Always You and Hello Tag...The Cutting Edge Challenge and Tag, You're It Challenge #2

Blink of an eye and I'm back...

This time, my duo of projects come about because of the amazing Jackie Rockwell's new challenges, and my, oh my, they are fabulous!

First is my take on The Cutting Edge Challenge #5, where we are invited to draw inspiration from the dazzling, ever so pretty delight created by Melania Deasy:

My card doesn't use a 'recent' purchase, but rather, some infrequently used stamps and dies that I was inspired to show some love to, based on the card that Karolyn Loncon shared as part of the DT inspiration.  My Verve flowers are happy - and  thank you ,Karolyn, for the 'spark'.  A PS 'always' die, along with a Simon Says 'you' rounded out my die elements....

Have you noticed: three cards in two posts....and nary a butterfly in sight?  Well, my wonderful, patient friends (and thank you  for indulging me my butterfly obsession, or rather OBSESSION!)...wait no more *grin*  A wee tag is up next,  inspired by the phenomenally talented Laura Bassen's gorgeous stunner over at Tag, You're It Challenge #2

Mine is just a 'plain Jane' version, with a bit of embossed honeycomb stamping, a hello die cut and, of course, butterflies - one sponged in red, a smaller one die cut in vellum....

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

On a Roll!! Two Cards...Arrow Hello ~TIME OUT Challenge #10 and Retrosketches #125; Thanks ~ CAS(E) this Sketch #86 and The Card Concept #15: Colour Challenge

Tuesday evening, and I'm settling in to share a series of cards that I had the luxury of creating over the last day and a half.  Holidays (well, sort of...I went into work yesterday for a snippet of time, and a repeat tomorrow) and crafting appear to go hand in hand.  Aside from some major minimal cleaning (I tackled the bathroom tiles...nearly did myself in with the 'scrubbing bubbles' concoction. Those little flurries of cleanliness may look cute on the container, but hokey smokes...they are powerful on the nostrils and the throat. "Use in a well ventilated space' really means well ventilated!  Fumes...blech! But  my tiles are sparkling and I'm happy!!), a couple loads of laundry, the creation of a stack of ironing, and rescuing my husband from a flat tire on his training ride, which now has to be reschedule for tomorrow, and doing some 'nanocomposite' editing, my attention has turned to cards.  Have to use the new goodies, right?

So, because I know everyone is busy with summer activities, I'll keep prattling to a minimum.

Card #1 was inspired by deetails from TIME OUT Challenge #10, where possibilities galore can be found in this amazing photo:

The striped wall, the arrow on the back right, and several colours inspired my image choices, which I then paired with retrosketches #125

NOTE:  Honoured and delighted to be receive a Retrosketches Shout Out for this card. THANK  YOU!!

My second card is, well...let's just say some lessons learned.  The lovely colours and photo at The Card Concept Challenge #15

was a 'so want to do,' but...no aqua or lime inks/papers in my collection. Then I remembered: the Gelato set I bought, which had precisely the colours required.  Of course, being gelato-clueless (I did watch a video, but not with particularly rapt attention), I took them to task with my new TH striped stencil.  Ummm...gelatos and narrow stencils don't work together that easily, however I persevered.  Next up, I embossed one of the pretty flowers from STAMPlorations Boxed Blooms, and gelato-ed it.  A bit of a cramped space for blending with fingertips...I wasn't going to be deterred my mission.  Gelatos all the way - coupled with a much  better understanding of how to use - or rather, not use, them.  They are quite cool and I have ideas for showcasing them 'properly'.  My card turned out okay, I think...it's kind of 'funky' in a clean and layered fashion.  My layout comes from CAS(E) this Sketch #86

The aqua and lime smerged a bit on the stripes, but hopefully they're still distinct enough

to see the colours.

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add joy to my day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GERI!!...ColourQ #251, Muse Challenge #77, STAMPlorations July Challenge: Stamps and Glitter

Happy Sunday evening...and I'm running late, late, late for a very important date...

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday, dear Gerrriiiiii…

Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuu!!

Yes, today is the birthday of our wonderful Geri, my 'just down the road' (or rather a couple of provinces) buddy.  Queen of Cas, heart as big as Everest, sweeter than the most decadent chocolate indulgence you can imagine, card creator of extraordinary creativity, and one heck of an amazing individual in general, who I had the opportunity to meet in real life a few months back.  Geri is, in a word: 

ultrasuperfabulousawesomespecialuniquepreciousthoughtfulheartwarmingenouragingdelightfuldazzling.

I could add more description about this treasure of a friend, but I think you get my gist: she is a gem!!

Geri, you've touched my life - and the lives of many of us - in a fashion that speaks volumes of your capacity for being genuine, kind and marvelous. Your encouragement and support, shared through your warm, wonderful (and often hilarious) comments has had more impact than I have words to express (yes...hard to believe, as I'm always full of words!).  You've buoyed my confidence in untold ways, and have certainly given me the confidence to take on challenges that I would have ever considered possible.  Said it before and will say it again: you are a GIFT!! I'm so glad our lives have crossed paths, and my life is all the richer for us having met.  

I baked you a cake...well, not a real one (heavens, that would be rather catastrophic, given my sketchy baking skills), but a delightful wonky, water-coloured (still practicing, practicing) two-layered-with-a-cupcake-on-top cake. It's iced with concord grape, melon mambo, and  pretty pink. The cupcake liner and the plate are close to coral in colour - I figured that would serve well in creating a 'coordinated' display. Of course, some sparkle on this dessert was definitely required, so I added a heavy helping (hard to see in the photo...grrr) on the icing and decorative swirls.  A trio of  shimmery candles and ta dahhh... cake all for you!! Oh yes - it's totally calorie free, so indulge to the max!!  

Yes, my friend, my card is destined for a few challenges that sparked its creation:  

ColourQ #251

Muse #77, where Marion's card inspired the 'framed' layout central focal image

and STAMPlorations July Challenge: Stamps and Glitter (and that's where my 'cake recipe' came from, too)

Here it is...and I hope it brings a smile!

Truly, I ultra Wink of Stella-ed the concord grape icing, the melon coloured decorations,

the candles and the wee flames.  Hard to see...I may have to create another card to showcase

 'glitter' better (twist my rubber arm!!)

Wishing you a most marvelous (now belated!) Happy Birthday and a year filled with all things spectacular!

Now, I'm off to the party Bev, the Queen of Party-Planning, has organized for you.  Rumor has it there's some nice eye-candy to gaze at and admire *grin* 

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Thanks x 2...AAA Cards Game #12: INSPIRE, Colour Me #30: Playful

Happy Saturday! We arrived home from the last leg of our travels - visiting my husband's family - yesterday evening.  So nice to be back in the comfort of familiar surroundings...especially my crafting goodies!  I've not accomplished much by way of unpacking, though, as I'm trying to 'rearrange' my postage-stamp sized crafting area to welcome the new goodies, as well as reintegrate the 'mobile crafting unit' stuff into something better organized.  Of course, I wound up totally distracted, especially since I realized, only a short time earlier, that a challenge I *had* to enter was closing today!  Gahhh....After nearly a week of not crafting, I'm feeling a bit rusty, however, I created two projects this morning: one card and one scrapling (inspired by Vicki D's DT card), which is a first for me.

The 'must do' challenge for today comes from AAA Cards: Game 12: INSPIRE CASing Angela Maine.  How could I resist trying a take on this charming card; not only is it ever so pretty,

but her last name is the same as mine (different spelling)!  I also drew inspiration from Colour Me #30: Playful

Lacking  those specific yellow and melon ink colours, I adapted: patterned papers for the card, and Memento Inks, sponged, for the scrapling. 

The scrapling is for Colour Me only...

My husband is off on his bike (no surprise...) as he's continuing training for races this upcoming weekend: road race on Saturday, hill climb Sunday, and crit on Monday. I'll be officiating, so no standing in the feed zone for me on Saturday...and plenty of nail biting on Monday.  Should be entertaining, as always....On the plus side, the races are closer to home (in and around Calgary, just over an hour's drive away); on the not-so-plus side...we ain't in Bend *grin*

NOTE:  So very honoured and delighted that my card was selected as the Challenge winner at AAA Cards. THANK YOU immensely!

NOTE:  THANK YOU to Joanne over at Colour Me for selecting my dragonfly scrapling as a Colour Me...Honourable Mention!  Honoured and delighted!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments make my day!

Wavy Thanks...Paper Crafting Challenges #14: Colour Challenge, Curtain Call: Anything Goes

Hello...

Hard to believe that our trip to Bend is over...sighh. My husband survived the suffer-fest (and has given the nod for tackling it yet again next year; fingers crossed that comes to fruition); water-bottle passing was a success; we enjoyed every. single. minute.

In addition to the most excellent cycling events, I landed on some mighty fine crafty sales as well!  And yep...I took advantage; the mobile crafting unit is coming home a little more 'stuffed' than when it first left.  My finds include: two packages of Michael's #110 cardstock (at seriously less a cost than in Alberta - then add on coupons +  a gift card from the sweet Taunya that I won over at her blog a little while back - thank you again, Taunya...super score!!), Versafine black ink, a card+envelope set (again, mega reduced), two embossing folders, one TH stencil, a variety of adhesives and a 24 package of Prismacolor water-soluble pencils (lessons needed...).  I've likely forgotten a few things, but the bottom line: sweet deals!!

At the moment, we're in Kelowna, visiting my husband's family. My crafting time is virtually nil (although I did go for a wee shop at the local amazing scrapbooking store: some paper, a Memory Box die twisted my arm to come home with me), but I have a card that I created in Bend to share.

It's a simple numbers with elements you've seen from me umpteen occasions before, but there is a 'first: the 'splatter with water-droplets' technique. I know, I know....sooooo daring *grin*, but I've decided that by taking 'baby steps' with getting the hang of water-colouring, I may experience better success - at least as far as my attitude to what I make is concerned.  I'm rather happy with the way this turned out, so it's  heading over to where the inspiration was initially sparked:  Paper Crafting Challenge #14:

Sponged background, sponged butterflies. Same old, same old - and I thank you immensely for your patience with my repetitiveness in images, of late (more variety in the mobile crafting unit, next time!).  The traveling has been nothing short of fabulous, but home is calling....I'm looking forward to being reunited with my crafty goodies, my own bed, my routines...

ETA:  I was hoping to find time to make more of a 'photo inspired' card for the Curtain Call Challenge: Anything Goes,

but my opportunities are skimpy. Waiting until we return home will see me miss the entry deadline. So, I've decided to share my card here over at the gallery.  Happy First Anniversary, Curtain Call!  Thank you to the team for investing time, energy and talent in creating such fabulous challenges and sharing such incredible inspiration. May Anniversary #1 become #2, #3, #4....

NOTE:  Honoured and delighted to have caught the Paper Crafting team's eye with this card. THANK YOU!!

Thanks so much for dropping by;  your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hello - Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #105: Photo Inspiration

Hello!

Today, I'm once again  honoured and delighted to share my second card as a member of Addicted to Stamps and More, with inspiration drawn from this fabulous purple door, adorned with a lovely bouquet of flowers.  Beautifully inviting...I'd step through that threshold any day...I can just imagine how outstanding the rest of the house must be...

Confession time: this most elegant door had me stymied for quite a while, and it didn't  help matters that my 'mobile crafting unit' that I brought with me on our vacation, didn't have flowers of the kind I could visualize using.  No purple paper either. Talk about not using foresight in my packing! So, time to shift into innovate and adapt mode...and a decision to use an entirely new image.  Hahahaha....NOT!  Butterfly alert...

There is method to my madness creation: ; the butterfly, sponged with pink/purple distress inks to capture the colours of the floral bouquet, with the green Hello standing in for the leaves; the purple tag is also sponged, with a vellum companion tag behind, to replicate the door's windows; the tag eyelet is kraft, to represent the basket/door mat.  The script background on the stitched mat panel...simply because I like it (plus it came along for the ride).

I hope you enjoy my interpretation.

Head on over (or back, depending on where you started) to  Addicted to Stamps and More, to see how several other DT members were inspired by this photo. You'll be incredibly impressed!  Once you've scoped things out, dash immediately to your crafting zone, create away, and share with us.  You may win this prize of of 3 digis from

http://www.qkrstampede.com/ 

I'm looking forward to what you'll bring to this challenge; I already know it will be fabulous.

ETA:  I just realized that my card fits the FUSION challenge (script images, colours), so I'm heading over!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments make my day!

Floral Window Box Butterflies...AAA Cards: Game #11, ColourQ #250

Happy Saturday, all! I hope the sun is shining as brightly wherever you may be, as it is here in Bend OR!

I'm here with a card I made today, between my husband's early morning Time Trial and his afternoon Criterium race.  Crits, while exciting to watch on several levels (a tactical race, where riders complete a number of circuts, over a specific time frame, around a lap that's usually 800-3000 meters in length),  are incredibly scary on another, especially when you have someone racing in one.  Positioning, cornering, avoiding crashes: the key to crit-success...and for 35 minutes this afternoon, in dowtown Bend, that's what my husband will be doing. On the sidelines, I'll be chewing my nails and pacing...Once he's done, we'll come back to our rental, hang out for a bit, and return downtown to watch the pro riders race - all 190 of them - for 75 minutes.

Yesterday's race was quite the challenge.  Heat, big fields, 3 miles of climbing at the beginning; 11 miles of torturous climbing at the end: certainly a race of attrition, as the packs that formed early in the race wound up splintering apart as the 'agony fest' unraveled.  Fortunately, my water-bottle passes were a success, although seeing a crash in the feed zone (and again at the finish) was freaky.  My husband finished mid-way in this field; given the conditions, I think that's mighty fine!  Tomorrow's race will also be a suffer-fest - 64 miles around a 16-mile circuit, with some major climbing.  Have I mentioned how glad I am that I'm on feed zone duty, and not racing!  Monday, we're off to the awesome bakery here in Bend, where getting a HUGE cinnamon bun is on the agenda! With all the calories he'll have burned, it's a well deserved treat!

To all of you who have wished him "luck" ~ THANK YOU!!  He appreciates your well-wishes immensely, as do I. What a fabulous crafting community!!

Anyway...enough of my babbling.

My card was inspired by AAA Cards Game #11

I used my STAMPlorations floral stamps to create squares, then sponged the same ink onto cardstock to die cut wee butterflies (hard to  see the stitching on them - they are so darling!).  Added a STAMPlorations hello and...done!

My colours also fit into those at ColourQ #250, so I'll head that direction, too. 

(Isn't this a fabulous dress? Want!!)

The photo of the card standing up is a bit 'blurry' (hard to find good light in our rental), so I took a 'flat' photo as well, so you can see how pretty the floral stamps are a bit better

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

SPLASH of Colour...Inkspirational Challenge #61, The Poppy Sketch

Hello!  I'm delighted and honoured, once again, to be back sharing a card with the DT

Marina

Shauna

Nonni

Sandie

Yvonne

Kim

Pia

and fabulous guest designer, Cinni 

at Inkspirational Challenge #61, where we have a word prompt to stir our creative juices.

I'm quite often the slow-poke of the team, waiting until nearly the last minute to submit my cards (oh, what a surprise. NOT!), and this time was no exception. Rather than create a card before we traveled to Bend (love, love, love Bend), I brought along my mobile crafting unit, hoping that something would 'ping' during our drive or upon our arrival.  It did...with my interpretation of "splash" heading off in a colour direction.

In addition to the word prompt, my card was also inspired by  Poppy Sketch Challenge #8:

and another of my new STAMPlorations blooms.  I followed the sketch above quite literally, as you'll see. My "splash" is the rose I water-coloured (and the wee green gems on the butterfly). YES! I water-coloured (a few tries required, but one finally turned out) and hopefully I did this lovely rose justice with my effort.  If you squint, you'll see  little 'brush dots' of yellow around the frame; they're faint, but there - and that's about as close as I've come to 'splatters'. "Controlled splatters"....

I hope you'll join us at  Inkspirational Challenge #61, with your take on 'splash'; so many possibilities...

ETA:  I'm also adding my card to a challenge newly discovered:  Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge #30: CAS.  From what I've seen, it looks like a fun place to play!!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hello, Thanks and HAPPY!!!...STAMPlorations Bi-weekly Sketch Challenge #15, ATSM Challenge #104: CAS

HELLO - and Happy Friday to everyone!  A whirlwind post today, to share that

• we are at my favourite vacation spot EVER:  Bend, OR. I. LOVE. BEND! In just a couple of hours, my husband will be competing in the first race of his three day/four race stage race - the Cascade Classic Road Bike Race - and I am giddy! Nervous, excited...you name it, I have it. Mr. Cool as a Cucumber is fine. My responsibilities for this 70 mile race are to zoom to feed zone one to pass him a water bottle (swelter-fest here; so not what we're accustomed to) then high-tail it to feed zone two for a second bottle passing. As long as I don't get caught behind the race, or lost (oh, please, not that!!), all should be okay. I hope. Passing a water bottle to a cyclist whizzing by at 30 km an hour, in the midst of a pack of 100, is a tad anxiety inducing, however...'tis what I do.  Fingers crossed all goes well.
• I brought along my mobile crafting unit - and yes, this time my cuttlebug and dies, accompanied by a variety of stamps, inks, stencils, sponging thingies, and papers came along.  Yayyy...Just so you know: everything I brought fit in a canvas grocery bag. Selective packing this time.
• I have NEW stamps from STAMPlorations!! So excited - and a couple will be making their debut here! 

Best to get to the programme, as my nerves are starting to jingle and jangle.  We're leaving in an hour, for his 2:20 start...

I decided, for the STAMPlorations Bi-weekly Sketch Challenge #15

to debut one of the gorgeous flowers from the Boxed Blooms and Bold Sentiments set. Of course, I wanted to showcase all of them, immediately,  however, one must exercise restraint, mustn't one (hahahahahahaha ...not moi!).  You'll see what I mean in a minute: one bloom + two sentiments = two cards and two tags. Had. to. do. it. *grin*  Of course, I also had to tinker around with how to colour my flower.  I could have used my new Prismacolour pencils (bought at Hobby Lobby in Kennewick WA, where we stopped the first night along  our journey...I had a coupon, and no restraint...), but nope. I could have used my distress markers/inks that joined in the journey. Nope again.  Instead, I went with sponging, because I'm currently obsessed with this technique. More practice required, of course.  Except for  the sentiment, everything is sponged: the flower, the stencil dot-fade background and the photobooth die (I didn't bring black cardstock in my travelin' stash - d-uh!).  I used varied coloured distress inks for the flowers, and a yellow HA cube ink for the centers (which were tricky, given the size of the sponge daubers I was using).

Ready?  First up, my two cards, followed by two tags, that will eventually be placed on cards, because the backs are, ummm...used (so glad that Tracey shared that she does this, too!!).

 The black die and flower panels are popped up on the cards above; the flower panels 

popped up on the tags below.

I'm also adding these to Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #104: CAS

Time for me to get ready, and we're off to the races...

NOTE: Honoured, delighted and completely thrilled that my cards were the winning picks at STAMPlorations Challenge #15. THANK YOU!!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

HELLO!! - and a Birthday Card...Uniko Studio Challenge #11: Birthday, Seize the Sketch #24, Virginia's View Challenge #5, Seize the Birthday

Hello, hello *waving wildly* just me , c, popping in to let you know that the silence on my blog this past week (and, my falling light years behind on commenting...my apologies!! I've been seeing sooooo many stunning creations and I pinkie-promise to catch-up) is the complete opposite to the hub-bub happening at my place.  

Why?  

Two of the best reasons EVER:  Ms. T and Mr. C, my niece and nephew are here, and have been since Tuesday!  I am in my glory!!  My days begin with waking up, knowing that in a short time, little footsteps (or stomps, as the case may be), peals of "Aunty Ccccccc' and full-on, bowl me over hugs will greet me, in the evenings, I'm spoiled with bedtime hugs and kisses, paired with some fall asleep cuddles on the couch.  Perfect bookends to start and end these past few days.  And the in-betweens...incredible, fabulous, memory-making FUN! Bike rides, horse rides (Ms. T, only as Mr. C isn't big enough yet), a playground excursion, a trip to Banff, a candy store stock up, watching Frozen and Cars, reading 'Lightning McQueen and Thomas the Train stories, stamping, giggling..and that was just Day 1!!  Truly, we've set the 'control button' to GO GO GO...and we're on full throttle!!  

Anyway, I have them for one more day...and I'd best get going with the program, as I can hear little voices calling my name (love that!!)

Today's card (or rather, the card I made in bits and pieces over the course of several early mornings, before the fun-and-frolick gigglers woke up) is inspired by the theme and palette at Uniko Studio Challenge 11: Birthday

and  Seize the Sketch #24

As it's a birthday card, I'm sharing it at Seize the Birthday

and since several die cuts were used, it's also going to Virginia's View Challenge #5: Die Cuts

The photo doesn't capture the shimmer of the Wink of Stella on the bloom, or the double layers of vellum on the butterfly very well...but they're there in real life!

Before I go (super fast typing quickly....kids are running...), THANK YOU so much for your wonderful support and encouragement with my first DT card over at Addicted to Stamps and More, as well as those at Inkspirational Challenges.  I would not, could not have taken these steps without all of YOU to inspire me.   You make my heart smile!!

Comment catch-up on the agenda!!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Always and Forever...Addicted to Stamps and More #103: Holiday

Hello!
Today, I'm deliriously honoured and excited to share some news with you!  I've been selected to become part of the

Yes! Me!  I'm so delighted to have the opportunity to work and play alongside some amazing designers, who were introduced in the post here.  Inspiration to the max, indeed!  Hopefully, you'll find a wee bit of the same in my creations over the next while.  I'll do my best!

Today, we begin a new challenge: Holidays. I opted for the 'special day of celebration' definition of holiday, and have created, for you, a Valentine's Day card.  The background - "water-colour" stripes -  is stamped with Memento Inks in pink and grey.  The background of the heart is a 'scripty font, stamped in grey as well, with a vellum embossed, then die cut .overlay. The scalloped heart - easy peasy pink cardstock.

Head on over (or back, depending on where you started) to  Addicted to Stamps and More, to see what several other DT members have created. You'll be incredibly impressed!  Once you've scoped things out, dash immediately to your crafting zone, create away, and share with us.  You may win this prize:

http://www.qkrstampede.com/

3 Digi Images

I'm looking forward to what you'll bring to this challenge; I know it will be fabulous! 

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments make my day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KYLIE!!

Hello, Happy Monday and....I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!!  My husband and I traveled to visit his family over the weekend (we're heading home today), and in the hectic-ity of work, house-cleaning (we have guests arriving this week), packing and whatever else Disorganized Me was trying to deal with, I didn't get a chance to post 'this' card in a timely fashion!  Naughty me...I will put myself in the corner promptly on my return home!

The important date: the birthday celebration, organized by sweet and amazing Loll, for the talented, charming,creative Kylie, from Kylie is Addicted to Stamps, and also the hostess of Addicted to Stamps and More and Addicted to CAS.  She's also started a new forum, Happy Little Stampers. If you want inspiration, her blogs are the place to go!  Stencils, die cuts, mixed media, stamping, water-colour...you name it, she does it, with style, flair and panache.  She is one energetic designer for sure!!

For Kylie's card, I brought out my Birthday embossing folder, a gift from the awesome Kim, over at Cupcakes, Cards and Kim, and paired it with a sentiment from Neat and Tangled.  I added glossy enamels to the little hearts.

In real life, my card is far more turquoise than what you see here. Isn't that embossing folder a gem??

Kylie, hope your day was incredibly special, and the celebrations continue to spill over into this week, and the next, and the next!! Wishing you a year filled with absolute joy in every possible way!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments make my day!!

Always and Forever...Inkspirational Challenge #60: Photo Inspiration, 4 Crafty Chicks #201: Nautical

Happy Saturday!

Time is just whooshing past, and already it's time for another challenge inspiration card for Inkspirational Challenge #60: Photo Inspiration.

For some amazing inspiration, head over to see what the other design team have created.  I'll just grab a coffee and wait for you to come back.

Marina

Sandie

Nonnie

Shauna

Yvonne

Kim

Pia

See...some fabulous interpretations, indeed.

I must confess this photo of a painting by by 20th c American artist Ralph Cahoon, had me stymied for a while.  Inventory of my stash reveals no balloons, aside from a teensy one, no mermaids, no whales (a sasquatch, yes, but no whales. Given I live in a mountain town, the sasquatch kind of makes sense to have *grin*).  Head scratching, thinking cap on tightly, ponder, muse....repeat.

Then, a "ping"....I went with my anchor and chain (again) and paired it with the heart that comes with the set. Mermaids, for some reason, always remind me of love stories (ummmm...The Little Mermaid set the stage for thinking in that direction), so I went with a love theme.

My background is a 'watercolour' strip stamp, turned this way and that; the heart and anchor are sponged (okay, I'm addicted to sponging), and the sentiment is from a Valentine set.  Easy to make...once the 'ping' set things in motion.

Hope you're inspired by the photo, as well as the DT cards, to join us in this challenge.  The possibilities are as varied as your imagination....

ETA:  I'm also sharing my card at 4 Crafty Chicks #201: Nautical Challenge.

NOTE: So honoured and delighted that my card was selected as a Top 3 over at 4 Crafty Chicks! THANK YOU!!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Happy Birthday, Darnell....AAA Cards: MacGyver Challenge, TPE #257: Anything Goes, Paper Crafting Challenge: Anything Goes, Virginia's View Challenge #5: Die Cut

Happy Birthday Darnell!!  

Yes, I'm late to your party, but here I am with a card inspired by none other than the mullet-sporting 80s hero: MacGyver!!  Why MacGyver, you ask?  Well, it all started with this:  the AAA Cards #9: MacGyver Challenge

In my previous post, I shared the first requirements, which was to find the items Mr. M. required.  The second requirement: put those items into play and make a card.

So I did.

For you.

You are one of the most ingenious, innovative, delightful, hilarious, charming sweethearts of the card-making universe (and the entire universe, for that matter!). I figured that you would appreciate my efforts to be innovative and ingenious (well, at least a little bit!), and I hope you find my card delightful and charming, and that it maybe sparks a smile and a little laugh!

For you, Darnell, a la the requests of MacGyver, a card made with:

• a background of corrugated cardboard (I've included a photo of the piece I used, because the corrugation is hard to see in my photo)

• a piece of plastic in the form of a sheet of music on a transparency, given to me by my music teacher colleague, attached to the 'wavy' section and center of the card
• a hole in the form of the 'inlaid' circles
• some purple string, outlining the inner music inlaid circle; and
• a stamp wishing you HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  

Of course, I *had* to add a butterfly....

Hope you  like it, my dear friend!! And to Bev and Ardyth: thank you for celebrating our most wonderful Darnell in such style!  Awesome to the max!!

I'm also sharing my card at:
Paper Crafting Challenge: Anything Goes

The Pink Elephant #257: Anything Goes

Virginia's View Challenge #5: Die Cut  (except for the sentiment, my card is composed of die-cuts)

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!