March Means Spring So Where Is It?

 

No matter, Mother Nature is off her meds anyway. So today I have a birthday card for you. After organizing my finished cards last month, I discovered I was very low on birthday cards. So I pulled out a small baggie from my magical file of stickers and die-cuts and held in my hand a plethora of circles.

I used to frugally make use of every inch of designer paper. If a scrap was big enough, I would bring out my circle punch until the paper looked like a skeleton. I think that was about 6 years ago (at least). Anyway, I decided to make rows of circles to "create" my own designer paper.

I also stamped and embossed several circles with a happy birthday greeting to goon card fronts. Now I have a box of circular greetings and deco's for quite a few cards.  Looks like I'll be filling that box of birthday cards sooner than I thought!

CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING:

Everybody ART - For a Boy/Man

Unicorn - For Boys/Men 

Holiday Humor at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up & Challenge Blog

Christmas time is a time of joy, of renewal, of family and friends, of food and faith. We all make plans and preparations for the perfect Christmas, but sometimes LIFE throws a pumpkin pie in our faces and we have to laugh. Some of the funniest times are during the holidays, which make for happy memories throughout the years. Like when Grandma laughed so hard at the dinner table her dentures fell into the mashed potatoes, or when your toddler spent more time and had more fun unwrapping the presents than the presents themselves (both were actual holiday events in my family).
This month at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up Blog the OPTIONAL theme is HOLIDAY HUMOR. Whether you choose to use a humorous sentiment, a funny image, or some other element to elicit a smile, a snicker, or a full blown snort, it is up to you. In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your card has some element of humor. IMPORTANT: Be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

My card today uses a digi image from Scribbles Designs called Twinkle Brrr. After coloring with Copics, I decorated my card face with a digi paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles from the new Cartoony Christmas paper Kit. I remember one year my son was "helping" me with the Christmas tree and I ended wrapped in glowing bulbs of multi-colored twinkling lights along with the tree!! So that memory inspired me to wrap my card with a twisting strand of lights before calling my card finished.
Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month and have your name thrown into the year-end draw for some extra digital goodies. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $10 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs. 

Guest Sponsor:   Scribbles Designs

• Main Prize being offered:  $10.00 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs
• Additional Sponsor: Décosse's Dynamite Doodles

• Prize being offered: One free digital paper to everyone who links up a minimum of two cards to the challenge.  Cards can be anything goes for this prize. The mini set of six digital papers called A Cartoony Christmas, will also be offered up as a prize to one random winner.

Time Flies When You Have Grandkids

I am learning Photoshop in leaps and bounds, especially since my goal is to create a layout at least once a week. So today's page is for a layout challenge at Pixel Scrappers, the theme of which is Circles. I don't normally like to play with circles, in my scrapbooking nor in my card-making. So this was a true challenge for me.
I chose my title after cruising through photos of my first granddaughter. Here she is three years old; today she is eight years old; tomorrow she'll be twenty-something...at least that's how fast time seems to fly!
Which is the reason why we scrapbook moments in our lives, isn't it? Scrapbooking allows us to freeze time into moments we can revisit over and over. We can have the best of both worlds, enjoying the men and women they have become at the same time as enjoying the little rugrats that they were.
Here is what went into my layout today:

Fonts: Hotline Bling, Dobkin Script

Paper: PS Ania Archer, Art of every Day Paper 1

Elements:

Debra Anderson, Go Digital Scrapbooking Welcome Kit, Sweet Element Hanging 8

PS Sharon Grant, It’s a Girl Thing Flower Scatter

PS Janet Scott, Strawberry Fields Yellow Washi Tape

PS Melo Vrijhof, Love You Elements Stitched Heart

PS Kerry Dempsey, Ice Cream Social Bow 1

PS Pauline Thompson, Masculine 2 Clock

It's Raining Quirky Cats & Dogs

Welcome back to another Quirky challenge! This month you are asked to create something with a  Cats & Dogs theme. Our sponsor is Crackerbox Palace Digital Stamps.

I got to play with an image called "Peeking Cat." I colored my kitty with Copics, then added her onto my card face. A simple ribbon border and jeweled flourishes decorate my card. I printed my sentiment in Adobe Photoshop using Butch font from the Hungry Jpeg.
Quirky challenges run monthly starting on the first Sunday of the month, so you have time to let those creative juices flow. Think muddy paws and kitten cuddles, wagging tails and purring greetings. Then link up your creations with us at Quirky Crafts challenge blog!
Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Alphabet challenges - C is for Cats

Brown Sugar challenges - Anything Goes

What Happens in Germany, Stays in Germany

Today brings a card for my sister, who has spent the last ten days with her German national boyfriend in Berlin. My sentiment is a take on the American TV ads regarding Las Vegas, where whatever goes on there, stays there. She will love this card, and can share it with her love.
The new challenge at Ike's World Challenges is to create "anything but a square." I don't do many square cards (too much postage when mailing), so this was an easy one for me. I feel I am still getting my feet wet as a new DT member at Ike's blog.
Anywho, did you know that the colors of the German flag are Red, GOLD and Black (I missed that question on Trivia Crack). I used the national colors to design the background of my card, and to frame this cute image, called Leiderhosen, from the Germany Bundle over at Ike's Art Store. The bundle comes with seven images!!
You still have time to link up your project in this challenge for your chance to win free digis of your choice. You don't have to use an Ike's Art image, but you get your name in the draw twice each time you do! I like those odds, don't you?! And if you join the Ike's Art Fan Page on Facebook, there are several freebies with which to play to your heart's content. So snag them and come on over! And as always, crafters, have fun!

Challenges I am Entering:

Going in Circles at Outlawz Greetings Challenge

I get such a laugh when I check out what's new at Dr. Digi's House of Stamps.

Take the image with which I created my card today. The image is called Howdy Pilgrim, and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it! Of course, sentiments or captions also set the tone of a card, and I found one on The Quote Garden. It's supposed to be a heart-warming cheer for the pluck of pilgrims, so on my card, with Howdy Pilgrim, it takes on a whole new meaning, doesn't it?
I used patterned paper from  DCWV paper stack, then colored my image with Copics and distress inks from Tim Holtz. Since this week's Outlawz Greetings Challenge is to incorporate CIRCLES on your card, I added a few buttons and a shiny jewel. The large colorful circle was made by punching out five circles, folding them in half, then adhering them side-by-side, so that when placed on my card, they fan out into a globe of Fall colors.
I hope you play in this week's challenge at the Outlawz!! Show us how we send you "round & round" in your crafting time!!