Baby Shower Flowers

Hi!  I have had a thing lately for raining hydrangea blossoms down upon an umbrella.  I love how cute it looks, and this one is perfect for a baby shower.

Had to add my signature pearls, of course, both Liquid and hard gem versions.

I wish I had received a card like this for my baby shower 16 years ago.  I'd have had it framed, and hung it in the baby's room.  A tiny Haley and I would have looked at it every day, talking about flowers and pearls, counting the blossoms, and discussing what an umbrella is good for.

When she was a wee one, sitting in her high chair as I busily washed bottles and dishes (we had no dishwasher at the time), I'd talk non-stop to her.  I figured it would be more interesting to her as she sat captive, and she'd learn a lot in the process.  As I washed and put away spoons, forks, dishes, etc., I'd say, "Spoon.  This is a spoon, and we eat with it.  Haley eats with a spoon."  I felt sort of ridiculous saying these things, but, hey, this is how we learn, right?

I like thinking back on those days.  I recall being tired often, but things seemed much simpler then.  It was nice.  Now, I've got a teenager and one almost-teenager.  Life is...different.  Tempers flare more often.  Moods fluctuate from hour to hour.  Small annoyances become magnified.  I'm still trying to learn to parent children in this age range.  I think I aced the younger years, but the jury's out on my ability to parent through this phase!

Stamps: Large Open Umbrella - DeNami Design; Teeny Tiny Wishes - SU Paper:  Vintage Cream - PTI; Baja Breeze, Soft Sky, Pink Pirhouette, Very Vanilla - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: Hydrangea punch - Martha Stewart; Copic markers; White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger; pearls - Queen & Co.; corner rounder punch - Fiskars

Using ancient embossing powder

Hello!  I hate to throw away things that might be useful.  I've got gold embossing powder from Rubber Stampede.  Have had the stuff for, oh....how long ago was my wedding?  20 years.  Yep, that was when I bought it and handcrafted our Rehearsal Party invitations, gold-embossing an ivy stamp.  Oh, I have newer Stampin' Up! gold EP, too, but I was trying to use up the old stuff first on this card, and I don't recommend it.

Not when it's 20 years old.

It doesn't shine very well, and it's completely flat; no raised, beautiful sentiment here.  In fact, you can barely see it.

At least the pennant I strung across the card has visual interest!

Stamps: Whimsical Banners - Inspired By Stamping; Think Big Favorites #5 - Papertrey Ink Paper: white - PTI; yellow leaf pattern - Carte Postale (?) - SU Ink: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Old Olive - SU Fibers: ivory twine - American Crafts Accessories & Tools: old gold embossing powder - Rubber Stampede; chocolate pearls - Recollections

The Card Concept #20 - Boo, It's A Chandelier!

Hello!  It's time for a new challenge at The Card Concept, and for the next two weeks, it's all about Black, Orange and White.  There's also a fabulous inspiration photo (see below my card), featuring a Halloween-ish buffet.  I was inspired by SO many things in the photo!

Here's the challenge pic:

Oh, the black and white gingham tablecloth!!  Love it.  I had this bow sitting in my black ribbon bag of scraps, and it's just perfect.  And see the candelabra on the table?  I thought a Chandelier stamp (Inkadinkado) would be a great focal point, since it has candles on it, as well.

Some retired Stampin' Up! patterned paper, a BOO sentiment (Autumn Apparitions / SU) and a few rhinestones were the finishing touches on this Classy & Elegant card.  (Remember, at The Card Concept, there are 6 defined styles in which to create...C & E is my designated style.)

I'm so glad you came by for a visit.  I hope you'll join us for the challenge!  Click HERE for all the details.

Stamps: Chandeliers - Inkadinkado; 'boo' - Autumn Apparitions - Stampin' UP! Paper: True Black, white - PTI; black & orange pattern, Pumpkin Pie - SU Ink: black - Inkadinkado Fibers: black and white gingham bow (taken from some packaging) Accessories & Tools: circle punch; rhinestones

Eiffel Tower for the Blushing Bride

Today's cards have oodles of details on them.  These were made for the shop, A Beautiful Touch, in Westmont, New Jersey.  I made two versions, both basically the same except for the card base color. The first features a chocolate card base:

The next card was created on a cocoa card base, so just a wee bit lighter than the one above.  You can see the gold embossing of Leafy Vine / Hero Arts better here:

Loads of details if you look closely:  pearls, Liquid Pearls, doily, fleur de lis, Eiffel Tower, and a Colleen bow made with my FAVORITE seam binding in Mottle Brown, from the Zipper Stop.

So glad you dropped by today!  Thanks!

Stamps: fleur de lis - Paris - Inspired By Stamping; Eiffel Tower - Mon Ami Paris - Technique Tuesday; Leafy Vine background - Hero Arts; sentiment - Happily Ever After - PTI Paper: Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip - SU; Vintage Cream - PTI Ink: Crumb Cake, Close to Cocoa - SU; Antique Linen - Ranger; Versamark - Tsukineko Fibers: Mottle Brown seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: gold embossing powder - SU; doily die cut - Martha Stewart; pearls; White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger

Pumpkin on a shelf

Hello everyone!  Today's card was made for Seize The Sketch, before it closed its doors.  Glad I still get to share this with you.  It's a great sketch, if you ask me:  it's so simple, that this card came together in no time.

The pumpkin sticker is shiny and fabulous, thanks to Jolee's Boutique.  I had a piece of espresso cardstock already punched into a border like this, and it said, "Use me."  It kind of looks like a shelf, doesn't it?  Paired it with a pretty scrap of Stampin' Up! paper, and a sentiment from Verve, and it was done.

Hope you have a wonderful week, my friends!

Stamps: Happy Fall - Verve Paper: Early Espresso, pattern - SU; Vintage Cream - PTI Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: pumpkin sticker - Jolee's Boutique; Scallop Diamond punch - EK Success

Believe In Fairytales

Crafty confession:  I just had to have Hero Arts' Leafy Vines background stamp after seeing it on various blogs.  If you're a stamper, you know exactly what I'm talkin' about:  the desire, the need to possess the thing you covet so.

So, I did get Leafy Vines and am completely happy with it.  It makes a fabulous background in any color, which means it is earning its keep in my craft studio.

I added a sentiment from Verve's Fairy Tales and a couple of punched-and-glittered cereal box chipboard hearts.  The white rose ribbon is from American Crafts.

This one went to the shop, and am keeping my fingers crossed it sells!

Stamps: Fairy Tales - Verve; Leafy Vine - Hero Arts Paper: kraft, white - PTI; cereal box chipboard Ink: Crumb Cake - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers:

Accessories & Tools: pearls; Full Heart punch - SU; white roses ribbon - American Crafts; Crystal glitter - Martha Stewart

CASEing a Crafter: Baby Bee

This is my second post for today.  Please click HERE for 

"CASEing a Crafter:  Welcome Home."

Hello!  I've got a ca-yoot baby card to share today.  Adorable bee stamps?  Check.  Love 'em.  Real bees?  Respect 'em, but keep my distance, thank you very much.

I was inspired by THIS card, designed by the amazing Iwona Palamountain.  Love the sketch, and applied it to my own card.  The strip of black punched edging is an Iwona-touch, as is the black die-cut sentiment.

The cork circle was sitting in my bits-and-pieces box, and seemed a good fit with the ADORABLE bee (Circle Friends / Simon Says Stamp).  It's the first time I'm using the bee in the stamp set.  You can see two other cards I made with other animals from the set HERE.  (By the way, I don't like those cards as much as I like this one.)

I'm entering my friend Darnell's NBUS Challenge #2.  She challenges us to use "never-before-used-schtuff".  Heck, we've all got loads of that kind of stuff, don't we?

Stamps: bee - Circle Friends - Simon Says Stamp Paper: white, True Black - PTI; yellow flower - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: adhesive cork sheet; circle dies; yellow gems; 'baby' die - PTI; Copic markers; Postage Stamp border punch - EK Success

CASEing a Crafter: Welcome Home

Hello!  I have unintentionally begun a series of posts called "CASEing a Crafter", with a few previous posts HERE and HERE.  CASE stands for Copy And Share Everything, and other crafters call this "lifting." Sometimes I see creations that make me want to copy nearly every lovely little detail, they are that amazing.  Love seeing the creativity from people around the world!

The card below was inspired by the incredible Nichole Heady of Papertrey Ink.  She posted a card on the PTI Forum (where you need an account to access the content), and I had pinned it on Pinterest.

My patterned paper is different than Nichole's, but I kept many of the loving details she featured using the set, Boards & Beams.  Look at the golden doorknob (made with Gold Smooch Ink).  That touch is Nicole's, too.

The next one is my own idea, but is similar to many of my New Home cards.  It's rather plain compared to something the Papertrey Ink gals come up with, but it's sweet in its own way, I think.

Thanks so much to Nichole Heady for providing marvelous inspiration at all times.  I would love to peek inside that girl's mind!

And thank you for your visit today!

Stamps: 'home sweet home' - Daily Designs Sentiments - PTI; all other elements and sentiment - Boards & Beams - PTI 

Happy Tissues

Who wouldn't love a box of happy tissues to help them feel better?

The card started with strips of scrap paper, laid diagonally.  Then I stared at it and thought, "What could this be?"  A Baby Girl card would've been a good occasion, but I need more Get Well cards, so...

I used Lawn Fawn's On The Mend set, and masked the tissues so I could get the vase of flowers behind it.

It's a pretty simple card overall, but keeps the "Feel Good" factor intact.  :-)

Have a beautiful day!

Stamps: On The Mend - Lawn Fawn Paper: white - PTI; Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz designer paper - SU Ink: Pear Pizzazz - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: white seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Copic markers; circle punch; Labels One die - Spellbinders

Golden Maple Leaf

Welcome!  We've been having some cooler temperatures since school began in early September, and I am a happy camper.  Fall is my favorite time of year (minus the ragweed allergies, thank you very much).  Hot weather makes me a little cranky, when paired with the humidity we have here in the summer.

Today's card truly feels like Autumn to me:

Just as I did on THIS card, I sprayed some ink onto cardstock through these bottle-protectors, as a sort of stencil.  (I bought BBQ sauce at Bed Bath & Beyond, and the bottles were packed in these sleeves to keep them from clanging into one another.)

After mounting the leaf from With Gratitude (Stampin' Up!) onto the sprayed panel, it looked a little plain.

That's when I decided to add a piece of book page paper behind the panel, along with some abaca ribbon.  I used Smooch Ink in Gold to drop splotches over the panel and leaf for more interest.

I colored in the half-circles of the stamped frame (from Cherish by Inspired By Stamping) with a marker, to match the card base.  A bit more Smooch Ink was smeared on here, too, and then the punched circle was matted with crinkly gold paper from Stampin' Up!

Thanks so much for taking a peek today!  I appreciate your visit.  :-)

Stamps: leaf - With Gratitude - SU; 'for you' - Cherish - Inspired By Stamping Paper: Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, white, gold crinkle - SU; book page Ink: Khaki ink spray - Tattered Angels; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Walnut Stain - Ranger; Early Espresso - SU Fibers: vintage thread; abaca ribbon Accessories & Tools: button, circle punches, Cajun Craze marker  - SU; corner rounder punch - Fiskars; Gold Smooch ink

Eclectic Grand Butterfly

Hi!  There's a lot going on with this larger-than-A2-size card today.  It is rather eclectic.  My inspiration was the jumbo half of a butterfly, cut from a DCWV stack, Vintage Collage.

Ugh.  Just realized I never took a picture of the inside, which says "You make me smile."  The outside sentiment makes sense when you know what's inside.

See how the butterfly shines?  It came like that in the paper pad.

Wanted you to see the sprinkling of matte gold sequins near the "you" sentiment, best seen in the photo below:

It's not among my fave cards, but it IS different.  Sometimes you just need to do stuff outside your comfort zone!

Have a great day!

Stamps: Fresh Cut Wreaths - Wplus9 Paper: polka dot pattern, black, white, vanilla - SU; large butterfly cut from paper - Vintage Collage - DCWV Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: Argentina seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Champagne glass glitter; Full Heart, Heart-toHeart, circle punches - SU; matte gold sequins - MJ Trimming; Corner Flourish die - Spellbinders; Resplendence Burgundy glitter - Creative Inspirations

A pair of New Home cards

Boring post title, huh?  Where words fail, perhaps pictures make up for the lack:

The ever-lovely Webster's Pages makes this patterned paper.  All I needed to do was add a sentiment, and on another piece of WP paper, stamped the bird and cage from Inspired By Stamping's Aviary to create a little accent.

Stamps: sentiment - Boards & Beams - Papertrey Ink; bird, cage - Aviary - Inspired By Stamping Paper: Soft Sky - SU; patterned - Webster's Pages Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: pink twine - American Crafts Accessories & Tools: one pearl

More gorgeous Webster's Pages paper on the next card.  My only contributions to the card:  a sentiment from PTI (again), and a sweet little focal point up top.

The bow was made with Mottle Brown seam binding from Hug Snug / The Zipper Stop (100 yards for $9.50...I'm tellin' ya, it's a bargain over there!  Be aware that there are so many color choices, it'll make your head spin.), and a bit of twill and crocheted lace.  A key from Tim Holtz dangles from the ribbons.

Stamps: Boards & Beams - Papertrey Ink Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI; Webster's Pages pattern Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: Mottle Brown seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop; bit of twill; bit of crocheted lace Accessories & Tools: metal key - Tim Holtz

Thanks for joining me, and I hope you have a terrific weekend!

Cherries in September

I'm kind of CASEing myself today, because I'm trying to use up this adorable cherry-patterned paper.  If you follow that link above, you'll see a card I made in 2010 (eons ago!) for my daughter.

I enjoy creating punch art now and then, like these cherries and their leaves.  The stems were hand-trimmed.

Thanks for letting me share a fruity card with you today!

Stamps: Mason Jar Add-On II - Inspired By Stamping Paper: cherries, Old Olive, Real Red, Basic Black - SU; white - PTI Ink: Bravo Burgundy (to shade the cherries), Handsome Hunter (to shade the leaves) - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: oval, scalloped oval, circle punches - SU; Rose Leaf punch - Martha Stewart; white gel pen