Sketchin' Easter

Here's my last Easter card of the year....I have used this cute digi from Nina May called Eggs-traordinary Find. I colored it up and used the sketch from Our Creative Corner to put it all together.

All the papers are Stampin' Up, the markers are Creative Memories and Marvy LePlume, and the rest is goodies from my stash. As an afterthought I decided to add some Flower Soft in Lemon to the bunny!

I have entered this card into these challenges:

Our Creative Corner - sketch

Cupcake Craft - Easter plus chocolate (brown)

Pink Elephant - pastels

Ann's Creative Nook - Easter

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Have a great week! I am looking forward to a little sun around here.....

Maisy on Stool

Hello all! I hope everyone had a wicked good weekend! My post is later than normal today, because with all the rain I was having a hard time motivating myself and later because blogger was having the same problem! lol!

I'm back here today with one of my new digi stamps from Di's Digi Downloads called Maisy on Stool. I colored her with my watercolor crayons and a blender pen. Her sweet teddy bear got my brown copic! Lucky bear....

The background I brayered with some Stampin' Up ink. I used old olive for the bottom and then layered barely banana, pretty in pink and almost amethyst from the middle to top. I backed that on a pink card. I cut out Maisy and her backing paper with my circle cutting system. I also added some pink ribbon over my green paper strip and pink flowers with cream colored pearls in the center to finish it off.

I used sketch #57 from Card Patterns to design my card. I also entered this card in the SecretCrafter Saturday pink and green plus flowers challenge.....and the Stamptacular Sunday flower power challenge.....and the flower challenge at Quirky Crafts.

SSDS Week 33 - Sketch

Hello! Here's my second post as a DT for Stamp, Scrap, and Doodle Saturdays! This week was a sketch challenge. Please pop on over to play with us!

Our sponsor this week is Sunshine Stamps. You should head over to their site and check out their lovely digis. They gave us some Easter images to play with.

The bunny and the chick are from our sponsor Sunshine Stamps. The eggs are from a Stampin' Up set called Soft as a Feather. I used markers and some gel pens to color all the images in. I have to say that all the brown was colored with my copic that I won from a blog candy, and it is spoiling me for all other markers! I may have to go broke getting myself some more!

I also entered this card in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Spring has Sprung

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Easter Card

PaperPlay Challenge - Easter

Dare U 2 Digi - Easter

Daring Cardmakers - How Egg-citing

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Easter

Stampin' For the Weekend - Easter

Have a great weekend everyone! We'll catch up again next week!

(Just a little post script...I've been playing with the new blogger templates, please let me know if this looks ok, or if it's a little distracting. Thanks!)

Spring Embossing

I have just found out that I won the last challenge over at Fab N Funky Challenge Blog! Thanks so much! Now the hard part: choosing from Di's wonderful Digis!

Ok, on to today's card......For me spring is the start of flowers! My daffodils and tulips are starting to bud and my daylilies are just peeking up through the ground! This week was also full of spring challenges, so I made a card for all of those.

I heat embossed the swirl and flower from the Stampin' Up set Doodle This in silver pearl. Took the brayer to it after it cooled using Marigold Morning ink. Found some felt flowers and a black flower brad that worked perfectly layering it over the embossed flower on the background. Found some nice patterned green ribbon in my stash, and colored up Cherry Tilda to sit on it!

The last thing I added was some orange rhinestones to give it a little shine!

This qualifies for the following challenges:

Crazy 4 Challenges - Spring

One Stop Craft Challenge - Let it shine

Allsorts Challenge - Spring

Lots to Do - Spring

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Spring has Sprung

Crafty Cardmakers - Spring

Fab N Funky - Favorite Technique (heat embossing)

I hope you have a good rest of the week! I will be back Saturday with my post for the Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturday design team!

I'm making a scene....

Sounds like something I shouldn't be doing huh?! Oh well, I meant Stampscapes scene! I had seen a Stampscapes tutorial on You Tube by Maria Loomis and I just had to give it a try. Here is the results:

Stamps used: all Stampscapes - Solo Canoeist, Tall Peak, Lakeside Cove Lg, Gulls

Papers used: all Stampin' Up - glossy white, basic black, ballet blue

Inks: all Stampin' Up - applied with makeup wedge

This card qualifies for the following challenges:

For Fun Challenges - Make a Scene

Stamptacular Sunday - Scene It

Stamp With Us - Male card (must use a Stampin' Up product)

My Time to Craft - Make it Manly

Cooking It Up With Katie #13

Well, this week over at Cooking it Up With Katie the challenge really was difficult! Here's the recipe:

Use some fabric (ribbon doesn't count)

Add your favorite technique and tell us what it is

Tear an edge or use deco scissors

Now the fabric part was difficult for me. I don't normally use fabric and couldn't figure out how to attach it. So what I came up with was a fan made out of fabric. My favorite technique is heat embossing so I did emboss resist with a brayer, and I tore the edge of that layer.

The girl on the fence comes from a Stampin' Up set called And Everything Nice . The background flourish is also from Stampin' Up set Doodle This.

I hope everyone enjoys their week!

SSDS BIG NEWS!!!!

I can finally tell you what I have been dying to since I found out........I am on the Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturdays design team! I am super excited to be a part of this talented group! Pop on over to the challenge site and from there you can link to the other ladies' blogs. While you are there don't forget to enter the challenge. I can't wait to see what everyone creates this week.

The challenge is to tear-it-up. Our sponsor this week is Sew Many Cards. Be sure to head over there to check it out! The winner of this challenge will get 5 digis of their choice.

So without further ado, here's my card:

I used the Chicken Wire background from Stampin' Up and stamped it on orange paper with brown ink. The brown layer I distressed the edges and tore and inch strip down the side, then distressed the tear and rolled it back. I also ripped the yellow layer at an angle. The rooster from the Roosting set also from Stampin' Up was stamped on confetti cream paper. I colored the rooster with colored pencils and then distressed the edges and sponged on some brown ink. Now the next part was funny because my husband said that it would look better with a feather, but could I find one anywhere? Noooo..... Turns out I have a feather stamp and mulberry paper! Now the mulberry paper I had never gotten into, so i had a great time pulling apart the little wispies.

I also entered this card into the following challenges:

Fab N Funky Challenges - Use Something New - mulberry paper

Stamp Something - Distress something

So again, congratulations to all the lucky ladies in the design team! I can't wait to work with you!

Easter White on White

I don't usually make Easter cards to give out, but I couldn't resist with this little basket! The basket is from a Stampin' Up set called Roosting.

I started by putting a whole bunch of white cardstock through the Big Shot. I used the Cuttlebug embossing folder Swiss Dots, Spellbinders Borderabilities Eyelets, and the Spellbinders Circle and Scallop Nestabilities. I decided to do one extra color, the yellow, to give it a little punch, so I used a yellow ribbon and sponged yellow on the scallop circle. The basket I colored with colored pencils and glitter pens. I also distressed the top and bottom of the Swiss Dots background and the circle with the basket.

This card qualifies for the following challenges:

My Time To Craft - Lovely Lace

Cute Daisy May - Anything Goes

The Pink Elephant - Spring

Your Next Stamp Challenge - Distressing

Crafty Creations - Spots and Dots

Stamp Scrap and Doodle Saturday - Week 31

Over at the Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturday blog they are calling for a recipe! That recipe is to use pink and/or purple and buttons and ribbon. I have to say that I don't use a lot of buttons, so this definitely was a challenge! The sketch over at Sketch Saturday really helped me along. So here it is:

And here's a close up of my eccentric lady!

Don't you just love her outfit! LOL!

I used the Stampin' Up set called Words by Wanda. Other supplies include some designer paper scraps, Flora Doodles flowers, buttons I picked up at a craft store yard sale, and my Creative Memories oval cutting system.

This qualifies for the following challenges:

Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturday - recipe

Sketch Saturday - sketch

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Anything goes

Crafty Cardmakers - A Feminine Celebration

Kaboodle Doodle - Happy Birthday

Cute Card Thursday - Celebration

Creative Card Crew - Going Dotty

Wow I think that's a record for me! I hope everyone enjoys the week! Happy stamping!

Prickly Green

Here's my last green card for a while! I used another Stampscapes stamp called Prickly Branches, and lots of sponging!

I started by sponging yellow in a circle around a small area I left white. I just ink up a small section of a makeup wedge and sort of swirl it around. It ended up looking somewhat like a sun! Then I layered the green inks on from lightest to darkest using the same sweeping motion of the sponge. The next step was to stamp Prickly Branches in a medium green color that I used on the background. The Prickly Branches were stamped again in white, and the last time in black. Using the different colors in different layers makes there have some depth to the scene.

If you haven't used Stampscapes stamps I really recommend you take a look at their website. They have many stamps and a whole gallery of ideas!

Oh yes! I also submitted this card to the following challenges:

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Green

Raise the Bar - Green

Crazy 4 Challenges - Men

Cupcake Craft - Going Green

Have a great start to the week!

Spring Butterflies

Spring has finally sprung and my daffodils and tulips are peeking up through the ground! Here is a card inspired by thoughts of spring!

The image is from the Stampin' Up set called Flower of the Month. The butterflies are a punch my mother bought that I seem to be using a lot! Thanks Mom!

This qualifies for the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - butterflies

C.R.A.F.T Challenge - Citrus colors

Theme Thursday - Spring

Daring Cardmakers - a creation inspired by daffodils

Your Next Stamp Challenge - Big Bow

Green Scene

Green Green Everywhere! As I am not one to really celebrate St. Patrick's Day (although I do like my boiled dinners!) I had to come up with some green card ideas.

Here I used images from Stampscapes and a green palate to make a scene. I started by sponging a little yellow in a figure eight pattern leaving two white dots in the middle of it. Oh yeah, when trying to blend colors when you are sponging, it is best to use glossy paper. The next step was to add greens in the same manner starting with light and working towards dark on the edges. When the coloring was all done I stamped Lakeside Cove large in the center, Ledge with Brush on the bottom, and Oak Branch at the top on both sides. Don't forget to spray your image with a sealer when you are finished because that will keep the colors from fading.

This card qualifies for the following challenges:

Pixie Cottage - green

For Fun Challenges - green

Squigglefly Challenge - make a scene

Creative Belli Blog - eyelets

Keep Smiling

Here's a card I made for the Totally Stampalicious sketch challenge this week. It also qualifies for the Cupcake Craft blog challenge - Flower Power.

I used some scraps I had lying around and made the sketch layout. The images used are from a Stampin' Up set called Wisecracks. The oval at the bottom was punched and then inserted into the oval metal tag from my Hodgepodge Hardware set. I guess it was just a Stampin' Up day, because the flowers were also from them!

This sentiment is great isn't it!?

Until next time, happy stamping!

Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Week 30

Wooo hooooo! I just found out that I was the winner over at the Totally Stampalicious blog challenge! My strawberry house mouse (scroll down to see!) won first prize! Check out their site, especially this Thursday evening as they are having a release party and blog hop! Thanks again ladies for choosing me!

So after a long weekend of no stamping I went at it again yesterday making 4 new Stampscapes images. I have used one of them on today's card for the Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturday challenge. This week it was open, so create anything you want! So here's my card using the sketch from Our Creative Corner:

and here's a close up of the buck under the stars....

All images used are from Stampscapes. The sentiment is from Stampscapes as well. I made it a very clean, simple card, but couldn't resist using my new star punch from Martha Stewart.

This card qualifies for the following challenges:

Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturdays - open

Our Creative Corner - sketch

Oh la la Creations - anything goes

Creative Inspirations Challenge - male

All Sorts Challenge - Men

Crafty Creations Challenge #57 - all one color

Tinkerbell

At Charisma Cardz this week they are looking for fairies on your creation. Well I didn't have a fairy stamp, but I did find a pixie! If you Google search Disney's Tinkerbell images you can find some printable kids coloring pages that work great for downsizing and printing on cardstock! So here's my card:

I found some coordinating green designer papers and used the sketch from the challenge over at Our Creative Corner. Colored Tink with some jelly roll pens and then added radiant pearls in dragonfly wing to the wings and pom poms on her shoes. The radiant pearls really added some nice shimmer.

This also qualifies for the following challenges:

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #102 - Lucky Green

Stampin' For The Weekend - Monochromatic Week

Thanks so much for joining me this week here at Crafts and Cravings!

Cooking It Up With Katie #12

Hello again! It sure has been a crafty week!

Over at the Cooking it Up With Katie blog she is challenging us to use the Decoupage/3D technique, some metal, and to add another current challenge to the mix. For my card I used the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch, and also the challenge from Totally Stampalicious blog to use black and white plus one other color.

I have used another House Mouse image....yes I didn't realize I had so many here! This little mouse was enjoying one too many strawberries, so my one other color is red! The sketch this time was a great one, so my card is actually made to fit a standard #10 envelope (think bills!). I stamped, colored and then used the Nestabilities circle and scallop to cut the image and the red mat. I then stamped and colored another of the same image and used my paper snips to cut out 2 strawberries and the mouse. I popped these two up in the same place on my finished image to make the 3D effect.

The two side panels are cut using a 2" square punch onto which I added the flourish from the Stampin' Up set Doodle This. Then I just had to use some red pearls and the library clips to jazz it up a bit! The ribbon and bow were added to finish off the sketch!

I hope you enjoyed the card, and don't forget to check out these great blogs and try your hand at their challenges!

Fun in the Sunshine

I just had to use these spring colors to celebrate the first day of sun in almost a week! I am so happy spring is almost here! It will be time to find out if the bulbs I planted last fall actually took...keep your fingers crossed. Ok, so the sun was out yesterday when I actually made the card, but not now; bummer.

Oh, yeah...the card....

I decided to color up this little House Mouse when I was making my last post. So I had one ready to go! I combined a few challenges and this is the combo I came up with! The sketch is Friday Sketchers #91. I also wanted to add the image in a circle which is for Cupcake Craft challenge #80 - Round and Round. I added the Cuttlebug Dots background for the same reason. The dots were then brayered with Summer Sun to add in the yellow to qualify for the Daring Cardmakers challenge - Here come the Sun. It also qualifies for the Papertake Weekly challenge to use Buttons, Bows, Brads and Bling! Ok, one more! The glittery designer paper and the glitter was added around the scalloped mats for the Stamp, Scrap & Doodle challenge - Sparkle and Shine. Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays is also having a DT call, so head on over and check it out!

Whew...So here is another picture to show the glitter better:

And another to show the ribbon:

And the last one to show the rhinestones!

Until next time, happy crafting!

Birthday House Mouse with Candle

This card I put together with some coordinating scraps of dp I had on hand. I started by making a bifold card and then making a front panel for it. I cut all the scraps the same size, then put through the Martha Stewart Scallop Dot punch. I taped and layered them in a pattern, then added the green to tone down the pink. The image is from a House Mouse stamp. It originally had another mouse off to the left which I cut off and used on the inside. The flowers I used were from a packet I won from the weekly blog candy at The Craft Table. Thanks!

Here's the inside view of the trifold.........

And the other mouse who overindulged!!!!

This card qualifies for the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Birthday Card with a Candle

Creative Card Crew - Celebration

Tuesday Taggers - Swirls and Curls. The sponsor this week is Crafty Individuals. Please check them out!

I hope to have some more fabulous cards for you soon! Stay tuned!

Nature Side Step Card

Sorry about the long delay between posts! We were without power from Thursday night until about 1 pm Sunday. We finally have power and now I'm checking to make sure the challenges that I had these cards planned for are still active! LOL!

Ok here goes! I got the template for this Side Step Card from the Addicted to Stamping blog. Here is the link. I thought that I would make the base of the card out of some dp. I found that to be a little flimsy, so I reinforced the bottom at the front and the back with a strip of brown cardstock. I decided to use some nature images to go with the dp design. The images are all from a Stampin' Up set called Wildlife Reserve. I backed the biggest of these with the same brown cardstock and adhered to the card with double faced tape. The two small ones I cut out and popped up on the bottom front with the sentiment from Stampscapes.

This fits the challenge from Crafty Creations to cut out and pop up! This also fits the challenge #25 over at Kaboodle Doodle Blog to make fancy folds.