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

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

Seize the Birthday...Guest Designer...Birthday Bus

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 Creatures Great and Small.  Lately, I have been on a huge creatures kick.  I have been almost exclusively buying stamps with cute critters.  No idea why, but I think it's because I find them so endearing, fall in love, and must bring them home.

I used a really fun Avery Elle Birthday Bus stamp that had several creatures going to a birthday party.  I like how the big bear gets to drive the bus, whilst the little critters get to ride in the back.

I hope you will pull out some creatures and play along with us at Seize the Birthday this week.  Remember, 'Creatures Big and Small' 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

Seize the Birthday...Guest Designer...Knitted Stencil

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 to use STENCILS.  Stencils are so quick and easy and can really add impact to a card.  I don't know why I don't use them more often.

I used the Knit Wits stencil from The Greetery to create a stenciled background on my card front.  I added this adorable mushroom and knitting mouse from Gettin' Cozy from The Greetery, and my card was done.  I stamped the sentiment in red to tie in to the mushroom, and also to make sure it was easy to see.

I hope you will pull out your stencils and play along with us at Seize the Birthday this week.  Remember, Stencils 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

Seize the Birthday....Guest Designer...Layer Cake

Hello and Happy New Year!! 

SURPRISE!!!

I am pleased to say that I have been invited to join the team at Seize the Birthday as their Surprise Party Guest for the months of January and February.  What a fun way to start the new year.

Today's toppings challenge is "Layer It!"  I decided to use lots of different layers on my card, and also to add a layer cake as my focal point.

I used paint chips as my cake layers, and went with a mixed masculine color scheme--all of these colors were together on the paint chip.  My cake is cut with Concord & 9th Cake Layers dies, and my other layers use Mix & Match dies from PTI on a kraft card base.

I hope you will play along with us at Seize the Birthday.  I look forward to seeing what you create.

Thanks for Visiting

Get Well and Happy Birthday

Well, it's Tuesday afternoon and I have a very quick post for today.  If you are looking for my CASology post, please click here or scroll down.

I've been loving the cards I've seen with the Make it Monday #103 doodling technique shown in this video, so I tried it myself using the flowers in Sending You.

I am also entering this card at CAS on Sunday #53:  Girl Power and City Crafter #251:  Washi Tape where my friend Darnell is their Guest Designer.  I've got a strip of Washi Tape running down the left side of my card front.

I have one more entry into this week's CAS(E) this Sketch #112 and Seize the Birthday with a toppings of Masculine.

Gotta run to a lacrosse meeting at school.

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Weekend Recap

I hope everyone had a very nice weekend.  We are finally getting some rain here, and it is hard to complain, since we need it so badly.

I have a Mother's Day card that I made using some Poppy Stamps dies--Small Madison Window and Small Flower Box.  I used my new Bitty Bouquets stamps from PTI and fussy cut them, since the dies were out of stock when I ordered.  It was not that difficult--perhaps I can just live without those dies.  I used a piece of Bitty Dot Vellum behind the window, thanks to Marybeth for that idea.

I am entering this card into the Poppystamps Challenge #6 Through My Window and Addicted to Stamps Holiday.

Inspired again my Marybeth, I made a card for this week's Tag You're It Challenge, where our inspiration is this beautiful card by Marybeth.  I decided to use Frilly Flowers for my tag, since it was Marybeth who inspired me to buy those stamps.  I used a Basic Bookmark die for my tag, and then turned it into a card.

My colors for this card are inspired by Color Throwdown  #331.

I have not played at Fusion in a long time, but when I saw their inspiration this week, I had an idea for a baby card.  I used the Dainty Bow die by Mama Elephant, but only used on part of it, so my bows look more like bow ties.

Last up is a masculine birthday card using a die from Impression Obsession and some Small Sketched Stars.  The paper is from a Studio Calico pad I found at TJ Maxx--yes I have picked up some fun craft supplies there.

I am entering this card a CAS(E) this Sketch #112 and Seize the Birthday where I am finally playing along with the topping (masculine card).

I am also entering these cards over at Simon Says Monday No Rules and Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes.

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Weekend Recap

Happy Sunday.  I hope everyone had a very nice Valentine's Day.  I am posting 4 cards I made over the course of the weekend.

First up might just be my favorite, but I'm not sure.  I was inspired by this beautiful inspiration card at Time Out.  I made a pretty literal CASE because I could not see any possible way to improve on this card.  My twist is to have a black card front, underneath my white diagonal stripes.

I am entering this card at Time Out #24, Lil Inker Designs Monthly Meetup Challenge, Colour Me #58, and Simon Says Monday Challenge Red & Pink.

I was inspired by the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch #110 for my next card.  I masked the flower to stamp the leaves, so I am also linking up at Addicted to CAS where the challenge is MASK.  

I am also linking up at A Blog Names Hero Small Scale, as I kept my stamping to a small section of my card. 

I finally used one of my new Simon Says Stamp dies--Mod Circle Frame--and made a birthday card using the colors from this week's Color Throwdown #329.  I am also linking up at Addicted to Stamps #131 Anything Goes and Seize the Birthday (without toppings).

Last up is a valentine to put away until next year.  I like to have valentines that are not too lovey dovey and more appropriate to send to friends.  I used a die of hearts set in the shape of a heart, and I stamped some newsprint underneath and randomly filled some of the open hearts with red.  The die cut word is from Wet Paint Cuts.

I am linking this one up at ColourQ #279.

Well, that's it for me for today.  I've got to get my big mess all cleaned up to make room for some new goodies I plan to order tonight when PTI's February release goes live.

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