Doggone Good Birthday Card

Today over at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge, our "twist" is pets/animals. You can include any animal you'd like if you want to follow the twist! Hope you can join us!
I love shaker cards and have been making a lot of them recently! They are so much fun! I knew I wanted to make a shaker card with this adorable image from this month's sponsor Sitichy Bear.

I made a top hinge card using Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Squares. I used a sheet of adhesive foam for the layer between the clear plastic and the card front. I die cut oodles of bones, balloons and stars from an Avery Elle Balloon set and a Top Dog Dies dog set. Then I added some sequins and seed beads, also. After assembling the shaker part, I added my top layer of card stock using this adorable pattern with dog dishes on it! Then I die cut more bones and the 2 dogs and their bow/collar from the same Top Dog Dies set I used earlier. I also used 2 Tim Holtz Sizzix dies for the splatter and string circle. I fussy cut a dog tag from the other side of this pattern paper and stamped "Wishing you a doggone good day!" on it using a Close to My Heart stamp. I used a cut file on my Silhouette to add a larger bone to the dog tag and colored it gray. Then I added some twine to the dog tag and attached it to the string circle die cut. The presents with the paw prints on them came with the Stitchy Bear digi, and I sized and cut out 2 of them using my Silhouette. I colored them with Copic markers and used foam squares to adhere them.
Inside the square aperture, I fussy cut a dog house from the reverse side of this pattern paper and adhered it with glue tape. Then I adhered my digi with glue tape after coloring it with Copic and MEXPY markers. I was excited that I had the right greens to match the colors in the patterned paper exactly!

Here's a close-up of the shaker elements:

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
One Stitch at a Time Challenge: use some red
http://onestitchatatimechallenge.blogspot.com/2015/12/challenge-252.html

Allsorts W,3E What's new? (digi stamp)
Cardz 4 Galz 2W,3E #13 Something New (+ DT Call) (W1 of 2) 
Craft Rocket Challenges 2W,3E #6 Happy Anything (W1 of 2)  
Crafty Girls Creations 2W,3E Always Anything Goes
Sieze The Birthday 2W Birthday + Topping: Anything Goes (W1 of 2)
Crafter's Cafe (2W, P1/15,E3, F) #140 Square Cards
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper (M,P1) Anything goes with Patterned Paper
Creative Craft Cottages Challenges (2W,P1/15,E3) #54 Add Some Sparkle
Crafting By Designs - W,F, 3E -  January Anything Goes
Creative Moments - 2W, 3E - #84 Always Anything Goes/ optional twist New Beginnings  (Week 1 of 2) 
Inspiration Destination - W, F- #67 Always Anything Goes
The Male Room - 2W, masculine projects only -  #26 Theme - Anything Goes  (Week 1 of 2) 
Paper Shelter Challenge - W,3E, SIO - #230 Punches and/or Dies 
Scrapy Land Challenges -1st and #3rd Wed of Month, Must use a die sold by Scrapy Land -#33 Anything Goes PLUS Use Any Brand of Die Scrapy Land Sales (week 1 of 2)
Simon Says Stamp - W, 5E - Something New (new Sizzix dies and new digi stamp)
WordArt Wednesdays - W,5E , scriptural word art freebie offered each week - #217 - Anything Goes  Challenge Runs 2 Weeks
Crafty Sentiment Designs W, 1E, SIO - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew 2W - #103 Anything Goes (week 3)
Deep Ocean Challenge 2W - #119 - Anything Goes (runs till Jan 11)
Everybody-Art-Challenge W - #351 Anything Goes
Lemon Shortbread 2W, E3, no digital projects Always Anything Goes (Week 1) 
Through The Craft Room Door W, 2E - Always Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart - W, E3, F - Always Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - W, E3 - Always Anything Goes
Crafty Boots - 2W, SIO - (Week 1) Something Old, Something New (new digi stamp and Sizzix dies, old Spellbinder dies)
Not Just Cards - M, F - (January) Always Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - W, 5E - Something New (new digi stamp and new Sizzix dies)
The Crazy Challenge - 2W, 4E - (Deadline Jan 10) Celebrations
Come and Get It - W, Unlimited - Something New (new digi and Sizzix dies)
Dragonfly Journeys -W, E5  They Say It's Your Birthday
Glitter n Sparkle - W - #169 Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - 2W (1st and 3rd Sunday) E3 #25 Anything Goes   (W1 of 2)
Quirky Crafts - 2W - Let's Quirky Celebrate
Robyn`s Fetish - W - #297 Anything Goes
Allsorts W,3E What's new? 
Catch The Bug W,3E,SIO anything goes 
Crafty Friends Challenge 2W,(W1) - use something new (digi and Sizzix dies)

Posted with Blogsy

Christmas Thank You

This CAS card with a Taylored Expressions Nativity Border is a quick card to thank some friends for their Christmas gifts to my husband, my 4 children and me. It was quick and easy to make but looks pretty and can be mass produced for our Christmas thank you cards to the grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. We are very blessed to have so many generous and caring people in our lives, and we want to be sure everyone knows we appreciate them. My children are old enough to write their own thank you messages on the cards, so I usually pass around several at a time at the dining and each child writes a personal note on each card for the friends and relatives who got something for each of them.
This is an A2 card base, and I simply die cut the lovely Taylored Expressions Nativity border in a matching color of cardstock and adhered it with glue tape. Then I tied some twine on the bottom and added a Making Memories "Thank you" embellishment. That's it!

I'm planning to enter this card in the following challenges:

• A Snowflakes Promise 2W, E3, Must be Christmas/winter themed #13 - Anything Goes with a Winter or Christmas Theme (Week 2)

Cardz 4 Guyz W, 3E - #101 - Anything But Square

• Everybody-Art-Challenge W - #351 Anything Goes

Digi Choosday Challenge -W,E2, - #1 - Clean & Simple

• Deep Ocean Challenge 2W - #119 - Anything Goes (runs till Jan 11)

• Crafting from the Heart - W, E3, F - Always Anything Goes

• Craft Your Passion - W, E3 - Always Anything Goes

• Christmas Card Challenges - W, must be Christmas / Winter – Color Challenge*

• One Stitch At A Time - 2W, SIO - #252 Anything goes with red (W2 of 2) challenge runs till Jan 8

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas W,must be Christmas anything goes or vintage

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge Extra (M,P1) Anything goes as long as it is Christmas

• Natalie and Amy's Challenge (M,P30) #39 Christmas

Fussy and Fancy - 2W - No.154 - (W2 of 2) - Happy Holidays (runs till Jan 14)

• ABC Christmas Challenge - 2W, Christmas - A is for Anything
• Crafting for all Seasons - 2W, 3E - #117  Monochrome (Week 1 of 2 )
• Crafty Gals Corner -  W, E2 - #53  Anything Goes
• Inspiration Destination - W, F- #67 Always Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - W - #323  Thank You Card
• The Male Room - 2W, masculine projects only -  #26 Theme - Anything Goes  (Week 1 of 2) 
• WordArt Wednesdays - W,5E , scriptural word art freebie offered each week - #217 - Anything Goes  Challenge Runs 2 Weeks
• DL ART Thursday Challenge 2W,2nd & 4th Thurs,3E #171 New Year (W2 of 2) Monthy Challenge: Always Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers 2W #97 Anything Goes (W2 of 2)
  

 

 

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Heartfelt Gratitude Card

This month for the Gerda Steiner Monthly Progressive Challenge, Gerda has generously provided us with this adorable kitten holding a heart. Gerda has a real gift for designing cute animal digis, and this is one of my new favorites! Thanks, Gerda!
I wanted to make a 3D card, so I used this cut file from the Silhouette Online Store and chose some pretty heart patterned paper for the front of the card and some white card for the back. I chose a cut file with a scalloped edge so I could add some pretty pearls.
I imported the digi to my Silhouette design studio software and sized it how I wanted it. I printed it out and and fussy cut it before coloring it in with Copic and MEXPY markers. I'm working on learning to shade with my markers and played around with the that a little here. I adhered a cut out from the patterned paper onto the white card backing and then adhered the kitty to that before glue taping the patterned paper front to the white card back at the scallops.
I stamped my sentiment onto some matching green cardstock and fussy cut a banner. I adhered it to the card with foam squares.

Here's a look from the side so you can see the dimension of this card:

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Gerda Steiner Designs Monthly Progressive Challenge
http://gsd-stamps.com/blogs/news/82571460-monthly-challenge-january-2016-love-you-kitten
613 Avenue Create - W - #157 Anything goes with twist: CAS project
Come and Get It - W, Unlimited - Something New (This stamp set is new)
Glitter n Sparkle - W - #169 Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - 2W (1st and 3rd Sunday) E3 #25 Anything Goes (W1 of 2)
Robyn`s Fetish - W - #297 Anything Goes
Allsorts W,3E What's new? (new digi stamp)
Catch The Bug W,3E,SIO anything goes
Crafty Friends Challenge 2W,(W1) - use something new (new digi stamp)
Di's Digis Designs 3E,2W,SIO (W1)new to you (digi stamp is new)
My Time to Craft 2W (W1 ) friendship/ friends
Outlawz Challenges W use something new (digi stamp is new)
Sweet Stampin W, 2E something new (digi stamp is new)
Card and Scrap (2W, P1/15) #109 Stamps
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper (M,P1) Anything goes with Patterned Paper
Creatalicious Challenges (M,P15) #82 Something Old, Something New (new digi stamp, old patterned paper)
Kreativeinkauf-challenge (M,P15,E3) #34 Anything Goes
Creative Corner - W, 3E - Anything Goes
Left of Center Creative Challenges - W - No.111 - All Things New (W1 of 2) new digi stamp
Stempelsonnen Challenge - 2W, 3E, stamp as main focus - No.157 - (W1 of 2) - Always Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks W #279 Anything Goes
As You Like It Challenge 2W,E3 Anything Goes (W1 of 2)
C.R.A.F.T. W,5E #344 Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations 2W,3E Always Anything Goes
DL ART Thursday Challenge 2W,2nd & 4th Thurs,3E #171 New Year (W2 of 2) Monthy Challenge: Always Anything Goes
Share Joy Challenge W Sketch & Clean & Simple*
Crafty Creations - 2W - #305 Anything Goes (Week 2 of 2)
Crafty Gals Corner - W, E2 - #52 Anything Goes
DoubleClick Skittles - 2W, E1, F - #38 Something New (new digi stamp)
House That Stamps Built - W, SIO, 4 challenges at the same time starting each Wednesday weeks - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination - W, F- #66 Always Anything Goes
Paper Shelter Challenge - W,3E, SIO - #230 Anything Goes Challenges Runs Next 3 Weeks
Wonderful Wednesdays - W, SIO - Always Anything Goes
WordArt Wednesdays - W,5E , scriptural word art freebie offered each week - #216 - Anything Goes Challenge Runs 2 Weeks
Deep Ocean Challenge 2W - #119 - Anything Goes (runs till Jan 11)
Creative Card Crew 2W - #103 Anything Goes (week 2)
Lemon Shortbread 2W, E3, no digital projects Always Anything Goes (Week 2)
Retarte 2W, E3 - #68 - Anything Goes
Through The Craft Room Door W, 2E - Always Anything Goes
 Show us Your Pussies-Cat Only Challenge M, (1st Tuesday) January - Furrything Goes

Posted with Blogsy

Jar of Clovers Card

Tomorrow at work, my husband is going to get weighed to see how he did in the office contest to either lose or maintain weight over the holidays. I thought it would be fun to make this card for him, even though he and I both know there's no such thing as "luck." As Christians, we know the Lord is sovereign over every detail of our lives and doesn't leave anything to "chance" or "luck." What a blessing to know God cares for us so deeply that in His providence He watches over His children in even the smallest things!
The digi and sentiment for this card come from a set by From the Heart Stamps. I sized and printed them out using my Silhouette Design Studio software. I trimmed the circle to fit the sketch on their blog for this week. I colored the cork and clovers with MEXPY markers and then used Anna Griffin's glass effects on the jar. I added some twine to my tag and a few sequins to the top right for some balance and that was it. Clean and Simple is actually kind of difficult for me (I love layers and die cuts and embellishments!), but I see a lot of gorgeous CAS cards out there and marvel at how some designers just have this wonderful feel for taking just a few simple elements and turning them into something spectacular! I'm not there yet!

UPDATE: My husband won a $100 prize! He was one of only 2 people who LOST over 2 pounds over the holidays, and his name was the one drawn for the $100! What a great way to start off the new year! Thank you, Lord, for your many blessings!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

I {heart} Sketches with a tWist
http://fromtheheartstamps.com/community/2015/12/21/8933/sketch132/
613 Avenue Create - W - #157 Anything goes with twist: CAS project
Glitter n Sparkle - W - #169 Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - 2W (1st and 3rd Sunday) E3 #25 Anything Goes (W1 of 2)
Robyn`s Fetish - W - #297 Anything Goes
Catch The Bug W,3E,SIO anything goes
My Time to Craft 2W (W1 ) friendship/ friends
Card and Scrap (2W, P1/15) #109 Stamps
Kreativeinkauf-challenge (M,P15,E3) #34 Anything Goes
Creative Corner - W, 3E - Anything Goes
Stempelsonnen Challenge - 2W, 3E, stamp as main focus - No.157 - (W1 of 2) - Always Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks W #279 Anything Goes
As You Like It Challenge 2W,E3 Anything Goes (W1 of 2)
C.R.A.F.T. W,5E #344 Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations 2W,3E Always Anything Goes
Crimbo Crackers 2W #97 Anything Goes (W1 of 2)
DL ART Thursday Challenge 2W,2nd & 4th Thurs,3E #171 New Year (W2 of 2) Monthy Challenge: Always Anything Goes
Share Joy Challenge W Sketch & Clean & Simple*
Crafty Creations - 2W - #305 Anything Goes (Week 2 of 2)
Crafty Gals Corner - W, E2 - #52 Anything Goes
House That Stamps Built - W, SIO, 4 challenges at the same time starting each Wednesday weeks - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination - W, F- #66 Always Anything Goes
Paper Shelter Challenge - W,3E, SIO - #230 Anything Goes Challenges Runs Next 3 Weeks
Wonderful Wednesdays - W, SIO - Always Anything Goes
WordArt Wednesdays - W,5E , scriptural word art freebie offered each week - #216 - Anything Goes Challenge Runs 2 Weeks
Deep Ocean Challenge 2W - #119 - Anything Goes (runs till Jan 11)
Creative Card Crew 2W - #103 Anything Goes (week 2)
Lemon Shortbread 2W, E3, no digital projects Always Anything Goes (Week 2)
Retarte 2W, E3 - #68 - Anything Goes
Through The Craft Room Door W, 2E - Always Anything Goes
Tuesday Morning Sketches #332 - Anything Goes (week 2)
Tuesday Throwdown W- #274 - Anything Goes - runs till Jan 4

Posted with Blogsy

Honeycomb Card

Last month a dear friend of mine took the time to write me a sweet 2-page handwritten note that she included in her Christmas card. It wasn't a newsletter about her family but a note thanking me for my friendship and support when she went through a difficult time in November and updating me on how she was doing. I don't get to see her nearly as often as I would like as she lives about 45 minutes away and homeschools her 9 children, so receiving such a special letter from her was a treat for me. I wanted to write her back to thank her and let her know how much it meant to me that she would take so much time at the busiest time of the year, so I chose this card design to send her with a handwritten note of my own.
This card is a 5x7 inch white card base that I distressed with ink along all 4 sides. I had some lovely honeycomb paper with vintage-style printing on it that I thought would work well with this image and sentiment from Our Daily Bread's "Be Happy" unmounted rubber stamp set, so I trimmed it to fit the card front. I stamped the image directly onto the patterned paper and then stamped the verse from Proverbs onto some of the scraps of the patterned paper's other side. I fussy cut the verse and adhered it with foam squares after distressing it with the same ink I used on the card base.
I love this verse! It's such a good reminder of the power of our words to encourage others. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge W,1E, SIO - #268 Anything Goes with ODBD stamps
613 Avenue Create - W - #157 Anything goes with twist: CAS project
Amusing - W, 2E, no digi - Something New (This stamp set is new)
Come and Get It - W, Unlimited - Something New (This stamp set is new)
Glitter n Sparkle - W - #169 Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - 2W (1st and 3rd Sunday) E3 #25 Anything Goes   (W1 of 2)
Robyn`s Fetish - W - #297 Anything Goes
Scrappy Hands - 2W – #55 Sweet (W2 of 2)
Cupcake Inspirations - W - Inspiration* (colors)
Allsorts W,3E What's new? (new stamp set)
Catch The Bug W,3E,SIO anything goes 
Crafty Friends Challenge 2W,(W1) - use something new (new stamp set)
Di's Digis Designs 3E,2W,SIO (W1)new to you (stamp set is new)
My Time to Craft 2W (W1 ) friendship/ friends 
Outlawz Challenges  W use something new (stamp set is new)
Sweet Stampin W, 2E  something new (stamp set is new)
Card and Scrap (2W, P1/15) #109 Stamps
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper (M,P1) Anything goes with Patterned Paper
Creatalicious Challenges (M,P15) #82 Something Old, Something New (new stamp set, old patterned paper)
Kreativeinkauf-challenge (M,P15,E3)  #34 Anything Goes
One Crazy Stamper (M,P1,E5) Anything Goes (no digital images allowed)
Creative Corner - W, 3E  - Anything Goes
Left of Center Creative Challenges - W - No.111 - All Things New (W1 of 2) new stamp set
Stempelsonnen Challenge - 2W, 3E, stamp as main focus - No.157 - (W1 of 2) - Always Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks W #279 Anything Goes
As You Like It Challenge 2W,E3 Anything Goes (W1 of 2)
C.R.A.F.T. W,5E #344 Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations 2W,3E Always Anything Goes
Crimbo Crackers 2W #97 Anything Goes (W1 of 2)
DL ART Thursday Challenge 2W,2nd & 4th Thurs,3E #171 New Year (W2 of 2) Monthy Challenge: Always Anything Goes
Share Joy Challenge W Sketch &  Clean & Simple*
Crafty Creations - 2W - #305 Anything Goes  (Week 2 of 2)
Crafty Gals Corner -  W, E2 - #52 Anything Goes
DoubleClick Skittles - 2W, E1, F -  #38  Something New  (new stamp set)
House That Stamps Built - W, SIO, 4 challenges at the same time starting each Wednesday weeks  - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination - W, F- #66 Always Anything Goes
Paper Shelter Challenge - W,3E, SIO - #230 Anything Goes Challenges Runs Next 3 Weeks
Wonderful Wednesdays -  W, SIO -  Always Anything Goes
WordArt Wednesdays - W,5E , scriptural word art freebie offered each week - #216 - Anything Goes  Challenge Runs 2 Weeks
Deep Ocean Challenge 2W - #119 - Anything Goes (runs till Jan 11)
Creative Card Crew 2W - #103 Anything Goes (week 2)
Lemon Shortbread 2W, E3, no digital projects Always Anything Goes (Week 2) 
Retarte 2W, E3 - #68 - Anything Goes  
Through The Craft Room Door W, 2E - Always Anything Goes
Tuesday Morning Sketches  #332 - Anything Goes (week 2)
Tuesday Throwdown W- #274 -  Anything Goes - runs till Jan 4

Posted with Blogsy