Monday, July 31, 2017

One Last CIJ

Happy Monday! I have one last quick post as July comes to a close and we welcome in August. How did that happen so fast? It's another busy day around here. So I have to make this quick. My last Christmas in July card.


I got this Birch Press Ornament Trio die several months ago and it was in a stack of stuff that I hadn't gotten integrated into my filing system. But I think this one will be one of my favorites. It makes a great monochromatic card like this one but I'm making another one that's inlaid and it's very pretty too. So you might see this die cut a lot this year. LOL! I kept it very simple. Just the layers of card stock and then added pearls to the centers of the ornament designs. The sentiment is from AlteNew Halftone Holiday. I think this is a very elegant-looking card. I am entering these challenges:

Hope your Monday is off to a great start. I am off to Opportunity House to volunteer this morning. Then back home to get some dinner together and then off to babysit the twins. And back home to fall into bed. LOL! Take care.

Donna

Sunday, July 30, 2017

July Progressive Challenges

Where did July go to? I can't believe we are almost to the end. And as usual I have waited until the last minute to do the progressive challenges that I usual do each month. So today I have cards for both of my progressive challenges.


So my first card uses the progressive image from Gerda Steiner called Strawberry Mouse and colored with Spectrum Noir markers. What a cutie. I paired him with a sentiment from Create with TLC and made a clean and simple card following the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch. The designer paper is from Bearly Mine and it's actually called Red Snowflakes but I thought it looked like strawberry blossoms so I used it with that in mind. I am entering these challenges:

My second card today is for The Outlawz Progressive challenge. The digital stamp this month is from Anne Fenton from Anne's Cards 4 U

I made a note card with the cute dog image colored with Spectrum Noir markers. The image is die cut with MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Squares. I followed the Sketch Saturday challenge which is to pick a sketch from the archive. The designer paper is from Imagine That Digis by Kris. The paw print is a die cut from Paper Smooches. I backed everything with black card stock.
I am entering these challenges: 
That's it for today. I have one more card to finish and post by tomorrow. We'll see if that gits done. Hope your weekend has been awesome!

Donna

Friday, July 28, 2017

Classic

A very quick post this morning. It's going to be a busy day. And a busy weekend. So I better get this up while I can.

A quick birthday card for a BIL. He works on cars so I thought he'd like this classic. Just a CAS card with a few little extras. I punched the edges with a Stampin' Up Scalloped Punch and then doodled on them with a white gel pen. The sentiment is from Doodle Pantry (sadly closed) and the image I am not sure about. I abbreviated and wrote IAS but I haven't been able to come up with a source. If you know please leave me a comment so I can give proper credit. Thanks!
I am entering these challenges:

Gotta run. Have an awesome weekend!
Donna

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Up, Up and Away

This week's challenge at QKR Stampede is up, up and away. I didn't have too many images that would fit that but I thought this one might do (if that bear could only lose about 150 pounds, lol!)


The image is from QKR Stampede and colored with Spectrum Noir markers. I fussy cut the image and outlined him with a black marker. I added some white lines on the balloon with my white gel pen. The rest of the paper is from my scrap box. The plaid is from Recollections. The additional sentiment is from MFT Happy Hippos stamp set.  I used the sketch from Atlantic Hearts for inspiration.


I am entering these challenges:
Thanks for stopping by. I thought I would leave you with a recent picture of the twins. I'll be back to watch them later this afternoon. They are at such a fun age! Arthur on the left and Valerie on the right.



Donna

Inspiration Thursday

Over at the Imagine That Creative Playground it's inspiration Thursday. I have a card there this week along with some of the other DT. There are some really fun designs today. Please stop by and take a look. Here's my card.

I used a scallop punch punchout to create this background. I did a tutorial earlier this year to show this technique. The sentiment, from Create with TLC,  is was printed on the card stock and I created the clouds around it. The image is from Imagine That Digis by Kris from the Airplanes stamp set. I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers and added some accents with white gel pen.


I finished it off by adding some stars among the clouds. I am entering these challenges:
I hope you will pop over to the Creative Playground to see all the fun designs by the team. Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by.

Donna



Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Hippo Bird-Day to You

Happy Tuesday! I had a busy weekend with the twins that extended into Monday. Rarely a dull moment around here. We did finally get a bit of rain but we really need more. Most of the rain tracked north of us. But at least the humidity and temperature has come down for the start of this week. I played with some new stuff that I recently got today and thought I'd try something a bit different.

I used my watercolors to create a background. You probably will notice that I need some practice with my watercolor technique. The die cut "you" is from MFT You Trio. The white heat embossed sentiment is from the new MFT All About You stamp set (I love the sentiments in this set!). The images and the black heat embossed sentiment is from the new MFT Happy Hippos stamp set and die cut with the matching dies. I popped up the hippo and the bird. The background is flecked with Stampin Up Iridescent Ice so it has a nice glittery shine to it. The purple piece at the top was die cut with MFT Stitched Basic Edges and accented with white gel pen as are the balloons.
I am entering these challenges:

I am off to get dinner ready. Hope your week is off to a great start. It'll be  a busy week for me. Take Care!

Donna

Friday, July 21, 2017

The Last of CIJ

Day 7 has rolled around for the Catch the Bug Christmas in July challenge. Where did that week go? Day 7 is a recipe challenge:

The Friday freebie is an adorable, surly looking reindeer. He was so easy to color up in a flash,


I used all three colors in the recipe. My pop of color is obviously red and I used Diamond Stickles on the candy cane and snow area and the snowflake embellishment. I used the Poinsettia EF to emboss the red background. Thanks to Catch the Bug I have a better start on my Christmas cards for December. Now if I can just keep that up I may have enough. LOL!
I am entering these challenges:
That is it for me this week! I hope to be back next week. I need to finish up thank yous for our 40th wedding anniversary and get those mailed so that's my next priority. Have a wonderful weekend!

Donna


Colorful Christmas

Day 6 of the Catch the Bug CIJ is a photo inspiration color challenge. So as you can see it's shades of pink, green and silver. Awesome combination!


So for my card I used Sunbonnet Christmas Present and colored her up with Spectrum Noir markers and added some silver glitz.
The designer papers are from Recollections and are scraps from my scrap box. The sentiment is from Peachy Keen Stamps from the Chill Baby Chill stamp set. I die cut the image with MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Squares and die cut the sentiment with MFT Fishtail Sentiment Strips. The sentiment is inked with Spun Sugar DI. 
I am entering these challenges:
I have one more card for the CIJ to finish the challenge. That one will be coming up shortly, Hope you have some creative time this weekend. Most of my weekend will be the twins. Hopefully I'll be back next week. Enjoy!

Donna



Thursday, July 20, 2017

Who Me, Naughty?

One more quick posttoday. I finished the Catch the Bug CIJ Day 5 card. It's a photo challenge and add some humor.
So I chose the Santa to concentrate on and add the humor.


The image is JJ Naughty but isn't in the Bugaboo store yet. I colored her with Copic Markers. The sentiment is die cut with MFT Inside & Out Stitched Rounded Squares. The background is washi tape. I added some sequins and Diamond Stickles. I popped up the image of JJ.
I am entering these challenges:
It's getting late so I am going to call it a night. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day tomorrow.

Donna



Christmas is in the Bag

Oh how I wish that statement was true! I have a long way to go to say that for sure this year. But I made a Christmas bag for one of my gifts for Day 3 of CIJ at Catch the Bug.

The challenge was anything but a card using non-traditional colors. So with the twins I used an Ava and Deacon image and made a gift bag that I can use for one or both of them. The image is Ava and Deacon Christmas - HoHo colored with Copic markers. The tag is a banner die from Lawn Fawn. I added some ric rac and used Diamond Stickles to sparkle it up. The stamping on the bag is from Altenew Halftone Holidays stamp set.
I am entering these challenges:

Thanks for stopping by today. I had a blast yesterday going to swim class with the twins. Today is their last day of swim class. I'm watching them this evening so I'll find out how they did today. Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

Donna

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

You Are My Sunshine

A quick card that's a departure from Christmas this week. I wanted to play along with the QKR Stampede challenge. It's anything goes but the optional theme this week is by the seaside. I thought this little turtle would make the perfect seaside companion.


I created a little scene. I colored the QKR turtle image with Copic markers and fussy cut him out. He's popped up on foam tape. The waves were created with MFT's new Mini Clouds Edges using Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon and Salty Ocean DIs. The clouds I made by using a scalloped punched shape and Salty Ocean DI. The sun is from Spellbinder's Sunny Day stamp and die set. The sentiment was from a blog candy of different sentiment stamps and none were identified so unfortunately I don't know the company for this one. But I thought it was perfect for this card.
I am entering these challenges:
I am off this morning to swim with the twins at their swim class. They are the youngest in their class at 9 months but they are like little fish. If you missed the pictures of them yesterday you can check them out. Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by.

Donna

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

From Our House to Yours

One more post for today. I managed to get Day 4 Christmas in July challenge finished for Catch the Bug. I am still working on Day 3. But Day 4 was a bingo challenge.


Here's my card.

The image is Ava Mistletoe Fairy, colored with Copic markers and die cut with MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Squares. The punched border is Martha Stewart Swirling Lace. I used ribbon across the card and added the sentiment on top from Altenew Halftone Holidays. The designer paper is from my scrap box but I think it's from Authentique. I added Ruby Slipper Stickles to the berries and the border. Also added pearls to the border. The other embellishment is the mistletoe that was stamped twice from Flourishes Drummer Boy stamp set (not longer available) and popped up from the card.
 I am entering these challenges:
I thought I would leave you with some pictures of what I did this morning. I got to go see my grandbabies do their swim class. They are the youngest in the class at 9 months old but they sure seem to have fun. Tomorrow I get to go in the water with them since Dad isn't able to go. I am looking forward to it.



Thanks for stopping by. I hope to be back tomorrow with a couple more cards. Have a wonderful day!

Donna





Christmas Sketch

Happy Tuesday! Still playing catch up with the Bugaboo Christmas in July challenge. Day 2 was a sketch challenge.
I decided to do this a bit different and inverted the sketch. Here's what I came up with.


I embossed the background with a poinsettia EF and sponged white ink over top. The image is Bugaboo Christmas Words - Joy colored with Copic markers and die cut with Gina Marie Designs Cross Stitch Rectangles. I used design paper scraps for the flags and the sentiment panel. All of those were die cut with MFT new Essential Fishtail Sentiments strips. (Just got them yesterday in the mail!) The sentiment is from Altenew Halftone Holidays. I added some Paper Smooches die cut snowflakes as embellishments. And to finish it off I added Diamond Stickles to the ornament and sock.
I am entering these challenges:

I am off now to take some pictures of the twins at swim lessons. This is their last week and they wanted someone to get pictures. So I am the picture taker today. Tomorrow I actually get to be in the pool with one of them. Yippee! Thanks for stopping by. I hope to be back later with another catch up project or two. LOL!

Donna

Monday, July 17, 2017

Bugaboo Christmas in July Challenges

So starting last Saturday and all thisweek, Catch the Bug is having Christmas in July challenges. A great reason to start those Christmas cards and win some fun Bugaboo images. I so want to play along but was gone all weekend so now I am playing catch up. The good news is that I took a bunch of images with me to color so now I only have to put the cards together and follow the themes. Saturday's theme was Make It Sparkle! So this morning before I headed out to work at Opportunity House I put together this card.


I used the Christmas Jar image and colored it up with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut it with Gina Marie Designs Cross Stitch Rectangles. The sentiment is a retired Gina K set called Blessed is the Season. I die cut that and it's background with MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags. The background paper is a green glitter paper and I embellished with gold and diamond Stickles. This card really sparkles! I also added some candy cane Doodle Twine.
I am entering these challenges:

Now I am off to get dinner together and go take care of the twins this evening. Never a dull moment around here. Hope to be back soon with more Christmas and thank yous as I am still trying to get those finished up. Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

Donna


Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Thanks

I'm continuing to do thank you cards for gifts we received for our 40th wedding anniversary. Here's another I finished today.


The cute little bunny is from QKR Stampede - Stamp on It. I colored him with Spectrum Noir markers and fussy cut him. The sentiment is from Create with TLC. I used a plaid scrap from my scrap box. Pretty easy.
I am entering these challenges:

I decided to get this posted tonight rather than tomorrow morning because I have a busy day. Have to be at the doctor's office with the twins at 8:45 am. A meeting at noon and then babysit the twins at 3:30 pm. And I need to get to the store somewhere in between those things. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Donna

Merry Little Christmas

Another slight detour from my thank you cards today for a Christmas in July challenge. I wanted to participate in the Tuesday Morning Sketch challenge and wish them a happy 8th birthday celebration this month. I wasn't able to get anything made last week for the challenge since we had family home all week so I wanted to be sure to get something in this week. Happy Birthday to TMS! Not only do they have a sketch this month bt they also have a theme. This week it's Christmas in July.


I used the TMS sketch as inspiration and chose the Merle image from Beccy's Place. I just love him tangles in all the lights. I die cut him with Gina Marie Designs Cross Stitch Rectangles. I cut four pieces of candy paper from my scrap box with MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags and glued them to my green card stock base. I have a new Christmas set from Altenew called Halftone Holidays. I got the matching dies so you can die cut Christmas and Season with this set. Then there are a bunch of little sentiments that you can add. So I added one of those to my card. I finished yup be coloring and adding a heart for embellishment. I really like this one!
I am entering these challenges:
The twins and their parents are coming for dinner tonight so I need to get myself in gear and get dinner going. I'll close with another picture of them. Thanks for stopping by.

Donna


Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Monochromatic Thank You

HappyTuesday! I am back to thank you cards today and I used a technique from Jennifer McGuire for this card. This is easy ombre backgrounds.


I used Picked Raspberry Distress Ink to create the ombre background after I heat embossed Altenew's Beautiful Lady image several times on the card stock. The "thanks" is die cut from MFT's Thanks die and popped up with fun foam after making it ombre also. I trimmed the edges and mounted the panel to pink card stock.
I am entering these challenges:
I've almost caught up on everything I needed to price for Opportunity House so I hope to get a bit more crafting in this afternoon. I ran into a friend at the grocery store today and she asked about the twins. I forgot to post the pictures I took when they turned 9 months last week. So I'll leave you with my cuties on their 9 month "birthday."



Arthur sits up very well on his own and has gotten his first tooth. Valerie still needs a bit of assistance to sit up and hasn't gotten a tooth yet. They started swim lessons yesterday but they got rained out today. They also started Early Head Start so they'll get some extra help with some of their developmental delays. Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

Donna

Monday, July 10, 2017

Soccer Nut

Well another week is moving ahead and it seems my list of things to do just gets longer. The deer are munching on my garden leaves and the chipmunks are eating my spaghetti squash. It's frustrating to weed and hoe and plant and then nothing comes of it all. Hot and humid here and afternoon storms predicted every day this week. I took a break from my thank you notes today to make a birthday card that I needed. I love the way this turned out.


The image and part of the sentiment is Bugaboo Stamp's Soccer Nut. I thought this was recently released but I couldn't find it in the store. I colored him with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut him with Spellbinder's Classic Rectangles. The edge is a scrap of soccer ball paper. The black strip is punched with a slit punch and I threaded some green ric rac through the slits. The "happy birthday" sentiment is from Hero Arts It's Your Day stamp set.I added some black enamel dots for embellishment. I followed the Stella Sketch. This is for our nephew who loves to play soccer. His birthday is next Monday.
I am entering these challenges:

Tomorrow I am back to thank you cards, so stay tuned. LOL! Trying to play catch up with lots of things right now. Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Donna

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Thanks a Melon

One more post for today. Another thank you card or two. I was looking for easy thank yous and came across this idea. I cased the idea from Lydia Cummings on Pinterest. The sentiment was in my stash (another freebie from Create with TLC) and thought it was perfect for a thank you.


This was a really easy card. I printed the sentiment from the computer. The watermelon pieces are made from punches (or could be made from dies if that works for you). I used a Stampin' Up! scalloped punch for the rind and a 1 1/4 inch circle punch for the inside. The paper is scraps from my scrap box. I used a black marker to make the seeds. I distressed the edges of the pieces with Mowed Lawn and Picked Raspberry distress inks. Both of the panels were mounted on pink card stock bases. 
I am entering them into these challenges:
We are headed out for dinner this evening with some friends and then an evening of bridge. A nice change of pace. Tomorrow I will try to post the twins 9 month pics that I took. How did they get to be 9 months old already. Time is flying. Have a wonderful week! Back to work tomorrow.

Donna


Moo Chas Gracias

Happy Sunday, friends! It seems like forever since I had a chance to sit down and play at my desk. And really these last three weeks have been just too busy (and went so fast) to do that. First we had Girl Scout Day Camp. The second week we were preparing for our 40th wedding anniversary party. Then all the family and friends descended on us and the last one just left yesterday. The boys were home and I wanted to spend as much time with them as I could since I don't see them that often. And then there was watching the twins almost every day. So crafting went by the wayside. But it felt really good this morning to sit down at my desk and play a little. Even though we specified no gifts we did get some and I only had 1 thank you card in my stash; so guess what you will see a lot of this week. LOL!


So here's the first of many thank you cards. I've so wanted to use this sentiment ever since it was a freebie at Create with TLC. It makes me laugh every time I read it, so I figured it would give someone a chuckle for the day when they receive it in the mail. I paired the sentiment with Bugaboo's scene it - cow trio colored with a variety of markers. The challenge at Catch the Bug this week is outdoor fun and I'll be entering this card but I thought I should explain why this is outdoor fun to me. Tom and I own some property next to a cattle farm. It's where we had our 40th wedding celebration. It's very peaceful there. Except for the moos that you hear every so often. So when we are there our idea of fun is sitting and relaxing and listening to the cows moo. LOL! The panel is cut with Gina Marie Cross Stitch rectangles and mounted on a green card stock base.
I am entering these challenges:

Thanks for stopping by. I am headed back for more play time now. I've definitely missed creating. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Donna

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Oh Deer!

Welcome to a new challenge at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. Our sponsor this month at 12 Months is Bugaboo Stamps. Definitely one of my favorite stamp companies. Here's what our challenge is all about this month:

Oh DEER! It has already been half a year! Before we know it, the day we've been planning for will soon be here! Are you getting any closer to getting your Christmas Card Stash complete? This month we thought it would fun to add a deer or reindeer image, even a reindeer wannabe image would be okay; you know, the images where kids or dogs don a set of antlers and pretend to a reindeer?!

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your Christmas card has an image of a DEER or REINDEER (or reindeer wannabe).  If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year end draw for some extra digital goodies. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $12 gift certificate to the Bugaboo Stamps store.

Here's my card for the challenge:

The image I used was Bugaboo's Snowflake Deer Silhouette. The card base is pink card stock. The designer paper is from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. The green snowflake paper is from  An Ecclectic Christmas 2 and the pink snowflake paper is from Feeling Frosty.


The sentiment is from The Little Paper Shop, unfortunately no longer in business. It's die cut with MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags. For additional embellishments I added some punched snwflakes that have been sparkled with Diamond Stickles. The deer also has diamond stickles on the larger snowflakes. So the card really sparkles in real life. I hope you will get a start on your Christmas card in July as we celebrate our Oh Deer challenge at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up.
I am entering these challenges:
Thanks for stopping by. I may be kind of absent this week too as our sons are home to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary and they are staying the week. I'd like to take advantage of them being home and spend as much time as I can with them. Hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

Donna


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