Yellow Bird Hello Card

It's a sad goodbye to the month of May! Besides it being my birthday month we generally have nice weather in May and lots of new baby critters show up around my house. Recently I've seen several baby birds at our seed feeders and a parent is feeding them. It's fun to watch them flap their wings while they are being fed.

When I saw the photo inspiration challenge at Catch The Bug was a Meadowlark I knew I had to play along. I love birds but more specifically I love yellow birds. All the paper on this card is by Crate Paper. The Calling Bird image was die cut using a stitched circle die by My Favorite Things. Copic markers were used to color the image and then it was matted to a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock. The Hello sentiment by TPC Studio was stamped using Early Espresso ink. Three brown sequins were added for some sparkle and that's it!

This Yellow Bird Hello Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Catch The Bug: Photo Inspiration
• Craft Your Passion: Anything Goes
• Crafting From The Heart: Anything Goes

Feminine Patriotic Card

It's a little past my bedtime but I slept in on Memorial Day and now I can't go to sleep. This doesn't happen very often but I'm sure the mid-day espresso beverage didn't help my dilemma. Since I couldn't sleep I decided to make a card using this weeks Mojo Monday sketch. It's Tall & Skinny week and I do love making this size of card. The finished size of this Feminine Patriotic Card is 3.5" x 6". This card was made with a female soldier in mind as the recipient.

The patterned paper on this card is from the American Beautiful collection by Pebbles and it coordinated nicely with Marina Mist cardstock by Stampin' Up!. Using Spellbinders Die D-Lites called Bloom One the flower was die cut, layered and anchored together with a blue polka dot brad. Three die cut green leaves from my stash of extras were added around the flower. The You have Made a Difference sentiment by Hampton Art was stamped using Night of Navy ink and the final touch was some denim colored twine from The Twinery. That's it!

This Feminine Patriotic Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Mojo Monday: Sketch #450
• Simply Create Too: Red, White & Blue
• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes
• Left of Center: Stripes and/or Dots

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Enjoy Your Summer Card

Hello! Summer is officially three weeks away but it's starting to feel like it here in Oklahoma. The last couple of days have been humid and warm. Having warm weather is fine, it's the humidity that I don't care for, it creates really bad hair days. Bad hair days with long hair = an updo!

I have a quick post to share the card I made using this months image for the progressive challenge from Gerda Steiner Designs. The image is called Mouse with Drink and my mouse is drinking lemonade. The card base was a freebie I got from the local scrapbook store last year. I did the yellow stamping and sentiment while at the store during a demonstration, but I never completed the intended project. So, I have rescued it and made this Enjoy Your Summer Card. The image was colored with Copic markers and cut into an oval shape to fit inside the scalloped die cut. To add a little more interest I used a pretty floral paper from my scrap bin on both edges. That's it!

This card is entered into the following challenges:

• Gerda Steiner Designs: May Progressive
• Crafting with Dragonflies: Animals
• Crafty Friends: Summer Time 

Umbrella Nap Relax Card

Happy Friday evening! It's the beginning of Memorial Day weekend and I thought a card with a relaxing theme was in order. I made this Umbrella Nap Relax Card using a Happy Hoppers House-Mouse Designs stamp. Bumble is pretty cute and looks very relaxed napping under the umbrella. The image was colored with Copic markers. Using Lil' Inkers stitched rectangle die cuts for the image and the 1.5" stitched sun added to the top of the panel. I've used a layout from Paper Play Sketches challenge. All patterned papers are from The Paper Studio and I stamped the Relax sentiment using Staz On Jet Black ink. The final touch was adding three blue sequins and this card was done.

Wishing you a safe and lovely Memorial Day weekend!

This Umbrella Nap Relax Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Paper Play Sketches: Sketch #008
• Cute Card Thursday: Holiday/Vacation!
• Crafty Catz: Get Ready for Summer
• Jo's Scrap Shack: Anything Goes

Floral Sending a Smile Card

My neighbor and I got together this afternoon for a little crafting time at her house. Typically I don't like to pack my supplies but every once in awhile I give in. So, I printed the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches and brought only what I needed to complete this Floral Sending a Smile Card. I wanted to use some of my new supplies from the upcoming 2016-2017 Stampin' Up! catalog. Used on this card is the new Playful Palette patterned paper and Love & Affection stamp set both are sneak peeks at new product. For a sneak peek at all the new in colors, which I love, click here to see a card I made. When all was said and done we had a nice time visiting and I made something pretty too. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This card is entered into the following challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: Sketch #343
• Quirky Crafts: April Showers bring May Flowers
• Artistic Inspirations: Anything Goes w/ Flower Twist

Birthday Card for a Child

Happy Tuesday! This week at Tuesday Throwdown our theme is For a Child and we are sponsored by Digital Delights. My card is featuring their Birthday Mickey Monkey image and I paired it with patterned paper from the Cherry On Top paper stack by Stampin' Up!. The design team has some super cute inspiration this week. Click here to check out all the challenge details and design team inspiration. You have until mid-day on Monday, May 29th to play along.

The layout for this Birthday Card for a Child is from the Sketch Saturday Challenge. When I was coloring the image I noticed my lightest tan Copic marker is going dry, on top of that I tried a new white cardstock which did not allow the alcohol markers to blend well. So, I'm not really happy with how the coloring came out on this card. It's probably a good thing it's for a child, hopefully they won't notice.

This card is entered into the following challenges:

• Sketch Saturday: Sketch #413
• Crafting From The Heart: Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion: Anything Goes

Retirement Card

Hello and thanks for stopping by my blog. Today I'm sharing a card I made for my aunt, she recently retired from 30 years as a Home Economics Teacher.  The Mulberry Wood bear and his puppy image are from Crafter's Companion. I stamped the image using Memento black ink and colored it using Copic markers. The sentiment came with the stamp set. Since the image is on the larger side, this card is 5.25" square. Your getting a sneak peek at some new patterned paper from the upcoming 2016-2017 Stampin' Up! catalog called Affectionately Yours. I really love the colors in this designer paper series. To finish the card I used three punched banners and a yellow pansy flower. That's it!

This Retirement Card is entered into the following challenges:

• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes w/ Optional twist
• Alphabet Challenge: Furry Friends
• Ellibelle's Creative Moments: Something Colored

Floats Your Goat Birthday Card

Making a handmade card for my dad is getting harder every year. I've done trucks, tractors, monkeys, etc... so this year I'm using a goat with balloons. The sentiment and image by Doodle Pantry crack me up! My dad raises sheep but my mother might say that he acts like an old goat. Hopefully this Floats Your Goat Birthday Card will make him laugh.

The image comes with a colored or non-colored version. I used the colored version to save a little time and die cut it with a stitched circle die by My Favorite Things. The patterned papers were in my scrap bin. Everything was adhered flat and three green sequins were added for a little sparkle.

I'm entering this card is the following challenges:

• Doodle Pantry: Digital Anything Goes 
• Brown Sugar: Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft: Anything Goes

Birthday Greetings Card with Kitty

Happy Birthday to me! Yep, today is my birthday... so I made myself a card. Why not? I used my favorite color purple, my favorite Secret Garden patterned paper by Bo Bunny and my favorite new Kitty stamp by Whimsy Stamps. The layout is from one of my favorite sketch challenges Tuesday Morning Sketches, although I took a few more creative liberties than usual (hopefully they don't mind). Copic markers were used to color the image and the kitty is colored to look like my first indoor kitty. She lived with us for twenty years before she crossed the rainbow bridge, it's been almost five years ago since she passed. She was the sweetest kitty with beautiful blue eyes! My coloring doesn't do her justice so I'm sharing a picture.

Here she is Miss Precious:

I'm entering this Birthday Greeting Card with Kitty into the following challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: Sketch #352
• Colouring in Scrapland: Celebrations
• Ellibelle's Creative Moments: Something Colored
• Crafty Sentiment Designs: Something with Wings
• Show Us Your Pussies: Furry Friends

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Watercolor Wings Sympathy Card

Hello! Last night I was playing around with the Watercolor Wings stamp set and I created this Sympathy Card. It features my favorite retiring patterned paper by Stampin' Up! called Pretty Petals. For the focal panel I stamped onto patterned paper and it really softened the ink colors. The leaves are from the Kinda Eclectic stamp set and the sentiment is from a retired hostess set. I love angled panels and really enjoyed using this weeks sketch at Mojo Monday for the layout. When it came time to stamping the sentiment I debated about making it read straight or on the angle with the panel. I went with the angle because it fell in line with the polka dots. The finishing touch were three retired Crisp Cantaloupe sequins for a little sparkle.

This card is entered into the following challenges:

• SU-Only: Papers We'll Miss!
• Mojo Monday: Sketch 448

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Elephant Love You Lots Card

Good day crafty friends! This Elephant Love You Lots Card will give you a sneak peek at a new hostess stamp set called Love You Lots that will be in the 2016-2017 Stampin' Up! catalog. Using the elephant stamp I have finally attempted the mirror image technique. It came out pretty good, the mirror image isn't as crisp as the original but I don't think it's too off. I did watch a video to help with this technique, you can find it here.

The inspiration to create this card came from The Paper Players challenge to use a "wild thing" on a CAS project. The elephants were stamped using Tip Top Taupe ink onto Sahara Sand cardstock and then fussy-cut. To ground them I used the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set and added some Wild Wasabi die cut grass using an Impression Obsession die cut. Then I embossed the clouds on the top portion of the white panel. Adding a red sparkle heart and the sentiment were the final two details and this card was done. I'm also entering this card in the "Anything Goes" challenge at Crafting from the Heart. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Manly Birthday Card

Hello! We are having some lovely weather this weekend in Oklahoma. This mornings entertainment has been a nest of mocking birds who are almost ready to leave the nest. They are making all kinds of noise and moving around a lot. I keep watching to see if I can spy one flying away. It's been fun watching the parents catch bugs and take it to the babies. The nest is right outside my front window in a large Privet. When I'm at the computer I have a front row seat to all the action.

Okay, onto this Manly Birthday Card. This month we are celebrating my dad, brother and father-in-laws birthdays, so I need several Manly Birthday Cards. The image used is by Bugaboo Digi Stamps and it's called Charlie Birthday. Copic markers were used to color the image and I added some glossy accents to the balloon. The image was die cut using a cross stitched oval by My Favorite Things. The image was matted to a slightly larger oval cut using Fiskars deckle decorative scissors.  All patterned paper is from The Paper Loft from the Persnickety collection. I really love the colors in this paper collection, they are perfect for manly cards.  The layout is from the current Stella Says Sketch challenge. To add some detail I added some buttercream twine from The Twinery, three large olive rhinestones and the sentiment is from The Itty Bitty Banners stamp set by Stampin' Up! That's it!

This Manly Birthday Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Stella Says Sketch: Sketch #409
• Moving Along With The Times: Man or Boy
• Little Red Wagon: Let's Hear it for the Boys
• Alphabet Challenge: "F" for Furry Friends
• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes
• Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Baby Doll Blanket

Happy Friday! A couple of weeks ago my friend asked me to make her daughter a baby doll blanket and it turned out really cute. Then I decided to make one or two for my Etsy shop. This doll blanket has fun bright hearts and is reversible with the coordinating chevron pattern. I would have never thought about making a doll blanket had my friend not asked, but now I know what I'm making my younger nieces for Christmas this year.

Then I decided to made a set of burp cloths using this fabric. The front side is flannel and the back is terry cloth. They make a great baby shower gift.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Stampin' Up! 2016-2018 In Color Card

It's getting close to the launch of the new Stampin' Up! catalog and that means five new colors will be available starting on June 1, 2016. This card will give you a sneak peek at the new Swirly Bird stamp set, Swirly Scribble Thinlits and the new 2016-2015 In Colors which include:

• Dapper Denim
• Emerald Envy
• Flirty Flamingo
• Peekaboo Peach
• Sweet Sugarplum

All five colors have been used on this card and I believe they look splendid together. There is a lot to be excited about in the new catalog. I'm counting down the days to place my order. If you want to see the retiring products click here to visit the website. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This 2016-2018 In Color Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp: Flowers
• The Sisterhood of Crafters: No Designer Paper

Dragonfly Waterlily Card

Happy Tuesday! It's true what they say, "time flies when you're having fun!" The last two weeks went by super fast and it's already the second week of May, geez. Do you ever wish you could hit a "pause" button?

Today is the start of a new challenge at Tuesday Throwdown and the theme this week is Thinking of You. I like making Thinking of You cards! The sentiment is very versatile when used on the outside of a card. The inside can still say "on your birthday" or "on your graduation," so use your imagination when creating your Thinking of You creation. We are sponsored this week by CraftyGirl Creations found at Stitchy Bear's Digi Outlet. My card features the Dragonfly Waterlily image and it was colored with Copic markers. To play along in the challenge create a new card or paper creation using the Thinking of You theme and link your project by mid-day Monday, May 16th. Click here for all the wonderful design team inspiration and challenge details.

This Dragonfly Waterlily Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Sketch Saturday: Sketch
• Crafting From The Heart: Anything Goes
• Come and Get It: Card for a Woman
• Craft Your Passion: Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Cupcake Mouse Birthday Card

It's late and National Scrapbooking Day is almost over, but I wanted to share the card I made today. In my family we have several birthdays in May, so I made this Cupcake Mouse Birthday Card. The layout is from the Paper Play Sketches challenge 007. I've used a precolored image I found at Paper Creator called Sneaky Mouse Birthday Cupcake and it was die cut using a stitched square die by Lil' Inkers. The papers were selected to coordinate with the colors in the image. To add the Birthday Wishes sentiment by Taylored Expressions I used the coordinating mini decorative label dies, tied some twine to the top and adhered with dimensionals. The final touch was adding three sequins for some sparkle. That's it! I hope you had a lovely day and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

This Cupcake Mouse Birthday Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Paper Play Sketches: Sketch 007
• Paper Creator: Anything Goes
• The Sisterhood of Crafters: Birthdays

Hippo Cycle Feel Better Card

Hello! Today I have a quick post to share this Hippo Cycle Feel Better Card. The Hippo Cycle stamp is by Stampendous! and I colored the image with Copic markers. In case you're wondering, I didn't search for an image of a hippo on a bicycle, it's one of those finds where you see it and it makes you laugh so you buy it.

For this card all patterned paper is from the Garden Party paper pad by Pebbles. The image was die cut using a cross-stitch oval by My Favorite Things and matted to a piece of Blushing Bride cardstock that was cut using a pair of Fiskars deckle scissors. Using Memento black ink the Feel Better sentiment from the Sassy Salutations set by Stampin' Up! was stamped directly onto the patterned paper. Everything was adhered flat to the card for easy shipping and the final touches were three sequins and some Seaweed twine from The Twinery. That's it!

This Hippo Cycle Feel Better Card is entered into the following challenges:

• The Paper Players: Bicycle
• Addicted to Stamps and More: Make Your Mark
• Creative Moments: Anything Goes w/ Twist Showers/Rainbows

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Flower Mouse For You Card

Good day and happy first day of May! My hubby was taking his Sunday afternoon nap, so I played in my craft room. Although I really need to stop playing and clean my desk, I pushed that back another day (that's not surprising).

For Mother's Day I usually send my aunts a card and this one is for my aunt who lives in Arizona. The layout is from Sketch Saturday #380, click here for the original post from September of 2015. I had fun mixing patterned papers from different paper stacks. The image is by Bugaboo Digi Stamps and it's called Mouse - Big Flower and it was colored with Copic markers. Three sequins were added and then I went crazy with the glue and some white loose glitter for a little extra sparkle (it looks better in person). Finding the perfect size sentiment was a little challenging but the For You sentiment from the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set by Stampin' Up! worked perfectly. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This Flower Mouse For You Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Sketch Saturday: Choose Archive Sketch
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes
• Challenge Up Your Life: Critters
• Crafty Friends: All Things Cute
• Hiding in My Craft Room: Freestyle!
• Pile It On: Garden Creatures