Make It Monday #28

This week's Make It Monday is "Glitter Die Borders." In other words, outlining your die cut with glitter. Trust me that mine is glittered, LOL! You may be able to see it better in the second picture. I used Daydreamer for the first time, and a sentiment from Botanical Silhouettes:



What an easy technique that can give an otherwise plain card a little pizazz. I'll be doing this again, I think. :-)

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Daydreamer, Botanical Silhouettes
Paper: PTI--S.S. White, Royal Velvet
Ink: Watermark; Memento--Grape Jelly; E.P.--Stamp Diego Ultra Detail White
Other: Die--Spellbinders Labels 13; Glitter--Doodlebug Design Lily White; Embossing Folder--Cuttlebug; Copic: G28; 2-Way Glue (SU)

SSIC #102

This week's challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ (#102) is to add some aspect of music into your project. The scripture is: Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
This spoke directly to my heart, and put a smile on my face! The happiest moments of my week are Sunday morning at the beginning of services, when I am singing and praising God. No matter what's going on in my life, what I'm worried about, I am lifted out of my earthly problems and just feel joy. In fact, I am that annoying woman in the pew ahead of you who is literally dancing, LOL! I've tried to stay still, but despite occasional good-natured teasing by friends, I just can't do it. I'm not out in the aisles or anything, but I just can't hold still. :-D So, here is my card for this challenge (bonus points if you can find the musical aspect without clicking on the picture to enlarge it):


And the inside:


Were you able to see that the sky behind the lamb is musical notes stamped in pink (you know, as in a lullaby)? Sorry it doesn't show up better here, but it's pretty cute IRL! :-D I had so much fun making this. It's for the daughter of one of my mom's friends, her third child, her third girl! Pink and green are the shower colors, and there was a little lamb on the invite, so . . . I tried to go with the flow . . . What do you think?

Supplies
Stamps: Sandylion--Girl Clear Stamps; PTI--Inside & Out: Baby and Background Basics: Sheet Music
Paper: PTI--S.S. White; SEI--Aunt Gertie's Garden
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Other: Googly eyes--Michaels; Dew Drops--Stamping Bella; Doily--Martha Stewart; Border Punch--Martha Stewart

Card Patterns #128

Card Patterns' sketches are the BEST, aren't they? Here is this week's above, and below is my interpretation (it's mirror imaged):


And here's the inside. The picture is funky, but I'm adding it anyway :-):


This is a birthday card for a friend who has had a rough year. She loves burgundy and green, so this should be right up her alley. :-) Did you notice the scallops made out of vintage book print? I have been on the lookout for a suitably "vintage" looking used book, something whose typeface doesn't look modern, and whose pages do look old. Finally, I found something at Goodwill! It's an old children's paperback on fairies, and I think it'll do just fine for adding that vintage touch! (I also finally picked up a pair of jeans while at the thrift store, to rip to make denim "ribbon." Now to just take the plunge and rip into a pair of perfectly good jeans, LOL! Thank you to Renee for this idea!)

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Giga Guidelines, Make a Wish, Fancy Flourishes
Paper: PTI--Fine Linen, K & Co.--McKenna; stash
Ink: Watermark, Ranger--Old Paper Distress Ink; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Other: Ribbon--Michaels; Flower--Recollections; Gold Pearls--Recollections; Die--PTI Small Scalloped Border

CR84FN36

Isn't this pretty? I always feel inspired by CR84FN's color collages, even when I can't find the time to enter a card in their challenge. Color is what thrills me the most about papercrafting, so the appeal makes sense to me. :-) Here is challenge #36:


And here's my card:


And the inside (the kraft layer is embossed):


I chose cream for my neutral. Kind of out of my usual style--I mean, look at all that white space (or should I say yellow and cream space?)! For me, this is CAS. It still took me 17 hours to make, LOL! I made this for the neighbors across the street who recently had a baby girl, Louisa Marie. She's a doll. :-)

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Sweet Baby and Inside & Out: Baby
Paper: PTI--Vintage Cream, Kraft, Lemon Tart, Father Knows Best pp
Ink: Memento--Rich Cocoa; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Other: Dies--PTI--Sweet Baby and Ribbon Tails; Embossing Plate--Spellbinders; Button--PTI Lemon Tart; Floss--DMC Ecru; Border Punch--EK Success

ODBDSLC #72/MIM #27

It seems like forever since I've participated in a Make It Monday challenge! I'm getting this in just under the wire, but early days for the second challenge I'm entering it in, Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #72. The 27th MIM challenge is to use Copic markers to make your own custom ribbon. I've seen Nicole do this many times but had never tried it myself . . . fun! For ODBD, the challenge is to incorporate a tag in your design. You didn't have to make a pocket, although I did. It's something else I've seen many times but had never attempted myself. This is a birthday card for a sweet lady, and I thought she'd appreciate a bookmark along with her card:


Here's the bookmark. Whoa, it looks so much darker to me now! :-)


And the inside (more ODBD):


Well, it's fun & bright, so it should give her a smile. :-) Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies
Stamps: ODBD--Mini Tags 3, Thinking of You; PTI--All Booked Up
Paper: DCWV--Life of the Party; PTI--S.S. White; stash
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; Versacolor--Burgundy; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Other: Dies--Spellbinders Ribbon Tag Trio Three, Classic Circles, PTI--Bookmark; Ribbon--Martha Stewart; Copics--R35, R37, R39, YR00, YR12, YR15, G24, G85; Flowers--Prima; Brad--stash; Sewing Machine; Corner Chomper

SSIC #101, With Sympathy

Hello! Is summer keeping everyone busy? What happened to the lazy days of summer? I think I'm living the crazy days of summer, LOL!

In the last two weeks, I've had two close friends lose a parent. My friends are each other's best friend, and in a way, I think that's actually helped them. Each parent was over 90 (one 97!), so neither passing was unexpected and that's a blessing. But still sad.

So, in these crazy days of summer, with my mojo on vacation without me (again), I sat down to make two sympathy cards. This is the first. I'm entering it in Stampin' Sisters in Christ's challenge this week, which is to use something you've had in your stash for a long time, something you just had to have but have yet to use. My item for the challenge is the light green rose. Michaels had these out quite awhile ago, and I was a little upset that they only had one bottle left when I discovered them because I was so sure that I would use them like crazy and need two bottles! So, there they've sat, in plain sight on top of the organizer I keep flowers and bling in . . . never used. Not once. Until now, thanks to SSIC!

Supplies
Stamps: Verve--New Mercies
Paper: PTI--Fine Linen; K & Co.--Margo; stash
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; Watermark; Ranger--Old Paper Distress Ink
Misc.: Dies--PTI Sending You, Daily Detail Doilies, and Edgers #1; Seam Binding--Martha Stewart; Flower--Michaels; Pearls--Zva; Copic--E43; Sewing Machine; Corner Chomper

Feel Better

This card was for a dear blogging friend--and Post It--Michelle. She had knee surgery with a *very* painful recovery, and one day I kind of wacked myself upside the head for not making her an encouragement card! :-) So the next time I was in my craft room, I remedied that situation. It must have worked, because even before I wrote inside it, she had posted that her knee was better, and she was starting to get around to important places like Target, LOL! I hope you're still "makin' strides," Michelle!

Supplies
Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms--Get Well Centers
Paper: PTI--Vintage Cream; DCWV--Citrus
Ink: Memento--Tuxedo Black; Ranger--Mustard Seed & Shabby Shutters Distress Inks; Embossing Powder--Filigree Clear
Misc.: Dies--Spellbinders Classic Circles, PTI--Banner Builders; Seam Binding--Etsy; Brad--Basic Grey; Border Punch--Fiskars; Cording--WeRMemoryKeepers

Happy Birthday to My SIL!

My SIL is a graphic artist. Not just a graphic artist, but a GREAT graphic artist . . . so I wanted her card to be special. With a milestone birthday, I had to break out PTI's numbers dies and glitter them up--you'll see more cards using them soon since they are so fun to work with! The paper choices came from the folder I keep large patterned paper scraps in. The colors didn't photograph true--I tried to tweek them, but that's not my strong point. :-) They actually blend nicely in person, and the ribbon isn't so blue, but more greenish IRL too. Oh, and the flowered paper is sparkly. Now that I've told you what you didn't see, here's what you did, LOL!:

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Big Birthday Wishes, Mehndi Medallion
Paper: PTI--Rustic White, Ripe Avocado, Hawaiian Shores, Green Boutique; DCWV--Linen Closet
Ink: Memento--Tuxedo Black; Watermark; Versacolor--Bamboo; E.P.--Filigree Clear, Stamp Diego Ultra Detail White
Misc.: Dies--PTI Numbers and Edgers #1; Seam Binding--Etsy; Rose--Prima (thanks to Lorraine!); Decorative Scissors--Fiskars; Glitter--Filigree; Rhinestones--Recollections; Corner Chomper

Papertrey July Blog Hop

It's that time again, yay! July's Blog Hop with Papertrey Ink is another gorgeous inspiration photo:


Isn't it dreamy? I want to curl up in that window seat with a good book! Sigh . . . Here's the card I created based on this inspiration:



And the inside:



Yep, it's another get well card, just like June's Blog Hop! This one is for a friend who broke her shoulder on the job (she's a nurse). She's on a morphine patch while waiting for surgery, and I feel so bad for her. Hopefully, she'll get a little boost from this card!

This is actually my third attempt at a July Blog Hop card! I had an elaborate idea that came to me when I first saw the picture. I drew a sketch and brain stormed ideas. Then I sat down to make it. Um . . . didn't go so well. It looked hideous, actually. So I broke out some different stamp sets and moved things around and . . . nope, still hideous. :-D I decided that it wasn't meant to be, but at least I could use the elements to make Barbra a get well card. Well, once I stopped trying so hard, the card came together quickly and still reminded me very much of the inspiration picture! Woo hoo!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Guidelines Two, Asian Fusion, Green Thumb, Healing Touch Sentiments
Paper: PTI--S.S. White, Aqua Mist, Melon Berry, Spring Moss, Lemon Tart
Ink: Watermark; PTI--Melon Berry, Aqua Mist; Memento--Tuxedo Black; Embossing Powders--Stamp Diego Ultra Detail White, Filigree Clear
Misc.: Impression Plate--PTI Woodgrain; Embossing Folder--Cuttlebug; Dies--PTI Alpha Blocks & Spellbinder Classic Circles; Seam Binding--Etsy; Pearls--Recollections

Paper Dolls Challenge #41

Hey all! I'm playing along with the Papertrey Paper Dolls Challenge #41. Why? Because I happened to see the card Jen made for it on her blog . . . and that the challenge was to use twine . . . and I LOVE using twine! Here's my entry, a birthday card I made for a friend:


I think where and how I used the twine is self-explanatory, LOL, so I'll just get on with the supply list! :-D

Supplies
Stamps: Impression Obsession--Borders
Paper: PTI--S.S. White, Simply Chartreuse, Hawaiian Shores; DCWV
Ink: Watermark; Fresh Snow; Embossing Powder--Stamp Diego Ultra Detail White
Misc.: Twine--The Twinery; Die--C.C. Designs; Floss--DMC; Stickers--Stickopotamus; White Pen--Inkssentials

Post It Birthday--Danielle W.!

I'm a couple of birthdays behind in posting cards for Post It celebrations! Here is Danielle W.'s:


I would love a bite of that cupcake right about now! It's been awhile, but I hope it was a great birthday for you, Danielle!

Supplies
Stamps: Verve--Carpe Cupcake
Paper: PTI--S.S. White, Kraft; stash
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; Ranger--Milled Lavender Distress Ink; Embossing Powder--Filigree Clear
Misc.: Dies--Spellbinder--Eyelet Circles, Classic Circles; Glitter--Palette Ultrafine Prisma; Stickles--Yellow; Ribbon--Michaels; Copics--E47, E71, BV00, BV31; Rhinestones--Recollections; Corner Chomper

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Although it was actually on the 14th, we celebrated my mom's birthday today. She's a little under the weather, so it was just a quiet (okay, with a 4 and 1-year-old, it's never quiet, LOL!) get together at home and we'll take her out for some more fun when she's feeling up to it. Here is the card I made for her:


I based it around PTI's Lavender Moon color. I love a good lavender-y pink and Lavender Moon is lovely--I need to use it more often. It matched some patterned paper I had in my stash perfectly, and when I decided to use the gardenia flower, the color combo had created itself! The Labels 2 panel is embossed with a Waltzingmouse stamp in watermark ink. I also stamped a strip from WM's Text It along the bottom in Lavender Moon ink and did lots of shading with Ranger's Victorian Velvet Distress Ink to tie everything in together. I used a bit of Scrapper's Floss for the first time, along with some pearl trim and seam binding to decorate, and stamped the sentiment on vellum for a soft look.

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Damask Designs; WMS--Vintage Labels 2 & Text It
Paper: PTI--Rustic White, Lavender Moon, New Leaf; vellum; stash
Ink: Watermark; Staz-On--Jet Black; Memento--Tuxedo Black; Ranger--Victorian Velvet Distress Ink; Embossing Powder--Filigree Clear
Misc.: Ribbon--Etsy; Gardenia--Prima; Scrapper's Spool--Karen Foster Design; Pearls--Hirschberg Schutz & Co.; Border Punch--EK Success; Die--Spellbinders Labels 2; Corner Chomper

Card Patterns #123

This week is Card Patterns' Sketch Challenge #123! You can find all the details here. Here's the fantastic sketch:

I loved it at first sight, LOL, and had such fun making the following card:




Aren't those Life of the Party papers scrumptious! I think I've used them three times already and I just got the pad a few weeks ago (and haven't had much crafting time)! To make the flower embellishment, I combined a doily die cut from Papertrey Ink, a crocheted flower from Frog Feathers , and a brad from K & Co. And the stamp is from a new-to-me company, Clear & Simple Stamps. I love challenges where I can combine elements from different companies to make something unique. :-)

Supplies:
Stamps: Clear & Simple Stamps--Friend
Paper: PTI--Rustic White, Aqua Mist; My Mind's Eye--Lime Twist Life of the Party
Ink: PTI--Dark Chocolate; Embossing Powder--Filigree Clear
Misc.: Die--PTI Doily Details; Crocheted Flower--Frog Feathers; Brad--K & Co.; Decorative Scissors--Fiskars; Flower Punch--Fiskars; Pearls--Recollections; Corner Chomper

Shabby Thank You

Sorry I've been slack in posting! I cannot believe how busy this summer is! It seems like every facet of my life is clamoring for my attention at the same time, and as a result I am getting very little creative time in. :-( I know things go in cycles and it will calm down, but in the meantime I am fantasizing about taking a few days off work to reorganize my craft room and get some good quality crafting time in! ;-) I've also been very behind on visiting *your* blogs--it's one of the highlights of my day to see what others have created and comment on their masterpieces, and I'm so sorry I'm so behind!

I was able to sneak in a few moments last week to make this card. I needed a thank you card and it was near the 4th, so I went with red, white, and blue and a shabby denim "countryish" look. Yee haw! :-D

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--YOF: Roses, Ribbon Tails; Skipping Stones Design--Chick Chat
Paper: PTI--Rustic White; Deja Views--Weathered Sky; stash
Ink: Memento--Tuxedo Black; Watermark; PTI--Pure Poppy
Misc.: Button (silver)--la petite; Button (red)--PTI Pure Poppy; Twine--PTI; Pinking shears; Sewing machine

Happy Birthday, Dad!

My dad is the best. I'm definitely a daddy's girl, still, and I don't plan to change! :-) His birthday was Tuesday, and this is the card I made for him. I wanted to do a retro card--in fact this is the main reason I bought Ad Sense! It's such a unique stamp set. He loved it, and put it next to last year's (which he refuses to take down, LOL!).

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Ad Sense, Polka Dot Basics, Simple Alphabet
Paper: PTI--S.S. White, Terracotta Tile, stash
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; Watermark; PTI--Terracotta Tile, Enchanted Evening
Misc.: Dies--PTI Ad Sense; Embossing Folder--Cuttlebug; Embossing Powder--Filigree Clear & Stamp Diego Ultra Detail White; ScorPal (embossing around edges of dark blue card base)

Papertrey June Blog Hop

It's that time again! The 25th of each month is the day for Papertrey Ink's Blog Hop! This month participants were given this sweet picture below as inspiration for a card or project.

And here is my card:


I must admit that picture inspirations are the hardest for me. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I'm so visual that I have to fight the desire to duplicate every. single. thing. in the photo, which would be a disaster! :-) I chose to make a "happy healing" card for my boss, who is home right now having had back surgery. I am so glad that PTI came out with the Healing Touch Sentiments stamp set because it's more than just "get well." Sometimes the situation is more (or less) than that and it just doesn't sound appropriate to say, "Get well." Now we can be nuanced in our wishes and it just feels better, you know?

I chose Simply Chartreuse as the background cardstock because the color stood out to me. I sponged layers of colors to mimic the wall in the picture. I decided to focus on bringing out the tulle, wood, and white wicker aspects, as well as using some Smokey Shadow ink to represent the shadows in the photo. I made a butterfly using aqua tulle, embroidery floss, pearls, and pinking shears. The composition of the card is obviously based on that of the picture, with the "action" down in the lower right. I added a Healing Touch Sentiment, also in Smokey Shadow. (I used an atyou Spica black glitter pen over some of the flourishes and sentiment for some sparkle and highlight.) There, I did it, LOL! In my efforts to not be totally literal, this is actually pretty CAS for me--I hope my boss likes it!

Thanks for stopping by my blog to say hi! I am working today, and don't have reliable internet access there so will most likely be doing my "hopping" tonight and over the next couple of days. I can't wait to see what you all have made!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Healing Touch Sentiments, Fancy Flourishes
Paper: PTI--S.S. White, Rustic White, Simply Chartreuse; stash
Ink: PTI--Smokey Shadow, Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse, Orange Zest, Terracotta Tile; Versacolor--Cinnamon, Camellia; Colorbox--Yellow Citrus
Misc: Corner Chomper; Die--PTI Take Three; Embossing Folder--Sizzix; Tulle--Michaels; Pearls--Zva Creative; atyou Spica pen--Black; Embroidery Floss--DMC White

Happy Father's Day (and C4C92)

Hello! This was my Father's Day card for my dad this year, and I'm also entering it in Crazy 4 Challenges #92 challenge, which is to use twine, floss, string, etc. on your project.

A little bitty story behind this card . . . when I was a kid, we had a black and white houndstooth couch (imagine it on red & black indoor/outdoor carpeting--it was the '70s!) that I *loved.* I've been wanting to make chairs & couches with a houndstooth pattern ever since I bought Papertrey Ink's On the Couch, and recently I found houndstooth stamps in two different sizes of patterns--none as small as I wanted, but not too bad. ( BTW, this will pretty much insure that PTI will come out with a houndstooth set in the next few months, LOL!) I wanted to see if my dad would "get it" and he did--he understood the houndstooth reference right away! :-D

Please click on the picture to see the card bigger--I used a background stamp on both the card base and the creamy white panel, and an impression plate on the brown area--PTI's Vineyard Impression Plate made the perfect textured carpet--and they are hard to see. :-)

I just want to add a big thank you for all the recent love regarding my freakish good luck streak of late. Consider each and every one of you hugged!!!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--On My Couch, Chair-ished, Background Basics: Geometrics; Technique Tuesday--Houndstooth
Paper: PTI--Fine Linen, Enchanted Evening, Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream; stash
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; Watermark; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Misc.: Impression Plate--PTI Vineyard; Twine--The Twinery; Button--Button Lady; Copics--W-1, E19, E43; Corner Chomper

Card Patterns Guest Designer & More Good News

Guess what? I'm the Guest Designer this week at Card Patterns! I know, I can't believe it either, LOL! Isn't the sketch gorgeous? So many pretty possibilities . . . For my card, I flipped and mirror-imaged the sketch. I thought it looked fun that way. :-) I made the card for a friend's 50th birthday. I had NO IDEA that she was turning 50--she looks 40 at most--so I wanted to emphasize that fact with one of Papertrey Ink's sentiments from Big Birthday Wishes and young, light-hearted colors. I'm giving it to her tomorrow and hoping she likes it!

I have had the coolest couple of weeks in papercraft blogging land! A Stampin' Sisters in Christ Shining Star, an Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light award, a Waltzingmouse Stamps Top Mouse award, a Card Patterns Guest Designer gig, and just this morning, a reader alerted me to a shout out from Cath Evalson on the Moxie Fab Blog! What? Am I having a really long dream or something?? I don't want to wake up, LOL! Seriously, it has been one thrill after another around here lately, and I am so incredibly grateful! I have a feeling that times like this are very few and far between, so I am enjoying the abundance while I can.

In celebration of my good luck and also of passing 100 posts here on the blog, I will be giving away some blog candy soon! Stay tuned for some pics and info in the next week or so. And it's almost July. You know what that means . . . Jill's 2nd Annual Christmas in July Challenge!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Big Birthday Wishes
Paper: PTI--Vintage Cream; My Mind's Eye--Life of the Party; stash
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; Ranger--Worn Lipstick Distress Ink; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Misc.: Embossing Folder--Cuttlebug; Border Punch--EK Success; Ribbon--American Crafts; Button--American Crafts; Twine--The Twinery; Glitter--Doodlebug Design Sugarcoating; Dies--PTI Number Dies; Glitter Dots--Recollections; Corner Rounder

SSIC #92

Hello! It's baby time! This week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge is to use something *new* on your project. Well, it just so happens that I had a couple of new products to try out and I needed a card for a friend's baby shower (she's expecting a boy, who will be named Moses). The not one but two new things I used were 1) the "wave-looking" border punch, and 2) Glimmer Mist, which I spritzed on the clouds. The border punch had been on my Michaels wish list for some time, just waiting for the right 40% off coupon, and the Glimmer Mist was a result of the Make It Monday challenge a few weeks ago to make your own. I liked using it, but thought that buying some "real" stuff would be easier than making it myself, and look better too.

I hadn't even thought of the border punch as looking like waves until it was sitting on my craft table--must have been the angle. Now I'm going to be hard pressed to see it any other way, LOL!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Bitty Baby Blessings & Up, Up, and Away; Sandylion--Girl Clear Stamp
Paper: PTI--Blueberry Sky, Bitty Box Basics; Cosmo Cricket--Togetherness; stash
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; Watermark; E.P.--Ultra Detail White
Misc.: Die--PTI Clouds; Glimmer Mist--Pearl; Border Punch--EK Success; Felt--PTI Vintage Cream; Baker's Twine--PTI

ODBDSLC #63

Hello friends! Today I'm posting a card for Our Daily Bread Designs Shining Light Challenge #63. If you're a blog regular, you know it's one of my favorite challenges to participate in! This week's instructions were to use a sentiment only, no stamped images. I had this cheery paper from DCWV that I've been dying to use, and . . . do you keep an idea book? You know, something you can carry with you to jot down those ideas that just pop into your head at the strangest times? I started carrying one in 10th grade, when I was obsessed with sketching. Now my book is a mish mash of card sketches, embellishment ideas, challenges, color combos, and what appear to be random words strung together (what did I mean by, "violet lighty salsa stripe?" Lighty isn't even a word!) Well, I must have a million sketches in there and for this card I did something I'm proud of . . . I actually used one to make a card! I'm not saying it's super unique. I'm not saying it's the breakthrough of the century. But I did come up with it my own self, write it down, and then come back and use it months later. I feel so grown up, LOL! Before I list the details, I want to mention that the green spotted-looking paper behind the sentiment circle is glittery IRL. It's sooo pretty! But the glitz doesn't want to show up in a picture, so I am pointing it out because I am OCD that way. :-D

Supplies
Stamps: ODBD--Blessings
Paper: PTI--Vintage Cream; DCWV--Cotton Blossom
Ink: Memento--Tuxedo Black; Ranger--Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Dies: Spellbinders Classic Circles
Misc.: Crocheted flower--Frog Feathers Etsy store; Pearls--Zva Creative; Brad--Creative Imaginations; Ric Rac--Wrights; pens--Spica atyou orange and gold

WMSC #50

Can you believe that Waltzingmouse Stamps' sketch challenge is at #50? Wow, where has the time gone? Here's the sketch for WMSC #50:


And here's my take:



And the inside:


This card is for the sheriff's birthday. No, really. I work at the Sheriff's Museum, and we started a tradition last year of me making the sheriff a birthday card from us. (You can see last year's here.) You'll understand when I say that I actually woo hoo'd aloud when Claire released her Western-themed stamps--I should be set for the next several years thanks to her, LOL!

Supplies
Stamps: WMS--Way Out West, Back in the Saddle, and Very Vintage Labels #3
Paper: Cosmo Cricket--Wanted; stash
Ink: Ranger--Vintage Photo Distress Ink; Ranger--Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder
Misc.: Chipboard--Cosmo Cricket Wanted; Die--Spellbinders Labels 3; Twine--stash; Edge Distresser--Heidi Swapp; Copic--W-3

CPS#117/CR84FN/C4C89

Today I have a 3-challenge card! I don't manage that very often, but these three challenges came together so well. The challenges I am entering are CardPatterns Sketch 117:

CR84FN 30 color challenge:


And Crazy 4 Challenges 89, which requests a card showing a favorite vacation spot or activity. Since my favorite thing to do on vacation is to READ (yes, even more than papercraft!), I chose this cute little reading hedgehog image:


Isn't it adorable? I'm not much into "cutesy" images, but I am trying to venture into those waters because I have a niece & nephew who kinda love that sort of thing! :-) This card is for my niece. She's only 15 mos. old, but my SIL took the sweetest pictures of her "reading" the other day. She was sitting cross-legged, paging through a book, and "talking" as if she was reading! How cute is that?! She only says one real word at this point ("Cooper," the name of their cat), but she was "reading!" I have high hopes for another bibliophile in the family. :-)

So, I flipped the CPS sketch on its side, used the soft color palette from CR84FN, and the subject matter from C4C! What do you think?

Supplies
Stamps: Stampavie (Tina Wenke)--Hedgehog Reading; PTI--All Booked Up
Paper: PTI--Kraft, Bitty Box Basics, Vintage Cream; Pink Paislee--Hometown Summer
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Copics: Y00, Y11, E50, E42, E43, E44, R01, R30, G21, G40, B37, B41, B45, W-1, Colorless Blender
Misc. Pen--atyou Spica Gold; Dies--Spellbinders Classic Ovals and MFT--Buttons; Twine--PTI, Cord--stash; Corner Rounder; Impression Plate--PTI Book Print (on kraft layer)

FYI Challenge #6

I am trying out a new challenge today! It's by the "For Your Inspiration" blog (find it here). They post an amazing picture, and you create a card or project based on how it inspires you. Here is this challenges' picture below:

And here's my card:


What most made an impression on me were the rainbow of colors, the blue, blue background, and all the many lines. The idea for the "twiney" flowers popped right into my head. Next, I had to actually make them. This is where a lot of my ideas just don't work out in practicality, LOL! But fortunately, these did. I love 'em and will make more of these for sure! Just think of all the embellishments that could be used for centers . . . (BTW, they were incredibly easy to make: Just cut some of the smallest die from Spellbinders' Inverted Scalloped Circles, tape a piece of twine to the back, start winding in the inverted part of the scallops, and tape the twine again when you're done! Add a center of your choice.) I used The Twinery twine. I did try PTI's but it's just too thin and subtle for the bright effect I was going for. The Twinery has lots of wonderful colors to choose from, and really matchless brightness and size--I hope they come out with even more colors! :-)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Tiny Tags, Flower Fusion #1
Paper: PTI--Blueberry Sky, S.S. White, Bitty Dots Basics
Ink: PTI--Pure Poppy, New Leaf; Versafine--Onyx Black
Misc.: Border Punch--EK Success; Dies--Spellbinders Classic Inverted Scalloped Circles and PTI's Tiny Tags; Embossing Folder--Cuttlebug; Twine--The Twinery; Buttons--PTI Pure Poppy, Terracotta Tile, & Plum Pudding; Corner Chomper

Eggstra Special Thank You

To understand the sentiment behind this card, you need to know something about me. I love deviled eggs. I mean I love deviled eggs! They are my second favorite food--after chocolate-covered strawberries. :-) And I have a friend, Sheryl, who makes the best deviled eggs in the world. And when she makes them--for a get together, a party, a picnic, a potluck--she always makes extra for me to take home. How sweet is that? Well, I wanted to make her a thank you, so I bought a gift card from Vons, and made this little card to house it. I could not resist using Verve's "eggy" stamps, and the chicken-themed paper from Melissa Francis. I fashioned the simple gift card pocket with ScorTape and wrote a thank you note on the top portion of the inside. She liked it!

Supplies
Stamps: Verve--Chicks Rule & Egg-stra Special
Paper: PTI--Lemon Tart; Melissa Francis--Kitschy Kitchen
Ink: Memento--Tuxedo Black; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Misc.: Die--Spellbinders Labels 8; Flowers--stash; Copics--Y00, Y32, YR00, YR12; Ribbon--Ellen Hutson