Let Your Dreams Take Flight!

I made this card with the Inkspirational sketch in mind. I've used blue, grey and silver colors. I used my Darice chevron embossing folder for the background. I cut stars out of silver glitter paper and the rounded tag using Sizzix dies. The sentiment doesn't show so well in this photo, but it says "let your dreams take flight - it's been heat embossed in white. For the sentiment and the hot air balloon I've used stamps from Our Craft Lounge. I've colored the image with ProMarkers. The DP with spots and the card candy came free with a magazine. 

1) Inkspirational - #13 Sketch
2) Creative Card Crew - #33 Masculine
3) Cupcake Craft - Card for a Man using Cool Colors
4) Sparkle N Sprinkle - Glitter
5) A Gem of a Challenge - #72 On the Move
6) Ooh La La Creations - Male-themed
7) Passion For Promarkers Challenge - #191 Bingo - Die cut + Free (Embossing) + Glitter
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

CASE Card with Dressmaker

This card is inspired by the CASE card over at Inkspirational. I took inspiration from the dressmaker and the layers of rectangles.
I used a Spellbinders die for the dressmaker. To give it a metal feel I covered it with Platinum colored Ultra thick embossing enamel and heat embossed. Since the ladies on the background DP has dresses with spots I wanted to give my dressmaker a similar look. I also wrapped a bit of tulle around it and added a black bow as a belt. I mounted the dressmaker on foam onto a panel of black and kraft paper to create a layered effect.

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #12 CASE
2) Pile It On - Dots
3) 613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
4) Happy Campers - #13 Add Dimension
5) Charisma Cardz - #11 Die Cuts
6) Paper Crafting Journey - Ribbon or Lace
7) Craft Your Passion - Ribbons or Lace
8) My Craft Spot - Embossing or Glossy Accents
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Yellow Baby Card

This cute little child's toy is from Meljen's Designs and I thought it would be great for paper piecing. I chose yellow and orange papers (came free with a magazine), in addition to kraft, as I think these colors go well for both baby girls and boys. I used some wood patterned paper for the wheels and added a button too. For the banner I used a KaiserCraft stamp. For the background I used an embossing folder with spots.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Stampin' For The Weekend - Child's Play
2) Polka Doodles - Embossing
3) Desert Island Crafters - 2+6+9 (Yellow+Sentiment on front+Paper piecing)
4) Created With Love Challenges - #33 Button Up
5) Eclectic Ellapu - Pregnancy or Baby card
6) 4 Crafty Chicks - #134 Circles
7) Divas by Design - Babies/toddlers
8) Penny's Paper-Crafty - #119 Gingham/Checks (2nd entry)
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Easter Card with Rustic Feel

I haven't planned to make many Easter cards, but one or two would come in handy. There are so many gorgeous cards out there with the sweetest of bunnies and the softest of colors, so I decided to take another direction and go with a rustic look, using red, white and kraft.
This image lives over at Meljen's Designs. I made a patchwork background using Maja Design papers. I colored the image with Promarkes. All squares have been machine stitched using red thread. The sentiment is heat embossed with white embossing powder - the stamp came free with a magazine. Some straws and a red bow of paper twine make up the embellishments.

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Celebrate the Occasion - #104 Happy Easter
2) Digital Tuesday - #202 Easter
3) Shopping Our Stash - #94 Easter Or Spring
4) Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge - #80 Easter
5) Tammy's Scrapin Corner - Easter
6) Stamp and Create - Fur or Feathers
7) Creative Moments - #13 Animals
8) Penny's Paper-Crafty - #119 Gingham/Checks
9) Whimsy Inspiration - #57 Stitching
10) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Embossed Flower

I love the combination of kraft with white and neutral colors. So I heat embossed my flower with white embossing powder and used beige/white patterned papers from Maja Design.
I machine stitched with white glitter thread around both the inner and outer squares - it really adds some nice sparkle to the card, too bad it can be seen in the photo.
I added some cheese cloth behind the inner square for texture.
The sentiment is made with letter stickers and means "good luck".
I didn't want the card to have too much embellishments, keeping the design rather clean, so I punched out 3 butterflies from kraft paper to fill out some of the empty space

This card is for these challenges:
1) 'ABC' Challenges - #21 Bring on the Flowers
2) Crafty Boots - Flowers
3) Creative Creations Challenge Blog - Things with the letter B (butterflies)
4) Make it Monday with Kraft Outlet - Favorite color with Kraft
5) Make My Monday - Monochrome
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

It's springtime!

As a child I remember I thought the best thing about spring was that our father took out our bikes again. My mother would make us a bucket full of soapy water and give us a sponge each so that the bikes could get a good wash before use!

My inspiration for this card are the colors of the Inkspirational photo and the sketch found at Feeling Sketchy.

For the bike image I used a KaiserCraft stamp. I colored it with Promarkers and started fussy-cutting the image. Regretted my decision half-way - my fingers still feel numb - I  need to remember to put a good pair of scissors on my wish list! I mounted the bike on foam pads. For  the clouds I used a stamp from a set from Our Craft Lounge.

The green paper with spots is from Graphic45 and the brown with music notes is from Landstoken.
I machine stitched with brown thread around the edges.


This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - Photo
2) Feeling Sketchy - Sketch #50
3) Pattie's Creations - Green for St. Patrick's
4) Card Makin' Mamas - Springtime
5) QKR Stampede – Dreaming of Spring
6) Eureka Stamps - #30 Spring has sprung
7) Moving Along With The Times - Spring is in the Air
8) Allsorts - #198 As Easy as 1 2 3 (1 image+2 DPs+3 clouds for embellishment)
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes 

Congratulations - It's a Boy

I was asked by Deepti if I would like to be a Guest Designer for her challenge blog, Catchy Challenges. Of course I said YES! The theme was to make a Congratulations card using the colors of the inspirational picture. I created a baby boy card and kept the design clean.
I used kraft paper for the card base and DPs from Maja Design. The brown DP has been embossed using a brick wall embossing folder. For the image and sentiment I used a set from KaiserCraft called "Bundle of Joy - New Arrival". The image is colored using Promarkers. I made a window using Sizzix framelits oval tags dies.

I enter this card into these challenges: 
1) Crafty Boots - Old (embossing folder), New (stamps), Borrowed OR Blue (paper)
2) Little Red Wagon - #176 Window
3) Deep Ocean Challenge - #47 Cute & Cuddly
4) Cute Card Thursday - #260 Anything Goes
5) 4 Crafty Chicks - #133 Clean & Simple
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Heat embossed Sea Shells

I skipped a season and made a jump from winter to summer with this card! I made the different elements for this card over a period of time, without having a specific design in mind.

I used a cream colored paper for the background and added a blue frame for contrast. I cut out an oval to create a layered effect, using a lattice die cut, with cheese cloth behind it.

The sea shells I made by inking white paper with "old paper" distress ink, before I heat embossed with white embossing powder.  I fussy cut them all and put them together to make an oval frame. It took quite some time, I must admit!

The angel image has been paper pieced, and there's a touch of glitter stickles on her wings.
The banner is stamped on kraft paper, using a KaiserCraft stamp.

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Make My Monday - Heat Embossing
2) Tuesday Throwdown - #138 Paper Piecing
3) LEJ Designs - #44 Things With Wings
4) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

CAS Baby Girl Card

I hope you all have had a lovely weekend. Here's a little card I made yesterday, inspired by the sketch found at "CAS(E) this Sketch.

I used two stamps from the  KaiserCraft Bundle of Joy - New Arrival set. The image is colored using ProMarkers, and the sentiment is heat embossed with white embossing powder.

I made the card A2 size and embossed the base using a Boofle embossing folder.
I made a border of kraft using a Martha Stewart punch, the edges have  been inked with walnut stain.

This card is for these challenges:
1) CAS(E) this Sketch! - #18 Sketch
2) Stampin' Royalty - #166 Clean and Simple
3) Fab 'n' Funky - #161 Cute and Cuddly

Girly Card with a Spring Feel

This design is inspired by the sketch over at Sketch Saturday. I had planned to make an Easter themed card with this image, but changes happened during the making process (as is often the case), so it turned out a bit different, but I think it has a spring feel to it, with the blue colors and the barefoot girl.

I used DPs from Maja Design to make this card, some light blue paper for the scalloped border and clouds, and a piece of kraft to make the frame.
I used 4 different sets of dies: Memory Box cloud dies and birds dies, a Magnolia die for the scalloped border and Sizzix dies for the rounded tag shapes.
I machine stitched around the edges of the card base with silver thread and I also added some pearls to the border. I didn't put a sentiment on as I would like the keep my options open.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Sketch Saturday - #249 Sketch
2) Di's Digis Designs - All about Children
3) Delicious Doodles - Use Die Cuts
4) 4 Crafty Chicks - #132 Die for Dies
5) The Squirrel and The Fox - #39 Autumn or Spring (Spring)
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Shades of Green

Oh boy... Green colors... Not my strong side! I don't have much green stash and I don't manage to color with greens, so this was a real challenge for me! I've been playing with this card during most of my spare time since Wednesday! I've colored numerous images that ended up in the trash, so I decided to have a change of plan and go with die cuts instead.

For the the set of cup and saucer I've used a Marianne Craftables die. The tag is made with a Go Kreate die. The decorative corners are made using a Spellbinders die, and I added a pearl to each die cut. I used a doily as a table cloth to avoid the cup and saucer hanging in midair. I also added a metal spoon, a treat I got myself last weekend! I added a piece of twine to the tag.

The DPs are from Maja Design. I used a Storyteller stamp with a sentiment written in Norwegian, meaning "May your day be filled with smiles and laughter". I like the sentiment because it can be used for any occasion, like birthdays, or for a "just to say hi" type of card. I used white embossing powder for the sentiment.

I've got mixed feelings about  this card, but I'm really proud I managed to finish it considering the struggle I had making it. So I'll enter this card into these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #10 Shades of Green
2) Card Makin' Mamas - Green
3) Creative Corner - Go Green
4) Simply Create Too - St Patricks day or use mostly green
5) Clearly Inspired - Die Cuts
6) Shelly's Images - Roll 'em (6 Embossing+ 2 Twine + 1 Die)
7) Southern Girls - #64 Tag
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes 

Resting Birds on Tree Branch

I've a clean card to show you today, with no bling at all, as a contrast to my previously posted card which was filled with pearls!
I used 3 Memory Box dies for this card: Woodland Branch, Resting Birds and Puffy Clouds.
I couldn't quite find a paper that I thought would fit for the birds, so I covered them with Platinum Colored Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel from Ranger and heat embossed them.
For the branch I used a brown DP and the clouds are made with white shimmering paper. I used 2 different DPs for the background - the one with beige and  white squares is from Maja Design and the green patterned one is from My Mind's Eye.
I machine stitched around the edges of the inner square, and all edges are inked with Walnut Stain ink. I stamped a greeting working both as "happy birthday" and as "congratulations" in Norwegian, so the card can be used for different occasions.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Party Time Tuesdays - #110 Die Cuts
2) Artistic Inspirations - Things with Wings
3) Crafting When We Can - Earth, Air, Fare, Water (Air)
4) Make My Monday - Inspired by Nature
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes 

Love Birds and plenty of Pearls

This is my second card using the Inkspirational sketch.

I attended a crafting fair yesterday and WOW did I leave with many goodies! For this card I've used one of them - the Marianne Craftables clock die. I cut it out of white paper and attached it to a grey background.

I embossed a silver colored  paper using my Cherry Blossom Embossing Folder from Craft Concepts.

For the image I used a rubber stamp from Whimsy Stamps called "Bird Swing" - it's definitely one of my favorites! I colored it with Promarkers using different shades of grey, purple and green, and a touch of orange for their beaks.

The sentiment ("Congratulations") is heat embossed with purple embossing powder. Lots of pearls for embellishment and stitching around the edges.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #9 Sketch
2) My Time to Craft - #211 Embossing
3) Sweet Stampin - Embossing
4) ABC Challenge - I is for In Love
5) Happy Campers - #11 Use a favorite Stamp
6) I love Promarkers - #157 Lace/Pearls
7) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Male Card with Typewriter

I love this week's Inkspirational sketch, it's perfect for so many different types of cards - CAS, layered, male or feminine designs! I hope I'll find the time to make more cards using this sketch as in(k)spiration!

My first entry is a male card. I'm trying not to "get stuck" in a certain type of style or design. That's quite tricky, isn't it? I have a tendency to do square or rectangle shaped cards and add stitching, as I did for this card, but apart from that I tried to do something not so typically me, so I used a good, old typewriter image, suing a stamp from Prima. Also, I tried not to make things too even and straight, but rather a bit distressed and uneven. But from there I was a bit lost... How to proceed? What do other crafters use for embellishments? Couldn't come up with any new ideas, so I added a kraft ticket with sentiment (love those!), letter stickers (love those too) and some pearls. Kind of vintage, kind of male and I think (hope?) not so typically me!

This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #9 Sketch
2) Anything Goes Challenge - #87 Make It Manly
3) Craft Room Challenge - Something For A Man
4) Crafty Sentiments - 1 image (Typewriter), 2 papers (2 different DPs), 3 embellishments(Pearls)
5) C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Embossing (Heat embossed image)
6) Eclectic Ellapu - Masculine
7) 4 Crafty Chicks - #131 Stitching
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Male Card with Vintage Cars and Buttons

I've made this card for my father's birthday - he loves vintage cars, and I bought the Papirdesign DP with him in mind. 6 months later on I came over a stamp set from Prima containing this vintage car stamp. I heat embossed it with black embossing powder on kraft paper and fussy cut the image.
The sentiment is made of letter stickers. I've got so many buttons, so I picked 5 black ones in various sizes and attached them to the Memory Box die cut border. I also added 2 black pearls in each corner. I machine stitched around the kraft panel before attaching it to the black card base. Today I also wanted to show you the inside of my card - I often use the same papers as on the front. I used some black ribbon and a stamped sentiment saying "Happy Birthday" in Norwegian.



This card is for these challenges:
1) Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge - Very Vintage
2) Aud Sentiments Challenge - Share the sentiment on the inside
3) Craft Room Challenge - Something For A Man
4) Here Come the Boys - Layers 
5) Cards Galore - One for the Men
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Blue & Brown Baby Card with Boat & Buttons

This is my version of the Inkspirational CASE card. I was inspired by the layout of the card.
I've used stamps from "Snag'em Stamps" - a bargain buy from some time back. I stamped both boat and sentiment directly on the DPs and heat embossed with Chestnut colored embossing powder. Both DPs are from Graphic45's Little Darlings Collection.
I've got plenty of buttons, but don't use them very often, so I decided to use some for this card.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - Case photo
2) Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Buttons and Bows
3) Crafty Ribbons - #38 Button up
4) Paper Crafting Journey - Bingo (Die Cuts+Embossing+Buttons)
5) Sweet Stamps - #105 Sweet & Simple
6) A Gem of a Challenge - #68 Add a Bow
7) Deep Ocean Challenge - #45 Letter "B" (Blue, Brown, Buttons, Boat) 2nd entry

CAS Hot Air Balloons

This card was a rather quick one to make, as soon as I decided on the colors and layout.
I used a Spellbinders M-bossabilities folder and a Tim Holtz Embossing Diffuser to make the background. I sanded the paper to make the pattern more visible.
The stamps, from Our Craft Lounge, were part of a candy I received from "The Crafty Math Chick" - the perfect gift as I've wanted to get hot air balloon stamps for some time.  I colored the images using grey and orange Promarkers. The clouds were part of the same set.
I added a sentiment in one of the clouds using a rub-on saying "For You" in Norwegian.
I used foam to pop up the smallest hot air balloon and the cloud with the sentiment.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Less Is More - #107 Up in the Air
2) Hiding in my Craft Room - #85 Embossing
3) Created With Love - Things that Fly
4) Incy Wincy Designs - Pop It Up
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Inspiration from a Sketch, a Photo and a Birthstone

There's a photo of flowers for the  Inkspirational challenge. I've used the purple flowers as inspiration for this card. I had this little piece left of a Maja Design DP with purple roses. I used it for the center panel of this card. I've had this purple ribbon with flowers for ages, thought it would work perfectly with the purple flowers theme. The layout of the card is inspired by the wonderful sketch over at Our Creative Corner
The image is a digi from Darcy's Diaries, colored with Promarkers. I made folds of organza and punched a border of vellum paper, added a doily, two ribbons, and all edges have been machine stitched.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Our Creative Corner - Sketch
2) Inkspirational - #7 Photo
3) ABC Challenges - Stitching
4) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Sailor Edwin

I haven't had any time to make cards the past week, and I've had very limited time all in all, so my apologies if I haven't been around to visit you lately.

I've had this Sailor Edwin for a long time, but I haven't used him much, poor thing.
I made a nautical themed background for him and kept to white and blue colors.
I added a bit of cheese cloth, a, to me, new die cut element, die cut letters for the sentiment ("hugs in Norwegian") and stitching around all the edges.

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) My Time to Craft -#209 Men Only
2) Deep Ocean Challenge - #45 Letter "B" (Boy)
3) Crafty Boots - Blue & White
4) Natalie and Amy's Challenge -Something Old & Something New
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Valentines Card

Valentines cards are SO not my thing. I see all those fabulous+striking+gorgeous looking cards out there, with glitter and lace, pearls and swirls, the sweetest of images and lovely pinks! I won't even try and recreate something like that, I think I'd end up losing all confidence even trying, so I made a rather clean one, with more blue than red and pink! Phew - glad I only have one man in my life! But now I have a whole year ahead of me to practice for next year's Valentine card!

I used a digi from Darcy's Diaries, colored with Promarkers, adding glitter glue to her wings and glossy accent to the heart, a ticket sentiment, some kraft leftover hearts and an embossed paper which I've sanded.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Come and Get It Challenges - Show Us Your Heart
2) Digi Haven – Love/Valentines
3) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Dressmaker with Wings

I can honestly say I've never made a card with the color combination they've set for us over at Inkspirational this week. But I found it so fun to work with these colors that I hope I'll find time to make another one!
I've used a blue and white DP, blue paper for my die cut dressmaker. I heat embossed some angel wings with white on kraft, and I used a doily patterned stamp, heat embossed with white on purple DP, panelled onto kraft, then onto an oval die cut of purple.  I finished off the card with a ticket for the sentiment and some pearls .

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - # 6 Colors
2) Divas by Design - #71 Winged Things
3) Artistic Inspirations - #27 Embossing
4) Make it Monday - Anything Goes 



I also wanted to show you what I received by mail today - a fantastic candy given to me by the lovely Meredith - The Crafty Math Chick - of Canines & Card Designs. Thank you so much!

 

Red and White card with Dressmaker

There are lots of love themed challenges running now. I haven't made a Valentine's card, but I've been inspired by the colors of love and chose to play with the red and white color combination!
I love papers with spots, and the floral paper in the background is my favorite paper at the moment. So I made a card base with these papers without knowing exactly what do next. Added a doily, then I got the idea of using my dressmaker Spellbinders die. Then I remembered a stamp set I got with a magazine recently, with spools of thread and measuring tape amongst other things, so I heat embossed them in red and white on kraft paper. 
The edges have been stitched, and I've made the birthday sentiment with letter stickers. A pearl in each corner and voilà!

This card is for these challenges:
1) ABC Challenge - Going Dotty
2) Ett Trykk - Norsk Stempelblad AS - Doily
3) 2 Sisters - #129 White and Red and/or Pink
4) Mema's Crafts - Hello doily
5) Make it Monday with Kraft Outlet - Seeing Red
6) Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
7) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Vintage Card with Stamped Flowers

I usually pick up ideas for my cards from several blogs. This time I wanted to use stamped flowers on my card. I've had a set of stamps with doilies and lace for some time, and I got the idea of using one of the doily ones to make my flowers. I stamped on kraft paper, heat embossed with white embossing powder, added lace to make the leaves and added a pearl in the center of each flower. I also embossed the sentiment, using a stamp from the "Film Strip Sentiments" set from Whimsy Stamps.
It's been quite a while since I did a monochromatic card, and I kept to neutral colors to fit them to my vintage image. I've used several Spellbinders dies and a butterfly punch. I added gesso around the edges of the base.

1) Catchy Challenges - #3 Stamped Flowers
2) It's All About the Vintage - #36 Lace and Pearls
3) Creative Moments - #9 Neutral colors
4) Anything Goes Challenge - #85 Monochrome
5) The Perfect Sentiment - Diecut
6) Moving Along With The Times - Punch it Out
7) Card and Scrap - #48 Bruk et stempel
8) Desert Island Crafters - Pearls+Lace+Sentiment+Paint
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Inkspired by Paris!

This card came together over several days. Originally I had paper pieced this girl (digi from La La Land) for another card but changed my mind. Her beret reminded me of France, so I decided to go for a French theme.
The Eiffel Tower die was part of a Spellbinders die set I bought just recently, but I didn't buy the set for the tower specifically.
The brown DP has Paris post marks - a lucky coincidence!
I added 3 brown flowers and punched kraft butterflies.
I often struggle to decide upon a sentiment, but in this case I wanted to add the tickets with "To" and "From", as they can relate to both travel origin and destination or to names of the receiver and giver.







This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - Anything Inkspirational Goes  (inspired by Paris)
2) Inky Impressions - #95 Bingo (Flowers+Kraft+Die/Punch)
3) A Gem of a Challenge - #64 Holidays (Paris - a great weekend destination!)
4) Die Cuttin' Divas - #100 Anything Goes
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Blue and White Vintage Card

I started out making the background according to the Sweet Stop Sketch. Went for blue DPs as I rarely use blue (New Year's Resolution - try something new). Felt it lacked something, so added stitching (love stitching). Then it got tougher... I can spend hours and hours on one card! I paper pieced an image - changed my mind. Heat embossed a male silhouette image - changed my mind again. An hour of thinking - went for vintage. What image should I use... Another hour of thinking. Went for an angel with wings. OK so now for embellishments. I won't tell you that story, but ended up with cheese cloth (love playing with that stuff!), die cut elements of kraft (another favorite of mine), using a new set of Spellbinders dies and a butterfly punch, 3 flowers and some pearls. Phew!!!

This card is for these challenges:
1) Sweet Stop - SKETCH #195
2) Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge -Tic Tac Toe (Blue+Circle+Flowers)
3) My Time to Craft - #206 Things with Wings
4) Southern Girls - #61 Get Krafty
5) Crafts and Me - #117 Vintage
6) LEJ Designs - #37 Stitching Real Or Faux 
7) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Inkspirational sketch and other inspirational sources

I was away on travel this week and I came across a great crafting shop. I purchased lots of new stuff included on this card: DPs from Maja Design and My Mind's Eye, cheese cloth, butterfly punch, and a Spellbinders die from the "Fancy Framed Tags One" set. And today I could sit sown and play with my new toys!
The stamp is from the Film Strip Sentiments from Whimsy Stamps that I've had for a little while. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder. I've also used some black distress ink for the edges of the papers.
This card kind of evolved during the making process, and it turned out quite different from what I had in mind originally.

My tip:
I usually decorate the inside of my card as well, but I seldom take a picture of it. I've done it this time, as I wanted to share my tip with you. Card making can be quite an expensive hobby, so I try and make the most of my papers. For this card, the first layer is made with the floral paper. I cut out a square from the middle - this square I keep for the inside of my card. From the second layer I cut out a circle. It's a great way to try and be economic, avoid the card being too heavy and at the same time make the inside of your card!

I love to look at all the different blogs out there to get inspiration for my cards. For this card I had the Inkspirational sketch in mind. I also wanted to make a card with layers + I love to add some some stitching around the edges + I needed to make a birthday card. So this card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #4 Sketch
2) Top Tip Tuesday - #94 Lavishly Luscious Layers
3) Try It On Tuesday - Let's Get Stitchy Real Or Faux
4) ABC Challenges - Birthday Cards
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Paper Pieced Owls in the Wood

I've picked inspiration from several challenge blogs for this card.
When I saw the sketch over at Feeling Sketchy, I knew I wanted to use my Darice wood grain embossing folder! I used white paper and added a little bit of brown ink to enhance the pattern,
Also, I have a thing for owls. So I cut out come circles, used my "Branching out owlies" stamp from Stampingbella on scraps of different brown DPs, separated the owls from each other. I placed them on part of a kraft die cut tree branch, made with a Memory Box die. I stamped their eyes on white paper, added a little touch of orange to their beaks and mounted the eyes on foam.
I really struggled with the sentiment - tried different papers, greetings - couldn't get it quite like I wanted to be, then decided to go with a row of tickets, cut out of a DP. I'm not entirely sure that it will count as a sentiment over at Sentimental Sundays, as I haven't added any names yet either, but I thought I'd give it a go:)

This card is for these challenges:
1) Feeling Sketchy - Sketch #43
2) The Paper Girls Challenge Blog - #24 Wood elements
3) Totally Stampalicious - Paper Piecing
4) Paper Playtime - Use some Brown
5) Sentimental Sundays - Negative Space
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes 

Birthday Card with my Favorite Male Image

I've used my favorite male image for this card - "Brothers" from Mo's Digital Pencil. The reason I love it so much is that the boys remind me so much of my two youngest nephews, now aged 4 and 5 1/2. I've colored the image using ProMarkers. I rarely use blue colors, so this is my take on a blue, brown and white card! The blue papers came free with 2 different magazines last year, and the brown one is a leftover. I panelled the papers on kraft. The inspiration for this design is the the sketch over at "Seize the Birthday". I added a stamped cloud and a fence created with a Marianne Creatables die. The sentiment is rub on with a birthday greeting in Norwegian.

This card is entered in these challenges:
1) Seize The Birthday - #2 Sketch + Masculine
2) Here Come The Boys - Bingo (blue+die cuts+patterned paper)
3) 2 Sisters - #127 Brown, White & Blue
4) Send a Smile for Kids - Anything goes 4 Kids
5) Moving Along With The Times - Happy Birthday
6) Fab 'n' Funky - Get Moving
7) Glitter n Sparkle Challenge Blog - #16 Sentimental
8) Card Crafter's Circle - #58 Layers
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

My first CASEd card?

This is my first attempt ever of casing a  card. I say "attempt", because I'm not quite sure that I've got the concept right. I was inspired by the card layout, but I changed the shape to a square card, and I added two fussy cut birds mounted on foam - I don't know if I'm "allowed" to do just that. But CASE or no CASE - I enjoyed making this card!

I've used a DP from the Bo Bunny Crush Collection, panelled it onto a strip of organza before I attached it to the black paper.
The sentiment (from Kanban) and the birds (from KaiserCraft) have been heat embossed in white.


This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #3 CASE
2) Card Makin' Mamas - Clean and simple
3) Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - For the birds
4) Top Tip Tuesday - #93 Fur Or Feathers
5) Gems of Inspiration - Emboss It
6) Totally Papercrafts – It's embossing time

Kenny K Cowgirl

Out with  the pink and girly and in with the brown and masculine!
I've used 2 different DPs - one with a fabric print and one with animal print. The one with animal print was one of the first DPs I bought, and for some reason I've never used it - at first because I liked it so much and wanted to hang on to it, then is disappeared in the bottom of my pile of papers...
I love cream and brown colors, and I think they would work well with this sassy cowgirl from Kenny K. I've colored her using Promarkers - I have now a "I love to color with Promarkers phase", but I won't  forget my beloved watercolor pencils ...
I tried the layout with some different die cut shapes too behind the image, but decided against it and kept the design clean. A bit of suede and metal, a ticket with sentiment, and voilà!

This card is for these challenges:
1) Feeling Sketchy - Sketch #42
2) Digi Haven - Grand Reopening
3) LEJ Designs - #36 Use Metal
4) Craft your passion challenges - #145 Gone Country
5) Emergency Crafters - New Years Resolution
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes