Happy St. Patricks Day

I made this sweet 5 x 7 card for the Crafty Secrets and Heartwarming Vintage challenge at Paper Craft Planet.  I needed to use a Crafty Secrets image, this sweet St.Patrick's Day image is available for free at the Crafty Secrets blog, along with a lot of inspiration.  The challenge also called for flowers, I made these with Flower Soft on green wires.  It also calls for it to be CAS, clean and simple.  I originally made it with a large green button poised where the bouquet sits.  Then it hit me a little later in the day, there were supposed to be flowers!  So I took the button off and replaced it with this bouquet, sorry if it's not too simple.  I took a Valentine Doily and fashioned it to look similar to her bouquet.  The paper was printed at Free Vintage Flower Art Scrapbook Paper, the green was a different shade so I used some Kelly Green ink and sponged it to get this color. I used a MS punch, some dimensionals, and two ribbons from my stash.    I am also entering this in the Cupcake Craft Challenge Going Green, and for A Spoonful of Sugar, because they are looking for something recycled.  And Raise the Bar, is looking for something Green as in the color green or recycled Green.  I recycled the wrong color paper, the Valentine heart doily and the green wires have been in my stash forever!  I bought them years ago to make silk flowers on an ink pen for my daughters teachers.  And actually the paper I printed the stripes on to was on it's way to a landfill from work. It is a crack and peel paper that prints with an antique look to it, so I recycled that piece twice!  lol.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Who said sparkling frog legs?

This charming frog is a freebie digi image from Kards and Klay - Kahwinkedink.  I had this cute DCWV card stock with the silverware and the glitter and I thought perfect!  The challenge at The Order of Opus Gluei is for green, anything green.  And Kards and Klay  is for a pond theme.  Raise the Bar is also looking for green.  I also wanted to use some of the Meyer Imports Take and Make Glass Glitter - Greens Blend 70 grit.  I used it on the tummy of the frog and on a silk flower.  It is really chunky and lots of fun to work with!  I bought the glitter after Christmas, Meyer Imports was offering free shipping, so I thought I would give it a try, fabulous, so glad I did!  Simple card, not too many ingredients in this recipe, but here goes.  Digi image Kards and Klay - Kahwinkedink card stock DCWV NANA'S Kitchen, Meyer Imports Take and Make Glass Glitter - Greens Blend 70 grit.  Spellbinders Labels 8 Nestabilities and last but certainly not least, Copic atyou Spica glitter marker pen's.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Card Club Swaps

Notice the similarity?  Sorry for boring you but these came out so much nicer than the one I did the other day, I just had to post them.  These are for the Polycraft Challenge 35 distressing.  These are 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 in size and I added a butterfly I punched out of vellum and added glitter to.  I also like the antique embroidered lace, green twill, and beads I added to these.  I punched the side of the card stock and the dp on 1 side only.  I also wanted to mention I found that instead of regular clear embossing powder you can use the thicker glassy glaze.  I also found that after I used the Versamark to adhere the 1st layer of embossing, as long as I moved quickly I could just dump it into the embossing again without re inking.  I used tweezers and kept the surface hot so it would stick to itself.  Product lineup for these cards, Graphics 45 dp, Papertrey Spring Moss twill tape, KLM digi image, Spellbinders Lotus Pendant, Paper and More pink blush vellum, yellow and pink cs from DCWV and Stampin Up Sale-a-brate scallop punch and glassy glaze.  I also used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tea Dye both before I embossed and again after to fill in the cracks.

Tea Anyone?

I made this card for 3 different challenges.  The sketch idea is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday and I used this cute KLM digi stamp which I love!  I also used the Cuttlebug Challenge to Create Glass or Crackled Glass embossed embellishments for your project, this was so much fun to do.  Instructions are at the Cuttlebug site, you have to give this a try!  .  And I thought I would try Embellish Magazine's color combination of green, yellow, pink, peach and 2 borders.

Recipe for this 5 x 5 card is Graphics 45 dp, Papertrey Spring Moss ribbon and bias tape, KLM digi image, Spellbinders Lotus Pendant, Cuttlebug Swiss dots embossing folder,
 Paper and More pink blush vellum, yellow and pink cs from DCWV and Stampin Up Sale-a-brate scallop punch.  Oops, sorry, I neglected to mention I also used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tea Dye.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Mum

I made this card for 3 different challenges, Play Date Cafe for "deep yellow, pale yellow and white".  My Time to Craft "Just for Mum" and A Spoon Full of Sugar "beads".  It is hard to see, but the white and dark yellow card stock both have a shimmery sheen.  The white is Wausau and I don't have the name of the shimmery yellow.  The pale yellow cs is DCWV, the beads are mardi gras beads from Dollar Treasure, except the center bead which is a 1/2 bead from JoAnns.  I used the Spellbinders  New Lotus Pendant Shapeabilities cut twice for the center, and the Deckled Mega Rectangles Nestabilities.  The Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls embossing folder and MUM was cut at 3/4 with the Cricut Plantin Schoolbook.  This is a 5 x 7 card.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

In my Private Garden

This 5 x 7 card was so much fun to make!  I am entering it into the Dutch Dare Card Challenge  called Open The Gate, using a  gate fold card.  I had a chance to use digi images from two of my favorite, and oh so talented artists!  I have elements from all over included in this one!  The darling Chareity Hare and Harey the Hare are from my friend Kristen at Kahwinkedink.  I think they are just so adorable, and they were my inspiration for this card.  The sweet Porch Swing set was made by Alison at Stretch N Bubbles at my request.  You can e mail her a request to make a digi stamp and she will create it for you.  The Shed Doors to my private garden were freebies from GTC's Crafty Corner, I did quite a bit of cutting and altering to get them to open in the center.  The background card stock came from a beautiful painting by Camille Pissarro that I found at Old Photo Album, a wonderful site that offers all sorts of Vintage Digital images.  I took the picture of the painting and loaded it on to Picnik and I applied a fun finish called HDR-ish, which made it look more in line with my digi images, and less like the vintage painting it is.  As I said, this was so much fun to make!  A big thanks to all of the sites that made these items available to me.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane   

Diannie and Andy

 

How cute is this image!  Kristen at KardsandKlay drew this image and named it Diannie and Andy for me!  I just love it.  This is her FREE image this week and she is using it for her Kahwinkedink Challenge.  All you have to do is make something with this image, so go over and snag it for yourself.  I am also going to enter this card in a few more challenges.   The Order of the Opus Gluei is a fun new challenge site looking for ruffles and flourishes. Thank you Rosemary, I scraplifted your ruffled embellishment idea (yours looks better).  Speaking of scraplifting, I got the idea for the Faux Metal Tin Cieling (Stamping with Di) from a tutorial at Papercraft Planet.  I didn't have the right stuff to make it like hers, so mine only looks similar.  Practical Scrappers challenge is for anything stamped, digi, ink, whatever.  They are featuring a new product called Stampee Foil, you will have to check it out, it's really cool!  Saturday Spotlight's challenge is messy or distressed, I hope my tin roof qualifies as distressed.  

I used Diannie and Andy free digi image, silver cs with the Cuttlebug A2  Mandarin Screen embossing folder, then I rubbed the Stazon black ink on it to give it the distressed faux tin look.  Black cs, Stampin Up Patterns pack Designer Series Paper 111, Spellbinders Petite Ovals and I don't have the mfg on the Flourishes stamp.  Flowers and lace are JoAnns, card is 5 x 7.    Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Asian Influence

I made this card for the Order of the Opus Gluei challenge to make something Asian.  I used Core'dinations card stock, along with black, metallic gold and red.  I did the border with the Stampin Up Sale-a-brate scallop trim border  punch.  I cut the lanterns on the Cricut with the Pagoda cartridge at a size 4.  I used the Cuttlebug 5x7 Emboss folder- Bamboo, lightly sanded and painted the leaves with my Niji Pearlescent Watercolor Set.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

A lot of sparkle in my day

What's Glittery, Bright, and full of Bling? 

Look at these beautiful Copic atyou Spica markers I received in the mail today! This 12 piece set came to me courtesy of Colleen at Distinctive Touches.   These were part of a promotion to introduce their newest Copic Regional instructor Jennie Blac.  Colleen, who is a Certified Regional Instructor for Copic markers is a very talented lady with a beautiful blog.  She has a lot of information about Copics that she shares on her blog.  Colleen also teaches in an online classroom called My Creative Classroom.  It is an online arts and crafts learning center.  Their interactive and in-depth courses are instructor led and filled with wonderful projects and techniques to help you get the most out of your supplies.  This spring My Creative Classroom will be offering over 70 courses, including 35 brand new courses.  From the Cricut to Copics to mixed media to rubber stamping to scrapbooking, they have something for everyone.  Thank you Colleen for the Copic atyou Spica markers, I will put them to good use.  Do yourself a favor and stop by Colleens blog and her classroom.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

WHEN CREATIVITY KNOCKS GREAT CRAFTERS TOOL HUNT 2, WHOSE TOOL WILL RULE?

Ana hunted high and low at this year's CHA Winter Show to bring you some of the latest and greatest crafting tools. Ana & Megan visited thirteen manufacturers who were asked to show us what was GREAT about their tool. The catch...they had three minutes to do it...on your mark...get ready...set...go! Now they put them in your hands to vote. Tell us "Who's Tool Will Rule!" Vote & Win! Four lucky voters will win one of these prize packages: Package #1 AMACO's Cloud Clay and Pasta Clay Machine Purple Cows' Freestyle Mouse Spellbinders' Presto Punch Package #2 Clover's Heart Pom Pom Maker Elmer's X-ACTO Retractable Knife Painters Pyramid's Craft-N-Spin Xyron's Creatopia Package #3 Craftwell's e-Craft Midwest Products' Easy Cutter Ultimate Plaid's Glue Gun Helpers Package #4 G.C.D. Studios' Chip Art Tools by Melody Ross McGill's Butterfly Silhouette Punch Viva Décor's Glitz Up! Are You New To The When Creativity Knocks Website? You need to register to login. To login on the WCK site you must answer a simple math problem. (example: 12 - 3 = 9) You will receive an authentication email at the address you registered with. Click the link in the email to enter the site. Then navigate to our Episode Library to view the Tool Hunt videos. To the right of the video screen is a voting area. You may only vote once.

Dates To Remember February 12 The Great Crafter's Tool Hunt 2 voting will open at 12 Noon (PST) February 21 Voting closes at 12 Midnight (PST) February 22 The winning tool will be announced February 23 Four (4) Great Crafter's Tool Hunt 2 Prize Package Winners will be announced! Good Luck Everyone!  I won a very generous prize package from them last year!  I hope you will be the next winner!  Thanks for looking ~ Diane

My card club swap

 

I just love this cute digi image Aimee Josephine from Kahwinkedink so much I had to use her for my card swap last night.  In fact I love her so much, I saved a few extra's for myself.  I am going to enter her into Crazy for Challenges, they are looking for a Valentine.  She makes a cute Valentine, but she could also be a sweet any occasion card.  I used Stampin Up dp for the border and the hearts, Stampin Up Kraft and Ivory cs, I had another beige cs I used also.  The dp ribbon border is from from Briar Press (not a typo, they call it dp ribbon).  The border punch is Martha Stewart lace.  This card is a standard 4 1/4 x 5 1/2, not my standard 5 x 7.  I ran the whole card through my Spellbinder Wizard with the Cuttlebug 5 x 7 embossing folder Plum Blossoms.  I ran the lighter colored cs through with the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls Embossing Folder.  The hearts were cut with Cricut Plantin Schoolbook.  I printed Aimee Josephine on my computer from Word, colored her in and then cut her out and mounted her on to the card front.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

This is Gumble

GUMBLE ROCKS!  HE WON THE CHALLENGE AT  

ORDER OF THE OPUS GLUEI!

Gumble is a free digi image from Stretch n Bubbles.  I love the way he printed out on the paper, it looks like he is holding a pink heart in his cute little hand.  I could not do that again if I tried!  Gumble was free for Alison hitting 100 more followers, she is almost at 300!  She is giving away an image for hitting her milestones on the way to 500, stop by and check out what her design team does with her images, they are fantastic!  And there is a Wednesday freebie there today too!  I am entering Gumble in quite a few challenges.  The Order of Opus Gluei is looking for a Valentine with red white and pink.  

Crazy for Challenges is looking for a Valentine, 

Digital Tuesday Challenge  is All About the Animal's, I don't know if Gumble can qualify as an animal, he looks like a Monster to me? 

Drunken Stampers (great name) wants me to use any kind of metal, like the red metal brad I used for the flower.  

Crafty Cardmakers is looking for anything digital, and keep checking that site, they will soon have a tutorial on how to merge or use 2 digital images together.  I want to learn how to do that!  

I traced Gumble with my Zig glue pen then added some black glitter and some googly eyes.  I used some pop dots to lift him off the paper.  The heart was cut with my Cricut Plantin Schoolbook, the patterned paper is from DCWV, the background stitched paper was purchased 5 years ago from Costco, sorry I don't know the mfg.  Computer sentiment trimmed with the new Stampin Up Punch.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane  

Spellbinders Kleenex Box

 

This is a Kleenex box I made for the Spellbinders contest.  I did not make it in this year, but I will try again next year.  I need to grow more in my card making, and I know that.  This will make a perfect gift for a girlfriend who has been ill.  I took apart a Kleenex box and traced it on to the back of this pretty red foiled card stock.   I made all the folds using a ruler, and put it back together again.  I decorated it with a lot of my Spellbinders products.    I used the Spellbinders Impressabilities Flourish to emboss the box itself.  The Spellbinders Petite Oval Scalloped was used to make the hole in the top.  I taped a baggie inside the hole firmly on all 4 sides of the opening, then I cut a slit in it just like the original Kleenex box had.  The edges are decorated with Spellbinders Grand 12" Classic Lace Border and silver foil card stock.  I also used the smaller inside piece of the Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Pendant Shapeabilities to decorate the 4 sides.  I love how the foiled card stock takes to the Spellbinders dies.  If you go to the Spellbinders blog you will see some of their work with the Spellbinders foil which is much sturdier than my card stock.  I think my friend Peggy will like this.  Thanks for looking.  ~Diane

Aimee Josephine

 

Aimee Josephine comes from the Kahwinkedink Primitive line of digi stamps.  I don't know if I did her justice, I maybe should have aged her a bit, to keep with the primitive influence.  The lovely border background came from Briar Press, it is called a button border.  It reminded me of a primitive art necklace which is why I chose to use it here.  I printed it out on the aqua cs and then cut it out and mounted it to the Core'dinations red cs that I embossed with the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls Embossing Folder.  I printed Aimee Josephine on white cs and then colored her in.  I used my Spellbinders Petite Ovals to cut her out.  I made 2 copies of my digi image, I experimented and colored in the first one, then cut her out and used her as a mask.  I used some of the Zig, 2 way glue, let it dry so it would be re-positionable and mounted 1 image on top of the other so I could use the Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Turquoise Blue.  I really love that glimmer mist!  If you would like to see more of Aimee Josephine stop by Kards and Klay, you will see more of her there.  I am going to enter her in the Color Chef challenge, red, blue and white.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane