Zendala Dare 29

This week's challenge from Erin at The Bright Owl blog is to create a zendala using the following template:

Here's my take on this template...

The actual tile size is approximately 6 x 6.  I love how this one turned out.

This next one I just thought I'd share.  I generally tangle at night while watching television (I love to multi-task).  I had no idea where this was headed when I started, but it's different...and I kinda like it!

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

Hugs!

LIM91 - Sketch Challenge

The Less is More Challenge for this week is hosted again by Chrissie.  I'm sure Mandi must be exhausted trying to get everything just right with the new wedding business!  Chrissie has given us a great sketch to work with this week and as usual, I have more than the one card to share with you. 

This week's sketch consists of band down the card which in turn is sub-divided into three sections. We can add a sentiment or the sketch can be rotated if that orientation. Here's the sketch we're working with this week: 

 

And here's my take(s) on the sketch:

This is the first card I made for this week's challenge.  I stamped my image (not sure, but I think it might be an Inkadinkado stamp set) in black archival ink. The image is actually much larger than this, so I had to cut off parts of the side of the image after stamping it on the white card stock.  I sponged the sky with three colors of DI (stormy skies, spiced marmalade, and spun sugar), then I colored parts of the image with Copics.  After getting everything colored, I cut the image in three equal pieces and layered it directly to the card base.  The sentiment is from Sweet 'N Sassy stamps.

Looks like I had my mind on boats, and sailing this week! This is my second card and for this card I tried something I've been meaning to try for a while.  After stamping my image (Sweet 'n Sassy stamps), I trimmed some off each side of the stamped image.  I masked off the moon, and sponged ink for the sky.  I cut the image into three equal pieces and then coated each of the pieces in distress crackle paint - clear rock candy.  In hindsight, I should have painted the crackle paint on the colored image before cutting it apart.  Painting each of these small pieces was a pain...and when they dried they curly up into tubes, so I had to get the to straighten out.  I hope you can see the crackly finish on the image...it's really cool and kind of feels like leather. The sentiment is from PTI and is stamped in black.

Not through with the boating/water images yet!  I recently picked up this stamp from Hobby Art.  I ordered it, so I wasn't aware that it was such a small stamp...but it was perfect for this sketch.  I stamped it three times across a piece of white card stock, then cut it into three section after coloring.  I sponged the sky with DI, but the water and boats were colored with Copics.  I layered the pieces onto a matching piece of card stock, then adhered it to the card base.  The sentiment is from PTI.

And last but not least, another Christmas card for my stash.  Very simple.  Cut three green rectangles in two different shades of green and layered them.  Cute the poinsettia with a Spellbinder die and hand cut the leaves.  I did score and fold the leaves a bit to give them some dimension.  I added three pieces of yellow/gold bling to the centers of the poinsettias.  The sentiment is from Flourishes and was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.

That's all for me today.  Thanks so much for stopping by! I do appreciate your visits and your comments! Until next time...

Hugs!

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge 76

I've never played along with the CAS-ual Friday challenge.  This week's challenge is to create a clean and simple (CAS) card using Kraft.  One of my favorite color combinations is Kraft and white, so I whipped up this card in about 10 minutes....can't get much more CAS than this!

I cut a Kraft panel slightly smaller than the 5.50 x 4.25 inch card base and backed it with a piece of white card stock. I cut a 1/4 inch strip of dark brown to go across the card, then adhered two leaf stems cut with the MB meadow leaf die.  I looped a jute string around the panel and tied my button on with it.  The sentiment is from PTI.  Super simple...and very quick and easy!  I think this card would be perfect for a guy (and that's a difficult card for me usually!)

Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate your visit and your comments!  Until next time...

Hugs!

CAS(E) this Sketch #3

Time for a new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch.  Here's the sketch:

And...here's my take on the sketch:

This week's sketch is similar to this card that I made back in January of this year, it's just turned landscape instead of portrait.  So...can I just say....I do LOVE this layout!  For my card, I cut out the blue panels, and the different parts of the snow globe with the Cameo.  I colored the base of the snow globe with Copics and added some lines with a gold pen.  The sentiment is from PTI and is embossed in gold and punched out with a long narrow oval punch, then adhered to the base of the snowglobe. The background circle for the globe and the two small snowdrifts were put through the Xyron and then sprinkled pieces with glamour dust.  The snowman was a sketch and draw (Silhouette image) that I printed on my laser printer and then cut out.  The actual snow globe was cut from acetate paper. I adhered the brown base to the bottom of the acetate shape.  I built the inside of the snow globe by layering the different pieces and pop dotting the snowman just a bit. I realize now that the snowman would have been cuter with a little bird resting on his "arm", but I forgot and now it's all put together!  After I got the "inside" of the snow globe put together, I adhered the edges of the acetate "globe" around the background giving it a bit of a rounded look.  I also popped the middle of the snow globe base to add to the rounded look.  It's difficult to see from the photo, but the dimension on this card looks awesome.  I know all this sounds complicated, but the card went together super quick.  Cutting things out with the Cameo really makes things move along nicely!  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I appreciate you visit and thank you for your comments!! Until next time....

Hugs!

OLW111 - Smiling at YOU!

The One Layer Wednesday challenge is hosted this week by Karen Dunbrook.  Karen has challenged us to make a one layer card that "makes you smile".  Here's my take on this week's challenge:

I rarely buy "cutesy" stamps, so for this challenge, I had to resort to digi stamps. This image is from StitchyBear Digital Stamps.  I had to make a couple of changes to the image.  The little old lady was facing the other direction, so I had flip the image, but when I did the words were backwards, so I had to re-make the "29 Again" and add some stars like the original.  I printed the image with the laser printer, then colored with Copics.  The sentiment is from PTI. For those of you who've been following my blog for a while, you know how I feel about images floating on the card, so I used a single line to "ground" the image.  In fact, I did that with all my cards today.

This sweet little guy was a free digi image.  I can't remember where I downloaded it from, but I believe it was coloring pages.  Again...printed with the laser printer, then colored with Copics.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

This is another freebie that I download...but can't remember where for sure.  I believe it was a blog called Beccy's Place.  The image was small, so I had to fiddle around with it in PSE10 to get the graphic dark enough and large enough to print, but I finally did it.  Again, printed on the laser printer, colored with Copics, grounded with a single line. Sentiment is from HA.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope these cards "made you smile".  As always, you comments and visits are truly appreciated!! Until next time....

Hugs!

CASology - We're getting Wild

It's time for another CASology challenge.  This week's cue card word is:

I'll admit this is a tough one for me...as I am not particularly wild...so I really had to do some thinking about this cue word.  I've come up with a couple cards that I hope will be considered as meeting the challenge of wild.

This card is my favorite (and the last one I made)...probably because it is the most CAS.  The deer (Deer are wild...right?) die cuts are from MB and I've had them for quite a while but haven't used them. Shame on me!!  For this card, I cut a white card base 5.25 x 4 inches and ran it through my xyron, then covered it with glamour dust.  I cut two "snow" hills and did the same with each of them.  I used a sponge and lightly inked the edges of the snow hills. The deer were cut from black card stock.  The sentiment is from PTI (a stamp that I cut apart) and stamped in Archival Ink (over the top of the glitter).  I layered all the white pieces together, adhered the deer and then added thin strips of black to the edges of the white background and adhered it to my card base. The description took longer to tell than the card did to make.  LOL!  I think this card also qualifies for the St. Luke's Charity Cards Challenge too!

This is the second card I made for the challenge.  Used the deer die cut from MB.  I can't remember where I got the tree stamps, but I do love them.  I've used my "snow" embossing folder again (love that thing!!).  I stamped the trees on a scrap of paper to get the shape of the hill I needed, then used the negative to mask off the sky and a circle to mask off the moon.  I inked the sky, removed the mask for the moon, stamped the trees, and then embossed the panel with the snow EF.  The front snow hill was a separate piece of paper and was also embossed with the EF.  I added a touch of glitter and ink to the snow hills and to the trees.  After I finished it, I decided it was probably not CAS enough for the challenge, but thought I'd post it anyway.

This is actually the first card I made for the challenge, and wasn't happy with it at all.  I think it's probably because I couldn't figure out "WHY" I would send a card that says "wet and wild" to anyone...I guess I like for my cards to have a reason or purpose.  The penguins were cut with the Cameo.  I added googly eyes.  The sentiment was also cut with the Cameo.  I used the snow EF again....are you tired of it yet?

Guess that's it for me right now.  Thanks a million for stopping by!  I truly appreciate your comments, and hopefully, I'll be making the rounds to see all of your fab creations (if my crazy life slows down a bit!!  Until next time....

Hugs!

Challenge 92 and a little sharing..

I had a little time to play along with the Diva Challenge this week, and I thought I'd also use this opportunity to post a few more of my tangles that I've been working on recently.  I've been playing with Zentangles for over a year now and have stacks of tiles and two sketchbooks full of ZIAs, and I have no earthly idea what to do with all of them.....any suggestions?  

So the challenge this week from Laura at I am the Diva is to create a tile or Zentangle inspired art using Stripes as the string.  This challenge is right up my alley...I'm a bit OCD and nice, neat, orderly things please me! LOL!

Here's my take on this week's challenge:

I generally work in a sketch book and my finished drawing is generally about 5 x 5, as is the "lines" pictured above.  All super easy tangles, but I love the nice, neat look to this ZIA.

Last weeks challenge at I am the Diva was to create a tile using beads.  I actually finished two ZIAs, unfortunately, I didn't get them posted in time!

 Oops...doesn't look like I finished the shading on these beads!  

This next ZIA is just something I was messing around with the other evening.  No string involved, just mindless doodling.  Maybe I'll add a little color to this one....hmmmm....

I love circles, so this was another evening of just mindless tangling....my hubby thinks this one looks sinister...LOL!

LOVED how this one turned out.  I was playing around with my compass and ruler and decided to make a little mandala ZIA.  I wasn't sure where I was going with this because I'd divided the circle up into too many sections, but when I finished it, I was pleased.

Hope you've enjoyed looking at my Zentangle Inspired Art....Have you given tangling a try yet?  You should...it's very relaxing, and often the results are a big surprise! 

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

Hugs!

CAS(E) this Sketch #2

There's a new challenge in town called CAS(E) this Sketch.  I hate that I missed the first week, but I just didn't have time to play along.  So, I didn't want to be late this week...because this week's sketch is an awesome sketch!

I actually made three cards for this week's challenge...had a little extra time this weekend to play in my craft room!  Here's my take on this week's sketch:

I embossed a white panel with an embossing folder that I've had forever...and I don't think I've ever used it before!  The ornament is from SU, stamped in red, then I added a few pieces of bling and a bit of glitter.  Finished off the ornament with a red cord bow.  The sentiment is also from SU (and one of my favorites!).  I added tiny red strips to the edges of the white embossed panel, then pop-dotted the ornament on the right side.  Very quick and easy card!

I think the idea in my head was a little better than these next two cards turned out, but I thought I'd post them anyway.  I used a snowflake embossing folder for the white panel.  I cut two circles from white card stock.  On one circle, I masked off the moon, then inked it up good with DI.  Then I ran it through the "snow" embossing folder (it's new and I've used it about 4 times already....I think I LOVE it!).  The other circle was cut so that I had a bit of a "hill" and pop dotted over the night sky.  After embossing the blue piece, I used a nail file and lightly filed the tops of the "snow" to take off the blue and leave the white.  The trees are very old dies from Quickutz.  I adhered the two small tress behind the "hill" and the larger tree on top of the hill.  Then, I coated the trees with some glitter as well as the edge of the hill. It's difficult to see on here, but some of the snowflakes on the embossed panel have been highlighted with the Sakura clear star pen. The sentiment is from PTI.

This is the same general concept, only I just did the sky piece then backed it with some dark blue.  The tiny Santa stamp is from my stash...have no idea who makes it, but I've had it forever.  The sentiment if from PTI.

This last card, I just thought I'd share.  I was planning to post it for the CASology challenge, but I missed the deadline.  The making of this card is what inspired me for the two cards above.  For this card I used a textured paper for the circle background, but everything is basically done the same.  The sentiment is from PTI and stamped directly onto the white "snow"....note to self....stamp the sentiment before adding it to the card with pop dots!!  Again, I've used my "snow" embossing folder...I really do love this folder!  

Here's a chuckle for you...I just re-read my post and noticed that everywhere I meant to type "snow", I had typed "snot".  This is not the first time either.  I've done it on a scrapbook page before too.  Guess I'd better slow down my typing fingers!! LOL!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm glad you took the time to visit, and if you leave a comment...you've made my day!! Until next time...

Hugs!

LIM90 - Autumn

Saturday has rolled around again, and it's time for the Less is More challenge.  Mandi has been exceptionally busy getting her new wedding business going, so Chrissie has stepped up to give us this week's challenge.  Chrissie, just thought I should mention here...this was a very difficult challenge.  I know it shouldn't have been, or maybe my mojo has taken a vacation!  I racked my poor brain trying to some up with something for this week's challenge!  I thought of several things, but everything I thought of was something that I've done before...and I wanted DIFFERENT!  

I ended up making 5 cards for this week's challenge....I know, I usually do make several cards....but I just wanted to keep trying something "different"....!Anywho....this is what I came up with for this week's challenge:

This first card is done on watercolor paper and I actually did a bit of water coloring (something I rarely do).  The image is from SU.  I colored stamp with markers, using brown for the tree trunks and ground and then dabbing different colors of distress in on the leaves (reds, yellows, orange, and a touch of green).  Then using my water brush, I tried to draw my autumn-y colors together in the leaves.  I die cut an oval in some watercolor paper using a Spellbinder die, then pop-dotted it over the image.  I added a brown ribbon...just because it needed something.  Didn't add a sentiment..there didn't seem to be a good place for it!

This card is all about paper piecing.  I punched three ovals and three circles from orange card stock, then made my pumpkins by adhering the shapes together.  I punched leaves from several different colors of paper.  The straw was made by coloring some copy paper with Copics, then cutting it into thin strips before adhering them to the card panel.  I used a wood grain embossing plate from PTI for the background panel.  The stems of the pumpkins were hand cut then colored with Copics.  The curly tendrils on the pumpkins are just green paper that I curled and then adhered behind the pumpkins.  The sentiment is from Flourishes. Oh...I also added some orange strips to the edges of the white wood grain panel...I think it gave it a little bit of a pop.

I like this one...so-so.  The pumpkins were two different pumpkin stamps that I stamped/masked/then stamped again.  I colored with Copics and distress ink, then cut them out.  The wheat is stamped in Memento brown (Inkadinkado stamps - both pumpkins and wheat).  The sentiment is from Flourishes. Added thin strips of brown to the edges of the white panel.

 Okay, you're probably wondering what this has to do with autumn...right?  Well, I'm not much of a baker, but when the fall weather gets here, I start thinking of making fresh apple pies, or cherry pies....nothing better when they're hot from the oven!  I've had these images forever, but I believe they are from HA.  I embossed the bottom half of the panel, and then embossed a line across the top of the embossing.  Then sentiment was added afterwards using the computer.  Again...tiny strips of red added to the embossed panel.

This is my least favorite card this week. Not sure why...probably the "thanks" strip.  I do like the tree, but it was a royal pain to do.  I stamped the tree trunk in Memento brown, then stamped the leaves over that in the same brown, after stamping it off a couple of times.  I only wanted just a faint image of the leaves....then came the fun part.  I colored each and every one of they itty-bitty leaves!! I used several colors...and it took FOREVER!  Nope...won't be trying that again!!

Well, that's it for me today with this challenge.  I do appreciate your visits and your comments always brighten my day! Thanks so much for stopping by!! Until next time...

Hugs!

OLW 110 - Squares

This week's One Layer Wednesday challenge is hosted by Heather Telford from Bits and Pieces.  Heather always has such beautiful cards displayed on her blog, and this week is no exception. This week's challenge is to create a one layer card using squares.  Here's my take on the challenge:

I racked my brain trying to think of something that I could do with squares.  I must admit I drew a blank for several days.  I finally decided that I'd just have to draw some squares, since I don't really have anything "square" stamp-wise.  So...being on the Christmas card kick I'm on right now, I decided to use one of my old favorites from SU.  This is probably one of the first Christmas stamps that I bought from SU...and I still love it.  The sentiment is from PTI.  I stamped the image in black Memento, colored him with Copics, then drew a square around the image.  Since my original lines on my square were a bit wobbly, I decided to draw several lines and make them all wobbly!  Drew the same type of lines around the sentiment and then added three small pieces of bling.  (BTW...you have to draw the square around the sentiment first...ask me how I know!)  

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

Hugs!

Christmas is Coming

It won't be long before it's time to send out those Christmas cards and I'm working diligently to get all of my cards finished.  I might just get them all done before Thanksgiving! With that in mind, I've decided to play along with a new (to me) sketch challenge, called Freshly Made Sketches.  I've checked this challenge out before, but I just haven't used one of the sketches before.  Well, today I did it!  

My cards are also fit this month's challenge at St. Luke's Charity Cards Challenge to make simple Christmas cards.

Here's the sketch for this week:

I've actually made a couple of cards using this sketch. 

For this first card, I embossed the bottom portion of a white panel with a SU embossing folder, and top portion of the panel with an embossing folder from Lifestyle Crafts.  I tied a ribbon around the "seam" where the two embossed edges meet.  The Noel tag is a chipboard tag from K&Co.  I bought a box of mixed tags like this several years ago and still haven't used all of them!  I layered the embossed panel on a piece of red card stock leaving just a tiny red border, then adhered the panel to my white card base.  This is a great sketch, and one that I've used often in the past when creating cards.

Here's the second card.  I embossed a white panel with the SU lines folder, then adhered a piece of Making Memories paper from my scraps.  I adhered a white strip across the joined area, then tied a bow with some red cord.  Again, I used one of the chipboard elements from the K&Co pack.  I cut tiny strips of gold shiny decorative paper and edged the panel before adhering it to the white card base.

Quick...easy...and I love it!

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

Hugs!

Runway Inspired Challenge - #22

I've never played along with the Runway Inspired Challenge, but I usually look at all the beautiful cards that are created for this challenge.  This week...I was inspired by the photo, and couldn't wait to create a card!

Here's my take on this week's Runway Inspired Challenge:

When I saw the photo, it made me think of a candy cane...thus my card.  I cut a white panel slightly smaller than the Kraft card base and embossed it with an embossing template from PTI.  I then cut the letters "J" and "Y" in the panel, leaving a space of the "O".  Rather than just cut out an "O", I decided to make it a peppermint candy.  I punched 4 one inch circles and glued them together, then using a Copic marker, I colored my red stripes on the candy.  I also added some glossy accents (it's difficult to see here).  The holly leaves are a QK die and the berries are red pearls.  I layered a small piece of the striped paper on the card base and then pop dotted the white layer over it.  Super quick and easy!

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit! I appreciate you comments more than you know!  Until next time...

Hugs!