lucky to play with so many images from very talented artists. I will miss my teammates as well, whose projects inspired me to go that extra step in my artistic work. Door softly closes...

Today, a new door to opportunity opens for me. Above is my first project as a Design Team member for Craft Your Passion challenge blog!! I am blessed to have been invited to design along with new teamies Agnieszka, Alethea, Helena, Kim, Lynn, Michelle and Tanvi. I hope to enjoy the same close relationship with my Craft Your Passion DT, as well as inspire/be inspired by them.
My first project is a birthday card using an image from this week's guest sponsor, Aurora Wings. They are offering a prize of $10 worth of digital stamps from store.
My image is called Cupcake Kitten, and she is a patient little thing, waiting for that creamy goodness atop her head. That's why I thought the sticker sentiment was perfect for this image: Time to Eat. After coloring my image with Copics, I dabbed a little Stickles on for shimmer. The border at the top is from K & Co, and I had a few leftover cupcake embellishments from a previous project. The sentiment inside reads: "...your Birthday Cake!! Have a sweet day!"
Craft Your Passion offers weekly challenges with an ALWAYS ANYTHING GOES theme. So come and play with us, and show us what you got!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Creative Knockouts - Animal Antics

4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes
Aurora Wings - Valentines

Time for Twine

It's time for another challenge at the Outlawz Greetings Challenge. This week it's all about the TWINE. Beansie Doodles is one of this month's sponsors, and I got to play with one of their images. It's called Sexy Bunny, and I know a certain husband who has been very nice lately and could use a little card to remind him how much he is loved.
After coloring my Bunny with Copics, I added Stickles to her shoes and bunny ears, punched the top corners and popped her onto cardstock. I also distressed the edges with ink, then added a few adhesive-backed pearls to the bottom.
After I had my image in place, I added bakers' twine to divide the two patterns, attaching an inked and sentiment-stamped tag. I finished off my card with a paper flower, and this is about as close to a CAS card as I can get. I usually don't stop embellishing my card until there's no room left! LOL
So now it's your turn to use some twine on your card or project and enter it into the Greetings challenge at the Outlaw. Don't forget, all cards or projects need a greeting or sentiment on the front to qualify. I hope to see you over there this week!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Sister Act – Anything Goes

4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes

Anything Goes at SBP Challenges

 Welcome to another ANYTHING GOES monthly challenge at Your Scrapbook Place (SBP) challenge blog. We had a record number of participants last month, and hope to see you all back again for this month's challenge. Our sponsor is Squigglefly Designs. We bid a very fond farewell to Squigglefly, who will be closing their doors. They have some very talented artists creating for them, and as a DT member, I was able to create with the best of them! I know they will find their market with other companies, and when they do, I'll be ready to see what new images they have in store for all of us.
Meanwhile, I got to play with an image by artist Lynne Stansbery. I like her images, but I LOVE her hands. This one is called "On Your Honor" and I decided to put a little humor into my card. That's why I made an easel birthday card--the design is so perfect for those "punch lines."

Like mine: On my honor...I promise to never reveal your age!!
Now that I see my card on the blog, I might have to revamp it a tad. I like the look of it when closed flat with the cut-out circle framing the Happy Birthday sentiment, but it doesn't look so hot open. Hmm, this may be a work in progress. Stay tuned and you may just see it reincarnated in another life!
But until then, go check out SBP Challenges and show us what you got! Random winner receives 3 Squigglefly images.

Outlawz Freebie Progressive Challenge #3

Another month, another challenge, at the Outlawz Freebie Progressive Challenge, starting today! As always, it is an ANYTHING GOES challenge, and our guest sponsor this month is Sandi Samples -

Sandi Samples has gifted the DT with this cute image called #89 Watering Can.  

I created an easel card, decorating the front with paper doilies, flowers, pearls and flourishes. Nobody could call this card CAS LOL I colored my image with Copics, adding distress ink to the edges, and stamped a simple Thanks in red ink.

Open, the card sits on a carpet of red hearts, a felt die-cut adhesive border. I have had that in my stash for ages and never thought I'd get to use it, so I am very happy to see it on my card. I love the look of easel cards-they make such a great presentation.
So, according to the rules of the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge, f you used your free image from last month and entered it into the challenge by January 31, you will receive this image free from Sandi Samples. Make sure to create and post a project to the Outlawz Freebie Progressive Challenges by February 28 so you can get another free image.
Did you miss out on starting the progressive challenge with us? Go to Sandi Samples and purchase this one image above, then post to the group, and as long as you continue to create and post with the freebie images, you will receive another free image each and every month! Did I mention we are offering a couple contests throughout the year, with more free goodies to random players?!
Hope to see you on the boards!!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Brown Sugar Challenges - 3 Different Embellishments

Fairy Tale Challenges - Something with a Heart

Polkadoodles Challenges - Flowers

Simply Create Too - Valentines or Hearts

Sister Act challenges - Anything Goes

4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes

Scrap & Craft - Anything Goes

Time Out Challenges - Valentines/Hearts
Hiding in My Craft Room - Freestyle
That Craft Place - Anything Goes