Mother's Day Card from my Sister

Don't you love getting handmade cards in the mail?  This is the beautiful card my favorite sister sent me for Mother's Day this year.  I love the little birdie and the birdcage in the background.  The lace is one of my favorites and the pearl gems add just the right touch.  I love vintage inspired designs.  Thanks Sam!

Tim Holtz Tags of 2013 - May

 

This month's Tim Holtz's Tags of 2013 has a splash of color with lots of rubons in black for contrast.  My interpretation is pretty colorful too.  I added metallic distress stain at the end and that toned down the colors a little bit.  I added rubber stamped images using Chipped Sapphire distress ink.  I just had to use a little tissue tape at the bottom.  I couldn't find my film strip ribbon anywhere.

 

It took all of these distress stains for the tag background.

 

 

 

 

Quilled Hollyhocks Card

I love to quill flowers and the varied colors of pink are perfect.  I used a glittered vellum overlay to soften the hollyhock flower image, then I attached my quilled flowers on top of the vellum.  Quilling is a lot of fun and if you have never tried it, you should.  It is easier than it looks!

I am entering this card in this challenge:
Craft Catz - Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy - Anything Goes
Card Mania Challenge - Flowers
Stamping Dragons - Flowers
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes

Fun New Supplies

 

 

I have gathered a few new supplies lately.  We finally have a few colors of the Distress Paint locally and I can't wait to try them.  I plan to use them on my version of the Tim Holtz's May 2013 tag.  I love birds and butterflies, so the K & Co. diecuts and birdcages will be used very soon.  I purchased 4 new colors of Gelatos to add to my others.  I haven't even tried them yet, but since they were on clearnace, I couldn't help it.  The nautical themed stickers will be used for my husband's Father's Day card this year.  New supplies are always inspiring for me.

Festive Colors Christmas Card

It is never too early to get a jumpstart on Christmas cards.  This one is my design team card for the Festive Colors challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenges.  I started with red mirrorcard and added a pretty piece of paper from a 6x6 paper pad.  The lace is vintage from an antique store and the sentiment centerpiece is a sticker from K & Co.  The challenge blog is named Sparkles, so I had to add lots of sparkle.  Join us at Sparkles Christmas Challenges - we would love to see what you create in festive colors.

Our challenge sponsor for his month is Fantastic Ribbons.  Stop by and see the beautiful embellishments they offer.

Doggone Awesome!

This week's challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is Furry Friends.  Come over to Ruby's and show us your furry creation.  This one was challenging because I have a zillion butterfly, dragonfly and bird embellishments, but not much of anything that is furry.  I was just about to start looking for digital art when I found this puppy sticker.  He fit perfectly on a Bravissimo rosette. I added paw print stickers to the ribbon and wrote the sentiment on a flag. I have been trying to find a way to use the flags for awhile now.  Pretty simple, but cute too. 

Pretty Little Ribbons Giveaway

Pretty Little Ribbons is sponsoring a giveaway including all of these lovely items.  They are having a spring spectacluar in their store.  They have some beautiful ribbons and some pretty flowers.  You can see their beautiful ides on their blog. 

Pink and Green Joy Card

This card is nice and bright.  The card base is a beautiful green color.  I love using vintage lace on everything.  The joy square is just a cutout from a DCWV paper pad called The Magnolia Way.  I added lots of sparkling crystals and a bright pink ribbon.  I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Pink and green challenge at Crafty Ribbons Challenges
Lace challenge at The ABC Challenges
Ribbon challenge at Card Makin Mamas
Budding Color Inspiration at Pile It On
Flowers challenge at Shelly's Images TTT Challenge

Friendship Vellum Tag Card

One of the challenges at Friends of Speedy TV is to use vellum on a card.  I used a pretty pink patterned vellum paper for my background.  I used a Martha Stewart border punch along the top and bottom edges of the vellum.  I added sparkling crystals and a tag embellished with crocheted flowers.  I made this card for a good friend to let her know I am thinking of her. 

Sparkles Christmas Challenges Design Team

I am excited to be chosen for the Sparkles Christmas Challenge design team.  The current challenge is tags, so I thought I would show some of mine.  I am looking forward to designing for this great blog.  Stop by and get inspired to start your holiday cards early.

Color Challenge Card

I am addicted to anything that sparkles, so when I found this crystal birdie, I had to have it.  I used patterned paper with some beautiful lace.  The flower is made of lace with a crocheted flower in the center.  The leaves add a pop of color. 

 

 The inspiration for this card came from the Tuesday Color Challenge at Outlawz Challenges.  It is always fun to create something from a specific color palette. 

Organizing Paper

This was the mess I made because I couldn't find the perfect shade of pink paper this weekend.  Once I started sorting the small sized papers, I couldn't stop.  I had no idea I had so many small pieces of paper.  I am pretty sure it is a bad idea to have any kind of an open drink on the table with this much paper, but coffee is a necessity for any project.

 

This is so much better!  Now that the small paper sizes are sorted, it will be much easier to find what I need.  The 6x6 papers have been my recent favorite, so I am glad to have them all in one place.  Somehow, I forgot all about the pink paper I was searching for in the first place. 

Round & Round Card Challenge

The latest card challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is called Round & Round.  For my design team example, I used lots of circles.  The round silk flower is accented by circle shaped buttons (instead of leaves).  The sentiment is mounted on a circle and the embossed design on the metallic paper is of course, circles.  This would be a perfect thank you for a wedding gift.  Come and join the challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges.  I am also submitting this card to Pile It On's embossed challenge.

Design Team for Alphabet Challenges

I am very excited to be a part of the Alphabet Challenges design team.  I am looking forward to working with this group of talented ladies.  The current challenge is "E for Emerald" with a new challenge every 2 weeks.  Time to get creative!

Birdcage Vintage Card

My latest card is loaded with vintage style elements.  I started with glitter cardstock and added an old fashioned floral print that reminds me of old wall paper.  I found an old book page which I tore and inked for the background of my stamped birdcage.  Then, I used a piece of vintage lace (surprise, surprise) and a crystal flourish.  I just got these new leaves which are laser cut wood by Prima.  I love the color of the silk flower. 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Sugar Creek Hollow.  - Stamp it challenge
Creative Moments - Things with wings
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Blooms, gems and lace

Creative Card Challenge #5

This card is for the 5th challenge in the 75 Creative Card Challenges magazine.  My sister and I are working through the entire magazine and this challenge is to make a quilt card.  I chose a quilt patterned diecut that I cut with my CraftRobo machine.  This is something I cut a long time ago and I am glad that I was able to clear a tiny bit of the stash.  I used K & Co. flower diecuts, handmade paper leaves and leaf corsage pins for the bouquet.  I love the sparkly border and I used a Martha Stewart punch for the edge accented with distress ink.  I am submitting this card to the TCP Tuesday Challenge which is flowers and also to Mark's Finest Papers punched border challenge.  The Allsorts Challenge Blog is also having a flowers challenge.  There are so many fun challenge blogs out there!

 

Since I had leftover cardstock and extra border already punched, I thought I would whip up a tag.  I usually freehand tag shapes, but I actually used my Martha Stewart scoreboard to mark the tag top.  For some reason, it looks so much better when I use a tool.  The purple flower and leaves are more diecuts from my machine that I made ages ago.  The leaves have been covered with diamond glaze for more dimension.  I think it turned pretty well for scraps.  I entered this tag in the CYDI? Butterflies Challenge and the Flutterby Wednesday #253 Challenge.

Color Challenge Card

I created this card for the Outlawz Challenges color challenge this week.  There also had to be an embossed element which I used as my background.  The center oval blueberry sticker is actually a shaker sticker with tiny silver flecks inside that move.  Here is the color challenge inspiration.

Simple Frog Card

This is my simple frog card for the CAS Outlawz challenge this week.  I used a shimmery embossed piece of cardstock for my background and a fun frog sticker mounted on a sparkly green medallion.  I love the bright green color and the cute little frog.  The best part is that this card can be used for just about any occasion.  Sometimes simple is better!

New Goodies!

 

Hobby Lobby had amazing things in the clearance aisle today.  I found Maya Road canvas button pieces, Prima resist canvas, Tim Holtz buckles, 7Gypsies clear stamps and 4 fabulous 6x6 paper pads from Prima and Authentique.  Everything has a vintage feel and I can't wait to start playing.  There are some great challenges at www.outlawzchallenges.ning.com that I will be participating in.  Time to get creative!

 

I also found these beautiful designer trims from Webster's Pages. 

Happy Birthday Card

 

Happy second birthday to Ruby's Rainbow Challenges.  The current challenge is Happy Birthday to celebrate.  Stop by and see all of the beautiful design team examples and the creative entries from all of the participants.

 

My example has a very old fashioned look with a vintage crocheted doily, pearls and ribbon.  The base card is all about sparkle, layered with embossed paper.  The Happy Birthday diecut is from K & Co.

 

I am also submitting this card in the Crafty Ribbons Challenge #42.

Steampunk Floral Challenge

 

I made this tag for the Steampunk Floral Challenge at Steampunk Junkies.  I love the gears and the clock.  I whipped out the acrylic paint for the flower stem.  The filigree corner piece is from our store Dry Gulch Beads & Jewelry.  I like the spftness of the rose ribbon and the sparkle of the dangling charm.

 

This is how the tag started.  I used Distress Stain in Victorian Velvet and Spun Sugar with a touch of Tarnished Brass to soften things up.  I used a mask with shimmer spray and dried everything with my heat tool.  Then I edged the tag with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink because everything looks better with a little distress.

April - 12 Tags of 2013

Here is my April Tag inspired by Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2013.  I used several different elements than Tim's inspiration tag, but I can still see where the idea came from.  I love to use Distress Stain to make backgrounds and I can't wait for the new Distress Metallic Paint that I ordered to get here.  I used one my Inkadinkado Stamping Gears to stamp the flourish background.  I stamped the dragonfly on the tag as well as on a piece of acetate.  Then, I cut out the wings and attached them with Tim's Tiny Attacher.  I had a ball painting the metal flowers and leaves with acrylic paint.  I used Distress Stain to deepen the green color of the vintage seam binding for the top.  I love the rustic, yet feminine look.  The rhinestones and lace sticker is actually one piece that I picked up at Michaels.

Tim Holtz has always been super inspirational for me.  I LOVE pretty much everything he does and I know that his products will be great.  I like companies that actually use the products they manufacture and you can always tell that Tim uses his.  The little things like lids that fit on the other end, dies that fit stamps, distress stain containers that never leak and coordinating colors for everything.  These details make using Tim Holtz products even more inspiring.