Happy Little Stampers February CASE Challenge

Happy February friends! I'm here with a card I made for the Happy Little Stampers February CASE challenge.
This month we are case-ing the fabulous, Shona Chambers!
Here is her cute card:


From the moment I saw Shona's fun design, I immediately thought of creating a shaker card. The design really lends itself to that type of card.

I started by creating the word background on Kraft using HLS Bold Birthday Sentiments. There are so many fabulous sentiments, it's a perfect set for creating this type of background. I then die cut the circle from the center and added a piece of acetate for the window. Next I stamped the sweet little elephant and balloon from Birthday Friends and added lots of little stars from the Bold Birthday set. It's hard to see in the photo but I also added some clear Wink Of Stella to the balloon and to the large stars. Once my shaker card was assembled, I added a banner sentiment using the Happy Birthday stamp from Butterfly Birthday and the star from Bold Birthday Sentiments.

I'll be adding this card to the following challenge:
Cupcake Inspiration ~ Banners
Sunday Stamps

Be sure to stop by the Happy Little Stampers blog and check out all the cute cards for inspiration and then join in on the fun!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Vintage Blocks

For those who know me, you know I have a secret love affair with vintage images. Most of my craft making is CAS using mostly stamps and die cuts. Once in a while, like today for instance, I get the urge to create things using free vintage images found on the internet that I simply print out on my home printer. This post is picture heavy, so I'll let the photo's do the talking.



This next picture shows the dimension. I put fun foam between the layers to make it sturdy and not crush when being stored.


See the little doggie die cut? That came from my sweet online friend Marcia in a die cut swap we did. Crafty, online friends are the best!

This next one has a special destination.




The old blocks are some that I've been hoarding holding on to for years. It's time to put them to good use. I used the block with the letter "F" for "Friendship"! I am going to be teaching this craft to a group of crafty friends coming up in February.

I'll also be adding one of these projects to the following challenge:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ anything goes
Sisterhood of Crafters ~ Love Letters
Word Art Wednesday
Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Love Is In The Air
Use Your Stuff ~ Sequins or Glitter

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Having Good Times!

Happy Wednesday paper loving friends~ I'm here today with three cards I made using Clearly Besotted "Good Times" set. This is an older set, but new to me and I just love it!


I used PTI's Split Sentiment dies to create this card using that adorable bicycle image from the Good Times set. The little die cut sun is cut using a Lil' Inkers die. A few sequins finish this card off.


I think this is my favorite card, as I just love the fresh colors! The sentiment is from PTI's Choose Joy. I chose my colors using the wonderful plaid background using MFT's printed plaid paper stack. I also used some button stacks to finish off the little banners, also cut using MFT's Blueprints #20.



On this card, I used MFT's Postage Stamp Stax Dies and cut one out of script paper and one on white cardstock for my stamped image. The little bow is from MFT.

I'll be entering one of these cards into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp ~ Work It Wednesday
Word Art Wednesday
Fun Cuts Alphabet Challenge ~ "J" is for Jewel
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Anything Goes
Use Your Stuff ~ Sequins

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

PTI ~ January Blog Hop

This months inspiration photo for the PTI Blog Hop was a challenge for me. I'm not a very graphic person and the colors challenged me as well. Here's the inspiration photo:

I'm not very good at thinking outside of the box either. With that said, I made two cards because I really couldn't tell what colors would work well for this. Here's my first card:

I picked up on the white washed wood behind some of the orange images and made this card using Rosie Posie. The colors I used were Hawaiian Shores and Ocean Tide for the leaves and Orange Zest and Canyon clay for the flowers.


Then I thought the colors weren't quite right so I went with this card, using a more graphic design and Happiness In Bloom. I changed the blues to Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky and Enchanted Evening.

Be sure to stop by Nichole's blog to join in on the fun! Have fun along the hop!
Blessings~ Birgit

Altenew Academy ~ Day 6

Here's my last card for day 6 of the Altenew Academy, Stunningly Simple Watercolors. Day 6 brought us Dropped In Color.

I discovered that I really love the color combination of using Tim Holtz Mustard Seed, Abandoned Coral and Orange Marmalade, so I went with those colors for dropping in my background. I think I had my watercolor paper too wet as it didn't come out quite like Lydia's but I still am happy with the results. I definitely want to try this technique again.
I used Altenew's Vintage Roses and Ombre Thanks to complete my card.

I'm so sad to see this class end, as I've learned so much, found new helpful tips and really enjoyed doing my homework. Lydia's video's were precise and easy to follow and I totally recommend taking some of her classes. Thanks so much Lydia for a fun week of learning and playing!!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Marcia's Monthly Challenge

My sweet friend, Marcia and I are back on track with our monthly challenges. This month we decided to use water color powders and combine them with a Valentine's theme. I used Ken Oliver's powders to create the following cards:

For this card I stamped a background panel using a background stamp My Creative Time. I die cut the water colored panel using MFT's Love dies and stamped the sentiment from My Creative Time's 100% Sweetness onto the heart.

I cut two more hearts from the scraps and made these two little milk carton candy favors. So fun!

This next card uses Top Dog Dies, Lacy Heart Doily.

I wanted to try to use one of the water colored panels as more of a background so this is what I ended up with. I wasn't sure in the beginning what direction to go in because using the panel as a background, it seemed very busy to me. I started by stamping a silhouette image from Sweet N' Sassy stamps but didn't like where it was headed so I brightened it up with a die cut flower given to me from my pal Marcia. I colored that up using Zig Clean Color pens. The primitive heart is another leftover from the card above (can't have any waste!). I die cut the sentiment twice from PTI's Still Life Summer and added some black Wink of Stella, which not surprisingly, doesn't show up in the photo. I can never seem to capture WOS with my ipad camera.

Here's another card I made using more of the hearts punched from the rest of that piece of background.

I'll be entering one of these cards into the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday
DRS Design Blog
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Be sure to stop by Marcia's blog and see her lovely creations and leave her some love! Thanks so much for visiting. Blessings~ Birgit

Altenew Academy ~ Day 5

Phew! I'm all caught up to day 5 of Altenew's Academy Stunningly Simple Watercoloring Techniques. Today's lesson was watercoloring solid image stamps. I had a hard time finding a solid image stamp that would work well for this lesson and finally hit upon The Kitchen Sink's Bluebonnets set.

This watercoloring technique was completely new to me and I really enjoyed it! It's another great way to extend the way I used my stamps.
If you haven't taken any online classes before, I highly recommend it! I'm new to taking online classes and am finding so much inspiration, learning new tips and tricks and having so much fun with the daily challenges.

Hope you'll come back tomorrow to see day 6!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Altenew Academy ~ Day 3 & 4

I've just completed day 3 & 4 of Altenew's Academy Stunningly Simple Watercolor Techniques.
Day three's lesson was watercoloring embossed images.

I got PTI's Botanical Blocks before Christmas and hadn't inked it up yet, and this image just begs to be watercolored.
I used Tim Holtz Abandoned Coral and Orange Marmalade for the flowers and Mustard Seed and Peeled Paint on the leaves. I kept dropping in Abandoned Coral to the bottom of the petals because I wanted them to have rich color. I really like the combination of colors and how they blended.
I also did up another card using Vintage Linens.

This was inspired from a design by Heather Nichols and I just love how it came out!

Day four brought me "no line watercoloring". This one I still need lots of practice on. ;0)

Another PTI set here, Vintage Linens. I'm not too sure how I feel about this one and it almost ended up in the trash. I decided to let it dry and move forward with the card making. In the end I decided I could live with it. It's definitely a technique I need more practice on.

Thanks so much for stopping in to take a peek at day 3 & 4!
Blessings~ Birgit

Got Time For A Chat?

This week's Merry Monday challenge is ~ "Hot Beverage".


Here's my card:

I used MFT's Hug In A Mug (love this set!) and the Peek A Boo Banner from PTI.

I'll also be entering this card into the Word Art Wednesday Challenge

Thanks so much for looking! Blessings~ Birgit

It's Clearly All About Love

Today's card was specifically made for this weeks challenge over at CASology. The theme is clear and while I was cleaning out my yards of 12x12 scrapbooking papers, I came across this clear overlay in a 12x12 size.



I simply cut it down and sandwiched the printed acetate between the window of my card and a scalloped window I created using some MFT dies. I stamped the sentiment on the inside of the card so that it would show through the window.
It's kind of hard to get a good photo because of the glare, but you get the idea.


Since the card is clear, I stamped the sentiment that I would have put inside the card, on the back of the card. A little different style for me, but fun nonetheless.



I'll also be adding this card to the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Altenew Academy ~ Day 1 & 2

After seeing Linda's and Marcia's pretty water colored projects, I took the plunge and signed up for Altenew's Stunningly Simple Watercolor Techniques Class. Oh boy I've gotten some great tips and learned some new things already!
DAY 1 ~ Ombre Water Coloring

I used Tim Holtz' Abandoned Coral to color the background. I might have gotten a little carried away with the color but I still love how it came out!

Day 2 ~ Ink Smooshing

I used Tim Holtz Abandoned Coral, Mustard Seed and Orange Marmalade for this background. The stamps are Altenew's Vintage Flowers and Vintage Roses


I used the little strip of watercolored cardstock that I cut from the first card to make this card using Vintage Roses.

I'm already looking forward to taking two more classes tomorrow, hoping to catch up!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

PTI MIM ~ Matchbook Valentine's

Playing along with this week's PTI Make-it Monday where the amazing Lexi, shows us how to make matchbook valentine's. I've done this technique before and added little mints to the inside as little thank you gifts. It was so fun revisiting this fun technique. Thanks Lexi!

I used With All My Heart to make these fun little cuties that hold m&m's.
They went together so quick and easy that I pumped out about 10 more and made kits for my next craft day with my friends.

A fun project for sure!!
You can find all the details over at Nichole's blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Friend

Ok, one more card and I'll find something else to do, I promise. ;0) I'm entering this card into the Curtain Call ~ Girly Challenge


I created my own background by stamping a background stamp from Heidi Swapp and adding some distress inks to it to give it some age. I cut a doily using one of the doily dies from Top Dog Dies and cut the center out of it so I could slip the lilies from MFT through the center. The lilies are colored with copics. A simple sentiment finishes this off.

I'll also be adding this card to the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday
The Challenge using this beautiful photo inspiration

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ~ Best Friends

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Ticket To Love

Hello again~ I'm popping in with a card I made for the Paper Players challenge, clean & simple valentine. My design is CAS however I did use printed paper because it just looked too plain otherwise. I don't know if it qualifies for their challenge but here it is anyway.

The tickets are from PTI"s Just The Ticket.

I'll also be adding this to the Word Art Wednesday challenge

Thanks so much for visiting. I hope you'll leave me some love so I know you were here!
Blessings~ Birgit

Zoo Animals on Parade

Good morning friends~ I'm here today with a couple of cards I made using some cute printed scrapbooking paper. The paper did all the work as it's the cutest paper ever and all I had to do was layer and add a few die cuts.

I went with a baby theme on this card

and a birthday theme on this card.
The colors are great as they can really be used for a little boy or girl.

I'll be entering one of these cards into the following challenges:
Use Your Stuff ~ 3 or more patterned papers
Word Art Wednesday

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Spring Blooms

Happy Thursday! Today's card uses the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches

and the colors from Color Throwdown


I used PTI's Petite Pots and the watering can from Garden Variety.

I'll also be adding this card to the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

Thanks so much for stopping by! You are a blessing to me and I hope your day is blessed as well! ~ Birgit

Create Along with PTI

Here's my card for this months Create Along With Us with PTI. I chose this card from Nichole where she created her own background

I pulled out an oldie but a goodie, Green Thumb, to create my background on Fine Linen cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment in white onto a strip of Hawaiian Shores colored cardstock in place of Nichole's framed sentiment.

While I had this set out I made a couple other spring themed cards.

There's nothing like a pair of pink polka-dotted Wellies to bring a smile to your face!

I'll be adding one of these cards to the following challenges:
CASology ~ Open
Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes
Classy Cards 'n Such ~ Bright and cheerful!
City Crafters ~ Butterfly

Thanks for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit