Cardabilities Sketch Challenge #76

It's May 30th and that means a new Cardabilities Sketch challenge!  Link up your project in the next two weeks and follow this fab sketch by Karan Gerber:

All of my papers are from the Fancy Pants "Time for Spring" 6x6.  The green leaves are cut with an SU die and the dark brown paper is a MS punch.  I fussy cut the flowers.  My chipboard sentiments are MME Perfect "The Sweetest Thing."

Happy Thursday!

Smile with Style

   I still have my new SRM Stickers on my work desk; both "We've Got Your Border" Bright and "Stickers by the Dozen" Thank You.  I paired the stickers with my Echo Park "Style Essentials" pink papers, Echo Park "For the Record" (black polka dot), and my SU flower and circle punches.  I added some glossy accents to the flowers for a little dimension.

  I took some liberties with this Freshly Made Sketch.  My strip is the four pink circles and I added two more alternating daisies.

I am entering my card at:
Freshly Made Sketches - Sketch challenge #87
Shop Pumpkin Spice - Anything Goes

Have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Stick on a Smile!

  I am combining some really old and really new stash in this one little card.  To create the shadow box window, I dusted off my metal ruler and my Xacto knife!  I recall when those were major crafting tools; my how far we have come :)

  The shadow box is a little like the Polaroid dies that are trending now.  My really old stash are the four metal flower brads that I have probably had for ten years by now!  My newest stash is the SRM Stickers "We've Got Your Border" sentiment.  The grey polka dot paper and the gold diamond/quatrefoil paper are both from Glitz Design "Yours Truly" 6x6 pad.  The 3D layered butterfly sticker is MME  Happy "The Sweetest Thing."

  My inspiration came from a Danni Reid sketch challenge that I saw at Scraptastic Club:

I am entering my card in two challenges:

Scraptastic Club sketchy challenge -  May Challenge

and

Shopping Our Stash - What's in Your Tool Shed

Happy Friday!

Sweet Cricut Gumball Machine from a little This and That

  I created this gum ball machine from Echo Park "This and That" collection that I purchased from Shop Pumpkin Spice.  The "10 cents" is a sticker in the collection, the mirror paper is from my stash, and the twine is "Caribbean" by The Twinery.  My dark brown card stock is SU early espresso. 

 This week's challenge on the Shop Pumpkin Spice blog is CANDY (or anything sweet).  I added glossy accents to the gum balls and heart, but it oozed onto the mirror paper...so then I added it to the mirror paper too, but it puckered and buckled a bit.  Ugh.

Link up your sweet creations tomorrow (Friday 9pm EST).

Happy Thursday!

Paper Smooches DT call

Paper Smooches is having a DT call!

I used Paper Smooches "Word Up" stamps and Carta Bella "Winter Fun" papers to create a father's day card.  I enjoy using holiday papers in a non-traditional way.  I also used this sketch from Paper Smooches Sparks challenge:

Are you familiar with Paper Smooches stamp sets?  Here are some of my previous Paper Smooches creations:

I use the "Word Up" sentiments a lot, but I also adore their images like those fab trees and scooters.

Thank you for stopping by....wish me luck :)

Masculine Graduation card

  I made this graduation card for my nephew completely from Echo Park, MME, and card stock scraps!  I have been trying to create this card for about two weeks...the papers and stamp set were in a pile on my floor.  This morning I decided to either create a card or clean up the pile.  I am happy that it finally came together.

Details:  The bird is cut @ 2.25" with shadow from "3 Birds on Parade."  The green notebook paper is MME "School Daze" 6x6.  The solid teal is Echo Park "Winter Park" and the tassel, beak, feet, banner, and yellow check are all Echo Park "For the Record."  The sentiment is from the retired My Pink Stamper "School Days" stamp set.

  My motivation came from this Retro Sketches Challenge by Danielle Lounds:

  I am also entering my card at:

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog:  Congratulations Graduate

and

Shopping Our Stash:  Scrap Attack

Happy Sunday!

Sets of Girly Graduation Cards

   My husband has four little cousins (first cousins, once removed) that are graduating this year; two from college and two from high school.  

 I saw the Shopping Our Stash challenge:  Scrap Attack, and knew this was right up my alley!  I pulled out little scrap pieces of Glitz Design papers and die cut the grad caps and embellished with grey snaps.  I also saw the challenge at Little Tangles:  embellish it!  I used a sentiment from "Fresh Blooms" and embellished with some leftover MME "Fun day" rhinestones.

(a Neat and Tangled challenge blog)

And I based my cards on this sketch

at CAS(E) this Sketch:

Lastly, thanks to my blog friend Migdalia (aka Creative M), I am entering the current challenge at Pause Dream Enjoy Challenges:  Happy _______.

 But then I took a break and went out to get the mail, and I had some happy mail from Danielle of Neat and Tangled!  My Neat and Tangled gold metallic sequins had arrived!  So I made three more cards, but this time with off-white snaps, an Echo Park "Winter Park/Lift Tickets" chevron background, and I added a few MME rhinestones to the centers of some of the sequins (I had difficulty photographing):

   I like this set with the sequence even better!  I sense a sequins addiction coming on...

Happy Friday!

Cardabilites Challenge #75

  I played with my Carta Bella "Traditons" for National Scrapbook Day and I couldn't quite put it away.  I am drawn to the warm colors.  The previous week I had also won some SRM goodies, and this was my first opportunity to use the "thanks" stickers.  And of course a great sketch to ignite a little inspiration:

As you can see, I tend to use sketches literally.  I hope you will click over to Cardabilities and see some more interpretations by my very talented DT sisters!

I am also entering this in this week's challenge at Shop Pumpkin Spice challenge blog:  Flowers.

Happy Wednesday!

A Sweet Day for challenges

   Happy Mother's Day!  I am spending Mother's Day weekend organizing the 200+ blogs I follow an merging them onto Feedly and organizing them into categories, spending some time crafting, and enjoying time with my dh and our sweet girls.

  I hope to keep up with my favorite blogs better now that I have them organized (though I may have accidentally omitted a few in the tedium)!  I also created categories for my favorite challenge blogs like Little Tangles, Scraptastic Club, and Shop Pumpkin Spice.

 (a Neat and Tangled Challenge blog)

I used a sentiment from the "Fresh Blooms" stamp set.

  I added the Echo Park "Sweet Day" pennant flag sticker to a toothpick to meet the first May challenge at Scraptastic Club challenge blog:  Pennant and Banner challenge.

  Finally I feel that my Echo Park bike sticker with the basket of flowers works for this week's challenge at Shop Pumpkin Spice challenge blog:  Flowers.

Supplies:  all papers and stickers are Echo Park "Sweet Day"; the twine and toothpick were leftover from retired Artful Delight kits.

Happy Sunday!

Teacher Appreciation Gifts inspired by 365 Cards

  Today I am playing along with 365 Cards to create teacher gifts for teacher appreciation week.  I had never tried the chalkboard technique, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try it out (rub a little talc on black card stock...looks better IRL.)  SRM Stickers is sponsoring 365 Cards this week and I recently won some SRM Stickers!  I used SRM Stickers for my sentiments.

Here is the inspiration photo:

  I chose papers from My Mind's Eye Six by Six "School Daze" and card stock from the Moo-ey Doodles kit sold exclusively from Shop Pumpkin Spice.  See the embossed apple?  It is already embossed (made by Bazzill); it made cute apples, didn't it?  The apple was cut @ 1.5" from the Cricut "Wrap It Up" cartridge.  My "chalkboard" was cut @ 1.75" from "Elegant Edges."

  A pretty easy project to mass produce (just add chocolate almond Hershey bars!)  I even decorated a little bag to hold them with paper scraps:

  Phew!  I am glad to have these completed...now I need to work on end-of-year teacher gifts :)

Happy Friday!

I think You're Amazing

  I created this card from papers I purchased at Shop Pumpkin Spice.  For a chance to win a $20 gift card to the store, link up to one of our 12 challenges (yes, 12!) by tomorrow, May 10th at 9pm EST.  Check out all 12 challenges here.

  I used this retired sketch from Cardabilties.

Supplies:

paper:  My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart "Be Happy"; vellum; white card stock

chipboard sentiment:  BasicGrey

border punch:  SU scallops

Happy Thursday!

A little birdie told me...(washi tape and stickers card)

  My card was completely inspired by Jackie's sketch in this week's Fusion card challenge #5.  Wanna see?

  My bird and bird cage are from EAD Designs (no longer in business).  If you miss these quality stickers, check out SRM stickers...I find them equally wonderful to work with!

I used 3 washi tapes: the top from MME "All is Bright" and the other two from Target.  I used my quilting ruler to line up the washi tape strips.  My sentiment stamp is by "Make an Impression."

Happy Wednesday!

Daisey'd & Challenged

   Last week I won some SRM sticker goodness and my prize package arrived in my mailbox Saturday afternoon!  Of course they wanted to come out and play.  The daisy stickers reminded me of the daisy paper and yellow polka dot paper from October Afternoon.  I went in search of inspiration and I found it here:

• 365 Cards:  Sticky Situation (use 3 stickers on your card)
• My Creative Time:  Create a set of four 3x3 cards
• October Afternoon:  Sketchy Tuesday by Danni Reid

The sentiment and zig-zag stitching stickers are SRM "We've Got Your Border" and the daisy stickers are "Stickers by the Dozen - Thank You".  The October Afternoon papers are from the "Modern Homemaker" collection.

Happy Tuesday!

Carta Bella NSD challenge/Scraptastic Mother's Day card

  I have pulled out my ever-so-versatile Carta Bella "Traditions" 6x6 pad to enter this year's National Scrapbook Day challenge at Carta Bella.  Carta Bella is a sister company to Echo Park and it is now one year old!  Happy Birthday, Carta Bella!

  My tutorial for this card is here.  I distressed my cranberry card stock with Tim Holtz "Vintage Photo" distress ink and also used that same ink to stamp my sentiment (by SU).  The two card stocks and punches for the sentiment tag are also by SU.  All other papers are Carta Bella "Traditions."  My flowers and leaves were all cut @ 1.5" on the Cricut Lite "Bloom" cartridge.

  I am also entering this in the Mother's Day card contest at Scraptastic Monday card challenge and Cut It Up.

Don't forget for today and tomorrow (May 5th & 6th) you can purchase Echo Park (and other goodies) at a huge savings!  Shop Pumpkin Spice blog has hourly challenges (challenge winners will receive $20 gift cards) and a coupon code:  NSD10 for the Shop Pumpkin Spice store.

I hope you will shop this weekend...prices are 30% off retail and use the NSD10 coupon code for an additional 10% savings!

Great deals on ebay too:

http://stores.ebay.com/ShopPumpkinSpice?_rdc=1

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Echo Pard NSD challenge

  A super quick card!  I used Echo Park's "Paradise Beach" element stickers (sun and sentiment banner) and I used my Fiskars cloud punches on Paradise Beach "Paradise" paper.  I added gems and foam tape for dimension.

  I am entering this in Echo Park's National Scrapbook Day challenge "Summer Card Project Contest."

I used this retired sketch from Cardabilities:

Wish me luck!

Don't forget for today and tomorrow (May 5th & 6th) you can purchase Echo Park (and other goodies) at a huge savings!  Shop Pumpkin Spice blog has hourly challenges (challenge winners will receive $20 gift cards) and a coupon code:  NSD10 for the Shop Pumpkin Spice store.

I hope you will shop this weekend...prices are 30% off retail and use the NSD10 coupon code for an additional 10% savings!

Great deals on ebay too:

http://stores.ebay.com/ShopPumpkinSpice?_rdc=1

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Making the Most of your 6x6 - NSD challenge...coupon code NSD10

  We are celebrating National Scrapbook Day (NSD) at 

Shop Pumpkin Spice blog with hourly challenges
(challenge winners will receive $20 gift cards)

and a coupon code:  NSD10 for the 

Shop Pumpkin Spice store.

I hope you will shop this weekend...prices are 30% off retail and use the NSD10 coupon code for an additional 10% savings!

Great deals on ebay too:
http://stores.ebay.com/ShopPumpkinSpice?_rdc=1

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 I set a challenge for myself, and I hope it inspires you too:  

Make the most of your 6x6 

I love collecting 6x6 pads, and even though many of my pads are well-loved and down to bare bones, I wanted to challenge my self to actually try to use an entire pad.

I purchased this Fancy Pants "Time for Spring" 6x6

at Shop Pumpkin Spice for just $4.20

1.  I separated and grouped like papers together:

This pad has two of every pattern (18 patterns/36 sheets).

• I grouped solids at the top
• nearly solids (tone w/ white) in the middle
• and busy patterns

2.  I chose a busy pattern, sketched a card, and tried to create as many cards as I could from the patterned paper.

  I created two of these hexagon cards.  The popped up hexagons were fussy cut from the scrap strips I cut off.

Then I chose the bold flowers paper and fussy cut these flowers from it, and a few paper strips from other papers in the pad.  I fussy cut 6 flowers total because I also made two of this card:

and from the scraps of the bold flower paper I created four cards like this one:

Hmmm...I did not succeed in using the whole 6x6; 

I still have 25 of the 36 full sheets 

plus scraps to play with, 

but I made 8 cards already from a $4.20 pad.

Niiiiiice!

Challenge (and a chance to win  a $20 gift card to Shop Pumpkin Spice):

Create 2 (or more) cards from any of your 6x6 paper pads

Make the most of your 6x6!

Happy National Scrapbook Day!

Indie Chic Birthday

I've been playing with my scraps of MME Indie Chic and eked out this birthday card.  I paper pierced swirls and hand-sewed near the hearts.  My inspiration came from Danni Reid's stitched cards at Scraptastic Club.  I also used this retired sketch from Cardabilities:

Supplies:

paper:  My Mind's Eye Indie Chic

garland:  My Mind's Eye Indie Chic

sentiment stamp:  My Pink Stamper "Birthday Doodles"

pearl studs:  i-rock tool and gems

ink:  My Pink Stamper "Darkest Night" hybrid ink pad

floss:  DMC

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Rhedd and Rosie challenge blog:  Stitching (Real or Faux)

and

Scraptastic Club blog card challenge:  Stitched with love

Happy Wednesday!

Fusion Challenge #4/ Anything Goes

   The sweet and lovely Amy Tsuruta posted on Facebook that that was still time to play in the current Fusion challenge #4:

  I decided this was the perfect excuse to ignore my laundry and play with paper :)

  Lesley's bold flowers had me searching for a bold pattern paper, which I found in my Echo Park "For the Record" collection.  Then I chose the polka dot paper and red tone-on-tone from the same collection, and punched the yellow flower too to follow Jackie's sketch.  The red and white primas are from my stash.  I used a Spellbinder's die on the polka dot paper and an SU sentiment stamp in Darkest Night hybrid ink.

I am also entering this at:

• Celebrate the Occasion challenge #110 - Anything Goes
• Die Cuttin' Divas challenge #113 - Anything Goes

Happy Wednesday!