Stretch Your Stamps 2 More of Day 1 and 2

Here's a couple more cards from techniques with background stamps from Day 1 and 2 Online Card Class.

This is a technique with the Tim Holtz Reverse Damask Stamp and Gold Perfect Pearls.  Die cuts are from Stampin'Up. 

Using the same stamp, watercolor paper and Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  Really Reasonable Ribbon and Sizzix Leaves #2 Diecuts. 

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Day 1 and 2

I am taking the Online Card Classes Stretch Your Stamps 2.  Day 1 and 2 are about background stamps.  There are some amazing techniques demonstrated.  This is an ombre background shown in day 2 of the class.

I used Paper Smooches Hip to be Square background stamp and Blissful Banners.  I used Faded Jeans, Salty Ocean and Tumbled glass Distress Ink for the ombre effect.  Twine and sequins from my stash.  I'll be back tomorrow with a Perfect Pearls card.

Happy Crafting!

Donna

House of Cards Classic and Elegant for May

It's time for another two week challenge over at the House of Cards Challenge Blog.  This is the Classic & Elegant or CAS challenge.  We are using this photo and/or color as our inspiration!

Here's my card for the challenge.

I stamped this Club Scrap "Take Wing" image on Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper with Ranger Black Archival and clear embossed it.    I used Squeezed Lemonade, Victorian Velvet and Dusty Concord Distressed inks for the background colors.  I cut it out and mounted it on Lavender DP is from G45 Secret Garden and then Yellow DP from Bella Blvd.  Sentiment is from the Club Scrap "Take Wing" stamp set. Come on over and join us at the House of Cards Challenge blog for some fun!

I am also entering this in the Cards in Envy: Winged Things Challenge. 

Happy Crafting!

Donna 

Watercolor For Cardmakers

Nothing like overloading myself with classes this week.  On top of the Layout a Day class I signed up for the Watercolor for Cardmakers class.  This card is a combination of two techniques from day 1 and day 2.  I used the Vibrant Watercolor Wash from Day 1 along with Jennifer McGuire Watercolor background technique using masking from day 2.  I was running low on artist's tape so I tried to use painter's tape.  I ripped my watercolor paper on one corner.  That's the last time I'll use painter's tape.  Off to buy some more artist's tape.

Simply Sketchy stamp set from Stampin'Up!  Stazon Black Ink.  Really Reasonable Ribbon.  Tim Holtz Distressed ink background.  Artist's Masking Fluid.

Happy Crafting!

Donna

12 Tags of 2014 April

I decided to play along with Tim Holtz and his 12 Tags of 2014 for April.  There's a lot of distressing and inking on this baby.  I used my new Tim Holtz Alterations Frameworks Trellis Die.

Roses are made from the Tim Holtz Tattered Pinecone die.  I love the mirror inserts in the trellis.  Hard to see in the photo but really makes the tag shine!

Happy Crafting
Donna

Club Scrap Boot Camp Challenge Week 6

This week at the Club Scrap Creates Blog the Boot Camp Challenge is "Framed."  Your artwork must have a framed element on it.  I threw together this quick card for the challenge.  For each link on the page Club Scrap will donate ten cents to Operation Write Home.  Your project must have at least 50% Club Scrap materiel.

I used the Club Scrap March 2013 Bookshelves DP and Cardstock.  The Camera Stamp and Sentiment are from the Club Scrap "Get the Picture" set.  Ink is Tim Holtz Distressed Vintage Photo and Antique Linen.  

Happy Crafting!

Donna

This One's For Mom

Good Morning!  The Challenge over at the House of Cards Challenge Blog for March is to "Add A Button." So this two weeks of the month is for Clean & Simple Cards (CAS) or Classic & Elegant cards with a button on them.  Hop on over and play along with us.  Here is my DT card for the challenge.

I got carried away with the button theme and went with a whole sewing theme on this one.  I have decided this will be my Mother's Day card to my Mom.  She loves to sew and quilt but with Macular Degeneration she can no longer do so.  I might have gone a little bit vintage on this card versus Classic & Elegant .

I love how I thought of having the scissors cut the edge of the paper.  Here's a close-up of that.

The DP is Authentique Original 6x6 pad.  The bodice stamp is Tim Holtz  Stamper's Anonymous Sew Exceptional.  Scissors, button and thread spool are from the Tim Holtz Sizzix Sewing Edge.  Scissors and button are cut from Ranger mirror foil.  I topped the scissors with dot of  silver Perfect Pearl  for the screw.  Sentiment stamp is from Great Impressions Stamps.  Inks used are Distressed Inks Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire and Vintage Photo.  Flower is made from the Tim Holtz Sizzix Tattered Floral Die.  Jute and lace are from my stash.    

Hope you come and play with us at the House of Cards Challenge Blog.

I am also entering this in the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge #4 - Show Some Sparkle,Glitz, or Glam (what's more sparkly or shinier than that Ranger foil?)

Happy Crafting!
Donna

Club Scrap Boot Camp Challenge Week 5

Club Scrap is having and Assembly Line Boot Camp Challenge on their blog.  This week is stencils.  For every link on the page they will donate 10 cents to Operation Write Home!  Here is my card for the challenge.  I used the Club Scrap Bird and Bamboo Stencil and the stamps from the November 2013 Fire & Ice Kit.  Your entry can be a card, layout or digital but must include at least 50% Club Scrap materials. 

Inks are Tim Holtz Distressed Inks in Chipped Sapphire, Shabby Shutters, Vintage Photo and Ranger Black Archival Ink.  

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Club Scrap Boot Camp Challenge Week 2

Club Scrap is having and Assembly Line Boot Camp Challenge on their blog.  This week is torn paper.  For every link on the page they will donate 10 cents to Operation Write Home!  Here is my card for the challenge.  I used the July 2013 Club Scrap Wisteria Kit.  Your entry can be a card, layout or digital but must include at least 50% Club Scrap materials.

This is a die cut from the embellishment kit.  The background stamp is En Francais from Stampin'Up.  Ink is Tim Holtz Distressed. Cardstock and Ribbon is also from the Club Scrap Embellishment Kit. Want to play along and don't have any Club Scrap material?  You don't have to join to order from their website but you get a discount if you are a kit subscriber.   Tell them I sent you!

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Words 2 Scrap By Challenge #1

Some blogger friends of mine Bobbi and Sybrina, have a new challenge blog called Words 2 Scrap By.  Their first challenge involves The Sound of Music "Favorite Things" song.

So, what's the inspiration for the first challenge? Our first month's inspiration comes in the form of the song "My Favorite Things" from Rodger and Hammerstein's  The Sound of Music. You know the song, "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens..."

The challenge is to choose a lyric from the song and make a card based on your chosen lyric. Maybe your card will feature roses and raindrops... or kittens with whiskers... or another one of those favorite things mentioned in the song.

I was inspired by Carol L. who blogs at Our Little Inspiration.  She used the line "cream colored ponies" from the song.  Her card is gorgeous!  I remembered I had this great stamp from B&J's Art Stamps.

Cream Colored Ponies

Products Used:

Sizzix Labels 17

Tim Holtz Distressed inks in Antique Linen (to color horses) and Brushed Corduroy for edging.

Image stamped with Momento Rich Cocoa Ink

DP is Jillibean Soup Hearty Barley Mushroom

Sentiment is from Simple Sayings set Stamper's Anonymous (Tim Holtz)

On a different note, I gained 22 followers overnight!  Thank you all for joining my little blog.  I owe it all to Darnell at djkardkreations.  She gave me a shout out on her blog and wow!  Welcome everyone thanks for joining!

Happy Crafting!

Donna

House of Cards December Blog Hop

Welcome to the House of Cards Term One Blog Hop!  If you've come here from Anita's blog then you are in the right place!  If you have just stumbled here and would like to participate, please hop over to the House of Cards challenge blog to get started!  We've got some fabulous sponsors that are providing prizes, so make sure to leave comments at each stop for a chance to win!

Here is our "Anything Goes" inspiration photo for the challenge.

Here is my card.

I used the Inspired by Stamping December 25th Labels.  I heat embossed first with silver EP for the bottom layer and then Clear EP over White Craft ink to get the chalkboard effect.  I smudged some chalk over the black cardstock for a more realistic chalkboard effect.  SB Labels 22 and Decorative Labels 22 were used to cut the stamp out.  The background DP is Silver Distressed Paint over a Distressed Ink background and then embossed with a CB embossing folder.  Ribbon is two layers Stampin'Up Organza ribbon and Island Indigo ruffled ribbon.

Please join in the fun of our hop and make your way over to my neighbor John's blog!

Here's the list of all the blog hop participants:

House of Cards Challenge Blog

Joanna Munster

Grace Tolman

Leah Cornelius

Irit Shalom

Kendra Sand

Nazeema Bastian

Rebecca Deeprose

Rose Miller

Shea Marshall

Tina Hale

Mynnette

Ruth 

Gale 

Nonni 

Tammy 

Vannessa

Mia

Nancy

Daen'Ys

Sue T.

Tara

Vicki

Alica

Anita

                                *Donna* ==You are here!

John

Shauna

Rudlis

Jules

Macarena

Rocky

Sue B.

Thanks for stopping by!  

Happy Crafting!

Donna

House of Cards Classic & Elegant September Challenge

I'm back with another card for the House of Cards Challenge blog with a Classic & Elegant card theme for week three of our challenge.  Remember week one of every month is Cute & Fun, week two is Clean & Simple, week three is Classic & Elegant and week four is Shabby & Vintage.  Come join us for any of those weeks or all of them!  This month at House of Cards we are using this color pallet.

I loved the vintage purple hues in this but I was able to sneak in a little of the rustic orange into my card.

I used my Club Scrap July 2013 Wisteria Club Stamp kit to make this card.  I used Tim Holtz Distressed inks for the background  in Seedless Preserves, Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord, Gathered Twigs, and Spiced Marmalade.  the large stamp was stamped with Range Archival Ink in Deep Purple.  I hope you take some time to play with these great colors and join us at House of Cards Challenge Blog.

Happy Crafting

Donna

OWH Sketch #188 French Country

Still working on the  Virtual Card Making Party this weekend for OWH.  There are ten challenges and the linkys will stay open until Sunday September 8th.  So there is lots of time to play along. This is Challenge 6 and the weekly sketch for OWH.  The minute I saw this sketch I knew what I was going to do with it.

I just got some Graphic 45 French Country and I knew this sketch was perfect for it.  The sentiment is from Close to My Heart Jardine set.  It was a little sad to cover up the cute rooster and sunflowers inside the beautiful frame but I couldn't figure out any other way that looked good to get this sentiment on there.  I made my own background using cream cardstock, Vintage Photo distress ink, French Foliage stamp and Smokey Slate ink from Stampin'Up.  I distressed the edges with Fired Brick and Aged Mahagony distress ink.   

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Inkspirational Challenge #34

The challenge at the Inkspirational Challenge blog this week is a beautiful card to CASE by Marina.

The Love Letters stamps are retired Stampin'Up!  The DP is Fancy Pants (from a line of baby papers but it works perfect for this too!)  Ink is Tim Holtz Vintage Photo distressed ink.

Happy Crafting!

Donna

House of Cards Classic and Elegant August Challenge

This is the week at House of Cards Challenge Blog for Classic & Elegant Cards and my week to post as part of that Design Team!  This month it is a sketch challenge all month.

My Classic & Elegant Card for the Challenge

I made this card while I was camping out at my Brother and SIL's place.  The background on it has been changed three times!  I didn't like what I did the first time.  The second time we were working in my SIL's craft room late at night and the lighting wasn't so good.  I thought I had mounted the bee and senitment on cream Cardstock.  Instead it was white.  My SIL and I got a good laugh about it!  When I got home I took it apart one more time and mounted them on cream cardstock.  I think I need to buy my SIL an OTT light for her birthday to put in her craft room.  (Pati don't read this part!)

Products used:

Close to My Heart Bumble Bee Quick Card

Close to My Heart Buzz & Bumble Scrapbooking Workshop (retired) for Wonderful Stamp, DSP, cardstock and bling.

Ribbon from my SIL's stash

Spellbinders Parisien Accents Dies

Tim Holtz Distressed ink "Gathered Twigs"

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge 171

The challenge over at the Fantabulous Cricut blog this week is a shaped card.  I really wanted to make a castle shaped card to use my little unicorn from the Law Fawn Critters Ever After stamp set.

The inside:

The castle is from the DoodleCharms Cartridge.  I embossed the front of the castle with a Tim Holtz Brick embossing folder. The roof is embossed with a Tim Holtz Dot Matrix embossing folder.  I highlighted the embossing with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distressed ink.  The banner is a Lawn Fawn Lawn cuts die.  The sentiments are from the same Critters Ever After stamp set.  

I am also entering this in the Inkspirational Challenge #31 Anything Goes

and the Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps Midweek Throwdown use Punches or Dies

Happy Crafting!

Donna

Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge 175

The Stars and Stamps Blog at Operation Write Home has posted Sketch Challenge 175.  The painting and remodeling in the house is almost done so I had time to work on a card this weekend.

I am still playing with the wonderful Authentique "Genuine" collection.  Love the blue jeans and bandanna look to the papers.  Sentiment is from TPC Studios.  

I am also entering this in the Inkspirational Blogs Challenge #22 "Anything Goes."  

Happy Crafting!

Donna

You can visit my Creative Memories Website HERE.

Operation Write Home Memorial Day Bloghop

Welcome to the Operation Write Home Memorial Blog Hop the biggest and best bloghop on the web.  If you started here and want to go to all the blogs in the hop, click on the photo above to go to the OWH Stars and Stamps page for the bloghop.

The theme of the bloghop is to make a "Thank You" card using one of the OWH sketches.  You can view all the OWH card sketches HERE if you would like to use them in the future.  My card uses OWH Sketch #161 (turned on its side).  I wanted to make a more masculine Thank You card.

Products Used:

DSP:  Authentique Genuine "Forever" and "Friendship" and 6x6 Bundle

Stamp Set: Dare2B Artzy "Thinking of You"

Ribbon:  American Crafts

Creative Memories Tag Punch (retired)

Sizzix Stars #2 Die

Ink:  Tim Holtz Distressed Ink Faded Jeans

Marvy Uchida Extra Fine Deco Color Liquid Gold Opaque Paint Marker (which somehow made a gold spot on my new jeans) (the things we put up with for our art!)

Hop on back to the OWH Bloghop Post to see all the other blog participants!  

Have a blessed Memorial Day weekend!

Donna

You can visit my Creative Memories website HERE.

Inkspriational Challenge #17

The challenge at the Inkspirational Blog this week is a Sketch Challenge.

I cut the postage stamp from the Close to My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge.  I inked it with Tim Holtz Distressed ink in Tattered Rose.  The DSP is Close to My Heart "La Belle Vie" (retired) and the Stamp set (heat embossed in white) is "Jardin."

Happy Crafting!

Donna

You can visit my Creative Memories website HERE.  

Inkspirational Challenge #15

The new challenge over at the Inkspirational blog is a photo challenge.  With the Cherry Blossoms blooming in D.C. this was a perfect photo challenge.  My card:

The stamp and sentiment is a special edition from Simple Pleasures LSS in Colorado Springs, CO.  My SIL lives near the Springs and when I visit I love to take a shopping tour through Simple Pleasures!  Stamped with Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink and embossed with clear EB.  Blossoms are colored with Tim Holtz Distressed Markers in Worn Lipstick and I distressed the edges with Worn Lipstick Distressed Ink.  Background DSP is "Shaffer" Almanac Collection from Prima.  I think I got this paper free at one of my "Scrapfest" crops.  I am also entering this in the Operation Write Home Midweek throwdown challenge, show your favorite color combination.  Black and Pink are such a gorgeous elegant color combo don't you think?

Have a great day!
Happy Crafting!
Donna
You can visit my Creative Memories website HERE.