Holiday Cheer

 I pulled out an embossing folder by Park Lane, and added a silver metallic snowflake and tree cut from recycled gift box packaging and a die by Crafters Companion to make this little Christmas card. The blue die cut embellishment was from my stash, and the deer is by Poppystamps. I also used a sentiment stamp by Stampin' Up. All of these items were odds and ends that have been sitting on my craft desk for a long time so it was satisfying to put it all together and end up with a card for my Christmas stack.

March Rudolph Days Challenge, Christmas card  

ABC Christmas challenge, E is for embossing

SSS Monday, recycled. I used an two different old gift box lids to die cut my silver metallic pieces 

DL. Art March linky

Sweet Celebration Wishes

 I've been meaning to stamp and color this sweet kitty from a Fiskars stamp set for quite awhile, and finally made a card with her. I combined it with a sentiment from Sweet Celebration by MFT, and oval dies by Sizzix. I then fussy cut part of the patterned paper and slid the oval under it, for simple embellishment.

SUYP Challenge 76, anything with a cat

DL.Art March linky

Creative Fingers challenge 227, AG 

Die Cut Divas March challenge, die with birthday

Purrfect Day

I love this fun stamp set by Stamplorations, with adorable cat images and punny sentiments in a great font. All I had to do was use oval dies by Gina Marie and Sizzix to frame it, then add heart dies by My Favorite Things and Paper Smooches. A bit of washi tape finished this card.

SUYP challenge 76, cats

DL.Art March linky

Delight

I combined the K&Co embellishments with some peachy gingham paper from my scrap stash, and die cut a label with a small Sizzix label die that I cut in half to make that little tab element. The sentiment is by Simon Says Stamp.. I also cut and layered the flower center, and added a cute decorative circle die by Sizzix for interest. Some twine finishes the card.

Allsorts Challenge 668, feminine
DL.Art March linky 

Creative Fingers 227, AG
Ally's Angels challenge 56, AG 

 

 

Kitty and Friends

 I won this cute cat stamp from Rubber Dance a few years ago on the Cat Lovers Hop,  https://herpeacefulgarden.blogspot.com/, and had fun coloring it in the MFT Color Challenge color combo for this week. I combined the kitty with some bird images by Sparkle & Sprinkle, a die cut frame by Winnie & Walter, some eyelets, and Nuvo drops. Sadly, both Winnie & Walter and Sparkle & Sprinkle are no longer in business, but that doesn't mean I can't have fun with their stamps.

MFT Color Challenge 185. I used the colors of gray, caribbean blue, lavender and purple for this card.

SUYP challenge 76, anything with a cat 
 Lost Coast Designs challenge 140, birds

 DL.Art March linky

SSS Wednesday, Favorite things, I love cats (real ones and stamped ones!) 

We Love Stamping March challenge, Springtime

SSS Monday challenge, Bright and Cheerful 

Creative Fingers 227, AG

Allsorts challenge 668, feminine 

Let's Ride

When I saw the challenge at Cut It Up to use dies and the theme of Women's History, I was kind of stumped at first. I wanted to make a card to enter because the theme was one that captured my interest. However, I wasn't sure I had any stamps that could work together for a project. Then I remembered a stamp set by Club Scrap called Old West that I've had for years.  I love that the set has, not only a vintage photo of a cowboy, but also this great image of Annie Oakley. I used oval dies by Kat Scrappiness and Sizzix, and mounted the image on a fancy oval die by Spellbinders. The horse die is by Die-versions and the sentiment and bandana stamps are by Mark's Finest Papers. I purposely stamped the bandana to make it look old. 

 This card also gave me the opportunity to use lots of odds and ends and snippets from my stash, for the die cuts. I cut the horse shape three times, including one out of cardboard packaging to give it dimension.

I had no idea who the cowgirl image depicted, but did some google searches and found the original photo of Annie Oakley this was based on. Fun, right?

Pixie's Snippets Challenge 424. Snippets were used for all the die cuts, and I even cut the horse dies from the brown card stock square that is hidden under the bandana print.

Cut It Up Challenge 247, Women's History

SSS Wednesday, favorite things. I love using vintage images and lots of layered die cuts. 

DL.Art March linky

Llama Fun

 I guess I've been on a llama kick lately, because I found myself stamping and coloring, then fussy cutting this cute little llama by Craftsmart today. I added him to a tag die by Gina K Designs, and added some bakers twine, a die cut and embossed circle, and some enamel stars by Fun Stampers Journey. I think that green and purple might be my new favorite color combo!

Double Trouble challenge 105, I did Things 1 (use green), Thing 2 ( enter at Heart2Heart) and Thing 3 (use plaid)

Heart2Heart March challenge, use green 

DL.Art March linky 

Colorful Options March challenge, use green

SSS Wednesday challenge, favorite things. I guess one of my favorite things this week are llamas! 

Ally's Angels challenge 56, AG

Simply Irresistible

 Still working with the packet of die cut embellishments by K&Co that I've had for years and years. I combined this cute tag with patterned paper from my stash, embossed paper by K&Co, a Spellbinders nested label set, and more paper flowers and twine. I love this color combination for springtime.

SSS Monday challenge, feminine

Let's Craft and Create challenge 181, AG with optional purple and green

DL.Art March linky 

Double Trouble #105, I did thing one (use green) Thing 2 (enter at Heart2Heart) and Thing 3 (use plaid) 

 SSS Wednesday challenge, favorite things. One of my favorite things is the color combo of purple and green.

Faith

A friend of mine is undergoing treatment for cancer, and I try to send her a card each month as a pick-me-up. She derives a great deal of strength from her faith, and so I used this stamp set and die by Diamond Press to make this card. The papers are by K&Co and from my stash, and the die is the Garden Poppy Stitched Frame by Poppystamps. I love the burnished gold of the die cut word, which was cut from a candy certificate gift envelope. I really don't know what I'll do when I finally use up the last bit of that envelope because its my favorite gold card stock!

Butterfly Challenge 167, I used the elements of Buff and Banana in my patterned paper, plus my butterflies. 

PSC #90, pretty papers plus a Poppystamps product. 

DL.Art's March linky

Word Art Wednesday 533-534 

SSS Monday, Feminine

 Allsorts challenge 667, springtime

Let's Craft and Create March challenge, AG 

Butterfly Floral

I couldn't resist making another, simple butterfly card with this lovely paper collection that came as a free gift in a UK magazine, called Busy Butterflies. This particular pattern is so beautiful that I couldn't bear to cover it up so I just added a punched border by EK Success, a thin strip cut from black card stock, and a stamped sentiment, which I die cut with an oval die by Sizzix. Then I fussy cut one of the butterflies, mounted it on card stock and then on foam tape, and adhered it over the black paper strip.  I used other papers from this collection for a book-binding fold card about a month ago for a very different look.

Butterfly challenge 167. I used the colors of Banana and Bougainvilla, along with my butterfly
DL. Art March linky     

Word Art Wednesday 533-534

Butterfly Wishes

Here is another card that I made , using the book-binding fold that was featured on the Butterfly Challenge #167. Unlike many fancy folds, this one was easy enough for me to handle, and especially appealing as I love reading. Whether a real book, or a book-binding card, I'm all in. I used some very old patterned paper from my stash, and die cut the flower cone with a die by Hero Arts. The flowers are cut with a Sizzix die, and the leaf dies and sentiment are by Elizabeth Craft Designs. I used a butterfly die by Jen Hadfield. The braid along the side was made by inking thin paper and braiding it, then adhering to the side panel. I stamped some plain card stock with a text background by Impression Obsession to give the look of newsprint. This card was a real challenge because it uses colors that I rarely use, and have a hard time working with. However, that's what a challenge is all about, isn't it?  This card will be sent to my elderly aunt in a nursing home, who loves flowers.

Butterfly challenge 167. I used the colors of banana, bougainvilla and buff, and the elements of book binding fold and braid.

DL.Art March linky

Word Art Wednesday 533-534 

SSS Wednesday challenge, use a bit of green 

Die Cut Divas March challenge, die and birthday

Creative Creases challenge 27, use a fun fold 

Allsorts challenge 667, springtime

SSS Monday, feminine

Ally's Angels challenge 56, AG 

Lucky Day Frame Pull Pop Up card

 I got this Frame Pull Pop up die by Karen Burniston last year as a prize and finally pulled it out to give it a try. Although the die comes with written instructions, I'm all thumbs with fancy and interactive folds.  Fortunately, Karen Burniston has excellent step-by-step videos to follow.  I made a 4x4 inch card base out of white card stock, and used patterned paper and scraps for the embellishments. The little envelope and larger heart die are by The Cats Pajamas, and the embossed frame on the front is part of the Karen Burniston set. I cut two small additional hearts with a Paper Smooches die, and used a banner sentiment stamp by Penny Black. When you pull the tab down, the frame pops up and shows the inside, which is decorated with a stamped and die cut rainbow and cloud by Hero Arts and sentiment by Unity Stamp Co. An additional tiny heart die by Spellbinders was added as well. Although it took some time figuring out the mechanism at first, this set is one that can be used for just about any occasion, just by changing the way you decorate it.

Continuing with my love of using packaging for die cuts, the gold hearts are cut from a gift box.

and here is the inside, after you pull the tab down.

Although you can't see it very well in the photo, I cut my frame pieces for the inside by using strips of card stock, and mitering the corners to fit. I had to do this as my square die was a little bit too large. Snippets to the rescue again!

 Snippets Challenge 423, Ruby's Memory. I have used a number of products from different stamp and die companies on this one, and dug deep into my snippets stash as well. The two different patterned papers (for the card base and envelope) are scraps that are over 10 years old. The shiny gold hearts are cut from old gift packaging, and the frame and all stamped images made use of small, random bits in my scrap pile. Even my frame on the inside was made by mitering small strips of snippets from my stash

Colorful Options March challenge, use green 

SSS Monday challenge, use green

DL. Art March linky 

Word Art Wednesday 533-534

Creative Creases challenge 27. I used a frame pop up, interactive card design  

Double Trouble challenge 105, I did Thing 1 (green) and Thing 2 (enter at Heart2Heart)

Heart2Heart Challenge, Going Green 

Irish Luck

Although I don't celebrate St. Patty's Day, my husband claims some Irish heritage, and so he likes to make corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. Given that, how could I not make a card or two to celebrate the holiday, right? I used a fun stamp by Penny Black called Irish Luck (surprise!) that I was given at some point, or won in a blog giveaway. Unfortunately, I didn't label it , but if you are the one who sent it to me THANK YOU so very much! It was fun to color and die cut...and I combined it with an embossing folder by Tim Holtz and stitched rectangle dies by Gina Marie. This one will go to my grandkids, and I made three other cards with slight differences in design. That dotted green paper has been in my stash for 15 years..eek! So yes, that felt good to use some of it for a change. Lots of layered scraps made this a card  that made me smile

 Penny Black Saturday challenge for March. AG with Penny Black or bright colors

DL.Art March linky

Word Art Wednesday 533-534  

Colorful Options March challenge, use green

SSS Monday challenge, add some green 

Double Trouble challenge, I did Thing 1 and Thing 1 (use green) and Thing 2 (enter at Heart2Heart

Heart2Heart March challenge, use green 

Have Fun

Yes, back again with more K&Co die cuts. this time I cut a doily in half and adhered each half to one side of a lime green strip, which I embossed with a folder by Cuttlebug. Although you can't see it very well in my photo, the flower is glittered and looks really pretty in person. Some white twine and a small pink brad finishes this one. Hope you aren't getting tired of purple and green combos!

Let's Craft and Create challenge 181, AG with purple and green option
DL. Art March linky 

Word Art Wednesday 533-534

Dreams

 I watched a Youtube video the other day by Kathy Clement,  Kathy by Design  who showed the way she used up bits and pieces of a paper collection she had left over. It inspired me to pull out a very old collection of die cuts and elements by K&Co that I've had for at least 10 years. As the die cuts did not have coordinating paper, I was never sure how to use them, but Kathy's video gave me the motivation to just go for it, and I pulled out papers from my stash that were similar in color. This one uses embossed paper by K&Co in a lavender tone that closely matched the embellishments. I added a white doily, white paper flower, white twine, and a small lilac brad.  The reverse side of that green floral print was a purple that closely matched the background, so I die cut a flower shape from it (Spellbinders floral die) and popped it on the white paper flower. Then I covered the hole with the label shape...and you would never know! As all the card supplies are very old stash, it felt good to finally use them. Off to make more of these.

Word Art Wednesday 533-534
DL.Art March linky 

Double Trouble challenge 104, I did Thing 1, make a spring themed project

Springtime Bunny

Yes, it's another matchbook notebook! Once I got the hang of it, I just couldn't stop making these and really enjoyed using different papers and stamps . My blog friend, Janis, of Her Peaceful Garden gave me a beautiful stamp set by Craft Consortium called Little Fawn and Friends, so I used the bunny image from that set. The paper is by DCWV, and I used circle dies by Nellie's Choice. The gold brads allow for the front flap to tuck under and stay put.

Allsorts challenge 665, hand colored

DL.Art's March linky

Double Trouble challenge 104. I did Thing 1(springtime), Thing 2 ( enter fun fold at Creative Creases) and Thing 3 (use a fun fold) 

Creative Creases 26, use a fun fold. I used the matchbook fold for this little notebook.

SSS Wednesday, add a die cut 

LLive, LLaugh, LLama

This sentiment always makes me laugh because of the play on words, and reference to the overused, "Live, Laugh, Love" sentiment that I see so often. The stamp set is by Craftsmart and tag die is by Gina K Designs. I used a stencil by Plaid Enterprises.

SSS Monday, use a stencil
Word Art Wednesday 533-534   

DL.Art March linky

SSS Wednesday, add a die cut 

Retro Birthday

 Here is another card using the same paper pad by Colorbok that I've pulled out before. The colors and many of the designs have a retro feel, so I combined the papers with die cut flowers by Taylored Expressions, circles cut from vellum, and a stamped sentiment by MFT.  You may be seeing more of this paper pad, because I'm having lots of fun with it.

Die Cut Divas March challenge, die and birthday

DL.Art's March linky, AG