Saturday, November 30, 2013

CTMH 12 card Workshop 11/25/13


Using some scraps of retired CTMH paper I found while clearing the dining room table for Thanksgiving dinner, I made up this Christmas card to add to the stack waiting to be addressed and sent out.  I fussy cut the stamped ornaments and hung them from the card with gold embroidery thread.  I specifically put 8 dots of red glitter gel on the flowers of the DP so I could enter the card in the CASual Fridays Challenge #121, which requires that you use 8 of something on your card.
(stamps, glitter gel and papers are all CTMH products)



I am also entering the card in the following challenges:
 Vintage Stamping Challenge #14 - Traditional Christmas Time
Crafting by Designs Challenge - Christmas/Winter
Crafty Little Fairies Challenge - Classic Christmas (Red, Green, Gold)
Color My Heart Color Dare #71 - Ponderosa Pine and Cranberry




Monday night Joyce had a 12 card workshop featuring the new Sparkle and Shine paper from Close to My Heart and the chipboard elements
that match.  
Here are the 12 cards we made.











We used all the pieces in the compliments package with the exception of those shown below.  I'm sure I'll find a home for them.

It was a whirlwind 2 hours of fun.  Thanks, Joyce. 

Friday, November 29, 2013

Stella Says Sketch #146


What do you make for dinner the day after Thanksgiving?  Yes, there are plenty of leftovers but I need at least a 1-day turkey break.  By the way, I hope everyone's Turkey Day was as yummy and pleasant as mine was.  My family even humored me and posed for a family photo.  While I contemplate my menu,
 
here's another cute digi image from Bugaboo Stamps called AKV winter fairy with skates.  I followed the current sketch at Catch the Bug Challenge Blog, Stella Says Sketch #146.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Wags N Whiskers Challenge #118 - Things with Wings
As You Like It Challenge #16 - Favorite Digi and why (I really like all the Bugaboo digis because with the bold lines on their images they always print up nicely.  This is a favorite because it is cute, easy to color, and it was a freebie!)
Aud Sentiments Challenge #94 - Any Sentiment
Crafting by Designs Challenge - Christmas/Winter
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #108 - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #129 - Holidays or Winter
Come and Get It Challenge - Anything Goes with a Twist (use a digital stamp)
The Cupboard Trilogy Challenge #17 - Using Spots and Stripes




Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!



Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

and I'm thankful for the following challenges:
Craft your Passion Challenge #190 - Thanksgiving/Give Thanks
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - For the Men in your Life
Whoopsie Daisy Challenge - Things with Wings


BTW
My craft/dining room table is now empty of all crafting items.  

Time to get ready for Thanksgiving dinner!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Not to be negative but...

Last week I printed a pyramid of butterflies on the opposite side of this DP and then cut it out in the   shape of a tree to use on this card. 
 
As I was cleaning off my craft/dining room table in anticipation of Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, I came across the negative and decided to quickly use it for another card.  First I embossed the negative and then mounted it on another piece of the same DP so the opposite side showed through the aperture; added a red scalloped strip with gold hand stitching across the top and green one at the bottom; popped the CTMH sentiment stamped on red onto gold DP; then stamped and fussy cut the CTMH ornament, covered it with a coating of liquid glass with a bit of gold glitter sprinkled on top, and suspended it by a gold thread from the gold bow.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
LEJ Designs Challenge #81 - Buttons, Bows or Beads
SweetPea Stampers Challenge - Lots of Texture

 
It was cold and rainy today, with a bit of sleet and snow mixed in.  I want to share the cute minions Matthew and I made yesterday and also the cards I made at Joyce's Monday night.  But today wasn't a great day for picture taking.  
Perhaps the sun will come out tomorrow.......
now I'm going to have that song from Annie in my head for the rest of the night.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Guess I wasn't quite awake yet

This started out to be my card for Mojo Monday, until I rechecked the sketch and realized that stamping the image (by Stamp La Jolla) on the 3 panels wasn't going to work.   But I liked the look of it and finished it up to look like this. 

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Creative Craft Challenges 2 - Challenge # 24 -  Non-traditional Christmas Colors
Party Time Tuesdays Challenge #148 - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #129 - Holiday or Winter
Crafting From the Heart Challenge #1 - Anything Goes
Lady Anne's Challenge #8 - More than 1 Layer
Great Impressions Stamps November Challenge - Holiday Card or Tag
The Glory of Christmas Challenge #21 - turquoise and brown
The Artistic Stamper November Challenge - Christmas
Bastel-Traum Challenge - Christmas
Crafters Companion November Challenge - Christmas/Winter
Treasured Times Challenge #6 - Non Traditional Christmas Colors

Monday, November 25, 2013

Mojo Monday Nativity Card


My mother collects nativities of all shapes and sizes.  Consequently, when I see a nativity stamp I usually buy it.  This one was a small and inexpensive buy from Michaels.  The Brown Bag ink, CS, DP and craft border are CTMH products. 
The layout is from this morning's Mojo Monday #321 Challenge Sketch:
 
I am also submitting this card to the following challenges:
Amusing Challenges #11 - Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everbody #34 - Anything Goes
Christmas Card Challenge #52 - Faith
Fashionable Stamping Challenges #61 - Shabby Chic Christmas
Pile It On Challenge #47 - Non-traditional Christmas (Colors)
Scribble and Scrap Challenge #6 - Always Anything Goes
The Glory of Christmas Challenge #21 - Turquoise + Brown
Polka Doodles Challenge #47 - Inspired by a Christmas Carol (Silent Night)
The Paper Shelter Challenge #138 - Christmas is Coming

Now I'm off to start some Thanksgiving cleaning.  But since my 2 grandsons will be here all day tomorrow, I don't plan to get carried away today.  So maybe I'll work on the upstairs and then go to the mall.  The card store advertised a craft kit to go with the Elf on the Shelf and I'm sure Matthew would love to play with it tomorrow.  The boys' resident Elf on the Shelf is named Shoeshine (don't ask me how they came up with that name).  He returns each year to report back to Santa on their behavior.  However, thanks to Pinterest, Shoeshine's behavior has not exactly been exemplary.  He swings from the ceiling fan, has lots of fun in the pantry,  and has even been known to eat a banana.  Every day is another adventure which gets them quickly out of bed each morning.  Of course, there is also the tree pickle to find and the tree pixies, as well. 

Have a great day!

Joyce is having a 12 card CTMH Christmas workshop this evening.  I'll be posting those cards for you to see later this week. 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Celebrate Living

Today I'm using the Balloon Ride digi image by From the Heart for their November Challenge. 



The shine on the balloons was made by covering them with a layer of CTMH Liquid Glass.
I wanted to show you the inside of the card, too, because I love this sentiment.

 
The challenges which I am entering with this card are:
A Gem of a Challenge #107 - Sparkles
Inkspirational Challenge #44 - Anything Inkspirational Goes
Sweet Stampin Challenge - Cause to Celebrate
 (Congrats to Sweet Stampin on their 4th Anniversary!!)
Crafty Hands Challenge #3 - Sparkle and Bling
Stamping for the Weekend Challenge - Feeling Festive
Aud Sentiments Challenge #94 - Any Sentiment
DL.ART Thankful Thursday Challenge #121 - Encouragement
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #107 - Anything Goes

Now I have cookies to bake!

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Doodle Pantry Post

After a long day of craft shows and shopping, it feels good to sit down with a cup of tea, a couple cookies and a card ready to post.  I have 20 minutes until I need to start dinner. 

Isn't this little angel digi from Doodle Pantry adorable?  The papers and stick-ons are from a SEI scrapbook kit I got for being a teacher's helper at a CKC show several years ago.  Since I don't scrapbook, it was high time I used the paper for some cards.  The pretty ribbon is from Love Bug Creations.

This is my submission for the current challenge at
Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge #40 - Anything Goes
and also for.....
Brown Sugar Challenge #69 - Anything Goes
Digitally Sweet Challenge # 63- Anything Goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #34 - Anything Goes
DL.ART Challenge - Week #2 - Thankful Thursday #121 - Encouragement
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #154 - Anything Goes
Scrappers Delights Challenge #11 - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #107 - Anything Goes




Friday, November 22, 2013

Did someone say prizes? + CTMH Card Workshop 11/19/13

Crafty Ribbons will soon be having a fabulous Christmas Advent Event which will run from  December 1st through December 24th....

Each day Crafty Ribbons will highlight a different Craft Company or Shop.
The Design Team will post new cards/projects on their blogs 
and 
 there will also be a prize from the highlighted Company up for grabs -  that's 24 prizes total!
Just click on the adorable owls on the right side bar for all the details.
 ****************************
My mother and I took a very enjoyable bus trip yesterday to Bethlehem, PA to visit the annual Christkindlmarkt and hear The Von Trapps  (4 of the great grandchildren of Captain and Maria Von Trapp portrayed in The Sound of Music) sing.  They were wonderful.  We were amazed that they sang in English, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Swahili, French, German, and several more languages.  My mother was thrilled to talk to Sofi, the oldest of the group, later in the afternoon while we were browsing Christkindlmarkt and ask her about all the languages.   Sofi explained that they can't speak all the languages, they just learn the songs.  They have traveled the world with their singing and bring a bit of the world to those for whom they sing. 
 
I almost forgot to post the cards from Joyce's CTMH card workshop on Tuesday.   



This is a spinner card.  Pull on the little snowflake and the big one spins!

 
 

Oh No! It's all gotta go!!!

I just realized this morning that I better start cleaning up and moving out the mess in my dining room so I can serve Thanksgiving dinner next week.  Naturally, I started by using up a few scraps from my Red Hat card class on Monday to make this card: 
The inside reads "It's a Banner Day!"
This card is my entry in the following challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #169 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Challenge #6 - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge #94 - Any Sentiment
Inspired by Stamping November Blog Hop Challenge - Ribbon or Crochet Trim
Fab N Funky Challenge # 194 - Anything Goes
Sweet Stamps Challenge #144 - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door Challenge Nov 19-25 - Anything Goes
Through the Purple Haze Challenge - Use pink, purple, or red
The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge #57 - Use Violet
Ribbon Carousel Challenge #87 - Holidays and Celebrations


Here are the cards I designed for the Red Hat class I taught Monday.  I didn't bling up my samples, but let the ladies go wild with embellishments on their own.  Their cards all looked fabulous when finished.




 



Look at all the stuff on my table and hutch.





I better get started!  
I'm sure I'll be making a few more cards as I wade through the mess.  
Good thing a lot of the scraps are red, perfect for a few more Christmas cards.







Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Fall Thanks Wreath

At the York Show in October, I purchased a pack of this Crinkles Cardstock  in various colors.  It has a very unique feel and fabulous texture to it.  The stamps are CTMH.  First I stamped the bare wreath  and sentiment in cocoa, then inked the circle of leaves stamp in several colors before stamping on the circle, and added the bow in barn red.  I distressed the circle first in sunny yellow, then olive green and lightly around the edge in barn red, picking up the colors I used on the wreath.  The card is edged in bard red. 

I'll be entering this card in these great challenges:
City Crafter Challenge #186 - Decorate It!
Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge #142 - Thanksgiving
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Giving Thanks
Cards in Envy Challenge - Punch It!
Get Inky Challenge #17 - Thanks and Thanksgiving
Melonheadz Friends Challenge - Give Thanks
Victorine Originals Challenge #72 - CAS with Fall Theme
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Give Thanks
Dream Valley Challenge #70 - Clean and Simple
Pile It On Challenge #46 - With Thanks
Outlawz Sunday CAS Challenge - Give Thanks
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #181 - Giving Thanks
Connie Can Crop Challenge #16 - Leaf it up to Me
Mema's Crafts November 2013 Challenge - Anything Goes with 'Thanks' in the sentiment twist
Delicious Doodles Challenge #62 - CAS
Pattie's Creations Design Challenge #80 - Giving Thanks or Thank You
Simply Create Too Challenge #50 - Give Thanks
Totally Papercrafts Friday Challenge #193 - Clean and Simple
Delightful Challenges Weekly Challenge - Thankful



Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Red Hat Snowman Easel Card

It certainly was fun crocheting the tiny red hat for this Close to My Heart Snowman.  


I'm entering this card in the following:

Clear It Out Challenge - The Snow is Falling (My stash item is the crochet thread which was left over from a doily I made last year.)
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Make an Easel Card
Through the Purple Haze Challenge - Use pink, purple or red

Monday, November 18, 2013

Thursday, November 14, 2013

I spy a butterfly, can you?

Annabelle Stamps November Challenge Theme is 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas'.   They have several freebies available to use (although not required) for their challenges.  I didn't want to use the cute pile of packages because my friend Kitty used them on her card.  Instead, I decided to resize the butterfly, then stack several of them in a pyramid shape before printing.  After printing I cut the pyramid into this Christmas Tree: 

(The sentiment is also a digi from Annabelle Stamps. Self-adhesive Shimmer Trim is CTMH.)
Here are the challenges for which I've created this card:
Annabelle Stamps November Challenge - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Dynamic Duos Challenge #78 -

Flutterby Wednesday Challenge #261 - Open
LEJ Designs Challenge #79 - Seasons Greetings
Creative Creations Challenge #23 - Sparkle and Shine
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - O Christmas Tree
Cards For Men Challenge #23 - Merry Christmas


Have a crafty day, my friends!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Be Thankful + CTMH Christmas Card Workshop (Part 2 )11/12/13




This card, using a Rick St. Dennis digi, was made for the Creative Fingers Challenge #10.  Their theme is Anything Goes this week and the sponsor is Rick St. Dennis.  This was a freebie image which I printed up a while ago, just waiting to be colored and popped on a card.  I thought this was the perfect opportunity to use it. 

I am also entering these challenges:
Going Grey with Scrap Creations Challenge - Give Thanks
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #127 - Use something already out on your desk
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #173 - Gratitude
Digi Sketch Challenge - All for the Animals
Get Inky Challenge #17 - Thanks/Thanksgiving
House of Gilli Challenge - Thanks/Anything Goes
Love to Create Challenge #91 - Thanks/Thanksgiving
There She Goes Challenge #233 - Thanks or Thanksgiving
My Sheri Crafts Challenge #133 - Fall/Thanksgiving

Below are the cards we made yesterday at Joyce's Card Workshop.  This is the second part of a Christmas card workshop that we started last week using Iced Overlays with Wonderland Paper.