A Sweet Image from Sweet Pea

This little sweetie from Sweet Pea Stamps is from artist Lynne Stansbery. She is free this month at the Progressive challenge over at the Sweet Pea Fan Page on Facebook.  Their challenges are progressive, in which you can create a project using any Sweet Pea stamp or image; participants will receive a Sweet Pea image for free for the second part.
Here is my project. I used the sentiment that came with the image, and left the inside blank. I will probably make it a Thank You card as I seem to need them often enough. The face of the image really draws me back time and time again. I just love the expression on my image's face! It's a sort of shy delight she's showing. Lynne's images are very realistic-she's always been a favorite artist of mine, and I hope you think so too! You can find more of her images at the Sweet Pea Store.

Challenges I am Entering:

Stamping Sensations - Pretty in Pink

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Use a Die

Crafty Catz - It's a Girl Thing
Polkadoodles challenges - Pink & Pretty

Extra Fries?!

Well, I just booked our family vacation and we're headed to swim suit country. Which leads to spending what little free time I have on my spin bike. I'm up to 30 minutes, part (a very small part) of that time at 30 mph. So when I wanted a killer sentiment for my card, I was compelled to use the one I did. I think it's hilarious!
Today I colored up a Sweet Pea image called Spa-de-ha-ha by artist Lynne Stansbery. Don't those women look like they're having a fabulous time? The feel of this card is in sync with my Birthday Blowout celebration this month. If you haven't already, go to my original party post and read how you can be one of many winners of such prizes like digi goodies from Ike's Art, Creative Bug Designs, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles and Bugaboo. I also have crafting products from Stampin Up, Simpy Betty and much much more.
ALL my Followers who comment there will receive a special digi paper from Decosse's Dynamitr Doodles, and everyone who wishes me a Happy Birthday on that original post will receive the Ike's Art digi image I colored up for the card there. So you're already a winner just by Following my blog, wishing me Happy Birthday and placing my Birthday Blowout badge on your sidebar!! Woot, Woot!

Are you going on vacation this summer? Where are you going? If you have no plans, where would you go if you had the time and the money?? Comment today for your chance to win!!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers - J is for Just Kidding

Crafty Catz - 2 or More Patterned Papers

Sister Act - Anything Goes
Sweet Sketch - (I turned mine 90 degrees and tilted the image)

Tuesday Throwdown - Friendship

Live Long and Prosper in the New Year!

I grew up on Disney movies and Star Trek. I'm tickled that my kids are also growing up with Star Trek! And now I get to craft with one of my fave quotes from Mr. Spock!
The hand symbol, "Live Long and Prosper," is my inspiration for my New Year's card today. The digi, released by Squigglefly this month, is from Lynne Stansbery, one of my fave artists (so it's a win-win situation). She draws a lot of digi images using hands and they are all so realistic and touching-I know, as I have most of them! LOL
Anyway, I thought the hand gesture deserved a proper background, so I pulled a scene from some Star Trek free clipart for the background. It's not very apparent in my photo, but Spock's hand has a touch of green, as every Trekkie knows he is an alien from the planet Vulcan. The ship in the background, the Enterprise, is one on which I've taken many voyages throughout the years. Although captains may have changed, Vulcans are long-lived, and Mr. Spock has been known to make an appearance or two on each new series or movie.
But back to my card...Squigglefly has a new challenge this week, and it is also one of my favorites--ANYTHING GOES! So, crafters, have your way with your supplies, and remember, if you use a Squigglefly image, you'll be in the running for free digis. Good luck, and have fun!!

CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING:

Left of Center Challenges - New Start

Sister Act Card Challenges - Anything Goes

Scribble & Scrap - Always Anything Goes

Come & Get It challenges - Humorous cards

Paper Creator's Crafts - ANything Goes
Crafting From the Heart - Anything Goes

Black & White Plus 1 Equals a New SBP Challenge

I made this card for a fun challenge that SBP Challenge Blog offers from today until the end of the month. Don't get me wrong, I love to use color! But sometimes it's fun to step out of your Crayola box and do something different. Where's my +1 color? If you look closely, you can see the very subtle nail polish my fingers are wearing!! It's Copic #V000.
I used zebra-print paper for my background. After die cutting my image, I framed it with a black Copic-colored paper doily before adhering it to my card front. The sentiment is two parts. The front reads, "Oh Snap!" and the inside reads "I forgot your birthday!"
Both image and two-part sentiment are from Lynne Stansbery of Squigglefly Designs. Squigglefly is our very generous sponsor for this new challenge. AND they sponsor their own challenges at their own Squigglefly challenge blog,
I hope you get a chance to play in the SBP Challenge this month. Show us what YOU can do with Black & white +1!!

Squiglefly Shy Bear Blog Hop-A Day Late and A Dollar Short

Hello everyone!
Welcome to the Squigglefly Shy Bear blog hop.

This hop is dedicated to Melissa Chettle and her son Justin. She was a friend of Design Team member Charlene and she passed away unexpectedly this June at just 43 years young.  Melissa was an avid crafter and a HUGE fan of the Shy Bear images. She had even commissioned Charlene to design many Shy Bear cards for her. Unfortunately she never saw them. So we are having this wonderful Blog Hop in her honor, using all Shy Bear cards. 
My card uses Shy Bear Hi Bella, which is a Squigglefly freebie image   There are loads of Shy Bears to choose from, plus many others.  Please go check them out at the Squigglefly Store today, then post a comment on the Squigglefly Challenge Blog for a chance to win some goodies!!

A Special Thank You

Today starts a new challenge over at Squigglefly Challenge Blog.  The theme is a "Special Thank You."  Who doesn't need a handful of thank you cards in their life, right?
Well, there is also a special surprise to this challenge--for the owner of Squigglefly Designs!  Unbeknownst to her, both teams got together to show her how much we love and appreciate her.  Every "Thank You" card that BOTH design teams have made are FOR HER.  (Yes, she is THAT awesome)

My thank you card features a new July release called Quilted Frame by artist Pammie Lehto.  I chose to cut it out and frame another amazing digi inside hers.  The hands shaping a heart is from artist Lynne Stansbery, another one of my favorite artist in the Squigglefly lineup. There are over fifty talented artists working with Squigglefly to give you the best of their creativity.
Now let me finish this post with a personal message for our dear leader, Holly:
  I am so lucky and blessed to be able to play with the lovely new Squigglefly images that come out every month.  The challenges have really stretched my creativity and imagination.  While a Design Team member, I have learned so much, met so many talented and friendly artists, and had so much FUN!!  You are a wonderful and generous "boss" to work for, and a true friend.
  So Thank you, Holly!!

Don't forget to play in this week's challenge with your own Anything Goes Thank you card--use a Squigglefly image for your chance to win!

Wrapped Up in Father's Day Crafting

My granddaughter is sleeping over tonight, so we brought out the craft supplies (my craft room is her bedroom) and made cards and a project for daddy and grampa.

This is what I came up with, a cute card for my honey!  I made it using a Squigglefly digi image set called "A Man and His Grill" by artist Lynne Stansbery.  There are five digis altogether in this set.

The Squigglefly blog has a new challenge this week:  Wrap It Up - use your imagination. Wrap ribbon or twine around a layer, wrap a die cut around a corner, use wrapping paper instead of designer scrapbook paper, use an image with a wrapped gift...

After coloring my image with Copics, I framed it with cardstock and popped it on a base of leftover pieces of patterned papers.  I handwrote  the sentiment and "wrapped" my card with knotted twine. 

If you're going to play in this week's challenge, don't forget to use a Squigglefly image to be in the drawing  for a free digi!!

Oh, and here is my granddaughter working on her own project to give to her daddy this weekend.

He is going to love his present!!  

Color Me Blue

Or green, or pink, or any color really, as long as you keep your card monochromatic--shades of the same basic color.  That's theis week's new challenge over at Squigglefly Challenge Blog.

I happened to choose BLUE.  I chose it because I don't see a lot of colored images of girls colored in blue.  Most of the time it's pink, but my girl here is a rebel, and made sure mommy dressed her in her favorite color.

This May Squigglefly digi release from the very  talented Lynne Stansbery is called "Blow Me a Kiss".  I love her, and I know you will too!

I used up more of my leftover stash from previous projects.  I used a couple of rubber stamps, one of scattered hearts that my girl is blowing to a lucky recipient, the other on the inside, a sentiment stamp that simply reads:  Love Ya Bunches.  The card design is a Z-Fold, which is one of my favorite cards to make.

Are you in the mood to make a pretty card, perhaps for your mom?  Or from your young one to your mom? Squigglefly offers you "Blow Me a Kiss" as well as plenty of other fantastic digi images with which to play.  You have a week before Mother's Day, and a week to play in the Squigglefly challenge.

Have fun!!!

How Many Shades of Blue Are there?

You will find out when you visit the Squigglefly Challenge Blog!  Their new challenge is to use shades of blue and a Squigglefly digi image on a card or project.

Here's my card, using Lynne Stansbery's image.  It's called STRUT YOUR STUFF, and I can remember my daughter strutting her stuff in mommy's clothes and me taking loads of photos to scrapbook.  It was so much fun!  Of course, my mom took "movie pictures" (before video cameras) with 8 mm film (and no sound) of me, my sister and our cousins dressing up and strutting OUR stuff.  What little girl hasn't had her moments like this one?

I colored Lynne's image with my Spectrum Noir markers.  I have to say that while the quality of inking and blending is equal to Copics, the ink in the markers dries faster than spit!  I have not owned my SN markers for very long, but already there are several that need refilling!!

Anyway, I kept my card pretty Clean and Simple, with a bit of framing, some bling, a flower, and metal photo corners.  On the inside is where I put the sentiment that comes with the image.  It reads: "Strut Your Stuff", and she is totally living up to that sentiment!!

Now it's your turn to strut your crafting stuff at the Challenge Blog.  Hurry down that runway for a chance to win free digi's!!  And for more of Lynne's awesome images, click HERE.

Squigglefly Sneak Peek in Teal, Pink & White

(Psst! Click here for the QKD Thirteen Days of Halloween Blog Hop.

What's new today?  Squigglefly has a new weekly challenge, and it's a color challenge! They want you to use the color combo of: TEAL, PINK & WHITE.  I love these challenges because I use up my leftover stash!  Do you know how I organize all those leftover pieces of paper?  I keep them in a file drawer.  Each folder holds all shades of a color.  When I play in a color challenge, I pull the folders with papers in colors I need for the challenge--easy peasy!!

Today I made an easel card for you, in order to show off not one but two great Squigglefly artists and a wonderful quote.  My card base is layered with two shades of teal and some pink cardstock.

Closed, the card showcases a sneak peek at Fawn Palmer's soon-to-be-released "Baby in a Tutu".  This digi comes with two images, a baby crawling toward the viewer, and crawling away from the viewer.  I can see a lot of fun card designs using both together!
I printed the image twice, coloring the entire image once, and coloring just the upper body of Baby on the second.  I adhered the second with dimensional tape.  She really does look like she's moving toward you!
I embellished the face of the front with some K & Co Borders in pink and teal and added a teal feather behind Baby because, well, babies are so fluffy!! LOL

When my card is standing up on its easel, the soon-to-be-released digi "Always Do Your Own Thing" by artist Lynne Stansbery is showcased.
Aren't these little girls too precious?!  They look just like the girls in my daughter's ballet class (the one hanging upside down would be her cousin, Shenandoah)!  I used the same borders here too, cutting out the biggest butterfly from a leftover piece of it.

I decided to give the second digi image a dreamlike quality with torn edges because of the quote I snagged off of quotegarden.com.  It reads: "God gives us dreams a size too big so we can grow into them".
Which dreams have you grown into?  Do you ever dream of winning free digi's?  You have a chance this week with Squigglefly's color challenge--one random player who uses a Squigglefly digi image will win free digi's!  So strap on your dancing shoes and jete over to the their Challenge Blog for your turn in the spotlight!!
SNEAK PEEK BLOG HOP COMING OCTOBER 5!!  Want a sneak peek at the new releases??  Check out the Squigglefly Blog on October 5 for some fun, inspiration, and a chance to WIN 5 free digi's!!