I'm Nuts for Autumn

Welcome to a new week, and a new challenge from Craft Your Passion challenge blog. Guest sponsor this week is Doodle Pantry, and I created a Fall-themed card using a difital set called "Just Nutty." The set is loaded with pre-colored and outline images, digital papers and sentiments.
I was inspired to create this card after meeting one of our newest neighbors.

The family was entranced by this little guy's brashness. He came right up to my daughter and her friend on the front stoop, and made himself comfortable. So of course we had to feed him!

What was truly amazing was that he wanted to make his home in the backpack, and we had to take strong measures to look elsewhere for the winter.

So there you have it in a nutshell-my inspiration for my card. Where do you find inspiration? I find it in the most unlikely places!! LOL

Don't forget that Craft Your Passion offers Anything Goes challenges, so I hope to see your creations on their challenge blog this week. And as always, crafters, have fun!

Let Freedom Ring!

I hope everyone in the US had a great holiday weekend. My daughter Wendy was born on the Fourth of July. In fact, while in labor, the fireworks were sparkling outside the hospital window 20 years ago. Everyone watching was oohing and ahh-ing. I was like erghh-ing and ughh-ing. She was the first baby born in the area on Independence Day.
Every year, Wendy would get a kick out of all the parades and picnics and fireworks "for her birthday." Of course, as she grew older, she understood that it wasn't just about her, but about the birth of our nation, and of the bravery of so many men and women to keep that nation independent and democratic.
What does this have to do with my project today? Well, it's a new week and a new challenge at Craft Your Passion. Doodle Pantry is the sponsor this week and I got to play with this cutie called Fireworks Birdie. The sheet comes with black line, layering and colored images, as well as several sentiments.
I started to create a birthday card for my daughter, and then the muse pushed me toward this mixed media shadow box. Funny how inspiration often takes you somewhere completely opposite of where you were headed.
So, where will inspiration take you? Whatever you do, link it up and share with us at Craft Your Passion challenge blog!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Doodle Pantry Blog - Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge - Red, White & Blue

Challenge Up Your Life - Sequins

Crafty Friends challenge - Anything Goes

Splendiferous challenges - Wave the Flag

Brown Sugar - Red, White & Blue

Digitally Sweet Challenges - Anything Goes

Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes (mixed media, no cards)

Crafting Musketeers - Anything Goes

Naughty or Nice challenges - Seeing Stars

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes

Anything Goes at Craft Your Passion Challenge Blog

Another week, another Anything Goes challenge from Craft Your Passion. This week's guest sponsor is Doodle Pantry, where it will be very difficult to turn away from all the lovely images and products offered to you.
I got to play with a sheet of images called Dolphins, which includes both black line and colored images, and several sentiments, along with three patterned papers.  In fact, pretty much everything on my card is from Doodle Pantry, except for the two adhesive-backed pearls and the wire strung with fish beads that I liberated from my daughter's bracelet (hey, it was broken). LOL
There was just so much to work with that I decided to make a step card so that I could use plenty of images and papers. I will admit that I used the colored images (it made my life sooo much easier), but then I used the time I saved that way by fussy-cutting them out. I used all three patterned papers, one for each "step" on my card, tearing the paper on the middle step to form waves.
I wanted my card to look in motion, so I adhered a couple dolphins by just their tails so that they seemed to leap out of the water, lending my card dimension. Of course, the boss dolphin in front seems to look right at you, saying the words "Don't just float, make waves." That is one of the things dolphins do best, or so I've heard from people who were "lucky" enough to sit in the rows closest to the water's edge at our local zoo. You could say they were "soaking" in the dolphin exhibition.
You really should check out the Doodle Pantry for inspiration and images. And of course, come join us at Craft your Passion challenge blog for your chance to win!
Whatever you decide to do, have fun!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Allsorts Challenges - Feature a Creature

Kit & Clowder - Inspired by a Movie (Flipper)

Left of Center challenges - Mermaids/Water

Dragon's Lair challenges - More than 2 Folds

Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
Ike's World Challenge blog - More Than 1 Image (I used 4!)