Yum Yum,MOJO432, TT278

                                                                                                                                                       

Mojomonday #432 Sketch.
                                                       Die Cuttin Divas: Chocolate cake.
                                                        Cardz for Guz: Spots & stripes.
                                                        Crafty Cardmakers #156: Punches/Dies
                                                        Tuesday Throwdown #278: Anything Goes

When I saw Mojo's sketch on Monday I had nothing to pair it with to get me started.  I found the inspiration photo on Diva's blog and unearthed my wonderful cake stamp from impression obsession (see above photo).  I regret to admit that this card took waaaay to long to create! I cut out pattern paper that was too busy and tried the cake several different ways until I reached my happy place.  I ended up stamping the cake on craft paper with brown ink twice and layering the two with pop dots to make it stand out more.  I also stamped it a third time on cream colored paper and cut out the plate which helped make the piece of cake become the focal point.  The yum yum stamp is a Stampin Up oldie along with the two punches.  
TIP: The cream colored paper was a thrift store find of index file cards which are thicker then card stock and great to stamp on.

Village inchie, Every Inchie Monday

I adore inchies! this little one inch creation was made for the Inchie Monday Challenge where the theme this week is "Village".  This was made from three pieces of Stampin Up DSP  .  I cut out a one inch square with the trees and then fussy cut the houses and the cloud to glue over.  Since the paper is thin, I glued the inchie to a 1 1/4 inch scalloped square out of paper that I had painted a sparkly aqua.  

Congratulations, CAS75

At CAS on Sunday the challenge is to do Paper Piecing.  I love how this technique turns out, so the question is why don't I do it more often??!!  When a teen gets their licence it should be celebrated, hence the "congratulations" card that I made today. I stamped the sentiment on the card first, then the car both in night of navy.  I stamped the card again on patterned paper and fussy cut the body of the car.  I stamped the car again on white and cut out the windows gluing them over the patterned paper.  Both stamps are unmarked, but the embossing folder is by Cuttlebug.  

Merry & Bright, 52cc, Atcas80

 Addicted to CAS #80, the Colour Red.

                                                   52 Christmas Card throwdown, January Theme: Lanterns or candles.

When I first saw this Stampin Up set "from land to sea" don't ask me why, but I saw the lantern and thought of Christmas (?!) so I finally got to try it on a card.  The embossing folder and sentiment are by Stampin Up too.  The poinsettia is off of a recollections present embellishment from Micheals. I added a dot of orange stickles to the flame to give it some sparkle ~

Get Well, CFG#103, TT#277, CTS#4

Cardz for Guyz asked for the colour blue, and Tuesday Throwdown's challenge is "Get Well" so I went to sketch #4 at CAS(E) and got crafting!  I have a plastic tub with Thinking of you, get well, & sympathy embellishments where I found these by Sandy Lion entitled "Doctor".  I die cut a bunch of circles from scrapbook paper that had different shades of blue in it and attached the embellishments.  The "Get Well Soon" sentiment is by Stampin Up.

CAS(E) this Sketch #4
Tuesday Throwdown:  #277 Under the Weather
Cardz for Guyz: #103 Blue is the Colour

Give a portion of thyself, LIM260

 The Challenge at Less is more is to create a silhouette and I thought once again of my big butterfly die.  I had to try it in white with black and then black with white before I could decide which I liked best.  While I liked them both,  I picked the white because I think it pops more and looks more like a silhouette ~ 

A vintage kind of love, MOJO431, APP57

Mojo monday#431 and Always Playing with Paper #57

I spotted this sketch on Mojo monday first, then I found the inspiration photo challenge and pulled out my tub of vintage supplies.  I knew I had lace, but the flowers I was finding in my stash were too big.   I opted for an antique rhinestone button instead.  I fastened the button to the lace with a pin and pop dots so that it could be removed for a collection or be reused again.  The rhinestone embellishments I cut off of wire (floral pick?) from a thrift store find.    Due to the embellishments, I think giving this card in a clear plastic box would protective and beautiful.
Heart stamps: Stampin Up

Deck the halls, CHNC264, CCC#7, CTS#3

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #264: Anything Goes
Pinterest Link: CAS(e) this sketch
Christmas Card Challenge #7: photo Inspiration:

I love all the gold and the ribbon texture in this inspiration photo.  I recycled the gold paper liner from a Christmas envelope and embossed it with swirls.  I used the CAS(E) sketch as my outline and found a 3D ornament (Paperbliss?) that I added to the top of the circle cut out with a star brad.  I embossed the "Deck the Halls" sentiment in gold ~

Winter snow

The Challenges are as follows:
Sketch Saturday #395
Just Us Girls #326: White, Lt. Blue,& Dk Blue.
AAA Cards #56 Winter Wonderland
CHNC #264: Anything goes Christmas

I used Versamark and chalk to color in this Stampin Up image.
I used the fixative to seal the chalk then sprayed a frost shimmer spray to make it sparkle.  I couldn't get a good photo but the effect is very pretty.  The navy background paper is from a recycled Christmas card back, and so is the silver accent strip.  The snowflake is a piece of aluminum that has been punched and embossed.  I deviated from the sketch, but I'm happy with the result.

You're my Anchor, LIM#259,JUS#326

 CAS sketches on Pinterest
Less is More #259: Kissing Technique.
Just us Girls #326: White, Light Blue,Dark Blue.

 The idea started when I read the "less is more" blog which said to use the kissing technique, and at "Just us girls" the challenge wanted us to use the colors white, light blue, and dark blue.  I went to CAS(e) this sketch #2 and got to making my card.  I love the simplicity of it, and would never have tried these two stamps together if it wasn't for the challenges, so I'm thankful!

Birthday beer!

I needed to make a card for a friend who loves beer and I knew Pinterest would help me with an idea! I searched "beer mug birthday card" and found one that I could "case" from 

spiralzandcurlz.blogspot.com

 

I wanted to make the glass look frosty so I actually used shrinky dink material.  The patterned DSP behind is from Stampin Up.  I punched three different sized bubbles and inked the edges.  I embossed the background with dots instead of stripes and added my birthday sentiment on the inside of the card.  The handle is an oval punch that you punch out your shape and then punch again.  Very clever card and everyone loved it at the party! 

For your new nest, DCD#248

I wanted to participate in the latest challenge by Die Cuttin Diva's, which is to use a bird on your card.  I have tons of rubber stamps of birds, but I wasn't getting a direction on what to do with them.  I've decided I work best when I have a theme and a sketch, so I'm going to use all the old CAS sketches starting with #1 and create current challenges with them.  I used pattern paper from The Angel Company for the circles and die cut the birds (by A*muse,and the nest is cuttlebug).  The sentiment  "For your new nest" is from "Paper Sweeties".    This will make a fun card for a house warming party.  

blog link to original challenge: CAS Pinterest link: CAS(E) this Sketch:

Let yourself go, CCCB#294

When I read the challenge at City Crafter  to use a butterfly, I knew I had to play along!

I found this 2 part butterfly die at a craft show in Hampton Virginia.  It's very intricate and requires using wax paper and a dryer sheet to get all the little pieces to come out, but I love it!  I used pattern paper that I found for a steal at Tuesday Morning $1.99 called "Best Occasions".  The wood stamp reads "Let yourself Go" (unmarked) which I thought works well with how free a butterfly flies about ~

 p.s. I can honestly say I've never heard the song link "Butterfly"at city crafter, but it did make me smile!

Happy Birthday!, AH #142, APP#56

I was challenged by the colors at Alway's Playing with Paper, Then encouraged by the sketch at Atlantic Hearts to give it a go.  I thought of a paper pack by The Angel Company called "Kaleidoscope Brites" which is perfect for boy's cards.  The cupcake was a pre made embellishment (paperbliss?) that I added as my focal point.  I die cut the navy burst to highlight the cupcake and added twine to tag stamped "Happy Birthday!"

Winter Birthday Wishes LIM#258, CAS#74

 

Another shot at CAS and can you see my indecision?
I made this card two ways, to the right first and then centered in the middle.  While I like how both of them turned out, stamping in the middle seems the safer (more balanced) less creatively risky way - Using the words safe and risky sound odd when referencing art, but those stampers with confidence issues will understand!  I added Stampin' up dazzling details to the center of the top snowflake for added sparkle without the bulk.  Four different stamps were used to create this card two different unmounted snowflakes, the flourish and a sentiment.
This card was inspired by the Less is More Challenge #258 to use a flourish & CAS on Sunday #74 Winter theme.

Joy Makers, Mojo430, CIC342

I got my Mojo going on this Monday morning!

 I copied down the sketch and got into my scrapbook paper.  The Cupcake Inspiration Challenge called for the colors lilac, grey and white.  I found a paper pack by Oriental Trading called "Field Notes" that I love.  It has soft vintage colors and images that make cards almost by themselves.  I bought this paper years ago and have bits and pieces left, but they don't seem to carry it anymore.  

I found the rub-on butterfly in the same colors by royal brush.  The saying reads "Blessed are the joy makers" by Nathaniel Parker Willis..  This card will make a wonderful thank you note for a special friend of mine.  

Happy cake and candle day

I find clean and simple (CAS) some of the hardest cards to make! I tend to not stay clean and I complicate instead of simplify :P

I found four challenges at Paper Playful to combine and work on this morning:

Addicted to CAS #79: Cake

Sketch Saturday #394: See sketch photo below:

Just Us Girls #325: something Metal

Fantasy Stampers: Happy Birthday

 

I tried stamping the candles directly on the blue card stock and adding orange stickles and I made a huge mess ~ so I cut them off and added the blue piece to white card stock and stamped new candles to dance across the top that I colored with orange marker instead.  The metal accents are brads and I used washi tape for accent.  The sentiment is by Cornish Heritage Farms and the set is called "Birthday Centers".  

One of a Kind Inchie Card

Challenge photo from Daring Cardmakers:
"Choose three inspirations in your creation" 

When I saw this challenge I thought "Hooray!" a chance to make an inchie card.  It can be a creative struggle to come up with 9 different one inch squares sometimes, but in this case it was already laid out for me.  I used mint green bakers twine from the dollar bin at target, sequins, postage, glitter, binding ribbon, yarn, metal heart, and a silk flower with some bling.  I stamped and embossed the sentiment"You are One of a Kind" by Stampin Up in silver to reinforce the fact that this is a unique creation, just like the recipient.  This is a great color combination to work with too.