Frame It!!

Good Morning Friends!

It is a very dark and gloomy morning here

and looks like that is to be our weather for the entire Holiday!!

I decided to "lift" my spirits by making a pretty "sparkley" card!!

I struggled to get a good picture in all the gloom and wish you could

see how gorgeous this really is...oh well, "nuthin" I can do about that!!

I made this card for the "Frame It" challenge at "Cherry Lynn Designs" .

When looking through my Cheery Lynn dies, I came across my

"Dutch Scallop Square Frame".

I love all the detail in this and thought how pretty it would be made out

of a silver glitter paper!!

Plus I hadn't used this die a awhile and it "felt good" to get it out!

I framed a piece of a print from the gorgeous "Graphic 45 Botanical Tea" papers!

You probably can't see it, but I embossed underneath first and added a piece of

scrap lace to the top as it was sitting on my desk and fit perfectly!!

I added a pink satin bow with gem and finished off with a 

layered butterfly from

Cheery Lynn Designs Tiny Things With Wings set.

I will be back tomorrow with another project...stop in!!

Don't forget Monday Sept 1st is the Crafty Secrets linky party....

you won't want to miss 

that as you could win (with random draw) a $50 gift certificate just for entering our challenge!!

Also my "The Shabby Tea Room" project will appear on Monday

along with a "Guest Design" spot at "Craft & Smash"..

Monday will be a busy day on my blog, that's for sure!!

Entering in the following challenges:

Cheery Lynn Designs .... Frame It
and
Chocolate Coffee and Cards ....Bingo (Die Cut~Bow~Blue)
and
Crafty Creations .... Something old from your stash ( lace, ribbon, gem)
and
Simon Says Stamp .... Anything Goes
and
Craft-Dee Bowz .... Anything Goes With a Bow
and 
Card Mania .... Butterflies & Bows

Friendship

Hello bloggie friends!!!

I actually have 3 "free me" days in a row

and I decided to do a few of my favorite challenges

starting with the "Gift of Friendship" challenge from Impression Obsession!

I made a smaller 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square card.

I used a wood grain background using papers from Doodlebug.

I decided to use Impression Obsession Love Birds DIE058-N

as they reminded me of two friends getting together for Karaoke...lol

what do you suppose they are singing?

Underneath my birds I used Impression Obsession Twig Wreath DIE023-X

for my two feathered friends to perch on.

I finished off my card with a little trinket leaf stick pin and little rose on my bow!!

I think it is a cute little friendship card!!

Entering in the following challenges:

Impression Obsession .... Gift of Friendship

Have A Great Day

Welcome Classy Friends...this is my blog post on

Classy Cards 'n Such today....

I hope you will join us in our fun challenge this week...

there is always an awesome prize awarded to the winner!!!

Hello Sunshines, Diane here with you today with my card for our

fun challenge this week "Sunflower Inspired" using the photo below for inspiration!

What inspires you??  

The sunflower, the colors, the letters or maybe even the background??

I went with several things for my card....

the red, the sunflower, the words and the watering can!

My background paper is from the beautiful 6 x 6 Simple Stories "Vintage Bliss"

Then  I got real creative and turned the JustRite "Hello Daisy" stamp into a Sunflower

by using Sparkle 'n Sprinkle Fine Detail Black Embossing Powder 

on Banana Split Pop Tone paper..

I fussy cut it out, and because of it's size it was super easy to cut!

I added an Impression Obsession Wonderful Watering Can...isn't it cute??

Then stamped my sentiment from the same "Hello Daisy" stamp set

and cut it out with a Spellbinders Floral Ovals die...

To finish I added a red satin ribbon/bow and a small bow made with

Doodle Twine Sweet Cakes Valentine Assortment!

The Design Team and I would love for you to join in the challenge with us....

We would love to  see YOUR project and tell us what inspired you to create it...

Fancy Fold Flower Flip Card

It seems August has flown past us in a hurry.....

kids are getting back to school.....

and it's almost Sept.....

wow...life seems to move by so quickly!!

Which brings us to another new challenge at  "The Sisterhood of Crafters"

This week our hostess is "TERRI" and she has asked us to do a "Fancy Fold" card.

I bought a Sizzix flower flip card die on clearance at Hobbylobby about a year ago

If you know me, you would know that whenever I purchase a new die, 

I immediately cut it to see how it performs...

(which leaves me with a ton of die cuts for later)

I was a bit disappointed when I cut this die as it cut clean through on the score lines...

but I remembered Sizzix had suggested when that happens to flip your die over

and cut with it facing down (that takes some of the pressure off the die)

I did that and it cut perfectly!!

I used some SU paper I had in my stash, but I also cut it in white card stock and lined

my card's back side for more stability..
I LOVE this color combo of the deep blue and the coral!!

I think I kind of "cheated" on this challenge LOL, as I used a die....

but the challenge gave me a chance to use something I have had for awhile at least!!

Head on over to "The Sisterhood" blog and see what the other "Sistah's" have for you!!

I hope you will join in with us this week, we would love to see your "fancy fold" cards!! 

Entering the following challenges:
Clear It Out ....Anything Goes from stash (old paper & Die) and
favorite color combo (Blue and Coral)
and
Through The Craft Room Door .... Anything Goes
and 
Try It On Tuesdays ... Use Your Stash (Old SU Paper and Die I have forever)

Off To School With Crafty Secrets

It's that time of year when all the kiddos are heading back to school.

I know some of my grandchildren are already back in Indiana,

but here in our town in Michigan, it starts Sept 2nd...

I made this cute little card and I think I will send it to 3 of them to

wish them well on their school year.

For my Crafty Secrets project

I started with some bright SU card stock that reminds me of crayola crayons

Brilliant Blue and YoYo Yellow...bet you haven't heard those colors in a while...lol!

I embossed the yellow card stock with a Paper Studio notebook paper folder

then I grabbed my "Crafty Secrets CD's and went "hunting"....

I ended up with "TYPOGRAPHY" CD #3.....

Oh my goodness, it was loaded with images to use....

I chose the cute little blackboard and printed it wallet size....

I popped up the cutest little "off to school" image on that 

from the Heartwarming Vintage Stickers set "School Time"....

Did you know that these stickers (and more) are all on clearance for 99 cents?

They are high quality and so cute to work with!!

I made a banner for the top using dies from Papertrey Ink, adding apples to the banners

using the same Heartwarming Vintage Stickers set "School Time"..

To finish I added my "signature" gingham bow and brad!!

Don't forget that Crafty Secrets has a "Summer Sale" going on...

wow...you get a boatload of goodies for a very small price.....

I know someone that just received theirs and was thrilled with it!!!

I will be back on Sept 1st with a new Crafty Secrets Halloween project for

our Sept linky party...you won't want to miss it, so mark your calendars!!

Here is a link that will take you to the Crafty Secrets Blog...have fun!!

Entering in the following challenges:
Craftin Desert Diva's .... Back To School
and
Melonheadz Friends .... Back To School
and
My Craft Spot .... Back To School

CELEBRATE

Happy Monday Morning to you!!!

Mondays bring us to another new challenge at "The Shabby Tea Room"

This week is all about CELEBRATION using the lovely photo for inspiration

and using "PINK~FLOWERS~LACE

Our wonderful sponsor this week is Digital Papers by Janet

I started my card out with white card stock and adding my first layer

using some gorgeous papers from the Bellisima Collection

I love the weeks when we get to use Digital papers by Janet

as they have that gorgeous vintage look of "shabby chic" I love!

I started with "Shabby Chic Banner" , adding lace and pearls to the top...

you get 3 banners on each sheet...so pretty!!

Next I used my Cheery Lynn Designs Two of Hearts dies, cut from

"Romantic Paper Roses" background paper.

With those I added "Ticket Vintage" and a little white hummingbird from my stash!

To finish I added a bit of hand dyed twill tape and a pretty crystal flower!!

Now it's "your turn" to head on over to "The Shabby Tea Room" and see what the other

"shabby girls" have for you and to join in with us....

Entering the following challenges:
The Paper Shelter .... Lace
and
Cupcake Inspirations .... Party time
and
Sugar Creek Hollow .... Let's Celebrate

It's A Butterfly Day

Hi, Diane here with you today. 

Seems like summer is just "fluttering" away, doesn't it?

Speaking of summer, I have been spending a bit of time in my gardens

and have noticed numerous gorgeous butterflies....

I based my card on those that I have been seeing...

I started my card with a background I made from stamping a

B Line Designs stamp.  I used one that is now out of stock, but

the B Line Designs My Garden of Flowers would work just as well!

I stamped the words 5 to 6 times, basically just to make a "word" background.

Next I stamped B Line Designs Large Butterfly on card stock with Versamark

which I had first rubbed with an Anti Static bag to keep fingerprints off....

then heat set with Sparkle 'n Sprinkle Black Detail Embossing Powder

Using Tim Holtz Distressed Inks, I sponged color on my butterfly with

Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool.

I wanted to break up the background a bit, so I added

Memory Box Chesapeake Circle die under it, cut from

Stardream Serpentine Pearlized Metallic Paper

To finish I added an orange gingham bow.

Don't forget we have a weekly challenge we would love to have you join in.....

just click on the "challenge" button on the side to be taken there....thanks for visiting me!!

Entering the following challenges:
Butterfly Challenge ....  Summertime Butterflies
and
Kitty Bee Designs .... In The Garden
and
PDE Linky Party ....Dies and/or Punches

Fall Crate

Good Morning My Friends.....

I have a handmade paper crate to show you I made using Crafty Secrets products.....

I started with an SVG Cuts file I cut on my new Cricut Explore.....

let me say this has been a learning experience for me....

the files cut perfectly and beautifully, 

but the assembly worker (me) has a lot to learn...lol!!

I used Kraft paper for the base of the crate and decorated it with digital paper

from Crafty Secrets "Radiant Paper Collection"....

you get 32 beautiful sheets in this collection!!

I added vegetable labels to the ends using

Crafty Secrets digital Garden Paper "Vegetable Seeds"....

I added a matching bow with a leaf I had left from a previous Crafty Secrets project..

the print of the leaf is from paper included in the Thanksgiving Collection.

There is a wonderful SUMMER sale going on you can read about it HERE

You will receive approximately $80 of product for $19,95 plus shipping...WOW!!

You won't want to miss out on this, look at all it includes:

Head on over to the Crafty Secrets Blog, there is always something fun going on

and see what the other Crafty Secrets girls have been up to!!!

Entering in the following challenges:
All Crafts Challenge ....Anything but a Card

Riding Pretty

I usually try to fit a few fun challenges in when I can

and saw that one of my favorite challenges "Impression Obsession" 

was "Clean and Simple" and ending today...

so I decided to put my other "work" aside and join in.

I bought this stamp set (and matching dies) a few months back...

and though I didn't use the die, I did use all IO products...

I started by using a section of the "Cloud Background" stamp...

I tore paper and "masked off" some of the stamp to just use a portion...

I like how it just gives an illusion of clouds.

Next I first stamped my bike in silver and then again in black, 

slightly offsetting to give a shadow around the bike...

I also sponged a bit of green/ blue ink around the tires....

I had to add a tiny bit of dimension and remembered as a child

we had "streamers" on the handles of our bikes, so added those.

IO products used:
CL255 Riding Pretty (bike and sentiment)
CC091 Background stamp Clouds

Pretty clean and simple......

Entering in the following challenge:

Impression Obsession: .... Clean and Simple

Window Box

Hi my dear friends....
this is my post today (this morning) at the
Classy Cards 'n Such blog for our current challenge...
won't you "Pretty Please" join in our challenge...
it would mean so much to us!!!



Hello my classy friends, Diane here with you today

with my card for our "Heart and Home" challenge.

Using the photo above for inspiration, I stamped a brick background  

using one of the many background stamps Beverly carries.

This one is Impression Obsession Distressed Brick.

Using the PoppyStamps Small Madison Window die I added "wallpaper" and a little "valance"

cut from from KaiserCraft "On This Day 6 x 6 paper pad

The shutters are PoppyStamps Small Madison Shutter die, 

cut from a piece of black metallic paper from the Classy Fall Card Stock Bundle   

I love how the shutters have a pretty, shimmery look!

I filled the PoppyStamps Small Madison Flower Box first with Impression Obsession Grass

then with little Roses cut from Impression Obsession Spiral Flowers

and the leaves from Impression Obsession Leaf Cluster

The tiny hearts are from a small heart punch.

Hurry on over and join in our challenge, we would love to see YOUR project....

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter....
 and help support us by telling your friends!!

Entering the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly .... To Die For
and
PDE Linky Party ....Metal Dies
and
Through The Craft Room Door .... Anything Goes

Thinking of You Tag

Hello "Shabby Friends"...

Can you believe it already Monday again and August is half gone....

since it is Monday, you all know what that means...

time for a new challenge at "The Shabby Tea Room"!!!

This week "Tina" is our hostess and she has provided us with the lovely photo below

  and asks that we not only get inspiration from the photo,

but to use a home and/or garden theme, colors from the photo and flowers!!

Our sponsor this week is Creations by AR and I chose this adorable

"Our House Gift Tag"

The file comes in PDF and SVG.....

I treated myself  to a Cricut Explore back in June and decided to finally get it out of the box

and give the SVG files a first time try for me....

I learned a lot making this tag.... 

and you will be seeing more SVG files on my blog in the coming days/weeks.

One of the things I loved about this tag is not only is it so darn easy, but the house is 3D!!!

It comes, with the tag base (which is a perfect size for any kind of tag), the banner,

all the house trims, lamp post, wreath, fence and a bit more I didn't use.

I added a kitty and a pretty little gal I had all made up and just sitting on my desk

all "dressed up and no where to go"...lol

She finally found her destination!!

I would love for you to  "hop" on over to "The Shabby Tea Room" and see what the other

"Shabby Girls" have to show you....

Join in with us if you can, Creations by AR has a lovely gift to the winner this week!!

Entering in the following challenges:

All Crafts Challenge.... Anything but a card
and
Classy Cards 'n Such .... Home Is Where The Heart Is
and
Monday Mood Board .... 

Lavender Perfume

Good Sunday morning to you!!

I am headed outside to weed a bit and put in a few new plants...

Before I go, I wanted to share with you my card I did for a challenge

at "Our Daily Bread".....

I loved the sketch and though mine is "nothing fancy" I loved the layout of it!

I used some gorgeous papers called Bellisima as my background...

The panels were embossed with much neglected panel EB folders

though I have almost covered all of the butterfly one up...oops!!

The sentiment and the lavender sprig are from  Our Daily Bread "Lavender"

I added a sheer lavender bow to finish it off.....

sorry this is a "short and sweet" post as they say...

but I need to get outside before the hot sun pokes it head out..lol!!

Also entering the following challenges:

Word Art Wednesday .... Anything Goes

Fancy Fold Z Card

This post is on the Classy Cards 'n Such blog today...
hope to see you there!
There is still time to enter our 1 2 3 challenge!!

Hello Classy Friends, Diane here with you on the blog today.

I have been making so many A2 cards that I decided to step a bit out of the box

and get slightly more creative!

Today I have a very easy and fun card to show you, a "Z" card

I am sure you have seen these here and there and I noticed there are

several versions of them.....

I went for  the "simple" version!!

My card was started with a cream card stock base.

I covered the front and back of the card for a more professional look,

starting with the front using Stardream Serpentine Pearlized Metallic paper

which I embossed with a Crafts Too Mini Fans embossing folder.

The rest of the card was covered with beautiful papers from

 Prima Zephyr 6x6 paper stack.

Before adhering all my papers down with 1/2" Scor-tape,

I used the Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool with TH Distressed Inks

on all edges of my papers...

I think it gives a more finished look to the card, blending all the papers together.

I used a ribbon from my stash on one of the panels of the card, 

which I glued a resin Whimsy Heart to the bows center.

To decorate the front of my card I cut two sets of Memory Box Blushing Bouquet

that I colored with copics.

The little bow on the front is so precious!!

It is Memory Box Tiny Bow

The inside of the card I used a sentiment from JustRite Poppies Label Twenty Nine

which was stamped and cut on Spellbinders Floral Ovals

If you would like to try one of these cards, I have a "rough" diagram for you

this is very easy using a 8 1/2" x 11" card stock...

save the upper piece to make a smaller version of the "Z" card!!

I hope this has inspired you to try one of these cards...they are so fun and easy...

the hard part is deciding how you want to decorate them!

Don't forget we have a weekly challenge, just click on the current challenge tab

and join in with us.....have a great day!!


Entering the following challenges:

Hiding In My Craft Room .... Ribbon
and
Color Me Scrappy .... Ode To Summer (summer garden) and colors

and

The Crafting Cafe .... Photo Inspiration