Repurposing for the Holidays

This week at One Stitch at Time, we're playing BINGO! Vicky designed a great board for us (see Challenge), so just pick 3 squares on the diagonal (you muct include the center square, a Digi image).

I chose "Buttons, Digi, Sentiment" to make this cadle. The Pine Cone Corner image is by Delicious Doodles (available at StitchyBear Digital Stamps) and the sentiment is from Create with TLC.

I've had the candle over 6 years; it was a house-warming gift, but I don't really burn candles so I figured it was time for it to have a new life.

I first saw the "stamping" on a candle technique on Christi's Creations during a Blog Hop about a year ago (Oh my gosh, I can't believe it's been so long ... a year at Feline Playful!) It really is easy! I followed the simple instructions at Splitcoaststampers. To run tissue paper through your printer, tape it securely and flat onto a piece of cardstock. You don't want to get it caught in the rollers... seriously, you'll be pulling out tiny pieces forever! The tissue paper I used was actually the protective sheeting for some acetate sheets. Sadly, I've used it all up now so I'm gonna have to buy actually tissue paper sheets!

I had so much fun making the candle that I decided to make a whole gift set. I had printed the image/sentiment on the tissue paper twice (I didn't think it would be so easy to color in pencil on the tissue paper), so I used the extra one to make a window card. 

I'm entering this into the following challenges:
One Stitch at a Time: BINGO (left)
Anything But A Card Challenge - Anything but a card
Creative Craft Challenges - Anything Goes
Just Keep on Creating - Christmas is just around the Corner
My Heart Pieces Digital Stamps Challenge - Anything goes
Natalie and Amy's Challenge - Anything Goes
Recycle, Re-Purpose & Re-Invent Challenge: Anything Goes

Unique Crafters Challenge - Anything Goes

Hope you'll join the "BINGO" challenge at One Stitch at a Time this week. For entries using a StitchyBear Store product (be sure to add a # after your name when entering), the prize is 3 Promarkers from Creative Craft World! You're welcome to enter the challenge using different products, but instead you'll be entered into the draw to win a $3 coupon to StitchyBear Digi Stamps. Can't wait to see your projects!

Thank you for visiting,

Feelin' Sassy at Card Cupids

It's time for another great challenge at Card Cupids! We're sponsored by Sassy Cheryl's Digis, so I used her adorable Noah & Patches digi to make this card for a Card Cutie:

For this two-week challenge (Sept. 15 - 30), we're teaming up with Sketch Saturday to offer you this great sketch (left)!

The only other requirement for our challenge is to send in at least one card to Card Cupids (the simple instructions are here).

Plus, you can enter your card into both the Card Cupids' and Sketch Saturday challenges.

Besides the sketch, the design of this card was inspired by current Recipe Challenge at Scrap It Girl: twine, arrows, circles, bird, red. It really sparked my imagination!  The brids are stamped onto little yellow, embossed die cuts that I had in my stash. The birdies are actually from a birdhouse stamp, but I selectively inked it. Sorry, I just really needed tiny birds! I colored them with colored pencils, because my Copics bled too much. I'm really happy with how they came out, but I did have to stamp them three times before I got the results I wanted.

I heat-embossed the Hero Arts sentiment onto an arrow-shaped brad that I've had in my stash forever (like, over 5 years!) The image was colored with Copics, but I computer-generated the red border.

And, just like any little boy, my card was on the go! This is what happens when you take photos on a windy day (don't worry, it didn't sustain any permanent damage!):

Inspiration/Challenges:
Gingerloft Challenge: Embossing
Going Grey With Scrap-Creations Challenge: Embossing
Kaboodle Doodles: Babies &/or Children
Scrap It Girl's September Challenge: Recipe - Twine, Arrows, Circles, Bird & the color Red
Sketch Saturday Week #225: Sketch (above left)
Shopping Our Stash #69: Emboss It
Stamp and Create: Anything Goes

Update: This card was chosen as one of the Top 3 for Kaboodle Doodles Challenge #137. Thank you Petya for choosing my card!

Thank you for visiting,

Stitch It Up ... and Pile It On

This week at Pile It On, we want to see stitching, faux or real. Man, I just my teamies over there and all their talent!

We're sponsored this week by Floppy Latte's Digital Designs, and you know I can't resist paper-piecing her Funky Florals!

I added detail and shading with my Copics, but the large pieces are cut out separately. I even "fringed" the edges of the green layer.

I machine-stitched the border, using a seam stitch so that the bobbin color shows as well; it's hard to see in this photo, but the stitching is a mix of black and green.

Inspiration/Challenges:

Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
My Heart Pieces Digital Stamps Challenge - Anything goes
Paperminutes #233 - No Design Paper
Simply Create - Always anything goes with digital image
Simply Create Too - Anything Goes
Speedy and Friends - Favourite Technique (Paper Piecing)
Stamp Man - Use hot colors

Thank you for visiting,

Pile On the Patterned Paper!

This week at Pile It On, we want you to pull out that delicious Patterned Paper!

I had a bunch of scrap pieces from my Patterned Kraft DP pack from Recollections, so I made a tag/gift card holder using this fun Nutcracker freebie by Wonderstrange Art.

I used my wood-grain embossing plate form a*muse studios for the back:

Inspiration/Challenges:
Anything Goes Challenge - Early Christmas
Bearly Mine - Anything But A Card
Crimbo Crackers - something to hold a gift card

Jackson's Digital Expressions - Anything But A Card

Make it Monday with Kraft Outlet Challenge #86 - Shape It Up + use Kraft paper
Moving Along With The Times - Make a Christmas gift for someone
Nutcrafters - Christmas 
Paper Shelter Challenge - tag
Shopping Our Stash - Wooden It Be Nice

Thank you for visiting,

For the Kids at One Stitch at a Time

This week at One Stitch at A Time, we're making cards for folks "Under 18". It's always fun to make cards for kids, so I know you'll want to join in with this one! 

I used Chloe's Ballet Lesson by Lil Diva Stamps to make this flowery card:

I used a Fiskars Texture Plate to emboss the two glittery, pink papers. I punched the corners with my favorite MS punch. The ribbon is actually two ribbons. The sentiment is a freebie from Create with TLC, and I used Spellbinders dies to cut out the shapes. I colored the cute image with Copics.

Hope you'll join the "Under 18" challenge at One Stitch at a Time this week.

For entries using a StitchyBear Store product (be sure to add a # after your name when entering), the prize is 3 Promarkers from Creative Craft World! You're welcome to enter the challenge using different products, but instead you'll be entered into the draw to win a $3 coupon to StitchyBear. Can't wait to see your projects! 

I'm entering the card in the following great challenges:
Inky Impressions: Anything goes
Jellypark Challenges: All about the Children
My Mum's Craft shop: Anything goes

Papertake Weekly: Anything Goes

Pattie's Creations: Embossing

Poodles Parlour: Here come the girls

Shelly's Images: Anything goes
Stamp n Doodle: Embossing

 

Thank you for visiting,

A very special - and PINK! - challenge

If you follow my blog, you know that I couldn't do any of this without my wonderful mom! So I always love a good mother-daughter story, like that of my Feline Playful teamie Dawn. Her mom has been battling breast cancer, so in a show of support Dawn is having her head shaved on September 8th to raise funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer! [Update: Check out Dawn and her beautiful, brave, hairless family in her post-shaving post.]

I invite you to visit Dawn's Just Giving Page to read their story, and consider making a small donation. Hey, if you can afford a digi stamp this month you can help Dawn too!

Also, I hope you'll join us for the special BCA Challenge at Dawn's Crafting that runs September 4-29. The theme is Breast Cancer Awareness and/ or Think Pink (not just a little use a lot)! There are lots of delicious prizes up for grabs from Joanna Sheen, Saturated Canary, The Crafty Pad Designs, Mo's Digital Pencil, Dude Time Doodles, Crafty Emblies, Fairy Dust Crafts, Funky Hand, Iva Nova Chest, and Lindy's Maid Wid Luv.

There's a separate, sister challenge going on over at The Crafty Pad through the month of September. They have completely different sponsors, but the theme is the same: Breast Cancer Awareness/Think Pink. PLUS, they have a bunch of great BCA digis for FREE download.

I'm very happy to have been able to participate in Dawn's challenge by making this card: 

I printed the sentiment (a freebie from Create with TLC) directly onto the pink paper, and then stamped my Lace clear stamp from KaiserCraft in Memento Rose Bud ink directly on top. 

For the lacy element on the top right, I used a sort of Double /reverse embossing technique except that I used a solid die cut to create a shape. Although the instructions call to use a Texture Folder, I found that I was able to use my Fiskars Texture Plate with a little adjustment.

Although this is a serious card, I wanted there to be an element of humor as well, hence the underwear-and-breast pun that I think is evident in the design!

The lace frame was made by adhering strips of Wright's bias tape to white cardstock pieces, and simply framing the pink inset. Really quite easy!

clean&simple FTL #205

Inspiration/Challenges:
Catered Crop: Anything Pink
City Crafter Challenge: Monochromatic

clean&simple FTL #205: Sketch (right)
The Crafty Pad Special September Challenge: Breast Cancer Awareness/Think Pink
Live & Love Crafts Challenge: Lovely Lace and/Terrific Trim

Squigglefly: Monochromatic 

I hope you'll check out Dawn's challenge and the other great challenges I've entered and make a card or two yourself! Thank you for visiting,

The Dangers of Creativity!

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my card (right) for this week's Pile It On "For a Princess" Challenge. My printing on hessian fabric was a big hit, but I wanted to update you on what happened after I made this card!

Printing on strange materials is always a little risky, and to be honest I didn't think this thick fabric would feed into my printer at all. If I had thought ahead, I would taped down all the edges to prevent fraying ... although I didn't notice any problems at the time, yesterday I was printing some digi stamps and suddenly this popped out of my printer:

Yes, I believe that's one of my printer's alignment guides covered with hessian thread. Yikers! So far, my printer is still working fine but as my husband, who's been a Technology Engineer for over 15 years, said: That can't be good! This is why I don't buy fancy printers. I guess I should take it someone to be fixed, but I worry that this is one of those things that will be expensive to fix than replace. We'll see. In the meantime, I'm printing all the digis I can just in case LOL!

Now, don't think this is going to stop me from printing on strange things. I'm just going to have to be much more careful about taping down those loose threads! Personally, I really like my card so it's totally worth it.

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join us this week at Pile It On,

New challenge at Card Cupids - Halloween time!

Happy September! That means it's time for another 2-week challenge at Card Cupids, and our sponsor is none other than Bugaboo Stamps! Our theme is "Halloween" and the only other requirement for our challenge is to send in at least one card to Card Cupids (the simple instructions are here).

I used Bugaboo's Hween Brat Wizard digi to make this step card. I designed the step card in SCAL and cut the pieces on my Cricut; I also used my Cricut to cut the Spooky Tree (Paper Dolls cartridge) and Candy Charms (Doodle Charms). 

I used May Arts' white, silk-crush ribbon for the TP on the tree! 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
Bugaboo/Catch the Bug September Challenge: Anything Goes
Card Cupids: Halloween

Delightful Challenges: delightful fall days

Divas by Design Challenge #50: celebrate

Thank you for visiting,

As...you...wish...!

Did anyone else catch The Princess Bride on AMC Friday night? I haven't seen it in a while, and I was totally transfixed ... it's such a fun movie, even though I still get kinda scared at the R.O.U.S.! It was a perfect way to get ready to make my card for this week's Pile It On "For a Princess" Challenge. The challenge is sponsored by A Day For Daisies, so I was able to use their lovely Tall Tower digi stamp.

Several months ago I bought a bunch of this hessian fabric and never have used it. It's pretty thick, so printing on it is not recommended, but my little HP workhorse printer handled it fine after I adhered it to cardstock with a gluestick. If you try this, be sure completely tape the top of your paper; even one little strand of fabric can wrap around one of the roller wheels and possibly break it off. Ask me how I know! [Update February 2018: still using this printer, sans wheel!]

I cross-stitched the border by hand, and literally pinned on the pretty, vintage metal charm from Prima. The blue-pearl-topped pins are from a set Mom gave me when we moved into our house ... geez, that was 7 years ago! 

You can see how I colored it (notice my 3 new Copics...I totally broke my promise to myself and bought more!); I also outlined it with my extra-fine PITT artist pen. I also decorated the inside:

Inspiration/Challenges:
Pile It On Challenge #36: For a Princess
Crafting for all Seasons - Stitching
Craft Room Challenge - Pins/Charms
Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge - Less is More
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Vintage
Everybody-Art-Challenge: Anything Goes
LEJ Designs - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes
Simply Create Too - So Old or Vintage
Sweet n' Sassy Digi Challenge - Something New, Old, and Blue (New: charm and 3 new Copics; Old: uncut Fabric from my stash and pins)
Through the Craftroom Door Challenge #33 - Diva or Anything Goes

And now, for your random viewing pleasure, here's a funny clip about the filming of The Princess Bride:

Thank you for visiting,