Recycled packaging

This card uses the picture from the packaging of a Tim Holtz Sizzix embossing folder I purchased.

 (I saved the plastic, too.  You never know.)

Here's another card using the actual embossing folder: 

The crinkle ribbon is from DLArt.
The stamps are from CTMH.
And, yes, I love pumpkin pie!
with grape jelly, of course!
Try it, you'll like it!

Challenges for card #2:

Craft Rocket Challenge #25 - Ribbon and/or Lace

Crafty Ribbons Challenge #169 - Ribbon and/or Lace 

D.L.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #189 - Fall 

Creative Knockouts Challenge #161 - Fall 

Is it just me, or does that chocolate brown card  remind you of a freshly unwrapped, wonderfully glossy, sweet smelling Hershey chocolate bar?  I think I'll go make some chocolate chip cookies.  I like those all year!  And no, not with grape jelly!

ADFD Challenge

Hi, There!

The last several times I made a card specifically for the challenge at A Day For Daisies, I somehow managed to miss getting it posted in time.   There are 2 more days until their current challenge - #154:Add Some Wood - closes. 

Whew! I made it! 

 I'm off to run some errands so I don't have to do it in the heavy rain and wind forecast for the next few days.

Thanks for visiting! 

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #313 with Sami Stamps

It's time to post my Design Team card for the

 Tuesday Throwdown Challenge. 

Our wonderful sponsor this week is Sami Stamps, who generously gave Team B some wonderful images to use today.

For my Tuesday Throwdown DT card I've chosen to use the digital stamp,
Little Acorn Hoot.

(Papers and sentiment stamps are CTMH, die cuts are ODBD, wood acorns are from SU)

This bird really lucked out finding that huge nut!
Imagine finding a chocolate bar twice your size.
Harvest Happiness, for sure!
I'd certainly be happy and good for the winter! 

Sami Stamps has many more fabulous digi stamps available in their shop here or the Etsy shop here.

 

After you visit their store,
please take a moment to stop over at the Tuesday Throwdown Blog and see the wonderful cards my fellow teamies have created to inspire you and leave some love for all their hard work. 

We'd love to have you join the fun

at Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #313. 

Challenges:
The Crop Stop Linky Party # 22 -  Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks 248-249 - Anything Goes 
CCC Digi Creations Challenge #57 - 3 of a Kind (3 acorns and 3 die cuts)
Dragonfly Journeys Challenge #75 - Shake Your Tail Feathers
Incy Wincy Challenge #19 - Things That Fly
House of Cards September Challenge - Add a Bird and/or Colors
Craft Your Passion Challenge #331 - Always Anything Goes
Crafting From the Heart Challenge #129 - Always Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door Challenge - Always Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge #27 - Anything Goes

 

Mojo Monday Mystery

How did this half sheet of great paisley paper get in my stash?

I don't remember seeing it before.  That probably means I have too much paper.  But, don't we all?

The Mojo Monday sketch today is for a square card.  Upon seeing that, I went digging for the pack of square cards my friend, Mickey, gave me that someone had given her.  The card bases are a pale blue/gray.  Next I went stash digging for dp that would match.  This paisley paper spoke to me.  It was a perfect light blue/gray match.

A punch for the circle, cricut cut for the scalloped circle, fussy cut stamped crazy bird with hat and bow tie, embossed deep aqua cs distressed to cover the white paper core that showed through after embossing, strip of black shimmer trim, CTMH Artiste cricut cut tag, silver embossed sentiment, and bow finished the card.  

I think I'll send it to my brother for his birthday with a snarky sentiment inside about getting old.

Challenges:
QKR Stampede Challenge # 210 - Embossing
Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #149 - Things with Wings + ribbon or trim
Fantasy Stampers Challenge #72 - Watch the Birdie
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper September Challenge - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time to Craft Challenge #28 - Anything Goes
Stamping Sensations September Challenge - One for the Boys
Robyn's Fetish Challenge #335 - Use an Embossing Folder
Simon Says Monday Challenge - Powder Power (sentiment is heat embossed)
Incy Wincy Challenge #19 - Things That Fly
Craft Your Passion Challenge #331 - Always Anything Goes
Crafting From the Heart Challenge #129 - Always Anything Goes
Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #467 -

Eggplant, Pansy, Thistle, Black & White

Those are the current colors, all shades of purple, 

in the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #212 

and the birthday card below.

Stamps used are from CTMH.

The doily is a cut on the CTMH Artiste Cartridge.  Then I fussy cut the various layers according to the stamped pattern.

Challenges:

Color My Heart  Color Dare Challenge #213 - Purples

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #132 -  Favorite Embellishment (Pearls & Ribbon) 

Glitter N Sparkle Challenge #207 - Happy Birthday

A Gem of a Challenge #178  - Female Birthday

 

Another Bugaboo Fall Card

Today I am making a more masculine card using Bug Fall Trio from Bugaboo Stamps.  Not that it couldn't be sent to a girl, but I kept it rather plain and didn't add any ribbons or bling.  Of course, I used kraft card stock for the base, my favorite choice for Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving cards.

Challenges:
Aud Sentiments Challenge #164 - Fall Colors + a sentiment
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #382 - Autumn/Halloween/Thanksgiving
Choux Choux Paper Art Halloween Challenge - anything halloween
Sunny Day Crafting Challenge #15 - Always Anything Goes
Cards in Envy Challenge - Fall
Through the Craft Room Door Challenge - Always Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create Challenge # 189- Anything Goes w/ twist: fall colors
Pile It On Challenge #117 - Autumn Colors/Theme
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #317 - Colors of Fall

Wedding Card

My mother asked me to make a special wedding card for one of her friends.  I pulled out the prettiest creamy white paper, pre-embossed with tiny butterflies, pale green velum, dies from Our Daily Bread, and pearls to make the front of the card.

 The sentiment stamp is from Verve, embossed in white.  The layered butterflies are a CTMH cricut cut on the Art Philosophy cartridge.

For the inside I used another ODBD die and a Cherry Lynn Designs fancy flourish die. 

These Inkadinkado sentiment stamps are embossed in white.

Challenges:

Cut It Up Challenge #105 - Name Game (My first name begins with a "D" and I've used dies.)

Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge #173 - My Favorite Things  (are these beautiful dies from ODBD, pearls, and pretty paper)

Our Daily Bread Designs SLC278 - Dots and Dashes

Fantabulous Crixcut Challenge #285 - Wet or Dry Embossing (I used the CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge for the butterflies)

Sparkle n Sprinkle September Challenge - Anything Goes with glitter, flock, or embossing powder (I've used embossing powder.) 

Use Your Stuff Challenge #234 - Butterflies 

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge - Monochrome 

Eclectic Ellapu September Purple Challenge - New Beginnings 

ABC Challenge - P is for Pearls 

 

Time for new light bulbs!

 There is a light fixture with ceiling fan directly above the table 

where I always sit to use my laptop.

One day, as I was "working", the room got a bit darker.  I looked outside and the sun was still shining, no clouds in sight.  One of the 3 light bulbs above me had just blown.  Not a big problem...there were still two that were working.  About a month ago, another bulb called it quits.  The final light bulb failed when I flipped the switch this morning.  I am now working in the dark. 

What is the big deal about putting in 3 new light bulbs?, 

you might be asking yourself.   

Once I get those 3 bright new bulbs in the fixture, they will illuminate all kinds of things... the dust on the outer globes, the grime on the edges of the white ceiling fan paddles (was I nuts? white paddles in the kitchen?), the list goes on.  

Here's an idea: maybe I'll just replace 1 bulb.  

All that stuff about light bulbs has absolutely nothing to do with the card I made for today.  

The focal digi image is Circle Sentiment Pumpkin Season from Bugaboo Stamps.  The stamps on the borders are from CTMH.

Challenges being entered are:

Art Impressions Challenge # 193 - Cards to Die For (stitched circle die was used)
Aud Sentiments Challenge #164 - Fall Colors + a sentiment
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #382 - Autumn/Halloween/Thanksgiving
Choux Choux Paper Art Halloween Challenge - anything halloween
Sunny Day Crafting Challenge #15 - Always Anything Goes
Cards in Envy Challenge - Fall
Through the Craft Room Door Challenge - Always Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create Challenge # 189- Anything Goes w/ twist: fall colors
Pile It On Challenge #117 - Autumn Colors/Theme
Robyn's fetish Challenge # 334- Anything for Fall

Have a lovely day.  And may your light bulbs continue to shine.

Fall Fun with Parachute Piggy

We know it's fall when Aunt Bess, who is well into her nineties, calls on Sunday night and asks if we're ready to play cards.  Our Wednesday afternoon game resumes today, after taking a break over the summer.  It will be a fun afternoon.

Gerda Steiner Designs recently made this cute digi, Parachute Piggy, available for the September Progressive Challenge. 

I thought he might like to have a little fall fun, too.

I used the new CTMH Flower Market Cricut Cartridge to cut all those leaves.  The stamped letters are CTMH, also.

Challenges:

Gerda Steiner Designs September Challenge - using Parachute Piggy 

Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge - Animals 

Digi Choosday Challenge Week 38 - Anything Goes 

Fairy Tale Challenge #151 - Falling Leaves 

Cards in Envy Challenge - Fall 

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #173 - Autumn

That's it for today.  Don't want to keep Aunt Bess waiting.

 

It's a Girl & CTMH Card Class 9/20/2016

Here's a very simple baby/baby shower card.  No stamps.  Just some clouds and a sentiment, cuts from the CTMH cricut cartridge, and a few punched hearts.

Challenges:

CCEE Stampers Challenge CCEE1637 - Die Cuts 

Scrap from your Heart Challenge #1 - Use Hearts

Get Creative Challenge #48 - Include Embossing

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #285 - Embossing 

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge - Anything Goes

Since I'm posting a baby card, I thought I'd show you the baby blanket I just finished crocheting.  It's my new favorite pattern.

And finally, here are the cards we made at Joyce's CTMH card class this afternoon.

I know Joyce gets a lot of her ideas on Pinterest.  If any of these cards look like one you posted on your blog, please accept our compliments on a card worth CASing.

Mojo Monday Crazy Bird Anniversary

Today's Mojo Monday card is an Anniversary card for my DH's sister and her husband.  I always try extra hard when creating cards for Ann because she is an excellent cardmaker herself, although she makes an entirely different type of card than I do.  I think these fussy cut and paper pieced crazy birds will be perfect. 

I think that I'd like the card better with the larger print on the left 

and the smaller pattern behind the birds.

But, I was using scraps from a paper pad and I only had one strip of the paper on the left. 

Challenges being entered....

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #466 

 

One Stitch at a Time Challenge #271 - Anything Goes Special Day (Anniversary)

Incy Wincy Designs challenge #19 - Things that Fly

House of Cards September Challenge - Colors and/or Bird

Ellibelle's Creative Moments Critters and Creatures Linky Party #7 - Critter or Creature

Craft Your Passion Challenge #330 - Always Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart Challenge #128 - Always Anything Goes

Artistic Inspirations Challenge #123 - Anything Goes 

 

I am happy to say that this is the last card I needed to make for the month of September.   That gives me 10 days to work on Christmas cards and projects!  Yippee!

  

First, I think I'll mix up one of my very boring, absolutely tasteless, meatloaves for dinner.  

DH will like it.  I'll add ketchup to mine.

Imagine That! Friendship Card

This digi image and sentiment were freebies from Imagine That!  Thanks, Kris!!!

 I must admit that I resized the bunny in the original digi because it  reminded me of that over-sized rabbit, Harvey, in the Jimmy Stewart movie.  That rabbit always creeped me out!

Rumor has it that Fall officially begins this week.  It's in the 80's today and our leaves are still mostly green, but the acorns and hickory nuts are beginning to drop and the squirrels are busy hiding them in my flower pots.  I know there is something buried in my front pot because I just planted those mums on Friday and Saturday morning there was fresh dirt all over the stoop.

I've chosen to use fall colors on the card and my favorite fall embossing folder.  The green paper also has a few shots of Gold Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist.  

 

Finally, I made sure I had all the elements needed to enter the Imagine That! Creative Playground Challenge #8: Easy as 1, 2, 3.

1 Bow

2 Wood Acorns

3 Banners (upper left)

Other challenges I am entering include:

Come and Get It Challenge - Lots of Layers 

Glitter n Sparkle Challenge #206 - Anything Goes 

Pile It On Challenge #117 - Autumn Colors or Theme

Scribbles Designs Challenge #45 - Woodland Creatures 

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Fall Colors 4 Kids 

Creative Corner Challenge - No Patterned Paper Allowed

Aud Sentiments Challenge #164 - Fall Colors + a sentiment 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Power Poppy Birthday

This digi image from Power Poppy was printed directly on the wood patterned paper.  I've been meaning to try this for a while and I really like how it turned out.  

Challenges:

Jo's Scrap Shack Fun Friday Challenge #156 - Anything Goes 

Craft Rocket Challenge #24 - Mostly Blue (I hope aqua blue is ok.)

Glitter n Sparkle Challenge #205 - Add some metal  (the Happy Birthday words are metal) 

 

Shopping for Fall Mums

Yesterday my mother & I went in search of mums for our flower beds.  For some reason, I have a gaping hole in my one bed where 3 mums did not return this year.  The mums on either side of the hole are ready to bloom.  I wanted to replace the ones that are MIA.  We headed for the Black Creek Greenhouse in East Earl, PA near one of our favorite places, Shady Maple Market.  

As expected, their greenhouse was full of mums in every conceivable color.  I wanted 3 yellow mums.  Oh my!  They had about a dozen different yellow mum varieties.  It almost made my head hurt!  I had no clue what color yellow mums already border my front sidewalk.  My SIL in law logs every plant she buys, where she plants it, what she feeds it, ....  Me, I stick a plant in the ground and water it.

I blindly picked out and purchased 3 yellow mums and a few more for here and there.  Mission accomplished.  Next on my agenda, after finishing this post, is getting them planted.

With mums on my mind, I decided to added a mum on the top of the birthday cupcake in this card.

 The mums are cuts from the new CTMH Flower Market Cricut cartridge.  

I cut them from white cs and used a dauber to apply different shades of yellow and orange inks.

I fussy cut the cupcake.

 I was hoping this closeup would show you the Wink of Stella clear and gold glitters I used on the cupcake paper and the mums.  The icing of the cupcake was stamped in versamark and heat embossed with a SNS limelight embossing powder.  The sentiment was also heat embossed with clear ep over ink. Cupcake and sentiment stamps are CTMH.

Challenges:

Crafty Ribbon Challenge #167 - Birthdays 

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #285 - Embossing (sentiment and cupcake frosting are wet embossed)

Love to Scrap Challenge #85 - Flower Power

Crafting When We Can Challenge # 127- Happy Birthday 

Sparkle n Sprinkle September Challenge - Anything Goes (I used embossing powder)

 

He shoots... He scores!!!!

Here's a fun penny slider card for any male who enjoys soccer,

 suitable for a birthday, congratulations, or even a thank you to a well deserving soccer coach.

 Actually, I made two cards. 

The second has just a few subtle differences.

The stamps are CTMH.

Challenges I am entering:

Addited to Stamps and More Challenge #211 - Anything Goes

Little Red Wagon Challenge #359 - Be a Good Sport 

Cardz 4 Guys Challenge #137 - Balls 

Creative Knockouts Challenge #158 - For the Boys 

 

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #311 with Lacy Sunshine

Lacy Sunshine 

is this week's wonderful sponsor for the 

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge. 

And, instead of a theme  challenge, it is a sketch challenge!

I've chosen to use the  

Pickles Mad Hatter Tea Party digi image,

generously supplied by Lacy Sunshine, for my card. 

 

 

Lacy Sunshine has a wonderful line of digital images, coloring pages and papers.  Creator, Heather Valentin, offers online classes in her shoppe, as well.  Lacy Sunshine's Color and Craft Your World Blog and Challenge provides plenty of inspiration and tips, which you'll definitely want to follow.  And the Lacy Sunshine Color and Craft Community on Facebook, is a great place to join to share and exchange ideas.  

I love the cards my teammates have made for 

this week's sketch challenge inspiration.  

Please stop over to the 

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge 

for a look-see.   

This card is being submitted to the Lacy Sunshine September Challenge - Always Anything Goes.

 

Mojo Monday Soccer Card

The month of August we had a brief respite from our grandsons' sports activities.  Baseball ended in July and soccer just started in September.  Matthew is our soccer player.  I was making Christmas cards at Joyce's Annual Christmas Card Extravaganza and missed his game on Saturday.  My DH said they won 5-0!  It's fun to see all the bright colored shoes and socks the kids choose to wear.  Matt's soccer cleats are bright orange!

For today's Mojo Monday card, I thought I'd use this fun Bugaboo Soccer Nut digi image.

 

Goal stamp is from CTMH.

Challenges:

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #465

 

Catch the Bug Challenge - The Great Outdoors 

Brown Sugar Challenge #215 - Anything Goes

Cards in Envy Challenge - For the Kids

Now I must get my Tuesday Throwdown DT post ready for tomorrow's new challenge.  I hope you'll play along.

CTMH Christmas Card Extravaganza

Yesterday was Joyce's 2016 Close to My Heart Christmas Card Extravaganza.  Every year she gathers her peeps for a day of crafting with a bit of eating and lots of chattering thrown in.  It's a chance to see and play with some of the new products CTMH has just introduced.  And it also gives us some ideas for the holiday season.  There are only 104 days until Christmas.  (That's what the sign at the butcher shop says, anyway.)

Here are the cards we made:

The bottom right card is a shaker card.

a slider pop up card

a gift card holder

a really wacky folded card

 

and a cute gift tag

Joyful Stars Close to My Heart September Blog Hop

Welcome to the Joyful Stars September blog hop, where a group of talented Close to My Heart consultants, and me, gather to share ideas with you in a fun blog hop.  

Not too long ago, my friend, Betty Locco, sent me a link to a card that she thought was right up my alley.  She knows I have an obsession with different card folds.  The link she sent was for a Peek a Boo card.  And from there, I found an entire blog hop of Peek a Boo cards and tutorials, too!
I've saved my first Peek a Boo card for this blog hop.

card front

card partially open - see the sentiment sliding over to hide the kangaroo?

open card - well, almost totally open; when flat the sentiment lines up perfectly in the opening

The stamp set I used is D1597, Hoppy Birthday Australasia.  
You can find it here.
The tutorial for the card can be found here.
 

Now, since this is a blog hop you might have arrived here from Marie Flayer's blog.

Your next stop is Andrea Sherman's blog.  The hop is circular. So if you are just starting here, simply continue hopping until you find your way back, making the full circle.  If you get lost, the complete list of participants is on Joyce's blog.  I've made my way around the circle and I think you'll want to, too.


You might also be interested in seeing the cards we made at 
Joyce's Annual CTMH Christmas Card Extravaganza. 

While you do some hopping, I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Brown Sugar Challenge #215 - Anything Goes 

Crafting with Friends Challenge #27 - Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut's September Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes w/ pp

Craft Your Passion Challenge #328 - Always Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart Challenge #126 - Always Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #172 - Layer It Up

Cards in Envy Challenge - For the Kids 

Crafty Catz Challenge #337 - AG w/ option Anything but Square

Anniversary Mojo Monday

By now, you probably aren't even surprised to see another card on my blog for the current Mojo Monday Sketch 464 Contest.  The last time I checked, there were only 79 entries.  They give 1 prize for every 50 entries.  Come on people!  The odds of winning a set of Verve stamps will be so much better if that number reaches 100.  Certainly, if I make 20 more cards (you can enter as many times as you'd like) my chances are increased.  But, please don't make me do that.  Because, if I didn't win after making all those cards, I would be devastated.  

Today I flipped the sketch, and

I used Verve stamps to make this card.

But can you guess what I did not use?

 

 

Don't forget to stop by Saturday, September 10th 

to see what I made for the  

Joyful Stars Close to My Heart September Blog Hop!

It will not be another Mojo Monday card.

 

TTFN

Double Pleated Card

It may be a beautiful day in the neighborhood, but it is also a noisy one!  The neighbor above us is building an addition.  Today they are cementing the basement floor which makes for a lot of truck traffic...first the loads of stone for the base and then the cement.
And the neighbor 2 doors down is having the inground pool removed.  Lots of jackhammer noise from that direction.
But, with the AC running, it is relatively quiet in the house...just the way I like it.  I can tune out the constant ringing in my ears and play with paper to my heart's content.

This was a super fun birthday card to make, using a double pleat.  It gives nice dimension to the card without using poppers.  If you look at the lower part of the card, you can see by the faint shadows that the folds of the first pleated layer raise it up about 1/8" from the punched border.  Then the folds of the black flowered layer do the same.

All papers and stamps are from CTMH

 The flowers are cricut cuts, then stamped; the scalloped border was punched; top and bottom patterned paper were embossed; the middle papers were scored and pleated; small circle in center of flower was stamped and punched; sentiment circle was punched and double stamped.

Challenges:

Brown Sugar Challenge #215 - Anything Goes 

Crafting with Friends Challenge #27 - Anything Goes

Just Add Ink Challenge #328 - Just Add "P" (Pleats) 

Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #148 - Autumn Colors

Crafty Hazelnut's September Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes w/ pp

Scor-pal More Than 1 Fold Challenge #30 - Cards (no way I could have done all those pleats without a Scor-Pal!)

Crafting by Designs Challenge - Ribbons 

The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge - Pretty, pretty, ribbons

Craft Dee Bowz September Challenge - Anything Goes with a handmade bow

Craft Your Passion Challenge #328 - Always Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart Challenge #126 - Always Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #172 - Layer It Up

 Hope you all enjoy a peaceful day!
(Without the constant beeping of heavy equipment backing up!!!)