Sending Winks Your Way

I hope this is not a double post for you. It went out to Google Reader but never made it to my blog or my posts in blogger.

The winks I am sending you today are from Wink Wink Inks fabulous February release.

I have 3 dogs (2 Chihuahua's and a long haired Dauschund) who get "nummies" for breakfast and at bed time. Usually we need to go into the "nummy" drawer and open the package to get out the nummy in order to give it to them.

For this project I decided to make a treat tin to keep on the counter, saving us 30 seconds or so. Now, that may not sound like a lot of time, but...I'll tell you that the 30 seconds seem more like 30 minutes with 3 dogs jumping around in excitement before they have to "sit" to get the nummy, lol

This is Lucy, isn't she cute. I love how calm she is waiting for her nummy! As with all of Wink Wink Ink images, she comes in black & white for coloring as well as a colored version. For this project, I chose to use the colored version as is. I must say, she is one handsome dog!

I made the label using the white adhesive sheets from Papertrey Ink. I do wish they came in a vanilla color also, so it would have matched the background paper better. It still looks adorable on the counter though.

This image is called Rainy Day Friends and comes with the sentiment I added to the mushroom. I chose to use the colored version here again, but decided to add a little color to the rain. Using my Sakura glue pen, I added clear embossing powder to the rain drops and some dripping rain coming off the mushroom. After heating it, I colored it with a blue Sakura gel pen. Using a clear glitter pen, I added glimmer to the eyes and dots on the paper. I know the eyes look creepy in the photo, lol. They really look shiny and black but my camera loves bling!

Here are a few more photos for you :o)

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for the Digital Tuesday Challenge blog hop. I am so excited, when I wrote my post last night, I wanted to hit publish right away, lol. 

With winks and hugs,

Dazzling Stitched Butterflies

I love to stitch on paper. It adds such a pretty look to the project when hand sewn and machine sewing makes it look so neat.

Today, I decided to used some of my Peel-off sewing stickers, which I have had for quite some time. They make the stitching quite simple with the directions on the back. All you need to do us adhere the sticker to you paper, stitch with embroidery floss and cut out.

You can find these at Paper Wishes and Pop-ups transparent stickers. Here is the set that I used.

Since I did not want to distract from the stitching I kept the card very simple. I also used other outline stickers to further decorate the card to match the butterfly outlines. I did adhere them with demensionals to add a bit of pop to the card.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Oh-La-La: Pink, pink and more pink
Stamps R Us: For the girls
I Did It Creations: Anything goes
Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday: No pattern paper
Guylou's Inimitability: Anything goes
Charisma Cardz: Spring has sprung
Paper-Crafting Journey: Anything goes
Paper Play Challenges: Add shine (these metallic peel off are surely shiney!)
The Rubber Cafe: No pattern paper

HUGS,

Very Quick & Simple Card

Don't you love quick & simple cards that don't look so quick or simple. I find myself making a lot of these lately, though they used to be the hardest cards for me to make.

What makes this card so quick is that the flower wreath is acutally a digital stamp I got at Fred She Said. The best part about this stamp is that she is offering it for FREE, and it comes in 8 color versions!

I jumped at the chance to grab these because I love the look of the small peg stamps at Rubber Stamp Tapestry.  That is exactly the look this image has without all the work.

All I did was size it, print it out, add some glitter to the wreath, a Prima flower and went around the edges with my stipple brush. Easy, huh. Adding the glitter to the wreath really added to the card without taking a lot of time.

Tip: To help make a digital image not look so "digital", just added some glitter, embossing, pearls, rhinestones or even print out a few and layer them like paper tole.

This is the sentiment I stamped on the inside. I was thriled that I actually had a sentiment that went perfectly with the image.

After putting the card together it sill looked a bit naked so I added some outling stickers. They are just about the simplest way to add that certain something to a project.

I am entering this card into the following challenge:
Tip Top Tuesday #23: Bling it on
Sweet Stamps: Flowers
Lexi's Creations: Flowers
Bunny Zoe's Crafts: Flowers
Have a great day!

Hugs

Frustrated? Well punch Away!

That's right. Just punch out your frustration with some punches. Grab those small scrap papers and make them into pretty shapes to Ohhh and Ahhh at. Then file them away for those quick and easy cards. AND...you can use some for this weeks Digital Tuesday Challenge. That's right...the challenge this week is to use PUNCHES!

The fantastic sponsor this week is Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps. The winner will get a $10 gift certificate to choose images from 3 different designers, Stitchy Stamps, Mizumedia Designs and Panda Bear Designs.  MY! What a selection they have too. There are beautiful sketch images, fun line images and anything in between.

The design team had the privilege to choose 1 of three image to work with. I chose Sparkles, though I am not really into fairy's, she is just to cute to turn down.

Just look at those beautiful eyes, hair and pretty wings to color. How fun she was to make a card out of too.

I used a sketch that I found while surfing blogs. I was sure I book marked the site, but now can't seem to find it. I guess that is one challenge I will not enter this week, lol.  I do not often use sketches, but will more often. It took so much less time to make the card knowing the design I was going with. Beside choosing out pattern paper, that is the hardest thing about making a project for me, creating a design.

I am off to go through my scraps and punch away! I am so much looking forward to seeing all the entries.

OHhhh...and don't forget about our super BLOG HOP next week for Digital Tuesday Challenges 100th Challenge. Believe me when I say you won't want to miss it!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Corrosive Challenges: Magical creatures
Cute Card Thursday: Shiney Happy Cards (I used glitter)
Dutch Dare Card Challenge: Sparkle, glitter, bling
Paper Play Challenge: Add Shine
Inky Impressions: Spots and stripes
Pile It On: childhood dreams

HUGS,

OH My! Can I Just Get Them All?

Isn't she adorable. Who does not just adore Precious Moments? When I found these paper tole Precious Moments sheets, I purchased every one that they had. I wish I could remember where I got them! Can't believe I did not book mark the site.

I have a SIL who just love shoes. Any type. The kind you can wear or the tiny glass kind that collects dust. Doesn't matter to her. So, of course, I had to use this image for her birthday card.

There are 5 layers to this image. I have to admit I was a bit intimidated by it at first, with some of the cut outs being so small. It is relaxing, though, and I ended up really enjoying the process. AND...I actually had a birthday card made for someone ahead of time. That hardly ever happens.

What a dilemma this poor girl has. Certainly something we all can relate to, I am sure. Even if one is not a shoe person, trying to pick out a purse can be quite a task! I personally put it off until I have absolutely no choice. Then I find that the prices are just not worth what I am getting. SHEESH...just think of all the Prima flowers I could buy for $50 or so!!!

I am still working on matching pattern papers. I know that it comes naturally for some people, but I am surely not one of them. After 3 years, I still find it the most difficult part of paper crafting. With this one, though, the papers really seem to match up quite well. Any hints out there as to how to make it easy???

Finally a card that doesn't just say "Just a Note"!!! Since I had a specific person and purpose in mind, I could actually stamp "Happy Birthday". Yesterday was her birthday get together and she did like the card. YEAH! I love when that happens.

I am entering this into this weeks Res-Q'd challenge which is to do something that makes you happy. I love to do paper tole, it is such a fulfilling feeling to see the finished piece, it can only make one happy to see that all that work was worth the effort! AND nothing can make me happier than to have made a card for someone to brighten up their day!

If you have not seen the Res-Q'd challenges yet, why not check them out.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Res-Q'd: make something that makes you happy
Stamptacular Sunday; S.O.S. Make a card for Some One Special
Crazy 4 Challenges: Use dies
Drunken Stampers: Use die cuts
Digi Doodle Shops Best: Anything goes
For Fun Challenges: Happy Birthday
Stampin' Royalty: Mark it up
Tellen's Place: birthdays
Alot of Rubber Stamps: Use Nestablilities
Arkful INKables: Use die cuts or punches
My Time to Craft: Circles

HUGS!!!

Cards To Have On Hand

If there is one kind of card I never seem to have, it is a sympathy card. Seems when I need one, I find my self thinking, "grrr...and I was going to make one to have on hand too".

I made this card last week to keep in my box of cards. When I showed it to my son Patrick (he is great at critiquing my projects in a nice way, lol) he said
"OH, this would be perfect for Linda".
"LINDA???, Why???" <<<me in shock
"Well. her mom just passed away" he said matter of factly.
"Oh, NO, why didn't anyone tell me?" sniff
"I don't know." as only a 23 year year old son could say

Linda, her husband and kids moved to PA a few years ago and we keep in touch through the kids, lol. The kids went to school together since 2nd grade. My boys have become like adopted sons to them and Travis has become an adopted son to us. Homes away from homes...I love having Travis around.

I used the stunningly beautiful White Diamond paper from Paper Temptress. This paper can make a card stunning if you only stamped an image on the front and left it at that! So pretty. There is no photo of the paper on her site, since the glimmer of it makes it impossible to capture on film. You would be patting yourself on the back if you sent for a free sample though. Just pop over and ask Patricia for one. Oh my gosh...you will LOVE it.

All I did was use an embossing folder for the bottom layer, score edges with my Score-pal. run my Krylon gold marker around the edges, emboss the sentiment in gold, added a little gold to the flower with the marker, put on a pretty ribbon (also from Paper Temptress), add pearls colored with the marker and adhered with dimensionals, giving me a fast and pretty card.

Phew...that sounds like a lot of steps, but they are all so quick.

For the inside sentiment, I stamped in gold and embossed with clear powder since the metallic inks never seem to dry for me and I was not sure if Versa Fine would stamp clearly.

This was such a quick to put together card, I now can make a few to keep on hand.

They other type of card I need to make and keep on hand is a masculine card! But that is a whole other post....

I am going to enter this card in the Blogger Challenge Embossing Challenge which is Embossing this week.

Hugs,

To Color or Not To Color...

Wink Wink Ink released 3 new wonderful images today. If you have not been able to check them out, you will be pleasantly surprised at the cuteness of all the images. They come in a zipped file with a black & white version and a colored version.

Today, I have 1 of the new images with which I made 2 cards. One with each type of image, making quick and simple cards.

On the right is the precolored image and on the left is the image I colored. By using some nesties, an embossing folder and some embellies, this card came together so easily.

Very simple inside too.

 I ran out of brown paper so the inside is a bit different. Looks like I have to make an order with Paper Temptress, darn, Tee he he. Here's hoping the taxes come in soon so I can make the order worth while!!! She has all here ribbon on sale too...stunning. I can't get enough of it...anyone else a paper and ribbon collector???

I will be showing the other 2 new images over the next week or so. I just know you are going to love them.

Hugs,

A Challenge For You and Some Fun News!!!

Isn't this princess adorable. She and the trees are part of a wonderful set called Alice's Tea Party that this weeks sponsor, My Grafico, gave the Digital Tuesday Challenge Design Team to play with for todays challenge.

The prize??? One FREE digital stamp set PLUS 20% off voucher for the store! OK, so what do you have to do to win? Make a card or project using

DIE CUTS

One of the rules changed since I have been away so I will post the change for you.

• You must use something digital on your project. Either an image, sentiment or paper. It does not have to be the focal point of your project.  (this is the part that has changed).

For one of the embellishments, I decided to add a tea fold medallion. I am not sure what kind of fold this is! The fold I was trying to do just would not co-opporate so I ended up just improvising. I do love this Paper Temptress paper for medallions. It adds just the right amount of added interest with the stunning shimmer.

SOMETHING EXCITING FOR EVERYONE!!!

Did you notice the new logo in my right sidebar, on the very top??? That is right!!! Digital Tuesday Challenge is going to have a BLOG HOP for it's 100th challenge, which is the week of March 1st. It is going to be loads of fun and chock full of prizes not just for the full hop, but at every blog as well. AND...you will have a whole week to hop. NICE!!! I love when there is time to check out the DT blogs, not having to rush to the next and miss something wonderful the DT member has on her blog. The sponsors are fantastic, I wish I could win, tee he he...but it will be just as exciting to see YOU win.

HUGS

Rainbow Triangles and swirls

Aren't these triangles and swirls so pretty. I love the way the multi color embroidery floss with that beautiful metallic sheen makes any card stitching look ultra fabulous. Sewing on paper is incredibly fun, whether by machine or by hand. I personally like the calming effect doing it by hand gives, well....except for the time or two the thread twist into a knot!

This makes me think of when the poor women had to sew everything by hand. YIKES!!! I can't even imagine! I can picture, however, the joy...tears...celebrations...when women received one of the first sewing machines ever made. Bwaaa ha ha ha...that reminds me of the scene on Fiddler on the Roof, when that very thing happened, ha ha ha, the whole family came by to see and admire it!!!

And of course the beautiful shimmery and swirly paper to go with it. Isn't it awesome when the design, images and paper all just fall into place. No searching...they are just right there. Phew...I get the shakes when that happens, so exciting...even my dogs get worked up (or they know I am ubber excited about something so they should be too!)

This is a die cut Sarah Kay image. ADORABLE. Soooooo easy, simply punch, and sand off the little tags that always seem to attach themselves to the edges and adhere with dimensionals. There is already bling on it too! WOW, what more can one ask for. I almost feel like I am cheating by using these. I am not sure if you can see the pretty effect the glitter has on the image. Photographs just don't seem to pick up the super pretty things enough.

I really love how this one turned out. It is the last card I made last Oct. before the illness. To bad I couldn't send it to myself! I would have loved to receive it. I stamped "Just a Note" in it, as I do many of my cards. Usually I don't have a set use for a card that I make. Stamping "Just a Note" seems like it will fit just about any occasion.

 If you would like to check out the Sarah Kay Die Cut paper tole images, you can find them HERE. I have only found them one other place, but the selection was much smaller. If you know of another place, please let me know!!!

HUGS