Seize the Cake!

This week at the Digital Tuesday challenge, the challenge is to make a funny masculine card and over at the Paper Cutz Challenge the challenge is to make a masculine birthday card with pink on it. I also used the sketch from Eat Sleep Stamp and I added some embossing for the Frosted Designs challenge. And finally, the Stamp Something challenge is to feature something delicious on your card.

The image is from Dustin Pike and I colored it with my Copics.

Heart Leaf Tree Owl

Don't you just love owls? This cutie from StretchNBubbles is perfect for sending Valentine wishes to the other owl lovers in your life. :) Head over to SNB and grab this little guy for yourself and while you're there, check out the inspiration from the rest of the DT. I'm entering this card into these challenges as well:
Dare U 2 Digi Stamp -hearts/Valentines
Little Red Wagon - hearts
Creative Belli Blog- hearts
Crazy 4 Challenges-pink theme
Crafty Card Makers-hearts
Magical Crafts-Valentines
All Sorts-hearts and flowers
One Stop Craft challenge-love and kisses

A Blue Birthday

This blue themed birthday card is courtesy of Design Dollies whose challenges this week include: using a birthday theme, a color scheme of monochromatic blues and a sketch. I've incorporated all three into one card, thus completing the DD tri fecta. :)

I've also incorporated these challenges:
Crafty Creations Challenge- celebrations
Copic Colour Challenge-E00, E33 and R02 (I used R00)
Corrosive Challenge-Fancy Fold (I used a gatefold)
Pile it On- Warm Wishes
Pals Paper Arts- Snowflake (my DP)
My image is called "Jillyan with Gift" and it's available at StretchNBubbles.

The Sweet Award

Thanks to my friend and fellow SNB DT member Kym for this super sweet blog award! When you receive this award, you are supposed to list 10 things that make you happy and pass it on to other bloggers and have them do the same.

Here are my ten things:

1. My husband

2. My children

3. My best friend

4. McDonald's Vanilla Iced Coffee (seriously, try it...it's GOOD!)

5. My online friends- Checking in with all of you starts my day off with a smile.

6. Paper...I can't explain it...it just makes me happy

7. My job..okay not the actual work but the fact that it's very flexible and not too stressful

8. Peanut butter and chocolate malt balls from Whole Foods

9. Exercise-without it those malt balls and iced coffees would really show

10. Challenges!

I'm passing this award on to these friends:

Deanne

Lora

Pauline

Ana

Color Dare #53-Not Quite Certainly Blue Suede

This week's Color Dare is a tough one...FIVE colors: Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Bordering Blue, Certainly Celery and Soft Suede. As always, if you don't have these exact colors, use what you have that is close. You definitely need to check out the Color Dare blog to see the AMAZING creations the rest of the DT made....you will be amazed and inspired.

Be Mine Turtle

Time for another Freebie Wednesday at StretchNBubbles. This one is called Be Mine Turtle and is perfect for those Valentine's Day cards you'll be making this weekend! Head over to Alison's blog to pick him up for yourself and while you're there, check out the amazing creations from the other DT members AND all the other cute images Alison has for sale.

Designed to Delight

This is the last January freebie from Designed to Delight. If you're not familiar with how D2D works, check out Faith's blog. Basically she gives a free image the first week of the month. If you make something with that image, you get the next week's image for free. You keep getting a free image as long as you keep playing. How fun is that??

The dp is from DCWV "the stack 6", I stickled the snowflakes, the dots on his scarf and the blades of his skates. I used the Swiss Dots and Snow Dots embossing folders.
Here are the challenges I used to make this card:
Pollycraft: Fire and ice- use red and white
Spoonful of Sugar- freestyle- do whatever you want this week
Colour Q: red, blue, teal, black and white
Papertake Weekly- sketch
Die Cuts R Us: use ribbon
Bah Humbug Challenge: use glitter
And thanks to Julie for reminding me that these colors match the challenge at this week's Playdate Cafe!

TGF CHA Relay Day 3

So far I'm keeping up with the TGF CHA Relay. I know they've had some problems getting images out to everyone but I was lucky enough to get mine early today. He's called Toby Cub and he's just adorable! I used the colors from the SPC Color Challenge which were close to cocoa, basic grey and creamy caramel. I used the sketch from Sunday's 365 challenge. As soon as I saw Toby I thought of making a New Baby card and along with that I made a couple of birth announcement cards because this week the Cupcake Craft challenge is to make a matching set.

TGF CHA Relay-Day 2

In case you haven't heard, Splendid Stamping is having a Relay challenge this week to keep us all entertained while the blog owners are at CHA. You can pop over and get Mer Ian and make a card by 6pm Central time tonight...follow the directions on the blog for uploading it...and you get another free image to create with by 6pm tomorrow. It goes like that all week and if you participate all five days, you get a 6th image for free. AND they are super cute Greeting Farm images so you'll want to hurry and play along. Here's the card I made with the day 2 image, WS Charlotte. Thanks Ana for letting me know that WS is Wild Sprout!

I used these challenges to make this card:
Incy Wincy: use buttons, bows, ribbon and lace
2 Red Bananas: Stamp your own background
Kaboodle Doodle: Use pink, lemon, green and plum
CPS: sketch
Charisma Cardz: use three fruity colors

Kissy Face

It's getting close to Valentine's Day and Alison at StretchNBubbles has TONS of super cute images you can use for your Valentine's Day cards including this new one called Kissy Face. Head over to the SNB Blog to get one for yourself and check out all the other DT's creations for some inspiration. I entered this card in the Stamp Something challenge which was "something funny" this week.

Mer Ian

This is the first free image in the Splendid Stamping with The Greeting Farm Relay challenge this week. There is still time to hop over there and grab this free image. Make something with him and post it by 6pm Monday night and you get the free image for Tuesday. Play along all week and you end up with six free digis! How awesome is that?

I need to find a new way to color skin. My R00 and E00...primarily what I use for skin colors...are both pretty dry. I'm expecting my refills in the mail by Wednesday I HOPE!
Anyway, go get your Ian and play along!
I also entered this in Monday's Design Dollies color challenge which was to use turquois, white and green.

I'm Going to Try This

This week the blog Splendid Stamping with the Greeting Farm is having a relay contest while the blog managers are at CHA. Here's how it works: Pop over there RIGHT NOW and pick up your free digi image called Mer Ian. Make something with Ian and upload it by 6pm Central Time on Monday-follow the directions on the blog- and they will email you a new free TGF image to create with on Tuesday. Again, make something by 6pm CST the next day and you'll be emailed the next image. This goes on all week so you could get FIVE FREE digis from TGF-and you know they're super cute. BUT the thing is, you have to play along from the start and keep going to get all the digis...can't jump in mid week. If you complete a project with all five freebies you get a a SIXTH one free.

Obviously this is going to be a litle tough to have the time to make something each and every day but I think it's going to be worth it so I'm definitely giving this a try this week. Hope you'll join in too!

Caught a Bug?

Okay, how cute is this image from the DigiStamp Boutique? It's one of their freebies and I think it's just so clever and cute! I used the sketch from this week's Digital Tuesday Challenge to make this card.

Pup Love

Check out this cute new image from Alison at StretchNBubbles. It's called Pup Love...isn't he adorable? You can take him home today...just visit SNB to buy this guy or any other super cute images available for sale. While you're there, check out the creations from the other Design Team members...they're AMAZING!

I Just Love This Image

I love this image...if you don't recognize it, it's called A Stamp for Henry and it was a fundraiser for a family who lost their sweet little three year old son back in November. I love using this image and every time I do I think of that sweet little boy's face and I think of his family and how difficult life must be for them right now. The fundraiser is over but you can still purchase the stamp.
I made this card with the layout from 365 cards...this one is Day 323 the Sunday Sketch and I combined it with Our Creative Corner's challenge this week which is a color challenge to use blue and green.

Just Buggin Challenge #21 Monochrome

This week the challenge at Just Buggin is to make something with your Cricut with a Monochrome color scheme. I used my new Walk in My Garden cartridge which has this really cute "bread tag" feature. I cut this out with the Blossom image at 3.5 inches with the bread tag feature on.

I layered the tag with some dotted and flowered pink papers and cut another blossom, this time at 1.5 inches and stamped it in pink ink with the birthday sentiment.
I hope you check out the Just Buggin blog, not only for today's challenge but for the daily inspiration and tips provided by the design team.

SNB-Dress Stand

It's time for another FREE DIGI WEDNESDAY at StretchNBubbles. Hop over and pick up one of these for yourself.

Color Dare #52

Time for another Color Dare! I hope you've had a chance to play along and to check out the blogs of all the new DT members. They are a talented group and you won't be disappointed. This week the Color Dare colors are Only Orange, Brocade Blue, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip. This week if you play along, not only will you be in the running for top 3, but there is a special prize on the line for a lucky winner. Check out the Color Dare blog for details. As always, if you don't have these exact colors, that's okay...just play along with what you have that is close.

What's One More Candle...

I LOVE this image and sentiment from Bugaboo stamps! She is just too funny. I'm not quite at this point in my life...I still totally love birthdays, no matter how many candles are on my cake but the image makes me laugh anyway.

I used these challenges for this card:
2 Red Bananas-use blue, white and silver
Die Cuts R Us- sketch
Pile it On- use at least three ribbons and combine with other challenges
365 Cards- be inspired by chocolate (the yummy cake!)
One Stop Craft Challenge-Fancy edges or corners
Incy Wincy-Use your favorite coloring medium
A Spoonful of Sugar-lots of layers
Corrosive Challenge-use a digi image

Puppy Love

Are you familiar with Designed To Delight? It's a digi stamp company run by a wonderful artist named Faith. Faith has a very cool way of giving away her stamps..if you play along with her weekly challenge, using her image of the week, you get the next week's image FREE. And her stuff is fabulous so you will definitely want the images! You can buy the weekly image, or if you play along on the first week of the month, you get that image free and as long as you keep playing along with the weekly image, you keep getting free images. Isn't that a fabulous idea? This week, the image is called Puppy Love and it's just adorable.

I made this card with these challenges in mind:
Designed to Delight: Puppy Love Image
All Sorts: Use brown and pink
There She Goes Challenge: Use aqua, red and pink
CPS Cardsketches: Sketch
Tuesday Taggers: Use leftovers (all my paper is from scraps)
Papertake Weekly: Use pink
Crafty Creations: Valentine/Love theme
Creative Belli Blog: Use hearts

SNB-Liberty Kiss Me

This adorable girl is a new image at StretchNBubbles today. Isn't she just the cutest?

Cherry Kisses Heart

LOVE this image from Pollycraft. In fact I love all of the Pollycraft Cherry Kisses line of stamps.
I colored her with Copics and used several challenges to create this card with her

Challenges:
Copic Colour Challenge: B97,W5 and YG07 (I don't have any Ws so I used B97 and YG06)
ClearlyIStamp: sketch
Dare You To Digistamp: Digi image and use buttons
Crafty Ann's Challenge: Use embossing (used the hearts folder)
Colour Create: Color challenge kraft, blue and white
Little Red Wagon: Use polka dots
Character Cafe: Recipie- one piece DP, buttons and ribbon
Stamp Something: Color challenge: blue and white
The Playdate Cafe: Color challenge: blues
Raise the Bar Challenge: Debut something (in my case it's the image)

StretchNBubbles-Royal Heart

Today's release from StretchNBubbles is called "Royal Heart" you can use this image in SO many ways. I chose to use it on a card but you don't have to be limited to that. You can make it any size you want so you can use it on scrapbook layout or shrink it down and use it as a little flourish in the corner of your card. You're only limited by your imagination! Hop over to StretchNBubbles to pick it up for yourself.

Design Dollies Trifecta Challenge

I don't know if you know this, but at Design Dollies they have three challenges per week. Mondays are a color challenge, Tuesdays are a theme challenge and Thursdays are a sketch challenge. You can enter any or all of these challenges and you can combine them all on one card(the trifecta). That's what I did this week. I found this supercute image AFTER I was finished with my Christmas cards so I tucked it away for next year. Then I discovered that the Design Dollies challenge this week was to make a winter card so I did that with the Monday colors of fuschia and light yellow and today's sketch. Just so happens that the Three Clovers challenge is also to make a winter themed card so I got to use this image sooner than I thought I would. And this week at Charisma Cards Challenge you can use anything new and my new thing was this stamp.

Just Buggin Challenge #20-About Pets

This week the challenge at Just Buggin is to use your Cricut to create something having to do with a pet. What a perfect opportunity to use the Paper Pups cartridge that I LOVE but just don't use often enough. Check out Just Buggin, not only today for the challenge, but everyday for inspiration and tips from the Design Team. You'll be inspired to use your Cricut like never before! This card also works for the Paperplay Challenge this week which is "Furry Friends"

There's A Lot Going On...

On this card, that is. I started with this super cute new FREE image from StretchNBubbles. Colored it with my Copics and used the sketch from Tuesday's( day 316) 365 Cards challenge. I used the recipie from A Spoonful of Sugar which was to use three papers, three flowers, three buttons and one ribbon. Also on the There She Goes Challenge you were to use three different embellishments. The Incy Wincy challenge is "sweet treats" I think this cupcake and the cupcake and ice cream candy definitely qualify for a sweet treat! And FINALLY, the Crafty Creation challenge is to use three different textures on your card. I have embossing, the textured ribbon and the textured flowers. I also added some glitter to the cupcake swirls for a little extra texture and bling.

StretchNBubbles-Herman Monster

It's Wednesday again so it's time to hop over to StretchNBubbles and get your free digi image. If you haven't taken the leap into digi yet, now is the perfect time. You can try out this guy FREE! And if you aren't sure what to do once you have him, Alison has some great instructions on her blog (or you can email me and I'd be happy to walk you through the process) Once you try it you won't believe how easy it is to work with digis!

Color Dare #51

It's Wednesday so it's time for another Color Dare. Hope you got a chance to play along last week...we had some amazing entries. This week the colors are: Garden Green, Melon Mambo and Barely Banana. As always, if you don't have these exact colors, use what you have that is close. Upload your entry by next Tuesday to be in the running for the weekly Top 3 and a Guest DT spot!

Leftovers

This week at Die Cuts R Us the challenge is to use your leftover holiday paper to make something. My paper is from a Basic Grey Mistletoe stack. I combined it with the Peachykeen Stamps Challenge which was to make a purse or a tote, with one stamped image and a winter theme (I chose Valentine's Day). Also this week at the Copic Buzz the challenge is to use pink and red. I used RV 21 and RV 25 and R29 though it's hard to tell on the grey paper.

Love You A Latte

This fabulous image is available from Faith at Designed to Delight. Check out her blog for the details on how to get this image and future free images. I used the sketch from the Papertake Weekly Challenge and also used the Digital Tuesday Challenge for this week which was to use a digi image and have embossing on your card somewhere.

Keeping with the Bright Theme!

This week at Kaboodle Doodle, the challenge is to make anything but a card and at Our Creative Corner the challenge is to make something 3D. I combined it with The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge which was to make a party favor and of course use embossing. I made this little gift bag (and I mean little!) but it's perfect for little party favors or goody bags for a party. I used the Tags Bags Boxes and More cartridge. The party hat is made from the Doodlecharms cartridge and I used the Spots and Dots embossing folder. The colors I used are from this week's SPCC Color Challenge : So Saffron, Very Vanilla and Only Orange.

WOW! That's Bright!

I didn't realize as I was making this card how very very bright the papers are. I love the polka dotted paper and wanted to use it for the monochromatic card for the challenge at Cardmaker this week. In keeping with the pink theme, I took out my favorite pink Copics (RV6,21 & 23) to color the cupcake image from StretchNBubbles and next thing I knew, when I put it all together, it hurt my eyes to look at it-it was SO bright. :) I used the sketch from the CPS Challenge and the theme from Cupcake Craft Challenge which was to make a girly card.

Goodbye Snow

I've had it with snow! I love snow up till Christmas and after that I just want it to go away. It's been SO cold here it's unbelieveable. So when I was looking at my blog this morning I though "WHY do I have a snowy themed background". I had to change it to something more Springy and warm feeling. Now if only it were that easy to get rid of the real stuff!

StretchNBubbles-Owl Always Love You

Don't you just LOVE owls (Hollie, if you're reading this I know YOU do!) Well this cutie is a new image from StretchNBubbles that you'll want to snag for yourself. Go check out Alison's blog to get this guy or one of dozens of other cute images she has for sale.

Frog-get Me Not

This image is from the Pink Petticoat and I used it to make another Valentine's Day card with this fun heart paper. I used the sketch from this week's Rosie Dee Challenge.

A Touch of Color

This week, Tuesday Taggers and Crafty Creations are challenging you to make a black and white card. You can add a splash of color...but just a splash! I used the sketch from The Fresh Batch Stamps and Smiles Saturday Challenge. I added some distressing by lightly sanding the edges of the black and white papers. The distressing is for the Corrosive Challenge and the Creative Inspirations challenge. This also works for this week's 2Red Bananas challenge which is to "think round".

The image is from the Pink Petticoat. I used Memento ANgel Pink ink and the Spots and Dots embossing folder.

Stamp Something Sketch

Another super cute image from Softpencil was used for this card. I used the sketch from Stamp Something this week along with some cute new paper I got at Archiver's.

Pals Paper Arts Sketch Challenge

This week the challenge at Pals Paper Arts is a sketch challenge. I used this image from Softpencil:

I colored the image with Copics, used the floral dots embossing folder and a button from my stash.

Caught A Bug?

This cute image is from the Digistamp Boutique which is being featured at the All Sorts Challenge this week. The Challenge is a sketch and if you use a Digistamp Boutique image your name gets entered twice for the price drawing! I combined this image with the colors from this week's Color Throwdown-regal rose, chocolate chip and dusty durango- and I used a couple of new things for the Cute Card Thursday challenge: the image I've never used before, the background paper is new as are the brown flowers.

StretchNBubbles-Spreading Love Bonnie

Here's a cute new image being released today at StretchNBubbles that is just perfect for those Valentine's Day cards you're getting ready to make. Fly on over to Alison's blog and pick up this cutie today!

Just Buggin Challenge #19-Stampin' Fun

This week's challenge at Just Buggin is to stamp something on your Cricut diecut. I used the WildCard cartridge and cut out this window card. Then I stamped in the window with my "love" stamp. I made the accent flower with the Doodlecharms cartridge.

I hope you'll come and play along at Just Buggin. Check out the blog to see the other dt's amazing creations. You'll be inspired to create something amazing of your own!

SomeBunny Loves You

This adorable bunny is from Alison at StretchNBubbles. If you haven't visited her site to see all her amazing artwork AND all the great work of the DT, you need to get over there NOW! You won't be disappointed.

A Spoonful of Sugar-Hearts
Digital Tuesday Challenge-Valentine
Pile it On: Anything Digital

An Unusual Valentine Card

This week at Cooking it Up With Katie the challenge is three parts: Use a technique you've never used before (I used the faux suede technique on the blue paper), use a color combo from another challenge(I used SP Color Combo and Die Cuts R Us) and use an unusual image for a Valentine. The challenge is sponsored by Faith of Designed to Delight who offers a free stamp each month and you can earn more every time you make something with her image so I used January's image for this card.

Challenges:
Cooking it up With Katie :new technique/any color challenge/unusual valentine
SP Color Combo: blue, melon,rose and lavender
Die Cuts R Us: purple, green, blue and pink (colors of the logo)
Copic Colour Challenge: G00,RV21, B32 (I used G40, RV21 and B34)
Creative Belli Blog: Sparkle and bling (glitter, gems and stickles)
Digital Tuesday Challenge: Valentine
Designed 2 Delight: Make something with the monthly freebie image

StretchNBubbles Bear Brothers

It's Wednesday and you know what that means....FREE DIGI DAY at StretchNBubbles! Today you can get this super cute "Bear Brothers" image. Go check it out and get yours today!

Color Dare #50

It's time for another fun color challenge at the Color Dare. This week the colors are: creamy caramel, ruby red and bermuda bay. If you don't have these exact colors, we invite you to play along with something similar. Link up your entry to the Color Dare blog by next Tuesday and you will be in the running for the weekly top three AND a guest designer spot. This is the first week with the NEW Color Dare design team so check out their blogs for further inspiration with these colors!

This image is from Dawn Moore and it's called "Coffee Cup Dots". I colored it with my Copics and used the "Spots and Dots" embossing folder for the background papers.

Peachykeen Sketch and A Spoonful of Sugar

This week at Peachykeen Stamps Challenge it's a sketch challenge. I combined the sketch with the challenge from A Spoonful of Sugar which was to use hearts on your project. The ABC Challenge this week is L for Layering.

I used my Doodlecharms cartridge to cut out the hearts at 2 inches for the white and 1.75 inches for the pink and dark red. I slightly distressed the edges of the tag which I cut with my Tags Bags Boxes and More cartridge. It's the beveled tag cut at 2 inches.

Help Me Please!

Okay, I made these baby cards because there are a few challenges out there for "new beginnings" and I'm making some cards for a friend of mine and wanted to include new baby cards since she has some friends who might be having babies in the next year or so AND I got the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge for Christmas and noticed there was a baby die cut and I wanted to give that a try. Here's my problem and why I need your help...my babies look weird. What can I do to make them look better? Do you cut them on blackout and then just draw a face on? How do I make them look more "real" or at least not so weird! I'm entering them into several challenges even though I'm not particularly happy with the cards, hoping that many people will see them and offer suggestions. Thank you for your input/comments/criticism. I appreciate all of it.
For a Baby Boy:

For a Baby Girl:

I used paper scraps for both of these cards and some new ribbon I found in the big box of goodies that Alison sent me! Thanks Alison!
Challenges:
Cupcake Craft Challenge: new baby
Secret Crafter: new beginnings
Papertake Weekly: new beginnings
Pollycraft: Winter Birthday

Thank You Pup

This adorable image is by Elizabeth Dulemba and it's totally free. Elizabeth offers a new coloring page on Tuesdays so check out her site and pick some up for yourself. This adorable little dog is called Bernie. I used the CPS Sketch for this week.

StretchNBubbles Raggedy Flake

This is a new image being released today at StretchNBubbles called "Raggedy Flake" Go check out Alison's blog to get this or one of dozens of other super cute images she has for sale. And right now, Alison has a super sale going on...BUY 2 IMAGES GET ONE FREE. Yep, no limits so you can really add to your SNB collection. PLUS if you're a follower of Alison's blog and you purchase 4 images...you get an extra "follower's only" freebie...that would mean you'd buy four images and get three free. That's an amazing deal and you know Alison has a ton of cute images so what are you waiting for? Head over there and pick some up now!

A Clean & Simple Pile On

This sweet image is from Softpencil. It's called "Girl with Flowers". I cut her out with my circle punch and used some new BoBunny dotted paper to make this card. I also used a new clear stamp from a Birthday Set I got on Friday and a new scallop punch I got yesterday.

Challenges:
Pile it On: Anything digital along with any other challenges
Our Creative Corner: Clean and Simple
All Sorts: a sketch and use new stuff or something from your stash (I used new stuff)
One Stop Craft Challenge: Something beginning with B- birthday, buttons, bow
Corrosive Challenge: Use your two fave embellies- I chose buttons and a bow