Dare to Get Dirty

I finally joined the Fan Club over at SplitCoast Stampers. What finally swayed me? Their Dare to Get Dirty challenge week. Challenges are posted all week for Fan Club members only…and I just had to play along.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you exactly what the challenges are, since it’s a secret to entice you to be a Fan Club member, but I can show you my cards. So let’s get going!

This first card was for three challenges… I can probably tell you that one of the three challenges was a sketch challenge and I really enjoyed working with the sketch! I might have to make another card with this sketch at some point.

Then I made this bright and fun card for another Dare to Get Dirty challenge, but I also used a RAK image so that means this card is….

Addiction #2: RAK Images, Step #11:

It turned out pretty much as I envisioned in my head, so that’s good. I’m also entering this card in this weeks’ Shopping Our Stash Challenge. Their challenge this week is “What Was I Thinking”, using something you don’t know why you have/bought. For me, it was those buttons. I have no idea why I have those buttons. They are clear, which is something I would usually stay far away from. The only thing I can think is that they came with some box of supplies I bought somewhere along the way. They’ve remained untouched until today, and only because I saw someone talk about putting a piece of patterned paper behind the clear buttons….okay, I can do that. Makes a huge difference.

And…last card is also for two challenges in the Dare to Get Dirty week. You can probably guess one of those challenges has to do with white cards because otherwise, you would have NEVER seen this out of me. But, I like this!

This card I’m going to enter in this weeks Twisted Tuesday challenge, which is an Anything Goes challenge. I thought the all white was a bit of a “twist” for me, so I figured it fit the challenge well. LOL.

You may ask, how do I have all this time to craft? I have no idea, really. Claire’s been a pretty good napper this week so that helps. Otherwise, I just plod along on them when I can and hope for the best! And now I have to run because Little Miss Claire-Bear just woke from her nap (only 20 minutes!?!?) and is ready to take on the world.

100 Card Count: 50 – 52/100

Back in the Saddle Again

It feels like I have accomplished a miraculous feat with two cards for you today, but at the same time…..it took me THREE days to get them done. Wait…today’s Friday? Four days.

But I’m in a crafty mood, so I’ll take what I can get. I’m also doubling up some challenges, since I really want to play along, but there’s just no way I’ll be able to do a card for each challenge at this rate!

The first challenge I decided to play along with was the Twisted Tuesday challenge. Twisted Tuesday is a new challenge blog and is the brain child of my fellow Crafty Gal, Melina. Plus, Crafty Gals Jeanette and Patty are both on the design team. I’ve been meaning to play along with them in support for a few weeks now, but it’s been tough to find the time with so much going on.

The Twisted Tuesday challenge this week was to make a kid themed creation with a funny sentiment. I dug into my overflowing card kit box and found this uber-cute package.

I’m also entering this card in the challenge over at Shopping Our Stash (SOS). Their challenge this week is the letter “B”, so here is my boy, brad, buttons and blue/brown creation for them.

Since there was plenty left in the card kit for another creation, I found a sketch over at Cards & Things and whipped up another card with the same image and sentiment.

I got my challenges lined up in my browser, so hopefully I’ll be back this weekend with more for you. Happy Friday, friends!

A Couple of Tuesday Challenges

Oh, my! It feels so good to be regularly posting again.

Tonight I finally got home from a late night at work and didn’t really feel like sitting at the computer for any longer than I had to (not that I HAVE to check silly facebook and write this post, but I did anyway). So, decided to play a few challenges. I’ve got three more cards to finish before my Riley & Co cardbox is done. Gotta keep going!

I decided to play a sketch and a color challenge together. My first pick was the Mojo Monday challenge (#215) paired with the Cards & Things challenge, which happened to be a color combination this week. I knew their Real Red, Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake combo would turn out fantastic!

And I was right! Here is my fun Cafe Riley card. I also used a Hero Arts set called “Coffee”. Both the background cup (a perfect match to Riley!) and the sentiment come from this set.

I debated stopping after just one card, but why quite while you’ve got the Mojo?

Next up, the Sketch N Stash challenge, which is a new blog challenge I found just yesterday. I like this sketch and might use it again for a Christmas card. I also knew which stamp I wanted to use for this challenge, which was perfect for this week’s Shopping Our Stash uninked stamp challenge. Can you believe my Maracas Riley hasn’t been used yet?!? I really wanted this to be a fun, colorful card and I think I pulled it off!

Well, stampers. It’s getting late and another day awaits. Hopefully I’ll be back for more tomorrow. Take care!

More Saturday Crafting…

After a much deserved lunch break, I headed back to my craft room.

First up was this week’s ColourQ challenge. The challenge this week is Early Espresso, Old Olive, Pool Party, Rose Red and White. Plus, they challenged you to CASE a previous ColourQueen in honour of their 2nd birthday.

I found this pretty card in their gallery and here is my version of it. I think it turned out pretty good. It’s hard to see the Early Espresso background. I normally try to take my pictures outside on the patio table, but it’s starting to get dark AND it’s rained a bit, so I had a bit of a problem getting a good pick.

Last card of the day was the Shopping Our Stash challenge. Another color challenge, this was to use black and white and one other color. I recreated another card I did earlier this week (a CASE from a fellow SCS member) and created this black, white and pink birthday card. I love how this one turned out!!

Thanks for sticking with me today, readers. I’m glad to be back and glad you’re still here!

The Three B’s – Shopping Our Stash #10

Did you check out the Shopping Our Stash (SOS) Challenge this week?

On Tuesday the 10th Shopping Our Stash challenge was posted and it’s a fun one they called:

Buttons, Blooms & Bananas

Gather up those odd buttons and blooms that have been waiting to be called into service!  Do you have a button jar full of old or mismatched buttons or scads of paper flowers?  How about coming up with a new way to use your buttons or blooms?  If that doesn’t do the trick for you, how about digging out any vegetable and/or fruit themed stamps, papers or embellies?

I had a lot of fun with this challenge. First of all, I dug into my stack of retired Stampin Up paper and found a piece of Barely Banana waiting to be loved. Next, this image inspired me to find some “blossom” embellishments I bought who knows how long ago and have never used. They look spectacular on the flowers emerging from the envelope (and they FINALLY got used. Yay!). In an effort to cut down on my patterned paper bits, I also used some odds and ends and a retired button to finish off the card. The final addition? A bit of pink never-used pink stickles on the heart in the middle of the envelope.

In my opinion, another great card!

If you have some time, please take some time to check out the Shopping Our Stash (SOS) Challenge blog, check out the work of the talented design team and then play along with us.

SOS asks that you observe two rules – please, no linking to more than a dozen different challenges (excluding this one) and this week, please tell us in your post how your card fits the theme.

Now, before I go: This challenge brings me to the end of my month as a Shopping Our Stash Guest Designer. I wanted to thank the entire Shopping Our Stash design team for welcoming me. This month has been pretty busy and keeping up has been more of a challenge than I expected. But I did it and had an absolute blast along the way! Thanks so much, everyone.

Shopping Our Stash #9

Boy, the weeks go by fast! It’s time for another Shopping Our Stash (SOS) Challenge. Just a few more weeks and my turn as Guest Designer will be over. Boo hoo!

This week’s challenge doesn’t challenge you to dig into your precious hoarded items as much as it challenges you to try something new with what you’ve got. The challenge this week is:

Technique Turnback

Do you have some supplies gathering dust for a special technique that you haven’t used in awhile (or ever)?  Perhaps some Dreamweaver stencils, quilling supplies, alcohol inks, or microfine glitter? Have you meant to try that shaving cream backgrounds, brayer technique, or melted crayon background tutorial you saw? Well, dust off those supplies and create something new!  You aren’t limited to those suggestions, but be sure to tell us what technique you are using.

I decided to use the watercolor pencils I acquired somewhere along the way and have never used. I found a technique called “Black Magic” on Splitcoast Stampers that used the watercolor pencils to color on an image that had first been stamped on black cardstock with white craft ink. I was a little hesitant on how the image would turned out (especially with my coloring!), but it worked really well. I might have to use these pencils again soon. Here’s my card:

If you have some time, please take some time to check out the Shopping Our Stash (SOS) Challenge blog, check out the work of the talented design team and then play along with us. This would also be a great week to check out your fellow participants entries…you never know what techniques are out there, waiting to be tried!

SOS asks that you observe two rules – please, no linking to more than a dozen different challenges (excluding this one) and this week, please tell us in your post what technique you used.

Shopping Our Stash #8

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am honoured to be a Guest Designer with the Shopping Our Stash (SOS) Challenge for the month of July!

Shopping Our Stash is a weekly challenge inspiring you to dig into what you have, rather than going out and buying new stuff to work with. Usually the challenges are posted on Tuesdays, but since my regular design team post goes up every second Tuesday, I get to play along with their Feature Friday this week.

This week’s challenge over at Shopping Our Stash is a fun one:

Out with the Old, or In with the New

Use your paper and/or embellishments that you have “saved” because it was special. Find your oldest designer paper and use it OR break out your newest items and use them!  Or, you can do what I did and combine them both together.

From the “Old”, I pulled out one of my oldest paper stacks. I admit that I LOVED this pattern from Stampin Up (Good Morning Sunshine) and bought two (or maybe three) packages when it went on sale. Of course, I was shocked when I went to find it this time to find I have two completely unopened packages waiting. Whoops!

And on the “new” side, my first order from the new 2011-12 catalogue arrived quite a few weeks ago with the new Large Lace Ribbon Border Punch. Since then, it’s been sitting unopened in the packaging so I broke it out for this card as well.

If you have some time, please take some time to check out the Shopping Our Stash (SOS) Challenge blog, check out the work of the talented design team and then play along with us. We’d love to see your new or old stuff (great way to find more stuff to buy, right?)

SOS asks that you observe two rules – please, no linking to more than a dozen different challenges (excluding this one) and please comment in your post how your entry fits the theme. Easy!

Before you go, I want to mention that this card is also for the Mojo Monday Challenge #199. I needed some extra inspiration this week, so the Mojo Monday sketch helped me out. Thanks Mojo Monday!

Shopping Our Stash #7

I am so excited to be a Guest Designer with the Shopping Our Stash (SOS) Challenge this month!

Shopping Our Stash is a weekly challenge inspiring you to dig into what you have, rather than going out and buying new stuff to work with. I find their challenges very creative and different than other challenge blogs. I hope you’ll play along with me this month at Shopping Our Stash.

This week’s challenge over at Shopping Our Stash is:

Kits, RAKS, Candy, Swaps and Swag

Use something you got in a swap, a RAK, or won. Pull out a card kit or page kit, flower kit,  etc. If you don’t have anything from those categories,  then use something candy/sweets  related or inspired (i.e. red and white for a peppermint stick, dessert images,  cupcake image or papers, etc.)

Lots of options, so start Shopping Your Stash!!!

I have hidden in my stash a wonderful collection of card kits I received from a variety of swaps over the past year or so. I pulled a kit out for this challenge and came up with this sweet birthday card to share with you today.

If you have some time, head on over to the Shopping Our Stash (SOS) Challenge blog and check out the work of the talented design team. Leave them some love, because you know they deserve it.

And then give us a chance to leave you some love by playing along with us. Simply make a shiny new creation using this week’s theme and link it up on the Challenge #7 blog post. It doesn’t have to be a card, so get creative!

SOS asks that you observe two rules – please, no linking to more than a dozen different challenges (excluding this one) and please comment in your post how your entry fits the theme. Easy!

Stop back on Friday to check out the Friday Feature and the Top 3 entries for this week’s challenge.

Have fun, stampers!!