Cashing In by Using My Stash

 

Today I'm featuring another birthday card made completely with leftovers from my stash. The die-cuts were from a bag of birthday greetings and elements. The felt flower is so old I have no idea where it came from! The card front is from a pack of cards, a leftover piece I used to attached to a piece of cardstock I folded today.

It was a quick make, so I made two. My sister's coming in from Germany with her husband, and she always brings back a handful of cards from my stash. I have made some of them in German. Mostly she prefers notecards that she can write something in and hand to someone. Just a decorated front and blank inside.

That's it for today! 

  

CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING:

On the 19th Day of Christmas Crafting...

 

I have been storing a pair of metal art pieces I picked up from a garage sale a few years back. I decided this was the year I would transform it into holiday decor. I spray painted my base layer white, and it needed three coats! Then I brought out my Posca pain markers to decide on a pattern. Once I liked my pattern, I went back over the markers with acrylic paints. Each swirl is raised, so I had to refine the edges on each circle several times. I was finally satisfied after three days worth of tedious correcting with a very thin paint brush.

Once the paint was dry, I used Liquid Gloss Sealant so that I could hang the set outside. I've been upcycling metal artwork since COVID, and I really like it. I have a deck in the back, as well as in  front, and I enjoy changing out  the look of them with each season. 

Welcome to the 31 Days of Halloween - DAY 30

 

Today I'm upcycling one of my own pieces of art! Last year I tried Acrylic pour canvas painting. This is one of my pieces, a 6x6' stretched canvas for Halloween. Nice, but boring...

I reached into my bag of Halloween tricks and pulled out a plastic skeleton (I bought so many of these throughout the year that I haven't had to purchase any in forever). Using his lower legs and a larger one from another bag, I formed the latter "B"., brushing it with white paint before adhering it with hot glue. 

A couple black silk leaves and white felt flowers formed the letter "O" twice, and now my artwork has a title, "BOO". I added a few die-cut leaves and a small wooden gravestone to finish off my project. I hope I didn't overload the canvas, but I am NOT a fan of "white space". It's difficult for me to stop when it comes to embellishments. I hope you've enjoyed the 31 Days of Halloween here at 'Patacake's Pages. I have one more day to entertain you with my imagination and creativity this spooky season. See you tomorrow.

Challenges I am Entering:

Something Fun and Different

 

After spending a short time decluttering (again), I uncovered a small wooden box with a cut-out top. Just a plain old unfinished wood box measuring about 7"x9". I still had a small pile of designer papers from which to choose my framed cover, and cut out small pieces from another paper (bird, heart, thing in right bottom corner) before covering it with glass.

I painted the sides with Posca markers, but left the top unfinished wood. I added a line of small pearls around the top border, and added a line of adhesive dots to the inside top of the frame. I could have stopped there, but...I had a packet of flowers and a glue gun plugged in. So I created a spray of sunshine and added a set of charms with the theme of Wanderlust.

My box now has a place in my bedroom for trinkets and stuff.  It was totally worth taking the time off from decluttering my stash or creating cards from the leftovers. Tomorrow I'll be back to work creating an organized craft area. 

Anything Goes at Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog

Rick St. Dennis is one of my favorite artists, and I was so happy when I discovered that he was sponsoring August's challenge at Your Scrapbook Place. I chose to play with "Morning Goddess True Sexy." I have her in a few different poses as she is one of my favorite characters in Rick's Store. I love that Rick knows that sexy doesn't disappear with age, nor is it weighted down by shape.

As I promised at the beginning of the year, I am still attacking my craft stash. It doesn't look like I made a dent in it, but after using four layers of paper, I know that it is being reduced. I am also getting my supplies more organized, so that I can spend more time on designing and creating and less time looking for the supplies I need!

Your Scrapbook Place offers monthly challenges where the theme is always Anything Goes. So craft with love and link up your project for your chance to win a prize from our very special sponsor, Rick St. Dennis. Have fun!

Challenges I am Entering:

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper  - Anything w/Patterned Paper Goes

Create and Inspire - Anything Goes

Sheepski Designs - Favorite Things (Fave things I love to  create w/include lace, pearls & gold; fave things in the world are friends & family)

World Wide Open Challenge Blog - Anything DT Goes

Create & Makes - Anything Goes

The Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenges Us to Brighten Someone's Day

There's not a week that goes by that I can't think of someone who needs a pick-me-up, something that will brighten their day. So I was very happy to see the newest challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week. To brighten someone's day is to share with them your happiness, to lend them your smile, to give them hope.
My DT make this week is a Thank You card for one of the many caring and supportive staff at the VA Hines Hospital. My husband and I are veterans, and with me getting laid off, and my husband being handicapped now, we are spending one to two days a week at one appointment or another. We have yet to experience a "bad day" or discourteous staff member.
My card features a digital image from Sheepski Designs, this week's sponsor over at the Outlawz Greetings challenge. They are offering a prize of a $10 gift card toward a purchase at their Etsy Shop.

The image I used is called Annabell.  I colored her with Copics and colored up a little scene for her before framing and then placing her on my card. I embellished simply with Skittles and a K&Co sticker. My sentiment is on the acrylic heart I tied onto my card with some organza ribbon.

What will you create to brighten someone's day? A birthday card, a Thank You note, a funny note  card  that will  make him or her laugh out  loud? Whatever you create, remember to link up with the Outlawz Monday Greetings  challenge for your chance to win that Sheepski Designs gift card!

Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - Lots of Layers

Ooh La La Creations - Anything Goes

Left of Center challenges - Butterfly

Geometry at Ike's World ChallengeBlog

Did I scare you with that title?!It's just my way of telling you that the theme over at Ike's World Challenge blog is to make a square card and add a circle! Here's my DT make:

I colored up two digi images from Ike's Store, Flower Square and Butterfly. The square card was easy; to add a circle I used a circle cutter and cut out my butterfly, although its wings were left to fly. I am continuing to wage war with my stash. I can finally see a slight difference in my pile of papers.
I am unfortunately in need of sympathy cards, so I thought the images and my design would make a nice one.  when needed.I really like this combo of images and will make several more of the same so that I can have a healthy stash of cards. You can make whatever inspires you to create, just make sure it is square and includes a circle. Go check out the blog for inspiration, and to link up your project for your chance to win free digis from the store!!
And as always, crafters, have fun!

Challenges I am Entering:

Sunny Day Crafting -Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

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

Another Sublime Challenge at the Outlawz Greetings

The only thing more sublime than a conversation between a fairy and a ladybug is an Anything Goes challenge! That's the new challenge this week at the Outlawz Greetings. This week's sponsor is Crafty Sentiments, and this jewel of a digi image is called "JEWEL."
I still have a box of newly-rediscovered papers on my desk, and while every project created this month has used papers from that box, it still looks over-stuffed with the wages of paper sin! But I am trying, as you can see from the photo of my newest card. I used 3 patterned papers and 2 different pieces of colored cardstock.
I colored my Jewel with Copics, and embellished simply with flowers, jewels, a butterfly charm and a cardstock sentiment sticker to finish off a simply sublime card. Now if the weather here in Chicago would just make up its addle-pated mind, it would be truly sublime. May is holding onto Spring with a tenuous grasp of temperatures, see-sawing from the 40's to 70's and back again, like a test drive on a super roller coaster.
But back to the challenge! The Outlawz Greetings is a challenge group that posts new challenges weekly on Mondays, with the last Monday of each month being an Anything Goes theme. The only stipulation on any paper-crafted project is to use a greeting or sentiment on the front of your creation. Please visit us for inspiration, and leave a comment or enter the challenge to share your artwork with us.

Challenges I am Entering:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
Opus Gluei - Garden Inspiration
Crafty Sentiments challenges - Anything Goes
Open-Minded Crafting - Inspired by a Song (Build Me Up, Buttercup
Hiding in My Craft Room - Any Holiday (May Day)
Brown Sugar challenges - Favorite Color Combo