Santa's Pack

We are halfway through November! Just wanted to share some news from Heather at My Artistic Adventures. She is having a  giveaway from her etsy store. Here is a note from Heather -

Hello Friends!

I just wanted to mention that on the 

My Artistic Adventures Challenge Blog 

I am having a Give Away.

A chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate 

for Collage sheets 

I have for sale in my Etsy Shop.

All you need to do for a chance to win is to

LIKE my My Artistic Adventures Facebook Page

Sign up to follow by email my Personal Blog

 and the

 My Artistic Adventures Challenge Blog

Subscribe to my Youtube Channel.
When you are finished with all the tasks, please send me an email letting me know what sheets you would like to win..or a general idea.  So I know you played along.
heatherahudson@gmail.com

At My Artistic Adventures a new Challenge 

begins on November 16. Here is the easel card

 I made using her

 Vintage Chic Victorian Christmas Gift Tag and Bag digi Collage Sheet

Collage sheets make it easy to craft up a card 

or gift tag without having specialty decorative 

paper. Just print out the digi sheet and start 

creating!

Snapdragon Sprite

Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.

C. S. Lewis

Summer is in full bloom and I am amazed to think that Independence Day is upon us and we are halfway to Christmas!

 Staying out of the heat, I made a card this week using the Snapdragon Sprite image from 

AuroraWings Stamps 

They have a new challenge on the third Monday of each month using different themes. 

When I was looking through the variety of images available I immediately was drawn to this adorable Sprite! The icing on the cake is that she is holding a baby dragon in her arms...awww! College Girl belongs to a co-ed professional fraternity which has a dragon as their mascot, so I know I will get a lot of use from this cute pair.

This is an easel style card which folds flat for mailing. I cut the frame mattings from Graphic 45 paper with my Cricut and used lots of foam adhesive between the layers for dimension. The photo above gives a good look at the side view and you can see how different parts of the card 'pop' out from the background.

The front of the card slides forward which allows it to fit inside an envelope for mailing. I used Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Powder on the baby dragon's back for texture. (thanks, Patty!)

I colored the Snapdragon Sprite and her friend with Distress Inks and my Zig Water Pen.

Perhaps on the 4th of July, if you are outside at dusk and look carefully in a flower garden, you'll catch a glimpse of a Snapdragon Sprite. Wishing you a safe and magical celebration!

sharing this post with:

Thinking Ahead - only 312 Days!

For the mid month Challenges at My Artistic Adventures, the Design Team is thinking ahead to December. Our new Challenge starts on February 16 and has an On the Second Day Of Christmas theme. If you participate in these Challenges you will have a small stockpile of Christmas themed projects ready when the holidays roll around!

 I used Heather's Collage sheet printable called

 Vintage Mitten Candy Cane collage sheet

  for my ornament easel card.

 

The Design Team used things in 'twos' for this challenge, so I used two mittens and two candy canes from this printable. I cut a circle and an ornament from decorative card stock using my Cricut, between which I layered a white doily.

 The Mittens are mounted on foam dots and have tinsel string along the cuffs. I crossed the glittered candy canes and added the number twenty five. There is a Idea-ology Pearl Bauble

hanging from the bow.

 To coordinate with the tan in the mittens, I added a tan Tim Holtz clock die cut to the back of the easel card - you can see it peeking up behind the white bow. This card folds flat for mailing. Click HERE

to see other easel cards I've made using this clock die cut.

Check out Heather's blog for Challenge details, video tutorials and crafty inspiration. You can also see the projects the rest of the Design Team made!

entering this challenge:
Craft Hoarders Anonymous 

Rainy Mood

I love the sound of rain! I find it so relaxing - perfect background for napping, baking, reading or crafting. 

College Girl told me about Rainy Mood

and I have been playing it in the background while I worked on some cards.

 

I made this sparkly easel-style card as a thank you for a holiday gift. I fussy cut the mushrooms from decorative card stock.

It stands upright and the Hello sentiment is raised and adhered with foam dots. I also made this French themed card while listening to the 'rain.'

 I used some printed kraft paper, a notched and inked vintage book page, and metallic stars. The letter tiles are wooden and I inked their edges as well.

I'm celebrating a birthday this week. Look what arrived in the mail from my dearest friend! It stands about eight inches tall and is gorgeous front to back.

Can you picture this in the Fairy Garden surrounded by flowers? I can't wait to get outside and arrange this whimsical Fiddlehead Tea Pot House among the plants! She also sent me some other goodies - a couple that I'll share in a teatime post later. 

 

I'm one lucky duck. I guess getting older is not so bad after all, especially when you are remembered by lovely friends - and considering the alternative!

sharing with:

Mosaic Monday

Clever Chicks

Make It Pretty
You're Going To Love It 
What To DO Weekends 
Freedom Fridays 

Holiday Cheer

I woke up with a cough and low grade fever- boo hoo! But I wanted to be one of the first to say Happy November! Can you believe we are on the downhill slide to the holidays? 

 
 I've started on my Christmas cards and wanted to share this easel ornament version I made using Treasured Times stamp #616-S, called Sweet Christmas. The November Challenge at Treasured Times, which runs through the 14th, is to use four different shades of the same color and some bling. 

  I used a variety of greens on my 
ornament easel card - sage, lime, grass, evergreen - and colored the image with my Zig Water Pen and Distress Inks.

 

 I also used a snowflake punch with gold glitter paper and a pine needle border punch on the card. 

I cut the ornament shape out with my Cricut in 3 graduated sizes to layer behind the cute Christmas boy and girl. The flowers are K & Company and Prima, and I found the narrow gold tinsel string at Target. If you want to see more Design Team cards go here.

Anyone else working on home crafted Christmas cards or gifts?

Treasured Times Rubber Stamps Blog Hop

Welcome to the Treasured Times Blog Hop! 
The Blog Hop begins today and ends on August 7, and our new Challenge begins August 3rd. You have the opportunity to win prizes in both!

 Rules- can't live without 'em, but I promise there are only a couple.

• Visit all eight participating blogs/FB page.
•  Leave a comment at each. 

Easy, right?! You will finish at the Treasured Times blog and leave a comment for Jody letting her know that you completed the Hop & left comments at each blog to be in the running for this prize:

 

 I'm number #6 on your hopping journey, so if you are arriving from Gelsomina's blog you are in the right place. 

 I made three projects using the Sugar Skull stamp by Tracy Moreau to share with you. The first one is a card I created using a technique called Soot Stamping. To do this technique you need a household candle, glossy card stock, a clean stamp, and a spray sealant. There is a video tutorial HERE

Pass the card stock quickly over the candle flame, glossy side down, to cover the surface with soot. Carefully press the stamp onto the blackened area. Next, lightly spray the image with sealant to protect it from smearing.

I had so much fun soot stamping and liked the striking results. I decided to make this card all black and white, so to give it extra visual interest, I added texture by embossing white card stock, adding a small doily and using sheer loopy-edged ribbon. 

I will be mailing this card to one of you who leaves a comment on this post!

For my next project I decided to use the stamp in more traditional Cinco De Mayo colors.

 This is a double easel card made with Spellbinders Nestabilities Label Nine die cuts. You can watch a tutorial on how to make a triple card HERE

I followed Kim's directions but just made two easel sections. The card folds flat for mailing.

Do you like the bright, happy colors? After I embossed the skull image with red embossing powder, I colored it in with markers. I also used pearls, glitter, chipboard and a Basic Grey flag to decorate it. The doily was white before I spritzed it with Heidi Swapp Primrose mist. Here is a side view -

My last project using the sugar skull stamp is the 'sweetest' of all! Haha! I repurposed a match box for Halloween. The first thing I did was paint the interior with white acrylic paint and let it dry. Next, I covered all surfaces with decorative paper. I used a bead and brad inserted in one end for a drawer pull. 

I stamped the sugar skull in black and distressed the edges with Ranger Orange Marmalade ink. I used purple and black bakery string as an accent and adhered a bright orange flower and glittery spider near the top.

The gold tile is a piece I made from air dried clay, which I painted and stamped. Here is a closer look at the drawer pull

What do you think is inside? 

Four 'fun size' Snickers bars fit perfectly!

Somebody is going to be happy, happy, happy when they open this Halloween greeting!

I stopped at three projects, but can't you just picture this stamp being used for a pirate themed card or creation?

Now head over to
 Adriana's Facebook page

She's next on the Blog Hop.

  Carol Salisbury – http://scrappydayz.blogspot.com/
Elisabetta Monnini – http://www.lizziebusyhandmade.blogspot.com/
Franca Marzi – http://piccolepassioni.blogspot.it/
Nadja Robbins – http://nadjarobbins.blogspot.com/
Gelsomina Mori – http://romanticherie.wordpress.com/
  Adriana Ortolano – https://www.facebook.com/adriana.ortolano.9?fref=ts

Easy Peasy ~

 Here is a quick tutorial for making 4 and 1/2" square easel cards that I have been sharing this week. Start by cutting and folding your paper.

 

Here is the completed card. I added a punched strip of paper along the front edge, as well as a layered sticker sentiment from K and Company.

My crafty friend Heather designs collages using Gimp and posts her wonderful creations on her blog.  She made a darling retro Valentine collage - go check it out! She graciously sent me the collage and I immediately put white cardstock in my printer, printed the collage sheet and got to work making...you guessed it, another easel card!

The red clock face is misted with Perfect Pearls and so are the white areas. Those teacups are darling!

I punched. I glittered. I had fun!

Heather's charming collage is available through her Etsy shop and makes several tags, but the images are versatile so I used the set to make a card. :)

XOXOXOXO

sharing this post with -

 Mosaic Monday

Make It Pretty 

Clever Chicks 

Monday Funday 

Sundays Best 

You're Going To Love It

 

Easel Cards and Using Die-Cuts ~

I'm a believer in not reinventing the wheel, especially when I want to give something handmade to multiple people.

  

That's where store-bought die-cuts come in handy! 

After making an easel card for Treasured Times Stamps and Scrapbooking  I had an itch to make more of them - three more to be exact! They are fun to do and yield pretty results. 

I used my Sizzix Weathered Clock die to cut out cardstock clocks for the front of the cards and used floral die cuts from K & Company to complete the look. You can find the K & Company sets at Michael's, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, Archiver's or online.
 

Here is my blue version ~

I used My Minds Eye card stock, Perfect Pearls Mist, glitter, and Distress Ink.

Above is the side view and below is a closer look at the ribbon and eyelets ~

I added tiny yellow blossoms to the front ~

Here is the pink and yellow card. I used Liquid Pearls and Stickles on this one ~

I have another easel card in the wings, and an announcement of a giveaway - I am so happy I reached 200 followers! Love you ladies!

sharing this post with:
Monday Funday