Baby Elephant

I've had this little elephant in my stamping stash for a number of years now, ever since I was on The Play Date Cafe design team.  Paulina of DeNami Design generously gifted our team with her adorable stamps at the time.

I stamped him on purple polka dotted paper from Nana's Nursery - DCWV, trimmed and mounted on a doily die cut.  The striped background is also from the same paper stack.  You can see some elephant rump inside the card, too.  ;-)

The sentiment and little flowers are from Inspired By Stamping's Oh, Baby!  The yellow Gingham is from Market Street Stamps (oh, how I miss them!).  See how the doily die cut extends over the edge of the card?  This means I need to use a bigger envelope, and I use an A6 (4.75" x 6.5").

By the way, I found a very useful Envelope Size Chart HERE.  I keep a copy near my crafting supplies, as well as in my Evernote program.  I've blogged before about Evernote, and I can't say enough good stuff about it.  It keeps my stamp, die, embossing folder and punch inventories in an easy-to-use format.  I can access the program via my computer, phone and tablet.  If I am looking for a particular stamp, or a particular sentiment, I type in the keyword (say, "giggle" for example) and Evernote shows me all the sets I own that have the word "giggle" in them.  I've started uploading my recipe cards and magazine pages featuring recipes we like into the program, too.

Stamps: flowers, sentiment - Oh, Baby! - Inspired By Stamping; Gingham - Market Street Stamps; elephant - DeNami Design Paper: white - PTI; Pear Pizzazz - SU; stripe, dots - Nana's Nursery - DCWV Ink: Lavender Lace, Barely Banana - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: Certainly Celery twill - SU Accessories & Tools: crochet tape - IBS; doily die cut - My Favorite Things; heart border punch - SU; pearls - Queen & Co.

Baby Boy Onesie

Even though I tend to make the baby girl cards with more fervor, the baby boys need cards (at the shop), too.  So, I came up with this one day in January:

The onesie is from Inspired By Stamping, the sentiment by Verve.  And look!  I used a sewing machine on this card!  Whoo hoo!

No banner dies here....just some hand-trimming for the banner effect.

Thanks for joining me today!

Stamps: Oh, Baby! - Inspired By Stamping; Munchkin Phrases - Verve Paper: So Saffron, Very Vanilla, patterns - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain - Ranger Fibers: twine - SU Accessories & Tools: sewing machine; Fancy Label 2 die - Inspired By Stamping 

Somebody's Home

Soon after Christmas, I spent holiday gift money on some Papertrey Ink stamps.  Boards & Beams really called to me, since I have a "New Home" category at the shop.

Everything you see on this card comes from that set.  I stamped the house once on blue patterned paper, and once on white.  I trimmed out one window to paper-piece on here, and colored the door, shutters and roof with Copic markers.

Something about blue, green and kraft makes me really happy.  Hope it appeals to customers, too!

Stamps: Boards & Beams - PTI Paper: kraft - PTI; green damask, blue pattern - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: corner rounder punch - Fiskars; Copic markers

Bits & Pieces Make For A HUGE Post!

Okay, so about a month ago, before I started the new job, I was on a ROLL with my cards.  The creative juices just burst forth, and I was cranking them out.

Believe it or not, all the cards you are about to see were created in the span of less than a week.  AND, I used TONS of 'Bits & Pieces' that were cast-offs from other projects.  I am so proud that I was able to successfully work them into new creations.

Bits & Pieces used:

•  a panel stamped with Market Street Stamps' Vintage Wallpaper (brown ink on white cardstock).  It looked too stark, so I inked up a piece of waxed paper from the kitchen with Tattered Rose Distress Ink.  I let the ink bead up, then wiped the cardstock through the ink.
• a hand-trimmed banner stamped with a Hero Arts sentiment. 

 Bits & Pieces used: 

• panel of white cardstock stamped with Market Street Stamps' Grace background, in navy.
• a scalloped square punch, stamped with a Stampin' Up! image/sentiment.  I don't know the name of this set, because this little piece was in a Scrap Bag from my SU demo.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• the Verve Joy For The Journey sentiment, already stamped on an oval die cut
• a butterfly from Lost Coast Designs' Butterflies that was colored and trimmed

Bits & Pieces used: 

• Stampin' Up!'s Eiffel Tower from Artistic Etchings, already trimmed.
• clouds from Inspired By Stamping's The Sky's The Limit.
• a bit of twill tape - I stamped a sentiment from IBS's Celebrating Two Years.
• shimmery aqua cardstock from California Paper Goods.  It was sent as a sample with an envelope order years ago.  I used an oval die to cut it and made it part of the background.
• a manilla tag from one of my daughters' clothing.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a flower from Stampin' Up!'s Sweet Summer, already stamped and colored.  I added a sentiment from Wplus9's Fresh Cut Florals, surrounded by a Darice Doily Lace embossed background.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a cream-colored panel, stamped with I think a Stampin' Up! flower spray.  I cannot recall where this came from!
• the sentiment from Verve's Joy For The Journey, done up on two sizes of oval punches.
• a bit of burlap ribbon, which I had hacked up for use on another project.  The ribbon had French wire along the edges.  On the other project, I did not want the wire, so I cut out the center portion of the ribbon only.  I was left with a raggedy edge of burlap with wire.  I wound it around and around to make a nest.  Pearls became eggs. 

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a pale yellow die cut tag from Stampin' Up! from a LONG time ago, stamped with a Verve Joy For The Journey sentiment.
• white Lattice / EK Success strips to use as edging.
• K & Co. photo mat paper, already cut up from another project.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• another bit of twill tape, again stamped with the same IBS sentiment mentioned up above.
• the vellum flower with gem, lifted from a store-bought card that was sent to my daughter a few years ago.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• an embossed panel of cardstock from a Stampin' Up! Scrap Bag.  I added iridescent Stickles to parts of the snowflakes.
• a piece of shimmery mint cardstock, sent as a sample from California Paper Goods years ago.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a red die cut, made with Spellbinders' Persian Motifs.
• pipe clean candy canes, lifted from a store-bought Christmas card we received.
• a scrap of floral Real Red patterned paper (SU).

Bits & Pieces used: 

• pretty much the whole front panel!  LOL  A thoughtful friend, unwilling to throw away the Christmas card I made for her, asked if I would like it back so I could use parts of it for a future card.  I cut off the back of the card, trimmed the front panel a bit, and mounted it onto a Soft Suede card base.  I added a few red gems to the corners. 

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a sliver of fancy black striped Stampin' Up! designer paper.
• a scrap of white cardstock that had been stamped in black with Market Street Stamps' Vintage Wallpaper.
• a black panel, featuring a poinsettia image from Mark's Finest Papers, which had been stamped and embossed in gold.  I added a little gold bow. 

Whew!  Because of the quantity of cards in this one post, I am not going to list all supplies used.  If you're wondering about any particular item, please leave a comment with your question (and a way to reach you), and I'd be happy to answer!

Potluck Sunday

Oh, how I've missed being here on my blog!  Life's been super-busy since I started my temp job at an accounting firm at the end of February, and I'm too tired most nights to go up to the craft studio.  Good thing I've got posts pre-scheduled for times like these!

Over the last several months, I've made so many cards that I now need to clump some of them together in one post.  

Here's a potluck mish-mash of things -- FOUR posts in ONE!!

#1)  You know how I feel about hydrangeas, don't you?  Just one look at my blog header tells you I'm in love with them.

I was happy to give my Stampin' Up! set, Because I Care, some love not too long ago for this sympathy card:

Monochromatic cards are so appealing to me, so I used only gray and white on this card (plus black for the sentiment - by Verve).  The velvet gray ribbon is by May Arts.

Stamps: Because I Care (flower) - SU; Blessings (sentiment) - Verve Paper: Going Gray - SU; white - PTI Ink: Going Gray - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: gray velvet ribbon - May Arts Accessories & Tools: White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Arches punch - EK Success; Victoria embossing folder - Cuttlebug

#2)  This is definitely "freestyle collage" style, isn't it?  I tried it on for size, the "put lots of stuff on a card" thing, and it did not feel very comfortable.  Still, I thought I would share.

The sentiment is from Spring Blossoms by Inspired By Stamping (after I cut off the exclamation point...I often do that 'cause it just seems weird to shout a sentiment to the card recipient). The postage stamps are from their Summer Postcard Add-On set.  

Stamps: Summer Postcard Add-On, Spring Blossoms - IBS Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI; Baja Breeze, Close to Cocoa, polka dot pattern - SU; butterflies - Mariposa Stack - DCWV Ink: Close To Cocoa, Crumb Cake - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Frayed Burlap - Ranger Fibers: khaki gingham - Creative Impressions; crochet lace - IBS Accessories & Tools: pearls - Queen & Co.; Copic markers; Elegant Scrollwork die - Memory Box; Framed Tulips embossing folder - SU; circle die - Spellbinders

#3)  You can tell I had the Mariposa Stack of papers by DCWV out on the same day I made cards #2 & 3.  :-D  This one could be used for all kinds of occasions, though I think I pegged it for a birthday card.

The sentiment is from Big Wishes II / Inspired By Stamping.  The gilded tulip sticker is coordinates with the Mariposa Stack, found on clearance for pennies at JoAnn's.  I matted it on a doily die cut, then a Fancy Tag die cut.

Stamps: Big Wishes II - IBS Paper: white - PTI; Crumb Cake - SU; patterns - Mariposa Stack - DCWV Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: white seam binding - Hug Snug Accessories & Tools: tulip sticker - Mariposa Stack/DCWV; Doily die - My Favorite Things; Fancy Tags Two die - Spellbinders

#4)  And finally, I've got a simple anniversary card to share, using my fave flower once again.

It's from one of the older Stampin' Up! sets, Abundant Joy.  That's a set I will keep for a long time.  Even though it hasn't been inked in forever, it holds images I think are lovely.  The sentiment here is from Love Story / Verve, another set I find too valuable to part with.

Stamps: Love Story - Verve; Abundant Joy - SU Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI; pattern - SU Ink: Crumb Cake - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: pleated ribbon - SU; crochet lace - IBS Accessories & Tools: pearls - Queen & Co.; corner rounder - Fiskars

Happy sigh!  Feels good to blog.  I like it as much as I enjoy making the cards.  I've got posts lined up for the coming week, and now it's time to do the laundry.  Now, THAT is something I do NOT enjoy!

Big, Bold Snowflakes

On St. Patrick's Day earlier this week, we saw some 'green' AND some snowflakes!  Yes, hopefully it was the last snowstorm for the season.  We've had, I believe, the 3rd snowiest winter season on record in this area!  Geez.  Can you say "DONE"??

This is another magazine "no-thank-you" from a year or more ago.  I covered a black circle die cut with Creative Inspirations Deliquesce Gold Crystals Sparkle embossing powder, and wow, what an effect!

The snowflake die cuts from Maya Road were 'gifts' for having some cards published in CARDS magazine (before they went into a digital format).

Here's hoping this is the last of the snowflakes this Spring....

Stamps: Merry Christmas Trees - Hero Arts Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black - SU Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: circle die - Spellbinders; Deliquesce Gold Crystals Sparkle embossing powder - Creative Inspirations; snowflake die cuts - Maya Road; green pearl brad - SU?