Clearly Delightful Sketch Challenge

Yup, I'm challenge crazy again! Laurie, over at Clearly Delightful has an awesome shop of digis in her store called Doodle Pantry. Once a month she has a challenge on her blog, and just for participating you get a free image from her store. Talk about a deal! This little image I used is called Lemon Ants. Aren't those little ants just adorable?! Laurie's challenge this month was a sketch challenge. I also combined it with this week's Pink Elephant challenge, which was to use red, scallops, and a bow.

Images: Lemon Ants digi (Doodle Pantry)

Paper: Sahara Sand, Neenah Solar White, BG June Bug dp, Soft Mint (CDS)

Accessories: Copics, Ridinghood Red ribbon, Labels 11 Nestabilities

I wish I were there. . .

Go HERE for the Clearly Inspired Challenge post!

I made this card this morning, because I just NEEDED to make a card. I've been stressed, and I won't go into details, but making this was exactly what I needed. I would love to be at the beach right now, and I will be in over a week. I get to meet my bff, Christi, and her family down in Panama City for a little r&r. Sadly, my husband can't come along, but it will be wonderful to see Christi.

I used Beach Bum Cuppie, from Taylored Expressions for this card and it actually qualifies for several challenges. Woohoo for me!

ColourQ #35 -- Tangerine Tango, Crushed Curry, Green Galore, Glorious Green, & White

Stampin' for the Weekend #40 -- Summer / Travel Theme

Friday Sketchers #105

Raise the Bar #21 -- Celebrate Summer

Stamp Simply #142 -- Something Sweet -- Cuppie is as sweet as they come ;)

Pink Elephant #69 -- 'Gotta Wear Shades' -- bright colors

Stamps: Beach Bum

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Crushed Curry

Paper: Lime Juice (CDS), Sweet Pea (CDS), Neenah Solar White, K&C Company Citronella dp, cork

Accessories: Big Scallops die (MFT), dimensionals, Copics, green rhinestones, Double Ended Tags & Circle Nestabilities, corner rounder, Spots & Dots and Swirls embossing folders, sponge

A Sheltering Tree

It's been a rough morning. I had to take our dog in for an ultrasound, and we found out she needs surgery to remove some marble sized stones. The kids are distraught about it, but I know she'll be all right. It just makes me sad for our little Lolli. I did come home to find that my husband had started school with the kids, which really made things a bit better. He's so supportive, and I felt so blessed that he could be here this morning.

Anyway, I made this card last night with a couple of challenges in mind. It uses a new set from MFT called Sheltering Tree. I love whimsical tree stamps, and this one was no exception. I used the sketch from Get Sketchy, and I had the Pink Elephant's aqua challenge in mind as well.

Stamps: Sheltering Tree (MFT)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tea Dye Distress Ink, Bermuda Bay, Certainly Celery

Paper: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, buttercream, Cosmo Cricket Early Bird dp

Accessories: Copics, sponges, lace, circle punch & circle cutters

A Magical Pink Elephant

I have really been having some fun messing around with my new Blooming with Blessings set from Clear Dollar Stamps. I made this using the new Ultra Fine Microbeads that Lori has started carrying in the store. They are sooooo cool, and really give such a beautiful look! I made this with three challenges in mind:

Pink Elephant -- sketch

Magical Crafts -- 'Something for the Girls'

ABC Challenge -- Sparkle

CDS Stamps: Blooming with Blessings

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper: kraft, Green at Heart BG

Accessories: double sided tape sheet, Ultra Fine Microbeads, Circle Nestabilities, buttons, linen thread, Lime Juice ribbon (CDS), green rhinestones

Raise the Bar & Pink Elephant Challenge

Happy Thursday everyone! I had some fun with this card! I painted both of my blue and green cardstocks with white paint. After they were dry I sanded them down. The blue piece was put through the Cuttlebug, and the green piece was inked with green ink over the paint. I thought I would just try something new, and I like the result. I sponged the sun, which is where the Raise the Bar challenge comes in. . .weather. . .it's sunny with rolling clouds! Even though I already made a card for the Pink Elephant, I thought I would put this in for the nature theme too! I used a new Clear Dollar Stamps set called On the Road Again.

CDS stamps: On the Road Again

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Handsome Hunter, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie

Paper: Bashful Blue, Neenah Solar White, Handsome Hunter, SU dp, Sahara Sand

Accessories: Copics, white paint, Summer Flower Soft,dimensionals, Swirls embossing folder, hunter ribbon, sponge

A little Nature for my Sister

During sneak peek week, I showed you a bookmark that I made for my sister. There was a story to why my kids call her 'Aunt B' even though her name is Melanie. Well, along with the bookmark I am sending her this Clear Dollar Stamps Charlie Bee Happy card. I know she'll get a kick out of it, and I know she'll appreciate it. It's a nature card, so I'm submitting it to the Pink Elephant challenge #61, which was nature themed.

The clouds were made with one of my Nesties. I then sponged the outsides with Baja Breeze ink and used Versamark ink all over them. While it was wet and before I heat embossed it, I sprinkled them with a mixture of clear embossing powder and Dazzling Diamonds glitter. I totally love the look that gives.

CDS Stamps: Charlie Bee Happy

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Baja Breeze, Versamark

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Real Red, October Afternoon Farm Fresh

Accessories: Copics, Labels 6 Nestabilities, sponge, clear embossing powder & dazzling diamonds glitter, dimensionals, red dew drops

Thanks for stopping by today. I'm sure to have more to share tomorrow, because it will be my birthday and I'm allowing myself TONS of crafting time, hehe ;D

A Pink Elephant & Color Throwdown

It's been a crazy week once again in this household, but I won't bore you with details. I'll just get right to the card ;) I made this for a couple of challenges. The sketch comes from the Pink Elephant and the colors come from the Color Throwdown. I thought it was such an interesting sketch that I just had to play along. The colors from the Throwdown were Garden Green, Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze, and an optional cream. I'm going to be honest. . .I wasn't sure about the colors, and I'm still not convinced on my card but the DT did some awesome stuff with the colors.

My main image is from a set called Beautiful Butterflies from Clear Dollar Stamps. I sponged some clouds onto a cream piece of cardstock and then stamped my butterfly with Garden Green. I then adhered some sticky tape all over the image and covered it with microbeads. It's just such a cool look.

CDS Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies

Ink: Garden Green, Baja Breeze, Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper: Certainly Celery, Garden Green, Baja Breeze, vanilla

Accessories: cloud template, circle punch, Circle Nestabilities, Swiss Dots and D'vine Swirls embossing folders, microbeads, Baja Breeze ribbon, corner rounder, sponge

Clear Dollar Stamps Weekend Color Challenge

It's the Clear Dollar Stamps Weekend Color Challenge going on over at Papercraft Planet, and Alex, our lovely hostess has some great colors for us to play with. She chose the colors red, black, yellow, and white! Fun, right?! I decided to combine this color challenge with a sketch challenge, and I found this one over at Friday Sketchers. These are also the colors for the Pink Elephant challenge, so head there too!

Stamps: Patchpal Skunk, My Little Ballerina (Clear Dollar Stamps)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Really Red, Summer Sun

Paper: Basic Black, Basic Grey June Bug, Summer Sun, Neenah Solar White

Accessories: Large Scalloped Octagons & Large Octagon Nestabilities, circle cutters, Paper Blooms, sponge, Copics

Now it's your turn! Go grab your Clear Dollar Stamps and let's see what you come up with!

Pink Elephant

. . .or in this case, Butterfly.  I made this card for the Pink Elephant challenge this week, but also for a friend.  I figure you can never have too many "Praying for You" cards.  My heart is going out to my best friend.  Not only is she a couple thousand miles away, but she is dealing with her 4th upcoming deployment, and her husband's father just passed away.  I have a heavy heart for them right now.  This week's Pink Elephant challenge was to a color challenge.  The colors are green, pink, and yellow.  My card is pretty simple, but now that I see it, I love it.  I used the stamp set Beautiful Butterfly from Clear Dollar Stamps that is a set of 16 that runs for only $14.99.  I coupled it with the Christian Sympathy set of 10 that runs for $9.99.  Both are so beautiful on their own or together and so very versatile.  I also got a chance to use a new Labels 4 Nestabilities that I got for my birthday, and the pearls were a birthday gift as well from a new friend.  I know. . .I am a blessed lady :D

Stamps:  Beautiful Butterfly, Christian Sympathy (Clear Dollar Stamps)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  Barely Banana, Kiwi Kiss, Neenah Solar White

Accessories:  Copics, Labels 4 Nestabilities, pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals, Swiss Dot embossing folder, pink ribbon

A Pink Elephant

I haven't been able to hang out in my 'craft cave' for a few days now it seems.  I guess I'm having some withdrawals ;)  We've been a bit busy around here, because we've been trying to work with a new math curriculum.  I think I've finally found one that won't cause us all to want to pull our hair out.  I'm feeling like I can take a bit of  a breather now that we've settled on it.  That being said I made this card for the Pink Elephant Challenge #7.  They have a fun little sketch going on over there.  I stuck with fairly simple, and I am kind of really liking the colors I chose to use.  I used this little chicken from the Farm Critters set from Clear Dollar Stamps and the sentiment is from Thoughtful Notes, yet another set from CD Stamps.  Farm Critters has 17 stamps for such a small price and Thoughtful Notes has 26 stamps. . .WOW that is a lot of stamps!  You really need to go check it out.

Stamps:  Farm Critters, Thoughtful Notes (CD Stamps)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Baja Breeze

Paper:  Sweet Slumber DSP, Neenah Solar White, Chocolate Chip DSP

Accessories:  Stampin' Dimensionals, sponge, Close to Cocoa buttons, So Saffron and 

Close to Cocoa markers

Pink Elephant Challenge

That's right, I'm going to try my hand at the Pink Elephant challenge this week.  This week's challenge was to use buttons, and goodness knows I have plenty of those.  Here is what I came up with.  

Stamps:  Delight in Life (SU)

Ink:  Chocolate Chip

Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Gray Offbeat

Accessories:  Basic Gray Offbeat buttons