A Second Entry for December's Anything Goes at Phindy's Place

Much to my surprise and probably yours too, I'm back with a second entry for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog's Anything Goes with a Phindy's Place image. I really didn't have time to make another card, but then Cec challenged us to create a card with this newest of images from the Phindy's Place Store called Bird Tree. How could I not take up the challenge(especially after seeing the image and seeing a tree made using the branch punch on a card).  The two just went together. The image is colored with Copics.

The tree was cut out with the Sissix Christmas tree die and then covered with branches using different shades of green using my Martha Stewart Fir Branch punch and my Martha Stewart bird punch.

The papers are from two different digital designers. The tree paper is from Lily Bimbles Woodland Kit from My Grafico and the plaid paper is from Shery K Designs Christmas 6 pack. Need to get this posted on the blog before time runs out. I'm loving the way this card turned out.

First Week Anything Goes With Phindy's Place

This is the first week of the month and on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, that means one thing - ANYTHING GOES as long as you use a PHINDY'S PLACE image. It's definitely my favorite challenge week of the month. The sad part to this is that I think this week, I'm only going to be able to get one card made for the challenge.

I jumped on this image when it first appeared on the Papercraft Planet site. She's called Favorite Cuddle, and I couldn't wait until Easter to make a card with her. In fact, I've had her colored for over a week, just haven't had time to get her into a card form. This afternoon, I prioritized and got this card made before returning back to the chore of decorating my house for Christmas. Be sure to check out all the adorable images over at the Phindy's Place Store.

The papers are all from my stash box, so I have no idea from whence that came. I saw a card somewhere with the best carrot sentiment, but I didn't write it down and I can't remember or find it. Therefore no sentiment as of yet. Perhaps I'll come across it soon .

In the meantime, I think if I don't do the decorating, it just isn't going to happen. At least I have the tree up.

Let There Be Snow at Phindy's Place

This week on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, we're supposed to do a sprinkling of snow. Well here in Mississippi, it's been quite damp and chilly the last two days, so snow isn't that far fetched an idea. There are only a few places I want to see snow, Colorado in February and on a card are two of them.

For what I hope is just my first challenge card, I had to use this Winter Cutie from the Phindy's Place store called Snowball Stash. This is one of the newest of the Winter Cuties and each and every one of them is a delight. I've colored him with Copics.

The paper was printed from a digital kit called Winter from Shery K Designs. The sentiment is a freebie from Little Footprints.

Hopefully I'll have time for another entry before Thursday afternoon, but I have some tablecloths to make first, and guess what? The fabric is blue with snowflakes. Now could I enter them in the challenge since after all it is about snow?

A Second Christmas Card for Phindy's Place

I did get a second card done for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, but only because I already had the card base made.

This image is another of the Winter Cuties from the Phindy's Place Store and is appropriately called Tasty Flakes. Even at almost 61(this Sunday), I love to catch snowflakes on my tongue. It's the kid in me, and I hope I never lose it. I've colored her with Copics. I actually owned at one time a down coat this exact color. I guess there's a lot of the kid still  in me.

The papers on the background of the card are digital from a kit called Advent by Katie Fairlie from Pickleberry Pop. The sentiment is from the $1 stamp bin at JoAnn's.

I'm so glad that I was able to get two cards in the challenge. What I can't figure out is why everyone isn't using a Phindy's image. The images are the best, and you get two entries when you use a Phindy's image. For me, that's a WIN WIN if I ever heard one.

It's the Anything Goes With a Phindy's Image

The first week of the month it's an Anything Goes as long as it's a Phindy's image on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. It's definitely one of my favorite challenges each month. I just can't figure out why there are tons of entries each week as Phindy's images are just so much fun to work with.

For my first card of the challenge, I'm chosen this Phindy Cutie called Belle of the Ball. She along with so many other cuties can be found at the Phindy's Place Store. I've colored her with Copics.

Are you sitting down? The papers are from a paper pack from My Mind's Eye called Party Time. It's a very appropriate choice don't you think? Thank you Linda, I'm loving this paper. It just makes me happy.

The sentiment and party hat are rubber stamps that I think I picked up from the $1 bin at Michael's. They worked.

Now I already have plans for my next two cards. There's a new image, I've got to use and have already bought. come back tomorrow for the next installment.

Three Isn't Making Me Feel Blue

I did it! I got three cards made for the Phindy's Place Challenge this week. If you use a Phindy's image in your project you get two entries and a better chance at winning. I just can't figure out why EVERYONE doesn't use a Phindy's image. I want to own every last one of them.

This time the image I've selected is yet another of Phindy's Winter Cuties and is called Big Box. I'm betting whatever is in the box won't be nearly as entertaining or as fun as the box itself, given his young age. He's colored with my Copics. You really need to check out all the wonderful images at the Phindy's Place Store.

Again I've gone for digital papers. The main papers are from a kit by Jeanine Baechtold called American Made at Computer Scrapbook Dot Com. I also used some of the leftover papers from my previous two cards.
The sentiment is one I created in Photoshop and thought it was appropriate for a Baby's First Christmas. Please feel free to grab it.

Let's Make It Two for Blue

After a two week(three for some challenges) hiatus from making cards, I was so happy to actually get two made yesterday for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog.  In case you didn't read my previous post, the theme this week is Blue Christmas.

This cute little fellow from the Phindy's Place Store's Winter Cuties is called Delivery Man. I can so sympathize with him on the difficulty of delivering a plate of Christmas cookies(especially Chocolate Chips) without doing a taste test. You really need to know they taste all right before you give them to someone else. I've colored him with Copics.

I truly have a love affair going on with Digital Papers. I love that they come in coordinating packs. I can file them by Designer in folders on my computer and they don't take up any physical space. Each kit will have a one page preview of all the papers included in the kit. I've printed those out each preview and have them filed alphabetically in a 3 ring binder, so that when I can flip through one notebook and find what I'm looking for. It doesn't hurt that there are tons of free kits out there, but there are also tons of inexpensive kits. Add to the fact, that with a continuous ink system on my printer, it is such  a total win for me. The papers I used on this card are from a free kit called Brisk that was designed by Jeanine Baechtold for Computer Scrapbook Dot Com.

The sentiment was a quick design in Photoshop, so feel free to help yourself.

Hopefully there will be time for a 3rd card for the Challenge, but I have some other chores that I have to do first.

It's a Blue Christmas at Phindy's Place

That's the challenge over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog this week.. I am so happy to be back at my crafting. After a month of really not being able to craft like I wanted to, I am dancing a jig to be back in TazMania.

This first card is using one of Phindy's latest Winter Cuties, called First Snow. Isn't she adorable? Of course given the right colors, I guess she could be a he. I have a fondness for little girls, so a girl she is. She's colored with Copics. Be sure to check out all the wonderful images at the Phindy's Place store.

The papers are digital and are from a kit called appropriately enough Winter Bliss by Rachel Dickson found on Computer Scrapbook dot Com. The snowflake embellishments are Christmas decorations for a mini tree that I bought at Hobby Lobby on clearance last year.

I created the sentiment in Photoshop, and it's posted below. Feel free to grab it

.

We Need A Little Christmas

Or at least that's what the Phindy's Place DT are saying over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog for this week. If you hang out over on the Phindy's Place Papercraft Planet site, you'd know we're a Phamily over there and are very close. As a result Phindy has created a series of images of Phindyville, our imaginary town.

This image is of the Post Office and is called Phindyville Winter, and the perfect image for a Christmas card. Please check out all the fabulous scenes at the Phindy's Place Store for all of her delightful scene perfect for a Christmas card. I've colored Phindyville with a combinations of Copics and Prisma Pencils.

The  papers are from a digital pack called Christmas Mega Pack 2 by Shery K Designs. I used some white Flower Soft for the snow.

This card is far more traditional than the next one I have planned. Come back tomorrow and see.

Delightful Diecuts

The challenge over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog is to create a project using a diecut. I have to tell you  that I used my Make the Cut software with my diecut machine and a file from Penny Duncan to create my diecut.

I'ts a personal thing, but I don't think it's quite right to play a Designer's Challenge and not use their image. This cutie patootie is direct from the Phindy's Place Shop and is called Bye Bye Butterfly. I've colored her with Copics. The DP paper is from The Design Studio, and the sentiment is from Create with TLC. I had a field day with my Martha Stewart edge punch. I also used my Make the Cut software to cut out the butterflies.

I've got another card that's almost finished, so look for another blog tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pastel Baby Card

I'm going to make it with a second entry into the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog's Pretty Pastel Challenge. I couldn't help myself.

As many of you know Phindy has just recently become a Grandmother for the first time, with the arrival of an angel that I call Sweet Pea.  Phindy drew this precious image, that she calls Brand New, and offered it as a prize to the person that got closest to the baby's arrival and statistics. I started calling the baby Sweet Pea, when she decided she wasn't coming out of the pod(I thought she's be on time). She was two weeks late, but that was all good, because, she came into the world ready to eat and sleep.  Since I love babies, I couldn't wait to do something with this image, and pastels and this challenge gave me just the opportunity. Please go check out all the wonderful children's images that Phindy has at the Phindy's Place Shop. She truly does show children as they really are.

The image is both colored with Copics and paper pieced. I am happy to say, that I created all of the papers and the sentiment myself in Photoshop. One of my favorite things about babies is there sweet sleepers, and I knew this sleeper needed to be something special. The bear in the image sent me looking for some free bear clip art. When I found a dancing bear in a pastel pink dress, I knew I needed to make my very own papers. I found a great video tutorial at Photoshop Elements Users that showed how to create textured paper, striped paper and polka dot papers and used it to create my very own Dancing Bear Kit.

Please feel free to grab the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping in, and I love getting feedback.

Make it Purple and Teal at Phindy's Place

This week's challenge over at the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog was to create a project using purple and teal. I was so excited to be able to play this week, so it was a delight that I also get to use one of my favorite color combinations.

Add to purple and teal that you get to use one of the cute Wee Babbies, and color me happy. This image is called "Special Day", and it's one of the newest Wee Babbies to be found at the Phindy's Place Store. She's such a sweet heart with that little top knot of hair that just had to be colored red. She's colored with copics.

The paper is from a digital paper kit. I'm not at home while I'm writing this, and don't have access to the external drive where my paper is stored. I will come back and tell you who to credit for this great paper.

Hopefully, tomorrow when I get home, I'll have time to make a second challenge card.

Thinking of You Two

Yep, that's right, I've finished a third card for this week's Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. Now I'm sitting here feeling pretty smug because I have 4, Thinking of You cards and 2, Get Well cards in my stash just waiting until I need them.

Today's card is made using this incredibly adorable Wee Babby image called "Honey Sandwich" from Phindy's Place Store. You really need to check all her Wee Babbies out and today, Phindy and Paulette of Create with TLC released a new collaboration. All I can say is if you have a girl that likes to talk on the phone, you don't want to miss this image and the Word Art.

I have a friend whose family raised and sold honeybees and although we live fairly close together, we don't see much of each other. Bees play a huge part in her life, so I'm thinking she'll be getting one of these cards for a non-occasion pretty soon. He's colored with Copics, and you'll notice his Mama is bringing him up right by having him eat wheat bread instead of white.

These papers are from a free download, but I have no idea where. I just know that they were all coordinating. The bee buttons are some I saw and picked up with my friend in mine. They worked perfect for this card. The Sentiment is actually a Rubber stamp that I had in my stamp box.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love Multiplied

Say the words lace to me, and I immediately think of heirloom children's clothing made of Swiss Batiste, French Cotton Laces and double face satin ribbon. This week on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, the challenge was to create a card or project using lace and pearls. Add to this the fact that Phindy's children's images remind me of some real little boys and girls I've known, and I knew just what I wanted to do with the lace part. You really need to check out all the cuties at the Phindy's Place Store.

When making a heirloom creation, strips of lace are butted up against each other and zigzagged together to make panels. Needless to say that when I finish a project if there are any left over pieces of panels, I never throw them away. So I went to my "lace" box and dug around. When DD was starting her senior year of high school, I made a Heirloom Skirt and blouse for her. When she was in college, I added to the length of it to make it tea length for a garden party. It sat in the closet in the guest room for a lot of years. After MonkeyMoo was born, she wanted to have him baptized in our church, and I knew I would be making a christening gown. Fortunately for me, she had the same idea I did. I took the skirt and blouse and used to create MonkeyMoo's gown, so it is truly an heirloom. In the process there were lots of parts left over, and I saved everyone of them.

This is a picture of the first card base I made using blue papers and blue ribbon and part of the skirt(panel of lace and beading). I had picked out an image to use for my blue card, and then Phindy said that her DD was supposed to find out the sex of Phindy's first grandchild. I decided that I would wait for the news and make a special card for the new Grandmother. I have to tell you that after Phindy posted the image "Spring Boquet", I was really hoping for a girl, so I could use that adorable little girl. Well it's a girl, so I was back in the box for another panel of lace and beading. This time, it's on a pink card base with pink ribbon. The image is colored with Copics. I actually designed the lacy scalloped circle using my MTC software and my Cricut.

Now the second part of the challenge was pearls. Well, I have to say I went a bit over the top with the pearls, but just having them around the image wasn't enough, so I came back and added them on the scallops.

The final part of the card is the sentiment. I have to say that my grandchildren have proved that there is no end to the love I feel for them, it is only multiplied.

I'm so glad you decided to stop by to see my card.

3-2-1 Done

Besides a DT team that can produce the most inspiring cards, the Phindy's Place DT is always there for a great challenge on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. This week's challenge is a recipe challenge. 3-2-1 which translates into 3 elements of one kind, two elements of another kind and one element of yet another type. This normally wouldn't have been such a difficult challenge for me, but I'm in Phoenix and over a thousand miles from TazMania and my tools and supplies. I couldn't haul my Copics and just barely had room for my minimal supply of Prismacolors. This being the case, I needed an image that needed minimal coloring. Sweet Carol, not only fit the bill, but I had already printed it out. Oh and just so you know, Phindy has added a country church scene to the Store, that would be perfect with this image.

A trip to Michael's and JoAnn's netted the papers, the sentiment and the poinsettas. Then it was just a matter of finding the time(I'm babysitting my grandson this week and he's keeping me pretty busy keeping him entertained) and space(I'm working off an ironing board and part of the kitchen table) to get my card assembled.

I wish I thought I had time to get another card done for the challenge, but MM isn't going to school tomorrow, so I will be at his mercy for the entire day.

Thanks for stopping by.

It's the BIG Birthday!

This is the year that most of my high school classmates and I turn 60. Two years ago, my class celebrated our 40th Class Reunion, and much to every one's amazement, we ALL had a great time. I connected with classmates while working on the reunion that weren't good friends during high school. Today I count them as some of my dearest friends. In the last year of my Mother's life, when I was spending a portion of every week, helping with her care, these friends helped to keep me sane. We started meeting for lunch every couple of weeks. Since my Mom passed away, we try to get together once a month. Tomorrow is one of our lunches and I'll be driving to Jackson, for the sole purpose of having lunch with dear friends. The fellowship is worth the long drive.

So what does this have to do with a card challenge you ask? Well, the first of the group to celebrate her 60th birthday is getting a card I made for the Phindy's Place Birthday Challenge this week. What better image to use than Mrs. Comfy Celebrates. Phindy has some more really cute images of Mrs. Comfy that fit right in for us older women. Check them out here. I colored her with Copics, but went nuts with the Stickles. Jana isn't your usual glitter person, so I know she'll get a chuckle out of this image. Papers were out of my scrap stash. I created the Sentiment in Photoshop. I love the glitz and hope she will too. Found the ribbon in my ribbon rack, and isn't it perfect with the Stickles?

This one was so much fun, and I can't wait to give it to Jana tomorrow.

A Sewing Challenge

This week at Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, the challenge was to use sewing on your card. It could be either real stitching or faux. No question here for me as my real is far superior to my faux. I've been sewing most of my life, so love the concept of combining stitching with my card making.

I used the sketch from Papertake Weekly Challenge #45 for my starting point., then it was on for a search for papers. I loved these papers from October Afternoon's Spring release. I thought the stitched look to the paper, especially the Cathedral Quilt pattern would be perfect with sewing. I used my machine to straight stitch around the bottom layer, but decided I wanted to do something a bit different on the top layer. I used my wing needle to punch bigger holes and then sewed a chain stitch on either side. I didn't pick an image until I had decided on paper and sketch, and of course with this quilting theme going, what better than Not So Hot. Everyone knows that when you're not feeling well, bundling up in a cozy quilt is just the ticket. I colored him up with my Copics and tried to use all the colors that were in the "quilts". You can find him at Phindy's store along with some other images, you really don't want to do without. I added some flowers and the sentiment that's from Rainbow Echo. I'll be hanging on to this card for when I need to send out a Get Well card to someone.


Thanks for stopping by, and I love hearing from you.

She's as Cute as A Button.

Yesterday was a good day in TM. I actually got a set of OWH cards finished and another set cut out, colored and ready to put together. That's on task for today, and tomorrows blog will be dedicated to them.


I also had a wonderful time putting my Phindy's Place Challenge card together. This week the only requirement was embossing. Since I love the feel and look of embossing this wasn't my personal challenge. Each week, I have a problem picking an image, only because there are too many wonderful images to pick from. Phindy has introduced a series of images called Summer Cuties. I didn't have my girls when they were small(I got them as a bonus with my DH when they were 7 and 9), but I have nieces, cousins and friend's grandchildren, that I used to sew for; and these little girls in their precious summer sunsuits and dresses bring back delightful memories. This image is called Birdie. Isn't she the cutest thing with that big hat and dragging that stick with a birdie catching a ride. Along with embossing I found a sketch over on Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge that I followed. The base card is made from a textured cardstock, and it, along with the patterned paper are all from The Paper Studio. The white is embossed with Cuttlebug's D'Vine Swirl, one of my very favorite embossing folders. My image is colored with Copics and cut out with the Spellbinders Scalloped Oval. The sentiment is from Ginger's House. I used some Color Box inks to make the sentiment stand out from the card. I've also entered this card in The Beary Sweet Design Team Embossing Challenge along with the Mojo Mondays Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by and I love getting comments. See you tomorrow.

Popping Up for a Thank You

Yesterday, I mailed off an OWH box with 62 blank greeting cards and 50 Any Hero cards with notes. I'm really excited in the participation I got from the folks at the Shrimp Boil. I was also delighted to find that the younger ones, teenagers on down to 2nd grade were all about writing a note to a soldier.

I seem to be in a "let's try something new" mode here of late. I subscribe to Amazing Paper Grace's blog and the other day, she had a standing pop-up card with a link to the tutorial. Seemed pretty straight forward, and I decided to have a go at it for the Phindy's Place challenge this week. The hard part was finding an image that was more vertical so that I could keep my card to the A2 size. Thankfully, Cat Thank You, filled the bill. The challenge was to use Red, White and Blue. I'm about starred out(after 72 patriotic cards), so I scrounged around in my stash(which is organized for patterns rather than color) and found this red alphabet paper that came in a GIANT package I bought from Sam's about 5 years ago. Using the tutorial I found HERE. I cut the box base out of the red. I "stamped" my image on some GP white cardstock, making him a little taller and leaner(one of my very favorite things about digis is the resizing option). I colored him with Copics using red, white and blue for obvious reasons. I cut out the back-up block out of the same alphabet paper, and backed it with a matching piece. The paper is Light Blue Check from Remember When. I punched the red strip with my my MS double loop punch, and cut the cat out(the hardest part for me). My tab for the top is made with Spellbinder's Label Four. Finished it off with some red and white ribbon. It is of course, going in my next OWH box, I'm just not sure where they're going to write their note.

I love hearing from you and all comments are appreciated.