The Crafty Cat

Glittered flourish

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

I had a chance to play along with a couple of the VSN challenges on Splitcoast over the weekend. This card sure gave me fits! The challenge was to incorporate flourishes. I had a package of decorative adhesive flourishes in my stash, but I had trouble getting them applied without the adhesive stretching and warping. Then I went to glitter one and realized I didn't have the right color of glitter for my idea. What I did find was this funky shade of green. Once I had the flourish down and glittered, I had no idea what to do with the panel! Finally I settled on a simple sentiment, ribbon and button. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the result, especially given the trials I had getting here! :)
Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Think Big Favorites
Ink: Memento rich cocoa
Cardstock: Neenah white, PTI dark chocolate, SU old olive
Accessories: Clearsnap adhesive flourish, glitter, seam binding, button

Happy Heart Day

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I am without a sweetheart this year :( but I did get a little heart day crafting in for a few special people in my life. What better way to celebrate love than with a little box of chocolates? I found a tutorial on Splitcoast for this cute box that fits Ghirardelli chocolates just perfectly. I found that it holds four skinny chocolates or three fat ones (those are the ones that are filled with mint or caramel or other yummy goodness!) You can also squish in four if they are half skinny and half fat. The boxes came together pretty quickly and I kept the embellishment pretty simple, just a bit of ribbon and a scallop edge. Easy peasy!
Well, that's all for me today. Have a lovely heart day!
Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin Up
Ink: SU real red, Memento tuxedo black
Cardstock: Poptone Wild Cherry, neenah white, Echo Park Yours Truly dp
Accessories: Nestabilities, scallop edge punch, gray taffeta ribbon

All you need is ...

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody! Today's card features one of the cute penguins from The Cat's Pajamas, and a Valentine's Day theme. TCP is having a Valentine's Day blog hop; you can check out all the details HERE. I paired last week's TCP challenge to use stamps and dies featuring hearts with the hop's Valentine's Day theme for my card. The hearts are paper-pieced with some fun papers from Crate Paper's Paper Hearts collection. I also used the new Queen of Hearts die from TCP. The rest of the layout was kept pretty clean and simple to showcase the pretty paper.
Supplies:
Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Cardstock: bazzill rose, SU soft sky, neenah white, Crate Paper Paper Hearts
Accessories: Nestabilities, Queen of Hearts die, stickles, ribbon

Kraft trio of thanks

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today I have one more set of Thank You cards I made as a Christmas gift. This set features kraft bases and papers from Lily Bee's Picket Fence collection. Again, I kept them simple and pretty flat, for easier mailing. These also measure 3.5 by 5 inches, and with them, I am slowly using up my stash of those 3.5 by 5 envelopes!
Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin Up
Ink: Memento pear tart, bahama blue, lilac
Cardstock: kraft, neenah white, lily bee Picket Fence papers
Accessories: PTI, TE, Nestabilities dies, buttons, twine

Trio of thanks

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Continuing with this week's Thank you theme, today I have a set of Thank You cards. I actually made two of each of these designs and wrapped the whole set up as a Christmas gift. I enjoy giving sets of cards to people who I know will appreciate and use them, but I've found that I have to keep the cards pretty simple when I give them to my mom, otherwise she won't use them! She claims the fancy sets are too pretty to send to just anybody! So for this set, I was aiming for pretty and simple, but still sendable!
The cards are 3.5 by 5 inches, because I have a bunch of envelopes that size, and they all use patterned papers from the Victoria Garden collection from Echo Park Paper.
Supplies:
Stamps: PTI, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Sage shadow, cameo coral, regal rose
Cardstock: sage shadow, cameo coral, regal rose, neenah white, Echo Park Victoria Garden
Accessories: Nestabilities, PTI die, Cuttlebug die, ribbon

Many Thanks

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that I ran myself out of thank you cards? I had to make a few more so I could get all my holiday thank yous sent. I also had some new things to play with, so that helped influence this card. It was also inspired by this month's inspiration piece in the Dirty Dozen Gallery over at Splitcoast. The Dirty Dozen gallery is a private gallery of fabulous inspiration for members of the SCS fan club. It is one of the perks of membership, and it is a treat when it opens each month.
Back to the card; I kept it pretty clean and simple with just a few touches of turquoise to break up the black and white. The die is the new Queen of Hearts Cut Up die from The Cat's Pajamas. This is a great die because it actually is a two-in-one! The reverse cut is also just fabulous. I added a few bits of bling to highlight the scallops.
Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin UP
Ink: Memento tuxedo black
Cardstock: tempting turquoise, basic black, neenah white
Accessories: nestabilities, TCP cutups die, bling, ribbon

Angry BIrd!

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

My best friend's son is turning six soon, and he's obsessed with Angry Birds! They just got a family iPad for Christmas, and the kids got some stuffed Angry Birds, too, so I thought I would try to replicate one of the birds for Simon's birthday card. I started with a large circle Nestability, then a smaller one flipped for the white belly. The eyes, tail, neck feather and eyebrows are all various stampin up punches. I cut the beak free-hand. I think it turned out pretty cute! And you can tell right away what it is! Now I just need to find a present to go with him!
Supplies:
Cardstock: Wild Cherry Poptone carstock; neenah white cardstock; basic black cardstock; yellow cardstock
Accessories: Nestabilities, flower and scallop punches, label punch, circle punches

TCP Tuesday in Pink

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

This week's TCP Tuesday challenge was a color combination: pale pink, melon and brown. I am not quite ready for Valentine's Day cards, so I used the colors on a birthday card. This one features my favorite bunny and a chocolaty cake with pink frosting! The candles have a touch of spica glitter pen for some sparkle. I also used the new Queen of Hearts cut-up die for the scallop heart border. This die is actually two in one - the reverse cut is just as fabulous as this one. This is one of my go-to layouts, too. I love the three panel look because it mkes it so easy to mix patterned papers.
Well, I am off to my book club today. I made homemade tiramisu for dessert. I have a favorite - and lower-calorie! - recipe from Cooking Light but I haven't made it in years. I was having a bit of trouble last night, so I hope it turns out OK! Maybe I should have made a chocolate layer cake instead! ;)

Supplies:
Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Cardstock: PTI chocolate brown, Neenah white, Echo Park Victoria Garden patterned papers
Accessories: Nestabilities, Queen of Hearts cut-up, ribbon, button, Spica glitter pen

Heart collage

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to get my hands on some of the new Hero Arts stamps from their 2012 catalogue and I couldn't wait to get them inky! One of the sets I picked up is a collection of cling heart stamps with some vintage postmarks. The set is called Untitled Hearts and it great for creating collages, so that is what I did here. I paired the hearts with a few thin strips of patterned paper from the Echo Park Yours Truly collection. I kept the layout clean and simple and sentiment-free so I can decide later just how I want to use it!
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Untitled Hearts
Ink: Brilliance rocket red, Distress spun sugar, Memento tuxedo black
Cardstock: Neenah white, basic black, Echo Park Yours Truly
Accessories: button, seam binding

Many thanks

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how it happened, but when I was sending out thank yous after the holidays, I ran out of thank you cards! I usually try to have a stash of them built up, but not this year. I guess I know what kind of cards I'll be making in the coming days! Anyway, I had to whip up just a couple more cards so I could get them in the mail, and this is one of them. It was inspired largely by the cool paper from the So Sophie collection by My Mind's Eye. The layout is pretty simple and the card lays pretty flat for mailing.
Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Fillable Frame, Pink Persimmon sentiment
Ink: Memento pear tart, SU tangerine tango
Cardstock: Choice buttercream, tangerine tango, So Sophie
Accessories: PTI frame die, flower, button, seam binding, cuttlebug embossing folder, corner rounder

TCP Tuesday: Embossing

2012-01-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

I picked up some new Paper Hearts cardstock from Crate Paper while I was home in Oregon over the holidays. This is such a pretty collection of papers! I wanted to put them to use on a card, so I paired them with this fun bunny image from The Cat's Pajamas, paper-piecing the parachute with two of the patterned papers in the stack. I also wanted to incorporate some embossing on the card in keeping with TCP's weekly challenge, which called for embossing this week. The background and the clouds were embossed. I sponge some ink on the sentiment banner for a little contrast, and added a button and twine to finish off the card.
Supplies:
Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas, Oh Chute
Ink: Memento, Copic markers
Cardstock: Kraft, soft sky, regal rose, neenah white, Crate Paper Paper Hearts
Accessories:: Button, twine, cuttlebug embossing folders

January SFYTT

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Don't faint! I'm back, for the second straight day! They say it takes 30 days to establish a habit, so I am going to give it a shot with crafting and blogging! Today's card is for Jen del Muro's monthly sketch challenge. You can find the January SFYTT right HERE. Jen always has great sketches and I hope to have a chance to do all 12 this year. This month's sponsor is The Cat's Pajamas, and since I am infatuated with TCP's fabulous bunny images, I had to pull one out. It is paired with some more Echo Park paper, this time from Victoria Garden. This is the 6x6 pad, and the scale of the patterns is perfect for cardmakers. I flipped the sketch on its side for my layout, and though there are a lot of layers, I kep the embellishments pretty clean and simple. No sentiment on the outside; I'll pick one when I go to mail it!
Supplies:
Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento, Copic markers
Cardstock: kraft, neenah white, cameo coral, sage shadow, Victoria Garden
Accessories: Nestabilities, embossing folder, button, ribbon, twine, Stickles

Cling snowman

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I'm trying very hard to get back in the stamping groove, and that includes, I hope, a return to regular blogging! I have a few projects stacked up to share with you, so that should help! My crafting goals for the year include trying to get all my Christmas cards done before December in 2012, since I failed miserably at that in 2011! I also hope to continue submitting a few things for publication consideration, and want to participate in challenges for some of my favorite spots on the web. That combination led to today's card!
When I was home in Oregon for Christmas, I picked up a few goodies at an after-Christmas sale. This cling snowman set was half off! So was the Echo Park Holly Jolly Christmas paper I paired with the image. The fun sparkly fringe was a gift from my sister, and I thought it paired well with this layout and card! Even better, the card fits the "Ellen Hutson LLC Hero Arts Cling Take 'n Make" challenge on Ellen's Classroom blog. I almost forgot about this challenge, but I remembered just in time, since it ends on the 15th! There are also challenges for Hero Arts' wood and clear stamps.
The layout and design are pretty simple, which is good, since I plan to replicate this one a couple more times. My goal is six holiday cards each month between now and the end of November. Wish me luck!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Cardstock: neenah white, PTI black, Echo Park Holly Jolly Christmas
Accessories: fringe, Stickles, corner rounder

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! Though I have been a bad blogger of late, I want you all to know how much I appreciate you stopping by and visiting me here on my little blog. I definitely wish you joy this holiday season. I hope Santa brought you everything you wanted and that you are enjoying a day filled with family, friends and celebration. Hugs and happy stamping now and in the year ahead!

Supplies:
Stamps: J*lly H*liday, The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Cardstock: real red, garden green, basic black, neenah white
Accessories: Cuttlebug, PTI die, twine, button

Umbrella drink fun

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Cath is hosting a "random fun" challenge over on the Moxie Fab World blog; she asked us to make a card featuring a button, a mustache or an adult beverage. Well, that sounded like my kind of challenge! I also happened to need a card for a friend celebrating a big "0" birthday, so I thought I would marry the two. These fun papers from Echo Park's Summer Days collection has lots of circles in the patterns, so I wanted to play off of those with the card. That's how the layout was inspired. I cut lots of circles and played around until I finally settled on a design I could live with! The image is colored with Copic markers, and I kept the rest of the card simple with a bit of seam binding, twine and a citrus wedge charm from my stash. Thanks for a fun challenge, Cath!
Supplies:
Stamps: Chillax, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, copic markers
Cardstock: melon mambo, SU; solar white, Neenah; Echo Park Summer Days
Accessories: Nestabilities, seam binding, twine, charm

Thankful for you

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! (at least for all of my American readers!) Today I'll spend the day with family, enjoying good food, lots of drink and plenty of great company. If you're celebrating today, I hope your day includes all of those things, too!
Today's card is all about feeling thankful. I just love this sentiment from Taylored Expressions' new Thankful set. I paired it with the pitcher and wheat stalk silhouette images for a clean and simple design. The background is just Copic markers brushed across, with some overlap to blend the colors nicely. I am going to try that technique again, I think! It makes a great background.
Before I sign off today, I want to say thank you to all of you who read my blog! I am thankful for all of you!
Supplies:
Stamps: TE Thankful
Cardstock: PTI terracotta tile, pumpkin pie, black, neenah white
Ink: archival black, Copic markers
Accessories: Martha Stewart punch, hemp cord, button

Thankful Cornucopia

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today I have another card I made with Taylored Expressions' new Thankful set. This is one of my favorite images from the set. I colored it with Copics and then sponged the edges of the image with antique linen distress and PTI terracotta tile inks. I wanted to soften the super-white cardstock, and I think it worked. The rest of the design is simple to best showcase the image and the pretty paper from Imaginisce.
Now I must get back to the kitchen, where I need to get busy making an apple pie. I love making apple pie but only make it once a year for Thanksgiving. Wish me luck! And good luck to all of you who are finishing up your last-minute Thanksgiving preparations.
Supplies:
Stamps: TE Thankful
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Cardstock: PTI Terracotta tile, Neenah white, chocolate chip, Imaginisce Apple Cider dp
Accessories: button, linen thread, sponge

TESC150: Give Thanks

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

I stopped at a sort-of-local stamp store the other day and stumbled upon some stamps from Taylored Expressions' latest release. I had been on the hunt for some new fall/Thanksgiving stamps and the images in Taylor's new Thankful set were just the kind of thing I had in mind, so of course I picked them up and brought them home with me! Over the weekend, I had a chance to get them inky as I finished up a few Thanksgiving cards for friends and family. This card was inspired by the current TE sketch challenge. I took a few small liberties with the sketch, but the main idea is there. The image was colored with Copics and I finished the card with a bit of seam binding, a button and some linen thread.
I'm glad I have all the Thanksgiving cards made, because now it's time to focus on food. I'm making some appetizers and apple pie for Thanksgiving and I think I'll be spending the next couple of nights in the kitchen to get everything ready. Mostly it's prep work, except for the pie!
Supplies:
Stamps: Thankful, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Cardstock: pumpkine pie, choice buttercream, Imaginisce Apple Cider dp
Accessories: Nestabilities, seam binding, button and linen thread from the Cat's Pajamas.

Another treat

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the other card/treat set I made for Halloween this year. Once again, they feature Apothecary papers from Echo Park Paper. I just love their stuff and they have some new things coming out that I am dying to get my hands on. I love the touches of orange against the sand and black cardstocks, and for the card on this one, I trimmed out some sentiments from a sheet of the Apothecary paper.
I have to admit, Halloween is one of those holidays where I have a lot of ideas for making cute cards and treats, but I always seem to run out of time to actually get them made. I guess it's because things start to really get busy this time of year. And it only gets worse from here! I know from here until Christmas I will have plenty to do to make sure I get all my holiday goodies made!
Supplies:
Cardstock: Sahara sand, pumpkin pie -SU; black - PTI; Echo Park Apothecary
Ink: PTI fresh snow
Accessories: twine, Tim Holtz spider web embossing folder

Trick or Treat

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, Halloween was yesterday! But I didn't want to post pictures of my Halloween goodies until the recipients, who happen to read my blog occasionally, had actually received them! I was inspired by the super cool Apothecary collection of papers from Echo Park Paper Co. this year and used them to make cards with matching pillow boxes, which are filled with candy. The black cardstock was embossed using a Tim Holtz spiderweb embossing folder. Then I higlighted the embossing with swipes of PTI Fresh snow ink straight from the pad. The image and sentiment panels were cut from 12x12 sheets of Apothecary papers, and I distressed all the edges using my Tim Holtz edge distresser.
I hope you all had a great Halloween, with no tricks and lots of treats!
Supplies:
Ink: PTI Fresh snow
Cardstock: Sahara sand, PTI black, pumpkin pie, Echo Park Apothecary
Accessories: twine, spiderweb EF, edge distresser

Need a cookie?

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

I had a chance to play along with some challenges over on StampTV this weekend. Gina K and her crew offered up some fun challenges to go with the release of Gina's newest stamps. It was a great excuse to pull out some of my Gina K stamps and put them to work! This card was for Emily's challenge to make a card featuring pink in honor of breast cancer awareness. I decided to pull out Have a Cookie, which was designed by Melanie Muenchinger for Gina K, and paired it with some fun papers from October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker collection. The cookie dough was colored with Copics and my embellishment was a simple bit of ribbon with a button and some linen thread. The inside of the card reads: Need a cookie?
Supplies:
Stamps: Have a cookie - Melanie Muenchinger for Gina K Designs
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Cardstock: bazzill, choice vanilla, October Afternoon Modern Homemaker
Accessories: ribbon, button, linen thread

Dropping by

2011-10-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I am totally smitten with this parachuting bunny from The Cat's Pajamas. Isn't he the cutest? He also comes with the sentiment "Oh Chute" which just makes me giggle every time I see it! Since today's card is another I'm sending off to MD Anderson for the Splitcoast card drive, I thought this sentiment would be more appropriate! The bunny's chute is paper-pieced with a piece of Elizabeth Park collection paper from Little Yellow Bicycle that coordinates with my base butterfly paper. This paper is so pretty and has a nice weight and tooth to it. I will be sad when it's gone! The bunny was colored with Copics and I added some little punched butterflies and a sentiment to finish him off.
Thanks to you, my readers for dropping by today! Have a great weekend.
Supplies:
Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Cardstock: bazzill, basic gray, neenah white, Elizabeth Park by Little Yellow Bicycle
Accessories: Nestabilities, ribbon, punched butterflies, pearls

Hope You Can Cling To

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've been a busy little stamper this month, which hasn't left a lot of time for blogging! I am going to start rectifying that this weekend, though! I have a lot to share - I've been making a bunch of cards, most of them pink for the month-long card drive for breast cancer patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center over on Splitcoaststampers. You can learn more about the drive, play along, and enter to win some AMAZING prizes right HERE!

I made this card for my friend Patty's challenge to make a collage. I decided to make a collage of stamped images. I layered the color so the largest images were lightest and the smallest were in the darkest shades. I kept the embellishment simple so the collage could take center stage.

Supplies:
Stamps: Lauderdale - Hero Arts/Basic Grey; Be Strong - JustRite
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Purely pomegranate
Cardstock: whisper white, pink pirouette, purely pomegranate
Accessories: pretty in pink taffeta ribbon, kaisercraft pearls

Triggered!

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Isn't this dress gorgeous? I just love the gray/teal color combination and the feminine touches. The dress is this week's Tuesday Trigger on the Moxie Fab World blog and as soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to use it as inspiration for a card.

I started with a gray base, pops of teal and some pretty toile paper from Echo Park's Be Mine collection. The card was embellished with some pretty Maya Road roses, gray taffeta ribbon and some hat pins from Making Memories.
Supplies:
Stamps: Think Big Favorites #3, PTI
Ink: Basic gray - SU
Cardstock: basic gray, taken with teal, choice buttercream, Echo Park Be Mine
Accessories: Nestabilities, Maya Road rose trim, Making Memories hat pins, taffeta ribbon

WCMD: Owl Christmas

2011-10-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

This is my last card for Ellen Hutson's World Cardmaking Day challenges on her Classroom blog. I've had such a good time with the challenges, and Ellen and her team are so inspiring. Ellen's challenge was to make a Christmas card. I love these little Hero Arts owls - this one is colored with a touch of Copic and has googlie eyes!I also added bits of white gel pento the image for some contrast against the kraft. And now I have one more card ready to go for the holidays!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Owl Christmas
Ink: PTI snow white, Memento rich cocoa
Cardstock: Speckletone kraft, real red, Lily Bee Picket Fence
Accessories: rhinestones, white gel pen, twine, button, googlie eyes

WCMD: Kraft and aqua

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Julia offered up a really fun sketch for World Card Making Day on Ellen Hutson's Classroom blog. I did my best attempt at channeling her style while I was crafting this card. My biggest challenge was the circle shape; in Julia's version, it was a circle stitched with thread and a sewing machine. Those of you who read here regularly know I have an aversion to all things sewing! So instead I made a frame out of kraft cardstock and embellished it with a button, flower and linen thread. The papers are Julia's Picket Fence papers from Lily Bee Design. I love these papers! The final card measures 4.25 inches square.
Supplies:
Stamps: JustRite
Ink: Memento rich cocoa
Paper: kraft cardstock, Lily Bee Picket Fence patterned paper
Accessories: Nestabilities, button, linen thread, flower

WCMD: Autumn Bird

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

This is another card I made over the weekend for World Card Making Day. This card is for a challenge hosted by Sharon on Ellen Hutson's Classroom blog. Sharon's challenge was to make a fall card and use the spotlight technique, specifically spotlighting with an inchie square. I love this Hero Arts bird collage and thought it would fun to spotlight one of the flowers.I finished the card off with some linen thread and assorted buttons. Thanks for a great challenge, Sharon and Ellen.
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Cardstock: SU artichoke, PTI terracotta tile, choice buttercream
Accessories: inchie square, buttons and thread from The Cat's Pajamas

World Card Making Day 2011

2011-10-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

Happy World Card Making Day, or, should I say, weekend! I was so busy crafting yesterday that I forgot to blog! I had time to play in a few of the challenges out on the web to celebrate this special day. Today's card is for a color challenge by JulieHRR on Ellen Hutson's Classroom blog. There are four challenges in all, and so far, I've made cards for two. I'll share another tomorrow! The colors were a challenging combination for me, so I decided to try my hand at a scrap card. I went through my patterned papers until I found a few scraps in the color combination, then cut them to cover my card base. Black was the fourth color in the combination, so I accented my card with a black ribbon and black ink. The sentiment panel was die cut, then I added some red rhinestones. This should brighten somebody's mailbox!
Thanks for a fun challenge, Julie and Ellen, and Happy World Card Making Day to all my crafty friends!
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Memento tuxedo black
Cardstock: neenah white, barely banana, Basic Grey, Kaisercraft and Stampin Up patterned papers
Accessories: Nestabilities, ribbon, My Mind's Eye rhinestones

Big news!

2011-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! Paper Crafts magazine's special holiday issue, Holiday Cards & More, came out this week, which was a really, really big deal for me, because it features one of my cards! I'm officially published!!!! You can find my card on page 50. I stopped at Michael's the other night to see if they had the magazine yet, and was thrilled to find it. I have to admit, I was kind of holding my breath to make sure my card actually made it in print! I got out to my car and started flipping through as fast I could until I found myself. It's funny how exciting it is to see you work and your name on a printed page. As a professional writer, seeing my copy in print isn't anything new anymore. But to see my artwork in print, that is a new kind of special. Getting published has been a secret paper-crafting goal of mine for awhile, and I am so happy I can cross it off my list now. And a special thanks to Paper Crafts for picking me!
On a side note, I have taken a good look through the entire special issue, and I have to say there are a ton of really inspiring cards, tags and gifts in here, so if you are in need of a holiday crafting kick-start, I highly recommend picking up a copy. You can order online HERE if you can't find it in a local store.

Thank you in red

2011-09-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

This is one of those classic combinations that I just love. The Stampin Up Artfully Asian set has always been a favorite of mine, and it pairs so well with a classic red, black, and white color combination. The patterened paper is from Kaisercraft; I only have a little scrap of it left in my stash and I am hoarding it! The image was colored with Copics and the only embellishment is some black seam binding and a coin charm I picked up awhile back.
Supplies:
Stamps: Artfully Asian, Stampin UP
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Cardstock: real red, basic black, neenahwhite, Kaisercraft dp
Accessories: ribbon, coin

Coffee filter flowers

2011-09-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I pull out my craft supplies, I just want to play. I want to distress, spray, smash, squish ink, and get my distress on! It's a contrast to my other primary stamping style, clean and simple. This card is one where I combined both. I made the paper flowers out of coffee filters; I cut the filters out using Nestabilities, then dyed them with Ranger distress inks and spritzed some with gold glimmer mist before layering them on brads and crumpling them. The sentiment panel also has a touch of distressing around the edges.
Now I'm off to get inky again! I have a stamping to-do list that is getting pretty long! I hope you have a great day with some time to get inky!

Stamps: Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous

Paper: kraft, bazzill, Recollections patterned paper, choice snow white

Ink: antique linen, worn lipstick and tattered rose distress inks

Accessories: coffee filters, brads, Tattered Angels gold glimmer mist, nestabilities, glitter leaf die cut

TESC147: Margaritas!

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be a guest designer for the Taylored Expressions sketch challenge this week! I've always enjoyed Taylor's sketches, and this week's is no exception! This is a really versatile sketch that should give everyone lots of options. I kept mine pretty simple, pairing my very first Taylored Expressions stamp set, Chillax, with some fun papers from Echo Park Paper's Summer Days collection. The image was colored with Copic markers and I had to add a little sparkle to my glass to mimic the salt of a real margarita!

Here's the sketch that inspired my card. You can find all of the details for the challenge on Taylor's blog at Taylored Expressions. I hope you'll play along with me.For more samples with the sketch, check out the Sketch Crew:

Cassie Trask
Jami Sibley
Lisa Hjulberg
Lori Craig
Margie Cortina
Monika Davis
Rachel Sztonyk
Taylor VanBruggen
Tracy Clemente
Guest Stamper: Bonnie, Michelle (that's me!)

Thanks again for stopping by today! I hope you all have a great weekend, with lots of chill-axing and maybe a margarita!

Supplies:
Stamps: Chillax, Taylored Expressions
Cardstock: misc. Bazzill, choice snow white, Echo Park Summer Days patterned paper
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Accessories: Nestabilities, gem, glitter, ribbon

Purple and gold

2011-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

See, I told you I was in a purple phase! The background of this card was stamped, then run through the Cuttlebug to add the embossing. It was finished with a spritz of gold glimmer mist for a bit of shimmer. The image on the sentiment panel was inked in a light shade of purple, then the edges were inked in a darker shade. The rest of the design is clean and simple!

Supplies:
Stamps: TPC Studios, Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Memento
Cardstock: lovely lilac, gold, neenah white
Accessories: ribbon, gold cord, gold pearl, glimmer mist, cuttlebug embossing folder

Brayered butterfly

2011-09-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever go through a color phase? Lately I've been picking up the purples quite a bit. I'm not sure exactly why, but I have loving the rich shades and having fun using them in different ways. Today's card is a one-layer, clean and simple design. I created a mask by using the opening created from cutting out a circle using Nestabilities dies, then brayered over the opening using a purple spectrum ink pad. The image was stamped in black archival ink and I added a touch of Stickles to the wings and trail for some sparkle. Rounded corners, a ribbon and some rhinestones finish off the design.

Supplies:

Stamps: Inkadinkado

Ink: Serenade spectrum pad, black archival ink

Cardstock: neenah white

Accessories: ribbon, corner chomper, stickles, rhinestones, Nestabilities

Paris sunset

2011-09-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I'm in the mood to get my fingers really inky. When that happens, I pull out my distress inks and sponges and get to work! The background was created using a few Distress inks and sponges. Once the ink was layered on, I spritzed the paper with some Tattered Angels gold glimmer mist. The image is from a Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous set. I finished the card with a little paper flower bouquet and some gold cord.
Supplies:
Stamps: Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous
Ink: broken china, worn lipstick, tattered rose distress inks; archival black ink
Cardstock: basic black, metallic gold, neenah white
Accessories: gold cord, Making Memories flowers, black seam binding, gold glimmer mist, edge distresser

Center step Christmas

2011-09-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Funky folds aren't usually my thing when it comes to card-making, but this fold might be an exception. I usually stick to the basics because I can get frustrated when I have to measure, cut, score and fold. Those skills are not my strength! But awhile back on Splitcoast there was a challenge to use the Center-Step fold for a card and I decided to give it a shot. It was much easier than I expected and I really, really like how the finished card turned out. I used Echo Park Merry Christmas papers and an image from Magenta. I happened to have some old Stampin Up ribbon in my stash that matched the paper very well, so I finished the card off with that.
Supplies:
Stamps: Magenta
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Paper: Chocolate chip, cranberry crisp, garden green, choice buttercream, Echo Park Merry Christmas
Supplies: ribbon, crystal effects

All things fall

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm feeling fallish now September has arrived! I still had some bits and pieces left from a fall Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit from last year and pulled them out to use some of them up and get ahead on Thanksgiving cards. The images are from an old Cornish Heritage Farms set; they were colored with copics. I struggled a bit with the layout, but in the end, I like how this turned out!
Supplies:
Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Cardstock: bazzill, Imaginisce Apple Cider, neenah solar white
Accessories: buttons, linen thread

Remembering

2011-09-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

This card seemed fitting for today's 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. My alarm used to be set to the radio, and I remember waking up that morning and hearing Peter Jennings' voice. It took a few minutes in my sleepy state to realize the magnitude of what was happening. I rushed to the TV and watched in horror as more planes crashed and the Twin Towers fell. I made my first visit to New York this summer, and I was struck by how big the scar of 9/11 really is on the city and its people, but also by how resilient they've been since that day 10 years ago. Today I remember the victims and those who have suffered since that day.
Supplies:
Stamps: PTI
Ink: fresh snow, PTI
Cardstock: choice buttercream, cranberry crisp (SU), enchanted evening (PTI)
Accessories: PTI die, star punches, cuttlebug, twill, button, linen thread

Falling leaves

2011-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Inspiration can strike at any hour of the day. For me, it often hits while I'm at work and powerless to put an idea into action! So instead I grab the nearest stack of post-it notes and scratch out a rough sketch or picture, or jot an idea or color combination down. I stick the notes in my bag and eventually I pull them out and pile them on my craft desk. This card is a result of one of those post-its. I had the idea to create a pile of leaves with more drifting down, and this is what I came up with! The leaves were punched in various shades of cardstock using a Creative Memories leaf punch and the grass is a Martha Stewart border punch. Some linen thread and a sentiment finish off the card.
Supplies:
Stamps: Rosie's Roadshow
Ink: Memento rich cocoa
Cardstock: Speckletone kraft, misc scraps
Accessories: linen thread, punches, corner chomper

Holiday joy

2011-09-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Isn't this little Hero Arts owl cute? He's a lot of fun to color, too. There was a challenge awhile back on Splitcoaststampers to use paper pleating on your card, and I had this scrap of holiday paper in my stash, so that got the card started. I didn't want to cover up the paper too much, so I went with a clean and simple layout featuring the cute owl and some baker's twine and a button for finishing touches. Now I have another Christmas card in my stash, too! Only 50 or 60 to go now ... :)
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Cardstock: dp unknown; real red, garden green SU; neenah solar white
Accessories: Twine, button

Daisy thanks

2011-09-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

I guess I've been on a daisy kick lately! This has been one of my go-to stamp sets from Stampin Up for a few years now. It makes such fast, yet pretty, cards! Hopefully this one fits that description. The challenge behind this card was to use touches of black to ground your card - not too much, but just enough to give the card some oomph. I think I struck the right note, I love how it turned out. The image was inked in cool caribbean, and then I added touches of tempting turquoise for depth and accent. This is another clean and simple layout, it really allows the image to be the star of the card.

Supplies:

Stamps: Upsy daisy, SU

Ink: cool caribbean, tempting turquoise, SU; tuxedo black, Memento

Cardstock: cool caribbean, basic black, neenah white

Accessories: black seam binding, button, Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder

Lilac daisy

2011-09-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

I cannot get enough of this combination of my favorite La Blanche bunny and these fabulous Lily Bee Designs Picket Fence papers. They are just such a good match! And they were a great match for a challenge on Splitcoast recently which called for using a farm animal on your card. Bunnies can definitely be found on farms - hopefully living wild and not being raise for someone's dinner! :) This image was colored with Copics, and I added a little button embellishment from my stash to one corner. The layout was kept simple so the image and papers are really showcased on this card.
Supplies:
Stamps: LaBlanche
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Cardstock: neenah white, kraft, Lily Bee Picket Fence
Accessories: button

Birthday celebrations

2011-09-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

There were a bunch of challenges on Splitcoast a few weeks ago for members of the Splitcoast Fan Club, and I was fortunate to have time to play along. Or really, I abandoned all my regular chores and spent a few days in a major stamping marathon so I could complete the challenges - all 37 of them! I'll be sharing some of the cards and projects over the next few days. This card was for a sketch challenge. My proportions are slightly off; I wish the red piece was slightly smaller, but I love the split center panel - what a great design feature! I'm also digging this aqua/red color combination. I will have to try that one again. The daisy image was inked with real red ink, then I touched the edge of a cranberry crisp ink pad to it to give the image a little more color dimension. The edges of the panels were also inked with broken china distress ink.
Supplies:
Stamps: Upsy daisy, SU
Ink: real red, SU; broken china, Distress
Cardstock: real red, cool caribbean, SU; choice snow white; Picket Fence dp, Lily Bee Design
Accessories: ribbon, Sizzix embossing folder

Never forget

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Recently a friend of mine lost her husband unexpectedly, and I needed a card to send her. Sympathy cards are tough for me; I can't seem to make them ahead of time, I want them to fit the recipient. The card was also inspired by a recent challenge on Splitcoast to use paint. I'm not the most creative in the paint department, but I do like the look of paint in the background. The primary image is a Tim Holtz stamp; the sentiment is one of my favorites from Ippity by Unity. I kept the rest of the card simple and left plenty of room inside for a personal note

Supplies:
Stamps: Now and Forever, Ippity by Unity; Nature's Discovery, Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous
Ink: old olive, SU; rich cocoa, Memento
Cardstock: old olive, chocolate chip, SU; choice buttercream
Accessories: brad, twine, paint

Merci

2011-08-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

When I'm stuck for a card idea, or don't know what to make, I usually fall back on two things: thank you and clean and simple design. That's how this card came to be! I just purchased my very first stamps and dies from Papertrey Ink - I held out for a long time, but I had a gift certificate to spend, and I needed some cardstock! I paired these new stamps and dies with a color challenge from Virtual Stamp Night - dusty blue, cream and brown. I love how this turned out and I'm thinking about making a set now!
Supplies:
Stamps: Fillable Frames 10 and Think big favorites 3, PTI
Ink: snow white, PTI; rich cocoa, Memento
Cardstock: buckaroo blue, SU; choice buttercream, Taylored Expressions
Accessories: swiss dots embossing folder,Cuttlebug; Fiallable frames 10 die, PTI; chocolate satin ribbon, SU; pearls, Kaisercraft

Wooden daisy

2011-08-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

Apparently I was in a clean and simple mood over the weekend; all of the cards I made were really simple designs - this one included. There was a VSN challenge to feature wood on your card, and I happened to have some wood sheet cardstock in my stash that I had never used. This stuff from Creative Imaginations is super thin, but still looks, feels and smells like wood. I inked up the daisy silhouette in grape jelly ink and stamped right on the wood sheet. I love that you can see some of the wood grain through the ink.
Supplies:
Stamps: Upsy Daisy, SU
Ink: grape jelly, Memento
Cardstock: royal velvet, PTI; kraft, Speckletone; wood, Creative Imaginations
Accessories: twine, button, The Cat's Pajamas

Shoe boutique

2011-08-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

I made this card for one of the Virtual stamp night challenges over the weekend. Jean challenged us to channel that other rodeo - Rodeo Drive - for our cards. I used the challenge as an excuse to cut into this pretty Kanban paper I've had in my stash for ages. I paired it with the fun shoe image from Gina K Designs' Retro Boutique set. I kept the rest of the design simple so it would really showcase the image and the pretty paper.
Supplies:
Stamps: GinaK Designs Retro Boutique
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, copic markers
Paper: PTI Royal velvet, neenah white, kanban dp
Accessories: ribbon, Hero Hues bling, nestabilities dies

Yeehaw, it's VSN!

2011-08-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

There's a stamping rodeo going on this weekend over at Splitcoaststampers. Or at least that's the theme for this round of Virtual Stamp Night. There are a bunch of cowboy/rodeo themed challenges posted and there's still time to play along! This is the card I made for the challenge inspired by cowboy coffee. I pulled out Fueled by caffeine from Our Craft Lounge and found some cowboy appropriate colors to go with it. I'm a little bummed the sentiment doesn't show up better, but otherwise, I'm pretty happy with this card!
Supplies:
Stamps: Our craft lounge Fueled by caffeine
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, copic markers
paper: PTI Terracotta tile, choice buttercream, Crate paper restoration collection
Accessories: PTI fillable frames 10 die, nestabilities circle die, ribbon

More banners

2011-08-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Since I had my banner stamps out, I used them for another of the VSN challenges. The challenge was to use four bright colors, and the banners are one way to do that! I used a birthday cupcake and sentiment, too. And the cupcake banner is popped up on a pop dot for a little dimension. I finished the card with lots of black rhinestones and some more fun baker's twine.
This weekend is a whole new round of rodeo-themed VSN challenges. They start Friday and I hope to play along. Will you be there, too? You can find all the details on Splitcoast.
Supplies:
Stamps: Banners4all, Stamps of Life
Ink: various memento inks
Paper: neenah white, basic black, old olive
Accessories: rhinestones, twine

Banner note

2011-08-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

This is another card I made a few weeks ago for Virtual Stamp Night on Splitcoast. The challenge was to use pennants or banners, so I pulled out this banner set from Stamps of Life. I kept the card very clean and simple. It measures 3.5 by 6 inches and fits in a check-size envelope. I added some little twine frills on each end as ties, just for fun.
Supplies:
Stamps: Banners4all, Stamps of Life
Ink: real red, brilliant blue, basic black
Paper: real red, brilliant blue, neenah white
Accessories: red twine

Summer sunset

2011-08-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

I made this card for a recent Virtual Stamp Night challenge over on Splitcoaststampers. The challenge was to brayer a sky, so that's what I did! I have some really old Serenade spectrum ink pads, and this one in shades of red is great for making sunsets! I kept the rest of the card simple to better showcase the pretty brayering.
Supplies:
Stamps: Nature's Discovery, Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous
Ink: archival black, Serenade red
Paper: real red, tangerine tango, basic black, neenah white
Accessories: Cuttlebug embossing folder, rhinestones, ribbon

Cruisin!

2011-08-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I mentioned visiting New York. But that wasn't the end of our vacation. After a whirlwind trip to the Big Apple, we boarded a cruise ship in Brooklyn and cruised up the Atlantic Coast to Canada and New England. We visited Prince Edward Island, a place where I have wanted to go ever since I read Anne of Green Gables, Nova Scotia, Maine, Boston, and Rhode Island. But our first full day on the ship was a day "at sea" where we just cruised along the water and relaxed. One of the activities available that day was cardmaking, so my sister and I decided to check it out! It was definitely a limited-supply challenge! Everyone who participated got a prepared packet of two card bases plus some other sheets of patterned paper and cardstock already cut, along with buttons, bling, flowers and ribbon, as well as an idea sheet. They had a few boxes of stamps and pads and scissors, but the supplies were in really bad shape, so we had to make the best of things. The cards above are the two I made. I had to trim the ribbon when I got home because the scissors on board just would not cut. I think they turned out pretty cute!
Here's my sister holding up one of her cards on board the ship. They had the cardmaking in one of the nice sit-down restaurants, and they had left the lovely white tablecloths on the tables. And we had no scratch paper or anything to protect them. I'm amazed we didn't make a bigger mess! The other ladies - I think it was all ladies! - who were making cards were all very nice and friendly, proving once again that crafty people are some of the nicest!
Supplies:
Unknown!

The Big Apple

2011-08-21T11:19:00.001-07:00

I took a little summer vacation from the blog while I was traveling this summer. A few weeks ago, I met my mom and sister in New York. We're West Coasters, and it was our first trip to the Big Apple. We were only in New York for a couple of days, but we had so much fun. We hit all the highlights - Statue of Liberty, Billy Elliot on Broadway, the top of the Rockefeller Center, Central Park, the Today Show and more! We also squeezed in a visit to The Ink Pad, the only stamp store in Manhattan that I could find. Fortunately, it was conveniently located right next to a subway stop on the line between Battery Park and our hotel. So after a very hot, humid visit to the Statue of Liberty, we stopped by. The store owners were kind enough to take our photo outside. We picked up a copy of Paper Crafts while we were there, too.
I did manage to spend a little money at the shop, too! I picked up these great New York stamps from Yellow Owl Studio, as well as some fun New York charms, including hte little Chrysler building image. When I got home, I put them to use on this card I sent to my friend who lives in New York and took us to see some of the sights while we were there. The card was also made for the Dare to Get Dirty challenges over on Splitcoaststampers. The challenges were a fun stamping event specifically for members of the SCS Fan Club. So fun!
Supplies:
Stamps: Yellow Owl Studio, TE sentiment
Ink: Basic gray, yoyo yellow (SU)
Paper: basic gray, neenah white, DCWV golden yellow, Echo Park Be Mine and Summer Days dp
Accessories: charm, ribbon, nestabilities, pearls

Ornamental Christmas

2011-07-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

This card is another holiday experiment! I thought it would be fun to try making an ornament-shaped card using nestabilities and the Stampin Up round tab punch. I cut the circles, then attached them using the punched tab. A sentiment stamped on a simple round tag finished it off. Easy and fun! And it can hang on your Christmas tree through the loop in the top!
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: versamark
Paper: Coredinations and choice snow white cardstock
Accessories: nestabilities, round tab punch, silver cord, eyelet, silver embossing powder

Sweet Reindeer

2011-07-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was playing around with Inky Antics' Christmas character maker stamps when on a whim I decided to try making a test tube treat with one. I cut out a circle with my nestabilities and stamped the face, then attached the antlers. I wrapped some brown baker's twine around the center of the tube, then tied a tag with the sentiment to it. I also added some Christmas red stickles to his nose so he looked like Rudolph!
Supplies:
Stamps: Christmas Character Maker from Inky Antics
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Brilliance rocket red, Copic markers
Paper: kraft
Accessories: Nestabilities, twine, test tube, Stickles, eyelet

Sweet Christmas

2011-07-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

This was another fun little holiday card I made recently. The card measures 3.5 by 5 inches and the focal point is a peppermint candy made from baker's twine. I punched a 1-inc circle out of cardstock, then wrapped red and white twine around it to make a peppermint candy. I cut apart a clear plastic treat bag to make a candy wrapper and tied the ends with more twine. The sentiment was stamped in red and then I added glitter to the "sweet" part for extra emphasis. The white background was scored with my Martha Stewart scoreboard. I really thought this turned out cute!
Supplies:
Stamps: sentiment from Inky Antics Christmas Character Maker stamp set
Ink: Brilliance rocket red
Paper: Coredinations berry and shamrock cardstock, choice snow white
Accessories: quickie glue pen, crystal ultrafine Art Glitter, 1-inch circle punch, cherry Divine twine, peapod Twinery twine, Martha Stewart scoreboard, small plastic treatbag

Christmas in July

2011-07-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was playing around with some Christmas goodies awhile back for a publication call that was all about Christmas, and I have a few projects to share. This is one that didn't get picked up, but I am happy I'll have it on hand for a nice little Christmas goody when the holidays come around. I think it will make a great stocking stuffer or gift for a friend or co-worker. The box is an altered altoid-style tin and the tags are made with Taylored Expressions' Tag You're It set and coordinating label die. I added some touches of stickles, glossy accents and pearls to add a bit of pizazz to each tag.
Stamps: Tag You're It
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, brilliance rocket red, Memento bahama blue, Copic markers
Paper: choice snow white cardstock, bazzil red
Accessories: label die, baker's twine, pearls, glossy accents, ricrac, eyelets

More graduation

2011-07-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

My super smart cousin graduation from HARVARD!!! this year. We are all so proud of him and he has a great future ahead. He's taking some time off from school this year so he can write a book on the topic of his graduation thesis. A book at 22 - can you imagine? I know I can't! I bought him a couple of things to help with his writing - the new illustrated Strunk and White book and a gift card to his favorite coffee shop - and needed a card to go along with it. I tried to find some Harvard crimson in my card stash, but the closest I could come was Gina K Designs' lipstick red. I paired it with some embossed Gina K black cardstock and a simple ribbon, along with new my graduation stamp. Hopefully it's not too girly!
Supplies:
Stamps: Studio G
Ink: Memento tuxedo black
Paper: Gina K red and black, choice snow white
Accessories: Cuttlebug embossing folder, ribbon

Graduation Congrats

2011-07-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

I needed a couple of masculine graduation cards this year, and those are always hard to do because you can't add ribbons and bling. Fortunately I found a bargain graduation stamp at Michael's - I think it was $2.50. I paired it with a scrap of old graduation paper I had in my scrap stash and some black twine. Fortunately, the paper worked well with this particular grad's school colors! The finished card is 4.25 inches square.
Supplies:
Stamps: Studio G - Michaels
Ink: Memento tuxedo black
Paper: real red, basic black, whisper white, misc dp
Accessories: black twine

With Sympathy

2011-07-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I found myself in need of a sympathy card for a friend who lost a parent. These are never easy cards to make and I was on a tight schedule, so I pulled out some green ink and a Tim Holtz stamp and came up with this one. I was aiming for simple and soothing, and I think I accomplished that with this card.
Supplies:
Stamps: Tim Holtz, SU Sincere Salutations
Ink: SU mellow moss
Paper: kraft, choice buttercream, old olive
Accessories: button, linen thread

More Springtime

2011-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have another card featuring the Echo Park Paper Springtime collection. I just love the colors in these papers. This time, I paired the papers with the Pure Innocence My Umbrella girl. Her boots, coat and umbrella are all paper-pieced. She's also colored with Copics and I added a touch of stickles to the raindrops for a bit of sparkle. Ribbon and button finish the card off.
Supplies:
Stamps: My Umbrella Pure Innocence from My Favorite Things
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: bazzill, old olive, choice snow white, Echo Park Springtime
Accessories: Nestabilities, stickles, button, ribbon

TCP Tuesday #165

2011-07-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday! Today's card was made for one of the recent TCP Tuesday challenges hosted by The Cat's Pajamas. The challenge was a sketch challenge, so I paired the sketch with my favorite Birthday Bunny image and worked from there. The papers are some of my favorites from Echo Park; this particular collection is called Springtime. The image is backed by an oval because the sketch had an oval and I thought this would be a fun way to incorporate it.
Supplies:
Stamps: Birthday Bunny, The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: perfect plum, old olive, soft sky, choice snow white, Echo Park Springtime
Accessories: Nestabilities, pearls, ribbon

For my dad

2011-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my dad's birthday, so it's only fitting that I share his birthday card with you all! Masculine cards are tough, and after years of stamping, I find it hard to come up with new ideas each year. It's particularly tough because his birthday falls just after Father's Day, so I have to come up with two cards in a short period of time! I guess this year's theme is alcohol inks. The Father's Day card and this one both feature backgrounds made with alcohol inks. The beer is colored with Copics and I added some gold Spica glitter pen for sparkle and some liquid applique for the foam.
Happy birthday, Dad!
Supplies:
Stamps: Chillax, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers, Ranger alcohol inks, more mustard for sponging on embossed panel, Ranger archival ink for stamping on the alcohol ink background
Paper: basic black, so saffron, choice snow white, glossy white
Accessories: Nestabilities, black hemp twine, Sizzix embossing folder, liquid applique

Lilac Avenue Thanks

2011-07-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Today's cards are a trio that were part of a card set I made for a friend who is getting married. I shared the other trio awhile back, but somehow never got these up for you all to see! The cards are 3.5 by 5 inches, which is a nice size for thank you notes. The papers are Lilac Avenue from Kaisercraft and the stamps are Much Appreciated from Taylored Expressions. The design is pretty simple, which is a requirement for me when I am making multiples of any card!
Supplies:
Stamps: Much Appreciated, Taylored Expressions
Ink: amethyst and splice from Kaisercraft
Paper: vintage violet, choice snow white, Lilac Avenue DP
Accessories: circle punches, pearls

Last of the red, white and blue!

2011-07-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hey there! Nice to see you again. Are you all getting tired of red, white and blue yet? I hope not! Today's card is a variation on that color scheme, with aqua instead of a more traditional blue. But it still feels patriotic to me - I think it must be the stars! This is card features my favorite birthday bunny from The Cat's Pajamas. I actually made this one awhile back and submitted it for publication, but alas, it wasn't picked up, so I figured I'd share it with you today! My image is colored with Copics and I added a touch of stardust Stickles to some of the packages for a touch of bling. I kept the layout CAS, as appears to be my style!
Supplies:
Stamps: Birthday Bunny, The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: choice snow white, real red, Lily Bee Picket Fence dp
Accessories: Ribbon, buttons, twine, Stickles

Red, white and blue TESC141

2011-07-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was feeling patriotic during my stamping session this weekend, and it continued with the latest Taylored Expressions sketch! I used Taylor's You're My Hero Stamps and paired them with the same Doodlebug paper from yesterday's card. My friend who is a former Creative Memories consultant recently gave me a bunch of star punches and I am having a great time putting them to use! I love that there are four sizes of stars that all layer together! I think I'll be shipping this card and a few others in my stash to Operation Write Home. They can put them to good use!
Supplies:
Stamps: You're My Hero, Taylored Expressions
Ink: real red, brilliant blue, Memento tuxedo black
Paper: neenah white, real red, brilliant blue, Doodlebug dp
Accessories: CM star punches, KI Memories gems, crimper

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T06:35:00.000-07:00

I was feeling patriotic when I sat down to work on this week's sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping, so this is what I came up with! Stampin Up's real red and brilliant blue are the perfect shades for a card worthy of the Fourth of July. To fit with the challenge, I kept the card clean and simple.
I'll be watching the city fireworks from my yard tonight - we have a great view of them from our neighborhood. I hope you and your family have a safe and fun Fourth, too, if you're living in the U.S.!
Supplies:
Stamps: Circles4all, Stamps of Life
Ink: real red, brilliant blue
Paper: real red, brilliant blue, neenah white, Doodlebug patterned paper
Accessories: circle punches, Quickutz border die

Lilac For You

2011-07-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

I whipped up this little 4.25-inch square card to send along with a package recently. I had been working with some of this Lilac Avenue paper from Kaisercraft, so I started with a scrap of it and built the rest of the card around it. This is yet another card featuring Taylored Expressions' Much Appreciated stamps. This was a free set for kit customers last year and I am so glad I got one - I use it so much! I've been keeping things pretty simple with my crafting lately and this card is another example of that!

Supplies:

Stamps: Much Appreciated, Taylored Expressions

Ink: Kaisercraft amethyst and splice

Paper: vintage violet (retired SU), certainly celery (SU), choice snow white, Kaisercraft Lilac Avenue

Accessories: circle and scallop circle punches, pearl gems

CPS 224: Circle of Thanks

2011-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

I just loved this week's CPS sketch and I happened to have a brand-new package of Echo Park's Country Drive paper sitting on my desk, so I decided to pair them up, and this was the result! My love affair with Echo Park continues; I want everything they make. Not that I needed any more flowered papers - but these are awesome! I wanted to add a ribbon to the card, but nothing seemed quite right until I did it this way - sort of like those award badges that are so popular in crafting right now. Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies:
Stamps: Stamps of Life - Minis4circles
Ink: Memento rose bud and pear tart
Paper: speckletone kraft, choice buttercream, Echo Park Country Drive
Accessories: circle punches, ribbon

Tuesday Trigger Lullaby

2011-06-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

I was itching to get inky today - it has been way too long since I had the chance - and Cath's Tuesday Trigger was just the inspiration I needed. I love this soft, sweet quilt; it is perfect for a newborn baby boy. So I took my inspiration from the ragged edges, the quilt squares and the colors and produced this little card:
I got a lot of use out of my Tim Holtz distressing tool on this card! I also pulled out a scrap of Dear Lizzy fabric paper - in this case, I actually peeled the fabric from the sticker backing so I could fray the edges a bit. I think I will do that again, I liked how it came out! The image is from Rubber Soul stamp set and the sentiment is from a Stamps of Life set. I added a little Copic Spica clear glitter to the heart on the bib, but it was impossible to capture in the photograph. The final card measures 4.25 inches square.
Supplies:
Stamps: Baby -Rubber Soul; Banners4All, Stamps of Life
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: SU Basic gray, neenah classic crest solar white, Echo Park Be Mine, American Crafts Dear Lizzy fabric paper
Accessories: ribbon, button, twine, clear spica pen, distressing tool

Pocket full of thanks

2011-06-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

This is a fun little card I made for a VSN challenge last month on Splitcoast. I followed a tutorial, also found on Splitcoast, to make this one, but I can't remember which one it is now! Anyway, it's basically a tri-fold with a pull outpanel inside. I used some crocheted lace to line the pocket, and then added a simple band around the center. One thing I love about this fold? It still fits in a regular sized envelope!
Supplies:
Stamps: Much Appreciated, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Splice by Kaisercraft
Paper: certainly celery, choice buttercream, Imaginisce patterned papers
Accessories: circle and scallop punches, lace, ribbon, eyelet

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! This is the card I made for my dad; he's an avid fisherman and the last few summers he's spent lots of time in Alaska reeling them in. This image of a salmon seemed like a good fit for a card for him. Not sure of the maker of the stamp, I got it in a stamp exchange with some friends. The background behind the fish was made using alcohol inks and glossy paper. I love the mottled look you get this way - it definitely reminds me of the ocean!
Supplies:
Stamps: Sentiment from Gifts from the Sea by Melanie Muenchinger for Gina K Designs; salmon manufacturer unknown
Ink: Ranger archival black ink, Ranger alcohol inks
Paper: glossy white, basic black, bermuda bay
Accessories: black hemp twine, circle punches, alcohol inks

Hope in bloom

2011-06-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

I love this image because it reminds me of spring. And I love spring because it is so hopeful and full of promise. Hope is something I am focusing on today as I join my sister and hundreds of other people at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event in my hometown. This is the second year Rays of Hope - Team Sunny has participated in this event, and I am so happy I could make a surprise appearance today to support my sister and this cause. We are walking for 24 hours to raise awareness and to raise money for the American Cancer Society - money that will be used to help cancer survivors and their families and that will help research treatments, and God willing, cures for cancer. We can always use more support, so if you are able and inclined, here's a link: http://www.salemoregonrelay.org/
When you get there, click on teams and find Rays of Hope - Team Sunny to make a donation to our team. And if you're out in the sun this summer, please wear sunscreen! It's one easy thing you can do to prevent cancer!
Now on to the card. The bunny image is a LaBlanche stamp. I love these sweet images. I am still learning to color them, but I am pretty happy with how this one turned out! Another clean and simple layout here, this time to showcase those pretty Picket Fence papers from Lily Bee Designs.
Supplies:
Stamps: Lablanche
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, copic markers
Paper: kraft, choice snow white, Lily Bee Designs Picket Fence
Accessories: twine, button, ribbon

Thank you trio

2011-06-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

Well hello there! It's been awhile, hasn't it? I kind of took a break from blogging. No particular reason, I just got busy with other things. Stamping time has been limited for me the last few weeks, and is expected to continue to be for a while longer, but I do have a few things to share with you, so hopefully this will be the start of a little more regular posting!
Today's trio of cards are part of a set I made for a friend who is getting married this summer. She's using purple/lavender/green for her colors, so that was my starting point. The colors are a great match for Kaisercraft's Lilac Avenue paper collection from last year. It's a favorite of mine and a I still have some I've been hoarding! Since the colors are kind of modern and fun, I decided to pull out the Taylored Expressions Much Appreciated stamp set for my stamps. The cards are 3.5 by 5 inches, and the design is clean and simple. I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out.
Supplies:
Stamps: Much Appreciated, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Kaisercraft amethyst and splice
Paper: certainly celery, choice white, Kaisercraft Lilac Avenue dp
Accessories: circle punches, Kaisercraft pearls

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are mothers. This is the card I made for my mom. She loves the ocean and beachcombing along the shore is one of her favorite activities, so that inspired this card. For the background panel, I used a wave-edge paper trimmer from Creative Memories to make lots of wavy strips of paper. Then I inked the edges for some extra definition, laid them out in a pattern, then spritzed the whole piece with pearl shimmer spray. For the sentiment panel, I used some leftover wave pattern edges as masks, then layered shades of ink and more shimmer spray to create another wave pattern. The shells were stamped, colored with copics and sprayed with shimmer spray. I really love how the finished card turned out, and hopefully, my mom did, too!
Supplies:
Stamps: Gifts from the Sea, Melanie Muenchinger for Gina K Designs
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, taken with teal, bermuda bay, soft sky, cool Caribbean
Paper: taken with teal, bermuda bay, cool Caribbean, kraft, choice snow white
Accessories: linen thread, shimmer spray, wave edge trimmer

Moxie Fab Tissue Magic

2011-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Cath posted a fun challenge recently on the Moxie Fab blog - to use tissue or crepe paper on your card. The challenge runs through Monday, so there is still plenty of time to play. I knew I had some Jenni Bowlin crepe paper ribbon in my stash, so I pulled it out and started playing! The ribbon came in two designs of white, plus this fun red polka dot. I had a few different ideas, and I folded and twisted a bunch of ribbon before I finally decided to do a pleated band along the side of the focal image. Basically I just layered loops down the side, tacking down each loop to the one below it as I went. The cool thing about it is that the ribbon lays flat for mailing, then poofs out when you open the card for a neat effect. I also wrapped one piece of the ribbon behind the image to tie the card together. Thanks Cath for a super fun challenge!
Supplies:
Stamps: Our Craft Lounge
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: DCWV notecard, real red cardstock
Accessories: Jenni Bowlin crepe paper ribbon, Ranger glossy accents

Birthday bunny

2011-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Isn't this just the most adorable bunny? I acquired him awhile back from The Cat's Pajamas, but somehow he never got inked up until last weekend. I pulled him out for a Virtual Stamp Night challenge on Splitcoast. The challenge was a color challenge: use the colors of a parrot - orange, yellow and green! These fabulous papers from the Echo Park Paper Summer Days collection were a great starting point for the colors. I added a splash of orange ribbon and a bit of coloring, but otherwise, this was a pretty fast and simple card. I really love how it turned out! It just seems so fun and cheery!
Supplies:
Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: DCWV cardstock, choice snow white cardstock, Echo Park Summer Days papers
Accessories: ribbon, Nestabilities

Weekend stamping

2011-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I had a great weekend of stamping this weekend, and it was long overdue! I sometimes forget how therapeutic it can be when I am stressed! I found a lot of inspiration around the web, too, which helped fuel my crafty weekend. This card was in inspired by this week's Fall-to-layout on the Clean and Simple Stamping blog. It was also inspired by one of the mini VSN challenges on Splitcoast - the theme this round is Pirate Party and the challenge called for using fabric (like a sail) on your card. I just happen to have some American Crafts Dear Lizzy paper in my stash, so I used some dies to cut out fabric flowers. The white base layer was also scored with lots of tiny lines using my Martha Stewart score board.
Thanks for stopping by! Here's to another great week - let's hope it includes lots and lots of stamping!
Supplies:
Stamps: Much Appreciated, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento London Fog
Paper: pretty in pink, barely banana, choice snow white, American Crafts Dear Lizzy
Accessories: Cuttlebug and Nestabilities dies, Martha Stewart score board

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone! Today I have a pair of Easter cards to share. They are the same basic layout and design, with a slight variation in colors. The color combination was inspired by the new Echo Park Summer Days paper I ordered recently. I love these colors - they are definitely summery, but I thought they worked well for spring, too!
The images are from Stampin UP; they were colored with Copics and I used the broad end of my sketch markers to make basket marks on the basket. I like how this turned out and will definitely try it again. I added a few touches of glitter to the eggs for a bit of sparkle and finished them off with a button and twine. If you're celebrating Easter today, I hope you have a great day with lots of family, friends and fun. Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies:
Stamps: Bunny Hugs, SU
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: melon mambo, bermuda bay, yoyo yellow, choice white, Echo Park Summer Days
Accessories: buttons, twine, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Stickles

Easter bunny

2011-04-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year! Today's card is one of a few I made for Easter. I used some scraps of paper on my craft table and an ancient bunny image from Stampin Up. The doily was a recent find at the LSS - I love how they highlight an image. For this card, I backed the doily with a solid color to really help it stand out. A little seam binding ribbon and some pearls finished it off.
Supplies:
Stamps: Spring Things - SU
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Paper: SU pale plum and close to cocoa, choice white, Imaginisce dp
Accessories: ribbon, pearls, Martha Stewart doily, nestabilities, cuttlebug embossing folder

Blast from the Past: Clean and Simple

2011-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! Welcome to the Taylored Expressions Blast from the Past Blog Hop! I hope you started at Taylor's blog, and came here by way of Kelli's. The theme for this month's hop is clean and simple. I started with Sankari's fun sketch and the Tag...You're It stamps. I thought it would be fun to use these tag stamps as a focal point of a card. I paired the label image and sentiment with some fun papers from the Echo Park Wintertime collection. The papers and ribbon were part of a past TE Key Ingredients Kit. The rest of the card was kept simple, with just a touch of embossing, in keeping with this month's theme! Thanks for stopping by! Your next stop is Erin's blog; you can see the full list of all the hop participants below.

Supplies:
Stamps: Tag...You're It -Taylored Expressions
Ink: blue bayou, ruby red (SU)
Paper: choice snow white, chocolate chip, soft sky, Echo Park Wintertime
Accessories: TE Label die,ribbon, Sizzix embossing folder, pearls

Gray and yellow appreciaton

2011-04-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

So I took a little spring blog break the last couple of weeks so I could actually spend some time enjoying spring. Some friends and family have been in the area, so I took some time off crafting to hang out with them and play! But I am back now and have been crafting up a storm the last few days, so hopefully it won't be so quiet around here anymore!
Today's card is for the lastest Taylored Expressons sketch challenge. I've been seeing a lot of yellow and gray around lately, so I thought I would put it into a card! I took a few liberties with the sketch, but I think you can still get the idea. The card is pretty simple, as most of mine are, but I like how it turned out.
Supplies:
Stamps: Much Appreciated - Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento dandelion and london fog
Paper: yoyo yellow, basic gray, choice white
Accessories: Cuttlebug, corner rounder, pearls, button, twine

Another Easter basket

2011-04-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is another card I made featuring those fabulous Graphic 45 papers I had in my stash. Today's features a basket of Easter bunnies from Rubbernecker. Another clean and simple design and layout on this one. Today's accessory is some silk ribbon I dyed using my Copics, then tied with a button and some twine.
Supplies:
Stamps: Rubbernecker
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Paper: kraft, choice buttercream, Graphic 45
Accessories: silk ribbon, twine, button

LaBlanche bunny

2011-04-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

I picked up this sweet bunny image at my local stamp store the other day. The line is LaBlanche stamps; the images are lovely and I can't resist a sweet bunny! The stamps are actually made of silicone instead of rubber, but I was pleasantly surprised with how well they stamped! The card is pretty simple since the image is more complex. I think this is one of my go-to CAS layouts, I use it all the time! I'm still loving these Graphic 45 papers, too. I think I'll see if I can't use them up on Easter/spring cards this year. It's always hard to use up scraps later!
Supplies:
Stamps: LaBlanche
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Paper: choice snow white, kraft, Graphic 45 dp
Accessories: ribbon, button, nestabilities

Rockin' Dino

2011-03-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

I whipped up this card for a friend who's step son needed a little cheering up. It was also a good chance to work on some Copic coloring! The dino was colored and then I added colorless blender spots to give him some texture. The mountain just took quite a bit of blending to achieve a look I was happy with. The "sun" in the background is actually a clear glass gem that I colored with an orange copic marker. I like the finished look of it! The card measures 4.25 inches square.
Supplies:
Stamps: Dino Mite, Theresa Momber for Gina K Designs
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: choice snow white, bazzill brown, soft suede and old olive (SU), dp scrap unknown
Accessories: clear gem, corner rounder

CAS Easter bunny

2011-03-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

I had a chance a few days ago to play in the Clean and Simple stamping challenge on Splitcoast. Last week's challenge was a sketch challenge. I had just pulled out some Easter stamps and had these new doilies from Martha Stewart sitting on my desk, so I whipped this little guy up. The bunny image is from an ancient Stampin Up set. The designer papers are from Imaginisce and they have been in my stash for a while - time to use them up! The bunny's flower has a touch of stickles, and his tail has a touch of sparkly fluff for some sparkle and texture.
Supplies:
Stamps: Springs Things, SU
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Paper: DCWV notecard, choice snow white CS, Imaginisce dp
Accessories: doily, pearls, ribbon, button, twine, sparkly fluff, stickles

TESC135: The best

2011-03-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

Taylor is back this week with her sketch challenge after a long hiatus! Yay! I couldn't wait to play along, and she's offering a prize this week to sweeten things up even more. You can find all the details HERE.
On to today's card. I figured I ought to use some Taylored Expressions stamps, and since I had them out, some supplies from one of my TE Key Ingredients kits. Most of the supplies on this card are from a kit from last fall, I believe. I cut out two sets of circles so I could pop up the centers. Otherwise the design is pretty simple. I did finish off the bow with a couple of fun pins from Making Memories. Overall, I'm pretty happy with this one! Thanks for stopping by today.
Supplies:
Stamps: Much Appreciated, TE
Ink: real red, more mustard, brocade blue, pink pirouette (all SU)
Paper: bazzill, choice buttercream, October Afternoon Modern Homemaker
Accessories: Nestabilities, ribbon, stick pins

Best things in life

2011-03-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun card to make. The background was made by inking a large Hero Arts flower image in pink pirouette, then kissing it to a Cornish Heritage Farms background stamp inked in melon mambo. The sentiment is also inked in melon, and then I highlighted the best and friends with glitter. I finished it off with a pretty bow and stick pin. Clean, simple and so pretty!
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts, Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Melon Mambo, pink pirouette
Paper:: Melon mambo, pink pirouette, basic black, choice snow white
Accessories: ribbon, stick pin, glitter

Birthday stripes

2011-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is a quick clean and simple card I whipped up awhile back. I was trying for masculine, but I'm not sure it's all that masculine! The cake was colored with Copics, the candles have gold spica glitter pen on them for a little sparkle and the cake frosting is covered in glossy accents. The striped paper is from Echo Park's Wintertime collection; I love that this collection has so many options for non-winter/Christmas cards.
Supplies:
Stamps: Impression Obsession image, Gina K Designs sentiment
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, copics
Paper: bazzill, choice buttercream, Echo Park wintertime
Accessories: We R Memory Keepers eyelets, nestabilities

Circles of appreciation

2011-03-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a chance to play in the Clean and Simple sketch challenge for awhile, but when I saw this week's sketch, I just had to pull out some stamps. I pulled out my Taylored Expressions Much Appreciated stamps - a freebie from Taylor for subscribing to her key ingredients kit awhile back. Most of the supplies on this card also are from my collection of key ingredients kits. I kept the card clean and simple - that is part of the challenge, after all! But I did add a bit of bling.
Supplies:
Stamps: Much Appreciated, Taylored Expressions
Ink: colorbox chestnut, brilliance rocket red, SU tangerine tango, SU kiwi kiss
Paper: bazzill, choice snow white, Echo Park Walk in the Park
Accessories: bling

Grungy Rose

2011-03-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

I made this card for a StampTV challenge to make something that is not your usual style. This is definitely not my typical CAS! I received a bunch of grunge paper recently as a gift and had not used it, so I pulled it out and inked, painted, misted, glittered and distressed a few pieces. The rose is a grunge circle that I cut to make my own version of a rolled rose. More distressing and inking on the copper background piece and on the sentiment. My fingers were so inky when I was done, and I'm not sure how well I channeled Tim Holtz, but overall, I'm pleased with how this one turned out!
Supplies:
Stamps: Charmed Life by Melanie Muenchinger for Gina K Designs
Ink: gingerbread chalk ink, distress inks
Paper: misc brown, copper and cream from my stash, grunge paper
Accessories: distressing tool, sponges, smooch spritz, stickles, paint

Springtime sunshine

2011-03-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

It's a gray, dreary day here in Southern California, and I don't know about you, but I am ready for sunshine and springtime! So that's what I have for you today. This card uses one of those sets I just can't get enough of; it's Our Craft Lounge's Sunshine Cheer. I paper-pieced the sun and added an embossed vellum overlay over the background. I finished it up with a button, some twine and a bit of ribbon. It's definitely a sunshine-y card!
Supplies:
Stamps: Sunshine Cheer, Our Craft Lounge
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, copic markers
Paper: Cosmo Cricket Delovely, bazzill,choice snow white, vellum
Accessories: embossing folder, ribbon, twine, button

Stamper's gift set

2011-03-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

As a hostess for the recent Virtual Stamp Night on Splitcoast, I had the chance to be in a secret sister swap with the other hostesses. It's always fun picking out goodies for another stamper and I love assembling the little package. This round, I took inspiration from our theme, "You Make My Heart Sing," and put together a package inspired by shades of pink and the "Be Mine" collection of papers from Echo Park. I also used some floral and sentiment stamps from Hero Arts. The matching card is seen above!
And here's the package. I decorated a test tube and filled it with M&Ms, decorated a mini paint can and filled it with buttons, and put together a pretty package of pink ribbons. I also altered a journal from the Michael's $1 spot and decorated a matching gift bag. Along with these things, I added a rolled rose die set from My Favorite Things and some bling I picked up at Michael's. I think it turned out to be a nice little package!
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts, Michael's $1 spot, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, melon mambo, pink pirouette
Paper: Melon mambo, pink pirouette, basic gray, Be Mine from Echo Park Paper
Accessories: bling, ribbon, stickers from Echo Park Paper Be Mine Collection, punches

Tuesday Trigger in Bloom

2011-03-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Cath's Tuesday Trigger on the Moxie Fab blog this week just spoke to me. First it was the color, then it was the sense of new beginnings and springtime. I knew I wanted to translate it into a card. My first attempt, however, was a disaster! I thought all hope was lost, then I stopped by a local scrapbook store today and stumbled on these beautiful Graphic 45 papers. This is what I came up with from the inspiration photo:
The flower and leaves are paper-pieced using the reverse sides of the sheets of paper that make up the background. The rest of the card is super simple, just a little layering and a button with some linen thread. I really love how this one turned out, and it's not often I say that! Thanks for some fabulous inspiration this week, Cath!
Supplies:
Stamps: Now and Always, Ippity by Unity
Ink: gingerbread chalk ink
Paper: kraft, choice buttercream, Graphic 45 dp
Accessories: Nestabilities, linen thread, My Mind's Eye button

Rocker girl

2011-03-12T10:20:00.000-08:00

I went on a birthday card-making spree recently, making a variety of cards for adults, kids and teens to build up my stash. This is one that I came up with. It pairs the Taylored Expressions You're My Hero set with some music paper from the Be Mine collection from Echo Park. I added a clear acrylic star and a pink star, some funky ribbons and a little bling, too. It was a pretty easy card, but I like the finished result!
Supplies:
Stamps: You're My Hero, Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, copic markers
Paper: choice buttercream, Gina K pink and black, Echo Park Be Mine
Accessories: Heidi Swapp star, Fiskars star punch, black rhinestones, ribbon

Inspired by a childhood favorite

2011-03-09T23:46:00.000-08:00

This card was made for a recent VSN challenge to take inspiration from your first love - that stuffed toy or doll that you cherished as a young child. When I was about 18 months old, my favorite aunt gave birth to her first baby, my cousin, whose name was Buffy. About a month later, I received a doll for Christmas, that soon became known as my Buffy doll. The doll was named for the baby cousin I just adored, and I carried that doll everywhere! It got so filthy and worn, I actually got a second Buffy doll to replace the first. The one in the picture is the second. The first is 10 times more gross than that one! I still have it, too, but that picture would've needed a scary doll warning. Maybe this one does, too!
One of the challenges of VSN is the 45-minute time limit. After coloring and paper-piecing my card, I ran out of time to do the last bit of embellishing. This second version is the final card, after I blinged it up a bit!
Supplies:
Stamps: MFT Pure Innocence Hello Cupcake
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: Melon mambo, certainly celery, pink pirouette, choice white, GCD Studios patterned paper
Accessories: ribbon, button, nestabilities, kaisercraft pearls, stickles

Pretty princess

2011-03-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

Today's card is all about the little girl in all of us! Who didn't want to be a princess at one point or another in our childhood? I'll be sending this off to a little girl I know who just loves to dress up in princess clothes! The stamps are a Reflections set from Michaels. I colored the images with Copics and added lots of bling and embossing to finish off the card. The crown is colored with pink Spica glitter pen for a little added sparkle. Thanks for stopping by today!
Supplies:
Stamps: Michaels
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: cool caribbean, pretty in pink, bazzill, choice snow white
Accessories: Nestabilities, sizzix and Cuttlebug embossing folders, bling, pink spica pen

Balloons and flowers

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

This little cutie is a recent acquisition from The Cat's Pajamas. Isn't he adorable? He was a lot of fun to color, too. I'm kind of wishing I'd added some bling or Stickles to him, though. The card is a pretty simple one, some embossing, a border punch, some pretty seam binding and a button also from The Cat's Pajamas. I figure this one will work for either a birthday or for next Valentine's Day.
Supplies:
Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: bazzill, coredinations, choice snow white
Accessories: nestabilities, embossing folder, EK success punch, seam binding, button

Turtle on suede

2011-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

This little cutie was whipped up for last weekend's Virtual Stamp Night challenges in Splitcoaststampers. I needed a birthday card for a little boy, and I just happened to have some cute Kim Hughes stamps (from her days at Cornish Heritage Farms) that included this turtle. He was colored with copics and finished off with some Ranger glossy accents on his shell. The gray background is the faux suede technique, which makes for a nice texture contrast with the smooth turtle shell.
Supplies:
Stamps: Kim Hughes for CHF, Pink Persimmon sentiment
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, copic markers
Paper: artichoke, basic black, choice white, basic gray
Accessories: nestabilities, crimper, glossy accents, brads

Blue bird for spring

2011-03-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready for spring, and this card definitely represents that! I was lucky enough a few weeks ago to win a fabulous blog candy giveaway from Ellen Hutson and this beautiful Hero Arts stamp was in that package. I colored it with Copics and paired it with a pretty sheet of - ironically for a spring card - Wintertime paper from Echo Park. I know you all are probably sick of hearing about my love of this paper, but I cannot get enough Echo Park! I'm about ready to order some more of their delicious papers - they have some great new collections out and I need a fix! Most of the supplies for this card were from a Taylored Expressions key ingredients kit. I have really enjoyed those kits!
Thanks, as always for stopping by today!
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Memento rich cocoa
Paper: bazzill, choice snow white, Echo Park Wintertime
Accessories: Nestabilities, seam binding, crochet ribbon from Technique Tuesday, Kaisercraft pearls