Saturday, June 27, 2020

Flower Jar of Thanks -- a Catch the Bug Challenge

It's Saturday, and that means there's a new challenge at Catch the Bug Challenges.  Every Saturday, a new one begins!  Today, it's a color challenge.  I don't know why, but they are always a bit tricky for me.  I don't like being confined to a limited number of colors.  I feel stifled, I guess!

Fortunately, I really like the blue green color family, and that was part of today's color palette.  Here's the color swatch for you:

Here's what I made using these colors:



I used a digi called Tulip Jar and colored it with Copic markers.  I found a paper that I thought matched the color scheme at We Are 3 Digital Shop.  It is one of the papers in the Darcy's Garden Collection.  I used a couple of dies from a Crafter's Companion set to cut out and back the Tulip Jar.  The Thanks is a sentiment from Crafter's Companion.  I cut it twice and offset it just a bit.  I used some tan and brown gems from my stash to finish off the card.

I hope you enter the color challenge at Catch the Bug this week.  We have awesome prizes you can win!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
D.L. Art -- June Linky Party
A Gem of a Challenge -- ATG
Crafty Calendar -- June - Flowers
Cute Card Thursday -- Flowers

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

To Ride a Horse is to Fly Without Wings! Outlawz Progressive Freebie

Every month, I try to participate in the Outlawz Progressive Freebie Challenge.  The images are always free.  Even if I'm not crazy about them, I figure they are good coloring practice.  This month, though, the image just tugs at my heart strings!  It is the sweetest thing!  A girl and her horse are very much like the bond between a woman and her dog, I believe!



This Outlawz Progressive Freebie image is by Hettie Clare Art, and it's called Pony Plait.  

I have made a young friend through this pandemic.  It must be pure boredom on her part, but she lives a state away from me and has taken to making me cards and sending me letters.  She has a horse that she wasn't able to see for quite awhile because it was boarded in a stable a ways away from where they lived.  She shared this quote with me as her all time favorite quote.  I thought I'd put it on a card and send it to her.  I believe she may see a bit of herself and her horse in this card.

I colored Pony Plait with Copic markers, then used 2 sizes of wonky stitched dies from The Scrapping Cottage to cut it out and back it.  The papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop. I used 2 of the papers in the Howdy Collection.

Check out all the wonderful papers, digital images, and printable at We Are 3 Digital Shop.  You can find something for whatever project you are working on!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Progressive Freebie -- June
D.L. Art - June Linky Party
2 Crafty Critter Crazies -- ATG with a Critter
Crafty Animals Challenge -- ATG with an animal

Monday, June 22, 2020

And relax... a New Release for All Dressed Up Stamps

You may have seen this image on Facebook, especially if you are involved with Kit and Clowder.  It was given away as a freebie last weekend by the generous Wendy of All Dressed Up Stamps for anyone that wanted to color it. It is also one of 4 New Releases this month at All Dressed Up Stamps. I think this image, And Relax, is so precious (and very appropriate for our times).



I wanted some nice, bright colors for this little yoga girl.  So, using Copic markers, I used YG's and YR's on the outfit.  The plaid paper is from a Lawn Fawn paper pad. The stepper card is cut out with a die from Sizzix. the flowers are by Prima.

The other super talented designers from the All Dressed Up team will be sharing their new release makes on Facebook and on the blog today.  I hope you check it out! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Polkadoodles -- ATG
QKR Stampede -- ATG
D.L. Art -- June Linky Party
TTCRD -- ATG
A Gem of a Challenge -- ATG

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Good Times and Good Friends -- for The Outlawz Saturday Paper ala Mode Challenge

Its Saturday, and every other Saturday finds a new challenge happening over on the Outlawz Saturday Paper ala Mode Challenges.  For the whole year, challenges are sponsored by We Are 3 Digital Shop, and a winner is chosen for every challenge (so 2 each month).  For the next 2 weeks, the theme is "A Splash of Pink".  Oh!  That's a fun challenge!  I think many of us like to use pink in our designs, and it only needs a splash of color to qualify for the challenge!

Here's what a created:


I used mainly products from our sponsor, We Are 3 Digital Shop.  The background paper of high pink flowers and the grey checked of the doily are both from  the Sweetheart papers.  The wreath is one of Darcy's Florals printables.  The sentiment is one of 4 in the Friendship Sentiments Set.

The card stock base is from Close To My Heart, and the pretty pink ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  

I hope you join us these next 2 weeks for our "Splash of Pink" Challenge at The Outlawz Saturday Paper ala Mode

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- June Linky Party
Crafter's Castle -- ATG
Alphabet Challenge -- 'F' Is for Flora and Fauna (in this case, flora)

Friday, June 19, 2020

Make Mine a .... for Colour Crazy Challenges

Happy Friday, everyone!  How do you know it's Friday?  There's a new challenge that starts today on the Colour Crazy Challenge Blog. Every Friday, a new challenge begins.  This week's challenge is sponsored by Stampers Delight.  I had the fun of coloring up image, Chibi Make Mine A...

I'm not a coffee drinker (shocking, I know), so I don't tend to color up coffee themed images very often, but this one was too darn cute to pass it up!  I just love his hair! 


The image was a whole body image, but I decided to work with just the top 1/2.  That's the beauty of digital images!  I colored Make Mine a... with Copic markers.   I found the fun papers at AMB Illustrations, and they are digital.  The sentiment is an acrylic stamp from Tonic Studios that I thought fit very well.

Even though I'm not a coffee drinker, I have plenty of friends who are, so I know exactly who to send this card to!

I hope you join us this week at Colour Crazy Challenges.  We had great sponsors with wonderful prizes.  I'd love to see your creations!

Make America Strong -- for Jan's Digi Stamps Challenges

I'm posting a bit of reminder inspiration for Jan's Digi Stamps Challenges today.  Challenges now last an entire month.  The current challenge started June 1, and will run through June 30. Independence Day will soon be upon us, so that was what was on my mind when I created this card for today's post:


I combined two different Jan Mayhew sets on this card -- Independence Day Friends and Patriotic Boy.  The red fireworks, the blue fireworks, and the sentiment are from the Independence Day Friends set.  The flags are from the Patriotic Boy set. I used the pre-colored versions of all of these.

I cut the star shaped card base out on my Silhouette Cameo 3 with a file I found in the Silhouette Design Store.  The rest of the stars were cut out with a set of dies from Technique Tuesday. 

Come join us at Jan's Digi Stamps Challenges for our Anything Goes Challenge.  You can link up whatever you are working on.  I'd love to see it, and we have great prizes you can win!

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Flower Jar Oldie -- for Bugaboo Stamps

It's Oldie but Goodie day at Catch the Bug Blog for Bugaboo Stamps today.  Every Thursday, you will find Bugaboo Stamps designers showing some love to older, but wonderful images that you may not have seen for awhile. I found a beautiful one to feature today!



This card features the Bugaboo Stamps digi Flower Jar.  What I really like about it is the label on the jar.  It is blank, so you can fill in whatever appropriate sentiment you want.  I computer generated the Thank You on this one, then colored the Flower Jar image with Copic markers. I cut out and backed the Flower Jar image with a set of nesting dies from Crafter's Companion.  The designer papers are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.   The striped paper is from the Apple Delight Collection. The orange dots paper is from the Dotted Swiss Collection.  I used some Nuvo Dream Drops to finish off the card.

Oldie but Goodie day -- check out the Catch the Bug Blog to see what the other talented Bugaboo Stamps designers have created today. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- June Linky Party
Digichoosday -- ATG
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
AUD Sentiment -- ATG

Monday, June 15, 2020

Hello Summertime Fun! For Dies R Us Challenges

It's the 15th of the month, so it's time for a new challenge at Dies R Us Challenges. Every challenge runs for 2 weeks, has a theme, and you need to use at least 1 die from a brand sold in the Dies R Us Store. Until June 30, the theme is Summertime Fun!  Woohoo!  Gotta love that theme! 

I found some great dies to work with for today's summertime fun card:

The centerpiece of the card, that fun tubing girl, is an Impression Obsession die.  It comes with the female and a male version and it's called Tubers.    She's playing in waves that were made with Lawn Fawn Ocean Waves Border dies.  The sun is a die I had in my collection from Spellbinders, but this set by Sue Wilson would work really well.  The 'Hello Summer' sentiment is a 2-die set from Impression Obsession.

I hope you join the Summertime Fun challenge going on through June 30 at Dies R Us Challenges. A random $10 gift certificate will be awarded, and 3 designer choice awards.  Shop the Dies R Us Store for all your die cutting needs, and the Didi Crafts store if you are in Canada. 

Monday, June 8, 2020

Butterfly Birthday Box -- for Bugaboo Stamps

Butterfly Birthday Box for Bugaboo Stamps!  Try saying that three times fast -- Its a mouthful!

Today is Monday, so it's Anything but a Card Day over on the Catch the Bug Blog.  I recently needed a little something else for my mother-in-law's birthday present, so I made her this small gift box, and included a gift tag made using a Bugaboo Stamps digital tag image:


This is the Daisy Butterfly Tag, colored with Copic markers and inked with Spectrum Noir Harmony inks, then fussy cut.  I sized it to fit prominently on the front of this box -- the beauty of digital images!  

Here's another view that show's the depth of the box a bit better:

 The box is a double sided die from Crafter's Companion.  I've used it a few times and really like it.  One pass through my Gemini machine, and the box is cut out.  The butterflies are also from Crafter's Companion.

That's it for today's post.  Check out what the other talented Bugaboo Stamps designers have made today at Catch the Bug Blog for Anything But a Card Monday! 



Saturday, June 6, 2020

Dog Hair is my Glitter --for Paper ala Mode Challenges

It's Saturday, and it 's time for a new challenge at The Outlawz. On Saturday's the challenges are the Paper ala Mode challenges, and all year long they are sponsored by We Are 3 Digital Shop. Every challenge a $6 code will be given for the We Are 3 Store! The theme that begins today and runs for the next 2 weeks is "Pets are People too".

In our house, the dog is the boss.  All life centers around the spoiled Golden Retriever named Winter.  Here's one of my favorite pictures of my boy:

So, in sticking with the theme of the challenge, Pets are People too, of course I used a dog, and a sentiment with a dog theme.  What do you think?

This card uses all We Are 3 Digital Shop products. The image, colored with Copic markers, is Puppy Dog.  It comes with a pre-colored version also.  The papers are from the Watercolor Delight papers.  I used 3 of the papers on this card. The sentiment is one of the 4 sentiments that come in the Dog Sentiments set. 

I love making pet projects, and I hope you do, too.  Join us these next 2 weeks for the Pets are People too challenge at the Outlawz Paper ala Mode

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- June Linky Party
Crafty Animals Challenge -- ATG with an animal
2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge -- ATG with a Critter

Butterfly Thank You -- For Bugaboo Stamps

It's Saturday (yea!) and there's a new challenge that starts today at Catch The Bug Challenges.  Today, and for the next week, there is an Anything Goes challenge happening. You could possibly win 10 images from your choice in the Bugaboo Stamps Store!  How great is that?!?

I recently needed a thank you card for friends that made my husband and I a grilled turkey dinner one Saturday afternoon.  Just because they are great people.  So, I looked through the Bugaboo Stamps Store and found the perfect image -- Butterfly Thank You.



I colored the Butterfly Thank You with Lyra Rembrandt pencils on Kraft.  The Butterfly Thank You image comes with a blank image too, so you can fill in whatever sentiment you'd like. 

Once I got the Butterfly Thank You image colored and fussy cut, I needed to find the perfect papers to bring out the colors of the flowers.  I found them at We Are 3 Digital Shop.  These are 2 papers from the Glorious paper pack

Catch the Bug Challenge Blog has a new challenge every Saturday, and there are new fabulous prizes every week.  Come join us! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Lemon Shortbread Challenge -- ATG
TTCRD -- ATG
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends -- ATG
Polkadoodles -- ATG

Monday, June 1, 2020

A Wild Flower Hello -- for SheepSki Designs Challenges

It's June 1, and it's time for a new challenge at SheepSki Designs Challenge Blog.  Challenges go for a month, and have a theme.  This month's theme is to use your favorite color(s). The challenge will go all month, so you have until June 30 to enter! 

I have many colors that I like, and probably even more colors that I consider favorites to use with Copic markers. but when picking a favorite overall, I must say it is blue.  So, for this challenge, I went all out, and you will see, this card is BLUE!



This wonderful image from SheepSki Designs is Wild Flower. Isn't that gnome adorable?  Andrea has some adorable gnomes, and you'll find all of them in her Etsy Shop. Back to Wild Flower -- I colored it with Copic markers, then used a set of nesting dies from Crafter's Companion to cut out Wild Flower, back him, and create the shaped card.  I found a piece of designer paper in the We Are 3 Digital Shop that matched the color scheme perfectly. The paper is one of the papers in the Enchanted Paper Collection.  The dark blue gem accents are by Fun Stamper's Journey. The 'Hello' sentiment is an acrylic stamp from Close To My Heart.

I hope you join us this month at SheepSki Designs Challenge Blog. I'd love to see what you make, and you could win incredible digis -- like this one! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Crazy 4 Challenges -- Feature a Gnome
Aud Sentiment -- Flowers and a sentiment
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends -- ATG

Love Spring Time-- for All Dressed Up Stamps

June 1 -- how did that happen? I love these springtime months, and they are going fast!  We are barreling towards the summer solstice, and I don't even want to think about what follows that!

June 1 -- that means a new challenge is starting today in the All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook group.  Every month, you will find a challenge there with an easy theme to follow.  You must use an All Dressed Up image to play along, but there are lots of wonderful ones in the All Dressed Up Etsy Shop.  This month's theme is "Use Layers." 

Since spring is my favorite time of the year, I decided to color up the super sweet image, Love Springtime:



I colored Love Springtime with Copic Markers, then cut her out with a die from The Scrapping Cottage.  The butterfly die in the background is a double sided layer die from Crafter's Companion.  The silver butterfly die is from Cheery Lynn.  Here's a close up of the Love Springtime image:

Isn't she so cute?  She seems as happy about springtime as I am!  

I used layers of die cuts on my card to fit the challenge theme, but you can layer up your card however you like.  I hope you join us this month for the 'Use Layers' challenge at All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook Group!  I'd love to see your beautiful creations! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Polkadoodles -- ATG
Crafty Friends Challenge -- Add Embellishments
A Bit More Time to Craft -- ATG

Life is Beautiful -- for Dies R Us Challenge Blog

It's the first of the month, so that means a new challenge starts today at Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  Every 1st and 15th, like clockwork, a new challenge begins! The theme for the next 2 weeks is, It's Dad's Day (Father's Day/masculine cards).  I no longer have fathers or grandfathers in my life, so I made a masculine card for this challenge.  It made me reminisce a bit about my brother and my dad when we were growing up:



Much fishing together went on between my brother and my father.  That is what this die from Frantic Stamper made me think of.  It is Fishing on the Dock of the Bay.

I created the background using Distress Oxide inks.  I let them dry for 24 hours to prevent smudging and finger prints (been there, done that!).  The 'Life is Beautiful' sentiment is from Crafter's Companion. 

Every challenge, a $10 gift certificate is given away (random), and 3 designer choice awards.  You must use a die sold in the Dies R Us store on your project to be eligible for the prize.

Dies R Us has a sister store, Didi Crafts that will ship to Canadian.  If you are a Canadian reader, check it out! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Cut it Up Challenges -- Boys will Be Boys
DigiChoosday -- ATG
Pattie's Creations -- ATG

Missing You -- For JDS Challenges

It's the first Monday of the month, so it's time for a new challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps Challenges.  Challenges are month-long now, but there are more prizes being awarded.  They are still anything goes, so make sure you link up whatever it is you are working on. 

States may be opening up more, but many of us are still social distancing.  I am very much missing my friends and family.  This digi set by Jan Mayhew sums it up nicely.  It's called Alone Together. I used one of the images and one of the sentiments from the set to create this:


I thought that empty adirondack chair from Alone Together is quite fitting.  It is a sign of the times  I colored the image with Copic markers.  The buffalo plaid paper is from We Are 3 Digital Shop. It is one of the Plaids & Stripes Neutrals, printed on a mint green paper. 

Join us this month for the Anything Goes challenge at Jan's Digi Stamp Challenges.  There will be a prize awarded for someone using a Jan's Digi Stamp image, and a random win, plus some designer choice winners. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- June Linky Party
A Gem of a Challenge -- ATG
Craft Catz Challenge -- At Least 2 Layers