Congrats, You're Engaged!

     Whoot whoot! My friends daughter got engaged over the holidays and I am finally getting around to making a card. Why not pair it with a challenge? As a member of the cricut circle ( we are an exclusive group, lol) I have a chance to win the latest new product from Provo Craft: Yudu card shop! This is a fabulous new machine that lets you silk screen your designs on cards. It's perfect for invitations and all other 5x7 cards. In order to have a chance to win this you had to mail your card to Jinger Adams @ Provo Craft and have it received by Jan. 18th. I think I made it because I mailed it today Priority mail and they should receive it Tuesday.
     The best part of this is that they will pick 2 winners to receive this new product @ the launch on HSN January 20th. They might even display some of the entries so wish me luck.
     The above card is my entry. You had to use Anna Griffins paper. Isn't this just gorgeous! Next you had the option of several cricut cartridges which will also be featured on the show. I used Don Juan for the frame and hand. The arrow was cut using Home Decor.
     I chose to make this an easel card because it exemplifies what a girl does when she receives her ring, constantly raises her hand and gazes at it, lol! This card was a blast to embellish! All the die cuts were inked with Ranger Distress inks. I added a piece of silver roping around the ring finger and added bling from Creative Charms for the rock! I didn't want it to look like a hand just hanging there so I gave her a pearl bracelet and a lace "cuff". 
     One of my new favorite tools are the script letters from JustRite stamps. This allows me the freedom to spell out exactly what I want to say. How cool is that! I used this to say "on your engagement".
The frame and background were embossed with cuttlebug folders swirls and textile. The label was also cut with the oval cuttlebug die. I also used the negative piece to add a frame to the tag. A little bit of sheer ribbon and it was done.
     Hope you enjoyed my latest project and wish me luck!!                  

You Rock!

   Hi there! Well, in keeping with my New Years" resolution to enter more challenges, I couldn't resist the one at Creative Inspirations Paint. You had to use texture in your card and did I ever!!
   I received a Yudu for Christmas from 2 of my daughters and decided to practice on a piece of card stock first ( I glad I did because it was a disaster, lol). The background to the stamped image is my "mistake" piece (done with silver Yudu ink).
I used an Inkadinkado stamp for the guitar and the "You Rock" sentiment.
   I used a spellbinders die to cut the image piece and added that to a piece of black card stock. Now the fun part. I distressed the edges with my distress it all for a grungy look. I painted the edges with CIP
winter frost on the edges. Wow did it pop!! Next I used some inkssentials enamel accents for the dots near the guitar.
   More texture? I used the musical notes embossing folder and my cuttlebug for the background paper and then lightly sanded the details.

Joan's Gardens week #1 Challenge

   Well with all the snow we got today (18" +) it was a great day to do some challenges. After the laundry was done, cookies baked and supper over with it was time to set about a challenge. Joan's gardens has some beautiful projects over there and I finally have the confidence to enter their first challenge of the year. First it had to include an animal or bird (check) had to use a floral back ground (check) a die of some sort ( check) and something out of your comfort zone (UGH!).

   One of my personal goals this year is to use up some of my stash of scrap paper. This background paper seemed to be perfect for the background paper. I also had this negative image leftover from  another scrap project. At first I was going to use a Spellbinder die but I really loved how this sort of looked like a sign so I went with a simple stamp "There's a song in the air".
   The easy part was to use an image from my cricut library French Manor for the bird and birdcage. Now came the hard part: something out of my comfort zone. Okay so I have a confession: I'm a hoarder. Yup it's true and one of the things I've been hoarding is anything by Tim Holtz.  So it was finally time to pull out the grunge paper and gold dabber paint. I love how this came out! What a great dimension this paper gives! Everything was inked with Ranger distress ink antique linen.

   I also decided to use a Martha Stewart punch for this beautiful butterfly. Of course the front would not be complete without bling so I added some pale blue rhinestones.
   I also love to complete the inside of my cards so I used the Spellbinders Labels Ten (3 1/2") size stamped the sentiment and then shaded embossed area with blue chalk.
   Not bad for a card made out of scraps! Great start to the New Year!!

New Year New Challenge

     What a season this has been. Christmas, 6 birthdays and a baby shower! It was wonderful having the whole family around to celebrate all these events including my son, DIL and 2 of the grandchildren from Florida  as well as my daughter and SIL from HI. It's been a while since all 5 of the kids plus the 8 grandchildren have spent Christmas with us so it was wonderful.

Now that the decorations are down and the house is quiet I am back to creating (which I love). Of course the best way to start off the year is with a good challenge and I love what Color Throwdown 123 had in store. Kristen offered free digital paper and I was just blown away by the colors. I had one last birthday card to complete so this paper was perfect.
     I decided to use the Japanese lantern stamp by Inkadinkado.It just added so much to the paper. I used Tim Holtz forest moss for the ink color and it matched the paper perfectly. I just love when that happens, lol. I also used a M's stamp for the HB greeting and cut with the Spellbinders oval  in 2 sizes and used popdots to "pop" the sentiment.
     Of course no card is complete without some bling. I just love Creative Charms bling. The gradient jewels are so sparkly!
     Part of the challenge was to include a finished inside as well as a lined envelope. I always love to do this , it just seems to complete the look. The patterned paper Kristen designed was perfect for

 cutting out certain elements. I did choose to leave the inside blank as I have a long message convey.
     Happy New Year my friends, I have some great projects to share with you this year.