Debi's Crazy Life;

Good morning all. I was rather rudely awakened this morning by a giant clap of thunder, so much for sleeping in. So I toddled down stairs to the computer to get my blog post done a little earlier then usual. Now that the storm is past it is really quiet in here. Anyway, down to business. The card I have to show you today is one I made for todays fortnightly Elzybell challenge. For all the details, pop over to Elizabeth's blog . Todays challenge is a sketch challenge and I love sketch challenges even more then I love color challenges. With a sketch challenge all the work is done for you. You just pick an image that will fit the sketch or you do like I did and make the image fit the sketch. I did this by adding the words "for you" and "friend" to the truly tiny daisy image, to make it work in a longer box. I also tweeked the sketch a bit by making my card square. This card is 4x4. So why don't you play along and make sure you comment on Elizabeth...

It is time for the fortnightly challenge. And this time the whole team was challenged to make a card using the colors in their countries flag. Turns out that even though we have several different countries represented all the colors are Red, White and Blue or just red and white for my neighbors to the north. Broke out my sewing machine (all your fault Paula) because the card needed a little something. The main image is colored with colored pencils and paper pieced. The clouds are sponged onto the navy background. What I used: Elzybell Art Stamps Night of Navy, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White card stock designer paper of unknown origin, has been in my stash for eternity basic black classic ink pad, whisper white craft pad Lyra colored pencils, blending stump and OMS star brad (SU) wide navy organdy ribbon Make sure you check out what the rest of the design team and Elizabeth have done: Angel Riveria Charlene Austin Elizabeth Frances Byrne Jeanne Streiff Kim Fee Maria Adams Michelle...

Todays Elzybell design team challenge was "recycle" , how we defined that was up to us. I took the easy way and recycled a couple of images that I had sitting on my desk, left over from the creation of my sneak peeks. All of the designer paper and card stock, other then the card base were from my scrap stash. I was so glad to find a way to use the "Learnt Fishing" words on vellum in this design. I just couldn't seem to fit them in on the last card, so I had set them aside to use later, which turned out to be today. What I used: Elzybell Art Stamps Fishing Ted and Learnt Fishing Riding Hood Red and Whisper White card stock My Mind's Eye designer paper (I think, it was in my scraps) vellum basic black classic stamp pad Lyra colored pencils, OMS, stump Make sure you check out what Elizabeth and the rest of the team has done: Angel Riveria Charlene Austin Elizabeth Frances Byrne Jeanne Streiff Kim Fee Maria Adams Michelle Short Rachel Hope Baird Stephanie M...

It's that time again. Time for an Elzybell challenge. Todays challenge was a sketch challenge set by Rachel. I love sketch challenges and this sketch that Rachel came up with is a fun one. Try it out and see what you come up with. Here is what I came up with. I used prisma color pencils to color the bear and blended with a rolled paper stump and mineral spirits. My camera kind of washed him out a little bit, my fault for taking the picture in the middle of the night. What I used: Butterfly Ted Elzybell Art Stamps whisper white, wild wasabi, bashful blue card stock My Mind's Eye designer paper prismacolor pencils coluzzle circle cutter small corner rounder wide stitched bashful blue grosgrain ribbon Make sure you check out what Elizabeth and the rest of the belles have done with the challenge... Angel Riveria Charlene Austin Elizabeth Frances Byrne Jeanne Streiff Kim Fee Maria Adams Michelle Short Paula Williamson Rachel Hope Baird Stephanie Mayne Tobi Crawford

It is that time again. Time for an Elzybell Design Team challenge. This fortnights challenge is a recipe challenge. We are to use one piece of ribbon and only one embellishment. I paper pieced my cat in the window. The window itself was stamped on chocolate chip card stock then cut out with an exacto knife. The window pane is vellum with the curtains behind the glass. The little kitty and flower pot are then layered on last. My embellishment is the little red gem in the center of the flower. Make sure you check out what Elizabeth and the rest of the team have done as well Angel Riveria Charlene Austin Elizabeth Eva Costigan Frances Byrne Jeanne Streiff Kim Fee Maria Adams Michelle Short Paula Williamson Rachel Hope Baird Stephanie Mayne Tobi Crawford What I used: Elzybell Art Stamps Cat Window Chocolate Chip, Whisper White card stock My Mind's Eye designer paper vellum, watercolor paper basic black classic ink pad Stampin' Write markers wide chocolate chip grosgrain rib...

It's time again for another Elzybell Design Team challenge. Todays challenge is to use Polka Dots . And guess what? I totally forgot about it until this morning. I usually do them days or weeks ahead of time. Anyway I decided that it would be a good thing to combine the Elzybell Polka dot challenge with todays Ways to Use it challenge; Stuck on You . The way to use it challenge was to use stickers. I had to search high and low to find one. I finally found one in my oldest daughters scrapbook stuff. I hardly ever use them so I had gotten rid of most of my collection. What I used: Elzybell Art Stamps from me to ewe Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze card stock, water color paper My Mind's Eye designer paper Black Stazon Basic Grey, Going Grey, Baja Breeze, Mellow Moss, Riding Hood Red, Summer Sun classic stamp pads sponge, aquapainter Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon

It's that time again, time for the fortnightly (so british, just makes me smile) Elzybell challenge . This challenge was a little different, this time we have a recipe. Steph set the challenge and her recipe was as follows: 3 brads, 2 ribbons and a rectangle. My Elzybell blog list is down on the right make sure you check out what everyone else has done with the challenge. You also will want to check back tomorrow because the sneak peeks will start for the February new stamp release. The new stamps will be available for purchase on Monday and each of the design team members will be giving you some little peeks into what is to come. What I use: Elzybell Art Stamps From me to ewe watercolor paper, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Parisian Breeze Stampin' Up designer paper Black Stazon, and Going Grey, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Baja Breeze classic stamp pads Stampin' Write markers sponges, aquapainter striped Baja Breeze ribbon, narrow Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon brown brads ...

It's that time again! Time for an Elzybelle challenge. This fortnight (don't you just love how british that sounds?!?!) we were challenged to create a Valentine treat or gif t . Now I had to keep this fairly simple because you know what will happen when my daughter Jessika sees this right? I can just hear it now, "Moooommmmmm will you make them for all my friends?? Willllll yaaaaa, pleeeeeeease." Then my younger daughter will chime in with "For miiinnnnne toooooooo." And I won't be able to resist and the next thing you know I will be making 70 of these because if I make them for the girls then I gotta make them for Manny's class and you know what happened at Halloween when I made all of those scalloped punch peppermint pattie spiders, and my hand hurt for weeks afterwards. Anyway this is what I came up with. I used the Top Note Sizzix die to cut out the topper. The adorable little sheep is paper pieced then popped up. The tiny hearts nee...

Hop on over to Elizabeth's blog and check out what the Elzybell are doing with todays color challenge. The belles were challenged to use pink, blue and green to create a project. This is mine. The main image is colored with Stampin' Write markers and paper pieced with various designer paper scraps. *New for 2009* everyone who plays along with the blog challenges or submits cards for the showcase on Elizabeth's blog is added to a draw at the end of the month for a chance to win a gift voucher to spend in the online shop! So get out your Elzybells and play along, then make a comment on Elizabeth's blog and link you creation because what could be better then free stamps? What I used: Elzybells Coffee Friends and Coffee Multi Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Pirouette Pink, Watercolor paper Basic Grey designer paper black Stazon, Chocolate Chip classic ink pad Pirouette Pink striped grosgrain ribbon, white brads

Okay I know I am a little late, and I have been neglecting you terribly but I still wanted to wish you the bested in this blessed season. Now I got the absolutely best Christmas gift ever! You want to know what it is????? Please allow me to introduce my daughter Ellie. Her adoption was finalized right before Christmas and we couldn't be happier. Here is the whole family, aren't our children beautiful? Now I did do a bit of stamping, just a tiny bit last week of the last Elzybell design team challenge. You can find the challenge **HERE** and the rest of the design teams projects **HERE** What I used: brilliant blue, green galore, whisper white card stock my minds eye designer paper brilliant blue, green galore classic ink pads white taffeta ribbon

I am so sorry that I haven't been posting. I messed up my back (yes, again gotta quit lifting the little guy I babysit for) and haven't been able to sit without being in pain. No sitting means no computer and no creating! But I am starting to feel better and wanted to take the time to up date you and share a couple of creations with you. I also want you to know about so free stuff you can win over on Elizabeth's blog. She has prizes to give away every day until Christmas! To be in with a chance to win all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and a winner will be randomly picked throughout the month to win the prize for that day. The two projects below I created for the last two Elzybell challenges but was not able to share them with you.

It's time for another Elzybelles challenge, this week, paper piecing. To check out all the challenge details click here , to see what all the design team has done, click here . I have to say that I love Elizabeth's images for paper piecing. They are the most suited in my entire stamp collection. Basically when paper piecing you stamp the image multiply times on various different papers and cut out each of the tiny pieces then layer them back into a whole image. If you don't like cutting probably not a technique you are going to love but the result is very cool. It is also a fabulous way to use up some of those teeny tiny scraps of designer paper or card stock that you just can't bring yourself to throw away. What I used: Elzybell cat in window chocolate chip, soft sky, whisper white, wild asparagus designer paper various scraps including vellum basic black, close to cocoa classic ink pads ribbon, red brads sponge diamond cuttlebug embossing folder

Black and white and one other color is todays Elzybell design team challenge. Pop over the Elizabeth's blog to see what all the other design team member have done with this challenge. I love black, white and red together. I did have to cheat a tiny bit by adding some orange for the snowman's nose and brown for his arms but I think I stayed with the general principal of the challenge. What I used: Boy with snowman by Elzybell Art stamps Basic black, real red, whisper white card stock, SU designer paper water color paper Black Stazon ink pad Stampin' Write markers, aquapainter snowflake cuttlebug embossing folder black brads wide Real Red grosgrain ribbon, black narrow grosgrain ribbon

It's challenge time again for the Elzybelles. Our challenge; Inchies! I haven't done much with inchies, those tiny little works of art, as a matter of fact I believe this is my first venture. While I was racking my brain for ideas on how to use them, I came across a card where my cyber buddy Julesiana had used the inchie to spotlight part of an image. It seemed like a good idea so I ran with it. Thanks Jules. Also don't forget that there is still time to enter the Elzybell holiday card challenge . You still have until October 21st. What I used: Elzybell holly lamp, Bella Toile background, Many Merry Messages stamp set Basic Black, Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke, Confetti White card stock Black Stazon ink pad, Riding Hood Red classic stamp pad black brads, Riding Hood Red striped grosgrain

Time for another Elzybell challenge! You can play along too! Just follow this link to find the sketch we are using. If you want to see what the other members of our design team have done, follow click here . Isn't this bear the cutest??? I made this card for a friend, Laura who is expecting a baby soon. She and her DH already have a hand full of girls between them and are hoping for a boy this time. The main image is colored with Stampin' write markers on water color paper. I used an aquapainter to blend the colors, add highlights and soften the colors. What I used: Elzybell bear with towel Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Whisper White card stock water color paper Wild Asparagus by Mind's Eye designer paper coluzzle cutting system, small corner rounder Certainly Celery narrow grosgrain ribbon

Hop on over to the Elzybell Blog to play along with the design team sketch challenge! I pulled out my scrap box for todays challenge and paper pieced the main image. Each little piece of the main image was stamped on various different designer papers or solid scraps then cut out and layered back together. A great technique to use up little scraps or when you just don't feel like coloring. I sponged the edges of the main image with close to cocoa ink and I added glitter to the star in the window with a Sakura glitter pen. What I used: Elzybell's mother and child Old Olive, Kraft, Whisper White card stock various scraps Basic Black, Old Olive classic ink pads chocolate chip 1" double stitched grosgrain ribbon 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" circle punches sakura glitter pen ruby red, summer sun, close to cocoa Stampin' Write markers