This week over at the Paper Cupcake's Challenge Blog; There's Magic In The Air; which you can find HERE. I will be bringing you the last challenge of the year which is to use a snowman or with a Christmas theme. Paper Cupcakes-Stamps is also offering a really cute snowman image "Little Snow Friend". Of course I used the image. I made a quick and simple card. I paper pieced my hat and scarf on the snowman and then lightly colored him with a blue copic the stars yellow with some stickles on them to make them sparkle. I also used a Paper Cupcakes ticket from the Christmas ticket set. Added my bow and a pretty snowflake and just kept it simple.

Since I am the owner/artist over at Paper Cupcakes-Stamps... after a lot of contemplation over the last six months in regards to my Digital line of Stamps it is with great sorrow to announce that I will no longer continue on with the challenge blog.  I have had really mixed feelings for a while now regarding this.  I have spent a lot of heart and time pouring myself into designing some original images and I have over 500 in my store (did you know that?).   Unfortunately, to be honest I just don't sell enough for it to make sense for me to continue to keep pouring myself into this.  I also have had mixed feelings about the freebies I give away, but only a few ever use them to enter any of my challenges to win my images.  It can be a little disheartening to have 60 participants enter a challenge, but only very few people will even make any kind of comment or leave a thank you.  I am very sorry if this is kind of a downer type posting, but I just wanted to be honest and relay to you what has been on my heart and the reasons for my decision.  I have had some incredible Designers and Guest Designers over the last 3 years to current who have dedicated not only their talents, but their time to help me showcase my images and I would have loved to see a little more love left on the blog just for them each week as well, because without them I wouldn't have had the challenge blog.  Please do not misunderstand my words, I am very grateful for everyone that has played along over the years and especially the ones that took the time to actually use/purchase some of my images as well as leave some luvings along the way; so thank you.  Although I am leaving this digital image venture behind, I am going to redirect my art  towards a different venture and in that I find excitement and another path of adventure.  

So, not only is this the last challenge of the year, it is also the last challenge for Paper Cupcakes.   I will be leaving the store open until the end of the year and then I believe I will be removing it from the Internet and taking my images out of circulation as digital images and re-directing them in a different type venture.
So, thanks for lurking by and if I don't post again for a while, have a Very Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year!! 
                   

Magical Monday "Sparkle, Sparkle, Sparkle"

This week over at the Paper Cupcake's Challenge Blog; There's Magic In The Air; which you can find HERE. Ildiko Cseh brings us our challenge this week and she would like to see some "Sparkle, Sparkle, Sparkle". Well, not sure how much of my "Sparkle" you can actually see on my card, but it is there. I used one of the new releases from Paper Cupcakes called "Snowman Cupcake" and one of the Christmas tickets by Paper Cupcakes. I actually colored this whole image in photo shop which is new to me. I was trying out a tutorial on how to color in layers and although you really can't see much of my coloring it really did turn out well. I also made the paper design you see on the card too. I seen a card something like this with the little windows on pinterest and thought it was a cute idea so I cased it somewhat. The only thing is I messed up on how I did my images. I meant to put the top image in the middle and the middle image at the top. I glued one on and didn't realize I glued them in the wrong spot until it was too late to switch them, so I just left them alone. I added the sparkle with red and icicle stickles on the pattern paper I made to the dots in the middle and red to the ticket. This was really a pretty quick card to make too. I thought it turned out cute, although those mixed up images drive me a little crazy.... oh well.

Well, that is it for me this week, have a great week and thanks for lurking by.
                                                                             

Magical Monday - Use Freebie with Snowflake

This week over at the Paper Cupcake's Challenge Blog; There's Magic In The Air; which you can find HERE.   Angie Gittles brings us our challenge this week. Once a month Paper Cupcakes-Stamps gives a freebie away. Angie wants the participants to actually use the freebie this month which is a cute little snowman with a tree.

I decided to start making some things for Christmas and I have been saving these potato chip containers that are kind of like a Pringles container, but they are aren't Pringles. I thought they would make a great container to add long pretzels dipped in chocolate for the holidays. I think they will hold about six with the chocolate on. I thought it would be a nice little gift to send in for a teacher or a nice little surprise to set on a desk for a secretary at school. This is my first one I have made and I thought it turned out super cute.

The container is that royal blue so I had this lovely wrapping paper that I still had a scrap of and used it. I painted the yellow lid pink with some paint and let it dry and then I took some pink tulle and wrapped 3 different layers around the lid to cover it all and just tied knots so I would have a cute plume at the top. I tied some light blue ribbon at the top around the bottom of that plume and then added my tag/sentiment and then the little snowflake on the of my ribbon bow. For the base which was kept simple I just wrapped the paper around the container and then added my punched boarder, my image and then the snow flakes. I colored my image with my Bic Mark-its and then added some Stickles for a little sparkle. I liked how this turned out the only thing I don't like is that I have to buy and eat potato chips to get the containers!

Well, that's it for me this week hope you will join in the challenge. I can't believe that Thanksgiving is just two weeks away for us in the US. I got all my outdoor stuff put away in the shed yesterday, even though I wasn't feeling so good. I was pushing my luck with the warmer weather and thought I best get-er-done. My husband helped and we got it completed pretty quickly and it's a good thing, because today as I am here typing this getting this ready for the posting later today it is snowing!!! It is not sticking and it is pretty, but please I am not ready for the snow at all! Well, have a great week and thanks for lurking by!
                                                                                                     

Magical Monday - Pretty In Pink

This week over at the Paper Cupcake's Challenge Blog; There's Magic In The Air; which you can find HERE.   Shirley Quarry brings us our challenge this week. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month and the color for that is Pink; Shirley would like to see us make a card or project that supports that by using the color pink as our main color (75% of your card/project should be Pink). If your card/project reflects cancer awareness by a cancer ribbon of some kind or you can look at the card/project and you can tell this is going to be sent to someone battling breast cancer by the sentiment or image, Paper Cupcakes will place your name in the drawing twice for a chance to win this week.

I used the image "Breast Cancer Cupcake" by Paper Cupcakes. It is on sale for the next 48 hours. I colored my image with colored pencils and added some stickles to the icing. I wanted the image to be the focus so I kept this clean and simple.   The flower on this cupcake is an apple blossom.  It stands for hope and good things to come.

I always think my cards look so much better in real life.  The stickles is always so much prettier, as well as the rhinestones.  I am also going to add this to one of the breast cancer challenges over at SCS. 

It's turned cold here this week after having some 70 degree days last week.  No wonder everyone is walking around with colds and the yucks.  I hope everyone along the East Coast stays safe from the storms and are wise and stay away from the incoming waters.  So, thanks for stopping by this week and I hope you will join in the challenge over at There's Magic In The Air with Paper Cupcakes!

Magical Monday - Orange & Purple

This week over at the Paper Cupcake's Challenge Blog; There's Magic In The Air; which you can find HERE.   Danie May brings us our challenge this week. She would like to see us make a card/project using the colors "Orange and Purple" as your two main colors. You can use other colors with this, but 75% of you color scheme should be tones of orange and purple. This does not have to be a Halloween card either.

Paper Cupcakes is also offering this freebie "What Characters" until Wednesday, so make sure you stop by and snag it and play along too! 

I colored my image with Bic Mark-its and then colored the sky with my soft chalks and then I also spray it with hairspray to set it.  I love how the chalks make such a soft sky and they were perfect for this evening sky.  The sentiment comes with the image as well. 

I made my image fairly large so it would be the main attraction for the card and kept it pretty clean & simply and try to keep it flat to make for easy mailing too.  

Well, I liked how it turned out.  I think it is pretty cute, but I think it is the image that is cute and funny.  Things are hectic here in the May household, but then again I it always seems that way.  I certainly could use another beach holiday!!  Thanks for stopping by and lurking I always love company!  Have a great day!

Magical Monday - Anything Fall

This week over at the Paper Cupcake's Challenge Blog; There's Magic In The Air; which you can find HERE.   I bring the challenge to us this week. Since this is the first day of October and fall is once again upon us we are going to do an "Anything Fall" challenge. This open ended for the creativity as long as it is fall themed. I used the image "Gnome on Pumpkin" from Paper Cupcakes. This little image just looks like the gnome is greeting Autumn's arrival and it certainly looks magical! I colored my image with my Bic Mark-its and kept it pretty clean and simple.

Well, as much as I do love the fall, I still love summer more!! I am not ready for winter to be upon us soon and in reality that is what follows fall! So, I will just embrace today and enjoy the colors that are starting to show their face on the trees.  Have a great week and a first day of October Magic!

                                                                                              

Magical Monday - Recipe

This week over at the Paper Cupcake's Challenge Blog; There's Magic In The Air; which you can find HERE.   Kathy Bradly brings us a recipe challenge this week. She wants us to mix up some fun with using the below recipe to make a card/project. You can add to the recipe, but you cannot take an ingredient away from it.

Recipe:
- 1 Embossing Folder or dry embossing of some sort
- 1 or more die or punch
- 1 ribbon, twine, string or something of the like
- 1 button
- Use glitter or some sort of sparklies

Have a great week!!