Seize the Birthday...Guest Designer...Mini Penguins

Hello there.  I am back with another card for the latest Seize the Birthday challenge.  In case you were wondering, I have been the Surprise Guest Designer for January and February.  This is my last card/post as Surprise Guest Designer.  It has been a lot of fun, and big thanks to the team at STB for inviting me to their party.

This week, our challenge is Sentiment as Focal Image.  I used the Mama Elephant Big Happy Birthday die to create my sentiment focal point.  To add interest to my card, I sponged and blended a background to contrast with the white die cut, as well as sprinkled a scattering of festive mini penguins around the sentiment.

I hope you will play along with us at Seize the Birthday this week.  Remember, 'Sentiment as Focal Image' is an optional topping, and you are always welcome to play along with any birthday card you make.

I look forward to seeing what you create.

Thanks for Visiting

Surprise and Cheer Up

Popping in very quickly to share 2 cards I made for several challenges.

I used MFT It's a Mice Time to Celebrate for this card, and I am entering in the following challenges:

MFT Sketch Challenge #477, Color Throwdown #581, Inkspirational #208:  Leap (my mouse is leaping out of the box), AAA Birthday #10:  Cute, and Simon Says Monday Challenge:  Frame it (my focal image is framed by stitching).

I finally had a chance to use the fun rainbow dies from Mama Elephant for my next card.  I followed a very loose interpretation of the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches #423 (clouds replace the three rectangles on the sketch), Addicted to Stamps and More #377: Make Your Mark (I used Copic markers to color each piece of the rainbow), and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Add a Sentiment.

Thanks for Visiting

Time Out #155...Reminder...Kindness Changes Everything

There is still time to play along with our current challenge at Time Out.  This week, we challenge you to be inspired by the words below...

We are celebrating Uniko's Birthday Month as well as Random Acts of Kindness Day with our Time Out challenge.  Please find more details on the Time Out Challenge blog.

I was inspired by the 'kindness' and 'confetti' in this challenge's quote.  I pulled out this fun confetti paper from PTI and combined it with stamps and dies from PTI Words to Live By.  Dotting my 'i' with a heart and adding a few die cut hearts to the confetti reinforces my message.

Please head over to Time Out to see more inspiration from our Design Team and Guest Designer. Our Guest Designer this week is Sue, so please stop by her blog to see what she has created for this challenge. Uniko is our sponsor for this challenge.  Details for the prize are on the Time Out Challenge Blog.


This challenge will run another week.  I hope you will take some Time Out of your busy schedule to play along with us.

Thanks for Visiting

CASology Week #362...Tall

Hello and happy Tuesday. It's time for another challenge at CASology.   This week, our cue word is TALL.   What makes me happy is a tall stack of books.  I created this stack using stamps from Mama Elephant Book Worm.  This would be a great birthday card for any of my book club friends.

Now it's your turn.  How does TALL inspire you?


As always, remember the following CAS guidelines when creating your design:

1. One main image
2. Lots of open space, uncluttered
3. Limited layers & embellishments
4. Quick & easy to recreate (Note: It may take a while to create a design you like, but once you have that design, making more should be a piece of cake!)

I hope you play along this week.

Please head on over to the CASology blog and gather some inspiration from our Guest Designer and the CASology design team. 

Thanks for Visiting

Seize the Birthday...Guest Designer...White Space

Hello there.  I am back with another card for the latest Seize the Birthday challenge.  In case you were wondering, I will be the Surprise Guest Designer through the end of February.

This week, our challenge is Show Me Your White Space.  This was a really fun one for me, as CAS is my 'go to' style.

I pulled out an older PTI mini set called Splits, and stamped 2 things--the image and the sentiment.  I added a bit of color using Copics very loosely, then added some texture with an impression plate.  This card was very quick to make.

I hope you will think about white space and play along with us at Seize the Birthday this week.  Remember, 'Show Me Your White Space' is an optional topping, and you are always welcome to play along with any birthday card you make.

I look forward to seeing what you create.

Thanks for Visiting

Time Out #154...Reminder...Coffee Birthday

There is still time to play along with our current challenge at Time Out.  This week, we challenge you to be inspired by the words below...

I really liked the sentiments in the stamp set Cup Refills by our sponsor this week, CAS-ual Fridays.  I paired that sentiment up with an older PTI coffee set to create my card.  I think 'poured with love' really qualifies as an affectionate birthday sentiment.

Please head over to Time Out to see more inspiration from our Design Team and Guest Designer. Our Guest Designer this week is Mugdha, so please stop by her blog to see what she has created for this challenge. CAS-ual Fridays Stamps is our sponsor for this challenge.  Details for the prize are on the Time Out Challenge Blog.


This challenge will run another week.  I hope you will take some Time Out of your busy schedule to play along with us.

Thanks for Visiting

CASology Week #361...Sweetheart

Hello and happy Tuesday. It's time for another challenge at CASology.   This week, our cue word is SWEETHEART.   My mom loves panda everything, so this Valentine will be for her.  I combined a few different mail and panda themed stamps and dies from Mama Elephant to create this Valentine's Day card.

Now it's your turn.  How does SWEETHEART inspire you?


As always, remember the following CAS guidelines when creating your design:

1. One main image
2. Lots of open space, uncluttered
3. Limited layers & embellishments
4. Quick & easy to recreate (Note: It may take a while to create a design you like, but once you have that design, making more should be a piece of cake!)

I hope you play along this week.

Please head on over to the CASology blog and gather some inspiration from our Guest Designer and the CASology design team.

Thanks for Visiting

Crafting before the Superbowl

Popping in quickly to post a few cards for several challenges.

First up is a get well card that I made for Sherlock to send to my youngest daughter, as she currently has a cold.

I am entering this card at Freshly Made Sketches #420, Color Throwdown #578, Simon Says Monday Challenge:  All Loved Up, Paper Players #476: Love is in the Air, and AAA Cards #158: Up to 1/3 plus optional twist hearts.

Next up is a get well card, inspired by the challenge at CAS on Friday #172 and Addicted to Stamps and More #374: CAS.  I am also entering this card at Simon Says Wednesday Challenge:  Anything Goes.

Last up is a card inspired by the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch #357 and the January challenge at A Blog Named Hero: Anything Goes.

That's it for me today.  I don't have interest in the superbowl, but do enjoy the commercials....that's where I'll be this afternoon.

Thanks for Visiting