Let's See May's Card Chain Challenge Project

 Card Chain Challenge Reveal

Out of all the options available, I chose Ribbons to work with.  I thought that if I could use Washi tape to make a background, I'd try the same with ribbon.  I had bought the frame die set and thought I'd try it out.  I remembered I had a flower that might fit perfectly within the frame and I think perhaps I should have used black for the lettering, but I thought the brown would match the brown disk on the daisy.  I still like it and I hope my mailing buddy likes it too.
I cut the flower & stem out of bright yellow cardstock and colored the flower to enrich the yellow already there and added green to the stem.  

Supplies:
Whimsy Stamps Spring Rectangles die set (Brand new die set  never used before)
Memory Box Happy Daisy Stem
Altenew XOXO & More die set
Ribbons in Stash
Copic markers E37, Y06 & YG03
Vagabond die cut machine

Challenges I'm entering are below the challenge directions.

 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.)  

Colour Palette Option

Sketch Option

(Orient as desired.)

Theme Options: Chickens / Smiles and Laughter / Friendship

Product / Technique Options: Ribbon or Lace / Lacé

I'm entering the following challenges:

DL. ART "Anything Goes - unlimited, (not 2 in 1 day

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes UNLimited

Mix It Up Challenge Blog Anything Goes” not doing opt twist (5/8 )

Love to Craft Challenge (always Anything Goes) (8/8)

Love To Scrap Challenge (always Anything Goes) 4/6

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

Ally's Angels  "Anything Goes"  (3/5)

NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff)

Inspiration for the New Year 2025

 This is my inspiration card for Die Cut Divas.

The challenge this month is to use something NEW!  

As always, use a die or an embossing folder to create your project.
I was able to use this cute gingerbread set on my card.  I didn't want a white background behind the gingerbread men, so I pieced cuts from other papers.  Nuvo drops never hurt and they must taste good to gingerbread men too.  I used one of these guys last month, but not the sentiment or the other two fun gingerbread men.

Supplies:
Whimsy Stamps Hey, Sugar clear stamps and matching outline dies

Whimsy Stamps Slimline Postage die

Nuvo Drops - Gloss - Simply White
Copic markers
Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges.

Love to Craft Challenge ‘ “Always Anything Goes” (1/8)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog Anything Goes” w monochrome opt (1/8)

Lost Coast Portal To Creativity (1/2) bright & cheerful look

DL. ART "Anything Goes  unlimited, not 2 in 1 day

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes UNLimited

Crafts Galore Encore - "Anything goes" (monthly - (1/3)

End Of Month April Thank You to Ram Stamps

  Die Cut Divas' April Sponsor is RAM Stamps and I am working with a cute image as Inspiration, so please drop on over to enter the "Spring Card" challenge here.

I've made two Spring cards.  This Hot Air Balloon came out so much cuter than I thought it would be.  First, I grabbed a Copic marker and made a nice sweep on the balloon and... I thought it was "yellow", not the YG01 yellow-green that I chose.  There's not much you can do to go back to yellow, so I followed through and I think it turned out better than yellow would have.  I'm very happy with this card.  I like the colors the cute sentiments I chose to go with this image.

For my second card below, I used the "tiny wonders" image and just couldn't think of an embellishment to use, so left it pretty plain, plain, but cute.

Supplies:
Card#1
RAM Hot Air Balloon digital stamp

Copic markers

Kat Scrappiness Santa's Helper - "Special Delivery"

Waffle Flower Special Delivery Sentiments "with love"
Elizabeth Craft Designs stitched Rectangles

Vagabond die cut machine

Card#2

I cut the image square and then used a corner rounder (yes, I found it)
RAM Tiny Wonders digital stamp
Copic markers 

QuicKutz Nesting Scallop Squares (dies)

Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges:

A Place to Start - AG w/twist of add 1 or more flowers

Creative Moments - Cute and Cuddly                                     

Christmas Cards Galore with Poppy Stamps Dies

 Die Cut Diva's sponsor for August is Poppy Stamps  This is definitely
PICTURE HEAVY.

You only have until 9:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on August 31st to enter the challenge.

I think I went a little overboard.  I already had the pieces cut out and still have more waiting in plastic bags, al glitter papers and so many colors.  The card that is not standing has no back stop yet, but I was finished for the evening.  Yes, finished.

I have pine trees in white, black, green and copper.  It's the globe and round sky that I have multiple colors that may not match the other cut flowers, but we'll see next year!   I made a black and white Xmas card and wasn't sure about that color combo for Xmas, but I like it, really much more than I thought I would.  I did put a small copper tree near the cabin, just because it was lonely.

 I took some individual pictures and some with two cards for your viewing pleasure below.

All my Cards set out.

Black and white with a bit of Copper color in the make

Dark blue skyline with light blue house

Think glitter paper with dark blue base & house

Purple & white card lying flat and a gold frame with black house base and copper sky.

Blue snow globe with black bottom and a card with tradition Xmas colors of green and red.

Supplies:

Poppy Stamps Cabin Snowglobe Pop Up Easel Craft die
Glitter papers all in my stash
yellow card stock in windows in stash
Vagabond die cut machine

I'm entering the following challenges: 

Polkadoodle's Craft Challenge "Anything Goes" 

Digi Choosday - "Anything Goes" Wk31

Simon Says Monday   Sparkle and Shine

Gem of a Challenge - "Anything Goes" Wk 17

 

Spending Time with Julia Spiri Stamps

 I'm a Guest DT at the World Wide Open Design Team challenge and I have the cutest bandit EVER!  

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 September 15th through October 12th, Sydney Time Zone 7:00 a.m. or if you're in California, like me, that's on Thursday, September 14, 2:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight. 

I think you could dress this kitty up any way you want and it is going to turn out perfect. I found the background first for this card and that determined my color choices.  A few stars and a "you're" die were all I thought this card needed. 

                 

I'm sending this card to my oldest son's family just because we haven't see each other over 6 months.  They're all worth #100,000 to me.  

I hope you enjoyed these bandit cards.  This is quite a delightful image and so easy to color.

You can find this wonderful Julia Spiri Bandit Cat here.  So many opportunities for you to enjoy Julia Spiri's art.

Sponsored by Julia Spiri

You can join Julia Spiri's Facebook Group here.

Julia's New Store.

 HERE! 

Happy Birthday the Hero Arts Way

I've seen this die-cut used a lot this weekend in the Hero Arts Blog hop and I CASED one of the cards at You and Your Big Dreams.

Be sure to visit Die Cut Divas to join the challenge of "Love is in the Air". 
Be sure to also visit A2Z Scrapbooking to enter their Mood Board challenge.  My card is inspiration for both challenges.  Hope to see you enter the challenges.

Supplies:
Hero Arts Garden Fancy Die
Hero Arts Color Layering Butterflies (no longer available, but butterflies can be checked out at Hero Arts here)
Hero Arts Ombre Mint Julip to Emerald Green
Your Next Stamp Mini Butterfly Ink Splatter
Navy blue card stock
Vagabond die cut machine

Die Cut Divas and SheepKik Designs

SheepSKi Designs is the Die Cut Divas' sponsor for November.  I had so much fun with the images.  

Theme is “Anything Goes”.

Prize is 3 digitals of winner’s choice from the shop.

Last day to join in on the challenge at Die Cut Divas. Have a great end of November.  See our last post of the month with a Thank you at Die Cut Divas.

Supplies:
SheepSki Designs Girl with Balloons
Elizabeth Craft Designs Clock and Gears
Elizabeth Craft Designs Stitched Rectangles
Copic markers
Vagabond die cut machine

Fall Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

It's THAT TIME of the Year!  

National Coffee Day

There will be a National Day Coffee Loving Cardmaker's Blog Hop time right here

And Over at A2Z , you can catch some of the DTs dipping their spoons into their favorite beverages too.  Kristina has her own brew and a list of the other DT brews here too.

"A2z Scrapbooking is giving away one $25 gift card to the store. Leave a comment on a2z Scrapbooking coffee blog post, on this post and/or any of my teammate's blog posts by October 7, 2018 11:59 pm Pacific time. Winner will be announced October 8, 2018 on the a2z Scrapbooking Supplies blog."

Close-up below

I sponged frayed burlap all over the woodgrain die-cut and then thought it too light so added some touches of vintage photo.  I wanted to use my new stencil and create a nice design on the cup and tattered rose seemed the perfect color for an old-fashioned cup of cocoa, coffee or tea.  The rest kind of fell into place.  I used a lot of different dies on this, but I am SO HAPPY I purchased the new HA Woodgrain Die.because you can also emboss with the die - here is a YouTube video.

Remember your 15% discount - discount code Arlene15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. check out this post at A2Z Scrapbooking.

Are you on social media? We are! Please join us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook? so you don't miss any fun promotions or new challenge announcements!

Please join us in this month’s "Clean and Simple" challenge.   As you know, we’ve changed our rules a bit and participants are no longer required to use Hero Arts products to enter our challenges. Each month we feature a ‘Digi of the Month’ which will be the prize offered to our randomly-chosen challenge winner from our Hero Arts store. Our current monthly challenge can always be found in the menu bar, and runs from the 1st to last day of the month

The a2z scrapbooking store carries a wide variety of Hero Arts products! Get discounted new releases, sales, grab bags & more. Proceeds from our store benefit Celiac & Behcets disease foundations. Use my discount code Arlene15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. If you're looking for a Hero Arts product you don't see in store, use the Request Custom Order button from with-in the shop.

• Hero Arts Scrollwork Stencil
• Hero Arts Woodgrain Texture Fancy Die
• Sugartree Hug in a Mug digital stamp set
• Elizabeth Craft Design Hot Chocolate (rising steam)
• Die-namics Stitched Oval STAX
• Spellbinders Shapeablilites On the Edge (an old set)
• Frayed Burlap and Vintage Photo distress inks on the die-cut & Tattered Rose on the cup
• Nuvo Crystal Drops Gloss - Simply White

Lots of BRRRRRR

Check out the Die Cut Divas blog for December's challenge.

Looking at my card, can you guess?  It's BRRRRr Winter time in the U.S. and lots of places are turning cold or are COLD.  I can see snow across the valley to the mountains after it snows.  That's close enough for me.  I can go see the snow when I want, play in the snow when I want, and have a jolly good time in the snow when I want.  It doesn't have to get up close and personal all the time. 

Check out the December 1st post for sponsor and challenge.

Close-up

Supplies:

Elizabeth Craft Designs Sprig with Berries at Dies R Us  (unfortunately mispelled as Prig with Berries

Elizabeth Craft Designs Brrrrr at Dies R Us  (cut twice and layered)

Elizabeth Craft Design Stitched Rectangles at Dies R Us
Graduated colored panel is from a 12" X 12" paper pad from Michaels 3 years ago
Nuvo Crystal Drops in Berry Red and Woodland Green
Sprig is cut from a metallic green paper from my scraps
Vagabond die cut machine

Case a Designer at A2Z Scrapbooking - It's All About Tags For Me

When I saw Cindi's card here, I knew I had to try it with just plain ol' nesting dies, not that anything Hero Arts is plain.  But I just got my new Hero Arts stencil in and I couldn't wait to try it out.  And you won't believe what distress ink color I used - WILD HONEY.

I popped the orange tag up and put some sequins in.  Then I thought the tag hole was a bit big, so I copied another DT, Monica, with her neon  butterfly from August 12.  I added the smallest tags with a sentiment.          

Cndy's card of wonderful cups.  You can see those wonderful dies nesting below her cups in the first photo.  Monica's butterflies are vivid with neon inks.



 

The results below.  It's a tag card   The sequins can move around to their hearts desire. You can see this post at A2Z Scrapbooking.



Are you on social media? We are! Please join us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook? so you don't miss any fun promotions or new challenge announcements!




Please join us in this months "CASE a Designer" challenge for your chance at a $25 gift card to the a2z store. The current monthly challenge can always be found in the menu bar, and runs from the 1st to last day of the month.

The a2z scrapbooking store carries a wide variety of Hero Arts products! Get discounted new releases, sales, grab bags & more. Proceeds from our store benefit Celiac & Behcets disease foundations. Use my discount code ARLENE15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. If you're looking for a Hero Arts product you don't see in store, use the Request Custom Order button from within the shop.

• Hero Arts Tags
• Hero Arts Spiral Stencil
• Hero Arts Butterfly stamps (I had the matching dies and didn't cut out the shape, however, I have used just the stamps in many other projects without die-cutting)
• Hero Arts Neon Orange Ink
• Hero Arts Ombre Light Ruby to Royal Red (Used the darkest color for the pops of dark red color on the orange body) - you could use any neon ink too
• Old Hero Arts sentiment
• Vagabond die cut machine
• scrap papers

Touch of Pink

Just a touch of pink.

The challenge at Die Cut Divas is to use Pink or Red

I made a simple card, but I think it turned out rather good.  I really haven't used my Dylusions sprays very much and I had a go at it.  I die cut some white card stock.  taped the die-cut down with removable tape, started at the bottom with the lime, worked up with the blue and ended with the pink.  I pulled the die-cut up and decided to spray the palm with one solid color.  I wiped excess off and let it dry.  Since I wanted to leave some of the white behind it, I adhered the die-cut so peaks of white could be seen under the blue palm leaves.  Hope you like it.

Supplies:
Hero Arts Palm Fancy Die - always a favorite of mine
Dylusions Ink sprays - Fresh Lime, London Blue and Funky Fuchsia

This is my sample card for Die Cut Divas here.

Fairy Dust Collection

This is my sample for Morgan's ArtWorld 

for the challenge "Anything Goes" right here.

I had colored and die cut the image, setting by the printer to nudge me when I am at my desk to try something different.  I had to make a quick gift bag and held the image up to the bag and had my project set out.  I attached the bottom 3/4 of the image panel to the gift bag so I could thread the cover through the back.  You'll see what I mean in the next photo.

The paper bag I made is from two-sided paper, so you can see how this looks when the bag is opened.

Close-up of the image.  I don't know why I colored her this way, but most of the time I don't know why I pick my first colors.or how I want to blend them.

Supplies:

Morgan Fizgerald Fairy Dust Collection

QuicKutz Nesting Rectangle Dies

Copic markers

Vagabond Die Cut Machine

Cameo 

Morgan's images will also be featured at Crafts and Me.  The first 12 are out now.  Take a look at Crafts and Me.

If you think you've seen this before, you have.  I published it a couple days early.  :)  Happy Days.

Simply Lovely Sasayaki Glitter Girl

Sasayaki Glitter is the Die Cut Diva sponsor for January, 
the start to a great New Year.

The Challenge this month is to make your project 

SENTIMENT FREE.

I liked this simple fresh image and used more muted colors on her..  She is just a lovely image to color.

This card is the sample displayed at Die Cut Divas here.

Supplies:
Sasayaki Glitter Mia in the Garden
Elizabeth Craft Designs Stitched Rectangles
Copic Markers
Vagabond Die Cut Machine