Romantic Voyage Sets Tone for QKD November New Release

Owl & the Pussycat by Shona MacDonald

The Owl and The Pussycat was recently voted England's favorite children’s poem. “Nonsense is the breath of my nostrils,” Edward Lear once wrote, and his joy in absurdity reflected his whole approach to “this ludicrously whirligig life which one suffers first & laughs at afterwards.”  (http://nonsenselit.wordpress.com/). 
When I saw the new QKD November release stamp "Owl & the Pussycat"by Shona MacDonald, it brought me back to my childhood days of reading poetry.  I was an avid reader, often hiding out on the back porch at my cousin's house because that's where he kept his Hardy Boys books.  (I had already read my Nancy Drew collection twice by then.)  I loved to read almost anything, latching onto Charles Dickens as often as I read Robert Heinlein, but my favorite read has always been poetry. To give you a little ambience to my card, let me introduce you to this unlikely couple:                   
                                 "The owl and the pussy-cat went to sea
                                         In a beautiful pea green boat
                                 They took some honey, and plenty of money
                                        Wrapped up in a five pound note.
                                 The Owl looked up to the stars above,
                                        And sang to a small guitar,
                                 'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
                                       What a beautiful Pussy you are..."
After coloring my image with Copics too numerous to list, I glitzed it with a little Liquid Glass and some Stickles.  I couldn't decided on the background paper, so I pretty much tossed all my pieces onto the card until I was happy, cutting out some details from another piece of paper like the spoon (please don't ask me why) and the clock.  The image brought about  childhood memories so I added the vintage baby and kept adding embellishments until it was time to go to bed.
Since I discovered that Edward Lear left an unfinished sequel to his famous poem, about the many children this odd couple had had after getting married, I thought my sentiment fit well on the card.
Queen Kat Designs has so many lovely stamps that will bring out the child in you, too.  And don't forget that this month, until the 19th of november, they are having a birthday bash with fun, games, prizes and inspiration every day.  You can check out all the lovely events HERE.

Tickle My Fancy at Squigglefly This Week



Doggone Pizza Chef digi-image

 Hi, crafters!  I have a few wonderful, new digi images from Squigglefly, and wanted to use one at the Squigglefly Challenge Blog.  So here’s my entry for the Tickle My Fancy Challenge this week.   Their challenge asks for a funny image or a funny sentiment with a serious image and make them laugh.

I used Doggone Pizza Chef digi image on my card.  Now, I think losing your freshly-made pizza to a hungry dog is bad enough, but when the dog complains about his “free meal”, then you gotta see the humor in the situation!

I colored the image with my trusty Copics (as always), and used a corner of a sheet of decorative computer paper as my background pattern.  I then made up the words in the bubble over the dog, “I said NO MUSHROOMS!  Now I’m gonna have to RUFF you up!” 

A very simple, easy card, once you get past making up a silly line to go with the image!  And now it’s your turn.  Just use a Squigglefly image and make a funny card for your chance to win this week.  If you don’t have a Squigglefly image, click HERE for freebies.

Have fun, and keep crafting!  Leave some love if I made you smile!

Counting My Blessings for the Hambo Challenge

SnailRake digi-image

It’s time to count your blessings, and I have so many things for which to be grateful, they’re like the leaves falling from the trees this week—so many, so different from each other, so beautiful—that I couldn’t resist making a Gratitude Box with my newest Hambo digi-image, Snail Rake.

Hambo’s challenge this week is to use this image (or any Hambo image) and a project that can be found at Splitcoast Stampers Resources page;  click HERE for some inspiration.

I loved the Altered Paint Can Project, so using the empty baby formula can I had on hand (don’t ask me why, my youngest is a Junior in high school), I covered the can with leaf-printed patterned paper.  I snagged a package of foam leaves and popped it onto a circular base, then cut a hole in the top.  

I printed my digi-image twice, once on white cardstock and once on patterned paper, then pieced them together, using the patterned paper for the snail’s shell.  I colored the rest of my image with Copics.  Before adhering the Hambo image to the can, I added a strip of lace to the top, then used dimensional dots for my image.  

Now I’m ready to start writing the things I am most thankful for.   I figure if I only write one a day, the can should be full by November 30!  Today I am thankful for the Hambo Hoedown, and Hambo Stamps' generosity in giving challenge payers a free digi every time they play! 

Only 51 Crafting Days Until Christmas

Christmas Magic from Crafter's Companion

I almost said shopping days, but when we're crafters, sometimes we can make much better than we can ever buy!  So today I made an Advent calendar for my granddaughter.  She visits us every weekend, so she gets to open up several drawers in a two day period.  What does that mean to me?  Not too much candy, just lots of stickers and other surprises.  Don't want her jumping on the walls, now, do I? LOL
I was asked to be a guest designer over at Crafter's Companion, so I wanted to showcase not only one of their marvelous stamp sets, but also one of the many projects that can be made with their Ultimate Crafter's Tool.
The Advent Calendar is a project presented on their Advanced Construction Techniques DVD, and the stamp set I used is from the Cute Companions Collection, called Christmas Magic.  I used the Ultimate Tool to make all the drawers, sliders and bases for the calendar.I used buttons for the drawer pulls, sticker numbers for each drawer, and embellishments from my stash of Christmas leftovers on each of the four sides.  

I topped my Advent Calendar with an easel card, which is also super easy to make with the Ultimate Tool.  I chose images  from “Christmas Magic” and made a snow globe.  I wanted my snow globe to crown my card, so that when it is open and standing up, the snow globe is not propped up against a paper background, so I adhered just the bottom of it just below the fold line on the front of the card.  Snowflakes that I punched from white cardstock adorn the patterned paper.  I used one of the two sentiments that are in the set: “May the Magic of Christmas by yours”.

Crafter's Companion has a new challenge for November.  It is to make a card or project that celebrates a holiday.  My Advent Calendar fits right into the challenge.  So hop on over to their blog and play!!

It's Time to PAR-TAY with the Queen Kat Designs Blog Hop

Happy Birthday, Queen Kat Designs!  And to kick off the 19 day celebration, you are on your way along the Royal Court Blog Hop!!  I hope all my crafting friends can visit today, leave a little love and check out what everyone else is up to on this first day of parties, prizes, inspiration and fun.
I made a special birthday easel card with QKD's Birthday Set by Lisa Cree.  Easel cards are my newest fave card to make, because they are so simple to create, and they make a pretty presentation.  I love that, with the card closed, you can place the first part of a two-part sentiment, and then the recipient can't read the second part until you open the card and stand it up.
I colored my images with Copics, and placed some google eyes on the birthday boy.  You can't tell from the poto, but I used Liquid Glass, as well as Stickles to add some shine to the balloon and the cake.  How about that cake?!  The frostings are banana, strawberry and vanilla.  My sugar levels are already rising, just thinking about that sweet treat!
Now you can hop on over to JAN'S BLOG for another treat.  AND don't forget to attend the main event on FACEBOOK, where all the goodies will be given out!  There will be Challenges with Prizes, Daily Giveaways, Contests, a Sweepstakes Giveaway and LOTS MORE!!
Come and celebrate with QKD and our fabulous artists. There's NO set time to come. It's all online! Come in your jammies, bring your hot chocolate and get ready for 19 days of fun!!
If you lose yourself in the blog, go back to the QKD Blog for the blog order and links!  Have fun and happy crafting!

Breaking News

Hambo Hoedown has another cxhallenge, another chance for you to receive a free digi image when you play!  This week the challenge is to use Newscaster digi image (or any other Hambo image) and incorporate newspaper on your creation.

Growing up, my parents always gave us kids the comics to read while they went through the meatier oart of the paper.  My sister and I loved to read Peanuts, so I used Peanuts patterned paper for that comic page look, and filled in some of the bubbles.

My card is an easel card.  When closed, just the part you see standing up is shown.  When you open it, that part rests against the sentiment on the bottom half, forming an easel out of the card.
So when my sister, whose birthday is coming up, opens the card, she gets to see the first part of the message, "This just in" and then opens the card for the rest of the message "You're having a birthday!"

I printed my image twice and used both for a little dimension.  I colored him with Copics, my ink of choice these days, and cut him out, placing him on the cover just under a bubble that I placed one of the sentiments you get when you buy this terrific digi.  The other sentiment was framed in black cardstock.  There are two more sentiments that come with Newscaster, for a total of FOUR sentiments---great deal!!  and you can find him HERE.

Have fun at the Hoedown this week!

Halloween Mojo Inspired by Queen Kat Designs

My Halloween mojo is really cranking out some projects!  Today I’m making Halloween candles for party decorations using images from Queen Kat Design's Witch Sisters stamp set by Marlon T...

Which reminds me of the time when Kitty and Batty were just learning their spells and almost set the whole town on fire.  Kitty and Batty (my names for them) are stamps from the Queen Kat Designs October release stamp set called Witch Sisters by Marlon T. 
Well, Kitty was reading spells out of the big book left to them by their great, great grandmother.  Batty was only half listening, as she had her eye on the last chocolate chip cookie on the plate.  Did I mention Batty loved chocolate chip cookies?
Suddenly, Kitty snapped the book with a bang and jumped from her perch on the arm of the couch.  “Let’s try it!” she exclaimed.  Batty didn’t want to appear inattentive (again) so she jumped up with her sister and agreed, to what she had no idea!
Kitty set about gathering up leaves and cinnamon and ashes from the fireplace while Batty pulled out the battered cauldron from under the stairs and took it outside.  Kitty filled it with the materials she had gathered, held Batty’s hands in hers and whispered to her that it was time to close their eyes and recite the words to the spell.
Since Batty had been accused many times of not paying attention, she just closed her eyes and whispered words that she thought sounded “magical” and that rhymed rather nicely.
When a wave of heat blasted her in the face, she opened her eyes to see a jet of fire pouring out of the cauldron!
Kitty was running around the fire, exclaiming that this was NOT supposed to be so large and waving her arms about in a helpless fashion.  So Batty did the only thing she could think of to help---she kicked the cauldron over and…
It started to roll down the front yard and into the street and straight down toward town (cauldrons are a bit rounded on their bottoms, you know).
Well, that shook Kitty right out of her useless circling.  She hopped onto her broom and flew straight up to the sky.  Meanwhile, poor Batty had gone running after the cauldron in hopes of catching it.  Just before it bounced into the vicar’s fence, the cauldron caught a draft (steered along by Kitty and a helpful cloud) and veered right into the town well, where the fire was drowned in a hiss of steam and slightly orange smoke.
No one but the vicar saw the cauldron nearly miss his fence and steam up at the well, and he never alluded to it (and who would believe him?), but from that day forward he always kept an eye out for the two Witch Sisters.

Oops, I got sidetracked there, back to my Halloween candles.  I stamped and colored my images onto mulberry paper (tissue paper works just as well, just has less dimension).  I used both witch sisters and three different sentiments, and each candle will be either green, orange or purple.  I tore my mulberry paper to fit the pillar candles I bought and then cut a piece of wax paper the size of the candle.  I placed first my paper on the candle, then the wax paper over it.  Holding it tightly to the candle, I used my heat gun to heat up  the wax and seal the paper onto the candle.  I don’t know if you can tell from the photo, but when finished, the candle looks like the paper and image are beneath the wax.  To finish off the candle, I added adhesive-backed beads to the bottom.  I’m making about a dozen of these to help set a festive table come the Halloween party.

The Witch Sisters stamp set by Marlon T comes with a variety various bewitching sentiments like the ones I used on today’s project.  They are a great addition to all crafters who like to stamp some fun this Halloween, and can be found HERE.

Don't forget the 5th birthday celebration over at QKD on Facebook.  Lots of surprises and fun for all!  Click HERE to RSVP.