Time for Another Forever Night Creepy Challenge

This week's challenge at Forever Night is to use a sketch and let your imagination run free.  I used a Bugaboo image--they are sponsoring the challenge this week.  The image is called Skellie Cupcake.  I love that her cupcake has a "cherry bomb" in the shape of a skull!!  Too cute!!
I had fun using leftover pieces of papers from my stash.  For the third year in a row, I have resolved to reduce, reuse and recycle, especially when it comes to paper!!  I have already cleaned out my craft room once this new year.  I need to schedule a clean out once a month.  I also have not bought anything new for my crafting, except for adhesive.  It's rough, but my word for the year is SIMPLIFY, and I plan to live out my year simply.

Outlawz Greeting Card Challenge

Hello, crafters!  Today I have a card that I am entering into the Outlawz Mondat Greeting Card Challenge.  This week's challenge is to use stitches on your card, whether they are sewn, drawn, or stamped or otherwise crafted!
In the photo, it looks like I sewed onto the card base, but I used a CTMH stamp set and Archival Black ink to make my stitches.  I colored my image (found in a spare parts box, please help me identify the company) with a combo of Copics and Spectrum Noir markers, then cut him out and framed him in black.  I punched tiny hearts for embellishments, highlighting them with white gel pen.  My sentiment is stamped, smudged and faux stitched!
Since I have three new grandsons, I am one card closer to having their cards finished by next week!! 
Have you checked out Outlawz yet?  There are some great challenges there, and lots of inspiration.  Go on and wrangle yourself a project to show off!!

Recipe for a Squigglefly Card

This week the Squigglefly Challenge Blog is asking for players to use a recipe.  In crafting terms, a recipe gives you the ingredients that must be used on your project.  Their recipe calls for a circle, a button, a flower and a Squigglefly image.

I used the digi image Forget-Me-Not Fairy by artist Fawn Palmer, a February new release (woohoo!).  The card is a patterned card base left over from a previous project, which inspired the Copic coloring of my fairy.

I CIRCLE-cut my image to frame it before adhering it to the card base after using a brown marker to color the rim of the circle.

I covered the flower on the digi image with a flower-shaped BUTTON.  I added a bow out of the same ribbon I used under the FLOWERs on the bottom half of the card.

And there you have it, my recipe for a Squigglefly card and a cute birthday card to boot!  Now it's your turn to go to Squigglefly Challenge Blog for more inspiration.  Check out all the new releases for February and play in the CHALLENGE for a chance to win free digi's!!

Sweet (Pea) Valentine

One of my 2013 crafting goals is to play in more challenges, so here's a card for the February Sweet Pea Challenge Blog.
Their theme is anything Valentine.  I used a Sweet Pea stamp from artist Terra Bidlespacher called "The Shore".  Her stamp is a beach scene, but I fussy-cut her out along with a crab and a starfish.
I colored her with my trusty Copics and adhered her to my card base of ripped papers-some distressed core-dinations cardstock and some CTMH paper.  I stickled the ripped edges to look like sea foam glittering in the sun.
I added some ink to the card edges and to the "Sandy" cardstock.  I tied a bow and put it in the sky, as well as some seagull buttons.
I added a computer-printed sentiment, part of the lyrics of a song from Disney's Little Mermaid:  "Go on and kiss the girl".  A lone (punched) heart puts the final touch on my card, and I'm ready to play in the challenge!
A random winner will receive a gift certificate for their store, so what are you waiting for?  Everyone can use another stamp (or seven). LOL

QKD February Releases

It's so hard to keep warm in the winter time, especially if you live in the Northern half of the world (or southern half if you're below the equator).  When I saw these new Queen Kat Designs February releases from Laura Macy, I thought that they would be perfect to use on treat cards that would warm up anyone's afternoon.  I colored Love Birds with my trusty Copics.

Since Valentine's Day is coming up and I'm a busy little crafter before each holiday, I decided to make a treat box with it.  This one is called a "Pull Treat Card" and I first made one a long time ago at a stamp party.

I cut a piece of cardstock 8.5x5.75" and scored and folded at 2-1/2" and 6-1/2".  I popped my colored image onto a piece of patterned paper after punching the corners.  I did a little distressing with my blender tool and some distress ink.  I added lace on the top and bottom and placed it on the center part of my folded cardstock.'Then I adhered the back flaps together and punched a hole at the top through it all.

If you thread a piece of ribbon (or lace like I used) from the front to the back, you can then add a treat, like a pack of gum, a candy bar, or a packet of hot cocoa on top of the ribbon inside the card.  Push it down until it meets the bottom edge of the card, then tie it at the top.

When you pull on the bow at the top, the treat comes up out of its card:
So my treat card with the Love Birds stamped image (as well as the hot cocoa) will warm anyone's Valentine's Day!!

Now that I have a full complement of grandkids, I can once more plunge into the realm of Easter crafting, too, especially when it comes to treats!  I used Laura's Vintage Bunny stamp to make an Easter treat pull card, again coloring the image with Copics.

I made the card a bit bigger to hold not cocoa, but a packet of microwave popcorn.  I used a piece of Bright Rainbow colored ribbon for the pull part.  I also added my granddaughter's name to the front.

QKD has a lot of new releases for February, including Laura's Love Birds and Vintage Bunny, so check out the Shop for some inspiration!!

Let It SNOW Blog Hop!!

Welcome to the February 2 Let It Snow Blog Hop!!

 If you've come from Carla's Blog, you're on the right track.  If not, start with Shannon so you don't miss any fun or inspiration.  I decided to make more than one project with a SNOW theme, since there is no snow to be found here in the Windy City.  My first is a card.

I went to a Stampin Up Card workshop this week, and one of the cards was this cute winter scene with embossed snowflakes, a snowman stamped image and glittery snow. The image is glossed over with "snow" by using a piece of packing tape and some glitter--that's it!!  I punched out the circle, put tape on it, sprinkled on the glitter, and then attached my Copic-colored image to peek through the "window".  I used the diamond glitter so that I could use this card in the Outlawz Friday Alcohol Markers Challenge.  Their theme is to use your birthday gem color on your card.  My birthday is in April and my gemstone is DIAMONDS!


Next up is a snow-themed treat:  I made "melting snowmen" cookies!  I got the idea off of Pinterest, and ran with it.  I baked sugar cookies and let them cool.  Then I frosted them and added a marshmallow for his head, decorated with an orange sprinkle and some black icing dots for eyes and stray buttons.



Looks like the only snow I'll see is right here on the Blog Hop.  Weather in Chicago is, well, weird!  As I write this, we have had two days in the mid 60's, and it has rained all night.  Today, I woke to a skinny sheet of ice and snow and wind chills of negative 2 degrees!  My bones are aching, my hair is frizzy and the people driving around are loony tunes.

Maybe by creating the winter layout below, the weather will take the hint and get back to a real Chicago winter!

Next stop on the Hop is ROBIN.  Before you leave, how about leaving a little love?  I have a little prize for a random visitor who leaves me a comment.  Alright, crafters, on your way, and have fun while you're at it!!

• 
  

  • Sharon- http://shannonleffew.blogspot.com/
    An'Jenic - http://anjenicgibson.blogspot.com/
    Janet Royer- http://janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com/
    Pam - http://lovebugcreations3.blogspot.com/
    Lori - http://www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/
    Melisa - http://melisascraftycreations.blogspot.com/
    Sarah - http://itswhatkeepsmesane.blogspot.com/
    Carla - http://racincrafts.blogspot.com/
    Pat - http://patacakespages.blogspot.com
    Robin - http://cutonedesignsbyrobin.blogspot.com/
    Kristy - http://scraptasticalkreations.blogspot.com

Let's Paint the Town Dead

Are you ready for the Zombie Apocalypse?  I am with this new card I made for Forever Night Creepy Challenge Blog!!  Their newest challenge is to use Pearls and Flowers on a card.   I started with an image called Zombie Stella from Meljens Designs, one of this week's sponsors at Forever Night.

Isn't she cute?  All dressed up for her night on the town.  If you think you might meet her, better bring your shotgun!! LOL
I used patterned paper that looks like lace, colored my image with Copics and popped her onto the card front.  A tiny string of pearls frames my image, while a trio of flowers rests toward the bottom.  My sentiment, "Let's Paint the Town Dead" was printed using Microsoft Word.

My next card uses an image from another of this week's sponsors,  Limited Runs, called Chomp.  The set comes with two fish images: one is "alive" and the other, the one I used, is, well, not quite alive! LOL

I used a blue cardstock base and attached a piece of patterned paper to it.  I added a strip of background skulls on one side, and then I covered the whole surface with this wide, plastic woven ribbon.
I attached my Copic-colored Chomp image with dimensional tape, as well as my computer-printed sentiment, "Greetings from the Dead Sea".  I added some flowers with tiny skulls in their centers, and finished off the card with a few floating pearls.
This card will be for my girlfriend, with whom I visit and talk at our favorite meeting place, Red Lobster!

Do you love Halloween the way I do?  Come join us at Forever night Creepy Challenges Blog to inspire your creativity and satisfy the dark side of your crafting!!

Other Challenges this week:
Joyful Stamper Blog - Anything Goes!