Cards in Envy "It's Only Paper"

The new challenge on the Cards in Envy it titled "It's only paper."  That means we want cards with NO stamping, NO embellishment and NO ribbon unless made from from paper.  I'm still working on Christmas cards so I opted for die cuts to meet the challenge. 

I cut the spellbinders dove from a gold foil and then added three white cardstock cuts behind it to help it pop off the page. I did the same for the Memory Box Peace and Joy die cut.  

Come check out what the other design team members did over on the Cards in Envy blog.  Then link up your "paper only" cards with us.  

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Merry Making day 4

The Online Card Classes Merry Making class Day 4 focus is on die cutting.  Here's a card that has not stamping at all.  Just die cuts.

I love the dimension on this card.  I didn't make it a shaker card but I coated the sentiment, snowflakes and snow with Wink of Stella for some shine.  

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Cards in Envy Simple, Plain Card

The challenge on the Cards in Envy blog starts today and we are asking for simple, plain cards (Easy as 1, 2, 3).  That was a real challenge for me.

I did a stencil background (using distress ink and perfect pearls over the ink) and two die cuts.  That is as simple as I get (LOL)!  I really wanted to start working on Christmas Cards.  Yes, we have about 2 months before it is time to mail out Christmas Cards.  

Come check out what the rest of the design team did on the Cards in Envy blog.  Then link up your simple cards with us.

Happy Crafting!

Donna

House of Cards April Challenge

Good morning fellow crafters!  No April foolin', today is the start of the April challenge at the HOUSE OF CARDS Challenge blog.  Here's my card for the challenge.

The challenge is butterflies or the color combination below. . .

I covered both angles with the color and a butterfly!  The background is alcohol inks with gold heat embossing over the top of it.

Hop on over to the House of Cards challenge blog and link you butterfly and/or color creations with us!

I am adding this to the Craft Stamper Magazine April Challenge:  Take a Technique, Color.

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Bonus Day

The Bonus Day at Stretch Your Stamps 2 Online Card Classes was all about "Color Me" Stamps.  They showed some cute ways to use these stamps besides coloring them.  I used the "Paper Piecing" method for my card but there were some cute watercolor ideas also.

The bird and sentiment is part of a Hero Arts Operation Write Home fundraising stamp set.  It has very cute puns with an owl, a sheep, a squirrel, and a moose.  I used a Memory Box "Bare Sapling" die for the branch and Puffy Cloud die for the vellum.  DP is October Afternoon.  

I'm a little behind in class now, will try to catch up before we head out to Blue Mesa Reservoir for some camping!

Happy Crafting!

Donna

House of Cards April Sketch Challenge

Good Morning!  The Challenge over at the House of Cards Challenge Blog for April is a sketch challenge. So this two weeks of April is for Clean & Simple Cards (CAS) or Classic & Elegant cards that follow the sketch.  Hop on over and play along with us.  Here is my DT card for the challenge. 

Here's the sketch.

I am still playing with my Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Trellis Framework Die.  The diecut was leftover from another card I did.  The papers are "Nature Garden" from Prima.  I filled in the diecut with papers that coordinated with the background paper.  The butterfly is Memory Box Darla and Vivienne.  I double embossed the Vivienne butterfly with clear embossing powder to give it a nice shine.  Then I stamped and colored the Hampton Art Graphic 45 "Once Upon a Springtime" stamp.  

I am also entering this in the MOJO Monday 342.

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Retrosketchs Challenge #45

When I saw the gorgeous card by Arielle Gordon (Snappy Stamper) on the Retrosketches Challenge #45, I knew I had to CASE it using the Operation Write Home Hero Arts Happy Birthday Stamp Set!

The sentiment a heart paper is from the Creative Memories "Be Mine" digital edition.  The Puffy Clouds Dies are from Memory Box.  The embossing folder is Cuttlebug  D'vine Swirl.  This card will be on its way next week to Operation Write Home for our Heroes to write home to loved ones on!

Happy Crafting!
Donna
You can visit my Creative Memories website HERE.

Holiday Card Workshop Day 6

UPDATED!  Day 6 of the Online Card Classes Holiday Card Workshop is all about inking techniques.

For the dot background I used a Stampin'Up! stamp and wet embossed with opaque white embossing powder.  I cut a mask from heavy acetate using my Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Snow Flurries.  Then I applied Tim Holtz Peacock Feathers, Seedless Preserves and Salty Ocean inks to the cards.  I applied a coat of Perfect Pearl over the card.  The delicate snowflakes are a Memory Box Die and the larger punched snowflake is from Creative Memories.  Sentiment and label punches are from Stampin'Up!

The second card for the day was a faux stained glass.  I had the perfect stamp for this that I have had for many, many years.

I only cut the top half of my Creative Memories Shimmer White Paper with the Stampin'Up! Apothecary Arts Framelits.  This gave it a steeple look.  I embossed the Shimmer Paper with the Cuttlebug Paper Lace Damask folder.  The stamp was colored in with Tim Holtz Distressed Markers and then painted with Perfect Pearls Gold.

Happy Crafting!
Donna
You can visit my Creative Memories website HERE.