Guilty Monkey

 I have a fun card to share today for Can You Handle the Pressure with a twist of zoo or jungle animals.

I show you a zoo escapee

I used a vertical stripe E/F and ran a black ink pad over it. Hoping it plants the idea of zoo bars. Since the monkey is in front of the bars, we can assume he has escaped.  Look at that guilty face grin. The monkey is a sticker from a sheet called Silly Monkey by Paper Studio. The hello is an old stamp from SU.

I am putting this in my stash for Send A Smile 4 Kids. I know the kids will love it.

I used the sketch from Sunday Stamps

Pair of Birds

Recollections Field Journal paper pad has a sheet that has 2 large circles with birds perched on the edge.  I fussy cut one of the pairs of birds to make this card. 

The card base is Kraft. I like the look and texture of Kraft for nature based cards. The wood pattern paper is also in the Recollections pad.The Mossy Meadow green and Pool Party blue are from my stash I used a cloud E.F on the blue. The sentiment is SU die cut and popped up on dimensionals.

I am entering at Cardz 4 Galz and The Paper Players. They both have "wings" as their challenges.

Nature Inspired

 This is today's sketch inspiration from Sketch Saturd

ay

I switched the orientation for my card.

The papers are from a Recollections paper pad called Field Journal.  There was 1 page that had 2 large circles with the birds in them. I trimmed it down to fit the 2 birds in an oval. The other papers are from the same pad. I added 2 black faceted gems. The sentiment is an old stamp. I die cut it an oval to coordinate with the large oval.  I set out to make a sympathy card but I think I will keep this one for Christmas. I like a few nature inspired scenes for Christmas or winter cards.  Should I go back and add snow to the branches?

On another note, does anyone have a solution to blogger not showing comments? I have gone to the comment tab and made sure they are not in a spam folder. They all look like they were published but do not show in the comments of each post.  Thanks for any help you can give,

Catching the Last Rays

Yesterday when it was 50 degrees and raining, I decided I needed some sun and a dose of beach.

 The challenge at Let's Craft and Create is no patterned paper. I used a line stencil to create the background. Using green, tan, blues, oranges, and yellows I made a beach scene. The palm tree, sunbather, and umbrella are stickers. I popped up the umbrella top and glued  down the handle. The setting sun is from the retired SU set called Swirly Bird I also popped up the sun.

I left off a sentiment and just put a blank liner inside so it can have multiple uses. I've put this one in my stash to send to Send A Smile 4 Kids

Fun Puns

 I do love puns. These 2 cards fit the challenge at Send A Smile 4 Kids

I found this ruler paper at a local craft store and I have used it all already and cannot tell you who makes it. I wish I had bought more than one sheet as it is perfect for guy cards. The sentiment is my own done on the computer and cut out with a deckle rectangle die. I inked the edges to make it blend better with the background. 

This one is an inspiration from by blogger friend Cheryl. You can see her gears here. The gear stamp is an old unlabeled wood block stamp. The plaid was from the stash. The DAD stamp is a very old one from SU. The sentiment copied from Cheryl was done on the computer and die cut with a deckle edge circle.

Per SAS4K request, these are both blank inside so a personal message can be added.

If you have extra cards and would like to donate them, check out  Send A Smile 4 Kids to see what they need and where you can send your cards.

Fishing Father's Day

I bought a paper share from a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. When I say the papers called Otterly Adorable I thought what am I going to do with this. I didn't care for the otter side but the reverse had some nice patterns for masculine cards. I pulled out the swimming schools of fish for some Father's Day cards for Send A Smile 4 Kids

I used a Pool Party base. On the side of the fish DSP I used a couple of colors of the water. The lighter blue has an edge made with Fiskar seagull scissors.  Another color of water is die cut to back the sentiment circle. I punched out 3 small anchors from some copper metallic paper for embellishments.

THe design is from the sketch by Freshly Made Sketches

Here are 2 more with the same DSP

Leftovers

I have a few leftover pieces from current papers from SU.. I found some that meet the challenge at Gardz 4 Guyz challenge of Bodies of Water. 

The images are from SU's retired Swirly Bird set. I think it is my all time favorite. I still use it a lot.

Art Deco

This week challenge at Cardz4Galz is Art Deco.  This was a challenge for me. First I searched Google for some art deco images. There was a print that reminded me of a page from a Recollections paper pad.  I do know there is a lot of gold in art deco. 

The card base is from SU. I have had them for several years so I am sure they are retired. It is preprinted with the gold edge. The designer paper is from Recollections. The sentiment is an old SU one embossed with gold and die cute in a hexagon shape. The decor is a premade gold frame and leaves. They were in a bag in my stash and unlabeled so I cant credit them. Amazing what you can find when you go searching through that mountain of stuff.

Also adding to The Negleced Stuff Challenge.  The card base and gold frames both qualify for neglected.

Graduation

 Can you believe it is near the end of another school year and almost time for graduations. When making graduation cards I like to use the school colors. Our local high school colors are red, white, and blue.

The mortarboard embossing folder is unlabeled. I used layers of red white and blue. The congrats is an old wood block stamp. I added some red and blue punched stars for accents. The black mortarboard is a sticker.

I'm playing along with  Darnell with her I.D.E.A.S plan,  this week being embossing.

And Can You Handle The Pressure I've used the anything goes but did not add the twist of rainbows or rainbow colors

Matchbook Fold

 The new challenge at Cardz 4 Guyz is fancy folds

I've used  matchbook fold.

I used all retired DSP from SU.  I fussy cut the tools from one of the papers.

Here is the opened inside view.

One hint. So the twine would not slip off, I cut a small notch on each edge. If you use a ribbon, you can put a small glue dot or double stick tape in the back to seure the ribbon.

Neglected Stuff Challenge is a new challenge for me. The premise is to use stuff laying around in your craft space that need some love again. 

There comes a time when you have to stop creating and spend some time cleaning. That is what I have been doing. I found some cards from a Memories and More card pack from SU. The label is long gone so I don't know the name of the set.

I love blues and this image just spoke Mother's Day to me. The background DSP is also SU. I made a banner of the sentiment by adding a foam square in the center and glue dots on the ends 

Mother's Day

I am furiously making Mother's Day cards for Send A Smile 4 Kids . This month their challenge is to use a sketch. So I pulled up this from Sketch Saturday        

My card is made with bits from my stash.

The sentiment is popped up with foam squares. The butterfly is on one of those jiggly things--I forgot what they are called. I think the kids will have fun with it.

Let's Craft and Create challenge is add flowers.

Paper Funday Challenges. anything with the letter B

Mother's Day

 In order for special cards to get to the kids on time, we have to be thinking ahead to the next occasion at Send A Smile 4 Kids So, I am working on some Mother's Day cards that the kids will select for their Mothers.

This one, I am linking up to Cardz 4 Galz  where the challenge is stripes.

The pattern in the Perennial Lavender  paper from SU represents the stripes. The circle bouquet is from a pad by Recolletions. The sentiment is  also SU.  I added a bow to the top and then 3 purple gems for accernts.

Toys for Guyz

 My husband aways call tools his toys. I'm sure you've heard the expression "the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys."  He certainly has fun playing with his toys.

 So I think my card will be good for the challenge at Cardz 4 Guyz Fun and Games.

I used a Kraft base, die cut a 2 1/2" square and then embossed it with a wood E/F. The papers are all scraps of a retired DSP collection. The tools (toys) are all stickers I found in my stash.

Here is how the card opens.

I don't know if this fold has a certain designation or not. I was inspired by Brian King. at stampwithbrian.com You can see his gorgeous floral card here. He gives the measurement and instructions for the card. Maybe we can call it the king fold. 

Flowers and Butterflies

I am so ready for flowers and butterflies. Mother Nature just doesn't want to let go of the cold, drizzly weather . At least I think we are past snow.

I pulled out some patterns from a Recollections paper pad. In spite of Mother Nature, we will have butterflies.

The card base is Mossy Meadow by SU. The background paper is covered with leaves.. The center banner is cropped form a butterfly page. Behind the banner is a strip of vanilla. Then a circle of a green printed vellum. On top is a butterfly from Simple Stories ephemera pack. The butterfly is secured with glue dots in the center and small bit of foam tape to elevate the wings. I finished off with 3 irridescent gems around the butterfly.

The design is by Freshly Make Sketches

Also entering at Hand Stamped Sentiments with this mood board, although I used more greens, I did use the butterfly.

Sloth

 

Cardz 4 Guyz new challenge is S is for ________

S is for Sloth.

Sloths can move 5-25 ft per minute. Mostly they just hang upside down on a tree branch.  We saw sloths in the jungle in Costa Rica. I stood there and watched for 15 minutes and I don't think they moved  even one inch. 

So my "hang in there" is the appropriate sentiment.

The fern e/f is unlabeled. I swiped a green ink over them. The sloth, branch, and sentiment are also unlabeled.  Everything was fussy cut. I glued the feet to the ranch and put foam squares to pop up the body. I fussy cut around the sentiment, brushed green ink around the edges and popped it up on foam squares also.

Also entering this at Send a Smile 4 Kids where the challenge is Animal Cards for Kids.

Vintage Butterflies

 It has been a while since I have posted anything. This has been my month for medical appoints--lab work, family practice doc, heart testing, visit to cardiologist. Even took my car for a check up. And then there is all the stuff involved in filing taxes. 

I have made a few cards but not blogged any. 

I am playing along at Doubole Trouble Paper Crafting. They always have a fun challenge.

Thing 1:  Trouble Maker

says, "Did you know that March is National Craft Month? And to keep things interesting, also in March, is a special day set aside for 'Make Your Own Holiday Card'. 

"So let's get crafting... grab your scissors or break out your paper trimmer and dies, and get creative with the supplies in your stash. Go "Make Your Own Holiday Card" and use your creativity to inspire us with your own Custom 3-2-1 Recipe. Then tell us what items you picked from your stash for the ingredients in the quantities of 3 and 2. The quantity of 1 can be anything else from your stash.  

I went back to check their blog and see it says make a Holiday Card. So okay, let's call this one a Summer Holiday card to celebrate the butterflies return.

The butterfly E/F is unlabeled. The 3 butterflies are from an Ephemera Pack by Simple Stories. The 2 strips of lace were white so I used Tim Holtz Tea Die ink to antique them. I also used the ink to shade around the edge of the card. One  label is a die cut from SU as well as the sentiment. For some added interest, I put it on at a tilt..NOT! I actually got the stamp a little bit off straight so I put the label at a tilt thinking you won't notice. Was that a good save?  To represent the 3 little flowers, I added black Nuvo drops.

Thing 2 is use the sketch from Try Stampin On Tuesday

Thing 3 is to also upload the post to Try Stqampin' on Tuesday

Since this week is embossing on the I.D.E.A. creative plan  by Darnell I will add it to her blog as well.

And just because thy are fun to look at here are the photos on Double Trouble Paper Crafting

                          

Ferns

Let us take a hike through the forest in early spring and enjoy all the new undergrowth of ferns with  papers from Stampin' UP! Otterly Adorable DSP.

The blue watery paper is from the same set. The sentiment and leaves and ferns  are retired from SU. You have to search in the leafy design to see I have added some iridescent gems

Linking this up with Just Us Girls die week and birthday cards.

Also linking to djkardkreations because die cuts are week 2 of Darnell's I.D.E.A.inspiration

Frogs

 In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I am using a fun Old Irish Toast.

The background check paper is from SU! To add texture, I used a checked Darius embossing folder on it. The sentiment has a black mat. 2 frogs are from Poppy Stamps. I found a green button in my stash and tied it with twine and attached with a large glue dot.

I've used the sketch from  Sketch Saturday with the option of including a button.

Also sharing with Can You Handle The Pressure  with the theme of lucky or St. Patricks

And Send A Smile 4 Kids challenge to use animals. I think the kids will get a chuckle about frogs in underpants 

Masculine Birthday

 A gentlemen in my church is having a 96th birthday next week. He is in assisted living. We are doing a card shower for him. This is my card. The picture reminds me of Melvin sitting in his chair reading the newspaper.

The background is Timeless Plaid from SU. The darker checks is the backside of the blue plaid.  The man is a Google clip art. The sentiment is an old unlabeled one. I punched out 3 cirlcles from copper metallic paper.

Inside I did a computer sentiment and added a strip of the brown check and 2 more copper circles.

I am submitting this to Cardz 4 Guyz challenge to use this sketch

Bright Birthday

 Spring has arrived in my craft room. This is the second day in a row I have made a spring floral birthday card. Don't we all love flowers and embellishments?

I am playing with Cardz 4 Galz challenge #244: Embellishments. Thanks to them for picking my card as the spotlight winner in the last challenge.

Today's card:

I used a yellow floral vellum from the Floral Delight Suite as the background.. I attached the vellum to a piece of white card stock so it would show better on the Daffodil Delight card base. Strips of green stripe across the bottom and top give me a place to anchor the vellum to the white card stock. The flower is a Memory Box die. I cut a green one and then a yellow one and paper pieced the yellow on top. I shaded the flowers to make them stand out. I put mini dimensionals behind the two larger flowers and glued the stems in place  The sentiment is an old one rom SU! I backed it with a strip of yellow print and the green stripe.

I finished it off with 3 iridescent gems above the middle flower. They don't show up much in the photo but IRL the really glisten.

Floral Birthday

Making a birthday card to celebrate Time Out Challenges 11th birthday. This challenge is to CASE the designer Donna Mikasa of Three Umbrellas Blog. Go check out her blog, she is super creative.

Here is her creation to CASE

I am using Stampin' Up!'s DSPs Floral Delight and Serene Love. One of the Serene Love papers has large flowers all over it. I have fussy cut them to use as accents. The center flower is popped up on foam squares.

The sentiment is an old one from SU.

Inside I did a computer message and accented with 2 more flowers.

And oh there will be a prize. More motivation to play along.

Study in Blues

 Today I am playing with a sketch from Sketch Saturday

The blue gingham is a vellum in the Delightful Wishes bundle. The dots and flowers are from the Serene Love online exclusive offer. One page of this paper has bunches of the big flowers. I fussy cut them. The small accent lower right is in blue glitter paper. The sentiment is also SU, stamped and fussy cut.

Inside, I have a computer made sentiment and a large single flower from the DSP

While I had these papers out, I made another card with 2 sets of the cut out flowers. This sentiment is an old one from SU!