Thursday, December 27, 2012

Inspired By...#55

I am back with another inspiration challenge for you.  I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas with friends and family.  

Looking forward, New Year's Eve is coming up so I was inspired by this photo.

What can you do with this photo?  stars, strips, garland, colors, confetti...

I went with the feel and the stars of the photo. I mimicked the star garlands by sewing down some die cut stars and the negative die cut.  I saw a hint of blue in the photo so I also pulled that in.  I used my Fancy Pants The Good Life collection, along with some MFT Dies and the 'new year' was cut with my Silhouette.  

We are hosting a quiet family gathering with my parents and a couple of the girls' friends for New Years.  What will you be doing?

This is also for the Cameo Creations Challenge - New Years.
I can't wait to see what you create!

Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!



Thursday, December 20, 2012

One Week Off

I have decided to take this week off from the Inspired By Challenges.  It is so close to Christmas that I am sure most of us are in the same boat and frantically trying to get all of our last minute items done.  I will most certainly be back next week all fresh and new and ready to go again.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone and I will see you in one week.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Inspired By #53 Winner

The winner of the Wreath Inspired Challenge is:

Rose
(I love that woodgrain deer)

Congratulations Rose!  Please contact me with your mailing info and I will get your prize out to you.

Now don't forget to play along in the Shopping Inspired Challenge.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Inspired By...#54


I love this vintage print and just had to use it as some inspiration.  

Ways to take the inspiration: colors, Christmas, stripes, gifts, shopping, wreath, vintage...

I took the inspiration literally and used some of my older October Afternoon paper - Holiday Style.  I am need of more 'mailable' cards so I didn't add a lot of 'doodads' to this one.


I used this week's sketch from Unscripted Sketches:

Can't wait to see what you do!

Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!




Sunday, December 9, 2012

Inspired By #52 Winner

Thank you everyone for playing along with me for the past year.  I always love seeing what you come up with based on the inspiration photos.  The random winner for the Santa Inspired Challenge:


Congratulations Kim Richardson, you are the winner of the Elle's Studio Prize Pack!  Please contact me with your mailing info and I will get it out to you.

Don't forget to play along with the Wreath Inspired Challenge - there is a prize up for grabs.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Inspired By...#53

Here we go, the start of a new month and a new year of Inspired By Challenges!  Thank you to those of you who have been playing along, I always love seeing everyone's take on the inspiration.

Being December, I went with another holiday inspiration for you.

Such a clean & simple inspiration photo this week.  I can see using the grid, circles, wreaths, colors, a banner....

I went with the CAS and the wreath.  I used my PTI stamp A Wreath for All Seasons, some May Arts Jute twine and a pearl from Want2Scrap.  The main panel is on foam squares for dimension.  I am really trying to make more 'mailable' cards this year as most of mine tend to cost me a fortune to mail!


Since this is the first challenge of the month there will be a prize up for grabs.  This month some SEI goodies for you.



I am entering this into the 10 minute Craft Challenge (I think my card took about 5 minutes)

Can't wait to see what you do!

Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Inspired By #51 Winner

What wonderful projects for the Black, White and Red challenge!  The winner this week is:

(love the measuring tape and distressed feel)

Congratulations Teresa!

Now be sure to play along in the Santa Inspired Challenge as there is a prize up for grabs!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Inspired By... #52!

I can't believe I have had this challenge blog for one year already!  I have loved seeing what everyone has created with my Inspirations and it has also pushed me to step out of my own box at times too!  I am looking forward to the next year.


Now with Christmas coming up very quickly and my love for Santa... I had to have some sort of Santa Inspiration ;)  Love this cute little guy.

What will you do with this inspiration?  I see it as a great sketch, vintage, colors, Santa, Christmas, Text...

I pulled out the colors and went with a Christmas project.  I upcycled a couple of wooden garage sale plaques into an Activity Advent Calendar.  One December activity to be done per day as a lead up to Christmas.  I created one last year and my oldest daughter loved it so much I had to do another on. Inside the pockets are tags with an activity printed on them.  

I used my Lawn Fawn Fa-La-La collection as the colors and feel of these papers were perfect!  I have also used a lot of bits and pieces from the Be Merry products by Elle's Studio.  Finally I tied on some Peppermint Divine Twine.  







This is for the Lawnscaping Challenge


Now since it is the one year anniversary of Inspired By there will be a random prize draw for one lucky participant.  The winner will receive some Elle's Studio Be Merry goodies!!!



I can't wait to see what you create this week!

Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!








Saturday, November 24, 2012

Inspired By #50 Winner

Such cute projects last week for the Baking Inspired Challenge.  The winner is:

(love that paper pieced toaster)

Congratulations Rose!

Be sure to play along with the Red, White and Black challenge!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Inspired By... #51

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my US friends! 
I can't believe that this is my 51st challenge - it has almost been one year, wow!   

I know I say this every week but I really love this photo, something about it just speaks to me.


I could think of so many ways to take this photo: distressed, school (ie the rulers), background pattern of the floor, colors...what will you do?

I have another guest up this week.  Amy plays along in many of my challenges and I always love what she creates!  This week is no exception!!!  The pattern of the floor made her think of chicken wire and she went to work creating an organization station.  I love this Amy!  Be sure to stop by Amy's blog, Amy's Art from the Heart for lots of great inspiration.

Thank you so much for being my guest Amy!

As soon as I saw that Exit sign in the photo I knew that I wanted to use that as a jumping off point to create a Christmas themed block.  I have a box full of wooden blocks that I picked up at a garage sale for 50 cents!  I also used it as inspiration to create a few items to add to my Christmas home decor.  Now I really wanted to stage this photo with some of the cute Santas that I have collected over the years.  However, with our house in an upheaval - most of our dining room and living room is full of kitchen stuff due to the kitchen reno... I just did not feel like digging out anymore stuff.  You will have to imagine it ;)  The black tray was a thrift store silver tray that I spray painted with chalkboard paint - no chalk at home, otherwise I would have written something Christmasy on it.




This frame was also something I picked up at a garage sale for next to nothing.  It had one of those chipboard oil paintings in it and the frame was gold.  I painted the frame black, then white then sanded it slightly to mimic the distressing of the chair in the photo.  The photo is a printable I found on Pinterest, I just printed it up on Textured Cardstock to mimic the look of a painted canvas.


Now here is the block.  I sanded it down a bit then rubbed a candle over it in spots so it would be easy to distress.  I painted the front and back white and the edges black, then sanded them slightly.  I used my cricut to cut out the word, then used it as a stencil.  This was so easy and quick.



I had fun creating these quick and easy projects - and they were so inexpensive, yay!

I can't wait to see what you do!


Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!







Saturday, November 17, 2012

Inspired By #49 Winner

I love the different projects that were entered into the soup challenge.  The winner this week is:

(I love how she used the colors to create a baby card)

Congratulations Marlena!

Now don't forget to play along in the Baking Inspired Challenge.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Inspired By....#50

We are right in the middle of a big kitchen renovation so this inspiration piece really speaks to me ;)

How can you take this?  the icons? colors? kitchen feel? collage? grid? I can't wait to see.

I decided to go with the colors and the baking theme and started getting ready for my Christmas baking (that is if my kitchen is done) by creating a little treat box to give them in.  I used my Winter Tortellini & Spinach Collection by Jillibean Soup.  The template is by Perfect Presention, the stamps are from Papertrey Ink and I cut the tag with my Tags, Bags, Boxes and More 2, the rolling pin with the From My Kitchen and finally the Gingerbread Man with my Gingerbread - all of them cricut cartridges.  Finally it is all tied up with some Jute Twine.


I can't wait to see what you create.

Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!




Saturday, November 10, 2012

Inspired By #48 Winner

I really loved the creations for the Neutral Inspired challenge and the winner is:

(love, love, love the textured leaves and burlap)
DSCF0589

Congratulations LeAnne!  Contact me with your info and I will get the prize out to you.

Don't forget to play along in this week's Soup Inspired Challenge.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Inspired By... #49

When the weather cools off in the fall I always like to make some homemade soup for dinner, with some homemade bread.  Yum.  So that is where today's inspiration came from.


So where will you go with this one?  food, get well, circles, group of 3, colors... 


I went with the colors of the photo and had fun creating this week's project.  I used my Tricks and Treats papers (yes, Halloween ones) from Pebbles, I love when papers can be used for so many things and I have said it before... I love this collection!  I used my Cricut to cut out the purse (Suburbia) and the roses (Art Philosophy).  I tucked a bit of some CTMH black tulle in with the roses.  The sentiment is from Unity.  Oh and the friend tag is an upcycled Maya Road tag that was attached to an album.  Wouldn't this card make a great gift card holder.




I can't wait to see what you create!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Inspired By #47 Winner

Lovely takes on last week's inspiration picture!  The winner was:

( I just love that she used the colors for a Christmas card)


Congratulations to you Lauren!

Now don't forget to play along with the Textural Neutrals challenge, there is a prize up for grabs this week!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Inspired By...#48

Welcome to another inspiration challenge.   I love the warm and cozy feel of this photo.


How will you be inspired?  Neutral colors, texture, picnic, books, coffee...

I used my Country Boutique collection by Fancy Pants along with some May Arts Woven Burlap ribbon and the Warm Happiness Too stamp by Papertrey Ink.  This went together so quickly as I used the packaging of the paper pack - haven't even cut the paper yet.  I also scored the kraft for some more texture.  This is for the Papercraft Star challenge - warm beverage.


I am also playing along in the CAS-ual Fridays challenge - kraft

The sketch is from CAS(e) this Sketch.

Now because it is the first challenge of the month I have a prize up for grabs.


Can't wait to see what you create!
Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!






Sunday, October 28, 2012

Inspired By #46 Winner

Such wonderful creations for the Jewelry Inspired Challenge!  The winner is:

(such a beautiful butterfly)

DSCF0114-001

Congratulations LeAnne!

Now don't forget to play along in the Pink Inspired Challenge.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Inspired By... #47

Pink is my favorite color, especially a nice soft pastel pink.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month so I couldn't let October go by without some pink inspiration now could I?  


How will it inspire you? color, typewriter, letter, roses, vintage, sketch?  I can't wait to see.

I was inspired by a few things, obviously the pink but also the vintage, the letters and my sketch is somewhat based on the sketch or layout of the photo.  I used my Crate Paper Little Bo Peep collection and some May Arts Jute Twine.




I am also playing along with the 365 Cards Challenge - B - mine is: bow, bird, blossom)

I can't wait to see what you create!

Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!


Sunday, October 21, 2012

Inspired By #45 Winner

Such cute entries for the Inspired By #45 challenge! The winner is:

(love the milk carton idea and how she decorated it so cute)


Congratulations Cassandra!

Now don't forget to play along in the Jewelry Inspired Challenge.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Inspired By...#46

Welcome to a new week of Inspired By... and this week I have chosen this beautiful necklace and earring set, love the warm tones of this piece, great for this time of year.



How will you be inspired? colors, jewels, metal, banner, embossing...

I have a special guest with me again this week.  Jody has played along with many of my challenges so I am thrilled that she is joining me this week.  Be sure to stop by Jody's blog to say hi.  

I really love where this inspiration took her!
Thank you Jody for joining me this week. 

I went with the colors... I seem to always do that don't I ? ;) I pulled out my Random Crate Paper Collection.  I tied it off with some May Arts Jute twine.



I used this week's Sketchbook Saturday sketch:


I can't wait to see what you come up with.


Rules for Playing:

Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!