For You

I played today with some of my new dies by Altenew.  I found these to be very intriguing as each flower has multiple layers that can be cut with different colors of card stock, or, as I did in this case, cut them in white and colored with the medium of your choice.  I've used Copics and tried to get additional dimensional shading  of the layers and more detail to the leaves.  This particular die is the Fantasy Floral, but I've gone a bit overboard and also purchased the Peony Dreams and Rose Flurries Sets so stay tuned. (Still buying b-day 'prises, what can I say?)

I followed the Outlawz Wednesday Sketch and added a Spellbinders doily behind the flower and swirls from Taylored Expressions.  The sentiment is from Elizabeth Craft Designs.  I might have been done a few hours earlier, but got caught up with YouTube videos of various ways to use the sets.  Seriously I could have spent all day.

I'm also entering this in the DL.Art May Linky Challenge, Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #81 AG, Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #232 AG, Papercraft Challenges #11 Flowers, the Unicorn Challenge #32 Monochrome, Create and Inspire AG/optional use dies or stencils, TTRCD AG Week starting May 8, Cupcake Inspirations Challenge#445 and Creative Craft Cottage May #107 Dies or Punches.

Dilly Beans Glitter and Jewels

Our challenge this week at Dilly Beans is Glitter and Jewels.  I used one of Megan's fab whimsical flowers, #549 Hello Framed, to make a fairly CAS all occasion card.  Not a whole lot of coloring to be done, but I used Copics in Autumn colors and applied adhesive gems.  The frame is cut with a Nesties square and both the image and mat are popped for dimension.  I made the glitter strips by applying 1/4" Terrifically Tacky Tape to the mat (one at a time)and sprinkling with glitter.  Use a brush to clean off the excess and you have fabulously straight lines.  The black beaded lines are peel offs.  Kinda different for me, but it was fun.  Please visit the Challenge Blog for more fabulous inspiration from my DT sisters and be sure to come play along.

I'm also enering this in the Sarah Hurley Autumn Glow Challenge, the House of Gilli ATG/Fall, 4 Crafty Chicks Bingo (using Flowers, Sentiment, Bling), Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, and the Addicted to Stamps and More CAS Challenge.

Dilly Beans Monochromatic

It's Friday!  Time to pull out your Dilly Beans stamps and join us for another Challenge.   This week we're going monochromatic.  I've chosen an adorable newbie, #572 River Framed and paper pieced her hair and dress using printed DP from my DT sis Jenn, who knows I agonize over choosing coordinating papers.  Thanks, Jenn!  The flowers and leaves in her hair were just colored right over the DP in darker shades of orange after gluing the piece down.  Easy peasy!  Two more squares of coordinating prints, a solid mat, a bow of my favorite gingham ribbon because it's so fresh and makes me happy and adhesive beads and it was done!  Now, how come it took me all day?  The team has done a fabulous job with gorgeous colors so be sure to visit the Dilly Beans Challenge Blog and check them out.  Remember, a Dilly Beans Stamp is required but there are some great deals in the SHOP, like a huge discontinued bundle (50 STAMPS, including some of my faves!!!!!!!) for $25 or 10 current stamps (your choice) for that same price.   Now's the time to buy!

I'm also entering this in The Sparkles Monthly Autumn Colors Challenge, The Cupboard Trilogy Monochrome, As You Like it Favorite Ribbon or Twine and Why, Little Red Wagon Falling to Pieces, and Paper Pretties Designer Duds (2 or more DP's).

Dilly Beans Pink and Red

 

WOW, look at this!  Time for another Dilly Beans Challenge and this week it's to use the colors Pink and Red.  Megan's been a busy little bee and has added some fabulous new quirky flowers to the Dilly Beans Shop.  I'm thinkin' they have sort of a Zentangle vibe and I have to say I was so inspired I immediately chose # 541 Doodle Flower 1 and also #542 Happy Day Framed to make my card.  They were sized in my printmaster Program to fit together and I colored only the the framed digi  and popped it for a sort of Spotlight technique.  Very CAS for me, but I loved how quickly and easily it went togther and can imagine doing a set like this in a variety of colors with some of the other flower combos HERE. And if you love owls, there a a couple of cool new ones in this same style so be sure to check them out.  Now visit the Challenge Blog for further inspiration from my fabulous teamies and come join us with your prettiest pink and red.

I'm also entering this card in The Perfect Sentiment Floral Fantasia Challenge and Tuesday Throwdown Monochromatics Challenge.

Dilly Beans Pastel Challenge and (it's my birthday! shhh...)

 It's Friday (yea!) AND my Birthday (double yea!!) so it's time for another Dilly Beans Challenge.  This week we're using pastels.  So soft and pretty, don'tcha think?  The DP's are Heidi Grace and I've used one of the new Amalia images, #398 Amalia's Daisy Crown.  The sentiment is a Basic Grey rub on.

I flipped the image and paper pieced her dress and some of the flowers so I'm entering it in this week's Delightful's Paper Piecing Challenge.  The rest is colored with Copics.   I think she's about the sweetest thing EVER!  (And BTW, she comes with wings too, if you'd prefer).  The mat is Nesties Labels 20 inked a bit with Spun Sugar Distress.

The fabulous sketch is the current Deconstructed Sketch #49.  LOVE how it allowed me to use all the different papers I wanted.  Thanks Jen for coming up with this just in time to use it on this card, or it still probably wouldn't be done.  LOL  Obviously I'll be adding this to the challenge there, as well and The Southern Girls Get Your Girly On Challenge, and Crafty Creations That's What Little Girls are Made of.

Be sure to check out the fabulous work by the rest of the DT and also the Dilly Beans Shop where Megan has a sale going on through April 30th.  Buy 3 and get one FREE!  Now it's time to go bask in Birthday glory so I'll see y'all later!

Dilly Beans Shades of Pink and Black

TGIF! We've got some nasty rain today and I'm wondering where our Spring weather has gone. Actually, WHAT Spring weather? Here in the Bay Area, we've seen nothing that truly resembles our Spring. Bummer, but we do need the rain. At the Dilly Beans Designers and Challenge Blog we're in the pink though, with a color challenge of shades of pink and black. This should have been a snap, but there are so many cute digis at the Dilly Beans Shop that lent themselves to these colors that I had a tough time deciding. I went with #383Abby Framed and then decided to add a flower wreath to her head from Megan's Posie Set. She's colored with Copics and set on a heart doily I've colored black with a Sharpie. The light pink mat is embossed with a 5x7 Cuttlebug folder from the Heritage Companion set. It's set off with another mat, this time in black and I've addded some adhesive pearls for good measure. All in all, pretty CAS, but Megan's gorgeous images don't need much else. Be sure to stop by The Challenge Blog and see the fabby creations by the rest of the team and we love to see what you create, too.

I'm also entering this in the Paper and Such CAS Challenge and the Art with No Bounderies "The Eyes Have It" Challenge.

Dilly Beans Seeing Red

Well, I'm finally back in business after our relaxing spa visit. The new challenge at The Dilly Beans Designers and Challenge Blog is Seeing Red. It's no secret that red is my FAVORITE color, but this also posed a bit of a problem as many of my Copic reds are running pretty dry. I had already chosen one of Megan's new images, Frida's Roses and decided to paper piece nearly the entire design using old retired Stampin' Up DP I've had for at least 3 years. The only parts of the design that are colored are the eyes, lips and leaves, with a bit of chalk blush on her face.



I printed the image twice in white for the background and leaves, once in cream for the face, once in polka dot for the hair, and twice for the stripes and layered roses which I popped for dimension. The bolder lines on this image is quite forgiving, but the real secret to "seamless" paper piecing is to go around all of the edges of the cuts with black marker so the white cut rim doesn't show. I used the side of the brush tip of a Memento Dual Marker because it doesn't bleed into your paper like a Copic can. It was a bit time consuming but I really love how it came out. My fabulously talented sisters have lots for you to OOOh and Ahhh over so be sure to visit the Challenge Blog and play along. I am also entering this in the Desert Island Crafters Challenge #25 using 2 or more patterned papers, green (barely), and polka dots, The DYSU #59 Layers Challenge, and te Digital Tuesday Challenge #147, Use Your Stash.

Dilly Beans "Freaked" Challenge

We have a fun challenge at Dilly Beans this week. Our challenge is "Freaked" and it's certainly open to creative interpretation. I chose the happy little Ghoul for my freak. The starbursts behind him are cut with my Nesties Pinking Circles and I cut a little clear stamp apart to add "happy" in the colors of the DP. The sentiment is from "Kids Quotes" by Inkadinkadoo cut with Nesties Deckle Rectangles.

I printed him twice, colored with Copics and fussy cut so I could add some dimension. Couldn't resist adding some sparkle via stickles to his thousand watt smile. Had a dental cleaning this week so I'm walking around just like this showing off the pearly whites myself. LOL (And of course, thinking of my Sweetie.) My DT sisters have come up with really fun variations on the theme so be sure to visit the Dilly Beans Challenge Blog and get your "freak" on! I'm also adding this to the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge.

BBTB2 Layered Flowers Challenge

WooHoo! I wasn't sure I was gonna make this one because yesterday I was quite under the weather, but this morning I was able to pull myself together and finish her up. Yea, me! I hate to let the team down or disappoint you all (or myself, for that matter). Our sweet and fabulously talented DT sister Jeri chose layered flowers this week for our BBTB2 challenge. She suggested the Bloom cart (which I can't believe I don't have) but as always, you may play along with any cartridge as long as it's a new creation, follow the challenge and link it up to BBTB2. I don't have to remind you to use your Cricut, do I? LOL In the spirit of trying to actually use some of the bazillion carts I've accumulated I chose Sophie for my flower cuts, along with "Just Because" Cards for the words and Don Juan for the "&".

It's all welded in DS to a base from George. Yup, it's a shaped front card again. I apologize for the lack of creativity in the color scheme, but I used papers that were still laying around from previous projects because my brain wasn't up to making other choices.

It actually ended up with more dimension than I planned because the largest flower had plenty more room for petals without compromising the original design so layer I did. Each is embossed with Swiss dots and the cool yellow stamens are from a McGill punch. LOVE it! And wait 'til you see the gorgeous flowers from my teammates this week. Wowsers! If that isn't inspiration, I don't know what is. Hope you join us at BBTB2 and BTW, there's still a week left for the Numbers challenge too. We sure love it when you play along.

Dilly Beans Has the Blues

TGIF!!! It means a great new challenge at the Dilly Beans Designers and Challenge Blog. This week we all have the blues (well, maybe in my case the teals, LOL) Couldn't help myself. This Tim Holtz DP called to me and so did this sweet #188 Flower Girl. I printed her twice and colored her up with Copics.

Here's a close up of the sentiment done with Alpha Beads for the flower centers. Can't get enough of those things. She's fussy cut and glued to the darker mat and fussy cut again to make her stand out more.

The image is popped as well as every other flower to give this simple card some dimension. I love that it can be used for many occasions. My DT sisters have all sorts of inspiration for you so go have a look HERE and show them some love. And speaking of love, we sure love it when you play along so come on and show us your blue creations. The image doesn't have to be a Dilly Beans one, but it's so exciting to see what you do with Megan's adorable digis. And it just so happens that my dear friend Stephanie used a Dilly Beans Snowman for this week's Whimsical Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge and I will be linking up this card there as well.

Dilly Beans Stripes Challenge

It's our first official Dilly Beans Friday Challenge and it's an easy one. Use STRIPES, any way you want to. I decided to take a little break from Christmas and use the first Dilly Beans image I ever saw (or bought) on my teamie Jenn's blog. I immediately fell in love with #197 Framed Bumblebee Girlie , isn't she just bee-u-tiful?) and was blown away with the cute and quirky Dilly Beans designs. She's colored with Copics with a bit of gel pen detail and I used skittles at the end of her antennae. The bottom portion of her wings is layered and curled and attached only near her body so they would have a bit of dimension. The color scheme is simple using the sort of retro flowers DP from an old pack from Target and a fun yellow stripe by Heidi Grace. The little hive is a metal "quicklet" from the Eyelet Outlet I've attached over a Prima flower with a Queen&Co bee brad. Now go "bee" inspired by the rest of the DT and we'd love it if you'd play along. BTW, there's still time to grab the freebie HERE for our 3 week kick-off challenge too so we hope to see you there too. (Lots of prizes!) I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge.

Tiddly Inks Fabulous Inky Friday and Special NEWS about a Contest at BBTB2!

TGIF!!!!! That means it's time for another Fabulous Inky Friday at the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog where we highlight fabby creations by our fans found all over the net, as well as creations by the DT that may or may not feature the current challenge, and announce the previous challenge winners. BTW, that current challenge is Art Journaling, and because it is perhaps a bit unfamiliar, we've extended our challenge to two weeks so have a gander HERE and get inspired. I honestly did try to do another journal page, but I never got further than a half done background, so I decided to pull out an old favorite, Poppy, as well as Poppy Accents, for my card this week. I realize the popular sentiment is "Take time to smell the flowers", but my dream has always been a garden that would provide cut flowers for at least 3/4 of the year, but now that I have it, I've been so busy, the majority of them have just died on the vine. Bummer!

Poppy provides an excellent opportunity for practicing your Copic coloring skills. This time I opted to attempt a sort of wavy look and I'm pretty pleased with how it came out. The DP is K&Co and the sentiment is computer generated.

I've also chosen to print the images twice to decoupage. The centers of the flowers are highlighted with Glossy Accents. Each word of the sentiment is cut and glued separately and partially outlined with Copics as well.

Now don't faint. I actually finished the inside as well. I used the flowers from Poppy Accents, colored them with Copics and doodled a similar frame around the space to write a personal message. WooHoo! I might actually send this one. Now why not pop by Tiddly Inks and check out the beautiful featured cards, and it one of them is yours, feel free to grab the badge for your blog. There will also be some adorable new images this coming Tuesday. There's a bit of a sneak peek on Christy's BLOG I'm sure you won't want to miss.

On another note, I hope everyone has heard about the FABULOUS CONTEST going on at BBTB2. Our sponsor is My Creative Classroom. THIS IS HUGE! My Creative Classroom offers classes in just about anything you'd want to explore. Die Cutting (Cricut and others) of course, but also Stamping, Mixed Media, YOU NAME IT! Click HERE to see the list. You have through Monday to enter so HURRY! CLICK HERE to read all about the contest, (wish I could enter!), and good luck!

Ad Day For Daisies It's a Twine Thing and My Craft Spot 'Sew' Much Fun Challenge

First I need to apologize to my bloggie friends for not visiting regularly this month. To be honest, I'm just totally out of gas. I bit off more than I could chew in August...WAY more and I've been scrambling to complete my DT and guest DT projects as well as a comission (that I can't show you yet), but Thank GOD! it's finished and in the mail. (Just in the nick of time, I might add. Did I mention I'm the world's WORST procrastinator and slowest crafter on earth?) Also, being on a design team means commenting on the challenge participants entries and there have been LOTS!!!!!

I wasn't even sure today if I had it in me to craft. But I WANTED to, so I decided to do a sweet simple card for the A Day For Daisies Twine Challenge. I loved the free image provided for joining the challenge and since there wasn't much coloring... The image was colored with Copics and cut and matted with Nesties. All I needed was to add some twine.

But the My Craft Spot Challenge this week is "Sew" Much Fun. HHmmm...I've been dying to try my Sew Easy Stitch Piercer so I used the Scallop wheel. At first I tried stitching with 2 tone baker's twine but I didn't like how it was turning out, so I dug around in my fiber drawer and found this delicate hemp twine. The neutral color was the inspiration for the kraft paper and fairly monochromatic color scheme. Once I'd done the stitching, it was too late to run it through the computer to add a sentiment and my confidence in my stamping ability is pretty darn low (I would have DIED had I mess this up after all the hand stitching) so I used the Cuttlebug Friends Forever Card-Making Combo. The delicate font was just perfect. I don't do CAS very often, but I LOVE how this turned out!

TOFF Birds of a Feather Challenge

This week's TOFF challenge is Birds of a Feather. Actually, this was my original design for last week's Crown or Hat challenge, but I decided to use my Macabre Monday card to enter that one, so this one didn't get made. Still liked the idea, though, and chicks are obviously birds, so... Anyway, I've used Chick Girl for the main image and created my own DP using another little chick from the Easter and Spring Digital Set. I added the "chicks rule" with my Printmaster Platinum computer program. I'm really not too fond of the Copic yellows so the yellow on Chick Girl and the lighter chicks on the DP are painted (rather messily) with Distress Inks. I've drawn the crowns on all the of the small ones and colored them in with a gold gel pen.

I've also painted and sponged the background with Distress inks. The rest of the Chick Girl is colored with Copics. Her crown is a Stampendous Stamp that I heat embossed and cut and popped. I won the stamp on Taylor's blog. She's on the Stampendous DT and does fabulous work and has wonderful giveaways. I've added a feather and also the bow that is part of the Chick Girl image. I really enjoy working with the fun quirky stamps from The Octopode Factory. Check out more inspiration from the fabulous DT HERE.

TOFF Girls, Girls, Girls and Whimsical Wednesday Fun With Folds

Well, I'm early (for me, anyway) for TOFF and almost late for Whimsical Wednesday. So happy I could combine them. The WW challenge is Fun With Folds and I've done a cool fold I learned from a former Cuttlebug Spot DT sister, Meredith, who seems to have stopped blogging so I no longer have a link to her tut. Bummer! It just so happened I had folded this card base awhile ago and it's been sitting on my desk since??? I added a Grand Oval and Scalloped Grand Oval to the center to back my images. The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge this week is Girls, Girls, Girls. As usual, I had a hard time deciding which images to use. I finally decided on Wendy, from the Peter Pan set, Posy, from the Steampunk Misses set, and Wednesday, from the Adams Family set. Don't they look like BFF's?

the girls were colored with Copics, and I just received some fabulous "bwainzzz" from my Minion sister Gloria's Etsy Shop. She's got all sorts of cool stuff over there, including jewelry, cards, ornaments, sculptures and more so be sure to check it out.

This prompted my sentiment which was computer generated. HeeHee, sometimes I just crack myself up! Hope you all get a giggle from this. I just love playing along with Whimsical Wednesdays and I don't think you can get much more whimsical than The Octopode Factory images so I'd say it's a match made in heaven! Be sure to check out the fab work by the DT's on both blogs. They are all just super fun and inspiring.