A non card challenge at CardSwaps:

Welcome back peeps! This week's member challenge was hosted my Elaine. We were to decorate a candle with whatever we wanted. Elaine's sample candle was done by stamping on tissue paper and then, by using a heat gun, transfering the image to the candle.

I  always wanted to try this technique be never got around to it. My first try was using Memento black ink and using tissue paper from Walgreens. Unfortunately the ink wanted to bleed causing a blurred image. For my second attempt I used the same in but the tissue paper was from "The Dollar Tree" and only cost $1 a package. It has a shiny and dull side and stamping on the dull side worked best. For my black dots around the bottom I used my black Pearl Pen by Viva.

Please stop over at CardSwaps here and see all the beautiful candles the ladies have made using different mediums. You can also go to Dawn Griffins' YouTube video here for the tissue paper technique I used.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed your visit!

A special card for my mom:

Hi peeps... Today I have a couple of things to share with you. The first thing is a Change of Address card for my mom.

I used the new Hero Arts stamp set "Right at Home" that was designed in collaboration with Operation Write Home. I made 2 dozen of these cards using scraps of patterned paper for the houses. I also used 2 pieces of scrap of green patterned paper, per card, for the grass. The tops were torn, higher on one side and lower on the other, for some dimension and I also inked the torn edges with green. The fence and cloud were stamped on scraps of white cardstock and cut out. I printed New Address on the cloud and used dimensional tape to pop it up from the card. The blue for the sky.... you guessed it, scraps of different colors of blue cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed yourself!

OWH Sketch Challenge #104

So far this year I'm doing good with my goal of participating each week in the challenges at two of my most favorite blogs, which are: Operation Write Home (or OWH for short) and CardSwaps over at CardMaker Magazine.

O.K., O.K..... we're only 3 weeks into the new year but hey... it's a start. Right? Absolutely!!

I really, really like the sketch this week at OWH! In fact I had 2 themes in mind and couldn't decide which one the do so I did the only logical thing - make cards using both themes. Hey it works for me! Here's what I made:

The top one is an 'Any Hero' card for CardSwaps. Lora Brinkman heads up the project to send the cards we make for the Troops to send home. I believe she sends them to OWH shipper Kris... but I'm not sure. The minimum requirement is 6 cards and 2 any hero mail, but you can send as many as you want. I know it doesn't sound like a lot but when my cards are added to all the others from members at CardSwaps it can add up to one really nice box. The stars are cut from a sheet of DP, made by The Paper Studio, from Hobby Lobby and adhered to the white squares. I criss-crossed my twine and made the tripple bow on my Bow-Easy. For the pennant I used the Die-Namics Mini Wavy Pennant set from My Favorite Things .

The bottom card is an extra Valentine card I will need. I used DP from a 6x6 paper pad called Love Me from My Mind's Eye. I inked the edges of my squares with Ranger Ink's Worn Lipstick Distress Ink and added hearts made from scrap cardstock to the 2 end squares. I bought the pink lace, made by May Arts, quite a while ago 'cause it was pretty but I've had trouble finding paper that it really goes with nicely. I discovered it goes perfectly with this paper pad. The stick pin is just one that I made... because I like them. Since this card will be hand delivered I don't have to worry about mailing it.

I'll be back later today to post my challenge card for CardSwaps but for now I'll say "Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed your visit."

1 Card for 2 Challenges!

Hello Friends - gosh it's been a whole week since I posted anything. I knew it would be a busy week because this is the week Mom moved into her Assisted Living apartment. She's moved in, adjusting nicely, so now I can go back to playing with paper and ink! heeheehee. Without further ado... my card.



I was actually able to make one card that will qualify in two challenges over at Operation Write Home

The first challenge is their weekly sketch challenge #103. I love their sketches because there's no guesswork on measurements... they give them on the design. Here's this weeks:

The second challenge is the January ODBD Challenge. This month is a recipe challenge: Use THREE patterned papers on your card!

You have until February 3rd at midnight to get your card linked up before the February challenge is posted on the 4th. And the prize? ODBD is offering TWO generous $25 gift certificates for prizes!

Bonus prize for our heroes:

Our Daily Bread Designs will be making a shipping donation based on the number of cards in the InLinkz (only one entry per person!) - ODBD will sponsor one large box of cards for every 25 cards linked to the challenge post, with a maximum of 2 boxes per month. So be sure to pop over to OWH and see what everyone has linked. While you're at it, make a card and link is up and be sure to tell all your friends to come and enter the challenge too!

Well peeps I gotta run. Hope you enjoyed your visit and "Thanks" for stoppin by!







Having fun with Challenges -

Good morning eveyone! I've been noticing a lot of bloggers are making a New Year's Resolution to use more supplies from their stash before buying anything new. The more I think about it the more I like the idea and I've decided to try and do the same thing myself. Why? I buy things because I love the color, because it's sooo pretty, and because it speaks to me. What's the problem? I have a bad habit of hoarding my supplies because if I use it then I won't have it anymore. There... I've said it!

Today I'm going to show you some challenges I've just completed over at CardSwaps. And yes... I was a good girl and used material from my stash except for one stamp. It's new but I bought it with Christmas gift money and... it was on sale at almost half off.

This card is for this week's Member Challenge over at CardSwaps. It's a Funky Fold Card Challenge using the Double Dutch Fold and you can check out the challenge for yourself here.

This is the front of my card and I used my new stamp for the top portion. I know... it looks like DP but it's not, it's really a stamp. Impression Obsession makes it and it's one of their cover-a-card stamps called Ornate Floral. The Friends stamp is from the Vintage Vogue set by SU. The bottom portion is held together by a bellyband made of cardstock. The black & white paper is from my stash as is the red, white, and black cardstock.

Here's a look at the inside of my card.

The top portion opens up and the bottom portion opens out. Pretty cool huh? The bonus is it was super easy to make. I placed another piece of my DP across the bottom so it ties in with the front. The sentiment is a digi I've had by Ann Vento of Raindrop Echo Designs. Check it out here at Whimsy Design Studio.

My second set of cards if for CardMaker Challenge Corner at CardSwaps. This week's challenge is called 'There's A Card For That'. You can check out the challenge here The idea is to have some blank cards on hand that you can go to for a last minute card. Add a sentiment on the front... write a note inside and... voila your good to go.

I was really good because everything on these cards is from my stash. I've had the papers so long I don't remember who makes them or where I got them. The floral stamp is by Great Impressions #H184 stamped on white cardstock with Rangers 'Victorian Velvet' Distress Ink. The bicycle is Bicycle from Art Impressions is stamped on cream cardstock with Rich Cocoa by Mememto.

Well I guess I should be going. I hope you've enjoyed yourself and 'Thanks' for stopping by!

OWH - Sketch Challenge #102

Hi peeps! Has everyone recovered from their New Year's festivities? I have... but then I didn't do anything festive. HeeHeeHee!

This week over at OWH - Stars & Stamps is a new sketch challenge. Boy do I love the simplicity of the design and my card only took a short time. I needed some masculine 'Thank You' cards for some of the menfolk in the family. Once I saw this sketch I knew I had my card design AND a way to use some gorgeous brown plaid paper I simply love. I hope you like it.

Recipe:
Card base - cream cardstock from Hobby Lobby
Brown Plaid DP - Glitz Design [a new company to me]
Green Dot circle - Brown stripes - scraps from my stash
Thank You stamped on cream in Rich Cocoa by Memento.
[sorry - I got the stamp at a yard sale and don't know who makes it]

Thanks for stopping by... hope you enjoyed your visit!

~~Happy New Year 2012~~

This is my New Year's card for all of my peeps who stop by or follow me. May your new year be blessed with health, happiness, and love... but most of all love!

I'm not very good at keeping Resolutions so this year I'll continue to practice my semi new mantra, 'Don't sweat the small stuff!'. I learned this 5 years ago when my hubby was diagnosed with cancer and have been practicing it ever since. I used to be a big 'worrywort' and would lose countless hours of time and sleep over every little thing. I'd worry about my kids, who are all in their 40's; if what I was doing [or not doing] was right, what will people think, what will they say, yadda yadda yadda! It wasn't easy letting go of all the baggage but I did, and I feel so much better! I hope you can let go of the small stuff too and just enjoy life and what you have today.

Now for my card... most of it is digital images and paper from Paulette here at Create with Tlc. I've become addicted to her blog and you will too when you visit! Paulette is very generous with her time and talent, and there is a freebie at least once a day. Please... remember if you snag a freebie to leave a comment and thank her.

I hope you like my card and 'Thanks' for stopping by.