Harry Potter + Naughty or Nice Challenge

Hi there :)

It's been SO long yet again. The fall always does this to me. The summer was unusually hectic as well, but every single fall for the past eight years has been incredibly hectic. But...I'M BACK!

It's a new month and the new theme at Naughty or Nice Challenges is to use a dies or punches!  I don't always reach for my punches, but I do use my dies quite a bit. I honestly don't think about my bin full of punches, but will have to make sure to dust them off soon....

We love Harry Potter and of course my son wanted a HP themed birthday this year :) I was stuck on a card but after some searching, I found a bookmark that the Artsy Fartsy Mama made and decided to CASE it.

This is very large! I folded an 8 1/2" x 11" paper in half to make a 4 1/2" x 11" card.  I used a die cut on Harry's glasses and the part of his scarf that is hanging down.  Super cute card that was a big hit with my kiddo :)  

Supplies:

Neenah Solar White

Red, ivory, yellow and black card stock from stash

Googly Eyes from stash

Paper trimmer

Spellbinders Nestabilities Dies--Small Circles

Spellbinders Borderabilities A2 Curved Borders Die Templates

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to head to the Naughty or Nice blog and join in on the challenge!

Naughty or Nice Challenge + Retro + Food and Drink

Ahhh crap. It's September.  Where in the world did the past 8 months go?! My son was even commenting about how fast the year has flown by and he's only six LOL

New month = new Naughty or Nice Challenge.  This month is FOOD and DRINK!  You've got until Sept. 25 to link up on the NON website, so get crackin'!

I thought circles would be a lot of fun for some reason and felt that retro was an awesome way to go.  I love the stamps I used with this card, but haven't used it until now.  I love all things retro and vintage, so obviously this screamed my name, so I just had to buy it. So rad.

Supplies:

Neenah Solar White Card Stock

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

"Doris" by Riley and Company

Paper from Stash

"Beer and Wine" by Gina Marie Stamps

Stitched Circle Dies by Gina Marie Stamps

1" Circle Punch

Thanks so much for spending part of your day with me!

Naughty or Nice -- Your Number's Up! + DIY Dishwasher Magnets

Hi everyone :)

I've been away from the computer for so long! Summer break kept us very busy and being a stay at home mom, I didn't have much time in my craft room.  School starts soon so I should hopefully be back in the swing of things.  I know I've said that before, but I'm going to try even harder this time!

This is the mid-month reminder post for Naughter or Nice's Challenge:  Your Number's Up.  You have complete control over what you make as long as there is a number in there somewhere.  I went a different route this month and am very excited about this craft!  We always encourage you to be naughty or nice with the NON challenge, and I like to think this project is a little bit dirty (even if it is in the literal sense) LOL

I've been scouring yard sales for an old Scrabble game and happened to stumble across one for $1 recently.  It was missing 17 tiles but I rooted through the box to make sure it had exactly what I needed....and it did :) Squeal! I was so excited to get this project started!  My  husband or son always ask me if the dishes in the dishwasher are clean or dirty. so this project was a definite solution and has been on the top of my crafty to-do list for a long time.

Easy process from start to finish:

Pick out tiles to spell CLEAN and DIRTY
Hot glue them onto the Scrabble display
Hot glue a magnet to the back
Never get asked again if dishes in the dishwasher are clear or dirty (my favorite part lol)

They've been dropped a few times since my son and I made them a few weeks ago, and a couple of letters popped up, but it was a super easy fix.  I don't think I used enough glue the first time around, so I just added more and haven't had a problem since.

I've seen similar projects like this, but none using the little Scrabble tile holders. I'm really happy with the result and haven't been asked since if the dishes are clean or dirty <3

Thanks a lot for stopping by today! Don't forget to stop by the NON blog to enter your cards or projects. You have until the 25th of the month :)

One Fancy Wiener Dog + Card Chain Challenge May 2016

Hi folks, thanks for joining me today!

From time to time I participate in the Card Chain Challenge and I must say, it's a lot of fun to do so! People from all around the world participate and send cards to each other. This month, the card I received was from a tiny island called Mauritius and had to travel across the Indian Ocean to make its way to me. How cool is that?!  This fancy dachshund of mine traveled across the world to land in Australia! I just love that it goes global :)

Each month there are four guidelines: sketch, specific materials, specific themes and specific colors.  You can choose to use as many guidelines as you wish, but you have to choose at least one. For this particular card, I chose three: sketch, colored pencils, and dogs.  

I used the long retired stamp sets from There She Goes Stamps to make the dog and the sentiment. I used Prismacolors to color in the tiny canine and his fancy clothes :)  I fussy cut the pieces, then paper pieced to create his super stylish look.  I also stamped the top hat a second time and adhered it with dimensional adhesive for some depth.

I love the look of vellum for many reasons and used it here to soften the background behind the dog. Adhesive shows through vellum very easily, so to avoid that, I just used tape behind the dog then attached him to the card base.

Wrapped some string around the bottom before adding the sentiment, on pop dots, of course, wrote a little note then sent him off on his journey :)

Supplies:

Neenah Solar White card stock

There She Goes Stamps--The Doxie with Moxie and Size Matters

Patterned paper and brown string from stash

Vellum paper

Prismacolor pencils

Dimensional Adhesive

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Gate Fold Card with Window + NON28 + Man Up

Man, it's been a while! I keep wanting to post more often, but I'm telling you that things just keep popping up and I don't have much time to craft at all.  

Happy June! This month we are having a Man Up challenge at Naughty or Nice Challenges! It's the month that celebrates Father's Day, so you'll be making masculine cards any way, so why not join us in the fun?! Naughty or nice, just make sure to follow the rules :) You can interpret the theme any way you want, so I decided to make a masculine card for my dad who just completely redid my laundry room and it looks AH-MAZING!!!! He is such a handy guy and did a fantastic job! My husband and I both absolutely love it and I WANT to do laundry in it :) Thanks, Dad! I love you :)

I loved the idea of a gate fold card with a window, but I didn't like the reality of it. I'm telling you that this card and I DID NOT get along. We didn't play well at all and I really don't think I will ever, ever make another card like this again! It took hours. Seriously.  Ugh. I'm glad it turned out really cute because the process of making it just plain sucked!

We love dogs and have two; my parents have one. I thought a dog card with the sentiment would be perfect. Too bad one of my dogs had a stomach bug and had diarrhea everywhere in my craft room not long after I completed the card. I WAS NOT happy about dogs at that point, but thankfully I got over it quickly so I didn't have to re-do it LOL

I honestly couldn't even tell you how I made this card because it was that traumatic LOL It was a miserable process so I'm sorry I can't be of more help with that. I can however tell you what supplies were used:

Supplies:

Neenah Solar White card stock\

Kraft card stock

Patterned paper from stash

Mama Elephant Playful Pups Stamp Set

There She Goes Stamps Size Matters Stamp Set

Copic Markers

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

\Acrylic block

ATG tape and tape runner

Paper trimmer

Martha Stewart Crafts Scoring Board

Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Oval--Small

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Hope to see some of you join in this challenge!

NON #27 + No Line Watercolor Cupcake + Lots of Layers

Hello, hello!

This month's theme at Naughty or Nice Challenges is CUPCAKES!! I hope you can join us in the fun!

This card is absolutely loaded with layers!  I love the edge and the pink paper peeking out from the inside.  I tried the no line watercolor look that has become quite popular in the card making world with the cupcake.   I masked the wrapper and the icing to get the different colors so that I only had to stamp it once and avoid the possibility of not lining them up correctly.  I used Distress Ink and Distress Markers to color the image, fussy cut it then covered the icing with glossy accents.  I adhered it on the layers of circles using Action Wobblers. I thought the circles just weren't enough, so I added the doily, layered some flags, corner chomped the edges and felt like that finished it off. 

I love the edge of this card! I don't use the die set very often, but am always happy with the results when I do. I definitely need to put it ot use more! 

Supplies:

Spellbinders Borderabilities Card Creater Dies--A2 Curved Borders One

Cupcake Stamp

Neenah Solar White Card Stock

Strathmore Watercolor Paper

Card Stock and Patterned Paper from Stash

Action Wobblers

Pop Dots

Doily

We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

Distress Ink and Markers in Antique Linen and Picked Raspberry

Glossy Accents

Water

Paintbrush

Altenew's FANTASTIC Card Drive! Please Help Spread the Love!

Hello all :)

Just dropping in real quick to mention a fantastic card drive that Altenew is hosting right now.  Card drives are an important way to spread love, hugs and cheer across the miles, and although they're all important, this one is different than any I've seen. Day after day; week after week; month after month; and even year after year, so many elderly people in nursing homes go without a single visitor.  Whether their children have passed or sadly, if they just don't care, they too often spend their days alone. You can help, even if you're hundreds of miles away!  This card drive focuses on collecting and delivering Mother's Day and Father's Day cards for these lonely souls! Isn't that so darn cool?!

I'm not affiliated with Altenew in any way, I just love how special this card drive is and I want to invite you to share the love to those who really need it. Altenew is collecting cards between March 21 and April 26 and per Altenew's website, here are the guidelines:

• Cards may be for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.  Sentiments should be generic – a specific greeting such as “so happy you’re my dad” wouldn’t really work.

• Please sign your name on the inside of each card.  You may also include a note and where you are from!

• Include an envelope for each card you send, and make sure they are not sealed.

• To be eligible for the giveaway, please include a post-it note with your name and email address. (one post-it note per package, please.)

• We would love for you to use Altenew products, but of course your cards may use products from any companies!

• Send cards to:

         Altenew
         PO Box 249
         East Meadow, NY  11554

I hope you're able to spread some smiles and join us in the fun!  Check out Altenew's blog for more information.

Happy day!

NON "Over the Rainbow" Challenge + DT Call!

Hi everyone! This is such an excited month at Naughty or Nice Challenges!

It's spring! The trees and flowers are coming to life and it's time to open the windows to enjoy the breeze!  Along with warmer weather comes rainy weather (and allergies!) and if we're lucky....rainbows, which brings us to our new challenge.  For the month of April, we want to see what you can create when you're inspired by rainbows.  In addition to this fun theme, we are also having a design team call (YAY!!), so if you've dreamed of being one of the troublemakers and can commit to a deadline with one or two cards a month, if you can have fun without drama, and can meet a few other easy requirements, please join us in this month's challenge by linking your card up on the NON blog and add "DT" after your name :) We're a fun group of ladies and are excited to have new members :)

I made this card for the wedding of two of my friends and they were so happy with it :)  I used my Silhouette to weld the hands of the two women together and used the negative space as the focal point. I wanted to add some depth to the card so I trimmed the white layer so that the silhouettes would be in the corner and adhered it to a foam sheet before adding it to the card base. The rainbow hearts were made with a stencil. embossing paste and Distress Inks, which can be fun, but it's so very messy! Clean up as you go to make it easier on yourself :)

Don't forget to stop by the blog to see what my teammates came up with and submit your entry! You have until April 25...and don't forget to add "DT" after your name if you'd love to join the team!

Supplies:

Silhouette

Neenah Solar White

Black card stock from stash

Silhouette file 

Stampin' Up 

White Embossing Powder

Heat tool

Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste

Palatte knife

Simon Says Stamp Falling Hearts Stencil

Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Squeezed Lemonade, Mowed Lawn,  Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves)

Foam paper

Movie Inspired + NON Challenge #25

Hello out there!

Who doesn't love a good movie?!  I really love watching movies and have been doing a lot of it lately since my husband recently had surgery.  It's a great way to kick back and relax with great entertainment :)  This month I was excited to hear that our theme for the Naughty or Nice Challenge is "At the Movies". SO many possibilities with this one! Let's see if you have a guess as to what inspired this month's card....

Any ideas?

As soon as I got it I thought "Alice in Wonderland"! I love that movie and the remake with Johnny Depp was the first movie my son saw when he was a baby. We went to a drive in and I expected to nurse him so he'd fall asleep the whole time, but he had other plans and watched almost the entire thing, which absolutely amazed me!  He must have loved all the beautiful colors in it :) OK back to the card....if you're going to analyze all the details, sure some of the things are not in the movie at all. Alice didn't have a bear, she had a cat, BUT she did have singing flowers all around, and everyone remembers the Queen of Heart and the cards. There's even a little teacup! She's got long hair and a dress like Alice, and even has (what I assume) are earmuffs, which can totally represent Alice doing what she pleases and not listening to anyone else.   The movie is so wackadoo and all over the place, so I made the colors do the same thing.  Love :)

I tried to use Copics at first, but I didn't like the way it looked. It was too put together and wasn't exactly what I was looking for.  To make this one, I took watercolor paper and used three colors of Distress Ink to create the background.  I then heat embossed the Gorjuss image in black embossing powder and added a few sequins and called it a day. It's. Perfect :)

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you join us at the NON blog to see what the rest of my teammates came up with and to join us in the fun!

Supplies:

docrafts Gorjuss Santoro Rubber Stamp in Dear Alice

Strathmore Watercolor Paper
Neenah Solar White Card Stock
Distress Ink (Seedless Preserves, Cracked Pistachio and  Abandoned Coral)
Sequins from stash
Black Embossing Powder
Heat Tool
Anti-static bag

"Dear Apple" Gorjuss + Seeing Red Challenge

Hello, hello!

I wanted to stop in today with another card for the "Seeing Red" challenge at Naughty or Nice Challenges. The contest ends at midnight PST on February 25. so you still have time to join.   This is such a beautifully simple card, but I just love it. I wanted the apple to stand out because it was just perfect for this theme. It reminds me a lot of Snow White and the apple the witch wanted to give her.

I made this card using the "Dear Apple" Gorjuss stamp set from DoCrafts. I will be doing a blog review on some of their things in the near future so stay tuned :)  They are the most gorgeous stamps that I've seen in both quality and appearance. They're made of rich thick red rubber and the image is flawless. Flawless, people!  I'm not kidding when I say I just stared at them when I first got them. I was amazed at how pretty and sturdy they were!

To make this card, I made an A2 base out of Neenah Solar White Card Stock and heat embossed the image in Ranger's Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder. I colored the apple with Copics (R 12, 14 and 17; YG 07), then stopped there because I was happy. Gorgeous :)

Thanks for stopping by today! Don't forget to join us in the challenge!

Naughty or Nice "Seeing Red" Spinner Card

Happy February!

This month's challenge at Naughty or Nice Challenges is "Seeing Red", so get that red ink, ribbon, card stock and embellishments together and join in the fun!

This technique is really fun to do! To make this card:

--Cut a circle out of both your card base and another piece of card stock, then die cut two scalloped hearts.

--Sandwich the thread in between the hearts making sure to leave several inches of thread on both ends.  If you use glue, it may be helpful to tape the thread on before gluing the hearts together.  If you're a tape kind of gal like me, just make sure to tape it down before adhering the hearts together.

--Center the heart in the window of the card base.  When you're happy with the placement, make sure the thread is taut and tape it to the card base.  Trim the ends so you cannot see them. 

--Use a background stamp for the second piece of card stock and attached ribbon to the bottom.  

--Line up the windows and adhere the pieces with dimensional tape.  

Supplies:

Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Ribbon from stash

Herringbone Impression Obsession Cover a Card

Red card stock

Silver string

Big Shot

QuickKutz Nesting Lace Hearts

Spellbinders Circle Dies

Thanks for visiting today! I hope to see some of you join in the challenge :) You have until Feb. 25 to submit your creation.

Runaway Dogs!

Hello there :)

I was recently running late to go shopping and run some errands with my mom when we drove past a woman trying to catch her dog on a busy street. It was at that moment I realized exactly why I was running behind! I stopped and rolled down the window, asking if she needed help. While trying to catch this dog, she told me she did need help and that another dog of hers was also loose. Yikes!  She was having trouble walking and we weren't sure what was going to happen with two loose dogs that may possibly go in different directions on a busy street, but of course we pulled over to help because that's the kind of people we are :)

We ended up catching the dogs and drove them and owner back to their home safely :) She was such a sweet woman and was so thankful for us. She was crying and saying we were her angels. It still makes me smile to think about her and her sweet Houdini dogs :)   We didn't exchange names, but she briefly held my hand and hugged my mom. Such a sweet woman and I'm so glad we could help her!  Mom and I thought it would be a  nice idea to drop off food and a card for her escape artists. I hope they like them!

I just had to buy this Playful Pups stamp set from Mama Elephant because the little grey dog reminded me of one of my dogs :)  I stamped them and colored with Copic markers.  I'm very excited because I normally struggle with creating shadows under images, but feel like I did great with them on this card. I always want to make them big but I guess that small is the key LOL  The sentiment was embossed with white embossing powder and I used an old Stampin' Up background stamp to create the distressed background.

Supplies:
Neenah Solar White Card Stock
Black Cardstock
Playful Pups Stamp Set from Mama Elephant
White Embossing Powder
Anti-Static Tool
Heat Ttool
Copic Markers
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Memento Ladybug Ink
Stampin' Up Canvas Background Stamp

That does it for me today. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Let's Get Silly! + Naughty or Nice January Challenge

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!  

Our first challenge of 2016 at Naughty or Nice Challenges is a silly one. Do something that makes you chuckle, something that makes you smile. Be silly.  Every time I see this card I giggle, so I know it definitely fits the bill :)

I started by masking off a rectangle on my paper, then used Distress Inks to fill in the space and  added Perfect Pearls on top of it for a cool shimmery effect.  I have these really great wood glasses and mustaches from Oriental Trading that I colored black and added to it to give it some personality.  I love these wood pieces! They are very reasonably priced and you can do so much with them!  I stamped on the bow tie and hat because, let's just face it, glasses and a mustache just look better with them :) Finally,  I drew on the little arms and legs and used patterned paper from my stash on the card base.  Fun, huh?!

You have until Jan. 25 to join us in the challenge so head on over to the blog and share a bit of your creativity with us :)  Thanks for stopping by today!