Challenge #18 - I've Got the Music In Me-UPDATED

Rosemary starting off our challenge and letting you know that this week we're going to have MUSIC as our theme. Music can soothe, inspire, irritate, or invigorate us and it's a universal theme we can all enjoy. You can use a favorite song, a piece of sheet music, a musical note punch, etc.

Your goal this week is to use your muse! Incorporate MUSIC into your submittal. It can be anything (as ALWAYS); a posting, a digital layout, ATC, inchie, twinchie, mini, moo, fabric creation, painting, whatever!

My submittal is this card - You are My Sunshine! Whenever I see this stamp I always start thinking of the song - and by the time I get to "you make me happy when skies are gray" I am smiling and that's a great thing isn't it? I remember my little niece and nephew singing this to me years ago in their adorable little toddler voices and that memory ALWAYS makes me smile.

(I used some Bazzill cardstock, a Citrus Stack paper or two, my Threading Water punch, unknown stamp, Prima flower, Stickles, bling, and ribbon de la Stash du Rosemary! )

I hope you enjoyed a little Christmas in July - we have a lot of catching up to do and I'm going to be selfish and start off by showing that I revised my card I used for last week - It was blah to me (and probably to you). Rather than trashing it I thought well, let's see what can be done. So, I've added Stickles all around to pep up the card - what do you think? Keep or toss? (you can be brutally honest with me)

And weren't all of you pretty crafty last week! Here's a roundup of the submittals for Christmas in July!

Bobbi made a really great looking Christmas card using her Cricut (and I'm getting inspired) - and she multi-tasked and was able to use this for several challenges. Way to go! I think we both used the same background paper (but hers is a lot cuter! Again, I'm inspired) (UPDATED - I put the wrong card for Bobbi in this, WHOOPS - well, I can't be blamed for liking both of them so much can I? So here are both of her Christmas cards - but she was entering her lovely blue card for this time around)

Meikoningin was not only making something beautiful but she was thrifty too - her frugal ornaments show how to use all those cute little photos from cards, catalogs, etc. that we put into our stash but then wonder what to do with them. This is just a small sample, she's got several and they are all really great!

We also got a link from Desi (aka Ivolina) - we've missed you very much and glad you are back playing with us - her card is adorable (and her husband liked it, and when the guys notice - it's high praise!)And Phinny not only used up some of her scrap stash but she embellished her envelope too! What a beautiful finishing touch. (She even overcame the idea of pushing Christmas in July, I know I know, speeding up the season!)

We also heard from Amrita, Kristen, and Elizabeth, our Fortunate Stamper (we've missed you ALL and glad you're back, it's summer - we know everyone is dropping in here and there - more important to be making some memories and enjoying your families - we'll still be here) (and we can empathize with the more challenging issues some of you have dealt with this summer)

Aw, and our delightful Chat Noir indulged my (Rosemary) love of Christmas as well and made lovely cards AND beautiful jewelry - check it out (I love this, love the veining of those large stones). I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT YOU DON'T GET DISCOURAGED WITH OUR CHALLENGES - WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND YOUR TALENTS - MAKES US SMILE!

Fran (who has been JUSTCUTTNUP, hee hee) has also been busy - look at her beautiful card and the angel is a pin to be worn all season - another great idea. Also, check out these beautiful, delicate crosses she crochets. A very talented lady and beautiful projects.

Hope you all have a great week and craft up something MUSICAL for us to see - and if I have missed someone's entry for either this or another week's challenge. Just let me know in the comments and we'll rectify the situation.

And the winner is.... and Challenge # 17

EVERYONE

That's right. Everyone who left us a comment is a winner.

(Now for the small print... You can expect a little something in the mail in the next couple of weeks. I am NOT going to promise that I will get to the post office in the next day or two. You have won and you will receive a PRIZE. But you have to be patient.)

Amrita - we need your address

Phinny - we need your address

Fia - we have your address

Bobbi - we need your address

Kristen - we have your address

Fran - we need your address

Chat Noir - we have your address

Please email them to jdeegs @ cox.net (without the spaces)

You are all WINNERS. Not just because of this. But because you play with us. Even with a cropadile tied around our necks.

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So, what's the theme for this week? Well, how about Christmas in July! My family (Rosemary here) started a weird little tradition of celebrating Christmas in July. Cheap and/or funny gifts were exchanged and we ate things like barbecue and corn on the cob off the Christmas china and iced tea in the fancy glasses. It was fun and we enjoyed the silliness!

We're many months now until the holidays and yet my usual wish list is the same - I want so much to be organized for Christmas so that I can savor the season rather than feel like I'm trying to outrun a freight train (or a sleigh pulled by reindeer).

So, I am trying and have set a goal to make my own cards as much as possible and get an early start on them. I have other projects for Christmas as well, but this seemed a good start.

I am taking the Mojo Monday challenges and trying to make a Christmas-themed card for each one. Weird isn't it? But that fits me!

So, here is my first attempt, it is using the sketch from Week 81 and I know that subsequent ones can only get better.

Loved hearing that you enjoy our challenges and can't wait to see what you create this week. Just link to your submittal in the comments. Also, because we need to catch up on other submittals for previous challenges, please check back again and again this week and we'll highlight all that you've been linking in with.

So, let your imagination go wild and let's see what you're working on - are you making a particular Christmas gift, scrapbooking last holiday's photos, making your own cards, or what?



Thanks to each of you for making this unique challenge blog a lot of fun and a success!

Time for a giveaway...

We want to share again.

This time you will be surprised with your goodie.

We know what you are getting, but,

you won't until you get "it" in the mail.

{Nope, your goodie is NOT this house. }

{I just added it because it's pretty.}

{It's Oprahs house in the Bahamas. }

{The one on the right belongs to Tom Cruise.}

{Or so I was told.}

We have lots to share but you'll have to work for it...

You have been visiting us for 16 weeks.

And our challenge to you this week is to leave a comment telling us what your favorite challenge has been,

and your least favorite challenge.

And of course your email address.

Because we need to contact you when you win.

AND tell us WHY you

liked or disliked that challenge.

YUP. We want feedback.

If you have an idea of what you would like to see as a challenge,

let us know that too.

After all, we're here for YOUR crafting pleasure.

{Kinda.}

Wanna know what's in it for you?

Leave us your opinion.

Be gentle with us.

We tend to wear our hearts on our sleeves.

Drawing entries close Saturday night.

Winners, YUP, more than one, will be announced on Sunday.

But you can't win if you don't enter.

You have to enter to win.

[Entries from last week will be showcased soon.]

Challenge #16 - Picture Play

This week's challenge is a bit different.

I know we are the Order of the Opus Gluei, which implies the use of glue (or at least some sort of adhesive), but this week I challenge you to play with your pictures digitally.

Gasp, the horror of using the computer to alter something.

But, look what I did in a matter of minutes.

(Which was the driving factor in this weeks challenge. Something quick and easy. I am a firm believer that not every challenge needs to take a long time to complete.)

Creativity comes in all shapes and forms.

You will probably see these photos in a future project. How cool will it be to use your own backgrounds in a future project!!!

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I got this effect with a watercolor effect in PSE7. I increased the brush stroke to 5.

Here is the original picture.

Not too exciting, but with the artistic features in PSE7,

I got a totally cool picture from it.

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And here's a still life picture that I used the Cutout feature on.

I am thinking this will make a great background for a card, or scrapbook layout.

I could even play with the opacity and make this a journal block.

Again, not an exciting original picture.

Let's see the fun things you do with your photos.

EDIT: A question was posed:

Question for you Jana - I don't have PS or Elements and am not ready to jump into digital yet. Is there some way to still participate in this challenge or should I sit this one out? Thanks!

Don't sit this one out. I apologize, I always assume (I know, bad thing) that everyone has the same things that I have. DUH! Anyway, you don't necessarily need a computer to alter a photo. There are plenty of ways, paint, rub-ons, sand-paper, stamps, etc...

ALSO, if you have WORD, you can copy an image and put text on top, put another image on top.

EDIT 2: A free picture editing site

has been used by Marni, and WOW is it fun. I highly recommend you go check it out: Picnik. It is pretty easy and fun. Be prepared to spend a few minutes there playing with your pictures or they have some you can play with.


{P.S. Rosemary is moving this weekend. I would venture to say she might or might not have an entry for this week. She'll be back. I promise.}

[EDIT- Issue resolved. See below post.

I am having issues with posting the entries from last weeks challenge.

As soon as they are resolved, I will post them. Sorry.]

Challenge entries....

Finally, here are the entries to the

White Wedding challenge

(and one for How Does Your Garden Grow):

Chat Noir made this elegant card. Love all the textures on here.

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Meikoningin made this wonderful house depicting a bride with a bit of journaling.

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Sarah made a really pretty, touching wedding card for a friend.

I love when your projects are made for a special occasion.

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I am so lifting this design made by Phinny as a page in her gluebook.

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And Cassi made a card for our How Does Your Garden Grow challenge.

Love the waves of grass on the bottom and the lollipop flower.

If you have joined any one of our challenges, and we haven't displayed your art,

PLEASE

let us know. Sometimes we miss things.