New Year's Wishes

Again, I don't have a card or project to share with you today, but this being New Year's Eve, I wanted to pop in for a few minutes.

I've noticed a lot of different people commenting on Face Book that they are ready for 2013 to be over. This wasn't particularly a good year for many, so they look foward to the new year with hope that 2014 will be a better year. While 2013 wasn't exactly one of MY most favorite years, I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to experience it. (When one passes the mid-point of the sixth decade of life, nothing is taken for granted - smile.) I hope and pray that I have learned and grown from the different experience the year brought me. 

We all know we cannot undo the years past, and we recognize we cannot always control events of years to come. However, each New Year's Eve, we all look forward to the possibility that the new year will hold wonderful things for all of us. It is with that hope that I wish each of you a very happy 2014. May the year hold many blessings, surprises, love and goodness for all of you, and may you have the ability to see and receive all regardless of the form they take.

As the Psalmist reminds us:

                                      "Shout to the Lord all the earth;
                                      break out in praise and sing for joy."
                                                                        Psalm 98:4

Merry Christmas

I don't have a card to share with you today (although my team mates at Tuesday Morning Sketches did get their cards done, so do stop over there and have a look). However, I did want to take a minute to wish all of you a very merry Christmas.

May your days be merry and bright, and may we see mankind through the eyes of God, with compassion and love, always hoping the best and believing the best, encouraging each to follow as we walk in the ways of the Lord. Merry Christmas from my heart and family to yours.

God bless,

                Jenée

 

Deck the Halls

There are only four more days until Christmas so by now, you should have your halls all decked out. In fact, by now you have probably finished all of your Christmas cards and are (hopefully) just doing the finishing touches to the holiday such as maybe some cooking or wrapping of gifts. I just have one last gift to wrap (that we purchased yesterday), and I'll be ready.

This week at Card Crafter's Circle, our theme is Deck the Halls. This is a pretty "open" theme in that you can do lots with it. Our sponsor this week is Robyn's Fetish Stamps, and our winner will receive five images of their choice from Robyn. 

I have used Robyn's lovely image called Beautiful Bow for my card. I do think of red bows at Christmas. In fact, I have small red velvet bows on the ends of limbs on my Christmas tree. I've colored my image with Copic markers and then combined DP with red, white and green to create the card. I've added paper poinsetta and small pinecones and red berries, a red bow and whtie pearls to finish off. 

Have a good day. If you can, stop by the Card Crafter's Circle blog. Several of our talented DT ladies are tied up with Christmas preparation, so there are only a couple of inspirational cards for you this week, but they are lovely, so please take a look.

Skiing Christmas

Good morning! Today would normally be my Inky Impressions post, but sadly I've stepped down from the Inky DT. I really enjoy the adorable Inky Impressions images (and of course, will continue to use them), but I had to reevaluate some things in my life and make some hard decisions. One of those decisions was to cut back on DTs. I've felt, for some time, that my creativity and my cards were getting a bit "stale." My Muses totally deserted me, and no matter how much coaxing, they would not return. My cards were starting to look, to me, repetitive and boring. I also felt my coloring was starting to suffer. Anyhoo, to make a long story short, I realized I just had too many irons in the fire and the stress and lack of time was showing in my work. With all that having been said, I would like to share a card I made with one of the newest Inky Impressions stamps.

The stamp is Nicholas Skiing. It was just released last week. Isn't it cute? My oldest grandson is named Nicholas, although he is not much into snow skiing (he lives near the beach where it doesn't snow). I colored this Nicholas with Copic markers and then cut the image into a circle using one of my Spellbinder dies. I inked around the circle with Colorbox ice blue ink.

My card is a white base with a piece of embossed blue card matted with navy. The blue is embossed with a Darci snowflake embossing folder. The two snowflakes are cut with Impression Obsession die DIE024-X. After adhering the snowflakes to my card, I added a rhinestone to their centers. The ribbon is a silver, glittery ribbon, and the charm (two mittens) is from the Inky Impressions store. The sentiment, which is stamped with navy, is from a free set I got with a British magazine. (I may swap out the sentiment to a winter saying since I will probably NOT use this card for Christmas.)

There you have it. Take care.

Tuesday Morning

Good morning. Have you missed me? I hope some of you noticed that I did not get a blog entry posted last week. The holidays, a family situation and winter colds (hubby) left me short on crafting and computer time. However, I think I'm back on track.

This week our challenge at Tuesday Morning Sketches  is being sponsored by Sweet n Sassy Stamps. Sadly my card is not using one of Korin's adorable images (please forgive me, but again, that time crunch thing). I did, however, not want to miss another week, so I used our sketch to showcase for you. Here is a picture of our sketch:

Pretty sketch, isn't it? It is very versatile (as you will see from the DT samples on the Tuesday Morning blog).

I have used a white card base with a layer of DP from the 6 x 6" pad called Christmas Cottage by Teresa Collins. That was topped with a white piece of card. The border on the white piece is punched with a Martha Stewart punch. My green tree was cut using Spellbinder's Mini Holiday Tree die (S2-055). I added red gems to the tree. The sentiment at the bottom is placed atop silver glitter ribbon. I finished the card off with slightly larger red gems in the bottom corners.

I know that for many of us, time is getting "tight" the closer we get to Christmas, but if you find yourself with a little creating time, we'd love to have you join in our challenge this week.

Celebration Time, Oh Yeah!

How many of you remember that song, "Celebration Time?" It popped into my head as I was creating my card, and now I'm afraid it is back (grin)! Our challenge theme this week at Card Crafter's Circle is CELEBRATIONS. This is a nice, broad theme in that you can use it for Christmas cards (if you are still working on them) or any other type celebration, such as birthday, anniversary, promotion -- anything one might celebrate.

I have several December birthdays in the family, so I chose to use the image "Three Cheers" provided by our wonderful sponsor, The Doodle Garden. The prize offered by The Doodle Garden is the images showcased by the DT, so you will want to stop by the Card Crafter's Circle blog and have a look at the DT cards featured.

The card is a 5.5" square white base. The rosy pink card is from CTMH, and all of the DP is from a pad by My Mind's Eye called Lost & Found Blush. The swirls behind the image is cut with a Memory Box die. The flower (which is actually a deep rose color and not red, as are the roses on the DP) is by Recollections. The leaves are punched with a McGill punch. The sentiment was printed off and cut out. The pearls are by Recollection.

Whether you are celebrating the season or a special event, collect your Muses/Mojo together, put your party hats on and show us your best celebration card(s) this week!

Red or Green or Both

Sami's Stamps challenge #8 starts today, and the challenge is to use red, green or both on your card. Sami has a wonderful new release called "Christmas Joy," and the images are totally delightful. Want to see them? Well, here they are:

For a better look, you can go to Sami's blog or to her online store. 

I've used "Candy Cane Elf" for my card this week. Isn't she a beauty? I've colored her with Copic markers, and have added a tad of glitter to her hat and belt buckle with a gelly roll glitter pen. My card base is white card with a layer of red card. On top of that, I've used a piece of white embossed using a Provo embossing folder. I "created" my ribbon by combining two different ribbons -- laying the dotty ribbon on top of the solid red. The sentiment is an acrylic stamp which I stamped off using CTMH Holiday Red ink. I cut it into the oval with a Nellie Snellin die and then matted it with red card. I finished off my card with red, glitter dots at the top and bottom.

Sami has added a new freebie and a $2.00 image to the shop so you can play along in our challenge. Remember, you MUST use a Sami's image, so you'll want to grab the freebie if you don't have any of Sami's images. The prizes are a $12.00 gift certificate for first place and an $8.00 prize for second. 

Have a great day.

Let It Snow

Hello! Did you wonder where I was this morning? I have been having a dickin's of a time with my computer lately. Sunday, a week ago, my service provider went down. As if that wasn't irritating enough, when it did come back up, NOTHING worked the same -- not my email nor my browsers. Now, I don't do change well. I NEED my life to flow in a nice, easy, predictable manner, so needless to say, the inability to open URLs, receive email or do any of the other functions on which I depend has been more than slightly disconcerting for me. I have two different browsers on my machine (although Chrome is my preferred one and the one I use most). However, neither of them would take me to URLs, open files or let me upload as I needed.  Well, enough moaning about that. Let's get on with the task at hand.

Today's Inky Impressions challenge is SNOW! We'd like to see the most frosty, chilly, snowy card you can make (smile). OK, it doesn't have to be "that" frosty, but we would like you to emphasize the snow aspect in some way. As always, you do not have to use an Inky Impressions stamp or digital image, but if you do, we will reward you with an extra entry in the drawing. Your prize will be four wonderful Inky imagines of your choice.

I have used our rubber stamp (SSB10-SSS06) called Sophia's Sweet Snowman. I stamped the image off onto X-Press It brand card using Momento black ink. I then colored it with Copic markers. I found the green piece of paper in my stash and thought it made for a different and interesting snow card. Usually we think of blue or white or even red at times for snow flake papers, so I really liked the green for a change.

My card base is a white 5.5 x 5.5" square with the snowflake piece on top. I didn't have any snowflake dies large enough to use as my background, and I didn't have time to pull out my Cricuit cutting machine, so I found two Spellbinder dies that resembled snowflakes (Floral Doily Motifs and Ironworks Motifs) to use. The white one is the floral doily, and the green one is the ironworks motif. I cut my image into a square shape and matted it with green and then again with white. I added a few rhinestone gems (Inky Impressions) to the center of some of the snowflakes and to the ends of the green snowflake. I added my ribbon and bow and then used a cute mittens charm (Inky Impressions) hanging from the bow.

I do apologize for the photo (another thing I'm having problems with recently). Please take a few minutes to stop by the Inky Impressions blog and have a look at the cards the other DT members have made this week using more of our cute, cute Inky images.

I'm off now to (hopefully) have a productive day. This time of year always seems to have more on the "to do" list and less time to get them done (or is it just me - smile).

Tuesday Sketch #227

Good morning friends. I hope your week has started off well. Today is a special day! In addition to providing you with a new sketch with which to work, it is also my wedding anniversary!

Oops, sorry, you aren't here for a walk down memory lane. You're here to see this week's sketch, so here it is:

Isn't that a great one? This week our sponsor is the wonderful Stamp Fairy. Gerda ceates such wonderful, adorable images. You will also want to take a few minutes and visit the TMS blog to see the fantastic line-up of cards by our DT members. 

Have a wonderful day. I'll see you back here again tomorrow.

Card Crafter's Circle - Tags

This week our challenge for you is:

 #103 Gift Tags

We are happy to welcome  ... 

Our sponsor this week, Melonheadz, and the prize is a lovely gift certificate to the Melonheadz online store.

The images Melonheadz provided the DT were a whole sheet of adorable tags ready to be colored up. My first idea was to take the tags and "doctor them up" by adding bits and bobs of decorative elements. However, once I started coloring them, I changed my mind. They are just too cute as is and really didn't need anything else (except perhaps a bit of ribbon or twine at the end for attaching -- 'twas my intent to pull out some of my baker's twine to add, but my ADD brain totally got side-tracked!

Anyhoo, I did think this would be a wonderful way to get the youngsters involved. These images (and the others I didn't get colored) are perfect for having the kids color -- their contribution to the Christmas gift wrapping. I colored my images with my Copic markers, but the kids could use crayons, regular markers or colored pencils if you prefer.

My teamies at CCC have chosen some of the other images (and also remembered their ribbon/twine), so you will want to take a minute to hop over there and have a look. I guarantee you'll find a smile on your face with the visit!

We would so enjoy seeing your tag/tags this week. They can be fancy or simple, elegant or funky -- just have fun and then share them! A reminder though...to be eligible for prizes and badges, your entry must follow our rules.  And please post the DIRECT link to your actual challenge entry, not just your blog. 

Sami's Stamps - New Release

Despite the holidays, Sami's Stamps has been quite busy designing new images. This latest set is totally adorable (especially if you are a kitty lover such as I). Here is a look at the entire set:

Are they just too cute or what? I have used Whiskers in My Stocking this week, but all the images are totally adorable and will find their way (eventually) onto one of my cards (smile). The top left image, Curious Presents, could be used all year long -- for any gift giving occasion such as a birthday or a baby/wedding shower. 

Anyway, on to my card. I have to admit that this time of year is quite busy at my house and crafting time dwindles. As a result, I turn to more CAS designs in my card making. However, Sami's designs are so fantastic that they don't need a lot of embellishments to make a lovely card. Look how beautifully the little kitty and the stocking colored up! In fact, I liked the way the red and green POPPED so much that I deliberately left a lot of white. (If you want to see this image with the stocking part colored in, do visit Sami's blog as several of the DT worked with this image -- and they are all so totally different!)

My card base is white. The DP is matted with red. The image is matted with green and red. A bit of red and white gingham ribbon, some sparkly red dots and a simple sentiment, and my card is ready to go into the mail. 

Stay warm, ya'll, and have a good weekend.

Did Someone Say Presents?

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? I know, it isn't even Thanksgiving (here in the US), but the gift giving day is fast approaching. I have two very good friends who not only have their shopping done, but all of the gifts are already wrapped. My feeble mind seems to recall a time in my life when I was that organized (sigh). However, it seems the older the family gets (myself excluded because I refuse to age any), the harder it is to know what to put under the tree! Anyway, this week at Inky Impressions, we'd like you to focus on the presents! Show us your lovely creation either showing presents, something for wrapping presents, or even a present itself.

As always, you do not have to use an Inky Impressons image to be eligible to win our fab prize, but if you do us the honor then we will reward you with an additional chance -- yep, your name will be entered a second time.

I've used two of our wonder stamps this week to create my card. My main image is Delilah's Ducky Christmas (DSB10-DDC06), and my sentiment is 7S10-SSP05. I colored my main image with Copic markers and cut it into a square. I matted it with green and then white card. My card base is a white 5.5" square, and my DP is from Echo Park's Very Merry Christmas 6 x 6" pad. The green border was punched with a Martha Stewart punch, and I "wove" the red ribbon through the center. The sentiment was stamped using CTMH holiday red ink and cut with a Spellbinder die. The white corner is cut with a Joy Craft corner die. A little hard to see in my picture, but I added teeny tiny white pearls to the centers of the snowflakes on the background paper, as well as a larger pearl on the corner piece.

If you have a few minutes to spare, you should hop over to the Inky Impressions challenge blog and have a look at the beautiful cards the other DT members have made this week to inspire you.

Take care, and I'll see you back here on Friday!

Challenges:

Eureka Stamps - Santa is On His Way (3 entries only
Aud Sentiments Challenge -  #94 Any Sentiment 

Brown Sugar "Anything Goes"

CMC Challenge "Anything Goes"

Inkspirational "Anything Goes"

Bearly Mine "Anything Goes"

Fluttering By to Say Thanks

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday observed here in the US, our theme for the last November challenge is "THANK YOU."  As usual, you must use a butterfly or fairy on your creation.

I know this may be a busy week for many of you. It is going to be jam packed at my house. It started yesterday when I had to drive 3 hours (1.5 hrs. each way) to meet for 30 minutes with a lawyer to finalize the sale of what had been my parent's house. Then today we start preparations for our family meal (sans my oldest and her crew). Thursday will be a packed house with two of my children, 3 of my grandchildren, 1 great grandchild (plus his Mommie), my hubby and I -- not to mention the three dogs and two cats -- ok, I said I wasn't going to mention them (smile), but they are our fur-babies; thus, part of the family. Thursday will be filled with good eats, family fun and lots of thanks! Friday we put away the Thanksgiving decorations and pull out the Christmas tree because the kids want to help decorate it (especially my son who will have to return to NC).

So, since you and I are both busy people right now, I'm going to cut out the chit-chat and get on to business! My card is fairly simple this week. I have started with a white card. I have cut a fish-tail banner from black paper and matted it with tan. I cut a white square (Spellbinder Fleur de Lis Squares die) from white card and added a small piece of DP (K&Company Ancestry pad) to the center. I stamped my butterfly using PSX (Personal Stamp Exchange) butterfly (D-512) with black Stazon ink and fussy cut it. I then adhered it to one side of the square. The sentiment stamp is by Stampin' Up (Wonderful Words).

I definitely would consider this a CAS card, but I was pleased with how it turned out. It really looks rather elegant in its simplicity, and was rather fun to make. I do hope you will be able to join us this week. I so enjoy seeing the beautiful cards all of you creative people share with us.

For all of you who celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, may it be a happy and safe one. For those of you who have either already celebrated or don't celebrate this particular holiday, have a wonderful week.

Tuesday Sketch #226

It is another Tuesday morning, and we have a really great sketch for you this week. This one is super for those "QUICK" Christmas cards. It is fast and easy, but very stylish, too. So if you don't want total CAS but need a quck card, you are going to LUV this week's sketch. Here it is:

Our sponsor this week is the delightful Bugaboo. If you aren't familiar with Bugaboo Stamps, you definitely need to visit their online store. You will not be able to keep from smiling as you partake of their delightful, whimsical images. Bugaboo is offering seven -- yes, you read correctly -- seven images to our lucky winner.

I am using Bugaboo's Baby Christmas this week. I've colored the image with my Copic markers after printing it onto X-Press It brand card. The card, itself, is white, and the one piece of DP is by Crate Paper (Peppermint Collection). I matted the DP with green card and rounded the bottom edges with my corner rounder. The image was cut into an oval using Spellbinder oval die and then matted onto a scalloped green piece cut with the Spellbinder scalloped oval die. The red ribbon is from my stash and is tied in a knot instead of a bow, and I've added a pewter Christmas stocking charm at the knot.

I'm very much planning on using this sketch for some of my other Christmas cards. I can even save more time by substituting a pre-printed image, a hand-made poinsettia flower or holly leaves and berries -- all would be quite lovely in the oval.

So, before you grab your scissors and glue, head over to the Tuesday Morning blog and take a gander at what the other DT members have created for your inspiration. 

Give Thanks

Here in the USA, it is the week before our Thanksgiving holiday. Once a year we get together with family and friends to share a large meal and be thankful for the tenacity of the people who left their homeland to start our wonderful country. We not only honor those people, but we reflect on our personal blessings. There was a time when thanking another for a kindness, a gift, a meal, etc. was the "norm." It was not only considered good manners, but people genuinely recognized and appreciated what others did -- goodness and kindness was not expected and demanded; it was appreciated. I grew up being taught to write and send thank you notes. I taught my children to do the same. Sadly, though, the fine art of writing/sending thank you cards is quickly disappearing. 

This week at Card Crafter's Circle, we'd like to try to bring back the thank you note. Our challenge is

 # 102 Thankful - Thank You!

Our challenge is sponsored by MelJen's Designs, who continues to delight us with magical images! Our MelJens prize is 4 uncoloured images. If you aren't familiar with MelJen's images, you are in for a delightful treat. Click on the link and visit their online store. You will definitely be grinning at the whimsical, adorable images found there.

I have used MelJen's Holly Cheer Cocoa for my card. The card base is brown card. The tan layer on top of the brown was dry embossed with Provo Craft's snowflake embossing folder. I then found two scrap pieces of DP in my scrap bags, cut them into fish tail banners and matted them with the brown card. I cut my MelJen image using the Spellbinder circle die and then mounted it to the red scalloped circle (also Spellbinder). I then typed my sentiment and printed it off from my computer. I matted it with the brown.

I really like the overall look of my little card. You should also take a few minutes (before you head to your craft room) to have a look at what the other DT members have made. I know you will be inspired. Remember to link your card to the Card Crafter's Circle blog for a chance to win those wonderful MelJen images.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I'm submitting this card for the following challenges:

• Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes 
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing
• Creative Belli - Thank You
• Get Inky! Challenge - Thank You 
• Whoopsi Daisy - Give Thanks 
• Milk Coffee - Give Thanks

Sketch 225

Good morning. It is time, once again, for a new Tuesday Morning sketch. This week we are being sponsored by Paper Pretties. Before I get into my card, here is this week's sketch for you to use:

I have used Paper Pretties's "Drummer Boy" image. My card is a white base with a burgundy mat topped with two DPs from My Mind's Eye. I have used a Spellbinder die for the square, and a QuicKutz die for the corner piece. My ribbon should be familiar by now as it seems to be my "go to" ribbon this Christmas. My card does not have the charm on the bow. I have charms, but no Christmas ones that would go with the card (sorry). 

If you have a chance, stop by the Tuesday Morning blog and have a look at the great DT cards this week. We also have a new designer, Kris,  joining our team. I know Kris would appreciate a warm welcome and a little "love," so visit her blog and leave her some warm fuzzies.

Gotta run. Have a great day.

CCC Challenge - Tread Lightly

This week our challenge for you is:

 #101 Tread Lightly - Pastel Colours

We are happy to welcome this week's sponsor ... 

Our sponsor is STAMP ART DESIGN BY KATHRYNE! These images are sure to delight you! Kathryne creates images covering so many themes, and they are so very cute too! You can find SADK designs here in the Whimsy Shop...

Our random prize winner will receive a selection of FIVE IMAGES, of their choice!

I've been a big fan of Kathy's work for some time. In fact, I follow her blog, so I had already drooled over her new Christmas release and had fallen in LUV with that cute little Santa Mouse image and knew that I had to figure out some way to combine our pastel theme with the image. (How did I do?) I do plan on using this image several times, and I am going to color him in traditional colors as well,

I've colored Santa with my Copic markers. I've used DPs from a My Mind's Eye 6 x 6" pad called simply "Merry."  I used a white 6 x 6" card base, pink card for matting, some sheer green ribbon and a few pink pearls. The stamped sentiment was cut with a Spellbinder die. I've kept the card, itself, relatively simple as the image is just TOO, TOO CUTE, and I did not want to distract from it (also to keep postage fairly reasonable - LOL). 

I hope you will play along with us this week at Card Crafter's Circle. I also hope that I've shown that even if you are madly working on your Christmas cards, you can still use our pastel theme!

Challenges:

• Bearly Mine Challenges W, 2E, SIO - #112 Christmas In Pink
• LEJ Designs W, SIO - #79 Seasons Greetings
• Addicted to Stamps and More -  C10 - #71 Anything goes

New Inky Impressions Release

Told you this was a busy week (smile). Inky Impressions has a brand new release with wonderful holiday themed images and sentiments just in time for you to finish off those holiday cards and creations. My card uses two of the new images -- "Caroling Lili" and "Old Lamp Post."

After coloring Lili with Copic markers, I cut the image into an oval shape. I used Spellbinder's Stately Oval for the background on which to mount my image. I colored the lamp post and then used Crystal Effects over the globe. After it was thoroughly dry, I fussy cut the post. The papers I used were from my stash, so no longer have the manufacturer's name to share with you. I've had them for several years. The burgundy card is also from my stash.

I punched holly leaves and white pine sprigs (Martha Steward) on which to lay my white poinsettia. I used red berries and white snowflakes (Michael's Crafts). My little corner pieces were cut using a QuicKutz die, and the oval on which my sentiment is stamped is a Nellie Snellin die.

Please stop over at the Inky Impressions blog to have a look at the lovely cards the rest of the DT have made using the new release. You will also find all the new images in the Inky Impressions online store.

We are offering one lucky, random winner the chance to have ALL of the new images FREE!!  You just have to leave a comment on the Inky blog. No hopping from blog to blog this month. Easy, right?  We will draw the winner at the end of November and post their name on the blog.

The Inkettes have been very busy playing with these super cute new images and sentiments, and loving them!!  You can see their creations, but we would love you to visit their blogs and leave them a comment, so we have hidden one digi on each of the Inkettes blogs!!  They don't know which one they have, but you can have a chance to win it by leaving a comment on their post.  Again we will randomly draw a name from the comments left, at the end of the month.

Challenges:

• Crafty Hazelnut Challenge - Anything Goes for Christmas (11/29)
• 4 Krafty Girlz - 2W E3 Anything Goes (W1 of 2) 
• An Inky Situation - W Any craft style JFF - #17 People
• ABC Christmas - W for Winter Wishes
• Stamping Sensations - Christmas (3 of 3)
• Jingle Belles - Christmas Traditions (caroling)
• Sister Act Card Challenge - Anything Goes

New Birthday Release

This has been a super busy week. In addition to my "regular" DT assignments, I've had two new releases with which to work. This card uses one of the new images from Sami's Stamps. Here is a picture of all the adorable new images in Sami's release:

You are really going to be blown away when you see the beautiful cards the DT have made using this new "party animals" images! These images aren't just for birthdays, either. You will find they work for other occasions as well.

I've used Birthday Surprise and colored it up using Copic markers. The papers are from My Mind's Eye "Madison Avenue" 6 x 6" designer pad. The cardstock used for matting is brown (from my stash). The ecru seam binding ribbon was purchased online. The pearls are by Recollections (Michael's Crafts). The brown circle "doily" was cut using Spellbinder's Stately Circles die, and the image was cut using Spellbinder's basic circle die.

I hope you will take a few minutes to run over to the Sami's Stamps blog and have a look at the gorgeous creations spotlighted there. Also, take a look at the store where the entire new release is available for purchase. You just may find some more beautiful samples from the DT over there. 

Flutter By Oops!

Hello followers. Today is Wednesday, and I have an oops -- it seems I didn't pre-schedule my Flutter By Wednesday blog. I thought I had pre-scheduled all my blogs for the week, but guess not. As a result, I was a little late going live today.

Our challenge this week is OPEN. This means that anything goes as long a you use a butterfly or fairy on your card. Also, if we get over 50 entries, there will be a special prize.

This week I used a sweet image by Mo Manning at Mo's Digital Pencil. I colored her with my Copic markers. Isn't she a beauty? My card base is red with a layer of DP from the Christmas 6 x 6" pad by My Mind's Eye. The green piece that surrounds my little image is the negative piece left from the die I used for my Inky Impressions card. I adhered the scrap piece over the photo to create a frame. Pretty neat, eh?  The snowflakes are from a package I purchased last year from Michael's, and my sentiment is from a little set of stamps I received free with a British stamp magazine I purchased. 

I hope you will join us this week at FBW. We love seeing everyone's beautiful work.

Challenges:

• Twisted Tuesday 2W, must use twist - Theme:  Pop Dots   Twist: Use  Polka Dots (Week 1)
• Cheerful Stamp Pad - 2W, JFF, mixed media - (1st week) Wings
• MarkerPOP Challenge - 2W, 2E, C10, must use Copic or ShinHan markers - (2nd week) Anything Goes with markers
• Squigglefly - W, SIO (SIR to win) - Polka Dots
• Addicted to Stamps Challenge - 2W, Must use stamp- Challenge #69 (1st Week) Punches and dies
• Great Impressions - M, 3E, SIO - (November) (2nd Week) Holiday Card or Tag.
• Scribble and Scrap - 2W, SIO, E3, C15 Challenge #5 (1st Week) Always Anything Goes.
• Stamping Sensations - M, C6, 1E/craft type - (November) (2nd week) Christmas
• Beccy's Place -  Holiday cards (11/29)
• Scrapper's Delight Challenge - Anything Goes (11/29)
• Crafty Hazelnut Challenge - Anything Goes for Christmas (11/29)

Red and Green

It is time, once again, for another Inky Impressions challenge. This week we are asking that you use RED and GREEN on your card -- easy as can be with our holiday crafting in full swing, eh? Remember, you do not have to use an Inky Impressions stamp, but if you do, we will enter your name into the drawing twice. As an incentive to join us, we are offering a prize of 4 digital images, available in our store, for one lucky winner.

As a Mother/Grandmother, I've done my fair share of school and dance holiday programs, so I just couldn't resist using Tu-Tu Cute Lili (think Nutcracker ballet)  for my card this week. I've stamped Miss Lili with Momento ink and colored her with Copic markers.

I've used a white card base, green card and Recollections (Sugar Plums) DP to form the base for my sweet image. I've matted my image with both white and green. I've stamped my sentiment with green ink and cut it using a Spellbinder die. The green dotty circle behind my image was also cut using a Spellbinder die. Because there was so much going on with the graphics on the DPs, I did not add any other embellishments.

I do hope you will have time to join us in this week's challenge. We know the holidays are fast approaching and many of you are busy already with preparations. Because of that, we have tried to make the challenges for the coming weeks easy to fit in with your holiday card making/crafting.

Challenges:

One Stitch At A Time - Holidays 
Artistic Inspirations "Use a Sentiment"
Love to Scrap "Anything Goes"
Auds Sentiments - Feminine (5 entries only)
Di's Digis - Girly
CRAFT - Christmas (5 entries only)
Crimbo Crackers - Christmas Words
Sweet Stampin - Christmas is Coming (2 entries only)
LEJ Designs - Seasons Greetings
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Brown Sugar - Anything Goes (2 entries only)

Sketch with a Twist

This is twist week at Tuesday Morning Sketches. That means that not only do we provide you with another fantastic sketch, but we are also asking you to add our twist to your card in order to qualify for our great prize. This week the twist is 'THANK YOU.' Yes, we'd like you to make a thank-you card using our great sketch. You know you are going to need lots of thank you cards for all those goodies Santa is going to bring you (smile).

First, let me share this week's card sketch with you --

For my card, I've used this lovely little image from Tiddly Inks. They definitely are BFFs, don't you think? I've colored the sweet girls with Copic markers. The DPs are from K&Company. The pearls are from Recollections, and the rose is from Wild Orchid Crafts. The butterflies are punched with a Martha Stewart punch.

I don't know about you, but my Muses/Mojo tend to disappear around this time of year. Between the colder temperatures, the shorter days, the holiday preparations, and the general day-to-day stuff, my creativity and imagination starts to wane a bit (OK, a lot).  As the days get shorter (and busier), my projects get simplier -- but I don't want to not do anything. Having great sketches, such as those from Tuesday Morning Sketches, is a great help in keeping my fingers in the creative pie. If you aren't already, consider becoming a blog follower so you can automatically get new sketches week after week, and we'd love to have you join in our challenges whenever you can.

Happy Anniversary

This is the 100th challenge sponsored by Card Crafter's Circle, so in honor of the event, the theme for this week is 

ANNIVERSARIES

This has become a popular time of the year for weddings (my own in December 3rd), nudging June out of the top spot, so our sponsor's images are perfect for those anniversary or wedding cards. 

We are happy to welcome back this week's sponsor Floppy Latte Designs! 

With such a variety of images in store, your sure to find images that suit your creative needs. Floppy Latte Designs are offering our challenge winner a $6 certificate to shop at the Floppy Latte store .... There are so many wonderful images to choose from!

For my card, I've used a white on white palette. My card base is 6 x 6". The corner pieces are cut using Sizzix corner dies, and I've lightly inked them with Tim Holtz distressing ink (Antique Linen). The center is the Spellbinder scalloped circle (also lightly inked) with my image cut into a circle. Peeking out behind my image circle are two halves of a Spellbinder fancy tag. Because the tag was not as wide as my image piece, I cut it in half so that I could "stretch" it to have an end on each side of my image.

I left my image "white" but used my C00 and C1 Copic markers to add some depth to the doves. I paper pieced the ribbon the doves are holding using a pink "pearl" paper. I then added pink pearls (Recollections) to parts of my various die cuts. I used the same "pearl" pink paper to mat my sentiment. 

It is a little difficult to truly see the beauty of this white on white card from the photograph, but it is quite lovely (IRL). It is a lovely anniversary card. My CCC team mates have also used this image -- yet, all of the cards are completely different. You should go over to the CCC blog and have a look at their beautiful work.