Part of Me

I recently discovered a challenge called In the Pink.  There current challenge is create a pink project using dry or heat embossing, or both.  I decided to give both a try.  The background paper is dry embossed with a Cuddlebug embossing folder, and the Butterfly by Cavellini is heat embossed with pink embossing powder.  The focal image by Stampsmith is stamped with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink.  Embellishments include pearls, a paper doily, pieces of a vintage book page, vintage seam binding and Idea-ology ChitChat stickers.  I truly appreciate your visits and comments.  Thanks for dropping by.  Best wishes, Yvonne

Halloween Treats

Well it is that time of year, I guess!  The new challenge over at Bloggers Challenge this week is to create a project around the Countdown to Halloween.  I had not previously inked up this plate of stamps from the Halloween Treats plate by Artistic Outpost, so I was excited to do so.  The spiders were stamped with Rangers Perfect Medium and dusted with Mandarin Perfect Pearls.  The pumpkin and owl were water colored with Distress Markers.  The candy corn is actually buttons with the shank removed.  I hope each of you have a wonderful weekend.  Best wishes, Yvonne 

Soulful Smile

There's a new challenge over at Tuesday Alchemy!  The random word generator selected three words:  Gears, Tart and Blackboard and we are to create a project around one or more of them.  I like to try to use all three and so here is what I came up with.  This beautiful woman by Hampton Art with gears in her head and painted red lips is my "tart."  Additional "gears" by Sissix are embossed onto black paper, and as well, I added some sewing snaps and an Idea-ology gear to the tart's head.  The black paper is my "blackboard" and the Idea-ology ChitChat stickers are the writing on the blackboard.  Why not check this challenge and see what you come up with?  Love seeing every one's interpretations.  Best wishes, Yvonne

Holly Jolly Christmas

Greetings!  I have been off line for a couple of days while I spent some quality time with my vacationing sister.  Need to do that more often!  Sharing a card today that I made for Week 2 of Linda Coughlin's (The Funkie Junkie)12 Tags of Christmas.  You may recall, we are not required to make a tag, so I am focusing on cards to meet my quota needed for Christmas Cards.  I must admit, Linda stunned me with her tag.  It is gorgeous and quite different.  You need to take a peek! While you at it, check out Linda's Funkie Junkie Boutique for great items at great prices.  I did attempt to find foil sheets locally, but alas there were none and so I went in a different direction.  As for what inspired me, her sentiment, the gears (I used a Tattered Angels Postage frame covered in Stickles as a substitute for a Geared Frame, Santa (Oxford Impressions) and snowflakes (also OI).  The jingle bell is a punch from Martha Stewart.  Love the new tartan plaid braided tape I found at a sewing factory store yesterday.  It is quite flat and should go through the mail nicely.  Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you will consider joining in Linda's challenge.  Lots of time left!  Best wishes, Yvonne

Adventure is Worthwhile in Itself

With Monday, comes a new challenge over at Make My Monday.  I have particularly loved this month's challenges all around Vintage.  This week, we are to create a card with Vintage Travel as the theme.  I immediately thought of this fabulous stamp plate of images called Charlies and  Amelia by Artistic Outpost.  The images were water colored with Distress Markers.  I chose this vintage mix of buttons for a bold, masculine finish.  The design team at MMM have outdone themselves with inspiration pieces.  You will want to check them out.  Thanks for dropping by.  Best wishes, Yvonne

Being You

Greetings! A bit behind, so please forgive me for posting multiple times this evening.  The card above was created for a Photo Inspiration Challenge over at Our Creative Corner.  Doesn't this cake look yummy?

In addition to creating a project based on a photo inspiration, we were required to use at least two buttons and polka dots in our creation.  After layering several background papers on my Kraft card base, a pink doily was layered next followed by a clip art image by Crafty Individuals.  Embossed photo corners, vintage seam binding, an applique, three beautiful soft pink buttons made in Italy and a sentiment by Stampin Up complete my card.  Don't you love how challenges help you create cards you would have never created otherwise?  Thanks for stopping by.  Yvonne

O Holy Night

Hello!  Thanks for dropping by.  I am sharing a card with you tonight created for a challenge Linda Coughlin is doing called 12 Tags of Christmas Funkie Junkie Style on her Funkie Junkie Blog. Linda also has a wonderful boutique you should check out at Funkie Junkie Boutique.  Luckily, there is great latitude to create other than a tag.  As I have many cards to make for Christmas, I have decided to go in that direction.  As for inspiration, Linda's beautiful tag inspired my card with the stars, wings and glitter.  I chose to use a plate of Christmas stamps from Oxford Impressions.  The stars and wings of the angel were glazed with Perfect Pearls.  Distress Markers in Aged Mahogany and Worn Lipstick were used to tint the flowers.  The sentiment is by Studio G.  Gold glitter glue by Martha Stewart and ribbon complete my card.  I look forward to seeing the rest of the gorgeous tags Linda has in store for us.  You have until December 17 to make all your creations to be in the running for some great prizes, so why not check it out?  I really appreciate your visits.  Have a great week.  Yvonne

Tick Tock

Two weeks have flown by and Fashionable Stamping Challenge has a new challenge!  This time around, the challenge is to "Alter an item."  After giving this much thought, I decided to alter a Kraft Clock Face.  I immediately was drawn to a number of plates by Artistic Outpost to use on the clock face; Charles and Amelia and Industrial Backgrounds.  The clock face was stamped with various images and more were stamped on white card stock, water colored with Distress Markers, distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and mounted to the clock face.  Simple embellishments include Idea-ology sprockets and brads, liquid pearls and sticker clock hands.  I am excited for you to pop over to FSC as you will be amazed and inspired by the altered items by the rest of the Design Team!  I sure hope you will give the challenge a try for the possibility of a wonderful prize.  Please remember that ours is a stamping challenge, so we need to be able to clearly see stamping on your entry.  No Digis please!  Full guidelines are available over at FSC.  I am also submitting this for the September Referral Program over at Artistic Outpost. Thanks so much for dropping by.  Best wishes, Yvonne

Crisp Autumn Air

Greetings!  This tag is for the most recent challenge over at Dragons Dream Tag it On.  I have not had an opportunity to join in their challenges for awhile, so I was excited to do so this week.  Their current theme is called Misty Autumn Glaze. We are asked to create an Autumn tag with at least one stamp image on it.  The tag must also include Mica dust or ink spray and Glaze.  I chose to mist my tag with three different Dylusions Ink Sprays.  Cheese cloth was soaked in Distress Inks, dried and layered to the tag next.  The focal image by Studio 112 was stamped onto a torn vintage book page, distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and layered over the cheese cloth.  The sentiment, by The Stamp Pad Company, was stamped on white card stock, smushed into Ripe Persimmon DI, cut apart and added to the tag.  A snippet of Raven ribbon adorns the bottom of the tag.  The oak leaves by PSX were stamped in Spiced Marmalade, Seedless Preserves, Festive Berries and Scattered Straw DI.  I must admit, I have never used glaze before.  I purchased some Perfect Pearls for my tag and applied it to the oak leaves. I really like glazing!  What fun.  As always, thanks for dropping by.  Best wishes, Yvonne

Time is a Circus

Sharing a card with you this evening that I made today for the new challenge over at Bloggers Challenge where the theme this week is "Element of Time."  I decided to use a plate of stamps from Artistic Outpost called Vintage Circus.  The clock is also from a plate of stamps by Artistic Outpost called Whimsical Melange. Vintage buttons are the sole embellishments.  Thanks for dropping by.  Yvonne 

On the Naughty List!

Last post for the evening, I promise...The card above is for Challenge # 201 over at 365 Cards.  We are asked to create a card with flags on it.  I have been itching to ink up this adorable stamp and sentiment from Oxford Impressions and chose it for this challenge.  The little boys were stamped with Forest Moss Distress Ink, though it is difficult to determine the color in my photo.  The sentiment was inked with Festive Berries DI.  The flags were cut from background paper and adhered to red burlap string purchased from the Funkie Junkie Boutique.  The braid and buttons are predominantly in red and green.  Thanks so much for your patience! Best wishes, Yvonne

A Favorite Book

A second post, as I play catch up, over at 365 Cards.  For Challenge #202, we are ask to create a card keeping white space blank as shown below.

I chose images from Artistic Outpost for my card, water colored with Distress Markers, and tied the image and sentiment together with Black Liquid Pearls.  I resisted the urge to add more embellishments to my card in an effort to follow the challenge, though I feel the card could use a bit of something!  Best wishes, Yvonne

Seasons Greetings

 Greetings!  Sharing a post tonight with a card I made for Challenge  #203 over at 365 Cards where we are asked to create a card that includes background paper and a sentiment on the inside.  I love this image of this little girl from Oxford Impressions. The other images are also by OI.

On the inside, I added background paper and a simple sentiment from the same plate of images used on the front of the card by OI.

Thanks for dropping by!  Best wishes, Yvonne

Through the Eyes of Children

This post is for the newest challenge at Make My Monday, which is Vintage Childhood. What a wonderful theme!  I chose these dear little children and butterflies from Crafty Individuals. The aqua card base was distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, as were the corners, and vintage seam binding. Next a black doily was layered and the trimmed children and butterfly, after distressing them with DI, were added. Final details include platinum liquid pearls and Kraft ChitChat stickers from Idea-ology.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Best wishes, Yvonne

Joy to the World

Greetings!  It was a very busy weekend, so I apologize for not posting for a few days.  We had a family celebration of September birthdays on Saturday and a family reunion on my father's side on Sunday.  My card above is for the current challenge at Bloggers Challenge, which this week is to create a project with a Silhouette on it.  I immediately thought of this adorable stamp from Inkadinkado.  I used Forest Moss and Barn Red Distress Markers to color the stamp and matted it with black paper.  Simple embellishments include braided cord, black liquid pearls and a tartan plaid button tied with a bit of black Scrapper's Floss.  Thanks so much for dropping by.  Best wishes, Yvonne 

Golden Christmas

Another quick card to share before I pack up and head home!  Working with what was on hand, I thought I would give this golden hued card base a try for a Christmas Card.  I framed a miniature Christmas Image from Crafty Individuals with black paper and a doily and added to the card base after stamping several Oxford Impressions images on it.  A bit of black and gold ribbon and a seam binding bow and some Chrome Liquid Pearls and my card is complete!  A departure from red and green, but I like it!  Best wishes, Yvonne

Message to Santa

Greetings!  It's another beautiful day here.  I have everything pretty well packed up for our trip home, accept for my card supplies of course!  As mentioned previously, I am trying to work ever so slowly on my Christmas Cards.  I recently purchased several beautiful sheets of Holiday images from Oxford Impressions and have just been having fun inking them up and seeing what I like together before deciding on a few designs for the actual design or two that I will go with for this year's design.  It is difficult to see in the photo, but I stamped the background images with Iced Spruce Distress Ink.  The dear little girl was stamped with Black StazOn as all attempts to stamp her with Distress Inks failed.  I picked up yards and yards of this lovely ribbon at a Fabric Outlet recently and think it will be nice for my Christmas cards.  Simple gold buttons are the finishing touch.  Thanks for dropping by today!  Yvonne

Joyeux Noel

As I mentioned in a previous post today, I am on the road again.  I've brought some odds and ends of Christmas along in hopes of getting a few of my cards made.  I am way behind where I was last year at this time!  I remember purchasing this little booklet of Christmas Miniatures from Crafty Individuals at the end of the year last year and thinking they would be great images to used on one-of-a kind cards.  I paired the image above with stamps from Oxford Impressions and some snowflake stickers from Martha Stewart.  Finishing touches include vintage magenta seam binding, and some pearls.  Thanks for dropping by.  Best Wishes, Yvonne

Wishing You Love

Greetings!  Traveling about, but wanted to join in over at Make My Monday where the challenge this week is to create a project around Vintage Weddings.  I knew I wanted to work on this card while traveling, so I grabbed a plate of stamps by Stampsmith called "Won't You Be My Honey."  I thought the image above could easily be a bride from a by-gone era.  I stamped her with London Fog Memento Ink onto Specialty Paper to give her a more subdued, vintage feel.  The sentiment, also by Stampsmith, would be appropriate for a wedding day card.  I layered a soft aqua and white pearlized designed paper over my card base for just a hint of color.  The vintage buttons were topped with pearls to continue the wedding theme and the corners of the photo were enhanced with paper corner tabs.  Some vintage seam binding, pom pom lace and copper butterflies complete the card.  Thanks, as always, for dropping by my blog today.  I truly appreciate each visit and comment.  Best wishes, Yvonne

December 25

Greetings!  Hoping everyone had a great weekend!  My dear husband surprised me with an overnight at beautiful hotel, dinner and roses to celebrate my birthday, which was today, so I had a very nice weekend, indeed.  I am sharing a card with you this evening that I made for a Color challenge at 365 Cards.  The colors, shown below, stumped me at first, but I came across a piece of designer background paper with just a hint of gray and gold in it and from there everything flowed.  

The images and sentiment are from Oxford Impressions and were stamped in Forest Moss Distress Markers, Festive Berries Distress Ink and London Fog Memento Ink. Simple embellishments include ribbon, a tartan plaid button from my stash and some Chrome Liquid Pearls.

Thanks for dropping by.  I hope everyone has a great week! Best, Yvonne

Greatest Show On Earth

Wow! The weeks just fly by.  Already, it is time for a new challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge.  This time around, we have a challenge around "Good things come in small packages."  Now this was truly a challenge for me!  I can truly say I have never made a project with dimensions this small (2.5" x  3").  

 I decided to make a small accordion style booklet.  When opened, it unfolds between the front and back cover.  The images used are all from Artistic Outpost and the diamond and dot stencils are from Dylusions.  

I thought about several different color schemes, but in the end decided to use cream, black and red to maintain a vintage feel.  After stamping and stenciling, the booklet was distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  

I sure hope you will take a moment and stop over to see the brilliant creations by the rest of the FSC Design Team and I hope, also, that you will submit a project of your own.  Thanks for dropping by! Yvonne

Beach Baby

Just sharing a card I created this week as a commissioned piece for a friend of mine who is celebrating her mother's birthday this weekend.  Her mother loves the beach and has a lovely, cozy home at the shore, so I decided to create a card with a beach theme. The images are from Oxford Impressions, except for the Happy Birthday sentiment, which is from Stampin Up.  I am so glad my friend was happy with the card for her mother!  Thanks for stopping by. Best wishes, Yvonne

Bird Sanctuary

It's Friday and that means a new challenge over at Bloggers Challenge.  This week, Lisa challenges us to create a project with Fall Colors.  I must say, with the change in weather, I do find myself gravitating to autumnal colors!  My card was made with images by Stampington and company.  The images were water colored with Distress Markers and sparkled up a bit with Distress Stickles.  Simple embellishments include ribbon, copper Liquid Pearls and some paper leaves.  I hope everyone has a great weekend!  Best wishes, Yvonne 

Dear Santa

Sharing a card I made today for a challenge I discovered while viewing one of my friend Avril's blog.  The site is called In the Pink and the current theme is anything but a square card.  As the name implies, the challenge site asks that we use lots of pink!  I rounded the edges of my square card and the pink background paper and layered pink vintage seam binding and a pink doily on top.   The stamped images and sentiment are from Oxford Impressions.  The little girl was water colored with Distress Inks.  Thanks for stopping by.  Yvonne

Skating Anyone?

Hello!  Sharing a card today for Challenge # 189 over at 365 Cards with a theme of "Sporty."  As my children have been grown for so long, I truly don't have a lot of sport-related images.  In fact, this dear skater by Penny Black is the only one I could think of. The sentiment at the bottom of the card is by Denami.  I hope you will bear with me, as I have decided to incorporate Holiday papers, ribbons, and embellishments into some of my cards in the months leading up to Christmas in a effort to get a bit further ahead.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  Best wishes, Yvonne

I Saw Three Ships

I noticed the challenge over at Try it on Tuesday is Travel.  I have been itching to ink up a new to me Crafty Individuals stamp as I start thinking about my Christmas Cards for 2012 and so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity!  I elected to use red and green card stock, but kept the rest of the card in black and white with some Pumice Stone Distress Ink.  Simple embellishments include Silver Liquid Pearls and vintage black seam binding.  We have friends who sail, so I think this will be their Christmas Card!  Best wishes, Yvonne

Look the Part

Yeah! One of my very favorite challenge blogs is back after a month long break!  Make My Monday is back with a month of challenges around Vintage.  For the first week, we are to create a project depicting Vintage Fashion.  The focal image above, a complimentary stamp I received from Crafty Individuals when purchasing other stamps was the only image I felt I had along with me that worked.  When I think of fashion, I also think of sewing.  This is probably because I sewed all of my own clothing for decades!  And so, I intertwined sewing elements also from Crafty Individuals with this fashionable vintage image.  A touch of black lace and vintage seam binding, a dot of black liquid pearls and a few ChitChat stickers and my card is complete.  Thanks for dropping by!  Best wishes, Yvonne

Around the World

Greetings!  Today is Labor Day in the United States.  It pretty much represents the end of Summer.  Mostly everyone closes up their pool after today, and children return to school, if they have not already done so.  We decided to return home tomorrow from the beach, so it is a lazy day of card making for me!  The card above is for a recent challenge over at 365 Cards.  For Challenge # 185, we are asked to create a card with a mirror image.  As I had never done this before, I Googled the Internet and found a tutorial.  Not having acetate with me, I tried stamping the mirror image of my ship on an acrylic block.  (Not good - the StazOn ink Stayed On!)  I was excited to ink up these new to me images from Crafty Individuals.  The instruments and chart were stamped with Pumice Stone Distress Ink for a faded appearance and parts of the overall card were distressed with more Pumice Stone DIs. Kraft Chitchat Stickers and Black Liquid Pearls complete my card.  Thanks for dropping by.  Best wishes, Yvonne

Birds in a Row

Greetings everyone!  Back with a card for today's challenge # 186 over at 365 Cards.  Sundays are Sketches at 365 Cards, and above is the sketch we are currently following.  I layered green card stock and designer paper over a white card base.  A panel of white card stock was centered over the top of those layers.  Paper birds in several shades of yellow were added and the eyes were dotted with black Liquid Pearls.  A bit of green rickrack and a sentiment by Crafty Individuals were added as finishing touches.  Thanks for dropping by! Yvonne

In the Bag!

My husband and I travel a lot. Both with his work, and when we are not traveling for his work, we like to decompress at our condo near the ocean.  Probably like many of you, the thought of stepping away from card making for so long is not desirable!  And so, whenever it is feasible, I take my crafting along with me.  Obviously, I cannot bring everything with me, and so when responding to challenges, on the fly, I often note that I am working out of my travel bags.  One of my dear friends, Lynne, has encouraged me to share what I carry.  So hear is a look see.  I normally give myself no more than 5-10 minutes to grab items from my art studio.  I find when I need to improvise, my creativity is improved.  

In bag one, my entire collection of Distress Inks, a Black StazOn Ink pad, double sided tape refill, a paper cutter, glue dots, several stacks of adhesive card mats, ChitChat stickers, a box of pearls, charms and odd small embellishments, a bag of lace, a bag of odds and ends of ribbon, buttons, several sets of Stampsmith Rubber Stamps, and a stack of card stock and card blanks.

In bag two, several pads of designer paper, adhesive card stock mats, a box of chipboard pieces, several packs of card blanks and envelopes, a basket full of Crafty Individuals stamps and some of their pads of paper, a bag full of small spools of ribbon, and my collection of vintage seam binding.  

That's it! I keep my double sided tape dispenser here at the condo and a pack of baby wipes.  The bags vary on occasion, but this is pretty much what I carry.  

Hopefully, back a bit later with some creations made from my bag.  Happy Crafting! Best, Yvonne

Another Time and Place

Today's card is based on the sketch above from Bloggers Challenge.    As I am traveling, my stash is somewhat limited.  No stamps were used for my card.  Designer background papers, a sticker of a woman, chipboard scroll, seam binding and pearls and some bits of lace, a pinned charm and ChitChat stickers complete my card.  Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  Best, Yvonne 

Bee Mine!

Greetings!  My card today is for several challenges.  The first is for Challenge #183 over at 365 Cards where we are asked to create a card based on the colors above.  The card is also for a new challenge I learned about called Tuesday Alchemy where the challenge is to create a project inspired by the words "Bee," "Guitar," and "Lunch."   The images are from Art Declassified, except for the bees and sentiment, which are from Character Construction.  Distress Inks and Black StazOn Ink were used.  Simple embellishments include Copper Liquid Pearls and vintage seam binding.  Thanks so much for dropping by.  Best, Yvonne