I have so many otter things I should be doing.....

but I just had to post this card. This little fellow is from Clearly Digi Stamps.
My sister-in-law gave me this beachy paper last summer and I've been waiting for an opportunity to use it. 

The inside simply reads "Happy Father's Day"

This card will be my entry for the following challenges:
Clearly I Stamp - Father's Day
The Perfect Sentiment Challenge #81 - Make Them Laugh
Clear It Out Challenge #21 - Theme: Critters   Stash Item: Earth Tones
Digi Darla Challenge #64 - Father's Day
Pink by Design Challenge - Father's Day
Melonheadx Friends Challenge - Father's Day or Male Inspired
Songbird Challenge #21 - All Creatures Great and Small
Hiding in my Craft Room Challenge #99 - Father's Day
One Stop Craft Challenge #230 - Furry Friends
Pile It On Challenge #21 - Put a Bird on It

I bought feathers!!!

Every time I see a card embellished with feathers I make a mental note to pick some up because I really like the way they look on cards.  Besides, how can you make red hat cards without feathers?

I ran the flowered BG paper through the cuttlebug with my favorite embossing folder to give it some texture. This hat is a digi from 
Steph H.  I printed it twice; one image I die cut using a scalloped oval die before coloring, the second I cut off just the band so I could pop it onto the hat.  Then I added a tiny purple butterfly bling right below the feathers.

I am entering this card in these challenges:

Crafting by Designs Challenge - Anything Goes with Dilly Beans

Flutterby Wednesday #242 - flowers,butterfly,diecut

Inkspirational Challenge #22 - Anything Goes 

Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge - Emboss-o-rama

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge # 114 - Fluttering By

Craft Your Passion Challenge #164 - Use Natural Materials (feathers)

Created with Love Challenge #43 - You Lift Me Up

Paper Makeup Stamps Digi Makeover Challenge # 90- Anything Goes

Kaboodle Doodles Challenge # 173 - Anything Goes

Bits n Pieces....

are something I can't bear to throw away.  I think they make some of my favorite  backgrounds.  If you scroll back through some of my posts, you'll see how I collected the little pieces that I combined to make this card.  The stamp I used is one of the inexpensive clear stamps you find in the dollar bins at craft stores.  I liked the sentiment on this one, so I picked it up.  But you really have to be careful they don't tear. 

Here are the challenges in to which I am entering this card:
The Rubber Buggy Challenge # 7 - Anything Goes
Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #54 - Bows
Craft-room Challenge - Use Your Scraps
Lexi's Creations Challenge #91 - Focus on the Sentiment
The Crazy Challenge #146 - Use Sentiments
The Old Back Porch Challenge - 52 Card Pickup 2.21 (When I reorganized my ribbons a few weeks ago, I came across one of those tiny pieces of cardboard with just enough ribbon on it to make 1 or 2 cards.  Heaven only knows how long I've had that!  I had to pull out the iron to get the folds out of it.)

Memorial Day Mojo

Had I looked at all my email before I did my Mojo Monday card, it would look entirely different.  I got the Doodle Pantry Newsletter in my email.  They not only have a great 35% off sale for Memorial Day, but they are also offering a free with purchase School Bus set and a fantastic USA Freedom set which is a total freebie!!!!  Anyone who makes cards for Operation Write Home should check out this set!

Now back to my card for Mojo Monday #295.  

This week the sketch is for either a circle or square card:

 

Thought I'd make this suitable for any occasion deserving of celebration.  After all, there is an inside to the card to narrow it down.

The cupcake is a digital stamp by Michelle Perkett Studio I shrank to inchie size.  Michelle has a great Etsy Shop  and also a fun blog which often offers freebies.  The 'happy day' arrow is a CTMH stamp.  The kraft self stick border is from CTMH and, sadly, they have been discontinued.  

Besides Mojo Monday #295, I am also entering this card in the following challenges:

Gingerloft Challenge - Happy Birthday

Glitter and Sparkle Challenge #34 - Happy Birthday

Great Impressions May Challenge - Celebrations

Allsorts Challenge #208 - Happy Birthday Allsorts! (they are having a great blog hop to celebrate!)

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Pastels for Kids

Link up for Pink Challenge #13

Ruby's Rainbow Challenge #54 - Squares

Created with Love Challenge #43  - You Lift Me Up

Down on the Farm

I promised my cousin, Nancy, who sells some of my cards and gift bags at The Milkhouse Shop @ The Old Home Farm, that I'd make a special card for her dad for Father's Day.  When I found this paper I knew I wanted to use it, since Nancy keeps chickens and sells the eggs at the Shop.  The farm and milkcan images are CTMH stamps and the Father's Day Sentiment is a new Penny Black stamp. 

The trifold die cut card, burlap and self stick craft border are all from CTMH.  Now if I could only find the tiny velcro dots I purchased, I could add one to the flap so it stays shut nicely and send it off.  

(BTW, I did finally find the charger for my camera.  I think I must have those little people living under the floor boards, borrowing my stuff.) 

This card is being submitted to the following challenges: 

Dream Valley Challenge # 57 - Animals

Pile It On # 21 - Put a Bird on It 

Robyn's Fetish Challenge #161 - Birds

Hiding in my Craft Room Challenge #99 - Father's Day

Brown Sugar Challenge #43 - Father's Day

Card Makin Mamas Challenge #70- Rubber Stamps

Sweet Pea Stampers May Challenge - Birds of a Feather

The House That Stamps Built Designer's Choice Challenge #522 - Fur, Fins or Feathers

Artistic Inspirations Challenge #42 - Cards For Men

A Little Bit Crafty Challenge - Kraft It

 

School's Almost Out

My 6 yr. old grandson didn't have school yesterday and came here for the day.  We were very busy.  He colored 2 monster truck pictures, which we then scanned.  With one we printed a transfer and made a shirt.

 

The other we made smaller and printed to make a Father's Day Card.  

We also made teacher cards for his 3 teachers (someone loves to use my Cuttlebug).

And in between we built and painted a wood monster truck.

He did watch a bit of TV; played some games on my Kindle; had breakfast, lunch and a few snacks; made himself a mailbox from the craft box for the truck and we corresponded several times; and complained that he was bored.

So for all you moms out there here is my card for today:

The inside simply reads, in very large bold print,   
GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!
The cute little possoms are some of Katie's digital critters available from Whimsy Stamps.

These are the challenges into which I am entering this card:
One Stop Craft Challenge # 230- Furry Friends
Charisma Cardz Challenge #20 - Here Comes Summer
Cuttlebug Mania Challenge - School's Out (I used my cuttlebug to cut the 2 scalloped ovals.)
Love to Scrap Challenge #6 - Color My World (Pastels)
Whimsy Inspiration Challenge #59 - Anything Goes

Make your own background for Cards in Envy

This card is for the Cards in Envy (short for envelope)  May 20th Challenge- Make your own background.  This Challenge requires that cards can easily fit in an A2 envelope,  has no big bumps from embellishments, and is less than 1/4 inch thick with all the layers)  I was really taken with one of the DT cards for this challenge and decided to try her background technique.   Check out Denise's blog.  She does awesome work.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
Three Scrappy Gals Challenge - April Showers Bring May Flowers
Gingerloft Challenge - Happy Birthday!

The Cupboard Trilogy Challenge #11 - Flowers
Whimsie Doodles Challenge - Paper Piecing
Anything Goes Challenge # 93 -  Handmade Backgrounds

Papertake Weekly Challenge - If the Paper Fits
Rubber Buggy Challenge #7 - Anything Goes

Happy Birthday Carol!!!!

Red Hat Robin

This is a digi called Dear Birdie from Just Some Lines.

I am entering this card in these challenges:
Just Some Lines Challenge - Anything Goes
My Heart Pieces Digital Stamp Challenge -  Be Sentimental
Addicted to Stamps Challenge #46 - Anything Goes
The Perfect Sentiment #80 - Anything Goes
Whimsical Wednesday Challenge - Song Inspired  (Rockin' Robin or perhaps you remember When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin Along....)

I just had to try it.

When I checked my email this morning, I was intrigued by today's Technique Thursday blog post at Beccy's Place.  Is this not a pretty card?



The step by step instructions looked doable.  I just had to try it.  And voila, my version.

That cute little bee was a free digital image from Bugaboo Stamps.

I'll be entering this card in the following challenges:
Catch the Bug Challenge - Bugaboo Bingo (Twine, Ribbon, Bugaboo Image)

My Craft Spot Monday Challenge #98 - Ribbon and Twine
Digi Sketch Challenge - Cute
No Matter Which Challenge #9 - Things with Wings
Get Inky Challenge # 4 - Show us some Die Cuts
Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #160 - Window

Going batty

You Whoooo....  was all I could come with this morning as a sentiment for this card.  Guess the creative part of my mind wasn't quite awake.  The Owl (whose name is actually Yoo Hoo) in the Floral Frame is a new digi I just got from Dragons Lair Designs.  I'm kind of partial to owl stamps.  I used some ribbon and matching butterfly brads from Eyelet Outlet, and added some glitter gel to the owl and the frame. 

I am entering this card in these challenges:
Stamping with the Dragon Challenge : A Flower for Mum
Digi Makeover Challenge #89 - Friendship
Eureka Stamps Challenge  #40 - You decide - all white or no design paper
Paper Playtime # 10 - Buttons or Brads
Songbird Challenge # 20 - Bloom and Grow


Check out this picture I took this morning.

 It's a little fuzzy because I was taking it through plastic and a screen.  I'm guessing there are at least a dozen bats in that cuddly little group.   Cool, huh?

CTMH Card Class 5/21/13

Yesterday I took my 8 yr. old grandson with me to class.  He had the day off because his school was being used for voting and a list of people for whom he needed cards.  Joyce did a fine job of selecting cards with Nick in mind. 
Nick's cards went home with him but here are the cards I made:

Missed you Gail, Barbara, Jan, Micki #2, Eileen, and Susie.

Red Hat Silhouette Card

Here's another Red Hat Card using a digi image from Floppy Lattes Digital Designs. 

I finally bought myself a bag of feathers which go well with the stamped background.  I used my Craft-Dee-Bows maker to make that 4 looped ribbon.  I'm getting the hang of that little contraption. 

This card is for the following challenges:
ABC Challenges - ABC29 Stamped Backgrounds
Craft-Dee Bowz May Challenge - Anything Goes with a handmade bow
Smudgy Antics Challenge - Use Feathers or Fur
Totally Papercrafts Challenge 167 - Diva Image Young or Old

Good Monday Morning

It's kind of dreary but not raining here in Pennsylvania, (at least not right now) so I'm headed out to plant some flowers in my pots. 

But first - my Mojo Monday Card!

Here is this week's sketch:

which I rotated to make this side fold card:

The digital image is by Rick St. Dennis.
I'm working on some Red Hat cards so you'll be seeing a lots of them in the next couple of weeks.

I am entering this card in the following:
Mojo Monday #294 - sketch challenge
Created With Love Challenge #42 - Ribbon and Lace
Sparkle and Glitter - May Freebie Contest
One Stitch at a Time Challenge # 164 - Use a digi
Oh La La Creations Challenges - Seeing Red
Totally Papercrafts Friday Challenge # 167 - Diva Image Young or Old

Saturday Afternoon Post

Here's a quick card using this month's freebie from A Creative Need

 and the current sketch from Inkspirational Challenge.

Where did I put????????????

Isn't it annoying when you are cleaning and you put everything away in its place and then you find that one thing that doesn't really have a place because you always just leave it somewhere handy, but you're having company and it looks untidy in the handy place so you stick it in a drawer, somewhere.  Then later you need that one thing that was always in a handy place and is now stuck in a drawer, somewhere, but you can't remember which drawer and maybe you didn't even put in in a drawer..... 

Yeah, I'm looking for the doohickey I use to charge my camera.  (Judie, can you help me with that, please?)  

I'm working on my "To Do" list today.  And I'm not doing too badly either!  I started 2 cards yesterday for specific challenges, they are now finished and ready for their debuts.

Card # 1 is for the Penny Black Saturday May Challenge.    I don't have many Penny Black stamps but I love them.  I did just splurge on the new set with the great old fashioned car.  In fact, I used one of the sentiments from that set on this card.   I used another cute little mouse stamp to create the background paper for the card.  That's another of my handmade crocheted flowers.  Soon time to make some more. 

I'll also enter this in the following challenges:

Fab n Funky Challenges # 171 - Your Favorite Embellishment (the crocheted flower and liquid pearls)

Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes and Stash Item (That's the last pink paper flower I have left from a packet I bought 4 years ago to make a memory box for my friend's HS graduation.  She graduates from college next week!  Gee I should make this her graduation card!)

Craft-Room Challenge - Stamp your own BG paper

IncyWincyDesigns - Animal Antics

Card # 2 is for Cuttlebug Mania - You Are Purrrrrrrrfect Challenge.  I used my Cuttlebug first to cut the scalloped oval, using the negative for the front and the oval for inside; then after attaching the pink flowered BG paper to the black CS embossed it with a tiny little flower folder.  I punched a 1 1/2" scalloped square, cut it diagonally into 4 corner pieces, and carefully placed them in the same embossing folder so 2 flowers would emboss onto each corner.  Hope you can see all that.  The tail is popped in 2 places for a 3D look.  I wrote the little poem on the computer, printed it and then used the Cuttlebug to die cut it into an oval.

I'll also enter this in the following challenges:

Dare to be Sassy Thursdays Challenge - Black and White and a pop of color 

Tuesday Throwndown Challenge # 147 - Smell the Roses

Use it Tuesdays Challenge # 55 - You Can't Touch This (The blingy flowers in the 4 corners are a Connections Club Reward from CTMH.  Those are my last 2 pink flowers, and the program has been discontinued.)

Love to Create Challenge # 65 - Flowers, flowers, so many flowers

Now back to my "To Do" List!

CTMH class 5/14/13

We made great cards yesterday using a paper pack that is currently a special promotion at CTMH.  It's a really bright cheerful and fun paper pack. 

The BG paper for  this card is exactly the same as the green BG in the previous card.  We just daubered black ink over the whole surface and then wiped off the extra with a tissue.  The diamond pattern in the paper remained.  Each of the solid papers in this promo pack has it's own pre-embossed design.  I'll post the last card extra large.  Look closely and you can see all the different patterns.

This is the current Stamp of the Month set at CTMH.  It's only available until the end of May, so you might want to look at that too!



 

For my friends at card class, here is the link to the striking black card I was telling you about.  (Mickey- I know that is a preposition at the end of that sentence.  Sorry!)  I think the Dream Pop paper would work well with this recipe, especially using the technique from our last card.

Missed you - Gail, Micki #2, Jan, Barbara, and Susie!

More bags

     

I've been collecting all kinds of stamps that might be soap related to go with the handmade soap my cousin sells (Scentual Gardens).  Here are 3 different digi images I found.  

The first is from a set called "It's my potty" from Clear Dollar Stamps.  No matter how lovely your potty might be, you still need to wash those hands after "flushing your troubles away".

I'm putting this bag and tag in the Left of Center Challenge 5 - use a digi or LOC Theme

 and

Delicious Doodles Challenge - Anything but a card

The second lady in her bath is a digi from Pattie's Creations.  This would make a great gift bag with some relaxing items for Mom.  (Not quite tall enough for a wine bottle, but a pretty wine glass would fit.  This is my entry for Pattie's Creations Challenge: Mother's Day

And the third little mommy bluebird in the shower is a digi from Meljen's Designs.  Don't you just love the little shower cap?

I think this little guy will be my entry in the following challenges:
Flourishes - Timeless Tuesday Challenge # 220 - Blue and Green
Through the Craftroom Door - May 14-20 Challenge - Anything Goes
A Gem of a Challenge #79 - Things with Wings
Sweet Stampin Challenge - Clean and Simple
Creative Corner Challenges # 18 - Things with Wings
Meljen's Design Challenge - Mom, Mummy, Mother
Sweet Pea Stampers May Challenge - Birds of a Feather

Hero Card

I'm working on some cards for Operation Write Home....

This one is my entry in the Repeat Impressions What If? Wednesday Sketch Challenge which closes in 7 minutes!

 

I never should have checked my email!

I just got an email from Kathy at Clearly i Stamp.  She sounded so excited!  I don't know quite how she does it, but I find myself caught up in that excitement.  So much so that I quickly made this card to enter in the One Day Challenge - Celebration!!! I needed a graduation card for a certain young lady anyway. 

I'll also enter this in the following challenges:
Crafty Boots Challenge - Celebrations
Great Impressions May Challenge - Celebrations
Creative Corner Challenges #18- Things with Wings
Dilly Beans Challenge - Celebrations!
Sister Act Card Challenge # 6 - Anything Goes
Flutter By Wednesday #239 - Open Challenge

Bag Lady

I promised I would show you some more of the gift bags I make to go with the handmade soap my cousin sells.  I picked up an Inky Antics set of turtle stamps that I think make really fun gift bags for soap.  Here are a couple bags I made using the set:

I'm entering this second bag with clip and tag in the following challenges:
Love to Scrap! Challenge Blog - Challenge #5  Anything Goes
Make It Monday MIM #140  Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everybody #20  Anything Goes
Crafting When We Can Challenge # 44 Color Combo - Lime Green and Pink
Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge HIMCR# 97  Super Scraps Saturday

Hope everyone had a Happy Mother's Day!

I certainly did!  My annual family Mother's Day luncheon on Saturday was lots of fun.  Four generations of girls and lots of yummy food.  Then on Sunday I lazed around most of the day and then went out to a Mother's Day Dinner Buffet.   Prime rib and cheesecake, I was happy!

But the week-end is over and we are back to Monday.  I love getting up on Mondays!  Don't get me wrong - I don't purposefully get up.  But when I wake up, I don't snuggle back down for just a few more zzzzz's.  Why?  Well, because there's always a new Mojo Monday sketch waiting for me!!!! Here's today's sketch:
 

When I first started doing challenges, this was the only one I did.  I started my blog just to be able to do Mojo Monday Challenges.  Now I am positively addicted to challenges, but Mojo is still my favorite.  (By the way - I just posted a new winner's badge from Amusing Challenges on my sidebar! Check it out!)

Although my craft room was converted back to a dining room for Saturday, I still managed to make this card for my Godmother's birthday on Wednesday using this week's Mojo Monday 293 sketch:

I used one of my handmade crocheted flowers from my stash on top of the striped scalloped circle, which was embossed with my favorite folder.  I picked up the paper pack at TJMaxx on Saturday when I was shopping for a top to wear on Sunday.  Didn't find a top.  But I did find paper! :>)
 
Besides entering this in the Mojo Monday 293 Challenge, I am also entering it in the following challenges:
The Perfect Sentiment Challenge #78 - Dry Embossing
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #154 - For A Special Woman (Did I mention this was a birthday card for my Godmother?  she's 86!)
Ribbon Carousel Challenge #81 - Celebrations
Old Back Porch - 52 Card Pickup 2.19
Challenges 4 Everybody #20 - Anything Always Goes
Stamping Sensations - May Challenge - Embossing and Texture
The Corrosive Challenge Blog - #174 - My Sentiments Exactly

Father's Day Card

With Mother's Day tomorrow, it's time to move on to Father's Day.  This is a very simple card using some scraps from a card I made for a color challenge last month, die cuts, CTMH stamps, gold embossing powder for the trophy which was fussy cut and popped, 3 simple paper flags and a gem bling.

I'll be entering this in the following:
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Happy Father's Day (from the kids)
Repeat Impressions DCC58 - Masculine Cards
Moving Along With the Times - CAS
Sweet Stampin' - Clean and Simple
Hiding in my Scrap Room - HIMCR #97- Super Scrap Saturday

Time to get the Mother's Day Cards in the Mailbox!

Yesterday I decided I needed one more Mother's Day Card.  

Inside simply reads "Happy Mother's Day"

Since I had my sewing machine out to hem a couple pair of pants for a friend, I added some stitching to this card.  I used more of the freebie paper I got in my last Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine, selecting the yellow and blue patterns so I could enter the card in the Dynamic Duos Challenge.   

The stamp I used was a freebie from Quick Cards Magazine.  I followed this sketch 

from Cards in Envy.

And I'll also enter the card in these challenges:

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #111 - Mother's Day 

Crafty Sentiments Design Challenge - Use a Sentiment  

Cuttin and Stampin Weekly Challenge # 18- Mother's Day 

Sweet Stamps Challenge # 116 - For Mom

Party Time Tuesdays Challenge # 119 - Mother's Day

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge # 146 - My Mother, My Friend
Craft Your Passion Challenges # 161 - Floral Delights 
Created with Love Challenges # 40- Mother's Day
Tammy's Scrapin Corner Challenge # 61 - Mother's Day
Amusing Challenges - Mother's Day


Now if I can just remember to get this card in the mailbox!!!!