Not a Halloween Card

 My daughter-in-law's birthday falls on Halloween.

Normally, I would make her a card with that theme.  But this year I am switching things up and making her a regular birthday card.  

Birthdays can be scary enough on their own!

Thing #1 at the current Double Trouble Challenge #150 is requesting cards of any nature as long as they have fancy flowers but no patterned paper.  My fancy flowers were made with a SU embossing folder.   Sorry Twisted Sister but no bugs on this card.  But I will take Thing #2's Double Dare and also enter the Crafter's Cafe Challenge #302, Flowers.

Tic Tac Toe Cat Card

 

This month I am participating in

The Cat Lovers Christmas Kickstart Challenge 

 

This is my festive cat card #3 for the month long challenge.

The card follows the middle horizontal row of the Tic Tac Toe board  for Day #8's Christmas Kickstart Challenge with Gail.

 

It has a glitter sentiment and bow on the die cut tag which is made from 1/4" scraps of patterned paper. 

The digi kitty is by Gerda Steiner.

 

I am also entering this card in Challenge #12 - Anything CAT Goes at Crazy for Cats Challenges. 

 And, I am also sharing my card at the Gerda Steiner October 2023 Share Your Design Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

 

 

Christmas Tags

Yesterday, when I was on the Double Trouble Challenge blog,  

this caught my eye:

"free Christmas Ornament Digital offered by Jan's Digital Shop"

 I popped on over to Jan's Shop and collected the freebie, sized it up, printed it 4 times, colored it, and made 4 different Christmas tags.  

I may use them on packages or on cards.

 

The CTMH Art Philosophy Cricuit Cartridge was used to create the tag and matching frame.

Now I'm headed over to Jan's Digi Stamps Challenge Blog to enter this in the July Anything Goes Challenge.

  Thank you so much Jan!

and thanks to DTC for the tip!

 

 

Additional Challenges:

Double Trouble Challenge #116 - Christmas in July, Bling It On, and enter the challenge at Jingle Belles 

Jingle Belles Challenge - Bling on the Holidays 

 

 

 

Bugaboo Christmas in July Day 3

Today's entry for the Catch the Bug Christmas in July Challenge can be anything BUT a card.

The movie of the day is

Santa Claus is Coming to Town. 

Yesterday I got to thinking, and with all the mail Santa gets, he better have a good stock of gift tags!

I used the Bugaboo Christmas Trio Block digi image to make these fun tags.  Most everything was colored with Promarkers.  The die cut bow greens and berries are by Cheery Lynn Designs. 

I cut the tags using the CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.

Challenges:

Catch the Bug Christmas in July Challenge Day 3 - Anything But a Card/ Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #447 - AG, option/dies or punches

Polkadoodles Challenge Week 29 - AG

Cut It Up Challenge #178 - Christmas in July

QKR Stampede Challenge #357 - AG

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #522 - Christmas 

Creative Knockouts Challenge #307 - Tag Time 

Crimbo Crackers Challenge #189 - AG Christmas or festive 
Simon Says Monday Challenge - Not a card 

Cross-stitched name tag

Everyone is making a name tag for one of the card making clubs I have joined.  When we meet on Friday, one of the gals will be laminating them for us.  It was an excellent reason to try out the new cross stitched tag die cut I picked up at My Favorite Things last week.  After laminating, I'll add a fun ribbon or two.

 No stamping on this one.  Just some CTMH retired fundamental paper and washi tape.

Challenges:

Die Cut Divas January Challenge - Something New (Die) 

The Southern Girls Challenge - Stitch Me Up 

Creative Knockout Challenge #229- In Stitches 

Use Your Stuff Challenge #396 - Tag You're It! 

 

 

Day # 3 of Christmas in July @ The Bug Blog

Today we are wrappin' it up with a 

non-traditional Christmas colored twist for the

 Christmas in July Celebration at Catch the Bug.

How do you like this octagon gift box and tag ?

The Bugaboo digi must be retired. 

I got it in 2013 but can't find it in the store to give you a link.

The pink and black design paper scraps, neither one a full sheet, came from my stash.  I used markers to color the digi to match the candy cane paper.  The die cuts on the box are by Spellbinders and La la Land.  A friend just sent me the octagon buttons as a gift.  Another friend sent me the candy cane charm.  

My blog friends are the best!!!!

Here's another view of the box:

Well, that's my ABC entry for Day #3 of the Christmas in July Celebration at Catch the Bug Blog.

 

Additional Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas  Challenge #342 - Anything Christmas Goes + Use a Die Cut
(The die cuts on the box are by Spellbinders and La la Land.)
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - July Anything Goes
Die Cut Divas Challenge - Christmas in July (The die cuts on the box are by Spellbinders and La la Land.)
Craft-dee Bowz July Challenge - Anything Goes with a handmade bow
2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #4 - Anything Goes with a critter 
The Holly and Ovy Christmas Challenge #10 - Anything Christmas Goes 
The House That Stamps Built Challenge J1217 - Tic Tac Toe (I used the first row: polka dots, sweet treats and hot pink.) 

Creative Moments Challenge #122 - Anything Goes + Christmas in July Twist
Sweet Stampin' Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes 
Go Tag Thursday Challenge #57 - Button It
Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #167 - Anything Goes (I used polka dot wire ribbon, black abd white checked fabric ribbon, and baker's twine.)
Patti's Creations Challenge #136 - Something Sweet : candy cane
Cut It Up Challenge #126 - Christmas in July (The die cuts on the box are by Spellbinders and La la Land.)
Scor-pal More than One Score Challenge #39 - Die Cuts  (Multiple scores required to make the box.)

Oh, My!

I just finished typing all those challenges and my Firefox crashed!

Luckily, all I lost were my labels.  

That's it for today.  I'm not taking any more chances!

 

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #334 with Joy Clair

This week we'd like to see your fabulous Tags/Bookmarks entered in the Tuesday Throwdown Challenge.

 Hoping to inspire you, Design Team B has been designing their own tags or bookmarks using products supplied to us by Joy Clair, our sponsor for this challenge.

I've used the

Uh-oh Ink Splatter Clear Stamp Set 
to create the two tags below.
The Be Joyful stamp is a freebie that 1st time buyers receive.

*I'll be entering this tag/bookmark in the challenges listed below.

The pictures below show off the pretty shine on the tags from an ink mist I used.

I knew the stamps I was to use for this challenge would have arrived here in Pennsylvania while we were still in Florida, because my Tuesday Throwdown teammates were posting that they had received theirs.  When we picked up the huge pile of mail that had collected at the PO while we were away, I rifled through the tub searching for a package from our wonderful sponsorship coordinator, Emily.  Then I was so excited when I saw the stamps, I immediate got busy creating this card:

 

I totally forgot that the challenge theme was Tags/Bookmarks!

Duh!

After you visit the Joy Clair Store, 

 
please take a moment to stop over at the Tuesday Throwdown Blog and see the wonderful tags/bookmarks my fellow teamies have created to inspire you 

and, please, leave some love for all their hard work. 

We'd be so happy to have you join the fun

at Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #334.

*Challenges:

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

Kitty Bee Designs Aloha Friday Challenge - Living Things with Wings

Artistic Inspirations Challenge #174 - Always Anything Goes 

Come and Get It Challenge - Things with Wings

I've also made pocket cards to go with the tags/bookmarks above.  You can check them out here.

A Day for Daisies & Oxiclean

Yikes, did I make a mess!  

All I set out to do was make a card for the current

 A Day For Daisies Challenge #152 - CASE the DT .

The freebie offered by ADFD is so lovely, 

and I thought it perfect for a bookmark. 

So I chose to CASE the Fancy Fairy Tag that DT member Tanja made.

She has the photo watermarked, so I hope she doesn't mind that I posted it here.  Can you see why I wanted to CASE it?

 

My first attempt didn't end up looking like Tanja's tag at all.

Sure, it was blue, had velum, and a crinkly ribbon, but really looked nothing like Tanja's.

Unhappy with my results, I hopped back over to read Tanja's blog and then went back to work.  Not having the same products in my stash that she used, I made some substitutions and am much more satisfied with this tag.

 The image was watercolored and fussycut; the background was stenciled with an ink mixture made from powdered pigments and CTMH pearl Creat-a-Shade paint; after drying it was debossed and a bit more color added with a pouncer; the velum spray is a cricut cut from the CTMH Artistry cartridge; and the CTMH color ready ribbon, which turned my fingers a lovely shade of denim and crystal blue, was spritzed, crumpled, clipped and dried before adding. 

Boy, was this out of my wheel house!

Now I have a lot of stuff to put away and these fingers will definitely need some Oxiclean!

 

 

Christmas in July with Bugaboo Stamps Day 3

Day 3's Christmas in July Challenge is to make a tag.

  

The AKV Santa Tree, which I used, is free right now at Bugaboo Stamps.  The 3 gifts at the bottom and the little tag (which says Do Not Open Until Christmas) on the gift Santa is holding are stickers from on old CTMH sticker pack.

 

 Next up..... My Mojo Monday card.
 

Fairy Kitty

This Mother's Day Gift Tag features a delightful digi from

 A Day for Daisies called Fairy Kitty 

and is my entry for their current challenge,

 Anything But A Card.

My mother, whose name happens to be Kitty (short for Catherine), has decided she needs to get a cat, preferably one who likes to catch mice.  This tag will be purr-fect for her. 

Additional challenges I am entering:

Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #249 - Freestyle 

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #128 - Anything Goes/ Fairyland 

Crafting in a Beautiful Mess Challenge #2 - Anything Goes

Craft for the Craic April Challenge - Anything But a Card 
Crafty Catz Challenge #322 - Fairies or something enchanting
Jo's Scrap Shack Fun Day Friday Challenge #136 - Mother's Day 
Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #139 - Things with Wings + ribbon or trim
As You Like It Challenge - Favorite Animal & Why (Cats have always been my favorite.  They are much less trouble than a dog, very affectionate, soft and cuddly.)
Aud Sentiments Challenge # 154- Animal + A Sentiment 
DLArt Thankful Thursday Challenge #179 - Mother's Day
Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #69 - Anything Goes
Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge - Anything Goes
Mod Squad Challenge - Mother's Day
The Paper Shelter Challenge #246 - Pearls
The Crafty Addicts Challenge #14 - Anything Goes/ Use Ribbon
Digi Choosday Challenge Week 17 - Things with Wings
Show Us Your Pussies Challenge # 5 - Furrything Goes

This is why....

I don't get my Christmas cards finished early.  I always have good intentions. Then I come across a blog with a fun challenge and before I know it I'm making a card for the 
2015 Fall Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.

The fall coffee flavors are so yummy.  I made a list of some of them (pumpkin is my favorite) and created some background paper for this card.  I added a sentiment and  fussy cut digi image from TLC Creations.

Challenges I am entering include:
Fall 2105 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - Fall themed
Cards in Envy Challenge - Colors of Fall

***************

Please don't leave yet.  I have another card to show you!

I may have veered from my Christmas card mission in making the card above, but I did make a Christmas card, too.  It is for my bestest college friend of over 40 years, Dawn, who lives in Arizona so very far away

 from me.  A few years ago she, her mother, and her girls got together and used pieces of cards I had sent them for various occasions to decoupage a wood tray on which I keep all my necessary stamping supplies.  It is the only gift I have ever received that brought instant tears to my eyes.  They had saved every card that I had made with love and sent that love right back to me.  So this card is for Dawn:

(Every year from birth I sent Dawn's girls a Christmas ornament, so this ornament is just for Dawn)

(This is a close up of the tag, stamped on Shrinky Dink Paper, colored and shrunk. The stamp is CTMH)

Challenges I am entering:

Share Joy Challenge #4 - Sketch/CAS

 

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #265 - Sparkle n Shine (the ornament is made from glitter paper) 

Aud Sentiments Challenge #141 - Christmas + sentiment

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #330 - Photo Inspiration (I've tried to pick up on the color scheme, grays, black and white with just a hint of one other color.)

 

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Christmas 

Amusing Challenges - Use a tag on a card 

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge DT Recipe Project

This week at Tuesday Throwdown we have a fun recipe challenge sponsored by My Grafico, where you can find a variety of clipart, graphics, printable templates, digital papers, stamps and much more.  

The recipe for the challenge is:

one image, 

one designer paper, 

and something purple.

For my DT project, I decided to use a castle digi image from My Grafico that is part of a set called Fairy Tale Princess Stamps.  I just happened to have one purple gift bag in my stash and close at hand, so I thought I'd put together a welcome bag and tag.  I wrote the sentiment on the computer and printed it and the digi image on kraft text paper.  The white damask kraft dp was a clearance find.  I used the cricut to cut the tags and rolled flowers, a sixix die for the purple vines, and my Craft-Dee Bowz maker to make the triple looped bow.

I hope you'll pop over to the Tuesday Throwdown blog to see what my very talented teammates have made for your inspiration.  Then be sure to join in the fun at Tuesday Throwdown this week.  We just love seeing your crafty cards and projects and visiting all your blogs.

Speaking of visiting....

I'll be doing Make and Takes this week-end, May 3rd and 4th, at the Stamp, Scrap Art Tour Show at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.  Look for me at the Close to My Heart booth, and meet my friends Joyce and Betty.  

I'm entering this project in these challenges:
613 Avenue Create Challenge #69- Anything Goes
Glitter and Sparkle Challenge #82 - Add some Ribbon
Digi Galore Challenge - Anything but a card
Sugar Creek Hollow Challenge - Tic Tac Toe (flowers, pearls, die cut)
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Not a card
Crafty Ribbons Challenge # 86 - Anything but a card
DRS Designs Thursday Challenge #119 - Tag You're It
Scrap It Girl Bags and Tags April Challenge
Craft-Dee Bows April Challenge

Mother's Day Gift Bags

I found some bits and pieces left over from Mother's Day favors a couple years ago and thought I'd make a few bags for down at the farm.  These are small bags, perfect for the homemade soaps my cousin makes and sells at the farm. 
I also thought they might be perfect for these challenges:
Crafts 4 Eternity Challenge #170 - Anything but a card
Jo's Scrap Shack Challenge #44 - Anything Goes
Scrap it Girl April Challenge - Tags and Bags

Holiday Chaos Celebration at Catch the Bug - Dec. 7th + Thanksgiving Bingo Story

This is my last card for the Holiday Chaos Celebration at Catch the Bug Challenge Blog.  Today's challenge is Anything Goes For Christmas.  I'm using a Bugaboo Image called AKV Santa - Presents found here.  It's been a fun Celebration at Catch the Bug.  Hope you've enjoyed my week of posts as much as I've enjoyed the challenge of making all the different projects.  Their Christmas in July Challenge is soooo far away.

I've also made this card with Penny's Paper Crafty Bingo/Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #156 in mind because I have a cute Thanksgiving story to tell you.

 
I used the diagonal line : Bow, Glitter, Card Candi.
I am also entering the card in some of my favorite challenges:
Cards in Envy Challenge - Tag You're It  (There's even a tag on my tag.)
My Heart Pieces Challenge - Sparkle
DRS Designs Challenge #99 - Glitter It Up
As You Like It Challenge #16 - Favorite Digi and Why (I totally love every Bugaboo Digi because of the boldness of the designs and ease in coloring.  I especially love their freebies, like this one.)


And here's my Thanksgiving Bingo Story:

After Thanksgiving dinner, while the adults were still sitting around the table and my grandsons (ages 7,9,12,&14, give or take a few days/months) were having a somewhat rowdy time downstairs unsupervised, I asked the boys if they'd like to come upstairs to play a game of Thanksgiving Bingo. 

I had picked up a cute set of Bingo cards with Thanksgiving themed items on the cards instead of the usual numbers.  With a pile of pennies in the middle of the table (the instructions suggested using candy corn-makes my teeth hurt and my mouth water at the same time), the boys all wanted to play.

Matthew, the youngest, won the first game.  I pulled a half-dollar out of my pocket and gave it to him for his prize.  He took one look and said very enthusiastically, "Goodie! Chocolate!"  He was rather disappointed to learn it was only money.  

Matthew won the second game, too.  His prize was a hug from his great-grammy.  The older boys hooted and hollered over this one.  But Matthew graciously accepted the hug, and my mother was very happy to give it. 

AJ, the oldest won the third game.  He was awarded a bottle of mustard from the refrigerator, which was met with howls of laughter.  When his mother told me he didn't like mustard, I traded him for a kit-kat bar. 

Nick won the next game, jumped up and and eagerly asked for the mayonnaise as his prize.  He  had definitely joined the spirit of the game.  I gave him a Sacajawea $1 coin.  How fitting for Thanksgiving?  The significance was lost on him, I'm afraid.  He gave it to his dad.

It took 7 games until Daeton won and was awarded with anything he wanted from the snack drawer.  When his eyes got big, I quickly specified "ONE" of anything in the drawer.  But had he wanted one whole package of Oreos, this Nana would certainly have given it to him anyway.

What a fun way to save my family room from certain destruction while the adults had some time for their dinners to settle before heading for the dessert table.  Next year, I think the adults will be playing, too.  I already have some interesting ideas for prizes.

So in the spirit of Bingo, I decided to make a card to enter in the  Bingo Challenge at Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge.

Holiday Chaos Celebration at Catch the Bug - Dec. 2

Yesterday was Day #1 of the week long Holiday Celebration at Catch the Bug Blog. 

 

Today is Day #2 and the challenge is gift wrap.  

Using a Bugaboo digi image from the Mini Set of Christmas tags, I made this 3 layer gift tag to enter in the Holiday Chaos Celebration.  The papers are CTMH and the ribbon is from Lovebug Creations.

I am also entering this tag in the following challenges:

Craft-Dee Bowz December Challenge - Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow

613 Avenue Create Challenge #48 - Anything Goes or twist Gift Packaging

Anything But a Card Challenge #30 - Create Anything You Dream Up with a Holiday Twist

Dream Valley Challenge #71 - Anything But a Card

One Stitch at a Time Challenge #192 - Use a Digi

Card Crafters Circle Challenge #103 - Gift Tags

Crafty Ribbons Challenge #72 - Anything Goes with Ribbon

Crimbo Crackers Challenge #55 - Anything But a Card

ABC Christmas Challenge - 'X' for out of the box - no squares allowed

 Okay.  That's it.  I'm finished posting for today.  

Time to add the carrots and potatoes to the pot of soup that is simmering on the stove and making my kitchen smell wonderful.

See you tomorrow for Day #3 of the Holiday Chaos Celebration at Catch the Bug.

Christmas Tag

The digi image is from Bugaboo Stamps.

One week, way back in July, the Mojo Monday sketch was for a round or square card.  I decided to go with round and then turned it into a tag instead of a card by decorating the back, punching a hole in the top and adding that glittery gold ribbon. 

Double Pocket Card

Yesterday I posted a triple easel card I made for Joyce's birthday and promised to post Cindy's birthday card today.  Cindy's card is a pocket card. I found a tutorial for it here.  I took several photos of this card so you can see the fronts and backs of the main card and both tags.

DP is CTMH Chantilly

Sentiments are computer generated.

It was certainly fun making 2 special cards for 2 special friends.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Creative Moments Challenge #28 - Anything Goes/Use some lace
Inkspirational Challenge #41 - Anything Inkspirational Goes
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #149 - Anything Goes
ABC Challenge - 'X' for Xtra Special
Live and Love Crafts Challenge #16 - Use Pink
Shopping Our Stash #123 - Oldest Ribbon
Bunny Zoe's October Challenge - Ribbon
Craft-Dee Bowz October Challenge - Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
Sentimental Challenge #176 - Happy Birthday Sentiments Only
That Craft Place Challenge - Color Pink

Pattie's Creations Gift Tag Challenge (Post #2)

I've decided to use 2 of Pattie Gomez's digis, that I won in the last challenge at Pattie's Creations Design Challenge, to make 2 gift tags which I am entering in their new challenge.   For the first tag I used an autumn wreath digi image.  You'll need to go back to the previous post to see that.

For the second tag I printed the vintage ice skate twice to make a pair, colored, fussy cut, pierced and laced the skates, added white glitter gel to the tops and red liquid pearls to make the holly berries.  The sentiment is from CTMH, stamped in cranberry ink and clear embossed.  
 
Besides Pattie's Creations Design Challenge #75 - Gift Tags (no cards),
I am entering this tag the following challenges:
Creative Creations Challenge #18  - Early Christmas Makes
Crafting When We Can Challenge #52 - Repeated Images (ice skate)
One Stitch at a Time Challenge #180 - Use a Digi
Victorine Originals Challenge #67 - Vintage

I have CTMH card class this afternoon.  Come back tomorrow to see what we made.

Tags for Pattie's Challenge (#1)

Pattie Gomez has some really nice digital images in her Etsy Shop.  When I enter her challenge, I always try to use one of her images.  They always choose a random winner and a winner who has used one of her digis.  Perhaps, I should thank other bloggers for not doing likewise because I've won the latter several times now, which gives me even more of her great designs.  The current challenge at Pattie's Creations Design Challenge #75 is Gift Tags (no cards).  I've used the 2 digis I won in their last challenge to make 2 gift tags which I'll be entering in their new challenge.

The autumn wreath is perfect for this season.  After coloring and fussy cutting the wreath, I smooshed it with a clear versamark pad, applied clear embossing powder, heat embossed and then repeated a second time for a real glossy look.

The 2nd tag I made features a vintage ice skate by Pattie.  You'll need to go to the next post to see what I made with that digi.

Besides Pattie's Creations Design Challenge #75, I am entering this tag these challenges:
Great Impressions September Challenge - Fall Colors
One Stitch at a Time Challenge #180 - Use a Digi
Crafts Too Challenge You - Challenge #3 - Week 1 - Texture with a Twist - Choose Your Own Style
(Here I used both frayed burlap and pinked canvas fabric to add physical texture to the tag and also gives it a shabby look, while the embossed and fussy cut image, fancy punched corners and bling are more chic.)
Digitally Sweet Challenge #52 - Anything Goes