Play Date Cafe 132 - Color Splash

Time for a fresh, new palette of colors at The Play Date Cafe, and we've got a neat Color Splash -- the splash is Mustard!

I kind of miss using More Mustard cardstock from Stampin' Up!, so I dug into my scrap piles and made a medallion - my very first!

I haven't pulled out my Lattice Bigz die in quite some time, and it seemed perfect for this Color Splash.

Our sponsor this week is Want2Scrap, and they sent me these gorgeous black pearls -- look how they are just made for the Lattice!  Thank you, W2S!

There are so many wonderful tutorials about making medallions.  I just played around and got the hang of it pretty quick, but if you'd like to see a step-by-step photo tutorial, Pink Persimmon has an easy one.

Our guest designer this week is Karen Taylor, and all of our girls have some awesome inspiration for you lined up at The Play Date Cafe.  Hope you come play with us!

Thanks for coming by today.  :o)



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Purely Sentimental - Verve
Paper: white - PTI; Basic Black, More Mustard - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: black ribbon
Other: Doily Lace punch, Scoring Board - Martha Stewart; 1 1/4", 1 3/8" circle punches - SU; Big Shot; Lattice Bigz Die - Sizzix/SU; black pearls - Want2Scrap
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Coral Couture Cards

My DD has several big special occasions coming up in these next few weeks, including graduation, Confirmation, and a birthday.  On Mother's Day, I had precisely three hours to craft (one of my wishes for that day - would've liked more than three hours, but hey...), so I pulled out my Coral Couture stack from DCWV to put together some quick cards for her.

Here's the graduation card:

The paper stack comes with a page of die cuts, so I matted this one on white cardstock, then got fancy with two Spellbinders tags behind it.

The second card, made with paper from Coral Couture also, is for her birthday:

The sentiment and frame are from new-to-me Verve, Small Celebrations.

I was inspired by the color palette from Paper Players this week:

I think the Coral Couture papers fit this color assortment pretty well; how 'bout you?

I am showing off spring flowers at my blog, bleu hydrangea, if you'd care to see them.  :-)

Thanks for coming by today!



Graduation Card:
Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Paper: white - PTI; So Saffron - SU; Coral Couture - DCWV
Other: Big Shot; Fancy Tags die - Spellbinders; pearls - Queen & Co.; corner rounder punch - EK Success
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Birthday Card:
Dimensions:  4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Small Celebrations - Verve
Paper: So Saffron, Taken with Teal (card base)- SU ; white - PTI; Coral Couture Stack - DCWV
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: white cotton lace - Simplicity
Other: Big Shot; Floral Doily Motif die - Spellbinders; 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop border punch - SU; bracket punch - EK Success; pearls - Queen & Co.

Merry Mondays - O Christmas Tree

Warning:  long, wordy post.  I just have so much to share!  If you want to skip right down to the card, please be my guest!

Good Monday to you!  For those of you celebrating Mother's Day in the US, did you enjoy your special day?

My hubby and I went to a sold-out Red Hot Chili Peppers concert on Friday night, my first concert in at least 15 years.  It was FANTASTIC!  I do love that band, and it was a big thrill to see them perform live.  It sounds weird, but it felt like a private concert...for several thousand people.  ;-)  We had terrific seats in a box, with easy access to drinks, food and bathroom.  Now THAT is how you do a concert!

On Saturday and Sunday, DH and I worked really, really hard on our backyard.  We dug up many plants that we don't want to keep, relocated some, and tilled the soil with manure and peat.  I filled and hauled at least 20 wheelbarrows full of topsoil from one end of the yard to another (hubby did way more than I did, too).  Today, DH planted 6 ft tall Emerald arborvitae plants (tall privacy hedges) along the back fence.  We still need to buy a couple more.  I've been wanting privacy out back since we moved here 15 years ago.  Our backyard is just like a fishbowl, with neighbors on all sides, able to see our every move in the backyard.  I'm going to feel more at peace now with this modicum of privacy!  When I get some pics taken, I'll be sure to show you.

I received my copy of Card Creations by Paper Crafts magazine on Friday, and found my pink-and-kraft sympathy card on page 137.  Hooray!  It's a big issue, just FULL of inspiration, I'm tellin' ya.  I've been poring over it a little bit each night before bed.

News that has made me incredibly happy and kept me insanely busy:  a local boutique that features handmade items has asked me to put my cards on consignment in their shop!  I'm so excited!  There are a few little finishing touches that each of my (hundred+) cards need before they can be put on sale, so that has me working hard.  There is a street fair taking place Memorial Day weekend on the same street as the shop, and they get good foot traffic then.  The owner wants me to have my things in the shop in time for this event.

DD has Confirmation, a birthday, and 8th grade graduation all stacked up within several weeks of each other, and I'm just feeling a tad overwhelmed. ;o)  It's allllll good, though!

Okay, time for a card!
How is this for a nice easy Christmas sketch at Merry Mondays?  It's my second week as a Featured Designer and I can't wait to show you what I made!

I used a new stamp set, bought at Overstock.com, by JustRite.  It's already gone from that store!  You really need to act fast on Overstock.

As in last week's post for Merry Mondays, I used only papers from my $1 Stampin' Up! Scrap Bags (from my demo).  Doing these challenges gives me the PERFECT reason to use them!

This star is from the same JustRite set, and I gave it some shimmer with Autumn Wheat paint from Creative Inspirations.

I love how this word tree looks embossed in gold!

Now check out what the rest of the Merry Monday Merry Makers have done:

Lesley Croghan

LeAnne Pugliese

Nina Forsyth

Wendy Aungst

Why don't you join us?  Link your creation up HERE by noon on Sunday (PDT).  I hope to see you there!

And if you read all the way to the bottom of this post, bless your heart!  Have a great day!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: O Christmas Tree - JustRite
Paper: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, patterned papers - SU
Ink: Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap - Ranger
Fibers: cream lace - Spare Parts
Other: gold embossing powder, heat tool, markers - SU;  Autumn Wheat paint - Creative Inspirations Paints; Infinite Loops double edge punch - Martha Stewart; pearl - Queen & Co.
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Play Date Cafe 131 - Just Because

Seaweed, algae, goldfish and black - these are the new colors for The Play Date Cafe challenge this week.  Neat, aren't they?

Can I just tell you how difficult it was to pick winners for last week's challenge (dolphin, salmon and sea glass colors)?  You all really and truly outdid yourselves.  :o)

Okay, back to the new challenge.  I realize that the color called "algae" looks more blue in my photograph than it does on the inspiration picture.  I came as close as I could by turning to a paint chip again to help me out.  I believe it's called Artesian Well, by Martha Stewart Paints.

Heck, can I be honest?  This challenge was, well, challenging for me!  I was pleased to find things in my stash that came as close as possible to the inspiration colors, but I realize they are not "spot-on".  :o(

I used a sentiment from Hero Arts and cut it apart.  It fit better that way, and I kinda like it 'ransom-style'.

Don't let the colors scare you away!  I know you can make it work.  We'd LOVE to see what you do!  Head over to the Play Date Cafe for complete details.

Our sponsor this week is Simon Says Stamp, so one lucky players gets to go shopping there!

Thanks for dropping by today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Everyday Sayings - Hero Arts
Paper: cream - PTI
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: cream lace - Spare Parts
Other: butterfly sticker, flower die cut - K & Co; blue pearls - Recollections; Big Shot; Birds & Vines embossing folder - Cuttlebug; Bracket punch - EK Success
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Wedding Wishes

Hello!  I have a wedding card to show you today, made with Creative Inspirations Paints.  (I LOVE these paints!)

I have plenty of 1" wide white cardstock strips, so I painted them with Fairy Dust (on the right)  (it gives a clear shimmer to anything you paint), Silver Frost (middle) and Antique Silver (left) paints.  I used my hydrangea punches on these strips to create a whole bunch of blossoms.

Leftovers go into a little sealed envelope, for another project on another day.

Can you see the amazing shimmer on these flowers?  Look below:

The sentiment and birds are Verve, and the flourishes flowers are Stampin' Up!.  And can you see the oval frame I created?  I used two different sized oval dies, nestled one inside the other, then passed it through the Big Shot.  I popped it up on the oval opening with foam dimensional stickers.

Thanks so much for coming by today!  I love when you visit. 


Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Vintage Vogue - SU; Love Story - Verve
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White - SU
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black -Tsukineko; Sahara Sand - SU
Other: Hydrangea punches - Martha Stewart; Big Shot; oval die cut - Spellbinders; Damask embossing folder - Sizzix; Fairy Dust, Silver Frost, Antique Silver paints - Creative Inspirations Paints; pearls - Queen & Co., Recollections
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I'm a Merry Monday Featured Designer!

My friend Lesley Croghan asked if I would be her guest at the Merry Monday Challenge for May, and I was so happy to accept!  Thank you, Lesley!

I like the simple sketches she provides, and it gets my Christmas card stash growing.  Here is the first sketch for May:

You know those $1 Scrap Bags I've gotten from my Stampin' Up! demo?  Every paper I used here is from there!  I don't know the names of these retired patterns, but you probably recognize them.

 I tried to capture the shimmer on these snowflakes.  I used Winter Frost paint from Creative Inspirations (there's a link at the end of this post) and they look sooooo pretty in real life!

Around the bend here, I played with my Martha Stewart border punch (name unknown) and pieced together some curves.  I "hid" the patches with pearls. ;-)

Be sure to check out the creations from the other Merry Makers --

Lesley Croghan

LeAnne Pugliese

Nina Forsyth

Wendy Aungst

Come play with us, and get that Christmas card stash going!  I'll be looking for you.  :)



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Christmas in the Air - Verve
Paper: Whisper White, patterns - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: white satin ribbon - Nicole
Other: snowflake, border punches - Martha Stewart; pearls - Recollections; Big Shot; oval, Labels Four dies - Spellbinders; Scallop Dot border, corner rounder punches - EK Success; corner punch - SU; Winter Frost paint - Creative Inspirations Paints
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Dream of Me

My friend from the UK, Ruby2Shoes, is getting married in early May.  I made a card last month and sent it on its way to her for the big day.  I sure wish I could've stuffed myself in that envelope!

A few months ago, Ruby had won a sheet of digital images from a challenge but passed them on to me (with permission) instead, because she thought they looked more like my style.  I used one as a focal point here.  The sentiment - "Don't Forget to Dream of Me" - seemed fitting for a wedding card.

The tiny tag is a die cut from a retired sheet of tags by Stampin' Up!, with a Verve sentiment on it.  The rose is Prima, from my dear friend Emily.  The little chipboard heart is from Michael's $1.50 bin (inflation even affects dollar bins - sigh), with white ink rubbed on.  And that soft, satin ribbon is from my grandmother, who gave me rolls of vintage double-faced satin ribbons before she passed.  I wish she could see what I do with them now.  :-)

Challenge entered:  Really Reasonable Ribbon - Mother's Day/Feminine with Ribbon

Thanks for joining me today!  I'll be here tomorrow with my first card as May's Featured Designer at Merry Mondays.  See you soon!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Love Story - Verve
Paper: Mellow Moss - SU; Life's Journey - K & Co.
Ink: Walnut Stain - Ranger; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Whisper White craft - SU
Fibers: vintage rose double faced satin
Other: flower - Prima; kraft tag die cut, chipboard borders - SU; vintage digital image; chipboard heart - Michael's; pearls - Queen & Co.
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Mother's Day Blossom & news

Before I show you my card, I'd like to welcome the new folks I see on my sidebar -- HELLO!  I'm flattered that you came by.  :o)

My mom loooooves black and white anything, especially if it's modern, so I think she may like this Mother's Day card.

It was very easy to do.

• I nipped two corners off the black layer with a 1/2" circle punch.
• The flower stems and grass were hand-trimmed.
• The pink flower was made from a 1 1/4" circle of cardstock.  I punched one circle, then used a 1" punch like this to create 3 different petals:

Challenges entered:

• The Friday Mashup - Mom, Grandmom, etc. (this is a new challenge for me)
• Tuesday Throwdown - "In the garden"
• CASE Study - inspired by Aga's card below (I chose the black, green and pink colors and the 'bold' design of cut-out shapes)

Exciting news:  I've been asked to be a Featured Designer for May at the Merry Monday challenge!  My sweet friend, Lesley Croghan, surprised me with her invitation.  I am soooo excited to show you what I've created, so be sure to stop by here each Monday in May for Christmas inspiration.

Thanks for dropping by.  :-)



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Well-Scripted - SU
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Regal Rose, Basic Black - SU; white - PTI
Ink: Versamark - Tsukineko
Other:  1/2", 1", 1 1/4" circle punches; white embossing powder; heat tool - SU; pearls - Queen & Co.
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Play Date Cafe 130 - Wishing You Happiness

Dolphin, Salmon and Sea Glass...these are the new colors for The Play Date Cafe.  Look at those gorgeous earrings on the bottom right of the inspiration collage.  Oh!  I'd love to wear those. 

I had trouble finding the right colors in my stash at first.  I found the butterfly paper and swirly pattern on the skinny strip in the Pink Paislee Sparkling Spring pack.  The sea foam green strip is actually a Martha Stewart paint chip!  I have been doing that more and more, using paint chips.

I made the stick pin with a Pretties Kit (sadly retired) from Stampin' Up!  The ribbon is vintage, from my grandmother.  She gave me the most wonderful rolls of satin ribbons before she passed away.  The crochet flower is Colorbok, and I stamped-and-assembled a paper flower with Vintage Vogue by SU.  That big green pearl brad is an American Crafts bargain from the store, Tuesday Morning.

We'd love to have you play with us this week!  Head over to The Play Date Cafe for all the details, and meet our new Private Blend Designer, Donna Bowman.  I am SO excited to have her on board, as she has been my online friend for quite a while.  What a pleasure it'll be to work side-by-side with her!

The prize this week?  Something fabulous from the Play Date Cafe Prize Vault!

I finally buckled down and got a light tent for photographing my cards.  Do you notice a difference?  I hope so.  I aim for brighter, clearer photos.  I bought mine HERE. 

Thank you for the overwhelming response to my Framed Butterflies card from Tuesday!  My goodness, it was crazy-popular within hours on Pinterest (10 likes and more than 25 repins), Splitcoast (over 1000 views), and Splitcoast's Facebook page.  I guess butterflies are always a hit.  :o)

Psssst....there is a new post up at my photo blog, bleu hydrangea.

Thanks for coming by today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Love Story - Verve
Paper: Basic Gray - SU; white - PTI; Pink Paislee 'Sparkling Spring'
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Sage Shadow, Going Gray - SU
Fibers: vintage green ribbon
Other: crochet flower - Victorian Parlour - Colorbok; Decorative Label punch, stick pin - Pretties Kit - SU; green pearl brad - American Crafts; pink gems - Michael's;
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