Bat Halloween card with Useless Trinkets digital freebie

This batty Halloween card features a free digital stamp and sentiment from Useless Trinkets. I debated a bit about who should receive it. I didn't think my 97 year old grandmother would get the humor and I didn't want to send it to my niece who has a bird phobia. I ended up sending it to my brother (not saying that he's a bit batty or anything) and his wife; I thought they'd appreciate it.

Paper is a mix from Blair, Treats and Spooky Tactile Studio digital paper packs (the bat background is from the Spooky pack).

Embellishments are my now-normal-keep-it-flat enamel dots and a little ribbon. These particular dots have a mat finish, which I find I rather like.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Tactile Studio Blair, Treats, and Spooky digital paper packs
Digital stamp – Useless Trinkets freebie
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Stitched circle die, Die-namics rectangle stax
Embellishment – enamel dots, ribbon

I'm linking up with: Color Crazy Challenge #42 – ATG, Crafting with Friends #53 – ATG, Jo's Scrap Shack #211 – ATG, QKR Stampede #266 – ATG and That's Crafty 13/10/17 – Get Your Spook On!.

Happy Halloween card with 2 Cute Ink Fall Pumpkin digital stamp

Here's a little Halloween card for you today, featuring the Fall Pumpkin digital stamp from 2 Cute Ink.

The stamp's been teamed up with Tactile Studio Spooky digital paper pack. The sentiment was created with Candy Round BTN font and a round frame from Pixel Scrapper.

Embellishments are black adhesive velvet ribbon and orange pearls. Well, the ribbon used to be adhesive. I've had it so long I didn't even have to peel off the backing, it just came away. Which meant I had to actually glue it down (so much for the convenience factor). I have a few rolls of this in varying types and I always seem to dig it out at Halloween (as on these upcycled ice cream cup candy holders).

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Tactile Studio Spooky digital paper pack
Digital stamp – 2 Cute Ink Fall Pumpkin
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namic circle and oval stax
Embellishment – ribbon, pearls
Font – Candy Round BTN

I'm linking up with: Alphabet Challenge – P for Pumpkins, Sweet Stampers #12 – Autumn or Halloween, Sparkles Monthly Challenge #97 – Autumn Colors, Scrap from Your Heart #14 – Halloween, and Paradise of Stamps #59 – Autumn/Halloween.

Hap-BEE Birthday card

I made this card for my husband's birthday using a free digi from Whimsie Doodles. When I snagged this freebie a couple of years back I liked the image and thought the sentiment was cute and although the bee was a bit strange looking, chalked it up to artistic license.

Fast forward to hub's birthday morning and this card waiting for him at breakfast. He opened it up, said all the obligatory niceties on the card itself, and then he said, 'What is it? A turtle?'

Palm slap to forehead. By golly, it was a turtle! No wonder it looked a bit different. How did I miss that? Sigh . . . a repeat of the Porky BBQ 4th of July card incident.

The paper (and paper piecing on turtle) was a long ago magazine freebie from the now defunct Creative Cardmaking.  That was such a great magazine; they gave fantastic gifts. There were several pieces in this one, even die-cuts (you can see more in action on this Sweet as a Honey Bee card). Embellishments are simple enamel dots.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, patterned paper
Digital stamp – Whimsie Doodles Hapbee Turtle
Dies – La Cabina stitched oval die
Embellishments – enamel dots

I'm linking up with: Emerald City Crafts #4 – ATG, Creative Fingers #138 – ATG, Crafting with Friends #52 – ATG, Alphabet Challenge – O for Oval, Crafty Friends #68 – ATG.

Delightful Thursday at Digital Delights – Festive Flamingo Christmas card

It's another Delightful Thursday at Digital Delights and a bit of a sad post for me today. I'm stepping down from the Digital Delights by Louby Loo design team; this will be my last post as a design team member. It's been great working with Wendy's truly delight-ful stamps, but a busy upcoming fall schedule is requiring I prioritize my time.



My card features the Festive Flamingo stamp and Naughty or Nice sentiment set. This is my second Christmas card this year (my last Delightful Thursday's Gnome step card was the first) and it's only September – I'm on a roll! I am not good at getting Christmas cards done early. I'm one of those wait 'til the last minute kind of gals.

The paper is from Tactile Studio's Flamingo digital paper pack. Embellishments are simple enamel keep-it-flat-so-it-mails-cheaper dots.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Tactile Studio Flamingo digital paper pack
Digital Stamp – Digital Delights Festive Flamingo and Naughty or Nice sentiment set
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics circle and oval stax
Embellishments – enamel dots

Digital Delights Tiny the Turkey digital stamp Thanksgiving card idea

I'm up for Hostess Monday on the Digital Delights blog today, sharing this Thanksgiving card. We cardmakers tend to think of Halloween when autumn arrives on the calendar, but remember – Thanksgiving is not that far behind and if you're in Canada, it's right around the corner!

Thanksgiving is a distinctively North American holiday (October 9 in Canada this year, November 23 in the United States) so it's not something we celebrate here in France, still I do like sending cards to family States side in honor of the day.

So whether you're celebrating October 9 or November 23, this Tiny the Turkey digital stamp and Count Your Blessings sentiment set are the perfect way to show your loved ones you care and – added bonus – Tiny the Turkey is on sale right now for just $1.50!

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, bargain bin patterrned paper
Digital Stamp – Digital Delights Tiny the Turkey and Count Your Blessings sentiment set
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – La Cabina stitched square die
Embellishments – enamel dots

I'm linking up with: Cards in Envy – 'Easy as 1,2,3', Always Fun Challenges #25 – ATG, Artistic Inspirations #186 – ATG, Crafty Cardmakers #196 – Autumn, and Make My Monday #55 – Autumn Colors.

Digital Delights September new release – Cutie Fangz stamp set Halloween card

September new releases are now available for purchase at Digital Delights by Louby Loo. My new release card for this month is a Halloween card, featuring the Cutie Fangz stamp set (includes digital stamp and sentiment).

As with this Pumpkin Peggy Halloween card from last month, I've used Tactile Studio Tricks digital paper pack.

I've kept embellishments simple with coordinating buttons, cutting off the pumpkin button's shank so it would lie flat. I'm happy to finally use this pumpkin button, picked up ages and ages ago with a thrift store button tin and never used. Honestly, I've kept forgetting I have it, until I'm looking for something else – say around Easter – and then it's been too late to use it.

Click on over to the Digital Delights blog to see what other lovely creations DT members have to share with you today.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Tactile Studio Tricks digital paper pack
Digital Stamp – Digital Delights Cutie Fangz set
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics rectangle stax
Embellishments – buttons

I'm linking up with: Creative Moments #126 – ATG, The Crafty Addicts #40 – ATG/Add a brad or button, Crafty Creations #350 – ATG, Craftaholics R Us #36 – Pumpkins, and Creative Knockouts #211 – ATG.

'My First Trip to Europe' Paris mini-album

My niece visited us right after Christmas last year. We spent New Year's in Paris, then out and about around France and Switzerland afterwards. It was her very first trip to Europe.

As I mentioned with this London mini-album, I think it is very important to actually print out some of our photos. She was uploading photos to Facebook during the trip and that's all well and good, but in future years will Facebook still be there? I thought it important she have this special physical souvenir of her trip.

I used two Paris themed mini-kits I found at my favorite discount shop. I believe I paid around €2 a piece. I don't know the manufacturer and I had a doozy of a time even finding a link to share with you, but if you look at No. 6 HERE you'll see the one I used. It's a nice kit, but not much to it. On sale it was fine, but I certainly wouldn't pay the €8.11 price they're showing in the link.

There were thirty four photos I wanted to use, so I added cardstock inserts. Papers are a blend of pieces from the kit and ones from my stash. The same goes for embellishments, sticking with relatively flat ones so it would close. I noted on each photo the date and where it was taken before printing it out. Ribbon and charm decorated ring binders hold it all together. *Crafty Tip* Want to know how to keep ribbon from fraying? Use a little Fray Check brushed on each cut end after you tie them. Here's a sampling of some of the pages:

My favorite way to keep a mini shut is with this type of elastic closure and I plan the front in advance so that the elastic won't damage anything on it. In the bottom right photo above you can see how it looks on the last page of the album. Here's how it looks from behind when closed:

And here's the front closed:

My niece loved it (I sent it to for her birthday)!

I'm linking up with: Mini Albums Makers Challenge #1.

Not able to see who pinned what on Pinterest Home feed

Maybe you've noticed after your last Pinterest update that it is no longer showing who has pinned what on your home feed.

I follow a lot of crafting boards (and if you're reading this here I'd bet money you do too) and seeing who had pinned what was a determining factor as to whether or not I actually clicked on the pin to open it and find out more – be it re-pinning it myself, or actually visiting the originating site. I also liked seeing what family members and friends where pinning. Now, you have to click on the pin to see who of the many people you follow pinned it and then click again to close it. So, two steps now to see who pinned what, where none were required before.

My home feed has been reduced to a frustrating mess. And this on top of removing that cute little heart like button, that I, well, liked. Maybe if enough of us complain, they'll realize their mistake.

I've voiced my objections to Pinterest and if you'd like to as well, here's how. Click on this Pinterest Help Center link and do the following:

• Where it says What do you need help with? choose the subject Using Pinterest/Edit settings

• Then under Tell us more select Home feed.

• Skip the blah, blah that appears underneath that and click on the red I still need help button. 

• On the right had side of the screen you can fill in what you want to say for a message. I filled in the Title for your message box with Bring back who pinned what identifying info to home feed. In the Description box, you can fill in your complaint and why you want to be able to easily see who has pinned what as we did before. Be sure and click Send at the bottom.

After you send this complaint you will get an automated response trying to redirect you to other links. You can reply to this automated response with more info; I just repeated what I'd said before. 

Resist!!!

Delightful Thursday at Digital Delights – From Our Gnome to Yours – Christmas step card

It's another Delightful Thursday at Digital Delights; click on over to see what projects DT members have to share with you today. My card features the Christmas Gnome set (includes stamp and sentiment).

Sizzix's Baby Dresser die is the base for this card. I've only ever used this die once for a baby card, but it makes a great smaller step card, as demonstrated with these Easter and Halloween cards; plus it's small enough to fit in a standard C6 11 x 16cm envelope. The patterned paper background and paper piecing used for Mr. Gnome, come from docrafts A4 Jolly Santa paper pack (on sale at that link for only €2.50, if you can figure out the Dutch).

Embellishments are velvet look brads with the prongs cut off (is there any other way to really use a brad?! not as far as I'm concerned).

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, docrafts A4 Jolly Santa paper pack
Digital Stamp – Digital Delights Christmas Gnome set
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Sizzix's Baby Dresser die, Die-namics rectangle & square stax
Embellishments – de-pronged brads

Alter a kraft wine bag for a decorative quick and easy wine bottle gift

I'm up for Hostess Monday today on the Digital Delights blog, sharing a quick and easy wine bag project.

In France, it's customary to give a bottle of wine to your host when you're invited to someone's house (and flowers to the hostess). I came across these plain kraft wine bags a while back and purchased a few, thinking they'd be nice to personalize.

A recent dinner invitation to some friends' home had me digging one out and using it. I was running short on time so I chose a pre-colored version of Digital Delights Vino Mickey stamp and Cheers sentiment set. This is a nice thing about Digital Delight stamps, there's a colored version to choose from if you don't have time/don't choose to color.

The before wine bag photo.

I printed out the stamp and sentiment, diecut each with coordinating cardstock, and adhered to the bag. A grape bunch and enamel dots are simple embellishments. I think the bag after photos are much better than the bag before, don't you?!

Supply List
Paper – kraft paper wine bag
Digital stamps – Digital Delights colored Vino Mickey and Cheers sentiment set
Dies – Die-namic oval and rectangle stax
Embellishments – grape bunch, enamel dots