Going home cards for the hospital

Whew, second post in one day but I just realized that I had to get typing if I'm going to make the deadline for entering these cards into the latest Doodle Dragon's challenge. The challenge is "My Life is a Zoo" so I chose to use these 2 pre-coloured digital stamps from Dustin Pike. Aren't they adorable?

I made these as going home cards for the BC Childrens Hospital (I'll donate them via Send A Smile 4 Kids). I used pre-coloured images and a computer-generated sentiment. The animal on each card is fussy-cut and popped up in front of the zoo fence. Inside, the cards read "Congratulations on going home."


Supplies: Digital stamps (Doodle Dragon Studios), patterned papers (Me R Memory Keepers, free with Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine), brads (from stash)
 
Challenges:

• Crafty Cardmakers - time (both cards celebrate going home after time spent in hospital)
• Heidi's Hobbystuggu - animal
• Pike's Playground - my life is a zoo
• Sunday Sketch & Stamp - sketch

Part-time Pets

The latest issue of Scrapbooker Magazine includes a layout that I just had to scrap-lift! I've been wanting to scrapbook pictures of various animals that I've fostered over the past year and the grid layout that Scrapbooker Mag presented is just right.

To create the grid, I used a digital photo mask by Carina Gardner. It was so easy to pop the photos & clipart I wanted to use inside the mask and then just print the entire thing out on photo paper. Every section holds a picture of a different dog, cat or litter of kittens that I fostered in 2011. To finish off the edges of the photo grid, I added a strip of orange polka-dot ribbon (very thin, on the right side) as well as brown polka-dot ribbon that I pleated and taped along the bottom.

By the way, have you ever thought about fostering for your local animal shelter? Many animal shelters need foster homes for pregnant dogs/cats, litters of puppies/kittens as well as for animals recovering from injury or illness. Fostering is a wonderful option if you don't want a permanent pet, can't afford the care (the animal shelter usually covers all the costs) or aren't sure if you 're ready for a pet. I have my own "forever" pets but I really enjoy the foster animals too - right now I have a mother cat and her 4 kittens playing at my feet! If you are interested in fostering just contact your local SPCA, Humane Society, or other animal shelter.

 

Supplies - Basic Grey papers (Max & Whiskers), scrap ribbon, flower & button from stash, animal tags (created by cutting details from a larger patterned paper).

 

Challenges:

• Allsorts - 3 in a row (the 3 embellishment tags)
• Ditzy-CraftyMess - buttons (I've only used 1 button but it really is the perfect finishing touch for the flower)
• Hotshot Craft - ribbon
• Lasting Memories Layouts - show us your pets, animals
• That Craft Place - anything goes

Bo Bunny (kind of) Card Kit

I picked up Bo Bunny's card kit "Cambridge" during my LSS' Boxing Day sales and finally got around to using the contents. My original plan was to break the kit apart and use the elements but I had a request from the Childrens Hospital for some birthday cards for older boys (as in teenagers). I loved a couple of the birthday designs in the kit and so decided to make them right away with only a few minor alterations.

Both of these cards are very close to the card kit designs, with the primary exception being that I changed one of the patterned papers in each. The paper in the kit was quite nice (and I'm actually using it on other cards that are in progress) but I love this striped paper from my stash and the colours are just so perfect! I also lightened the look of card #2 by adding a white border.

Challenges:

• Aud Sentiments - "happy birthday" sentiment
• Crafty Creations - stripes
• Creative Craft Challenges - boys will be boys
• Cupcake Crafts - going dotty (note the distressed dots on the large star in card #1 and I love the yellow dotted paper in card #2)
• Send A Smile 4 Kids - CAS for kids
• Simon Says Stamp & Show - anything goes
• The Outlawz Greeting Card Challenge - anything goes with a sentiment

Sometimes you don't want to celebrate

The latest challenge for Christmas Crafting is to create a Christmas card using a non-Christmas stamp and as I looked through my stamps, for some reason, I decided on a couple of Stampotique stamps. I also decided to go a step further and use non-traditional Christmas colours and an unexpected sentiment. I plan to give these cards to Send A Smile 4 Kids and I think the slightly snarky/sarcastic tone and the non-traditional everything will be just about perfect for a couple of teenage girls who consider themselves a bit "above" all the holiday fuss. Certainly these would've been quite appreciated by me as a teenager!

As I said, the images are both Stampotique stamps - I am accumulating quite a collection of these wonderful stamps! The background papers are freebies from Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine. I created the sentiment on my computer (it reads "I'll deck the halls but I refuse to jingle any bells"). Hope these made you laugh or at least chuckle a bit.

Challenges:

Catered Crop - ribbon
Christmas Challenges - sketch
City Crafter - extra extra (use 2 or more ribbons & 9+ words)
Creative Card Crew - humour
Crimbo Crackers - female
Fashionable Stamping - make it for a child
Fussy and Fancy - long sentiment
Pile It On - spots and/or stripes
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
Stampotique Designers Challenge - pink/purple with black

Christmas snowflakes

Today I'm sharing a Christmas card that is made with lots of free stuff and I didn't buy anything new! I won't spend time telling you how it's made since it's really pretty obvious, except to mention that the darker purple ribbon behind the sentiment is actually embossed scrap paper. Love the texture!

Recipe:

     Sketch from Merry Monday
     Bo Bunny snowflake stickers ("Winter Joy")
     Simply Cards & Papercraft freebie papers & sentiment ("Trim the Tree")
     Pearls
     Martha Stewart border punch

And because I'm just so proud to live in such a beautiful city, check out this music video - Tourism Vancouver's promotional video about why you should visit our city.

Challenges I'm entering:

     Jingle Belles - stuck on you (use sticker)

     Merry Mondays - sketch

     Scrap, Stamp & Doodle - use your stash