Happy Birthday Card & Tag

Each month at Top Dog Dies, there are gorgeous new dies released.  They are such high-quality dies that cut through paper, wool felt, and almost anything just BEAUTIFULLY!  I enjoy working with these die-cuts SO much, and I always enjoy sharing the new dies with you all.  One of the new dies this month is the gorgeous Mosaic A-2 Mat Die.  It is absolutely lovely to use as an overlay for your card, and then place your embellishments on top of it.  If you visit the Top Dog Dies Blog or Gallery, you will see many lovely examples of how to use this die, as well as ALL our amazing dies.  Our talented Design Team is always coming up with great ideas to inspire you and help you learn new and exciting ways to bring the gorgeous Top Dog Dies to life.

In addition to the Top Dogs Mosaic A-2 Mat Die, I also used a kraft card base, a die-cut flower cut from luscious wool felt from Prairie Point Junction/Wool Felt Central, a K & Co. brad is in the center of the flower, and a Happy Birthday sentiment from Verve is stamped on kraft paper.  This lovely die really makes a quick and easy card with a beautiful background.

As you can see, I also made a matching tag using the same supplies.  This sweet die-cit can be cut down to fit any size project.  I wanted to share it in a challenge, so I was able to easily whip up a matching tag for that purpose.  You will love the amazing dies found at Top Dog Dies, as well as all the inspiration from the lovely and talented members of our Design Team.  I hope you'll stop by to check it all out.  Also, I want to let you all know about an AWESOME Blog Hop staring this Monday, March 10, between Echo Park Papers and Top Dog Dies.  This is a HUGE event, and there will be LOTS of amazing prizes offered from both companies.  You won't want to miss the excitement.  You can stop by my blog, or Top Dog Dies to get started on Monday morning.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog - Simon Says, "Tag It"

Thanks for visiting my blog, and have a blessed week!

Karen

May God Grant You Faith

As most of you know, Wednesdays are always a super exciting day for me because it always means the beginning of a great new challenge over at Word Art Wednesday Challenge Blog.  Our numbers are growing by leaps and bounds, and we praise God for this.  He is blessing us beyond our wildest expectations, and has been providing such amazing sponsors, participants with the most GORGEOUS projects, and the sweet sweet fellowship of such lovely people.  We have another fantastic challenge this week, and our own Diane Noble of Daydream Designs has offered four different FREE word art/scripture files for you to choose from if you so choose.  I've only posted one on the blog, but if you want one of the others, just let me know.  Our FANTASTIC sponsors this week are Freckled Fawn offering a $15 gift certificate to our players in the U.S., and Crafty Ribbons offering a 10 pound gift certificate to our international players.  Both are wonderful prizes, and we really would love to have you join us.

I made my card using the Daydream Designs black and white sentiment option, some Crate Paper Tea For Two patterned papers, machine stitching, Tim Holtz Barn Door Red ink, seam binding, a button and baker's twine.  It's really a pretty simple card.

I'm going to share my card in these challenges:
Creative Card Crew - Get Well

Sister Act Card Challenges - Challenge #46 - Anything Goes

I look forward to seeing what YOU will create for this week's challenge, and really appreciate all the beautiful entries we receive each week.  May God bless you as you create, and please know how very grateful we are for you.  Have fun creating!

My Cup Runneth Over,

Karen

For The Birds - The Kraft Journal

Happy Monday, my crafty friends.  I hope that you all had a safe and relaxing weekend.  I know that I sure enjoyed my weekend, and spent lots of time in my craft room.  But then again, that's where you will almost always find me when I'm not cleaning house, running errands, or stressing out over my son's Algebra.  Homeschooling is getting tougher now that his math is over my head.  Believe me, I pray for wisdom and direction.  He's becoming such a wonderful young man.  I was looking at him the other day through my rear view mirror (in the truck) noticing that he is getting to the point where he soon needs to shave.  I see the beginnings of a "mustache", and I can't believe my eyes.  Where have the years gone?  And he is our "baby".  Oh, how I wish I could freeze time.

Karen Letchworth for The Kraft Journal

Just as soon as I learned of this week's "Birds" Challenge taking place at the The Kraft Outlet, I immediately knew the path I wanted to pursue.  I've been sitting on this adorable little October Afternoon birds in nest journaling card for the longest time; just waiting for the right opportunity to use it. My card all started with a  Small Buff/Ivory Notecard  (which, by the way is one of my all-time favorite must-have Kraft Outlet supplies).  From there, I gathered up some of my October Afternoon patterned paper pieces (the notebook print and the black with white polka dots print), and along with that sweet journaling card, just machine stitched them all together.

Next, I grabbed several other Kraft Outlet goodies to embellish my card; starting with one of their newest and most delicious products, the Hand-Stained Vintage Winter White Bias Tape which I tied into a sweet double bow, and I placed a General Store Flatback (15 cents) in the center of that.  I also used more October Afternoon stickers, a mini black safety pin, a few lengths of Blue Baker's Twine and some bright yellow Pastel Hemp Cord.  I used two Black Apothecary Stickers (ruler trim and directions tag (under date circle), and a Jenni Bowlin Office Chipboard Button.  I turned again to another Kraft Outlet favorite, my Bone Folder Tool, to apply the rub-on sentiment and securely flatten the fold in my card.  There are so many awesome supplies at the Kraft Outlet to help you create something special, and I'm really hoping that you'll treat yourself to something new, and then stop  by to share your sweet creations in this week's "Birds" challenge.

I'm sharing my card in the following challenges:
Creative Card Crew Challenges - Get Well - I plan to use this sweet card to cheer up a friend who has been feeling under the weather, so this challenge was just perfect for my card.

Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday Linky Party - I'm so grateful for Karen's sweet challenges and she offers her gorgeous hand-made seam binding as a prize.  I'm "showing off" this card in her sweet challenge this week.

DL Art - March Challenge - Anything Goes

I love seeing your creations and having you play along in our challenges, and we'd also love to have you become a "follower" of the blog if you're not already.  Thanks for stopping by my blog to say hello, and please know that I look forward to visiting yours as well.  You can be in the running to win a $15 monthly gift certificate to the amazing Kraft Outlet by playing along in this week's challenge simply by using any kraft product, or anything sold in the shop.  We love having you join us!

Blessings,

Karen

Happy Sunshine & Warm Days

It's been a quiet Sunday afternoon at our house.  I spent some time crafting today using some product I was blessed to receive from Echo Park's new Splendid Sunshine line for one of my upcoming Design Team projects.  I am just LOVING all the sweet papers, stickers and journaling cards in this set, and as soon as they're released, I plan to purchase more of the papers, the brad set, and the Chipboard Elements - they're just divine!

I took the Darling Dots patterned paper and machine stitched the edges, and then I added a Journaling Card with all the months, days and years printed on it (to represent that ALL days should be filled with happiness, sunshine, and warm days - well, at least here in Las Vegas)!  Next, I took a Sticker Element (main sentiment) and backed it with the Fancy Floral patterned paper (back side of these double-sided sheets) and cut it with my Fiskars scalloped scissors.  I used my Top Dog Dies' Madison Doily Die (white) as the backdrop for the sentiment.  I embellished with more stickers (HAPPY) and circles from the Sticker Elements Sheet, and then made a seam binding bow and added some sweet pearls.

I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says Anything Goes With Pearls

Sister Act Card Challenges - Challenge #46 - Anything Goes

I've been able to find so few challenges to enter any more.  I don't have time to go searching all over, and I just haven't been finding challenges that work for the cards and projects I've made.  So for now, that's it.  I really do thank you for stopping by to say hello.  I'll be back again tomorrow with another post.

Until then, God bless you all!

Karen

Life Is Sweet with Top Dog Dies

Life is sweet, and for me, it's been even sweeter since I was asked to join the Top Dog Dies Design Team.  I just LOVE creating with these sweet die-cuts.  I will be posting in March to showcase my work using their new releases.  You will LOVE these sweet new die-cuts; but I must say that you will be just as delighted by all the amazing dies they already carry in their amazing shop at Top Dog Dies.  I encourage you to stop by and check out all the amazing die-cuts they carry.  And then, in March, you will be able to see their new releases.  How exciting!

As the new dies continue arrive in my mailbox, I still believe that the Madison Doily Die remains my favorite.  And to be perfectly honest, I am certain that it will always remain a favorite for me.  I have always loved using doilies on my cards and projects, and this sweet die-cut just makes it so easy to create sweet doilies for all my cards.  It's awesome to be able to match my die-cuts to every project I create with this sweet Madison Doily Die.

For this "Life Is Sweet" card, I used some Cosmo Cricket Tea For Two patterned papers and sentiment sticker.  I cut my pink doily from these same papers using my Top Dog Dies favorite Madison Doily Die-Cut and combined it with the sweet Top Dogs Wildflowers Die which I cut two of, and grouped together.  I machine stitched the card, and then added a seam binding bow, and a button with baker's twine tied in the center.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  If you haven't checked us out yet, I invite you to check out the Top Dog Dies Facebook Page and the Top Dog Dies Blog so that you won't miss any of the latest news, special offers, and to get lots of great inspiration.

Have a great weekend!

Karen

It's Tea Time at Daydream Designs

Wouldn't it be lovely to sit down and have a cup of tea (or coffee, if you please) with some of the lovely friends you've met in Blogland?  I know that I sure would enjoy sitting and sipping some tea, and being given the opportunity to get creative with all the dear sweet friends I've made since I started blogging.  I feel so very blessed by the friendships I've made - and sometimes it's almost hard to believe that I've never met these ladies in person because I feel so incredibly close to them.  One of those sweet friends is Diane Noble.   She is not only a close friend and member of my Design Team at Word Art Wednesday, but she's also a talented artist and digi designer. If you've never had the pleasure of checking out her lovely shop, Diane's Daydream Designs, I encourage you to stop by and check it out.  You will soon fall in love with all the dreamy images she has to offer.  Some of the newest sets include the lovely Tea Time sets.  They're just darling!

This sweet card was created using Diane's adorably sweet Tea and Roses Color Set, and the sentiment is from the coordinating Tea Time Sentiments Bundle.  I just LOVE the chalkboard technique, and Diane's sweet digi images make this popular new technique quick and easy.

Just look at those sweet little rosettes!  I also used the extra rosette images from the Tea and Roses set in the center of my seam binding bow and in 3-D on the tea pot. These sweet little rosettes can be used as an accent almost anywhere.  They're just the sweetest soft little touch!

This is a little Kraft Truffle Box that I decorated to match this set as my project this week at Word Art Wednesday.  I would love to have you stop by and play along in our challenge this week.  We have some amazing sponsors with GREAT prizes (as always)!  They are Classy Cards 'N Such ( $15 gift certificate), and Daydream Designs (3 full sets).

I invite you to stop by and check out ALL the wonderful images at Daydream Designs. Diane has additional artists who share their wonderfully creative talents and sweet images in her shop.  There's sure to be something that will suit your personal crafting style, and prices are just right!  You won't be disappointed.

Thanks for stopping by for tea today.  It's so nice to have you visit, and I look forward to visiting your blog to say hello as I sip my tea.

Blessings to you all,

Karen

Sketch Time at TKJ

For this week's Sketch Challenge at The Kraft Journal Challenge Blog, I started with a Small Lunch Bag Kraft Note Card, and covered it with three different coordinating October Afternoon patterned papers which are all machine stitched together.  I took a few lengths of Red Baker's Twine and ran them vertically on the card, tied them into a bow, and secured them with a Vintage Tim Holtz Memo Pin.  I also embellished my card with a General Store Postage Sticker (Postal Typewriters), a small piece of Air Mail Washi Tape, a snippet of Tim Holtz Ruler Ribbon, and the sentiment was placed on a Jenni Bowlin Journaling Circle. The sentiment is a Melissa Frances rub-on, so once again, I used the super useful Bone Folder Tool to apply the rub-on as well as to neatly fold my Note Card.  The Kraft Outlet has SO MANY wonderful products to make crafting and card-making fun and easy.  I encourage you to check it out today.  We have recently added several great new items including several gorgeous colors of the very popular hand-stained crinkled seam binding everyone is using.  You will just LOVE everything you find at The Kraft Outlet.

Karen Letchworth for The Kraft Outlet

I just LOVE how all these sweet embellishments from the Kraft Outlet so perfectly compliment the papers I used.  Don't the washi tape, journaling spot, ruler ribbon and baker's twine look they came from the same line as the striped patterned paper?  Seriously, the embellishments and supplies at the Kraft Outlet are just SO much fun, and work so well with items you already own.  You will love their wide variety of items, their great low prices, and reasonable shipping costs.

Here are the challenges where I'm sharing my card:

Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday Linky Party

Just B Creative Crazy - February's Linky Party

Have a blessed week, and don't forget to stop by and play along in our Sketch Challenge this week at The Kraft Journal Challenge Blog.  By using any item(s) sold in our store, or any kraft paper or kraft items (this includes paper bags, etc.), you will be eligible for the $15 monthly prize to the AWESOME Kraft Outlet.  Come join us!

God bless you, and have a great Monday!

Karen