Valentine's Day Blog Hop

Happy Valentine's Day and welcome to a Valentine's Day Blog Hop! You won't find any red or pink on this post because the card I'm sharing is for my hubby. I used purple and blue as the main colors. A pair of darling bunnies from Crafter's Companion called Perfect Couple were used for the focal image and they were colored with Copic markers. This stamp set was bought many years ago with the intention of making my hubby a card, so I finally did. We have cottontail bunnies in our yard and we love to watch them. I didn't add any embellishments just some plaid and polka dot papers for detail. Simple but sweet.

Thanks for stopping by! I am giving away a Foxy Valentine stamp by Unity Stamps, so make sure to comment on my blog. Your invited to follow me if you want, but it's not a requirement. The winner will be randomly selected on Friday, Feb. 22nd from the comments on this post. Wishing you a wonderful day and enjoy the hop!

Challenges entered: Creative Knockouts (Love is in the Air), Shopping Our Stash (Make Your Mark), The Cutie Pie (One for the Boys) and Watercooler Wednesday (All About Occasions).

Hop list:

PolymerCreations4U

It's Oddly Appealing
Matter of Crafts
Kelly Parker Designs
Psychotic Ramblings of a Serial Scrapper
The Joyful Soul Creates
Paper Mache Patch
Scrappy Squirrel’s Nest
A Fine How Do You Do
Whimsy Chic Paper Crafts Etc
Inky Pinky Boo
ekgorman designs
Life in a Snapshot
Juli Loves Paper
The Crafty Moussekateer
Savvy Handmade Cards (you are here)
The Crafty Robin
Whimsical Creations
CMP Designs

Get Ready for a Blog Hop

Do you love blog hops? Then save the date for a Valentine's Day Blog Hop on Thursday, February 14th, 2019. It will start at 9 am EST. Check back on Valentine's Day for the hop list and join the fun.  💕

I Heart You Card

Hello! I hope you've been staying warm in your craft room. It's been really cold this week and I'm ready for a few warmer days. Cold weather doesn't usually bother me but this cold snap has a little bite to it. It's evident my joints are not as young as they used to be. 😢

This afternoon I made this I Heart You Card for my youngest niece. The bear image is by Bugaboo Stamps and it was colored with Copic markers. Unfortunately the cardstock I use when printing digital images doesn't blend as well. If you have a suggestion for a good white 65# cardstock that works well with Copic markers, please share in the comments. The patterned papers are from the Crush paper pad by We R Memory Keepers. A few heart sequins were added for sparkle and that's it. Everything was adhered flat for easy shipping. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day. ❤

Challenges entered:

• Catch The Bug: Love is in the Air
• Crafter's Castle: Anything Goes/Valentine's Day Option
• Craft Rocket: Valentine
• Cute Card Thursday: Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too: Anything Goes/Use Hearts Twist   

Valentine Card with Elephant

Hello! This afternoon I realized there is only ten days left until Valentine's Day. That means I need to finish my cards so I can get them mailed on time. My nephew is three and currently his favorite animal is the elephant. That prompted me to make this Valentine Card with Elephant featuring the Edward Valentine image by Bugaboo Stamps. Copic markers were used to color the image using warm gray for the elephant. Papers were selected to coordinate with the colors used in the image. Instead of stamping a sentiment I used a XOXO die cut by Impression Obsession. Everything was adhered flat for easy shipping and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day. ❤

Challenges entered:

• Allsorts: Love 
• Brown Sugar: Love or Valentine's Day 
• Catch The Bug: Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday: Valentines 
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: Anything with Critters

Sending Love Card

Hello! I have a quick post to share this Sending Love Card I made using the Sending Hugs stamp set and Tumbling Hearts stencil by Newton's Nook. Newton was colored with Copic markers in neutral gray tones and a Sweet Sugarplum Stampin' Pad was used for the hearts. A 1" strip of patterned paper was added for contrast and the sentiment was stamped and heat embossed onto a piece of Berry Burst cardstock. Three glimmer stickers were added for sparkle and that's it. Thanks for stopping by!

Challenges entered: Hand Stamped Sentiments (Photo Inspiration), Inky Paws (Love/Valentines), Paperminutes (Valentine's Day), Simon Says (Anything Goes) and Tuesday Throwdown (Anything Goes).

Photo Inspiration:

Be Mine Kitty Card - TMS #488

Welcome back! It's Tuesday and that means another Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge. This week we are featuring Jenee's favorite sketch from 2018 and she picked sketch #453. Click HERE for the original post from last May. I like looking back at what everyone created. It's fun looking at the different images and colors that were used. For the current design team inspiration and challenge details click HERE. You have until Sunday at 8 pm EST to link your creation. I hope you have time to play along!

Valentine's Day will be here in a couple of weeks and although I don't make a lot of cards for this occasion, I thought I should get started. My family knows I love cats and my hubby and I will always share our home with them. So to love me it to love cats. This Be Mine Kitty Card features an image by AuroraWings and you can find it HERE. Copic markers were used to color the image and then it was die cut with a pierced oval die by Avery Elle. All patterned papers are from the Yours Truly paper pad by Pebbles (2013). A sheer bow and three sequins were added for detail and that's it. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Challenges entered:

• Cards in Envy: Love Me or Love My Pet
• Cute Card Thursday: Critters
• My Time To Craft: All You Need is Love
• Simon Says: Love Is In The Air

Sketch:

Stole My Heart Card

My crafty mojo is on the fritz, so I've had a hard time getting motivated to make anything. It seems this happens a couple of times a year. It probably didn't help that I got sick over Christmas and it's taken a couple of weeks to feel better.

This afternoon I was determined to make a card for a couple of challenges that are almost over. To help me get started I found a sketch at Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge and I used the colors from the Inky Paws challenge to use Red, Sky Blue, Black and White. Then I decided to use a new to me stamp set called Sweetheart Tails by Newton's Nook and use the raccoon image. The image was colored with Copic markers and then fussy cut. All the papers are very retired from the Stacked with Love paper stack by Stampin' Up!. Three clear sequins add the final touch and that's it. So glad you stopped by and enjoy the rest of your day.

Challenges entered:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: Anything Goes w/ Critters 
• Hand Stamped Sentiments: Sketch
• Inky Paws: Colors (Red, Sky Blue, Black and White)
• Try it on Tuesday: Something Old and Something New

Something old= patterned paper (2015) and something new (to me)= Sweetheart Tails stamp set

Purr-fect Valentine Card

Happy Valentine's Day! I have a quick post to share the card I made for my hubby. You won't see any pink on this Purr-fect Valentine Card. The background was created with the Tumbling Hearts Stencil by Newton's Nook and the stamp set is called Furry Kisses by Simon Says Stamp. Distress inks in Tumbled Glass and Peacock Feathers were used along with a Classic Stampin' Pad in Tempting Turquoise by Stampin' Up!. To color the cats I used Copic markers in Cool Gray and Black tones. To help pull in the eyes I used a piece of black diagonal striped paper and matted the focal panel to it. That's pretty much it, a simple Purr-fect Valentine Card. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day.

Challenges entered:

• Crafty Gals Corner: Add a Heart
• Crafting By Designs: Valentine
• Pause Dream Enjoy: Anything Goes
• Show Us Your Pussies: Furrything Goes/Love

Here is a picture of a couple of our kitties all snuggled up together. These two really love each other and had an immediate bond, it's so sweet. The smaller tortie is the kitten we rescued back in December, she is getting big.

Valentine Couple Card

Hello! Last week when I was searching in my craft room I found this digital image by Kenny K, it was printed and waiting to be used. So, I decided to use it on a Valentine Card. First, I selected patterned papers from the Be Mine paper pad by Recollections and then I colored the image with Copic markers to coordinate. Some clear Wink of Stella was added to the dark red border around the heart for a little sparkle. Once all the layers were assembled the focal image was adhered with dimensionals. The sentiment stamp is from a Valentine's set I bought several years back by Recollections. The finishing touch was the addition of three heart sequins and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This Valentine Couple Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Crafting by Designs: February Anything Goes
• Pause Dream Enjoy: Valentine Cards or Treats
• Dragonfly Journeys: L.O.V.E.
• Unicorn Challenge: Love/Valentines

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

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 

Otter Be My Valentine Card

Recently I saw this Otter Valentine stamp by Unity Stamps and knew I had to buy it to make my hubby's Valentine card. We love to visit the river otters at the Tulsa Zoo and I knew this stamp would make the perfect card. He definitely loved it!!!

To make this card I first colored the image with Copic markers and then it was die cut with a stitched square die by Lil' Inkers. Then I selected the patterned papers which ended up being all retired papers by Stampin' Up! After stamping the sentiment I stamped a small heart from a Newton's Nook stamp set to fill in some white space. To finish off the card I added my favorite embellishment... twine and then adhered the image and sentiment with dimensionals. That's it!

This Otter Be My Valentine Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Crafty Gals Corner: Favorite Things
• Cards und More: Valentine's Day
• Cutie Pie: Simply Love

Love Notes at Tuesday Throwdown

Hello and happy Tuesday! Valentine's Day will be here in a couple of weeks and to help inspire you our challenge theme at Tuesday Throwdown this week is Love Notes. Our sponsor is The Paper Shelter and I'm using the I Love You, Baby! image that was generously provided to the design team. As always, we would love for you to play along with our challenge this week. CLICK HERE for all the details and design team inspiration. I hope to see your creation in the gallery!

The digital image comes with coordinating paper, but I decided to do some digging in my paper stash. I knew I had music notes in the perfect color to go with the image and since the frog is playing music, and the theme is Love Notes... it was worth the dig. The sentiment is by Impression Obsession and was stamped using black Memento ink. Five small punched hearts were added for detail and topped with sequins for sparkle. That's it!

This card is entered into the following challenges:

• Crafty Cardmakers: Love, Love, Love
• The Paper Shelter: Make It Digital

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

Brentwood Owl Valentine Cards

Hello! This past weekend Jessica Lynn Original created this cute new digital Brentwood Owl image called Wholelotta Love and I just adore it! I've used it to make several cards for the Cards from the Heart Card Drive. It's been a lot of fun playing around with different colors and patterned papers. There is still some time if you can make a few cards for the card drive, check out all the details HERE. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Elephant Love Card

Happy Tuesday! It's time again for the start of a new challenge at Tuesday Throwdown and this week our theme is Favorite Medium. This one was hard to narrow down, I like a lot of different mediums. So, I went with what I use the most... Copic markers. Bugaboo Digi Stamps is our wonderful sponsor this week and I'm using the Elephant Love digi. We would love for you to make a project with your favorite medium and share it with us. CLICK HERE for all the challenge details and design team inspiration. Can't wait to see your creation in the gallery! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Elephant Love Card Supplies:

• Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black and Real Red cardstock by Stampin' Up! along with black chevron paper by The Paper Studio.
• Stamps: Elephant Love digi by Bugaboo and XOXO sentiment by Stampabilities.
• Ink & Coloring: Copic Markers and Black Memento ink.
• Other Stuff: Coastal Cabana thick baker's twine by Stampin' Up!, Avery Elle pierced oval and scalloped frame dies, circle punch and stampin' dimensionals.

Valentine Card for Kids

This morning I woke up to a thin layer of ice on the trees in my yard. The roads are slick which makes for a good morning to stay indoors and cuddle up with a nice cup of coffee. Our weather forecast for the next week looks good, we just have to get past the cold today and rain tomorrow.

My goal this weekend is to finish my Valentine Cards for the Cards from the Heart Card Drive. I usually make 12-18 cards. This card has black scribble heart paper by The Paper Studio with some scrap red by Stampin' Up! The dog stamp is by Recollections (several years ago) and I colored it with Copic markers. To finish it off I added the XOXO sentiment by Stampabilities. If you have time I definitely encourage you to make a few cards for the card drive. It's for a great cause! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This Valentine Card for Kids is entered into the following challenges:

• Brown Sugar: Anything Goes
• Jo's Scrap Shack: Anything Goes
• Pattie's Creations: Animal Image

Valentine Card Drive

Hello and happy Thursday! For the last several years I have made Valentine's cards for a Card Drive called Cards from the Heart. If you have some time and enjoy making Valentine's cards for kids I encourage you to make cards for the drive. Please be aware there are very specific rules, CLICK HERE for all the details. The cards need to be made for any age or gender which can be a little tricky, so I went with a cute dog which I colored with Copic markers. The layout is simple and three punched hearts were the only embellishments. To speed things along I usually make three or four of the same design. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will make some cards for the card drive!!!

This Handmade Valentine Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Crafty Gals: Patterned Paper

Cupcake Valentine Card

It's time to get the Valentine cards I made my family in the mail!!! This Cupcake Valentine Card was made for one of my nieces. The cupcake image is a stamp by Impression Obsession. I stamped it several times onto different paper, cut out the pieces and paper pieced it together. The icing was colored with Copic markers and then glossy accents added to make it shine. All patterned papers are from the With Love paper pad by American Crafts. Some twine was added and three punched hearts for detail. Nothing fancy, just simple and sweet.




I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

• Everybody-Art: Heart(s)
• Crafting From The Heart: Anything Goes
• Get Creative: Hearts
• Crafting When We Can: Add Hearts

Thanks for stopping by!!!