Daring Cardmaker & Sweet Stampin'

Sooo excited - Cass and I are heading to the beach today for our first beach trip.  Yay!  :)  I hope to get some pics, but for the most part I plan to be worshiping the sun and reading.  Yes, I'll wear lots and lots of sunblock, I promise. :)

I have 2 cards to share today - my first card is for the:

Daring Cardmakers - Lock & Key

I knew right away what I wanted to do for this one, my images are from Tiddly Inks and a free printable coloring page online (heart-shaped lock).  I colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and Prismacolor markers.

Next is my card for the:

 Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Moon & Stars

I used a digi stamp from Floppy Latte's Digital Designs, and a sentiment from A Day for Daisies.  I used Kraft cardstock as my base, dragging my black ink pad through it lightly, then used Kraft to print everything on, mounting the sentiment on black cardstock and adding a black ribbon tag and some black pearl stickers.

Peace.

Wicked Wednesday - Child's Play

Happy Wednesday - we've got a brand new challenge for you over at:

Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge - Child's Play

This week we're being sponsored by Dearie Dolls Digi Stamps, come check out what the rest of the DT did and play along with us!

Peace.

Card Crafter's Circle, Secret Crafter, & Cute Card Thursday

Hello friends!  I have 2 projects to share with you today, my first is a tag that I made for:

Card Crafter's Circle - Tags

and

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Anything but a Card

I used Cheeky Shooter from TGF.  My tag is from some article of clothing of my daughter's, her clothes all tend to come with funky tags so I save them.  This one is leather - I roughed it up with sandpaper to get the brand name off, but left the word "Vintage" there and visible, those brads were also part of the tag.  I rubbed the tag in Versamark ink and then used gold embossing powder.  Added my image after I colored her up and adhered her with Mod Podge.  That was it - done.  :)

Next up is a card I made for the:

Cute Card Thursday - Pink & Green

I used Unicorn Toy from A Day for Daisies, colored with Prismacolor markers, pencils, and mineral spirits.  I spritzed with Cherry Shimmer Mist, and added a sentiment from Stampin' Up!  DP is from My Mind's Eye - ribbon tags and pink gemstone stickers are from my stash.

Peace.

Broken Box Stock

Been a busy girl the last few days, I'm doing a 2nd post today to squeeze in my card for the:

Broken Box Stock 1st Challenge - Polka Dots

I used Beach Toodle with some of my older DP from Stampin' Up!  Sentiment is from Scrapalicious Times Sentiments.  Glad I stumbled across their challenge - they also have lots of freebies you can find here.  Enjoy.

Peace.

CSP, Color Throwdown, Simon Says Stamp, & CASual Fridays

Happy Monday - and happy Memorial Day!  If you have the day off today, I hope you enjoy it!  We have a brand new challenge for you over at:

The Cheerful Stamp Pad - The Sweet Life

I made a page in my art journal using a rubber stamp from our sponsor, Stampotique.  I painted the page with Gesso and then used acrylic paints. I stamped my images (character and art definition from Stampotique) and printed out my journaling on copy paper and used Mod Podge to adhere to the page.

Next up is a card I made for the:

 

I used this gorgeous image from A Day for Daisies, colored with a variety of mediums.  I added lots of glitter to her wings, used gemstone brads & stickers, and added some ribbon tags.

And last is my card for the:

CAS-ual Friday Challenge - Masculine Cards using DP

and

Simon Says Stamp - Father's Day

I used letters that I printed onto DP and kept it simple, but I like it.  This DP is some old stuff from SU!  I love a reason to use up some of my stash!  :)

Peace.

Digi Stamp Boutique & Poisoned Peas

Good morning, friends - happy Memorial Day weekend if you are here in the U.S.  I hope you all take a moment from your festivities, cookouts, parties, etc., to think about the meaning of this day - all of the service men and women who have given their lives for this country and all of those they left behind.  I greatly appreciate our military, even if I don't always support our government's decisions and actions.

First things first here - my first card is for the:

Digi Stamp Boutique - Monthly Competition/Anything Goes

I used one of the freebies that was generously offered on Facebook, Bookworm Zoe, colored with Prismacolor markers, pencils, and mineral spirits.  DP is from My Mind's Eye - ribbon tag is from SU!  Flower is from my stash.

And next up - one of my faithful followers/commenters (Kristina - thank you!) pointed me in the direction of a new (to me) challenge blog, so I had to play along with the:

Poisoned Peas -Wicked Step-Mother

I used the witch from The Octopode Factory, the "just a little WICKED" sentiment from Whimsie Doodles, and I printed out "Step-Mother" from my word processing program.  I had this purple and black digi DP leftover from another project, so I used that and kept everything purple and black, love this color combo.

Yesterday, we went for a ride up north into Mendocino County and then looped around and headed down coastal route 1 for the trip back home - we were gone for a good 8 hours, but we had a nice time.  Cass actually came with us, and she even enjoyed it.  We stopped for lunch at a little burger joint called "Burgers My Way" and it was reallllly good - I had what was called a "Jaguar Burger" and it had cheddar cheese, onion rings, bacon (YUMMY, thick, applewood bacon), and BBQ sauce.  Mmmmmm.... Anyway - here are a few pics from our day:

 

This is the tree you can drive through in the Redwood Forest - and here are Jeremy & Cass driving through it below:

 So this is one of the reasons I love it here - it's just so beautiful.  Oh - and for the most part, everyone is a courteous driver.  They have "turn-outs" here - because the road is one lane on each side, the concept is for slower drivers to pull over and let the person behind you go by... and they actually do!  That would NEVER work in Massachusetts. LOL  People would be like "I'll drive even SLOWER if you get too close to me..."

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, my friends.  Peace.

WW Reminder, HDH MM, & SOG

Hello all!  We have a reminder post for you today over at:

Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge - Mexican Folk Art

I used Sugar Skull and Flowers, colored with Prismacolor markers and lots of glitter:

And for this next one, I used Sugar Skull and Flowers Framed:

Hope you'll head over to play along with us!

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Next is my card for this week's:

HDH Macabre Monday - Long in the Tooth

I used a sentiment from Beyond the Fringe (freebie) and a pair of fangs I found while googling "fang printable".  I used lots of drippy red ink for blood - and the background is from Tiddly Inks.  Now look at this, peeps, and take notice - NOT ONE STINKIN' CUTE THING!  Ha!  ;)

And last for today is my card for this week's:

Some Odd Girl - Sketch

I used Hang 10 Kody, colored with Prismacolor markers, pencils, & mineral spirits.

Peace.

Dilly Beans, Gingerloft, Altered Alice, & Sweet Stampin'

Wow - Friday again!  :)  Yesterday was my hubby's birthday.  He turned 41 and my angelic 17-year-old daughter keeps saying "wow - you guys are getting OLD."  Isn't she precious?  ;)  Anyway, I made chicken picatta for dinner and then we went over his mom's for her homemade key lime pie for dessert - YUM.  We are also going to his mom's for a little cookout on Sunday, so that should be fun.  I am hoping to squeeze in a bunch of quality craft time between now and then.  I have a bunch of old stamps and stamp sets I'd like to try to sell, so I'm going to try to figure out what is the best way to do that.  If you have any ideas, throw 'em my way!

Anyway - we have a new challenge for you today over at:

Dilly Beans - Friendship!

I used one of our newer images, Mermaid and Seahorse, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits.  I added freckles to her cheeks and used lots of Stickles.  I added gemstone and pearl stickers.  I made the background by using blue glittery acrylic paint and a stencil on Bashful Blue cardstock.  I would also like to enter this into the:


Gingerloft Challenge - Under the Sea

Next is my card for the:

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Fairies & Angels

The beautiful fairy and dragon image is from Crafts and Me, sentiment is from Birdie Brown.  I colored with Prismacolor markers - I like how it came out by coloring only the main part of the image, the black and white background is kind of striking, isn't it?

And last for today is a bookmark that I made for:

The Altered Alice - Anything Goes

I used Alice from Just Some Lines, and I just printed out the quote from my word processing program.  DP is from Crate.

Peace.

A Whole Lotta Stuff!

Hello all!  As you know, I have been forcing myself to step out of my cutesy zone lately and having fun with the darker side of crafting!  :)  My first project today is for the:

Smudgy Antics Challenge - Color Challenge

We had to use at least 3 of the colors in the sample - here's what I came up with:

I made an ATC with the Smeared Ink image Skull Roses, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits in the dark green and 2 shades of purple - kept it simple by just adding some purple gemstone stickers and dragging the edges of the ATC through a black ink pad. 

Next up is a card I made for:

The Octopode Factory - Animals
and

Retro Sketches #12

I used the lion from The Octopode Factory, colored with Prismacolor markers.  DP and ribbon are from Stampin' Up!

And last for today is a card I made for:


Daring Cardmakers - Going Geek
and


Sketch Saturday #208

(Part of the requirements to enter the Daring Cardmakers challenge is to also include a link to Imagine That - so here it is!)  :)  This sweet image is a rubber stamp from Stamping Bella - paper pieced and colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits.  Sentiment is a rubber stamp from The Greeting Farm.  DP is from My Mind's Eye and flowers are from my stash.

Peace.

WW Mexican Folk Art & Cute Card Thursday Sparkle

Hi there everyone - we have a brand new challenge for you today over at:

Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge - Mexican folk Art

I used one of our fabulous Sugar Skull images from Dilly Beans, paired with a fun digi paper.  Head on over to see what the rest of my fabulous DT did and to link up your own Mexican Folk Art ATC!

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And I also have a card today for the:

Cute Card Thursday - Touch of Sparkle

I used one of my sweet Simply Betty images, Jude from the Jude & the Rock Stars line, paired with a digi paper and a digi sentiment from Pollycraft.  I covered the guitar in glitter and added some sparkly pink gemstone stickers.

Peace.

Simon Says Stamp, DYSU, & MilkCoffee

Ooooh I had such a fun day yesterday, I spent quite a bit of time in my craft area and was actually pleased with what I came up with (for the most part).  :)  So first I have a card for the:

Simon Says Stamp - Clean and Simple

My style is pretty clean and simple anyway, I used this beautiful image from Saturated Canary called Cerridwen - she reminds me of my friend Mel, and I guess I'm always going to color butterflies yellow because of Mel, so this card was really inspired by her.  You can tell I was thinking about her yesterday.  :)  I colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits.  DP is from My Mind's Eye.  Sentiment is a sticker from SRM Stickers.

Next is my card for the:

Milk Coffee Challenge - Buttons & Bling

and

Do You Stack Up - Landscape

I used a freebie from Milk Coffee called Girl Greeting, and a landscape image from Make it Crafty, all colored with Prismacolor markers (rainbow), Prismacolor pencils, and mineral spirits.  DP, glitter, and buttons are from Stampin' Up!  Gemstone stickers are from my stash.  Peace.

Peace.

Missing Mel and ADFD - Vintage + Polka Dots

I just have to start today by remembering my dear friend Melanie, who died 2 years ago today from cancer.  

 (Mel and me, August 2009)

I can't believe it's been 2 years - in some ways it feels like it was just yesterday and in other ways it feels like it's been longer than 2 years... not one day has gone by that I haven't thought about her.  She's the first person I've lost that I can say that about.  Not one single day.  I love you, Mel.

Well, I did get to see the eclipse last night thanks to my husband's welder glasses - but I didn't get any good pictures.  I didn't realize I'd need some special equipment for my camera in order to get good pics - oh well!  It was cool just watching it.

I have this card to share with you for the:

A Day for Daisies Challenge - Vintage + Polka Dots

I used one of the adorable new clown images from ADFD, colored with Prismacolor markers, pencils, and mineral spirits.  I paper-pieced her dress & hat and added brads and ribbon from SU!

Peace.

HDH Macabre Monday Hot as Hell, Smeared & Smudged Sketch

Well, I was NOT going to miss out on getting this in on time for the:

HDH Macabre Monday Challenge - Hot as Hell!

I love playing along with this challenge and being forced to step outside of my cutesy-comfort-zone!  LOL  And now that I'm getting accustomed to being in a different time-zone, I shouldn't miss out on another one.  :)  I used one of my newer images, Lil Haunts Vampire Lilith from Tickled Pink, and colored her up like a red-hot devil instead of a vampire.  I googled "printable flames" and found this cool background, so I saved it and then used paint.net to insert the white sentiment from Tiddly Inks that says "hey hotty". 

I also have a card for the:

Very Sketchy May Challenge - Smeared & Smudged

I used one of my Smeared Ink images, Devilish, and just paired it with some cool DP and some gold ribbon.  Those little embellies are from Stamping Bella and are simply called "Bella Dots."  I used glue dots to adhere them to the card.

Heading into San Francisco in a bit to pick up my in-laws from the airport (they live here but have been in New York for a few weeks due to a death in the family).  Then back home to do my laundry, make a few more cards, figure out dinner, and park my butt outside around 6:00 p.m. to watch the solar eclipse tonight.  The "ring of fire" will supposedly be best viewed around 6:30, so I hope to get some good pictures!  Hope you all enjoy your Sunday.  Peace.

WW Reminder, JSL, Divas by Design

Yup, I'm back in business... with THREE things to share with you today.  :)  First, we have a reminder post for you at:

Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge - A Little Bit Country/Western

Head on over to see the rest of the DT's projects and to link up your own!

Next - we have a brand new challenge for you at:

Just Some Lines - Tweet Tweet

So the theme is... you guessed it - anything to do with birds.  I made this simple journal page with a variety of DP's and Emo Angel 1 from Just Some Lines.  I also paper-pieced her dress.

And last - this card is for the:

Divas by Design - Tickled Pink

I used an image from Tickled Pink, colored in all pinks.  DP is from My Mind's Eye.

Peace.

Dilly Beans, Digis Di's Digi Designs, By the Cute and Girly, & Sisterhood of Crafters

Hello friends, TGIF!  We have a fabulous new FLOWERFUL challenge for you at:

Dilly Beans - Flowers!

I made 2 projects for this challenge, my first is a card I made using the sweet Amalia Flower Fairy:

I am also entering this into:

Di's Digi Designs - Spring
and

By the Cute & Girly - Spring is all Around
and


The Sisterhood of Crafters - May Flowers

And next is a tag/bookmark I made using Sugar Skulls Stack and a sentiment in Spanish from a clear stamps set designed by my friend & Dilly Beans team-mate, Abby, at Dilo en Espanol:

Hope you have a great weekend!

Peace.

The Octopode Factory: Red, White, & Blue

Hello peeps - I spent some time crafting yesterday, but there's still so much to do around here that I get distracted easily.  I decided I was sick of looking at the white walls, so I hung up a bunch of my pictures.  This house is so BIG - I need more STUFF to put in it.  LOL

I made this card just in time for this week's:

TOF Challenge:  Red, White, & Blue

I used Dorothy from The Octopode Factory, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits.  Red & white DP is a free digi paper from Free Digital Scrapbooking.  I added some buttons and heart-shaped gemstones, along with sentiment from Dilly Beans.

Peace.

Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge - A Little Bit Country/Western

Happy Wednesday!  We have a fun new challenge for you at:

Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge - A Little Bit Country/Western

Our sponsor this week is Sassy Studio - my ATC was made using Country Girl, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and Prismacolor markers.  DP is from my stash, cardstock, ink, and brads are from SU!

Peace.

Desert Islands Crafts & Simon Says Stamp

Hello all!  We've got a new itinerary challenge for you hosted by Angela over at:

Desert Islands Crafts

Here's what I came up with using #'s 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10:

My image is from By Lori Designs, the ticket sentiment is a freebie I found at 4Shared (file name includes the letters MMD).

Next up - squeezing in quick for the:

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Sweet Tooth

I used this sweet new Butterfly Cupcake image from Just Some Lines, colored with Prismacolor markers, pencils, and mineral spirits.  DP is from My Mind's Eye.

Peace.