Card Monday-Giraffe You’re Amazing

This year I have been participating in the 100 Papers Challenge at A Cherry on Top, and today I am sharing the final two cards for February.

Here are the cards:

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Sizzix; Dies: Stitched Rectangle (Lawn Fawn), Scallop Rectangle (Elle’s Studio), Giraffe (MFT), Leaves (Hello Bluebird), Stamps: MFT; Ink: Tim Holtz Gathered Twigs Distress; Other: Misc. Card Stock

So now for the totals.

In February, I made nine giraffe cards for the challenge.

I used:
10 4×6 full papers
2 12×12 scrap papers
1 8 1/2×11 cardstock scrap
13 12×12 cardstock scraps

So far this year, I have made 14 cards, two mini cards, and six PL cards.

I have completely used up:
10 4×6 full papers
2 6×6 full papers
2 8×8 full papers
4 12×12 scrap papers
1 8 1/2×11 cardstock scrap
13 12×12 cardstock scraps

I really enjoyed the challenge of using limited supplies and trying to use every little bit up, and I have already finished my next set of cards with a new set of limited supplies which I will begin posting this Friday.

I will be keeping a running total of what I use and will post an update at the end of each set of projects as I make them.

It’s definitely a lot harder to use up every little bit, but I am having fun with it, and am happy to be using some things up!

I hope you enjoyed all of the projects I made with these supplies, and maybe this will encourage you to dig out those scraps and use them up!

Ally’s Angels February 2024 Challenge

It’s time for another challenge at Ally’s Angels!

Our theme for February is as always-Anything Goes.

Today I am sharing some fun Valentine’s Day cards I made for my kids:

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Studio Calico (teal), WRMK (green dot), Sizzix (cream, blue check); Dies: Giraffe (MFT), Heart (Elle’s Studio); Stamp: MFT; Heart Stickers (puffy, kraft, and vellum): Studio Calico; Other: Vellum Script, Card Stock

I really love how these turned out. 

To make the hooves, I die cut the giraffe’s horns a second time and then wrapped and adhered them around the heart. 

I also die cut the giraffe’s neck twice and staggered it behind the heart to make a longer neck.

The white and pink heart pattern behind the second card is actually a card base that I cut down to use-the pattern is so cute!

These cards are also part of a series I am doing to use up patterned paper and card stock scraps in my stash. I was able to use quite a few pieces on these cards, and even though I used lots of different patterns, I think the giraffe die and the vellum script really tie them together as a set.

I hope you enjoyed these cards and are inspired to join us for this month’s challenge. You have until March 9th, so there’s plenty of time!

The Paper Funday Challenge #62

Hello everyone!

I am excited to be sharing my February 2024 project for The Paper Funday Challenges Design Team!

Our February challenge is as always Anything Goes, and our twist theme for this month is: No Patterned Paper.

We are sponsored this month by Sheepski Designs and Newton’s Nook Designs.

I received this image from Sheepski Designs called Sno’ Worries. Another gnome-gosh they’re cute! :)

Here is my card:

Supplies: Digital Image: Sheepski Designs; Stamps and Dies: Lawn Fawn; Die Cut Tree: Keep It Simple Paper Crafts; Inks: Tim Holtz Speckled Egg Oxide, Tim Holtz Iced Spruce; Markers: Spectrum Noir TN7, TN9, BT9, BGR1, BGR5

As you can see, I did change up the image a bit. 

I colored and cut out the gnome.

Then I printed the image larger so that the snowman would be bigger, and just colored and cut the snowman out of the image so that he could be peeking out from behind the tree.

I added a stamped heart to the top of the gnome’s head too.

Fun to mix it up sometimes. :)

Well, that’s my project for today.

I hope you are inspired to create, and we would love to have you join us at this month’s challenge!

January Books

Today I am sharing my reading goals and challenges for 2024, along with the books I read in January.

Here are my reading goals:
1. Read 250 books. This includes the books I read to the kids, audiobooks, and anything I read for myself. 18 READ
2. Read twelve (new to me) classics/award-winners.
3. Read twelve self-help/education books. 1 READ
4. Re-read twelve novels. There are so many good books I have been meaning to re-read, so this is my goal to help with that! 4 READ

I am also participating in a few book challenges this year:
1. The 2024 Audiobook Challenge, and my goal is the “Binge Listener” level (20-30 audiobooks.) 7 READ
2. The 2024 Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge, and my goal is the silver level which is reading and reviewing at least 25 books off my Netgalley list (I have 46 currently.) 4 READ, 3 REVIEWED
5. The Craving for Cozies Challenge, and my goal is the “Famished” level which is 26-50 cozy mysteries. I did this challenge last year, and it was a lot of fun, so I decided to do it again. 4 READ

A few formatting notes for my book posts:
1. I have inserted pictures as well as Amazon links to the books I enjoyed most for the month so that it is easier to read more about each book if you are interested. Hopefully, your local library system will carry most of these.
2. If I completed a more detailed review of any of these books, I included a review link after my comments.
3. If a book is not available yet, you will see the publication date in parenthesis after my comments.
4. I have rated each book using a bold numbered star after each comment.

The rating system is as follows:
*5-This book was so good, I either bought it, or think it is worth buying. I am pretty picky about the books I buy, so this is as good as it gets!
*4-This book was worth reading, but not necessarily worth buying-look for these books at your local library
*3-This book was just OK. I wouldn’t need to read it again.
*2-Don’t bother
*1-There probably won’t be any of these, because if it was THIS bad, I wouldn’t finish it. 🙂

1. A Berry Clever Corpse (Kylie Berry Mysteries #3) by A.R. Winters-good-I am enjoying this series, but it is more of a one-time read for me *4
2. A Berry Cunning Conman (Kylie Berry Mysteries #4) by A.R. Winters-good *4

3. The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan (audiobook)-good-I had no idea there was another Percy Jackson series-where have I been? *4
4. The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson #3) by Rick Riordan (audiobook)-good-I really like this series *5
5. Double Take (Lake City Heroes #1) by Lynette Eason-I like the characters, good mystery *4 REVIEW
6. Undercover Christmas Escape by Terri Reed-just OK *3 REVIEW
7. A Berry Home Catastrophe (Kylie Berry Mysteries #5) by A.R. Winters-good *4
8. Once Upon a Christmas Legend by Ciara Knight-just OK *3 REVIEW
9. The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson #4) by Rick Riordan (audiobook)-very good *5
10. The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge-read this aloud to the kids, it was OK *3

11. Last Word to the Wise (Christie Bookshop #2) by Ann Claire-very good-I like this series a lot! *4
12. The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson #5) by Rick Riordan (audiobook)-very good! *5
13. Mell Fell by Corey R. Tabor-such a cute book *4

14. Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran-I loved this! *5
15. The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus #2) by Rick Riordan (audiobook)-very good! *5
16. The Shift by Gary Foster (audiobook)-this is my third time through, and it is still good stuff *4
17. The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan (audiobook)-very good! *5
18. Prairie Days by Patricia MacLachlan-I love the art in this one so very much *5

This month I read one book to the kids, and I read/listened to sixteen books just for me. I read one picture book to myself for review.

Well, that’s it for today. I will share my February books the first Tuesday in March!

Card Monday-Giraffe Birthday Cards

I am back today with two more giraffe cards in my stash-busting series.

All of my cards in this series are similar, but I did change up the occasion every few cards.

I knew I would need two little boy birthday cards this year, so here is what I made:

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Sizzix; Dies: Giraffe (MFT), Leaves (Hello Bluebird); Stamp: MFT; Glitter Enamel Dots: Trinity Stamps; Other: Card Stock

I was able to use up lots of neglected scraps on these cards, and now I have a few more birthday cards made too!

That’s it for now, but I will be back again tomorrow with my January Book post.

Have a great day!