When it Rains on Your Parade . . . . .

Sing in the Rain!

It has been a very humid rainy day here, so what better to do then create.  And this challenge from Bugagoo Stamps, Catch the Bug Challange Blog . . . . We're Singing in the Rain, http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/were-singing-in-rain.html couldn't be timed any better.

This adorable rainy day bear was one of Bugaboo's Friday Freebies a bit ago.  And we know everyone loves Freebies!   So, check out Bugaboo Stamps, http://www.bugaboostamps.com/Freebies.html every Friday for a new Freebie.

The Bugaboo Digital Stamp was colored with Copics & Spicas.

Also used --

Printed Papers, Close to My Heart

Flower Border Vine Acrylic Stamp, Close to My Heart

Nestabilities, Spellbinders

Tear drop embellishments, AMuse

When It Rains on Your Parade sentiment, Great Impressions

This sentiment is actually the top half of a rubber stamp with rubber boots.  I stamped only the top half on a small piece of cardstock excluding the boots for this card.

Putting myself out there . . . .

Decided to put my creative talents out there today & apply for the call for a couple new digital design team members at Paper Playtime, http://paperplaytime.blogspot.com/ .

The following are just a couple of cards I submitted for Janis to see my work --

The digital design, Lakeside Shack is available at Designed 2 Delight

http://designed2delight.com/prestashop/product.php?id_product=177

Colored with Copics

Printed Papers & Cardstock, Close to My Heart

Digital design, Fish Ahoy is availabe at Di's Digital Downloads

http://disdigidownloads.blogspot.com/search?q=fish

Colored with Copics

Cardstock used from my own stash

 I'll be crossing my fingers and toes for the next six days waiting to hear something.  Till then, I'll keep on creating.

April Showers hopefully will bring . . . .

LOTS of May flowers!   We have had weeks of on & off again rain.  And if the time honored saying is still true, all this rain should be bringing us lots & lots of beautiful flowers soon.  Since I am becoming impatient waiting for the flowers to bring color to my part of the world after a long gray winter, I decided to help it along.  Or at least into my craft room . . . .

The main stamp used is the circular rubber stamp, Outline Flowers from Hero Arts

Colored with Copics & Spicas

Printed papers & Cardstock, Close to My Heart

Die-Namics, MFT, My Favorite Things

Nestabilities, Spellbinders

Ribbon/Lace, from my stash

Sentiment stamp - so, sorry I cannot remember who sells this wonderful stamp set  

This card has been entered into the following challenge --

CRAFT Challenge #99, Flowers

 http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/craft-challenge-99-flowers.html

Happy Easter to all !

My blog Easter card to wish everyone who will be celebrating Easter today has a wonderful day with family & friends.

--  Christine

It is all about the Kraft . . . .

Was recently introduced to Kraft cardstock.  Been using it occasionally for card bases, but decided to take it a small step forward & use it w/ the Quickutz tree border die cut to make it look like a tree branch to stamp the sentiment . . . birthday wishes.

Just feel in love with these cute Laughing Giraffes by Designed 2 Delight, http://designed2delight.com/prestashop/product.php?id_product=106 .  Had these papers left over from the CTMH paper pack, Expedition and thought they would work perfectly with this digital stamp to make the following card --

Laughing Giraffees Digital Stamp, Designed 2 Delight

Expedition Printed Papers, Close to My Heart

Leaf Stamp, Close to My Heart

Birthday Wishes Sentiment, My Sentiment Exactly

Kraft Card Stock - for card base & tree branch

Quickutz Tree Border Die Cut

Copics

This card was submitted in the following challenge --

Mami Doodles, Challenge #24, Crazy for Kraft

http://mamidoodles.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-24.html

Take a peak . . . . .

OMGoodness!!!!

 One of my cards that I entered into a challenge for Tiddly Inks was "showcased" on their blog this morning! I am beside myself! This makes all my playing with paper so worth it!

 Go take a peak . . . .

 http://tiddlyinkschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome-to-fabulous-inky-friday-15.html

It is all about the man today . . . .

I do not know about anyone else, but I find that I rarely make masculine cards.  Which amazes me since half of the cards I need to give are for men/boys.  So, why do I find it so hard?  I think it may be because I find very few masculine stamps that I see & have that feeling of  . . . I have to have.  So when I saw this digital stamp, Carpenter Joe, from Tiddley Inks, http://tiddlyinks.com/item_201/Carpenter-Joe.htm, I had to have him.  Not only do you receive Carpenter Joe, but also a digital file for a hammer & his workbox (toolbox). 

Digital stamp, Carpenter Joe (on this card, I did not use the separate files of the toolbox & hammer)

Papers, Close to My Heart

Screw looking Brads, from my stash

Corner punch, Stampin Up

Did the faux stitching w/ a Cutter Bee Bugs & Copic Multiliner

The card was entered into the following challenges --

Card Ideas Challenge -- Let's Hear it for the Boys,

 http://card-ideas.blogspot.com/2011/04/lets-hear-it-for-guys.html

Tiddly Inks  -- Challenge # 46 You're A Stitch,

http://tiddlyinkschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-46-youre-stitch.html

Crafty Creations -- Challenge #15 It's as Easy as 1,2,3,

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-115-its-as-easy-as-123.html

As always, thanks for looking -

Christine

Four more days . . . .

And it will be Easter Sunday.  Cannot believe it has come upon me so soon.  Still have lots to do, but one thing I have gotten done in time is making my Easter cards for all my loved ones.  While doing so, I decided to enter the following card into a couple of challenges . . . .

The digital stamp, Easter Bunny Laundry Line is from Stamping Boutique, http://www.thestampingboutique.com/item_313/Easter-bunnny-Laundry-line.htm .

Papers from my stash

Various punches

Ribbon, Close to My Heart

Sweet Treats sentiment, Stampin Up

The following challenges that I entered are --

CRAFT Challenge 98, Easter,  http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/craft-challenge-98-easter.html

and

Easter  Challenge for Bugaboo,  http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/search/label/challenge  

 

Start of Something New . . . .

What a wonderful theme to create a card for Bronte and Bella's Challenge Blog, http://networkedblogs.com/gDxU1 .  Have loved this digital stamp, Jack & Ginger from Mo Manning the first time I saw it on her website.  So, figured what a wonderful digital to use for their Challenge #78 . . . "Start of Something New!"  What else is a wonderful celebration than a new union of two people starting a life together or even a couple celebrating another anniversary together.

Jack & Ginger, Mo Manning, http://digitalpenciltoo.com/index.php/Jack-and-Ginger.html

Cardstock & Printed Papers, Close to My Heart

Pearls, Close to My Heart

Edge die cut, Tim Holtz

Scalloped circle punch, Marvy

Sentiment, Close to My Heart

I am going to be answering the call . . . .

to apply for a design team position on Crafting for all Seasons Blog, http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.com/2011/04/design-team-call.html .  States I need to pick three cards/project/etc to post to be considered & that is the hard part.  I went thru cards I've made within the past few weeks & finally was able to come up with the following three --

Used the digital stamp, Daddy's Girl, from Tiddly Inks, http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.com/2011/04/design-team-call.html

Papers, Close to My Heart

Buttons, Close to My Heart

Sentiment stamp, Great Guy, from Great Impressions

Stamp set, D1375 Treasures, from Close to My Heart

Sentiment stamp, Thinking of You, Stampin Up

Papers, Close to My Heart

Bench & Young man are from Magnolia Stamps.  Did use the masking technique so the young man looked like he was sitting on the bench.

Sentiment stamp, My Sentiments Exactly

Papers, from my personal stash

Deadline for applicate submissions is Saturday, April 30. 

So, I'll be crossing my fingers & toes till then. 

Happy Patriot's Day!

Spring Hugg A Bugg . . . .

It was a beautiful Spring day today!  And that brings flowers & bugs.  May flies have arrived along with the bumble bees.  So, with all that said, I thought this would be the perfect time to use this adorable digital stamp, Spring HuggABugg, from Tiddly Inks, http://tiddlyinks.com/item_26/Spring-HuggABugg.htm  on the card I'm going to share today.

The stamp was colored in with Copics, Sakura Glaze & Gelly Roll pens

Martha Steward punch

Creative Memories corner rounder

A-Muse Creative Candy

This card is entered into the following challenges  . . . . .

Tiddly Inks, Challenge #45, http://tiddlyinkschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-45-bunny-hop-with-us-to-refer.html

Whimsie Doodles, Whimsie Wednesday Challenge, I'm Blushing, http://whimsiedoodles.blogspot.com/2011/04/whimsie-wednesday-challenge-im-blushing.html

Tutu Cute

Today was a dreary rainy day. The perfect day to nap, read & create.  So taking advantage of the weather I made the following card  -

The stamp used is a photoplymer clear stamp, Tutu Cute by Tina Wenke. Used Copics & Spica to color in. 

 The little sentiment  . . . Wish . . . is from Lockhart Stamp Co.

Ribbon from CTMH

Spellbinders Nestabilities

And the little embellishments are Memory Box Pearl Stickers in white, which I then colored with a Copic to match her dress.  Love being able to use these & getting the color exact to match anything & everything!

This card is entered into the following card challenges --

Designed 2 Delight - Kidding Around Challenge - http://networkedblogs.com/gABpn

Operation Write Home, OWH - Layers - http://www.owhstarsandstamps.org/2011/04/layers.html

Easter is just around the corner . . . . .

And with that in mind, I knew what my next card had to be, an Easter card for a loved one.

This adorable digital stamp, Easter Bunny & Eggs is from Mami Doodles,  http://mamidoodles.blogspot.com/2010/03/easter-bunny.html

Also used Copics, Spicas, Spellbinders Circle Nestabilities, along w/ misc paper, cardstock, ribbon & bling.

This card has been entered into the following challenges --

Bugaboo Stamps -- 4 or more Layers --  http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/four-or-more-layers-challenge-saturday.html

Mami Doodles -- Challenge #23 Use a Punch or Die Cut -- http://mamidoodles.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-23-use-punch-or-die-cut.html

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog & first post.  I am completely new to this & hope you can be patient while I learn the ropes.   I have called my blog Crafting Serenity because every time I create a layout or card, I find serenity in the process.

I have been scrapbooking for the past 10+ years.  But only became a cardmaker in the past 5 years.  I try to take at least one class a month to learn new techniques.  It also gives me the chance to try something that is outside of my comfort level.  In doing so, I have become interested in submitting work for challenges.  So, this is my first step into that new world.

My first card I'm posting is --



Digital Stamp - Di's Digital Downloads -- http://disdigidownloads.blogspot.com/p/animals-and-bears_31.html
Copic Markers
Quickutz Border
Spellbinders Nestabilities

This card is entered into the Card Challenge on --

http://mamidoodles.blogspot.com/search?label=challenge -- Challenge #23 Use a Punch or Die Cut