Don't Tell Amy

Shhh...don't tell daughter Amy! This is her Valentine's day card. She is currently very fond of owls so this seems a perfect fit. Found this cutie at Sami Stamps!

Owl Always Love You
~Base card brown card stock
~Layer of Hampton Art Berry Blast
~Layer of drywall mesh tape
~Image from Sami Stamps - paper pieced and colored with Copics (the original stamps has holly hanging from the branch - a few hearts stamped and cut - and tada.....he is all ready for Valentine's day!
~Image printed on Paper Temptress Cryogen, die  cut using Spellbinder/Cuttlebug - edges smudged and dotted with pink fine point Sharpie
~Inside sentiment "Owl love you forever"
~Smaller hearts highlighted with Wink of Stella pen (thank you to my blog friend Lynn for the scoop on the pen!)
Inspirations/Challenges
Cuttin' and Stampin' - use something new (new digital image and Wink of Stella pen)
Creative Craft - anything goes
Sweet Stamps - use something new (new digital image and Wink of Stella pen)
The Squirrel and the Fox - anything goes

Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Sleddin' the Week Away

Just enough time left of this weekend to post the one and only card I managed to make this weekend. Where do weekends go? I can't believe I am starring at another Monday morning! I don't think I've mentioned recently...I have a new boss. I'll just leave it at that. Trust me you don't want to get me started on the subject of the "she who must be obeyed" boss.

On to the card...

Sledding on the Weekend
~Base card Stampin' Up card stock
~Layer of My Mind's Eye snowflake design paper
~Music stamp on snowflake tissue paper using the Faux Silk technique over at Splitcoast Stampers; corners punched
~Strip of dry wall mesh
~Strip of holographic metallic sticky paper
~Sled stamp (present from sissy Gail) colored with Stampin' Up Watercolor Wonder; cardinal paper pieced and popped up with dimensionals; edges torn and smudged with ink
~Twine handle glued to sled handle
~Touches of Uchida Liquid Applique puffed up for highlights of snow
Challenges/Inspiration
Just Us Girls - Faux Silk Technique
Retro Sketches - sketch
Our Creative Corner - vintage with neutrals (no reds/greens) (I hope that cardinal is legal!)
Creative Knockouts - 'tis the season
Southern Girls - Christmas wishes
Challenges for Everybody - anything goes

Have a wonderful Monday! Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Buttons, Hems, Scraps, and Blessings

Another {PIN}spirational challenge! What a cute photo! I 'cheated' and put buttons instead of thread in the jar but I did add a spool. The spool is cobbled together using a punch and straight cuts. This was more of a literal craft card. I'm not much on 'crafts' only cards and quilts...The card has a little too much "some assembly required" for my liking but it is completed now so I can just hop down off my "I don't like doing CRAFTS" soapbox.

I do actually have two Mason jars filled with wooden spools with their original thread. Buttons...well I have thousands of buttons. They live in the Big Blue Button Bowl. (A favorite of grandkids and college kids!)

Have you ever sat and clicked through your blog going back...back....back.... to older and older posts? I just did that (because the "search this blog" did NOTHING for me) as I wanted to refer back to an old post that featured a photo of  the Big Blue Button Bowl. As I was clicking my way down memory lane I found myself saying, "Oh I really liked that card!" "Oh that was a fun card to make!" "I should try that technique again." "WOW - I CAN NOT believe I posted that dreadful card!" And then there was the occasional..."I do NOT remember even making that card!" So many cards - so little memory!

{PIN}spirational photo inspiration challenge

You R A Blessing
~Base card - pink cardstock
~Coordinated design papers by Paper Trey Ink Raspberry Fizz Mix
~Fabric scrap
~SU Floral Frames Framelit die cut
~Buttons
~Paper Trey Ink jar die cut
~Sentiment by Melon Headz on die cut oval "Hem Your Blessings with Thankfullness so They Don't Unravel"
~DMC floss (transfer of crap from sissy Gail)
~Hand-made "spool" made using SU Word Window punch and kraft cardstock
~Digital image of vintage scissors from Scribble & Scrap - highlighted with pink and gold Smooch and SU Crystal Effects
~Inside sentiment die cut Stampin' Up Floral Frames
Challenges and Inspirations
{PIN}spirational - photo
Craftitude - button
Crafty Catz - use 2 or more die cuts (jar, flower, and oval)
Word Art Wednesday - anything goes

Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Merry Mittens and a Glass of Wine!

I love the challenges over at Just Us Girls. And THIS is a true challenge for me! A one layer card! Loves me a challengin' challenge!!! One layer - it is always so tempting to add layer, after layer, after layer. Like a yummy ol' casserole!

I was inspired by all the lovely work by the design team over at Ladybug Crafts with their 'blue and white' challenge. so....here is the combination of both challenges.

To be extremely technical I guess my attempt isn't STRICTLY one layer. I added the die cut sentiment (is that REALLY a layer?). AND don't forget the ribbon (is THAT a layer too?).

To be TOTALLY honest I 'cased' the idea for the card from blog friend Lynn. Check out her 8 little snowmen! She is a pro at clean and simple (and awesome) cards! Go ahead! Do as I did - pour yourself a glass a wine - and cruise the net!

Merry Mittens
~Base card navy blue card-stock
~White card-stock stamped with Stampin' Up mitten stamp, colored with Copics, highlighted with Stickles
~Sentiment die cut
~Sheer ribbon
Additional Challenges/Inspirations
Addicted to Stamps - CaS
Creative Craft - non traditional Christmas colors

Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Me, Mr. Kline, and Bubble Time

Time in the Bubble - always a good thing. I should have spent my afternoon cleaning up after weekend company - but I didn't! Not that sista Gailey and daughter Amy were messy! They made their beds and left rooms so nice and tidy. It's the kitchen that is still in disarray! Yet here I sit in my Bubble. I had every intention of going out and tackling some Christmas shopping on this lovely day I took off from work. That plan crumbled into ice, sleet, and snow...Oh well! My street is a sheet of ice! All the more reasons to stay toasty warm in my Fiber Bubble. I'm going to pop in a movie and make cards - the cleaning and shopping can wait. I'm in the mood for "In and Out" one of my all time favorite movies! Here is a trailer in case your haven't seen the movie or in case you need a reminder of how fun this movie is.

Below is the positive/negative results of using my Stampin' Up ornament die cuts. I used the cut outs from the bottom card to make the ornaments of on the top card. The color of the ornaments on the bottom card are not very true to 'real life'. IRL (in real life) the middle ornament is gold (not green-gold) and the far right ornament is actually green (not blue-mint-kinda-green).

In and Out

~Base cardstock with design paper card-stock overlay

~Stampin' Up Framelits Holiday Ornaments

~Martha Stewart branch punch - dotted with Stickles

~Stamped and red embossed sentiment with two pearls colored with red Sharpie (top card), die cut using Stampin' Up Framelits Apothecary Accents

~American Crafts Specialty Foil Paper used on the three ornaments (bottom card)

~Gold metallic floss (transfer of crap from sissy Gail) (top and bottom cards) 

~Self-stick 'holographic' silver (tops of three ornaments (bottom card)

~Top card ornaments popped up with dimensionals - edged with green ink, tops colored with gold metallic Sharpie

Challenges/Inspirations

LEJ Designs - Christmas

Shopping our Stash - holiday/winter

Crafty Hands - sparkle and bling

Pile it on Sunday - P (punch and pearls)

Bearly Mine - Christmas sentiment

Thanks for clicking by,

Nancy in Iowa