Hello Spring!

My Spring Break is ending today, and the weather outside is beautiful for this last day of fun and frolic.  Before my son and I leave for a bike ride, I wanted to post this happy card I made for some of this week's challenges. 

First, I used the sketch from Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge for this week.  I love square cards, so this was perfect for me!

I've been messing around with this little lightning bug for a week now, trying to make him work for me.  I love to paper piece him and the other bugs from Paper Smooches Giddy Bugs. The tag and sentiment are from Paper Smooches Quote Tag Die set.

Here's a close up of the lightning but.  I added some Wink of Stella on his face and bottom.  (Do bugs have bottoms?)

I'm also entering this into both of Simon Says Stamp challenges this week.  The Monday Challenge is to create a card with an animal, and the Wednesday Challenge is to create a Spring Themed card using their Pin collage for inspiration.  Lightning Bugs + Green/Yellow= Spring to Me!

Thank you for visiting My Happy Place!  Off to ride bikes now!

Thinking of You!

This card is for the Nature Challenge on the Hero Arts Blog.  It closes in two days, so I'm getting this one in almost at the last minute. 

A lot of paper piecing went into this one!   I stamped the bird from an older set, Birds and Branches, on different patterned papers and adhered him with dimensionals.  The flowers are from the Hero Arts Friends set, and the sentiment is from Hero Arts Message Bubbles. 

 Here's a close-up of the bird:

I'm also entering this into Simon Says Stamp Monday's Challenge this week - create a project with an  animal!

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place! 

 

Lucky!

I'm so glad that there are two challenges right now that have the theme of green or clovers because they have given me the motivation I needed to make some cards for my co-workers and friends.  

The first challenge, Sparkle and Shine Challenge gave us this as inspiration:

The second challenge is for Simon Says Stamp Monday's Challenge which is "Just a Hint of Clover."

I made 26 cards today for my co-workers - all with similar designs.  Here they are:

Our Spring Break starts at the end of this week, so hopefully this will bring them some cheer as we anticipate Friday!

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

Easter and Spring

I've been working hard at the color challenge this week at MFT Challenge and Inspiration Blog.  You can get all the details here.  

It's time for Spring and Easter, and I'm ready for both.  Here's are two cards I made yesterday using these colors:

PTI: Easter Alleluias, Scene It dies

MFT: Blueprints 15, PTI: Just Smile, Flower Fusion

I'm entering both of these in Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday's Anything Goes Challenge.

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

 

Sparkle and Shine 1

There's a new challenge blog in town, and I am very excited about it.  The new Sparkle and Shine Challenge Blog made it's debut with this exciting inspiration:

You can get all the information on this week's challenge by clicking here. 
 
Here's what I came up with using that beautiful photo:

 
I'm entering this one in Simon Says Stamp's two challenges this week-  Wednesday's Anything Goes Challenge, and the new Work It Wednesday challenge which is all about welcoming SPRING - and that is what March and St. Patrick's Day is all about!

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

Happy Easter

This card is for two challenges on the MFT Challenge and Inspiration Blog - Sketch 217 and the new color challenge.

Here's the inspiration:

I flipped the sketch orientation on the side and used MFT's grass die to create the flags from the sketch.  Those colors are Easter perfection, don't you think?

Here's my card for the challenges:

MFT: Sun die, Grass die, Blueprints 15

 
I'm entering this one in Simon Says Stamp's three challenges this week- Monday's  No Rules Challenge and Wednesday's Anything Goes Challenge, and the new Work It Wednesday challenge which is all about welcoming SPRING!

Thanks so much for visiting My Happy Place!

Color Throwdown

Today's card is for this week's Color Throwdown Challenge.  Pinks, green and kraft - you can't get much better than that!

Here's my card:

MFT: Words of Inspiration,  Blueprints 15,  PTI: Flower Garden

I've made several cards similar to this after this post from Jennifer McGuire!

I'm entering this one in Simon Says Stamp's three challenges this week- Monday's  No Rules Challenge and Wednesday's Anything Goes Challenge, and the new Work It Wednesday challenge which is all about welcoming SPRING, so I think these colors will work!

Thanks for visiting  My Happy Place!

Nature Challenge

This card is for two challenges - the Nature Challenge on the Hero Arts Blog and the No Rules Challenge on Simon Says Stamp. 

Hero Arts: Butterflies (Cling), Playful Animals, Everyday Sayings

I started by heat embossing the images and sentiment onto cream cardstock with gold embossing powder. After it was cooled, I used my ink blender tool to color in the leaves and the background.  The panel is popped up on the card base to give the card some dimension.  

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

 

MFT Color Challenge 15

It's nearing the end of the Color Challenge on the MFT Challenge and Inspiration Blog.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute!  Like this week's Sketch Challenge, I struggled with this color challenge too, and several drafts went into the trash can.  I don't know why; I do love this color combination.  

Here's what I came up with:

This week MFT Challenge and Inspiration Blog will host 2 new challenges!  I can't wait to see what is next!

I'm also entering this into Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge:  No Rules!  You can find all the information here.

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

MFT Sketch 216

I struggled with the challenge for this week's My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge. Three or four unfinished cards landed in the trash can, and I kept trying again.  Here's the sketch:

What's so hard about this????

Here is my final interpretation:

PTI:  Simple Sunflower, Thing Big Favorites #3

As I look at it, a couple of things jump out that I could have done differently, but believe me - this is a lot better than the ones in the trash.  Looking forward to a new sketch and renewed inspiration tomorrow at the MFT Challenge and Inspiration Blog!

I'm also entering this into Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge:  No Rules!  You can find all the information here. 

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

Valentines

I wanted to pop in and show my Paper Smooches Valentine card I created using Giddy Bugs, my first love from Paper Smooches.

I wanted to keep the true colors for Valentine's Day, so I used pink and red.  I added some sparkle and shine to the wings of the bugs with glitter and glossy accents.  

My son wanted to participate too, so here is his card:

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

Picture Perfect

This week's challenge at the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge blog is their monthly Picture Perfect Challenge.  This is the photo that we were given as inspiration:

I pulled the colors from the peonias to use in my project.  Here's what I came up with:

I used Flap Happy and Botanicals 1 for this card.  You can find both of those sets at the Paper Smooches store.  

I colored the butterfly with my Prismacolor pencils and finished it off with a little sparkle with my Clear Star pen.  The die that comes with the Flap Happy set makes it so easy.

My son was crafting next to me and made this one using the inspiration piece:

 
Thanks for visiting My (Our) Happy Place!

PTI Anniversary Day 8

This card is for Day 8 of the Anniversary Celebration at PTI.  With the release of a new collection titled "Blue Skies," Nichole asked us to create a project using the ombre effect with shades of blue.  Here is what I came up with tonight:

Butterfly Dreams, Signature Greetings, Woodgrain Impression Plate

I created the blue ombre effect on white cardstock with Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, and Enchanted Evening.  I used the die from Butterfly Dreams to cut out the butterfly, and then I stamped the outline image on each piece.  A little sparkle from my Clear Star pen, and the butterflies were complete!

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

PTI Anniversary Day 7

Today's challenge - to celebrate the release of metallic cardstock - is to create a project incorporating only metallics and neutrals.  

I came up with this CAS card using Mehndi Medallion and Think Big Favorites #3:

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!