Hot Air Balloon Birthday

Hi, Friends......

I am back with another kid's birthday card using the the current MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #469:

I used one of my marker refill watercolor backgrounds with stamping. You can't tell in the photo, but I used Wink of Stella on the clouds.  This one seems more masculine, so it would be good for a boy.

Supplies used include:
Fiskars - Up in the Air stamp set
Versafine Ink in Imperial Purple
Distress Markers
Canson -140 lb XL Watercolor Pad
Wink of Stella pen
Core'dinations/Darice solid cardstock for card base

Hope you like my card. Thank you for stopping by and leaving your kind comments!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #469
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Party Time
3. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Party Time
4. Double Trouble Challenge #46 - Thing 1: AnyTHING, Thing 2: Entered one of the Listed Challenges (I entered The Crafter's Cafe challenge, also.)
5. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #418-419 - AG
6. MFT Birthday Challenge - CAS
7. The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #233 - Holidays or Begins with C (I used clouds)

Kid's Birthday Hooray!

Hi, Friends.....

I snagged some creative time in my craft room....instead of just sorting and reorganization time! A friend at church asked me to make some kid birthday cards for her array of grandies of all ages up through pre-teen. So I thought I better get going on some.

I drew inspiration from the current MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #469:

Here's my take for a young girl card:

Supplies used include:
Fiskars - Up in the Air stamp set
Versafine Ink in Deep Lagoon
Lawn Fawn - Large Stitched Rectangles die set
Darice - Nesting Scallop Circles die set
Darice - Nesting Scallop Hearts die set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Core'dinations/Darice solid cardstock for card base

Hope you are getting some time to play in your craft room these last few days of the year. I have another card to share using the same sketch...so I will see you soon!! Thank you for stopping by.

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges: 
1. MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #469
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Party Time
3. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Party Time
4. Crafty Hazelnut's December Patterned Paper Challenge
5. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #418-419 - AG
6. DL.ART December Linky Party - AG

Friends and Quilts

Hi, Friends......

Hoping you all had a Merry Christmas and are enjoying the week in between Christmas and New Year's Day. I always LOVE this week because all the holiday rush is past and the millions of church and family activities are mostly done, but the house is still all decorated and pretty. I can better focus on what this lovely season is all about.....Christ coming into the world to be our Savior. ✟

I hope you got lots of fun crafty goodies under your tree and have been able maybe to sneak into your crafty space to play. My playtime has been sorting and organizing....with only a little bit of creating. And, boy oh boy, does my crafty space need sorting and organizing!! I have so many odds and ends and scraps and whatnots!

Speaking of scraps, I have a card to share today that I made from snippets awhile back, but never got blogged. (I hope I am not the only one that has a list of blog items in drafts that are waiting to come to life!) What better way to use bits and pieces of pretty patterned paper, than by making a pieced quilt card....after all, isn't that what quilters do with bits and pieces of pretty fabric? :)

I happened to have a quilt stamp from a different company....not at all related to the quilt die....but it coordinates so well that I also decorated up an envelope using it.

Supplies used include:
Gina Marie Designs - Stitched Quilt #3 Block Die - Flower Burst
Cardz-TV - Quilted with Love stamp set
Versafine ink in Imperial Purple
Tons of DCWV patterned and solid cardstock scraps
Core'dinations cardstock for card base and sentiment panel

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have a relaxing rest of 2019 and will be ready to launch into 2020 in a few days!!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Pixie's Snippets Challenge #368 - Use Snippets
2. Crafty Hazelnut's December Patterned Paper Challenge
3. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #418-419 - AG
4. DL.ART December Linky Party - AG
5. Through The Craft Room Door - AG

Tis the Season to be Jolly

Hi, Friends......

Here is another set of cards I made with that same MFT Sketch as I used in all my last five blog posts! I didn't get this set made in time to add them to that Sketch challenge link up, but I was mostly wanting to make a few more cards to have for sending out. There are other Christmas challenges I will get these into. :)

This turned out to be a fabulous sketch for me because I have a ton of 3-1/2" wide strips of patterned paper and cardstock in my stash. I was able to use this particular strip with snow-covered trees (of which I had three!) to make two different designs of cards. Yay! Six more cards ready to send!!

Here's another part of the strip of snowy trees on a different background. I think it gives quite a different look in the paler tones than the other darker one. Which do you like better? I like this second one better....looks snowier and colder. Brrr! 

Fortunately, we don't have any snow at the moment. That could change in the next few days, though. We have had several snowy spells already, but it all went away.

Supplies used include:
Kaisercraft - CS339 Mix & Match Sentiments stamp set
Versafine ink in Majestic Blue
DCWV scraps from stash
Distress Ink for paper edges
Snowflakes from an old SSS Card Kit

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I bet you are all as busy with Christmas prep as I am. But I have you beat on being behind because I still need to get most of my cards sent out! EEEK!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. Word Art Wednesday Challenge #416-417 - AG
2. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #104
3. Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #446 - AG
4. Through The Craft Room Door - AG
5. Crafty Hazelnut's December Patterned Paper Challenge
6. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #467 - AG Christmas
7. DL.ART December Linky Party - AG
8. Dare2BArtzy December Challenge - Holiday Fun
9. Kat Scrappiness December Challenge - Any December Holiday  
10. STAMPlorations December Theme and Photo Prompt Challenge  - Stamps + Holidays (Use photo and/or theme)

Roses at Christmas

Hi, Friends......

I am back with the last of my cards using the MFT Sketch Challenge inspiration sketch.  This time I am using some gorgeous DCWV paper and also some Basic Grey stickers.

I just can't stay away from pink at Christmas......or any other time!!!  lol...  I love using a Rose theme at Christmas, too.

Supplies used include:
Basic Grey Stickers
DCWV scraps
Sequins from stash
Distress Ink for Paper Edges

Thank you for plowing through all these sketch cards I made. Hope you enjoyed seeing them!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #466
2. Crafty Hazelnut's December Patterned Paper Challenge
3. Kat Scrappiness December Challenge - Any December Holiday
4. Cards Und More Shop Challenge #43 - Festive

Pink and Purple Christmas

Hi, Friends......

I am back with a pretty non-traditional color combo....well, I think it is pretty at least!! lol... It uses the MFT Sketch Challenge inspiration sketch and some lovely snowflakes and stamped tag that Gloria Stengel sent me a long time ago. (THANKS, Gloria!) I am determined to use some of these beautiful long-hoarded items!! I bet you have a few, too! :)

Supplies used include:
Snowflakes and stamped tag from my stash from Gloria Stengel
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Pretty Pink Posh - Sparkling Clear Mix sequins
DCWV scraps from my stash
Distress Ink for paper edges

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving your kind comments!! I hope all your Christmas preparations are going well!! Don't get too busy to remember the real reason we celebrate!!


🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #466
2. Crafty Hazelnut's December Patterned Paper Challenge
3. Dare2BArtzy December Challenge - Holiday Fun
4. Kat Scrappiness December Challenge - Any December Holiday
5. Cards Und More Shop Challenge #43 - Festive

Another Quick Card Using Stickers!

 Hi, Friends.....

I am back with another card for the MFT Sketch Challenge, using more of the Imaginisce stickers from my stash. Yay!!....I only have one left in the package. It is pretty rare for me to actually use something up, so I am very excited that I have sped through this package with the cards in this sketch series!!

 

Supplies used include:
Imaginisce Christmas stickers
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Lawn Fawn sequin mix (retired)
DCWV Scraps from my stash
Distress Ink for paper edges

Maybe these cards will inspire you to make some quick creations using your stickers, too! Thank you for stopping by!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #466
2. Crafty Hazelnut's December Patterned Paper Challenge
3. Kat Scrappiness December Challenge - Any December Holiday
4. Cards Und More Shop Challenge #43 - Festive
 

Using Stickers as Focal Elements on a Sketch

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with another couple of cards made with the MFT Sketch Challenge inspiration sketch.

Do you have lots of doodads in your Christmas supplies that need using?  I sure do!  This time I used some fun stickers that had been in my Christmas stash for a long time. These were from an Imaginisce set Rachel Kleinman sent me (THANKS, Rachel!!) I added some Lawn Fawn sequins for festive sparkle.

Supplies used include:Imaginisce Christmas stickers
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Lawn Fawn sequin mix (retired)
DCWV Scraps from my stash
Distress Ink for paper edges 

Thank you for stopping by. I still have a few more cards to share that I made with this sketch, so I will see you soon!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #466
2. Crafty Hazelnut's December Patterned Paper Challenge
3. Dare2BArtzy December Challenge - Holiday Fun 
4. Kat Scrappiness December Challenge - Any December Holiday  

Big Gold Snowflakes

Hi, Friends......

I got super-inspired by the MFT Sketch Challenge last week and made a bunch of Christmas cards with scraps using the fun sketch!

Here are two cards that I made using a big dollar store gold snowflake ornament for the focal image. Love the scroll-work look of the snowflakes with the deep colors in the papers.  The ornament is too bulky for mailing, but I have plenty of hand-deliver card recipients on my list.  :)

Here's the second one. Which do you like better?

Supplies used include:
Dollar Store gold ornament
Scraps from my stash
Sequins from my stash
Distress Ink for paper edges 

Hope you liked these showy cards! I will be back with more that I made with that sketch. See you soon!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #466
2. Crafty Hazelnut's December Patterned Paper Challenge
3. Kat Scrappiness December Challenge - Any December Holiday

The Christmas Story - Guest Elf for Christmas Kickstart

Hi, Friends......

I am excited and honored to be Jo's Guest Elf for this fortnight's Christmas Kickstart Challenge. The theme this time is "The Christmas Story" which is what I love most of all to include in my Christmas cards. Even the cards I make with snowmen or reindeer on the fronts have a small nativity stamped on the inside or some reference to Christmas being a celebration of Jesus' birth. 

I usually try to use neglected supplies in my stash for Jo's challenge. But when she asked me way back near the beginning of the year to do this theme, I knew the die set I wanted to buy esp for this card.....which you will see in a moment. I heat embossed all the edges in sparkling gold and spattered with white gesso for a starry sky.

My card is a gatefold style with a velcro fastener under the gold backing of the sentiment panel.

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

Here is a shot of it as it is opening. You can see the white velcro fastener on the right. These Tombow velcro fasteners (sadly retired) REALLY stick, so I patted a dry Swiffer sheet over it. Some of the fibers pulled out of the sheet and made the Velcro not quite so grabby. :) It still holds the card closed securely, but doesn't try to tear the card apart when you open it!

Here we are all opened up. I left the bottom part of the center panel white so a greeting can be written. Sorry about the angle of the left-hand panel.....it made a bright white glare on the gold foil shepherd and sheep. (Hey....at least you can't see a reflection of me in my pink fuzzy bathrobe!! Ha. Yes...that really HAS happened!!) You can see the other side of the velcro pad on the backside of the sentiment panel.

Supplies used include:
STAMPlorations - A Child is Born - Typografia Christmas
Versamark ink
Gold embossing powder
Pink & Main Scallop Waves die set
Darice - Manger Accessories die set
Darice - Manger die
DCWV Foiled cardstock in Gold
White cardstock scraps
Simon Says Stamp - Soft Navy 100# Cardstock
Gesso
Tombow Hook and Loop Tabs (retired)

Hope you enjoyed my card! Thank you to the wonderful Jo for inviting me to be her Guest Elf. I hope you all will join in "The Christmas Story" Christmas Kickstart Challenge. I can't wait to see your Christmas Story cards!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Add Sparkle (I have sparkling stars and sparkling gold embossing)
2. Addicted-To-Stamps Challenge #179 - Anything Goes Stamp Focal (I have a focal stamped sentiment on the card front)
3. Allsorts Week #548 - Christmas Gifts (The 3 Wise Men on the inside have gifts)
4. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #466 - AG Christmas
5. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - AG
6. Word Art Wednesday #414-415 - AG
7. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #103
8. Crimbo Crackers Challenge #198 - Animals + Christmas

Glory to God in the Highest - November Rudolph Days

Hi, Friends......

Squeaking in here with a November Rudolph Days card just under the wire. I used one of my new STAMPlorations stamps, heat embossed on a Distress Ink background. Added a few clear sparkly sequins to finish it off. Super-easy, but I LOVE the effect. I made four of them. :)

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
STAMPlorations - Glory to God - Typografia in Faith stamp
Versamark ink
White embossing powder
Distress Ink in Aged Mahogany for background
Canson - Mixed Media Paper
Pretty Pink Posh - Sparkling Clear Mix sequins

Thanks for stopping by. I hope I can be a little more active on my blog in December....but with Christmas, who knows? lol... Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges: 
1. November Rudolph Days at Scrappy Mo's
2. Addicted-To-Stamps Challenge #179 - Anything Goes Stamp Focal
3. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #103
4. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #466 - AG Christmas
5. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - AG
6. Word Art Wednesday #414-415 - AG

From Australia....Right to my Door!!

Hi, Friends.......

Look what arrived at my house today straight from Australia!!! Our dear Cat Hopper friend, the lovely Alex at Pink Crafty Mama, kindly sent me this wonderful thank you gift after the Hop and it arrived today!! It's a beautiful tea towel which shows all sorts of fun and interesting sights to see around the Melbourne area.

To be honest, I had to do a Google map search to see exactly where Melbourne is located in Australia. [Okay...I don't really feel too super-bad about not knowing that. She prob doesn't know where Idaho is in the USA, either!! :) ] I figured that Alex prob lived near Melbourne, but didn't know for sure. So I looked up her city and state and found that indeed she lives near there. I LOVE the internet and having friends all over the globe!!! 🖤🖤🖤

Here's a pic of the souvenir towel all spread out. I WANT TO GO THERE!!! Who's with me????!!!!  [Hope you have room for us all, Alex!!!  :) ]

THANK YOU, Alex, for this lovely gift. You are so sweet!! I am thrilled to have this. I am going to find a special place to hang it for display!!
 
And to all our fabulous Hoppers:  I am finally being able to breathe again after the blizzard of prize correspondence. Now that most of the prizes have arrived at their destinations, I really am looking forward to the next Hop!!! I must be totally crazy. Ha.

🖤
Janis

Shout Out to The Gray Muse

Hi, Friends......

Quick post here to show you the fun prize that my crafty pal D.Ann at D.Ann's Crafting Whims sent me from the 2019 Cat Lovers Hop.  (THANKS, D.Ann!!!)  As the Hop hostess, I don't usually get any prizes, although some of our generous sponsors send me digital images to play with and occasionally I get some stamps from other sponsors. Every once in awhile, one our Hoppers will send me a little thank you gift....totally not expected and not necessary, but soooooo sweet and much appreciated!!

What a lovely assortment of little kitty items in addition to the pin from The Gray Muse!!!  Thank you, D.Ann!!!  🖤

D. Ann really goes the extra mile and finds a sponsor or two for prizes on her Hop posts during the week. This year she introduced the Hoppers to the wonderful enamel pins that the lovely Rubeena at The Gray Muse sells. She very kindly sponsored D.Ann by providing a number of different crafting-themed pins for giveaways! WOW! I was a lucky winner and I got the Clear Stamps pin. LOVE!!

A huge thank you to D.Ann for this lovely prize and to Rubeena at The Gray Muse for this sweet pin!!

🖤
Janis

So Grateful in Funky Autumn Prints

Hi, Friends.....

Thank you for the well wishes you expressed to me at my last post. I am feeling so much better now. That was a nasty, terrible, awful stomach bug I had, but I am fine now.... (If I can keep this sore throat at bay that seems to be trying to sneak up on me now!!! Whaaat? Can't I have a little time to just feel good???? Ugh.)

I am here to share a couple of funky cards I made with some wacky patterned paper I picked up at an out-of-town thrift store for 25 cents!! Hahahaha....some of you will say "I can see why they were only asking 25 cents!!" They had an entire wall of different patterns!! I loved the crazy prints and the bright colors of this one. I am still a 60s/70s gal at heart. :)

I used the current MFT Wednesday Sketch:

Here are my cards......kinda crazy, right? :)

Supplies used include:
Thrift store 6x6 paper pad and coordinating die cuts
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
A Creative Journey with Melissa - Fall and Winter Holiday Sentiments stamp set
Versafine Ink in Vintage Sepia
Darice/Core'dinations cardstock
Adhesive Gems

Hope you got a smile from this mish-mash of different colors and patterns. Thank you for stopping by today!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card (top one) in the following challenges:
1. MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #462
2. DL.ART November Linky Challenge
3. Dare2BArtzy November Challenge - Thankful
4. Crafty Hazelnut's November Patterned Paper Challenge
5. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #102

Autumn Roses Thanks - Winnie & Walter

Hi, Friends.....

Super-quick post today to get my card in under the wire at Winnie & Walter's October Color Combo Challenge. I have been sick all week and am still really light-headed. Ugh.. It took me all week to muster up the energy to make this card, and I didn't manage to make a thing for the coffee hop.  Oh, well... (sigh)

Here is the inspiration photo for the W&W challenge:

Here's my card:

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Mini Scenery: Bed of Roses stamp
Versafine ink in Toffee
Clear embossing powder
Winnie & Walter - Scenery: The Leaf Effect Creative Screenings
Distress Markers and Inks
Winnie &Walter - In a Word: Thanks Cutaway die

That's all I can do for now. Thank you for stopping by.

CAT HOPPERS: Thank you to those of you who have emailed me to tell me your prizes arrived. Yay! I haven't been up to replying to you yet, but I got your notes.

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenge(s):
1. Winnie & Walter October Color Combo Challenge
More later maybe, if I have the energy.

Autumn 80th Birthday Card

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a quick post to share an 80th birthday card for my husband's aunt. I used some American Crafts items: frame, glittery Thickers, and washi. I added glitter glue (smooshed around with my fingers...fun!!) to some Dollar Store leaves. My background is from scraps of autumn themed DCWV papers.

Supplies used include:
American Crafts products
DCWV scraps
Dollar Store leaves
Gold glitter glue
Distress Ink in Fired Brick

This is the last day to get in on STAMPlorations fun Belated Birthday Celebration, but you still have time to get a quick card made or to enter the comment contests.

One of their fun games is to share our STAMPlorations wishlist in a blog post for a chance to win $40 worth of items on the list! WOW. I totally love their Typografia stamps! So my WISHLIST is filled with a bunch of them. YAY!! You've got time to shop around their store and get a wishlist linked up and get a chance to win, also!!

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you are having a lovely week.

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. STAMPlorations Wishlist Linky Party
2. STAMPlorations 6th Birthday Linky Party
3. Crafty Hazelnut's November Patterned Paper Challenge
4. SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
5. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #410-411 - Anything Goes
6. Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #364 - Use Snippets
7. AAA Birthday Challenge Game #7 - Include a Number