When Summer Leaves...

        At the Perfect Sentiment Challenge this week we are being sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps and we have your favorite "Anything Goes" as a challenge theme.   Bugaboo generously supplied us with images and sentiments and I chose to use "AKV (A Kid's View) Fall Leaves."

I chose to use this sketch from Operation Write Home (where this card will be going so that it can be used by one of our troops to write to loved ones back home) and the colors are from Shelly's Images.

  

     My image is colored with a combination of Copic, Promarker, and Spectrum Noir markers, then matted with CS and layered onto two dps from the Jillibean Soup 'Dutch Mustard' pad.  I did my sentiment so that the "leaves" in the image became part of the sentiment -- "When Summer Leaves."

     The twine came from Really Reasonable Ribbon and I wrapped it three times before tying a double bow.  The flower was made from different punched layers with  a brad to hold them together.  Again, clean-and-simple and easy to mail.

     Challenges:
Inspired by -- photo inspiration (fall)
Oozak -- Fall
Sparkles Forum Challenge -- Nature

     Thanks so much for visiting today.  I hope you have time to browse around a bit, and it would be great if you'd pop over to the Perfect Sentiment Challenge and see what all the others have by way of inspiration for you.  Remember to use a sentiment, and come play with us.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

A Vintage Moment

     I've been into doing CAS cards for a couple of weeks now and I've almost forgotten what it feels like to add on an entire bouquet's worth of flowers to a card!  But the challenge at Digi Haven this week is "Days Gone By" and they'd like us to do something Vintage so I scoured around and found this gorgeous digital freebie over at Graphics Fairy (click here for the freebie).  Remember that one of the things you must do for the Digi Haven challenge is to find and use a freebie which will be available throughout the week of the challenge.  This one is permanently available.  Oh, yes, -- they are also having a DT call and I am soooo tempted to apply because I just love the whole idea of using freebies found on the web to enter the challenges.  We'll see.  It isn't like I'm not already serving on enough design teams.  :-D  OK, here's the card:

Sketch from Digital Tuesday.

     The image was already colored so I fussy cut it and layered it onto the pea soup dp, then layered that onto a lacy square doily, die cut from pale lavender dp.  Don't ask me who made either of the dps -- they were just scraps left on my table which needed to be used.

     All the flowers are roses from Prima and the leaves have been punched from a sheet of sparkly foam.  Sounds weird, I know, but it looks really great IRL, and not bad in the photo, either.  Finally, instead of pearls or gemstones which would have worked well with vintage, I thought the purple ribbon with the little gold stripe was the perfect thing so I tied a tiny bow for the doily corner.  No sentiment because I haven't decided how this card will be used.

     Challenges:
A&T Emerald Faeries -- Punches/dies
Can You Digi It? -- Purple, please
Cheery Lynn -- Use doilies
Eureka Stamps -- Anything goes
LEJ Designs -- Vintage
Lollipop Crafts -- Anything goes
Shopping Our Stash -- Use any sketch, old or current
The Cutie Pie -- Borders and frames

     So, half your weekend is gone.  I hope you've been using it for fun and enjoyable activities.  No point in stressing on your days off.  :-D  Thanks for the visit, and I'll have another post tomorrow, then start the week with DT cards and new challenges for you.  Hugs and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Back to School - Hookey !

     My youngest grandson starts school for the very first time this year and I was thinking of him when I did this card.  His dad is a great fisherman and I know that Wm would much rather be 'going fishing' than sitting in a class room.  So, for all the Back to School challenges I've entered this week, yes, I do consider this to be right in line with that theme.  :-D

I used the sketch I found over at MFP Speedy TV, sketch-with-a-twist, my first time playing there.  

     This week the twist is to use fabric and I used white felt for one of the die cuts that's folded (Spellbinders).  The other die cut (also folded) is paper from SU, as is the background dp.  Can you believe that it nearly killed me to dig that out of my hoard and cut into it?  Of course, you can!  You have things just like that, don't you?  Admit it!

     The stamp is from QKR Stampede -- ("End of Summer" challenge) and I think it's called "Gone Fishing."   When I finally got the QKR digis this morning, I was so excited!  I just thought this one was so adorable and perfect for that last minute fishing trip before summer ends (or for playing hookey -- lol).

     I used colors from the challenge at Just Add Ink.  I colored it with Copics this time, except the flashy bit of orange on the fishing bobber, which is florescent highlighter.   The twine is actually hemp cord.  I used a sparkly brad in the center of the folded die cuts for a bit of bling.  Again, I'm trying to get back to CAS but am finding it harder to leave off all the embellishments so a few find their way onto the cards.

     Challenges:
Anything Goes Challenge -- Summer Days
Clearly Inspired -- Circles
Copic Marker Europe -- A summer card
Crafty Catz -- Animals
Fussy and Fancy -- Orange, Lime, Citrus
Little Red Wagon -- Dog Days of Summer (use an animal)
My Sheri Crafts -- Back to School
One Stitch at a Time -- Back to School
Outlawz PAM -- Paper Folding
Penny's Paper-Crafty -- Back to School
Raise the Bar -- Back to School
Ribbon Carousel -- Celebration of Summer
Simon Says Stamp -- Animal Antics
Simply Create Too -- Back to School
Use It Tuesday -- All About School

     I think that's going to be it for the weekend, but you never know what might inspire another card.  I am going to do a bit more re-organizing in the craft room so I could find get hit with something that just has to be made.  :-D  Meantime, enjoy your visit and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie