12 Kits of Occasions: February with Renee

As I write this up, we are getting our first little bit of rain in FOR.EV.ER!  Almost feels a little bit like Winter, but when you see our theme this month for the 12 Kits of Occasions, you are really going to feel like Winter.  Renee Lynch of A Patchwork Life is our hostess this month and she sent us a Wintery kit full of snowmen, snow globes, and just about anything to do with the word Snow!  Here's a peek at our kit:

Photo courtesy of Kara

I hope you will zoom in up close to check out all the fabulous ingredients Renee sent us.  I've been playing with them all week and have enough to make at least 3 or 4 more cards without even using a single thing from my own stash.  Here are my cards:

 I always post my favorite card first...I love snow globes and think you can make one for just about any occasion and using almost any stamp or die set.  I added Liquid Applique to the branches, heated them up and created some very puffy snow.  The little birds are a cut file from Silhouette.

This one's totally different, but still snowy in theme.  I went very girly and pink with this one adding just pink copic coloring to the cute snowman scene.  

I loved the vintage patterned paper Renee sent us this month...isn't that the cutest snowman?  I added a tea-stained bit of seam binding and one of the cute gold snowflakes from our kit. I also added a Verve banner in the background that reminded me of candy canes.

This last card was a fun one to make.  I used the plaid patterned paper and used a PTI stitching die to cut stitching lines.  I added some red floss stitching and a cute matching badge that was included in our kit.

Lots of fun this month...and we have a guest designer joining us this month.

Judy Moreno of Judy's Card Corner

Here's a peek at one of her cards.  Please stop by her blog to see what else she made with our Wintery Kit.

Want to see more from the 12 Kits of Occasions group?  Head on over to the 12 Kits of Occasions blog so that you can go around and see what the rest of the team has done with this month's kit.

All the supplies are listed on the 12 Kits of Occasions blog under the tab Monthly Kit Supplies 2014 here.

Thank you Renee for a fabulous and fun February kit!

Fusion Card Challenge #5

I hope you have been playing along with the new Fusion Card Challenge...we have had so many players and a ton of beautiful cards submitted based on either our sketches or inspiration photos.  If you haven't heard about us...all you have to do is make a card based on either:

The Sketch

The Inspiration Photo

or

Combine them both to create "Fusion"

For Fusion Card Challenge #5, we have another great sketch and photo for you to use:

This week I decided to use just the sketch.  I was drawn to the big circle image and the gentle curve along the bottom.  My first thought was a snow bank, but ended up making some rolling hills instead.  I cut my hills by hand and used a silhouette cut file for the barn and windmill.  I ran the barn layer through a crimper to give it a little more texture.  I hope you can see that the big sun image (also a silhouette cut file) is meant to replace the large circle in the sketch.  I cut it from card stock, laid it over my card base and used the negative space to sponge on harvest gold ink.  The cute farm animals and sentiment are from Papertrey Ink's On the Farm Stamp and Die sets.  

So, what is going to inspire you this week?  Will it be the sketch...or the photo...or a combination of both?  Either way, you have plenty of time to play along.  This challenge ends on Tues. March 11th at noon PST.  I can't wait to see what you create!
For more inspiration...check out what the rest of the Fusion Design Team have made for you:

Betty J

Dannielle Robeson

Deepti

Geri Freeman

Julia Aston

Katie Brooks

Kelly Griglione

Kimberly Wiener 

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan

Michelle Folland

Michelle Lupton

Sindu

Stephanie Severin

Husband Kit Birthday Card

Here is what I would have received from my husband last week for my birthday:

You will notice this year he added a nice new touch to his yearly birthday banner...that lovely purple duct tape.  Really brightens the banner up...don't you think?

Now this is what I received in addition to the beautiful banner thanks to my good friend Joyce Mehrberg of Cards by the Sea who supplied Warren with a "husband" kit full of cards for just about every occasion.  Warren didn't even have to go to the store to buy me a card...he just opened up the big, fat envelope and chose the card...he did write a little funny note inside, but given it was about my age...I think I will leave that to your imagination!

Joyce outdid herself with this one...love the stitched elements and the bright, colorful flowers.  I know that Warren and I are both going to be enjoying this kit for years to come!  Thank you Joyce, this was so much nicer than my paper towel/duct tape banner!

 

CASology #83: Jump

I am playing along with CASology #83 today.  This week's cue word is JUMP.  

I  thought of all kinds of animals that jumped...frogs, deer, bunnies, kangaroos, but I wanted to make something a little different for this word.  I did a search of the Silhouette store which turned out to be a great place to look as I saw all kinds of ideas that were tagged with the word Jump.  Here is what I ended up with:

Who remembers hop scotch?  Probably only people around my age, but I hope kids still play this game.  I know I sure played it a lot when I was growing up.  I turned this hop scotch diagram into a graduation card.  The squares were cut on my Silhouette and I used Papertrey Ink's For the Graduate stamp set to add a graduation cap to make this card suitable for a graduation that is coming up this May.  I only hope the young lady I give this to has even heard of hop scotch!  More likely she will wonder what kind of weird robot I drew with a graduation cap on it's head.  The Way to Go sentiment is from Lil Inker Sunshine Sentiments.  So...hopefully you all remember what it was like to "jump" your recess away playing hop scotch, but if not...it was fun!

For the Graduate

Sunshine Sentiments Stamp Set

InLinkz.com

Card Concept Challenge #4: Use a Floral Theme

140 players.  

Yes, I said 140 players.

Card Concept Challenge #3 had 140 players.

I don't think I can say that enough...140 players!  I still can't believe how many beautiful cards were submitted to our last challenge and it was SO difficult to choose just one as my favorite among so many beautiful cards.  If you are wondering who were our favorites...here's a link.  I sure hope you see your card posted in our favorite's gallery.

For today though...Card Concept Challenge #4 is beginning a new two week challenge period and our theme this time is:

Use a Floral Theme

If you are wondering what the Card Concept Challenge is all about...the basic premise is to make a card using the theme and in one of six "card making styles" represented by the Card Concept Design Team.  The card making styles and a detailed explanation of each can be found here.

I am one of the designers representing the Classy and Elegant style (still can't get used to that one), and I really went to town with the purple on this one.

On of the characteristics of a Classy and Elegant card is the use of monochromatic colors and since last time I used pink...this time I brought out everything I have in beautiful shades of purple.  My card base is stamped with an Impression Obsession Cover a Card (Roses).  I love those big, huge stamps...no lining anything up, just ink and stamp for a beautifully spaced intricate pattern.  The bottom half of the card is die cut with a beautiful edge die (Anja Edge Die).  It cuts and embosses a beautiful swirly lattice type edge and really dresses up a card.  Another characteristic of a Classy and Elegant card is the use of embellishments and I dug into my ribbons and roses to add some elegance to my card.  The sentiment is a little stamp from Papertrey Ink Garden Variety Stamp set.
Would you like to give the Classy and Elegant style a try?  I would love to see what you come up with, but if not, you can make a card in any of the six styles and you have until Monday, March 3rd at noon PST to link your card up in the Card Concept Challenge gallery.  I can't wait to see what everyone does with our Floral theme.  Here's a link to more details about the Card Concept Challenge and also links to the other designers and their cards using a Floral theme.

Clean & Simple

Tracey McNeely 

Deanna Dean

Clean & Graphic

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Geri Greening

Clean & Layering

Kay Miller

Kerin Sylvester

Shabby Chic

Narelle Farrugia 

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Freestyle Collage

Karen Davis 

Cindy Lovell 

Classy & Elegant

Lee Ann Barrett

*IO Cling Stamp ROSES Rubber Impression Obsession	Papertrey Ink Garden Variety	Anja Edge Die	Woven Rosette Ribbon	Mini Roses
Lavender Wrinkled Seam Binding

InLinkz.com

Fusion Card Challenge #4

Make sure to check out the winners from Fusion Card Challenge #3!

Thursdays are becoming one of my favorite days of the week...not as nice as Fridays, but since I joined the Fusion Card Challenge Design Team, Thursday posting days have really brightened up my week! Today it's time for Challenge #4 and we have a really cute sketch and colorful inspirational photo for you to choose from. All you have to do is make a card using either the sketch, the photo or a combination of both for perfect Fusion!  Here's the photo for this week:

I have been jumping back and forth between the sketch and photos for my cards, this week I chose the photo.  I loved all those stamped butterflies and decided to change it up a bit and use sheep instead of butterflies.

This looks very simple in design, but actually was not an easy card to make.  Here's a tip:  Think long and hard before you decide to use a lot of Polar White Flower Soft on a card in which you also plan to use bright Delphinium Blue Flower Soft.  I learned the hard way that it is very difficult to keep the blue color from migrating into the white...and photographing it was even harder!   What a mess!  It does give a lot of texture to your card though and really brightens up those cute sheep.  The stamp set is from Fresh Squeezed Stamps (Friendly Folk) and the cute little cross stitches are also included with that set.  The sentiment is also from Fresh Squeezed Stamps (Take a Number).  What do you think of those googly eyes?  That was a suggestion by my good friend Jeanne Jachna (A Kept Life) who thought the eyes would add that little extra touch to my card.

You are going to want to check out the beautiful cards made by the other members of the Fusion Card Challenge Design Team...A little hint:  I think you just might see some butterflies!  Here's a quick link for you to follow.
You have two weeks to play along with Fusion Card Challenge #4...the challenge ends at noon PST on Feb 24th.  I hope to see your cards in our gallery very soon!

Take a Number

Friendly Folk

Flower Soft, Polar White

Flower Soft, Delphinium Blue

InLinkz.com

Merry Monday #95: Use an Animal on your Card

I have a funny card to share today...at least I think it's funny according to my sense of humor.  This week's Merry Monday #95 challenge is to Use an Animal on your Holiday card.  I just received Fresh Squeezed Stamps Close Your Ear Deer stamp set last weekend and it was still sitting on my desk...great timing.

This cute little deer silhouette has so many possibilities...he can be dressed up for almost any occasion.  I almost put a Santa hat on him, but really wanted to use one of the cute sentiments that comes with the set, so I decorated his "rack" with a string of holiday lights.  The lights are from Cheery Lynn (Christmas Light Swag) and instead of the lights that come with it, I used sequins.  He is a very festive deer, so he got a rhinestone collar, nose and eye too.  I mounted my deer on an Instant Camera Die cut from Lil Inker Designs.  The sentiment is stamped on another Lil Inker die cut (Gift Bow Topper Die) and the "ho ho ho" is from PTI's Tiny Treat Christmas, the perfect scale.  

I have quite a bit of time to decide who is going to receive this Christmas card...has to be someone with a good sense of humor or else a slightly warped one like me!

Close Your Ears: Deer	Tiny Treats: Christmas Stamp Set	Christmas Lights Swag	Instant Camera Die	Gift Bow Topper Die
RUBY RED METALLIC SEQUINS	EMERALD METALLIC SEQUINS

InLinkz.com

For My Sweetheart

Happy Saturday morning!  Still sitting here in my pj's trying to decide if I want to do the responsible thing by getting dressed and doing a little grocery shopping...or, the more fun thing by staying right where I am now and making something crafty!  Hmmm...which one do you think I will choose?  While I go back and forth with my very difficult decision, I am sharing a tag I made for the anniversary gift I gave Warren last week.  Nothing like a cute little romantic tag attached to a rake.  Yes, I said a rake.  Aren't rakes the traditional 34th anniversary gift?  Well, they are at our house and it was a huge success too!  I guess the thrill is gone a bit, but he is outside using that gift this very minute!  LOL.

Wish I had snapped a picture of it attached to the rake, but I guess you will just have to use your imagination for that one.  Everything is from Lil Inker Designs...Folding Tag Die original, Rainbows and Clouds Die Set, Of the Heart Die set and Of the Heart Stamp Set.  So...just for fun, I'd love to hear the funniest anniversary gift you have ever given or received?  Hope I hear something funnier than a rake!

Like Milk and Cookies

 Today I'm sharing a card I made for two challenges...CASology #81 with the cue word "And", and WPlus9's birthday celebration with the theme of "Comfort Zone".  Both are fun ideas and I had the perfect WPlus9 stamp set to use to compliment them both, Milk and Cookies.

Nothing like some ice cold milk and Oreo cookies, my kind of comfort food.  I made sure my cookies were the double stuffed variety by adding some Liquid Applique to the centers and heating them with my heat tool to make some nice puffy icing.  I stamped the little banner in the corner and attached it with a staple.  The ampersand is a die from Papertrey Ink.  This was a fun card to make, definitely in my comfort zone.  Hmm...I'm feeling like I need some cookies...Oreo's anyone?

Card Concept Challenge #3 - Monochromatic Pink

I am so excited to be a part of the Card Concept Challenge...can you believe we had 119 cards submitted for our last challenge?  If you're wondering if your card was one of the favorites chosen by the design team...get right over to the Card Concept blog and check out the challenge winners!  Today, we are opening up Challenge #3...one that I personally LOVED because it is all about the color pink! 

 Monochromatic pink to be exact, something I use often, but especially right about this time of year when Valentines Day is close upon us.    Here's my card representing the Classy and Elegant style:

Pink, pink, and more pink.  Everywhere you look there is an explosion of some shade of pink.  To get my card started, I embossed a white panel with Lil Inker's Circles and Diamonds Stitched Pattern die.  The die coordinates with the Lil Inker Darling Diamonds stamp set.  I had such a good time coming up with the right shades of pink ink to use and once I had them, I just stamped solid circles every other layer.  I stamped the inside of the solid circles with one of the centers...this one has a heart in the middle, just perfect for Valentines Day.  I used a border punch to cut a hot pink topper to my card.  One of the elements of the Classy and Elegant style is to use an elegant sentiment, so I looked through my stash and found the swirliest, love-themed sentiment I have and embossed it in white.  I also used a layer of lace, a layer of circular ribbon and gathered it over the seam.  I went to town with the little pearls on this one too.  I put one just about everywhere I could find a blank spot.  The last touch were those cute little glittery cupids.  They are from Impression Obsession (Cupids) and I only wish I had some reason/excuse to use them at other times of the year...Christmas Cupids?  We'll see about that one a little closer to next Christmas.

Need more information about the Card Concept Challenge or about the different card styles?  Here's a little explanation:

Card Concept Styles Defined

So...what is your card style?  I guarantee you will find something that is just right for you when you check out the other cards made by the Card Concept Challenge Design Team.  Challenge #3 lasts for two weeks,  plenty of time to make and post your card in our gallery.  The challenge ends on Feb. 17th at noon PST.  The winners will be revealed on Wed. Feb. 19th.  I hope to see your card in the gallery very soon!

We also have a new guest designer for the month of February...Laurie Willison who is representing the Clean and Simple style.  Please stop by her blog and see what her version of Monochromatic Pink looks like!

Husband Kit Anniversary Card

I bet you are wondering what a Husband Kit is...you probably wish you had one too...right?  LOL, who doesn't?  Luckily, I was the recipient of a big bag of cards made specially for my sweet, but card-challenged husband...all made for me by my friend Joyce Mehrberg of Cards by the Sea.  Joyce had a brilliant idea last year.  Probably like every card maker, we make so many cards to give to others, yet are lucky to receive one purchased from the grocery store an hour before our birthdays, anniversary's or Mother's Day.  I know that is the way it always goes down at my house.  Joyce thought up the idea to make a whole batch of cards...probably enough for two years worth of events and to mail them in a Top Secret package...ready and waiting for our husbands or children to look through and present to us on our special occasions.  Last Summer, I received this package from Joyce.  Kim Heggins, Tracey McNeely and Joyce also received packages from each other.  I stored my package away and had a long time to wait before I could hand this package to Warren this weekend.   Here is a picture my daughter took of him as he opened the package:

From his expression, he was either excited or afraid of what was in that envelope...either way...he was happy to not have to run off to the store to buy me my anniversary card.  Here's the beautiful card that Warren/Joyce gave me:

Isn't this pretty?  I love the woodgrain paper, the cute hearts on the mini tag and those very delicate flower dies.  Thank you Joyce (you will notice I did not thank Warren) for the beautiful card.  For Warren...thank you for 34 years and for giving me the kind of life I had always dreamed of.  My birthday is coming up soon and Warren has already picked out the card he's going to present to me...I'll post a picture after I open it up.  Wasn't a husband kit a great idea?

CASology #80: Purple

I wanted to play along with this week's CASolgy #80 challenge which has a fun and colorful cue word...purple.  

So what is CAS, purple and since I am running late on time...quick to make while on my lunch break? How about some sparkly sequin grapes?

I stamped one of the Papertrey Ink Fruit Fusion: Grape images and filled in the individual grapes with a few different colors of purple sequins.  I cut a postage stamp frame, popped it up with dimensional foam, added a mini twine bow and stamped the sentiment, ate lunch and still managed to get back to work before my lunch hour was up.  You can't get much faster than that!