Hello, everyone!  Hope you're enjoying a great Wednesday, and maybe sneaking a little craft time in!  On  every other Wednesday at the Creative Paper Trade, we introduce a new 'Paper Nudge' challenge.  Today we're 'nudging' you to use this photo to help you incorporate hearts into your project...

I've chosen the colors of our current 'Color My Week' challenge and a sweet image from our sponsor, Paper Sweeties, in my project...this is little Abigail...

She IS a sweetie!  I've also used felt with some MFT dies and a little Maya Road spool in that little cluster of embellishments.  For the rest of the card, I wanted to keep it kind of clean and simple...

And I think that'll do it!!!  Our third dose of inspiration for this round will be introduced on Friday, and you will then have the following week to create away,...as many times as you would like, with whatever products you choose.  Then link them up for a chance to win two sets from our sponsor, Paper Sweeties!

Please forgive my lack of visiting for the next few days.  I am so behind, but I am also sick, and exhausted from a long string of projects and commitments that will wrap up on Saturday,...when Halloween costumes are once again a thing of the past, and my son's journey through his first year of marching band will have come to a close with the final, state contending performance.  I'm so very proud of him and the rest of the band.  They have worked so very hard...

Caleb, in the middle, above...

and on the right below...

You know how when you're really tired, your emotions are like...right at the surface and you cry at the drop of a hat???...yeah...that's what I'm doing right now.
 I could use your prayers for some energy and better health to get through it all with a smile;) (and that I can quit CRYING!!!;)
Thanks so much for dropping in and putting up with me!
~Geri~

Happy Tuesday, everyone!  Popping in with a simple card using a sweet free image from Andrea at the Creative Paper Trade!  Here's the original she's offering...

Now, I fiddled with it to make  my card...

I cropped out the borders and the circle image at the top so that none of that would show in the circular image on my card...

This is the easiest thing to do and gives so many options for using just a portion of an image with your dies.  Just click on the image once you've copied and pasted it on your document page, go to the top to click on 'format', and then find 'crop'.  You can then crop in each side to where ever you want it.  You could keep the pretty blue diagonal border if you wanted, or just get rid of the thin green border to create a tag of a different shape.  It's kind of fun to experiment with the free images Andrea offers!  You should give it a try...and be sure to share it with us!  There are three great challenges still running...

We have never required specific products in our challenges.  Andrea has closed her shop to allow for more stress-free family and creative time...so in case you've felt guilty that you don't have any of her products,... don't!;)  Our challenges are strictly for fun and inspiration sake!  And we would love to have you join us!
And speaking of inspiration...check out this pretty bloom...

Since it's Tuesday...you'll find a tutorial HERE at the blog on this gem!
Hope to see you there!
~Geri~

Popping in to share a quick card...it really was quick...for the 10 Minute Craft Dash, you know...where you get an idea in your noggin with the target colors,...

 ...gather up your supplies, and try to get a card done in 10 min. or less.  I used a big sentiment...thought that might help make a big statement in a short amount of time...

...and stamped my Mehndi Medallions (PTI) in the target colors...

...and there it is...in slightly over 10 min.  (My watch didn't display seconds.)

The Creative Paper Trade is sponsoring this challenge and offering up a prize package of some pretty embellishments...you should give it a try!
Thanks for dashing in! ;)
~Geri~

Fall Party Favors...

Welcome, friends!  So glad you could pop in today!  At the Creative Paper Trade, it's time for a new challenge introduction.  Our  round 3 Paper Nudge challenge is focusing on party favors.  Of course I had my kids and upcoming Fall parties at school in mind when I created these feathered friends...

I saw something similar to these in my most recent Family Fun magazine, except there, they were made as kid-crafted decorations to be placed on a little tree branch.  I thought they were really cute and decided to modify them into little packages for candy or other treats.  They're made from none other than one of my favorite recyclables...empty toilet tissue rolls...

The original decoration only calls for the top to be folded down/closed up, so that the bottom is open to place on the 'tree'.  To hold treats, though, I folded both ends down to form my 'score' lines...

...unfolded, adhered patterned paper, and then folded back again so that I could see the shape as I embellished...



In the magazine, the rolls weren't covered with paper or paint, and they actually looked pretty cute, but I wanted to dress mine up a little more.  They also suggested taping down the folded ends, but I didn't really find that necessary...

For the front of the owl body, I used one cupcake liner and folded/cut it into fourths, then cut out the flat center part.  I then layered those 4 pieces on like so...

Then you can get as elaborate or as simple as you want with the owl's eyes.  I wanted to experiment with some felt and buttons and liked the way that turned out...I used a little scalloped circle from the Love Lives Here dies and the smallest Notched Flower die, both from Papertrey Ink...

The purple owl has a combination of felt and paper with the button eyes, and the aqua one below uses two different papers with  the buttons.  For mass production, I would suggest papers and punches...way faster!  If you need something really fast and easy, the magazine used two colors of construction paper with centers drawn in with black marker...and they looked great!   For the wings, I took 2 contrasting liners and cut them in half.  I layered those so that the back color would show a little outside the front color and then adhered the two wings to the back with craft glue.  The magazine only uses one layer for the wings, but I really like the way 2 looked together.  My little beak was cut from felt...

Just open up the folds on one end to release the treats inside!  And they really are quite fun to make!  If you'd like more inspiration, though, you can head over to the Creative Paper Trade.  Then we'd love for you to get crafty with your own favors, and link 'em up to share with the rest of us!  Remember...there's always a sweet little prize for a lucky randomly drawn winner at the end of the 2 week challenge round!  Hope to see your creation there...the more, the merrier!!
Thanks for stopping in!
~Geri~

Wanted to let you know it's Tuesday Tutorial Day over at the Creative Paper Trade!  You will not want to miss what Andrea has for you there!!!  (She makes it look so easy;)
Also...don't forget to leave a comment to win these pretty embellishments...

...HERE!  (But I don't mean here on my blog... I mean HERE!)  (No project necessary!) 5 sets will be given away randomly tomorrow!  And we'll also be introducing our Paper Nudge challenge tomorrow...party favors!!!  How fun!!  Hope to see you there!
~Geri~

Ahhh,...Sunday!!  I'm hoping this will indeed be a day of rest, and I'm hoping it finds you winding down a great weekend!  It's time to color your week with the Creative Paper Trade color challenge...

Lots of possibilities here!  I was inspired by some prints and images on some Simple Stories papers and stickers I picked up a couple weeks ago.  There are several different variations of a sweet little bird on a branch, leafed out in a hodge-podge of cute little prints and fall colors.  I re-created my own version of it for my card front, adding a little texture in the colors of our color challenge...

The little bird I've used is one of the many stickers on the SS sticker page I purchased.  He fit in just right with our colors.

The subtle gray print in the background is one of the pretty digi papers Andrea designed.  My gray Copic marker worked great with it for the branch.  After adding the leaves and bird to the branch, I thought the little cloud and sun were the perfect finishing touch.  I was a little worried when I saw these colors, but I really love the way they work together!  I would love to see what you come up with them!  You have two weeks to "git 'er done"!  No special products necessary...just have fun, create, and share with the rest of us!  If you've been following along with the Creative Paper Trade, you know we'll introduce 2 more challenges this week...you may use any or all of the challenges in your creations during this new round.  There's always a sweet little prize up for grabs for a lucky entrant when the two weeks is up...

Andrea will have some additional inspiration today at the main blog, so be sure to check in there!  Hope to see you later in the week!!

~Geri~

Popping in quickly before heading to band contest (go, KNIGHTS!) to let you know five sets of these...

...are up for grabs at the Creative Paper Trade blog (so sweet!)!!  No project necessary for it...just leave us a comment there and Andrea will randomly pick 5 winners on Wednesday! You'll love 'em!

Hope you're having a lovely weekend!!

~Geri~

Is it Friday already????  Where in the world did this week go?! Oh, well...I guess if I sat down and made a list of all we'd done...I'd see why it seems to have flown by! Looking forward to another weekend...this one full of some chilly Fall temps...but not without posting my little buddy here...

He helped me whip up a little creation for our final challenge of 'round 2' at The Creative Paper Trade.  Friday is for our Tip Top Shape challenge.  Here's your inspiration...

Hmmmm....interesting, huh?   I used the triangle shape with several of Andrea's digital papers to create a tiny banner for my buddy and his friend to decorate with for Halloween...

Kinda silly...kinda cute!  There are more projects at the main blog to inspire you.  And now that you've had a good look at all the challenges, you've got more than a week to come up with something yourself...for any or all of them!  There IS that sweet little prize pack up for grabs, ya know?
Hope you can join in the fun!!
So glad you stopped in!!

~Geri~

Hello, all!!  Hope today finds you doing VERY well, my friends!  Wanted to let you know the Creative Paper Trade has put up our second Paper Nudge challenge, and this time around, it's a sketch!  I always have fun with a sketch...so much of the work is already done, and I can just incorporate my own style and favorite goodies.  Here it is...

Andrea makes the prettiest and most interesting blossoms...I was inspired by her work to create this for a focal point...

I've used a little of her vintage fabric in there, along with one of her crocheted flowers and some felt and various PTI dies.  The leaves are paper stitched onto felt...love the interest and dimension that adds.  And the sweet little pin was made by Andrea, also.  Here's the blossom on the finished card...

The paper at the top and bottom are from Andrea's paper sets, 'Rustic Love' and 'Shabby Twirl'.  (Note:  Andrea's shop will be down for about a month...she'll be enjoying some more relaxed creating, blogging and family time for a bit.)  As I shared in my previous post, the colors I've used are from our current Color My Week challenge...  

On Friday, our Tip Top Shape challenge will be introduced, so you'll have three different inspiration pieces to work with for this second round of dual-week challenges.  Here's the pretty prize pack up for grabs...

...the ribbon, stamps and embellishments are all included!  You can enter up to 3 different creations for the random draw.  And Andrea has offered another sweet free digital image you can use to create if you'd like...

(...I'd love to see someone get creative with this one!)

There's more inspiration to be found at the CPT blog...don't miss it!
I do hope you'll join us!
Geri

Happy Monday, everyone!  Hope you all had a great weekend!  Ours was another whirlwind, but it was great!   Friday night was high school football homecoming and a chance for the band to get a run through for their performance the next day...it was picture perfect football weather!  The next day, which was another gorgeous day, I got goose bumps (NOT from the weather!) watching the band (and my oldest, Caleb) perform about an hour from home.  Jilli had a little sleepover that night, Caleb got to go to a small outdoor party with friends, and Jonah's treat was keeping Daddy's spot in bed warm that night, as hubby was working out of town.  Couldn't have asked for a better weekend, but I'm thankful for a quiet Monday with some time to create!  And, hey...a new challenge has gone up at The Creative Paper Trade...

Yes, it's time for "Color My Week"!

And here's the pretty freebie image from Andrea that you may use to create with if you'd like...

Isn't that lovely?!?

I finished up a creation that I'll save for Wednesday, when we'll introduce our "Paper Nudge" challenge.  This time around, it's a SKETCH!!  I've combined the sketch challenge with the pretty "Color My Week" colors...here's a peek...

If you would like to visit the blog, you'll find some lovely inspiration waiting for you there.  (And you can even get a peek at the sketch for Wednesday's challenge, and the shape for Friday's "Tip Top Shape" challenge!)  Remember, the challenges will run for two weeks.  And look what's up for grabs for the lucky randomly drawn challenge entry...

...the stamp set, ribbon and pretty handmade embellishments!  I'd like to win that one myself!!!
Hope you can join us!
See you Wednesday!!
~Geri~