Sunshine and rainbows

Well, this was supposed to be added to the current Dahlhouse Designs Wanna Sketch #18. I could have sworn that it said the 17th was the cut off date...but turns out it was yesterday. Sigh. Oh well, here it it anyway:

here's the inside

and the sketch:

I colored the unicorn image a couple months ago when I was visiting back home with family. (It was pouring buckets. I figured it was as good a time as any to color. ☺) Then lo and behold, I get crafty goodies in the mail from my Snarky Sister, Donna! One of the goodies was this super groovy rainbow duct tape sheet! Holy Crap! Designer duct tape in a sheet! So as soon as I saw it (and after drooling a bit over all she gifted me *koff*), I cut up a part of it and actually USED it, for the banners element. Instead of a rectangle, I die cut clouds and stamped/fussy cut a sun, then popped up the colorful unicorn on foam squares over them.

Well, that's it for now. Time to just chill out. Before starting this post, hubby, fur baby, and I just came back from a nice hike at one of the state parks. The boys are crashed out upstairs in the living room as I type. ☺ Have a great rest of the weekend!

Chris
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Spectrum, Birthday Sampler
Ink: Memento - Cantaloupe, Gray Flannel, Tuxedo Black; Ranger DI - Black Soot
CS: Darice (white); Copic X-Press It; scraps
Accessories: Grand Calibur; Paper Smooches - Cloud dies; Spectrum Noir markers; Rainbow duct tape from the incredibly awesome Donna Whiteman, Ranger - Diamond Stickles; Fiskars - corner rounder
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik permanent, 3D foam squares

Hey, look at that. I'm on time....

...to post this card for two challenges - and they are still open! Woot Woot!! I used the current sketch from Dahlhouse Designs - Wanna Sketch #17 and used the colors from Color Throwdown #301.

 Here is the inside:

and related graphics:

  

This is a mixture of NBUS (See what I did there, Darnell?), and old items. The NBUS: the flip flop dies by Taylored Expressions that I just received in the mail yesterday. (Also, my first purchase from that company - don't think it will be my last!) The rhinestone bling border is also being used for the first time ever. I think I bought it last summer. I was channeling my Snarky Sister, Donna, as she is the queen of the bling borders! The coral paper is from a Stack that came out earlier this year, but the blue and grey papers are scraps from older Stacks. Amazing how well they went together! 

Well, that's it for this post. I've more to get to. Thanks for sticking out until the end, and I hope you have a great day. I'm hoping my evening gets better. Right before I started this post, I was coming home from walking my fur baby, when I was attacked for no reason by some UFSB (unidentified flying stinging bug!) It went right for my shoulder and stung me! Hurt like hell, but it's getting better. Somewhat. I hate bugs in general. I fear stinging bugs in particular. I'm sure it looked really funny the dance I did to get it away from me! I'll leave you with that image. ☺

Chris

Stamps: Paper Smooches - Get Outta Town; Unity Itty Bitty - It's All Good

Ink: Versa Mark; Memento - Tuxedo Black

DP: DCWV: Summer Magic & Lemon Flower, Linen Closet Stack scraps

CS: Recollections

Accessories: Grand Calibur; Taylored Expressions - Flip Flop die; Inkadinkado - black EP; heat gun; David Tutera - rhinestone bling border

Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik permanent; 3D thin foam squares; Glue Dots

Flowers and Dots! Yay!

I cranked out another Christmas card. Yay! I'm playing along with Merry Monday #109 (use a flower(s)), and DD Wanna Sketch #16. Here's what I came up with:

Here's the inside:

I've had these Prima poinsettia flowers for a while, and I've used one or two before. It was great to use three more of them. Oh! See the centers? Get this: those are gold glitter brads inside a flocked flower shaped brad! I know, right?! The flower brads have a small hole in the centers, so I thought, why not put another brad in there? It worked! Then I added some enamel dots around the flowers. I was going to put the sentiment on the front, but I just decided to leave. it. be. I like how the flowers take center stage on the front and didn't want to take away from them. I just added the sentiment on the inside. Easy peasy!

Challenges:

 


Well, that's all for now. Got to go get ready for the day. The hubby and I are going to a Caribbean themed wine festival today! Can't wait!  Have a great day!

Chris
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts - Celebrate Everyday
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Ranger DI - Walnut Stain
DP: MME - Signature Christmas
CS: DCWV
Accessories: Grand Calibur; Sizzix/TH EF; Prima flowers; brads; MME- enamel dots
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik permanent; Ranger - Glossy Accents

A sort of CASE...

Ok, so it really looks nothing like Leslie's card, but it was the "birthday cod" that 'reeled' me in. **koff** (Did you spew your beverage?  I'll say it again. Don't eat or drink anything when reading my posts. You never know what I'll say. Just sayin') ☺

The inside - where the sort of CASEing is:

I fell in love with the birthday cod idea, so I fashioned my own version of it. The front of my card is based off of DD Wanna Sketch #15, but I mirrored it.

I stamped, colored and fussy cut my fishy and adhered him to the main panel with foam squares. I actually Googled pictures of cod to try and color the image (sort of) accurately. (Am I the only one that does that? Too OCD?) The inside sentiment is computer generated.

Leslie, I hope I did you proud! Muah!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day, and Happy Mother's Day to all!

Chris
Supplies:
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Birthday Buddies
Ink: Memento  - Tuxedo Black
DP & CS: Scraps; Copic X-Press It
Accessories: Spectrum Noir markers; Grand Calibur; Cuttlebug EF; Fiskars corner rounder; Googly eyes; inside sentiment computer generated
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik permanent, 3D foam squares; Ranger - Glossy Accents

Joyful - DDWS#14, MM#101

Hello and happy Tuesday! I made this card Sunday evening, but of course missed the Merry Monday #101 cut off. Oh well, at least I have another Christmas card made. ☺ I used DD Wanna Sketch #14 for this card also:

Here's the inside:

Lately it seems I've been trying my hand at new (to me) things. On my card, I tried the die cut inlay technique-y thing. I gotta say, I really like how that turned out! The hardest part was trying not to sneeze after die cutting out the word, so those itty bitty innards wouldn't scatter everywhere! LOL! Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking with it! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day!

Chris

Stamps: Paper Smooches - All Yule Need

Ink: Simon Says Stamp - Lipstick Red

DP: Echo Park - Metropolitan Dots & Stripes; Basic Grey - Wassail

CS: Darice; Bazzill

Accessories: Grand Calibur; Paper Smooches - Christmas words die; Darice - snowflake EF; Fiskars - tree punch & corner rounder; Martha Stewart - holly punch; Provo Craft - scalloped edge scissors (for the small corner rounds); washi tape

Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik permanent, 3D foam squares

2.8 Birthday Wishes

* Click here if you're looking for my Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers post, or simply keep scrolling down. :)


Hello there! I want to pop in real quick to share a card I made for my Mom's upcoming birthday. Ta-da!:

Here's the inside:

This card was assembled rather quickly, except for having to color the heart rhinestones to match. (Tip: To get all matchy-matchy, use your alcohol markers to color clear rhinestones.) I think that actually took the longest to do! I received happy mail today from Paper Smooches, so I used the new stamps and dies I got.

I got lucky and thought ahead to combine challenges. (It doesn't happen often with me.) The sketch is Dahlhouse Designs Wanna Sketch #12:

Colors are based on Colour Me #6 - Monochromatic using wisteria and white:

Since I used Paper Smooches stamps and dies, I'll also enter this in the soon to be not current Sparks Challenge - Anything Goes:

I love it when a plan comes together. Or rather, challenges. HA! Thanks for stopping by! Stay crafty my friends!

Chris
Supplies
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Happy Birthday
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
CS: Darice (white); Bazzill (wisteria)
Accessories: Grand Calibur; Paper Smooches - Flowers dies; Recollections - rhinestones; Spectrum Noir HB3 marker
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik permanent, 3D foam squares; Glue Dots

Holiday Cheer....

Hello and happy Sunday! We got some snow today! At least 3", probably more, then it turned to sleet. Oh joy and rapture. Perfect weather to make some cards! Here's one I made using Dahlhouse Designs Wanna Sketch #11:

Here's the inside:

...and the sketch:

Now that's my kind of holiday cheer! LOL! I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment, then stamped two wine glasses directly onto the main panel. I die cut and stamped the third glass and adhered with foam squares. A little masking for the inside sentiment and I was done.

It was a "Suzy Homemaker" day today. I made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins from scratch for breakfast this morning, then put a roast in the crock pot for dinner tonight. Yum! I even shoveled the front, including shoveling out Andy's car! I. Am. Done. (I would have done the back, but the carpel tunnel in my right wrist protested too much.) No worries, Andy took care of that for me! Now, it's time to relax with a glass of wine and just chill!

Thanks for stopping by! Stay crafty my friends!

Chris

Stamps: Paper Smooches - Christmas Sampler; Free Spirits, Shadows, Joyful Greetings

Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black, Rhubarb Stalk, Gray Flannel; Versa Mark

DP: MME - Winter Wonderland

CS: Recollections

Accessories: Grand Calibur; Paper Smooches - Free Spirits Icons dies; Stampendous - Alexandrite EP; heat gun; Fiskars corner rounder

Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik Permanent, 3D foam squares

Let's be FRANK....

Hello my friends! I hope you had a chance yesterday to make a card or two to celebrate World Card Making Day! I made this card yesterday later in the day and so didn't have good natural light to take pictures. So today I share with you:

Here is the inside:

I based it off of DD Wanna Sketch #9 

I'm also adding this to the current Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge - Anything Goes

Yes, I've used this before, but I just love Lisa's sketches! Anyway, I used, you guessed it, more Paper Smooches stamps! (It's an obsession. Really.) I did some masking for my punny sentiment. The 'Let's' and 'be' are masked from two different sentiments from the Birthday Sampler set. I used Alphadots for 'Frank'. I stamped, colored and fussy cut "Frank" and adhered him with foam squares. I also added Glossy Accents to his eyes. Stamped the inside and was done!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day!

Chris

Supplies

Stamps: Paper Smooches - Halloweenies, Alphadots, Birthday Sampler, Crystal Clear

Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Clear Snap - Charcoal

DP: Martha Stewart - Vampires

CS: The Paper Co., Copic Xpress It 

Accessories: Spectrum Noir markers; Ranger Glossy Accents; Provo Craft decorative scissors; Fiskars corner rounder

Happy 40th Birthday/DDWS#9

Good morning and hello my friends! I've been MIA these last couple of weeks due to back to back vacations. First a girls weekend with the ladies I play pool with. Then our beach vacation, which happily included both of my sisters joining us for part of the week. OMGee we had soooooo much fun! Lots of laughing, eating, goofing off, drinking wine, and just enjoying our time together!

See? We are a goofy bunch! LOL!

We all live in different states, and even though we talk/text on the phone all the time, it's rare that we get together in person. This vacation was an especially precious time for me! 

Ok, so enough about me, time to show you the card I made using the current Dahlhouse Designs Wanna Sketch #9:

Here is the inside:

I based this off of this sketch:

I flipped my card on it's side but otherwise I didn't stray too far from the sketch. I've used these stamps before, and had to ink them up again. One of my cousins that I've recently gotten back in touch with just turned 40, so of course I had to make a card for her! LOL! She shares our same goofy sense of humor so she'll appreciate it! The sentiment works perfectly with the paper bag die from Paper Smooches. After die cutting it, I crinkled it up, ripped the edge a couple times then went over it with Vintage Photo DI to make it look, well, old! LOL! I tucked the 40 Thickers inside the bag just enough so that you know what they are. Stamped that most excellent inside sentiment (lurves me a great punch line inside my cards!) and was done!

I hope you get to play along with Lisa's Wanna Sketch #9 challenge! This is another one of her sketches that I'm going to be using again and again!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you have a great day! I leave you with a parting shot:

Colby, our beach loving fur baby!

Chris

Supplies

Stamps: Unity Stamps - July 2012 KOM

Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Ranger DI - Vintage Photo

DP: Studio Calico - Snippets

Card stock: Bazzill Basics (red); Recollections (kraft)

Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik; Recollections red tape

Accessories: Spellbinders Grand Calibur; Paper Smooches Shopping Bag Die; Doodlebug twine; American Crafts - Thickers and black marker

little gal. little guy.

Good morning friends! TGIF!  I have a card to share that I made based off Wanna Sketch #8, and since I used Unity stamps, I'm going to enter this also in Unity's FWF:

Here's the inside:

and the sketch:

Isn't this a great sketch? Love Lisa's sketches! I was waiting for the right one to use these cute stamps with. My twin grandniece and grandnephew will be turning 1 yrs old in September. OMGee, they are the cutest little babies!



See? Absolutely adorable! I have another photo of them I was sent when they were 9 months. They were wearing turquoise outfits that had bright green accents. That's where I got my color choices from. I stamped, colored and fussy cut the images then popped them up on foam squares. I stamped the inside sentiments then (tried) to stamp just the shoes and bow tie between them. I'm not too happy with how that turned out - they are too far apart, oh well. I don't have a stampamajig and winged it. Hard to do with rubber stamps. Oh, it's kind of hard to see, but I added some diamond Stickles to the center of the flowers on her dress. You know, for a little sparkle! ☺

Well, that's it for now. Colby is telling me he'd like his walk now, so off we go! Have a great day!

Chris
Supplies
Stamps: Unity Stamps - August & March 2012 KOM
Ink: Staz On - Jet Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Strathmore Water Color Paper
Card stock: Paper Smooches - Frosted Kiwi from the Lily collection
Adhesive: SA by 3L - 3D foam squares
Accessories: Marvy Uchida markers; Fiskars corner rounder

For You.../PS Sparks Anything Goes/DD Wanna Sketch#7

Apparently, if you are severely lacking sleep, like my Evil Doublemint Twin, Jessi Fogan is, you come up with brilliantly amazing card creations...then go on my Facebook page and brag about it, and how you used 9 different stamps from Paper Smooches, and tell me to "Bring It!"

Well.

OK.

If you insist:

Here is the inside:

12 different stamps sets, 3 different die sets, and the blue paper is even from Paper Smooches.

I believe, as you say, I brought it!

Yes, it's a little garden scene. Yes, it's anything but clean and graphic (my go to kind of card making). Yes, it's chaotic, and I love it! (Besides, Nature is chaotic, so why not go with that?!)

I'm entering this for the current Paper Smooches Sparks challenge: Anything Goes.

This is also very loosely based on Dahlhouse Designs Wanna Sketch #7

For the focal panel, I made a trellis from the Basic Lattice Nesties. I trimmed it to size, then cut strips of card stock to frame it out. (Pretty cool, huh?!) Then I covered it up with leaves, flowers, bugs and a birdie! (And yes, one of the leaf die cuts I flipped over and drew the leaf in with a marker - I wanted it to point the other way.) After the trellis was done, I adhered the grass die cuts with foam squares. I stamped, colored and fussy cut the mushroom and snail then adhered them to the grass. Finished the inside and that was all she wrote!

Thanks for stopping by and make sure you stop by Jessi's blog to see her incredible card!

She totally kicked my ass!

Chris
Supplies:
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Birthday Sampler, Reflections (leaves), Daisies & Paisleys (flower), Needle Little Love (flower), Spring Fling (flower), Crystal Clear (firefly), Hubby & Wifey (flower), Green Thumb (bee, snail), Get Outta Town (flower), Flap Happy (butterfly), Forest Whimsy (mushroom), Woofers & Tweeters (birdie)
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black, Tangelo, Rhubarb Stalk, Bamboo Leaves, Gray Flannel; Ranger DI - Peeled Paint
Card stock: Paper Smooches - Lily Collection (blue); Recollections (white, greens)
DP: various scraps
Adhesives: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D foam squares; Elmer's extra strength glue stick; Glue Dots
Accessories: Grand Calibur; Spellbinder -Basic Lattice Nestie; Paper Smooches Dies - Clouds, Butterflies 1, Reflections Leaves; Marvy Uchida markers; Jolee's By You - grass diecuts

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

To You..../Dahlhouse Designs: Wanna Sketch #5

Hello and happy Tuesday my lovelies! Did you know that Lisa Arana of Dahlhouse Designs (re)started a just for fun sketch challenge on her blog? No? Well, you do now! ☺ It's called Wanna Sketch and I based my card from the current sketch #5:

Here is the inside of my card:

and the sketch:

I decided to mirror the sketch for this card. Love these CAS sketches: they help me use up the itty bitty scraps of paper that I just can't part with! LOL! (I know there's many of you that are the same way! ☺) I wanted to use a kraft card base but it seemed a bit plain to me, so I used a zig zag embossing border on it. I went over the design with some Peeled Paint DI to make it stand out a little more. It breaks up the white space just enough, without taking away from the main panel grouping. (Well, at least that's what I think! LOL!)

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope that you get to play along with this fun challenge! Have a wonderful day!

Chris
Supplies:
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Birthday Sampler; A Magical Spring
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Ranger DI - Peeled Paint
DP: Echo Park - this & That Charming; MME - Everyday Tango
Card Stock: Recollections (kraft); Bazzill Basics (turquoise)
Adhesive: SA by 3L - MyStik, 3D Foam Squares
Accessories: Grand Calibur; Cuttlebug - Charles Embossing Border; Marvy Uchida markers; Fiskars corner rounder