Thank You

I love to make cards when my heart inspires them.  Yes, you guessed it, I did make this card to send to my friend Jan at Papercraft Pleasures.  I used some of the Crafty Secrets items she sent me.  I used the lay out from Just Us Girls on the outside and I was inspired by the Accucut shadow boxes  to make this into my own  fancy shadow box.  I was also inspired by Jerri Jiminez at  A touch of Grace who has demonstrated  Parchment Craft on her site.  This is not Parchment Craft, I used vellum paper and embossed it by hand.  Card stock is Bazzill and Paper and More  Blush Pink Vellum.  Inside of card is Graphics 45, brides to babies.   I used Crafty Secrets French Labels on the front and Fond Recollections inside the card. I used Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Pendant Shapeabilities to make my cut out.  I used Ranger's Tim Holtz Distress Ink worn lipstick and over that I applied Distress Ink Tea Dye. And I embossed with Stampin Up Big Shot Texturz Plate Perfect Details. The antique lace is from my garage sale stash. 

This is the Just Us Girls Saturday Challenge sketch I used, they are a fun group and offer  a different challenge every week.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Amazing RAK from my friend Jan!

  My friend Jan at Papercraft Pleasures said she was sending me a "few" Crafty Secrets stickers.  This is way more than a few stickers, and not just stickers either!  She sent Stickers, Vintage Cuts, Vintage Booklets and the Homespun Cotton Scraps!  This is way beyond generous my dear friend!  I could barely get it all in the photo!  I had to fan it out so you could see all the different packs.   Jan, I am just blown away, totally speechless!   I can't believe your generosity!  Thank you so much, I really don't deserve your kindness.  I will do my best to find a way to reciprocate, but you have set the standard extremely high!   My most sincere thanks for this generous and thoughtful RAK.  ~Diane

It's our husbands, ha ha

This card won the challenge at Tellens Place along with a $10.00 Gift Certificate to spend at  Quixotic Paperie, Whoo Hoo!
 I made this card with one of the Diva images from Tellens Place.   The sentiment is from a card I saw 15 years ago when the book I'm OK You're OK was popular, and the sentiment still cracks me up.   The layout is from the Tellens Place Challenge.  I actually planned this out for a few different challenges.  The Order of Opus Gluei wants to see sparkles.  I hope you can see the glitter in the card stock and I used it for trim and my jewels are very sparkly also.  Practical Scrappers wants to help us use up the supplies we have, this week it is markers.  I used my Stampin Up markers, Copic, and Spica Atyou ( for the table glitter, ) and I almost forgot the Souffle 3D ink!  Something Completely Different uses letters of the alphabet for inspiration, this week the letter is W,  I am using it for Women.  And Stamp Something has challenged us to use the color pink.  Wow, that's a lot of challenges for me!  The Digi image is from Tellens Place.  The paper is DCWV The Sweet Stack, markers are Stampin Up,  Copic skin tone marker and Copic Spica Atyou glitter markers.  I used both the Spellbinders Petite Ovals Nestabilities and Classic Ovals Nestabilities.   Glitter, jewels and ribbon all from JoAnns.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Happy 60th Birthday card

I am entering this card into the Creative Card Crew Challenge Vintage / Aged and also the Allsorts Challenge which is to use NO designer paper.
My friend Peggy asked me to make a special card for her friend Anita who is celebrating her 60th Birthday on Saturday.  They both love playing the piano so she asked me to do a piano pop up card.  I thought something vintage would be fun.  I am not very tech savvy so I am proud of some new techniques I learned this weekend.  I cropped and erased the images that went with this piano in Paint, which I am just now learning.  When I printed my image I accidentally chose to print it with the black ink cartridge only, thinking that would make the piano nice and dark.  Instead, it produced a shadow image which I thought would look great when I printed the sheet music over it.  I think that's my favorite part of this card! 

I used Stampin Up Big Shot Texturz Plate Perfect Details along with Liquid Pearls on the pink card stock.  For the blue I used
Stampin Up Big Shot Texturz Plate Backgrounds #1 and
Ranger's Tim Holtz Distress Ink Tea Dye all throughout the card.  The image on the front and inside are from 864 Humorous Cuts from the 20's and 30's, selected and arranged by Carol Belanger Grafton, a book I purchased from Dover Publications. I erased the words in the image and added the Birthday greeting then framed it with Flower Soft.  I cut my shapes with Spellbinders Labels 8 Nestabilities.  I used We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper 1/4" & 1/2" to round the corners.  This worked wonderful for getting through all those layers of card stock.  I colored my images with my lone Copic skin tone marker and Prismacolor pencils.  I added a little Studio G glitter glue to the floral dress and the piano keys.  I sprayed the piano and bench with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Wheatfields for some glisten and I also used Stampin Up Crystal Effects to give the piano that high gloss finish and some dimensionality.  I found the free sheet music to Happy Birthday at www.8notes.com and added some ribbon under the music.  I hope Peggy and Anita both enjoy this.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Lady in Blue

I chose this lovely lady for the Play Date Cafe Creativity Challenge #23 hosted by Sarah Anderson.  This is a beautiful choice of colors.

This image is from a wonderful site called Vintage Holiday Crafts.  There are a ton of beautiful vintage items there.  This is a gift card tin, slender enough to hold a gift card, business cards or a few credit cards.  I have more in the post below.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Vintage gift card tins.

Here are more of the Vintage tins.

These cute little vintage card tins were so much fun to make.  I made one out of a more modern print for my daughters birthday.  Everyone loved it, so I went back and grabbed more tins and went crazy with this collection of lovely vintage ladies.  I found them and much more at a wonderful site called Vintage Holiday Crafts.  I just re-sized them in Word to fit the tins.   They are just big enough to hold a gift card or some credit cards.  I printed them on some crack and peel Mactac that I salvaged when the in house print shop at work closed.  I love this kind of recycling.   It is somewhat yellowed with age, perfect for this application.  I found the gift card cases on sale at Meijers.  Happy Easter and thanks for looking, ~Diane

Published in Ready, Set, Create April May issue

The new April/May issue of Ready, Set, Create is here!  Go grab a copy for yourself, it's full of inspiration!

 I have a new card I can share with you that was published in last month's Ready, Set, Create.  It was a special card I made for my friend Jan at Papercraft Pleasures.    You have to buy the April/May issue to see my latest card, or wait until next month.

Thank You
from the February/March issue of Ready, Set, Create.
Supplies
Spellbinders Labels 8 Nestabilities, Spellbinders
Impressabilities Tulips, Stampin Up Certainly
Celery card stock, clear polyester sheet, Wausau white, Versa Magic Aloe Vera chalk
ink applied with a brayer to the Impressability
and then run through the Wizard. The
Stampin Up Wonderful Wings dragonfly was
stamped with Stazon White, trimmed in gold leafing
pen and colored with Pearl Ex chalks. Sentiment
Stampin Up Warmest Regards, ribbon and
buttons are from the Dollar Store.  I'll be back later today to show you what I have been working on.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Runway Birthday Party Card

This is a fun card for a Birthday Party with a Runway Model's theme.  This was so easy to make, I used Stampin Up card stock for the Pink and Purple.  I embossed the Pink with a Sizzix Texture Plate that has lipstick, shoes and purses.  I used my Spellbinders Deckled Mega Rectangles Nestabilities on a piece of shiny metallic card stock to give the impression of a full length mirror.  I made the hanger from bendable jewelry wire.    The fancy ribbon boa comes from stash from my friend  Terry at Tellens Place.  The party invitation was printed on my computer and I inked up a swirl to stamp over it.  The shoes were cut on my Cricut Plantin Schoolbook.  I cut the letter N, turned it upside down and cut off the upward stroke.  I then cut a little curve and added a rhinestone and voila, I have shoes.  Thanks for looking.  ~Diane

Vintage Shadowbox for Mum

These card photo's will return 30 days after publication in the April issue.  

Visit Scrapbook News and Review for more exciting cards and inspiration.

I am so excited to share this with you!  This was such a thrill to work on too.  My friend Jan at Papercraft Pleasures gave me one of her Accucut Die cuts to work with.  This Shadow Box is such a gorgeous lay out to work with.  Sorry if I am showing off with all my pictures, but I had to get you all the views, there are so many views to see!  The Paper is my favorite Graphics 45, it has such a romantic feel to it.  The photo's are from
Dover Electronic Clip Art - Victorian Fashion Accessories, this is the first time I have used any of the images.  I used the Sepia tones to print them out in Word, to give them more of a Vintage look.   The cameo charm is from Blue Moon's Madame Delphines Collection.  I used Ranger's Tim Holtz Distress Ink  in Tea Dye to age all the edges and the white satin ribbon.  I cut the letters with Cricut Plantin Schoolbook.   The garden image is from an old garden book on Victory Gardens, mixing Era's just a little.  The lace trims are the stash of hand crocheted I bought a while back, they were old so they needed no aging.  The pearls are from JoAnns.  Thank you Jan for the opportunity to work with this lovely Accucut Die Cut, and as always, thanks for looking, ~Diane 

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

Wilhelmina Marie

Beautiful Wilhelminamarie is a digi stamp my friend Kristen made.  The minute I saw her I fell in love with her.  Kristen has many more sweet digi's available at her site, Kahwinkedink.  You can stop by her blog Kards and Klay and see the many beautiful cards she has there.  And this digi is FREE, just stop by her blog and snag her, she's near the bottom of the page!   It's Kards and Klay, and be sure to leave her a sweet message.

I made this card for a challenge at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps at SNR Universe.  The challenge is to use buttons, and there is a free digi image involved, but you must submit your card today!  

Sweet 'n Sassy also has a store where she too has beautiful digi's.  After all, we can never have too many digi's can we?

This is a 5 x 7 card, I used Stampin Up kraft and Patterns 3 dp and Core'dinations cs.  I embossed the Core'dinations with Cuttlebug 5 x 7 Embossing folder - Plum Blossoms.  I used the Spellbinders Deckled Mega Rectangles Nestabilities also.  The 2 miniature buttons are from my stash.  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Cuttlebug Kimiko Geisha's

 

I made the Geisha's on this card with my new Cuttlebug 5 x 7 Emboss Folders and some wonderful foil cardstock, I love how you can see the reflection in the picture.  The Giesha'a are from the Kimiko folder.  I embossed and debossed so that I have 2 images facing different directions.  This was quite easy, I folded the foiled card stock in 1/2 so the shiny side was facing front and back.  After I embossed them in the blue foil I cut them out.  Then I ran double scraps of white card stock through for the heads and hands, which I also colored, cut out, then glued on.  The lovely dragon is from the Cricut Pagoda cartridge I received for Christmas and haven't used yet!  I cut this at 2 1/2 in the gold and red foils.  I also used the Cuttlebug A2 Japanese Scales to give the dragon more texture, and the Cuttlebug 5 x 7 Oriental Weave on the Wausau Copper card stock.   This card is for the Practical Scrappers Die Cut Challenge.   Which works out well, because they encourage us to use what we have, and I bought these earrings at least 1 year ago!  I used both my Cricut and Cuttlebug folders to make this.

 I thought it would be fun to share a picture of my embellishments, the silver fans I used.  These were inexpensive earrings that I cut up and glued on to the card.  I found my earings and foil card stock  at my local Dollar Treasure.  By the way, I absolutely love the new 5 x 7 folders from Cuttlebug!  Thanks for looking, ~Diane

Edith Mayfly

My friend Kristen of Kards and Klay has some fab new digi images, this one is Edith Mayfly.  Edith got her sweet name in a contest "name the digi", that Cheri, at The Paper Freak won.  Kristen will be offering free images on her blog in the future.   Be sure to stop by and see what she is making, she is a prolific card crafter!  I just had to Google "prolific" and make sure I was using the right word.  Here's the definition: 1. producing offspring, young, fruit, etc., abundantly; highly fruitful: a prolific pear tree. 2. producing in large quantities or with great frequency;   Yep, that sounds right, that is Kristen to a T!  She also has a shop Kahwinkedink, where you can buy some of her images.

I used card stock from DCWV The Sweet Stack, and some pink vellum.  I also used some Studio g glitter glue on the wings and the Cuttlebug embossing folder Mandarin Screen.  Thanks for looking,  ~Diane

WHISPERING

I titled this post whispering, I believe the reason these fine ladies are whispering is because they obviously can't breathe!  Look how tiny those waists are!  Aren't you so glad we don't have to wear corsets?  I found this wonderful image at Vintage Holiday Crafts.  I used a new Spellbinder technique I learned from Sherry Cheever's Walkin on the Bad Side blog.  Sherry is a Designer for Spellbinder.  There is a video on both blogs, Sherry's and the Spellbinders blog to show you how you can do this.  Along with another technique on how to reverse it, and use your negatives, I love to conserve paper! 

I made this "Vintage" image for the challenge at Busy Little Hands.  I think you can see the layers pretty good from the picture, there is a large piece of dimensional foam between each of the 5 layers.  I did a bit of my own take on Sherry's technique, since I am using faces, not flowers.  I chose to use the Spellbinder Petite Oval to frame the ladies faces and the Scalloped Petite Ovals to pick up on the ruffled theme of the dresses.  I added the different shape of the Labels 8 to the last layer to pick up all of the background in the picture.  I used the Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Coffee Shop to feather off the edges, the image actually ended about 1/4" below the Labels 8 frame.  The DP is Melissa Frances, 2 different ribbons from JoAnns, I sewed (by hand again) through both layers this time.  The sweet little 4 leaf clovers are actually real pressed clovers from my blog candy stash from Alison at Stretch N Bubbles.  By the way, this is a 5 x 7 card like most of my cards are.  Thanks for looking.  ~Diane

Thank you Gwen, this card won the challenge over at Busy Little Hands!

Bubble Bath Libby

Bubble Bath Libby, is one of my favorite digi images, she is made by Alison, of Stretch N Bubbles.  So when I saw the colors over at the Play Date Cafe, I knew right away I wanted to make something with her.  This is a first for me, but she is actually going to make it into FIVE challenges.  Whew!  I find this very exciting.  2 Red Bananas has a Banana Split Sunday Challenge "Think Round".  The Sketch layout comes from Stampin For the Weekend, and I will be using this sketch again, I really like it.  And also for Corrosive Challenges by Janet, lets go Digi, and Stretch N Bubbles is a sponsor there this month.  Practical Scrappers is looking for something embossed.  On to the recipe.  I used Bubble Bath Libby digi image, Tempting Turquoise, a paint sample, Very Vanilla and some of my foiled cardstock from my stash.  I embossed it with Cuttlebug Swiss dots and Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls Embossing Folders I won from my friend Mona at Cupcakes Creations (stop by, she is a fantastic papercrafter!)  I also used my Spellbinders ImpressabilitiesCircles, I was really trying to keep that bubbly theme going.  The sentiment was computer generated, I used some pop dots to lift the sentiment up off the card a little.  I used my atyou Spica sky blue glitter marker pen to trace the bubbles, then I painted the bubbles and the tub with Close to my Heart Create a shade paint Pearl and then I used Stampin Up Crystal effects to add some dimension to the bubbles.

 Thanks for looking.  ~Diane

GOTCHA!

 

I made this fun little Valentine using the sketch Michelle provided for the Tellens Place challenge.  I also used one of the free digital images Terry so generously gives out.  Stop by her site and see whats going on, it's always fun.  This one is not my usual 5 x 7, it is 4 1/2 x 5.  Actually it started out as a 5 x 7, because I was working off a sketch I made in my notebook of what it should look like.  I was not sure about something so I checked back and realized my dimensions were way off!  So I cut away the excess to make it look more like the sketch.

I used my Spellbinders Petite Ovals, and the card stock is DCWV.  I colored it in with my Stampin Up markers, and I used a Copic for the skin color.  I also used my new atyou Spica sky blue glitter marker pen.  I have heard everyone talk about these, I found this one at my LCS on sale so I gave it a try.  I do like it, I don't know if the camera picked it up, but it has a little glitter in the ink, kind of sparkly.  It is the darker blue I used for the trim, belt and boots.  I found the wooden Gotcha! sentiment in the childrens craft section of JoAnns.  Well this was fun, these challenges are really inspiring.  Thanks for looking.  ~Diane

 

Just Us Girls Challenge # 16 Valentine

When I saw these colors over at the Just Us Girls Challenge I knew exactly what I wanted to make!  I have to say that is a really good feeling, especially since I was experiencing a little bit of a creative block the last few weeks.  I am so glad that is over and now I have a ton of ideas swimming around in my head again!  For this Valentine I used Stampin Up Very Vanilla, Core'dinations for the Burgundy, an unknown Gray cardstock and a paper flower for the Blush.  The awesome image that had all of these same colors in it came from Artfreebies.  Jeanette and June have some beautiful Vintage images there that they so graciously share with anyone who would like to stop by.

I embossed the gray card stock with my Spellbinders Impressabilities Flourish.  I should mention that 98% of my cards are all 5" x 7" including this one.  In order to get the Impressabilitie to emboss the full 5 x 7 without border lines,  I had to trim the edge off of 1 end with scissors. At first I hated doing  this, I felt like I was breaking one of my tools on purpose!  But over at the Spellbinders site they often cut pieces out of the Impressabilitie's for many different decorative designs and uses.  Once cut I then embossed 1/2 of the gray cardstock, then turned it so the already embossed portion was left sticking out as I sent it through my Wizard a second time.  I used a Stampin Spot in Bravo Burgundy to lightly highlight the flourishes and edges of the gray card stock.  The key and heart embellishments were found in the jewelery section at JoAnns.  I cut the heart out with Cricut Plantin Schoolbook, then embossed it with the Cuttlebug Swiss dots, embossing folder.
The Valentine sentiment was printed with my computer on to vellum.  I really enjoyed making this card and playing along with the challenge.  Thanks for looking.  ~Diane