Challenge cards

I want to share two challenge cards I made recently. One is for The Greeting Farm blog and the other is for the weekly CAS challenge on SCS.

The TGF challenge was to case this card. I will have to be honest. This challenge was tough for me!! I am still having a hard time getting used to this new style of multi layered mats. I am used to 1 mat and then on with the show! :) Here's what I finally came up with:

The image is Grad Anya and I was lucky enough to win her and Ian during the blog hop a few weeks ago. That was the main reason I chose this image for my case. The patterned papers are from DCWV. The solid cardstock is Only Orange and Tempting Turquoise from SU. I colored Anya with my Bics. The sentiment is from a SU graduation stamp set. I can't think of the name for some reason. I cut the star from the patterned paper and wrote the '09.

The second card was much easier for me! I am pretty happy with how this card turned out.

The cute, little monkey is from "All That Scraps" CC Designs. The paper is SU. I drew the leaves and cut them out.

The challenge here was to use kids bedding from JCPenney for inspiration. Here is the bedding I chose: http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx...infant+bedding.

I love doing challenges because I really think that it "stretches your creative muscles". The only problem I am having is I feel like I am kind of losing my personal style a little. I used to be a very clean & simple type crafter. Now that I've had to do a lot more "embellished" work I am sort of hovering in the middle. It's good though, I think, because it helps me to try things I would normally never do. Maybe in doing that I can find a new personal style! :)

Sweet!

I don't have a project of my own to post today, but I wanted to share something I got in the mail this afternoon. Over on SCS there is a group called RAK. It stands for Random Act of Kindness. People make cards and send them out to others in the group for any 'ol reason. It's really rather sweet and lots of fun. There is also a sub-group for birthdays. I almost forgot about it until I opened my mailbox today! A wonderful stamper named Mary sent me the cutest card along with a set of adorable, little clear stamps! Check them out:This is all very nice in general. What made it even better today was that I was kinda "down in the dumps". When I saw this it really brightened my day.

See!? Cardmaking is a marvelous hobby! So much enjoyment to go around!! :)

Bawdy little monkey!

Isn't this little guy just too cute!? (The monkey is pretty sweet too!)

Stamps: CC Designs Digi Stamp
Paper: Bazzill cardstock (from Archiver's)
Embossing: Cuttlebug embossing folder(Spots and Dots)

I am a huge monkey fan! It just makes it that much better to have my little monkey on the page too! :)