Moxie Fab Challenge

      I haven't participated in a Moxie Fab Challenge in a long time, but given the current challenge is called "Picking up the Pieces", I knew I'd have to participate because although the challenge is more about paper-piecing, I'm ALL ABOUT using LEFT-OVER PIECES . . . you know we all have a ton of them!!
       I made the weaved part of this card with the thin strips of paper I trimmed off of cardstock to make some A2 size cards.  It reminded me of the weaved paper placemats I made as a child in grade school.  I think I gave one of those to my mom one Mother's Day, so I thought of my mom when adding the sentiment to this card.

I sort of feel like I need to add a button or something at the point the swirl meets the weaved part . . . what do you think?

Thanks 4 your time!

Curtain Call--Act #24

I LOVE colour challenges--probably because they're such a great starting point and they compel me to use colours I may have never combined otherwise.  Stacey's combos always inspire (especially when she includes kraft--my fav!).  Curtain Call Act # 24 is . . .

And here's my card:

I know, the flower has been used by a lot of people for a while now, but I had one sitting on my desk and had not got around to using, so I took it apart, inked it up with Colorbox Amber Clay (closest I had to Saffron), and added the green button.  I originally had a plain kraft background with just the flower focal point and sentiment--but I`ve been trying to add more to my safe CAS style.  What do you think about the added leaf background.

Thanks 4 your time!

EBTKS String Challenge-Take #3

Okay, as promised, I came up with a third idea for the EBTKS String Challenge.  It's a graduation card with a paper pieced cap and "string" tassel.

I'll likely send it to one of my former students who is earning her Bachelor of Education Degree next month--hard to believe she was in my 10th grade English class not so long ago; now she may get a job teaching right along side me!

Thanks 4 your time!

I'm lovin' this paper!

While on the Moxie Fab blog this morning, I spotted that the Moxie Monday post featured this great patterned paper designed by Teresa Collins.  It's from her Welcome Home collection.  I fell in love with this paper . . .

I have lots of vintage print (as an English teacher I have lots of old texts I'll never use--I also went through a phase were I bought old books at garage sales).  So, I thought I'd take a shot at replicating Teresa's look.
II'm submitting this as my second card for the current EBTKS challenge -- I used string in a more conventional way this time.

Oh--and I have another string idea for the EBTKS challenge, so stay tuned for card #3!!

Thanks 4 your time!

EBTKS Challenge 12-String

So I wanted to do something a bit different with the current EBTKS challenge which asks us to use string.  I thought if this basket idea after picking up a big spool of Hemp Twine the other day. 

The basket didn't take that much time, but the rest of the card took me forever.  It was one of those cards that I didn't have a layout planned ahead of time, so I just kept playing around with ideas until I finally settled on this one . . . not my favourite card, but I'm glad I pushed myself to try something different with that basket.

The sentiment is one of the many I generated a while back on Word and have been featured a lot in my recent posts.

Thanks 4 your time!

Embellish Challenge w/ Stitching

I saw the new Embellish color challenge last week quickly as I was doing my morning blog visits.  Unfortunately, I didn't study the colours closely enough because I thought the colours were Kraft, Pink and Baby Blue--and I created a card with that colour scheme which I ended up posting about here.  When I went to go post the card I realized I hadn't used the right colours--I felt so stupid!

However, I couldn't let this challenge go by, especially since it involved stitching!  Have I mentioned before how much I've become attached to my sewing machine?!  Here's Embellish's challenge:

My orginal card had more hand stitching on it, but on this card I used a new sewing technique for me--swirvy lines.  I sort of wish I put more stitching on the card--perhaps on the pink strip.  Hard to know when to stop sometimes. Any way, here's my card:

The book print totally gives this card a Dawn McVey feel--not surprising since she's one of my favourite designers!

Supplies:

PTI Kraft cardstock; PTI Beautiful Blooms stamp set; Inkadinkado sentiment; vintage book print; Prima flowers; MM buttons;  Versamark Ink; Distress Ink Walnut Stain; pink embroidery floss.

Thanks 4 your time!

Curtain Call--Act #23

Okay--so I'm not typically a fan of pink--as you can see from my blog I love blues and teals (oh, and kraft, of course).  However, when I saw Stacey's Curtain Call Act #23 Color challenge--I couldn't resist.  I was drawn to the damask wall in the inspiration photo and went from there.

Here's what I created . . .

   I cut the flowers with the Cricut Storybook Cartridge.  The text stamp is Hampton Art; the damask type stamp (in pink) is TPC Studio; and the sentiment is Inkadinkado.  Here's a closer look . . .

    I love how 3 of the 4 colours are neutrals--you can swap out that pink with any other colour and the look would still be fab!!

Thanks 4 your time!

CARDS Blog--Easter Card

I made this Easter card last week, and since this week's CARDS blog challenge is to create an Easter card, I figured why not submit it--afterall, I was happy with how it turned out! 

    I used the top of a Kleenex box for my kraft paper--I got the idea a while back from this card by Virginia Lu.  I save all my Kleenex box tops now--love how they have a detailed edge.  I inked it up with Walnut Stain DI to highlight the detail.
    I also LOVE that ribbon--sort of a perrywinkle colour.  Reminds me of hydrangeas.  It was also the colour of my bridesmaids dresses 6 years ago, so it's definitely a colour I'm always drawn to.  Love how easily the silky ribbon ties into a bow as well.

Since I liked my Easter card so much, I created a similar Baby congratulations card.  I just found out this week that my cousin and her husband are expecting their first child!  I know they've been trying for a while--so I was so excited to hear the news.  I originally made it for the Embellish challenge, but realized after I made it that the challenge asked for Light Aqua, not Baby Blue (silly me).  The challenge also asked for stitching, "sew" that's why I hand-stitched all the buttons!

I stamped a small button from PTI Tiny Valentine set repeatedly with Versamark ink.  I also stamped my new Hampton Art background definition stamp with Versamark onto the PTI Sweet Blush card base.

Okay--gotta run and get ready for first day of swimming lessons--my 3 year old is starting his Tadpole class, and I'm in the pool at the same time with my 9 month old for a Waterbabies class!!  Have a great weekend--I'm hoping to get some crafting time later this evening!

Thanks 4 your time!

1 Recycled Wedding Invite = 2 Cards

My friend got married last Saturday--and a beautiful wedding it was!  I was about to throw away the wedding invite yesterday but couldn't resist the B&W patterned card base . . . so I took apart the invite and ended up making these two cards.
 
Actually, I made the first card for the EBTKS sketch challenge (my second attempt), but then realized the deadline was yesterday (silly me).  When I looked at the patterned paper--I could see the 3 circles from the sketch.

I printed the sentiment right onto the card base (I created a whole bunch of sentiments on Word several days ago and they've become my new favs).  This is my first BIG bow on a card too--definitely one that will have to be hand delivered.

Here's the other card I created with that gorgeous patterned paper.  The muted tones made me think of a sombre occasion.

Thanks 4 your time!

Color Cue Challenge #2

Dawn has another great color combo over on her blog here

I ended up making 2 cards with this combo (one is a mini gift tag card).  I did end up using black for the sentiment on this first card (I'm hoping that's considered a neutral).

I used two petals from a flower to create the soft yellow heart on this mini card:

Thanks 4 your time!