Monday, December 28, 2015

Celebrating the Holidays In Gerda Style

Happy Holidays!!  I'm taking a break from year end tax planning to squeeze in a post of few cards I made using Gerda Steiner digis.

When it comes to cards, I'm a big fan of digital stamps.  I have a large collection of cling stamps but often turn to digis for the focal image.  

As I've mentioned before, Gerda Steiner designs has a Monthly Challenge - December 2015. And Gerda is a generous designer who provides a new free image each month to all who play along.  And as a bonus, she has gifted a couple of extra holiday digis

So without further ado I took Sandy Allnock's advice to 'go bold' & grabbed my brighter spectrum noir markers to color these holiday greeting cards.

May your Holidays be filled with love & blessings.  Wishing you all the best in 2016!
Santa Rock - Thanksgiving Freebie

Santa Peace - December Challenge

Have a Mice 2016  - Christmas Freebie

Monday, November 30, 2015

Brrr...Baby it's Cold Outside

Today's card was inspired by yet another night of freezing temps in the Central Valley.  Friends actually went skiing over Thanksgiving!!  My azaleas are blanketed but the poor crepe myrtle has withered & dropped all remaining leaves.  Hopeful that these traditional Winter temps are just another sign we're in for that promised wet winter.

So here's Gerda's little digi bear enjoying his hot cocoa.  He's colored with prisma color pencils & nestled on his snowy bank amid a few lawn fawn die cut trees. The clear embossed lawn fawn snow flakes resist the peacock feathers distress ink background.  I created the sentiment to match his scarf using Word.  

I'll be entering this card in Gerda's November progressive challenge.  Now I'm off to get my cocoa.  Stay warm my friends!


Saturday, November 28, 2015

Get Moving!!

MOVEMBER is November's challenge at Words to Scrap By: Changing the Face of Men's Health.  I know that after 30+ years at a desk job my health is suffering.  As my husband & I  age we struggle to stay active outdoors.  He  always had very physical jobs & was extremely active.  His tendency, like many men I know, is to  ignore his declining  health rather than be proactive.

I'm inspired by Jim the Gentlemen Crafter's new exercise regimen.  Jim's posts of his daily walk on social media are encouraging. So even though I'm late to the party my goal is to get in 2-3 walks during this week and build back up to that minimum 20 minutes a day before the Holidays.   No need to wait for 2016 to make a resolution!

Now back to Words to Scrap By challenge.  Pleased to see Kristie Marcotte The Best Things in Life are Pink as a guest designer at W2SB this month!  All my fellow OWH alumni will recognize her from those awesome 6x6 tutorials.  She made a gorgeous card using a brusho background.

I created a clean & simple card by combining a few scraps of Graphic 45 Come Away With Me with a vintage Tim Holz image for the W2SB challenge.  Thanks for stopping by.  Time to get moving!!

Sunday, November 8, 2015

A Tiddly Halloween

So one last visit to Halloween 2015 before moving on to the Holiday Season.  

Last weekend I broke out the Prisma Color pencils one more time and I colored this Nightmare Before Christmas inspired card for a dear friend.  She loves all things Disney, so Jack & friends visit her home from Halloween through Christmas.  

I'm really pleased with how the balloons turned out.  It was fun adding a few extra squiggles & stitches to make her  more like Sally.   

I'll be entering "Sally" in the current Tiddly Inks Spooky Dooky Challenge



Friday, October 30, 2015

Ice Skating Penguin

I know it's Halloween Eve & a little early for Christmas but my friend Gerriann at Scrap and Stamp Creations was hosting a Christmas Card Swap!!  We have a fun bunch of gals that get together on Monday's to chat & craft along with Gerriann during her UStream broadcasts.

About the Swap:  Gerriann has a big heart & agreed to facilitate our desire to share our crafty talents with each other.   Swaps are great fun & rewarding. However, they are a lot of work for the coordinator.  In return for my 9 cards I'll receive 1 card from each of the other crafty ladies participating in my group.  So you can expect a follow up post sharing those cards here in a couple of weeks.    

About the Card:  I stamped, die cut  & colored these little Lawn Fawn Penguins weeks ago but just couldn't pull together a card.  The original idea was playful - bright green card base, candy stripes of lime greens, pinks & reds, glittered snow flakes.  Totally scrapped that idea....

Luckily I was inspired by Sandy Allnock's  Interactive Rainbow Ride video..  Loving the end result! My penguin now skates atop a snowy hill (Spellbinders Elegant Designs) just like that little fox on the rainbow.

The white card base was too plain so I inked the edges with Evergreen Bough distress inks.  Then made up a few envelopes with matching liners using my Envelope Punch Board.  

I hope the card recipient will enjoy playing with their ice skater as much is I did!

Lawn Fawn's Winter Penguin



Sunday, October 25, 2015

Gerda's Prickly Pumpkin


Boy a few weeks away from the blog & I've totally forgotten how to make it look pretty!  Or schedule a post for that matter.  So you get a second one tonight!!

I guess I'll just blame it on the crisp cool nights & promise of rain later this week.  Last year it rained so hard on Halloween that not a sole came to our door.  I'm fine with all those little goblins, storm troopers, princesses and minions opting for the mall & church festivities to stay out of the rain again this year as we desperately need the wet stuff.  

Wow, I certainly could use a tutorial from my kid on taking card photos!  I lose so much detail using my dear little IPhone & slapping them up here.  You'll just have to take my word for it when I say this card is awesome from the multi colored spines to that pile of punched leaves.

Gerda Steiner's images are so cheerful and a lot of fun to color.  I'll be entering this little guy in her October Monthly challenge   I encourage you to download her images & play along each month.  Gerda is so kind to provide you with a new image next month when you link up your project.  She's also added a Share Your Design element to her blog that showcases other images.

Well until next time my friends.  Blessings, Jan. 



Tiddly Inks Fall Colours Fun

Its Challenge Time once again over at the Tiddly Inks Blog.

This week's challenge
Fall Colours!!
so... anything you fancy using this delicious colour palette.

(**remember...We love to see any new creation, a card, 3D project, journal page etc 
but you must use a Tiddly Inks stamp or image **)



And here's my card using the adorable Birds in a Row digi.

I used a dry stipple brush & Broken China distress ink for the sky.
Those colorful birds were done with Prisma Colored Pencils.
The sentiment was simply written with my new favorite Illustrated Faith Bella Blvd .35 pen.

I used Crushed Olive & Scattered Straw distress ink to color some crochet thread.
Which perfectly matched the stripes from the My Minds Eye Come Away With Me 6x6.
I'm afraid my lighting doesn't do the colors justice at all.

Be sure to check out the other entries and design team projects.  I'm always astounded by the creative talents of this talented group of ladies.

Thanks for stopping by.  Blessings, Jan




Monday, September 28, 2015

The Mind of a Child: A New Perspective

So exactly two months ago today I began my journey into Bible Journaling.  I'm enjoying carving time out for Jesus.  For me it's a way to illustrate a favorite passage or song in a way that makes my heart sing.  
Job 22: 21-23
If you haven't heard about this wonderful way to spend time with Jesus let me suggest that you check out Stephanie Ackerman's Documented Faith and Shanna Noel's Illustrated Faith.  There are many ladies leading studies, journaling challenges, and teaching via their blogs, YouTube, or Periscope. There are Facebook Communities dedicated to this as well.

I'm no expert but there seems to be at least three stumbling blocks to a getting started.  (Which coincidentally coincide with My Faith Walk). 

The first is simply not knowing about it, followed by a strong desire to learn everything you can.  This results in not in fact spending time creating in the Word but searching the Internet: Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest for ideas and reveling in the wonderfully creative expressions of faith shared by fellow Christians.
Psalm 94:19 When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

The second is doubt - I'll never be as good as they are.  I can't draw, paint or letter like that.  I don't have the correct tools.

And finally acceptance.  Here as in my Walk, I'm good enough and won't grow unless I try.  He equips us differently and speaks to each of us on our own level.   Sometimes it's just colored pencils or a few stickers from my Scrapbook stash,  Other days it's tracing and coloring my favorite digital images or stamps to summarize my Pastor's Sunday teaching.

I encourage you to try it.  Whether it be in a journaling bible or faith note book.  Take some time this week to doodle out & color your favorite verse or worship song.   You'll be glad you did!

Mark 10:15 ...whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.
Digital Image: Tiddly Inks 'Swinging By'

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Fall is in the Air

I love Autumn!!  The crisp mornings, leaves changing colors, pumpkin spice lattes.  Break out that fall decor, spice scented candles, crock pot dinners    Let's usher in another school year & football season. And of course we can't forget Halloween!.  Little costumed people excitedly dashing about in the dark.

This happy homage to Halloween features an adorably sweet little witch for Gerda Steiner's September Monthly Challenge .  Isn't she adorable?    My camera just doesn't do it justice.

I colored her with my Prisma Color Pencils then fussy cut her out & popped her onto a distressed ink background. Her 'jet stream' is silver embroidery floss.  I printed out that fun sentiment in Word using a font titled 'The Speed of Oatmeal'.   And the house was my biggest challenge.  I don't own a fancy machine so I traced an image onto DCWV Halloween paper, pieced in those windows (colored with a brilliant yellow highlighter) then added some details with my Prisma Color Pencils.


Sunday, September 13, 2015

Too Cool For School

I've been in a bit of a slump lately.  Even took a short break from card making & the related challenges.  But there's something about Fall that just gets my creative juices flowing.   Maybe it's the cooler weather or the return of that infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte.  In any event this weekend I finally got back in to the swing of things.  Tonight I grabbed a favorite Tiddly Inks digi stamp & my Spectrum Noir Markers to create a Welcome Back to School card.  I'll be entering it in the current  SCHOOL RULES Tiddly Inks Challenge


Sunday, July 5, 2015

Sending Love

Are you up for one more challenge?  Bryce has been making a few cards along side me,  So this morning we were checking out a few of the current card challenges.  I thought I'd stretch my creative skill and try my hand at a few new one's.  This morning's was Waffle Flower and this evening's card is for the current colour me card challenge featuring only red red & neutrals.  A fun way to spend the afternoon indoors out of the heat!

CMCC#78, Tiddly Inks Kitties



The paper is from an old My Minds Eye 6x6 pad.  The sentiment is from a pack of vellum quotes I picked up at JoAnn's ages ago.  And those "dots" are pearls colored with my spectrum noire DR7 marker.

Weekend Fun - Card Challenges

Okay I admit it, I'm a wimp when it comes to the Central Valley summer heat!  So what better excuse than to hide out in my crafty den and work on that final box of cards for Operation Write Home finishing strong.  I have two cards today that were created using Kristie's awesome 6x6 tutorial & OWH Sketches. 

Card #1  A a while back I stamped and clear embossed this cute little firefly bug jar.  The multiple layers of  clear embossing gives it a glass effect.  Unfortunately you can't really see it in this photo. It's also a lot brighter and teal toned then today's soft light captured.  

OWH Sketch 256, Lawn Fawn Summertime Charm
 Since it has the general color scheme and lightning bugs I'm entering it into this Waffle Flower Photo Inspiration Challenge.









Card #2 is a Thank You card using the adorable Tiddly Inks Birds in a Line Digi Stamps,  They are so much fun to color.  And those little blank note cards are perfectly sized for my little letter stamps!  I'll be entering this card into the July OWH ODBD Challenge.
OWH Sketch 123, Tiddly Inks Birds

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Inspired by Pinterest #3 Use up Those Scraps!

You know Pinterest really comes in handy sometimes.  Especially late at night when you have an idea in rattling around in your head but you just cannot get your fingers to understand the concept.

I had this beautiful pile of patterned paper scraps forming on the corner of my desk.  The quilter in me said "Oooh, scraps!!  We'll just piece it together."  Unfortunately the accountant side of my brain went into it's "everything must balance" mode.  So in frustration I perused Pinterest and found these lovely cards.

The first is by Mariana Grigsby.  You can see her creative process here mariana grigsby10-minute-craft-dash-2-video

Mariana Grigsby  10 Minute Craft Dash

The second was from Britt Bass who blogs at pinkpapercrowns via a DCWV Page Maps Challenge post.

Britt (Kidlet 6x6)
And here are my cards.

Say Cheese

I've been so focused on creating cards for Operation Write Home that I forgot to post this little fellow before mailing him off to Washington last week.  Luckily I snapped a few photos as reference along the way!  Gerda's images always bring smiles so sharing that sentiment seemed appropriate.   I'll be entering him in the June/July 6 week challenge
Gerda Steiner Designs Say Cheese

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Gothic Owlette

Trying my hand at some night time coloring for the current Tiddly Inks challenge.

I used a spectrum noir gray scale tutorial to achieve the night time shadows with my Ice Gray alcohol markers.   Then I added in a little color using my prisma color pencils.  The night sky is a combination of black, indigo blue, violet and blue violet blended with baby oil.  The colors are much darker and less vibrant in person.

 

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Banner Time!

This month's OWH Mid-Month Throwdown is all about banners.

I've just mailed off a box of 135 cards to this wonderful organization.  For my final box (all shipments must be received no later than August 1, 2015) I challenged myself to use up an entire 6x6 pad of paper utilizing Kristie's latest tutorial doodlebug's happy camper 6x6 cards.

This is the first card utilizing a sketch from My Favorite Things MFTWSC227.  (Did you know you can find all of MFT sketches on their printable resources page?)  I added some washi tape that coordinated well with my Dylusion's Clearly the Right Words sentiment.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Revisiting Geriann's Card Camp

Have I told you what a fabulous teacher Gerriann Armstrong scrapandstampcreations.blogspot.com  is?  Checkout her Ustream class Mondays at 6pm PST.  Whenever I get in a jam for cards I return to one of her 12x12 cutting guides & my CTMH Make It From Your Heart Vol 1 & 2 and voila 12 totally individual cards for any occasion!

You just can't go wrong with Graphic 45!
These are a few sheets from Come Away With Me with assorted sentiment stamps.

This stack of cards is headed for OWH -Finishing Strong.  I know seems like I've been working on it for weeks (because I have). There are currently 106 cards completed but I still have room for more! 

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Random Stamping: Round 2

I did a lot of coloring yesterday to finish up those card bases generated by the OSW of my random stamped page.  I'll be adding these cards to my OWH Finishing Strong Campaign box.  I'm trying really hard to get this one mailed by June 15th so that I have time to send another before the August 1 deadline.  

I pulled this little guy aside to enter in the Miss You: June ODBD Challenge

Gerda Steiner digi Peeking Panda 
In case you didn't see the earlier post, here's the random stamped page before card assembly.
Sorry about the photo quality.  My daughter will be teaching me how to use the new light box once it arrives.
CTMH It's the Little Things
I had chosen the solid cardstock before stamping, then pieced together a few coordinating scraps left over from a prior project to make a couple of the card bases. I really enjoy the freedom of stamping and/or coloring your focal images to match a card.  I realize now that attempting to match patterned paper to existing images or embellishments had been a constant frustration for me.  

And now for the rest of those cards... 
Tiddly Inks Digi Stamps
Tiny Dancer, Puppy Love, Watcha Doing, Whatever Floats By

Simply Cards & Paper Craft Flower Girl digi
Gerda Steiner digi Stinking Cute


Just a Little Random Stamping: CTMH Pinterest Inspirations

I'm making progress on that box of cards for the OWH Finishing Strong Campaign!!  Dug out a couple of those OSW cutting guides from Split Coast Stampers, took a deep breath and began this sweet little dance.  Random Stamping Tutorial

Earlier this year Geriann at Scrap and Stamp Creations taught a fabulous class she dubbed bandanna stamping using the CTMH A Happy Hello.
Scrap and Stamp Creations
I recently discovered that I can manage to random stamp on an 8 1/2 x 11 white page.  (Somehow that 12x12 blank page is still a bit daunting).   Sorry I forgot to snap a photo of the random stamped page before all the pieces were cut up on this one.  Here are the 8 cards generated from that page.

CTMH A Happy Hello random stamping
CTMH You've Got a Friend sentiments

Thanks to Geriann (see above) and Pinterest Inspiration #2



I'm building up my confidence now... so on to my second set of cards!!
Here's another 8 1/2 x 11 randomly stamped page using CTMH It's the Little Things
I'll be posting photos of the cards I made soon.  

Inspired by Pinterest #1

Pinterest?!? I know right?  Well you know those peeps who encouraged me to start a blog actually suggested Pinterest first.  So I finally started a couple of boards for card inspiration and such.  

Today I took a break from the world of digi stamps to play with a few new ideas.  Don't know how many I'll actually post, but here's my first attempt to show you the original pin followed by my interpretation. 

My Pinterest Inspiration:
Stampin Up Card by Sheryl Wheatley
tutorial by Tami White
Stampin Up Card by Sheryl Wheatley: tutorial by Tami White


My Interpretation:
Using the color palette from the current  MFT Color Challenge

I'm quite pleased with this card considering I don't own any of the Stampin Up products shown in the tutorial linked above.  However I recently purchased the Fiskars butterfly punch and a handful of small Darice embossing folders.  Can't say as I would have ever considered using them together in this manner without Ms. Wheatley's beautiful card for inspiration. 

Thanks for stopping by.  

Saturday, May 30, 2015

G'day!

Love this Island Greeting CTMH stamp.  Paired it up with Spellbinders Enchanted M-Bossabilities
for a Clean And Simple card today.  

I'll be entering this one in the OWH May ODBD Challenge.

This month's challenge was to use any type of embossing.   The kind folks at Our Daily Bread Designs sponsor two boxes of cards sent to our Heroes by OWH every month.   


Thursday, May 28, 2015

Finishing Strong with OWH

I spent my Memorial Day Weekend exploring my new found love of coloring digis for a growing box of cards destined for Operation Write Home's Finishing Strong Campaign   I'm so pleased to support this fine organization.  Founder Sandy Allnock is a wonderfully gifted woman who has inspired many like myself to step outside of our daily routine and simply create something every day. What better way to share our love of all things paper than to send a paper hug to those serving over seas.

This first set of cards are Tiddly Inks images Awww Thanks & GeekAttude.  Each was colored with Spectrum Noir and a few KaiserFusion alcohol markers.  The backgrounds were sponged with Broken China/Weathered Wood and Peeled Paint Distress Ink.  Then I added a bit of texture and grass over top with my markers.  Technics learned from Sandy Allnock's Magical Monday videos.
They'll be posted on the OWH Blog for May's Mid-Month Throw Down: His & Hers

Tiddly Inks:  Aww Thanks & Geekatude


Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Aloha Memories withTiddly Inks

I created this little guy for the Tiddly Inks Take it Easel-y Challenge  This adorable image brought back fond memories of Hubby's snorkeling adventure on our own little Island Adventure way back in 1989.  Taking care to avoid his above water ears, I used distressed inks for the sky (broken china) & water (peacock feathers) prior to coloring the image with assorted Spectrum Noir & Kaiser Fusion markers.  Love how the distress inks created that under water aqua tone.

Since it was a little difficult to do the card justice with my IPhone camera I added a few close ups of the various embellishments below.  Hope you enjoy my Aloha Memories
Snorkel Bunny twisted easel card.

close up of Aloha Surf Board stopper 


close up of shell picture corners & retro poster backdrop


Snorkel Bunny 'snap shot'

Saturday, May 23, 2015

A Shaker Card for Gerda




Still haven't played with Gerda's adorable digi stamps?  Well, you've got one more chance to play along this weekend before she takes a well deserved break for the Summer.

I just love this little guy and I'm a sucker for elephants.  Pretty sure it all started with those visits to the Ringling Bros. Circus when I was kid.  Or maybe it was when a couple of the trainers retired to Marine World and I got to visit 'my elephants' again up close as a teen back in the day in Redwood City, CA.  Okay enough reminiscing.  On to the card...

So this is my first Shaker Card using some American Craft sequins & scraps from Basic Grey's Hey Girl 6x6 pad.  And the sentiment is from Kid Quote by Inkadinkadoo.  I colored him with my Spectrum Noir & KaiserCraft Alcohol markers.


Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Chain of Hearts - You are so sweet!


So I was digging out my craft room this weekend and discovered a bag of embossing folders along with a box of neglected card making supplies.  I was pleasantly surprised when the MFT Page Maps Challenge was posted as it provided an opportunity to combine both the Darice Heart Background Embossing Folder and the Sizzix  Framelits Dies with Heart Stamp Set.  This week's MFT Color Challenge is definitely ideal for ice cream cones & flamingos, but a bit of a stretch for me.  However, I am pleased with how this card came together so quickly using these guidelines.



I will be submitting this card to the following challenges: