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

Coffee and Friends - CPS 157

The Card Positioning System layout #157 was so interesting I couldn't resist!

Supplies: Fruitful, Warm Happiness (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!), Orange Zest (Papertrey Ink); Paper - Kraft, Whisper White (SU!), textured brown (Bazzill); Ohter - dimensional. Hope you have a great weekend!!

Clean and Simple (CAS) Challenge - 57 - Thanks a Hoot

The latest from the Clean and Simple Challenges is to layer two different shapes on your card while keeping it Clean and Simple.

Are you kidding me!!! How the blazes are we supposed to do that! I thought and I thought and then I thought of this.......

(my apologies for the poor photo!)

I didn't dare look at anyone elses' cards for fear I'd just simply copy someone else's idea!

Supplies: Stamps - Designer Woodgrain (Hero Arts), Wise Owl, Rustic Branches (Papertrey Ink); Paper - whisper White; Ink - Chocolate Chip; Other - Label Die 2, Oval (Spellbinders), pastel chalks (Stampin' Up!), Q-Tips, Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), dimensionals.

Now I am dying to go and see what everyone else did with this challenge!! I might have to make more if I get lots of inspiraiton!!

Have a great day!!

Donelda

Cards Blog Challenge - Mini Cards

Well, if you come here often you will know that I love to make mini cards!! Everysize possible! and lately I found a great book on making envelopes with various templates in it! So now I have mini envelopes to go with my many mini cards!!

So, when I saw that the newest challenge on Cards Blog was to do a mini card, I was all in!!

ETA- and my little mini got featured on the bog HERE!! That is always fun!! There were a ton of other awesome minis featured too!!

I created this card first. It is 3" x 2". I used the inspiration photo on Melissa Phillips' Blog as well - love that pink, turquoise and white together - so fresh! I went through my scrap bin to find the bits and pieces and pulled it together. I love the simple white butterfly on top of the bright colored elements. Supplies: small polka dot center from Paper Tray, larger polka dot center from Beautiful Blooms, hi from Wise Owl, and outline circle from Polka Dot Basics (all Papertrey Ink), butterfly punch (Martha Stewart), black pen for the doodling around turquoise oval which was cut by hand.

Next, I created this mini card, also 3" x 2". I've seen THIS stamp used on many cards (like THIS one, and THIS one, and THIS one) - stamped off to the side and embossed. It looks awesome ... but I don't own it. But then I wondered if I could use one of the circle images in the Giga Guide Lines (Papertrey Ink) set and make the same style of card but in a mini version. The silver dots are actually from a package of decals that go on your fingernails. They work great for mini cards and inchies!! Supplies: Stamps - Giga Guide Lines, Mixed Messages (both Papertrey Ink), Paper - Whisper White; Ink - Jet Black (Ranger), Buckaroo Blue and Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!)' Other - clear embossing powder, silver fingernail decals, white twill (Papertrey Ink).

And see that little black envelope beside the blue card!! Wonderful fun thing to make!! The paper is from a 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" paper pack called Power Pallette (Creative Memories) and full of tons of great black and white papers.

I know, I'm supposed to be making wedding invites. but I got bored of doing just that and needed to take a break and get creative!!

Thanks for visiting! I hope you have a great day!!

Donelda

Saturday Spotlight - Friendship

So this week over at Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential the challege is to "think of friendship" as a theme for a card. I instantly wanted to use one of these adorable Tilda images that a friend of mine sent me ... Hi Jessica!! I don't have a ton of Copics but pulled what I did have out to color her in.

I needed some inspiration for the layout and when I saw the great one at Friday Sketchers I decided to go with that! I don't usually go with this kind of "collage style" but the samples I've seen by some increadibly talented ladies lead me to go in that direction.

I even used some of those ribbon silk flowers that I bought at Michaels. I tend to not use them (even though I have picked up a whole bunch) because I don't know how to get them adhered to the card without their "lumpy bases" making them stick up too far or look ugly! If anyone out there has some tips for me I'd be ever so grateful!! For these ones I bent the green "lumpy bases" to fold under the popped up Tilda panel and covered it with some extra cut out leaves.

Supplies: Tilda (Magnolia), Simple Little Things, Turning a New Leaf (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Jet Black, Antique Linen, Walnut Stain (Ranger); Paper -Whisper White (Stampin' Up!), Mandrin Slice from Marrakech collection (BasicGrey), text paper (unknown from a friend - Hi Cameldiva!!); Other - markers (Copic), ribbon (Michaels), coluzzle, sewing maching and thread, flowers (Michaels, dimensionals.

Thanks for dropping in! and thanks for leaving me a comment if you feel like it! Your comments are like nice little hugs :-)

Donelda

Bunny Borders

I have been thinking about this little bunny stamp for the last few weeks. Every year around Easter I always want to make cards with him. When I saw the colors over on the Embellish Magazine challenge I knew that I could combine the image and these colors.

Part of the challenge was to use borders. I took the 4 colors and cut them using my old decorative scissors, the scallop ones. Then I lined them all up on a piece of white cardstock. I added a bit of dots and strips on the pink and some white twill.

The bunny was stamped and then matted. Then he was popped up with dimensionals as was this whole piece onto a white card base.

Supplies: Stamps - Delight in Nature (SU!, retired), Beyond Basic Borders, Faux Ribbon (Papertrey Ink); Paper - Wild Wasabi, Groovy Guava, scrap pink and yellow; Ink - Groovy Guava, White (SU!); other - white twill (Papertrey Ink), dimensionals, scallop scissors (Provo Craft), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers).

I think I'm going to check out and see what everyone else did with these colors.

Thanks for dropping in!

Donelda

Loonie Stamper's Challenge #82 - Evening Tea Time

So the Loonie Stamper's Challenge this week was to use background stamps and no patterned paper!! Easy smeasy....this is what I love to do most!!

I used Guide Lines Two (Papertrey Ink) to create this background. It is stamped with Versamark and then heat embossed with white. The white on the Enchanted Evening cardstock (Papertrey Ink) is stunning. I added a tea pot (Tea for Two -Papertrey Ink) with a simple sentiment stamped and also heat embossed with white. This was placed onto a white oval punched shape (thanks for loaning your punch Robin!!). A bit of sponging and an Enchanted Evening ribbon finished off the card!

Off to see what the Loonie girls did:

Char, Dee, Regan, Maria, Jewels, Wendy

Thanks for dropping in. I'm still working on wedding invites. I will share when I get them finished as no one going to this wedding blogs around in blogland :-)

Donelda

If I'm not around these days....

.... it's because I am creating wedding invitations, reply cards, and thank you cards for my nephew and his fiance!!! It has been so much fun finding a design and picking colors and words and everything with the newest member of our family! But now comes the actual work part so I will be up to my elbows in Mellow Moss paper, branches and flowers, and white paint!! I'll try to get some posts in over the next few weeks but if I'm not around much you will know why!! When I get them done I'll share :-) Thanks for your understanding! Enjoy this beautiful day! Donelda

smART Word Challenge March - Monochromatic

For the month of March, it was Dina's turn to pick the Word for the smART Word Challenge and her choice was - MONOCHROMATIC. I love monochromatic cards but rarely think to make them.

I was playing around with this new to me Noah's Ark (smARTworks) set trying to find something to do with it that was different than just coloring it in with my pencil crayons or watercoloring. I decided to see what it would look like in various shades of brown. I liked what I saw and realized that it would fit Dina's word!!

I added a brown scallop edge using my new Fisker's Treading Water edge punch ** love it ** and a bit of brown on the other side with some piercing along it. I added a simple sentiment taken from one of the larger sentiments in the Fun Stuff set (smARTworks).

So, what color are you going to pick for your MONOCHROMATIC card?? Remember, you can use whatever supplies you have on hand but if you do use smARTworks stamps you will earn a smART Buck!! Bonus!!!

Thanks for dropping in. I look forward to seeing your creation over on Mr. Linky!!

Donelda

Sympathy with Scraps

I pulled this card together a while ago. It was created with some older pieces from my "to be used some day" bin and my "scrap bin". The flowers were stamped onto watercolor paper. I also had 'splattered' the watercolor paper with brown acrylic paint. A little tearing and some brown hemp pulled this clean and simple sympathy together easily.

Supplies: Watercolor Minis (Stampin' Up!), Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink); Cardstock - Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!).

Enjoy your day!!

Donelda