Funny Family -- Musical Joy with the Unstampabelles

Our theme this month at the UnstampaBelles challenge is: Joy, with the optional twist of: Music.

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 remember, no stamps!

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

Thank you for visiting, 

Bows at International Art & Soul

Our current at the International Art & Soul Challenge our theme is Anything Goes with a Bow. This challenge will run 4 weeks instead of our usual two.

I created the notch swing card design myself, and cut out the pieces on my Silhouette. The sentiment is heat-embossed in sparkly white on a red foil cardstock. The bow, Merry Christmas cutout, and center circles were all die-cut with my Big Shot. The sentiment stamp is from Just for Fun Stamps; it seemed particularly appropriate for this year!

Inspiration/Challenges:
Cut It Up: (Fri 2W) Christmas + Die Cut(s)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) Die Cuts

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

Christmas Present

'Tis the season for Christmas cards! I have so many fun things in my stash, and it's nice to have the help of a few challenges to inspire me to use them!

And I decorated the inside, of course:

Inspiration/Challenges:
Allsorts #599: (Sat) Santa, Elves, Angels with option of Christmas
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) Anything Goes
Sketch Saturday: (Sat) Sketch #637

Up on the Rooftop -- Pink December at International Art & Soul

This fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge our theme is Pink in December. 

Inspiration/Challenges:
Feeling Sketchy (M) Sketch #248
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (W) Christmas

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

Believing with Unusal Folds with the Unstampabelles

Our theme this month at the UnstampaBelles challenge is: Believe (per our wonderful Blog Mistress Susan: "To have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something or someone, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so. Can be in a person or a myth or fairy tale or yourself"). with the optional twist of: Use an Unusual Fold.

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 remember, no stamps!

For my unusual fold I used the tutorial for a Spring Fold Card from Beccy's Place.

I made a silly yet elegant anniversary card for my amazing husband. "Potato wine" is my stupid joke for "Vodka" but Mom gave me this great potato topper and I knew it would make him laugh! I came up with the sentiment poem myself, obviously! He has always believed in me, for over 20 years!

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

Thank you for visiting, 

Sweet Sunny Wishes -- Coffee Loving Cardmakers

It's that time again: the Autumn/Winter Blog Hop with the Coffee Loving Cardmakers! I always enjoy playing along.

I was super inspired my the Sketch + Primary Colors challenge at AAA Cards; I don't usually do classically CAS cards, but I couldn't resist this challenge! I had lots of fun with it.

I used a Shaker Creator set from Tonic Studios for my focal image. The strip of paper is from my stash; I inked it with yellow. The sentiment on the inside of the cup is heat-embossed in white; the other sentiment is stamped with my all-time favorite ink pad.  I filled the shaker with red & yellow fruit shapes from Queen & Co.

Inspiration/challenges:
Coffee Loving Cardmakers: (Nov 6-13) Coffee/Tea 
AAA Cards #178: (Deadline Nov 21) CAS + Sketch + optional twist: Primary Colours


Thank you for visiting! 

Birdhouse Peek-a-boo -- Gratitude at International Art & Soul

This fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge our theme is Gratitude.

I made a Peek-a-Boo Card, inspired by the great tutorial at Beccy's Place, using a birdhouse-shaped die. The little birdie came with the birdhouse; to make the dies into stamps, I cut them from a foam sheet, adhered it to a stamp block with double-sided tape, inked it with watermark ink, and heat-embossed iit with glittery white powder.

I put the message section on the back. This is a fold fold, because it still folds flat.

Inspiration/Challenges: 

• Simon Says Stamp W, 5E - Thinking of You
• Word Art Wednesdays  2W, 10E, scriptural word art freebie - #464 - #465 Anything Goes

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

Spooky Times

I do love making Halloween cards! I also really like making Box Cards because you can incorporate so many different details.

The Mummy Pumpkin stamp is from Stampendous; I'm not sure where the sentiment stamp is from, I inherited them both. I've had the Trick-or-Treaters paper forever, and every Halloween I use a bit of it and carefully hoard the rest! Both Eyeball papers are from a Recollections stack.

Inspiration/Challenges:
DL ART Thankful Thursday Challenge: (2nd & 4th Thurs) #270 Pumpkin
Mod Squad: (Wed 2W) Spooky Halloween
Simon Says Stamp: (Wed) Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting!

He know when you are sleeping -- Elves/Fairies at International Art & Soul

This fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge our theme is Elves or Fairies. 

I used this beautiful & fun Elf-on-a-Shelf-inspired paper from Mintay!

Inspiration/Challenges: 
CHPP October Challenge: AG with Patterned Paper (2nd entry)
Simon Says Stamp: (Wed) Layers

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

Grateful Autumn Penguins -- Inspired Thank-you with the UnstampaBelles

Our theme this month at the UnstampaBelles challenge is: Inspire (who/what was your inspiration into the world of papercraft?) with the optional twist of: Thank You Card using the word Inspire.

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 remember, no stamps!

My crafting inspiration, both for this card & for crafting in general, is my Mom. She introduced me to stamps & designer papers, which got me into this great online cardmaking community! She just left from a long visit with us, so I made this notch-wing card featuring a photo of me and my son. The foam penguin was found on the sidewalk by my thoughtful husband!

Challenges:

CHPP October Challenge: AG with Patterned Paper 

Papercraft Business Challenge (M, P1, E3, any papercraft) October - Interactive

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

Thank you for visiting, 

If the Broom Fits -- Halloween at International Art & Soul

This fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge our theme is Halloween. 

I love making Halloween cards, so I couldn't wait to pull out these stamps & papers that I was gifted last year and never got to use. I heat-embossed the Legs with a sparkly white powder; the sentiment (from a different stamp set)was stamped in black, also directly onto a textured orange paper. The hat & broom are stickers; everything is matted with silver foil cardstock.

For the base card, I used a foiled paper from the paper collection as most of the patterned papers on the front. I added a message section and more of those cute Halloween kitties!

Inspiration/Challenges:
Aud Sentiments Challenge #261: (Thurs 2W) Fall/Halloween Sentiment
Show Us Your Pussies Challenge #59: (Monthly Tue) Furrything Goes (mainly cats) 

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

Falling for Hedgehogs -- Autumn Colors at International Art & Soul

This fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge our theme is Autumn Colors. I used some lovely Mintay papers and different colored woodgrain papers to create this hedgehog-themed card. The wreath pieces, the tiny door & wreath are die-cut. The hedgehog inside the house is a stamp that I colored.

Inspiration/Challenges:

Animal Friends Challenge #90: (P1) Hedgehog
Cheerful Sketches Challenge (P1) September Sketch
Cut It Up: (Fri 2W) Happy Fall Y'all + At Least 3 Layers

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

Old Spice -- Rising From the Ashes with the UnstampaBelles

Our theme this month at the UnstampaBelles challenge is: Phoenix (Rising from the Ashes) - as in salvaging a craft 'mistake' perhaps? Getting an education or career after a slow beginning; recovering from an illness ie Breast Cancer; celebrating a divorce? with the optional twist of: Use an Embossing Folder.

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 remember, no stamps!

I went with the idea of salvaging a craft 'mistake' and finally used an inked & embossed card top I made forever ago. I didn't like it at the time (too 'muddy') but I love it now!

Mom just gave me this fun Shaker Creator set from Tonic Studios, and I couldn't wait to use it. I cut the mug from the hand-inked/embossed paper I made, and then layered the the card with embossed metallic papers and the shiny brown paper I also used for the base card. The swirls & spoon are from and Elizabeth Crafts die set; I designed the sentiment for a previous project, but couldn't part with the extras I printed! The shaker is filled with Queen & Co. fruit-shaped sprinkles & Paper Sweeties flower-shaped sequins; I also added a few to the spoon for fun.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) No Stamps
Simply Create Too #164: (deadline Sept 25) Make a Shaker Card
Try Stamping On Tuesdays #475: (deadline Sept 27) Sketch #80 + option: Metallic 

Update: This made the Top 3 for Try Stamping On Tuesdays #475!

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

Thank you for visiting,