An Altenew Good-Bye

 Altenew is Die Cut Divas' Sponsor for March and there's not much time left to enter the challenge.  

You only have up to 9:00 p.m. Pacific time to enter the challenge, so finish up.

Here is my inspiration card for Die Cut Divas.

I am totally in love with this set, especially when my water coloring expression is less than perfect (we're not going to say how much less), but adequate.  I used two different types of water color paper (the smooth paper was off a role from my LSS a couple years ago while they were still in business and the other Strathmore Watercolor cold press paper (140 lbs). 

I have colored parts of this set in Copic markers and I love the results.  I'm not the flower-loving colorist, but I love something like this.  I certainly plan to have more fun with this set.  There are some great sentiments in this set too!

Supplies:

Altenew An Artist's Collection Bundle

(you can buy just the stamp set here, the Die set here, Stamp and Die set here or the Stencil set here).

Altenew Layered Plaid Cover Die A

Watercolor paints and papers

Vagabond die cut machine

It's Fun to Have a Challenge

With Craft Roulette, it's just a
Spin of the Wheel and You Make a Card!

Project: Dutch Door
Colors: Campfire
Element: Hat(s) or Cap(s)
Random: Book Page

My first thought, when Dutch Door came up on the wheel, was to use this Porch set with the large door, which only needed to be split into two doors.  
The campfire is in the colors of the door, window treatments while the gnome is wearing a hat as he should.
The inside of the house has a page that looks like it's from an old book.  So I think I met the challenge.

Here's the front of the card.

Top of Dutch Door open.

Both top and bottom doors open.

Supplies:

Poppy Stamps Winter Porch Pop Up Easel set

Kat Scrappiness Christmas Gnome Stamp Set
Elizabeth Craft Designs Santa's Sleigh (trees)

My Favorite Things Stuffed Santa stamps & dies
Copics markers

Papers in Stash

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:
Christmas Kickstart Challenge - gnomes

Peace on Earth Xmas "Always Christmas (Peace on Earth) #38

The 12 months of Christmas challenge - "Anything goes" w/opt twist 

Creative Fingers - "Always Anything Goes #253

Christmas Kickstart Challenge

 I almost forgot to post my card that I specifically made for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge - shame on me!

I really had fun making this card with these cute gnomes.  I used several different sets of dies to make this card and that's one more card in my Xmas card pile.

Lots of snow mounds and fun gnomes as I'm looking at the card straight on and close up.  I do like the application of "True Snow" to the hats that (to me) resemble fur and give lots of texture.  That front little gnome is drinking tea!

This card shows more of an overhead view.

Supplies:
My Favorite Things Outside the Box (box card dies)
My Favorite Things Stuffed Santa stamps & matching dies - (one gnome)
My Favorite Things Outside the Box Snow Drifts 

Elizabeth Craft Designs Santa's Sleigh (present)
Kat Scrappiness Christmas Gnome stamp set & matching dies (3 gnomes)
QuicKutz Nesting Ovals
paper in stash
Sentiment (in stash)

Copic markers

Aleene's True Snow
Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:
Christmas Kickstart Challenge - gnomes

Peace on Earth Xmas "Always Christmas (Peace on Earth) #38

Build Your Stash - Christmas 
Peace on Earth Xmas "Always Christmas & Anything Goes" 1st & 3rd Sundays

The 12 months of Christmas challenge - "Anything goes" w/opt twist 

Sparkles Forum Christmas Challenge  "Always Christmas Xmas presents
Creative Fingers - "Always Anything Goes"

Box Card Design for A Craft Roulette Spin

 This is the second time I've played with the categories from a Craft Roulette Spin, however, this is the first time I've actually been able to join in posting my creation on the Craft Roulette blog due to having other "stuff" get in the way. 

You can't see the plaid in the black paper making up the "box" of the card, but it is also plaid, yes, really plaid. 

Here are the parameters:
Project: Your Card Choice
Colors: Strawberry Field 
Elements: Chair 
Random: Gingham or Plaid

Side View

Project: Your Card Choice (Box Card)
Colors: Strawberry Field (strawberry blond hair, cup, flowers &
chair & vase colors
Elements: Chair (chair)
Random: Gingham or Plaid (plaid)

When I take out a stamp and die set to use, I cut more than one piece out, so I used my time cutting several pieces out and then coloring the ones I wanted to use, such as the chair.  I never would have colored that chair yellow green EVER! I think it looks cute and works as a fun card.

Supplies:
My Favorite Things Outside the Box
My Favorite Things BB Our Story stamps & matching dies

Not sure of what die the sentiment is stamped and cut on.

My Favorite Things black & white plaid 6X6 paper pad (1st time using this piece)

Copic markers

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

Craft Roulette #160

NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff) Plaid paper piece
My Favorite Things * Must Use MFT Outside the Box dies

Polkadoodle's Craft Challenge "Anything Goes" WK16

Digi Choosday - "Anything Goes" 

Pammie's Inky Pinkies  "Anything Goes"-#2315

Crafty Catz  "Anything Goes w/optional twist of celebration"  Not particularly a celebration card.

Craft Roulette # 159 - My Room with a View

For the first time, I watched Craft Roulette and found it to be a charming crafty show.  Here's how I found it!  I received an email from Whimsy stamps stating they would be on Craft Roulette in April and I thought "What's Craft Roulette?"  It's a fun show where both the interviewer and interviewee do a card based on the spin of a wheel with four different characteristics. 
Project: Card on a card
Element: Table 
Colors: Sky View
Random: White spots or dots

I wanted to create a room with a view and to my mind I think I did, plus that sentiment is perfect for the scene.  This is a mini slimline card, which works perfectly for my scene.
I had to finish up some other projects before I could work on this so I missed the deadline for Craft Roulette, but I'm glad I did work on this.  It was totally fun!

My card
Project: envelop & card on the end table
Element: two end tables
Colors: Navy blue strips on wall & window sky
Random: Window has white dots

Supplies:
MFT BB Our Story stamps & matching dies including the sentiment.

Kat Scrappiness Mini Slimline Embossed Edge Dies

Scrap paper in stash

Copic markers

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

Digi Choosday - "Anything Goes" Wk 15

Gem of a Challenge - "Anything Goes"  Wk 8
Creatalicious  "Anything Goes" #257 Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge "Anything Goes using paper"

The Creative Crafters "Anything Goes"

Worldwide Crafters and Colorists April Days

 Worldwide Crafters and Colorists.

You MUST be a DT on any Design Team in the World to be eligible to enter this Challenge ~ New exception rule, this challenge is now open to any of Julia Spiri Facebook Members, and you are not required to be on a DT.

The challenge runs from April 15th through May 12th, 

2:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time

Such a lovely image to work with.  Her name is Adeline and she is so lifelike and has such a beautiful face.  It was truly a wonderful time coloring her.  

Visit Julia Spiri's Etsy shop for one of a kind marvelous images.

Check out the Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge Blog here!

Supplies:

Julia Spiri Adeline  

QuicKutz Nesting Circles

Copic markers

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:
Mix It Up Challenge Anything Goes SheepSki Designs - #73  
NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff) - #49 - first time using this image
PennyCrafty Challenge 's Paper-"Anything Goes" #544

Classic Design - ATG  #4 

 SACRAMENTO VALLEY STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

Join the Sacramento Storytellers Guild at the first Sacramento Valley Storytelling Festival, designed for an adult audience, to be held at the Dante Club in Sacramento May 20, 2023, from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Aside from storytelling, Two workshops will be offered by our featured tellers for every level of storyteller from beginners to professionals. Come for the entire day, or just for the evening show. Your ticket to the festival will get you into all events and you can come and go as you please. 

 ·         Five regional tellers will open the festival to get you revved up to
hear more!  1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
·         Claire Hennessey and Corey Rosen will partner to run a
workshop called YOUR STORY, WELL TOLD. 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
·         Willy Claflin, will run a workshop called THE WARTHOG AND
THE VALLEY GIRL: AN EXPLORATION (AND CELEBRATION) OF VOICE.  
      Willy is an expert in voice techniques for telling stories.
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
·         Attendees will be allowed to throw their names in a hat for a
chance at our open mic session so they can tell their own story. 
4:30 PM - 5:15 PM

After dinner on your own (5:15 PM -- 6:45 PM) our featured tellers will wow the audience with terrific stories.

1.    Claire Hennessey will return to tell PERSONAL AND HUMOROUSSTORIES 7:00 PM
2.    Corey Rosen will return to tell a story he calls CUTTING THE CORD.
7:30 PM
3.    Willy Claflin will finish off the evening with a story he calls THE MIND
BOGGLES: ALIENS, MOOSE AND GIANT VEGETABLES! 8:00 PM

 Tickets are only $25 and should be purchased in advance at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sacramento-valley-storytelling-festival-tickets-492117385347

 Tickets are priced to encourage your participation and will not cover the cost of
the festival. If you can't attend, but would like to support our efforts to keep the storytelling community is Sacramento active and vibrant, please donate at: https://sacramentostorytellersguild.org/donate-now

For more information, check our website SacramentoStorytellersGuild.Org orwrite to Storyteller@sacramentostorytellersguild.org.

Card Chain Challenge Reveal for March

The Card Chain Challenge has many opportunities to make a card that fits one of the possible options.

I'm not sure if Stamps includes digital stamps, but I did use a digital stamp and I think that dragon is so cute, but to me, he's all Irish.  I used a digital background, but colored the dragon image with his foamy beer with Copic markers. I got a new stamp and die set, so the words are stamped by me and I also used the cut-out that was left over from cutting all the words out.  I used a black Copic marker to color the white die cut black.  I like the way it turned out.   A little different, but I think I'll use it again.  A stamper never lets anything go to waste.

Supplies:

Whimsy stamps digi stamps by Crissy Armstrong Bart on St. Paddy's Day

Kat Scrappiness Simple Sentiments stamp and bundle set

LOTV Watercolor backgrounds 

Copic markers

Alene's True Snow on the beer foam & puffs of smoke

Vagabond die cut machine

Scrap paper for the green layer behind the sentiment die cut

I'm entering the following challenges:

DL. ART "Anything Goes 

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes #4

Crafts Galore Encore - "Anything Goes" #110

Ally's Angels  "Anything Goes"  #68

We Love 2 Create "Anything Goes" Challenge #3

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April Treasures with Altenew

I always have fun with my Altenew stamps and dies 

with lots of coloring.

The Challenge at Die Cut Divas for this month is Water Coloring.

A great Prize from Altenew
Altenew's Artists' Watercolor 24 Pan Set

Here's my project for April. Altenew has this gorgeous embossing folder making this gorgeous panel, just ready to make so many different kinds of cards.  A big Thank You to my teammate Linda for this embossed panel.  For this time around, I wanted color since we are having a water color challenge and I am thrilled with the results.  I used a sentiment from

 "An Artist's Collection Stamp & Die & Stencil Bundle"

Close-up

Supplies:
Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Silk Art (6X6) 3D embossing folder (embossing folder not sold separately) Thank you to Linda for the panel.
Altenew An Artist's Collection Stamp & Die & Stencil Bundle (sentiment)
QuicKutz Nesting Ovals (You could use the Nesting Ovals die set from Altenew)
Water Colors
Scrap paper from stash
Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

Love to Craft Challenge “Always Anything Goes”

Mix It Up Challenge Blog "Anything Goes” w opt twist Distressing

DL. ART "Anything Goes"

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes #4

Crafts Galore Encore - "Anything goes" #110

The Paper FunDay Challenge - #51

Morgan's Masquerade for April

 The April Challenge for Morgan's Artworld is 
"Anything Goes" April 1st to April 27th.

You can use any image or project you have posted in April. For purchasing Morgan's ArtWorld Images, please visit the website at

Morgan's Fitasimons Art Studio    

Join Morgan's ArtWorld Facebook 

Morgan's Etsy Shop

I had a glossy folder that I thought would I'd upcycle to be a frame for this lovely image I had just finished coloring.  I do like the way it turned out.  Such a lovely image that can be colored in so many different ways.  

Close-up below

Supplies:

Morgan's Masquerade 2 Greyscale at Creative Design Studio

Rubbernecker A2 Shadow Box Die (6 inch die)

Elizabeth Craft Designs Stitched Rectangles

Copic markers

Altenew Enamel Dots - Lapis Lazuli (heart enamel dots)

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

Fab an Funky - #569 - Lots of Layers

NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff) digital image on card
Ally's Angels  "Anything Goes" 

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes #4

Crafts Galore Encore - "Anything goes" #110

Classic Design - ATG #4

Creatalicious - "Anything Goes" w/opt of Easter - no easter here (#256)
The Paper Funday - "Anything Goes" w/opt twist of You're Brew-tiful 

No brew here (LOL)