A Sassy Sketch

I get to play in Sassy Cheryl's challenge this week - woo hoo - not something I can do as often as I would like!  The challenge is to use the sketch provided and I decided to flip mine for a wee bit of interest. 

I am visiting at my Sassy friend Shirley's house in Mississippi and she has been teaching me about the Silhouette Cameo so I laid out my card with the it even printing and cutting this little girl using the Cameo. - so easy.

This card is a little different for me because it is a lot more clean and simple than what I normally do and I didn't manage the scale as well as I should have but it was fun to do and you have to love this little girl

Shirley is a whiz at this machine and I have learned so much from her this week.  We even did some image designing together - two heads are better than one sometimes. Now there is no excuse when I go home, I better be using my Cameo to do more. 

When we weren't crafting we walked, watched some TV, chatted up a storm, laughed a lot and ate yummy food.  All in all a great time and I am so glad I got to come for a visit - Shirley has been a lovely hostess.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Sassy Cheryl's - Sketch

Image:  Buttercup Suzie (Sassy Cheryl's)
Sentiment: Cameo Generated
Card Stock:  Recollections
Papers:  Oscraps
Colouring Medium:  Pencil Crayons (Prismacolors) with OMS
Tools & Embellishments:  Gems & Ribbon (Shirley's Stash), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Chalk (Jack Richardson & Co. Inc.)

Hats & More Hats

It is time for another challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow and this week we want you to create vintage or shabby chic cards or other paper-crafted projects that feature Vintage Hats, Shoes & Purses.

When you pop over to check out the challenge make sure you have a look at all the wonderful work of our Design Team and our Guest Designer, Brenda Brown.

This is actually a birthday card that I made for my Sister-in-Law and rather than putting a birthday sentiment on the front, I added a monogram.  The inside has a birthday verse.

I started with the background and stencilled some flourishes over some damask paper.  The image is a digital one that I changed to sepia in Photoshop, printed and then edged using a Martha Stewart punch set..  The monogram is stamped using Coffee Archival ink.  Some flowers that have been inked a bit, an organza bow and some bling complete the card.

I am away this week visiting my lovely friend Shirley in Mississippi so this is a scheduled post.  We are crafting, walking, chatting up a storm and just plain hanging out. 

Image:  Vintage Moth
Card Stock:  Recollections
Paper:  MME
Tools & Embellishments:  Monogram Stamp (Recollections), Deco Fan Around the Page Punch (Martha Stewart), Ribbon (My Stash), Florishes (Dollarama), Flowers (Wild Orchid Crafts), Petite Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Scattered Straw & Walnut Stain Distress Inks (Ranger), Buttercup Craft Paint (Americana), Coffee Archival Ink (Ranger)

Metal Mania

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is called Metal Mania.  We want your vintage or shabby chic cards or other paper-crafted projects to show some metal.

For this card I started with the background and sponged some distress inks on a piece of card stock using a hexagon mask part way through the process.

Then I embossed a piece of cream card stock with a Tim Holtz folder and inked it with some dark distress ink.  My 6 year-old Granddaughter was here at the time and she declared it to be "ugly" but I wasn't finished.  Next I painted it with a copper metallic craft paint and then sanded it lightly so some of the ink showed through.

The blimp and word Travel were stamped with Coffee Archival ink and the birthday tag was done on the computer.  All were inked with distress inks.  A few metal gears and a metal brad complete the card.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenge:

Anything Goes Challenge - Vintage/Shabby Chic

Image:  Blimp stamp (Indigo Blu)
Sentiment:  Travel stamp (Indigo Blu)
Card Stock:  Recollections
Tools & Embellishments:  Brad (Making Memories), Gears (Bead Landing), Embossing Folder (Tim Holtz), Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge & Vintage Photo Distress Ink (Ranger), Hexagon Stencil (Cut by my friend Shirley on her Cameo), Metallic Paint (Deco Art), Coffee Archival Ink (Ranger)

The Mailman

I wanted to play in the challenge at Sassy Cheryl's this week because I haven't been able to for some time . Since the challenge was called With Love and they want you to use a heart, I dug out this image from the Sassy Cheryl's shop that I have had for ages but had never used.  Either she is really happy to see the mailman because he is bringing something special or he is the something special.

The hearts were cut with my Cameo and next week I am off to visit with a lovely crafting friend in Mississippi and she is a Cameo whiz so I hope to start doing lots of great cuts when I return because I am going to get one on one lessons.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Sassy Cheryl's - With Love (Use a Heart)
Art Impressions Stamps - Show Me The Love (Hearts Required)
Creative Belli - Valentine/Hearts
Fresh Brewed Designs - Hearts & Dots

Image:  Special Delivery (Sassy Cheryl's)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card Stock:  White (Staples), Red (Lasting Impressions), Blue (Recollections)
Papers:  Hearts (Sweet Tweet Designs), Polka Dot (Recollections)
Colouring Medium:  Pencil Crayons (Prismacolors) and OMS (Gotrick)
Tools & Other Embellishments:  Buttons (Dress It Up), Cameo, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug)

Valentine Feathers

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is called Feathers & Fur.  We want you to make vintage or shabby chic cards or other paper-crafted projects that feature either birds or furry animals.

This week we have a wonderful Guest Designer joining us at Sugar Creek Hollow.  Please pop over to the blog and see the fabulous card that Sandra Mathis  is sharing with all of us and then go to her blog and leave her some love.

Last week I made a super girlie valentine and knew I couldn't give it to my husband but when I found this image, I knew it would work for a more masculine valentine and perfect for the theme this week.

I started with the background, which is just card stock that I inked with some Distress Inks and then spritzed with some water and added some MME papers.  I was hunting for something in the black hole that my craft room is starting to become and in the process found a cardboard tube with some lightweight aluminum sheet metal in it so I hand cut the big heart from it.  Then I embossed the heart and applied alcohol ink to it and also to the little heart-shaped lock charm.  I created the calendar on the computer and then added some old trim, a word tag and some card candy.

TIP:  To seal the end on this sort of trim because it always unravels just use liquid fray stop that can be found in the notions section at your local fabric store.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Divas by Design - Winged Things
Fab 'n' Funky - Valentines/Hearts
Paper Pretties - Valentines
Simon Says Stamp - Heart
Emerald Faeries - Love
Party Time Tuesday's - Love & Romance
Top Tip Tuesday - Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Artistic Inspirations - Embossing
Created with Love - Valentine's Day
Crafty Catz  - Love is in the Air (feature a heart)

Image:  The Graphics Fairy
Card Stock:  Recollections
Papers:  MME
Tools & Embellishments:  Aged Mahogany Distress Ink (Ranger), Card Candy (Craftwork Cards), Word Tag (Dollarama), Brads (Making Memories), Trim (My Stash), Heart Lock Charm (Arton Bead Supply)

Romantic Love

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is called Romantic Love.  With Valentine's Day coming up you can make a card for your loved one but you could also make an Anniversary or Wedding card as any of these would fit the theme.  To win any of the prizes, your project must be either vintage or shabby chic.

I am going to see if my Son-in-Law would like to give this card to my Daughter because it is just a bit too frilly for me to give to my husband.

I started with some paper that I found online, added a strip of ruffled crepe paper to which I added a piece of satin ribbon and some lace.  An embossed heart, doily, vintage cupid image, some pearls, a pretty bow and a vintage looking button complete the card.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafting For All Seasons - Buttons & Bows
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Stampavie & More - Love
Deep Ocean Challenge - Love & Lace
Flourishes - Vintage
Our Daily Bread Designs - Love
Partytime Tuesdays - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash - Valentines, Hearts, Red, Love, etc.
Inky Chicks - Bingo (Ribbon, Image, Pearls)
Forever Friends - Ribbon or Lace
Incy Wincy Designs - Pearls & Lace
Crafty Ribbons  - Anything Goes with Ribbon
It's All About The Vintage - Lace & Pearls
Brown Sugar Challenge  - Go Red/Hearts
Creative Corners - Love & Hearts

Image:  The Graphics Fairy
Card Stock:  White (Staples), Red (My Scrap Stash)
Paper:  Funky Fairy Papercrafts
Tools & Embellishments:  Doily (Wilton), Victoria Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Pearl Stickers (Recollections), Button (Fabricland), Lace (My Stash), Satin Ribbon (Fabricland), Crepe Paper (Dollarama), Fired Brick Distress Ink (Ranger)

Spanish Inspiration

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is to create a vintage or shabby chic card or other paper-crafted project with LOTS OF LAYERS. 

I made this card for my daughter's 35th birthday last week - it makes me feel older just thinking about it.  When she was a teenager she was a synchronized swimmer and competed at the national level.  One year her music was Spanish and so her bathing suit and headpiece had to have a Spanish feel to them - lots of black, red and gold.  I saw this image on The Graphics Fairy and thought it would be a great starting point and with all the black, red and the fan I think the card has a Spanish feel to it.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Anything Goes
Crafting by Designs - Polka Dots
Clear It Out - Theme (Circles, Stash (Anything Goes)
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Inky Chicks - Bingo (I used Die Cuts, Image, Flowers)
ABC Challenge - Birthday Cards
Lady Anne's Challenges - Anything Goes
Use Your Stuff - Birthday
Forever Friends  - Birthdays

Image:  The Graphics Fairy
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card Stock:  White (Staples), Black (Recollections)
Paper:   All from My Stash
Tools & Embellishments:  Roses (Excelsior Crafts), Lace (Stash I got from My Mother-in-Law when we moved her into a nursing home 3 years ago ), Ribbon (Michaels), Venetian Motifs Shapeabilities (Spellbinders), Pearl Stickers (Dollarama)

Tic Tac Toe

Over the holidays we played games with our Grandchildren, including Charades by candlelight when the power went out on Christmas Eve, so I thought it might be fun to play crafting Tic Tac Toe this week at Sugar Creek Hollow.  You need to make your vintage or shabby chic card using the 3 elements from one line on the graphic either vertically, horizontally or diagonally .  I have chosen the vertical line Lace, Ribbon, Pearls.

We have a Guest Designer this week so pop over to the Sugar Creek Hollow blog and see what Heidi Augustson (a.k.a. Filharmonica) has created.  Her work is always so lovely.

I have made a larger card this week to accommodate the dress form stamp that I picked up on a trip to the US last fall.  My lovely friend (and now my muse) Sue Carrington from Stamping Sue Style got me started in stamping when I went to visit her for a day last September on our trip to England.  I am using some of the techniques that she showed me that day.  I still have a long way to go to come even close to her talent but I will keep working on it.

I used Distress Inks to create a background and then stamped it with a few elements.  The dress form was stamped on an embossed rectangle that I created myself.  I printed text on card stock and die cut two shapes to make ribbon cards after I stamped them with some more of the sewing elements.  The ribbon was "pleated" on double-sided tape and the sentiment was computer generated.  I think I will hang on to this card and give it to my Mother-in-Law for her upcoming 91st birthday in March since she spent many years as the alterations person in a dress shop and should appreciate the theme.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Lady Anne's Challenges - Anything Goes (must use rubber or digital stamp)
Divas By Design - Make It Girlie
Frilly and Funkie - Follow Your Muse
Paper Pretties - Ribbon
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Anything Goes
Card Mania - Oh So Girly
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Lace
Vintage Stamping Challenge - Vintage

Images:  TPC Studio
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card Stock:  Recollections
Paper:  My Stash
Tools & Embellishments:  Pearl Flourishes (Dollarama), Lace (My Stash), 1/2" White Ribbon (Kate's Paperie), 1/4" Ribbons (White Rose), Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Milled Lavender & Dusty Concord Distress Ink (Ranger), Labels Four Nestabilities (Spellbinders),

Angel White

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is called WINTER WHITE.  We want to see vintage or shabby chic cards all in white - if you want to include a focal image with some colour, that is fine but everything else must be white.

When I started this post I realized that the stick pins have slipped a bit.  They are not supposed to be in front of the image but my back has gone out and I am in too much pain to retake the photo so close your eyes and imagine both stick pins over the feathers on the left.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Stampavie and More - Blue and White
Creative Moments - Monochrome
Top Tip Tuesday - Fur or Feathers
Use It Tuesday - Make It Sparkle (Must use hoarded stash - silk flowers bought 12 years ago to make my daughter's wedding headpiece)
Craft Your Passion - Vintage/Shabby Chic
Image:  The Graphics Fairy
Sentiment:  Aussie Scraps
Card Stock:  Staples
Tools & Embellishments:  Feathers (Dollarama),Pearl Headed Pin (Dollarama), Crystal Headed Pin (Excelsior Wholesale Supply), Beads (Michaels), Organza Ribbon (Arton Bead Supply), Silk Flowers (My Stash), Pearl Stickers (Recollections), Oval & Labels Sixteen Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Deco Fan Punch Around the Page Set (Martha Stewart), Corner Rounder Punch (Marvy Uchida), Budding Vine Embossing Folder (Craft Concepts), Winter Frost Paint (Creative Impressions Paint)

Three Funny Snowmen

I didn't get enough Christmas cards made in 2012 and was scrambling at the end so this year I decided to start early and maybe if I keep plugging away, I will actually make it.  My other goal is to make every card flat enough that it only requires regular postage, which is going up to 63 cents here in Canada - ouch.

I haven't had time to play in Sassy Cheryl's challenges for ages but decided I would use one of my newly purchased images and participate this week.  The challenge is Anything Goes (as long as you use a Sassy Cheryl image) so I am sure a Christmas card will qualify.

I also used my new Cameo to cut the snowflake but I really need to spend more time figuring out what blade depth and speed I need for the type of material I am using because it did not go as well as I hoped and I wasted some material.  I know once I figure it out, I will love the machine.

I am going to enter these happy snowpeople in the following challenges:

Sassy Cheryl's - Anything Goes (with a Sassy Cheryl image)
Gingerloft Challenges - Christmas or Winter
That Craft Place - Christmas
2 Sisters - Anything Goes
Broken Box Stock - Winter/Snowflakes
Card Crafters Circle - There's No Business Like Snow Business
Dilly Beans - Snowmen
Creative Belli - Winter/Snowmen

Image:  Three Funny Snowmen (Sassy Cheryl's)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card Stock:  White for Card Blank (Staples), Pearl White for Snowflake (Recollections)
Paper:  Creating Keepsakes
Colouring Medium:  Pencil Crayons (Prismacolors) with OMS (Gotrick)
Tools & Embellishments:  Card Candi (Craftwork Cards), Chalk (Mungyo)

Celebrating Something New

I'm baaaack - have you missed me :)  It certainly was great having a break from blogging but the holidays were very busy indeed.  I did have a lovely time though and got to visit with family and dear friends.  Now we have lots of snow and cold temperatures so it is time to hunker down and craft, blog, work and sew.

The challenges are starting back up today at Sugar Creek Hollow and for this first one of the New Year we want you to make a vintage or shabby chic card or other paper-crafted project to Celebrate Something New.  Your creation could celebrate the New Year itself or a new job, house, relationship, baby or anything else that is new.

I have created a card to celebrate the new home that a friend just moved into.  I sure hope she doesn't see this because I haven't received her new address yet so I haven't been able to mail it.

For this card I decided to CASE a lovely card by my friend Sue Carrington at Stamping Sue Style but I already had the image and had it printed to use for this card.  I made my flower from Buckram, which is a really stiff interfacing fabric and my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die.  The butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch and the flourish is a Spellbinders die.  I used lots of Distress Ink for this project so now have a pair of latex gloves in my craft room.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Flutterby Wednesdays - In With The New (must have a butterfly or fairy)
For Fun Challenges  - Something New
Fresh Brewed Designs - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamps - New Something
Crafty Sentiments - New
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Pixie Dust Studio - It's All New To Me
Shelly's Images - Anything Goes

Image:  The Graphics Fairy
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card Stock:  Staples
Paper:  Lily Bee Design
Tools & Embellishments:  Button (My Stash), Wild Honey, Scattered Straw & Rusty Himge Distress Ink (Ranger), Venetian Motifs Shapeabilities (Spellbinders), Black Gems (Michaels)

Fancy Gift Box

This week the challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow is called FOR A GIFT. We want you to make something vintage or shabby chic that is useful for a gift but not just a card. It can be a gift bag or box, a gift card or money enclosure or even a gift tag.

This week Jytte Grund Jensen is joining us as a Guest Designer. Please make her feel welcome and visit her blog to check out her lovely work.

Renee has also created another wonderful tutorial for you so take a look at that and it may just inspire you to make something similar.

This week is our last challenge for 2012. The designers deserve a break but we will be back with a new challenge on January 5th.

I have created this little purse box that will hold my daughter's birthday gift. Her birthday is January 15th so I always buy something for her at the same time as I get the Christmas gifts. I also made a mini version to put ponytail elastics in for my Granddaughter for Christmas.  Edited to add link to pattern.

I am going to enter this project in the following challenges:

Creative Moments Bloggers Network - Anything But A Card
My Craft Spot - Wrap It Up
Really Reasonable Ribbon  - Anything Goes & Ribbon

Paper:  29th Street Market
Tools & Embellishments:  Beads (My Stash), Crinkle Seam Binding (Live & Love Crafts), Satin Ribbon (Fabricland), Flower Punches (EK Paper Shapers), Gems (Michaels), Frond Punch (Martha Stewart), Milled Lavendar Distress Ink (Ranger)

Show Me Thursday at Sassy Cheryl's

I don't usually have a lot of time to take photos of what is on my office desk for Show Me Thursday over at Sassy Cheryl's.  Besides it is usually covered in the documents I am posting for my Son-in-Law's books but today I have a photo for you.  It isn't a great photo but I wanted to get everything into one shot.

My 6 year-old Granddaughter is getting into crafting in a big way and I decided to make her some card kits and add lots of supplies for Christmas.  She has never been one to play by herself but she will now sit for 2 hours at a time creating and begging for more time.  She was here last weekend and was making tags for her presents and I was thrilled with how creative she is with great ideas for decorating her tags.

There are three cases chock full of all sorts of things and she is going to be thrilled with papers, ribbon, flowers, brads, beads, clear stamps, buttons, glue dots and runners just to name a few.  Most of the supplies are from my stash but I did purchase a few things on sale and at the dollar store along with the large plastic case and the 3-drawer bin.  My husband supplied the divided plastic box.

You will also notice my new toy in the background.  Thanks to the Queen of enabling, Shirley Swoope, I now have a Cameo but I have been sooooo busy I have only made one cut with it.  I do have plans to play with it during the holidays in between social engagements (and the dratted books).

Holly Vine

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is called STENCILS & MASKS.  We want you to make vintage or shabby chic cards using stencils or masks to create backgrounds or other elements.

I bet are wondering where my stencil or mask is.  Well check out the holly vine that I created from this cheap plastic stencil that has been in my crafting supplies for a zillion years.  I used distress ink to stencil it and then hand cut it.  I had originally intended for it to be a border but I really did not like it as a border and am very happy with this outcome.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Christmas at Sweet Stampin Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
Creative Moments - Anything Goes/Buttons & Bows
Freshly Brewed  - Christmas
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing
Bearly Mine  - Santa is on his way
Deep Ocean - So This Is Christmas
Top Tip Tuesday - Christmas
Lexi's Creations - Christmas
Paper Playtime - Christmas Colors
Paper Pretties - Use Ribbon
Unstampabelles - Christmas (No Stamps)
C.R.A.F.T.  - Christmas
Delightful Challenges - All About Christmas
It's All About The Vintage - Christmas
Alphabet Challenge - V for Vintage
Crafty Mess - Vintage Christmas

Image:  A. Koupie
Paper:  Dovecraft
Card Stock:  Cream (Staples), Red (Lasting Impressions)
Tools & Embellishments:  Fired Brick and Crushed Olive Distress Inks (Ranger), Gems (Michaels), Snowflake Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Ribbon (Fabricland)

Leaping Stag

The new challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is called Distressing so we want you to make vintage or shabby chic cards or other paper-crafted projects featuring lots of torn edges and inking.

I have done another Christmas card to add to the stash, which is not growing fast enough.  This one has a sort of collage feel to me with all the different bits and pieces even although it isn't a real favourite but it is flat enough to mail with regular postage and for me that alone makes it a winner.

The holly leaves were hand cut from buckram (or crinoline as it is called in certain areas) and then dyed with Forest Moss Distress Ink.  The scalloped circle has been embossed and then sprayed with Pearl Glimmer Mist before the edges were inked with Aged Mahogany Distress Ink.  The paper edges were scuffed up and torn and then they were also inked as was the sentiment.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Pixie Dust Studio - Winter Holiday Creations
Whimsy Inspirations - Use Tradional Christmas Colors
Party Time Tuesday's - Anything Goes
ABC Challenges - Anything Goes
Use Your Stuff - Patterned Paper

Image:  Hand cut from a stencil
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Paper:  My Stash
Tools & Embellishments:  Pearl Stickers (Dollarama), Buckram (Fabricland), Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Snowflake Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Wave Scissors (Fiskars), Forest Moss, Peeled Paint & Aged Mahogany Distress Ink (Ranger), Pearl Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels)

Vintage Santa

The Christmas countdown is officially on now that Santa is showing up in all the malls and the radio stations are playing nothing but Christmas music.  It sure doesn't take long to switch from one holiday to another.

To help you in your Christmas preparations, the challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow this week is called VINTAGE CHRISTMAS.  We want you to make vintage or shabby chic cards or other paper-crafted projects featuring a vintage Christmas image.  Our designer have lots of fabulous inspiration for you so check out the details of their work on their blogs and then come back and show us your vintage Christmas creations.

Our new Design Teammate Amelia and I live continents apart but both of us have included rosettes on our cards this week - WUWT :)  I used a couple of great vintage Christmas images that I found online along with some vintage inspired papers.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Bloggers Network - Christmas Anything Goes
Cupcake Craft Challenges - Paper Pleating
My Grafico - Anything Goes
The Paper Girls - Christmas or Winter
Victorine Originals - Anything Christmas
Crimbo Crackers  - Anything Christmas Goes

Images:  Santa (The Cottage Dreamer), Bells (Far Far Hill)
Card Stock:  Staples
Papers:  Snowflake and Dotted Stripe (Dovecraft), Red (My Stash), Red & Green (Far Far Hill)
Tools & Embellishments:  Buttons (Dress it Up), Swiss Dot Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Circle Punch (EK Paper Shapers), Twine (My Stash), Aged Mahogany & Bundled Sage Distress Ink (Ranger)

Krafty Snowman

It's another Saturday at Sugar Creek Hollow and that means a new challenge.  This week we want to see vintage or shabby chic cards or other paper-crafted projects featuring KRAFT.

I am on a mission to get all my Christmas cards done by the end of November so this week I have made a shabby sort of primitive card to add to the stash.  Now I have 16 cards, which means only 14 or so to go.  The chances of meeting my timeline are slim to none because I have a horrible cold and do not feel like crafting - or doing anything else for that matter. I know - oh woe is me :)

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Non Traditional Christmas Colours
Just Keep On Creating - Christmas Is Just Around The Corner
Little Red Wagon - Texturize It
Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
Craft Room Challenge - Punches & Die Cuts
Crafty Bloggers Network - Christmas Anything Goes
Forever Friends - Ribbon/Twine
The Pink Elephant Challenge - Punches & Dies
Christmas Card Challenges - Snowmen

Image:  Sassy Cheryl's
Card Stock:  Recollections
Paper:  Papermania
Colouring Medium:  Pencil  Crayons (Prismacolors) with OMS (Gotrick)
Tools & Embellishments:  Jute Twine (My Stash), Snowflake Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Snowflake Die (Spellbinders), Eyelets (Making Memories), Aged Mahogany Distress Ink (Ranger)

One For The Boys

ONE FOR THE BOYS is the name of the challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow and it couldn't have come at a better time.  Tuesday is my brother's birthday and I gave this card to him last night when he and my Sister-in-Law joined my husband and me and another couple for dinner at a local restaurant.

Interestingly, the wife of the other couple has been a friend of ours since we were babies (her Mom and ours were best friends).  Even if we don't see each other much during the year we always make a point to get together just before Christmas and except for a few years when we were away or she lived up north, we have met annually.  Since we have been keeping this tradition for most of the past 67 years, it is one that is treasured.  I woke up on Thursday with a cold and by last night could barely speak but I bet the rest of the group loved that although it did make catching up a bit difficult. :)

Now back to the challenge - as always we want you to make a vintage or shabby chic card following the challenge theme and we have a digi of our choice and a winner's badge for one random winner and a winner's badge along with a chance at being a monthly Guest Designer for the Top Pick as chosen by our Design Team.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

SJ Crafts - Birthday plus Optional Circles/Ovals
Lady Anne's Challenges - Anything Goes (must include rubber or digital stamp)
Inky Impressions - Birthday
Anything Goes Challenge - Anything Goes
Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
Papelitos Challenges - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Cards for Men - Anything Goes (must be masculine)
Lexi's Creations - Special Birthday
Eclectic Ellapu - It's a Vintage Thing

Image:  Auto Rubber Stamp (Indigo Blu), Map (The Graphics Fairy)
Sentiment:  Blank Ticket (The Beary Scrap) with Computer Generated Text
Card Stock:  Bazzill
Papers:  Basic Grey
Tools & Embellishments:  Button (My Stash), Brads (Making Memories), Frayed Burlap Distress Ink (Ranger), Metal Strip (Making Memories)

Cream - Plus Two

This week the new challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow is called CREAM PLUS TWO.  That means we want you to make vintage or shabby chic cards in cream and two other colours.

We will be choosing one random winner who will receive a digi of our choice along with at winner's badge to display. The Design Team will choose their Top Pick and that creator will receive a winner's badge but will also be in the running for a monthly Guest Designer spot.

I told you I was spending last week in Mississippi.  I chat with a number of lovely ladies on a Papercraft Planet group and 6 of us got together at the home of one of the ladies in Mississippi for a week of crafting, chatting and laughing.  We had never met in person but when we did, it was like seeing old friends.  The ladies are all wonderful and we had the best time together.

One of the ladies had to stay there because she came from an area right in the path of the big storm and she finally got to go home yesterday.  While she was naturally worried about her family, she was with our fabulous hostess and got extra crafting time in.  I landed in Toronto while the outer bands of the storm were hitting on Monday night and got down safely and relatively on time despite some turbulence but the ride home was a white-knuckle one.  We had a couple of storm-related deaths here when signs flew off buildings and lots of trees fell damaging houses and cars.  There were also some power outages but we were really unscathed compared to those states in the US so my thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is so affected by the storm.

My card this week is cream with red and green - typical for Christmas!  I printed some music on cream card stock, cut a poinsettia with a Marianne Creatables Die Set and then sponged it with distress inks.  The focal image and ticket were freebies that I found online and I made the calendar.  The little baubles are a Spellbinders die and all that was left was to add some satin ribbon and a few pearls.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Ribbons - Christmas
Forever Friends - Anything Goes
Happy Campers - Shabby Chic
Paper Crafting Journey - Ribbon or Twine
Live & Love Crafts - Christmas
Fab 'n' Funky - Die Cuts/Punches
Die Cuttin' Divas - Anything Goes (must use die cut)
Ooh La La Creations - Christmas

Image:  Ephemera's Vintage Garden
Sentiment:  Miss Cutie Pie
Card Stock:  Cream (Staples)
Papers:  Back to Basics Christmas (Dovecraft)
Tools & Embellishments:  Aged Mahogany & Peeled Paint Distress Inks (Ranger), Ribbon (Fabricland), Poinsettia Die (Marianne Creatables), Pearls (Recollections), Venetian Motifs (Spellbinders)

Texting - Vintage Style

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is called TEXTING - VINTAGE STYLE. We want you to make a vintage or shabby chic card with text on the front. It can be a sentiment and/or paper with text.

We will be choosing one random winner who will receive a digi of our choice along with at winner's badge to display. The Design Team will choose their Top Pick and that creator will receive a winner's badge but will also be in the running for a monthly Guest Designer spot.

Now, I do not own a Blackberry, I-Phone or Android so I do not text and I am quite happy about that because nothing annoys me more than people constantly walking around with their heads down and their fingers moving. What happened to actually talking to people? I almost hit a girl with my car the other day because she was texting while she was walking and she didn't look and stepped off the curb in front of me while I was turning into a parking lot. I had the right of way but the look I got clearly indicated that she thought it was my fault she almost got hit - NOT. I love that schools are banning these devices during school hours, that restaurants are starting to ask that they be locked up during the time people are in the restaurant and that we have a law banning them while driving although not everyone is following the rules yet. I guess they will get the message when they are killed or they kill someone - so sad!

Now off my soapbox and on to my card. I used a vine mask to create the background and then covered most of it up - what's up with that? I used one of my newly purchased rubber stamps to create the focal image and then I coloured the large butterfly with distress ink, deliberately making it looked a little washed out. I used lots of distress inks on the background, focal image, butterflies and sentiment so I had really inky fingers at the end but it was fun.

I am away this week visiting with a bunch of ladies that chat over at Sassy Cheryl's Papercraft Planet group and will fill you in on all the fun we are having when I return next week.

Image: Time Flies (Inkadinkado)  
Sentiment: Raindrop Echo  
Card Stock: Recollections  
Paper: Background (Handmade), Music (MME), Vellum (Curry's Art Store)  
Tools & Embellishments: Card Candy (Craftwork Card), Vintage Photo, Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Old Paper & Crushed Olive Distress Inks (Ranger), Gold Liquid Pearls (Viva), Labels 4 Nestabilities (Spellbinders)