Graphicat Sketches #25

Good afternoon!  It's time for another Graphicat Sketches challenge!  Cheri has created another fabulous layout for us to follow!  I love fishtail flags so this was a fun one for me!  I decided to work with Hockey from Kenny K to make a birthday card for a co-worker of mine.  He is paired with the Graphicat Designs "Lace Em Up" sentiment.  Hockey is colored with Copics and cut using the Small Labels Nestabilities from Spellbinder.  I also used the Classic Ovals die to cut out the sentiment.  A Stampin' Up background stamp called Sanded gives the image panel some texture and interest.  The designer paper is Hat Trick by Karen Foster Design.  I used my star Cuttlebug embossing folder on the fishtail flags which were cut using the My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags Stax Die-namics.  I find it challenging to embellish masculine cards so I just added a couple of metal swirls from Making Memories that have been kicking around in my stash forever.

I hope you'll pop over to the Graphicat Sketches blog to see what the rest of the Crafty Catz have created to inspire you!  You have two weeks to play along (the challenge ends May 13th).  

I'm hoping the week flies by!  My crafting agenda is pretty full as I have lots on my To Do list at the moment!  So you may be seeing something else from me this week...  I hope you have a fantastic week and thanks for checking in!

Markers used: (E11, E21, E00, R20, R39, R02, N0, N4, N6, N8, E31, E33, B37, B39).

{hugs}
Regan  

Two Hearts

Hello!  Phew!  What a weekend!  I spent Thursday and Friday nights plus Saturday morning in a crafting frenzy trying to get a shower card and thank you notes made for my brother's Jack and Jill shower Saturday afternoon!  Add to that errands and whipping up his favorite pasta salad and I was one busy gal!

My brother and his fiancee are both Fantasy and SciFi fans and their wedding is a themed wedding where costumes are encouraged.  Knowing they both love Doctor Who I opted for a fun and unconventional approach to their shower!  Using Doctor Who, a freebie image from Mayzy Art, I created a unique wedding shower card.  The image is colored with Copics and fussy cut.  Papers are The Sweetest Thing - Bluebell from My Mind's Eye.  I used a couple of dies (Fleur de Lis Squares Nestabilities from Spellbinders and a flourish from Magnolia Stamps).  Flowers and pearls are the finishing touches.  The sentiment inside is something I found online in a Doctor Who themed Valentine's Day card.  It is an adaptation of a quote by The Doctor from the episode Blink (2007).  The layout is courtesy of Sketch N Stash (#112).  

And as part of their shower gift, I made them thank you notes.  Using a Dalek image I found online, of course!  I started these on Friday and knowing I was pressed for time I wanted to keep them simple.  No coloring.  Just classic black and white with some embossing and die cutting I said.  Please, someone, smack me the next time I say that!  Yes, I saved time by not coloring the image, but with 2 embossed panels and a die cut image, my arm was about to fall off after 75 run-throughs of my Cuttlebug!  And to make matters worse, this beautiful Floral Ovals Spellbinders die is challenging to work with!  I had to poke paper remnants from the die after every use which made an already monotonous chore downright tedious!  But I persevered and completed 25 elegantly embossed and die cut thank you notes!  The sentiment is a spin on the Dalek catch phrase "Exterminate".  Here is the finished card as well as a look at them in process.

And as you can see from this photo, both were a big hit! (And that's Kayne, helping with the gifts, already taking his ring bearer duties very seriously!)

I was so exhausted last night when I got home (after the shower and  family fun night at my parents' which included ice cream and watching The Hobbit) that I crashed for the night almost as soon as I got home!  I fear that all of this means I have neglected my The Corrosive Challenge duties this week, but I hope to get some crafting accomplished now.  The small man is already sound asleep after 4 hours of outside time today.  It was a gorgeous day- sunny and warm!  I put together his new Sandy Lagoon Waterpark and there he stayed for hours while I lounged on the deck, sipping my mocha iced coffee and reading!  It was the perfect lazy Sunday afternoon and just what we needed!

I hope your weekend was just as wonderful!  Thanks for visiting!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, R20, N0, Y11, Y28, Y32, E23, E25, E27, E31, E70, E74, E79, B34, B37, B39).

{hugs}
Regan

April {Bridal} Showers

Hello!  It's been about a week since my last post, but this seems to be the beginning of my busy season so you'll probably be hearing from me a little more often for the next month or so.  Weddings, graduations, and Mother's Day (oh my!) are going to keep me very busy!

Today the occasion is a wedding.  A bridal shower to be exact.  My co-worker asked for a special card for a friend of hers.  The theme- April showers and parasols!  Say no more!  I knew of just the image for the occasion!  This is Umbrella Love from A Day For Daisies and it is one of Sami's images (my first purchase from her collection, but definitely not my last!).  This cute couple is colored in Copics with a bit of paper piecing on the umbrella.  At first the requested pink and navy color scheme had me stumped, but I found some lovely papers in a couple of my My Mind's Eye pads (Moments and Lost & Found Two: Blush) that worked wonderfully!  Embellishment-wise there's a little something for everyone on this card: embossing, die cuts, punches, pearls, and flowers!  Not to mention a fantastic sketch from Digi Sketch Challenge!  They also have an optional challenge of "Rain, Rain, Go Away" as well.

And speaking of showers,  I am off now to work on some things for my brother and his fiancee's Jack & Jill shower which is Saturday!  Like I said, it's going to get busy around here!  I can't believe my baby brother is getting married one month from today!  

Markers used: Copics (E11, E00, B32, B34, B37, B39, 100, N0, N4, N8, E23, E25, E37, E39).

Challenges:
- A Day For Daisies: #68-Use Newsprint (on the pink polka dot designer paper)
- Charisma Cards: #16-Polka Dots 
- Cute Card Thursday: #166-Can't Stop The Rain 
- My Heart Pieces Digital Stamp Challenge: Embossing, Wet or Dry (white panels are dry embossed with clouds)
- Shelly's Images:  April Showers Bring May Flowers

{hugs}
Regan

Boston Strong

Living only an hour away from Boston, terror struck too close to home this week.  Watching the chaos unfold on the news, my heart hurt for the victims, their families, their friends...  But my shock and sadness are tinged with anger.  What kind of monster could do this?  Coward.  You picked the wrong city to pick on!  The people of Boston are tough and tenacious, and we WILL find you!  There WILL be justice! 

Today the world is a complicated place.  There is too much violence, ignorance, hate, intolerance, greed...  Is this a world we are comfortable handing over to our children?  Change needs to start with each of us!  Yet out of the ashes of tragedy heroes emerge.  The police and other emergency responders.  Everyday people who rushed towards danger in order to help others.  The medical staff at Boston's world-renowned hospitals who mobilized to treat the victims.

I mourn for the injured and for the loss of three innocent lives- people I've never met, who were simply enjoying a beautiful Spring day with their family or friends, and were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I keep seeing Martin's sweet smiling face in photos and think how it must feel to lose a child, a spouse, a friend.  His poignant message scrawled in marker on poster board as only an 8 year old can "No more hurting people.  Peace."  Wise beyond his young years and words we all should heed.  

I felt compelled to channel my feelings into something creative and the result is the card above.  The image is Olympics from Saturated Canary.  She is colored with Copics and fussy cut to stand proudly in front of a city skyline silhouette.  Boston strong.

I am supposed to be in the city myself this weekend.  It will feel a little different now, whether we want it to or not, but I will not live in fear.  I will live my life.  We will never let terror win. 

To donate to the Boston Marathon victims, please visit The One Fund or The Greg Hill Foundation. 

{hugs}
Regan 

   “An eye for an eye would make the whole world blind.” Mahatma Gandhi        

A Special Graphicat Sketches Challenge

This week the Crafty Catz at Graphicat Sketches have agreed with Cheri that we should all make birthday cards for a special young lady for her 8th birthday. We heard about her through a Facebook group that several of us are members of, and we all decided we should see how many of our wonderful followers would like to join in.

Here is the story that touched our hearts:

Ladies, I need your help! quick story I met a wonderful lady through FB playing a game I no longer play. A friend via a friend kinda thing. Her name is Daylyn Michael and she is a fellow military spouse. Her husband Josh survived two Iraq deployments and was medically discharged due to brain trauma from 2 IED explosions. On November 15th 2012 , in Midland Tx, in a parade to honor veterans, a Union Pacific train slammed into the float carrying the 2 of them. He did not survive, Daylen survived without a scratch because her courageous husband threw her from the float so her children would not be orphans. She has asked her friends for a small favor their daughter is turning 8 on the 20th. Her first birthday without her dad. Daylen wants to make it special and all she is asking is that we flood her daughter with cards. Would anyone be willing to send her one? 

This fortnight the challenge is ANYTHING GOES, as long as it's a card for Maci, a birthday card preferably. Graphicat Designs has created some sentiments just for this occasion, and if you would like to use any of them, they are free for the taking HERE.  However, we ask that if you take a sentiment, please use it on a card for Maci. You don't have to use a Graphicat image or sketch for this special challenge, but we'd love it if you do.  After you upload your card to the challenge blog and email one of the design team members (I have a Contact Me tab at the top of my blog with my info) for the address to send your card to Maci, you will be entered to win a $15 GC to Graphicat Designs.

My card features Starla from Saturated Canary.  I paired her with the "Eyes on the Stars" sentiment from Cheri's shop.  I used my Spellbinders Stars Five to cut out the sentiment.  The sketch is also of Graphicat origin (past sketch #4).  Starla is colored with Copics and fussy cut.  I used lots of embellishments on this one- a metal corner, a bling swirl, flowers, pleated ribbon, a glitter chipboard # 8, and a fun mustache banner!  Papers are Happy Day from My Mind's Eye. 

 

   

I hope that you'll take a moment of your crafting time to send Maci some happy mail for her special day!  It will be a hard day for her, I imagine, but perhaps the kindness and thoughtfulness of strangers can make it just a little brighter!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a fabulous day!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, E23, E31, Y11, Y32, YR00, YR02, R20, R46, R81, R85, BG10, BG72, BG75).

Challenges:
- Saturated Canary Challenges: #41-Anything Goes
- Come and Get It Challenges: Kids Birthday Cards 
- Dream Valley Challenges: #54-Happy Birthday 
- The Craft Place: For A Child

{hugs}
Regan   

The Corrosive Challenge #172 - Life's Special Moments

Ever make a card and feel as though it recharged your mojo?  This was that card for me!  I've been in a bit of a crafting slump lately, more focused on other things like my little man, my best friend's 40th birthday party, and a sibling's wedding.  I start every day with ideas of what I will do when I sit down at my craft desk and then by the time my 8 hour work day, dinner, dishes, laundry, bathtime, playtime, story time, and bedtime are all concluded I'm too darn tired to move off the couch!  But sometimes when I forced myself to sit in that chair at that desk, no matter how tired I am, amazing things happen!

We have a new Corrosive Challenge for you this fortnight and that means a new sponsor as well!  A Day For Daisies is one of my favorite companies right now!  Tammy's images are so whimsical and elegant, formed from graceful lines, and I have a wish list a mile long!  

We were lucky enough to be allowed to select one image from the ADFD online shop to work with for our challenge.  I chose "Wedding Veil" for our Life's Special Moments theme.  Life is full of times that are worth celebrating.  Make a project for one of these times - a wedding, a birthday, a new baby, a graduation, a retirement, anything that is cause for merry making and happiness - and share it with us over at The Corrosive Challenge!  I was asked to make a (and I quote) "rustic shabby chic" bridal shower card for a "fashionista".  So, how did I do?

I colored this gorgeous image with Copics, giving just a faint pink blush to her gown and leaving the veil untouched except for the flat back pearls.  I then went to town with layers, die cuts (Spellbinders Ribbon Banners and Romantic Rectangles), pearls, lace, and flowers!  Papers are from the beautiful 6x6 Bramble Rose pad from My Mind's Eye.  The lovely sketch is courtesy of Crafting Life's Pieces (CLP-57).

If you'd like a chance to win a $12 credit to A Day For Daisies please come link up and play along!  If you head over to The Corrosive Challenge blog you'll find the rest of my team has special moments to share with you too!  A Day For Daisies also has a bi-weekly challenge and there is still time to enter Challenge #67-Your Favorite Technique. You must use ADFD image to play along, but Tammy makes that easy by providing a fabulous freebie with every challenge!  I love so many different techniques it is hard to pick just one, but coloring with Copics is at the top of my list!  I also {heart} sketches and adding embellishments, but I wasn't sure if those qualified as techniques.    

When I shared this card with my co-workers it prompted a flurry of orders so I had best make some time at that craft desk today!  Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!  And speaking of life's special moments, here's a peek of our day yesterday at the carnival!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, E23, E34, E79, R20, R81).

Challenges:
- Cute Card Thursday: #264-Butterfly Kisses
- Forever Friends: #59-Die Cuts and/or Punches
- Happy Campers: #14-Flower Power
- Little Miss Muffet: #58-Anything Goes
- Crafts and Me: #128-Lace and Pearls
- Divas By Design: Flowers
- Flutterby Wednesday: #235-Open (Anything Goes)
- Little Red Wagon: #180-Lovely Lace
- Bearly Mine Challenges: #81-Anything Goes
- Can You Digi It: #33-Butterflies
- Through the Craft Room Door: Anything Goes 
- Card Mania: #18-Punches or Die Cuts 
- Artistic Impressions: #36-Anything Goes

{hugs}
Regan         

Curious Birthday Monkey Business

I know I've been quiet again, but I just had to share this little cutie!  Curious George is on his way to wish my co-worker's grandson a very happy 2nd birthday!  Image is a coloring page found online and George is colored with Copics.  The awesome sketch is from Sketch Saturday (#253)!  The papers have been in my stash FOREVER and it was nice to actually use them!  Spellbinders Classic and Picot Circles created the layout. I added a red button and the number 2 cut with a My Favorite Things Die-namics.

We've been busy here as usual!  The weather is getting warmer so we've been able to get outside for some fresh air and exercise!  Here's a little Instagram recap and as you can see, my small man is loving it!

 Love those slide pics!  The sheer joy on his face is priceless!  Today is supposed to be cold and rainy, but the rest of the weekend promises to be better.  I'll be back with a new Corrosive Challenge and maybe some of our weekend fun as well!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

{hugs}
Regan
 

Graphicat Sketches Free For All

It's no April Fool's that it's a free for all over at Graphicat Sketches this fortnight!  Use an previous Graphicat sketch to play along for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Graphicat Designs!

I actually used the most recent sketch we had (#24) because I missed it last time and had already planned this card out.  So here is Santa Pin-up from Sassy Studio Designs in my first Christmas card of the year!  She is colored with Copics, fussy cut, and popped up with foam squares.  I paired her with Cheri's awesome "Be Naughty" sentiment, which I cut out using the Labels Fourteen Nestabilities from Spellbinders.  Papers are Noel by Teresa Collins.  Seam binding, baker's twine, and a few large flat back pearls are my only embellishments. 

Head over to the Graphicat Sketches blog to see what my talented teamies have been up to!  With 24 amazing sketches to choose from there is bound to be something for everyone!

Thanks for the visit and have a fabulous day!

Markers used: Copics (E21, E11, E00, R20, R24, R27, R29, Y28, B00, B02, N4, N6, N8, E23, E31, E37, E79).

{hugs}
Regan