for you.../Wanna Sketch #6

Happy Friday! I'm back with another post. I was on a roll last night and started two cards last night, then finished them up today. I played along with Lisa Arana's Wanna Sketch #6. I love the CAS-iness of this sketch. (Is CAS-iness even a word? It is now! LOL!) Here's what I came up with:

here's the inside:

and the sketch:

I have a bachelorette party/bridal shower to go to tomorrow, so I needed to make a card for that. I finally used this super cute raindrops stamp from Unity Stamps. I mixed it with some Paper Smooches stamps. (I think it worked out pretty good!) The umbrella was stamped on white card stock and two different patterned papers, fussy cut and adhered together. The raindrops were stamped in Teal Zeal, then I used an aqua blue marker to add a hint of color to them. I liked how they looked, but still felt they needed a little more. Out came the Stickles! Woo Hoo! I'm gonna need another bottle of this soon. I seem to be using it. A lot! Used a scrap of paper to stamp the sentiment. The inside sentiment I printed from my computer. Such a cute, sweet card, but when she opens her gift, she'll be surprised with how risque' it is! LOL!

Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to leave a comment. I appreciate and read all of them! Hope you get the chance to play along with the Wanna Sketch challenge. You have plenty of time to play, as it's open until July 20th!

Chris
Supplies
Stamps: Unity Stamps - February 2012 KOM; Paper Smooches - Sunny Side Up, Simply Said
Ink: Memento - Teal Zeal; Tuxedo Black
DP: MME - Quite Contrary-Jack & Jill
Card Stock: Recollections
Adhesive: SA by 3L - MyStik; 3D foam squares; Elmer's extra strength glue stick
Accessories: Marvy Uchida markers; Ranger Stickles; inside sentiment printed from Microsoft Office

Jar of flowers.../CTD#248 & SOS#107

Hi all and Happy Friday! I have a card to share with you all. This is for Color Throwdown #248 and Shopping Our Stash #107: use your oldest embellishment. Here's what I came up with:

Here is the inside:

And the color challenge:

Aren't these colors soothing? And the inspiration picture I loved so much I did almost a literal interpretation of it. I don't think I've ever stamped on kraft with Clear Snap's Frost White chalk ink before, but I gotta say, I'm lovin' the beachy vibe it gives! I masked off 3/4 of the panel then stamped the rosettes. After allowing that to dry I scored the lines, then lightly went over them with the Frost White, then added some ribbon (one of my ancient embellies! I think I've had this ribbon longer than I've been married: 23 years! LOL! I wasn't always a paper crafter. I did my share of sewing, flower arranging, painting, etc. back in the day!) I stamped the jar onto vellum with Jet Black Staz On ink. Using the laundry line as my stems (from Paper Smooches' Pip Squeaks set), I stamped them in Rich Cocoa. After allowing that to dry, I colored the jar with an aqua colored marker, purposely leaving a lot of uncolored streaks. After that dried, I used a white Gelly Roll pen to add highlights. Love how this turned out! The flowers and brads are the other older embellies that I've hoarded over the years. (I started paper crafting in 2007. These are some of the first items I accrued.) Finished the inside with a simple sentiment and more rosettes and that's all she wrote!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope that you get a chance to play along with these two challenges! Have a great day!

Chris

Supplies
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Crystal Clear (jar), Pip Squeaks (line); PSA Essentials - Rosettas set; My Favorite Things - More Essential Sentiments set
Ink: Staz On - Jet Black; Memento - Rich Cocoa; Clear Snap - Frost White
Card stock: Recollections (kraft, vellum); Paper Smooches (aqua)
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik; Glue Dots; Helmar 450 Glue; Recollections red tape
Accessories: Marvy Uchida markers; Prima flowers (I think?); felt flowers & brads (I have no clue who the mfg. are!); Martha Stewart score tool; Sakura white Gelly Roll pen; Offray ribbon

Just a note...

Hi all! Just wanted to pop in to say that I've joined BlogLovin. Since Blogger is going bye-bye starting in July, I thought I'd bite the bullet and get on another reader. I've added the widget on the left side, you just have to scroll down a bit to find it. I'd love if you'd continue to follow me on BlogLovin!

My ego thanks you, and so do I! LOL!  Have a great day!

Chris 

A Gift For You..../DS#105

Good morning my lovelies! I hope your week is treating you well so far. It's going to be another hot and humid day here in my neck of the woods. I have a card I want to share with you, one I made while on vacay. I based this on Deconstructed Sketch #105, but since I was having technical problems with the wifi, I wasn't able to enter it. Grrrr! Oh well, I still want to share! Here it is:

A simple inside:

Here is the sketch I based this on:

Since I didn't take my Grand Calibur with me on vacation, I took some pre cut die cuts with me. One of them was this super adorable shopping cart from Paper Smooches. I swapped that out for the circle element in the sketch. I stamped a bunch of items that you would put in a shopping cart if at a department store: purses, shoes, a present with a big bow on it! I stamped and fussy cut all the items, then adhered them inside, on and around the cart. I LOVE how this turned out! On the inside, I stamped thanks, but I may add a little pocket to hold a gift card for the lucky gal who receives this.

I have one more card to post about, but that's for later I think. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous day!

Chris
Supplies
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Retail Therapy; Simply Said
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Clear Snap - Chestnut Roan
DP: October Afternoon - 9 to 5
Card stock: Recollections - kraft, white; DCWV - scrap
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D foam squares; Recollections - red tape; Glue Dots
Accessories: Paper Smooches - Shopping Cart die; Provo Craft - scalloped scissors; Colorbok - black metal dots; Momenta - orange dots; ribbon from my stash

Fintastic Birthday...CTS#33

Good morning and happy Tuesday! Well we are back from being on vacation the last two weeks. We stayed one week with my in-laws up in Wisconsin and the next in Illinois with my parents. (Andy and I are both from Illinois, his parents retired to WI) It was sooooo wonderful to see family and friends again, to relax, to help out both sets of parents and do some jobs for them. We would love nothing better than to move back, but the combination of me being laid off, Andy having a great job, and a still crappy economy makes it really hard to just pack up and leave Maryland. One day soon, when we win the lottery, we are so moving back!

But until then, I will be crafting on! While back home, I did some card making. (Yes, I did take a little bit of supplies with me, you know, just in case there was a rainy day...and there were a few! Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!) For this one, I played along with Cas(e) this Sketch #33:

and the inside:

Here is the sketch:

Love this sketch. LOVE IT! You can do so much with it. Just look at all the wonderful entries so far! Of course, I took a handful of Paper Smooches stamps with me to ink up. (I was missing my Grand Calibur and dies though. Luckily I had some pre cut shapes saved up and took those with me. You'll see those in another post!) I stamped the sentiment, masking the 'Happy' from the Birthday. The main panel was popped up with foam squares. I stamped and fussy cut the fish, and popped those up on foam squares as well. Finished the inside and was done!

And for a parting shot:

Andy and our fur baby, Colby, enjoying a cruise around the lakes on the pontoon. I love this pic so much I made it my profile pic on Facebook! LOL!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

Chris
Supplies:
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Briny Blue, Surf & Turf, Hullabaloo, Crystal Clear
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black, Gray Flannel, Nautical Blue
DP: Bazzill Basics - Lucy's Crab Shack
Card stock: Recollections (kraft), Paper Smooches (blue)
Adhesive: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D foam squares
Accessories: Marvy Uchida marker - light green

Drunken Stampers #133 - Edward Scissorhands

Hello and good Saturday morning to you all! It's time for the newest challenge at Drunken Stampers #133 - Edward Scissorhands!

Our challenges are based off of movies this term. You can create a project based on the title, the theme, in this case: sewing, or go all out and do BOTH!! This week is team Midnight Margaritas turn to wow you. I choose to combine the title and sewing theme on my card:

...and here is the inside:

I. Love. Tim. Burton. Movies!!!! The more bizarre the better!!! This is one of my favorites of his! And, Johnny Depp. Need I say more?! LOL!

I very recently started using digi stamps. This is by Simply Betty Stamps, and I love how it turned out! After coloring and cutting him out of an oval, I pierced the edges and whip stitched around the panel. I added a heart charm to the bow because, after all, this was a love story. (Aren't ALL Tim Burton movies?!! LOL!) I finished the inside with the perfect sentiment, colored in the heart, stamped a pair of scissors and I was done!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Don't forget to check out what the other Midnight Margaritas have in store for you! Even better, play along! You could be crowned the next Life of the Party!!

Chris
Supplies
Stamps: Simply Betty Stamps - Edward Scissorhands digi; Paper Smooches - sentiment from Needle Little Love; Unity Stamp Co. - scissors from September 2012 KOM
Ink: Staz On - Jet Black; Clear Snap - Charcoal
DP: Nikki Sivils - Dan the Record Man collection
Strathmore water color paper
Card stock: Bazzill Basics - black; Core'Dinations - red; DCWV - red
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik; Recollections - red tape; American Crafts - foam dots
Accessories: Marvy Uchida markers; Fiskars ovals template; DMC floss; May Arts ribbon; Darice hemp cord; heart charm

Paper Smooches Sparks - Designer Draft June 2013

Hi all! I'm on vacation visiting our families back in Illinois and Wisconsin, but I did take some craft supplies, you know, just in case I got to create! And I did! I made a card loosely based on the current Paper Smooches Sparks challenge - designer draft.

Here is the sketch:

                          

It's pretty much like the sketch, I just had to flip the sentiment and flower elements. I even did some masking for the sentiment! I stamped, colored and fussy cut the watering can. Stamped the flower (on two of them, I stamped off on some scrap then inked around the edges, one I just stamped off once before stamping). After fussy cutting I attached them to the watering can, one directly to the can, one using glue dots, and one with foam squares for different levels of dimension. The can was attached with foam squares also. I added the rhinestones, because I love al little bling... and I wanted to! Ha!

Sorry for the wonky non-watermark! I don't have my editing software on my laptop and had to go 'old school'! LOL!

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for stopping by! We may be going out on the pontoon to cruise the lakes one last time before heading back down to my parents tomorrow. Have a great day!

Chris

Supplies
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Green Thumb, Crystal Clear, Briny Blue
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Clear Snap - Chestnut Roan
DP: MME - Stella & Rose: Mabel
Card stock: Paper Smooches - Ed collection
Adhesive: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D foam squares; Glue Dots
Accessories: Marvy Uchida Markers; Colorbok rhinestones

Drunken Stampers Challenge 131 - My Best Friend's Wedding

Good morning and happy Saturday to you! It's time for the latest Drunken Stampers challenge: #131 - My Best Friend's Wedding!

Our challenges for this term are based on movie titles, or you can use the theme (blue), or go all cray cray and use both!! LOL! This week is Team Midnight Margaritas turn and this is what I came up with:

Here is what the inside looks like:

There's a whole bunch going on on this card, so let me break it down for ya! First I stamped the cake stand, cake and birds on some scrap white card stock. I made sure that the birdies were kissing when I stamped them! Hee hee! Then I stamped the cake and birds again on Strathmore water color paper, adding the tiny circles to the cake (it's a separate stamp!) After I colored them, I fussy cut and glued them over the stamped images on the white card stock, then glued a bit of scrap paper under the stand to give it something to sit on. After die cutting the image from the oval die, I took that same die and put it inside the lacey oval to make a frame (using some washi tape to make sure they didn't move while cutting). It's cut from paper with a weathered wood design on it. LOVE how that came out! The back panel had the edges inked then distressed, sort of a nod to cut off jeans shorts! I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in white, added foam squares to the frame and adhered, then adhered the cake image flat against the blue panel, so it looked like a picture in a frame. (Well, that's the look I was going for anyway! LOL!) Finished the inside and boom, done!

This challenge was perfect, as I have a girlfriend who is getting re-married later this year. Since this is a second marriage for both of them, they are going REALLY casual. Like, shorts and flip flop casual. (Oh! That's why she mentioned cut off jeans shorts!) And her colors are beachy blues (hence the reason why I picked these different shades to use on my card!)

Anyhooo, that's it in a nutshell - a rather large nutshell! LOL! Thanks for reading through my windbag of a post, and please don't forget to stop by my fellow Midnight Margaritas to see what fabulousness they came up with! Have a great day!

Chris
Supplies
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Hubby and Wifey
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versa Mark; Staz On - Jet Black; Clear Snap - Chestnut Roan, Creamy Brown; DI - Broken Glass
DP: MME - Dolled Up
Card stock: Recollections
Strathmore water color paper
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D foam squares: Elmer's extra strength glue stick
Accessories: Marvy Uchida markers: Grand Calibur, Classic Oval Lg & Lacey Ovals Nesties; Tonic/TH distress tool; Stampendous white embossing powder, heat gun

Happy Birthday...CTS#31

Good morning and Happy Friday!!! Woo Hoo!! Hope everyone on the east coast is gearing down for tropical storm Andrea. We are already feeling the effects, and it hasn't even gotten here yet! Ugh!

Here is a card I made for Case this Sketch #31:

the inside:

And the sketch:

I needed to make a masculine birthday card for one of my nephews and really wanted to use this sketch for it. Those are real feathers that I found over the winter. I knew that they would look cool on a card, and finally got to use them! A wood grain embossed background, some corrugated card board, a simple sentiment and I was done!

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment! I read every one and I appreciate the input! Have a great day!

Chris
Supplies
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Hullabaloo
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Card stock: Bazzill (cream); Recollections (black); DCWV (blue card base)
DP: corrugated card board - ??
Adhesive: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D foam squares; Glue Dots; Helmar 450 glue
Accessories: Grand Calibur, Classic Ovals Lg Nesties; Darice wood grain EF; featheres

Dad You Are Special....JUGS#191

Hello and good morning to you all! I'm trying out a new (to me) challenge today. It's called Just Us Girls #191, otherwise known as JUGS (ha ha! Love that!!) I made a somewhat interactive card:

TA DA!!!! One of the pages in the Echo Park This & That Charming collection has this great page of flash cards. I just cut one row out, accordion folded it and glued it onto the top of the card.

And the inside of the card:

I based my card from the JUGS sketch #191:

That stamp I used was actually all on one line, but I cut it (GASP!) and stacked the sentiment to fit better. This was a fun sketch with lots of layers. I've been on a CAS kick lately, and this was a nice change of pace.

Well, that's it for now. Time to take my fur baby for a nice long walk before it starts to rain. ☺ Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a great day!

Chris
Supplies
DP & stickers: Echo Park - This & That Charming collection
Card stock: Bazzill Basics
Stamps: Hero Arts - Celebrate Everyday set
Ink: Memento - Rich Cocoa; Clear Snap - Chestnut Roan
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik
Accessories: Slice die cut machine & Vintage Findings cartridge; Grand Calibur; Paper Smooches Hexalongs dies; Marvy Uchida marker

ConGRADulations!

Hello my lovelies! I have a quick card that I want to share with you all. When looking through my March/April 2013 PaperCrafts magazine, I saw this one card that just screamed to me to CASE it.

 Here's my inspiration: It's the Grungy Congrats Card designed by Lynn Mangan.

And here is my take on it:

...and the inside:

I used Glimmer Mist in Sapphire and Graphite for the splotches. Instead of circles, I used a graduation cap stamp and checkers replaced the chevrons. I just loved the graphic/grungy look to Lynn's card!

If I've stepped on anyone's copyright toes, I do sincerely apologize. I'm not entering this for any publication, challenge or selling it. My intention was innocent and only meant to flatter. ☺

That's it for now. Back to housework (UGH!) Have a great day!

Chris
Supplies
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Smarty Pants, Sunny Side Up, Birthday Sampler; TAWS - Background Check
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black, Gray Flannel, Teal Zeal, Paris Dusk
Card stock: Bazzill Basics - blue; Recollections - white
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D foam squares
Accessories: Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

Lilliana...SBS May challenge/SSSC#185/SOS#103

Hey peeps! I have a card to share with you all. I was coloring up in the craft cave last night. Haven't done any major coloring in a while it seems, so it was past time! This pretty little fairy is Lilliana. She's a free digi image to anyone who's a member of the Simply Betty Stamps Fan Group. All Betty asks is that you use the image for that month's challenge. Lilliana is for the May challenge.  (A gorgeous free image to color? Yes please!) Plus, the fan group has really helped me improve my coloring skills, what with all the tidbits of information and helpful coloring tutorials! (and signing up is free!) Anyway, onto my card:

Here is a close up.

And the inside:

My card is based off the the current Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #185, I just substituted the bling for the ribbon.

Since I used some older papers (the small strip is from Basic Grey's 2008 Ambrosia collection, and the chevron paper is from Recollection's 2011 Simply Autumn collection), I'm also entering this for the Shopping Our Stash #103 graduation  challenge. Also on the SBS challenge, you were prompted to use the colors white, black, yellow, and orange. I knew I wanted to use that Basic Grey paper, since it has all the colors in it. (It's hard to see, but there is even some yellow in it! Sweet!) After coloring her, I added some Stickles to her wings, because every fairy needs a little sparkle! The inside sentiment was printed using Microsoft Word. I thought it was a perfect pairing with the image and the graduation theme!

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by, and even though I'm entering these challenges all at the last minute, there's still time on all for you to enter them as well, if you are so inclined! Have a great evening!

Chris
Supplies:
Stamp: Simply B stamps - Lilliana digi 
Markers: Marvy Uchida
DP: Recollections - Simply Autumn (2011); Basic Grey - Ambrosia (2008)
Card Stock: Bazzill Basics - black; The Paper Co. - orange
Strathmore Water Color Paper
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D foam squares
Accessories: Grand Calibur; Fleur de Lis boarders and Labels One Nesties; Stickles; Recollections - adhesive rhinestones; sentiment printed from Microsoft Word