Sketch #185

 Happy Tuesday.  We have another great sketch for you by Laura and Bugaboo is sponsoring.  What a wonderful combination.  But we're going to put the cherry on top with a Judged Challenge twist.... Lovey Dovey.  This doesn't necessarily have to be for Valentine's Day.  You can get really creative on how to tell someone you love them.

But it is the Judged Challenge, so to be considered for the winner spot, you must use the sketch and the twist. Here is the sketch:

I have used Bugaboo's Ava/Deacon Love image which I colored using Copic markers. The DPs are from We R Memory Keepers Love Struck 6 x 6" pad. I have used this pad and used it, and I still have lots of papers left! My glittery hearts are from a package that I bought last year for my granddaughter to use  on her Valentine candy bags for her classmates. As I've mentioned before, she is my bling-bling girly-girl! The sentiment is also from the package I bought for Claire. The ribbon is from my stash (Offray), and rather than tying a bow this time, I just tied a simple knot. I've matted everything with either white or red card.

I hope you will join us this week at Tuesday Morning Sketches. Laura's sketch this week is a great one for those special "love notes" for the special people in your life.

Challenge:
http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/search/label/challenge - Affairs of the Heart

Love is in the Air

Hello! Today is another challenge day at Card Crafter's Circle, and like so many of our fellow challenge blogs, we are looking towards that day of love, Valentine's Day. Our challenge this week is LOVE IS IN THE AIR! We ask that your creations be themed on LOVE or VALENTINES. 

This week we are honored to have two sponsors, Robyn's Fetish and Floppy Latte Designs! So we have two prize winners this challenge!  One randomly drawn winner will receive their choice of five (5) digital images from  Robyn's Fetish ... and another randomly drawn winner will receive a prize of $10 to spend at the Floppy Latte Designs store.  Thank you to both of our sponsors for their generous prizes!

I have used Randy Valentine's Boy by Robyn's Fetish for my card today. I started by cutting a white card base using LifeStyle Craft's scalloped square die, giving me the lacy border (see previous blog entry). I then cut a piece of red gingham DP matted with solid red card which I placed on top of the white card. I added a red and white ribbon/bow and then a layer of white embossed card (LifeStyle Crafts embossing folder) matted with red. I colored little Randy with Copic markers and then paper pieced his shirt and socks. I then fussy cut him and adhered him with foam dots to the embossed panel. I stamped a sentiment using Inkadinkado stamps and CTMH cranberry ink.

Challenges:
http://digistamps4joy-sa.blogspot.com/ - Love is in the Air
http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.co.uk/ - Hearts and Dots
http://paperprettiesblog.blogspot.com/ - Valentines
http://stamp-n-doodle.blogspot.co.uk/ - Love is in the Air
http://stampinroyalty.blogspot.com/ - Valentine/Love
http://celebratetheoccasion.blogspot.com/ - Valentine with Ribbon
http://cachallenge.blogspot.com/ - Hearts
http://digitaltuesdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ - Hearts

Flutter By Wednesday 226

It's time for another fluttery challenge so let's get right to it!

This week we have a sponsor~ StampFairy!

StampFairy generously donated some digi's for the Flutter By Team to use so be sure to check out the inspiration on the Flutter By blog. There is also a prize of $10 to spend at the StampFairy store!!

This week is an open challenge which means that anything goes as long as you include a butterfly or a fairy somewhere on your creation.

My image is one of the freebies that you will find on StampFairy's blog, Isn't it just the sweetest little bunny, and doesn't it look so spring like holding that big flower? I'm definitely ready for spring (have I mentioned that before??), so this little image made me feel happy as I colored it up.

My little card has a lot going on with it. First, I cut the card base using a LifeStyle Crafts die (Nesting Doily Squares, L-CC-003). I layered a bright, sunny DP on top as my background. I then used one of my Spellbinder circle dies to cut out my little bunny image. Under the image circle, I cut a lacy strip using a Martha Stewart border punch and I added a piece of yellow grosgrain ribbon. The three small butterflies are from a MS hand punch, and I made my flower and leaves using punches. The little rhinestones (on flower and butterflies) are by Recollections.

Challenges:

http://tuesdayalchemy.blogspot.com/2013/01/challenge-49-anything-goes.html - Anything Goes

http://craft-roomchallenge.blogspot.com/ - Make Your Own Embellishment

http://bearlymine-challenges.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes

http://www.craftysentiments.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes

http://lejdesignschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes - Use Yellow

Tuesday Morning Sketches 184

Good Morning TMS friends!  I am so happy that you're here.  We have another great sketch for you all to play with and I hope this one will inspire you as much as last week's.  This week we're sponsored by Freckled Fawn.  And once again, Doe has a wonderful prize to give to one lucky winner.

Let's get to this week's challenge.  Here's our sketch...

My card for this week is featuring a new image that I've absolutely fallen in love with. The image is from a new release by a little Scottish company called Sugar Nellie (thank goodness for the internet). There are 5-6 of these little girls in the new release, and I think I own all of them (grin)! They are beautiful and such a joy to color. Anyway, this image is 135746-Amber (which happens to be my second daughter's name). After coloring my image with Copic markers on X-Press It card, I used a 3" circle punch and punched out the image.

My card is a white base topped with blue card. The background DP and the pink checked DP are from the same piece of double sided paper by Piggy Tales. My circle lace die is by Marianne Craftables (CR1201). My sentiment is from a clear stamp set by Inkadinkado (97636, Love Letters).

Now its your turn. Hop on over to Tuesday Morning Sketches and have a look at the beauties the design team have created, then make your own wonderful creation for this week's challenge.

Challenges:

http://www.ladyanneschallenges.com/anything-goes.html - Anything Goes

http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes

http://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - Gingham

http://crazy4challenges.blogspot.com/ - Friendship

http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes

Twist of Faith Challenge #23

This week  our challenge for you is:

Your Favourite Scripture/ Inspirational Words

(your creation must include a scripture, inspirational verse or positive words of healing, encouragement, or support)

We are happy to introduce a new sponsor this week at Twist of Faith ... Digi Darla's Designs! Our random prize winner will receive their choice of  FIVE images! DigiDarla is the brain child of Kim Eskola and her daughter Emilea, and I know you will find their images wonderful.

Since this week's challenge is scripture/inspirational words, I have used one of Digi Darla's word images. I don't have a "favorite" scripture as they ALL speak to me. It always amazes me that no matter what my need, I can find the right scripture/words (not necessarily the ones I "want" but the ones I "need") in the Bible. The lovely verse from Romans that I used is a wonderful "motto" for all times. It isn't always easy, but if we can adopt those three principles into our life, our days will be so much easier.

I used a white base card and have kept the design simple, keeping the focus on my verse. I cut a white strip which I embossed using a The Paper Studio embossing folder. I matted the embossed piece with blue card. I then cut a frame using Spellbinder's Fleur de Les squares die from the blue card and put my digital image on it. I made the roses using a 5-petal flower hand punch, and the leaves are from Spellbinder's rolled roses and leaves die. My three pink pearls are from Michael's Crafts.

Please take a few minutes and go over to the Twist of Faith blog and have a look at the cards the other design team members have created for your inspiration. They are all lovely!

Time to Flutter

Sorry I'm late today getting my Flutter By Wednesday blog written. I've been gone today -- visiting a good friend -- and I didn't have a chance last night, after work, to preschedule my blog. Today is the last Wednesday of the month, so that means that our challenge for this week is open -- no theme, no sketch, no color requirement -- just whatever you want to do AS LONG AS you include either a fairy or butterfly.

My image is by Milk Coffee stamps -- isn't she pretty? I colored her up with my Copic markers. I also did something I seldom do -- I colored black hair -- shew, think it turned out well. I was not going to fussy cut this beauty, but because of the width of her wing span, I would have either had to use the cut outside the box technique or use a huge die. I weighed the issue for quite some time and finally decided to just give in and fussy cut! I cut the oval upon which the image is sitting with a Spellbinder die, and inked the edges with Tim Holtz distressing ink (I believe I used Antique Linen). I then cut a 5.5 x 5.5" white base card and layered it with DP from a Glitz Pack 8" paper pad. I also distressed the middle strip and the striped strip (although it does show on the stripey piece). The stripes are a dark chocolate brown as is the narrow ribbon (Offray). I added a clear teardrop shaped rhinestone to each corner and also tiny round ones to the center of the two large roses.

There is plenty of room at the top or sides of the card to add a sentiment, but I've not added one because, at this time, I'm not sure how the card will be used. I don't currently have a specific need in mind, so I've left myself options for a later date.

Hope you will join us this week in the Flutter By Wednesday challenge. We always enjoy seeing what all of you create. Please drop by and see what the DT has put together for your inspiration, and if you have a few minutes, visit their blogs and leave them some LUV.

Twist of Faith Green Challenge

This week is a color challenge, and our chosen color is:

GREEN plus

a scripture, or uplifting verse or positive words of healing, encouragement, or support

" ⁷ Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest. ⁸ If you plant in the soil of your corrupt nature, you will harvest destruction. But if you plant in the soil of your spiritual nature, you will harvest everlasting life. " 

                              ~ Galations 6:7-8 GW ~

We are so happy to have Bugaboo Stamps joining us with their sponsorship for you! Our random prize winner will receive their choice of SEVEN Bugaboo images!

Bugaboo has an extensive collection of images, fun and funky, sweet, saucy, and for every occasion you can imagine! Sign up for their newsletter and updates, so you know when the new images are released, and there's a fabulous freebie every Friday!

This card is made using Bugaboo Stamps Ava on Shamrock image. Isn't she cute? Our required color is green which I've combined with a pretty blue. Did you know that green is considered a "neutral" color as it goes well with any other color in the spectrum? Look at a garden and see how God has used green as a base for all the flowers. Look at a meadow and notice the various colors of wildflowers dancing on a carpet of green. Look closely at the trees, especially flowering ones, and see the myriad of flower colors and leaf colors peeking out from a cloud of green leaves.

After coloring my Ava image with my Copic markers, I've used designer papers from several sources (and opps, I forgot to write them down).  My card base is white with a layer of green matted with blue card. The next layer is a green and blue design DP matted with the blue. Then the strip of green and blue stripy DP also matted with the blue. I used a narrow green gingham ribbon across the stripy paper and then added my imaged (matted) at a slight tilt. Lastly, I added three pearls (which I seem to be using a lot lately) and my sentiment -- "Put not your faith in luck but in the steadfast promises of God."

Least you go hunting for it, I will tell you I made up the sentiment. I was thinking about how I was going to use the Shamrock image in a religious context. The Shamrock is native to Ireland, and it is believed that Saint Patrick used the Shamrock in teaching the concept of the Holy Trinity in his missionary works in Ireland. It is a sweet story, but not necessarily a widely known story outside of the Catholic faith. So, as I fretted about this, it dawned on me that more people are familiar with the concept that a 4-leaf Clover is associated with "luck." I don't really believe in "luck." I believe in hard work, following the right path, trusting God and receiving His blessings. As I thought on those things, the verse came into my mind (when we are still, He will give us answers).

Take a visit at the Twist of Faith blog and have a look at what the DT has done this week. Then, pull out your green and get to crafting. We'd love to see your entry this week, and who knows, you just may be the "lucky" (HA!) winner of this week's Bugaboo prize (or as I prefer to say, you may be blessed).

Challenges:
http://canyoudigiit.com/blog/ - Green
http://www.ladyanneschallenges.com/anything-goes.html - Anything Goes
http://foreverfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - Use Ribbon or Lace
http://lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes With a Sentiment
http://useyourstuff.blogspot.com/ - Colouring
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://celebratetheoccasion.blogspot.com/ - Green, white + 1 other color