Day #22 and a gift card, too!

Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge is really cooking for Day #22.  Mixes and Mediums is the theme. For my card I decided to use a double layer of green embossing powder to color the tree instead of just using markers.  The garland is liquid pearls carefully applied with a pin.  And the tree baubles are a combination of glitter gel, red ink, and Create a Shade Paint, also applied with a pin.  The tree stand is colored with gold Wink of Stella glitter.   I, also, added 5 drops of liquid glass, which dries clear, to some of the dots on the dp for accents.  And, the strips of Christmas trees are washi tape.

inside

Additional challenges for this card include: 

A Gem of a Challenge #158 - Inspired by a Song (O Christmas Tree)

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #273 - Inspired by a Christmas Song (O Christmas Trlsee)

Cardz 4 Gals Challenge #8 - Favorite Christmas Color Combo (red,green)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Christmas

The clock is ticking on the progressive challenges I enjoy playing.  Here is a gift card, using the Polar Fleece digi set for Deedee's Digi's November Challenge as tags.  

Inside pocket for gift card or cash.

Additional challenges for this card are: 

My Time to Craft Challenge #309 - Let It Snow

Brown Sugar Challenge #173 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge #302 - Shades of Blue

FairyTale Challenge #131 - Christmas without red or green 

Aud Sentiments Challenge #145 - Anything Goes + sentiment

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #338 - Christmas Present

ABC Christmas Challenge - W is for Wild Thing (There might be few trained seals, but primarily they are

wild.) 

The Paper Shelter Challenge #228 - Brrr It's Cold Outside

 

AHSC & MM

The sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge this week is a nice easy and versatile one, so I've decided to give it top billing today.  It's a fun challenge to play with few limitations, other than the usual ...being something new, linking to your blog.. and using the sketch.  I don't know why more crafters don't take advantage of their great sketches and play.

  Here's the birthday card I've made using this week's sketch:

(Products used are all CTMH; but that's not required to play.)

Challenges I am entering include:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #129 -

 

613 Avenue Create Challenge # 145 - Anything Goes

Crafting with Friends Challenge #8 - Always Anything Goes

Simply Paper Craft Challenge #15 - Always Anything Goes

 

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And here is my card for Mojo Monday,

definitely a quick and simple card.  This a precolored digi image and sentiment from Deedee's Designs set "Pumpkin Patch" 

Challenges into which I am entering this card...

Deedee's Digi Designs October Digi of the Month Challenge

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge # 419 -

 

Allsorts Challenge Week 332 - No Designer Paper 

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge Week  332 - Autumn/Halloween/Thanksgiving/BonFire Night

Time Out Challenge #41 - Autumn 

QKR Stampede Challenge #150 - Scarecrows

 Thanks for visiting today!

Can you believe I spent the last 2 days at a stamping show and didn't use one thing that I got there?  

I will remedy that later this week because I got those Crazy Birds, and they'll be the first thing I open!

Leaf Your Cares Behind - Dee Dee's Digis September Progressive Challenge

The Leaf Your Cares Behind digi set by Dee Dee's Digis makes a cute fall card.  Making Leaf Angels is something my grandson loves doing each year.  Why shouldn't an elephant enjoy doing it, too?

Challenges:

Dee Dee's Digis September SOTM Challenge 

I Love ProMarkers Challenge #286 - Autumn (used O928, O555, R866, NG03, R666)

Inky Impressions #274 - Fancy Corners 

Word Art Wednesdays Challenge #201 - Anything Goes 

Dream Valley Challenge #115 - Autumn Colors

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - No Rubber Stamps 

 

Free For All at Dee Dee's Digis August Challenge

It's hard to believe that there are only 11 more days in August.  Time to get busy making cards for my favorite monthly Progressive Challenges before it's too late.  My first card is for the August Progressive Challenge at Dee Dee's Digis.   

If you haven't participated in Dee Dee's Digis Challenge before, this is the perfect time to start!  Stop by the Dee Dee's Digis blog and pick up the free digis she is providing this month to get you started.  Then if you play, next month you'll receive a new set to use in September's Challenge, and so on. 

The set for this month is called seasonal baskets and I love it.

With a basket for each season, you could make a nice set of cards.  I also want to try sizing them down to inchies and making a waterfall card.  Today I just made a simple card, using the precolored image for fall.  After assembling the card, I decided to give it a spritz of shimmer mist.  Now I'm not sure I like it.   Maybe I'll reprint the basket and pop a new, unspritzed one on top.

 (The image sort of looks like the pollen stain I got on my favorite khaki capris and can't get out.  BTW, I'm open to any stain removal advice!  Shout, Zout, Oxyclean, and bar soap have not worked.) 

Extra Mojo with Deedee's Ice Cream truck

It's about time I got started on making cards for my favorite monthly progressive challenges.  

July is flying by!  

Using the Monday's Mojo Sketch,  

here is my card for Deedee's Digis July Challenge.  

The July digi set is called  "Ice Cream Truck" and you can get the set of colored images, outline images and 6 sentiments in Deedee's shop for only $1.25!  That's a cool deal!  And if you enter the challenge, you'll find next month's set in your mailbox absolutely free.  Double cool!!!

When I printed this cute little bear and sentiment, I also printed the ice cream truck.  At the time I wasn't sure what I would be making. Using the current Mojo Monday Sketch, there wasn't room for the truck.  So, just for fun, I decided to pop it onto the back of the card.

Challenges I am entering today include:

Deedee's July Digi of the Month Challenge - Ice Cream Truck 

Mojo Monday Sketch Contest #405

 

Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge July 8-14 - Ice Cream 

Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes + Stash Item Anything Goes (I've used scraps from an old paper pack.)

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #235 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Furry Friends

Crafty Sentiments Design Challenge - Sweet (Summertime heat makes ice cream the perfect sweet treat!)

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Spots and Dots

Pile It On Challenge # 76 - Hot Fun in the Summertime

Sweet Stampin Challenge - Bear with me

On the subject of ice cream....

Just in case you have an Aldi's grocery outlet near you and you love ice cream....

Yesterday we got a container of white chocolate black raspberry frozen yogurt that was wonderful! 

Splashing Around!

That's the best thing to be doing on a hot summer day.  (But don't be drinking out of a garden hose.  It's a guy thing and it's just plain nasty!)  And it's probably just what Deedee Anderson had in mind, splashing around NOT drinking out of a nasty hose, when she designed the June 2015 Digi Set of the Month, Diver Daniel, for her Monthly Progressive Challenge.  Here I've used the colored version of Diver Daniel to make a fun card for Dad:

Since Deedee is sponsoring a few current challenges, I am going to also submit this card there:
Crafting from the Heart Challenge #63- Anything Goes
Creative Moments, Challenge # 70 - Anything Goes/Man in your Life/Father's Day
Pinspirational Challenge #142 -
 

And I am also entering this card here:

Can't Decide

Should I finish this card with a Birthday sentiment or a Father's Day sentiment?  The digital image by Deedee's Digis certainly works well for either occasion.  

Dad Gets a Day Off  is the digi set for Deedee's Digis May Progressive Challenge. 

I knew I couldn't color this and make it look nearly as great as the precolored version I used.  (Although, I think I need to recalibrate our printer.)  The precolored images come in various skin tones and hair colors.   The papers were unearthed in my recent organizing frenzy.  And the little wood trinkets are CTMH, which I colored to match.

Here are a few more challenges I'm entering today:

Always Something Creative Challenge #99 - Men

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge - Anything Goes

Party Time Tuesdays Challenge #198 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #184 - Anything Goes

Wonderful Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge May 18-25 - Always Anything Goes

Cards in Envy Challenge- Masculine

Ooh La La Creations Challenge #180 - Use a Precolored Image

Today's Agenda:  Gardening at my Mother's; a stop for some milk and fruit; baking a cake; and watching a baseball game with my grandson pitching (wish them luck; it's a playoff game and so far they are undefeated)

I better get going.

Deedee's Digis April Progressive Challenge

While most of Deedee's digis feature cute critters, Blooming Blessings,  the set for this month's progressive challenge, doesn't.  This set has some wonderful sentiments and floral images just in time to make some great Mother's Day cards.  I've made a very special gate fold card using 2 of the images and a sentiment.

card front

card back

opening the gate fold

inside sentiment 
 
I am entering this card in these additional challenges:  
Stamping Sensations April Challenge - Pretty in Pink
Polkadoodle Challenge Week 15 - Pink and Pretty
Moving Along with the Times Challenge - Anything but a Square Card

Easter Digis by Deedee

The colored digis in March's digi set, Right on Track, for Deedee's Progressive Challenge are so darn cute.  Instead of coloring the image, I used the time I saved for fussy cutting this cute little train. 

Here are a few more challenges I am entering today:

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #11 - Easter Theme

Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge Mar 18-24 - Eggs

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge - Bright Colors 

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Happy Anything

Dream Valley Challenge #102 - Easter

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Easter/Spring Cards 4 Kids

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #71 - AG with Twist:Spots or Stripes

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge #86 - For a Child

Simply Create Too Challenge #81 - Easter/Bunnies

Me, Neither!

 Maybe you can recall a singing group called The Honeydrippers?  They did a song called "The Sea of Love".   Part of the song is ... "Do you remember when we met?"  It would be a perfect song for Valentine's Day.  Which could make this an equally perfecty Valentine's card.  But I'm going more for realistic than romantic with this card.   It seems to me I have a lot more conversations with my DH, my mother, and my friends that start with, 'Do you remember....?' followed with 'nope' and ending with 'me, neither!'  Which is why the inside of this card simply reads....

Me, Neither!

This card features the Forever Friends February digi set from Deedee's Digis, which I received free because I played in the January challenge.   I had a friend back in PA print this digi and send it to me here in sunny Florida, so I could enter February Challenge at DeeDee's and not miss out on next month's free set.     

One thing we are not going to forget to do while here is visit The Big Cat Rescue in Tampa.  It is a fabulous sanctuary for all types of rescued big cats.  The tigers are among the most magnificent animals there.  And the facility provides wonderful habitats for these cats, not just cages with slabs of concrete as seen elsewhere.

This is one of the many photos on the Big Cat Rescue web site. 

To find out the story of these 2 tigers, click here.

FYI  The sentiment is a CTMH stamp.

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!

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!

 

Mojo Birthday

Thanks to Deedee's Digi Set "Happy Brrr-day" and today's Mojo Monday Sketch, this card went together like a breeze.   It's being sent to my niece in the Windy City of Chicago.

I like the colors Deedee used and had the perfect pad of Bo Bunny papers to compliment the colored digi image.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Deedee's Digis December Progressive Challenge

Mojo Monday Sketch # 375 Challenge

Jellypark Friends Challenge - Ribbons and Bows

Scrappy Hands Challenge #27 - Birthday

A Little Bit Crafty Challenge - Anything Goes but not Christmas

Animal Friends Challenge - Anything Goes with an Animal

Crafting Musketeers Challenge #20 - Use Bling

Caution! Holidays approaching quickly!

One week to Thanksgiving and only 5 weeks until Christmas, 

how did that happen?  

Today I have 2 Thanksgiving cards to show you.

For the first Thanksgiving card I've used a free digital image from 

A Day for Daisies.  I added a simple stamped sentiment, wood trinkets which I colored with markers, some twine and a small bird charm.  I embossed the kraft background paper with a houndstooth pattern so that I could enter it in the current A Day for Daisies Challenge #109 - Houndstooth

and these other fun challenges:
Daring Cardmakers Challenge - Something Old, Something New  (wood birds are old, charm is new)
Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge - Thanksgiving
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge - Thanksgiving/Thankful
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #178 - Thankful/Thanksgiving

 ************

The inside of the second card reads 

" Sure will moose you on Thanksgiving!"

I've used the precolored digital image and sentiment from Deedee's Digi of the Month Set, Mix it up! And I'll be entering this in the Deedee's November Progressive Challenge. 

 I kept this free of embellishments so it would have a more masculine feel. 

I'll also be entering this card in these challenges:

Card Mania Challenge #60 - Use a digi

Melonheadz Friends Challenge - Add a Sentiment 

Sister Act Card Challenge #83 - Anything Goes

Penny's Challenge #204 - Anything Goes

Kraftin Kimmie Wonderful Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes 

A Crafty Mess Challenge #1 - Anything Goes
 

New Love to Scrap Challenge Starts Today

Here's my DT card for Love to Scrap Challenge # 40:

I've used a digi image called Snow Fun from Dr. Digi, one of the

two awesome digital stamp companies sponsoring the Love to Scrap Challenge this week...

Dr. Digi's House of Stamps

and

Lacy Sunshine

and the theme is

Seeing Dots.

As usual my teamies have made some great projects to inspire you.  Please take a moment to look them over and leave the gals some love.   And be sure to check out the wonderful digis available at our sponsors' sites.  

I'll also be entering this card in these challenges: 
Allsorts Challenge Week #281 - Embossing (I've dry embossed the white background CS and heat embossed the sentiment.)
Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #170 - Embossing 
Crafty Calendar October Bingo Challenge -  I'm using the diagonal elements - embossing, sentiment, and sparkle
Anything Goes with a Twist Challenge #3 - twist: shimmer and sparkle
Aloha Friday Challenge #34 - Dies and or Punches (Both the snowflake and snowflake corner are dies.)
Country View October Challenge - Sparkle and Shine
Country Craft Cottage Digi Challenge #11 - Digi/Glitter Power
Mema's October Tic Tac Toe Challenge -  I've used the last column in making this card - 


Words to Scrap By Challenge #10 - Paved with Paw Prints
Digi Stamps 4 Joy Challenge #102 - Animals

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Since today is also Mojo Monday, I have a second card to share with you.

Combining the adorable image and sentiments from 

Deedee's Thinking Spot Digi Set 

and the Mojo Monday Sketch, 

I've made this belated birthday card:

This card has been entered in these 2 challenges:

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge # 368

and

Deedee's October Progressive Challenge

(Purchase the Thinking Spot set for only $1.25,

 make a card or other project using it, and next month's set is free!)

Note to DeeDee: Thanks for the fabulous free party favor set.  It's so nice of you to celebrate along with Outlawz this week and give everyone this Fun and Festive set.

DeeDee's Fall Warm-up

After feeding chipmunks all summer, I was happy to receive the Digi Set "Fall Warm-up" to be used in Dee Dee's Digi September Challenge.  It has adorable images with great sentiments. Thanks so much for continuing to send free digis to those who enter your monthly challenge.  

Here's my card for the current challenge:

 

I am also entering it in these additional challenges:
Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #164 - Think Fall 
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Cute Fall/Halloween cards 4 kids
Crafts 4 Eternity Challenge Recipe 192 - Digital
Creative Corner Challenge - Cutsie Animals
Sister Act Card Challenge #73 - Anything Goes

No Monkey Business

Deedee's August Digi of the Month Challenge has a few twists this month.  First, if you've never played in Deedee's monthly progrssive challenge, you can get this month's digi for free right here so you can play along.  Second, besides the weekly prize, she is offering a Grand Prize at the end of the month, too.  And, as usual, if you participate this month you get next month's set for free.  How great is that?  I've been playing in Deedee's challenge for a while and love her digi sets.  I've made this card using the sketch at Try Stamping on Tuesday and some paper scraps
 
for my Deedee's August Digi of the Month Challenge entry.
I am also entering this card in these challenges:
Going Grey with Scrap Creations Challenge: Animals
Creative Card Crew Challenge #68: Embossing
A Random Fam Challenge #12: Paper Patterns
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Spots and Dots
2 Cute Ink Challenge #112 - Animals
Fitztown Challenge #48 - For the Kids
A Gem of a Challenge #125 - Embossing

"So Cool!"

...the digi set for Deedee's July Digi of the Month Challenge is so fun!  Combined with this week's sketch for the Mojo Monday Contest #353,  it makes a super card for those preteen and young teen boys who know they are "cool".  I should make one for every boy on my grandson Nick's baseball team.  They played so hard in the tournament this past weekend, defeating 5 teams, and taking home some cool trophies! 

Here's hoping one of these challenges thinks this card is "cool":
Deedee's July Digi of the Month Challenge
Mojo Monday Contest #353
 
Come and Get It Challenge - Cool Things for Summer
Robyn's Fetish Challenge #219 - Animals
A Gem of a Challenge #123 - Animals
Catch the Bug Challenge - Anything Goes
Open Minded Crafting Challenge #14 - Water, water everywhere (Ice water is perfect for hot weather! especially if you're a penguin.)
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Bright Colors
 

Deedee's June Digi Set

Life's a Beach is the name of the June Digi set that I received free for participating in the May Challenge.  This set is so great for the summer.  Thanks so much, Deedee.  I've paired one of the images up with today's Mojo Monday Sketch #349 to make this card to enter in Deedee's June Challenge:

 

I also wanted to enter this card in a few more of my favorite challenges:

For the Girls Challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids

Use a Digi Challenge #88 at Glitter n Sparkle

Anything Goes with a Sentiment Challenge #210 at Sentimental Sundays

Hit the Beach June Challenge at One  Sweet Challenge

Ribbons and Bows Challenge at Di's Digi Designs

All for the Girls Challenge #91 at Digitally 'Sweet' Challenge

Anything Goes #60 at Sister Act Card Challenge

Anything Goes at Stampin for the Weekend

Perfect in Pink Challenge at Paper Crafting Journey

Well, I'd best go clean up my mess from preparing for and teaching yesterday's Red Hat class.  

Did you want to see the cards?

 The first 3 cards all used digi images custom made for me by Sami Stamps and can now be found in her shop right here.  The 3rd hat digi has feathers on it which you don't see here.  I wanted red hats for on the 3rd card, so I printed them on red paper and white paper.   I fussy cut the hat from the red paper, then fussy cut the hat band and flower from the white, but the feather was just too hard to fussy cut.  This card has 1" purple feathers which I cut on the cricut using the CTMH Artiste cartridge.

The 4th card has a stamped image by Rubber Cottage which I found on sale at the last show I attended. And I love the feather embossing folder I found at Paper Wishes.  When I got finished using the pearl head pin to place the red gems along the edge, I just added it to the hat.

The Red Hatters were very happy to take home this set of cards in the card tote shown in my previous post.