Reindeer Trio

Happy Leap Year! Can you believe we already have been through 2 months this year. Time flies by. It's kind of scary. For all those who have a birthday today may your day be very special (as it only happens once every 4 years!) So for my leap day card you would have thought I'd be thinking of frogs, but nope! You get reindeer. Who knew!

I haven't done too much with Christmas so far and I've told myself that I was going to work harder to have Christmas cards done before Christmas this year. So this is a card featuring Bugaboo's Make it Snappy - Reindeer Trio. I colored it with Copic and Bic markers and framed it with Spellbinder's Lattice Rectangles. I used a Simon Says Snowflake stencil and Iced Spruce distress ink for the background. The border punch is Swirly Lace. I used the smallest star in the MFT Pierced Star Stax for the embellishment. I forgot I had these dies and I think it's the first time I've used them. I die cut 6 of them and glued them together to make the embellishment and added a self-adhesive rhinestone.
I am entering these challenges:

• Rudolph Days: Christmas anything goes
• Stella Sketch #404: sketch
• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown: stenciling
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: use a sentiment
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Extra challenge: Christmas anything goes

So I am ending February with Christmas. The weather was beautiful yesterday and today and I hope to get out for a walk this afternoon. Nice and sunny. Yesterday it was in the 60s but today it dropped into the 50s. Tomorrow we have rain so March may come in like a lion. Thanks for stopping by. Make this an awesome week!

Donna

He Is Risen

Here I am at the eleventh hour again adding my card for the i {heart} sketches with a twist #140. This time I didn't use the sketch but I used the twist: make a shaped card.

This beautiful image is From the Heart called Risen Easter Egg. I think it's just an amazing image. And I had to color it twice because the first time I made it too big. LOL! I'm sure I'll use the other one on another card. This was colored with Bic and Copic markers. I added Wink of Stella to the larger flowers and butterfly. It really sparkles nicely. The base card is yellow, although you can't actually see it. I added Spellbinders Lacey Ovals as a backdrop for the egg. Really love this one.
I am entering these challenges:

• i {heart} sketches with a twist: make a shaped card
• Hiding in my Craft Room: any holiday
• 30 Days of Coloring challenge: color an image
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

Okay back to work as I have a couple more cards to complete before the end of the month. Cutting things close. Why didn't I remember February was a short month. Take care.

Donna

Under the Sea

It's a new challenge at The Outlawz CAS challenge. This week we are going to the sea. The challenge is to use something on or in the sea.

I really love this card! I used a retired set from Gina K Stamps but I used a fun technique that I learned from Jennifer McGuire called Distress Ink Lifting. I heat embossed the images on a scrap of card stock. I covered the entire scrap with Salty Ocean Distress ink. Then I took water and "painted" the inside of the images and it lifts the color from the image. Then I used other colors of distress ink to kind of fill in the images. I also lifted some of the blue to make it look like there was currents in the water. I added a sentiment from the set. Just love this one and I'll be using this technique again. It was lots of fun. I hope you'll join us this week and play along with our "sea" challenge at the Outlawz CAS.

I am entering these challenges:

• Seize the Birthday: birthday anything goes
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps and More: make your mark
• CASology:distress
• Beccy's Place: anything goes
• 30 Days of Coloring: coloring

I am off to do some more crafting today. I have several cards I need finished by the end of the month and that's coming up pretty quickly. So I'm sure I'll be back later today with all my last minute stuff. It never changes. LOL! Have a super Sunday!

Donna

Floating By

Happy Friday! I've been kind of missing this week. Not because I haven't been crafting but I've been working on a few design team projects that are coming up. I'm looking forward to some crafting time this weekend. We are having friends for dinner tomorrow night and spend the evening playing bridge. So I'll have to clean tomorrow. But Sunday I hope to get in some crafty time. I have a cute card tonight and I like how it turned out.

The image is a pre-colored image from Imagine That Digi Stamps called Honey & Boo Balloons. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. I die cut the image with MFT Inside and Out Stitched rounded Corner Squares. I backed it with Spelbinder's Lacy Square die cut and popped it up from the card with foam tape. The background star paper is from DeeDee's Digis (unfortunately closed). Ans backed the panel with black to pop the color. The sentiment panel was just cut and inked with red distress ink and backed with more black scraps. I popped it up also. I used the Tuesday Morning Sketches sketch for this week as inspiration.

I am entering these challenges:

• Creative Playground challenge (Imagine That): show us your heart
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: the sketch
• Catch the Bug: tic tac toe: heart, pink, designer paper
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• Seize the Birthday: anything goes

Wishing you a wonderfully relaxing weekend! Thanks for dropping by my blog to check out my creations. I hope you'll stop back often.

Hugs,

Donna

Happy Easter

I have a second card for you today. Of course I waited until the last minute to get my i {heart} sketches done for the week. I love doing them so why do I wait until I have so little time to post. Lord only knows why! But here's my card.

I started to think about Easter (and St. Patrick's day) but when I saw this cute image I just had to color it up! Now that it's put together I wish I had added some wispy clouds behind him. Oh well, too late. I used the sketch from i {heart} sketches with a twist #139. The twist was to use a number. I didn't do that part.

The image is Easter Bunny at From the Heart Stamps. He was colored with a mixture of Copic and Bic markers. The sentiment is from the same set. The image was die cut with MFT inside and out stitched rounded corner square. I cut the next size up in a plaid scrap piece from my scrap box. And faux stitched around the outside as in the sketch. I left it pretty simple.

I entering these challenges:

• i {heart} sketches with a twist #139: sketch
• CASology: egg
• 30 Days of Coloring challenge: color an image
• Addicted to Stamps: anything goes

I can't believe that I have the rest of the day to craft if I want. So before I do that I'm going to get some exercise and then see if I can get inky again. Have a wonderful start to your week. Thank you for visiting and I hope you come back to see me soon.

Hugs to you all,

Donna

Game On

Welcome Sunday and another CAS challenge at The Outlawz. This week we have a fun challenge involving movies. Do you have a favorite movie? We'd like you make a project about your favorite movie and tell us why it's your favorite. The design team cards are fabulous this week. Some of the cards made make it obvious what movie they were going for but some are more cryptic. I think I have one of the more cryptic ones. LOL!

Can you guess this movie from this card? I think there are several movies that it could be. The Replacements came to mind and I think there's anew one out about football too but I haven't seen it. But my favorite is The Blind Side. I think Sandra Bullock is brilliant in that movie and I love that it's a true story and so inspirational! My background paper is from Doodle Pantry's Sports Digi Paper Pack.. The helmet is from our sponsor this week, Scrapcuts by Judy. The sentiment is from DeeDee's Digis (now closed). I cut the helmet several times and layered it so it would pop up off the card. Of course the hrlmet had to be blue for our favorite team, the Colts. I'll hold on to this card until August when football starts again and then I'll send it to my son Dan who is my football nut. 

I hope you'll check out the fun this week at the Outlawz CAS challenge. I am entering these challenges:

• Less is More: add texture
• Hiding in my Craft Room: CAS
• Through the Craft Room Door:anything goes

Thanks for stopping by today. Here's hoping your weekend is finding you relaxing or crafting or doing something that's fun. Until next time you stop by, take care!

Donna

Birthday Wishes

Happy Saturday! I am coming to you via my new computer. It's a cheap lap top that my hubby bought this week so he could use the more powerful one for other things. But I'm sure it will suit my purposes just fine. The other one had a lot of features that I didn't use and some were just down right annoying so I'm sure I'll be happy with this new one.
Had a little time to craft this afternoon, after I took a long walk outside. Seriously it was 68 degrees in February. Last week at this time the winds were howling and we had wind chills below zero. Indiana weather is so unpredictable.I made a birthday card after my walk.

I used a couple of challenges as inspiration for this card. The Tuesday Morning Sketches was the sketch that I used.

The image is from Bugaboo Stamps called Birthday Penguin. I colored the image with Copics. The sentiment is from Hero Arts and I used my MISTI to stamp the sentiment. The image panel is a die from Gina Marie called Wine Label Tag. I added some Stickles and added pearls for the penguin's buttons and then also pearls on the flourish. The background paper was cut with MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags from chevron (Christmas) paper.The flourish is alos an MFT die-namic.

I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch
• Catch the Bug Bingo: tic tac toe (pearl, Bugaboo image, tag)
• Inspiration Destination: anything goes
• Seize the Birthday: anything goes

Hope you have a fabulous weekend. I'll be back tomorrow with the new CAS challenge from The Outlawz. Thanks for stopping by today!

Donna

Merry Christmas

I haven't done any Christmas so far this month so I have to get moving on some Christmas cards.

I went CAS with this card. The candle image is from The Stamping Boutique. I colored the image with Copic markers and the snow on the window is covered with Wink of Stella.The Merry Christmas sentiment is from Paper Smooches and I added a few star sequins from my stash.
I am entering these challenges:

• Merry Monday Christmas challenge: berries
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: blue
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Extra: anything goes Christmas
• 12 Months of Christmas Linkup: winter wonderland
• ABC Christmas: 'D" Don't Overdo It
• 30 Days of Coloring: color an image

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I hope your week is going well. Heading toward the weekend. Yeah! Take care.

Donna

New Arrival

Well, the weather around here is very strange. The snow is melting as our temps have been above freezing the last few days. And by Friday it's supposed to be 60 degrees here. At one time they were predicting more snow for today. But the rain went south of us and the snow went north of us and we were dry in between all that messy weather. I did go out for a short walk at lunch though.
My card tonight is for a friends new grandchild. The baby is due at the end of the month and I crocheted a blanket and I cross-stitched a bib, so I needed a card for the present. I love how this turned out.

Isn't this Bugaboo image so adorable. This image is called Baby Flower Pot and I think it's perfect since we don;t know the gender of the baby. I used the neutral colors of yellow and green. I also used the Stella Sketch from Catch the Bug challenge.

I used a plaid scrap and the green background card stock is also from my scrap box. I embossed the background with Flower Garden embossing folder inked with Mowed Lawn distress ink. The flower border is punched from an ek Success punch. I didn't write down where I got the sentiment. I die cut it with a QuikCutz tag and inked the edges with Copic markers. The image is colored with Copics also. I really love the way this one turned out. Hope you like it too.

I am entering these challenges:

• Stella Sketch: sketch
• Crafty Sentiment Design: let's get sentimental
• Hiding in my Craft Room: super scraps Saturday
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Beccy's Place: any paper craft

Work was so busy today and the day flew by. I did some security assignment last week and I got a bunch of called and emails today looking for an explanation. I'm betting that tomorrow will likely be the same. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope I've inspired you in some way. Have a wonderful day!

Donna

Whoo's having a birthday?

Happy Monday! We shoveled 4 inches of light and fluffy snow last night. It got above freezing today so most of the streets are clear. It's supposed to be 60 degrees by Friday so I'm thinking the snow won't last too long. Had my yearly mammogram today. I exercised this morning and made a couple of recipes. And I got a few minutes to create a card.

This was quick and easy. The background stamps are from Inkadinkadoo Stamps called Delicate Branches. I stamped them in Versa Mark ink to just give them a shadow affect. The image is from Bugaboo Stamps and believe it or not it's called Owl. The sentiment is from Paper Makeup Stamps (who sadly is no longer in business). I popped the owl up off the card after I fussy cut the image. And it really looks like the owl is popping off the card!
I am entering these challenges:

• Catch the Bug challenge: keep it simple
• Seize the Birthday: anything goes
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: one layer
• Craft Your Passion: anything goes

I hope your week is off to a good start. I'm going to try to craft some more this evening. There are several cards that I need to make this week. Thanks for stopping by.

Donna

You Warm my Heart

We got 3-4 inches of snow today. We haven't been out to shovel yet but that's up next. I'm getting this out at the last minute again. I had a little time this afternoon to make a card. And the snow outside gave me some inspiration for the card.

This is the stamp of the month at From the Heart Stamps called Snowman and Cocoa. I colored the image with Copic markers. I used Baby Blue Stickles to decorate the snowman's hat. The sentiment reads: "It may be cold outside but thinking of you always warms my heart." The whole stamp set is just so adorable! I popped up the sentiment and added three small plastic snowflake embellishments from my stash. I used the sketch from i {heart} sketches with a twist #138. The twist was to make it a Valentine but I'm kind of Valentined out so this really isn't a Valentine. I'm going to send this to my aunt to brighten her day.

I am entering these challenges:

• i {heart} card sketches with a twist #138: sketch
• From the Heart Free Stamp of the Month: use Snowman and Cocoa set
• Inspiration Destination: anything goes

That's it for tonight. Now it's out to shovel snow. Yippee! Thanks for stopping by.

Donna

New CAS challenge

Happy Valentine's Day! How about a new CAS challenge today at The Outlawz? This is national heart month so this week we'd like to see hearts on your CAS card. Pretty easy peasy. Are you tired of Valentines? How about a birthday card with a heart. Any kind of card will do as long as it has a heart.

Our sponsor this month is Scrapcuts by Judy. This is one of Judy's designs called Hugs Heart with Arrow. I used the pdf version but there are cutting machine versions also. Just a fun shape card. I can send this to anyone during the year. It doesn't have to be a Valentine. I put one of the mailboxes in the picture that I am giving to my coworkers.

I am entering these challenges:

• The House That Stamps Built: use some hearts
• Corrosive challenge: love, love, love
• Cupcake Inspiration: love
• CASology: Valentine

                   

I hope you'll join us this week to send some love to family or friend. Use a heart at the Outlawz CAS challenge. We are expecting 2-4 inches of snow today, so we plan to stay home and enjoy Valentine's Day together. We kind of celebrated on Friday evening when Tom brought dinner home and we had a picnic on the basement floor in front of the fire. Nice and toasty! Wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's Day. I hold you all especially in my heart and thank you for visiting and leaving me such encouraging messages. Make this week a wonderful one.

Donna

Mailbox Valentine

So tomorrow I'll give my Valentines to me co-workers. I thought I'd share them with you tonight.

These are little mailboxes that hold two Hershey nuggets. Everything I used to make these was from my scrap box. Easy peasy. I used this You Tube video to create them.

The little heart on the mailbox flap is from Paper Smooches Paw Print die set. The hearts on the flags are from Spellbinder's scalloped hearts and regular hearts. Sorry that the singular pic is kind of fuzzy. I hope they like them. Just wanted to show them how much I appreciate their friendship. Work is like a second family.
I am entering these challenges:

• Digi Chooseday Crafting: all you need is love
• Fresh Brewed challenge: hearts
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

Tomorrow is Friday! Happy weekend. We are supposed to have snow tomorrow and again on Sunday. Saturday is supposed to be bitterly cold. I'm looking forward to building a fir and crafting the day away. So I'll be back this weekend. Have an awesome Friday and thanks for stopping by!

Donna

Doggie Valentine

I almost forgot about sending our dog friend a Valentine. We sometimes sit for this dog and I usually send her a Christmas card and a Valentine. Her owners get such a kick out of them. So tonight I had to get it done so I could send it tomorrow.

I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches #338 as inspiration for my card. I used a Bugaboo image called Dog Heart Topper. The background paper is a scrap from the Paper Studio Heart Paper. I used my Paper Smooches Paw Print dies to make the border. I colored the image with Copic markers and added a couple of hearts that come with the paw print die set.I cut the image with Spellbinder's ATC Card dies and backed the image with black card stock to make it pop. Pretty easy!

I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch
• Catch the Bug challenge: anything goes
• CASology: Valentine
• Open Minded Crafting: love/valentine
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

That's it for today. Tomorrow I have the crafty treat I made for my co-workers so stop back and check that out. We are on the down side of the week. Yippee! We are in for very cold temps for the rest of the week. Time to crank up the fire. Now if I could only stay home and craft. Have an awesome Thursday!

Donna

Big Hug

Our landscape has turned white again. We are supposed to have snow showers for the next few days. It's sticking to the grass but not the driveway. I'm grateful that we may not have to shovel (at least not yet). My FIL went home today from his visit this weekend. We had a nice time together. Tomorrow it's back to the routine and work. Retirement looks better all the time.
My card tonight was one that I thought would be really easy to make and I had to start over 3 times before I got a viable card.

The background was made by inking a new embossing folder that I received today as blog candy from my buddy Debbie (waving hi!) It's from the Sizzix Damask Set. I used Fired Brick distress ink and then spritzed it with water before embossing. I backed it with red card stock on a white base. I heat embossed the sentiment and the border with black embossing powder on vellum. The sentiment and border are from a set from Simon Says called Happy Every Day. I fastened the vellum with two heart brads. I like the way this turned out even though it took me so long to get it right.
I am entering these challenges:

• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: have a heart
• Get Creative challenge: must include a heart
• House that Stamps Built: black, white and red
• Cards in Envy: from the heart
• Happy Little Stampers CAS: embossing folder stamping

I have to get my little gifts done for my co-workers for Valentine's Day. That's my next project. Thanks for stopping in today. I hope you had a wonderful start to your week. Hope to be back soon with a new project. 

Hugs to you all!

Donna

Valentine

Welcome back! I am slipping this card in at the last minute for the i {heart} sketches with a twist challenge. Faith has some adorable new snowmen in the shop and my heart just melted for this one.

Of course plaid is my favorite so I had to use it on this card (and it happened to be out on my desk). The image is Snowman Valentine. I colored him with Bic markers. I punched the snowflakes and then added glitter to them to make my own embellishment. The twist is hearts and there are a few in the image. I used glitter on the snowflakes and the snowman's hat. I followed the sketch at i {heart}sketches.

I am entering these challenges:

• i {heart} sketches with a twist: sketch and hearts
• Friday Mashup challenge: Valentine
• Pile it On: homemade embellishment
• Simply Too Create: love/valentine
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: anything goes

Thanks for stopping by again today. Watching the Super Bowl as I type. Go Denver!

Donna

Make a Card for a Friend

Oops I forgot to post this one this morning. Better late than never!
It's CAS time again at The Outlawz and this week we are creating cards for a friend and then sending the card. We are celebrating Send a Card to a Friend Day. The card that I made is for a friend who's birthday is coming up.

Our sponsor this month is Scrapcuts by Judy and I used the Owl Birthday set from Judy. The prize you could win is a $10 gift certificate to the store.

I added the image to the inside of the card and then cut a window into the front of the card and added a plaid frame to highlight the window. The sentiment was added with my MISTI tool. The Birthday Wishes is from Hero Arts and the For a Friend is from a set from Simon Says. To finish it off I added several sequins.

I am entering these challenges:

• Inspiration Destination: anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps and More: CAS
• Fresh Brewed challenge: anything goes
• Crafty Sentiments Design: anything goes
• Seize the Birthday: anything goes

I hope you'll play along with our CAS challenge this week and put a smile on a friend's face. Thanks for stopping I'll be back shortly with another card for today.

Donna

You Moo-ve Me

Happy Saturday! It's a bright sunny day here in Indiana. Rather chilly this morning but I think the sun has the temperatures above freezing now. After I went to the grocery store early this morning I chose to stay in and play; first with food and then with a card. LOL!

There is a story behind this card. This week I started an exercise class at work during my lunch hour on Thursday. I'll go to the class for the next 14 weeks. The class is supposed to help with strength and flexibility. So during the class, each participant is paired with an undergraduate student who is taking a class to learn to teach people how to exercise. So my student's name is Cooper. He's just the nicest and friendliest young guy and I like him a lot. Part of our class is walking on a track and getting to know one another. He asked me what I did for fun and I told him I made greeting cards. I don't think he quite understood that. So during the class the head instructor called us "movement buddies". So one night this week while I was tossing and turning and not sleeping, I came up with the idea for this card for Cooper for Valentine's Day. I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches #337. 

The image is from DeeDee's digis (who unfortunately is no longer in business) and I did the sentiment on the computer. The background paper is from a paper pack called Safari by the Paper Studio. The circular element is die cut with Spellbinder's Heart Circles (which I thought was appropriate). I used some of the hearts to add to the banner tag for the sentiment. The banner is from MFT. The image is cut from MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Corner Squares. Here's the inside of the card.

I embossed a smaller Spellbinders Heart Circle and added the sentiment from a Simon Says stamp set. And finished it off with some more hearts from the die cut on the front of the card. I hope Cooper likes his card. I'll give it to him this Thursday when we have class again.
I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch
• Simon Says Wednesday: Have a Heart
• Hiding in my Craft Room: no red or pink
• Simply Create Too: love/valentine
• Inspiration Destination: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

I hope you like my unusual valentine today. Are you rooting for a special team for the Super Bowl tomorrow? I'm torn. I would love to see Peyton Manning go out on top and win it again. But North Carolina has had a great year and they deserve to be where they are. So I guess I'll be happy no matter what the outcome. I'm just so happy that the Patriots aren't playing! Thanks for stopping by. Hope you'll visit again soon.

Donna

For a Friend

Hello! Thanks for stopping by today. I tried a new technique that I read about today. I found this technique on Jennifer McGuire's blog. She calls it Negative Space Coloring.

I colored the background with 3 different colors of Copic markers. I think I need to practice this more. After the background is colored I heat embossed the image with gold embossing powder. The image is from a retired Gina K stamp set. The sentiment is from Simon Says and is heat embossed in gold also. I mounted the image and sentiment on white fun foam which is attached to Spellbinder's Scalloped Rectangles. The card stock base is a lighter blue to pop the colored background.
I am entering these challenges:

• Addicted to Stamps and More: CAS
• 30 Days Coloring challenge: coloring
• Penny's Paper-Crafty: anything goes
• Crafty Sentiments Design: anything goes

It is snowing tonight. There wasn't anything in the forecast so hopefully it won't last long. My FIL will be visiting this weekend. Hope you have some fun things going on too.

Donna

Love of my Life

Monday is almost over. It's been a whirlwind day. We unloaded two semis of Girl Scout cookies today and gave them out to leaders in the area. Then it was dinner and wishing our oldest son a very happy birthday. I wanted to color a little bit and relax a bit so I did this card.

The frame and bird are Love Birdy from Bugaboo Stamps. I colored it with Bic markers and on the hearts I added Wink of Stella. The sentiment I added is from Ginger's House. I added the background layers: one is black card stock and one is some heat paper from the Paper Studio. I added some velvet ribbon and a re bow for embellishment. The image and sentiment is popped up over the fairy thick velvet ribbon.
I am entering these challenges:

• Catch the Bug challenge: recipe: 3 layers, orange, ribbon, and a bird
• 30 Days of Coloring challenge: color
• Beccy's Place: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper challenge: use patterned paper
• Crafty Friends: animal/bird

I hope your week is off to a great start. Thanks for stopping by. I am suddenly very tired so I'm calling it a night. Back to work tomorrow. Take care!

Donna