Always Fun Challenge #77 ~ Anything Goes

Hi Crafty Friends,
Today's Always Fun Challenge is Anything Goes.
As many of you know (through my blog posts) this month was wedding month for our daughter.  She was married on September 9.  Two of her favorite people were unable to attend because of illness so I wanted to make them "Thinking of You" cards.  I am fortunate enough to live close to a scrapbook store that has monthly trunk shows for La La Land Crafts.  Along with her fabulous products, Irina also offers a make and take.  This card was inspired by one of those.  All of the dies and stamp are from La La Land Crafts.

Sadly, this will be my final project for the Always Fun Challenge Blog.  I've really enjoyed sharing my weekly designs and appreciate Amy and how well she organizes and supports her design teams.  I hope you'll continue to join the weekly challenges.   I'm cutting back on some of my teams - there are so many techniques I want to try and ideas floating in my head.  I plan on taking some time to just PLAY in my craft room!

Always Fun Challenge #76 ~ Fall Colors

Hi Crafty Friends,
For today's Always Fun Challenge, we're sharing projects using fall colors.

I have had this Penny Black stamps for a very long time and never got around to using it.  I needed to make a sympathy card so I decided that the stamp would be the focus.  I stamped on water color paper and used my Zig Clean Color brush pens to color.  I think the branch die cut finished the card nicely.
I hope you'll join in our challenge by following the link above.

Always Fun Challenge #75 ~ Create a Scene

Hi Crafty Friends,
For our Always Fun Challenge this week, we're making scenes.  I love creating scenes using the amazing LaLa Land Crafts dies.  Since I'm working to stay ahead of my Christmas cards, I used some LLLC Christmas dies.

I love these deer dies from several years ago and the tree is so versatile as well.  I just added the Christmas star and a snow bank using a border die a called it done.  To make it little more elegant, I used gorgeous linen and pearl papers.  LLLC dies cut to perfectly through these papers.
I hope you'll play along with us this week.

Always Fun Challenge #74 ~ Shaker Cards

Hi Crafty Friends,
Do you love shaker cards?  I think they are so much fun to receive and give. For Always Fun Challenges this week we're sharing shaker cards.

I used Jaded Blossom Stitched rectangles to create this fun fall card.  The leaves are dies from LaLa Land Crafts and the sequins are a mix from Craftin Desert Divas - three of my favorite companies.  
I hope you'll join in this fun shaker card challenge.  Just follow the link above.

Always Fun Challenge #73 ~ Back to School

Hi Crafty Friends,
We're celebrating Back to School at Always Fun Challenges.
I used Jaded Blossom's wine tags and Back to School dies to make this cute little tag that can be attached to a bag of treats or supplies.

I love these papers from Echo Park.  I cut all the dies using my Gemini Jr. Love that cutting machine!
I hope you'll join for this week's challenge.

Always Fun Challenge #72 ~ Tags

Hi Crafty Friends,
Our Always Fun Challenge this week is TAGS.  I know you love to make tags.  They are quick and add just the right touch to a gift.
I made this cute little tag using a tag die from Cas-ual Fridays and the coffee cup from Jaded Blossom.  Just a little twine and a sentiment and it's ready for giving.

I hope you'll join this week's challenge. Follow the link above and show us you tag ideas.

Always Fun Challenges #71 ~ Going Round in Circles

Hi Crafty Friends,
Wow, this challenge describes me quite well especially with our daughter's wedding only a few weeks away!  I actually made a birthday card for my sister-in-law for this challenge.

I used Jaded Blossom Stitched and Scallop Circle dies to creat this shape card.  The patterned papers and stickers are from Doodlebug Designs new Hello line - so bright and fun. I cut the shapes using my Gemini Jr.  
I hope you'll join our Always Fun Challenge.

Always Fun Challenge # 70 ~ Let it Sparkle

Hi Crafty Friends,
Time to get your Sparkle on for Always Fun Challenge #70.
I had fun adding Stickles to these cute balloon cuts from Jaded Blossom.

I used Doodlebug Designs papers and some AC sparkly glitter tape. The sentiment is also from Jaded Blossom, So Many Birthdays 3.
I hope you'll join in this week's fun.  We all need to add a little sparkle to our lives.

Always Fun Challenge #69 ~ Anything But a Card

Hi Crafty Friends,
We're asking for Anything But a Card on this week's Always Fun Challenge.
As I shared on another post, I'm using my challenge opportunities to create things for my duaghter's wedding.  For this challenge I made a gift box which will hold one of her bridesmaid gifts.

I used the Scalloped Caddy die from Jaded Blossom.  The flower is a die from CAS-ual Fridays with the leaves using a Martha Stewart punch (an old standby!)  The sentiment is from Jaded Blossom's She Said Yes stamp set.

I'll be attending a 3-day group to make even more of these cute little boxes.

Follow the link above to join in this week's challenge.

Always Fun Challenge #68 ~ Color Inspiration

Hi Crafty Friends,
Today we have a Color Inspiration challenge at Always Fun. Lucky for me, the inspiration colors just happen to be some of my favorites and also some of the accent colors in my daughter's upcoming wedding.

I've used the Altenew Halftone Thanks stamp and die set.  The mats are from Jaded Blossom's newest Octagon Die set.  I popped each layer up a little for more dimension and used my Gemini Jr. for the die cuts.

Here's the color inspiration photo.

I hope you'll join our challenge.  Just follow the link above.

Always Fun Challenge # 67 ~ Paper Piecing

Hi Crafty Friends,
Always Fun Challenge #67 is paper piecing.
I just received some fabulous new Jaded Blossom dies and I wanted to use them to create this masculine card.

The die set is Diamonds and I used the three smallest for this card.  I just went to my patterned paper scrap box and selected all different papers to cut and then arrange in an interesting pattern. The stamp is from Jaded Blossom's So Many Birthdays 3. This is a great way to use scraps and add to my masculine card stash.
Just follow the link above to play along with this week's challenge.

Always Fun Challenge #66 ~ Anything Goes

Hi Crafty Friends,
I love Anything Goes challenges because I get a chance to just play with things I have on hand.
This card was made from another kit I purchased at Copic Boot Camp. The stamped image is from Stampendous - so cute. I colored using Copic Markers.

I made this card for some dear friends who are moving into their forever home.
Please join us at Always Fun Challenges.

Always Fun Challenge #65 ~ Patriotic

Hi Crafty Friends,
I think patriotic themed papers are some of my favorites.  I used paper from my stash to create this  card.  The sentiment is from Jaded Blossom as are the star dies and stitched rectangle.

So, head on over to Always Fun Challenges and join our PATRIOTIC challenge.

Always Fun Challenge #64 ~ Fun at the Beach

Hi Crafty Friends,
We're having FUN AT THE BEACH for Always Fun Challenge #64.
I used Jaded Blossom dies to create this 8 x 8 layout.

All of the elements were cut using my Gemini Jr.  All I added was a little inking.
I hope you've been visiting the Always Fun Challenges blog each week to play along and also see some great crafty creations from our design team members.

Always Fun Challenge #63 ~ Sketch

Hi Crafty Friends,
Always Fun Challenge #63 is to follow a sketch (find it below.)  I am always amazed at the many interpretations you see when everyone is following the same sketch.  Be sure to visit the AFC blog to see each DT members' project.
Here's mine.

I just love these adorable flamingos and these great patterned papers from Echo Park. All of the dies are from LaLa Land Crafts.
Here's our inspiration sketch:

Follow the link above to share your sketch project.

Always Fun Challenge # 62 ~ For Dad

Hi Crafty Friends,
For this Always Fun Challenge we'd like to see a project made for a dad or any man in your life.
My brother-in-law's birthday is coming up so I made this card using components from a Bo Bunny kit I purchased a long time ago.  When you have lots of crafting on your plate, sometimes kits can be life savers!!

Please follow the link above to share you masculine project with us. 

Always Fun Challenge #60 ~ Graduation

Hi Crafty Friends,
Our Always Fun Challenge this week is GRADUATION.  I'm in the midst of making several graduation cards/gifts so this is the perfect challenge.

The papers are this year's graduation pack from Authentique.  The numbers are from the Jaded Blossom Alphabet Dies 2 and the sentiment and graduate are IO dies.  When I have lots of cards and gifts to make, I love simplicity!
Please join our challenge by following the link above.

Always Fun Challenge # 59 ~ Anything Goes

Hi Crafty Friends,
I love Anything Goes challenges.  They give me a chance to play with what I have on hand.
Here's my project for Always Fun Challenges #59.

This card was created using a kit I purchased when I attended Jennifer Dove's Copic Boot Camp in Arizona. The image is from Stampendous.  The kit included the stamped image, pre cut papers and suggestions for the Copic colors to use.  I love the color combinations of both the Copics and papers.  The buttons were also colored with Copics then I added Nuvo Drops for the centers.
Come on over to Always Fun and share your Anything Goes project.  Just follow the link above.

Always Fun Challenge # 58 ~ Dry Embossing

Hi Crafty Friends,
I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day.  Mine was low key and laid back and included some time spent in my craft room which is truly my happy place.
This week's challenge at Always Fun Challenges is to use dry embossing.  Embossing folders were some of the first "crafty extras" I purchased oh so many years ago and now I have to remember to use them.
One of my daughter's former Texas Tech softball players just graduated from Texas A&M School of Veterinary Science.  We continue to touch bases with her family and were thrilled when they sent us her graduation announcement.  Here's the card we sent her.

I used Authentique's new graduation paper set - it's fabulous!  The embossing folder is an old Cuttlebug folder which I ran through the Gemini Jr. and then lightly inked.  Finally, to add a little feminine touch I used a LaLa Land Crafts lacy triangle border die and a keyhole die with added pearls.
I hope you'll visit Always Fun Challenges to see more embossing projects and to join in the fun.

Always Fun Challenge #57

Hi Crafty Friends,
Our Always Fun Challenge for this week is to create something for a female or MOM.
I just received my LaLaLand Crafts Club Kit  so I used all the components (and a few more) to create this fun card.

The hibiscus, turtle, and Tropical Marci image are from the kit.  There is also a hibiscus border that I placed on the inside.  I added the pineapple, sun border, flamingos, sentiment, shabby flourishes, and tag (all from LaLa Land Crafts) to complete the card.  Using the Gemini Jr. to cut all the dies made creating the card full of dies a lot easier!!  I colored Marci using Copic markers.
Follow the link above to see our other DT projects and to upload your card to our blog.