Joan's Garden Challenge 3 2012 once more

Good Evening Ladies,
I have decided to have another go round of Joan's Garden Challenge 3 2012. You can see all the entries here
http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/01/this-weeks-challege.html
And here it is....

 For this card I used a embossing folder for my base over a white card. I sanded the embossed portion with a Tim Holtz sanding block. I then distressed the edges with a tonic distress tool. I used pierceing tool around the edge. You can see this better in the next photo. I used the Cheery Lynn olive branch die to create leaves for my flowers. A spellbinder die was used to create the center piece which I stamped Happy Birthday on. To create the flowers I used the memory box pinwheel posie. The quilling tool really helped in shaping these flowers. A sheer pink ribbon and pearls top this card off.

 A view from the top of the flowers.

A side view of the flowers.
I love this flower die that I purchased at Joan's. She was out of the other two flower dies. I can tell you right now I am going to purchase them as soon as they come back in stock.
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Graphic 45 Love Letter Card

Good Morning Ladies,
It's Sunday morning and the house will still be quiet for a few more minutes. This is why I get up everyday at 5a.m.
I have a card for you today that I created over at the http://scrapshack.ning.com/ I am in the card group there and have fun doing Helen's challenges.
Now for the card....

 This is the first time I have used a sketch to create a card. I used the Graphics 45 tablet Communique. It worked out perfect for this challenge. It was so easy. Just some cutting and gluing and I was done. This card is perfect for a Valentine or a love letter.

I found this blood red heart bead in my stash that really pulled this card together. Another out of the box project for me.
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Floral Card

Good Morning Ladies,
It has snowed again. Windy is enjoying it. Another day of cold to move around in. I do plan on doing quite a bit of creating today. I have to go get a new glass for the shadow box I made at the crop last weekend. On the way home something in the car fell on it and broke it.
My card for today is a simple floral card. I purchased this set of stamps last weekend at the crop....

I created this card first using a bristol board panel. I stamped the flowers, the stem, and the foliage. I then colorized them with prisma pencil and gamsol. The background was also created using prisma pencil and gamsol. I created the clouds using a torn paper towel and a make up sponge. The ink I used to create the clouds was memento grey mist. I accented the flowers with stickles. The panel is double matted with dsp and white glitter paper on a white card base. Ribbon was added across the top. Another piece of bristol board was cut with a spellbinder die and stamped with Happy Birthday. A clean look.
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Joan's Garden Challenge 3 2012

Good Morning Ladies,
Yesterday was another busy day off. Took a friend to pick up her car. I had lunch with Dave. Then off to agility training with Windy and Harley. Then back to watch Lucas. I was tired last night but I did manage to finish Joan's Garden Challenge 3 2012.
The requirements are:
card size 4 1/4 by 5 1/2
Pink, Green, and some Purple
distressed edges
piercing
Another fun challenge by Joan and Selma.
Check out the challenge and Joan's blog here http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/01/this-weeks-challege.html
Here is my challenge card....

 To start this card off I used pink card stock for the background. I layered a piece of Bo Bunny paper from the Garden Girl Collection pad I purchased at Joan's last week. The floral leaves were cut from Tim Holtz distressed cardstock. I cut them using a leaf spellbinder die. I then distressed them with a Tim Holtz sanding block and my scissors. The flower was created using a Heartfelt Creations stamp set I purchased at Joan's. I added pop dots to make this flower 3-D. To complete the flower I added a pearl sprig. I love these pearl sprigs. They can be found at your local craft store in the wedding department. I used a spellbinder die cut from Tim Holtz card stock and stamped Happy Birthday on it. I then used my piercing tool to do a double row of piercing on the die cut. Purple polka dotted ribbon finishes this card off.

A side view of the popped flower. The petals are curved just slightly.
I love a good challenge and piercing is not something I normally do. So this sent me outside of the box. Thanks again Joan and Selma. Keep those challenges coming!
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Pretty Valentine Bird Cage

Good Morning Ladies,
This is the last card I made at the crop last weekend. I was having way too much fun with my dies from http://www.atjoansgardens.com/ If you haven't visited her site yet it is a must.

With out delay here is my Pretty Valentine Bird Cage card ....

 This simple card was created using the Memory Box bird and bird cage dies. I cut the birds out of swiss dot paper as well a punching a heart from the same paper. I cut a strip of black card stock for a perch. The wonderful bird cage is also a memory box die cut from white glitter card stock. I added a piece of floss to the top of the bird cage. My two mats were created using a Martha Stewart punch set. I punched black card stock for the bottom layer and gold glitter card stock for the top mat. A velvet ribbon tops this card off. The base of the card was created using SEI embossed card stock.

A close up of the little birds in the bird cage.
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

La Blanche Wild Flowers

Good Morning Ladies,
I just stepped outside, seems pretty chilly out there. I am waiting for spring. Winter finds me in the house way too much.
Here is a card for today.... La Blanche Wild Flowers ...

 To create this card I used La Blanche paper and a La Blanche stamp. I colorized the image with Tim Holtz distressed ink and Ranger pen nibs. I then took Tim Holtz distressed ink and sponged it over the whole panel. I tore the edges and inked them as well. I took a pencil and curled the corners up and down.

 A butterfly die from Cheery Lynn was cut and shaped. I then sprayed it with gold mist.

I created the stick pin with a hat pin. I added beads. I then stuck this through a Prima flower and cut the end of the hat pin off. The flower was sprayed with gold mist. The mat is from a K&Company Christmas pad.
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Memory Box Love Birds

Good Morning Ladies,
I have not been very good at keeping my blog updated as of late. I have no reason for this. But it looks like I will be getting back into the swing things.
I went to a local crop this weekend. I wasn't very productive but I did create a shadow box, three finished cards and one card panel. Maybe I was more productive than I thought.
It was good to see everyone at the crop. January can be a long month in Northern Indiana, so this crop came at just the right time.
I must confess I took a trip out to http://www.atjoansgardens.com/ before I went to the crop. And wow did I pick up some wonderful new dies by memory box. So pretty much that is what I played with. Yes also my La Blanche stamps and paper. I stocked up on the La Blanche paper while I was a Joan's too.
Here is one of the cards I made with three of my new dies....

This card features a heart tree topper die. It cuts your top layer of paper. You then just place the color of cardstock you want your hearts to be underneath. The tree trunk is it's own die. I cut this from brown cardstock and nested it in the heart tree topper. The topper comes in designs other than hearts. My two little love birds is another memory box die that I cut with sparkle paper and non sparkle paper. With birds the boys are always prettier than the girls. I haven't figured that one out yet...LOL. I had my friend cut the grass on her cricut. I now have to go and get a grass die from Joan. To finish this card off I added a ribbon to the bottom.
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

new-year-first-challenge at Joan's Garden

Good Evening Ladies,
As you can see I am doing exciting things on Saturday night. LOL I am doing one of the things I love creating!
Well the new-year-first-challenge at Joan's Garden is on. Yes this will be another fun year of challenges.
The requirements are...
make a card or a tag using some kind of hearts
use any kind of embellishments
use pink or red with white
do some kind of embossing
Check out all the entries at http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/01/new-year-first-challenge.html
Here is my take on this challenge....

I started with a white glitter card base 6 inches by 6 inches. I then layered a 5 1/2 inch by 5 1/2 inch piece of glitter cardstock that I ran through my cuttlebug in an embossing folder that is swirling hearts. The flowers are stamped from a heartfelt creations stamp set that I colorized with prisma pencil and gamsol. The three heart shapes are cut from a spellbinder set. I used pink heart brads at the top of the heart die-cuts in two sizes. The saying and dog are from an inky antics clear set. The dog is colorized using prisma pencil in pink and white and a colorless blender pencil from prisma.
Thanks for the fun challenge Joan and Selma!
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Double Dutch Fold

Good Morning Ladies,
I was up a little too early this morning. Must have had enough sleep. Although I feel like this afternoon I won't be feeling that way.
I found my way over to splitcoast a few days ago and happened upon a new to me card fold. Double Dutch Fold as they call it. Well I just had to give it a whirl. The fold is easy and there will be more to come.
Here is my first Double Dutch Fold card to celebrate Valentines Day.

 The card stock is all glitter. Two pinks and a gold. The hearts were die cut using a spellbinders die. I used all three sizes in the package. I won the key die from Marianne dies sometime ago at http://www.atjoansgardens.com/ This was my first real chance to use this die and I love it. Thanks Joan!

This is the card semi-opened. I have not gone and found the love stamp quotes as of yet but will add one inside.
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Masterpiece Of Nature

Good Morning Ladies,
I am getting back into the groove. Thinking about what I want to create and working on my mojo. My creative patterns have changed a little with the change of my corner of the world. I will look forward to creating in the evening and seeing where my muse will take me.
The card I have created for you today I call Masterpiece Of Nature ....

 This card was created on a 5 by 7 card base from The Paper Cut. I layered it with three mats that draw out the colors of the inner panel. The inner panel features a La Blanche stamp. This is stamped on La Blanche paper. These stamps can be purchased along with the paper at http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/01/wild-wednesday-sale.html And the bonus is that they are on sale this week! I colorized the image with Tim Holtz distressed ink using Ranger pen nibs and a make up sponge. To top this card off I used Cheery Lynn dies as accents. These are also can be purchased at Joan's. The quote is from fiskars.

A side view of the open work butterfly.
Enjoy the rest of your day!
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Squirrel And Mouse Friend La Blanche

Good Morning Ladies,
I have been missing in action over the holidays. Too many holiday happenings going on and not being able to get messy held me back.
I bring you my first card of 2012. Squirrel And Mouse Friend La Blanche

 To create this card I used a La Blanche stamp. I stamped on La Blanche paper using Tim Holtz distressed ink to colorize it. Pen nibs ran across the pads helped me colorize the details and make-up sponges to colorize the background. The card base is created using the Tim Holtz distressed and sandable cardstock. The background papers are from the Bo Bunny timepiece pad. I broke out my sew easy tool, heads and thread to create an antique look. It brought back memories of needle crafts I did as a child. Funny how things work that way. Goosebump spray was sprayed over the entire front of the card to give more texture.

This is the inside of the card. The image on the front of the card and this saying just seemed to work together. I added the panel to the inside as I felt the green was too dark to write a message on.

Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog