Cute and Cuddly

The new challenge at Alphabet Challenges is Cut and Cuddly.  Since Easter is right around the corner, I decided to create an Easter card.  I found a vintage postcard image of four bunnies and added diecuts and gem swirls.  The crocheted flowers remind me of spring.  The crystal gems and lace finish it off.  Stop by and show us your cute and cuddly creations.

Buttons and Bows

Our new challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is to create a project using buttons and bows.  I chose a butterfly themed card in bright colors embellished with vintage buttons and little orange bows.  I added some pale yellow lace and some tiny diecuts.  This one reminds me of spring which I am soooo ready for.  Stop by Ruby's and show us what you create.

"B" is for Beautiful Babies Challenge

The new challenge at Alphabet Challenges is "B" for Beautiful Babies.  I chose a girlie pink card, because a friend of mine is expecting a girl this month.  I distressed the background paper and inked it up a little.  The baby carriage vintage print is from an ephemera pack that I have had forever.  The pink foil border is a vintage German Dresden piece.  These are always so hard to find, but sometimes The Speckled Egg has them.  They have fantastic vintage "stuff".  Stop by Alphabet Challenges to see what the design team has created.  We want to see your creations too.

Anything but a Card

The latest challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is to make "Anything but a Card".  I chose a tag that I designed in Silhouette Studio software and then cut with my Cameo machine.  I wanted it to be shaped a little like a dress form and the lace on the bottom reminds me of a dress.  The bird cutout is something I traced and I love the little flourish cutout in the middle.  I created this tag as a custom order for a customer in Texas.  She has a darling clothing and gift boutique.  Stop by Ruby's and show us your creation.

Grow Your Blog Winner!

I am very excited about the package that came in the mail yesterday.  Several of the participants in the Grow Your Blog Hop offered giveaways and I was the lucky winner of one of them!  Judy McCarthy of Judy's Fabrications from Australia sent me these beautiful handmade tags that are loaded with decorative elements.  She also sent me a fabulous heart ornament that she stitched and embellished with lots of beads.  Judy does beautiful work and she is very talented.  Stop by her blog to see her latest creative endeavors.  She also offers her beauties for sale on Etsy. 

Make it Green

This month's challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenges was chosen by me and the theme is "Make it Green".  Even though we are making Christmas cards, we are thinking green for March.  I started by layering papers and then adding a bit of green holly ribbon on the side.  The dimensional holly stickers are from K & Co. and the "25" rectangle is a cutout from Making Memories paper.  I needed a little sparkle, so I added the green gems along the bottom.  We have two sponsors this month.  The first is Deedees Digis and the prize is a $25 voucher.  The second is Di's Digi Downloads and the prize is a $10 voucher.

A is for Apples

The newest challenge at Alphabet Challenges is "A" for Apples.  I found a beautiful vintage image of colorful apples and used that as my starting point.  I distressed and inked the edges and then layered it over flourish diecuts.  The leaves are pearly pins clustered around a pretty metal flower that I tinted with alcohol inks.  The pom pom trim reminds me of apples dangling from a tree.  Be sure to show us what you can create with apples.

Anything Green

Our newest challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is to create something that is green.  It is my turn to host this fun challenge.  I started with a minty shade of green for my background papers and added diecut flourishes on the sides.  The center is a sticker from Bo Bunny and it has lots of glitter around the edges.  The tiny flowers go well with the pretty butterflies.  The metallic green trim is a perfect match to the metallic green circles in the background paper.  A little lace finishes it off quite nicely.  I hope you will join us at Ruby's.  We would love to see what you create.

Z for Zentangle

The new challenge this week at Alphabet Challenges is "Z" for Zentangle.  This fascinating form of freehand drawing uses lines, circles, doodles and more.  This is the perfect art for people who think they cannot draw (like me).  You follow a few simple rules to re-create a design from a pattern and before you know it, you have a really great drawing.  You can color the design or leave it in black and white.  Traditional zentangles are created on 4 inches square tiles in black and white.  You can learn more at Zentangle.com.  We hope you will give this art form a try.

I zentangled my background paper using watercolor paper and colored pencils.  I added a bold flower cut with my Cameo and a little lace.  The rhinestone flower center was just plain crystal so I tinted it with alcohol inks. You can color both acrylic and crystal gems with alcohol inks.   Here are a few examples of amazing designs created by other artists.

Soon be Spring Challenge

The new challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is Soon Be Spring and I wish it would come a little sooner.  I do have my first blooms of the year, however, so that always makes me happy.  I chose a bird with a birdcage for my spring card.  I used my new Cameo to diecut the swirls, birdcage and the bird.  I layered the diecuts over torn and tattered papers that I stitched together with the sewing machine.  Spring means flowers, so I added pops of little flower clusters.  My card was missing something, so I added some lace on the bottom.  Much better! I hope you will stop by Ruby's and show us your spring creation.

Snowdrops in my garden.

Let's Party Christmas Card

The new challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenges is to make a project with a party theme.  It is our blog's 4th anniversary so it is time to celebrate.  Our team members have created some very party like cards.  My reindeer is flying through the air and is celebrating.  I used embossed paper for my background and the reindeer is diecut from mirror card.  He is wearing a festive beaded wreath and I love the tinsel garland on the side.  We have two generous sponsors this month.  The first is Bugaboo Digi Stamps and the prize is 7 digital stamps.

Our second sponsor is Crafty Ribbons with a $10 voucher prize.

Grow Your Blog 2015

I am excited to be a part of the Grow Your Blog blog hop hosted by Vicki once again this year.  It is always inspiring to get to meet new creative people and see all of the things they have made.  I am a paper crafter, and a jewelry maker and I dabble in needlework too.  I love to create cards and I am on three design teams with card challenges.  My niche is vintage style cards using lace (I put lace on almost everything I make), old papers and vintage embellishments.  I love to use fancy metal filigrees and vintage keys on my cards as well as vintage seam binding ribbon.  My favorite card making supply is Distress Ink by Tim Holtz.

Here is a collection of cards I created for a special order.  They went to a beautiful store in Ft. Worth, TX called Daisy Rose.

My latest crafting tool is the Silhouette Cameo cutting machine.  I am so excited to have received this machine for Christmas from my mom.  It really is amazing and allows me to cut wonderful things from paper, fabric, vinyl and more.  Look how intricate those snowflakes are!

My family and I have a bead and jewelry store in Joplin, Missouri and we also sell online.  I enjoy creating jewelry almost every day.  My favorite medium at the moment is using vintage components. Dry Gulch is also participating in this fabulous blog hop so stop by and see more of our unique jewelry. 

I also make lampwork beads and headpins.  Glass rods are melted with a torch and formed into one of a kind beads.  This is the batch of Valentine's Day hearts that I made last weekend.

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about me and my crafts.  Have fun hopping from blog to blog.  I am looking forward to meeting mots of new people.  I want to say thank you again to Vicki for hosting such a fun and informative blog hop.

"Y" is for Years

Our new challenge at Alphabet Challenges is "Y" for years. After I layered my background paper, I added a doily that I cut with my new Cameo.  The file is free from the talented gal at Birds Cards.  I decided to weave the lace with a little ribbon.  I added a glittered and distressed "40" to my card. Be sure to check out what the other design team members created.  We would love to see yours too.

Masculine Card Challenge

Our new challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is to make a masculine birthday card.  This one will be for my dad when his birthday rolls around.  I started with a torn page from an old dictionary and added an inked tag covered with vintage inspired tickets.  The baker's twine actually covers up where I tore the tag, but you really can't tell.  I added a few metal embellishments and I thought the shield was manly.  Stop by and show us your masculine creation at Ruby's. 

Tracing with the Cameo

 

I have been having a ton of fun with my new Cameo cutting machine.  Thanks to numerous helpful blogs, my sister and I have learned some very useful tips and tricks.  One series of YouTube videos called Tracing without Tears, by Clever Someday, is especially helpful. You can find more helpful Cameo information on her blog.  

The first picture is a screen shot of a flower image that I liked.  Following the instructions in the videos, I was able to very easily trace the image and cut it within a matter of minutes.  My daughter took the negative pieces from the cutout and arranged them into her own flower - the red one on the right.  I have big plans for my new cards and I am pretty sure everyone of them will have a diecut somewhere.

X is for Experiment

Our new challenge at Alphabet Challenges is "X" for Experiment.  I get to host this new challenge and I can't wait to see what everyone creates.  I chose fabric flowers for my new technique.  I used the Vagabond to cut fabric into flower shapes.  The Vagabond is strong enough to cut through 5 or 6 layers of fabric at a time.  I got out a needle and thread to stitch the flower together and then added a button.  The background paper was stictched in the sewing machine and I used a pretty butterfly brad for the corner.  Be sure and stop by the Alphabet Challenges blog and show us your creation.

What Did Santa Bring???

Our new challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is to show us what you created with your Christmas gifts.  I was extremely fortunate this Christmas because I received a Silhouette Cameo cutting machine from my mom and a Zutter binding machine from my sister.  I am so excited to have these tools.  I love how the Cameo works - it is so easy to use.  My sister also sent me Spellbinders dies.  I have tons of things to try!

I used the Cameo to cut the snowflake and then I embossed it a couple of times with wintery looking embossing powder.  The sentiment is made using alpha stickers and sometimes I have trouble with them sticking properly.  I corrected this problem by covering them with liquid embossing which makes a clear, glossy sealant.  Since I had a wet, sticky surface, I couldn't help but add some glitter.   I distressed and inked the edge after I stitched around it with the sewing machine.  Vintage lace finishes the card.


Here are a few intricate snowflakes that I cut on my new Cameo.

The Zutter tool allows you to bind papers together to make books in all sizes.  These spools of lace and ribbon were from my daughter, Catherine.

 

 

My sister also sent me a ton of Spellbinders embossing and cutting dies.  I will use these in the Vagabond.  These are all so lacy - perfect for my vintage style.  I can't wait to use these.

 

January Dry Gulch Color Challenge

Design with color and inspire your creativity!

Welcome to the

Dry Gulch Color Design Challenge!

Every month Dry Gulch Beads and Jewelry will be hosting a challenge for creative artisans everywhere.  Be inspired and unleash your creative talents!  What will you create?

Use our colors to inspire your creativity!  Post your project using the color palette above.  Your design will be eligible to win either a $50 gift certificate or a $25 gift certificate to Dry Gulch Beads.

Anything can be created for this challenge, including;  finished jewelry pieces, headbands, wearable pendants/pins, handmade cards, lampwork beads, seed-bead art, sewing design, metal-smithing/art, paper crafting, clothing/fiber art, leather work, painting, even your favorite culinary delights (like cupcakes), etc.  Your project must be created newly and specifically for our current monthly challenge.  The sky is the limit!  Show us how creative you are with our color palette.

For this challenge, Dry Gulch is offering a $50 gift certificate to the Winner and a $25 gift certificate prize to the Runner-up.  The judges will be looking for adherence to the color palette, creativity of the project’s design and effort.  You may purchase and use Dry Gulch components in your project, but that is not a requirement to win.

Your judges will be the 3 generations of women who create at Dry Gulch Beads and Jewelry.  The judges may create and post their own visions of the monthly color palette also, but for inspiration and presentation only.
We’ll publish each created work on Facebook and here on this challenge page.  Add your photo in the comments on our Color Design Challenge Facebook Event or email us your photo to custserv@drygulch.com.  When uploading, you may add a description of your work.  If also Facebooking and/or blogging your Dry Gulch Color Design project, please add a link to the Challenge on your page.

Entries for the Dry Gulch Color Design Challenge may be turned in from now until midnight CST, Saturday, January 31, 2015.

Handmade Cards I Received

I received some beautiful handmade cards from friends and family this year and I wanted to share them.  The top card of colorful ornaments was made by my friend Sharon.  I love the ink around the edges of the ornaments.  The Noel card was made by my sister, Sam.  She added a ruffle of ribbon at the bottom and lots of layers of beautiful papers.  The wreath card was made by my mom, Gail.  The wreath is made from an assortment of leaves and the berries are beads that she wired together.  Handmade is just so much better than store bought.  I loved every card I received!

Christmas Geese

This month's challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenges is to create something with critters and glitter.  I have chosen a LOTV image of geese.  I distressed the edges and added a glittered corner flourish.  The bottom is embellished with lace and pearls and the snowflake is a diecut from Miss Kate Cuttables that I cut on my new Cameo.  Join us at Sparkles and show us your creation.

Our sponsors this month are Bugaboo Digi Stamps (7 digi stamps) and Crafters Companion (£10 voucher).  Be sure to visit our sponsors - they have great papercrafting goodies available.