Back 2 School

Today my term as a Design Team member for Claudia & Company comes to an end.  I would like to thank Claudia for inviting me to be a part of the team for these past 6 months and will definitely miss working with her and the other girls.


Today I will be running out to pick up last minute school supplies and then heading over to the Middle School with the kids so Alicia can set up the locker shelves she and my husband made.  Tomorrow my kids are headed back to school...summer went by way to fast and I will really miss them being here all the time!  For my last project I decided to make  a back to school card.
  

Once again I used Puddle Jumper Lucy (what could be more perfect for a back to school card?), and paper pieced her dress and bag.  All coloring was done with copics.  The papers are from the Cosmo Cricket Odds & Ends Collection...definitely need to get some more of this!   I added rhinestones to the center of her bows, pearls to her dress in place of the buttons and colored over her shoes with a clear glaze pen.  The sentiment is from a Unity Stamp set.  I was so happy to find some polka dotted ribbon that was a close enough match that I could use it on here.


I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:
Fussy and Fancy Friday - Sketch
The Pink Elephant - Paper Piecing
The Pixie Cottage - Back to School
Allsorts - Back to School
Paper Play - Back to School
Sentimental Sunday - Back to School
Stamp Something - Back to School
StampInsanity - Back to School
City Crafter - All Dressed Up
Catch the Bug - Warm colors and paper piecing
Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes


Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Back with a Claudia and Company post

After a brief summer hiatus, the Claudia & Company Design Team is back.  It was nice to have a break since we had so much going on these last few weeks as you can tell from my lack of posts lately.  Since the kids are back to school next week :( we decided late last week to take the kids up to Wisconsin Dells for a few days ~ we all had a great time and the weather was perfect!  
      

For my card I used Puddle Jumper Lucy and colored her with copics.  I added some rhinestones to the center of her bows and some silver "pearls" to her dress for the buttons.  To add some shine to her shoes I colored over it with a clear glaze pen.  The papers are from the Pink Paisley Soiree collection.  I added a green ribbon and some bakers twine along with a green button.


Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Today is an Inspirational Day for Claudia & Company.  Both Joy and I are up today and have created projects showcasing the newly released digital stamps.  I chose to use the Seahorse image and paired it up with the Heart of a Card Sentiment set.  

I went with some bright summer colors for this which was nice to work with since we haven't seen much sun around here the past few days.  The image was colored with copics and I used a clear glaze pen on the eye to give it a little more realistic look.  For the little bubbles in the water I used some rhinestones that I had colored with a copic.  The pearls in the upper corner and the pearlized button on the lower left corner were again colored with a copic.  The larger turquoise ribbon was recycled from a gift and a bit too plain for me so I dressed it up it by layering some turquoise ribbon with silver threading on the top, middle and bottom.


Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!
     

You Inspire Me

Today is an Inspirational Day for Claudia & Company.  Both Joy and I are up today and have created projects showcasing the newly released Little Miss Mia stamp set.

Today I paired Mia up with some paper from the October Afternoon Detours collection  Mia was colored with copics and then I added some stickles to the band on her hat as well as the flower.  To finish off the card I added a button from the Basic Grey Kioshi set that I threaded with some linen thread.


There will be no challenges for Claudia and Company in June, but there will be inspirational posts twice a week by various members of the Design Team showcasing this month's releases.


Thanks for stopping and have a fantastic day!  

Claudia & Company Blog Hop

Welcome to the last stop of the Claudia & Company blog hop.  You should have arrived here from Piali's blog, but if not, please head back to the Claudia & Company blog to start from the beginning.  We even have two guests with us for this hop...welcome Arlene and Jamie!


Now onto the cards.....  

This card uses the dolphin image from John Grutta and one of the sentiments from the Claudia & Company Heart of a Card sentiment set.  The image is colored with copics and the rhinestones were colored to match the paper.   

This card uses the seahorse image from John Grutta and one of the sentiments from the Claudia & Company Heart of a Card sentiment set.  The image is colored with copics and the rhinestones were colored to match the paper.  I added some linen thread as an accent.

This is a set of notecards using various sentiments from the Claudia & Company Heart of a Card sentiment set (designed by Claudia herself) and some papers from the Echo Park Springtime collection.   All the rhinestones were colored to match the paper.  Below is each card individually.

I love how versatile this sentiment set is....with so many possible combinations you can't go wrong with this one!  

  

And last, but certainly not least, is a card using the Little Miss Mia set by Jane's Doodles and papers from October Afternoon's Farm Fresh Collection.   Mia is colored with copics and since she is perfect for paper piecing, I did just that.  I added some brown pearls (and even used some for her eyes), an actual flower to her hat and some vintage lace.  I added some faux stitching to the image and sentiment panels as well as some kraft hearts that I had covered with Crystal Effects.


Please be sure to leave a comment by Friday June 10th.  One lucky person (who has left a comment on all the blogs participating in this hop) will win a $15.00 gift certificate to Claudia and Company.

Here is the Blog Hop List:

Claudia and Company

Taylor

Joy

Arlene

Tanya

Kadie

Jamie

Piali

Jodi

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!    

Cheeky Beach Scene

Happy Tuesday....and welcome to another challenge with Claudia & Company.  Today our challenge is to make a card with a Fancy Fold.  A few ideas would be an Easel Card (which is what I chose), a Gatefold Card, a tent card or a stair step card.  

I chose to use Cheeky Beach and made a beach scene with her.  I used papers from the My Minds Eye Good Day Sunshine Boy collection...just goes to show you you can use these papers for more than just boy projects.  The panel behind the image is made from kraft cardstock which I roughed up to look like sand (thanks for the idea Jenny), some torn blue paper for the water and then some lighter blue paper for the sky.  I also rubbed a Palette Ink New Canvas pad over the water and sky.  Cheeky was colored with copics and I added some Crystal Effects to the beach ball to make it more realistic.  I used some Teal Bakers Twine and attached a starfish charm and a bow to it.  As you can see on the "inside" of the card, I again roughed up some Kraft cardstock to look like a beach and added a few seashells.  I really had a lot of fun with this card and love how it turned out.  I followed the sketch over at Sketch Saturday, but I did rotate it.

 

I also used the challenge at Wee Memories to be inspired by a picture on Etsy or Pinterest.  Here is my inspiration picture from pinterest:

We'd love to have you join in our challenge.  You have until Saturday, June 11th to link up your entry.  For more inspiration from the Design Team, head on over the the Claudia & Company blog. 


Keep an eye out, we have some great new releases coming up next week!

Yesterday we went over to my brother's house for the day and couldn't have asked for better weather.  We spent the entire day outside and had a great time (and some great food too).  Now I'm hoping this weather is here to stay!

Fancy Anya

Sorry this is posting late....I just got back from my son's play and noticed that blogger never published my post when I had it scheduled...

Today is an Inspirational Day for Claudia & Company and the Design Team has some wonderful projects to share with you.

For my card I used Fancy Anya from The Greeting Farm, colored part of her with copics and paper pieced the rest.  The designer papers are from the Lily Bee Picket Fence collection.  I made the lace flower from some vintage lace, placed a button in the center and finished it off with some ribbon.  A piece of ribbon down the side and some pearls complete the card.  I followed this weeks The Deconstructed Sketch.  

I had wanted a shimmery background for this card so I sprayed each panel of the card with some Baby's Breath Shimmerz Spritz that I picked up awhile back.  After letting it dry, I don't see any shimmer, just a few splatter marks on the cardstock...I'm hoping this spray will work better on canvas projects. Yep, even though I know nothing about "altering" a canvas, the kids and I decided to pick up a few canvas panels the other day...now I need to get daring and actually take one out of the bag and just have fun with it...after all, you can always paint over it ;)

Make sure you visit the rest of the Design Team to see their beautiful projects.

This weekend Tyler had one of his friends sleep over Saturday and then we went to the bowling alley for his birthday party on Sunday.  He had so much fun with his friends!  Last night two of his friends came over to make costumes for their class play and today I get to  see them in action ~ looking forward to it!   

Thanks for stopping and have a fantastic day!  

Happy Birthday with PJ Lily

Happy Tuesday....and welcome to another challenge with Claudia & Company.  Today our challenge is to make a Girls' Birthday Card.  

For my card today I used Puddle Jumpers Birthday Lily and colored the images with copics.  I added crystal effects to the balloon and since this is a girl card I jsut had to pull out the stickles as well.  I used Echo Park Springtime papers and made the banner by cutting some triangles and attaching them to a length of Teal Bakers Twine which I tied into bows at both ends.  I pulled out the stickles once again and added it to the top of the banners for a little definition.  I used a border punch on the embossed blue cardstock and added a strip of white ribbon which was colored with a copic marker to match the papers.

We would love to have you join in our challenge.  You will have until Saturday, May 28th to link up your entry.  For more inspiration from the Design Team, head on over the the Claudia & Company blog. 

Challenges entered to be updated....

 Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic day!



Recipe ~ all items SU unless indicated 
Stamps:  Puddle Jumpers Birthday Lily (by Lori Boyd for Claudia & Co.)
Ink/Coloring:  Memento Ink (Tuxedo Black); Copics (E00, E01, E11, R20, Y21, Y23, Y26, E13, E31, R81, R83, BG10, BG11, BG72)
Paper:  Cool Caribbean, Mauve Mist; Gina K Pure Luxury (White); DP - Echo Park (Springtime) 
Embellishments:  Ribbon (white - colored with R81 copic); Bakers Twine (teal); Stickles (stardust); Crystal Effects 
Tools: Petite Oval Nesties; Oval and Scallop Oval Punch; Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (Swiss Dots); Martha Stewart Border Punch

Hope Your Day is Full of Smiles

Today is an Inspirational Day for Claudia & Company and the Design Team has some wonderful projects to share with you.  Today I made a scene with Twirl Anya.

I colored Anya with copics and cut her out (cutting off the pinwheel she was holding as well).  In place of her pinwheel, I added a toothpick that was cut at the ends and made my own pinwheel.  I have a brad holding the pinwheel together and it is going through the background, so it does turn, but it doesn't spin because there isn't enough room behind it for the brad to move freely :(  I should have put the scene panel on dimensionals and then it would have spun.....oh well, live and learn.  The grass is cut with a border punch, the clouds were cut free hand and the little flowers in the grass were cut out from one of the patterned papers.  The papers are all October Afternoon, from both the Detours and the Farm Fresh collections.  The sentiment is from So Random Sentiments and I highlighted the word smiles with a copic.  

I hope you enjoyed my project....I know I had a lot of fun making it!

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:
The Pink Elephant - sketch

 

Southern Girls - Let's Hear it for the Girls
Whimsie Wednesday - Make your own embellishment
Mami Doodles - Let's Get Girly 
By the Cute and Girly - Anything Goes
All That Scraps - Anything Goes
Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
Catered Crop - recipe items used:  Polka Dots, copics, stickles, all occasion card
CES Challenges - Favorite Color Combo...I don't know about you, but my favorite combo changes depending on my mood and the beautiful patterned papers out there...so I chose blue and green
Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes
The Crafty Pad - Spots and Dots
Pear Tree Designs - Spring


Thanks for stopping and have a great day!

Happy Tuesday....and welcome to another challenge with Claudia & Company.  Today our challenge is add a butterfly to your project.  An image, a die cut, a punch, patterned paper, a chipboard shape....it doesn't matter, as long as there is a butterfly somewhere on your project you're good ;)  

For my card I used the butterfly image that was released yesterday and paired it up with some October Afternoon Farm Fresh papers in the 6x6 sampler pack.  I LOVE these packs, just enough papers to satisfy your craving for something new....and they average $3.00 a pack....can't beat that!  On the bow I added a Basic Gray Kioshi Button and some Brown Bakers Twine.


Take a peek at what the rest of the Design Team did with this challenge by clicking on their links (located on the left side of my blog).


I would also like to enter this card in these challenges:
CCEE - add a butterfly
AI FActory - anything goes
Digi Doodles - anything goes
Moving Along With the Times - anything goes
Stamp Something - Something with Wings
Wags & Whiskers - Use a die or punch
Paper Cutz - Anything Goes
Pear Tree Designs - anything goes
Stamp with Fun - Lace or Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Flowers and Butterflys....

Spring Break is officially over and my kids are back to school today ~ I love having them home all day and sure will miss them!  It is also time for this month's release at Claudia & Company.  Today we have two new images to show you by John Grutta.  

I colored this image with copics and added some stickles to the flowers.  The dew drops were also colored with a copic to match the papers.  
 

I think this one might be a first for me....I started coloring the butterfly and like how it was highlighted against the black and white so I didn't color the leaves ~ I don't think I've ever not colored an entire image before.  I colored the butterfly with copics and then colored over it with a Spica clear pen for some subtle shimmer.  To border the image panel I used a Copic multilner to trace along the inside of the nestie.  The papers are from the Lily Bee This & That collection.  I added a satin ribbon and a trio of brads to finish it off.  I also followed the sketch over at Papertake.

I would also like to enter this card in these challenges:
CCEE - add a butterfly
AI FActory - anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - Use any sketch (Papertake)
Digi Doodles - anything goes
Moving Along With the Times - anything goes
Stamp Something - Something with Wings
Wags & Whiskers - Use a die or punch
Paper Cutz - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - 1,2,3 your choice - 1 Image, 2 Embellishments (ribbon & brads), 3 papers
Catered Crop - I used the following from the recipe:  Pattern Paper - polka dots; Colors - Yellow, White; Stamps - Leaves; Color Mediums - Copics; Embellishments - Ribbon; Tools - Die cuts
Sweet Stampin Challenge - Try something new (coloring only small portion of image)

Pear Tree Designs - anything goes
Stamp with Fun - Lace or Ribbon


We are not having a blog hop this month, but please stop by the Claudia & Company blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has cooked up for you using these new images.  While you are there be sure to leave a comment because one lucky commenter will win these two images.  

Claudia and Company's May Release

My Minds Eye Lime Twist, Hip Hooray, and American Made

The Greeting Farm's May Release

Basic Grey's Sweet Threads and Lauderdale

Thanks for stopping and have a wonderful day!

Creeper Crew Tyler

Today is the day for some wonderful inspiration from the Design Team at Claudia & Company.  I decided to change things up and do a card for a boy since most of my projects tend to be girly.

I used Tyler from The Greeting Farm's Creepin Creeper Crew Kit and paired him up with papers from Studio Calico's State Fair collection.  I distressed the edges of all the papers and then sponged them with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tea Dye.  The cardstock strips were embossed with a Distressed Stripes folder.  I added a few brads and a ribbon tab using some May Arts Wrinkle Ribbon (Ivory) that was also sponged with the Distress Ink.  Instead of my "normal" blonde, I tried out a new hair color for Tyler and I like it ~ it's not so yellow.  So I think I'm going to have to do a lot more playing with hair colors....I tend to use the same ones over and over.  

Visit the rest of the Design Team (links are on the left side of my blog) to see some more wonderful creations.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

Meljen's -  Masculine
Crafty Catz - Children's Cards
Delicious Doodles - Anything Goes
Catered Crop -  FTR10 recipe:  Pattern Paper-stripes, miniprints; Colors-pastels;
Stamps- go digital, bunnies, butterflies, and flowers; Color Mediums-Copic markers, paint, white pens; Embellishments-burlap, pinwheels, twine, buttons, eyelets, brads;
Tools-sewing machine, Cropadile, die cuts; Techniques-sewing, distressing; Theme-Spring
Stamptacular - at least 5 layers
Pollycraft - Fun and Games
Creative Card Crew - Child's Play
Bunny Zoe's - One for the Boys
Copic Creations - Favorite paper for copic coloring - Gina K Pure Luxury
I ♥ Sketches - sketch

Thanks for stopping and have a fantastic day!

Hello Clean and Simple

Happy Tuesday....and welcome to another challenge with Claudia & Company.  Today our challenge is to make a Clean and Simple Card. For me, this was a definite challenge as my cards are generally anything but CAS.

For this card I used the My Minds Eye Lush Collection in Navy and punched out the squares with a paper punch making it a breeze to put together.  I layered the squares on a piece of navy cardstock and then added that to my card base.  The sentiment is from the Puddle Jumpers Sammy Mini Set and was punched as well. 

For this card I used papers from Cosmo Cricket's DeLovely collection.  I just love the bright cheerful colors of these papers and how they pop against the white.  I punched flowers from the papers and in the center of each flower added a mini button.  I trimmed the front of the card down and added a scalloped border on the bottom. 

Both of these cards were really quick and easy to make and are a great way to use up your scraps of paper.  

We would love to have you join in our challenge.  You will have until Saturday, April 30th to link up your entry.  For more inspiration from the Design Team, head on over the the Claudia & Company blog. 

October Afternoon's 5 and Dime

Echo Park Paper's Summer Days and new 6x6 paper pads

Prima Marketing's new April Release

The Girls Paperie Jubilee, Kitch, and Vintage Whimsy is back in stock

Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic day!