DYSU Challenge #42 - TREES!

Welcome once again to a new challenge at Do You Stack Up?!  This week we want to see Trees on your projects!

This week's Sponsors:

Bugaboo Stamps Winner’s Choice of 7 Digis

The Stamping Boutique Winner's Choice of 5 Digis

Hope Jacare
Winner’s Choice of 3 Images

Yes, this week the challenge is to have a tree on your project, or to have your project BE a tree shape...etc. (you get the picture)!

My image is from one of our terrific sponsor's,  

Bugaboo Stamps, "Poppy Christmas Tree".  Isn't he adorable? 

And I paired him with a "borrowed" sentiment that I had spotted on a friend's card from Unity stamps.  It just seemed to fit the little image so perfectly!

With the holiday season just beginning, I knew I would be making plenty more Christmas cards, so I chose to go with unconventional colors this time around....

Not that I have anything against the typical red and green, but by January, I'm ready to pack away the red cardstock until February!

Wanting to keep "Poppy" as the highlight, I didn't add too many extras.  He desperately needed his tinsel, of course. And the bling is because he's just that kind of guy....

well, maybe not. Doesn't look too thrilled to be there!  LOL! 

I will probably send this to a friend who, every year, says she's NOT putting up a tree because of all of the work involved, yet does it anyway!

The background is the "Mistletoe Kisses" embossing folder from Cuttlebug.

I use that so much during the holidays that it stays out on my table for months!

The pretty, sparkly, striped paper is some old leftover kit scrap from

Close To My Heart.

So, get on over to Do You Stack Up's blog, see what the other gals have made ,
(I promise you won't be disappointed) and enter your own card to win some great prizes!

Dinosaur Camp-out!

I have a little buddy who is going to love this!

Dino's and metal accents! How cool is this? 

The metal "dog tag" reads,

"Passport to Adventure",

and I am putting together a little camping survival kit to go with it.

A friend has asked me to make one up for her grandson,too!

A trip to the Dollar Store turned up a water bottle, a compass, a bug keeper, a butterfly net, and all sorts of rubber creatures! And the camo bag to carry them in!

DP and chipboard pieces used are Basic Grey.

Hinge is from my tool box!

This card is entered in the Simon Says Stamp and Show - Some Stripes! 



Papertrey Frames Challenge!

I made this card especially for the Make It Monday Challenge over at {Capture the Moment}.  Dawn McVey has posted a terrific video to demonstrate how to use layers and frames on your projects!  I inked up my button card from Papertrey's Button Boutique collection and put together this little "All Occasion" card to keep on hand. The sentiment is heat embossed so it pops IRL and I popped up the button card to give it some dimension.  I photographed it several times and tried to get the lighting right. The colors are dark pink and blue with the light pink buttons, even though it shows up rather "orangey".  It truly DOES co-ordinate well!

  I added just a few die cut paper buttons to the inside to tie it all together.

Supplies:
Paper: DCWV, "All About Girls"
Stamps: Papertrey Ink, "Button Boutique"; Sentiment, Hampton Arts,
               (the Michael's dollar bin)
Dies:  Papertrey Ink, "Button Card" and "Buttons";  Nestibilities, Labels Eleven;          Spellbinders,  Frameablities, "Scalloped Edge Frame
Brad: Melody Ross
Twine, Buttons, and Ribbon are from my scrap stash.

This card also qualifies for and will be entered into the challenges at:
Polka Doodles (Ribbons and Bows)
Stamptacular Sundays (You Choose!)

Do You Stack Up? Challenge #41

This week's challenge at Do You Stack Up , and my FIRST with the Design Team,  is to

"Use Your Scraps"! 

Anyone who has seen my craft room knows that I have plenty of those!  I keep everything!  If it's larger than 6 x 6, it definately goes into my scrap DP file. 

My card was made up of 30 one inch squares I cut from some pieces of

October Afternoon, "Seaside" papers and then machine stitched each row.   I also used a Wild Card from October Afternoon for my image.  I love their papers with the vibrant colors and adorable vintage patterns!

"Thank You, Alison"!

I made this card as a "Thank you" to Alison and the rest of the Design Team at DYSU!  They have all been so kind and welcoming!

I am so addicted to the resin flowers and cameos that are popular now. And I couldn't help but grab a piece of yellow and white twine to accent the sewing and sentiment.

I want to also thank everyone who has come to my blog to see my project!  I know it's always said, but if you would leave a comment, it REALLY would make my day!

And, if you would, please add your name to  my "follower" list...

I have a goal of 100 followers by December 31st!

This week's Sponsors:

A Day For Daisies $16 gift certificate

Just Some Lines $15 Gift Certificate

Pink Cat Studios Winner’s Choice of 5 Digis

Let your dreams take flight...

This is the first bookmark I've ever made....  for a friend who I lost touch with for many years.  She is completing her degree and is engaged to be married!  Yeah! Figured she needs this with all of the studying she's been doing!

Stamp used was an older rubber "Kraftin Kimmie" image, Tree Fairy.

I stitched her bodice and hung a tiny 7 Gypsies key around her neck.

The wings are Tim Holtz Grungeboard that I heat embossed in gold. 

The little crown is a brad from Creative Imaginations and the swirls, Zva, of course! 

Entered in the challenges at:

Simon Says Stamp and Show (Wings)

KraftinKimmie Stamps (Sparkle/Shine)

Skipping Stones Design Sketch Challenge!

It appears it's the week for tags...at least posting two in one weekend is a record for me! I am much more comfortable when the tag is ATTACHED to the front of a card or 3D project.  Which means this sketch at Skipping Stones was perfect!

And simple enough! As a matter of fact, I purposely chose to leave off a sentiment so that I may use it for one of the many occasions I have coming up.  I have several friends with Fall birthdays, two wedding Anniversaries, and several folks I just plain miss on a regular basis!

This wreath from Skipping Stones is so versatile!

You can color it up with Fall or Christmas colors, and I noticed today, that it has tiny groups of what could be flowers for a Spring or Summer wreath!  

Yes, I'll be inking this one up a lot!

I don't know if you can tell, but the leaves from the same set were embossed in gold onto the punched trim to add just a bit of sparkle.

Also, on a sad note, one of my favorite and very generous Challenge Blogs is going "off the air" and this is their last challenge!
So, this card is being submitted at Easy Craft Projects Challenges.  I will miss checking out all of their cool DT projects and the other entries!

Flashback Friday 16.0!

I absolutely love the fact there is a blog out there who asks us to search our old projects to show some of our very first attempts!  Flashback Friday Challenge does just that!  Take ownership of your card, tag, or 3D project!  Sometimes it's a bit difficult to admit that I actually thought a card was finished or presentable when I look at it now. But that's what makes it terrific...to see how we've grown, improved, or just changed styles over the years.

       This challenge is to show your first TAG!
I think this has to be the first tag-like project I made. Even now, I don't make many tags. It's very difficult for me to work on such a small canvas. The holiday season gave me the reason I needed to complete the task! I even made several sets so my mother (my grandson's great-grandma) could have some ornaments that year.

Nothing fancy, for sure.  I still have mine and they go up on the tree every year!  The grandson thinks they are quite hilarious!  Wonder what he'll say when I drag them out when he's 18 and he has a girlfriend over for the holidays?  LOL!

Anyway, that's where I was about 2 years ago...hadn't done a lot of scrapping.

Check out Flashback Fridays!  It'll be fun, and they have some great prizes to boot!

Waltzing Mouse to the "Rescue"!

When I saw the sketch at Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge, an idea came to me that I've been considering for a while. Not a big, fancy idea, but rather a little detail that I thought would make life a little prettier for those I care about.

We have occasional friends and family members come to town and stay with us. I like to make their stay here as much like home as possible.  Jokes have even been made by certain family members because I'm the one who likes to have place cards and printed menus at Thanksgiving, or change the wreath on the front door with every changing season or holiday. I send out cards for little or no reason....Yep, my family just doesn't get it. 
     But you, my scrappy blogger friends, do!

So, when I saw this very simple sketch, I knew it would be perfect for my soap and lotion bottles that I have been hoarding and waiting to decorate for my visitors and friends!  I may need to mention that I'm also a big couponer!  CHEAP/FREE stuff!

With a few silk flowers and some ribbon, I simply stamped the gorgeous label from Rescue Remedies and die cut it with my Nesties Labels Four. I disassembled the flowers, removed the plastic "innerds" and re-glued them back together so they lay flatter and softer on the bottles.  A tiny cream pearl accents the center.

This is so simple yet it lends a pretty, homey feel to my guest bath that I hope my company enjoys. I made 6 so far, and plan to make more. I also want to make "hand lotion" versions to give to my friends that I lunch with or run into this winter when the weather here in Phoenix is cold and dry.  Who wouldn't like a little surprise treat like this?

If we all made small gestures towards those we care about more often, this lousy economy and our personal problems would all seem a little less stressful.

And because Claire over at Waltzing Mouse Stamps is releasing some terrific new stamp sets this next month, I knew I had to throw my hat in the ring. 

I've let health and my other commitments keep me away from my favorite scrap blogs for way too long!

Enjoy your weekend!

Hug more and complain less!

Jan

Are you ready for Fall?

And are you curious at to what the new challenge is over at Do You Stack Up?!
In many areas, the weather is starting to turn a little chilly and the leaves are changing. The scent of autumn is in the air and with this wonderful season upon us we begin to think of the colors of the season. This week, while you don't necessarily need to make an autumn themed project, they would like to see you use the color Brown.

This week's Sponsors:

Copic Marker Scrapbooking 6 Copic Ciao Markers (North/South America), Martha Stewart punch (rest of the world)

Crafty Emma £10 Gift Voucher (exc p&p)

Delicious Doodles Winner’s Choice of 4 Digis

Great prizes, so get out your papers, stamps, and/or markers, and start creating!
  Challenge is open until Wednesday at 2:00 CMT.

Notice anything DIFFERENT on my sidebar?

MY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!
For those of you who know me, you know that I have long been considering joining a

Design Team.  With more time at home, and my parents' health currently stable,

now is a great opportunity!

Starting in October, I have very kindly been offered a position as

a DesignTeam member for Do You Stack Up? 

If you are not familiar with the site, they are a digital image and rubber stamping card creating blog that has some amazing gals on board! I am so proud to be a new part of the team!  from now on, you will see their weekly challenges posted here on my blog, along with my DYSU projects. There are always some wonderful challenge prizes offered up and great tips and techniques shared by some terrific talent.

The owner, Alison, also has a wonderful online digi-stamp store called,

Stretch n' Bubbles!

She even offers freebie images!

Oh, and BTW, she is offereing up some Blog Candy to celebrate having 200 followers!  Someday...that will be me...(fingers crossed)

As a matter of fact,

there is a new DYSU challenge this week;

Swirls!

Since this can be any type of swirls added to your card, layout, or project, I know some of you are thinking like me!  Bling!  Like in Zva, or Recollections, or Want2Scrap? 

Or break out that Cuttlebug or Cricut, and die cut some swirls! 

This week's Sponsors:

Dearie Dolls Dearie Digi Paper Doll and Four Outfit Pages for Different Holidays and Everyday

Stitchy Bear Designs Prize

Crafty Individuals

Prize Package

So head on over to DYSU and check out the details! 

You could win some great goodies!

With the grandson here this week, I haven't had much time to hole up in my scrap room, but I hope to have a card ready for that challenge very soon! 

The challenges run from Thursday to Wednesday every week.

Check back here for future challenges, too!

Inspire...

I have been dying to get this little fairy all inked up since she

arrived in my mail the other day!

I used the challenge sketch at Craft's Meow who makes this

amazing little stamp!

When I make cards, I usually even make a larger size card, but this week I decided to try something new. At least one thing...every week... so this week it is to make an ATC card!  Not easy for me. Normally such a tiny canvas in with which to work!  But, in this case, the folks at Simon Says Stamp & Show stated that it need not be a traditional size ATC.  (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") Whew!  So I added less than an inch each direction and went with a 3 1/4" by 4" card base. I know! Not a lot of difference, but baby steps, baby steps....

I had already stamped the second sentiment in the center when I realized the sketch calls for the sentiment on the bottom. (I also noticed several of the DT had used more than one sentiment...just sayin'....)

If you look closely, you'll see my tiny, wee sentiment along the bottom of the card.

I also flipped the sketch a bit, but stuck to the basics of it.

For my next trick of the week, this is the first time I have ever stamped and heat embossed on vellum! Yea, I know...under a rock...

It turned out really nice! I stamped the little fairy with my Momento black ink, sprinkled it with black powder, and carefully heated it up! Not so tough! It melted properly and never even looked like it would melt or burn! Love it!

So, in a nutshell, I have learned several new techniques this week and all because of a few wonderful blog challenges!

Supplies used:
Paper;  Graphic 45, "Renaissance faire Collection"
Stamps; Craft's Meow, "Butterfly Kisses"
Dies; Cricut, Art Philosophy
Rub-on; Scenic Route paper Co.
Pearls; Recollections

This little creation will be entered into the challenges at:
Craft's Meow Shop Sketch Challenge
Simon Says Stamp and Show (ATC card)
Crafty Creations (Fabulous Fairies)
Simon Says Stamp Challenge (Dies to die for)

Verve CASE-A-DIVA Card!

The September challenge at Verve is to CASE a DT member! (CASE means to copy and share everything.) And that is just fancy talk for copying! 

Well, when I decided to use my Kindred Spirit stamp set for a birthday card,

I went straight to the

Verve Design Team Gallery for inspiration!

And I found this gorgeous card!

Kindred Monogram

by Susan Liles

I changed it up a bit by leaving off the bow and adding a few more

trim pieces and the black pearls.

I also used a sheet music print paper rather than the solid black.

Supplies used:

Paper: 7 Gypsies, "Avignon"

Stamps: Verve, "Kindred Spirit"

Dies: Cricut, "Art Philosophy"

Bling: Want2Scrap

Others: Momento black ink, Stampendous embossing powder, Helmar 450 Adhesive

This card is entered in the challenge at:

Verve (CASE-a-Diva)
Simon Says Stamp (Use a die or punch)
City Crafter Challenge (Let's face the music!)
Stamptacular Sunday (Just Sayin')

It's time for a "Blast from the Past" with Taylored Expressions!

This month, Taylored Expressions is hosting a customer Blog Hop to feature stamps from the past releases! How fun!  Along with that, because September's theme is Birthday/Birth Day and Taylor, herself,  was due somewhere around today, we are also going with BABYcards!!! Turns out that little "Madelyn Grace" decided to make an early entrance and was born September 13th!  Congratulations,Taylor and family!

I have chosen the Apothacary Shelf for several reasons. First, I absolutely love the many options there are to decorate this little shelf! Anything you can put on a real shelf or mantle, you can add to this tiny sweetie!  Actually, it's not all that small! The length is a whole 4 inches long, and leaves plenty of room for sweet, tiny embellishments.  Taylored Expressions also has a wonderful stamp set of jars made especially for this shelf to make it uber simple to use!
Secondly, and sadly, it's the only Taylored Expressions stamp I have SO FAR!  I plan to expand my collection very soon! LOL!

Here's my card:

I didn't know if Taylor was having a Boy or a Girl, but a dear friends' daughter is expecting a little boy soon, so I decided to spell out BOY with the tiny little baby block beads I had on hand.  My DH thought the blingy chandelier too "girly" for a boy, but I explained that when it comes to newborns and new Mother's, there's never enough of the sweet, sweet bling!

The tiny crocheted doily is from Close To My Heart! They recently had a sale on some of their items, and I grabbed a few of these little darlins!

I can not resist popping out those little drawers! On the last card I made using this stamp,
(See it at    http://scrapnsurprise.blogspot.com/2011/08/flourish-challenge.html  )
 I only popped out one drawer to make it stand out. I love the way stamping these twice and popping them out makes the card that much more 3D!

Hope you enjoyed seeing this stamp "pop up" again!  I know I loved pulling it back out!

The supplies used were :
Papers; Martha Stewart, "It's a Boy"
Bling; Recollections
Doily;CTMH
Rub-on Stickers; K & Company
Clothespin; Darice

This card is entered over at The Pink Elephant ( Photo Inspiration, Crocheted doily, baby theme, etc)

JUST FOR FUN!

I made this second card just because I was having so much fun with the first!

Again, I used the Apothecary Shelf and, as you can see,

this stamp is so versatile!  You can go romantic, juvenile, or spooky!

Please check out the rest of the Hop partcipants! I know they all have some delightful new ideas for these terrific stamps!

Blog Hop Tomorrow!

Don't forget!

Tomorrow is the Taylored Expressions "Blast from the Past" Blog Hop!

Yours truly will be on that list and there are tons of ideas and techniques to be gathered from this terrific group of ladies!

Join us!

Card and a Half Challenge #5

Boy, when you realize you forgot your Brother-in-Law's birthday, it's pretty embarrassing! Especially when you're known as the family card-maker!  I made several cards last week, and the week before that, and for the last year...  I should have, at any time, made him his card!  All I can say is, "I'm sorry."  Not being big card-senders themselves, I'm sure he and my sister will forgive me.

So, I went online last night and found this great sketch challenge to get me kick started!
I find it so difficult to make "guy" cards!

Here's what I came up with...

I felt that just to say "Happy Belated Birthday" wasn't enough.

I needed to plead forgiveness!  LOL!

(The inside has even more pleading...)

The paper clip is the "recycled" item used, along with another one inside the card.

Perhaps by using the bingo markers, I'll remember that date next year!

This card will be entered in the sketch challenge at: Card and a Half

This is my first time entering the challenge on their blog, and I suggest you check them out. It's a great little blog that has a growing following and some fantastic sponsors.

I am also entering this card at the "Use a recycled item" challenge at "Do more with less". 

Thanks, Lynn and Yvonne!