Happy Thursday everyone! We’re gearing up for a busy weekend here in the Desert – my MIL is coming to visit, and we’ll be celebrating my birthday with her and my parents/younger brother on Saturday.  Nadya and I spent Tuesday tidying up around the house, yesterday crafting and playing, and today we have laundry, errands, and playdate – never a dull moment. The Patriotic digital stamp collection by Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff is the featured kit for this week’s challenge at MyGrafico – in order to play along, all you have to do is create a card/project using one or more of the images in the set.  The image I chose has always reminded me of a quilt block/fabric piecing, so I stepped outside my comfort zone and played along. In the “spirit” of piecing, I opened my image in Photoshop and paired it with several lovely papers and elements from Kalo Designs’ Americana kit. I printed 2 copies of the pieced stamp so that I could trim the “sewing” and pop it on it’s own layer, which I then added to the the mat layer (where I stamped the ribbon).  I had to add some bling, so after printing, I used my Spica markers on the glitter stars, Clear Glaze pen on the stitching, and Glossy Accents on the buttons.  I used my Bravo Burgundy and Not Quite Navy markers (SU) to seal the edges of my layers and then added the brass nails using my new I-Rock tool (Imaginisce) – I was hesitant at first, but am so glad I found it – and on-sale too! (I turned the flash on so you could see the sparkle – hence the color variance)My “ribbon” is part of the Ribbon Factory 5 Collection (Clear Dollar Stamps-retired) that I stamped in Bravo Burgundy (SU) ink. I added the pearl strand (Michaels). I used a MS Punch-Around-the-page set to scallop my textured card base (DCWV – Holiday Box) and then attached everything with glue dots (Fiskars) and mono adhesive (Tombow).

Challenges I Played In:

• My Grafico #55 – Use LSS Patriotic Stamps
• Card Patterns – Sketch #70
• ABC Challenge – X-tra Dimension
• ABC Design Blog – Red, White + Blue
• Challenge Up Your Life – Vintage
• Crafty Cats Weekly – Let’s Go Digital
• Creative Craft Challenges – Stamp It Up
• Alice in Wonderland Challenge – Twinkle Twinkle
• PaperCutz Challenge – Circle, Stars or Squares
• Practical Scrappers – Border Punches

That’s all from me! If you haven’t already been to Lindsay’s blog – be sure to stop there for treats and inspiration! Have a fabulous week-end, and if you’re in the USA – thank a soldier for your freedom!

Nope, nothing sports related, just the 3 cards my DH received for Father’s Day today – a collaborative effort between Nadya and I – just for him.  It’s been a long-standing tradition to share both a  “fun” card and a serious/ sentimental card, hence the double cards from me plus one from the entire reason he gets to celebrate Father’s Day! I’ll start with Nadya’s as hers is the star of the show: One of her favorite characters (if not her most favorite) is Lightning McQueen from the Disney/Pixar Cars movie.  So, naturally, one of the few Cricut cartridges I own is Cars.  After much discussion, Nadya settled on a Lightning McQueen card for Daddy – so I went to work in Design Studio (my first attempt with the Cricut software and using an actual Cricut cart – I’m a SCAL girl myself). I used the shadow feature to create the card base and then cut the detail layer for Nadya to color.  Yes, she know Lightning McQueen is red, but she informed me that since Daddy’s Mustang is yellow, McQueen needed to be yellow on Daddy’s card.  So, she colored him yellow, and attached him to the card base.  When I asked her what she wanted it to say on the inside she said “I love Lightning McQueen.  I love Daddy even more than Lightning McQueen.” So there you have it – Daddy is more loved and popular than Lightning McQueen. For my “sentimental” card, I started with a sketch I found on Moe Joe’s blog and some fabulous digital papers from Designs By Kristine’s new Kit Spring Fling (on sale for 35% off right now). I created and layered everything in Photoshop – using clipping masks to digitally “paper-piece” my card layers.  I chose the adorable lemon ant image from Doodle Pantry’s Lemon Ants digital stamp set (which is free right now) and pieced it as well – though my lemon looks more like a lime! Here’s a close-up from Photoshop: After I printed everything out, I added sparkle to the ants with my clear glitter Spica marker, and colored the pebbles with Sand and the ants’ mouths with Red Spica markers. I coated the lemon/lime with Glossy Accents for shine. I used my white gel pen to add the stitching around the circles and my moonlight smooch to add the dots on the scallop mat.

Challenges I Played In (Ant Card):

• Moe Joe’s Design Blog – Sketch
• Character Cafe – Paper Piecing
• Craft Your Passion – Paper Piecing
• Crafty Creations – Stitching

For my “fun” card, I started with the Classic Car card from Cliff’s Clubhouse Cards set at SVGCuts.com.  Instead of cutting the car layers, I added the 66 for Route 66.  I cut the card base from textured black CS and the accents in GP white.  I added some black pearlescent baubles from my friend Suzanne at Crafting Connection.  I really had fun on the inside: The mustang is a coloring page I found on the net – though it’s not the exact year my DH has, it’s close enough!  The “lady” is Lady Luck, a digital stamp I was lucky enough to win from Holly over at Squigglefly.  I started out by layering the images in Photoshop so that I could get the scaling right, but then printed them out individually on white CS and colored them with my Copic and Spica markers.  I added the chrome accents with a silver Zebra gel pen. Again, I don’t have all of the details 100% accurate as compared to his Mustang, but definitely close enough to get the point across.

That’s all from me! I hope everyone has a relaxing Sunday – I know we plan to!

Challenges I Played In – Mustang/Route 66 Card:

• Cards for Men – Father’s Day
• CAS-tastic Challenges – Father’s Day
• Creative Craft Challenges – Man In Your Life
• Daisy Doodles – Father’s Day/Manly
• Fab n Funky Challenges – Father’s Day
• Incy Wincy – One for the Guys
• Magical Crafts – Something for a Male/Father’s Day
• One Stop  Craft – One for the Boys

This has been a tumultuous week in the Desert.  I learned that my Dad has been preliminarily diagnosed with Cancer – now we’re just waiting on various appointments and referrals to learn what kind, how bad, etc.  I had been mulling over Father’s Day card ideas since returning from Montana – but in light of this week’s developments I have struggled with the actual card layout.  As I perused my stamp collection – both traditional and digital, I tried to focus on images or themes that reminded me of my Dad. When I found my Lovely As A Tree set (SU – retired), I knew what I wanted to do. I chose the image of the single Oak tree.  With it’s branches, the Oak offers shelter from the elements and a place to rest for the weary; yet, only the fiercest of storms can break them. The tiny acorns provide life – whether it be sustenance or a new little tree waiting to grow.  So the Oak reminds me of my Dad – strong, patient and nurturing. So, with that being said, I present the Father’s Day card for my Dad.After selecting my stamp, I cut my image layer from Confetti Naturals CS (SU) using my Labels 4 nestability.  I stamped the tree in Basic Brown ink and added color with my Pebbles Ikandee Shimmer chalks.  The faux stitching was added with my Chocolate Chip Marker (SU).  I cut my mat layer from Bazzill textured CS using another Labels 4 nestability.  Though the CS was already textured, I wanted a bit more, so I used my Argyle CB folder and my Big Shot.  I highlighted the raised stitching of the CB folder with my white gel pen and then adhered my image layer.  I added tiny pearls (Michaels) for accent. The card base is from DCWV Indian Summer Fall Box of Cards – prefolded and textured – easy!  I added sheer burgundy organdy ribbon (SU) attached to a Confetti Naturals panel that I faux stitched with Chocolate Chip ink.  After adhering the ribbon and image layers to the card base, I added more tiny pearls to the ribbon and the Prima flowers for accent.

Challenges I Played In:

• Aly’s Sunday Challenge – Sewing
• Clearly Delightful – Sketch
• The Cuttlebug Spot – Embossing
• Pear Tree Designs – Father’s Day
• Paper Cutz Challenge – Father’s Day
• Simple Doodles – Just 4 You Dad
• Stampin’ Royalty – Masculine
• Stamptacular Sunday – Tribute to Fathers
• Wee Memories – In Stitches

Nadya wanted to stamp too – something to make Grandpa feel better since he has an ouchie (that’s how I’ve explained things to her) and he did have an endoscopy done this afternoon.  So, she pulled out my House Mouse stamps, showed me the ones she wanted inked up, stamped them herself and colored them in. Not bad for a toddler!

There you have it! Now I just have to conquer the cards for my DH! I’m going to use an awesome SVG file from SVGcuts.com and my Sure Cuts A Lot – be sure to check back for the finished product!

Have a great weekend folks!