It's an Art Impressions Month

  Art Impressions is Die Cut Diva's
 Sponsor for September

The challenge prize: $25 from our wonderful sponsor.

THEME: Recycle, re-use & repurpose.

I upcycled a legal envelope, (side of truck bed, a colorful dark blue mailer (dark blue truck) and I then put bubble wrap in the truck windows. 

This is a mini-slimline card.  I used a premade slimline background and just cut it to size.  Here's another one I don't want to give away
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Supplies:
Art Impressions Floral Truck Set
Copic markers
Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:
NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff)

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End of May With AI

 Art Impressions has some wonderful products and the challenge
 at Die Cut Divas is live through 9:00 p.m. Pacific time tonight!

Art Impressions, sponsoring Die Cut Divas' challenge  is giving a $25 gift card to the Winner of the May challenge. 

The challenge is to make your creation look like it is water colored.  You can use water colors, distress and distress oxides or whatever you want to get the water color look we want to see.

As I've said before, I find water coloring a challenge, but I do like this card. I know it looks like a tag, but it is an A2 size card. I bought two 8-packs of these cards and envelopes years back and still have a couple cards left. This card turned out to be so much fun!  I actually used it to send a not too late, but late, birthday card.

Supplies:
Art Impressions Got Style stamps (old lady on skate board
Art Impressions  Road trip stamps (stop light)
MFT Watercolor Wash Free Form die-namics no longer on MFT
Riley & Company Funny Bones stamp "This Card is Late" (never used before)

Bo-Bunny's back to basics 12X12 paper cut w/ MFT die
Glossy Accents on the light post lights of green, yellow & red

Altenew Enamel Dots  Red Sunset

Copic markers

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:
NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff)
Mix It Up Challenge Blog Anything Goes” not doing opt twist (3/8 ) Love to Craft Challenge (always Anything Goes) (5/8)

Love To Scrap Challenge (always Anything Goes) 1/6

May Inspiration for Die Cut Divas

 

Art Impressions has some wonderful products and the challenge at
Die Cut Divas is live!

Art Impressions, sponsoring Die Cut Divas' challenge  is giving a $25 gift card to the Winner of the May challenge. 

The challenge is to make your creation look like it is water colored.  You can use water colors, distress  and distress oxides or whatever you want to get the water color look we want to see.

Supplies:
Art Impressions Road Trip
Brass and Bliss Spring Town Accessories Fir - trees
Waffle Flower Mini Slimline Layers Die
Watercolors
Cold press paper for background
Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge "Anything Goes" (starts on a Wednesday) (1/3) Gem of a Challenge - "Anything Goes" (1/4)                       

Love To Scrap Challenge (always Anything Goes) #173 (1/8)

Creative Fingers Challenge - ATG (1of 3)  #299)
The Paper Funday Challenge - ATG/Option (1 of 6)
Digi Choosday Challenge - ATG (1 of 3)  Week 4

Card Chain Challenge Reveal for March

Card Chain Challenge Reveal for March
 
It took me awhile to come up with an idea, but it finally hit me.  I could do layers - oh yes, I CAN do layers.  I took out the two Altenew die cuts I wanted to layer, then I took out some AI images I'd stamped and cut on my Scan N Cut a couple days before and colored the gals with Copics.  I went looking for a friend die, FOUND IT and began putting my card together.  I had a leftover postage card die cut to back the gals and lift them off the page.  Poor gals, their legs are dangling.

Here are the challenges we could have picked.  I picked layers.  The supply list is at the bottom of the page.

Challenge Directions 

Make a card using at least one of the following options. (You can actually use two, three, all the options, but you are only required to use one of them.)  

Color Palette Option

 

(Exact matching is not required.)

Sketch Option

(Orient as desired.)

Theme Options: Stripes / Africa / Friendship

Product / Technique Options:  Felt / Layers

Supplies: 
Altenew Layered Plaid Cover Dies A & B Bundle
Waffle Flower Postage Collage Mini Slimline die - only the long narrow rectangle part
Memory Box Friend Daily Script 
Art Impressions Got Style
Altenew enamel dots Green Valley (heart shaped enamel dot)
Scan N Cut

I'm entering the following challenges:

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes Unlimited

Crafts Galore Encore - "Anything goes" (3/3)

Love to Craft Challenge ‘ “Always Anything Goes” (4/8)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog Anything Goes” w opt layers (4/8)

DL. ART "Anything Goes (not doing option)

Craft Roulette Parameters on August 2nd

 Time for some Craft Roulette!

Here are the Parameters - not an easy one for me.
Project: See Through - circle in the card
Colors: Jungle - patterned paper of jungle flower & colors
Element: Teach(es0/Teacher(s) - In the circle - teachers desk/blackboard...
Random: Tangle - tangle of flowers & leaves

I used the clear lid of a deli container for the "window" into the teacher's room.  When I cut out the patterned paper, I thought it would be too much, but kept it.  When I colored the book club stamp, I wanted to keep to the yellows and greens.  After holding the panel over the paper, it somehow fits.

Supplies:
Altenew Book Club stamp & die (no longer on site)
Art Impressions MB School (MB-matchbox) disk, blackboard, cabinet & sentiment

Copics
Vagabond die cut machine

A Matchbook Card for Craft Roulette

What do I do with categories like these?
Project: Mini Card(s)  (well, ok)
Colors: A Pretty Day - that's ok, right?
Element: Scent(s) and/or Nose(s) ???
Random: Packaging  (what?)

First, mini cards or card?  Oh, my, I'd forgotten I have a bunch of Art Impressions' matchbox scenes to choose from.  These are so adorable and perfect for this challenge.  Which one?  Ok, I've never used the Halloween set and am really excited about using it.  A pretty day can be a blue sky, pink and purple flowers and orange pumpkins.  Somebody has to have a nose, right?  Random: Do I use bubble rap to make a background?  NO.  The card itself is the package after you close all the flaps, it lays flat and closed, a package itself.

So, Mini Card: Matchbox card
Colors: Blue, pink, purple and orange
Element: 2 noses - cat & pumpkin has a nose
Random: the card is the package

Card folds up and can go in a tiny envelope

View from left side

View from right side

Card folded up & tucks into flap on back.  I am holding the card over the envelope it can be put into.  Of course you can't mail a small card like this, but they are easy to put together and so darn cute!

Supplies:
Art Impressions MB Halloween (MB for matchbook)
Art Impressions MB Template dies (ESSENTIAL A MATCHBOOK CARD)

Art Impressions Envelope dies (not necessary, but cute to hold the MB card

Patterned paper - double sided

Copics
Stickles Gold Glitter

Vagabond die cut machine

  

I'm entering the following challenges:

Polkadoodle's Craft Challenge "Anything Goes" 

Digi Choosday - "Anything Goes" 

We Love 2 Create 

DL. ART "Anything Goes 

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - "Anything goes" (monthly

 

Old Dies But Never Used Die

 Yes, indeed, I've had this die for years, but never used it. I really played around with the trees, using them under the cover die cut and over it too.  I mixed old and new, enjoying the mix of the new car with the old dies.

Supplies:
Brass and Bliss (used to be Rubbernecker) Evergreen Tree die cuts
Brass and Bliss (used to be Rubbernecker) Tree Panel #3 die
Impression Obsession dies Birch Trees - little birds
Scrappy Tails Christmas Postcard and Tag Stamp & die cut (car & sentiment)
Copic markers
Wink of Stella on Trees and on outside border which doesn't photograph at all 

Red Glitter paper

Pinkpaislee Merry & Bright "Wish List" paper (patterned paper under the die cuts

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
Christmas Kickstart Challenge #88 

Love To Scrap Challenge #168 (always Anything Goes) 4/8

Love to Craft Challenge #81 1/8 Christmas Cards All Year Long all Xmas Anything Goes 4/5

Merry Little Christmas Challenge (always Anything Christmas Goes) 3/8

Peace on Earth Xmas "Always Christmas (Love those patterned papers NBUS #64 Never Before Used Schtuff - Cover die

A Card For A Teacher

 Friday with Craft Roulette

The wheel went round and round, round and round
and when it stopped, the categories were:
Project: Card for a teacher 
Colors: Tartan
Element: Autumn or Spring
Random: Wrap(s)
It took me until the next morning to think about what stamps and dies I had that would fit the challenge.  All of a sudden, I thought of the Art Impressions Matchbook stamp and die sets.  And YES!  I had a set for a Teacher.

I lifted the top so I could take a close-up.  I'm going to give this card to my oldest son, who is a math teacher.  I think he'll enjoy this.

Please do remember that this is the size of a matchbook.
Project: Card for a teacher - fairly obvious that this is for a teacher
Colors: Tartan - background 
Element: Autumn or Spring - background colors and bright yellow flowers represent spring colors
Random: Wrap(s) card wraps itself up flat to be wrapped in the envelope

Card with Envelope
 

Supplies:
Art Impressions MB School
Art Impressions MB Template Dies
Art Impressions MB Envelope Dies
Art Impressions Coffee Shop one of the boards on the side walls
Art Impressions Den Set one of the boards on the side walls

Paper in stash

Copic markers

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

DL. ART "Anything Goes" 

Crafts Galore Encore  "Anything Goes"

Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

July's Card Chain Challenge Reveal

 I'm participating in the Card Chain Challenge again.  I just love sending and receiving memorable homemade cards all over the world.

July's challenges are listed below. Choose One - up to you which one.

  

I chose friendship and I thought that the image I stamped was really all about us crafters who have fun crafting together, yet so far apart.  I had tried coloring this before, but didn't even finish it.  I really had fun with the set this time.  I did have a scary moment though.  I thought I picked up a BG00001 and it wasn't!  It was a gray color and NOT what I wanted as I had everything else colored.  I just took a blending (0) marker and did the best I could.  I think it still works out.  LOL  You can usually fix something - where there's a will, there's a way.

Supplies:

Art Impressions unmounted Crafty Girls set (1st time using this rubber stamp)

Elizabeth Craft Designs Stitched Rectangles

Altenew Enamel Dots Green Meadows (1st time using this set of enamel dots)

Copic markers

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff) Stamped image
Kreativ Tanten  "Anything Goes"

Digi Choosday - "Anything Goes" 

 

Third Tiny Matchbook Card, This one going to Craft Roulette

 My third Matchbook card, but I made it according to Craft Roulette's parameters with the categories being:
Project: Card w/flaps
Colors: Winter colors
Element - Children's story
Random: Tile(s)

I do think there are enough flaps to go around - LOL.  The roof folds down (the BRRRRRR is the bent part of the overhead). Santa and Xmas tree cover the winter colors.  Santa's Workshop or Santa settling in after his flight around the earth delivering presents to all the girls and boys.  Now the tiles are a creation from my own mind.  See all those whit dots on the paper?  Well, those are my tiles.  All in all, I'm happy with it.  There is even a rug under the train.
This is a combination of different matchbox scenes.

Oh, yes, this is a small card with its own envelope.
Close-up below.

Supplies:

Art Impressions MB Santa Christmas (Santa in chair & Xmas tree)

Art Impressions MB Christmas (train & shelving against back wall)

Art Impressions MB Template Dies (foundation of card, rug, wreath)

Art Impressions MB Envelope Dies (envelope beside card in 2nd picture)

Paper - Graphic 45 - (double-sided) in stash for 4 or more years

Copic markers

Nuvo Drops crystal - Simply White

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #50

Peace on Earth Xmas "Always Christmas & Anything Goes" #40 The 12 months of Christmas challenge - "Anything goes" #100 w/opt twist of holiday decorations

My Second Tiny Matchbook Card

 This time, I decided I wanted to try the Garden dies and I found some wonderful paper to create the matchbook foundation.  I'm going to give this to my granddaughter as she has a green thumb and would enjoy this.

I really love how this turned out and plan to try each of my matchbook stamp and die sets in the following weeks.

Supplies:
Art Impressions MB Garden

Art Impressions MB Den Set - "Enjoy the Little Things" sentiment only

Art Impressions MB Envelope Dies

Art Impressions MB Template Dies

Copic markers

Vagabond die cut machine

Paper in my stash - 12X12 - first time using it

I'm entering the following challenges:NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff)
Ally's Angels  "Anything Goes" 
Beautiful Blossoms "Anything Flowers

FarmQuestGeneralStoreChallenge  "Anything Farm/Country Goes (flowers farm fresh)

Park Hopping My Happy Place - Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park
Digi Choosday - "Anything Goes" WK20

 

My First Tiny Matchbox Card

 My first TINY MATCHBOX card.
I just received my Art Impressions (AI) stamps and dies for about SIX matchbox die sets, one the template and one the envelope, while the others were for specific scenes.  I now have two Xmas scenes, one with Santa and one with an elf.

These are tiny, about a 9/10 in. tall & 2 1/8 in. wide when folded up.  But they really are so cute and you know how it is - I just had to have some.

This first picture is a bit dark because the top was closed over the scene.  Better pictures follow.

The top is open and you can see all the dies in the scene.

I included the envelope beside this tiny matchbox scene.  I cut the paper in the teeny, tiny envelope to slip inside for a little note.

I recommend this video and this video for putting together everything including the main template that is used for making every tiny Matchbox card from 

Art Impressions (AI).

Supplies:
AI Templet Dies
AI MB Santa Christmas includes two sentiments 
AI MB Envelope Dies
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Gloss - Simply White
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Gloss - Dandelion Yellow
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Gloss - Caribbean Ocean
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Gloss - Red Berry
Copic markers
Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

Stamping Sensations Challenge - Anything Stamped (did not do option) 

NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff) #50 - Every stamp & die
Ally's Angels  "Anything Goes"  #70

A Balloon Toast

 I made a card for a friend I made through Toastmasters (20/20 Visionaries in the Sacramento area via Zoom).   I was able to give her my card last week because I flew to Chicago to visit her.  We had a great time with me giving her a hard time about the COLD.  She would respond with "poor California girl".  Since she has opened her card, I can now post it.  I thought making this image part of the party balloon was fun and cute.  She agreed.

I do love that Big Balloon die and I only used it once about six months ago.  Shame on ME!

 

Supplies:
Art Impressions Wine Divas
Elizabeth Craft Designs Big Balloon - not on ECD website anymore
Elizabeth Craft Designs Happy Birthday - not on ECD website anymore
Copic markers
Vagabond die cut machine

I want to enter the following challenges: 
Creatalicious  "Anything Goes" (w/opt Mother's Day - not using the opt) Dies R Us "Anything Goes USING any die brand DRU sells" # 192 Colour Crazy  "Anything Goes" Wk 17 Simon Says Wednesday "Anything Goes" Crafty Catz "Anything Goes" (w/optional twist which I'm not using)

Last Day for Die Cut Divas' challenge with Birch Press Design

   This is the very last day you can join the Die Cut Divas' challenge.

The July Sponsor for Die Cut Divas is Birch Press Design. 

The theme is TONE ON TONE

The Winner will receive a $20 gift certificate.

Now for my cards

For this card, I tried different ephemera and sentiments, but actually liked this card unencumbered, just as it is. I used all RV Copic markers on die-cut and image (except for skin tone) and I'm really pleased with it. It makes me HAPPY! LOL

I have had this calendar scene since 2010 (I know because I cut the calendar off) and finally found a way to put it to use.  I couldn't throw this lovely scene away (heavy duty card stock) and thought the this worked out quite well.  You might say a little "Love" goes a long way.

Card 1 and 2:  

Birch Press String Art Frame

Vagabond die cut machine

Card 1:
Art Impressions Wine Divas

Copic markers: RV00, RV19, RV21, RV23, RV32, RV34, RV55, E00, E01& R02 for the cheeks

Pink cardstock

Card 2:

Memory Box at Birch Press  "Love"

Navy blue cardstock

Calendar from stash

No Coloring - WOW

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Have a Little Wine with your Dinner

Closing of the August Challenge at Die Cut Divas with a card from Art Impressions and I sent this card for the Card Chain Challenge (CCC) at Deborah's Society of Stampaholics to Joy.  I stamped this a long time ago, colored and then never used it.... yes, what a waste because I love it.  I've always loved this, maybe I didn't want to give it away.  sniff sniff

I really like the way the card turned out as it so reminds me of growing up in the Italian neighborhood of a town in Pennsylvania.  My grandparents would walk a couple blocks down to the local Italian restaurant for Friday night spaghetti dinners.  I can hear laughter and singing and shouting, even now. 

Have a Happy end of August to you all.

Let's all have some FUN!

Here we have some ladies enjoying the excitement of friends and a bit of bubbly during Hot August Nights. Seeing these gals makes me think of friends and laughter and sharing fun times with my girlfriends  How about you?  This is the first time I've colored these ladies and I'm loving them!  

A little fun never hurt anyone!

Art Impressions - Girlfriends, In the Tub

Now this lady was fun to color and I felt the tag was justified.  Fun! 

I purchased this Art Impressions stamp on Oozak, but don't see it on the site now.  I couldn't help but color her in.  She is too, too much fun!

I hope you like these examples of fun ways to spend an evening, no matter where you live.  I hope you enjoyed these ladies as much as I do.  Be sure to check out the Die Cut Divas blog and join the current challenge.