There's a Party Going On Right Here -- Graduation at Internation Art & Soul

 Our challenge for this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge is Graduation.

 

I was inspired the Inspiration Station to use music along with the Graduation theme: The inside of the shaker contains the lyrics of "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang; I stamped & heat-embossed the musical notes on black paper for the top of the shaker.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Creative Knockouts:(W,2E,C8) #402 Finish The Inside
Inspiration Station: (2W) #6 Photo Inspiration
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Dies or Punches

Twinkle sprinkle -- Nursery Rhymes at International Art & Soul

Our challenge for this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge is Nursery Rhyme.

I was inspired by Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; my 2-year-old always claps after I sing it!

 

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

Hoppy Easter! -- Bunnies at International Art & Soul

Our challenge for this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge is Bunny!

To make my bunny card, I used the Hanging Charm Pull Tab die set from Karen Burniston/Elizabeth Craft Designs, papers from Aunthetique & Echo Park, and a boxed chocolate bunny that I've had in stash for years. I opened one end and added sequins & clear beads to make a little shaker. I secured the ends with pretty floral Washi tape.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) A Bit O' Green
613 Avenue Create: (1st Sunday) Anything Goes + Optional Twist: Slider Card

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

The Natural World at Christmas at International Art & Soul

Our challenge for this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge is the Natural World at Christmas (No Robins).

If you follow my blog, you know I love shaker cards, especially snowglobes! I used a lovely clear stamp set that came with a British craft magazine. I've had it for quite a while, and was happy to finally ink it up! The sentiment is from Verve Stamps. I really liked the idea of the icy beads inside the shaker obscuring part of the sentiment.

I was inspired by the rabbit who wanders our yard at night; Mister Bun-bun doesn't seem to mind the snow or our old, slow dog!

 

Inspiration/Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) Anything Goes
Tuesday Morning Sketches: (Tue) Sketch #594

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

Pink Pickup Shaker -- Hearts at International Art & Soul

Our challenge for this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge is Hearts. 

Inspiration/Challenges: 
Bastel-Traum: (P15) Love
Creations in Pink: (P15) #30 Anything Goes in Mainly Pink
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) Anything Goes 

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

Wonder Woman T-shirt Shaker

A friend of mine loves Wonder Woman, and we've had a lot of fun dressing up and being Wonder Crafting Friends. I was thinking of her when I made this shaker card with these great Wonder Woman papers.

I was originally inspired by this T-shirt die & stamp set from Stamps of Life; I especially like the sentiment, "BeYOUtiful." But then I ran across my long-hoarded WW papers and this happened!

Inspiration/Challenges:
TIME OUT Challenge #177: (Thurs 2W) Inspired By The Word YOU (sentiment in shaker)
Tuesday Morning Sketches: (Tue) Sketch #589

Thank you for visiting!

Snow Beary Much Fun -- Winter at International Art & Soul

Our challenge for this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge is Winter.

I used papers from Dare 2B Artzy to create this shaker card; the large bear is on an action wobble!

Inspiration/Challenges:
Dare 2B Artzy Challenges: (1st Sunday) January Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) Layer

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

I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

I'm the only one who loves to make Christmas cards after Christmas‽ Because I craft in the dining room in the evenings, I move a lot of my crafting stuff out to make room for the Holidays, so when the festivities die down I like to use some of the Christmas crafting goodies I unearth during the season (plus anything new!)

The snowglobe was cut with a Newton's Nook die set. All the images & sentiment are from a particularly beautiful Craftsmart sticker book. The metallic & glitter papers are foiled kraft cardstock from Michaels; if you see it, grab it, it's great! I embossed the pink piece, and finished the card with gold Stickles.

And I decorated the inside, of course:

Inspiration/Challenges:
Bastel-Traum #96: (P15) Shaker or Interactive Card
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) Sparkle & Shine

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,

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! 

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, 

Sweet Summer Shaker

I just discovered the challenge blog Festive Friday: they offer fun biweekly inspiration lists based on fun holidays & celebrations. Along with the current Shaker Card challenge at Daring Cardmakers, I pulled out stuff from popsicle-themed items from my stash & made this summery card.

The big sunny sun is the tag from a baby gift from my parents... I couldn't bear to throw it away, but I figured I could compromise and recycle it! I filled the shaker with tiny fruits from Queen and Company & used some of the them for the corners; the popsicle shaker set is also from the same company.

The popsicles were cut from 3 papers with a Spellbinders die; I added glitter to the tops & copper ink to the stick part.  The sentiment is die-cut from a scrap of paper. The front DP is from Simple Stories; for the base card, I used a long-saved paper from Doodlebug Designs; I'm trying to celebrate my paper collection instead of hoarding it!

Inspiration/Challenges:

Festive Friday: (Fri 2W, C3) Inspiration #64: Sweet Sentiment,  Die cut, Summer Fun (+ Ice Cream, Shaker card)

Daring Cardmakers: (Fri, C5) Shake It (any project with a shaker)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: (Wed) Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting!

Goofy Shaker

I finally got my Disney papers together and had to make a shaker card!

I made the shaker element from one sheet of patterned paper with balloon dies. I used adhesive foam & acetate from Recollections, and filled it with glass beads & star sequins.

The little mouse ears aren't just 3D, they're fuzzy! I typed up the sentiments using the Handwriting-Dakota font.

I used 3 different patterned papers; I used a double-side DP for the base (I couldn't neglect either these fun designs!); the frame on the front is cut using a papercutter and inked with black Memento ink for effect. Everything is edged with a black marker. 

The polka-dot tape was on sale, couldn't resist! So glad I splurged; it brought the whole design together. 

Inspiration/Challenges:
Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2: (1st Wed) Sketch #187
The Paper Funday #18: (1st Wed) Anything Goes/Optional Twist: Great Outdoors



Thank you for visiting!

Under the Sea at International Art & Soul

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

I made the tag with a stained glass rubber stamp & a clear sentiment stamp; I colored it with Copics before baking. I cut the waves on my Silhouette Cameo; they are actually scraps from a previous project. I filled the shaker with a seashell sequin mix from Spiegelmom Scraps. The mermaid-patterned paper (which I also used for the base card) is from Authentique. My mom sent me this beautiful woodgrain paper.

I die-cut the shells from a corrugated cardboard that I brought home from Panera! I colored them with Copic markers.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper: (M, P1) June  - Anything Goes with Patterned Paper
The House That Stamps Built Designer's Choice Design Challenge #J320: (Wed) Tag

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

Butterflies & Caffeine -- Blog Hop at Coffee Loving Cardmakers

It's that time again: the Spring/Summer Blog Hop at the Coffee Loving Cardmakers! I always enjoy playing along.

I've been cleaning out my stash, and found this sweet coffee cup die-cut sentiment (Heartfelt Creations, Stampin' Up!) so I made a shaker card with my favorite kawaii coffee, woodgrain, and yellow-patterned papers, and coffee-scented washi tape. I filled the shaker with die-cut coffee beans (Elizabeth Crafts) and tiny butterflies (Scraps of Love).

Many thanks to all who make this Blog Hop possible!

Thank you for visiting!