My Sheri Crafts Challenge #107: Spring has Sprung!

Our current challenge @ My Sheri Crafts asks that you join us by creating a project that says spring to you!  It can be flowers, sunshine, birds, green grass -- whatever you feel says spring.  Considering what so many of you have recently encountered weather-wise, I'm very hopeful that as you read this spring is finally arriving!

I chose JustRite's "Showers bring Flowers" sentiment (Spring Words clear set) since we are blessed with beautiful wild flowers popping up all over the desert. Because they're totally dependent on late winter/early spring rains, they're infrequent here and always a joy to see.
My DP BG is My Mind's Eye's "In Bloom", soft, water-colored papers and their Miss Caroline's "Howdy Doody" was used for my flower and umbrella. The umbrella is from Papertrey Ink's "Scattered Showers" clear stamp set and hand cut as I don't own the dies. My flower was made with Cuttlebug's Quilled Daisy Kit, a recent purchase from Michaels. Embellishments include Spellbinders' A2 Polka Dots border die, which I LOVE, raindrops from Amuse and swirly gem flourish from Want2Scrap.
Think I've covered everything here, so now you can visit all My Sheri DT's projects and then please join us for this wide-open Spring challenge -- thanks for stopping by today!

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #106: Easter Celebration!

Our challenge to you this week @ My Sheri Crafts is to Celebrate Easter by creating and posting any project that represents Easter to you -- simple, huh?!!! I do hope you'll join us and visit our Guest Designer and my fellow designer's blogs, as well.

I chose this gorgeous Calla Lily die cut created by Bird and available for free here! She makes the most beautiful files that cut exquisitely on my BossKut Gazelle!

Her lily was cut from white shimmer scraps and two shades of green and popped up onto a pre-embossed pale yellow sheet -- all Bazzill CS. The stamen was colored with a Copic marker. My sentiment is from JustRite Papercrafts' Spring Words set die cut with Spellbinders' Labels Seventeen. Pearl beads were hand sewn to a piece of lace from my stash to dress it up with narrow yellow ribbon laced through. Finishing it all off are Want2Scrap's pearl flourishes. Can't wait to see what Easter creations you come up with for our challenge!

JustRite Friday Challenge #092: Make It Pop! and Cards Blog Challenge: March, 2013

I'm doing something unusual for me and entering this card in two challenges: Cards Blog (Color Challenge) and JustRite's Friday Challenge #092: Make It Pop!, requiring we use foam dimensional adhesives and make a birthday card -- how simple and perfect, since I'm sure most of us rarely do a project without dimensionals and we ALWAYS need another birthday card in our stash.
I wanted to use Spellbinders' A2 Bracket Borders One that I'd just purchased and I liked the spring colors on the Cards Blog Challenge (shown below). The only DP I had on hand that had all three colors was this mini print, but I knew it would be perfect with the iris stamp from JustRite's Botanical Medallions & Banners. I Copic colored it in shades of lavender and die cut with Labels Seventeen. My sentiment (JR's Forever Friends) was die cut with Labels Four and my small yellow butterfly from Samantha Walker's Butterfly Corner and both adorned with Copic-colored small gems. I just love the edges these new border dies create, don't you? Dimensionals were used for my main focal image, my sentiment and a tiny strip under my butterfly. Thanks for popping by today!!!

JustRite Friday Challenge #091: Color Challenge

This is my project for JustRite's Friday color challenge -- a gift basket and matching card for a birthday. I thought the colors of grey and yellow were perfect for just coming out of winter and entering spring.  In fact, we have some yellow poppies popping up in the desert already -- YAY!!!

I followed Becca Feeken's tutorial (found here) for the front of my basket and my card. I used one of my FAV JustRite clear polymer sets (Botanical Medallions & Banners) for my project, with the exception of my birthday tag, which uses Forever Friends cling. Dies used today are JustRite's Antique Labels One for card and tag and Spellbinders' Scalloped Edge Frame for the woven pieces and Classic Scalloped Circles Small for my decorative edges on the basket's flaps. I previously made this as an Easter basket and a gift basket (here and here) if you care to see them. Here is a close-up of the three ribbons that I braided to cover my basket's handle.

Sew, Sometimes I Craft Without (#2) . . .

. . . paper! I decided to make this a 'series', so this is my second post (1st is here), wherein I've sewn a doll outfit and crafted sans paper (other than my pattern, of course).

This cute little Valentine dress in pink with baby white ric-rac trim is made from a darling free 'popover sundress' pattern available online from Oliver + S. Go check out her fabulous blog! I will tell you that I've learned the hard way that the original American Girl Dolls from the 80's/90's are a bit plumper than the ones now made by Mattel, so I will add a bit to the width of this dress next time I stitch it. The original AG Doll patterns (still available online too) are much more generous, so now I'll measure each of our little ladies and do any needed adjustments before I cut/sew.

It's a bit snug going up over Molly's waist, but fits just fine and I have no little girl to dress the dolls right now. NOTE: I did the back of dress exactly as the front with the ric-rac, so I didn't add a back view photo.  It's just such a quick, sweet and really simple-to-make little A-line dress -- I LOVE it and I can 'play' with my sewing!

I had a triangle-shaped scrap left over and couldn't resist making a little scarf  -- guess I envisioned Molly going on a picnic and wanting to keep her long hair from blowing in her face. I decided to post this now as we've had perfect picnic weather -- about 80 degrees and just an occasional breeze. Thanks for stopping by to see my non-paper creation. My 3rd installment will post soon, as I'm really enjoying sewing AND fabric is as addicting as paper, you know, so please come visit again!

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #105: Read Across America

Our current challenge @ My Sheri Crafts asks that you create a project that has something to do with reading, for example, bookmarks, projects with a book on it, images of reading or something about your favorite book, etc.

I know several avid readers that will always welcome new bookmarks, so I searched my craft room for ideas. I first took a masculine-looking "K" from my chipboard stash. Using a wide satin ribbon, I folded it in half and ironed with Stitch Witchery. The monogram was added by gluing with fabric glue, but it was 'boring' so I grabbed my Crop-a-Dile and added three eyelets -- much more character now!
Next, I cut an "L" from pink felt and die cut a background from brown felt with Spellbinder's Labels Twenty-three. Pink Sorbet twine from The Twinery was woven into a stitched ribbon to give my feminine bookmark more pizazz. Fabric glue attaches the layers.
When I saw the "spring" ribbon and flower in my stash, I decided they would also make a fun bookmark. The flower is a Spellbinders' die secured with a large pearl brad, so I merely punched a hole through the ribbon with my Crop-a-Dile, attached it to the brad's prongs on the back and covered it with a scalloped felt circle -- yep, from my stash. Those formerly unused items can sometimes spark creativity, so see what you find and show us your ideas @ My Sheri Crafts challenge!!!