Peace

My Sweet Shy-Cat in her toasty nest next to the wood stove.

Hi, Friends......

I am here to share a Christmas card I made inspired by the Winnie & Walter Rerun #17 Challenge. This is where they select an older W&W set to "rerun" with the DT making all sorts of gorgeous projects with it. This month the featured set is their In Bloom: Hollie's Festive Florals. You don't have to use that particular set to participate....but if you don't have it, you must use a W&W product (It can be a freebie!) and be inspired by something the DT made with the set. Easy peasy.....and so much fun!!!

WHAT INSPIRED ME:
I don't have the showcased set, but I was inspired by these two designers:

Love the JOY surrounded by motifs by Vanessa!

Love that strip across the center of Lydia's card!!!

Here's what I made. I liked the design so well that I made three of them to put in my stash to use next Christmas!! This is my favorite time of year to make Christmas cards.....no pressure!! :)

I wish you could see the dry embossed snowflake pattern on the white background better! 

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Winnie & Walter - In a Word: Peace Cutaway die
Winnie & Walter - Our Town stamp set
Winnie & Walter - Scenery: Big Bang Confetti stamp set
WOW! Embossing Powder - Opaque Bright White Regular
Darice - Snowflakes embossing folder
Distress Ink in Black Soot
Core'dinations heavy duty white cardstock
Scraps from my stash of blue and silver cardstock

Thank you so much for stopping by. I wish each of you a very Happy New Year!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:1. Winnie & Walter Rerun #17 0 In Bloom: Hollies Festive Florals
2. Die Cut Divas December Challenge - Layers or Layer It
3. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #195 - Anything Goes
4. WOW! Embossing Powder December Challenge - Winter (must heat emboss or use one of their products)
5. Crafty Creations Challenge #331 - Any Holiday
6. The Paper Girls Challenge #118 - Anything Goes
7. Cards in Envy - Celebrate the Season (flat cards only)
8. DL.Art December Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
9. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge #34 - Anything Goes
10. Crop Stop December Challenge - AG (use a product CS sells)
11. The Artistic Stamper December Challenge - Christmas

Fall Back in Time......to Thanksgiving!

Here is Skippyjon taking a much needed rest from his misadventures next to his "Uncle" Othello.  It's sweet how often one of our big neutered males will take on the role of "uncle" to a half-grown kitten.  Skippy teases Othello mercilessly, but Othello kind of likes the little squirt, nonetheless.

Hi, Friends.....
 
Yes, I know it is winter and that autumn is past, but there is a reason I made a fall card. Sadly, the gals over at Always Use Rubber (formerly Twofers) are closing up their challenge blog and I wanted to get in on their very last challenge with the theme of Summer &/or Fall, which is a nod to the peeps living in the southern hemisphere. So.......out came my unused autumn-themed backgrounds that I still had on hand and I made a Thanksgiving card for next year.  Yay!

I found a pretty double-embossed background I liked a lot.  I went ahead and put it on a maroon mat and then decided to try something different. (I should have done this next step before I matted, but it worked fine this way, too.) I laid one of the stencils from the Artistcellar - TEXTures 2 Series 4-stencil set over the top and sponged on some Distress Ink in Walnut Stain.

Then I angled the same stencil over the background and sponged again using Distress Ink in Fired Brick. I hadn't ever tried doing this on my backgrounds before, but I like the effect. I think these colors give my background a smoky, fiery depth.

Here's my card:


Other supplies used:
BRAND NEW Lawn Fawn - Large Stitched Rectangles die set (How did hubby know that all those things I ordered online for him to give to me for Christmas were just what I wanted????!!!  lol...)
Darice - Fall Leaf Background embossing folder
Gold embossing powder
Inky Antics - Script Sentiments #1 stamp set
Versafine ink in Maroon
Crinkly Ribbon from Karen at Little Scrap Pieces

Since some of you might be unfamiliar with my double-embossing technique, I am including this close-up so you can see the detail. It also shows the gleam of the gold embossing powder better than the full shot above.

On this particular one, I sponged Distress Inks over the surface of my Fall Leaf embossing folder and misted lightly with water.  Then I ran a piece of Core'dinations heavy duty white cardstock inside the folder through my Big Shot. The paper not only gets embossed, but also gets a watercolor effect from the inks.  After it was completely dry, I lightly brayered Versamark ink over the raised pattern and heat-embossed with gold powder. I did this step 2 or 3 times to get a nice build-up of gold on my pattern for that chunky texture that reminds me of heavy vintage jewelry. LOVE!!!

(NOTE: I have lots of different kinds of gold embossing powder. My favorite for double embossing is a mix that I made of several varieties that is a bit chunky to make a rougher almost beaded texture....not at all good for embossing sentiments, for example, but perfect for this! Each brand and grade gives a different look.)

Hope you enjoyed my card! It was fun going back in time to fall and revisiting those blazing colors!!! Quite different from this current scene outside my craft room window:

A big thank you to Jane, Zoe, and Christi over at Always Use Rubber for all the work they have put in to their fun challenges. I am really going to miss your creative themes and sweet comments!! I wish you much rest, relaxation, and fun crafting times in the future.

Thank you, everyone, for stopping by! I appreciate your comments so very much!!! Have a lovely day.

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Always Use Rubber Challenge #6 - Summer &/or Fall (must stamp)
2. Simon Says Stamp December Work-it-Wednesday - Use a New Product (I used my new LF stitched rectangle die set.) 
3. Die Cut Divas December Challenge - Layers or Layer It
4. Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #323 - Anything Goes
5. HeARTful Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes
6. The Paper Girls Challenge #118 - Anything Goes
7. Cards in Envy - Celebrate the Season (cards only) (Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season, so I hope this card qualifies!)
8. DL.Art December Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
9. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge #34 - Anything Goes
10. Crafty Creations Challenge #331 - Any Holiday (I chose Thanksgiving.)
11. Inspiration Destination Challenge #118 - Anything Goes
12. Fashionable Stamping Challenge #118 - Anything Goes
13. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #195 - Anything Goes

Caroling Mouse Tag

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a tag that I thought I was making for the Ellen Hutson Tag Challenge several weeks ago, but to my dismay I realized that I wasn't following the theme and so it didn't qualify!! Eeeeek.....how did I miss that in the challenge guidelines???? lol.... So I am finally getting around to posting it in my after-Christmas specials. :)

The cute little caroling mouse is an ancient Hero Arts stamp I found at a thrift store. The date on it says "1980"!! (Holey moley.....Even I wasn't rubber stamping clear back then!!! I didn't know ANYONE was rubber stamping back in those days!!)  I picked it up some time ago and I think this is only the first or maybe second time I have used it. 

I stamped the little mouse with Versafine ink in Vintage Sepia and heat embossed with clear powder. Then I colored her with watercolor pencils and my water brush and colored over the dress with my Wink of Stella pen to add some sparkle and shimmer.

TIP: The flower (which already came with the glitter on it) was a little bit too white, so I colored the petals with my Spectrum Noir EB1 marker which gave it just the right vintage tone.

Other supplies used:
Graphic 45 paper from the 12 Days of Christmas collection
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Oval STAX die set
Prima flowers that I layered
Want 2 Scrap - Adhesive Pearls in green
Frilly eyelash fiber from the thrift store for the ties

Considering I am not a tag maker, I am very pleased with how this one turned out. It helped a lot to make this one smaller than my other gargantuan-sized one!!! lol... Hope you enjoyed this one, too!
 
<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this in the following challenges:
1. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Sparkle
2. A2Z Scrapbooking December Challenge - Anything but a Card w/ Hero Arts for focal
3. Great Impressions December Challenge - Anything Goes
4. WOW! Embossing Powder December Challenge - Winter (must heat emboss or use one of their products)
5. Die Cut Divas December Challenge - Layers or Layer It
6. Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #323 - Anything Goes
7. HeARTful Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes
8. The Paper Girls Challenge #118 - Anything Goes
9. Go Tag Thursday Tag #28 - It's Christmas

Spring is Coming...(sometime!)

This reminds me so much of my dear sweet Aliyah and my Shy-Cat.  We lost Aliyah several months ago at age 15.  Her coat was striped and white pattern.  We still have 15 yr old Chaienne (though in failing health) who is the kitty on my blog header.  She isn't solid orange tabby like the kitty in the photo, but this is a startling likeness of my two old ladies.  Main difference is they were arch-enemies from kittenhood on.  They never once in their 9 lives sat peacefully beside each other like this!!  lol....  

Hi, Friends.......

Super-quick post to get this springy anniversary card posted and squeaked in under the deadline at the Mod Squad Challenge - A Little Bit of Spring.  I'll write more about it after I get it linked up!!  :)

(a few minutes later....)
Okay....got it linked up so I am back.  Whew!  I loved the idea of making a springy card because we are in the middle of a winter storm right now.  We have around 16 inches of snow on the ground, which for right here is quite a bit.  So some flowers and spring colors sounded like a fun challenge!

For this card I used some reclaimed gift wrap that a friend had wrapped a present for me in a few years ago. It was so pretty that I couldn't just discard it!! It makes a pretty background here, I think. I heat embossed a happy little image from Uptown Rubber Stamps. I don't think I have ever used this image for an anniversary card before, but I LOVE it on here!! I wish I could remember for sure who gave this stamp to me....but I think it was the same gal that this card is going to! (I have finally gotten a LITTLE bit smarter and write the name of the person who sent me something on a bit of washi tape and put it on all my gifts to remind me where they came from!!! I always think I will remember....I mean HOW could I possibly forget?....but I do. It's like that old saying..."Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!! Hahahahaha!!)

Other supplies used include:
Prima flowers
Sizzix - Branch with Leaves die
Scraps of lavender, and shimmery green cardstock from DCWV
Adhesive pearls and rhinestone from stash

Hope you enjoyed this springy card. If you live in a snowy place, maybe it will help give you hope for warmer days ahead!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenge(s):
1. Mod Squad Challenge - A Little Bit of Spring
2. Simon Says Stamp Work-it-Wednesday - Use a Die Cut
3. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Sparkle
4. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #195 - Anything Goes
5. Pixie's Snippets Playground Weeks 260-261 - Use Snippets

Don't Put the Christmas Supplies Away Yet!!!

Couldn't decide on a cat pic to post, so I pulled this cute one out of my files.  Awwwww......

Hi, Friends.....

Am I the only one that keeps Christmas cards I have received on display for months, sometimes longer when it is a special one from one of you?  If you are like me, though, you can't stand to just put last year's Christmas cards in a box, never to be unearthed again....or worse, to throw them any of them away!! Horrors!  Right after Christmas is the time when I like to remake some of the lovely commercially-made cards I have saved from several years back.  Oftentimes, they require but little embellishment to give them new life. 

CARD #1:  I do the same thing with adorable pet promotional cards my vet hubby receives in the mail....turning them into cute and festive cards for me to send out. Here's one of them:

I have several die sets that I turn to for these remade cards. Here I used some retired Clearly Besotted dies for the modern tree and tinsel garland. The foam snowflakes (yes, I still have a few of these that have 7 points!!! Wha-aaaat?) are from the dollar store and the little sentiment sticker is from Echo Park.

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. SUYP - December Cats Only Challenge #13 - Krimbo Cats
2. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Party Time! (Anytime you have a kitty near a Christmas tree, it is party time! Eeek!!) 
3. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #195 - Anything Goes


CARD #2: Another easy idea for a card to make for next year makes use of some of those large prints found in 12 x 12 paper stacks. Being a cardmaker, I often pass by those in favor of the smaller prints and end up with a lot of these leftover. Since I really want to use them up and be done with the last bits of some of these ancient stacks, I dress them up a bit with die cuts and stickers. Here's one I made earlier this season:



I covered the card base with the large town scene and put some glitter glue here and there. Die cuts include the same retired ones from Clearly Besotted and also from my Spellbinders - Holiday Tags die set. Some snowflake stickers from Echo Park finished up this simple but fun card.

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Simon Says Stamp Work-it-Wednesday - Use a Die Cut
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Sparkle
3. DL.Art December Linky Challenge - Anything Goes

Hope you liked these quick cards. They aren't fabulous or outstanding in their technique or design, but they still have that handmade touch that adds warmth and depth. And....it makes use of something that might otherwise get discarded. Have a wonderful in-between week. Hope you are crafting during this lull with some brand-new supplies!!

<3
Janis

Naughty Kitty Christmas

Naughty Skippyjon has knocked over my little fake tree and is chewing on the bristly branches.   Now that he has discovered how enjoyable it is to gnaw on these scratchy things, I can't keep him away from it.  He thinks getting sprayed by the water bottle is a fun game!!  Merry Christmas!!!

Hi, Friends.....

Merry Christmas to you! I love it when Christmas lands on a Sunday and we aren't traveling so we can attend worship at our little country church. We live in North Central Idaho and almost always can count on a lovely white Christmas. This year we have a fresh blanket of snow over the old snow and it is just gorgeous. Our little community is transformed into a Norman Rockwell-esque painting signed with a flourish of snowflakes by the Master Artist himself. I just love celebrating our Savior's birth together with my neighbors in this beautiful place where we are privileged to live!

The reason I am posting on my blog on Christmas Eve is because my friend Fiki over at Bad Kitty's Craftroom has an adorable digi image she drew and a fun giveaway if you link up a project with her digi. I meant to do this way earlier in the month, but things just got away from me and all of sudden I remembered!! EEEEK!! Well, it is soooooooo cute of an image that I didn't want to miss out.  I printed it and went right to work coloring with my Spectrum Noirs and Ultra-fine Sharpies.

Here's another naughty kitty.....well, not too naughty, just typical.  He has opened one of his gifts (not sure if he waited until Christmas or not, but prob not!) and now he is completely ignoring the brand-new fishy toys and is sitting inside the box!!  Hahaha.... so much the way cats are!!!

Other supplies used:
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set
Sticker with sentiment by Echo Park
DCWV paper
Baker's Twine

Thank you so much, Fiki, for sharing your adorable art with us and for your sweet giveaway!! 

Merry Christmas to each of you!!!  I hope on this special day when we exchange gifts and spend time with family and friends that you will remember to be thankful for the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ....and the salvation from sins that He made possible.  

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:11

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Bad Kitty's Christmas Giveaway (use Fiki's digi to be eligible)
2. SUYP - December Cats Only Challenge #13 - Krimbo Cats
3. Simon Says Stamp National Christmas Card Day Challenge
4. Little Scrap Pieces Show-it-Off Saturday Linky Party (12-24)
5. Simon Says Stamp Work-it-Wednesday - Use a Die Cut

Happy Hanukkah!

This is my Judith picking her way on TOP of the overhead fencing on my chicken yard to be with me while I take care of my chickens.  Doesn't she look like a wild cat with her puffy wintertime  coat?  She's actually quite small and very sweet.

Hi, Friends.....

Well, I don't know about you, but December activities and recuperating from November activities drained my mojo and so I have done very little crafting this month. Good thing I sent hardly any Christmas cards last year or I wouldn't have had any leftover ones to send this year!! Ha. I really need to do better next year. Now that it is close to Christmas, I am finally in the mood to make (next year's) holiday cards!! lol...

I have a Hanukkah card to share with you today. My next-door neighbor is a dear Jewish gentleman and it is fun to have a chance to help celebrate his holidays. I used a free digi image from Michael Strong at The Born Doodler. He has a new menorah image for free download on his blog right now, but I used one from last year. (Thanks, Michael!!)

My gold Star of David is from a kit my daughter found at our local thrift store and put in my stocking last year. I had lost track of it and found it the other day!  It had been a deep fuchsia color, but I wanted it gold so I colored over it with my gold Elmer's - Painters Marker. I colored my menorah with a gold Pilot extra-fine tip marker and my ultra-fine tip Sharpie markers. (My regular Spectrum Noirs were not fine enough for the tiny little spaces on this design.) I covered the card base with very shiny blue foil cardstock and attached the menorah with dimensional foam squares over the star. I finished it off with some shimmery gold twine.
 

INSIDE:  The sentiment is from A Creative Journey with Melissa - Fall and Winter Holiday Sentiments stamp set.

Hope you enjoyed this shiny and shimmery card!! It was fun to have a good excuse to use my foiled cardstock.....which I hoard and only peek lovingly at every few months! :)

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!!!
 
<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. All Sorts Challenge Week 394/395 Blue Bingo
(I used Blue and Yellow, Dimension, and No Designer Papers)
2. Little Red Wagon Challenge #373 - Follow the Star!
3. The Male Room Challenge #50 - Winter/December Celebrations (must be masculine)
4. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Sparkle
5. Cards in Envy - Celebrate the Season (cards only)
6. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #194 - Winter Holiday
7. DL.Art December Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
8. Little Scrap Pieces Show-it-Off Saturday Linky Party - Anything Goes

Feminine Twist Tag Challenge - Take #1

Hi, Friends....

I am here with a tag that I made for the 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2016 Challenge. Now I will tell you right off that I am NOT a tag maker. I don't understand how it can be so hard for me because everyone else just kind of makes tags in their sleep using lots of delicious scraps and bits of ephemera. Not me. I agonize. Ugh. lol...

Part of my problem is that I don't know how big to make them. I asked my crafty friend Karen Ladd, who makes lots of super-fun tags all the time, how big hers are. When she told me they were only about 4 inches long, I was stunned. How can you do something in that small of a space???? I have no idea!! So you will have to bear with me as I try to make a few tags for this challenge. This is going to be a REAL challenge for me!!

For this 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2016 Challenge we are asked to make a tag inspired by one of the designers for the event. I started at the very beginning and chose the first tag I came

Laurel Beard's tag that inspired me.

to....by the talented Laurel Beard! 

Here is the adorable Santa Claus tag she made. ---------------->

I don't use very many Santa motifs at Christmas (so that was a challenge already) but I wanted to use her Santa as a starting inspiration point for my tag. I knew I had Mr. Claus-themed items in my stash, though, so how hard could it be???? (I was still saying this hours later as I tried to put all the elements together in some meaningful arrangement! Ha.)


Here is what I came up with.

This tag is about 8"x4" and so I really scrambled to scrounge enough things to fill it up!! I should have asked Karen about size BEFORE I started this one!! Ha.

I was tickled to use a cute little Santa journaling card from Pretty Little Studio that had been in my stash for a long time! I stamped "Dec 25" with my SMASH date stamper.

For the red double embossed tree, I dry embossed the red cardstock with my Darice - Christmas Tree folder, brayered the design with Versamark ink, and heat embossed with a sparkly white powder. Then I fussy cut just the tree out of the design. You can't see it in this photo, but there is a sparkly rhinestone in the star atop the tree.

Supplies used include:
Premade kraft tag base
DCWV scraps
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Oval STAX die set
Stampendous flocked adhesive snowflakes
Darice - Diagonal Stripe Background embossing folder on red scrap behind the journaling card
A bit of ancient metallic gold punchinella
Quietfire Designs - We Believe in Santa!
Versafine ink in Olympia Green
Martha Stewart Edger Punch - Doily Lace
Ribbon that Gloria Stengel sent me a long time ago :)
Rhinestones from my stash

Whew.....that's a lot of supplies!! I think cards are easier. lol... But I am pleased with how the tag turned out and I will try making some more for this challenge. Thank you for stopping by!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this tag in the following challenges: 
1. 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2016 Challenge
2. Die Cut Divas December Challenge - Layers or Layer It
3. Craft Calendar December Challenge - Christmas Time
4. Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - AG Christmas
5. Creative Corner Challenges - Vintage/ Retro Christmas
6. Crafty Ribbons Challenge #178 - Christmas
7. Tuesday Throwdown TT321 - Make a Tag
8. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - 'O' Christmas Tree
9. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
10. WOW! Embossing Powder December Challenge - Winter (must heat emboss or use one of their products)
11. The Cat's Pajamas Tuesday Challenge #328 - Snow
12. Mod Squad Challenge - Holiday Dimension 

Monochrome Christmas Landscape

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a last-minute entry into the Winnie &Walter - November Rerun Challenge #16. They are featuring one of their lovely Happiest of Holidays with Evelin T Designs which I do not own, but I can still enter using another of their products and inspiration from one of their designers. Yay! Shay is so very generous over there at W&W!!!
 


I was inspired by this card by the awesomely talented Kelly Griglione. I love the simple design of the house with the trees stamped around it.





For my card, I went completely monochromatic and made a snowy church scene using my Winnie & Walter - Our Town stamp set and Distress Ink in Black Soot.  I did first, second, and third generation stamping to give some dimension and an imperfect "snowy" look to the images.  The monochrome reminds me of how a snowfall gives a landscape a soft black and white look.   Love this effect! 

Other supplies used include:
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Oval STAX die set
DCWV scrap and Black Cardstock from my stash
Baker's twine that might have come wrapped around an order from W&W :)

Thank you so much for stopping in and leaving your wonderful comments!! I have two more Christmas Concerts this week and then I can get on with other December activities....including getting my Christmas card supplies out to see how many cards I still need to make!  Ha. Have a great day!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter - November Rerun Challenge #16 Happiest of Holidays
2. The Male Room Challenge #49 - Landscape, Cityscape, etc.
3. November Rudolph Days at ScrappyMo's - Anything Christmas
4. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - 'O' Christmas Tree
5. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
6. Mod Squad Challenge - Holiday Dimension (I added visual dimension by second generation stamping my trees)
7. Allsorts Challenge Week #391 - Anything Christmas
8. DL.Art November Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
9. Crop Stop Linky Party #22 - Anything Goes using CS product (I used a My Favorite Things die)
10. Love to Scrap Challenge #90 - Anything Goes

Happy Birthday in Lavender and Pink

Hi, Friends......

I am here with another card for the this month's Viva la Verve Sketch challenge, again using the Sketch #1.





Here's what I came up with this time, using my Inspired by Stamping - Graceful Hydrangea stamp set (sadly, it is discontinued). The sentiment is stamped with Versafine Ink in Imperial Purple and the pastel image behind it is stamped with Distress Ink in Victorian Velvet. The square is die cut using My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set.

Do you like the papers I used? One is a scrap of lavender Core'dinations cardstock dry embossed with my Darice - Flowers and Vines Pattern folder. The pink piece is actually a repurposed scrap from a beautiful envelope that once held a store-bought card from a friend. Way too pretty to toss!! I adore the colors and the gleam of the foiling! The flowers are Prima and Petaloo.  The snippet of lace and the sparkly rhinestone are from my stash.

Hope you enjoyed this pretty birthday card. I very much appreciate your visits and your sweet comments!!! Hope you are having a lovely week.

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Pixie's Snippets Playground Week #257 - Use Snippets
2. Viva la Verve Sketch Challenge - November
3. Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge - Anything Goes using Patterned Paper
4. Crafty Friends Challenge #45 - Use Flowers
5. Aud Sentiments Challenge #169 - Anything Goes + Sentiment
6. Mod Squad Challenge - Sparkle it Up
7. Crop Stop Linky Party #22 - Anything Goes use a brand CS carries (I used My Favorite Things dies and Distress Ink)
8. Love to Scrap Challenge #90 - Anything Goes

Sparkly Thanksgiving Card with Stamped Verse

Hi, Friends.......

Can you stand one more Thanksgiving autumn leaf card? I had a whole bunch of these with just the patterned paper leaf glued on to the patterned paper background. (I drew this leaf myself, and I am so proud!! Ha!) I knew some dressing up was needed....so, as I did with a couple of the other cards I showed you today and yesterday, I squeezed out a line of white craft glue around the edge of the leaf and sprinkled on super-fine gold glitter. Love that sparkle!!!

This time I decided to add a sentiment from my Verve - Scripture Medley 3 stamp set using Tsukineko - Versamark Ink in Vintage Sepia. I stamped it on a scrap of DCWV cardstock and die cut it with My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Oval STAX die set. Then I added some dazzling orange rhinestones for more sparkle!

I think I am done with Thanksgiving cards for the year now. Not only am I delighted to have a stack of them in my TG box to use for next year, but I also reduced the number in the "Needs Work" bag!! Ha. Note that I only claimed that number to be "reduced" not eliminated!!! :) Thank you for your patience in looking at them....and thank you, always, for your encouraging comments!!
 
<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge - Anything Goes using Patterned Paper
2. The Artistic Stamper November Challenge - Autumnal
3. Aud Sentiments Challenge #169 - Anything Goes + Sentiment
4. The Paper Girls Challenge #116 - Grateful
5. Crop Stop Linky Party #22 - Anything Goes using CS product (I used a My Favorite Things die)
6. Love to Scrap Challenge #90 - Anything Goes
7. Amusing Challenge #43 - Anything Goes

Another Glittery Leaf with Nuvo Crystals

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with another Thanksgiving card I dressed up and finally finished. It was lying rejected and unloved in my Thanksgiving box because several years ago I did something "real crafters" never do: I used a pretty CALENDAR PAGE instead of "real" patterned paper!! However, I just can't bring myself to throw things away, so I dug it out and finally embellished it and now I am posting it for everyone to smirk at under their breath. Ha!!! 

Back when I started this card, I also didn't know about layering my background...so this has some very old patterned paper completely covering the card base. I rarely do that anymore! So here it is in all its non-glory. Every dog has its day, I guess. :) (Cards like this that pop up on my blog occasionally are prob part of the reason why I am never invited to be a guest designer at any challenges!! Bwahahaha!!!)

As with this other card, today's card started out with just the background paper and the leaf (one of my own free-hand designs! Yay!) glued on top. Again, I squeezed a line of white craft glue around the perimeter of the leaf and sprinkled with gold super-fine glitter and then turned to my Tonic Studios - Nuvo Crystal Drops once more. This time I just applied a few drops of the copper Nuvo to the background design instead of going crazy like last time. I think it adds just the right amount of shimmer. So even though this is just a lowly calendar page leaf and patterned paper from an ancient DCWV Fall Stack, the glitter and Nuvo drops make it into a simple but pretty card.....in MY opinion, at least. (Not sure I care abt your opinion, unless I decide to send this card to you next Thanksgiving! Hahahaha...)

I am entering this COQQ (card of questionable quality) in the Snarky Stampers UFO (Un-Finished Objects) Challenge. If you have something sitting around that has been neglected because it has fallen out of vogue (or, as in my case, never was in vogue!) or because your skill level has increased quite a bit since it was first started, I'd love to see it.  Please join in over there!

Thanks for stopping by! Now I have another card to put in my TG box for next year!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #193 - Use Orange, Green, Brown
2. Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge - Anything Goes using Patterned Paper
3. DL.Art November Linky Challenge - Anything Goes 
4. Hiding in My Craft Room - Any Holiday 
5. Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #73 - U is for UFO (un-finished objects) 

Everything Beautiful

Hi, Friends.....
 
I was pawing around in the scraps on my craft desk that were ready to be sorted by colors into my scrap drawer but first decided to make a couple of cards with them....even though they look springy rather than autumny or wintery. I followed the Sketch #1 in this month's Viva la Verve Sketch challenge.

Here's my take using Verve - Scripture Medley 3 stamp set and scraps from my stash:

And here's a second card using the same supplies (Prima flowers, Versafine ink in Blue Lagoon, My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set, and sequins and ribbon from my stash.)  

I really like the icy pastel/brights and early spring look of these two cards. A real contrast with the blazing autumn colors I had been working with. Hope you like them, too! Thank you for stopping by. I hope you are having a good week!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. Viva la Verve Sketch Challenge - November
2. Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge - Anything Goes using Patterned Paper
3. Crafty Friends Challenge #45 - Use Flowers
4. Aud Sentiments Challenge #169 - Anything Goes + Sentiment
5. Crop Stop Linky Party #22 - Anything Goes using a product brand that CS sells (I used a My Favorite Things die)
6. Love to Scrap Challenge #90 - Anything Goes
7. Amusing Challenge #43 - Anything Goes
8. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Trio-tastic (used 3 flowers)

Leaf with Nuvo Crystal Drop Accents in Background

Hi, Friends.....

I took advantage of American Thanksgiving coming a little early because of how the calendar fell this year by finishing and/or embellishing and/or remaking some rejects in my Thanksgiving box. Here's a simple card that was lying there unfinished with only the patterned paper leaf cut out and glued to the patterned paper covered card base. I had a bunch of these!! What to do to dress them up????

I am extremely proud of myself that I drew this leaf free-hand!!!  I cut out a pattern from my drawing to use for tracing onto patterned papers for autumn leaf cards.  :)

Glitter always help, right???? I layed down a line of white craft glue around the entire outline of the leaf, covering the stem completely. Then I sprinkled gold super-fine glitter over it. That made a huge difference, but it still needed something.

A couple months ago I bought a few colors of Tonic Studios - Nuvo Crystal Drops that I hadn't been brave enough to try yet. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to control the size of droplets I was dispensing onto my project. I did a practice run on a scrap and it was really easy!!! You squeeze these out right onto your project, although I guess you could do them on something non-stick and then glue them onto your card or mixed media piece. Following the pattern of this whimsical doodled background, I went a little crazy with the drops. LOVE the effect!!! I didn't have the Nuvo in gold that matched my glitter, so I used copper penny for a mixed metal look. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! :) What do you think?

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and leaving your sweet comments!!  You totally make my day.

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Little Scrap Pieces Show it off Saturday Linky Party
2. Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge - Anything Goes using Patterned Paper
3. Crafty Calendar November Challenge - Autumn Colors
4. Hiding in My Craft Room - Any Holiday (Thanksgiving)
5. Mod Squad Challenge - Sparkle it Up 

Vintage Thanksgiving

Hi, Friends.....
 
Do you ever make holiday cards AFTER the holiday while your supplies are still out...so you have some on hand for next year??? I do this all the time. With American Thanksgiving being a bit early because of the way the calendar fell this year, there were still plenty of November challenges calling for Thankful sorts of cards with autumn colors. Yay! That's right up my alley....getting some made and put away for next year! :)

I was inspired by the Papercrafter's Circle Magazine Monday inspiration piece for this week:

I loved how this autumn cover has a black background....something I rarely use on Thanksgiving cards.  One of the requirements for this challenge was that you show something you are thankful for and I chose the good food from a bountiful harvest.  Here's my take using some pieces from the Graphic 45 - Times Nouveau collection, some leftovers from other Thanksgiving cards, and scraps from my stash:

I went with a square format for this card, as I often do when I make a collage style card with my Graphic 45 elements. It just seems that an A2 size isn't big enough, but I don't want to make a much larger half-fold card, either. I could go up to the next size larger 5"x7", but usually don't. What is your go-to next size larger card????? Do you go square or stay rectangular?

Other supplies used:
Leaves from the Dollar Store
Glitter glue rubbed on the leaves for shimmer
Twine from the Dollar Store
Core'dinations black cardstock

Hope you enjoyed my card. I will share a few other Thanksgiving ones soon!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Papercrafters Corner Magazine Monday Week 165
2. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #193 - Use Orange, Green, Brown
3. DL.Art November Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
4. Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge - Anything Goes using Patterned Paper
5. The Artistic Stamper November Challenge - Autumnal
6. Hiding in My Craft Room - Any Holiday
7. Aud Sentiments Challenge #169 - Anything Goes + Sentiment
8. The Paper Girls Challenge #116 - Grateful
9. Mod Squad Challenge - Sparkle it Up 
10. Love to Scrap Challenge #90 - Anything Goes 

So Full of Thanks(giving cards)!!!

Here are a couple of funnies for you that I found on FB.........

Hi, Friends......

After I made the card using the Mojo Monday sketch on Sunday, I was so impressed with how many scraps I was able to use that I got super-inspired to make more Thanksgiving cards.......12 more!!!  Yikes!!!  It was great.  I pulled out a bunch of scraps in coordinating colors and then I watched "The Crown" series on Netflix while I die cut and die cut and die cut!  :)  Here's one of my favorites of the bunch.

I wanted also to show you the simple inside treatment that used up even more scraps!!! Yay!!!






And here are all 12 of them crowded inside the little cubbyhole of my bookshelf that I use for my photography.

Other supplies used include:
A Creative Journey with Melissa - Fall and Winter Holiday Sentiments stamp set
Versafine Ink - Onyx Black
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Oval STAX die set
LDRS - Gilded Oval Labels die set
Leaf from Dollar Store with glitter glue rubbed on for shimmer
Kraft Cardstock
Sentiment stamps used inside the cards from my stash

TRUE CONFESSION TIME:
I also made envelopes for each of these (I didn't take a photo...sorry) with papers from an ancient autumn print DCWV stack.  I have a confession to make:  using things from my stash can be a struggle.  For some weird obsessive reason, even as I was cutting into the very, very old 12x12 papers for making envelopes, I was thinking...."I should save a sheet of this pretty print for some time when I need a larger piece than I am left with after this envelope."  Whaaaaa-aaaaat am I thinking?????  This stack is utterly prehistoric, friends!!!  

I even had trouble finding a photo of it on Pinterest, but finally did locate one.  Do any of you remember this one?  Or....(perish the thought) have it still on your shelf?????  Well I do...and still haven't used it up!  Ha.  And that doesn't even include miscellaneous sheets and scraps from it that are in my different seasonal boxes (Thanksgiving, Halloween, etc)  I am sick, I tell ya.......SICK!!!  And dare I mention that this is merely my oldest autumn stack from DCWV that is sitting on my shelf?  Glancing up at my autumn section, I count partials of 9 or 10 others.  So now do you see why I am tickled to use up scraps and old stash???  Ha!

Hope you enjoyed the little peek into my OCD (obsessive crafting disorder) life....and liked seeing my cards!  :)  I know Thanksgiving is past for my Canadian friends, but each of us can be thankful for the blessings we have received every day!!  I know I personally have many, many things I am thankful to the Lord for......including each of you, my dear readers and friends!!

<3
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. Pixie's Snippets Playground Week #255 - Anything Goes Using Snippets
2. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #192 - Thanksgiving
3. Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge - Anything Goes using Patterned Paper
4. Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks 256-257 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
5. Little Scrap Pieces - Show it off Saturday Linky Party
6. The Artistic Stamper November Challenge - Autumnal
7. DL.Art November Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
8. Die Cutting Divas Challenge #292 - Thanksgiving
9. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving
10. Crafty Calendar November Challenge - Autumn Colors
11. Dragonfly Dreams - Autumnal Colors
12. Dragonfly Journeys Challenge #79 - Thankful Heart
13. Great Impressions November Challenge - Anything Goes