For Adrienne

Image - QKR Stampede; comouter generated thank you.  Misc. papers from my stash.
This goes to our granddaughter, a student at the Air Force Academy.  She is a member of Wings of Blue, the parachute team - she has nearly 250 jumps in a little more than a year!
Sketch:  Stella Say Sketch
Girls have fun:   Crafty Catz
Any:   Inspiration Destination
            Simon Says Stamp Wednesday

Double Gate fold

I have made gate fold but never double ones!  I have lots of double sided paper and this is a good way to use it.
There is a tutorial at SplitCoastStampers. 
The bottom photo is a particalview of the inside.

Paper - unknown
Snowflake punch
Image - Close to my Heart
Sentiment (inside) - Eureka digi

Under the weather challenge:  Heart 2 Heart
Snow:   Mod Squad
Any:    Simon Says Stamp Wednesday

Flower Pot - GDT card for Scribbles Designs

It is time for more inspiration for the current challenge at Scribbles Designs.  You have until Nov. 14 to submit your entry.  See the details here. We hope to see your entry soon!
For this card, I used the image called Flower Pot, available at the Scribbles store.

 

I used Prisma colored pencils and some shiny gel pens to color the image.  The DP is from my stash, and the strip at the left is Washi tape.  The flower was a prize from the Netherlands - the label says RMS.
To back the image I used a technique from the current Falliday Fest challenge at SplitCoastStampers.  The technique called for inking up an acrylic block and applying the ink to the cs  for a background.  I opted to use a light touch with the ink for a shadowy effect.  (Hint - for a digi image, I first printed one on scratch paper to determine where the image would print on the cs.  I measured in from the edge of the cs, and then stamped from the acrylic block.  Let it dry, then ran it through the printer.  Voila!  The image printed on top of the bg.  But I am sure you can figure this out  LOL!!)
Challenges entered:  
Sketch:    VLV Sketches
Inspiration (background):  Addicted to Stamps 
Any:   Crafty Sentiments 
            Creative Fingers 
            Morgans Artworld
            Lemon Shortbread 
            Polkadoodle
            Paper Nest Dolls 
            World Wide Open Design Team

TeaPot party for CalVets

This week the cards from SplitCoastStampers Tea Pot Party will go to CalVets.  They give cards to resident veterans.
The deer is die cut from a piece of card stock prepared with a faux, iced leather technique found here 
The die is by Poppy Stamps, and the  branches are Cheery Lyn dies.
Sketch:.  Tuesday Morning
Leaves:   Dies R Us
Christmas:   Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge2.
                      ABC Christmas Challenge  

Scarecrow for Halloween - DT card for QKR Stampede

I don't usually do Halloween cards, so this cute scarecrow will have to do!  He does not seem to be scary enough- it looks like he is attracting birds rather than scaring them LOL!  The bats and birds in the background are part of the DP.  At the bottom is a piece of felt - I cut it to look like a fence or dried grass - take your pick.  This is for one of the Falliday challenges at SplitCoastStampers.  I added button dies tied with twine.
This week the challenge at QKR Stampede is once again Anything Goes, with a Halloween Option.  This QKR image is called Scarecrow with friends.  You may enter the challenge a maximum of 3 times,  Winners receive QKR images.  The deadline for entries is 3 p.m. eastern time on Thursday.
Challenges entered: 
Sketch:    Sketch Saturday
Halloween:     Kitty Bee
                         Dis Digi Designs 
                         Dragonfly Journeys
                         Delicious Doodles 
 Cute:       Crafty Friends
 Dress up:    Incy Wincy
 Any:   Creative Fingers
             Jo's Scrapshack     
             Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Sport lover

Pre colored image by Dearie Doll, from a couple of years ago. Hi is by QKR Stampede. Grass die and baseball die by Die-Namics.  This goes to our son-in-law who will be hospitalized in rehab for several more weeks.  He is hopeful the Astros will win the World Series!
This will also be entered in the Falliday Fest challenge at SplitCoastStampers.
Sketch:  Sketch Saturday
Any, with a die:  Happy Little Stampers

Reuse and recycle

The image is recycled from my stash of Christmas cards received; sentiment is SU; the silver oval at the bottom is the recycled foil cover from an International Coffee tin. The snowflake is cut from a bit of extra part of the card.
Sketch:   Sketch Saturday
Recycle:  Scrap-craft-inspiration.

Birthday Vines

Stamp - Close to my Heart; Die-namics vine die' Button dies; twine; tiny circle punch; misc. papers.
Sketch:  Feeling-Sketchy
Vine and Twine:   Heart2heart
Any:   Crafty Creations

Operation quiet Comfort

Over at SplitCoastStampers the Falliday Fest is wrapping up.  One of the destinations for a card drive is Operation Quiet Comfort - this time, specifically, a thank you for the military.  I combined it with the challenge to recognize something beautiful - in this case, gratitude for the troops protecting America the Beautiful.  The stamp is part of a Close to my Heart set.
Sketch:   Stella Says Sketch
Beautiful:  Heart2Heart

Christmas 2017, 10-21

This lovely DP came in a grab bag of supplies - no labels!  The stars are acrylic stickers; the stamp - Stampalicious; die cut added to the corner.  The bas cs is dark green.
Sketch:   Stella Says Sketch
Leaves (on dp):  Double D
Nature (tree):   Penny Black at Allsorts 
Creatures:  Southern Girls
Any Christmas:  Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge2
                             ABC Christmas Challenge  

Scribbles Guest design with Sunshine Mason Jar

 

I have an exciting announcement this morning.  For the next three months, I will be a guest designer at the Scribbles Designs Challenge.  You are welcome to check out the theme and join in the fun.  The photo above is inspiration for this challenge which ends Nov. 15.  Check out the details of the challenge here:  Scribbles Designs Challenge.Blogspot

The Scribbles shop has so many cute images, including several already filled mason jars and the corresponding sentiments.  Find them here.  For my card I added a couple of extra suns - included with the image.  I colored the image with Prisma pencils, and fussy cut the jar and the suns, then tied a bit of raffia around the neck of the jar.  (Not to worry - GDT cards do not necessarily follow the theme!)

Challenges entered:  

Sketch and color:   Your Next Stamp  

Hand colored image:    My Creative Scoop

Thinking of you:   Mod Squad

Any:   Lemon Shortbread
            Artistic Inspirations 
            Crafty Creations
            A Perfect Time to Craft

Another Thinking of You for son-in-law

I scored bit at a yard sale last week end - got lots of fabulous papers, and a lovely Close to my Heart stamp set, including this Thinking of You stamp.  I could have purchased a lot more, but I am trying hard to be reasonable!!!  This is another card for our son-in-law who will be spending the next six weeks at a rehab facility, while he has therapy to recover from a stroke.- learning how to walk again.
This card is entered in the challenges below, but also in the Splitcoaststampers Falliday challenge - HBrown asked us to make examples using fall colors with no white or vanilla.  The leaves are die cuts.
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches
Plaid:     Heart2heart
Leaves:     Dies r us
                  Crafty Sentiments
Close to Nature:    Penny Black at Allsorts  
Sentiment:    Dis Digi Designs
For the boys:   Dream Valley (10 Ch. max) 

Snowbird - QKR Stampede Anything Goes challenge #266

 

This week the challenge at QKR Stampede is a true Anything Goes - no option.  Here in AZ the snowbirds are returning - although more frequently they are referred to as Winter Visitors.  They have  quite an impact on our community.  We hope you will join our weekly challenge - great QKR images are offered to the winners.  You may enter up to 3 times before the deadline at 3 p.m. EDT on Thursday. 

This snowbird image is called "Any Where South".  It is available here as a stamp or in digital form.  I colored him with Prismas,  The pieces of DP are sage colored, and I found some matching fiber.  I will also add this to my gallery at SplitCoastStampers - in LMcAree's Falliday challenge to use a bird.

CHALLENGES ENTERED:

Sketch:    Sweet Sketch Wednesday2

Hand colored image:    My Creative Scoop

Dress up (this snow bird is all dressed up for the journey south!):  Incy Wincy

Any:    Artistic Inspirations

            Corrosive Challenges

            Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

            Crafty Creations 

            Lemon Shortbread

            Jo's Scrapshack 

            Pammies Inky Pinkies 

            Paper Nest Dolls 

            Through the Craft Room Door

            Scrappers-Delights

            Ikes World

Recycled Christmas ~ 2017

Another recycled card.  I used this pretty holly branch panel, with its own gold border, from a card in my stash!  It is on cream cs, so I used shimmery cream cs for the background.  If you squint just right you may be able to see the evenly spaced score lines along the bottom.  The sentiment is from a set of dies I bought on line - it comes in a border, so I just cut off the words.
Sketch:   Sketch Saturday
Any:   Creative Fingers 
           Crafty Catz 

Fall Thinking of You

This card will be sent to a woman in NC who is seriously ill and needs some cheer.  This is through the Tea Pot Party group at SplitCoastStampers.  I am also placing it in my gallery at SCS for a Falliday challenge - a textured fall card.  The top panel is glittery wire edged ribbon.  I took advantage of striped DP by K&;Co, but added the negative shiny gold sticker strips.  The die cut sentiment is from Cuttlebug.
Tic Tac Toe (Ribbon,  bling, sticker):  Unstampabelles
Sketch:    Sketch Saturday
 Stripes:   Pink Gem
Any:    Jo's Scrapshack

Christmas 2017 - recycled

I am continuing with my personal challenge of recycling at least a few of the manycards I have been accumulating over the years.  Sorry the colors are not good - the DP is more of a teal and not as purple as it appears.  The dies came in an unmarked package.
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches
Christmas:   ABC Christmas
                      12 Months of Christmas
Any:   Digi Choosday
           Word Art Wednesday
         

Shaped card - The Crafter's Cafe DT card ~ challenge #183

This week the challenge at The Crafter's Cafe is to create a shaped card.  I used Spellbinder's Opulent Ovals.  The image is Vintage Couture by digistamps4joy.  See more examples of this lovely vintage dress by fellow teamies here:  Crafters Cafe.  I colored mine with watercolor pencils and  a water brush.  The colored frame is a dark teal. 
Challenges entered:
Shaped card:   C.R.A.F.T.
Colored image:   My Creative Scoop 
Add a sentiment:   Dis Digi Designs 
Die cut + sentiment:     Aud Sentiments
Cool colors:   Artistic Inspirations 
Any:    Crafty Friends

For Terry

This is another card for our son-in-law who faces a long recuperation from a massive stroke.  Since my hubby is physically unable to travel to see him, I will send a lot of cards!  It has been a long time since I have used Riley.  Since Terry is a hunter, I thought he would appreciate this recovering moose.  I got to use some papers ((K&Co.) that were part of a yard sale purchase today - with brown mats..  (Hi, Dawn!)
Over at SplitCoastStampers one of the Falliday challenges, by StampMomma, is to use a fall card to acknowledge our blessings.  We are blessed that Terry has begun his recovery.
Sketch:   VLV Sketches
Fall:   Mod Squad
Stripes:   Southern Girls
                 Pink Gem
Nature:   Penny Black at Allsorts  
For the boys:   Dream Valley
Use brown:   Sami Stamp

SCS Falliday with QKR Stampede DT card

Once again the  weekly challenge at QKR Stampede is anything goes.  Including the optional "pumpkin" is totally up to you.  You may upload up to 3 projects before 3pm EDT on Thursday Oct. 19. Winners are awarded digis from the QKR Stampede store - you get extras if you use a QKR or Eureka image.  This cutie is called Autumn Breeze, and the I Miss You is from the store as well.    I am combining this with the Falliday Fest at SplitCoastStampers.  Annsforte is the hostess for this challenge which involved a technique new to me.  It is called the yarn block technique, and you can find more detail by checking out her link.  Briefly, wrap yarn or twine around a block - I used twine.  Apply white paint to the yarn, then "stamp" on dark cs.  This image is colored with watercolor pencils and a water pen.  I added a flower button by Basic Grey.  I also added glitter to the snowy background, but you can't see it here.
Sketch:    Cheerful Sketches
Hand colored:   My Creative Scoop 
Autumn colors:   Deep Ocean
Fall:    Crafty Sentiments
            Ikes World
            Mod Squad
Orange:    Sasayakiglitter
Inspiration:   Pinspirational
Add a sentiment:   Di's Digi Designs  
Any:     Createful Heart
             Digi Choosday 
             Pammies Inky Pinkies
             Paper Nest Dolls
             Lemon Shortbread
             Classic Design Team
             Through the Craft Room Door
             A Perfect Time to Craft
             Crafting-with-friends
             

Masked CAS

I masked the edges to create the stripes with Twinkling H20 inks applied with a water brush.  Thanks is  Cuttlebug die, and I added a few punched circles.
This is a card created for 2 challenges at SplitCoastStampers - making for  a Falliday challenge, and a thank you for the Teapot Tuesday - we are sending RAK cards to first responders in Las Vegas.
Any:   Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
RAK:    Die Cuttin Divas
Thanks:   House that Stamps Built 

Hugs and prayers for Terry

                                                      
I have a prayer request for those of you who would like to join us.  Our son in law, who is relatively young (late 50's) had a massive stroke on Fri.  All efforts to remove the clot failed, but thankfully tests reveal minimal swelling and bleeding.  Mobility on the left side is greatly limited, but his speech is fairly good.  We cannot go there because of my husband's severe pain, so that is hard.  Our daughter and grandchildren need our prayer support also.  I will be making him more cards!  This image is from Dearie Doll.  The sentiment is in my file but I could not find a source.  Papers are DCWV, and the oval dies are Spellbinders.
Sketch:   Sweet Sketch Wednesday2
Die cut + sentiment:   Aud Sentiments
Any:       Colour Crazy 
                Crafty Catz
                Creative Fingers 
                Polkadoodle 
                Word Art Wednesday

SCS Falliday for Lori; HB Paul

For our son's birthday.  Since he is an avid hunter and fisherman there is an almost endless choice of images!   This is a digi from TLC - October 2014!  I distressed the Cuttlebug embossing.  The die cut grass is by Die-namics, and the sentiment is Eureka.
Sketch:   Stella Says Sketch
Layers:   Star Stampz
Birthday:   Pink Gem 
Die cut + Sentiment:   Aud Sentiments

Christmas Blessings 2017 - stampmommas fall fest

This will be my first entry in this year's splitcoaststampers Falliday Fest - there will be 30 challenges, and we have until the end of Oct. to complete them.  I already know I will not attempt all 30 this year, but I will do several, and probably multiples of some of them.  This one required the word Blessings for a Christmas or fall card.  You will see more I am sure.  What are my blessings?  Too many to count.  However, the ones that have especially touched me recently are faith, family and friends.  My husband I, and our families, have experienced a fair amount of adversity recently,   Hubby's back pain has not responded well to treatment, and he was recently diagnosed with Parkinsons.  At the moment our son-in-law is hospitalized as a result of a serious stroke.  At the least he faces a very long recovery.  You can see why I am blessed to have faith, family and friends for support.
This Nativity die is unnamed; the Blessings if from Cheery Lynn.  The ribbon is metallic, and the base is dark blue.  Maybe I should cut the dies with the same blue cs rather than black.  What do you think?
Sketch    VLV Sketches.
Unlimited:   ABC Christmas Challenge
Christmas:    Simon Says Stamp
Any (option - CAS):  Crafty Catz 
Any:    Word Art Wednesday

Shabby Autumn leaves - Option for QKR Stampede Anything Goes challenge #264

  

I have several images featuring trees, but this is the only one with a grin!  All the leaves meet the option for the Anything Goes challenge for QKR Stampede - Autumn Leaves.  Remember, using the option is up to you.  The image is called Old Tree, and the sentiment is also from QKR Stampede.  The pattern paper is from a Fall Stack by DCWV.  I colored the leaves and tree trunk using water color pencils (quite a few colors!) and my aqua brush.  I added to the shabby look by distressing the edges.  The oval dies are from Spellbinders.
CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Inspiration - colors and trees (at left):    Victorine
Sketch #288:   Sketch Saturday
Lots of layers:    Star Stampz
Shabby:    Fussy and Fancy
Die cut + sentiment:  Aud Sentiments
Any + option - orange and brown:  Scrapbook Stamp Society
Inspiration (tree):   Die- Cut-Divas
                                                      Smile:  Creative Moments
                                                      Fall colors:  Dare 2b Artzy
                                                                            Daranddiane (Double D)  
                                                                            Mod Squad
                                                      Any:   Paper Nest Dolls
                                                                  World Wide Open Design Team 
                                                                   Pammies 
                                                                   Crafty Creations
                                                                   Day Dreamer
                                                                   Jo's Scrapshack 
                                                                   Polkadoodle 
                                                                   Createfulheartcards
                                                                   Hiding in my Craft Room

Sympathy for Evelyn

We belatedly learned that a friend of ours had lost her son during the summer.  It seems a bit late to send a sympathy card, so I made this one to let her know we are thinking of her.  I used some DP from my stash, and embossed the mocha piece with my Victoria embossing folder.  The Blessings is from a Cheery Lynn die, and the butterflies are punched.  Even though the loss of a loved one is a sad occasion, Evelyn shares the belief that we have a glorious life to look forward to.  Edited:  I should have added that her son was middle aged.

Sketch # 259:    Sketch Saturday
A (sad) life event:   Dies r us Challenge
Any Shape but square w/ quartz:   Butterfly Spot
Blessings:   House That Stamps Built 
Color inspiration:   Die-cut-Divas
Any:   Crafty Sentiments 



 

Thinking of you

Cards for Curt, Jeri, Kerry - previously posted

Recycled Christmas 10-1-17

This continues my goal of recycling many of the cards I have been saving for a while!  I mounted the original card on dark blue cs; tapered the top, and added punched gold stars.  I opened a brand new  piece of ribbon - it says Merry Christmas  (this does not show up on the photo but the two words are imprinted in gold on the ribbon).  I hope the local Navy Mom who is sending 100 boxes to the troops will be able to use a few more cards.
Sketch:   Tuesday Morn Sketches
2 word sentiment:   Aud Sentiments
Never used item (ribbon):    djkardkreations

My debut as a member of the Crafter's Cafe DT

I am excited to join the Crafter's Cafe Design Team, beginning today.  There will be a new challenge on the 1st and 15th of each month.  This time the challenge is to use dies or punches.  You may have as many as 3 entries, but please limit the number of challenges per entry to 10. My card features the Eureka image called Love Potion.  The sentiment is also by Eureka.
I used Spellbinder circle dies.  The base die cut is from their Majestic Element set.  Hard to see in the corner are a couple of punched butterflies.  The background papers come from a kit by Kanban. 
CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Sketch:   Stella Says Sketch
Focus on  a sentiment/verse:    Allsorts
                                                     Double D 
Layers:     Creative Knockouts
Any:          Creative Moments 
                   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday 
                    Word Art Wednesday
                    Day Dreamer