Party On!

Greetings! It is hard to believe it is time again for the Pink Team over at Eclectic Ellapu!  Our theme this time around is to create a project based on our pets. It can be a current pet, or a past pet.  I decided to create this card in remembrance of my most recent cat, Pepper, who was a member of our family for 16 years.  Pepper was a gray tabby cat, very shy, wanted to be in the room with us, but at a safe distance.  She was very sweet and left a lasting impression on all of us.  I chose to use three cat images from Lost Coast Designs called "Party Cats" and inked them with Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean and Mustard Seed Distress Ink.  The cat images were trimmed and mounted over a card base that was stenciled with a variety of stencils by Andy Skinner, Tim Holtz and Crafters Workshop.  The ink splats are a stamp image by Crafty Individuals and the word "Meow" was stamped with an alphabet set by Studio G.  Paper String by Ideo-ology completes my card.  I sure hope you will drop over to Eclectic Ellapu to see what the Design  Team have created for you and then share a project of your own with us.  

By the way Eclectic Ellapu is about to celebrate its first year in October.  They have come up with a month long Treasure Hunt that is filled with fabulous prizes.  Stay tuned for more information.  I hope you will join in the fun!  Best wishes, Yvonne 

Up, Up, and Away!

Greetings! There's a new challenge over at Inkspirational and this week we are creating projects based on the photo inkspiration below.  

I decided to create a card with a bunch of hot air balloons using an image from Studio G, which I stamped repeatedly onto a card base and then water colored the images with Distress Markers. For a touch of sparkle, gem stones were also added.  What will you be inspired to create?  We have a great sponsor during the month of May in Tammy of Creatively Me.

I'll also be entering this card at Make My Monday where the theme is "Anything That Flys."  Thanks for dropping by!  Yvonne

Hello Bluebird!

 It is time for Challenge#17 over at Inkspirational!  This time, we are working from the sketch below.  

I chose to layer textured paper over a card base after matting it with black paper.  A purchased die cut was layered over the textured paper.  Chipboard swirls were painted with Gold Distress Paint.  A chipboard bird was was painted with Broken China Distress Paint and then stained with Picket Fence Distress Paint.  Tissue tape was added to the card front, and a simple sentiment by Studio G was added.  Remember, our sponsor for April is Rubber Stamp Tapestry.  Please see Inkspirational for the details on how you can join in for a chance at our April prize!  Best wishes, Yvonne

Easter Basket

Greetings!  I would like to give a warm welcome to my newest followers.  Thank you so much for encouraging me in this journey.  My card today is for the current challenge over at Make My Monday.  We are to create a project that is inspired by the book cover below.  I had not heard of this book before, but MMM was kind enough to provide a summary that you might be interested in viewing.  

It has been one of those weeks where I longingly look into my art studio with little time to create.  And so, I pondered on what I might create, if I got a few stolen moments and a vision of simple Sissix Die Cut Vines in similar colors to the book cover came to mind.  Like the book cover, I added a central focal point in black and white with a beautiful image from Gecko Galz.  Rather than replicate the butterflies, I chose to add touches of white with some beautiful white lace purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.  As I will most certainly need a few more Easter Cards, I added a sentiment by Studio G to complete my card along with my absolute favorite fiber choice, seam binding.  I hope you are having a wonderful day.  Hugs, Yvonne

Happy Easter

Above is my tag for March for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2013.  Tim's gorgeous tag can be found here.  For my own tag, I covered a tag with paper printed from Gecko Galz.  The bunny image is from PSX and is matted with a die cut frame by Sissix.  The grass at the bottom of the tag was cut with fringe scissors by Martha Stewart.  A Tim Holtz die cut was used to create the sentiment banner at the top of the tag. The sentiment is by Studio G. Thanks for dropping by!  Hugs, Yvonne

Little Princess

Just getting this one in under the wire.  I originally made this card yesterday for another challenge, but upon closer review, I did not think it met the requirements.  I was going to post it just because, however, I decided to take a look over at Eclectic Ellapu to see what was going on there and sure enough babies are the theme this week!  My pink card base had a bit of fading along the side so I adhered fabric to that side.  The focal image, by Gecko Galz, was printed onto canvas and added to the card front.  The flowers are die cut from crinoline purchased at the Funkie Junkie Boutique and calico and gingham.  The paisley patterned along the right side are from Crafty Individuals.  The sentiment is by Studio G.  Seam binding and liquid pearls complete my card. I apologize for a flurry of cards today.  It has been a week of travel with little time for crafting and posting.  Thanks for dropping by.  Yvonne 

I Heart You

Just got my new PC back, so fingers crossed!  I apologize for posting multiple times, but I am trying to not miss deadlines for projects I have already completed.  The project above is for the current Alpha Challenge of "H" over at The Craft Barn.  I chose the word "Heart" from my dictionary.  I stamped the beautiful heart by Crafty Individuals in the upper left corner, water colored it with Distress Markers, added a portion of an image by Gecko Galz and accented the heart with liquid pearls by Ranger.  The small scattering of hearts is by Studio G as is the alphabet stamp I used to spell the word heart on an Idea-ology sticker.  A puffy heart with ChitChat Stickers completes my page.  Thanks so much for dropping by.  Hugs, Yvonne

A New Home

Hello! Well the weeks just keep flying by.  We are up to Challenge #8 over at Inspirational where the CASE challenge for this week is shown below.

I am admittedly new to CASE and feeling my way but it is great to stretch yourself in new directions.  For my card, I chose this adorable bird stamp by Studio G.  The sentiment is by A Muse Stamps.  Vintage buttons, a snippet of burlap string and a feather from my stash complete my card.  I hope will check out the gorgeous samples of my Design Team Sisters and then submit a piece of your own.  Please see Inkspirational for full details on submitting and prize offerings.  Take care, Yvonne

I Have Eyes Only For You

Greetings!  My post today is for a challenge at Try It On Tuesday called "It's All About the Eyes."  How we interpret it is up to us.  After looking through my stamp images, I decided to go in a completely different direction than I thought I might with this stamp I have had in my collection from Hero Arts for many years.  I decided to include the tree and fence behind the focal image, which are from Artistic Outpost. The sentiment was stamped with an alphabet set by Studio G, cut, distressed and added to the card front.  The background is a piece of white card stock that was distressed with various Distress Inks.  Milled Lavender Distress Ink was stenciled through sequin waste.  Tim Holtz Tissue Tape and a metal sentiment, by Idea-ology, complete my card.  Thanks for dropping by.

I Love You!

It's Word Wednesday at 365 Cards and this week the word is "Love."  I decided to make a collage-style card.  The Kraft card base was stamped with a heart stamp using Festive Berries Distress Ink.  A scrap of polka dotted paper distressed with more DI was added next and wrapped with red burlap string.  Images from Gecko Galz, a paper doily and red and white striped ribbon were layered next.  The sentiment is by Studio G.  A black crocheted lace bow and a button complete my card.  I am also submitting this card to Bloggers Challenge where the theme is "All You Need is Love" and to Frilly and Funkie where the theme is "Lacy Heartsy Challenge."  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Yvonne

Dino-mite!

There's a new challenge over at Bloggers Challenge today.  We are to create a card around "Birthdays."  Perfect timing for me as my dear little grandson turns two today.  So, I made the card above for him.  The image, stamped three times is by Studio G and the sentiment is by Heidi Grace.  I hope everyone has a great weekend. I am looking forward to seeing all of my family on Sunday when we celebrate my grandson's birthday.  Take care.  Yvonne

Loving Giraffes

I joined the Gecko Galz Forum recently and discovered that they were wrapping up a challenge TODAY, so I thought I would play along.  The challenge was to incorporate a new for you image from Gecko Galz, along with a recycled item (mine is a cookie box corrugated paper liner.) Sentiment is from Studio G.  Snippets of vintage sheet music, liquid pearls, die cut hearts and vintage seam binding complete my card.  Thanks for stopping by! Yvonne

Peace on Earth!

Greetings!  I am sharing a card with you today for the newest challenge over at 365 Cards.  Today's challenge is to create a card with a Square and Oval on it.  My mind immediately went to this square image of an angel from Crafty Individuals, which I simple matted with black and gold paper and backed with a paper doily.  Since the angel is looking upward, I gold embossed a North Star by Studio G in the upper left corner.  The gold oval frame from Crafty Individuals frames my NOEL sentiment.  Paper doily border from The Funkie Junkie Boutique, ChitChat stickers from Ideaology and several vintage buttons and vintage seam binding complete my card.  Are you ready for the Holidays?  My dear husband was under medical treatment most of November and just returned home from another week in our local hospital.  Yikes! I have miles to go!  Thankfully, my husband is doing a bit better.  Have a great day.  Best, Yvonne

Melt Away

Greetings!  This is a scheduled post for the newest challenge at 365 Cards.  The challenge is to create a card based on the inspiration word:  Melted.  At first I thought of ice cream cones, but not having a stamp image of an ice cream cone, I decided to go more romantic and thought of a heart melting.  On a chocolate card base, I layered a paper doily and some torn vintage page text that were distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  Distressed lace and some burlap twine were wrapped around the bottom of the card.  Next I layered a clip art image by Crafty Individuals over the paper doily.  Chit Chat stickers were added next.  I could not find the word melt so I stamped it with a Studio G Alphabet Set.  A vintage button, Platinum Liquid Pearls and distressed paper heart complete my card.  I hope you will give our challenge a go!  Take care.  Yvonne

Happy Holidays!

Greetings!  Thank you to all of my dear friends who sent words of encouragement earlier this week concerning Hurricane Sandy.  I am happy to report that although we were prepared for the very worst, we were spared the heartache felt in New Jersey and New York.  Some how we managed to keep our power throughout the high winds and though we live one block from a river that flooded our home a year ago, we incurred no flooding this time.  This post is to share a card I created for The Funkie Junkie Twelve Tags of Christmas, Tag 7 Challenge, which is being sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique. 

Linda has graciously allowed us to make other than a tag and I continue to make cards for the challenge.  Linda's beautiful tag is shown below.  For my own card, I was inspired by the following elements: the reindeer, the sentiment, snowflakes, and trees.  As my reindeer stamp seemed a bit contemporary, I chose a tree stamp by Studio G along the  same lines. The sentiment is also by Studio G. The snowflake stickers and punched snowflakes are from Martha Stewart.  

I hope you will stop back on Saturday evening for the latest challenge at Fashionable Stamping.  My posts will be scarce the following two weeks, as my dear husband is undergoing some medical treatments out of town.  Since the Hurricane, my Internet access has been spotty.  I will hope for the best and will try to keep up with all of you and your posts.  Best wishes my friends, 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

Christmas in July

Greetings!  I hope your Tuesday is going well.  I really vacillated on the title for this post as I am having a hard time wrapping my head around creating Christmas Cards, though each year I promise myself that I am going to start mine in July.  My card today is for the current challenge at Stampsmith where the theme is Christmas in July.  We are to create a Christmas Card using at least one Stampsmith image and summer colors.  I decided on my color scheme by using all three of the new Summer Distress Inks recently released by Ranger.  The main image of the girl is from the "Won't You be my Honey" Stampsmith stamp plate, which I won earlier this year at the Stampsmith Challenge Blog, and is stamped with Mowed Lawn DI and matted with card stock in green and blue.  The snowflakes by Studio G were stamped with Salty Ocean DI onto the card base and then Crackle Glue was applied for shimmer.  The sentiment was stamped in Picked Raspberry DI and also shimmered up with Crackle Glue.  Embellishments include rhinestone stickers, upcycled green satin ribbon and some beautiful snippets of Venetian Lace purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. Thanks so much for stopping by.  Yvonne

Sweet as can be!

Hope your Tuesday is going well! I have a card to share with you that I made for the most recent challenge at PanPastel UK. This week, we are asked to make a project with "Sweet Treats" as the theme. I only have a few stamps that fit the bill, so I pulled out these clusters of cherries by Studio G and this cupcake and sentiment by Studio 112 and stamped everything onto white card stock with Black StazOn ink. The cherries and leaves and the cupcake were colored in with soft, creamy PanPastels. Not sure if you can see the quality the PP produce, but in person, it is just so light and airy and much different than using markers. The images were set off with black matting and a simple length of vintage leaf green seam binding fashioned into a bow. A perfect card for an upcoming summer birthday! Thanks for dropping by. My best to you. Yvonne

And They Call It Puppy Love...

Greetings! Dear Husband continues to not feel well so it has been a different sort of week craft-wise. I stole away for a bit this afternoon, with no challenge in mind. I just felt like working with my hands! I began by leafing through a clip art book from Crafty Individuals and found this dear little girl with her puppy dog. I was immediately drawn to the red in the photo. I decided to add blues and browns to my color scheme and from there, the rest just fell into place. The sentiments are from Studio G and embellishments include vintage buttons and lace, burlap, re-purposed ribbon, a doily and some Baker's Twine from Martha Stewart. I hope you are having a good day. For my friends across the sea, Happy Friday! My best to all of you, Yvonne

Make My Monday - Challenge 36 - Hearts and Flowers

Happy Monday everyone! Mondays mean a new challenge over at Make My Monday Challenge blog. During the month of February, we are focusing on Romance and this week our challenge is Hearts and Flowers. Additionally, they have asked us to consider using die cuts for our projects. I should begin by confessing that I own very few dies. I love seeing them on other's projects and make myself a mental note to get some, but then I buy stamps, ink and paper instead! I still needed a couple of last minute Valentine's so I rolled up my sleeves and dug through my paltry die collection by Sissix and came up with a vine, and a small label shape. The hearts are a punch by Martha Stewart. To my white card base, I attached a gray die label that I distressed with Pumice Stone Distress Ink. I stamped a sentiment by Studio G onto scrap card stock with Black StazOn Ink and matted it with black paper and mounted it over my label shape. I die cut a vine from a dark silver metallic card stock and attached it to my card. Hearts were punched out of textured black and red paper and scattered over the card. Little red pressed flowers with pearl centers were added next. And finally, I fashioned a bow out of vintage black seam binding and topped it with a lace butterfly by Martha Stewart. Challenges are a wonderful thing. They encourage you to go beyond your comfort zone. Why not join the challenge at MMM?! Thanks so much for stopping by. I truly read and value every single comment left. My best to you. Yvonne