Thank You - Way To Go

Thanks for stopping by again today.  I hope you were able to find my post for the New Release taking place TODAY at Paper Sweeties.  If you're looking for that, it's at the top of my blog today.  If you happened upon this particular post on purpose, even better!  That means you actually enjoy visiting me, and that means the world to me.  This is another just-for-fun post with two cards that I was inspired to create today.  Primarily, I was inspired by the challenge over at Time Out Challenges where my blog friend, Kim Heggins, is sponsoring the challenge with one of her FABULOUS hand-made bags.  You can find her totes, make-up bags, and other great bags in her darling Etsy Shop, Running Stitch Design.

Both of my cards today were inspired by the challenge at Time Out Challenge Blog; but this first card is a just-for-fun card that I created in honor of Kim.  She's a super sweet gal who has sponsored other challenges in our crafting community with her fabulous bags.  I'll be mailing this first card to Kim with a little "gift" enclosed as a token of thanks for her generous presence in our crafting community.  I encourage you to support small businesses like Kim's Etsy Shop.  I had to go really deep into my stash for this card.  I was searching my bins for a  kitchy sewing type line when I came across this old Cosmo Cricket line called Material Girl.  Do you remember it?  I added some of the patterned papers, stickers and chipboard from the line.

I also added some DMC floss and a pin as well as a bit of machine stitching.  Pretty simple, but a fun spin on Kim's creativity with scissors, thread, etc.  Her bags at Running Stitch Design are high-quality bags that are sturdy (and adorable).  Then, I made a second card which was also inspired by the Inspiration Photo over at Time Out Challenge Blog.  I was drawn to to the minty green and peach color scheme (that's what my eyes drew out of that photo).  The stamped sentiment (thank you) is from Stamp Simply Clear Stamps.

This card uses several mixed patterned papers.  Some are from Echo Park and others are Crate Paper.  It's literally a mish mash of scraps from various lines.  I did a bit of machine stitching, added some vintage scotch tape, Tim Holtz inks on edges, and a miniature rusty Tim Holtz paper clip.  I enjoy using up scraps of patterned papers to create a  card base.  I try to make the most of all those little scraps, bits and bobbits.  Even the sentiment was stamped onto a paper scrap.

I added some bundled Ivory Burlap String and several pretty Miniature Double Head Stamens, and they're topped with some rolled paper flowers.  I even used a piece of pretty vintage smoky grey ribbon.  I don't use it often, but it really matched the Hickory Smoke edges of my card, and I thought it looked pretty.

Thanks again for stopping by my blog today to take a peek at these sweet little cards.  I'm having FUN playing along in a few challenges this week.  I don't often have the time to enter challenges, so it's always nice when I can create just for fun and create/share things that were truly inspired by a particular person or challenge.  I appreciate your visits, and I hope you're inspired this week.

Blessings,

Karen

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

Time Out Challenge Blog - Inspiration Photo - As detailed in my post above, I was completely inspired by Kim and Kim's bag/photo on both cards.  I'm SO grateful for Kim's generous heart, and I'm sending her the first card as a thank you.  FUN challenge!

Mod Squad Challenge Blog - Month of Thanks - I've already made a card for Gina Krupsky of Gina K Design and I mailed it to her this past week.  I'm sending the thank you card in this post to another generous challenge sponsor.  I'm so grateful for ALL the sponsors in our generous crafting community.  We should all send out thank you cards to sponsors more often, so I THANK YOU for encouraging us all to do so.