Use a Christmas Sentiment at the Outlawz Greetings Challenge This Week

Welcome to another opportunity to add to your Christmas card stash. The Outlawz Monday Greetings has a new challenge, asking crafter to create a card with a Christmas Sentiment. My card is a Clean And Simple (CAS) one, showcasing a sentiment stamp from Eureka Stamps, one of two sponsors this week.

The image is called Peace on Earth. After coloring the sentiment with Copics, I used Photoshop to finish off my card, then printed it before popping it onto cardstock. Digital resources include (from) Pixel Scrappers.com: Janet Scott, Sheila Reid, Pauline Thompson & Dream4ever Designs.

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The Outlawz Greetings is also being sponsored by The East Wind, whose image, Baby It's Cold Outside, is featured on my card below.

I created this card using the never-ending stash I seem to have built up over the years. I swear, I will continue to ruthlessly clean out my craft room and use up my stash! I have no business stepping into a craft store except for adhesives.

So, get ahead on your own Christmas card stash and get in line to win free digis from Eureka Stamps and the East Wind!

Five Little Froggies

Five little froggies sitting at the well,

One hopped off ‘cause he heard a bell.

The second one croaked “My mama’s calling me”

The next leaped after a buzzing bumble bee.

Another caught a fly and he left grinning

and the last frog sang, "Brr, I wish it were Spring!"

~Pat Martin, 2016

Five little froggies sitting at the well,

One got excited and down he fell.

The second one said, “Our brother’s in the drink!”

They all croaked loudly and started to think.

“I’ll get a ladder” and one hopped away

While the others jumped off to find another way.

The first one cried, “What’s all the fuss about?”

And he gave a mighty leap and hopped on out!

~Pat Martin, 2016

Good morning, crafters! Monday brings us a new challenge from the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge. The theme this week is Springtime! I created my card with leftover papers and embellishments to frame a Robyn's Fetish digi image called Five Little Froggies. Robyn's Fetish is this week's Guest Sponsor.

As soon as I laid eyes on this image, my mind started playing with rhymes and came up with the two ditties above. Which do you like better? Tell me in your comment and I'll pick one to mail this card to!
Sometimes an image inspires me, but most often words do. What inspires you? Whatever your muse, have fun creating, then link up with the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week!

Challenges I am Entering:

Alphabet Challenge blog - Y is for You Choose
Craft for the Craic challenges - Something to Make You Smile (please read the poems that go with the card)
Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

Happy Winter

Happy Winter from the Outlawz Monday Greetings team! This week our guest sponsor is Bloobell Stamps,

and there are some very funny and cute images in the store. The ones I used are a set called Snowball Thunk! The first image shows a very lean young person lobbing a snowball...somewhere, with a courteous winter greeting. But you know how I love to create a two-part card that is a little on the funny or naughty side, so...

...I made a Z-fold card that when opened, lets you discover the "thunk" part of the image set.
This week's Outlawz Greetings challenge is to use embossing somewhere on your project. I went with dry embossing on the front, and embellished my snowflake papers with, well, more snowflakes!
What's your favorite fold on a card? I love this fold, as well as an easel card fold. I'm dying to try one of those cards in a box (or is it box in a card?) so maybe the new year will find me playing with a few of those. Who knows? When it comes to crafting, the sky's the limit, wouldn't you agree?
So go and play, crafters, and then link up your projects at the Outlawz Greetings group this week for your chance at some amazing prizes!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

House of Cards - Embossing

Our Crafty Corner - Anything Goes

 Where the HeART Is- Anything Goes

Burnishing with Bugaboo at the Outlawz Greetings challenge

Do you know what burnishing is? Neither did I until I read what the new challenge was at the Outlawz Greetings. I certainly cannot create a DT project if I don't know what I'm doing, right? So off to Google land I went, and found several techniques using different media.
Since my Bugaboo image is digital, I decided to burnish with my ink pads, and I really like the effect I produced.
Bugaboo is the guest sponsor this week, and I burnished an image called Scene It - Ladybugs. I framed my image against patterned papers (from my slowly dwindling stash) and added a simple little flourish of pearls to embellish and a sentiment (it is a greetings challenge group, after all).
You can burnish with ink and embossing powders, with colored pencils, and so much more. Here's the link I used for my card: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6yvhNMXsvk
I hope you try this technique. Without change, we cannot grow, and I love to stretch my comfort zone often. So, try this out and link up at the Outlawz Greetings challenge for your chance to win free Bugaboo images!!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafty Friends challenge - CAS

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Use a Sentiment

Digitally Sweet challenges - Celebrations

Simply Create Too - Anything Goes

Stempelsonnen challenges - Alles geht  (Anything goes)
Colouring in Scrapland - Things with Wings (Mariquitas esconden sus alas cuando no están en el aire)

Use Your Stuff challenges - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes

It's Time for TIC-TAC-TOE at the Outlawz Challenges

I don't often create cards for guys, and yet I have so much fun doing so, you'd think I'd be whipping them out willy-nilly! LOL
Well, today I created this very masculine card for the Outlawz Greetings challenge. Their theme this week is to choose a line from the TIC-TAC-TOE Grid and create a project, anything, as long as it uses the three items in the TIC-TAC-TOE line you've chosen, and a Sentiment on the front.

I got to play with an awesome image set from Dee Dee's Digis called "Tool Time." This digital set includes: 9 outline images, 9 pre-colored images, 9 white-filled layering images, and 9 sentiments, in JPG and PNG file formats. All set elements have a resolution of 300 dpi/ppi, and are easily resizable to fit your crafting needs.

When a sentiment is broken into two parts, I like to create an easel card for a bigger impact, especially those zingers that make us smile or laugh. Here, I created the front of my card with the toolbox image, colored with my trusty Copics. I "framed" it with a few photo die-cuts and added the first part of the sentiment.

When standing up, the second part of the sentiment delivers the zinger, and I used the pre-colored image of a screwdriver to "bring it home." 

I chose the TIC-TAC-TOE grid line that asks for "CHARM, IMAGE & WASHI TAPE." My charm is the tiny key on my toolbox, and I used the Washi tape like a ribbon running horizontally under my sentiments.

Now it's your turn to have a go at the Outlawz Greetings Tic-Tac-Toe challenge this week and create something to link up with us.

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting When we Can - Use ribbon, twine or WASHI TAPE

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Challenge Up Your Life - Use wood or Cork (wood papers)

Crafty Friends challenges - Inspired by a Movie (Overboard w/Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell-one of my favorite comedies)

Fairy Tale challenges - Boys/Men

Simply Create Too - Anything Goes

Simply Papercrafts challenges - Anything Goes

ABC challenges - O is for Open (Anything Goes)
Creatalicious challenges - More than 1 Fold

Di's Digi Stamps Sponsoring the Outlawz Greetings This Week

I love to listen to music while I craft--do you? So many songs inspire me. I am an eclectic music lover, in that I love all kinds of music. This cute image I used from Di's Digi Stamps, this month's sponsor at the Outlawz Greetings challenge reminded me of a really, really old song. I wasn't around when it first came out, but I remember singing it when I was little ( the song was recorded by Doris Day on records that came BEFORE vinyl!):

"Oh, honey...

Picture me upon your knee

With tea for two and two for tea

Just me for you and you for me alone

Nobody near us to see us or hear us

No friends or relations on weekend vacations

We won't have it known, dear

That we own a telephone, dear

Day will break and I'll awake

And start to bake a sugar cake

For you to take, for all the boys to see

(Oh, darling)

We will raise a family

A boy for you and a girl for me

Can't you see how happy we will be?"

The digi image is called "Drinky Mice for Two" and I colored it with Copics, adding some white gel pen to highlight. I'm still using up the papers in that re-discovered box I found in my closet. I promised myself NOT to buy any more paper until the box is empty. LOL

So, the theme at the Outlawz Greetings is ANYTHING GOES, and you have ALL week to create and link it up at the challenge blog. Can't wait to see what you create!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

Sister Act challenges - Anything Goes

Animal Friends challenge - use an animal

Card Mania challenges - Anything Goes

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

Happiness is Making Cards

Happiness is a new challenge, and today I am brimming with happiness because the new Outlawz Greetings challenge starts! The theme is to create something that completes the phrase, "Happiness is..." I find happiness wherever I go, but mostly I find it at home. My family, my cozy bed, my craft room--I am surrounded by people and things that generate happiness.
So I made a card to reflect the good feels I get from being home. Of course, my recent family vacation to the beaches of Florida inspired my design, but who says you can't call a sand castle your home? LOL This cute digi image is from MelonHeadz Illustrations and is called Sand Castle.
I popped my image onto some dreamy background paper from the Summertime Collection by Rucola Designs, found over at Mischief Circus. I used Photoshop to type in the sentiment, then popped it into a frame from Sweetly Scrapped, adding a bow and flowers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.
Then I put in my crafty thumb and pulled out a plum of a background paper for my card face, from that pesky box of papers I re-discovered last month. A bit of ribbon and some pearls for a border, and a charm to give it some charm, and my card is complete.

Other Challenges I am Entering:

4 Crafty Chicks - Polka Dots

Cute Card Thursday - Beside the Seaside
Crafting Musketeers - Shades of Summer

Joining the Outlawz Groups is free, fun and inspirational. Each day of the week offers a different type of challenge, and there's even a Progressive Freebie monthly challenge. Besides the challenges, there are tutorials, free digital images and inspiration. Did I forget to mention the prizes?! Each challenge group has their own sponsors, and there is no limit to the number of challenge groups you can join. Each of your entries has a chance to win a weekly prize and a monthly prize.
Did you know that there's a group on the Outlawz with tons of FREEBIES for you to play with?! This week MelonHeadz AND the Outlawz Freebies group is sponsoring our challenge. Melonheadz prize will be as usual for the weekly winner and a Gina K Designs stamp set will be an instant prize (as in you don't have to wait for the monthly list) if you use an Outlawz freebie and follow the Happiness theme. This does NOT affect the weekly winner prize.  
So, my second project today uses a freebie from Mayzy Arts. Like I said, I can find happiness in so many things, and music is one of them. That's why I made this card. Can you believe this cute cute image is a FREEBIE?!

As pastel and clean as my first card is, my second card is bold bright colors and I threw on pretty much everything that was lying on my desk today, including a die-cut frame, some banners and wings, and a handful of jeweled flowers!

Challenges I am entering this card into:

Creative Knockouts - Use Your Stash

Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes

Inspiration Destination - Always Anything Goes

Wonderful Wednesday challenges - Anything Goes

Fan-tastic Tuesday challenges - Anything Goes w/a twist: Bling

CMD challenges - Inspired by Movie or TV Show 

(Ich war von dem Film inspiriert Katie Perry: Part of Me)

Some Old-Fashioned Rock n Roll

 In this whirl-wind world of constant technological breakthroughs and never-ending improvements, there are few things that remain constant. One of them is my husband of almost 39 years, and I am so happy for that. He isn't above a little trip down memory lane, and playing a little air guitar along the way (I know, I've caught him at it).
 Today starts a new challenge at the Outlawz Greetings, and this week's sponsor is Dr Digi. I made a card for my rockin' hubby using the digi image Derek Clapton. The challenge this week is to use embossing on your project - dry, heat, whatever your pleasure. My chipboard musical notes are heat-embossed with black powder and glitter.
I also have a confession to make to you all---
I---
am---
a Paper-holic!!
I have two photo boxes on my desk that I discovered earlier this month, filled with 6x6 and 4x6 papers. Papers I had totally forgotten I had in my stash!  I am embarassed, I am mortified, but I am determined to use it up before touching all my (pre-cioussss) other papers.

So, I grabbed a handful of patterned paper strips and used them to create the background for my easel card. I was able to use some of the larger strips on the rest of my card. And now my box(es) are a little lighter and I have a lovely card to show for it.
Come play at the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week. Dr. Digi is offering 2 digi images to the winner!
 What Does It Take To Win A Prize?

1. The sentiment must appear on the front of your card or project to be eligible to win.
2. YOU DO NOT have to use an image on your card. Also, non-card entries are acceptable as long as they have sentiments that are visible on the outside. 
3. Please only one entry per week per challenge.
4. No back linking. Any projects posted on your blog/online gallery before the start date of a challenge should not be entered and will not be eligible for prizes. 
5. Please post your own creations only to the challenges.

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Challenge Up Your Life - Use Digi Stamps

Digi Galore challenges - Father's Day

My Time to Craft - Male

Bloggers' challenges - Boys of Summer

Creative Corner challenges - Just for Dad

Simply Create Too - Masculine

Stempelsonnen challenges - Anything Goes

Always Something Creative - Anything Goes

Paper Creators Crafts - Anything Goes

Words 2 Scrap By - It's a Man's World

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

April brings many things, like longer days, crocuses blooming, birdsong in the early morning, and rain showers. Along with showers come rainbows. I have been very lucky to witness many rainbows where I live. When I see them I turn into a kid again, standing with my mouth open in wonder and awe at the beauty imprinted on the sky.
I created my card using two digital papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. Lisa has a delicious assortment of papers, embellishments and sentiments, and I used a couple to create my card today for the Outlawz Greetings challenge. The theme this week is April Showers and/or Rainbows.
I chose a textured cardstock and a patterned paper for my project. After printing my sentiment (inspired by the movie Wizard of Oz, the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow) straight onto the papers in Photoshop, I colored up a couple cute birds from the Fred She Said set called Emma the Caroler. I fussy-cut them and popped them onto my scene. Then I had my way with the embellishments I had left on my desk from a previous project. Here are the papers I chose for this card:
DDD Colors of the Rainbow Collection,
From the Textured Paper Pack: Wine
From the Patterned Paper Pack: Sea
I hope you get a chance to visit Lisa's blog to see the wonderful papers and products she creates, as well as the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week. Follow the theme of April Showers or Rainbows and remember to put a sentiment on the frontt of your project, and you'll be in the running for some awesome prizes!

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting When We Can - Based on a Song (Somewhere Over the Rainbow)
Ike's Art World Challenges - Something with Wings
Krafty Hands - Nature's Work
Not Just Cards - Anything Goes
Shabby Tea Room challenges - Rainbow of Colors
Sisterhood of Crafters - April Showers
Scribble & Scrap - Anything Goes

Dear Mother Nature, Send Help! Signed, Chicago

Welcome to my Birthday Blowout celebration! From April 1 through April 15, you will see a post each day where followers can win prizes and blog candy. Today I ask you to check out the Outlawz where I am on the DT for their Monday Greetings challenges. There are different challenges there for every day of the week, plus a monthly Progressive Freebie challenge where every month in which you participate you will receive the next month's image FREE!! Please leave a comment on my blog telling me which challenge interests you the most, for your chance to win the daily prize!

Animals is the theme at the Outlawz Greetings challenges this week. One of the guest sponsors this month is Dr. Digi, so when I saw this funny digi image (called Rescue Squad), I knew I had to poke some fun at Mother Nature and her ill-timed return to winter temps that Chicago has...no, not enjoyed...rather, suffered through this Spring. So, I still haven't found what I'm looking for...Spring weather!
 I colored my crack team with Copics, popped them on patterned paper from my bottomless stash of leftover papers, and drummed up the perfect sentiment to go with them: "Springtime Greetings from Chicago (Send Help)."
Besides a few snowflakes and a bow, I colored up a pretty (cold) robin to add salt to the wound (sigh). I shouldn't complain. It is Chicago, after all. I was born and raised here, and chose to return to the Windy City. In my next life, I shall choose more wisely, maybe midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Of course, with my luck, the California coast will sink into the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes a known evil is better than an unknown evil.
Enough philosophy, crafters. You can join in the fun at the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week. Be sure to use an animal on your project as well as a sentiment for your chance to win.
And don't foerget to leave a comment below for your chance to win some of my Birthday Blowout Blog Candy!

 Other Challenges I am Entering:

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - J is for Just Kidding

Creative Corner challenges - Animal Fun

Simply Create Too - Anything Goes (3rd entry)
Crafting When We Can - Weather-related
Scrap It with  Song - Rock Song-inspired (I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For-Spring)

Anything Goes at the Outlawz Greetings Challenges

Time for another challenge from the Outlawz Greetings, and it's my favorite kind - ANYTHING GOES!! I love the freedom that is enjoyed in an Anything Goes challenge. How About you? Do you get inspired by having requirements for your projects, or does it matter? In fact, where do you find your inspiration? I love Pinterest and other crafters' blogs, but if I'm not near my computer, then I pull out all my lovely papers (my precioussss) and get inspired by their colors and designs.
Today it was a feather sticking out of my painting drawer. I thought it would look pretty with a pale flower, which led to my papers, and then I wanted a silly image.
My silly image is from Robyn's Fetish and is called "Be Kind to Your Web-footed Friends". Robyn's Fetish is one of this month's sponsors, and I like to surf their store for inspiration (and shopping).
I colored my image gently, with just a few Copics. Doesn't it remind you of Jack & the Beanstalk? Wish it would lay me a couple golden eggs.
Leftover pieces of patterned papers help to decorate my background, along with a stray piece of ribbon. The sentiment (a necessity for the Outlawz Greetings challenges) was in a file of leftover punchies as well. I am serious this year about not buying more stash. Finally, I tossed on a few jeweled flowers to embellish and my card is complete.
I hope you get a chance to play in the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week. Below are a few other challenges I am entering:

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes w/optional twist birthday
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
That Craft Place - film inspired Father Goose w/Cary Grant & Leslie Caron

The Corrosive Challenge - Things with Wings
Open-Minded Crafting - Up in the Air

Inching My Way toward a New Outlawz Greetings Challenge

Today the Outlawz Greetings asks crafters to measure up--by using INCHIES on their projects! I made a few inchies to decorate my card ala subway art theme. Then I colored up and cut out my image from DeeDee's Digis.

The image sheet is called "Whole Latte Love" and comes with two different latte cups and several sentiments. I used the sentiment "a little love to go." My paper used to be 12x12 patterned paper for scrapbooking, but I found a piece in my stash and used it for my card. I liked the mosaic look so much that I made my inchies from 1 inch squares of the tiny blocks, matting them onto gold cardstock. I placed a few of them into the design on my paper, and arranged the rest to continue the design on the card. 

To make the to-go cup pop (literally), I cut two slits and eased the edges of the cup cover into them, bending my image forward to give it the look of a rounded cup. I placed a sweethearts brad into the cup, and added a couple more around my "canvas." I added some pearls and a flower as embellishment and my to-go card will be standing on my hubby's desk when he gets up on Valentine's Day.

DeeDee's Digis is but one of several sponsors this month at the Outlawz Greetings challenges. She has some awesome stamps for sale!

DeeDee's Digis

So, crafters, grab your choice of ink and let's see you create a project using inchies. Don't forget that to qualify for prizes at the end of each month, you must use a sentiment on the front of your project.
Happy crafting!
Other Challenges I am Entering:
ABC Challenge Blog - C is for Cupid
Card Mania - Add Some Red
Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes
Words2Scrapby - Do something Different(Inchies and a pop-up feature-cup)
All Sorts Challenge Blog - Love is All Around
Not Just Cards - ANything Goes #12