Sending Love Card

Do you ever lose something in your craft room? I knew I had this patterned paper that I was "saving" for the right card and when I finally decide to use it, I couldn't find it. Well after a couple of searches I found it stuck in a box. The colors are perfect for one of my nieces and that's who will be receiving this Sending Love Card.

The layout for this card is from the current Inky Paws Sketch Challenge. I used the new Sending Hugs stamp set and coordinating dies by Newton's Nook. Copic markers were used to color the image. To go along with the sketch, some Basic Gray twine by Stampin' Up! was added and three pink sequins for a little sparkle. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Challenges entered:

• Inky Paws: Sketch
• The Crazy Challenge: Love
• Addicted to Stamps: Make Your Mark
• Crafty Gals Corner: Anything Goes
• Watercooler Wednesday: Anything Goes

Elephant Sympathy Card

This past week at the Tulsa Zoo their long time resident Gunda an Asian elephant passed away at the age of 67. She lived two decades longer than the average lifespan of an Asian elephant. My hubby and I were planning a trip to the zoo, so I made this Elephant Sympathy Card to give to the Zoo Keepers and Staff.

The elephant image is by Bugaboo Digi Stamps and it's one of my favorite older images. It's been in my stash since 2012 and I already had several printed to make a set of note cards. A paisley embossing folder by Cuttlebug, another older favorite, was used along with a scalloped frame by Taylored Expressions and the Petite Petal stamp set by Stampin' Up!. The colors include: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum and Pear Pizzazz all by Stampin' Up!. That's it, thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Allsorts: Old Favourites
• Creative Moments: Anything Goes
• International Art & Soul: Do Something Digital

Puppy Love Cards

If you're thinking you've seen this image on another one of my cards today then you're right. This post is mainly to remind me what my cards for the Cards from the Heart Card Drive looked like. I always look back on previous years to see what I made because my memory isn't that great.

I'm hoping these Puppy Love Cards will bring a smile to the recipients on Valentine's Day. For details about the card drive click here. The Puppy Love image can be found HERE. I'm entering this card in the Dragonfly Journeys challenge (The Power of Red) and Tuesday Throwdown (Anything Goes). Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Valentine Cards for Kids

Hello! I have a quick post and reminder about the Cards from the Heart Card Drive. If you can make a few Valentine Cards and get them mailed in the next couple of days then you still have time to participate. Here is the link (click here) with all the rules/guidelines for the cards, please read carefully before making your cards.

My approach to making the cards are to keep it simple and cute. Since you can't use embellishments, glitter, etc. I have fun with patterned papers and make sure the image is something kids will enjoy. This last week a fellow crafter/blogger posted a darling Valentine Card (click here) using this Puppy Love image and I immediately decided it would be perfect for the card drive. It comes precolored and since I am running short on time I knew I needed to eliminate hand coloring images. The XOXO sentiment is by Stampabilities and it's punched with a 1" circle punch and then matted to a 1 1/4" scalloped circle. I used a simple layout that I've used before and I usually make multiples of a couple different designs. That's it! I hope you have time to make a few cards and thanks for stopping by!

Challenges entered:

Dream Valley: Love
Crafty Creations: Anything Goes
The Crafty Addicts: Anything Goes

Cute Manly Birthday Card

Well... it seems my seasonal part-time job may have turned into a permanent part-time job. They had someone give notice and that opened up a permanent position. It would give me extra dollars for stamps and crafting supplies which is nice, but I'm still dealing with the bone spur on my hip. So, I'm not sure what I want to do!

I'm still making birthday cards and this Cute Manly Birthday Card was made with my dad in mind. It features a digital image called Charlie Birthday by Bugaboo Stamps. The image was colored with Copic markers and then die cut with a stitched rectangle die. All patterned papers are from the Snippets collection by Studio Calico. The layout came from a sketch from Paper Play Sketches #017. I added the sentiment by Hero Arts and three glitter (dot) stickers by Sticko. That's it, thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day.

Challenges entered:

• Watercooler Wednesday: Masculine Anything Goes
• Catch the Bug: Bingo (die cut/player's choice/dots & stripes)
• Crafty Catz: Anything Goes/Male Birthday
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes

Birthday Card with Turtle

Today is day 6 of the Bugaboo Birthday Bash at the Catch the Bug Blog. The challenge is a recipe challenge to use: Kraft, Ribbon & Bold Colors. I chose some fun bright bold colors using patterned papers from the Hello Sunshine paper pad by Doodlebug Designs. The turtle image has been in my stash since 2013 (click here for another turtle birthday card). Copic markers were used to color the image and then it was die cut with a stitched circle die. The ribbon was adhered flush to the card behind the image. I'm not good with bows, so I avoid making them whenever possible. Five larger sequins were added for sparkle and the Happy Birthday sentiment is from the new Perennial Birthday stamp set by Stampin' Up!. That's it, thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day.

Challenges entered:

• Catch the Bug: Recipe
• Cute Card Thursday: Something Fun
• Aud Sentiments: Anything Goes
• Crafting with an Attitude: Anything Goes

Cupcake Birthday Card

Well... I never went outside today! It's still really cold and I decided just to stay home, do laundry and make a card. The hubby is picking up a pizza on his way home and the plan is to take it easy this evening. I hope you can do the same!

When I was searching for the image to use I decided to look through my already printed images and I found this cupcake. I'm playing along with Day 4 of the Bugaboo Birthday Bash and it's a Bingo challenge, my selections are middle row down using Cake/Cupcakes, Bugaboo Image and Bold Colors. Looking back to see when I used this image last it was January 2014 for Bugaboo's 4th Birthday Bingo Challenge. How funny is that? Click here to see that post. I decided to make my cupcake similar to the first one with a paper pieced liner and puffy paint for icing. All patterned paper are by The Paper Studio and the sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts. Three sequins for sparkle and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This Cupcake Birthday Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Catch the Bug: Bingo
• Crafty Gals Corner: Anything Goes
• Craftaholics R Us: Anything Goes

Cake Time Card

Hello crafty friends! This week Bugaboo Stamps is celebrating their 8th birthday at the Catch the Bug blog and I made this Cake Time Card using the sketch challenge (day2). My birthday stash is really low, so this was the perfect time to play along.

Looking back on my blog I first used this image in February 2013 (click here for card). At that time, it had only been a year since I started making cards. That also seems to be the only time I used this image called Birthday Monkey - Cake. Copic markers were used to color the image and then it was die cut with a stitched circle die. All patterned paper are from the Party Time paper pad by Echo Park. I kept the colors neutral so it could be sent to males or females. The Cake Time sentiment is retired by Stampin' Up! from the Party Pants stamp set. Five small sequins add some sparkle and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Catch the Bug: Sketch
• Naughty or Nice: It's a Celebration!
• Dragonfly Journeys: Hooray for Birthdays!
• 2 Crafty Critters: Anything Goes with a Critter
• Bugaboo Crafty: Anything Goes with Bugaboo Image

Bright Birthday Bird Card

It's been pretty cold the last couple of days, so I was happy to see a challenge for something bright. I like making cheerful cards and I think the image and colors on this Bright Birthday Bird Card will be perfect for my youngest niece. Her birthday is in April, so nice spring colors are perfect. I also want to wish a happy 8th birthday to Bugaboo Digi Stamps! My very first digital image came from Bugaboo and they continue to be one of my favorites. Wishing them many more years of creative success.

This Bright Birthday Bird Card design started with the selection of the bird image by Bugaboo Digi Stamps. Copic markers were used to color the image. The fun striped paper is by Doodlebug Designs and it was matted to a piece of black and white chevron. A black die cut frame was used along with a die cut happy birthday sentiment. To add a little sparkle, three sequins were added and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Catch the Bug: Bold & Bright Birthday
• Seize the Birthday: Anything Birthday Goes
• Simon Says Stamp: Patterned Paper
• Brown Sugar: Birthday
• A Gem of a Challenge: Happy Anything 

Owl Love Card

It's been a long and crazy day around my house! So, to help reduce my stress I made this Owl Love Card. The colors were inspired by the current Pretty in Pink challenge at Inky Paws. Pink isn't a color you see often on my card creations but this time of year it's perfect for Love/Valentine's Day Cards. I thought the cute owls from the What a Hoot stamp set by Newton's Nook were perfect for this card. They were colored with Copic markers and then die cut with the coordinating dies. The sentiment stamp is by Stampendous! To create the pink background Distress Oxide inks in Picked Raspberry and Worn Lipstick were used on mixed media paper. The paper was spritzed with water and then a heat gun was used to dry the wet spots. Picking the patterned paper was the hardest part! The stripes by Doodlebug Designs are subtle and I thought it worked well with the design. Then I decided to add some stitching and the final touch were three clear sequins. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day.

Challenges entered:

• Newton's Inky Paws: Pretty in Pink
• Simon Says Stamp: Patterned Paper
• Southern Girls: Stitching
• 4 Crafty Chicks: No Winter Blues
• Creative Moments: Anything Goes

Valentine Panda Card

Last year I was playing along with Gerda Steiner's progressive challenge, then I had surgery and stopped. This months new darling Panda image prompted me to start playing along again. I really love this cute image and it's perfect to use on the cards I make for the Cards from the Heart Card Drive. The cards for the card drive are supposed to be gender neutral which this one really isn't. So, I'll probably send this Valentine Panda Card to one of my nieces. If you have time this month I encourage you to make cards for the Cards from the Heart Card Drive, click here for all the details and guidelines.

The patterned papers on this card have been in my stash for awhile and both are by The Paper Studio. Copic markers were used to color the panda image. It was challenging to make the purples match! I used the following purple Copic markers: BV11, BV17 and V17. The pink hearts are a little light but I didn't have the exact shade needed, so I used: R83 and RV34. The green is a single color of YG25. N2 was used to help shade the black on the panda and that covers all the colors used. I use this XOXO sentiment a lot on Valentine's cards and it's also by The Paper Studio. That's about it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Gerda Steiner Progressive Challenge
• Crafty Animals: Anything Goes
• Craftyhazelnut's: Patterned Paper
• Crea Chicky's: Valentine
• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes w/ Something New Twist 

Recover Card with Band-aids

The first week of the new year is almost over and it's been a cold one for many places in the United States. I'm still working part-time but not for much longer. The job is seasonal, so in about a week I'll be finished. It has been nice getting out of the house, but it also made me realize my day to day pain was more than I thought. When I sit for long periods of time or stand for too long I'm in pain. So, I made an appointment with a doctor and had an x-ray to find the reason. Come to find out... I have a bone spur on my right hip bone. It could be causing more damage, but I need an MRI to determine the extent. Anyway.... that's what's up with me. I hope you're having a better New Year!

This Recover Card with Band-aids was made for my aunt who had rotator cuff surgery earlier this week. The design is repeated from a card I made back in 2013. It's simple and easy to make. The band-aids and sentiment came from the retired Patterned Occasions stamp set by Stampin' Up!. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Challenges entered:

• Alphabet Challenge: Use 3 of Something
• Simply Create Too: Use Embossing
• QKR Stampede: Anything Goes
• Just Us Girls: Anything Goes