Make It Masculine at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

I don't know why, but I don't have a lot of cards I can give to the men in my life. Honestly, I have more girlfriends and family members than guys, so that may be the reason, but I should still keep a few cards on hand. Sine I'm still building my stash of Thank You cards, I thought this Scribbles Designs image, called Hammer, would be perfect for the sentiment I am using.
Usually I embellish with flowers and flourishes and bows, so I had to scrounge around and came up with a few brads. I tore the paper  to give it rough edges, and  also doodled my own patterns on it to break up all that empty space (I can't call it white now,can I?).
Besides this gem of an image from the Scribbles Store, I printed Sharon Dewi Stolp's Bricks Paint Spray onto the sentiment (you can just barely see it). The fonts I used are Big Book & Due Date.
The challenge theme over at Scribbles Designs is MAKE IT MASCULINE, so you need  to feature a guy or gear your card toward guys if you want a chance to win free digis from the Scribbles Store.
Happy Crafting, and good luck!

Favoring the Feminine at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

For my DT make today, I am following both this month's challenge theme at Scribbles Designs, which is to feature or create for, a feminine, as well as my own mission to build up my stash of Thank You cards.
I love this cute digi image from the Scribbles Store. It's called Bunny Bum, and goes perfectly with my grateful sentiment of "Thanks for having my back." My life has been turned upside down these last few months, and if it weren't for a load of wonderful caring people, I would be lost. I have had quite a need for thank you cards lately. I want to make sure I always have extra on hand.

While surfing through my stash of craft supplies, I came across an envelope that was beautifully decorated but oddly shaped. So I cut out some of the decoration and used it to set the garden scene on my card. After that, it was just a matter of finding the right colored cardstock and tearing some for texture. I paper-pieced my image, using Copics to give it dimension before popping it into my "garden". I kept my card simple with some faux stitches along the edges and my die-cut sentiment.

The challenge at Scribbles Designs goes through the 14th of May, so don't forget to link up your card or project to the main blog for you chance to win free digis at the Scribbles Store!! Good luck and happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Cardz for Guys - World Book Day (The Velveteen Rabbit)

Tuesday throwdown - critter crazy

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Thanks from the Heart

I do not like to create round cards. Most of the time they just don't look good. However, this time, I think I have a winner. LOL  Anyway, my printer has been acting up lately. It printed an extra copy of this cute bunny image from Scribbles Designs, so I grabbed whatever leftovers were on my desk and created this for my stash of Thank You cards.  The image is called B Bunny Joy and the sentiment is from Stampin Up.

Challenges I am Entering:

Card Mania - Spring

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes w/an animal

Delicious Doodles - Anything but a Square

Fabrika Fantasy - Any Shape but Square or Rectangle

Sheepski Designs - AnimalMagic

Favoring the Feminine Is The Theme at Scribbles Designs

Tropical greetings to you all, crafters! I am building up my stash of Thank You cards and found the perfect image at the Scribbles Store. She's called Carrie Summer Diva and can be found HERE.

This month, the challenge theme over at Scribbles Designs is "Femme Fatale" so if you want a chance to win your choice of free digis at the Scribbles Store, create and link up a card featuring or geared toward women. I went with Carrie Summer Diva because I've been wishing I could hop on a plane and go south (way south). I need to feel sand between my toes and hear waves lapping at the shore. And now that I've finished my card, the call of the tropics is louder and much more clear. (sigh)

In the meantime, enjoy the Spring weather for those of you in the Northern hemisphere. For those of you down under, enjoy the Autumn in all its glory!

Challenges I am Entering:
 Crafts Galore Encore - Always Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenges - Anything Goes w/patterned paper
DigiStamps4Joy - Bright Colors
Love to Craft - Anything Goes
Naughty or Nice-  Choose a past challenge (Nice #15 Friend)

Friends Outshine a Dreary Day

I am well on my way to building a healthy stash of Thank You cards. My latest features an image from Lizzie Love, creator and owner of Oddball Art. I have a handful of images from her store and plan on adding to my "inventory." as I love Lizzy Love and her  girls!
I just discovered her challenge blog, and while my card doesn't conform to this month's challenge,it is optional, so I just had to show this one off. My image is called Image 12 (I think I may need to talk to Lizzie about giving her girls real names - don't you think this one would be nice if called "Sitting Pretty?).
Anyway, I plunged my hands into my stash, and came upon this embossed flower frame, which I gently swiped with a burnt orange stamp pad. I had in mind the metallic orange paper for the background, so then I colored my girl with Copics, placed her onto the metallic paper and framed her with the die-cut.
The color of the framed paper didn't go well with my other vivid color, so I used adhesive-backed jewels to give her a shiny showcase. Since she's looking off to the side, I gave her something to focus on, my butterfly, and then adhered to entire scene to yellow glitter paper for the background.
My sentiment came from a card kit (long pulled apart) and colored up to go with my color scheme. I don't normally like to use orange and yellow, especially together, but I like the pairing on my card. How about you?

Challenges I am Entering:

Oddball Stamps - optional Messy & Sketchy

Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes

Dream Valley - Dry Embossing

Get Creative - No Patterned Papers

Addicted to Stamps - Thank You

Sasayaki Glitter Sponsoring Your Scrapbook Place - No Fooling!

Happy Easter, crafters! And for those of you with a touch of the devil in them, Happy April Fools' Day! Today starts a new challenge at Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog. One of my favorite Designers is sponsoring this month's challenge - Sasayaki Glitter!
I got to play with this cute image called Ellie the Dancing Elephant. As I am trying to build up my stash of thank you cards, I thought this would make the grade. After coloring Ellie with Copics, I popped her onto a wooden scalloped frame painted with olive green acrylic paint. A scallop die-cut circle frames that, and both go onto patterned papers. I found  my sentiment in my stash (along with everything else this card was created with), and finished the card off with a couple jewels and a sweet butterfly so ellie wouldn't get lonely.
You have all month to create and link up your project at Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog, where one lucky winner will receive a prize from this month's sponsor, Sasayaki Glitter.

Good luck and enjoy the day!

Challenges I am Entering:

Brown Sugar - Spring or Easter (Spring)

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes

SumMoreFun - Mood Board (I was inspired by the delicious pastels in the photos)

Appreciation is the Theme at the Pth of Positivity Challenge Blog

November is a month in which Autumn is in full swing in the northern hemisphere, with cold winds briskly blowing the fallen leaves as if sweeping clean the sidewalks of summer's bounty. It is also the month to be aware of everything in your life, appreciating what you have, where it came from and how you can share your own bounty.

November is the month in which we delve deeply in thanksgiving, and what is appreciation without acknowledging it with gratitude and good deeds. In fact, William Arthur Ward said, "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

With that in mind, the Path of Positivity asks you to show us your cards and projects that follow the challenge theme of Appreciation. A simple thank you card, a holiday gift for a neighbor, something that shows you are aware of something or someone whom you appreciate.

I created a digital card to thank the many veterans who have served their country. I am a veteran myself, as is my husband, and our medical needs are met through the local VA Hospital. I will be printing up my card and leaving them everywhere for patients during November as a reminder that their time, their courage and their commitment is appreciated, no matter when or where or how they served.

I used two kits from Kitten Scraps, one of two sponsors this month. The kits are "Patriotic Kids" and "This Year Boy November Papers." 

Kitten Scraps (KS) 

Bio:

My name is Nathalie and I design under the name of Kitten Scraps. Check out her blog and Facebook page which offer layout ideas and the occasionally freebie. While you're there, stop by her store to check out the latest kits, CU items and SVG Files.

Blog Link:  http://www.kittenscraps.com/blog/

Store Link: http://www.kittenscraps.com/store/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Kittenscraps-252473318242218/

Our second generous sponsor is A Day for Daisies:

A Day for Daisies (ADFD)

Bio:  
A Day For Daisies provides themed categories of over 3000 digital illustrations and a fast growing line of new clear polymer stamp sets, including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions!

WEBSITE: www.adayfordaisies.com

BLOG: http://adayfordaisies.blogspot.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Day-For Daisies/142905905744876?ref=ts 

ETSY: http://www.etsy.com/shop/adayfordaisies 

How will you show your appreciation this month? The Path of Positivity would love to see and hear what you create!

The Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenges Us to Brighten Someone's Day

There's not a week that goes by that I can't think of someone who needs a pick-me-up, something that will brighten their day. So I was very happy to see the newest challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week. To brighten someone's day is to share with them your happiness, to lend them your smile, to give them hope.
My DT make this week is a Thank You card for one of the many caring and supportive staff at the VA Hines Hospital. My husband and I are veterans, and with me getting laid off, and my husband being handicapped now, we are spending one to two days a week at one appointment or another. We have yet to experience a "bad day" or discourteous staff member.
My card features a digital image from Sheepski Designs, this week's sponsor over at the Outlawz Greetings challenge. They are offering a prize of a $10 gift card toward a purchase at their Etsy Shop.

The image I used is called Annabell.  I colored her with Copics and colored up a little scene for her before framing and then placing her on my card. I embellished simply with Skittles and a K&Co sticker. My sentiment is on the acrylic heart I tied onto my card with some organza ribbon.

What will you create to brighten someone's day? A birthday card, a Thank You note, a funny note  card  that will  make him or her laugh out  loud? Whatever you create, remember to link up with the Outlawz Monday Greetings  challenge for your chance to win that Sheepski Designs gift card!

Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - Lots of Layers

Ooh La La Creations - Anything Goes

Left of Center challenges - Butterfly

Getting Edgy at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge

Good morning, crafters! I thought I would create a card that embodies my feelings about Mondays. Or rather, how I used to feel about Mondays. Nowadays, I enjoy three-day weekends, AND I publish a couple DT projects on Mondays as well. So, this card is for all your crafters out there who still have to trudge to work on Mondays.
I used a digi image called Original Morning Goddess from Rick St Dennis, who, by the way, is sponsoring this week's challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings this week along with Bugaboo. The new theme for the this week's challenge is to use some edging on your project (along with a greeting or sentiment). I edged my CAS card with both real and faux stitching. I am not usually a lover of white space, so this card may seem "full"  to some, but it was definitely difficult to leave my card this clean and simple. I really like the vivid contrast of black and white on my card.

Challenges I am Entering:

CAS on Sunday - Real stitching  

Come & Get It - Card for a Woman

Since I have those lovely three-day weekends, I was able to create a second inspiration card using a digital image from Bugaboo called Ava Flowers.

For this card, I used adhesive-backed pearls to edge around my card. I colored my image with Copics, and punched a pretty border on my sentiment before backing it with cardstock. Isn't Ava so pretty? I love the Duncan and Ava collection of images that Bugaboo offers.
I hope you'll have time this week to drop in and join us at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge for your chance to win prizes. And have an awesome Monday!!

Challenges I am Entering:
Aud Sentiments - Animals & a Sentiment
Craft Rocket challenges - Pink & Pearlie
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie - Photo Inspiration

Crafting by Design - Anything Goes

Mod Squad - April Showers Bring May Flowers

Deep Ocean Challenge blog - Flowers Everywhere

Firdt Challenge of the New Year at the Outlawz Monday Greetings

Happy New Year, crafters! The Outlawz Monday greetings challenge blog welcomes you into the New Year with a New Challenge. We want to see a TREE somewhere on your card. Now, don't get the chainsaw out! LOL Just create a car with a tree in the patterned paper, in the background, hand drawn, or maybe even an image of a tree.
This week's sponsor is Kitty Bee Designs,

and I've used the digi image called Owl. My trees are part of the patterned paper from the Green Stack by DCWV. I had this last piece left in my stash. I was very good in 2015 with using my stash up, and not purchasing any new papers. Unfortunately, I must extend my purchase ban this year as my stash is pretty hefty--still!! Did I say I was a paper-holic? Too true!
In fact, everything on my card is from my stash. The only thing new is the digital image. Which leads me to a very important question--did you receive any crafti-licious presents this Christmas? I received a roll of baby pink vinyl for my Cricket machine, and in fact, I was gifted with the "other" half of the Cricket. My DIL and I went in together to buy one to share, but she released her half to me for a wonderful gift (this is in addition to the awesome grandson she gave me earlier in the year LOL).
Whatever you received, or didn't receive, I hope you have fun crafting this year, and link up a project or card with the Outlawz Monday Greetings this week!

Girly and Lacy Thank You Card

A new place opened up in our local mall. It's called "Nothing Bundt Cakes." They offer about a dozen different flavors of bundt cakes in four different sizes. I have tried six of them-they are delish!
The owner, Cindy, donated a few plates of bundt-zinis for a meeting my office was hosting, and to thank her, I made this card.  I used Cupcake Anya, coloring her with Copics. The background is a piece of leftover patterned paper, and I embellished with flowers, feathers, sequins, Stickles and lace.
I am entering my card in Love To Create challenge blog. Their theme is to make a card or project that is

 GIRLY AND LACEY

I think my card qualifies, don't you? LOL

I'm bringing it to the store tomorrow, along with my daughter and granddaughter. I have a feeling they'll want to choose their own dessert.





Thank You Theme at Outlawz Greetings Challenge

Have you entered the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week? It's all about gratitude, and everyone always needs a few extra Thank You cards! I made mine in my fave color combo of teal and pink, using a Meljen's digi image called Bunny Cupcake. Meljen's just happens to be this week's guest sponsor!!
I used an embossed card front that I distressed to bring out the white core of my card stock. I also used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Patina to color a paper doily. My image is colored with Copics (V000,G000,Y11,YG03,R29) and Spectrum Noir (PL1).
At some point in my crafting life I stamped a whole lotta Thank You's and circle-punched them. Well, the last time I cleaned my craft room I found my stash of these little gems, and popped one on my card after framing it with scallop circle-punched cardstock. A few punched pink hearts finish my card.
I printed up a whole sheet of Meljen's Bunny Cupcake so I think I'll get a headstart on my stash of Thank you cards this week.  How about you? Create a card and enter to win at Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge this week!

First Squigglefly Challenge of the New Year

The first challenge of the year has a THANK YOU theme.  Gets you started on all those Thank You cards you need to send out for those fabulous presents!  My card features a Cheryl Alger image called "Blinkie's Snowday Dreaming", and was just released by Squigglefly on January 5!!
I colored my image with Copics, tore some glitter paper for a few banks of snow, and hung a star for Blinkie to ficus on.  Some handmade white "flowersoft" adds a little dimension, even blowing across my framed snowman.  A simple Thank You sentiment finishes off my first card of the year.
So, now that the holidays are 'round the corner, what are you working on?  I had to ruthlessly clean out my craft closet, packing up two bags for trash, 1 bag for Goodwill and a nice container of goodies to swap on my Yahoo Group, Your Scrapbook Place.  And my room is still not finished!!  But I am a lot more organized now, and I can see the top of my desk!
So I am working on two 2013 calendars with a layout for each month (one for me and one for a gift).  I also have a Recipe book that I want to fill up and embellish, to give to my new daughter-in-law, with all my son's fave foods.
Well, I hope you like my card.  Check out all the new Squigglefly releases HERE!  Then go to the Squigglefly Challenge Blog and play for a chance to win free digi's.  And Happy crafting in the new year!!
p.s. (Did you know that Squigglefly has a reward program that is free to join and is a great way to earn free images?  For every $15. you spend you will earn a free image. You can use the free image immediately, or save up and go for a big splurge one day. They never expire. And!!  if you are just now finding out about the rewards program, and you've already purchased images - Squigglefly will credit you any money spent in the current month! Just click the "My Squigglefly" at the top right of the Squigglefly home page).

One Crafter's Trash is Another Crafter's Treasure

At least, that's what the basis was for a challenge I participate in at my Yahoo Group, Your Scrapbook Place!  We were partnered and sent each other the leftovers off our craft table.  I received a lot of leftover papers and a diecut or two, and since I am still in a "thankful" frame of mind, I made a Thank You card!

I was able to use three pieces of patterned papers to attach to a brown cardstock base.  I also cut the wings off a huge diecut bug and presto change-o, they became flourishes!  I added a piece of my own leftover orange border,the sentiment circle, and a bit of leftover lace.  I finished off my card with a tiny piece of ribbon from the swap, and my thank you card, although it is missing a lot of bells and whistles, is done!  And sometimes, it's nice to work without all those bells and whistles--sometimes they get in the way!! LOL
So remember, crafters, waste not, want not!!  Next time you're ready to brush those snippets and strays into the trash can, why don't you package it all up and challenge a friend?