New Class at Color Me Creative---Making Beautiful Backgrounds by Marie Gamber

Now this I am really excited about. For some time now, I have been admiring Marie Gamber's beautiful cards and especially her beautiful hand created backgrounds. Well, now she is doing a class on her technique at the Color Me Creative Classroom.

Here's the link if you want to take her class. It is coming up in just a few days!!  More info on her blog HERE!

 

And if you don't already know about the Color Me Creative Classroom, be sure and visit the site. It is full of all sorts of fun things to see and do!  Suzanne Dean does an awesome job of keeping everyone busy!!!

Have a wonderful day!

Darcy

Puppy Love

Just a short post! The Outlawz Greeting Card Challenge is having a theme of DOGS this week in honor of National Dog Day which was August 26!

Here is my card! I used an image called Pile of Bones from Bugaboo Stamps who is also sponsoring the challenge! I colored with copic markers!

 

My sentiment is made with stickers I got on clearance at Hobby Lobby!

 

Dash on over to the Outlawz and see what other 'fetch-ing' cards are there!

 

Other challenges I am entering!

Lady Anne's Stamp Challenge

Through the Craftroom Door

 

 

Have a dog-tastic day!!!

Darcy

 

OUTLAWZ SKETCH CHALLENGE AUGUST 28-SEPT. 3

Another new Outlawz Sketch Challenge! Our sponsor all month has been the wonderful and amazing Bugaboo Stamps!  They will give 7 digi stamps to one lucky winner for the month of August!

I chose to make my card featuring a Bugaboo image called Cute Bee-Flower and colored it in with copic markers!  Our sketch this week is here and right below it is my card!

 

 

I used a new paper trimmer that I had to buy a couple weeks ago in order to make a step card. It has angles marked on it and after all these years, I am happy to say that I have remembered some of the geometry I learned in school. At least about angles, because I needed it to cut my tags.

 

I added a pretty flower and some ribbon and brads after I stamped my sentiments "just buzzin by to say....thanks". The first part of the sentiment is from Azadi Earles and the "thanks!!!" is from Stampendous.  I also used a die from Joy Crafts to make a die cut that I cut in half to place on my outer tags.

 

 

Be sure and stop over at the Outlawz Sketch Challenge to see what the other Design Team members came up with using that sketch for inspiration. I think you'll be glad you did!!

 

Happy Wednesday!

Darcy

Through the Purple Haze Challenges #7 FUNKY GIRLS AND BOYS AND KENNY K

OOOOk-lahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain,
And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet, When the wind comes right behind the rain
OOOOk-lahoma, Ev'ry night my honey lamb and I, Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk makin' lazy circles in the sky.

Hahaha!  Those are some of the lyrics to the song Oklahoma! from the Broadway musical and movie (1955) with the same title! I must give proper credit to the writers Rodgers and Hammerstein for the song!!! When Fiona got a sneak peak of my card, she immediately thought of that movie.  Now Fiona lives in Scotland and I always thought that Oklahoma! was a US thing----just goes to show how little I know!! But except for the oil rigs and the numerous twisters, Iowa is not that different than the state of Oklahoma!!

Okay...... back to the Through the Purple Haze Challenges!!!

This is week #7 already. Time is going way too fast now.  Each week is a little bit closer to winter and I DON'T like that!!! Anyway.......

This week we are excited to tell you that Kenny K is the sponsor for our challenge!! The winner of the challenge will get three (3) digis from Kenny K!!!!  The theme for the challenge is Funky Girls and Boys! Use a Kenny K image if you have one!!

 

 

 

 

My card features an image from Kenny K called Farmer's Daughter! I used a sentiment from Unity Stamp Company "Smile and Forget Everything".

 

Here's the full card!

 

I colored my Farmer's Daughter with copic markers.

 

 

After coloring my image, I cut my image out and used some pop dots to mount it onto some really cool plaid decorated paper that I added some "ink spots" to via a rubber stamp from Ann-ticipations using pink Colorbox Pigment Ink then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

 

I finished off with a polka dot ribbon from my stash and added the sentiment!

 

Be sure to hop on over to Through the Purple Haze Challenges and see what my teammates came up with for the Funky Girls and Boys theme using more Kenny K images.

 

 

 

Have a great week!

Darcy

 

 

 

 

 

Outlawz Twisted Thursday---Favorite Things

Favorite Things is the theme this week at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge!  One of my favorite things are babies and I was in need of a baby card for a brand new baby boy so this was a perfect combination!

My digital image is from Whimsy and Stars Studio Stamps and is called Sweet Pea Baby Pod ! I colored my image with copic markers and then used a Spellbinder die cut in half for my layers.  The calendar and the sentiment were from the stamp set "Moments in Time" by Close to My Heart Stamps. I made a ribbon with my Bow-Easy and used glue dots to secure a couple of buttons.

I used a computer generated verse for the inside of my card. I hope you will visit the Outlawz and check out all the challenges there!

I'm also entering this card in the Color Me Creative Anything Goes Challenge! Be sure to stop there too and you will see lots and lots of beautiful creations!!

I'm also entering the A Gem of a Challenge for the very first time.  The theme is something starting with a B. Well that would be Baby and Blue of course!! Hope you will stop there, too and see the lovely entries!

Have a great week!

Darcy

Otto the Octopus

This month Gerda Steiner from Gerda Steiner Designs offered a free image to those who are recipients of her monthly newsletter.   Here is a link to sign up for the monthly newsletter. You will get a freebie from her every month.

The image for August is Otto the Octopus. He's such a cute image, I wanted to have the main focus be on him so I made  a Clean and Simple Card. I colored Otto with copic markers and mounted the image on some patterned paper. But before I mounted the image, I stamped a sentiment from Northwoods Stamps in Teal Zeal Memento ink. My little tiny dots all around the image are from a 1 inch by 1/2 inch stamp that I have had for years. I believe it is from Printworks but not really sure. I know it was part of a set that came in a plastic box and was not wood mounted.

I'm entering my card in the Gerda Steiner Designs Blog Challenge.  I'm also posting my card at the Outlawz Paper Ala Mode Challenge where I am playing just for fun. The theme this week is Birthdays!

Here is my card and I hope you like it!

 

 

Have a great day and it is officially Friday!!

Darcy

Creative Freebie Challenge at the Outlawz

I was really busy tonight. I managed to make four cards tonight. Some nights just go like that and other nights it may take four hours to do a card!!!!  These two cards I made are both for the Creative Freebie Challenge at the Outlawz. Anne Fenton and Sandi Huggett each gave us an image to make something creative.

My first card has an adorable frog in an inner tube image by Anne Fenton. I colored him with copic markers which I will list below my card. I layered with some patterned papers from my stash and stamped a sentiment by Gina K Designs  "May the simple joys of life be yours". Here's the card!

 

Copic markers I used

Frog YG97 YG17  YG21 R30  YR02

Inner Tube   YR0000   YR000

Scenery  B95 B00 B0000  G12 E55

 

Here's my second card using the Sunflower digi from Sandi Huggett

 

The copic markers I used here are

Leaves  YG97  BG93

Sunflowers   Y17  Y38  YR27  E47  E43  E33

 

I layered it over a piece of gauzy ribbon from my stash!

Thanks Anne and Sandi for such fantastic images to work with!! Be sure and visit the Challenge to see what great creations some of the other Outlawz members came up with!

 

I'm also entering my froggie card in the Handmade Harbour Challenge, a brand new challenge called Midweek Papercraft Party! Hope you will go take a look!!!

 

You can shop at Handmade Harbour  HERE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a great day!

Darcy

 

Outlawz Sketch Challenge August 21 -27

Another new sketch challenge at the Outlawz!  I used a cute little image from Bugaboo Stamps called Turtles-Flowers---colored him with copic markers, added some twine to finish off! My sentiment is a rubber stamp from Art Impressions.

Here is the sketch

 

Here's my card!

 

 

 

Be sure and stop at the Outlawz and see what the other Design Team members made using this sketch as their inspiration!

 

Have a wonderful day!

Darcy

 

Through the Purple Haze Challenges #6 BINGO

This week, at Through the Purple Haze Challenges, Anita has made things a little more interesting. Our theme this week is Bingo.  But first let me mention our sponsors and the prizes! Lacy Sunshine is a sponsor and is giving a $20 prize and Crafts and Me is our co-sponsor and is giving three digis to a winner! So I hope you all like playing Bingo and that you will enter our challenge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the Bingo card we are playing off of---

I chose Bling, Dies, Flowers and my card is below using an image Hope from one of our sponsors, Crafts and Me !

 

 

Here are the copic markers I colored Hope with:

Skin  E21, E00, E000

Hair 49, E47, E44, E40, Y28

Dress and Wings B06, B000, B0000, Turquoise Spica Glitter Pen

Balloon   R21, R30

 

Other supplies:

Spellbinders Floral Ovals

Prima Flowers

Aqua Stick-on jewels from my stash

 

Be sure and visit the Through the Purple Haze Challenges blog and see all of the Design Team cards. We have both teams showing off cards this week!!

 

Have a fantastic week!

Darcy

 

 

 

 

Cardinals

I love birds of all kinds, but I especially love cardinals! They are just so bright and beautiful!!  I made a card using an old Gina K Designs stamp from the set "First Christmas". I am entering my card in the Mix It Up Monday Stamp TV Challenge.   The title of the challenge is "In the Beginning" where we are to use one of our very first stamp sets.  First Christmas is one of my first Gina K stamp sets that I bought.  I believe it dates back to 2009. So I used the cardinal from the set and colored it with my copic markers and mounted it on some decorated papers. I finished off with some shiny red glitter foam leaves from my stash. Here's my card!

I'm also entering this card in Through the Craftroom Door Challenge
and Sketch Saturday Challenge.

Thanks for visiting! Have a great week!
Darcy

Outlawz Sketch Challenge for August 14-20

I really liked the sketch this week over at the Outlawz Sketch Challenge.  Here is the picture of the sketch and then right below it is the card I made as a member of the Design Team.

 

 

I used a digital image called Life in Color by our sponsor this month, Bugaboo Stamps. I used some copics to color in the peacock feathers and then used a Spellbinders die to make my little colored tabs that have gems placed on them along with a flower.

 

Hope you will join in on the challenge! The prize for the monthly winner will be 7 digi images from Bugaboo Stamps, our sponsor!

 

Darcy

Flower Power Daisy

A new color challenge at the Outlawz Color Challenge has just been posted. The colors are Cupcake Green, Mellow Yellow, and Cherry on the Top and there is a twist---use polka dots.

I made my card with Flower Power Daisy from Digital Delights by Looby Loo! I'm just playing for fun and here is my card!

 

I colored her with copic markers and used papers and brads from my stash!

Have a great day!!

Darcy

 

Through the Purple Haze Challenges #5

Well, here it is Week 5 already of the Through the Purple Haze Challenges. This week it is Team B and the sponsor is Floppy Latte and the theme is Butterflies and other Garden Lovelies (butterflies and flowers are two of my most favorite things in the whole world).  Floppy Latte is giving this week's winning entry a $6 coupon to use at their store.

Last week it was so hard to pick a winner. All of the entries were gorgeous!!

The card I made for the Team B Challenge is here. My image is from Floppy Latte, of course, and my supplies are listed below the picture!

Copic Markers:

  Flowers Y00, FY1, Y04, Y21

Leaves  YG00, YG05

 

Spellbinders Leafy Squares

Cardstock from my stash

Ribbon and flowers from my stash

 

Be sure to enter the challenge this week and take a hop around some of the other Team B members!

ANITA
FIONA
SIAN
LISA
DEBS
EITHNE
JACQUI




Hoping you have a wonderful week, too!

Darcy

 

 



Step Card for the Twisted Thursday Outlawz Challenge

This week at the Twisted Thursday Outlawz Challenge, the twist is to make a step card. I confess that I have never ever made a step card before and frankly, I did not know how to begin. But Patricia at the Outlawz posted a couple of links with some very good instructions, so I was ready to jump in.

Then the big decision, what kind of step card? I found out that there are center step, left step, right step, circle step, and many other kinds. I thought I might try a circle card, but I didn't really do very good with it so I decided to go for the Center Step. One small glitch, my paper cutter is the guillotine type and I was fresh out of sharp Xacto knives so a trip to the store was in order where I picked up an inexpensive paper cutter for less than $10 at Walmart. I colored Miss August, from the Birthstone  Bestie collection at Sherri Baldy's Etsy Store, got her mounted, my card embellished, and it took no time at all. I think I will be making a lot more step cards. My card is below. Miss August is colored with copic markers and the die is from Spellbinders.

 

Here is the link to the tutorial for the step card.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/centerstepcard/

 

My papers, gems, and flowers are from my stash!

Have a crafty day!

Darcy

 

 

Outlawz Sketch Challenge August 7-13

I have some exciting news. Last month I was a guest designer at the Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenges. After I submitted my final card for the month, I was invited to become a permanent member of the Design Team for the Sketch Challenges. Of course, I said yes!!! I was so excited and so honored to be invited. 

So, below you will see my very first card as a member of the Outlawz Design Team. Our sponsor all month is Bugaboo Stamps and they are giving away 7 images to the monthly winner. That is truly a great and generous prize! 

Here is our sketch for inspiration and below it you will see my card using the Bugaboo Stamps digi image called Fancy SB Flower. Now through August 15th, Bugaboo stamps is having a store-wide sale for 50 percent off!! Hard to beat that!!

 

 

That's the sketch and see my card below!

 

 

 

Copic markers I used:

Skin E21, E000

Flowers  B23

Dress and Bonnet   Y32, FY1

Leaves   G12

Ribbon on dress and bonnet   G24

Shoes N3, N0

Flower Pot Y00, Y32, G24

Apron Y000

 

Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles

 

Have a great day! And don't forget to go check out the Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge!

Darcy

Outlawz Creative Freebie Challenge

Another Creative Freebie Challenge over at the Outlawz!! I made two cards, one for each freebie image! And thanks to Sandi Huggett  and Anne Fenton for two more delightful images! Love them both!

My first card is using the Swirl digi by Sandi. I stamped a Thank You from Gina K Designs in the circle and added a digi, You're the Best by Simply Betty Stamps. I used Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles dies and my bubble punch is by EK Success.

My second card is a mermaid card featuring the Mermaid Lady from Anne Fenton. I colored her with copic markers and made my design from inspiration by this week's Outlawz Sketch Challenge. I used Diamond Stickles on her mermaid tail and top for some sparkle.  Hope you like her!

Have a great day!!!

Darcy

Through the Purple Haze Challenges #4

Welcome to another challenge at Through the Purple Haze Challenges. This week our sponsor is Crafty Sentiments and our theme is "Cards with Tickets or Tags". 

I made a card using Tess Summer Fun from Crafty Sentiments and one of the tags from the Tickets-Just Words Set 1.

First, I printed my Tess digi onto white Xpress-it cardstock and then printed the same digi and the ticket onto patterned paper that was a lavender blue with dots. I cut out the dress from the patterned paper and the ticket and put those aside while I colored in the image with copic markers.

After I was done coloring, I used some glue to paper-piece the dress.

Here's my card.....still practicing the hair technique. Sometimes it turns out great....and other times, well, not too happy with this one but I'll keep practicing. When I ask the other ladies how their hair looks so good, they just say, Practice, Practice, Practice!

Good luck in the Challenge! Hope we have a lot of entries! The prize is three digis from our sponsor Crafty Sentiments!

If you have time, be sure and go to the other blogs! You'll be glad you did!

Anita

Zoe

Tanja

Lynne

Teresa

Eithne

Mel

 

Happy Hopping!!

Darcy

Check out this blog candy!

Blog Candy Alert

BLOG CANDY ALERT .....

 

Once we reach 100 followers at Through the Purple Haze Challenges, some lucky person will win this ....

 

All you need to do is become a follower

and

add this picture to your sidebar and link it back to the challenge blog

 

 

find it on

 

http://www.throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/

Good luck!!