Gobble Gobble with TCC

Today is Friday and that means there's a new challenge over at The Character Cafe blog. This week, I'm not part of the challenge DT, but I am using a super cute digi you can find at The Character Cafe store. I hope you will check out the DT's work...their links are to your right --------> They are a very talented group, so please give their blogs some love.

Isn't she a cutie? I personally wouldn't get that close to a real turkey, but I do enjoy a good butterball. For my card, I used FTL12 (Fall-to-layout 12) from Clean and Simple Stamping. You really can't go wrong with a CAS card...well, that's not completely true;)

This card also fits CAS38 challenge over at Splitcoaststampers. The challenge is to use brads and/or eyelets in your CAS card. Can you see mine? I'll give you a hint: one is on the hat, and the other is on the bow.

For your chance to win a free digi from The Character Cafe, simply head on over and enter this weeks challenge. You have until next Thursday to enter your creation - super simple! Also, check out Thursday's TCC post which reads that you will get a free digi simply for incorporating Tek Tuesday into your creation.

Got Cookies?

Challenge #4 over at Softpencil is to create a one layer card. Using one of her digi's made this easier than I thought. I made this adorable baker slightly larger than I usually would in Word and added the sentiment in another text box. Printed on my ink jet and colored with Bics.

OK, technically there are TWO layers, but I had to hide the coloring on the backside somehow. Other than a cardbase, there are NO other layers. There is always a great giveaway if you win one of her challenges, so I encourage everyone to play along!

Just Bee-Cause with AiFactory

The challenge over at AiFactoryChallenge & Freebies blog this week is a sketch from Card Positioning Systems. I hope you get to play along for a chance to win a digistamp. Remember, you do NOT need to use an AiF image, you can use any image to play along, or you can pick up a freebie.

So this card, based on sketch CPS138, uses a super cute image from Softpencil (that you can find at the AiF store) for challenge AIF009 (remember to use these keywords when uploading to other online galleries). The original digi is the flower and bee, and I added the sentiment in Word. It's super easy to customize digis in Word.

Image is colored with Bics and Copics, on kraft base, added a little crazy sewing, glaze on the flower and bee wings, and the main image is on pop dots.

So head on over to AiFactory to enter this weeks challenge. You have until next Monday to upload your creation.

Color Challenge at Character Cafe

There is a color challenge over at Character Cafe for Feature Friday Challenge #3. Here are the colors:

Using a digi from The Character Cafe I created this card:

I used cardsketch SC66 from Splitcoaststampers - very simple layout. Image is colored with Bics and Copics, and I used plenty of glitter glue...but that's not showing up well.

So to enter, head on over to the Character Cafe Blog and upload your creation by Thursday evening. The winner will get a free digistamp!

Jump Rope Anyone?

OK, so I saw this and immediately thought of Bean. When I showed the finished card to my DH, he said "that reminds me of Bean." Of course she's not near coordinated enough to jump rope just yet...but soon.

This very cute image is from TCC (The Character Cafe) colored with my Bics. She was cut out with round nesties and framed with another circle - on pop dots as usual.

This layout is based on sketch SC190 over at Splitcoaststampers. And in case you're wondering "where's the sentiment?" it doesn't have one. I felt it deserved a cool quote on the inside...maybe about age being a number and not a state of mind. Something along those lines anyway. Other details: PTI cardbase, other CS, DCWV Spring Matstack, TCC digi, Bics, pop dots.

Happy Thanksgiving with Character Cafe

It's Friday (well, it will be in 2 hours (I'm on Mountain Time))! That means it's time to head on over to The Character Cafe to check out their latest challenge.

This adorable digi stamp is from TCC. This isn't usually my style of stamp, but when I saw it, I couldn't wait to use it. First, it's just so lovely, and second, I thought it would be a challenge to myself, and last, it works perfectly for the latest Mojo Monday challenge.

Here's what's in it:

Paper: DCWV Summer Matstack, PTI white, various cardstocks

Stamps: TCC digistamp, $1 Michaels acrylic set sentiment

Other: Bics, Cricut Doodlecharms (leaf cut at 1 1/2"), Ranger peeled paint

So stop by The Character Cafe to enter the latest challenge, and you still have time to enter the Mojo Monday challenge.

AiFactory Challenge #7

The challenge this week over at AiFactory Challenges & Freebies is a sketch from one of my favorite blogs: Clean and Simple Stamping. De chose FTL #43.

I used a super cool digi stamp from AiFactory for the wings, colored with copics and shaded with chalk inks, and the heart is from the George cart, inked with Ranger faded jeans. I used ribbon and stamped the sentiment using Stazon...and of course, pop dots.

So head on over to AiFactory Challenges to enter your card based on the sketch for a chance to win a free digi stamp set. You have until next Monday (Oct. 19) to play along! Super easy! Hope you will join us.

Character Cafe Blog Hop Winner

So the winner of The Character Cafe Blog Hop (according to Random.org) is:

#3

TesaB who wrote:

"Gorgeous card! LOVE the clean and simple design, totally elegant and stylish!"

TesaB, you have won the Christmas Scamp digital image used in my creation! Thank you everyone who played along and please visit The Character Cafe Blog and The Character Cafe Store for more challenges and to purchase your own digis.

Stitching on a Card

So over at The Character Cafe Blog, they are having a challenge: stitching/sewing. And I LOVE thread on cards so here it is:

Don't you just love this hippie chick? I colored her with my Bics, did a little zig-zag and straight stitching, added a couple of flowers with brads, and thought the "groovy" sentiment was perfect.

DP is from my favorite M (Just Chillin) pack. The CS is Stampin Up - I actually won a couple sheets of each of the "in colors" at the last class I went to! And the adorable digi-stamp is from The Character Cafe. Head on over The Character Cafe blog to enter to win! And please check out the other DT creations - you can find links to their blogs on the right panel -------------------->

Thanks a Bunch

OK, so I just discovered Pile it On. They have a weekly challenge that challenges you to create something using more than one challenge. If you don't know what I'm talking about, head on over to their site and take a look for yourself - it sounds like too much fun! Here is my entry for this weeks challenge 18:


These are the challenges I have included in this card:

• Pile it On: 3 dimensional
• 365 Cards: weaving
• Cupcake Craft Challenges: Thanks a Bunch
• Mojo Monday: card sketch
• My Grafico: use pink

Pfew! Now, this card didn't turn out exactly as I had initially planned, but I tried. The DP is M (Just Chillin), stamps from Stampin' Ups Upsy Daisy and sentiment stamp is from a $1 acrylic set from Michaels, inks from Ranger, and rhinestones.

Friends with Softpencil

OMG how cute is this little girl? I recently got my hands on several of Softpencil's creations and just couldn't wait to use them. This is just a quick card, but I hope to show you more very soon!

So I consider this a CAS card since the only embellishment is the girl. The DP is from M (Just Chillin) so all the cool yellow decoration and words are on the cardstock. The base is PTI.

I printed her on my ink jet, colored her with my bics (all colors used are shown in the above pic except for yellow...that one keeps walking off!), cut her out and popped her up with 3D dots. If you're interested in her digis, you can find them at her Etsy shop or AiFactory.

Masculine Card

OK, so guy cards are not my specialty, but over at AiFactory Challenges & Freebies, the current challenge is to create a masculine card. I have chosen to use Ivan again from this post with a few changes.

First, I turned him around and made the background white (using the Paint program). Then I enlarged him in Word so I would just have a "body shot" on the card. I used the George cart for the word balloon on "flip" (I think this is only on the Expressions and not the baby bug) at 2 1/4" (both regular and shadow cut). Still using George, I cut out DUDE (at 3/4" for the first "D" and 1/2" for the other letters). Added some brads and popped up the word balloon.

So head on over to the AiFactory for the challenge or to the AiFactory Store to pick up Ivan - who is now available as a Pirate!

Thank You Card

Quick post. This card is for card sketch SC248 over at Splitcoaststampers. I finally opened my Pocket Silhouettes stamps from Stampin' Up...I've had them for months now and never touched them.

I figured while I had my Wild Asparagus pack out from yesterdays post, I'd use it once more. I really like the papers but don't use them often.

I used Ranger inks (which works really well with rubber stamps) and added pop-dots (of course). The card base is PTI kraft. I love this sketch.

1 Card 3 Challenges

This card is for MyGrafico challenge #18 who is joining Tuesday Morning Sketches #13, and also for Softpencil over at PCP whose challenge is to simply make a card for someone special.

So here is my card, based on the sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches and MyGrafico for someone special:

First, this card is for my DH's birthday this month. Since I was "bad" for our anniversary, I thought I'd be better prepared for his birthday - so that's my someone special.

I really liked the sketch and will probably include it in my book of sketches that I turn to when I need inspiration. The paper is from the Wild Asparagus pack that I got a year or two ago, distressed and inked with Ranger Tea distress ink. The sentiment stamp is from a Hero Arts acrylic set I recently got at Michaels.

Now, I don't know if you can tell, but I made a hole all the way through the card, trimmed it with a scallop, and placed the owl on the rim. So if you look closely, you can see through the card. I really like the way it looks IRL. BTW, the owl is a freebie from Dustin Pike colored with my Bic Marks it markers. The eyes and feet also include glaze...not a single pop-dot on this one!

Character Cafe Blog Hop!

Woo-hoo! It's a blog hop! So if you didn't come here from Sarabeth's blog, go to the Character Cafe (the START of the blog hop) to make sure you pick up all the goodies along the way.

Let me share with you an adorable digi-stamp from Character Cafe:

This little guy is Christmas Scamp. I decided to go with a CAS layout to better show off the image. I colored him in with my Bic Marks It markers, and used a puff pen on the white areas. Here's a close up:

Would you like a chance to win this digi for FREE? Then leave me a comment and I will use Random.org to pick a winner on Friday, Oct 9, 2009. Digi's work just like stamps, but you print them out on your printer in any size you want - plus there's no stamp storage necessary. Also, these can be colored with pencils and gamsol, Copics, and Bics with absolutely no bleeding.

Here's a little more info on the blog hop:

• 30% off at the Character Cafe from Oct. 2 - Oct 9, 2009
• A chance to win this digi on My blog by leaving me a comment
• A Freebie at the end of the hop
• A chance to win the Grand Prize at the Character Cafe by leaving a comment

Now, hop on over to Heather's blog for more inspiration!

Long Balloons

Over at Splitcoaststampers, the Clean and Simple challenge CAS34 is a color challenge - pink, green, blue, chocolate, and white.

So I used the George cart for the balloons cut at 1 1/2", shaded lightly and on pop-dots. Got three of the colors there! Then I used my sewing machine for the strings in white and stamped the sentiment in chocolate chalk ink. All 5 colors!

I'm really liking the look of the long cards. It uses more CS but they also fit in a long envelope so no special envelope making required...so it's a trade off. I must admit, this was my second attempt. My first try, I put the balloons on chocolate CS (4.25" by 5.5" regular size card) and it was just a mess. I left it for the night and gave it some thought. The next morning, I woke up with this idea...yes, I often dream of paper (no lie). Either way, this layout is MUCH nicer.