Clothespin Dragonfly

One of my favorite things about being on the Crafting with Dragonflies Design Team is that their challenges are truly creative challenges. Our theme for the next 2 weeks is Pegs (that's Clothespins to us Yankees!) -- the old-timey kind and springy ones are allowed. Use your imagination, and be sure to check out the creative projects by the Crafting with Dragonflies Design Team.

All I had were mini wooden clothespins, and after trying several ideas and even looking up some ideas online, I decided to use them to make a cute little dragonfly. I colored them with Copics and heat-embossed the pieces with a glittery powder. I used the spring from the body clothespin to make the antennae. I used Glossy Accents to adhere some tiny gemstones on the wings.

I came up with this quote myself: "O! to be as the dragonfly ... adrift with purpose." My best friend is traveling and has been reading a lot of Walt Whitman...I think his many texts with beautiful Whitman quotations inspired me too! The font is Pea Melody Shay from Fonts for Peas.

This month's Sweet Stamps Technique Challenge is Dryer Sheet Flowers, and I just had to try it. I used dies from the same set as the large shape (Shapez/Spellbinders). The used dryer sheets cut well, sandwiched between the die and a piece of cardstock. I used a brad to put the flower together, and topped it with a spiral made from a twisty-tie. The "leaves" were made with the hinges from a recently-replaced doorknob lock and an extra clothespin spring.

The background is a shiny iridescent plastic that I embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and sanded. It's much more striking in person. The corners were punched with a two-sided Fiskars punch. The card base is a shiny Recollections paper. I used the same large die to make a message section inside.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Alphabet Challenge: H for Handmade Embellishments
Polkadoodles: Things with Wings
Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers: C is for Crap / 2nd entry (So glad I didn't trash those dryer sheets and springs)
Sweet Stamps May Technique Challenge: Dryer Sheet Flower

Update: This was the winner for Sweet Stamps' May Technique Challenge! I really enjoyed learning the dryer sheet flower technique.

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us at Crafting with Dragonflies,

Baby Blocks Card - Anything Goes at OSAAT

This week at One Stitch at a Time (OSAAT), our theme is Anything Goes. StitchyBear's Digi Outlet has hundreds of digital products from many wonderful artists, and if you use one of our products you'll be entered to win the super-duper May prize pack of 7 digis. If you don't use a store image, you'll still be in the drawing to win a $3 gift certificate.

It was my teamie CraftyGirl's time to choose our image, and she chose this adorable Birthday Boy by BBKakes.

I made a Blocks Card for a very special little boy who arrived on Mother's Day!

click images to enlarge

The base card was created by following the tutorial on YouTube by Papercrafter 45. I first saw Blocks Cards at Calla Lily Studios, and she always hangs cute little things on the inside. Although I've made a few of these before, this is my first time trying this. Tricky, but worth it!

The patterned paper with the lager stars is from Graphic 45's new Sports collection and the one with the smaller stars is from October Afternoon's 5&Dime collection.

I used Cowboy Boots instead of Baby Booties because the parents' Baby Announcement was a close-up of Mom & Dad's boots, with a tiny baby pair in-between. It was so cute, so Americana! The cowboy boots were cut on my Silhouette Cameo using a freebie from SVG Cuts.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Craft for the Craic May Challenge: Something For The Baby
Crafting Musketeers: Anything but Square
Creative Moments #43: Anything goes/twine (I've used bakers twine on the inside)
Divas by Design: Anything goes
My Craft Spot: Congrats
Rhedd and Rosie's Challenge #33: No Flowers/Nothing Floral
WordArt Wednesdays: Anything Uplifting goes

 

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us this week at One Stitch at a Time,

Update: The greatest compliment is when someone enjoys your crafting project... here's a sweet photo the recipient shared with me of the card in their nursery:

copyright 2014

Friendly Chic

click images to enlarge

You have 2 more days to join the "Shabby Chic" Pile It On! Challenge.

We're sponsored by Paper Sweeties and their owner, our former PIO teamie Debbie M, offered the DT a coupon so I couldn't resist splurging on some of her gorgeous seam binding! I really enjoyed using it for by Teapot Card, so I made a matching card.

I had a couple of crafting friends over the other day, and one of them gifted me these monogram wood stickers. I made these cards for them, and even include their monogram initial on their card, in adhesive pearls. Can you see the "S" on the teapot card and the "L" on this one? I know they'll get a laugh out of it.

I made the bow using a fork, following the Delicate Bow Tutorial at Useful DIY. The seam binding from Paper Sweeties is sold in 4-yard packs, which is perfect for this usage because I used an entire yard for this bow!

I created the phrase très chic using alphabet stamps from the "Happy Day" set that came free with a magazine (Future Publishing Ltd). The letters were stamped with Peeled Paint distress ink. I colored the banner parts of the wood piece with VersaMagic chalk ink.

I cut some Idea-Ology glassine paper with the Lace Medallion Sizzix die, scrunched it up, flattened in my BigShot, and inked it with Tea Dye distress ink. I used some commercial doilies for the background, inking one with green.

The banner was made with with recycled packaging. I used the printed packaging that came with this Cuttlebug embossing folder and matched up the embossing to the print version as best as I could. I cut the little banner pieces, sanded them a bit, and inked them with Peeled Paint distress ink.

I cut some of the mint seam binding into thirds, and made a braid to "hang" the banners on.

The cream background is pre-embossed with a tiny dotted pattern, and I used my sewing machine and light green thread for the border.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Card and Scrap #76: Shabby Chic
Craft-Dee BowZ May Challenge: Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow (2nd entry)
Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers: C is for Crap (I've kept the Cuttlebug packaging I used for the banners for probably at least 3 years, maybe longer...I knew I'd use it someday! Also, the white doilies are actually two scraps from a previous project. It's not hoarding if you use it eventually!)

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

Shabby Chic with Pile It On and Paper Sweeties

This week at Pile It On! our theme is "Shabby Chic" and we're looking forward to seeing your projects. If you're unfamiliar with the "Shabby Chic" style, there's a nice definition at the Card Concept. 

We're sponsored by Paper Sweeties and their owner, our former PIO teamie Debbie M, offered the DT a coupon so I couldn't resist splurging on some of her gorgeous seam binding! [Check out my other Shabby Chic card post to learn about a secret in these pearls!]

The seam binding is sold in 4-yard packs, which is perfect for this usage because I used little over half a yard for this bow. I followed the Delicate Bow Tutorial at Useful DIY to make the fancy bow using a fork.

There's a bit of a story behind the concept of this card... a crafting friend recently gifted me some Monogram wood stickers from Michaels, and since my initial is "C" I thought it would be fun to use it in a different way. I created the phrase très chic using alphabet stamps from the "Happy Day" set that came free with a magazine (Future Publishing Ltd). The letters were stamped with Vintage Photo distress ink, and I used Antique Linen for the rest of the ink distressing. I added a border of pearls with a Viva Liquid Pearl Pen.

The teapot was cut/embossed from the packaging cardboard that came with the Wood Stickers -- I just loved the bright pink, and using something recycled felt "shabby chic" -- using another Sizzix dies and a Cuttlebug embossing folder. It was white-core cardboard, so I sanded it, inked it, and sanded it again. The doilies were cut with the Lace Medallion Sizzix die from Graphic45 paper.


The cream background is pre-embossed with a tiny dotted pattern, and I matted that onto a piece of Idea-Ology glassine paper. I did the empty stitching on my sewing machine. I finished the card with some adhesive pearls swirls.

Shabby Tea Room #218

Inspiration/Challenges:

1. 613 Avenue Create: Make Your Own Challenge Board (1. Patterned Paper; 2. Die Cut + Embossing; 3. Liquid Pearls; 4. Pearls; 5. Ribbon & Stitching)
2. Craft-Dee BowZ May Challenge: Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow 
3. Craftitude Challenge #65: That's Die-licious (Use a Die)
4. DL.ART Thankful Thursday Challenge #132: Anything Feminine
5. Everybody Art #278: Shabby Chic
6. QKR Stampede: Punch or Dies
7. The Shabby Tea Room: Photo Inspiration + Teapot + Ribbon + Pearls
8. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Die Crazy (2nd entry)
9. Sunflower Fields Designs: Vintage/Shabby Chic/Rustic
10. Sweet Stamps Challenge #169: Polka Dots

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

Hairy Hope

I don't share a ton of personal information on my blog, but I thought my followers would get a kick out of my latest life story...after growing my hair out for more than 6 years, I decided to cut it. I loved having flowing locks, but I have very thin hair and half the time it just frizzed into a big bird's nest! But I've known many people who have donated their hair, so I wanted to grow it long enough for that. Here's my before-and-after photo:

Honestly, this was the longest I've had my hair since I was maybe 13 and cut it all off. My husband also has very long hair, and I was once actually asked by a group of women if my husband "allowed" me to have shorter hair than him! Wow, that is so not our kind of marriage. No, my husband is amazingly supportive and even spoiled me with a shampoo-and-style along with the cut. I'm impressed by how much hair the stylist was able to save and still be able to give me a nice layered bob.

After doing research, I chose to send my ponytail to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program (Pantene conditioner is probably the reason my hair isn't one big knot!); They donate the hair directly to the American Cancer Society to be made into free wigs. Since I'm a cardmaker, I thought it would be fun to make a thank-you note to include with my donation.

The card design was partly inspired by the current CAS-ual Fridays Challenge: Use 3 of something on 1/3 of your CAS card. I used a Tim Holtz Alterations die to cut the three flourishes from packaging cardboard from my recycling bin (using something recycled just seemed appropriate!). I inked them, respectively, with black ink (Martha Stewart), Mango chalk ink (VersaMagic), and Tea Dye distress ink (Tim Holtz). The background is just a bright white paper embossed with a Sizzix folder. I backed that with a shiny gold paper, as a nod to Pantene's official colors.

I used a lavender-and-white bakers twine for the bow because Lavender is the official Awareness Color for all cancers.

I actually made several little "ponytails" so if you know someone who'd like a similar card, let me know!

Inspiration/Challenges:
CAS-ual Fridays: Use 3 of something on 1/3 of your CAS card
Craft Room Challenge: Recycle (packaging cardboard for flourishes; I used three shades of cardboard!)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Die Crazy

All my best wishes to you & yours,

Metallic Birthday with Crafting with Dragonflies

In honor of the First Birthday of the Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge Blog, our challenge for the next 2 weeks is Celebration! We have 3 amazing sponsors: Flourish with a Bling, Handmade Harbour, and Make it Crafty.

Also, we're having a DT Call at Crafting with Dragonflies. We're a small and fun team, and the challenge themes will spark your creativity! All you need to do to be considered for the team is to make a project featuring a Dragonfly, and link it up here.

I had lots of fun with this digi stamp, Metallic Flowers by Make It Crafty. The tag is from the set by Birthday Tags & Sentiments set by Handmade Harbour.

This is all paper-pieced; the only coloring is some detail with a glitter pen. The image was printed on a metallic papers (Recollections) and heat-embossed in coordinating powders (I have some tips from doing this here). I pieced it onto the silvery metallic base. 

I matted the main image on a dark metallic paper and a tinfoil-covered cardstock. The card base is more of the light silver paper. 

I cut the small gears with a Memory Box die and the larger gears with a Tim Holtz Alterations die. I also used some small metal gears from my stash. The tag is attached with a metal brad.

For the inside, I used an embossing diffuser with a gear-themed embossing folder. Then I inked it with a silver ink.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations: Anything Goes / No Designer Papers
Come and Get It: Birthday
Incy Wincy Designs: Birthdays
Miriam's Crafting Blog Monthly Challenge: Metallics (2nd entry)
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Something starting with "M" (metal / metallic)

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us at Crafting with Dragonflies,

Feelin' Fuzzy with PIO and SBDO

Our theme this week at Pile It On! is Fuzzy, sponsored by StitchyBear's Digi Outlet. This isn't my week to play along at Pile It On, but since I'm on the sponsor's Design Team (One Stitch at a Time) I couldn't resist participating.

I interpreted this as a texture challenge, so I used the fun Knitting Digital Stamp & Paper Pack by Coosty Creations, available at StitchyBear's Digi Outlet.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Cardmania - Emboss It (the sentiment is heat-embossed in white)
Hobbybook Designer Challenge: Add a sentiment
Little Miss Muffet Challenges: Button Bonanza
Open Minded Crafting #10: Use Ribbon
Polkadoodles: Something Old, Something New (the wooden buttons are old, and the felt ribbon & pom-poms are new)
Rhedd & Rosie's Challenge Blog: Texture
Sparkle N Sprinkle: Anything Goes with Glitter, Embossing Powder and/or Flocking (Sparkly Fluff on the yarn digi, and the sentiment is heat-embossed)

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us this week for our Fuzzy challenge at Pile It On. The theme at One Stitch at a Time is Use a Digi so I hope you'll join us for that as well.

Happiness with One Stitch at a Time

This week at One Stitch at a Time (OSAAT), our theme is Use a Digi. StitchyBear's Digi Outlet has hundreds of digital products from many wonderful artists, and if you use one of our products you'll be entered to win the super-duper May prize pack of 7 digis. If you don't use a store image, you'll still be in the drawing to win a $3 gift certificate.

This week, my teamie Shell chose the Dino Land digital paper set by Panda Bear Designs for us both to use.

Available at StitchyBear's Digi Outlet

It's such a diverse paper pack, and I had a difficult choosing which papers to use. I was inspired by the Volcano Paper, and ended up using it as my focal image. I used the Teal Cave Painting Paper from the PBD set along with DP from Graphic 45's Birdsong collection.

The metal cherry blossoms are from my stash, and popped up with foam tape. I created the Chinese sentiment on the front in SCAL and cut it on my Silhouette Cameo from a Kraft paper stamped with a Woodgrain pattern from Rogue Redhead Designs' Nature Notes set.

Inspiration/Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks #193: Flowers
Country View Crafts' Challenge: Nature's glories
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper: Anything goes with Patterned Paper
Die Cut Divas: Use at least one Embellishment + die cutting (Chinese symbol is cut on my Silhouette and message section is a Spellbinders die)
Miriam's Crafting Blog Monthly Challenge: Metallics (1st entry)
Penny's Paper-Crafty #176: Two or more patterned papers
Scrap It Girl May Challenge: Mother Nature

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us this week at One Stitch at a Time,

Child's Play at Pile It On

This week at Pile It On! we're challenging you to include a child at play on your project (well, not an actual child...they'd be hard to stick on!)

The card closes flat to 4x5.5 inches. For the front, I used this beautiful, pre-colored sentiment from TLC Creations (thank you, Paulette!) I used this gorgeous Wildflower Corner die from Memory Box through the card. I used some of the reserve cutouts to fit in sections of the delicate die.

Pile It On! is sponsored this week by Digital Delights, and I used Swinging Scottie & Swinging Dolly to make a card with a little scene: 

click to enlarge

I colored the images with Copics, but I paper-pieces the leaves, the hair, her bows, and the shoes. I also added fine Flower Soft to the Teddy Bears. I fussy-cut the images glued them onto the card, and hand-cut around them.

The gorgeous blossom DP is from Graphic45, as is the green patterned paper. The darker green paper is form Core'Dinations.

And the back with a message section:

Inspiration/Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks #192: Paper Piecing
A Little Bit Crafty: Flower Power
A song in your He{ART} #6: Great Day to be Alive
Country View Crafts' Challenge: Nature's glories
Delightful Challenges: Add Dimension
Doodle Pantry #46: Any Digi Goes
Party Time Tuesdays #170: Fussy Cutting
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
The East Wind Challenge: Die Cuts or Punches
Words 2 Scrap By #5: Bloom Where You Are Planted

Update: My card was chosen as the winner for Words 2 Scrap By #5. Wow, thank you so much! I was also their Guest I-teamer for their July 2014 Challenge - Ooh-la-la!

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