[DYSU] Challenge #66 - Friendly Critters

Good morning, everyone! I've fallen on radio silence here because I and the BF caught the flu. I came home sick from my training course on Friday and was in bed with a fever until Monday. Tuesday I still felt sick and queasy and was not able to move much. The boy decided to follow suit and we were lying in bed or on the couch like two helpless little kidlets. We played a lot of "Rock Paper Scissors" to see whose turn it was to go cook up another batch of tea. Then again, it could be worst, such as being sick by myself ;) I guess they are right when they say "Misery loves company." But we're slowly back onto our slow feet and hope that I get to catch up on all things crafty and good this weekend.

In the meantime, I'm glad I got this challenge done ahead of time. We're celebrating spring with Friendly Critters. Since I have a slew of baby cards to get done, I decided to pull a cute animal favorite out for this...

Isn't this giraffe not cute?


Stamps: (Snag 'em Stamps - Baby Powder Collection: Giraffe) imaginesce; (Compact Sentiments, Free Spirit) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Kraft, Lemon Zest) Papertrey Ink; (Polka Dot) Scrap
Ink: (Jenni Bowlin No. 11 - Brown Sugar) Ranger
Embellishments: (Border Punch - Treading Water) Fiskars; (Nestabilities - Label No. 18) Spellbinders; (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor

Decided this CSA card needed to be less CSA and stamped the bubbles from the Free Spirit Waltzingmouse Stamps... They would make a good background for the giraffe to pop.



So that's all I have for you today; go check out the amazing creations by the talented DT. And I look forward to seeing your creations!

Our sponsors this week:

5 Gift Certificate

Winner’s choice of 7 digital images

Winner’s choice of 4 digital images

[Paperplay Challenges] Week No. 13 - Easter

Note: If you are looking for DYSU challenge - please keep scrolling :)

Hello there! I went to go see my doctor for allergies and was getting ready to report that I am doing much better, now that the Fall season is over. But lo and behold, with the aggressive spring season and funky weather, all the trees are in full bloom. I am experiencing congestion and runny nose, headaches and such. Mother Nature is telling me Spring is here - ready or not! Time to whip out the Nasonex and Claritin...Anyone else out there who suffers when the trees and flowers bloom?

At PaperPlay Challenge we have the most appropriate Spring challenge, since this next holiday is just around the corner: Easter. I decided to bust out my new Waltzingmouse Stamps for this challenge...


Stamps: (Chicken Wire, Offbeat Backgrounds, Nordic Spring, Compact Sentiments) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Sweet Blush) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Memento - Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko; (Jenni Bowlin No. 11 - Brown Sugar, No. 4 - Lemon Drop, No. 4 - Chicken Feed; Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Vintage Photo) Ranger
Embellishments:  (Adhesive Gems - Pearls) Studio 112; (Crystal Stickers - Pearls) Mark Richards; (Rosy Best of Friends - Pearls) My Mind's Eye

For this card, I used a little inspiration help from this weeks' Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge. A rather lose interpretation on my part, since I couldn't get those two panels in the middle layer to work out at all... More room for embellishments tho :) 

Easter means all the flowers and critters are starting to appear and I have been itching to ink up this little butterfly from Waltzingmouse. I stamped the image first in Lemon Drop and then edged (rocked) the stamp in Chicken Feed.



The chevron was stamped first on two panels of card stock, but I had no creative ideas how to fit it in and then gave up. They will be used on some other project :) Instead I stamped the chevron right onto the card stock and gave the butterfly something to anchor on...



The pearl are a fun addition to give the butterfly more "flight action" and the Chevron stamps (which I tried stamping onto two panel cards first) give it an anchor to sit on the card.

Hop on over to the other PPC girls and see what they have created for this week's challenge.

Our sponsors this week:

• In2Stamps

[DYSU] Challenge #65 - Sew It

Good morning, dear readers! I have two posts today, so I am delighted you have stopped by! I can't resist, but I have to ask you all "Sew, what's new with you?" before we get started.

Ok, now that you have indulged me with my punny side, I can also tell you that we're bringing Sewing theme this week. I was so determined to get my sewing machine out for this challenge, but didn't find a need for it half way through the card...

My card features one of our sponsors today, and since I have a friend in mind to give this card to, the color scheme came together quite easily...


Stamps: (Mousey Seamstress) Dearie Dolls; (Sewing Box - Hugs) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink; (Material Girl) Cosmo Circket
Ink: (Jenni Bowlin No. 2 - Cough Syrup; Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Antique Linen) Ranger
Embellishments: (Mister Huey - Cameo) Studio Calico; (Nestabilities - Label No. 18) Spellbinders; (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Point 88) Stabilo

This image is adorable, isn't it? I decided to focus on the faux stitching and the sewing elements in the pattern paper. Since I really liked the vintage cream & red color combo, I decided to let the seamstress mouse speak on its own. I only colored in small elements of red. The rest really just pops on its own, don't you think?



So that's all I have for you today; go check out the amazing creations by the talented DT. And I look forward to seeing your creations!

Our sponsors this week:

$10 Gift Voucher

$15 Gift Certificate

Winner's Choice of 4 Images

[Scrap Our Stash] March Challenge - Green

Good morning, folks! This is going to be a wonderful Saturday, because today is my friend's baby shower. I have been busy as a bee prepping a bunch of things for her and her husband, and am loving this complete Baby Zoo Animals theme that this party has going!

At Scrap Our Stash's March Challenge we are creating things around the theme Green.

Let's switch gears for a second and talk baby shower...My friend loves all things cute, but is not a pink fan. So even though she and her husband are expecting a lil baby girl, I decided to go with classic colors, such as green and yellow.

Here is a sneak peek of the baby shower cards:



I alternated yellow with green and green with yellow on the invitations, varied up the little zoo animals stamped onto them, and kept the text the same. Here is a little collage pic of my supplies (and supply list)


Stamps: (Join Us) Waltzingmouse Stamps; (Sarah Phelps Collection - Noah's Ark) Impression Obession
Paper: (Perfect Basics Card Stock - Lemon Zest, Spring Moss; Stamper's Select Vellum) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Memento - Tuxedo Black, London Fog) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Bubbles Edger Punch) EKSucces; (5/8" Saddle Stitch Ribbon - Ripe Avocado) Papertrey Ink

I always prototype a card first, before I go into mass production mode. And since I want to go with a graphic look, I decided to stamp off most the animals in grey and put one of the zoo animals in front center. 



The trim were cut out first, then the edge punched, lastly stamped on with the invitation from the Join Us Waltzingmouse Stamp set with again London Fog and Tuxedo Black to mimic the graphic effect of the animals. The ribbon is just a fun little touch to put a little bit of accent into the whole design. Here an up close look...



The inside has a little cute invitation poem that I came up with on one of my drives down to Maryland. It is printed with a laser printer on Vellum for a little bit of fanciness and glued carefully into the inside...



Details on the invitation poem and party favors will have to be posted up later on my blog...

In the meantime, check out the Scrap Our Stash's March Challenge. You have until the end of the month to get your inspirations in. What green things is tickling your creative mojo?

[DYSU] Challenge #64 - Plaid

Hello everyone! I'm two days away from Saturday's baby shower for my crafty friend Elke & her husband. I am so looking forward to this event...it's based on zoo animal theme and I will post a lot of the projects that I have been creating. Yes - lots of creation, but little time to blog...I will have to catch up here once things simmer down!

While I do that, I have a new challenge for you with us at DYSU. Whip up projects using Plaid. Bring on your Scottish heritage - I bet you have some pattern paper or maybe stamps to put a plaid pattern together!

My card features one of our sponsors today and I decided to make my own Plaid pattern paper...


Stamps: (Love Heart Owl) Pink Gem Designs; (Pic-nic Patterns) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Fresh Linen, Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - Cream) Recollections
Ink: (Jenni Bowlin No. 11 - Brown Sugar, No.1 - Chewing Gum; Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Sugar Spun) Ranger;
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Point 88) Stabilo

If anyone would like to see a step-by-step tutorial I can recommend this little writeup that Claire made. Here is a picture of all the tools required to making this cute little brown/pink plaid. (Feeling Burberry, anyone?)



Here is a picture of the finished plaid pattern paper. Making plaid is great, because I end up with some excess which I can use later on another project...



After this I decided to sponge the vintage cream card stock with Sugar Spun. It needed a little bit of pink; it still look a little bright, so I waited for it to dry and then sponged on a Antique Linen. A third layer of Vintage Photo for the edges. I think next time I won't sponge up so much Vintage Photo and keep it only on the tiniest of edges.

I also took a few liberties to spruce up this little owl. I know I wanted more textures on the digi, so I added some feathers onto his wings and hearts onto the heart paper.



So that's all I have for you today; go check out the amazing creations by the talented DT. And I look forward to seeing your creations!

Our sponsors this week:

Winner's Choice of 3 Digital Images

Winner's Choice of 4 Digital Images

A "Toodle Club Membership" and a Toodle Birthday Calendar

Happy Easter

Hello everyone! Here is a quick post for a challenge that I have missed so much. I'm glad the Embellish Gang is back and have put down a color trend challenge. Here is the beautiful challenge poster:

When I saw this poster I immediately thought of the Nantucket collection paper color scheme. I guess it's pretty much a done deal when I have something in my head...I decided to ink up a few of my new Waltzingmouse Stamps for this fun challenge.


Stamps: (Roses in Bloom, Compact Sentiments, Chicken Wire) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink; (Nantucket) Pink Paislee
Ink: (Jenni Bowlin No. 11 - Brown Sugar, No. 14 Speckled Egg, Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Vintage Photo) Ranger; (Ingvild Bolme Chalk Fluid Edger - Rose) Prima
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Mister Huey - Cameo) Studio Calico; (Point 88) Stabilo

I decided to give the stamped rose a little more dimension by coloring in some pink and distressing the edge. It also helps dampen the bright yellow that it is. The speckled sentiment draws inspiration from speckled eggs and the name of the Jenni Bowlin ink ("Speckled Egg"). Kinda a fun twist...



I suppose the chicken wire comes from the inspiration of eggs and chicken... and I secretly just really wanted to ink up that new set :)

Hope this tickles... the DT from Embellish has some amazing inspirations for this challenge. And I am so happy that the team is back!

[Mami Doodles] Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Hello there - I just wanted to drop in here really quickly and announce the winner on the Mami Doodles Farewell Bloghop from my blog. Random.org picked

minerva said...

millie is just so cute. Love paper piecing and her dress is really funky.

Congrats, Minerva! Go ahead and email mamidoodles@gmail.com and claim your prize! 

If you didn't win over here, check over at the Mami Doodles blog - you never know, you might be a lucky winner!