Only 170 Days Until Christmas!

Have you started making your Christmas cards yet?  Well, have I got a treat for you!!
Queen Kat Designs is releasing some sweet Christmas stamps so you can start early, just like Santa's elves!!

Speaking of elves, here are two taking a break and I think they kinda like each other.  Their caps are twisted  together and how fortunate that there's a tiny bit of Mistletoe hanging from their cap ends!!
This newly-released stamp is called KISSLETOE and is designed by artist Trish Shufelt.  The detail of the two holiday sweethearts is fantastic!  I decided to circle-cut the image and distress the white background with Tim Holtz Tea Dye Distress Ink and my blending tool.  I applied tiny green "wreath branches" around the circle that were punched out from assorted green cardstocks, and added tiny red jewels for berries.
The card base is from DCWV's Holiday Collection box of cards.  I ink-distressed the edges.
I finished off the card with a cardstock sentiment sticker.
Ah, young love, especially during the holidays!!  Since my son is getting married this summer, I will send this card to him and his new wife, as it will be their first Christmas together.  Sweet!!

For some great inspiration, check out the QKD Facebook Page.  And try to keep cool while you're crafting!!

Feelin' Cool on a Summer Day

Some people eat ice cream to cool off on a hot summer day...others sit in front of the fan in shorts and a halter...still others jump into the pool.  I create a card with a winter theme (okay, in an air-conditioned house).

Today I'd like to introduce you to Snowball, a Queen Kat Designs Stamp designed by artist Terra Bidlespacher.  The first QKD stamp I ever colored was designed by Terra, and I love her fantasy-themed girls.  In fact, Terra's Night Forest was on the very first card I created as a new Royal Stamping Maiden for the QKD Design Team!!

I colored Snowball today with Copics, my preferred method if inking.  Stickles make the snowflakes shimmer.  I framed the image with cardstock and an inked paper doily.  I used CTMH double-sided patterned paper for my background, then used a strip of it turned around as embellishment under the diecut snowflake border on the side.  I embellished a snow-white slide mount framing a couple snowmen with a coordinating bow and metal sentiment.  I scattered a few punched stars onto the card to finish it off.

You can find all of Terra's stamps, including Snowball, and a whole shop filled with fantastical, cute, funny, sexy and whimsical stamps at the QKD SHOPPE.

Happy Birthday America and Wendy!

Today, on the day the country celebrates freedom, we celebrate my daughter's birthday!!  One year, when she was about five,we signed up to be in the Fourth of July parade.  We cut out assorted sizes of circles from large magnet sheets and placed them on our red VW Bug, turning it into a Lady Bug, and taped a poster to the front with the words, HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENDY!
Today she turned 17, and parades are viewed with her friends, picnics are far and few between, but we still take her to see the fireworks.  She requested a birthday dinner of corned beef and cabbage, with purple mashed potatoes (from trader joe's), and we secreted away in the fridge downstairs a delectable strawberry shortcake from our local grocery store.

Our presents are wrapped, including one in the box I made, pictured here.  I love the Squigglefly image used here, called Thistle by artist Diana Garrison.  I had to bring up a photo of thistle, as I am not a flower person.  I wanted to know how to color it, and it seemed to have pale shades of green and purple.  So I thought how pretty it would look on a gift box holding some sweet treats for Wendy's birthday.
Squigglefly's new challenge is a monochromatic theme of a summer color.  Summer is sweltering with hot purples, neon purples and pale purples.  Isn't the thistle the national flower of Scotland?  LOL, I've always wanted to visit the country, even if I don't play golf!!
Meanwhile, you should check out the challenge over at Squigglefly.  There's a prize of free digi's for a random player.  Who doesn't like FREE?
Have yourself a safe and happy holiday!!

Hambo's New Challenge is Cool Beans!

What's better than a handmade card?  A handmade card with a surprise!!

Today I made a Ribbon Pull Card.  I used the Hambo Stamps digi image called Kangaroo, colored it with my Copics and framed the image on cardstock.

I used my ScorPal to fold the card into a box and embellished the front with a border diecut and some small white roses.  I used CTMH Liquid Glass to put a little shine on the balloon.

I left my card base long enough to actually have a front that opens to an inner page.  That's where I placed one of the four sentiments that come with this digi purchase.

So, how did I get the gum in the box card and when the ribbon is pulled, it comes up through the top?

I punched holes in the front and back of the box.  I placed my ribbon around a package of gum, down the front and up the back, and then stuck the package into my box with the ribbon ends sticking out the top.

All I had to do then was pull each end of the ribbon through each hole, tying a bow to keep the gum in place.  So, when you pull up on the bow, the package of gum comes up with it!!

I was sorting through my birthday cards, trying to find a special one for my daughter, who turns 17 on the fourth of July.  She is my baby, my gift from God.  I lost my dad in 94 to lung cancer.  I hadn't taken birth control since my son was born nine years previously.  So, I lost him, and I got pregnant -- unexpectantly, joyously pregnant.  She was born in the Zodiac sign of Cancer.  That's why I know God gave her to me to replace my dad.

Back to my card.  My daughter loves this gum, so this card is the one for her.  We're celebrating her day the usual way, with fireworks and parades and a BBQ!!  That's what happens when you're born on your country's day of independence.

Go play at the Hambo Hoedown this week.  The challenge is to use a Hambo digi and a card with a pocket in it.  Happy holiday, crafters!

Summer is Sizzling with Color

The season of summer is full of vibrant color.  The sky is a clear blue, the grass is a lush green, the sun burns white hot.  I love the pinks of summer flowers and slow sunsets.  

Squigglefly has a new challenge this week.  It's to use a Squigglefly digi image and your favorite summer color.  Not just use it, but make it the main color of your card, in all its shades and tints.

So I took my love for summer pink and made a card using a Squigglefly new release from artist Cheryl Alger called Sassy Sally Queen of Mean.  Isn't Sassy Sally too cute?  She looks a little disgruntled.  Maybe it's the heat.  We seem to be enjoying (?) a rather hot summer.  Or maybe her backyard pool sprung a little leak.  It could be a number of reasons, OR it could be nothing.  After all, she is the Queen of Mean!!

I came back from an all day crop on Saturday and knew that I had to do some cleaning, some cleaning out, and some organizing if I wanted to make this card.  So out came everything in my closet, which is the biggest craft catch-all in history!

While being totally ruthless, I found my stash of feathers.  And that humongous butterfly!  And a handful (okay, it was a stack about 2 inches thick) of patterned papers.

So after my closet was put to rights, after I threw out two trashcans full of garbage, after I placed the donation bag in the trunk of my car, after I set aside some items for my Yahoo Group members...I made this card!

Sassy Sally is featured in several other digi images at Squigglefly.  If you love her here, you're going to love all the others as well!!  Happy shopping, crafters!!
Other Blog challenges entered: 
Sassy Cheryl's Blog - Anything Goes

Is It Hot Enough for You?

I don't know about your neck of the woods, but here in Chicago, summer started about mid-May!  We've already broken a few high temp records, with more I'm sure to come.  So much for biking to work!  By the time I get off, it's almost 100 degrees.

So, although I used this gorgeous Queen Kat Designs image by Teal Newcomb called Orchid Wyvern Dragon,  the weather drove me to light him on fire!  The hot reds and oranges of summer days crept into my card with a vengeance.

Of course, I had a little help with another QKD stamp called Fight the Flame.  I stamped that in red and heat-embossed it all in red again.  I also used a piece of DCWV patterned paper from the Fairy Tale line, cutting some excess flames and treating it the same way.  Then I made it pop out with dimensional dots.  Catch more July releases and plenty of inspiration at the QKD Main Blog and on Facebook!

Above the flames I highlighted my fiery dragon, added the sentiment "Hot Enough For You?" and added a jagged corner "just cuz".  So, how hot is it?

It's so hot...I melted on my way home and had to wait two hours before the paramedics scraped me off the sidewalk!!  Where's autumn when you need it??

Let Freedom Ring!

It's that time of year when watermelons are chillin', grills are heating up, firecrackers are ready to light, and Americans celebrate with "Star-spangled happiness and banner waves of pride" (Cherishe Archer)!

Welcome to Your Scrapbook Place Patriotic Blog Hop!  

The theme is love of America and the color RED.  If you've come from Teresa's blog, you're hot on the trail!  If not, start at Your Scrapbook Place, and if you get lost the blog hop order is below.
Leave a comment on each blog, and you get a chance to win an awesome digital image, along with a patriotic-themed goodie bag!

My card is made with the digi, an original work of art by the talented Pammie Lehto.  I colored her image with my trusty Copics, added a little distress ink to tone down the white background, and framed it with blue cardstock.
I colored a mini paper doily with my RED Copic and slipped it behind my image.  I found the beaded trim in my holiday stash.  I finished my card off with a diecut dogtag sticker and leftover strips of white cardstock folded into little "ribbons" that I stapled onto the image's sides.
I hope you like my card.  I have a lot of embellishments for 4th of July and Army because my son is in Army Reserves, and I just finished updating his Army album.
Now, it's time to hop on over to Shannon's blog, where she's sure to have an awesome project for you.  Remember to leave a little love before you go!

Blog hop order

Melissa:

Karissa

Carolyn

Linda

Teresa

Pat

Shannon

Sue

Anna Nikander  

Pammie

Your Scrapbook Place