Squeeking In

Been a week already. As in an "is it bedtime yet???" kind of week. I made a card the other day, when I had time, and when DH was tucked in his recliner. Never found time to take a photo of it, or write a post. But I was determined to get to it today. And I found a smidge of extra time to make a quick card this morning. I keep running out of minutes in the day. If you see a headless chicken running around, don't worry, that's just me. I'm hoping to get to some commenting later on, but if DH continues to need that bit of extra help today, then I'll get up early (I hope) and visit your blogs then... And before I have to put off finishing this post, I'm going to get right to the cards.

This first card is going to head off to SSSWednesday Challenge, MFT's Sketch Challenge, and Sunday Stamps Challenge.

Mine looks like this:

All the stamps and dies are from MFT. I used two Altenew green inks, and added some green enamel dots just for funsies. Works for a fella, I think.

And I fell in love with the inspiration photo at Inspired By this week! I went with a sort of desert-y look with my card.

Isn't that adorable?!! My card was watercolored and stamped.

The sun is a My Cute Stamps stamp, which sadly, is no longer in business. The rocks and aloe are from HA, and the fox is a ME set. The die is from AE cut with kraft cardstock. A little watercoloring, a little stamping, and that's all there is to it. I do need to run for now, but I hope to see you in a bit. As always...

Saturday!

I'm blessed enough to be able to say that for me, every day could be Saturday. I retired from the workforce a few years back to stay home and make sure DH is safe. He's got a few health issues, and needs a little help throughout the day. I don't mind. Some days, I can get crafty alllll day. Some days, not so much. But I'm right where I'm supposed to be and am rather content. But you didn't stop by to read that part...How about we look at some cards?

This first one is headed off to both of MFT's challenges. Both the sketch and the colors have been used on my card.

I saw a shaker card in this sketch, and I do so love this color combination, don't you??!!

All my dies are from MFT, as is the sentiment. I found this scrap of pink striped paper and a scrap of just-the-right blue for the scalloped circle. I tossed in some beads and sequins in red, blue, and pink. Didn't really take too long to make. 

My next card is headed off to CAS(E) This Sketch. I had a ping moment when I saw the sketch and knew exactly what I wanted to make. Turned out just like the picture in my little brain!

Here's what I made:

I took a part of a sheet of polka dotted (*sigh*) patterned paper from Doodle Bug, which just so happened to be reversible! Using my MFT 'happy birthday' die, I cut out the sentiment. I also cut some white chipboard to stack inside the sentiment before reversing the colors and affixing it. Found a sweet heart and used the "y" on the birthday part of the sentiment and cut a chunk out so that the heart would fit just where I wanted it to. Pretty fast card! It's now time for me to get to a few chores, then I hope to get back to do some visiting on your blogs. Have a great Saturday. As always... 

I Probably Shouldn't...

...make cards while migraining and on rescue meds. But I did. Because my brain is now in 'fuzzy' mode, I'll get right to it.

Card number one goes to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Sunday Stamps. I created my own background with different stamps and inks.

Here's my take:

MFT stamps and leaf dies, and an MFT rectangle. A couple of EH flower stamps, and a Verve Sentiment. The gray and blue panels are scraps. A smidgen of twine and done.

Next card is going to visit at Inspired By:

I was inspired by the berries, the colors, and the circles in this delicious photograph.

I used all scraps for this. I die cut panels with a ME curved border die. It's the same Verve sentiment, because it was out on my desk, it fit the white panel, and because I like it. I added a few flat red sequins to honor those berries on the inspiration photo. EZPZ lemon squeezy. And now I need to go see if I can find my brain. It seems to be missing...oh wait! That's just my normal, lol! As always...

"Pear-fect" Birthday

I make a ton of birthday cards. A ton. Not only do I have a rather large family, but I give the adult children, and now some of the 'grown-up' grandchildren boxes of cards that I've made over the course of the year. The kids have been requesting boxes of all birthday cards as of late... I figure that since they're 'requesting' cards, they must like them, and I must be doing something right! So here's another birthday card to add to 'their' stash! I was inspired by the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. Take a look...I think you'll find inspiration there as well!

That sketch is simply delightful! I got one of my "pings" right away, and set to work. This card took, oh, um, all of about 15 minutes to make. The longest part was finding those perfect patterned papers among my scraps, lol! 

I love this pear die. It's from WPlus9, and I just grabbed my Impress Inks and went to town on a blank piece of white cardstock. I laid the die over the colored parts, found a place where I liked the look, and cut. I added a bit more color, and the brown dots. The "have a" sentiment is from Lil' Inkers, the "pear-fect" is from WPlus9, and the "birthday" is from PTI. I hope you don't mind if I say that the pear really trips my trigger. I like the way it turned out! Now. I'm going to run, as I want to do a little commenting, but you all have an incredible weekend. Sending blessings your way, and as always...

Happy Birthday Less Is More

It's almost like watching little ones grow. When some of my favorite challenges celebrate a 'birthday,' like Less Is More, I wonder where the time went! These days, my craft time is more limited than it used to be, but I knew I wanted to play along at LIM in order to wish them a very happy birthday. I've seen so many fun cards in the gallery, and had to make a little something. Four of my grandchildren, all in the same family, are percussionists. They come by it honestly, as their parents are too. They've also played piano, violin, viola, and guitar as well. A musical family to say the least. A while back, a dear friend RAKed me with this cute Avery Elle set, and I was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to use it. This birthday celebration is the perfect time to break it out! Thanks, Darnell!!

Happy Birthday, Less Is More!

As mentioned, this is a set from Avery Elle. I used a star from a N&T set, and gave the drummer a striped shirt with a scrap of patterned paper. I colored the cymbals and the edges of the drums with some ancient silver and gold gel pens, and used Copics to color the rest. To add just a dash of dimension, I cut the panel with an MFT circle die. And that's it. Happiest of Birthdays, Less Is More! As always...

Twofer Card Challenge #2

Well, we started off with a bang last month, didn't we?!! Over 130 entries in the gallery. Wow! How much fun was that?! The best thing about the Twofer Challenge is that it really does challenge our brains to work a tad bit harder and do things that are ever so slightly even more out of the box. Now, with each stamp set I see online, see in a store, or even when I peruse my own stamp sets, I think, "How can I use that/those  image(s) in new ways?" But that's the whole point of this challenge, then, isn't it?!

We (obviously) have a new challenge for February! And I think you're going to love it! For all the details, click on the link and head on over! 

My twofers look like this:

Here is a closer look at each card:

While both of my cards use the same heart stamp from Studio Calico, they are quite different from one another. The first has a vertical orientation, while the second is horizontal. The first has one gold embossed heart, and the second has four red-stamped hearts. The colors of the inks and patterned papers are different, as are the occasions. The first one is a Valentine for DH, and the second one is (obviously) a birthday card.

I gold embossed the heart onto a pink scrap of cardstock. I trimmed the panel with an MFT Stitched Square die, then added a slightly larger square in black. I found this piece of patterned paper with triangles, and cut another square. With the center panel adhered, the only thing left to add was my AE sentiment also embossed in gold.

The birthday card was trimmed slim strips of black and white polka dotted paper to encase that row of SC hearts, which were stamped in ME Apple Ink. An MFT 'birthday' die, and a SSS 'happy' complete this EZPZ card. 

Two rather different card designs utilizing the same stamp. I love this idea!! 

You know you want to pull out your sweet, heart stamps and play along. I'll see you in the gallery at the Twofer Challenge, then, right?! Of course! Blessings to you all and as always...

A Reminder and Two Cards

I wanted to pop in today, quick like a bunny, and give you a little reminder that the Twofer Challenge comes 'round again on the 10th. Be sure to stop over at the Twofer blog and plan to play along!! 

I got my 'girl' on when making these cards. Couldn't seem to help myself... This first card will go and play along at the Sunday Stamps Challenge, and at Inspired By...  I saw pink stripes, which delighted my sensibilities.

That's an MFT Wonky Frame die, and a MB Stitched Frame in the center of the panel. I used an AE striped stamp to make those ombre-ish pink stripes behind the RC glitter heart. And a MB sentiment finishes off this fairly CAS card.

Next card heads off to Papertrey Ink's 11th Anniversary party, and before it closes, SSS Wednesday Challenge. I used Heather Nichol's sketch for my card.

 

The "banerilla" (as our Jessica used to say when she was a bit of a thing...) and the sentiment are both from PTI, and she's been colored with Copics. The balloon and the stars are from SSS. A scrap of yellow polka dot patterned paper down the left side and a few sequins finish this off. I have a granddaughter in mind for this card later this year... I've got to run for now, but I hope you're having a wonderful week. After chores, I hope to get to some commenting.... DH has kept me hopping as of late....