Lights are back on & I'm home! :) (TAWS31, Curtain Call Linky Party, MOJO300)

Hi guys! Hope it did not seem too much like "the lights were on but no one was home" over these last couple weeks. I went on vacation to CA & have not been home. We had an amazing time! We took the boys to Disneyland and then to visit my college friend and her family for a few days. I'll post a few more pics at the bottom of the page :)

I haven't stamped in weeks & I was so dying to do something creative! I started yesterday with a few projects for the 4th, since we are hosting. I'll show those later this week, but for today-a few challenges!

This fun card is a birthday card for my stepsister and also for the following challenges:

TAWS31/Inspiration Challenge. This is my first time to play at TAWS. I just ordered some cute new sets from there and can't wait to get my hands on them! But since I don't have them yet-this card was made with a couple freebie stamps from their blog. Here's the inspiration pic:

I'm also linking this up over at Stacey's Stamping Stage Birthday Linky Party. Stacey has announced the return of the Curtain Call Challenge soon! I loved her challenges when I first started blogging and am so excited to see what the new challenges will be like.

The final challenge this is for is this weeks Mojo Monday, it is the THREE HUNDRETH Mojo Monday Challenge this week and they are offering lots of fabulous prizes if you make a card with their adorable sketch! Here is the sketch:

I paper pieced the bird by printing him once on patterned paper and twice on white card stock. I die cut one of the one printed on white and colored his tail. I added the body part of the bird which I fussy cut from patterned paper, then on the second one that was printed white, I colored the wing red, and just cut out the wing and popped it up with a pop dot.

The rest of the card is pretty self-explanatory, the layered accent below the bird was made from a felt flower and a few stars that were already cut in my "need to use this stuff up" desk organizer, as was the dotted piece (it's MME paper cut with a Spellibinders die. The stars were cut with the TCP Stars CutUp, and the flower was made with an older Cuttlebug die.) The rest of the goodies used are dies: PTI, Lil' Inker, and Spellbinders. Paper: My Mind's Eye Summer Splash Pad. 

I hope you like the card! I have missed my blog and crafting. So, even though the summer is nutty, I'll be back soon. 

Big Hugs! Noelle

PS: Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'! The linky is right at the top of my sidebar there. Hugs! 

**Vacation Pics: First one was taken in the M&M Factory in Las Vegas, the rest are from Disneyland! It was such a great trip-we had an awesome time. :)