Journal Challenge part 2

 Hello, again.  This entry will have the remaining six pages of the week long art journal challenge led by Marjie Kemper.  It was a fun experience.  I learned some new techniques; I found materials in my stash I'd forgotten I had; a few times I had to improvise which was a great boost to my creativity (and fun, too).  I'm sorry it's over but I have these great completed pages to inspire me.

As you can see there was a variety of approaches used for each of the 5 x 7 pages.  I hope you enjoy.

Have a great day!

Rae Ann

#artjournalchallenge

I'm in a great journal challenge!

 Hi!

I'm glad to be back,  I had hoped to post more often.  I want to share about the fun challenge I'm in.

Marjie Kemper has created a Facebook group for a 5 day journal challenge.  Each day has a 1 hr. video and members can create with Marjie in real time or do the work later.  Over 1000 people from all over the world have joined.  Marjie is a great instructor and emphasizes flexibility and using personal style in each project.

Here are the pages I've created as of day 3.

I've never been in a challenge like this before and I am greatly enjoying it.

Stay well.  Stay hopeful.

Best Wishes,

Rae Ann

#artjournalchallenge

Appreciating Nurses

About a month ago a neighbor asked me to make a card for a family member who was a nurse.  She wanted it for Nurses' Day.  I had fun designing a card that used Cricut's  Everyday Paper Dolls, (and the mask came from Teddy Bear Parade at 1/2" smaller size than the dolls).  The stethoscope and med bag came from the doctor page.

After that I decided to make a thank-you card for the staff at my infusion center.

During these difficult times these modern day heroes deserve all the thanks we can give.
Have a great day! Stay safe!  Follow recommendations so this pandemic can be brought to an end.
Rae Ann

Journal Page Quilt Style

Hello.  Today I'm sharing a spread I finished yesterday.  The background has been done for a while.  Now, I find the perfect quote to finish it.

Have a great day.
Stay safe.
Rae Ann

Some Birthday Box Cards

Wow!  It's been a long time again.  I haven't done any posting (obviously) but I have been busy making use of the time I have during this "stay-cation.".  I promised myself that I will do 2 posts each week, one for cards and one with my art journaling.
Here's my first set:

A friend asked me to make a number of cards that she could give her sister as a gift.  I had fun coming up with different ideas.
All of the cards are a mix of stamps, die cuts, and Cricut cuts.
I hope you like them; I'll be back with more soon.

Have a great day! Stay safe.  Please wear masks and maintain distance until this pandemic is under control.
Rae Ann

Card play continued

Here are a few more cards that I've made in the last few weeks.  It's been good to get back to creative fun.

Thanks for stopping by.

Rae Ann

I'm Baaaack!

Wow, it's been a year.  The chemo's done; I on a pill.  In many ways I'm feeling better and one of them is wanting to be creative again.

There was an Heirloom Productions Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Show recently.  I went and really got a boost.  I never used die cuts before and rarely used my embossing folders so that's what I've been playing with.  I don't have a lot of space so making cards has been ideal.  I'll get to bigger (and messier) projects as I get better and better.  Here are some of the cards I made recently: (8 pictures)

I have some others I need to photograph so you'll see more of me soon.

Have a great day!

Rae Ann

Something New

Hello!
I haven't given up on cardmaking but I want to share the fun I'm having while trying mixed media.

When I was surfing pinterest I came across videos by Dina Wakley on drawing and painting faces.  I tried her tips and have been quite pleased with the results (since I couldn't do faces at all).  This led me to art journaling and mixed media videos.  I've always admired the way they look but didn't know how to find the freedom to create them.  Dina and Maremi's SmallArt have been inspirational and now I'VE CREATED MY FIRST MIXED MEDIA ART JOURNAL PAGE!  Hurray!
Here it is.

I painted, I stenciled, I highlighted, I drew, I stamped, I stickered---I had a ball!

The stickers say: and so the adventure begins, remember to play, and creativity takes courage.

I'm quite happy with it.  I had fun doing it, and I know I'll be experimenting and doing more.

Thanks for letting me share.  I hope to connect with you again soon.
Have a great day.
Rae Ann

Wedding/Anniversary Challenge

Bitten by the Bug 2 has a Wedding /Anniversary Challenge.  Recently I was asked to make an anniversary card for a neighbor's daughter.

I used the cricut Sweethearts cartridge for all the cuts.  The background is from a paper pad called Watercolor by Reflections, a Michael's brand.  Since it seemed to still need something I used a gold gel pen to do scribbles and dots around the card, then added some bling to finish it up.

Don't forget to visit Bitten by the Bug 2 to see designer's samples and other entries.

Wherever you are, have a great day.  I hope you are not in the midst of the rain and snow all over the country this weekend.

Stay safe.

Rae Ann

Home Sweet Home for Shopping Our Stash

Here I am again with another challenge.  It's so nice to have time to do this again.
Here is my entry for the Home Sweet Home challenge.

I 've always liked the look of window cards and wanted to try one.  My cricut Spring Cottage cartridge had the window element.  I found the shrubs and window box in the Freshly Picked cartridge.  

I hadn't been making much use of my embossing folders so I pulled out the worn brick wall and thought the dotted Swiss pattern would make good curtains.  This was a great card for using scraps.

I hope you like it; I think it implies a cozy home.

Please go to Shopping Our Stash to see the designer's ideas and other entries.

Have a great day!

Rae Ann 

Sympathy-Challenge at Fantabulous Cricut

Hello, again.

The current challenge at Fantabulous Cricut is "Sympathy".

The card I made used the Cricut New Testament cartridge for the cross and the scalloped oval from the cricut cartridge Straight from the Nest. .
This is so easy to put together and looks so elegant with the right papers.  I used silver stickles to outline the inner oval.  The sentiment was part of a collection of phrases but I can't find the package.

Don't forget to visit Fantabulous Cricut to see the designers' examples and the other entries in this challenge.
Have a great day!
Rae Ann

Licensed Character Challenge at BBTB2

Hi!

For this challenge I have a card that I made for a big Disney fan.

The cartridge used was Cricut's Mickey and Friends.

Be sure to stop by Bitten by the Bug 2 to see the examples and entries.

Thanks.

Rae Ann

Christmas

It's been such a long time since I've been able to blog.  Now that all the Christmas stuff is ready I have a minute to show some cards.

I love making box cards.  This one is made from bits from different cartridges and a stamp.  The girl is from a Quilted Christmas, the tree from (I think) Create a Critter, and the gifts from two different places that I don't remember. The cat is from an Ai cat set.

I think this card is a perfect summary of Christmas so I am entering it in the Fantabulous Cricut challenge, Christmas.  Please visit the other entries.

Have a wonderful Christmas, everyone, and a very Happy New Year!

Rae Ann

A Sweet Thank You

Back again.

This card is being entered in the Paper Play Sketches Challenge.

The strawberry was cut at 2 1/2 inches from the Cricut Preserves cartridge; the word "sweet" came from the Summer Celebrations cartridge (1").

Here's the sketch:

 
This is another of their sketch ideas that I really like.

Don't forget to visit the Paper Play Sketches blog to see all the inspiration there.

Thanks for visiting.
Happy Creating!
Rae Ann

Summer Fun

Hello!

I have a card, today, that will be entered in 3 challenges.

This surfer dude was cut from Cricut's Fun in the Sun Cartridge.  I think I cut it at 3 1/4".

I am entering in the following challenges:
Bitten by the Bug 2 - Summer Fun
Shopping our Stash - Dude
Die Cuttin Divas - Sketch
     The cut itself was perfect for the sketch.


As always, go to these blogs to appreciate the efforts of design team and challenge participants.  Take time to leave comments, too.  They are always appreciated.
Have a great day.
Happy Creating!
Rae Ann

Christmas in July

Good day, everyone.

Today I have a card for 3 challenges.  For some reason I was thinking of a gingerbread house and decided to go for it.

Although I have the gingerbread lite cartridge I decided to use the Cricut Create a Critter 2 gingerbread house instead.  Both the house and gingerbread man were cut at 2 1/4".  I used clear glitter glue to add sparkle to the bowtie and to add 'sugar' to the gumdrops.

The 'happy holidays' stamp and the 'season's greetings' were from a bunch of little stamps my sister gave me when she retired from teaching.  I'm glad I looked through my stash.

The three challenges are:
Paper Play Sketches - Color challenge Yellow, Chocolate, and a deep green;
Die Cuttin' Divas - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash - You're So Sweet

As always, make sure you visit these blogs to see the design team's efforts as well as the work of those entering the challenges.  It's a great way to get inspiration.
Have a great day.
Happy Creating!
Rae Ann

Inspired by a song - Tonight

Welcome.
I found an intriguing challenge; design a project based on a song.  At the same time, another challenge proposed a sketch that I knew would work with my idea.  Here's the result.

The song I selected was "Tonight" from West Side Story.  Here's the sketch:


I imagined the skyline (from Cricut's Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge) as a good substitute for the grass.  I like the idea of the moon with a halo.
At first I tried alcohol inks on the black paper but, of course, they didn't work.  It did put in some blotches that textured the sky.  The stars are the silver metallic medium for the alcohol inks.  I used the end of a toothpick to dab the dots on.  I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

I'm entering this in the Paper Play Sketches challenge and the Cardz 4 Galz challenge.  Please, visit both these blogs to see the inspirations they contain.

Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Another Birthday Card

Hi!
This is definitely a time for birthdays.  I've had a number of requests for cards.  This one is supposed to be in honor of the many times friends sip wine together.

Inside it says "You know, in wine years you would be vintage (but a very fine one).

I'm entering this in Bitten by the Bug 2, Birthday, and Cardz TV, Anything goes.
I used the Cricut cartridges, Simply Charmed and Create a Critter for the cuts.

Don't forget to visit these blogs and thanks for stopping by.
Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Happy Birthday to You

Hello, again.
I have a card that I'll be entering in two challenges.

I used the 'Happy Birthday' cut from Cricut's Paper Lace 2 cartridge, cut at 3 1/4", and the flower spray from Cricut's Cindy Loo cartridge, cut at 1 1/4".

I'm entering this in the Bitten by the Bug 2 challenge, Birthday, and the Shopping Our Stash challenge, anything Musical.

Please, visit both these blogs to see the inspiration from the design team as well as those who enter the challenge.

Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

More Birthday Cards for BBTB2

Hello, again.
At a recent Papercraft Show in this area I found the clock/watches embossing folder I've been looking for.  I thought it would be a great background for birthday (and other) cards.
I decided to use the Cricut Create a Friend characters.
I like to make more than one birthday card at a time, too, so I came up with these.

I think I found the balloons and gift cuts in the same cartridge.

I'm entering these in the Bitten by the Bug 2 Birthday challenge, also.
Make sure you visit the blog.  Get inspired by the designers and entrants.
Thanks for looking
Happy Creating
Rae Ann