Basic Grey Kioshi Papers

I've been in a mass production mode and have several cards to share with you today!

I was working on using up the 6 X 6 Basic Grey Kioshi paper pad making these.

As well as the Pink Paislee 365 Degree 6 X 6 paper pad.

All the verses are from Verve with the exception of the last one, it's from an old Stampin' Up! set I still have.

The layout is C.A.S.E.d from my friend Carol and Our Little Inspirations. 

A picture of all the cards for me and for Operation Write Home made during my mass production frenzy.

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Challenges:

Rolodex V524 Jr.

It's Friday and I'm back with another Rolodex V524 Jr. project!

This weeks project isn't a paper crafting project it's another way I use my file system.

I enjoy "making things" and some of those things are everyday things we use around our house like dishwasher soap.

I took a pictures of the recipe and all the ingredients for you in case you'd like to try it out too.

You might be surprised to find that you have almost all the ingredients to make Dishwasher Soap already.  I bought the Citric Acid and Lemon Essential Oil at our local Health Food Store.

It gets a little messy but when I was done I swept the powder up and put it in the mason jar. 

Speaking of mason jars...  I store my dishwasher soap and now what's left of the Borax in them because they seal tight and keep the moisture out.  My Borax was starting to turn into a solid brick from the box being open.

Here's the finished product in a quart sized mason jar.  One tablespoon washes a load of dirty dishes and lasts a couple of months at our house.  

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Die-namics Chevron Die

Hello crafty friends!

I have a couple of cards to share today using the Die-namics Chevron die.  

I made this first card for the Operation Write Home / Our Daily Bread Masculine card challenge over at the Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog.  For every 25 cards submitted for the monthly challenge Our Daily Bread Designs will donate the cost of shipping one large flat rate Priority Mail box to deployed service members, how cool is that?!  At this time the monthly goal is 50 cards per challenge and the goal has been met each month.  Wouldn't it be fun to exceed their expectations and reach 75 this month?

I've included a link in the name of the challenge in case you'd like to play along and see if we can get to 75 cards this month and have just one more box (approx. 300 cards) shipped to our deployed heroes from Our Daily Bread Designs.  The challenge this month is to make a masculine themed card, you can only enter one card per month in this challenge.

I used a fun paper pack I've been hoarding called Hello Spaceboy by Prima Marketing Inc.

At first I thought these would work well for younger boys but after getting into the paper pack maybe I can use the cards for a wider age range that I first thought.  

This Die-namics die is almost addicting to use with patterned papers!  I also used Papertrey Ink's envelope liner die for my cards to dress them up a little and basically use up some of my patterned paper stash.

I hope you enjoyed my cards today and will consider entering a masculine themed card in the challenge over on the Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog, just about a week left!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - ODBD Masculine Cards

Hambo Stamps Lighthouse

I have a Hambo Hoedown card to share with you today!

The digital image for the Hoedown this week is called Lighthouse and the challenge is to incorporate a wood grain on your project.  I also looked at the Splitcoaststampers Clean & Simple challenge the day I received the image and it was a sketch so I used SCS CAS#183  for my layout.

The Lighthouse is colored with Copic markers:

E42, Y11, BG70, BG72, BG75, R35, R46, R59

I added wood grain using a Tim Holtz wood grain embossing folder on the Kraft card stock.  I used my Publisher program to print the "I'd be lost without you" sentiment diagonally across the card front and then wrapped red and white twine to accent the sentiment and tie in with the red and white Light house.  It seemed to "need something" so I die cut a Lil' Inkers cloud and added it to the top right corner.

I still feel Clean & Simple challenged but have had a lot of fun working on my CAS skills!

I hope you'll join us at the Hambo Hoedown this week too.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Splitcoaststampers - CAS#183
A Blog Named Hero - The Krafty Crafter
Card A Day Blog - Embossing
The Cupboard Trilogy - Embossing

Verve Wishful Elegance

I have Anniversary cards to share today.

My layout is a sketch from Splitcoast Stampers that when I first saw it I wasn't sure what exactly to do with, now that I've used it I LOVE this sketch and use it as an old standby.  

I used a couple of patterned papers from my Pink Paislee 365 Degrees pad along with Mohawk Bright White.  The flowers are cut from the Papertrey Ink Bloom Builders #3 die and I added a Cheery Lynn Designs Button  to the center of one.  Anniversary Wishes is an acrylic stamp from the Wishful Elegance set by Verve.

My card is also for our Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown challenge that starts today, our theme is "Pattened Papers & Punches/Dies".

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Patterned Papers & Punches/Dies

Cuddly Buddly Patchwork of Papers Red

I have my first Christmas card to share today...

I know it's August but I've been working on Christmas cards and homemade gifts already!

I was playing with patterned papers, sentiments and dies working on a suitable layout and my card today is the end result.  My inspiration comes from my Operation Write Home friend Kristie, she had photos of cards she's made using patterned papers.  I find it kind of odd not to color anything with my markers but do enjoy working with some of my other goodies!

The patterned papers are from a digital paper pack from Cuddly Buddly called Patchwork of Papers Red, the sentiment is a freebie from Cuddly Buddly called Christmas Greeting & Ticket and I used Spellbinders dies.  Cardstock colors are Astrobrights Gamma Green and the brick red was in my scrap pile and could be made by Bazzill.  I also used my We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper to round the edges of my panels.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:

Penny Black Paint The Town

My card today is just for fun practicing clean & simple designs.

I used the Penny Black Paint The Town acrylic stamp set that I won in a Penny Black challenge!

This cute image is colored with Copic markers:

Hedgie - E50, E30, E31, E17, E25, RV10

Grass - YG01, YG13, YG25, YG67

Flowers - RV52, RV63, C8

Bee - Y11, Y13, Y15, BG70

The sentiment is one of the stamps in this set, there's more to it than I stamped.  I punched a couple of holes under it with my Crop-o-dile and threaded some apple green organdy ribbon through and tied a bow to finish it off.  Oh...  maybe I shouldn't mention this but - sorry about the post it note you can see on the left side of the picture.  That's where my Copic color numbers and other info is about my card.  

I keep losing the other scraps of paper I write all that on!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - Animal Antics
Mad For Markers - Anything Goes with Copic Markers
Pile It On - Cuddly Critters 
Paper Crafting Journey - Birthday Celebration
Papelitos Stamps - Celebrations

Rolodex V524 Jr. Lilyboo Swimming Ducks

Happy Friday, I'm back with another project using my Rolodex V524 Jr.

I made a card last month using this cute image from Cuddly Buddly Lilyboo Designs called Swimming Ducks.  As with most of my cards it was donated to Operation Write Home.  I printed two digital images and colored both so I had one for me.

The next card in the file shows the Copic markers I used to color the digital image.  I used the Papertrey Ink Desktop File die and Desktop File Inspiration stamp set and modified the stamp with a Copic Multiliner ever so slightly.

I remembered to take a picture of my modification process with the Copic Multiliner and my clear ruler.

Pictured below is what the stamp really looks like.

I made up a Techniques card because I used my Copic Cloud Coloring technique and also added reflections to the water of the ducks and grass.  Adding reflections to water is a new coloring technique for me.

I've added links to where you can buy the Swimming Ducks if you'd like to try out coloring them yourself.  They are a very fun and inexpensive digital image to play along with.  I also have a link to my Copic Cloud Coloring video tutorial here for you.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Animal Antics
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Pink Paislee Chevron Design

I was lucky enough to tune into Operation Write Home T.V. last month and catch a segment of Stump Sandy where she made a card like the one I have here today.  She had a new Chevron punch made by EK Success I believe and I thought, wow I have a few ric rac dies from Papertrey Ink I could do that with, how fun!

I actually think these could be addictive if I had more than one ric rac die!

For my card I used a Pink Paislee 365 degree 6X6 paper pad, Papertrey Ink small ric rac die, Spellbinders Mega Oval & Scalloped Mega Oval dies and Cheery Lynn Designs dies from Buttons #3 and the sentiment is an acrylic stamp from the Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames Big Set.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:
Scrapbook Sisters - Thank You

Hambo Stamps Rattler

I have a card I made for the Hambo Hoedown to share with you today!

When I received this Rattler digital stamp set I cracked up, what's shakin'?  too funny...

I "googled" rattlesnake images so I could try to get my coloring right as I also wanted to enter my card in our Operation Write Home Midweek Color challenge.  I'm not sure an entire page of rattlesnake pictures was the thing to "color by" because it's gotten me thinking about rattle snakes too much! 

I colored this cute Hambo image with Copic markers:

Rattler - E40, E41, E42, E43, W1, W3, W5, W7

Grass - YG01, YG13, YG15, YG67

Outline/Pebbles - BG0000, BG01, W1, W3, W5, W7, W9

I also used Sizzix and Cuttlebug embossing folders for texture, a little glossy accents on the eyes and fangs, the layout is a sketch from Merry Monday flipped on it's side with a little creative license used.  Cardstock colors are Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow, Via Vellum Leaf Green, Neenah Kraft, The Paper Mill Aqua & Copic X Press It.  

You may have noticed I haven't told you what the Hambo Hoedown challenge or the Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge is yet...  I'm leaving it up to you to go check them out :)

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Color Challenge
Critter Sketch - Use A Digi
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Use Your Stuff - For The Boys

Operation Write Home MIdweek Throwdown Challenge

We have a new Midweek Throwdown color challenge starting today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps!  We're being challenged to work with Kraft cardstock and any other colors we'd like to put with it.  I love kraft card stock with red, white & Blue so that's what I did for my card today.

I saw this layout at my friend Carol's blog last month and had to try it.  It wasn't easy but I got it and mass produced several of these using different 6 X 6 paper pads I'll show you another time.  

The sentiment is made by Verve, I'm not sure if it was in a set or was a single.  I stamped it in Stampin' Up! Night of Navy ink and cut it out with Spellbinders circles.  I also used a Spellbinders circle to cut the half circle.  The stars embossing folder is made by The Paper Studio and came from Hobby Lobby.  

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Kraft Color Challenge
Cards & More - Anything Goes using a stamp
Creative Craft Challenges - Just A Sentiment

Verve Wishful Elegance

I have an Anniversary card to share today from the dozen or so I made recently.

My layout was inspired by a card I saw on Pintrest.  I used black and white scraps from the pile beside my paper trimmer cut out with the Papertrey Ink Double Ended Banner die and Spellbinders Hearts & Scalloped Hearts.  The Anniversary Wishes is an acrylic stamp from the Verve Wishful Elegance stamp set.

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Challenges:

Cuddly Buddly Lilyboo Cold Days

It's almost mid August and I have a winter themed card to share today!

I saw a card on Pinterest that used a similar layout as this and needed to try it.  I struggle with clean and simple designs and would love to feel more comfortable with them.

I used the Lilyboo Cold Days digital stamp and colored her with Copic markers and cannot find the scrap of paper I wrote down my numbers on!  I do have an idea of what I used though:

Sweatshirt - R83, R85, R89

Hat/Scarf - B21, B23, B60

Pants - W1, W3

Hair - E21, E25, E29

Skin - E00, E01, E11

Outline - G0000, G02

The Winter Wishes sentiment is an acrylic stamp from Verve Visual, I used a snowflake die by Die-namics and the We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Dream Valley Challenges - Die Cuts & Punches

Notes From Home

Snoozing on a Sunday Afternoon -

I couldn't resist taking a picture of Miss Kitty and my husband Rick snoozing on the couch together.  She's the cat that comes to be petted but stays just out of your reach, Rick is her favorite human.

Look at the right end of the couch on the floor pillow, Maxine isn't very far away either.

I hope you are having a nice weekend!

Whipper Snapper Birds House

I'm having a hard time keeping up with the Operation Write Home sketch challenges and have been for a long time now!  I'm excited to have a card using this weeks sketch #132 ready and posted on my blog before the next sketch challenge comes out -  tomorrow!

I had a lot of fun coloring this sweet Whipper Snapper Designs stamped image I received from my friend Cindy.  She lives close to where they make and sell these cute stamps, I would be in so much trouble if it were me :)

I used Copic markers for my coloring:

Flower Pot - E08, E07, E19

Bird House - E99, E25, E29, E53

Beaks & Pebbles Ground Cover W1, W3, W5, W7

Birds 0 Y13, Y15, Y17, B32, B45

Flowers - B60, B63, YG01, YG13, YG25

Outline - B0000, B01

I also used a Cuttlebug Music embossing die, sentiment by Lil Inker Designs, a square EK Success punch to make the banner tail.  I figured out that if I stack the two papers and punch them together I can layer them much easier than when I tried punching them separately.  One of those duh moments...  

You know those little discoveries that make me feel a little smarter than I was before, lol.

Happy Saturday!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch Challenge #132 

Rolodex V524 Jr. Embossing Folder Fun

Last Friday I showed you how I use a template to cut out my computer generated labels for my Papertrey Ink Desktop File cards.  Today, I'll share what's behind the file card.

I have a big box full of embossing folders by Cuttlebug, Sizzix, Tim Holtz, Darice, etc., you get the idea. 

I was thinking it would be nice to be able to see what the embossing would look like before I used the actual embossing folder so...

I got out that big old box and went to work.

If you're like me you have lots of paper scraps,  I used my scraps and the Desktop File dies...

and now have embossed file cards so I can see the embossing and help me choose which folder I'd like to use for what ever project I'm working on.

I'm hoping now that I can see them and touch them I'll not always use the same old embossing folder for everything...  

Here's a picture of my finished Rolodex V524 Jr. project for today.

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Whipper Snapper Ahhh...Nuts!

I have a just for fun card to share with you today!

I was gifted stamped Whipper Snapper images from my friend Cindy and every once in awhile I get the chance to color one.  I love them and can't wait till I have time to color them all!

I thought this one was going to be a bit of a challenge combining all the earth toned Copic markers.  I tried not to think too much about it and just started with the acorns and kept going.  

Here are the Copic colors I used:

E7, E17, E30, E31, E33, E35, E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, E47, E49, W3, W5, W7, B0000, B00, B01, YG01, YG03, YG05

The peanuts are a combination of E40's, the walnut and squirrel a combination of E30's, the acorns I'm unsure but I know you can duplicate them with a little experimentation.

I kept the layout simple, this is a stamp that is on the large size.  Cardstock colors are Via Vellum Black, Stampin' Up! Green Galore, Sorbet Ice Blue and Copic X Press It.
I love the sentiment and have just the missed birthday for this very card!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
The Corrosive Challenge - Happy Birthday
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Hambo Stamps Cheeses

I have a fun card to share today for the Hambo Hoedown challenge!  

The challenge is to create a project that uses Hambo Stamps Cheeses or  any other Hambo Stamps/Digi and a sentiment on the front that incorporates at least two of the colors of the Olympic rings.  

Bonus oinks for using all 5!

 Photo Credit

I was able to incorporate three of the five colors in my card design today, red, yellow and black.

I colored the cheeses with Copic markers:

E07, YR07, YR04, YR18, YR16, E51, Y35, Y38, Y23, Y21, Y32, E40, E41, E50, E53

My layout is Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch #131.  I had fun punching random holes with my Cropadile and tiny hole punch to make my card look a little more "cheesy".  

Be sure to stop by our Hambo Hoedown blog to see all the fun challenge cards from our design team and I hope you will play along in our Hambo Hoedown this week  too!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Operation Write Home - Sketch Challenge #131

Squiggle Stamps Hey Dude

 

We have a new challenge starting today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps, our theme is Kids Cards!  I used a fun digital image I won in a challenge from Squiggle Stamps for my project today.

Supply List:

Images:  Squiggle Stamps Hey Dude

Papers:  Via Vellum Basic Black, Stampin' Up! Only Orange & Garden Green & Cranberry Crisp, Discount Cardstock Royal Blue, Copic X Press It

Accessories/Tools:  Cuttlebug embossing folders, star punch

I hope you'll have time this week to play along in our challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Kids Cards

The Corrosive Challenge - Happy Birthday 

Marker Pop - Bright Colors

Cuddly Buddly Lilyboo London Taxi

I had so much fun making today's card!

I've had my eye on this Lilyboo Designs London Taxi but was kind of intimidated about coloring it black...  

I started out coloring it with Neutral Grays, N1, N2 and had the idea that I'd really like to use Blue Violets because there are some that look black/gray.  I started coloring over what I had with BV20 & BV23 and liked what was happening so I kept going.

Another thing that convinced me I should have the London Taxi is this last weeks Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge.  Here's a link to my inspiration Hornby Taxi.

The Copic marker colors I used:

Car - BV20, BV23, BV25, RV25

Tires - T2, T3, T5

Chrome - C0, C1, C3

Glass - G0000, B0000

Background/Outline - BG0000, BG01
Y11, Y21

I didn't have papers or card stock that match these Blue Violet Copic markers so I brought out my air brush system and had some fun.  I used a Spellbinders Labels 14 die and air brushed BV20, BV23, BV25 inside the label and let the ink dry.  I next spritzed Copic Blender Solution on my Kaiser Craft Flourish stamp and stamped it on that, leaving the stamp in place a little longer than usual so the blender solution would remove some color for a cool design.  

I wanted a sentiment for my card that would be nice for an Operation Write Home card and found this "with love" in the Cuddly Buddly Round Greetings Mixed digital sentiment set.  Since it's a "round" sentiment I cropped the part I wanted out so I could use just the part I needed.  I then re sized it a little, printed it and cut it out with a Spellbinders Tags Trio die.  Before I added the little purple button with crochet thread in it I had to change the color of my white button.  I used the Copic air brush system again to create a beautiful purple button using my BV25 Copic marker.  I kept going with the textured theme and used the Sizzix Tim Holtz Clocks embossing folder.  As I went to put it all together I again realized I didn't have the right color of card stock.  I took the blank card base and used my Copic BV25 marker to color around the edges for a more finished look.  I added a photo below so you can see what I mean.

You're looking at the inside front of the card here where I used the Copic marker to make it look like I have BV25 card stock.

I hope you enjoyed reading about the process of making my card today, I really enjoyed making it!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Splitcoaststampers - Inspiration Challenge #348
Dream Valley Challenges - Die Cuts & Punches
Papercrafts August Gallery Challenge - British Theme
Love To Create - Punches & Dies
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Penny Black Anniversary Hedgie

I found another cute image to color for an anniversary card today, this one has been waiting patiently for quite some time.  It's been so long I don't know what the official name of the stamp is, one of my stamping friends must have stamped it off for me.  

I colored the cute Hedgie with Copic markers:

Hedgie - E50, E30, E31, E17, E25, RV10

Flowers - R35, R46, R59, W7

Leaves - YG01, YG13, YG25, YG67

Background - BG0000, BG000, BG01

I added some of the Earth tones back into the background because I hadn't picked papers I was going to use the image with before I colored it.  I decided on the Basic Grey Bittersweet designer paper pad for a quick easy card.  I used Papertrey Ink's Double Ended Banner Die and Small Ric Rac as well as a sentiment from their Fillable Frames acrylic stamp set.

One more anniversary card for my growing stash!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
ATC's & Cards With Attitude - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Die Cuts & Punches 
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes 
Love To Create - Punches & Dies 
Make It Monday - Anything Goes 

Cosmo Cricket DeLovely Paper Pad

Happy Saturday!  

You might need your sunglasses to look at a couple of my cards today because they are bright!

I've been playing with a new Chevron die made by My Favorite Things and trying to use up the rest of a 6X6 package of Cosmos Cricket DeLovely designer papers.  I have to admit I bought two sets of the Chevron dies because I thought it would be quicker and easier to cut more at one time.

The sentiment for my first card is called a Plain Jane from Verve Visual.

This cards also uses the Chevron die and a free sentiment from Word Art Wednesday.

I recently discovered the Word Art Wednesday challenge blog and hope I have time to play in their challenges regularly now.  I love the idea of Scripture verses and quotes for cards!

I had to add one more card for my Operation Write Home box, this sentiment is also from Verve Visual.  

This design with the Chevron die and patterned paper scraps is a great way to use up patterned papers and mass produce some fun cards for me and for Operation Write Home.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Word Art Wednesday - Uplifting Phrase

Rolodex V524 Jr. Papertrey Ink Desktop File Die

It's Friday again, time to talk with you and show you how I use my Papertrey Ink Desktop File dies!

I'm a huge fan of Spellbinders dies, the biggest reason is I can see through them and place my stamped or digital image right where I want it, cut and go.  The Papertrey Ink dies are solid and I've found them a little more difficult to use.  I guess I just needed to think outside the box...  you know I love a good challenge!

Before I went too far with these dies I found a piece of acetate (anything clear will do) to cut out to use them as a template.  The die didn't cut all the way through my acetate but that's okay, it's just a template & I trimmed it.  Now I have clear cheat sheets to use.

I wanted a few different file choices that didn't come in the Papertrey Ink Desktop File Inspiration stamp set so I've used my computer to print the labels I needed.

I use my clear templates to line up the tabs over my computer generated labels and mark the bottom and sides with a pencil.

After I've marked my spots I tape them down to the card stock using blue painters tape.

Next they go through "the machine".

With practice I've gotten pretty good at getting them lined up and straight.

Next Friday I'll show you some of what goes behind the file cards I cut today!

Thanks for visiting my blog -

Papertrey Ink Bloom Builders #3

I have an Anniversary card to share today from the dozen or so I made recently.

My layout is a sketch from Splitcoast Stampers that when I first saw it I wasn't sure what exactly to do with, now that I've used it I LOVE this sketch and use it as an old standby.  

I used a couple of orange patterned papers from my Pink Paislee 365 Degrees pad and my last piece of Stampin' Up! Pumpkin Pie card stock along with Mohawk Bright White.  The flower is cut from the Papertrey Ink Bloom Builders #3 die and I added a rhinestone to the center.  Anniversary Wishes is an acrylic stamp from the Wishful Elegance set by Verve.  Envelope liner die by Papertrey Ink.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes
Make It Monday #100 - Anything Goes
Paper Playtime - Anything Goes