Happy Valentine's Day

Hello girls! Happy Valentine's Day! I hope everyone has a fabulous day filled with love and fun. I have one last Valentine to show you today before the season of red and pink goes away for a while. By the time this posts, the recipient of this card will have received it from her husband, who asked me to make it for her. I will let her come forward if she chooses ( and reads this post, of course!). Anyway, without further ado...
I hope she loves it and enjoys her day with her darling fella! Meanwhile, I will give you the deets since I have a feeling, that is why you found your way here. I used a rich, Riding Hood Red pattern from the Love Letter DSP along with basic Black and Very Vanilla CS. I added a length of 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain ribbon across the middle to accent the punched heart and sentiment.

The sentiment for this card came from the Filled with Love stamp set which will be available in the next big catalog ( or so I hear). I stamped it and then punched it out using the small oval punch which premiered in the last holiday Mini catalog and will return this summer. It is backed by a small circle (1") and then both are on top of a heart which I punched with the XL Full Heart punch. For a little contrast, I placed them all over a 2 3/8" Scalloped circle that was slightly distressed with some Crumb Cake ink and a Stampin' sponge.

The inside has another heart and a simple, "Be my valentine" message. I hope she loves it and has a wonderful day just as I wish for everyone else. Enjoy!

Sorry to keep you waiting!

Hi guys! I am so sorry for not popping in for 3 days! On Friday, I had to go and have a crown put on the root canal from last week. I was trying to wait until our new insurance kicks in but the tooth broke and it was a must all of a sudden. Then yesterday, I was lucky enough to attend a stamping show so I went and decided to just do my blog last night. Well, I was just pooped so it was early to bed for me. Here I am, with the card I have had on my desk for days now. I hope you like it!
And a side shot...
This was a super simple card but does not look especially simple so IMO, you get a lot of bang for your buck. We all have times we have to hurry a card, right? I used the oldie but goodie Season of Friendship to stamp the tree in Pear Pizazz and Crumb Cake. Then, I used my Small Heart Punch to cut 10 hearts out of Melon Mambo and Pink Pirouette CS. They are added and topped off with tiny pearls from the Basic Jewel Pearls set. The sentiment is from the new Level 2 Hostess set called Something to Celebrate which I LOVE. This set is featured in the new Occasions Mini Catalog. This is a set worth trying to earn, It includes 9 all occasion and spring holiday sentiments. This will now be my go-to set for spring cards. I punched the sentiment with the Modern Label punch and then trimmed the next outer layer by hand.

I think that sums it up. Short and sweet! Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!

Last Filled with Love Card- SU only

Hi folks! It has been crazy busy around here so today will be another quick post. My card today was inspired by a design on Andrea Walford's blog. I loved her card so I decided to incorporate the elements I loved and adapt my design to the materials I had on hand. Blogger is acting a little nuts so I am unable to link to her site to give credit but I certainly have a photo of my card to share with you. I felt like it was a perfect choice since the Filled with Love Bundle promo ends tomorrow. Here ya go!

And a detail shot so you can a little bit more of the embellishment:
I used Filled with Love to stamp the heart flowers in Poppy Parade ink and then the leaves were stamped with Petal Pizazz in Pear Pizazz ink. Each little heart blossom is accented with a Bitty Button. I lightly sponged my Whisper White background with Bashful Blue ink and then just a touch of Tempting Turquoise around the very edge for definition. The "grass" was created by punching 2 strips of Pear Pizazz with the Scallop Trim Border punch and then inking the top edges with Pear Pizazz ink. I stamped the sentiment (also from Filled with Love) in Basic Black ink. I punched the wording out with my large oval punch and lightly sponged with more Bashful Blue ink around the edge. A few of the hearts and leaves are popped up on Dimensionals too.

I skipped the links to certain products in the interest of time but all the productsI used can be found in my online store. Items included in the Filled with Love bundle can be ordered until close of business on the 24th. You may order online or contact me to order.

I have an adorable new card to show you so check back in tomorrow to see another use for the new Create a Cupcake stamp set along with the Build a Cupcake punch. Have a great day!

Hello, Hello!

Hi guys! Yesterday got away from me and before I knew it, it was too late to blog or even keep my eyes open for that matter so I waited for today to show you my cute little card. I also have a few photos of a project I made to show my hostess club girls. I'll show the card first. Here goes...
This is just a simple "hello" card...one of those all occasion friendship cards that are great to have on hand. I made it because that owl is just too cute and I couldn't resist making him with a cute little red vest. The tree branch he is on comes from Season of Friendship and the sentiment is from Hello Again. Both are regular catalog merchandise. I am going to skip the links today but all items can be found in my online store. The color scheme is a fav of mine and I have it listed in my color coach which includes several blank pages for keeping your own color combos. The colors are Concord Crush, Poppy Parade, So Saffron, and Old Olive.

Next up are my little Valentine's treat jars. I had lots of scraps left from all my Filled with Love bundle projects so I trimmed a couple glass jars left over from my husband's lab at work. Take a look...
Here is a close-up of the top so you can see the little tag (from Birthday Bakery stamp set):
And then a close up of the taller one so you can read the tag on the front:
Aren't they darling? They both were so easy to make too. Even though you probably can't duplicate the exact containers, I wanted to show you that just about anything can be made cuter with a little bit of embellishment. These are ready to add a little bit of candy and I have 2 precious Valentine's Day treats.

That's it for me today. Check back this weekend because I will have some new projects to share as soon as I photograph my work. Happy weekend!

Last Week for Filled with Love Bundle!

Hey guys and gals! Well, gals I am pretty sure but not so much on the guys part but anywho...We have one week left to take advantage of the SU Filled with Love Bundle of goodies. Today's project uses an image from the Filled with Love set so I thought it was a perfect reminder that you don't want to miss that cute set and papers. And don't forget about the freebie package of Bitty Buttons! To learn more or to place an order, you can click on the Filled with Love button in the left sidebar here or just contact me. Now, for the project? Here ya go...

This was really hard to photograph but I hope you can see that it is made from punching 4 Decorative Labels and then making a very simple box platform to hold them upright. A length of Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon gives it extra stability. I decorated it with a little circular image from Filled with Love and then added a handle (made with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch) and a tag. The sentiment comes from a new set in the Mini catalog called XOXO. You can't see it in the photo but the handle is glued down with Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive and then topped with a small heart punch and then the back has another embellishment like the front. So easy and so cute! It took less than 20 minutes so if I make several for my kids' teachers, it won't take me days. LOL!

That's it for me today. It is my first day of everyone being back to school and work so I have bunches to do. Have a great day!

Snow Much Fun! SU Top Note Snowman Card

Hello everyone! Today's card is in honor of the fact that my kids and hubby are home for the 5th day in a row due to our little snow storm. I wanted to wait to post it until I had mailed them out but Frosty is too cute and I can't wait anymore. This card is my post holiday thank you note so if you get one in the mail, thanking you for your kindness over the holidays, and you read my blog, just pretend it is all new to you. OK? ;)

So, here he is...
This idea was CASEd from another demonstrator named Diane Simpers, here on her blog. I saw this little guy and immediately pulled out the supplies to make my own. Isn't he cute? I always like a snow themed post holiday thank you note and he really fits the bill, huh?

To create him, I used my Big Shot machine and the SU Top Note die to cut 2 notes...1 in Whisper White CS and 1 in Concord Crush Patterns DSP. Then I cut a rectangle slightly wider than the top note and about 1 1/2" high. For this, I used the flip side striped pattern of the Concord Crush DSP. The card base is Bashful Blue and I stamped an all over background using the Confetti stamp set and Marina Mist ink.

The snowflake on his hat band was made by stamping the Simple Snowflake image in Bashful Blue and then punching it with the Snowflake punch. I added a Jewel Rhinestone to the middle for a little sparkle. The sentiment is from the Just Believe set. I stamped it in Concord Crush ink and then punched first with the Word Window punch and then placed it on top of a punched Modern Label in Bashful Blue.

A few scraps of Basic Black (and an Itty Bitty circle punch) for his eyes and Tangerine Tango to make his nose along with a little sponging of Sahara Sand ink finish him up. It sounds like a lot of steps and tools but he really was easy to make. You could also improvise and personalize him how ever you wish too.

For more info or to order Stampin' Up! products, please contact me anytime. I would be glad to help!

Valentines A Plenty

Howdy! Another quick post today...playing catch up again. I have 2 cards for you today so I'll get right to the point!
This first one is a super simple greeting but still a lot of fun in my book. I can't wait to send it! The focal point image is an a'la carte image featured in the Mini catalog. It is called Be My Valentine and it caught my eye as soon as I thumbed through the new mini catalog. That floral background reminded me of pretty lace and I couldn't wait to use it just like they did in the SU example photo. I also love to be able to buy just one image now and then. First, I stamped the image in Rose red onto Whisper White CS and also once in Basic Black onto Crumb Cake CS. Then, I trimmed out the banner portion of the image and paper pieced it onto the red copy. Easy peasy! It is finished off with a black designer button and a little bit of linen thread before mounting it onto my card foundation of Crumb Cake CS. The Rose Red polka dot print is from the Subtles Patterns DSP. The white lace border is punched with the Eyelet Edge Border punch.

Now, onto the 2nd card for today...
This one may look familiar. I CASEd this one from the Filled with Love Bundle promotion brochure. I liked it so much that I made not one change. Well, actually I used Certainly Celery ribbon instead of Old Olive but I figured that out after the fact. I wanted to post it here because I wanted to remind everyone that SU catalogs and brochures are a GREAT source of inspiration. Who hasn't sat down to make a card and just drawn a complete blank about how to start? Well, sometimes all it takes is thumbing through a catalog or maybe a browse over the SU website to get your juices flowing again.

For further info about today's projects, just holler. I would be glad to point you in the right direction. Have a great day!

Thoughts of You Warm My Heart- SU Only Card

Happy Saturday folks! This was a never ending week. The weekend couldn't get here fast enough. So, it's here and I will get some time to just sit and play with my new stamps. Just yesterday, Mr. Brown brought me some goodies from the upcoming Sale A Bration catalog and a few new things from the Occasions Mini Catalog too. What I started last night isn't quite ready to photograph just yet so I will have it tomorrow. Deal?

For today's card, it is another red and pink confection. It also uses the Filled with Love set. Don't worry...I will move on soon. ;) Something new about the combo is that I used some of the relatively new Jewel Rhinestones. These were new to SU in July and I just never got around to ordering any. Well, I am so glad I finally did! Take a look...

I only used a few rhinestones up around the top of the heart to accent just a bit. I also used a Bitty Button (FREE with Filled with Love Bundle!) and alength of the Real Red 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon. This is a great ribbon for bows and cards. It is so sheer and smooth, making it very flexible, that I find it much easier to tie into a pretty bow than many others. I am gradually buying all the colors offered because I like it so much.

The heart image and sentiment are both from the Filled with Love set. That fun pink polka dot print is from the Love Patterns DSP which comes with the bundle too. For the little tag flag, I rounded both the corners on one side and then notched the other end with my Paper Snips. I think that about sums this cadr up for today. Check back tomorrow for some truly NEW items used on my card. I think you are going to like what I have to show you! There just isn't much on the card that isn't new, new, new. Have a wonderful day and stay warm!

Be Mine, Be Mine, Be My Polka Dotted Valentine!

Hello folks! Quick post today because I have piles to do before our possibly snowy/icy weekend. It would be nice to get more snow and just sit around with my kids and some cocoa but in order to do that, one must actually have cocoa and other essentials like TP, and Doritos in the house. So, Walmart here I come! Before I go though, let me show you today's card. I am pretty happy with it!

This one is a little less whimsical and maybe a little more...dramatic? For lack of a better word? I tried something new here. I used my SU Riding Hood Red reinker to dye a Paper Daisy. Usually, I am too lazy to dye my flowers to match and I end up changing my design to accommodate plain white blooms. Never again! Just take an empty plastic container from SU buttons, brads, etc. Add a couple tablespoons of water and then a few drops of your desired reinker color. The amount of both depends on how deep you want the color to be on your project. Let it soak for a few seconds and then remove with tweezers since the dye will stain your fingers. Let the blossom dry completely on some paper towels before adding to your card.

Once my little flower was dry, I made my card using the very dramatic polka dot print from the Love Letter DSP. Basic Black and Very Vanilla along with Riding Hood Red CS were my solids. The sentiment is from the Filled with Love set. I wasn't lying the other day when I said it was my new favorite, huh? That set is seeing quite a bit of action lately! The leaves were cut using the Sizzix Little Leaves die and my Big Shot. A Filigree Designer Brad and a length of 5/8" Basic Black grosgrain ribbon finish it off. I substituted a black brad for the silver brad that comes with the Filigree set.

I'll skip an actual supply list today since I named everything in my text but of course, if you have any further questions, please ask. All materials used are Stampin' Up! Have a great day and please stop back by this weekend because I have a few new goodies from the occasions Mini Catalog on the way via UPS and I WILL be playing with them over the weekend. ;)

Red and Pink Together?

The only time of year that I would ever put red and pink together is Valentine's Day. What is it about that combo that is so hideous in fashion or even cards that makes it ok to use it until the middle of February? Well, I use it with gusto this time of year to take advantage of that small window of opportunity. In case you haven't figured it out, today's projects wear their red and pink together with pride LOL! Take a look...


And a gift tag featuring some of the adorable, new Love Impressions Valentine's rub-ons:

Aren't they cute? For the card, I used 2 prints from the Love Patterns DSP along with Real Red and Pretty in Pink CS. These papers along with the stamp set I used, Filled with Love, can be purchased in the Filled with Love Bundle Promotion which lasts until January 24th. Don't forget about the FREE package of Bitty Buttons you get with the bundle!

Along with the Love Impressions Valentine's rub-ons, the tag includes an image from Perfect Punches stamp set. This set is one of the most versatile I have ever purchased. Every image coordinates with a punch! The button at the top was a leftover from a retired set but SU still makes buttons in that color so no worries if you need Pretty in Pink buttons!

For more info about these SU Only projects or to order the materials needed to make them, please feel free to contact me anytime. Have a great day!

SU Materials: Papers- Real Red CS, Pretty in Pink CS, Love Patterns DSP, Whisper White CS. Ink- Real Red Classic, Pretty in Pink Classic. Stamps- Filled with Love, Perfect Punches. Accessories- Love Impressions Rub-Ons, Designer Buttons, Pretty in Pink 5/8" satin ribbon, Eyelet Edge Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, Round Tab punch, Sm Heart Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, Linen Thread.

I Still Ruff You

Hey there, folks! As you might have noticed, I took a little break. Getting ready for Valentine's Day and a few large orders in my Etsy shop have kept me very busy. I am back with a cute card and some pretty big news (for me anyway) so I hope it was worth the wait. First, the card. It is one last one before the "big day" on Sunday. I think it is going to be a Valentine for my hubby and then I can remove the inner sentiment and sell it as an all occasion love card throughout the year. Wanna see?

And a look at the inside...

When I saw the dog stamp in the store, I immediately put it in my basket because it was just flippin adorable. That long "hot dog" body just cracked me up. He very quickly ended up on a card too. There aren't very many images that are really wide and not very tall so this one lent itself to a different kind of arrangement. I really had fun working with it.

The paper I used is an old one from my stash. I have had it for a long time. I decided to pull out a stitch border stamp and let me tell you how much I LOVE the white glaze pen that I used to darken up the stamped lines as well as make faux stitching around the circle. That is the greatest pen! It will be my go-to opaque white pen. As far as the rest of my materials, I will finish up with a supply list below. How about my news?

Well, after much thought, I have decided to become a Stampin Up demonstrator. I know that more people are walking away from this title than are embracing it but it is something I have wanted to do for a while and the few barriers that were in front of me have been addressed. I am VERY excited about this decision. I have always loved their products and order as many as my wallet can handle so it was a natural progression to arrive at this decision. I will still blog often but my content will change a little. I hope that you will continue to stop by here often for inspiration and creative motivation. My plan for the future is to bring you fresh new ways to use the products that many of us already know and love. So, I hope I have your interest as well as your support and I look forward to sharing my new path with you here. Wish me luck!

My fingers are tired so I am going to finish up with my supply list and a sincere wish for a fabulous Valentine's Day weekend. We are getting some snowy goodness down here in the sunny south so I plan to enjoy every minute of it with my family. Happy Valentine's Day!

Papers- Bo Bunny Wild Berry Red Dot; Imagination Project Woof; lt blue CS from DCWV spring matstack 2009; dk blue CS from Hobby Lobby. Stamps- Penny Black Romantic Dog; HOTP stamped stitches; Hero Arts Little Valentine's Day. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black; Colorbox frost white. Tools- EK deco scallop edger; Marvy clever lever 2.5in circle punch; SU word window punch; WRMK corner chomper; piercer & mat; ANM mini bone punch. Embellishments- JHB #23090 bone buttons; ribbon fx wine taffeta ribbon; MM stitches in teal;. Pens- Copic (R81, E33, B0000); Zig (coffee, kiwi, spice, aubergine); SU (brocade blue); Spica ( sky blue, lavender); Sakura white glaze pen. Sketch- Tammy Fielder 5-9-09. Font- 18pt kids.

Hey Love Muffin!

Hi guys! Can you believe it is almost February?????? This first month of the year just flew by and I have a feeling it isn't going to slow down. In just a couple months, it will be time for spring sports and then school to get out and we will fly through summer. Before we know it, it will be time to make Christmas cards again! So, before we post those Christmas creations, how about another Valentine?

This one uses a new Hero Arts cupcake image and a new EK border punch. I think to use this stamp next time, I will stamp it on the color of choice for the top of the cupcake and go from there. I don't care for the marker lines left when coloring large areas. It was even using a couple Copics! I do need to re-ink it though.

I have to run. Just ask if you want to know about my supplies!

Winter is Better When...

Hello! I'm back today with a card that was a lot of fun to make. I needed a break from the red and pink of Valentine's Day so I played with a little bit of winter stuff. We are almost out of time for winter "toys" so I guess we better make the most of it while we can, huh? So, take a look and then I will tell you more about it.

And here is a photo of the inside. It is blank of sentiment but I embellished with a few snowflakes and scraps of the stripe paper used on the front.

The image is from My Favorite Things. I have loved it for a long time and once they made it available as a digi image, I nabbed it for my ever growing digi-library. It is called "A Scarf for Three." Precious, huh? The sentiment came from a Stampendous stamp but I resized it to make it fit better into this arrangement.

The papers are from a BoBunny collection (Alyssa) and I think the color scheme works well for winter even though is what promoted as a spring feature. I don't typically think black and snow flakes together but it works here IMO.

I want to mention one more thing and then I am off to work on my messy house. How about I just blurt it out... BLOG CANDY! Want some? Well, my one year anniversary here is coming up this Friday and I want to celebrate! I have put together a fun little pile of goodies for some lucky reader and I can't wait to give it away. I will post a photo of the "candy" on Wednesday, the 27th, and then start the drawing on Friday the 29th, which is the "big" day. I can't believe it has been a whole year already! It has just flown for me because I have so much fun posting here and sharing my creations. Thank you for dropping in and "listening." :)

Well, I think it is about that time for me. My grungy house is calling me and the voice is soon to be a whine if I don't make some cleaning headway. Have a wonderful day and I will be back soon with more about how you can win some blog candy for your own. Bye!

Papers- Bo Bunny Tutu Dot & Alissa Spunky. Stamps- MFT Scarf for 3 digi image. Tools- Spellbinder Ribbon Tag Trios #2; CB 2x2 snowflake die. Embellishments- ribbon fx (Hobby Lobby) 5/8in lime w/ black dot grosgrain ribbon. Pens- Copics (RV21, RV11, YG17, B52, BG10, YR02, B0000, silver spica. Font- Andrew Script 16pt.

Hugs and Hisses

Hi guys! I have the cutest thing to show you. Today's card includes a digital image that I just came across last night while surfing the web and I immediately bought it (and a few others) to use today. I think they are all simply adorable. Let's see what you think!

And the inside...

I never dreamed I would be saying, "Aren't those snakes cute?" but here I am, doing just that. They are called Snakes Alive and are available as a digital image at Hambo Stamps. I have used Hambo stuff before and have been very pleased. They email you the digital order within 12 hours of payment so you have it to play with right away. The sentiment was something I thought of myself and printed on my computer. I think it works well here if I do say so myself. ;)

My printer is out of ink so it looks like I will be old school stamping until I can run up to Office Depot for another cartridge. That's ok though because I have plenty of toys on my desk. I think I will do just that tonight. My Grey's Anatomy will be on soon and I am going to get my jammies on in a minute. My supply list is below. Y'all have a fantastic night!

Papers- Pink Paislee Cupd Collection Bullseye; Bazzill Parakeet CS; Paper Co Choc Truffle CS. Stamps- Heidi Grace clear borders; Hambo Stamps Snakes Alive dig image. Inks- Memento Rich Cocoa. Tools- SU scalloped circle punch; EK (1 3/8 & 1 1/2 in) circle punches; Fiskars apron lace edge punch. Embellishments- Favorite Findings heart buttons; DMC # 3871 pearl cotton. Pens- Prisma (dk olive green); Copic (YG95, YG63, E79, E44, B0000, R27); Zig (chocolate). Sketch- Mojo Monday #121. Font- Cheri 24pt.

All You Need is LOVE

Hello my friends! I can't believe it is already Wednesday night. Where has the week gone? I know where my week has gone. It sped past me while I sat at my scrap desk working on custom orders. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE custom orders in my Etsy shop and both of my customers were dreams to work with but since I am just a teensy bit obsessive, I tend to get a little short sighted while I am working. All I can think about is what I have left to do and I completely flip out as I get more and more behind. But I bet you didn't stop in for a run down of my personality disorders, right?

So, a card...today's card. I love it a lot. I used a few tools and materials that are either new to me or new on the scramping scene. I'll show you the card and explain further. Take a look!

Ta Da! I hope you like it. I am oh, so pleased with the final result. I was a little iffy as it came together and I changed things back and forth several times but all of a sudden, it just clicked for me. My print papers are the new Basic Grey Sugar Rush. That luscious periwinkle card stock that matches the print perfectly is none other than Stampin Up's Almost Amethyst. Sometimes, I will be stumped on a matching CS and an SU color will end up being just the thing I need. I should remember that more often and save myself some trouble, I guess. Old or new, they often have a match for those funky papers. The main image is also from Stampin Up. It is from last year and it is part of the Big on Spring set.

Please notice the little pink index tab at the top of the red panel. It is chipboard covered in paper. For one, I never use chipboard on cards. I often get it out and it just never makes the final cut. So, using it here is very new for me too. You know what else? I used a new gadget to cover it. It is a little sanding tool that I picked up at a LSS and it is handy dandy! I am sorry to say that I don't know who makes it but I will show you a picture below and maybe someone reading can shed some light on it for us.


The way it works is you simply trim the overhanging edges of cover paper by sanding it off. You get a nice edge and it even gets in all the curves and crannies of small pieces like letters. I have had it a little while but never used it and now I am hooked. The last new item I want to mention is the short, stamped sentiment. It is from Hampton Arts and it is new for Valentine's Day. The whole thing reads, "all you need is love" but I left off the love part since I wanted to feature it below.

I want to mention one more thing about the card and then I am off to make dinner for my family. The middle of the o in love has the word "you" in it when stamped as is but I trimmed it out. The polka dot middle is another Sugar Rush coordinate. I used a little more of that print on the inside of the card (not pictured) just as a decoration to spruce up the blank interior a little.

Well guys, that's it for me. I will try to be back in less time than this past week. I have so many things I want to show you and the "season of love" is a relatively short one so I better hustle. Also, my blog-iversary is coming up on the 29th of January and I want to give away a little blog candy to celebrate. Lots of things coming up so pop back in soon. Ciao!

Papers- Basic Grey Sugar Rush Gummy Bears & Big Cherry; SU Almost Amethyst; Xerox ivory CS. Stamps- SU Big on Spring; Hampton Arts Need is Love. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- WRMK corner chomper; Sandpaper trimming tool; Sizzlit heart die. Embellishments- Michael's Dots & Dashes ribbon; Paper Studio chipboard index tab. Pens- Copics YR15, YG11, B63, R85. Sketch- Based on Mojo Monday #122 with minor changes.

Love You Tons

Hi guys! I hope your weekend was a good one. Since ours started off with a snow day, ours kept to a leisurely pace which I loved. Today, it is back to the grind and my normal hustle & bustle. I want to show you my card and then I am off to errands and cleaning.

Today's card is a valentine. I didn't add a message with the actual words, "Happy Valentine's Day" but I will offer it as an option when I list it in my shop. I have found that most of the cards I carry for Valentine's Day will sell later in the year if they don't have any mention of the holiday. Offering the sentiment during February seems to suffice. So, you want to see it? I am quite happy with my results. ;)

And here is a shot from an angle to better showcase the layers...

Here are the deets: My sketch is straight from a lovely card by Kim Teasdale, which you can see here. The adorable little mouse image is from Heather Ellis. Several of her images are available at MFT but this particular one is available in Heather's shop on Etsy, right here. I am just loving her work lately. I have used several in the last few weeks. The papers are Bo Bunny and are from the new collection called Love Bandit. I just love them all! You will be seeing them again. The sentiment is a Studio G image from the dollar bin at my Michael's. And one last thing I want to mention before I run...notice the dots around my image...on the brown scalloped circle panel? Well, those were made with my new white Sakura Gel Glaze pen. Oh my gosh! If you want a really good, opaque, white pen, go buy this one. I got mine at Archiver's but they have them in JoAnn's too. I don't know if it really shows well enough in my photo but the dots are slightly raised and very shiny IRL. This is the best white ink I have ever used. Seriously! I have struggled with numerous white pens that either quit writing or just don't show up very well on dark paper. Well, the search is over! I have a new stand-by white ink.

Well folks, I am off. I mentioned all the major points for my supplies above so I am going to skip a formal list for today. If you have further questions, you know the drill...just ask. Have a wonderful day and happy crafting!

BRRRRR...In More Ways Than One

Hello! I'm a little later than usual but I promise I have a good reason. For one, I didn't have a card made because with my busy week (which included a sick child), I didn't get one made in time to have it photographed and ready to go in time to post here for yesterday. And the other reason is that we have had such bad weather that once my card was finished, it was too dark and cloudy to get a good photo. So tonight, out in the 16 degree evening, my hubby held a flashlight on my card, right outside our front door, so I could get a photo and not miss another day of blogging. Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me? LOL! If you can, you can see my card and find out what I mean by my title up there. The "BRRRR" sums up my card and also describes the weather we are having in my supposedly Sunny South. We wimpy GA folks just aren't used to this cold snowy stuff! Maybe today's card will warm things up though. Take a look...

And then the inside is below. Please pardon the bowed look in the stand. With the wind blowing, the card just wouldn't stand straight when folded open.

This was one of those cards that involved a few detours before I arrived at the finished product. I changed the papers, the sketch, and the stamped image. Oy. Some days, it is a wonder I ever finish a project. That cute little monkey is another Changito image. Yep, one of the very same that I used to scorn. And that snowflake? I used my new Spellbinder Create-A-Flake die set. I just love those things! I will be sad when the time to use snowflakes is over. Maybe I will catch up on snow themed scrap pages!

My sketch for this card came from the SFYTT courtesy of Jen Del Muro. It was posted on the 19th of December...just a few weeks ago. At that point in the month, I was hurrying with Christmas preparations but it was such a cute sketch, I didn't want to miss it. I'll be filing this one away in my sketch book. It was a lot of fun to work on.

Well folks, this will do it for me. It was a very long day of snow, kids & hub home from school and work, washing wet clothes, and making endless cups of cocoa. I am pooped! Maybe I will get a little more scrap time in tomorrow. I sure hope so. Good night!

Papers-DCWV Holiday Collection Winter Matstack 2009. Stamps- Stampendous Changito Cocoa. Tools- Spellbinders Create-A-Flake One dies; Marvy Clever lever 3in circle punch; WRMK Corner Chomper. Embellishments- Favorite Findings buttons; DMC #6170 pearl cotton. Pens- Copics B04, R81, G21, E44, E42, B91, B97. Sketch- SFYTT 12-19-09. Font- Cool Dots 20pt (front) & Carnation 24pt (inside.)

Love Owls

Good Morning! How about a Valentine's day card? I assume you aren't here for the recipes and discussion of current world events, right? I hope not! Today's card uses another one of those motifs that I wasn't particularly fond of but they grew on me. I am talking about OWLS!

Everywhere you look in the scramping world, there are owls. Owls in trees, owls at birthday parties, owls doing just about everything. Well, they have not been my favorite images but this little twosome was really cute to me so I used them. Now, this card gave me fits. I must have come back to this project 4 different times. I could not make this card work just right. I tried several different arrangements and must have changed my card stock accents 10 times. I finally made it work so that it pleased me enough to finish it and sell it/give it/hoard it. I hope it is well received on the Big Day next month.

On one of those many stamping days I had over Winter Break, I was lucky enough to team up with my #1 buddy and spend a day playing crafty games...the adult version of a playdate. LOL! She was kind enough to let me borrow a new punch that she will be selling for SU in the coming months. It isn't even available for purchase yet (as far as I know.) It is called the Scallop Trim Border Edge Punch and will be available in the Occasions Mini catalog. I hope I have that right! Check with your own demo if you need details. I am not an SU demo myself...I only play one on TV. HaHa!

I will list the rest of my supplies below. This card will be listed in my Etsy shop by the end of the week if you are interested in owning it for yourself. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Papers- Fancy Pants Vintage Valentine "Will You?" DP. Stamps- Hero Arts Heart Owls. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- SU Scallop Trim Border Punch; piercer & mat. Embellishments- Favorite Findings mini nature buttons; MM stitches (tan & deep plum); Pebbles "I Love You" rub-ons; paper studio metal heart clipss; Inkssentials Glossy Accents. Pens- Copics R39, RV95, R02, YG95, G99, YG91.

Happy New Year!

Hello everyone! I hope your new year is off to a fabulous start! I also hope that your holidays, whatever you may choose to celebrate at your house, were filled with love and fun. Here at our house, we very much enjoyed having Daddy home from work for 17 days in a row. My kids will be back in school tomorrow but my hubby had to be back at the grindstone today. I felt so bad last night as he scurried around getting his lunch made and his work bag packed. I wanted him home today too! I got to play at my scrap desk A LOT while he watched the endless football games on TV over the last couple weeks. I will certainly miss our lazy winter vacation days. ;)

So, how about a card? I have a few to show you this week since I got so much stamping time in while on vacation. Today's card is a slightly new direction for me. Despite the image's wild popularity lately, I don't typically care for them. What are "they" you ask? Robots! Take a look...

And the inside of my card...


I decided that since Valentine cards were about to be in demand in my Etsy shop, I better get started on a stash to sell. This card works well as a Valentine or just a lovey-dovey greeting for the rest of the year. The image is a digi stamp from My Favorite Things. I mentioned that I don't usually care for robots. I just don't if we are being totally honest. However, these little sweethearts caught my eye as did their "buddy" over at MFT. I have one more robot image that I bought so I will use him soon too. I just think they are so cute! I couldn't wait to put them in a card so I started this one as soon as the Christmas stuff all over my desk was put away. I am pretty happy with my results.

You may recognize my sketch from Splitcoast Stampers. It is #SC260 from a week or so ago. I actually got to play along while it was posted for the week! I still haven't added this one to my gallery yet though. I am way behind on that front. One goal at a time, right? LOL! I printed my sentiment in a font called LCD20pt. I decided it was a perfect look for the little robots. The background paper was just right too. I have seen it many times at my LSS but when it showed up in the clearance bin, I grabbed it to use here. I tried my hand at making a gear shape with freehand cutting and the attempt was just horrible so the light blue shape behind the image was made by punching a 2 inch circle and then using a standard hole punch to remove little half circles all the way around. I would have loved to own an inverted scallop Spellbinder die but no such luck! For a little texture, I added some Glossy Accents to the buttons and "lights" on my couple. IRL, it gives those spots a little contrast but the photo doesn't show it very well.

Well then...I think I better get back to my stay at home vacationers. Why is it that kids home from school must eat 12 times in 8 hours but they can make it all day at school with only lunch and a snack? If you figure that one out, please tell me the answer. Until then, I am off to feed the younguns. My supply list is below. Have a wonderful day and stay warm. Happy, Happy New Year to you and yours!


Papers- TPC STudio Blips & Beeps Gear Grid; Colorbok Pearlescent CS. Stamps- MFT Robot2 digistamp. Tools- 1/4in hole punch; BB Swiss Dots & Frills Border templates; SU word window & photo corner punches; EK and Marvy circle punches. Embellishments- Favorite Findings buttons; DMC rayon floss (S5200); Hero Arts smooth clear gemstones; Inkssentials Glossy Accents. Pens- Copics C1, C3, C5, C7, R27, R39, R22, G21, B14, 0. Font- LCD 20pt. Sketch- SC260.

Please note: I decided a new look was in order for the new year and my upcoming blog-iversary. Please let me know what you think of the change. I would love to get a little feedback on the colors and their readability. Please be honest. Your opinion matters to me! :) -KRS

Friendship warms you up!

I made this card a little while back but I thought it was a great one to show today since Atlanta is expecting some really cold, icy weather today. I know that other regions get it much worse than we do but when we get the frozen stuff, it shuts us down because we aren't equipped to deal with it. On to a warm and toasty card though!

I used up some supplies from my stash for this card. Quite a while ago, I borrowed the mitten image and stamped several on white card stock and then put them away for later. The blue snowflake panels were already embossed from a previous project so I planned the dimensions for the rest of the card around these pieces. I was happy with how it came out. I saw the sentiment somewhere and copied it away in my idea journal for later and I think it is just perfect for this card. I printed it on my computer in MS Word since that many letters would be a nightmare to arrange individually.

The details for this card are listed below. If you are more interested in purchasing this card than making it for yourself, it is available for sale in my etsy shop which is linked in the upper left corner of the blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- Xerox Ivory 67# Vellum Cover; SU Blue Bayou; DCWV tan and red textured white core cardstock. Stamps- Imaginations mittens; SU Fresh Fillers. Inks- Versafine Onyx, SU Real Red. Tools- CB Snowflakes embossing folder; Coluzzle Oval and companion oval templates. Embellishments- 3/8in ivory organdy ribbon. Pens- Copic R37, E31; SU Not Quite Navy.