Saturday, March 31, 2018

Easter Treats -- Criss Cross Cards with Crafting with Dragonflies

Our challenge this fortnight at Crafting with Dragonflies is Criss Cross Card with tag. My card was inspired by the tutorials at Prickley Pear and Beccy's Place.





I made the tag by stamping the jar (Mail Expressions) in StazOn onto a clear page protector; filled it with sequins, die-cut "chocolate bunnies" (Cuttlebug), and egg-shaped confetti; sealed it with my Fuse tool; and fussy-cut it and added a top made from a gold paper. I used my Crop-O-Dile to add the hole & eyelet, and tied on three colors of raffia.

I added more of the sticker borders to the back of the card, which can be used to write the message. I didn't notice until now that my die-cut bunnies in the shaker are tail-up in this photo LOL!

Inspiration/Challenges:
City Crafter Challenge #405: Tag It!
Let's Craft & Create Challenge #135: Anything Goes + option Easter

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join the fun at Crafting with Dragonflies


Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Wine & Coffee Shaker Card

The sentiment is from Doctor Digi's House of Stamps. Although I don't so much subscribe to this motto these days — partly due to following it too closely for years! — it was too fun not to use. 
I printed/heat-embossed the sentiment three times. The coffee/wine stains were made with a Tim Holtz stencil & Recollections stamps and TH distress inks (Tea Dye, Dusty Concord & Seedless Preserve.) I used Molotow masking liquid to protect the frame with decorating the front panel.
I filled the shaker with wine glass die cuts (Memory Box) and purple & gold microbeads. The frame was cut from a pre-embossed cardstock. I finished the card with some coffee bean die cuts (Elizabeth Craft Designs) on the corners. I used the same gold paper for the die cuts, but colored them with the coordinating inks.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Happy Little Stampers: Anything Goes with Dies
Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers #106: Coffee
Tuesday Morning Sketches: Sketch #446 (I got a little artsy with it, but I was 100% inspired by the sketch)


Thank you for visiting! Have a perky day,


Sunday, March 25, 2018

Bright Birdhouse - Paint & Wood with the UnstampaBelles

Our theme this month at the UnstampaBelles challenge is Decorate something Wooden, with the optional twist of Get Messy with Paint. Our fearless leader Susan described the challenge so well:
I have a wooden spatula - can I decorate that?
I have lots of wooden embellies - can I use them?
What about wooden buttons?
Can I use a twig from a tree?
What about an old box that needs rejuvenating?
Perhaps I can build a box or frame or similar from scratch?
The answer to all these questions is YES

The TWIST is to use paint
Does the paint have to go on the wood?
Do I have to use paint on everything?
Will I necessarily have to use a paintbrush?
The answer to these questions is NO!

You need to follow the twist to be considered as the DT Favorite, but you only have to follow main theme to win our prize. And you don't want to miss out on this great prize! You can make whatever you like without using any stamps.

I painted the base of this wooden birdhouse a couple of years ago, but never finished the project.


I used a rubber stencil (Recollections) to add the patterns. I painted the wood veneer pieces with chartreuse or glittery black paint, and added a layer of glow-in-the-dark paint. I added glow-in-the-dark glitter to some of the pieces. I made the beads with neon easy-bake clay & decorated them with the same stencil.




Inspiration/Challenges:
Challenge Up Your Life #87: Stencils
Creative Artiste Challenge #36: Anything Mixed Media / Use at least 3 mediums (Wood, Paint, Glitter, Clay for beads)
Simon Says Stamp: Craft Month

Be sure to check out the fabulous projects by my teammates the UnstampaBelles this month!

Thank you for visiting,



Sunday, March 18, 2018

Shaky Believer - Pilin' On the Squares

The theme this month at Pile It On is Circles, with the mid-month optional bonus theme of Squares. The only really rule is to be inspired by more than one papercrafting challenge. We're sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps, and I used their great Unicorn Believe Blocks to make a shaker card. The dotted trim is the backing from the foam tape I used to pop up the top layer.



Inspiration/Challenges:
613 Avenue Create #207: Anything Goes w/Optional Twist: Reuse/Recycle
Bugaboo Crafty Challenge: Anything using Bugaboo image
Get Creative Challenges #68: Fantasy/Mythological
Stemplegarten #71: (C8) Fantasy

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting! Hope you'll join us at Pile It On,





Bah Humbug - Humor at International Art & Soul Challenge

Our theme this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge, chosen by DT member Jeanette, is Humor.I made a funny Christmas card using a pre-made tag and some Grinch stickers. The house is made with Elizabeth Craft dies. I cut the little Grinch feet from felt.



Inspiration/Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas: Anything Christmas Goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge: Anything Christmas/Optional theme: The Grinch


Thank you for visiting! Hope you'll join us at International Art & Soul,






Saturday, March 17, 2018

Peep Calm -- Easter with Crafting with Dragonflies

Our challenge this fortnight at Crafting with Dragonflies is Easter cards.

I used papers from Aunthetique; the rabbit is a Sizzix die cut, and the peep was cut with a file from Miss Kate's Cuttables' "Easter Candy" set. I hand-stamped and colored the carrot borders.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: Patterned Paper
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Easter Inspiration Photo


Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join the fun at Crafting with Dragonflies


Saturday, March 10, 2018

Rollin' with the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers

I'm a huge fan of the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers. They offer creative challenge themes and their Design Team is amazingly talented and hilarious. I was the lucky winner of their Galaxy Challenge (lucky, as in: I was the only entry!), and was invited to be the Guest Designer for their current challenge. And, Oh-my-Edna, did I ever have fun with it!

The challenge theme is "Z is for Zigzag" and you have until March 23 to get creative (snarkiness optional!)
http://snarkystampers.blogspot.com/

I shocked myself by being able to find so many zig-zag related items in my stash, including the cover of a pack of actual rolling papers!
I decorated the backing paper with a Darice embossing folder. I used gold embossing powder and a blue mix for the vellum pieces; the bright blue background paper with inked with Blueprint Sketch distress ink before embossing. I made the sentiment and printed it on a more opaque vellum. I put some foam tape inside the package to give it some dimension.

http://cheerfulsketcheschallenge.blogspot.nl/2018/03/challenge-maart.html
Inspiration/Challenges:
613 Avenue Create #207: Reuse/Recycle
Archi-scraps: Chevrons and Blue
Cheerful Sketches Challenge Blog: Sketch


Thank you for visiting, and many thanks to all at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers for inviting me to join you!

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Happy Birthday to Ewe - Pilin' On the Circles

The theme this month at Pile It On is Circles. The only really rule is to be inspired by more than one papercrafting challenge. We're sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps, and I used their Birthday Ewe Circle Sentiment and Birthday Ewe Trio digital stamps.
I used neon papers with a black & white scallop-patterned designer paper (Hall Pass/American Crafts). I colored the images with Copic markers & added white Flowersoft.

http://cardz4guyz.blogspot.ca/2018/02/challenge-189-sketch.html
Inspiration/Challenges:
Bugaboo Crafty Challenge: Anything using Bugaboo image
Cardz 4 Guyz #189: Sketch
Fairy Tale #188: Black/White & Rainbow Colors
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Update: This was chosen as a Top 3 for Cardz 4 Guyz #189!
 

Thank you for visiting! Hope you'll join us at Pile It On,






Gator Greetings - Embossing + Dies at International Art & Soul Challenge

Our theme this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge, chosen by DT member Debbie, is Embossing + Dies.

The cute gator is a rubber stamp (Recollections) that I've had for years. I colored it with Copic markers and added visual texture with alohol. I used an embossing folder to add tactile texture to its body. The sentiment (Technique Tuesday) was heat-embossed in dark blue.

The crocodiles were cut with a Cuttlebug die. I put one in the shaker, and used a few more as embellishments on the outside & inside.

http://die-sketch-tanten-challenge.blogspot.com/2018/02/41-vom-1502-bis-140318.html
I rotated the sketch
Inspiration/Challenges:
Rubbernecker Stamps Challenge #28: Make It Shake
Sketch-Tanten (Sketch Aunts): Sketch #41


Thank you for visiting!
Hope you'll join us at International Art & Soul,






Friday, March 2, 2018

Bluebird of Realistic Happiness - Birds/Feathers at Crafting with Dragonflies

Our challenge this fortnight at Crafting with Dragonflies is Birds/Feathers. Since March 2nd is Dr. Seuss's birthday, my friend/neighbor challenged us to make something inspired by his work. I combined the challenge to make a shaker card designed around his "strange birds" quote.

The swirly red frame is a Cricut cut & a gift from another friend (actually, my former babysitter!); I covered it with red flocking. The background paper is by Authentique. The bird stamps are from a clear stamp set by Amy Smyth Made It/Inkadinkado. I used 4 different stamps to decorate the top section, heat-embossing them with a bright blue to sorta match the decorative tape. The larger bird is heat-embossed with a dark blue powder, and covered with sparkly blue flocking.

I dyed pom-poms with Copic marker alcohol inks to make Truffula Tree-inspired embellishments for the corners. I filled the shaker with microbeads.

http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/2018/02/stella-says-sketch-challenge-604.html
Inspiration/Challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
Stella Says Sketch: Sketch #604


Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join the fun at Crafting with Dragonflies


Year of the Brown Earth Dog

In the Chinese calendar, 2018 is a Year of the Brown Earth Dog. A friend recently got a dog, so I combined the occasions to make this for her. The hedgehog (Penny Black stamp) & gold-and-burgunday flowers are because she also has a hedgehog named Hedgie Potter!
I used my "Surprise Box" die set from Our Daily Bread Designs. I decorated it with two of my favorite papers from my stash.


The sentiment was cut from a paper covered with an adhesive sheet with a Spellbinders die and coated in flocking. I added brown Flowersoft to the dog (another Spellbinders die) & hedgehog.
Inspiration:
Dragonfly Journeys #112: Year of the Dog
Penny Black Saturday Challenge: Anything Goes with a Penny Black stamp + optional: Scraps

 
Thank you for visiting & best wishes to you in 2018,