Welcome March Blog Candy!!!!!

For my regular postings, please scroll down!!!!

I decided to give out a little blog candy to celebrate the month of "March"!!

The way to win is super easy...and you can enter as many as six times plus on this post!!

What you will win is this wonderful die "Susan's Garden" Mini Lily and I printed out the directions for you!

1.   To be entered to you must be a follower of my blog and leave me a comment on this post letting me know you have become a "new" follower.....already a follower?...just leave me a comment telling me so!

Now for some more fun and MORE ways to win....after following rule number 1 above,
you can earn additional entries by completing one or more of the rules below.  Just be sure to leave a "separate" comment for each one you have done!!  Blog candy will run the month of March and chosen
April 1st....international bloggers are welcome... you must have a blog to enter!!
  Didn't win this time...well don't fret...there is more blog candy on April 1st!!!!
Okay here are some additional ways to enter.

2.  Subscribe to my blog.
3.  Go to the Classy Cards 'n Such blog and become a follower there.  Come back HERE and tell me you did.
4.  While at the Classy Cards 'n Such blog, sign up for the newsletter...you will be glad you did, as each month are special discounts (and they are good ones, too) for subscribers only.  Come back HERE and tell me you did.
5.  Check out our weekly challenges at Classy Cards 'n Such, do one, or do all 4, get an additional entry for each one you do.  Come back here and tell me you did!!
6.  Purchase something from the Classy Cards 'n Such online store and get 2 more entries!!  Come back here and tell me you did!!
ALL comments must be left here on my blog to be eligible to win!! 

Remember you must leave a separate comment for each "rule" you do and must be a subscriber of "my"
blog to be eligible to qualify!!!!!

"Pretty In Pink" at The Shabby Tea Room"

Hello my "Shabby" friends!!!

This week at "The"Shabby Tea Room"  Linda is our hostess and our sponsor is

DRS Designs.  For my sponsor image I chose "Single Rose"

 Linda  is asking us to make a project "Pretty In Pink" 

using white/cream~pink~green~flowers~lace/ribbon.

I printed my image on X-Press Copic paper and colored it in with my Copics..

a bit of "Wink of Stella" was added to the outline of the image...

A few gorgeous dies were used, Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles for the image

and Joy Crafts Billie's Circle underneath!!!

I added a few die cut leaves, the rose leaves under my "real" roses were 

coated with a "new to me" product from Art Anthology "Dimensional Crystal'

in the color "Pickle"...this is a very fun product to work with, though I now

have "pickle" color fingers...lol!!

I added a few stick pins and a lace bow...the DS paper underneath just happened

to be laying on my desk and it worked out to be the perfect color....

I love it when that happens!!!

Entering in the  following challenges:

Joan's Touch...use pink, white or cream, flowers, lattice
product sold at Joan's Gardens (Spellinders & CLD die)

Bloom Where You are Planted

I took a little break from my paper crafting 

as it is the warmest day we have had since sometime last October!

I walked in my gardens and most, not all of the snow is gone

and took a little tour of the work I will have before me....

Lets just say I will be spending many, many hours outside....

So my friend "Ros" from the UK is on a team blog called "Our Beautiful World"....

each week a word is a "prompt" to share photos of "your" world.....

I have joined in a few times before and when I read her post today and noticed it was "bloom"

I HAD to join in....

Being an avid flower gardener, I have a zillion photo's of "blooms".....

I am going to share a few of my past photos from my own yard/garden....

I hope you will take a minute to sit back and enjoy!!

The first photo is of our flowering pear tree that we used to have.....

it breaks my heart it is gone due to a lightening strike several years ago.....

~~~~~Hello~~~~~

Happy Sunday to you....

I hope you are all having a fabulous day!!!

I decided Sunday is going to be "my" day....

A day to do whatever I want, and I chose to spend the day in my creative room!!

I subscribe to the "JustRite" blog and after watching some wonderful videos

I noticed they had a challenge going on using the sketch shown above.

I had just received last week a "new to me" background stamp from JustRite called

"Lavish Corners"

I stamped it with SU "Groovy Guava"....

I love the pretty Spring color and isn't it a gorgeous stamp....

I have an addiction for these background stamps and own "a few"!!

I also used the JustRite "Seeds of Summer" stamp for my flower and sentiment and sentiment frame!.

The flower was colored with Copics.

I used a beautiful Spellbinders die "Decorative Labels Twenty Seven for the flower...

turned it slightly to represent the sketch.

Under it I used Spellbinders Circle die.....

"My" rectangle strip under all that is cut and embossed vellum.....

I wanted the gorgeous background stamp to slightly show through!!

I added my big bow in lei of the flowers as shown in the sketch.

I LOVE how this card turned out...maybe a "simpler" version of the sketch....

but I love it non-the-less!!!

Rebirth of Spring

This is my post today on the Classy Cards 'n Such blog.
Don't forget, our "Raining Cats and Dogs" challenge ends tonight,
there is a wonderful prize being offered...we would love to
have you join us!!!

Hi Classy friends, Diane with you today with my mind set on "Spring"!!

I am just beginning to see the tulips and daffodils sprouting up out of the snow.

Since I can't see the real thing yet, I thought I would do the next best thing

and create a card with "Spring" in mind.

This card came together very quickly, but, yet, I think it makes quite a statement!!

I started my card using Banana Split Pop Tone 110#  paper for my card base.

I used the new,gorgeous Bo Bunny Soft Shades Double Dot Designs paper.

(However, by the time you read this, this paper may be sold out, as it is moving quickly...)

I basically just layered my card, starting with 

the Impression Obsession Twig Wreath.... 

cut 2 sets of Memory Box Dancing Tulips which I colored with Copics..

I stamped my sentiment on Spellbinders Fancy Tags Three popped up

using Joy Foam Pads Large

The butterfly I cut using Joy Butterfly Trio....

To finish my card, I added 2 Baby Pearls White

I hope you have been "inspired" by some of the products I used today

to create "your" own "Spring" project.

Don't forget, CCNS, always has a weekly challenge going, we would love for "you" to join in!!

Entering in the following challenges:

A Creative Romance .... Spring Flowers
and
Alphabet Challenge .... "D" for Die Cuts
and
Cut It Up .... Anything Goes (must use a die cut)
and
Word Art Wednesday .... Anything Goes challenge #125

Going "Green" With Impression Obsession

It's been a crazy week here....

and I have been having major "sinus headaches"...

so bad, they have shut me down for a few days!!

I feel better now...however while "under the weather"

I had a HUGE order arrive from "Classy Cards 'n Such"

Now if that can't perk me up, I don't know what can!!

Also, if I have been slow visiting your blogs or haven't

made it yet, that is why...I will be there...I promise!!

Most of the order was all NEW Impression Obsession....

I did a little video (my first) on it...but am having problems 

getting it to youtube...something that should be so simple has added to my headaches..LOL!!

So maybe I can get it figured out soon!!

Anywho.....I made a card just for the Impression Obsession challenge "GREEN"

I used a cloud EB folder for my background.....

Then I cut out my picket fence and rubbed a bit of green ink on it ....

The pail/bucket I cut from Cord-in-nations paper, 

sanding it slightly to give it a worn look...

I stamped the lavender by first coloring with markers, 

then stamping directly onto card stock,

and hand cutting it out.

The sign "Lavender (devotion) was simply stamped and punched out with an oval punch.

The little birdies are cut from a die that has a bird cage with it also.....

The list of IO dies/stamps used are:

Fence DIE-149-U

Pail/Bucket DIE-164-A

Birds/Bird Cage DIE-045-F

Lavender Stamp E14178

Lavender Devotion A9259

I will see you again soon with more of my new "goodies"!!

Challenges Entered:

Impression Obsession .... Green
and
Word Art Wednesday .... anything goes challenge #125

Floating By To Say "Hi"

This is my card that is on the "Classy Cards 'n Such" blog today.
It is a fun challenge this week, I hope you can join "us".....and
there is a wonderful "prize" up for grabs, too...head on over!!!
Don't forget to sign up for my blog candy above this post....
only a few days left to enter!!

Hello Classy Friends,

Diane here with you today on the "Classy Cards 'n Such " blog.

This week our challenge is "Raining Cats and Dogs" with an "optional" umbrella!

I really thought this would be a fun challenge being the pet lover I am...

and nothing is cuter then this adorable stamp I have used from "Stampavie"

designed by Penny Johnson called "Floating Down The River"..

I colored my image with Copics and added lots of fun detail....
 "Mercury Glass" Stickles for the water drops, real blush for the kitties cheeks,
and to "bling" it up a bit,  "Baby Rhinestones Red" on the umbrella tips!!

This was one of those times when you get done with an image then you think

"Now where do I go from here?"......

It had me stumped for awhile, then all of a sudden grass and clouds came to mind...

I cut 3 "fluffy" white clouds using Memory Box  die "Puffy Clouds"....

After cutting the clouds I embossed them with Crafts Too "Dots".

Next, I cut my  Impression Obsession "Grass Border" die.....

I used a bit of water downed TH Peeled Paint Distress Marker on the grass

to give it a bit more "dimension"...

I also wanted to mention that there are several more "grass dies" too choose from in the store...

you can find them HERE.

I also used some basic supplies:

Scor-tape 1/2"

Scor-tape 1/8" and

Joy Foam Pads Small

I hope I have "inspired" "you" to join in our challenge this week!!!!

Entering n the following challenges:

Crafty Calender Challenge .... Animal Antics
and
Creative Card Crew .... Animals

Down On The Farm

Hello All,

This week the challenge at "The Sisterhood of Crafters" is "Animals!!

I had so many things to choose from it was mind boggling..lol!!

I decided to go with this super cute "Stacked Animal" stamp from Cottage Cuts.

I really wanted to use Copics on it, but I am still building up my "Copic" stash

and just didn't have enough colors to "shade" with..

So I choose to use my TH Distress markers and did a bit of water coloring!!

I added a bit of "Wink of Stella" here and there.

The edges were distressed and I sponged on some TH "Old Paper" ink.

Being farm animals and all, I decided gingham was in order, but once I pulled out

my lily bee design 6 x 6 Double Dutch paper pad with the gingham papers, it also

had this cute country looking paper in it with all these circles...perfect right....but

dang it, I ended up covering most of it anyhow and you can barely see it..lol!!

So I did end up using some gingham with my ribbon  my brad, plus the little banner!!!

Inside I am putting a computer generated greeting:

 "I hope your birthday stacks up to all you thought it would be".....

I hope you will pop on over to "The Sisterhood blog" and see what all the other "Sistah's"

have designed for you and join in the challenge with us!!!

See "ya'all" there (sorry, couldn't resist, being "down on the farm and all!!!)

Entering In The Following challenges:

Creative Card Crew .... #58 "Animals"
and
Through The Craft Room Door .... "Anything Goes"
and
Crafty Calender Challenge .... Animal Antics

Bits and Bobbles TSTR Challenge #211

Today is the new challenge#211 at "The Shabby Tea Room" 
"bits and bobbles"  and using the gorgeous

inspiration photo below, and use flowers, buttons, print/sentiment.  

Our sponser this week is

Digital Papers  by Janet Etsy....

these are so beautiful, I had a very difficult time choosing!!

I love, love how this card came out!!

So full of shabby goodness!!

The entire card was made with the digital papers listed below.

I added stickles to the roses, a bit of ribbon on the vintage spool, 

the little scissors tied on are actually a button, I just clipped the shank off the back!!

See the little bunny at the bottom??

He is a little porcelain button I had purchased years ago 

to use for an outfit I was making my daughter when she was little....

dare I say that she will be 40 this year....ouch..where does the time go??

My flowers and sentiment are actually part of the designs on the paper!!

I invite you to join us this week .... I would love to see YOUR projects!!

Products used Digital Papers by Janet Etsy :

Ribbon Spools Vintage 1

Tickets

Background

~~~~~Sending Springtime Wishes~~~~~

Hi All,  this is my Classy Cards 'n Such blog post today.

I have a bunch of new stamps to use and decided to do a bit of stamping,

as it seems I have been doing lots of die cuts lately

and ignoring my poor HUGE stamp collection,

plus I am afraid I will forget how to "color"...lol!!!

Don't forget we have a weekly challenge at CCNS, this week it is 
"Raining Cats and Dogs".
I hope you will join in, there is always a "fabulous" prize!!
And ALL Cheery Lynn Dies are 35% off using the code AWCLD,
including the one I have used below..but hurry as once gone,
they won't be restocked!!

Hello Classy Friends,

Diane here with you today, sending some "Springtime" your way!!

When I saw this beautiful stamp set by Inky Antics "Spring Blooms"

 in the Classy Cards 'n Such shop, I scooped it right up!!!

I have a love for all flowers and "tulips" are at the top of my list.

I choose the color as I "once" had tulips this color in my own garden....

I was so proud of them and every morning would take my coffee and

stroll through my beautiful gardens to see each morning how they

had progressed.  Well, guess what, one morning I went out and NO tulips!

The "lovely" deer had a nice little breakfast on them sometime in the night!

I started my card using the Anna Griffin "Matelasse" embossing folder.

For the next layer I used the Anna Griffin "Flourish Medallion" die. 

 I know you can't see a lot of it, 

but I just loved the way it set off the next layer, which happens to be

 the Cheery Lynn Designs Polynesian Sails Oval die.  

I think stacking the two together gives off a bit of a "lacey effect"!

I stamped my image on a Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Ovals Large.

The image was colored with a watercolor effect using TH Distress Ink  Markers

using the colors Peacock Feathers, Ripe Persimmon , Peeled Paint and Worn Lipstick.

I also used "Wink of Stella" clear glitter pen on the leaves for a bit of shine!

The sentiment is the from the same Inky Antics set "Spring Blooms"

I finished off my card using several Baby Pearls White.

Thank you for visiting with me today and will "see you" again soon!!!

Entering in the following challenges:

Speedy Fox .... Inspiration photo below

and

Crafty Catz .... Bling It Up

and

 Creative Corner Challenges ....A Little Texture

Floating Butterflies

Here is my post up on the Classy Cards 'n Such blog today!!

Welcome to the Classy Cards 'n Such blog today!!
We have our "Flutterbys" challenge going on....
Use a butterfly and/or a bird on your paper project.
Please read the challenges rules and have fun...
now onto today's post!!!

Diane here with you to show you a few "new" products

you just might "have to have"!!

I have mentioned before how I have discovered this wonderful

paper collection in the store...a nice heavy weight metallic,

perfect for die cuts or just a card base as I have used today!

The paper for my card is Champaign Neenah Pearlized Metallic.

Not only is it a shimmery pearl paper, the 111# weight makes a sturdy card base!

I embossed my card using Darice Cherry Blossom embossing folder.

Lots of pretty detail here!

New, and just recently released is the Poppy Stamps  "Leafy Sprig Border".

What is nice about this die is you can run it either vertical or horizontal across your card.

I  added glue just to the edges, so I could use my Crafters Tools by Cheery Lynn Designs

to "pick" up the leaves making them a bit more 3D.

I added tiny flowers using Cheery Lynn Designs "Tiny Flower Kit".

Little beads were added to the center of each flower.

The butterflies are also a new, recently released die from Memory Box "Precious Butterflies"

I love how delicate these are.  I only adhered them at the bow, making them "float" when the

card is moved.  Each butterfly was adorned with "Hot Pink Pearls".

The GORGEOUS paper used for the butterflies is "Key To My Heart" 12 x 12 by KaiserCraft

The card was finished with a Spellbinders die stamped with a sentiment from the

JustRite gorgeous stamp set "Just The Right Words".

Thanks for being with "me" today...see you soon!!

Challenges Entered:
Word Art Wednesday....Anything Goes
and
Creative Knockouts .... Things With Wings
and
Delightful Challenges .... Welcome Spring
and
Moving Along With The Times .... Photo Inspiration (below)

Flowers In A Basket

Morning Friends!!
It's hard to believe that as I write this, March is half
over and Spring is 2 days away...
and the forecast later this week...cool and SNOW!!
So, after knowing what is coming up later in the week,
it gives me great pleasure to share with you my post
which is rather "spring-like" over on the
Classy Cards 'n Such blog.
I hope you will join in our challenge with us this week!!
You might want to check out the "store" there too,
as it is full of all kinds of new stamps and dies...
I have a big fat order coming and can hardly wait until it gets here...
don't forget all Cheery Lynn Dies are 32% off there until gone
and you can always use my code of DIANE-10 for 10% off your order!!

Hi Classy Friends,

Diane here with you today wondering if you are as tired of the cold, dreary days as I am?

I find myself using lots of Spring images and soft pretty colors.....

in the hope that someday we will see warmer and Spring weather soon!!

This week the Classy Cards'n Such Challenge is somewhat Spring related....

 the challenge is "Flutterbys"....use a bird and/or butterfly on your project!!  

I chose a bird for mine...I love birds and I love how he is perched on the basket!!

I think the image I have used on my card today fits right in with the Springtime we are all

looking for!!

The image is  a gorgeous B-line Stamp "Flowers In A Basket, 

colored with my small collection of Copics.

Beverly has just stocked her shop with some wonderful new B-line stamps.  

You will see me using these in coming weeks!! 

Head on over and take a "peek" to see what's new!!

After coloring my image, I added a bit of "Pink Taffeta Stickles" to my flowers...

I like the look of a bit of bling now and then!

Once my card was mounted on my Graphic 45 Botonical Tea papers with

Scor-tape 1/2", I felt it still needed a bit more.  

I then remembered I had purchased a beautiful Poppystamps die "Crochet Corner" which I cut 2 of , then added to the bottom corners

and finished off my card with "Christmas Green Pearls".

I hope you will join us in our challenge this week, we would love to see "your" projects!!

Garden Cat

Hello my crafty friends!!

Today is my "debut" as a DT member at The Shabby Tea Room with my first project.

In the past (even though it's not necessary), 

I always tried to do my project a bit "shabby chic",

but this cute little garden cat from Bugaboo Stamps (isn't he just the cutest?)

"kind of" didn't fit the look I usually do....

So, I decided to make it a tiny bit shabby and 

a tiny bit playful with the colors and polka dots.

You can never go wrong with polka dots I don't think!

My cute little kitty was colored with Copic markers....

I think I used about 20 different ones, in fact I scooped them up and the image

and went and showed my hubby..."See all these alcohol markers...

I used them all on this one image!"

His answer was "Alcohol markers...don't they dry up?""...funny man!!

For my bit of "shabby look", 

I added ruffled tulle trim from Websters Pages around my image...

have to say I LOVE that stuff!!!

A gem in the digital flower, some pearls, ribbons, wood birdie 

and such 

and my card was complete.

This card makes me happy with all it's pretty Spring colors !

I hope you will join us in 

The Shabby Tea Room this week for our challenge "anything goes"!!!

Entering into the following challenges:

Simply Create Too .... Animals
and 
Sunday Stamps .... color challenge using the picture below

Clean & Layered

Happy Sunday All.....

Before I go into my project for today, I just wanted to "remind" you

that tomorrow is my "debut" as a designer with "The Shabby Tea Room".

I hope you visit there and check it out and join in our challenge!!

Also don't forget I have blog candy that some lucky person will receive...

you can sign up on the post above this one!

Our NEW challenge "Flutterbys" begins tomorrow , too (3/17)
at Classy cards 'n Such...would love to have YOU join us!!

Also, there is still plenty of time to join in our challenge I am hosting this week

at "The Sisterhood"...I would love to see you there!!

And last...I had a nice surprise this morning as my Easter card in the post

below won at the Cheery Lynns Designs blog..thank you CLD....

yah a shopping spree...every girls dream!

Now, onto today's card.....

I decided to join in this weeks challenge (ending soon) at "The Card Concept"

using the inspiration photo below.

I choose to go with the "Clean & Layered" look, which is:

Clean lines

Lots of Layers (mine has 7)

Designer paper~Embossing

Embellishments~accents

Clean & fresh looking

Some colored images

White Space

Every item on my card came out of my stash of already, cut, stamped, colored

 and just waiting to be used!!  

I think it came together pretty good...all 7 layers!!

I also found this cute challenge "Cupcake Inspirations" I am entering 
using their inspiration picture below!!

Ok, that's it for now...don't forget to wear green tomorrow!!