AiFactory #30 ~ Anything Goes

Hello everyone!! I am so sorry for my lack of blogging this week! My camera has been on the fritz since Sunday. We still can't figure out the problem, so I finally went and borrowed one while mine is out for repairs! I have some exciting news and a few cards to share now that I can take pics of them so stay tuned!!

This week at AiFactory we are featuring some elegant and very versatile clipart flourishes. For a chance to win this fab set of images, head over to the AiFactory Challenge Blog and add your card. This week we are having an Open Challenge ~ You can make anything your heart desires!!

As always, you are not required to use AiFactory images but if you have them we would love to see them. We also have quite a few Freebies available at the store.

My card was created almost entirely using GIMP, I layered the background, flourish and sentiment and then printed them out onto white cs. I used lemon tart cs and ribbon to add a little color to the black and white. I also used two butterfly punches as well as the Martha Stewart trellis punch to finish everything off.

Please visit the DT Blogs to see even more beautiful cards using these beautiful flourishes....

Carole
Cheri
Kerry
Penny
Monica
Fliss
Fink
Carlie
Laurie
Michelle
Lola

To play along visit the AiFactory Challenge Blog and upload your creation by Wednesday, March 7th at 11:00pm EST.

Thanks for stopping by,

Make a Wish with The Character Cafe

TGIF! Can you believe it is snowing in Ohio? We have had such nice weather and then out of no where the snow is just coming down.

This is the current Character Cafe Design Team's last Friday together and I would like to say goodbye to all the ladies who have chosen to move on. Billie, Heather, Piali and Diane...I wish you all the best of luck in everything you do!! Since, this is this teams last Friday, Kelly and Kendra are having a STOREWIDE SALE.... everything for $1...Plus don't forget to check out the DT Call, you can get all the details here.

Today, I want to share a card I made using the adorable Fairy Jocelyn digi image from The Character Cafe. How perfect is she for birthdays or really anything girly!! I colored her with Prismacolor markers and cut her out with my nesties. The dsp is from Cloud 9 Designs and the cs and ribbon are plum pudding from PTI.

This card is also for a few challenges:

The Diedrich Dare Sketch Challenge
Penny's Challenge ~ Birthday
Pollycraft ~ Sparkly Things

Make sure and head over to check out the Feature Friday challenge at the Cafe Blog today. It is a recipe challenge and the DT has come up with some amazing creations to help inspire you!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Challenge 29 ~ Make an Easel Card

Hello everyone!! Hope this post finds you all happy and healthy! It has been a very long, stressful week around here but things are finally starting to look up. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel LOL.

This week at AiFactory we are featuring another darling image from the Ella Collection. For a chance to win these fab images, head over to the AiFactory Challenge Blog. Your challenge for this week is to Create an Easel Card.

As always, you are not required to use AiFactory images but if you have them we would love to see them. We also have quite a few Freebies available at the store.

For my project, I colored Ballerina Ella with one of my few Copic markers. I am slowing adding a few Copics to my collection. The double sided dsp is from imaginisce and the sentiment is a rub-on. I am going to give this card to my DD before her dance recital so the sentiment fits perfectly. I also used the Martha Stewart lace punch and so spring rain satin ribbon.

Please visit the DT Blogs to see even more beautiful cards using Ella....

Carole
Cheri
Kerry
Angie
Penny
Monica
Fliss
Fink
Carlie
Laurie
Michelle
Lola

To play along visit the AiFactory Challenge Blog and upload your creation by Wednesday, March 31st at 11:00pm EST.

Thanks for stopping by,

Paper Maniac Inspirations ~ Scrapbook Layouts

Hi all! Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! The weather was amazing in Ohio so we spent a lot of time outside soaking in the sunshine! Around here we have to enjoy whenever we can as it has been known to snow in April!!

This week we at Paper Maniac, we are scrapbooking!! I gotta tell ya it has been awhile since I have made a scrapbook layout so I was a little wary about this challenge LOL. I happened to stumble on this great blog for scrapbook and card layouts called Got Sketch? and saw this awesome sketch and from there it went smoother than I expected.

This picture of my DD watering flowers at Grandmas was just perfect for the Material Girl designer paper from Cosmo Cricket. I also used my circle Nestabilities and my favorite punch from Martha Stewart called Garden Trellis. I finished it off with some prima flowers and a rub-on quote that says "Play is really the work of childhood."

Be sure and swing by the store and check out all the new things as well as some great clearance items!! Patti will also be announcing our newest DT members so stay tuned to the PM Blog!!

Thanks for stopping by,

SSDS Week 32 ~ Tear It Up

Hi all! It is time for another awesome challenge from Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday. This week we are challenging you to Tear It Up ~ use some form of tearing on your card or project.

I just had to use this adorable digital images from Bugaboo Stamps. This image is just one of many from their Skelekinz Collection. I printed her out on Select White cs and colored her with PrismaColor markers. I used black ink to grunge up the edges of the image and adhered it over a piece of paper punched with the notebook border punch. My tearing was along the edges of the black and pink polka dot paper and I used staples and glue dots to do a "ruffle" treatment with the pink polka dot ribbon. The sentiment is an Urban Lily rub-on and was cut out with circle nesties.

To join in on the fun and be eligible for this weeks fabulous prize and meet the NEW SSDS Design Team, head over to the SSDS blog and link your creation to Mr. Linky by 10:00 pm (EST) Friday evening.

Thanks for stopping by,

TCC Feature Friday ~ Color Challenge

Hi all!! Today is Feature Friday at The Character Cafe and this week Kendra has a fabulous spring color challenge for you ~ Use shades of Purple, Yellow and Blue.

I just had to use this perfect spring image Bertie N Friend. I printed the digi image out on Select White CS and colored it with Prisma pencils and OMS. I used a dauber to add blue ink around the image for the sky and used circle and scallop nesties to cut it out. The purple DP is from inque boutique's and the yellow polka dot was in my scrap bin. The sentiment is from PTI's Everyday Button Bits.

To join in on the fun and be eligible for this weeks fabulous prize and check out all the fabulous creations from the Design Team. Head over to the Cafe Blog and link your creation to Mr. Linky by 11:59 pm (EST) Thursday evening.

Thanks for stopping by,

AiFactory #28 ~ Make a Pirate Scene

Ahoy me hearties! I be Ivan the Pirate here, given' you yer next challenge! The challenge I be speakin' about is makin' somethin' with me in it! Or any of my piratin' friends! And yer booty after you make and share yer treasure with us? You get ME fer free! No gold doubloons, just little ole' me.

For a chance to win, head over to the AiFactory Challenge Blog.

As always, you are not required to use AiFactory images but if you have them we would love to see them. We also have quite a few Freebies available at the store.

For my project, I used GIMP to merge Ivan the Pirate with a few digi stamps from Dustin Pike as well as some free coloring pages to make my pirate scene. I printed the image out and colored it with Prismacolor Markers. The treasure map is digital paper from Designer Digitals.

Please visit the DT Blogs to see even more beautiful cards using Ivan the Pirate....

Carole
Cheri
Kerry
Angie
Penny
Erin
Monica
Fliss
Fink
Carlie
Michelle
Lola

To play along visit the AiFactory Challenge Blog and upload your creation by Wednesday, March 24th at 11:00pm EST.

Thanks for stopping by,

Paper Maniac Inspirations ~ Wishing for Spring!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a pleasant weekend. It was cold and rainy here so we really didn't do much. I'm not complaining though, I will take rain over snow any day.

This week at Paper Maniac, we are celebrating Spring! I for one cannot wait to see flowers blooming and leaves on all the trees. Until then, I will have to settle for flowers on my cards! There is nothing more spring than the new Making Memories Flutter paper and embellishments. I also used my new favorite punch from Martha Stewart called Garden Trellis. I really love that you can just the edge, as I've done, for an entirely different look! The sentiment is from PTI's Scattered Showers stamp set.

This card is for quite a few challenges:

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #60
Treehouse Thursday ~ CAS
Secret Crafter ~ Anything Goes
Stampin' B's ~ Spring or Easter
Rosie-D's ~ Think Spring
Crafty Calendar ~ Flower Power
By the Cute and Girly ~ Spring is in the Air
Tanda Stamps ~ Simply Spring

Make sure and swing by the store and check out all the new products. Also, Patti is looking for two new DT Members, one specializing in the Tim Holtz Idea-ology lines and the second is a for a Copic Certified Designer, you can get all the details here.

Thanks for stopping by,

SSDS Week 31 ~ Recipe Challenge

Hi all! It is time for another awesome challenge from Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday. This week we have a recipe challenge for you...

-Use Pink or Purple
-Use Ribbon
-Use Button(s)

I recently stumbled on these amazing digi images from Meljen's Designs. I really could have bought all of them! If you have not seen her images you are really missing out!! I printed out A Girl and Her Overalls and colored the image with Prismacolor markers. The dsp and flower (I added the button) are the new release from Making Memories called Flutter. The sentiment is from PTI's Scattered Showers stamp set.

This card is also for a few other challenges:

Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #104
Flutter By Wednesday's ~ Open
Paper Cutz ~ Anything Goes
My Time to Craft ~ Kidz Kardz
Crafty Cardmakers ~ Feminine Celebration
Cupcake Craft ~ Flower Power
Meljen's Designs Featured Stamper Challenge

To join in on the fun and be eligible for this weeks fabulous prize and check out all the fabulous creations from the Design Team. Head over to the SSDS blog and link your creation to Mr. Linky by 10:00 pm (EST) Friday evening.

Thanks for stopping by,

To Kiss or Not to Kiss.....

TGIF! I am so ready for the weekend! I am hoping the sunshine will come back for awhile so we can do somethings outdoors this weekend but even if it doesn't at least it is warmer!!

Before I get to my card ~ I liked to announce the winner of Riley Leprechaun from the TCC Blog Hop... Congratulations craft_princess!! Please send an email to angievcortes@gmail.com and I will send your image right over!

Today, I want to share a card I made using the adorable Piper n' Prince digi image from The Character Cafe. I just love this image and will definitely use it many times for all the little princesses in my life. I colored her with Prismacolor markers and cut her out with my nesties. The dsp is from imaginisce and the cs is Kiwi Kiss and Pink Pirouette from Stampin' Up! I also used Friday Sketchers sketch #93 to help get the card started.

Make sure and head over to check out the Feature Friday challenge at the Cafe Blog today. It is a sketch challenge and the DT has come up with some amazing creations to help inspire you!!

Thanks for stopping by,

AiFactory #27 ~ CLEAR and SIMPLE

This week at AiFactory, we are featuring the Lily Collection Digital stamp set.

For a chance to win these gorgeous images, head over to the AiFactory Challenge Blog. The challenge this week is to incorporate something CLEAR into your SIMPLE card or project:

1. the clear item must be something that remains on your finished project (clear stamps are not considered a clear item for this challenge)
2. your card or project should be somewhat simple, making your main image the focus of the creation.

As always, you are not required to use AiFactory images but if you have them we would love to see them. We also have quite a few Freebies available at the store.

For my card, I used the Lily of the Valley image. I colored the lilies with Prismacolor markers and pencils. I used the oval and scallop nestabilities to create a frame on the card front and adhered the image to the inside of the card. My clear items are dewdrops and flower pins.

Please visit the DT Blogs to see even more beautiful cards using all the gorgeous Lilies.

Carole
Cheri
Kerry
Angie
Penny
Erin
Monica
Fliss
Fink
Carlie
Laurie
Michelle
Lola

To play along visit the AiFactory Challenge Blog and upload your creation by Wednesday, March 18th at 11:00pm EST.

Thanks for stopping by,

Paper Maniac Inspirations ~ Luck of the Irish

Happy Monday everyone! Hope everyone had a great weekend. It was beautiful in Ohio this weekend! We had lots of sunshine and a nice little warm up in temperature! The kids were actually able to play outside and even ride their bikes!

This week at Paper Maniac, we are celebrating St. Patrick's Day. I have very few supplies in my stash for St. Patrick's Day, so I decided to create a clover using my Cricut to cut three hearts out of Basic Grey Origins designer paper.

The green cs is New Leaf from PTI and the stem is hand drawn. I also used my oval nestabilities, the Making Memories paper piercer and the sentiment is computer generated.

Make sure and swing by the Paper Maniac Store and check out all the new products. There are tons of new items arriving daily! You will also want to check out the Paper Maniac Blog everyday this week for even more Irish Inspiration from the Design Team!

Thanks for stopping by!

SSDS Week 30 ~ Anything Goes

Hi all! It is time for another awesome challenge from Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday. This week Anything Goes ~ you are free to create anything your heart desires.

For my card I decided to use the absolutely adorable Leah Bunny digi image from Whimsie Doodles. The image is printed on white cs and colored with PrismaColor markers. The double sided DP is from Sassafras Lass and the cs and satin ribbon is Berry Sorbet from PTI. I also used some pearls and flowers pins to add a little bling!

This card is also for a few other challenges:

Friday Sketchers ~ Sketch #92
DU2DS ~ Use Pearls
Digital Tuesday ~ Use Scallops
Cupcake Craft ~ Use Circles

To join in on the fun and be eligible for this weeks fabulous prize and check out all the fabulous creations from the Design Team. Head over to the SSDS blog and link your creation to Mr. Linky by 10:00 pm (EST) Friday evening.

TCC March Release Blog Hop

Hi all and welcome to The Character Cafe March Release Blog Hop!

If you arrived from Angie E's Blog then you are on the right track!

If not, you will want to go to The Character Cafe and start at the beginning for a chance to win some amazing prizes!!

The new releases this month aresimply amazing!! I was so excited to work with Riley Leprechaun this week. I printed him out on Select White and colored the image with PrismaColor Markers and pencils. I cut him out with my nestabilitities and put him on a altered box filled with chocolate coins!! I am going to make two of this and sneak them into my kids lunchboxes to surprise them on St. Patrick's Day! The double sided DP is from The Paper Company and the sentiment is from Stampendous.

I will draw one winning name from my comments on March 12th to win a copy of Riley!! Make sure and comment on The Cafe Blog and let us know what you think of having all sketches for challenges next term or if you'd rather us mix it up a little and you could win the entire March Release as well as the opportunity to be Guest Designer for any or all of the remaining Feature Fridays in March!

Enter a creation using a TCC image into Mr. Linky on the Cafe Blog for the opportunity to win a $10 gift certificate to the store and again, a chance to be a Guest Designer for any or all of the remaining Feature Fridays in March.

Now head on over to Lola's Blog to see what she's created!!

Thanks for stopping by!

AiFactory #26 ~ "B" Challenged

This week at AiFactory, we are featuring the stunning Trinity.

For a chance to win these gorgeous images, head over to the AiFactory Challenge Blog. Your challenge for this week is to "B" Challenged....

~ Use the color Blue (a little or a lot...entirely up to you)
~ Add a Bow
~ Finish it off with some Bling

As always, you are not required to use AiFactory images but if you have them we would love to see them. We also have quite a few Freebies available at the store.

For my project, I colored Trinity with Prismacolor Markers and used my oval nesties to cut her out. The scalloped oval frame was made using my new Cricut and SCAL software...I LOVE this software, so much easier than my Wishblade!

Please visit the DT Blogs to see even more beautiful cards using Trinity....

Carole
Cheri
Kerry
Angie
Penny
Erin
Monica
Fliss
Fink
Carlie
Laurie
Michelle
Lola

To play along visit the AiFactory Challenge Blog and upload your creation by Wednesday, March 10th at 11:00pm EST.

Thanks for stopping by,

Paper Maniac Inspirations ~ Think Spring

Happy Monday everyone! Hope everyone had a great weekend. I was able to get a ton of things on my to do list completed this weekend so I am hoping to keep that momentum going throughout the week.

This week at Paper Maniac, we are celebrating Spring! February in Ohio was back to back snow storms so I am more than ready for some flowers and sunshine!! I really wanted to keep my card clean and simple this week and I was browsing the SCS gallery and was inspired by this card by Miss Boo.

I stamped the flowers and sentiment from the Unity December Store Kit ~ Sweet Affections directly on my card base. I used a strip of Basic Grey Origins and finished it off with some Lemon Tart satin ribbon from PTI.

Make sure and swing by the store and check out all the new stuff arriving daily as well as the Unity Store and the Copic Coloring Club kits for March. You will be so glad you did!!

Thanks for stopping by!