Doodle Pantry Quirky Penguin

We have new releases at Doodle Pantry today!

For my first Doodle Pantry new release card this month I'm using Laurie's cute Quirky Penguin in the colored version as well as one of the great digital papers that comes in this set.

I also used part of a Dienamics snowflake die and added a blue rhinestone to the center and my trusty Spellbinders circles dies.  I've been working on using more white on my cards or maybe leaving more white space on my cards... and that's what I did here with my layout.  

I hope you'll stop by Doodle Pantry today and see all the wonderful samples of the new releases from our design team!

Starting October 1st at Doodle Pantry

With ANY purchase, you may put the Quirky Turkey digital stamp set (you can find it in the freebie section) in your cart and get it for free through Oct. 24, 2011!  After that, it will be $2.50.
Get the October Product Bundle for only $7.25, through Oct 24, 2011.


The October Bundle includes FOUR NEW products:   Quirky Owl,  Quirky Penguin,  Snow Birdie,  and  Candy Cane Ants
300 dpi PNG and JPG files included.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Cute Card Thursday - Animal Crackers
Crafts For Eternity - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Things With Wings

Operation Write Home Christmas Blog Hop

Welcome to our Operation Write Home Christmas card
blog hop/link party!

  

I really enjoy making cards for our troops to help keep them in touch with home. It's a very small way to say thank you for your service to our country and the freedoms I enjoy.

I've been doing a little reflecting on my blog lately, you know looking back to see how far along I am in my card making journey.  In November 2007 I did my very first tutorial on how to make a folded Christmas tree for a card and I thought it would be fun to try my tutorial again and re post the tutorial.  You can find it here.

Here's a side view of my card so you can see how puffy the tree is.  I used Basic Grey designer paper for this tree, it's a nice heavy text weight and made a substantial tree.  

If you aren't familiar with Operation Write Home I have links for you.  Helping Heroes Keep In Touch With Home -

http://operationwritehome.org/

http://www.owhhomefrontblog.org/

http://www.owhheroblog.org/

To help cover the cost of OWH shipping -

Enjoy the rest of our Christmas link party and thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:

Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
Scrapalicious - Anything Goes
For Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes

Folded Christmas Tree Tutorial

I have a fun tutorial to share with you today.  

I posted this tutorial the first time November 2007 and thought it would be fun to post it again.   This was my very first tutorial so I hope it all makes sense. The best way for me to learn how to do something is by someone showing me and you might be the same - The supplies needed to make this project are very basic.  One sheet of designer paper, the single sided works best because the thinner the paper the easier it is to fold, especially the smallest square. You'll need your paper trimmer, a bone folder helps and an adhesive of your choice.

The next step is to cut the squares. The first square is 3"x3", the second square is 2 1/2"x2 1/2", the third square is 2"x2", and the forth square is 1 1/2"x1 1/2".

Now the folding part -

I've drawn pictures for you because it was hard to see the fold lines on my patterned paper.

The first in the series of pictures is folding your square in half and creasing it.

The next picture is folding your square in half again in the other direction and creasing it.

The next picture shows folding the square from corner to corner each way and creasing it.

The next step is to fold the square in half after you've done all that.

Now, you will fold it to look like the first triangle shape pictured by pushing the top left and right outside corners toward the bottom center. You'll end up with a triangle, a puffy triangle.

Next you'll take the top section of this triangle and fold it in to meet the center scored line and do the same with the opposite front side so it looks like the one in the center of the picture above.

You now have a "tree part". Fold the other 3 squares just like the first one and you can build your tree from the bottom up by stacking them one on top of the next, largest to smallest. Stick your tree together with the adhesive of your choice. I used a scrap of brown paper for the trunk of my tree, you can see my finished tree card pictured below.

My card from November 2007

I hope you enjoyed the Christmas Tree folding tutorial and will try one for yourself.  I have an InLinkz widget below for you to show off your Christmas tree cards if you'd like!   Thanks for visiting my blog and have a blessed day -

Clear Dollar Stamps Sweet Autumn Wishes

My card today is for the Clearly Inspired Challenge at Clearly iStamp today.  I used the featured Clear Dollar Stamps Sweet Autumn Wishes digital stamp set and one of the digital papers for this fun sketch challenge.

I hope you'll join us at Clearly iStamp!

Supply List:

Stamps/Images: Clear Dollar Stamps Sweet Autumn Wishes

Cardstock/Papers:  Via Vellum Sunflower, Thepapermill.com Nut Brown, Mohawk Bright White, Digital papers that come in this stamp set

Inks/Markers: HP OfficeJet 6000

Accents/Tools:  Spellbinders Mega Ovals & Scalloped Mega Ovals, Cheery Lynn Designs Flourish, Dew Drops

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Clearly iStamp - Clearly Inspired Challenge Sketch
My Partner in Crafting Crime - Sweet Treats 
Nettie G's - Anything Goes 
Paper Pretties - Fall Inspired 
Woodware USA - Fall 
Crafting For All Seasons - Fall Colors 
Fresh Brewed Challenges - Autumn

Anything Goes Art Journal Pages

It's a day early and  I have our featured Art Journal inspiration layout today selected by InLinkz.  Isn't this fabulous?!  This wonderful Art Journal layout was made by Dana.  You can read about all the details and see her video at her blog  

Dana's Inspirations.

Thank you Dana for participating in the Art Journal link party and sharing your awesome creativity with us!

If you have an art journal page or layout you'd like to share please enter it in the InLinkz widget below, the theme is Anything Goes!

I hope you'll stop by again this weekend for our Operation Write Home blog hop, it starts Saturday and I have a special tutorial for you here tomorrow that ties in with the blog hop.

Thanks for visiting my blog today - 

Penny Black Christmas Hedgie

My card today is for the Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown challenge.  The challenge is to make an Any Hero Christmas card.  I love Penny Black Hedgehogs and had this cutie colored so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to use it.   

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Star & Stamps - Any Hero Christmas Card
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Stamps & Fun - Anything Goes

Doodle Pantry Ant Masquerade

I had to make one more card using the Ant Masquerade pre-colored digital stamp set by Doodle Pantry.  This is one of my Doodle Pantry favorites!  

I printed out the ant butterfly image and a sheet of the butterfly digital paper, the digital paper on text weight paper and the image on cardstock.  My card layout was inspired by another card maker, I loved the sketch layout she'd used.

I used Stampin' Up! Close To Cocoa as a base and a smaller panel that I put through the Cuttlebug with a Tim Holtz wood embossing folder.  The butterfly strip is part of that sheet of digital paper and the sentiment is cut out with a Papertrey Ink double ended banner die.  Some of their dies are rather challenging but I managed to get the sentiment where I wanted it.  I also used a Papertrey Ink envelope liner die, I really like the look of a card with a matching lined envelope. 

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Raise The Bar - Things With Wings
Critter Sketch Challenge - Anything Goes
Digi Makeover Challenge - Resize your image
Oh La La - Punches & Dies
Crafty Boots - Things With Wings

Clear Dollar Stamps Autumn Friends

I have a Clear Dollar Stamps design team card to share with you today!  I used the new in September digital release Autumn Friends set.  I first saw this cute digital image last year when I started with Clear Dollar Stamps and loved it.  I never took the time to color it and make a card and now it comes in a pre-colored version with digital papers.  I didn't know procrastination could be a good thing...

I wouldn't be surprised if you have the same problem I do being able to color and make every card you'd really like to.  Pre-colored digital images satisfy my need to "make that card" without spending a lot of time coloring.  Since I like to color too it's the best of both worlds for me. 

My fun Autumn Greetings card went out with my last Operation Write Home box and I hope someone else is enjoying it now.

Supply List:

Stamps/Images:  Clear Dollar Stamps Autumn Friends

Cardstock/Papers:  Color Mates Deep Orange, Via Vellum Violet, Mohawk Bright White, Digital paper that comes in this set

Inks/Markers:  HP OfficeJet 6000

Accents/Tools:  We R Memory Keepers 1/8” corner chomper

Thanks for visiting my blog today - 

Challenges:
For Crafty Chicks - Celebrating Fall
C.C.E.E. Stampers - Add A Bird
Crafty Purple Frog - Fall Into Fall
Delightful Challenges - Happy Fall Y'all
Crafty Catz - Autumn

D.A.I.S.I.E. Comany Jacki's Hearts & Sweets

Happy Saturday!  I have some fun cards to share with you today using a pre-colored digital image that came in a set from D.A.I.S.I.E Company called Jacki's Hearts & Sweets.

I've been working on Clean & Simple designs and having a hard time with leaving all the white space alone.

After I walked away from this one and came back to look at it I like it, but it was hard to walk away!

I cut out the image again and placed it on the white card body after I embossed it, it just seemed so naked without it... 

These are cards that were just for fun and are going into my Operation Write Home box.  I left them blank inside so they'll make nice "love" cards to write home on.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:
Hannah & Friends - Anything Goes
Southern Girls - Anything Goes
Card Makin' Mama's - Punches
Cardmadfairy's - Lots of Layers
Inspire Me Friday's - Anything Goes
Sweet & Sassy - Border Punches

Featured Art Journalist

It's Friday and  I have our featured Art Journal inspiration layout today selected by InLinkz.  Isn't this fabulous?!  This wonderful Art Journal layout was made by Donna.  You can read about all the details at her blog Popsicle Toes.

 

Thank you Donna for participating in the Art Journal link party and sharing your awesome creativity with us!

Clear Dollar Stamps Blog Hop Winner

The winner of the $25 Clear Dollar Stamps gift certificate from our Tangy Trio Blog Hop for digital images is...

Elaine Sauer who was randomly chosen from Trudy's blog.

For more information please see the Clearly iStamp blog -

Art Journal Link Party Lil Inker Rainbow & Clouds

Every could has a silver lining...

Hi blogging friends, welcome to this weeks Art Journal Link Party!  My layout today is a spin off of The Greeting Farm's He-Art Journal class.  I didn't get in on time to participate in the class but I sure have enjoyed the inspiration and have been following along when I can.  "Every cloud has a silver lining" was  a He-Art Journal assignment.  This phrase/quote has played in my mind for a few weeks now and I decided to put on paper what was going on "in there" after my bible study earlier today.

I won't go into detail, you can click on the picture to make it bigger if you'd like to read what I was thinking.

Please feel free to link up your Art Journal pages/layouts with the InLinkz widget below.  This party is just for fun and inspiration.  Thanks in advance for the inspiration - 

Challenges: 
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Anything Goes
Anything Goes - Anything Goes

Doodle Pantry Candy Corn Ants

I'm crazy about these Doodle Pantry Candy Corn Ants!  I really like Laurie's Ants collection of digital stamps anyway but these two have stolen my heart and I just had to use them for a card today.  

I printed the pre-colored version of the Candy Corn ants, one of the cute sentiments and a 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 inch swatch of one of the digital papers that comes in this set and went to work.  I utilized my Spellbinders dies a Cuttlebug embossing folder, extra button and crochet thread.  After I was finished with my card I realized I have a new die set that is buttons and could have made one using the orange paper!  Oh well, next time... 

We start a new Midweek Throwdown challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps today too.  Our theme is "Something Sweet"!  

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Something Sweet
Crafting For All Seasons - Fall Colors
The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

Lil Inker Designs Rainbow & Clouds

Struggling With Simplicity -

I found the cutest set of dies with a coordinating stamp set at Lil Inkers recently and have been playing with rainbows and clouds.  I find myself struggling with the simplicity of these dies, they are cute and then what do I do with them?!  

Could it be I'm challenged because I spend so much time with my Copic markers?  

Each of my cards uses scraps that were waiting to be used beside my paper trimmer.

As you can see I even had help with this project...

There are two rainbows and two sizes of clouds so this one is a little different.

Then I had the idea to go with an Any Hero type thank you for Operation Write Home.  I really like the sentiment stamps, the font is nice and there's a wide variety of sayings to use. 

Inky is starting to look a little annoyed at me for bothering her in my workspace...

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:

Papertrey Ink Envelope Liner Die

I've received several questions about my lined envelopes so I thought I'd make a quick video for you.  You can purchase the envelope liner die at Papertrey Ink.  The butterfly is by Cheery Lynn Designs and the sentiment is from the Stampendous Birthday Assortment clear acrylic stamp set.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Clear Dollar Stamps Tangy Trio

Welcome to our Clear Dollar Stamps Tangy Trio Blog Hop!

If you've arrived here from Sarah's blog you're on the right track, if not you can start at the beginning here.

For our Clear Dollar Stamps blog hop this month we were challenged to use the Tangy Trio color palette, how fun!  For my card I used the Clear Dollar Stamps Tangy Trio Leaves digital paper pack as well as CDS Tangy Trio papers in the above color swatch.  I also used the birthday sentiment from our new release Birthday Fall Critters digital stamp set.  The dies used for my card are from Cheery Lynn Designs and Papertrey Ink.

Be sure to leave comments on each design team members blog along the way to be eligible for the fabulous Clear Dollar Stamps $25.00 gift certificate for digital images.  The winner will be announced September 22, 2011 right here!  

This is the last stop on our hop, click here and you'll be back at Clearly iStamp!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Digi Design Challenge - Anything Goes
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle - Birthday

Tiddly Inks Colorful World Inking of You

I have a second blog post today, I just finished my art journal layout for the Tiddly Inks challenge.  I've been thinking about what I'd like to do for this challenge for a couple of days now and it all came together just the way I pictured in my mind.

I used Tiddly Inks digital images "Colorful World" and "Inking of You" as well as some quotes about art and journaling that were stashed in a folder on my computer.  The girls are colored with Copic markers and the background for my pages I used the Copic air brush system, Copic refills, Colorless Blender and Mini Misters just for fun.  

Thanks for stopping by & have a nice weekend!

Challenges:

Tiddly Inks - Art Journaling
Crafty Ann's - Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Inspire Me Friday's - Anything Goes

Robin's Fetish Basket of Apples

Happy Saturday my crafty friends!

My card today is the sample card for our "Something Round" challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sponsored by Robin's Fetish.  I used "Basket of Apples" by Robin's Fetish and had lots of fun coloring it with Copic markers R59, R46, R35, E99, E29, E25, E53, YG67, YG63, YG03, B63, B60, B0000.

I also used Doodle Pantry Rounded Wishes digital stamp set for my "something round".  I was actually trying to make a regular A2 sized card since this challenge is for Operation Write Home and that is the size they prefer but it got away from me...  To have the circle I made with my Spellbinders dies fit the Rounded Wishes I was using and fit around my Basket of Apples I had to re think my plan.  

I also used one of my favorite Cheery Lynn Designs die sets for the shape of the card, it's called French Flair.  For a little added something I went and looked up apple blossoms on the internet to see what they looked like and thought I could add a few of those using an old EK Success flower punch.  The red hearts you see are from a Die-namics heart border die and I placed them over the dots that separate "Have a delightful day" in the sentiment.

I hope you'll join in our "Something Round" challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps, the challenge is open until September 30, 2011.  Robin's Fetish is our sponsor with a generous prize package of 6 digital images of the winners choice!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

OWH Stars & Stamps - Something Round On Your Card
Crafty Purple Frog - Fall Into Fall
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Autumn Colors
Always Something Creative - Autumn
Heidi's Hobbystuggu - Autumn
Card Makin' Mama's - Punches

It's Friday and  I have our featured Art Journal inspiration layout today selected by random.org.  Isn't this fabulous?!  This wonderful Art Journal layout was made by Jen.  You can read about all the details at her blog Stampin Angel Jen!

Thank you Jen for participating in the Art Journal link party and sharing your awesome creativity with us!

Clear Dollar Stamps Sentimental Quilt

It's the middle of September already and time for Clear Dollar Stamps new release digital images!  

For my first card today I used Sentimental Quilt in the pre-colored version and one of the digital papers that come in the set. This quick cute card is going in my birthday card stash.

I have a supply list below for you today:

Stamps/Images:  Clear Dollar Stamps Sentimental Quilt

Cardstock/Papers:  Basic Black, Stampin’ Up! Orchid Opulence, Mohawk Bright White, Digital paper that comes in this set

Inks/Markers:  HP OfficeJet 6000

Accents/Tools:  Spellbinders Circles dies

My second card uses the new digital stamp set Sunshine & Smiles.  I'm so glad I was able to use this wonderful digital image because I love sun flowers and it was really fun to color.  I used Copic markers and experimented a little with the darker background using B41 and was thankful I could blend it out.  Those darker backgrounds always scare me!  


Supply List:

Stamps/Images: Clear Dollar Stamps Sunshine & Smiles

Cardstock/Papers:  Nut Brown, Sorbet Lemon Yellow, Copic X Press It blending card

Inks/Markers:  HP OfficeJet 6000, HP LaserJet 2050, Copic Makers – Y11, Y15, Y17, Y19, B41, B0000, Co, E43, E44, E17, E25, E29, E53, E99, YG67, YG63, YG03

Accents/Tools:  Sizzix Tim Holtz Woodgrain embossing folder, Spellbinders ribbon slide die, We R Memory Keepers 1/8^th inch corner chomper

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks - Embossing
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
Shelly's Images - Anything Goes
Papercraft Star - Anything Goes