Ringing in a New Challenge at Craft your Passion

Happy New Year, crafters! 2016 brings a new challenge to blog land at Craft your Passion challenge blog. Our sponsor this week is All Dressed Up.

I created a card using the digi image "A Cuddle Makes It All Better." Our family recently added a new member to our household. His name is Wilson. He is 7 years old and we got him from the Buddy Foundation, which rescues dogs from kill shelters. After his first vet visit, we were saddened to learn that he had Lyme Disease, but he's been on antibiotics for two weeks now and we can see a big difference.

Here he is enjoying a nap in his Christmas present, a new bed. He is a Silkie Terrier. He has been easy to train, and will sit, give us paw and stay pretty well. We're in the middle of training him to get in his crate, but we're still at the treat part of his training there. He doesn't often bark, but when he wants to get out for a walk, he lets us know!
Why am I going on about our new family member? My card was inspired by Wilson and I decided that since his cuddles make us all feel better, I would create a Get Well card. What inspires YOU to create? Let me know, as my muse has been spotty this new year, and I could use some new inspiration! In the meantime, have fun creating this week, and link up your project with Craft your Passion for your chance to win!!

The Outlawz Progressive Freebie Challenge

I can't believe that the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge group has finished off its first year! Just 12 months ago, this group wrangled twelve wonderful sponsors to give away a digital image to every crafter who participated the previous month. The group must have given away images to hundreds of crafters around the world!!
Are you one of them? All you have to do is join the Outlawz Network and sign up to join the Progressive Freebie challenge group. And wait until you see who this coming year's sponsors are!
This month, we get to play with a cutie from All Dressed Up called "Happy Christmas Little Star."
I wanted a card I could easily mail so, while I loaded up my card with elements and embellishments, it still remains relatively flat. I started with a handmade flower made with torn pieces of newspaper, then inked and shimmer sprayed it. The Christmas tree is a die-cut, and the star is "glitterized". My border is made up of ribbon and lace.
My dainty little girl is colored with Copics and her wings have been doused in very fine glitter so she is ready to dance with happiness and then fly off should anyone interrupt her.
If you linked up a project with last month's free image, you will receive this one very soon. We love to see what you create. There are so many different styles and designs from just one image. It's very inspiring!
If you're a new player, just go to the All Dressed Up Etsy Shop and purchase her, then create ad link up with us at the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge. You'll receive next month's digi for free, and will continue to receive free digis as long as you create and link up with us.
And as always, crafters, have fun!

Challenges I am Entering:

Pile It On #97 - Red & Green

Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes w/Twist of Christmas

Get Creative challenges - Holidays

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

A Snowflake's Promise - Christmas

Clear It Out challenges - Christmas and stash item (I have held onto some Christmas die-cuts forever, and decided it was time to set them free)

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes 

Get Well Theme This Week at Outlawz Greetings Challenges

I need to get busy making several Get Well cards for the many friends who seem to be feeling off this week. Besides a couple girlfriends with long term illnesses, I have a friend who came down with the flu and could use some cheering up. So I pulled out a lovely image from All Dressed Up called "Little Dreamer."
All Dressed Up has the most delectable images to color and create with, and the Outlawz Greetings challenges is so lucky to have them as one of this month's sponsors. This week, the challenge is to create a Get Well card, and I thought this little dreamer would be perfect to do so.
I cut up a piece of leftover patterned paper from my stash into several smaller pieces, then framed them with dark card stock and moved them around my card front until I liked the arrangement. After coloring her with Copics, I popped Little Dreamer onto the same card stock and adhered her to my card. The sentiment is from a vellum sticker stack from K&Co (also on same card stock.
There wasn't much room to embellish, but I found a space for a couple paper flowers, as well as my butterfly. That should definitely cheer her up, don't you think?
I hope you have some time to create this week. If so, come join us at the Outlawz Greetings Challenges. 

Other Challenges I am Entering:

All Dressed Up _ Anything Goes
Card Mania challenges - #66 Spring

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Crafty Boots - Spring

Crafty Cardmakers -  Spring Has Sprung
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
Mema's Crafts - Anything Goes
Ooh La La challenges - Fashion
Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes
the Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

Show Off Those Ribbons & Bows at the Outlawz Greetings This Week

Today brings a new challenge from the Outlawz Greetings challenges: make a card with Ribbons & Bows (and as always, a sentiment must be on the front). I colored up an image from All Dressed Up, our sponsor this week. She's called Sweetie Pie, so I had to make a sweet card with which to showcase her.
Now, I don't know about your neck of the woods, but here in Chicago, we still have lumpy hills of snow and ice in our yards. So when I saw this little sweetie, I thought she looked like I have been looking for the last week, thinking that Spring would never come!

My card is actually a gate fold card, and the photo above shows off one of the "gates." Here's a photo of the card open. The quote is from a poem/song by Gertrude Tooley Buckingham and reads, "Gentle Spring's around the corner, Waiting just to show her face
And to bring us flowers and sunshine; Winter's almost run its race!"
Like her, I have hope that Winter will soon disappear until next year, and Spring is already working its magic under that frozen blanket.
Got some time to create a card this week? Come play in the Outlawz Greetings challenge, where all you need is a sentiment and some ribbon & bows!
Don't forget to check out all the lovely images over at All Dressed Up! There are some freebies as well, which you can use on their challenge blog.

A New Year Brings a New Challenge from the Outlawz

Today starts another challenge from the Outlawz Freebie/Progressive Challenges. It's their second month of this new challenge, and there are 100 players who registered last month. Those crafters who uploaded their projects throughout December will receive this image from All Dressed Up.
I used mine on a swing card I made using an Elizabeth Craft Designs #768 - Katie Label Pivot Card Die.

Here's an inside view. I printed my image twice, using just the face for the second frame. The sentiment reads: There is no greater treasure than a good friend."
As I look back over the previous year, I am so very grateful for the friends I have. They are my support system, my comedic relief, my therapists and my security blanket. I hope I am as valuable to them as they are to me.
Check out the inspiration cards and projects at the Outlawz Freebie/Progressive Challenges. If you would like to play along throughout the year, but missed your chance when it initially started, you can go to All Dressed Up and purchase this image. Create with it and upload it onto our challenge string and you will be automatically added to the list of players receiving next month's freebie!!

Other challenges I am entering:
SBP Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
As You Like It Challenge Blog - Favorite Shape or Fold  (I have always loved swing cards but found them a little time consuming. One of my Christmas presents was a new die from Elizabeth Designs, making this type of swing card super easy, and from now on, super popular on my blog!)
Frilly & Funky CHallenge Blog - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination Challenge Blog - Always Anything Goes
Mod Squad Challenge Blog - Special Fold
Corrosive Challenge Blog - Shiny & New (I used my brand spanking new die from Elizabeth Designs)

Happy Thanksgiving! from the Outlawz

The Outlawz Greetings challenge offers a very appropriate theme for this week's challenge: Thanksgiving!
My son and his family moved out of state this past summer. Although the car ride isn't too long (3 hours) it's still further than the tem minutes it took us to pop on over to their house (or vice versa).
I'm very happy that we have been invites to spend Thanksgiving with them in their new home. It will be a true Thanksgiving, as family gathers round the board to hold hands and share a meal, together again. Aren't most memorable moments in our lives those shared together at a meal?
Anyway, my card today showcases a digi image called "Tra-La-La" from ALL DRESSED UP. 

I colored the image with Copics, then punched one corner before popping it onto cardstock. My card is full of Fall-themed embellishments, which pretty much use up the season's crafting leftovers!
Now it's your turn to show us a project for a Happy Thanksgiving. Upload your card at the Outlawz Greetings Challenge--don't forget that your project needs a sentiment!
Happy Thanksgiving, crafters. I hope your day is filled with food, family and fun!!
Challenges I am Entering:
Craft Your Passion - Pumpkins & Turkeys
Imagination-Crafts Challenge - Anything Goes