Bookmark

Isabella's Sketchbook Challenge is an open challenge this week. Make any project, any theme, any colors, with any Isabella's image! I've been wanting to make a corner bookmark which was a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers last week. I printed out "Grape Cluster" and colored it with chalks, then sprayed with Krylon matte finish. I must admit that I messed up more than once making the bookmark -- all right, even more than twice! (I'll watch the video tutorial before making another one -- I've always learned better by having someone show me how!) If you're wondering about the book, it's an older one in my collection. What really makes it interesting to me is that the story takes place in my hometown of Natchez, Mississippi. I love reading the descriptions of the places where the "action" takes place, because I actually know the location of the streets, restaurants, churches, etc. Anyhoo, grab yourself an image from Isabella's Sketchbook and play along with us!

Betty

Card Drive for Michelle

I am sending a get well card to Michelle who had an accident and lost her right eye. You can read about her accident at her blog here. There is a card drive being held for her, with free images by MelJen Designs and Rainbow Echo Designs. You can get the images here and read more about the card drive here. I would love for you all to join me as we wish Michelle well!

Betty

God is Love

This card qualifies for the following challenges:
Isabella's Sketchbook Challenge -- Anything Goes (using her image)
Crazy 4 Challenges -- 2 or more ribbons
Speedy the Cat's Friends -- die cut
I was so lucky to be a winner in Isabella's Sketchbook first circular blog hop. I chose this lovely image (Flower Ring 1) because I was inspired by Patti Painter's card (entry #2) in this challenge. I also thought it was an appropriate image to celebrate winning a "circular blog hop"!
I printed the image after adding the sentiment and colored it with pencils and baby oil; then cut with a circle Nestability; the mat layer was cut with a scalloped circle Nestie. Added small nailheads for the flower centers. Punched the upper corners of the white layer with Martha Stewart's Daisy Corner Punch after embossing with a Sizzix Texturz Backgrounds1, created for Stampin' Up. Name of the plate is Flourish. Added nailheads to the daisy centers and two ribbons to complete the card (Stampin' Up Certainly Celery and Gina K. Designs red with white). Card base is Ruby Red by Stampin' Up and I went with a 5x5 inch card rather than my usual A2 size!!

The sentiment says "God is Love" and not only is that true, but He Loves You!! Isn't that good news!
Betty

Flowers for Just Us Girls

Here is my card for the Just Us Girl Sketch Challenge 40. I won a free Isabella’s Skektchbook digi image the other day and had colored it up and put a scalloped border around it but it turned out to be too big for this sketch (the two scalloped borders were fighting!) Here is the sketch I needed to follow.


Anyway, to resume my story, I went to My Mind’s Eye Simply Delightful paper pack and cut out this large flower and leaves and then punched out the circle shaped flowers. My colors are Ruby Red, Certainly Celery and Whisper White. The sentiment along the bottom edge is Stampun’ Up Serene Spring. Stay tuned to see my Isabella’s card!
Betty

Encouragement

I love the sentiment on this card. It comes from Gina K. Designs' Insiration Mosaic, illustrated by Melanie Muenchinger. Can't think of anything much better than having hope when I wake up and peace when I go to bed! The colors are blue, green and chocolate -- the color challenge issued by Carla Suto at stampTV. The sketch is from Midnight Madness. Here are the sketches; you can take your pick -- fancy or not. I tend to use less embellies, so I usually go with the clean and simple!


Sunday, July 4 is the deadline to enter a card for the color challenge and Monday, July 5 is the last day for the sketch challenge.

Betty

Operation Write Home Independence Blog Tour

I have two cards to show you that are "kinda-sorta" the same card. I failed to read all the directions and did not make a birthday card as the challenge required. So, I went back and "doctored up" the orginal, to add the sentiment "Happy 234th USA!", which was computer generated. The precious heart shaped "flag" was a freebie from Designed2Delight that was posted on the Crafters Digital Art Center. I will be sending this card in my next batch to Operation Write Home (sending cards to deployed military personnel so that they can keep in touch with their loved ones back home) so I am going to take off the birthday sentiment and move the red embellies back to the bottom edge as you can see in this second picture!

Please head over to the Stars and Stamps blog to and check out InLinkz so you can see some other wonderful cards!

Betty

Hello!

Linda Payne has challenged us to heat emboss with color at stampTV for the Blast From the Past Challenge. I have used two different colors of embossing powder, Pearluster Amethyst and Lavender. Card stock colors are Pretty in Pink (base), Whisper White (Swiss Dots dry embossed), Lavender Lace, and Elegant Eggplant. Sentiment stamped in Elegant Eggplant with See D's stamp set Say It Again and Again (however, I only said it once -- hello, that is!). The embossed images are from Stampabilities Botanicals & Birds. Four tiny purple rhinestones in the corner add a little more sparkle. Speaking of sparkle, the heat embossing is very shiny and the following picture shows a bit of the shine on both of the images.
Gina K. Designs is having their new stamps release tonight at stampTV; check them out -- there's a Christmas in July set that I'm interested in!

Betty