Happy Birthday Get Picky!!!!

Hi Everyone:

Just wanted to share a layout that I completed for the "Get Picky Birthday Celebration". They are celebrating having 1 year of creative fun and challenges. Here is the sketch that all readers were challenged to use in honour of this celebration.

Now I completed this layout while at a crop this weekend, but I just wasn't happy with it. Now my friend Jean will laugh her head off when she see's all the extras that I added. I actually did the page over. I wanted to mist it with Misting Inks and to also cut the size of the sun down. I felt that the orginal page had a focus that was all about that sun in the corner and not the pictures. That wasn't what I was going for. So I cut the sun shape down, spritzed some blue ink around the page and tore the corner to add some more red. Having a page that flows is a key element when scrapbooking and bringing colour across a page does just that. This helps to direct the eye and to focus on the main subject - in this case my sweet boy Noah.

I have to say that this was a labour of love. It took me so long to complete, but I am now finally happy with it. I guess a word to the wise is, if you scrapbook don't ever give it up or put it to one side. Why you might ask? Well because when you get back into to it again, it can take a while for the mojo to set in and it takes so much longer than planned. Lol. Yes, my friend Jean can vouch for my struggle with time and design completion. Lol. It took some time but this page turned out great and now I can add it to my album.

Title Close-Up

Sub-Title Close-Up

This page was completed using the "Little Boy" paperpack from Echo Park. Also, cloud paper from the "Lime Twist Collection" from My Minds Eye was used, along with the green strip with white stars, which is from the "Super Stud Collection" from Bella BLVD.  Cardstock used was Bazzill and inks used to distress edges and sun were Ranger Distress Inks.

For those of you looking for a card today, I am sorry, but I will have one up tomorrow to share. I will be sharing layouts again though for you who scrapbook. I am finally getting back into it again and I really did miss it.

I trust that you are all doing well and enjoying the Autumn weather. I need to get going because I have cards to complete for Hero Arts Card contest. Why not play along there is still time. Until tomorrow.

Hugs & Blessings

Dana

Non-Traditional Christmas Cards & Scrapling Contest Winner!!

Hi Everyone:
I wanted to share a card with you that I made for Christmas. I was challenged by one of the ladies in the HA Flicker group today to make a card based on my last upload to HA Gallery! Now I didn't complete mine in the allotted time due to camera problems.  It was still really fun and I knew I would be submitting it to other challenges. My last card to that gallery was this one! So my card had to use the same stamps but in a different way. I so love the combination of black, white and red. Those colours are so formal but yet so elegant. So that is what I wanted to create today - a card based on the new Card Patterns Sketch, the Hero Arts challenge to make a card using non-traditional Christmas stamps, using the same stamps has yesterday's card, and to make it elegant.

These are the challenges that this card was made for today.

  



Check It Out !




Why Not True For Your Chance of Winning $50.00 of Hero Arts Products!



Card Patterns Sketch Challenge

I flipped the sketch to have the circle on the other side of the card. 



October Monthly Contest

And now for my card! Don't you just love these colours together!

Card Supplies:

Cardstock: Bazzill

Adhesive:  Easy Glider Pro, Versa Mark

Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Ranger, StazOn

Embellishments: Handmade Flower, Cricuit die-cut medallion and lace doily. 

Stamps: Woodgrain Stamp S5298, Enjoy The Season CG210 - Hero Arts, 

Ribbon: From my Stash (It's really red broadcloth binding.)
Embossing Powder: The Artful Stamper - Black 

Instructions:

Using woodgrain stamp, add versa mark adhesive to surface and stamp onto a 4x6 piece of white cardstock. After stamping, cover with black embossing powder. Then shake off excess powder and place back into jar. Taking a Heat Embossing tool, set the embossing powder until you see it rise up and give texture.  Then trim around the stamped panel if need be. Set aside. Now cut a black panel just a little bigger than the first one and set aside. Now with red ribbon, wrap around white embossed panel and tie a bow. Taking half of a small size doily, add to right side of card. Add die-cut medallion and handmade flower. Now add this embossed panel to black cardstock previously cut. Stamp sentiment on white cardstock with black ink and distress around edges with red  ink and add to card.



SCRAPLING CHALLENGE WINNER!

Brenda Urbanik Congrats On Winning My First Blog Card Challenge.

Please email me at Flickr with your mailing address to receive a Our Craft Lounge Stamp Set.

  

 Brenda's Scrapling Card. Isn't it beautiful.

Thanks so much to all of those who played along with my challenge. All of the entries were gorgeous and some of you got to make more than one. Wishing you many fun scrappy days.

Until next time, take care of yourself & each other.

Hugs & Blessings

Dana

Breaking Out The Christmas Stamps & Music!

Well the time as come when Christmas Challenges are popping up everywhere it seems. And so I thought I would give it an early start this year. But I just could not get the mojo going until I put the Christmas music on. Sure enough! My juices were following and I must say that I am extremely happy with the end result.

Hero Arts is starting a new challenge for the month of October and this time around it includes making Holiday Cards. I love the fact that they have provided not 1 sketch but 3 to help inspire all of us. Also, we can make a Holiday card using non-holiday stamps. Check out these beauties on the Company Blog.



Check Out The Details!

The colours for this challenge were based on the challenge over at Paper & Such blog. I so love these colours and so will you. There is still time to play along!

 Paper & Such Current Colour Challenge

Design Seeds - You Have To Check This Out!

Now I know that some of you may think that these colours are more for Autumn but really when you do up a Christmas Card country style, these colours fit right in with the rest of the card.  Tell me what you think!

This is the pic my hubby thought I should use. But here is my pic that I thought was better. (I took them both, while he held up the flashlight! Honest he did!) I think that my pic shows the true colours of the above challenge better. It doens't really matter I guess as long as the picture is nice. I would love to take better pics that is for sure. I love my camera, but wish I knew how to use it better! Some day!

This card is also being submitted to the following challenges:

Stamptacular Sunday - Must use a stamp - So Distressing

Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Anything Goes

Card Supplies:

Adhesive:  Easy Glider Pro

Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Ranger, Stampin Up'

Pattern Paper & Cardstock: Cosmo Cricuit (Wanted Collection) & Bazzill

Embellishments: Handmade Flowers, jute, pearls, die-cut flowers and border. 

Stamps: Woodgrain Stamp S5298, Enjoy The Season CG210 - Hero Arts, Mini Snowflake - Studio G

Instructions:

The woodgrain stamp with white craft ink was stamped onto drk. brown cardstock. The piece was then inked around the edges with drk.chocolate chip. This was then trimmed and added to card base. A cranberry red strip of cardstock was inked with walnut distress ink and drk. chocolate chip around the edges. The snowflake image was then stamped in various places on the strip and adhered to the card front. The paper that is seen from the bottom of the card, is a piece of old paper bag that has been crumpled, smoothed out and then distress with the two inks mentioned above. This was added to the card front in the bottom location. The scalloped border, along with pattern paper were added to the center of card. Jute was then wrapped around card and tied in a bow at one side. To complete card, handmade flowers, pearls, and distressed die-cut leaves where then added to the card. 

I know that I was suppose to share the card that I made for Thanksgiving. In all honesty I didn't get it all completed. I needed to add some ribbon and some embellishments. I thought that was no big deal and that I could get that completed this morning when there was testing going on in our Homeschooling. Well that didn't happen. Other important things came up and my crafting had to wait. So I hope to complete it tomorow and share some pics of our Apple Picking Adventure as well. 

I trust that your all doing well and enjoying the Autumn weather. Maybe a good time to get a head start on your Christmas crafting. Until next time. 

Blessings

Dana

View From My Window!

Hello Everyone:

I haven't forgotten you, just dealing with life and trying to get back on track. I want to send a big cyber hug to all of those who sent their prayers and loving thoughts my way during the lost of my Nanny. It was appreciated more than you will ever know. My Mom is taking it really hard and it pains me to know that I am so far away from her right now. So any prayers on her behalf would be greatly appreciated too.

Okay on to happier things like my card that I wanted to share!  I know that you all know about the Hero Arts blog! But did you know that they do a post called, " Hero Arts Weekend Inspiration Challenge" and you can find it under the Fun Fridays section in their sidebar on their blog. Well last week I was going through their blog post and found this challenge from Lisa Spangler.  I so loved the pic that she shared with all of us for inspiration.  Her photography is amazing and I only dream of taking pictures this great. Now this card was made just last Wednesday and I do realize that to submit my card for Lisa's challenge was a little late, but I fell in love with the photo and just had to play along.  I also had some Fall challenges in mind when I made this card and will be submitting it to those as well.   




Check It Out On The HA Blog!!!



Not to long ago, Kathy shared this beautiful card that she made using a window image from Tiffany Doodles. So I had to use it in my card as well. I fell in love with it from the get go and was so happy that Kathy shared it with all of us. She provided a link to this image for free at the Papercraft Inspiration Blog where she was featuring some more of her stunning cards. Why not check it out and make sure to visit Tiffany Doodles for some more amazing Digital Stamps.

Close-Up of Colouring of Flowers

Submitting to the following Challenges;

Crafting For All Seasons: Fall Flowers & Pumpkins

Fab 'n' Funky: Challenge # 94 - Fall Colours

House That Stamps Built : DCC1012~ Halloween/Fall Challenge

Stampavie and More: Autumn Theme

Now this card really came together much faster than I thought it would. I recently had some stamped images sent to me from my sweet HA Flicker Pal Sheila and they are gorgeous. I so love the sunflower stamp that I knew I had to use it along with 3 Hero Arts stamp sets.  I used Cling Dots, Time To Stamp, and Everyday Sayings set.   The stamped image from Sheila was a Northwoods stamp. I never seen these stamps before until I saw this card that Sheila shared on her blog. I couldn't get over the detail and beauty of the stamped images. Her card was stunning and you should check it out!

Now when this card started I thought I would create a blue sky with a sun in the background, but that didn't work like I wanted it too. So I did the next best thing and added some My Mind's Eye sky paper to the background. The window frame and sill were coloured with my Mustard Yellow Tombo marker - #993, but shaded with my new Staedtler pencils.  The cool thing about these pencils is that they will not break like so many others will.  They have ABS (Anti-Break System) which makes them so easy to use and are a big time saver. I also used these to colour my vase of sunflowers. These pencils were the only colouring medium used to fill in this image to add some character. I was floored at how amazing the colours blended and complimented each other. I actually would lay down my lightest colour and then layer other darker colours over top and then blend with the white colouring pencil. It was amazing how well they blended and I didn't have to use Baby Oil or Gasmo solution.  I then felt like I needed to add a curtain of some sort to this window. It started out as a longer curtain hanging on 1 side but I didn't like that at all! Lol. So I decided to stamp the dots on some blue material and make a Roman style blind. Don't you just love the curtain strings to pull the blinds up & down?  Lol.   All elements were then added to the cardfront using pop-dots and sentiment stamped inside of the window frame. (In this case outside of the window! Wink!) Yes, this was a lot of fun!

Sorry that this is such a long post, but I really wanted to share the details of this fun card and challenge you to make a Scenery card.  Also, I wanted to let you know that I will be announcing the winner of my Scrapling Challenge before this week is out okay!

That is it until tomorrow when I share my late Thanksgiving Card with you all. I trust that you had a great day today and are making memories that will last a lifetime.

Hugs & Blessings

Dana

Sad News!

Hi Everyone:
Just wanted to let those who participated in my Scrappling Contest know that I haven't forgotten about you.  I have been so crazy with life that I didn't get to purchase a gift certificate yet. So I might just send you some prizes from my stash. But to make matters worst my Nanny pasted away on Tuesday night and I haven't felt like doing much since I got the news. It really has been a tough year. My Dad's youngest brother passed away in May and then 3 months later is oldest brother passed away. And now my Mom's mother just passed away. Yes, it really has been a tough year. If any of you pray and could do so on our families behalf that would be greatly appreciated. Not really sure of how much more we can take. I do try to remember that God tells us in His Word that He doesn't give us more than we can bear and that trials build our character. This is true I know but it can be ever so tough when it first begins. Looking down the road from now we can all look back on life and breath a sigh of relief and question how we ever made it through. But that is life isn't it! Always tossing us moments of happiness and saddness, decisions and choices. All of it giving us a life that we can each call "My Life". No matter the journey, it is our little part of life that we occupy, and ours to make a change for the better and impact those around us. Hope this email finds you all in good health and enjoying the Autumn weather.

Blessings
Dana

Happy World Card Making Day

Are you busy making cards today? Do you have a day planned with friends to get scrappy and to have some fun? Today is World Card Making Day and I am sure that there are many cards being made today. Some were made previously for todays blog post I am sure. Just like the one that I made here for you all to see.

Close up of the white embossing.

Card Instuctions:

Taking the  Hero Arts Flower Text stamp  I  added some Versa Mark adhesive to it. Before adding it to my white cardstock, I rubbed my Embossing Buddy overtop of my paper to prevent the adhesive from sticking in places not needed. Once this was done, I then stamped the image on the cardstock. Then I poured clear embossing powder overtop. After shaking off the excess, I then used my heat gun to dry the embossing powder. Once completely dried I took, Broken China, Walnut, and Peeled Paint Ranger Distress Inks to add some colour to the background of this cardfront. After adding the distress inks overtop of cardstock, I spritzed it with water to give it a more blended look. After this was completed the sides were distressed using blending tool and chocolate chip ink to finish. Now moving on to the flowers. I used my Tombo Markers to colour and shade the flowers. Bling was then added for the flower centers. The card front was adhered to craft cardstock and matching ribbon, along with Jelly Bean Soup sentiment were added for the finishing touches.

Check Out The Fun!

This card was made for today, but also for the Blog Hop that is happening over at PaperCrafts Magazine Blog. Today there will be many bloggers sharing their cards with you so be sure to check out there company blog here.



Simon Says Bling Challenge! Check it out!

This card was also made with the Lily Pad Bling Challenge in mind. I didn't share that here before when I posted because I thought I missed the challenge deadline. But after checking it and seeing that I still have time to submit it, I am doing just that! Make sure that you play along too.

I just wanted to let the winners of my last Blog Candy Giveaway know that I finally got your prizes sent to you in the post today. Sorry about the delay, but life is extremely busy! Hope that you enjoy them and share what you create.

Thanks so much for dropping bye today. If this is the first time to visit my blog then I invite you to make yourself comfortable and browse through the many post to find something that may inspire you. If you like, you can follow my work by becoming a follower. Love that you all find something inspiring here at Reliving Tomorrow and thanks so much for the encouraging words and visits.

Okay it is way past my bedtime. Thanks again for dropping bye and have a great World Card Making Day!

Blessings

Dana