Designing DIVAS Challenge Vintage

Hello Friends!

I have had an interesting couple of days with my computer! Don't you just want to scream when you know where you want to go, you know it's IN THERE, and you can't get to it?!?!?! After many trials and even a system restore, I am once again able to get to "Blogland" and my friends! I have to admit, I was starting to feel some withdrawal symptoms. Whew!!

I am excited and honored to be hosting the challenge for our Designing DIVAS Blog Group this month! I had the perfect April Fool's Challenge all ready to go and then I couldn't get on to SCS! Meant to be, I guess! The "real" challenge is one of my favorite projects to make! (Of course!) You can make it as simple or intricate as you like! As you can see in the photo, it is to make a VINTAGE CARD! By vintage, I mean before WWII. And no, I was not around for that era! Shame on those of you who were thinking that!! But, I do love the detail and depth of color of images from that era. To take the challenge one step further, you can make the image 3D like I did on this card.

I started by printing the image onto glossy 4x6 photo blanks. I printed it three times. I adhered one print to the green card base. Then, I cut the next print apart including the interior pic. The third print, I cut out only the floral arrangement. The second layer is adhered with dimensionals as is the third layer. Very simple to do and it gives you real depth on your catd. Still, it's easy to mail and takes less time than stamping and coloring an image.

There are many resources for vintage images. Two of my favorites are Digital Two for Tuesday and Vintage Holiday Crafts. DTFT gives you images to print and color while VHC has beautiful vintage clip art.

So, how 'bout it? Up for the challenge? Can't wait to see what the DIVAS create! You can check out their blogs by clicking on the DIVAS names on the sidebar. Such amazing talent these ladies have!!

Thank you so much for visiting today! I hope you will come again soon! And I "challenge" you to leave a comment and let me know what you think of these projects! I would love to hear how you go about your work and especially any 3D ideas you may have!

ETA: Sorry, I forgot to mention that the card base was embossed using the CB and the Victoria folder!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Glitterbees Challenge Thankful

Hello Everyone!

Today I have a very special card to share with you! It is for the Glitterbees Challenge to use Teal, Peach and Orange hosted by Amy! Even more than the challenge, this card represents how thankful I am that a turn of events this week had a blessed outcome!

This past weekend my girls' father and my former husband suffered a heart attack. He made it to the hospital and after a battery of tests, it was found he had blockage in almost ninety percent of his arteries. This is a retired US Marine with a family history of heart disease. The sheer fact he made it through the attack was miraculous! He had quadruple bypass surgery on Wednesday and came through with his usual Marine style. Surgery was completed early with a very short recovery time and he was off the heart and lung machines, breathing tube out, sitting up and talking in less than three hours! Even though we are no longer married, we share two wonderful girls and he is very important to our lives. Needless to say, there was much prayer going on and stress levels were still high. We are all blessed that God's grace and mercy and healing are evident in our lives. That is why this card is even more special to me. I am so thankful for the blessings and love that covers me, my family, my friends, and, yes, even the man I was once married to. Thank you for letting me share this story with you and for all the prayers and good thoughts that came from my wonderful blogging friends!

I started with the deep orange card base and adhered DP stock from the DCWV Fun in the Sun Stack. I was a little perturbed that the base stock peeled even though it was scored. So, plan B was to distress all the edges! I was actually happy with the look afterwords. I punched an accent flower and added a button to the center. I also added buttons to the flowers printed on the DP stock. I used dental floss for thread in the buttons. I stamped the "Thankful" sentiment with a Fiskars stamp, which is a candy prize from Ms. Loretta, in Chestnut Roan Chalk ink.

I haven't decided what I am going to do with this card yet. My first thought (and the one I will probably go with) is to display it in my craft room as a constant reminder of all I have to be thankful for!

Sorry for the long post! I don't usually like to share too much personal info here, but I felt I needed to share this with you and maybe remind us all again of the many blessings we share in our daily lives! I hope you will visit again soon as I am planning a much more festive post the next time!! Have an awesome weekend and hug those you love with a little more gusto, OK??

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Designing DIVAS Challenge READ

Greetings from the Great Smoky Mountains! We are finally thawing out and seeing some wonderful buds on the trees! I so love Spring!!

Today's card is for the Designing DIVAS Blog Group Challenge hosted by Gina. Gina challenged us to incorporate a theme of books or reading. Me being me, I had to go "off the chart" a little!

This card is going to my daughter who is in Germany for a few more months. They gave me the outstanding news that their new duty station will be Ft Knox, KY! That's only four or so hours from home!!! After three years in Germany, you can imagine how excited I am to have them so close!!

I started this card with a Kraft card stock base. I then printed a map of our area off the computer and adhered it to the base. I used my Cricut ( which was a gift from this daughter ) to cut out the sentiment. I wrote the "hurry home" with a CM fine marker and punched it out with the Word Window punch. I used an oval punch to make the matte layer. I then added the pink flowers with a purple gem brad in the center. The little red heart you see marks the place where we live. I also scalloped the bottom of the top layer to add a little interest.

This was a fun challenge and a fun card for me! I think I got the "read" part in there even if it is a map and sentiment!! You have to read a map, right?!?!? Yep! I thought so, too!

I hope you have enjoyed your visit here today! Don't be bashful and don't be a stranger...come on by any time!! After your first visit, you are no longer a guest, you know! On the second visit you become a friend and if you are a regular follower......well, shoot, you might as well be family!!
Many thanks to each of you for your time and for your comments. I treasure both!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Glitterbees Challenge Operation Write Home

Hello Everyone! Hope you are having a great weekend!

Our Glitterbees Blog Group has another challenge for us hosted by Cindy! Cindy's challenge was to make a card for Operation Write Home with a Father's Day theme. OWH is a wonderful organization that gathers handmade cards and sends them to our troops. It was an honor to make a card for this cause!

I started with a maroon card base and layered DP. I stamped the pocket watch with Walnut Stain ink, cut it out and added a brad for the watch arms. The sentiment is also stamped in Walnut Stain and cut out with Nesties. I added mini brads to the corners for a little extra oomph! A fairly simple card but one I think a soldier would like to send. I sure hope so!

I am so happy you dropped by today! I hope you will come back often! It's been a dry spell for me, but I think I have some juices flowing again! I always appreciate your comments and ideas so please let me know you were here!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Glitterbees Challenge

Hello and Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend and got to share some great time with their Valentine!

I have the honor to be hostess for the Glitterbess challenge this time around! The card today is my interpretation of our next challenge! The challenge is to make a shaped card! However, the shape can be anything but a square or rectangle!! That means it can be a circle, a diamond, an apple, a car....wherever your mind and inspiration lead you! There are some great shape cards on Mel Stampz under Templates, on Google search, as well as YouTube.

My card uses the Martha Stewart resized flower templates from Mel's blog. There are five different size flowers and I layered them all. I started with the largest and cut it on the fold to form the card base in white card stock. The other layers are cut from wallpaper. The green layers are edged with a gel pen. The floral layers are edged with Stickles. The card layer is edged on top with sea green bead trim. The back of the card is edged with lace trim. I also cut another large flower to use on back to cover the lace edge. Gluing the trims was a bit tricky and took some drying time, but the results were worth it! All the layers are attached with glue dots. The final touch is an antique button added to the center of the card.

This card was made for a lady very dear to me! Just being near her makes my heart sing! She makes my world a much better place to be! And, although her birthday isn't until March, I wanted to share her card with you now. Don't worry! Mom doesn't do computers or visit blogs!! LOL!!

I hope you enjoyed what you have seen here today and you will join us in this challenge! You can visit our challenge blog and link your card. We would love to see what you have created! You have until the end of February to post your card for this challenge. We have new challenges the first and the fifteenth of each month! You don't have to be a Glitterbee to participate so come on over and join us!

Thank you so much for your visit today! It is always so special when you drop by! We'll keep the light on for ya! (But don't look for the motel sign...look for the creeks and cats!!)

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Glitterbees Challenge Neverending Card

Greetings Everyone!

I have a fun Glitterbees challenge card for you today! Loretta is our hostess for this challenge and she asked us to make a neverending card! I have seen these all over the web but this is my first attempt! So here goes...!

I decided to make a Valentine for all the Ladies in the Glitterbees Blog Group on SCS! These ladies have become dear friends and I admire all their talent! Hope you enjoy it!

I started with four pieces of white card stock cut at 3"x 6". I scored all four pieces vertically at
1 1/2". Then I scored all four pieces horizontally at 1 1/2 " from each end. I laid two pieces butted together vertically on my work desk and added DS tape to all four corners. Then I took the other two pieces and layered them on top going horizontally. Next I folded on all the score lines and burnished them well with a bone folder. Now I had my card base and I could start having some fun! I stamped the background on all folds with a heart stamp. For the front, I used my bee stamp and my SU Love Ya! The Love Ya images I heat embossed with clear powder. I crimped red card stock and punched out four hearts, turning the paper so the lines of the crimp go different ways. I punched out the small hearts and added them with 2way glue. For the next fold, I stamped bee mine and added the sentiment and two foam hearts. All the bees are colored with Prisma pencils. For fold #3, I stamped hearts on the four center panels and added glittered hearts. I also stamped love bugs on four panels. On fold #4, I used the bee stamp and Love Ya stamp again. I finished the back fold with the Love bug stamp.

I was thrilled when my stamped images and the sentiment came out going in the right directions!! I had visions of upside down hearts and bees flying backwards!!

I want to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day! A special wish for love and laughter to my Glitterbee girls! You are all awesome!

Thank you for spending some time here today and sharing in our challenge! You can participate, too, if you like! Just add your post to Mr. Linky on our challenge blog! We will also have a new challenge coming up on February 15th! Hope you will join us!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Glitterbees Challenge You Bless Me

Hello Friends!

Today's post is the challenge for the Glitterbees Blog Group! We were to use green, pink and blue in our project. I went a step further and challenged myself to make my first acrylic card! Whew! Definitely a learning experience! Still another challenge was trying to photograph it! I have so much to learn! I have to say, however, that I am glad I tried it. I will try it again someday, too, but not this week!!

I started with a transparency sheet and cut it to a standard card base. I then scored it and folded it in half. Now's when the fun started! I used a 1 1/2 " and a 2" scallop punch to cut circles from embossed card stock. I had the layout in my mind but covering the adhesive was going to be tricky. I went back to my old friends, glue dots, and managed to get the circles where I wanted them. I used a white brad for the center of the flower and adhered it the same way. The white scallop you see in the background is an oval punched piece which I adhered to the back side of the card. This gave me a place to add a greeting and signature. I used my stampamajig to line up the sentiment which is stamped with black StazOn ink. The ribbon is from Basic Grey and I used my glue dots once again. The layout is not my favorite but it let me learn about working with the acrylic without too much stress!
Since I know enough about photography to fill a thimble with your thumb in it, I guess my hardest challenge was the picture. I tried several backgrounds and angles but I just couldn't get the outline of the card to be seen. I comforted myself with the fact that it is supposed to be CLEAR and to go with my best shot! You photographers out there can feel free to leave your pity remarks in the comments! I'm a big girl...I can take it!!

Thanks so much for coming to visit today and sharing my learning experience! Each of you is special to me and YOU BLESS ME! Please come back by when you can. Next time, I may even try an acrylic album!! .........Nah!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Love Birds

Hello Friends! I hope your week is going well!

I have a card to share today that I have wanted to do for some time, but I always got caught up in other directions! Now I get to play!!

This card is for two challenges. The first is the WCYC Wednesday challenge from
Paper Pleasures and Stamping Delights
where we are to create the card using our own ideas and no sketches. It is also for the Designing DIVAS Blog Group challenge that asked us to use real or faux stitching.

I started with a kraft card base. I then layered a scalloped piece of DP which is actually wall paper, as are two of the birds! The birds are cut with Nestabilities. The large bird is blue metallic textured card stock that I crumpled and distressed. I also distressed the edges of the smaller birds and the card base. I used a needle paper punch to punch the holes for the faux stitching on the large bird and the card. I "connected the dots" on the bird with a blue metallic gel pen. I used a white gel pen on the card base. I then added a pearl "eye" to the smallest bird. The Love sentiment is stamped with SU craft ink and heat embossed. I used pink satin ribbon to add a final touch! I really like the shabby chic look of this card that can be used as a Valentine or even as an anniversary card. Hope you enjoy it, too!

Please be sure to check out the details for the WCYC Wednesday challenge on the blogsite. Everyone is welcome to play along and there will be prizes each month! You can also see the other DIVAS cards by visiting their blogs which are listed on the sidebar. As always, it is a blessing and a joy to have you visit and I hope you will visit often! Have a great week!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Mountain Birthday

Hello Friends!

Today I am sharing a card I made for a new challenge posting. Check out
Paper Pleasures and Stamping Delights!
Each Wednesday we are challenged to make our own project with no sketch or other challenge...just our own ideas! Love it! Be sure to check out the details and come play along! You are asked to submit only two projects a month!

I need a masculine birthday card this month so I started with black card stock. I stamped everything in white SU Craft ink and added the birds with white gel pen! The inside reads, "Hope your special day has you soaring!".

Thanks so much for stopping by and please do come by often. Lots of challenges in the works!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Glitterbees Challenge Valentines Are For Friends

Hello and Welcome!

Today I would like to share our first Glitterbees Blog Group Challenge! This one was a doozy for me but I had fun with it!

I started with a white card stock card base and stamped a background with a flourished swirls roller. I then added the pink layer. Next came a piece of white card stock stamped in black ink. I stamped the sentiment in SU black craft ink and heat embossed it. I punched it out with a McGill deckle square punch and layered it to a red deckle edge square. These are raised on dimensionals. I added a red organdy bow and the black pearls for accent. I also deckled the outer edges of the card.

I already have someone in mind to send this card to. Hope they like it!

Thanks so much for your visit today and I hope it is just one of many! Be sure to check out the other Glitterbees versions of this challenge on our challenge blog here. So much talent in this group!! You can also join us if you like and post your card with Mr. Linky!

See you again soon!
Blessings to you,
Vicki

Sweet Dreamers Challenge Stylin'

Welcome Friends!

The Sweet Dreamers Blog Group has posted a new challenge for us (thank you, Marti). Challenges are not my forte but I always want to try them. I just have a hard time with someone else's vision for some reason. I need to work on that!!

I started with a purple card base. I then layered 1" x 4 1/4" bands of metallic lavender card stock. I ran these bands through the Cuttlebug in the Bloom Dots folder to add a little texture. Next I cut the scalloped circles with my Nesties and stamped the sentiment on the smaller one. I added dots on the scallops with a lavender souffle pen. I adhered these circles with dimensionals. I punched two sizes of blossoms out of white card stock colored with Brilliance ink. I used rhinestone brads for the centers and adhered them with glue dots. Sorry the pic is a little dark on one side. I was trying out a new lighting system and obviously I had the wrong angle somewhere.

Hope you like my attempt at this challenge and you will stop by again soon!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

He's Checking His List Designing DIVAS Challenge

Greetings Everyone! Are you as glad as I am it's Friday? It's been a busy but fun week!

Today I have a card made for the Designing DIVAS Challenge. The challenge was to use a page from a book on your project. I went straight to the telephone book! Seeing the list of names made me think of Santa and his list. So, after some searching on line, I found this Santa image.
It worked perfectly for what I had in mind.

I started with a white card base and adhered the phone book page to that. Then I stamped the background with a "gifts" stamp. I layered the red card stock and then the black. The Santa was cut out three times and stacked with dimensionals for a 3D effect. I punched the tag and inked the edges with Real Red. The sentiment I printed. The Ho Ho Ho was stamped with another stamp. I glittered Santa's hat trim, beard and other trims with crystal glitter. I also glittered the outer edges of the card. It was close work, but I think I got all the DIVAS names on the list. If I missed someone. I apologize. I just couldn't write any smaller!!

Hope you have enjoyed this fun card. It brings out all the happy memories when I see Santa. I'm just hoping I don't get coal this year!!

Have a great weekend everyone and come back soon!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Happy Brrrr..thday!! Designing DIVAS Challenge

Hello Friends! Aaaah! It's so good to be back home again! No, I haven't left my house, but I did leave my blog for a while. Now, I feel like I have returned from a business trip! LOL!

Today I am playing catch up with some challenges and this is one we were asked to do in our Designing DIVAS Blog Group. We were to make a birthday card with a winter theme. I couldn't think of anything that says winter more than snowflakes!

I started with some blue cardstock for the base. I then layered it with white and cut the edges with deco scissors ( I am waiting for my scallop border punch to arrive!! ) Next is the patterned paper layer. I used my MS doily lace border punch for this one. The center snowflake is actually a 3D sticker I found at Walmart! I am not one to use stickers very much but these are awesome! Very well crafted! I continued the border theme on the inside of the card and used a sentiment stamp for the message.

It feels so good to be playing with paper and creating again!! Now if I can just get caught up on the challenges I have missed, I'll be a real "happy camper"! No wait a minute... Make that a real "Happy Crafter"!!

Thanks for your visit today and I hope you will come back again soon. I'll keep the coffee hot and the light on for you! Oh, if you go by a bakery blog on your way here, pick up a couple of treats, will you?!?!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Designing DIVAS Challenge

Good Morning !

I have a project to share with you today that was made for a challenge with the Designing DIVAS at SCS. We were asked to make a Christmas tree box ornament. This was a real treat for me! I love making 3D projects!

I used patterned card stock for the tree. The swirls that formed the pattern just called out for embossing powder so I used my embossing pen to trace the swirls. I then heat set the gold powder. The picture doesn't show the shimmer nearly enough but it's there. For the flower I used a daisy punch and punched two red and one gold flower. I edged the red petals with gold marker. Next, I layered the pieces and secured them with a gold brad. The hanging loop was made with gold cording.

I hope to make several of these to fill and hang on the tree this year. Always nice to have a little something to give people who visit and they can choose one right from the tree. We have always used candy canes for this before but I think the tree boxes will be a nice touch this year.

Thanks for stopping by today! Come back when you can and stay a while. I'll put the coffee on!

Oh, and don't forget to stop by the Thank You post and leave a comment so you can be in the prize drawing!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Sweet Dreamers Challenge Cute As A Bug

Hello and welcome!

It's time for another Sweet Dreamers Challenge and this week we were to include a bug or bugs in our project! I had these die cut dragonflies and thought they would work perfectly. The real challenge was to find a background for them! I decided to go with a Stampendous set- The Flower Garden, I love the different elements of this set and was able to use several on this card. The bird bath is my favorite. I stamped the cental image and then filled in with the grass and flowers. Next I used pearl chalks to color the background. The sentiment stamp is also from this set. I cut it out with a scalloped oval punch and then layered it onto a blush pink paper. The edges are sponged with Brilliance silver and jade inks. Had to have a little bling so I added the crochet flower with a rhinestone brad. The dragonflies took flight on glue dots. I love the colors in this card; and, although it may look a little more Spring than Fall, I enjoyed a break from the oranges and browns.

Hope you are having a wonderful week so far! It's been a busy one for me. Be sure to check out the previous post to this one so you can enter for the blog candy! And take a look at the other Dreamers challenge projects while you are here! They are listed on the sidebar! Sweet Dreams to all!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Sweet Dreamers' Challenge Christmas Cards with Animals

Hello Everyone! Hope your weekend is turning out to be just what you wanted!

The project I have to share today is for the Sweet Dreamers' Challenge this week which is to make a Christmas card with animals on it! I chose one of my favorite images-the Lion and the Lamb. It is such a beautiful image and says so much! I started with a blue/green card stock base. Then I embossed it with my Snow Dots folder. I wanted a distressed look to the base but my card stock was not white core and the sanding didn't show up very well. So, I versamarked the entire surface and heat embossed with white powder. Now the sanding really made the dry embossing stand out and I got a muted color that I really like. I distressed the edges of the base with a hobby blade. The image is mounted onto cardboard. I deckled the edges and then distressed them with a hobby blade, too. I also sponged the edges with Weathered Wood distress ink. I added silver brads to the corners and then adhered the image with dimensionals. I added the Peace brad as the sentiment. After rounding the corners of the card, I decided I was happy with the look.

This card got me in the mood to make more Christmas cards so hopefully I will be ahead of the season this year...nah, who am I kidding?!?! Sometimes the pressure of the moment makes the creative juices flow more freely so I'll wait for that! Sounds good anyway, don't ya think?

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the other Sweet Dreamers' projects this week. They are listed on the sidebar. Lots of talent and inspiration from these ladies!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Sweet Dreamers Challenge ASC 2

Greetings! Hope your week is starting well!

This week's Sweet Dreamers Challenge is a real doozy for me! It is based on a sketch made by Alyssa. Alyssa is ten years old and quite the crafter! Her mom, Tami, is also part of the blog group. Alyssa now has her own blog and offers sketch challenges each week. She has done a beautiful job this week and Sweet Dreamers wanted to participate.

I have done maybe two other sketch based cards so challenge was an understatement for me on this one! I started with the dove die cut and went on from there but I had no clue it would take me to "Bling City" I just decided to go big bling or go on to the next challenge!
So I did a shadow die cut of the dove in silver, used silver card stock for the background and embossed those with the CB. I had the sequin trim and silver ribbon in my stash. The flower is punched with a MS punch and then embossed with silver powder as is the dove. I adhered the flower to the card with a crystal brad. It doesn't show up too well in the photo, but, trust me... in the light you need shades for this card!!

I have absolutely no idea what I will use this card for but I had a blast making it! And I loved that I had to get out of my comfort zone to create! Even my animals have some sparkle in their coats as they all decided to visit as I was embossing! (We are easily entertained in my house!!)

Thanks, Alyssa, for a great sketch! I am so proud of you! Now you have to promise not to make fun of the old lady with all the shiny stuff on her card!! LOL!!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing my bling adventure with me! I'll try to tone things down by your next visit! I can make no promises though... this was so much fun!!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Have a Ball! Sweet Dreamers Challenge

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

This week's Sweet Dreamers Challenge is to make a card using buttons! Buttons add so much depth and texture to a craft project. However, I am not a big user of them on my cards. I don't know why really...just not something I bring out very often.

When I saw this patterned paper in my stash, I got the idea of a gumball machine. I had the stamp and the rest seemed to fall into place. The base is colored with Prismas. I punched many many circles with a 1/2 " punch and layered them into the globe. I then added the buttons with large glue dots to bring them off the card a little. The gumball stamp was then adhered to the patterned paper and cardstock with dimensionals.

I think this is going to be a great birthday card for any age or gender. You can never have enough "neutral" cards in your stash, can you?

Hope your week is going well and you have time to check out the other Sweet Dreamers projects! They are listed on the sidebar.

Now go out there and Have a Ball!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Welcome Little One, Sweet Dreamers Challenge

Hi and welcome!

Today I have a challenge card for our Sweet Dreamers Blog Challenge, Ebony and Ivory! We were to make a card using only the colors black and white I had this infant image from Digital Two for Tuesday and was excited to have a chance to use it. I used white cardstock for the card base and stamped it with a carriage stamp from Simply Chic Stamps. I cut the image out with decorative scissors. I then layered the image with dimensionals and added the polka dot bow. I also added ribbon to the bottom of the card and adhered the sentiment stamp with pop dots. The sentiment stamp is also from Simply Chic.

Although black and white are not the typical colors for a baby card, I was very happy with the results of this one. Hope you like it too!

Take time to visit our other Sweet Dreamers and see their projects for this challenge. The list is on the sidebar. They are super talented ladies! Why not become a follower here and be sure to visit for our next challenge? Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

The Golden Thread

Good Monday to All! This card is one I made for two challenges this week. The St22 Sketch Challenge on Christian Paper Crafts and the Designing D.I.V.A.S challenge on SCS.

I used translucent vellum over white card stock for this card. I layered the ribbon according to the sketch and then layered the sentiment. The sentiment is stamped with SU craft Close to Cocoa and embossed with gold embossing powder. The card and sentiment layer are then outlined with a gold Zig marker. I also deckled the edges with decorative scissors.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you will come back soon. Have a great week!!

Blessings to you,
Vicki