White on White Card

White on white is so pretty but rarely do we think of it so I have to thank Stacy at Sketches4All for the challenge (check it out here)! 

I chose a winter theme for the card - a bit early to start on Christmas cards but one of the blogs I follow (Paper Girls) challenged us to use snowflakes.  I thought it was perfect theme for white-on-white.  I began with a white card base that I edged in Winter Snow glimmer paint from Creative Inspirations.  For the next layer, I created my own pattern paper using a snowflake stamp and clear embossing powder.  The next two layers are white shimmer paper that I embossed with a Tim Holtz folder and the old stand by Swiss Dots.  Finally, the snowflake was cut on my Silhouette and then painted with more of the CI paint.  And all topped off with a snowflake brad (painted with the CI paint) and a rhinestone.  Sketch design is from Mojo Monday.

 

Washi Tape CAS Card

There was one more card that I meant to post yesterday and that is one I created with just washi tape.  So simple yet very cool!  It was perfect for those "OMG - I need a card quick" moments.  No scissors, no glue, no thought - ha ha!  The washi tape is a set from Target and the stamp is a dollar bin item from Micheal's.

In addition to a washi tape challenge at A Cherry On Top, I am also using this for Scrapbook Steals Mojo Monday # 13 - White + 1 color.

Birthday Card

Last post on cards for the day.  I told you earlier I had a lot to catch up on!

This one was made for a friend of my daughter's so I wanted to keep it a little simple but a little fun for a newly crowned teenager.  Papers are from Echo Park (Hello Summer) metal sentiment tag is years and years old from Jo Ann's; embossing folder is from Darice (Honeycomb); flower is Micheal's; and big brad is from Bazzil.  I have entered this card into the MFT sketch challenge as well as Card Makin' Mamas Birthday challenge.

Thank You to Cheryl, Spectrum Noir, and Humphrey

Two fellow design team members at Sketches 4 All have been trying to get me to get out of my comfort zone and into the alcohol marker coloring craze.  I went ahead and got a pack of Spectrum Noir (which expanded very quickly to several sets) and created one card using the pens as background coloring (click here to see) but still no coloring of stamped images.  No to let me off the hook, Cheryl sent me a super fun image from Crafter's Companion (Humphrey line) and so I pulled out my markers and created a thank you card for her.  THANK YOU, Cheryl!  I am still figuring out the shading and such as I have zero drawing or art background but I'm learning.  I added a few buttons, ribbon, and embossing to round it off.

And where did I get some of my other inspirations for the card from  Check these out:.

• Crafty Cards Challenge #125 - Critter Cuties  (I know the card isn't really a Valentine's card per se - but Valentine's Day was over Valentine's Day can also be about friendship)
• Paper Playtime - Use a Sentiment Stamp (I sued a Thank You stamp from Verve)
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Ribbons - #39 Use Buttons

Lucky Day

Created this St Patrick's Day card using my Silhouette Cameo and Make the Cut software.  First, I found a shamrock SVG file from Paper Yoga.  I duplicated the shamrock and cut them out of white cardstock for the main part of the card, popping it up with pop dots from the subtle green pattern paper and darker green mat.  I then took two of the shamrocks that were left and used Creative Inspiration paint in gold to sit atop the sentiment.

I am going to use this for the following challegnes:

• Creative Inspiration - Anything Goes
• Cardz TV - Luck of the Irish

Masculine Birthday Card

I know....I know.  It's been ages since I've posted anything.  I have been busy, though so like last time, there will be a bit of a catch up tonight.  I shall begin with a birthday card I made for my brother.  Very monochromatic with just brown and craft but lots of texture with eyelets, twine, burlap, copper brads, and heat embossing for the sentiment.  I am using this card for the following challenges:

• Sweet Stamps "Sweet and Simple" - kept it very simple
• Little Scrap Pieces "Emboss It" - heat embossed the sentiment with ZING embossing powder
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes (look for another post tonight that shows one of the many ways I have used their paints)
• 4 Crafty Chicks - Twine - used twine from My Mind's Eye Fun Day collection
• Paper Playtime - Sentiment Stamp (used a stamp from Jillibean Soup)
• Card Makin' Mamas - Birthday

Keeping it Simple with a Charm

I made this today for one of my daughter's friends.  I don't often do "clean and simple" but it was a bit last minute! Used a Hero Arts background stamp, Cuttlebug embossing folder, and Verve sentiment stamp.  Charm is from a really old set - my very first scrapbook "embellishment" purchase nearly 10 years ago!

Challenges:

• Alota Rubber Stamps - Make your Own Background
• Card Makin' Mamas - Clean and Simple
• Cuttlebug Spot - Circles
• MyGrafico - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - 2 items starting with "T" (Twine and Teal)
• Sweet Stamps - Anything Goes (I went to a stamp show in Grapevine TX where they had a booth - GREAT stamps!)

Winter Blues

I am behind on my thank you notes for Xmas prezzies so this is one of several I am sending out.  I intentionally left off the sentiment as the image was just too pretty to cover up with anything beyond the bow.

I went to a small stamp show here in the Dallas area yesterday.  Even though it's small, I still always find something new at the show and this year was no exception.  For this card, I used two new additions from the show - the background was done using three different Spectrum Noir markers and the stamp is from Lost Coast Designs (it make just become my new favorite!)  I then added some clear embossing powder on some of the branches and sprayed the whole thing with Perfect Pearls Mist to give it a beautiful snowy, wintery, shimmer..

Challenges:

• Sketches 4 All - photo inspiration
• Creative Inspiration Paints:  Favorite Stamp
• My Craft Spot #81 Frosty Days
• Pause Dream Enjoy #1 Ribbon
• Cupcake Craft Challenges # 224 - Blues
•  Love to Create - Winter Wonderland
• Party Time Tuesday - Sparkle and Gitter and Shine
• Southern Girls Challenge #60 - Thank You Kindly
• Use It Tuesday #47 Make it Sparkle

Farewell to a Friend

The card is for a fabulous colleague who has decided to pursue other opportunities - it is always sad when such talent goes to other pastures but I know our paths will cross again (the world of marketing analytics is actually quite small).  Best wishes, Ashleigh!


Love using black and white with a pop of another color.  I'm trying to clear out some old embellishments and I had a very large collection of these aqua and white flowers - perfect pairing with black!  The button in the middle is also REALLY old - a have a whole set of neon animal print buttons that I think I have used twice - so one more down, 20+ more to go HA HA.  I added two ribbons that had also been in my stash for ages - both animal print, one in black/white and one aqua/white.  These sit atop white cardstock embossed with a QuicKutz (Lifestyle Crafts) folder.  Sketch is based on Viva la Verve Jan wk 2 sketch.  The sentiment is embossed with aqua embossing powder and that sits atop a piece I applied glitter to (I NEVER use glitter but in an attempt to use what I have and to fit in with Use It Tuesday's Make it Sparkle challenge....)

Challenges include Hiding in My Craft Room #79 (Black & White + 1), Pile It On (also Black & White + 1), Simon Says Stamps (Black & White + splash),  Little Scrap Pieces (Anything Goes), Party Time Tuesday (Sparkle Glitter and Shine), Card Makin' Mamas (Anything Goes), MyGrafico (Anything Goes), Use It Tuesday (Make it Sparkle), Shopping Our Stash (Use Old Buttons), and Viva la Verve.

Mojo Monday # 275

Time for Mojo Monday!  I absolutely adore Julee's sketches but I confess - I didn't stamp anything this time.  It was a case of too many choices that got me so flummoxed that I just pushed them all aside and went with a die cut.  Sorry, stampers!

This is also being submitted the the New Year/New Project recycle/repurpose challenge at Sketches4All (check yesterday's post to see a whole list of challegnes running at the Sketches4All forum).  The ribbon I used was "saved" from the waistband of a pair of old sweats being discarded (yes - it was washed first - ha ha).  Papers are from Jenni Bowlin and Prima and the ribbon clips are from Karen Foster.

I am also entering this in this week's challenge at The Paper Players #127 - Love is In the Air.  They always have great challenges, even if I haven't had a chance to play along in the past few weeks (and when I do, I seem to forget to actually post my entry - ha ha).  And I can;t forget to mention ScrapbookSteals.com Monday Madness #8 Valentines challenge.

Christmas Card Stragglers

OK - a few final Christmas cards are trickling out my door....  This one used scraps from an earlier card and is based on a sketch from Sweet Stamps.  Stamp is Hero Arts and twin is Queen & Co.

Catching up on Card Creations

As with all of us, I have a lot of events coming up - birthdays, Christmas of course, New Year's, and unfortunately, the passing of a friend's near aunt.

In addition to the Verve and My Favorite Things sketch challenges, I am also submitting these to:

• Go Fish Anything Goes challenge
• Christmas card - Ribbon Carousel's Holiday challenge and Little Scrap Pieces Holiday challenge
• New Year's card - PaperPlay's Out With the Old, In With the New challenge, Hiding in My Craft Room #77 Anything but Christmas challenge, Pile It On - #49 Pile on the Embellishments, and a Rewind challenge at ACOT. 
• Sympathy card was based on a sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.

Christmas with Graphic 45

I created this card with Graphic 45 papers (Christmas Emporium) using a take on Iris folding to create the main section.  Sketch was based on Mojo Monday sketch.  The sentiment is from a stamp set from Close to My Heart and I cut the tag for the sentiment on my Cricut for this week's Creative Cutter Room Graphic 45 challenge.  The green colors in the paperes and the base make it perfect for DL.Art Green or Red challenge this week, too (I love Diana's creations)!  I'm also entering this in the Little Scrap Pieces Christmas challenge (love their crinkle ribboon)

Black and White and Berry

Made another card tonight using the sketch for Alota Rubber Stamps.  It's such a versatile sketch!  Stuck to a very clean and simple look - just black and white with a touch of magenta.  The center was embossed using a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The color choice was inspired by Cupcake Craft Challenges #220.

Dream

I created this card just because.  This one piece of paper had been out on my desk for a while as I really like the greens and subtle browns but hadn't yet decided what to do with it.  When I realized the ScrapFit girls had a color challenge with green and brown I thought "perfect time to use that paper".  The colors are a bit off in the photo - the ribbon is less brown and what looks like blue in the paper is more green.  The design inspiration came from Alota Rubber Stamps (their stamps are so sweet).

Happy Weekend!

I'm on a Roll....

Created another Christmas card tonight - it came together super quick with a few scraps and a great digital stamp from Eureka!  Design is based on this week's sketch from My Favorite Things.

P.S. - Check out Sketches4All in December for a special challenge sponsored by Eureka!  I'll post details in a day or two.

Challenges:

• My Favorite Things Sketch #100
• DL.Art - December Holidays
• Hiding in My Craft Room #73 - Christmas
• Kaboodle Doodles - Polka Dots or Stripes

My Minds Eye Thank You Card

So much to be thankful for this year - and especially lately.  I have been leading a huge project at work for a client that has consumed the lives of multiple people for 10+ hours a day for many weeks.  As it draws to a close, I cannot be appreciative enough of my awesome team who have made it all possible.  This is one of many thank you cards I owe them!

The papers are all My Minds Eye from their Nostalgia collection.  I think they're all B-sides but I often find myself using B sides so much more often.  In the case of this collection, I just love the soft blues and subtle patterns.  The button is also MME from Lost & Found collection.  The twine on the button and the ribbon are from MME's Holly Jolly decorative trim collection - the blue ribbon in the set is one of my favorites - so delicate in color and texture!  And I can;t leave Verve out for the sweet little Thank You stamp!

Challenges:

• My Minds Eye November Gratitude
• Sketches4All - Teal and White (2nd entry)
• Viva la Verve - November Week 4
• Card Makin' Mamas - Thanksgiving/Thank You
• Crafty Ribbons - Two Ribbons (the blue one and the twine)
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Bow
• Die Cuttin Divas - #93 Thank You
• DL.Art - Photo Inspiration - I loved the colors in the seascape with the soft blues and creamy tans of the sand and grass fronds.
• DYSU Challenge - #100 Thanks

My First Washi Tape Project

OK - I broke down and decided to go with the trends!  I have had a set of washi tape for a little over a year and had not managed to even try it.  I finally got tired of it sitting on my desk begging to be used and showed the set some love by creating this card.  I decided to go a bit clean and simple, letting the tape be the focus (if I am getting out of my comfort zone using tape, mine as well go all the way with CAS as well).  Sentiment is from an awesome collection from Verve (Words of Wisdom).  I used a Sharpie to faux stitch the top portion of the card and edged the taped section with tiny satin ribbon from Hobby Lobby.

Challenges:

• ScrapFit Workout #79 - Tape (and boy was it a workout for me to open that set for the first time )
• Sketches4All - Teal and White
• DL.Art - Anything Goes

Authentique Sketch Challenge Part 2

As promised, here is a second item I made for Authentique's November challenge - this time a card using the same sketch.  For the card I used the Authentique Loyal collection and one scrap I had left from the Splendid collection.

Christmas Preparations

In between layouts, I've been creating a few Christmas cards.  This was was made with Bazzill Believe paper set and a stamp from Close to My Heart.  Sketch is the the November Wk 1 sketch from the Viva la Verve challenge.  It's perfect for the Sweet Stamps blog challenge as well as the Southern Girls challenge.