I saw some SUN today....

...too bad it's blowing a gale outside and is also very chilly..!    It's still nice to see the sun, too bad there are also so many clouds and all the wind.   I am still HOPING very much that Spring and arrive here and you can tell by the cards that I created today that I definitely have Spring on my mind.   If we can't have Spring outside, I want to  "Think Spring" in my craft room.

   My first card was created for two fun challenge and the initial inspiration came from today's new POM challenge over at 'The Outlawz'.   POM stands for 'Prisma and Other Color Mediums" and is one of my favorite challenges, as it's keep me thinking and coming up with new ideas.   I LOVE my Copics and coloring with them, but I also love to try new ideas, which makes this challenge a plus for me.    The card I created today features another of the fun Distress Ink techniques that we used in Jennifer McGuire's workshop, last weekend.

    I started by stamping this 'Poppy Collage' Stamp in VersaMark and then for this card, I used a Black Sparkle embossing powder (by Ranger).  Once it was cool, I used my Tim Holtz  blending tools to color the image three different Distress inks.  I used - Worn Lipstick, Tumbled Glass and Spun Sugar.    Once it was all dry, I cute out the size I needed and put it all together with some embellishments to make this Spring Card.

   
   My 'Spring Themed'  card is being submitted to these challenge and you are all invited to join me!

• The Outlawz - POM Challenge - Eastern or Spring Cards
• Flutter by Wednesday - Challenge # 151 - Butterfly, Angel or Fairy (Required)

    Additionally, I created a second 'Spring Themed' Card and this one was inspired by a wonderful Sketch created by Clare Prezzia at SSC, for this week's card challenge.

Clare's Sketch

 My 'Springtime' card!

  This card was really fun and easy to create.   I started with this cute little Spring Sentiment, which is actually a digi sentiment from Rainbow Echo Designs.   I printed out the sentiment, edged it with lavender ink and then cut it out with a new Nestie Die.   Next, I embossed a piece of lavender cardstock in my Cuttlebug and created a side border with a punch I love from Stampin' Up.  My little Butterfly and all of the flowers on this card are from Prima and I bought them at Susana's store, one of my favorite places to shop for Scrap Goodies!!  My background paper is also from Susana's and is from Memory Box.

   I am off now to look to finish up a few more cards and hoping that maybe the winds will die down a bit and that some of the clouds will go away.   Still waiting for Spring....feel free to send me some warmth sunny days!!

   

Today's new challenge cards!!

   I am back with an afternoon update and to share two more cards that I created for two new challenges.  The first was inspired by this week's new challenge over at Going Grey with Scrap Creations, which you can find HERE!   I always like to try and combined challenges when I can, so I decided to use this week's Sketch from the 'The Outlawz' to create a card that would work out for both.

  This is a copy of Sandi's Sketch

My Card

   My image is from Tiddly Inks and this cutie is 'Poppy'.   I chose to use this image, as I thought it would be fun to color and also because Tiddly Inks is also this sponsor this week at GGWSC.     I also want to again say thank you to Kristen at Going Grey with Scrap Creations, for choosing my card from last week's challenge as one of the TOP 3!  Woohoo!   I was so excited and happy to add my the badge to my Award page.    This is the card that won that award and was submitted to last weeks' Sketch Challenge!!

  My next card today was created using some of the new inking techniques we learned at the Jennifer McGuire Workshop this weekend.  I started with this wonderful Poppy Collage Stamp by Memory Box, which you can buy here at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design.   I am a big fan of these collage stamps and also own this Butterfly Collage, and this Peony Stamp too!    I also happen to love Memory Box papers and especially love the 6X6 packs that Susana has in the store.

    This card was created for this week's Challenge # 3 - over at the SCACD Friends with Heart Challenge Blog,  which you can find HERE!!   This is a copy of the challenge instructions, from the blog!  It's open to ALL and I hope you'll join in on the fun!!

 For our challenge this week we want to see your A-R-T.....

A= any stamp from SCACD-- 

please note the stamp must physically be in the store, not just the company-thanks!

R= ribbon

T= Two Patterned/Designer papers 

 My Card - Thinking of You!

    My card includes the Peony Collage Stamp from Memory Box, which  I stamped with VersaMark and then heat embossed with White Embossing Powder and my new Tim Holtz Heat Tool.   For my two patterned papers, I used up some scraps from my stash and both pieces were from two different Basic Grey packs.    I used a light green shade to create a mat for my image and then used a darker green shade for my side border, which was created with a new EK Success punch.   My Ribbon, Felt Flower and Button are all goodies I am using up from my stash. 

     In addition to this week's challenge at SCACD, this card is also being submitted to these challenges:

• Simon Say Stamp - Emboss IT!
• Creative Craft Challenges - Embossing

      I also have two more cards to share this first card was created for a new challenge over at StampNation.  It was based on an inspiration image and I used the colors and the embossing elements as my inspiration for my card.

    I also had enough of the patterned paper to create a matching envelope liner and this picture shows the card with the matching envelope!   I am submitting this card to the Pink Paper Paradise - Make it Monday Showcase Blog.

  And this is a little note-card I crated with some scraps that were laying around on my desk.  This sweet little tulip digi, has been a freebie at one time over at CDAC and I had hoped to create a card for the challenge, but ran out of time. 

     And that is ALL for today kids....this girl is now wiped out and happy to have the rest of the day to sit back, relax and rest!  

Lots of new projects....

   We have had the worst Spring that I can remember in a long time.  I can't even remember the last day I saw the sun and lately it's back to very cold, damp and lousy weather!!  YUK!!    We really need some warmth and sunshine and I hope it comes soon.

    Today, I was up and out early to have my nails done, which is always a nice little treat.  Now, I am home and back in my craft room and ready to create.  I really do feel so lucky to have a hobby that keeps me so busy, otherwise I think I'd be ready to scream!

    I have several new cards to share, all created in the past few days.   I'm starting with some more of the cards from the Jennifer McGuire Workshop, which  I took on Saturday.  In the afternoon session, it was all card-making and more techniques and we had a total of eight cards to work on.  We focused in class on learning the techniques and took the rest home to finish.  These are a few more of the cards that I have now complete.   I changed around a few of the colors, layouts and sentiments on some, to make me more 'me'.

Bloom

These flowers were actually from a Hero Arts Stamp.

Stamps on Watercolor Paper and Heat Embossed in White 

We then added the color with Distress Inks and Perfect Pearls

The background card base is the Large Flower Stamp - Tone on Tone!

Hope

 

 In class we created a window card, with a stamped image

on the inside -- mine smudged, so I took that care and revamped

it bay using a Sentiment cute with a Scalloped circle Nestie

layered on a Textured Circle.

The Background and the little bird were all

stamped/colored with Distress Inks.

Thank you / Friend

This card was very fun!  First the 'Friend' definition stamp was heat embossed in white.

We then added a background of inks and stamps a second Leaf Stamp.

That was layered onto a card base that was stamped with this Hero Arts Stamp

and we added the Sentiment, Ribbon and Button!

Special Note / Acetate Card

This card was really unique to me and was created from a piece of Acetate that had
been cut to A2 size and embossed with a Cuttlebug Folder.   I decided to change the embossing at home, and simply ran it though my Cuttlebug with a different folder.  The flower and the die-cut pieces were all colored using a variety of techniques, inks and stamps.  A very cool card!!

************************************

   The next two cards are new cards I created this weeks for a variety of challenges.   The first were inspired by the new challenges being hosted over the 'The Outlawz Challenge Group'.  

Color Combo Challenge
The Outlawz

Greeting Card Challenge
The Outlawz

   This card is also being submitted to this week's 'For the Girls' challenge over at StampFairy.   My image is from StampFairy and is my favorite little Bunny - Clementine.   In addition, this card was also submitted to this week's Copic Color Challenge over at the Color Me Creative Classroom, which you can find HERE!!

    That's it for now, but I do have more to share and will be back, when I find more energy to keep typing!  I hope you all have a super day and as always --- Happy Crafting!!

In Loving Memory!

   Today my blog is dedicated to the memory of my infant daughter, who I lost twenty years ago.   She has always been my sweet little angel in heaven and I will forever cherish her memory.

In Loving Memory of

Kristyn Alyssa Haines

April 19, 1991

My sweet Angel Baby!

Crafting away my day....

  I can hardly believe that I feel as well as I do today, but I am not about to complain.  Typically, after I am off for a day of crafting or even a few hours of shopping, I'm done in, but today is NOT too bad and it's such a pleasant surprise.   I am started to dray now, (about 5:30), but my pain level is not too bad!  I'm very thankful for every day that I feel pretty good and it's a great thing!  

   I've spent most of my day catching up on some challenge cards and I am back now to share those with you.  My first card was for fun and was an image I had colored on Friday.  It's fast become one of my new favorites and it's from a set of two that I bought recently from the 'Wax Fruit Company'.  It's the other part of the coneflower set and this is the card I finished up today.  I really love Arielle's wonderful images and find for me they are a joy to color.  I've started a nice collection and especially love her flowers, with this image being one of my favorites!

  My next card is for the new CAS Challenge being hosted over at The Outlawz.  The challenge this week to to create a card/project with a Spring Theme in the typical CAS Style.  For this card, I also am using a second digi flower 'Cherry Blossom' also from Wax Fruit Company.  It was colored with my Copics on Cryogen cardstock, which I love.  The Cryogen white cardstock, has a very subtle hint of Shimmer and is lovely.  This card is also going to be submitted to this week's Copic Creations - Challenge # 48, which is being hosted by 'The Paper Temptress", which is where I buy all my Cryogen Cardstock.   I have shopped at the store many times and always been very happy with all my products and the wonderful service.   If you have not tried Cryogen, I highly suggest you do and I'll be you love it!  

   I also have one more card to share and this one was also created for two new challenges.  The first was this week's challenge over at By Lori Designs, which you will find HERE!   Be sure to check out some of Lori's newest digis which were added this month.   The image I used for my card is Ella, one of the adorable Puddle Jumpers, and you can find her HERE!!  This is a copy of the colors for this week's challenge, which I copied over from the Challenge blog:

   My card was also created based on this week's sketch over at the Going Grey with Scrap Creations challenge blog, which you'll find here.  As you may have read earlier, I actually met Kristen, the blog owner, yesterday at my LSS where we both were taking a Jennifer McGuire Workshop.   I was happy that I was able to take this fun sketch from her challenge blog (copy below) and incorporate it with one of Lori's images to make a fun happy card that I will be submitting to both challenges.

Going Grey with Scrap Creations

Sketch Challenge

My Card

Image:  By Lori Designs

Colored with Copics

Paper by: Bo Bunny
Card by Hero Images

   UPDATE:   I found out today that this fun card won TOP 2, over  Going Grey with Scrap Creations!!  This is my new badge, which has now been added to my Challenge Wins/Awards Page!!   Yippee!!

   And that's it for me...I'm now calling it a day !  Tomorrow, I plan to work more on the cards for the class this weekend and hope to have them ready to share.   Have a wonderful night and keep on crafting!!