Un-Forgetable Frogs

 

Hello, crafters! Today I feature a couple of deck decor items. Whenever I see a lonely frog figure in a thrift store, I often buy it to paint or alter it and put it somewhere in my garden, yard or on my deck. These two fearless friends are standing on front my deck, although I took their photo while still in the house. I used one of my paintings on wood as a background. 

I inherited both of them from my neighbor across the street, with whom we became fast friends. Unfortunately, she passed away and her daughter offered them to me as she cleaned out her mom's house. I gladly accepted them as a remembrance of Sharon. She had an artists' eye.

When I got them, they were not painted at all, For my little amphibian, I sponge-painted his body with a couple of greens and a little gold for texture. I gave him black arms, legs and head while keeping his eyes a shimmery green.

As for my garden-loving frog, I painted her a bright green and gave her facial features. Her watering can was black so I gave it a rusted, coppery look. I was going to use hot glue to give the illusion of water trickling from the can's spout, but decided against it. The base on which she stands is almost the same color as my front deck so it blends in with the stair step she's on...

Challenges I am Entering:

  

One for the Guys Today

 

I used a playing card from a box of assorted, mismatched mini cards I've collected through the years. This one is of Charlie Brown and Snoopy.  I decorated the card to be given to any gender with its browns and blues. I used a punch on a paint chip for the card face, as well as punching my birthday greeting with a circular punch.

The inside reads, "How many fingers are you?" I think that sentiment is hilarious. It could be a card from a child, or a card to a a child, or to someone who has a good sense of humor. I like making funny or punny cards. Anything to give the recipient a smile or a chuckle. How about you?

It's Baby Shower Time!

 

When I got an invitation to a baby shower, I rifled through my boxes of already-made cards, and discovered that...there were no baby or baby shower cards in my stash!! Since the shower is on Sunday, I pulled out papers, stickers, ink, trim, etc., and proceeded to make the card you see here. 

She's expecting a boy, and had listed Target as one of the stores she registered with. Besides a package of pacifiers (we always called them foolers), I bought something she'll be able to use once the baby can sit - a grocery cart snuggie. It attaches to the seat of the cart, and wraps around the baby, so that he can sit up and mama won't have to worry about him falling sideways or forward and banging his face on the cart's handle. It was a very appreciated gift from someone when I was pregnant with my daughter.

My card was made using leftover paper from my stash, as well as leftover buttons, stickers, trim and bows. The gingham bunny is a patch. I'm also bringing a plate of devilled eggs, not for the guests, but just for her. She loves my recipe, which is simply finely-chopped hard-boiled egg yolks, Miracle Whip and mustard, with a dash of paprika on top just before serving. 

Challenges I am Entering:

Stella Says Sketch at Bugaboo Stamps

 I had sometime to relax this past weekend and colored up a Bugaboo Stamps image I picked up at the STORE recently. It's called simply "Morning Coffee." I was struck by how much the image looked how I felt before that first drop of caffeine hit my system. I think many of us can relate.

 I am again trying to make some headway into decreasing my stash, so all papers are snips and snaps of former projects. I colored  my morning glory with Copics that still had ink in them, and used a couple punches for the sentiment. All the jewels were leftover on the same clear piece of acetate that I could finally throw away in the trash.

I designed my card for Bugaboo Stamps "Stella Says Sketch" challenge #705.

Using a little artistic license, I turned my sketch onto its side. The challenge is up until Sunday, March 17 for your chance to win prizes. Here are some other Challenges I am Entering:

Crafty Friends - Ladies/Girls

Craftyhazelnuts Patterned Paper - Anything Goes w/patterned paper

Creative with Stamps - Friends

I'm Showing My Pussy Cat

Of course,due to allergies,  my pussy cat is not real. He's blue and adorns the card above. I was inspired to create him from my childhood memories back when I was in high school. I would stop at my best friend's house on my way, and we would walk to school together.
Some days she wasn't quite ready so I would come in and stand close to the front door. Where this very tall wardrobe stood in the corner. Right within striking distance. Where their cat was waiting for me. Ready to pounce on my back. Swat at my hair. Every morning.Until we graduated (on fair weather days I would wait outside).
I made my card as Clean and Simple as I was able to. I have a problem with CAS cards. I'm like a little kid with a full bag of M&Ms.I don't know when to stop! LOL But my Ike's Art image, called Cat on Shelf, is printed directly on my card base (something I never do), as well as my sentiment.
The only bit of "extra" on my card is that I framed the "shelf" (or wardrobe) my cat is leaning over and the border of dots I penned.

Challenges I am Entering:

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes w/optional Critter

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - AG wa critter

Crafty Animals - AG w/a critter

Oddball Art Stamps -AG w/optional Sentimentally Deranged (the cat is seriously  deranged,right?)
Show Us Your Pussy Cats - Furrything Goes

Feelin' Blue at Ike's World Challenge Blog

Why do we say we're feeling BLUE when Blue is such a pretty, calming color? My bedroom is blue. It is the color of the sky on a cloudless day, giving off a feeling of openness and freedom. It is a primary color and, mixed with other colors, produces an almost endless rainbow of shades and tints.
So when I saw that the optional theme at Ike's World Challenge blog was BLUE, I was feelin' it, and I was definitely NOT sad. So I opted to create a page in my art journal. I used my growing stash of colored pencils and colored up an image called Long Tall Latex Sally -   BLUE, of course. I used washi tape to divide my page into sections so I could get a good variety of words and artwork going on. I doodled and collaged and colored my heart a happy BLUE.
And I feel GREAT!
So go on, get into the Blues and create something to link up to Ike's Art Challenge Blog for your chance to win a gift certificate to Ike's Store. You can even pick up a couple FREEBIES there. Although you don't have to use Ike's images, I LOVE to use them. On my Bucket  List is the wish to own ALL her images - mwahahahaha! I'm never going to reach that goal, however. Ike just keeps on drawing and drawing. It's difficult to catch up to her! LOL
Have fun, crafters!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafts Dreamy - Anything Goes

Kleurin met  Potloden -Anything Goes w/colored pencils

The Path of Positivity Celebrates Shades of Blue

This month the Path of Positivity Blog welcomes the New Year with a new challenge; in fact, a new year of optional themes all centered around shades of different colors or sets of colors. For my DT card today, I created a digital card using papers and elements from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, one of two guest sponsors for the first challenge of 2018.

I used Fun Shape pp from Naturally Cool Papers 2 set and Blue Glitter paper from Glitterati Paper Kit, as well as Flower Brad from Naturally Cool Brads Set to create my digital card. The sentiment I chose is a great way to start out the new year, by "attacking each day with enthusiasm", don't you think? In fact, I think I'll print it out as a wall poster, too, to remind me to give it all I have each and every day.

If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that you are included in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. The challenge also asks you how this month's colour makes you feel, if you'd like to share that with them. What kinds of feelings does the colour BLUE evoke in you? You can write a sentence or two in the body of your post, write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, or simply leave a comment on the main blog post if you'd like. 

Remember, in order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging 
in some way. 
You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $10 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs, the second guest sponsor this month. 

You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additional sponsored prize of the Naturally Cool Kit from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles, for the project chosen as Most Inspiring.

Here are the watermarks from the awesome kit from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles: 

Use Your Noodle to Doodle at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Last year when my husband was diagnosed with ALS, we joined an ALS support group. We became very close to one of the couples, and the wife and I started emailing, texting and phoning each other with our worries, fears, discoveries and experiences. We could vent to each other about our feelings at being our husbands caretakers, knowing that each would understand that we while we may complain, whine and begrudge the time and effort, we are at ease in knowing that we won't be judged by the other. She knows how much I love my husband and would go to the ends of the earth for his comfort, just as much as I know she would do the same.
This month Bill and I go to her husband's funeral. I created this sympathy card with the love and understanding I feel for my friend who bravely fought by her husband's side, battling this incurable disease.
I have been lucky to have witnessed several shooting stars in my life. I thought this digi image from the Scribbles Store was the perfect image to show my friend that her crushing grief will pass, just as a shooting star passes across the sky. I printed and then embossed the image, called Shooting Star, then doodled a border around the edge. This fulfills the challenge theme this month to "Doodle with your Noodle" at Scribbles Designs challenge blog.
I also printed out a Gold Glitterati textured paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles before adding some lace, pearls and flower.
Are you fingers constantly doodling? This is the perfect challenge for you! You have a month to use your noodle and doodle up a project - don't forget to link it up at Scribbles Designs challenge blog for your chance to win free digis from the store!! Good luck and happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entered:

Scrappers Delight - Anything Goes

Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Color Theme at the Outlawz Greetings Challenge

Today brings a new challenge to the Outlawz Monday Greetings, and it is a COLOR challenge: use Blue, Green & Red on your project this week. This week we have two generous sponsors, Robyn's Fetish

and My Stitch Back in Twine

I created a hybrid card using Copic-colored digi image called Mermaid Darcy from My Stitch Back in Twine, and a digitally-produced background for her. The background uses:

Pixel Scrapper Amanda Brown’s Hollister Crab Sticker; PS Janet Scott’s Winter Arabesque Ripped Paper, Strawberry Fields Sun Doodle & Work Day Red Dots Paper; PS Sharon Grant’s Fall Beach Vacation Embellishment 11; PS Melo Vrijhof’s Summer Splash Teal Zentangle Paper.  
 So, what's om your craft table this week? Hope there's some red, green & blue supplies so you can join us for this week's COLOR challenge at the Outlawz Greeting Challenge.

4 Crafty Chicks Challenges Has All That Glitters

Today brings a new GDT make for 4 Crafty Chicks challenge blog. The theme is "All that Glitters" and I created a hybrid card. A hybrid card is the merging of digital and paper crafting. My paper crafting uses a digital image from Bugaboo called Dottie 2-Step, coloring her with Copics. I also printed out my sentiment. After adhering my image onto digital paper, I used Photoshop to complete my card. The details are below:

Copic-colored Image: Bugaboo’s Dottie 2-Step

Papers: Decosse’s Dynamite Doodles Grungy Christmas Textured Paper Kit, Red, & Glitterati Paper Kit, Gold; Bokeh Solid Color Set 1, Blue; Pixel Scrapper Marisa Lerin’s “Yesteryear” Paper 02

Sentiment: My Mind’s Eye Lil Cowpoke cardstock quote

Font: Rosewood Standard

Digital Elements: DeeDee’s Digis’”Happy Trails” stamp set- Wagon Wheel & Hat on Cactus; Pixel Scrapper Melo Vrijhof’s “Thankful Harvest Elements- Rope 2; Pixel Scrapper Pauline Thompson’s Star Brad 7 & Bright & Beautiful Glitter Scatter 1

Do you "do" digital? Or 100% paper-crafting? Or like me, creating hybrid canvases and cards? Whatever you create, link up to 4 Crafty Chicks to show off your art! Happy crafting!

In the Good Old Summer Time at the Outlawz Greetings Challenges

Happy summer, crafters! For those in the northern hemisphere, that means sunny days and hot weather. This week at the Outlawz Monday greetings challenge, the theme is Summer Recreation. What do YOU do to keep cool and active?
This week's summer brings Lacy Sunshine to sponsor and inspire us. I colored up this pretty image called Sandy Boo - Collecting Seashells. Using Copics, I extended the beach from which she is gathering her shells. After popping her onto an embossed and inked card face, I embellished with twine and tiny colorful seashells. My sentiment says it all.
Do you play beach volleyball? Swim at the local pool? Play tennis or roller blade? Whatever you choose for recreation, let it inspire you to create something for this week's challenge at the Outlawz Greetings. Don't forget to keep hydrated as you craft! LOL

Challenges I am Entering:
Southern Ridge Trading Co. - Memories of Summer Mixed Media
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Crafting when We Can - Based on a Movie (Teen Beach Movie)
Eclecctic Ellapu - Life's a Beach
Cupcake Inspiration - Tropical

How Many Shades of Blue Are there?

You will find out when you visit the Squigglefly Challenge Blog!  Their new challenge is to use shades of blue and a Squigglefly digi image on a card or project.

Here's my card, using Lynne Stansbery's image.  It's called STRUT YOUR STUFF, and I can remember my daughter strutting her stuff in mommy's clothes and me taking loads of photos to scrapbook.  It was so much fun!  Of course, my mom took "movie pictures" (before video cameras) with 8 mm film (and no sound) of me, my sister and our cousins dressing up and strutting OUR stuff.  What little girl hasn't had her moments like this one?

I colored Lynne's image with my Spectrum Noir markers.  I have to say that while the quality of inking and blending is equal to Copics, the ink in the markers dries faster than spit!  I have not owned my SN markers for very long, but already there are several that need refilling!!

Anyway, I kept my card pretty Clean and Simple, with a bit of framing, some bling, a flower, and metal photo corners.  On the inside is where I put the sentiment that comes with the image.  It reads: "Strut Your Stuff", and she is totally living up to that sentiment!!

Now it's your turn to strut your crafting stuff at the Challenge Blog.  Hurry down that runway for a chance to win free digi's!!  And for more of Lynne's awesome images, click HERE.