Starting on the Christmas Cards

I've been wanting to get started on making Christmas cards, but I ran out of plain greens, reds and blues!!! Last week I got a package in the mail -- which included shades of green papers. That was sweet! :)

I borrowed some Christmas Stamp Up! stamps from a friend, and set to work....

I embossed the stamped image, and added some bling to make it stand out more. Used my favourite fiskar fancy edge scissors -- the scallop -- to create a border. The icicle border I used on the bottom of my card has been in my stash forever. I just couldn't make myself use it...until now. I just love that border punch!!!  Finally I added some ribbon from my stash and some light green pearls in the corners. There's lots of layering and I love it! :)

One down...so many more to go. But at least now I know what works... TFL. :)

challenges:
Totally Paper Crafts Challenges: Bling it On! (bling on the trees)
Simon Says Challenges: Punch Em! (border punch)
Creative Card Crew -- Let's Punch It (border punch)

When Sketches Work

I have a folder on my computer with sketches for layouts that I want to try. When I run out of ideas of my own, I head to the folder to see if I can be inspired. I've had this certain sketch that I absolutely love -- but it just never fit with any of the photos I was scrapping.

I wanted to scrap a postcard from a trip to South Dakota way back in 2004. As I was browsing through my folder, I found this sketch...and immediately knew it would work. It's simple, but I love it! :)

I borrowed a Martha Stewart border punch, and used a Fiskar border punch as well. Added a new ribbon from a recent RAK win, and the layout was complete. I love it!!! TFL

Challenges: A Spoon Full of Sugar: Let's Get Punchy

Bring on the Snow!!!

No -- I don't want winter to arrive yet...but I figured the title worked great with the card! LOL I'm enjoying our Indian Summer -- although it has cooled down here recently...and there's a chance of flurries in the next few days!! :(

I've been wanting to get started on some Christmas cards in the last month, but I've been waiting for some inspiration! Today I found a freebie (the big snowflake) on a blog site, and decided to try making a card with it. Totally non-traditional colours, but somehow shades of blue always work with snowflakes.

I'm not totally impressed with how the card turned out, but it's okay. I loved working with the Martha Stewart border punch. I really need to get one of those for myself -- I love it!!! :)  TFL

Challenges:
Dottie's World -- Christmas Card, Anything Goes
Sarah Hurley -- Xmas Card -- Red & Green Must Not Be Seen!
Delightful Challenges: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
Karber Christmas Challenge: Use A Digi
Crafty Cardmakers -- Use A Freebie
Pear Tree Designs -- Free For All

Shaker Card

I've seen these cards all over the blogs -- and I was always so impressed. Impressed -- but not quite inspired enough to try one for myself. I always figured they were complicated to make.

Last week the card I was challenged to lift, happened to be a shaker card! So I guess you could say I had my work cut out for myself! :) After a whole week of procrastinating -- mostly 'cause I could not come up with anything, I sat down on Saturday and just decided to go for it -- whatever happens, happens. lol

It was fun once I figured out what I was doing. Plus, I'd been wanting to use my caffeine clear stamp set already, and this was a perfect excuse! Being a coffee lover myself, I couldn't think of anything better to put into the shaker than actual coffee grinds!!! LOL My card even SMELLS like coffee!!!

It definitely turned out better than I had anticipated. :) TFL.

Pear Tree Designs -- Free for All

Title Page

I've been working on this scrapbook page for like months. I had a basic idea of what I wanted to create, but it kept changing every time I sat down and worked on it! Which led to frustration of course!!!! :( So many times I simply put everything back onto the shelf...and waiting for the inspiration and ideas to come back!!! But it finally came together yesterday.

I found the journaling online a few years ago when I researched the meaning of my name...and although so much of it doesn't actually fit (LOL) -- some of it does work! And those name cards are always interesting -- so I figured why not use it! :)

The letters are made of wood -- originally they were all different colours, so I had to paint them.

So yeah!!! I've FINALLY finished the title page for one of  my scrapbooks!!! :) The first page has been empty -- waiting for this page.

challenges:
The ABC Challenge Blog: F is for Flowers

Putting in a Twist

This is my latest card for a card lifting group I joined. Honestly I didn't know exactly what I was signing  up for -- I just thought lifting cards was something I've done before...so why not! I love getting inspiration from other people! There's always something new to learn! And a new technique I can try out.

But I've kind of given the whole lifting idea a twist of my own. I take out my scrap box, and then try to come up with a card using my scraps!!! Using scraps is in itself a challenge for me, but it keeps my cards interesting! And I love adding a twist to a project -- makes it all my own!

TFL :)

For My Little Sis

Hi there! One of my sisters was looking through my cards when she came across my first-ever side-stairs-step card. She loved the idea -- so I figured I'd make a card especially for her! What better reason could one have to make a card??? :)

Here's the card I made. Like the first one I made, it has a tag that you can remove. This time though I added a poem to the tag. TFL.

It's working!!!

Hiya bloggers! I know -- it's been over two weeks since I updated my blog!!! But I just could not sign in!!! Does anyone else ever have this problem??? It's happened to me a few times in the past...and there is nothing I can do to change it! I simply have to wait it out...and in time everything goes back to normal! So unless the blogger weirdness happens again anytime in the near future, I am back! :)

It hasn't stopped my mojo though -- and although I couldn't enter any challenges, I was busy at my crafting table as always! Here's a card I made with an autumn theme.

TFL :)

challenges: Crafty Calendar Challenge -- Autumn Birthdays