Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

...many days from now thankfully!  LOL

I'm so excited today as this is my 100th blog post!  I started blogging last year in April and really never thought I'd go anywhere with it!  It seemed so daunting and un nerving at the time...but look at this...I've written 100 posts and there are even a few of you who check in ever so faithfully!  Thank you!  You've been some of the most awesome encouragers along the way!

Enough rambling...and let's get down to business!

Over at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long this week we are excited to be starting a new challenge.  This go round our theme is as always "Anything Goes" with the extra twist of adding some "sparkle and shine".  So, break out the glitter, Stickles, gems, rhinestones, etc. and lets see how you "sparkle and shine".

Our wonderful sponsor for this week's challenge is Bugaboo!

 

They are offering one lucky winner 7 digis of their choice!

I had so much fun playing with the digi entitled "Chubby Santa - Candy Cane which you can find here.  

 

I colored him up using my Spectrum Noir markers and then set about to adding some sparkle.  I used red and white stickles on the candy cane, and some gold stickles on Santa's belt buckle.  The peppermint candy embelly is from the Martha Stewart line and came all glittered up.  I added some Glitter Ritz to Santa's hat, and lastly added some gem stones to various points on the card.  I wish you could see this card in person...it really does sparkle and shine with all those elements catching the light.  The sentiment is from TLC Creations, and the card base is once again a pre made base that I purchased at Michaels after the holiday season for a deep discount!

I encourage you to jump on the band wagon and get creating those Christmas cards along with us so you will have less stress during your holiday season.  Link them up at CSAYL and maybe you'll be our next lucky winner!

Until next time...

This card has been shared in the following challenges...
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenges..."Sweet Treats"
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge..."Christmas"
Christmas Card Challenges..."CAS"
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog..."Anything Goes...with Sentiment" 
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra..."Anything Goes March Challenge"
Sparkles Christmas Challenge..."More than 3 Embellishments"
My Perfect Life..."Festive Challenge"
Completely Christmas..."Anything Goes"
Crimbo Crackers..."Cute Christmas"

I'm a Country Girl...

Greetings to you today from rural Manitoba, Canada!
As I work ahead and schedule this blog post, I find myself looking at a country yard filled with massive snowbanks and listening to a howling wind which will chill you down to the bone.  I'm ready for spring...to watch our little acreage come alive with flowers, grass, leaves on the trees and all the wild flowers in the pasture.  I'm longing for a visit from my hummingbirds and goldfinches!  But, I suppose I have to wait a little longer!  I love living in the country...the smells (ok not the smells of the manure being spread!  LOL), the lack of neighbours, the big yard for the kids to play on...so when I had the opportunity to select a country girl digi I was excited!

I'm back today with a new challenge over at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog!  It's a really neat one this time...we are challenging you to use lace, fibers and have an optional twist of doing the faux suede technique!  I had never heard of this technique before, so I got busy on YouTube...not much you can't find there...LOL.

I applied this technique to my background...which was a denim piece of designer paper.  I was hoping the blue denim would shine through a little more than it does, but I definitely like the effect of the wrinkles on it anyway.  It's so subtle in the picture, but on the card itself it looks very cool!

Take a look at the creation so this will all make sense...

I colored up this cute Kenny K digi with my Spectrum Noir markers.  I remembered that I had some country themed collage sheets by Heartwarming Vintage in my stash...and got down to fussy cutting some images and a few sentiments.  I just loved all the cute sentiments.

While at my favorite little scrap shop last week, I came across this awesome burlap ribbon and just knew I had to use it on this card.  I've applied that all along the bottom and then added some flowers to accent the corner.  You gotta have flowers if you're making a country themed card, don't ya?
The finishing touch was to add a few more cute sentiments near the flower bunch held in place by a clothes pin!

 Here's a closer look at some of the elements...

And, of course I need to give you all the details about our sponsors for the challenge this week!

They are none other than...

 

 and

 

Check out The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog to see what you have a chance at winning!
And while you're there, take a look around at all of the other DT creations...they are sure to give you a burst of inspiration and creativity.

Until next time...

This card has been shared in the following challenges...
Digi Makeover Challenges..."Anything Goes"
Eureka Stamps..."Anything Goes"
Robyn's Fetish Challenge Blog..."Anything Goes"
Paper Creator's Crafts..."Circle, Square and Rectangle"...square card base, rectangle sentiments and circle vintage embellishments at centre of card
ABC Challenges..."G is for Girl"
Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog..."Use a Stamp or Digi"
Fan-Tastic Tuesday..."Anything Goes" 
Crafting by Designs..."Anything Goes"
Hobbybook Designer Challenges..."Make it Girly"
Bearly Mine Challenges..."One for the Girls"

Need an Umbrella?

One does have to wonder how a person can have all of their design team projects due all in the same week! The blog stays quiet for a week...and then boom...all of a sudden there's been some more creating going on! LOL

I'm glad you're back with me today!

I want to share with you the new challenge over at {Pin}spirational Challenges this week...I know it's one of your favorites...ready?

Yup...it's a free for all this week with "Anything Goes"

Our fantastic sponsors this week are...

Crafty Sentiments

offering one lucky winner 3 digis of their choice!

...and

Di's Digi Downloads

offering one lucky winner a $12 gift voucher

....and last but not least

 A & T Digital Designs
 
offering one lucky winner 2 digis of their choice!

I had the priviledge of choosing a digi from A&T Digital Designs and fell in love with the fairy image called "Pip".  I decided to use the image of the "Anything Goes" photo and the water droplets in this image were perfect!

Here's a peek...

...and here's a closer look at the sweet little fairy...

I water colored her with my Tim Holtz Distress Markers.  I was looking through a Recollections vintage stack and found this paper that totally matched the colors I had used and also reminded me of water droplets!  Then as luck would have it, TLC Creations posted this free sentiment for "Umbrella Day"...did you know it gave such a day...I did not!  LOL
I loved the sentiment though and thought it would be perfect to send to a close friend...it just suited the digi perfectly!

I finished the card off by inking the edge with a green color, put some Glitter Ritz on the fairy's wings and then I added some Glossy Accents to the rain drops.  The finishing touch was to add the 3 rhinestones under the sentiment. 
Not a complicated card, but rather simplistic and straight forward!

Now it's your turn!
Please join us at {Pin}spirational Challenges this week where "Anything Goes".
Looking forward to see what you create!

Until next time...

This card has been shared in the following challenges...
Created with Love Challenges..."Friends"
Stamping Sensations..."Wings"
Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog..."Bling"
Digi Galore..."Wings"
Winter Wonderland..."Fairies"
Creative Card Crew..."Keep it Simple and Sweet"
Tuesday Throwdown..."Wings"

Let's Make a Mess!

It's been a little quiet around here lately!  I've been busy in the craft room, but have had little time to post lately!  Thanks for sticking by me and coming for a visit today!

Today marks the beginning of a new monthly challenge over at the Unstampabelles.  Our challenge is "Dare to Get Dirty"...and our twist was to document the mess along the way with pictures.

We have a wonderful sponsor for this challenge...

http://www.stickerstore.com.au/

Be sure to check out the Unstampabelles blog for the prize being awarded!

I will confess that I struggled with this one and wasn't sure which direction to go in.  It had been on my mind that my son needed Valentine's for his class party, and the store was not stocking anything that I felt was worthy of giving.  So, to get some inspiration I read over the "Ideas for Creations" which you can find on the tabs on the Unstampabelles challenge blog.  Well, the word "box" just jumped out at me.  I had a cutting file for my Silhouette from My Scrap Chick that I had been wanting to use which was a box treat card all in one! Now cutting with that machine can sure get messy with all the tiny pieces, and all the pieces need to be inked, glued, etc...but my version of "dirty" may be a little cleaner than others...I hope this works for you! 

Let me walk you through this "messy/dirty" process with a few pics...

As you can see, it all starts out in little pieces in a somewhat organized mess...

The next step is to ink each piece individually...my fingers never stay clean in this process...

...and neither does my Splat Mat...

...and the glue...what can I say about this glue other than I despise it!  This glue is so sticky, my fingers are a complete mess by the time I'm done.  As you can see the glue bottle itself is is a complete mess...just from me handling it with the crazy stuff on my fingers.  And, it's almost impossible to wash off your hands when you're done...it sorta rubs off a while later.  But, I bought it...so I must use it!  LOL

We're getting closer to the finished creation...the shape is taking place...





Just let me get my fingers unstuck...I'll add some features and the remaining parts to this little guy....and...

 ...here's the finished project!

I'm happy to report our son loved this and is excited to be handing these one of a kind Valentine cards out in school at his party!  I guess I better get working because I have 16 more to make!

So, dig out those inks, paints, whatever you think you can make a creative mess with and get creating.  Don't forget to link up with us at the Unstampabelles so we can see your mess.  Remember our only rules are that your project needs to be a paper craft and you are not allowed to use any stamps on your creation.  Don't worry, it's not as hard as it sounds!

Until next time...

This creation has been shared in the following challenges...
Ladybug Crafts..."Be Mine"
Seemacrafts..."Valentine/Love"
A Gem of A Challenge..."All You Need is Love"
My Sheri Crafts..."Valentine - Use a Heart"
Open Minded Crafting Fun Challenges..."Show Some Love"
Delightful Challenges..."Anything but a Card...Love Theme"
Decorate to Celebrate..."Valentine Treat Bag"
Little Red Wagon..."Child's Play"
Challenges 4 Everybody..."Anything Goes"
Robyn's Fetish Challenge Blog..."Valentine Cards"

"Workin' 9 to 5...."

...What a way to make a livin'"

Welcome!  

Remember that song?  If you do, I'm pretty sure you're singing it in your head now!  LOL
I'm so happy that I no longer work out of the house 9-5!  I have really been enjoying my time at home, and being at home has allowed me to visit and create with you!

I have one more exciting announcement that I want to share with you.  Today is my first DT post with The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog!  I am so excited to be joining up with this crafty team and adding them to my current DT positions!

Our challenge for this week is..."Ha, ha, ha...Very Funny".
 We wanna see your sense of humor shine this week!

And, we have some sponsors with a great sense of humor for this challenge...




as well as ...




I had so much fun working with the Bugaboo image "Escape Key".  

Here's the card I created...

I colored up the image with my Spectrum Noir markers and mounted it on a dark beige colored mat.  I was rummaging through my stash of papers and found some with numbers, addition and subtraction equations and thought this was perfect to represent an office worker.  I rummaged a little further in my stash and found some sticker fonts that I have owned for a really long time.  Now, sticker fonts are not usually something I use on my creations.  However, I had the 9-5 song running through my head as I was creating so I decided to do a little spoof of it on the card, as the lettering sorta looked like type setting/inputting style to me.  My kids think the joke on the digi is just too funny!

So, rummage through your stamps, and find a little "funny" you could share with us this week.  Remember...laughter is the best medicine.  To get you started, make sure you check out the other DT creations over at The Crafter's Cafe...they'll have you in stitches as well!

Until next time...

This card has been shared in the following challenges...
LEJ Designs..."Anything Goes"
Craft Your Passion..."Music Inspired Card"...(song Workin' Nine to Five)
Order of the Opus Gluei..."Need a Lift" (a dose of humor)
The Corrosive Challenge Blog..."All Work and No Play"
The Craft Place Challenge Blog..."Color Challenge"