Safari Box - Anything Goes at Crafting with Dragonflies

This fortnight at Crafting with Dragonflies our theme is Anything Goes, so show off your work! We're sponsored by the Dollar Graphics Depot and I used this great Jungle Critters set by Cheryl Seslar.

I made a little box-o-boxes based on the tutorial at Bastel-Oase.

I'm entering this project into the following Challenges:
Craft It Up & Link It Up Linky Party by Craftin Desert Divas: Anything but a Card
Fitztown Challenge: Animals using Digital Elements (digi stamps)
Lunagirl Moonbeams: Put a Bird on It


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

Golf - TLC Progressive Challenge Day 6

I'm having fun with the Progressive Challenge at TLC Creations (here are my first, second, third, fourth and fifth projects). This "Golf" image for the 6th day was challenging, but it gave me a chance to use some SMIRK products from my stash and the fun Flip card die from Sizzix.

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting!

Something in my pocket - TLC Progressive Challenge Day 5

click images to enlarge

October 4th is World Cardmaking Day, and I'm celebrating partly by participating in the week-long Progressive Challenge at TLC Creations. I've found myself feeling increasing creative with my first, second, third and fourth projects, and I definitely had fun with my interpretation of the freebie digi stamp for the fifth day.

If you know me, you know I couldn't have a pocket element without making it an actual pocket. I altered a pre-made tag: I heat-embossed a stamp image from a Laugh Lines set in white on one side, and used a stamp from Graphic 45's Raining Cats & Dogs collection that says "Clever Cat" for the other side.

 

Inspiration/Challenges:

Create with TLC World Cardmaking Day: Progressive Challenge Day 5
Digi Sketch Challenge: Sketch and/or Theme: Make Me Laugh (Theme only; I think this is kinda funny!)

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting!

Cool Cat - TLC Progressive Challenge Day 4

I had lots of fun making my first, second and third projects for the Progressive Challenge at TLC Creations. For the fourth day, Paulette challenged us with this unique image:

I wasn't sure what to do with this at first, but then I remembered my newly-acquired papers from Graphic 45's new Raining Cats & Dogs collection. I used both sides of two double-sided sheets. I added letter buttons from my stash to make a funny sentiment. The "Cat's Meow" piece is popped with foam tape to hold the easel. 

The large shape was cut with a Sizzix die from thick letterpress paper. I used the rub-on technique to transfer the image onto it, and colored it with markers & distress inks.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards #74: Dogs &/or Cats
Create with TLC World Cardmaking Day: Progressive Challenge Day 4
Paper Shelter Challenge #175: Fancy fold card

Update: This was the prize winner for Chocolate, Coffee & Cards #74! It was also chosen as the favorite for the 4th day of Create with TLC's Progressive Challenge.

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting!

Music - TLC Progressive Challenge Day 3

I had lots of fun making my first and second projects for the Progressive Challenge at TLC Creations. For the third day, we received this digi stamp in honor of in honor of World Music Day on October 1st.

My mom just sent me this great wood tags, so I decided to try my hand at my rub-on technique on it. I inked the edges with two blue inks.

The double-sided DP is from Prima/Anna Marie. I cut a strip of it and covered the flower-patterned side with music-themed tissue paper from Tim Holtz (I won this from Opus Gluei...love it!)

The flower is a wood embellishment (Prima or Darice) that I heat-embossed with hot pink powder. The yellow, music-patterned ribbon is from my stash. I cut down the ribbon and pulled out some strands to give it a fringe. I used some of the extra ribbon for the tag.

FMS #155

Inspiration/Challenges:
Create with TLC World Cardmaking Day: Progressive Challenge Day 3
Freshly Made Sketches: Sketch
Simon Says Stamp: Anything goes (5th entry)

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting!

Rural Mail - New digi set from Coosty Creations

Rural Mail by Coosty Creations

This is the 2nd week of our Use Flowers challenge at One Stitch at a Time (OSAAT). StitchyBear's Digi Outlet has hundreds of digital products from many wonderful artists, one of which is Coosty Creations. 

I really enjoy using Coosty Creations' digis & paper packs (see my past projects here), so I was excited to get a chance to use her newest collection, Rural Mail.

My OSAAT teamie Samara made a wonderful project using the Paper Pack & Digi set. I used the pre-colored version of the digi stamp.

I printed the pre-colored image onto a gray natural-textured paper (similar to the green & blue papers), and printed the Post Box on white paper and pieced it on. The circles were cut with a set of dies, and I used the negatives for the inside card (see below).

I punched the flowers from a map-patterned paper, folded them to give them some dimension, and filled the centers with a gold VIVA pearl pen. The white plane is a wood piece that I heat-embossed with glittery white powder. The Airmail stickers are form my stash.

The little stamp "letter" in the vellum envelope is from a Laugh Lines set.

Inside the envelope is this one-sided card:

I'm entering this card into the following fun Challenges:
Craft for the Craic September Challenge: Something with Circles On It
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes (4th entry)

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

Coffeetime - TLC Progressive Challenge Day 2

I had lots of fun making my first project for the Progressive Challenge at TLC Creations. For the second day, the fabulous Paulette shared this great Fresh Brewed for You digi stamp. I combined it with a TLC Creations sentiment and my favorite coffee-themed embellishments:

You know I couldn't resist heat-embossing this digi stamp! I used a shiny gold paper and black powder, and cut it out with a die from Heartfelt Creations. The cup is colored with a glitter pen.

Don't get me started on the glittered teacups...! I used the outline sticker glitter technique, but since they are actual, fine-cut dies, I decided to get fancy and use the die for the background instead of fussy-cutting it. I backed it onto the adhesive sheet and ran it through my BigShot. Let's just say that you need to be careful not to remove the second adhesive backing sheet when placing the die. Oh well, I caught up on some TV while unsticking those darn things! Thank goodness it was a nonstick die. When I finally got it right, I topped it with the fine die and covered it in Prisma glitter. The sugar cube bowl & teensy teapot are Starform stickers, so I was able to use the same technique. The little gold coffee beans are from the same Starform set.

The black pieces are embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and placed onto a coffee bean paper from Graphic 45. I edged many of the pieces with a gold leaf pen. I finished the card with an adhesive metal flourish, adding more glitter onto the adhesive strip. And yes, I drank plenty of coffee while making this!

Sweet Sketch

Inspiration/Challenges:
Create with TLC World Cardmaking Day: Progressive Challenge Day 2
Inkspirational: Beverages/Drinks
Simon Says Stamp: Anything goes (3rd entry)
Sweet Sketch: Sketch + Coffee

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting!

Sweet Neighborhood - TLC Progressive Challenge Day 1

October 4th is World Cardmaking Day, and there are lots of celebrations going on in our crafty blogland. I couldn't resist participating in the Progressive Challenge at TLC Creations. Be sure to check out all the gorgeous projects!

I used the first freebie image to make this mix of a New Home and Halloween card, for some friends who are moving into their new house right about trick-or-treat time.

I printed the scene on a shiny paper and heat-embossed it with detail black powder. I colored the windows and birds with a yellow marker, and then used a Versamark watermark pen to cover the image and heat-embossed it with clear powder. That way, I could use the emboss-resist technique and ink the entire background with an orange pigment ink. I love doing this on shiny white paper, because the glimmer does show through the ink.

I couldn't resist making a tiny treat bag out of an actual paper bag, added handles with bakers twine. The candy corn stamp (StudioG) is colored with Copics and a glitter pen. I used the font Funky Fresh for the sentiment, and I printed it on a shiny black paper and heat-embossed in orange. The pile of candy corn is a digi stamp from Wonderstrange and I colored it with gel pens. The shiny black pieces were cut with a die and backed with kraft paper.

The kraft-brown background paper is pre-embossed with a fun neighborhood scene. The borders were cut from a Heidi Grace DP. I added some faux stitching with a pen on the orange ric-rac ribbon. The front is matted onto a shiny white cardstock on a kraft card base.

Kraft Outlet #190

Inspiration/Challenges:
Create with TLC World Cardmaking Day: Progressive Challenge Day 1
Make it Monday with Kraft Outlet: Sketch + Kraft
Simon Says Stamp: Anything goes (2nd entry)


Update: This made the Top 3 for Make it Monday with Kraft Outlet #190!

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting!

Heart and Soul

Mom sent me this beautiful piano die-cut and I just had to use it right away! I wanted to use the outline sticker glitter technique, but since this was totally cut-out, I backed it onto the adhesive sheet and used the Starform transfer sheet to mask each layer. The flourish is a Starform sticker, so that was easy. The sorta corny sentiment is from a Tim Holtz rub-on set. I backed it with a gold cardstock and a pre-glittered cardstock. I think this will make a nice wedding or anniversary card.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Divas by Design: Glitter
Less is More #190: Dance/Music + CAS
Sparkle N Sprinkle September Challenge: Anything Goes with Glitter etc.

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting!

Camel notch swing card - Coosty Creations + Alipeeps Art

Here's a card I made a while back featuring the Camel Cool digi stamp by Alipeeps' Art and the Camel Digital Stamp Pack by Coosty Creations. Both are available at StitchyBear's Digi Outlet.

My mom lived in the Middle East when she was growing up, so I made her this card. Here's the other side of the swing insert, a photo of my mom and her parents. Hope you don't mind, Mom!

This notch swing card was designed in Sure Cut A Lot (SCAL) and cut with my Silhouette electronic die-cutting machine. All of my Notch Swing Cards are archived here. If you'd like to try it yourself, a version of this card design is now available for purchase as SVG files for your die-cutting machine in the SaySomethingLoudly Etsy Shop. Thank you for supporting my crafting!

Thank you for visiting, and be sure to check all the great products at StitchyBear's Digi Outlet,

Lavender Blooms

I had lots of fun creating this card with this beautiful rubber stamp from Prima's Bloom Collection. The photo didn't come out great, but I've received several compliments on the IRL version:

I colored her with Copic markers, and paper-pieced her dress using a scrap of patterned paper. The background is actually one sheet of a Graphic 45 paper that I cut down to show both patterns. I back it with purple tulle and a shiny purple paper.

I fussy-cut the image, but I cut out her hair separately & used a ZIG glue pen to cover it with a thick layer of black flocking. I added some store-bought flowers and a leafy die-cut from SweetStamps. The silk butterfly on her shoulder was bought at Michael's... Mom & I can only seem to find these in the Quinceañera section, where the Special Occasion crafts are. Mom has to send them to me from Arizona, as Baltimore doesn't have that section in our Michaels yet! We do have a really nice Cheerleading section that I recommend for blingy ribbon!

I'm entering this card into the following fun Challenges:
Love to Create: Fussy Cut
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting!

Gift Holder - Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge

This is the 2nd week of Crafting with Dragonflies' Gift Card Holder Challenge. I made a money holder, but I wanted to share another version of a Gift holder that I made for my Mom's birthday:

I based the design on my parents' house in Arizona. The window was cut srom a shiny white Core'Daintions' cardstock using the Conservatory Window die from Sizzix/Susan's Garden. I made the shrinky-dink hummingbirds on the front with a Kaisercraft set. I decorated the card with two green felt ribbons and some mulberry flowers. I used bright green Liquid Pearls for the centers of the flowers.

I bought my Mom this Hummingbird die by Dee's Distinctively from the SweetStamps shop. I used the die-cuts to decorate the card, and then presented it as a gift on the inside:

I made a simple pop-up with a green cardstock and a pocket with patterned paper to hold the package.

The quail were cut with a Cheery Lynn die that I also bought at SweetStamps. I had originally planned on gifting Mom this set as well, but we both loved it so much I bought my own!

I'm entering this project into the following Challenges:
Craft Your Passion: Use something Transparent (Clear Shrinky-dink plastic for the tiny hummingbirds)
Lawnscaping: Critters
My Craft Creations: Always Anything Goes


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