Waltzing Mouse Challenge!

I wasn't about to make the same mistake this week as last!  I had totally forgotten that the Waltzing Mouse challenge ends at NOON on CST Friday here in the good ol' USA and about 1:00 in the afternoon, had just finished my post (thinking I had hours before midnight) and went online to see how many entries were already posted....needless to say, the words "Collection Closed" nearly made me cry.  Never again! So, here's THIS week's sketch challenge:

Here's my take. My first holiday card for 2011:

Hard to believe I was actually in the mood to create a Christmas card when the temperature outside is 108!  Maybe it was my way of escaping this

Summer's heat for just a bit.

Used:
Papers: Paper Studio, Heartwarming Holidays
Stamp:  Waltzing Mouse, Rescue Remedies
Die:  Spellbinder's Nestie #4
Bling: Studio 18

Also entered at:
Paper Sundaes (Xmas in July)
The Crazy Challenge (Xmas in July)

Botanical Part One, with a Flourish!

This card was made for both the Fanatical About Botanical Challenge in the Moxie Fab World and Flourishes challenge.  I saw the purple in the Flourishes Timeless  photo and knew THAT'S the color I wanted to use for my Magnolias!  Ilove an excuse to get out  my Copics, and trying to blend on porous dictionary paper was a new experience for me! 

I dyed the seam binding with the ink to match the card, then wet and crinkled it.

Supplies:

Bazzill cardstock; Dictionary page; Magnolia Stamp, Stampin' Up; Copics markers; Hug Snug seam binding; Creative Living Ink Pad, Iris; Momento, Rich Cocoa ink; K & Co fabric brad.

Also entered in Simon Says Stamps (Anything Goes)  to get that entry number up WAAAY over 1000!  Yea, Simon Says!!!  

Do You Stack Up? (Stitching)

Celebrate Summer!

I know when it's 110 outside and the humidity is sky high, it's REALLY hard to think about enjoying this Summer in Phoenix!  But I like to make the best of it and try to pass on positive thoughts...it's not working....lol! We are all so sick of this heat, and it's only mid-July! Ugh! 

I used the sketch at My Mind's Eye and dug through my stash of MME papers to use some of what I already had. The lime and red really says "celebrate" to me!

Entered in challenge at My Mind's Eye, Celebrate! and
Simon Says Stamps (Anything Goes) Congratulations!

Papers: MME, "Nice Ride"  and another Abbey Road pattern (sorry, the name had been cut off!)

Memories...

For a friends' mother who lost her sister to cancer.

Products used:
Background paper, DCWV, "Le Creme" matstack
Paper for Butterflies, an old song book
Stamp, Rubber Stampede
Lace, JoAnn's
Butterfly punch, Martha Stewart
Pearl bling, Zva Creations

Contests entered:
Stamp It! Cards Week Challenge in the Moxie Fab World
Crafty Catz, "Vintage look" card
Simon Says (Anything Goes)  Congratulations!

A beacon of comfort...

     That's what a very close, dear friend of mine offered up even if she wasn't completely aware of how huge her generosity was!  When the temperature here in Phoenix hit 118, she insisted I fly out to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for a visit.  She and her husband have semi-retired there from St. Louis and have an absolutely beautiful home only a few miles from Lake Michigan on the East, and not much further from the Green Bay on the West, in scenic Door County.   It was a comfortable 75-80 degrees and breezy the whole time I was there. It was lighthouse and winery tours, visiting big boats, and lounging on a beach that was almost our own private little oasis.
     So, when I returned home and saw that the challenge for "Embellish It" was Nautical and had the perfect colors, I knew I needed to get right on that Thank You card!

Here's a peek....

I cut a small window out of the front and framed it in this adorable Click-Art life preserver.  Then I stamped the lighthouse image onto the inside of the card.  I had completely forgotten that I had purchased this Stampin' Up set at a yard sale while visiting another good friend in Tucson recently.

The background paper was run through my crimper and inked to resemble a weathered, tin wall.  I love the texture of it IRL. 

The cute little heat embossed anchor is one of the MANY Snag 'Em stamps I've acquired, not sure how or when I would ever use them.

I was so thrilled to see so many various kinds of lighthouses and get the chance to see a part of America that I've never ventured to before.  It is my hope that my gratitude shows in this card.

Inside sentiment:

Sorry about the poor quality of the photos, but I realize now how difficult it is to photograph a card that has a cut-out opening and still make it stand level and upright. I assure you that it is...LOL. 

Skipping Stones Design sketch used:

The stamp from Skipping Stones was the simple little "Thank You" on the front. It was important to find just the right sentiment, and this one seemed to fit the bill! 

All I had to do was bend it a bit to accent the curve!

Supplies:

Tools:  Fiskars crimper; Creative Memories Circle Cutter, Marvy Heat Tool

Click-Art Life Preserver Image;  Lighthouse stamp and sentiment, "Stampin' Up;

"Thank You" sentiment, Skipping Stones Designs, "Birthday Purses";

White cord, Hancock Fabrics; Helmar 450 Adhesive

Entered into challenges at:

Embellish It, Nautical/Color Trends Challenge

Skipping Stones, Sketch Challenge 

The Crazy Challenge, "Summer" theme

Simon Says, "Anything Goes"

Trendy Girl!

I absolutely love the vintage products out there, and that includes the wonderful tweed patterns and retro patent leather look!

The sketch I used was from Skipping Stones Design, as were the stamps on this card!  Aren't they fantastic!  Love that sentiment!

I heat embossed a large surface with clear on bright red textured Bazzill cardstock, then stamped the purse image onto that. Then I stamped the image again and heat embossed the black bow. Fussy cutting that little begger was fun!  LOL!

The red belt was done the same way.  It looks exactly like patent leather!

The sketch:

Don't you love that purse and belt?  I want one IRL!

Inside sentiment:

Sorry, it didn't show up very well in the photo,

but the little gold designer label is SOOO cute!

This card was so much fun to make. I was up till after midnight working on it, and then Blogger went out and I couldn't post...Yikes! 

I laid awake forever worrying about the cards for today!

Supplies used:

Paper: DCWV, Lady Couture

Stamps;  Skipping Stones Designs

Bow; Offray

Ribbon; JoAnn's

Ink; StazOn

Embossing powder;  Stampendous!



Hey, Soul Sister!

I love this sentiment from My Favorite Things! It really says it all.  I'm all caught up in the while "vintage" look, and these doilies and sewing icons really make card making fun!
The sketch I used was from MFT, Wednesday Stamp Club, and with a bit of help from Cath over at Moxie Fab World with her Trigger Tuesday image,  I took the vintage doily with the Retro patterned paper and made this card with a heartfelt message!

 Tuesday Trigger Card from Moxie Fab

A peek at my card:

My version, flipped, of course!

Now that Blogger's back to letting me have access, I can relax and have my morning tea.

Will come back after and list my supplies!

Proudly entered in the challenges at My Favorite Things and Moxie Fab World!

Supplies:

Paper;  DCWV, Mod Retro pad

Dies; MFT, Dainty Doily Dies

Sentiment; MFT, Clearly Sentimental about Friendship

Punch; Martha Stewart

RicRac; Bazzill Basics

Paper Doily; Wilton

Scissors charm; Ebay

Final Cardabilities Reveal!

This will be my final post for Cardabilities.   I have had a great time and I've become acquainted with the work of some really nice fellow Design Team members, but I have decided to increase my efforts in another direction.  I am finding myself too "restricted" by following another's sketches, and would prefer to venture out with my own card layout ideas.  Oh, I'll still enter the occasional sketch challenge at some of my favorite manufacturers! 

I appreciate the chance to have worked with Karan and the rest of the team, and wish them all the absolute best!

Cardabilities Sketch #34

 Banners! Yeah!  Can you ever tire of seeing more banners?

I think not...  Looks like they are here to stay. 

I guess you figured it out by now that this challenge I chose to make an altered framed project.  My husband's soon-to-be 7 year old grandson started playing t-ball this year and he wanted to be able to take the picture to work to show it off.   What better way than to make a cute little framed piece that everyone will see on his desk!

I heat embossed the adorable dotted frame from Waltzing Mouse, Vintage Layers #14, and crackle finished the chipboard piece for the stamped title.  The papers were all DCWV, Grade School.

Dream...

This card I made purely because my good friend (Blog-wise) Rhonda Van Ginkel, over at Quick Quotes Design Team had the honor of being the sketch designer this go-around!  Yeah, Rhonda!  Great job and I loved the sketch.  Hope you do, too!  Join in for a chance to win some Quick Quotes goodies!

Here's my take on Rhonda's sketch!

Close up of heat embossed chipboard pieces:

This is the first time I tried painting the chipboard with acrylic paints, then inking with a pigment ink pad, and sprinkling the clear powder over. When it melts, it tends to "sink into" the paint. Cool effect! Not as brash as simply applying the embossing ink and then powder.

So, here's my challenge entry over at Quick Quotes!

Wish me luck! I love their products, but don't own any as of yet!

Also entered at:

Easy Crafts Projects (Gold)

Saturday Challenge (Embossing)

In my corner...

Who can't use a few cards that demonstrate to your freind that you appreicate their support every now and then?  I can even use this one for a family member that expresses support in the future.  I love the simplicity of it.  I had these huge colored photo corners from years ago stuck in a box and immediately thought of them when I saw the sketch challenge at Waltzing Mouse this week!

My version of this wonderful sketch!

For the sentiment, I used one of the  stamps from "Rescue Remiedies Additions".

I absolutely love that font!

And the inside:

I figured the simpler, the better.  With a card like this,

you need to leave plenty of room for a heartfelt greeting.

Like I mentioned above, this card was made for the sketch challenge at :

Waltzing Mouse.

Check them out!  Claire has the absolute best stamps!

Key to my heart....

My favorite colors, red and black!

Supplies:

Paper; DCWV, "La Creme" matstack;

Key stamp, Stampin' Up; 

Sentiment, Paper Inspirations

Pearl; Zva Creations



This card was made for and entered into the challenge at

Sassy Lil Card Sketches .



Summer Solstice Greetings!

With Summers being so miserable here in Arizona,

we have to look to something to celebrate!!

Today, on the First Day of Summer, it reached 110 degrees

with the high being 114 by the weekend! 

 The only thing that gets me through this heat is the

fact that we never have to shovel snow or put chains on our tires... 

Pattern background stamped and heat embossed by me!  Yep, getting to where I emboss anything that stands still long enough!  Watch out, Lizzy!

Challenges entered:

Easy Crafts Projects (Photo inspiration, Colors)

Moxie Fab World (Tuesday Trigger, Polka Dots)

Waltzing Mouse Designs ("Year of Sketches" challenge,  Clare's sketch) )

I used my new stamp from "Vintage Labels 18"!

I truly love the way these stamps heat emboss!

I do hope everyone is enjoying their very first day of Summer!

Time's fun...

Here we are with a second post for the Jillibean Soup's sketch challenge!  Wow, Jillbean, Part Two! I love this old stamp from Close To My Heart! It always cracks me up!  When I realized that the last few remnants of Jillibean Soup paper I had left in my stash was the frog from Talk Soup, I knew exactly what this card would have to say!

Funny, eh? Come on, you smiled!

I flipped the sketch from my last card. And used my new die from MFT.  I thought the green doily somewhat looked like a lily pad. 

I'll save this one for that special someone who needs a big lift!

Supplies:

PAPER: Jillibean Soup; Talk Soup

DIE: My Favorite Things, Duo Doilies

STAMP:  Sentiment CTMH, Fun Times and Dotted line; October Afternoon,        Hometown; Bee, Studio 18

BLING: Want2Scrap

Also entered in Sketch challenge at Jillibean Soup's Blog, Bean Talk

Whoo- whoo!

I wanted to make a card for a friend's little boy who has just started talking, and I DO mean talking!  Up a blue streak!  It's always funny when you look back later and say, "Do you remember when we WISHED he could talk?" Now you just sit back and wait for them to stop! LOL! 

I had some older Jillibean papers that I knew would be perfect for this occasion.  I had actually been waiting a while to have a good reason to use it. 

Supplies: 

PAPERS:  Jillibean; Talk Soup, Split Pea, and Cold Raspberry

STAMP: October Afternoon; Hometown

TEXTILE: Jute twine

This card will be entered in the sketch challenge at:  Bean Talk.



Sketch Reveal

Sorry, my "scheduled" post for today apparently decided to go up without me earlier this week.!

Here is the Cardabilities #33 sketch for this challenge and reveal.

I actually went back and checked my post and I HAD the scheduling post-dated. Oh well, as they say, Stuff happens...  no one died. (Well, an old supervisor used to say that...)

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Sometimes a "Sista" just needs a shoulder...

In this case, it is actually my sister.  She is having some medical tests run just to eliminate anything serious, so we are all keeping a positive attitude. At the same time, it is easy to allow yourself to get depressed and feel sorry even before anything is known...  I just want her to know I'm here for her, whatever the outcome (which I'm sure will be fine)

I refrained from using bling or pearls, since she does not like either on her clothes or cards!  But I thought the vintage laces and buttons would add a certain element of time having passed....lots of time...lol!
I actually" repurposed" a greeting card I had received from a friend.  Shhh - don't tell.
I love the layers of colors with the cepia photo!  These two girls could have been us, they look so much like the "Garber girls". I hope this brings a little smile ot her face over the next few days while she waits to hear from the dr.

The sketch I used for inspiration was from Skipping Stone Designs.

Various laces, ribbons, papers and embellishments were used, most from my stash pile.  The main item used was the sentiment stamp "To Cheer You" from

 the Skipping Stones set "Always Here".

Please keep your fingers crossed. I would really love to win Heartsong!

Sketch Challenge:  Skipping Stones Designs