A Trio of Treat Bags

Here's a quickie project I made for my daughter's Halloween treats.  I decided at the last minute I wanted to try some treat boxes, and I didn't want  to spend a ton of time because she's only 2 and probably won't appreciate the fine paper crafting! I found these cut files in the Silhouette store.  Love that!  Here's how they turned out:

One is filled with candy and the other with a pair of socks.  Pretty sure I know which one will be the most popular!  I'm entering this into The Cameo Spotlight, where the theme is (what else) Halloween!

Thanks for looking and Happy Halloween!

Merry Polar Bear Card

Here's a card inspired by the Kraft On theme this week at CAS-ual Fridays.  This is perfect because I can't stay away from this card stock lately anyway.

I just got the Polar Party stamp set and I've been excited to use it.  I started with a SU Crumb Cake card base and heat embossed the image in white.  I colored the details with SU Wild Wasabi and Poppy Parade Markers.  The sentiment in stamped in SU Real Red Ink.  I finished it up with some Diamond Stickles to add sparkles to his hat and the gift, then used some perfect pearls to add some snowy dots to the background.

Thanks for looking!

Witchy Card {and a triple challenge with Bree}

Halloween is almost here!  I've always loved Halloween, but I love it even more now that my husband and I can share it with my little girl.  It's so fun to see her learning about how the seasons change and about how we dress up and celebrate.  She's 2 and she is all ready for some serious trick-or-treating.  Which just happens to be the sentiment on my lastest card:

It was my pal Bree's turn to pick some challenges for us to tackle, and she chose a great combination of the sketch from Fab Friday, the colors from colourQ, and The Friday Mashup.  Check out her take on the same 3 at Craft-somnia Momma.  I love this combination of colors but my favorite part of this card has to be this cute little witch I cut with my Cameo.  I love that it was able to cut such a small detailed image even using thick glitter cardstock.  This is how it came out on the first try! Yes!

I added some jewels to mimic stars, because of course that witch would be flying around in the night sky.  I used the SU colors Tangerine Tango, Rich Razzleberry and substituted Lucky Limeade for the green.  Check out all the other great cards at these challenges:

Thanks for looking!

Love You Card

Happy Thursday!  For this card I used the sketch from clean&simple and the colors from Fab Friday.   Unfortunately I let this color palette intimidate me for too long and I missed the deadline, but at least I finally tackled it!  I must admit I was kind of won over by these colors after I finished.  Never say never!

Here are the colors and sketch I used:

Thanks for looking, have a creative day!

Hello Sunshine

Hello Sunshine! It's a beautiful fall day complete with sunshine and a cool breeze.  I love this time of year. It's a great day for a bright and cheery card.

Today's card is inspired by the Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge.  I found this site a while back and immediately ordered some cute Paper Smooches stamps so I could play along, and I've been waiting for them to come in the mail.  I decided I couldn't stand to wait any longer and I wanted to make a card (like NOW) so I decided to use some of their free digis.  Thanks for the freebies!  The challenge was to use a cool color scheme, and I used another great sketch from Retro Sketches.  Halfway through making the card I realized that my flags were going to hang off the edge of my card.  Must have been my subconscious saying I should play in the CAS-ual Fridays "Over the Edge" challenge this week too.  Alright subsconcious, I will!

Anyone else have trouble with some cards just not wanting to stand up and be photographed? I have a question for all you crafty ladies out there.  Can someone tell me what those little spiky round things that hold your card up are called?  I want one and I'm not having any luck searching the web for "spikey round things that hold your card up" strange, right?  I know you crafty pros will help!

Check out the fun at these awesome challenge sites:

Thanks for looking!

{another} Halloween Card (...and a challenge with Bree)

Hello! It's time for another challenge combo with my pal Breelin over at Craft-somnia Momma.  Kudos to her today, for not only creating another fab card but for running a 10K this morning, she just keeps on impressing me!

It was my turn to pick a duo of challenges for us to tackle "together".  I chose the color palette from colourQ and the sketch from Pink Paper Bakery.  It's my first time for both of these and I'm happy to have found more great places to play and be inspired.

             

Here's what I came up with:

I had Tangerine Tango and Pear Pizzazz cardstock in my stash, and I used Peach Parfait for the lighter orange shade.  I cut the sentiment with my Cameo.  I've seen so many clever critters made with the Stampin' Up owl punch so I tried a few of those.  This ghost was going to be on the front but I ran out of room so I popped him onto the inside, he's too cute to waste.

Extra thanks to my awesome husband Ken, who took these pictures with his fancy camera since I was having trouble with mine.  He's amazing, and I couldn't do all the stuff I enjoy without his help and support.  I Love you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Celebrate card for CAS(E) this Sketch! no. 2

Yay! It's time for the second CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge. I love their simple sketches and I'm so amazed by the great interpretations from everyone designing and playing.  The sketches are a bit challenging for me (hence the name!) because they are so simple and I feel like my CAS cards sometimes lack that special "something".  I have to keep reminding myself that this is exactly why this is good for me if I want to keep improving my skills.  It wouldn't be fun if everything was easy-peasy, right?  Anyways, to all the other players and designers, I'm so impressed by your cards, you inspire me!  Here's mine for this week:

Here's the challenge sketch: 

I cut the cupcake with my Cameo (*love*) and hand cut the bits of confetti.  The stamp is from a Stampin' Up retired set called Curvy Verses.  The "sprinkles" on the cupcake were made with something I've had for a while but haven't found a use for, they are microbeads by Martha Stewart.  They're super shiny and cute and they're a bit like glitter but unique.  I think they'll be great for snow on some winter cards, can't wait to try them again.  The camera really doesn't show how shimmery they are.  Here's a closer look:

I stamped the sentiment in SU Chocolate Chip ink and covered the heart with glossy accents.  I can't seem to get enough of that stuff lately, love it!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Freshly Made/Dynamic Duo Thank You card

This card is for two difference challenges, I used the sketch from this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge, and the color palette from this week's Dynamic Duos challenge.  And just for funsies I asked my very talented crafty friend Bree over at Craft-somnia Momma if she would like to play together on a few challenge combinations, and she said yes! She's always up for anything crafty, I love that. So every once in a while we will choose a new combo and both use the same guidelines to create something.  It's so much fun to see all the different things people come up with even using the same sources of inspiration. Bree had already done a card for these two so I rushed home to try and come up with something.  Here's my take on the two challenges:

Here's the sketch and color palette we were using:
 

 

 For my flower I used an emboss-resist technique by stamping and heat embossing in white onto white card stock, then I used Pool Party ink to sponge over the flower, making it a little bit darker in the middle.

 This looked pretty, but didn't end up looking very different than my sentiment which I embossed in white on a piece of Pool Party cardstock.  Guess I could have saved myself the trouble, oh well! You stamp, you learn.

`

I had some Tim Holtz tiny paper clips and matching brads that were almost an exact match to my Soft Suede card stock, so I threw those in for extra details.  Check out Bree's take on the same two challenges here.  She has done another great card, (of course!).   And a special thanks to Bree because without her letting me raid her craft room I wouldn't have been able to play in this color challenge, thanks again, you are awesome!

Thanks for looking!

Happy Halloween Card

Here's a card that had me thinking outside my usual comfort zone, thanks to the challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week.  It's a technique challenge, to use inked embossing folders.  Here's what I ended up with:

I've never done this before and my first few attempts were not hitting the mark, so I switched gears completely and used a brand new (to me at least!) cuttlebug folder called "Spider Stew" which was a gift from my best friend.  Thanks Krista!  I'm so glad she gave this to me because it's not one I would probably pick out for myself, but I really like it!   I inked it lightly with a black ink pad and it came out grey with white spider webs.  What a cool technique.

 The images are all cut files from the Silhouette Studio cut with my Cameo.  I sprayed the fence with gray mist and inked all the edges of the other cuts to give it an aged feel. I made my own sentiment with an alphabet stamp set (I guess it's truly a hand-stamped sentiment since I was winging it, so it's fitting for this challenge :)

Thanks for looking!

Christmas Hearts Card

Hey there crafty folks, today's card is another Christmas card, I've never made anything Christmas-y before Thanksgiving and I'm kind of digging it.  The sketch I was working with today just screamed "ornaments" to me, so that's where I went with it (sort of!).  I love the color Cherry Cobbler from SU and their matching twine is awesome.  It ties really nice, and I've been having issues with other brands lately where they get all twisty, come unraveled or won't lay down and play nice when tied in a bow.  Not OK!  Here it is:

I used SU Crumb Cake cardstock to make the mantel and punched it with my Fiskars postage stamp edge punch. Thank you baker's twine for playing nice today! (I'm not the only one who talks to their supplies, right?) I added glossy accents to the little hearts and faux stitching to "hang" them with a white gel pen.  I embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder so it would stand out against the red.

This card is for two challenges, I was working another fun sketch from the Retro Sketches Challenge.

Over at the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge the theme this week is "Put your heart into it."  Hearts hearts everywhere! I'm all for it.

Thanks for stopping to look!

Life is Good card for CAS-ual Fridays & CAS(E) this Sketch!

Every day is a good day when you can make a card.  Or be with the important people in your life.  Today is one of those days on both counts, and here is the card:

The theme this week over at CAS-ual Fridays  is "For the Girls" in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.  All week I've been waiting to be inspired to make something honoring all the wonderful women in my life.  I have amazing family and friends, some of whom are breast cancer survivors, so the topic is near to my heart.  

When I saw the sketch today for the very first CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge an idea finally came out of the crafty recesses of my brain.  Here's the sketch:

Finally and most importantly, to all the amazing, smart, kind and talented women in my life...Life is Good with You Around!  

Thanks for looking!

A Reindeer Card for Nathan (and Mojo Monday 262)

Hello!  I made this little reindeer card for the Mojo Monday sketch challenge.  It's my first Christmas card of the year, it's strange to have my crafting brain switching back and forth between Halloween, Fall & Christmas themes but I'm having fun with all of them.

I got this reindeer stamp in a dollar bin last year and hadn't put it to use yet.  I stamped it onto white cardstock and colored it with colored pencils, then cut it out by hand.  He turned out pretty cute, I think.

Of course he needed a red glitter nose and I added some glossy accents to his scarf, antlers and spots for a little extra shine.  I stuck with subtle patterned papers so he would stand out and I love the SU colors Real Red and Pool Party together for a switch from traditional red and green.  Here's the Mojo sketch we have to work with this week:

 I was inspired to make a Christmas card after seeing this post by Catherine Pooler where she invites anyone to join her in sending Christmas cards to a little boy who is fighting cancer and coping with this hardship by celebrating Christmas with his family a few months early.  His name is Nathan and you can check out the news story about him  HERE.  You'll also find the mailing address there if you'd like to send a card their way.  It's a sweet idea and I think I'll join in and send this card to them.  Thanks for looking!

Grateful Card

Hooray! I found some more great challenge sites, and I'm dying to play.  Here's a card I made for a friend who just gave us some of her old bookshelves, so of course I needed a thank you card.  (She's also a Stampin' Up demonstrator so it has to be a good one!)

I found my inspiration from 2 different challenges, I used the color palette from The Cameo Spotlight challenge.   It's to use deep red, deep orange & harvest gold.  I love the fall feel to them. 

and I used the following sketch from The Fab Friday Challenge Blog:

Put 'em together and here's what I came up with: 

I used the SU colors Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie and More Mustard and cut the trees with my Silhouette Cameo.  The more I use that thing, the more I love it!  I love that you can have so many images available right at your fingertips when the urge to create something hits you.  Thanks for looking!  I'm super grateful :)

Trick or Treat Card for Retro Sketches #32

I need to begin this post with a note to self: "SELF, when posting cards for challenges, please remember to add your card to the challenge entry link...it's pretty much mandatory". Yes, I made a rookie mistake in my previous post and never linked my card to the last Retro Sketches Challenge.  Such a bummer!  Oh well, I must move forward and I made a card for this week's challenge.  Another great sketch this week, here it is:

Here's my take on the sketch:

.

I've been itching to make a Halloween card, and the button in this sketch made me want to use these cute little sparkly ghost buttons I have.

The cat stamp was pretty simple so I added some Perfect Pearls to the collar and Glossy Accents to the eyes to give a little extra something.

OK Self, Time to actually enter this one! Thanks for looking. :)