Friday, February 27, 2015

Seashore Thank You

Hey there.  :-D  A short while back, a longtime friend of mine asked for a custom set of thank you cards.  This is one of the designs she received, since she is a fan of all things nautical:


It is quite simple, with some repetitive stamping of a starfish (Blockheads Paper Arts) and a nice, big sentiment (Papertrey Ink).  I also added a scallop shell (Golden Acorn), another starfish -- both trimmed out and popped up -- and a couple of pearls.  The images received a coat of clear glitter, too.


My youngest daughter had oral surgery a week ago today, in preparation for braces.  Sure would be nice if she could just have braces put on her teeth, with no issues to fix beforehand.  Poor kid had a couple of teeth grow in sideways, and some extra-heavy layers of gum tissue covering some teeth in the back, where the brackets/anchors for braces go.  The doctor dug holes into her gums to give a clear view of the teeth in there (ew), so the orthodontist can attach those brackets.  It's been a painful week for her.

When her smile is finally picture-perfect a couple of years down the road, she'll be glad.  Right now, she is having a hard time imagining that!



Stamps: starfish - Seashells with Round Frame - Blockhead Paper Arts; scallop - Golden Acorn; sentiment - Think Big Favorites #5 - Papertrey Ink Paper: Sahara Sand - SU; white - Papertrey Ink Ink: Close to Cocoa, Sahara Sand - Stampin' Up!; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: Crystal glitter - Martha Stewart; pearls - Queen & Co.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

xoxoxo roses

A little something eclectic today.  I let the card take me for a ride the day I made this.  The starting point were two String of Hearts die cuts (Simon Says Stamp) I made, as tests that the die worked okay.  Do you check your dies when you first buy them?  I learned the hard way to always try them right away, before too much time passes.  I've had a few dies with glitches on them, where the metal is messed up and you don't get a clean cut.  Luckily, the companies stood behind their products (My Favorite Things, Memory Box, Spellbinders) and I was able to get replacements.


I joined those two strips of hearts together, and used pearls between each heart.  I added a seam binding bow, a tiny tag with Lawn Fawn stamping (from Love n' Breakfast), a beautiful old-fashioned roses sticker from Anna Griffin, and a tiny piece of Wrought Iron Gate die cut (Memory Box) in pale gray.  It was lying on my craft desk, and thought it looked kind of neat on here.


Oh!  Not sure if you can tell, but the little white strip of paper, under the roses, is actually white glitter cardstock from Colorbok.  It's another cast-off that was just lying on the desk, and almost made it into the trash bin.

Thanks so much for your visit today!



Stamps: tiny heart, xoxo - Love n' Breakfast - Lawn Fawn Paper: white glitter paper (strip) - Colorbok; black/white patterns - Harper's Boutique - The Paper Studio; True Black, white - Papertrey Ink; Going Gray - Stampin' Up! Fibers: Pink Aster seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop; vintage thread Accessories & Tools: String of Hearts die - Simon Says Stamp; rose stickers - Anna Griffin; Tiny Tags die - Papertrey Ink; Wrought Iron Fence die - Memory Box; pearls; button

Monday, February 23, 2015

Happy, Preppy Banners

I'm flying some flags on today's card.  Happy, preppy patterns and colors, flying on a background of white.

(It's just so tough to photograph a white card on a white background!)


When I photo-edited these pictures, they looked fairly bright to me.  Now that they are in Blogger, they seem duller.  Darn!


If you do an internet search on 'preppy patterns', so many fun designs turn up.  I saw plenty of polka dots, and a lattice pattern, and bright, punchy colors.  That's where I got my inspiration for this card.

Thanks so much for coming by today!



Stamps: Whimsical Banners - Inspired By Stamping; Think Big Favorites #15 - Papertrey Ink Paper: white - PTI Ink: Pink Passion, Green Galore - Stampin' Up!; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: white string - Stampin' Up! 

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Custom Valentine

A friend of mine asked me to make an elegant, masculine Valentine for her husband.


I liked the end result so much, I had to make one for my husband too.  (shhhh, don't tell!)


Yes, there's glitter, and there are sequins, but I still think overall it's a masculine card.  As one of my Instagram followers said, it's "dark and sexy."  LOL!



Stamps: sentiment - Anna Griffin Paper: Early Espresso, Real Red - Stampin' Up!; brown damask - Graphic 45; red glitter polka dot, cream script - Union Square - My Mind's Eye Accessories & Tools: Espresso 6mm, gold 4mm sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Metallic Gold sequins - M&J Trimming; red glitter - Martha Stewart; Heart to Heart, Full Heart, Itty Bitty Heart punches - Stampin' Up!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Partridge in a Pear Tree

Another Christmas card this week?  Sure, why not!!  This one is my fave.  It pairs cream and white with gold.


The inspiration piece:  a Top Note die, already embossed with snowflakes and with a touch of gold cardstock along one edge.  This was in a Scrap Bag from my Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  Then, I found a pear topiary (CTMH), already colored ages ago, in my image box.  I stamped a little bird from Hero Arts, trimmed him and added him to the pear tree.


I punched a few holly leaves out of the same gold cardstock, and added pearl 'berries'.  A few more little details:  an embossed card base, a seam binding bow, and a tiny Papertrey Ink sentiment.

Thank you so much for coming by today!



Stamps: sentiment - Tag-Its #8 - Papertrey Ink; bird - Sending Smiles - Hero Arts; tree - Topiaries - Close To My Heart Paper: Vintage Cream, white - Papertrey Ink; gold - Stampin' Up! Fibers: Argentina seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Northern Flurries embossing folder, Top Note die - SU; Copic markers; pearls - Queen & Co.; holly punch - Martha Stewart; Holly Ribbons embossing folder - Cuttlebug

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Love from a Mouse

Yesterday, I shared an elegant Valentine, and today I''m showing a whimsical card for our 13 year old.  Her personality is different from that of her older sister, and I always try to match their style to the cards I create for each of them.


This card features an older Stampin' Up! set: Happy Heart Day (the mouse image), and the 'feb 14' is from the A Happy Heart set.  I tied in the sage green and peach stripes to the sentiment by using markers and an 'xoxo' stamp (Inspired By Stamping) multiple times on a small circle tag.


In 2009, I gave each of our girls a Valentine that featured the same mouse:


Man, what a difference!



Stamps: mouse & heart - Happy Heart Day; feb 14 - A Happy Heart - Stampin' Up!; xoxo - Creative Tags - Inspired By Stamping Paper: patterns - Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm - American Crafts; white - Papertrey Ink; Pretty In Pink - Stampin' Up! Ink: markers: Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Sage Shadow - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: hemp twine - Hemptique Accessories & Tools: pink gem; circle die - Spellbinders; Sparkling Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; tag punch - Martha Stewart; small circle tag - Tiny Tags - Papertrey Ink; Copic markers

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

A Beautiful Heart

Hello!  I wanted to share the elegant Valentine my husband and I gave to our 16 year old over the weekend.


I really love how this turned out.  I've got a heart from an old Stampin' Up! set, A Happy Heart, some little paper flowers from www.iamroses.com (you should check them out; cheap prices, cheap shipping, and it's pretty quick, too) and sequins from Pretty Pink Posh in Sparkling Clear.


The 'Feb 14' sentiment is from the same Happy Heart set, and of course, some Hug Snug seam binding...this one is called Mushroom.  I love the color.  It goes with just about anything.


Thanks for letting me share this.  I'll be back tomorrow to show a much different Valentine that went to our 13 year old.  See you then!



Stamps: heart, feb 14 - A Happy Heart - Stampin' Up! Paper: pattern - The Paper Studio; white, kraft - Papertrey Ink; vintage book page Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Cherry Cobbler - SU Fibers: Mushroom seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: paper flowers - iamroses.com; Round Tab punch - SU; Sparkling Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; doily - Wilton

Monday, February 16, 2015

Peace On Earth

Hey.  =)  Last week, I showed off some cards that seemed like spring or summer.  This week, I'm kicking it off with a wintry Christmas card.


The inspiration piece was this neat bubble-like sticker from K & Co.  It's got glitter inside, like a snow globe.  I added a little doily die cut behind it, and chose papers to coordinate.  A strip of snowflakes is also courtesy of K & Co.


A guy at work just missed a whole week due to the flu.  He said he did get his flu shot this year.  Yikes.  I got mine too, and am keeping fingers crossed that this bug does not hit any of my family.  I had heard that the flu vaccine administered this year was not as effective as in years past.   Hope they get that situation worked out.  My co-worker said it was a bad week.  :-(  Keep washing those hands frequently!



Paper: kraft, white - Papertrey Ink; Chocolate Chip, embossed kraft (skinny strip) - Stampin' Up!; wine and green patterns - Holiday Traditions - Me and My Big Ideas; cereal box chipboard Accessories & Tools: small star punch - SU; medium star punch - Fiskars; Crystal glitter - Martha Stewart; Decorative Doily Duo die - My Favorite Things; Sparkling Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh

Friday, February 13, 2015

Flower Window

Welcome!  It occurs to me that I've posted bright, clean, happy cards this week, and they look like summer.  Though I am surely in the minority, I do like winter.  Four seasons is a good thing in my book.  But this week...maybe I'm tired of looking at the grey skies and need some color!


This card is hard to photograph.  The stamped frame (details at end of post) has two strips of clear acetate-and-flower die cut borders adhered behind it.  These strips were from the Martha Stewart line, and they've been in our house a while.  I just did an internet search for these and did not come up with anything; sorry!


The sentiment is from Power Poppy and pretty much sums up what a birthday is all about.

Thanks a bunch for dropping by today!



Stamps: frame - A Lovely Birthday - Inspired By Stamping; sentiment - Dynamic Duos: Peonies and Tulips - Power Poppy Paper: Apricot Appeal, apricot pattern - Stampin' Up!; white - Papertrey Ink Ink: Rose Red - SU; Onyx - Versafine - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: rhinestones - Queen & Co.; clear border floral strips - Martha Stewart

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Row, row, row your boat

Hi!  Somewhere in Blogland, I saw a card that featured a tiny boat inside a jar, turned on its side.  I thought it was so clever, and wanted to give it a try:


I used a retired The Craft's Meow set, It's A Shore Thing, for the boat and water droplets.  The jar is from Inspired By Stamping, and the sentiment is Hero Arts (all details are in the supply list at the end of this post).  After the water drops were stamped, I added some Glossy Accents to make 'em shiny.  A twine bow adds another nautical touch.


Clean and simple, that's for sure.  This card kind of reminds me of my friend, Amy.  She LOVES jars on her cards.  =)



Stamps: sentiment - Essential Messages - Hero Arts; jar - Mason Jar - Inspired By Stamping; boat, water droplets - It's A Shore Thing - The Craft's Meow Ink: Baja Breeze - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: Copic markers; Glossy Accents - Ranger

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Little Grass Skirt

Hello everyone!  I want to give a shout-out to my Boston-area readers...you guys got 5.5 feet of snow already this season??  Holy guacamole!  That's just unbelievable.  Seems like that region is taking the brunt of the storms that have come up along the East Coast, pretty much bypassing our area in New Jersey.  (thank you!)

Here is a very un-winter-like card to share today:


I used some marvelous scraps to construct this:  stamped flower-with-sentiment, pink die cut flower, fringed green panel, snippet of green ribbon.  I added sprigs of greenery, and gems.  Boy, that was easy!


I'm getting a bit better at juggling work/family/card-making.  Obviously, priorities have to shift in order to accommodate it all.  I make time for prayer, and one of my prayers is for help prioritizing everything in my life. 

Thanks so much for coming by today! 




Stamps: Flower Patch - Stampin' Up! Paper: Pink Passion, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Old Olive, white - Stampin' Up! Ink: Melon Mambo - SU Fibers: Pear Pizzazz ribbon - SU Accessories & Tools: Rock Fern punch - Martha Stewart; pink gems - Queen & Co.; flower punch - SU

Friday, February 6, 2015

Hills of snow...made of words

Hello there.  :-)  Back before Christmas, I had a thought:  what if I made a snowy scene from an old book page?


Snowflakes were added, as well as some teeny little sentiments from Papertrey Ink's Tag-Its #8.


I already had the Patterned Pines trees stamped and trimmed from a previous project, so they were included in the mix.  Topaz-colored gemstones decorate them.


It *is* rather dirty looking snow, though, isn't it?  Ha ha!



Stamps: Patterned Pines - Stampin' Up!; star - O Christmas Tree - JustRite; snowflakes, sentiments - Tag-Its #8 - Papertrey Ink Paper: vintage book page; kraft, Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink; white Ink: Chocolate Chip, Handsome Hunter - SU; Antique Linen, Walnut Stain - Ranger Fibers: gold twine - SU; chocolate twine - American Crafts Accessories & Tools: topaz rhinestones - Queen & Co; gold sheer paint - Martha Stewart; Tiny Tags dies - Papertrey Ink

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Wonder and Peace

Hello!  Yes, it's a Christmas card again.  I'm still sharing from before this past holiday.


The sentiment panel came from a scrap bag, and though I know it's a Stampin' Up! stamp, I do not know which set.  I added it to some pretty patterned paper, threw on a few snowflakes (topped with glitter glue -- barely visible in the photo, and gems).


That's it!  It was a relatively quick card to make.  Gotta love those.  ;-)



Stamps: sentiment - Stampin' Up! (no idea which set!) Paper: Purely Pomegranate, River Rock, white - SU; pattern - Holiday Traditions - Me and My Big Ideas Accessories & Tools: Arctic Snowflake punch - Martha Stewart; Decorative Label punch - Stampin' Up!; rhinestones - Queen & Co.; silver pen?; iridescent glitter glue / Stickles - Ranger 

Monday, February 2, 2015

Ooo la la, Mr. & Mrs.

Hi.  :-)  I have a thing for Eiffel Tower images.  I hear you saying, "Yea, we know!" ;-)  Love to use it for wedding-themed cards for some reason; maybe because Paris is known as the City of Love & Lights.


I stamped the image (from Mon Ami Paris by Technique Tuesday) in cocoa, and then found some pretty papers to coordinate, beginning with Pink Paislee's damask design from their Sweetness collection.  Leafy Vine from Hero Arts was first stamped in chocolate off one corner, but that didn't show up very well, so out came the gold embossing powder.  Added some gold sequins to match, but, geez, the camera makes them look bright yellow!


“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast.”
 ~ Ernest Hemingway



Stamps: Leafy Vine - Hero Arts; Eiffel Tower - Mon Ami Paris - Technique Tuesday; sentiment - All Holidays - Stampin' Up! Paper: Soft Sky - SU; chocolate and blue damask - Sweetness - Pink Paislee Ink: watermark - Versamark - Tsukineko; Close to Cocoa - SU; black Fibers: brown satin ribbon - Martha Stewart Accessories & Tools: gold embossing powder - SU; gold sequins; Mini Wavy Pennants die - My Favorite Things 
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