I'm Yours -- for Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez

Valentine's Day has come and gone, but it's never too late to tell someone special that you love them.

My husband has been working very long hours lately, then coming home and shoveling storm after storm of snow that has moved through.  I made him this card to let him know he's appreciated and loved.  It uses a digital stamp from Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez called Hamster.

I placed the Hamster digi in my photo editing software so I could duplicate, then flip one of them. Then, I made a JPG of the 2 hamsters, placed it in a Word document to size, and printed it.  I colored the 2 Hamsters with Copic markers.

I used several different heart shaped dies from Spellbinders to create this shaped card, and used a heart paper left over from a Valentine's Day project that was on my desk.  The sentiment is an acrylic stamp from Hot Off the Press. 

Have you visited the Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez Store? There, you will find acrylic stamps, digital stamps, digital papers, a Zazzle shop, and more.  It is worth a trip!  There's also a Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez Facebook Group, with a monthly challenge, and for even more inspiration, visit the Kinda Cute blog.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Lemon Shortbread -- ATG 
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
Crafting from the Heart - ATG
D.L. Art -- March linky party
Scrapyland Challenge -- dies they sell (Spellbinders)

Snowflake Thanks -- for Dies R Us

Happy Sunday, blog readers.  I'm on the Dies R Us Inspiration blog today, sharing a winter thanks card. It seems I am often in need of thank you cards, and so soon after Christmas, I'm still sending out some from the many gifts my husband and I received.  Here's one I created using dies from the Dies R Us Store:

Isn't that large snowflake stunning?  Here's the supplies I used.  I'll link them at the  bottom of this post:

Probably the hardest part of this card was choosing the papers.  I wanted something that would really make that snowflake block pop.  I thought a background paper with some shine would do it.

 Here's all the pieces after they've been die cut:

I used 2 different brands of dies on this card -- Impression Obsession and Amy Design, and each die cut beautifully, regardless of the type of paper I was cutting it on.

I assembled everything using the Best Glue Ever.  It really does live up to its name.  It's great for intricate die cuts. 

Here's that list of supplies I promised you:

Impression Obsession Snowflake Block

Impression Obsession Greeting Set

Amy Design Cool Tags

Best Glue Ever

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop. They are from the January new release.  They are the Snowmen paper collection. 

I'll close with a picture of my 7 month of puppy, Winter.  He loves winter, snow, and running free! He sends you Warm Winter Wishes and thanks you for stopping by today! 

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
 CHALLENGE BLOG
  FACEBOOK
  INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

Thanks for visiting... hope to see you again soon, Have a great day.

Believe -- The Outlawz Sketch Challenge

Another Christmas card?  Yes!  I love having yet another card made and ready for the 2018 season!  This one is a bit different style for me as I used a die for the focal point instead of coloring up an image.  It was fun to challenge myself a bit!

I used this week's sketch from The Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge to create this:

Here's the sketch that I used:

As you can see, other than turning the sketch 90 degrees, I followed it very closely.

Papers on this card are from the We Are 3 Digital Shop.  These are the Happy Christmas Collection.

Happy Christmas papers

The "Believe" die is from Cottage Cutz, and I think it is perfect for my dog loving friends.  I may have to create more like this before the season hits!  I used washi tape to make the horizontal accents, and the star brad is from Hot Off the Press. 

That's it for this card.  It's a wrap!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge -- September 5
D.L. Art -- September Linky Party
Not Just Cards -- ATG
Christmas at Sweet Stamping' -- ATG Christmas
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- Christmas

Even Pigs Love a Vacation! for Bugaboo Stamps

It's Friday, and the only thing that's better than Friday is Friday Freebie at Bugaboo Stamps! Yes! Every Friday, you'll find a new freebie for your coloring enjoyment!  Color it up and enter it in a challenge at Catch the Bug Challenges.  Win more Bugaboo Stamps! But buy some, too.  There's tons of great ones you HAVE to have!  

Today's freebie is called Pig Vacation:

The way I see it, everyone loves a vacation -- even pigs!  This pig is ready for his vacation in the tropics, complete with tropical shirt and Mai Tai with drink umbrella.  Life is good for this little piggy!

I colored Piggy Vacation with Copic markers, then used a center step card die from Sizzix to create the card.  Papers on the card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  It is the Tropical Delight paper collection. 

Tropical Delight

I hope you have a chance to grab Pig Vacation from the Bugaboo Stamps store, and get it colored up.  It was so much fun to create with!  I sure am enjoying my time as a guest designer with Catch the Bug!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
As You Like it Challenges -- Fur or Feathers (Definitely prefer fur!)
Creative Knockouts -- Fancy Folds
The Crafter's Cafe -- Travel/Leisure

Birthday Kitty -- a New Release at Bugaboo Stamps

It's New Release day at Bugaboo Stamps today, and I got a chance to get inky with this one!
Tuesdays are always exciting at Bugaboo Stamps, and today is no exception -- it's New Release Day!  This new release is called simply Cat Silhouette, but there's nothing simple about it.  It has a world of possibilities!  Here's what I did with it:

I had lots of different ideas swirling around for this Cat Silhouette, but in the end, I decided to get out my distress oxide inks and play with them.  I made the blue background with 3 different colors of distress oxide inks, then colored the Cat Silhouette with 2 shades of pink/red distress oxide inks, fussy cutting her out.  I have a sister-in-law who's a real cat lover, so I made this card for her for her birthday.  A matching crinkle ribbon finished off the card.

You'll find other ideas for how to use this Cat Silhouette New Release on the Catch the Bug blog today.  Check it out! Then come back tomorrow for more inspiration, and the next day, and the next...you get the idea!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
The Outlawz  Festive Fridays - Birthday
Show Us Your Pussies challenge -- Anything cat goes
D.L. Art -- August Linky Party
Less Is More -- Pets

Patriotic Thank You Pup -- Stella Says Sketch

It's another warm summer day.  I spent the morning running some errands, met a friend for lunch, then this afternoon I was in the craft room.  One of the cards I made was this thank you card for a friend.   I found this darling dog stamp at Bugaboo Stamps called Flower Puppy and he was calling my name to color up.  I just love Bugaboo Stamps!  They were the first digis I ever bought, quite a few years ago now, and I still love them.

Bugaboo Stamps has a Patriotic colors challenge going on right now, so I colored this Flower Puppy using red and blue to fit the theme.  I also used the sketch from this month's Stella Says Sketch challenge so I can enter it there too.  I just love it when I can double up on my challenges!

I colored the Flower Puppy digi with Copic markers.  The paw print card base was cut out on my Silhouette Came 3 with a file I found in the Silhouette Design Store.  The bones and sentiment are stickers from Hot Off the Press.  The stitched dies are from Die-namics.  I intentionally kept embellishments to a minimum on this card for easy mailing purposes.

That's it for this card.  Off to find some challenges for it:

Stella Says Sketch Challenge -- #612
Catch the Bug Challenge -- Patriotic Colors
Outlawz Monday Greetings -- Summer colors
Dragonfly Dreams -- summer
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends -- ATG
D.L. Art -- July Linky Party

Thank You -- for DigiStamps4Joy

It's July 15th (really, already?), so that means it's time for some mid-month inspiration on the DigiStamps4Joy Challenge blog.  The themes are always anything goes with an optional twist.  This month's optional twist is summer or winter.  I went with the optional summer twist.  I love the flowers of summer.  I used DigiStamps4Joy image Pansy Corsage (JA22) to create this:

I colored Pansy Corsage with Copic markers, then fussy cut it. 

Papers for this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  This is Nature Blends.

Nature Blends

I used an SVG cutting file from Pretty Paper Pretty Ribbons for the base of the card.  The oval die is from Die-namics.  The polka dot ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  The sentiment is a sticker from Hot Off the Press. 

I hope you can join us this month at DigiStamps4Joy for our Anything Goes with an optional "summer or winter" theme.  You still have 1/2 of July to link up!  

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

AUD Sentiments -- Flowers plus a sentiment

D.L. Art -- July Linky Party

D.L. Art Thankful Thursday -- Wedding (substitute Thank you)

Word Art Wednesday -- ATG

Birthday Dragons Coming Your Way -- Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge

It was a rainy Thursday, so after meeting a friend at the local coffee shop this morning, I came home and got creating.  I used this month's progressive freebie at The Dragon's Lair, and combined it with this Wednesday's Sketch challenge at The Outlawz.  Here's what I came up with:

I colored up the dragons with Copic markers, then fussy cut them.  Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  They are the Nature Blends digital papers.

Here's the sketch I used:

As you can see, I followed it pretty closely.

The large heart die is from Spellbinders.  The small heart die, across the top is from a company that no longer exists -- Top Dog Dies.   The Happy Birthday sentiment is a sticker from Hot Off the Press. 

Nature Blends

That's it for this one.  It's almost the weekend!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Dragon's Lair Facebook Challenge -- July Progressive Freebie
Outlawz Wednesday Challenge -- sketch
D.L. Art -- July Linky Party

Let It Snow -- for The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up

June 1, and it's time for a new challenge at the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. It's also time to add another Christmas card to the 2018 Christmas card stash!  Yea!

The alternate theme this month "Make It Masculine".  We'd like you to make a card that would be considered masculine in order to qualify for the prize from our guest sponsor.

This month, we have a new sponsor at The 12 Month of Christmas Link Up, and it's a great one! We're sponsored by SheepSki Designs. 

I used Snowmen Selfie (image #100) to create this: 

I colored Snowmen Selfie with Copic markers.  Each month, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles creates papers for the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up.  Link up 2 cards and you'll get one of her awesome papers for yourself!  I used 3 different Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Christmas papers on this card. The snowflake stickers are from Hot Off the Press.

I hope you can join us this month for our "Make it Masculine" challenge at The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up.  I'd love to see what you create, and you can win some awesome images or papers! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
The Merry Christmas Challenge -- ATG
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- Christmas
A Snowflakes Promise -- ATG

Best Teacher - Ever! A New Release at All Dressed Up Stamps

I have a friend who is an incredible person, and one of the most gifted teachers I have ever met.  When I was given this image to use for the recent New Release at All Dressed Up Stamps, I was so excited!  I had to create a card for my good friend!  

This is Best Teacher, colored with Copic markers.  I added her name to the middle of the desk.  The No 1 teacher is part of the stamp, Best Teacher.  My friend has blonde hair and glasses, so this image fits her so well.  She is a grade school music teacher, as you may have guessed from the way I embellished the card. 

The sentiment is computer generated.  The easel card was created with a die from Crafter's Companion.  The music themed stickers are embellishments from Hot Off the Press.  The designer papers (digital) are from Imagine That Digistamp. 

There are a number of wonderful new releases in the All Dressed Up Etsy Shop.  I hope you take time to check them out, then buy the ones you "have to have."  Color them up and enter the challenges found both in the All Dressed Up Facebook Group and on the All Dressed Up Challenge blog.  There's tons of examples with the New Releases in the ADU facebook group to inspire you, and on the All Dress Up blog too!  Check it all out!  You'll not be disappointed! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- May Linky Party
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
IDCB -- ATG
Lemon Shortbread -- ATG

Flip Over Greeting Card Holder -- for Simply Crafty SVG's

It's Hump Day!  Wednesday, and I have the fun today of posting for Simply Crafty SVG's.  If you haven't checked out the store, you owe it to yourself.  There are lots of Freebies, more files being added all the time, and the SVG files cut and assemble beautifully (plus there are tutorials!)

Today, I'm showcasing the Flip Over Greeting Card Holder.  I love to make greeting cards, and I also love to give them as gifts, so I thought this box would be perfect to "gift" some of my cards to a good friend in:

I always think that it is the paper and embellishments that make the project.  These papers and die cuts are from Hot Off the Press.   They coordinate so well, don't they?

I stamped on the tag, and that was the hardest part of this whole project.  My ink kept smearing!  Regular ink smeared.  Archival ink smeared.  Finally, Staz On ink did the trick!  The sentiment is from Technique Tuesday. 

This box comfortable holds 6 greeting cards and envelopes.  I think it will make a great gift, don't you?

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Alphabet Challenge -- Y is for Your choice
D.L. Art -- March Linky Party
IDCB -- ATG

Happy! for the Path of Positivity Challenge blog

It's time for a new challenge, this first Monday of the month, at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.  If you've been following along with us this year, you've caught on to our color themes.  This month, the optional color theme is 'yellow'.  I love yellow!  Yellow makes me happy!  Yellow makes me think of sunshine, warmth, and growing things.  Yellow, to me, is a fell-good color!  

We have 2 guest sponsors this month at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog -- Limited Runs Digital Stamps and Imagine That Digistamp.  For the beginning of our challenge, I had the fun of using Flower with Ladybug from Limited Runs. 

I colored Flower with Ladybug with Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils.  The easel card is an SVG file from My Scrap Chick.  The digital paper is from Snap Click Supply.  The sentiment -- one of my favorites -- is a stamp from Hot Off The Press.  I found the buttons in my stash while looking for a ladybug brad that I'm SURE I have, but never found!

I hope you join in the challenge this month at Path of Positivity.  To be eligible for the awesome prizes from our sponsors, please follow the optional 'Yellow' theme.  Or, enter anything inspirational that you'd like to.  The challenge will run until April 1st.

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

Brown Sugar Challenge -- Spring or Easter

IDCB -- ATG

Word Art Wednesday -- ATG

Daisy Bucket -- a DigiStamps4Joy New Release

It's New Release Sunday at DigiStamps4Joy!  There are some great new releases, and I had the absolute delightful experience of working with one of them -- Daisy Bucket:

It's winter here where I live, so I've been craving bright colors, so I went with raspberry colored daisies!  Why not!

I colored Daisy Bucket with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils.  The easel card is an SVG files from My Scrap Chick.  It makes a very elegant card, doesn't it?  The sentiment is from Hot Off the Press. 

I hope you take time to check out all the New Releases today at DigiStamps4Joy.  You won't be disappointed in the fantastic talent from the design team, or the new digis in the store!  

A new challenge just started at DigiStamps4Joy on March 1.  It's Anything Goes, with an optional theme of "being Young".  It goes until March 31, so I hope you can join in the fun! 

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

D.L. Art -- March Linky Party

AUD Sentiments Challenge Blog -- ATG with a sentiment

Brown Sugar Challenge -- Spring or Easter

IDCB -- ATG

Word Art Wednesday -- ATG

It's Your Birthday Again?!? for QKR Stampede

It's Friday!!!!!!  It's time for a new challenge at QKR Stampede challenge blog!  The challenges are weekly, and they are Anything Goes! Yea!  

I have a few birthday cards that I need in the very near future, so I'm showcasing one of those cards today:

I used the sentiment as the focal point of this card because I thought it was just so darn fun!  The sentiment is Birthday Again (Q-digi17206).  The Small Party Balloons (ES-digi4205) were colored with Copic markers and gel pens on the confetti.   

This card is a wrap!  I hope to see you this week at QKR Stampede Challenge blog for our Anything Goes challenge! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- March Linky Party 
IDCB -- ATG
The Outlawz Monday Greeting Challenge -- ATG

A Non-traditional Merry Christmas -- for QKR Stampede

It's Friiiidaaayyy!  The 2nd Friday of December already!  How can this be happening!

It's also the start of a new challenge at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog. This week's optional theme is 'Non-traditional Christmas Colors'.  I like this theme as I get tired of the usual red, green, and blue.  I had fun with this one!

I used the digi stamps Christmas Ball with Ribbon (ES-digi12702) and Merry Christmas (ES-digi3206) to create this card. 

I colored Christmas Ball with Ribbon with Copic markers, then fussy cut it. 

The designer papers are digital papers that I found at Snap Click Supply.  The plain colored card stock is from Close To My Heart.  The snowflake stickers are from Hot Off the Press.  The card base is a cutting die from Tattered Lace.  Other circle cutting dies are from Craftin' Desert Divas (scalloped die) and Lifestyle crafts. 

I hope you find time to join us this week at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog.  I know things are getting busier and busier, but enter anything you make -- I'd love to see it, and we've got great digis that you can win!  

Hello Friend! an MHKDesigns New Release

It's New Release week at MHKDesigns, and Wow!  This is going to be fun!  All the designer and guest designers have fantastic projects to inspire you.  I couldn't possibly pick a favorite of the new releases.  One is as wonderful as the next!

Today's new release is Pretty Petunias Digital Stamp Set: 

I used the Petunia from the set, colored it with Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor pencils, and fussy cut. The sentiment is also from the set.  Papers on this card use the Stenciled Roses Digital Paper Pack. 

Make sure you check out the MHKDesigns blog and each of the other designer's blogs from now through Friday to see each of the fantastic New Releases!  There's a wonderful Facebook group, too -- MHKDesigners & Friends.

Pretty Petunias

Stenciled Roses

I Believe in Magic -- for Crafty Sentiments Designs

It's Tuesday, and time for a new challenge on the Crafty Sentiments Challenge blog.  Our challenges are weekly.  This week, the theme is Snowflakes. 

I love hedgehogs, and Crafty Sentiments Designs has some adorable rubber stamp ones.  This card uses rubber stamp, Hedgehog - Christmas Tree:

I colored Hedgehog - Christmas Tree with Copic markers.   The sentiment, also from Crafty Sentiments Designs,  is from the Christmas Circles digital set.

Papers for this card are from Echo Park.  A variety of circle dies were used to create the card from Lifestyle Crafts and Craftin' Desert Divas.  The snowflake dies are from Hot Off the Press.

I hope you can join us this week at Crafty Sentiments Challenges for our Snowflake challenge.  I'd love to see what you make, and we have great prizes for you to win!  

Merry & Bright -- for Imagine That! Digistamp

It's New Release day at Imagine That! Digistamp, and I'm back with another adorable one!

This card uses Tania's Tree Costume, colored with Copic markers. Isn't she sweet?  I think she's perfect for a Christmas card.  She's bound to bring some Christmas joy to whoever gets this card!

This card also uses digital papers from Imagine That! Digistamp.  They are Merry & Bright digital papers. 

 Tania's Tree Costume

Merry & Bright Digital Papers

The card base was cut out on my Silhouette Cameo with a cutting file from Pretty Paper Pretty Ribbons.  A Spellbinders die was used to cut out the colored Tania's Tree Costume.  The sentiment, also part of Tania's Tree Costume, was cut out with a Hot Off the Press die.  The rhinestones are from my stash. 

There are more new releases today at Imagine That! Digistamp.  Visit the blog throughout the day to see them all.  You won't be disappointed!  Then, check out the Imagine That! Digistamp Facebook group for even more inspiration. 

Wishing You a Sunny Day -- for MHK Designs

It's Sunday, and wherever you live, I'm wishing you a sunny day today!  Today, I'm posting for MHK Designs.  I love sunflowers.  I think they speak autumn like no other flower.  When I found this digital stamp set in the MHKDesigns Etsy store, I just knew I had to color it up!

This card was created using the Stitched Sunflower Digital Stamp set, colored with Copic markers.  The sentiment is also from the set.
Papers for this card are also from the MHKDesigns Etsy Shop.  They're Autumnal Accents Digital Papers.  Beautiful, aren't they?

I created the card base with Spellbinders dies.  A Hot Off the Press die was used for the sentiment.  The ribbon on this card is from 3 Girl JAM.

Have you joined the MHK Challenge yet?  There's still a few days to enter, and you could win some amazing digital sets for yourself, so link up!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Let's Color Linky Party -- ATG
TTCRD -- ATG
IDCB -- ATG
Not Just Cards -- ATG
Sunny Day Challenge -- ATG
D.L. Art -- Thankful Thursday -- October linky party
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- World Smile Day (this card makes me smile, and hopefully the recipient)

Simply Delightful Christmas -- for Great Impressions Stamps

It's Friday! Yea!  That means I'm posting today for Great Impressions Stamps.  This week, Great Impressions Stamps is sponsoring the MOD Squad challenge blog, where the theme is "For the Birds".

I love flamingos.  How can a bird be so pink and still survive in the wild?  I think they are just awesome!  But, flamingos in Santa hats?  Well, that is simply delightful!

This card uses 2 rubber stamps from Great Impressions Stamps -- G446 Holiday Flamingos and C426 Simply Delightful.

I colored G446 Holiday Flamingos with Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor pencils, then stamped the C426 Simply Delightful sentiment directly onto the colored image. 

The papers and vellum embellishments are from Close To My Heart.  The crinkle ribbon is from 3 Girl JAM.  I used an edge die on 2 of the papers -- by Hot Off the Press.

Great Impressions Stamps has a monthly challenge going on that just started. It's Anything Goes.  Come join us! 

Check out the many awesome stamps in the Great Impressions Online Store.  You'll find free shipping on orders over $25!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
MOD Squad Challenge -- For the Birds

IDCB -- ATG

Sunny Day Challenge -- ATG

Not Just Cards -- ATG

Critters & Creatures Linky Party 8 -- ATG