Life in a Shaker Card

I have to tell you a story about my grandson, Alex aka MonkeyMoo aka MM in order for you to understand this card. When MM was 2 1/2, he, his mom, a friend of his mom's and her two children went to Sea World for a weekend. They spent the entire day from 9 in the morning until 9 in the evening. It was a 6 hour drive back home for them on Sunday. My daugher and her friend were in the front seat, and the three kiddos were in the back seat. My daughter corrected MM, and his response to her was to throw his arms wide(for emphasis) and say, "Ou need to wisten me! Dis is not a game(I can so hear his mother telling him this)." The next part still cracks me up. He then proceeded to tell her with arms still outstretched and as serious as he could be, "I a PERSON! I got my life and a ticket!"

This week the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog challenge was to create a shaker card(they even included a great tutorial on how to accomplish the feat). Christy, loved the story of MM and created this wonderful image called Ticket to Life that I've used for my card. She also created the LIFE ticket in my shaker background. I took it a step further and used the ticket shape for all the components of the card.

Image: Tiddly Inks - Ticket To Life colored with Copics

Sentiment: Modified the ticket image in Photoshop to add MM's quote

Papers: Red Cardstock and Bitty Background Paper Pad

Accessories: Buttons from Walmart; MTC and Cricut created ticket band and tickets for the shaker part

I think MM is pretty smart to have already figured out that he's a person and counts. I hope we all remember we are each important in our own right. Hope you have your ticket and a destination in mind.

It's Your Choice - Spring, Easter, Bunnies, Spring Colors

That's the challenge that Peggy of Sassy Cheryl's DT provided this week over on the Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog. How about all of the above? That's exactly what I did with my challenge project.

I was surfing websites this past week and found a blog where they had made what's called a wobble. They're really neat and so easy to make. Check out The Paper Boutique Blog, where she shows you where you can purchase wobbles or how to make your own(very easy).

I am a huge Crystal Light drinker and make it by the gallon. The quart packets come in the nicest plastic container that are completely clear once the label's removed. It makes the perfect container for treats.

Stick with me I'm getting there. Sassy Cheryls recently released this image called The Dancing Bunny. I should also tell you she's recently released a bunch of adorable bunny and wanna be bunny images, and I encourage you to check them out at her STORE. I knew this Bunny had to wobble, and how much better if she wobbled on a treat box filled with chocolate eggs(Would you believe the WalMart I stopped at didn't have their Easter goodies out yet? I'm having a problem with that myself, so just chocolate is going inside.) I even put the flowers on wobbles.

I truly had a wonderful time making this project, and it came together so quickly even I couldn't believe it. Here are the details. Now I'm going to make some with the Wanna Be Bunny's and put jelly beans in my grandson's.

Image: Sassy Cheryls - The Dancing Bunny colored with Copics

Paper: Summertime Designs - Sweet Cakes Kit and from my stash

Sentiment: Rubber Stamp by Craftsmart for Michaels

Embellishments: Ribbon from stash, flowers made using Cuttlebug Asterisks die cut, Edge punches by Marthat Stewart

Monochrome In Triplicate

Yep, I've got another one for you. Since you're allowed to enter the Phindy's Place Challenge up to three times, I decided I'd make another card. What can I say, I love these Wee Babbies in Phindy's store. Besides getting to make up to 3 entries, if you use a Phindy's image, you get 2 entries in the challenge for each card. I was also surfing the web the other night, and I found another digital paper site with a free paper kit that was perfect for this monochromatic challenge. The sight is called Oscraps and there are some great papers, digital elements and word art to be found there. I think I might be getting into this monochromatic concept. It's certainly much easier when you find the right papers and the perfect image. This is going in my Happy Birthday stack of cards. I might actually be getting ahead.

Image: Phindys Place - Budding Beauty colored with Copics

Sentiment: Create with TLC

Paper: Oscraps - Just Breathe Kit(free)

Sketch: Phindys Place - Ann Marije

Embellishments: The pearls were from my stash, and the flowers were made with the Cuttlebug Asteriks die cut and the leaves with a Martha Stewart punch.

Monochrome and not so Monochrome

Seems there's a lot of monochrome going around this week. It's the challenge over at the Phindy's Place Blog. I think everyone heard I think that it's difficult and decided to challenge me. Well, I'm up for the dare.

This is the first image for the challenge, and this is one of the Wee Babbies. She's called "Hush A Bye". Phindy has created some wonderful new images in this Wee Babbies categories, and they are so reminiscent of all the babies I've known. Please go check them out along with all the quality images that she's created at her Store, I can assure you once you start using these images, you'll be hooked. They're just so real, plus they're actually fun to color. This one totally reminds me of my cousin's little girl who was so into baby dolls. She didn't go anywhere without hers. I'm thinking this image could be used for a baby shower with the sentiment, but I can also see it as a card for a little girl.

Image: Phindy's Place - Wee Babbies Hush A Bye

Sentiment: my own createdin Photoshop

Papers: {Computer}Scrapbook.Com - Cool Spring Day Kit by Correen Silke(Freebie)

Embellishments: sheer ribbon from Walmart and pearls from Hobby Lobby.

Before I start a card, I always print off two pictures of the image. My coloring with Copics is less than fantastic, so I want a backup. Since the first card went off without a hitch, I decided that I would make a second card to use the second image, and both could go into my OWH box for this month. This time however, I decided to go with all the color I wanted. The only thing different is the papers.

Papers: Summertime Designs Sweet Cakes Kit

Monochrome

I'm pretty much not a monochrome person. I love color too much, and always think that you need a second color for some pop. Having said that, I'm still playing along with the challenge over on the http://tiddlyinkschallenge.blogspot.com/Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog to create a Monochromatic project. I'm also desperately in need of birthday cards, so you know where I'm going with this project.

I have chosen this image called "Take A Bow", and it can be found at the Tiddly Inks Store, along with more fun, cute and quirky designs. For my color I chose shades of Purple. I decided since I was stepping out of my comfort zone, I'd go all the way and do it with colors too. My image is colored with Copics.

The papers are from a free paper kit by Correen Silke called Sandy Getaway and can be found at Computerscrapbook.com. There are tons of gorgeous free kits here.

I created the fan flower and added the sentiment as the center. The sentiment is from Rainbow Echo. A flourish, some brads and a bit of ribbon and voila, I have a birthday card.

Show Me Thursday #12

Well, it's nosey parker time again on Sassy Cheryls blog, and this week I have a treat for you all. My work space is just filled with the most beautiful thing that you could ever imagine. This is my nephew, Corbin Wayne Swoope, and he's the latest addition to the Swoope clan. He and his parents are over for the weekend. His dad is helping my husband burn off some fields, so Corbin and his mom came down to play in TazMania with me.

In this second picture you can see Corbin's Mom working on editing some photos of Corbin and his cousin Coleman. The boys are going to be baptized in March, at the same time and at the church where there parents went as children. I've been assisting(mostly just looking over her shoulder) in the design of an invitation for the service.

Now if you're smart and just the least bit nosey, you'll post a pic of your workspace and what you have going on. There's a random drawing every week for a winner of a free Sassy image of your choice from the Sassy Cheryl Store.

Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse

Peggy must have known about all my reorganizing in TM before she set the challenge this week on Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog. The challenge is based on Spring cleaning and recycling, repurposing and reusing. I just finished reorganizing my scrap box, and made the statement I was determined to use some of them up. Well Peggy has given me that opportunity.

I had this card base already made with DP and ribbon left over from making some OWH cards. I had stuck it back thinking I would use it at some point. Well that point has come. The other DPs used on the card came out of my scrap box, again sticking to the challenge. I even printed my sentiment courtesy of Create with TLC on some scrap white card stock.

Finally the image from the Sassy Cheryls Store is called Cross Eyed Butterfly, and even with this I stuck to the challenge rules. When I print off an image for a card, I usually print two in the likelihood that I mess up on the coloring of one. This image is one I found in my surplus image stash, and it just so happened to be one that fit on my card. I colored her with Copics.

This challenge was actually fun. Thanks Peggy for helping to use some of my "stuff".

Oh Sweet Spring

I have to say first thing that the weather here in my area has been incredible this week. Last week it was bitter cold with a snow on Thursday, and today temps are in the 70 and the sun is shining. Surely Spring is truly on it's way. I'm so ready for Spring, I'm all about this week's Spring Challenge over on the Phindy's Place Challenge blog.

This adorable image is called "Something Sweet". Spring is definitely my favorite season and so sweet, so this little cutie with her ice cream cone said Spring to me. She's colored with my Copics.

When I was looking for a sketch to follow, I found this incredible project over on the Tuesday Morning Sketch this week, with a link to Splitcoast Stampers for the instructions on how to create the Folded Frame. It's so easy to do, and yet it makes a great presentation.

My papers are from a digital paper pack from Correen Silke called Another Tea Party and can be found at ComputerScrapbook.Com. Oh and they were free. The ribbon was some I picked up out of a sale bin. I created the flower using my MTC and my cricut and some free svg files for quilled flowers provided by Sandy McCauley. I inked the edges of the flower, and I love the way it turned out. Finally, my sentiment was created by me in Photoshop and this time I played with the shadowing features.

I absolutely love this card.

Going Buggy for Spring

I think the whole country is ready for spring this year. Even the South has been inundated with cold weather and three snow storms since Christmas Day(a very rare occurrence this far south in the United States. Well to encourage Spring along, this week the challenge is "Spring is on the way" over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. I totally embraced this challenge, because I am so over Winter.

Phindy recently released this cutie called Bug Buddy. He and some Wee Babbies just jumped right into my cart the last time I was at Phindy's Store. I'm holding off poking my head in there until she adds some more Babbies. I still have a coupon to use, and I know I want, because I know I have to have each and every one. I colored him with my Copics.

The sketch is an old one from Tuesday Morning Sketches. Isn't it funny how you can see a sketch and instantly visualize how you want to make it your own? The paper is from my huge stash. I used my MTC software and my Cricut to cut out the red band with the circle. I was going to make a wobble card, but my wire wasn't thin enough to make him wobble. Instead, I decided to make him into a Spinner card.

I created the sentiment in Photoshop. I used my Martha Stewart ladybug edge bunch to create the ladybug embellishments. I layered them about 6 deep to keep them some from being so flat. I love the way this card turned out. Makes me really want Spring and with the gorgeous weather we've had this week, I hope I'm not getting my hopes up too soon.

Show Me Thursday #11

Man, I can't believe we've been doing the Sassy Cheryls Show Me Thursdays for nearly 3 months. The fun part is that I'm still as nosey as I was the first week and look forward to checking out everyones space and what they have going on. Hey the fact that I might win a free image out of the deal is also a good incentive.:)

Since I got home from our vacation, I've gotten a few cards made, but mainly I've been working on doing some reorganizing and cleaning up in TM. My neighbor is back working on scrapbooks on her half of the table, so I needed to give up some of the space I've been using(like the whole table instead of just half of it). I used to have a tray that besides holding an organizer bag, also just seem to collect junk. I was forever searching for things. I took the long wooden crate, added some pen holders and a box and separated out my scissors, glue pens, embossing tools, razor cutters, etc. I also used the pink folding bag on the left to hold my ATG gun and some glue runners. The green folding bag has all my glue dots. The binder has my Copics Classroom information in it. By getting rid of the tray, I now have enough space for my Cuttlebug and my cutter on the far end of the table

The first thing I did was to reorganize my scraps into a small container by colors, then by solids and patterned. I have them cut down to sizes that will easily fit on a card and in the box. I then cleared out a space in my paper cabinet, that I can slide the box into to get it out of my way, yet easy enough to get to. The paper on the top shelf and the second shelf you see is cardstock that my sister got for me. The company she works shut down there printing room and was just throwing all this paper away. The last time she was here, she brought me a huge stack of 11" x 17" chipboard. The lower shelf is colored 20 lb. paper, and the bottom shelf has 11" x 17" 90 lb cardstock.

In my crafting space, you can see a small photo album. One of the things cluttering up my work space was card sketches that I had printed and saved. I kept trying to decide how I could actually store them so that I could use them. I thought about a Rolodex, but it would have needed to be too big and in my way. When I was in my office, I spotted this photo album that contained a bunch of out of date names, addresses and phone nos. for Weight Watcher leaders. PERFECT and to make it better, the cards with the names and addresses were there for gluing the sketches too. The good news is that I still have half the book to add sketches too. I still have to tackle my DP paper rack, but for now, I think I'll get back to being creative.

Glad you stopped by and don't expect things to look this good next week. I don't want to spoil you.

Love is in the Air

It for sure is today, since it is Valentine's day. It's also in the air over on the Tiddly Inks Challenge blog, as we were to create a love inspired project. For this one I chose the image "Some Bunny Loves You". What coloring I did was done with my Copics. There are tons of Love inspired images at the Tiddly Inks store, so be sure to check them out.

I have been watching Make The Cut tutorials, and in one they did a tutorial and created a scalloped rectangle with a lattice interior that I loved. I thought it would be great for a Valentine card with some red heart embellishments added to the lattice work. Obviously the bunnies were the perfect image to use. I have to say, I was amazed how easy it was to create the scalloped lattice rectangle and how well it cut. Paper was nothing more than plain red and white cardstock. I found the red heart buttons a couple of weeks ago at a Walmart that has a whole lot better craft department than mine.

It's a pretty simple card, but I like the way it turned out. I think the simplicity just serves to accentuate the image.

Some Color Inspiration

This week over on the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog, we were given this Image to use for a color inspriration. Not only did I love the colors(how can you go wrong with a quilt that has ever color covered), but it was also the inspiration for the image I used.

Reading is absolutely one of my all time favorite things to do, and I love escaping into the world of a good book. The best is snuggling under a quilt with your book.

This is one of my favorite images, and I didn't find it at Cheryl's Store, but at Squigglefly before I ever knew who Sassy Cheryl was. The image is called "Avid Reader". It was so much fun to color this one, since the choices of colors were wide open. She is of course colored with Copics.

The sketch is from this week's Sketch Saturday Challenge Blog. Again, it allowed for a mix of colored papers. I spent all of yesterday sorting and organizing all my scraps of paper. I've committed to using more of my scraps and deplenishing my supply. Why save it, if you're not going to use it, RIGHT?

The sentiment was a take off of an anonymous quote I found today, but it says it all. I created the sentiment in Photoshop. Finally the flowers were created using my Cricut and my MTC software. I am so loving that software, and all that it allows me to do. I also used it to cut my ovals, and I was able to make them exactly the size to fit my image, instead of making my image fit the side of the oval.

Thanks for stopping by.

Another One Slid By Me

While I was busy getting ready to go skiing, I neglected to make birthday cards for three of my friends. Since I got home from skiing, I've been using any challenge out there to create a belated birthday card. This week on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, we were tasked to use embossing of some form or another. Needless to say this was a challenge that called for a belated birthday card.

Since the reason I was late with the birthday cards was because I was out in Colorado playing in the snow, I thought it was very appropriate to use this image, called "Whoosh", one of Phindy's Winter Cuties. Be sure to check them out at the Phindy's Place Store. I colored my image with my Copics. I created the dark blue scalloped rectangle with my Cricut and my MTC software, and then used my Marthat Stewart ScoreBoard to emboss the diamonds. I also cut a rectangle of cream paper and embossed it with my Cuttlebug Polka Dots folder and gave it a hit with some blue ink. For the card itself, I used some DP that I had in my stash.

Finally, the sentiment in keeping with the reason I missed getting the card done in the first place was something I created in Photoshop. . Hope my friend can forgive me for being late with her card. Now I need to get busy on some Valentine cards.