The Crazies Think Spring

 

 

Happy Saturday and welcome to the last challenge for February!  Peggy is the hostess for the Crazy4Challenges.  A big thank you to Vicki Dutcher for guesting with us this month!

Here is Peggy's challenge for this week.....
 

Spring is just around the corner, so let's see some Spring themed cards. For those of you "down under", feel free to do an Autumn themed card.

 

 

I created a Spring scene.  The tree and the flowers are from There She Goes Stamps.  The sentiment and the girl image are from My Favorite Things as part of their Pure Innocence stamps.  The cloud background is a 6x6 stamp from Impression Obsession.  I added some paper piercing as well.  The fishtail panel was not created with a die, but is like the ones from MFT.

 

Be aure to stop in at the Crazies Blog so you can start to get the feeling that spring is around the corner.....

Tree Inspiration for the Crazies

Francis is our Crazy4Challenges hostess for December.  Below is the inspiration for the challenge as well as the challenge she has given us.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches!

In beauty green will always grow

Through summer sun and winter snow.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches!

Use the lyrics above for the inspiration of your card for the challenge this week. Your card can include a Christmas tree, pine branches of a Christmas tree or even a tree in a summer or winter setting.

I have to be honest and say that I really should have made a holiday card as my stash is almost nonexistent, but I had this card already made in my 'extra' cards file.  So I took the easy way out and used this card.  It uses a Stampscape stamp.  I think the sentiment is by MFT, but not sure about that.

Be sure to stop in at the Crazies Blog to see the fabulous tree creations by the rest of the DT.

The CCEEers Get Reflective

Maryann continues as the CCEE Stampers Challenge hostess.  This is her challenge.

Hi ,
It's Maryann here with today's challenge. This week I have chosen to create something with reflections, with the suggestion that  it could be in a mirror or on water or a verse that looks into the past.

 I used a stamp by Stampscape and a rock formation that I think is also Stampscape.  The tree/rocks stamp already had some shading on it, but I added the tree reflections.  I did it by stamping on acetate and then 'stamping' it below the original stamped trees.  I colored with Copics and added piercing around the edges.  The sentiment is from MFT.

Be sure to stop by the CCEE Blog to see the reflective creations created by the rest of this talented and friendly team.

Let's Play Golf or Some Othe Sport with the CCEEers

 

 

Frances is our hostess for the CCEE Stampers Challenge in the month of August.  This is her challenge for the week....

 

 

Apparently this month is National Golf Month … so for our challenge this week let’s create a card which features some sort of sport. Bonus points if you create a Golf themed card. Oh and we might need to see the color green on your card too.

 

 

I have lots of golfers among my family and friends, so I was happy to use this virging MB die of golf cart and flags.  I also used a landscape die from MFT.  The sentiment is from MFT (T think), while the cloud stamp is from Impression Obsession.  The tree lines are from MB.

 

 

Please to be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to get your sporting spirit movitated.

The CCEEers Celebrate the 4th in Their Own Way

For the 4th of July I am hoping for BLUE SKIES and SUNSHINE......a day that simple will make me very happy.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to see the plans of the rest of the DT.  Sorry about the short post.

This CRAZY is Back to Play

 

I am happy to say that I have a card to share for this week's Crazy4Challenges post.  I have been MIA for a few weeks due to sciatica.  It has been a painful journey, but it will hopefully come to an end in two weeks when I have an injection in my back.  However,  I have been trying to hobble down to the stamp cave so I can 'play' and rejoin my challenge teams.  Thanks for your patience.

This week, our hostess is Lynn....and here is her challenge......

Since today is World Penguin Day and tomorrow is National Go Birding Day, let's create a card or project using some type of bird.

If you would like to play along with us this week, upload your card/project to your blog or online gallery using the keyword C4C283.  Then pop over to the Crazies Blog and link it on Inlinkz so we can see it too! :)

 On my card I used no stamps.  I used die cuts from Memory Box, Spellbinders, and MFT.  In the background of the circle panel I also used a cloud embossing folder, but can't remember from which company.

Thanks for looking.

 

 

CCEE Stampers -- Influenced by Books

Frances is our April hostess for the CCEE Stampers challenge.  This is her challenge.....

Today is National Librarian Day, so for our challenge this week use a book as your inspiration …. Children's or Adults.

I have been a voracious reader since childhood.  I have read many genres of books.  Currently I am enjoying mystery/thriller/detective type of books.  One I read a bit ago was Storm Front by John Sanford.  I used that as the inspiration for this sympathy card.

I used an Impression Obsession 6x6 block stamp for the clouds, a Hero Arts sentiment stamp, and a tree die.

Be sure to stop at the CCEE Blog to check out the reading habits AND talents of the rest of this fabulous team.

Moonstruck with the CCEE Stampers

Sabrina is our hostess for February for the CCEE Stampers Challenge.  Here is her challenge....

Interestingly, because February is a short month, there can actually be years in which there is no full moon at all. The last time this happened was 1999, the next time will be 2018. So while this isn’t one of those years - feature the moon on your cards.

 I have, unfortunately, needed a lot of sympathy cards recently, so I headed in that direction.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Stampers Blog to see the moonstruck creations of the rest of the team.

Crazies Go Masculine

\This is Peggy's last week as our January hostess.  This week she asked the Crazy4Challenges DT to make a masculine birthday card for our stash.  I am always in need of masculine cards, so I gladly accepted the challenge.

We have been inundated with snow this week, so I decided to think tropical with this image stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms.  The sentiment stamp is from My Favorite Things.  I used an Impression Obsession die to creat the white frame and a SU punch for the sentiment circle and the circles behind the brads.

Be sure to go to the Crazies Blog to be inspired by the masculine creations by this talented team.

Silhouettes on the Shade

Vicky is the hostess for the CCEE Stampers in January.  This week she asked us to create cards using silhouette stamps AND to be sure to use a sentiment on the front.

Well.....I LOVE silhouettes, so the hardest thing was to decide which one I would use this week.  I went with this 'wild' one from (I think) I Brake for Stamps.  This should have been an easy card, but my embossing powder gave me a hard time.  What you can't see here is that the background on the image is sponged.  Well, I sponged with distress inks and apparently they 'attract' embossing powder.  I did this image three times....the first time the entire image was covered in embossing powder.......the second, I heated the sponged background before doing the embossing.......still stuck to the whole area........and the third time I 'dried' it with the heat gun twice, let it rest, and then embossed my image.  I ended up having to take a paint brush and get rid of most of the powder from the wrong places HOWEVER, as you can see, it is still a bit messy.......am going to have to figure this problem out......Have never had this problem before, but I may never have used the distress inks for sponging before.  Anyhooooooo....this was the best I could do.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to see the fabulous silhouetted creations by the rest of this fabulous team.

CCEE Sympathy Creations

This week  is the 20th anniversary of Vicky's mom's passing.  In her honor she asked the CCEEers to make sympathy cards this week.

I went a bit abstrace tis week, using a 'branchy' stencil on tan cardstock.  I sponged with a deeper brown ink so the 'brances' would show in different degrees.  I did this as I really wanted to make a masculine sympathy card.  After doing the sponging, I overstamped the whole panel with a linen background stamp, but I don't think that really shows here in the pic.  (At least MY sick peepers don't see it in the picture.)

The sentiment is from a Hero Arts sentiment set.

Thanks for looking, and be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to see the wonderful sympathy cards created by the rest of the team.

The CCEEers Play with Herringbone

This week the CCEE Stampers have a technique challenge.  We were to use the herringbone technique to create our background.  There is a fabulous tutorial for this on Splitcoast.  Once you cut your strips, it is very easy.

I did mine with what I consider to be more masculine colors.  I always have lots of feminine cards, but am lacking with the masculine category.  I did not put a sentiment as this card could be for many occasions.  When I use it I will add an appropriate sentiment.

Now......try to take the time to go to the CCEE Blog to see the fabulous cards the DT created with this technique.  They will inspire you!!!!

Blue Skies Ahead for the CCEE Stampers

As the March hostess for the CCEE Stampers, my challenge comes from the season.  Spring has sprung here in the U.S.  Frances, in Australia is facing Autumn.  One thing these two seasons share are bright blue skies and lots of color in nature.  So I asked the team to make a card/project with a spring or autumn scene including blue skies.

I used two dies from Memory Box for the bike and the tree.  I then fancy cut the PI sweetie and used a sentiment from the same PI set from MFT.  My sky was created using a mylar cloud template.

Be sure to stop in the gaze at the beautiful blue skies at the CCEE Stampers Blog.

Sketch Time with the Crazies

Since this is the third challenge of the month for the Crazy4Challenges DT, Kristine has given us a fabulous sketch to use.  I was unable to 'grab' the sketch this week,, but when you visit the Crazies Blog you will be able to see it.







I used this fabulous tree image from Penny Black.  The sentiment is from Stampin Up.  I added paper piercing to the white base areas, and used brads as my 'element' in the upper left corner of the image.





Be sure to visit the Crazies Blog to see the fabulous ways in which the team members used this sketch.  It is always inspiring to see the various forms it can take.

CCEE Challenge -- CCEE1403

Sabrina, the CCEE Stampers hostess for January, has given us a poem to use as our inspiration.

Her challenge is to make a card inspired by any of the images in the poem - mossy window sills, a flight of birds, the moon, trees, maple leaf, grasses in the wind...any other picture you take from the poem.

Ars Poetica by Archibald MacLeish 

A poem should be palpable and mute

As a globed fruit,

Dumb

As old medallions to the thumb,

Silent as the sleeve-worn stone

Of casement ledges where the moss has grown—

A poem should be wordless

As the flight of birds.

*

A poem should be motionless in time

As the moon climbs,

Leaving, as the moon releases

Twig by twig the night-entangled trees,

Leaving, as the moon behind the winter leaves,

Memory by memory the mind—

A poem should be motionless in time

As the moon climbs.

*

A poem should be equal to:

Not true.

For all the history of grief

An empty doorway and a maple leaf.

For love

The leaning grasses and two lights above the sea—

A poem should not mean

But be.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Stampers Blog to see the various ways in which the DT members were inspired by this poem.  We would love for you to play along with us.  The team blog will have details on how you can share your creations with us.

An Inspired CCEE Challenge

Frances is the December hostess for the CCEE Stampers Challenge, and she is back this week with an inspired challenge.....

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
In beauty green will always grow
Through summer sun and winter snow.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!

Use the lyrics above for the inspiration of your card for the challenge this week. Your card can include a Christmas tree, pine branches of a Christmas tree or even a tree in a summer or winter setting.

I used a set from Mark's Finest Papers to create this CAS holiday card.  I added a touch of dazzle and a snowy texture to the tree panel.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Stampers' Blog to see the other fabulous creations inspired by this challenge.

This week's challenge will be our last challenge for 2013 as we all want to take a little time to concentrate on family and friends during the holidays. Of course we will be back on 2nd January to start another year for fun challenges.   Hope to see you here too!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support of our challenges every week!  We love that you play along with us.

The Crazies 'Play with' NOEL.....

Wow! Can you believe it is December already!  Only 17 days to Christmas Day!!!!!!

Frances, our Crazy4Challenges hostess, has a fun challenge for us (and you)!!

 

For our challenge this week you will need to incorporated something starting from each of the letters in the word 'NOEL' 

Here are a few suggestions to help you, but of course you are not limited to these ... Use your imagination! 

N = Nativity, navy, natural

 O = olive, orange, octagon, oval, ornaments

E = embossing, emerald green, eyelets 

L = lace, lines, liquid appliqué

For my card, NOEL is.....
N=natural ivory cardstock   O=oval   E=embossing   L-layers

If you decide to play along with us, all you have to do is create a card/project and upload it to your blog and/or to your SCS Gallery using the keyword C4C215.

Keeping the CCEE Stampers in Stitches

Cindy is back today with another fun challenge for you to play along with.  This week we are creating a card/project that includes stitching of some sort.  I know the CCEE Stampers are up to this challenge.

I used an image from a Mark's Finest Papers set.  My stiiching is faux stitching.  I pierced the two layers with 'stitching' and used a fine line pen to 'connect' the pierced circles for 'stitching'.

Be sure to check out the fabulous stitching, real or faux, at the CCEE Stampers Blog.

The Favs of the Crazies

This is Silke's last week as our October Crazy4Challenges hostess.  This is also her birthday month.  Our challenge this week was to use our very favorite stamp/stamp set.  Now I must say that I could not possibly choose ONE as my very favorite so I went to another criteria.....a favorite stamp that I use in a variety of ways.   That brought me to this Stampscape tree stamp.  It is my favorite to use for scenic stamping.....it goes with other Stampscape stamps, looks fabulous in the window stamps, can be used in a masculine or feminine way, and can be used for Christmas cards as well.  This time, since it was Silke's birthday I thought I would use it for a feminine birthday card.  It is mostly white on white, with the Copic colored image, some Primas, die cut leaves and ferns, and a stamped sentiment from SU. I paper pierced the base layer and added sponged clouds to the tree image.

Can't wait to see the fav stamps/sets of the rest of the Crazies DT at the Crazies Blog.

YOU might also want to be sure to go to Silke's Blog as she is offering a prize for this challenge.  She will have all the details on this prize/contest.  Good Luck!!!

Football with the CCEE Stampers

Well.....I have to say that Anne gave me a hard challenge this week for the CCEE Stampers Challenge.  It apparently is Brett Favre's birthday, so we were to make a card related to football.  Now I know to many this is the big sports season of the year.  However, since I am not really a football fan, it is when football comes in and wipes out my TV of anything I want to watch......not making me a happy camper. 

I was lucky to have this Totally Stampalicious set I could use from my DT work as I would probably never go out and buy any stamp related to football....lol!!!  I did think the striped paper gave the idea of a football field, and filled it out a bit with the MVP border.  However, once again, I had the whole card made when I did the 'kick' sentiment and bumped something and made it crooked.......can't tell you how many times that happens to me when I am stamping a sentiment right on the base.  However, I decided to live with it as I would probably never use this card anyway.

Anyhoooooooo...now that I got all that off my shoulders, be sure to visit the CCEE Stampers Blog where you will see a variety of creative takes related to football.