I LOVE polka dots...

Hmmmm I wonder why they are called polka dots???????
Have you ever wondered that??? 
I think it's time to do a Google search....sometimes we just want to KNOW!!!!

I do love polka dots though. There are certain things we are just drawn to, you know?
For me it's deep, rich colors; stripes; polka dots; water coloring, plus some other things, but these four catch my eye every time.  So when I saw that Simon Says Stamp! wanted polka dots on their Wednesday challenge, I just had to jump in.

A couple years ago, I found some very cheap jewelry (like 50cents each) of a pendant and a couple of earrings. They were still mounted on their cards and those cards were bright, shiny, small polka dot bright red and a bright, shiny navy blue. Those cards made my heart beat FAST!!! I wouldn't have cared what was on the front of those cards..I wanted that paper!!!  So, here it is, a couple years later and I still had one small square of the navy blue polka dot card left. I had a challenge with a friend and she called for at least one inchie square on our card.   That was PERFECT!!! I can do that!!!  I got 3 small one inch squares out of that little piece of card!!! YAY!!!

So for this card, I sponged a stencil with my chalks (I did 4 cards using stencils and chalks.) I enjoyed that technique so much I couldn't quit. I know chalks are old stuff for most of us, But isn't it so FUN and SATISFYING to use again something that has been sitting around for a long while...and find that you enjoy it as much now as you did then? I'm always wanting the next new thing...but i need to work on using an old loved thing that hasn't been used for a while. 

I sprayed the chalk with a little hairspray and then heat set it so that it won't brush off.

Next, I stamped the "Happy Birthday to you" in pink so bring out that pink around the little birds.

The little song notes came from the bird stamp by Lawn Fawn. I love that little stamp. Those little birds can be used anywhere. They don't have to always be the main event.

And of course, the inchie squares. I stacked two heavy cardstock to back the navy polka dot. Stacked the birds too. It makes the cut-outs much better looking.

So here's the two challenges I am entering this in:

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

http://casmixup.blogspot.ca/

Blessings to you all,

Elena

A new Challenge site

Hello again, It is April already... where does the time go??? We all ask that don't we? .. Time just seems to fly by and many plans are just lost in the thick of every day life. That's just how it is!

 I am just loving the beautiful weather here in San Antonio. Having the sun shining almost every day is such a beautiful thing! Everything is better when the sunshine warms your face and lights up the world. If you've been to San Antonio, you know that it is built on a mountain of rock! Not great if you're trying to plant something, but beautiful to look at. So I am just so excited to have two TINY rose bushes that we planted just last February and they are BLOOMING!!! Roses must REALLY LIKE THE SAN ANTONIO WEATHER!!!

 On to my paper crafts: I follow a lot of designers through email, that's how I get a lot of inspiration and news on what's going on. I have favorites, of course and Loll Thompson http://www.stampingwithloll.com/ is one of them. Loll and a friend of hers started up a new challenge site last month, so this is their 2nd challenge. I didn't get a chance to join them the first time but I made a card right away for this one. If I wait, the time will be gone again. I made this card using a stencil and coloring the background with chalks! I had not used my chalks for a long time. I LOVED how it came out. The three colors I used blended together beautifully. I had forgotten how nice chalk can look! I then stamped the daisy (LaBlanche stamps) with Versamark and embossed in white. I colored the image with my Tombow Twin Markers. As far as I'm concerned, no card is finished without a little glitz and glimmer (sequins).

I do hope this is not too busy for a CAS challenge. 

http://casmixup.blogspot.ca/ Stamping: Daisy by LaBlanche stamps

stenciling was done with chalk.

I also white embossed the flower before coloring with my Tombow markers.

http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com/ This challenge says "One for the Girls"

I think this card fits that description. Flowers, especially daisies, are always a girly thing!

http://pinterestinspiredchallenge.blogspot.com/ This challenge is for pink and aqua blue...just like what I used. I love that color combination. Awesome!

Okay, so that will do it for me today! 

Have to get these entered so I can get done on the card I owe to my friend. We challenge each other 2x per month and this time it is to use an inchie. I've already got it in my head and can't wait to get on to doing it. I have to mail it out by the 15th!!!

Hugs to all,

Elena