Challenge #36 - "Happy Birthday"

This post will stay at the top as long as the challenge is running.  Please scroll down to see more current posts.

Is it your birthday?  It is not mine; nor do I think it is one of my team member's.  However, you always need to have a birthday card on hand to send when a friend has a birthday.  Therefore, we are going to help you out by asking you to make a birthday card for the challenge this time.  It can be a classy card, a funny card or even a belated birthday card.  Just think by entering this challenge you will be prepared for the next birthday.

Oops!  I just found out it is Michele's birthday.  She is one of my DT members.  So Happy Birthday Michele.  Consider all the entries in this challenge your birthday cards!

Vicki

My birthday uses one of the Clear Dollar Stamps' digital stamps.  I colored my basket image with Copic markers,  I used an bought flower embellishmnent and attached a button as the center.  For my "Celebrate" sentiment, I attached an acrylic sentiment.

I am also entering this in  The Crafty Pad's challenge "B".

Jenn

I made this birthday card for my April baby, my daughter Cassidy. She'll be 17 on April 22. I love this set from Clear Dollar Stamps with the daisies, the script, and several words stamps including "April" - small nymph digi image is from Michelle Perkett Studio.

                                      

Sharon

I've used a fantastic Eclectic Cat Design from Clear Dollar Stamps to make this "bright" Birthday Card along with a matching sentiment. The "splotchy" background paper was made with crayon shavings & greaseproof paper. Happy Birthday!!!

                                                    

Valerie

Hello you all, Valerie here. I have made a birthday card using a lovely stamp, but I don't know who made it! I have made it for a little girl who loves blue and bling, so think this should be ideal. After stamping, I coloured her with water-colour pencils. I added matching ribbon to her dress and the parcel, and some lace to the hem of her dress.  

                                             

Cindy

What a fun theme for this challenge! Birthday cards are always on my "To Do" creative list, so it was a delight to select some lovely digital images from our sponsor, Clear Dollar Stamps.

For my birthday card, I chose the "Teariffic" set. Usually when I work with digis, I use watercolor pencils and my waterpen. But it was time to change it up! To color this card, I used acetate and alcohol inks and I love the glossy look of it. The rose in the upper right is lifted off the card with foam tape. I added stitching, lace and pearls to complete the dainty details.

Petra

A Little Birthday Ornament - I love such little ornaments because they can always be used as toppers for cards or added to presents or boxes or .... The focal point a lovely little Pansy, a digital image from this month's sponsor 'Clear Dollar Stamps' which I coloured with Copics and then 'fuzzy' cut. The frame is cut in several layers with a Tim Holtz Alteration diecut. The final embellishments are a stamped sentiment from Elzybells, some blings and a little bow. Happy Birthday to everyone!

Michele

The Clear Dollar Stamp "Patchwork" sentiments digis called for the Technique Junkies "Patchwork" technique!  I did the patchwork design on the digi and then used some festive designer paper as a background.  And as it turns out it IS my birthday -- or it was on the 12th.  Me and Abe Lincoln.  Hope you'll join the challenge.

Clear Dollar Stamps has graciously offered to be my sponsor this time.  They have a great choice of clear and digitals stamps.  Many of them have multiple messages along with the image to give you a choice of sentiments.  To the winner, who will be selected by random generator, goes a $15.00 gift code for purchases on the site.  This is a great prize so let's sing "Happy Birthday".

Bovine Humor

I needed something for a nursery rhyme or fairy tale challenge at Just Some Lines.  This is what I came up with.  This adorable cow is from Just Some Lines and the computer generatored sentiment says "Guilty!  I am the cow that jumped over the moon!"  It must have been years ago that he did it as I don't think he could do it now.  This little guy is colored with Copic markers.  I hope it made you smile.

Dancer Tag

I have made another mixed media tag.  This time is it for Art with No Boundaries' challenge Let the Dancer in You Escape.  Besides the dancer, Minuet,  the black and white checkered background and the sentiment belong to Chris of CS Designs.She  has some adorable Express Yourself images; you will have to go and take a peek.  The green background on the tag is fabric, There is a little foil and of course the ticket to see the show,

Also, I am entering it in Make It Monday's Anything Goes

Boy with Flower

Isn't this a cute image of a boy with a flower?  He is probably bringing it to his mother.  The precious image is by DigiDarla  You must drop by her site to see what she has.  I used a bright blue diecut to emphasize the image on the background of letters.  A ribbon and bow of yellow act as a contrast color.   He is colored with Copic markers.  The sentiment is from an unknown stamp that I have had for quite a while.

Challenge # 35 - "Romance is in the Air"

Here we are almost in February and our attention turns to love.  The challenge this time is "Romance is in the Air". 

In the past challenge we had some wonderful entries, but they did not follow the theme.  I don't have many requirements and my themes are usually pretty broad, but you really should make sure that you have followed the theme as I want all entries eligible to be a winner.

Here are some ideas for you by the Design Team.

Vicki

My card uses an image I have had for a while and I am not sure of the origin.  I started with a basic card.  On that I placed some decorator paper with white stars on a a blue background.  On top of that is a layer of lace.  The image is on a blue mat and the same blue cardstock was cut into scrolls with a Spellbinders die.  As a finishing touch, I added three flowers I found in my stash.

Sharon

I needed to make an engagement card for some friends so this was a perfect challenge for me!!

Papers are from a new 6 x 6 Bo Bunny pad which were great for this vintage style card with co-ordinating embellishments.

Cindy

For my card, I wanted to use one of my collected vintage images and this sweet cupid girl went perfectly with a sheet of kraft base paper I've had for over a year (American Crafts--LOVE Many Splendored). Of course I used Walnut Stain Distress Ink to shade all the elements and distress the card edges. I stamped the sentiment on velum and hand cut into a banner. I also used the DI to tone down the twine on the button.

Michele

It is time for making Valentine's Cards! I love to give cards to friends and I make as many as I can. With this card, romance is definitely in the air. The image is a free download from ArtFreebies (another website by June of Dezinaworld!). I used a beautiful piece of origami paper over the red card stock (looks hot pink in the scan...) and I decorated with flowers. Enjoy and spread the love!

Valerie

Hello everody, Valerie here. I have made a tag in Victorian romantic look, with lace, vintage roses, hearts and a cupid.   Have a good week you all!

Petra

Romance is in the air ... and aren't they sooooo sweet .... stamped (stamp by Heindesign) on white card, coloured with Koh-i-noors and Copics and layered on FancyPants Design papers.

Jenn

Jenn's card uses a large heart-shaped sticker made of gemstones, mounted onto Kraft cardstock and sprayed with Bubblegum Pink and Cherry Glimmer Mists. That piece was mounted onto a Kraft card, also spritzed with Bubblegum Glimmer Mist and Spun Sugar Smooch Spritz. Rub-on sentiments are from Stampin' Up!

Of the Heart is graciously sponsoring the challenge "Romance is in the Air".  They are the originaters of the International Stamp-a-Month Club - which started in 1995. There is no sign up fee, no contract and it's only $10.95 a month plus $2.99 shipping.  FOUR choices each month, too!

One of my favorite things that Of the Heart carries is 3D paper tole sheets.  They are reasonably priced and are so much fun to use and the paper tole gives an elegant look to your cards.  Of the Heart is known for their card kits, which they have consented to give as a prize to the randomly picked winner of this challenge.

Don't Hug Me So Tightly

"Don't hug me so tightly."  Can't you imagine that is what this kitty is crying out?  This cute image is from Just Some Lines.  I placed the image on a matted diecut and attached it to a daintly-dotted piece of cardstock.  As added touches, I included a little twine and some rubbery-type flowers.  The acrylic sentiments reads "Hug, hug, hug".    With the right sentiment inside, I think this makes a really cute get-well card.

Flower Tag

This is a flower tag I made recently using the cute flower pot image from Just Some Lines.  This is definitely a mixed media tag.   It used fabric, cardstock, an area distressed with ink, foil and completing the tag is paper lace made with a punch.  The flower pot of flowers was colored with Copic markers. After coloring, I did a little fussy cutting around the image.   I attached two sets of acrylic sentiments which read "Share" and "Remember to Share".  I really enjoyed working on this one.

My Heart Flies to You

Here is another Steampunk type card with an image and sentiment from CS Designs.  The heart is colored with Copic markers.  The wings are some I made and cut out of cardstock.  I put some pop dots under the heart to give her a little dimension.  The sentiment was put on a tag and a polka dot ribbon finishes the card.

My Heart is Dangling

Here is a card that is a little unusual.  This one has a dangling heart. .The front of the card is very simiple.  It has only a mat.  My designer paper is full of hearts of various shades of red, and messages of love.  I made a simple holder for the heart by using one of my Spellbinders and made a circle from cardstock.  On top of that is a pearl brad.  From the brad a silver cord is hanging.  The heart was then attached to the cord by another brad.  The heart is an image from CS Designs.  Using my Copic marker I colored part of it red and in one of the squares I put a little bling with Stickles.

Chris of CS Designs is having a "All You Need is Love" challenge on her blog Art with No Boundaries.   You still have a number of days to join in on the challenge.

I am entering this in Basic Grey's Valentine Challenge.

It's Love

Yes "Romance is in the Air" is still here. Our challenge is running one more week so you have plenty of time to enter. We have some more inspiration for you.

Vicki

My card uses one of my favorite crafting items 3D paper tole flowers. This is an item that my sponsor for this challenge Of My Heart carries. It is hard to see in the photo, but the flowers have 3-4 layers. I used liquid nail which is clearer than silicone to separate the layers. I think the additon of the flowers really gives a romantic feel to my card. The image is from Dezinaworld. I did quite a bit of cropping on the image. Lastly a little of baker's twine finishes off the card..

This card is also being entered in Crafting When We Can's Love Challenge and Gingerloft Challenge Love is in the Air challenge.

Michele

I decided to make some tags for week 2 of "Romance is in the Air" and I really had a lot of fun with these. I stamped the colored tags from Shabby Cottage Studios with a stamp called "dream text"from Stampendous. The vintage images are from Dover Publications (every week they share free images!). As you can see I've also used various other embellishments from my stash of Valentine themed goodies. I'm loving this theme and I hope you are too.

Sharon

I've used a tag die cut to make several "layers" of tags to mount this great vintage image on along with some scraps of paper, skeleton leaves, love ticket and old lace. I love the vibrant colours of the image so I tried to make the embellishments compliment those bright colours.

Cindy

"LOVE Hanging"

This hanging was created on a metal sign and blinged up with lots of "love"-ly elements! Every piece was altered...either with Distress Inks/Stains or alcohol inks. The roses started out as white wedding flowers that I altered using Distress Stains and Stickles.

Petra

Romance without words

The card is built around an image from: On The House. It is so telling and so very romantic. I cut it with Nestabilities oval shapes and glittered it around the edges. I layered it on Authentique patterend paper cut with a Sizzix Tim Holtz Alteration die and adorned it with some paper and fabric flowers and a lace bow.

Using Scraps

Art with no Boundaries is having a challenge for using your scraps.  I did a little recycling with this card.  For my embellishment I use s two leaves from a sprig of decorative flowers that I had for Christmas.  Somehow it got left out of the Christmas decoration boxes.  Instead of diggin out the box I took two of the leavves and placed them on the card.  Along with the leaves scrap jewelry was placed on the card.  It is a part of an old earring that my mother had.

The image on this card is from CS Designs' digitals.  The geisha was colored with Copic markers.  I have entered this in The Stamp Man's challenge "Embellish it".

A Little Steampunk Love

I made a little steampunk love card using CS Designs' digitals.  The image is one of their Expressive Hearts.  I started first with a mat of designer paper on a basic beige card.  On top of that I put a square layer of solid designer paper.  Next came the image which was colored with Copic markers and finally a birdcage cut with a Tim Holtz  accented with small brass brads.  The CS Designs' sentiment completes the card.  I had a little fun with this one. 

You will find this card and other Expressive Hearts on the CD Designs' blog "Art with No Boundaries".  Go have a look.

Challenge #34 - "Birds of a Feather"

There are so many bird images around so everyone should enjoy this challenge.  Let's see what you might have--an eagle, owl, cardinal, blue bird or even a stork?  Don't forget you can have a flock of birds too!  You can use a stamp, a digital, or a one-of-a-kind bird that you create  yourself.  Also, if you don't like birds, you can use only feathers!  The list is endless so let's see what is in your storehouse of creativity.

In the meantime here are some projects from the Design Team.

Vicki

For this card I cut out two of the birds that Alpha Stamps has on a sheet of embossed birds.  I looked at them for a long time before I could decide how I wanted to use them.  I started with a card base and put two different designer papers on as a mat.  I also used sone paper lace I made with a Martha Stewart punch on the background mat.  I had this yellow flower for a while now, but had not used it so I thought this would be the perfect embellishment.  Now what to do with the birds.  I decided to make a nest for one of them with rafia paper.  Next I placed on bird on the nest and another flying in to her.  As a final touch I put the saying " A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest".  This was the perfect sentiment.  It too came from Alpha Stamps. 

I put up a couple of views this time as I wanted to show off my nest!  I am also entering this in Gingersnaps Creations' GC#132 "Soft Yellows and White" challenge.

  

Sharon

I've made my tag with great bird images from a Dezinaworld Collage Sheet. The background of the tag is 4 different coloured Distress Inks direct to the card. I've added some little stickers to make the sentiment and some fibres at the top to finish it off!

Cindy

"Time to Fly"

For this challenge I created a practical piece of art....a luggage tag!

I used a laminate sample as my base and protected the tag with acetate sheets. The back of the tag has all the important ID information. For more details and a picture of the back, click over to my blog.

Valerie

Hi everybody, Valerie here. I have made a tag with a mini tag on it, using images from Crafty Secrets, which has been decorated with pink ribbon, lace, roses, and a feather.

Petra

This is such a wonderful theme giving a feeling of spring. I made a card with My Minds Eye paper which made such a brilliant base. After layering the patterend papers I stamped the edges with Artemio stamps before positioning the printed feather image from the Graphics Fairy which I put into a wooden frame. The finishing touches are a die-cut stamp from Whiff of Joy and flowers from Prima Marketing.

Jenn

Jenn made an arch using an image from A Day for Daisies, sentiment is a digi image from CS Designs.

Michele

My collage card features various designer papers, borders and stickers.  I am a huge lover of our sponsor Alpha Stamps and own many delicious images from the company but when it came time to do this project I realized I didn't have any bird images.  I'll have a great bird project featuring an Alpha Stamp image next week.  For this week the lovely peacock postage stamp comes from Stamp Zia.  Birds are wonderful creatures and are great fun to create with. I'm looking forward to seeing your creations!

My challenge is being sponsored the next two weeks by Alpha Stamps.  They have a wide assortment of collage supplies beginning with beautiful cardstock to detailed images and wonderful one-of-a-kind embellishments.  If you want something special to use in your artwork, I am sure you will find it in their online store.    Thank you Alpha Stamps for your sponsorship and they have offered a wonderful group of items for the winner which will be chosen by random generator.  Whether you are a beginner or an advance crafter you have a chance to be my next winner!

Happiess Is....

Here is a card I made for Digi Darla's "Happiness Is..." challenge. It will be ending soon, so drop by and enter. This cute image is one of her digitals. It is colored with Copic markers.  The card was embellished with a very dainty ribbon.   The sentiment was computer created.  I had to pick this image as my youngest daughter is expecting at the end of March. I hope you like.

Black and White Tag

Here is a tag I made using black and white papers and cardstock.  The two shapes on the tag were cutouts in the cardstock for a previous project.  I underlay the printed paper the the webbed cardstock in the cutouts.  The stripped tree and the sentiment are from CS Designs Digital Stamps.  It was difficult to show, but the tree is filled with diamond Stickles.  The final touch was the  use of a black and white polka dot and a white ribbon.

More Birds

Here are the Design Team's creations for the second week of "Birds of a Feather" challenge.  We really want to see what you can create.  So go to the top post and submit your entry.   

Vicki 

I  created my card with a scrap of paper on which I had previously done an embossing and webbing technique.   I had used gold webbing and blue embossing mixed together.  For the card I started with a cream cardstock base, and on it I placed a part of a French music sheet.  On that I put the scrap of webbing cardstock at an angle.  On top of that is a bird image from Alpha Stamps.  I just love the bird collage sheet from Alpha Stamps  Finishing touch to the card are a couple of flowers resembling those in the image.

                                                  

Jenn
Jenn made an ATC.

Sharon

I've used a great collage sheet from Lisa's Altered Art to print onto my simple little tag and have then overprinted with the bird quote. I've stapled some fibres to the top to finish it off - it's nice and flat so would make a great bookmark!

Michele

Birds are the best and Alphastamps offers so many fabulous images to work with. The bird image and the text here are from Alphastamps. The rest of the embellishments are stash items. You still have a week to play! Please join in.

Cindy

I had a such a great time making this tag! So pretty and so easy! The image and wording are from our sponser...Alpha Stamps. I took a white tag and laid strips of Tim Holtz Tissue Tape onto the tag. I lightly distressed the tape with Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose Distress Inks. The metal bird and leaf embellishments are also from Tim. The roses are those wonderful resin pieces and they went perfectly with the image. The ribbon is seam binding colored with Spun Sugar Distress Stain

Petra

The focal point for my card is a wonderful image from this month's sponsor Alpha Stamps. I love the tranquility and the colours of the image. Not to distract from the image I kept the surrounding features to a minimum. I stamped some lettering (Kaisercraft) on a square white card. The edges of the image are distressed with gold ink and then layered on black  card. To give a little bit more depth I added some German Scraps and a little bling.