Paper Smooches Squeaky Clean

I have a fun card I made using the Paper Smooches Squeaky Clean clear stamp set and Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge #403.  I'm a little disappointed in how the picture of my card looks here, it's really cute and bright in person. 

I colored the cute washing machine with Copic markers:

R35, R46, R59, E55, E57

The papers are Via Black, Neenah Red Pepper, Copic X Press It and a Kraft sheet that was in my scrap drawer.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Lilyboo Designs I'll Stay With You

I have a fun Lilyboo Designs card to share with you today, this cute digital image is called "I'll Stay With You".  I've colored it with Copic markers:

Hair - YR04, YR07, YR09, E09, E18

Skin - E00, E01, E21, R21

Jacket/Socks - B21, B23

Skirt - Y21, Y32

Wings - BG0000, BG10

Scarves - R81, R83, R85, R89

Wood - E30, E31, E33, E37, E47

Penguin - N1, N3, N5, Y08, YR68

Sky - B0000, B01

I matched my papers to my Copic markers, Stampin' Up! Ballet Blue, Regal Rose, Rose Red and More Mustard along with Copic X Press It.   The sentiment is also from Cuddly Buddly it's part of the Sweet Summer Sentiments digital set.

I'm writing my blog post early and auto posting, my kids are out of school on fall break.  They are distracting in a good way, I'll get some pictures together and blog about it soon...

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

 

Hambo Stamps Black Cat

I have a fun Hambo Stamps card to share with you today!

I'm continuing on with Hambo for a second term on their design team and will be using their rubber stamps for a couple of months now.  This cute rubber stamp is called Black Cat, the sentiment is also a Hambo rubber stamp.  

I colored this cute stamped image with Copic markers:

Y13, Y15, YR02, YR07, E23

G82, G94, G99

No coloring on the cute kitty, it's part of the stamp.

My layout is inspired by Splitcoaststampers sketch #403, the papers I used are Via Violet & Pear, Stampin' Up! Only Orange, Copic X Press It and Sherry K Designs digital Halloween paper.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Anything Goes Challenge - Animals

Basic Grey Marrakech

I have an Anniversary card 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 orange patterned papers from my Basic Grey Marrakech pad.  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:
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes

Mason Jars - Home Decor

Mason Jars aren't just for canning anymore -

While being wonderfully functional for canning and food storage mason jars old or new are also fun to use for home decor. 

I used some of my vintage mason jars to decorate the "mantel" below our t.v., I simply filled them with fall themed potpourri and put their tops back on.  

 

I filled some of my old Drey jars from the 1930's with candy corn and caramels.

Did you know that Ball Co. bought out Drey Glass Co. and  manufactured Drey mason jars during the depression as a less expensive canning jar?  In doing this they didn't have to lower the price of their Ball jars.  Drey mason jars were never advertised as being made by Ball.

Since it's October I thought eyeballs in a jar would be fun along with more candy corn and caramels in my old and new Ball mason jars.

Now that you've seen all the pieces and parts here's what my autumn display looks like.

When the season changes to Christmas I'll see if I can come up with more fun ways to use my new and old mason jars for more holiday home decor.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Link Party's:

Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #48

 Clever Chicks 

Trendy Treehouse Create & Share

 Elizabeth & Co Be Inspired

 Craft & Tell

Dee's Bugaboo Boutique & Basic Grey

I have a couple of cards that were part of a mass production project recently.

It started as a challenge for Operation Write Home and turned into a mass production project to see how many different patterned paper packs I could use with this sketch and different quotes and verses.

My first card uses Prima Marketing's Hello Spaceboy papers, and  Dee's Bugaboo Boutique digital sentiment.  I also used Spellbinders Circles and Scalloped Circles, bright yellow grossgrain ribbon and Papertrey Ink's envelope liner die.

 

My second card uses Basic Grey Offbeat papers, a Spellbinders Square die, stitched grossgrain ribbon and the envelope liner die.  The sentiment is a quote I found on Pinterest.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Word Art Wednesday -
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Paper Smooches Happy Camper

There's a new Paper Smooches Sparks challenge and the theme is Woodland Creatures,
I love Paper Smooches stamps and had to play along!

I chose to use the Paper Smooches Happy Camper stamp set for my card.

I colored these cute characters with Copic markers:

Deer - E11, E33, RV10

Bear - E70, E71, E74, E77

There are three sentiments that come in the set and I stacked all three and stamped them for fun.

The frame that the images are in is made using the Papertrey Ink Take Three die and I embossed it with a Tim Holtz Sizzix Wood Grain embossing folder and layered it onto Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip card stock.

Quick, simple & fun!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Paper Smooches Sparks - Woodland Creatures
Eureka Stamps - Friendship 
Anything Goes Challenge - Animals

Paper Smooches Swanky Snow Dudes

Welcome to our Operation Write Home World Card Making Day blog hop!

Our theme is winter cards and use a sketch, not just Operation Write Home sketches but any sketch or sketches you'd like to use.  How fun, I LOVE sketches!

I've made several cards for our hop featuring the Paper Smooches stamp set Swanky Snow Dudes -

My first card uses the Splitcoaststampers sketch #403, 

I love the simplicity of this layout and found I couldn't stop making cards with it for awhile...  

My next card uses a sketch from Splitcoaststampers Clean & Simple #189 challenge.

My last card uses Operation Write Home sketch #59.

It's a nice go to sketch when you have a large image or would like to create a scene.

I hope you are enjoying our OWH World Card Making Day blog hop, thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes
Paper Smooches - Be Our Guest
Old Back Porch - 52 Card Pick Up

Lilyboo Little Penguin

I have a fun Lilyboo Designs card to share with you today, this sweet digital image is called Little Penguin.

I colored him with Copic markers:

Penguin - N1, N3, N5, R22, Y000

Feet - Y15, Y17, YR16

Hat/Scarf - B02, B05, B16

Sky/Snow - BG0000, BG01, G0000, G00

My layout is a sketch from back in April:

The papers are Via Vellum Black, Mohawk Bright White, Via Vellum Cyan, Astrobrights Galaxy Gold and X Press It.  I used two different embossing folders for texture and a new die I recently acquired by Memory Box called Grand Snow Globe.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Forever Friends - Anything Goes
Anything Goes Challenge - Animals

Paper Smooches Zoo Crew

Here I am again with my newest favorite sketch from Splitcoaststampers #403, CASology has a Zoo challenge theme and I couldn't resist! 

I stamped the cute Zebra from Paper Smooches Zoo Crew on Mohawk Bright White card stock and cut it out, popped it onto a Spellbinders circle using the same paper and matted in Via Vellum Black.  My patterned paper is from a digital paper pack called Zoology from Sassy Designs.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

I made a few of these cards for my kids birthday stash and some for my Operation Write Home box but changed the sentiment to Miss You.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

CASology - Zoo
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - Punches & Dies
Sisterhood of Crafters - Birthday
Paper Smooches - Be Our Guest
Simply Create - Link Party #5

Hambo Stamps Bailey Devil

Are you ready for our Hambo Hoedown this week?!

This is the cute Hambo Stamps digital image we are playing with this week called Bailey Devil,

the challenge is to add sparkle and shine.  My sparkle and shine comes in the way of Stickles on Bailey's pitch fork, pumpkin, nose and a little sparkle in the sky.  

This was a fun and challenging image to color with Copic markers.  I started with the red because it's one of the most difficult Copic colors -  it likes to bleed outside the lines.  My red combination is R35, R46, R59 with B45 shading.  Yes, you read that right blue for the shading.  I also tried a new color combination for Bailey the dog himself, I blended E30, E31 & E43.  I'm very happy with the ease of blending and the resulting color.  My pumpkin colors are Y13, YR02, YR07, YR09.   Pitch fork N3, N5, N7, ground and sky W1, W3, W5, W7, B21, B23, Y11, Y13, Y15.

The sentiment comes in the Bailey Devil digital stamp set and the papers I used are Via Vellum Black, Stampin' Up! Pumpkin Pie, Neenah Red Pepper Linen & X Press It.

I hope you'll come by our Hambo Hoedown blog, we have a new design team and a new challenge!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges: 
Pile It On - For A Child
2 Sisters - Use Your Favorite Stamps
My Craft Spot - Halloween 
Paper Playtime - Halloween + punch or die
Cutie Pie Challenge - Use a digital image

Papertrey Ink You're In My Thoughts

We have a new Midweek Throwdown challenge starting today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps, the challenge is to make "Thinking of You" cards for our heroes to send home to their family and friends.

I have three cards to share today from a mass production project I did not too long ago.  

My first card above uses a Papertrey Ink sentiment, the Cosmo Cricket DeLovely patterned paper and Die-namics Chevron dies as well as my Papertrey Ink envelope liner die.

 Each of my cards uses the Cosmo Cricket DeLovely patterned papers.  This one also uses the Papertrey Ink large rick rack die, Cheery Lynn Designs Buttons #3 and the sentiment is by Art Gone Wild!

My last card is just like my second card using different papers and buttons.  I'd never tried my button dies with four holes and discovered I like them!  

I hope you have time this week to play in our Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown Thinking of You challenge!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Thinking of You
Amusing Challenges - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - Punches & Dies
Love To Create - Thinking of You

Before & After Card Making Tutorial

Hello card making friends!

I have a tutorial of sorts to share with you today, I'm going to show the process of making a card I saw on Pinterest putting my own spin on it, this would be considered a Copy And Share Everything post too.  

You'll see what I mean when you get to the end.

Let's get started!

This is Laurie's card that I saw on Pinterest, her blog is Soapbox Creations.  

Isn't this a gorgeous and inspiring  clean and simple card?!

I thought Laurie's design would make a really nice card to mass produce for Operation Write Home.  I went to her blog and read about how she'd made her card.  I'm inspired and I'd like to do this in a digital format so I can have any words and font I can create.  Her butterfly is so beautiful and delicate, I was worried about a butterfly like this holding up through all the mailing an Operation Write Home card would require so I made a slight change on my card. 

I went to work in my Microsoft Publisher program to make my text panel.

I also wanted to use my Double Ended Banner die made by Papertrey Ink.  Using the Publisher program I set up a "love you" sentiment so I could easily cut it out with my dies.  The half sheets of card stock you see in the photo are the card bases. 

I next cut the sheet with the text panel into four A2 sized pieces, then trimmed them to layer onto the card bases.  I also cut my sentiment sheet so it would fit through my die cutting machine.

Here they are cut apart ready to be part of  my assembly line.

I also die cut Spellbinders Hearts & Scalloped Hearts for my assembly line.

In the picture above this one you can see the Double Ended banner dies with the sentiment on them.  I thought I'd share with you how I cut them out using a digital sentiment because you can't just stamp them in the center!  I've made myself a template using a piece of clear acrylic report cover.  The die doesn't cut all the way through the report cover but it leaves enough of an impression for what I need.  

You might notice that I've lined the white sheet of paper up with the sentiment on it with the lines on the grid paper, I've also lined up the template with those grid lines.  After I think I have it straight I mark the left edge and bottom with a pencil.

The pencil lines will help me know where to place the die.

I use blue painters tape to hold my dies in place and have had good results.

I'm not using the whole banner so it was ok to cut one of the ends off.

After all the preparation it didn't take very long to make sixteen Love You cards for Operation Write Home.

Here's my version of Laurie's card.

Here's where the before and after come in.  I wondered what the card would look like if I made just one little change, I added some black paper...  

I also wondered what it would look like with an embossed texture.  The additions are:  Sizzix Hearts embossing folder, cutting and matting the text panel in black and using the entire Double Ended Banner die.

The Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder is one of my favorites so I had to see how that would look too.

I'm not sure which one I like the most, the best part is I have eighteen more cards ready for my Operation Write Home box!  One of my friends is getting married and when she saw the cards I was working on the design became her wedding invitations so I have 50 more to make now.

I'm posting my digital files here for you to use if you'd like to use them:

Click on the picture to make it full size, then right click your mouse and "save image" to your computer.

 

Above is the sentiment sheet, you'll save it the same way as the first one.

I'd love to know what you think so leave me a comment!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Link Partys:

Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #47

Clever Chicks

Trendy Treehouse Create & Share

Our Thrifty Ideas - Tuesday Tutorial

Challenges:

Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Hiding In My Craft Room - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday Challenge - Text Me
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Tuesday's Testimonial #9 - Scripture Cards
Word Art Wednesday - Love

Paper Smooches Squeaky Clean

I made today's card for a friend of mine who's been sick for weeks and weeks  now.

We talked on the phone a few days before I made this, she's been to the doctor, been in the hospital time after time and they can't figure out what's wrong with her.  She had a procedure a few days before our phone conversation that was supposed to help get to the bottom of all this.  

The news is they still don't have any answers for her.  

If you'd keep my friend in your prayers for healing and complete restoration of her health it would be so appreciated.  I'd like to keep her anonymous, I know our Father God knows her name.

I pulled out my Paper Smooches Squeaky Clean stamp set using her favorite color and made a card to hopefully cheer her up with punny humor and paired it with Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge #403.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Papertrey Ink Friendship Jar

I came across a neat challenge on the Moxie Fab World blog called "Jars of Joy" and was intrigued.  

 

For my project  I used Papertrey Ink's Friendship Jar & Friendship Jar Summer Fillers stamp sets along with their Desktop File dies.  I stamped the images on the already cut out Desktop File die and went to work coloring.  

I've had a fascination with mason jars since I was a little girl and enjoy collecting and using them. 

The old mason jars we have are what inspired my color choice for the jar today.

Pictured above is the file card behind the colored image.  I used the Papertrey Ink Desktop File Inspiration stamp set to stamp this and modified it ever so slightly to record my marker choices.  The modification is I drew extra lines to color in using a Copic multiliner.  

Here's a close up of the colored strawberries in the jar.  

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

 

Challenges:

Moxie Fab World - Jars of Joy