Congratulations, Grad

Happy Monday!! I hope you had a wonderful weekend!! It's my turn to post on the Die-Versions blog and I have a couple of graduation cards to share with you using several Die-Versions dies. If you use the code lisa15 you'll receive 15% off your regular price Die-Versions order.

These cards are very different from my usual style, but I wanted them to be both unisex and flat enough that they would mail easily. I really struggle not using flowers and ribbons and bling!! I did add a touch of sparkle to the cap and diploma from the new Whispers Graduation Set. They were both popped up with foam for dimension. The square is a Whispers Stitched Nested Square, also popped up with foam. 2016 is from the Downhill Font set. Congratulations is from the Compliments Everyday set. The scalloped border is a Whispers Lacey Dots die (not currently in stock).

On a different note, I got a 150-600mm camera lens for Christmas and I've been practicing with it, capturing some of the springtime birds that have been visiting. The lens is super-heavy and it's hard to hold it steady to take shots. I really want to capture the hummingbirds but I haven't managed a great shot yet. It's been raining on and off for like a week, so most of these shots are taken through the glass.

This is the best I could get of the hummer. Unfortunately, you can see the reflection from the glass.

I had to add a shot of a Cardinal, the state bird of Indiana :) This is the male and...

the female. Sadly, I cut off her tail :(

Blue Jays are so beautiful but they are so noisy!! And they eat all of the food I leave for my outdoor cats.

The Eastern Bluebird is one of my favorite birds...not a great shot with the deck post in the way. I haven't been able to get another shot yet.

I'm guessing this is a female Gray Catbird since it looks like she's gathering materials to build her nest. Look at the size of that twig :)

This is a Northern Flicker...a medium sized woodpecker. His coloring is so beautiful!!

This is a Grosbeak....so pretty!! They stop by in the spring and don't stay long but I love when they visit. This is the male...

and the female. Not fair the male gets the pretty coloring!!

I was so excited when I saw the turkeys puffing and posturing!! Sadly, I couldn't get a decent shot through the window screens. I thought I'd try sneaking outside to get a better shot...

And while it is clearer, he (not sure what the correct term is) de-puffed and took off. One of my cats followed me and meow'ed the entire time so they heard us coming a mile away :) I hope to get some decent shots of the hummingbirds soon. There only a few right now and by the time I can heft the camera and spot them, they fly away :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great week :)

Hooray for the Red, White & Blue!!

Happy Monday!! I hope you had a wonderful last weekend in June!! It's my turn to post on the Die-Versions blog and and since we will be celebrating Independence Day in the USA on Saturday, I've created a couple of cards using the new Whispers Statue of Liberty die from the June release for the occasion :)

The Whispers Statue of Liberty is one of my all-time favorite dies (I seem to say that about all of the dies, but it's true!!) I remember the first time I saw the Statue of Liberty in person...I was ten years old on a family vacation. I was blown away!! She was so massive and beautiful and I was mesmerized :)

I cut the Statue of Liberty three times, once in red, white and blue. I only adhered the bases together so that the stars would look like fireworks shooting off the card. I added the stars that were cut from the die to one corner. The "4" is a Downhill Font die and "th" is A Little Mint Font die.  I cut the Statue of Liberty one more time in white and then added the stars to the bottom. The sentiment is from an old K Andrew Designs Sweet July stamp set.

And another version of the Statue of Liberty on star paper. I covered her in Moonrise Glitter Tinsel from Sparkle and Sprinkle and oh my, the sparkle is amazing!! You can see it better here...

I am entering these in the following challenges:

1. DL.Art - June Linky
2. DL.Art - Thankful Thursday #159 - Red, White & Blue
3. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
4. Jo's Scrap Shack Funday Friday - Red, White & Blue
5. My Sheri Crafts #160 - Happy 4th of July
6. Craftin Desert Divas Craft It Up & Link It Up - July 4th
7. Pause, Dream, Enjoy Linky Party - Anything Goes

 
Thanks so much for stopping by :)

Scrapy Land Blog Challenge #7 - Anything Goes

Happy Wednesday!! I hope you are having a wonderful first week of December!! It's time for another fun challenge at Scrapy Land and it's everyone's favorite - Anything Goes using a brand of dies that SL sells!! There are over 40 to choose from!!

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For my project, I created a mixed media canvas for my niece for Christmas. She just redecorated her room with a Paris theme and she loves colors. The  papers were adhered to the canvas and then brushed with a wash of Gesso to tone down the colors. Random stamps were stamped on the background. A Tim Holtz Honeycomb stencil was used with Wendy Vecchi embossing paste, and a The Crafter's Workshop along the bottom with WV Black Stencil Paste. Another TCW stencil was used along the top.

The banners were cut with Taylored Expressions Banner Stacklets Dies and covered in Sugar Coating. The letters are Die-Versions Downhill Fonts. The adorable plane and banner are from Obsession Impression. The butterflies are Memory Box Darla dies. The flowers are from WIld Orchid Crafts.

The doll is a Julie Nutting Doll stamp. She was colored with Prismacolor pencils, stamped with a text stamp, covered with Glossy Accents, tulle was added to her skirt, gems for the buttons, as well as a feather to her hat. She was outlined in charcoal for added dimension.

The Eiffel Tower is a LaLa Land Eiffel Tower die, cut once in black for a shadow and cut again and covered in Sugar Coating. It was placed over an X-Cut Doily Die.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. DL.Art - December Linky
2. Decorate to Celebrate - A/G
3. Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday 

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Scrapy Land to see the amazing projects my design team sisters have created for today's challenge!! Then link up your Anything Goes using a brand of die that Scrapy Land carries!! I can't wait to see what you create :)

Decorate to Celebrate #82 - Grandparents or Birthday

Happy Wednesday!! It's time for another fun challenge at Decorate to Celebrate!! For Challenge #82, we are asking you to create decorations for Grandparents Day or Birthdays!! Let's celebrate everything wonderful about Grandma, Grandpa or Birthdays with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more :)

For my Grandparents Day gift, I created a picture holder sign. The papers are from Heartfelt Creations. The large letters are Die-Versions Downhill Font dies. The smaller letters are Die-Versions A Little Mint Font dies.

Glossy Accents was added to the bird and flowers and then glitter was sprinkled on the flowers. The butterfly dies are from Memory Box.

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Decorate to Celebrate to see the amazing projects my design team sisters have created for today's challenge!! Then link up your Grandparents Day or Birthday project!! I can't wait to see what you create :)

Decorate to Celebrate #70 - St. Patrick's Day or Birthdays

Happy (Ash) Wednesday, everyone!! It's time for another fun challenge at Decorate to Celebrate!! Thanks to everyone who entered our last challenge. We  hope you will join us again this week. Our theme for this challenge is St. Patrick's Day or you can enter any birthday decorations.

I created a banner to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with festive St. Patty's Day papers I had in my stash.

Spellbinders Nested Pennants and Nested Lacy Pennants were used for the banner. The green cardstock was embossed with a Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes embossing folder. "Happy" is from a Stampendous Happy Messages stamp set. The letters for St. Pat's are Die-Versions Downhill Fonts.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. DL.Art - March Linky
2. Every Day is an Occasion - March Linky
3. Just B Creative Crazy - March Linky

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Decorate to Celebrate to see the amazing projects my talented design team sisters have created for today's challenge. Then link up your St. Patty's or Birthday project...I can't wait to see what you create :)

Also, be sure to stop by on Friday, March 7th at 8:00 am EST for the Die-Versions / Operation Write Home Blog Hop!!

Die-Versions and Operation Write Home are teaming up for a fundraiser to benefit OWH. There will be blog candy to random commenters!! So please join us to help support our troops!! I hope to see you then :)

Smile!!

Hi everyone and happy Friday!! I hope you have fun plans for the weekend!! Mine are to try and stay warm in these frigid temps. What is Mother Nature up to??!! It's my turn to share a project on the Die-Versions blog and believe it or not, I actually created a scrapbook layout :)

I used several Die-Versions dies for this page:

Brick Background
Downhill Font
Heart Doodles Wee Petites
Hexagon Background
Lacey Dots
Ring of Hearts
Smile Sweet Frame

This Way Wee Petites
Vines Corner Concepts

Please stop by the Die-Versions blog for all the details and the products I used to create this layout.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. DL.Art - January Linky
2. Just B Creative Crazy - January Linky
3. 2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a wonderful weekend!!