Wind Beneath My Wings

 

That Bette Medler song from the movie "Beaches" became my parent's theme song. My Mother referred to my Dad as her wind. He supported her in all of her endeavors and quietly cheered her in whatever she wanted to do. When I was given the beautiful eagle image to use in this week's Card Crafter's Circle challenge, it reminded me of two things: my parents and their theme song and one of my favorite Bible verses.

Our challenge for you this week, is to create a card

FOR A MAN/Boy

Joining us this week are two sponsors ... the outrageously cute Di's Digi Downloads, who offers one winner a $10 store credit, and the wonderful  Stamp Art Design by Kathryne! The winner's prize purse is their choice of 3 images of their choice! Kathryne has been an enthusiastic and generous sponsor, and we've been excited to have her.  In addition, our sponsor also provides each of our Top 3 with an image of their choice too!




I started with my beautiful eagle image from Stamp Art Design by Kathryne and colored it with various shades of brown and gray Copic markers. It worked up surprisingly quick. I simply made v shaped strokes along the feathers using the different browns, then emphasized the white areas with the C00 and C1 grays. Isn't it beautiful? The details on this image are stunning! After coloring, I cut out the image using one of my circular Spellbinder dies. I inked around the circle using Colorbox brown ink. I typed and printed my Bible verse on my computer, cut it into a square shape and inked around the edges then matted it with black card.

I used a white 5.5x5.5" card base and layered solid brown card on top. I then cut the DP (from Basic Gray 6x6" pad called Little Black Dress), matted it on black and started building my layers from there. The corner piece was cut using my SU punch and is the reverse side of the plaid piece from Basic Gray. To finish it off, I added three silver beads to the lower right corner.

I hope I've inspired you to have a go at our male card challenge over at Card Crafter's Circle. We'd love to see what you come up with for the male in your life.

Challenges:
http://paperprettiesblog.blogspot.com/ - Black, white and 1 other color
http://thepapershelter.blogspot.com/ - Layers
http://stampwithsarahkay.blogspot.com/ - Animals
http://perfectsentimentschallenge.blogspot.com/ - Sentiment
http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.com/ - Less Is More
http://thepoodlesparlour.blogspot.com/ - Winged Things
http://hookedoncraftchallenges.blogspot.com/2012/08/challenge-24.html - Male

I Don't Like Murphy

I don't even know who Murphy is other than he is famous for coming up with a law -- whatever can go wrong, will! Well, I was defintely feeling as if I were a case study for him this morning as I worked on the following card ---

 

I was attempting to use the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches so that I can enter this week's challenge, but for some reason, whatever could go wrong was going wrong. Here is the TMS sketch:

 



 

As you can see, with a little flip-flopping and tweeking, I did manage to follow the sketch (and add another Christmas card to my stash to boot). Whew. Never worked so hard for so little -- wait, I can't really say that -- ok, it did take an awful long time to accomplish this little feat. Sometimes it pays off to be a stubborn mule and sometimes it doesn't -- not yet sure which category this falls into (grin).

 

So, I started with a piece of kraft card and cut it to size. (Kraft seems to be my color of choice this year for Christmas cards, hmmm.) I layered a piece of cranberry card and then a piece of green DP (yep, some of that 18 years old paper again). For the middle strip, I cut a piece of cranberry and tan DP and matted it with a piece of the kraft. I cut the piece of Cryogen that my little Magnolia Tilda was printed and coloured on into a square (OK, so it is a rectangle -- after what I've been through making this card you're really going to get technical with me???) and matted it with the kraft.

 

Because my little wreath with sentiment (chipboard Holiday Time sticker made by Handmade Stickers) was moved to the top instead of down at the bottom as in the sketch picture, I also had to move my gems/brads, so there are three at the bottom on the left and three at the top on the right. As you can see, I also flipped the half circle design. The little doily is by Life Style Crafts (isn't it cute?). I cut it in half, using one half at the side of my image (per sketch) and a 1/4 piece as a decorative corner on the left above the wreath.

 

I think the little card is cute, and I am trying to keep the Christmas cards simplier than my "norm" so that mailing and postage won't be so difficult during the holidays. However, I'm having to try to "get used to" the more austere look. I keep looking at this little card and thinking there is something "missing" about it. Will mull it over between now and Christmas and if my Muses should happen to tap me on the shoulder (or more likely whomp me atop the head) with an idea, I will give it due diligence. In the mean time, the card does meet the requirements for the challenge at Tuesday Morning Sketches, so I'm off now to enter it there.

 

Challenges:

http://tuesdaymorningsketches.blogspot.com/ - sketch provided

Please Say It Was Photo Shopped

Below is the picture for this week's {Pin}spiration challenge. A challenge I try to do weekly just for fun.

 

I have worried about this baby ever since I saw the picture the first time. I have fussed and fumed about the baby being so close to the water. I mean the photo is cute and all, but I am so hoping the photo shoot took place in a nice safe studio and the baby has simply been set on the rocks via the magic of PhotoShop (or a similar program). I did finally manage to over come my concern and get on with my card. The obvious (and yes, once again I went with the obvious) was the little mermaid. So here is my card:

 

 You are getting two views because the first, face on photo, does not show the glitter and sparkles. The second one doesn't show all the glitz as the flowers also have glitter on them, but the light isn't catching it as it is on the card. I used far more glitz/glitter than is my usual and customary because if you have ever been out on the ocean or on a river, you know the sun bounces off of the water and glimmers like sparkling glitter.

 

My image is Tilda as Mermaid from Magnolia Stamps. I've coloured her with my Copics, as usual. I've also used the Sea Horse image from Magnolia Stamps and colored him up with the Copics. My base card this time is blue (DCWV) with a layer of white and then a layer of DP. Atop that, I've cut another layer of white and then sewed a layer of DP by Crate Papers. I had to dig out an old, old tool (pickle! What were those tempates called? They are clear plastic with grooves, and I have to use my circular craft knife -- oh well) for the oval because I didn't have a Spellbinder size big enough. I then cut the blue oval mat using another ancient tool called the Magic Matter (does anyone remember those small discs that ran around a shape to create a "perfectly spaced" mat all the way around?).

 

Anyhoo, I added a strip of white lace from the French General collection by jolee, assorted flowers from both Recollection and WOC, some stamen from Wilton and pearls by Recollection. I added Star Dust Stickles to the bodice, parts of the tail, Tilda's hair, the sea horse's spine and dorsel fin and all of the flowers except the large green one. My granddaughter (who is a mega bling-bling girl) will probably go ga-ga over this card!

 

 Challenges:
http://pinspirationalchallenges.blogspot.ca/ - Photo inspiration
http://cardmaniachallenges.blogspot.com/ - In the Sea
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
http://ooh-la-la-creationschallenges.blogspot.com/ - All at Sea
http://bearlymine-challenges.blogspot.com/ - Anything that Glitters
http://www.craftysentiments.blogspot.com/ - Let's Sparkle
http://stampnplus.blogspot.com/2012/08/challenge-3-august-flowers.html - Flowers
http://www.craftdoormagazine.com/ - Diva or Anything Goes
http://7kidschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/challenge-55-anything-goes.html - Anything Goes

 

Flutter Inside and Out

This week, the challenge at Flutter By Wednesday is to decorate the outside AND the inside of your card. I chose to do a criss cross card using a fairy image that I got off of a British craft CD. The image was already coloured up and set in the oval shaped frame. I simply had to cut her out and add some embellishments. I took one of my orange and yellow Copic markers and went over the bodice and skirt so as to bring out the colour a bit. Then I took some clear glitter fingernail polish by Sally Hansen (yes, fingernail polish that I bought at Wal-Mart) and coloured up her wings (sorry the photo doesn't capture the shine and sparkle). Using the fingernail polish was something that my girlfriend (with whom I was crafting when I made this card) had read on the internet, so we decided to give it a go to see the effects. Not a lot different (nor any less expensive) than Stickles.

I mounted the oval onto two cuts of Spellbinder's Labels Ten dies. The first is DP and the second is brown. My criss cross card is white covered with the stripy DP. The flowers are Recollection roses layered on top of Prima, and the round sentiment is an acrylic stamp by Marianne Designs (the same company that makes those beautiful Dutch dies) stamped with ColorBox brown ink.

My inside is made from pinting off the DP that was on the CD that went with the outside fairy. I layered the DP onto orange, then brown, then white. I found the fairy quote online and printed it off onto white card. I cut it using my Spellbinder oval die, embossed the edges with the same die, and then inked the edges with ColorBox brown ink.

I hope you will consider joining us this week at Flutter By Wednesday. Just remember to decorate the inside of your card as well as the outside with either fairies or butterflies.

Take care!

Challenges:
http://thepoodlesparlour.blogspot.com/ - Winged Things
http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - Pixies
http://onestitchatatimechallenge.blogspot.com/ - Use a Digi
http://marksfinestpapers.blogspot.co.uk/ - New fold (this is my first criss cross card)
http://sugarcreekhollow.blogspot.com/ - Shabby Chic Fairies
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes

Ribbon for a Cause

When I saw that the Chocolate, Coffee and Cards ( http://chocolatecoffeecards.blogspot.com/ ) challenge this week was ribbon for a cause, I knew I had to join in. I am a breast cancer survivor. Seven years ago, when my surgeon removed my right breast, I was assured all the cancer was gone. It was isolated within the breast and had not traveled any where else. The funny thing about having cancer is that even when you are told it is all gone, you never really believe it is gone. You wonder each and every day if it will come back, perhaps in the other breast or in another part of your body in a different form. Every time you have an unsual pain or ache, you wonder. If you wake one morning not quite feeling your usual self, you wonder. You go through each and every day simply on faith (a prayer and a wish, as my grandmother used to say).

I found the cancer myself. When my younger daughter was three years old, she developed a Wilhm's tumor which is a serious form of a childhood cancer. It was serious because most cases were not discovered until they were already stage 4. By the grace of God, Amber's was discovered in stage 3. As a result of her illness, I volunteered with the American Cancer Society in our town and was part of a team that went out to women's groups to give a program and instruction on breast self examination. I knew how to do it, and I did it time after time with nothing unusual. But then there was that time, yes, THAT time.

I was not devestated at being told I'd have to have a mastectomy. Most of my life I have been a 32 'A'lmost have some. There wasn't a big loss there, and when my doctor asked if I wanted to consider reconstructive surgery afterwards, I laughted and asked him just what was he going to "re"construct since there wasn't anything there to begin. But, for many people, male or female, the loss of a body part can be devestating. For those of us who believe in God, we are reminded that the body is just a shell, a temporary vessel. Our true being and our true beauty lies within. His grace sustains us and keeps us going.

The Chocolate, Coffee and Cards challenge is not just about breast cancer. It is a ribbon for a cause -- be it childhood cancer, heart disease, or supporting our troops. Whatever cause is near to your heart, there is a ribbon to symbolize it. Take the time to show your support (and your colours) by finding your ribbon and making a card.

If you are still with me, I'll tell you that my image is by Krista Smith (Saturated Canary) and is called "Boobie Love." I've coloured it with my Copics after printing it off onto Cryogen card (notice the gray hair matches my own - smile). The DP is by My Mind's Eye, the Vanity Fair pad. The ribbon is by Offray, and the flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts and Recollections. The jewels are by Recollections.

Thank you for stopping by. I'm entering this card:

http://chocolatecoffeecards.blogspot.com/ - Ribbon for a Cause
http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.ca/ - Ribbons and Bows
http://kraftyhands.blogspot.co.uk/ - Bling It Up
http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ - Bling
http://dutchdare-cardchallenges.blogspot.com/ - Bling It On
http://littlemissmuffetchallenges.blogspot.com/ - Pink



Use Fabric

 

This is Friday, so another challenge at Card Crafter's Circle. Our challenge for you this week, is to create with

FABRIC

We are talking fabric, sewing material, things of which  clothes are made, not ribbon or lace (but of course they are welcome additions)!

We are so happy to have Milk Coffee Stamps joining us again with sponsorship for you! The winner's prize is their choice of 3 Milk Coffee images! And our super sponsor also provides each of our Top 3 with an image of their choice!

My image is called Tiffany as Snow White. Isn't she a beauty? This card, however, caused me much stress and concernation. Oh, not the image; I had that ready in no time. It was the "use fabric" criteria that had me just about in tears. I ended up having to purchase some little "jelly rolls" of cloth (I didn't know that is what they are called, but a friend who sews enlightened me) in order to make my card. As it is, I used TWO fabrics (HA!).

I used black card to mat my different layers and bits of DP from my scrap bags. I am earnestly trying to use the scraps instead of cutting in to new paper all of the time. The patterned paper and the light blue were both layered with the black for contrast. I then cut a square of white card and layered that with the red fabric. Over the red, I used another piece of lovely sheer fabric that I cut from a piece that was labeled "wedding veil material." I sewed both pieces to the white card, covering all of the surface. I then popped Tiffany/Snow up slightly using foam dots, added the flowers (Recollections and WOC), and the sentiment. I also added some punched green leaves to the rose at the bottom to fill it out a little more. I folded each leaf in the center to give it more dimension before gluing it behind the rose.


Challenges:
http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.com/ - Fancy and Frilly
http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com/2012/08/dlart-thankful-thursday-challenge_16.html - Use Fabric
http://myheartpiecesdigitalstampchallenge.blogspot.in/ - Favorite Colour (Red)
http://paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.com/2012/08/anything-goes-challenge.html - Anything Goes
http://cutedaisymay.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/include-sentiment.html - Include a Sentiment
http://www.craftysentiments.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/flowers.html - Use flowers

Not Even a Mouse

Another little Christmas card. At my current rate of productivity, I may be ready for next Christmas, but it isn't looking too good for having enough made up for this Christmas. Of course, I thought the same thing about this time last year, and I managed to pull it off, so there may still be hope. I was reading through the blogs I follow and ran across a sketch that I thought I'd use. As you can see, the sketch is fairly simple, so easy-peasy, right? HA! Nothing I do is ever quick and easy. Took me almost 2 hours to find/decide on what paper to use. Is that rediculous or what? I kept trying to use Christmas paper, but I'm not overly happy with the Christmas pads I currently have. As it turned out, the paper I did finally decide on is about 18 years old. Yep, 18 years! I know it is that old because my daughter and I both stocked up on that make paper right after my oldest grandson (her son) was born. (By the way, that little baby just started college today, 8/23!)

Sorry, I'm rambling a bit today. The DP is by Keeping Memories Alive, Inc. The little image is by Meljens. I know the poem says not a creature was stirring; not even a mouse, but I guess no one ever read that poem to this little fellow. He seems to be having a grand time swinging on the ornaments whilst everyone else snoozes. I coloured my little Ornament Mouse with Copic markers on Cryogen white card. Here is a view of the sketch I used:

So there you have it. One card down and several dozen to go. Yes, I will be making more than one of the same design, so now that this first one has been made, the others will be easier.

Challenges:
http://yournextstamp.blogspot.com/ - sketch

Back to School

 

I have to admit that I did not miss going back to school. The kids here have already been in school since 8 August, and if I were still teaching, then it means I would have been back 1 August (or there abouts). I'm "old fashion" (and hate change to boot), and I think school everywhere should still start the day after Labor Day and end the last week in May.

At any rate, a number of challenges over the past couple of weeks have focused on school, and {Pin}spiration is no exception. The inspiration photo this week is the inside of a classroom complete with desks and chalkboard. So, what choice did I have but to go along with the whole school theme? (Yes, I'm sure that I could have drawn inspiration from the photo to go in other directions, but the Muses have been misbehaving for the past several weeks, so I wasn't going to depend on them to get creative.)

My little girl is an already coloured up image from Cuddly Buddly http://cuddlybuddly.com/) from the School Fairy set. I printed the image three different times so that I could create a 3D effect by popping up different parts. I first cut out my entire image (well, not entire image because as I said, this was from the School "fairy" set, and I really didn't want a fairy, so I took liberty and cut off the wings). I then cut out the head (face and hair) and the hand under her chin and popped that over the base image. I then cut just the face and bangs section from the 3rd image and popped that on top of the previously popped up part so that the head/face is actually three layers. I cut the hand and pencil and popped that over the base as well as her shoes. Both of those elements are only two layers (the base and one raised piece).

I used one of the sketches from this week's Tuesday Morning Sketches (they are offering four different sketches this week) to create the card. My base card is white layered with a DP covered with colourful apples (it is a bit hard to tell those are apples after I covered them with the other elements, but I give you my word they are apples). The other bits of paper used were from my scrap bags. I ran yellow and white baker's twine through the little pencil buttons and tied it into knots before adhering the buttons to my card. Lastly, I added the ribbon and big red bow.

The punch that I used for the yellow scallops is a Fiskar's border punch, and the sentiment is a clear acrylic stamp (SF1113) from Marianne Designs (yes, the same company that makes those beautiful cutting dies).

I am entering this card in:
http://pinspirationalchallenges.blogspot.ca/ - photo inspiration
http://tuesdaymorningsketches.blogspot.com/ - sketch inspiration
http://useittuesday.blogspot.com/ - All about school
http://scrap-creations1.blogspot.com/ - Back to school
http://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/ - Power of 3 (I used 3 pencil buttons)
http://createdwithlovechallenges.blogspot.com/ - Use 3 (3 pencil buttons)
http://www.alwayscrafting.blogspot.com/ - Kids

Make New Friends

Remember that old song we learned as children (maybe it was in Brownie Scouts, I can't totally remember)? It went "Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold." Well, that is what we are doing at  Flutter By Wednesdays! We are finding a lot of our "old" friends are returning to the Flutter By Wednesday challenge blog and entering beautiful fluttery creations, but word is out, so we are seeing new friends, too. So this week, we are celebrating friendships as the theme for our challenge. All you have to do is create something lovely honoring friends and add a butterfly or a fairy -- easy peasy, eh?

We are fortunate this week to have a wonderful sponsor. Krista Smith the very talented designer of those adorable big eyed images known as Saturated Canary graciously sponsored this week's challenge and provided each of us DT members with one of her delightful images. My little lovely is called "Picnic." Isn't she beautiful?

Wouldn't it be delightful to share a picnic lunch with a special girlfriend or with girlfriends?  A lovely meadow filled with flowers and butterflies and laughter and special comraderie. Now I'm making myself wistful just thinking about it -- can name several good friends that I'd love to spend the day with (SIGH!).

OK, so I printed my SC image onto Copic X-Press It card and coloured it up with my Copic markers. (I so like those markers -- seldom use any other medium since being introduced to them.) Anyhoo, my base card is white with a layer of brown card framing my DP which is by Crate Paper (6 x 6" pad called Farmhouse). The strip of green DP which is matted with the brown card is from my scrap bin, so I don't remember the manufacturer. The image is cut into a rectangle shape and matted with orange card. The butterflies are punched from a bit of scrap Core'dinations (ha! remembered that one) using two Martha Stewart butterfly punches. To fancy my butterflies up a bit, I used blue tear drop shaped gems (by Recollections). The flowers are some more from my Wild Orchid Crafts stash (which I'm going to need to replenish soon). The sentiment, which I tucked to the side of the image, was computer generated.

Hope you like my little card and that it has inspired you to make a fluttery lovely yourself and then to hop on over to  Flutter By Wednesdays to enter this week's challenge.

Challenges:
http://bearlymine-challenges.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
http://www.craftysentiments.blogspot.com/ - Flowers
http://flourishes.org/category/challenges/timeless-tuesday/ - Bees, Butterflies, Insects
http://bunnyzoescrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/challenge-27-summer.html - Summer
http://lollipopcrafts.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
http://trulymadlycraftychallenges.blogspot.com/ - Summer Fun
http://saturatedcanarychallenge.blogspot.com/ = Challenge 24

Home Spun Christmas

As I mentioned in an earlier post several months ago, I do NOT sew. There was a short period in my life when I attempted the feat, but that was quite a while ago. About five years ago, I made my granddaughter some little aprons which she requested, but only after purchasing a pattern that was actually labeled "Sewing for Dummies." I believe Simplicity patterns carries that line which gives step-by-step, photo instructions. Ahem, I am getting a bit off-track. My point here is you will not find a lot of material residing in my craft room.

The DT of a challenge blog of which I am a member were asked to make a card which included fabric. I cannot share the card I made for the challenge as it won't go live for another week; however, in attempting to locate fabric in my craft room for my DT sample (I ended up having to go buy some), I did find a snippet of the home spun looking material that I used as my bow on the above card. Home spun definitely didn't work for my DT card, but after all the search, I felt I just HAD to use the bit of fabric I did have; thus, the above card.

My beautiful little Santa image is a digi stamp from Robyn's Fetish. It was printed off to Cryogen white card and colored with my faithful Copic markers. My round sentiment is a LOTV stamp. Construction was kept simple, and I actually used an A2 card base (a size I've not used in ages). The A2 size is about 4.25" x 5.5". I usually work with a larger format, but the A2 was a perfect size for this card.

I kept everything pretty simple. The base is kraft card. There is a layer of cranberry red card (Close to My Heart) and then a layer of DP (Christmas paper that I've had for at least 4 years). I matted my image and the sentiment with green card for a little contrast. I added the corners which I punched using my SU Paper Shaper punch and then I added my bow.

I made the bow by tearing a strip of the home spun cotton. I tied the bow and then snipped the ends into the double points. I attached the bow using glue dots. I wanted something strong, but didn't want to use any wet glue which would have soaked into the fabric, so good, heavy glue dots were the ticket.

And there you go. Another Christmas card to add to my slowly growing stash - maybe, just maybe I'll have enough completed come December!

Challenges:
http://52cct.blogspot.com/2012/08/august-2012-theme-challenge.html - Here Comes Santa Clause
http://challengeupyourlife.blogspot.com/ - Christmas in Summer
http://craftyourdaysaway.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes (Final Challenge/blog closing)
http://craftyannschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - Christmas in August
http://robynsfetishchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/challenge-121-use-digi-8192012.html - use a digi stamp
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.com/ - Song (Santa Clause is Coming to Town)

Rich and Earthy

Our challenge for you this week at Card Crafter's Circle, is to create with

RICH AND EARTHY COLOURS

We are so happy to have The Digi Garden joining us again with sponsorship for you! The winner's prize purse is their choice of 6 Digi Garden images! Yummy! The shop has had a 'makeover' and looks fabulous... and there are so many new designs. Do click on the Digi Garden icon (isn't it cute with all the moving parts?) and take a gander at the offerings.

My card today used this adorable little Gnome girl sitting on a large dotty mushroom. I currently have a group of mushrooms that have sprung up in my front yard, and none of them are pretty -- they especially aren't dotty. I much prefer my mushrooms on a card than in my yard.

I've printed Raine Gnome (yes, that's her name, so if you go looking for her over at the Digi Garden site, that's what you'll want to search for) onto Copic Cryogen paper and coloured her up using my Copic markers. I then fussy cut her. My card base is brown kraft with a layer of dark green card and then my DP. I am so sorry that I have misplaced my notes and cannot remember which pad the DP came from. You are aware that I try to give you all the details I can about what I've used on my cards. Truly hanging my head here.


I used a Die-Versions die (Spring Scenery/DVW-4x4-115) which I cut from kraft brown card. I then "lined" it by placing the die cut onto a circle of the dark green card. After cutting a strip of orange dotty paper (from the same pad as the background DP) and matting that with the green, I placed the die cut and added the fussy cut Raine along side of it. I added a bunch of flowers (from WOC and Recollections) and added two corner punches (Paper Shapers from SU). Essentially this was a rather "quick" card, but so lush with the earthy/fall colours, don't you think?

Little Apple

The apple is a sweet and abundant little fruit that has been associated with everything from the downfall of man to earning special favors for students. In Georgia, the apples are havested in early October and honored with several craft fairs and festivals. This week's challenge at {PIN}spirational Challenges was a lovely photo of apples, cider and cinnamon sticks. My initial thought was to go with the sepia tone the overall picture conveyed, but time this week was not such for me to try something new, so instead I used the adorable image of little girl with apple basket from Mo Manning. Before I get in to what I did with my card, here is the inspiration photo --



As I said, my adorable image is by Mo Manning. I printed her off on Copic X-Press It card and colored her with my Copic markers. I then used my Spellbinder Label Eight die to cut out the image and the mat behind the image. The DP I used is from the Apple Cheddar Soup 6x6 pad by jillibean soup. The green and brown card is from my stash so not sure of the manufacturer. The corners were cut using a paper shaper punch from Stampin Up. The ribbon is by Offray, and the little silver beads are by Recollections.

I am entering my card in this week's challenge at http://pinspirationalchallenges.blogspot.com/2012/08/pinspirational-challenge-20.html

Thank you for looking.

Grand Re-opening and First Challenge

Hello everyone, we're celebrating the return of Flutter By Wednesdays with a fabulous blog hop by the amazing new Flutter By Team, of which I am very proud to be a member. I've always enjoyed Flutter By Wednesday challenges in the past, as a participant, so it is exciting for me to have been chosen to be on the "other end" as a DT member.

In order to get everyone up and running again, the DT is having a blog hop. Grab a cuppa and settle in for a bit because we have ten wonderfully talented DTers who will share beauty and inspiration with you. After feasting on the lovely eye candy at each blog, we hope you will then flutter on in to your craft room and create a beauty of your own to enter in this week's challenge. The challenge is everyone's favorite--OPEN--anything goes as long as you include a butterfly or fairy!!

If you arrived here from Tara's wonderful blog, you are on the right track. If you get lost along the way or you need to take a little break, you can return to the Flutter By Wednesday Blog ( http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/ ) for a complete list of blogs.

For my card, I have used a beautiful fairy image from A Day for Daisies. This little image is called "Ladybug and Me." I have printed it off on Copic X-Press It card and colored it up with my Copic markers. I have started with a white card base and on top have a layer of rose pink card by DCWV. On top of that I have a lovely DP from a little 6x6" pad Called Butterfly Garden by Wild Rose Studio. I have also matted my image with the rose card. My pink ribbon is by Offray, and the ecru lace is from Simplicity. My pearl swirl and the three pearls at the bottom are by Recollections.

I hope you have enjoyed my card. I certainly enjoyed making it. Now, on to the blog of the very talented Harriet.



Here is the wonderful Flutterby Team:

Joey

Lynette

Denice

Kathy

Kristie

Michelle

Tara

Jenée (Me)

Harriet

Jan

Chrissy

Danni

I hope you will be inspired to visit the rest of the team's blogs and then to get into your own craft room and create your own lovely flutter card. We look forward to seeing what YOU come up with.

Have a blessed and super fluttery day!

Baby Face

"Baby face. You've got the cutest little baby face." This week's challenge theme at Card Crafter's Circle is -- have you guessed? -- yes, it is baby. Now I've got that song stuck in my head and can't get it out. (Hum, does anyone even remember that song or have I just dated myself?) Anyway, this is my card.

Before I tell you what I did with my card, we need to pause for a word from our sponsor:

Your creation should be for a baby... boy or girl, we love them all!

We are always excited to have our current sponsor Pink Gem Designs!  Pink Gem has been a generous sponsor all year and has provided darling images for the DT and for our winner. The winner will have their choice of 4 Black/White images from Pink Gem Designs inventory!

Now, for what I did on my card. This is a sweet, fairly simple card, but I added extra interest by printing my image twice, cutting out parts, and foam dotted them to the original design for the 3-D effect. You can see in my second photo above that the little blue birds, the baby's head and ruffles on her cap, and one hand have been raised.

My DP is from a precious little pack from the UK (I know, I do that to you all the time). It is from the Tatty Teddy collection called Me to You by carte blanche (and yes, they use the lower case letters at the beginning of their name). The white "lace" border is from a Martha Stewart punch, and the pink dotty ribbon is from Offray. The three sweet little roses are from Wild Orchid Crafts

Hope you will join us this week at Card Crafter's Circle.

Challenges:
http://inkyimpressionschallenges.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/inky-impressions-challenge-ribbon.html - ribbon
http://cutedaisymay.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/die-cuts-andor-punches.html - dies/punches
http://inthepinkchallenge.blogspot.com/ - Use Pink
http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/thank-you-to-everyone-that-joined-in-on.html - baby sentiment

The Glass is Half Full

This morning I was reading the blogs I follow while sitting on the porch drinking my morning coffee. I found a great sketch on Debbie's Dash of This & That, so just had to give it a try. I was hoping to be able to use it for a DT assignment that I am trying to finish up, but the die I needed to use (for my assignment) was too big, so didn't fit the sketch card. Well, I had already cut all my papers and started making the card, so I went ahead and finished up. Little did I realize that the sketch is this week's challenge sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches. Just goes to show how little penetrates my wee brain prior to finishing at least one cup of coffee.

I also decided, after having a very careful look, the card fit this week's inspiration photo at {Pin}spirations. See the photo below:



I've used the pink and blue colors in my design as well as pink roses (OK, I know those are Peony flowers and not roses, but I don't have any Peony flowers in my stash), and I have a frame around my image (though not as ornate as the one in the inspiration photo).  Don't you see the connection? I do (smile).

So, I discovered after the fact that while my card didn't work for my DT assignment, it does work for two wonderful challenges this week. Need I say that I am entering my card in:
http://tuesdaymorningsketches.blogspot.com/
http://pinspirationalchallenges.blogspot.ca/

Thanks for visiting me. May all of your glasses be half full. Hugs.

Shape Up

This week the DT members at Card Crafter's Circle were asked to make a shape card -- something other than the usual square or rectangle. Unlike a constructed card (previous challenge), these cards could be circles, tea pots, stars, or even cars. My DT teamies did an exceptional job of using their imaginations and rising to this challenge. You will want to run over and have a look. You won't be disappointed.

Once again, we are fortunate to have two fantastic sponsors... this means two prizes for random winners!


Our first sponsor is MelJen's Designs, who continues to delight us with magical images! Our MelJen's prize is 4 uncoloured images.  Our second sponsorship is Kathryne of
Stamp Art Designs by Kathryne!  The prize from Kathryne is also 4 lovely images of your choice.

So, here is my sample card for this week:

Using my Cricut cutter, I cut the ornament card using the Wild Card cartridge. The cut card was the ornament shape on front but a square back, so I traced around the ornament front onto the back "flap" and hand cut it so that my entire card base was the same shape. I then cut a piece of Christmas DP and adhered it to the front. I also cut a piece of gold DP for the ornament "cap." (Note: the red paper behind the card is not part of the card. I used it simply as background for my photo so you could see the card shape better.)

I printed off my Meljen's Mouse and Ornament image and coloured it up with Copic markers. I added just a light touch of Stickles (not showing well in photo) to the fur areas on little mouse's Santa cap.  Using a Spellbinder circle die, I cut out the image. I then took the next size circle die and cut the mat from green DP. After adhering the circles to the center front of my card, I used some K&Company dimensional chipboard holly leaves as simple embellishments.

I think this little image is so cute that I've already coloured up several more to use on this year's holiday cards. I hope you like him, too.

Timeless

This week's challenge at the {Pin}spiration blog was a photo of an old clock set into a brick wall. I usually try to find inspiration other than the "obvious" in the photo. It is part of the fun of the challenge for me as well as an exercise in creative thinking. However, this week my Muses just weren't cooperating, and as much as I looked at the photo and tried, the clock was the thing that my eye kept seeing. So, I finally gave up and went with the time/clock theme.

My image is a freebie from a site I found some time ago called Digital Thursday. The site offered a number of vintage images, and I have to admit that I really am rather fond of the older, timeless images. I think I've always been an "old" mind in a "young" body. There is always something romantic about times past.

Anyway, I colored my image using Copic markers. The card base is black, and the DP is from a pad from Lost & Found Two by Jen Allyson called "Sunshine." I've had the clock dies for some time, and the manufacturer's label is gone, but I remember buying them at Michael's Crafts in the collage section. The orange flower is also from Michael's and was in a set called Boutique Fleur by Recollections. The sentiment was typed on my computer.

I am entering the card in the challenge at http://pinspirationalchallenges.blogspot.ca/ and here is the inspiration photo.