"A bit about me"...blog hop!

Hi.  :) Apparently there's a blog hop out there in the blogosphere, and it's kind of like a chain letter.  You know, you're tagged, and you have to tag someone else in return.  This hop is meant for each participant to share more about themselves or their work.

My friend Sindhu from Trapped In Craft tagged me recently, so 'Thanks, Sindhu!' =D  She is such a sweet blogging friend, halfway across the world from me.  Turns out we're both Pisces, born in March, and we are introverts.  Yay for introverts!  We've got to stick together.  ;)

Sindhu and I have been following each other's blogs for quite a while.  I have loved seeing her card-making style change over time and become more focused on the clean-and-simple side of things.  She is now a master, in my opinion, and her blog is filled with happy cards.  Go take a look; you'll be delighted!

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Click here for the original 2/6/14 post.

I'm a little nervous doing this.  It's hard!  What on earth would folks want to know about me?  (sits here a while, pondering.) Okay, here we go:

1. How long have you been making cards?  I barely count it as 'making cards', but I used to sell cards at the office where I worked in the late 80's and early 90's.  I'd bought a box of pre-folded card bases, and stamped something simple on the front, colored in with pencils.  I felt so proud of them at the time, but...well, you know, after all these years, they seem very crude compared to what I do today. After that, I didn't stamp again until attending a Stampin' Up! workshop in 2007.  I started my blog in 2010, and am so glad I took that leap.

My very first stamp sets (yep, I still have 'em!):

Assortment by All Night Media

Bear Mail by All Night Media

Click here for the original 5/22/12 post.

2. Rubber or clear stamps?  Both!  For a long time, when I thought that Stampin' Up! was the only stamp company out there, rubber was just fine.  After I discovered a Stampamajig, that really made things easier.  Funny that I don't remember my first experience with clear stamps, but oh boy, I fell fast in love!  My rubber stamps were left in the dust as clear stamps and I began dating.  =D  Lately, though, I am giving a lot of love to rubber.  Feels good to rediscover them.  And they're happy too!

Click here for the original 2/21/13 post.

3. Do you follow stamping trends?  Most definitely not.  Heck, I've never even followed clothing trends, ever.  I'm just not that kind of person.  (Well, I did own a Members Only jacket in the '80s, and bought Izod polo shirts.  But I was a teen then, so let's chalk it up to age.)  I love what I love, and don't care if it's not the latest and hippest thing.  Life's too short.  I'm doing it my way!

Click here to see the original 12/15/11 post.

4. What is your creative process? Most of the time, I let the process take me for a ride.  I start with a nugget of inspiration (a button, a piece of patterned paper, particular ribbon or embellishment, or a stamp) and build around it.  I feel my way along, and it's hard to describe but I can tell you that there's a formula of sorts.  The formula includes:  fibers, embellishments (chipboard, buttons, stickers), a mix of shapes (circles, rectangles, flourishes, for example), die cuts/punches, and usually a bit of bling.  Some cards are all about having things off-center, and some are symmetrical, where everything is perfectly balanced, like the snowflake card above.  

Organization is key for me.  It helps to know what crafting supplies I have.  When I used to craft in my dining room, I packed my supplies in cabinets and baskets so tightly due to space constraints, I forgot what I had.  After moving up to the attic studio, things are more spread out, which helps a lot.  

Click here for the original 4/3/13 post.

5. What is your card-making style?  I have a few:  vintage/shabby chic, clean and simple, and clean & classy/elegant...and (cue the drumroll) masculine.  Yes, I've taken a liking to a certain style of masculine cards.  They are not filled with power tools, or motorcycles and trucks, but have a more genteel nature about them.  As for clean-and-simple cards, I don't do them as well as I'd like, but that part of me still needs to express itself once in a while.  Hope you'll bear with me on that!  

Click here for the original post on 1/27/14.

This card was never featured in a post.  It's quite similar to the one above, and that's why.  ;)

If you've made it this far and read all the way through, God bless you!  It's a long post, I know.  One more thing before I go:  I am tagging my dear, dear friend Emily of My Little Slice of Bliss.  Her creations may look clean and simple at first, but when taking a closer look, you can see she adds so many loving details. And talk about creative:  Emily has used sandpaper, dryer sheets and toilet paper on cards in the most innovative ways!  I've got too many favorites of hers to list them all, but take a peek here, here, here and here.  Thank you, Emily, for sharing your creativity with all of us!

See you soon!

Play Date Cafe Anniversary Celebration

Today I am an Alumni Guest over at The Play Date Cafe Color Challenge, my very first design team.  :-)  Julie Ranae of the PDCC invited all of her past team designers to join for this very special 3rd Anniversary BIG bash.  Thank you, Julie, for this wonderful opportunity and Happy Anniversary!

The PDCC has always been a unique challenge for two reasons:

• They encourage you as a player to 'interpret the colors' as YOU see them. 
• They welcome pretty much ANY type of project from cards to layouts, knit, crochet & sewing, mixed-media and even cupcakes (yum). 

I love doing cards, so here's what I cooked up using the colors Flame, Grape and Mulberry:

So bold!  I am scared of brights, and tend to add lots of white to balance them out.  

These Persian Motif dies are new to me (and there's a Fleur de Lis Motif layer here, too).  I LOVE them.  They look so cool stacked up on each other, topped by a glittered chipboard heart.  The sentiment is Verve, and the tag die is Memory Box.

You've still got time to play at The Play Date Cafe.  There are prizes from a variety of sponsors and additional giveaways for becoming a follower of the challenge and for displaying their brand new badges.  If you play, tell them I sent you!

Thanks for joining me today.  :-)



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Small Phrases - Verve
Paper: white - PTI; Real Red, Vintage Violet, Rich Razzleberry - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: white seam binding - The Zipper Stop; white thread - SU
Other: doily - Wilton; Big Shot; chipboard glitter heart; Fleur de Lis Motif, Persian Motif dies - Spellbinders; pearls; tag die - Memory Box

Play Date Cafe 142 - Twins!...and a goodbye

I am so excited about the card I made for the new Play Date Cafe challenge!

When I saw the color story, I immediately thought of babies.  Although I don't know anyone having twins, I deliver my cards to a boutique for sale, and surely there's a market for this kind of card.

The colors are Cobalt, Goldenrod and Peony.  (Love that photo of a blue garden gate on the color board!)

My blue is a bit off the shade featured, but I love how these baby clothes turned out.

A doily sun in the background....

Delicious Lemondrop Twinery twine clothesline...

...and paper-pieced baby clothes from the Inspired By Stamping set, Oh, Baby!

The Cup of the Week winner will get something fabulous from the PDCC Prize Vault.  :-)  Come link up your creation!


Sadly, this is my last post as a member of the Play Date Cafe Design Team.  Play Date Cafe was my very first design team, and I'm so grateful to Julie Ranae for giving me the opportunity when she signed me on as a Private Blend Designer in January 2011.  I've had the extreme pleasure of being part of a most unique, supportive, wonderful group of designing women, and I will miss them all!  There are other members leaving, too...and a whole bunch of AMAZING new talent being added.  I will still be playing there, because I do love the challenge, and can't wait to see what the whole team will do from week to week.  :-)


Thanks for joining me today.



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Delicate Doilies II, Oh, Baby! - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: white - PTI; patterned papers - SU
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Summer Sun - SU
Fibers: Lemondrop twine - The Twinery
Other: Petal Pink, White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger

Play Date Cafe 141 - One in a Million

Hi!  This week's Play Date Cafe palette includes FOUR colors:  Mint, Soft Yellow, Coral and Tulip.  At first, I thought, how am I going to do this?  After pulling out a Girls' Paperie Paper Girl kit, I had my answer!

The button, lacy die cut, and rectangle die cut are all from that kit.  The Sage Shadow base and embossed So Saffron piece I had on hand already.

DRS Designs is our sponsor this week, and they graciously allowed us to choose some stamps to showcase.  I chose the Star Wreath, and the sentiment called "One In A Million".  Thanks, DRS!

I used the wreath in two ways:  first as a border, stamped in Sage Shadow on the base, and second by cutting out individual stars.  I colored them and applied Crystal Effects glossy accents.

 One lucky Cup of the Week winner gets to shop at DRS Designs.  It could be YOU!

Thanks for dropping in today.  :-)



Dimensions: 5.25" x 4"
Stamps: Star Wreath, One In A Million - DRS Designs
Paper: Sage Shadow, So Saffron, Naturals cardstock - SU; white - PTI
Ink: Sage Shadow - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: Hug Snug seam binding - Zipper Stop; twine - Creative Impressions
Other: Crystal Effects, So Saffron marker - SU; pearl; button, die cuts - Girls' Paperie

Play Date Cafe 140 - Hi!

This is my second post for today.  To see my project for Inspired By Stamping, 

scroll down one post or click HERE.

Caribbean Blue, Shoreline and Sunshine are the colors for the Play Date Cafe this week.  How summery!

I used some papers and a die cut from the Salt Air Collection by Cosmo Cricket, which I was fortunate enough to win some months back from Moxie Fab World.  The colors were so similar to our color palette this week!  And since I was already going with a sea-worthy array of goodies, I used this ADORABLE octopus from DeNami (link in details section below).  He arrived in my mailbox late last week.  :-D  (Thank you, Paulina!)

The sentiment is made with Doodlebug Alphabet by Doodlebug Designs.  And see the splash next to the octopus?  Those are Tear Drop Rain Dots by Cloud 9.  Bought 'em at JoAnn's months and months ago, and finally broke into the package.

I used to decorate a lot of packages with tulle instead of ribbon, and have quite a bit of it left.  It seemed like a nautical piece to add, along with some twine.

Our special guest at The Play Date Cafe this week is none other than Teri Anderson!  She's one of the Go-To Gals at Paper Crafts Magazine, and is such a celebrity in this paper-crafting world.  We're so excited to have her!

The sponsor of the Cup of the Week Prize is none other than Simon Says Stamp!

Please come join us -- can't wait to see what you do with our colors!!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Octopus - DeNami; Doodlebug Alphabet - Doodlebug Designs
Paper: white - PTI; Salt Air collection - Cosmo Cricket
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: tulle netting; twine - Creative Impressions
Other: Copic markers; Rain Drops - Cloud 9

Play Date Cafe 139 - Together Forever

Hi!  The Play Date Cafe has a new challenge for you.....Nude, Gold and Silver.  Pretty!

To create the look of my card, I sorted through a drawer of cards I've saved from years gone by, cards that were given to me by others.  You know, the brand names....Hallmark, Carlton, American Greetings, etc.  I salvaged bits and pieces to form my card front.  Every paper you see here (except for the base itself, a punched border and the sentiment panel) was trimmed from those greeting cards.

I even used the box from a bottle of perfume as part of it:

(sorry for the poor photo quality - used my 'old' camera for this one)

The sentiment is from Inspired By Stamping (link at the end of post), and it's the only stamp I used on the whole card.  See the perfume box section?  It's a beautiful silver.

I trimmed this pretty silver flower from a card front.  The gold corner is from K & Co.

What inspires you about this color palette?  I can't wait to see your metallic creation hanging in the gallery at The Play Date Cafe!

Our special guest this week is the amazingly sweet, amazingly talented Amy Tsuruta!  I just love Amy's style, and she is one of the most genuinely nice people you'll meet.  :-)

Our lovely sponsor this week is My Creative Classroom.  One lucky 'Cup of the Week' Winner gets the terrific prize!

Thanks for coming by today...it's always nice to have you visit!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: All Year Wishes I - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: white - PTI; cut-apart greeting cards
Ink: Antique Linen - Ranger; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: white braided trim - Waverly; Venise lace
Other: gold clear corner die cut - K & Co.; pearls; greeting cards; Dotted Scallop border punch - EK Success; Big Shot; Labels Four die - Spellbinders

Play Date Cafe 137 - Color Splash

Yay!  It's Color Splash time at The Play Date Cafe again.  Those are my favorite challenges there, and judging by the amount of players we always get those weeks, YOU all favor them too!  

Your creations should be black and white with just a SPLASH of Cobalt Blue.

I leaned heavily on black, with some paper from My Mind's Eye -- 

Our sponsor this week is Want2Scrap, who generously provided our DT with gorgeous bling.  I used blue bling to really dress up my sentiment.

Can't wait to see your splashy creation hanging in the gallery at The Play Date Cafe!

OH, don't forget -- if you haven't already left a comment-to-win on my post HERE, please do so!  You have until 11:59 AM EST, June 21, 2012.  (One comment per person, please.)  I'll draw a winner on Friday, June 22 and post the name here that day.  :D



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Kind Words - Verve
Paper: Garden Vignettes by Carina Gardner - My Mind's Eye; white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: cobalt satin ribbon (stash)
Other: blue rhinestones - Want2Scrap; corner rounder punch - EK Success; Big Shot; Fancy Tags Three - Spellbinders

Play Date Cafe 136 - Just Saying Hello, a giveaway and a DT call!

This is my second post for today.  You don't want to miss the Inspired By Stamping challenge card one post down!  Please scroll down one post to see the shabby chic card.

Azure, Raspberry and Blackberry are the yummy colors for this week's Play Date Cafe challenge.  Aren't they pretty?  That deep color reminded me that I have some older Vintage Violet cardstock from Stampin' Up!, which I've been hoarding.  It was the perfect time to bring it out to play!

(I realize I just posted sparkly stars on my Creative Inspirations creation yesterday.  I make many of my design team projects well in advance, and didn't plan for things to be so repetitious two days in a row!)

Also coming out to play:  a sentiment from Hero Arts' Truly Appreciated set.  I just received it in the mail...a freebie, for using Hero Arts on a card that was published.  Yay!

I just loooove to put sparkle on stars!

I took inspiration for this design from a card in Paper Crafts' Holiday Cards & More Vol. 6  issue, by Windy Robinson on page 156.

We'd love to have you link up your creation in the gallery at The Play Date Cafe.  Click on the link for all the details.  Our sponsor this week is the awesome Simon Says Stamp!

More news from The Play Date Cafe:  they are hosting an Open Design Team Call, the first in over a year!  I love being a part of the PDCC team.  It's a group of wonderfully talented women, who are kind and supportive.  The challenge is highly-recognized, successful and lots of fun!  If you would like to apply, head over to see the details.

Now, for my giveaway:

My card is on page 23 of the brand new July/August issue of Paper Crafts Magazine,  featuring artichokes from Stampin' Up!'s Homegrown set (love that set!).  I have an extra copy of this magazine, so I'd love to give it to a random winner.  All you need to do is leave a comment on THIS post before 11:59 AM EST, June 21, 2012.  I will draw a winner on Friday, June 22nd and post the winner's name that day.


Thanks for coming by today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Truly Appreciated - Hero Arts
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Baja Breeze, Vintage Violet - SU; white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Other: 1 3/8" square punch - SU; iridescent glitter; star punch - Fiskars