Nutcrackers

Ahh, I just got home with my husband from an emergency trip to Birmingham, Alabama to help a family member. What was the first thing I did? Walked into the craft room and start on another Christmas card of course!


I participated in the October Swap and received 3 wonderful cards from An'Jenic Gibson, Pat Garvin, and Ruth Dupchen. But I also received this really sweet mini stamp set called More Nutcrackers 2014 as part of the swap.




Then I saw the Tutorial Time Challenge and since I've been messing around with watercolors since June, I thought it would be another way to work with water and well, color.

This is the last Tutorial Time Challenge from Mark's Finest Papers for this year. I really enjoy this challenge because of all the wonderful ideas. I think I'll go to the tutorial page and start working my way through all the past tutorials presented. What a way to garner ideas for cards!

I love all the Design Team cards there too. Way to go again ladies.

I will also enter this card in the Word Art Wednesday Challenge this week.

Merry Christmas!

Ice Skating

I love this happy little mfp Penguin and the joy on his face as he is ice skating. I'm entering this card in the mfp Sketch With a Twist Challenge #120. It calls for a "Winter Theme" card with the sketch that is posted on the web page.

This is the last challenge for this year so Merry Christmas to all the DT for the SWAT challenges.

Down to the Wire!

Yes, I'm still making Christmas cards, even as I am addressing envelopes to start sending them out! This is for a Challenge and the idea is from another Challenge.

Mark's Finest Papers has the Sketch With A Twist Challenge this time using the theme "Winter Scene." I made a card that I will post next but first I used the sketch to create this Color Challenge #44 card using burgundy, green and gold. I even made a matching package tag. This card has Santa riding off into the night. Hope he's on the way to my house!

I took this picture twice and for some reason the gold stamp that is crisp and clear, isn't showing up that way. Oh well.

And here's the little 3" x 3" tag to match. It was so easy to do and I used up some scraps in the process.

Merry Christmas to the Color Challenge team!

Copycat

Sometimes I see a card and I just have to case it. It normally doesn't happen fast enough that I would actually post it immediately, but, well, today I did and I am!

Pam Tiedtke did such a nice job on her Simple Solutions Challenge #118 card that I pulled out paper and stamps that would fit and made a similar card. To see Pam's card click here. I think that I'll have to make 3 or 4 of these to use this Christmas. Thanks Pam!

I am posting this in the Mark's Finest Papers Simple Solution Challenge.

Thanksgiving

As we enter into the Thanksgiving and subsequently the Christmas season, it is good to give thanks and praise to God for all the wonderful things he has given us. My worst day is 10 times better than someone else being persecuted for their faith.

So, I'm thankful for my husband and family, friends, the freedom to believe and worship as I please, and this great country with all its short comings.

And I'm thankful for the fun and mental exercise I enjoy from making these cards. I will be entering this card in Word Art Wednesday's challenge.

Blessings to all of you!

Sisters

I have 4 sisters...all gained through marriage. So it is fun to send them each a personal birthday card each year.

I bet you can't figure out what this sister's name is, right? So this card is being sent to her this week.

I am entering it in the mfp Simple Salutations Challenge #118, use at least 2 shades of grey. It always surprises me when a seemingly dull color such as grey comes out to be so pretty! There is a good bit of sparkle added that really isn't showing up.

A Bag Full of Goodies

Here is another stamp I've had but never used. The coloring includes a lot of detail but is real sweet when finished. I popped this bag of Santa's gifts out 3 times to make it stand out.

I will enter this in the mfp Friends of Speedy TV challenge of Red, Gold and Green. Be sure to stop by and see the pretty cards the design team made!

I will also enter this in the Word Art Wednesday site. They have more than 100 entries of inspirational cards normally. I enjoy going down the list to see what everyone is up to!

A Christmas Letter

In my quest to use stamps I haven't used and bits of paper hanging around, I created this card front to resemble an envelope. Inside has a simple Merry Christmas added and I'll be able to personalize it for whomever it is sent to.

This card will be entered into the mfp Color Challenge #43 which calls for the colors Red, Yellow and Grey. I don't know if this will be considered cheating but I am calling the shiny silver bells and snowflakes grey and used a small amount of yellow for an accent. This one took some thought to produce but I thought it turned out rather cute.

I will also enter this into the WordArtWednesday Challenge this week.

Be sure and check out both of these fun challenges!

A Christmas Challenge

So, as promised, here is my second entry to the mfp Tutorial Challenge #122. This was a fun technique to learn and I hope I remember it to use with different punches throughout the year.

I will enter this card in the WordArtWednesday Challenge #159 also. They have chosen a beautiful scripture this week from Psalm 100:4 that says "Enter into His gate with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; Be thankful unto Him and bless His name." This challenge started today. I don't think I can work this scripture into a Christmas card theme, but it's so appropriate for Thanksgiving and I still have time to mail it out. It's a win-win!

Christmas Cards

You know what the fun of making Christmas cards is? You get to make them all year long. It throws a little holiday fun into all the seasons of the year!

Of course, now that we are about to enter into the actual time of year when the cards will be needed, I am feeling a sense of urgency to step up 'my game.'

To that end, every challenge I enter will be an attempt to incorporate a Christmas flair. This time on Mark's Finest Papers, the Tutorial Challenge #122 is called "Wreath From Punched Pieces." There are 8 different cards posted, some are Christmas but there are a nice variety of different cards posted also by the design team. All are so inspirational!

I have this card to submit and in my next post will add another.

I will also put this on the WordArtWednesday blog site.

Friend to Friend

This background color is one of my favorites. I had to use this little girl for the mfp Sketch With A Twist challenge this time. I find myself in this position so often, I had to laugh when I saw her.

Oh for the days when my hair was long and blonde :)

I will also be entering this on WordArtWednesday. The scripture this week is so appropriate for Thanksgiving. Visit them and see!

Giving Thanks!

Well, it's been a while since I've been able to work on my cards. I'm so happy to be back and able to be creative again.

Word Art Wednesday has a beautiful scripture this week so I've used it in two cards and will send one of these to my Mom-in-law for Thanksgiving. Come and join in on the fun!

Whooo Wants To Know?

Okay, so these owls are fun to work with! I was given the owl punch last year and haven't found a good way to use it until now. I even had the nerve to glitterize (sure, that's a word!) the light colored owls since they weren't showing up too well. The sentiment is a digital stamp from the computer. Easy and fun!

I'm going to enter this in the mfp SWAT Challenge #117. There is a sketch and the twist is to use an owl on the page. Check and check! Click on the link to see all the details.



I will also enter this card in the Word Art Wednesday challenge. I really enjoy using their listed scripture on a card, but have but rushed lately so will post this for the Anything Goes challenge. Stop by the blog site using this link and see what they are all about!

What A Whoot!

I don't know what it is about owls that fascinate me, but I think it could be because they are so elusive and hard to spot but have such a distinct call. I love to hear them in the trees around our neighborhood as we walk. They never stay in one place for long and sometimes there are a flock that make such a racket you think whatever prey might have been below, is long gone now.

All that to say, Mark's Finest Papers SWAT Challenge #117 is a sketch with an owl or owls in it. This is my card and it will be sent to my brother and sister-in-law in Wyoming for their 23rd wedding anniversary.

Thanks Vickie for another great idea...umm or rather Challenge! :)

A Horse is a Horse, Of Course!

Have I mentioned lately how much fun it is to make these cards? My biggest downfall is I'm only producing one of each. I really need to go back and duplicate the best ones for when I'm on the road selling them.

Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #234 calls for layers. I have been waiting for the perfect time to use this sweet horse and barn door.

This is my homemade card stock with a wood embossed background, more torn paper and the horse and door stamps fussy cut out and put together.

This takes me back to my riding days! I drew just as much pleasure from brushing my horse and walking around with him in the pasture as I did actually riding. Ahh, that was many moons ago. I still love to visit the memories though!

Fall Is Here!

Oh, how the celebration of the clear moonlit sky, clean crisp air and turning leaves perk up everyone's attitude. Especially after the long, beastly hot summer here in Florida.

Mark's Finest Papers Friends of Speedy TV Challenge 143 is to make a card with Autumn Colors. To mimic a commercial for a large office supply store "That was easy!"

Wishing You Well

Recently, two friends of mine landed in the hospital. I got out my box of cards and couldn't find any get well cards so I adapted two generic cards into get well and sent them off.

Note to self: make some actual get well cards to keep on hand and add to the stock to sell!

Once I had the self-imposed theme, the colors came together. This is yellow homemade card stock with navy blue with the torn edges and more yellow on top. The scallops looked too inviting to leave empty so I carefully wove the violet ribbon around the edges.

I will enter this card in the Mark's Finest Papers Color Challenge #41. 

I want to send a big Thanks to Lis Robson for hosting this challenge site!

Girl Time

I know of two families where baby girls are entering the scene this month. I was inspired by Mark's Finest Papers Inspiration Challenge #81.

The inspiration pictures are of "Pretty Birds" and I choose the first picture for the vibrant colors to emulate.

Behind the pixie I added a little sparkle and dark pink framing.

Just the thing to welcome the sweet babies!

Metal Buttons

Be honest, how many buttons do each one of you have lurking in a drawer or container? I have buttons I inherited from 5 different women, not to mention all of the buttons I've collected on my own.

When I saw the Simple Salutations Challenge #115 from Mark's Finest Papers, I knew just what I could do. I like the antique look these metal buttons add to the card. The challenge is to add metal embellishments.

I took a pair of pliers to 3 of them to squash down a bit. This card might need an extra stamp, but I think anyone who loves to sew would enjoy receiving it!

The base card is from my yellow home made card stock.

I will also enter this in the WordArtWednesday.com challenge.

And the Wolf Makes 3!

I know these cards are rather looking alike, but I think they'll make a fun set and I will produce more and sell them that way.

I'm so glad I tried the SWAT Challenge #116 with Mark's Finest Papers one more time. Thank you Vickie Yeakley for hosting this fun challenge!

Apparently, it was '5 times the charm' for me this time!

Be Bear Aware!

The signs are everywhere on the trails in the northwest. Carry bear spray, hike in groups and listen and watch for the signs of bear.

We were fortunate enough not to run into one again this year but we both always carried our bear spray. I don't think you'll need the spray for this momma and cub though.

This is a copy-cat for the mfp SWAT Challenge #116. I'll make the wolf tomorrow and it means I've finally found a use for the footprint stamps I bought last year. I consider that a victory!

Moose Tracks

In Yellowstone there is an ice cream called Moose Tracks. It has caramel, mini peanut butter cups and chocolate swirl in it. I thought of it while making this card.

The background is stamped with moose tracks and the front piece is, of course, a moose!

This was my 5th attempt at creating a card for the mfp SWAT Challenge #116.

I think this was so hard for me because I kept using stamps that required a center piece rather than being able to offset it like this called for.

Watch for a possible wolf and bear sighting to come :)

Tag You're It!

What a fun Challenge this time from Friends of Speedy TV! It is to make at least 2 tags. I chose Christmas since the holidays are speeding towards us. I intend to make more but will have to settle on submitting these 2 for this Challenge.

The basic paper is my home made stock and the car is from an older mfp set while the sleigh is from, well just a Christmas set. These took a little planning but with the back stamped "To: and From:" before the embossing was done, I can attach them to presents quite easily.

Get ready because I hear jingle bells 'a ringing!

Time for a Challenge!

I have been on the road home from Yellowstone to Florida and am now all set up to make cards and join in on the fun again.

I am entering this card in the Mark's Finest Papers Oriental Challenge #55. I was able to combine the saying from the Calm & Wisdom stamp set with the Lanterns stamp set from mfp. I had fun adding the embellishment of thread for the longer fringe.

I believe these little lanterns would make any patio rather gay with friends around!

Target Practice

Mark's Finest Papers with Speedy Fox and Friends has a fun challenge this week. It is to create a masculine card using the color navy. I had this bow hunter and saying from mfp's Bow Hunter's stamp set and this is where my mind went.

I can't say I'm big in following hunters but target practice I can picture. I really like the detail work in the trees too.

Reflections

I don't know of anyone who doesn't love the fall colors that are showing up already in different parts of the country.

Here in Yellowstone, the Aspen trees are at their peak of color as are many of the bushes along the river banks. So when I saw the mfp Inspiration Challenge #80 pictures of all the colors at Ruby Falls, I thought of fall and the changing of the season.









We leave in just 7 days and although I'm looking forward to heading east and out of the severe cold that prevails in these parts, I will miss this extreme beauty. It's easy to look out our back window and say, yeah, so, it's just mountains. But when someone new checks into our cabins and walks around the back taking panoramic shots it's like a wake up call of how majestic the landscape is around us!

This is looking from Yellowstone up to our cabins.




If you click on these pictures, you can see 2 trees between the 2 middle cabins above. Here is a picture taken from between the 2 trees out into the park. Just thought I would share!

Too much fun!

How can a hobby be so much fun? My husband sits and shakes his head as I get excited about a new tutorial or technique. He's especially happy when I am able to do them with supplies I already own!

This week on mfp, the Tutorial Time Challenge #118 is a lesson on how to use a scoring tool and make a weathered wood background look and build your card on that. My brain is spinning with ideas.

This is my 2nd submission to this challenge. I'm using the Mark's Finest Papers Train Talk stamp set.  It's too much fun!!

Dogwood Blossoms

I love this stamp set of Dogwood Blossoms by Mark's Finest Papers :)

I'm entering it in the Tutorial Time #118 challenge. You create your own weathered wood background using a scoring tool and use colors for emphasis. So easy and very effective. Thank you Jane for the great idea!

On this card I used my own paper. The scoring isn't as deep as on a regular card stock but I'm so pleased at the results. I'll be doing this a lot.

Word Art Wednesday

I've been working with the Scripture that WordArtWednesday.com posts each week. Since I won't have access to a computer until mid-October, I'm working on creative ways to add the Scriptures to a card.

I'm pleased with the way this card came out, but it still needs improvement. I decided to add it to the cards this week, even though the Scripture is from last week. I used watercolor paper and watercolors for the background and the stamp is by Inkadinka Clings. The Scripture is pen and ink. It starts at the asterisk and weaves it's way around the outside of the square.

Color Weaving

This week's color challenge with mfp is pink, gray, blue. I love the softness of the colors and decided to create a woven effect and sealed the edges by sewing it up. This is a technique Lis taught at our card group but this is the first time to use it.

I will enter this in the mfp Color Challenge. Check out their website for fun tutorials and inspiration for paper crafting!

I'm also entering it into WordArtWednesday.com

Eye of Newt

I heard today on the radio that we are less than 100 days away from Christmas. I will add to that we are less than 70 days from Thanksgiving and less than 45 days from Halloween.

These are hard numbers to digest! I believe my cards are going to be taking on holiday themes more often than not from here on out :)

I am entering this card in Mark's Finest Papers SWAT challenge #115. I have a fun paper pack by K&Company that I bought 2 years ago and have gotten so much mileage out of. The bird on the card is a mini stamp set by Studio 112.

Is it Fall yet?

In some parts of the U.S.A. it is raining and sweltering hot. In other parts it is already cold enough to turn the Aspen trees beautiful shades of yellow and orange.

All this to say, regardless of the weather, we are all looking at the apples coming into season along with the wonderful variety of squashes, including the pumpkin!

Mark's Finest Papers has challenge #229 for County Fair. Since I love pumpkin pie and have this cool pumpkin stamp, this is the combination I came up with.



I will also enter this card in:
MilkCoffee Challenge Colors of Autumn challenge
Crafting Station Challenge Anything Goes!

School Days

When my kids were in school, especially when they were little, I was the only mom at the bus stop on that first day that was smiling as they boarded the bus. I still find it funny that moms everywhere cling to their little darlings and weep as they drive out of sight.

That being said, I decided to create a card for the mfp Sketch With A Twist challenge. The theme was back to school. I couldn't resist this sentiment.

I do pray for safety for all our kids. School can sometimes be a scary place these days and their safety is so important for a good year of learning.

I wish all our teachers peace and fun for a wonderful year!

Christmas Friends

Soo, in Yellowstone our temps are dropping and we are in a severe winter weather watch. I realize in some areas of the states, it's still very much summer, but here, well, the weather it is a changin'! And that brings me in the mood to start making more Christmas cards.

For this mfp Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #228, the call is for sparkly and friends. I glued this screen to my card stock and glittered the heck out of it while the glue was still wet. I don't know why it's not showing up, but it's really pretty in person. I fussy cut these cute snowman out and stickled them up as well as the saying.

This card will also be entered into Word Art Wednesday's Anything Goes Challenge. I love their blog! It's very inspirational and contains a great message.

From One Friend to Another

I have created a card for the Friends of Speedy TV challenge #140 by mfp (Mark's Finest Papers). On this card, there is one simple rose but when shared friend to friend is could be a bouquet! I love these little girls. My granddaughter does too, so I know she will use them next time we are together. I don't know who created this stamp set but I've had fun with them.

Flowering Inspirations

Whenever I see creations people have done with flower pots, I just giggle. Flower Pot People is the inspiration for the mfp Inspiration Challenge this time. They are so cute. I went with this cute little pixie and accented it with a border of lace with flowers.

Spotlight

This little owl is sitting so nicely in a tree and as he is zoomed in on becomes a colorful character you want to follow. I love his hat and bow tie and it looks as if he is keeping a schedule with the watch hanging from the tie.

I made him for Mark's Finest Papers Tutorial Challenge #117. I love the challenge and will have to try it with another stamp real soon.

I'm also going to enter him in Word Art Wednesday's challenge #148.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Peace, Love and all that stuff!

With the new color challenge with Mark's Finest Papers, I decided to cruise through my paper and see what I could find. With the colors being red, yellow and blue, I couldn't resist this cute combination.

The inside has a birthday greeting and my older brother will be receiving this. He's going to look at it and go "What?...What?...  Haha! I think I'll have to do something similar for my Peace Sign loving 14 yr. old granddaughter in December. Hee, hee!

Almost Pumpkin Time!

Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends #227 has a new challenge. It is to use a silhouette stamp on a card. So I learned a new terminology today. As soon as I read the challenge, I knew what these stamps are that I own that are so hard to ink and use evenly.

I combined these two little stamp sets to make a Halloween card for my mother-in-law. I stamped them on my yellow card stock and backed it all with an embossed, black paper. I love the simple effect. The funny part is, I want to know what the two birds are looking at! Is there a cat coming in their direction, or perhaps another bird dropped a nice tidbit on the ground.

I may have to start writing little short stories on the backs of some of the cards, ha!

Worthwhile Projects

It's a rainy, foggy day in the Yellowstone area. Temps hovering around 51-53 degrees. Good time for a project.

Actually I've volunteered for and been working on a project for the cabins we take care of. The duvet covers are in need of repair and a sewing machine was secured for me so I've been repairing, washing and refilling them, bed by bed, room by room.

When I saw that the Mark's Finest Papers Sketch with a Twist Challenge #113 included stitching of some sort, I knew what I would do. I love the look of the stitches on the paper! The images are from a pack called Vintage Threads by TPC Studio. I used silver embossing powder to show them off on the white card stock. I used blue homemade card stock for the base card and ran across these cute flowers to pop it out.

This was fun...now back to the duvets!

A Walk in the Woods

I've been experimenting with backgrounds. Like I don't have a case full of paper I could readily use! I made a very intricate base with the same two colors of green (Ranger Lettuce and Memento Cottage Ivy) and black trees with some of them embossed. It was so dark I tossed it and started over! I think less is usually more so here are those same colors. The plant is dried fern that I inked and imprinted onto the sheet. Looks simple, took all day off and on. I used a light green card stock from my homemade supply.

I will enter this in the Mark's Finest Papers Color Challenge # 37
the colors this week are Green, Black and White; and
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge Blog

School Days...

Mark's Finest Papers has a new Challenge out for Simple Salutations #112. The challenge is to make a card using your favorite school subject as your theme. Ugh! My favorite subject was anything that got a passing grade for showing up...seriously! If only I knew then what I know now :-)

I choose music as my subject because even though I can't sing my way out of a can, I took 2 years of chorus in high school: 1. Because they couldn't kick me out of the choir and 2. It fulfilled my basic requirements for participation.

NOW I understand how hard dyslexia is on students and that I have the ability that allows me to Follow My Heart to Create. So like my card says...Find your heart. Be yourself!

I will also submit this card to Word Art Wednesday for their "Anything Goes" Challenge.

Gnomes and Butterflies

Those two just go together don't they? I have 3 gnomes in my flowers in Florida and you have to keep an eye on them. They like to get up and move around to other areas every now and then. When I inherited my gnomes about 15 years ago, I brushed them down, cleaned them up and repainted them in all their detail. They are in need of another make over but coloring this little guy reminded me of the fun I had before and how nice they looked all polished and painted.

This card is mainly for Mark's Finest Papers Color Challenge this week. The colors are Orange, Yellow and Pink. This gnome is from the mfp Garden Art Stamp Set.

I will also enter this card in Word Art Wednesday this week.

Oriental Challenge

I thought this Mark's Finest Papers Oriental Challenge was such a clean line, I decided to participate. The bird and saying are from MFP's Birds Of The Orient Stamp Set. Check it out and join in!

To Paint or Not To Paint

Ok, so I'm a real novice! I'm having fun with it though. I took a pen & ink with watercolor course in July and am trying my hand at a background every now and then. (In the meantime I practice in a watercolor book only for my eyes!)

Mark's Finest Papers has a Challenge this week with the theme of bear(s). I have this cute stamp from Mostly Animals and the sentiment is from MFP's Light My Way Home Stamp Set.