Bloom Where You Are Planted

Here's a card I made just for fun using the adorable new Cactus Sprite by Mitzi Sato-Wiuff of Aurora Wings.  Cacti are a pricky bunch, but in the Springtime they bloom with reckless abandon.  I set my little guy in the desert using a paper tearing technique to make my background which is supposed to suggest the desert sunset.  It's hard to imagine ANYTHING blooming in the desert, but the gorgeous arrays of cactus flowers dot the dry barren landscape with glorious color so my computer generated sentiment on Kraft seemed apropos.

Here's a closeup of this cutie.  He's colored with Copics, fussy cut and popped.  His prickly chubby shape makes me giggle.  Mitzi said her inspiration for this guy was a little cactus that her daughter received a a birthday present from one of her friends.  Too cute!

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Wednesday Spring Flowers Challenge,  Tuesday Throwdown Spring Blossoms, the Outlawz Monday Greeting Card Flowers challenge, Robyn's Fetish Cards with Flowers in the Image,  Digi Galore Kraft challenge, and W2SB Bloom Where you Are Planted.

Lacy Sunshine Add Flowers

I'm cutting it so close to the end of the Lacy Sunshine Add Flowers Challenge that I'm gonna have to come back and fill in the gaps.  Phew!  Just made it with 3 minutes to spare.  I was thrilled to find out that as a member of the Creative Artist Team for Lacy Sunshine, posting once a month on the Lacy Sunshine Blog(where you find out what's New and Now in the Lacy Sunshine world), I'm still eligible to enter the challenges on the Challenge Blog and contests on the FB Group because I love playing there.  This card is doing double duty.  The current FB Contest is to use any of the Bubbles stamps so I'm entering this there, as well.  My plan was to make this look like a fluffy white towel on a towel bar using some cool textured paper from Sizzix.  I hand cut the towel shape and used my Spellbinders to cut the hole for Bubbles to peek through.  the sentiment was hand stamped with individual letters from an ancient set which took me FOREVER to get straight.  Why I didn't use my computer to generate it, I'll never know.  Guess I thought "practice makes perfect" but sheesh!

 

The adorable image is Bubbles Bath available in the Sticky Wings Section of the Shop.  She's colored with Copics and I've added some fun holographic bubbles and Stickles to the suds.  The additional daffodils are rubber stamps from Heartfelt Creations, cut with the corresponding dies by Spellbinders.

 

The center step design worked well for my plan and here you can see a bit of the dimension as several portions of Bubbles' daffodil bathtub and towel were fussy cut and popped on the image.  I tried to curl the "towel" to look like it was hanging on the (coffee stir stick) towel bar as well.  The whole thing actually turned out better than I expected.  Woohoo!

 

I'm also adding this to the Digi Galore Flowers Challenge, the Outlawz Friday Alcohol Markers Keep Calm and... Challenge, Pattie's Creations Fancy Folds, Aud Sentiments Sentiment for a Friend, Oddball Art Stamps use a Digi, Fitztown Challenge Fancy Folds, TTRCD ATG April 8-14 and Stamp and Create Spring Flowers. 

Aurora Wings First Blog challenge EVER!

WooHoo!  Today is the day we've all been waiting for.  It's the inaugural challenge on The Aurora Wings Challenge Blog and we're so excited to announce that the theme is  ANYTHING GOES!

Hope you joined the party on the Facebook Page as well, which will continue for 3 hours.  There are prizes to be had. WooHoo! Just ask to join if you haven't already.  And for our Blog Followers, Mitzi has provided a Freebie image and coupon code.  Just check out the Offers Tab on the Challenge Blog.

I've chosen images of my favorite flower, the hydrangea for my very first project, a wall hanging, cut on my Grand Caliber using Grand Labels Four and some fancy corners from Heartfelt Creations.

The main image is the beautiful Hydrangea Fairy.  Isn't she just gorgeous?  She's colored with Copics with some of the petals fussy cut and popped for dimension.  The lace caps were detailed with Liquid Pearls as well as flat backed adhesive ones.

But I couldn't resist adding the adorable Whimsical Hydrangea Sprite.  Don't they look cute together?  He's also colored with Copics, fussy cut and popped with sparkly Stickled wings.

So here's the dimensional shot.  Head on you couldn't really see the layers.  Have to say I LOVE how it came out.  I'm sure you're all excited to see the rest of the fabulous inspiration from my DT Sisters as well as the winner of the Coloring Book Giveaway so hop on over to the Challenge Blog and see.  Can't wait to see what you come up with as well.  The prizes are spectacular and the challenge runs through April 26th.

Oh, and BTW, Mitzi does some fabulously dark images as well,  Please scroll down to see my DT project for Haunted Design House this week.  EEEK!!!  Busy Monday! 

I'm also entering this in the 613 Avenue Creat ATG/ with optional 2D or 3D Flowers, Simon Says Wednesday Mother's Day or Special Girl challenge, Digi Galore ATG, Natalie and Amy's Flowers Challenge, the Outlawz Friday Alcohol Markers Fantasy/Fairies Challenge, the CMC Copic Challenge Group Show Some Skin, and the very first Oddball Art Stamps challenge Use a Digi.

Jezebel's Valentine for Daddy

As soon as Jezebel saw Valentine Kitty from Aurora Wings, she HAD to have her for Daddy's Valentine.  Of course I agreed she'd be just PURRRFECT.  What a cutie!  I had recently seen the instructions for a Pop-Up Box Card on Splitcoast Stampers and thought that might be a fun one to try.

This is the second time I colored her because the first one just didn't fly with Jezzie.  She fancies herself a white kitty because she thinks they are the boofiest (most beautiful) of all. 

Have to admit, my experimentation at coloring her with a combo of Copics and pencils to approximate her natural markings were not the best, but she was utterly HORRIFIED that I would even consider it.  "I look like a BOY, Mommy", (Yeah, she kinda did), she cried, "give that one to Goliath."  "But Goliath has short hair, Jezzie," I countered.  "Well, he'd be boofier with LONG hair, like me", she said, "And while you're at it, cover over that sentiment because Daddy is MINE!"  Yes, ma'am!  (She's the ultimate "Daddy's Girl" for sure!)

I did a bit of fussy cutting around the hearts a Valentine Kitty's feet in order for her to fit in the box.  Then printed her again, cut just the hearts and attached it to the second cross piece inside the box so more would show from behind her.  Finally, the floating heart is attached with acetate so it sort of flutters in the back, and I flipped, printed the image again and added "Daddy" to one of the hearts for the front flap.

 

The card folds flat but a tiny bit of the kitty shows out the top.  Pretty sure I can still find an envie, though.  All the sweet Dp's are from the 6x6 Fourteen pack by Crate Paper.

Now, if you don't already know, there's a 400 Member Celebration Event going on TODAY on the Aurora Wings Facebook Group with loads of fun and contest questions going on all day long.  Join us for a chance to win some amazing Aurora Wings images.

I'm adding this to the Simon Says Monday Love Notes challenge, the Simon Says Wednesday Have a Heart challenge,  the Digi Galore Valentine Challenge, and the Outlawz Alcohol Markers Valentine/Love Challenge.

Simply Steampunk Annie to Show

Did you know that although our challenge at Simply Steampunk is monthly, there's plenty of additional inspiration going on all month long?  Meet Annie, from the Original Steampunk Collection we're featuring this month.  She fancies herself quite the adventuress, ready for anything. Annie is a fab image to use for anyone setting out on a new chapter of their life, like graduation, a new job, a milestone birthday, etc or obviously for those who love travel and adventure.  I've made another wall hanging that I can clip to my hanger and dream of an adventurous escape in a hot air balloon to parts unknown.  The balloon was cut with my Cricut from the Summer in Paris cartridge.  Hmm...Paris sounds good.

 

 Annie is colored with Copics, fussy cut and popped atop a double mat cut with Spellbinders Grand Labels Four.  Embellies include tiny gears from Tim Holtz, a glass topped paper clip from Melody Ross and Scrabble tiles.  Although the Steampunks may seem intricate, there is no right or wrong way to color them and they're great images to practice your shading on.  the folds in the clothes almost color themselves.  Well, ALMOST. You'll see even the DT has different interpretations for the same image, so if you're ever stumped, you can visit Simply Steampunk and take your cue from there.  Be brave! Steampunks spark the imagination and are such fun to color. Be sure to check out our current Challenge, Bits of Lace HERE and come play along.  You have until May 2nd to enter so there's plenty of time.

I'm also entering this in the DLArt April Linky Party, It's All About Vintage Travel Challenge, Digi Galore One for the Girls and the Left of Center (LOC Steampunk)  Challenge 3.