Gruffie Bear Loves Birthday Cake!

Coffee of the Day - Maple Fudge

I needed a very special birthday card for a very special young lady, so what better stamp to pull out of hibernation than one of my Gruffie Bear ones from House Mouse and Friends? I just love these bears so much! they always seem to be getting themselves into situations I find myself in, too! :)

the stamp itself is a big one, so the card is a unique size. buffalo plaid paper is a scrap, so I'm sorry I don't know the mfg. The person who will receive it loves nature and the outdoors, so I thought it fun to use the plaid paper and burlap ribbon to give it a bit more rustic feel, but still add the embellies to make it girly, too.

sentiment is from Create with TLC, button card is vintage, oval sentiment and little flag punches are by SU!, main image die is Spellbinders, tickets & balloon are from my stash, and flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts. red roses on image as well as WOC ones are covered in distress stickles.

Really Reasonable Ribbons used: Lipstick Red Seam Binding and Burlap Center Stitch Red.

Thanks for stopping by! hope you are doing well. :)

p.s. there is a Build-A-Bear gift card tucked inside this card!

Challenges:
Gruffies and Guests - red and/or green
House Mouse and Friends - plaid
Aud Sentiments - anything goes with a sentiment
Craft Rocket - add a sentiment
Crafty Girls - anything goes
Julia Spiri - add a sentiment
Pile it On - any holiday/celebration (birthday)
Inky Impressions - our furry friends
WAW - anything family friendly goes
Crafty Sentiments - anything goes
Get Creative - birthday
Incy Wincy - critters
Melonheadz - tic tac toe (sentiment, flowers, ribbon)

Sending Christmas Blessings with Gruffy in a Box of Ornaments

Coffee of the Day - Maple Walnut

Today is my birthday - wooo hoooo!  so this is going to be a fast post. we are heading out for lunch and a movie soon. plus I needed to get this card posted to make a challenge deadline.  Mick will be coming over later this afternoon once he gets off work. will be FABULOUS to have the entire family together! we're also celebrating Father's Day since everyone will be back at work/Camp tomorrow.

I have totally fallen short on getting started on Christmas cards this year, so was glad to see the House Mouse challenge of Holidays. can you believe this is my first Christmas card so far?! normally I have at least a dozen made by this time. oh well. we can only do what we can do.

The main image stamp is Gruffies Decorating Bear, sentiment stamp is by Unity, papers are Simple Stories Cozy Christmas, flowers & leaves are Petaloo, buttons are from my stash as is the white satin ribbon. little twine piece is re-purposed from a bag of dog food and then a doily portion was added to the lower right hand corner. oh yes, the ornaments are covered in shimmerz paint. lots of distressing, as per usual! :)

will hopefully have my blog candy up tomorrow!

Challenges:
House Mouse and Friends - Holiday
DeConstructing Jen -  final sketch :(
Allsorts - use a stamp (House Mouse and Unity)
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Ch - merry and bright
Catch the Bug - bingo: flower, ribbon, player's choice (twine)
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - ribbon or lace (ribbon)
Moving Along with the Times - inspired by a song ('It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas')
ABC Christmas - 'L' is for lyric ('It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas')
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas extra - anything Christmas goes
Let's Craft and Create - add some sparkle (shimmerz paint on ornaments)
Sparkle's Christmas - Christmas Animals
Bunny Zoe's - Furry Animals

Look for the Small Miracles

Coffee of the Day - Maple Walnut

Today I am sharing a long adored stamp - 'Lavender Bouquet' from the Gruffies line by House Mouse. I have a thing about fresh lilacs. I guess because I used to pick them from the bushes when I was a little girl. there scent is one of my most faves. mine will soon be blooming, and I am so excited! :)

I used some free digital paper from Far Far Hill, flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, a precious sentiment by Paulette at Create with TLC, vintage buttons, dies by Spellbinders (main image and sentiment) as well as Cheery Lynn (leaf flourish), some gorgeous floral trim that I can't for the life of me remember where I purchased, manilla tag, satin ribbon, and a little kraft bag that I am re-purposing. the lilacs have accents with a wink of stella glitter pen. little banners along the edge were made with a punch by SU!

card edges were painted with acrylic paint. this is a large card to accommodate the large stamp size. I have left the tag blank for now. will add a sentiment or hand written message once I decide who it is going to. might even adhere a gift card to the tag with glue dots if I am so inclined. :)

Take care, and I hope your week is going well so far!

Challenges:
Aud Sentiments - sketch 131 with a sentiment
Gruffies and Guests - die cuts
Die Cuttin' Divas - water a flower day
Top Tip Tues - animals
Stamp and Create - May Flowers
Fashionable Stamping - old favorite (it's been many years since I last used this fun stamp!)
Glitter 'n Sparkle - use some ribbon
Great Impressions - celebrate spring
Dragon's Lair - bouquet of flowers
Crafting with an Attitude - anything goes/spring fever
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie - photo insp (bear)
WAW - anything encouraging goes
Paper Creator's Crafts - animals
Sisters of Craft - anything goes