Anything Goes at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge

It's time for my favorite type of challenge theme - Anything Goes - and the Outlawz Monday Greetings offers an Anything Goes challenge theme on the last Monday of every month. So today my Anything Goes card uses images from one of two sponsors for the week, Melonheadz

Melonheadz offers sets of cute and family-friendly images, like the one I used, Christmas Carolers. After choosing a photo I had taken from Chicago's last Snowmageddon, I placed all my little carolers facing my own house, along with their puppy, a friendly cardinal and, although my frame by Brooke Gazarek of PixelScrappers.com hides it, a holiday swag on my front tree. 

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, I am in double-time, trying to get handmade gifts finished and my cards mailed out. I can't do anything with my house and decorations, as it is in demolition mode, but the contractors think it will be finished by Christmas. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, the second sponsor for this challenge is Robyn's Fetish,

whose lovely image, Cabin in the Woods, I used to create one more Christmas card. So, what will you create for the Anything Goes challenge at the Outlawz Greetings challenge? I'll be looking for your card or project this week, so don't forget to link it up, and say HI, Pat!! LOL

Happy Holidays!

Animal Antics at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge and a Halloween Freebie From Me to You

This week's challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings is all about Animals, and has not one but TWO sponsors from whom participants can win prizes, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.

AND

Crafty Sentiments

My card above uses some goodies from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles: Kitty Curiosity Brown Patterned Paper, Grungy Christmas Red Textured Paper, Colors of the Rainbow Wine Textured Paper, Taste of Summer Floral 1, Mommie Dearest Button 1. I decided to let the sweet kitty on the paper take the stage, using a sentiment to bring it to life on my card. By the way, I am severely allergic to cats, so I can only enjoy them when they're on paper (yes, pity me). On a good note, I am less allergic to dogs, and a happy owner of a Silkie Terrier (no fur, just hair) named Wilson.

The card below uses an image from Crafty Sentiments called Couples.

I created an anniversary card for our neighbors. Like hubby and myself, they have a Fall anniversary.
You have a week to create a project using animals prominently. Don't forget to use a sentient or greeting. After all, that's the name of the challenge! LOL Whatever you create, have fun!

Here is another Halloween Paper I created. Resources include Pixel Scrappers: Janet Scott’s Plastic Spider Toy & Toolbox Calendar Template #182; Elif Sahin’s Bootiful Googly Eyes Up & Left; Brooke Gazarek’s Skeleton; Melo Vrijhof’s Jane Torn Paper Lace Stacked Frame (pixelscrapper.com)

Challenges I am Entering:

(Anything Goes)

Craft Your Passion

Critters & Creatures (Animal AG)

Lacy Sunshine's Color Your World

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

(Themed)

The Crazy Challenge - Cozy (I am always cozy snuggling with my husband)

It's Christmas at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge

Okay, crafters, it's time to start those handmade Christmas cards, and just in time for the new challenge at the Outlawz Greetings challenge!! Anything Christmas Goes this week, and DT got to play with images from Rick St Dennis.
I love his images, and my goal is to collect all his Santa Claus images. This one is called Naptime Santa, and he inspired my sentiment. Santa does a whole years' worth of work in just one very long night, one very Hard Days' Night. The song kept buzzing around my brain (and out my mouth) until I realized I had to put it on my card!

You'd best start making those Christmas cards unless YOU want to spend a Hard Day's Night catching up on your stash. And don't forget to link up your card this week for a chance to win free digis from Rick St Dennis!!

'tis the Season to Use Orange and/or Black

It;s a color challenge this week at the Outlawz Monday Greetings, and those colors are perfect for the season - Orange and/or Black. The sponsor is Melonheadz

The image sheet I played with is called Bag of Bones. I used one of 12 images in the set!

I love Halloween, do you? Of course, I chose to create a Halloween card. You don't have to. All you have to do is create in Black and/or Orange. Just don't forget to link up to the Outlawz Greetings challenge for your chance to win prizes.

Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Angies' Digital Stamps - Anything Goes w/optional Halloween

The Paper Players - Happy Halloween

TIC TAC TOE at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge

Good morning, crafters! This week the Outlawz Greetings challenge asks us to choose a line from this TIC TAC TOE grid:

I used the line asking for Stitches, Image & Red to create my DT card today.

I got to play with a digital image from Dr. Digi called Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dunderton. Dr Digi is one of two sponsors at the Outlawz Monday challenge this week, offering up 2 digis as the prize.

The other sponsor is Angie's Cards and Digis, offering 3 digis as prize.

Back to my card, I created an easel card. It is my go-to card design choice. Easy to make, fun to embellish and packs a punch for a punchline sentiment:

I created my card with my daughter in mind. She has arachnophobia, a fear of spiders. Although she would be more like a runner, as in AWAY from the eight-legged nasty.I don't like spiders myself, but it's nothing to her fear.

Now don't you be afraid to check out the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week. Two sponsors means twice the odds of being a winner, but only if you link up your card or project. Don't forget to add a sentiment or greeting, AND choose a line on the Tic Tac Toe grid.

And as always, crafters, have FUN!

Challenges I am Entering:

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts & Me - Anything Goes

Creative Craft Cottage challenges - For the Men/Boys

Doodle Pantry - ANything Goes

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

Musically-Inclined at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenges

Greetings, crafters! A new challenge is starting today at the Outlawz Monday Greetings and the theme is Music. I  created a card for my true love--we'll be married 40 years in September, so I used the song Thousand Years sung by Christina Perri. You can listen to it HERE.
This week, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles sponsors the challenge, and I got to play with some patterned paper from Lisa's Familiar Refrain Patterned Paper Kit. I used a golden overlay from Krysty Designs before framing my card face with black cardstock. I used another Decosse paper from her A Grungy Christmas Textured Paper Kit to print out a couple lines from the song that inspired me, cutting it out and making it my focal point. A bit of lace and a charm were added as simple embellishments and mt card is finished.
I love plying with papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles so much that I made a second card.

This time I created a 100% digital canvas/card using the same patterned paper from Lisa Decosse along with images from Happy Trails, a digital set by Dee Anderson of Dee Dee's Digis and embellishments from the following Pixel Scrapper designers:

Melo Vrijhof’s Thankful Harvest Elements, Rope 2 and

 Pauline Thompson’s Star Brad 7

My sentiment includes a couple lines from an old camp song in Black Betty Font.

Another sponsor this week is Bloobel with its quirky and funny images. My card above showcases an image called Birdy in a Tree. Teal is my go-to color, so I tend to grab papers and embellishments that coordinate in the many shades of teal. This will go to one of the several young women who have been graduated this year.
Finally (yes, I have been busy!) I created a calendar page for my desktop calendar.

I colored up another Bloobel image, Flootiful, and paired her with 4th of July embellishments.

My daughter was born on the 4th of July, and for years she thought she was very special because there were parades, carnivals and fireworks for her birthday. She is very special, because she has grown up to be a caring, generous and intelligent young woman. Happy Birthday, Wendy!!

Challenges I am Entering:

Dream Valley Challenges - Colors of your flag (USA-red, white & blue)

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Marker POP challenges - Let's Celebrate

What's on your playlist? What will inspire you to create with the theme of music in mind this week? Whatever you create, don't forget to link up at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge for your chance to win! And as always, have FUN!

Anything Goes at the Outlawz Greetings Challenge This Week

Welcome to the last Monday of the month, where it's Anything Goes at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenges. This week's guest sponsor is SLS Lines, and I got to play with a digi image called Goth Girl w/Goldfish & Balloons.  She looks a little sad, or at least thoughtful, so I created a "Thinking of You" card that I can personalize for a long-distance friend I am missing, someone who needs a cheerful note, or even a get-well card.
I colored my image with Copics, using white and metallic gel pens for a little shimmer. Then I fussy-cut her out and framed her with a paper doily. I placed an embossed piece of cardstock on my card face to pull the colors together, adding some black ink on parts of the embossed "bumps." 
I embellished simply with pearls, ribbon and a single black square jewel.
So, what are you going to create for the Anything Goes theme this week? whatever it is, don't forget to link up at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge for your chance to win some awesome prizes from our sponsor, SLS Lines. and as always, crafters, have fun!

The Outlawz Challenges Are Out of this World

Today is the last Monday of the month---do you know what that means at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenges?? It's ANYTHING GOES, my favorite kind of challenge.
One of this week's sponsors is Creative Hands and I created my boy's birthday card with one of their digi images called Spaceship Boy.
To exaggerate my outer space look, I used a punch on the corners. My image is colored with Copics and embellished with stars and alien-looking buttons (I even cut the Earth from a map and pasted it on the card). My greeting is Photo-shopped.

Challenges I am entering:

Crafting when We Can - Add Stars
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Challenge #34 Anything Goes
Digi Designs Challenge blog - For the Boys

My next card uses an image from our other sponsor, Crafty Sentiments. The image is called "Tess Summer Fun," and I think it's safe to (pretend to) feel secure in Mother Nature, in that she won't go all bipolar on us for the rest of the Spring season - heat on at night and air conditioner on during the day! LOL

I created a swing card using leftover papers and my circle cutter from Creative Memories.

Challenges I am Entering:

A Gem of a Challenge - Weather (I chose Summer with flowers blooming everywhere)
Crafty Challenges - Summer Time
Avenue 613 Create - Anything Goes
Alphabet Challenge blog - G is for Girlie
Simply Papercraft challenges - Anything Goes

What do you think of when someone says Anything Goes? Create it and link up with us this week for your chance to win some awesome prizes. Happy crafting!

Going 'round in Circles at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenges

Glad you could come "around" to my blog today. There's a new challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenges and it has me going in "circles." That's right, use circles on your project this week for your chance to win free digis from our guest sponsor, Aliciabel.

I'm using a digital image from Aliciabel called "Chesire Cat," along with a quote from the cat himself from the movie/book. My circles are in my patterned paper, in my embellishments and framing my sentiment.
How are you going to create using Circles for this week's challenge at the Outlawz Monday greetings? Come check out all the inspiration and then link up your card for a chance to win prizes from our sponsor, Aliciabel.
Challenges I am entering:
Show Us Your Pussies - Furry Friends

Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Sponsors the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge

Good morning, crafters! It's finally Spring in the Midwestern United States. I have to admit that I didn't believe we would ever get to the point at which we arrived regarding the weather. April saw not only rain showers but snow showers. There were days when the weather would flip-flop from sunny and breezy to blizzard-worthy snows, often changing within five minutes of each other!

But it has arrived in all its colorful glory, which fits perfectly with the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge theme of "Spring Has Sprung" and my sentiment. One of our sponsors this week is Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, and I can thank Lisa Decosse for her help in my newest crafting venture, digital art. I have used Adobe Photoshop and had a lovely time creating this digital card using papers and elements from the following sets:

 

The wonderful thing about digital elements and papers is that you don'y have to create a project digitally! You can print out the elements and papers just as you would digital images. My card is 100% digital, but I have the most fun with hybrid cards that use both hand-colored and crafted parts with digital elements. If you haven't tried this art form, check out Lisa's freebies and have fun crafting!! 

Our other sponsor is Di's Digi Stamps, whose digi image Daffodil Hedgehogs, is featured on my card below.

I decided to create a Thank You card in a Spring theme. Everyone could use Thank You cards, and my neighbor will be receiving this one with a gift to brighten her day, just like she brightened my day last month. After coloring my image with Copics, I used my Epic Six and Nestabilities die to frame it. I embellished simply because I want to mail it to my neighbor and chunky cards are expensive! LOL

Happy crafting, peeps! Don't forget to link your Spring Has Sprung project or card at the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week!

Anything Goes at the Outlawz Monday Greetings

Today brings us a new challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings. And they also have two sponsors-that's twice the prizes offered this week! My first card uses the digi "Wine Bottle w/Glass" from Angie's Cards & Digis. My sentiment was inspired by the theme song from the movie "Cabaret." However, the theme this week is Anything Goes!
After coloring my image with Copics, I added a little dimension with white gel pen. My papers, die-cuts and embellishments are all pulled from my magic bag of leftovers (magic because it seems to be bottomless). I think my color scheme of pink, green and ivory work well here, don't you?

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting when We Can - Based on a song (Cabaret)
Corrosive challenges - Girls, Ladies, Women (girls' night out)
Great Impressions challenges - Ladies Night

Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday challenges - Add a Quotation (misquoted from Cabaret)

My second card today uses a digi image from Creative Bug Designs, also sponsoring the Outlawz Monday Greetings this week.

I colored an image called "Look at Me, Lolly." I love that he's peeking through a hole just to greet us! I found this fabulous paper (again, stash is endless) and popped him smack in the middle of the "rays" of sunshine, thereby inspiring me to continuously hum "Hello Sunshine" by Aretha Franklin from 1968.

I adhered tiny jewels around my circle of sunshine and added some sequins for sparkle. After adding some fiber for texture, I die-cut my song-inspired sentiment, and my card is complete. Now if I could just get the song out of my head...

Challenges I am Entering:

Not Just Cards challenges - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Time OUT challenges - Celebrations w/optional die-cuts or fussy-cutting)

Although my art today was inspired by songs, the theme at the Outlaw Monday Greetings is ANYTHING GOES, so go create and link up with us for your chance to win this week! 

Furry and Funny is the Theme at the Outlawz Greetings

It's time to laugh out loud, or rather make us laugh out loud at the Outlawz Monday Greetings this week. The theme is Furry and Funny. I created my card inspired by the old saying "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
The image is called "Trotsky" and is from one of our sponsors, Dr. Digi. There are loads of funny, sweet and funky images at Dr Digi's Shop.

I've started digging deep into my stash of leftover papers (I'm finally making some headway in the paper chase that is my craft room). I pulled out some embossed cardstock and sanded it to pull out the white core of the paper. I had punched some dog prints while at my daughter-in-law's house a couple months ago and lo and behold I found them! LOL They make a nice border for my image.
Instead of tying a bow with my ribbon, I twisted it, then stapled it to hold together. I like the look-something different. A star hides the staple.

Challenges I am Entering - 

Creative Knockouts - Humorous Card

WOW Embossing Powder challenges - Anything Goes WOW White Embossing powder on paw prints)

My next project is an altered candy container, shaped like a house.

The image I used is from QKR, and it's called "This Much." I colored my bunny with Copics before popping him onto my Easter candy container. You know, most people think of a candy house and think of the witch in the story Hansel and Gretel. But never fear, my bunny is not planning to fatten you up & eat you. No wait, he is beckoning you to "enter" his house and help yourself to some candy, so I guess you could say he is planning to fatten you up...hmmm, I'm sure he doesn't plan on eating you later. But you'd better not take the chance. Just leave all the candy for me (mwahahahaha).

I hope you have time this week to create for the Furry & Funny theme. Don't forget to link your project up with the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge for your chance to win prizes!

Challenges I am Entering:

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes

Crafty Time - For the Kids

Open-Minded Crafting - Easter/Spring/Pastel colors

Spring Has Sprung with Digi Stamps 4 Joy

Could it be Spring, finally?! I don't know about your neck of the woods, but Chicago has been on a roller coaster when it comes to temps and weather conditions. March come in like a lion,bearing snow and freezing temps, then flipped around and teased us with temps in the 60's. I would really like Mother Nature to make up her mind so I can plan out my wardrobe! LOL
Meanwhile, the Outlawz Monday Greetings offers a new challenge asking for cards with a Spring theme. The sponsor this week is Digi Stamps 4 Joy.

Doesn't the digi, Spring Has Sprung, showcase the new season's weather perfectly? I love the hedgehogs peeking out of the flowers with their smiles. They're not the only ones happy with the respite in cold weather! I rounded all my corners on my card and embellished with a spray of flowers and a few butterflies floating past my scene. My sentiment is on my printed ribbon.
Why don't you link up your Spring-themed card at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week. There are some fabulous prizes offered!

You Rock My World

I love Rock n Roll. I should because although I wasn't around at the birth of rock n roll, I was certainly part of the generation who watched the first music videos on MTV, whose parents worried that I was listening to too much "acid rock', who saw men like Alice Cooper and David Bowie wearing make-up on stage (let's not forget KISS), and who listened to Larry Lujack for all the music and news on radio.
My little rocker here, a digi image from Aliciabel, is called Rock 'n' Roll. Aliciabel is our guest sponsor this month at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge. I created a kaleidoscope card for my DT make. It was fun sorting through my paper stash to coordinate the papers (and use them up. I also think the design of the card is perfect for her.
This week's challenge is Anything Goes, my favorite type of challenge! Please link up your cards and projects with us at the Outlawz. You could be our random winner of prizes from Aliciabel. Meanwhile, click on the link for a little blast from the rock n Roll past:

I Love Rock n Roll

Challenges I am Entering:

2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes

  

New Challenge Sponsored by Bloobel Stamps and Melonheadz

Today brings another challenge from the Outlawz Monday Greetings. One of my newest favorite companies returns as our sponsor this week, Bloobel Stamps. I have a slightly warped sense of humor, and I find these Bloobel Stamps to be in tune with my humor (check out my second card and you'll see what I mean).
But first, my card above uses an image called My Cup of Tea, which i colored with Copics nd shimmered with metallic gel pens. After choosing the sentiment, I pulled out some subway graffita-themed patterned paper as my card's background to emphasize the gap between the real world and the world while enjoying a cuppa.  I created a 6x6 square card, as that is the Outlawz Greetings challenge theme this week.

Challenges I am Entering:

Creative Loops challenges - Floral Inspiration (I just discovered this blog & will come back often-lots of creativity & inspiration here. I was inspired by this challenge to cut up asst'd flowers from my stash so that they'd "play well" with card-making, cutting off leaves & trimming blossoms so that they would look & fit well on my card)

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie - Photo inspiration (I decided to pull the vivid red, white & black coloring from the photo for my card)

I was so lucky I got to play with another image from Bloobel, this one called Mustache Ballerina.

If you wonder why I would give a man a birthday card with a guy in a tutu, check out my inside with its "punchline" below.

I know exactly to whom I am giving this card, and he is going to laugh out loud when he reads the inside. Again, I pulled papers from my stash to create my card, and even found a piece (less than half!) of a paper doily that I had saved to frame out my image. Instead of flowers, I sprinkled "manly" stars around my tiny dancer to embellish.

Challenges I am Entering:

Simply Create Too - Make it Funny

4 Crafty Chicks - Humorous

Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes

Our second sponsor this week, Melonheadz, offers fun image sheets like the one I used on my card below. It's called Apes and I had a blast creating with the images.

 I closed my eyes and pulled out some embossed brown paper as well as pieces of Kraft and patterned papers. My junk drawer yielded some leftover twine, trim and a couple buttons. I added my sentiment on a die-cut oval after inking the edges. What do you think? Is it a hit or a miss? LOL
Challenges I am Entering:
Aud Sentiments challenges - BINGO grid & a sentiment (I used the third vertical gridline-embossing, lace & die-cut)

Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Anything Goes/Add an Animal

Remember that it's hip to be Square when you craft this week (and to link up at the Outlawz for your chance to win this week). Awesome pries to be won from

AND