Super Saturday Challenge!

Good Morning Challenge Fans!

After the great fun we had with Joni's challenge, it's my turn!! This weeks challenge is a Cuttlebug challenge. I love love love my Cuttlebug. No one, especially the hubby, can say I don't get my money's worth out of my investment. I reach for it EVERY time I make a card. So my challenge to you is - make a card using a minimum of 3 Cuttlebug embossing folders without making it look over-embossed.

This is Alice Anya from The Greeting Farm, Gabby sent me some images and I think she is simply adorable!! She is so sweet and was great fun to color! I used Copics for her hair color (Raw Silk and Burnt Umber), Bashful Blue SU! marker for her dress, Copic for her skin color (Skin White) and then used Kohi-noor pencils for shading.

Cuttlebug folders used: Paisley for the background, Swiss Dots for the mat and Textile for the sentiment. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink, Mini-Messages.

Please post your challenge entry to your SCS gallery using the keywords (for search purposes) BLOGC2. I look forward to seeing you what you create. I have a great prize ready for the winner!!

Don't forget to check out Gabby's blog and Joni's blog for their wonderful cards, too!!

Happy Saturday and go Live Your Bliss!!

Who said I can't do Asian?

I said that!

Most of you know that I host a Monthly Card swap and each person hosts a different month providing images and dp to make your cards with. I cringed when I got this paper and image from Maria. "I CAN'T do Asiana!!" So the challenge was set into motion. This is what I came up and and I surprised myself!!! I think it came out great!

I don't know what the image is, it came from Maria, so it's possible it's TAC. I colored her Kimono with two colors. I first started with Prismacolor Pencils Vermillion. Then I went over it with Burnt Umber to give it a rust color. Her middle part (what is that called!?) is Goldenrod. I used Nestibilites Labels One. I chose Sahara Sand for the mat to bring out the subtle light coloring in the paper. Embellishing it with twill ribbon, black square brads. It needed something else, so I set out to find the beautiful Japanese coins. But if I bought an embellishment then that would be going back on my word to use what I have. So I made my own coin.

Here's a close-up of the coin. I laid in bed one night thinking how can I accomplish my own. I thought of embossing powder... but that wouldn't give me the texture I wanted. So then I got up and went digging through boxes and drawers. What surfaced was a package of envelopes that are gold with purple swirly stuff on them. Not very attractive in my opinion, but it had texture. So I pulled out my punches and started with the 1/4" square. Then created the coin with the 7/8" circle. I pulled out my tiniest stamps, PTI's Borders & Corners Ovals gave me a little design. The paper alone didn't give the coin enough stability, so I used a cardboard piece which is actually the packaging from the Stampin' Dimensionals I had just used up. Trash to Treasure! Or in the famous words of my good friend Joni - "Get-oh Fabulous!" Then I punched 1/16" hole and tied it to the ribbon with linen thread.

So now I am over my hump on Asian design... next I'm going to play with my new Geisha Anya digi-image that I bought last week.

I hope you likey!!

Super Challenge Saturday is here!!

Good Morning! It's a chilly, but sunshiny Saturday and it's challenge day!

Hop on over to Joni's blog A Sticky Situation for all the details. It's going to be tons of fun and there is a prize!!


The challenge is cartoon character color inspired cards. I chose Cinderella: blue, pink, a touch of black and the glitz. I think this card came out great! It's also my first Anya card. I hope you likey...

I used Whisper White for the base, bashful blue, pink pirouette and glitter cardstock. The Greeting Farm's Dress Me set Anya. Then with some pink polka dot ribbon to the side and I discovered I really love stamping sentiments directly on ribbon. This technique works better on non-textured ribbons, but I love it anyway. And of course, no Melissa card is complete unless it has ribbon AND something Cuttlebugged on it. I used a combination of Copics and Kohi-noor pencils to color her.

This is a close-up (I love my hubby's camera) of the sentiment. It's a TAC stamp that I received as a gift. It has 3 stamps - "Dream" "Wish" and "Inspire" -- but no name of the set. It's perfect though. Then I topped it with primas and bling. Not bad for first thing this morning with no coffee.


I hope you enjoy my card and that you participate in the challenge. I look forward to seeing your art.

Super Challenge Saturday

Hmmm... what could that be all about???

Stay tuned. Details coming.

In the meantime... I hope you enjoy another project that I have to share.

I made this card for another Monthly Card group, the image and paper provided by MaryAnn. The image was quite a challenge for me, but I decided no color did her more justice with my layout.

I used Very Vanilla cardstock as my base. Then I put Basic Black cardstock through the Cuttlebug with the Script embossing folder. Then I matted the image on the dp MaryAnn sent that was double sided.

Then, staying true to my word, I didn't purchase anything to finish this card. I used what I had on hand, dusted off a QuicKutz die to cut out the buckle out of card stock and cardboard. Added bling and ribbon. Very black-tie, don't you think?

An Everlasting Love

So, I posted this card into my Splitcoast Gallery, not only because I hardly ever post there, but also because I participated in a challenge and got my monthly card (group 4) done. Susan sent this image and paper for the January group. I just love Riley Moose (Hanna Stamps). Now after I posted in the gallery, I was asked... so is the sentiment "An Everlasting Love" for the receipient of the card or the chocolate. My answer is.....


....the CHOCOLATE of course!! LOL

What did I use: Whisper White is my base, then this really fun decorative paper. I'm not sure who makes it, all I remember is wedding page layout ideas on the back. Of course Couch Riley kicking back enjoying his chocolates, he was colored with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol. The sentiment came from that awesome TAC set I got as a gift and I used the tag punch from SU! - a heart eyelet that probably came in a swap. The ribbon is from Offray (one my trips to the outlet store) and a pop-can tab to make a buckle. I also did faux stitching with my template from the SU! tool kit and a fine line Sharpie. Oh, Chocolate Chip cardstock and dimensionals. I also inked the edges of the sentiment tag so it stood out just a bit more.

I hope you likey - let me know!

Stay tuned... I received my The Greeting Farm stamps. I'm going to have Mermaid Anya become a fishy cupid...

I have to say this - I get so into making Valentine cards and yet hubby and I boycott the holiday. LOL

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and moving to Valentine's Day!

Hi Everyone,

I am so sorry that I've been gone for so long. It's been crazy to say the least and I don't have my laptop... AGAIN!! Urgh!

The holidays were nice here, pretty low key and very enjoyable. I hope your holidays were what you wanted them to be. I also wish for you a New Year that is full of health, laughter and blessings.

Now for a card...

I made this Valentine's card for a swap that Marji is hosting. I just love how it turned out. I hope you do, too!

The stamps are Autumn Leaves that I picked up for my daughter to play with. I'm not crazy about the quality, or lack there of, but with some patience and a lot of do overs, I finally got enough well stamped images to make my cards. I used my Nestabilities scallop circle die to cut out circles that I then ran through the Cuttlebug with the Textile folder. I used the swiss dots Blush ribbon from PTI, a prima with some bling and then for the sentiment I received this awesome TAC set that has a lot of words, so I put together "Happily Ever After." It's a very easy card. Oh! I also applied just a bit of Pale Plum ink over the texture of the embossed circle to highlight that a bit.

I'd like to hear what you have to say about it....

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I have many other projects to post - so check back often.