Snippets of Christmas

Good morning my friends!

I have a free day today and while "stalking" around the blogs

I spotted two new challenges.

Well, you'all know I am a "challenge girl"...lol

The first one I spotted was at Pixie's Crafty Workshop

with her fun challenge "Pixie's Snippets Playground"

and to use "snippets" on your entry.

Well, hold on to my hat, because do I have snippets?

You bet I do...I have so many  snippets, I could

be the "Snippet Queen".

Heck I think I even have "snippets" in my "fridge"..LOL!!

Sooooo, this card was all made with things that were doomed

to be stored away for another year.

Two previously die cut trees, a poor white buck that had a few

wrinkled antlers...and a back ground paper that was in that

almost full to the hilt "scrap" bag of Christmas designer papers!!

I stamped an SU sentiment on  and viola' my first 

Christmas card for 2015!!

Now, the second challenge I found on the "Pixie" blog

and it was/is called  "Rudolph Days  Challenge".

Now how could I resist a "Rudolph Challenge?

I LOVE Rudolph..."him" and I are related didn't you know!

You don't HAVE to use a Rudolph...just make a Christmas card to enter!!

So there you have it, my card for the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippet Playground .... Week 161

and

Rudolph Days Challenge
and
Crazy Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge .... Starts with a "B"
(my blue designer paper)

A Dream Come True

Hi, how are you doing?

Counting down the days until the first day of spring like I am?

I can hardly wait, but at least I can create with my beautiful

"Crafty Secrets" products that are so pretty it "eases" the weather pain...lol!

I love how this card turned out and think not only would it make a beautiful

Valentine card, but perfect for a wedding as well.

I used some scraps (snippets) left from a Crafty Secrets project that you will see appear

On February 2nd for our "Crafty Secrets February linky party". 

It is a day you will not want to miss..amazing creations and tutorials from the 

Crafty Secrets design team!  So, mark your calenders!!

I LOVE the digital background paper I used. 

It is from the Digital Vintage Valentine Kit

The "center of attention" is from "Love Mail Creative Scraps"

I added a bit of glitter to the Roses.

The bow is another "rejected" one that was sitting on my desk

just waiting to be used.  

I say that so often you must think I have a very messy desk...I do...LOL!!

All the other pieces are from pre-cut "snippets" in my stash!!
I love using these up, don't you?

You might want to check out the Crafty Secrets online store,

there are some great sales going on, an most of the "non-digital"

products (like the Creative Love Mail I used) are all at a very low price

and once gone, they are gone as Sandy is going to go all digital!!

Also for your convenience, is a direct link to the Crafty Secrets Blog"!

Entering The Following Challenges:
Pixie's Snippets Playground ..... Anything Goes With Snippets
Fairy Tale ..... Something With a Heart
Simon Says Wednesday .... Anything Goes
Really Reasonable Ribbon ....Hearts and Ribbon
Simply Create Too ....Valentines/Hearts

Let Love Grow

Here is my post today at
Classy Cards 'n Such.
I hope you will pop on over
for a visit....
while there why not join in our current challenge..
we always have fantastic prizes!!
don't forget, you can use my discount code DIANE-10
at any time to save 10% on your order at 
the online store!

Hello Classy Friends, Diane with you today.

I am sure I have mentioned it before, but I just love Valentines Day and

working with hearts.  When I saw this new stencil Beverly

had in her shop Memory Box Heart Hearts Confetti, I loved it at first sight!

  

I sure wish you could see this card (and feel it) in person.

The hearts look like and feel like pink velveteen!

I stenciled it with Dreamweaver Regular Embossing Paste.

Before applying the paste with the Paste Spreader, 

I wanted to give it some color, 

so I just applied a small amount  of TH Distress Picked Raspberry ink to my mat

and mixed in the paste with the Palette Knife, 

bringing us to the beautiful color the hearts are!

Another favorite technique of mine lately is coloring on Vellum.

It is so easy, just stamp your image with VersaMark, cover with a fine

White Detail Embossing Powder, heat set, flip your image over and color.

I find Copics work the best, as it gives a soft, muted look, 

which is the look  I am after!

The image I used is 

JustRite Hope and Love Vintage Labels Eight and Nine Stamp Set.

Before coloring the image, I used Spellbinders Heart Circles to cut it out.

I love how you can softly see the hearts underneath the vellum.

I added a bow and a White Pearl to the center of that.

Thanks for visiting with me today!

Entering The Following Challenges"
In The Pink .... Pink and Pearlie
Word Art Wednesday .... #168 Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner ... Try Something New (adding color to stencil paste)
Shopping Our Stash .... Love Me Do
Sweet Stamps .... Stencils and EB Paste
Marker Pop ... Valentines Day/Copics
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge .... Anything Goes

Pink Girlie Snowflakes!

Hello All, I am hostessing at the newest challenge at

"The Sisterhood of Crafters" today

and the challenge theme is"Let It Snow" and use a snowflake.

We are right in the midst of winter here in Michigan and I have to

admit, I have seen enough "white" snow for now

so I went with "PINK" snowflakes!!

I used a lovely die from Impression Obsession (DIE211-YY) and cut it from

Stardream Rose Quartz Metallic card stock.

I popped it up a bit and added baby pink pearls.

Nothing could be easier, of course to mail it will be a different story

with those pearls..lol.

Head on over to "The Sisterhood" and take a look-see

at what my creative "Sistahs" have to inspire you!

Entering the following Challenges:
Impression Obsession ....Sparkle and Shine

Simply "Love"

This is my post on the

Classy Cards 'n Such blog this AM.

Don't forget, you can always use the code

DIANE-10 for 10% off your entire order!

Hello Classy Friends, Diane with you today.

This week our challenge theme is  Letter It, meaning, using the inspiration photo

add a letter/ or letters to your project.

I have to say, even though I was the one that chose this challenge, it made me

put my thinking cap on!!  I originally had intended to use the flowers as

my lettering, being they were made with Graphic 45 Botanical Tea 6 x 6 paper

 that had words/lettering on it.  But, after making the flowers using

Spellbinders Itty Bitty Blossoms, I decided to nix that idea as you had

to look real hard to see the letters!!

Speaking of the Spellbinders Itty Bitty Blossoms, did you know they are on sale?

Check it out, as the price is fabulous

and the dies are fabulous as well, when you need a quick flower!!

The leaves of the Roses are from the same die set and were cut using

Champaign Neenah Pearlized Metallic paper.

I used designer paper from the gorgeous New Joy! Crafts 6 x 6 paper pad

called Sweet Wedding for the base of my card.

I added a piece of real lace from my stash and built my card up from that.

After adding the Roses, I tucked a cute little Impression Obsession birdhouse behind.

The butterflies are  Joy! Crafts Fantasy Butterflies

and cut from a piece of the same Sweet Wedding paper pad as above

The word Love is a CLD die, but did you know that if you applied

Scor-tape double sided adhesive sheet behind your paper before cutting,

then, all you have to do is peel off the backing and stick it on?

That is what I did, using Echo Bronze Stardream Metallic for my word.

Thank you for visiting with me today.  

I would love to have you join in our challenge

with us, there is always a fabulous prize, tell your friends, too!!

entering the following challenges:
Crafty Boots .... Butterflies
That Craft Place .... Love/Valentine
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge ....Anything Goes/Layers
Word Art Wednesday .... Anything Goes

Grow Your Blog 2015

Welcome to "Grow Your Blog 2015"!

Hi, Diane here with you today.

For the last 3 yeasr Vicki at "2 Bags Full" has sponsored and worked very hard at bringing

bloggers together from all kinds of talent for a "meet and greet".

I have joined since the first "Grow Your Blog" in 2013 and have "met" some

wonderful blog friends.

To those of you that are familiar with me already know that my passion is 

"paper crafting" and "gardening" and "cooking" and "sewing".  

I have been blogging since February 29th 2008

and have never looked back.  Here is my very first post I did, I thought it would be fun (and funny...lol) to share it Nellies Nest!

I decided not to talk too much about me 

(you can read my profile at the top tabs "About Me" at the top of my blog) 

if you would like, 

but to share with you some altered projects I did for Christmas presents .  

My sister, Mom, daughter and niece and I do a countdown to Christmas

every year and we each buy each other 8 gifts, 

they can be whatever we want, and I normally make at least one gift.  

This year another friend "Judy" gifted a group of friends with the most adorable

little altered birdhouses, I just loved it, so thought I would make some for gifts.

The first one I did for my niece "Amy" as she is a fan of owls.

The second one was for my sister "Linda", I tried to make hers a bit more "shabby chic"

and she is a collector of "teapots" so I added a bit of those as well!

The third one I did for my daughter "Lori", 

she is a photographer, so I had to put that little camera

on hers, as well as the squirrel, it was a joke between us, so perfect!

The last one was my Mom's...

her favorite color is yellow, so that kind of says it all I think.

I will leave you with a few of my garden photos,

yes, these are from my own gardens

and they make me happy just looking at them

knowing that in a few months time

I will be out there enjoying them once again...let the countdown begin!

I hope you have enjoyed your visit with me...and not required, but I  WOULD LOVE

for you to become a follower, I really need to "Grow My Blog"!!

Mark Feb 29th on your calendars as I will be having "blog candy" celebrating my 

SEVEN years of blogging!!

A Very Popular Valentine

Happy Sunday to you!!

I am joining in with the Throwback Thursday Challenge #5

which is to Revive an older project on a NEW post!

The suggested (but not required) theme is Valentines

Now, how fun is that for a challenge??

I immediately thought of my January 30th 2012 post

"Love Is In The Air"!

This card has been pinned so many times I have lost count!!

It has been on my "most popular post" list 

(bottom of blog, right hand side)

each and every week...amazing I think!!

It also was featured on the "Creative Magazine" blog 
(which has now gone out of business)

so here it is again...enjoy...

PS:  I wonder how many more times it will get pinned...again...lol!!

Hugs, Kisses & Fairy Wishes

Hello my friends...

I have a fun card I think I will use for my little grandaughter  Kendall 

that will be 9 next month.

My goodness where does the time go??

I remember baby sitting her for a couple of years while my daughter worked

and she was only 18 months old then.

Here she is with her brothers and sister...aren't they just the cutest family??

So my card brings me to two purposes...

One for her birthday

and

Two for my Crafty Secrets  (blog) (store) weekly post!

 

When I first became on the Crafty Secrets design team,

Sandy, the owner (and such a sweet, sweet person)

sent me the  BIGGEST box of goodies to work with, let alone all her digitals!

I remember sitting outside by my kitchen garden with a glass of tea

and looking through that box.....wowzers!

It was loaded with wonderful heartwarming vintage product!!

In the box were these darling Crafty Secrets Creative Scraps "Altered Fairies"

and the most adorable little booklets FULL of adorable images

this one is called Childhood Images and Journal Notes...

this booklet has 32 pages in all and EACH page has 2 images to use!

I decided to try something a bit different then the "usual" A2 card

and made a Two Way Open Card.

The base measures 4.5 by 4.5

The second layer is a 8" by 4" and scored at 4"

Then the top corner cut off, leaving a triangle..

The third layer is 3.5 by 7", scored at 3.5

....kind of fun!

 The outside of the card is decorated with a "ticket" and "fairy"

I fussy cut the fairy from the Creative Scraps Altered Fairies collection.

The inside of the card is from the Childhood Images & Journal Notes tablet!

I added "fairy dust" (glitter) to all the fairies inside and out.

The last layer of card is shown below.

I love how she can add her own "fairy wishes" if she wants to!!

I know she will keep this card, 

as she is a little "hoarder of pretty things" like her Grandma and Mama!!

I will be back next week with a few 

adorable Valentines ....

don't miss it!!

Entering the following challenges:
Send A Smile For Kids .... Anything Goes
Fairytale Challenge .... Fairy/Princess
Crafting For All Seasons .... Things With Wings
Inky Impressions ....Folds
Word Art Wednesday .... Anything Goes

Shabby and Chic

Hello my friends!

Today is the start of another new challenge at 

"Fussy and Fancy"

with our theme being "Wings and Things" with "Annie" as our hostess!

Our lovely sponsors this week are 

"Fresh Brewed Designs" and "Sweet Lilac Flowers".

I had lots of fun with this theme, 

getting to use some very "neglected" products!

I gathered up a few bits and baubles 

and let the creating begin!

After embossing my Very Vanilla card stock, 

I cut a pretty Spellbinders die

from some of my favorite SU papers 

(though I can't remember the name..lol)

Funny, how I hunted and hunted for this particular paper in my stash, and then covered most of it up..

I think that happens a lot!!

The bird and and bird cage are a TH die 

I haven't used in years!  

The cage was cut on Core'dinations paper, then sanded.

Kind of hard sanding those "bars" on the cage, 

but I managed not to tear them!

The bits and baubles were just things I had in my stash, 

the feathers being ones

I bought just before the holidays.  

I used to have bags of those things when my

sister and I were doing shows, 

but wouldn't you know I gave all those kinds

of things to a pre-school before I really got into card making and now find

I am buying then again...

isn't that the way most things work...lol!

Live and learn I guess as the saying goes!!

I used a bit of Martha Stewart Crystal Coarse Glitter 

on my flowers.

The finishing touches were the bow and key 

at the top of the cage!

Now my friends, head on over to the "Fussy and Fancy" blog and see all 

the pretty projects the Fussy and Fancy girls have for you....and while there,

why not join in the challenge with us, we would love to have you!!

Entering the following challenges:
Crafting For All Seasons .... Things With Wings
Word Art Wednesday .... Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew .... Shabby Chic
Tuesday Throwdown .... Embossing
Creative Knockouts .... Lots of Embellies

Love Bird

Here is my post at the
Classy Cards 'n Such blog today.
"Pop" on over and leave some love
if you would like.
We have a challenge going on, too,
why not join us??

Hello Classy Friends, Diane here with you today.

Have you seen all the new things Classy Cards 'n Such 

has in the store?

I have started out my New Year with a shopping spree.

Nothing better to cheer you up in this cold weather

then a package full of new paper supplies to play with!

One of the new items I purchased is the Memory Box Hearts Heart Confetti

stencil I have used for my background.

I stenciled using a Mixed Media ColorBox ink called "Peaches".

To apply the ink, the TH Mini Ink Blending Tool came in very handy!
TIP: Lightly apply the ink randomly in some places
and heavier in other places, giving it a more muted/natural look.

I really wanted the background to take somewhat center stage so to speak

so I kept my card elements to a minimum, which brings us to another new

in store product, Memory Box Meadowbird Branch.

This is a fabulous die, and the branch comes with four pieces and the bird two.

I colored the bird with Copics to match the background hearts.

I had also purchased a new Memory Box die called Beloved Hearts.

Though I haven't used it on this card, I did on a previous one, and when cutting

it out, it also cuts all these extra tiny hearts, which I am using one for the bird to hold.

I just love the pop of red on the card!

I added ribbon and a Coral Pearl to my bow.

Thank you for visiting with me today, and I encourage you to give these stencils a try!

Entering the following challenges:
Lawnscaping .... Make Your Own Background
Crafting For All Seasons .... Things With Wings
Crafty Creations .... Something Old (ribbon) Something New (stencil)
Double Click Skittles .... Bird
Word Art Wednesday .... Anything Goes
Sweet Stamps .... Hearts
Tip Top Tuesday .... Something New (stencil)
Simon SaysWednesday Challenge ... Heart
Really Reasonable Ribbon .... Hearts and Ribbon

Birthday Wishes

Well, the "hubs" and I are back from our weekend getaway to the 
"Outhouse Races"!

Yep, you heard me right...

only in Michigan would they think of having 
"Outhouse" races..lol

We have been trying to go to them since 
we bought our vacation home 10 years ago,

but the weather has always been too nasty to drive the 5 1/2 hours to get there.

This year we finally lucked out or so we thought as they were not what we expected or had heard about...
I guess everything has it's day!!

Why am I telling you this...well because if I haven't been around to visit "YOU"

lately, that is why....

and I came home to  a lot of DT work, too..

not complaining, just "sayin"..LOL!!

So that brings  me to this mornings card....

I had a bit of time yesterday afternoon waiting for the hubs to pick me up,

so I saw this super cute "sketch" at 

"Tuesday Morning Sketches"

and really liked it, so wanted to join in.

I used background paper from Lily Bee Designs.....

I love this paper pad and have had for quite some time...

I bought it because it was full of six colors of gingham papers..love!!

Using the sketch, I used a very neglected and never used 

MS Doily Garden Trim punch.

My little "tag" is also a MS that I have had in my stash forever it seems.

I used a Hero Arts stamp on a Cheery Lynn Designs Sentiment Frames # 1 die.

Also I think the first time it has been used...

hey I am on a roll of using neglected things it seems!

The "shaggy" little flower was made with a Spellbinders Blooms Two die.

Speaking of flower dies, I just recently "re" organized all my dies and have

ALL my flower dies in one place now, and I was amazed at how many I have.

One of my next weeks projects is to hopefully sit down and spend a day

creating flowers!!

Okay, that's it for this am....make sure to come back around "noonish"

and see my "Classy Cards 'n Such" post....it is such an adorable card...see ya!!!