Just Popping in with a Couple of Cards...

 Hello everyone!! 

It has been a long time since I have posted on here, with exception of some DT assignments. There has been A LOT going on but that will be a different post for another day this week!!!

Today I have a couple cards for some challenges. I was able to get in my craft room yesterday and play with some images that I had colored in/die cut /paper pieced when I had the time and made these into actual projects yesterday. I like when I can do this because I can get more done at one sitting!!!

My first card was I created using a few challenges as inspiration. 

I used the Inspired By Challenge #153 as inspiration for my snowflakes and snowman, and Freshly Made Sketches #464 as the layout for my card. I actually flipped the sketch a little and changed where the sentiment was on the sketch but I used it for the overall orientation of my elements. I never know if this is okay or not!!

I used Spellbinders D-Lites Snowman die that I had paper pieced together as my main element.

I layered the snowman over a shaker that I made with the negative of a snowflake paper scrap I had in my stash. 

The sentiment is from Mama Elephant and the paper is from an old 6" by 6" paper pad-Wish Season-from Fancy Pants. I used Nuvo Crystal Drops in Autumn Red for the berries on the hat and some Scrapbook.com Clear Shimmer Pen and Glossy Accents on his nose. 

My second card was inspired by a sketch from Try Stamping on Tuesday #486, this weeks The Color Throwdown #622, and The Library Challenge #73 book cover image.

I used the Kraft color in my card base and my tiny banner peeking out from the Spellbinders D-Lite's Santa that I had paper pieced together. I used the Santa in place of the large white circle on the sketch.

On the Santa's hat I used some Nuvo Fresh Snowfall Glitter Accent, as well as some Clear Shimmer Pen and Glossy Accents on his nose.

I layered the Santa over some pattern paper from the Lawn Fawn "Perfectly Plaid Christmas" collection. The cream cardstock was embossed using a Tim Holtz Alterations embossing folder.

Instead of using circles like the sketch, I substituted snowflakes that I had die cut last summer. I am OBSESSED with snowflake dies and have TOO MANY for me to even tell you what companies these are from!

The Simon Says Stamp sentiment was stamped with Hero Arts Red Royal dye ink. I am assuming that you all know that the Santa on the book cover was my inspiration for this Santa.

On another note, one reason I have not been blogging or creating anything lately because of my lack of any kind of mojo. I have been so depressed. I suffer from depression on a regular basis but Covid has just about killed me. I needed something to channel my energy into. My solution?

Meet Lucy and Snoopy!!! We adopted them on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Lucy is Snoopy's mother. They are Jack Russell Terriers and have been a blessing to our family.

They ADORE my daughter Charlotte. (Sorry for the horrible photo. They were both looking at me UNTIL I TOOK OUT MY PHONE TO SHOOT THE PHOTO!!!)

I have been doing a ton of wash since Snoopy is not quite housebroken. We are trying but it is a long process. Even though we have more than one bed, and a large bed, both sleep together on top of each other in this teeny bed 

I have to tell you that I have had more energy being around these two dogs then I have felt in a LONG time. I am not sure if it is because we rescued them, or if it is the oxytocin released from petting them, or because I have something to concentrate on besides my stress, but they have been a life line to me and my family. 

Well, that is all for tonight. I thank you for taking the time to stop by. I hope you all have a FABULOUS night!!

Everyone Could use a Smile-A CAS-Fridays Post

 Today it is my turn on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog with a trio of cards using the "Sassy Smiles" stamp set.

Hop on over to my BLOG POST to see how I created these cards!!!

I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!!

Merry Christmas with CAS-Fridays

 Happy Tuesday!! I am just popping in with a sneak peek for a card I created for the CAS-Fridays Blog today. 

I had fun doing a bunch of techniques to create this card. Hop on over the THIS POST to see how I made this with a step-by-step picture tutorial!!! 

I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!

A Successful Sunday With Cards for Some Challenges

 Hello everyone!! Just popping in to post a couple of cards I created for some challenges. 

I had a bit of time today to create. My mojo has been a bit spotty and my energy low so I have not been getting into my craft room as of late. It doesn't help that I really need TO CLEAN because it sure is a mess!!!

For my first card, I used this weeks sketch from the Paper Craft Crew for my card. Please excuse the photo. I could not fix the lighting on it no matter how hard I tried!

Below is the sketch that inspired me. 

I was a little bit liberal with the elements on my card because they wound up being a bit bigger then what is represented in the sketch.

I literally used elements that were previously stamped or die cut for other projects to put this card together.

The flowers are from Altenew and Paper Trey Ink, the circle is from MFT, the envelope was cut from a die from Mama Elephant and the sentiment was from Hello Bluebird. 

This was one of the EASIEST cards I have created in a long time and will be sent out tomorrow to a member of the Union I belong to.

My second card I created using this weeks The Color Throwdown #619 and Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #297.

I knew when I saw the badge for the Color Throwdown that I wanted to use my new Tall Tree dies I bought from The Stamp Market and my Skinny Postage Frames from PTI. These were some of my new toys I bought to try to get my mojo going!!

I created the blue background on this with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink and watered down white acrylic paint.

The sentiment is from a stamp set that was gifted to me from Stamplorations.

I absolutely LOVE how this card came out!!! 

My next card was inspired by this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #461 and once again, I used the Color Throwdown colors. 

This card was one I originally designed for The Color Throwdown but I liked the one above better.

I used some paper from my scrap drawer for the background and the greenery is from The Greetery.

The poinsettia is from the Layered Poinsettia from Spellbinders. I used Copic markers to shade it in BUT as I was doing it, I failed to do a color test with my background paper. I wound up having to fix my mistake by using more colors than I wanted so it is more blue than white.

The middle of the flower got muddled too because I was impatient for the Silver Stickles to dry. They were supposed to resemble the tiny flower in the middle of the poinsettia but when I was doing my layers, I didn't let the previous one dry enough!!! 

I will fix it by layering some more over it once the first layer dries.

My last card I created using the Inspired By Challenge #150 and the sketch as my inspiration.

I used a Santa image from Simple Stories Simple Vintage North Pole Collection. 

I keep buying these darn pre made die cuts and never use them but this image was PERFECT for this challenge. 

I actually altered the die cut by cutting some things off this side that just didn't go with this aesthetic. I also covered the fur and hat with a Scrapbook.com Clear Glitter Marker and the hat with some Glossy Accents. 

The snowflakes are from a huge amount I die cut last winter and the sentiment is from Uniko Stamps.

Well, I think that is enough from me today. I thank you for taking your time to stop by and I hope you have a FABULOUS night!!

Your Birthstone is a Coffee Bean-Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Day 4

 Happy Monday!! 

Just popping in with a coffee card with some CAS-ual Fridays Stamps coffee themed products using this weeks CASE this Sketch Challenge #397 as inspiration.

I created this for the Coffee Lover's Fall/Winter Blog Hop. 

It is hard to tell but I started off my card by using the Coffee Bean Stencil to dry emboss coffee beans on a piece of white cardstock. I then adhered the cardstock over a white, top folding A2 card base.  

I then used the Coffee Cup Fri-dies to die cut four small coffee cups out of scraps of pattern paper. I temporarily adhered them to the paper and stamped the sentiment using the Cup Refills stamp set. 

I then used the CASE this Sketch #397 as my guide to adhere the coffee cups down. This sketch was PERFECT for these coffee cups!!

I used Ranger Ground Espresso Distress Ink to shade the "coffee" inside the cups and topped it off with some Glossy Accents and my card was DONE. 

All the coffee themed products are on sale over at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps until November 13, 2020. Use my code NORASENTME to get an extra 15% off your total order, including sale items!!

That is all from me today. I hope you all have a FABULOUS day!!