Ike's World Challenges Celebrates Easter and Spring

It looks like Mother Nature has finally settled down into a new season, Spring. Nature is always a great inspiration for art in any form, so it makes sense for Ike's World Challenge Blog to offer an optional twist of Spring or Easter to its Anything Goes theme.
Everyone in my family knows I am a comic, so I created an easel card featuring flowers and bunnies, but...I had to twist it into a punny card. I think easel cards make the best riddle cards to deliver that punchline, don't you? So, do you know how many rabbits it takes to change a light bulb? 

One! If it hops right to it! (If you groaned, then my pun was successful) I used two images from Ike's Art, Bunny on Shelf and Smashing Idea. Instead of trying to color in the light bulb, I decided to keep the image uncolored but print it on white copy paper.

You have until Sunday to link up your card or project at Ike's World Challenge Blog. The theme is optional and you may use any images you like to play along, but if you use an IKEsART image, you will be entered twice into the voting for a gift certificate to the store. Happy crafting!  

See the Shades of Spring at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Can it be that Spring has finally arrived? Yes! although it has been known to snow in April and even May in Chicago (I never put up my mittens and boots until Memorial Day). Taking advantage of some very nice weather lately, I created a card for my DT make at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. Their challenge asks crafters to create in Shades of Spring. Here's a little photo inspiration for you:

As you can see, my colors show up more vividly than the photo, but my lilacs and greens are there, along with the butter yellow. Anyway, I photographed and then printed out one of my water colors for the card's background. I fussy-cut the Scribbles image, called Hatch in Egg, then used dimensional dots to adhere to my background. I finished off my card with a few jeweled butterflies as well as a 3D one.
Scribbles Designs has a huge variety of whimsical images plus quite a few freebies for you to play with. So color up a Scribbles image (or any image) and come join in the challenge for your chance to win free digis from the store!

Challenges I am Entering:

Moving along with the Times - Birds/Feathers

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie - Photo inspiration

Creative Moments - Anything Goes/optional Easter

Stampavie and More - Watercolor background

Chocolate Baroque - Color Inspiration

Hoppy Spring!

Today brings us a new challenge from the Outlawz Progressive Freebie Challenges. This month our most generous sponsor is Gerda Steiner Designs, who offers this digital image, called Bunny with Glasses.
I colored my Bunny with Copics before creating my calendar page. Since the calendar's pages fit between two pieces of clear acrylic, I kept my embellishments few and skinny - just a few jewels and a tiny flower.
I pulled the die-cut sentiment from my stash pile and used a white gel pen to match the white embossing of the letters. The actual calendar grid is from Google images.
If you played with the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge last month, expect your own Bunny with Glasses image in the next few days. If not, head over to the STORE, buy this one, and link it up. That way you'll enjoy free digis every month this year!
Meanwhile, enjoy winter's goodbyes and the first signs of Spring! Happy crafting!

Mother Nature is No Fool

They say that April showers bring May flowers, but in Chicago, it's been known to snow in April AND May! However, from the view out my window, I believe the snow is finished, and Spring is finally ready to welcome us into our gardens and short-sleeved shirts. Of course, it is April Fools' Day, and she may just "punk" us with a cruel joke, but I have faith that she is above all that nonsense!
So today, in honor of Spring, I have created an Easter card using a digi image from Angie's Digi Stamps. It is called "Birds in Bird Bath" and I thought it portrayed the essence of Spring. Each morning in Spring, we awake to birds singing and sun shining. Colors start to peek out from freshly green grass. 
My card is bright with Spring colors, and showcases a birds frolicking in their bath, while butterflies dance in the breeze and flowers face toward heaven.
Angie's is this month's guest sponsor at Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog, where the theme is Anything Goes. My card for this challenge is a Z-Fold card

As you can see from the picture, a simple fold outward on your front card face gives the whole thing a special look when opened. Here, I chose to match the inside with the outside paper doily, popping the sentiment where my Copic-colored image is centered on the front.

Check out all the cute images at Angie's Digi Stamps. And spend some time crafting with the windows open, so you can hear those birds in their Spring chorus, and catch that breeze. Then go over to Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog and come play with us!! One random winner gets a prize from Angie's!! 

 Did I mention that my birthday is in April?? I am having a big birthday bash, with challenges, games and especially PRIZES. Check out my April 1 post HERE for your chance to win from today through APRIL 15!!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Crafty Sentiments - More Than 1 Fold

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - Spring

Ooh La La challenges - #177 Spring/Easter

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

Easter During the Zombie Apocalypse

I wonder what Easter would be like during the Zombie appocalypse?  Well, I sure wouldn't want this bunny hopping around my house, hiding eggs and eating brains! LOL

I used a digi image from Meljens Designs called Zombie Bunny (very apropos for my theme) and he is one cute bunny...uh, I mean zombie...uh, I mean...oh, never mind!  Here's a close-up of the image on my gate-fold card.

  Now  get your marshmallow guns out and hide your chocolate!!  Easter's coming!!  Boo!  Mwahaha!

Challenges Entered:
Meljens Designs - Sequins Color Challenge
Open-Minded Crafting Fun - Easter or Pastel Colors

Say It with Flowers

Easter is a big holiday for someone like me who works in a church.  I make more Easter cards thatn I know what to do with, but they all seem to be gone by the time Spring Break rolls around!

Today my Easter card showcases new images from Squigglefly to inspire crafters to play in this week's challenge: Add some Flowers to your card--this can be IN your image, or as embellishments; they can be paper flowers, floral brads, floral die cuts, flowered paper--really, any flowers you want to share!

Both of my Squigglefly images are from artist Pamela Lehto.  The image is called Easter Praying Hands and the sentiment is called Even Today.   I colored the image with Copics and framed it with cardstock. The sentiment was diecut with my Nestabilities die and my Epic Six machine.  the patterned paper is from K & Co.  So already we have flowers in the image and patterned paper.  But NO, that wasn't enough! LOL

I added a creamy white rose to the mis, and even the charm in the upper corner looks a little like a blossom.  So I think I've said it with flowers, and now it's your turn!  Come play in the challenge at Squigglefly this week!

Birthday Bunny

I made a card today, using another too-cute digi image from Sandra Caldwell.  This one is called  Easter Rabbit  .  I used two pieces of leftover patterned papers, dividing them with a piece of colored lace.  A blue diecut balloon is floating behind a metal charm that reads: birthday.  The image was colored with my trusty Copics, and a couple pearls finish off the embellishments.
There's still time to join in the challenge over at Your Scrapbook Place Blog, where the theme is anything goes using one of Sandra's free digi images available at her blog, BabycakesDoodleThis&That.  More than one winner will be drawn, so come on over for your chance to win some fabulous prizes!  Check them out:

Easter Thanks

My daughter's boyfriend, Justin, went on a 2 week tour of Europe with his mom over spring break.  Not only did he bring home some macaroons from France, a sweet treat my daughter loves, but he also thought of me and brought me a box of "biscuits and chocolates" from England.  That was really sweet of him to remember me, too, so I in turn made a sweet Thank You gift for him.

I used an ATC and some orange-colored raffia and filled a tin with Mint Chocolate-covered pretzels for him.  And I gave it to him at Easter dinner when he came by.

I love the versatility of ATC's, whose initials stand for Artist trading Cards.  they measure 2.5x3.5 inches, and are tiny card fronts.  You can trade them, use them as tags, on cards, on canvas and on altered art.  AND you can make them into tiny little cards for your friends or co-workers.  One year I made abunch of Christmas ATCs and made them into cards with matching envelopes.  They all loved theirs!

So, whatever you do, and however you do it, keep on crafting, friends!

Bunny Cupcake Heralds Spring

Today I have a Spring digi image from Meljen's Designs called Bunny Cupcake.  This week on the blog their challenge is to use a Meljens image and a sketch.

 After coloring my image with Copics, I tore it and popped it onto the card base after adhering a strip of patterned paper across the bottom.  I added a butterfly border from K & Co. on the left side, and used a single butterfly from the leftover piece to embellish above the image.  My sentiment came from a Michael's dollar bin acrylic set, stamped with CTMH ink and distressed with coordinating ink..
I like my card's background.  I used a printed napkin and some matte medium to give it a textured feel to it. I tore some of the edges off and then inked them to distress a little.
Isn't that bunny Cupcake too cute?!  You can get her and a bunch of Spring digi's at Meljen"s Designs.  Don't forget to play in the challenge, too!

Live and Learn with a Squigglefly Challenge

Today I made a Spring card for the Squigglefly Challenge Blog, whose theme is SPRING!!  I used a new March release called "Over An Egg" by artist Fawn Palmer.  I love the image, but I tried a different coloring technique and I don't like it, so you'll probably see more than one card using this delightful Spring digi very soon.
I mistakenly put photo paper in my printer instead of cardstock, then thought I would still color and use it to try something different.  But the alcohol inks don't blend on the glossy texture, and it can smudge unless you wait longer than I am used to for cutting and handling purposes.
But the overall design of the card still rocks it I think.  I used a small piece of patterned paper for my inspiration, then added coordinating cardstock to frame the image and the pp.  The trim, rosettes and parls are all Michael's clearance items that I snagged for 50 cents a bag.  The black stitching is part of the pattern on the paper, and I punched the scallop design at the bottom with my CM punch system.
I think Robin's Egg Blue is my fave Spring color!  What's yours?
Whatever it is, get over to the Squigglefly Challenge Blog for your chance to win free digi's, and there are so many new ones from which to choose!!! If you don't have any Squigglefly digi images, pick up some FREEBIES.  Have fun, and happy crafting!

Bunny hOP

Today I am hopping along with a February new Release from Queen Kat Designs called Vintage Easter Bunny by artist Laura Macy.  I love this little guy in his jester outfit, hopping along the bunny trail, offering his friends a flower.  I colored him with Copics and framed him with a circle cut from cardstock and inked on its edges.  The paper is leftover (as always) and has the beautifully shaped and colored edge.  I inked its edge as well and added my image to it, then popped it onto a card base.
The stamped sentiment is also from QKD.  For embellishments, I added a pastel bow and a bit of ric rac in springtime pink.  You can't see in the photo but I added some Liquid Glass from CTMH for shine.
Easter is coming, and for some inspiration and new stamps, check out the Queen!