OWH Sketch Challenge 164

Today's OWH Sketch Challenge sketch-challenge-164 was quite interesting.  I wanted to do an Easter card for friends and family, and I thought a few extras for next year would be nice.  It didn't turn out like I planned.  Perhaps the sentiment was too big, or the layers were not contrasting enough, but it's not one of my favorites.  It looks like one continuous strip across the card instead of side by side strips...

 Anyways, here's the card.

I do love the design paper.  It's Recollections Kaitlyn .  

By the end of the night, I stopped making this sketch all together and made 8 others differently.

Thanks for looking! 

OWH Midweek throwdown

Hello!  I had time to do OWH's midweek throwdown,  YEAH!!
It was a color scheme challenge.  Use blue and green, then add orange. A few days ago, I read an Operation Write Home post on Facebook that asked for children's cards, so it gave me this inspiration:

I used the Boys Will Be Boys cricut cartridge for the cuts.
The paper is from DCWV's  All About Boys Stack
(40% off this week at Michaels)
The sentiment is computer generated.
The rest is from my stash.

I used the flash on this picture to show the orange design paper.  I love the feel of the paper too!

I am entering this in the Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge  which anything Kids was the theme!


God Bless!  Diane

OWH Sketch Challenge #163

Hello!!  The Sketch Challenge this week really got my mojo doing. This sketch gives you a lot of creativity.  Sketch Challenge #163



I wanted to try something different, but I don't know what it's called. Instead of layering the cuts on top of each other, they are inside.  Kinda a recessed or shadowed image...

I popped up the top layers.  The cuts were made on the cricut George and Basics, the solid paper is recollections. I used a sizzix baby geo plate on the orange paper, and the sentiment is from Hero Arts.  The Design paper is from a long time ago, I belive Nana's Kids by DCVW.

This other card I layered in a regular fashion and used stickles to embellish.  The sentiment is Hero Arts as well.  I need to work on keeping a steady hand with the stickles.  I didn't realize how uneven it was until I looked at this picture...

Here are some other creations I did this weekend:

All in all, a pretty productive weekend, I usually only do 3 or 4.  This weekend I made at least 15!    Thanks for looking!

Operation Write Home challenge # 162

This week's Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge # 162 turned out pretty good, but it took a while to create.  I organized all of my scrap paper yesterday and today, and then got to work.  I never saw this sketch before, and here is my version:

The cut is a freebie in the Cricut Craft Room this week.  It was originally a card, then I shrunk it and cut the top off.  I really like the cut, but it left a few frayed edges that I tried to smooth out.  Also, I used the ATV for the middle, and a fine point glue pen for the cut out, but the glue pen parts keep coming off.  I don't want it to end up in the card hospital :'(              YIKES!

For this card, I turned the sketch to the side and rearranged it a bit.  The card stock is recollections but I can't remember the design paper.  You can't really tell, but it has clear shimmer on it, like glitter glue.  It won't flake off.  The embellishments are from my stash.

Thanks for looking.  I wonder what everyone else did...

OWH Midweek Throwdown

Wow it feels good to have a craft space!!  I feel so productive!

This week's Operation Write Home MidweekThrowdown was a new one for me.  They called it a recipe mix where they give us the "ingredients" and we have to come up with the card.  I just started card making, so I enjoy the sketches that have more structure.  The throwdowns, however, are more open to interpretation.  I made my card like the demo, but I'm sure the other card makers are going to make this challenge quite diverse!  This is the recipe:

1 Embossing Folder

1 Border Punch or Die

2 Patterned Papers

1 Ribbon or Twine

I tried a new technique today, sanding!  The embossed paper is Co'ordinations.  I used my Sizzix for the tag and embossing.  What nifty paper it is when you sand it!  The design paper is DCWV - The Crafty Stack.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts and the flower is a stamp from the dollar store.  Hope you like it, now I'm going to see what everyone else came up with!

OWH Challenge # 161 - a little late

This week's Operation Write Home Challenge # 161 intended the use of a focal point.



Even though it's kinda late in the week to post, here it is:

I found this FREE cute digital stamp from Whimsie Doodle.  It's my second attempt at coloring, and I think she's cute.  I used watercolor pencils. In an attempt to blend the brown better, I used yellow.  I also used a little pink for blush.  I wasn't sure how to do freckles.  Also, I had a hard time cutting the circle out.  I used a compass to make the circle and cut it by hand.  If it's a digital print, I print it on the computer, but have to cut it out by hand.  I tried fussy cutting it for another card, but wasn't impressed.

Basement Rebuid with a CRAFT SPACE!!

I can't believe it's been almost three weeks since I posted, but I can't say that it has been out of laziness.  I've been working quite hard these past few weeks.  As you may know, I had a leak in the basement that turned out to have black mold and we had to strip our finished basment down to this:

After waiting for rain/snow to figure out what was going on, we found small leaks along the outside wall of our house.  How to fix it you ask?  We decided on putting in a sump pump.

They did a great job hiding it in a box, and my Dadio is coming in May to attach an access door.  Boy I wish he lived closer ...

Then contractors came for insulation and dry wall.

That's when my work started!  My wonderful husband and I worked over the past few weeks to paint the walls, stain and install the trim, stain all the wooden cabinets that were unfinished. It was really tricky staining, cutting and attaching sides to all of the cabinets since they were previously all together and didn't need to have finished sides.  We also stained the doors in the hallway.  They look so much better!

Finally a ceiling and carpeting!

Here is the new rebuild, with a space to craft and do homework/study.  I still have organizing to do, especially with the piles of scrap paper I've collected...

This is the family room, it is shaped like an L.  The "boot" part of the leg is here:

 This is the craft and study area I have been organizing.

I used to have clear tubs, but I thought it looked very messy, so I went with photo boxes.  I'm not sure if it looks better, but it is more organized.  The large cabinet below on the left is full of fun craft supplies for the kids.

On the other side of the room is this area for homework and other crafting.  My computer and printer are also near the window.  (Blinds are on their way).

I can't say I'm done, but I'm certainly on my way.  I can't wait to start crafting again!! Miss all my crafting buddies online.