Have a Blessed Easter from the Beary Scrap

It's Saturday, so that means it is time for me to wrap up this week's theme from The Beary Scrap - Easter Inspirations. As usual, the Beary Scrappy Gals have provided such delightful projects all week long!
I know most people use very "springy" colors for their Easter creations, but I wanted to do something a little different. I have always been inspired by Sacred Russian art, and wanted to do a card based on those influences. I fell in love with this limited edition set of Crosses by Spellbinders, and knew they would be perfect.
I cut the layers of my cross out of red (Brick) Bazzill cardstock, that I covered in composition gold leaf, before cutting/embossing. (If you look at Russian Icons, there is often a red paint that shows through some of the gold. ) I then sanded some of the areas of the cross with a sanding block to expose some of the red underneath. I used dimensionals to build up my layers and glued red Swarovski crystals as an embellishment.
I placed the cross on a layer of SEI velvet paper, that I had embossed with a cuttlebug folder. I added another piece of the velvet paper, that had been punched using the Treading Water punch. I stitched my layers with gold thread to add to the opulence.

The sentiment was printed from my computer onto Bazzill cardstock, and cut out with the Fancy Labels from Spellbinders. I wanted to have an "antiqued glitz" to this as well, so I rubbed Distress Stickles in Frayed Burlap and Antique Linen over the top. If you haven't tried the Distress Stickles, they look completely different from normal stickles. They really do give a nice worn look that I love. Finally, I added the pearls at the bottom.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter and gets to spend time with those you love! Be sure to come and visit us next week for more fun!

Here are my challenges for this card:
Sketch and Stash - sketch (new cross spellbinders/old velvet paper)
Corrosive - Easter
Incy Wincy - Sewing
Lexi's Creations- Easter
Papertake Weekly- open
ABC - "R" red
Crafty Creations - anything goes
Penny's Challenges - Easter
Simon Says Stamp - So Distressing
Cute Card Thursday - Easter
Shirley's 2 Girls - Anything goes
Fussy and Fancy- Easter

Kraftin' Kimmie - Eyelets

I just love Kraftin' Kimmie stamps! I have some pre-ordered from the Beary Scrap, and can't wait to get my hands on them! Now eyelets are not my favorite things to use - I've got a crop-a-dile and have to re-learn how to use it every time I break it out. But, that being said, the challenge at Kraftin Kimmie was to use eyelets, and heck, if it means a chance to win some KK cuteness, then I'm up for it!

Here are the other challenges for this card:
Midnight Madness - sketch
Flourishes -Picture inspiration
Papertake Weekly - open
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Simon Says - So Distressing
Oh Alice - Fine Print
Incy Wincy - Sewing

Karen's Doodles Easter Blog Hop is Here!

Welcome to the Team USA - Karen's Doodles Easter Blog Hop! You should have arrived from the very talented Kelly's blog. If you just happened here, you will want to start at the beginning with Sandy's blog. Each DT member got to choose their favorite image to use (and give away!). My problem is, I love all of Karen's images, so my favorite is always changing. But for today, I chose one of her newest - Sailor Boy for my card. I used the sketch from Friday Sketchers, and think he turned out so cute!
This card is also for:
Simon Says- So Distresing
Flourishes - Picture inspiration
Papertake Weekly - open challenge
Crafty Creations - anything goes

Be sure to read all of the details of the hop below -there are so many prizes being given away, you won't want to miss any chances!

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To celebrate Karen's Doodles more than 1000 Blog Followers, we are having Easter Blog Hops. Yes, I said Hops! There are 4 separate Hops going on....

Netherlands Challenge Blog

Scandinavian Challenge Blog

United Kingdom Challenge Blog

United States Challenge Blog

For each individual hop, visit all the participating members blogs and you will find an Easter Egg with a number on it. Collect the numbers and add up the total. Be sure to leave a comment while you are visiting, as each Design Team member will be choosing one person from their comments to win the Karen's Doodles image they have used. There will be 4 Grand Prize winners, one for each blog Hop, chosen from the visitors who send in the correct total of the eggs for that particular Hop.

The winner will get their choice of 4 Karen's Doodles images.

For this hop, please send your answer to Easter Blog Hop

Wait, there is more, anyone visiting all the blogs for all 4 Hops can enter to win a

Super Grand Prize of 4 Karen's Doodles images plus an autographed

Karen's Doodles original piece of art.

Just visit all 4 Country's blog hops, collect the numbers from the eggs and send the grand total to Karen's Doodles Grand Prize The Hops will close on Saturday, April 3 at midnight EST. Winners will be announced on each Challenge blog before their weekly challenge.

Here is the hop order, in case you get lost.

Sandy Hulsart

Callie Zenner

Cindy Royal

Dee Morris

Zoe McGrath

Erin Bailey

Kelly Schelske

Gini Cagle (you are here)

Tracy Jackson

Lori Aragon

Shana Dahl

Lori Ng

Have fun hopping!

May Your Heart and Soul...

It's always a good idea to have some sympathy cards on hand, because when you actually need them, you are not usually in the mood to make them. So, this week, the challenge at JustRite Stampers, was to create either a sympathy or get well card. I used the Thinking of You set. I used Core'Dinations paper black/purple - embossed with the Victoria Cuttlebug folder, so the black on the card would not be quite so somber.

This is also for:
Clearly I Stamp - sketch
Simon Says- So Distressing
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Papertake Weekly - open challenge

Distress with DZ Doodles

Hi! It's time for our 2nd challenge at DZ Doodles, and today we are using my favorite technique - distressing. You can interpret that any way that you like - distressing the edges, inking, ripping, tearing - you name it. We just want to see what you make using an image from DZ Doodles and your favorite(s) distressing technique.

I used Fresh Preserves and strawberries for my card today. I used my CTMH edge distresser, and also inked some of my edges with distress ink. My DP paper is all from the BG- nook and pantry line.

You will have a week to link your creations to the Oodles of Doodles challenge page. We can't wait to see what you come up with. And you could win some doodles of your own.

My card is also for these challenges
Creative Inspirations - sketch
Basic Grey - Tutti Fruity
Incy Wincy - sewing
Caardvarks - Lacy Days
The Pixie Cottage - circles
Copic Creations - clear/transparent
Cute Card Thursday - Dimension
Stamp Something - doodle (I used Doodle alphabet stamps)

Be Inspired by Karen's Doodles!

Do you like being inspired with picture challenges? Then, this is the week for you at Karen's Doodles! All of Karen's Design Teams are participating in a group challenge. Here is the picture - isn't it great? You can use anything from the picture to inspire you. It could be the colors, patterns, or even just the general feeling that you get from the photo.
I used Fairy Princess for my card. I just thought this looked like a little princess' room - very girly. We hope that you will play along with us - you have a great chance to win some of Karen's designs. Each week, every one of the challenge blogs gives not one, not two, but three prizes! What are you waiting for? Be sure to link you card up at the USA team blog. (You are always welcomed to enter on any of the blogs, but it must be a new card for each team.)
Don't forget to check back Thursday for our 1000 Followers Celebration Blog hop - there will be tons of prizes to be had!

This card is for these challenges -
Crafting Life's Pieces - sketch
Totally Papercrafts - pink and green
Cuttlebug Spot - pink and green
Paper Garden Projects - favorite embossing

Stamptacular's Build A Card

What a fun hop! Stamptacular Sunday challenge is having a blog hop with a twist - at each stop, you find out something else that you need for your card. There are fabulous prizes along the way - but you need to hurry! You only have until midnight tonight! EEEEKKK! So here is what I came up with.

something brown - pearls
add rectangle ( I added more than one for a sketch I was working on)
CS - favorite color - green
matting - I always add lots of matting
stamp - lady, gate, flowers
2 more colors - purple, cream
flowers - the stamped images and the prima
charm - shoe charm hanging from the flowers
sparkle - I embossed the gate with sparkly embossing powder and used glimmer mist
Friendship sentiment - on the inside

This is also for:

Copics Colour Challenge - G99, BV08, E59
Copic Creations - flowers/lilac

You Quack Me Up!

I sometimes have a hard time creating masculine cards, but I think using this Duck from Whimsy Stamps really did the trick. I used the sketch from All That Scraps . I colored the image twice with copics, and popped one up for dimension. I used my airbrush for the background. I loved the little wooden flower buttons that I had in my stash - they were the perfect accent, without being girly.