Stay Paw-sitive! for Ching-Chou Kuik

 Happy Tuesday, fellow crafters!  It's my day to post over on the Ching-Chou Kuik Inspiration & Challenge Blog.  Our 4-legged Friends challenge is still going for another 10 days, so I hope you are able to join us!

I like many 4-legged creatures, but dogs are my absolute favorite.  I find myself gravitating towards all the amazing doggy images in the GJZCCK Etsy Shop.  Like this one!

This is Yorkshire Terrier, available in a black & white digital image.  I colored the image with Copic markers, then fussy cut it out.  The swath of paw prints is a die by Elizabeth Craft, purchased at Dies R Us.  The sentiment is an acrylic stamp by Close To My Heart, stamped on a die cut by Queen & Company.

For more great inspiration, check out the CCK Inspiration blog often.  For another challenge, and even more great inspiration, visit the Ching-Chou Kuik Facebook Group. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

D.L. Art -- April Linky Party

Colour Crazy Challenge -- ATG with a colored image

Morgan's Artworld -- ATG

2 Crafty Critter Crazies -- ATG

Crafty Animals challenge -- ATG

Brrrrr! For Dies R Us Challenges

 It's the 15th of the month, and it's time for a new challenge at Dies R Us Challenges.  Challenges are now always Anything Goes, as long as you use a brand of die sold in the Dies R Us Store.  There are hundreds of dies in the store, so this is easy to do!

It's the heart of Winter, and these are traditionally the coldest weeks of the year here in NW Wisconsin.  It's a good thing I like winter!  I wanted to embrace winter, and this little polar bear seems to be celebrating the season!

This adorable sledding bear is part of a set by Sue Wilson, of Creative Expressions.  It's called the Festive Collection - Polar Bear Playtime.  There's also an ice skating polar bear.  Cute, cute!

The drifted snow was created with dies from Lawn Fawn.  These are the Stitched Hillside Borders dies. 

The 'Brrrrr' sentiment is one of many in the Elizabeth Craft Winter Wish Sentiment Set. 

There are great shopping opportunities at both the Dies R Us Store and the Didi Crafts Store (for Canadian shoppers). 

I hope you can join our Anything Goes Challenge at Dies R Us Challenges.  This challenge will go until the end of the month! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

QKR Stampede -- ATG

Crafty Animals -- ATG with an animal

AUD Sentiment -- ATG + a Sentiment

D.L. Art -- January Linky Party

Brrrr Winter! For Dies R Us Challenges

It's the 15th of the month, and it's time for a new challenge at Dies R Us Challenges.  Every 2 weeks, a new challenge begins!  For the next 2 weeks, the theme is 'Winter Wonderland'.  Yeah, winter is almost here, isn't it?  I actually love winter, and I adore making winter cards, so this was a great challenge for me!

Shop the Dies R Us Store.  You'll find tons of dies that fit this theme!  All you have to do is use one form a die that Dies R Us sells to be eligible for the challenge. They sell dies from dozens of companies, so that is easy to do!

My entry for the 'Winter' Theme!

I started out inking my winter sky background.  I used distress oxide inks, purchased from Dies R Us in the colors of Peacock Feathers, Speckled Egg, Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves, and Blueprint Sketch.  Then, I made the "snowbanks".  They are actually Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside border dies.  The cute snowbird is from Elizabeth Crafts.  The Brrrrr Winter Sentiment is part of a Winter Wishes Sentiment set from Elizabeth Crafts. 

I hope you join us this next two weeks for our Winter Wonderland challenge.  Check out all the wonderful dies and supplies in the Dies R Us Store.  Canadian customers, you'll want to shopping the Didi Crafts store! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

D.L. Art -- Any Winter Holiday

Crafty Sentiments Designs -- ATG

Word Art Wednesday -- ATG

Everybody Art Challenge -- Animals

Christmas Joy -- For Dies R Us Challenges

 It's December 1st,  and that means it's the start of a new challenge at Dies R Us Challenge Blog. Our challenges run for 2 weeks (this one goes until Dec. 14), and they have themes.  The current theme is "Christmas".  Now, that's a perfect theme to finish up, or maybe tackle those Christmas cards! Just use a brand of die sold in the Dies R Us Store, and link up at Dies R Us Challenges! 

Here's my Christmas card for the Dies R Us Challenge: 

There's a lot going on with this card.  Let me tell you how it's made:  The poinsettias are made with a die from Memory Box called Poinsettia Bloom Trio. They layer so nicely! The oval is from a Spellbinders set. I cut it out with a piece of gold foil paper.  Gluing it was a bit of a challenge, but it cut beautifully! The stitched rectangles are by Lawn Fawn.  They are from both the small and the large Stitched Rectangle Stackables.  The 'Joy' sentiment is one of the sentiments in the Winter Wishes set by Elizabeth Craft Designs.  This is a great set, and one I reach for often. 

The designer papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  They are from the Victorian Christmas Collection. 

You'll find many wonderful dies and other  supplies in the Dies R Us Store.  If you are from Canada, you'll want to check out the sister store, Didi Crafts for more great products, and great shipping rates! 

I hope you join us for our Christmas Challenge over on the Dies R Us Challenge Blog!  A $10 gift certificate will be awarded each challenge, and 3 designer choice awards.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

D.L. Art -- December Linky Party

Not Just Cards -- ATG

AUD Sentiment -- ATG

TTCRD -- ATG

Happy Fall -- 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. Each challenge runs for 2 weeks, and they each have a theme.  This time, the theme is "happy Fall, Y'all!"  Isn't that a fun one?!?!?  I love fall!  I love the colors, the geese passing over, the cooler temperatures, I even love what's coming next! (well, most of the time). 

In honor of Fall, and today's Dies R Us Challenge, I created this: 

I started with the circle, and built up from there.  It is one of the Fitted Circles by Elizabeth Craft. I cut the acorns out of white card stock, then inked them.  They are part of the Yvonne Creations Fabulous Fall Collections (no longer in stock).  The various leaves are also from the same set.  They are cut out of colored card stock.  

I hope you can join us for our "Happy Fall, Y'all" challenge at Dies R Us Challenges. Just use a die from a brand that is sold at Dies R Us Store, and you are good to go.  For those of you in Canada, check out the awesome Didi's Crafts Store for wonderful crafting supplies.

 I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge -- ATG

D.L. Art -- November Linky Party

Crafty Calendar-- ATG

Oceans of Love -- for Dies R Us Challenge Blog

It's the first of the month, so there's a new challenge starting today on the Dies R Us Challenge Blog. For the next 2 weeks, the theme is "Seas the Day" (water themed).  We'd love to see any project with a water or beach theme, made with a brand of die sold in the Dies R Us Store. 

I haven't done any paper piecing in awhile, so I thought it was time for bit on today's Seas the Day themed card:

I started with the lighthouse die from Die-versions.  I cut it out twice.  Once in the grey buffalo plaid paper from We Are 3 Digital Shop, and one in the Blue Pastel Burlap paper, also from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  The sun is from a Spellbinders set, but just about any sun die would work, including this set from Impression Obsession. The seagulls are in a Lighthouse set from Elizabeth Craft Designs. They, and the torn paper "sand" were made with the same paper as the light house.  It is part of the Plaids Stripes Neutrals collection at We Are 3 Digital Shop.  The sentiment, also from We Are 3 is one of the Mermaid Wishes sentiments, and it's printed on Pastel Burlap paper in orange, and cut out with a Nellie's multi frame die that I purchased as part of a European Die weekend sale.

There are other great project from the Dies R Us Challenge team that I hope you take time to study and enjoy, and I hope they inspire you to create a water-themed project of your own. One $10 gift certificate will be awarded and 3 designer choice awards. 

.Dies R Us now has a sister store with warehouses in the USA and Canada called Didi Crafts.  

It will ship to both the US and Canada.  Didi Crafts will carry some of the same products as DRU, but most will be different.  Now our Canadian friends don't have to worry about huge taxes or shipping fees. How great is that!?!

  

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

AUD Sentiments-- Masculine + a sentiment
QKR Stampede -- ATG
Through the Purple Haze -- ATG

Poinsettia Peace -- for Dies R Us Inspiration Blog

Happy Christmas Eve!  I'm posting today on the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog, and I hope this finds you relaxed and ready for the next few exciting days!

I am sharing a card of peace, just in case you need to slow down and remember to take a breath!

This card uses a Sue Wilson die, sone paper piecing, some foil, and some glitter:

First,  a picture of the supplies (they will be linked below):

The main focal point of the card uses Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson, the Festive Collection - Poinsettia Flower Square.  It is currently out of stock, but there are many other similar dies in the Dies R Us Store.

I started by cutting the die out of white card stock, using Stick It Adhesive Sheets behind the poinsettia to make paper piecing easier:

Then, I cut just the inside layer with red, and added that in. It adhered because of the Stick It.

Next, I added the leaves and the gold pearls.

There were some open spaces, so I added white glitter to those.  I also used  a die cut for the Elizabeth Craft Winter Wishes set to cut out the word "Peace".

In this pic, you can see all the die cuts, and the glitter.  The gold square was cut out with a Spellbinders die.

Here are the products used from the Dies R Us Store:

Sue Wilson  Poinsettia Flower Square

Elizabeth Craft - Winter Wishes

Stick It Sheets

I'll leave you with one more view of my peaceful poinsettia card, and I'll wish you the merriest of Christmases!

I hope you check this blog every day for wonderful inspiration!  The design team is so creative, you don't want to miss anything.  Then, join in the challenges at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  Here's one last link to the Dies R Us Store for you, too! 

click below for:

STORE
CHALLENGE BLOG
FACEBOOK
INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

D.L. Art -- December Linky Party

TTCRD -- ATG

Not Just Cards -- ATG

Outlawz Festive Friday -- Christmas

Let It Snow! for Lavinia World Challenges

Thursday!  Less than a week 'til Christmas.  Are you ready?  Of course you're not! We never are, but we get through it year after year!  Thursday -the 3rd Thursday of the month, so it's time for a new challenge over at Lavinia World Challenges, where challenges are always Anything Goes as long as you use a rubber or acrylic stamp.  Of course, we love to see those Lavinia Stamps the best!  You can also enter your projects in the Anything Lavinia Facebook Group, but these require Lavinia Stamps &/or papers.

I wanted create something that would look as magical as the world outside my window.  We have a fresh blanket of white snow here in NW Wisconsin where I live, and very little in life is as pretty and sparkly as the sun on that fresh fallen snow.  Fresh fox tracks across my front lawn were the impetus behind today's project:

I used a Lavinia paper to begin my tag -- it is called "Silence".  It is currently out of stock, but should be back in stock soon.  They are about 3 inch by 8 inch, so it worked well to cut it into this tag shape.  Once I got the tag cut out, using a die by Paper Wishes, I thought the Fox 1 (Kernal) would work well. I stamped the Fox 1 with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink. Then, to balance out the tag, I stamped the Small Fairy Fir Tree (LAV489),  stamped with VersaFine Clair ink in Shady Lane.  Then, all was left was adding a sentiment.  I used an Elizabeth Craft cutting die for the sentiment, and some retired Close To my Heart fibers to finish it off.


Lavinia World products used on this tag:

Silence paper

Fox 1 (Kernal)

VersaFine Claire Nocturne Ink

Small Fairy Fir Tree (LAV489)

VersaFine Shady Lane Ink

I'll leave you with one more view of my snowy scene:

Let it snow!

I hope you join us at Lavinia World Challenges &/or at Anything Lavinia, where you could win a $15 gift certificate to use in the Lavinia World Store. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

D.L. Art -- December Linky Party

Outlawz Twisted Thursday --

Three Peaceful Pines -- for Lavinia World Challenges

It's Thursday, and it's time for a new challenge on the Lavinia World Challenge Blog.  Challenges are always Anything Goes, as long as you use an acrylic or a rubber stamp -- no digital images.  Of course, we'd like to see your Lavinia Stamps getting some love!

I've gotten so I really like to ink up backgrounds.  I was intimidated by this process for a long time.  Now, I just play, and ink, and add color, and see what I can create.  That's how I came up with today's card base.   Once I got the base done,  I did a bit of stamping, die cut a sentiment, and Voila!  I had a Christmas card to add to the stash:

Are any of you mystery readers?  I love reading books by author, Louise Penny.  The Chief Inspector Gamache series centers around the small town of Three Pines.  This card is my tribute to Three Pines.  May it always be peaceful there!

The pines were stamped using the Small Fairy Fir Tree 2 stamp.  I stamped it once, as is (the tall one), once using a shorter version of the trunk, then once using 2nd generation stamping to make it look like it was behind the other 2 trees. Flying into the cold winter sky is the stamp, Ducks.  I used Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black for all the stamped images. 

The inked background was created with a variety of Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks.  I used Seedless Preserves, Milled Lavender, Shaded Lilac, Victorian Velvet, Faded Jeans, and Chipped Sapphire.  I sprinkled a bit of water on the inks to make it look a bit snowy. 

The 'Peace' die is from Elizabeth Craft. 

There is also a new, exciting FaceBook group to check out!  This is the first challenge now that Anything Lavinia Group also gives you an opportunity to post your projects there.  So, if you don't blog, you can still enter our challenges.  Projects posted on the Anything Lavinia Group must include a Lavinia Stamp or paper. Wherever you decode to enter, challenges run for 2 weeks!  Have fun!

I hope you find time to join us this next 2 weeks at Lavinia World Challenges!  You might be the lucky winner of the $15 gift certificate to the Lavinia World Store, or one of the Designer Choice recipients.  I'd love to see your creations! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- Christmas
We Love to Create -- ATG
TTCRD -- ATG
Outlawz Monday Greeting -- Winter Wonderland

Surprise! for Dies R Us Inspiration Blog

I'm posting today on the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog.  I always enjoy having a chance to play with fun dies!  It's such a treat for me.  There are dozens and dozens of brands of dies for sale in the Dies R Us Store. Today, I'm focusing on dies from Elizabeth Craft Designs. 

Can one ever have too many birthday cards?  I volunteer in a nursing home, and bring cards to the residents there when I know it's their birthday, so I always need a stash of cards.  So, when I saw this fun balloon die from Elizabeth Craft Designs in the Dies R Us Store, I knew I had to have it in my collection:

The balloon is called Big Balloon, and it has 2 dies -- the balloon and the string.  The 'surprise' sentiment is also from Elizabeth Craft, and of course fits on the Big Balloon perfectly. 

Here's a photo of the supplies used.  They will be linked at the bottom of this post.

In this next photo, all the pieces have been die cut.  They just need to be assembled.  I used both Stick  It Adhesive Sheets (for the sentiment and the string) and the Best Glue Ever for the rest of the card assembly. 

The card went together so quickly that it was just about as easy to make 2 as it was to make one.  Here's a second one, but a slightly different color scheme:

Dies used on these cards, found in the Dies R Us Store:

Big Balloon

Surprise!

The background paper on the first card is from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  It is one of the Celebrate papers.  The designer paper on the second paper is actually a foil paper from a Spellbinders card kit.  The foil doesn't show up in the picture, but is very pretty IRL. 

Check out the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog often for wonderful ways to use incredible dies found in the Dies R Us Store!  You won't be disappointed!  Then, join in on the Dies R Us Challenges, too!

click below for:

STORE
CHALLENGE BLOG
FACEBOOK
INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Seize the Birthday -- ATG

D.L.Art --November Linky Party 

Outlawz Festive Fridays-- birthday 

Friendship Vase Card -- for Dies R Us Inspiration Blog

I'm posting today on the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog.  I love shopping in the Dies R Us Store, where there are over 55 brands of dies and lots of supplies. 

I tend to like my cards simple, but bold, and today's card follows that theme.

Dies, distress oxide inks, some pearl accents, and it's a wrap.  Sounds like a great card, right?  You be the judge:

Bright and bold, right?  Here's how I did it, and the products I used (linked at the end of this post).

I used a vase and flower die for Die-Namites, and 6 shades of Distress Oxide ink, plus a word die.

I started by blending the background.  I have found that a very smooth card stock works best for me.  I started with the lightest colors first.  In this case, it was the middle of the card, so it was the Squeezed Lemonade, then the Mustard Seed, the the Twisted Citron, then the Salty Ocean.  After that, I switched back to the lower part of the card, blending the Barn Door, and lastly, the Seedless Preserves.

The background was so colorful, that I decided to leave the Wide Vase die cut in white.  I liked the contrast of it against all the colors of the background.  I wanted a simple sentiment that wouldn't overpower the Wide Vase, so used this "Friends" from Elizabeth Craft, cutting it with a card stock that matched a color from the background.  Then, all I had to do was construct the card and add some pearl accents with my Ice White Viva Decor Pearl Pen.

I've had a large collection of Viva Decor Pearl Pens for years and I love them!  There are newer products on the market, but Viva Decor Pearl Pens work great.  It is very easy to control how large the dot of color is, the colors are rich and pure, and there is a lot of product in one pen.  The Dies R Us Store has a limited supply right now, but I hope they re-stock soon because they are one of my favorite supplies in the whole store!  If you haven't tried them, I hope you do.  Dies R Us also offers one of the lowest prices on these Pearl Pens that I've seen. 

Products used from the Dies R Us Store:

Die-Namites Wide Vase Die

Elizabeth Craft "Friends" Die

Barn Door

 Mustard Seed

 Peacock Feathers

Seedless Preserves

 Twisted Citron

That's it for my Flower Vase Friendship Card.  I hope you visit the Dies R Us Inspiration blog each day to see the wonderful designs my fellow teammates create.  There is so much inspiration here!  Then, make your own creation and enter the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There are great prizes you can win! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Daisy Chain Challenge -- Flowers

Happy Craft Challenge -- ATG

Happy Little Stampers -- ATG with Dies

The flower Challenge -- pretty pastels