Sunday, December 29, 2013

Happy New Year w/Vellum


 Hi Friends, No, I haven't fallen of the Earth, I'm still here, just on vacation from work! And enjoying a relaxing extended holiday. Now that the craziness of Christmas has passed, I had some time to get inky today for a while. I made 3 of these cards today and had great fun with this Flourishes stamp set  Moments in Time.

The Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge 251  is still open and we are challenged to use vellum. I stamped the clock faces on PTI White card stock then stitched on a piece of vellum. But before closing it up I added some silver, gold and white sequins underneath. IRL you can see the sequins under the vellum much better.
The champagne glass were cut with my cricut using silver and gold Recollections matte card stock, as well as the SB embossed banner diecut. Some twine and gems finish it off.
I used Mojo Monday Sketch 325.
Avenue 613 Black/White and another color.
Just us Girls New Years
yumifumihandmadecrafts monthly-challenge white and gold
Cut it Up Challenge New Years with die cut
The Pink Elephant 231 Anything Goes



 On the 2 cards in back on this picture, I change the sentiment to a Hero Arts sentiment from a Christmas set.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Hi Blog Friends, Merry Christmas! Thank you all for visiting my blog all year long. It is very much appreciated. I have enjoyed all your inspiration and lovely eye candy as well. Have a great peaceful day with your family and friends!
Hugs, Kim

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Mittens for Merry Monday


Hey Friends. it's a snowy Sunday in New England! Kinda pretty but Brrrrrr***Cold****. The cute kittens are warm, though. I'm playing in the Merry Monday Challenge and the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge with this. I colored this "Phindy's Place" digital image with Copics then cut it out with some SB circle dies. I added a matted and dry embossed card stock panel to the card base. The DP is Fancy Pants. The "peace" sentiment is Hero Arts, the Twinery baker's twine, and a SU button.
Got lots for housework drugery to do today so I'll keep this short! :)  Links below.
Merry Monday Mittens
Mojo Monday Sketch
CMC Challenge Holiday or winter

Kim

Friday, December 13, 2013

Downhill from here

Hi Friends, while I'm busy creating more Christmas cards, I'll post this one I made a while back for my sister's birthday. She's a skier and this is a funny sentiment for a birthday! It's from Flourishes, Snow Day.
I found some older brightly colored paper in my stash, could be MME. I added some D'vine swirls embossing to the background, some MFT diecut snowflakes, a SB diecut heart and some gems.

I'm looking forward to some crafty time this weekend since we are getting a snowstorm tomorrow. I will submit this to the following challenges.
Crafty Catz  Anything Goes
Left of Center Challenge Winter of Holiday
Stamping for the weekend Use some Red
Annabelle Stamps Color Challenge
Moving along with the Times Winter
Shelly's Images Welcome Winter
7 kids challenge 88-anything-goes
Party Time Tuesday Winter

Thanks for visiting! Kim



Friday, December 6, 2013

Winter Gift Tag


Hey there Friends, TGIF! I see a lot of card makers making tags lately so I thought I'd join some tag challenges this week. It also gives me the chance to use one of my very favorite stamps from Flourishes, Snow Days. I love these Ice Skates. I also love to ice skate but haven't done so for several years. I think I'll dust mine off and go!
Keeping "The Pink Elephant" challenge in mind, I made my tag winter themed. Then I used "The Shabby Tea Room" inspiration photo for some of the colors and "Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge" for the stitching. Links below.
I used several Spellbinder Dies on this. A label 18 die was used to mat the small circle die cut up by the hole. A Lacey Circle and a  sponged and stamped banner die cut was used as well. The sentiment is Hero Arts.
I used my Cricut to cut the 3 layers of the tag base. (Tags, Bags, Boxes and More)
Ribbon, silver twine, a bell and lace was used to pretty it up!

Flourishes Timeless-Tuesday-249 -Stitch-it-Up
The Pink Elephant -Winter
The Shabby Tea Room -Photo Inspiration and a Tag
Aud Sentiments -Tags
Inky Impressions -Winter/Snow
Crafty Sentiments -Tag along
Loves Rubber Stamps -Anything Goes (GDT)
Top Tip Tuesday 115-Use-kraft-card My tag base is Kraft Paper




Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Chalkboard Techique Merry Monday and others


Hi Friends, Oh, did I have fun making this! I followed Merry Monday's Challenge 86 to make a chalkboard card. This is my second time trying the chalkboard technique. The first time I tried I followed a tutorial that suggested to stamp the image twice, one a little offset from the other. I didn't care for the results so this time I stamped it one with embossing powder of course. Then rubbed a little chalk ink on the black paper.

I followed Mojo Monday 322 for the sketch, substituting the rectangle for a SB Labels 18 shape. Using Fancy Pants Merry Little Christmas ( I think) I had to add some Santa paper to follow the Naughty or Nice sentiment. This is a very old stamp set, which I search for online but couldn't find. It's one of those inexpensive ones you get at Michaels. The flourish stamps I added are Waltzingmouse. And, OH, this ribbon, is such a pleasure to tie!!!! It's from the Verve online store. So pretty and vibrant! The holly punch is MS. Other challenge links below.

Some other challenges I'm playing in are:
Papertake Weekly -Anything Goes
Bearly Mine Challenge -Christmas Sentiment
Lexi's Creations -Christmas

Thanks for visiting! Kim

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

MFTWSC152


Hi Peeps, Just sneaking in under the wire with this card for the MFTWSC152. I almost didn't post this because it's not my best work and I'm intimidated by all the amazing talent that plays in this weekly challenge but "what the heck", I'll just go for it! After all, I spent a lot of time (ie: spinning my wheels! LOL) designing it.
At least I got to practice sponging ink and finding out that after using Stays On Black Ink for the trees, that I didn't have anything to clean my stamp with. (solvent?). now my stamp is black, oops! :)

So, I used some K&Co. 4x6 paper, a SU punch, twine, gems and MFT dies and stamps.
The elements of the sketch are in there, trust me! Just a different take. Other links below.

Hope you are having a good week! Kim

Get Inky Challenge - Onward and Upwards -Clouds

Sunday, December 1, 2013

FTTC, CC, MM


Happy Sunday, Friends. I hope your are having a good extended holiday weekend. I sure am. Monday's coming, ugh. I had fun making this card and breaking into my new Fancy Pants paper. I combined a few challenges. I was hoping to play in Flourishes Timeless Tuesday's challenge, Score it, Pierce it, Color it. My die cut (Spellbinders Opulent Ovals) has piercing and scoring. I used the Paper Whites stamp set by Flourishes.
The sketch is Mojo Monday, modified a bit but still recognizable. The Curtain Call's challenge is Christmas Countdown so I have some numbers on one of my papers. I got my bell at Michael's last year, the twine is May Arts.
Thanks for stopping by! Kim :)

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday 248 - Score it, Pierce it, Color it
Curtain Call -Christmas Countdown -I used numbered paper
Mojo Monday 321 -Sketch
My Sheri Crafts -Funky Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks -Christmas

DS128 and Catered Crop


Hi there, I wanted to play in the Deconstructed Sketch Challenge because Verve prizes can be won! And I'm always challenged by Jen's sketches. Besides the PTI card stock, I used October Afternoon paper. The cute chipboard button with the cute duckies is also OA. A Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Spots and Dots, was used as well as a few Brads and some twine. The sentiment is MFT.

Thanks for visiting today.
Kim

The Deconstructed Sketch 128
Catered Crop -Animal House- Add a critter of some kind
2 Sisters Challenge -Anything Goes

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Mass Produced Cards

 Hi Friends, These are some cards I made for my card club's xmas card swap a week or 2 ago. The concept/idea is based from a card I saw on Pinterest. I can not find the person who made it.
I used a PTI card stock base. I added a piece of MME dotted paper with a MS lacy border punch strip tucked under it. The holly punch is also MS. Some red, green and white twine was added with a red gem. The sentiment is My Favorite Things. Inside the card is a MFT sentiment from the same stamp set, name unknown. Links below.
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.com/2013/11/challenge-195-ho-ho-holidays.html
http://www.4craftychicks.blogspot.com/2013/11/4-ccc-170-christmas.html
http://www.addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/challenge-73-holidays.html




Tis the season! Kim

Sunday, November 24, 2013

MFT




Hey There, Today I'm playing along with the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club Sketch 151! It's a fun one! I chose to stamp the horizontal element with my newly acquired background stamp from MFT. I have been admiring everyone that has been adding gold to their cards and I finally had a chance to do it! The herringbone is stamped in gold embossing powder and look nice and modern with the sequins and gold twine on the clothes pin. It's the first time I used my new leaves and dies from MFT too! I love how it turned out.

I'm also playing with The Pink Elephant 226  Orange, Brown and Cream this week. Also linking this card up to Allsorts Challlenge -Bring on the bling, 365 Cards -CAS Background, Pink Gem Challenge -Sparkles
Totally Papercrafts -Add a bow, Southern Girls Challenge -Add circles, 7 Kids College Fund Challenge -Anything Goes



Here's last weeks MFT Wed Stamp Club card. So far I've made a card each week since I started my commitment to play. This one just didn't get linked in time.
See you soon! Kim

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Mojo 320 & Merry Monday



Hi there, today I'm sharing another card for my Christmas Card pile. :) This one uses Mojo Monday Sketch 320. I'm also playing in Merry Monday 84 which is to use a tree and bling. I added my bling in the corners of one of the mats and on the button. I colored a There Goes stamp set, such an adorable doggie and used MME Winter Wonderland paper. White embossing power was used for the sentiment, so fun!
Take care until next time! Kim :)

Thursday, November 21, 2013

KK-You're Nifty

Hi Friends, How are you today? I'm sharing a card I made for my Local Card Club in CT. We have yet to pick a name for our Club. We meet once a month and have lots of crafty fun. One of the last meeting's challenges was to use Stickles. Easy enough. You can barely see it on my card but I outlined the sentiment oval and the striped paper square.
It just so happens that Krafin Kimmie Stamps was having an Anything Goes Challenge this week and I used this cute KK Stamp ( I couldn't find her in the KK store so I don't know the name). I was in the mood to practice my coloring so I inked her up. I used KK Sketch Challenge 202 for the sketch and some cute MME Hootenanny paper. I think it would have come out much better if I chose a dark color card stock for matting, oh well. :)
Gotta make this a short post. See you soon. Kim

Kraftin Kimmie Stamps.-Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks Anything Goes
Aud Sentiment 94-any-sentiment
7 Kids College Fund Challenge -Anything Goes

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Red and Brown Challenges


Hi Blog Friends,  Today I'm sharing a card I made with several challenges in mind. First is Merry Monday #83-Stripes, Brown, Red and Hearts or stars. Continuing on with making Christmas cards, I like this Challenge site to jump start my ideas.
 I'm sure the idea of this site is to use those colors to do more stamping but I used the colors in my paper. It took me a while to incorporate all the elements in a way that was pleasing to me. This week's Mojo Monday Sketch 319 helped!

Just US Girls 215 is also having a Color Challenge -Brown, Red, Kraft and White, which this card fits. My kraft color is in the wood veneer stars. I just love them. The paper is MME Lost and Found Christmas. The Joy stamp is Hero Arts and the Bling is Recollections.
Have you been making Holiday cards? Kim





Tuesday, November 12, 2013

MFT 149- Not so much


Hi Friends, so OK, my attempt at the MFT sketch this week didn't go so well. But, at least I'll have another card for my Xmas card stash. I actually like it, it just looks nothing like the sketch. I really tried to make the curvy element by hand because I don't have that die but it didn't look good (to this perfectionist!).
I LOVE this Basic Grey paper and I love the MFT stamp. The gingerbread man is a Recollections stamp from Michael's from a few years ago, heat embossed in white.
Thanks all for now, peeps! Hugs, Kim

MFT Sketch 149
Make it Monday 166 -Anything goes
Vintage Stamping Challenge - Traditional Christmas
Penny Black November-Anything Goes
Crafty Calendar Challenge -Christmas

Sunday, November 10, 2013

FLLCNOV13 Grab a Cup!


Howdy Bloggers, Today I'm entering the Flourishes Release Challenge for November. It's called Grab a Cup so you must be inspired my the photo inspiration below. I looked thru my Flourishes stamp and was thrilled to find that I owned a stamp set with a cup on it. I believe the set is called I love snow days.
So how gorgeous is this color palette of Teal/Blue and Brown? I just love it! I HAD to add a touch of red because these kinds of sleds ALWAYS have red paint on them!
I used this week's Mojo Monday Sketch. Sure wish I could link this card up over there but if you want to win the release , you must only link your post to Flourishes.

Flourishes FLLCNOV13 Grab a Cup


So good luck if you enter the challenge! I had so much fun creating this card! Kim

Paper-Text paper-MME, Teal paper-K&Co, Cardstock Bazzill and PTI
Stamps-Flourishes I love snow days
Inks/Coloring medium Momento T.B., Copics, PTI Vintage cream
Embellies Micheals ribbon, Joannes sequins, SC wood veneer heart, sewing machine, hot glue

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Merry Monday & TPE

I pulled out a Recollection's (Michaels) Christmas stamp set to play in a few challenges this week. This adorable elf has never seen ink so I set out to color him (or her?) in an aqua outfit so I could play in the "Merry Monday" Challenge 82 to use Aqua, Red and White with circles. The sketch I used is from The Pink Elephant Challenge 224 this week, a sketch this time. I used some MME stripe paper with PTI cardstock. I added some MFT snowflakes, embossed the white with a Spots and Dots embossing folder, added a Hero Arts sentiment and a few sequins for sparkle.
Thanks for visiting. Kim
Merry-Monday-Christmas-Card-Club 82 
The Pink Elephant 224 -Sketch
Crafty Little Fairies -Christmas in November
Little Miss Muffet -Seeing Spots-I used embossed spots



Wednesday, November 6, 2013

KK-203-Christmas


Hey Bloggers and Kraftin Kimmie Fans, how are you today? Halloween's over and you know what that means for we card makers. Time to make Christmas Cards! If you do so, that is. I think last year I sent out some handmade AND some store bought.
This little cutie has been hanging around waiting for the right challenge. This week's KK Challenge is "pick a holiday" so I pick Christmas! This cute Cheryl Alger stamp set was released last fall when I was a guest designer. I used last year's MME paper pad and matching button pack. The two-tone twine is also MME. The tiny tag is PTI stamped with a KK sentiment. I added Flower Soft but it was my first time using it and I don't think I used enough. (?)

Here's a close up! Gotta run. Have a good week!

Kraftin Kimmie #203 -Pick a Holiday
Sassy Cheryl - Anything Goes with a Cheryl image (mine is a KK stamp)
Fantastic Tuesday Anything w/fibers
Loves Rubber Stamps Anything Goes

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

MFTWSC148




Hi Friends, I've been accumulating quite a bit of My Favorite Things stamps and dies over time but have rarely played in the Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I think it will be easier for me now that we can link up on the MFT blog instead of Splitcoast Stampers.  I'd thought I'd try to start playing weekly (I Hope).
This little Pure Innocence cutie is from the Bear Hugs stamps set. I dressed her in some cute paper pieced prints from the My Mind's Eye paper pack. I mounted her on some SB die cuts and following the sketch, kept it mostly clean and simple. I used the smallest die of the same set for the sentiment with some hand-cut banner pieces. Easy Peasy! Did you guys know I was a micro-surgeon? That's what I always call myself when I cut out a ridiculously tiny piece of paper like the one on her sleeve by the bear's head. LOL!!!
See you again soon!
Kim
MFTWSC148 -Sketch
TSG232 - Pattern Power (Stripes and Dots)
Penny Black - Anything Goes

Saturday, November 2, 2013

FTTC244-Add Plaid


Hi Friends, It's been a while since I've posted ( I've been making Christmas cards) but I'm back with a card I started for Flourishes previous weekly challenge but put it aside. So this week I changed my plan for the colored image so it would fit the "Plaid or Houndstooth" this week. I also used this week's Deconstructed Sketch 125 which is turned on it's side.

I started with a base of PTI card stock and cut mats to match the sketch with Echo Park Fall Recollections paper. I used a few SB dies to cut the Flourishes "A Season of Thanks" stamp set focal image which was colored with Copics. The substituted the banner item from the sketch with a horizontal seam binding ribbon and bow and added a WOC Cherry Blossom Flower, some recollections leaves, and May Arts Twine. A few gems finish it off. Links to challenges below. See you soon! Kim


 FTTC244 -Plaid or Houndstooth
Deconstructed Sketch -Sketch
Wags and Whiskers -Fall Colors

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Monsters

Hi Bloggers, Today I'm sharing a card I made while trying to get one published for the October CARDS magazine. They didn't select it but now I have a cute card to send to someone! The theme challenge was Monsters, and it was also a sketch challenge too. I made this at least 6 months ago, so weird to make cards out of season. 
The Doodlebug design paper did most of the work. The monsters were printed on a journaling card that I cut out, rounded the corners and matted on black card stock. The Halloween sentiment is also cut from the paper. I diecut an oval, made a polka-dotted strip and layered it on a dippy goo punched mat. The purple card stock was dry embossed with a cuttlebug folder, stitched around the perimeter and alpha stickers and gems were added. 

 

By Lori Boyd #58 Trick or Treat
Crafting for all Seasons Too cute to Spook
Crafty Creations Challenges Halloween Characters
Belli Challenge 181 Halloween
Divas by Design Challenge Spooked
Simon says Stamps Halloween Colors
Sisterhood of Crafters Halloween
Color Q #221 Color Challenge
Cuttin and Stampin Challenge 42 Black, Orange, Purple & Green
Try it on Tuesday Halloween
Tuesday Throwdown Creepy Crawlies
The pink elephant challenge 222  Trick or Treat

Thanks for visiting today!
Kim :)







Tuesday, October 15, 2013

KK Challenge 200

 

Hi Friends, how's your week going? Beautiful fall weather is continuing here in the Northeast. I have been wanting to play in a Kraftin Kimmie challenge lately and I haven't had time. Oh, so many challenges out there in blogland! Last night I finally got to color up (with Copics) this Pumpkin Family stamp from Kraftin Kimmie Stamps. It was fun to color. :)
I started my card by using this week's Mojo Monday 315 sketch minus the little flags at the bottom. I used PTI (orange) and Recollections (black) Card stock. I added some Echo Park Chillingsworth patterned paper, MME enamel dots, Darice Twine and a MFT sentiment. I cut my focal image out with Spellbinder rectangle and scalloped rectangle dies.
Some challenges this card fits are:
The Pink Elephant 221 -Photo Inspiration Halloween
Catered Crop -Orange
RCC86 -Autumn or Halloween

Thanks for visiting!  Kim

Friday, October 11, 2013

FTTC241 and vote for me!

 Hi there, I'm playing in this week's Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge 241-Use lace and pearls and for my local Card Club's Black and White challenge. At first I was stumped as to what to make for a black and white card, I think I was overthinking it! LOL. After perusing Pinterest, I was inspired to use a floral stamp and add some embellies and called it a day.
I settled on the beautiful Flourishes "Cherry Blossoms" stamp set and for the sentiment, another Flourishes set, name unknown at this moment (can't find the set on the website). Then I added some RRR black seam binding, Melissa Francis white lace, silver twine and silver pearls. I popped the die cut label and highlighted it with a C00 Copic marker.


By the way friends, if you haven't cast your vote for your favorite card in the Flourishes FTTC240 (paper piecing) challenge, please vote for me! I'm dying to be guest designer!
Thanks for visiting today peeps!
Kim
graphitmarkers.blogspot shades-of-gray
Patties creations -use ribbon and a stamp or image
Simon says stamp use-a-rubber-stamp or clear I used a clear stamp

Friday, October 4, 2013

Flourishes Paper Piecing Challenge 240



Hi Flourishes Fans! Come take a peek at my challenge entry for this week's Flourishes Paper Piecing Challenge 240. This week is special because some winners will have the chance to guest design for Flourishes Stamps in December. Oh, I would so love to! All the detail are here if you would like to give it a go!
Flourishes will pick 3 designers and then a 4th will be a "people choice" so please vote for me starting Oct. 8th, 2013! 


I started with an A2 size card base using PTI card stock and added a PTI card stock mat. Basic Grey Konnichiwa 6x6 paper was used, the largest mat inked with Distress Ink in Vintage photo and the 2 smaller mats were stitched with brown thread. A brown scalloped circle was die cut and layered under a white circle die cut. A sentiment was stamped with Rich Cocoa Memento Ink in the center of the die cut and some Pink PTI ink was sponged around the perimeter while the paper was still in the die. 
From the Flourishes Pinwheels and Popsicles stamps set, the paper lantern stamp was stamped on Neenah white card stock with Memento Tux. Black ink and cut out. Each lantern style was stamped again on various colors of patterned paper, cut out and adhered to the white base. A C1 Copic maker was used to highlight the shapes and a few gems were used for sparkle. Lastly, the prepared lanterns were popped up with foam tape and the ends were adhere to the card with Glossy Accents. The Twinery (my favorite twine) turquoise bows were added. (made with the bow easy tool).

Thanks for visiting today! Kim :)

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Welcome Baby

Hi Friends, I'm sharing this card that was published in the July issue of Simply Handmade Babies magazine. I had never shared it on my blog before it was picked up for publication. That's because I made it and immediately gave it to my daughter to give her friend. I had to borrow it back.
This card proves you can make a cute card without a ton of supplies. I just cut the October Afternoon paper out with a die so that the raccoon was in the center. I stitched around the layers and added a CTMH sentiment, SU retired button, 2 small brads and Doodlebug twine.
Thanks for visiting!
Kim

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

SSS194, Hero Arts Birthday



Hi Blog Friends, I'm playing in the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge this week. I wanted to use my new Hero Arts set with cars, trucks and motorcycles. I'm always on a search for masculine images to make cards for family members. This card is for my stash and will be used soon for one the men in my life, probably my B.I.L.
I used Simple Stories Awesome paper again and relied on the sketch to do its magic with the paper. I colored the cool car with Copics and inked around it with a PTI linen color. The Inky Antics sentiment is stamped on a pre-printed journal card that comes in the paper pad. Some twine and adorable Studio Calico wood veneer stars finish it off.  Bye for now!


Sweet Sunday Sketch 194
C is for Challenge -Men and Boys
Craftin Desert Divas  -Anything with a sentiment
The Squirrel and the Fox.Challenge 53 -Happy Birthday

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Fall.DS

Hi Friends, happy Sunday afternoon! I inked up this cute CTMH scarecrow stamp a few weeks ago and colored it while I was at my local Card Club meeting. Today I had a chance to make it into a card. I used the Deconstructed Sketch 120. I used MME paper, a MFT leaf shaped die to cut the burlap, twine and some buttons.
I'm playing in The Pink Elephant Challenge too. This week is Stripes and Dots, which I have both of on my card.
Color Me Creative-Fall Colors
Crazy4Challenges-Bows

Have a good week! Kim