"Yay" for a birthday

Hello there!  We've made it to the middle of the week.  YAY!

This is actually a birthday card, not a "we've made it to the middle of the week" card, but I suppose it could be for anything you want to celebrate.  I used some new-to-me Date Night / Chickaniddy Crafts goodies (from the local Tuesday Morning shop):  the patterned papers, and the big flower sticker.  The sentiment is also new, from Stampin' Up!'s Sale-A-Bration:  You Brighten My Day.  I love that set.

And, near the sentiment, a current obsession:  Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.  Oh, man, I am tempted to use 'em on nearly every card.  LOL  I need to hold back sometimes!

Thanks so much for coming by today!

Stamps: You Brighten My Day - Stampin' Up! Paper: all patterns - Date Night - Chickaniddy Crafts; Not Quite Navy - SU Accessories & Tools: flower sticker - Date Night - Chickaniddy Crafts; Sparkling Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh 

Geometric Rainbow

Bet you never saw a rainbow like this one:

A while back, I had won some neat patterned papers from a fellow blogger, and in the pack (unsure of the brand; sorry!) was this woodgrain, with a bit of geometric color up top.  I thought it would make a good rainbow! The house, sentiment and cloud dies are all from Papertrey Ink (see supply list at the end).

Oh, quick note about the small cloud die:  over the weekend, I used it, and the paper wouldn't come out, so I tapped it on my table a few times.  The die bounced away from me, and I've pretty much turned the craft area upside down....cannot find that little cloud die!  I have to order a new set.  Can't use just a big cloud all the time!

Thanks so much for coming by today!  Have a terrific day!

Stamps: Daily Designs Sentiments, Polka Dot Parade #10 - Papertrey Ink Paper: white - PTI; pattern - ?? Ink: Old Olive, Real Red - Stampin' Up!; Ocean chalk ink - Colorbox; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: Cloud 1 & 2 dies - PTI

Chandelier Flower

Happy Monday!

Today's card is one that I had submitted for publication with Paper Crafts Magazine (sniff!  Miss this pub!) in 2013.  Alas, it was not chosen.  I remember the category I submitted it for was to use stamps in an unusual way.

So, may I present my Chandelier Flower:

Yep, it's an upside-down chandelier, from Glowing Hours / Unity Stamps.  I thought it was pretty clever, m'self.  ;-)

Thanks so much for coming by, and you have a WONDERFUL and blessed week!

Stamps: sentiment - Salutations - Paper Smooches; leaf, stem - Summer Flowers - Inspired By Stamping; chandelier - Glowing Hours - Unity Stamps Paper: kraft, white, black - Papertrey Ink Ink: Cameo Coral, Pear Pizzazz - Stampin' Up!; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: pearls - Queen & Co.

Wish Big Freestyle Collage

Welcome!  TGIF (thank GOODNESS it's Friday!!)!

Today I'm sharing a card that features one of my favorite styles:  Freestyle Collage.  I love adding various patterns (from paper, stamps, accents), and lots of texture (punched leaves, gems, a staple, a paper flower) to come up with a one-of-a-kind creation.

I've been trying to use up some Colorbok die cuts (the doilies and bird), and they looked kind of bare as a trio, so I added punched leaves and a paper flower.

The banner/sentiment was dressed up a bit more with a mini staple, and some pink bling.

Keepin' it short and sweet, as the evening I am writing this is quickly winding down, and my pillow is calling.  :-)

Have a terrific weekend, and thank you so much for coming by!

Stamps: Creative Tags - Inspired By Stamping Paper: Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink; floral/flourish pattern, Certainly Celery, Old Olive - Stampin' Up! Ink: Crumb Cake - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Walnut Stain - Ranger Accessories & Tools: Rock Fern punch, Branch punch - Martha Stewart; paper flower; various die cuts (bird, doilies) - Colorbok; corner rounder punch - Fiskars; mini stapler; pink gem, pink pearl - Queen & Co.

Missing You

Hi there!  A few months ago, when iheartpapers.com was going out of business, I bought a decent amount of stamps, inks and dies for 40% off (then I hit it again when the discount was up to 60 or 65%).  One of the neat new sets I picked up is More Stories by Avery Elle.

I just fell in love with this little bunny.  I stamped him, colored, then trimmed to fit neatly into a punched circle.  The stars and moon are from the same set, as well as the sentiment.  I applied some Glossy Accents to the moon.

Thank you so much for your visit today!

Stamps: More Stories - Avery Elle Paper: Orchid Opulence, Ruby Red - SU; white - Papertrey Ink; butterfly pattern - Ki / Hampton Arts Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: sewing thread Accessories & Tools: sewing machine; Stitched Rectangles  die - L'il Inker Designs; doily die cut - Martha Stewart; Copic markers; Glossy Accents - Ranger; 2" circle punch - Fiskars

Hugs and Smiles

Hello! I've got hugs and smiles for you today.  :-)

It's a typical "Colleen card":  pretty paper, sequins, doily, a little bit of stamping, and oh yes, seam binding.  (yawn)  However, there is one unique thing about this card, and it's the saw-tooth edging of orange paper behind the doily.  One would think I used a border punch to create it (and that would be a very good guess).  But no, it started life as a really large, pinking square die cut by We R Memory Keepers / Lifestyle Crafts.

Whenever I get new dies, I always try them out immediately.  (Learned that lesson the hard way, with defectives that I didn't discover on the dies until months after I'd bought them.)  So, I had this 5.5" orange square lying about, and I knew I wouldn't make a card big enough to fit it.  It worked out better that I could just trim off the four sides, to use separately on different projects.

So there you have it.  Not much else to say about this ^ card!

Instead of a pinked edge on this next similar card, I used a negative die cut left behind (in a Groovy Guava damask pattern) after making a scalloped border.  I thought both the scalloped die cut, and the piece it left behind, were both pretty.

Thank you so much for coming by to see these cards today!

Stamps: Kind Words - Verve Paper: Baja Breeze Groovy Guava, orange patterns - Stampin' Up!; butterflies - Mariposa - DCWV Fibers: white seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: journaling card - Colorbok; butterfly sticker - K & Co.; gold sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; doily - Wilton; Nesting Pinking Squares die - Lifestyle Crafts 

Sunshine and Laughter

I needed several quick cards recently, and relied upon a pretty boring basic sketch to get me there.

What makes it a bit more special:  fancy patterned paper, a few punched hydrangea florets (topped with Liquid Pearls), and a sentiment on a stitched rectangle die.  Oh!  And half of a small doily die cut, tucked up under the sentiment panel.

Love quick and simple cards for those busy times!

Stamps: Brighter Days - Verve Paper: Orchid Opulence, Pretty In Pink, Pink Pirhouette, Pale Plum - Stampin' Up!; white - Papertrey Ink; floral - Joann's Accessories & Tools: Hydrangea punch - Martha Stewart; Stitched Rectangle die - L'il Inkers; Mini Delicate Doilies die - My Favorite Things/ Die-namics; Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls - Ranger 

Blue Thank You

Hi there!

This card was created as a gift, for someone to give away, and the inspiration nugget for this was a pack of blue buttons.  They are stickers, by Jolee's Boutique, and have been in my drawer for quite a while.  I built the card around them.  I had never inked up my Verve Notebook Paper stamp either, so incorporated it, as well.

Another thing I had not yet used:  the die cut flower border, by K & Co.
I really tried digging in to the stash that has sat lonely and unloved for a while!

Thanks so much for your visit today!  Be blessed, and have a wonderful day.

Stamps: Notebook Paper - Verve; Fancy Sentiments, (small doily) Delicate Doilies - Inspired By Stamping; large doily - Artistic Etchings - Stampin' Up! Paper: Bashful Blue, River Rock - Stampin' Up!; white - Papertrey Ink Ink: Bashful Blue, Soft Suede - SU; Frayed Burlap - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: gathered lace trim; Amber Brown seam binding - Hug Snug/The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: blue flower die cut border - K & Co.; pearls; Elegant Scrollwork die - Memory Box; blue button stickers - Jolee's

hb2u

Here's a color combination you don't see often at my blog...

...but one day, the fun cupcake patterned paper was out on my desk, and I took the color cues from it.  I used a wavy patterned paper (these are both from Stampin' Up!) for one tag, and for the other tag, I used rose cardstock and rose ink with SU's Positively Chevron background.  I already had a stamped-and-colored cupcake image hanging around, so it was a perfect fit.

I was really enjoying my Glossy Accents by Ranger the day I made this, and another card, both of which feature cupcakes.  Can you see the shine on the sprinkles?

Keeping it short and sweet, as I've got more photo-editing and blogging to pack in today!

Thanks so much for coming by.  :)

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes, Positively Chevron - Stampin' Up!; It's Your Birthday - Inspired By Stamping Paper: Soft Suede, Regal Rose, River Rock, cupcakes, blue wavy - SU; white - Papertrey Ink Ink: Regal Rose - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: Amber Brown seam binding - Hug Snug / The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Sparkling Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Glossy Accents - Ranger; small circle punch (for top of tag) - SU; Traditional Tags die - My Favorite Things / Die-namics; Copic markers

Make A Wish...for the guys

Hey there.  :-)

This is not one of my favorite cards, but, it's not all that bad, and so I thought I would share it here on my blog.  It definitely has more of a masculine feel...if the fellow receiving it loves cupcakes.  :-)

I used skinny scraps of patterned paper, and since there were fun cupcakes on one print, I trimmed out a single confection to place near my sentiment.  The cherry received a little dab of Glossy Accents.  Can you see the shine?

Thanks so much for your visit today!

Stamps: Celebrating 2 Years (label, sentiment) - Inspired By Stamping Paper: assorted patterned scraps - Stampin' Up!; white - Papertrey Ink Ink: Crumb Cake - SU; Walnut Stain - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: staples; Glossy Accents - Ranger; Fancy Labels 1 die - Inspired By Stamping 

Quilted Birthday

Hello there. :-)

The day I made this card, I had recently bought a Hexagon punch (Fiskars) and wanted to play. When I arranged a bunch of hexagons into this flower shape, it reminded me of pretty quilts I've seen. So, out came my Square Lattice embossing folder (Stampin' Up!), to give it even more of a quilted feel.  

The sentiment focal point was created with a honeycomb circle stamp from Circle Friends (Simon Says Stamp), and a phrase from Verve's Birthday Surprise.

Absolutely loving the Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.  I am positively addicted!

Stamps: Birthday Surprise - Verve; honeycomb - Circle Friends - Simon Says Stamp Paper: Cameo Coral, Bermuda Bay, wavy, cherry, cupcake patterns - Stampin' Up! Ink: Cameo Coral - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: white satin ribbon Accessories & Tools: Hexagon punch - Fiskars; Sparkling Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Square Lattice embossing folder - Stampin' Up!

Celebrate

Hello everyone.  :)  I had a little bit of time to photo-edit some card pictures over the weekend, so I am happy to have something to share here on my blog!

The inspiration for this card began with the interesting patterned paper from Crate Paper, Open Book.  It looks like many circles all piled on top of one another.  Its festive feel lent itself well to a birthday card.  I wanted the card to look like a party, so I pulled out new-to-me Memory Box Scalloped Banners dies.

I added many small punched circles from white glitter paper, to mimic the pattern and to have a 'confetti' feel.  Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh are mixed in here, and a couple of Valentine's heart stickers, annnnndddd some Target Dollar Spot twine.

On Good Friday, my family and I attended a Passion play at a local church, where my coworker attends.  He produced the performance, and it was just wonderful.  So moving, so dramatic.  I could not keep the tears from flowing, thinking of the sacrifice our Lord made for us.

I hope your day is filled to the brim with blessings.

Stamps: Think Big Favorites #15 - Papertrey Ink Paper: patterns - Open Book - Crate Paper; Regal Rose, Bermuda Bay, Sage Shadow - Stampin' Up!; white glitter paper - Colorbok Fibers: teal/white twine - Target Dollar Spot Accessories & Tools: Scalloped Banner dies - Memory Box; 1/2" circle punch - SU; heart stickers - K & Co. love/Valentine's; Marshmallow sequins - Pretty Pink Posh 

You & Me

Hey guys! Gah, life is whooshing by!  I've got oodles and oodles of cards yet to photograph, and plenty that had been photo'd, but not edited (you know, to brighten them up so you can see them better!), and I am just quite behind with blogging.

However, I found this one in my photo files that I can share for now:

I sent it to my mom.  The inside says, "Best Friends."  She is definitely my best friend.

I'm keeping it short and sweet, as I've got to get ready for tomorrow with lunches, coffee preparation, and some laundry.

Happy Passover and Happy Easter to those of my readers who celebrate!

Stamps: Weathered Background - Stampin' Up! Paper: Sahara Sand - SU; floral, triangle prints - Cosmo Cricket? Ink: Sahara Sand - SU Accessories & Tools: doily - Wilton; scalloped circle die - Spellbinders; gold sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; cork; chipboard alphas - Girls' Paperie; flower die cuts - Cosmo Cricket; Rounded Rectangles Clear Cut Stackers die - Wplus9

Easter Purples

Hello there!  Easter is just days away, and I thought I'd share a very purple-y card:

Purple is the color of kings, and since we are celebrating our Risen Savior, I went all-out with the purple.  :-D

The sentiment panel is from Inspired By Stamping, inked with Purple Hydrangea VersaMagic.  The result was a slightly-distressed looking effect, which is not how it was supposed to be, but I like it anyway.

Thank you so very much for dropping by today.  I hope your Easter is filled with Joy!

Stamps: Easter Labels - Inspired By Stamping Paper: white - PTI; Almost Amethyst cardstock and patterned paper - SU Ink: Purple Hydrangea - VersaMagic - Tsukineko Fibers: white seam binding - Hug Snug Accessories & Tools: pearls; purple flower die cut strips - K & Co.

Hoppin' down the bunny trail

Hello!  Today's Easter card is full of whimsy.

At the time I made this (um, a year ago!), I had recently received Wplus9's Fresh Cut Florals in my mailbox.  This was my first chance to play with them, and I chose various shades of pink inks to create a garden.

The bunny is a lone ranger, found at a yard sale, all by himself, and without the rest of his Stampin' Up! set buddies.  I paper-pieced him with the same floral paper used for making a sun in the corner.

Hope you are seeing signs of Spring where you live!

Stamps: Fresh Cut Florals - Wplus9; bunny, sentiment (All Holidays) - Stampin' Up! Paper: yellow floral, yellow polka dot, Summer Sun cardstock - SU Accessories & Tools: White Opal, Petal Pink Liquid Pearls - Ranger; yellow marker

Guesting over at Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine

Hello everyone!  I'm truly excited about being a Guest Designer today!  Catherine, the publisher of Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine, asked me to contribute to their weekly blog feature, Card Cafe Thursday.  It's a thrill to be asked.  :-)

I'm sharing the article I wrote for SCT with readers here at my own blog, but I certainly welcome you to visit the SCT blog and have a look around.  Their website is so bright, fresh, and lovely.They offer papercrafting challenges and sketches, free digital magazine content, and more. 

Here we go!:

I’d like to share with you a few cards that feature some of my favorite embellishments: sequins and pearls.  These little beauties always add pizzazz to a project.  I've long been a fan of pearls on my cards, but admit that my recent addiction to sequins might have taken over.  :0) I add ‘em to nearly everything lately!

Imagine this baby card without its deep orange and white sequins. 

When I first created the card, I thought the butterflies-in-a-jar motif added such a fun touch, and I thought it was finished…until I spied new-to-me Pretty Pink Posh sequins on my work table.  By adding a smattering of these little gems, this card suddenly came to life. 

Stamps: butterflies - Springtime Beauty II - Inspired By Stamping; sentiment - Absolutely Fabulous - Stampin' Up! Paper: Vintage Cream, white, True Black - Papertrey Ink; gingham - Garden Vignettes by Carina Gardner - My Mind's Eye Ink: Pumpkin Pie - Stampin' Up!; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: Marshmallow, Bronze sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Baby die - Papertrey Ink; Modern Label punch - Stampin' Up!

I love making black cards because they are dramatic, and very eye-catching.  On this example (my very first shaker card, woohoo!), I’ve got several details that take it to the next level.  A My Favorite Things / Die-namics ‘Fancy Flourish’ die cut, also in black, provides subtle texture, as does flocked patterned paper and a black seam binding ‘Colleen Bow.’  (P.S., I have a bow tutorial on my blog here.) 

The stitched rectangle frame adds more subtle interest, and how about that dotted acetate?  There are iridescent hearts, and even some lip sequins in this shaker.  Initially, I had trouble deciding where to put a sentiment on this card, and I put the project away to think it over.  The next day, the idea of a little tag at the top of the shaker popped into my head.

Stamps: sentiment - Fresh Cut Wreaths - Wplus9 Paper: True Black, white - Papertrey Ink; dotted acetate - Stampin' Up!; lavender and black flocked pattern Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: black seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: assorted sequins; Fancy Flourish die - My Favorite Things/Die-namics; lavender rhinestone - Queen & Co.; Tiny Tags die - Papertrey Ink; Stitched Rectangles die - L'il Inker Designs

One of my most favorite card-making styles is a shabby chic / vintage vibe.  And you know what I love to pair with that?  PEARLS!

The inspiration for this card was a piece of packaging from some stickers.  It’s pink, with text all over it, and I just couldn’t throw it out!  I had die-cut a spiral notebook page from it for another project, and saved the negative, which happily fit this card perfectly.  I backed it with some lined patterned paper, added an Altenew sentiment, a couple of buttons, and scattered pearls.

The rooster image, as well as the flowers, were trimmed from patterned paper and added with foam tape for dimension.  And do you spy even more pearls in the bower of flowers?  I’m telling ya, they make everything better! 

Stamps: Sentiments & Quotes - Altenew Paper: Pink Pirhouette, damask, rooster/flower/lined patterns - Stampin' Up!; text/pink packaging Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Walnut Stain - Ranger Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions; Sahara Sand ribbon - SU Accessories & Tools: Spiral Notebook Page die - Papertrey Ink; pearls; pale blue buttons - SU

Since I tend to use gem and pearl stickers quite often on my projects, I keep a pretty box full of them near my work table.  Inside, gems and pearls are separated by color family in zip-top plastic sandwich bags.  My absolute favorite brand is Queen & Co., not only for the variety of colors, but also their budget-friendly price. 

Thanks for allowing me to share my joy about being a Guest Designer with YOU!