Off To Alaska!

We just received some GREAT news!  My son-in-law, Travis, has been out of work for some time, and it has been very tough.  He just got word that he was hired to go to Alaska for the summer!  He will be working at a fishing lodge as their head chef.  We are overjoyed!!!   I wanted to send him a special congrats card, and here is what I came up with!

I did a side step card and made the cut file for the chef.  I saw the cut file some time ago and wanted to down load it, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out where the link was to buy it!  So I kept the picture and made my own!  I also made the fishing rod, the menu board and fish.  The other embellies were stick on's.  But I did add the "Alaska" part of the sign.

For those of you who might be interested, here is a link to the 
Togiak River Lodge.

Entered in the following challenges:

Ruby's Rainbow ~ One For The Boys
Simply Create Too ~ Father's Day Male
Fussy And Fancy ~ Outdoors
Creative Knockouts ~ Summer's Coming
Rhed and Rosie ~ No Flowers
C.R.A.F.T. ~ Paperpiecing

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge #66 ~ Embossing

I so enjoy working with Bugaboo images!  They are my very favorites!  So many to choose from for any occasion.  They are our sponsor for this fun challenge at CC&CC.

I am using Scarlette Party, I love her!  I did two types of embossing; a file for the background paper and then heat embossing on her dress, both done with Frantage!  Yes, I am still hooked on that product!  Have a look.

We would love to have you join in on this challenge.  Come see the GREAT cards our DT have don for your inspiration.  You won't be disappointed!

Scrapper's Delights Challenge Blog

Time for some "TASTY" fun over at SDCB!  Our challenge this time is all about yummy things to eat.  An image of food of some kind must be used on your project; main image, background paper, etc.  The little darlin' I used on this card is from a new release group called "Fruity Babies".  My gal is Fruity Babies Watermelon, and she is adorable!  You can find her for purchase in the Scrapper's Delights Store.  I colored her with Copic's, cut her out and sat her on the pedestal of watermelon slices.  The slices of watermelon are from a cut file by My Scrap Chick entitled "Thanks A Melon".

I hope you join us for this fun challenge at SDCB, see you there!

Entered in the following challenges:

PDE Inky Party ~ Food or Beverage
The Squirrel and The Fox #70 ~ For the Girls
Lauralcraft - Dragonfly Dreams #5 ~ How Does Your Garden Grow
Whoopsi Daisy ~ Lots of Layers
Stamp & Create ~ Spring Colors (Bright and Fun)
Creative Cutting Challenge ~ Father's Day
Craftn Desert Diva's ~ Fun Folds
One Stitch At A Time #214 ~ Anything Goes

Birthday Cards

TGIF everyone!  Sure hope you have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

I had a busy time of it in May for birthdays.  In fact, I have 3 loved ones who all share the same birthday on May 30th!  Here are a couple of the cards that I made for them.

This first one is a cheerful easel card that was made from a cut file at My Scrap Chick that is called "Bird & Garden Gate".  It was cut using My Silhouette.

The second one is also a cut file that was a free one. I found it quite some time ago, but it had never used.  I have been an admirer of the lattice designs but have never done any of them.  I decided I need to get with it and try them.  

I'm glad I did!

FABULOUS FREE, YES FREE, CUT FILES!!!

For all my fellow crafters who love cut files for their Silhouette, Cricut, Black Cat, etc. here is a FABULOUS blog to see. Monica lives in Northen Sweden and is talented beyond belief! All her cut files are FREE and they are GORGEOUS! Go through her archives and you will find borders, frames, lace doilies, labels, lattice cut outs, 3D projects, anything your little heart could desire! It's a gold mine! AND take a look at her garden and greenhouse!!! This woman can design and build anything!. She uses a Cad system, and man, she really knows what she is doing! If you take a lot of files - it will be hard NOT to - be kind and leave a donation.  ENJOY!!!

 http://monicascreativeroom.se/

Take a look at some of the files she has!

These are 4 corner fold cards:

Chocolate, Coffee & Card Challenges #65 Use A TAG

Hello friends, it's time for another challenge at CC&CC.  This time the theme is Use A TAG.  You still have to make a card, and then incorporate a tag into your design.  I don't do tags very often, so I had a bit of a brain fade, lol.  I decided to just do a very simple one at the top of my image.  The image is from our sponsor, Scribbles Designs Challenges and is called
#632 Topiary 1

Thanx so much for stopping by, and I hope we see you for our challenge at CC&CC!

Scrapper's Delights Challenge Anything Goes

ANYTHING GOES!!!  It can't get much easier or simpler than that!  So no excuses, come join us and have some fun with our challenge.  Who knows, you may even win a prize!

For my card at Scrapper's Delights I used the ADORABLE image

"Summer Breeze 2".

Be sure to look at all the wonderful images they have available for purchase.

I used an embossing folder covered on one side with pale blue ink from a stamp pad to create the soft look.  Then I cut out the frame area with a die.  My image is colored with Copics and surrounded with a sprinkle of Frantage.  All the flowers were hand made from die cut pieces, and also the butterfly which is embossed with Frantage.  (I LOVE that stuff, lol!)

 

We look forward to seeing you for this fun challenge!

Mother's Day

Well, it sure has a been a really tough week and a half.  I have been fighting with a kidney stone and it has basically won.  I've been living on cranberry juice and Percocet.  Now its decided to just hide and wait!  I swear a kidney stone is more painful than giving birth!  Thankfully I had my important blog  posts scheduled, because I really don't think I could have gotten them done.

I did manage to get this card done today for my sweet Aunt.  I think she will get it on time if it goes in the mail tomorrow - at least I hope so!  It was a file from Silhouette I recently purchased.  I love  the flourish look, and I did it in her favorite color of cranberry.  I used a die cut to cut the roses and then put them together, and also the leaves.  The sentiment was also cut on my Silhouette.

Thanx for stopping by, and an early Happy Mother's Day to all the 
moms out there!

This card is entered in the following challenges:
Paulaholifield Crafts ~ Flower Power
Emeradl Faeries Challenge ~ Flowers, Ribbon and/or lace
Life In Details Challenge ~ Stitching
Cut It Up ~ Mother's Day/Die Cut
Amusing Challenge ~ Mothers
The Squirrel and the Fox ~ Mother's Day
My Sheri Crafts ~ #132 In Celebration of Moms

Chocolate, Coffee & Card Challenges #64 Circles & Squares

WOW!  Everyone really was in a Spring mood for our last challenge - SUPER entries!  Thanx so much for all your hard work!

This challenge at Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges is a fun one too!  We are asking you to use Circles & Squares.  That can be your image shape or background, or your design in your papers you use or anything else.  Just be sure to use both!

My image I am using is called "Roadster Nikki".  She is adorable!  Check her out at Ladybug Crafts Ink, there is a whole series of images with her, so cute!

Hurry on over to CC&CC and join us for this fun challenge!
See you there!

SCRAPPER'S DELIGHTS CHALLENGE BLOG!

OH FUN!!!  I have been selected for another Design Team!  YEAH!!!  It is for the fab Scrapper's Delights.  It is not only a challenge blog, but also Scrapper's Delights offers ADORABLE digis and other products!  I am so delighted to be a part of this fun group and design with their FAB digis!  They offer several challenges; for new releases and also for their regular twice a month challenge.  I will be designing with the twice a month challenge team.

The new release challenges are on their main page.  Their you will also find the page that leads to their store! The twice a month challenges can be found on their "Current Challenge" page.

My first challenge with them is #21 Pretty Pastels.  I wanted to do something a bit different from all the embellies of lace, ribbon and flowers.  I went for a more simple design with this adorable digi called "CU Beach Boy Digi Stamp 1".  Here is the result.

PLEASE come check out this great blog!  For digis and goodies, and of course the fun challenges!  Be inspired by the SUPER DT too.

What a GREAT place!

New Craft Project ~ Tray Pendant

Hello there.  I have a new project to share that was inspired by my butterfly experience, lol.  I had bought the supplies at the scrapbook convention a month ago and had not used them yet.  I was thinking about how I wanted to use them and thought these images were perfect!  They are called "Tray Pendants" and are SO EASY to make!

1. Size a picture to your pendant shape leaving space around the edges

(I used my paint program then printed the pic)

2.  Use the special glue glaze on the top plastic piece and adhere

3.  Let dry, then trim off excess edges

4.  Put a jewelers glue spot in the tray piece

5.  Lay in your picture piece and VOILA!!!

I really love how they came out!

Then I decided to make a special little gift box for each of them to 

give to the gals.

So fun and so easy, and they make a GREAT gift!

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #63 ~ Spring

It's been two weeks since our last challenge at CC&CC, so it's time to get on to a new one!  This time we are celebrating the arrival of SPRING!!!  I sure hope that wherever you are it is there or at least on its way!

Our sponsor for this fun challenge is Whoopsi Daisy.  They offer a lovely variety of digis, so sweet!  I used the image below from sheet #536.

We would love to have you join us for this fun challenge.  So stop by and be inspired by our great DT and show us your creations for Spring!

Happy Easter!

I really enjoyed making my Easter cards this year.  I had some new dies, stamps, SVG files and papers and it made for a FUN time creating.  Here are a some of them.

Beautiful Butterflies!

This past weekend I spent a fantastic day with three fabulous sisters.  I am honored to be the fourth one, the "Sister By Choice!"  (SBC)  We spent the day at a beautiful place called "Butterfly Wonderland".  It is a huge exhibit on butterflies and includes a spectacular enclosure where they fly free, 22,000 of them!  Absolutely gorgeous.  They come from the Amazon and South America, and believe it or not, they fly them to the exhibit in specially made boxes by Federal Express.  They are in their chrysalis form, not yet hatched.  We saw some hatching and it was incredible.

I took so many pictures and they came out beautiful - all were taken on my cell phone!  I swear that camera is better than my regular good camera!

I wanted to thank the gals for such a fun time and decided to make each of them a card.  Each card was inspired by this wonderful day!

I know that the cards can never compare to the natural beauty of the real butterflies, but I know that they will appreciate my attempt!!!

Love you SISTERS!!!

I'm In Love With Fran-tage!

Happy hump day all.  It has been a busy past couple of days, but today was mine to do with what I pleased, lol!  So, of course I was card making.  I mentioned before that my Dad gave me $ for my birthday and I used some of it on new supplies.  I just discovered "Fran-tage", a chunky type of embossing powder made by Stampendous that gives a lovely look and texture.  It is has different colors mixed together and they are using it to get a real shabby chic look.  Ladies are especially using it on the Tilda cards.  ANYHOW, I ordered some in white, pink, blue, silver and gold.  Today I used the pink on an Easter card and I LOVE IT!  It gives such a nice effect!  I used it on die cut corners, a little butterfly and a bit around my image.  Looking at it now, I wish I had used it on the scallop circle around my image.

For my image I used a new set of Kitchen Sink Stamps called "3 Step Honey Bunny".  These stamps are amazing!  They are done in layers with your lightest color first, then darker layers on top of each other.  The results are lovely.

Here is a picture of what the Fran-tage looks like:

Maybe this has been around for quite a while, but it was really new and fun to me!  It was a great project and such a relaxing way to spend my afternoon.

Hugs, and enjoy the rest of your week!

This card is entered in the following challenges:
Artistic Inspirations ~ Easter Colors 
Craft-Dee BowZ ~ Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
Creative Cutting Challenge ~ Easter
Lexi's Creations ~ Easter
The Paper Nest Doll House ~ Easter Colors
City Crafter Challenge ~ Easter
Crafting With Dragonflies ~ Easter - Card or Anything
Handmade Harbour ~ Spring or Easter
Whimsy Stamps ~ Easter Bunnies, Chicks, etc.