I'm not doing so great at this, am I?

I promised bi-weekly challenges. Well, I've failed at the bi-weekly part. Maybe because I'm not getting much of a response on them. I guess that happens when you're just starting. I think I'm going to do challenges once a month, at the beginning of each month, to coincide with my CTMH newsletters. So, for my few followers you'll have to wait until the beginning of April for my next challenge.

If you're reading this, maybe you can share my blog with others and help me get the word out. I will be offering little prizes for my monthly challenges!

Having said all that, I will keep posting my artwork since I know everyone can use some more inspiration. So here is some recent work. Just click on the picture to see some more details.

All CTMH: Unforgettable Level 2, and My Stickese, Rustic Alpha, Aspiration stamp set, Sorbet ribbon, Foundry Bookplate

Sweet Leaf textured cardstock, Cranberry and Lilac Mist cardstock, Cobblestone Alpha, Cuttlebug die(Olivia alpha), Confidential stamp set, Cranberry brads and nail head. The apples were printed off my computer and pieced together. The pull tab has journalling on it.

All CTMH: Magic Moments Level 2, Colour Ready Alphabet stickers, Rub-Ons

Need some birthday cards?

Here's your chance to make some. I will be hosting a birthday card workshop at my home. Make 5 different cards, 3 copies of each, for $20. As you can see in the photo below, there are cards for all the different people in your life. Come for an afternoon of fun on Saturday, March 28 at 1pm. Email me to sign up before Saturday, March 14.

Next challenge, a little late.

I have to apologize for this one being a little late. Things have been crazy around here and now I'm even battling a bad cold.
Here's your next challenge. This one is for card-makers, scrapbookers or those who love altered items. Simply create a piece of artwork that has some sort of embellishment in 3-D. Break out those pop-dots, ladies and have some fun!

Here is my layout, with lots of 3-D!

Products used: Life Delights Level 2 paper and My Stickese,
eyelets, photo hangers, sassy strands
Rustic Alphabet, Playful Lowercase

Once you've completed your project, just email me (simplycreating@ritskes.net) a couple photos, and you might just get a little gift.

Looking for 9x9 inspiration?

Here are some photos of an accordian album I made to go into the care package my women's Bible Study group made for the missionary family we support. I used CTMH's rub-ons, Big Pinks, Key to My Heart stamp set, and Silhouette Level 2 paper pack and Creative Basics paper, along with some ribbon.

Some non-traditional valentines to get you started.

Here is one that I will be making at a gathering on Thursday.

Yes, those are googly eyes!

This card was made with CTMH's Whoo Loves You stamp set. I love it and am so excited to finally make a card with it. The little hearts are from Priceless Love, a new set. The owl is paper pieced with Cocoa and Vineyard Berry ink. The paper is from our new Emporium Level 2 pack. Oh and a bit of Cocoa ribbon.



These are the valentines my 3-yr-old daughter, Arianna, and I made for her pre-school class. She picked the stamps, from our Life is a Jungle stamp set. She was also adamant that her cards have blue on them. She said it a number of times, that she had to have that blue paper! So she has met my challenge without even knowing it. The paper is from the Caprice Level 2 pack. The hearts are from Thoughtful Seasons and are stamped in Cranberry. Arianna coloured in the lions and hippos. I think she did a fabulous job choosing the products for her first set of valentines.

And the winner is...

My first challenge has a winner! My aunt, Anna Luke, made this beautiful card.

She has won an Edge Distresser! This great little tool makes it easy and safe to add that rough look to the edges of any paper. Use it with CTMH's cardstock to reveal the white core.

The next challenge is an easy one. Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, your challenge is to make a valentine's card. The catch is that you need to include at least one non-traditional colour, so make sure you have a colour, other than red, white, or pink, on your card. I'll post a photo later today to get you started. Like last time, just take a photo of your card and email it to me. Who knows, you might just win something!

Have fun!

Some of my most recent artwork.

Hey there, everyone. Just so you don't get your hopes up, I won't be posting every other day or something like that. I will definitely post a challenge every two weeks and then any time the inspiration hits or I have artwork I want to share. This is one of those times.

This layout, Camping Chaos, is one that I am extremely proud of. If you know me or have had a gathering with me, you know that I tell everyone 99.9% of what I create is lifted or taken from somewhere, another consultant or crafter, or from one of our fabulous How-To Programs. This one, though, is all me! It all came from my head. I hope you like it.

I used the Boom-Di-Ada Level 2 paper pack, one of the Journaling Spots, Buttercup brads, and Delightful Alphabet stamps. The circle frame, flowers, and large letters are from the Dazzling Die Cuts, a promotion we had in November. I inked up the White Daisy flowers by rubbing them directly on the ink pads. Colours: Hollyhock, Barn Red, Autumn Terracotta, and Sweet Leaf and Buttercup.





The next two photos are cards I made for my women's Bible Study group to write to the missionary family we support.

Here I used Let's Get Together Level 2. Stamp sets: Best Wishes, Thoughtful Seasons, Simple Stitches. The layered flowers on the left one are Dimensional Elements. The flower on the right is a Big Pink. Colours: Cranberry, Buttercup, Garden Green, and Breeze.
Originals Patterns: Left: Pretty Simple, pg. 116
Right: Buckle, pg. 82







For these two cards, I used the Serendipity paper pack, a promotion from a long while ago. It included the die cut flowers and textured cardstock you see on the right card and the stamp for the flower on the left. I also used Thoughtful Seasons and For Every Occasion stamp sets and Chocolate Mini-Medley and eyelets. Colours: Outdoor Denim, Dutch Blue, Chocolate, and Bamboo.
Originals Patterns: Left: Winning Combination, pg. 99, Right: First Impression, pg. 11



Now go create some of your own! Better yet, participate in the challenge.