The Wings of Love

Hi there!! This is my last inspiration project for the current challenge in the Ching-Chou Kuik Facebook group.  Our theme is Love/Valentines/For Someone Special.  Since the blog challenge theme is the same, you have 2 chances to win some fabulous images from Ching-Chou’s store!!! I have used the sweet “Gentle Heart” image for my heart shaped card.

I colored it with my Copics, then layered it up with other hearts, which I inked the edges of.  I added a dotted border on the red layers to add a bit more interest.  I was surprised to find some pink dotted ribbon that coordinated quite nicely with the rest of the card – so I used it to tie a bow, which I centered with a pretty sparkly heart.  Love the finished look of this, as it leaves no doubt as to which occasion it’s for, lol!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

A Gem of a Challenge – Week 3 ATG

Brown Sugar Challenge Blog – #287 Love and/or St. Valentine’s Day

Digi Choosday Craft Challenge – Week 8 ATG

Crafty Gals Corner – #185 Love Is In the Air (add a Heart)

DL Art – Thankful Thursday #240 Pink and/or Red

Ribbon and Roses

Hi there!!! It’s already the beginning of a new ATG challenge on Creative Fingers!!! Sometimes, I just don’t know where the time disappears to so quickly!!! For this challenge, we are being sponsored by our wonderful DT leader, Angelique, who has a lovely stamp set on offer for the winner 🙂  I’ve used a stunning image from Lemon Shortbread for my card, called Ribbon Roses.

I colored her with Copics, then fussy cut her out, so she would fit on the die cut background.  I love the rose cut out on the background and how it coordinates so nicely with the image.  After matting it on some red CS, I added a blue bow and red rose for an embellishment to match the image.  I finished everything off with some silver pearl accents.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge – #87 ATG

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG week of Feb. 19

Crafty Creations – #384 ATG

Get Creative Challenge – #77 AG/Opt Twist Use lots of Red

DL Art – Feb. 2019 Linky Challenge

Tulip Row

Hi there 🙂  The 20th of the month has rolled around once again, and it’s time for a new ATG challenge at the Sheepski Designs Facebook group.  As always, we have an optional theme to help you along, if needed, and this time, it’s Pretty Florals.   I’m sure that many of you are like me, and anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring!!! One of the things I love about spring, aside from the warmer temperatures, is the initial bursts of color from the first flowers.  I used Andrea’s Tulip Border for my card.  I printed the image on kraft card stock and pulled out my Prismacolor pencils to color.  I stamped and embossed a simple sentiment in the bottom corner, before adding embellishments.  I edged a gorgeous piece of lace with some pink satin ribbon – the same ribbon that I used to tie the double bow.

  A colorful dragonfly embelly perches in the center of the bow.  I think the rather simple design here lets the beautiful spring image shine!!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG for the Week of Feb. 19

A Perfect Time to Craft – ATG February

Craft-Dee BowZ – Feb. ATG with a Handmade Bow

Crafting From the Heart – ATG Challenge 237

Digi Choosday – Week 8 ATG

With Love

Hi there 🙂  Another Sunday rolls around, and I’m here to share my latest inspiration for the Ching-Chou Kuik Facebook challenge.  Our theme is Valentine’s Day/Love/For Someone Special.  The theme at the blog is the same, so we would love to see your fabulous entries at both challenges….and it also doubles your chance of winning 🙂 There are so many beautiful images at the Etsy store that fit in perfectly with this theme.  I have chosen to use Love Maneki-neko for my card.

  I colored the image with my Copics, and decided to go for a CAS style for this card. (Ok, I was suffering from a lack of mojo, and couldn’t come up with anything fancy!!! lol).  I die cut a silver frame, and placed it around the image, fussy cutting the bottome part of the image to over hang the frame.  I used a wavy stamp to “weave” the sentiment from the card blank, under the frame and onto the image. I heat embossed this to coordinate with the frame, and called this card done 🙂

I’d like to enter this in the following:

CCC Digi Creations – #100 Valentine’s Day/Love

Creative Craft Cottage – #115 Valentines

Get Creative Challenge – #77 ATG with optional Use Lots of Red

The Crafty Addicts – #57 ATG with optional Valentine’s Colors

Aud Sentiments – #220 Love or Valentine Sentiment

 

Love

Hi there! Thanks for visiting today.  We have been in the midst of a true winter deep freeze, here.  It looks like we are finally getting out of the -35 or colder temperatures that we’ve been having for the last week.  Toughens a person up, that’s for sure.  But, truthfully, if you know how to bundle up properly, it isn’t that bad, as long as you’re smart. 🙂  But enough of the weather talk, lol.  Today, I have an inspiration card for the current challenge in the Ching-Chou Kuik Facebook group.  Our theme (which is the same as on the Challenge Blog), is Valentines Day/Love/For Someone Special.  There are a ton of lovely images that correspond with this theme in the Etsy store!!  I have used a beautiful mermaid from THIS set for my card.  I went totally against my “grain” and colored the image, using Copics, in pastel shades – I rarely go the pastel route!!  I then layered everything up with more pastel shaded papers.  I made a poofy mauve bow, and popped a die cut “love” into the center.  A scattering of hearts sprinkled on the background finish this card off 🙂

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Dream Valley Challenges – #195 Love and Kisses

Crafter’s Castle – #14 ATG with optional Valentine’s Day

Scrapping 4 Fun – #133 Love/Wedding/Anniversary, Valentine

DL Art – February Linky Challenge ATG

Double D Challenges – Hearts

 

UR Awesome

OOPS!! Apparently I don’t know my dates, and how to schedule stuff….this card, my inspiration for the current ATG challenge at Creative Fingers, is a day late :O  We are being sponsored this time by the one and only Bugaboo Stamps 🙂  I printed the cute little dude – Kidz Sitter – Music – a bit, ok, a lot, bigger than I had intended, so had to rethink my entire project.  I am entirely too cheap to just reprint an image, lol! Also, I’m running low on ink, and with the temperatures sitting at -35 and below this week, I was in no hurry to venture anywhere to get anything!!  Anyhow, I colored this up with my Copics, then fussy cut the legs out before matting the image in a bright green CS.  I found a scrap of blue camouflage paper, and some music print papers to complete the layers.  I die cut a number of music shapes , and an “awesome” sentiment and completed the sentiment with some spare stickers that I had.  I got this finished just in time to pop in the mail to a truly awesome birthday boy, who, of course, loves his music 🙂

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper – February ATG with Patterned Paper

Pixie’s Playground Challenge – #345 ATG with Snippets

Creative Knockouts – #284 Birthday Wishes

Pammy’s Inky Pinkies – #1905 ATG

Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge – Week 6 ATG

2019 Mermaid Calendar

I didn’t think I’d ever get to the point where I was actually writing this post!!!! Last year, I got the brainwave to make my own calendar, and I created an Aurora Wings Sprite calendar…..I loved flipping the pages each month to see another adorable Sprite!  So…….I decided to once again create my own calendar, using some of the exquisite mermaids by Mitzi of Aurora Wings.  Apparently I forgot the work involved, because there was NO WAY this sucker was going to be finished in a week (I started just after Christmas), and I was in a bit of a panic about what to do.  A good friend suggested I make it from February 2019 to January 2020, and that way I give myself a bit of leeway for next year if I forget to start early again!  I finished on February 2, just in time for the midway reminder post for our first challenge of the year at Aurora Wings Challenge Blog.  We started off with everyone’s favorite theme – ATG, and would love to see what your creativity produces!!!

Making a calendar has it’s own set of challenges….the biggest for me being to keep the weight down so it doesn’t tear off the wall when I hang it.  This means that I have to use lightweight DP for the background, and minimal embellishments (which have to be flat!).  Thank God I have a hoard of paper that I managed to find coordinating papers in the appropriate weight!!  The embellishments are comprised of die cuts, Cricut cuts, Stickles, Liquid Pearls, and some hand cut shapes when needed.  All images are colored completely with Copics, with accents of white gel pen – with the exception of January’s background, which is done with chalk.  I downloaded a blank calendar grid, so I could use my choice of font.

Finally hanging on the wall!!!

I filled in holidays, seasonal changes and when the full moon lands each month (so when people say, “it must be a full moon” – I can either confirm or correct, lol).  I had a bit of fun with the full moon icon, using a wolf howling at the moon 🙂  I bound the calendar with a spiral from a notebook that I purchased and dismantled, then hand wound it through the holes I made with a handy dandy American Crafts punch that I have 🙂

 And here are the details by month 🙂  * Warning!!! *  It’s a year long post!!!!

 

january

Siren – Found HERE in the Digi Shop, and HERE on Etsy

february

Whisper of the Sea – Full version found in Gardens and Goddesses 3 coloring book, watch for it to become available HERE on Etsy,    Face only image found HERE at the Digi shop.

March

Journey Home – Available exclusively in the Digi Shop HERE

april

Mermaid on Crescent Moon – Found HERE in the Digi Shop, HERE on Etsy, and the full version (what I used) is found HERE in the Gardens and Goddesses 1 coloring book, and HERE in this PDF coloring page set

may

Fins and Pearls – Found HERE in the Digi Shop, HERE on Etsy, and in THIS set of PDF coloring pages.

june

The Ruby Slipper – Available HERE in the Digi Shop, HERE on Etsy, and the full version (what I used) is found in THIS set of PDF coloring pages, and in the Gardens and Goddesses 1 coloring book HERE

july

Starfish Mermaid – Head only version found HERE in the Digi Shop, and HERE on Etsy.  Full version (what I used) is found in THIS set of PDF coloring pages, and  in the Gardens and Goddesses 3 coloring book, watch for it to become available HERE

august

Mermaid’s Wish – Found HERE in the Digi Shop, and HERE on Etsy

september

Autumn Mermaid – Found HERE in the Digi Shop, and HERE on Etsy

october

A Dark Undercurrent – Full version available HERE in the Digi Shop, and HERE on Etsy.  It can also be found in the Midnight Gardens coloring book – watch for it to become available HERE.

november

Lady of the Sea (Full Version) – Available  HERE in the Digi Shop, in THIS set of PDF coloring pages, and in the Gardens and Goddesses 3 coloring book; watch for it to become available HERE

december

Christmas Mermaid – Found HERE in the Digi Shop, and HERE on Etsy

Wow!!! Looking at the time, I see that another 3 hours have passed!!! After the last month+, I’m not sure I’m going to know what to do with myself!!! I can bet that mermaids will NOT be involved in whatever I do, LOL.  Here’s to a new year!

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

Classic Design Team Open Challenge – #2 February ATG

A Perfect Time to Craft – #2 February ATG

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge – Feb. ATG with Patterned Paper

Your Scrapbook Place – February ATG

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge – Week 5 ATG

A Gem of a Challenge – Week 2 ATG

Color Crazy Craft Challenge – Week 4 ATG

Crafter’s Cafe Challenge – #212 Fairytale (mermaids!) or  I spy with my little Eye something beginning with F (February, Friday, Fish, Flowers…..a bunch of stuff 😉  )

New Home

Good morning!  It’s hard to believe that January is quickly coming to a close!  This is my last inspiration project for the Ching-Chou Kuik Facebook challenge this month, with the theme of “New Beginnings”.  The blog has the same theme, so if your project qualifies for one, it qualifies for both (Facebook challenge requires that you use an image by Ching-Chou Kuik) – double the chance to win some of these gorgeous images. But HURRY, time is almost out!!

I used the Butterfly from this set for my New Home card.

  Since the DT was challenged to use 2 different ribbons on their project this week, I colored the image with my Copics to match the butterflies on some ribbon that I have had for forever (2 spools yet, LOL).  I was super happy that I managed to match the colors up as well as I did.

My other ribbon choice was just a simple ivory satin.  The blue background paper looked a bit “blah”, so I rummaged around in my stamps and found the squiggles that emulate the postal mark on the ribbon and stamped and embossed them with clear powder and ink.  The die cut and stamped/embossed sentiment are from Sugar Pea Designs (a prize I was lucky enough to win in a challenge in the past year).  An orange mat before attaching this to a card blank finished the card off 🙂

I’d like to enter this in the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge – Week 1 ATG

Paperbabe Stamps Challenge – #90 “New” (Fresh Start)

Aud Sentiments Challenge – #219 ATG with a Sentiment

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG for the week of Jan. 22

The Butterfly Challenge – #115 Spin the Butterfly Wheel with the Letter “Y”   I used Yale Blue and Your Choice, which was Heat Embossing, and, of course a butterfly 😉

 

So Sweet

Hi there 🙂  Today marks the beginning of the very first challenge of 2019 at Creative Fingers Challenge Blog 🙂 The DT is excited to start this year, which is sure to be full of amazing projects from all of our entrants, inspiration from the DT, and welcoming back some old sponsors, and introducing new ones!!  Our first sponsor for the year is the wonderful Morgan’s Artworld – there is such a wide variety of images in the shop, that you’re sure to find something you love!!! The DT was lucky enough to be provided images to work with, and I chose Country Child No. 5.  I colored her up with my Copics, doing all the shading (with the exception of the skin) on her with my warm greys – I feel that it gives the image a bit of a rustic look.

  I cut it out with a pretty oval die, then started messing around picking out papers 🙂  I found pretty polkadot and stripe prints, and distressed and inked the edges.  My base color was Kraft card stock.  I die cut one of the pieces with a Tim Holtz corner die from Sizzix, and used the other as a mat.  The bright yellow sentiment was toned down with the same Distress Ink (pumice stone) that I had run around the edges of all the pieces. I added some lace, yellow ribbon, a pink rose (to reflect the roses in the image), a few daisies and sprays, some die cut leaves and a few adhesive pearls embellish this card.  It’s a bit fussier than my usual cards, but everything seemed to “fit” and I was quite happy with the results.

I hope you can join us at Creative Fingers for our ATG challenge, and inspire US with YOUR creations!!!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Morgan’s Artworld Open Challenge – #01 ATG

Polkadoodles Crafting Challenge – Week 4 ATG

As You Like It – Pearls or Buttons? Pearls!  Why?  I love the sheen of pearls, and with their variety of sizes they can be stuck anywhere….I rarely make a card without a pearl SOMEWHERE on it!!

Stamping Sensations – January, Fabulously Feminine

World Wide Open DT Challenge – #01 ATG

Mermaid Wishes

It’s a busy blogging day for me 🙂  Usually, it’s one post, but, today it’s 2, as this also marks my day for week 2 of the Ching-Chou Kuik Facebook Challenge.  Our theme this month is “New Beginnings” – eg New Year, NEW BABY, NEW HOME, NEW JOB OR EVEN NEW CRAFTY STASH.  The theme on the blog challenge is the same, so be sure to enter in both challenges to double your chance at winning!!  January is also the month that Ching-Chou’s birthday falls in, so we have an extra special bonus challenge in the Facebook group, so be sure to stop by and wish Ching-Chou a happy Birthday!! For this card, I used a beautiful image from this pack in the CCK Etsy store.  I colored her up with Copics and then cut the image out with a stitched rectangle die.

I managed to find some background paper that coordinated beautifully with both the colors and the “feel” of the image. I distressed the edges and inked them in black to add a bit more texture and interest.  I wanted to bring some of the gold into my card, and as I scrounged through my stuff, I found a sticker sheet that was perfect!! I used a rectangle sticker on some purple backing paper, then attached it to the base over 2 strips of black ribbon.

This week, the DT was challenged to use pearls or gems on their projects.  I had been keeping an eye on these packages of flat back pearls and gems in Michael’s for some time, and they finally went on sale!! I couldn’t stop at just on pack, so got a gold/silver and a black/iridescent pack 🙂 I used some from each pack on this card (new stash AND pearls/gems – woohoo!!!) I finished it with a peel off sentiment sticker that I’d gone over with my black Copic.  I was thrilled to be able to combine both the challenge theme and the additional DT challenge with this card 🙂  Talk about fun trying to get a photo, with all that sparkle and shine reflection, though!!!

I’d like to enter this in the following challenges:

CCC Digi Creations – #99 Happy Birthday

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper – January ATG with Patterned Paper

Get Creative Challenge – #76 ATG with No Twist

The Paper Shelter – #366 Digital Image

Crafty Creations Challenge – #382 ATG

…..so be sure to stop by and extend your birthday wishes 🙂