Couples Black Tie

Twisted Tuesday has a new challenge! It is Couples Black Tie. 

THE CHALLENGE

 My 15th wedding anniversary is this week. So, to keep in the spirit of that :) make something for a loving couple. It can be an anniversary card, Valentine card, house warming creation, a scrap page of the happy couple, whatever you like.

THE TWIST 

Include the color black, preferably ribbon or lace, but anything black will do :)

So, I made this card. I tried to keep it simple. I hope you like it. Happy Anniversary to Melina! 

I would also like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Make It Monday #126 -Anything Goes (mine is #134)

Papertake Weekly Challenge-Anything Goes (mine is #37)

Lady Anne's Challenges-Anything Goes (mine is #240)

Tic Tac Toe challenge

It's time for another Twisted Tuesday challenge! This week the challenge is Tic Tac Toe Mechanics!

Use the tic tac toe board to make your creation: Use 3 in a row-it can be across, down or diagonal!

The TWIST...Let a machine help you with your creation this week. Like your Cricut, Cuttlebug, Big Shot, etc. 

I made some die cuts with my Big shot and arranged them on my background here. Then I sponged around them and took them off. I added some rhinestones to give the page some "sparkle." I also used my sewing machine around the outside edges of the page and to stitch down the picture to its frame. 

I added a bunch of embellishments on the page as you can see. The flowers came on a roll, like ribbon, and I got it at Walmart. I just love them! As you can see I also added some little blue rhinestone flowers here as well. 

I just want to mention the twine. Since I had to use three elements for the tic tac toe, this is the second and the Congratulations is the third.  So, I went diagonal on the tic tac toe board. The picture is an oldie from my stash of old family pictures. I am not sure who these people are but they are related somehow. I wish more people would label their pictures so later descendants could at least know their names!

I hope you will take a few minutes and visit the Twisted Tuesday challenge blog and join the fun. We would love to see one of your creations for sure! 

I would also like to enter this in the following challenges:

CR84FN70-Color challenge:

Use Your Stuff #67-Collage

Crafty Catz Challenge #166-Anything but a Card

Make It Monday #124-Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting and leaving comments, I do appreciate them and you so much!

Tax Time

Just want to let everyone know that I have been working more since Thanksgiving and will be working more hours through tax season 2013 because I am a tax preparer. It is going to get busier and busier. With this year being really weird because of a lot of changes in the tax laws, I don't know how much time I will have to make cards. I will still be posting every two weeks for the Twisted Tuesday challenges. I will do more as time allows. So, if you don't hear or see a lot going on here, it's because I can't keep up with everything. Is it terrible to wish it were all over already and that spring were here? I live in Minnesota. We are supposed to have below 0 degree weather this week! I'll be inside but not doing my "art." I have a goal this year to EXERCISE. It is the word I've chosen this year. I choose a word each year for my art journal. It is a goal, and a mission. Last year my word was transformation, and yes, I went through a transformation!!!

This year I am going to EXERCISE in more ways than one. I am going to physically exercise, exercise my mind, my faith, etc. I can't wait to see the results in December! I share my art journaling on my other blog:
http://dirtyfingersbysharinelson.blogspot.com/
Take a look from time to time...

Thanks for checking in on me every once in awhile and leaving comments. I appreciate all of you so very much!

Stamping off the edge...

I have a new card for you today. It is for the Twisted Tuesday challenge. The challenge is to make a card and stamp off the edges. The TWIST is to also use something that is crumpled on the card. So, I used a large background stamp from Stampin' Up! and stamped off the side of the card. I then stamped again using clear Versamark and embossed the image with white embossing powder. I die cut some flowers and layered them after scrunching and squishing and squashing the layers. I sewed around the edges of the design, used tea dye ink to ink the edges and distressed them too! The blue is bashful blue from SU.

Here is a closer look at the embossing. I only used two layers on this card and then the 3D flower. The base cardstock that I used here already had the bits of spots on it. It is some older cardstock I still have from Stampin' Up! 

It is amazing to me all the paper I have! I've made tons of cards and still, more paper is left. I'm beginning to think that it is multiplying on its own.....(and I haven't purchased any either!)  Does anyone else feel this way? 

Anyway, please check out the Twisted Tuesday challenge on the blog and join in on the fun. 

Thanks for visiting and have a nice day! 

I appreciate any and all comments! 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Make It Monday #123-Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody #11-Anything Goes

Pinspirational Challenge #40- Using the picture below as additional inspiration for my card.

New Challenge at Twisted Tuesday

Hi, we have a new challenge this week at Twisted Tuesday!
The Challenge this week is to use the color blocking technique. If you don't know much about it just show us some blocks of color any way you interpret it. The TWIST is to use at least 3 different colors on your project.

Here is my project/card:

I didn't know what to make for this color blocking technique so I did some research on Google. I went to the Martha Stewart (she is so clever!) site and saw a beautiful picture of color blocking with place settings. I was inspired then to make this card. 

Come and visit our challenge blog and join in on the fun! 

Twisted Tuesday Challenges click here

I kept it simple. I would also like to add this to the following challenges:
Make It Monday  #122-Anything Goes
Crafty Catz#164-Anything Goes
Allsorts challenge blog 188-CAS (Clean and Simple)

As always thanks for visiting!

This Christmas I want to say Thanks

I have been preoccupied lately with "stuff." I do "stuff." I watch "stuff." I listen to "stuff." It's all "stuff." But I want to share with you something that isn't just "stuff."

 

This year has been a hard one for my family and myself. We along with many other people have struggled with finances. The economy has changed drastically in the last several years, so when things change so quickly it is very hard to adjust and challenges are many. Because of these financial struggles I've had to rely more on others, family, and most importantly God. I have found that this Christmas time is the best I've ever had in my whole life because of Him.

 

Without the preparations of righteous people who believe that there is a God, I would be without food for my family. I would probably be homeless, and without the necessities of life. The service that others provide because they believe that it is the right way to live, and because of the Savior's example to serve others, has greatly impacted my quality of life and those of my family. I want to reach out and thank all those good and kind and believing people for the wonderful and good and kind acts of service that they perform.

 

Here is a BIG THANK-YOU!

 

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We believe in Christ. We talk of Christ and we do everything we can to be like him. Now, we/ I am not perfect-who is? Only Christ was perfect. I try to be like him, not perfect. I and many who believe in Him try to be better people, and because of that I can rejoice at this Christmas time. I won't have much in the way of gifts to open on Christmas Day and neither will my boys or my husband, but we can feel the peace that comes when we wake up in our warm home, and eat our Christmas dinner and give thanks to Him and those that serve him. I am so grateful to Christ and to all of his followers, my family, and friends, and to my blog followers, and I wanted you all to know that.

 

Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving wonderful, uplifting comments! I am so grateful for all the hope and love that you give me.

 

And to all, I hope you have a

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

I'll be back in January.

Twisted Tuesday Challenge-Christmas Tag

 

Hi all, I have another project for you for the Twisted Tuesday Challenge!

The Challenge this week is TAGS and SMILES. The TWIST is What makes you smile?

 

 

So, your creation needs to be a tag or have a tag on it. The TWIST-What makes you smile. Show us your creation. It can be a favorite stamp you have and cherish (use it on your tag), your collection of embellishments, stamps, etc., or something crafty you received as a gift, etc...just don't forget to tell us and show us what it is that makes you smile when crafting!

 

As you can see I made a tag. I have a Vintage photo downloaded from the internet for free. I added some of my favorite embellishments-jingle bells, and a doily. I used a texture paint and glitter for the snow on the bottom of the tag and on the letters of JOY. I also love this color palette of soft pink, white and blue. These are the things that make me smile!

 

 

I found these letter tiles in my stash.

 

I love the jingle bells, and I love the vintage look.

 

Thanks for visiting and I do appreciate any and all comments! Have a Merry Christmas and /or Happy Holidays!

 

This will be our last challenge of the year and it will go for two weeks. We'll see you back on the first of January 2013! (with a sketch)

 

I am also posting this to the following challenges:

Make It Monday #120-Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody #9- Anything Goes

The Shabby Tea Room #145- Shabby Chic Holiday

 

A White Christmas card

 

A White Christmas card. White on white is the challenge at Twisted Tuesday. The TWIST is to have a snowflake somewhere on your card.

I take so many pictures of my cards and I use a flash with some and not with others. I really like the pics without the flash. It gives the cards a more vintage look. I love vintage. I hope you like it too!

 

I used a lot of embellishments on here. I embossed the background with a snowflake embossing card. I have a doily, three snowflakes cut with a die, six little white flowers, lace, ribbon, a sentiment, and a stocking. I used shimmer paint on the background and the doily. I used Distress crackle paint on the christmas stocking. The crackle paint makes little cracks as it dries and makes it look "old." Love it! I also used white glitter on the snowflakes with rhinestones for some bling. I hope you like it!

 

A close up, but I don't think you can see the crackle. I also made a quilted pattern on the stocking. I over did the aging on the sentiment, should have used a lighter hand. I would appreciate any comments, thanks!

 

I want to also enter this card into the following challenges:

Challenges 4 Everybody #8 -Anything Goes

Crafty Catz #161 - Recycle / Upcycle: I used old flowers, older lace and ribbon that was in my stash

Lady Anne's Challenges -Anything Goes

Another Twisted Tuesday challenge!

A Challenge....

Check out our new challenge over at Twisted Tuesday! It's a picture challenge, and the picture is beautiful! The TWIST is to use an eyelet. I don't have a personal sample this time but there are some gorgeous projects on the site, check them out! Also, join in on the fun! Hope to see you there!

 

Here is the picture:

 

 

Snowflakes

 

 

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by. I made this card for a couple of challenges. I used the colors from the Color Throwdown Challenge #219. Here they are:

 

 

These colors are so pretty! And they are great for a Christmas card.

I also used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches. This is from the #62 sketch challenge. Here is a picture of the sketch:

 

 

So I took some other pictures to show you that the snowflakes are sparkly too! This first pic didn't come out sparkly though. It looks much better in real life. Thanks for checking out my card! I appreciate the visit to my blog and any comments!!!!

 

 

 

 

Twisted Tuesday-Another Challenge!

 

I've been so busy the last five days that I forgot to post this for the challenge today! Well, I hope it's "better late than never!"

 

Twisted Tuesdays Challenge is "Make a Thank You/Thanks creation.

The Twist -

-Food is a big part of Thanksgiving, so include something "foodie" in your creation.

This is a side step card. I wanted to do something different than the regular card shape. I was surfing and came across some videos. The video was made by www.craftyred.blogspot.com
She gave simple directions and had several samples so I thought I would give it a try. It was fairly easy! I didn't take any pictures or make a video so if you would like to make this type of card I suggest taking a look at the video on youtube by craftyred!

I used the colors from the ColourQ challenge #163:

 

I miss the challenge prizes on ColourQ but will still post this on their blog. I am not counting this as posting to their challenge.

 

I will also enter this in the following challenges:

Love to Create Challenge #42-Give Thanks

Tammy's Scrapin Corner challenge #37- Anything Thanksgiving or Fall

Challenges 4 Everybody #7-Anything Goes



Unusual Christmas Card

 

What do you think? I made this card for two challenges. One is a sketch challenge and one is a color challenge. It is pretty unusual for a Christmas card to be these colors but I went for it. I thought, well, it has red!

 

Here is a close up of the sentiment. I'll post it here too:

Ye shall find the babe

wrapped in swaddling clothes,

lying in a manger.

-Luke 2:12

It goes well with the image I think.

 

And here is the Color challenge from Colour Q #162:

 

 

And here is the sketch from Retrosketches #36:

 

 

I'm also entering this in the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly- Anything Goes with optional Christmas theme

Lady Anne's Challenges-Anything Goes

Make It Monday #114-Anything Goes

One Stitch at a Time #138-Anything Goes

 

This was a really fun and interesting challenge!

I really enjoy comments and thanks for visiting!

Twisted Tuesday Challenge-It's Guys Week

 

This weeks challenge over at Twisted Tuesdays is to make a masculine card. The Twist is to use your "tools."

Use your punches, dies, paper piercer, crop-a-dile, crimper, etc.

 

I used one of my punches to highlight the sentiment with sponging around the edges, and I also used my spritzer to make all the spots of brown on my card. I used the following colors of ink: Dusty Durango, Always Artichoke, Creamy Caramel, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, and Soft Suede

I used a Crumb cake base and white paper tieing it all up with some twine.

Thanks for visiting and I appreciate any comments you may have!

 

I'm also submitting this card to the following challenges:

Make It Monday #114-Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody #6-Anything Goes

One Stitch at a Time #138-Anything Goes

Love to Create #40-Shades of Autumn

Tammy's Scrapin Corner #35-Anything Fall

 

Christmas CAS card

 

I thought I'd get started on my Christmas cards. I always start late and have to rush at the end. Sometimes I send out "New Year's cards" instead of Christmas cards! :)

 

So, here is my first Christmas card. CAS for the CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge #4.

 

 

 

Here is a close up of the sentiment, which I love!

I used white and pool party paper from SU! I also used two SU (Stampin' Up!) Christmas sets: Peace to the World and Christmas Punch. A pool party brad is used for interest.

 

I also want to submit this to the following challenges:

Make It Monday #114-Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody #6-Anything Goes

Use Your Stuff challenge #59 -Christmas or Holiday themed

 

I hope you like it. Thanks for looking and visiting my blog! I appreciate any comments!

Thankful for Family

 

Thankful for Family-oh, family, they are what keep us going! We always have fun posing for pictures! I have a bunch of clowns in my family-at least it feels like it. Like I said, it is FuN, we laugh a lot!

 

My scrapbook page for the Let's Get Sketchy challenge and The Shabby Tea Room challenge #139-use colors in picture (shown below)

include a pumpkin

make it shabby

 

 

I used this sketch from the Let's Get Sketchy challenge:

 

 

I have discovered that I love using scrapbook sketches. I usually don't even know where to start with a scrapbook page and these sketches are so convienent. I just wish my photos were better. Guess I get to practice more this year! Practice makes perfect, right?

All of my elements are digital from Scrapbookgraphics Studio Manu-Treasures of Yesterday,  except the pumpkin which I got free from the internet somewhere. I know, I should keep better records....

 

Hope you like it! I had fun putting it together.

Thanks for visiting and please leave a comment!