Monday, February 28, 2011

Flight Plan


After making cupcake toppers and planning crafts for my daughter's 6th birthday slumber party last week AND surviving the slumber party, I was pooped to say the least! But when I saw the color challenge over at the Play Date Cafe', a bright card was just what the Dr. ordered as a pick me up! (along with a nap and multiple cups of coffee, hehe)


I married the PDC challenge with this week's Card Patterns Sketch


Finally was able to ink up my Plane & Simple stamp set, thought it was the perfect set to compliment the sketch and I'm always in need of a boy/guy card, figured this one could go either way. I whipped out my Color Coach and matched up Tempting Turquoise, Peach Parfait & Pear Pizzazz to the Play Date inspiration photo. I made my card a bit bigger than the norm, so it can squeeze in a 5X7 envelope. I pulled out my dusty crimper for the center peach layer, added a touch of 1/4" retired tempting turquoise ribbon, heat embossed my little airplane & birthday sentiment with basic black embossing powder and stamped the little compass in various angles in the same ink color as my paper.


Punches Used: Word Window, 1-3/8" Square

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Workshop WOW

This past weekend's workshop wow cards
I wanted to show the ladies a few simple techniques, so I colored each of my little cake line ups with a different medium
Stampin' Write Markers
Stampin' Pastels
Watercolor pencils & an Aqua Painter
Spotlighting with markers

SU! products used: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Melon Mambo & Pink Pirouette Card Stock
Basic Black & Craft White Ink, White Embossing Powder, Sticky Strip, Pink chunky retired glitter, 2-3/8" XL Scallop Circle punch, Ticket Corner small punch, 1-3/4" Circle Large, 1-1/4" Circle Large (for the spotlighting), Square Lattice EF, Perfect Polka Dot EF, Dimensionals, Big Shot, Birthday Bakery hostess stamp set & Afterthoughts hostess stamp set

Earn the hostess sets used in these card by hosting your own in home workshop or catalog party, email me to schedule your party today!!



Baby Belly Rubs


I've recently had two good friends let me know about the little miracles budding inside their bellies, so was inspired to create the following cards (I made two) with them in mind. I used this weeks Card Patterns Sketch, I've become slightly addicted to Card Patterns Sketches lately...I love their simplicity but yet, you can add such a big bang with the little details!


With my recent revamp and spring cleaning of my stamp room, I'm finding all sorts of bits and bobbles I've forgotten about. Such as these fab retired Pacific Point corduroy buttons and ribbon. I checked to see if I had any DSP that matched and I was in luck! 2 full sheets and some scraps, which were perfect for my paper piecing. Me, cutting out tiny images stamped onto paper can truly be summed up in one word....heaven!!! sigh.. These cute little bellies were a breeze to cut with their rounded edges, I just had to be careful not to cut off the bows.

I paired my Pacific Point with a sunny Daffodil Delight & Whisper White

Punches Used: Large Oval, Small Oval, Scallop Edge Border, 2-3/8" XL Scallop Circle, 1-3/4" XL Circle



Monday, February 21, 2011

Perk Up

My brother in law just recently had several major surgeries and is currently at home recovering, so I was in need of a get well card. I used this weeks Color Dare colors of Night of Navy, Marina Mist & River Rock as inspiration for my card.
I pulled out Puns from the Past and stamped my little tea kettle in Night of Navy, a bit of hemp twine & a single piece of Aged Copper Hodgepodge Hardware retired. I stamped another kettle onto a scrap of River Rock, cut it out and popped it off my card with a dimensional.
Punched used: 1-1/4" Square, 1-3/8"X5/8" Oval Large, 1-3/8" Square XL (for inside of card)


Thursday, February 17, 2011

Blue Mojo

Thought I'd get my Mojo on this afternoon and make some cards!! Since I didn't have to pick up my Kindergartner from school (she flew to AZ today) and both the boys napped at the same time, I had some free Mama time to do just that! Yipee!!
I used this weeks Mojo Monday sketch as inspiration for my card but flipped it sideways to fit my stamp. I pulled out my Big Shot (who am I kidding, not like it's in the closet...it's practically attached to my hip, hehe!) and used the larger scallop circle from my SU! Sizzix Circle, Scallop #2 die. I colored directly on my stamp with Stampin' Write Markers with Pear Pizzazz, Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy & Bashful Blue. Did a bit of huffing and viola', a pretty little multicolored peacock!

This weeks Color Throwdown colors seemed perfect for my little bird and after pulling out my Color Coach, I decided Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi & Certainly Celery matched their little butterflies the best.

I used two tiny little scraps on top of my little flag ribbon (not quite sure what to call it) then added a tiny Marina Mist bow. A bit of green bling throughout adds a bit of sparkle & ties all the blue/greens together. My sentiment is from Messages for Mom but I think everyone likes to hear how wonderful they are, whether they are a Mom or not!

Punches Used: 2-1/2" Circle, 1-1/4" Square (for the little bite out of my flag)




Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Clearance Table

I did a bit of Spring cleaning, so to speak and FINALLY sorted out all of my RETIRED paper, ink pads, re -inkers, markers & wood mounted stamps. I have 22 stamp sets left all marked for a steal at $6 and under. Paper packs are $4 unopened, Classic Ink Pads $3, Markers $1 or less if you purchase the entire color set I have in stock!

List of stamp sets:

Bold Butterfly
French Flair
Out of the Box
Happy Heart Day
Congrats
Wings of Friendship
Bitty Basics
Card Games
Welcome Home
Elegant Thank You
Twick or Tweet
Carved & Candlelit
Polka Dot Punches
Very Thankful
Autumn Fest
Branch Out
Garden Greetings
Game Night
Eat, Drink & Be Scary
A little Somethin'
Patterned Pines
Party Punch


Phone me or come knocking to check out the steals. I can also pop them in a flat rate box and ship them directly to your door! 

Monday, February 14, 2011

Robotic Love

 I wanted to make a hidden message shaker card for my son, since I had one for my daughter and I do have to say, I don't think I've ever taken so long to make one card but I LOVE how it turned out and I know he adored it this morning when he woke up. 

I started off with this weeks Card Patterns sketch challenge #102
and started stamping my little robots, aren't they cute??! I chose Basic Grey, Marina Mist & Whisper White as my colors and got to work coloring and cutting, something that if you know me well enough, I will sit and do for HOURS. Cutting out tiny shapes is super relaxing and my mind goes to a nice little "empty bliss box" as my scissors smoothly create a shape or form. 

This week at Our Creative Corner, they are asking for creations that are cut out using your paper snips, fussy cutting, paper piecing, etc. Figured this was considered fussy cutting..YUP!
 My little phrase wouldn't fit inside my little treat cup, so I decided to cut out portions of it like an old love note. In high school, I would sit for days cutting pictures, words & phrases out of teeny bopper magazines to create photo frames, collages or notes for my friends...see, told you I was a happy cutter but the good kind, hehe!
Since I'm pretty sure I broke my circle punch (trying to punch through too many pieces of paper at once) making this card AND the simple fact that I didn't get to bed till two cause I was making it, I decided to enter it into once more challenge. Wee Memories #43 is asking for creations based on life/living funny or Love themes and I do LOVE my little boy to the moon and back!


Punches used: 2-1/2" & 1-3/4" Circles

Happy Valentines Day!

A few cards I've made in the past week gearing up for today, 
Happy Valentines Day!
 What my 5 & 3 year old woke up to this morning!
 I made this last year and gave it to my daughter this year..
Sweet Centers & Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
 A little something for her teachers to go along with handmade hearts 
she decorated, forgot to take a photo of those, oops!
 Be My Valentine

 Love you much stamp set...it's always nice to go back to the basics with 
the watercolor pencils and an aqua pen
 wanted to make something simple with scraps from
my VERY LARGE scrap box
 Happy Valentines Day-sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes
LOVE that glitter paper and a little rub on to complete my Valentine


Monday, February 7, 2011

Game Night


My hubby called me last night and stated that our house was probably the ONLY house in the states, NOT watching the Super Bowl and he was right!! I was however making a card and decided to get in on all the game action with my paper!


I used this weeks Get Sketchy Sketch as inspiration, it was PERFECT for my little punched out helmets. Mind you, I'm not a sports fan, of any kind, so sorry if these colors aren't up to par with your favorite team. 


I just finished whipping up a mini photo album to mail a special someone in my life and used a bit of the football paper, so I finished using up the scraps for my card, which allows me to enter it in this weeks Wee Memories Challenge as well, hooray!


The most manly EF I have is the one that looks like truck runner boards, I love it and thought it was the perfect touch with the game night sentiment, courtesy of my RETIRED Game Night stamp set.


Punches Used: 1" & 1-1/4" Circles
Paper: Whisper White & Real Red

Friday, February 4, 2011

Birdie-versary

 A special someone, or rather two special someone's, have an Anniversary coming up soon on Valentine's Day. I decided to try a new blog challenge on for size (hehe) and as I was browsing the internet, I came across this lovely blog for items created with ONLY Stampin' Up! products. (Which can be a challenge in an of itself since I have a plethora of other lovely little babbles splattered around my craft room) SU-Only Challenges is asking for a lovey dovey Valentine creation this week, so I tried to make my card as romantic as possible, for the two love birds who fell in love many moons ago. 
I used this weeks Sweet Sunday Sketch to create my canvas and then added a bit of red glitter paper & a rub on (complimentary of SU! to demonstrators) which will have special meaning to the recipients of this card. The lovey birdie background was created using my Stamp-a-majig and the birds from the Love You Much stamp set. Alas, the sentiment comes from Teeny Tiny Wishes, a set that I've used so much more than I thought I would.
Punches used: 1-3/4" XL Circle, 2-3/8" XL Scallop CIrcle, Scallop Border
Paper: Blushing Bride, Real Red, Whisper White, Red Glitter
Ink: Real Red, Blushing Bride, Basic Black

P.S. didn't know if this was considered stamping or not but it snowed in San Antonio, TX, CRAZY, I know. So I "stamped" my boot print in the snow to prove it and add just a little more love to my post, brrrrr!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Friendly Valentine

Although I LOVE all of the big bows and fat cards that have been popping up everywhere on all sorts of paper crafting blogs, I also like to make mailable cards. Flat is key when the majority of your family and friends live everywhere but near you, due to military life.

The Paper Players are having an Anything Goes challenge and with Valentines day approaching, I figured I'd enter my sparkly Valentine into their challenge as well.
The inspiration for this card came from this weeks Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge. I loved working with a Basic Black canvas. Adding a piece of Red Glitter Paper, which reminds me of a big sparkly sticker. I didn't want to cover up too much of the sparkle, so taking the Heart to Heart XL SU! punch, I picked out just one of the hearts to use and created a background layer of hearts. A bit of 1/4" Basic Black grosgrain ribbon at the top and bottom to keep the hearts from spilling off my card. The single Real Red heart was just screaming for a bit more attention, so I ran it though the Big Shot in one of my many embossing folders, capturing this sweet little bird. Using a bit of black, I sponged over the top and around the little red heart and popped it up with a Dimensional. The sentiment is from the Hostess set Picture This, which I embossed in black and punched out with the Large Word Window punch.
Happy Valentines day Friends!!