Thursday, April 30, 2009

It's A Cupcake Kind of Day

I have tried to space out my cupcake projects but that is really hard considering how many ADORABLE cupcake products there are out there. The stamp for today's card was only $1! You can't beat cupcake bargains like that. A buck is cheaper than a real cupcake these days! So, let me show you the card and then I will tell you about it.

I decided to try the Timeless Tuesday sketch for this week and went from there. I saw my relatively new cupcake stamp sitting on my desk...unloved/uninked...and chose that for my image so then DCWV's Sweet 8x8 paper pad came to mind. It is full of cupcakes, sweets, and gorgeous color combos. You must check it out if you haven't already. I like the 8x8 and mat size pads because the scale is smaller for the prints (better for cardmaking) and I don't feel obligated to use up a huge sheet of paper making multiple copies of a card I may not need too many of in the future. This printed paper, since I used it to wallpaper most of my card front, yielded 2 cards. Blue and brown is not typically my "go-to" color combination but I like it here. The DP is a soft blue shimmer so I chose slighter darker blue ink and gems.

It was funny when I saw the sketch for this week because I made a card months ago, before I was blogging I think, that fit the sketch perfectly with the exception that the center panel was a square and my sentiment was an oval. I apologize if I have shown you this one beofre. I am in a hurry this morning or I would research my archives a little more thoroughly. It just goes to show that there truly is nothing new under the sun. So many times, I have felt like I just came up with an exceptionally creative (:-D) idea only to find it used in a magazine within a week. Go figure. Here is my older card...


OK. I'm off for anopther busy day. My supplies are below. I hope your day is fantastic and springy and sunny and fun and...:)

1st card: Papers- DCWV Sweet 8x8 paper pad; DCWV and Paper Studio CS. Stamps- studio g cupcake; hero arts sunny bday. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black; Tim Holtz antique linen distress. Tools- Paper Studio 2 5/16in circle punch; Marvy Clever Lever pink 2.5in circle punch. Embellishments- ribbon by AMM Herbanella; MAMBI icons rhinestone singles asst #2. Pens- Copic B91, E57; Staedtler maxum; Sakura clear jelly roll. 2nd card: Papers- DCWV CS. Stamps- SU Pun Fun. Inks- Brilliance Graphite. Tools- coluzzle oval templates; SU ticket corner punch. Embellishments- American Crafts ribbon; MM button brads. Pens- zig rose; root beer float. Font- Andrew Script.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Introducing Mr. & Mrs....

When I found the stamps that are used in today's card, I knew I HAD to have them for my collection even though I am long since married and so are my friends. They are both made by Stampendous and I love them. Both have that flowy softness that goes hand in hand with anything bridal. Whatdaya think?

I paired these great little stamps with some Doodlebug bridal paper(that I had been hoarding for way too long) and voila! I love the end result! I can't wait to send it to someone special. I chose red as an accent color because I loved the crispness and contrast with the black and white but any color would work here. I figure when I list my extras in my Etsy shop, I will offer custom color combos to match the wedding.

I am also quite happy with the oval/circle embellishment under my sentiment. I have never tried it even though I have seen similar things done this way. Methinks this isn't the last time you will see this here. ;) I love that it gives you a nice place for brads or eyelets to attach the panel without looking cramped around the stamped image.
The bride and groom were really fun to color. Even though the image is a loose line drawing, the areas were very forgiving under my markers. I am just thrilled with this stamp! I got it at my local Hobby Lobby. (Stamps are on sale this week!) I found the "Mr & Mrs" which is by the same manufacturer, at my Archiver's. I'm off to work so I will finish up for now. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!


Papers- Doodlebug white and black paisleys DP; DCWV black CS; Bazzill red CS. Stamps- Stampendous Happy Couple and Mr & Mrs. Inks- Graphite Brilliance. Tools- EK ( 1 3/8, 1 1/2) circle punches; Marvy Clever Lever blue oval punch. Embellishments- red ribbon by Offray; Scrap Essentials 1/8in pewter brads; paper studio gemstones (2mm & 3mm clear). Pens- Copic (C7, R29, C1); Zig (peach bliss, root beer float); Sakura Jelly Roll (clear, silver).

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

It's Been Awhile!

Not only have I been a few days with no posts but it has been several weeks since I played along with a challenge. There have been so many cute sketches but I have been too busy to jump in. When I am strapped for time, the only way I make challenge cards is if the sketch "calls to me" with an immediate idea. Otherwise, I make something that is already in the hopper. Since my "hopper" pile is a mile high already, I have pulled from my prepped ideas to speed things up. I am ready for this break neck pace of life to slow down before I blow a gasket. I am pooped lately! Only a little longer and the kids will be out of school, my part time work will be over for the season, and my hubby will be done with his doctorate as well as all work travel for the year.

So, did you come to read my whining or to see a card? I thought so! Today's card is my contribution to the Our Creative Corner Challenge that asked us to make a card using our favorite color combination. That was easy enough! I simply love blue and green together so I pulled out a piece of plaid from my older stash and got to work. Baby cards are always handy so this one came together quickly. I may make a girly version when I get back to having some free time but for now, the boys will be solely represented in my card closet.


My techniques are pretty simple and my supply list is too. I doubt there are any surprises on there for the scrampers among us. For those that don't stamp, I doubt you even care what I used for this card, right? As always, I thank you VERY much for stopping by to read my blog and I hope you will hang in a little longer until I am back with full devotion. Be back soon!

Papers- Scrapbook Wizard plaid; bluebell CS by Bazzill; green CS by DCWV. Stamps- giraffe by Imaginisce; tiny miracle by Studio G. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black; SU Ballet Blue craft. Tools- corner rounder; 2in Marvy circle punch; 1 3/4in EK circle punch. Embellishments- Autumn Leaves buttons; Offray 1/8in white satin ribbon; Doodlebug eyelets (limeade and blue jeans).Pens- copic B21; SU certainly celery.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Practice What I Preach?

Today's card contains a sentiment that could very easily apply to my own life. I used one of the lovely Annie LaPointe bathtub images and the sentiment reads, "wind down." Ha! I would love to wind down right about now! No rest for the weary though! I have another busy day and busy weekend for that matter. If it wasn't for my midnight scrapping sessions, I would never unwind. So here is my therapy session... I mean my card for today...

Once again, I will have to update my post with my supply list and details. I will go ahead and tell you that the arrangement came from me though. I CASEd myself again today. I have been in a rut lately so it has been kinda fun to go and pick out favorite designs of my own to copy. Please bear with me and these rushed posts. Once Mother's Day has come and gone, my life will calm down just a little and my regular daily activities will get the attention they deserve. Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Happy Anniversary!

Hi there! Today has to be a quick post. I made an anniversary card last night and I wanted to show you really quick before I head off to work. I used some scraps that were left from a wedding album that I made for an old friend years ago. I am not even sure of the manufacturer. I think they might be old Provo Craft though. For the design, I CASEd myself. So here it is...

The inside includes a printed panel that states, "Husband...Wife...Happy Life!" I will update this post very soon with a supply list and a photo of the "innards." I have to run for now though. Have a great day and happy weekend to everyone!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Verve is Always on My Mind

Not really but I sure do love these new Verve stamps of mine! I keep pulling them out to use even though I have new sets that have never seen ink. So today, when I got some time to stamp, after laundry and cleaning and cooking and errands and...I decided to try a Mojo sketch and use some of my new floral sets from the last Verve release (prior to this week). My card started out using this week's Mojo sketch but it ended up more from last week's sketch. Loosely anyway! I changed quite a bit to accommodate my image and materials. I like it though. Here it is...

I used some of the new BoBunny paper from the Alyssa collection. The colors are fabulous and I love the prints too. They remind me a lot of the work of Mindy Terasawa...so much in fact I am wondering if she designed them for BoBunny. Mindy has a lot of kits listed on Designer Digitals and she also designs for Autumn Leaves. Anywho! I love the whole collection and you will see me use them again. Not much of my print shows with this card anyway.

For the sentiment, I typed it on my computer in a font that is new to me. I don't know how I have missed this little beauty. I love this font! You will see this again as well. I listed the name below as well as my other materials. Have a wonderful day!


Papers- Bazzill black and romance; Bo Bunny Alyssa Twirls and Ocean Dot. Stamps- Verve Miracles Blossom. Inks- Brilliance Graphite Black. Tools- EK ( 1 1/8, 1 1/4, 1 3/8) circle punches. Embellishments- Mark Richards black crystal stickers #1934. Pens- Copic BG10, R35, RV23, YG13, YG25; Zig Ocean. Font- Johanne's Hand 20pt bold.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Plant a Tree? No, Stamp a Tree!

Earth Day is coming up next week and it is everywhere in the news. My kids even have a celebration at school. I decided in honor of this auspicious occasion, today's card would include tress and since I have SU's Trendy Trees set in my possession (never been inked!), it was obvious what to use. I wanted to add a little color other than the green and brown that lends itself to this set so I included a little blue. I was thinking sympathy card when I made this one but it could be used for any situation where you want to let someone know they are on your mind. So, here it is...

I am happy with the colors and the arrangement. I love this set too. Those trees are just too much fun! The inside is blank for now but I may add some embellishment inside with a few of my scraps. I am usually in such a hurry to get my new cards blogged, I often go back and add inner embellishment after posting.

On a quick note while I'm here, I wanted to mention that I am working outside of my home again so my posts may be a little more sporadic for a while. I am a part time Sales Specialist for Waterford Crystal and the spring gift season is upon us. It is time for folks to be buying Mother's Day gifts, as well as graduation, bridal, and religious gifts so they have me in a department store promoting their line for the next few weeks. I did this at Christmas too and I loved the job but it does take me out of my stamping room more than I am used to being away. In this economy, I find it hard to turn down money though. Stamping will have to wait! So, drop in when you can and I will do my best to have new things to show you as often as possible. ;)

My supply list for today's card is below. Drop me a comment if I forget anything. Thanks for stopping by!


Papers- MME green small stripes; navy linen CS by Bazzill; greens CS by DCWV. Stamps- SU Trendy Trees. Inks- SU brocade blue & certainly celery; Ancient Page sandalwood. Tools- Martha Stewart embossed zig zag edge punch; CB swiss dots embossing folder. Embellishments- 1/4in white grosgrain ribbon; favorite findings buttons; DMC # 823 cotton embroidery floss.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Something New!

Happy Friday to everyone! This has been some week! I am ready for the weekend. Before we get to the weekend though, I want to show you what I have been working on this week. My neighbor asked me to make two recipe tins for her daughters on Mother's Day. She went through piles of treasured family recipes and typed them on cards, so her girls could have this heirloom to pass on to future generations. I feel honored to have been asked to make the boxes for such special gifts! I had carte blanche to pick the materials. She said she trusted my judgment because she loves the work of mine that she has seen so far. Wow! That made me feel so good!

I took lots of photos before delivering them to her so pardon the longer than usual post. Every side is different so I wanted you to see the whole project. Here ya go!


These are both tins from the front. I used piles of materials so if there is something you would like to ask about, please feel free. Otherwise, there are just too many individual things to list. I will say that the papers are Heidi Grace and SU though. The rest of the photos are labeled for you...

And tin #2...


When I delivered them to my neighbor, she was thrilled. I am so happy! I have been making tins like this for myself and my shop for years but to be asked to make a few for gifts and simply because she trusted my work, was a real treat. Hope you enjoyed seeing these! Thanks for stopping by today and have a great weekend!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

A Blog Award!

I don't have a new card for you today but I am pleased to announce that a very cool blogging buddy has given me a very sweet award...

This means a lot to me because I think Emily's blog, Emily's Expressions, is a fantastic place to visit. Her creations are adorable and her workmanship is impeccable. I am just thrilled that she enjoys my blog as well. I will be passing this award along to 5 other bloggers as soon as I possibly can. How will I narrow it down to 5???? There are so many talented folks out there that I love to read.

I will be back tomorrow with a cute new project that I finished today. It isn't a card! I have always enjoyed working with alterables but have been so busy keeping up with my cards for Etsy, I have let that side slip. Well, tomorrow, I have 2 recipe boxes to show you so stop back by!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

S.S.D.D....Same Set, Different Day

Ha ha! Made you look! Did you think I was headed down a naughty path? I'm not! It's just that today's card uses the same set as Monday's card...Big on Spring by Stampin Up. It was still out on my desk and I have always loved that set so I used it again today. I didn't buy it when it debuted and now I am thrilled to own it my very own self. Thank again to Karen Giron for destashing her stamp stuff. I got a bargain! So here is my card...

I love blue and green together so when I saw this paper at my local scrapbook outlet, I bought a few sheets even though it is pretty old. They were sold out of all the coordinates for it so I paired it with plain old cardstock. I used a sketch that I had copied from Jackie Pedro's blog many moons ago. As I have mentioned before, I used to jot down ideas without much documentation since I never planned to publish or sell my creations way back when. I wish I had more info to give but I suppose if you wanted to see the original creation, you could search her blog. I started to look but this was a very old card based on where it was at in my idea notebook (maybe last summer?) and I ran out of time to research more. So, I hope this credit given is adequate!

My materials are pretty simple so I will just list my supplies below and call it a day. If you have any other questions about the card, I will, of course, be glad to answer. Have a wonderful Wednesday and thanks for stopping by!


Papers- American Crafts Powder DP; lt blue CS by colorbok; lt green CS by Paper Studio; gray CS by DCWV. Stamps- Big on Spring by SU. Inks- Brilliance Graphite. Tools- long scalloped rectangle nestie; SU scalloped edge punch. Coloring Media- Copic C1, B21, B000; Prismacolor Veri-Thin pale green pencil; Marvy color blender pen.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Long Time, No Challenge

Hello there! I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend. We finally got some pretty spring weather in my neck of the woods so we spent lots of time outdoors. It was glorious! My kids are back to school today. Spring Break is over...finally! I love to spend time with them but by the end of the week, they were getting bored and they picked at each other a lot. I always consider Spring Break a dress rehearsal for summer vacation coming up. I learned that I need to plan some fun things to do or I am going to be listening to a lot of arguing.

But on with today's card! I got some stamping time in and decided to work on a wedding card using this week's sketch from the girls at
Our Creative Corner. You may check out their blog by clicking on the badge for their site to the left of my blog. I love to play along with their challenges and this week was no different. They posted a great sketch for us. There is no time limit for their challenges so you should come on and play too. Here is my card! The 2nd photo is of the inside of the card. Sorry the inside photo is so blurry. It was too dark to retake it by the time I looked at it in Image Pro on my computer.



My card is slightly different than the sketch since my stamped image was larger than the example. Where they included a star (or space for embellishment of some kind), I had to leave it empty since my "bride to be" was almost as wide as my card. I like how it turned out anyway. I needed a new wedding shower card for my stash anyway. I am sure someone I know will be getting married soon! If not, I will certainly be listing the extras in my Etsy shop so 1 more to sell won't hurt.

For my stamp, I used one from SU's
Big on Spring which I just recently purchased from Karen Giron, author of The Sweetest Thing blog. She decided to part with some of her older sets and had them listed for GREAT prices. Thanks, Karen!

As always, my supply list is below. If you are interested in purchasing this card, it will be listed in my Etsy shop very soon. I hope your week is off to a fantastic start. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- DP by Anna Griffin (#s AG1118 & AG1129); teal colobok CS. Stamps- SU Big on Spring. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- Paper Studio 2 5/16 circle punch; Marvy 2 1/2in circle punch. Embellishments- Mark Richards #1952 5mm self adhesive pearls. Pens- Copic G21, B21, BG72, YR31. Font for inner sentiment- Whackadoo 14 & 20pt.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Love to Color?

I have a new favorite set of stamp images to color. I recently ordered Funky Flowers from My Favorite Things and so I inked it up last night. Oh my gosh! This set is great! The blossoms and stems can be combined for endless combinations and they are all great for coloring. I picked 3 of my favorite blooms for today's card. Without further ado....

I am still working on learning how to shade with my Copics. I try out new techniques but often end up coloring my images with bold, solid colors. I guess I just have to keep practicing to get those shading techniques down!

I think this is a pretty simple card so I'll list my supplies and wish you all a happy Easter weekend!


Papers- Reminisce Basic Graph; DCWV hot pink CS; Yellow & blue CS by Colorbok. Stamps- MFT Funky Flowers; A Muse Art Stamps thank you SD. Inks- Memento Tuxedo black. Tools- CB paisley embossing folder; Fiskars apron lace edge punch; SU oval punches. Pens- Copic 0, B21, B01, B23, C1, G12, G24, G28, YR04, YR68, Y17, Y38, RV13, RV14, RV09, R32, V17.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

You Are My Sunshine

Well, since I made a card for my son, I started thinking about what my daughter might like. She is 10, almost 11, and wayyyyy into bright colors. My Spring Sprouts set from My Favorite Things came yesterday and as I was playing with it, I realized it was a perfect set to make my darling girl a card just like her brother's earlier in the week. I get so busy working on my stuff and making items to sell in my Etsy shop, I sometimes forget that the most important people in my life, my family, don't often get to reap the benefits of mom sitting at her desk until all hours. So, being home with them all week, has made me remember that they need a little handmade love too. These cards will probably go in lunch boxes next week when they go back to school. On with my card though! I used another "old" paper. I decided it was perfect for a child's card using bright colors. I stamped my image on watercolor paper and then colored it in with Prismacolor pencils (watercolor) and my aqua pen. It has been a long time since I used anything but my Copics to color. I forgot how fun pencils and water are! Here is my card...

I will have to pop back in to list my supplies. I am out of time again this morning. We are off for some fun with the kids and hubby is off work for the rest of the week to be with us. Be back soon! Leave comments if you have questions and I'll answer when I do my supply list. Thanks for stopping by!

Updated with Supply List:

Papers- DCWV red & blue CS; Over the Moon Press (EK) DP. Stamps- MFT Spring Sprouts. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- corner rounder; Nestabilities deckle rectangles; aqua painter. Embellishments- 1/4in green satin ribbon. Coloring medium- Prismacolor Watercolor pencils.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Never Too Many Thank You Notes

When I can't decide on a sentiment for a card, I almost always make it a thank you note since I know I will be able to use it myself if it doesn't sell in my Etsy shop. I think out of all the types of cards we make, it is the thank you notes that are best as hand made cards. For some reason, to me, those say "I appreciate what you did for me SO MUCH that I sat down and made you a thank you note by hand." Silly perception probably. Who knows? I love making any kind of card though. I honestly don't know the last time I bought a card for anyone in my life. Many years I am sure. I am hooked on the hand made stuff, that's for sure! So, obviously, today's card is a thank you note. I went for simple and elegant. I have been leaning heavily to the cute/whimsical side lately so I decided a more mature, sedate approach was my goal with this card. The paper was a treasured piece from my endless stash. I go through spurts where I use up lots of old stuff and I think I am one of those stages now. I have been pulling out really old stuff with a pile of "up to the minute" on my desk. Go figure.

My card? Oh yeah, here ya go...

I used some of my new Verve stamps from the Floral Symphony set. I just love these images. They take ink beautifully and I love the endless combinations of stems and blossoms. And did I mention that the polymer is of fantastic quality? They are really well made. I love using something new and being completely thrilled. It doesn't happen as often as you would hope these days. The pearls at the bottom of the card were pure white so I colored them with a Copic to get them "creamier" in color. They aren't so stark with a little pale yellow ink added, huh? I chose a darker ink (SU Night of Navy) for my sentiment so it would stand out better. I like it even though it is darker than the blue in the paper. I think the final result is sophisticated beauty. Not my usual angle but I like it here. I will have to come back to write my supply list. My kiddos have a dentist appointment today so we are off in a few minutes. Afterwards, I promised them lunch and then we have a few errands to run. I am sure they are wishing we had cooler spring break plans for today. ;) Ask me any questions you may have about this card. I will pop in later to update the post. have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Updated with Supply List:

Papers- MM Vintage Antiqued Stripe- ocean; Bazzill blue & green CS; cream CS from Archiver's. Stamps- Verve Floral Symphony; Inkadinkadoo thank you so much. Inks- Stampabilites French blue; SU Wild Wasabi and Night of Navy; Tim HOltz antique linen distress. Tools- EK 1/2inch circle punch. Embellishments- Offray 3/8in spring moss ribbon; 1/2 pearls by The Beadery. Pens- Copic Y21.


Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A Doggone Cute Card

Howdy! I took a day off. My kids are home for Spring Break so my computer time will take a hit this week. I did make a new card last night after they went to bed so I thought I would get at least one post in this week. No guarantees for tomorrow though!

My card today is another little one. It is 4.25 inches square so it will fit in a regular A2 envelope. I pulled out my
Pat the Bad Dog set again. I don't think I will get sick of this one for a while. That dog is so darn cute and he colors well too. So, here he is...

I pulled out some older paper from my stash because I was in the mood for some darker colors. Everything I have done lately is soft and springy. When I started designing this one, I had my son in mind as the recipient. I kept thinking I wanted to make a card that wasn't too cutesy but still appealing to a younger child. My son is 8, soon to be 9. He can still appreciate silly puns and cute characters but they can't be what he considers "babyish." Fine line, I guess. I don't know when I will give it to him and of course, I made several so I could list a few in my Etsy shop.

I will list my materials below in case you are wondering about something. As for the rest of the week, I will do my best to keep up with posting but when the rug rats are home, they will be begging for silly things like lunch and breakfast (:D) so I will have to tend to them. All you moms know how it goes. Right? Have a great week!


Papers- SU Smooth Ivory; Paper Studio dk red and blue CS; All My Memories Herbanella DP. Stamps- OCL Pat the Bad Dog. Inks- Brilliance Graphite. Tools- ANM bone punch; coluzzle oval and companion oval templates. Embellishments- misc buttons; MM heart brads, gold 3/8in grosgrain ribbon- HL; DMC #823 embroidery cotton. Pens- Copic (R27, R39, YR23, RV11) Zig- pure brown; Tombow 879. Font- Leftovers 24pt.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

You drive me WILD!

Today is another one of those days when I turn to my little file of stamped images that I colored when I had time. I colored the little VW bug the day I got the stamp set in the mail just so I could practice shading a certain group of red copics. I saved it because I liked how it came out (one of the lucky ones) and figured I might use it someday. Well, someday is today. Here ya go!

I love a black/red/white palette on just about anything so I chose that simple combo to accent my little love bug. I LOVE this stamp! It is so much fun to color! I really need to order the accessories set so I can use it in even more ways. Clear Dollar Stamps are fantastic quality and of course, with clear stamps, they are so easy to position perfectly. I can't sing their praises enough.

My card is pretty simple. I went the uncomplicated route on this one. My little heart is a wedding favor embellishment from Hobby Lobby's wedding department. I printed my sentiment on the computer and the inside is blank for a written message. Easy peasy.
My papers were all scraps. That red plaid is at least 7 years old!

My supplies are below. Look for this card in my Etsy shop very soon. I will list this week. Have a great Sunday!



Papers- black, red CS from Hobby Lobby; MM red twine plaid DP. Stamps- CDS Sometimes You're the Bug. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- corner rounder; coluzzle oval & companion oval templates. Embellishments- brushed pewter heart charm from HL; black/white polka dot ribbon- JoAnns. Pens- Copic- R32, R35, R37, B000, N5, N3, N1, C7, 0. Font- Juice ITC 24pt bold.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

A Little Love for Mom

Mother's Day will be here before you know it so I decided today was a perfect day to show you a new Mother's Day card I made. My stamp choice was made for me when I went to my mailbox yesterday and my Verve order had arrived. Yay! After seeing all the gorgeous cards made with their new spring release sets, I had to have them for myself so I ordered Miracles Blossom and Floral Symphony. I am sure you will be seeing me use both A LOT in the near future.

It was hard to pick which image to use but I finally narrowed it down to a couple from Miracles Blossom. I paired them with some of my favorite SU colors for a cute little 4.25inch square card. This size is so much fun and they use a lot less paper. So, here it is...


It is a relatively simple card. I felt like the image was lovely enough to speak for itself. I left my images uncolored since I stamped them in color but I learned last night, while playing with my new stuff, that these images are great for coloring too. I stamped a whole page of different stem and blossom combos and colored them with all different markers. What the heck, Grey's Anatomy was a repeat!

The sentiment is from Stampendous. I embossed it because the plain white ink wasn't prominent enough. The pearls were white but I colored them with a Copic marker to make them coordinate a little better. I felt like it needed some pink at the top anyway. I'll give you my complete supply list at the bottom. I would love to see what everyone else is working on for Mother's Day. Leave a comment on this post with a link to any work you are doing for dear ole Mom. I want to see it!

Have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by!


Papers- SU Wild Wasabi, Pink Pirouette CS; SU Regal Rose Pattern Pack II DSP; Gina K Pure Luxury. Stamps- Verve Miracles Blossom; Stampendous Mother's Day; Sandylion Clear Borders. Inks- SU Regal Rose & Wild Wasabi; Color Box Frost White. Tools- corner rounder. Embellishments- Mark Richards self adhesive pearls # 1951; Craft Essentials white embossing powder. Pens- Copic RV11.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Wouldya Just Chill Out?

First, lemmee just say that I am LOVING the Bubble Bin at MFT lately. The lovely ladies at My Favorite Things have decided that we need a discount on certain items so every Monday, they have marked down a few of their fabulous products for a week at a time. Some will go back to the regular price and some will be gone forever. The fun is not knowing! I have ordered from them in the past and have always been happy with my service and products but getting their great stamps at such low prices is even better. Today's card uses one of my bargains from a week or 2 ago. Luckily for you, if you don't already own "Chill Out" by Annie LaPointe, it is still available, although at the regular price. This one didn't disappear forever.

How about my card? OK...


I am very happy with how this card turned out. It was a card that I just started throwing things down on and they all worked! Usually, I plan a card on paper, with a detailed sketch, and try a bajillion types of embellishments before finding the right ones. When I opened my order from All That Scraps, and saw this October Afternoon paper, I immediately thought "bathroom tiles" so it was a no-brainer to choose a stamp with a bathtub. Luckily, I had a pile of new Bubble Bin Bargains, including this little chill out tub, in a pile on my desk, still not put away from last week. See, being a slob is ok sometimes!

I had to mix several Copics to get the right colors for my stamped image though. I discovered the hard way that blue-greens are sadly lacking in my marker collection. I sense a marker order being placed very soon. ;) My ribbon choice was "out of the box"...literally and figuratively. I knew I wanted a wide ribbon so I pulled out my large roll/wide stash and this color flopped out of the rack accidentally. I am not lying! I would not have chosen this color to match this paper in a million years but I loved how it looked with the paper and stamp so I kept it. IMO, it harmonizes beautifully, even though that color is not even used in the paper. Talk about out of my comfort zone!

I'll give you the run down for the rest of my materials below. I will be listing this card in my Etsy shop very soon so drop by for a visit if you are interested in purchasing it. Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Papers- October Afternoon Weathervane Chilly Mornings; pale teal CS by colorbok; pale taupe CS from Hobby Lobby. Stamps- Annie LaPointe chill out from MFT. Inks- Brilliance Graphite Black; Versa magic aspen mist; Tim Holtz weathered wood distress ink. Tools- Fiskars apron lace edge punch; SU ticket corner punch. Embellishments- 7/8in dk sage grosgrain ribbon from Michael's; 1/8in aged copper brads by Paper Studio; flowers by Prima; MM 5th Ave button brads; MM specialty glitter glaze. Pens- Copic (YR23, BG10, BG72, BG75, B91, W1, W7, 0); SU Old Olive; Zig Olive Branch; Sakura clear sparkle jelly roll pen.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

That card is just DUCKY!

I rarely make cards 2 days in a row with the same stamp set but I absolutely love the new Wagon Full of Fun set from Stampin Up. This set is just too much fun and very versatile. I love coloring the images! They are smooth edged and have nice, defined areas in which to add color and shading. My favorite! Today, I used the adorable duck image. The set includes a really cute sentiment that says "Lucky Duck!" but I saved it for another time. Here is my card. The 2nd photo is of the inside of the card.


I followed the sketch for Mojo Monday Week #80 and I love it. It is a nice sketch for using coordinate DSPs, especially stripes, and it works nicely when you want to include ribbon on your card. My papers all came from Martha Stewart's Playful Blues 12x12 pad. I am going to finish this pad very soon. I have used a lot of it since they work so well for springtime layouts and cards. The duck image panel is cut with my Nestabilities Curved Rectangles die set. I love this set but I have one complaint. I wish they came in 1/8inch increments like the other sets. I find a 1/4in border used with this shape to be too much. In my opinion, it just looks funny. Maybe they will design large and small versions for this one like they have for the more basic shapes. Or maybe Spellbinders could care less what I think! :D

My sentiments, both inside and outside, were printed on my computer. I listed the font and RGB code below. Thank you very much for stopping by my blog on this lovely spring day. If you are like me, your time is precious and it means a lot to me that my blog gets your attention. My supply list is below for my fellow stampers. If making your own cards isn't your thing but you would love to own this card, please visit my Etsy shop for this and many other hand made paper crafts. I try to list featured items within a week of posting them here so if you don't see what you are looking for, please drop me a note and I will try to help. Buh-bye!

Papers- Martha Stewart Playful Blues 12x12 pad. Stamps- SU Wagon full of Fun. Inks- Brilliance Graphite. Tools- Nestie curved rectangle dies; EK (1 1/8 & 1 1/4in) circle punches; Marvy yellow scalloped circle punch. Embellishments- MM polo button brads; 1/4in white grosgrain ribbon. Pens- Copic YR65, Y13, Y15, BG13, B21. Font- Parade 18pt (inside message- Parade 20pt; RGB code= 124-165-7)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

New Toys!

Hello! I have tons of new stuff to show you. I got several new things to play with and I used a few on today's card. For the rest, I will try to use them soon so I can show them to you. New stamps, new papers, and even some tools and ink thrown in for good measure. Today's card uses a stamp set that is available as of today from Stampin Up. It is Wagon Full of Fun and it is available in the Occasions Mini catalog from April 1st until June 30th so don't miss out. Contact your SU demonstrator to order. If you don't have a demonstrator of your own, I would be glad to tell you how to find one.

So, about the card... I used some paper that would not typically be among my stash. I saw it in my LSS last week and decided it was fresh and funky and I
needed it. I didn't like the coordinates in the collection so I brought it home as an orphan. Since I had such a good time trying new combos last week, I looked through my paper drawers for something that I would not normally put with my new find and Voy-Ola (:D), I found a match! Let me show the end result before I go any further.
The edges of my sentiment and stamped image are inked with distress ink after chalking the whole surface with ivory blending chalk (to make it match the printed paper background better.) I printed the message on my computer although the stamp set has some really cute sentiments included. I colored the flower with my Copics and one SU marker. I used my new Nestabilities Labels #1 template to cut the image panel and border.

I'll include my supplies below and this card will be listed in my Etsy shop for purchase very soon. Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Papers- Carolee's Creations Adorn It/Nancy Jane Love Blooms DSP; Black & white mini dot by Provo Craft. Stamps- SU Wagon Full of Fun. Inks- Brilliance Graphite; Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick distress ink. Tools- Nestie Labels #1 die; corner rounder. Embellishments- Plaid ANM pastel blending chalk; American Crafts ribbon; Paper Studio 2mm clear gemstones; misc buttons. Pens- Copic (B000, B01, B12, YG13, YG17, R35, R37, R39, E09) SU- Really Rust. Font- Leftovers 18pt.