A dreary day....

   But, one of those days that I'm fine with the rain and clouds, because I have a craft room full of supplies, just waiting for me to create!    I have quite a variety of cards that I'm working on today and this set that I am sharing now, were all inspired by a color combo challenge at The Outlawz.   These are also some of the hardest cards to create, because they are all Sympathy Cards.   Sadly, one of my best friend's lost a dear Aunt this weekend, after a year long battle with cancer and today I knew I wanted to make some cards to send to her as well as her two cousins.

   I really didn't know what colors I what I was going to start with, but once I saw today's challenge, I thought these colors would be really nice.   This is a copy or the color swatch along with the image that inspired me -

    I started by going through my cardstock and picked out a variety of sheets that had these colors, which are all from different lines, but worked well together.   My next step was determining what I wanted to use as my focal point and I decided to use the Sentiment, which is a digi sentiment what I printed out on sand colored cardstock in a variety of colors and sizes.

    Next, I chose assorted Spellbinder dies to cut out the Sentiment and created a mat for each in one of the contrasting papers.   Two of my cards were created with Hero Hues cards, which have quickly become some of my favorites, plus I LOVE the matching envelopes.   I bought a stash of them of eBay for only $2.85 a package, which is 10 card/envelopes - a great deal.  

    I then cut out a variety of mats and layers and made each of the three cards a bit different.  In the end I really found I like them all, but I think this ended up being my favorite because of the gorgeous aqua lace trim, another great find from Etsy!    And this is the card that I am submitted to the challenge at The Outlawz.

  

   This card is also being submitted to this week's Challenge at Kaboodle Designs.  Their challenge (#83), is to create project using Ric Rac, Fabric or Lace.  Please hop on over - HERE, if you would like to play along! 

       And these are the other two card I created all in the same basic color theme --

   I am submitting this card to the 'Anything Goes' Challenge being hosted this week at Woodware USA.  If you would like to join in, please visit their challenge blog HERE!!

     This card is also being submitted to the new challenge at SquiggleFly, which is another color themed challenge (#114).  Their colors this week are, Blue, Green, Aqua, Turquoise, Navy, Jade and Emerald.  The idea is to stick with those colors!! 

     And before I sign off today, I want to thank Judy from Pizzazz Aplenty for the wonderful prize package she sent me, for being the winner of the Back to School Challenge over at Through the Craftroom Door.   It was a wonderful goodie package full of Gems, Pearls, Twine and Floss!!    I've already been back to the store and placed an order for some more of her awesome products!   Thank you Judy, it was a pleasure to shop with you and thank you again for a great prize! 

Happy Shopping

  

I simply LOVE to create.....

....I could literally spend hours in my craft-room and some days, that is exactly what I do.  I really do feel so lucky when I'm coloring or simply creating backgrounds for new cards.   I absolutely LOVE it and love how it keeps me busy and keeps my mind of of Fibro.   I'm also very thankful and happy to be feeling so much better than I had been a few weeks back and I'm also so thankful for the good days!

     It's also been so uplifting to be part of a new Design Team and I'm still so excited to be creating with such a fabulous group.  has also given me a wonderful new focus and it's a joy to be part of a team again.   There were several times throughout the Summer, where I really thought I would likely never take on another DT role, because I was afraid disappointing anyone -- mostly myself.    It makes me feel like I can still accomplish goals and it gives me something fun and exciting to look forward too!   I didn't realize, until now,  just how much I really need that extra focus and feeling of accomplishment!  WOOHOO!  Thank you again to all the members of the Through the Craftroom - Design Team for welcoming me on and also being so friendly and outgoing!  I could not be happier and I'm so glad this worked out!  :)

    This afternoon, I am her to share two new cards that were both inspired by challenges.   My first card features a sweet little Angel image from 'A Day for Daisies' and this has always been on of my favorites.  I colored her with Copics and then added ultra-fine glitter to her wings, halo and the sweet little blue bird.  I then picked out some wonderful pink beaded lace trim and added that on top of my die cut and doily layers.  If you happy to love pretty trims like this, you can find it at a nice little store at ETSY, called CreatingIsFun.  I met Martha (the owner) in one of my craft group and have been shipping at her store, ever since.  She always has a wonderful variety of trims, ribbons, buttons and so much more and it's a job to shop with her!

       My sweet Angel card is being submitted to each of these new challenges:

• The Outlawz - Greeting Card Challenge - Pearls and Lace
• iCopic Challenge Blog - Challenge # 46 - Glitter
• Stamptacular Sunday Challenges - #127 - The Sky's the Limit
• I Did It Creations - Challenge # 71 - Girly Girls
• Magical Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

       My next card was one I created after seeing a Monet Themed painting that was the inspiration for a Color Challenge at Crafting by Designs.    As soon as I saw it, I was  inspired me to break out my water colors and Twinkling H20's and create some new backgrounds.   I really love taking the time to make my own and the best part is that you can use any colors and make them work for any project. 

    This one, ended up being one of my favorites today and because I wanted to use it right away I used my heat gun to dry it.  Normally, I let them dry overnight, but if you do need a quick background, using a heat gun will work fine.   This card was also really easy and fun to put together.  I picked out some matching flowers, ribbon and a white doile an simply adhered them all together on top of a pink and lavender die cut.  I added an embellished hat pin and a little charm and had this pretty card.

       This card is being submitted to each of these challenges --

• Stampin' Sisters In Christ - # 105 - Soft Pastel Colors (Nothing Bright)
• Make it Monday - Happy Birthday and Blog Hop
• Craft Your Passion - Challenge # 74 - Flowers
• Hooked on Crafts - Challenge # 7 - Spring has Sprung

  I hope you are all enjoying some time in your craft space this week and hope it makes you as happy as it does for me!

Happy Sunday!!

     I hope everyone is having a nice day and for those of your here in the US, I hope you have a nice Labor Day Weekend.   We had a chance to head off to a cookout today, but I'm really not feeling my best, so I decided it would be best to stay home and catch up more on rest and relaxation.

   I'm also finishing up some cards I had started and also have a new card to share today for the weekly Sketch Challenge over at the Stars & Stamps Blog.   I really loved the new sketch and have copied it here to share with you.  This week we are working on Sketch # 85, which I really think is a nice classic design.

Sketch 85

My Card

    I also used the sketch along with these ideas to make my card work out to fit into each of these challenges and I hope you'll also stop by and play too! 

• Operation Write Home - Stars & Stamps Blog - Sunday Sketch
• Aly's Sunday Challenge - September - Add a Bow
• Crafting When We Can - Challenge # 1 - Do it Your Way
• The Outlawz - CAS Style - Favorite Subject In School (Art)

   My next card is another that I created based on the wonderful inking techniques I have learned from taking Jennifer McGuire's classes.   I will also be adding this card to my collection on the Hero Arts site, as this features one on my favorite new HA Background Stamp (Classic Fabric Design).    A few weeks back, I used combination of Distress Inks, Distress Stains and Perfect Pearls mist along with this stamp to create several card backgrounds in a variety of colors.   All were created on watercolor paper and I cut each down to card size and put them in my stash.  Today, I decided to use these colors, which I thought would be fun for all and also work out well with this design.   Having the backgrounds created in advance, makes it really easy to make a fun card and I'm happy I had these done.

   If you LOVE to work with inks and/or want to learn how to use inks in a variety of techniques, I highly suggest you sign up to take Jennifer's Inspiraton Showcase online class, which starts on September 12th.  I signed up the first day and can't wait to start!   It's a fantastic prize and you can find all the details HERE!!  If you do join, let me know, so I can find in you there !   

    I'm so excited that class is now only a week away and I know that many of the gals that took the Summer Card Camp, will be back for this class too.    There is also going to be a Holiday Card Class, coming up a bit later this Fall and that one will be taught by Jennifer along with Kristina Werner!   WOOHOO!!

  And now back to my cards, this next one was created for a variety of challenges and was first inspired by this week's Copic/Promarker Color Challenge at The Outlawz.  Their them this week was to create a project that incorporated 'feathers' and this is my take on that them with another cute Fall image from Bugaboo.

   This card is also being submitted to each of these challenges and I invite you ALL to play along:

• Color Me Creative  - Copic Coloring # 26 - Fall/Halloween Theme
• Through the Craftroom Door - TTCRD # 9 - Fun With Textures
• The Outlawz - Copic Coloring Challenge - Feathers
• Catch the Bug Challenge Blog - September - Anything Goes

  And that's it for now!   I am working on a card now for a Design Team project and totally happy with how it's coming along!   Don't you just love it, when a idea works out, exactly like you hoped!  :)   You'll have to wait a bit to see this card, but I think you'll like it too!   

No spooky things here....

    Nope, not from me!   I'm not a fan of scary or horror movies, they really do scare me and I've never been one to really even get into Halloween, except a bit when my boys were little and we would take them out trick or treating.   If anything I like the fun whimsical side and Halloween and that's also the way I create when I make Halloween cards.

    Today, I have three new cards that were all inspired by a variety of challenges and for all three I showed my fun and whimsical side of creating.   My first card was today was created with a really cute little digi that I bought last season from Tiddly Inks.   It has been colored with Copics and I used a variety of papers that were also left-over from last year's Halloween Stash.   My die-cuts were all created with Spellbinders, including one of the brand new Edgeabilities® Sets that arrived in my mail today!   They are from the Recollection set and are really cute.

    
   This cutie is being submitted to these fun challenges:

• Fun with Shapes and More - # 99 - Anything Goes - Die Cut Required
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Challenge # 15 - Holidays

    My next card is also in a Halloween Theme and features an adorable little bear, all dressed up as a Lil' Devil, a new digi from StampFairy.   This little cutie was also colored with Copics and edged with Ranger Distress Inks.  To give his outfit more dimension, I added a layer of 3D Crystal Lacquer, which also adds a wonderful shine.   Take a peek as his little tail -- I think the little heart on the end is so sweet.

  
      This cuties is being submitted to each of these challenges and I would love for your to play along:

• Color Me Creative  - Copic Challenge  - Fall or Halloween Theme
• Stamp Something - Digi Days - Sadly their last Challenge 
• Creating Memories in Time - Halloween Theme

   And my next card today is another fun Halloween Card and this one features one of the adorable Turtle Images from Bugaboo.    I think I have added every turtle from the collection and find I always enjoy coloirng them.   This card was also colored with Copics and I also used Distress inks to create a little background for my Pirate Turtle.

  This card was inspired and created for these challenges.  I again encourage you all to play along!  They are all new challenges and open to all -

• Catch the Bug Challenge Blog - September - Anything Goes
• The Poodle Parlour - September 3rd Challenge - Animal Antics
• The Outlawz  - Paper a la Mode - Fabric or Canvas 

    And lastly, before I sign off - don't forget that we have a brand new challenge this week over at the Through the Craftroom Door - Challenge Blog.    You will find all the details on the blog here and I would also like to invite you all to become a member of our TTCRD Website, which is OPEN to ALL!! 

Join Here!!

  

Exciting Announcement!!

   Today I have some exciting news to share and I'm very happy to tell you that I have accepted a new Design Team Position for Through the Craftroom Door.    TTCRD is the fabulous Craft Publication created by Suzanne Dean and Marti Wills.   I have been a subscriber since day one and also have enjoyed taking part in all of the craft challenges!    I was even the lucky  winner of last month's challenge - Yippee!!

Design Team Members

anaRy Baumgarth - Senior DT

Anita Autore - Senior DT

Danielle Linton - Junior DT

Jennifer Scull - Junior DT

Lisa Haines - Junior DT (that's me)

Melanie LaBelle--DT Leader/Magazine Partner

Sandi Huggett - Junior DT

Stephanie Lee - Junior DT

Wini Bell - Junior DT

  
   With Summer winding down, I knew it was time for me to look into returning to designing and when I read about the DT call, I decided to apply.  I'm very excited to have been given this wonderful opportunity and can't wait to create with all the awesome members of the team.

   I would like to invite you ALL to join the main site, which is OPEN to all!   If you would like to be a subscriber of this wonderful publication, you can find the details HERE!     Secondly, I would like to invite you to join our newest challenge, which started yesterday and can be found on the main site here, as well as on our Challenge site, which is HERE.  We are currently on Challenge # 9 and this challenge is all about TEXTURE!!    We call it - You'll find all the details HERE!

"Fun With Textures"

Use at Least 2 Products to Give your Card/ Project Texture

     We have a wonderful prize this month and it's 4 images, winners choice is from  Delicious Doodles!    Good Luck !  

    Please be sure to post your completed project at the CHALLENGE SITE - using Inlinkz.   You may also feel free to add a your project to the Main Site Gallery and we encourage you to share it there too!

   This is my 'Texture Card' that I created today.  It's also going to be a birthday card for my nephew who turns 8 next week.   My image has been colored with Copics and for my texture I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the bright orange layer.  Next I added a layer of blue/gold metallic mesh, from my stash and then created a top border with some copper foil.  I topped it all off with some matching Pezz-a-bling! 

   I want to say Thank You to Suzanne, Marti and Melanie for choosing me as part of the team.  I think we'll all have a lot of fun creating together and I'm very happy to be working with so many wonderful designers!

   I also have two more cards to share today and the first one was created for the new Twisted Thursday Challenge over at The Outlawz Group.   The challenge this week was to follow a Recipe (Go HERE for all the details).   This is my card which was created in a Fall theme.  My cute little Pumpkin image is a freebie from StampFairy, which I colored with Copics markers and edged with Distress Ink.   I then adhered the colored image to a foil circle which I cut and embossed in my Grand Calibur.   

    The card is being submitted to each of these challenges -

• The Outlawz - Twisted Thursday - Recipe Challenge
• Polka Doodles - Week 35 - Autumn Leaves/Theme
• Heidi's Hobbystuggu - September Challenge-  Fall Colors

   And my final card today was created with for the newest challenge over at By Lori Designs and this week the challenge is to create a "Back to School" themed project, including one of the sweet BLD images.   This is the card that I created and this is my brightest and happiest card.  I went with lots of bright colors and colored up my little school girl in happy colors for Back 2 School.   The card would also work out very well for the Texture challenge at TTCRD.  It has multiple embossed layers and also used my Distrezz-it-All to add a lot of texture to the first layer.   Another fun card!

    This cute little Back to School card is being submitted to each of these fun challenge:

• By Lori Designs - Challenge #21 - Back 2 School
• If the Shoe Fits - Challenge #90 - Back to School
• Lily Pad Cards - Color Palette Challenge

     I had such a fun day and I am so happy and excited to be part of a Design Team again!  My thanks to everyone for all your wonderful support!!   Hugs to you all!!