Bear Hugs

Good Morning Friends!  I hope you're having a fantastic day so far.

It's Tuesday and that means the start of a new challenge over at Twist Of Faith Cards.  Our theme this week is GREEN and our sponsor is Bugaboo Stamps who is generously giving our randomly drawn prize winner their choice of seven Bugaboo images.  Wow!  So without further ado, here is what I have created for your inspiration:

The image I have selected is called Deacon Swing.  Isn't it adorable?  I've gone ahead and paper pieced it here and there and popped those pieces up for a bit of dimension.

My coloring was done with Copic Markers, Distress Inks and Chalks.  The sky isn't showing up so well in the photos but it's there, really.  I've kept the layout simple since boys don't seem to care for fancy and frilly cards.  I am entering into a bunch of challenges so wish me luck.  The supplies I've used are listed at the bottom.

 

Thank You So Very Much for stopping by today.  Thank you too for your wonderful comments as they keep me inspired to do even better next time.  Have a wonderful day and even better tomorrows!

♥ Laura C.

Challenges:

Charisma Cardz Hearts & Flowers
Crafting For All Seasons Buttons & Bows
Crafty Catz Weekly Cute As A Button
Simon Says Stamp Paper Piecing
Sketch And Stash Sketch (plus Die Cuts)
Stamp And Create Love
Sweet Stampin Ribbon
That Craft Place New Year, New Goodies - Bugaboo Stamp & Paper Pups Cricut Cartridge
Totally Gorjuss Flowers

Supplies:

Image: Bugaboo Stamps (Deacon Swing) Sentiment was made on my computer
Inks: Copic Markers (Skin: E00, E11 - Hair: Y21, Y26 - Shirt: G21, G24, G28 - Pants: B99 - Shoes: C3 - Bear: E33, E37, E29 - Swing Rope: E13, E15 - Swing Seat: E74, E79 - Hearts: R29) Distress Inks (Vintage Photo, Peeled Paint)
Patterned Paper: Nitwit (Greendots from the Waddles & Whimsies Collection)
Cardstock: Recollections
Dies: Cricut (Picket Fence from Paper Dolls Dress Up, Clouds from Paper Pups)
Punches: Carl (Small Daisy) EK Success (Tuft of Grass)
Misc: Chalks (sky), Brown Gingham Ribbon, Buttons and Crochet Thread

Love You Still, Always Will

Good Morning Fellow Crafters!  I do hope your weekend is off to a good start.  It's raining here in the desert southwest and seeing as how we rarely get to our 7-inch per year mark, this is a real treat indeed!  It's somewhat of a good and bad thing though.  If we get good rains in the early part of the year, springtime can be quite beautiful.  However, when all of that growth dries out in our scorching summer heat, it becomes a fire hazard.  A real buzz kill, I know.

I do have a bit of news that I'm really excited about.  My mom, who has always been too generous, gave me an early birthday present of the Copic certification classes.  I will be taking them this coming Friday and Saturday.  I have been chomping at the bit, waiting for them to come to my area and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to attend.

I have for you today, a card that has been in my thoughts ever since I laid eyes on these gorgeous Tilda and Edwin stamps.  They instantly brought back the memory of a ski outing my husband Craig and I had when we lived in northern Wisconsin, which was 20 years ago.  We were casually going down a run, criss-crossing paths and talking when all of a sudden he was gone.  I stopped, looked around and called his name but he had just vanished.  Then suddenly, his head popped up from behind a fluffy snowbank.  His glasses were packed with snow and his hat was askew.  The sight was so funny that I laughed for at least two minutes before I could catch my breath and ask him if he was alright and needed help.  I felt a little bad about that...

Sorry about the bad lighting but I had to use a lower light to catch the sparkle of the glitter and the reflection on the clear snowflakes.  Brighter light bleached everything out.  It's been a while since I've colored with Distress Inks and I felt all thumbs but I do not have the purples I was looking for in my Copics.  I had forgotten how fun it is to use the watercolor techniques. 

I made the mountain scene as a side step design, using a tutorial for a basic side step card, posted by Norma Lee.  The mountain itself, I drew out freehand and cut the snow caps on my Cricut.  All of the supplies used can be found at the bottom of the post.

Here are closer Photos of Tilda and Edwin that might make it easier to see some of the detail in the snowflakes and such.
 
Thank You so much for stopping by today.  I hope you will leave a comment and take a look around.  Become a follower and sign up for email updates as you don't want to miss out on my birthday/blogaversary candy that will be coming up in March.  I've been gathering up some wonderful goodies...  Have a great day, and better tomorrows!

♥ Laura C.

Challenges:

7 Kids College Fund New & Old  (New: Tilda & Edwin - Old: Distress Inks, Clear Snowflakes)
Milk Coffee Snow & Sparkle
Penny Black All Sorts Love Is In The Air
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Embossing
The Sketchy Challenges #39 Karen's Sketch
Stamp and Create Love
Winter Wonderland It Takes Two
Deep Ocean Anything But A Square
The Dutch Magnolia Chickies Winter
Lovely Haenglar & Sweet Magnolia Ribbon or Lace
Magnolia-licious CB Photo Inspiration
Magnolia-licious Highlites Anything Goes

Magnolia-licious Highlites Mid-Month: All You Need Is Love

Marvelous Magnolia Tilda & Edwin
Stamp and Create with Magnolia Winter Blues

Supplies:

Stamps: Magnolia of Sweden (Tilda In The Mountains, Ski Edwin with Snowflakes)
Inks: Ranger Distress Inks (Seedless Preserves, Tea Dye, Tattered Rose, Black Soot, Frayed Burlap, Vintage Photo, Broken China, Walnut Stain, Faded Jeans, Wild Honey, Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint, Fired Brick)
Cardstock: Bazzill, Recollections
Patterned Paper: Karen Foster (Snowflakes)
Dies: Marianne Design (Tree LR0136), QuicKutz (Wood Fence), Cricut (Paper Doll Dress Up)
Punches: Martha Stewart (Snowflake PATP, Arctic Snowflake) McGill (Mini Heart)
Misc: Heidi Swapp (Clear Snowflakes), Ranger (Embossing Powder - Holographic), May Arts (Blue and Snowball Ribbon), Cuttlebug (Embossing Folders - Swirl, Swiss Dot), Stitching

Friendship is Loving, Caring & Sharing

Good Morning Everyone!  It's Tuesday and that means it's a new challenge at Twist Of Faith Cards and this weeks theme is FRIENDSHIP.  Our sponsor is Milk Coffee and the prize is your choice of 5 of their oh-so-cute images.

For my card, I have used Two Little Girls by Milk Coffee.  Such a fun one to color!  This reminded me of braiding my daughters' hair when they were younger.  I miss that so much.  Now I must wait and hope for some granddaughters...

 

I invite you to visit the Twist Of Faith blog to see the gorgeous creations that my teammates have created.  Perhaps you'll be inspired to join the fun.

My sister is in town from Indiana and so I must cut this short so I can spend some time before she leaves tomorrow.  Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it.  I would love for you to leave a comment cuz it just makes my day so much happier.  I do wish you a day of Loving, Caring & Sharing my friends.  Have a good day, and better tomorrows!

♥ Laura c.

Challenges:

Anything Goes Buttons & Bows
Charisma Cardz Punch It! (2 Punches)
Craft Your Passion Totally Teal
Creative Inspirations One For The Girls
Everybody Art Challenge 3 Paper, 3 Punches, 3 Flowers
Sentimental Sundays Negative Space
The Sketchy Challenges Karen's Sketch
Top Tip Tuesday Layers

Supplies:

Image: Milk Coffee (Two Little Girls), Sentiment (My Computer)
Inks: Copic Markers, Distress Ink (Frayed Burlap), ColorBox (Popcorn)
Patterned Paper: I have no idea, but isn't it cute?
Cardstock: Bazzill, Recollections
Die Cuts: Spellbinders (Labels Eight, Scalloped Circles), Creative Memories (Circle), Cricut (Fence)
Punches: McGill (Leaves, Mini Heart), EKSuccess (Paper Shaper Leaves)
Misc: Prima (Got Flowers), Michael's (Hemp), Stitching

Super Sparkly Snowman

Good Morning to You Crafty Friends!

I have finally taken the time to make a card for the thrill of the challenge and I intend to enter it into more than a few.  This also gets me started on next Christmas and helps me keep to one of my New Year's resolutions of being better prepared for the holidays.

This little guy is Edwin's Snowman.  I purchased him from auction a couple of months ago and have been chomping at the bit to play with him.  Isn't he just adorable? 

I heaped on the glitter and added pearls and rhinestones so it's very blingy.  I added lace and ribbons for a bit of that vintagy/shabby chic feel without having to ink the edges, though I did use embossing powder on them.

If you look closely, you can see that I stamped and embossed snowflakes at the edge of the oval.  This Jingle Jangle Snowflake stamp is from the 2012 Christmas Story Collection. 

 

Sketch Challenge

Color Inspiration

Here is a side view to get an idea of the layers.

 

Thank You so very much for visiting me today.  The supplies I've used are listed at the bottom of this post.  Your comments are always very much appreciated and I would love to get your feedback.  If you would like email updates of my posts, you can sign up on my sidebar.  Have a great day, and better tomorrows.

 

 ♥ Laura C.

 

Challenges:

 

The Dutch Magnolia Chickies  Anything Goes

It's A Magnolia Challenge  White Only

Lovely Haenglar & Sweet Magnolia  Something New 

Magnolia Down Under  Anything Goes

Magnolia-Licious  Color Challenge

Magnolia-Licious Highlites  Anything Goes

Tilda's Town  Let It Snow...

Totally Tilda  Calendar

 7 Kids College Fund  White On White

Addicted To Stamps  Sketch

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas  Santa Has Gone Into Hiding

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra  Anything Goes Christmas

Craft Your Passion  Vintage/Shabby Chic

Loves Rubber Stamps  Use Dies or Punches

Simon Says Stamp  Black, White and Splash of Color

That Craft Place  Snowy Christmas

 

Supplies:

 

Stamps/Images: Magnolia of Sweden (Edwin's Snowman, Jingle Jangle Snowflake) Studio G (December) Stampfairy (Jake Wintertime 2)

Inks: Copic Markers (N0, N2, N4, E70, E74, E79, Y21) Distress Ink (Scattered Straw) Memento (Tuxedo Black, London Fog)

Cardstock: Georgia Pacific, Recollections (Glitter Corrugated)

Dies/Punches: Spellbinders (Floral Ovals, Layered Poinsettia) Sizzix (Super Tag) Memory Box (Frosty Border) Martha Stewart (Alpine Snowflake) McGill (Mini Heart)

Misc: Ranger (Perfect Medium Pen, Holographic Embossing Powder) Versa Mark, Recollections (Snow Embossing Powder, Pearl Stickers, Gem Stickers) Laces & Ribbons

Strawberries In Bloom

Hello Crafty Friends!

I have a quick post for you tonight showing my DT card for Twist Of Faith Cards.  This week we are using a SKETCH (see below) and I have used a beautiful image from our sponsor, Beccy's Place.



Beccy's Place is offering our randomly drawn prize winner their choice of three images from the Beccy's Place collection!  So come on over to the TOFCC blog and check out the gorgeous designs my fellow teamies have created to inspire you and join in the fun.



Thank you all so much for stopping by.  The supplies I used are listed below.  Please feel free to look around.  I really appreciate your comments and questions.  Have a good night and better tomorrows!

♥ Laura C.

Supplies:

Image: Beccy's Place (Strawberry Circle)
Inks: Copic Markers (G20, YG61, YG63,YG67, Y15, R81, R83, R85, R89, RV00), Distress Inks (Vintage Photo
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Recollections
Patterned Paper: unknown
Punches: Fiskars (Give It A Swirl border), EK Success (Butterfly border), Family Treasures (Med. Leaf), McGill (Small Daisy), Martha Steward (Pine Branch)
Misc: Recollections (Half Pearls and Brads), Cheese Cloth, Twine

WELCOME!

Happy, Happy New Year!  I hope that this is the best year ever for all of you my friends!  Have you made any New Year Resolutions?  I don't usually make any, but there is so much that I would like to do and accomplish this year, that I thought making some resolutions and writing them down might help me accomplish them. 

1) First and foremost on my 2013 agenda is to get organized.  I recently read an article in Mother Earth Living about Maximizing Minimalism and it said that in a recent UCLA study, you could tell a lot about a person's home by looking at the front of their fridge.  That if the front of your fridge is cluttered, so is the rest of your home and the amount of clutter coincided.  I looked at my fridge and said, "wow, they are so right".  Thankfully, it isn't extreme but I do want to work on it.

2) Grow my own food.  Living in the SW Desert gives gardening a whole new meaning since I grew up in the Midwest.  You could pretty much drop a seed in the dirt and soon have something to eat.  I have lived here in AZ for 16 years now and think it's about time I realize that I'm not leaving so I might as well give it a go.  Just today, I put up a compost area using some wood pallets and 2 x 4s and I started the compost out with grass and the rinds of the fifty or so oranges that I juiced this morning.

3) Exercise.  I have not done so in a long time and have put on way too much weight in the last two years.  I want to find activities that will keep me motivated and help me lose some of these inches.

4)  Be ahead of Christmas.  Every year I say I'm going to start a Christmas Club account, get an early start on my projects, put up the decorations early, wrap the gifts as soon as I have them, mail my cards right after Thanksgiving...  HA!!!  It was all a mad dash to the finish line and my cards went out on December 22nd.  To try and remedy that, I have put a small Christmas Tree and a musical Christmas clock in my office.  I'm hoping they will be a reminder that I need to work on Christmas all year through.

Wish me luck!

Okay, so now it's down to business.  I have for you today, my DT card for the Twist Of Faith Cards challenge.  This week's theme is Welcome.  You can welcome the New Year, a new neighbor, a new family member...  Whatever or whoever you would like to welcome into your life.  I have made my card to welcome a new baby boy. 

The image is by this week's sponsor, The Doodle Garden and Jennifer is offering up two of her gorgeous images to our lucky random winner.  If you check out my previous post, Winter Bird, you'll see another one of her designs.  I just love them.  The rest of the supplies I've used are listed below.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Feel free to take a look around.  Your comments always mean so much to me and I appreciate them.  Have a great day, and better tomorrows!

♥  Laura C.

Challenges:

Creative Inspirations Celebrations   Yay, I made Top 3!
Milk Coffee  New Beginnings
Simon Says Stamp  New Something
Totally Gorjuss - New
Tuesday Morning Sketches  #179
Winter Wonderland  New Beginnings

Supplies:

Image: The Doodle Garden (Balloon Bear)
Inks:  Copic Markers (Balloon: B00,BG72 - Scarf: BG70, BG72 - Bear: E31, E70, E74, E79, Colorless Blender), Distress Inks (Vintage Photo)
Printed Paper: Deja Views
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Recollections
Misc: Versa Mark, Snow Embossing Powder, Ribbon, Cloud Punch by EKSuccess