July Challenge at Pearly Sparkles ~ Anything Goes

Hi Crafty Friends,
How can it be July already?  Whew time goes way too quickly when you're my age!
We have an ANYTHING GOES challenge at Pearly Sparkles this month.
I love AG challenges because they give me a chance to catch up with cards that need to be sent while completing my design team projects at the same time.
We have a dear friend who took a tumble and is in the process of recovering from shoulder surgery as well as healing numerous bumps and bruises.  This card is for her.

I belong to the La-La Land Crafts Kit Club and this amazing heartbeat die is part of the June Club kit.  So are the sentiments and cute little piggy.  I also used LLLC's stitched flags and some stitched hearts from Jaded Blosson's Banner die set.  the piggy is colored using Copic Markers. I hope this card brings a smile to her face.
Be sure to join us at Pearly Sparkles (link above.)  We can't wait to see your designs!

My Time to Craft # 400 ~ Beside the Seaside

Hi Crafty Friends,
Well now that summer is officially here in the United States we can begin thinking about all things summer-ish.  LOL.  For our next challenge at My Time to Craft we want to see things that remind us of the seaside: beach, fish, mermaids, whatever comes to mind.
I purchased a fabulous stamp set from The Rabbit Hole Designs called Sofishticated.  It has some gorgeous line art that just begs to be heat embossed.

Aren't these images gorgeous?  And there are so many more including some amazing fish.  The background is actually a card blank from a set that my BFF shared with me - ha, instant background!
I hope you'll join us in this challenge.  Just follow the MTTC link above.

Cut it Up Challenge #177 ~ Red, White, and Blue

Hi Crafty Friends,
We're celebrating with Red, White, and Blue for this challenge at Cut it Up Challenge Blog.
Our fabulous sponsor, The Cutting Cafe, provided our files but you can use any die cut(s) you choose.  I used a file from the Window Box set.

I popped up the mat with the star cutout to go over the card base (with star cut out) and just added a Jaded Blossom Dimensional banner stamped with a sentiment from JB's Celebrate America set.  A few sequins and rhinestones finished the card.
I hope you'll join our challenge.  Just follow the Cut it Up link above.

Die Cuttin' Divas #425 ~ Happy Birthday

Hi Crafty Friends,
It's a Happy Birthday challenge at Die Cuttin' Divas.
I finally got a chance to visit our local Tuesday Morning and found some great crafty goodies.  I certainly don't need more stamps or dies but I couldn't resist this Tim Holtz die and stamp set that featured the small birds.  I also decided to use water color/Zig pens.  I'm not sure I'm a fan but you've gotta try new techniques, right?

I also used Jaded Blossom Word Bubbles die and Border Die 2.
I hope you'll play along.  We all need Birthday cards in our stash.  Just follow the link above.

Die Cuttin' Divas #424 ~ Add a Giraffe

Hi Crafty Friends,
In honor of World Giraffe Day on June 21st, the Die Cuttin' Divas crew is asking you to  add a giraffe to your project.

I've had a stamp set by Inky Antics for a really long time and finally used one of the images and sentiments.  It's a full standing giraffe but I cut it off so it could peek through the window pane.  The card mat is the Peek-a-Boo Window 4 die from Whimsy stamps I colored using Copic Markers and added a few stamped leaves from one of the newest The Rabbit Hole Designs sets.
Come on over to Die Cuttin Divas and show us your giraffe project.  Don't forget to add a die cut!

My Time to Craft Chalenge #399 ~ Watercolor

Hi Crafty Friends,
For our My Time to Craft challenge we're using water colors; pencils, paints, pens, whatever to color an image or create a background.
I watched a Jennifer McGuire video on how to make a split design card and thought this style would be perfect for a background I had water colored and a new stamp I had just purchased.

Isn't this fun?!

I cut the clouds and sea using La-La Land Crafts Stitched Clouds and Hills border dies.  I also cut them in velum for an offset.  The image is Caffeinated Shark from The Rabbit Hole Designs as is the sentiment.  I colored the shark using Copic markers on Gina K Pure Luxury card stock.  The split design is attached to the background that I water colored using Spectrum Noir Aqua pens diluted with water and brushed on with a large bristle brush. 

I think I'll be making other cards using this split design technique.

Please join our water color challenge by following the link above.

Cut It Up Challenge #176 ~ Welcome Summer

Hi Crafty Friends,
We are welcoming summer over at Cut it Up Challenge Blog.
My card box project was inspired by a project from the Make N Take/trunk show put on by Irina Blount from La-La land Crafts at our local Memories for the Making store.  We're so lucky to be close to Irina so we get to have her come at least once every two months!!!

This box is 4 inches square and comes with a piece of acetate for the window.   I made it into a card box so there is actually a folded card attached to the back - great to write a personal note and/or use as a stand.  Here's a list of the materials I used: Jaded Blossom Stitched Squares and Tropical Dies La-La Land Crafts kraft box, Pocket Tag dies, and Water Waves Stencil The Rabbit Hole Designs Sofishticated stamp set Distress Oxide Ink, Distress Ink, Momento Ink, and Copic Markers
This challenge is being sponsored by Newton's Nook.

Die Cuttin' Divas #423 ~ Masculine

Hi Crafty Friends,
Today I used papers from Authentique's "Mister" paper pack to create this Masculine card for our Die Cuttin' Divas challenge.

Sometimes it's fun to just play around with patterned papers and let the card "evolve."

This paper set included a sticker page so I used several for my sentiments.  The trophy die is from the Crafter's Companion Advent Calendar.  I also used Jaded Blossom stitched rectangles, and some flags and border from La-La Land Crafts.  I love the wonderful color combinations that Authentique includes in their themed paper sets.

I hope you'll join us in this challenge.  Follow the link above to show us your masculine projects.  Don't forget a die cut!

Die Cuttin Divas #422 ~ Sketch Challenge

Hi Crafty Friends,
It's Die Cuttin' Divas first challenge of the month so it's time for a sketch.  You'll find the challenge sketch at the bottom of this post.
We have an aunt who is moving to Florida to be with her daughter and grandsons so I wanted to make her a farewell/new home card.

I've used lots of crafty goodies on this card and tried a new technique; using Copic markers on die cuts!  What do you thing?
Here is the challenge sketch and here are the products I used: La-La Land Crafts Grass and Mushroom Border, Fairyland house, Twig dies La-La Land Crafts Hearts Forever, Hello Lovely, and Once upon a Time background stamps Jaded Blossom Whimsical Gnomes stamp set and 50 States and Add-on stamp sets Jaded Blossom Scallop Rectangle, Stitched Rectangle, Scallop Circle, and Stitched Circle dies Whimsy Stamps Cloud background stamp Distress Oxide Inks, Versafine Ink, Stickles Frosted Lace, Copic markers, Gemini Jr.
Follow the Die Cuttin Divas link above to join our challenge.

Pearly Sparkles Monthly Challenge ~ June ~ Man's World

Hi Crafty Friends,
It's time for our new monthly challenge at Pearly Sparkles.
Our theme for June is It's a Man's World.
I know most of you are thinking birthday or Father's Day but unfortunately I needed a sympathy card for a friend taken from his family way too soon.
DoveArt Studios has some of the most amazing stamps and I chose Honey Run for this card. Most of us are "county folk" here in my town so I thought this image would be perfect.

and here's the inside:

Materials used for this project -

DoveArt Studios Honey Run stamp

Crafter's Companion embossing folder

Jaded Blossom Flag Dies

Impression Obsession Leafy Branch die

Jaded Blossom Wishing you Comfort stamp set

La-La Land Crafts Sympathy Clear Stamp set

La-La Land Crafts Wood Grain background stamp

Versafine black ink / Momento black ink / Ranger Distress Ink

Copic Markers

Gemini Jr.

Be sure to visit our link above to see more masculine cards from the design team and to link up YOUR card for this month's challenge.