Mojo Friday?

Here it is Friday and I am just getting around to posting the card I made for Mojo Monday #75. Better late than never, right? If not, don't tell me because that is often my mantra. So, about the card... While the ladies certainly created a lovely sketch that I enjoyed, it was a difficult one for me. When I design a card, I put a lot of thought into color balance and visual weight. This sketch was a hard one for me to choose paper for and even harder to arrange my papers in a manner that pleased me. Let's just say I put WAY too much thought into this project. It is Friday after all. Five days after the sketch was posted for us! I do like how the flower turned out though. I got a few new inks last weekend when I got my strawberry stamp and I was very excited to pull them out for this card.

I decided to leave off the optional circle shape as well as a sentiment. I liked it plain, just the way it is pictured. I may use it as sympathy card or just as a nice notecard. Overall, I guess I like it but it is not my favorite card out of all that I have made. I think the sketch was a great one but my interpretation of it is what is not floating my boat. Oh well! They can't all be our favorites!

The supllies are listed below. If you would like to purchase this card instead of making your own, this and many others are (or will be) available in my Etsy shop. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Papers- Paper Salon Chesapeake Vintage Bleu and Dainty Floral. Stamps- SU Heartfelt Thanks. Inks- Brenda Walton Periwinkle (pigment); All Night Media Dark Sage (pigment); Memento Paris Dusk (dye); Versa Magic Aloe Vera (pigment). Tools- Paper Piercer; SU scallop edge punch; SU mat pack. Embellishments- Hero Arts Smooth Clear gemstones; 3/8in white grosgrain ribbon.

Berry Sweet and Simple Notecard

Hidee ho, neighbors! A happy Thursday to you! I have a simple little notecard to show you today. I got a few new stamps last weekend and my strawberries by Lockhart Stamp Co. are by far, my favorite. I couldn't wait to ink this one up and get it put on a card. Because I love the image and the coloring is so pretty to look at, (to me anyway) I decided that the card would be a plain notecard without a sentiment. I like to keep a few like this on hand. I write notes to teachers, use them as thank you notes, and even write quick birthday notes inside if I think the recipient will appreciate the front image. A plain set of notecards makes a perfect last minute gift too.

This is a 4.25inch square card . I love this size! I have made several square cards lately since discovering this size. Because it is the same width as an A2 card, it can fit in an A2 envelope and won't require extra postage. The construction of this card is pretty self explanatory. I think we all know how to use a corner rounder. For those that don't paper craft and corner rounding is still a mystery, this card will be available for purchase in my Etsy shop as soon as I can get it listed. My supply list is below. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- MME Just Dreamy Check Him Out; Provo Craft Red Spatter. Stamps- Lockhart Stamp Co Strawberries. Inks- Tsukineko Graphite Black brilliance. Tools- corner rounder. Embellishments- 1/4in white satin ribbon; Hero Arts Smooth Clear Gemstones. pens- Copic (0, B23, B95, R22, R27, Y17, YR23, G28, G85)

A Get Well Bouquet

Hello! I'm back with a card to show you. I was looking through my boxes of cards and I thought this one would be good to post even though I didn't just finish it. I have had it made for a while but it came to mind since everywhere I turn, there is a sick person! Sniffles and coughs are all around me. I don't want the crud! I don't have time to be sick right now!

So, here is a card that uses a stamp set that has nothing to do with getting well but it works. Turn to your stamp collection and I bet you will find images that work for other types of cards than you have been stamping with them. The one I used here is Stampin Up's Heartspeak, which is an older set (retired, I think). I colored the image with my SU markers, Copics and Copic Spica pens for a little sparkle.

If you are interested in purchasing this card or others you see here, please visit my Etsy shop. The supplies are listed below for my fellow stampers. Since this card was made quite a while back, I don't have the Copic colors listed but if you need to know, I could probably figure out my list for you. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Papers- SU Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst, Barely Banana CS; DCWV tan CS. Stamps- SU Heartspeak; Hero Arts Small Greetings. Inks- Tsukineko Graph Blk Brill. Tools- SU ovals, ticket corner punches. Embellishments- ribbon. Pens- Copic , SU.

Deep breaths...

When I decided to start blogging, I jumped in with both feet. I love doing this and hope to keep it up as long as someone keeps tuning in to see my creations. That being said, I need to slow down just a bit. Just like everything else I tackle, I add it to my list and don't sleep until everything is done to my satisfaction. I have found that blogging can very easily become a full time job...if you let it. Well, I have!

I think from here on out, I will approach my blog as a thing that I write when I have something fantastic to show you. My goal is to try and make that happen several times a week versus the daily posts I have maintained until now. After less than a month here, I am finding that having a new card or project to write about takes a good bit of every day once you factor in the design work, the actual construction, the photography, the photo editing ( for the camera challenged like me), and then the actual writing it all down. More than ever before, I am impressed by the talented folks who manage to post a great card or project here every day. Wow! It is a lot of work!

So, long story short, I am cutting back just a little so my real life gets a little attention too. For those that have been so supportive, I thank you very much and hope that you will continue to pop in and check out my latest works. I'll be back soon with something fabu!

Hello, Baby!

Well, hello there! I know I am a little late so I'll just jump right in. I decided to play along with the Our Creative Corner Challenge this week. They have asked us to make a card using a tag. I figured that was within my realm of possibilities so I made my contribution as a baby card. I printed the sentiment for my tag on the computer in MS Word using the tweed font in 20pt bold. I love this font and I seem to go to it a lot lately.

The rest of the details for this card are below. If you are interested in purchasing this card, it will be available in my Etsy shop very soon. In a hurry? Send me an email or a comment and I will list it quickly. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- Scrapbook Wizard (stripe); DCWV (blue, yellow, green) CS. Stamps- SU Baby's Firsts. Inks- Versafine Onyx. Tools- SU Scallop edge punch; CB Swiss Dots folder; paper piercer; EK(1 1/4, 1 1/2in) circ punches. Embellishments- Blue 1/2in organdy ribbon; DMC #6131 embroid cotton; MM springtime button brads. Pens- Copic (E00, B23, B91, YG13, C1, Y11, RV11, YR65); Sakura Jelly Roll white. Font- tweed 20pt bold (RGB= 97-134-205).

Spring is in the Air

Hello! Hope your weekend is shaping up to be fabulous! Mine will be busy, as usual, but that's pretty normal around here. Before I head out for the day, I want to share a card with you. I have spring on the brain. I am ready for the warm and sunshine to be here. My daffodils are blooming and I want everything to be green again. So, in honor of that wonderful time of year, here is my card for today!

I used SU's Season of Friendship for my tree and leaves but printed my own sentiment rather than use the one included with the set. For flowers, I stitched on coral colored buttons with brown MM Stitches. Sometimes a simple sketch like this is just what I want to make and I love how it looks when I am done. I think the techniques for this card are pretty easy to figure out but if you have any questions, drop me a line. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- SU Wild Wasabi, DCWV textured white core coral; misc brown CS. Stamps- SU Season of Friendship. Inks- Ancient Page Chocolate; SU Certainly Celery. Tools- CB Swiss Dots folder; EK (1 1/8, 1 1/4, 1 3/8in ) circle punches. Embellishments- Favorite Findings buttons; MM brown Stitches. Font- tweed 18pt bold (RGB code 105-72-63).

Fluttering By Just for You

We made it! It is the end of the week and time for a relaxing weekend. Hoo-RAH! I'll be quick with my post so I can get back to packing my scramp bag since I will be working away from home this weekend. I made a smaller card to show you today so let's get to it.

Recently I was reading one of my favorite blogs, PaperSmiles by Nancy Morgan (check her out on my blog list!) and she mentioned that her favorite size card to make is a 4.25in square card. I had never made this size before but now I see why she loves it. They use minimal supplies and they fit in a standard A2 size envelope so no special size envelope orders or extra postage. What a plus! It makes a perfect little greeting and I will be using this size again. So I bet you want the details! I'll explain a little too.

I didn't have any printed paper that went with what I had in mind so I made my own. I used various line stamps to create my own plaid and I like it. I can't wait to make some more. For my flowers, I wanted one in the amethyst to match my SU CS so I colored a Kaiser flower with a Copic and it worked beautifully too. I think the rest speaks for itself. If not, shoot me a question and I will explain further. As always, this card will be available in my etsy shop for purchase. Otherwise, the supply list is below. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Weekend!

Papers- SU Pattern Pack 1 (wild wasabi); SU Almost Amethyst CS; kraft CS. Stamps- Just Celebrate; Paper Studio Stitches; Clear Dollar Stamps Plaid Factory; Hero Arts Small Greetings. Inks- Tsukineko Graph Blk Brill; SU Close to Cocoa, Almost Amethyst, and Certainly Celery. Tools- corner rounder. Embellishments- Kaiser Krafts paper blossoms; ScrapEssentials cloth flowers; 1/4in brown nail head brad. Pens- Copic BV02, W1, YG13, E35, G82, E29.

Let's Do Lunch!

I am sorry to say that I didn't finish today's card in time to post it here for you. I am off for a day of scrapping, stamping, chatting and lunch with a buddy today so I will work on it and get it ready for tomorrow's post. Since I slacked, I decided that I could show you an older project of mine instead. New to you, right?

About a year ago, while making sack lunches for my kids, I thought about working on a set of stamped notes with goofy sayings that could go in their lunchboxes everyday. Well, it took me several months to get the idea firmed up but I finally did and Lunch Box Love Notes were born. I used every cute image from my stash and dipped into my idea book for every pun that could go with the stamps. You know the puns I mean...Orange you cute and I love EWE!...that kind of thing. I love to color line image stamps so I thought I could have a ball making these notes and my kids would get something from me to perk up a dreary school day too. Win, win. And what if I made enough to sell on Etsy...

So, I made the first set of 12 and listed them in my Etsy shop. It sold in an hour. I made 6 more and they sold in 2 days. And so on. I have since created 2 more sets of 12 and they continue to fly off my Etsy shelves. So maybe, they are something you would like to see here. They are corny and probably too cutesy but kids seem to love finding them in their lunch everyday. I am sure cardmakers have seen every variation of the puns I used but my kids don't seem to mind. Here is set #1...Set #2 and #3 soon followed...



















For materials, I used good ole Tsukineko Graphite Brilliance on Ga Pacific White CS. They are colored with my Copics and a few Zigs. If you have a question abut an image in particular, leave a comment or email me so I can tell you what I used. There are way too many sets to list here though. If you want to know about a Copic color used, just ask I will try to narrow it down.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll be back tomorrow for a new card!

A Snappy Little Birthday Greeting

Good Morning! It is rainy and cold here so I hope that wherever you are, it is sunny and warm. I am ready for spring! Every card I have made lately uses brighter colors. I am ready for flowers and warmth. If we aren't going to get any snow to play in, I just want it to warm up. Enough of my griping though...on with a card!

Today's card uses the Mojo Monday Sketch #74. To see the sketch, click on the Mojo Monday badge to the left of my blog. I had a hard time with this one. The circle gave me fits! I wanted to use the sentiment that came with my stamp set, SU's Crab & Co. but it was too wide for a circle that would fit into the sketch. So, I printed the sentiment on my computer in MS Word using the Leftovers font (16pt). The image is colored with Copics. The cake and gift are popped up on dimensionals for a little visual interest. If you would like to purchase this card, it will be available in my Etsy shop soon. If you want to make your own, the details are listed for you below. Enjoy and have a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping by!

Edited to add: After looking at this photo several times today, I realize it is not a very good example of the card. In real life, the pink card stock is closer in color to the printed paper. In my photo it looks a little garish and I apologize. When I have better light, I will take a better photo outside.

Papers- EK Hip Chick Mood Ring; DCWV aqua, yellow, & coral CS. Stamps- SU Crab & Co. Inks- Tsukineko Graph Blk Brill. Tools- EK ( 1 1/2, 1 1/4in) circle punches. Embellishments- 1/4in ScrapEssentials hot pink grosgrain ribbon. Pens- Copic B01, B91, W1, Y11, E34, RV14; Zig pure orange.

Just Sitting Here on My Blog

Hi! Hope your week is off to a great start! Mine has already been way too busy. I never feel "caught up." I have this mental image of what it must be and I never get to that point. There is always something left on the list. I shopped and cleaned yesterday. Today, I have an appointment and I have social plans for Weds and Thurs so before I know it, we will be at another busy weekend. Ahhhhh!!!!

So before the whirlwind blows me away, here is my card for today. It is a simple design that makes a great sketch to use for those long, "border" type stamp images. The one I used is an oldie-but-goodie from SU called Simply Sweet. I colored my chairs to match the harlequin paper and went from there. The sentiment is printed on my computer so the only stamping is the chair image and the faux stitching. I often use my computer for card sentiments like this. When there are a lot of words and I don't have a stamp that says what I want to include on my card, I find it to be easier than setting up a saying with individual letters. I have a few tricks to do this and I have found a way to print multiple copies of the sentiment while making them all the same size panel too. if you would like to know more, leave a comment or email me and I will fill you in on my "secret."

The details are below for my fellow scrampers. If you would like to purchase this card instead, it will be available for sale (very soon) in my etsy shop. Make sure to visit tomorrow because I will have a new MojoMonday challenge card to show you. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- Paper Salon Stitched Harlequin; Carnation pink DCWV CS. Stamps- SU simply sweet; Sandylion Clear Stamps Borders. Inks- Tsukineko Graph Blk Brill; SU Night of Navy. Font- Tweed 16pt bold. Embellishments- Favorite Findings buttons; DMC #803 embroidery floss. Pens- Copic RV23, BG72, RV14; Zig navy and kiwi.

Sunfowers and Thank Yous

Hello hello! Happy Monday morning! If a Monday morning could ever be called happy...I always want just one more weekend day when my alarm goes off on Monday mornings. But I finally got up because I have new card to show you and it is for the Sketch Challenge over at Our Creative Corner. I decided to play along last night and whipped up this little thank you note while hubby and I watched tv. I love this sketch and I bet I will use it again soon. The circles add a nice focal point to the center of the card while still giving the arrangement a pleasing asymmetry. Laurie Schmidlin, author of Just Give Me Stamps, is hosting this challenge and she came up with the sketch. Thanks so much, Laurie!

The only thing I would change if I use the sketch again is my type of background paper where I used the plaid. The sketch was designed with a space between two vertical strips of paper. Well, because I chose a plaid with a green stripe, the green space in between my strips doesn't jump out and it makes the card look like it has one large area of plaid. I think maybe next time I would use a solid or a small print that does not include my background color so that I get the gradation between papers.

This card will eventually be for sale in my Etsy shop. If you are a stamper and you just want to know the supplies used, they are listed below. Have a wonderful Monday and thanks for stopping by!

Papers- Daisy D's Butterfly Plaid and Butterfly Dot Multi; Bazzill CS (blue, green, yellow); DCWV red CS. Stamps- SU Family Phrases and A Flower for All Seasons. Inks- Tsukineko Graphite Black Brilliance. Tools- EK (1 1/2, 1 3/4in) circle punches; Marvy Super Circle Punch. Embellishments- 1/2in ecru cotton twill tape. Pens- Copic E29, G85, G82, Y21, R27, B34.

Just Riding By

Howdy! Hope your weekend is just fabulous and that your Valentine's Day was spent with those you love. At our house, we had a great day together. The kids got treats from us and hubby and I made a lovely dinner for ourselves. One thing we didn't do was ride any bikes like the one in today's card. Of course, that would be true of most days in my life!

My card for today uses one of my favorite color combinations and paper collections. Last year, when Maine Blueberry DSP premiered in the SU catalog, I was so excited to see blue and green used in a paper series. I still love it and I bought a nice supply when it retired. I'll be using it for months/years to come. I thought the papers worked well with the SU set, Time for You. I colored the bike image with Copic and SU markers. The sentiment is printed in MS Word in Carnation font.

So, if you want to make a card like this one, the supply list is below. If you think that making it is just not your thing but owning it is, come find me in my Etsy shop, here, and you can purchase this card and many others. Thank you very much for stopping by!


Papers- SU Maine Blueberry DSP, Old Olive, & Not Quite Navy CS. Stamps- SU Time for You. Font- Carnation. Inks- Tsukineko Graphite Black Brilliance. Tools- SU scallop circle punch; EK (11/2, 1 1/4in) circle punches; Fiskars flower and 1/8in circle hand punches. Embellishments- 1/4in white grosgrain ribbon. Pens- Copic B21, SU old olive and not quite navy, clear spica.

A Boatload of Mojo

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day is filled with lots of love and smiles. As soon as I finish this, we are making fried dough with the kids and they get their little treats from us. Hubby is home at last and I am ready for a great weekend. We had dinner and shopped until late last night so I didn't finish today's card until this morning! I thought about showing another lovey dovey card but at this point, aren't we ready to move on? It is too late to make any new Valentines anyway. So today's card is for Mojo Monday Sketch Week 73.

I love SU's Boatload of Love set. It has always been one of my favorites. It was on my first order when it came out in a new catalog. I have used it more times than I can count. I chose it for this sketch because I wanted a stamp that filled the inner panel of the card. For the puffs of smoke, I cut them out and popped them up on dimensionals. The button I used (you're gonna laugh!) is left over from some item of clothing. I found it in my laundry room cup of odds and ends the other day and nabbed it for a card. I wish I had more but who knows where it came from or how long it has been in my laundry room. My background paper was a single sheet I found in my stash pile. I have had it for a while so it was time to pull it out and cut it up. I didn't even have any coordinates to go with it so it works well on a card that needs only solids to match.

The supply details are below. The image is colored with, of course, my Copics and I listed the colors for you to see. I like to see the colors listed when I look at cards from other scrappers because I like to get examples of colors I don't own. I often choose my next purchases this way. If you have any questions, please leave a comment. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- Around the Block Teal Blanket; DCWV blue CS. Stamps- SU Boatloads of Love. Inks- Tsukineko Graph Blk Brill. Tools- EK yellow corner rounder. Embellishments- misc button; 3/4in white poly twill tape; MM teal stitches. Pens- Copic BG10, BG13, B21, B95, C5, Y11.

Out Of This World Birthday

Happy Friday! It has been such a long week! I had hoped to work on a challenge card for today and have something new to show you but it just didn't happen. I pulled a birthday card from my shop that has been finished for a while instead. It will be new to you though! As you can see, it is a very simple design and the sketch speaks for itself. The outer sentiment was printed from MS Word and the inside of this card is blank. Sometimes it is nice to have a few simple sketches that you can whip up in a bind anyway. All of our cards can't be super complicated, right?

The supplies are listed below for those that make their own cards. If not, come visit my etsy shop and I'll fix you up with this or one of several other cards. M'kay? Thanks for stopping by! I'll try and have a brand new challenge card ready for the weekend so don't miss it!

Papers- Bo Bunny Shabby Princess Star Struck Dashed and Star Dust; DCWV navy, red, golden yellow CS. Stamps- SU Pun Fun. Ink- Tsukineko Graph Blk Brilliance. Font- CAC One Seventy. Tools- SU photo corners punch; Fiskars star hand punch; EK (1 3/4, 1 1/2in) circle punches. Embellishments- American Crafts ribbon. Pens- SU Certainly Celery, Summer Sun, Ruby Red; Zig navy.

Tickled Pink About a Birthday

Thursday is finally here and the hub will be home tonight! My husband has been gone since Monday and I have missed him terribly. We have been together for almost 22 years and I still get butterflies when he smiles at me. When he travels, I feel like I am minus an arm. But I bet you came to hear about a new card and not my love fest. I'll save that for Saturday, right?

So, this card is a favorite of mine. I love the colors and how the ribbon/clip combo looks at the top. Once again, I chose cupcakes. I promise I will move on to other birthday images soon. Really. But until then, this little sweet tray is from the SU set, Crazy for Cupcakes. I colored it with Copics and an SU marker. I now own the right brown Copic for the job but when I stamped this, I did not. And while I am on the subject of Copics, I have to say that I love to order mine from here. I have had nothing but great experiences with the folks at The Merri Artist. Their prices on Copics are the lowest I have found. They have a fabulous selection and they carry the Various Ink Refills too. One stop shopping for Copic fans like me and they ship very quickly. I couldn't ask for more. But back to my card...ahem...I get carried away talking about my favorite puddles of color...the sentiment on the front of this card is from Hero Arts Small Greetings. I left the inside blank for someone to personalize their own greeting. For the rest of the deets, I will list them below. As always, this card is (or will be soon) for sale in my etsy shop for those that don't neglect laundry and meals in order to stamp their own birthday cards. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- MM Fuschia Dreamy Dots Lt; DCWV hot pink CS; Paper Studio kraft. Stamps- SU Crazy About Cupcakes; Hero Arts Small Greetings. Inks- SU Pixie Pink; Tsukineko Graphite Black Brilliance. Tools- SU ticket corner punch; CB Happy BDay embossing folder; EK (1, 1 1/4, 1 3/8in) circle punches. Embellishments- MM silver button brads; Paper Studio silver spiral clips; ScrapEssentials hot pink & white 1/4in organdy ribbon. Pens- Copic (N3, R37, RV02); SU Creamy Caramel.

Get Well Blooms

Happy Wednesday! It's "hump day" and I couldn't be happier. My hubby will be home from his business trip tomorrow. For today though, I have a new card to show you.

We always hope for wellness for ourselves and our loved ones but sometimes that just isn't possible. For those times, a get well card is always a nice touch. E-mail has become the way of the world but an actual piece of snail mail can really perk up a sniffly day. So on with the details!

I think this design is pretty simple. I used the SU 5 petal flower punch and one of my favorite stamp sets, Mindy's Flowers, by Autumn Leaves. These images are also available in digital form at Designer Digitals. For the semi-circle tag, I did have to use a brad to hold it down and keep it attached. With thicker paper, the fold just wouldn't stay down. For the rest of the supplies, I included them below. if you have any other questions, post a comment and I will fill you in!


Papers- MME Wild Asparagus Birthday Girl Plaid/Light Pink and Dots/Aqua papers; DCWV Salmon textured white core CS; GA Pacific White. Stamps- Mindy's Flowers by Autumn Leaves; Hero Arts Small greetings. Inks- Whispers Green Leaf Dye; SU Blue Bayou. Tools- SU 5 petal flower & spring bouquet flower punches; EK (1 1/8, 1 3/8, & 1 1/2in) circle punches. Embellishments- DMC white embroidery cotton, misc buttons.

Just a Friendly HI!

Hidey ho and a big hello! I hope your day is shaping up to be wonderful. Mine would be better if my hubby was in the same zipcode as I am but alas, he is in the frozen North. We have our house windows open here in GA and he is wearing a parka in MN. I wish I could give him a big ole kiss and say hi to him right now but I'll just show you a "HI" card instead.

I pulled out my new long rectangle Nestabilities, which can be found, here, at the Cut@Home website. I purchase all of my Nestabilities from these sweet folks. I love their fabulous VIP monthly coupon which makes Nesties much more affordable. You would think I already own enough ways to cut scallops into my projects but nope, I do not. This card uses two of those ways...the long Nestie and my SU scallop edge punch. Love, love, love that punch!

I decided I needed to refresh my "stock" of all occasion cards after months of making holiday cards so this one got a nice, simple sentiment on the front and a blank interior for easy personalization. There isn't even any stamping on this card! Gasp! I sponged distress ink around the edges of the white panel but that is the only ink. I cut the letters from a Sizzix set (available here) and painted some flowers that were bright orange (destined to never be used by me in that hideous color) and the rest just came together. I am happy with the results. I like how the papers are bright and busy but come together in a pleasing way (I hope) with the flower and tiny vine. I think it makes a perfect card to send when you just want to say hi and really have no other reason to drop a card in the mail. Ya know...they aren't sick, it isn't time for a birthday, nor is it the month of December.

If you are a stamper, the details for this card are listed below. If you are not a stamper and would prefer that I make this card for you, it is available in my etsy shop, here. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- Bo Bunny Ella Enchanted and Ella Dot; DCWV textured white core CS in red, lime, and salmon. Inks- Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick Distress ink. Tools- SU scallop edge punch; Nestabilities Long Classic Lg Rectangle die; Sizzlit Swirls & Scribbles and Buttons dies; Sizzix Doodle Block upper alpha bar set. Embellishments- silk flowers; Favorite Findings red buttons; white DMC embroidery cotton. Pens- EK Zig pure red.

Jumpin Into a A Challenge!

Better late than never I always say! Up until now, I have tried to write my entries the night before so that they publish at midnight. Obviously, today, I am wayyyyyy behind. Hub is out of town and our playroom was a disaster that only a mom could fix. But here I am now and I have a cute card to show you.

I decided to participate in the Inspiration Challenge over at Our Creative Corner. They are a fun group of girls that are all so very talented. This month they have invited everyone to join them in creating cards that use a favorite embellishment. You pick a favorite embellishment and plan your whole card around it. I have had a lovely piece of ribbon stashed away for several months so I decided to pull it out and make it the focal point of the card. It was harder than I thought! I use ribbon often but this piece had 4 different colors on a white background. I also had my retired SU Unfrogettable stamp set on my desk. Weeks ago, I remembered this set and pulled it out to use somehow but there it sat, unloved and uninked. Well, the colors of the ribbon made me think of frogs and flowers so a card was born! I chose my favorite to feature here but I made 3 other cards as well. They all use a phrase and some combination of images from the frog set. I also used the SU Lily Pad SA wheel on the cards. (I love how that wheel accents the frogs so well.) Eventually, I will list them in my Etsy shop but for now, I only photographed the one above. For a better look at the sparkle on the dragonfly's wings, click on the smaller photo.

For the card, I stamped the images in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored them with my Copics. I found a list of comparable Copic colors to match the SU line, here. The dragonfly is finished with my Sakura Clear jelly roll pen for a little shimmer on his wings. The inside of the card, of which I forgot to snap a photo, includes a portion of the lily pad stamp wheel but is blank to allow for a hand written sentiment. As always, if you are not a stamper yourself, this card will be available for purchase in my Etsy shop. If you are, the recipe is below. Thanks for stopping by! I will be more prompt with tomorrow's entry. ;)

Papers- SU Brocade Blue, Cameo Coral, Always Artichoke, & Kraft CS. Stamps- SU Unfrogettable, Lily Pad SA wheel. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- paper piercer. Embellishments- ribbon, SU dimensionals. Pens- Copic G99, G85, B91, B95, G82, R22, RV02, R27, E27; Sakura Clear Jelly roll pen.

Love Blooms...with a little bling

I love stamps that I can color with my sizable collection of coloring paraphernalia and I love them even more when they are floral images. Flowers just come to life with a little color and shading. They also embellish well with little tidbits like buttons or bling. Along with my Copics, I used SU ink and my pearlescent watercolors (I got mine at My Favorite Things) with an aquapainter. Then, I pulled out a few mini rhinestones to finish the flowers. I know blue flowers aren't quite common in nature but I ordered a goodly supply of SU Maine Blueberry DSP so I wanted to cut into a few sheets. (I was sorry to see this collection retire) A while back, I found a color of ribbon at my local Hobby Lobby that exactly matches SU Not Quite Navy. This is what I used above. The sentiment for this card is tucked inside and it reads, "hope your day is blooming with love." You might not be able to tell from my photo but the blue background panel is embossed with CB's Birds & Swirls folder. Overall, I like the final results and I can't wait to send it to a friend.

If you are interested in purchasing this card or any others you see here on my blog, please visit my etsy shop, here. Otherwise, my supply list is below. Have a great Sunday and thanks for stopping by!

Papers- SU Maine Blueberry DSP, old olive and not quite navy CS. Stamps- SU Sassy Stems; Blooming with Love (sentiment). Inks- Tsukineko Graphite Black Brilliance; Yasutomo Pearlescent Watercolors; SU old olive with aqua painter. Tools- Nestabilities Curved Rect Die; CB Birds & Swirls embossing folder; SU 1.5in circle and scalloped circle punches. Embellishments- Mark Richards Crystals #1651; Dill buttons; ribbonfx. Pens- Copic B32; Zig denim, navy.

Giddy Up!

When I was a little girl, I spent many an hour dreaming of owning a horse and almost as many hours were spent playing horse with my little brother. Now, my daughter has the horse dreams. She went a little crazy when I bought this stamp set from Clear Dollar Stamps. It is a good thing that stamps are reusable because I have lost track on how many times this one has seen ink! I almost always think of bandannas and denim when I use a horse theme on any project so my paper picks for this card were a quick choice as well. Every time I stamp ole Charlie Horse here, I use the same Copics to color him. I bet he is tired of always being the same color! I think the techniques are pretty self explanatory on this card but if I can answer any questions about Charlie's card or others, please leave me a comment. I do love to dish about scrap stuff! Heck, I love to dish about anything so I don't mind if you leave a comment about the weather. If you would like to purchase this card, it is available, along with many others in my etsy shop, here. My supply list is below. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- K&Co 12x12 Bandanna Flat; Karen Foster Denim Pockets; DCWV brown textured white core; Xerox ivory. Stamps- Clear Dollar Stamps Charlie Horse. Inks- Tsukineko Graphite Black Brilliance; Tim Holtz Distress Fired Brick. Tools- EK 3/4 & 1in circle punches. Embellishments- MM pewter ribbon charms; 1/2in poly twill tape; ScrapEssentials pewter brads. Pens- Copic RV11, 110, E33; Amer Crafts Galaxy Mercury Silver Med Pt; Sakura Jelly Roll Silver Med Pt.

Shabby Little Thank You Note

Good morning! I'm a little later posting than usual so I'll get right to the point. Today's card is a cute little thank you note that anyone would be glad to receive. At least, I think so anyway! As I wrote down my supply list, I realized how simple this card really is...no stamps, no ink, no pens...wow! That just isn't like me. Usually, I cram as many materials into one card as I can. I guess it goes to show that simple works more often than we think.

I got out the old tearing ruler for this card. I like to use one when I am layering the torn edges. It gives a nice effect when the papers have a somewhat uniform border between them. An "oldie but goodie," Making Memories Thanks Rub-Ons, adds just the right touch between the torn paper sections too. I clustered a few flowers and buttons to finish the greeting. It isn't everyday that a card leaves my desk without being stamped or colored but this one did. I promise I will stamp again tomorrow!

The supply list for this card is below. If you just dropped in to say hi and you aren't a scramper but simply must own this card, it is available for purchase on my etsy website, here. Thanks for stopping by!

Edited to add: I have just noticed that this card looks like it is falling apart in the photo I used. It was very windy when I took the picture so the wind caught a few edges and lifted them and the ribbon looks loose too. I promise the card is tidier in person when you bring it indoors! ;)

Papers- MME Wild Asparagus Green Polka Dots and Dots/Aqua; spring green cardstock; ecru cardstock. Tools- Swirls and Scribbles Sizzlit die; tearing ruler. Embellishments- ribbonfx olive w/gold; prima flowers; MM rub-ons; KaiserCraft flowers.

Make A Wish...

Cupcakes anyone? I warned you that I luuuuv cupcakes and birthday cards so here I am again with a new cupcake birthday card to show you. This one is little more detailed than my last b-day example though. As a matter of fact, it is one of my favorite cards right now because of all the little details. I even decorated a matching envelope. I used some of my most prized stash supplies too. The top DP is from the MME Just Dreamy line. I used the Happy Birthday CB embossing folder on the blue, bottom half of the card. Aren't embossing folders just way too cool? They add depth and texture to a project without distracting the eye like patterned papers often do. Another fav of mine is the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set by SU. In my opinion, this is one of the best stamps sets to be released by SU in a very long time. I will never sell it. It has become my go-to set for birthday cards. I colored my image with Copics and the rest of the details are listed below. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- MME Just Dreamy Bright Original Dots; Colorbok navy textured CS; DCWV red & blue textured CS; Xerox ivory CS. Stamps- SU Crazy for Cupcakes & Cupcakes SA wheel; Stampendous Tiny Alphabet. Inks- Tsukineko Graphite Black Brilliance. Tools- CB Happy BDay emb folder; SU ticket corner punch; Marvy extra jumbo scalloped circle punch. Embellishments- MM pewter ribbon charms & pewter brads; Favorite Findings buttons; Michael's Ribbon Textured Trios. Pens- Copic: RV11, red & orange Spica; SU: Brocade Blue; Zig: navy, pure orange, a burgundy.

Here Comes the Wedding Season!

It is hard to believe that spring and the wedding season are right around the corner. Once Christmas happens, the new year just flies by, it seems. I decided it was time to make a few wedding cards to have on hand. There is nothing worse than needing a card for a special friend or occasion and not having just the right greeting ready to give. At least when you make your own cards, right?

So, on to the card for today! It is a pretty simple design. I love these papers together and I wanted to really showcase the delicate prints as well as leave the focus on a very simple sentiment. I used a few older materials on this card. I have been having so much fun pulling from my stash lately! I found these darling little half pearls and knew they were perfect with the papers I had chosen. For the inside of the card (smaller photo above), I printed the inner sentiment on my computer and then trimmed each panel in scraps of the tan cardstock. Overall, I am happy with my results. I hope it's recipient will be as well. If you are interested in purchasing this card, please visit my etsy shop from here. Otherwise, my materials list is below. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- MME Wild Asparagus Light Pink/Tan Stripes & Light Pink Floral; DCWV tan cardstock; Xerox ivory 67# vellum cover. Stamps- Hero Arts Congratulations. Inks- Ancient Page Sandalwood. Tools- EK Success (green) corner rounder. Embellishments- 7/8in ivory satin ribbon; Mark Richards pearl stickers (#1952). Font- Kayleigh.