Howdy Partner-Time to circle the digis

Thanks to The Kraft Journal Challenge this week, I get to play among the Cowboys!  Their challenge was to use Kraft paper with the theme of Western Flair and I think I've done that.  I used the sketch from Crafting  For All Seasons by angling a red checkered strip- under a star filled circle-which sits on top of a horizontal brown tooled leather paper-which has a weathered red barn wood paper on top of THAT-the smaller circle w/ boot image has a deep red large button with hemp cord tied through it.
Now they said that you needed to keep to the image pretty much but that you could add other embellies-I added the Howdy banner and elected to use the brad accents to hold up the sign instead of in the corner.  Because of my love of textiles, I also added a braided rough ribbon along the front. I had such fun with the easel card recently, I couldn't resist using the cowboy printed paper and buttons on this special card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

The Kraft Journal Challenge #23:Western Flair-FEATURED ARTIST AWARD

Crafting For All Seasons-Sketch-TOP THREE AWARD

Paper makeup Stamps#29-For the Boys

Karens Doodles Challenge #101-make it for a Male

Thanks Deborah for the nomination!

I also wanted to share and thank Deborah Anton from Beadn&Stampn for nominating me for the Liebster Award. What is it? Allow me to share...



Liebster is German for Dearest, but can also mean Beloved or Favourite.

Apparently to receive this award there are a few 'rules'... so here goes!

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog ... check!
2. Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you ... check!
3. Copy and paste the blog award on your blog ... check!
4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed ... check
5. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog ... will of course do this!

My nominations for this are:

-Linda  http://scrappingheaven.blogspot.com/ 

-Holley  http://holleybarnhartsblog.blogspot.com/ 

-Pat  http://patacakespages.blogspot.com/ 

-Melissa  http://www.melissa-thoughtsonpaper.blogspot.com/ 

-Teresa  http://www.teresasscrappinspot.blogspot.com/ 


Now, head over to these fine ladies' blogs and leave them some love! Thanks for checking it out and have a great weekend!

Easter Time is coming..bring on the Bunnies!

This week's challenge at The Hambo Hoedown  is to get in the Easter Spirit using the digi image: BUNNY PARADE - digital image by Hambo Stamps". Using "Bunny Parade" (or any other Hambo image), make an EASEL CARD using the spring colors of lavender, yellow, pink, green and blue! Choose at least THREE of those colors for your card. (Bonus points if you use all five!)  Yeah, I was able to use all five colors what with the paper and the coloring~~~ 

I absolutely love this glossy embossed swirl paper as the background and hand cut a scalloped circle for the base mat to match.  The Salutation is matted with a coordinated striped paper and mounted with 3 flower brads.  The Spring pointed sign  is from Memory Makers is a glittery blue and green. 

 For the Easel part on the base, I used a speckled green paper mounted with pop dots and then I put fence die cuts from my friend Karissa across it and the points on the fence help to hold up the front.  Along the fence are the multiple eggs that are part of the image.  For an extra pop, I attached 2 triple layered felt flowers  


I'm so glad that I was "challenged" to do something I've never done before --I can't wait to try others!!  Thanks for looking and hope you've been inspired  to try a new style of cards-If I can do it you can!

Challenges I'm entering this card in:

Hambo Hoedown58: Easter Parade(used all 5 colors)WON B.I.S.
Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog: Spring
Sweet Stampin'- Anything Goes
Phindy's Place Challenge #98- Animals (Bunny)
Sassy Cheryl's SMT Challenge- Show Me
Celebrate the occasion #55-Welcome Spring!

Thinkin' Green for Spring!

It's so frustrating when you've spent your time creating your little works of art and then after you take your pictures...your camera doesn't cooperate for downloading!  Know you all have been there but it sure adds to the stress doesn't it!  I only have a small window in the evening to get everything done so of course the clock's a tickin' in my head.  Anyway, I don't mean to go off on a tangent :o)
The card tonight is done using the Mojo Sketch Challenge 233 turned on it's side. I used two mats separated as in the example and did a zig-zag stitch around each edge.  Stamped image is colored with copics and elevated with pop dots on a soft cream top notch die cut.  I fancy scalloped the edge of a coordinating paper strip and mounted a button cluster and satin ribbon on the side.  There's a similar mat inside with a Birthday verse stamped on it.

I would like to enter this in these challenges:

Mojo Sketch Challenge- sketch

Sweet Stampin' Challenge: anything green 

Thanks for looking and come back soon when you can stay for awhile!

Spring & Flowers are in the air....

Well it's been a long time since I've crocheted but a dear friend Linda encouraged me to try her recipe for flowers.  When I saw the tut online for the "picket fence card" I could just see those flowers against this new weathered paper I'd just gotten..  With the green peeling paint that looks so dimensional, I think it's a hit!  I used vine ribbon for their stems and put mini buttons in their centers.

When you open the picket fence gate (it's mounted to the card by brads) you see the LadybugLady digi from Cheryl Alger up against a cloud filled sky with even more flowers. I used red/white bakers twine for the path of the ladybug. The inside flowers were buttons that I cut the shanks off-they have a rubbery feel to them~they're mounted on pop dots.

This card is for the latest Squiggle Fly Challenge #1112 where   

this week the challenge is to use homemade flowers on your card/project. You can use punches, your cricut, tissue paper-or any other great idea for homemade flowers that you would like to share. 

 

Blog Challenges I'm entering this in:

Squiggle Fly-#1112 Homemade flowers

Sassy Cheryl's-show me Thursday #67 Winning Entry!

Phindy's Place-Spring has Sprung #97

 LTC Challenge-Anything Goes
One Stop Craft Challenge-Handmade Flowers

Need a Little Hug?

The Challenge on Hambo Stamps Challenge this week is to use the oh so cute digi image: "BAILEY HUG" - digital image by Hambo Stamps AND to have stripes somewhere on the layout.  So I decided to get a little GRUNGY.  Of course, to make matters easier, I decided to go to SWEET STAMPIN' and see what was the sketch of the week.  What a perfect combination!  The striped paper has great oranges/browns/greens in it.  I teamed it up it a doggie paw print background paper and a mat that is covered in dog bone treats with sayings.  I accented the edges with some zigzag and straight stitch rubons.  I show you a close-up of Bailey so that you can see a new method for me, putting tiny little hash marks to make it look like fur.
I'm entering this in these challenges:
Hambo Stamps Challenge-Bailey/stripes
Sweet Stampin-layered Sketch


Join us in the fun-branch out and try something new!  Thanks for visiting!
Carolyn

Sweet Stop #SSS149 & SQUIGGLE FLY #10 Challenge

Using a  Cheryl Alger dig called That's One Big Flower..well I DID need an accent for my paper flower!...I followed both the recipe for Squiggle Fly week's challenge AND used a great place to get sketch ideas, the Sweet Stop, for my card layout.  With Squiggle Fly, you needed to use 1. Patterned paper, 2. a paperclip (shaped or otherwise), 3. a flower (any kind) and a Squiggle Fly digi image. I used the horizontal paper band as a "pocket" to slip the insert down at an angle.  The paper accordion flower has a disk with the image painted with copics.  There's a winged butterfly poised on the petals. Materials used: paper (My Mind's Eye & Deja View), Copper clip, ribbon, and assorted buttons(from my stash), stamped sentiment (Stampology), heavy brown cotton lace (JoAnn's), Baker's twine.

The wonderful thing about Sweet Stop challenges is that they like you to be creative with the "suggestions" of placements--like instead of flowers, I used buttons, instead of a circle die cut, I used a paper Flower.  They let your creative side go wild!  Their site has a vast library of very creative sketches in case you ever get stumped! 

Mojo Challenge232 and Doodle Pantry Challenge21

I love the color combination of blues and browns together and when you can use a layout such as the latest Mojo Monday sketch 232, you're bound to make a great card. The Mojo Challenge was to keep the card very simple, in blocked out areas as seen in the sketch shown below.   I used the fantastic English Bluebells from Doodle Pantry colored with Copics for my image feature.  Their challenge was to use their digi  (only requirement) and if entered before March 24th, you receive the digi set (Easter Bunny) shown on this post. It was too adorable to pass up!

Elements I used:  paper(Deja Views-Timeless Collection), coloring(copics), ribbon(Hobby Lobby), Spellbinder die cut, embossed craft paper run through my Cuttlebug.

Babycakes Spring Challenge-get your Freebie!

This is a new challenge for me--Fellow Scrapbuddy Holley frequently uses images from Sandra Caldwell for her designs on Queen Kat Designs.  She encouraged all of us on Scrapbook Place to participate in Sandra's latest challenge and get a fee digi.  How great!  So this is the card I made using a label die cut out of glossy, sparkled dots, matted and accented with zig zag ribbon.  It was fun and quick to put together.  Sandra's challenge site is Babycakes Doodle this & That--the drawing will be on March 27th so you have plenty of time to get your entry in.  Make this site one of your routine ones~~Have fun! thanks for visiting, Carolyn

Hambo's HEART & SOLE Challenge

This March marks ten years that Hambo Stamps has been in business so they are challenging us with a Bingo Challenge with the Theme Heart and Sole.  When you play along each week with a Hambo Stamps image (rubber or digital) you are in the loop for some awesome FREE images! I just won Best In Show for this card at Hambo Hoedown, 3/13/12-woohoo!

That's where I got the SOLEMATES images from Hambo and sentiment used in this challenge.  One of the Bingo rows was to use Blue, Green and ribbon-All of which I love to death! I used heavily embossed beachy paper with a wide grosgrain striped ribbon.  The hand chalked palm tree is elevated and the 2 Sole fish are colored with Copics and mounted to starfish paper.  The inside is also angled with the same paper with a white die cut for your own sentiments.  I'm entering this in their Hambo Challenge found here and the Willow Sketchie challenge-they have made it so you can use their sketch OR the theme (this week ribbon or twine) OR BOTH.  I also decided to send this card over to Sassy Cheryl's "show me Thursday" Challenge-it's always interesting to see what everyone is working on and you get a free digi from my favorite artist, Cheryl Alger!

Outlawz Creative Freebie Challenge

Well here's the big reveal-Whew I didn't think I was going to get it done in time.  The great thing about this freebie challenge is that when you sign up at Outlawz  for this Freebie group, you get 2 free digi's-for this great gift, you are expected to complete a project and enter it within 2 weeks.  And for that, you are given 2 more images to repeat the process again in 2 weeks.  You could build quite a collection that way-they also share their digi's on the site.  I'm sure there's more to offer (they have challenge groups that run 7 days a week)-I've just touched the tip of the iceberg.
I colored this butterfly so intensely that I decided not to use blues but some of the accent colors.  This is a different style card:

• flat piece of cardstock for the back layer
• second layer as an accent -will be seen around the edge
• fold in half the top layer-this will actually be the opening flap( dark rose in this picture, glue the back down
• I ran some kraft cardstock through my embossing machine, cut the panels, mounted them on navy accent mats and then onto the front flap. I used blue dew drops  to accent the corners.
• Stamped a sentiment on the front flap.
• Then added the crowning touch with foam dots.

Thanks for visiting!  come back again and stay a spell!  Carolyn

Sweet Stampin is Swatting Bugs!

I don't know about you but I'm waking to the sounds of birdsong & I saw my first Spring bug of the year the other day!  So in honour of the approaching Spring, Sweet Stamp wants to see Something Nature related with some Bugs, Bees or Ladybirds on your creations.
I choose Embossible Designs paper by We R Memory Keepers.  I have several but decided to use the red checkerboard (picnic Table right?) and the other part of the paper was embossed ANTS. 
Summer Black eyed Susans are colored with Copics-did you know that they come in this Indian Summer variety?  I mounted it on the red Label Nestie and punched vertical slots on each side, threading "ladybug" ribbon through, looping it around and anchoring it with white button brads.  Added a wonderful sentiment trimmed with a homemade ladybug and also put one on the ribbon. 
The inside has a white and red plaid liner that's looped under the ribbon band.

Squiggle Fly Challenge #9-Another Wobble!

I DO like these wobble cards as you can see...2 in one night, don't know if this is a stress reliever or making me stressed!  When I saw this Cheryl Alger digi with the Bunny looking out the window I just knew it would be a great image for this challenge for Squiggle Fly.  
I got a sketch from Sassy Cheryl's Challenge #105 and found some great papers from Got Moxie again called Bunny Hop.  I love buttons and brads and this new hand punched paper ribbon from my friend Pammie so couldn't wait to use it!
I cut out the bunny from the digi and after coloring with copics I elevated her  on a handmade wire spring between 2 cardstock circles so it's elevated over the window.  Everything is placed on a purple cardstock card with a patterned paper inside.  I added a cardstock sticker in the middle of the 2 ribbons.

Challenges that I'm entering this card in:

Squiggle Fly Challenge #9:  Wobble/motion cards

Sassy Cheryl Digi Challenge #105:  Sketch

Sassy Cheryl's Thursday Challenge: Show me

Bunny Zoe's Crafts Challenge #21: Celebration

Sundays w/ Crissy:: Animals (Bunny)

Thanks everyone for looking-I appreciate all your support!  Carolyn

Another Sweet Stop Sketch #SSS148-It Wobbles!

A great "recipe" for a super card is use one of the Sweet Stop Sketches!  I love using these because it makes things go so smoothly..If you take this sketch and rotate it you will see the blueprint for my Wobble Bunny Card!  

I found a wonderful group of grungy Easter papers by Got Moxie called Spring Has Sprung so there's a floral layer, a chocolate brown with multi-colored eggs layer, and a corner spray on some soft brown background layer.  

I used a hand punched zig-zig paper ribbon (Thanks Pammie!) for the accent and a harlequin tone on tone label die cut as background for the Bunny (Thanks Teresa!) Buttoned flowers look so cute in the corners.  THE BEST thing about this bunny is that she Wobbles-she is mounted on top of a handmade spring with 2 cardstock circles on the top and bottom--it's very responsive, you can't help but go up to it and make it go **Boing**.

Challenges I'm entering this card in:

Sweet Stop Sketch: Sketch of the week

Sundays w/Crissy: Animals (Bunnies surely count)

Bunny Zoe's Crafts Challenge: Celebrations (Easter)
Sassy Cheryl's Thursday Challenge: What you're working on

Thanks so much for visiting and come back real soon!  

It's Hambo Hoedown Time!

Great Challenge at Hambo Hoedown this week-use one of their digi's in a sketch layout and you will get a free image to use in next weeks challenge.  Great way to build your digi supply-if you miss a week, you just have to use a freebie or purchase one.  I used the image called Hambo Monster Flower on my card colored in with copics, lime green layers and Circle all mounted on a white Bazzill cardstock.  I used a gorgeous purple satin flower shaped ribbon as my horizontal accent and a lime green button where the star is on the sketch.  There's more of the flowered paper on the inside.  Come join us over at the Challenge!  I'm also entering this at Sundays W/Crissy where they are doing a month long challenge with Animals-Monsters count don't they?  You can enter up to 3 items during the month for this one! And the Sassy Cheryl site is always interested to see what you've been up to during the week.  I love her challenges, it doesn't matter what medium you like to dabble in, she's interested in it!  So I'm sending her a cute Monster card!  Hope you catch the fever and we see your creations at one of them!  Thanks for looking~ Carolyn

Spring is in the Air at Squiggle Fly-Challenge #8

What a breath of Fresh air to join in this Challenge! What does Spring mean to you...Flowers Blooming? Children Playing? Gardening? Easter? Spring Break? St Patricks Day? just playing outside? Well at Squiggle Fly they wanted us to show them some bright and beautiful springtime cheer items and I'm sharing mine with you using a Cheryl Alger digi and a great sketch from Mojo Monday Sketches http://mojomonday.com/Sketches/Mojo229Sketch.gif  The key with this card is layers, layers, layers.

This large card starts with green cardstock, has 5 panels of spring striped/flowered paper under a pink/green plaid paper from DAISYD's offset onto pink cardstock.  I tied a soft pink satin ribbon on the end of that then elevated an embossed and glittered swirly flower cardstock from DAISYD's on top of the plaid. Then the icing on on the top is the elevated digi colored with copics and baby pearls to look like raindrops.  The inside is finished with the striped paper and a large label die cut for personal sentiments.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Squiggle Fly Challenge #8--Spring with ribbon

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge--Pink & Girly

Scrapbook Place Blog Challenge--Spring, DT entry
Sassy Cheryl's Blog Challenge #65--What you're Working on

I hope you will still remember that there is a Leap Day Blog Hop at Scrapbook Place with the hosts SBP giving blog candy away as well as some of the ladies participating-just click the link above and join in the fun!  Be sure to leave some love!