Let It Rain!

The best thing one can do when it's raining is let it rain.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I love springtime rains - they are so refreshing. I also love Craft Us Crazy Challenges. Therefore, I really love today!

It's time for a new Craft Us Crazy Challenge

THEME: Spring/Easter

March 31 - April 13

The Sponsor of this challenge is Peggy Loves Vintage

The Peggy Loves Vintage Etsy shop:

The Peggy Loves Vintge ebay shop:

Prize package – 5 different cut outs from store - $17.50 value

Sponsor write up – My husband and I have shared 36 years together and we have 2 sons and a daughter and 2 glorious grandkids ages 3 and 6. I started collecting vintage cards quite by accident. I was helping with my aunts estate sale and ran across her collection. The cards were so wonderful that I fell in love with them and have been collecting them ever since. I love to get a new vintage scrapbook and read all about the lives and times of the individual. Some of their stories are truly inspiring. Be sure and visit my blog where you'll find some great inspiration, tips, tricks and some free vintage images for you to use. I'm really excited about being an sponsor for Craft Us Crazy and sharing these beautiful vintage images with you. I hope that you come to love them as much as I do.

For my card I used one of the Peggy Loves Vintage images:

Here's the inside of my card:

I used the same image on the inside of my card, I just resized it to a smaller size. That's one of the things I love about digital images. You can make them as large or as small as you'd like.

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.

- Author Unknown

Image: Peggy Loves Vintage Sentiment: Inkadinkado Ink: Versafine Onyx Black Cardstock: Ballet Blue, Black, and Daffodil Delight Designer Paper: Paper Studio Water Droplet Photo and Yellow with White Polka Dots Embellishments: Darice Felt Flowers, JoAnn's Metal Dots, and Stampin' UP! Black Grosgrain Ribbon

Cupcakes... Yum! Yum!

It's time for a new Fresh Brewed Challenge

March 30 - April 5

Theme: Cook It Up (food or cooking related)

I couldn't resist inking up my Fresh Brewed Designs La Dolce Vita rubber stamp and using it for my card. She is so lovely and her cupcake and cup of java are so inviting.

I also had to use some cupcake designer paper - I just HAD to!

Let's see what yummy treat you'll cook up for the challenge!

Image: Fresh Brewed Designs La Dolce Vita Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers Cardstock: Paper Company Hunter and Stampin' UP! Creamy Caramel aand Mauve Mist Designer Paper: K & Co. Blue Gingham and Paper Studio Tiny Cupcakes Embellishments: Offray Ribbon and brads (vendor unknown)

A Summer Treat Can't be Beat

I'm ready for summer... popsicles and sunshine!

How about you???

Oops! Out of Popsicles!

Image: unknown
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, and Poppy Parade
Designer Paper: Paper Studio
Embellishment: Stampin' UP! Stitched Poly Ribbon

Critter Sketch Challenge #58

NOTE: I've been busy...

I have THREE blog posts for today. Please check them all out.

There's this one - YAY!!! I'm a GUEST DESIGNER for the Critter Sketch Challenge. The next one (as you scroll down) is the Happy Monday Challenge (featuring Deedee's Digis) and the third one (still scrolling down) is a Calendar Girl creation.

Critter Sketch Challenge #58

March 28 - April 3

It is a sketch challenge and also calls for the use of buttons.

Soft Pencil Digital Stamps is the sponsor of this week's Critter Sketch Challenge.

I'd like to give a HUGE thank you to Soft Pencil Digital Stamps for providing me with the image I used as a guest designer for this challenge.

THANK YOU, Soft Pencil!!!

Here's the Challenge Sketch:

Here's my card:

This really is a great sketch... and who doesn't love buttons!?!? I hope you'll get busy and create something for this week's Critter Sketch Challenge. I'd like to see what you come up with!

Image: Soft Pencil Ladybug and Flower

Sentiment: Hero Arts

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black and Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Daffodil Delight and Garden Green

Designer Paper: Paper Studio Yellow Daisies and scrap from my scrap file

Embellishments: Paper Studio buttons and crochet thread (vendor unknown)

Color My World

It's time for another

Happy Monday Challenge!

March 28 - April 3

Theme: Kids Need Love, Too!

(Make and Send some Happy Mail to a Child)

Here's my card:

I used a Deedee's Dollar Digi for my card - Color My World

I used lots of rhinestones for embellishments. I love the way they sparkle and shine.

Image: Deedee's Digis Ink: Copic markers Cardstock: Scraps from my scrap file Designer Paper: Heidi Grace Ryb Circles and Recollections Doodle Black Equalibrium Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Calendar Girls Celebrate Spring

I am delighted to be part of a blog group called the Calendar Girls. Each month, one of the Calendar Girls serves as hostess and creates a challenge for us to use. On the 28th of the month we each post our project on our blogs for all of the group - and our faithful followers - to see. This is the 28th, so I am excited to see what everyone created.

Here's my card:

April (a.k.a. Miss March) is our hostess this month and her challenge is a great one! These are her words:

For our challenge this month, I wanted to challenge us with a three-fer. It is the third month after all!

1. Since Spring is right around the corner and I am so looking forward to it, I'd like everyone to use a stamp/stamps/digi(s) that portray something YOU are looking forward to! It can be Spring, Summer, vacation, a holiday, or even a nice dinner!

2. I'd like you to use a technique or product that "scares" you. In my case, it could be glitter or spray Smooch. Just make it something that you admire and have procrstinated trying or using!

3. Lastly, I'd like you to use the attched sketch. You can interpret it however loosely you wish. I would just like CS/DP to follow my sketch - add all the layers and embellies you see fit. The sketch can be rotated and proportions can change - it is just a rough drawing!

Thanks, April for a fun challenge!!!

As you can see, I did change my card to a square format, but other than that, it's pretty much the same as April's awesome sketch.

The thing I'm looking forward to this spring, is the return of the Robins and other aspects of nature - green grass, leaves on the trees, warmer temperatures, blooming flowers. I love spring!

The product that scares me? Well, if you check my blog very often, you know I love rhinestones. I have so many stashed away, including some of the clustered kind... but until this card, I had never EVER used the clustered rhinestones. They SCARE me! I don't know what to do with them. So, April, thank you for FORCING me to put some of them on my card.

Be sure and check out the other Calendar Girls' blogs to see what they did for April's challenge. The links to their blogs is in my left-hand sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by!

Image: Stamps Happen Carolyn Shore Wright's Robin Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic markers Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Bravo Burgandy, Night of Navy and Really Rust and a green scrap from my scrap file Designer Paper: My Mind's Eye Simply Delightful Collection Embellishment: Mark Richards Crystal Clusters

It's a Jungle Out There

Today is the beginning of a new Crafty Ho Challenge

It's a Photo Inspiration challenge, based on this picture:

March 27 - April 2

Here's my card:

I used some awesome designer paper and a minimum of everything else to let the focus be on that paper.

Sentiment: My Favorite Things It's a Jungle Out There
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Baja Breeze, Black, and Peach Parfait
Designer Paper: Sassafras Jungle Bungle
Embellishment: Michael's Rhinestones

Oiled Love

Last Sunday I showed you a card I made that I wasn't too happy with. UGH! I still have nightmares when I think of some of my disasterous attempts at cardmaking.

What I didn't tell you last Sunday was that I had already made some much cuter cards with the same image and designer paper. Let me show you...



You see, I am in a swap on Splitcoast Stampers called Different Kind of Swap. Each month the group hostess sends a set of paper/embellishments to the others in the group. Group members provide their own images, cardstock, and anything else they need to make their cards. We make six cards and mail one to each of the other five group members.
The designer paper and ribbon were from one of the kits.


By the way, I like this card much MUCH better than the one I made for Sunday's post. ;)

Images and Sentiment: Stampendous Love Robotz
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Black, Gray, Real Red, and White
Designer Paper: vendor unknown
Embellishment: Grosgrain Ribbon (vendor unknown)

Worn Treasures

Treasures come in all shapes and sizes, in a variety of forms and colors.

This week's treasure looks like this:

Cost: 25 cents

I purchased this shirt at a yard sale last summer. It was quite ragged in places, not suitable for wearing, but it had interesting buttons and I thought surely I could find a use for them. They are those vintage sorts of buttons that are creamy on one side and almost metallic on the other. I always called them mother of pearl, but I'm not sure what their official name is. Unfortunately, I removed them before I remembered to take the picture, so the buttons aren't on the shirt in the picture. Silly me!

Here's the card I created with this treasure:

You probably noticed the tab at the bottom of the card. YES! That was from the shirt. You know the kind... the sleeves roll up and can be held in place with the tab and button. Well, I took a pair of scissors and clipped that tab right off the shirt and adhered it to my card.

Here's a closer look:

I did something VERY unusual with this card! I didn't use any designer paper! I looked and looked in my stash, but all the designer papers I had seemed to overpower that cloth tab... and I didn't want that to happen. So instead I used a piece of Metallic Jade paper.

You probably also noticed that I didn't use my Copic markers. EEK!!! There's actually a very good reason for that. The image was given to me quite some time ago, and I didn't think it was stamped with Memento ink, so I was afraid to use Copics on it for fear it would smear. Therefore, I used my Prismacolor Colored Pencils instead.

I hope you enjoyed my Treasure Hunt creation! I had fun making it!

And soon, it will be time for the hunt to begin again. Spring is just around the corner. But for now, I will still be using things I found in last year's hunt.

Image: Magnolia girl
Colored with: Prismacolor Colored Pencils
Cardstock: Paper Reflections Rouge and The Paper Co. cool Metallic Jade
Treasure: fabric tab and buttons from a woman's shirt
Additional Embellishment: crochet thread

Chi Chi

Chi Chi Memories

Sketch Challenge

March 24 - April 6

To see the sketch and details about the challenge, click here!

(You know you want to.)

I used the Easter basket image from the Chi Chi Memories Happy Easter set for my card.

I added a little bit of the designer paper to the inside of my card, too.

Chirp! Chirp!

Image: Chi Chi Memories Happy Easter set
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, and Certainly Celery
Designer Paper: K & Co. Hopscotch Mat Pad and Sandy Lion Easter Chicks
Embellishment: Lavendar Grosgrain Ribbon (vendor unknown)

Springtime Embellishments

Yes, it's Wednesday, so it's time for a new...

Fresh Brewed Challenge

March 23 - 29

Theme: Use two or more embellishments

I used the new Fresh Brewed Designs Bunny Chick image for my card:

And I have several embellishments - ribbon (I love ribbon and use it on well over half of the cards I make), silk flowers, rhinestone brads, and a cute little butterfly brad, too.

The designer pape is actually a die cut piece of paper (from the K & Co. Wild Raspberry Die Cut Mat Pack). It was a wee bit larger than my 5 1/2" square card, so instead of trimming it, I folded it around to the inside of my card for a little extra fun inside. I also wrapped the ribbon around to the inside of my card.

Here are a couple of close up pictures to show you some of the depth of my card, as well as a closer look at that adorable image:

I used Nestabilities to cut out the image and the scalloped circle.

Get out your embellishments and play along. I'd love to see your creations!

Image: Fresh Brewed Designs Bunny Chick
Ink: Copic markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Baja Breeze, Delightful Daffodil, and Kiwi Kiss
Designer Paper: K & Co. Die Cut Mat Pack Wild Raspberry
Embellishment: Hobby Lobby Ribbon FX, silk flowers, rhinestone brads, and butterfly brad

No More Snow!

I know! The weather has been so nice the past week or so... warm, sunny. We even had a thunderstorm one day. However, I do live in northern Illinois, so it's probably too early to think that Spring has permanently arrived. We're probably still good for one more snow. BUT, that doesn't mean I have to like it. Right?

That being said, I do kind of like this Let it Snow card ... I hope it's okay to say that about one's own creation.
I have lots and lots of embossing folders, but for some reason, I don't tend to use them very often, When I do, I like the way the papers look... I just never seem to remember to use them.

Okay, now I'm really ready for Spring!

Image: Great Impressions
Ink: Versamark (with black embossing powder) and Copic markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Ballet Blue, Black and Kiwi Kiss
Designer Paper: vendor unknown
Embellishment: Offray Sheerly Yours ribbon

Fun!

Today is the first day of a new Happy Monday Challenge, but first I need to take care of some housekeeping. You remember that last Friday Deedee's Digis had a blog hop. I was so excited to see that 44 of you stopped by my blog and left a comment. THANK YOU!!! I used a Random Integer Generator to find a winner, and the winner is................


BlueInks who said: Your card is just fab! That grass punch is perfect. Love all of the details.

Congratulations, Tami. Get in touch with me and I'll give you instructions on how to get your gift voucher.

Now, for this week's

Happy Monday Challenge

March 21 - 27

This is a SKETCH challenge.

Here's the sketch:

I'm not normally a very symmetrical person, so I tweaked the sketch by offsetting a few of the elements. That's okay on sketch challenges. You can adjust them a bit to make them your own.

I used the newest Deedee's Dollar Digi for my card - Greatest Joy

Isn't he the cutest!?!?!

It comes with a sentiment, too, which I put on the inside of my card.

The Fun tag is a K & Co. tag. I thought it went perfectly with the theme and colors of my card.

Have a happy, bubble-blowing kind of day... a HAPPY MONDAY!

Image: Deedaee's Digis Greatest Joy
Ink: Copic mrkers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Black, Brocade Blue, and Real Red
Designer Paper: Paper Studio Clouds and Provo Craft Checkerboard
Tag: K & Co. Tag Pad
Embellishments: Stampin' UP! Grosgrain Ribbon and Stickles Glitter Glue