Fifth and final entry for the CDAC Progressive Freebies Challenge - Round 3 (cdacpc3)

If you're looking for the JustWordz Design Team Friday post, click here.

Hello again! This is my third and final post for today and my 5th and final entry into the 3rd round of CDAC's Progressive Freebies Challenge . Have I confused you?  No more than I have confused myself, I hope! LOL!  The image I used this time is by Nicecrane and is quite unusual in comparison to the types of images I usually use on my creations but I really kind of like it because it's so off the wall!  Except for the bit of black organza ribbon, I tried to keep the design fairly masculine and monochromatic with the black and cream color scheme.  I really rather like how it turned out and I thought the sentiment stamp I used fit pretty perfectly with the cigar-smoking duck!  I found it in the dollar bin at Michaels a while back and had never used it until today.

As with the other entry I posted a few moments ago, I have not quite finished the inside of the card so I have not included photos of it.  So what do you think?  Strange? Unusual? Humorous? Downright silly?  I would love to know your thoughts about this design.

As with the other card, the cardstock is Core'dinations and Recollections.  The DP is DCWV's Best of Brenda Walton stack.  The ribbon is from Joann, the border is from a Sizzix die and the ticket was a freebie image I got from a member of The Outlawz Challenge site.  Thanks for stopping by today and for leaving me a comment to let me know you were here and also what you think of these little projects.  I hope you have a wonderful and blessed weekend and that you get to do something creative.  The Outlawz 1000 Member Party kicks off Sunday night so I hope to see you all there!  Until then...

Happy crafting!
Anniebeehere.

Entry #4 for the CDAC Progressive Freebies Challenge #3 ( (cdacpc3)

If you're looking for the JustWordz Design Team Friday post, go here.

Today is the last day to post entries in CDAC's Progressive Freebies Challenge for which I have created 2 more cards.  The theme for the current challenge, which is in its 3rd round, is Fall.  Nothing says fall to me like apples! One of the free images we received for this round was a bowl of apples.  Yum!!  The image is by Glitterbabe and is colored with Copics.  The card is a 6" square.

The cardstock I used is by Core'dinations and Recollections and the DP is DCWV's Summer Dream stack.  The ric rac trim was purchased at Michaels and the flower was a Jo-Ann dollar bin item.  The sentiment is from ajilliamvancedesign's Down On the Farm stamp set.  I'm not showing the inside of the card this time.  It is finished in the same manner as I finish all my cards but I haven't put the white paper for writing and stamping the sentiment yet so there really wasn't much poing in including a photo of it.  I was trying to finishe both cards, take and edit the photos and get both blog posts completed before the challenge period ends tonight.
My 5th and final entry will be in the next post, in case you arrive on my blog before I get it posted! LOL!

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

Design Team Friday at JustWordz

Hello again, my friends!  It's Friday again and that means it's time for the JustWordz Design Team to inspire and entice you!  Yes, we want to entice you to get creative with your crafting and, if possible, to try something new or outside your normal comfort zone so be sure to visit each of my teammates to see what they have made to inspire you this week.  Links to their blogs can be found in my left sidebar.  If you haven't already, be sure to visit the JustWordz website too as Kim has a project posted as well.  Today is the last day to order the two new stamps sets at the pre-sale price.  Tomorrow, the price will be going up a couple of dollars but I'm not sure when they will start shipping.

This week, our assignment was to make a shaped card using any image and any sentiment we wanted to as long as we used the Everyday Sentiments stamp set.  Well, let me tell you, I have hardly touched my cutting machines since  I discovered Copic markers last year and I practically had to re-learn how to use the Silhouette.  I already had a few shaped cards saved to my library so it was easier than having to design one for the Cricut.  Don't get me wrong, I still love my machines and I enjoy cutting not quite as much as I enjoy coloring.  When I color, the piece I am creating is more of a work of art than the die cut ones.  I have to choose the colors and lay them down in layers on the image I'm using, blending and building the colors until I get exactly the effect I want.  Each piece kind of takes on its own personality and is really my own design when it's finished.  I'm not saying that it doesn't take talent and an eye for art to create with the cutters; it's just a different kind of art.  I enjoy both methods though so I will never tire of creating the same types of projects all the time.

Sooooo... after a few practice cuts and adjustments to my Silhouette, here is the card I came up with.  It's a simple design with only a couple of layers but I really like the way it turned out.

In case you have somehow missed it in several of my earlier posts, here are pictures of the two new stamp sets that are being released and will start shipping soon.  They look like they are going to be every bit as versatile and fun to use as the Everyday Sentiments set that we have been using these past months.  I can't wait to play with them!

That's about it.  All cardstock was by Core-dinations and Recollection.  Bling by Recollections, rhinestones by Recollections.  Don't forget to visit my teammates and this afternoon, I'll be posting two new entries for the Progressive Freebies Challenge at CDAC this afternoon after I have photographed them and edited the photos for posting.  Until later...

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

Thursday and a Scrapbook Page

Happy Thursday, all!  I can't believe it's Thursday already!  I have been busy this week working on projects for the 1,000 Member Party at The Outlawz which will begin at 12:01 A.M. this coming Sunday.  I have mentioned the party a few times already but I have to do it again because we are just so excited about it!  I think I told you already that we're hosting a special challenge each day of the week and members will have the entire week to post their entries for any or all of them.  We're also having a blog hop with prizes at each stop.  Each challenge design team will have a stop with the projects created by all its members on the one blog.  There will be links to the individual blogs from there too in case you want to see more photos or detailed information about a particular project.  There will be games like Bingo, Name That Tune and scavenger hunts too.  Basically, there will be something that we hope every member will enjoy participating in and the only catch is that you have to register to become a member.  Believe me, the prizes are awesome!!!  Our sponsors have been super generous and just as an example, Oozak and SDACD have donated $100 gift certificates!  How unbelievable is THAT???  And that's just the beginning!  We have Copic and Prismacolor classes, rubber and digi stamps, tons of other gift certificates to Ippity, Whimsey and Paper Temptress among others.  I think I have submitted 4 projects for the party so far and I've had fun making each one.  I hope that if you're a member of The Outlawz, you'll look me up and if you're not, you'll consider becoming one.  It really is the best challenge site on the web, in my opinion.

Now on to my project for today.  I have tons of photos of my lovely niece, Kirsten, and I love making scrapbook pages with them.  She is super photogenic and besides being beautiful, she is also a sweetheart.  I originally started this page as a project for the party I was just going on about but it didn't come together in time so I finished it yesterday after I completed my project for JustWordz that will post tomorrow.  So here is the newest page I made for her.  By the time I get all of my photos of her scrapped, I'll have a full scrapbook for her!  LOL!  I need to make pages for my grandkids and my other nieces and nephews if they'll ever send me their photos.

Isn't she a cutie pie?  It's difficult for me to realize that she is 19 years old!  It doesn't seem that long ago that she was an adorable little toddler.

 The next photo shows some of he detail close up.I don't know if you can tell but I added some highlights in gold ink to the letters and to the flower.  The lacy borders are from a Sizzix die and the leaves on the flower are drawn and hand cut and then colored with Copics and hightlighted in gold.

  

Another close-up.

I have to give credit to another of my nieces for the beautiful photography.  My brother's daughter, Lyncca, is a professional photographer and she took most of the pictures I am using on my pages of KC.

Layout is 12" x 12".  All of the papers are from DCWV.  Cardstock is by Core'dinations and Recollections.  The chipboard letters, heart and flower came in a big bundle of several colors from the Paper Studio that I got from Hobby Lobby.  Drop by tomorrow to see the first card I have made using my Silhouette since I discovered Copics!  And don't forget about the big celebration starting Sunday night at The Outlawz.  We sure would love for you to come join in the merrymaking as we celebrate our 1,000th member.  Until then...

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

My third entry in the CDAC Progressive Freebies Challenge # 3 (cdacpc3)

Hello again, crafty peeps!  I fully intended to post this earlier in the evening but I got busy with other things and am just now getting back to it.  This card is my third entry in the current CDAC Progressive Freebies Challenge, which is in its third round.  This week the theme is Fall/Autumn, and as with the previous rounds, each participant is required to make at least one project using one of the freebie digi stamps and post it on the challenge InLinkz to be eligible to receive the next set of free images.  The image I used for this card is by LiaStampz.

Here she is!  Isn't she just the sweetest thing?  She reminds me of my grandmother! LOL

As you can see, I haven't included a sentiment on the inside of the card yet because I'm not sure what I want it to say.  I may use an Irish blessing.  I think that would be pretty perfect for this kind of card and there are lots of them that are almost as sweet as this little lady.

I just received a set of Halloween stamps from Crafty Sprouts today (Yay!) that I won in a blog hop and I am so jazzed about making some cool cards with them!  I have been coloring images for them for the past week so all I really have to do is put them together.  That's really the hard part for me though because I have to make decisions about paper and embellishments and such! They should be really awesome with these stamps though so I'm ready to get started.  Can't wait to show them to you guys.  I'll be doing a guest design team spot on the Crafty Sprouts blog at the end of October and will be featuring a Halloween card using her stamps.  I'll be sure and post a reminder before that day arrives with another link to make it easy for you to find.

Also, don't forget about the 1000 Member Party at The Outlawz which will start on October 3rd and continue for a whole week!  We're only one new member away from reaching our 1000 member goal!!!  We have so many fun and exciting things planned for this celebration and our generous sponsors have been EXTRA generous for this one!!  If you're not already a member, you might want to think about joining so you can participate in all the fun activities and try for the fantastic prizes too!

I'll be back in a couple of days with another new project.  I have to finish it up and take the photos so I can post it.  Until then...

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

Another card for CDAC Progressive Freebies Challenge (cdacpc3)

Here is my second entry for the CDAC Progressive Freebies Challenge... a lovely woodland elf, I think she is.  The artist is Gurukitty Designs.

If you have any questions or want more information, just leave me a comment and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.  I'll be back later today with another one but I have to take the photos and edit them before I can post them.  So I'll be back this afternoon.  Until then....

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

CDAC Progressive Freebies Challenge - Week 3 (Fall)

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

CDAC Progressive Freebie Challenge - Week 3 (cdacpc3)

Well, it's mid-September already and we'll be half way through the Progressive Freebies Challenge at CDAC when the current one ends on the 30th.  So far, I have completed 2 cards for this challenge, using 2 different images that were supplied to the participants free.  To receive each successive set of free digi stamps, each participant has to enter at least one project using one of the free images that were sent to them and post it in the CDAC gallery. Here is the first of my 2 cards.  I'll post the second one tomorrow.  The artist of this beautiful image is Just Inklined.

I really enjoyed coloring this gorgeous sunflower and Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.  This butterfly was once commonly seen in North Texas, where I live but I don't see them as often anymore.  I guess they are going the the way of the Horned Lizard (Horny Toad) and eventually won't be seen at all here, though they are raised on butterfly farms.

It's after 4 AM and I have not been to bed yet so I won't list all the supplies I used to make this card.  The image is by someone named Jum, who is a CDAC member  If anyone wants further information leave a comment on this post and I will do my best to answer all questions.  As previously stated, I am entering this card in the Progressive Freebies Challenge Week 3 at CDAC.

I'll be back tomorrow with the other card for the same challenge and if I'm lucky, I may even have time to complete another one before the deadline.  Until next time, have a great weekend and...

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

Saturday Paper a la Mode Challenge at The Outlawz!

Good morning, my crafty friends! It has been a busy week and I'm glad the weekend is here at last. You'd think since I'm not going to work at a full time job every day, that I'd have plenty of time to get everything done, right? WRONG! I seem to work harder and get farther behind on my chores since I have been off. It amazes me too, believe me! I get more crafty things done than I used to though so I guess it's more a matter of priorities! LOL!

Since it's Saturday, it's time for a new Paper a la Mode challenge at The Outlawz! Woo hoo! As we're sliding into the last 4 months of the year and all the fun and exciting holidays are before us, our challenge themes are really starting to be fun. I was getting pretty tired of summertime themes, especially with the horrible heat wave we were under for 4 months, so I'm happy that the weather is finally turning cooler, even if we still aren't getting much rain. Anyway, this week our team leader, Rona, came up with a sketch for us to follow for our inspirational projects. I don't know why I don't use sketches more often because I really enjoy them and they cut out some of the work in creating a layout, at least for me. So here's the sketch we used.

Pretty cool, huh? I wasn't sure how my own layout would look but after I got it finished, I just loved it! I followed the sketch pretty strictly really, but not 100%. See what you think.

This beautiful young woman is my niece, Kirsten, who we call K.C. She was the subject of my very first scrapbook layout almost a year ago. She is so photogenic that it's a dream working with pictures of her. I'm planning to make another layout of her for the 1,000 Member Party that starts next week at The Outlawz.  Oh, have you not yet heard about our party? Ohhhh, well.... we're having a week long celebration because we are nearing 1,000 members and we'll be hosting special challenges, a blog hop, games and there will be lots of fabulous prizes, of course! We will be giving away 2; that's right... TWO $100 gift certificates among other things! If you're not a member, you might want to consider joining the best challenge site on the web by October 2nd so you can join the party and play along with us. Also, if you're interested in sponsoring one of the challenges or games, please contact me here on my blog. Sorry, I digress, but I'm so excited for this celebration that I can hardly stand it! I'll have a minimun of 3 projects posted during that week and I hope you'll come back for a visit between 10/2 and 10/8 to see what I have made for this special occasion.  I'll also have a couple more cards posted here tomorrow for the Progressive Freebies Challenge at CDAC.

I hope you liked my layout and I hope I inspired you to try using sketches in your own crafting occasionally.  If you have never tried it, you should at least do that much. Until next time, my friends, have a lovely weekend and...

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

Love Week at JustWordz Stamps

Hello, all my lovely readers!

Well, after a few days of being without my computer, I'm back with a new project for JustWordz. The system fan went out on my desktop computer on Sunday afternoon and I had problems finding a replacement for it.  The darned computer is only about 4 years old or so and already the parts are obsolete?! I don't know how these technology companies expect the average consumer to keep up with the constant changes. I know I can't and gave up even trying years ago! I have a laptop but all my photo editing software as well as the software for my Cricut and Silhouette, along with all my bookmarks and resume are on this computer so I had no choice but to get it fixed as quickly as possible. Well, I finally found a replacement, had to drive about 35 miles to get it but thankfully, I was able to replace it myself and now I'm back up and running again.

And just in the nick of time too because it's Friday, the beginning of the weekend and time for another new project for JustWords! Yay!!! This week, Kim asked her design team to create projects about that marvelous and mysterious 4-letter word, LOVE. There are many different kinds and many degrees of love so we are going to demonstrate several of them using the fantastic Everyday Sentiments stamp set which is available for purchase on the JustWordz blog. The sentiment that she gave me to work with was "Sweet on you" and when I started thinking about it, there were at least a dozen different projects that came to mind. The most obvious, of course, is something sweet... like candy or ice cream or a cupcake, but I didn't want to go for the obvious this time so I went with a more traditional meaning. I chose an adorably sweet Tilda as my image. She is holding a basket of what look to me like Peonies, which I adore. Look at this darling and tell me that she doesn't just ooze sweetness! LOL

For some reason, Tilda's little dress looks bluer than it is in person and after trying unsuccessfully to adjust it without adjusting the color of the background, I just gave up. It's close enough to satisfy me until I have more time to mess with it.

Materials and Suppies:

Base card - Core'dinations
Mats - DCWV Cardstock
White cardstock - Recollections
DP - K Ology Addison Collection
Image - Magnolia Stamps
Coloring medium - Copics
Ribbon - Michael's dollar bin
Leafy vine - Sizzix
Die cut - Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Eleven
Rose - Recollections
Tag and hearts - Heidi Grace'
Sentiment - JustWordz Everyday Sentiment stamp set
Dew drops - courtesy of Kim of JustWordz
Glitter flowers on inside - K & Company

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

TBD

Time is drawing near for the release of 2 new stamps sets from JustWordz so if you want to take advantage of the introductory price Kim is offering until the official release, you'd better hurry over to her blog and place your order. In case you haven't seen them yet, I am including pictures of the new sets below.

Don't forget to visit my JustWordz teamies to see the fabulous projects they have created this week! I haven't seen them yet but I'm sure they are just as wonderful as they always are. I have links to their individual blogs in my left sidebar.  

Come back tomorrow for a new new project for the Paper a la Mode challenge at The Outlawz. The Outlawz will be hosting a huge party the week of October 2nd to celebrate reaching 1,000 members with special challenges, a blog hop, games and tons of prizes! See my left sidebar or The Outlawz Challenge site for more information. Until next time...

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

It's Friday again... time for a new JustWordz project!

Happy Friday, everyone!  I can't believe how this week has flown. Here we are on the brink of another weekend and we're also halfway through September already! With each Friday comes a new project for JustWordz. I, and the other Design Team members have created something new using the JustWordz Everyday Sentiments stamp set. This week, Kim asked us to use the theme "Just Because" for our sentiments so we have each come up with our own combination of words to convey that idea to you, our readers. I chose the words "Just Because You're Special" for my card.  

I chose another of Ina Jane's lovely angels for my card which I colored with a combination of Copics and Prismacolor pencils.

If you're a regular reader, you know how much I enjoy making easel cards. I had this pretty paper with the birds on it that I have been dying to use and they fit perfectly here.

It's only about 2 or 3 weeks until the release of 2 new JustWordz stamp sets! I am so excited about this release and I'm looking forward to getting them so I can create cards with a whole new range of sentiments including Christmas cards. Below are pictures of the new sets in case you didn't see them last week. The design team will, of course, be creating lots of new inspirational projects to share with you prior to and after the offical release. Kim is offering both of the new sets at a special pre-order price of $18.99 until they go into circulation, at which time the regular price of $20.99 will go into effect. Soooo... why not hop on over to JustWordz to find out more information and take advantage of the special price?

Don't forget to visit the other design team members to see their fabulous creations. There is a list with links to their personal blogs in my left sidebar to make it super easy for you.  That's all I have for today. I took this week off at The Outlawz so I won't have a project for the Paper a la Mode Challenge this week but I'll have some other things posted this weekend. Don't forget that we have a huge celebration coming up next month with lots of fun things in store so keep watching my blog and The Outlawz site for further details as they become available. We're looking for sponsors for some of the activities we have planned so please contact me if you're interested in sponsorship for our 1000 member celebration. It's a great way to get your name or company name out there.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you again soon.  Until then...

Happy crafting!
Anniebee

CDAC Progressive Challenge - Week 2

Woohoo!  CDAC's Progressive Freebie Challenge is in it's second week, which will end shortly after I post my entry!  I am down to the wire with this one but I think I'll make the deadline with a few minutes to spare.  The rules are that you have to enter at least one project to receive the next set of images for free.  This week, the theme is Back to School.  I chose this cute little school girl by Stamp n Doodle, which was one of the free images we were given to use on our projects.  Isn't she adorable?  I wanted the card to be girly, even though it is all about school so I made it pink and embossed the background with the Cuttlebug folder called Typeset.  I don't have school-aged children so I don't have too many things that work for this theme but I figured the alphabet letters would work as well as anything.  I ran a darker pink chalk ink pad over the embossed image to make it more pronounced.  The little girl is colored with Copics.  The pocket watch stamp is by Studio 112 and the little alphabet tiles came in a collage kit my sister gave me for Christmas a few years ago.  The big pink bow is made from organza ribbon from my stash.  

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

CDAC Progressive Freebie Challenge - Week 2 (Back to School)

That's it for today.  Check back on Friday for my newest creation for my JustWordz Design Team.  Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you enjoy this little card as much as I did making it.  Until then...

Happy crafting!

Anniebee