Monday, June 25, 2018

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Keeping Christmas

June 25, 2018

WOW!  6 months until Christmas!  Time is flying!

I am honored  to be a part of the Keeping Christmas Inspiration Blog Hop.  


It's time for this month's installment of Keeping Christmas with The Challenge design team!  We will be sharing Christmas creations on the 25th of each month!!!


The whole idea is to have some Christmas cards and projects in our stash all ready to go for December 2018!

So hop along and be sure to visit each blog. 
There is a lot of inspiration and ideas to get your creative juices flowing!



Anita Madden (on break)





Kim Heggins (on break)




Look closely and you will see the middle card is different in several ways.  Keep reading to find out how my mistake ended up making me happy!  Do you ever have that happen?  


All three cards are created using the Altenew Night Before Christmas stamp set.  I also used Ranger Distress Watercolor Paper to create the backgrounds.   I always use the assembly line system when I am creating multiple cards.  I used Pickled RaspberryTwisted Citron and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks to create the backgrounds using the smooshing method.  I let those dry for a while then flicked a few white paint splatters to look like snow.  I also flicked some water to distress the ink.  


I stamped the first two trees using MFT JellyBean Green ink.  I stamped several times using my Misti to get good coverage.  I then adhered the panel to a matching background and card base and added clear sparkling sequins to complete the card.  



The last card was a mistake that turned out great.  First, I stamped the tree with Versa Mark ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  You could not see any of the words, so I decided to reink the tree with Versa Mark and heat embossed it with silver embossing powder.  The words still didn't show, but I loved the look of the tree.  I added the sequins and this completed the card.  


I am thrilled to have three more cards to add to my Christmas stash.  

I sure hope you enjoyed my cards today!  Thanks for stopping by!  Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.  I love to hear from you!

The hop is hosted by the fabulous Kelly Lunceford's blog, so head over there to start from the beginning.

ENJOY the blog hop!  I hope we inspired you to make a few cards, too!

HUGS!
Claire
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Sunday, June 24, 2018

You're Always On My Mind--PP399

June 23, 2018

It’s Sunday and it's time for a new challenge at The Paper Players!  

The amazing Laurie is our hostess this week.  She has a fabulous sketch for all of us!  I really love this sketch and it is one I will use again!  We can't wait to see what you create!





My card is created on a Very Vanilla card base.  I used a variety of papers from Authentique Fabulous paper pad.  I backed each shape with black card stock to add more dimension.  The sentiment is stamped using the sentiment from W Plus 9 Southern Sentiments in black ink.  I fussy cut this sassy girl from the paper pad.  A few enamel dots were added for fun. 




Looking for some inspiration?  Make sure you check out all the blogs of the Design Team Members.

Challenge Rules:

 Create a NEW paper, or digital, project.
  1. Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us. 
  2. Please provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge entry.
  3. Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.  Entries linked to more than 3 challenges, including ours, will be deleted without notification!
  4. Have fun!!
All stamping products are welcome.  Thank you for joining us at The Paper Players!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!


HUGS!
Claire

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Bless Your Heart! Sketch Saturday #519

June 23, 2018

It's time for a new challenge at Sketch Saturday! 


 A Day For Daisies is back this week
to sponsor our challenge! 
The prize this week:
$12 A Day for Daisies gift certificate.


A Day for Daisies provides over 1000 digital illustrations and a fast growing line of new clear polymer stamps, designs for all occasions! Tammy draws all of the beautiful images herself, in her distinctive style.  The ADFD Blog hosts challenges and free digital images are a regular feature each month.  Hope you check out their current challenge too!


Here is sketch #519:





I was going through my stash of card stock and found this fun paper.  I fussy cut the woman and decided to use her for my main focal point.  All the papers on this card are from Authentique Fabulous paper pad.  The tag was cut using SSS Stitched Dress Up Tags. The sentiment is from W Plus 9 Southern Sentiments.  I used Very Vanilla card stock for the base card and the circle for the sentiment.   I added some black ink around the border.  A button and twine were added to the top of the tag.  

If you live in the South, this sentiment has more than one meaning!  LOL!  I love this set of sentiments!  




Thank you for stopping by my blog!  Don't forget to visit all the DT blogs for lots of inspiration!  We sure hope you will play along with us!  
HUGS!
Claire

Sunday, June 17, 2018

You're So Tweet--- PP398 and SSC181

June 17, 2018

HAPPY Father's Day to all the Daddies, Fathers, Dads, Pops, and Grandpas!  It is a hard day for me because I miss my Daddy so much!  If you still have your Daddy, give him an extra hug today!

It's Sunday and time for new challenges at The Paper Players and Sunday Stamps!

It is not often I can combine these challenges but, this week it worked out perfectly!   I hope you will play along with both challenges! 

The amazing Jaydee  is our hostess at The Paper Players this week.  She has a fun Clean and Simple challenge for us: Birds.  

The bright, vibrant color combo at Sunday Stamps is perfect for any type of card.  So have fun and get creative!  


 
Use a minimum of 3 colors and a neutral of your choice.



                                           Challenge Rules: Paper Players Challenge

 1.  
Create a NEW paper, or digital, project.
2.  Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us.
3.  Please provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge entry.
4.  Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.
 Entries linked to more than 3 challenges, including ours, will be deleted without notification!
5.  All stamping products are welcome.
Have Fun!


Challenge Guidelines For Sunday Stamps:
  • Feel free to use any brand of product you have. 
  • The colors from this challenge MUST be the primary colors on your project.
  • Please Link up a new project created for this challenge (no back links). 
  • Feel free to combine our challenge with up to FOUR other challenges.
  • We reserve the right to delete any links that do not adhere to challenge rules.
  • Please provide a link to us or use the graphic above in your post. 
  • Have Fun!!!
The challenge will end on Friday, June 29th @ 6pm EST. Looking for some inspiration?  Make sure you check out all the blogs of the Design Team Members.  You won't be disappointed! 




It is Clean and Simple week, so I started with a white card base and cut another white layer with a stitched rectangle die.  A strip of black and white stripes from MFT was added on the side of the panel.  I cut a SU Berry Blast card stock starburst using a retired SU die.  The Happy Birthday die from MFT was cut in Lemon Lime card stock. I used distress ink on the circle to make it look like the sky.  The little bird is from Clearly Besotted -Some Birdie Loves You.  I colored her with Copic Markers and added a few music notes for fun!  The sentiment is from the same stamp set.  Wink of Stella and a white gel pen was used on the eye.  


Looking for some inspiration?  Make sure you check out all the blogs of the Design Team Members.  You won't be disappointed! 

The Paper Players Design Team
Elizabeth Stewart 

                                             Sunday Stamps Design Team

Claire Broadwater (me)
Teresa Kline

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

HUGS!
Claire

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Happy Father's Day


June 16, 2018

Today I am playing along with three challenges that are all thinking about Dads/Father's Day.  It is still very difficult for me to make a card for Father's Day.  I miss my Daddy so much and it still hurts.  I did make a card for my Sweetie.  He is the BEST Papa in the whole world.  He is like my dad in his love of the newspaper, so this image was perfect for my card!


Cardz For Guyz #196  Father's Day

Cards In Envy   Let's Hear It For The Boys

Always Fun Challenge  #62  For a Male/Dad





I want to give a BIG shout out to my special friend, Lisa Johansen a.k.a. Snowy Moose Creations for sending this fabulous image to me.  She knows I love Pure Innocence stamps by My Favorite Things.  I didn't own this one and she stamped a few images for me and sent them to me (all the way from Alaska)!  What a great surprise when I opened my mail and found them!  THANK YOU, My Friend!  

I also combined the MFT stamp set Our Story and the matching dies to complete the room decor.  I used some scraps I found in my stash for the background and colored the images with Copic Markers. The sentiment is from Your Next Stamp For The Boys.  
Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents were used for shine.  

Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Have a great weekend!

HUGS!
Claire

Sunday, June 10, 2018

And I Think To Myself--PP397

June 10, 2018

It’s Sunday and it's time for a new challenge at The Paper Players!  

The magnificent Nance has an amazing color challenge for us this week!  My first thought with this lovely combo was flowers, but I tried to stretch my imagination and go a different direction.  I was even able to incorporate one of my favorite sentiments!  I can't wait to see what you create! 






My card is created on a white card base.  I stamped a variety of tropical foliage in Lemon Lime Twist ink from SU using the SugarPea Designs Tropic Like It's Hot stamp set.  I stamped the flowers with Calypso Coral and cut all of the pieces out using the matching dies.  I cut a Crumb Cake circle using a circle die and stamped the sentiment from Serendipity Stamps Wonderful World with black ink.  The leaves were layered around the circle to form a wreath.  I added Wink of Stella for shine!  



Looking for some inspiration?  Make sure you check out all the blogs of the Design Team Members.

Challenge Rules:

 Create a NEW paper, or digital, project.
  1. Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us. 
  2. Please provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge entry.
  3. Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.  Entries linked to more than 3 challenges, including ours, will be deleted without notification!
  4. Have fun!!
All stamping products are welcome.  Thank you for joining us at The Paper Players!



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!


HUGS!
Claire

Saturday, June 9, 2018

Make A Splash---Sketch Saturday #517

June 9, 2018


It's time for a new challenge at Sketch Saturday!



We have a great sponsor this week:
http://paper-nest-dolls.myshopify.com/

The Paper Nest Dolls has lots of fantastic stamps, digis and more! Here is their blog.

The Paper Nest Dolls has generously offered digital stamps of the winner's choice.

We have a great sponsor this week:
http://paper-nest-dolls.myshopify.com/




My card is created using the SugarPea Designs Let's Flamingle stamp and die set. I used a variety of patterned papers and cut the starburst frames using a retired SU die set.  The flamingo was stamped in Melon Mambo ink and Wink of Stella was added for shine.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set and stamped in black ink. A few sparkling clear sequins were added for fun.


Thank you for stopping by my blog!  Don't forget to visit all the DT blogs for lots of inspiration!  We sure hope you will play along with us!  
HUGS!
Claire

Sunday, June 3, 2018

You Are My Sunshine--PP396 and SSC180

June 3, 2018

I can't believe it is June!  Time is flying!  Tomorrow is my birthday and I am very thankful for another year to enjoy life! 

It's Sunday and time new challenges at 
The Paper Players   and  Sunday Stamps!

It is not often I can combine these challenges but, this week it worked out perfectly!   I hope you will play along with both challenges! 

 The lovely Joanne is our wonderful hostess this week at The Paper Players.  She has such a fun theme for all of us!  She wants us to feature an animal on our cards.  I used the Sunday Stamps sketch because it was perfect for my card.  


 Challenge Rules: Paper Players Challenge

 1.  
Create a NEW paper, or digital, project.
2.  Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us.
3.  Please provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge entry.
4.  Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.
 Entries linked to more than 3 challenges, including ours, will be deleted without notification!
5.  All stamping products are welcome.
Have Fun!


Challenge Guidelines For Sunday Stamps:
  • Feel free to use any brand of product you have. 
  • The colors from this challenge MUST be the primary colors on your project.
  • Please Link up a new project created for this challenge (no back links). 
  • Feel free to combine our challenge with up to FOUR other challenges.
  • We reserve the right to delete any links that do not adhere to challenge rules.
  • Please provide a link to us or use the graphic above in your post. 
  • Have Fun!!!
The challenge will end on Friday, June 15th  @ 6pm EST. Looking for some inspiration?  Make sure you check out all the blogs of the Design Team Members.  You won't be disappointed! 


I created a watercolored background using Distress inks and the smooching method.  I backed the watercolored panel on Mermaid card stock by Lawn Fawn.  I also cut the banner using the same card stock and the MFT Fishtail dies.  The white oval was stenciled using yellow distress ink and a sun ray stencil.  The little elephant is from Neat & Tangled Beach Day stamp set.  I colored him with Copic Makers and added Glossy Accents on the raft and ball for shine.  I used the matching dies to cut him out.  The sentiment is stamped in black using the same stamp set.  I added dimensionals on the back of the elephant.  Enamel dots and white twine were added to complete my card.  



Looking for some inspiration?  Make sure you check out all the blogs of the Design Team Members.  You won't be disappointed! 


The Paper Players Design Team
Elizabeth Stewart 

                                             Sunday Stamps Design Team
Claire Broadwater (me)
Teresa Kline

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!


HUGS!
Claire