ABC Christmas Challenge - T is for Two

Hello!

I can't believe it's time for another challenge over at ABC Christmas Challenge! Wow. It's upon us, y'all. Yikes!

This theme is "T is for Two" and we gave a fabulous sponsor for this challenge, as well.

Sweet Stamp Store

Prize - a $10.00 Gift Certificate for Sweet Stamp Store

SweetStamps.com manufactures artistic rubber stamps on cling cushion for use with acrylic blocks. We carry a variety of stamping and paper crafting goodies like our own Shades dye inks, metal embossing plates, embossing folders, cutting & embossing dies (Our very own SweetCuts Dies, Cheery Lynn, Marianne, Joy! and Nellie's), fine detail embossing powders, specialty cardstock and vellum along with supplies for parchment crafting. 

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I used my Lawn Fawn "Baah Humbug" stamp set to make this sweet little card: 

I stamped the sheep amd elements then colored them with Copic markers before using my Silhouette PixScan mat to cut them out. I haven't sprung for the dies yet. It's SO hard to be a thrifty crafter! (Insert sad face here. ..... hee hee!).

They are layered over an accent panel layered with white cardstock that has been die cut using Stitched Snow Drifts dies from MFT and paper from Let's Bokeh in the Snow paper pad by Lawn Fawn. The entire panel was die cut using Blueprints 27. 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit and please hop on over to join the fun at the ABC Christmas Challenge! 

God Bless,

Mandy

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Christmas Card Challenges #42 - Anything Goes

Hello!

I'm popping in to share my card for the latest Christmas Card Challenge. This week is "Anything Goes".

I used my Lawn Fawn Toboggan Together stamp set and MFT Stitched Square Frames to make this little CAS card. I colored the images with Copic markers and inked the bacground with sponges and dye ink. 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! :) 

God Bless,

Mandy

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FALL 2016 - Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog Hop

Hello!

I'm back with another card to share -- ONE day later! That's a record for me lately. I'm struggling to get crafty time and/or bloggy time these days. It's chapping me raw just a little bit, if I'm being perfectly honest. Which I try be. :D

I made one card tonight. Nothing to be ashamed of, I know. But, as the afternoon began I had high hopes of a crafty marathon! I saw no reason for me not to have one. But, did I get to??? NOoooooo. If it wasn't one thing it was another. The Hubs came home, it was supper time, and The Sultan wanted us to sit outside while he played. Now, I've even got one of the kitty cats (who, lets face it, rule the house) really upset that I'm typing and not cuddling with him! I have to stop and give him a little love to keep him from flipping out on me. Ha!

SO! I made a card for the Fall Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog Hop. I missed the last one due to our move and now I'm settled in my crafty space and ready to play along. 8-)

I used my MFT Hug In a Mug stamp and die set and CTMH (retired) Pathfinding paper kit. (A precious jewel I've been hoarding for at least 2 years. Probably more.) The rays behind the coffee mug (We ALL feel like that in the morning when we see that first cup!) were made using the Tim Holtz Rays stencil and Fossilized Amber Distress Inks. 

I actually made a little background with this photo. I can't decide if it's too distracting or not! I do like it - but, the jury is still out. (I love when I see other's "staged" photos, but I can never pull off one I like. A photographer I am not.)

I used a sketch and color challenge to get me focused with this one. (It had been a crazy, hectic morning...)

Freshly Made Sketches and Colour Q:

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! :) Please come back again soon! 

God Bless,

Mandy

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MFT Card Design Superstar 2016

Hello!

I'm popping in on this lovely evening (feels like a Friday to us with The Piglets out of school tomorrow) to share a couple of last minute cards! I wanted to play along with the SuperStar contest that MFT is hosting and waited til last minute to finish my last two. I'm not surprising myself at all here. And, after a day of suffering and dragging with a migraine, I was glad I did. It MADE me come into my crafty space and play. And that was the best medicine ever.

Here they are:

(I used all MFT supplies.)

I used Blueprints 25 as a stencil to ink the "rainbow" background on Kraft cardstock. Love how this turned out! I added a penguin from Penguins in Paradise and sentiment from the Rainbow of Happiness stamp and die set. The star is cut using the MFT Plaids paper pack and Tag Builders 4. I trimmed the main panel with Blueprints 13. 

I combined Happy Hedgehogs and Harvest Mouse elements for this one. The sentiment is from Penguins in Paradise. I used the Stitched Rectangle windows die and Zig pens with watercolor paper to create the background. The top panel is sponged with Distress Ink in Broken China. 

Phew. That's all for me now! What a race. LOL. Thanks SO much for stopping by to visit! 

Hugs and God Bless,

Mandy

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Your Love Will Keep Me Warm

Hello!

I'm popping in this afternoon between household chores and projects to share a card I made this past weekend.  I'm beginning a project I've been dying to do since we moved in. Staining the back stairs leading in from the garage (almost finished!) and painting the risers and handrails a nice glossy, warm white. I will also repaint the door and trim to freshen it up and make sure it's the same white. Have you ever taken a peek at all the whites available at the paint store? WOW. I was never so confused. I had to take a look at a brochure about the warms and cools and what I was painting etc, etc, to figure out which color to pick. Speaking from experience, spending time painting only to decide the color doesn't work is not fun. Ask me how I know. :D

On to the fun part! My card. And since I'm waning in the crafty mojo department, this feels like an accomplisment - to actually finish a card and share it. I don't have a shortage of ideas for new cards, but I just haven't had much/any crafty energy lately. I seem to bounce around between my hobbies and when I'm all into one, the others are neglected. Apparently, I have something of a one track mind? You learn something every day. Even if it's about yourself, you can learn something at the ripe old age of smech-blach. And, that's all I'm going to say about that.

This is one I had in mind to make for this years MFT Card Design Superstar contest. And what a contest! I've already seen so many fabulous entries! It's quite intimidating. I can't wait to have some time to sit down and go through them more closely and share some "love". :)

I made a little couple out of my dies from the LLD Hug in a Mug stamp and die set. I added googly eyes and hand-drawn eyelashes on the lady mug. She got a pink peppermint and Mr. Mug got a piece of chocolate. They are both little shakers using the heart that comes with the set. I used white pigment ink and the Typewriter Text background stamp on Kraft cardstock before adding the elements and stamping the heart and sentiment (all from the same set). I thought it would be fun to do something different with these dies. I've used them a ton since I got - as this is one of my very favorite sets. :D Just a little cutesy, fun change. :) 

I'm also playing along with the current Cut It Up challenge - Name Game. You are to add an element to your project based on the first letter of your name. So "M" from Mandy --> mugs. 

Ok - that's all for me now. I've got one of the little vultures circling about wanting the laptop. (Eye roll). How would they live without their electronics??? Oh the travesty that would be! Gee whiz. 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit. Please come back soon! I hope to whip out a few more cards for which I have ideas. That requires two things though: execution and blogging about it! haha. 

God bless,
Mandy

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Christmas Card Challenges - #41 Color Challenge

Hello!

I'm popping in this afternoon to share my card for the latest Christmas Card Challenge. This week we have a color challenge and I used a fun little mouse. :) Hee hee. They are so cute.

I used the MFT Harvest Mouse stamp set, Paper Smooches Christmas Sampler stamp set, and a couple scraps of patterned paper. Voila! That's it! Super simple and fun to make! :) It's hard to tell in this photo (b/c my lighting was terrible. Ugh!) but I sponged a light gray ink (MFT Cement Gray dye ink) behind the mouse and on the left hand side of my card. I have to break the white up just a little bit to keep it from bugging me. :) 

Thanks SO much for stopping by to visit! Please come back again soon! And don't forget to check out the fun over at Christmas Card Challenges.

God Bless,

Mandy

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ABC Christmas Challenge - S for Sew What?

Hello!

I'm back with another challenge from the ABC Christmas Challenge. We are already up to the letter 'S'! Egads!

This challenge is S for Sew What? Using real or faux stitching on your projects. There is a lovely sponsor again this go round....

I used my Stitched Square Frames from MFT and Lawn Fawn's Toboggan Together stamp set. 

I added a light background stamping using In The Buff dye ink and Wonky Chevron background stamp set. The ADORABLE little ornaments are Limelight MFT cardstock and die from Precious Marieke. (I've never heard of it. My Mom found them and bought for me. Just ADORABLE, I say!) 

That's all for me now. Please stop by again soon and don't forget to check out the fun over at ABC Christmas Challenge! :) 

God Bless,

Mandy

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Christmas Card Challenge - #40 Christmas Lights

Hello!

Back again today to quickly share my card for the current Christmas Card Challenge - Christmas Lights.

I used the lights stamp from my Lawn Fawn Baah Humbug set. 

I used the Gift Tag Greetings set from MFT, white embossed on a red stitched circle (die cut using MFT Stitched Circle STAX). I colored the lights with Copic markers and sponged a bit of Broken China Distress Ink behind the location for my sentiment before adhering with foam tape. I added a black cardstock strip, and patterned paper strip (from MFT Rainbow Stripes 6x6 pad.) to finish off the CAS design. 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! Please join the fun over at Christmas Card Challenges! It's a great way to get a head start on your Christmas card stash! 8-)

God Bless,

Mandy

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Addicted To Stamps Challenge - #131 Trees/Branches/Leaves

Hello!

I'm popping in on a beautiful Sunday afternoon during a football marathon :) so glad that fall is near! This late summer humidity and pollen storm over the past two weeks has about beat us to death. My whole house has been suffering. None of us SICK - thank goodness - but it's taken us down. No appetite, headaches, super tired. My poor hubby came in from church/lunch and passed OUT. Bless his heart.

So -- I'm whining about that because that's why I'm a little late with this post! Bwwaaahaahaha. Kidding. We will live. I think. ;)

This week at Addicted to Stamps Challenge - is:

TREES/BRANCHES AND OR LEAVES

(Don't forget to use at least one stamp)

You have two weeks to show us your creations. We can’t wait to see your work.

We are happy to be sponsored again by Craft Addiction  :

Thanks Nicole!

I used the fun little palm tree from my MFT Penguins in Paradies set: 

I stamped it twice, colored with Copic markers and die cut before adhering over my little panel that was die cut using the Double Stitched Rectangle STAX. I used masking tape and dye inks to create the background. The sentiment is stamped from MFT's Totally Happy stamp set. 

I'm aslo playing along with CASology's "Beach" theme, Just Add Ink's - "Just Add P" theme (Palm trees), Crazy 4 Challenges - "10 things" challenge (10 diff inks colors exactly - between my sponging, coloring, and stamping!) 8-). 

      

Please come on over and check out the fun out ATSC! :) 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit!

God Bless,

Mandy

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Cards Galore (and they've been mailed!) :D

Hello!

I wanted to spend a minute sharing some cards I've made this past weekend during some much enjoyed crafty time. :D I made several cards for different occasions and actually have mailed them out. So stoked that I've used them already.

First one is an adorable kitty cat card, (if you don't know already, I'm a big cat person with a couple of giant, spoiled furballs asleep on our beds right now!), I made for my great Aunt. I try to send her a card with pics of The Piglets every few months. She loves to get to see them.

I used my MFT Cool Cat stamp and die set and the current sketch over at Retro Sketches. Other goodies used are the Double Stitched Rectangle STAX DieNamics, The Lucky Prints 6x6 paper pad, and Copic markers. I love coloring critters! Interesting enough, as much as I love to color, I'm finding I don't seem to be enjoying coloring "non-living" images. Very strange. Not sure I've even figured it out myself! But, I have definitely picked up on the pattern.

I'm also playing along with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes. 

Card #2 is another fun little "critter". (Told ya.)

I made this one for a close family friend, who is aging and not able to get out as much. She's another I try to send pictures of the kiddos. I think getting mail is fun for any age - but I feel like older folks who are home alone alot probably really enjoy getting something in the mail! (and kiddos, let's not forget them! They love it, too.) 8-)

I used the sketch over at The Challenge for my inspiration this time. I've had mojo issues lately and am heavily dependent upon inspiration from any and all sources.

My bunny and sentiment are from MFT's Snuggle Bunnies set, the flowers from Adorable Elephants, and the heart from Paper Smooches Tiny Hearts die set. 

I'm also playing along with Addicted to Stamps & More - CAS challenge. :) 

Card #3  - phew-  is NOT a critter card. Whaaattt???

I used the current MFT Sketch Challenge for my design. MFT's Rainbow Greetings, Stitched Fishtail Flag STAX, and DieNamics Radiant Sun. The clouds are from Paper Smooches, Curly Clouds die set.

I'm also playing along with  Inkspirational this week. 

Ok! I think that's finally enough for one post. :D Thanks for sticking with the whole thing if you've got this far. ;) Please come back again and visit soon!

God Bless,

Mandy

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Christmas Card Challenges - #39 Photo Challenge

Hello!

It's time for another weekly challenge over at Christmas Card Challenges. I think the Sunday's are coming at us faster and faster! Agree?

For my card, I used my PaperTrey Ink "Deck the Halls" stamp set. I layered a die cut wreath and bow over a Kraft cardbase stenciled with WPlus9 Coconut Husk ink and MFT Brick Wall stencil. I stamped the sentiment using MFT Black Licorice Hybrid Ink. Very simple! 

That's it for me this time! Off to wallow in my aching head and ears. Ugh. The allergy season is upon us here in Middle TN with pollens in the red zone! It's crazy. Everyone is battling it. Even if you manage to control the allergy symptoms with medicines (like I have been fortunate enough to do), your sinus cavities, ears, and throat are suffering! ...."It's the most wondeful time ... of the YEAR!".... LOL! 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! Please come back again soon. I made several cards over this weekend and plan to share them here later tonight or tomorrow. (The best part is - I've already mailed all of said cards! yay!)

God Bless,

Mandy

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ABC Christmas Challenge - R for Rip It Up

Hello!

I'm here to share my card for the latest ABC Christmas Challenge. We are all the way to R! GASP!

  This challenge is R for Rip It Up and we have a lovely sponsor: 

http://www.digistampboutique.co.uk/catalog/

http://digistampboutique.blogspot.co.uk/

Prize - £10.00 Voucher

Design Team

Here is my card using the Sketchy Candle digi image from their shop: 

I used pattern paper strips from Lawn Fawn's Snowy Day 6x6 pack underneath the image and die cut it all using Blueprints 13 (MFT). I then layered two more paper strips from the same collection to showcase my diecut focal point. All I added was twine and a button since there were Christmas messages on some of my paper. I'm not sure I have ever made a card where I didn't add a sentiment! It was hard for me. :D- 

Please stop by and join in the fun! Christmas will be here before we know it. (I'm agog.)

God Bless, 

Mandy

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