Exploding Barn

     My daughter and I made our yearly trek to the White Stallion Ranch to do some horseback riding.  There are about 18 of us who meet there each December from all over the US and world (England, Germany, Channel Islands, Minnesota, California, New Jersey, D.C. Tennessee - we adopted a visiting Australian this year as well). Every year we celebrate the birthday of a lovely lady named TJ.  This year we knew we would be celebrating number 75 with her.  Such a birthday called for a special card.  Months ago I began dreaming the idea up in my head for an explosion box card AND FINALLY just before Thanksgiving I had time to sit and play.
     With the help of my Silhouette Cameo I was able to design a cake (my own design) and a barn style cover for the box (again my own design).  The barn door is a cut file designed by Cali Arroyo, and the cactus and wheel are a cut file design by Jamie Cripps.   The sweet horse on top of the cake and peeking out the window is a digital stamp from Clear Dollar Stamps.   

     After designing this cake and frosting on my Silhouette Cameo.... I decorated it with a personalized message for TJ!!  Every cowgirl needs some 'bling' and TJ's is on her cake - since the whole theme was barn oriented I placed the cake on some hay!  

     I couldn't carry the card around the ranch and get signatures on the sly (given its size) so I created individual cards that I could slide out of the fences and carry around with a pen in a zip lock bag.  This allowed me to get lots of good wishes for her on both sides of the inserts.  

     Below is TJ getting ready to open her explosion box card - she was so excited by all the people who left her messages and Birthday wishes and she is ALWAYS so complimentary about the cards I make her....this one was a huge surprise to her.  

     It was great fun making a card like this for such a special lady.....BTW she is wearing antlers because I couldn't find a tiara at the grocery store in Marana and holiday antlers were as close as I could come.  She is a great sport.  

     Going to post this on the Silhouette challenge this month for 3-D  --  I love making 3-D cards and using my Silhouette has made them even more fun. I am posting this over at the Silhouette Challenge for 3-d and anything but a card for December - think about joining in on the fun.  

Supplies:  Silhouette Cameo, Rhinestones, Embellishments, Memory Box  fence, Clear Dollar Digital Stamp, Copic markers

Challenges:  Silhouette #8 3D

Bwah ha ha ha ha

     Oh my word, there are so many cards I SHOULD be working on but when I saw this tree stamp, as I ran through the craft shop, the idea for this card seemed so obvious I HAD to play.  And no, I didn't really run through the craft shop, if I did I might miss something....but I did stay focused and head to a few certain aisles to see if anything new had arrived.  My son is one of my biggest fans and supporters and making cards for him is always a pleasure.  So when I saw this stamp I decided to get a head start and make his Halloween card.  He is in his mid twenty's but has always been easy to spook - when I saw this tree I just knew it needed lots of spooky eyes peeking out from the night.
     This is a Step Card. To create the background for the tree I took cut a circle from some removable paper and placed it over my Brilliance CS.  Then I used my Color Duster brushes to repeatedly stipple over the page in Night of Navy, More Mustard, and some Summer Sun until I got it as dark and spooky as I wanted. Then I removed my circle, and with my Copic's, colored in the moon.  I cut a stencil for a cloud pattern and laid it down, using my sponge with Night of Navy, I dabbed the sponge over the edges while I  continually moved the stencil around to created a layered look in the background.  I then stamped several of my headstones, colored, and fussy cut them.  My fence die is pretty large so after running it through my Grand Calibur I cut the bottom and messy cut the tops.  My headstones in the background are popped up over the skeletons, and the headstones on the front are flat on the step, with the fence popped up over them.  Inside is the sentiment "BOO'.  I'm pretty sure he is going to like this ...  until it gets sent it will adorn my stamp room.

Materials:  Brilliance CS, Recollections Tree Stamp, Hampton Art Headstones, Memory Box Fence Die, Crafts Mart Skeleton Stamp, Embellishments, Copics

Challenges:  Dream Valley Something Old, Something New

Our Daily Bread Design Challenge 117

This is my 4th and final week as a guest design team member at Our Daily Bread Designs, 

This week's challenge will last for two weeks and ....

Is a sketch.....

To make the challenge even more fun, we will be giving out a prize, a $15 gift certificate to be used toward stamps at the Our Daily Bread Designs store!! Entries for the prize must be submitted by Sunday, August 5th at 8 p.m. EST. One random winner will be chosen and announced next Saturday. 

While it is not required to use Our Daily Bread Designs images and sentiments on your creations, we would love to see them if you have them. As a way of recognizing those who do use Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we will again be choosing three or more of our participants  for the  Shining the Light Award . In order to qualify for this award or join the challenge, however, you must use Our Daily Bread stamps and have your submission added to Mr. Linky by Sunday, August 5th at 8 p.m. EST. If you upload your creations to Splitcoast Stampers or any other online gallery, please use the keyword isODBDSLC117.  When creating your posts on blogs please include a link to the challenge.

Now on to my take for this challenge:

     I turned my layout sideways, and instead of ribbon I chose to do flowers in its place.  I was just in a pink mood when I was laying this out. my flowers are handmade, they are easy and fun to make and I have a picture tutorial you can view here.  Stretched the take a little, but it is exactly what I had in mind when I started so I am happy. and 'hey' its all about me isn't it - LOL!! My sentiment is from the Quote Collection 2.   Have as much fun as I did playing.  See I told you I wouldn't use the sea this week, it was tempting.

For more inspiration for this challenge, please visit my dt sisters:

Jan Marie Ennenga,  Chris Olsen,  Jan Keen,   Lori Ulrich, 

Kathy Roney,   Rosemary Dennis,  Sabrina Jackson

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click here.

Materials:  Our Daily Bread Design Quote Collection 2, Spellbinder Dies, Memory Box Flower Die, Zva Pearls, Cheery Lynn Butterflies.  

Woman in Pink

     I'm not sure if its because I enjoy biking, or I am just getting older, but I just love this image by Mo Manning.  MuMu, who is of that age where a lady still wears a skirt to shop, looks as if she hasn't a care in the world as she bikes home from the market. Her plump rump is planted firmly on the seat as she pedals along with her face soaking up the sun, and her surroundings.  I can only hope I grow older with this same sense of empowerment, while still riding my bike.
     The flower I used is made from some crinolin and netting that I cut from a Sizzix die and colored with my Copics, after which I scrunched it all up around a brad..  The leaves are a Memory Box die.  I have been working on reorganizing my craft room and my sewing machine is now out and useable, so I just had to stitch around the outisde.  That and I thought it gave the card a more 'down home' look to go with this sweet image.  If you know me you are probably surprised there aren't pearls on this as I love 'pink and pearls'.......I don't think I'll add any, but sometimes cards change before they go in the mail :)
     For the challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs I have used, Stitching, Pink, Ribbon, Ink, Nestie, Green Leaves.  For the challenge at 4 Crafty Chicks I used material for my flower.

Thanks for visiting, have a great day....

Materials: Spellbinders, Sizzix, Fabric, Stamp by Mo's Digital Pencil , Bo Bunny Paper, Seam binding, Copics Memory Box

Challenges:  Our Daily Bread Designs (SPRING), 4 Crafty Chicks #85