Thursday, January 30, 2014

Masculine Birthday Card

I am way behind in my Big Picture Class Create & Share Cardmaking.  Week Two Kim Kesti provided us with a great sketch.  Here is my take on it.


Stamp Set:  Vintage Type CTMH
Ink:  Momento Rich Cocoa
Sentiment:   Tim Holtz Stamper's Anonymous
Brads from my stash
Cardstock:  SU

Happy Crafting!
Donna

Friday, January 24, 2014

Valentine's Day Card

Just when I have time to really get back to crafting after the wedding --BAM!  I broke a bone in my right foot on Friday falling off a curb.  Lucky I don't need surgery (it was a close call) but I am in a boot and cannot walk on it for six weeks.  I have been getting around in my ranch style house on a wheeled walker.  I put my right knee on the seat and wheel myself around with my left foot.  The big problem is my craft room is in my basement.  I have finally worked out a solution to get down the stairs.  I go down on my rear end.  At the bottom of the stairs I have a rolling office chair to wheel me around in.  Going up the stairs is another story requiring great arm strength to lift myself up to each step and sit on it.  Very tiring.  Makes me appreciate greatly our veterans who have to do this every day because they have lost a leg.  Today I did manage to get downstairs and actually make a card.  I have been viewing a lot of You Tube videos in my boredom, and this one caught my eye from Stamp and Scrap with Frenchie.  She used the new Stampin'Up! Hardwood Stamp.
I have this stamp somwhere, but getting around the craft room is hard and I had right next to my desk this Jillibean Soup Hearty Barley wood look paper leftover from this blog post.  I also loved that it had little hearts in the wood grain.  Here is my version of the card.  


I got a little messy with the inking around the edge of the heart but it still turned out cute.  The You + Me stamp is from a Stampin'Up Stamp set called Hip Notes.  I embossed it with white EP.  The banner punch is a FREE item (along with a matching stamp set) in the Sale-A-Bration catalog (starts Jan 25th to March 31st).  With any $50 purchase from Stampin'Up you could get the banner punch and stamp set free!  Cardstock is Cherry Cobbler and Soft Suede from Stampin'Up.  

Don't forget there is still another week to enter the Clean & Simple or Classic & Elegant Sketch Challenge over at the House of Cards challenge blog.  You can read about on this blog post of mine.

Happy Crafting!
Donna  

Monday, January 20, 2014

House of Cards January Challenge #2

There's some new changes at House of Cards.  A new look to the blog and a different combination of challenges.  Challenges go for two weeks now.  The first two weeks of the month (Challenge #1) are for Cute & Fun or Shabby & Vintage cards.  The last two weeks of the month (Challenge #2) are for Clean & Simple (CAS) or Classic & Elegant cards.  Here is my Classic & Elegant card for the January Challenge #2.  This month it is a sketch challenge.


The DP and Stamped Bow are from the Club Scrap Bon Appetite collection.
Sizzix Lacy Oval, Ovals Small, and Pariesienne Dies.
Wreath stamp and sentiment from Inspired by Stamping Fancy Circles.
Ribbon and bling from my stash. 
Hope to see your designs from this sketch over at House of Cards Challenge Blog. 

Happy Crafting!
Donna

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

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

Saturday, January 11, 2014

OWH Sketch Challenge #206

Here is my take on Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge #206.  I love OWH sketches.  They have the measurements right on them so they are very easy to make.  Your only challenge is what cardstock, DP and stamps to use!


Carstock is Stampin'Up! Very Vanilla and Cherry Cobbler.
Gingham DP is Cakewalk Kazoo.
Cherry DP (or apple?) is Crate Paper Farmhouse Collection.  
Stamp is Close To My Heart.
EF is Cuttlebug.Honeycomb.

Play along and post your version on the OWH Stars and Stamps blog!  

206

Happy Crafting!
Donna

Friday, January 10, 2014

OWH Midweek Throwdown Chalkboard

Chalkboard is all the rage and OWH has a Midweek Throwdown asking for Chalkboard cards.  I made this one as an assignment for a class at Big Picture Classes with Kim Kesti (well known in the cardmaking world).


Stampin'Up Elementary Elegance (Retired),  Sizzix Labels 22 and Fancy Labels 22, DP and Ribbon from my stash.  

Happy Crafting!
Donna



Sunday, January 5, 2014

Our Daily Bread Monthly Challenge at OWH

Our Daily Bread stamps donates the postage for two boxes of cards (one box for every 25 cards) to be mailed to our troops from Operation Write Home.  On top of that anyone playing in the challenge has a chance to randomly win a gift certificate from Our Daily Bread Stamps.  This months challenge is to use stripes.  This card is not for OWH.  It is for my swap group and I am three months behind getting them cards!  This is the October swap which was Get Well Cards.


The stripes are a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder called "Distressed Stripes."  DSP is Etcetera by Stampin'Up! Very Vanilla, Basic Grey and Basic Black Cardstock from Stampin'Up!  Typewriter stamp is "You're My Type" (retired) and Teeny Tiny Wishes from Stampin'Up!  Very Vanilla Grosgrain ribbon.  

For those who have been following my blog for a while, know I was previously with Creative Memories.  Since their change to Ahni & Zoe I am no longer with them.  I have signed up with Stampin'Up because I love their quality cardstock and cute stamps.  

Stampin'Up has just released their Occasions catalog (January 3 - June 1, 2014)  You can take a look at it on my Stampin'Up website.

Happy Crafting!
Donna  

Thursday, January 2, 2014

A Penguin for the General

OWH has asked us to make a penguin card at the request of a General in Afghanistan.  Here is my card.
The DP for the penguins and the background is an old October Afternoon winter design.  The pennants were trees on the penguin design.  I have used this paper before and still love it!  I will mail this card by itself to Sandy because I don't have a box ready to send yet.  Have a great day!

Happy Crafting!
Donna

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

My Top 13 Blog Posts of 2013

Happy New Year

As a recap of 2013 I am highlighting my top 13 blog posts of last year.  It was hard to choose but here are my choices. Please note these are in order by date published.  Except for #1 I couldn't choose which one I liked best.

#13

#12

#11

#10

#9

#8

#7

#6

#5

#4

#3

#2

#1
While this is not a card, it is by far my most crafty achievement of a lifetime.  This is my daughter's wedding bouquet that I made for her and used on December 27.  It will be a family heirloom and hopefully passed down to her daughter when she gets married.

Now for an Irish Blessing to you for the New Year.
May your troubles be less,
And your blessing be more.
And nothing but happiness,
Come through your door.

Happy Crafting!
Donna

Go back to the Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps blog to view other crafter's Top 13.

I am adding this to the Catered Crop post asking for our favorite projects of 2013.