Happy National Ice Cream Day!!

 Hello Friends!!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream!!!  National Ice Cream Day is the 3rd Sunday in July and it lands in the middle of National Ice Cream Month.   Share the day with family and friends and even try out some new flavors.   The average American eats roughly 20 pounds of ice cream each year, or about 4 gallons!  As the summer reaches peak temperatures in July, Americans celebrate National Ice Cream Month as a way to cool off and enjoy the nation's favorite frozen treat!  Ice cream has historically been a key feature of American communities.  According to an IDFA survey, most ice cream companies are family owned and have been in operation for more than 50 years!  Here's more sweet news:  Ice cream companies help support the U.S. economy, contributing more than $13 billion directly to the national economy and supporting nearly 29,000 direct jobs that generate $1.8 billion in direct wages!   In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the 3rd Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day!!  In the proclamation, President Reagan called for all of the United States to observe these events with "appropriate ceremonies and activities".

Here is my card for National Ice Cream Day:

Ingredients:

Colorado Craft Company Anita Jeram Sundae Funday stamp

Colorado Craft Company Anita Jeram Ice Cream Day stamp

Waffle Flower Nesting Postage dies

My Favorite Things Stitched Rectangel Scallop Edge Frame die

Not2Shabby On the Sunny Side paper pad

White card stock

Black ink

Copic markers  

                                            Peacock Feathers distress oxide                                              

Victorian Velvet distress oxide

Dusty Concord distress oxide

For this A2 card I started by making the card base with White card stock.  I took a piece of the Not2Shabby On the Sunny Side paper pad and the My Favorite Things Stitched Rectangle Scallop Edge die and cut out the paper, inked the edges with Victorian Velvet distress oxide and added it to the card base.  I took a piece of Neenah Solar White paper, Black ink and the Colorado Craft Company Sundae Funday stamp and the Ice Cream Day stamp and stamped them onto the paper.  I colored them in with Copic markers and I cut them out with the Waffle Flower Nesting Postage dies, I inked the edges of them with the Peacock Feathers and the Dusty Concord distress oxides and added them to the card.  I fussy cut out the ice cream cone from another piece of Not2Shabby On the Sunny Side paper and added that to the card.

Now go on out with some loved ones and enjoy some new flavors of ice cream!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lori

Two Old Bats July Halloween Challenge

Hello Halloween Lovers!! 

Welcome to the July Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge!  We are a Year Round Halloween Challenge because we are a bit batty about all the great Halloween stamps and dies and we want to play with them more often!  So I hope you will dig out your Halloween goodies and join our challenge!

Here is my card for the July Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge:

Ingredients:

Die-Versions Witch Hat die

Trick or Treat die

Spider die

WaffleFlower A2 Nested Domes die

White card stock

Spider Web paper

Halloween streaked paper

Orange Glitter paper

Black Shimmer paper

Dark Orange paper

Black ink

For this A2 card I started by making the card base with White card stock.  Next I took the Halloween streaked paper, inked the edges with Black ink and added it to the card base.  I took the WaffleFlower A2 Nested Dome die and a piece of Spiderweb paper and cut that out.  I inked the edges of the paper with Black ink and added it to the card.  I took the bottom piece of the dome and cut it out with some Black paper and added that to the card.  I took the Die-Versions Witch Hat die and a piece of Black Shimmer paper and cut out the Witch Hat.  I mounted the Witch Hat onto some Orange Glitter paper and than trimmed it down and added it to the card.  I took more Black paper and the Spider die and cut it out twice.  I also took the Trick or Treat die and some Dark Orange paper and cut it out three times, layered them on top of each other and added it to the card.  I took the two Black spiders and added them to the card.  I was inspired to make this card from the Bottom Right photo on the Inspiration Board below. 

Inspiration Board:

Remember, you can create ANYTHING Halloween you would like and our mood boards are here for your inspiration.  You do not have to follow it as the theme, but you certainly can if you would like!!  Don't forget to stop by the Two Old Bats Halloween July Challenge to see all the Spooky cards the Design Team has created!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lori

Four Season Challenge ~ July ~ Anything Summer

 Hello Friends,

Happy July 1st!  Summer is here and we have been having a heat wave here in NJ!  But today is also the start of new challenge over on the Four Seasons Challenge Blog.  For July our theme is Anything Summer!  We are a Monthly challenge and our themes will always be a Seasonal Anything Goes.  So break out those Summery stamp sets and dies and get creative!

Here is my card for the Four Seasons July Challenge:

Ingredients:

Lawn Fawn Flamingo Floatie die

Lawn Fawn Tropical Leaves Backdrop die

Lawn Fawn You Autumn Know stamp set

Lawn Fawn You Autumn Know Lawn Cuts

Green paper

Water paper

Pink paper

 White paper

Black paper

Black ink

White card stock

Gray makers

For this A2 card I started by making the base of the card with White card stock.  I took a piece of water paper and added that to the card base.  I took some Pink paper and the Lawn Fawn Flamingo Floatie die and cut out the flamingo and pieced it together.  I took the Lawn Fawn You Autumn Know stamp set and stamped the mouse with Black ink onto some White paper.  I took some Gray markers and colored in the mouse and than cut him out with the Lawn Fawn You Autumn Know Lawn Cuts and placed the mouse inside the Flamingo Floatie and added it to the card.  I took some Green paper and the Lawn Fawn Tropical Leaves Backdrop and cut that out and added it to the card.  I was influenced to make this card by the Inspiration Board below, those Pink Flamingo Floaties in the pool caught my eye and I knew I had to use that adorable Flamingo Floatie die!

Inspiration Board:

Now it is your turn to make a summery card and enter it into the Four Seasons July Challenge !

Thanks for stopping by!
Lori

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge for June

Hello Ghoul Friends,

Today is the start of a new Halloween Challenge over on the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge Blog ~ TOB June Halloween Challenge. We have a fun Inspiration Board to help you get started!  We are a year round Halloween Challenge because we are all a bit batty for Spooky cards!  I hope you will join us for this fun Challenge!

Here is my card for the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge for June:

Ingredients:

My Creative Time Frightful Greetings Kit (retired)

Spellbinders Nested Tombstones (retired)

Sizzix Zombies stamps and dies

Lawn Fawn Grassy Hillside die

White card base

Neenah Solar White paper

Black paper

Gray paper

Green paper

Black ink

Black letters

Copic markers

For this A2 card I started with a White Card base.  I took the Black paper and distressed the edges and added it to the card base.  I took some Neenah Solar White paper and some Black ink and stamped the Skeleton stamp.  I took the Skeleton die and cut it out.  I took some Gray paper and the Spellbinders Nested Tombstone die and cut out the tombstone, inked the edges with Black ink and added it to the card.  I stuck the Skeleton behind the Tombstone.  I took more Neenah Solar White paper and stamped the Zombie head and had with Black ink and colored the them in and cut them out with the coordinating dies.  I took some Green paper and the Lawn Fawn Grassy Hillside die and cut that out and added that to the card and than I added the Zombie head and had to the card.  I took the Black Alphabet letter stickers and put RIP onto the Tombstone.  I was inspired to make this card by the Skeletons on the Inspiration Board below.

Inspiration Board:

 

Remember, you can create ANYTHING Halloween you would like and our mood boards are here for your inspiration.  You do not have to follow it as the theme, but you certainly can if you would like!!  Don't forget to stop by the Two Old Bats Halloween June Challenge to see all the Spooky cards the Design Team has created!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lori

Four Seasons Challenge ~ For June ~ Anything Goes Summer

 Hello Friends,

Happy June 1st!  The beginning of Summer!  Hooray!  Well today is the start of a new Four Seasons Challenge and of course our theme is Anything Goes Summer.  We want to see anything that represents SUMMER on your crafty project.  We do have an Inspiration Board to help get you started and we can't wait to see what you create for this challenge!  

Here is my card for the June Four Season Challenge:

Ingredients:

Stamps of Life Life's a Beach die

Hero Arts Seashells Fancy dies

Spellbinders D-Lites Sand Dollar die

Sand paper

Water paper

Beach Paper

Assorted paper scraps for the shells

White card base 

 Copic markers

Tea Dye distress ink

Salvaged Patina distress ink

For this A2 card I started with a White card base.  I took the Beach paper, distressed the edges and inked the edges with Tea Dye and Savaged Patina distress ink and add it to the card.  I took the Spellbinders D-Lites Sand Dollar and the Hero Arts Seashells Fancy dies and assorted paper scraps and cut out all the shells and sand dollar and added them to the card.  I took some Sand paper Water paper and the Stamps of Life ~ Life's a Beach Die and cut out the dies and pieced them together and added that to the card.  I was inspired to make this card from the top right picture of the beach on the Inspiration Board below.

Inspiration Board:

If you are new to the Four Season's Challenge Blog (a monthly seasonal themed challenge), PLEASE hop over and join in the fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lori

Two Old Bats Mid May Halloween Challenge Reminder

 Hello Halloween Lovers,

I am here today to remind you that there is still time to join in the fun at the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge.  This is my Mid-May Reminder.

Here is my card for the Two Old Bats Mid May Reminder:

 

Ingredients:

Adornit Paintables 

Copic markers

Embossing Folder

Black paper

I love the Adornit Paintable, but I forget to use them!  I decided to color this one up for the May Mid Month Reminder post.  I think that witch is really cute!  I took some Black Coordinations papers and and Embossing folder and ran it through my Vagabond.  I than took my sanding tool and sanded it down a bit to show the color underneath and I added it to the White card base.  I took the Adornit Witch and cut around the edges with some old deckle scissors, inked the edges with Black ink and added it to the card.  I hope you like my card and that you will join us for this challenge.

Here is the Inspiration Board for this Challenge:

Remember, you can create ANYTHING Halloween you would like and our mood boards are here for your inspiration.  You do not have to follow it as the theme, but you certainly can if you would like!!  Don't forget to stop by the Two Old Bats Halloween May Challenge to see all the Spooky cards the Design Team has created!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lori  

Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge #63

Hello Christmas Lovers,

Today is the start of a new challenge over on the Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge Blog ~ POE Challenge #63.    We are a Year Round Christmas Challenge Blog.  We have a beautiful Inspiration Board to help get your creative ideas flowing!

Here is my card for POE Challenge #63:

Ingredients:

White card stock

Stamperia Pink Christmas paper

Spellbinders Sweet Birds on a branch dies

Sizzix Merry Christmas dies

Pink metallic paper

Pink paper

Black paper

Brown paper

Victorian Velvet distress oxide

5 1/2 inch square card base

For this card I took a 5 1/2 inch square card base and a piece of Stamperia Pink Christmas paper, inked the edges with Victorian Velvet distress oxide and added that to the card base.   I took the Spellbinders Sweet Birds on a Branch die set and assorted paper scraps and cut out the branch, leaves and birds and added them to the card.  I was inspired to make this card from all the Pink Christmas photos on the Inspiration Board shown below.

Inspiration Board:

 

Please be sure to hop on over to the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge to see what the Design Team have created and than it is your turn to create Anything Christmas for this challenge!  We can't wait to see what you create for this challenge!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lori