Summer Lovin' at Scribbles Designs

 Following the challenge theme of Sizzling Summer over at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog, I created a set of coasters. To keep them together and organized, I colored up a Scribbles Designs image called Farrah Flamingo. She is one of my favorite characters in the Scribbles Designs Store.  I used apiece of patterned paper from Hobby Lobby (I had to dig deep for this one- my Hobby Lobby store closed several years ago). After using Mod Podge to initially adhere the paper to the paper coasters, I sealed them with Liquitex Gloss Varnish so that they would be water-resistant for those hot summer days when I want to put down my iced tea (or Sangria, Mudslides or Frozen Margaritas,  etc.).

Once I had four coasters, I used a piece of ribbon and hot glued my Scribbles image, colored with Copics and embellished with jewels, onto the ribbon. The coasters fit into the ribbon and I have a pretty way to show off  my coasters, as well as use them.

Even in the summer, I still drink my morning tea, and I can use my new coasters for my mug of caffeine as well!
Remember, the theme at Scribbles Designs is always Anything Goes, but if you choose to  follow that option, you have a chance of getting your project in the Scribblers Hall of Fame. Winners there have a chance to win $10 worth of digis from the Scribbles Store. Just don't forget to link up your project with the main blog!

Challenges I am Entering:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies- Anything Goes w/a critter

Bleeding  Art -Anything mixed media, altered art, etc.Goes

Happy Craft - Anything Goes

Sheepski Designs - Animal Madness

Sweet Stampers - Summer

Last Chance to Join the Christmas in July Celebration at Bugaboo

Day 7 of the Bugaboo Stamps Christmas in July challenge is finally here, which means this is the last challenge of the celebration. I have had loads of fun this last week, been inspired to stretch my comfort zone, added to my Christmas card stash, and have a chance at winning some awesome prizes!

The challenge today is photo inspiration, shown below, AND using the Friday Freebie at the Catch the Bug challenge blog  The movie offered to inspire crafters is "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer."

I created a pop-up card, with the pop-up inside it. The Friday Freebie is called Reindeer Trio" and can be found on the main blog. I think that I used all the colors offered in the inspiration photo! LOL  The image is colored with Copics and I had my way with the embellishments. AND everything came from my stash. Besides adhesives and Copic ink refills, I haven't bought anything new this year. Oh, wait! I just placed an order with Scrapbooking Made Simple during their annual The Shop That Did Not Hop clearance sale!! Oh well, I haven't got that order in yet, and not likely to for another couple months!
Anyway, after building up my card front with patterned  papers, I colored up my image, adding a geometric background behind Rudolph and his cohorts. I cut several large Christmas light bulbs, 2 of which are on the front with a bow at their tops. I added sparkly snowflakes to the flakes already printed on my paper.

Inside my card, I created pop-ups, using the rest of my die-cut Christmas lights and (because I cut too few) a small Christmas tree. If you see a tiny pink behind the bulb on the very right, I had to stick a Copic markers behind the bulbs to keep it open so I could take a picture of the inside of my card. I gave my bulbs some dimension by drawing a curved line (of light) on each. I mention this because I re-discovered a fat white alcohol marker in my stash. I absolutely love it and am glad I found it!
Making pop-up cards are fun, but very time-consuming without a template (which I don't have). I am well on my way to reaching my Christmas card goal, thanks to Bugaboo Stamps Christmas in July Challenge. I hope you've joined in the fun. Good luck ad happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Catch the Bug - Day 7
Crafting by Designs - Getting Ready for Christmas
AS You Like It - Favorite Bird or Beast (I chose the reindeer, as it is a symbol of Christmas, and I do love Christmas!)
Cute & Crafty - Anything Christmas/Winter Goes
CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything pp  Goes
Merry Little Christmas - Anything Goes

Bugaboo Celebrates Christmas in July with Prizes/Presents

Day 6 of the Bugaboo Stamps Week-long Christmas in July Challenge is here. That means there's only one day left to create and get all your projects linked to Catch the Bug challenge blog for your chance to win a multitude of prizes!

Today's challenge theme is the photo below and the movie "White Christmas". 

For today's card, I used a Bugaboo image called MIS Snowman Trio (just click on the link and it will take you to the Bugaboo Store). Between the hope for snow in the movie "White Christmas" and the snow in the photo, I was inspired to use my homemade "Faux Snow." It's easy to make: just rub two balls of Styrofoam together and gather the "flakes".
So besides the snow family and the border of faux snow, I couldn't resist throwing on a few sparkly snowflakes.  I really do like a white Christmas, but haven't seen one for several years.It either snows before Christmas and melts, or after Christmas when I want to get out for all the after-Christmas sales! LOL
Don't forget to check out the Christmas in July challenge over at Catch the Bug!

Challenges I am Entering:

Imagine That! - Anything Goes
Shopping our Stash - Christmas!
Always Fun- Mood Board

CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything PP Goes
Happy Craft - Anything Goes
Catch the Bug - Day 6

Christmas (Cards) in July

Have you checked out the Bugaboo Stamps week-long Christmas in July challenge? Each day for 1 week crafters are offered a different theme based on Christmas movies and sometimes other parameters. I am up to Day 5 of the challenge, whose theme is below:

I was inspired to create a card by the movie Christmas Vacation. I wonder, does Santa ever take a vacation? If he did, I think it would be 1) by his lonesome, far away from his busy little elves and calorie-counting wife, and 2) a place that would defrost his red nose and make him jolly (that would be the margaritas, I'm sure).

Well, in my mind, Santa is thoroughly enjoying his well-deserved vacation. I used a Bugaboo image called Tropical Santa Buried. For my card's background, I used a photo taken by my daughter-in-law, Cami (Camille T Photography). My greeting was created from 2 mini Holiday cards from Tim Holtz. My sentiment, shown on the inside of the card, is below:

All my papers are pieces left over from other projects. I even had a short strip of jewels to make a border on my image. For embellishments, I glued on a couple teeny tiny seashells, that strip of bling and (this should make you laugh) a holiday earring whose mate had gone missing! That's right, crafters, if I lose an earring or break a bracelet, the remainder goes into my stash.
Just look at the big guy. Doesn't he look like he's enjoying soaking up the sun? I say, if you can afford a tropical vacation, go for it! So if YOU could afford a vacation, where would you like to go? I'm actually taking a trip to Germany in the Fall to see my sister, who married a German national and is living in Berlin. Ich kann es kaum erwarten, sie zu besuchen (I can't wait to visit her, but you probably figured that one out already).
Look at all the lovely prizes up for grabs at Catch the Bug challenge blog. Good luck and happy crafting:

PRIZES:

1st Place - 7 Free per month for 6 months ($126 value) Must Participate in all Challenges

Free Bugaboo Christmas in July images

4 month Guest Designer Term

2nd Place - Must Participate in all Challenges

$50 Gift Certificate

Free Bugaboo Christmas in July images

3 month Guest Designer Term

3rd Place – Must Participate in all Challenges

$25 Gift Certificate

Free Bugaboo Christmas in July images

2 month Guest Designer Term

Daily Challenge Winners-

Our Normal 10, 7, 4 image winners daily!

Christmas in July Image Freebies—Daily Winner 

**Exclusive Christmas in July Freebie Set**
(will be in store for sale July 23rd)

Challenges I am Entering:
Catch the bug - Day 5
World Wide Open Design Team - Anything Goes
Creative Crafters - Anything Goes
Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Christmas in July - Get a Headstart

Trying to beat the heat this month? Try challenging yourself to create a card or project for Christmas. That's right, Christmas (card-making) in July! Bugaboo Stamps is celebrating with a 7-day Christmas in July challenge, and today is Day 4 - a movie and BINGO-inspired theme.

I created my card by choosing the middle horizontal line as my inspiration, while keeping the holiday movie "Elf" in mind. I used a Bugaboo image called Christmas Girl 3, coloring her with Copics before popping it onto my 3-sided Christmas Ornament.. After putting the ornament together, I popped my elf onto one of the sides, using Stickles on her hair and her hat's white fur. With her is my handmade signpost. I don't know what Santa's elf turnover is, but I'm sure as the amount of toys needed for Christmas increases, so will his overhead, hence the Help Wanted sign!

On the second side, I popped a die-cut Christmas present, embellished with a few strands of floral decorations (lots of sparkle there). By the way, the line of gold sequins goes around all 3 sides of the ornament.

My 3rd side is of another die-cut present. I don't know if you can see it, but I popped a red jingle bell inside the ornament to add to the music from the 2 hanging jingle bells.

Here's a close-up of the Bugaboo Stamps image I used to create this sparkly handmade pyramid ornament.

Challenges I am Entering:
Catch the Bug - Day 4

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas Goes

ABC Christmas - N is for No Peeking/O is for Ornament

Sweet Stampin' Christmas - Anything Goes/optional Christmas in the Sun

Christmas in July at Bugaboo Stamps - Day 2Another

Day 2 of Bugaboo Stamps' Christmas in July celebration offers a sketch challenge AND a holiday movie to inspire crafters to create.

The movie is called "Jingle All the Way" so my card's sentiment inside reads:

The image I used is Bugaboo Stamps' "Crabby Catmas". I colored my kitty with Copics, colored in a double oval frame and placed it to match the sketch provided. A short line of pearls on the edge at top and bottom finishes off my card.

The movie's story line is of a dad who, forgetting to pick up the toy his son wanted for Christmas, is forced to try to find it on Christmas Eve (along with hundreds of other parents). I remember the year Tickle Me Elmo was THE toy for Christmas. I was lucky to pick one up on Black Friday, before the demand for Elmo reached its peak. My daughter was thrilled!

That's it for now. I'm running behind on my cards for this special Bugaboo challenge, so good luck if you plan to enter, and happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering

Catch the Bug - Day 3

Crafting by Designs - Ready for Christmas?

Crafty Gals Corner - Christmas in July

Show Us Your Pussycats - Furrything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Animal Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Animal Goes

Craftyhazelnut's patterned paper - Anything using pp Goes

CCC Digi Creations - Christmas in July

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

Sheepski Designs - Early Christmas/Winter

The 12 Months of Christmas - AG + Optional PLAID

My Crafting Corner - Christmas in July

Christmas in July at Bugaboo Stamps

It's Day 3 of the Christmas in July Bugaboo Stamps challenge, offering an ABC challenge (as in Anything But a Card) and the Christmas movie "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town."

Today I created a Holiday Card Folder for keeping track of mailing out my cards. In the folder will go my address list, with a check box for when I send out my cards. Altogether, I've made a set of four folders so that I can share them with my mom and sisters.
Do you still mail out cards, or do you give your handmade cards out in person to family and friends? Here in the US, a single stamp for an A2 sized card is 50 cents, which the Post Office is planning to increase soon. I do mail out holiday cards, but my list is much shorter, saved for family and friends living out of state (or country).

Anyway, I found a tutorial for creating my folders on YouTube. The folder uses a double-sided 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper/cardstock. I colored up a digi image from Bugaboo called Candy Cane Charlie, and printed up a Christmas sentiment as well as a heading for the folder.

Inside I've put a few cards and my mailing list. Oops, I see I forgot to add stamps and envelopes! That way they are all in one place so I can get the cards out by Thanksgiving. I've even started shopping for presents, which is easy this year. I got a new credit card that offered a ton of bonus points. I'm using them to purchase gift cards for everyone on my list!
I hope you'll join in the fun at Bugaboo Stamps' Christmas in July celebration. There are a lot of cool prizes offered:

PRIZES:

1st Place - 7 Free per month for 6 months ($126 value) Must Participate in all Challenges

Free Bugaboo Christmas in July images

4 month Guest Designer Term

2nd Place - Must Participate in all Challenges

$50 Gift Certificate

Free Bugaboo Christmas in July images

3 month Guest Designer Term

3rd Place – Must Participate in all Challenges

$25 Gift Certificate

Free Bugaboo Christmas in July images

2 month Guest Designer Term

Daily Challenge Winners-

Our Normal 10, 7, 4 image winners daily!

Christmas in July Image Freebies—Daily Winner 

**Exclusive Christmas in July Freebie Set**
(will be in store for sale July 23rd)

Good luck and happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Little Red Wagon - Dog Days of Summer (Christmas in July)

Shopping Our Stash - Christmas in July

Animal Friends - dir Hunde (Dogs)

Christmas Crafts All Year 'round - Gifts NOT Cards (card Mail Out Folders)

Crafter's Cafe - Animal or ATC (Dog)