Rainy Day Scrapping

What are rainy days good for??? Curling up with a good book....or doing a project. The rain got me back into my scrap room to do some long overdue card making. I finished off a few cards that have been hanging over my head for a few weeks....it's nice to be caught up again! :)

A spoonful of sugar -- "flower power"
Paper Play Challenge -- "blossom and blooms"

Punching it Out

When it comes to cards, I love the simplicity. Neat. Everything having it's place. No elaborate cards...although those tend to come from time to time as well. :)

So here's the latest card I made. I've had these punched flowers and butterflies lying around since Christmas -- but couldn't come up with a use for them. When I saw the latest card sketch on the card lifters group I joined, this idea popped into my head. Perfect way to use punches! :) TFL

Other view:

Cards for Easter

Someone ordered 10 Easter cards! Honestly, I was a bit stressed...'cause I was running low on supplies, low on mojo (I had just completed a big order the previous day) and basically had no ideas whatsoever!!!

I love love love online galleries!!! I found a few card sketches I liked...and set to work. LOL Apparently stress makes my mojo flow!!! Who knew!! :p At the end of the day, I had a whole set of cards that I loved. You might not to able to tell, but I managed to use up scraps at the same time!!! I'm totally happy with how these turned out! :) TFL 

 PaperPlay Challenges -- EasterCupcake Craft Challenge -- Lots of Layers

Quirky Crafts -- Sparkly, Punches & Easter
My Time to Craft -- Easter Wishes
 Pear Tree Designs -- Easter

Totally Stampalicious -- Keep it Simple
Daring Cardmakers -- Spring

On Your Wedding Day

I saw a card online awhile back -- had a ribbon with two rings. Loved the idea from the start -- just something to give a wedding card a little something else. :)

So when the card sketch for our card lifters group turned out to be a basic rectangle with a window and a ribbon, I decided to go for it. The background is dry embossed (wedding bells) -- and I lifted the tag in the middle just a little to give the card a little more dimension. TFL :)

challenges:
Paper Play Challenges -- Embossing
One Stop Craft
Shelly's Image Blog  -- Anything Goes
Scrap Creations -- Anything Goes
Craft Us Crazy -- Celebration

Card for a Loss

Yay!!!!! I do believe blogger is back!!! :) After a few weeks of issues -- seems to be working just fine again!!! :) So I'm back to posting....

We had a card making crop with some kids a few weeks ago. Everyone brought some of their stamps and stuff -- it was a total blast, despite the fact that I actually didn't even create one single card! I just helped the little kiddies with some of the techniques like stamping and embossing. And idea here, a fold there. Honestly I'm always amazed at what those kiddies come up with -- they inspire me!!!!

And of course, I couldn't resist taking the opportunity to stamp some images onto some blank paper. I figured I would use them later on -- one way of the other. But they've been lying in a box for the past few weeks -- I've taken them out from time to time -- totally loved them again, but no mojo or inspiration as how to use them in a card!!!

I needed a Thinking of You card for a cousin of mine who recently lost their baby girl. Honestly I was stumped...until I saw my stamped images. This card was soeasy to make -- it probably had a lot to do with the colours as well. It seemed like whatever I needed was right there -- no digging around in my stash for hours until I found something I could use... I hope this is a sign that my mojo is back! :) TFL

Another Sketch

I love working with sketches. Especially when I have great supplies on hand -- and lots of mojo to work with!!! :)

I've been working with a few card sketches I put together -- just favourites from different online galleries. This card is my favourite so far -- LOL -- it just might have a little to do with the colours. :p LOVE this particular shade of blue!

A friend of mine sent me a great website that has a lot of great free fonts for scrapbooking, etc. They're perfect for creating Word Arts. Here's one I created and used on my card.

Added a bunch of layers -- and some awesome dry embossing (with a friend's Cuttlebug) and the card was done! Love the simplicity of it, while at the same time that shade of blue makes it pop! :) TFL

stamping with the dragon: anything goes

It's been too long!!!!

Yeah -- I think it's time to get back to some blogging already!!! I've been working on a few other projects in the last weeks, and haven't spent a whole lot of time making cards and layouts. But I'm planning on getting back to making some cards next week -- have a whole bunch of ideas to try.

Here's a card I make for the card lifter's group I joined in Fiskateers. Basically you're given a card/sketch and everyone in the group makes a card based on the card/sketch given.

I had an idea of what I wanted to do with the sketch, but honestly it didn't turn out quite the way I had it planned, but that's okay. I did a whole bunch of layers (love love love layers!!!) and inked up the edges.

Yeah -- the card's growing on me. Maybe by the time I send it off, I'll love it! :p TFL

I Did It Creations: Bling it Up!

Light Tomorrow

A friend of mine gave me a new stamp for Christmas. I love this quote -- "Light tomorrow with today!".

Today I used it for the first time -- the sketch I was following had two squares on it, and I thought why not use this stamp for one of them! It worked out nicely too -- after a lot of juggling around. Sometimes card are just SOOOOOOOOOO hard to create! I need some mojo these days!!!!

So what do you think of this??? Mojo or not -- it turned out okay. :) TFL.

Stamp Something: Anything Goes
Oldie But a Goodie: Bright and Cheerful
My Partner in Crime: Something New (used my new stamp)
Oh La La Creations: Bling it On

Double Butterfly

And I'm off with my card making for 2011!!! :)

 This card is actually for a card lifting group I joined -- you get a card to "lift" or copy...once a week, and see what you come up with. One of the best parts is making the original card idea into something entirely your own. For the most part, it's made me think outside the box -- because soooooo often the cards we are lifting are totally not my style!!! But it keeps things interesting -- and keeps me challenged. :p

This is the latest card I made -- LOL -- about the only thing that I lifted from the original card was the half circle in the center. I love how it turned out though...

 

PaperPlay Challenges: Clean and Simple

Craft Your Days Away -- Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday -- Out With The Old

 >> used all supplies from my stash.

Fancy Folding

I had a little card making sessions with one of the girls I babysit. We had a blast! :) I love crafting with other people -- simply to get ideas -- and surprisingly those little girls often have such awesome ideas!!!! Plus, it helps them to learn some new techniques -- someone's gotta teach them! And I love it, so....

Anyways, here's one of the cards I made during the session. I was working with a sketch -- and the card required the paper folds in the center. Honestly when I first saw this technique on the card I was trying to lift, I freaked out a little. It looked great -- but complicated. Until someone sent me the directions! :p And now that I've tried it, it's definitely something I'll be doing more of!!!! I love the look....and it's just plain fun!

I love pink/brown combination!!! TFL :)

My Time to Craft -- Brand, Spanking New!
>> Tried a new technique -- the fancy folding
Cupcake Craft Challenge -- Thank You!

Butterflies and Swirls

My days of making Christmas cards for this year are over and behind me. Moving on to other cards...here's one of my latest cards.

I've had the paper in my stash for a long time now - just couldn't make myself cut it up, 'cause I was gonna use it for a layout. But since that never happened, and I needed a patterned paper for this card, I decided it was time. LOL -- I'll probably end up making a whole set of similar cards and use up the whole sheet. It fits so well here!

I added some punched butterflies from my stash as well. It  wasn't until someone commented on this that I realized it -- the patterned paper has swirl dotted lines on it...and I had unconscionably placed the butterflies so it looks like it's their flight pattern. Now I love the paper even more!!! :)

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Creative Craft Challenge -- Anything Goes

Chromatic Blue

Hi guys! No, I haven't forgotten about my blog. I've just been busy with sewing and other things around the house. Sometimes it's hard to find time to sit down and write a blog. :p

But here's a look-see at a card I made awhile ago. I found these wonderful sentiments online...and really wanted to try using them. This sketch seemed like the perfect time to do so. I started out sewing with the sewing machine, but I have yet to master that! It didn't look good -- it's soooooooooo challenging to sew on paper!!!! I don't get it!!! :( Any pointers, anyone???

I ended up starting over again -- and made faux stitches instead. It works, but I'm definitely gonna try working on getting the sewing machine to work with me! TFL :)

 

Beautiful Shades of Purple

I've been having fun with more "Fred, She Said" images. I love them -- especially because of the great 3-D effect you can get with bending and combining multiple images.

I created this card for a lift challenge -- also known as a sketch challenge. When I first saw the card we were to lift, I was kind of a little lost. I don't have a fancy edge border punch -- so unless I'm borrowing one from friends, I'm basically challenged to come up with ideas for edges. Then I found this template online, and I decided to give it a try. I inked up the edges so they show up more.

Finally I added my flowers and a few punched butterflies.

It's been awhile since I made a square card. This was fun!!! :) TFL

A Spoon Full of Sugar -- Distressing
Stamp with Fun -- Square Cards
Fairy Fun Friday -- Make Your Own Flowers

Totally Out of My Comfort Zone

So last week we had this two sided card idea to lift on Fiskateers.com. I was impressed with the actual card, although it was totally not me!!! Talk about being out of my comfort zone!!! :( I went for it though...and after a lot of trial and error, I ended up with this:

It's not too strange, but I think I'll definitely stick to the simple fold-in-half type of cards. but I'm loving trying these new ideas and techniques -- 'cause I know I would never try them if it weren't for card lifters. :p

Here are a few details:

** The original card we lifted, actually had a lot of big tags on every page. I went with one. --- stamped and embossed it.

** I have a whole bunch of these page borders in my stash -- I'm always trying to find ways to use them in layouts and cards. This one fit nicely 'cause of the gold. :)

** Christmas trees from my stash from last year or the year before. I have so many supplies that I just don't use...because I'm always wanting to use the new stuff instead of the old!!! :p

So hey, if you're looking for a challenge with card making -- why not try one of these??? TFL

Crafty Cardmakers: Spotlight Dry Embossing

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

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 :)