A New Year with Old Friends

Coffee of the Day - Gingerbread

Hello and Happy Thursday! the weekend is just around the corner!
Mick made a surprise visit home today, so that has been a real treat! it has been snowing like crazy for the past few days. we have SO MUCH SNOW! you know I'm a happy camper! bad news is that we still have no heat in the house and the plow truck is broken down. good thing we aren't going anywhere! hopefully the part for the heater will get here the first part of next week. it's been a lonnnnng few weeks. thank goodness we have a few space heaters that have helped. temps are to be down below 0* tonight, so we are going to be bundled up.....

my craft room has a gas heater, so I was in there toasty warm today! ooooh it was so nice to be both warm AND crafty! grins!

image is from Sassy Studios Designs from their Facebook Challenge, sentiment is Create with TLC for their Show it Off Sunday, papers are from the Basic Grey Aspen  Frost collection, fabric brads are Martha Stewart, rhinestones and roses are Wild Orchid Crafts. stickles were used to accent the folds of her dress as well as the tree inside the card.

I couldn't get a very good photo of the inside of the card, but this is a twisted easel card. I hadn't tried this particular technique before. I've made standard easel cards, but not the twisted variety. the inside of the card has not only the die cut tree, but also a portion of a doily and some washi tape. a button helps hold the front easel open.

Challenges:
Scrapbook Blessings - twisted easel from Ch #4
Desert Island Crafters - glitter (stickles), die cut, snowflakes (bg paper), 3 layers, distressing
CRAFT - anything goes
Creatalicious - 2014 wishes
Oozak - anything goes/blue tones (mine is more aqua and teal. hope that it will count)
Natalie and Amy's - one for the girlies
Crazy Challenge - celebrate the new year
Red Carpet Studio - New Year's Eve: new fabric brads

Guest Designer at Digi Stamps 4 Joy

Coffee of the Day - Red Velvet Cake

I recently won a challenge over at Digi Stamps 4 Joy and they so kindly asked if I would be interested in also being a guest designer. I was happy to say yes! :)  the challenge is to create an easel card that also has bling.

I used the image 'Tropical Sunset' and Basic Grey Shine On paper. the sentiment is from Create with TLC. it reads, "A Sunbeam to warm you."  Spellbinders Reverse Wonky Rectangles dies were used for the shapes.

The card base was sprayed with glimmer mist for some added shine. the main image was first watercolored. The sun and water were then over-painted with various shades of glimmer mist to add more sparkle. it really has a gorgeous shine irl - subtle. 

those of you who are regular blog readers know the strict criteria my guys impose on any masculine cards I make. so because this card is going to a guy, I had to be sure to not add any bows or that other 'girly' stuff that makes my  men roll their eyes at me! ;) I did add some rhinestones to the corner, but hopefully the burlap (manly man grunt!) and coconut button (another manly man grunt!) will keep their rolling eyes diverted! ha!

thank you so much to Margy at Digi Stamps 4 Joy for the lovely guest designer invite! I had so much fun making this card! I do hope all of you will give it a go! :)

Challenges:

Paper Pretties - fabulous folds

Loves Rubberstamps - great outdoors

Papertake Weekly- weather with you

Cards for Men - anything goes

Melonheadz - fancy folds

Ooh La La - easel cards

Paper Playtime - more than one fold

Basic Grey - masculine

Word Play Saturday - weather