Have a magical day April 30, 2008

I just love Bellas.  They are so girly with images perfect for my daughter who thinks she is way older than she is.  This card I made for SCS sketch challenge (sc174).

It’s a busy looking card, but I think the image, patterned paper, and layout all work well for the sketch challenge.

STAMPS:  Stamping Bella Presentabella and have a magical day sentiment.

CARDSTOCK:  SU! Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, and Old Olive CS; American Crafts A la Mode Bon Bon PP.

INKS:  Stazon Jet Black; SU! Real Red and Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Markers.

ACCESSORIES:  Prisma Pencils; Eucalyptus Stickles; American Crafts Solid Lt Blue 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon; Horizontal Slot Punch; Coluzzle Cutting System; 3/16″ Corner Rounder Punch; 1/2″, 3/4″, 1″, 1-1/4″, and 1-3/8″ Circle Punches. 

 

 

Be Inspired Challenge #11 April 29, 2008

Man, another challenge brought to you by the most talented Beate.  This card I made for her “be inspired challenge” that you can see the details here.

                                         

When I saw the challenge, the colorful circles, brown stripes, and the wine glass stood out and I knew I was faced with a real challenge…lol

I used MFT Meet me at the Cafe to somewhat coordinate with the challenge image, MFT Behind the Scenes to create the brown stripes, and MFT Build a Bouquet for the circle image. 

How about that watermark?  I just love it.  Kim had them made for her DT members.  Thanks Kim:)

Make sure you head on over to Beate’s blog and check out all the samples created for the sketch…and have a great day!

STAMP SETS USED:  MFT Meet me at the Cafe, Behind the Scenes, and Build a Bouquet.

CARDSTOCK USED:  Whisper White & Chocolate Chip CS.

INKS USED:  Stazon Timber Brown, Memento Rich Cocoa Dew Drop, SU! Certainly Celery, Tempting Turquoise, Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Wild Wasabi, Almost Amethyst, and Regal Rose.

ACCESSORIES USED:  May Arts Ribbon, SU! Pretties Kit, 3/16″ Corner Rounder Punch, Stampin’ Sponges. 

 

Taylor’s cupcake challenge #13 April 27, 2008

I must tell you, I look forward to my weekends off.  I can catch up on some stamping…and participate in Taylor’s cupcake challenges.   For this weeks challenge, I kinda changed it up a little and added a more details than I should have. 

I wanted to use Stampin’ Up! products for my sample.  The card base is Taken with Teal CS with a layer of Bali Breeze DSP.  I corner rounded the two upper corners with my 3/16″ Corner Rounder Punch.  The horizontal strip is Taken with Teal and Whisper White CS.    Added some Pumpkin Pie Stripped Grosgrain Ribbon with a Pewter Brad.  The sentiment is from SU! Many Happy Returns that I stamped in Purely Pomegranate ink on Whisper White CS and punched out with my Word Window Punch.  Adhered to card base and added another Pewter Brad for balance. 

I had to punch and adhere each strip separately due to all the layers to create the circle openings (there are 5 layers of CS at this section of the card).  So, I measured and punched the 3 circles with my 1-1/4″ Circle Punch.  I created the Old Olive circle frames with my 1-1/4″ & 1-3/8″ Circle Punches.

Now for those flower images within the punched circles….So you open up the card to reveal a bright arrangement of flowers:)  So fun and a nice surprise!  I first started with a piece of Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White CS that I rounded the two upper corners again to coordinate with the outside of the card.  I stamped the 3 circular flower images from SU! Big Flowers stamp set in Purely Pomegranate ink on Whisper White CS.  I punched them out using my 1-1/4″ Circle Punch.  I then adhered strips of Always Artichocke 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon with the middle piece longer and folded up to create a leaf.  The middle flower I layered on a 1-3/8″ Circle Punch piece of Taken with Teal CS and a Scallop Punch piece of Pumpkin Pie CS.  Each flower has a Build-A-Brad in the center which holds a stamped image from SU! Little Flowers stamp set that I used Pumpkin Pie ink on Whisper White CS.  Finally, I added a strip of Old Olive CS that I scalloped using my 3/16″ Corner Rounder Punch.  I added a Pewter Brad to each end of the strip.

There you have it!  Now, head on over to Taylored Expressions to see all the details for participating in Taylor’s cupcake challenge.  Hope you all are enjoying your weekend:)

a little pampering April 25, 2008

I decided to pamper myself and create a little something to go with it.  While browsing around Target, I found rectangular tins at the dollar spot and couldn’t resist picking up a couple to decorate.

Here is what I came up with:

As the song goes, “these are a few of ‘my favorite things’!”  What do you think?  Such a cute gift idea for a new mom or bride, or even the mom who just needs to slow down and take a break.  How about Mother’s Day? 

I found a my favorite things rub-on  (link is a little different from the one I used) from My Mind’s Eye and had to have it to go with some of my stamps…lol  It goes perfect with the MFT Time for the Bubbly stamp set.  Which goes perfect with my bathing supplies tin.

Here is an upclose front view of the tin:

I used my 3/16″ corner rounder punch to create the scalloping to the bottom and inside top of tin.  I then adhered some Dew Drops to every other scallop.  The main image was watercolored.  I added Ranger Crackle Accents to the tub.  The light blue twill is from Creative Cafe. 

For the side, I used my Crop-A-Dile tool to punch two holes in each side.  I made handles out of the light blue twill and attached with large silver brads:

I hope I have inspired you all take some time for yourself this weekend:)

beate’s weekend sketch challenge #45

Every one needs a little encouragement at times.  Especially a new Nurse.  I am working with a lot of new GN’s and another round is due to graduate very soon.  I couldn’t possibly find the time to make a card for each of them, so I will place this card in our break room at work for all of them.

Here is my card I created for Beate’s wsc#45

  I just love Boyd’s bears.  I’m not a collector, but I think they are adorable.  I don’t live far from Gettysburg…which means visits to Boyd’s Bear Country.  A fun place to visit with the kids.  I’ll skip out on the history part any day and go right for the fun.

I have had this stamp, Clara the Nurse for about 10 years.  I actually purchased it when I graduated nursing school and made my own graduation invites for my Mother to send out.  I did a search and couldn’t find any info on it (I don’t browse ebay, but maybe it’s there somewhere).  The sentiment is from MFT Essential Sentiments set and the dots stamped in Versamark ink on the piece of Bordering Blue CS is from MFT Behind the Scenes set.

I wanted the card to appear worn and ragged like the image.  After the image was colored, I distressed, sponged, and wrinkled it up.  I then applied Ranger Crackle Accents to it.  The background base piece of CS was created with Ranger Distress Crackle Paint.  I mixed together Old Paper and Vintage Photo to get the color I wanted.  I added some twill tape and buttons to coordinate with the image. 

Head on over to these blogs to check out more samples created for the wsc:

Cambria Turnbow

Charmaine Ikach

Jenn Balcer

Laurie Schmidlin

Lori Craig

Sharon Harnist

Have a wonderful weekend!

taylor’s cupcake challenge #12 April 21, 2008

When I saw Taylor’s challenge for this weekend, I instantly thought bright and fun.  How can you not when you visit her site.  I have had my hands on some stamps that I’ve been waiting to use, and finally got the opportunity late tonight.

  I took a different approach with these adorable Changito monkeys….I colored them in bright colors to coordinate with my papers.  I think of my kids when looking at this image.  They are constantly doing “crazy” childish things to one another.

Here is my find this past weekend.  I had to go to my local office supply store.  While browsing, I saw a Mead Watercolor paper tablet for under $5.  I got 15 sheets of 9″ x 12″ white watercolor paper that works beautifully.

STAMP SETS USED:  Stampendous Changito Amigos and Crazy about You sentiment.

CARDSTOCK USED:  Mead watercolor paper; SU! Pumpkin Pie, Purely Pomegranate, and Soft Sky CS; Tinkering ink “Grigette” patterned paper.

INKS USED:  Stazon Jet Black; SU! Pumpkin Pie, Purely Pomegranate, Creamy Caramel, Green Galore, Soft Sky stampin’ pads; Pumpkin Pie, Green Galore, Bashful Blue, and Creamy Caramel Stampin’ Write Markers.

ACCESSORIES:  Pumpkin Pie striped Grosgrain ribbon, ticket corner punch, horizontal slot punch, bold brights brads. 

Thanks for stopping by:)

beate’s weekend sketch challenge #44 April 18, 2008

Oh the places I find inspiration.  When I go to work, I do write down some of the awesome patterns and color combos on my co-workers scrub tops…some of them are used to my routine.  Others learn that this is a norm for me.  Another place I was just amazed by the color combinations was at Babies R’ Us a couple weeks ago….go check out the bedding/nursery sets and you will see some of the coolest trend-setting combinations out there.

This card, for Beate’s wsc #44, is from one of the scrub tops I saw.  It was a flowered patterned top that was half black & white and half colored:

STAMP SETS USED:  SU! Stitched Exotics, Stitched Background, and All Holidays.

CARDSTOCK USED:  SU! Shimmery White, Basic Black, Taken with Teal.

INKS USED:  Stazon Jet Black, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Taken with Teal, and Rose Red.

ACCESSORIES USED:  Ice Circle Rhinestone Brads, Vintage Brads Assortment, Flower Fusion, Jersey Ribbon Originals, 3/16″ Corner Rounder Punch, Horizontal Slot Punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stickles.

Make sure you head on over to the blogs of these very talented ladies to see more samples for the wsc:

Cambria Turnbow

Charmaine Ikach

Jenn Balcer

Laurie Schmidlin

Lori Craig

Sharon Harnist

Have a wonderful weekend.

 

and the winner is…. April 15, 2008

#59

Lisa states, “These are adorable and my hubby would love the seeds! He has a garden the size of a built-in pool! Guess what I keep asking him to do? You got it…get rid of the garden and put in a pool! Ain’t gonna happen, is his response! Congrats on 200,000 hits! I read all the time!”

Those are some of our little Zinnias growing:)

Back to doing yard work and spring cleaning…ugh.  Maybe I will get to a card soon.  Have a wonderful day.

Lisa, please email me your address and I will get your cards out to you.

a very late Part 2 April 11, 2008

My title to last fridays post stated it was Part 1.  So, better late than never….here is Part 2.

I wanted to try out a flap card (you can view the tutorial here) to coordinate with the oh so fun card I made last friday that you can view here:

 How adorable.  I really like the way this MFT Can Ya Dig It? set turned out.  Even more, the flap card contains my favorite flower seeds inside, Zinnia:) which a lucky viewer may have the opportunity to get their hands on.  DETAILS BELOW!!!

Here is the inside of the flap card that I used my handy dandy Scor-Pal tool to create in a flash:

   Every spring, my son and I start little seedlings inside our home.  We start from scratch.  He waters them every day.  We take them outside on nice weather days.  We plant them in early summer.  I think it is a nice tradition I have started with him.  It has taught him to appreciate my flowers and to STAY OUT OF MY FLOWER BEDS…LOL.

Now, I reached 200,000 blog hits a little bit ago and want to reward/show my appreciation.  How about this set of cards featured here?  Interested?  I work all weekend so you have till Monday to leave a quick comment.  I’m going to have my little gardener pick a name which I will announce on Monday afternoon. 

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Beate’s weekend sketch challenge #43

I took this past week off from posting and stamping to spend time with family and finished up some spring cleaning.  But, Friday is here and that means it is time for Beate’s wsc #43.

I’m going all Stampin’ Up! today with this one:)

  I just love the grown-up, soft, professional look of this card.  All items are current except for the Mini Library Clip (which I personally wish was still current).

Here is an upclose view to show some details:

  (rub-on to rhinestone brad)

STAMP SETS USED:  Stamp of Authenticity, Define Your Life, Defining Alphabet, and Form & Function Background stamp.

CARDSTOCK USED:  Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Confetti Cream, Notebook DSP.

INKS USED:  Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand, Soft Sky, Craft Close to Cocoa.

ACCESSORIES USED:  Theater & Sherbert Ribbon Originals, Linen Thread, Ice Circle Rhinestone Brads, Silver Brads, Take Note Rub-ons, On Board Lots of Letters, Staples, Mini Library Clip, Round Tab Punch, Spiral Punch, My Way Punch, 1/2″ Circle Punch, Stampin’ Sponges.

Now, make sure to head on over the the blogs of these talented ladies to see more samples for the wsc:

Cambria Turnbow

Charmaine Ikach

Jenn Balcer

Laurie Schmidlin

Lori Craig

Sharon Harnist

Have a wonderful weekend.