Summertime Fun @ Little Red Wagon

First of all....Happy Canada Day! I know celebrations aren't going to be the same as other years but I hope all my Canadian peeps have a wonderful - and safe - holiday today.

This week at

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Summertime Fun!" which really doesn't need any explanation.

This is what I did....

As you can see, this guy (from Melonheadz Illustrating) is all set for a summer of fun. "School's Out" was really anticlimactic this year, of course, but I'm sure my two highschoolers are happy to be finished their courses for the summer.

I'm wondering.....does there come a point where I should just stop blaming lack of mojo for my subpar cards of late and start claiming I can no longer make good cards? I dunno.....

My friends, I gotta tell you what happened the other night. My daughter, L, came into my room and woke me up at 3:00am because there was a "really weird smell in her room". As I plodded to her bedroom I briefly wondered if we had perhaps caught a skunk in one of the live traps we had set up outside. [Side note: For the past five years or so we have had a groundhog living under our porch. I love my lil groundhog and I used to call him "My Fluffy Boy" (hommage to Captain Raymond Holt's Cheddar from Brooklyn Nine Nine)....but this year I stopped calling him that because "he" HAD BABIES! Seven groundhog babies! Omg, they are so cute....I almost DIED when I first saw them. Problem is, mom, dad and seven babies (who are now barely smaller than mom & dad), plus the family of three they invited to live under our shed meant that we had too many groundhogs making too many holes in our yard. So, we're re-homing them to a nice wooded area with a stream about 10 km away, hence the live traps. (Which makes me a bit sad but, unfortunately, it needs to be done.)] I dismissed the skunk idea though as I know, L knows, what skunk spray smells like.

As I stepped in her room, my nose crinkled up something fierce at the strange burnt plastic smell I was being assaulted with. Well, it turned out her fan was severely overheating and the covering over the motor was almost too hot to touch. I unplugged it and moved it out into the hall and she got settled back into bed.

On my way back to my room, I remembered how my brain acts at night. I knew that if I just went back to bed, I would just get nicely to sleep, and my subconscious would scream, "WHAT IF THE FAN IS NOW ON FIRE?!?!?" I, of course, wanted no part of that sudden, heart attack inducing wake up so I grabbed the fan with the intention of taking it down to set it on the porch outside. Once I got there, I knew on-the-porch would not be considered a safe spot for a flaming fan by my Night Brain so I slipped on a pair of shoes, and headed out the lawn a bit with it, content on putting it in a spot where it could spontaneously combust and do no harm to our home, vehicles, trees or other buildings.

As I walked, I had a sharp pain suddenly EXPLODE in my ankle. It confused me into a full stop. I paused for a second....I hadn't twisted or rolled my ankle. I hadn't been walking any differently then every other time I've ever walked, I was even wearing my shoes, not a pair of one of my two boys size 13s (because they always seem to be left on the mat). I shuffled a couple more steps, set the fan down, and gingerly returned to the house.

I managed to hobble up the stairs, get back into bed, it took some doing to get my ankle comfortable but I managed to start to drift off to sleep. Just as I was headed back into Dreamland though, I had an epiphany and I knew what happened to my ankle.

My body was protecting me. It was an innate survival mechanism, an alarm if you will.........to keep me from wandering too far away from my house without a bra on.

(:

Why don't you give our challenge a go this week and head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up? And, while you're there, be sure to check out the fabulous projects the other Girlfriends have created.

P.S. My ankle was fine by morning. And, my lesson was learned.

Also for:

Crafty Friends:  masculine
Aud Sentiments:  summer + sentiment
Cardz 4 Guyz:  red, white & blue

After Christmas Is Before Christmas @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "After Christmas Is Before Christmas" which is totally true...but it also means that she wants to see Christmas projects...so don't put away all your Christmas stuff yet!

This is what I did....

Digi is part of a freebie colouring page from Melonheadz Illustrations.  Hmmmm....the red looks a little washed out in this photo....oh well, makes the Stickles heart stand out more!  Hard to tell without context but this card is a touch smaller than my "normal" makes ('bout 1/2" all around)....I kinda like the smaller size.  I'd say I'd do more like this but I'm forever printing my digis out bigger than I should so I doubt it's gonna be possible.  Plus I've got waaaaaaay more than enough patterned paper, making smaller cards would just mean I had even more of it - ha!

Why don't you give our challenge a go this week and head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up.  And, while you're there, be sure to check out the fabulous projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Also for:

ABC Christmas:  bingo - patterned paper, coloured image, twine
Addicted To Stamps:  make your mark
Christmas At Sweet Stampin':  add some sparkle
Watercooler Wednesday:  all about occasions
Crafty Sentiments:  anything goes
The Holly & the Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

Apples & Bananas @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Apples & Bananas" (which immediately put that children's song in my head.....*whisper singing, I like to oot, I like to oot, I like to oot ooples & boonoonoos* - thanks, Kate). Aside from delivering us that earworm, she wants to see projects inspired by fruit!

This is what I did....

Had to go with a punny fruit.  Digi is from Melonheadz Illustrating.  Sorry for the funky coloured photo but I was catching the last bit of light last night  (though one could say the yellowish background was on purpose - riiight?  Yeah, let's go with that instead.  (: ).

Why don't you give our challenge a go this week and head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up.  And, while you're there, be sure to check out the fitting projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Also for: 

Double Trouble:  mad for plaid
Di's Digi Designs:  hand coloured image

Lions and Tigers and Bears! @ Little Red Wagon

Oh my!

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Lions and Tigers and Bears!" which just means that she wants to see a wild animal on your project. So, go wild!

This is what I did....

I used a deer digi from Melonheadz Illustrating.  I coloured on textured cardstock this go 'round for two reasons.....one, I find it hard to do smooth colouring on large spaces like this bobblehead deer, especially seeing as I just use the pencils themselves to blend rather than oms or the like and textured cardstock tends to solve that issue seeing as it's not smooth in the first place....and, two, I found this guy in my pile already-printed-and-cut-out-but-not-yet-coloured digis so it was an obvious choice.  And, that's pretty much that.

Why not give our challenge a go this week and head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up?  And, while you're there, be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Also for:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies:  anything goes with a critter
Crafty Sentiments:  animals
Di's Digi Design:  2 or more patterned papers
The Male Room:  wild & free
That's Crafty:  animal magic
The Crafty Addicts:  all about boys/men
Crafty Gals Corner:  add a bow
Back to Basics:  use a digital image
Moving Along With the Times:  for the boys
Allsorts:  from boys to men
As You Like It:  fur or feathers - I like fur better.....but I think that's really only because there's so many more furred creatures than feathered one.  After all, what's feathered other than birds?

Sing, Sing a Song @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's telling us to "Sing, Sing a Song" which means that she wants to see projects inspired by our favourite song.

Well, dang. I must say this was a bit of a poser for me. I love music. That is to say I love listening to music. I am not musically inclined in the slightest. Long has this graphic graced my About Me Pinterest page...

I'm also a bit picky about my music.  I actually vet songs before I'll add them to one of my Spotify lists....."How much do I like this song, do I love it?  Will I love it in two weeks?  Is it really worthy of being added to my Playlist?  Hmmmm...."  Kinda crazy, I know, but there it is.

So when Brenda asked us to make a project based on our favourite song....well....I was all like, which favourite?  See, I've got my Favourite Right Now song, Blood In the Cut by K. Flay (....and my 12 year old daughter has also decided she really likes this song and delights in putting it on and turning it up - loud.  Which, doesn't sound like a big deal unless you know the song, and know the first two lines of the song...The boy I love's got another girl/He might be f*@king her right now.  When it would come up in rotation when we were together I used to have a very timely coughing fit at the beginning on the song but I was distracted once and forgot....and the rest is history.  *sigh*)  Got my favourite older song, Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks; favourite rap song, No Sleep Till Brooklyn by The Beastie Boys; my favourite covers, The Sound of Silence by Disturbed or anything by that group of musical geniuses, Walk Off the Earth.

And I've also got favourites for certain situations.  My favourite for listening with my daughter in the van (especially on the way to a ball game), Me Too by Meghan Trainor; favourite to listen to to annoy my middlest, No by Meghan Trainor (and it's his level of annoyance, and the fact that the first notes of this song can make him roll his eyes so hard that I think he ends up looking at his own brain, that makes this a very listened to song around here); favourite off my oldest's Playlist that I always make him put on if we're riding together, Truck Got Stuck by Corb Lund; favourite to hear when I'm walking the dog coz that beat is just perfect, Fireproof by Coleman Hell (though I have to be careful when it comes on as it just wouldn't do to have stains of me singing Did you know, you and me/Must be fireproof with all these flames between our sheets travel on the wind and reach the ears of our Mennonite neighbours as I'm sure they'd be no more farm-fresh eggs available for us to buy ever again); favourite to sing at the top of my lungs, Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohn......which reminds me that I've gotta mention, Leonard Cohen, who was maybe not a stellar singer, but the songs he wrote, just the beauty of his combination of words.....is completely brilliant.   

So, as you can see, I was a bit flummoxed.  (And yes, definitely overthinking it.)  I hummed and hawed a bit....then I thought - "Oh!  How 'bout a Christmas song!"....and then it kinda started all over again.  Let's see....there's Jack Johnson, Barenaked Ladies, Straight No Chaser and Lydia Liza & Josiah Lemanski's altered versions of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Jingle Bells, The 12 Days of Christmas and Baby It's Cold Outside (respectively) that are so very clever; I Won't Be Home For Christmas by blink-182 that makes me snicker; Children Go Where I Send Thee by Mary Chapin Carpenter; Twisted Sister singing Oh Come All Ye Faithful in basically the same way as We're Not Gonna Take It and the Christmas version of Hallelujah by a woman who used to be on my ball team that will give you chills.  (If only she could have played ball as well as she could sing, poor thing.  To be fair, I can sing just about as well as she could play ball.)  All favourites of mine too.

That's a whole lot of explaining just to tell you that, in the end, I decided to go with this favourite....Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.  I mean, it's such a fun, happy song.  Such an innocent and pure song, certainly from a time where a singer wouldn't even dream of singing words that would make a mom panic slightly when driving a group of girls to a ball game and hearing her daughter say, "You've got to hear this song I really like."

And here's my card.....

 
Digi is from Melonheadz Illustrating.  Nikki obviously wanted to be inclusive, going with holiday instead of Christmas, and that is a-okay with me.

Well, that was a long post, wasn't it?  If you stuck with it this far, give yourself a pat on the back.  And when you've done that why not get inspired by your favourite song(s) and head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up? And, while you're there, be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Also for:

ABC Christmas:  N is for new & O is for old - old papers & digi, new stitched die and metal snowflakes
Addicted to Stamps:  make your mark
Christmas at Sweet Stampin':  anything Christmas goes
Pink Gem:  Christmas in July
The Sisterhood of Crafters:  boys to men
Winter Wonderland:  use a digi
Star Stampz:  Christmas in July

Move It! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Move It!"

Okay, sidebar. Anyone else got this stuck in their head now?

No?  Bet you do now.  You're welcome.

And, back to the challenge.  Brenda is telling us to Move It because she wants to see cards/projects that do more than just sit there and look pretty....she wants to see shakers or spinners or sliders or magic cards....or anything that'll do some moving.

This is what I did.....

As you can see, it's a spinner card.  I was planning on taking a video to show it actually spinning but that didn't happen and it's 12:37am right now and I don't think any of my kids would be happy if I woke them up to hold the camera.  Well, any two of my kids.  This is going to be my middlest's grade 8 grad card so I wouldn't get him involved because I wouldn't want to spoil it.

I'm actually quite pleased with how this turned out.  I'll admit to playing with it more than once.  I just wish it spun peeerrrrffeeeectly, kwim?  I don't like it when I have to goose it or shake it to get it going.  Still, I'm going to call it a win.

We know you like to move it (move it) so why not head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up? And, while you're there, be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Also for:

Simon Says:  make it masculine
The Sisterhood of Crafters:  black & white
Shopping Our Stash:  dude + old stash - Bling & digi are at least a year old
Crafty Cardmakers:  for a special man/boy
Crafty Calendar:  boys will be boys
Craftaholics R Us:  graduation
Open Minded:  mighty men in May
Bastel-Traum:  cards for men and boys
Craft Rocket:  for men and boys
Fab 'n' Funky:  marvelous men
As You Like It:  favourite reason to make cards - My favourite reason to make card is because I really enjoy the process of creating them.  I also especially love to make them for my kids.  Plus I have them trained to respond with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm, so that's good too.  (:

Season of Love @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Heather's turn to choose the challenge and she's got a fun one, that's for sure! She's saying it's the "Season of Love" which might make you think that she wants to see Valentine's Day makes.....well, it's not like your creation couldn't be a Valentine's Day project, it certainly could, but she's all about what you love. What she wants you to do is use a product (or products) from a company you love. Told you it was fun!

This is what I did.....

Now, strap in, coz it's going to take awhile for me to break down all the ways I'm gonna tie this into the luuuuurve.....

So, I've got a freebie digi from Melonheadz....I've always loved Nikki's digis, they were some of the first I owned, plus - hello - freebie!  I used my Inktense pencils to colour it up.....I do love them even if they don't love me.  (Given my lack of talent for using them I don't begrudge them that at all!)  I got out an embossing folder, and I totally have an embossing folder fetish, so more love there.  Got some patterned paper on there too....I think my 100 patterned paper pads shows how much I love patterned paper. (Yes, I said 100, I just counted them.  I'm more than a little shocked, it certainly does not look like I have 100 patterned paper pads.  But my recount says that, yes, yes I do have 100 6x6 patterned paper pads.  Now, before you go judgin', you might want to do some inventory of your fave crafting items.  You might say, "Well, holy s%&t" about the amount too.)

Let's see, what else....oh yes, doesn't that lil digi remind you of a Warm Fuzzy?  You guys remember Warm Fuzzies, don't you?  I loved Warm Fuzzies when I was a kid.  I used to make 'em and draw them.  In case you don't have a clue about what I'm talking about here's a pic.....

Not too many pictures around....Warm Fuzzies pre-date the Internet after all.  And finally, one last bit of love.....this was the card I gave to my middlest for Valentine's Day, and I love him to bits and pieces, of course.

There, I think I sufficiently spread the love around, didn't I?  Why don't you do the same and then head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up?  And, while you're there, be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Resolutions @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge it's she's got a neat one.....it's called "Resolutions" and she wants to see projects based on your New Year's resolutions....how cool is that? (In case you're not sure of the answer it's: Very cool.)

That said though....I don't make New Year's Resolutions. I'm not against resolutions per se, I just don't think they should only be made at New Year's, so, because I'm me, I purposely don't resolve to do something in or around the New Year mark....even if I should really make a change about something at that time.

Now, that said, I do have some resolutions I have made, (though either far enough before or after January 1st to satisfy my me-ness as explained above) or in the case of the one, is kinda of an ongoing challenge I've had for ages. I think I'll go ahead and show my card then we can discuss.....

Okay, so my ongoing resolution is to eat healthy.  I do eat fairly healthy, in fact lunch is almost always a salad.  Sounds good, right?  A nice healthy bowl of romaine or baby spinach or spring mix usually with strawberries or apples or even sometimes pears and dried cranberries or if it's one from the grocery store with chicken and nuts or a bit of cheese....but the issue is that if I don't have any salad fixings I'll eat something like a bag of chips.  There seems to be no in between.  For my meals I  channel either a pregnant yoga instructor who has a degree in holistic nutrition or hungover college student who's late for class.  So, that's what the pineapple symbolizes, a reminder to eat healthy, that if I don't have salad I could have some sort of other normal healthy lunch item....and not chocolate chip cookies dipped in chocolate pudding.

The other part of my Resolution card is to break out of my same-old-same-old a bit.....it's funny, if I really like another crafter's card it usually looks nothing like something I would make....so I'm thinking it would be nice to try some different styles.  That why I went cas with this.  Also, I want to use some of my supplies that I have been religiously ignoring, more specifically my Inktense pencils and Distress Inks.  Since I haaaaaad to have both, it annoys me that I never use them.  So, I used both of them on this card....the Inktense pencils much more prominently than the pale background of Distress Ink but, hey, they're both on there.  I also used a sentiment stamp and did some heat embossing in gold, in hindsight it would have worked much better if I hadn't used textured cardstock, but I thought it matched the funky pineapple so I just went with it.

And, there you go.  My long explanation as to how this is a card about Resolutions. Digi is from Melonheadz Illustrating.   

So, why not show us your resolutions and then head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up?  And, while you're there, be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Time For Christmas @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

the challenge is about what you'd expect it to be....we want to see your Christmas projects.

I did something slightly different than my norm.....

I used an image from the Christmas Stuff pack.  I've linked you to the combo bundle so you can get both the black & white AND coloured images.

No colouring here, just printed the digi out on some patterned paper.  I like to cock my head a bit sideways when I look at those holly berries.  Makes them look like they're very happy, smiley berries, it does.

So, why not celebrate all things Christmas and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Winter Is Here @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

I guess we're going to go ahead and admit it - "Winter Is Here", though, we haven't had much in the way of winter 'round here as of yet. I'm not complaining! Hear that Mother Nature, not complaining at all so don't feel you need to drop the temps to -15ºC and dump two tonnes of snow of my head. I was just stating a fact.  (Edited to add:  The above was written on Saturday night...now we've got a blanket of snow on the ground.  So, yes, I guess winter is definitely here.)

Here's what I did....

Have to admit, I was pleased how this turned out.  Lil snowman has some actual snowballs to throw at people....made meself giggle with glee with this one, I did.  I used an image from the Bobbleheadz Snowman pack.  I've link you to the combo pack so you can get both the black & white AND coloured images.

So, why not celebrate snow and cold temps and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

The ABC Christmas:  U is for Unconventional
Craft Rocket:  winter
A Snowflake's Promise:  winter
Cardz 4 Guyz:  something beginning with T - trees
Use Your Stuff:  layers
52 Christmas Cards:  pick a past challenge - Theme Challenge # 54 - Snow People
A Gem of a Challenge:  snowmen/women
Sweet Stampin':  let it snow
Alphabet Challenge:  T is for Trees
Aud Sentiments:  anything goes + sentiment

Harvest Blessings @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

the challenge is "Harvest Blessings". Now, we're pretty much done our harvest 'round here. There's probably still some corn out there in spots (that's cow corn, not sweet corn, of course). In fact, we've had our first taste of winter in the past few days with below 0ºC temps, a wicked wind and a dusting of snow.

But, I still managed to channel some autumn feel and make this card....

I used an image from Punkin Patch Part 2.  I've linked you to the combo pack so you can get both the black & white AND coloured images.

So, why not come join us and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

Crafty Calendar:  autumn colours
Di's Digi Design:  harvest happenings
Aud Sentiments:  anything goes + sentiment
Craftaholics R Us:  fabulous fall cards for guys
Crafty Catz:  anything goes + use red

Use a Sentiment @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

we've got an easy one for you! All you gotta do is use a sentiment on your project!

This is what I did....

I usually add a sentiment to my cards so for this challenge I thought I'd make it so there was more focus on the sentiment than what I normally do, so I used some large-ish black Thickers.  I also used an absolutely adorable image from the Peeperz set.  I've linked you to the combo pack so you can get both the black & white AND coloured images.

Went cas with this one, something I generally don't do.  I don't know why I don't do it more often, I really like how this turned out.  Probably has something to do with my 6x6 paper pack fetish.  I'd never make even a dent in it if I just used a strip like this per card!

So, why not come join us and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

Catch the Bug:  anything goes
Di's Digi Design:  hand coloured image
Aud Sentiments:  cute + sentiment
Star Stampz:  orange, black, purple & green
Simon Says:  thinking of you
CASology:  welcome
Cutie Pie:  5 of a kind + cute - five Thicker letters

All About Pumpkins @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

it's "All About Pumpkins" which just means that we want to see a pumpkin on your project!

This is what I did.....

Don't know where you can get pumpkin for just 5ø these days.....even that little one would cost more! I used a past freebie but if you want to see all the fabulous Melonheadz images though, just click on over to the Etsy shop.

So, why not come join us and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Green, Black, Orange & Purple and/or Halloween @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

we're looking for projects using the colours green, black, orange and purple and/or Halloween makes....or you can really impress us and do both!

Now, if I was a really good DT member I would have done both. But with the image I picked I just couldn't make all those colours work. Anyhoo, this is what I did......

Spooky, eh?  Plus the psychopath, (hahahahah - psycho path *snort*) gets me every time.  I used a past freebie but if you want to see all the fabulous Melonheadz images though, just click on over to the Etsy shop.

So, why not come join us and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

Crafty Boots:  Halloween
Pile In On:  sparkle
A Gem of a Challenge:  Halloween
Crafty Creations:  Halloween

Autumn @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

we're celebrating the season that just started last week - Autumn! It's my favourite season to be sure, and if the weather keeps up like it's been the last few days it's gonna be a beautiful fall.

This is what I did to mark the changing of the seasons....

Only thing more fally than leaves are pumpkins, right?  I used an image from Punkin Patch 2.  And I've linked you to the combo pack so you can get both the black & white AND coloured images.

Kind of a weird angle this photo turned out to be.  Looks like it's gonna topple forward at any second.  Oh well, at least it's not the drab & dark photo issue I was having a few weeks ago!

Why not commemorate autumn with us and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

Perfectly Created Chaos:  show me your patterns
Star Stampz:  it's fall y'all
Sunny Day Crafting:  anything goes
Crazy Challenge:  autumn is coming
Ooh-La-La:  feminine
Crafty Boots:  autumn is in the air
Crafty Cardmakers:  autumn
Creative Corner:  autumn
4 Crafty Chicks:  colour of fall
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge:  autumn
Just Us Girls:  inspirational photo

Hand Coloured Image @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

we've got a super easy one for you. All you need to do is colour an image with any medium....pencils, markers, inks, paints, or whatever. As long as it's not digitally coloured it goes!

This is what I did.....

This seems to be my go-to layout and paper pad for baby cards....especially baby boy cards. I made a similar card earlier in the summer. But this time I used a different image from the Babies pack. I've linked to the combo pack so you can get both the black & white AND coloured images.

I tell ya, I would have thought by this point in my life I'd be slowing down with the having-to-make-baby-cards thing.  You know the I'm-in-my-40s-and-my-friends-are-all-done-having-babies-but-not-having-grandbabies-so-no-need-for-baby-cardmaking.  Turns out some of my friend-ish acquaintances are having babies in their 40s.  (And power to them, I don't think I could do it now.....but I'm guessing they ordered the model that actually sleeps. I tried to order those ones but they were apparently on back order so I got three off the clearance shelf instead.  Wonderful models, to be sure, but they were missing the component that let them sleep through the night.....and the wireless upgrade didn't take affect until they were four years old.)  And some of hubby's younger cousins are very much in the starting or adding to their families, as well as his nephews are having babies so I've been making lots of baby cards lately.

Are you in need of a card, baby or otherwise? I'll bet there's some occasion you need to celebrate so why not whip out your favourite colouring medium and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

ABC-Challenge:  O is for open.
Ooh-La-La:  anything goes
Crafty Cardmakers:  layer it up
Aud Sentiments:  anything goes + sentiment
Star Stampz:  going in circles
Eclectic Ellapu:  new beginnings
Stamping Sensations:  one for the boys
Corrosive Challenge:  anything goes
Stella Says Sketch:  sketch
Sweet Stampin':  cute & cuddly

Back To School! @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

we're got that typical end-of-August challenge going on....."Back to School!" So, let's see those return to the classroom projects.

This is what I did....

I made a corner bookmark. Love this sweet little freebie.  If you'd like to see all the fabulous Melonheadz images though, just click on over to the Etsy shop.  Added a little Glossy Accents to the heart as my sweet little (though at 11 she's really not little anymore) reader loves to run her finger over Glossy Accented things.  (Have to admit I've done that a time or two myself!)

So, why not make something for back to school and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

Glitter 'n' Sparkle:  back to school
4 Crafty Chicks:  let's get sentimental
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge:  back to school
Scrap-Creations:  back to school
{PIN}spirational:  inspirational photo
Cutie Pie:  work, rest or play + cute
Ooh-La-La:  girlie

Add Die Cuts/Punches @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

we've got an easy one for you. The challenge is Add Die Cuts/Punches which is pretty durn self-explanatory.

This is what I did....

Sorry for the not-so-nice photo. I always have a real problem taking pics of white cards.  I used an image from the Bobbleheadz Snowman bundle.  And I've linked you to the combo pack so you can get both the black & white AND coloured images.

I was quite pleased with how this turned out.  Pretty much exactly how I wanted it to.  I don't normally mass produce any of my holiday cards....unless I'm in a bind and running out of time.  If that happens this year I'm pretty much positive that I'll be making up a few of these.

Oh, and I guess I should point out that I used a snowdrift die as well as a snowflake punch.  So, I got 'em both - ha!

So, why not pull out dies & punches and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

Fab 'n' Funky:  Christmas
The Crafty Addicts:  emboss it!
Crafty Sentiments:  use dies
Aud Sentiments:  for a child + sentiment
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge:  anything goes
Star Stampz:  add a sentiment
A Gem of a Challenge:  buttons & bows
My Time to Craft:  embossing
Come and Get It:  punches & dies
Glitter 'n' Sparkle:  anything goes
Pile It On:  make you own background - I hope embossing counts!
613 Avenue Create: anything goes
Crafty Girls Creations: anything goes
Crafting From the Heart: anything goes
Craft Your Passion: anything goes
Through the Craftroom Door anything goes
Creative Fingers: anything goes
Creative Moments: anything goes
Crafting With An Attitude: anything goes

CASE a Card @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Heather's turn to chose the challenge and she has a neat one for us. She asking us to CASE a card from another cardmaker....or you could even CASE yourself! How fun!

First I'll show you the card I CASE'd. Actually, I CASE'd two different cards from the same person to make this. There's this one and this one both from Shani at Paperesse.  She enters our challenges regularly so I thought it would be quite fitting to CASE her.  (Plus her work is completely fantastic!  I'm really hoping she agrees with that old "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" saying and doesn't mind that I copied her.)

So, this is how I CASE'd her.....

As you can see, I didn't deviate hardly at all from her layout.  Also, if you'll notice, her one card is a Christmas card (as is this one) and her other card has a penguin holding a banner while I've got a snowperson holding a banner.  Yep, if the challenge wasn't CASE someone I'd be on the hook for plagiarizing for sure!  (Just note that I said that for comedic effect.....even if I get inspiration from another crafter, even when it might not be obvious in what I created, I will say that in my post.  Give credit where credit is due makes total sense to me.)

So, why not CASE someone out there and then head on over to Little Red Wagon and link up.  And, while you're there, be sure to check out the wonderful projects the other Girlfriends have created.

Use Your Favourite Stamp @ Melonheadz Friends

For the next two weeks at

we've got a fun one for you. We want you to use your fave....you're favourite stamps or stamps set, that is!

I'm afraid I didn't really go by the rules for this one. I mean, really, how could I chose just one? So, what I decided to do was play with a stamp set I should have used a long time ago.....especially seeing as I got it a long time ago. I won this set awhile back (like a couple of years ago awhile back) but for some reason have never used it. And that quite ridiculous really, seeing as.....

we own a trucking company.  Both the image and the sentiment come from the 18 Wheeler Set.  I've linked you to the combo pack so you can get both the black & white AND coloured images.

So, why not pull out your favourite stamp and enter the challenge? And be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has made.

Also for:

Colour Crazy:  anything goes
Aud Sentiments:  anything goes + sentiment
Simon Says:  anything goes
Crafty Boots:  use a stamp
Incy Wincy:  anything goes
613 Avenue Create: anything goes
Crafting-With-Friends: anything goes
Simply Papercraft: anything goes
Artistic Inspirations: anything goes
Crafting From the Heart: anything goes
Craft Your Passion: anything goes
Through the Craftroom Door anything goes
Creative Fingers: anything goes
Creative Moments: anything goes
The Crafty Addicts: anything goes