Moon Over Paris

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Close up of cafe and couple.

It seems like I've been working forever on this card. Of course, it was a labor of love because it's for one of my daughters and her sweet husband for their 10th wedding anniversary. It took me a while to decide what I wanted to do in the first place, and then I kept losing parts of the card. The cafe disappeared until I had made a second one, and the couple disappeared for several intense minutes, with me and my hubby trying to find them. It seems they had taken a ride on my schnauzer, Oliver to the other side of the table (on the floor, of course). Lol. Since they have been to Paris, I thought they would enjoy the card. (They loved it!)

Another reason that I made this card was for a challenge for a Cricut Circle challenge. "French Manor" is one of the exclusive carts for those who join the "Circle". The challenge, however called for two cuts from this cart, so I added the word "Amore" over the moon.

You may not be able to tell it from the photo but the card is very large (6"x10"). I had to do this so I had people that could be cut and then seen. And of course the Eiffel tower had to be large since it was behind the cafe. I used my Prismacolor pencils to shade and color all of the different cut items. I used three Cricut cartridges for this card; French Manor, My Community and Sweethearts. I wanted to use more than one paper, but I knew most anything I used might be too busy. So I used one of my Quickcutz embossing folders on top of the dp from K&Co. I didn't plan it this way, but my hubby said it looked like fireworks. So, instead of them being outside during the day, I decided to have it be at night. I used tissue paper as the curtains, and a small piece of lace at the large window of the cafe. The little flowers are a felt lace I found on-line.

Hope you enjoy the card, and that you will leave some kind words.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Crafts 4 Eternity - sketch (All the elements are here, but not exactly how the sketch looked.) & lavender & lace

Secret Crafter - purple and silver

Crazy 4 Challenges - bling

One Stitch at a Time - anything

Pocket Full of Posies - lavender & lace

Incy Wincy Designs - anything

dj1952

P.S. Before I started my blog, the only place that I posted cards was on the Cricut message board. There, I was impressed quite often by Jeannie Phillips. One card in particular that I liked was when she used this cafe as her card and had the couple in front. Thanks Jeannie for all of the inspiration you give to others.

Baby in bath

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Isn't this baby so cute? I just had to come up with a cute caption for him. My husband helped me with an idea I had. He really does look a little perplexed. It's really a very simple card. The background paper is embossed with a cuttlebug folder. I used a MS punch in two colors. After coloring the image I cut it out and pop-dotted it. The very real looking bubbles are from Nicecrane Designs. I love them!

I was inspired by Kym of Digi Doodles to color the eyes. I think they look so much better.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - anything
Sew Many Challenges - embossing
Character Cafe - sketch
Fairy Fun Friday - embossing
CES Challenges - baby
Stamptacular Sunday - grid & stamp
Polly Craft Challenge - cute & cuddley -
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - baby

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will leave a message.

dj1952

Thank you sew beary much...

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Well, I didn't get this finished yesterday, and today I had to go to the doctor's office, so I almost didn't get it done today either. The bear is from D2D and is the second freebie I received from them. I paper pieced the pants, snake belt and shirt on the fellow. Then I thought it would look cute with the string placed around the frame. I used a MS punch and my stash of buttons. The papers are by K&Co and Paper Pizzaz for the jeans paper.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Delightful Inspiration - use their image
The Character Cafe - sketch
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday Challenge - thank you
Paper Sundaes - three types of embellis - buttons, string & border punch
Craftalicious Challenges - thank you

Thanks for stopping by and perhaps making a nice comment.

dj1952

I'd rather be fishing

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Hello again. I just love the LOTV stamps. They are so adorable. I'll have one of their little girls in the next couple of posts from now. I needed to get this card posted tonight and I have another one I need to have done by tomorrow. These papers are from K&Co. The mat and frame are cut with Storybook using my CDS. The buttons are some I got from Michaels. Not much else other than the faux stitching.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley Thursday Challenge - for the boys

Stamptacular Sunday - sketch

Allsorts Challenge - fall colors

Catch the Bug Challenge Blog - fall colors

Mark's Finest Papers - fall colors

A Spoonfull of Sugar - fall colors

Creative Card Crew - fall colors

Wow! Everyone must be ready for fall! Hope you enjoy my card.

dj1952

Making a color chart for Prismacolor pencils

I don't guess you would actually call this a tutorial, I guess it's more like a tip. But it is something that I came up with to help me when I use my Prismacolor pencils when coloring. Of course, I alread knew what many colors looked like because I used them all of the time. However, many times I wanted to know if certain colors were the correct shade or color that I wanted for a project. Prior to this, I just colored a small amount on a piece of scrap paper to "try it out".

I thought there had to be an easier way. So I came up with the idea of making my own color chart with the actual color for each pencil. I decided to compose a color chart in Excel.

I had just recently received some pencils back from Sanford that they replaced for various reasons. I decided to include a column to identify any pencils that I had returned and one for pencils that I planned on returning.

I changed my colors around a little from the way they came in the box. However, if I had already checked out the shades of all my colors, I would have put some in different areas than where I had. (i.e. some blues look more purple than blue, etc.) I next typed all of the colors I had and made them into a grid for each tray. In the sample column I started from the right side with the darkest color of each pencil, then I took q-tips and used my gamsol to shade to the lightest color. (You can use one q-tip for several colors, as there isn't a large area to shade.)

Now, when you are coloring you know how dark and light the pencil will color in one layer. You also now know what the color really looks like, which can be helpful if you're trying to match papers.

I hope you find this useful. If you would like a copy of my chart (which is for the 132 set), please leave your email address in the comments, and I would be happy to send you the file. The file does not have the color in the box. This is left blank for you to color so you have the true color of your pencils.
dj1952

Fall Colors

Hello.

In the mornings here in NC it's beginning to be a little cool, which is an indication that fall is around the corner. Of course I'm sure we've got several more weeks of hot weather, but at least we know it'll be fall soon. We mostly have pines in this area but even around here the oaks, maples and sycamores are so beautiful when the leaves change.

This card is for a dear friend who had to have back surgery. He's home recovering now, but it be a while before he's up and around. As you can see this is a combination using a digi and cricut. Most of the cuts are from the Freshly Picked cart, I did use George to do the door panels. To get the depth, I cut out four layers and glued them together after distressing. I made the door, window and curtain with just regular rectangles.

The digi is a freebie from Delightful Inspiration, in which I'm entering their challenge for the first time. If you do a card with their image, the next week you get a free one. At the beginning of the month they start you out with a freebie. So everyone's a winner. The wreath has two and three layers pop-dotted, to give it depth.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Delightful Inspiration - sketch (my diamonds are in the curtains)
Paper Sundaes - mixed media (I used my prismacolor pencils, promarkers and distress inks)
Tuesday Throwdown - fall
Fab n' Funky Challenges - what 'eva
Anything Goes Challenge - autumn
Crafty Sentiments Designs - digi

I hope you enjoyed my card and will leave a kind message.

dj1952

A little birdie told me...

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Inside:

This is my newest PB stamp. I think she's a cutie pie. Don't you just want to pinch her chubby little cheeks? The grey patterned paper is by Basic Grey, the others are K&Co. I distressed the papers, and used two different sewing stitches. The punch is one of the newer MS punch-around-the-page punches. I added pearls for her necklace, earring, and bracelets. The dress is paper-pieced and then topped off using my prismacolor pencils to shadow.

On the inside I used Heritage to cut the mats, as well as the birdcage post, which I made by cutting off the lamp. The birdcage is from French Manor, and the bird from A Child's Year. I took a couple of prismacolor pencils and shaded these too.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - message

Paper Play Challenges - stitches

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge - distressing

Daisy Doodle's Creative Challenges - anything

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - vintage

Scrap Creations - child

Truly Scrumptious - sketch

Stampin For the Weekend - vintage or shabby

Basic Grey Challenges - paper piecing

Penny Black at Allsorts - punches

Thanks for looking and for any comments you might leave.

dj1952

Dressing up

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Close-up of some of the details:

I've been mia because I've been forced to sit under hot lights for hours on end coloring new images I've purchased. lol! If I don't do it, their feelings might be hurt. Of course, it's not like I don't have a stack of colored images already. However, I will be glad to get the pencils back that I sent in to Sanford for replacement, because you know that it would be many of my favorites that I had to send off. Go figure.

This little lady is an image that I ran across in one of the challenges that I entered the last week or so, it's by Prairie Fairy Designs. I'm such a sucker for a cute face!

I don't normally do pastel cards, especially with no distressing or inking on the edges, but I thought I would venture away from my comfort zone. I used some lace that I had left over when I made one of my twin daughter's wedding dresses almost nine years ago; I added pearls to the centers. The papers are from K&Co. on the most part. I used my cricut to cut out my circles, using design studio so I could cut the ones under the image at 1/8" intervals. The next two I cut at larger sizes. I sewed a couple of the layers and finished it off with the buttons and glitter.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Priscilla Styles - sketch

Tuesday Throwdown - ribbon used a different way

Fab n' Funky - lace or material

Creative Inspirations - pastel pink, green and cream

Your Next Stamp - anything

Simon Says Stamps - pearls and lace

Daring Cardmakers - sapphire colors

Fairy Fun - pearls and lace

Stamp Something - something cute

Cute Card Thursday - lace or fabric

Thanks for looking and for any comments you might leave.

dj1952