Blooming Heart

Hello! 
 
It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme is Challenge #62 - "Tag... You're It" which means to use a tag either on your card or as your project.  One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images!  It's happened before!

 If you use a Digi Darla image, make sure after you link up to add DD with your name so we won't miss you! 
You have until May 19, 9:00 PM EST, to link up to the Digi Darla website.

My project today is a tag that I made for my daughter's college graduation gift (which was this past Friday - hooray!).

I used DD Blooming Heart from the DD website, and Congratulations from the Bonus Area.  You can see that the heart is shiny.  I first colored it with chalks, inked the edges, then applied several layers of Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE), after which I cracked it in several places and applied distress ink to the entire surface.  After wiping off the distress ink with a damp paper towel, you can see where it penetrated the cracks.

I marbelized the tag base, painted some flourishes with shimmer paints, also painted a tiny rose with more shimmer paint, then put it all together with a big fat seam binding bow and some brown and beige pearls.

And that, lovely readers, is my project for the day.  I do hope we see you over at the Digi Darla challenge blog.

Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Divas By Design - Anything Goes
Inky Impressions #108 - Mother's Day/For a Lady (my daughter)
Crafty Ribbons #45 - No Design(er) Paper
Delightful Challenges - Stash It (use from stash - pearls, rose, ribbon)
3 Girl Jam #18 - Use a digi w/ribbon
Fussy and Fancy #88 - Anything Goes
Sugar Creek Hollow #60 - Spring Flowers

 

MOM - Manager of Miracles

Hello! 
It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme is Challenge #61 - "You Make Me Spin Round and Round" which means to make a round card.  One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images!  It's happened before!

 If you use a Digi Darla image, make sure after you link up to add DD with your name so we won't miss you! 

You have until May 11, 9:00 PM EST, to link up to the Digi Darla website.
My card today uses the Digi Darla sentiment "Mom, Manager of Miracles."

I printed it out on floral digi paper, fading the print to 50% so it wouldn't distract, then layered it on two colors of cardstock.  The base layer is made with a doily die.  

  
I adhered a tiny crystal heart in the heart-shaped "O" after first coloring it with a dark pink Copic marker.  I then sprinkled pearls in two sizes all around.

  
Some miniature roses, pale green flourishes, and a seam binding bow complete this sweet little card.  I hope my mother-in-law likes it!

Thank you for joining me today, and I hope you'll pop over to the Digi Darla website and check out what the rest of the design team has created for you, then feel free to play along with us.  We'd love to see you!

Happy crafting!

   
Challenges entered:

Crafts and Me #131 - Floral Frenzy
Charisma Cardz #17 - Shaped Cards
Crafty Ribbons #44 - Anything Goes w/Ribbon 
Delightful Challenges - Add Ribbon 
3 Girl JAM #17 - Anything Goes w/Ribbon 
Fussy and Fancy #88 - Anything Goes 
Sugar Creek Hollow #60 - Spring Flowers 
Pile It On #18 - For a Mother 
Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes 
 

Little Graduate - Digi Darla Challenge #60

Hello! 

It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme is Challenge #60 - "Celebrate!", which can mean any occasion for which one celebrates, be it a birthday, graduation, etc.  One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images!  It's happened before!

 If you use a Digi Darla image, make sure after you link up to add DD with your name so we won't miss you!  

You have until May 4, 9:00 PM EST, to link up to the Digi Darla website.


My card today is a graduation card and features the stamp "Grad Girl" in honor of my daughter, who will be graduating from college on May 10th.  Hooray!!  She and I will be so glad when she doesn't have to make the long commute anymore, not to mention she will finally have some free time on her hands considering she also works full time.

Isn't she cute?  Now to find a stamp showing a parent jumping up and down with glee and shouting,"It's over!  Woohoooo!!!"

*ahem*

I've colored her with Copics in her school colors of burgundy and white.  The background on the white layer consists of swirls stamped with Versamark and then dusted with white Perfect Pearls.

I fussy cut the mortarboard and popped it up.

The diploma is vellum tied with a bit of gold cord.

A red satin bow and some red rhinestones finish this little card off.

Thank you for taking the time to join me, and if you have a graduate in your family, kudos to you for getting through it and surviving! 

Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Tuesday Throwdown #144 - Make Your Own Background
Ladybug Crafts Ink Color Combo - Red and White
Simon Says...Anything Goes
Divas By Design - Inspired By a Move ("The Graduate")
Crafty Ribbons #44 - Anything Goes w/Ribbon
3 Girl JAM #17 - Anything Goes w/Ribbon
Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes

Winged Sentiment - Challenge Day at Digi Darla's

Hello! 

It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme is Challenge #59 - Earth Day, which requires at least one thing recycled on your project.  One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images!  It's happened before!
If you use a Digi Darla image, make sure after you link up to add DD with your name so we won't miss you!  

You have until April 27, 9:00 PM EST, to link up to the Digi Darla website.

My card today is using wings again.  I guess I'm in a "things with wings" kind of mood lately.  The DD image is actually a sentiment, "Good Friends Are Like Angels," which you can find here.  Sometimes I don't want an image so much as I want to just say something, albeit with a bit of decoration.  (A bit?)

My recycled item is the large pink and white flower, for which I used a piece of cardboard from a shipping box, and said box contained craft supplies.  Fitting, right?  I should have taken pictures, but I think we all know what corrugated cardboard looks like.  I first dry brushed it with white acrylic paint, then dry brushed it again with pink, then when that was dry I ran it through the Big Shot to flatten it before die cutting the shapes.

 
Here's a closeup showing the flower with the rhinestone brad in the middle and some of the hand dyed flowers surrounding it, plus a little of the tulle that's behind it.

And here's a close up showing the rest of the flowers.  I colored white and tan flowers with Copics and alcohol as one would use watercolors, dipping the brush in alcohol, then in some Copics ink that was smeared on an acrylic block.  The colorful edges were done with Copics dabbed on afterwards.  Perfect Pearls comprise their centers.  

And here you also get a close up of some more of the wonderful, hand made lace that I recently bought at an antiques shop.  I probably bought 6 or 8 different kinds which you will be seeing in many, many upcoming projects.  The lady who made them had no idea how far and wide her lovely laces would travel!

Here you can see the two dp's which I stamped with coordinating inks and also DI in the opposing corners.  Gives the dp a little more depth.  And see that wonderful leafy ribbon?  That comes from Really Reasonable Ribbon, as do the green ribbons behind the main flower.

 
The "image" was colored with Copics, sponged with distress inks, and layered atop the wings.

And that, my friends, is my little card today.  I'm not really sure how I'm going to mail it as I don't have any plastic card boxes big enough.  I guess it'll get very special packing.

Thank you for taking the time to join me today, and do visit the Digi Darla challenge to see what the other DT has come up with, then do play along with us, won't you?  We'd love to see you! 

Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Tuesday Throwdown #143 - Focus on the Sentiment
Creative Card Crew #34 - Handmade Flowers
Frilly and Funkie - Upcycle for Earth Day
Inky Impressions #105 - Punches/Dies
Crafty Ribbons #43 - Pink and Green
Allsorts #203 - A Passion for Flowers
Fussy and Fancy #87 - Vintage

Pile It On #16 - Budding Color Inspiration

Winged Rose - Challenge Day at Digi Darla

Hello! 

It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme is Challenge #58 - How Does Your Garden Grow, which requires flowers, trees or veggies in your card.  One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images!

If you use a Digi Darla image, make sure after you link up to add DD with your name so we won't miss you!  
 

My card today uses the Angel Wing Set 3 digi stamp.  I decided to do something different for this little notecard, hence the flying rose.  Why would a rose fly?  Well...I don't know, honestly, but I love it when wings are attached to objects.  Usually one sees hearts with wings, but I wanted to be different this time.  And since there's no sentiment, it can be used for any sort of girl card.

I printed the wings out on some lovely digi paper for a vintage feel and curled them a little bit to give them a bit more dimension.

The ribbon is hand dyed seam binding and the little embellishment in the middle is a bead cap with a pearl in the middle.  I've also used pearl string (or string pearls?) both behind the bow and around the inner edge of the oval base layer.

The tag was cut from more digi paper, and the little corner flourishes were die cut from crafter's foil, then pounded with a small hammer to flatten and distress them a bit.  "Pounded" is a bit strong, gently tapped is more like it.  They are paper, after all.  I embossed the top of the tag with gold ep.

The lace with ribbon running through it is an interesting piece.  I bought yards and yards of it at an antique store a couple of weeks ago from a lady who was selling her deceased mother's extensive supply of fabrics and trims, and I snagged several bags of wonderful old, hand crocheted laces, of which this was one.  There were probably 10 yds. of it in the bag, some of which I shared with my daughter.  It's gorgeous, and to think someone made it with their own hands.  I once tried crocheting with a metal hook.  Um...NOT.  It's big hooks for me.  I just don't have that kind of patience.  Or eyesight (anymore).

And that, dear readers, is my card for this week.  I hope you're inspired to check out the Digi Darla store, and while you're there, please check out the challenge as well to see what the rest of the lovely DT has created for you, and then play along!

Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Oozak #13 - Anything Goes w/Pearls, Lace, Ribbon
Simon Says...April Showers and/or Spring Flowers
Divas by Design - Flowers
Crafts & Me #128 - Lace and Pearls
Charisma Cardz Challenge #14 - Tags
Allsorts #202 - Letter of name ("S" for Shea and seam binding)
RCS#32 - Hollywood Noir (vintage theme)
Pile It On #15 - Embossing
Eclectic Ellapu - Put a Tag On It

Dancing Grampa

Hello! 

It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme is Challenge #56 - Laughter Is the Best Medicine.  One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images!

If you use a Digi Darla image, make sure after you link up to add DD with your name so we won't miss you! 

My masculine birthday card today uses the Digi Darla stamp Dancing Gramps, which you can find here, and Dance And Pray, which you can find here.

I've paper pieced his mismatched (on purpose) clothes in two sections each so as to give the impression of depth and dimension.

You can get a better look at the layers here.  I've colored the rest of him with Copics and airbrushed the background with Copics as well.

And no, he is not drinking iced tea.  Not dancing like THAT!  The glass is shiny with Glossy Accents.

Some grommets add a bit of pizzazz to the sentiment.

Thank you for joining me today, and please do head on over to Digi Darla's challenge to see what the lovely design team has cooked up for you.  We'd love to have you join us!

Happy crafting!

Supplies:

Stamps: Dancing Gramps, Dance and Pray (both DD)
Ink: printer
Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, Basic Black (SU), A Mother's Love (MME)
Extras: Dies: Rectangle Stax 1 & 2 (Dienamics), Copics and airbrush, grommets, Glossy Accents,

Challenges entered:

Simon Says...Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes ("A very strict challenge")
Tammy's Scrappin' Corner #56 - Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers #88 - Humor 
Divas By Design - Use Metal
Charisma Cardz Challenge #12 - Happy Birthday

Dogwoods are Blooming - Digi Darla Challenge #55

Hello!
 
It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme is Challenge #55 - Flowers.  One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images!

If you use a Digi Darla image, make sure after you link up to add DD with your name so we won't miss you! 

My card today is a simple one which uses the Large Dogwood Blossom stamp from Digi Darla that you can find here and which I've colored with Copics.

I've used a fan-shaped letterpress on the base layer for a bit of added depth.

I've wrapped the larger layer with several rounds of linen twine then attached a vintage button and ladybug charm to the bow.

A few more vintage buttons and a sentiment complete this card.  

Thank you for joining me today, and I wish you a lovely Thursday.

Happy crafting!

Supplies:

Stamps: DD Large Dogwood Blossom, SU Teeny Tiny Wishes, Tiny Tags (tiny flowers)
Ink: Regal Rose, brown pigment
Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, Primrose Petals, Whisper White (SU), MME Lost & Found - Madison Ave.
Extras:  Dies: Designer Labels Stax (Dienamics), Letterpress Fancy Fan (SU), Copics, charm, vintage buttons, linen twine.

Challenges entered:

ALOTA #103 - Springtime
Timeless Tuesday #212 - Bring On Spring 
Crafts And Me #125 - Buttons and Bows
Inky Impressions #102 - Flowers 
Charisma Cardz Challenge #11 - Die Cuts
Delightful Challenges - Get Well Card 
Red Carpet Studio #29 - The Secret Garden (use flowers)
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes  
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #199 - Inspiration Picture (see below)

 

Easter Eggs - Digi Darla Challenge #54

Hello!

It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme is Challenge #54 - Easter/Spring.  That means either an Easter card or simply one that conveys springtime, for which I'm sure most of us are more than ready. One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images!

If you use a Digi Darla image, make sure after you link up to add DD with your name so we won't miss you!


Today's card features the Digi Darla stamp "Easter Eggs," which you can find here. 

I embossed the white base layer with two different embossing folders, a swirl on top and a stripe on the bottom.  The pink lacy edge is a straight border that I snipped to wrap around the oval shape.  

I decided to do something a little different and color them with various colors of Creative Inspirations paints.  Check out the shimmer.  I LOVE using these paints!  I used some of the colors straight and mixed others.

I paper pieced most of the flowers and one of the eggs and used Copics on the remaining (purple) flower, grass and ground.  Tiny pearls form the flower centers.  It's hard to tell, but I used patterned paper for two of the flowers and colored toward the centers with Copics for a little added depth.

Little twill bow and tiny tag.

I colored the Candi's myself, using two colors of CI Paints as I didn't have any lavender brads.

Showing the dimension.

Thank you for joining me today, and I wish you a lovely week full of crafting happiness.

Happy crafting!

Supplies:

Stamps: Easter Eggs (Digi Darla), Easter Wishes (Flourishes)
Ink: printer, Memento Versafine Smoky Gray
Paper: X-Press It Blending Card; Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder, Pretty in Pink, Subtles Stack (SU)
Extras: Dies: Faux Crochet Border (Dienamics); Classic Tags (Flourishes); Copics, CI Paints, Candi, Candi Fix,  baker's twine, pearls, swirls and stripes embossing folders, twill ribbon (Really Reasonable Ribbon)

Challenges entered:

The Ribbon Reel #49 - Spring Cottage
ALOTA#103 - Springtime

Love to Create #57 - Anything Goes
Tammy's Scrappin' Corner #54 - Easter
Timeless Tuesday #211 - Go Green (incorporate green)
Tuesday Throwdown #138 - Paper Piecing
Ladybug Craft Ink - Springtime
Divas By Design - Put On Some Pink
Crafts and Me #124 - Ribbons and Lace
RRR #68 - Flowers and Ribbon
My Sheri Crafts #106 - Easter
Pile It On #11 - Circles and/or Squares
Allsorts - As Easy as 1, 2, 3 (Pink square and flower, and yellow flower are two dp; ribbon, Candi, pearls as 3 embellishments)

Friday Sketch Challenge #39 

Irish Eyes are Smilin' - Challenge at Digi Darla's

This is today's second post.  For my Guest Designer post for The Shabby Tea Room, please scroll down.

Hello and top o' the mornin' to ya!

It's time for another challenge over at Digi Darla's Challenges, and this week's theme for Challenge #52 is "Green Cards."   

I look forward to seeing everyone's interpretations!  One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images.  Very cool!


My card is using the lovely DD Irish Beauty, which you can find here.

I colored the image with Copics, adding the tiniest speck of glitter to the buckle on the lass' hat.  There might be 6 whole glitter flakes, the buckle is so tiny, but one must attend to the details, right?  Besides, nothing but nothing is too small to be glittered in my opinion.

The background and edges of the image panel are colored with chalks for that soft, sunny look.

I've dry embossed the two dsp panels with the same embossing folder, but the different patterns give a completely different look. 

The four leaf clover was made with four small hearts adhered to a glue dot, then painted with CI paints, striped with a Copic marker for the veins, then painted a bit more on top (with Sage and Evergreen).

The pearl here and on the small tag were pastel green before coloring them with the same Copic marker as that used on the clover.

I used two colors of ribbon plus some linen thread for the embellishment along with a picket fence die cut and the small tag, both the fence and tag of which I colored with more CI paints (Ivory and Sage).  I LOVE CI paints for the soft shimmer they give.

And that, lovely readers, is my "green" card today.  Thank you for joining me, and please head on over to the Digi Darla challenge and see what the other Design Team have created, then feel free to join us this week.  We'd love to see what YOU come up with!

Happy crafting!

Supplies:

Stamps: Irish Beauty (Digi Darla), Tiny Flowers and Tags (Flourishes)
Ink: printer, Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, Whisper White, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi (SU)
Extras: Dies: Labels One, Decorative Labels One (SB); Classic Tags (Flourishes); Picket Fence (Dienamics), Petals a Plenty ef (SU), dimensionals, linen thread (SU), ribbon, pearls, CI Paints (Sage, Evergreen, Ivory), Copics, glitter, chalks.

Challenges entered:

Oozak - Anything Goes w/Spring
Simon Says...Anything Goes
Divas By Design - Anything Goes
Crafts and Me #122 - Dies or Punches
Crafty Ribbons #40 - Anything Goes w/Ribbon
C.R.A.F.T. #196- Embossing
Really Reasonable Ribbon #67 - Show Me the Green & Ribbon
Allsorts #196 - For a Lady
Dynamic Duos #42 - Dark Green & Yellow
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes


MFT - Sketch #113

Masculine card challenge - Digi Darla's

Hello!

It's challenge time over at Digi Darla's Challenges again, and this week's theme for Challenge #51 is "Make it Masculine."   One winner will receive 5 Digi Darla images, and any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images, so you could conceivably win 8, yes, eight Digi Darla images. How nice is THAT!  We would love to have you join us - please head on over to see what the rest of the lovely Design Team have come up with, then feel free to share your creative talents with us!

My card today is using DD Super Star Word Art, which you can find here.  I outlined the letters in glitter pen to make them stand out a bit more against the red circle and used CI Paints on the tiny stars.

The stars on the background paper were airbrushed with a dark gray Copics pen using die cut stars as the masks.  I used one of the same dies to cut some crafter's foil for the embellishment and also used some of the foil for the layer behind the red.

It was a little too silvery shiny for my taste, so I sponged on some Antique Silver and Onyx Creative Inspirations paints to tone things down a bit, then topped it with a leather knot.

I sprayed the whole thing with sheer silver shimmer paint afterwards and forgot to mask the red circle first, which was somewhat upsetting; however, I discovered lo and behold an art gum eraser erased the silver spray right off without disturbing anything else.  Hallelujah!

Thank you for joining me today, and I do hope you'll join us at Digi Darla's Challenges!

Happy crafting!

Supplies:

Stamps: DD Super Star Word Art
Ink: Printer
Paper: Basic Black, Basic Gray, Riding Hood Red (all SU)
Extras: Dies: Dienamics Circle and Star Stax; leather strip, CI paints, SB Premium Craft Foils; shimmer spray, Gelly Roll glitter pen.

Challenges entered:

Timeless Tuesday #208 - Use Red
Frosted Designs - Be Bold
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
Eclectic Ellapu - Masculine