It's Christmas in July at Ike's World Challenge Blog

There's a new theme at Ike's World Challenge Blog, and it's sure to bring cooler thoughts during this hot and humid month. It's "Christmas in July," and I found the perfect digi image in Ike's Store for my DT make. I colored up this cutie called Santa's Beach. It was originally a FREEBIE offered on the challenge blog.

It lends itself very well to a step fold card, so I used a holiday-themed embossed piece of cardstock for my background. I popped my fussy-cut image onto the middle "step" , leaving the front to showcase my sentiment.

A funny story about this card: the only reason I created this folded card was because I messed up when I colored the sky. I hated it, so I fussy-cut the sky off. In looking for a nice piece of patterned paper for the background, I came up with the step fold card idea. Another twist was the sentiment. It's actually from a tag I had made previously. The original sentiment was impossible to print, because I ran out of ink!! My first sentiment would have been:

"Now we know why Santa is so pink-cheeked and jolly"

Have you ever created something that started out differently than you planned, whether from a mistake, a missing embellishment or an overactive scissors? Several of my best cards have been through accidents that I covered up or changed a design to conform with what I was left with. I just wanted to know if I was the only one, or if there are more imperfect crafters out there.

Anyway, pull out those holiday papers and embellishments and create a holiday card for Ike's World Challenge Blog. One random winner will receive a gift certificate with which to plunder her store.

Actually, the DT at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up are on va-cay this month, so I get to showcase any card I want for my DT make there. I think I'll use this one, my perfectly imperfect step fold card from Ike's Art. See you at Ike's World Challenge Blog, and if you have a mind to it, at 12 Months of Christmas blog as well!

Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:
A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Goes
The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge -  Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - The Great Outdoors
Whoopsi Daisy - AG w/optional Christmas in July
Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Must Add Tree (mine happen to be palm trees)
Digi Doodle Studios - Christmas in July
Fabrika Fantasy - Summer (where Santa vacations in the "off-season"

Anything Goes at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Two weeks left for the Anything Goes challenge at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog, and I'm here today with a DT make to inspire you to create and link up for your chance to win free digis of your choice at the Scribbles Store.

My project today combines fluid acrylic painting with a Copic-colored image on a small metal serving tray. I first altered the look of the tray, using various shades of blue and purple, with some white and black mixed in for contrast. Once the paint had dried, I printed and colored a Scribbles Designs image called #833 Blue Police Booth. You should check out the Scribbles Store for some endearing and also hilarious images.

I adhered my image to the tray, then varnished over the whole thing with Liquitex Gloss Varnish. I added the key charm/chain and the bow tie to bring my piece closer to the Doctor, then added stars and jewels to make it shimmer. Although it is definitely showcasing Doctor Who, I couldn't resist the pun in multi-colored letters. For those of you unfamiliar with Dr. Who and/or Spanish, a Tardis is the phone booth "spaceship" the Doctor travels in, and Buenas Tardes translates to Good Afternoon.

Don't you just love puns?? I do!! So the sky's the limit at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog where the theme for the next two weeks is ANYTHING GOES. That means any type of project, so open your heart to your muse and create art. Just don't forget to link up with the main Scribbles blog for your chance to WIN digi images of your choice from the Store. Good luck and have fun!