Bah! Humbug! Rudolph/Reindeer Challenge

This week at Bah!Humbug! it's all about reindeer, Rudolph or otherwise. I was poking around in my printed but not colored digi images and a came across Deer Mae from SOG. Oh, I just ADORE her and she was printed on kraft so I decided to give her a go. She's colored with Copics with some white pencil accents. After that, the card practically made itself. The mat was cut from the DCWV Homespun Christmas stack with the lovely space for the computer generated sentiment right there. WooHoo! (It was about all I could handle 'cause I'm having a rough week.) I added a few tiny buttons that I threaded with jute (the hardest part of the whole card. LOL) punched a few corners out of kraft and colored them with Copics to match Mae and added a few small adhesive beads. Done! I'm also entering it in the Christmas Stampin' All Year Long Clean and Simple challenge, The Paper Shelter For the Girls challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge.

Bah! Humbug! White on White Challenge

TGIF, everyone! An this is not just any Friday. Today I'm joining the Humbuggers for the month of August as Guest Designer! WooHoo! If you follow my blog, you know I've been a proud Loyalty Member of the Bah! Humbug! fabulous Christmas Challenge Blog since last year and I'm more than excited and honored to join Ann and Max and my fellow Guest Designer, Tracy for a month of Christmas fun. This week the challenge is White on White, a particular favorite of mine. I've had the idea for this card for a long while. I designed it in Cricut Design Studio and cut it on my Cricut Expression. The snowflakes are from Accent Essentials and Very Merry Tags, the gorgeous butterfly from Hannah Montana, the sentiment banner from Wedding Solutions and the back from George and Basic Shapes.

No surprise it's a shaped front card, my favorite type to make, and I've used a matte silver for the shadows, from Recollections, to set off the all white design. Then I added plenty of adhesive gems to make it sparkle.

Here's a close up of the sentiment, done on my computer with my Printmaster Pro program.

There are plenty of layers for dimension and the butterfly is adhered in the center only, so the wings are free to fly.

Inside, I've embossed the mat with one of the 5x7" Cuttlebug folders. The sentiment was placed so that it is not visible from the front. I have to say that this may be one of my favorite Christmas cards EVER! I do so hope you come visit Bah!Humbug! to see the lovely creations by the rest of the crew and would be ever so pleased if you decided to play along. On the first Friday of each month there is a prize to be won, and this month's is ever so exciting. I'm also entering it in the Simon Says Stamp Christmas in August Challenge, the Jingle Belles Shape-Up for the Holidays Challenge, the Fussy and Fancy Fridays Challenge and the Winter Wonderland White on White Challenge (I'm hoping since they're allowing a colored image, and I don't have one, that they'll let the little silver shadow slide. LOL)

Bah! Humbug! Lace Challenge

This week the challenge as Bah! Humbug! is to use lace. I was excited because I've been hoarding this gorgeous vintage lace I'd received from my dear friend, Joy and this seemed the perfect opportunity. I thought it paired well with the beautiful laser cut sticker I'd also been hoarding from another dear friend, Leah. Thanks you guys, love ya both! The sticker was on a piece of craft color backing, and I liked the combination so much that I cut Kraft paper to use on my card.

For some reason, the K&Co chipboard sentiment really didn't show up in the first pic, so here's a close up. It's layered on a scrap tag I'd cut with my Cricut, that was laying on my desk and the kraft piece behind it is the back side of a tag that came with my vintage seam binding from Prairie Bird Boutique. Way to recycle, go me! This is the last of my really late B!H! cards for awhile. Check back Friday for a surprise, and if you're quick about it, you can still join in on this week's lace challenge too. WooHoo! I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Christmas in August Challenge.

HB, BD!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Macabre Monday challenge with a special Belated Birthday Bash for our dear sister Minion Lynx (AKA Black Dragon). Lynx's b-day was yesterday but we decided to surprise her today with a very special Birthday Celebration. Lynx's contributions to the team are truly breathtaking and phenomenal so be sure to check out HDH and her BLOG to view some of her recent contributions. She is a true lover of all things POE so I couldn't help but use the Smeared Ink Quoth the Raven set to make her card. I used 4 stamps from the fabulous set and added birthday hats from Scrolls Work (alas, just gone out of business) and a computer generated sentiment of my own. Being the "senior" members of the team, I didn't think my little joke would be taken with offense. Did it, Lynda? All in fun, hon. XX

Anyway, the fab frame is a Cuttlebug Emboss Plus Brocade Window folder that has been inked within an inch of it's life with Distress and the whole thing popped to make an almost shadow box effect. The lovely jeweled flourishes are by Recollections. Hoping your birthday was a fab one, Lynx. Loads of love from all of us at Haunted Design House. I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamps Anything Goes Challenge because, who wouldn't with such a fab prize?

Bunny Hopping with the Tiddly Inkers

In honor of our the "Bunny Hop" coming up on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog I made a whimsical little basket using Hoppy Easter (retiring soon and on sale HERE for only $1.00) but also part of the super deal Bunny Boo Adventures that includes 4 images plus sentiments AND some secret images not shown for the sale price of $3.50! WooHoo! OOOh, that was a mouthful! LOL Anyway I'd colored Bunny Boo with Copics, added a little punched butterfly, cut him out and backed him with Nesties, and then said "Now what?" I mucked around with papers and found some by Heidi Grace that matched my coloring and then remembered an adorable basket I'd made several years ago using that same paper. Perfect!

The Origami basket is from a UTube Video from JenLowe Designs. It requires one sheet of 12x12 double sided card stock that isn't ultra thick. My image is a bit big to get a really good pic of the basket but you get the idea. Isn't it fun?

Now for more fun you MUST check out the Refer a Friend 2 week challenge on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog HERE. Christy explains the whole deal WAY better than I ever could and there's lots of chances for you and your friends to win free images AND meet more friends. That's what all this is about after all, isn't it? I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Spring/Easter Challenge and the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge which is Anything but a Card.

Macabre Monday Hacked to Bits Challenge (and Various Mother's Day Challenges...YIKES!) WARNING! Possibly Offensive!

Okay, before we even go there. I need to do a bit of a disclaimer. I was having a bit of a challenge with my Macabre Monday Hacked to Bits Challenge when I remembered this adorable image from Limited Runs Stamps. Little Madison with Hatchet, one of the Grimms, reminded me a bit of Lizzie Borden so...well, there ya go. What followed was a bit of my twisted humor which in no way reflects my opinion of my own Mom, or any Mom I know or have ever known so I really don't hope to offend here. Please blame the humor on WAY too much wine at Sunday Brunch and please forgive. The image included a collection of 6 of the images which I resized, then copied an pasted, until I got 54 of the little dears and then trimmed it down to 40. Then I made the computer generated sentiment and overstamped the whole shebang using the by Smeared Ink Inky Dreams Set in Aged Mahogany Distress ink. The sentiment was cut and matted using Nesties Labels Seventeen. I actually tried to hack my original attempt with an axe but it sort of made a mess, so instead I blew up the single Madison with Hatchet image and cut out just the hatchet to add to the front. The lovely roses are by Recollections from M's. Mom's Love roses!

Just in case you can't see some of the 40 little Madisons, here's a close up. Love doing my own DP! HeeHee!

And the beginning of the little Lizzie poem...

Now here's where I might be skating on thin ice. To whom would you send such a card? Well, all I could think about was Mother's Day, so here's the inside sentiment. Hoping I'm not going to lose followers over this! Check out s0me more Hacked to Bits Inspiration HERE AND because there are quite a few Mother's Day challenges out there I thought I'd stir up the pot a bit. (Besides, I've been dared by another of the Minions so ...) I'm also entering this in the following Mother's Day challenges (I'm not ALWAYS like this ladies, really, I'm not!): Simon Says Stamp, Mother's Day or Girly 2nd entry, Stampin'for the Weekend, One Stitch at a Time, Craft your Days Away, and I'm thinking I better quit while I'm ahead. Most are UK blogs and I'd hate to have my passport revoked.

Tiddly Inks Picture Me Challenge

This week at the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog we have a super challenge. Besides the gorgeous Photo Inspiration, you must combine it with a shaped card NOT using your Cricut. My initial reaction to this was "I'm glad I'm on Team B and not required to follow the challenge this week, LOL" but Lysa has done a fab tutorial and the photo is really beautiful so I thought "Hey, it's a CHALLENGE, get that butt in gear."

I've used Lysa's Style 1 using my Nesties Labels 10. The only difference is I cut an additional mat to glue on top to hide the fold. I pretty much do that with ALL of my shaped cards, including Cricut, because it gives me a sturdier base on which to pop my images. Next came another mat using DP from Me&My Big Ideas in the colors from the photo above. I chose Tiny Dancer for the image because her tutu reminded my of the flower puffs in the photo (and because it's one of my favorite songs). She's colored with Copics.

The sentiment is a REALLY old word stamp from a set called Rubber Stamp Poet by All Night Media. It's cut with the the smallest of the Mega Ovals large Nestie and matted with a Petite Scalloped Oval Large. Does anyone but me get confused by these names? the sentiment is popped with a 1/16" dot and Tiny Dancer with 1/8" dimensionals. for the flower, I layered pink and orange tulle and cut it with my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die. These thick dies do work in the Cuttlebug by eliminating the A Plate and sandwiching the die and what ever you're cutting between 2 B Plates. The layers (6 in all) are secured with a sparkly Doodlebug brad. There's a little tulle bow at the top, and some amethyst adhesive jewels for embellies.

Come on, peeps, this is not that tough a challenge! There has been a change in the Tiddly Inks Challenge criteria requiring the use of TI images only, but there are FREEBIES to be had HERE, and if you don't have any Nesties, you can check out some of the there ways the DT has created shaped cards. Christy even has a freebie Template available on her BLOG, so there's just no excuse! Christy is also previewing the adorable new images available this week so what are you waiting for? I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Mother'sDay/ Girly Challenge. Don't think I could get much more girly than this! AND on the Simon Says Stamp and Show Blog the challenge is Show a WORD! Mine is obviously "Dance".

Happy Birthday Susan, Deviant Digital Demon-ess!

The Minions at Haunted Design House are celebrating the birthday of one of our own by putting together a little celebratory romp! (Creepy Glo thought that up, sounds kinds twisted, no? ) Please join us in wishing Susan (our Deviant Digital Demon-ess) a totally wicked and spellbinding birthday! May all of your birthday nightmares (and I mean that in the best possible way) come true! Digital stamps by The Octopode Factory. The Pocketwatch is from Alice Elements and the Birthday Girl is from the Steampunk Ladies set. Birthday hat is a rubber stamp from from Scrolls Work. Design Paper by Graphic 45. The springs are hand made, and the nifty eyeball spinners are from Tim Holtz. Of course since I suck so badly at sending things out Susan, you may expect this card sometime before your NEXT birthday. (But I wouldn't be holding your breath.) LOL I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Challenge which this week is Anything Goes AND the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge which is Show Some Metal (the clock springs and game spinner eyes) 'cause I'm feeling lucky! Have a great day! xx

Missing - You Sassy Cheryl's Pearls and Satin and Simon Says Stamp Recipe challenges

A few public announcements:

If you're looking for the winner of my BBTB2 Blog Hop candy, please scroll down.

Also, My dear friend Margie's daughter Melissa has just started her very own blog called No Bees, Please and has made her very first card. Let's all welcome her to blogland and keep her creating. She's fab!

Now then, on to my card. I was visiting my sweet friend Barb and saw a gorgeous card she'd done for the Sassy Cheryl's Blog Hop. I just assumed she was on the DT because it was so darling (as they all are, but this one was especially) and I actually had the time to hop along. OH, what inspiration and the images were so stinkin' cute AND Cheryl just happened to be having a sale (which ended at midnight last night, but hey, digi's are a bargain ) so I had to buy some. At the end of the hop I realized Barb wasn't on the DT but was entering the weekly challenge which is Pearls and Satin and that the winner of the challenge wins a $25 gift certificate to buy MORE of the fab images sooo... I just had to sneak in a card to be elegible and besides, this image was really calling to me. This is May. She's cut out with Nesties Labels 10 and colored with Copics with a bit of inking with Antique Linen Distress Inks. Doesn't her wistful expression looks like she's missing someone terribly? I know all about that.

I've also been meaning to to play along with Simon Says Stamp again and the current No Cook Recipe Challenge is 2 patterned Papers + and solid card base and 3 different embellies. WooHoo! My pearls swirls are Zva Creative with a Prima pearl butterfly, the roses are also Prima and the satin ribbon is Offray. The DP is K&Co Blue Awning and I used both the front and back of a double sided sheet for my 2 patterns. Sorry I rambled. I'm kinda lonesome today and I'm procrastinating big time. Must get back to DT work!

Lil Lolita Boutique 1st Challenge and Simon Says Stamp

OMG! another second post in one day but I wanted to make sure I made it for these challenges. The VERY FIRST Lil Lolita Boutique challenge is "Anything Goes". Should be easy, huh? But there are so many fabulous ways to color these adorable stamps, that I was overwhelmed, so I happened upon the Simon Says Stamp Recipe Challenge which was 1 image, 2 DPs and 3 embellies and decided to run with that. (I'm soo ADD, I needed a focus. LOL) The DP is Graphic 45 Domestic Goddess, using 2 sides of the same paper. I really planned on using the the cut outs the opposite way as it sort of had a "high tea" look to it but this way ended up looking more to scale. I cut a mega Scalloped Oval with my Nesties and popped it and added a regular Mega Oval flush with the card. Ivy is colored with my Copics, cut out and popped as well. The corner scrolls are a Sizzix die cut with my Cuttlebug. For my embellies I used ribbon, a charm and adhesive beads in the corners. I didn't count the Alpha Beads because I consider them to be the sentiment.

Here's the dimensional view. Not tons, but enough to make it interesting. I really love coloring this stamp and can't wait to get more of the Lil Lolitas. BTW, if you happened upon this post but haven' looked and commented on my Cuttlebug Spot layout below, please do. MY DH keeps asking if I've gotten lots of comments on it. (Isn't that cute?) WooHoo! Just found out I WON this Lil Loita Challenge!

Oh Alice!, Sweet Pea Stamps and Simon Says Stamp Challenges

This week at Oh Alice! we're to work with a sketch by DT member Tasha. Great sketch but you know the trouble I have with them. I actually managed to turn this one 90 degrees (I'm so proud of myself, LOL) because I wanted to use this fabulous image by Sweet Pea Stamps. I was introduced to these fab stamps by Oh Alice! DT member Jessica and fell totally in love! I received my order on Monday, just in time to get started on my sketch card, and also for Sweet Pea Stamps 1st Anniversary to create a birthday or anniversary card. They're having a Customer BLOG hop celebration. Of course I'm participating and you can too. The darling image by Elaine Cox ( just one of 8 and of course I bought them ALL!) is colored with my Copics and cut with my Nesties. I added embossing to both mats to enter this card in the Simon Says Stamp challenge also, which is create a card with a movie theme and add dry embossing. (Do you believe 2 entries for that challenge this week?) I used tiny bubbles and the flower folder that comes with the With Tanks Card Making Combo. The colors and patterns are kind of "out there" because that's my vision of Wonderland and I thought it added to the party theme. The papers are K&Co. The sentiment is spelled out in Alpha Beads and theoretically could be used for a birthday or anniversary, don't ya think?

It's Showtime at The Cuttlebug Spot and at Simon Says Stamp Challenge

This week at The Cuttlebug Spot we're celebrating our favorite movie or TV show. You KNEW what was coming here, didn't you? LOL Well BESIDES the fact that I just LOVED "Alice in Wonderland", it finally gave me the opportunity to use my Queen of Hearts Cuttlebug folder. WooHoo! I just substituted the head from my Sassy Studio Designs Queen of Hearts Card, colored her with Copics, cut her out and popped her on. The extra gold crown is a brad. I embossed just the hearts from the folder in red and cut them out to add to the card. The shadow behind her head is a Spellbinders Heart die and the sentiments are also from Sassy Studio. The larger sentiment was cut and layered using Spellbinders Labels Nine. The red mat is embossed with the Cuttlebug Heart Blocks folder and the border punch and photo corners are EK Success.

Tell me she's not hilarious! Looks just like Helena Bonham Carter in the movie! I really enjoyed this challenge and looking at all of the fabulously creative projects from my DT sisters, it's obvious they did too. Be sure to pop by The Cuttlebug Spot and see, and we encourage you to play along. It certainly is a fun one! P.S. don't forget to use some kind of embossing on your project. It is, after all, a CUTTLEBUG challenge. Had to sneak that in there, Leah, you'll NEVER live that one down. LOL I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Challenge which also has a movie and dry embossing theme this week. WooHoo! Obviously great minds think alike!