Life is a Phantasi at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenges

Welcome to the Outlawz Monday Greetings new challenge. This week crafters are asked to create using a new technique. The guest sponsor this week is Digi Stamps 4 Joy, whose digital image, Phantasi 7 is showcased on my card today. Isn't she lovely?
My new technique is using some fancy die-cuts I colored with Copics to frame my card. Usually I stick to my Nestabilities dies that don't take twenty minutes to get out of the dies and trim them. But it does look nice on my card. LOL
Inspired by the feathers in her hair, I embellished my card with feathers, and added a line of pearls as well. I created this card for my granddaughter's graduation, and she loved it! Of course, it came with an altered container topped with a grad cap which, when pulled off the top of the container, was followed by a number of one dollar bills taped end to end. It presented an almost endless ticker tape of money, so who wouldn't like that?!
So what technique have you been wanting to try? Do it this week and show us your project. Just link  up with the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge for your chance to win digi images from our sponsor, Digi Stamps 4 Joy.

For the Mom to Be

Today I wanted to show you my very first project as a DT member for Ike's World Challenges. It is a gift box that I re-purposed and recycled from a cream cheese container! Here's where I started:

I generously covered my container with homemade ModPodge and some thickly textured paper, both inside and out. I had to be careful to ensure that my lid would still open and close when dried. Trying to wait until each coat was completely dry before applying another, it took almost a week before it was ready to embellish!

First, I had to find its feet. I used water bottle caps, painting them white and adding gold glitter to each (more time spent drying). I added them and made sure the box stood stable before decorating.

Then the fun began!

I decided to use New Baby from Ike's Art. We have planned a baby shower for my daughter-in-law, scheduled for the end of June. Although their family includes five children, this one will be their first together. I wanted to make something special for the soon-to-be new mama, and my box fits the bill perfectly.
I placed my Copic-colored image onto the top of my box, framing it with a gold-rubbed paper doily. Since the challenge theme is to be inspired by song lyrics, I thought the song All I Have to Do Is Dream by the Everly Brothers.

Once the top was completed, I cut up old lace pieces I had snagged at rummage sales, strings of pearls, and creamy white roses to make the front of my box pleasing to the eye. The sides were the last to be finished.

I do so like to fling those feathers onto my projects!  Now I have just one thing more to make my beautiful box ready for the baby shower---
What am I going to put into it?!
Any ideas? Anyone? Anyone?
LOL While you're thinking about it, you can surf Ike's Store for inspiration and eye candy!! And don't forget to join in the challenge at Ike's World Challenge blog.
Other Challenges I am Entering:
Recycle, Re-Purpose & Re-Invent - Anything Goes/must recycle: from cream cheese container to gorgeous gift box

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes/mixed media only

Always Something Creative challenges - Anything Goes

Stampin Royalty challenges - Anything But a Card

"All I Have To Do Is Dream"
Dream, dream, dream, dream

Dream, dream, dream, dream

When I want you in my arms
When I want you and all your charms
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream
Dream, dream, dream

When I feel blue in the night
And I need you to hold me tight
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream

I can make you mine 
Taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is 
Gee whiz
I'm dreamin' my life away

I need you so, that I could die
I love you so and that is why
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream
Dream, dream, dream, dream

I can make you mine
Taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is
Gee whiz
I'm dreamin' my life away

I need you so, that I could die
I love you so and that is why
Whenever I want you 
All I have to do is dream

Dream, dream, dream
Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dream.

(lyrics courtesy of AtoZLyrics.com)

Never More...

It's overcast today, and I feel in tune to the weather. So I created a darker project than I usually do. I am having so much fun with my backgrounds from the Doll House and my images from Ike's Art. This is a mixed media canvas, done both digitally and with paper, ink and whatever happened to be lying on my craft table.

The image is Poe Bust from Ike's Art. I placed it digitally on a background paper by artist Marta Vaneck called Scene Papers #03. I cut out the window and added a piece of some Tim Hotlz collage paper. I inked and embossed the extra raven from a set from QKD. The quote is of course from the poem The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe. Other patterned papers used are from Close to my Heart.I painted the foam core base a fire engine red and wiped gently for a textured look, although my papers almost covered it all up!

I sprinkled on some flowers, jewels, bow and brad, and was compelled to add a feather (from a stranger, tap-tap-tapping on my own window sill, perhaps?).

My craftiness knows very few bounds. I like  to make cards, layouts and ATCs, and dabble in water colors and mixed media and altered art. In celebration of my Birthday Blowout Blog Candy games, I'd like to ask you today:

What do you dabble in? What have you not tried yet but would like to? Leave me a comment about your craftiness for today's prize package. And as always, have fun crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Quoth the Raven - Tic Tac Poe (Flowers, Poe & Feather)

Craft My Life challenges - Wings
Love to Scrap challenges - Stripes or Dots
Ike's World challenges - Things with Wings
Try It on Tuesdays - They Who Have Wings

3-2-1 iT'S cHALLENGE tIME!!

Have you checked out the Forever Night Creepy Challenge Blog yet?  It celebrates Halloween all year long for crafters, cardmakers and artists.  And who doesn't love to play with a Halloween theme more often than once a year?!

This week's challenge has a 3-2-1 theme, meaning:
3 EMBELLISHMENTS,    2 IMAGES, and   1 SENTIMENT.
Our sponsor this week is Delicious Doodles, and I used a deliciously wicked-looking mad scientist digi image called SPARKLING CYANIDE.  Isn't he creepy?  He fits in perfectly with a creepy challenge!!

I made an easel card for this week, so I could show off both my images,
but I am getting ahead of myself.

Let me count my card down for you:

3 Embellishments include a FEATHER,
some SEQUINS
 and a BUTTON.

2 Images include Delicious Doodles Sparkling Cyanide,
as well as the lower border of mad scientist chemicals and such bubbling away,
a Queen Kat Designs stamp called Chemistry Set.
(You can see the button embellishment in this photo, too)

1 Sentiment from my computer

that I circle-punched and faux-stitched.

And there you have it, my card for the 3-2-1 Creepy Challenge on Forever Night Creepy Challenges Blog.  So, what are you brewing for the new year?  If it's crafting, go check out Delicious Doodles and while you're filling up your cart, don't forget to use your new images in the CHALLENGE this week!

Have fun, and remember to keep Halloween in your heart all year 'round!!  Like Scrooge, but not?!

I'm So Thankful...

...for my life, my loves, my homes, my job, my five senses, my creativity...
AND the new Squigglefly Challenge!!  (You'll never guess what the new challenge is...wait for it...)
A THANKFUL THEME!!  (Bet you didn't see that one coming)

You can create a thank you card, a Thanksgiving card, or anything with a grateful theme.
One of November's newest digi releases from Squigglelfy mixes both the "giving thanks" theme with the Thanksgiving theme for one terrific image.  Our very talented Fawn Palmer is the artist of Happy Turket Day digi image from Squigglefly Designs.
I decided to go along with the Thanksgiving theme and create a feast for the eyes, in bold bright colors!  I used my Copics to color Fawn's image, then added a little Stickle here and a little Liquid Glass there for a little shine, especially on the pumpkins.  I actually printed up two images, then used just the larger pumpkin to add to my scene.
I found a leftover piece of Dasher patterned paper and distressed the edges.  Before adhering my image to the card, I fell into a feather frenzy for a fun feel (feeling funny using all those F's).  I glued the feathers under the image and slipped the pumpkin pie recipe sticker (Tim Holtz Idealogy Sticker Pad) and a bit of K&Co border in orange along the side.  Then had to staple a few snippets of ribbon and thought I had better quit before my card exploded!!
The girl in the image just looked like she was having a blast in her turkey costume, so I wanted to give my card that same fun feeling.  I hope you like it!  For more of Fawn's digi images, check out the Squigglefly Store.  And don'y forget to showcase the things for which you are grateful with a card!  Use a Squigglefly image and enter it in the challenge for a chance to win!
p.s.  One more thing to be grateful for:  the honor of being on the Squigglefly Design Team for another term!!  I am such a lucky duck (or should it be turkey, in line with the season?)!