Christmas Blessings for VLV Challenge

For the Viva la Verve! December week 3 sketch challenge:

This came perfectly timed, as I needed one more card for a last minute addition to my Christmas dinner guest list.  The sketch is lovely, while still being simple to whip together.
I used the wreath and sentiment from Verve's Glad Tidings, (on sale through Dec 31st...scoop it up!!)  and added the small holly from Holly Jolly in the bottom right.
Papers are Basic Grey Jovial.
Colored with Copics and added some thin black grosgrain ribbon, a few flat backed pearls on just the holly in the sprig...and that's it folks! 
The papers, especially adding my first medallion, really did the work.

Wyatt and Friend for MFT WSC challenge

The My Favorite Things WSC challenge this week was to create a "last minute" Christmas card using one of the Pure Innocence images.  
Well, I am not one to make anything last minute.  Not because I'm so organized and get everything done beforehand, but because I take forever to make anything!  LOL.  I am a perfectionist and slow as molasses.  My friends tease me that I may complete two layouts at an all day crop (if I'm lucky).
However, my recipe for completing a card as quickly as I can is to use a great sketch (letting someone else do the design planning) and picking some great paper and an image that fills the card nicely (such as many of MFT's stamps).
Mojo Monday's sketches are among my favorites, and sketch 169 seemed perfect for using my MFT Pure Innocence Wyatt Just Chillin' stamp that I won during one of the release parties. 
I've fallen in love with the BoBunny Midnight Frost collection and used it on three of my last few cards!  The blues and purples are perfect for wintery images without having to resort to traditional Christmas colors.
The sentiment is from Unity's super cute Jolly Good Fun set.
I have a little boy turning 6 shortly.  This will be his card to Mimi and Pop-pop. Thanks for looking!

My Favorite Things Snowmen for Card Patterns challenge

For the Card Patterns Sketch 94 challenge:

Uses My Favorite Things "A Scarf for Three" set by Stephanie Fizer, colored with Copics. The beautiful frame around them is from the GinaK Desings "Labels 2" collection by Nina Brackett.
BoBunny Midnight Frost paper.
Faux Crochet border die by My Favorite Things.  
Snowflake die by Sizzix.
Some snowflake buttons I found at Walmart.
Ribbon by Making Memories.
Liquid Applique applied to the puffs on the hat and earmuffs.

For the Viva la Verve! December Week 2 sketch challenge: 

Our extra requirement this month is to use inspiration from holiday decor.
I used a couple of the ornaments and the holly from my Verve Holly Jolly set that I won from Julee's generosity just before the last release party, the Sweet Scallop Tag stamp and die and Vintage Oval Frame stamp and die, as well as a sentiment from the Glad Tidings set (this set truly has the best Christmas sentiments...a must have).
Basic Grey Fruitcake papers (to this day, I think one of the prettiest and most extensive paper packs by BG), SU stitched ribbon, some wired tri-colored twine from Michael's, rhinestones from Pizzazz Aplenty.  And I made the wire hangers for the ornaments with some jewelry wire.

Ice Skating Flopsey for the MFT WSC Challenge

For the MFT WSC Winter Wonderland challenge, and using Card Patterns Sketch 93 for their challenge:

Uses MFT's Ice Skating Flopsey and alpha.  BoBunny Midnight Frost papers.  Papertrey Ink Banner Building Collection dies and Fiskars Threading Water punch. Stitched ribbon by GKD.  Silver cording from Pizzazz Aplenty.


And here's the inside of the card.  I love how Flopsey skates the words.

Bella Tree and Harvest Bird for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! December week 1 sketch challenge : 

I used one of my new Bella Blvd (through Unity) Bella Trees with the smaller of Verve's Harvest Birds in aqua and red to create a winter scene. Paper is October Afternoon. Some shabby wrinkled ribbon from Prairie Bird Boutique on Etsy, and flat-backed pearls from Pizzazz Aplenty. The larger ones were red to begin with, but I didn't have any of the smaller ones, so I used a Copic marker to dye some tiny white ones. A little machine stitching to finish it off.
Thanks for looking!

Birthday Wishes for Mojo Monday challenge

For Mojo Monday Sketch 168:

Used 4 Verve sets (one sentiment on the inside):  "Birthday wishes" from Circular Sayings, the "Dance..." quote from Beautiful You, the flowers (lightly stamped in the middle of the quote) from Kind Words, and on the inside is the sentiment "Wishing you the best day ever" from Framed Wishes. I love that the Verve sets always work together so well.  
Papers are Basic Grey Marjolaine.  Some scrumptious shabby wrinkled ribbon from Prairie Bird Boutique on Etsy, and rhinestones from Pizzazz Aplenty.  Nestabilities circles and Lacey Circle die; the circular sentiment is popped.  And the larger rhinestones are nestled into the openings in the new Dainty Dots Border Die-namics from MFT.


And here's the inside.  I just silhouette cut around one of the flowers in the paper.

Flopsey's Trimming the Tree for MFT's WSC Challenge

For the My Favorite Things WSC challenge this week (a sketch challenge): 

Used MFT's Tree Trimming Flopsey, colored with Copics.  Basic Grey Jovial papers, SU stitched ribbon, flat backed pearls from Pizzazz Aplenty.  Used a Spellbinders Lacey Circles Nestabilities die and Fiskars Apron Lace border punch.  The scalloped circle and front image panel are popped.

Catch up Post

Catching up with some posting.  With the Thanksgiving holiday (especially cleaning to get ready for guests and painting my son's room over the week), I had to squeeze in time to craft, much less find time to post.

Viva la Verve! November week 4 challenge

Made this one for Viva la Verve! November Week 4 challenge.  I thought I might be able to work the second inspiration photo into a Christmas card using Basic Grey's Fruitcake line. 
That's the wreath from The Cat's Pajama's Elegant Christmas set, and a sentiment from Verve's Glad Tidings. 
I embossed the red scalloped piece with a holly berry folder from Sizzix. Some twill and red rhinestones from Pizzazz Aplenty.

MFT's WSC challenge AND Viva la Verve! November week 5 challenge

For the My Favorite Things WSC challenge, "What are you thankful for?"
I am most thankful for my Lord and His sacrifice for us.
I used Verve's VLV sketch this week, along with the Hebrews 11:1 scripture Plain Jane stamp by Verve. And if you look ever so closely to the center, you'll see the cross from the Jeremiah 29:11 set stamped lightly. Papers are Cosmo Cricket's Circa 1934.
I used MFT's Decorative Doily Die-namics and a Spellbinders Labels 10 die. Scrunched some black grosgrain on either side of the center panel. Some black rhinestones from Pizzazz Aplenty finish it off.

StampTV sketch challenge

Made this for the STVSKSP3 sketch challenge over on the StampTV site.
I mixed Nina's Lovely Labels 2 stamp (along with LL1, I use these so much) with a sentiment from the GKD Friends set and popped a lily from Melanie's Year of Flowers set. Paper is Basic Grey. Some shear wired ribbon and rhinestones from K&Co. to finish it off.

Thanks for bearing with me.  I am very thankful to have found a hobby I love so much and that finally lets me get the creative side of me out.  I'm also thankful for the ladies that I've met along the way that share my passion, and the companies that help support it with wonderful inspiration and challenges.

Winter Wishes for the Viva la Verve! November Week 3 challenge

For the Viva la Verve! November Week 3 challenge.
Julee selected some lovely inspiration photos of scarves, but I chose my own to use:

I thought the warm gold and purpley-red in this one looked like white and red wines. The soft pattern in the portion to the left, and the touches of black really appeal to me. Of course, I don't have over $200 to spend on a scarf, so inspiring is all that scarf is going to be doing for me. LOL.

I used the wreath and a sentiment from Verve's Glad Tidings, and the dashed square around my sentiment from Verve's Happy Hello. Embossed the background cardstock with a Sizzix folder and inked over the raised part with black ink. Basic Grey patterned paper, SU ribbon (red stitched), jumbo black rick rack, and 2mm rhinestones from Pizzazz Aplenty.

Silver White Winters that Melt into Spring...

For the My Favorite Things WSC challenge, "My Favorite Things" 

Using the lyrics from the Sound of Music song "My Favorite Things," I embraced what I consider the meaning behind the song. That even in the midst of winter in our lives ("when the dog bites, when the bee stings..."), we know that spring will come again. I guess if there's one lyric in particular that I tried to capture it's "silver white winters that melt into spring..."

I used MFT's Tea with Flopsey and created a fold up panel to reveal the tree in bloom and fluffy clouds cut with MFT's Die-namics floating by. Sentiment is from Verve's Beautiful You set, stamped and die cut using Verve's new Vintage Oval Frame stamp and matching die.

Festive Frame for StampTV challenge

For the StampTV sketch challenge:

I used Melanie Muenchinger's Festive Frame image and sentiments from GKD and whipped this up in no time! The cream dp is DCWV; red print is BG Jovial. The ribbon is SU riding hood red striped grosgrain (btw, it's on clearance on SU's website right now! great deal!!) I also used my first two copic markers (shades of red I got just to use on Mel's wonderful poinsettias for Christmas). A few orange and red rhinestones from Pizzazz Aplenty finishes it off.
Thanks for looking!

Pride and Prejudice themed card for the Cinema Saturday 100th Challenge

I made this for the Cinema Saturday's 100th Challenge.
They revisited the movie that inspired their first challenge, Pride and Prejudice.  I've seen both versions, but love the 1995 BBC mini-series version.  You can join in through November 18th, and some great prizes are being offered up.  
For my card, I chose to capture the theme of marriage.  All the women and younger girls were so interested in catching a husband, except Elizabeth.  And yet, in the end, she came to find her mate in Mr. Darcy.  I love that their relationship was not a flirty, love at first sight type of love, but one that was born out of mutual respect and knowledge of each other.  They are "true companions."  

I tried to capture the style of the time period in the subtle wallpaper and added a simple line at the waist of MFT's Girls Day In lady to mimic a simple dress.  Added a "diamond" to her hand as her engagement ring.  
Papers are Basic Grey.  Ribbon and lace from my stash.  A couple hat pins and a Martha Stewart doily stamped with a sentiment from Raisin Boat.
Thanks for looking!

Simply Wonderful Birthday card using Verve's Great Friend flower stamps

No special challenge behind this card.  I just REALLY wanted to use the flowers from Verve's Great Friend set.  

I popped the middle of the red flower. I turned under the edges of the petals slightly to give some depth, and added flat-backed pearls in 2mm, 3mm, and 4mm. The papers are BG's Curio line. Aren't those colors gorgeous together?  The sentiment and dotted scallop line, as well as the ribbon, are from My Favorite Things. 


And here's the inside, with the end of the sentiment and a few more of the leaves stamped.

MFT Cupcake for the WSC challenge

For the WSC-Cooking Up Some Love challenge 11/10/10: 

I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of cooking/baking stamps.  I used Sweet as Pie Flopsey for the last challenge, and as much as I love him, thought something else was in order for this week.  But I thought I could stretch it a bit with one of my very first MFT sets, "It's a Cupcake Kind of Day."  Let's imagine I baked this yummy little frosting and cherry-topped cupcake, ok?  LOL


I used the Mojo Monday Sketch 164.
Paper pieced the cupcake, colored the cherry with a Copic marker, added some Spica glitter pen to the top layer of frosting, and a white Sharpie poster paint pen as the shine on the cherry.
That's the new MFT Decorative Doily Die-namics, and a Spellbinders Labels 1 die, as well as the Fancy Tags die for the sentiment (although I cut the tag down the middle and overlapped the two ends to make it shorter).  The sentiment is from Gina K Designs' "Sweetest Blessings" set.
Papers are the fabulous new MME Fine and Dandy line.  Cardstock and ribbon is Papertrey Ink.


Thanks for looking!