Sending Hugs

Since I stay at home every day is kinda a snow day, but today certainly felt like a snow day. And, at this rate, we're going to have a couple more. So to brighten myself up I decided to make a couple of cards for the current Card Cupids Cuties.
I had lots of fun making this for Ashlie; as you can see, I was super-inspired by the current Color Challenge at CDAC, with this free digi by Fairy Knoll. Aren't the colors wild?! I love how it turned out. I printed the digi stamp the usual way, but imported it into SCAL to grab the heart shape. As you can see, I had tons of fun cutting hearts!

Digi stamp: I Love My Teddy by Fairy Knoll
Inspiration: CDAC Color Challenge cdaccc15: Hot Pink, Lime Green, and Bright Blue
Supplies: Recollections, Paper Studio, and Core'dinations cardstocks, Cricut Expression, SCAL software, HP printer & ink, ZipDry glue, MS detailing scissors and border punch, CraftSmart ink, sentiment stamp by Hero Arts, Elmer's and Sakura gel pens, Copic Ciao markers


Update: This card was awarded this badge from the CDAC Dream Team. Thanks ladies!



For Jonathan's card, I pulled out this adorable Teddy with Teddy rubber stamp from my stash. I love the details on his overalls, so I decided to use those patterns for the backing papers. I had a really tough time getting a good photo because of my heavy use of reflective gel pens, but the blue paper is cross-hatched in blue and cherry.

I pulled out my heat-and-puff snow marker for the big teddy's "fur". It's not as pretty as flock would be, but it's a lot less messy and feels really neat.

Inspiration:
Color: Picture Perfect Creations Color Combo #46: Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla
Sketch: Paper Craft Planet Sketch Challenge #sk012211
Supplies: Recollections, Paper Studio, and Core'dinations cardstocks, Tattered Angels glimmer mist, Fiskars papercutter and scallop scissors, ZipDry glue, Tim Holtz scissors, emery board, ruler, Memento and StazOn inks, Marvy heat tool and snow marker, Elmer's and Sakura gel pens, Copic Ciao markers, sentiment stamp by Hero Arts, rubber stamp by SonLight Impressions

These cards will be in the mail first thing, weather permitting. Hope you'll support Card Cupids as well!

Fisk-a-Fall

So I walked away, briefly, from my new favorite plastic stamp and had some fun mixing two challenges to make this little Thanksgiving card.
I really liked this month's CDAC color combo and its free digis — altho I decided to pair the lovely sentiment with my go-to-gal, Angel Stacie from paperfacesdesign — and chose the handsome sketch at Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge. I used copic markers for the digi's background ... I think I like it!
And yes, the main circle spins.

Paper Pretties Sketch Challenge PWC126
CDAC Color Challenge CDACCC10
Word art: Tlc Creations
Digi stamp: Angel Stacie by Therese Travis / paperfacesdesign
Supplies: Recollections, Core-dinations and ColorBok cardstocks, ZipDry glue, Tim Holtz scissors, Fiskars papercutter, circle punch, decorative scissors and punch/embosser, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, Sakura Gelly Roll pens, Marvy LePlumeII pens, Copic E33& 0 (blender), stash brad

This card is also a celebration of my recent Fisk-a-teer status (#7522). I was so pleased to discover that all the fancy scissors and punches in my stash are Fiskars brand. Way to represent!

A book, womanly

For the mini-book challenge on Paper Craft Planet I decided to make another piano-hinge book, so I asked my Facebook Friends for quotes on Women (because I wanted to use a particular stamp), either something they liked or something they came up with. This is so much more fun than googling for quotes! I posted my call at 9am and by 1pm I had a nice mix:

It’s tough being a woman. -my cousin, WI

It gets better as you get older – just keep smiling & doing whatever turns you on. -my aunt, WI

“It is fatal to be a man or woman pure and simple: one must be a woman manly, or a man womanly.” Virginia Woolf -submitted by a college/poet friend, MD

I love women: my wife’s one, & she’s awesome. -High School/theatre friend, CA

“I’m selfish, impatient & a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control & at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.” Marilyn Monroe -submitted by a random acquaintance I've gotten to know well over Facebook, Norway
I decided to print the pages on vellum, so that they would sorta bleed into eachother. The effect is really lovely, and the book is a precious handful at 2.75x3 inches. I dyed the wooden skewers I used to bind the book with food coloring; letting them soak for 2 hours produced a deep color. I colored the stamped images on the back side of the paper, which covered up mistakes and really made the black outlines pop. I had the whole thing designed, printed and bound by midnight, and even managed to make 3 cards in the meantime. Thanks everyone, this was so much fun!
Inspiration: mini-book challenge on Paper Craft Planet (3d85)
Supplies: vintage wallpaper, Recollections vellum, Cricut personal cutter, SCAL software, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, Tim Holtz scissors, ZipDry glue, rubber stamp from Stampin' Up!, Marvy paint pens, Copic marker E33, wooden skewers, McCormick food color + vinegar & water

This book is available on Etsy.

2 Challenges, 2 Birthday Cards

I recently joined Paper Craft Planet and couldn't wait to try their October sketch challenge. For a theme, I decided to make a birthday card for our niece who's birthday is during the Thanksgiving holiday. Since I was at it, I decided to try this week's Character Cafe challenge and make a "Happy Belated Birthday" card for her sister, whose birthday I can't remember. I put a lot of love and thought into these, and hope I don't chicken out and not bring them for our Thanksgiving visit! We'll put some cash in there; that always impresses a teenager.
Paper Craft Planet Sketch Challenge SK102310
Digi stamps: Pumpkin Blessings and Angel Stacie by Therese Travis / paperfacesdesign
Supplies: HP white cardstock, DCWV cardstock, ZipDry glue, Tim Holtz scissors, Fiskars Deckle scissors, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, WalMart braiding thread & needle, silicon stamps from Target and Quick Cards Made Easy, StazOn ink, Sakura Gelly Roll pens, Elmer's CraftBond gel pens, Sharpies, Marvy LePlumeII pens, Copic E33, E35 & 0 (blender)

Character Cafe Feature Friday 1, 2, 3 Challenge: Orange, 1 Flower, 2 brads, 3 gems
Digi stamp: Angel Candace by Therese Travis / paperfacesdesign
Supplies: HP white cardstock, DCWV cardstock, ZipDry glue, Tim Holtz scissors, Fiskars Deckle scissors, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, silicon stamps from Target and Quick Cards Made Easy, StazOn ink, Sakura Gelly Roll pens, Elmer's CraftBond gel pens, Sharpies, Copic E33, E35 & 0 (blender), stash brads, SHCP Crystal stickers