Cards Blog Challenge - 8 Colors

So, if you know me at all you will know that I tend to stick to 2 or maybe 3 colors at a time on my cards. So you can imagine my surprise when Paige from Cards Blog wanted us to work with 8 colors .... on one card ... that's right ... 8 different colors!!! My first response was "are you kidding me?" but then I had to take on the challenge.

And this is what I ended up with! I used the skinny stripe in the Faux Ribbon set (Papertrey Ink) and created a 'rainbow' of stripes across the bottom of my white panel. Then I added the tree from Beyond Basic Backgrounds (Papertrey Ink). I wanted to add multi-colored leaves to my tree but I only had purple and blue square rhinstones. But I also had plain rhinstones and Copic markers!!!! I colored a bunch in the other colors to match my stripes!! Love that!!!

A sentiment and some matting and voila, a very colorful card!!! And, to make my week, Paige added my card to her picks on her blog which you can see HERE!! Yeah!!

So, how many colors can you use on one card??!!

Donelda

Daring Cardmakers - Eggs

Well, what else would you expect a challenge to be at this time of year??!! Daring Cardmakers wanted us to make cards using eggs!!! Lots of fun.

Sorry for this horrible picture!! Sheesh, you can't even appreciate how cute these little eggs are. Maybe I'll try another photo tomorrow.

These are 3x3 cards and will be shared with my family.

Supplies: Stamps - Demask Designs, Guide Lines, Wedding Day, Limitless Labels (all Papertrey Ink); Ink - Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst (Papertrey Ink), Craft White (Stampin' Up!), black; Paper - all scraps!!!; Other - chalks (Stampin' Up!), oval nestabilities (Spellbinders), black marker.

Thanks for dropping in again!! Make sure you check out the 4 newest posts... all challenge cards! Did I ever have fun using up some of my scraps!!!!

Donelda

Embellish Magazine - Aqua, Pink, Kraft, and stitching

The colors on the latest Embellish Magazine challenge were just too tempting to pass up!!

I had to make baby cards with those yummy colors!!

I had drew the onsie and cut it out of kraft cardstock. I added the little duckie that is in the Limitless Labels stamp set (Papertrey Ink).

Supplies: Stamps - Limitless Labels, Polka Dot Basics II (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush (Papertrey Ink), Kraft White (Stampin' Up!); Paper - Whisper White, Kraft (Stampin' Up!), Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush (Papertrey Ink); Other - sewing machine, white thread, white gel pen (Signo), dimensionals.

Thanks for another great color challenge!!

Donelda

Clean and Simple (CAS) Challenge # 60 - Sketch

I really liked the most recent Clean and Simple challenge - it was a layout! Everything here is created with scraps!!!! and I enjoyed making my first card so much I went ahead and create 2!!!

Butterfly Trio

Supplies: Stamps - Background Basics: Text, Around and About (Papertrey Ink); Paper - White, Kraft (Stampin' Up!) other colors (scraps); Ink - Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!); Other - crimper (Fiskers), border punch (Fiskers), butterfly punch (Martha Stewart), sponge.

Best Wishes

Supplies: Stamps - Turning a New Leaf, Rustic Branch (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Versamark, black; Paper - White (SU!), kraft file folder, all other paper are scraps from my bin; Other - 1" square punch, dimensionals.

Thanks for dropping in! Keep scrolling up and down, I've got a bunch of challenge cards created and posted!!

Donelda

Saturday Spotlight - Coffee Time

The most recent challenge over on Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential is to use 'coffee' in our projects! Perfect for me since I haven't used my Warm Happiness set nearly enough!!!

I had this great distress ink background sitting around just waiting for the perfect card. When my son critiqued my card he laughed and said that it looked like I had spilled coffee all over it!!

Off to see what other coffee cards were created!!

Check back, there will be plenty of posts today ... I made a swack of challenge cards yesterday!! !

Donelda

Sympathy Tree

This entire card is made from scraps!!! I had stamped and colored the tree a long time ago and it sat, unused in my scrap bin. Same with the rest of the paper and even the hemp was a piece I had cut but not used in the past.

I love that particular sympathy sentiment .. it is from Birds Of a Feather (Papertrey Ink). And there is just something about tearing on a sympathy card.

Thanks for dropping in!!

Donelda

Spring Bunnies

I love using my Prismacolor pencil crayons on Kraft paper. I stamped these cute little bunnies (smARTworks) onto some scrap Kraft paper and colored it in with my pencil crayons. Then, I cut them out with the 'Joy' sentiment. I stamped some swirly-gigs from the smARTworks set of the same name using Versamark ink. I popped the small images up using dimensionals!! I love that layout!!! I hope you have an enjoyable day!! Donelda

Blue Elephant

I really liked the colors from this challenge on the Stamp Away With Me blog so I decided to play!!

I decided to go with a baby theme because I had to create one of these cute little elephants!! I saw one like it on Julie Cameron's blog HERE (third little card down!). I think she created her's with a punch but of course I don' t have that punch, so I created a hand drawn template and went for it!!

I also decided to create some home-made buttons! They were a lot of fun! I stamped some lines onto a few punched circles and then covered the circles with epoxy circles. Then, I punched holes with my Crop-O-Dile and threaded them with some crochet thread. I'll definately be making more ... so easy to make buttons match your creation perfectly!!!

Supplies: Stamps - Polka Dot Basics II, Borders & Corners {square} {both Papertrey Ink); Paper - Raspberry Fizz, Lemon Tart, Ocean Tides, White (all Papertrey Ink); Ink - Ocean Tides, Raspberry Fizz (Papertrey Ink); Other - white grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!), teal marker (Copic), white gel pen (Signo),black marker, clear epoxy circle stickers (Making Memories), Colluzle, hole punch (Crop O Dile), corner rounder (We R Memory Keeper), white crochet thread, dimensionals.

Well, thanks for droping by!! Hope you like my little elephant friend!!

Donelda

Inspiration from other Bloggers 2

I continually get inspiration when I link to commenters blogs!! Check out what I have found recently! Jacilynn - Baby Thank You's (plus an adorable baby picture)

Juanita - Vellum Medallion (Juanita is rocking out with this stamp!)

Susan - Tree (Susan has the corner on clean and simple stamping!)

Donna - Inspired Easter Egg (wowzers!)

Darlene - Mice and Strawberries (yummy!)

Stephanie - Vintage Valentine (so elegant)

Jessica - House Mouse distress (Jess is such a HM enabler!! LOL)

Vicki - Butterfly Circle (another wowzers!)

I hope you too got as inspired as I did!! Donelda

Retro Sunflower

Last weekend I had so much fun using up scraps from my Papertrey Ink scrap pile. With the exception of the card base, the papers on this card are all scraps! And see there, I've used that stamp set Text Boxed (Papertrey Ink) again! This time, I inked up this sunflower with Orange Zest ink (Papertrey Ink) and stamped it onto some Lemon Tart paper (Papertrey Ink). I added a Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!)dotted center and sentiment and used a large brad (Dollar Store) in the center of the flower for some dimension. My favorite part of the card is the three strips of cardstock - all scraps that I've kept from other projects (I never throw anything away! because I always can use them, even the smallest strips!). The colors are from top to bottom - Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise, and Orange Zest (all Papertrey Ink). A little sponging around the main Kraft panel (also a piece of scrap - there was some printing on the other side) and dimensionals for the focal image and voila a Clean and Simple card!! I love that it looks so retro!! Donelda

Clean and Simple (CAS) Challenge 59 - Central Park in the Snow

This past Monday (actually Sunday night) the most recent Clean and Simple challenge #59 was posted. It was to use the inspiration of New York as your guide. I've never been to New York so I've never seen the beauty of Central Park in real life. However, a friend of mine has gone many times and shares her photos with me regularly!!

I chose this photo of Central park in winter from one of the sites Jen left as links. As soon as I saw the photo I knew I could use the new to me Papertrey Ink set called Through the Trees.

I inked them up with Chocolate Chip ink (SU!) and stamped them multiple times. I then took some markers and tapped on some colors like leaves. I did some tearing of strips of white cardstock and adhered them along the bottom of the trees. A simple sentiment was stamped across the bottom (from Made of Snow, Papertrey Ink) also in Chocolate Chip ink. I matted this on some dark brown textured cardstock (Bazzill) and popped this up onto a Kraft card base (SU!). (the mat looks crooked but that is just shadow from my light box. I recognize that my photos are not well lit ... I clearly need better or more lamps!!!)

While you can't really see it in the photo, I also added a bit of white gel pen to the trunks of the tree to suggest snow had landed on some of the branches, just like the photo!

Thanks for dropping in! Enjoy your evening!!

Donelda

Wooden Heart in Blue

Here I am trying out another color combination with the Papertrey Ink color Ocean Tides. This time I combined it with Berry Sorbet, Black, Kraft, and white. I like it too!! Okay, maybe I just had to use it!! This is another card made using some of my PTI paper scraps (I hate to throw any of that paper away!!) See the heart! That was so much fun to make! I got the inspiration from Kristina Werner's blog when I saw her making THIS card. The heart stamp is a current one from Stampin' Up! but I decided to create my own. I cut a negative mask (I cut the heart out and used the rest of the post it note), stuck it to some white scrap paper, then stamped my Designer Woodgrain stamp (Hero Arts) on top. Then, after removing the mask, I simple cut the heart out leaving a bit of a white border. I love the results and created a bunch more as embellishments to use later. One final interesting note, I don't own a ton of Papertrey Ink buttons (only brown, black and cream). But I took my BG18 Copic marker (which is very close to Ocean Tides) and colored in a plain white button! I love that option with the Copic markers!! Supplies: Stamps - Designer Woodgrain (Hero Arts), Birds of a Feather (Papertrey Ink); Ppaer - Kraft, white (SU!), Berry Sorbet, Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink), black small dots (Making Memories); Ink - Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink), Jet Black (Ranger); Other - large scallop scissors (Provo Craft), post it note, button, marker BG18 (Copic), hemp, white crochet thread, dimensionals. Thanks for dropping in again!! I hope you are enjoying your week! Donelda

White Dragonflies

I created this focal image as per Donna on Three Umbrella's. You can see her spectacular version HERE (second card down). I don't have the same stamps so I improvised. She makes the most spectacular backgrounds using distress inks so I had to try it too! You know I'll be doing this some more!! To make this focal image, stamp the dragonflies onto white cardstock with Versamark and emboss with clear embossing powder. Then, sponge on the blue (Broken China) and green (Peeled Paint). Drip water over the ink. Since this particular ink reacts to water, it will create great water spots!! You end up with a spectacular focal point. I also quite like the clear embossed dots on the black card base! Wow, what a great effect!! Supplies: Stamps - Wishing You, Polka Dot Basics II (Papertrey Ink); Paper - White, Black (SU!); Ink - Versamark, Broken China, Peeled Paint (both Ranger), Jet Black (Ranger); Other - clear embossing powder, sponge, designer scissors (Provo Craft), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), water. Have a great day!!! Donelda

LilyBean's Paperie photo challenge

Melissa over on her blog LilyBean's Paperie has been posting the most beautiful photos to use as inspiration! When I saw the yummy pinks and greens in the latest photo I couldn't resist! And, I had a ton of punched out circles from some green gingham paper from THIS project and decided they would be a great start! An interesting background. My little gnome is a very old and definately retired stamp from Stampin' Up! I loved him but never actaully bought the set, only borrowed some images from a friend! I colored him in with my Copics! It takes some work as I have so very few markers but I just make them work! Click on the close up of him to get a bigger picture to see more of the details. A little pink ribbon from Papertrey ink and rounded corners and you get a pretty simple card. Thanks for dropping in for a visit again!! Donelda

Saturday Spotlight - Blue Topaz

So this week's challenge at Saturday Spotlight is to use our birthday colors. Well, aparently mine is Topaz Blue! Now, I'm not totally sure what exact color that is so I decided to just go with the flow!! I used a piece of Madagasgar Mint paper (from BasicGrey's Marrakech collection) and heat embossed this awesome image (from smARTworks). Added a sentiment, some half pearls, and some wide grosgrain ribbon and the card is complete! A Clean and Simple card!! It was such a blast to make that I pulled out a piece of Mandarin Slice paper (also from Marrakech - BasicGrey) and did it all over again!! Supplies: Stamps - SBO Cookie Plate #2 - Vintage Variety (smARTworks), Birthday Basics (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Jet Black (on blue card), Chocolate Chip (on orange card); Paper - Whisper White (Stampin' Up!), Madagasgar Mint and Manadrin Slice (BasicGrey); Other - white embossing powder, half pearls (K&Co.), brown rhinstones (Me and My Big Ideas), wide grosgrain ribbon (Papertrey INk).

Thanks for dropping in today!! I hope you have a wonderfully crafty day!

Donelda

Loonie Stamper's Challenge #84 - Die Cut Apple

So this card has been long in the making. I've had this awesome card saved in my "inspiration" file for over a year now and I've yet to be inspired by it! It is from the very talented Claire Brennan who owns Waltzing Mouse Stamps. I particularly loved the verigated greens stamped on the white and the shamrock popped up on top. So, when I saw that the latest Loonie Challenge was to use Die Cuts I decided to use Claire's card as my inspiration!! The card is pretty straight forward. I decided not to pop up the white panel but rather put a large red panel on a white card base. I also liked how Claire's shamrock had the white around it so after punching out my apple, I adhered it to a piece of scrap white cardstock and cut around it! (I am hoping that this punched out shape will be sufficient for a 'die' as I am low on those. ETA - now that I've gone back and checked the Loonie girls blogs I realize I could have used any of my Nestabilities....who knew!) Supplies: Stamps - Guide Lines, sentiment - Teacher's Apple (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Queue Chalk Inks (ColorBox); Paper - Pure Poppy, Select White (Papertrey Ink); Other - apple punch (Martha Stewart), Memory Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), dimensionals. Now I can go look at what the Loonie girls all did. I often refuse to look before creating my card so I don't subconsciously copy what I've seen but create something original. Char, Dee, Wendy, Regan, Jewels, Maria Thanks for stopping in to my little corner of blogland!!! Have a great evening!! Donelda

Inspiration from other Bloggers

The following are some great cards I found on blogs of people who have left me comments!

Ruby - Pink Flower

Juanita - Orange Medallion Trish - Clean and Simple Sunshine Wendy - Sunny Day Joy - One Layer Birthday Glenda - Soft Blues Michele - Sparkling Elf Karen - Irish Dots I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did!! Enjoy your day! Donelda

Saturday Spotlight - Slick

The latest challenge at Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential was to use something "slick" on our cards - like slick cardstock, embellishments, acetate paper, crystal lacquar, etc. I knew instantly I wanted to do T!m Holtz' technique where he puts inks on photo paper and squirts the blobs with a can of air to make splats! You can see his tutorial HERE - he'll explain it much better than I ever could!! So I made this tag to put on a gift for my mom (who is feeling down these days). I then thought it could be a focal point for a card ... hence the stamped black butterflies behind it. What do you think....keep it as a tag to attach to a gift or add it to a card??? Supplies: stamps - Butterfly (Rubber Stampede), Paper Tray (Papertrey Ink); Paper - Whisper White, More Mustard (both Stampin' Up!),red is from my scrap bin; Ink - Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard, Real Red reinkers (Stampin' Up!), Graphite Black (Tsukineko); Other - Copics (Y13 and YR04 to add some shading to the butterfly), Dazzling Diamonds (SU!), black marker to make antenna, can of air, Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), chipboard, white grograin ribbon (SU! - which was colored with the two above Copic markers to match), Colluzle. Thanks for dropping in! Donelda

KLSNS Challenge #21 - Sketch

The latest challenge over on the KLSNS site is a sketch challenge so I wanted to play along!!

I recieved this lovely little Tilda image from a friend and since Kelly sells these wonderful stamps at her store, I decided to use her. I colored her in with Copic markers and adhered her to the mat. My biggest struggle was with the 3 embellishments in the corner (you'll note that I did a mirror image becuase of the way my Tilda was facing). I decided to take the flower, and use the leaves at the 2 smaller embellishments. I colored around the flowers edge with the copic to make it match better with the orange of my Tilda's sweater!

And see that ribbon. I have a whole bunch of it that I bought at a garage sale a few years ago for 25 cents! This was the first bit I've used ... really trying to stick to that New Year's resolution!!! And, all the paper used here (other than the card base) came from my scrap bin!! Yeah!!

Off to see what all the other folks did with this sketch! Have a great day!!

Donelda

Fall To Layout 82 - Pink, Black, and White

I really like the Fall To layouts that Natasha posts on the clean & simple blog but I rarely post them up. Today however, I have this pink number for you!! Now, I don't "do" pink very often but I couldn't resist adding this pink panel to the polka dot ribbon I created.

I took a strip of Papertrey Inks wide grosgrain ribbon and stamped the smallest of the polka dots from Polka Dot Basics II using Hibiscus Burst Ink. Wow, I am totally doing that again with different colors!!

The rest of the card is pretty straight forward!

Supplies: Stamps - Polka Dot Basics II, Flower Garden, Life, Paper Tray (all Papertrey Ink); Paper - White, Hibiscus Burst (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Jet black (Ranger), Hibiscus Burst (Papertrey Ink); Other - white grosgrain ribbon (Papertrey Ink), threading waters punch (Fiskars), dimensionals.

Do you use pink often or are you like me and rarely use it??? Have a great day!!!

Donelda

Clean and Simple (CAS) Challenge 58 - Green, Brown and White

There is really not much to say!! I found these hard felt items (eggs and bunnies too!) in my local Dollarama last year at Easter. I knew that the green egg and some brown text would be perfect for the Clean and Simple Challenge #58 at SCS - to use shades of green and brown pluse white or cream. Need I say more?? Have a great evening!! Donelda

Gold Medallion

Can you believe that this is the first time I have actually inked up this background stamp (Brocade something it must be retired becasue I went to the latest catty and couldn't find it - Stampin' Up!). When it first came out I had to have it and I do love it but I just haven't gotten around to using it! So, to keep to my new years resolustion and use what I have, I actually inked it up!! And I think the results are stunning!! I added this gold medallion to the card as a focal point. I made it by heat embossing many layers of gold embossing powder. Then, after inking up my stamp in Versamark (so it won't stick) I stamped the image into the wet puddle, let it sit a few seconds, and then gently removed it. Once it was totally cooled, I punched out the circle. I love the look and think it makes a great embellishment! I've made small ones before but this one was made with one of the larger images from Giga Guide Lines. Once the medallion got placed I realized that it fit the Card Positioning Sketch layout for this week ... and I actually got it posted in time!! Yeeeehaaaa!!! LOL!!! And, on a side note, I tried out a new to me color combo. You see, I really like the color of Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink) but I have a hard time combining it with other colors (other than white). So I added just a small touch in here (another bit of scrap used up!!) and I really like the added depth!! The sentiment is also stamped with that color - not sold on that bit but still I like the strip of cardstock in with this green!! Supplies: Stamps - Baroque Background or somehtign like that (Stampin' Up! - retired I think), Giga Guide Lines, Demask Designs (Papertrey Ink); Paper - white (SU!), Spring Moss, Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Spring Moss, Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink); Other - gold embossing powder, 1 3/4" circle punch, dimensionals. Thanks for dropping in! I'd love to hear your thoughs on this color combo!! and if you are a PTI user, I'd love to hear other combos you've used with Ocean Tides!! Donelda

Use Those Products!

That's right! One of my crafting New Year's Resolutions was to use up the many, many products I have on hand. That is exactly what I did for these 2 cards.

This first card I used this great piece of patterned paper from ---. I has the dots on one side and is divided into 4 designs on the back side; the orange, that blue with spots, a brown, and another dot that I didn't use. As well, I used one of these adorable embellishments from Colorbok. It is from thier Friendly Forest line (and I got them for a bargain when they went on sale at my local Michael's).

For this second card I really, really wanted to use a sheet from the Journaler's Notebook from Creative Imaginatgions that I bought probably 3 years ago!! That's right, had to have it and haven't used a bit of it since .... until now!!! I tore out this sheet that is off white with the green hello and cut out a circle with my Coluzzle. Then I added it to some Orange Zest cardstock (Papertrey Ink) with a strip of orange dots (BasicGrey).

You will note that there is NO STAMPING on either of these cards. Wow, now that is not like me at all!!!

Thanks for dropping in! I hope you have a great day!!

Donelda

Embellish Magazine - Fabric

The most recent challenge going on at Embellish Magazine is to use FABRIC. Yikes, I don't have much of that laying around so I had to really look for something. I found an old blue canvas bag that I recieved as part of being at a conference. Truth of the matter is I will never use the bag ... so I cut it up and cut out this circle!! LOL!! The colors are also very bold and bright, not my typical style so this took some work!

The making of this CAS card is pretty straight forward. I did some blue doodling lines around the green square to tie it all toghether and finish it off.

Supplies: Stamps - Scattered Showers (Papertrey Ink); Paper - Kraft, Garden Green , white(Stampin' Up!); Ink - Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink); Other - Circle Die (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, dimensionals, blue marker.

I hope you have a great Sunday!!

Donelda

2 Sketches 4 You - Giraffe

I love this little giraffe!! I colored him in with my More Mustard and Chocolate Chip markers (SU!) then cut him out. I added him to the circles. I haven't done this type of sentiment treatment for a while - always a fun adventure!!

Hehehehe - and just went to upload this one as well and .... too late!! Sheesh!!!

Supplies: Stamps - Giraffe (Imaginisce), simple alphabet (Papertrey Ink), designer woodgrain (Hero Arts); Ink - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Granola (BasicGrey); Paper - Kraft, white (SU!); other - Coluzzle, sponge, dimensionals.

Off to check out the other cards made for this very interesting sketch.

Donelda

CPS 156 - Purple Kitty

Okay, one last post for today! Here is a cute little card I created for the CPS sketch. I had colored this kitty a number of months ago using my Copics. Her cute little bow worked perfectly with Plum Pudding and Lavender Moon (Papertrey Ink) paper and ink. I am trying to use this particular stamp set (Text Boxed) from Papertrey Ink. I bought it a long time ago and have not used it nearly enough!! You will see a few projects with it in the coming months!! hehehe - just went to post this to the challenge link and guess what.... I'm too late ... story of my life!! No problem though...it certainly wouldn't have won anything anyway but it would be nice if I were to actually get my challenges done in time ... sheesh!!!! Thanks for staying with me!! LOL!! Donelda

St. Patrick's Day Treats

I made these for my son to take to school for his friends. They were pretty easy to make. Just created little matchbooks, punched the holes and then added the chocolate coins!

I am posting a few days early in case anyone needed a quick easy idea for treats!

Hope you have a great Sunday!

Donelda

Loonie Stamper's Challenge - 83 and Daring Cardmakers Turquoise

The Loonie Stamper's Challenge #83 was to use your favorite set. I actually included two of my all time favorites in here from Papertrey Ink. Beautiful Blooms was one of the first sets ever released by Nichole and it continues to be one of my favorites (but Turning a New Leaf and Beautiful Blooms 2 might give it a run for it's money) and also Background Basics: Retro which I can't seem to stop using!!! I also decided to play along with the Daring Cardmakers challenge - use turquoise (but of course I'm late - sheesh!!) The leaves are stamped on some Linen Vellum from Papertrey Ink which provides such an awesome effect!! Off to see what the Loonie Girls picked as their favorite sets: Dee, Maria, Wendy, Regan, Jewels, Char Supplies: Beautiful Blooms, Background Basics: Retro, Vintage Picnic (all Papertrey Ink); Ink -Tempting Turquoise (Stampin' Up!); Paper - Smokey Shadow, Linen Vellum (Papertrey Ink), Tempting Turquoise (Stampin' Up!); Other - white buttons (Hero Arts), white embossing powder, white crochet thread. I've had so much fun today creating!! I have a few other cards I'll be posting tonight and tomorrow!!! I love weekends! Thanks for dropping in ! Donelda