VLV December Sketch: Keep Shining

Happy Sunday!  I am the first one up and ready for church, so I hope complete a post of a card I finished last night.  It features the "best sections" of several sheets from a collection called Patisserie.  It was fun to slice off the floral border of one sheet, to use the solid section of another, and to cut a central panel into a circle.

This is a graduation card for an amazing young woman who received her college degree a couple weeks ago and is currently celebrating in France with her family.  I wanted her card to have a Parisian flair, and the "Keep Shining" sentiment is perfect for this confident, talented young lady.

Stamps include:  Verve's Rise Above (sentiment), Verve's Joyful Blooms with matching dies, and French Flea Market by Julie Nutting.

I hope my Mojo is on it's way back home.  It would be even better if it brought my missing Tim Holtz  snips back, too.  I cleaned up after a scrapbooking frenzy (right) before our holiday travels, and my dear red-handled scissors are nowhere to be found.  The LSS had none, and the substitutes are just not as good.  Hope to find them soon!

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a blessed day and a wonderful New Year,
Christine

Linking to:
VLV December Sketch Challenge
Word Art Wednesday
SSS Wednesday Challenge

Sharing two Cards for Little Hearts

What a wonderful day it has been!  I have so enjoyed spending time with my family and found a little time to assemble some "Cards for Little Hearts".  One afternoon during our Christmas visit, it was too cold for outdoor ice skating, so the kids helped color images. It is such fun to make them into cards for the drive.

Please consider sharing a few cards---the specifications are here, and I would love to share an on-line treasure with you.  Hannelie's blog, Desert Diva, is full of her gorgeous and unique CAS cards.  She also makes available beautiful sentiments for download.  The link is found in the sidebar of her blog.


Thanks for stopping by.  I am so excited that we will gather to worship on the last day of 2017.  Wishing you a blessed new year.
Christine

Linking to:
SSS Wednesday Challenge
Word Art Wednesday
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Cards for Little Hearts Drive: Sending You Lots of Love and Hugs

Dear Crafty Friends,
I hope you were blessed with a joyful Christmas and some time to rest and connect with loved ones!

As the new year approaches,  I hope to create a few cards for a very special cause:  The Cards for Little Hearts Drive.  There is a wealth of information regarding how to create greetings for children who are hospitalized to receive treatment for congenital heart problems.

I hope you will visit the website for samples from previous drives, some wonderful images and sentiments, and for all the details about how to best encourage these little ones.

Thanks for visiting,

Christine

PS:  My card features a Bugaboo image and a sentiment created by Christina Hor, founder of the card drive.

Linking to:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Celebrate Your Day! AHSC 244

I so enjoyed creating a card with this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch.  It seemed like the sketch allowed for lots of my favorites such as the beautiful script-y sentiment from Verve's Poppy Birthday.  Some scalloped layers cut with Reverse Confetti dies and a strip of plaid made a great place to set the wreath from Autumn Blessings adorned with a few flowers and enamel dots.

Thanks for visiting.  Hope you find time to play along with this week's sketch.

Christine

Linking to
SSS Wednesday Challenge A/G
Word Art Wednesday A/G

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

Looking for a fun way to package some handmade cards, I adapted an old favorite by cutting two strips of paper at 5 inches by 12 inches.  Both strips were scored at 2.5 inches from each end.  The bottom edges were secured with sticky strip.  After folding over a flap, I punched a semi circular opening with a 1/2 inch circle punch.  A stack of 12 cards and envelopes was carefully tied with tulle which was threaded through the opening and tied into a fluffy bow.  The stamp is a retired Plain Jane from Verve.  It is stamped on a cross-stitched circle and layered with a heart doily and a stitched heart die from Simon Says Stamp.

Thank you for visiting,
Christine

Linking to:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge (Stitch It)
Word Art Wednesday

FFC with Little Blue Button Stamps

Happy Friday!  It's time for another Fun Friday Challenge at Jo's Scrap Shack where the theme is always Anything Goes.   Please take time to see the design team's samples and to link up your own creations.  It's always fun to see what you have to share!

I thought about calling this post "A Few of My Favorite Things" just to keep it in the holiday spirit. This image from Little Blue Button, Whimsy Flower, is one of my favorites.  I decided to use lots of things I love:  purple, sheer ribbon, stitched dies, and a basket weave embossing folder.  I like the look, and it will make a blank note card for any occasion.

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your blog post that includes your challenge entry project, using the linky tool below. 

2. Be sure to include a link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering your project into

3. THREE entries per person are allowed for each challenge and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. For all entries -NO BACK LINKS ACCEPTED- 
The date on your blog post should be dated between the start date & the end date for the challenge you are entering, in order to be eligible for the challenge & prizes

5. You may link up to other challenges but be sure to link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering 

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

WILL NOT be eligible for the top 3, any sponsor wins or any random wins by Jo
All random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

Thanks so much for taking time to visit,
Christine

Linking to:

SSS Wednesday Challenge: Stitch It
PIP Challenge

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 242 offered an opportunity to use one of my favorite techniques for Clean-and-Simple cards---the addition of score lines.  Just a few raised lines can call attention to a focal image or sentiment in such a simple way.  On this sunny afternoon, I had trouble getting the lines to make a clear appearance int he photo, but they look great "in person".

Thanks for stopping by,
Christine

Warm Wishes

An early dinner left some time for crafting fun, and I whipped up two similar cards from these papers and stamps.  Lawn Fawn's Love You a Latte offered lots of choices of sentiments and cups of coffee or tea, and Reverse Confetti's Circles 'n Scallops set provides the focal panel. The card base is cut from a Papertrey Die.

Thanks for taking a look,
Christine

Linking to:
Coffee Lovers Blog Hop
Word Art Wednesday
PIP Challenge
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Wishing You a Merry Christmas

Thanks to a sweet crafter who kindly shared after organizing her creative space, I have a set of Spellbinders Distressed Edge Rectangles to enjoy.  I used the largest two rectangles as layers to create an over-sized gift tag.  The layout is from this month's Viva La Verve Sketch, and the images are from Verve, too: Coffee and Cup of Kindness.
Other dies are: Reverse Confetti's Tall Tag Trio and a Simon Says Stamp snowflake die.

Today, I followed the "eat dessert first" philosophy....crafting before lesson plans and party snacks that are needed tomorrow.  After rewarding myself with some paper play time, I need to get busy.

Have a blessed day,
Christine


Linking to
VLV December Sketch Challenge
Coffee Lovers Blog Hop
SSS Wednesday Challenge (Gift It)
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Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop: Warm Wishes

Tag Recipe
Papertrey Ink Bookmark Die
Reverse Confetti Tall Tags Trio
Verve Heart Quartet
LID Holly Jolly
Reverse Confetti Lacy Scalloped Rectangle Die
Verve Coffee/Matching Die

Thanks for stopping by,
Christine

Linking to
Winter Coffee Lovers Bloghop
SSS Wednesday Challenge (Gift Tag)
Word Art Wednesday

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop: First Coffee, Then Presents

Another tag prepared for gift wrapping time! This one features a recently re-released digital set by Verve and the coffee cup/matching die from Verve's Coffee set.

Stay warm and enjoy some coffee and your holiday preparations!

Christine

Linking to
Winter Coffee Lovers Bloghop
SSS Wednesday Challenge (Gift Tag)
Word Art Wednesday

Coffee Lovers Hop: Warm Wishes

I am adding to my collection of Christmas tags using a sweet image from Waffle Flower which was a prize in a previous Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.

Thanks for stopping by,
Christine

Linking to
Winter Coffee Lovers Bloghop
SSS Wednesday Challenge (Gift Tag)
Word Art Wednesday

Coffee Lovers: Santa, I can explain....

Lately, I've decided to dedicate my crafting time to creating Christmas tags.  This one will adorn the gift of a loved one who adores coffee and usually has a little explaining to do to Santa.  The sentiment is one of my favorites from Verve and has just re-released here.  The coffee cup is a Bugaboo image and was paper pieced with downloads from the Pixel Scrapper.

Merry Christmas and happy stamping!
Christine







Linking to
Winter Coffee Lovers Bloghop
SSS Wednesday Challenge (Gift Tag)
Word Art Wednesday

Fun Friday Challenge: You Melt my Heart

Happy Friday!  It's time for another Fun Friday Challenge at Jo's Scrap Shack where the theme is always Anything Goes.   Please take time to see the design team's samples and to link up your own creations.  It's always fun to see what you have to share!

This card has such a simple but fun fold.  Late-night photos left a big shadow when the card was standing open, but, hopefully, the idea comes across.  For a tutorial on the fold, visit this site.  The darling image is from Bugaboo can be found here.

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your blog post that includes your challenge entry project, using the linky tool below. 

2. Be sure to include a link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering your project into

3. THREE entries per person are allowed for each challenge and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. For all entries -NO BACK LINKS ACCEPTED- 
The date on your blog post should be dated between the start date & the end date for the challenge you are entering, in order to be eligible for the challenge & prizes

5. You may link up to other challenges but be sure to link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering 

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

WILL NOT be eligible for the top 3, any sponsor wins or any random wins by Jo
All random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

Thanks so much for taking time to visit,
Christine

Linking to: Word Art Wednesday
Tuesday Throwdown

The Stocking Were Hung by the Chimney with Care

This TH embossing folder features lots and lots of Christmas-y words.  I was so excited to discover it on sale last summer, and I am thankful to have rediscovered it in time for Christmas cards!   This month's Verve sketch is going in the keeper file for sure.  I love all the fun details, but left a few off after using multiple colors, prints, and a busy embossing folder.  Can't wait to try again to see if another selection of DP will allow for some scallops and a few more dies!

I love combining sketches with inspiration photos, and the Paper Sweeties pic led me right to the stockings from Jolly Jingles.

Thanks for visiting,
Christine

Linking to:
VLV December Sketch Challenge
Paper Sweeties December Challenge
PIP Challenge
SSS Wednesday Challenge
Word Art Wednesday

Atlantic Hearts Sketch 240: You were made for amazing things!

I took a few liberties with the sketch, but am happy with how the card turned out.  In real life, the colors of Verve's Kindness Matters florals are a much closer match to the background paper.  The printed papers are from a Bo Bunny collection called Juliet.  I was blessed to find
them at Tuesday Morning.  The flowers are backed with a cut from Reverse Confetti's Tall Tag Trio, and the stitched oval is by Littler Inker Designs.

Thanks so much for taking a look,
Christine


Linking to:
SSS Wednesday Challenge---A/G
Word Art Wednesday

He will be our peace

Verve's Scripture Medley 5 arrived in my mailbox this afternoon, and I couldn't wait to get it inked up!  The papers are from a collection called Cedar Lane. The Tattered Florals die cuts and leaves were in the bowl of bits and pieces that stays on my desk, so the card came together quickly.

Thanks for taking a look,
Christine

Linking to:
VLV Sketch Challenge
Word Art Wednesday

Autumn Blessings: Photo Folio Cover

This is a little incidental project---a decorative page to slip into a plastic folio of photos I am mailing to someone unable to attend our Thanksgiving festivities.  I love "real" photos and had some printed for snail mailing instead of just sending digital files.  There's something nice about holding a photo.  But...if you give a crafter a stack of photos, she has to do a little decorating.....

Thanks for stopping by,
Christine















Linking to:
Stamplorations Giving Thanks Wishlist Party
PIP Challenge
Word Art Wednesday
Paper Sweeties Inspiration Challenge
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Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

Just sharing another tag---they are so much fun to create using Reverse Confetti's Gift Card Holder Tag   This one features a sentiment from Verve and some hearts cut using the Heart Quartet die, also from Verve.

Hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend,
Christine

Linking to
Word Art Wednesday
PIP Challenge

Fun Friday Challenge: The Paper Shelter

Happy Friday!  It's time for another Fun Friday Challenge at Jo's Scrap Shack where the theme is always Anything Goes.  The design team is showcasing images by  The Paper Shelter.  Please take time to see the design team's samples and to link up your own creations.  It's always fun to see what you have to share!

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your blog post that includes your challenge entry project, using the linky tool below. 

2. Be sure to include a link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering your project into

3. THREE entries per person are allowed for each challenge and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. For all entries -NO BACK LINKS ACCEPTED- 
The date on your blog post should be dated between the start date & the end date for the challenge you are entering, in order to be eligible for the challenge & prizes

5. You may link up to other challenges but be sure to link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering 

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

WILL NOT be eligible for the top 3, any sponsor wins or any random wins by Jo
All random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

Thanks so much for taking time to visit,
Christine

Linking to:
PIP Challenge
Word Art Wednesday
SaveSave

Thankful Tag

After whipping up a few Thanksgiving treats, I decided the packaging needed to be spruced up with tags.  The base for this tag is a Reverse Confetti die, and the images and sentiments come from these Verve sets:  Falling Leaves and On Occasion.  All the papers are scraps.  :)

Thanks for visiting,
Christine

Linking to:
Stamplorations Giving Thanks
Word Art Wednesday
PIP Challenge
Paper Sweeties November Inspiration Challenge


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Merry Christmas Trees

The inspiration photo shared at Inspired by All the Little Things is truly gorgeous!  I could never create this in the kitchen, but it was lots of fun to make a card with a sweet plaid and coordinating pastel solids from the Pixel Scrapper.  The stitched tree die is from L'il Inker Designs, and I can't seem to keep it off my crafting desk lately.

To make "the tiny forest" fit the card it was cut at 4.5 x 6 inches, but I do have envelopes that will fit, so all is well.  I am sure this clean sketch from Sunday Stamps will be used again.

Thanks so much for visiting,
Christine

Linking to:
Inspired by All The Little Things 73
Sunday Stamps
Word Art Wednesday

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Atlantic Hearts Sketch 238

Atlantic Hearts Sketch #238 was the perfect place to try a masked wreath, and my first choice of stamps was my brand new Verve collection, Autumn Leaves.  This set allows for some fun double stamping of leaves in three different sizes, and there are plenty of sweet sentiments for fall.  I need a birthday card, so I selected a sentiment from Cake and Candles.  As far as techniques go, the card was created using mask made by die cutting an oval from plain printer paper.  The mask and card stock were held in place in the MISTI using a few magnets.  (Masking paper is on my wish list, but this worked just fine.)  A little twine, a torn edge and three copper sequins finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by,
Christine

Linking to:
Paper Sweeties Inspiration Challenge
Word Art Wednesday

Inspired by all the Little Things---Tag

I couldn't resist incorporating the inspiration photo found at "Inspired by All the Little Things"  into my current crafting goal of creating Christmas tags.  This tag features Reverse Confetti's Gift Card Holder Tag and Wreath Dies.  The sweet little Christmas tree is from Little Inker Designs.  The silver card is pretty, but was a challenge to photograph....I think I lost that challenge, by the way.

Thanks for taking a peek,
Christine



Linking to
Inspired by All the Little Things
SSS Wednesday Challenge (Snow White)
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