Challenge # 5 at Broken Box Stock: Recycled Materials

It's time for a new challenge at Broken Box Stock and it's particularly challenging: use recycled materials!

It's great to be challenged to create something pretty using something which is about to finish in a trash bin!

This is what I created for the Challenge:

These are little magnets I made using some chipboard squares I found in chips packages which prevented enclosed stickers to bend. They were white and lovely and perfect for craft projects.

I then cut some music paper from an old music book, added some Distress Ink and then the fabulous Tea Time Set from Broken Box Stock: it comes already colored in this lovely yellow and blue color palette, I added some glitter here and there, a little sentiment and... voilà, a perfect magnet set which will look beautiful in every kitchen!

A while before knowing about the Recycled materials challenge, I made this little plaque:

I used the Garden Toodle digi stamp and mounted it on a plaque made with a piece of cardstock I saved from a packaging. Pretty papers, butterflies and pretty buttons make it a special sign for every garden lover!

But now, these are the guidelines for the Challenge:

Challenge Directions: 

Use a graphic from Broken Box Stock to create a card/paper craft that incorporates something recycled/reused.

Some ideas:

- Design your card on a piece of card stock from junk mail that you would have thrown away. 

- Use a cardboard box to cut out cute embellishments like hearts, flowers, stars. 

- Flip through old magazines to find material for your creation (images, patterns, background color, etc).

- Use newspaper in your creation. 

- Cut up an old greeting card to embellish with. 

- Basically just reuse or recycle something in your design!

You may use a color or digital stamp graphic in your design. Feel free to use our freebies too! View our entire freebie collection here.

 

Deadline: Thursday, July 19, 2012 @ 5:00pm

Prize: $5.00 Gift Certificate to www.BrokenBoxStock.com

Challenge Rules: 

1) Use our clipart/digital stamps as the main design element.

2) Follow the challenge's specific design criteria above.

3) To enter your card in the challenge, use our "inlinkz" link tool below.

4) No back linking.

5) Up to 3 entries per person.

6) Subscribe to our blog so you know if you win (and can claim your prize)!

 

So, what are you waiting for?

I Can't Believe I Did It!

I did it!

I cleaned, reorganized, decluttered my craft room!

I had piles of things to sort, to find a place for, to throw away, lots of dust and now... it's all clean!

Last Tuesday I decided to start: I thought I needed three days but it took one week!

It's not all in its place, I have a few bags of things to donate, a couple of bags of old papers to be thrown away and a big box full of craft books, craft materials etc. which hopefully I'll be able to list on ebay in the next few months.

I lost the count of how many bags of papers I tossed: I decided to keep just a few cooking magazines and recipes I cut in the last years. I don't like to cook and recipes are available everywhere so I decided it was better to let them go to someone who maybe is interested and donated them. The same with craft and stitching books and magazines: some are old, some are out of my current taste, some are gifts i've never liked...

I did not manage to throw photos away but I promised I'll take sometimes to sort them and put them in albums so thet they can be more enjoyable.

My daughter helped me a lot and she had a great fun when I put all the things that were on the floor in the living room! It was difficult to walk and sit down on the sofa! I had tons of empty boxes and I managed to toss half of them at the end. Not as many as I thought but at least lots of them are gone!

In addition, I managed to create something early in the morning while waiting for my daughter to wake up:

TAGS!

I made a few, using some chipboard tags I found while I was sorting some of my craft materials and I had so much fun I'm planning to do some more!

This little plane is from The Alley Way: I colored it with Copics and used 3D dots to glue it on the tag. A dotted paper and a pretty bow and... voilà!

It's perfect for these challenges:

Simon Says Stamps Challenge: Tags or ATC's

Crazy 4 Challenges C4C143: Create a tag

and

The Cutie Pie Challenge # 21: One for the Boys

Mele Kalikimaka

When I print digis on speciality papers, I always try to fit as many as possible into the sheet so that no paper is wasted.

A while ago I was printing something and I added a lovely digi stamp I wanted to create with in the other half of the sheet.

I'm starting thinking about Christmas: last year I managed to make some Christmas cards during the whole year and I found myself with a batch of cards ready to be listed early in fall. My idea was to do the same this year but so far I managed to make only two (identical) cards.

So, I printed this funny image and the other day I colored it:

The Santa shark is from Doodle Dragon Studios and I colored it with Copics and glitter.

I used a paper from DCWV Winter paper pack which has a winter theme but both the color and the pattern give me the idea of water.

This summery-Christmassy card is just pefect for Jingle Bells Challenge: Mele Kalikimaka. Bright summery colors and theme for a Christmas card!

I do not list Christmas cards in my Etsy shop yet but if you'd like to buy one card that you see here on the blog, plase ask and I'll be pleased to put it in the shop.

Dreaming about the Sea

For the first time this year since the birth of my daughter I won't go to the seaside with my mom...

It was a mother-daughter-niece kind of vacation: the three of us at the seaside, where we used to go when I was a little girl.

This year my mom has decided to stay at home for family problems and my daughter and I stay at home too, it wouldn't be the same without her.

Even if when I left for this vacation I wasn't completely happy for it was not too exciting for me, this year I feel a bit sad...

So I decided to make this card to cheer me up a bit:

This funny digi stamp is from Bugaboo Stamps and I glued it on an easel card I bought from the UK. A light blue paper and some waves made with an acrylic stamp and colored with Copics make the perfect sea for this crab!

I'm entering this card into the following Challenges:
Cute Card Thursday Challenge # 222: Here Comes Summer!

and

Raise the Bar Challenge # 107: Hello Summer!

Do You Love Spring Cleaning?

I definitely don't.

In fact, I should call them... Summer cleaning... I started on Thursday with my daughter's room. We emptied it, she started sorting things while I was cleaning windows, shelves, bed... everything! Then we filled it again, cleaning, washing and... magic words: THROWING AWAY!

Well, maybe things actually thrown away were just a few... most of them are to be saved in the basement or given to cousins. A few items were kept for charity, my daughter's school asks for toys and comics in good conditions to be sold to raise money for activities and materials. We are a bit late this year so they will be saved... in the basement until next year!

I threw away four bags full of papers and plastic to be recycled but I have three piles of books and toys ready for the basement and I have no idea where I'll put them (the basement being already full!).

Anyway, this is probably the most exciting part of the spring cleaning: throw away old, unused things, declutter and create space.

When I received this new digi stamp from Broken Box Stock called Cleaning Toodle I smiled: I knew that I had to start cleaning and my face was EXACTLY as the face of this lovely Toodle!

This one:

I've used a perfect paper from Doodlebug and a lovely satin ribbon. She wears pearl earrings and necklace... a feminine touch is always necessary!

The problem was the sentiment... the very first thing I thought about when I started planning the card was... my mom! She hasn't started her spring cleaning yet and I thought that a funny card would make her start with a smile and "Good Luck!" was a perfect wish! I should definitely make an Italian version for her!

I'm entering this card into the following Challenges:

Crafts and Me Challenge # 89: Anything Goes

Crafty Caz Challenge # 138: Pastel Colors

and
Paper Playtime Challenge # 77: Anything Goes plus add a sentiment!

I'm not even as elegant as this Toodle when I clean but I've had such a great time coloring and creating this card that I'll probably be a bit happier the next time I'll hoover the house!

Broken Box Stock Challenge # 4: Red, White & Blue

It's time for a new Challenge at Broken Box Stock!

And this time it's all about RED, WHITE & BLUE!

Challenge Directions: 

Use a graphic from Broken Box Stock to create a card/paper craft using a red, white & blue color palette. You may use a color or digital stamp graphic. Feel free to use our freebies too (like the ones you find here!).

You may have a chance to win a Toodle Birthday Calendar (a printable digi-stamp craft, see below)

Deadline is Thursday, July 5, 2012 @ 5:00pm

Challenge Rules: 
1) Use our clipart/digital stamps as the main design element.
2) Follow the challenge's specific design criteria above.
3) No back linking.
4) Up to 3 entries per person.
5) Subscribe to our blog so you know if you win (and can claim your prize)!

If you need some inspiration, have a look at our DT fabulous creations with RED, WHITE & BLUE!

Red, White and Blue... Again!

As I told you yesterday, I have some time to make new cards but little time to check if a card may fit more than one Challenge...

...and, in fact, this is the second Red, White and Blue challenge I'm entering this week...

.... with two different cards!

Here's the new one:

I've used America Toodle from Broken Box Stock: I colored it with my Copics but there is also a colored version available in the shop if you prefer.

Papers are from an old stash from Sizzix and they match perfectly!

A few rhinestones here and there (yesterday I found some cheap & lovely packets of rhinestones in a Dollar shop and had to use them immediately on my card!), glitter everywhere on the hearts and stars and... voilà... another card finished!

It's SO easy to work with these Toodles... maybe because I recognize myself in most of them!

I'm entering this card in:
Cupcake Craft Challenge # 196 - Red, White and Blue

and

Sarah Hurley Challenge # 68 - Red, White and Blue

Back to a Sweet Sketch!

I'm quite inspired this week and I'm managing to make cards following sketch directions: I take a look at one of my favorite challenges and... voilà I make a card!

Today I'm particularly happy because I've just finished a card for a Challenge I entered several times last year: Sweet Sketch Wednesday!

This week we have to follow this sketch:

and this is my card:

I've used Cupcake Toodle from Broken Box Stock, an image I'm never tired to create with and which I colored with Copics and glitter.

Papers are Tea Party from Dovecraft: it's so easy to work with just one paper set! Colors blend beautifully! I only added a punched paper heart to the cupcake, three red rhinestones and a white satin ribbon.

I have some time to create but not enough to check if I can enter other challenges so for today I'm entering it to Sweet Sketch Wednesday Challenge # 158-45 only!

Circles!

Last year I made some round tags with die cuts and I wanted to add some new types to my stash.

A few days ago I received my last order from There She Goes Clear Stamps and, while my computer was downloading a few digis, I started looking at one of my new sets and... bang! An idea, a new tag for my collection was  there, waiting to be created.

Luckily enugh, this week challenge at There She Goes is "CIRCLES" so I couldn't postpone my creation and acted immediately:

My idea is that they can be punched and tied to a bunch of flowers or simply glued over a big bow on a chocolate box... everyone needs to say "I'm sorry" sooner or later and this dog is so cute, who can resist?

This set is called Ruh-roh and is perfect for that special touch to a gift or card!

I'm entering them in There She Goes Clear Stamps Challenge # 160: CIRCLES!

Broken Box Stock Stitches Challenge Deadline Extension

The deadline to enter Broken Box Stock Stitches Challenge has been extended to June 19:

you still have plenty of time to make a card and win a great prize!

Under the Freebies section in Broken Box Stock store you will find tons of free digis to work with!

Since I'm not good at stitching on cards, I used an already stitched ribbon and added faux stitches with my pen around the image. Easy, isn't it?

Don't miss this chance to win a fabulous prize!