C4C-363 Stitches and thread

Good morning friends

It's Saturday so that means a new challenge at the Crazy 4 Challenges Blog. Our November 2016 Hostess is Maryann Einam and our Guest Designer is Doreen O'Brien from Doreen's Dream.

Maryann's challenge is:  Stitches and thread add some form of sewing to your card.

I RARELY sew on my cards, but I knew I had these stitched felt elements in my stash. I made a Centre Step Christmas Card using sparkly papers, and the cute stitched elements for my challenge card.

I always find the Centre Step cards work better when you add an extra support layer to the arms, which I did inside with white card stock.

Check out the C4C blog to see how the Crazies have been inspired by the challenge. We'd  love to see your take on it, so be sure to stop by the Crazy 4 Challenges blog and link up your creations. If you are uploading to an online gallery, please use the keyword C4C363.

On a personal note, I am feeling better again today so the healing continues. I've decided to come off the prescription pain meds as they are SO hard on my system, instead moving to Tylenol. Which means the pain isn't as controlled as it would be with the narcotics. But worth it in the end I think. I'm not yet able to do any crafting or Zentangle, but thankfully had a bunch of cards made ahead so I could keep posting while I recover from the surgery.

Supplies:
Patterned paper - My Minds Eye
Centre Step card - Sizzix
White card stock
Stitched felt embellishments - K & Company
Labels and Circles, Pop it Ups - Karen Burniston (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
Red card stock - Bazzill
White card stock
Glitter Dots - Elizabeth Craft Designs
Inside stamp - Hero Arts

card size - Standard A2

Thanks for stopping by today

C4C 361 Strawberry Challenge Crd

Good morning friends

It's Saturday so that means a new challenge at the Crazy 4 Challenges Blog, and since it's a new month we also have a new Hostess! Our November 2016 Hostess is Maryann Einam and our Guest Designer is Doreen O'Brien from Doreen's Dream.

Maryann's challenge is:  Who resist fresh fruit that is in season, for me it is strawberries, so add some to your card. You don't like strawberries, just add you favorite fruit.

My knees had been really painful and filled with fluid so not working that well at all. I needed to do things that required little walking so I went through my bin of stamped, die cut and Cricut cut embellishments. Haven't looked in that bin since we moved and that was over two years ago! Found lots of fun goodies I look forward to creating with in the near future. One was a couple of these Cricut cut barrels, all inked and assembled and ready to go. Perfect timing for Maryann's challenge!

I chose a Centre Step card and some strawberry stamps & dies that I got when I belonged to the Stamps Of Life Die Hard club. I only used them once or twice so the challenge also worked for me trying to use some of my older products as well. The cute little fence? It's a Sizzix original die that I've had almost since I got my first Big Shot and it still makes me happy.

A little hand lettering inside and my card is ready for my Mother in Law's upcoming birthday.

Check out the C4C blog to see how the Crazies have been inspired by the challenge. We'd  love to see your take on it, so be sure to stop by the Crazy 4 Challenges blog and link up your creations. If you are uploading to an online gallery, please use the keyword C4C361.

Supplies:
Strawberries, stamps and dies - The Stamps of Life
Barrel - Doodlecharms cartridge
Brads
Stickles
Centre Step Card - Sizzix
White card stock
Fence - Sizzix
Kraft card stock

Card size - standard A2

Thanks for stopping by today

Zentangle Center Step

Good morning friends

Note: This is a cross-post with my Zentangle Blog (alteredzen.blogspot.ca).

I wanted to do a special Zentangle tile for my friends birthday, so used a 60 as the string. When the tile was complete, I decided that I wanted a nice presentation and the Centre Step die by Sizzix has an area large enough for the tile.

 I've said it before, but I have asked Karen Burniston for a Square Pull Card ... one that will fit a 3-1/2" Zentangle tile. FINGERS CROSSED!! Meanwhile, I'm happy to be able to use this card base to make an interactive card as they are a little more special, don't you think?

Supplies:
Centre Step card - Sizzix
Zentangle Tile - Zentangle.com
Cream card stock
Black card stock
Patterned paper - K & Company
Clear Bag for the tile - Clearbags.com

Card size - standard A2

Thanks for stopping by today

Happy Cacti Centre Step Birthday Card

Good morning friends

It's Masculine Card Monday here on my blog, and today's share is the card I made for a friend in Arizona.

I used my snazzy new embossing powders, then penned the happy faces with a sharpie marker.

Since the inside cactus wasn't embossed, I stamped the happy face on that one.

Supplies:
A2 Centre Step die - Sizzix
Kraft card stock
Patterned paper - Studio Calico
White card stock
Stamp inside - Papertrey Ink
Coloured embossing powder - Stamp A Mania
Southwest stamps and dies - Lawn Fawn
Black Sharpie

Card size - A2

Thanks for stopping by today

Gorilla Hugs Card

Good morning friends

Today's share is a card I mailed to a friend. She has been a Docent at our zoo for years, and is spending many hours sitting with Zuri, our very sick Gorilla.

The leaves across the bottom of the card are actually feathers, and she gave me that idea. She came to visit me in Arizona this Spring and we were sharing our supplies and new tools. She had purchased a fun set of leaf dies which I used on a card with Jinks the Monkey (see that card HERE). Then she spied my feather's and said they would work as 'jungle' leaves as well. And she is right!

Just a little Happy Mail to let her know we are thinking of her.

Supplies:
Centre Step card die - Sizzix
Gorilla stamp - Rubber Stamp Avenue
Patterned paper - My Minds Eye
White card stock
Black linen card stock
Fun foam
Hand lettering
Staedtler Fine Point Markers
Fine Point Tweezers - Elizabeth Craft Designs
Hugs die - Papertrey Ink
Feathers (leaves!) Paper Smooches
Water colour crayons - Stampin' Up

Card size - A2

Thanks for stopping by today

Beachy Centre Step Card

Good morning friends

I had a few patterned paper pieces left from my April Designer Challenge card (see HERE) so created this Centre Step Birthday card.

I love that the papers have shiny embossed bits.

There you have it - a masculine birthday card for my stash.

Supplies:
Beige Astroparche card stock
Red patterned paper - Provo Craft
Stitched Circles - My Favorite Things
Patterned paper - K & Co
Centre Step card die - Sizzix
Word stamp - Papertrey Ink
Pan Pastels
Fitted Frames, Stitched Rectangles - Elizabeth Craft Designs
Bakers Twine

Card size - A2

Thanks for stopping by today

Southwest Centre Step Birthday Card

Good morning friends

It's Masculine Card Monday here on my blog and I have a Birthday card made with my pretty new embossing powders and the Lawn Fawn succulents. I love desert imagery so HAD to have this set when it was released last year.

It's hard to see in the photo, but the black band across the bottom centre is a die cut stitched strip.

Here is a peek at the inside ...

Supplies:
A2 Centre Step - Sizzix
Embossing powder - Stamp A Mania
SW Stamps and dies - Lawn Fawn
Patterned paper (double sided) - We R Memory Keepers
Blueprints #1 - My Favorite Things
Elizabeth Craft Designs Clear Double Sided Tape, 1/2" width
Sending You stamps - Avery Elle

Card size - A2

Thanks for stopping by today

C4C330 - Baby Animals

Good morning friends

It's Saturday, and that means there is a new challenge on the Crazy 4 Challenges Blog. Our March Hostess is Rebecca Ednie and the talented Teresa Kline from Paperie Blooms joining us as our Guest designer. I've been a long time fan of Teresa's so I'm excited she can join us!

Here is Rebeca's challenge: "This week I've designed a challenge with Spring in mind. I hate winter and am so happy spring is finally here. Spring brings Baby Animals so use some little critters on your card or project. They can be baby animals or just small images."

I was working ahead for the challenges, and wasn't thinking that this one would be AFTER Easter or I would have made a different card. But ... this is the one I made for the challenge so I'm sticking with it.  :-)   And, this is my last Easter card for awhile too - tomorrow I move onto something else.

I added some hand lettering and a couple of bright banners to the inside and the card was finished.

Check out the C4C blog to see how the Crazies have been inspired by the challenge. We'd sure love to see your take on it, so be sure to stop by the Crazy 4 Challenges blog and link up your creations. If you are uploading to an online gallery, please use the keyword C4C330.

Supplies:
Green card stock
Light green card stock
A2 Centre Step die - Sizzix
White card stock
Patterned paper - Doodlebug
Stickers - Mambi
Label punch - Stampin' Up
Copics
Hand lettering

Card size - A2

Thanks for stopping by today

Easter Bunny Center Step Card

Good morning friends

You can see I've been getting lots of use out of my birthday present, an A2 Centre Step die!

This printed embellishment was the perfect size to mount to the centre portion, and I used the Outdoor Edges to cut grass for the bottom strip. The bunny has glitter added to her ears and the egg for some Easter Sparkle.

Here is a peek at the inside. I purchased the Lawn Fawn stamp and die set at the Mesa Rubber Stamp Show - the words and egg inside are from that set.

Supplies:
A2 Centre Step die - Sizzix
Orange card stock - Bazzill
Embellishment and patterned paper - Echo Park
Outdoor Edges, Pop it Ups - Karen Burniston (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
Seam binding
Fun foam
Egg and words inside - Lawn Fawn
Stickles
Wink of Stella
Grey Staedtler fine point marker

Card size A2

Thanks for stopping by today

C4C328 Sketch

Good morning friends

It's Saturday, and that means there is a new challenge on the Crazy 4 Challenges Blog. Our March Hostess is  Frances Byrne and the Guest Designer for March is Sandy Diller. Since  it's the third Saturday of the month, we have a sketch challenge:

I flipped the sketch so I could use my new A2 Centre Step die. Have to say I'm having a lot of fun with this one.

Funny story. I bought the Jelly Bean patterned paper because there are bright and cheerful Easter Eggs on the front. I actually went 'eeeeew' when I saw this print on the back side. When I get a new die I often do a test cut as I'm excited to see how it looks. This test cut was from the yellow card stock I had nearby. I couldn't believe how nicely the Jelly Bean print looked with the yellow card base. I had to take back my 'eeeeew'.

Here is a look at the inside ...

Check out the C4C blog to see how the Crazies have been inspired by the challenge. We'd sure love to see your take on it, so be sure to stop by the Crazy 4 Challenges blog and link up your creations. If you are uploading to an online gallery, please use the keyword C4C328.

Supplies:
Centre Step die - Sizzix
Yellow card stock - Stash
Seam binding
Patterned paper - Doodlebug
Sticker - Craft N Craftin'
White card stock
Stitched scallop border - MFT
Stamps inside - Clearly Besotted

Card size - A2

Thanks for stopping by today

Jinks Centre Step Card

Good morning friends

I got a few new toys for my birthday -  one is the A2 Centre Step card. I recently had some playtime with a friend who also had some new goodies so I used her new leaves paired with Jinks the Monkey for my Centre Step card today.

Jinks is holding onto a banana in one hand, and a glittered heart in the other. I didn't add the detail layer to his face, which changes his appearance. The yellow layer was embossed with the bananas embossing folder, and inked a little. I added some pen work to the heart layers, leaves, heart and banana. Distress Stickles is what curled the leaves, also giving them a lightly glittered look.

Here is a peek at the inside, which was stamped with the Cheeky Monkey Clear Stamps by Karen Burniston for Elizabeth Craft Designs.

Supplies:
A2 Centre Step Card - Sizzix
Leaf - Kaisercraft
Yellow card stock - Stampin' Up
Green patterned paper - Crate Paper
Bananas Embossing Folder - Karen Burniston (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
Blue card stock - Stampin' Up
Jinks the Monkey, Pop it Ups - Karen Burniston (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
Distress and Regular Stickles
Cheeky Monkey Clear Stamps - Karen Burniston (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
Oval Pull Card (heart), Pop it Ups - Karen Burniston (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
Soft Finish Card Stock, White, 85# - Elizabeth Craft Designs

Card size - A2

Thanks for stopping by today