Iris Folding Heart

The iris folding pattern for this heart was so unique and  interesting, I just had to try it.

Of course, I made it a bit more difficult by choosing a  directional dp, but I really like how it turned out.  The background paper is a shiny holographic heart pattern.  I can't believe I managed to capture it so well in the photo.  Love that super shiny look.

I used a CTMH Hugs and Kisses stamp, cutting out only the HUGS to mount in the center of the heart.

Challenges for this card include:

QKR Stampede Challenge #104 - Hearts 

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #231 - Anything Goes

As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Matt or Shiny and Why (I love shiny.  I love the way light reflects off shiny surfaces.  It's like a sheet of bling!)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #296 - Valentines Day/Love

Southern Girls Challenge - Sparkle and Shine

The Paper Shelter Challenge #188 - Lots of Layers

Inky Chicks Challenge #45 - Anything Goes

Shopping Our Stash Challenge #186 - Love Me Do

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge Jan 27-Feb2 - Always Anything Goes

Through the Purple Haze Challenge #75 - Love is in the Air

Checkered origami heart

There are so many different origami fold patterns which create hearts.  The checkered heart really piqued my interest and I just had to give it a try.  You start out with a square piece of paper (I used double sided CTMH DP.) which you fold into 64 smaller squares.  Then with just a few folds you have a beautiful checkered heart.

The "LOVE" stamp is just one word cut out after stamping a larger CTMH sentiment stamp.

I've followed the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches # 171 for my card layout and will be submitting this card to their challenge,

 

and also to:

Fairy Tale Challenge - Something with a Heart

Frosty Designs Friday Challenge - Direction

QKR Stampede Challenge #124 - Hearts 

Simply Create Too Challenge #178 - Valentine's Day or Hearts

Sister Act Card Challenge #91 - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments Challenge #124 - Valentine or Love

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #296 - Valentines Day/Love

Tea, anyone?

When I saw this week's sketch for the Atlantic Hearts Challenge,

  

I had no idea how I was going to accomplish it.  Since I'm not at home to enjoy the nor'easter and the snow it is bringing to my friends and family, I do not have access to my stash.  I only brought 2 stamp sets with me, one that came with the CTMH Heartstrings WOTG Card Making Kit and an additional sentiment set.  I didn't know how much time I'd have to craft, plus the car was loaded. Luckily, I pulled a tea cup stamp out of a box of stuff my friend didn't want any more.  I've yet to see a tea cup stamp I didn't like. Tea cups are my undoing when it comes to stamps.  And making CAS cards are always a challenge for me.   But, amazingly, when your stash is far, far away, it is much easier to manage CAS.

(Sentiment stamp is CTMH.)

Here are the challenges I am entering today:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #92

Corrosive Challenge #216 - Winter Blues 

Red Rubber Inspiration Challenge #204 - Focused on Stamping
Crafting from the Heart Challenge #44 - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion Challenge #246 - Always Anything Goes
Love to Scrap Challenge #46 - Anything Goes
Melonheadz Friends Challenge - CAS
Paperminutes Challenge #368 - Coffee or Tea

T & S Mojo Monday

T & S is my abbreviation for the Tall & Skinny theme used at the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge the last Monday of the month.  I've made my card 3.5 x 5.5 today.  But to be perfectly honest, it might not stay that way.  Sometimes I take the front of the card and remount it on a normal A2 card base before I send it out.

(All products are from the CTMH Heartstrings WOTG Card Kit.)

I am entering this card in the

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #382.

This is when I would normally ask you to pop over to The Muse Challenge to vote on my card.  But there are so many fab cards there, even I can't vote for mine!  You might want check them out.  My favorites are 5, 25, and 37 (I love tea cups.)  
Speaking of tea, mine has gotten cold.  
Time for a fresh cup.

Have a great day!

and to the gals back home -

Stay safe in the snow!

Dachshund in Love

This cute little pooch is the digital image for this month's January Challenge at Gerde Steiner's Designs.

(stamp and papers are CTMH)

My granddaughter has one of these wiener dogs, Romeo, who protects my great-granddaughter with all the ferociousness he can muster. 

Challenges I am entering today:

Gerde Steiner Designs January Challenge - Dachshund in Love

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Anything Goes 4 Kids

Pile It On Challenge #53 - Hearts and/or flowers 

Robyn's Fetish Challenge #248 - Animals

Sketchy Colors Challenge #240 - Red and Turquoise

Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #184 - Any Holiday

Wags n Whiskers Challenge #146 - Hearts

Boy's Birthday

My grandson has reached double digits this year, celebrating his 10th birthday today.  Although baseball is his first love, right now he's in the middle of basketball season. 

Here I've coupled a basketball word art digi image from Digi Darla with some sports DP and added a computer generated sentiment.

This simple card is going to find it's way into the following challenges:

Sassy Studio Designs Challenge #265 - It's Raining Men

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #3 - Let's Hear It For the Boys 

Ruby's Rainbow Challenge #96 - Male Birthday

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge - For a Man 

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Anything Goes 4 Kids

Gem of a Challenge #136- Birthday Card for a Boy

Dream It Up January Challenge - Birthday

Cardz 4 Guys Challenge #54- Anything Goes

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #135 - Items starting with "b" (ball, basket, birthday)

 

 

Happy Birthday, Nick!

Good luck in the Pinewood Derby, Matthew! 

Miss you both!

Happy Birthday, Bob!

Birthdays have a way of just creeping up and surprising us, especially when they end in a zero.
Hope you have a great day, Bob!

Just Ink Lined is the designer of this cat digi named Mojo. You can find it free right here.

This card has been submitted to the following challenges:

Cards in Envy Challenge - Going Gray 

Crazy 4 Challenges #270 - Opposites 

Alphabet Challenge - Y for Years 

Crafts 4 Eternity Challenge #210 - Numbers 

Sassy Studio Designs Challenge #265 - It's Raining Men

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #3 - Let's Hear It For the Boys 

Ruby's Rainbow Challenge #96 - Male Birthday

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge - For a Man 

Perfectly Rustic Challenge # 39- Animals

Cardz 4 Guys Challenge #54 - Anything Goes 

 

Origami Heart Card

This is the second card I made yesterday using origami folding and CTMH Heartstrings paper and stamps.  I never made this particular heart design before.  It was a little tricky but it does turn out great.  I've been working with this CTMH paper pack the last couple of weeks, and really like it.  If you didn't see yesterday's post, scroll down to see the cool origami bow I made.

I'll be entering the following challenges with this card:

Sister Act Card Challenge #90 - Anything Goes

Wags  n' Whiskers Challenge #146 - Hearts

Aud Sentiments Challenge #123 - Anything Goes

DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #149 - Valentine's

DRS Designs Thursday Challenge #158 - Hearts

Moving Along with the Times Challenge - Button It

Fab n Funky Challenge #243 - Button It

Simon Says Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Have a Heart

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Get In Shape (rectangle, heart, arrow, circle)

Time Out Challenge #23 - Valentine's Day (Twist-Hearts)

  sponsored by :

Handmade Bow

This morning I got up and had a hankering to do some origami.  

I love paper folding. 

I'm going to try to sneak this card into the January Challenge at Craft-Dee-Bowz. 

The theme is Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow.

(The papers are Heartstrings from CTMH.)

While shopping this afternoon, my mother mentioned that my aunt has a wedding anniversary in February.  Although I intended this as a Valentine's Day card, it just might become an Anniversary card.

I'll be submitting this card to the following:

Lil Red Wagon Challenge #273 - No sentiment.text

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #211 - Anything Goes

Kraftin Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door Jan 20-26 Challenge - Anything Goes

Come back tomorrow to see another card with origami.

Muse Challenge # 101

This relatively simple card could easily be used for Valentine's Day, a wedding, anniversary, or birthday.   Marion Vagg is this week's muse for the Muse Challenge #101 and you'll find her card, the inspiration for my own, right here.  In fact, she's made a whole set of cards in fabulous colors.

It's supposed to be a one layer card, but my stamping was a little crooked.  So I cut another panel and just covered up my goof.  I used CTMH paper and stamps from the Heartstrings WOTG Cardmaking Kit and CTMH white daisy pigment ink.

I'll be submitting this card to:

The Muse Challenge #101 
Paper Minutes #367 Challenge - Keep It Simple
Sweet Stamps Challenge  #205 - hearts
Through the Craft Room Door Challenge Jan 20-26 - Anything Goes
Crafting From the Heart Challenge #43 - Always Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenge #245 -Always Anything Goes
Love to Scrap Challenge #46 - Anything Goes

Have a wonderful day!

Atlantic Hearts Challenge

The Atlantic Hearts Sketch for this week is another great one. 

 

 Once again I've used CTMH Heartstrings papers and a CTMH rose stamp.  I really like this deep red, and aqua combination.  The sentiment is from the border strip on the DP.

Besides submitting this to the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #91,

I am entering this card in the following:

Eureka Stamps Challenge #124 - red

The Pink Elephant Monday Challenge #282 - love

That Craft Place Challenge - Love/Valentine
My Time to Craft Challenge #275 - Love is all around

Good Mojo Morning!

It's so nice to see the sun when I wake up in the morning.  It promises another warm and beautiful day.  And Monday mornings also promise new sketches at two of my favorite blog challenges, Mojo Monday and Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  Today I have a card using one of the cute ice fishing penguins and a sentiment from Deedee's Digis January Challenge.  I used another of the penguins for my Mojo Monday card 2 weeks ago.  At that time, I told you Deedee was closing up shop due to tax laws.  But, 

"hip, hip, hurray! " 

she's found a way to stay open and continue providing us with fabulous digi sets!

I am entering this card in Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge 381 

 

and Deedee's Digis January Challenge.

Now I'll get to work on my card for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge,

after I get some breakfast!

CAS Birthday

Here's a very simple birthday card:

which uses free stamps from one of my magazines, one of my new favorite embossing folders and just a touch of pink.  This was going to be a top fold card.  But I stamped the sentiment the wrong way on the inside.  Luckily I hadn't glued the Happy Birthday strip in place,  so it suddenly became a side fold card instead

Challenges for this card include:
Fashionable Stamping Challenge #89 - Something New (stamps)
Scribble and Scrap Challenge #36 - Anything Goes
Brown Sugar Challenge #129 - Birthday for a Girl 
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge #82 - No Circles
Simply Create Too Challenge #77 - Mother's Day or for a Female
Stamplorations January Challenge - Stamps + Ink
As You Like It Challenge - Favorite Embossing Folder and Why (I not only love the old fashioned quilted look of this EF but also the variety of textures it gives to a card.)
Aud Sentiments Challenge #123 - Anything Goes
In the Pink Challenge #60 - Anything Goes in pink
Red Rubber Inspirational #203 - Birthday Bash

Doodle Pantry Challenge

My mother and I went to a local craft show today.  Several crafters had wonderful homemade cards.  It just  put me in the mood for getting out paper and glue.  

I've used a sketch from Freshly Made Sketches Challenge # 169

 

  and a digital image from Doodle Pantry.  The current Doodle Pantry challenge, Ants in the Pantry Digital Challenge #1, has a Milk Theme with an option to use buttons or brads.  And, just for fun, I decorated the envelope, too.

I'll also submit this to the following challenges:

Jo's Scrap Shack Fun Friday Challenge # 71 - Anything Goes

Sister Act Card Challenge #89 - Anything Goes

Art Impressions Challenge #151 - Java Love

The House That Stamps Built DCC#114 - Brown, Black and White

Inky Impressions Challenge #192 - Monochrome

Cuttin and Stampin Challenge #5 - Coffee

Everybody Art Challenge #307 - Envelope

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge - Keep It Simple (Since I'm on the road,  I only have a few supplies.  I picked up a pack of buttons for this card, but I used dental floss to thread it. The wax on the floss makes it easy to thread through the holes and the bow stays in place nicely.)

Snowbird

Right now I'm a snowbird, having traveled south away from the cold.  As I listen to the weather in Pennsylvania I am so happy I'm not there.  Snow.  Ice.  Bitter Cold.  Not my favorite things!

With that in mind, here is my card for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #90 this week using CTMH Heartstrings Paper and January's Digi, Little Snowman, for the From Your Heart Progressive Challenge.

I'm also going to enter this in these fun challenges:

Sweet 7 Challenge #9 - Anything New (I've used my new glitter brush on the snowman's hat and just got the gems yesterday. I can't believe I left home without some bling!)

Through the Craft Room Door Jan 13-19 Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafting From The Heart Challenge #42 - Anything Goes

Love to Scrap Challenge #45 - Use something starting with one of these letters: LTSCB (Layers, Tape, Snowman, Cardstock, Bling)

Glitter and Sparkle Challenge #119 - Use some Pink

Great Impressions January Challenge - Snow Friends

Allsorts Challenge Week 293 - New and cute (This snowman digi is both new and cute!)

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #25 - W is for Wow it's Cold

Now it's time for a walk in the 70 degree sunshine!

New Glitter Brush - I Love It!

Now I want one in every color!  It's so easy to brush on.  

This was a fabulous find!  

I applied some of the glitter to several flowers on my Mojo Monday card today.  I hope you can see it in the photo.

(Sentiment is a CTMH stamp.)

Here are the challenges I am entering today:

One Stitch at a Time Challenge #228 - Something New (glitter pen)

That Craft Place Challenge - Monochromatic

The Corrosive Challenge # 215- Shiny and New

Cards Galore Encore Challenge - Anything Goes 

Crafty Hazelnut's January Patterned Paper Challenge

Ladybug Crafts January Blog Challenge - Say It With Flowers

Natalie's & Amy's Challenge #28 - All Things New

Dazzling Divas Challenge #57 - Inspiration photo or Anything Goes 

Crafter's Cafe Challenge #98 - Something New

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #1 - Anything Goes

and lastly

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge # 380

Going Knots

 Scraps, scraps, and more scraps.  When you love paper like I do, it's hard to part with the scraps.  I have a drawer filled with little baggies of color coordinated scraps.  And I have a lovely glass canister filled with ribbon and twine scraps, too.  I have a stack of card fronts already made using up scraps.  As the scraps get smaller, I make notecards, bookmarks and tags.  Here's just one example of how knotty I can get about using scraps!

I'll be entering this card in the following challenges:
Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #182 - Super Scraps Saturday
Crafty Ribbons Challenge - Let's Get Sentimental
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes w/ stash item AG  (It's all from my stash.)
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #1 - Anything Goes

Notecard

Here's a quickie I just put together while my mother and DH finished the jigsaw puzzle we've been working on the last few days:

I've used some chipboard images and CTMH stamps.

I'll be submitting this to the following challenges:
Allsorts Challenge Week 293 - New and cute (The stamps and chipboard are new to my stash.)
Inkspirational Challenge #73 - Word Prompt NOTE 
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge #82 - No Circles
Cards in Envy Challenge - Banners
Crafty Catz Challenge #261 - Polka Dots
Wags n Whiskers Challenge #145 - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #355 - What's New? (The stamps and chipboard are new to my stash.)
Red Rubber Inkspirationals Challenge #202 - Color Combination, Brown, Pink and Cream 

 

Friday's Fun

This morning I went to an iris fold class.  There were easily 100 people there.  The project was an iris fold tea pot....  a very appropriate project for today, since it's a bit chilly.  

The instructor of the class supplied the embossed aperature and diagram for the paper placement.  After that the crafters were on their own.  Some used ribbons instead of folded paper strips and the finished tea pots were lovely.  I am still working with limited resourses, so I used the same colorbok paper pack I used for my last card.  When I get home I may bling this up a bit.  Several women used a trail of clear bling gems rising from the spout for steam.  It looked real cute.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge #82 - No circles 

Sister Act Card Challenge #88 - Anything Goes 

ABC Challenge - A is for Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Something New (DP)

I have a second card to show you today, which I made using the new CTMH Heartstrings paper.  The stamps are from the CTMH set that comes with the Heartstrings Workshop on the Go Card Making kit.   The puffy hearts and little bow are also from the same WOTG.

This card is for the current

 challenge #89 at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.

 

I am also entering this card in these challenges:

Aud Sentiments Challenge #122 - Use the word 'NEW' or something new. (Everything is new except the adhesive tape.) 

DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #148 - Use red 

Crafting Musketeers Challenge #21 - Hats or Valentine

The Crafting Cafe January Challenge - Lots of Layers

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Valentine 4 Kids

Ice Fishing with Deedee's Digis

This is the final challenge at Deedee's Digis, and that makes me sad because her wonderful digis have certainly "caught my heart".

(Papers and heart puffies are CTMH products.)

This cute penguin is from Deedee's Ice Fishing Digi Set, this month's set for the January Challenge.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:

Fan-tastic Tuesday Challenge #67 -  ATG with a bit of orange 

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes 

Party Time Tuesday Challenge #194 - Anything Goes

Shopping Our Stash Challenge #183 - Use something new (everything is new except the white card base) 

Through the Craft Room Door Jan 6 - Anything Goes

Cards in Envy Challenge - Banners
Crafting From the Heart Challenge #41 - Anything Goes
Crafty Boots Challenge - Out with the Old, In with the New
Love to Create Challenge #148 - Anything Goes
Love to Scrap Challenge # 45- Use something beginning with one of these letters:LTSCB (Banner)
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Valentines 4 Kids

Enjoy your day!

 

Good Morning My Friends

It's the first Monday in the New Year.  Maybe 2015 will bring me some luck when it comes to winning the Mojo Monday Contest.  I'm working with limited supplies right now, but couldn't start the week without making and posting a Mojo Monday card.  I broke my Cuttlebug right before Christmas.  I did order a new one, and I definitely would have used it to give some more texture to the background of this card.  The things you miss!

I used a 6x6 pad of colorbok papers in grays, blacks and beiges for this card and a CTMH sentiment stamp.  The paper ribbon and bow is the best I could do right now.  After I laid the card on a red folder to snap the picture, I thought the sentiment would have been pretty in a bright red ink.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Mojo Monday Contest #379

 

A Gem of a Challenge - Something New (the papers are new)

Sweet Stampin Challenge - New (paper)
ABC Challenge - A is for Anything Goes 
Cards Galore Encore Challenge - Anything Goes
Country View Challenge - Use something new (paper)
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge for January - Anything Goes
Seemacrafts January Challenge - Anything Goes
Moo-Mania & More Challenge - Polka Dots

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Nick's Memory Box

Bet you can't guess my grandson's favorite pasttime?

top of box

inside of lid

I used a combination of designer papers, stickers, candies, other sports embellishments and a baseball digi image from Kenny K to make this memory box for him.

Nick just started his winter baseball lessons, with a new wood bat from Santa, and can't wait for the new season to start in spring.

I'm entering this in the following challenges: 

Kenny K's Krafty Krew Challenge #189 - Anything Goes + New Beginnings 

Crafty Catz Challenge #260 - Anything Goes

Just Add Ink Challenge #246 - Gifts 

QKR Stampede Challenge #120 - Anything Goes

Shopping Our Stash Challenge #182 - Thrice as Nice

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge - Dec 30th - Anything Goes

 

Happy New Year! 2015!

My thanks to Gerde Steiner Designs for this adorable bear with balloons digi to help celebrate the New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!