Roses December Challenge -- Collage Card

edited to add: Sue Rose just posted her card for the December challenge -- that means it's already Jan. 1 and the first Sunday of the month (and year) in Australia!! So here's my card, too......

The lovely and talented Sue Rose gave us our challenge for December -- a collage card! And there were several stipulations -- we had to use a vintage image, lace, ribbon, glitter and one recycled thing.

I had to get started on this one early because it definitely took me out of my box! I didn't have to look too far for the vintage graphics -- The Graphics Fairy has the most beautiful vintage images. Don't know why I went with the sewing theme because I certainly am not an accomplished seamstress! But that sweet little girl with the creamy ivory dress called my name and I couldn't pass her up! Also found the thread image and the fancy scissors at The Graphics Fairy.

Next came the lace and ribbon -- found both in my stash and adhered the ribbon to the edge of the lace and then threw in a row of pearls for good measure (measure -- get the pun?). Also "tied" a little ribbon bow to the scissors.

I used two recycled things rather than just one -- the buttons are from my mother's button jar. As a kid I used to use these larger buttons to build the outline of a house and then picked out my favorite buttons to be friends and family! (remember when you used to have to "imagine" for play time?)

Now, I had to stretch it a bit for the glitter and I hope it gets past the challenge police! The thin gold thread that I threaded through the button holes has a glittery look to them. The threads are so fine that you probably have to squint to even see them but they are glittery!!

What a way to end the old year and start the new -- I was very pleased with how this card turned out; will try to do one or two vintage cards each month this year! Be sure to check out all the other Roses; I'm sure there will be some fabulous creations -- the links are in my sidebar!

Betty

Am I Blue?

Well, I'm not blue but my card sure is!! I'd like to enter this card in Annabelle Stamps Bling Sketch Challenge #45, Jellypark Friends Old Year/New Year Challenge to use something old and something new, and For Fun Challenges to show New, Something New.

My "something old" is the lighter color paper that I've embossed with Cuttlebug's Checker Board folder; this is actually one of the first papers I bought when I first started stamping, if you can believe that! And the "something new" is my Papertrey Ink stamp, Background Basics: Gingham. I just got it today, it's that new! Many thanks to my friend Ruthie who brought it down here to me!

Wanted to share another photo with you too. I made another valentine similar to the one I posted yesterday, only reversing the colors -- red where the first card was white and white where the first card was red. I used white embossing powder and versamark to stamp onto the red paper. I also made envelopes for both of the valentines. Love how they all turned out -- my thanks again to Melisa for her inspiration!

Bye for now,
Betty

Thanks, Melisa!

My thanks go out to Melisa Waldorf today; her creation is the inspiration for this card which I will be sharing at our church stamping group in February.

I used stamps from Layers of Color (the Love Chapter designed by Nina Brackett) and I'm not really sure about the heart stamps -- they are older and could be from either Stampin' Up or Michael's. Cut lots of little square blocks and a tag from Spellbinders Fancy Tags dies.

Next came the inside because a black inside just doesn't work for a valentine's card, now does it????

Cut more square blocks and embossed the white block with one of Cuttlebug's Paper Lace II (a set of four folders) and punched a strip of red with a Martha Stewart Deep Edge Punch (Doily Lace). Added a little block to write a sweet love note and this one was done!

I'd like to enter this card in the Dutch Dare Card Challenges to use your favorite things on your card. One of my favorite things are die cuts -- can't get enough of them!! And of course, LOVE is a favorite thing -- after all, it makes the world go round, right????

I had to record all of the block sizes for my class so thought I'd list them below if you're interested in making a card like this for your sweetie come Valentine's Day.

Betty

1 - 5" square black card base

Outside:
4 - 2" square white blocks
4 - 2 1/8" square red blocks
4 - 2 1/4" square white blocks
1 - 2 1/8" square white block }  for center block
1 - 2 1/4" square red block     }  for center block
1 - Fancy Tags Die Cut          }  for center

Inside:
1 - 4 3/4" square white block
1 - 3 3/4" x 2 1/2" red block
1 - 3 5/8" x 2 3/8" white block
1 - 1 1/4" x 4 3/4" red block (for lacy punch)

Papertrey Dec.Blog Hop Challenge

This is my second post today and I have a card for Papertrey Ink's "Holiday Leftovers Challenge".  They aren't referring to food, but all of the wrapping paper, bows, ribbon, tags, canceled postage from holiday cards received, photos from holiday cards and anything else that might be laying around after the holiday has ended.  The challenge is to use some type of leftover materials to create a project. And for a further challenge, create a non-holiday card from these leftovers.

My snowpeople are from a piece of wrapping paper. Sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Everyday Button Bits and I wrote the 2012 on the pail of snowballs. This is a Happy New Year card for friends who are having us over to their home on New Year's Eve.

I am looking forward to another friend's arrival back in Chapala toward the end of the year. She is bringing some new stamps and a die that I had ordered earlier from Papertrey -- can't wait till I can play with them!

Hope Santa filled your stockings with exciting new crafting items!! Another year of creating is almost upon us!

Betty

My 2011 Favorites

Glenda Brooks over at MagPie's Corner gave me the idea to share some of my favorites cards that I've crafted this past year. I had fun scrolling through my blog posts, remembering the sale of our home in Texas, moving to Mexico, finally receiving our household goods, and all the pictures of pretty scenery, flowers, and sunsets(rises) from our wonderful new home that I've posted.

My TOP 2 are cards that I've CASE'd -- thanks to Deb Felts and Patti Nelson for the inspiration!

Now, for the rest, in no particular order of favoritism -- I'm sharing by categories! The next three were made for challenges using a new technique.

I don't often do vintage cards but Patti P. who is on the DT at Sugar Creek Hollow is inspiring me to do vintage a little more often and this one that I did for a Flourishes challenge has to be one of my favorites!

I really enjoyed decorating mailboxes for my grandkids this past Valentine's Day -- guess you can tell that this is the one I made for Brianna, not for Ashton, but his was pretty darn neat too!

Last, but certainly not least, is a card I made for one of the Roses Challenges. I adore this group of ladies -- they are all so talented and it has been a joy to get to know them via the internet! Sending love to Connie (we've been missing you so much,  but you're always going to be one of our Rosie girls!), Kezzie, Kym, Mary Anne, Olga, Patti and Sue!

  

To all of my other wonderful blogging, crafty friends, I thank you for visiting with me and leaving me such encouraging comments! I love sharing my cards with you and you all never fail to inspire me and stun me with your breathtaking creations!

Let's have another great year in 2012!!
Betty

Christmas Day Blessings

Good Evening! Hope you've all had a beautiful Christmas with family and friends. We went to church this morning and were so completely blessed by a musical presentation by five talented members of our church family. They presented the musical "Behold the Lamb of God" by Andrew Peterson. Several of the songs made me tear up but there was one titled "Labor of Love" that really had me boo-hooing! It described Mary's ordeal of giving birth and just almost ripped my heart out! I am sharing a link where you can hear this musical presented by the author. If you don't have time to listen to the whole thing, please take time to listen to Labor of Love -- I know you'll be deeply touched.

http://www.andrew-peterson.com/players/btlog/

Here is a picture of our pastor and his wife, Bob and Judy Hendrick (on either end), Patrick DuMouchel who did most of the singing, Eric Callis on guitar, and Miguel Nguyen who sang the "Begats" of Matthew Chapter 1. He was just precious and I marvel at how he remembered all of those names!

Betty

Christmas Eve Morning Delivery

We had a unique experience this morning that was a true blessing. Larry and I joined with three other families and put together bags of food for 50 families in a nearby village. Another friend had lots of new toys that her cousin had brought with him each time this year that he came to visit. The kids were so excited to be getting toys -- some of them received kites and had them flying above the rooftops in no time! We delivered food to some older people who were unable to come to the central location where we were handing out the bags. It was such a blessing to be able to help these shut-ins and they were so grateful!

Here's a picture of some of the bags and the ornaments that I made to "fancy up" the bags just a bit. I also made bag toppers to put on the bag of cookies that was included with the beans, rice, pasta and oil.

I didn't get any pictures of us handing out the bags of food because it was a little crazy and we were busy carrying the bags from our cars to the group of people waiting to receive them. We worked with a Mexican gentleman who helped us with a list of folks who needed the help; his assistance was invaluable and we couldn't have done it without him!

Here is a picture of kids waiting to get toys; this was after the crowd had thinned out!

I love this picture -- they were all interested to see what their friends received!

Just one more picture to share. I'd said I'd let you know about our poinsettias. I think that we probably waited to transplant them too close to blooming time. You can see that we have three different types. The red one is a new bloom on a stem that was planted without any blooms. The pink ones have done fairly well but nothing to shout about. And the smaller dark ones are a type that I've never seen before -- they are almost  a burgundy color and are most interesting. Although they are struggling a bit right now, I bet I'm going to have some gorgeous plants next year!

I'm wishing you all a very Merry Christmas the happiest of New Years!

Betty

Timeless Tuesday Challenge

Here is my card for the Timeless Tuesday Challenge at Flourishes. Click on the link and it will take you to the tutorial that Beate has written to make a  telescoping image for your card. I used the Paperwhites set from Flourishes, stamping on watercolor paper and then cutting with Nestability Petite Large Oval dies. I used a waterbrush and watercolor crayons to color my flowers. Next I adhered each layer with dimensionals and painted the background with Twinkling H20s, so it has a nice shimmer. Next I dry embossed the background panel and added a wide sheer ribbon at the side and a pretty satin bow at the top.

This was a fun technique; hope you'll join in with me on this challenge.
Betty

Stockings Hung With Care

No card today but I do have pictures of my grandkids to show you. Because their apartment does not have a fireplace to hang stockings on the mantle, Ashton decided to draw one! Here is a picture of the fireplace and the kids sitting in front of it. What a great imagination -- you don't have a fireplace -- MAKE ONE!

Last Minute Christmas Cards

I made four of these cards tonight for the attendants who take care of my mother-in-law at her assisted living home. The Inkadinkadoo angel was stamped with versamark ink and embossed with Winter Wonderland Opaque embossing powder. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up. After embossing, I ran the panel through my Big Shot with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and adhered it to a white base with a little panel of silver metallic card stock. I would like to enter my card(s) in the following challenges:
Annabelle Stamps - Christmas Card
For Fun Challenges - Christmas - Anything Goes
Joan's Gardens - Quick Christmas Card
Paper Play Challenges - Christmas Theme

Thanks for stopping by during this busy season!
Betty

Flourishes Day or Night Challenge

Flourishes is having their new stamp release festivities; for this they have a special challenge that is posted at noon. When I saw that the challenge posted yesterday was to made a card that indicated either day or night I knew that I wanted to use Geri Utterbeck's Sunray Technique. See tutorial here.
I also knew that I wanted to use this particular scripture stamp about God's mercies being new every morning. I also know that I am going to hear of someone who needs to be blessed by this particular card because it all came together too perfectly!! The lace and embellishments were given to me by Melisa Waldorf (thanks, friend!). The flower center is a stick pin and I have added a pearl to the center of it.

If you use Flourishes stamps you will be entered into the drawing twice but you can enter this challenge even if you don't use one of their stamps. The lucky winner will receive the entire December Release! Winners will be announced Saturday in Flourishes' Winner’s Circle Post – check back Saturday, December 17th at noon CST to see if you’re one of the lucky winners!

There will be another challenge announced at noon today. Be sure to check it out too!

Betty

A Christmas Box

My project today is to Say It With A Christmas Box from AnnaBelle Stamps and I have used a technique from  Capture the Moment Make It Monday #45, to color an embossed image. I will also enter my box into the ABC Christmas Challenge where we are up to the letter "Y is for Yippee" -- Christmas is almost here and anything Christmassy goes for the challenge.

I used an empty butter container and a scrapbook kit from the Paper Studio to create my box. Covered the box with a layer of ivory paper, cut out two different paper designs for the sides of the box, and used stickers from the kit to decorate.

To complete the technique from Make It Monday, I stamped the NOEL sentiment in Versamark, embossed with white powder, and cut out with a Fancy Tag die from Spellbinders. Next I used two different colors of green to go over the embossing. I was pleased with the effect I got from the coloring and think it goes better with my decorated box than the stark white embossing would have! To finish, I tied a bow with ribbon from All The Trimmings, which I purchased from Jo-Ann Stores a number of years ago.

**the NOEL stamp is by Layers of Color, from their Christmas Verses set.

I'd like to share a couple of Christmas related pictures with you -- I always think of poinsettias at Christmas and I have a picture of me standing beneath a large poinsettia plant in the area and also one of the poinsettia in the front yard of my MIL's assisted living home which is right next to an orange tree!

Hope you're all enjoying this time before Christmas arrives.

Betty 

Vintage Tag

Yesterday when I printed the Graphics Fairy Victorian Lady image for my card I printed it in two sizes. The smaller image was perfect for the challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow to make a vintage Christmas tag. While this doesn't have any particular Christmas image, there are so many blue Christmas wrapping papers these days that I thought this would work on a Christmas present.

I used my new Martha Stewart punch around the page punch and nestabilities to cut out and mat the image. The little corner stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and the "To and From" stamp on the back of the tag is by Layers of Color, from their Glad Tidings set.

And here's my tag (front and back).........

On another note, we had a wonderful lunch this past week at a local restaurant called Panino's. Here is my plate and I have to admit that I totally ate everything on it!! Chicken Kabobs with an Asian sauce, potato salad and green salad -- it was delicious with a capital D! The next pictures shows the restaurant, which is open air dining and it was a delightfully mild day when we were there.

Happy Stamping to All,
Betty

Flourishes Feminine Flair Challenge

Hello friends! I have been busy lately getting the Christmas tree up and decorated and just getting caught up from  being away for two weeks. I have finally had the urge to create a card today, and it came with a challenge from Flourishes.

This is copied from their blog~
HOW TO PLAY: Lace, pearls and flouncy ribbons – these are the things that make up a creation with a truly feminine flair. That’s what is at the heart of this month’s challenge. To enter, let’s see how you add a dose of femininity to your cards or creations! Link your project up here (below using our inlinkz widget). If you upload to SCS, please use the key word FLLCDEC11. Use Flourishes stamps if you have them, but if you don’t please play anyway! The winner will recieve our entire December release. You have until December 16 at 5 PM Easterm time to submit.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to win the entire December release??? And if you don't have Flourishes stamps, you can still play in this challenge -- I bet if you win some, you'll want to get more and more!

Here's my card:

This beautiful Victorian lady is an image from Graphics Fairy. All I had to do was print it and cut out with Nestabilities. Adding the rhinestones took a little bit of time but the job was made easier by using Embellie Gellie. I finally got the Fancy Tags dies when I was in the States at Thanksgiving; I sponged with SU Bordering Blue and used a portion of a stamp from Annabelle Stamps "Ballerina Rose" for the sentiment. Oh yes, the stick pin is from an old corsage.

Good to be stamping and playing with paper again!

Betty

Back Home!

Made it back home around 10:30 last night. Is it possible that the flight was much longer coming back???? It sure did seem that way! Had a wonderful time visiting with family but it sure was good to see home again!

Here's a card I made this morning that I will be demonstrating tomorrow at our card making class. Hope they enjoy the emobossing technique -- it's still one of my favorites! Love seeing that powder change its appearance when the heat is applied.

The angel stamp is from Inkadinkadoo -- a set called Holiday Silhouettes that I purchased used from Nina Brackett; the sentiment is from a Flourishes' set called Glad Tidings.

We're heading off to a birthday party in just a little while so I'll not have time to do any blog visiting until tomorrow afternoon. See you all then!

Betty