Mermaid’s “Hello”

Hello!! Here is my latest DT inspiration for the Sheepski Designs Facebook challenge.  The challenges are always anything goes, but we’ve now started to add optional themes to help get your creative juices flowing.  This month, it’s Sparkle and Shine.  I used the beautiful Hello image, by Andrea at Sheepski Designs.  For a discount on this, or any other image you may want to purchase, I have a discount code for you to use:

SKISUSAN10

After coloring the image with my Prismacolor pencils, I found some glitter paper, and some design paper with a subtle print and began laying out the card according to the current sketch at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

I die cut the circles to show the glitter CS underneath, edged them in silver glitter glue, and put some clear acetate over the openings.  Then I raised the top layer with some foam dots, and attached the little fish behind the windows with thread, so they “swim” when you move the card.  Some cheesecloth and die cut shells, and a glittery sentiment on a white banner, finish this card off.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 – Sketch #125, shown above

Digi Choosday Craft Challenge – Week 47 ATG

Colour Crazy Challenge – Week 46 ATG

Allsorts Challenge – Week 442 – Glitter

Morgan’s Artworld – #23 ATG

Rack Recycle!

Phew!!! I got this finished just in time (well, a couple hours left lol), even though the light is terrible and this is the best pics I can get.  Aurora Wings Challenge Blog‘s challenge this time is Recycle!  I mulled over a few things that I could recycle, and then….omg, I came across this ugly thing!!

Worlds ugliest wine rack, that I’ve been intending on upcyling for some time….  Mitzi’s Wine Sprite image really got my brain going (or so I thought).  I colored the sprite, and 2 bunches of grapes that I cropped from her and enlarged, with my SN and Copic markers, then fussy cut them out.  My original idea was quite different than how this project turned out, but the more I dug around in my craft room, the more stuff I found that I could use….and recycle!!  I covered the “lovely” holder pieces of the rack with some corrugated cardboard that I retrieved from some poster packaging at a former job of mine (we will NOT get into the amount of “garbage” I took home to make something pretty with!!).  I inked the cardboard a bit with some Distress Ink to give the texture a little more definition.  I stencilled the lettering, using some MS stencils that were the LAST stencils in this city!!!  I had some corks that I had been saving….so… perfect place to use them.  I cut them in half and in slices….hard to cut when one is too lazy to walk to the other room for her Dremel tool, and uses a kitchen knife instead 😛   I arranged them over some purple bubble die cuts and some wine labels….a few recycled, and a few printed, because the rest tore 🙁  A strip of ribbon that was snitched from a destroyed wreath, and some adhesive gem bubbles filled some of the gaps. I added the Sprite and the grape bunches, then edged each piece with twine….that I rescued from the same job as mentioned before….there was a shipment of jeans that came in, rolled up and tied with twine….MY twine, tee hee.  I had to use empty bottles for photo purposes, as I didn’t have the right hooks to hang the rack securely on my wall with…..didn’t need to waste wine!!

Here are a few close ups of different parts of the rack

   

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Aurora Wings Blog Challenge – #60 Recycle!

CCC Digi Creations – #85 ATG

Creatalicious Challenges – #127 ATG with optional thanks

Not Just Cards – ATG

Crafty Catz Challenge – #393 ATG

Decaf??

Good morning all 🙂  We are already past the half way point of November…and into another brand new ATG challenge at Creative Fingers!  Our sponsor this time is one of my favorites for adorable animal images….Wink Wink Ink

I was given the image Night Owl, to use on my project.  An owl and coffee…..how much more ME can you get 😉  I colored him up with my Prismacolor pencils, then fussy cut him out.  I had purchased coffee DP paper on a recent girls weekend I had with a friend, and this card was perfect to use it on 🙂  The coffee cup background, the flower background that I die cut with a stitched die, and the sparkly border piece were all from different sheets of the same set 🙂  I used this sketch, from Feeling Sketchy as inspiration for the layout.

Sketch #181

The sentiment was stamped with a LDRS stamp, then die cut out.  I die cut a flourish, to mimic a bit more steam, and the card was done 🙂  I hope that you can join us with any of your creations at the challenge, we’d love to see your work!!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Feeling Sketchy – Sketch #181, shown above

Deep Ocean Challenge – #168 Things With Wings

Creative Moments – #131 ATG/optional Thanksgiving

Digi Choosday – Week 46 ATG

Artistic Inspirations – #190 ATG

Bird’s Best Buddy

Good morning!! Another week has rolled by, and it’s time for another challenge at C.R.A.F.T.  It’s once again time for our monthly theme of Christmas, and our generous sponsor is Pink Gem Designs.

2 “SINGLE” digi images OR 2 “Card Topper Kits of the winners choice.

It’s so hard to choose from the sweet images in this shop, but I chose Chilly With Birdhouse for my card.  I colored him up with my Prismacolor pencils, then set to arranging the card, following this sketch at The Sketchy Challenges as inspiration

I dove into my Christmas papers, to use up some scraps that I’ve accumulated.  I loved the look of the traditional Christmas colors with this guy, and, in real life, the green in the paper is almost identical to the green of his jacket….the tricks of photography, sigh.  I had a piece of wide red ribbon, which I added a snowflake button to, to finish the card off 🙂

I’d like to enter this in the following:

The Sketchy Challenges – #130 Pictured above

Card Mania – #98 ATG

Delicious Doodles Challenge – Christmas – Traditional (colours or image)

Pixies Snippets Playground – Weeks 307 and 308

A Gem of A Challenge – #207 Buttons and/or Ribbon

Hello Fall

Good morning!! Back to work today after the long weekend….but it was a great break, visiting with friends, baking, and lots of time to craft!  I was browsing through my digi files….I may have a bit of an addiction….and found this image by Holly Durr (in the file titled “Holly Durr”  – go figure).  Sadly, Holly has closed her digi shop down, so she can concentrate on other areas of her art….I’m so thankful that I found her before it closed, and was able to scoop up a few of her images!!! I think I may have mentioned on a previous post that I was done with fall/autumn cards….well, here’s one more….I could’t resist printing this beauty on Kraft and coloring her up with my Prismacolor pencils 🙂  I cut the image out with a Nellie Snellen nesting die, then inked the edges with Distress Ink.  I found this fab sketch over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 and decided to use it for the layout 🙂

I embossed a piece of brown CS for the background, then started messing about, trying to figure out the other elements.  The scribbly circles are cut with a Tim Holtz Sizzix die, and the “hello” was cut twice, to make a shadow,  I also heat embossed the top “hello” with gold.  I played around with so many embellies and die cuts, but couldn’t find anything else that looked right….Off to the dark corners of the craft room, to find something that I forgot I had….and it worked!!! I found a package of these vellum fall leaves….fit the bill perfectly 🙂  This is seriously my last fall card for the year….maybe 😀

I’d like to enter this into the following:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 – Sketch 125 pictured above

Mod Squad Challenge – It’s All In the Color!! (no white or ivory on front of card)

Let’s Craft and Create – #131 ATG/option of Fall

Allsorts Challenge – Week 441 Colors of Autumn

Crafty Calendar Challenge – November Challenge – Autumn Colors

 

Merry Friends

Hi there 🙂  With the snow outside, it feels “natural” to make Christmas cards!!  It’s creeping up, as well, so time to stock up!  For this one, I used a sweet image from Mo’s Digital Pencil.  These sweet girls, Irma and Vieno,  are bundled up, ready for whatever weather blows in 🙂  I got this fabulous paper in a recent swap, so wanted to use it as well….and….hold on to your hats….I actually matched the coloring to the paper!!! Doing it this way works SO much better than winging it and hoping things match up! LOL  Yeah, yeah, what a concept, huh?  Anyway, after I colored the girls with my Prismacolor pencils, I die cut them out with a Nellie Snellen nesting die.  I wanted to use as much of these coordinating papers as I could, so I turned to the current sketch at The Sketchy Challenges for inspiration (did I ever mention that I loooove the sketches from them??? check them out!)

For the middle band, I used a piece of ribbon and some green twine.  I die cut the stamped and embossed sentiment out with another Nellie die, then cut a few snowflakes with some snowflake dies that, like a dummy, I didn’t record the manufacturer, and with soooo many snowflake dies out there, I can’t give credit where it’s due 🙁  I’m so happy with how this card turned out 😀

I’d like to enter it into the following challenges:

The Sketchy Challenges – #130, shown above

Dream Valley Challenge – #167 Add a Sentiment

Digi Choosday – Week 45 ATG

Deep Ocean Challenge – #167 Inspired by a Song/Movie (song You’ve Got a Friend in Me)

A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge – #11 ATG

Autumn Smile

Good morning all 🙂  I think that this card will be one of the last fall-ish ones that I make for awhile, as we have piles of snow here, and the temperatures are quite chill- and I seem to match my cardmaking with the seasons, for the most part….

This image is from a relatively new shop – Silly Shells, and wow! does she have some fabulous images!!  I colored up Bounty Full of Flowers with my SN colors….I stuck with fall colors, since they are fall blooms. lol.  I tried a number of things with arrangements and papers…but everything just seemed to detract from the gorgeous image.  CAS it is 🙂  I die cut “smile” from the main piece, then cut it 3 more times from some scrap, and stacked it to give it some dimension.  Love this die, but I cannot for the life of me remember where I got it from 🙁  A friend of mine and I recently went on a girls spa weekend, and both of us being crafty, naturally found every craft store in the city 🙂  I got a *few* packs of sequins in some fabulous colors…a whole 3 of which I’ve used here to finish the card off!

I’d like to enter this into the following:

Allsorts Challenge – #441 Colors of Autumn

Crafty Calendar Challenge – November Challenge; Colors of Autumn

Let’s Craft and Create Challenge – #131 ATG/option of Fall Colors/Thankful

Dies R Us – #84 Anything Fall

 Aud Sentiments Challenge – #192 Bingo plus a Sentiment,  I used the left vertical line….Flowers, Yellow, Die Cuts

 

 

Winter Friends

Good morning!  It’s time for another challenge over at C.R.A.F.T. , and this time our theme is “Winter”.  Very fitting with the weather that we’ve been having in Saskatchewan.  There are so many things that I like about winter….the slower pace, the beauty, the clothes….but then there’s the drivers in the snow, and that just pops my little “winter love” balloon!!  As always, we are sponsored by some wonderful sponsors, and this time, thanks goes to

Scrap N' Dipity
3 images of choice from Scrap N’ Dipity

and

3 images of choice from Lacy Sunshine

I used Rory and Her Snowman Friends, from Lacy Sunshine, for my card.  I colored the image with my SN and Copic markers, then added some sparklies to all the snow parts.  I took a walk on the pastel side of the color spectrum, and am quite happy with the result 🙂  I love the latest sketch, over at The Sketchy Challenges, so used it for inspiration for the layout of this card

This is a fabulous sketch to use up pieces of paper, which is precisely what I did!! I found some nice blue shimmer for the background, a few pieces of swirling snow patterned paper, and a piece of blue glitter CS that was just the right size 🙂  I matted everything up in white, and added an icicle diecut, using a Marianne die, for the middle band.  Of course more sparkle and bling was needed, so I glittered up the icicles, and added some pretty gemstones to finish the card 🙂

I would like to enter this in the following:

The Sketchy Challenges – Sketch #130

Morgan’s ArtWorld – #22 ATG

Crafty Friends – #70 Christmas

Angie’s Digital Stamps – #15 ATG with optional twist of Holidays

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG for the week of Nov. 7

Steampunk Christmas

I recently signed up for a Secret Santa swap in the Make It Crafty Facebook Group.  I got a bit of a chuckle when my partner’s name came up, and it was one of my besties from right here in Saskatoon!! Lol.  I knew that she likes Steampunk, so off I went shopping at the Make It Crafty store!  I found the Steampunk Santa House and then the gorgeous Elizabeth J, which I merged with the house.  I wanted the background to be a subtle, old look, with miss Elizabeth “popping” in the foreground.  I went to work with my SN and Copic markers, with all this detail, the reading glasses were put on a few times!!  After coloring, I did a chalk background with some shimmering Pebbles chalks (that I completely forgot I had!), and added some sparkle to the snow.  I had a really cool idea for a sweet fancy fold for this card, however, though the image was teeny when it came to coloring, it was too large for the fold I had in mind.  I decided on a simple easel card, matting the image in a browny-green CS and some patterned paper.  I set to die cutting snowflakes, using a few different sets of snowflake dies for variety.  After laying everything out, and adding a stamped and embossed sentiment, it still needed something …. so I printed, colored, and fussy cut the Steampunk Gift digi.  The house and the gift digis came in a set, with a few other images, that saved me money, and gave even more options for future makes.  It was great fun making this card…and delivering it over coffee, rather than posting it, lol.

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

Crafting by Designs – November ATG

Fab N’ Funky Challenges – #369 Fashion

Morgan’s Artworld – #22 ATG

Polkadoodles Craft Challenges – Week 44 ATG

Winter Wonderland – Fun Folds

Holly

Hello! It’s time for another ATG challenge over at Creative Fingers 🙂  This time, we have 2 fabulous sponsors,

and

I was given the gorgeous image Holly Christmas from Elvenstar Art to use on my project.  I first merged her into a holly frame clipart that I had in my files, then colored everything with my SN and Copic markers. I used this sketch:

from Tuesday Morning Sketches as my inspiration for the layout.  I kept it very simple color wise, using my favorite color combo 🙂  I added an embossed piece for the top element, using a wonderful magazine freebie that I got a few years ago.  I hope you can join us by sharing a project over at our challenge 🙂

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Tuesday Morning Sketches – Sketch #427

Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge – Week 44

Crimbo Crackers – #144 Quick and Easy Christmas

Creative Knockouts – #218 Embossing Delights

As You Like It Challenge – Christmas or Non-Christmas….Christmas!! Why?  Love the colors and the festive feel of Christmas cards.  Also, these are the cards that I seem to give out most, so it’s fun to keep making them throughout the year :_