Send A Smile 4 Kids Challenge: Cards 4 Moms/Special Ladies

 This month's challenge at Send A Smile 4 Kids is Cards 4 Moms/Special Ladies.  Here is my take:

Stencil and images from Hero Arts, cut on my Scan n Cut.  Such a sweet bunny!  Be sure to link up your creation at the Send A Smile 4 Kids challenge blog.  

Winter Thank You

I always seem to need a lot of thank you cards after the holidays, and The Color Throwdown has a great combo that is perfect for a wintery card.  

Hero Arts background stamp heat embossed in silver on navy card stock, Hero Arts snowflake die cut, stash sentiment and jewel.  The sentiment is popped up.  I think the silver works as grey for the challenge!

Crafty Hugs

I have WAAYYY too much NBUS (never before used stuff).  I keep all of the things I have purchased in a bin until I use it.  My bins have multiplied!  

I inked a panel in rainbow colors, then used a Hero Arts background die.  I paired it with an Alte New sentiment.  I love this!!  I am sharing this with the Double Trouble Rainbow challenge, and the Colorful Options Rainbow or predominately pink.   

Plaid and Silhouette

 Just Us Girls (JUGS!) prompt this week is plaid.  

Lawn Fawn plaid, Hero Arts sentiment, SU Just Jade ink, stash die cut and bling.  Here is the JUGS visual prompt:

Join us at Send a Smile 4 Kids on February 6 for our new challenge!

You're A Hot Mess

Paper Craft Crew has a horizontal sketch challenge.  Thought it was a great way to use a Color Burst background I had in my stash, and the Hero Arts Sentiment was perfect for the "messy" strips.  

This sketch will be great for the many strips of patterned paper scraps.  

Send a Smile for Kids has a fun Thank You challenge running through the end of the month.  Come join us!

A Holiday Card

 The Paper Players have a unique holiday color challenge - black, white, and silver.  I mostly make Christmas cards, but like to have a few for this who don't celebrate.

I die cut the snowflakes from holographic metallic paper, and scattered them on shiny black paper layered on silver.  The sentiment is form Hero Arts, stamped in black soot Distress Oxide and heat embossed in clear.  Sooo pretty!

Pastel Happiness

Playing around with Distress Inks this week.  They blend so nicely!!  

I inked a stripy background, then cut it into one inch diagonal squares.  Love how it looks layered on the grey base.  I tried die cutting the happy in the same grey, but it blended in too much.  The black pops nicely!  Sharing with The Color Throwdown #599:

Ombre Teal

The challenge form Just U Girls this week is Shade of Teal:

I need a few more cards for my sister's birthday gift.  She likes cards that are encouraging and CAS.

I used Iced Spruce Distress Oxide to create the ombre effect on the heat embossed strip.  Since I didn't have the exact paper to match, I inked a piece of white paper before I die cut "Prayers".  I really like this layout with the inking for added interest.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By where ur glass is half full!!

Sweets for the Sweetie

The Twofer Challenge this round is:

I broke out an older Hero Arts stamp and die set, and came up with these:

The pink cake is cut from Doodlebug paper, the black and white one is stamped.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our Heroes challenge!!

Sunshine & Laughter

Fusion has a great image for inspiration:

I used Spellbinder dies, cut Craft Smith Paint Chip paper, layered the petals in ombre, fastened them together with tiny white brads, then added a Hero Arts sentiment.

Army Men

The Paper Girls have a "Toys" challenge.  My son always loved playing with his Army Men:

Paper House paper accented with Old Olive and Mossy Meadow.  Hero Arts sentiment.  Pretty simple card, but will be perfect to send to a deployed soldier!

Reindeer Fun

Shopping Our Stash has a 'Tis the Season challenge, and The Color Throwdown has this inspiration image:

My interpretation:

SU! Papers, Hero Arts sentiment, Mama Elephant reindeer.  I love this one!!!

Come join us at Words 2 Craft By for our Angels challenge through January 2!

Here Fishy Fishy!

The Male Room's challenge this round is Fish/Fishing.   I love to use the Hero Arts layering stamps with Oxide Ink.

I inked up the background, and added the seaweed in the same colors.   I "flicked" water on the background to create bubbles, and added Glossy Accents to the bubbles.  The goldfish were fussy cut and popped up on the base. It was quite time consuming, but worth it for a friend's 80th birthday.  We spent many happy hours together at the beach.  Love you, J!

Happy Birthday!

I am back form my latest trip.  I loved spending down time with my family, especially since these times are fewer and further between as my son becomes an adult.  So, back to crafting!!

Provo Craft embossing folder, Core'dinations paper sanded, Hero Arts stamps and dies, stash ribbon. 

Sharing this with: 

Try Stamping on Tuesday (Sketch Challenge with Green and Embossing)

Come play along with us at Words to Craft By for our Phenomenal Women challenge!

W2CB #50 - Blizzard of Kisses

This month's challenge is drawn from these words:

 

This wonderful background die is a blizzard of kisses in my mind!!!

 Spellbinder die background, Hero Arts Prayers stamp/die set.  

Can't wait to see how you interpret these words!  Please share your creations with us at Words 2 Craft By!!

Christmas in January?!?!

Yes!  I ran out of Christmas cards before I ran out of recipients, and I am trying to do better this year.  The Jingle Belles challenge this round is We Three Kings - create a cards using three elements. 

Hero Arts Layering Tress, sentiment from Recollections heat embossed in white.  I flicked white pigment ink mixed with water for the "snow".  The snowbanks were cut from stitched dies. 

Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our New Beginnings challenge! 

Oxide Ink and Layering Stamps

I am in LOVE with my new Oxide Inks.  The colors are so rich, and cover beautifully.  I struggled with inking backgrounds, I always wound up with dauber marks or streaks.  Not with these!

Hero Arts Layering Octopus inked with Oxide Inks.  The darkest layer of the octopus was stamped in Wilted Violet and then heat embossed in dark purple.  Think this will be the perfect Valentine for my husband.  Sharing this with the Color Throwdown #475:

Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our New Beginnings challenge!

W2CB #49: The Magic of Beginnings

Wow!  I knew I was busy over the holidays, but didn't realize I had neglected my crafting and blogging for a whole month!!  Glad the latest W2CB challenge is here to get me back in the groove!

Our W2CB inspiration for our January/February challenge come to us from Meister Eckhart.

And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.

So many ways to interpret this one.  I made a wedding card for friends who are SCUBA divers, and used my brand NEW Hero Arts stamps and NEW oxide inks.  

Twinkling H2O and Perfect Pearls

I have been playing around with watercolor Twinkling H2Os and Perfect Pearls.

I watered down Snap Dragon and brushed the watercolor paper, then brushed Berry Twist over the wet paper.  The silhouette flower die cut was purchased second hand, so I am not certain of the manufacturer.  Hero Arts sentiment stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with Lilac Moire embossing powder.  Sharing this with:

CAS Mix It Up

CAS Watercolour

My First Step Card - Probably My Last, too!!

I love trying new techniques.  Some I enjoy, others, not so much.  This is one of those times that I am so glad that I tried something new, but I doubt I will try again. 

Hero Arts Butterfly and Flower Stamp and Cut, colored with Twinkling H2Os and markers.  Thanks to Shopping Our Stash for the prompt to try something new!  There are still a few days to play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our Proverbs and Blessings challenge!!