Happy Birthday to Me and Blog Candy for You

Blog Candy closed!

Today was my birthday and I've been trying to find time to get together a blog candy to celebrate my birthday and my 1500th post to my blog. So today is the day! Yippee! I finally got it together. But first, I managed to finish a card too.

I wasn't really happy with the photo be cause I colored the cat with Spectrum Noir Sparkle pan and the photo makes it look blotchy. But in real life he is sparkle plenty! I also used white gel pen on the cat to accentuate some of the areas that kind of faded with the sparkle pen. The cat image is from Eureka Stamps called Black Cat Smiling. I die cut him with MFT Stitched Circles. The embossing was done with Stampin' Up spider web embossing folder. There are lots of layers. I die cut some of them with Spellbinder's Scalloped Circle and MFT Stitched Squares. The sentiment is from Papercrafts magazine. The bow which I faux stitched is from MFT Blueprints 3 dies.
I am entering these challenges:

• QKR Stampede: anything goes
• Outlawz Sketch challenge: sketch 
  
• Sweet Stampers: lots of layers
• Crafty Friends challenge: use dies or punches
• A Bit More Time to Craft Extra: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter

Now on to the blog candy. Please leave a comment on this blog post with your email so I can let you know if you've won the candy. Here's what I am giving away:

Simple Stories Chipboard Stickers

Paper Artsy Mini Stamp

1 roll washi tape

Making Memories Eyelet Letters

1 package extra large eyelets

Studio G 6 Epoxy brads for Halloween

Just Rite Quiet Moments Stamp Set

2 Paper Mache stars

Stack of assorted 6x6 paper (double sided and single sided)

Please leave a comment before September 30th and I'll choose a winner on October 1st. Thanks for stopping by, friends. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Donna

Warm Holiday Wishes

Almost the weekend and almost the end of September. My how time flies these days. Getting ready for the twins birthday party that will be a week from Saturday. I had a short time today to craft. And here is the results.

I used Paper Smooches die cut Snowflakes to create these cards. I saved each if the the little pieces from the die cut and glued them back into the cut out snowflake and then lifted the snowflake off the card. It was kind of a tedious process but it got faster as I went. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamps Big Holiday Wishes (December 2013 Card Kit, no longer available). The sentiments were stamped with MFT Elf Green ink and Peeled Paint distress ink. I layered them on red card stock with green card bases.

I am entering these challenges:

• Rudolph Days: anything goes Christmas
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• Crafting by Designs: Christmas
• Friday Outlawz challenge: Christmas
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: anything goes, optional for a male
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Extra: anything goes Christmas
• Hiding in my Craft Room: any holiday
• Happy Little Stampers: anything goes with dies

This weekend I will have the twins on Saturday and Sunday and we'll get a chance to play together. Can't wait! Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful Friday! Don't forget to leave a comment to win my blog candy by September 30th.

Donna

One Last Progressive Challenge

It never fails that I am always down to the wire with at least one progressive challenge each month. Well, at least this one has two days to spare. LOL! Being on vacation for almost half the month kind of put me behind. I feel like I am still playing catch up. So without further ado:

I used the same paper from yesterday's card (Paper by Lozzy) since it was still sitting on my desk and I like it so much. The image is from Anne's Digital Art. I colored the kitten with Spectrum Noir markers and then die cut the image with MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Squares but I used two of the squares to make a frame and then inlaid the image into the frame. I added a sentiment from my stash (not sure of the origin). I threaded the ribbon through the sentiment panel and added two flower brads for embellishment.

I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz September Progressive Challenge: use the image from Anne's Digital Art
• The Outlawz Sketch Challenge: sketch turned sideways 
  
  
  
• Simon Says Monday challenge: heavy metal (flower brads)
• Addicted to Stamps and More: anything goes 
  
• Crafty Sentiments Designs: anything goes

That's it for me tonight. I hope you had a wonderful hump day and now we are on the down side of the week. Have a super Thursday!

Donna

Welcome Baby

Good Wednesday morning! It's time for the second card of mine for the new release of Ellie stamp sets at Imagine That Digis by Kris. Today I am featuring a card with Ellie Tails stamp set.

I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut it with Gina Marie Designs Cross Stitch Rectangles. The background designer paper is from Imagine That Digis by Kris called Glitter Galore. I added some chipboard hearts and some baby block embellishments. I hope you'll check out all the other fabulous cards for this release at the Imagine That Creative Playground. And how about a discount on everything in the Imagine That store?

I am entering these challenges:

• Sketch Saturday: sketch 
  
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• A Bit More Time to Craft Extra: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper challenge: use patterned paper

Thanks for stopping by. Today is my day to volunteer at Head Start in the twins classroom. Always a fun time and I get to spend time with them and the other kids. In less  then 2 weeks we'll be celebrating their first birthday. Where did the time go? Stay tuned for pictures and details! Have a super day!

Donna

Happy Birthday

I really toyed with this card tonight, trying to decide what kind of card I wanted to make: Christmas, birthday, thinking of you? But it ended up being a birthday card in the end. And I like how it turned out!

The cute little mouse is Sweet Tooth Mouse from Gerda Steiner, the image for their progressive challenge this month. The cupcakes are from Beccy's Place.  I colored all the images with Spectrum Noir markers. The designer paper is from Papers by Lozzy. I really like that fun design and how the color fades toward the edges. The stripes were created with washi tape.  The cupcakes were die cut with MFT's Stitched Circles and then popped up with foam tape. For the mouse I cut the circle out of the card to show the white background. I used a black pen to create a faux stitch around the cut out circle and them I popped up the mouse from the circle. I used white gel pen for the sprinkles on the top cupcake and a black pen to create the little seeds in the strawberry. Love those little details. I heat embossed the sentiment from Hero Arts It's Your Day sentiment set. The card is glued to a white card base.
I am entering these challenges:

• Gerda Steiner September Progressive challenge: use Sweet Tooth Mouse
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes
• Beccy's Place September challenge: use a Beccy's Place image
• QKR Stampede: anything goes optional embossing
• Digi Choosday: anything goes

Don't forget to stop back tomorrow morning for my second post for the new release at Imagine That Digis by Kris. And if you haven't left a comment for my blog candy check it out. Ends September 30th. Thanks for stopping by!

Donna

Imagine That New Release - Ellie's Mummy

Happy Tuesday! Today and tomorrow Imagine That! Digis by Kris is introducing 6 new sets featuring Ellie the Elephant in cute Halloween attire. I will be introducing two of the sets: one today (Ellie's Mummy Costume) and one tomorrow (Ellie Tails).

The stamp set includes colored and line drawing images, lots of sentiments and several fun digital papers. Here's my card.

I colored Ellie with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut her with MFT Stitched Circles. The image is backed with Spellbinder's Heart Circles. The image panel is popped up with foam tape. The designer paper is from another new stamp set, Ellie's Pumpkin Costume. I used this paper over the papers with this set as it matched my colors better. The pumpkins are from another Imagine That Digis by Kris set called Scarecrow. I isolated the pumpkins for the four corners of the card. The card has a black card base. Since I normally put a sentiment on the front of my card I decided to share the inside of the card too since I love this sentiment.

I may have to make more cards with this sentiment for each of my kids. I just think that sentiment is so funny! I think they will too! I hope you will check out the new release blog posts over at Imagine That Creative Playground today and tomorrow. The stamp sets are so fun!

I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Wednesday Sketch challenge: sketch 
  
• Hiding in my Craft Room: any holiday (Halloween)
• C.R.A.F.T challenge: autumn/halloween/thanksgiving
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: pop it up
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: us a critter
• A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to check out all the new stamp sets from Imagine That Digis by Kris. And here's a bonus for you. Us ethis code for some extra savings:

The code is good at any time. Have a wonderful day! Don't forget about my blog candy. If you haven't entered yet you still can enter here.

You're so Cool

Before we went on vacation, I started making some gifts for the twins' Head Start teachers.  I am finally getting around to finishing them. I started volunteering Wednesdays at the twins' Head Start classroom. They are so much fun to be around and now that I know what they are doing there I can reinforce it at home. The other kids come up and sit on my lap too so it's great fun being around them. Here's one of the gifts I made. The other will be coming up soon.

This is a 5x7 photo frame. I laid it flat and added some paper from my scrap box inside the photo frame. I colored the little penguin, from Little Scraps of Heaven digital kit, with Spectrum Noir markers and fussy cut him, then popped him up with foam tape.. The sentiment is from Dee Dee's Digis (unfortunately closed). It was die cut with MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags. I added a loop of paper to hold the pen and the Post-it Note stack. 

I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Paper ala Mode challenge: pop it up
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: pop it up
• Inspiration Destination: anything goes

Thanks for stopping by. If you haven't seen my blog candy yet, pop on over and leave me a comment for a chance to win. Take care, the weekend is almost here.

Donna

Christmas Scraps

Happy Tuesday! It's raining and dreary here but we need the rain so I'll take it for now. Nice day to stay home and get something done around the house and hopefully some crafty time too. I did finish a Christmas card and wanted to get it posted.

The poinsettia image is from Beccy Place. After fussy cutting it I paired it with some of my Christmas designer paper scraps from my scrap box. I used Gina Marie Designs Stitched Diamond dies to cut out the scraps and then glued them to my card base. I popped up the poinsettia image with foam tape and added the sentiment from Altenew Halftone Holidays stamp set.
I am entering these challenges:

• Beccy's Place September challenge: use a Beccy's Place stamp
• The Outlawz Sunday CAS challenge: use scraps
• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown: colors (red, green and pink)
• Addicted to CAS: florals 
  
• Cupcake Inspirations: floral 
  
• 4 Crafty Chicks: geometric
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: use 3 different patterned papers
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Extra: anything goes Christmas
• Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper challenge: use patterned paper
• Christmas Cards all Year Round: use leaves

Thanks for stopping by today. I am off to cross a few more things off my list, which happens to be a mile long right now. Please check out my blog candy and leave me a comment to win. Have a super day!

Donna

Good to be Back Home Again

I've been thinking of the John Denver song today about "hey, it's good to be back home again!" And after my morning didn't go as planned I decided it was time to take some time out and color something up. I have a laundry list of things I need to do to catch up but this one was for me.

Of course after staying with family the last 2 weeks I need to send a few thank yous out for all the hospitality. So I am getting started on those. The image is from Eureka Stamps called Scarecrow and Sunflowers. I colored the image with a variety of different markers and then die cut it with one of the dies from MFT Blueprints 3.  I inked the edges with Fired Brick DI. The designer paper is from my scraps as is the ribbon. I cut the Thanks from a scrap and used MFT Many Thanks die. The thanks is raised with red fun foam off the card. I am entering these challenges:

• QKR Stampede: fall colors
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• Hiding in my Craft Room: super scrap Saturday
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Crafty Friends: use dies or punches
• Monday Outlawz challenge: tic tac toe (flowers, image, ribbon)

It is good to be back home again and back to crafting. I did crochet a rug while I was gone and started on two hats for the twins for winter. Have to finish them up soon. Thanks for stopping by. I hope to have a blog candy posted tomorrow for my 1500 blog post and my birthday celebration. Hope you'll come back to check it out! Now back to catching up.

Donna

New Challenge at Imagine That Creative Playground

Happy Saturday! September has arrived and all the new challenges are beginning. Today begins the new anything goes challenge at the Imagine That Creative Playground. You can enter any creation to win the grand prize but if you use an Imagine That Digis by Kris image you will get the featured stamp set for the month. Here's the stamp set you could receive.

I love the new manatee sets that Kris has designed. There are a number of different sets with the manatees doing all kinds of things. I made a double gate fold card for the challenge.

I hadn't made this kind of card in a very long time. I used the pre-colored image and die cut it with Spellbinder's dies and inked with Salty Ocean and Picked Raspberry distress inks. The designer paper is also from Imagine That Digis by Kris called Sweet Pastels Digi Paper.

And here's the inside of the card.

The sentiment is "You color my world." I hope you will join us this month at the Creative Playground with our anything goes challenge. And use an image from Imagine That Digis by Kris to receive this fun set. 

I am entering these challenges:

• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• The Outlawz Thursday challenge: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Crafty Sentiments Designs: for someone special
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be absent for a while. I am on vacation until mid September. Stop back as I will have blog candy to celebrate my 1500th blog post. Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

Donna

September 12 Months of Christmas Challenge

Welcome to a new challenge at the 12 Months of Christmas. I am away on vacation so this may get edited if I am able to access the Internet at some point. For all the specifics on the challenge, please check the 12 Months of Christmas web site. But you can submit any Christmas cards to the challenge. Our optional theme is photo inspiration. Use this photo for making your card. Anything in the picture can inspire you.

Our awesome sponsor this month is Sparkle and Sprinkle. Our second sponsor is Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. The paper created for this month's challenge looks like this.

I used the Sparkle & Sprinkle Brighten the Holidays Penguins:

And here is my card:

One of my favorite things at Christmas is all the lights. So I used the lights on the Christmas tree as inspiration for my card. I used the pre-colored image and sentiment from the set. I used the Sketch Saturday sketch as inspiration also. I used two different papers: the striped paper from the above set and the lights paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Eclectic Christmas 2 Papers.

I hope you will play along this month and join the 12 Month's of Christmas challenge. Why not get those Christmas cards going! Thanks for stopping by today. Have a wonderful weekend!

I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Friday challenge: Christmas
• A Bit More Time to Craft Extra: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Crafting by Designs: anything goes
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes

Donna