April ATC Swap

Hello Friends!

Last month my Aunt thought it would be a good idea to arrange an ATC swap group with our family.  So we gathered 8 of us and had our first swap and challenge.  I was the hostess to get us started.  With spring in the air, I went with "Things that Bloom" with the goal to use at least one embellishment and your favorite color.

A 2.5" x 3.5" card is not a large space to work with.  So I had to think a little bit.  I have a few sets of Tim Holtz stamps that I love and what a better place to use them than on a swap ATC.  This one is one of my favorites.  I airbrushed the background with E31 to give it some color, then I tore some pretty pink paper for the sides and inked it up with distress ink.  Top that off with some lace and a flower with a pearl brad to stick off the top.  I couldn't just stick with the little card, it had to be a bit different =-).

Our challenge for May is "Gone but not forgotten", so I must get to thinking on that one!

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great evening!

Blessings until next time!

Happy Birthday Carolina!

Hello out in Blog land,

Today we are celebrating Carolina's birthday from my Crafty Gals  & Pink Slipper Pajama Party blog groups over at SCS.    So I hope today she gets some time to rest and enjoy her birthday!  She lives a bit up North, so I am hoping this springy card will send her some warmer weather for her special day!

Recipe:
Image:  Sassy Cheryls
Ink:  Copic, Memento Tuxedo Black, Scattered Straw Distress Ink
Paper:  Cryogen & Basic Gray
Sentiment:  American Art Store
Embellishment on front:  Bo Bunny
Flower on inside:  Airbrushed with copics to match.
All distressed for a fun edge.

Inside of card

Copics used

Stop over to Carolina's blog Cardolina Scrapolina and wish her a Happy Birthday!

Have a great day Carolina!

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Athina

A Fairytale Life!

Good Morning Blogging Friends!

We are half way thru the week!!!  I had so much fun making this card, as I used my favorite colors and my Tilda stamp.  They are the sweetest stamps.  I have been taking one of the CMC online copic classes and Suzanne Dean colors from dark to light with her copics.  I have always colored light to dark.  But her reasons certainly make sense.  So I practiced my technique on this card coloring dark to light. It worked!!

My image is Magnolia, Fairytale Tilda. I found a sketch over at Simply Magnolia (link below) and I was set to go!  When I started making this card, I was not sure what I would do with it, but once I finished, I knew exactly who would receive it.  I can't tell you yet, she may be peeking at my blog between now and when she receives the card.  Shhhh...

I have no idea who the paper is by, but I started out with the paisley white paper with green and pink and picked my others from there.  I added some lace and pearls.  After I colored the image, I used B93 to airbrush around the image.  The image is colored on cryogen paper.  The inside is done with the same layout as the front to bring it all together.  I did not stamp my sentiment because if I do, it will give it away.

Inside of card

Copics used

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Butterflies

Simply Magnolia - Sketch

SSDS Challenge - Pastels

Chocolate Coffee Cards - Pearls & Lace

Just Magnolia - Anything Goes

Totally Papercrafts - Things with Wings

Enjoy the rest of your week!  Thanks for stopping by for a visit today!

Until next time...

Athina

Happy Birthday Heather!

Hello out in Blog land,

Today we are celebrating Heather's birthday from my Crafty Gals blog group over at SCS.  She lives a bit up north and just had a little one about a month ago.  So I hope today she gets some time to rest and enjoy her birthday!

I thought this little image by Sassy Cheryl's was so cute and it has celebration all over it.  I colored it up with copics on cryogen paper.  It is inked around the edges with Tim Holtz distress ink, then matted on green cardstock.  The background paper is by MME. I topped it off with a few little flowers.  Who doesn't like to get flowers on their birthday?

inside sentiment by Print work creations

Copics used

Stop over to Heather's Blog, The Land of Stamping and wish her a Happy Birthday!

Have a great day Heather!

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Sassy Cheryl's Challenge #110 - Anything goes
CMC Challenge group - Use Yellow
Crafty Catz - Animal
Prairie Fairy Fridays - Anything goes
My Mums Craft Shop Challenges - It's a celebration
Rubys Rainbow - Birthday cake
Pinspirational Challenges - picture

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Athina

Pink Slipper Pajama Party April Challenge!

Good Morning,

Today I am posting the first group challenge for the Pink Slipper Pajama Party Girls over at SCS.  The ladies in the group are very talented and such a hoot!  They make me laugh everyday.   Ann Marie is the leader of the group and gave us our first challenge:


Welcome to our very first challenge!! According to Merriam-Websters definition of the word challenge means:

Challenge: to invite into competition!! So that being said...I cordially invite all of you lovely ladies to accept my challenge! It will require you to step outside of your crafting box and try something a little different! Don't be afraid! (and please don't throw stuff!! I am really very nice!) LOL

Here goes:

I challenge each of you to make a matching 3d paper purse and shoe!!!


When I first seen the challenge, I thought no problem.  Until I sat down this morning to create my shoe and purse.  The purse was no problem at all.  However, the shoe.... well that is another story.  I started off trying to make a high heal retro shoe.  Well it is now in file 13, not so good.  So I tried the Elegant shoe style and it is 100 times better.

I used pink cardstock on both and some black dp with pink flowers.  The purse is adorned with a few prima flowers and a pink pearl brad.  The shoe is made with the same papers, adorned with clear gems, lace and a broach brad with lots of sparkle.

Here is the shoe tutorial and the directions to the purse here.

I am looking forward to next months challenge!  Stop by and see what the other ladies have created on my left side bar.

Thank you for stopping by.

Until next time...
Athina

A Gift For You!

Hello blogging friends!

I hope you are doing well!  The weather has been amazing here the last few weeks.  That makes it hard to settle down at the computer, but I will get it done.

 I used a sketch challenge (see below) to create this card.  When I seen the sketch, I loved it.  It gave me the chance to use a new digi stamp and my new spellbinders border die.

Recipe:
Sketch:  Fussy and Fancy Friday
Paper: Bo Bunny & MME
Dies:  Spellbinders
Flowers:  Prima airbrushed with copics
Gems
Image on Cryogen Paper
Digital Stamp: Wee Stamps
Inside Sentiment:  Printwork Creations

I airbrushed the top in blue copics for the sky using a mask with an oval spellbinders die.  The ground I airbrushed with a light brown and mask of a normal piece of paper.

Inside

Copics used

I would like to enter this in the follow challenges:
Fussy and Fancy - Sketch
Catch theBug -Anything goes
Anything Challenge -Anything goes
Digital Tuesday - Birthday

Thank you for stopping by.

Have a fantastic spring day, until next time...
Athina

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

I hope your day is filled with family and fun today as you celebrate the meaning of Easter!  Our day will be quiet, as we celebrated Easter with my family yesterday.  So I will likely be hanging out in my craft room and finding something to get inky with.

I found this cute little stamp at Sassy Cheryl's and he is just adorable, in my opinion!

Recipe:
Background paper - MME
Image by Sassy Cheryl's, colored with copics
Sentiment by Stampin Up
Spellbinders die used to cut out image and the sentiment

Copics used:

Pot:  YR21, YE24, YE27, E99

Bunny:  E30, E31, E35, RV32, RV34, W1, W3, 0

Dirt:  E21, E25, E29

Flower:  B02, B000, Y02, Y06

Grass:  I forgot to write down the colors - Sorry.

Inside image

Thank you for stopping by!  Blessings until next time...

Athina

Crafty Gals April Challenge!

Good Morning Everyone!

Today I have the April Challenge from our SCS Crafty Gals Group.  Diane was our hostess and gave us quite a challenge.

So the challenge was:

"April Showers bring May Flowers"

Since April is supposed to be a rainy month in most of the country, I thought we would try a "water" challenge. My challenge to you is to incorporate water in some way on your card. It can be rain, puddles, ocean, sea, beach, lake, bathtub or anything else you can think of. In addition to the water, I want you to use ribbon, brads and patterned paper on your card. I can't wait to see your creations and I hope you all enjoy this month's challenge.


I searched thru all my stamps and did not have one stamp relating to water.  Hmmm.... So I thought about it and thought about it.  After searching online and not finding anything that struck me, I finally found this cute little Stampendous stamp at Hobby Lobby.  Well, actually my hubby spotted it.

Ribbon was used on the tag - Check
Brad - Always Laugh - Check
Water - Rain & Ocean - Check
Pattern Paper - MME - Check

So I have all the elements for the challenge!  I colored the image with copics (see colors below).  I airbrushed the water and the gray sky.  Then used the colorless blender to blend it in and give the water some texture.  The rain is highlighted with Waterfall color stickles by Tim Holtz.  The image is nested in a spellbinders die cut.  The sentiment is by TGF and though you can't see it well in the picture, it says "Everyone needs a Friend like you".  I stamped the tag with dots using Tim Holtz Dried Magnolia distress ink.

Copics used

Make sure to stop by and see the other creations by the Crafty Gals Blog Group.  I have put their links below:

1. Melina ~ Crafty Scrapper 

2. Jackie ~ Kreate With Me 2 

3. Tracie ~ The Crafty Touch 

4. Carolina ~ Cardolina Scrapolina 

5. Barb ~ Barb's Inkin' into Retirement 

6. Diane ~ Stampin Ldyglfr62 

7. Lela ~ Lela's Crafty Corner 

8. Heather ~ Lost in the Land of Stamping 

9. Patty ~ LaLatty's Stamp 'N Stuff 

10. Jeanette ~ Cre8tive Play: It's Cheaper than Therapy 

Thank you for stopping by! And a special thanks to Diane for a stumper of a challenge this month!

Until next time....

Athina

Quarter Auction Basket

Good Morning!

I have lost all track of time!  It has been a week since I have posted anything.  YIKES!  Well, I have been working in my craft room, just not getting things posted as I should.  This week I have been working on a basket for another quarter auction for Relay for Life.  It is Monday 4/2, so I figured I would give it an easter theme.

I included a journal (pic below), a card (to be shown in more detail in another post), some candy filled eggs and carrots.   The eggs were tied with homespun fabric to give them a little more color.

I found the idea for the candy filled carrots from Linda at Catered Crop.  I changed mine just a bit.  I added a button at the top.  The sour cream container tutorial can be found here by Beate.   Here is a closer look at just a few of those cute little carrots!

And a closer look at the journal inside the basket.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Stay tuned for more details on the card inside the basket.

Blessings until next time...
Athina