On the 17th Day of Christmas Crafting...

 

I discovered that my Christmas card supplies were getting low, so I had to create a few more this month! These cards showcase an image by Fresh Brewed Designs (closed). I printed the image twice for each card and used dimensional tape to make the candles pop. They are note card-sized, 4.5x5.5. I have sold most of my holiday cards at craft fairs in packs of four. I guess I'll be making quite a few of these in the New Year!!

How are you doing on your holiday crafting? Are you mainly a card maker, or do you play with other types of crafting? I have ADHD, and I call it my super power. I can go to a thrift store and see something on a shelf and think "I can make this into such and such" or " this would look good if I just blah, blah, blah..."

...which of course leads me to buying on impulse and sometimes storing an item for a week or three or 12...which is why I am always decluttering because I have a backlog of projects and a lack of storage...

...life is never dull at my house!!

On the First Day of Christmas Crafting...

 

Good morning crafters! Since my holiday card supply is running low, I decided to make a few cards for family and friends. Today's card features an image called  Vintage Christmas Sticker Sheet from Conjuror of Dreams for the base or background. It's a  beautiful grove of pine trees, which works perfectly with the images I colored and fussy-cut to pop into the winter scene.

I wanted some dimension on the card, so my Simply Betty images were colored with Copics, then adhered onto the card with dimensional tape. After framing the paper layers, I popped a shiny star up top and my first Christmas card of the season is finished. 

 Challenges I am Entering :

 

Steady as She Goes

 Just went through my desk drawers in the basement. I decluttered all the school notebooks, dividers, report covers, file folders, and assorted stationery. Now one drawer holds that kind of stationery, while the other drawer holds hanging folders of memorabilia due for scrapbooking.

After that rewarding chore, I sat down with my box of leftover goodies and created another batch of cards, along with one more bookmark. I have to ask myself, who still reads real printed books? I know I and my sisters do. Many of my friends read both printed and online books, but there are several who only read on their Nook or Kindle.

I can't say it matters either way. I love books, I love reading, whatever the media, and children love getting bookmarks (and some adults). The cards are all put together from pieces and bits of crafting supplies. There's even a lone novelty playing card with Charlie Brown and Snoopy on a birthday card. I used to belong to a Yahoo group that offered challenges like on Blogger. Sometimes a challenge would pop up that asked a crafter to use what was lying on their crafting desk/table. That's kind of what I'm doing, only I gather up the extras I've discovered while decluttering and bagged them for cardmaking later.

Next on my declutter list is the small stuff. That's right, the jewels, brads, Skittles, etc., that have been housed in t tool tower with 50 small clear bins. Maybe (no promises) I'll remember to take a before photo of the tower before I declutter. Remember, I'm not just throwing away or sending stuff off to a thrift store. I'm giving all my selected supplies to a young girl who loves crafting but has no means to buy her own. Not only does she get to discover all kinds of techniques and media, but since she's young her mom joins her and that's some quality time they have together!

Okay, I better tackle that tower that terrifies me into trembles (how's that for alliteration?) 

P.S. (A special shout out to Faith of Daffodil Cards for being my cheerleader in this venture. Besides the positive reinforcement, she has some beautiful cards to inspire all her visitors!).

Happy crafting, all!_

Using My Stash

 

Today I created 10 notecards from a pile of misc. crafting supplies I left out on my desk last week. I mostly used die-cuts, ATCs and stickers, so it went pretty fast. The history behind the cards is interesting...

I have a habit of naming the New Year. 2024 is the year of Whole Health, I joined a program offered by my hospital and they offer so many programs that touch on the concepts of whole health: physical health, emotional health, personal development, weight loss, mindful meditation, sleep therapy, spiritual awareness, kinesiology, surroundings and social activity.

I even have a coach who guides me to plan out how to reach my goals, which also means accountability. If I don't reach my goals in the time allotted, we revise the steps I need to take to succeed. For the next two weeks, I'm working on my surroundings. 

My house has become a storage building, holding furniture, collectibles and items from my mom's and my gram's houses, which my sisters and I cleaned out and sold after their deaths. Most of my basement and garage are filled with furniture and things that my sister can't let go of, but doesn't have room for.

I admit that the rest of the overcrowding is from my ever-growing stash of craft supplies. This situation is making me feel overwhelmed, anxious and depressed. My mission is to declutter, organize and label my crafts, creating order out of the chaos. I listed the craft supplies by category; for instance, this first week I went through my alpha stickers, printed images, 12x12 papers, diecuts, lace, ribbon, trim, buttons and envelopes.

I emptied 12 containers and bins, and found a ten year old girl whose passion is crafting. Her mom works with my sister, and she has received a large bag of craft supplies from me. She and her mom created a vision board together and had so much fun. I have filled another large bag with papers, stickers and card kits I made for some workshops. And I am just beginning!

So now you know how I came to create these notecards. I also made 9 birthday cards which I'll post another time. Meanwhile, happy crafting, y'all!

Lucky to Create at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog

Welcome, crafters, to a new challenge at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. This month you are asked to create with the theme of LUCK. Think teens going off to college, a friend getting a new and better job, a cousin opening up their own business. Your project can be any medium, so you can create a card for someone, a scrapbook page to celebrate the triumphs of life, a canvas to remind your friend just how lucky you are to have them as a friend.
My girlfriend has a birthday coming up and I decided to give her card a wee bit o' Irish wisdom, as she is part Irish (and part Italian, an explosive combination). Last year I found a Jim Shore Irish Santa Claus ornament for Christmas. She was thrilled, and I hope she'll like her card.

Image: Limited Runs Fence with Butterfly digital image, colored with Copics.

Digital Elements from pixelscrapper.com - Sheila Reid’s Green Circle Stamp; Janet Scott’s Many Thanks Green Button; Brooke Gazarek’s Enchanted Green Paper. Font: Celtic Hand.

I used Copics to color up a digi image called Fence and Butterfly from one of this month's sponsors, Limited Runs.

Another sponsor, Imagine That! Digital Stamps, let me play with the image Christmas Horseshoe. 

Here's the card I made with Christmas Horseshoe.

Go check out the inspiration from the DT. We have a Guest Designer, whose card will also be showcased on the challenge post. Then create with the theme of luck. Got some wonderful sponsors and prizes for you at the Path of Positivity challenge blog! See you there!

A Blog Hop with a Difference

I was invited to this blog hop with a difference by Lisa from the Path of Positivity. This hop gives me free rein to write and showcase any of my work, as well as answer four questions about my creativity. In turn, I have chosen three bloggers and their links who I have "tagged" to continue this blog hop with a difference. Those are below. Now for the answers to the questions:

1. What am I working on?

I just sent off a personal essay for the Path of Positivity. I love to write. I've been having a torrid love affair with the English language since the second grade, when Sister Carlene applauded my short story and told me I was destined to be a writer. On the crafty front, I design for Squigglefly Designs as well as for Lisa at the Path of Positivity, and join in challenges on a regular basis. Above is a card I created for the Digi Stamps 4 Joy Progressive Christmas Card challenge using Snowglobe by Margy from DS4J. I created an easel card after fussy-cutting the image. The faux snow on the image is homemade "SoftSnow." It's easy to make--all you need is two balls of styrofoam and rub them together, then gather it all into a container. 

I'm also into watercolors. I started with kids' water paints and cardstock, and graduated to cold pressed paper with lots of tooth and liquid water colors.  Here's one I recently painted from a photo taken while visiting Seattle, Washington. Between my photos and Pinterest, I'll run out of paints before I run out of inspiration.  

The last project to show you is a shadowbox I made of my son's wedding last July. My mom liked it so much I decided to make one for her as well, and it is sitting on my craft table until I get the time to put hers together. This is what it will look like. And let me tell you, if I had gone around the world looking for the perfect wife for my son, I couldn't have done better than the one he chose for himself!! 

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Every artist puts his or her sweat, emotions and heart into each work, whether it's a card, a layout, a canvas or journaling. I am an eclectic artist in that I am all over the place. The companies for whom I design never know if I will give them a fancy-fold card or a piece of altered art, a piece of room decor or a mini album. I like it that way--keeps them on their toes. LOL

3. Why do I do what I do?

Why do birds sing? Why do stars twinkle in the sky? I do what I love and love what I do. I feel blessed to be able to create with paper and paint and words. I was never one to look a gift in the horse's mouth (or is it a gift horse in the mouth?), so if I can do it, I will do it. End of story!

4. How do I come up with stuff?

I very rarely have a sketch or plan when I sit down to make a card. I just root around my craft room with an image I want to use and wait for the muse to attack me. And you know what? She never ever fails to do so! There is so much inspiration out there if you only keep your eyes and heart open to all the endless possibilities. Color, texture, scents, memories, music--they're all I need...that and a tall cool glass of iced tea. 

Now on to the crafters I've "tagged" that I think you might find interesting. Please check them out and leave a little love.

JOYCE GUTHRIDGE - Joyce and I are co-administrators of Your Scrapbook Place Challenge blog, and both members of SBP Yahoo Group. She crafts from sketches and templates so we are totally opposites and yet great crafting friends. Her projects always inspire me, and I know they will you, too!
VIOLET - Violet is a writer, and her blog posts shout passionately about self-respect, loving yourself and psoitivity. I enjoy her youthful and colorful discoveries, experiments and exercises she shares with her readers to help them over the hump of self-criticism, doubt and depression. 
VIRGINIA - Virginia is an avid cardmaker and talented crafter. She has a brand new blog and would love to see more crafters checking out her art and leaving some love.

That's all for now, my crafty peeps! Happy hopping!

Cards For the Troops

What do you do when you can't find your craft table for all the fibers, paper pieces and images leftover from previous projects? You make a bunch of CAS cards for the Troops!!

Instead of throwing away pieces and putting away images, I colored up the images, adhered the papers to card bases, and added the leftover embellishments to create 13 quick cards for the troops. I send my cards to crafting friend Melissa who collects and boxes them up for Operation Write Home.
If you're ever looking for a way to do good and have fun crafting, check out their link and then have fun in your craft area! Most deployed soldiers are nowhere near a store to buy cards to send home to family and friends. Whether it's a birthday card or just a Thinking of You card, our men and women over there really appreciate the handmade love we send them!

It's a Hot, Hot, Hot Summer Party Blog Hop

Welcome Summer, and welcome to the Blog Hop!  We have some hot ideas to get your party on, so if you came from Angela's blog, you're on the right track.  If not, make sure you start at Shannon's blog so you don't miss a single sizzlin' project.

I've been working on a Quinceanera party for a friend.  Her dress is a hot orange and pink, and after the Mass is a Masquerade Ball.  Here are the invitations I made.

Half of them are exploding boxes, with a photo of my friend's daughter inside, as well as the actual wording of the invitation.

The other half are cards that lie flat and can be

mailed.  Both showcase the young woman's monogram, the colors of her dress, carnival masks for the masquerade theme, and white flowers to highlight her innocence.

I made 150 invitations all total!

The next thing I worked on were favors.
I wanted to continue with the orange and hot pink colors, but keep the design simple to keep the focus on the gifts inside.


So as I was browsing the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby, I came upon packs of hot pink favor bags.  I was able to spice them up a little, and give them the same flair as the invitations.

I love taking a cast-off or slightly wounded item and make it sparkling new in a different way!  I don't think I have paid full price for a year's worth of projects so far.  How about you--do you upcycle??

This last photo is of the champagne toast centerpiece.
Since all the young ladies and gentlemen of the court will be underage,
the champagne toast will be done with sparkling grape juice.
But that doesn't make the centerpiece any less of a showcase item,
as you can see.

The base is a champagne glass stand, decorated with the colors of the night.  Each glass is embellished with a small mardi gras mask.  Of course, you can't miss the large mask in the center, which is eye-catching, which is what it is supposed to do!

Did I mention that each table will have its own fabulous centerpiece, each holding a bottle of sparkling grape juice (or champagne if you're at the adults' tables), each colorfully decorated in hot pink and deep orange feather boas and masks!!
That's all for my part in the Summer Party Blog Hop.  Please leave a little love before you hop on over to Lori's Blog.

Enjoy yourselves, and keep on crafting!  Here's the blog order if you get lost or if you encounter a black hole:

Shannon- http://shannonleffew.blogspot.com

• • Daphne- http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com
    Angela - http://www.crazy3monkeys.blogspot.com/
    Pat - http://patacakespages.blogspot.com
    Lori - http://www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/
    Robin - http://cutonedesignsbyrobin.blogspot.com/
    Sandy- http://scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com
    Christine- http://hotberrydesigns.blogspot.com/

Card Creations Using Digi's from Sandra Caldwell

Hello, crafters!  I created cards this week featuring freebie digi images from Sandra Caldwell over at Babycakes Doodle This & That. 

 I decided to play with paper piecing and so my first card features the digi called Love Conquers All.  My heart and the roses are printed on patterned paper and adhered to the printed image on white card stock.  I used a piece of Basic Grey patterned paper for the background and embellished with lace and a chain with a few tiny charms hanging on it.

 My second card features the digi image For You.  I printed it on the same patterned paper as on my first card, but first paper=pieced the bloom and the pot and then fussy-cut the entire image onto a patterned paper background.  After framing it with brown card stock and tearing the bottom, I adhered it onto Kraft patterned paper, adding a ribbon for embellishment.  So that's three different patterned papers!

Are you inspired to go get your freebies and play in the challenge?  One participant will be chosen at random and will get a prize (see the 3/28 posting below for pics of the goodies).  Each prize will have a wonderful stamp set and asst'd embellishments to go with it.  Woo Hoo!!  I hope we have enough participants to choose one card using each of the images and if we have even more, I have more prizes!!  You can submit up to FOUR projects.  Each project must use a different image so you will be entered into the drawing for all five prizes.  You can use additional stamps and embellishments as long as you include a Babycake Doodle on your card.

Link up your projects HERE. Be sure and check out everyone else's cards and leave them comments. 

And if you fall in love with Sandra's images like we have, you can check them all out at her blog.  For all her art, check out her Etsy Store (link located on the sidebar at right on Your Scrapbook Place blog).  So what are you waiting for?!  Go play!!  LOL  

New Week, New Challenges!

Today's card is inspired by a Squigglefly digi image called Daily Twitter that you can get FREE HERE.
They post weekly challenges on Mondays, and this week their challenge is to use paper piecing on your project. I have just discovered paper piecing and am loving it! Oh, the different variations you can get when you paper piece is unbelievable!! On this card, I printed the image onto both white cardstock and on a small piece of leftover paper (never throw away anything bigger than 2 inches is my credo). I had just enough to cut out a piece for the background of my card as well. I used a paper doilie and another leftover piece of patterned paper to frame out my little birdie. She's actually three layers of image. Then I added a jewel and some wire for her legs and tail and her eye. The sentiment is from a Stampin Up set, inked with CTMH Star Spangled Blue ink pad. I prettified my leftover buttons with some Martha Stewart Grossgrain bows, which I colored to match the colors on my card, using Copics: B95 and G21 (I used Y17 on her beak and marvelous plumage). No extra bling, shine or glitz--I only had time for a simple, easy card today. It took me all of ten minutes from printing the Squigglefly image to uploading a photo of the finished card!
Now it's your turn! Do you have an extra ten minutes to spare? Go to Squigglefly Challenge Blog and check out this week's inspiration from the design team and try your hand at this week's challenge!

A Ton of Fun This Weekend

Got a fun weekend planned with my mom and sisters, but I wanted to make sure I created a new card for the Hambo Hoedown before I left. Every week they offer a new challenge, and ALL players in the challenge receive a free digi! This weekend is extra special, as they are hosting a blog hop. I made some special movie-themed cards for the hop, so be sure to check them out tomorrow HERE.
Meanwhile, I wanted to share this funny card with you. I used Sumo-digi image from Hambo Stamps. This week's challenge was to use a Hambo image along with a sentiment, and use CHIPBOARD. I colored my chipboard black with Copics and framed my image with it, as well as using a small circle to frame out the sentiment. I am in love right now with all shades teal, so my card has teal, black and browns. I colored Mr. Sumo with the following Copics: 100; E00; YR61 & BG10. His, uh, fig leaf (?), is two layers of colored image. I had an ATC (in teal, how convenient is that?) in an oriental theme, so used it behind his image. I also had a leftover lantern from a Cricut swap I was in. I glammed up my chipboard frame with punched hearts and Black Stickles. I used some paper from a Card makers kit, as well as leftovers from my stash. I penned in some faux stitching between the solid and striped background papers.
I have a wooden purse box with a bamboo handle that I'd like to use him on and make a gift for a friend who loves the asian theme, but I didn't have time to put that together (yet). Maybe when I get back next week!
Meanwhile, don't forget to check out two great blogs this weekend. The first is Hambo, and the second is Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog. I've authored two posts this week over there, and hope you get a couple good ideas on saving money as you craft.

The Nurse Scared the Patient Back to Health...

Got a friend who's looking at some surgery soon, and so I thought I'd cheer her up with this Get Well card. Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog has a new challenge this week. This card uses a new (to me) technique called Bricks. It has a kind of a mosaic look to it. I decided to "lay" my sentiment like bricks as well. I've never tried this before. That's why I love challenges. It introduces a crafter to new techniques, images, color combos and sometimes pushes her out of her comfort zone!
Come join us at Scrapbook Place Yahoo Group and meet some new friends!

Fairy Friday

Another week leads to another weekend! Hurray for weekends! Besides, groceries, housework, taking the granddaughter to dance class and a list of to-do's from dear hubby, I can spend my free time(what free time?) in my craft room. I have been buirning the midnight oil, creating cards for several challenges. The carde pictured above is for the Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog, featuring one of their Fairyopolis Spring collection fairies. Isn't she sweet?
I love the detail of this and the other fairopolis stamps. I colored her with Copics, of course and the flowers are handmade by the very talented Anna Nikander. Other than that, everything else was from leftovers and rummage sales! The patterned papers didn't even have a mfgr's name on the back! I love those roses in the background! I think my fairy is ready to move in for good!
So this is my second card for the Crafter's Companion May Challenge. There is some sweet blog candy for a random winner this month, a Crafter's Companion Tool collection. If you love fairies, then you'll want to go straight from their blog to their store---I know I did!