Zendala Dare 24

Each Saturday a new Zendala Dare challenge is posted by Erin at The Bright Owl.  Each week, Erin posts a new template for us to tangle.  Here's my take on this week's challenge.

My tile is about 6x6 inches. I wish I was knowledgeable enough to tell you what all the tangles are, but I just don't know all the "right" names.  Here's the template for this week's challenge.  

I also did last week's challenge but didn't get it posted on time, so I thought I'd share it too.

If you haven't given tangling a try, you really should!  It's very relaxing and just plain fun!  Be sure to pop over to Erin's blog and check out all the other entries for this challenge!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated! Until next time...

Hugs!

LIM 87 - Lucky Dip

I was so thrilled when Chrissie and Mandi asked me to be the guest designer for this week's Lucky Dip challenge with a theme of Love and Marriage.  I sent two cards I'd made for the challenge (you can see them here).  I just couldn't resist making just one more card.  The idea for this card has been rattling around in my head for several days, and I finally got around to making it last night.  It's kind of a spin off on a card I made earlier this year.

I used my Cameo to cut out the heart in the center of a white panel (4 x 5.25").  I also made the heart frames.  To do that, I copied the heart that I cut out of the center of the panel, then made an offset heart in the Silhouette program.  I cut out three layers and glued them together to get a little depth on the frame.  I also cut the small red hearts out using the Cameo.  I adhered 5 hearts together for each heart, then punched a small hole in the top of the heart and threaded some jute string through the hearts.  I tied the ends together then tied them again in a bow and adhered the bow to the top of the heart frame.  The tag for the sentiment (from PTI) was made by punching each end of the tag using a corner punch.  Then I just added a couple of pieces of small bling.  I put a piece of gold paper behind the red hearts, and then pop dotted the white panel on the card base.  On this card the hearts are not adhered to the card, but simply swing free.

Thanks so much for stopping by and thank you for all your wonderful comments! Until next time....

Hugs!

CASology - Cue Word - Shoe

The cue word at CASology this week is SHOE.  

Boy, that's a tough one for me!  I searched and searched through my stamps trying to find something that would work for this challenge. Unfortunately, the only stamps I have are stamps that I've used often, and they just didn't inspire me like I thought they would....but I gave it my best shot anyway! LOL!

I've used these baby booties on numerous cards, so I turned once again to this image.  I embossed a white panel with the dotted folder, cut a Spellbinder floral oval, then a smaller oval in blue.  The shoes were stamped and cut out and lightly colored with Copics.  Sentiment was made on the computer, then printed and cut out.  I added two small pieces of bling to the tag.  I also added a teeny little blue border behind the white dotted panel.  The oval and booties are pop dotted for dimension.

Then I found this rain boot stamp (Flourishes).  Stamped the boots, colored them and cut them out.  I made the floor by embossing a piece of brown card stock, then cutting it into strips and inking the edges. Then I just paper pieced the "boards" and added a few brown dots to look like nails.  I popped the boots on top of the floor and added a little grey coloring around the boots and on the floor to resemble water puddles.  Then I really messed up and decided to add some "rain" with another stamp in the collection.  I stamped it numerous times as one stamp was so small of a "rain shower", but now I'm not so sure I like it.  Sentiment is also from Flourishes.

 I also found this witches boot from another Flourishes set.  There was only the boot on the right, so I had to stamp it off on a piece of acrylic and the mirror image it.  After I got it stamped twice, I managed to get ink smudged on the edge of the card.  The reason I didn't make a card with these boots is that I couldn't think of a single sentiment that I could use.  I don't really get into Halloween...not my favorite holiday.  The extent of my "Halloween" is usually pumpkins on the front porch and handing out candy to the grand kids and some of the neighborhood kids.  I thought about making a wedding card with these boots with a sentiment like...."love you so much (outside)....it makes my toes curl" (inside of card).  Finally, I just decided to quit on this idea! LOL!

Not being totally satisfied I went in search of something different.  I found this old .pdf file on my computer with a shoe on it.  I piddled around with it until I managed to get it into my Silhouette program.  Then I made a mirror image of the shoe and welded the back of the heel together to make a folding card.  Then I simply cut out the pieces for the shoe and paper pieced them over the top of the card base...yes, it took a while, but once I got the image all set up in the Silhouette program, the rest was a snap!  The sentiment is from PTI and the bling added to the top of the shoe is from Prima.  I also added a bit of white doodling.

I'm not sure which is my favorite...what about you?

Thanks a million for stopping by!  I truly appreciate all your wonderful comments! Until next time...

Hugs!

I'm Guest Designer for Less is More!

I'm so excited! Chrissie and Mandi have asked me to be the guest designer for Less is More this week! WooHoo!  If you've already been by to check out the challenge for this week, you know that this week is the "lucky dip" week since it's the 5th Saturday of the month.  Our challenge this week is to create a card with the theme of Love and Marriage.  

The first card was made by cutting the couple silhouette in black and then a larger gold foil heart to put behind the silhouette.  Image was cut on the Cameo.  I embossed a white panel with the dotted embossing folder and then edged it in gold and popped it on the white card base.  The sentiment tag is a Spellbinder tag that was cut after I printed the sentiment using my computer.  The font is called  Bickham Script two.  The heart and sentiment tag are pop dotted.

For this card I also used the Cameo to cut the white panel with the heart and random punched circles around the heart.  I added some gold dots with a gold leaf pen inside the main heart, and then added two gold heart brads that I made by heat embossing them with gold embossing powder.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and was embossed in WOW gold embossing powder.  I placed the white cut panel on top of a gold foil paper and then popped the two layers on a white card base.  The corners were punched with a deco corner chomper.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I appreciate each and every comment.  Don't forget to check out all the great cards that will be posted this week at the Less is More challenge!  Until next time...

Hugs!

LIM86 - Let's get Cooking!

The weekly challenge this week at Less is More is one of my favorites.  This week is "recipe" week, and we get to create cards using any of the requirements from any of the 85 previous challenges!  How fun is that! I'm finally getting back a bit of my mojo that seemed to have been on vacation for the past few weeks...so here we go...

This week's challenge was a great opportunity to get started on some of my Christmas cards. For this first card, I used my new Flourishes stamp (you can also get the Silhouette cut file to go with it). I cut the shape on the cameo, colored with Copics, then added a touch of sparkle with some glamour dust. The sentiment is from the same Flourishes collection and is stamped in versamark and embossed in gold.  This card fits:  Challenge 55 - Die Cuts, Challenge 47 - Just one word, and Challenge 15 - embossing.

This was actually the last card I made, but I really like how it turned out.  The ornament is cut with a Spellbinder die. I doodled the design on the ornament, then ran it through my sticker machine with the doodled side down, then dipped it in glamour dust for a glittery look.  The white panel behind it was embossed with the PTI texture embossing plate.  The sentiment is from SU and is stamped on a Spellbinder die cut that actually only has one "cut" end...I just cut out half the die shape, turned the die around and cut out the other end and embossed it with basically the same steps.  I also added tiny strips of gold around the sentiment tag and the embossed textured background.  This card fits:  Challenge 55 - Die Cuts, Challenge 63 - doodling, Challenge 9 - touch of red, and Challenge 15 - embossing.

I wasn't too happy with the way this card turned out, but it's usable.  The silhouette images were cut with the Cameo.  I cut an oval with a Spellbinder die, masked the center with the negative paper, and sponged in some blue inks.  The star is a MB die and is coated with glamour dust and glossy accents.  I managed to get ink on the edges of the card, so I just sponged all the edges lightly with some of the blue ink.  This card fits:  Challenge 55 - Die Cuts, Challenge 85 - ovals, Challenge 59, masking, and Challenge 28 - inking.

Love how bright and cheerful this card turned out.  I cut the word JOY with the Cameo, the greenery was also cut with the Cameo, then stamped with and image from the new Flourishes Christmas stamp collection and colored with Copics.  The word "joy" is popped off the card as is the greenery.  This card fits:  Challenge 55 - Die Cuts, Challenge 47 - Just one word, and Challenge 56 - using scraps.

This last card was made with something I pulled out of my "later" box.  The strip across the card was originally on a one layer card that I managed to muck up with inky fingers, so I had cut this strip off the old card and put it in my "later" box.  This card was super simple.  I adhered the strip with the butterflies (from my "later" box) to a white card base, scored a line above the panel and below the panel, then stamped the sentiment in black.  The sentiment is from Sweet n Sassy stamps. This card fits:  Challenge 55 - embossing, Challenge 56 - scraps, Challenge 29 - things that move, Challenge 58 - script, and Challenge 28 - use ink. 

That's my take on this week's challenge.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated!  Until next time...

Hugs!

OLW106 - Sponging with Heather...ink that is!

Recently, I've been rather hit and miss with some of my favorite challenges, so I'm trying to get back in the groove this week.  I always enjoy playing along with the One Layer Wednesday challenge because it really make me think about how to create something unique on just one layer of card stock.

This weeks OLW challenge is hosted by Heather Telford at Bits and Pieces.  Heather has challenged us to create a one layer card and to sponge on some ink in the process.  

For my card this week, I decided to use a stamp that I've had for a while, but never actually inked up.  I remember that I really had to have this stamp! LOL!....and now I'm so glad I got it, because I love how this card turned out!  The trees are all one image and it's a Memory Box stamp.  I stamped it first on a piece of scrap paper to get the right curve for the snow because the trees don't go completely across the card.  I masked off the "ground" and the moon, then sponged on some DI (stormy sky and dusty concord).  I moved my ground mask down a bit and sponged in a couple of snow banks, then added a line of embossing under the scene.  Using my stamp-a-ma-jig, I stamped the trees right at the top of the snowbank (in black), and then added a little "snow" to the trees with a white gel pen.  I also added a few stars in the sky with the gel pen. The sentiment is from PTI (I actually cut one of the sentiments in half  ~GASP~ before stamping!)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated! Until next time...

Hugs!

CASology - Seeing "White"

 It's time once again for a new challenge from CASology. This week our cue word is "White".

I love a white on white card, so this week, I've made two cards for the challenge.  Let's take a look....

This first card was super simple.  I cut two of the snowflake Memory Box borders and adhered one to the top of the card base and the other to the bottom of the card.  Then I highlighted the die cuts with lots of sparkling glitter (sorry the sparkle doesn't show up so well here!).  Then I stamped the PTI sentiment right in the middle...and it was done! Super quick card!

My second card was a fairly quick card too.  I cut the poinsettia from white card stock using  Spellbinder dies, then layered them together and adding a few pearls for the center.  The sentiment is from PTI and was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.  The panel was embossed with a Sizzix folder and cut slightly smaller than the card base.  The panel was adhered to the card base with pop dots.  I hope the green leaves don't disqualify this card...but the leaves just needed to be included...you know what I mean?

That's all for today.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated!  Until next time...

Hugs!

A Little Tangling

It's been weeks since I had time to play in a couple of my Zentangle challenges.  This first tile is for the challenge hosted each week by Laura at I am the Diva. This week's challenge is to create a pinwheel for peace.  The challenge was issued based on a challenge we had about a year ago to tangle a pinwheel for peace.  Pinwheels for Peace originally started as an art installation organized by two high school teachers in Florida.  They used the project as a way to teach kids how to express their feelings about the world and what's going on in it.  Since then, it's grown from 500,000 pinwheels the first year to 3.5 million last year!!

So here's my contribution to Pinwheels for Peace.  Tile size is approximately 5 x 5.

This next tile is my submission for Erin's Zendala Dare 23.   Each week Erin gives us a template to complete with tangles...so here's my take on this weeks template.

Thanks so much for popping in...hope to see you again soon!  Your comments are always appreciated! Until next time...

Hugs!

LIM85 - Ovals

This week's theme at Less is More is to create a clean and simple card and to incorporate an oval on the card.  As challenges go, this week Chrissie and Mandi are taking it easy on us...~wink~...come on join in the fun and get your "oval" on!

I've only completed 4 cards for this week's challenge...I think I'm slipping! LOL!  And now...let's start off with my favorite card.

Super simple...cut an oval using a Spellbinder die and sponged it with DI (tumbled glass) while it was still in the die.  The branch, leaves, and bird are dies from Memory Box.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and is stamped in Memento black.  Like I said...super simple...but I really loved how this one turned out!

This second card was cut in an oval shape (to fit in a standard 4.25 x 5.5 envelope) with the Cameo.  I also cut out the oval on the front, then cut a liner to fit inside the front of the card so that the cut out oval was slightly smaller than the one on the front of the card.  That's how I got the nice green frame.  Then I put the white oval that I'd cut out of the front of the card back in place and stamped the cherry blossoms from a Flourishes collection around the oval.  I removed the cut out oval and had a nice border of flowers around the frame.  The sentiment is stamped inside the card and is from Papertrey Ink.  One note...these oval cards are a bit tricky to photograph...they like to rock!

This card was made using my largest lacy edge oval die from Spellbinders.  I measured the inside of the card (inside the dotted line) and then cut a card base with the Cameo and adhered the Spellbinder piece on top of the card base.  The flowers were cut twice...once in pink and once in green, then paper pieced and I also added a touch of pink Copics to the blooms.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.  This card really turned out pretty...but it just doesn't want to "stand"! I fixed that....I just trimmed off the smallest edge off the bottom of the oval card base...and it sits perfectly!

And last but not least.....another Flourishes card.  This time I used a Butterflies and Blossoms collection.  I stamped the image on white card stock, colored it with Copics, cut it out with a Spellbinder oval, and then layered it on a piece of shiny, textured, red card stock.  The butterfly was hanging slightly off the edge of the oval, so I just stamped him again and popped him on top of the image.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and is stamped on white and also has the red borders.  I clipped each end to make a banner of it and rounded the bottom corners of the card base.

Whew! Bet you thought I'd never hush!  Thanks a million for stopping in.  I appreciate your visit and if you leave a comment, please know that I truly appreciate it!! Until next time.....

Hugs!

OLW 105 - Autumn

The One Layer Wednesday challenge is hosted by Cheryl at A Paperie Journey.  Cheryl has challenged us to create a card that says "autumn" to us.  There are so many ways this could be illustrated.  Here's a few that I've done for the challenge.

I've made a card similar to this card quite a while back, but I love the design of the card, so I thought I'd do another one.  When I think about Autumn, I think about the changing colors of the leaves that fall for so many months!  This is a standard size card.  I punched two different sized leaves down the right side of the card, then inked the inside of the card with several colors of DI (red, orange, yellow, and a touch of green).  To add the speckles of green, I simply wadded up a piece of paper and used the paper as my stamp.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.  After I finished it, I decided that it need just a little something extra, so I sponged in some lines down either side of the card....making the left side wider than the right side.  Super quick and easy card to make...and I love it.

This card is actually 4.25 x 4.24.  I was trying something different with the ink to stamp the image and I can't say that I particularly like the results.  I stamped the image and the sentiment in HA wet cement ink.  I think you'll see what I mean with this next card.  Corn is an Inkadinkado stamp and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

Using the same image on this tiny card I stamped it in Memento's black...and I like it much better.  This card is actually 3 x 3...very tiny!  The sentiment is just a little too big, I think, and I'm not really sure I like a 3 x 3 format.  That being said...since I had another 3 x 3 card base, I decided to make another small card.

The image and the sentiment are both from Flourishes.  Don't have a clue what to use this card for...maybe just something to brighten up someones day?

That's all for me for the OLW challenge.  Be sure to pop over to to Cheryl's blog and check out all the other entries!

Thanks a million for stopping by!  Hope you have a wonderful day...and thanks so much for your wonderful comments!  Until next time...

Hugs!

LIM84 - Foliage

Each week is a new challenge at Less is More.  Chrissie and Mandi always come up with the most difficult  best challenges!  This week is one layer week at Less is More and we're to create a one layer card that has foliage....lots of foliage. I'm sure there's lots of things you could do for this challenge, but the only think my brain could think of was leaves....so off we go...

This first card is actually the last card I did before I finally gave up.  I used DI (embossing, then some greens and reds) to stamp the leaves, then embossed with clear embossing powder.  After heat embossing, I sponged in a bit of Wild Honey DI on the background, added a couple of border lines and stamped the sentiment.  The sentiment is from Flourishes, and is from two different stamps that I cut apart.  The leaves are from SU French Foliage.

I guess my mind was on cooler weather and fall colors this week.  This card was made by masking off the center area, then added another mask around the edges to leave a very small "border" around the edges of the card.  I sponged that area with DI (festive berries and dried marigold), removed the masking and re-masked with just the center part open.  I stamped the leaves and splatters from SU French foliage with several different distress inks and sponged a bit of festive berry DI on the background.  Sentiment is from Flourishes and is stamped in walnut distress ink.  

This card was soooo predictable, don't you think?  I often chose this design on one-layer week...well...it does work well! LOL!  I masked off an area of the card front, then sponged on wild honey DI.  The leaves were stamped in wild honey and then the solid leaves were outlined with the DI wild honey marker.  Sentiment and leaves are from Flourishes.  To finish it off, I scored a line above and below the inking.

The idea behind this card was a good one...the execution...not so much.  I stamped the leaves in SU craft white ink, then dried it thoroughly.  I colored over the white stamped images with Prismacolor pencils in fall-ish colors and stamped the sentiment with embossing ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.  Then I decided it needed a little something else and colored in the background behind the leaves with several different shades of green and totally messed it up...lesson learned.  I still think the concept is good...just need to work on the execution of the process.

I'm a little late posting this week, life has thrown us a few curve balls and we've been trying to work through them.  Hopefully, this week will be better.

Thanks a million for popping in! I do appreciate all your wonderful comments and I apologize for not getting around to visit like I usually do.  Like I said...hopefully, this week will be better.

Until next time....

Hugs!

LIM83 - Pink and Brown

I'm later than usual this week with my card(s) for the Less is More challenge.  The challenge is posted on Saturday mornings, but this weekend had flown by and I'm just getting around to posting my cards.  This week is a color challenge and Chrissie and Mandi have challenged us to create a card using the colors pink and brown.  I love this color combination!  This week, I only have four cards (GASP!) for the challenge...I know, I normally have 5 or so, but my brain just wasn't overloaded with creative ideas this week!  Anywho....here's my take on the pink and brown challenge...

I made a card base with some pink Bazzill paper.  I cut strip of brown and adhered them to the front of the card with a woven (slightly) corner where they lines cross.  The sentiment was stamped in Versamark and Memento brown and then heat embossed with a clear embossing powder.  The butterfly was stamped with a Hero Arts stamp in brown, then colored with several shades of pink Copics, cut out and mounted on a pop dots.  I rounded the bottom corners with a corner chomper.

My second card is super simple.  I embossed a white panel (that is slightly smaller than the card base) using a TH embossing folder.  The pink flowers are a Lifestyles die set, and the centers of the flowers are clear robin egg pieces that I colored with a brown Copic.  Sentiment is from PTI and is stamped in Memento brown.  I also added a few strips of brown to the edges of the white panel before adhering it to the card base. (I also popped that panel up with some foam dots.)

I think my mind must have been on quick and easy ...rather than clean and simple this week! LOL!. This card is just a piece of brown card stock folded in half (5.5" x 4.25" finished size) The leaves are cut with a PTI die and stamped with SU pink ink using the matching stamp.  The sentiment was stamped with Versamark ink and heat embossed...gave it a kind of tone on tone look. The die cut leaves are pop dotted on the card base.  I added a solid white piece of card stock on the inside for the sentiment.

I almost didn't post this one. It was one of the first ones that I made and I wasn't too happy with it.  The pink and brown rectangle was sponged with DI - worn lipstick and walnut stain - then cut to size. (To get the mottled effect, simply sprinkle or spritz with a bit of water after inking).  I backed it with a piece of solid brown card stock after round two opposing corners of the inked piece.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts (I think) and I just cut it out and made a small banner with the pink.  I embossed the front of the card base, popped on the inked panel, then added a piece of brown ribbon under the sentiment.  I decided to round the bottom corners of this to kind of go with the rounded corners of the inked panel.  

Even though I love the pink and brown combination, I wasn't thrilled with all of my cards...I think perhaps the first one is my favorite.  Which one is your favorite?

Thanks a million for stopping by! I appreciate each and every comment!  Until next time....

Hugs!