What If Wednesday challenge

WooHoo! Finally some more snow. Nearly all of our snow melted, and it was getting really cold out, like into the single digits, and I am sure I will have lost some of my perennials come spring. Hopefully the couple inches we got will protect them somewhat.
I have another challenge post today. It felt so good to get back in the swing of things and make something for a challenge. I have to admit, I went down to work on a project yesterday and just couldn't stand the mess any longer. I had to organize! And the biggest monster down there was my scraps of papers. I ACTUALLY THREW OUT PAPER SCRAPS!  I can hardly believe it. And I made sure they didn't make their way back into the mess (some I actually used!). I'd picked up some accordion files, and sorted the scraps, especially cardstock scraps, into 2 of those-one for small pieces and one for larger ones. I got some magnetic die storage containers for Christmas and liked them so much I ordered 2 more and the magnetic sheets to fill them. I have 3 full ones now, and much as I hate to admit it, I need at least one more. It seems those things are like rabbits, they just keep multiplying :)

         

Anyway, here is the card I did manage to finish. I used the sketch from Repeat Impressions What if Wednesday sketch challenge  #J913. I don't know what the Design Paper is, as it was one of those 'scraps' that I sorted out. Both of the greens are also scraps, but I'm pretty sure they are Bazzill CS. The image is from 'Cloud 9' Flowers #1 set. I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it with Copics (R000, R20, R21, R30, YG61, & G20). I wanted to keep it soft and spring-like, so did not add a lot of color. It's hard to see from the pic, but I did add just the faintest hint of the colors to the text background of the image. I added some gold gel pen to the borders of the image. I cut the darker green using Spellbinders Decorative Labels 8, and cut the image out by tracing around the inside of SB labels 8 and hand cutting it out (just using the die itself left it too wide-it covered too much of the pretty details of the frame ). I popped the focal up using foam dots.  I added the little strip of border (K&Co.) and some green rhinestones.
I will also  enter this in the following challenges:
Operation Write Home (I really need  to get some cards sent out the this very worthy cause!) Spring Flowers
Tuesday Throwdown 130, to Frame IT.
Just Add Ink , to use diecuts.
That's it for today! Hope you have a good day. I'm going to go 'organize' some more!

Scraps off the cutting table!

Now, I was cleaning out some of my scrap boxes last week, and came across this little fairy that I had stamped and colored eons ago. I just had to use her, so I propped her up and searched for something to go with her. Then I came across the piece of embossed green CS (SU Elegant Lines), and also this little bit of DP, already mounted on the piece of pink-and they all just went together! Love it when I find these little bits in my stashes.
So I thought I'd look for a challenge to match, and of course, thought of 'Flutterby Wednesday'. Excellent-theme this time is anything goes as long as it has a butterfly or fairy. So this if for Flutterby Wednesday #222.

So, I know the image was stamped with Stazon black ink, and colored with Prisma Colored pencils. It already had the Stickles glitter on it, too. I cut it out with Spellbinders and sponged some Memento Summer Sky around the edges while it was in the die (the Stickles made that a bit of a challenge-usually you would sponge it before adding the glitter-it's much easier). I sponged a bit of Dessert sand memento ink to the design on the embossed CS to make the design 'pop' a bit. Image panel is mounted with SU foam dimensionals. I added some green rhinestones to the panel to balance it out. I added some Stickles to the berries and centers of the flowers on the DP. Pretty!

One Layer Wednesday card

Today I have a card to share that I made for the challenge over at 'One Layer Wednesday' The challenge was to use a heart or hearts. Now I usually really struggle with simple one layer cards. But I think I really like  how this one came together.

The challenge at 'One Layer Wednesday' is just that, to make a card out of a single piece of cardstock-no additional layers of paper, and keep the embellishments to a minimum, which is way out of my usual style.

I inked the heart stamp (Inkadinkadoo) up with Rocket Red Brilliance ink. I then stamped it again on a piece of cardstock and cut it out to create a mask (note to self-make masks of copy paper-not cardstock-so the next stamp covers around the edges better!). I inked up the quatrafoil border from SU Summer Silhouettes stamp set with Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink, and stamped it twice to fit across the front. I added some gold detail to the heart with Sakura Gold gel pen. The sentiment if from HOTP Heartfelt Greetings stamp set, inked with the Rocket Red. Some white rhinestones for the flowers within the heart and on the top corner opposite the sentiment to balance the image, and Voila! I actually made a one layer card that I like. Hope you like it, too!

AWOL-I'm back

Wow! I have been AWOL since mid October. It all started in September with a trip out of town for a wedding, then home a few days but not much time to craft because I was trying to get my gardens ready for winter. Then company for a few days, then a death in the family (15 year old niece hit by car at school bus stop) that knocked us for a loop. Then at the end of October my oldest sister passed away, which meant company for a few days again. She had been in ill health for many years, so that was really not as much of a shock, but leaves a gap, none the less. Then it was out of town for 4 days for a crafting retreat (which I desperately needed by that point). Two days after I got home from that company arrived and they were here for 12 days, including through Thanksgiving. Then it was getting ready for our church Christmas Bazaar (baking, baking, baking!). And then we were into the Christmas season, a wedding mid December, holiday shopping, more baking, decorating, and all that good stuff for the holidays. Life was just busier than usual. Or maybe it's just that I am getting older and it takes more time to do everything! My mind was in such a jumble, I have just not taken time to post or enter any challenges. But hopefully there will be no more weddings, funerals, trips out of town or company  for longgggggggggg stays (I mean I love my sister, but 11 days without being able to 'play' with my papers, makes for one grumpy grandma :), at least for a while.
So, now I am back in my normal routine again and here goes!


Today I have a card I will enter in a couple challenges (I had more in mind, but missed their deadlines).

For this card I used a snowman image I had stamped last fall when working on Christmas cards (I did manage to make enough Christmas cards to send out, but for the most part they were quite basic and not my best work). The stamp is a wood mount stamp from "Great Impressions". I believe it is stamped in Momento Paris Dusk.  I colored it with Copic markers, added some white flocking to the tassel and brim on the hat-which turned slightly blue! I added some white rhinestones to the snowflakes & scarf tassels. I added some blue circle Dazzles (Paper Wishes) for the buttons, and some Stardust Stickles to the snow under the snowman and the snowflakes in the air. I cut him out with Spellbinders Deckled Ovals, and the mat is cut from blue metallic CS with Spellbinders Beaded Ovals. The snowflake DP is from K&Co. "Let it Snow". I ran a piece of Radiance Pearl White paper through my Marvy Wavy Crimper, then cut out to look like snowbanks, and sponged some Memento Paris Dusk on the edges. The sentiment is mounted on ovals cut with SU Oval & scalloped oval punches. I mounted the ovals on the card with SU foam dimensionals.
I will enter this in the following challenges: http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/ theme is 'winter', and http://www.thehousethatstampsbuilt.com/designers-choice-challenge/dcc12-make-it-snow/.

a fall scarecrow

Checking in with another Thanksgiving scarecrow.  I am really loving this CTMH Fall Favorites scarecrow. He is so happy! And believe me, with the weather we have been having I really need something Happy! It's raining yet again!! And it looks like rain all week. We get an occasional slightly warm, rain free day, and it seems like I always have so many other things to do that I can't get outside and get my garden stuff picked up, and pots put away, and flower gardens cleaned out. And I still have 4 packages of bulbs to get in the ground! Where is our 'Indian Summer"? It'll probably be nice this week cause I have to go serve for Jury Duty. Oh, well..............

Anyway, I made this card using the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches #56.  
The DP is also CTMH, and the cardstock is SU. I stamped the scarecrow in Memento Close to Cocoa and colored him with Copic markers. I punched a 3/4" circle in a scrap and used it as a mask to make the sun. I sponged SU Summer Sun in the circle opening. I sponged in the sky using Pebbles Iridescent chalks, then I cut the image out with Spellbinders curvy rectangles.The image was to big, so I put it back in the die and traced around the inside of the die with a pencil and cut it out with scissors.  I used an erasure and removed some of the chalk around the edges of the image panel, and mounted it on chocolate chip mat cut with the same die-just left a nice little edge around it. The sentiment is from SU Teeny Tiny Messages, stamped with Chocolate Chip ink and cut out with SU Word window punch, mounted on CTMH CS cut with SU oval punch. I covered the piece with Versa Mark and clear embossing powered and heat set. Ribbon is from Offray.

Now I am off to peel apples for the freezer and to make some more applesauce. Love homemade applesauce, especially warm on pancakes and waffles! YUMMMMM!

Falling Leaves

This card could be used for either an autumn birthday card or as a Thanksgiving card. I will enter it in the Pals Paper Arts Challenge #144, to use More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Early Espresso (grafic below).  I will also enter it in "The Craft's Meow' October Sketch challenge (sketch below).

It took me awhile to get this card to come together the way I wanted. The tree is a single clear stamp-I think it's Inkadinkadoo-with leaves.  I colored it with Copics first, then applied Forrest Moss Distress ink with a stipple brush for the ground. I used Memento London fog sponged over a torn piece of paper for the sky. It looks a lot like the sky outside my window this morning!  I tried to figure out how to add some 'fallen' leaves to the pic by stamping them. Didn't work-had to start all over again! So, got to the 'adding fallen leaves' part again-wondered what to do. Then it hit me-use your Autumn Flower Soft! So I added it to the tree and as fallen leaves in the air and on the ground. LOVE IT! I added a couple birds in the air (Sweet 'n Sassy Serene Silhouettes) and cut it out with Spellbinders Labels One and backed it with rust cardstock cut with Spellbinders Fancy Labels 1. For the border strip I cut out ivory CS with a Fiskars border punch, then sponged Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink over it-looks like leather! The background stripe paper is a scrap from an old DCWV Autumn/Christmas pack. The orange strip is from K&Co. I used the sentiment  from Verve 'Autumn Splendor' set, stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa on ivory CS and cut out with Spellbinders Fancy Framed tags 2 and sponged Rusty Hinge Distress ink over it while it was still in the die, mounted it with foam dots and added gold nail-heads.

                         

Give Thanks

Wow! Another wild October morning in the U.P. of Michigan. I got up in the middle of the night (5am) to get a drink and couldn't believe what I was seeing outside. The HUGEST snowflakes I have ever seen were just serenely floating down to the ground. At first I thought it was leaves, but there was no wind and these 'leaves' were right outside  the window! Those things were the size of a huge maple leaf. Then this morning there was snow on the roofs, and ground, but not under the trees-to many leaves on them yet. I is now almost noon and the snow is all gone. But it'll be back before we know it.
I have a couple of post to get in today. For this first card I will enter into the challenges at Pal Paper Arts PPA144-A perfect fall color challenge. 

I will also enter it in The Crafty Friends Challenge #8  to use dry embossing on your project.

The DP is all from the DCWV Harvest Gathering Matstack, even the sentiment, which I cut out and mounted on a Spellbinder Lace Doily die-cut. I embossed the strip of Recollections copper metallic cardstock with the  Argyle Cuttlebug embossing folder. I popped the sentiment up with foam dots.