And so the Birthdays Begin...

March is a very crazy birthday month for our household!  Starts with my niece, and including my twins, there are more than 7 that I can count at the moment!  I am forgetting quite a few but you get the idea ;)  Luckily for me, Faith from Designed 2 Delight was offering this freebie for the Other Challenge over at the CDAC.  The challenge was to use this image and combine two different patterned papers.  Tonite I'm a happy chick - I finished the first of many birthday cards to come.

Recipe:

Image:  D2D Freebie

Medium:  Artist Loft Watercolor Pencils

Digi Papers:  Dotty Brights by BirdsCards

Papers:  The Sweet Stack by DCWV

Flower by Prima

Souffle pen in Orange

Silver, Crystal and Yellow Stickles

Challenges:

CDAC - Other Challenge CDACOTC18

The Sweet Stop - Sketch SSS97

The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge Blog - Challenge #123 Sweet Treats

One Stop Craft Challenge - Week #120 Spring Flowers

A Day for Vintage

While inspiration blurfing for the past few days, I stumbled upon A Day for Daisies.  Gorgeous images lemme tell you - works of art, more like.  I tend to make cards that err on the whimsical side - something cute; something sweet with clean, crisp lines and lots of layers.  I love layers and I love cute. But I also love to distress - I think its one of my favorite techniques actually and I really don't get to do it all that often.  These images really caught my eye and if you go to the ADFD blog, the current challenge is to create something Vintage.  Awesome - a way to get my distressing in :)  Amazingly, this image is offered for free for you to use in the challenge - just in case you don't have any ADFD images to play with.  There is still time to play along - the challenge runs until March 3rd.  So if you're feeling a little vintage, stop on by and give yourself a chance to win!

Recipe:

Image:  A Day for Daisies

Medium:  Artist Loft Metallic Pencils and Watercolor Pencils

Papers:  Vintage Flowers - Dusty Pink Stripe and Pink Roses by Vintage Holiday Crafts

Sentiment:  Lovely Tickets by Lindsay's Stamp Stuff

Vintage Photo Distress Ink by Tim Holtz

Walnut Stain by Making Memories
Glossy Accents on Rose
Stardust Stickles

Self-Adhesive Pearls

Challenges:

ADFD-Challenge #12 Very Vintage

DYSU Challenge Blog - Challenge #8 Anything Goes

Friday Sketchers - Sketch #143
One Stitch at a Time - Challenge #51 Card for Mom

Sentiment-Less

Vivian from VN Digital Art hosted the embellishment challenge on the CDAC this week - and I'm super glad she did.  I fell in love with this little flower girl that she offered.  Only problem I had was working up a sentiment for her - she really could be used for just about anything:  birthday, thinking of you, etc.  But what I really had in mind, was "I miss you" while I was coloring her.  She is so beautiful though, that I left the card alone so that when the moment arises, I have a beautiful card just for anyone or any occasion.  I used the sketch from 365 Cards as inspiration and guess what?!  Guylou's Inimitability is hosting the challenge, so if you are the lucky winner, you could win $10 from G's store!  Thats a challenge worth trying in my book!

Recipe:

Image:  VN Digital Art

Medium:  Colored Pencils and Watercolor Pencils

Digi Papers:  Cheri Wenger (Mod Pinstripes and Mod Twist)

Lace Trim:  Bo Bunny Boutique Trims

Darico Self-Adhesive Gems

Challenges:

CDAC -Embellishment Challenge cdacec17

The Outlawz - Prismas and Other Mediums Challenge Feb17 Anything Goes

365 Cards - Day 357 Super Sketchy Sunday
Cute Card Thursday - Shiny Happy Cards!
Totally Papercrafts Challenge - Challenge #54 Do It With Digi's

A Maggie Gatefold

I heard that we're supposed to get another wintry mix tomorrow night.  Seriously?  I love snow and I love winter, for sure, but this last one has really seemed to drag on forever.  I'm kinda done with it, actually, lol.  My kids are so ready for it, too - they were begging me yesterday if they could pretty please wear short sleeves!  So since the Spring has been my inspiration (and come on, who are we kidding - my fantasy!), I wanted to color this Magnolia stamp that my friend Tracy sent me awhile back which I absolutely LOVE!

Here she is!!   Little Miss Tilda - Isn't she ever adorable?  And the way that lamb looks up her?!  You can't just help but say awwww :)  There are three pics - one of the front of the gate fold card, a picture of it opened up, and then the inside of the card:

Recipe:

Image:  Tilda with Lamb -Magnolia Easter Collection 2009

Medium:  Artist Loft Watercolor Pencils

Digi Papers:  Viki Stegall Designs - Just Breathe 4 & 5

Distress Ink:  Vintage Photo by Tim Holtz 

Stickles:  Diamond

Challenges:

The Outlawz - Prismas and Other Mediums Challenge Feb17 Anything Goes

Guylou's Inimitability - Anything Goes

MDUC - Challenge #84 Distressing

Charisma Cardz Challenge - Week #7 Spring Has Sprung

Creative Inspirations - Challenge #53 Distress
Paper Crafting Journey - PCJ Challenge #4 Anything Goes

Come on with the Spring!!

I read somewhere that Spring is a reminder that nothing is forever....there is an end; a renewal and a hope.  Stepping outside in my back yard, with the sun beating lightly on my face, and a warm touch to the breeze, I am reminded that Spring is on its way and so are brighter, sunnier days.

I saw this image offered on the CDAC by Zlatoena Designs for the Free Digi Challenge and couldn't pass up coloring it right away - I know, its ultra early, but sometimes we all need a spring in our step :)



And now for the inside:

Recipe:
Image:  Zlatoena Designs
Sentiment:  Lindsay's Stamp Stuff
Medium:  Artist Loft Watercolor Pencils
Papers:  Bazzill Textured Cardstock and Memories Memories
Digi Paper:  Purple Perfection - Purple Dots
Souffle Pen in White
Embossing - Sizzix Texture Boutique

Self -Adhesive Pearls in White

Challenges:

Taylored Expressions - Cupcake Challenge #55

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog - Lemon and Lilac Challenge

The Pixie Cottage - Challenge #57 Sketch and/or Embossing

Love Day Part Deux

My little ones spoiled the surprise and showed my hubby his Valentine's Day card and said, "Daddy, look what Mommy made you!!!!" with card waving madly in the air....LOL.  Kids, ya just gotta love em!  My joke to my hubby was:  "well you know what the card looks like, but you won't know what I'm writing inside it".  With that being said, I had to make another card for him for Valentine's Day.  I couldn't just give him the other one now!  On was the quest of which image to use.....and well gosh darnit, lol, what about the new one I won on Meljen's Designs latest blog hop?  *insert evil grin* !!  I think this little guy is adorable, and much more suited for my hubby.  I guess it's true when they say, everything happens for a reason :)

Recipe:

Image:  Lil Love Devil by Meljen's Designs

Medium:  Marvy Brush Markers and Artist Loft Watercolor Pencils

Digi Paper:  CowLicks Ppr 6

Sentiment:  Studio G Acrylic Stamp

Colorbox Pigment Ink in Scarlet
Making Memories Distress Ink in Black

Xmas Red Stickles for Hearts on image and heart border

Making Memories heart bling

Jolee's All that Bling self adhesive gems in Red

Challenges:

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Have a Heart

The Outlawz - Wednesday Sketch Challenge Feb9 tag: SC0209 
Cupcake Craft Challenges - Cupcake 129 I (Heart) You
One Stop Craft Challenge - Week #118 Love is in the Air
Totally Papercraft Challenge - Challenge 53 Clean and Simple
Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog - Valentines/Love

Fit for a Princess!

My twins are going to their first ever, officially-real birthday party tomorrow.  As they call it - a bowling "pin" party, lol.  The birthday girl, or princess, in this case, is our good friend's daughter's big day.  She's turning 7 and I knew right away that I wanted to use the Disney's version of Rapunzel that has been plastered everywhere since their movie, Tangled, came out.   She is a bit of a princess herself  ;)  But then again, aren't all little girls??  I scoured the net for something from the movie, and found this coloring page.   I had so much fun coloring her and hopefully the little princess likes it !

For the flower, I embossed a piece of white cardstock, distressed it slightly and then colored it with watercolor pencils.  I then cut it out and pop-dotted it with EK Success foam squares.  For added pizazz, I used my Lavender, Cotton Candy and Lime Green stickles on the outline of the flower.  I also used Diamond stickles on the ruffles of her gown.  Her tiara is glammed up with Lavender and Diamond stickles.  I made the sentiment using Print Artist.

Challenges:

Creative Card Crew - For a Loved One Challenge

Crafty Creations Challenge Blog - Challenge #105 Three Little Words

Charisma Cardz Challenges - Challenge Week 6 - Mythical/Fantasy

Hugs and Kisses

My oldest daughter and I have  been working on Valentines together for her little group of friends.  One of her favorite images is from Bugaboo Stamps.  It's super adorable, I admit.  Shhh, don't tell her - its one of my faves, too, lol!  It's only fitting then, that I would make her Valentine's Day card with it - its image is super sweet - just like my daughter :)  I go around calling her my little animal activist - she cries at cruelty- to- animal commercials, would take in any stray animal if I'd let her and loves just about any animal with four legs.

Recipe:

Image:  Giraffe Heart2 by Bugaboo Stamps

Medium:  Watercolor Pencils

Digi Papers:  HeartsAFlutter by Doodle Pantry & Paper8 Smoothie City by SBraxton

Sentiment Ticket:  SGT Stamper

Acrylic Heart Stamps by Studio G

Colorbox Pigment Ink in Scarlet

Glossy accents on Hearts on Giraffe

Making Memories Distress Ink

Embossed with Sizzix Textured Impressions Wedding Set #2

Trim:  Doodlebug Design Inc. Boutique Trims

Self-adhesive pearls

Image and stamped hearts popped with 3D-Dots Foam Squares by EKSuccess

Challenges:

Bugaboo Stamps - Anything Goes

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Lets See Some Love Challenge #138
Cupcake Craft Challenges - Cupcake 128 Seeing Red
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Have a Heart

Bratz Valentine

I got these awesome coloring pages from Tracy that she found the other day tinkering around the net.  Thank you, my image fairy godmother!!!  Well she made a Valentine using one of the images she sent me and that that got me to thinking about my goddaughter. 

My best friend's daughter is turning 17 this March.  My almost 17 year old goddaughter and her little sister get a Valentine from Aunt RaRa (don't ask, I might not tell you, lol) every year.  She's a good kid - a bit of a handful, but a good kid.  She tries to be all goth, but underneath, she's a girly girl to the core.  I thought of her when I saw this image - her big blue eyes, her hair: that is a gorgeous natural brown but has died black and wears black nail polish....

So two and two were quickly adding up.  The new Bratz pages that I sooooo wanted to color can be her Valentine this year.  She is after all turning 17...maybe the cutesy heart stuff has got to go?  Maybe it's time?  My mind was made up quickly.  I quickly started to color her and I used the sketch from The Outlawz' current Wednesday Sketch Challenge for my inspiration.

I love her!!!  Isn't she fab?  I didn't have a lot of pp to match her, so my hubby, the wonderful man that he is, said, why don't you emboss some tin foil  and use it?  I looked at him like he had three heads!  But later that evening while he was out shopping with our oldest daughter, that's exactly what I did!!  God love him, it looks awesome!  He got an apology for me laughing at him, and I got an awesome matted look for my card :)  My teenage-y feeling Valentine for my goddaughter is done!

Recipe:
Medium:  Artist Loft Watercolor Pencils
Image:  Pretty Bratz coloring page
Sentiment (reads:  be still my beating heart) and Dotted Heart:  Studio G Clear Stamps
Inkadinkadoo Pigment Ink in Black
Glossy Accents on Eyes
Tin Foil Embossed with Sizzix Textured Impressions Wedding #2 Set
Crystal Stickles on socks, cuffs, collar and throughout outfit
Darico Self-Adhesive Gems

Challenges:
The Outlawz - Wednesday Sketch Challenge Feb2
Guylou's Inimitablity - I Heart You Challenge
Bugaboo Stamps - Anything Goes

Your Love Gives Me Wings!

My hubby and I don't really differ on a lot of things - but one thing we do not agree on is Mondays.  I love Mondays and my hubby does NOT!!  For him, it means the start of another work week!  But for me, Monday is Freebie day over at Meljen's Designs :)  This past Monday, Melissa shared this adorable image and the post was titled "Your Love Gives Me Wings".  I immediately knew it was perfect for the card I wanted to make for my hubby for Valentine's Day.  Without getting sappy, his love truly does give me wings - he's my biggest fan and my best friend and no matter what life throws at the both of us, he's always on the sidelines cheering me on. 

This weeks challenge over at Meljen's Designs is Put Your Heart On It-to create something with hearts!  There is still time to play along in the challenge, so if you haven't done so already, hop on over and share your heart-sy creation.  Here's my take on the challenge:

Recipe:
Image:  Freebie from Meljen's Designs
Medium:  Artist Loft Watercolor Pencils
Papers:  My Minds Eye
Sentiment:  BirdsCards
Glossy Accents on Heart
Stardust Stickles on Wings
Lace Trim by Doodlebug Design Inc.
Embossed with Sizzix Textured Impressions Wedding #2 Set

Challenges:
Meljen's Designs - Put Your Heart On It Challenge
Charisma Cardz Challenges - Challenge #4 Valentines/Love
Creative Inspirations Challenge Blog - Challenge #52 Valentines/Love
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge - FTTC103 Valentine
ColorQ -Challenge #70