2022 June 3 MTTC #483 Theme Bird/s WITH birdhouse or nest

 Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog! What a delightful spring season theme to find crafty time making adorable birdie cards! My heart and soul got so excited anticipating this topic!

My Time To Craft challenge blog's #483 theme is Bird(s) WITH birdhouse or nest. Easy? Should be! While looking for a border option on another card, I noticed the very light pastel toned circle 'sheet' from Webster Pages that had the sentiment in the very center. Please use the cropped scanned closeup photo to see the "New Beginnings" bunting and nest image better. 

My DT inspiration commitment project for MTTC:

New Beginnings Birdies card:

Some design notes:

a. the cardstock platform for the wood laser die-cut birdies was put on thick adhesive foam tape in order to wrap the cording and help elevate these birdies even more; it also helps this recycled packaging yellow cardstock contrast with the soft yellow cardstock background layer.

b. sage green flat cardstock base dimensions: 4.25" high x 5.5" wide

c. Webster Pages for the New Beginnings sticker

d. 2 partial pieces of border stickers (oldies from Current catalog); the floral piece was placed on top of a bright pink cardstock scrap

e. birdies/chicks were plain wood to start with; 1 colored with yellow marker and the other with a yellow-orange marker; then a yellow-green glitter paint pen was applied over both

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MTTC #483 link=  https://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2022/06/mttc-483-theme-is-birds-with-birdhouse.html

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MTTC DT inspiration project #2:

Tweet--the bird is out of its cage card!

A few design and vendor notes for card #2: the yellow cardstock flat base is about 6.5" x 7"; the teal chevron stripe over old newspaper text print paper is from The Paper Studio; the pink gingham is a full sheet that's about 6" square from Hot Off The Press available through Paper Wishes website; the teal and white paper masking tape is Scotch Brands; the bird cage journaling card is from Webster Pages; the alphas are from Freckled Fawn; and the assortment of clear stamps are from Bo Bunny's Flower Garden Stamp Set. 

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other challenge blogs and Facebook groups where you will see a card photo/blog link are=

1. A Place To Start challenge blog; anything goes---not the option showing card #1 photo

link= https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2022/05/challenge-052022-anything-goes.html

2. Critter Crazy Challenge Blog; Anything Goes with a featured critter; [card #1 photo will be the link due to the wood bird die-cuts plus more birds in the nest

link= https://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com/2022/06/challenge-63-anything-goes-with.html

3. The Great Stash Bash April 2022; Card 2 is made from items I pulled to use in my kit; 

link- https://loriannie670.blogspot.com/2022/04/lisa-loris-great-stash-bash-april-kit.html 

**note= TGSB can be linked at Lori's posting or at Lisa's posting (Lori's got a link within her post to help if you're unfamiliar with )

4. The Seasonal Cardmaker group in FB; both are spring topics, pastel colors, birdies, 

5. Mixed Media Creativity group in FB; stamping, decorative tapes, cording, wood laser cut shapes, glitter paint pens; ....

6. Passionate Paper Creations and Friends group on FB; share Card #2 photo

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Crafting in the USA heartland,

Becca S

Design Team member of : My Time To Craft and My Time To Craft Christmas challenge blogs

and

owner/lead designer of: Heart's Quest and FarmQuest Challenge Blogs

Using HQCB Fan Group Freebie Image for Thinking Of You Card

 Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog! I'm doing a crossover promotional posting today to promote my new challenge blog Heart's Quest Challenge Blog and the Heart's Quest Challenge Fans group in Facebook. 

Over a week ago, I posted 2 freebie images in the Fans group. I printed out 2 different sizes for the single heart and 1 size of the large double hearts with key which I colored last weekend. I posted a pic in the fans group of those colored images earlier today and I've just finished making a flat slimline Thinking of You with the larger size single heart card. 

Chromatic Grid Heart=

This will be shared in the fans group and in a HQCB posting.

I will also share a photo in the FB group "100 Patterned Papers" because of the pink and white patterned paper is from Mint Berry by The Paper Studio that I'm trying to bash this year. I started in mid-January with 63+ sheets left out of the original 80 and I'm down to 50+ sheets.

HQCB

<3 * <3 * <3 * <3

Crafting in the USA heartland,

Becca S

owner:

Becca's Heart for Creativity 

and

Heart's Quest Challenge Blog

 

Arrow Many Hearts and Stripes Card made 1 Feb 2022

 Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog! Oh this past fun week for re-sparking my creative mojo has carried over! This arrow embellished card was made last night and scanned this morning. I've been pushing snow away from our back door and clearing a path off the deck to both east and west sides to help our little dog have a place to do his business. And I've been doing that every 2 hours since 10 pm!!! I haven't checked the news yet or taken a yardstick out there but we've gotten more already than what was forecasted. According to radar maps, we thought we were maybe 10-25 miles north of the 'line' between predicted amounts of snowfall, but clearly we're on the higher amount. Oh my! No pics taken yet of that. 

But here is the new entry for my bashing the paper pad called Mint Berry produced by The Paper Studio in 2016. I didn't purchase this stack of 20 designs (x4 = 80 sheets at 4.25" x 6.25") until late 2017 or early 2018. About Jan 23 or so I decided to make this my focus set of patterned cardstock/paper to get bashed for 2022. 63 full sheets + 3 scraps of different sizes was my starting point out of the original 80. I'm not sure on the current count. Maybe 59 or 58....

Arrow Many Hearts and Stripes Valentine card=

Wow! I changed my size and format for this one just to keep the creativity going. A wide slimline about 4" wide for the light gray cardstock base and about 7" tall. The pink paper on the right is a folded insert for the interior that has a little snippet of the same green and white floral print cardstock as the front. 

More notes:

A. bright pink and white baker's twine for holding the interior insert paper 

B. red metallic foil with vellum diagonal stripe decorative tape (forget the company; I've had it for over a year)

C. the red glitter covered wood arrow die-cut was bought at Dollar Tree yesterday. That store's last package. The pack has 10 different Valentine theme wood cut-outs like pink hearts, natural wood hearts, etc. 

D. other embellishments from my stash are the mauve/pink jumbo dots, red heart gems, and the white foam heart stickers

E. "Love" stamp was part of a Sum More Fun set purchased about a year ago before they closed

F. dark red cardstock was purchased yesterday at Dollar Tree; the Crafter's Choice line of craft products has bundled a bunch of different cardstock scraps together that are available for $1.25. It was the first time I've found these in the store closest to us. I shouldn't have bought but it was too irresistible not to buy 2 packs! :) Some unusual tones that I've sorted out. Neutrals went into 1 bag and all others went in another. This dark red was not altered in size and was the perfect size background for the light gray cardstock base and then I went to my scraps and full sheets left of Mint Berry to make my pick for the center panel...

G. Mint Berry paper pad by The Paper Studio for the green and white striped floral patterned cardstock

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Participation in the following challenge blogs and Facebook groups:

A. A Perfect Time to Craft open challenge blog; Feb 2022; anything goes; unlimited entries

link= https://aperfecttimetocraft.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-perfect-time-to-craft-challenge-for.html

B. A Place To Start challenge blog; Jan 2022 is still open for a couple more days; up to 8 entries each month; anything goes

link= https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2022/01/challenge-012022-january-anything-goes.html

C. Shopping Our Stash challenge blog; until 2/14/22; hearts and/or vegetables theme!!!

link= https://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/2022/02/sos463-my-heart-beets-for-you.html

D. 100 Pattern Papers Challenge group in FB; I've only picked the small horizontal format paper pad from Mint Berry to use for 2022...I hoard too much on the pretty papers! I parcel it out in little doses!!! :)

E. Mixed Media Creativity group in FB; besides different cardstocks, there's use of the decorative tape, the wood arrow, the foam white hearts, the different style gems/dots, and the cording/baker's twine

F. Paper, Paper, Paper and Design Team Calls group in FB; sharing site for bloggers, DT members, and challenge blog owners

G. Slimline Card Obsessed group in FB; sharing group for crafters using the slimline size for your card's format; this light gray cardstock base is about 4" wide and 7" tall 

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Crafting in the USA heartland,

Becca S

pics of the other cards made with Mint Berry designs=

 Which one is your favorite of those made so far? 12 of the 20 designs in the Mint Berry paper pad have been used so far in the past 10 days! Wow! 8 more prints to use! 

APTS challenge blog February 2021 Sketch

 Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog! My artsy-crafty heart is getting excited as I prep this post's draft before I actually start making my design team inspiration card for this new monthly challenge at A Place To Start challenge blog! Chana has selected a sketch to follow. If a newcomer to sketch challenges, the sketch can be rotated or even adjusted to fit a different shaped card like square instead of the vertical layout shown below. Flowers don't have to be used on the edge of the circle. But ideally having 2 of something same size or larger or smaller. Some liberties for your layout can be taken but the essence of the sketch design needs to be reflected in your creation. APTS February 2021 challenge month starts Monday, 2/8/2021.

My design team inspiration card=

For my sketch interpretation, I thought it would be fun design wise to go with a curved edge to the horizontal pieces rather than with the ribbon tail v-cut. With the round buttons and curved upper heart lines I thought it would be terrific to curve those paper edges, too. And the other significant tweak I did was instead of having 2 flowers/objects near the focal shape, I moved one down to the lower right corner. I thought with the size of the buttons and my overall card plus the solid color cardstock, the ring of flowers button looked great in the corner. I also didn't want to cover up more of that wonderful striped patterned paper strip...don't know who produce that striped paper but the mix of tones is great!

APTS' February 2021 sketch layout to follow=

APTS blog badge

APTS challenge blog link= https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2021/02/february-2021-challenge-simple-sketch.html

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design and vendor notes about this sketch card:

1. base of card is the neon green; top-folded; 4.25" wide x 5.5" long; 

2. all other cardstocks and papers used were from my scraps basket (YEA!)

3. buttons and waxed cording in a coordinated set are from Webster Pages; these are the newest supply featured on this card and also the first time I've used out of the set that I got several months back

4. stamp is an old one in my collection for many years now; and my black ink pad is starting to fade out on me, so that will be 1 new supply I will allow myself to purchase...I've got so much accumulated in the past 3 years since our house fire. Luckily I did have craft products stored in the garage, so I didn't have to totally start completely brand new. But for making cards, primarily, a couple of times per week on average I'm not using up stickers and papers as much as I probably should be...and then it's so tempting to see new products and collections that everyone is using...sigh...

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other challenge blogs and Facebook groups where this card's photo or this posting will be linked=

a. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends challenge blog; Always Anything Goes theme; blog badge is below

link= http://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com/2021/02/c-151.html 

b. Simply Create Too challenge blog; Hearts theme; blog badge is below 

link= http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.com/2021/02/ch-167-use-hearts-winners-of-166.html

c. Mixed Media Creativity group in Facebook

d. Paper, Paper, Paper, & Design Team Calls group in Facebook

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Crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S

Design team member for: [1] A Place To Start; [2] Createful Heart Designs; [3] My Time to Craft; and [4] My Time to Craft Christmas

May 2020 Week 2 Colors for the 18th Challenge Week at 52 CCT Blog

Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog! My creative heart took a stumble this week trying to come up with a non-traditional colors Christmas card! Yikes! Should be pretty easy! But lots of the stuff I purchased to prep for this DT gig with 52 CCT this year are traditional reds and greens or wintery blues.

CARD #1:
This minty-teal green chrysanthemum cardstock from Webster Pages was my driving force for this card I'm getting ready to show. Mums are an autumn perennial where I live but with the orange, green, and yellow large gem dots to be like berries or ornaments along with the word "gather" I thought might make this a great transitional card to bridge Thanksgiving and Christmas. The gold glitter tape and little gold pine needle branch add a bit more Christmas glam.

The tied sections of chevron cardstock symbolize the 'gather'-ing we do during the holiday season--we come together!

Gather for Christmas card for 52 CCT's #18-2020=

#18-20 challenge for 52 Christmas Card Throwdown:
link= https://52cct.blogspot.com/2020/05/may-colour-challenge.html

and I used last week's sketch to influence this layout=

*punched holes on each side that looks like part of a belt and triple-tied cording instead of a buckle or connector piece
*sentiment word added plus a few embellishments like the glitter tape and gems complete the card

and

CARD #2:

This is my favorite trio of colors: pink, purple, and silver. I dug and dug and found old pink and purple foam snowflakes that were ordered in a bulk pack from Oriental Trading many years ago. Layout-wise I'm still using last week's sketch. It's turning out very versatile and gives a chance to use a bit of contrast in patterned papers that I like to do on my cards.

Celebrate a Snowy Christmas card:

and more pics of each card=

The patterned papers on CARD #2 are also from The Paper Studio/Hobby Lobby. The purple cardstock base cardstock is folded to dimensions of 5" x 7" and is made by Astrobrights/Neenah.  The silver dazzle sentiment "Celebrate" is from Paper Wishes.

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Other challenge blogs and Facebook groups that I'll link the post or photos=
a. Mixed Media Creativity group on Facebook

b. PPPDTC group on Facebook

c. Creative Fingers Challenge Blog; Always Anything Goes theme for the first half of May 2020;
link= https://creativefingerschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2020/05/challenge-185.html

d. for Card #2= Christmas 24 blog; #009 with challenge theme of snowflakes
link= https://christmas24challenge.blogspot.com/2020/05/challenge-009.html

e. Merry Little Christmas challenge blog; Always Christmas Anything Goes #22 for May 2020
link= https://merrylittlechristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2020/05/mlccb-22-may-anything-christmas-goes.html

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Crafting in the USA heartland,
Becca S

Design team member of 52 CCT blog and these other 4:
1. APTS
2. MTTC
3. S4fC
4. TCCC

DT project for MTTC no 397 TAG you are it theme

Elegant Christmas tag for my husband

DT project for My Time To Craft #397 with a tag theme
Link: https://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/05/challenge-397-tag-youre-it.html

this stunning tag could also be saved until January for our 24th anniversary! Since we got married in winter and about a month after Christmas, I've used before the deer image and play on word(s) of "I love you dear" or "I love you dearly". He loves humor and to tease, so it's a very subtle way for me to insert some creative humor.

Some supplies and vendor details:

a. coppery gold textured paper = Paper Wishes (I've hoarded this beauty for about 10 years!)

b. butterscotch marbled cardstock = Colorbok

c. black and white zebra-like patterned paper and the 2 deer Christmas stickers = The Paper Studio/Hobby Lobby

d. buttery yellow and white chevron striped cardstock = My Mind's Eye/American Crafts

e. 3 washi tapes = Pen + Gear purchased at Wal-Mart

More photos scanned and partially cropped:

Other blogs or groups that I'll link-up this stunning tag to=

a. Facebook group = "Paper, Paper, Paper & DT Calls"

b. The 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up Challenge blog = optional theme Creature Feature
link= http://12monthsofchristmaslinkup.blogspot.com/2019/05/challenge-53-opt-twistcreature-feature.html

c. Winter Wonderland Challenge Blog = Anything But Square Card theme
link = https://christmasblogchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/05/anything-but-square-card.html

d. Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog = May kit reveal (the foil, marbled CS, and yellow and white chevron CS are in my May CKC mini kits that I put together)
link= https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/05/may-2019-counterfeit-kit-challenge-kit.html

e. Facebook group = "100 Pattern Paper Challenge" because the black and white paper was one that I had in my 2019 starter kit (encourages you to use at least 100 papers per year)

I just LOVE how this tag came together! And I guess I shouldn't make you all jealous by telling that the Christmas stickers from The Paper Studio were bought for 20 cents!!! I was shopping in Hobby Lobby about 3 days before Christmas and found these on an endcap marked clearance, so I snagged 2 packs. This is my first project using the gold and black color theme stickers!!

Crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S

TN Time challenge 1 no 2 doing both sketch and prompt 01242019

2nd entry for the 1st ever monthly challenge at TN Time With Lisa and Lori doing both Lisa's sketch and Lori's prompt

Above #1: their ID badge/button
Above #2: my 2nd entry for the January challenges for both Lisa's sketch and Lori's prompt
Below: Lisa's first TN Time sketch
**link to Lisa's blog: http://createdbylisa.blogspot.com/2019/01/tn-time-with-lisa-and-lori.html

**link to Lori's blog: https://loriannie670.blogspot.com/2019/01/a-new-adventure-tn-time-with-lisa-and_10.html

Above #1: a close-up for the left side of my interpretation of Lisa's sketch featuring the 2nd verse for my chosen Bible Word of the Year (WOY) study & journaling = HOPE

Above #2: Lori's "button" showing issued prompt she selected for January

Below: close-up for the right side for my interpretation of Lisa's sketch; and both showcase more than 3 patterned papers; if you count the prints for the tabs there would be 5

Below: this is my 'practice' Bible that I use for experimenting with different styles of journaling
This morning I did a simple marker outline of the verse in purple; then boxed the 2 appearances of 'hope' in hot pink, shading both in different tones. I added a very basic butterfly to symbolize hope. The foam God sticker was added to emphasize the first use of hope--God of hope--which He certainly is. My husband and I have both been medically proclaimed close to death separately within the past 15 & 18 months plus had a house fire that destroyed 40-43% of our home...and it is our God of HOPE that keeps up grateful, appreciative, and looking forward! We are trying to live each day abounding in HOPE.

One final look with the layout split in order to show what it will look like on the binder ring:

If you have an opportunity for crafting (or want to use this sketch and/or prompt with a different purpose other than Bible study), Lisa and Lori's challenges can be done in a Travelers Notebook (TN), planner, or bullet journal. This first challenge ends on February 9th, 2019. Lisa's example is posted on her blog (My Creative Endeavors) and Lori has her own posted at her blog (My Happy Life).

My previous entry can be checked at the older post using the link below the comment area of this post. It uses some of the same papers mostly because my favorite colors are purples and pinks! 

Keep checking back as I continue to explore different blogs, Facebook groups, and my own personal creative challenges like anniversary dates to showcase in my postings.

Stay safe, warm, and comfortable.

From the USA heartland, Becca S

HIMCR #357 challenge for 16 June 2018 with theme buttons and bows

Happy Birthday card with a nature and garden design motifs for HIMCR #357 challenge:

Notes:
a. nature and garden elements: butterflies, tulips, leaf shape of sentiment, colors
b. buttons and bows elements: cording is tied in a bow; also green ribbon; and green gems are used instead of buttons

HIMCR's ID badge is shown above and the image provider to the DT crew as well as the challenge's prize sponsor is Gracielli Design, which one of their ID badges is shown below. Use the #357 link to take you to the HIMCR blog to read all the details, see the other DT creations, find out how to participate as a crafter, and also get links for the sponsor. When I've put the link here, my card photo is not uploaded by the blog owner yet to the post for #357 but hopefully that will get changed soon.

Link:  http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/06/hicmr-357-buttons-and-bows.html

My personal mojo boost for the birthday card:

The above photo is a blouse of mine turned inside out. The gauzy fabric and colors have intrigued me for the several years I've owned it. I thought I'd take a photo of it and use it sometime for color and/or styling imagination spark. Well, the card for the HIMCR DT crew for challenge #357 will have colors and paisleys inspired by this blouse. Also I felt that the drawing lines of the Gracielli Design images and sentiment lend well to this garment.

I'll have more photos to edit in later. After snapping photos, I ran out of cell phone data to transfer them by email to download on computer, so check back if curious to see the card from different angles. Here are a few more pics as promised:

After taking most of the pics, it dawned on me that I had used the gems but not buttons, per se, so I went back to the craft zone in the garage and added two! And then look below for the hidden secret messages behind the large monarch:

Still crafting at night when it's cooler to be in my garage craft zone! In the heat wave, ugh!, Becca