QKD + Tim Holtz' Techniques = A Stunning Tag

I was playing with some new Tim Holtz supplies I received from crafting friends on my crafting Yahoo group,  Your Scrapbook Place.  I thought I could make something that would make a great venue for this QKD image by artist Kathy Cyr.  It's called "New Dress" and is so versatile for all kinds of cards!  As you can see, I used her to make a tag.

I colored her with my trusty Copics, in addition to a set of Black Spectrum Noir markers.  I Stickled her hair to put a little edge on her soft look.  She is available at the QKD Shoppe as a new May release, along with several other artists' images.  Did you hear?  QKD has expanded their line to include digi's as well as rubber!!  Now they offer the best of both worlds!  And do you know what's so great about Queen Kat Designs' stamps and digi's?  They are a perfect fit for crafters who love Tim Holtz' style!!  Go check out all the wonderful images at the Shoppe today!

The tag is full of Tim's amazing techniques--distress inks, collage design, embossed base, etc--and was so much fun to play with.  You can go to Pinterest and a lot of other sites to see how he makes all the amazing things he does.  I inked an embossed tag as a base, adding some ink-distressed pieces of stamped images from the Tim Holtz line and popping them onto the tag.  Besides the lace, twine and gold charm, I used a metal embellishment to attach a wired bead onto the clock face, and added an Ideaology that reads "live the life you've imagined."

And do you know what's so great about Queen Kat Designs' stamps and digi's?  They are a perfect fit for crafters who love sTom Holtz' style!!  Go check out all the wonderful images at the Shoppe today!

A-ROUND the Craft Room with Squigglefly

Bet you can't guess this week's challenge over at Squigglefly Challenge Blog?!  It's in the title--ROUND.  This week we're asked to make a card or project using a Squigglefly image and rounded corners.
This was difficult for me, since I found out today that I lost my corner rounder punch!  So don't look too closely at those hand-cut corners-LOL!

For my Squigglefly image, I used a May release from artist Dawn Collins called "Have a Mice Day."  The image actually comes framed with the sentiment inside the frame, but for this card I printed and colored 2 images and cut the sentiment apart from the images.  I used two so that I could cut out the mice and make a longer picture with them.

I framed this in black card stock that I border punched.  The orange card stock base is covered with two pieces of leftover patterned papers from my stash, and a strip of textured card stock that I distressed, then embellished with a strip of jewels.

I framed the sentiment with a paint chip and popped it onto my card.  Then I embellished with a flower and one tiny "stalk" of pearl thingies (does anyone actually know what they're called?) from the wedding aisle of Hobby Lobby.

Hope I've inspired you to join in the Squigglefly challenge this week!  Free digi's to one lucky winner!!  Don't forget to grab some freebies to play along with at the Squigglefly shop.  have a great week!

Another Father's Day Card

I was challenged this week to make a shaker box card, AND to "Man Up" for the Squigglefly Challenge blog, so I merged the two requirements into one card!

The digi image is a May release from Squigglefly called Mad Hatter by artist Daphne van der Zandem.  I colored him with my trusty Copics and then fussy cut him out.

Then I used some Stampin Up circle dimensional tape to make my shaker box.  I have a background stamp of various sizes and styles of clocks, so I used one from which to build my shaker box.  A few foam beads and a piece of acrylic cut to size and my shaker box is part of the inside of my card, with a circular window cut from the card front so it peeks through.

I adhered my Mad Hatter as if he were balancing on the clock (don't you love his bunny slippers?) and hand-penned the sentiment.  The inside finishes off the sentiment "Time to celebrate...a great Dad"  My daughter loves this card and will probably snag it from me to add to his present on Father's Day.

You still have time to join in the Squigglefly challenge this week.  Just use a Squigglefly digi image and follow the theme of a "manly card" for your chance to win!  Good luck, and happy crafting!

Random Acts of Kindness

Or, as they're known by many, RAKs.  A smile here, an opened door there.  Paying for the guy's coffee in the car behind you in drive-through, leaving a handmade card for someone going through a rough time.  All are random, all are appreciated more than anyone will ever know.

I have been peppering a few teachers and staff with RAKs this year.  A few are going through rough times, so I wanted to let them know they aren't alone in their prayers by saying it in cards.  A couple had babies, and I wanted to brighten their day with a handmade gift to cheer their sleep-deprived weeks.  Here is a gift I made for one of the new mommies.

While rummaging for deals at a rummage sale, I found a shadow box with a weird focus, but the frame was sturdy, so I cracked it open and threw the weirdness away.

I covered the back with patterned paper, adding a photo mat.  Then I had fun with a paper piecing, handmade flowers and some baby embellishments.

When I gave it to my teaching friend, she loved it, and immediately thought it would be the perfect place to keepsake her new daughter's hospital wristband.  I put a smile on her face, and on a Monday morning, in her class room!

Now it's your turn.  Do something nice, randomly.  And keep crafting!!

Safe Under Mama's Wings

Today my heart goes out to the victims of the tornadoes that have brought destruction to the midwest, especially yesterday.  Would that we all be safe from harm "Under Mama's Wings", as this QKD image is called by the very talented Sandra Caldwell.

I made a tag card, distressing the background a tad, popping some lace on the bottom for a roosting spot for that poor tired mama, under whose wings her chicks rest peacefully.  A wired swap of beads decorates the top, while sequins are sprinkled across the front.  A simple "Hi" sentiment finishes off my card.

Prayers to all who lost something or someone this weekend, and heartfelt thanks to those heroes who put themselves in harm's way to save their neighbors.

Enjoy the day, crafters!!

Man Up, Crafters!

Time to make a card for the guys, according to this week's challenge at Squigglefly.  Birthday, thank you, and Father's Day cards, whatever you wish.  Just keep it "manly,"

I used a not-so-very-manly digi image by Squigglefly artist Diane Carubia for my challenge card.  It's called "I Just Called to Say".  Just like the song, "I Just Called to Say, I Love You."

This is one for my granddaughter to give to her daddy on Father's Day.  She is five going on sixteen, and a real smartie too.  She's been in private schools for Pre4 and kindergarten because she spent two years at the college daycare and came out of there with a head start on school, but her birthday is just shy of the cut-off for public schools.  So a few weeks ago her mom took her to the local public school and had her tested before registering her, and she was accepted to start first grade in August!!  She is reading and writing already, and will graduate Kindergarten at the end of May.

Okay, enough bragging for one post, grandma, back to my card!  I gave it a color-blocking design, framed the Copic-colored image with black cardstock and stamped the sentiment with a thrift store wood-mounted find.  A few clear acrylic hearts decorate the front.

I hope you find time to play in the Squigglefly Challenge this week.  Don't forget, if you use a Squigglefly image and create with the theme, you have a chance to win free digi's!!  Have fun, and keep crafting!

Under Mama's Wings by Sandra Caldwell

Did everyone enjoy the weekend?  I ran away with my mom and my sisters for a girls' overnight away.  We played Yahtzee and watched movies and had a bunch of fun.  We laughed over memories and made new ones.

I made this card for one of my sisters. Each is a godmother to one of my kids, so I always give them cards as well as my own mom.

Queen Kat Designs released a new image from Sandra Caldwell that was perfect for my Mother's Day card.  It's called "Under Mama's Wings".  That is one tired looking mama bird, but she also looks happy to me, happy to be able to hold and protect two healthy young ones.

I too am happy to have two young adults as my children, one married into a family with a daughter of his own, and the other about to embark on the adventure of her life, graduating from high school next month.

You can always find the perfect images and stamps for whatever you're feeling, whatever you want to say to someone.  Check out the Shoppe for the most fun, funky, fantastical, gorgeous images!! You'll love what you see!