And a Great Time was had by All!

Happy New Year, Everybody! Hope everyone has a lovely evening. I have been enjoying getting back to scrapbooking after a Christmas hiatus. Here I've made another layout using Vintage Carnival. If you haven't been to We Are 3, you're really missing something. Bonnie and her Design Team make fabulous projects using We Are 3 papers and images. Click HERE to go see!

Two-Page Layout with Little Star

Woo Hoo! I am finally back to scrapbooking after taking a Christmas hiatus!

And the Best Christmas Gift is....

Okay, I was anxious for my hubby to open the one gift I made him...I didn't think Christmas would ever arrive!

And the winning gift is . . .

But - bummer - it was worth every little cent I paid - it leaks. LOL! But looks like Gene is determined to end that leak!

She's Got EGGS!

Woo Hoo! I finally get to share some gifts I made for Christmas! Here's just a little something for my Chicken-Loving family.

Egg Container

Egg-Collecting Apron

The Power Poppy Creative Confetti Challenge and Splitcoast Stampers Features Stamper

This week at Power Poppy Creative Confetti, we were asked to make a tag. I used the Featured Stamper Challenge at Splitcoast for my design. The adorable flower image is Luminous Bouquet, which is available from Power Poppy. I must say when I first started coloring this, I was second guessing my choice - but I've fallen in love with those small purple flowers. I cut the tag and frame in white with faux stitching inspired by the Featured Stamper, and again in shadow effect in purple. I debated whether I should pop up the frame for dimension - then decided to stay truer to the original design.

The sentiment was a Print 2 Cut on my cutter.  The border is Argyle Border from SVG Cuts.  I stayed with the same sentiment as the Featured Stamper as I thought it would be appropriate for almost any occasion.  Of course, I added ribbon and fiber, as inspired by the Featured Stamper.  Both challenges are so much fun - I hope you come and play along.  Both offer great inspiration with all the lovely entries by participants.

Fun with Christmas Bags

Good Morning, All! Have to say I had a ball making a few personalized gifts for Christmas (I have so become my mother!!) For a couple of the neighbor kids, I chose to make personalized gift bags. These designs are from Creative Fabrica.

Camp Fire Boy's Dump Truck

Happy Thursday!  Is everybody out there ready for Christmas?  Last week one of my craft groups received a request for interactive cards for children affected by the Camp Fire in Paradise.  What a great idea!  For one of my cards, I made a shaped card using Miss Kate Cuttables Dump Truck file.  I attached the "load" with a brad to make the card interactive.

Challenges - Power Poppy Creative Confetti and Splitcoast Stampers Featured Stamper

Last week on the Power Poppy blog, Allison provided us with a terrific video. Allison did an amazing job demonstrating how to color with embossing powders. Since I have committed to only digital stamps, I've missed my embossing techniques. Yes, I always knew I could use Allison's technique - but in my mind it just seemed cumbersome and time grabbing. I'll be the first to admit - I'm a REALLY lazy scrapper! I love the looks of so many techniques, but when it gets right down to it - I don't want to spend the time or make the mess. I think in my old age, multi-tasking and patience are two traits that have disappeared! I have now pulled out my embossing powders once again, thanks to Allison's video...she made it look so easy!!!! This is a very big deal for me - one foot out of my rut!

I was even more inspired when Julie followed up with the Creative Confetti challenge - try a new technique. I wanted to my one of my new fave stamp sets (Teacake with Strawberries) from Power Poppy. I wanted to see how I could use this technique on something other than a floral image. The cake stand provided me with an opportunity to use my favorite embossing powder - Vintage Copper. The strawberries were finished off with a touch of an old embossing powder left from one of the first classes I taught - way back when! (I only remember because the store owner charged each customer for a full jar of embossing powder - and you know we all used maybe a cents' worth!) To finish off, I used Stickles on the cake frosting.

For the background, I was inspired by the Feature Stamper Challenge. The white lattice design from Monica's Creative Room was used as a mask for the purple background. I added the sentiment and a few shadows.

Michigan Girl - Arizona World

Good Morning, All!  It's the week before Christmas, and you know what that means.  Woohoo!  Another gift completed!  Perfect for my dental hygienist who is also from Michigan, don't you think?  Unfortunately, I overheated Michigan inside Arizona!  And THAT'S why I don't sell my work.  LOL!

Warm Winter Wishes Paper Ala Mode Challenge

I made this card for the last 2018 Paper Ala Mode Challenge.  This week's challenge is Warm Winter Wishes.  I love this image from our sponsor, Oddball Art Stamps - Rustic Forest Birch Trees.

Shop 'Til You Drop - SALSA Swap

Woo Hoo! It's the last SALSA get-together for the year! For this month's swap at SALSA, the theme is "Shop 'Til You Drop." The inspiration for my design comes from Lynne's House of Cards - she has a nice clean style. When I found the image I wanted to use, I wanted that clean look so Stella could stand out. First, when I'm coloring, all the way through I'm thinking I need to scrap this and start over. Lines or No Lines? And my signature mark is shadows going every which way! What I like about Bugaboo images is the hefty outline....makes cutting much easier. Stella was cut on my Eclips.

Houndstooth We Are 3 Card

The December's New Releases at We Are 3 include three different Houndstooth collections.  I immediately thought of some of my favorite skirts and slacks when I was a bait younger.  Love the classic design on these papers.  This card is made with the Houndstooth Neutral collection and the Santa is from the Glitter Tag collection.

Sending Good Cheer

I've been working furiously on Christmas gifts, and it's proving to be quite the challenge! Just seem so disorganized this year. Had two Secret Sister gifts to make - wanted to send cards, but major creative block set in!!!! I spent one night online trying to be inspired - but was not inspired and needed something simple fast! Been there, right? I finally settled on simple and quick. First I made a set of Christmas cards cream on cream with holly - you can see those here. Not happy that my two cream cardstocks did not match! For the next set, I remembered Dreamy Creamy - much happier with the results. The image is Hollyberries from Power Poppy. I had a few extra, so cut some smaller leaves and did a bit of popping. I think these cards are pretty elegant, don't ya think? I'm pleased with how quickly these cards went together. Gotta love it when a plan works!

Monday Greetings Challenge - We Are 3 Houndstooth

The challenge this Monday over at The Outlawz is Anything Goes.  I don't like to create cards for Anything Goes (I like a challenge) - but it works out perfectly when I happen to make a fave card on the same day!  I used Houndstooth Neutral  - scaled at different sizes - for the patterns on my card.  I like the coordinated look - then I bordered it with a contrasting floral border and added a flower and sparkly leaves.

Splitcoast Stampers - Featured Stamper Challenge

Happy Sunday!  This week I chose the Featured Stamper's Hawaiian Santa Gift Card/Money Holder Card to CASE...also the theme for The Outlawz Sunday Songs and Rhymes is Here Comes Santa Claus.   I went with paper from Storybook Christmas (We Are 3) for cardstock - kind of like finding Santa in the snow. I'm not sure where Santa came from. The gift card holder is from Simply Craft SVGs. The holly is from Holly Leaf and Berry (We Are 3). Be sure to stop by the Featured Stamper gallery to see all the fabulous contributions by others - please come play along.

 

I Love You

How fun! We Are 3's December Release includes a collection of houndstooth patterns - Houndstooth Neutral. I really enjoyed greatly enlarging the pattern to make a bold background for Power Poppy's Irresistible Peonies. Then I took advantage of of the large white space and added a sentiment. Ahhhh - sweet success!

"Festive Friday" Outlawz Challenge

This treat box is for the Festive Friday challenge at The Outlawz. The svg file is from SVG Cuts - Mini Favor Box. The paper was gifted me from a former neighbor years ago - I just love it! If you haven't already, you should check out the challenges at The Outlawz. They're fun!.

The Paper Ala Mode Challenge

The Paper Ala Mode Challenges at The Outlawz are so much fun.  This week's theme is to use Wintry-Patterned Paper and an Animal.  Odd Ball Stamps were kind enough to sponsor - Thanks, Odd Ball!  I decided to make a tag using Wednesday's Sketch.  My wintry-patterned paper, unfortuantely, is well hidden behind my elephant.  The elephant is Christmas Elephant with Antlers from Odd Ball.  The snowflakes are a Sizzix die cut.  Click here to see all the wonderful creations submitted for the Paper Ala Mode Challenge.

Christmas Card

This is a design for the new release at We Are 3.  I used Swing Card 2 from Simply Crafty.  I used Houdstooth Holiday for the patterned paper.  I placed a sentiment from the Joy collection for the front sentiment - and one from the Sending You collection for the inside sentiment.  I embellished the card with some holly from the Holly Leaf collection.

                        

We Are 3 December Release

This month's Release at We Are 3 includes a Houndstooth pattern in a variety of colors.  What fun!  I made this window card using my Eclips.  The sentiment is from the new Joy collection - and I framed it with a mandela from Love SVG.  I added some glitter on my sentiment and a jewel berry to glitz it up a bit.

                    

Santa Nutcracker Christmas

Check out We Are 3's December Releases here! For today's card, I used Santa Nutcracker. The background paper I used for the flourish background is Vintage Carnival.

                         

Power Poppy "Gift" Challenge

Tuesday is definitely my favorite creating day because I get to join Power Poppy's Creative Confetti Challenge and see what everyone else came up with. Such anticipation! Click here to see the original challenge. The challenge is to create a gift - Julie chose to make a bookmark she made for her daughter.

I made a set of cards using Hollyberries from Power Poppy. I ran the background layers through the Big Kick. Some black contrast mats where also used on these cards. The snowflake background is from Darice. Guess I need to work on my lighting, because after finishing and going to take photos, I realized the cardstock colors for the image is not the same as my card balance. I made a set of four cards to send as a gift for my Secret Sister.

Christmas Card for December Release - and single-layer technique.

Don't you just hate it when you have a great idea for a card with individual digital elements - but no time to cut out each element? Well, my dear friends, just put all those elements together to make an unbelievably GORGEOUS single-layer image! For my image, I used Winter Serenity for the background - complete with deer. I added Hipster Snowman - and his newest friend, Bunny (from the December Release). Simply add a sentiment - this sentiment from the Sending You collection. Click below to add any of these elements to your Etsy cart! Then I just added some matting. Simple, quick, and pretty cute, I think. I did all my work using my word processing program (Word) - and this allows you to print more than one a page with some simple Copy and Paste.