Happy 59th to my hubby

After 59 years we do not always make a big deal of anniversaries, but I did want to make a card this time.  Hubby has had a slow recovery from back surgery and can use a little extra attention.  I am so blessed to be married to him.  It is hard to know he is still in a lot of pain.  The surgery helped what it was supposed to, but other pain probably cannot be fixed.
I found this image in my digi file - I listed the source as The Doodle Garden, but now I cannot locate them on line.  I colored with chalk pencils which work well for me with printer ink!  The sentiment is part of the image, but I cut them apart and separated them with twine - this fits the sketch, which I rotated.  The corners (EK Success) and border (Martha Stewart) are punches.
Sketch:    Sketch Saturday

 Men:       DLArt
Weather:    Pink Gem


Any:   Word Art Wednesday

            Jo's Scrapshack

Relaxin; with an iced latte

DP by Lily of the Valley; Art Impressions image, rubber Cafe sentiment; paper piecing; sequined hat, shiny green gems, gold metallic pen for earrings; the glass is colored to contain iced coffee!
Inside:   "God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things.  Right now I am so far behind I will never die..."
Challenges:
Sketch:    Catch the Bug
Birthday:    Digi Choosday
Birthday with bling:  Great Impressions
Polka Party:   Dragonfly Journeys
Layers:   Art Impressions
Ready for summer:   Crafty Catz
Places to go (the lawn chair!!!):  Frilly and Funkie
Coffee:   Fresh Brewed

In memory of Helen

I prefer a relatively simple style for sympathy cards.  I used two embossing folders - Cuttlebug Swiss dots and Darice sympathy.  The butterfly, black with gold highlights, comes from a Kanban kit.  I added 3 shiny black gems.
Sketch:    Catch the Bug
Black and white with a touch of gold:  City Crafter

Eureka DT card for May 30 - # 195, Anything goes!

The challenge this week at the Eureka Stamps blog is a favorite - anything goes - Eureka Stamps.  We have a fairly large extended family, and each year there are several graduations.  I try to use school colors, if possible, for the card.  That used to be much easier!  With the trend of do-it-yourself announcements, the colors are not so obvious, and even a Google search may not work.  However, I think blue and white is right for the latest graduation!  I used a blue oval for backing of the Eureka digi graduation hat (Digi 18901), then promptly covered it with the circle die cuts for the numbers!  I decided to use my neglected Congratulations folder instead of a sentiment stamp - though I had selected a cool vertical congratulations Eureka Digi -in a bold font.  I will use it another time.  These numbers are by Cuttlebug, from the Olivia alpha set - one of my earliest die purchases.  The strip of ribbon is from a July 4 collection that was buried in my drawer- the hint of fireworks is suitable for a graduation celebration also!
Sketch 271 - reversed:  Try Stampin on Tuesday
Graduation:   Double Click Skittles
Texture:    Incy Wincy
Embossing:   Cuttlebug Mania
"Use it or lose it":   Mod Squad
Digital:  The Paper Shelter
Masculine:   DLArt
Bingo (right column- emboss, die cut, ribbon:  Chocolate, Coffee, Cards
Any:   Cards Galore
            Cre8tive Hands
            Digistamps4joy
            Inspiration Destination 
            Our-crafty-corner 
            Through the Craft Room Door 
            Lemon Shortbread 
            Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
            The Paper Nest Dolls
             Pinspirational
             The Sisters of Craft
             Simon Says Stampblog Wednesday
 
            
              
            

Polka dots

This card is for the weekly Teapot Tuesday challenge at Splitcoaststampers.  Each week we have a selected recipient for our cards.  This week they go to a couple who recently lost a 21 year old son in a tragic accident.  He was an organ donor, so the knowledge that in his death he could help others may provide some comfort.  (Recently a policeman in the Phoenix area was gunned down in an ambush.  He, too, was an organ donor, but I was disappointed that this information was not widely reported on the news.)  Find out more about the Teapot challenge here:  Teapot-Tuesdays-mmtpt409
Dies used:  butterfly - CCDesigns; circle - Nestabilities Majestic Elements;  leaves - Sizzix; flowers - Spellbinders Blooms 2; Sentiment - Cuttlebug,  embossing folder - Cuttlebug.
The Majestic Elements and Sizzix Leaf dies are in the "use it or lose it" category.
Sketch:       Feeling-Sketchy
Polka dots:   Die Cuttin Divas
                       Dragonfly Journeys.
Use it or lose it:   Mod Squad
Sentiment:   Aud Sentiments
Die cuts, flowers:  Inky Impressions
Butterflies:   Little Claires  
Any:   Jo's Scrapshack

Cream and blue birthday

Verse by Verve; 7Gypsies sentiment; shimmery champagne cs, Spellbinder circle dies; cream lace; Swirls embossing folder (Cuttlebug); cream ribbon, star charm. The Cupcake photo inspired the champagne colored swirls.
Sketch:     Verve sketches #2
Birthday:     Star Stampz
                      Allsorts Challenge
                      Dies R Us
                      Polkadoodle
                      Digi Choosday 
Inspiration     Cupcake Inspirations
Embossing:    Cuttlebug Mania
Texture (lace, embossing):  Incy Wincy
Ribbon and charm:  Come and Get It
Star:    Pile It On 
Any:     Word Art Wednesday  
              Classic Design Team Challenge

CAS in red, white, blue

I placed a full sized red layer under the top of the card, to cover the back of the embossing, and to show through the punched edge (Fiskars).  Embossing - Cuttlebug stylized flowers; butterfly die - Cheery Lynn; 7Gypsies sentiment, glitter on the tiny flower topped with a gem; blue cs for the mat and the butterfly.
CHALLENGES:  
Sketch:   Share Joy
Red, white, blue:    Cheery Lynn
Birthday:      Allsorts 
                       AAA Cards
                       Polkadoodle 
                       Dies R Us  
                       Star Stampz
Flowers:        Pink Gem Challenge
Embossing:   Crafting for all Seasons
Glitter:      Sparkle n Sprinkle 
Wings:    Crafty Calendar
                       

DT card for Eureka # 194 - Pretty in Pink

This week the challenge at Eureka Stamps is to use pink. You have until 6pm EDT on Sunday, May 29 to post up to 3 entries, and you have a chance to win digis - more if you use a stamp from Eureka.  I selected this cutie - Shy Girl.  I also chose the sentiment from the Eureka digi selection.  Our church pre-school partners with members as prayer partners, and this would be a good card to use for a prayer partner.
I used a subtle pattern of DP to paper piece the dress, but colored the sleeves.  As I was working on the fussy cutting, I realized the pink DP gave a reddish pink highlight to the hair, so went for a trendy hair do.  The mat for the image is from a Spellbinders Labels die. I used a light dusting of glitter on the outer borders, but of course there are a few sprinkles here and there on the rest of the card.  Little girls love glitter!  I also added a "JOY" brad.
Please stop by the Eureka blog to check out the other fabulous DT inspiration cards, and join us this week -  Eureka Stamps Blogspot.
CHALLENGES:   
Sketch:  Cheerful Sketches
Pink:   Stamps and Stencils
             City Crafter
             Lets Create
Girly:   Chocolate Coffee Cards.
Unusual Hair:   Julia Spiri
Happy  Anything + pink:  In The Pink
Texture (brad, piecing):   Incy Wincy
Feminine:   Hiding in my Craftroom
Monochromatic:   Crafty Creations  
Any, with a die:   Happy Little Stampers
Glitter:   Lawnscaping
                Sparkle n Sprinkle
Any:    A bit more time to craft 
             Craft Your Passion 
             Cre8tive Hands friends
             Cards Galore
             Crafty Catz  
             Digistamps4joy
             DLArt
             Classic Design Team  
             Our-Crafty-Corner
             Through the Craft Room Door
               
             
              

Girl Friends

Art Impressions people and sayings should bring a smile if not a laugh!  I used one of my favorite inside-the-card sayings:  "I don't do exercise... It makes my coffee spill!"
Recipe:  Stamps  -AI;  colored with Prismas;  Funtape washi tape; unknown DP and gems.
CHALLENGES:
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches
Laughing with you:   Art Impressions
Colors:    Your Next Stamp
Any, with sentiment:   Aud Sentiments 
Circles (on washi tape):  Stampotique
"Yummy" :    Double Click Connections   
Food:   Cute Card Thursday
Coffee:   Fresh Brewed 
Tea for Two:   Cardz4galz
Just us Girls:   Chocolate Coffee Cards 
Birthday celebration:  Polkadoodle 

For Margaret

Sadly, my husband's brother-in-law has lost his battle with cancer.  We will send this card as hubby cannot travel that far right now.
The card is 5x7.  It is on shimmery cs with dark blue backing.  The oval is by Spellbinders,  the verses by Verve, and the embossing is Cuttlebug.
Sketch: Jo's Scrapshack
Sentiment only:  Addicted-to-stamps-
Flowers:     Cuttlebug Mania
CAS:      Creative With Stamps
Any + Sketch:  Stamplorations
Any:   Lemon Shortbread
            Through the Craft Room Door
             Tuesday Throwdown 

Encouragement for Bill

Word Art image from October 2015; DP by We R Memory Keepers (The side strips are borders of the same sheet); branch die - Cheery Lynn; the verse is mounted under the oval opening which is sponged and distressed.  There are narrow stickers barely visible at the bottom of the oval.
Sketch:   Sketch Saturday
Sentiment, no image:  Addicted-to-Stamps
Colors (Greens):   DRS Designs
Masculine:    Creative Card Crew
Vintage:    Allsorts
 Shabby Chic:  Deep Ocean
             Lemon Shortbread
             DLArt

Tea Pot Party for Carol

I need advice before I put this in the mail.  Many of you have seen my previous entries in the TeaPot Tuesday challenges.  This week we will be sending cards to Carol  (Teapot-Tuesdays.).  She lost her husband to cancer, and now she is facing a recurrence of breast cancer.  She has really enjoyed square dancing.  I thought of this image, but am not sure it is appropriate.  I do not know Carol at all, so I don't know how she might react to this humorous depiction of a square dancer.  What do you think?
Because she has lost her husband, I used only half of this Art Impressions square dancing couple.
I fussy cut this image.  The chevron strips are Washi tape, and the flower like bits are parts of a Fiskars punch.  The blue strip is ribbon, and I used a Spellbinder oval die for backing.  I added a bit of chalk to edge the tape strips, and distressed the edges.  I think even the image adds to the vintage feel!
Sketch:   Sketch Saturday
Vintage:  Allsorts Challenge
Dies/Punch:  Crafty Catz
Laughing with you:   Art Impressions
Color (dk and lt blue; yellow. green):  Your Next Stamp

Get Well, Marilyn

Our friend has been very ill but fortunately is now on the way to recovery.  She frequently orders cards from me, and I also really enjoy sending her cards for special times.  We are so grateful she is doing better.  This uses a page from a watercolor pack by Ken Oliver; Stampin Up stamp, a bit of pale yellow lace along the right; and Cheery Lynn hummingbirds (a favorite of Marilyn's).
And Jo - this is for you as well.  feel better!
Sketch:   Jo's Scrapshack
Lace:     Paper Shelter
Flowers:   Deep Ocean
                  Crafty Enjoyments
                  Di's Digi Designs
                  A Gem of a Challenge 
                  Simon says stamp Wednesday
Use DP:   Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper

DT card for Eureka Challenge #193 - Quilting or Sewing

When I saw the theme for this week's challenge (Eureka Stamps) I knew I wanted to use a quilting theme, and will probably save this for my sister.  She is an excellent quilter, and owns several specialized sewing machines to work with.  The image is Eureka Heart on a Pendant digi #904, and the sentiment digi 24702.  I thought paper piecing would work well with this image.  However, because of the patterns included on the heart, I had to use solid colored paper.  I am very happy with the result - a dark vanilla and light purple combination.  I used a metallic gel pen for the stripes, and to color the tiny flowers.  I also colored the bow with the sparkly metallic pen.  This was also a great opportunity to use my new Darice Button embossing folder.  A strip of embossed faux stitching (Cuttlebug), some washi tape, and  Prima flower complete the card.  ETA:  I should have mentioned I cut out the heart and bow before adhering the pieced sections.
CHALLENGES:
Sketch:    Viva la Verve #1
Embossing:   Crafting for all Seasons
                       Ikes World
Sentiment:    Aud Sentiments
Empathy:    Path of Positivity
Stripes:   Crafty Gals Corner
Color:    Outlawz Tuesday-Color
Layers:   Scrapbook Stamp Society  
Girlie:  Aloha Friday
 Inspiration (heart; tiny flowers):  Give a crafter a cookie
Not square:  Digi Choosday
DT member:     Classic Design Team
Any:  Cre8tive Hands Friends
           Craft Your Passion
           Crafting With an Attitude 
           Cute as a Button
           Digi Stamps4joy 
           DLArt 
           Lemon Shortbread 
           Inspiration Destination
           Paper Nest Dolls
           Not Just Cards 
            
          

Patriotic cat for Adrienne

Our granddaughter, a cat lover, is very successfully completing her first year at the US Air Force Academy.  It has been a challenging and rewarding year for her, and we want to congratulate and encourage her.  I periodically send her unsigned cards that she in turn can use to send to her friends.  I thought the starry red DP would make a cute cat!  It s an old stamp with the label Sarah Biese.
Sketch:    Your Next Stamp
Paper Piecing:   C.R.A.F.T.
Any:  Penny Black at Allsorts

Tea Pot Tuesday at SplitCoastStampers

If you are not familiar with it, I would like to introduce you to the Tuesday TeaPot Party challenge at SplitCoastStampers.  Each Tuesday participants may create and send a card to a worthy recipient.  This week they go to Veronica, who lost her only child, a 21 year old son, to a tragic accident.  She is having a difficult time, so we hope to send her some encouragement.
Sentiment - Verve; unknown images; Washi tape;  light purple mat cs; mauve panel; Petaloo flowers; sponging; distressed edges.
Sketch:     Sketch Saturday
Distress:    DRS
Colors:     Your Next Stamp
Thinking of you:   Tuesday Throwdown

Eureka Stamps Challenge #192 - April Showers bring May flowers

Tulips are a favorite of mine - such a lovely result of April showers - just not so much here in Arizona.  For this challenge I used the stamp "tulips" and the Blessings sentiment - both available as digis at the Eureka site.  The background is light purple, though on my screen it looks blue!  I added ribbon and some tiny punched butterflies, which I covered in sparkly purple glitter mixed with gold..  Please join us with your floral entries.  You can win 2 digis of your choice - 3 if your entry uses an image from Eureka.
CHALLENGES: 
Sketch:     Sweet Sketch Wednesday2
Inspiration:   Dar and Diane
Spring colors:   Little Claires
Glitter:  Sparkle n Sprinkle
Die cuts and flowers:  Inky Impressions 
Flowers:    Deep Ocean
Any:    Creative Fingers
             2 Crafty Girls 
             Crafting in a beautiful mess
             Creative Card Crew
             Doodle Pantry
             Not Just Cards       
             The Paper Nest Dolls        
             Through the Craft Room Door

White on dark

A friend pointed out the gallery of Eager Beaver, at SplitCoastStampers, and I was intrigued by several of her cards using white cut outs on dark DP.  They were stunning.  I do not have any floral dies similar to hers, but I decided to try with this Cheery Lynn butterfly and sentiment.  My result is not any thing like hers, but it is a style I will probably try to repeat - and improve. I think this qualifies for the challenge to use a technique that is unlike what we usually do.
The three small panels are DCWV.  I embossed the bg with a Cuttlebug Swirls folder.
Sketch:    Die Cuttin Divas
Butterfly:   Cuttlebug Mania
Garden creature:  Pile it on 
Opposites:     Frilly and Funkie

Happy Mothers' Day

My mother and mother-in-law both passed away several years ago, and I still miss them.  They each lived to their mid 90's so were blessed with full lives.  They were blessings to us and I hope we were also to them.  Now we are in turn blessed to have a daughter and daughter-in-law who are great mothers to their children.  We pray for all mothers that they may know this love and be blessings and good examples to their families.
On to this card - I am a bit frustrated because I chose the colors for a color challenge, only to find I had had too many interruptions and missed the deadline!  But there are other challenges...
Image - One of my all time favorites - Stampin Up -Garden Collage; water color pencils;  Embossing - Darice Butterfies; butterfly punch - Marvy; sheer ribbon; Fiskars border punch.
Note:  I used my heat gun to "melt" the ribbon - was not careful enough and the whole strip melted away.  Suggestion - point the heat away from the card!
Sketch:    Mojo Monday
Flowers:   Mod Squad
Butterflies:   Cuttlebug Mania
Tic Tac Toe (top row):  Creative Knockouts
Any:     Inspiration Destination
              Creative Card Crew 
              Stamped Blessings
              Word Art Wednesday

Graduation - Jason

I try to use school colors for graduation cards - the school represented here did not really show colors, but, judging from uniforms and the graduation invitation, I think that black and burgundy are right.   You might be able to see that the top panel is burgundy, embossed with a portion of the Cuttlebug  Congratulations folder.  I lightly sanded this so some white will show through.  I used a bit of a Spellbinder banner die to "hang" the banner with the year on it.  Washi tape separates the embossed piece from the DP.
Sketch:    Iuesday Morning
Black and white, 1 color:   Crafty Creations
Banner:     Crafting for all Seasons
Any:    Creative Card Crew
             Through the Craft Room Door

Sunny Greetings

This card will go to the weekly RAK recipient of the TeaPot Tuesday challenge at SplitcoastStampers (Teapot-Tuesdays).  This is challenge #406.  I have been around since #1, though I regret that the past little while I have not always made the party!  This time our cards go to Polly, age 72,  who was injured when her car was struck head on by a speeding motorist.  Polly has many, many broken bones and faces multiple surgeries and of course a long rehab.  You are most welcome to join the party and send a card - you do not have to be a member of SplitCoast or of the tea party group.  If you need help with her address, let me know in a comment.
Polly taught piano, so music is one of the suggested themes.  This image stamp is Our Daily Bread and the sentiment is DRS.   The papers are from my stash,  Punch by Martha Steward; sun die from Cuttlebug Olivia set; swirls by Cuttlebug.
Sketch:   Mojo Monday
Sunshine:    Words2craftby
Summertime:   Dragonfly-Dreams
Garden:    Pile it on 
Creatures:    Dream Valley
Any:    Amusing-Challenge
             Penny Black at Allsorts  
             Word Art Wednesday

New technique???

This is a terrible image because of the shiny panel,  You will have to trust me!  I am excited about a discovery that some of you have probably done a lot.  For a recycling piece I used the foil lid on a coffee can.  I intended to cut the Cuttlebug Thanks, but since the foil was thinner than cs, it did not cut.  Instead, it sort of embossed - looks a lot like what I call tin art that was popular a few years ago - using a nail to create tiny holes in metal.  I did sponge some black ink but it did not really fill in the word outline as I expected.  I also die cut the stars and the Spellbinder banner (border) from the coffee can foil.  This is another favorite color combo - black and white, this time with silver.  I was recently in a gift shop and saw a large collection of CAS black and white cards.  I wanted to take pictures of all of them!  The embossing is a Darice hearts folder.  I think this would be suitable as a masculine thank you.
Sketch:   Mojo Monday
Recycle:   Frilly and Funkie
Favorite colors:   Pink Gem
Masculine:    Inky Impressions
Paper embellishments (stars, scallops):  Addicted-to-stamps

For any mom - Eureka challenge #191

My mom has been gone for several years, so I made a card for any mom.
 This week the challenge at Eureka Stamps, #191, (Eureka Stamps Blogspot) is to create a feminine or Mother's Day card.  You have until Sunday, May 8, at 3pm EDT to enter.  You may enter up to 3 times, and you can win 2 Eureka digi images - three, if you use an image from Eureka. Please join us! I used a pretty image called "Mixed Bouquet", and a sentiment that says "It's a special day".  You can find both of these digis and many more, both rubber stamps and digis, at the Eureka site.
I used this sentiment so it could be for any woman on Mother's Day.  I chose soft pastels - the green and white is one of my favorite combos.  The delicate butterfly is by Cheery Lynn, and I added some frilly ribbon.
Sketch:    House that Stamps Built
Mother's Day:   DLart 
                            Jo's Scrapshack
                            Mod Squad 
                            Cheery Lynn 
                            The Stamping Boutique
May Flowers:     Aloha Friday Challenges 
Butterflies:          Cuttlebug Mania       
Wings:                  Digichoosday
Dots/Stripes:        Deep Ocean 
Pastels:                 Di's digi designs
Layers:                 Creative Knockouts
Fave color combo:   Pink Gem
Book (Secret Garden    C.R.A.F.T.
Any:      A Beautiful Mess
              Addicted to Stamps
              Cre8tivehandsfriends
              Creative Fingers 
              Inspiration Destination
              Lemon Shortbread 
              Not Just Cards
              Simon Wednesday
              WordArt 
              Crafty Gals Corner