Merry Christmas, "Deer"!!

19 Days and Counting!  :)   In years past, I have tried to be making CHRISTmas cards all through the year, but this year I did not do well with that at all!!  So I decided to cheat... we are sending picture cards to most people and the cards I did make will go to a special few.  

 

This card was inspired by this one I saw on Pinterest.  Mine falls far short of that beauty, but I like it anyway.  I think mine is more on the masculine side.  Better ribbon and cord would help.  Next time!

I used Holiday Deer SVG Cuts from Doodle Pantry.  I just used the cut, but these SVG's work with Holly Stag and Merry Deer.  I just have a Cricut E so print and cut is too much work.  :/

The gold cardstock is from a 12x12 DCWV "Metallic" that I've had forever!  It is the same paper for the bottom panel and the deer but I guess the angle of the light on the card makes it look different.
I used up some scraps of ribbon and cord.  The sentiment is from My Craft Spot "Joy to the World" and is heat embossed with gold.  I tried something I read recently (can't remember where).  They suggested using the heat gun under the paper for a smoother "melting" of the embossing powder.  I don't heat emboss as much as I dry emboss, so I'm not sure it make a huge difference but it does look nice up close.

Challenges...
Cards for men 24 - anything goes
Digi Sketch Challenge - sketch and/or theme: Christmas
My Craft Spot Monday Challenge #120 - sparkle & shine
Paper Playtime #24 - anything goes
Bearly Mine #115 - Christmas sentiment
Clear It Out - anything goes
Terrific Tuesday - Tinsel time: use silver or gold

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!!

Teddy bear Valentine

*My Tuesday Morning Sketches post is HERE*

I did something I have not done in quite awhile!  I used an image from a Cricut cartridge for the main focus of my card!  I use my Expression a lot for a variety of things, but most of the time I use MTC or just use a cart for a little heart, star, corner, etc.   I use digis for most of my projects, so my cartridges have begun to collect dust! :/  After Thanksgiving, I bought my first set of Peachy Keen stamps but had never used them!!  It was time!!  So I went searching for something or someone that needed a face and here is what I came up with... a Valentine for my son. 

I meant to give him more of a real bear nose, but forgot!

 I used just the shadow and base of the bear from CAC.  (Trimmed off the skirt since this is for a boy!)

I remembered to take a pic of the inside!!

Recipe...
~Create a Critter bear cut at 3"
~Policeman's tie from EDPD
~Peachy Keen Everyday Character Face Assortment
~AC "jolly" DP
~My Pink Stamper "Simply Sweet Occasions" sentiment and hearts
~Memento  Rhubarb ink
~Recollections border punch
~Spellbinders Circles
~Craft Essentials heart brads
~white gel pen

Challenges...
Peachy Keen Challenge 13-5 - photo inspiration (I used the colors)
Paper Playtime Ch #3 - border punches
Cricut Cardz Challenge #124 - "Be My Valentine" round or square card
Cards for men: challenge 3 - "All my love"
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Me Monday #147 - "Queen of Hearts"
Terrific Tuesday Challenge - Valentine's Day
{PIN}spirational Challenge #43 - photo inspiration (I took the "love") 
Wags 'n Whiskers #96 - sketch 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!!

Have a 'jingle holiday'!

Just a fun Christmas card for a boy.  I usually think of giving to whole families when I make cards, but my kids do like to give to their friends, so I hope to get several done for them.  I meant to post this last night so am doing it while the turkey cooks! :)

I love fancy folds, but when making most cards, I get it done and then wonder if I could have made it with a different fold... only it's a little late then! :/ But this time I made a step card.

Challenges...
Cards for men challenge 24 - Merry Christmas
Stampin' Sisters in Christ #166 - card for a child
Paper Playtime #89 - anything goes
Playing in Paradise PPC#93 - CASE yourself -I CASEd THIS CARD

I used Doodle Pantry's Little Deer, one of this month's new releases.  I got the card together and realized that I had printed the deer WITHOUT the bells!!! :-P  Just imagine there are bells, ok??

Thanks for stopping by!!!

The better half's birthday

Tomorrow, my wonderful husband gets one year older!  Actually, he will only be one day older than he is today, but tomorrow is that official change-of-age day!  He'll be 46.  Yep, he's a year younger than I am, and he loves to remind me of it, too! 

We took him out for dinner this evening since our daughter has to work tomorrow.  We are saving his "birthday cake" for tomorrow... but it's not a cake!   My family doesn't usually ask for the normal birthday cake.  It might be Turtle or Oreo cheesecake or homemade cinnamon rolls or French Silk Pie!!!  My hubby loves coconut so he is getting a Coconut Cream Pie! 

Here's his card...

It says "You're mine... hook, line and sinker!"  I obviously pressed the stamp too much!  Hard to tell when stamping with Versamark. :/  The front is 'fun' but the inside is more romantic!

~MME Sweater Weather DP
~Mulberry Wood "Gone Fishing" image (I got this free from Crafter's Companion with my order a couple of weeks ago!!  Thank you, CC!!!)
~Stampendous embossing powder
~Stars embossing folder
~sentiment on tag from There She Goes "Bear Hugs"
~ribbon, brad, tag from stash

Challenges...
Cards for men #23 - anything goes
Crafter's Companion November challenge - favourite colour combo + must use CC product  (Hard to choose but I have always loved navy/white!  My stamp is from CC)
Twisted Tuesday 2TC31 - Guys week "Bring on the tools" use tool image, etc. or use tools (I used my heat gun and Cuttlebug)

Thanks for dropping by!!!

Another Christmas in July card

This has been a busy week!  Today is my first time in my craft room!!  I was having withdrawal!! :)

Here's a quick Christmas card for a few challenges...
Merry Monday with a twist - follow any previous sketch
Cards for men Challenge 15 - Christmas in July
52 {Christmas} Cardd Throwdown Color Challenge #7 - black, white, splash blue
Stampin Sisters in Christ #148 - sparkle
Paper Pretties Monday Challenge PPMC48 - embossing (glitter)

The color is a off but you can see the sparkle in this pic.

~Bazzill cardstock
~Clear Dollar sentiment
~Sizzix Snowflakes embossing folder
~Versamark and Stampendous Kaleidosope embossing powder
~K&Co ornament stickers

Thanks for dropping by!!!  Keep cool!!

Happy Birthday w/pop-up balloon

While perusing one of the many wonderful craft blogs I follow, I found a cute, cute, cute idea at Clearly iStamp.  It is called Honeycomb Pop Ups and Lisa gives a great tutorial.  I was already planning to make a birthday card and thought this would be a fun addition to it!  I tend to make more pretty and girly birthday cards, so am trying to make some that are more masculine or at least generic.  This would work for a boy, I think.

Challenges...
Cards for men challenge 14 - Happy Birthday
Freshly Made Sketches #43 - sketch
Meljens Designs Challenge #118 - Happy Birthday (must use Meljens image)
Celebrate the Occasion #70 - Happy Birthday

Here is a close-up of the balloon... Click HERE to go to the tutorial.

~Kraft and Bazzill cardstock
~Meljens Happy Birthday digi
~MM number tape
~Distressed Stripes embossing folder
~Copic and Prismacolor markers

Thanks for stopping by!!

Happy Father's Day!!

Happy Father's Day to all fathers who read crafty blogs!! :) 

I made several cards yesterday for my junior church kids to give their fathers, so most were simple and sketches were my friends!!

Challenges...
Cards for men challenge 12 - Father's Day
Freshly Made Sketches #39 - sketch

~g.c.d. Studio paper
~Nestie small and large labels
~Paper Studio button brads
~digi sentiment from Stitchy Bear Stamps

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Congrats! grad card

Want to see some beautiful flowers?  First off, I have black thumbs, so no credit goes to me because these irises were growing here at our house before we came almost 8 yrs ago, and they still bloom every year!  They are a little early this year and I'm glad because if they bloomed normally, I would miss them while we are on vacation!

Now for the card... I need grad cards for males this year, so no frills.

Challenges...
Cards for men challenge 11 - must have "congratulations" on front (I hope "congrats" counts)
Celebrate the Occasion #63 - graduation
Fantabulous Cricut #112 - "You did it!" -make grad project
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards #13 - "for the boys"

~Glitz "Hey Dude!"paper
~cap from Every Day Paper Dolls
~TPC Studio  sentiment
~twine and brad from my stash

Thanks for dropping by!!

for MY Valentine

Here's the card I made for my hubby.  I won't show you the inside because that is full of mushy stuff! :)  And I did tell him that I feel that way every day, not just today!!!

I did make it at the last minute (I was busy working on my kids pop top can treats), but there are challenges still doing Valentine's...

BBTB2 Couples Heart Challenge - use cut from Love Struck (or other like it - I used Sweethearts)
Card Crafter's Circle #9 - Valentine Love Hearts
Cards for men challenge 4 - Valentine card for husband
Celebrate the Occasion #50 - Valentine card (must use heart)
Whimsical Wednesdays Colors of Love - red, white + one other color (mine is tan)

~Cloud9Design dsp
~couple from SWH (I cut them off at the knees-ouch!!)
~heart from Doodlecharms
~Inkadinkado clear stamp sentiment

Thanks for looking!!  [ FYI my hubby like it! :) ]

Boy's easel birthday card

When I began to make cards, I had a lot of trouble with masculine cards.  They are still not my favorite, but I found out that having the right paper helps.  :)  A while ago, I got the DCWV All About Boys stack.  It's great!!  Whenever I need something for a boy, it works for me!  And I've used a lot of it, so I must need to go paper shopping again, right??  :)

Challenges...
~Birthday Sundaes #41 - easel card (b'day wording on front)
~Cards for men challenge 2 - "boys and their toys"
~Celebrate the Occasion #47 - masculine birthday
~Tuesday Morning Sketches #130 - sketch

I used...
~DCWV All About Boys dsp
~Inkadinkado 'happy birthday'
~tiny letters from a set I got at J's a long time ago
~yellow braiding cord


Thanks for looking!!!!

"Thinking of You" card

It's Friday evening and this is my first post of the week!  I had great intentions, but woke up last Sunday with a doozy of a stomach bug, so between that, kids' ski and music lessons, and some rough days of homeschooling, this week did not turn out as planned.  

But I was able to make a 2-pg LO and 2 cards this evening and maybe I can squeeze some craft time in tomorrow, too.  :)

This first card is for 3 challenges...
Stampin' Sisters in Christ #121 ~ "Thinking of you" card
Cards for men challenge 1 ~ recycling (the buttons came off of my Christmas table runner!!!)
Tuesday Morning Sketches #128 ~ sketch plus make it vintage

~all the paper came from my scrap piles so I'm not sure of the maker
~buttons from my runner :) 'stitched' with hemp cord
~Studio g rubber stamp
~StasOn Timber Brown ink
~J's Essentials grosgrain ribbon

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out my blog giveaway HERE and comment for a chance to win!

Baby boy card

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are now looking forward to CHRISTmas!!   I know we are!!

It has been so busy around here that I have not spent much time in my craft room, but I needed a baby card for a shower last evening, so I got out Create a Critter (LOVE this cart!!) and made a card.  I also made a "1st Christmas" ornament but forgot to take a pic! 

Stair step cards are cool and I've been wanting to make one for awhile.  I decided to make a center stair step for this baby card and then realized that Cards for men are looking for 'fancy folds' this challenge, so I'll submit it there. 

 ~DCWV "All About Boys" dsp
 ~Making Memories "pitter patter" dsp
~Paper Studio cardstock
~Inkadinkado stamp
~giraffe from CAC cut at 4 1/2"
~hemp cord
~chalking on edges

I made the cake, too, and didn't have a lot of time to be fancy, but made some cutouts from Lettering Delights "Peek a boo" with MTC.

Nutri Whip icing!  Yummy!!  My parents bring me some when they come visit.  :)

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Christmas card w/ action wobble!!

I really don't have time to be crafting this week with quarterly reports due and so much going on, but I got my Action Wobbles in the mail and I HAD to come play!  These are awesome!!!  I wish I could post a video to show just how cute they are!  Plus I was given Create a Critter for my birthday and have not had a chance to use it yet, so it was just time to make something! :)

So since I NEEDED to make a card, I made it for these challenges...

jingle belles JB46 - "Stick-y and Sweet" -use stickers
Cards for men challenge #24 - "It's Nearly Time for Christmas" -Christmas card
Opus Gluei challenge #117 - "What's on Your Head?" -someone or thing with something on it's head   

I really wish you could see him wobble!! 

~Kraft 5x7 card
~reindeer from Create a Critter cut at 3 1/2" with shadow and all layers
~Colorbok "Believe" and snowflake stickers
~baker's twine
~white gel pen doodling
Thanks for looking!!  And if you can find you some Action Wobbles, you will LOVE them!!

Boy's birthday card

I have 'crafted' quite a lot this week but not with paper, and I began to have withdrawals!  :)  So this evening I set out to make a card.  Since I have a little boy and he has little friends, this is what I came up with...

challenges...
Birthday Sundaes - at least 3 brads
Cards for men - anything goes (for boy or man)
Celebrate the Occasion - birthday easel card
BBTB2 contest - Cricut cut, a stamp, and red

Recipe:

~Kraft paper for card base

~DCWV All About Boys dsp

~ACY silhouette and tag

~Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes and Swiss Dots folders

~Inkadinkadoo stamps

~baker's twine and brads

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Clean and simple male birthday card

I love to add ribbon, buttons, brads, and bows to my cards so male cards are always difficult.    But I finally have discovered that clean and simple works and is easy, too.  And at least I got to tie a bow with the baker's twine! :)


Cards for men - "clean and simple"  
Birthday Sundaes - birthday card (with birthday wording, as always)

~Kraft paper cut 8x9 folded to make a 4x9 card
~Inkadinkadoo stamp on paper I've had forever!
~baker's twine

Thanks for stopping by!!

"Howdy Pardner" boy's card

I have not put a sentiment inside yet but I think this will probably end up being a birthday card.  Cards for boys are always a challenge for me, so I'll probably need it for that.
This for the current Cards for men challenge.



~"howdy pardner" from Old West
~cowboy from A Child's Year
~baker's twine and gel pen doodling

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

#1 Dad - Father's Day card

This card is for my dad.  I've made several for others to give but this is for my dad who loves cars!!  He and a friend once owned a Model-T that had a checkered paint job!!  That would have been cool to make one on the card, but I used a digi I have.

Challenges to which I will submit this card....

Cards for men ~ blue and black

Fantabulous Cricut ~ #1 Dad

Celebrate the Occasion ~ Father's Day

Whimsical Wednesday ~ Father's Day

What I used:

~Core'dinations for the card - embossed with Distressed Stripes Cuttlebug folder and sanded

~Background shape from Sentimentals cut at 3 1/2" and 3 3/4"

~Vintage car digi from Stitchy Bear Stamps

~ribbon and brads

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

best DAD - father's day card

I've been working on my card 'order' that includes the need for 4 father's day cards.   I don't know these men really well, but I do know that one of them just got his motorcycle license.  Inspiration!!

Challenges...
Mojo Monday - sketch
Cards for men - no dsp
Fantabulous Cricut - blue and cloud

I used...
~Cordinations cardstock
~Distressed stripes and Diamonds in the rough Cuttlebug folders
~motorcycle from EDPD - I cut it in red, black, and silver and pieced it
~cloud from EDPD
~ brads, tag, and string from my stash
~since for a man, I tore the paper rather than use a 'pretty' punch

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Happy Birthday Dad

Here's a male birthday card for 'dad'   I need to start on Father's Day cards soon, but this came together better for a birthday.  My kids could use it for my hubby... his birthday is not until Nov.  If I use it, my dad's birthday is in Dec, so I'm really ahead of the curve this year!! :D

For 2 challenges....

Mojo Monday ~ sketch
Cards for men ~ for someone special

I used:

~Me & My Big Ideas family stack paper

~Inkidinkadoo b'day stamps
~Shapelies for the label

~'dad' tag

~grosgrain ribbon and buttons from my stash

Thanks for looking!!!

Card for my hubby's use - and 3 challenges :D

Green and gold, something I treasure, and a sketch all came together in this card that my husband will use.  

Stampin' Sisters in Christ ~ something I treasure... I greatly treasure our church and it's pastor, who is my husband!

Fantabulous Cricut - square card using green and gold

Cards for men - follow the sketch (they are having a DT call this week, too, if you are interested)

I used cardstock and brads from my stash, 

digi stamps by Laurie Wilson of Doodle Pantry, 

photo corner shadow at about 3" from Jasmine, 

and watercolor pencils

Thanks for stopping by!!!