First Day of Summer

Happy First Day of Summer, friends! My favorite season, though I can do without droughts or 90 degree days :)

I have this cutie and super fast card to share. This one uses a Doodlebug panel, some Stickles and Lawn Fawn rainbow paper. I popped up the panel and it's all ready to go!

And butterflies mean summer to me, so here's a Stamplorations butterfly die card, with glitter paper behind it.

These are  both super easy cards and glittery, which I'm all about.

Here's a fresh peach cobbler recipe which I love! Fresh peaches, corn on the cob, berries with whipped cream, bbq chicken on the grill...summer is a fab time for food!

Happy Friday and Happy Summer!

Chark

Easy Peasy Cards

One thing you can count on, there's always a birthday to celebrate, so you'll always need a birthday card. And if you're me, you can also count on putting it off until the last minute. So, in order to keep that from happening, I made a couple super quick, super cute cards with Doodlebug Designs. I love their cute line and their So Punny papers, die cuts and stickers are just the best. I have some of their Valentine paper from last year and some newer birthday pun papers.

So I just put together some super fast, easy and simple cards to put in the stash for birthdays I know are coming but procrastinate on making. This one uses a sheet of 12x12 cut-apart paper and uses the candles for the focal point, but the paper is just some I had in my stash that is not from Doodlebug.

This one uses the die cuts and word bubble from the Valentine set. I used washi tape on the bottom and a wood grain vellum for the "countertop" and a scrap of paper to mimic a kitchen wall. I can add a Happy Birthday or Congrats or Hello sentiment inside.

Hope you have a fab weekend! March came in like a lamb here, so I'm guessing it's going out like a lion!

Happy Friday!

Chark

Too Cute to Spook

I've got a cute Doodlebug Designs Halloween card to share and I'm doubting you'll be scared...I love all things Doodlebug because of their adorableness. I bought some paper and this one has the whole little scene on it, I trimmed it, added Happy and the face in the O and the doodles on the moon. The stars have the glow-in-the-dark Nuvo drops, as does the nose. I added some more patterned paper from Doodlebug, cut on an angle and ta-da! Quick card!

Here's the paper, and as an added bonus, it has the cutest pumpkins on the reverse side. Do you ever buy two of a paper so you can have both sides? I often do! I just love the little Frankenstein monster and the strip that says, May I be Frank?

Happy Monday!

Chark

Taco Bout Awesome

I picked up a few new Doodlebug Design papers at the lss because they are adorable and funny and so easy to use for cards. Here are the papers I got and that you can get at Scrapbook.com if you like them. I've ordered from them before and they're pretty fast.

Here's the first card I made with the papers. It was fast and all I did was add some foam tape to pop up the taco panel and add enamel dots.

And that little Lego shark head in the picture? It's so you know this belongs to Chark. I figured this might be a cute way to let you know it's one of mine and thanks to my son for the loan of the shark head (from the Harry Potter Lego set from Goblet of Fire).

Happy Wednesday!
Chark

Doodlebug Coffee Cuties

I love Doodlebug Designs...they have such a cute style and I snap up bits of collections whenever I can. When I saw that they sell cut files at Lori Whitlock's shop, I had to look even though I don't have a machine that does that. Turns out you can just print out cut files and then fussy cut your own...so I did!

These images are already colored, but I added some colored pencil accents to the edges to make them a little more my own. I layered them with Doodlebug paper (6x6 Punny pad) and a Paper Smooches die sentiment in silver paper. 

Squee! So cute! I'm entering this in the Spring/Summer Coffee Hop. You can join in this week too and try to win prizes and see tons of great tea/coffee/cocoa projects.

Happy Monday!

Chark

Hugs N Kisses

Love the Doodlebug Design Cream and Sugar collection, as evidenced by my posts here and here, and this time, I used the 6x6 paper pad to trim the rectangle sentiment out for the focal point of my card. Behind it is a white notecard that I inked yellow, Bo Bunny dot paper, and more paper from the Cream and Sugar collection. 

Plus I repurposed a party hat (it's the yellow paper with glitter polka dots) that my daughter brought me for my birthday...did I mention she's an adult? Some kids are just like that. They want to bring the party to their mom and make her wear a pointy hat, lol.

The enamel dots are matte and not shiny and I love them...they look like candy dots. They're Doodlebug Design too. At the top is Recollections glitter washi tape in aqua to cover all my layers of paper. This one was fast (except drying time for the yellow ink) and I think perfect for a kid's birthday. Although my kids are old, my nephews are having kids (I'm a Great Aunt!) so this will still be useful to me. But I bet if I sent it to my daughter, she'd enjoy it too. She's a big kid and elementary school librarian, so she's always up for cute stuff, like her mom!

Happy Friday!
Chark

p.s. The a2z Scrapbooking EBAY store is having a huge clearance right now...here's the link. And with savings up to 40% off lots of items including Scor Pal, Hero Arts inks, stamps, dies, embellies and buttons, you're bound to find something you'll need for your stash! 

It's Doodlebug Coffee Time

I love Doodlebug Designs because they have the cutest lines. I had to get some of the Cream & Sugar line for the Coffee Hops. 

Today I used the adorable Coffee Cup Doodle-Pop sticker and some of the donut stickers. I used the Hero Arts 3-D Shopping Bag die and some of the 6x6 Doodlebug paper. The sentiment strip is from the paper pack too. Can I interest you in a bag of donuts?

I love those coffee bean stickers especially. They are sooo cute! Hope you'll join in the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop too, tons of prizes are up for grabs and making coffee, tea and cocoa cards is as addictive as caffeine! 

Giveaway: Leave a comment on any or all of my Coffee Hop posts this week here on my blog (you can leave one comment per post for more chances to win) and you'll be entered to win either two Hero Arts stencils (for overseas friends) or this Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Rectangle die set (for U.S. buds). Commenting closes July 1 at 11:59 pm EST.

Happy Monday! 

Chark

Last Minute Entry

Here's my last Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Entry. Doodlebug Designs mug stickers and the have joy is a journaling card. The words Have Joy are actually gold foil, but you can't tell here. The background piece is made from Distress Oxide Inks...they are so fun! I have a million pieces of paper that will end up as backgrounds or die cuts. I couldn't stop experimenting with them!

Big thanks to everyone who comments on my blog, thanks for stopping by. And big thanks and a "latte" love to Amy and her crew for this fun hop...it has got to be the biggest project!!

Happy Friday!
Chark

Doodlebug Coffee Cuties

Hi, crafty friends, I'm joining in the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop using my brand-new Doodlebug Design papers and stickers. I love Doodlebug products cuz they're stinkin' cute, and now they have tea and coffee designs, so of course I got some for the spring hop!

The hello die is Paper Smooches and everything else is Doodlebug Design that I got from Butterfly Reflections (great company and product variety). Look at this paper up-close, and those matte Spring dots are so yummy looking!

P. S. Hop over to the a2z Scrapbooking Blog and comment each day during March for a chance to win $25 to the store! And since I'm on the DT, I'm allowed to offer my readers a 15% discount on carts of $25 or more--use CHARK15 when you check out!

Happy Friday!

Chark

A Doodlebug Christmas

I love Doodlebug Designs so much, their products are really the cutest ones out there imo. And I tend to gravitate toward the cute, even if I do like trying to branch out. Today I'm sharing three Christmas cards (even though today is actually Halloween) with Doodlebug papers and die cuts (from their paper collection). 

I'm joining with the Caring Hearts Card Drive, which collects holiday cards for seniors in nursing homes. My mom has spent some time in a nursing home rehabbing after falls and I gotta say, it almost doesn't matter where it is, or which you choose, there's always something a little sad about the places. Mostly because you know someone there doesn't want to be there, someone has been forgotten or someone is just missing their family and home.

So this card drive is especially important during the holiday season, when loneliness can hit anyone without family. If you want to join in, the details are here.  You have until November 27th to enter the card drive and you can even win prizes.

Happy Monday! And Happy Halloween! 
Chark

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

I can't seem to stop  making coffee cards for the CL Blog Hop. What is that all about? And I'm a tea drinker! But I do send a lot of Starbucks gift cards to the college students in my life, so I will use these. Still, my son said today, "you don't drink coffee," when he saw my new card. Yeah, I know, son.

I think this guy is super cute. He's from the Valentine Doodlebug collection this year and he looks like he's had a little caffeine, so I drew him a little cup and used the Hero Arts digi Caffeine Fix coffee beans to make a background and then a big bean that I printed "Bean Me" on.

I added some thin gold stickers for a border and adhered my layers. He's definitely ready to give someone a coffee gift card!

Don't forget to comment on this post or any post on my blog this week (or you can comment on my coffee cards on my flickr account if you hate blogger's captcha problems) to be entered in my giveaway of 5 free digi stamps from 2 Cute Ink. Here's a couple of images you could choose from if you're the winner!

Happy Wednesday!

Chark

Doodlebug Bunnies

I love Doodlebug Design for its cuteness—they consistently do cute very well. I know it's not up everyone's alley, but I think I buy something from each new line they come out with. From the Easter Parade line, I got two sheets of paper and stickers. For this project, I used the stickers only.
 

I used a little 4x6 canvas board I had, rubbed some Distress inks (Picked Raspberry, Lemonade and Peacock Blue) on it directly and then moved the ink with my finger. Then I added some of the cutest washi tape ever from Artsyville and the Doodlebug stickers, including the fence, and then added sequins. It came together really fast and made me happy.

Here it is in close-up and extreme close-up...or as Wayne from Wayne's World would say, unnecessary zoom.

 

The flower sequins are Teresa Collins.

Hope you have a great Monday, it's all sunny here in Ohio, so I'm going to enjoy that!

Chark

Friday the 13th!

Eeeekk! It's Friday the 13th, which means bad luck and scary stuff. Except when it doesn't. Today was a fine day (not scary at all)! I got to visit my mom and take my bunch of cards to the nursing home so the residents will have Valentines. 

My mom is at home now, but spent a bunch of weeks in the nursing facility after a fall and it was one of those bummer places. It's good that they exist, just they aren't the most uplifting places. The people there were kinda great, though, since they got my mom back on her feet. So, I took the staff some candy and a thank you card.

 

They said they needed 96 cards when I was expecting them to say 80, so I made 50 cards last night! This is what 96 cards looks like in a box. 

My hubby and son helped me write notes in the cards and it was so helpful! I made a lot of Hello cards, because I wanted to get them all finished for Valentine's Day, but I wasn't sure I'd pull it off. This one uses Doodlebug stickers and papers and I love them!

 

This one uses watercolors and a hello die and a flower sticker by Maggie Holmes. The stamp is Hero Arts and it's my newest stamp...I'm loving it. The lines are so elegant, don't you think? If you want one of your own, you can head over to a2z Scrapbooking Supplies to order Hero Arts/Basic Grey Waves Stamp.   p.s. I have it on good authority that the new Spring Collection from Hero Arts is in at a2z...I'm going to get one of the new Stamp and Cut sets...and some other cool stuff!

Hope your Friday the 13th was good and that Valentine's Day is fantastic!
Chark

Saturday Smooches

I love Paper Smooches stamps and Paper Smooches SPARKS, their challenge blog. So much inspiration and talented folks over there. Their challenge this week is a sketch.

Here's what I did with the sketch.

I love these little snowmen stamps (Freezy Fellas) and you can get your own at the Paper Smooches store, if you love em too! I stamped and colored him with colored pencils, then fussy cut the little guy. I used Doodlebug Designs papers, love the vibrant colors of the Frosty Friends collection, and some sequins. The sentiment is in Kim's (from Paper Smooches) great handwriting, like a lot of their stamps. Adorable!

If you want to join in, you only have a few hours left, but there's a new challenge posted on Sunday, so join in tomorrow if you can! You do have to use Paper Smooch products, but they have the cutest free digi stamps that you can print and color if you don't yet own any acrylic stamps. Seriously, check em out and join me! 

Happy Saturday,
Chark

Wait A Minute, Mr. Postman

Love this song by the Marvelettes—I'm a sucker for any Motown really—and it's the thing that popped into my head as I got this post ready. I made a Christmas card mailbox with Doodlebug Designs products. Love how cute their products are. I got the idea from their blog last year and pinned it for this year.

1. I started with a papier mache mailbox from the craft store, and then covered the main part with the gingerbread boy paper. It doesn't cover all the way, so I flipped the paper over to the green side and used a scallop punch for the bottom section on either side.

2. I used some white grosgrain ribbon for the edges and glued it into place. I added some glittery stickers for a little elf scene.

 

3. I used green cardstock for the end piece and added another sticker scene. 

4. I used red cardstock for the front of the mailbox and added more cute stickers. Mrs. Claus has a gingerbread cookie for Rudolph.

5. For the inside of the lid, I added the same red cardstock and some patterned paper from the same Doodlebug line. I fussy cut out the gingerbread boy and gave him a friend and a house.

6. I replaced the plain metal brad with a fancier one, covered the flag in washi tape and added my last sticker. Here's the mailbox with cards. 

It was a fun project that took about an hour, since I wasn't sure what I was doing! The flag took the longest because I was going to cover it in paper and then paint it and finally decided on washi. I used glue stick for the large paper bits because I thought it would be more economical to cover the whole thing than if I used tape runner.

Here's my inspiration over at Pinterest, if you're interested.

Happy Monday!
Chark

Products I used  
Santa Express 12x12 Paper
Santa 's Workshop stickers 
EK Success Edge Punch