Play Time!

  I have been "under the weather" this week, suffering from a major attack of seasonal allergies! Yesterday, although not feeling quite back to normal, I found myself so bored I had to do something. So I went downstairs and decided to actually "play" in my craft room. Here is what I came up with.

I had lots of fun playing with supplies and tools I already had: different dies and some card stock. I even was able to make the sentiment by using different fonts on my computer. I am really pleased with how this turned out.

I think this card will be for my In Laws, who are celebrating their 60th Wedding Anniversary, but it would work well for quite a few different occasions I think.

I hope this card is a bit of inspiration for you to take advantage of any bit of spare time you get to play in your craftroom and discover all of the wonderful things you can make with the supplies you already have.

hugs,

Nancy


Challenges:
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Things with Wings
Scrappers' Delight - Pastels
Crafty Creations - White plus One
Simply Create Too - Stack 'im Up {at least 2 layers}
Get Inky - Die Cuts
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - Wings
Crafty Calendar - Things with Wings

*** Let's See A Little Metal! ***

Wow! Here we are nearing the end of April already! I sure do love Spring and seeing all the plants coming back to  life in my flower gardens. The transformation is amazing!

Today I would like to share my card for the new challenge happening over at Meljen's Designs. this week's theme is "Hardware" - use metal embellishments on your project!

I decided to go with a "Steam Punk" look so it was a natural choice to use Meljen's cute little "Steam Punk Girl" as my focus image. Here, take a look...

She definitely is a cutie! Reminds me of my granddaughter, Alanna, who was a "Steam Punk" girl this past Halloween. I printed the image out on Kraft Card Stock and coloured it with pencil crayons. I cut the image into a 1/4 circle, ink distressed the edges and matted it with some frilly lace. I used a couple of different DPs, which I ink distressed quite a bit as well. I cut out a buckle, using a die, ink it and then heat embossed it. I did the same with the sentiment after inking it onto a recycled metal tag. Five gold buttons and a ton of faux stitching helped to bring this card altogether.

To check out some more inspiration by the rest of the MD team, head on over to the Meljen's Challenge Blog. Hopefully, I'll see you project linked up in the gallery.

Until next time.

hugs,

Nancy


Challenges:
* Crafty Bloggers Network - Die Cut or Embossing (both)
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Distress
WOW Embossing Powder Challenge - Emboss on Metal (tag)
* Natalie and Amy's Challenge - Embossing
Crafting Musketeer's - Monochrome
Card and Scrap - Metal (tag)
Stampavie and More - Buttons
Inky Impressions - Recycled Item on Card (metal tag)
* DRS Designs - Tag, You're It! (sentiment tag)
4 Crafty Chicks - Embossing (Heat & Folder)

I'm A Guest Designer!

Good morning to you all. Hope you are looking forward to a wonderful day. 

A few weeks back one of  my cards was featured over at "Scrapping 4 Fun". That gave me the privilege of being their Guest Designer today! I want to thank the gang over at "Scrapping 4 Fun" for this honour and for all the wonderful challenges they host.

Here is the card I came up with...

 

Since Easter is this weekend i thought it would be find to go with a Spring theme and colour palette. The image is by Meljen's Designs. It is called "Peter Rabbit" and you can find it right here. I used Copics to colour it. I was able to use 4 different pieces of leftover DPs on this layout. All of the flowers and leaves were cut from scraps too, using Spellbinder dies. I added some pretty green buttons and lots and lots of faux stitching. 

I want to thank you for stopping by and do hope that you will check out the great challenge happening over at Scrapping 4 Fun. 

Until next time.

hugs,

Nancy


Challenges:


Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Spring
Craftitude - Easter/Spring
Wags'n Whiskers - Lots of Layers

*** Happy Birthday Clown Card

Good morning! I am so glad you took time out of your busy day to stop by for a visit. Today we have a new challenge up over at Meljen's Designs. It's a colour challenge! Here are the shades we'd like to see in your card.

 

 

For my card I used 4 different Meljen's images! I have to tell you, I really had fun doing this card; though I did use shades that are a bit darker than the ones in this inspiration photo. 

The basic shape of this card is 7"x 41/2". I cut out a section (from the folded side), that was 4"(along fold) x 2"(into card front / back). It now looked like a rectangular card with a square bite taken out of it's folded side.  I decorated the front with dotted card stock, a striped DP, a banner, (cut using a Spellbinder's die) and some braided twine. I used the following MD images, which you can find right here in the shop: Circus Clown; Twin Star String ( printed 3 times); Festive Firecrackers (printed twice) and Happy Birthday Word Art ( printed twice). All of the images were coloured with Copic Markers and I added a bit of glitter to different areas. Then I "fussy cut" them all out.

I attached most of the pieces with foam squares, to give dimension. The stars were hot glued randomly to a piece of wire that I coiled around a brush handle, which I then hot glued to the Clown's hands. The Clown was then adhered to the back side of the front "bite" opening. To draw a bit more attention to the banner I added some faux stitching and tiny buttons.

Even though this card looks a bit complicated it was actually extremely quick and easy, plus it was a lot of fun to do!

I hope I've given you a bit of encouragement to get colouring and hopefully join in our challenge this week. I love seeing the great things you all come up with.

Until next time, blessings on your day.

hugs,

Nancy


Challenges:


Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT - Birthday
Inky Impressions - Dots and Stripes
Tip Top Tuesday - Cute
Addicted to Stamps and More - Photo Inspired
Simply Challenged - Polka Dots
* Twisted Tuesday - Make Us Laugh
The Paper Girls - Birthday
* Feeling Crafty - For A Child

*** A tisket, a tasket, a pretty little Basket!

 Good Friday morning. Are you looking forward to a fun weekend? I sure hope so; I know I am! If you are looking to do a little crafting this weekend maybe you'd like to try your hand at this cute project. I got the pattern for the basket here. I was able to cut out all of the pieces for the basket body from my scraps! I ink distressed the all of the edges. I used Meljen's "Little Layered Flowers Button Daisy" image which you can find right here. I resized the image and printed it out a dozen times onto a scrap of orange distressed DP. Then I fussy cut them all out.  {It really didn't take that long to do, they cut out quite easily!}. I adhered the flowers to the basket with foam dots and added pearls to their centers. A pretty little die cut with a pearl center placed on the front center and a bright orange bow on the handle to finish up the basket.

 Then I made some simple little note cards, to place inside the basket, using the same Meljen's image and a stamped sentiment.

Today, Melissa is offering this little cutie for you as a FREEBIE!  

Make sure you head over to the shop & pick it up!

So that's it for me. Hope I've sparked your creative flame a bit.

Until next time.

hugs,

Nancy

Challenges:

Connie Can Crop - Pastels & Polka Dots

Crafters' Companion - Floral

Doodle Pantry - Any Digi Goes

Emergency Crafters - Polka Dots

* Really Reasonable Ribbon - Flowers or Buttons and Bows

Charisma Cardz - CAS

Crafty Ribbon - Anything with a Ribbon

Brown Sugar - CAS

Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything But A Card

Happy 4th Anniversary! And A Freebie!

Whoo! Whoo! It's celebration time over at Meljen's Designs! It's their 4th Anniversary! I personally want to say "Congratulations" to Melissa Jenkins. Not only is she a wonderfully talented young woman, but she is as sweet as they come and has a heart of gold! {hugs, Melissa!}.  In honour of her great accomplishment,  Melissa is having a fantastic sale and a fun challenge.  

In order to participate you must use this adorable, free image , (yes, I said free! I told you Melissa had a heart of gold), Melissa came up with just for this celebration. 

{This image is only free during this week's challenge, after that it will be available in the shop.}

Here is my take on it:

Isn't this just the cutest image ever! Melissa managed to get all of our favourite Meljen's characters into one fun image! I coloured it with Copics and then used it to make an Easel Card. I used about 4 different Spellbinder dies on this card, lots of random flowers, several little buttons, a bit of ribbon and 2 cute little charms - a teapot and a tea bag. The sentiment is free one that I found online.

I added lots of faux stitching, some doodle line work and ink distressing to most of the areas on this card. 

I want to thank you for stopping by today and encourage you to check out what the rest of the DT's came up with. You can find that right here and while you're there, remember to pick up your free image and create something wonderful to share with us in this Celebration Challenge.

hugs,

Nancy


Challenges:


Crafting for All Seasons - Dies/Punches
Hobbybook designer - 2 or more Die Cuts
Inky Impressions - Fancy Fold { Easel Card}
Paper Shelter - Buttons
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
Cards and More - Bingo {Purple/Pink/Green}
Digi Chooseday - Flower Power
Just Inspirational - Family/Friends

*** Happy Anniversary! ***

Good Wednesday morning to you. Today, my husband and I are celebrating our 28th Wedding Anniversary. We were actually married on a Wednesday! {It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day!} All the Saturdays in April that year were already booked for weddings, so we decided to get married during our church's mid week "Prayer and Praise" service. Our family and close friends were all invited, but anyone who just happened to attend the service that night were witnesses to our vows and  invited to join in with the celebration.It wasn't elaborate; a simple service, one other couple as our attendants, simple finger foods and cake, but I wouldn't change a thing!

Here is the card I made for my wonderful husband, Dan ...

Dan, is a pretty easy going, keep it simple, kind of guy, so when I made this card I kept that in mind. I used only 2 sheets of card stock, in 2 shades of green, for the entire thing! I cut out the card base, {darker shade}, and 2 extra pieces to layer onto the front {one from each shade of green},with a Spellbinder Grand Die. I folder embossed the lighter shade of green piece. With the single piece, of darker shade, I laid out 2 different Memory Box dies; 1 of a sprig of flowers; the other a butterfly. I ran it thru my Big Shot and then placed the butterfly on again and ran it thru the Big Shot again. Then I distressed all the edges and the cut out butterflies and flower sprig, with  Tim Holtz's Distress Ink. I hot glued a gathered lace around the back of the embossed piece, then adhered it to the piece with the die cut outs. Then I adhered the actual cut outs back onto the piece from which they were cut but just a bit lower than where the cuts were. Then I simply adhered the decorated card front to the front of the card base.

After I attached the butterflies' bodies,  I folded the butterflies' wings up a bit to add dimension.

 

I used another folder embosser to get the word "love", skimming my distress ink over it to bring out the letters. I then cut out a fancy tag shape, with a die, {inking it's edges as well}, to attach the word sentiment to. I added a double bow of sheer, shimmery green and a gold cording, attaching 2 inked wooden hearts to it's center.

 

 

I think it turned out quite well and guess what?, Dan said it was the best card ever!

So that's it for me for today. 

Until next time.

hugs,

Nancy


Challenges:


Inky Chicks - Butterflies
* Sweet Stamps - Dies
Craft-Dee BowZ - Anything {with a Bow}
Use Your Stuff - Die Cuts
* Victorine  - Monochromatic Green + 1 neutral
CAS on Sunday - Stitching {done in gold pen around the outer edge}
 A Gem of a Challenge - Ribbon & Lace
* Allsorts - Use those dies
One SweetStampers - Ringing In Spring