Keeping Christmas - Feb 2018

Good Morning Sunday!

WOW, can you believe two months ago was Christmas Day?  Two months of the new year almost gone already!  

Since today is February 25th, it's time for another 

Keeping Christmas Inspiration Hop! 

The Team will be hereevery month on the 25th 

to share cards and inspiration 

and 

to add to our Christmas card stash 

throughout the year.

The whole idea is to have some Christmas cards in our stash all ready to go for December 2018!

My card this month contains some old and newly created items.  We crafters like to hoard --- paper, stamps, paper, die cuts, paper, sequins...did I mention paper?

I have a basket where I keep my background papers that I create with alcohol inks, watercolor, distress inks, etc.  I also have a small bin of card bases in all different colors that I started out to use for a project and then didn't.  One of my goals this year is to try and use up a lot of my papers, die cuts, embellishments that I already have sitting in a bin.  

So, that's what I've done with my card today.  The gold splattered card base had been sitting in a bin since Christmas, not as long as a lot of other things but it was perfect for my project today.

As I said I have a lot of handmade backgrounds I need to use up and so I pulled out one of these very bright blue watercolored ones to die cut and stamp into a globe ornament.

SUPPLIES: 

STAMPS: World map - The World Awaits; Sentiment - Here We Come A Caroling; Border strip - Happiness Enclosed -- All Catherine Pooler Designs.

PAPER: Watercolor Paper (Strathmore); White card base (Neenah Crest Solar White); Gold Foil (Stampin' Up); Gold glitter paper (Stash).

INK: Something Borrowed - (Catherine Pooler Inks); Versamark; Gold spray stain - Gold Color Spray Shine (Heidi Swapp);

EXTRAS: Super Fine Gold Emboss Powder- (WOW); ZigZag circle Die (My Favorite Things); Tiny Stars - Star Confetti Die (Hero Arts); Bow Die - (Impression Obsession); Gold string (Stampin' Up).

I cut the circle from a zig zag stitched circle die then inked up the map stamps (The World Awaits) in Versamark and embossed in gold.  Next I die cut an ornament top and bow out of gold foil paper and glued to the top of the globe along with a piece of gold string.  Then, I cute a thin strip of white cardstock and stamped the striped border (Happiness Enclosed) in Versamark and embossed it in the same gold.  I stamped the sentiment (from Here We Go A Caroling) in "Something Blue" CP ink.  I finished off the card adhering some tiny gold stars I had saved from a previously cut and used Star Confetti Die by Hero Arts.  I added them with some Micro dots.  Finally I added a blue gem to the ornament bow.

So, one way to make some fairly quick and easy Christmas cards is to raid your stash of already made backgrounds, card bases and/or old die cuts and pair them all together.   You'll not only clean out that stash of scraps and spares that keeps piling up but you'll also build up your Christmas cards.                                                                               

Now hop along and be sure to visit each blog. 

There is a lot of inspiration and ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

Kelly Lunceford

Lesley Croghan

Anita Madden

Broni Holcombe

Claire Broadwater

Julee Tilman

Kim Heggins

Lori Tecler

Nance Salkeld (You are HERE!)

Nina Forsyth

Vicki Finger

Keeping Christmas Blessings!

Cork Bunny and Easter Canvas

Good evening or Good morning?

It's really really late.  I've been trying to have a crafty weekend.  The Hubs is working for Hospice all weekend and so the furry babies and I have the house to ourselves.  You know when you think you're making progress, but then you look at the clock and then the list you made and realize, nope, not so much!  hahaha 

That's why I'm up so late doing a post I forgot to finish earlier.  Yet, now I do have more company because the Hubs is also home, awake and finishing up some charting.  

I made a card earlier for the CAS Mix Up Challenge this month and just never got it finished nor on my blog until now being under the wire before the challenge closes.  <eye roll>

I have a very large swath of thick canvas I bought to do something with and never did, so now I guess I'm using it for cards.  LOL  I cut a piece off then used my Quilted Swirl cover plate die by Lil' Inker Designs to add a little more texture to the canvas.  You can't see it well in the photo unfortunately.  Then I cut a tag out of it using a Poppy Stamps stitched tag die.  I actually cut one out of cardstock adhere the canvas one to so it is sturdier on the card.  I used an old multi-sentiment stamp from Taylored Expressions and inked it up in Catherine Pooler inks, It's a Girl, Shea Butter, Mint To Be and It's a Boy. 

A couple weeks ago I found my bag of bunny dies I had cut last year (after Easter of course) <eye roll> again!  Bonnie Klass, crafty friend and fellow Cary-ite had the stitched bunnies from Lil' Inker Designs and she let me borrow them. My thinking was since she had the dies, I could cut a whole bunch and then when I ran out I'd borrow it again. LOL Boy, did I cut A LOT of bunnies!  Talk about "multiplying like rabbits".  Then, later in the summer, what did I do?....bought the dies!  My hubs is shaking his head right now.  Anyway, in the bag were a couple of bunnies cut out of cork.  So now was the perfect time to use it.  I did use my own die and cut out two of the bows from gold foil paper by Stampin' Up.  I kept the background just the kraft card to keep it simple.

I think they're multiplying just sitting there!  

Now I must go finish up some other things and get in bed at some point!

For Following Challenges:

I used Cork, Canvas, Stamping, Die Cuts

Early Easter Blessings!

New Challenge! New Designer Gig!

Happy Saturday!

It's another warm and mild day here in the Triangle of North Carolina!  We almost turned on our air conditioner the other day.  That's even crazy for NC in February! Whew!

I have some exciting news, well at least exciting for me!

I have another new Designer Gig!  

I'm a Designer for the new challenge, CAS Christmas!  WooHoo!  YAY!

I'm so excited that Loll and Bonnie asked me to be on the team.  It will be a monthly challenge and will start on March 3rd.  So be sure and come back here next Saturday because THAT'S March 3rd!  LOL

We will have a monthly CAS Christmas card challenge so now you can get some Christmas cards done more throughout the year! 

CAS Christmas Blessings!

4CC #391 ATG & Color Inspiration

Happy Thursday!  

It's time for a new challenge at 

4 Crafty Chicks!

Lori is our hostess this week - YAY!

Her request is a color inspiration:

4 Crafty Chicks #391 ATG + Color Inspiration:

Is that not a gorgeous inspirational pic and combo of color?

I got some new Catherine Pooler stamps and inks and they were perfect for today's challenge.  I started by creating my background with alcohol inks, Stream, Cloudy Blue and Denim. The cutting plate is Stained Glass Plate by Catherine Pooler, cut out of white cardstock.  The butterflies and sentiment are part of the set, Faithful Fluttering, a new set by Catherine Pooler.  I stamped them in Catherine Pooler Inks, Rockin' Red and Juniper Mist for the larger one, and Juniper Mist and Stone Blue for the smaller one.  The postage die is also by Catherine Pooler.  I popped out the middle rectangle die a bit for some added interest.  It's hard to tell at the angle of the photo.

So, stop by the Hen House and check out the rest of the Chicks' projects and leave them some blog love.  Then, ink up some stamps and play along with us using the color inspiration twist for the week or not, it's up to you!

Crafty Chick Blessings!

Paper Sweeties February Blast From The Past!

TGIF!

It's Day #3 of Paper Sweeties Blast From The Past!

Hop along and check out what all the Designers are showcasing as some of their favorite Paper Sweeties products in new or past projects.

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Lori Turner
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE)

Hello Spring - Paper Sweeties

Tree of Life Add-On: Spring Stamp Set--Paper Sweeties

Pretty Posies Stamp Set - Paper Sweeties

Raspberry Sequins--Paper Sweeties

Raspberry Seam Binding

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

Paper Sweeties February 2018 Blast From The Past

Good Morning, Thursday!

Boy the week flew by!  WHEW!

It's the 2nd day of Paper Sweeties' 2018 Blast from the Past.  

Hop along and check out what all the Designers are showcasing as some of their favorite Paper Sweeties products in new or past projects.

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Lori Turner
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE)

I made two new cards for today.  I did some watercoloring using an acrylic stamp block to create my backgrounds.  Then I stamped my images with Versamark and white embossed them.  On one card I added sequins while on the other I added some hearts cut from painted watercolored paper.

Hello Friend Stamp Set - Paper Sweeties

Birthday Banners - Stamp Set - Paper Sweeties

Happy Cake Day - Stamp Set - Paper Sweeties

Hugs and Kisses

Cupcake Sprinkles Sequins - Paper Sweeties

  

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

4 Crafty Chicks #390 ATG & Layers & Layers

Happy Thursday!

Hope everyone felt some love yesterday on Valentine's Day.

It's time for a new challenge

at

4 Crafty Chicks!

Amy is our hostess, yay!

She has chosen the Twist of Lots of Layers ---

4CC #390 - ATG & Lots of Layers Twist

So, layer up, y'all!

My card is another Valentine that I made for my son daughter inlaw using Gerda Steiner's "Buckets of Love" stamp set.  It's a set of buckets and cats.  My son/dil have two cats and we have two kittens and so I colored these cats like our kittens, Rory (black one) and Bella (Grey striped).  

Stop by the Hen House and check out the rest of the chicks' projects, including our guest designer, Tangii! AND, congratulate Tangii as she is now our permanent Guest Designer and will be hosting our Crazy Egg Challenges throughout the year!  YAY!   Be sure and give her and all the other chicks some blog love.  Then, play along with us and share your layered projects.  You might be one of our next Top Chicks!

Crafty Chick Blessings!

Paper Sweeties February 2018 Blast From The Past

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you have a day full of sweetness and love, no matter whether you have a significant other or not because everyone deserves some love and sweetness!

Today is also the first day 

of 

Paper Sweeties February Blast from the Past!

For the next three days,

 the Paper Sweeties Design Team is showcasing 

some of their favorite Paper Sweeties products 

from the past.

Hop through the DT List below and check out what everyone has shared and leave some blog love for them:

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Lori Turner
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE)

Since today is Valentine's Day, I decided to flash back to some Valentine decor, floating hearts, that I made with the With Love Sweet Cuts heart.

 .            

These were super easy to make.  I think I created about six or seven groups.  Each heart is made from 4 of the "With Love" heart die.   I cut each one out of different pattern paper and glued four of them together to make one heart.  There are also four of the lace heart trim also glued together around each group of four. 

I used some clear nylon thread/string to loop through the tops.  Usually I hang them across our mantle so it looks as if they are "floating" in mid-air, but our fireplace is undergoing a bit of a facelift AND with two hugely active and inquisitive kittens bounding around, I knew they would not last long this year.  The other nice thing about these hearts is that they fold flat and can be stored nicely in a box.

With Love Sweet Cuts Paper Sweeties

So I hope you enjoyed my "Blast from the Past" Valentine hearts and come back tomorrow for more.  It could be another past creation, OR it could be a new one OR it could be both!  You'll have to come back to find out!

Paper Sweeties Blessings! 

Friends Fur-Ever

Good evening!

One more post for today.  I've been on an unusual roll of pumping out the cards and the posts.  Maybe the Hubs should work all weekend more often? ;)   Except the more I get done the more I have to do.  Somehow that doesn't seem right.  Maybe it's just I was that behind!

I seem to always have components of cards I start, dies or colored images, and then they sit to get covered up by more of the same.  So, this weekend I made myself use up some of them.  Everything on the card below, minus the sentiment, has been on my craft desk or in a bin anywhere from a month to maybe six months.  Not anymore.

SUPPLIES:

STAMPS: Sentiment - Sending Buckets of Love (Gerda Steiner). Plaid background stamp (Catherine Pooler).

PAPER: White cardstock (Neenah); Navy (Bazzill).

INK: Be Mine, Juniper Mist (Catherine Pooler Inks).

EXTRAS: Scallop stitched rectangle and rectangle panel (WPlus9); Stitched Quilted Swirl cover die (Lil Inker Designs); Long banner die (My Favorite Things); Small banner (My Favorite Things); Doily heart die (Lawn Fawn); Cat die (Penny Black); Small navy heart die (Taylored Expressions). Pink heart enamel dot (Recollections).

I love that Penny Black cat die with their tails making a heart.  It reminds me of our two kittens who are the same age and good pals.  I'm entering this into the Cas-ual Fridays Challenge, Hearts, Hearts & More Hearts.

For Following Challenges:

Furry Blessings!

You're Grate

Another quick card ---

I've been coloring more since The Daily Marker has had the 30 Day Coloring Challenge again.  I did these cuties from Darcie's Heart and Home.  I used Copics and Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.  I created the cheese by using various size circle dies (some were tag hole dies).

For Following Challenges:

The Daily Marker 30 Day Coloring Challenge

Cheesy Blessings!