Sending Sunshine

 

It's Anything Goes Stencil Week at Just Us Girls. We are hosted by Carol and joined by Colleen Begley, our Guest Designer for the month of April. 

I went with a stenciled background using Distress Oxide Inks to  "set the stage" then I made a little scene with Bear Ware from Ellen Hutson, added a sentiment from CZ Designs Beachy Kean and my card was complete. 

Please head over to the Just Us Girls Challenge Blog and check out the wonderful creations by Colleen and the rest of the Design Team. Get crafty with your stash and join us in the gallery! I can't wait to see how our players are inspired to play.

Project Details
Stamps/Dies/ Stencils	Ellen Hutson Pinkfresh Kaleidoscope Layered Stencils Simon Says Stamp Beachy Kean Avery Elle Scalloped Pierced Rectangles
Cardstock	110lb. Neenah Solar Crest 80lb. Neenah Solar Crest SU Daffodil Delight
Ink	Distress Oxide Inks Memento Tuxedo Black Copic markers
Embellishments
Other	Spellbinders Platinum Plus Die Cutting &     Embossing Machine Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper     Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press Scor-Pal Score Tape-1/8" 3M foam tape

Im also playing at:

Color Hues #85 - Yellow & Pink

Krafty Chicks #713 - All Occasions

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Flock On - Collaboration with Time Out

 

Time for a new challenge at Just Us Girls. Challenge #718 is a a special collaboration challenge with Time Out Challenges! How cool is that?? Our common theme is "birds". We are birds of a feather flocking together!

By entering the linky tool at Just Us Girls, you will automatically also join Time Out Challenge, woot woot! Entries to the Time Out Challenge Linky will automatically also join Just Us Girls #718.

Your project will gain twice the visibility... You will double your chances to be chosen as a Design Team favorite and your project may be showcased in one or both of the challenge blogs. Whether you join from Time Out or from Just Us Girls, you also have a chance to win $25.00 store credit to Waffle Flower Crafts. 

For my card, I went with a flamingo from Ellen Hutson's Flock Star. I perched my bird on an Altenew cover plate background which was mounted on a tropical background stamped with Uniko Paradise images in PTI inks.

Please head on over to the Just Us Girls Blog to check out what the our Guest Tracy McNeeley and the  Design Team has come up with to inspire our creations. Then head over to Time Out to see what they came up with to inspire you! How fun is this?? I can't wait to see your creations in the galleries!

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	Altenew Dotted Starburst Essentials By Ellen Flock Star Uniko Paradise and Paradise Leaves Photoplay A2 Round rectangles
Cardstock	110lb. Neenah Solar Crest Bazzill solid color cardstock
Ink	VersaFine Onyx Black PTI Melon Berry, Ripe Avocado, Harvest Gold, Hawaiian Shores
Embellishments	Little Things by Lucy's Cards
Other	Spellbinders Platinum Plus Die Cutting & Embossing Machine Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool Bearly Art Precision Glue Fun foam

I am also playing at:

Lost Coast Designs #183 - Let's Fly

My background is completely stamped with tropical leaf images from Uniko Stamps.

Birds-Blooms-Butterflies March 2024

Cut It Up Challenge #299 - Colors Of Spring

Stamping Sensations March Challenge - Spring

Die Cut Divas March Challenge

Anything Goes - 4/3

Happy Trails

It's time for a new challenge at Just Us Girls. I am the host for Color Week, where the colors are green, lime green and one other color. I pulled out some NBUS from the pile of things I bought from Ellen Hutson when Ellen closed her store.  I just love this camping set. 

 I chose turquoise as my "other color" because when I googled images of campers, that seemed to be a favorite camper color. I went with a CAS design. I think the Nordic Frames die gives it an outdoorsy feel. 

It's a new month, and we welcome the lovely and talented Tracy McNeeley as our March Guest Designer. Please head on over to the Just Us Girls Challenge Blog and see what Tracy and the rest of the Design Team have cooked up to inspire you. I hope to see you in the gallery!

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	Essentials By Ellen Happy Trails Essentials By Ellen Happy Trails More Sayings The Greetery - Nordic Frames Die
Cardstock	110 lb. and 80 lb. Neenah Solar Crest
Ink	VersaFine Onyx Black SU Garden Green Memento Pear Tart PTI Dark Chocolate
Embellishments
Other	Spellbinders Platinum Plus Die Cutting & Embossing Machine Sizzix Sidekick Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press White Fun Foam

I'm also playing at:

Color Hues #82

NBUS #60

Krafty Chicks #706 - Stamps

Happy 10th Birthday, Time Out!

 

Time Out #257 opens today and we are celebrating the 10th Anniversary of this wonderful challenge! 

Woo Hoo!!! You can read all the details about where we started, how we grew, and where we are now on the Time Out Challenge Blog.

We have 10 wonderful sponsors with 11 prizes to be had by our Challenge Winner as chosen by the Design Team, and 11 additional winners chosen at random.

We are graced by the presence of Sandie Munro, Co-Founder of Time Out Challenges, as our Guest Designer. Please join us in welcoming Sandie back to the team for this challenge to celebrate our birthday! (Can you hear the round of applause??)

My birthday card features a stencil by one of our sponsors, Picket Fence Studios. It has been inked with 5 shades of purple Distress Oxide Inks. I laid them down in ombre style from lightest to darkest with the intention of having a portrait layout, but the large sentiment die cut did not fit that orientation, so I turned it. The purples pay homage to our dear Sandie, as purple is one of her favorite colors and always brings her to mind when I see it.

I added some bling, which is not my special power. I spend way more time placing the bling, moving the bling, removing the bling, putting it back and repeating that process many times, than I do making the card itself! I could not get my camera to to it justice, but this bling changes color from silver to blue to purple depending on the light. Bling is another signature of Sandie's style, so it had to be added.

Please head on over to the Time Out Challenge Blog, get all the wonderful details of this special challenge, and see what Sandie and the Design Team have created for your inspiration. Please join us in our celebration. We love our players and the more, the merrier!

The challenge runs through February 28th. Put on your party hat and come join us!!! Remember that in order to qualify for the win, you may link your project up to a total of five challenge, including ours. Check the details of 'how to play" on our sidebar. Happy crafting! 

Project Details
Stamps/Dies/Stencils	Picket Fence Studios Fancy Flourish Stencil Avery Elle Scalloped Pierced Rectangles Essentials By Ellen Big Scripty Happy Birthday
Cardstock	110# & 80# Neenah Solar Crest SU Elegant Eggplant Tonic Mirror Glossy Black Bazzil 40# Vellum
Ink	5 Purple Shades of Distress Oxide Inks
Embellishments	A Colorful Life Designs Card Bling
Other	Stencil Brush Spellbinders Platinum Plus Die Cutting & Embossing Machine Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer Waffle Flower Grid Mat My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press Scor-Pal Score Tape .75"

I am also playing at:

Seize the Birthday #277 - AG Birthday/Spatter Option

Word Power #2

Stencil Fun February Challenge

AG with stencils, optional teost of love/hearts

Together

 

It's time for a new and very special challenge at Time Out. October is typically Breast Cancer awareness month, at least here in the US, where there are pink ribbons everywhere... and pink everything else from socks to pasta to blenders and dishes... you name it. While as a breast cancer survivor myself I am very grateful for the fundraising for research, there are so many other cancers and illnesses that need attention, awareness and research as well. Our challenge is to create cards of encouragement, friendship and support for those we know and love who are dealing with any illness.

We are sponsored by Jane Beljo of Jane's Doodles who created a digital image for our Design Team and our challenge participants to use for their projects if they so wish. This is not mandatory by any means. 

To use Jane's digi, all you have to do is click, save and resize as you wish for your creation. It would be wonderful to see how our players use Jane's wonderful image. Please feel free to share your story as it relates to our challenge as well.

Challenge winner will have a choice of 3 digital images from Jane's website.

We are so pleased to welcome Jaydee of Stampin! with Jaydee as our Guest Designer. Like most of us, Jaydee has several loved ones who have been affected by cancer, and her card for this challenge reflects them. Please stop by Jaydee's blog and see the wonderful card she created with Jane's digi for this challenge. Her story is so beautifully expressed as well.

My card is in honor and memory of my mother, father, two sisters, a niece three aunts and several close friends, and in support of another sister and friends who are still here. Together, we have endured breast, ovarian, lung, pancreatic, colon, brain cancer and lymphoma in addition to fibromyalgia, epilepsy and mental illness.  There are not enough colors in the rainbow for all the health issues that people struggle with. For me and for those I have walked beside, cards of friendship, encouragement, love and support are welcome - not words of advice, or assurances like "everything will be OK" because it isn't always. Less is more when it comes to that.

I hope you will consider playing with Jane's digi, and if not, that you will take Time Out to play with us and help to fill our gallery with love.

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	Jane's Beljo's Custom Digi Image for Time Out Essentials By Ellen You Should Know stamp set Simon Says Stamp Chunky A2 Scalloped Rectangles
Cardstock	80# Neenah Solar Crest Gina K Ocean Mist base weight card stock
Ink	VersaFine Onyx Black Mowed Lawn and Salty Ocean DO Inks Copic markers
Embellishments
Other	A  Colorful Life Design Cloud Edger Stencil My Favorite Things Drifts & Hills Stencil Spellbinders Platinum Plus Die Cutting & Embossing Machine Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool Bearly Art Precision Glue Adhesive-backed Fun Foam

I'm also playing at:

Krafty Chicks #683 - All Occasions

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Stencil Fun Challenge - Optional Theme of Fall

MIUCB #67 - AG + Optional Make Your Own Background

Hot Diggity Dog!

 

Time Out Challenge #227 begins today. This time we have a photo inspiration challenge. Our sponsor for this challenge is one of our very own designers, Kim, of RunningStitchDesign! Challenge winner will receive the handmade bag that is the inspiration for our challenge.

Here is an enlargement of the photo. 

When I saw Kim's bag, I immediately thought of the Clever Sausage stamp set by Julie Ebersole. I was inspired by a card Julie made and took it in another direction for my card. My cityscape is from Kat Scrappiness backed with holographic paper from Sizzix. I paper pieced dog's sweater and set him on his skateboard with his celebratory balloon. This could be a card for a variety of occasions.

Please head on over to the Time Out Challenge Blog to see the wonderful creations that the Design Team came up with to inspire you. Come play with us!

I'm also playing at:

My Time To Craft #495 - Transportation

Path Of Positivity Challenge #106

Anything Goes Positive with a twist of

celebrate the simple things in life

Best of the Best

Time Out #197 begins today, We are challenged to be inspired by the words above. The challenge runs from Thursday, September 23rd to October 5th.

We are generously sponsored by Altenew.

Challenge winner will receive $20.00 gift voucher and will also be eligible for a guest designer spot in a future challenge.

For my card, I stenciled my favorite flower with The Crafter's Workshop Mini Joyful Sunflower with Distress Oxide inks and die cut the stenciled panel with Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangle Dies. I added a sentiment from Thank You For Being A Friend from Essentials By Ellen embossed in white on black card stock and die cut with a Pink & Main Sentiment Strip Die and my card was complete. 

 

Please hop on over to the Time Out Challenge Blog to see the wonderful creations that the Design Team came up with to inspire you. Come play with us!

I'm also playing at:

The Card Concept #160 - Sunny Sunflowers

Inspired by the sunflowers in a clean and graphic style.

Sisterhood Of Crafters - Stencils

NBUS Challenge #30

My never used sunflower stencil from TCW.

Krafty Chicks #578 - All Occasions

Bravocado!!!

Time Out Challenge 192 begins today, We are challenged to create a card with the theme of HUNGRY. 

Everything Hungry-related goes: you could think outside the box too and be, for example, hungry for life, love or fame, etc.

Our wonderful sponsor is Lawn Fawn with a $25 voucher for our winner, chosen by the Design Team. 

Our winner also will have the opportunity to be a Guest Designer in a future challenge. Play along with us  for a chance to join our amazing Design Team as a Guest Designer and then have a blast shopping at Lawn Fawn with your prize voucher!

Our Guest Designer for this challenge is one of our regular players - the ever so talented Claire Apostoloff of Life on the Scrap Heap and winner of Time Out Challenge #189.

For my card, I went straight to food, and chose Guac On Stamps and Dies by Julie Ebersole for Essentials By Ellen Clear Stamps. I just love these fun and happy little avos. I found this wonderful background panel in my snippet box that I had saved from a commercial greeting card that I had received. It was the perfect stage for my avos... those circled flowers remind me of limes - the prefect compliment for avocados. So I upcycled it and added it to my card. You can't see in the photo, but the background is all glittery and sparkly. I imagine my avos are doing a happy dance, a bow and/or a congratulatory nod to each other for a job well done. I can't wait for the perfect occasion to use this card. I love it!

 Please hop on over to the Time Out Challenge Blog to see the wonderful creations that Claire and the Design Team came up with to inspire you. Come play with us!

I'm also playing at:

Just Us Girls #592 - Recycle

My upcycled background panel

Never Before Used Schtuff #28

I See Your True Colors

It's time for a new challenge at Festive Friday where every challenge is an inspiration list based on a selected holiday/festivity from the traditional to the unusual. Challenge projects must include at least three items from the festivity inspiration list.

Since the Inspiration List is a mix of elements related to the festivity, the creator has the choice to make something for that festivity, or to ignore the festivity all together and create something using just the three (or more) elements selected.

Today's festivities are in celebration of World Autism Day, which is celebrated on April 2nd. The challenge runs from March 19 - March 29.

I like to create a card for our challenge that goes with the celebration. For my Autism Awareness- Themed card, I CASEd a design from a Tee Shirt that I found when I Googled. You can see it HERE. I used Essentials By Ellen Hands dies to create all the colored hands. The tiny hearts are from PTI Love Lives Here dies. I did the sentiment on my computer.  The word "colors" is die cut from Essentials By Ellen Tall N Skinny Alpha Dies. Can you hear Cyndi Lauper singing??? I used jigsaws, bright colors, and blue from the Inspo List.

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the  Festive Friday Challenge Design team.

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Melva Peters

Judy Rozema-off this week

I hope you will come play.

I'm also playing at:

Shopping Our Stash #441 - The Rainbow Connection

Love Your Heart

It's time for a new challenge at Festive Friday where every challenge is an inspiration list based on a selected holiday/festivity from the traditional to the unusual. Challenge projects must include at least three items from the festivity inspiration list.

Since the Inspiration List is a mix of elements related to the festivity, the creator has the choice to make something for that festivity, or to ignore the festivity all together and create something using just the three (or more) elements selected.

Today's festivities are in celebration of International Polar Bear Day, which is celebrated on February 27th. The challenge runs from February 5 - February 15.

For my Polar Bear themed project, I used: bear, blue, snowflakes and sentiment from the inspo list. The trees and snow are cur from white glitter paper using the Birch Trees Cover Plate by Julie Ebersole from Essentials By Ellen. That sweet bear is from All Inside, and his little hot cup is from Bear Ware 3, also by Julie Ebersole from Essentials By Ellen. My bear scene is mounted on a sheet of blue foiled card stock. The snowy sky is made from blended Distress Oxide inks and spatters of Mister Huey's Opaque White Color Mist. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Strips and die cut with a Sentiment Strip Die from Pink & Main. The card base is Neenah Solar White 110# card stock.

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the Festive Friday Challenge Design team.

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Stephanie Lanzalotto

Melva Peters

Judy Rozema

I'm also playing at:

The Paper Players #526 - Die Cut, Animal, Scene

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Create Your Own Background