Getting creative with khaki

It's time for another fun challenge at Guylou's Inimitability! We've changed things up a little. Now the DT members are alternating so that we each design our own challenge. This time around, it was Tracy's turn. Tracy decided to go with a color challenge with a twist. I must admit, I love color challenges, and I really liked this one. The twist was a little hard for me, but that's what makes it a challenge, right? Ok, I'll shut up long enough to show you the color palette:

Pretty awesome, wouldn't you say? Great for nature cards, masculine cards, and pretty much anything. Neutral colors are so cool that way. What made me even more excited was that the colors immediately reminded me of my girls. Guylou drew a fun image of snuggling cats that cried out to be colored in siamese fashion. I've done it once already and I tried it with some different copic colors this time. Here it is:

Now, can you look at the card and figure out what our twist is this time around??? Huh, can you do it? Ok, I will take pity on you and just tell you. The twist this time around is to use something from your household that you would not usually use on a card. Go ahead, use an unconventional item! For some of you, that might be easy. For me, it was darned difficult. I ended up using washers and a keyring.

This card is for my father-in-law for Father's Day. A little early, I know, but I like to be prepared. He loves my girls and calls them things like, "the babies." He asks after them and gets so excited to come over and pet them. It's kind of cute.

Alright, in case you didn't feel like reading all of my chatter, I'll give you the details of the challenge in one fell swoop:
Use the colors above and add an unconventional item from the household to your project. Projects are due at Guylou's Inimitability by May 5th at 10 p.m. EST. The winner will get two free Guylou's Inimitability images and will also be a guest DT on a future challenge.

And before I forget, stay tuned for a fun new release from Guylou's store, too! She's bringing back a favorite character. Here's a sneak peek! She's got some other images forthcoming, too. We're going to have a fabulous blog hop on May 6th. The winner of the hop will not only receive some free GI images, but also a special something from me. The girls on the DT have seen this goodie pack and have told me that I am being very generous!

For now, go play with the khaki color challenge with a twist. Don't forget to check the other DT member blogs (link in my sidebar) for some great inspiration. Then head on back to GI's blog on May 6th for a fun hop!!! See you soon!

Lili of the Valley makes me want a pet bunny

Yeah, it's all the fault of Lili of the Valley. The new bunny images are so stinkin' cute! Several of them are super quick to color and make for great, adorable cards when you don't have a lot of time. I managed to slap together two more Easter cards tonight. I colored these images days ago and it didn't take me long to find matching paper and get them down onto what I hope are some cute cards (and by the way, I think I'm getting better at tying my bows by hand. Take that, you darned bow not-so-easy, you!).

Ok, so it's not all the fault of LOTV. Rick started it. We were at a flea market and saw this adorable bunny colored just like a siamese cat. That little guy was the epitome of cuteness. We didn't bring him home, as I reminded myself that the cats are enough and already demand my attention. They're rather spoiled. However, it was tempting. Then I really got into House Mouse stamps and wouldn't you know it, they have those adorable Happy Hopper stamps, too? Then LOTV had to go and come out with these new bunny stamps. Sheesh. I guess since I won't get a live bunny, they're the next best thing. Plus, I don't have to feed them or clean their cages. LOL

So, I lied...

I told my friends earlier today that I wasn't going to make any more Easter cards. I said I didn't have time. If I thought it was the truth, does it still count as a lie? Basically, I figured on running certain errands tonight in preparation for my trip. I won't bore you with details. Suffice it to say that banks don't always have money and now I have to go back there on Wednesday. I thought I needed to head to the store for some things, but found out that I have them all at home, and so on. That's enough info on that. Anyhow, the unexpected free time allowed me to finish another Easter card. Really, it wasn't free time...I should have been cleaning my house. Who feels like cleaning when Mr. Mojo visits, though???

My mojo tonight came from two places: 1) this adorable stamp from Stampavie. Yes, I used it on an earlier card, too. I can't help it. This little chick is too cute for words; and 2) the great sketch at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. It's sketch #96 this week.

I colored the image with copics. My friend Tracy inspired me to use tiny ribbons to tie up bigger ribbon. I took some sheer yellow ribbon, added lavender crinkly ribbon on top of it, then cinched it together with three thin purple ribbon pieces. I got the pom pom ribbon on clearance at Hancock Fabrics ages ago. The yellow flower seam binding came in a basket of odds and ends from an antique store, still in it's original wrapper with the original 20 cent price tag on it. The sentiment is from Whiff of Joy. Papers are prima and bazzill. I think that about covers it! Once again, thanks for stopping by. Have a fabulous day!

Another Easter card

So, I went from being slap happy and silly to just plain tired. LOL. I have no wit or silliness left tonight, so all I've got for a title is just plain old boring. I am trying to get my Easter cards done. I have four more to make before Friday. That wouldn't seem so bad if I didn't have a ton of other stuff to do, too. Thank goodness for Hallmark. That's my back-up plan!

Anyway, this card is for my grandmother. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that she loves purple. For Christmas, I made her a calendar using this line of paper. I still had some scraps left over, so I tossed them onto this card. The flower is attached to the striped tag, which pulls out to reveal a note. The flower looks blue in the pic, but it is actually purple. I got the lace at an antique store, in a basket full of odds and ends.

I haven't made a card without stamping in a while. I keep wanting to add an image to this card. Old habits die hard!

Shake, shake, shake...shake your bunny booty!

Um....yeah, so I'm feeling a bit slap happy right about now, which means my mind goes in even sillier directions than normal. The title came to my head as I was shaking this shakerbox card, to see how well it worked:

This little card is for my friend's four year old son for Easter. I hope it's not too girlie. I think once he sees all of the Easter egg confetti moving around inside, he won't care. I got the confetti at Walmart for a whopping buck. I already had the image colored, so this was a pretty quick card, meaning it didn't cost much in the way of time. I used scraps I had in my scrap pile. Pretty cheap entertainment, wouldn't you say?

I also got him a few coloring books. What kid doesn't love to receive mail with his name on it? He can spell his own name now and recognize it, too, so I figured now is the perfect time to send him some mail intended just for him.

The card is for the Anyone for Anya challenge to use colors inspired by the pic on their blog. The pic is one that will get us all thinking of Easter and the fun of dyeing and then Easter egg hunting! It makes me miss the whole process with Rick. He got such a kick out of making Easter eggs. He'd write little messages for me in crayon before dyeing them. Then we'd always head to my aunt and uncle's to participate in a huge Easter bash with my family, including an Easter egg hunt, a pinata, games, and good food. Then we'd run to visit his family afterwards. It has always been one of my favorite family times. This year, I won't be around for it, but I'm sure my family will make sure that I get plenty of pictures!

Oh, and before I forget, many thanks to my pal Trina for this cute little Anya. Trina, I used my multiliners, just like you said I would!!! LOL.

Count the happies!

Mr. Mojo has deserted me lately. I think he must be off visiting some of my friends, based on the cool stuff they've got posted on their blogs. I tried to entice him back to me tonight with a great sketch from Mojo Monday. It's sketch 185 this week, and you really need to go check it out. It's a great one. So, Mr. Mojo decided he could hang with me long enough to put together this card. Then he bailed yet again. That guy is a brat. I'm hoping he'll show up again tomorrow. I have so many Easter cards to make, and only this week in which to make them! After this week, I will be unable to sit at my scrap table for two weeks, since I'll be off galivanting around Germany. I am so stoked! Good thing I've already lined up a cat/house sitter, huh?

Anyway, I made this card with an image I'd colored last week. This cute little chick is from Stampavie and I colored her with copics. The patterned paper is Prima and I used a Martha Stewart punch to make the little chicks, the butterfly, and the scallops. I cut the image out with Spellbinders scalloped ovals and inked around the edge with cats eye chalk inks. The card is actually brighter in real life, but I wanted to get a pic tonight and get the card posted, before I forgot and missed the Mojo Monday deadline.

In addition to Mojo Monday's sketch 185, this card fits for the Simon Says Challenge to make an Easter or spring card. It also fits the DYSU challenge to make a card with yellow. The cardstock, the punched out chickies, and the image all contain yellow.

Oh, and before I forget, here's the inside of the card. Another bad picture, but you get the idea. I'm going to stamp an Easter sentiment as soon as I can find my darn stamp.

It's raining....Ben???

Sorry, I couldn't resist the play on the old song "It's Raining Men". Do I need to add the "hallelujah" in there, too??? Ok, well, hallelujah, it's a new challenge at Guylou's Inimitability! How's that? This one is all about those April Showers. Your challenge this time around: Bring on the Umbrellas! Make a project with an umbrella or two or three on it. That's all you gotta do.

I'm pretty obsessed with three themes: apples, cats, and umbrellas. So, when Guylou told the DT to make a card using Ben, well, I didn't complain. I might have even grinned pretty big. He's so cute with his umbrella, don't you think?

I colored him with copics and added glossy accents to his umbrella, pockets, and boots. I made this card as a get well for a sweet boy, so I didn't want to girlie it up too much with lots of embellies and such. Ben's on a tri-fold card, which opens to look like this:

I've already said how much I like Ben. I made another card with him ages ago...I'm talking months! Well, I've made more than one other card with him, I think, but this is one that I still had a picture of. I gave this card away to my aunt, when she was going through a major health scare:

There's my examples. Head on over to the blogs of the rest of the DT to see more great examples (links in my sidebar, on your left). Now, it's time to show us yours. Make a card featuring an umbrella (or more than one) and post it at Guylou's Inimitability. The challenge engs on April 21st, at 10:00 p.m. EST. There's a twist that gets you even more chances to win: use a GI image on your card. Use Ben and you could get even more chances to win! And I mean, come on? Why wouldn't you use him? He's cute and he suits this challenge so well! Go on, give it a shot!

Disclaimer: I'm bad at following directions and I posted early. Sheesh....go check out the DT blogs now for other fun stuff, but they followed the rules and won't be showing Ben for another 10-15 hours or so. Oops.