Christmas card

Hi everyone!

The kids and I are finally on Christmas break...Not much homeschooling going to happen these next 2 weeks so I'm hoping to get some crafting time in! I'm here to share another Christmas card. I'm entering it in several challenges. The first is the "bling it on" challenge at the Simon Says Stamp! Wednesday challenge blog. The second is the sweetest thing site that provided the sketch for today's card. Last, but certainly not least, is the Word Art Wednesday site that has an "anything goes" challenge (they have that challenge every week so it's fun to play along when you can.) Below you'll find my card and the sketch.

Isn't this a great sketch! I immediately saw an ornament hanging in the center of the card. All papers were from the Holiday Pack from DCWV. I used a die from Spellbinders for the ornament. The sentiment is from Hero Arts and I heat embossed it in silver. And I'm not sure where the fiber is from--it was hanging out on my craft desk so I used it. I added a ton of small gems to the ornament to fancy it up a bit and then some different gems on the little banner at the top. The sketch made the card super easy to make...but I love the colors on it.

There's still time to play along in all these challenges. Have a great Sunday!
Pat

Lawnscaping's Winter Blog Hop!

Hi everyone!

Today I get to participate in a very fun blog hop with the Lawnscaping crew! Today's hop is all about celebrating winter. There are A LOT of us participating today but MAKE SURE YOU COMMENT ON EACH BLOG because there's A TON OF PRIZES up for grabs! You should have arrived from Ann Tomaschik's blog. However, if you've gotten lost along the way or want to start from the beginning, head over to the Lawnscaping site and the complete list is there.



Without further ado, here's my card:

I chose to use Lawn Fawn's Winter Sparrows stamp and die set. This is a really cute set--and the dies made it soooo easy to cut out the little birds. I knew I wanted to make a winter scene. I also knew I wanted to make a shaped card so I used the spellbinders label 8 die to make the card base. I started out by stamping a snowflake several times with white pigment ink and then clear embossing it. Then I inked the front panel and the embossing resisted the ink. Although you can't see it very much in the picture, I also spritzed some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist to add some shine to the sky. Up close you can even see where the spritz activated the distress ink and you can see a few water spots. I die cut two branches and added some snow with the picket fence distress marker. Then, I stamped all the birds and die cut them out and adhered them with dimensional adhesive. I kept the coloring pretty simple and used the inktense watercolor pencils to color in the clothing. I stamped and cut out the greeting and added some baker's twine to the banner and the card was done.

For your next stop, you are going to visit Lenny's blog! I'm sure she came up with something lovely for the hop.

Enjoy the rest of the blog hop and thanks for stopping by!
Pat

Meowy Christmas!

Hi all!

I know, it's been awhile. Sigh. Hoping to craft some this weekend..but will definitely have something fun for you on Friday since I'm participating in the Lawn Fawn blog hop! :)

Today I'm sharing a card I made for the Newton's Nook Design site. They have some cute stamps and they had a sketch challenge that I was dying to play along with. I'm also playing along with V's Sweet Ideas blog where the challenge was to make a holiday-themed card. Without further ado, here's my card:

I started out with papers from DCWV's Holiday Stack. I decided to stamp the sentiment on the banner. I then used some watercolor paper and stamped the main image (Newton's Nook). I colored in the image with distress markers. The little Santa hat is also from the stamp set and I stamped it on red cardstock and used liquid pearls to add some white to the hat. I added the outline to the spellbinders label with my distress marker, too. Loved the sketch and the kitty was also fun to color.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you stop by on Friday!
Pat

Merry Christmas card

Hi friends!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday...I have been playing in my room and that's always a good day for me!

I'm popping in to share a Christmas card I made for one challenge that is being held by two websites. The first is Curtain Call and the second is CAS-ual Fridays. They're both hosting a Christmas card challenge. Here's my card:

Have you ever bought a stamp and then forgotten to use it?! That happened to me with this stamp...It's now a Hero Arts discontinued stamp but I thought it was so cute back when I got it! I chose to use it as the main panel with some silver strips to offset the stamp and the burgundy cardstock. I then heat embossed the word Christmas (Hero Arts) in silver and colored in the lights with a glitter pen and a distress marker. I wish the photo did it more justice--the glitter and the silver play off each other really well. Easy card to replicate and still has a playful and elegant feel to it...

Have a great start to the week and thanks for stopping by!
Pat

You Mooove Me

Hi again!

I guess since I haven't had much time to craft I'm making up for it tonight! :) I wanted to share a card I made based on a great sketch from the retro sketches site (see below) and the inspiration from The Alley Way Stamps blog (see below). Here's my card:

I knew I wanted to incorporate some polka dots and I stumbled upon some pattern paper that was perfect! I then stamped the main image (Alley Way stamps) and colored in the cow using my inktense pencil. Then, I stamped the sentiment (Alley Way) and white heat embossed it. I added some faux white stitching and some gems and the card was done. Maybe a cute card for Valentine's...I like the playful sentiment...

Have a great night and thanks for stopping by!
Pat

A Newton "Thanks"

Hi all!

I'm here to share a card I made using a new stamp from a new website called Newton's Nook Designs. I recently won a stamp set from them and have been DYING to play with it! So, I got out the stamp set and had some fun. I'm entering this card in 2 different challenges. The first is The Paper Players site. They provided the color combo. The second is Simon Says Stamp! and they provided the theme. They challenged us to make a "thanks" card. Without further ado, here's my card.

I began by stamping my image (Newton's Holiday Mischief) in Versafine Vintage Sepia. I then used some scraps for the leaves. I had used some perfect pearls as a paint medium and had painted some strips of paper. It was perfect for this project! This is why you don't throw away any extra paint/perfect pearls OR any scraps of paper! :) I punched out several leaves in the orange and gold perfect pearls. I colored in the cat's scarf with the spiced marmalade distress marker. Then, I used the vintage photo distress marker to add some spots to the cat, too. I strayed from the color scheme just a bit to add a touch of pink to the cat's nose and ears. He's so cute, though! :) I then added the sentiment (Hampton Arts). Simple card--but colorful and cute.

Hoping to share more cards over the weekend. Thanks for stopping by!
Pat

Happy Birthday card

Hi all! I know, it's been weeks since I've posted. It's been weeks since I've crafted, too! I miss it so much! But I did have a chance to carve out a watercolor card today. I'm submitting it to the Word Art Wednesday site. It's always an "anything goes" challenge and I try to play along whenever I can. Here's my card:

I stamped the image (I believe it's from Penny Black) in Versafine Ink (brown) and then used my inktense watercolor pencils to color in the image. I used my broken china distress ink marker for the background, though. Then, I added some stickles to the center of the flowers. I used a scallop punch on the main panels and then added the ribbon. The sentiment is from Hampton Arts. Easy card to make--and watercoloring relaxes me. Hope everyone is having a good week so far! Pat

Seize the sketch card

Hi all!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Ours was busy--worship, hiking, time with friends--but it's what makes my heart full. Today I'm sharing a card I made based on a great sketch from the Seize the Sketch site. Here's my card and the sketch:

The first thing I did was rotate the sketch. For some reason, I pictured a Christmas card right away but I saw it rotated! I used a Sizzix embossing folder with Christmas words on it to emboss some My Mind's Eye paper. I then stamped a Hero Arts ornament and embossed that in silver and cut it out. I hung the ornament from some baker's twine, added a bit of bling to the ornament, and then added the sentiment that was from a wood-mounted, dollar bin stamp. I heat embossed that in silver, too, and then cut the strip to look like a banner. Easy--yet tons of texture on the card. If I make another, I might try to add some slight inking on the raised words for even more texture and depth.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!
Pat

CAS(E)d baby card

Hi all!

Thank God it's FRIDAY! So excited to get a rest from the day-to-day grind. I'm popping in quickly to share a card I made last night. I'm entering it in two different challenges. The first is the CAS(E) this Sketch site. I love sketches and this sketch caught my eye right away. The second is the Word Art Wednesday site that has an "anything goes" challenge. Here's the sketch and my card.

I used the baby onesie die from WPlus9. I LOVE this die! It's perfect for making baby cards! I die cut it on the front of the card and then again from some pattern paper. I put another white cardstock on the back of the card front so that the onesie would have something to rest on and so that you couldn't see the die from the inside of the card. Then I used the "You" die and stamp set from Simon Says Stamp for the sentiment. Super simple yet perfect for a baby. I'm not a huge fan of mass producing cards but these were so simple and elegant, I may make a bunch of them to just have on hand!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!
Pat

Christmas Joy

Hi all!

Sorry for the long absence. I sure do miss having more time to craft but homeschooling and life have really kept me busy! Tonight I wanted to share a card I made for Christmas. I know Christmas may seem like it's still far off but it tends to sneak up on me every year so I'm stocking up on cards already. I'm entering the card in two different websites. The first is the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge site. They have a "happy holidays or Christmas" challenge going. The other is the Festive Friday site. This site is perfect if you are needing inspiration for Christmas cards. They're challenge was to make a Christmas card with a bit of whimsy to it. Here's my card: I started out by die cutting a circle (Apothecary Label) on some My Mind's Eye Merry Little Christmas pattern paper. I used a Sizzix die for the Christmas tree and added some stickles to the tree. I added some twine and then die cut the sentiment that is also from Sizzix. I added the stickles to the sentiment as well and the card was done. Cute card to make and didn't take tons of time, either.

Be back soon!
Pat

MOJO Christmas card

Hi again,

Yes, I was able to post 2 cards in one day! :) This time I'm sharing the card I made using the Mojo Monday sketch. It's so much easier to make a card when you have a good design and this one was great! Here's the card and the sketch:

Isn't this a cute sketch? You can do so much with it! I chose to use some Sizzix dies and get a jumpstart on my Christmas cards. The pattern papers were from Echo Park's Seasons Greetings 6x6 pack. I added some ribbon and then some pearls to the stockings. The sentiment is from Hero Arts. Super easy yet cute.

Thanks for stopping by!
Pat

Long time no craft!

Hi friends!

It's been a busy couple of weeks but tonight I'm finally getting a chance to craft! I'm sharing a card I made for a couple of different challenges. The first is the always fun site, Simon Says Stamp! Their latest challenge has us playing with dots and I do love polka dot patterns! The second is the Fresh Squeezed Stamps site. They have their first b-day celebration going on and they've asked us to make a b-day card. So, without further ado, here's my card:

If there's a color combo that I love--it's black and white with a touch of red! LOVE it! I used some Basic Grey pattern paper and die cut the lovely Fresh Daisies die from SSS! and die cut it also on some silver cardstock. I placed the silver die cut in the pattern paper and then added some ribbon. The sentiment is from Hampton Arts and I embossed it in silver. Simple card but I love the elegant feel the polka dots give it and the color combo give it, too.

Thanks for stopping by!
Pat

Happy Birthday

Hi friends!

Happy Friday! I'm here to share a card I made last night. Have you ever had an idea in your head for a card but haven't been able to find the time to craft? That was me this week! I had the idea tossing around all week but it wasn't til last night that I was able to see if my idea worked or not. I'm entering the card in a few challenges. Much to my surprise, the sketch featured on the Seize the Sketch site was very similar to the idea I had in my head! I tweaked my idea just a bit to use the sketch. Also, the Simon Wednesday Challenge site (from Simon Says Stamp!) had a challenge where we had to use a product that they currently carry in their store. Finally, the Word Art Wednesday site has an "anything goes" challenge. The free Scripture download for this week is one of my favorites, too, so make sure to check them out. Below is my card and the sketch:

I LOVE this die from Simon Says Stamp! It's the Fresh Daisies die and it's so delicate and beautiful. I used paper from DCWV's "Luxury Stack" and put the die cut piece into the main panel. The sentiment is from Hampton Arts and I embossed it in silver. The butterfly was added for a pop of color and it's from the dollar store--love using things all different places! I used a scallop punch from Fiskars and then added some gems to show the trail of the butterfly. Can't wait to give this card to a very special friend tonight!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!
Pat

Mojo Masculine Bday card

Hi all!

Just have a quick minute to share a card I made. I'm using this week's sketch from Mojo Monday. LOVE them! You'll find my card and the sketch below.

I really liked the sketch for this week. I knew I needed a masculine card and that I'd be using a car for the main image. So, I chose to rotate the sketch so that the car would be on top of the sentiment. On to the card--the pattern paper is from DCWV. The image is from Hero Arts (Going) and the text writing behind the image is also from Hero Arts (Happy b-day definition). I inked the car with a Versafine ink on blue cardstock and fussy cut it out. Then I stamped the image again on some kraft cardstock and fussy cut the windows so that it appeared to be a sunny day. I wanted the main panel to stand out a bit more so I used an EK Success punch to make some decorative corners and I inked those with distress ink. I added some glitter highlights to the details of the car with a glitter pen. Some ribbon and the sentiment and the card was done!

Thanks for stopping by!
Pat

Teenage Boy Birthday Card

Hi friends!

Just popping in to share a quick card I made for a friend. The recipient is a teenage boy so I knew that flowers, buttons, sequins--yeah, that wasn't going to cut it. So, I came up with a very simple card. I'm entering the card at the Whimsy Stamps Challenge blog that is having a "masculine card" challenge at the moment. Here's my card:

I used some pattern paper from DCWV. I love the blue and brown combo and the guitar--what teenager doesn't like that?! I used my glitter pen quite a bit, though, to add some extra "umph" to the paper. I added glitter on some of the diagonal lines and also to the bottom portion of the guitars. I added used some vintage photo distress ink to very lightly distress the corner of the paper. Then, a simple, embossed "happy birthday" sentiment on a banner and the card was done. Very simple--but you just don't want to overdo it when it comes to a teen boy anyway! :)

Have a wonderful weekend!
Pat

Another Masculine Birthday card

Hi--AGAIN!

Yes--this is post #3! :) I've been plugging away in my craft room and now I'm here to share yet another masculine card. I'm entering this card in two different challenges. The first is Mojo Monday. I LOVE that site! I just wish I had more time to play along with their sketches every week! The second is another favorite of mine. A Blog Named Hero is challenging us to use a button on our creations. Below you'll find the card, the sketch and the challenge badge.

This sketch was so easy to work with! I LOVED it! I started out with a blue card base. I used pattern paper from DCWV and some tan cardstock. I used my Happy Birthday embossing folder from Cuttlebug to add some texture to the tan cardstock. Then, I used the apothecary label from Simon Says Stamp! and the sentiment is from Hampton Arts. I added a button with some twine for some added interest. There's a banner running the length of the card that I also added some faux stitching to and then the card was done. There aren't too many embellishments and the colors are more suited for guys so this turned out to be exactly what I was hoping for!

Thanks for joining me! Have a great Tues!
Pat

Masculine birthday card

Hi again!

A quiet day off has allowed me time to continue playing in my craft room. I'm sharing a card I made for a couple of different websites. The first is Freshly Made Sketches. I've been seeing their sketches for a bit now but haven't had the opportunity to play along til today. They had a sketch that I knew was perfect for the masculine card I needed to make. The other is the current Lawnscaping Challenge. They asked us to use our favorite products to create a card. Below you'll find my card and the challenge sketch and badge.

Isn't this a great sketch! I chose to rotate it but it would've worked great just as it was, too. I started out with a brown card base. I used some striped pattern paper from My Mind's Eye and layered that on some dark blue pattern paper from the same pack. I cut out some banners from the same paper pack and then worked on the sentiment. The "happy" is from Simon Says Stamp! and I embossed it to help it stand out a bit more. Then I went to some of my favorite supplies--chipboard letters! I love how you can alter them in any way you need. So, I used some vintage photo distress ink on the "birthday" and adhered that to the card. I wanted to make that stand out a bit, too, so I used my white pen (which I LOVE) and added some faux stitching to the letters. Still has a clean look--but perfect for a masculine card.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Pat

Happy birthday!

Hi friends!

I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend! We had family in town for the holiday but they left early this morning and I've been catching up on my cardmaking fun! So, I'm popping in to share a card I made today for two different challenges. The first is the Annebelle Stamps blog that provided a fun sketch for us to play with. The second is a new-to-me site called Less is More. Their challenge is to make CAS cards and this week's challenge included using a stamp. So, below you'll find my card and the sketch I used.

This card is for a soon-to-be 10 year old boy. I knew the card needed to be clean and simple yet fun. So, I used an old Inkadinkadoo stamp and heat embossed the image. I then, carefully, used a glitter pen to add some shine to all the streamers that are popping out of the box and to the stars at the bottom of the gift box, too. It's hard to see in the picture, but there's a nice shine to the card in real life. Then, I used my distress marker to color in the bow and used a bit of color to blend it in a bit. I stamped the sentiment and cut out some banners and the card was done. Fun, easy yet simple card for a boy.

Thanks for stopping by! Pat

Happy Birthday Cupcake!

Hi friends!

It's been a busy week and I have a lot of family coming in to town but I wanted to pop in and share a card with you. I'll be entering this card at a couple of different sites. The first is the Simon Says Stamp! blog that has an "anything goes" challenge. Actually, the 2nd site has the same challenge and it's the Word Art Wednesday site. I try to play along with both of these sites as often as I can. There's still plenty of time to play along so I hope you'll check them out! Here's my card:

I wish I could tell you from what paper pack this pattern paper was from--but it's from a friend's stash. Sorry! I do know that the cupcake is from Hero Arts and that I colored in the image using my distress markers. I wanted the frosting to look yummy so I added some stickles and gems on it. Since this card is for a little girl, I thought the cutesy look was perfect for her. Quick and easy card--and fun to make if you enjoy coloring...

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the long weekend!
Pat

Birthday color challenge

Hi everyone! I'm popping in quickly to share a card I made for the Annabelle Stamps blog. This is one of those sites that I've followed for awhile but haven't had the chance to play along with. So I was excited to have a bit of time over the weekend to try this color challenge. Here's my card and you'll find the color challenge badge below, too.

I started out using my Hero Arts "Friend" stamp and stamped it in mustard seed distress ink. I then took the Hero Arts cling stamp "Large Blossom" and embossed that with clear embossing powder. The rest of the card was colored in using my distress inks and some foam applicators. It's one of my favorite techniques b/c of the look it gives! The sentiment is from a dollar bin at a LSS and I mounted it on half of a spellbinders label die. The most time consuming part is the coloring--but it's also the part I love the most!

Thanks for stopping by!
Pat

Happy birthday!

Hi everyone!

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. I spent the day worshiping with my church family alongside the Columbia River. Absolutely gorgeous! Perfect blue skies, sunny, gentle breeze, no humidity and great friends...what more could I ask for?!

Tonight I chose to play along with a couple different challenges. The first is with the Moxie Fab World challenge where we had to use the color navy. That nautical theme is really hot right now! I used the color for a different theme, though. Second, I used a sketch from a new-to-me site called Freshly Made Sketches. I LOVED the sketch they had for this week! Below you'll find my card, the sketch, and the Tuesday trigger.

This sketch really made things easy for me. I knew I needed to make a birthday card for a little boy. I knew I wanted to use the color navy. Navy, white and red--always a good combination! Those two red strips just help add some interest to the card--that pop of color. I used a cuttlebug embossing folder called "happy birthday" to emboss the navy strip. I cut out 3 circles and then used the cut out circles (the back of them) to do my stamping. All the images are from a small set I purchased a long time ago and I don't know the name of it--sorry! I stamped the images and then colored them in using distress markers and a glitter pen. I added some stickles to a few images, too. The playful sentiment is from Hampton Arts.

Hope you can join in on the fun--there's still time to play!
Pat

My son plays along with a couple of challenges!

Hi all!

Today I'm sharing a card my 9 year old son, Jonathan, is entering on a couple of different sites. The first is the Online Card Class that just finished. Summer Card Camp 2 was a lot of fun! Jonathan and I would start the day watching the videos together. He was bound and determined to use one of their color schemes to make a card. The other site is the Simon Says Stamp! site that has a kids challenge with a theme of "anything goes". Here's his card:

For this color challenge, he needed to use a light and dark green. He chose a chevron stamp in a light green pigment ink and then stamped the pattern on a dark green cardstock. (Not sure I would've thought to do that...) Then, he wanted to emboss it. So, he put the powder on but I heated it. Then, he used my cuttlebug to cut out a spellbinders label and stamped the horse image and sentiment from The Alley Way stamps. (I think it'll be funny to show him this card when he actually understands what "horsing around" means!) Then he used the inktense watercolor pencils to color in the image and he grinned and said, "I'm done, mom!" It's so much fun to watch him create things. He's currently into making sculptures out of clay. Between drawing, sculpting, and making cards I'm just amazed at how much this child loves to create!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!
Pat

Miss you card

Hi friends!

I have a confession to make...I won a bunch of new stamps during the month of June but I've been SO busy, I haven't played with many of them! So, tonight I chose one of the new sets and decided to play along with the latest challenge at the Lawnscaping site. We were to make a one layer card--not the easiest thing for me b/c I love adding dimension and layers. I'm also entering the card at the Word Art Wednesday site for an anything goes challenge. Here's my card and the badge:

I stamped my floral image (Penny Black) in versafine ink and then colored it in with inktense watercolor pencils. The sentiment is from Hampton Arts. Loved coloring this image! Super easy card to make--and fun if you enjoy coloring. I added a few gems under the sentiment and then used my glitter pen to add some shine to the middle of the flower.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
Pat

Seize the Sketch baby card

Hi again,

I found a new site that has sketch challenges...and I LOVE sketches! The seize the sketch site is brand new and I'm loving their first sketch! I can picture using it for so many occasions...and I love when that happens. I'm also submitting this card to the Word Art Wednesday site. They always have an "anything goes" challenge and I try to play along whenever I can. Below you'll see my card and the sketch:

This was a pretty quick card to make. I used Inkadinkadoo stamps and used the sentiments as the background pattern. Then, I stamped and colored the little turtle stuffed animal. I added some stickles to the little turtle's heart and the card was done. Super easy but so cute! And the baby on the way that this card is for--can't wait to meet the little one, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Pat

10 Minute Craft Dash b-day card

Hi all!

I know, I've disappeared again. Sorry...We just got back from vacation and I've been trying--still--to get the homeschooling stuff organized for the new school year. But, I have a card to share!

If you haven't tried your hand at the 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge over at the Pretty Pink Posh site, it's a must! It's so stressful for those 10 minutes but, if you're successful, you've done a card in 10 minutes! :) Also, the Simon Says Stamp! Monday challenge had us using a "cut" piece on our card. It could be a die cut or a punched piece--but it had to be cut. If you want to make a card in 10 minutes, a cut piece is very helpful! Here's my card and the challenge badge:

10 minutes is NOT a lot of time...So, I decided to do some embossing and die cut some flowers. I used the D'vine Swirls embossing folder with the Tim Holtz embossing diffusers. This allows you to choose what area of the card you want embossed. I'm still not thrilled with how the middle section came out but with only 10 minutes, I let it go. I did try to add a scored line around the oval but again, it didn't work as well as I'd hoped. For the flower, I used a Simon Says Stamp! die (Meadow Rue) and used a glue pen to adhere it. The sentiment stamp is from the "Happy" set from Simon Says Stamp! and finished it off with some gems.

Am I happy with the card? Sort of. I would've liked more time. I finished with just 5 seconds left to spare! But, I'll probably play around with the idea some more to make look crisper.

Have a great Monday!
Pat

Robot Happy Birthday

Hi friends!

Sorry for the long absence! Our new homeschooling curriculum arrived and I've been so busy organizing it all that making cards has taken a back seat. BUT, I wanted to play along with this week's challenge at the Mojo Monday site. I also saw the latest challenge at V's Sweet Ideas blog and will enter the card there, too. Their challenge was to use twine on your card. You'll find my card and this week's sketch below:

How cute is this for a little boy?! Love it! I have a friend that needed a card for a 5 year old boy and this card is perfect! I used paper from DCWV's All About Boys stack. The stamped image is from the Dollar Store--I've had it forever! I embossed it and then used some stickles to color in parts of the robot. The picture doesn't catch the shine well--he looks even cuter in real life! I colored him in using my inktense watercolor pencils. Then, I added some faux stitching along the white strip and on the circle die. I stamped the sentiment (Simon Says Stamp!'s "Happy") and white embossed it. As a final touch, I added a button with some baker's twine and the card was done.

Hope to be back soon with more cards! Thanks for stopping by,
Pat