Squigglefly Challenge Card

Birthday Cake Kaboodle digi

This week Squigglefly has a fun challenge.  It is to FACE YOUR FEAR.  Lots of people are making Halloween cards with spiders, etc., but my card is a very subtle reminder that some people's fears are not taken seriously.  I made a sweet birthday card, with a luscious birthday cake on the front.  The sentiment reads "Everybody knows..." and on the inside "...that birthday calories don't count".
Well, that may be true for some, but with PWDs, or People With Diabetes, ALL calories count, expecially the carbs.  I love dessert.  I have diabetes.  I have more fear of dying from some diabetes-linked illness than that of a few calories.  So when I face my fear, I do so with good choices and plans for a healthy future.
So saying, I used Squigglefly's BIRTHDAY CAKE KABOODLE digi image, coloring her up with my trusty Copics.  I used my Fiskars Oval cutter and cut out my image and coordinating cardstock to frame it.  A 3D butterfly embellishment, some flowers and seed beads and the sentiment finishes this simple card off.
So, what do you fear?  Scrap it, make a card, or just go with the Halloween theme.  Whatever you do, keep crafting and have FUN!  And check out the challenge at Squigglefly Challenge Blog!

What's in the Box?

Just wanted to remind my crafting friends that Queen Kat Designs will host a 19 day long celebration for their 5th birthday!  Lots of fun things are planned.  Just click HERE for the event details and you can RSVP for a chance to win a prize.  There's lots more, starting on November 1.

To put you in the mood for a birthday bash, here's a card I made with a QKD birthday stamp set.  When my granddaughter saw the card, she asked what was in the box.  I told her to use her imagination and think what nice things could be in there.  She must have a GREAT imagination, because she asked me if she could open it!  I told her it was just a card, but she said she thought she knew what was in it.  No amount of persuasion could sway her from her anticipated contents!  I love 4 year olds, but they wear me down.  Does that mean I'm getting old?

Birthday Party with the Queen

Queen Kat Designs, that is!!  The company is coming up on her 5th birthday, and they have lots of fun and crafty plans for crafters.  Check out their event on Facebook HERE.  You can also catch some news on their BLOG.
In anticipation of their celebration, I made a card with the Birthday Stamp set, using the Cake image (so I was hungry, okay?!).  I stamped on both white cardstock and patterned paper, then paper pieced the layers.  I colored the rest of the image with my Copics, and gave the whole works a little shimmer with Stickles, Liquid Glass and SU's Dazzle Glitter.
For lots of fun and giveaways starting November 1st, go to:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=298948620132176

Wrapped Up in Fun

You know why I like digi images?  Because you can print them ANY size!!  So, when Hambo announced their newest challenge at the Hambo Hoedown (COLOR CHALLENGE:  use MUMMY and one of the sentiments this week with purple, orange, black and green for the main colors), I knew I wanted to do this in a BIG way.  So I printed Mummy digi-image at 5x7. 


Mummy digi-image

 Instead of making a card, I wanted to give my granddaughter a homemade trick-or-treat bag.  I used a plain brown gift bag whose front and back measure a little over 8x8.  I covered the bag with BLACK netting, adding a swag of netting at the top with ORANGE Halloween patterned ribbon to tie it up.
I then colored my Mummy in GREENS, ORANGES and PURPLES and adhered him to the bag.  I printed one of the two sentiments that come with the image onto GREEN cardstock, then added a few embellishments for a spooky scene.

So this weekend she saw the bag and couldn't wait to use it.  Her Dad and she and I went to a local OctoberFest, with lots of kids' activities and games and CANDY.  There were several people who stopped us to ask where they could make that great trick-or-treat bag, since one of the booths was for decorating treat bags.  I told them it was handmade and they walked away disappointed (but impressed, I hope).

So when you think digi images, think BIG and you will get more out of them!  Now skip on down to the Hambo Hoedown and check out the inspiration there.  Hambo Stamps has a great assortment of Halloween images to play with, so don't forget to browse the shop.  Happy Crafting!

A Story from the Files of the Witch Sisters (and a birthday celebration!)

Witch Sisters by Marlon T

 I made two spinning swing cards today, using the two new October release stamps from Queen Kat Designs. 
 The first uses one of the Witch Sisters by Marlon T. 
Kitty (my name for her) looks lovely on her broom, so I thought she would love to fly on my card.
















Forest Night by Terra Bidlespacher

  The second card was made using Forest Night by Terra Bidelspacher. 
The full stamp is so beautiful and I promise I will make a card to show off the full image on another Friday post, but for now I decided to make a moving card.  Because the window in which the image hangs is somewhat small, I had to cut the image down a bit.













The design is fairly simple, and I made a video tutorial of it.  You can view it by clicking the following link (I hope):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-BUrxMFmeM

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

I have more projects I’ll be posting this month from both these bewitching stamp sets, so keep checking back, and don’t forget the new stamps are available for purchase now at the QKD STORE. 

NOW for the birthday celebration!

QKD will celebrate their 5th birthday on November 19th. If you Facebook, I'm inviting all my crafting friends and I'd love it if you could party with me. Just click HERE for the event details and you can RSVP. Everyone who is attending gets a chance for a prize, and there's lots more where that came from!!

They will have a 19 day long celebration! Lots of fun things are planned!  Sure hope you can join me and others in the celebration!

Fall is the Season of Friendship

Best Friends Humphrey Collection

And with the season comes great cards, like this easel card featuring an image from the Humphrey stamp set called Best Friends.  I was actually cleaning my craft room (a never-ending chore) and came across the stamp set and decided that now was a good time to take a break and make a card.

I pulled out my Crafter’s Companion Ultimate Tool and cut and scored my cardstock to make an easel card with my image.  I used Basic Grey patterned papers and die cuts to make a colorful Fall background in which my little girls can walk together, hand in hand, friends forever.  I love how the die cut vines make it look as if they were walking in a swirling tunnel of falling leaves on a sunny Autumn day.

CC Challenge Blog is offering a fabulous prize to one random winner this month, and all you have to do is use one of their images and a theme of Friendship.  I love their stamps so much, this is my second project for the challenge.  I also have a wish list on their shopping site that I think will have to change into a cart list before the week is out!!  Free shipping over $50 and some great sales!

Child of God

Last Sunday, my granddaughter was Baptized.  I am very happy, as she is 4 years old this week.  My daughter is her godmother, and she is thrilled to be able to guide her in her spiritual and faith life.  The celebration is at the same parish at which she attends preschool, so her class will celebrate in school as well.  The service and party afterword were wonderful!  Even my 100 year old Grandma was there yo celebrate with us!

I crafted a few things for the event, including the invitations on the right.  I decided to make it one sheet with no folds.  Directions and maps were printed on the backs of the invitations.  I used one of my corner punches and matted it against black cardstock before adhering it to my cardstock base.  Each invitation had some kind of embellishment, be it a cross or a flower.

I also volunteered to make the favors for each of the guests. 

I had snagged some boxes at a local dollar store that were on clearance--4 packages for $1--that's 24 boxes for a buck!!  I attached flowers and a religious chain onto each and filled them with chocolates.  One of the perks of working at a Catholic Church is knowing a pastor who receives hundreds of religious items in the mail throughout the years.  He gave me a large bag, chock full of chains and rosaries and medals, and I was able to pick out enough to attach to each box.

Since her birthday was also on Monday, the party was a combo, so I also added a few boxes of Scooby Doo stickers for the kids, but I expect all the white boxes to be taken.

So after Gram told me she was coming, she also mentioned she needed a card for her great, great, granddaughter.  I promised her I would make her one, and this is what I came up with.

Of course, I had already made my Gram a birthday card for her, and so I also had to create a birthday card for us to give her as well as our own Christening card.

My weekend was super busy, with crafting and housework and guests and shopping, besides having my Bella overnight with us from Friday on!!  Luckily, Monday is a school holiday, and since I work in a school...

I hope your weekend was filled with family and creativity as well!