Sew Special for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

I am still doing a happy dance after spending an entire afternoon crafting.  I didn't realize how much I had missed it - or how badly I'm addicted, lol.  I have been doing some kind crafting for just about as long as I can remember but cross stitch was one of my first loves, so I was so excited to see the January 2014 Stamp of the Month "Cross Stitch Wishes" and thought it would be perfect to  use for this week's sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.

details:  I broke out some discontinued papers from the "Clementine" and "Florentine" papers because I love the Twilight blue background paper on the "Florentine" paper and the warm neutrals and random faux stitching wandering through the designs on the "Clementine" papers.  I used the Artiste cartridge for the spool and sponged some Saddle ink onto the Champagne CS to add a little dimension, and then I wrapped it up with Crème Brulee baker's twine and popped it up with foam tape.  I used the Saddle, Twilight, and Sorbet colors from the "Florentine" kit for stamping the sentiment and sponged the edges of the center piece with Saddle.  Happy crafting,  Annette

Welcome Little One for Mojo 324

As you can imagine, there are so many things I could be (and probably should be) doing on this last Sunday before Christmas but I gave myself a little gift today:  I have spent the afternoon crafting not one but two cards for challenges.  I had several weeks when I wasn't able to craft at all after hurting my hand and then I had to get caught up at work so this much crafting time was such a treat!  At any rate, the first card is for the Mojo Monday #324 sketch challenge.  There has been quite a baby boom in my area lately so I thought I'd better get caught up on welcoming everyone's new additions.

details:  I used the retired "Dotty For You" kit because I *love* the sky/clouds/hearts background.  I used the onesies image from the "Wrap It Up" cartridge, switching out the blade with a pen in my Cricut and adjusting it to the lightest pressure setting.  I cut out the yellow, green, and yellow lightly big circles from one of the Dotty patterned papers, carefully planning the placement using my Gypsy.  Once the Cricut had drawn the onesies I fussy cut them, stamped the clothesline from the January 2014 Stamp of the Month, "Cross Stitch Wishes," in Grey Wool as well as the sentiment from a retired SOTM set "Little Reminder."

Happy crafting, Annette

combined challenges using Nativity scene

My holiday season got off to a somewhat unfortunate start as I fell at the beginning of November, injuring my right hand and I was unable to use it much for several weeks so I have had to forego a lot of the crafting projects I had in mind.  So now that I'm back in action I'm having a few issues with my hand and having to do a lot of range of motion type exercises so for the moment I really can say crafting is my therapy!  :-)  Anyway, I have always loved the Glory to God stamp set but haven't used it much so I was determined to use it this season and I have found not just one but two challenges I can enter this card for.  One is based on this week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and the other is for Color My Heart where this week's challenge called for  using Barn Red.  I paired it  with  Champagne and Chocolate, my two favorite neutrals in the CTMH palette.  I also added some gold embossing for the Christ child's halo as well as the stars.

Happy (therapeutic) crafting!  Annette

Thanksgiving birthday card using Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

Among the many things my daughter and I share in common, our birthdays are just a few days apart and both occasionally fall right on Thanksgiving, and this year it's her turn to be the "turkey girl."  I've made her birthday cards for the last several years but I wanted to incorporate that theme into the  card somehow but was stumped for a bit, but this week's sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge helped me pull it together.

Hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving holiday! 

Annette

 details:  All paper used was from the CTMH's discontinued Dreamin' kit.  I used the alpha from the "You Are My Happy" campaign for the front and "Card Chatter - Birthday" (both in Pacifica) for the sentiment inside.  The feathers and the "19th" were both cut using the Artiste Cricut cartridge from CTMH.

Breast Cancer Awareness month

I have been following a fun & fabulous new blog, Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge, for some time but things haven't worked out for me to enter any of their challenges yet.  However, having lost my mother to breast cancer at a very young age, I have a personal goal to post at least one project to support awareness each October and as soon as I saw this sketch I began thinking of ways to use it for my pink ribbon card.  So here's the sketch followed by my take and PLEASE, if you haven't scheduled your mammogram this year, challenge yourself to do so!  :-)

details:  As usual, all projects used are from Close To My Heart although several are discontinued.  The base and border for the center panel are Hollyhock CS, the pink lacy patterned paper is from the discontinued "Lucy" kit.  The middle layer was sponged with Baby Pink on white CS and stamped in Cotton Candy with one of the pieces from the "Save the Date" set; the 'live, laugh, love' sentiment is from the "Love Life" stamp set and the ribbon was stamped in Cotton Candy using the "Always Remember" stamp set.  The sentiment  inside the card was stamped in Cotton Candy again using the retired set "Rustic Alphabet."

adventure card for Retro Sketches challenge

I'm really sneaking this under the wire but I  just have to share it at this week's Retro Sketches challenge, I've been planning it in my mind for several days and have barely had time to craft lately!

Laughing Lola peace signs

My daughter is pretty much a hippie at heart and she has always loved smiley faces and peace signs so I wasn't at all surprised when she picked a comforter for college that featured brightly colored peace signs everywhere.  Since the first picture frame/dry erase board I made last year, I had promised to make one for my daughter when she was ready to go to college so I loved that the Laughing Lola paper kit so closely matched the colors in her comforter.  I can't wait until she gets home from her last shift at her summer job and I can show it to her!

I had hoarded saved some of the Ocean blue from the discontinued summer colors CTMH had several years ago.  This project is doubly nostalgic actually because this was the first paper pack I bought from CTMH and I got  it specifically because that blue was and still is my daughter's favorite color, and this is the last project I will get to make her before she leaves home.  Other than the Ocean, I used the Lola snakeskin pattern for the peace signs and letters, Gypsy and the Lola purple for the solid colored peace signs, and the zip  strip from the paisley page of the Lola kits as a border.  The letters for her name are from the Artbooking cartridge and the peace sign is from the "Feelin' Groovy" Cricut cartridge, which is also something I bought with my daughter in mind, and it has seen a lot of use, LOL!

Happy crafting, Annette