A Little Latte

Wow!  Two days in a row!  Hardly a record, but it's been a while. =)  One of the great things about Facebook is the groups you can join.  I have discovered so many wonderful stamp companies!  One of them is Simply Betty Stamps.  They recently had a Facebook challenge to use your favorite stamp.  Coffe Lover Bre was the first stamp that popped into my cart.  I love coffee and just had to have her!  She also came with an iced coffee version and two sentiments. =)

She is colored with Copics.  I have a distinct challenge sometimes when it comes to crafting.  My hubby is stationed in Florida and I live there with him and my main crafty stash.  However, we still have our home in Illinois and I travel back regularly.  I have some supplies at the house, but sometimes I struggle to make a card come together!  I am constantly thinking "if I just had..."  This card was created at the house, but I am pleased with how it turned out.

Card measures 5.5" x 4.25"
Spellbinders Fancy Tags Three
Ribbon, brads and snaps from my stash.

A Little Amy Doodles

I have always just used my blog as a place to host the projects for my design team stuff and a random challenge that I enter here and there.  I am going to try to post more often.  I have been creating quite a bit lately for challenges on Facebook that don't really require a blog post.  I am going to start posting them here too so my blog doesn't look so dusty and abandoned!

This is Punk Rock Amy from Amy Doodle Stamp Co.  I entered a challenge in the Facebook group.  I don't normally mix patterns, but I am really pleased with the way this turned out.  Such a fun and funky image needed a mix of fun and funky patterns. =)  She is colored with Copics.

Card measures 5.5" x 5.5"
Buttons, lace, ribbons from my stash

Sad News!

It is with a heavy heart that I tell you as of March 31st, Meljen's Designs will be closing its doors.  I am so saddened by this news.  I have been on the Meljen's Designs team for just over four years.  I have loved working with all of Melissa's wonderful stamps and have met some wonderful people over that time.  Melissa is going in a different direction with her art and wants a complete new start.  She will be moving some of her digital stamps to her Etsy shop soon, but until then, if you want to scoop up a few of you favorites, the entire shop is 50% off until it closes.  You can read Melissa's post on the blog here.

Love is in the Air!

So Valentine's Day is right around the corner and of course that means our theme for this week's challenge is all about love!  We want to see your projects inspired by love and your special someone!

I was shuffling through the many Meljen's Designs stamps I have printed out.  I always intend to get a few colored ahead of time, but that never seems to happen!  I have quite a few that I thought would work for a Valentine's Day card and then I saw Bad Hare Day.  As soon as I saw him, the song Wild Thing popped into my head! I thought that was perfect for a card with a bit of sass!  So I pulled out my Copics and colored him up.  I am not completely happy with the way the banners turned out, so I may rework them.  But of course the inside will read..."you make my heart sing!"

Card measures 5.5" x 4.25"
Stampin' Up! Hearts a Flutter die set
Sizzix Banner stamp & die set
American Crafts twine
Cuttlebug Hugs & Kisses embossing folder
pearls from my stash

Team Spirit! Go Pack!

The new challenge this week at Meljen's Designs is to use your favorite team colors to create a project.  I grew up in Wisconsin and am a die hard Green Bay Packers fan.  So of course my project had to have green and gold.  It seemed like a great color combo for a little spring pick-me-up and this is what I came up with.

The card is even CAS.  That doesn't usually happen!  I used the Little Layered Flowers Sunburst Daisy and Little Layered Flowers Round Leaf.  You can get both of them in the Little Layered Flowers Set that has a bunch of great flowers.  I colored them with Copics and created dimension with foam.  I am going to add a sentiment above the twine, but I am not sure what I will use this card for at the moment.  I will decide and then stamp the sentiment.

Card measures 5.5" x 4.25"
Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace Punch Around the Page
Spritz package twine (Target)

Shabby Chic Is My Kryptonite!

So it is time for another challenge at Meljen's Designs.  The theme this week is shabby chic.  For some reason I struggle with shabby chic almost as much as I struggle with masculine cards  There is something about the style that I just can't get my head around!  I even had to do a search on shabby chic cards just to get a good idea of what I wanted to do.

I used Peaceful Heart Quilt Square and used some ink to distress it after coloring the heart with Copics.  It is popped up slightly from the die and the die is popped up from the back of the card.  I made the distressed looking flowers.  Can you guess what I made them out of?!  Nope!  A used dryer sheet!  Yes indeed, a used dryer sheet spritzed with Tattered Angels glimmer mist.  I am pretty happy with the way they turned out.  I made the "hat pin" on the right as well as the tassel.  All in all...my kryptonite didn't hurt me too badly, I think. =)

Card measures 5.5" x 5.5"
Spellbinders Luscious Labels One
Maya Road Vintage Butterfly pin
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist
Lace and pearls from my stash

Anything Goes for the New Year

Wow!  It is 2015!  Where does the time go?  We are starting our new challenge year at Meljen's Designs.  We took it easy on you and started off with an Anything Goes challenge.  This way you can recuperate from the holidays and create whatever you have the inspiration to create.

I used Little Top Hat Cat and colored him with Copics.  He is all set to celebrate the new year!  I didn't add a sentiment because I am not sure what occasion I will use this card for.  I don't really send New Years cards...so...

I hope you will join us in our Anything Goes challenge.  You have a chance to win new images from the shop.  If you use a Meljen's Designs image, you get an extra chance in the random drawing.  You can also join us on Facebook in the Meljen's Designs Club.  You can share your projects and chat with other Meljen's Designs fans.

Card measures 5.5" x 4.25"
Recollections border punch
Spellbinders Classic Oval dies
Stampin' Up! Large Dots embossing folder
ribbon & rhinestone stars from my stash