King of Kings

Happy Monday!

It's time for a Pink Elephant Challenge!

The Pink Elephant Challenge - #244

This week's challenge is a Technique:

Chalkboard Technique 

Here is my card:

SPIES:

STAMPS: Sentiment (Taylored Expressions); Cross (Inkadinkadoo).

PAPER: Black, lavendar, plum cardstock; DP - Stash.

INK:  Moonlight White (Tsukineko)

EXTRAS: Emboss folder (Anna Griffin); Banner punch for crown (Spellbinders); lavender fringe ribbon; purple gems.

I love the chalkboard technique!  And there are a couple ways that you can do it depending upon the look you want. Usually I've done it using Versamark ink and white emboss powder.  This time I used my Brilliance Moonlight White fast-drying pigment ink.  It comes out brighter than regular chalk type ink or plain white ink.  The crown is made from a Spellbinder banner die that I cut into a small piece.  I first wanted to use a piece of purple velvet material to drape around the cross, but it didn't look right to me.  So, I wrapped a bit of the same fringe ribbon used on the bottom around the cross.

For the Following Challenges:

Pink Elephant Blessings!

Easter Greetings

Happy Sunday!

It's Cupcake Time!  YEA!

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #254

This week our sponsor is:

Core'dinations

Prize:  Cardstock Samples

Thank you Core'dinations for your sponsorship!

We also have a lot of guest designers this week from Core'dinations providing a lot more inspiration for you.  Go to Cupcake Inspirations blog and see what all of our team has done, including our guest designers.   Everyone did a fabulous job!  

Inspiration photo by:

 Fun Cupcakes from Country Living

Here's my card:

SPIES:

STAMPS: Sentiment - a Michaels Bargain Bin.

PAPER: White cardstock base; Core'dinations.

INK:  Tuxedo Black (Momento)

EXTRAS: Egg die (Paper Sweeties); Emboss folder (Spellbinders Embossibilities); yellow baker's twine; sequins; enamel dot.

Core'dinations was so generous to provide the team 

with some great paper to work with this week.  I used some of the embossed pastel paper (on the eggs) and then used some of their pastel pad and embossed it myself (background).  I took my sandpaper block to the paper too.

For Following Challenges:

Sweet Cupcake Blessings!

Trust Your Heart

More fun today!

This time it's a

{PIN}spirational Challenge!

Today is our #100th Challenge!  Woohoo!  

Here's our photo inspiration for you ---

Photo from:  tootsweet4two.com

Look at that green grass and blue sky!

 After the winter so many of us have had 

it's a great photo inspiration!

We also have 3 fabulous sponsors this week offering three winners some great prizes!

Flat Friends

The Prize:  4 Digis

 ArtbyMiran

The Prize:  3 Digis

Heather Ellis

The Prize:  3 Digis

Here's my card using a fairy digi stamp from Heather Ellis:

SPIES:

STAMPS: Pure Innocence 049 (Heather Ellis).

PAPER: Kraft cardstock base; DP - Adrienne Looman New Year New You (Webster Pages).

INK: Copics.

EXTRAS: Red doily; banner die (Taylored Expressions); Diamond Stickles; Sewing machine/stitches.

For the Following Challenges:  

{PIN}spirational Blessings!

God Bless You

Happy 1st Spring Monday!

I love finding something to celebrate everyday!  

Today it would be the fact

that it's

time for another

Pink Elephant Challenge- #243!  

YEA!

This week is a color challenge ---

And we are leaving it up to you--- 

Use your favorite color combo!

Here is my project using 

Sage green/Purple

SPIES:

STAMPS: Flower (Hero Arts); Sentiment (Stampin Up!).

PAPER: Sage cardstock base; DP - Stash.

INK: Sweet Plum (Momento).

EXTRAS: Scallop square die (Spellbinders); Scallop border die (Lil Inker Designs); Leaf flourish (My Favorite Things); Flowers (Prima); satin white ribbon.  Diamond Stickles.

I've had the patterned paper I used forever.  I think it was part of a pack from a long time ago.  I recently sorted some of my paper and found it along with lots of other patterned paper I had sorted ions ago for different projects and then forgot about them.  I originally had another pattern paired with this one but once the card began to evolve, I decided not to use it. I wanted to use the new border die I got from Lil' Inker Designs and wound up creating the frame you see here as background.  I was going to bling it up a bit but when I finished, but took a step back and decided again not to.  I did put Diamond Stickles on the flower petals.

For Following Challenges:

Catered Crop - Spring Fever

Savvy Handmade Cards - Spring Flowers Challenge

Sketchy Color Challenge #203

Pink Elephant Blessings!

Egg-stra Sweet

Happy Sunday!  

It's back!  My mojo has returned and is in high gear!  Somewhere over the last day or so it finally decided to pop up, thank goodness!  I was so frustrated I was about to shut my craft room door and take a reluctant sabbatical.  Whether it was the approach of "spring" (sssh! Winter's listening!) and lots of sunshine or what, something knocked the cobwebs out of the ole right side of my noggin'! 

So, this morning I have a fun and springy Easter card to share.   I even had the chance to take my photo outside and use beautiful natural lighting.  It's a good day!

SPIES

STAMPS: Eggs & Sentiment (Paper Sweeties); 
PAPER: Lime cardstock.  White cardstock base; DP - Pebbles Basics.
INK: Black Tuxedo (Momento).
EXTRAS: Basket die, grass die, bow die (Impression Obsession); Egg die (Paper Sweeties); White ball fringe ribbon (Pink Posh). Pink enamel dot.


I'm playing in a new challenge today too --- over at Paper Sweeties.  I recently had the opportunity to meet Debbie, owner and designer of Paper Sweeties Stamps.  She's a fellow North Carolinian just down the road in Chapel Hill.  She was so kind to invite me to her monthly local card class she gives and I had sooo much fun!  Going back as often as I can!  Her stamps are so adorable, centered around the old fashioned paper dolls idea (if you're old enough like I am to remember and actually played with paper dolls)!  The eggs here in my basket are her stamps. The sentiment is also Paper Sweeties. The polka dot egg even has a matching die.  They were perfect to use in my basket die from Impression Obsession.  Don't know if you can see in my photo, but the basket has a basket weave design on it.  So darn cute!  The grass die is also from Impression Obsession.

I couldn't resist using all my polka dot paper from Pebbles Basics and slipped in some matching blue chevron from the pack too.  The lime green dot however, is from my stash and I cannot remember where it's from.  The sweet little bow die is from Impression Obsession too.  They have the cutest and most inexpensive dies.  The white ball fringe ribbon is from Pink Posh (got to order some more of that).

For The Following Challenges:

Paper Sweeties - #17 - March Inspiration

The Shabby Tea Room - #210 Anything Goes

Catered Crop - Spring Fever

Egg-stra Special Blessings!

Nurse Porcupine

 Happy 1st Spring Weekend!  It's been a gorgeous day here in NC!  Lots of warm sunshine streamed into my craft room today. Tomorrow it hits 75 before, but then Old Man Winter wants to put up a fight once again beginning Sunday with our temps plunging to the 50s and then the 40s and then by Tuesday to the 30s!  OUCH!  

And speaking of OUCH --- I have a get well card this evening to post before it's too late.

With the Hubs an ER nurse, my forte perhaps should be get well cards, but I guess I tend to focus on more cheerful events.  This one I tried to make as a masculine get well with the bright hues of blues and greens mostly.

STAMPS: Porcupine Digital Stamp (Dearie Dolls Digi Stamps); Sentiment (Create with TLC).
PAPER: White cardstock base; Teal green, dark red and lime green cardstock; Background - Hello Summer (Echo Park); DP-I {Heart} Summer (Simple Stories).
INK: Copics & Blick markers on porcupine.
EXTRAS: Tag dies (Reverse Confetti); Small dot emboss folder (Cuttlebug); Diamond Stickles; Twine; pop dots.


That cute little porcupine is a free digital stamp from Free Dearie Dolls Stamps.  Isn't it adorable?  I sparkled it up a bit with some Diamond Stickles on the cross on the hat, the stethoscope and the beadpan. I had the perfect sentiment to go with it from Paulette at Create With TLC.  I love her stuff!  The band-aid I made myself by just cutting a strip of cardstock and using my corner rounder on the edges.  Then, taking a strip of polka dot paper and embossing it with the small dot folder from Cuttlebug.

FOR THE FOLLOWING CHALLENGES:

Retrosketches #106

Here's to Get Well Blessings!

Blooming Happiness

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May your day be touched
by a bit of Irish luck,
brightened by a song in your heart,
and warmed by the smiles
of the people you love.

~ Irish Blessing

Hope you are wearing green

 and maybe 

partaking of a little green beer 

or other 

green beverage/food!

The Hubs and I will be celebrating at our neighbors tonight at their annual St. Patrick's Party (they're Irish) and to have my annual Irish Coffee and a wee bit o' Irish Whiskey! The only kind of whiskey I like, which isn't saying much because I don't like whiskey.  lol  It will be a great time with great food (they cook everything) and catching up with neighbors.

But before the shenanigans begin, 

 today's a new challenge  

over at 

The Pink Elephant Challenge 

#242

It is a recipe challenge ---

Recipe:

Lots of Layers - Ribbon - Pinch of Green

So stop by The Pink Elephant

and check out 

all the other 

Design Team members' fabulous projects!

Here is my project I did ---

 SPIES:

STAMPS: Digital Sentiment (TLC Creations).

PAPER: Kraft cardbase;  Olive green and pink cardstock.  Vellum. DP - Vintage Bliss (Simple Stories).

INK: White Sharpie (for faux stitching).

EXTRAS: Camellia flower die (MFT Stamps); Leaf die (Taylored Expressions); Label die cut from Stash; Label die for vellum sentiment (Spellbinders);  Butterfly dies (Spellbinders Mixed Media); Enamel dots (Recollections); grey ribbon. 

I used the sketch at Deconstructed Sketch since it has lots of layers in it.  I like the layered look.  It takes me a bit to get into it sometimes  It tends to stretch my creativity a little more and this past week I sure needed it! Lost my mojo a bit.  I blame it on too much winter and too much life "stuff". Even my "feng shui" in the house is off kilter.  

So I chose these bright and spring-y papers to dust off the winter drear, creatively.  And, just yesterday I saw lots of trees around Cary bursting with blossoms so spring is here in bits and pieces!  

I hope you will play along with our Recipe Challenge this week.  We love to see your creations and be inspired as well!

For Following Challenges:

Blooming Blessings!

Home - Where Hugs Are

Good Sunday Morning!

Time for 

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #252

and time for 

a fresh brewed cup too

because 

our sponsor this week is 

Fresh Brewed Designs!

They are offering our winner

3 Digis!

Here is this week's inspiration --- 

Our photo comes compliments of Mandy Mortimer!

It's a color inspiration week --

Espresso, Cream, & Chartreuse

(and of course any neutrals are ok).

Here is my project using 

 "House On A  Hill" Digi

from Fresh Brewed Designs.

I love the whimsical look of those houses!

SPIES:

STAMPS: House on a Hill (Fresh Brewed Designs); Sentiment (TLC Creations).

PAPER: Dark brown cardbase; white cardstock; Tan DP (Basics - ); DP - Tans -Basic Stack (Die Cuts With a View); Green polka dot (Stash);  Woodgrain DP- Life of the Party (My Mind's Eye).

INK: Chartreuse, Beach (Blick Markers); Light Walnut & Dark Walnut (Copics).

EXTRAS: Basic circle die (Spellbinders); Label die (Reverse Confetti); Flower bud die- part of the Camellia Die set (My Favorite Things); green fabric flower (Stash); Pop dots.

UGH!  I had one post last week again!  I've been out of creative mojo lately and I hate it! Probably due to life being in the way recently with lots of appointments and comings and goings and just too much "stuff".  When I lose my mojo, I feel out of sync.  When I feel out of sync, I get in a bad mood (just ask the Hubs).  I'm hoping the couple of cards I've been struggling (for lack of a better word because one shouldn't "struggle" to create) with over the past couple days helps put me back on track!  

FOR FOLLOWING CHALLENGES:

Make sure to stop by the 

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge Blog 

and check out

my fellow DT projects for more inspiration

and leave them some blog luv too!

Comfy Homey Blessings!