Featured Friday - Betty Keefe!!

It's the second Friday of the month and that means it's that magical time of the month when I get to share one of my favorite bloggers with you in a segment I like to call "Featured Friday".

So please join me in welcoming this month's guest:

Betty Keefe of Created By BJK!!!

Betty hails from Nebraska, but her daughter lives in Fargo and so I actually got the pleasure to meet her when she came for a visit earlier this year. Not only does Betty have the kind of kindness and humor that I hope to have when I grow up, she's a wizard with die cuts and clean lines. 

Hey... just because I can't do clean lines, doesn't mean I don't admire them!

Like me, Betty just started blogging last year but her cards have made a huge splash and are some of my favorites on the web. Just look at some of these stunners:

 

 

But why let me blather on about how amazing Betty is, when she has so many more interesting things she could say about herself. Here's 7 things you should know about Betty:

1. Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging in January 2014 so that I could enter challenges more easily and become a little more active in the card making/stamping world – before I had my blog I just had a Flickr photostream.

2. What inspires your designs?

A lot of my inspiration comes from roaming around on Pinterest and I follow many blogs through Bloglovin’. Sometimes it’s just a color combination, a technique or a layout that will catch my fancy and I’ll go from there.

3. If you could have a lifetime supply of one stamping product, what would it be?

This is so difficult but at the present, it would dies – there are so many wonderful techniques for using them. Dies give dimension, texture and a completeness to cards which for my style works very well.

4. How do you keep you card-making mojo going?

I don’t seem to have much trouble in that department – every morning I check out other blogs and Pinterest (I get up very early and am retired so have the time) – always manage to see something that trips my trigger. I also sell my cards in a gift shop and to many friends – rarely make the same card twice.

5. What are your favorite card challenges?

I am pretty bad about entering challenges – I follow quite a few but then never seem to get around to entering them. The challenge also has to have something I like to create – if I have to use an animal forget it!! Rarely enter sketch challenges as they are usually more layered and detailed than I like. In the fall, I start entering Merry Monday and few other Christmas challenges. I favor challenges that use clean and simple like The Card Concept and Addicted to CAS.

6. Do you do any other types of crafts?

In my past I have done macramé, counted cross-stitch, jewelry, woodcrafts – I sew, knit and crochet (not very well in any of those) – and used to scour garage and estate sales for neat stuff to upcycle into something useful. Have been stamping and making cards since about 1998 – but in 2008 had some foot surgery and had to sit around a lot – watched Jennifer Mcguire videos on using inks and it’s been cards just about exclusively since then.

7. What is your best piece of advice to new bloggers?

I consider myself a new blogger so this is another difficult question. I guess it would be "do what pleases you”.

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Pinterest and Bloglovin' - that's where you can find both Betty and I when we're not huddled in our craft rooms!

For my Featured Friday posts, I always choose a card to CASE. After scrolling through Betty's Pinterest feed, I landed on this one. 

The Original

This card has it all!  Polka dots, a splash of color, and the dies Betty loves so much. It's bright, it's clean, and it's fun!

Betty and I both took another crack at her card and CASED it. 

Betty's CASE

Gorgeousness! Isn't it? Betty knows how to knock out elegant, stunning creations. 

My CASE

I stuck with the bright, fun burst of flowers and added some sparkles to the center. I just changed a few minor things here and there, but the spirit of Betty's card is definitely smack dab in your face. 

I used the Simon Says Stamp "Thinking of You" stamp set. 

Speaking of Simon Says Stamp, I'm going to hook this card up with the SSS Wednesday Challenge - Sentimental and Shopping Our Stash - Big, Bold and Beautiful, and 613 Avenue Create - ATG/with feminine option. 

Thanks for popping by and would you pretty please pop by Betty's blog and give her some extra special bloggy love today?