A really pink card...and a winner! :)

 

Here's a really pink card. :) I really wanted to play along with the Moxie Fab World's Color Inspiration for Card Maker's Week - the monochromatics challenge. The pink on pink challenge....even though my patterned papers look a little peachy here..[I blame the gloomy weather].

Patterned papers are from Graphic 45. Ribbon. Trim. Fancy Pants felt heart. Paper rose. American Crafts foam thickers. Stickles in cotton candy. Tulle. Heidi Grace stick pin.

*Edited* This card was featured on the Create blog.

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A big "thank you" to the few who played along with my guest Mandy's Extending the Background challenge. I know it was a tough challenge but I'm so glad that those who played along had fun! The winner is....

Anita with this beauty...Check out how she extended her "scene" with paint! 

Congratulations Anita! :)

The posing game

It's getting increasing harder to take decent pictures [eyes looking at camera, genuine smile] of my nephews so recently we've been playing The Posing Game. I get them to make funny faces at the camera and we laugh at what we've captured on the viewfinder...this makes them want to take more pictures and in the process, I sometimes capture some fleeting but true moments of fun and joy on their faces! Yay! :)

This layout was inspired by the new challenge at These Are a Few of My Favorite Things - Fave Game - where I'm guest-designing this month. :)

The base scalloped-edge paper is from October Afternoon. Misting on the cardstock. The edges were inked with distress inks. A little stamping...love the text...American Crafts banner and puffy stickers. SRM quote and year stickers. Buttons. Fancy Pants chipboard (misted).

P/s: Have you played along with my guest Dana's Get More from your Patterned Paper challenge yet?

Captivating

Captivating: influencing and dominating by some special charm, art, or trait and with an irresistible appeal.

Just sharing this week's Get Sketchy card. :) Hope you find it captivating...*LOL*

The background cardstock was masked and misted lightly with glimmer mists to resemble vintage wallpaper. The wood frame was upcycled from packaging. Patterned papers are from Basic Grey Curio line. Gauche Alchemy punchinella. Tulle. Pearls. Trim. Button. An upcycled ice-cream stick (coloured with distress inks). Sticker sentiment is from Cosmo Cricket.

P/s: I hope you can find time this weekend to play along with my guest Dana's challenge to get more out of your patterned papers.:)

Make a wish...a little upcycled project

If I could make a wish, it would be for better weather...it's been so gloomy and wet....

Just sharing a really sweet and pink upcycled project. :) The round tin was upcycled from American Crafts packaging! :) A little misting on the background and doiley and wrinkle ribbon...

Mostly American Crafts scraps...some Gauche Alchemy punchinella....stickers...Fancy Pants felt (heart), SRM sticker sentiment, distress stickles in rock candy, stickles in cotton candy, buttons, Heidi Grace pin, American Crafts floral badge and ribbon.

I was inspired by Card Patterns  [even though I simplified it a wee bit] and the Tuesday Trigger: Sweets for the sweet over at Moxie Fab World. Love that the stickles in rock candy looks like icing sugar...yummy! :)

Creamy fudge hearts from Martha Stewart Living via Moxie Fab World.

P/s: I really hope you come play along with my guest Mandy's Extending the Background challenge...pretty please?

The 3rd one is a real charmer

Most of you know that I have three nephews...the 3rd one is a real charmer...:) And an attention-seeker. If I'm reading a book to his brothers, he would push his brothers away and find some way to climb on my lap, put his hand in mine, making sure our fingers are intertwined....and then give me THE look... that says "you're mine now"...[Everyone now...."awww"...]:)

I love this Sassafras paper....I just added a little misting and some distressing. A little trim, ribbon, bits of Sassafras scraps and buttons. I was inspired by the sketch at Sketchy Thursdays.:)

P/s: Have you played along with my guest Mandy's Extending The Background challenge? It ends this Friday.

*Edited* This layout was a Sketchy Thursdays Fave! :)

Get more from your patterned paper with Dana Seymour! :)

My guest today is the talented Dana Seymour of Kismet, Art & Life. I actually got to know of her last year when my friend Karen Baker was a guest here and I returned her comment with a blog visit. But I really took a good look at her work again this year and boy have I been missing out! Dana combines patterned paper and stamping with her unique style to create incredible textures and layers. Her cards are always unexpectedly fresh and lively. She shares her "secrets" in a tutorial on how to get more from your patterned paper and is issuing a challenge with a chance to win a gift certificate to one of her fave online stores! :)

Let's have a look at her awesome gallery!

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"I was so honored and excited when Yvonne asked me to be a guest blogger on Do More With Less! Not only is she incredibly talented, but she's a sweetheart to boot, and her blog is full of amazing inspiration. I love to peruse her older posts just for eye candy!"Do more with less" is a really important concept not only in my personal lifestyle, but in how I craft too. So I thought I'd issue a small challenge by way of using some of that Patterned Paper we all have hidden away. *wink*

Here's how I get more out of my PP.

1. I stamp on it.

If the pattern is boring, I add to it with my stamps.

2. I color it.

If the colors don't match my cardstock perfectly, I alter it by coloring over those parts with markers.

Here are some PPs that I will be working with for today's tutorial:

  

You can see that I already stamped on the last PP (I forgot to take a photo of it before I began!)

Then I choose some stamps and get started.

For an example of how I alter PP with markers, you can see below that the PP I wanted to use had ivory stripes. Well my finished project would be utilizing white CS, so I colored those ivory stripes with a Copic Marker to match another color of CS I was using.

And here are the finished products with all those unique stamped/altered patterned papers on display!

Not only am I using up PP that might otherwise not match or "fit the theme", but I have created something unique in the process! And by altering the PP I already have, I'm not out purchasing more to find that perfect piece that works with my intended project...I'm making it myself with supplies I already have!

Here are several other cards I've created where I use patterned paper that I stamped on or colored over.

Here's where the challenge comes in!

I want to see patterned paper that YOU stamp on or alter in some way. Link up your project below for a chance to win a fabulous prize...a $10 gift Certificate to an online stamp store from the options below!

Practicing Creativity Designs

WPLus9

Papertrey Ink

Denami Design

Lawn Fawn

Let's DO MORE WITH LESS!

*mwah*

Dana"

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 Doesn't Dana make you look at your patterned paper differently now? I think my stack of  "buyer's remorse" patterned papers need a revisit...*wink*..So, are you ready to play along? Link up your creations using Inlinkz (located at the end of the post) by Friday, February 11.

As always, please leave a little love for my guest Dana. :)

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Out at the park

I had one of those whirlwind weekends where I got lost in the time/space continuum. 

Seriously. *LOL*

I did, however, manage to work on this layout Out at the park, featuring my mother and older brother. I find it interesting to work with vintage photos. I group the photos based on the size of the baby and the length of my mother's hair to gauge the time frame. And kind of figure the rest out based on the background and my imagination since my mother's hazy on the details.:)

Just a little fun misting the cardstock, inking the edges with various distress inks and using up my Sassafras scraps and embellishments. Stickers. Buttons. I was inspired by the sketch at Creative Scrappers.

P/s: My guest Mandy's Extending the Background challenge ends this Friday so I really hope to see more of you play along. You can totally extend the background on a card too! :)

Tomorrow's guest was picked from the suggestions you left on this post. I can't wait for you to "meet" her! :)

It's a love thing...and my reflections on blogging :)

Hey friends! It's Friday and time for another Get Sketchy card - It's a love thing! :) This week the DT got to play with some cute digis from Pink Cat Studio. I played with Bronty Valentine! :) Isn't he cute? 

I wanted to use my Sassafras scraps to paper piece Bronty but didn't have enough paper...so I made him wear hand-drawn suspenders with his hot pink pants...*LOL* The pink glittered patterned paper is from K & Co. Finally inked up a brand-new Maya Road stamp...yay! :) SRM sticker sentiment! Button. Wrinkle ribbon. Mist. Black pen.

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Last week, my friend Julie E gave me this award! :)

Since it's my blogoversary this month, I thought I would share my reflections on blogging...!:)

1. After 2 years, I still take a deep breath before I hit the "Publish" button.

2. I still leave a comment on every blog I visit unless there are technical difficulties. Word verification is exceptionally hard to get right on a [not-so]smart phone.

3.  Comments on my blog posts remain one of the highlights of any given day! Thanks friends! :)

4. My real-life mailbox has seen a lot of pleasant surprises. I have THE sweetest bloggy friends!

5. I'm still amazed every time someone new follows my blog. Thank you so much! :)

6. There are not enough hours in a day to soak up the creative inspiration in the blogosphere. I learn something new everyday. From you.

What are your thoughts on blogging?

P/s: Come play along with my guest Mandy's Extending the Background challenge! :)

A warm hello

A warm hello to you friends! :) Today's card is based on the sketch at My Mind's Eye.

Patterned papers, 3D stickers and trim are from My Mind's Eye. Sticker sentiment is from E.A. D designs. Button. Mist. Crepe paper.

P/s: I would really love for you to come play along with my guest Mandy's Extending the Background challenge! :) Please?

Love u

Hey friends! Thank you so much for all the love you left me in my Showcase of Some Odd Girl creations post...:). I have the sweetest bloggy friends! :) How about a sparkly card today? I used the sketch at Card Patterns...:)

Not sure if you can tell from the picture but I glimmer-misted (pearl) all over and added distress stickles in rock candy for the glass glitter effect (the blue background paper). My fave wrinkle ribbon (thanks Sherry!). Tulle. Silver trim. Distress ink in Tattered Rose. Buttons. Pearls. Handstitching. Patterned papers are from Graphic 45.

P/s: Today's challenge over at Some Odd Girl is a colour challenge and the winner wins some Sassafras Indie Girl goodies!  [starts officially at 9am EST] There's also an amazing anniversary sale going on at the Some Odd Girl store!

*Edited* This card was featured on the Graphic 45 blog! :)

A showcase of my fave Some Odd Girl creations...:)

Today's the day! My fave girl - Some Odd Girl -  is officially 1 today! :) I'm truly honoured to be part of such awesome design team headed by our fearless leader Kristy who is the illustrator of these fabulous digis! :) The birthday girl gets to make a wish! :)

Oh, so you want to see a showcase of my Some Odd Girl creations, huh? *wink*

This was the very first card I designed for the design team reveal.:)

 It is sitting pretty somewhere in North Carolina! :)

Okay, I love this card because it showcases my fave oddie - Tia! :) Plus I thought it was an ingenious way to use those misted pieces of scrap paper! :)

Gotta love the penguins! :) This card, sadly, has been decimated by my nephew J!!! [insert super sad face!]

I made this card with my fave Some Odd Girl digi ever - Tiny Tia. She is now living happily in Washington! :)

 

I love the Halloween collection so much...and tried my hand at incorporating them on an art journal page.

 

What can I say? I really love the misted background on this one. :)

This one just makes me smile. I did cut away her crown because it was blocking my cute cloud! *LOL*

This one is a total labour of love - an altered shoebox. I discovered that the Cuttlebug machine has serious recoil...had a boo boo on my right hand (dominant hand) and completed this project mostly with my left hand...[applause please!] *LOL* You still have time to enter this box of scrappy goodness giveaway if you haven't done so already! :)

Thank you for allowing me to reminisce a little. :)