Christmas Once Again

   It's Sunday and that means Christmas Card Challenges is having another card challenge. The challenge this week is to create a Christmas Card using Paper Piecing. I've not done much of this, but I really had fun. However, next time I'll make sure that I don't use an image that has so many little pieces to it ~ LOL.

 

   The image I used is an old digital image from Dearie Dolls. It's so cute. This is what I "pieced" on the image...I cut out the shoes and socks as one piece and colored them using Copics; then I puffed it up with dimensionals.  I also cut out the hat and added glitter to the white band portion and used red paper for the cap (and puffed it up also). I used a piece of smushed (is that a word?) cotton for the pom at the end. I cut out her hair -- although I don't think it looks like it's been pieced in the picture. I pieced her dress and popped up her one shoulder piece. I cut the ruffle out of burgundy paper. A bit of skin shading and some gold glitter to the ornament finished off the image.

  

Here's a close-up of the shoes and socks.

 

 

I added scalloped edging in green and white along one side, organza and satin ribbon and a fancy button to complete this week's Christmas Card.  Even if you don't enter the challenge at CCC, I hope you give Paper Piecing (not piercing) a try. It sure changes the look of a stamped image.

 

  

 

Check out the other Design Team Member's Paper Piecing cards.

Alanna

Anne C

Anne J

Jenn

Jovita

Karen

Margo

Monica

Sabrina

Class Cards

    This past week has been another crazy one. I've been busy working on a card for Christmas Card Challenges (which I'll feature on Sunday) and Crafty Creations Challenges (you'll see this card on Wednesday).
    And for some reason it took me a long time to get the 17 card kits (instead of the normal 25) ready for last Thursday's card class. I struggled trying to design cards that were easy enough for the beginner, yet challenging for the seasoned cardmaker. Everyone said they enjoyed the class...so perhaps I hit the mark for the beginner and advanced crafters.
    For those that weren't able to take the class, I thought I would share the cards with you...in the hopes it will inspire you to do a bit of 'crafting' this week. Enjoy.

Thinking of You Card

Flower is a FREE digistamp from StampFairy (Peekers Kids)

The sentiment is computer-generated and placed on the inside

 

Note: I decided to enter the above card in the A.R.T. challenge-Anything Goes this week.

 

Christmas Card

Poinsettia and Sentiment are FREE digistamps from StampFairy (Jake Poinsettia & Lenny Christmas Scenes)

The poinsettia was highlighted with a clear glitter pen. Also, the card front was cut on the diagonal.

Simple Card

Sentiment is a FREE digistamp from Doodle Pantry (Rounded Wishes)

Flower in the center of the sentiment is a FREE digistamp from StampFairy (Barry Spring 1)

It must be Sunday

  I can't believe it's the start of a new week. This year is flying by so fast. Too many things still not crossed off my "to do" list ... oh, why fret about it?  I think I'll just pour myself another coffee and make one more card. Note: Cardmaking to me is like chocolate to others.

   Today, Sunday, also begins my new role as a member of the Christmas Card Challenges Design Team.  The challenge this week is to create a Christmas Card based on an inspirational photo. When I saw the photo (below), the card idea just popped into my head.

 

   The photo reminded me of going to my parents house for the holidays. My parents have a small white fence in their front yard and they hang an evergreen swag on it at Christmas. Since we haven't been able to make the trip north for Christmas the past several years, I got a bit homesick and nostalgic...so I had to create the following card:

 

   Making the fence and the swag took longer than I anticipated. I might have to purchase die-cuts if I plan to make anymore like this.

 

 

   What does the Inspirational Photo say to you? Hop on over to Christmas Card Challenges (click here) and see what the Design Team has created this week (or click on one of the following names to go to their blog directly.  Maybe we'll inspire you to begin working on your handmade Christmas cards...we'd love for you to join us on one of the weekly card challenges. Looking forward to your creations.

 Alanna

Anne C

Anne J

Heather-ME

Jenn

Jovita

Karen

Margo

Monica

Sabrina

Going Strong Today

   Today was a great day...several cards that I wanted to make came together quickly and turned out just as I had envisioned them.  In order to get the following card entered in a couple challenges, I have to post a second time today...but I'll keep it short

  I just love this card...I'm not sure who I'm going to send it to; I might have to make a second one just so I can keep one (am I the only one with this problem...it's SO hard to let go of my cards!).

   Here are the parts of this card:

• Brown & White Cardstock
• Bandaid graphic: FREE Digi stamp from Doodle Pantry
• Polka Dot DP: FREE Paper Duo (Bandaid) from Doodle Pantry
• Get Well Soon Sentiment: FREE Digi stamp from Stamp Fairy
• Little Girl "Peekers 5": Digi stamp from Stamp Fairy (one of my 'prize winnings')
• Sponging on sentiment: Memento Angel Pink

I'm entering this card in:
   > Doodle Pantry's Digital Challenge #35: Use a Doodle Pantry Image
   > Tuesday Morning Sketches #203 Challenge

The Real Challenge

   I think our community must be in a bubble.  The last few days we've had storms (inches of rain falling) all around us and as soon as the storms gets within 1/2 mile of our community, it splits/turns/stops and misses us completely. Now...I'm not complaining - I'm not a big fan of big storms - but we really could use the rain/water that other areas are getting.

   Which leads me to today's card. Sometimes I just need to take time to "Be still, and know that God is God" and that He controls what happens in and around my life.  Too often I am rushing in too many directions...trying to accomplish too many things...having too many projects going at the same time -- that I just need to take a moment to "be still."

   And, maybe...just maybe...a few storms in this life will miss me.  Or, at least when they do come, I will remember that God is still in control.

   I'm entering this card in two challenges:

ClearlyiStamp: Use Red, White and Blue (and a Clearly Digi Stamp as a bonus)

CAS-ual Fridays: Over the edge

 

   I placed the flower so it would hang off the left edge of the card. Copics and Sharpies were used to color the flower. I also cut a second center flower and added it for a bit of dimension.  The flower is from The Graphics Fairy.

   The sentiment is a free digital stamp from Clearly Digi Stamps. I changed the color to red to meet the challenge requirements, but I really like the way it all comes together.

   Now, to only practice what I am writing about today...hmm, that is the real Challenge.

Am I Living a "Fairytale?"

  If you've visited my blog in the last couple of days, you might have noticed a picture to the left of the posts...actually TWO pictures.  If not, then I'll just have to share...
  I'm happy to say that I have recently joined the Design Team of two different card challenges:  Crafty Creations Challenges and Christmas Card Challenges...I had to wait to say anything until it was announced. Whew! it was SO tough not to share it with everyone...which is why I haven't posted anything in a couple days.

   Crafty Creations Challenges has a challenge every Wednesday. I designed the following card for them this week (I'll be designing a card every other week with the rest of the Team members).  You'll want to visit the Challenge Blog because other Design Team members have some beautiful cards to inspire you. Or you can click on the Design Team Names (on the sidebar) to go to their personal blog to see other great cards each one has created.

   The Challenge this week is "Your Favorite Fairytale" and it's sponsored by Guylou's Inimitability Digital Stamps.  Hopefully it's obvious that my favorite fairytale is Cinderella.

 

Here's the parts and pieces that I used to make this card:

• Pink cardstock base with Stampin' Up! Designer Series In Color DSP matted on white cardstock.
• Spellbinders Floral Ovales sponged with Memento Angel Pink
• Cinderella shoe/pillow (MS image)--I used pink flocking for the pillow. I wanted to create a "glass slipper" look, so I found a piece of semi-transparent plastic. I cut out just the shoe (not the heel) and put pink sparkle glitter glue all over the printed shoe.  The plastic shoe cutout was then placed on top of the glitter to secure it. The glitter shows through the plastic and I think it's as close to a "glass slipper" look I could get.

• I combined Stamp Fairy's Molly Fairy (free digi) sentiment with a wand graphic from MS . A little glitter for sparkle and the sentiment was complete.

• Pink and white organza for the ribbon and bow and a few white pearls completed the card.

 

   The other group I'll be designing for is Christmas Card Challenges. I was introduced as a new Designer here (pic and bio). Their Challenges begin on Sunday, so you'll see what I've designed for them in a few days and I'll feature more of this group at that time.

 

Challenges I'm entering this card in:

   Tuesday Throwdown #152: Fantasy

 

   Until next time, keep crafting.

 

It's a Great Day!!

   Friday was an absolutely wonderful day for me. You'll find out why in a few days...but I am so thrilled and excited I can hardly stop smiling.
   I worked on a couple cards for challenges and this one fit right along with Crafty Creations Sketch Challenge this week.

   I printed the graphic (from Microsoft) onto vellum, then colored on the back side with pencils. I love this glittery purple cardstock with the seafoam green. I added a bow even though the original sketch didn't show one (creative license {smile}).

I cut a window in the purple cardstock and placed the vellum graphic in the opening (it might be hard to tell in this photo). The sentiment is computer generated to match the seafoam ribbon color.

   Enjoy your weekend. I know I am.

It's Hambo Time

   This week I received the cutest set of digital stamps and sentiments from Hambo Stamps--free because I played in last week's Hambo Hoedown challenge and used a Hambo Stamp. It's called Fish Birds - digital image from Hambo Stamps and can be seen or purchased here.  
  The challenge this week was to CASE (copy and share everything) a card from one of their two Pinterest boards. That was definitely a challenge...so many cute designs, layouts and ideas to choose from. I finally selected one by Libby Hickson who used Farm Chicken and You're the Best stamps. You can check it out here. And I tried to copy it the best I could but I made a couple minor changes.

 

   The original digi had spikey lines for the hair, but since I fussy-cut the image, I had to cut that part off. Instead I added twine (which I had to color with black marker...you think I would have black twine).  I cut the clouds free-hand, then ran them through the embosser. I glued green and blue strips to the yellow cardstock, then ran the entire piece through the embosser also.

 

   The birds actually have a full body.  I trimmed the image for the front of the card, but left the other bird for the inside of the card full size. The digital stamp set comes with 2 birds: one plump and one skinny. They are just too cute for words.

 

  

Clean and Simple (CAS)

   CAS is not my preferred style. Mainly because I love ribbon, die cuts, embossing, multi-layers, and anything else I can find so much that I tend to go overboard...hence making my card not CAS.
   But I was determined today to make a CAS card...or at least what I considered to be a CAS card.

   I recently downloaded Stampin' Up!'s MDS software and I haven't played around with it much. But I love digital stamps, so I decided to give MDS a try. I used the Cupcake from Cake & Ice Cream and the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes and printed both onto white cardstock.
   After trimming them, I used a dark grey cardstock for a matte.  A white card base and a swirly embossed piece for the left side of the card...and I was done. Well, except for adding a few glitter dots to the cupcake {smile}.  Even a CAS card has to have a bit of sparkle.

   I thought this embossing folder looked like 'icing swirls' which is why I chose it.

 

I'm entering the above card in the following two challenges today:
   Play Date Cafe #186: Color Splash Challenge--Tangerine

   Freshly Made Sketches #90:



For My Man

   It's not often that I post something twice in one day (maybe not ever). But...like I said a few days ago, I received some wonderful digital stamps from Stamp Fairy (because I won a Tuesday Morning Sketch challenge) and I couldn't wait to use them.
  The sentiment popped into my head the moment I saw this digi (called Barry Fishing 1)...you'll have to scroll down to see the sentiment since I put it on the inside of the card.

 

   I'm rather proud of this card and the coloring, since I have a total of 14 Copic pens. That makes it a bit tough for shading and highlighting...but with a little determination and creative perseverance, I think I was able to pull it off okay; the bear looks fuzzy and the water pan looks like metal. The fish, well, I was going for the Rainbow Trout look, but my husband said that although he didn't think it looked like one, it did look like a fish {smile}. ***Yes, it was supposed to be a surprise for my husband, but I had to get his opinion before posting the card. I'll still give him the card.**

 

 

   Now...here's the sentiment. Do you think it fits the graphic?

 

   Now, onto the 'reel' fun part...making the bobbers and hooks. I punched white and red circles, cut the red ones in half, glued the red half-circle to the white circle, then cut a little red piece for the top.  I intentionally placed the bobbers off kilter on the front of the card.

 

 

   The hooks I made with bronze wire and attached them with fishing line through small holes in the card. 

 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

    Tuesday Morning Sketches #202

 

    Creative Card Crew #38: Use metal

    Tuesday Throwdown #151: You're the Man 

    Catered Crop: For the Boys Recipe Swap

Christmas...a Little Early

   I'm still putting things away from the carpet install and recently opened a box that contained...drum roll, please...card making supplies. Now, how that box ever got lost in the first place is beyond me...but at least it is now found and is in its rightful place (my Craft Room).
   Checking out a couple challenge blogs today, I found these two that I really liked:
   Christmas Card Challenges #28: Make a Christmas card that includes Lace
   Creative Card Crew Challenge #38: Make a card that includes metal (stick pin, charm, brads, etc)

   I love stick pins and charms and if you've seen my craft room, you know that I have more lace and ribbon than a normal person probably should have {smile}.

 

   I printed the Merry Christmas sentiment using a freebie font from Creating Keepsakes and colored the M and C with Copics. Then punched out the shape using the Stampin' Up! ornament punch. Tied twine around the top of the ornament and added a jingle bell stick pin to the bow. A bit of Christmas snowflake ribbon and beautiful cotton lace and the card was complete. Here's a close-up of the ornament and stick pin.

 

I carried the ornament-theme to the inside and completed the sentiment as well.

 

   Merry Christmas...hmm, maybe we'll make a Christmas Card at the June 27th class. With temps in the 90's lately, we could use a bit of "cool weather thinking."

 

NOTE TO MY CARD CLASS GALS:  If you haven't submitted your card for the Card Challenge yet, you now have until June 27th (I had to change the date due to personal reasons).  I've received several already and they are all beautiful!!  Here's the link to the sketch and some very basic, simple samples (click here for the sketch).