Spectacular Spectacles Challenge - Moxy Fab World

Good morning all! I'm so excited to show you this card I made for the Moxy Fab World's Spectacular Spectacles Challenge. The challenge is to use spectacles (eyeglasses) in an innovative way.  I have been suffering from a bout of insomnia the last couple of nights, and I came up with this idea while lying awake in bed at 3am. (Might as well use that time productively! LOL!)

and the inside of the card:

I paper pieced the alligator, heat embossed the "L8R", then stamped and cut out the specs with an exacto knife. I used three different stamp sets from Paper Smooches: Zoo Crew (alligator, leaf and L8R); Get Outta Town (glasses); and Metropolis (miss you). The C U stickers are from Colorbok, card stock is Bazzill and The Paper Company, and the green dot paper is from DCWV.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your Friday is fabulous!

See you later alligator!

Chris ☺

You're more like your parents....

Well, today is a very rainy day out here on the east coast. I'm not complaining - we needed the rain. We just didn't get the thunder storms that they were predicting...sigh. (I love thunder storms)

Anyway, here is a card I made for the Freshly Made sketch challenge #31.

Here is the sketch:

This is a fun sketch, and very versatile. I actually made two cards last night using this sketch, but the other card will have be for another post. This card will be sent to my other sister for her birthday.

Here's my supplies:
card stock: The Paper Co.
PP: Echo Park - Times & Seasons
Stamps: Inkadinkado
Ink: Tsukineko; Clear Snap
Ribbon: May Arts (LOVE this color ribbon! It's so silky!)
Markers: Marvy Uchida
Accessories: Grand Calibur and dies by Spellbinders; corner rounder; rhinestones by Colorbok
Adhesive: S.A. by 3L; Tombow; Glue Dots

One of my goals is to some day take a copics class and learn how to color better. But that's an investment I'm just not ready to commit to yet! It's on the bucket list.

I'm still trying to get used to this new Blogger change. Not sure I'm liking it. But to quote one of my favorites:    
"If nothing changed, there would be no butterflies".

Thanks for stopping by. Have a happy Sunday!

Chris ☺

You're only young once....

Hi all! Hope that your weekend started off fabulously! We had a gorgeous day today so I spent most of it outside.

This card I'm entering in the Mojo Monday's # 237 challenge and for the Ribbon Carousel Challenge RCC49.

Here are the challenges:

I used bright card stock for the entire card (no patterned paper!) Very strange! The balloon stamps are from Unity, the little ol' lady and sentiment from Inkadinkado. I colored her with Marvy Uchida markers and added Doodlebug baker's twine. Sorry to say I've no idea who the alpha stickers are from.

As for the recipient of this card? There may be a certain sister this will be sent to! Just sayin!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great rest of the weekend!

Chris ☺

Sweet Sunday Sketch #156

Good Morning all! I hope that your day is going well. I was up in the craft cave last night making some more goodies. This is for the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge #156.

I did a couple new techniques (for me) on this card: heat embossing and rolled roses. I do believe that the heat embossing is addicting! I used felt and die cut the rose using a Die-namics die from MFT Stamps. I like how it turned out using the felt. I'm becoming something of a stamp hoarder, but with all the stamps I have, I don't have any that actually say 'Happy Mother's Day'. (or Happy Father's Day for that matter...) Go figure! I'll have to remedy that soon!

Here's the sketch this card is based on:

I used some older paper from DCWV (floral) and HOTP (green swirls). The pink and taupe ribbon I won from May Arts; stamps are from Paper Smooches and Hero Arts; flowers are from my stash. And of coarse, I used my Grand Calibur for the oval die cut. (one of the best toys I've purchased, if you ask me! ☺)

This card I'm sending to my Mom for Mother's Day. She's my greatest hero! ♥

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Chris ☺

Opposites Attract!

Hi there. This is my second post tonight. I was on a roll making cards and this one, I may have broken a personal record in creating a card. I swear I got this one done in under 10 minutes! I really have to make CAS cards more often! LOL!

I'm entering this card for CAS-ual Fridays CFC#48 challenge, and also for Unity Stamp's Friends with Flair challenge.

The challenge was to make a card using opposite colors on the color wheel. I used yellow and purple.

I also tried out a new technique on this card. (at least it's new to me - heat embossing) Woo hoo! I picked up a heat gun and some black embossing powder over the weekend and this is my first try at it. I only used it on the "shine" stamp. I predict that this is gonna be really addictive; I may have to attend a 'paper crafters anonymous' meeting or something in the future. ☺ I used stamps from Unity's April KOM, black ink by Tsukineko, purple ink by Hampton Art and I colored the stars with a yellow marker from Marvy Uchida. The card stock is Bazzill.

Hope you enjoyed my card! Thanks for stopping by!

Chris ☺

When Pigs Fly....

Hi all! Hope that you are having a great evening. I got to go to my happy place (a.k.a. my craft cave) today and make some more goodies. Check it:

I made this for the I Spy Sketch ISSC11.

the inside:

Here is the sketch:

I love this collection from G45! I think it's my favorite so far from them. Flying. Pigs. Awesome!!!! I made this for my girl Liz, who collects all things pigs!

Here's the supply list:

card base by K&co.
card stock: The Paper Co. (black); Core'dinations (tan)
patterned paper: Graphic 45 (Olde Curiosity Shoppe)
stamp: Unity Stamps
ink: Tsukineko; Clear Snap
adhesives: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L
Ribbon: May Arts
accessories: Grand Calibur; musical flourish embossing folder by Cuttlebug

Thanks for stopping by!

Chris ☺

Happiness is....

Good Morning all! I'm going it again: waiting until the last minute to post something for a challenge. I really need to get it together!

I created this card for My Favorite Thing's WSC #67.

I was also going to enter it for CAS-ual Fridays current challenge, but this card is in no way clean and simple! Oh well!

Here's my supply list:
card stock: DCWV; The Paper Co.
PP: Webster's Pages (Trend Setter)
Stamps: Totally Stampalicious!
ink: Tsukineko; Clear Snap
Markers: Marvy Uchida
accessories: corner rounder; border strips by Bazzill; metal dots by Colorbok

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Have a great day!

Chris ☺

Ribbon Carousel Challenge #48

Hey all! It's been a gorgeous day today and even though I spent a chunk of it cleaning and crafting, I still got to sit out on the deck with a glass of wine and enjoy the evening!

I made this card for the Ribbon Carousel Challenge # 48.

And the sketch:

I got on the band wagon and used a silhouette stamp from Paper Smooches. Gotta say, I lurve it!

Here is my supply list:

card stock: Bazzill and DCWV
Patterned Paper: DCWV
Stamps: Paper Smooches
Ink: Tsukineko; Clear Snap
Ribbon: Offray
Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L
Accessories: Grand Calibur and dies from Spellbinders; pearls by Creative Charms

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think, I read them all!

Chris ☺

Change your view!

Hello again, it's post number 2 tonight. I was on a roll this evening. I made this card for two challenges: Freshly Made sketches #30 and Color Throwdown #187.

Here are the challenges:

I flipped the sketch on it's side and went from there. I was playing with Paper Smooches stamps again! Love the colors in this challenge.

Here's the supply list:
card stock and patterned paper: DCWV
Stamps: Paper Smooches
ink: Tsukineko; Clear Snap
punch: EK Success
markers: Marvy Uchida
accessories: Grand Calibur; dies by Spellbinders; Cuttlebug embossing folder (swiss dot)
adhesives: Tombow; Scrapbook adhesives by 3L (foam squares)

It's way past my bedtime, so I'm off to bed now. Have a great rest of the weekend!

Chris ☺

Go to your Happy Place!

Hi all! I hope that you are having a great weekend so far. One of my sisters and her son came out for a visit this past week for Easter. Loved having them here! It's so much more fun razzing each other in person than over the phone! LOL!

I was working on the below card for the Mojo Monday challenge #236. So as I'm working on the card, my neighbor is trying to mow his yard, but the mower keeps dying on him. (side note: he spent some money last year having it repaired.) After about a half hour, he puts the mower away. Then I hear a bunch of loud banging coming from his basement. I'm not sure if he was killing the mower or hitting his head against the wall repeatedly! LOL! After that, he got in his car and drove off. I haven't seen him since. True story. ☺

Aaaannnnyyyywwwaaayyy, here is the card I made:

Just so you all know, I hand stitched this card using my handy dandy Sew Easy by We R Memory Keepers. (I do own a sewing machine, but it hasn't seen the light of day in quite a few years. Plus, I'm not entirely sure it even works.) I love the look of stitching on cards, but since I have to do it by hand, I only do it every once in a blue moon.

Here's the sketch:

It was a lot of fun making this card, but you probably won't be seeing stitching on my cards again anytime soon.

Here is the supply list:
card stock: Bazzill; DCWV
patterned paper: Heidi Grace Designs (fish); K&Co. (yellow floral); orange from scraps
markers: Marvy Uchida
stamps: Paper Smooches
ink: Tsukineko
Twine: Doodlebug Designs
adhesive: Tombow; Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L
accessories: Grand Calibur; dies by Spellbinder; floss by DMC; Sew Easy by We R Memory Keepers; decorative scissors by Provo Craft

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great rest of the weekend!

Chris ☺

Freshly Made Sketch #29

Happy Saturday! It's a gorgeous day here in MD, though a bit windy. It's not stopping anyone from being outside working on their lawns and flower beds!

This card I made using the Freshly Made Sketch #29.

Here's the sketch:

I've been wanting to use this sheep stamp for a while to make a punny birthday card. It came out ok, but I'm not happy with my stamping (I'll blame it on the wine I was drinking. Yeah! Yeah!)

Here's the supplies:
card stock: WeRMK (beige); The Paper Co. (black)
patterned paper: We R Memory Keepers - Family Keepsakes
stamps: My Cute Stamps (sheep); Paper Smooches (happy); Fiskars (birthday); Studio G (two ewe!)
ink: Tsukineko; Clear Snap
adhesive: Tombow

Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for stopping by and have a Happy Easter!

Chris ☺

Mojo Monday #235

Happy Tuesday all! I cranked out a card in the afternoon instead of at night to get better lighting when I photograph it. Only took me a few months to figure that one out. DOH! Aaaaannnnyyyywwwaaayyy, here's the card I created for Mojo Monday challenge #235.

and the inside of the card. Does anyone else feel like the card isn't complete if the inside isn't done also?

...the sketch:

I was fortunate to be one of the lucky winners from Graphic 45 when winter CHA was happening. I won the Olde Curiosity Shoppe collection and this is what I used for this card. (If you have this collection, isn't it FABULOUS!? Even though I didn't use it on this card, my favorite is the "when pigs fly" patterned paper!) I used Unity Stamps - She flies with her own wings set on the front, and the shine stamp out of the March KOM. I wanted to use the chipboard butterfly/flower (look closely at it: is it a butterfly or a flower?!), and the She flies set went perfect with it, I thought.

Here's my supplies list:
card stock: Bazzill
pp & chipboard: Olde Curiosity Shoppe by G45
stamps: Unity Stamps
ink: Tsukineko; Clear Snap
accessories: Grand Calibur; Spellbinders dies; black dots (I've no idea who these are from!)

As always, another great sketch from Mojo Monday. Thanks for stopping by!

Chris ☺

A rose by any other name....

Ok, I know, corny title. But I was trying out a couple things with the below card that I've never tried before: string art, and paper roses. Here it is:

I'm entering this for the Color Throwdown CTD185. Here's the inspiration:

I've been wanting to try the string art and incorporate it into a card for a while now and I knew this challenge was it! Also, I broke out a new die that I got but never used, until now. It's the rolled rose Die-namics from My Favorite Things stamps. First try with a rolled flower die and I think it turned out Ok. When the hot glue dried, I dampened the edges and rolled them back a bit so they looked more realistic. (don't have a water spritzer so I used my fingers - it worked fine!)  I popped a Prima pearl in the center because it wasn't tight enough. If anyone knows a trick to making a tiny center please let me know.

I love to try things that are outside my comfort zone and I think this card came out pretty much the way I planned it to. (probably better! LOL!)

Here are my supplies:
card stock: Bazzill; The Paper Co.
patterned paper: Echo Park (Dots & Stripes Metro) and DCWV (Mariposa)
stamp: Hero Arts
Ink: Tsukineko
adhesive: Tombow; Glue Dots; glue gun
accessories: flowers/pearls - Prima; Die: rolled roses Die-namics by MFT Stamps; Floss - DMC; Grand Calibur; Slice

Thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think!

Chris ☺