Seeing Red! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's "Seeing Red!"....she's not mad at us, she just wants to see red on our projects.

This is what I did.....

I went with a Christmas card using a digi from Melonheadz Illustrating.  I very briefly thought of doing a Valentine's Day card but I have a number of love-themed cards in my stash so I decided to get a jump on my Christmas makes instead.  Word die is from Paper Smooches.  I cut it out of fun foam which I find always cuts beautifully and adds that bit of dimension without the need to glue layers of paper together.  I had originally cut the words out of red glitter fun foam but they seemed to get lost with all the other red, so green it was.  

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Peace on Earth:  inspirational photo

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Cut It Up:  This makes me happy + die cuts - Melonheadz digis, using fun foam with word dies, snowflake patterned paper

As You Like It:  favourite die - Since I mostly use digis, word dies are my favourite because you can easily add the sentiment without having to print it with the digi.

ABC Christmas:  C is for crimson

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round:  C is for cheer

Die Cut Divas:  red + die cuts

Pick 3 Challenge:  trees, square, layers

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Make My Monday:  use two dies

E is for Embossing! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and we're continuing our way through the alphabet and this week it's "E is for Embossing!" which means she wants to see - you guessed it - embossing on your project.

This is what I did....

I think my dry embossing is pretty evident, but I'd like to put out there that I also used embossing powder on the sentiment so I could be A Good DT Member, though it's not very visible.  But, if you look closely, you can see the lil dots of embossing powder around the sentiment that I always seem to get, despite religiously using an Embossing Buddy.

Sentiment stamp is from Your Next Stamp (closed) and snowman die is from Paper Smooches (also closed).  I still absolutely kick myself for not buying the Swanky Snowdudes stamp set way back when.  So much so that when I get reminded of it, I'll do a search to see if someone happens to be selling a used set that I could snap up.  Which is what I did before I started typing the second sentence of this paragraph.....

Ummmm....thanks anyway Walmart USA.  I don't think I need them that badly.

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round:  Frosty the Snowman

As You Like It:  add a sentiment or not - I prefer to add a sentiment.  Sometimes I think a card looks naked without one.  (:

CRAFT:  cute

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

Addicted To Stamps:  die cuts

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

A Cute Above:  anything with a die cut goes

A Place to Start:  anything goes

The Neglected Stuff:  anything thing goes with old stash - I've had the snowman die for yeeeeeeaaaars and I think this is only the second time I've used it.

Can You Handle the Pressure:  anything goes using an embossing folder

Crafty Calendar:  add a sentiment

613 Avenue Create:  for the guys

Peace On Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Alphabet Challenge:  E is for embossing

Crafty Catz:  use hot colours

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Cut It Up:  masculine + die cut

Jingle Belles Rock:  a carolling we will go

Craft Rocket:  no designer paper

Fruits or Vegetables! @ Little Red Wagon

 This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Fruits or Vegetables!" which means she wants to see some kind of fruit or vegetable on your make.

This is what I did....

I went all lovey-dovey again this week.  Not overly sappy irl, but I sure do love making cards about love.  And, if I can throw in a pun, well that's even better.  Although, I did mess up the pun at first which had me scrambling to fix it as I was making up this post.  Originally, the card read ...apply ever after.  Which, as you know, apply is an actual word, and it's not pronounced the way it should be to make the card make sense.  A quick removal of the letters, the cutting of an E, and getting them all back on there, worked out, thank goodness.  I will also say, I'm kinda second guessing myself with the font.  I think the wee hearts is a little much with this patterned paper.  Oh well, one hasty fix per card is enough!  (:

Apple is a clipart image and the letter dies are from Paper Smooches.

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Ack!  In looking at it on the screen, the die cut letters are definitely not centred in between the my and ever like they should be.  Darn this card!  lol

Also for:

Crafty Gals:  add a heart

Fab 'n' Funky:  Valentines/hearts

Ellibelle:  anything goes

Simon Says:  emboss it

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  hearts

Cardz 4 Guyz:  Valentine for a guy

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Crafting Happiness:  love

Double Trouble:  love is in the air

Get Creative:  hearts

613 Avenue Create:  use red for anything but a heart - I used red for the apple but I also have red hearts so.....?

Dragonfly Dreams:  love

Corrosive:  anything goes

Allsorts:  all about hearts

Can You Handle the Pressure:  hearts + embossing folder

Sweet Stampin':  love

As You Like It:  love or friendship - As I said in my post, for some reason I love making love cards.  I just find you can be as squishy as you want with a card and get away with it.  (:

C.R.A.F.T.:  love/Valentine

Craft Rocket:  love/Valentine

Through the Purple Haze:  anything goes

Crafty Catz:  add a little love

Cut It Up:  have a heart

Cupcake Inspirations:  Valentine's Day

Tic Tac Toe:  red, free, love sentiment

Fruit Salad! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Fruit Salad!" which just means that she wants to see a card with some fruit on it.  Yummy!

This is what I did.....

Welp, it's not much of a salad as it's all about pineapple, but seeing as pineapple is delicious, I figured it was a-okay.  Image is clip art that I manipulated in Silhouette Design Studio.  Admittedly, it looked better on the screen than it did printed out.  Might have something to do with the fact that I own a the-cheapest-in-the-store Walmart printer.  Pineapple die is from Paper Smooches, which is no longer in business ):

Why not give our challenge at go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Simon Says:  anything goes

Shopping Our Stash:  tropical delights

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

In the Air Tonight @ Little Red Wagon

  This week at

 

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying "In the Air Tonight" which mean she wants to see things that are up in the air.  So think, celestial beings, birds, fairies, aircraft etc. etc. etc.  Lots of things to choose from!

This is what I did....

As you can see I've got some birds and some clouds......on a meh card.  This one just doesn't do it for me.  I don't know if it's the colours or the crap job I did hand cutting the white heart frame....or just everything.  Sometimes it just is what it is.  

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.

Mini Cards! @ Little Red Wagon

 This week at

 

...we're back from our little break last week with our first challenge of 2021!  It's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying she wants to see "Mini Cards", so 3" x 3" size - so fun!

This is what I did.....

And close ups....

When I had first sat down at my craft desk I wasn't sure where I was going to go with this one but then I saw that bit of leftover patterned paper that was almost 3" and just went from there.  Numbers die is from Paper Smooches (now closed ): ), snowman is from Close To My Heart and was a discard that looked much happier to have a purpose rather than getting pushed around my desk, sentiment tag is from LOTV.  Found these to be a lovely size actually....a little more than a tag but not quite a card....will be perfect for next Christmas to pop on a goodie bag or the like, I'm thinking.

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:

Cut It Up:  winter

Jingle Belles:  something old, something new - Everything from the glitter fun foam to the patterned paper is old, but the 25 die NBUS.

Moving Along With the Times:  new - 25 die is NBUS

Crafty Creations:  anything goes

Crafty Gals Corner:  tis the season

Ellibelle's:   something old, something new - Everything from the glitter fun foam to the patterned paper is old, but the 25 die NBUS.

Fezziwig's Festive Frolics:  anything festive goes

Simon Says:  something new - 25 die is NBUS

Shopping Our Stash:  What's new with you? - Everything from the glitter fun foam to the patterned paper is old, but the 25 die NBUS.

The Holly & the Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Allsorts:  anything goes

Patterned Paper or Create Your Own Background Paper! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Patterned Paper or Create Your Own Background Paper!" which means....well, any paper goes as long as it has has some sort of decoration on it!

This challenge theme is a super duper easy one for me as I have TONS of patterned paper and I usually use a lot of it on cards. So, I thought I'd try to challenge myself a bit more this week by colouring an image stamped on patterned paper (something I have done in the past....here's an example). Unfortunately, the mojo still hasn't returned and it didn't go so well. In fact, when my daughter came over to take a look at what I was working on, the conversation went like this.....

Her: Whatcha making?
Me: The usual. But I decided to stamp on patterned paper this time. I don't think it quite worke...
Her: It didn't. It's awful.

Message received, lol. Actually, I was glad for her input so I could just chuck it in the *swear word mumble* it bucket and move on rather than spend time trying to salvage it. I still wanted to make the theme a little more challenging for myself so I decided to create a card that had patterned paper be the star of the show, and this was the result....

No image here, no stamps used, just four different patterned papers, some glitter fun foam, die cuts, pearls, twine and a button.  The Be Jolly die cut is from Stamplorations and the holly is from Paper Smooches.

I didn't get my daughter's approval on this one but it was perched quite prominently on my craft desk and she didn't make retching noises so I guess it's all good.  (:

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:  M is for movie - Tis' the Season To Be Jolly
Simon Says:  masculine
Jingle Belles:  bling on the holidays
As You Like It:  favourite embellishment - My fave embellishment is buttons.  So versatile - and you can usually get them for free!  (:
Dream Valley:  add some sparkle
Crafty Creations:  anything goes
Crafty Catz:  more than 2 layers
Always Fun:  layers
QKR Stampede:  anything goes
Corrosive:  anything goes

Reuse/Recycle! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Reuse/Recycle!" (Actually, I'm the one who added the "!". I don't think she's being quite so forceful/demanding but the title without the exclamation mark just didn't look as exciting so I thought I'd punch it up. (:) As you can guess, she wants to see projects with a reused or recycled element.

Excuse me for a moment....*activates megaphone* "MOJO! IF YOU COULD KINDLY GET YOUR FLIPPITY-FLAPPITY ASS BACK HERE, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT. Where the absolute frickity-frack are you even going anyway...THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO! You gonna go hang out in line to get into Walmart? I told you, all the Easter chocolate is already gone. So, c'mon back, and I promise to pour at least half a cup of chocolate chips down your throat, 'kay?"

Sorry 'bout that. As you can see, my mojo has left the building. And, that left me struuuuuuuuuugggggggglllllllling to make a card for this challenge. Geez, this was a two day process, with many false starts including a poor Rosie digi that got ripped into tiny little pieces in a pique of anger. Poor girl. She deserved better.

But, this is what I ended up with.....

I used a couple of different R/R items.....see that bit of corrugated cardboard there that's the sleeve?  Well, you'll never guess where it came from....

....it came from hot beverage sleeve!  Imagine that!  Am I a radical thinker or what?  (Because not only does my creativity suffer when my mojo takes off, my imagination suffers too.)  The other thing is that bit of sting there.....and while I would love to say came from a tea bag so this could be the most literal card EVER, it actually was part of the packaging for some burlap tags I used on this project over a year ago.

The Cozy Coffee Die is from Paper Smooches.  I love how it's got the outline so you can cut it out in a contrasting colour if you want.  I made the little tea tag with one of the dies from Bitty Bows (also Paper Smooches.)  Sentiment is computer generated.

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:

Aud Sentiments:  anything goes + sentiment
Allsorts:  anything goes
QKR Stampede:  anything goes
Arty Divas:  anything goes
Stinkin' Inkers:  in the bag - Does a tea bag count??
Unicorn Challenge: use dies
Dream Valley:  favourite colours - My fave colour is blue!
Incy Wincy:  anything goes
Corrosive Challenge:  anything goes
Paper Smooches:  thank you

Books! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Doni's turn to choose the challenge and she's keeping it simple saying, "Books!" which just means she wants to see project that have to do with books, images about books or to do with reading or you could even make a.....

....bookmark (attached to a tag)!!  I used a Paper Smooches snowman die to make the, well, snowman and I backed it with some study cardstock and then attached it to an oversized paper clip.  Didn't use paper for the snowman, it's all fun foam.  Plain old regular fun foam, fuzzy felt-like fun foam for the hat....which kinda looks like astroturf which I didn't realize until I had it all put together or else I definitely would have went with another colour and glitter fun foam for the scarf....which I'm sure the recipient will really appreciate seeing as it's bound to leave glitter all over the pages of their book.  Buuuuuut, (confession time) I kinda used the glitter fun foam on purpose for that exact reason.  Seeeeeeeeee, this was a thank you to a coworker at one of my jobs.  This woman and I don't really work together together except for a handful of occasions, but it's a very small company so we definitely cross paths a lot.  She is the most oxymoronic person I know....high-strung, a perfectionist, tends to (as I call it) "get flappy" (yep, pretty much as it sounds, picture an agitated bird turning in circles), gruff, complains about her colleagues etc. BUT....she buys us all gifts for Christmas, which is very sweet of her and wholly unnecessary, and it's not just a $5 gift card either.  So, of course, I appreciate her thoughtfulness and a thank you is in order.....BUT......years ago on the first two occasions I worked with her [in her "department" which I never have done again, and will never do again (stayed tuned, you'll see why), any subsequent job sharing has happened in my "department"] she outright hollered at me twice for absolutely no reason.  Like just went off.  Me and the other people on the scene basically all froze to our spots with WTFFF looks on our faces.  (In case you're wondering that's What The F&ckity, F&ck, F&ck.)  It should actually be funny but being a grown a$s 42 year old (at the time) woman getting yelled at for moving a couple of (fairly worthless) figurines closer together on a table....well, ha, as you can see, I'm still not over it.  Hence, the dollar store WTFFF (that's What The Flaky, Flake Flake) glitter fun foam with strict instructions to shed all over every book and everything else it can drop its dander on.

Coz that's how I roll.  Great big chicken with a sizable passive aggressive streak.  (:

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.

Crafty Gals:  winter fun
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday:  something old - Paper Smooches die is at least a couple years old
Cuttlebug Mania:  winter - Paper Smooches snowman die
Tuesday Throwdown:  layered die cuts
Allsorts:  more than a single word
Cut It Up:  snow much fun
Watercooler Wednesday:  masculine
Paper Smooches:  anything goes

Back To Basics @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Heather's turn to choose the challenge and she wants us to go "Back To Basics" which means that she wants to see clean & simple or one layer cards. One of my favourite challenges!

Now I like me a cas challenge because I love the look of cas cards, but rarely make them unless I have to. It's not that I don't like making them, I actually do like to, it's just that I love patterned paper (and I have, like, so, so much of it) that I tend to reach for it right away. And, imho, you can't really make cas cards with the bold, bright, busy patterns of the paper I like to use.  So, even when I make cards that are minimally layered with no embellishments, I wouldn't consider them cas, due to the extreme lack of any "white" space.  And, that's why I like cas challenges so much.  I get to slap my own hand when it reaches for all that patterned paper and it allows me to come up with something like this.....

Now, as you can see, I did actually use a bit of patterned paper.  I also used a bee die from Paper Smooches.  Sentiment was computer generated.

I certainly don't mean to sound braggy.....but a pun, cas design, and a googly eye?  If this wasn't my own card I'd be swooning.  But, since it is, I'll just mutter "good job" at meself, and feed me some chocolate as a reward.

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.

(Edited to add:  Okay, so the chocolate I thought I had has disappeared.  *shakes fist towards ceiling at sleeping kids*  So, I may or may not have poured a generous amount of chocolate chips from the bag straight into my mouth.  And for the record, I don't even feel guilty about it.)

Also for:

The Paper Players:  lunchbox love notes
Less Is More:  black & white + one other colour
Crazy For CAS:  Pinterest inspired
Paper Smooches:  cas

All About Travel @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying "All About Travel" which is pretty self-explanatory, I'm thinking.

I struggled with this challenge for a bit but in the end this is what I came up with.....

This was one of those times where the card turned out exactly like I had it pictured in my head.  I'm not sure what my head was smoking though coz I'm not all that impressed.  Sometimes it is what it is.  And sometimes even when I'm not all that crazy about it, some of you think it's grand.  That whole subjectiveness thing, obviously.  Lighthouse die is from Paper Smooches and the sentiment was a freebie from Create With Tlc.

Let's talk about that cloud paper for a minute.  I love patterned paper with clouds on it.  In fact, I've bought whole 6x6 paper pads just specifically for the two sheets of cloud paper inside.  Some paper manufacturer really ought to produce a paper pad of just different cloud papers.  Bet it would fly off the shelves.  I know I'd buy one.....or possibly two.

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:

Allsorts:  use 2 or more dies - I've used four.  (:
Aloha Friday:  masculine
Simply Create:  for a male
Simon Says:  bright & cheerful
That's Crafty:  a summer's day
Cuttlebug Mania:  summer - using lighthouse die, stitched circle frame die, circle die, stitched sloped hill die
Shopping Our Stash:  she's a crafting machine - used my Cuttlebug to cut the dies

To Bee or Not To Bee @ Little Red Wagon

Subtitled:  OMG, Why Didn't I Save Talking About Shakespeare For This Week's Little Red Wagon Instead of Doing It Last Week?

This week at

due to some holiday switcherooing it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge again and, well I'm guessing it might have to do with her recent trip to England, because she's gone with another Shakespeare-but-not-really-Shakespeare theme and she's saying, "To Bee Or Not To Bee", and as you've probably figured out by the way bee is spelled in the title....she wants to see projects that include bees. Buzz, buzz!

This is what I did.....

Okay, you all will have to tell me if the sentiment is evident.  It is to me, of course, but then it came out of my head.  It wasn't to my 13 year old daughter (the only other person in the house when I was typing this up) but then she's not exactly versed in Homer quotes or idioms.

No stamps here, just a couple of computer generated words and a super cute Paper Smooches bee die.

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:

International Art & Soul:  sentiment as the main focus
Simply Create Too:  for a male
As You Like It:  favourite shape or fold - I'm a boring girl....my favourite shape is 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square as that's the size and shape needed to use my much-loved stitched square dies.
Aud Sentiments:  anything goes + sentiment
4 Crafty Chicks:  love is in the air
Crafty Cardmakers:  for a man or boy
Die Cutting Divas:  masculine + die cut
Unicorn Challenge:  masculine
Always Fun:  for a male

Under the Sun @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Heather's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Under the Sun" which just means that she wants to see a project with a sun on it.

This is what I did.....

As you can see I made a little window scene with the sun peeking in.  Of course, it's not to scale, seeing as if it was everything would have burst into flames for having the sun so close.  But, we can say that it's the sun's proximity that has evaporated all the water and that's why there's none in the vase, rather than, well, the fact that a certain JanR is not adept at colouring water.  Gosh darn, that sun.

Stamp is from Paper Smooches.  I added glitter Nuvo Drops to the centre of the flowers.....not sure why they cracked like that but I'm going to pretend I'm happy 'bout 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:

Get Creative:  lots of flowers (Are four considered lots?  Hmmm.....)
Stamping Sensations:  close to nature
Shopping Our Stash:  April showers bring May flowers
Stinkin' Inkers:  April showers bring May flowers
{PIN}spirational:  inspirational photo

Old MacDonald Had a Farm @ EIEIO!!!, ahem....I mean @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and she's singing that nursery rhyme (which was an absolute favourite around here) "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" which just means she wants to see projects with farm animals. Yee-haw!

This is what I did....

Stamps are from Your Next Stamp as is the grass die.  Fence dies are from MFT.  I really wish I would have taken the photo with the card laying flat though, even though I generally don't like the way that looks.  But, if I had done that I could have made those googly eyes point every which way, which is kinda the whole point of googly eyes.  In this photo they do appear to be earnestly wishing the Birthday Person a happy day, so that's pretty good too, I guess.

I love these bold, cartoony farm animals.  Well, maybe not that cartoony really.  I do believe I might have found the real life inspiration for these animals so maybe I shouldn't be calling them cartoony....

Yep, pretty sure that's it right there.  I'm not even sure if that's a donkey or a horse or cow.....just a minute, I'll ask my resident (17 year old son) farm expert.....he thinks it's a miniature horse.  Whatever it is, it's a happy looking thing, that's for sure.

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:  feature a critter
Dream Valley:  dry embossing
Get Creative:  no patterned paper
Always Fun:  happy birthday
Craftaholics R Us:  birthday cards
Simon Says:  happy birthday

Round Up Time! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying it's "Round Up Time!" which means she wants to see round projects. So fun!

I love making round cards....but for some reason I don't do it very often. Probably because I'm such a square - haha. This is what I did....

No stamps on this one. Pineapple and letter dies are from Paper Smooches.  I'll admit, I did struggle with this one.....couldn't seem to figure out a good layout for Mr. Pineapple.  Turned out he just needed a friend and a frame to make it come together.

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:


Simon Says:  add a sentiment
My Time to Craft:  something new - pineapple dies
Deep Ocean:  something new - pineapple dies
Paper Smooches:  anything goes

Bow & Arrow @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

Sandy is the host and she has a fun challenge for us. The challenge is "Bow & Arrow" which means she wants to see one of the other on your make....or both!

This is what I did....

I used a free digi from Paper Smooches again this week along with their Tiny Hearts dies.

A lot of you will probably recognize this line from Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name" which is also the next line of the song.  Personally, I've always thought it was unfortunate that "Shot through the heart..." had such a negative connotation.  Myself, I think it would be a romantic thing to say to someone.  You know, bypassing that whole cupid-in-his-diaper-with-his-annoying-cherub-face-flying-around-shooting-people to say that it was actually your crush/partner/spouse/date who "got" you....and you were happy about it, and willing to follow them anywhere.

Unfortunately, thinking about it that way, doesn't stop the whole Bon Jovi band cranking up the song in my head every time I read the card though.  *sigh, grumble, sigh*

And once you're done grumbling at me for the earworm 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 Stamp:  add a sentiment
Watercooler Wednesday:  anything masculine goes
Tuesday Throwdown:  anything goes
QKR Stampede:  inspired by a song
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge:  anything goes
City Crafter:  no flowers

Bugs & Slugs @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and she's feeling all summertimey.....in a bit of a creepy-crawly way. The challenge is "Bugs & Slugs" which just means she would like to see an insect or gastropod.

This is what I did....

I used a freebie digi (image & sentiment) from Paper Smooches. I've had this happy bee for AGES, I can't believe this is the first time I've ever used it.  (Edited to add: I happened to be looking at my past blog photos for something and guess what I saw?  Yep, a card with this lil guy.  So I have used it before.  In my defense, it was back in 2013, so I can't be too hard on myself for not remembering, right?  *imagining a chorus of "rights" to make me feel better about, well, niggling doubts about my age vs memory*)  As you can see, it was awfully busy (or should I say buzzy - bwahahahahaha) flying all over the place on my card front there.  Omg, wouldn't it be awesome if that's how bees looked irl?  Can you image walking outside and looking over your lawn and seeing these cubby, happy, polka dotted bees just merrily bobbing from clover to other weed-flower with those big grins and wonky eyes?  Being all like, "Hullo!  I'm just collecting some pollen so I can make honey later.  Well, I best bee buzzing off!"  (Because, of course, bees are into puns.)

So, why not grab and insect or such 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:

Simon Says Stamp:  for a child
Cards In Envy:  bug me!
Moving Along With the Times:  things that fly
Addicted To Stamps:  cas
Paper Smooches:  anything goes

Christmas In July @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's my turn to choose the challenge and I'm going with "Christmas in July" which means I just want to see Christmas projects.

This is what I did.....

I do like how this turned out.  Digi is from Skapar Kallarn, and the words are dies from Paper Smooches.  Wouldn't it be neat of snowflakes were red and green.....or any colours really?  Hmmm.....except when it started to melt and the colours all blended together to form a goopy brown, then not so pretty, of course.  Still, living in the country, and travelling gravel roads a lot, that's pretty much what melting snow looks like to me anyways.  Don't know if I'd handle having my whole lawn look like that though.  Okay, let's stick with white.

So, why not get those Christmas project starting 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:

Come And Get It:  2 or more patterned papers
Sweet Stampin':  Christmas In July
Aud Sentiments:  Christmas in July + sentiment
Cut It Up:  Christmas in July
Always Fun Challenges:  paper piecing
Christmas Card Challenges:  inspirational photo
Cardz 4 Guyz:  Christmas in July
Deep Ocean:  Christmas in July
The Holly & the Ivy:  anything Christmas goes
Unicorn Challenge:  Christmas in July
{PIN}spirational:  inspirational photo
ABC Christmas:  O is for Old - Patterned paper is a few years old, new to me digi
Christmas At Sweet Stampin':  anything Christmas goes
Watercooler Wednesdays:  anything masculine goes
Paper Smooches:  anything goes

Independence @ Tiddly Inks

This month at

we're going to make you put on your thinking caps....the challenge is "Independence" which is pretty much open to your interpretation. Just make sure you use a Tiddly Inks image, of course!

This is what I did....

I thought a new home certainly would fit the independence theme, especially if it was a first home.  I used the My Home digi....it's a steal at $1.00!  And not only does it have this image, it includes four sentiments too.  If that's not a deal then I don't know what is!

I also gave a new-to-me technique I've been wanting to have a go at for awhile a try.  It's the "die cut your sentiment out of your image and then die cut it a couple more times out of cardstock and then layer them all together and fit 'em back into the die cut spots so it looks like your sentiment is actually a part of the image" technique.  Bet there's a more succinct name for it but I'm not sure what it is.  Tried a quick Google search but couldn't find anything promising....and you'll have to forgive me for being too tired/lazy/uncaring to try harder.  'Sides, you all know what I mean, right?

Sidebar.....Hey, Google, what's with coming back with all the Pinterest results all the time now?  If I wanted to search Pinterest, I'd go to Pinterest and search there.  I don't need my Search Engine taking me to another Search Engine (of sorts).  It's like Google's now me as I was at the end of the last paragraph.  And seeing as Google is not a 42 year old with three kids, four jobs, always 25 seconds away from just nodding off due to extreme tiredness and lack of sleep, I think it can do better.  Amirite?

So, why not show us what independence means to you, and join us for the challenge?  And be sure to  check out the fabulousness the DT has come up with.

Also for:

Crafty Cardmakers:  tic tac toe - stitching, digi, buttons
Sweet Stampers:  dies or punches
Inkspirational:  rural (Notice there's no neighbouring houses right next door.  :-) )
Deep Ocean:  lots of layers