Believe in Fairy Tales

This is not my prettiest card but it is one I had so much fun creating.  I haven't really played with my acrylics, just painted in years (and it shows!).  I used to love tole painting and there was an amazing woman that ran a shop just up the road who taught fantastic classes.  Unfortunately, when her daughter needed more care, I lost touch.  I don't even have any of my painting, I gave it all away.

Anyways, it all started with the MFP's Tutorial Challenge to use acrylics.  I decided to use the background stamp on an old book page.  That reminded me of this set by My Favourite Things "Well Read".  I also painted the image with acrylics - I didn't think to use watercolour paper which is what I'm blaming for the blotchiness.  It couldn't be me...

Everything about this card is a scrap.  Can you believe the base is 8 years old?  I'd cut that paper for my own wedding invites.  The green acrylic paint covers the Very Vanilla that was attached by a close friend when we were assembly lining the invites.  How scary is that?

All in all, a very pleasant walk down memory lane for me.

Challenges this Card Meets:
Craft-Room Challenge - Stamp your own background paper
MFP's Tutorial Challenge - Use acrylics
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash - Scrap Attack - I think any pre-made base that's 8 years old should count!

Going to the Chapel

My future sister-in-law's shower is this weekend so I need a card.  I love how it turned out.  She has chosen Seattle Seahawks colours for the wedding- lime, navy and white.  I don't have lime; the closest I had was Wild Wasabi.  I hand cut the dress and embossed it.  I hand-stitched the tuile and then covered the rough edges with the ribbon.  The sentiment is from My Favourite Things from their "Well Read" set.  I then printed "But how did my brother ever get to be a prince?"  on the inside. I really wish I had a crown stamp to put underneath the sentiment. I just couldn't resist a little jab at his expense.  What are sisters for after all?

Challenges this Card Meets:
Crafty Creations - KISS (Keep It Simple, Sweetie!)
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Glitter and Sparkle - Ribbon
Moving Along with the Times - Clean and Simple
Totally Papercrafts - Clean and Simple
Use it Tuesday - You can't touch this.  The tulle came from a bow from my wedding shower 8 years ago.  How's that for passing on the luck to the new bride?
Sentimental Sunday - For a Special Woman (My Future Sister-In-Law)

I'll Be Home For Christmas

I really had to laugh at myself when I finished this card set.  I made 6 of these for a Mo Manning card swap I'm participating in.  Despite the fact that I hate the colour of my house, when I was colouring them late at night I subconsciously recreated my own front entrance, including the horrible salmon pink of my stucco.  Oh well, it must just go to show that home truly is where the heart is, especially when thinking about Christmas.  It's hard to see but the snow is all done with glitter.  The bow was done with white organdie ribbon that I coloured with copics.  I used embroidery floss  to tie the bow.  Any other way made it just overpower the image.  The pearls were originally turquoise and I coloured them too.  What a great way to use up those odd colours I bought when I first started papercrafting.

Challenges these Cards Meet:
Christmas Card Challenge #22
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Bows
Crafty Hazelnut's Extra Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes for May
Mo's Challenge - Anything Goes with a Mo Image
Everybody Art - Pearls

...May Flowers

My dogwood tree is starting to get its leaves and is looking so pretty.  I even got the first bloom today.  The sun is warm for the first time this season.  I actually was walking around without a coat for 20 minutes before I realized I needed to cover up or I'd get burnt.  I decided to pull out my Dogwood set to commemorate Spring.  The challenge on Speedy TV's Simple Saluations was "April Showers bring May flowers."  Since we get enough rain here, I wanted to go with flowers.  This unfortunately will be my last post as guest designer for the month.  Hope you enjoy.

Challenges this Card Meets:
Speedy TV's Simple Saluations - April Showers Bring May Flowers
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Colour (with copics)
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Victorine Stamps - Spring Colours or Flowers

Purple Rain

Still de-stressing from the party.  Hey, it had me wound up for weeks.  I had 11 little people in my house  and we painted, too!  Everyone survived and so did my house.  We are all good!

I found this coloured image in my stash (Stamping Up's retired, "A Flower for All Seasons) and this purple DP on my table.  The DP print was so large, it didn't work for me so I used my Waltzingmouse Text It set to make a smaller print.  Both papers came from my unending Costco pack.  The sentiment is from Mark's Finest Papers.

Not my favourite card but I do like the layout and I'm just enjoying spring in any shape or form that I can find it on this rainy day.

Sometimes it Snows in April

I needed a little post pirate party therapy so I cut paper.  I pulled out this snowflake paper because I saw The Princess had used it on a card just last week and I was inspired, particularly when I found this tree image on an old Christmas card in my image stash box.  The card is another layout that I was trying to follow and couldn't for the life of me; so ended up with my own creation.  I'm quite enjoying the non-traditional colours.

Challenges this Card Meets:
Christmas Card Challenges #21
Christmas Stamping All Year Long - Celebrating Snow
Crafty Hazelnut's Extra Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes for April

Pirates of the Caribbean

It's now been a full week since the party and I desperately needed to get my DS's thank you cards out.  I know, I should of had them made before the party but who's that organized.  We were away all weekend so I needed something quick and easy.  DH shook his head at me and said they didn't look like they'd been quick.  Luckily I found these wooden shapes in my stash.  The DP is all from on sheet of paper that I had bought when the LSS was having a closing for renovation sale.  The sentiment is computer generated.  Base layers are Not Quite Navy and Vintage Violet.  The matting is all Bravo Burgundy.  The bling is anything I could find that somewhat matched in my stash.  The layout idea came from SpeedyTV's Sketch with a Twist.  Of course, I missed the deadline for submission.  Oh well.  I have 8 made.  My favourite is the pirate ship one by far and then the treasure ship.  I will need to make about 5 more but will need a new idea since I'm out of shapes.  I can write the notes tomorrow during my breaks and get DS to sign them after school.  They'll be out by Tuesday.

Now, if I can just get those invitations blogged that I liked so much...

Challenges these Cards Meet:
The Craft Room Challenge - So Sentimental