N is for Newborn! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

Imke is continuing to take us through the alphabet with this week being, "N for Newborn!" which means she wants to see those baby cards.

This is what I did....

Even though I have a lot of baby digis that work great for baby cards, I always like to have a couple of more generic baby cards in my stash.  Although, at the last two baby showers I attended, there was a request to bring a book instead of a card.  I might have still included a card with my gift....the one time because it was for my daughter-in-law so I did both a book and a card.....and the other time because I didn't click a link on an evite, which contained additional information, so I didn't know about the book instead of a card request until I got to the shower.  Whoopsie!  (Turned out I wasn't the only one who hadn't click the link....but those other people luckily got told by other attendees before the shower.)

Just wanted to mention too....that sentiment is an ancient rub on I bought back when I first started making cards, like 16 years ago.  It went on beautifully and perfectly.  I was very impressed!  

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:

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

Neglected Stuff:  use neglected stash - the aforementioned rub on

Crafty Animals:  anything goes with an animal

Critter Crazy:  anything goes with a featured critter

Die Cut Divas:  occasions + die cuts

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Signs of Spring! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge she's saying, "Signs of Spring!" meaning she would like to see those makes that are about, or remind us of, spring.

We could use some signs of spring 'round here.  Had a couple of beautiful days last week followed by a couple of days of high winds, snow and freezing rain.  On Monday morning it was 11ºC and pouring rain and 0ºC by 4pm with high winds and a snow squall watch in effect.  Boooooo

Anyhoo, I guess we can celebrate spring in paper form with a card like this....

It took me a bit to come up with something for this challenge, everything I was trying was....well....let's say boooooooooo again.  Finally settled on doing something outside my norm by covering the front of a card with felt flower die cuts.  I then decided it needed something just a smidge more so I mounted the card front on a card front.  And sorted.

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:

CRAFT:  spring

Craft Rocket:  no designer paper

Ellibelle's Garden Party:  anything seen in a garden

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Crafty Calendar:  spring

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Alphabet Challenge:  W is for wildflowers

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

The Card Concept:  spring flowers - I was inspired by the flowers and bright colours

Picturing Love @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's my turn to choose the challenge and I'm taking inspiration from Girlfriend Kate's challenge themes and I'm also doing music this year.....I'm going with some of my favourite songs from Canadian artists.  In the some of the past few years I have had an overall theme to my challenge picks....though they may not have been obvious as I didn't highlight that fact.  Last year was Star Trek (which the aforementioned Kate picked up on fairly quickly), 2023 was using the same word twice (Happy, Happy Birthday, Craft With Kraft and the one I kinda cheated on Simply Clean & Simple), 2022 was alliteration (Make Masculine Makes, Glitz, Glitter, Gleam & Glow).

2026 is all about some awesome songs from some awesome Canadian singers/bands.  I thought I might give a little info about each song/artist....who knows, maybe you'll find a new song to love.  (:  

"Picturing Love" is a 2016 song from the band July Talk.  From Toronto, this alternative rock band is known for its unique sound and explosive live performances.  Lead singer, Peter Dreimanis's, cover of CCR's "Bad Moon Rising", has been used in a number of TV shows, films and video games including The Walking Dead, Green Room, and Teen Wolf.  The band's first three studio albums won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year.  Personally, I love their sound.  While "Picturing Love" is not my favourite song of theirs (that would be "Guns + Ammunition" but I obviously wasn't going to make that a challenge) it is a close second....which is where the song peaked on the Canadian Rock Chart in 2016.

I've linked to their music videos above but I thought I'd give a.....well.....very mild warning.    “Picturing Love” is about human relationships, sexuality, and how they are influenced by addiction to screens and pornography.  Imho, I would consider the music video tame, but I understand that Canadian media is  more....let's say open.....than American media.  So, that's your warning.  If you do watch the video, and you're not familiar with the band, I would bet actual money that you will not expect that voice to come out of that face.  Just sayin'.

Anyhoo, back to the challenge.  I want to see those projects about love.  Anniversary, Valentine's Day, friendship, something or someone you love or you could go with the same thing I did....

a wedding card.  At the beginning of January, I posted a card and mentioned that I had originally started with different patterned papers.  This was that card.  I added the die cut and a whole new card was born.  (:

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

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky:  love is all around

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  spots & dots

A Cut Above:  anything goes with die cuts

Aud Sentiments:  wedding & dies + sentiment 

Simon Says:  add a heart

J for Just One Word @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's on her last letter for this year - J - and she's saying, "J for Just One Word" so brevity is theme for this week.  (-;

This is what I did.....

....it's a tag!  I KNOW! (That last screamed sentence is for those who have seen my failed attempts and grumblings about past tags/tag challenges, and here I went and made a tag even though I didn't have to specifically make a tag.....what?!?!?!?!?!?!)  Tag dies are from the now closed Your Next Stamp and the other dies are from Recollections (via Michaels).

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:

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Jingle Belles:  wrapping up

CRAFT:  Christmas

Crafty Gals Corner:  tis the season

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky:  Christmas

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  anything Christmas

613 Avenue Create:  sparkle (Not showing that great in the photo but the 'peace' is cut from glitter fun foam.)

Simon Says:  sparkle

Dragonfly Dreams:  tags

Peace on Earth:  inspirational photo

Crafty Calendar:  Christmas

Critter Crazy:  anything goes with a featured critter

Die Cut Divas:  Christmas

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  winter things

Neglected Stuff:  anything goes with neglected stash - tag dies

Pearls, Sequins & Gems, Oh My! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Pearls, Sequins & Gems, Oh My!" which means she wants to see those projects with....well....pearls, sequins & gems.

This is what I did.....

This was one of those cards that didn't even come close to what I had originally thought I was going to do.....and that's okay, because I do like how it turned out.  I was planning on being A Very Good DT Member and use pearls, sequins and gems on my card but it was just pearls in the end.  But look at that splatter!  Pretty good, if I do say so myself.  I will also say that I had nothing to do with it and it's just an aspect of the patterned paper.  Did I make you jealous for a moment?  lol

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:

As You Like It:  favourite embellishment - Pearls, gems, enamel dots are my favourite embellishments

CRAFT:  Christmas

Craft Rocket:  Christmas

ABC Christmas:  X is for stitching

Crafty Gals:  tis the season

Merry Little Christmas:  anything Christmas goes

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  something new - Both the dies are new

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams:  feminine

Peace on Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Allsorts:  focal sentiment

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Simon Says:  anything goes

GDT @ Christmas [or not] Bingo Challenge

I'm doing a GDT spot at Christmas [or not] Bingo Challenge!   Here's the bingo card....

I went with O and I used the whole column.  (:  This is what I did....

So, I've got CAS ✓, no stamping ✓, free ✓, distressing tool ✓ and gems ✓.  And that's about that.  (:

If you would like to join in the challenge, or see what fabulous makes the DT has created, just click on over.

Also for:

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

CRAFT:  Christmas

Krafty Chicks:  anything goes

ABC Christmas:  U is for uncluttered

Simon Says:  anything goes

Tic Tac Toe:  leaves, free, die cuts

Not a Card! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Not a Card!" so she wants to see anything but.

This is what I did....

I delved into my drawer of items to alter and pulled out this lil shadow box.  Dressed it up with some Christmas paper and embellis and that was that.  I'll probably add a ribbon to hang it, and I'll find a spot for it for Christmas.

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.

Slimline! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying she wants to see those slimline cards.  Generally, slimline cards are 3.5" x 8.5" but I'm betting she'd be happy seeing cards that are long and slim, even if they're not exactly "right".

I've fudged the measurements on slimline cards before but this one is indeed 3.5" x 8.5".....

When I was routing around in a drawer I came across these dog stickers I don't even remember buying....so I'm thinking I've had them for awhile.  (It's better to think that than to think I bought them recently but completely forgot about it!)  I thought they'd be perfect for this.  Admittedly, this card ended up so far away from what I had originally planned that you'd need a telescope to see it.....and that's only if the curvature of the earth didn't get involved.  I mean, grey grass?  But, I quite like it, and despite changing....well everything....it came together easily so I'm happy with the result.

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:

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

Creative Animals:  anything goes with an animal

Fab 'n' Funky:  cute

Critter Crazy:  anything goes with a featured critter

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Neglected Stuff:  anything goes with old stash

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Watercolour It! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Chrissy's turn to choose the challenge and she's asking us to "Watercolour It!"  

Oof.  Struggled with this one, I did.  I got out my Walmart watercolour tray of paints and tried a couple of different times to watercolour something simple I could then make a card out of.  Let's just say.....yikes.  So I tried something else....

....and let a piece of patterned paper do the watercolouring for me.  Kept it pretty unadorned as I wanted that lovely paper to take centre stage.  No stamps were harmed with the making of this card.

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:

Love Those Pretty Papers:  wedding + patterned paper

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Crafty Catz:  use hot colours

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

As You Like It:  sentiment or not? - I prefer to add a sentiment.  In the case of this card, it would be pretty plain without one.

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday:  anything goes

Ellibelle's Garden Party:  anything in or from a garden

Addicted to Stamps:  die cuts

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Neglected Stuff:  I've had that patterned paper in my stash for quite some time.

Simon Says:  anything goes

D is for Die Cuts! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's taking us on a trip through the alphabet and this time it's "D is for Die Cuts!".  

I decided to be a Good DT Member for this theme and I made....

....a card using all die cuts.  (:  

Completely off topic.....guess what I got on Monday.  My first grandchild!  He is perfect and precious and I'm very excited to be a Gram. ♥

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:  anything Christmas goes

Allsorts:  paper piecing

Can You Handle the Pressure:  florals + embossing

Love Those Pretty Papers:  anything goes + patterned paper

As You Like It:  soft or bold colours - I prefer bold colours as I find them more eye-catching.

Craft Rocket:  flowers

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  flowers

The Holy & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

Addicted to Stamps:  Christmas

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Merry Little Christmas:  anything Christmas goes

Put It In Neutral! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Put It In Neutral!" which means she wants to see those projects using neutral colours.  Think white, black, kraft, brown etc.

This is what I did.....

No stamping on this one, just die cuts and a sentiment typed in Word.  We're just gonna ignore the little drips of pink on there.  Honestly, I didn't notice how prominent they are until I saw the photo.  Of course, mentioning them makes them that much more prominent, and saying to ignore something also makes it stand out more.....but I need you to know that I know that bit of pink is cheating a wee bit.  There, I feel better.  (:

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:

Crafty Calendar:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

{PIN}spirational:  die cuts

A Place to Start:  anything goes

A Cut Above:  anything with a die cut goes

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Peace On Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Use Your Scraps! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Use Your Scraps!" which is very timely for me because I just found out (or remembered, I guess) that have two scrap baskets, in two different spots, when I thought I only had one!  Whoops!

But, at least that meant I had a lot of scraps to choose from.  So, this is what I did....

It's pretty much all from the scrap baskets, except for the googly eyes.  No stamps on this one either.

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

Crafty Catz:  make it cute

My Time to Craft:  cas clean & simple

Moving Along With the Times:  cas

Crafty Gals:  anything goes

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Make My Monday:  let's celebrate

AAA Cards:  anything cas goes

Shapely! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's my turn to choose the challenge and I'm saying, "Shapely!" which means I want to see those makes that aren't square or rectangle.

This is what I did....

I made a Christmas tree ornament in the shape of a pennant.  And it's a shaker too!  Which, you would think I was active shaking when I took the photo given how blurry the bottom of it looks.  I think my phone was having a hard time focusing on the glitter die cut and that's why it's so fuzzy.

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

Dragonfly Dreams:  use a die

Peace on Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Cut It Up:  starts with a B - the word be, bling

My Time to Craft:  everything dies

Krafty Chicks:  all occasions

Tic Tac Toe:  gem, patterned paper, die cuts

Crafty Gals:  anything goes

Ellibelle's: anything goes

Merry Little Christmas:  anything Christmas goes

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Double Trouble:  something, anything, everything

Pour Some Sugar On Me! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and for 2024 she's doing challenges inspired by Def Leppard songs.  So fun!  This first challenge is based on one of their most popular songs (at least that's how I remember it), "Pour Some Sugar on Me", which means she wants to see projects that are sweet.

I went very literal and this is what I did......

....I made a Christmas shaker ornament featuring candy!  And, for bonus points, I actually included the word sweet on my make.  Got a mishmash of all different products on here....some Doodlebug stickers, Recollections shakers bits....and I believe the sweet die is Recollections as well, Christmas die is Honey Bee Stamps....and there was probably a tittle for the i when I cut it but it got lost immediately, and the rest is who-knows old stash.  (:

A little news for those who don't mind reading non-project parts in posts....both my oldest baby and sub-baby as well as myself, have recently gotten puppies.  Yay puppies!!  Theirs is an 8 week old golden retriever....

...who decided to take a nap on my youngest sub-baby's lap.  And ours is a 9 month old Australian Labradoodle....

who is an angel but somehow manages to move every time I snap a photo.  This is honestly the only one I have of her face....well, half her face.  We didn't really plan on getting puppies at the same time, it just worked out that way, which is good because they can be friends.  (:  I had been looking for an older puppy for a few months now (one that was in my budget....some breeders are asking anywhere from $4000 - $16,000 for an older puppy or a trained older puppy)....I just didn't want to do the whole puppy crate-training, house training all over again (even though it was about 15 years since I had done it last).  Miley is definitely crate-trained, and house-trained for the most part....she's had a couple accidents since we got her but that's to be expected.  She's basically crashed today (this being her fourth whole day with us).....and it currently dreaming (as I can tell from the little twitches) right beside my desk.  My cats are still very hesitant around her, Miley has gotten over her hesitation and wants to play, but they aren't having any of it yet.  Pretty sure my oldest cat of the two, Daisy, is laughing at Ollie saying, "See, what it's like?  Someone trying to chase you, always trying to get you to play, eating your food if you leave any in the dish.  How do you like it?"  lol  

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

Allsorts:  anything but square

Cut It Up:  this makes me happy - Crafting gifts to give.  (:

Jingle Belles:  something old and something new - The candy sprinkles are new, everything else is old to very old.

Krafty Chicks:  all occasions

ABC Christmas:  A is for anything goes

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

A Place To Start:  anything goes

Dream Valley:  2 or more patterned papers

Make My Monday:  use your patterned paper

Christmas Bingo:  G - red, die cuts, free

Tic Tac Toe:  embellishment, patterned paper, anything but a card

Christmas Craft Creations:  glitter & sparkle

Sentimental You! @ Little Red Wagon

 This week at

it's yours truly's turn to choose the challenge and I'm saying, "Sentimental You!" which means I would like to see your project with a sentiment as the focus or a large sentiment.  

Interrupting the post for a minute to say I sure shouldn't have shook my fist at Mother Nature last week.  Coz she was all like, "You want snow?  I'll give you snow!"  So, starting Friday afternoon of last week until early Monday morning, she delivered the snow, with high winds and it was fairly nasty out.  This week thus far has been COLD with temps of -20ºC including the windchill. Oh look, and it's snowing pretty good right now too. Yeah, sorry Ontario.  Clearly my fault.

Back to the challenge post!  This is what I did.....

I used the same cover plate die as I used last week (as it was still out and handy) and used a new die to cut the sentiment (cut multiple times with once being from fun foam for  extra dimension).  Added some bells and enamel dots and done!  Wait.  I just had a realization about something.  I used the cover plate die to cut this from both red and white cardstock.  Then I painstakingly put all the red cardstock little inside pieces into the white die cut (which I do find satisfying).....and then mounted it all on a red cardstock base, which negated the need to add in all the red inside pieces.  D'oh!

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:  anything goes Christmas

Allsorts:  make your own background

Crafty Calendar:  anything goes

Krafty Chicks:  Christmas

Through the Purple Haze:  anything goes

Word Power:  sentiment as focus

ABC Christmas:  A is for anything goes

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Merry Little Christmas:  anything Christmas goes

Layer Upon Layer! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's my turn to choose the challenge and I'm saying, "Layer Upon Layer!" which just means I want to see those projects with multiple layers.  So, pile it on!

I decided I would do a card type that definitely needs lots of layers.....

.....a shaker card!  I do love shaker cards.  So, let's see....how many layers....well, if you count the foam tape and sequins/chunky glitter/beads as layers (which I am, but I'm not counting the Scor-Tape, tape runner or glue adhesives), from the card base bottom to the gold star on top, it's 10 layers.  Told you shaker cards needed lots of layers.  (:

It's hard to tell in this picture, but the patterned paper in the shaker element is the same as the patterned paper on top of the card base, except the stars are gold.  I also foiled the word 'WONDER' in gold.  Sentiment was made by me in Canva.

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:

ABC Christmas:  3 of a kind - 3 words, 3 types of shakers elements (chunky glitter, beads, sequins)

Simon Says:  anything goes

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  shapes - stars & rectangles

Cardz 4 Guys:  stars

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

A Place to Start:  all that glitters

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Peace On Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

My Time to Craft:  2 or more patterned papers

C.R.A.F.T.:  Christmas

Moving Along With the Times:  Christmas

Jingle Belles:  inspired by a move - A Christmas Star

Christmas Craft Creations:  metallics

Star Struck! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Doni's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Star Struck!" which just means that she would like to see stars (or a star) on your project.

Before we get to my make, I need to take a moment to apologize to fellow Girlfriend, Kate.  I'm very sorry, Kate.  I take full responsibility for my actions.  I should have known better.  I really, really, really, really, really shouldn't have posted a card last week that said, "Let It Snow".  Due to my carelessness with die cuts, the temperature in Ontario, which was around 27º-28ºC last week (unheard of for April in Ontario), has plummeted to hovering around the freezing mark, and it's been snowing on and off since yesterday.  Kate (and all other Ontarians), I hope you can forgive me.

Now, after that heartfelt apology, did I do something this week to encourage warm weather to come back?  Nope, I didn't.  In fact I so didn't that I've actually made another Christmas creation.  But.....

....at least this one doesn't even hint at snow.  I made a tree ornament!  Got some funky corrugated cardboard from some packaging and used it for the base.  Twine is upcycled too, it was used to attach at tag to a pair of pants my daughter had bought.  Second week in a row for a shaker....that's what happens when you don't clean your desk between projects....you just decide to use what's already out - ha!

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.

Also for:  

Craft Rocket:  layer it up

Creative Inspirations:  anything goes

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

Use Your Stuff:  layers

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Peace on Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Corrosive:  anything goes

Allsorts:  anything goes

Crafty Calendar:  die cuts

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

My Time to Craft Christmas:  Christmas quote