Guest Design Spot- Crafting By Designs challenge blog- "Think Warm Thoughts/Spring!"

Hello Crafteteers!

I am honored to say that I am the Guest Designer at Crafting By Designs!  The challenge is "Think Warm Thoughts/Spring".  Perfect idea for January...let's think spring!

One of my favorite flowers is the daffodil.  It is such a pleasure to see these magnificent beauties after all the snow has melted.  They are just so bright and cheerful.  What a great flower to start springtime!  

For my spring card I used Heartfelt Creations Daffy Daffodils stamp set.  The daffodil was heat embossed in gold on vellum paper.  Tim Holtz distress markers were used to color the image.  The vellum was adhered to ivory paper die cut using Spellbinders Opulent Ovals.  The card base is Spellbinders' Diamond Effects (don't you just love that die?!).

The inside of the card has Happy Birthday (sentiment from Inspired by Stamping's Vintage Frames).  

Thanks so much to the talented crafters at Crafting by Designs for allowing me to be a guest designer today!  

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day!
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
TTCRD, AG
Stamp n Doodle, AG

Product used: Heartfelt Creations (Daffy Daffodils stamp set), Inspired by Stamping (Vintage Frames), Spellbinders (Diamond Effects, Opulent Ovals, Twisted Metal Tags and Accents, A2 Matting Basics A), Tim Holtz (distress markers and ink pads in Mustard Seed, Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint), Stickles, Vellum, gold embossing powder, pearls, crafty spring thoughts.

Distressed card

Hello Crafteteers!

The weekend is just around the corner...yay!  I hope all of you are able to play in your crafty area this weekend.  

Last weekend I played around with some of my Tim Holtz inks and Spellbinders dies.  I also used some stamps that I purchased a while ago but never used until now.  One of the die cut images I decided to use on a card.  

The image also had glitter mist applied.  Doesn't not show up too well in the zoom but it is there...shimmery and pretty.  Don't you just enjoy using the shimmer mists?

The stamp "Give Flight to Your Dreams" is from JustRite's Botanical Butterflies.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a wonderful weekend and stay crafty!  :)
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
Sister Act card Challenge, AG
2 Creative Chicks, AG

Supplies used: JustRite (Botanical Butterflies stamp set), Hands (unknown stamp set from Michaels $1.50 bin), Spellbinders dies (Ovals, Tags Trio, Floral Ovals), Tim Holtz ink and stains, unknown embossing folder, Kraft paper

Craftin Desert Divas Challenge- Shaped Card

Hello Crafteteers!

Today is the start of a new challenge at Craftin Desert Divas: Shaped cards.

For my card I went with a Valentine's Day theme and used some product that I recently purchased over or just before the holidays.  For example, the cupid is from Tim Holtz (Mini Love Struck Movers and Shapers die set)...and it was 50% off at Carsand Mosher!  Woot-woot!

Sure, I may have gone a little happy with the gold embossing but I think it adds some elegance to the card.  The double gold embossed lattice heart really accentuates the cupid.

The inside is simply made with no sentiment so that the giver can add whatever heartfelt sentiment they want.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Looking forward to seeing your shaped card at Craftin Desert Divas!
Have a great week.
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
Really Reasonable Ribbon, Valentine's Day
Simply Create Too, Valentine's Day
3 Girl Jam, AG with Ribbon
2 Creative Chicks, AG
Card Mania, AG

Products used:
Tim Holtz (Mini Love Struck Dies, Distress Ink in Tattered Rose, Distress Stains in Tattered Rose and Victorian Velvet), Spellbinders (Lace Hearts, Labels Twenty), JustRite (Filigree Leaves background stamp, Antique Valentine Tag One stamp set, Vintage Laebl and Banner Dies), Stampendous (Shabby Green Embossing Enamel), Gold Embossing Powder, Crafty Love  :)

JustRite Color Challenge card

Hello Crafteteers!

Today I am sharing a card I made for the current JustRite color challenge.  I tried something new and did accordion folding.  I wanted something pretty and girlish so instead of a fan or pinwheel I thought I would try to make a dress.  It took some time to come up with this dress design...and hopefully the end result looks like one!

The dress pattern is JustRite's Filigree Leaves Background stamp in Tim Holtz' Broken China ink.  I colored the leaves with Copic markers.

The background stamp behind the dress is JustRite's Paris Background stamp- also in Broken China and colored with Copics again.  All the inking along the edges and inside the Spellbinders embossed areas are Tim Holtz inks in Festive Berries and Dried Marigold.  Dried Marigold was also used to color the ribbon and dress sash.  

It is difficult to see in the photo but under the dress are elongated cotton balls to add height/shape to the dress.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
JustRite Challenge, Color
Cuttlebugmania, Distressed
613 Avenue, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
Sister Act Card Challenge, AG
TTCRD, AG
Love to Scrap, AG
2 Creative Chicks, AG
Simply Create Too, AG
3 Girl Jam, AG

Product Used: JustRite (Filigree Leaves Background Stamp, Paris Background Stamp, Black Eyed Susan stamp set), Spellbinders (Labels Four, 5x7 Elegant Labels, Opulent Ovals), Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Broken China, Dried Marigold, Festive Berries), Copics (Lipstick Red, Flesh Pink), Crafty fun  :)

My Crafty Resolutions

Hello Crafters!

It is January 11th...11 days into the resolutions.  Time sure does fly when you are resoluting!  Every year I always have several resolutions and 2014 is no exception.  Here are my crafty resolutions for 2014:

1. Finish at least one Christmas card by the 25th of each month
2. Become a more organized crafter (I could not help but chuckle when I decided that on the 1st...and when I just typed it...LOL)
3. Ensure that the inside of a card is complete before moving on to the next project
4. Don't be afraid to use the pretty cherished paper or ribbon

Well, so far I can say I am have accomplished item 1 (high fives to myself), item 3 (you go girl!) and part of item 2 (insert applause here).  I am so rocking the resolutions!

One action on my "organize to do list" was to find a way to record the colors and product I have from the Tim Holtz Distress lines.  Last weekend I spent several hours on that project.  Here is a sample:

For each color in the TH color world I made a card.  The card had a punched flower for the stain, a 1.5" square for the ink, a 1.5" crinkled square for the ink, a piece of seam binding stained, and on either side of the ribbon is a spot for the distress marker.  I can easily see what I have for product in specific colors and I can also easily match the TH colors to each other or to patterned paper.  For some colors I am missing the stain (gasp!) or marker (oh no!) so the flower, ribbon or marker scribbles could not be added.  

I think it was well worth the time and I have already referenced the cards a few times.  :)

What are your crafty resolutions?  Have you completed any cool crafty organization?  I am all up for ideas!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Hugs,

Kathy Jo

Lace and Kraft Valentine's Day Card

Happy Thursday!

How is your New Year thus far?  I hope great! 

This week the Kraft Journal challenge is "Lace it up" and one of the sponsors at Word Art Wednesday is the Kraft Journal...woo-who!  For those of you that have followed my blog for a while, you probably have noticed that I enjoy working with Kraft paper.  Having two chances in one week to participate in a challenge for a gift card from Kraft Journal is a great week!  :)

Instead of using lace ribbon on my card I decided to use my new Cover A Card Rose Lace Stamp on Kraft paper.  (Thanks to my blogging buddy, Shona, for telling me about the Impression Obsession Cover A Card stamps!)  After heat embossing with clear ink and powder, I applied Tim Holtz Picket Fence white stain over the image.  The stain dried and I wiped the stain off of the embossed image with a moist cloth.  The heart with wings was highlighted with TH Barn Door marker and Stickles.

The inside is a stamped sentiment from JustRite (Samantha Walker's For All You Do stamp set). Isn't it just a heartwarming sentiment?

Thanks so much for stopping by! 
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
The Kraft Journal, Lace it up
Word Art Wednesday, AG
613 Avenue, AG
Totally Gorjuss, Ribbon
Shopping Our Stash, Use something new (background stamp)
Love to Scrap, AG with stamp
2 Creative Chicks, AG
Simply Create Too, AG
Sister Act, AG
3 Girl Jam, AG with Ribbon
Allsorts Challenge Blog, Free and Easy

Product used: Kraft paper, burgundy paper (Recollections), Cover A Card Rose Lace Stamp (Impression Obsession), Inside sentiment (JustRite For All You Do), Tim Holtz (Bard Door marker, Picket Fence Stain), VersaMark watermark pad, Brilliance Pearlescent Poppy, Stickles, Ribbon, crafty enjoyment

Craftin Desert Divas Challenge: Winter

Happy Monday!

It is a new challenge over at Craftin Desert Divas: Winter.

For my DT card I wanted to capture the beauty of winter.  Not just the snow flakes and the snow but the lovely trees that you notice in the winter.  It seems that deciduous trees grab all of the tree attention in spring, summer and fall.  In the winter, the deciduous trees are at rest and the lovely evergreens are again in view.  

Hero Arts' stamp Winter tree is the focal point of the winter card.  Mini snowflakes are gracefully falling around the tree.

The inside is a continuation of the outside with simply stated "Winter Wishes".

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Looking forward to seeing your winter cards at Craftin Desert Divas!
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp, Blues
TTCRD, AG
Allsorts, Free and Easy
Crafting By Designs, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
613 Avenue Create, AG
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas January, AG
Christmas Cards Challenges, AG with optional no coloring
Christmas cards all year, Christmas
Cards Galore Challenges, AG

Supplies used:
Spellbinders (Resplendent Rectangles, Stately Circles), Tim Holtz (Tumbled Glass ink pad and stain, Black Soot stain), Hero Arts (Winter Tree stamp), Inkadinkado (Winter Wonderland sentiment), Lifestyle Crafts (embossing folder used on black card stock), seam binding, Liquid Pearls (for the snowflakes), crafty love :)

Crafting Musketeers Challenge #9- Grunge

Happy 2014!

It is the first Crafting Musketeers challenge for 2014: Grunge!  I so enjoy doing the grunge style.  Ripping paper edges and playing with my Tim Holtz distress goodies is a blast.  My hands are always covered in ink afterwards. (Ink covered hands- what I think should be the international symbol for Tim Holtz.)  

For the grunge card I decided to go a little inspirational with every one starting their New Year's resolutions. To make it look like a weathered poster, I flicked water on it.  

The tab off to the side states "the journey is the destination".

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope to see your grunge project at Crafting Musketeers!
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
613 Avenue, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
TTCRD, AG

Products used: 
Impression Obsession cover-a-card stamps (distressed brick, small paisley), Tim Holtz clear stamps (Phrases 1, Here and There, City Central), Tim Holtz ink pads (Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Fired Brick), TH Distress Stains (Antique Linen, Faded Jeans, Barn Door), TH Distress Powder (Fired Brick*), TH Distress Markers (Barn Door, Faded Jeans), Stickles, Crafty Love  :)
  * Note that when using the Fired Brick Distress powder: tape will not stick to it.  I used Weldbond glue to mount the papers to the background.