Bella Birds and Pretties

Here's a card I made recently for a friend. I've been really focussed on the Designer Series Paper this month because of the promotion.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp set: Fresh Cuts

Paper: Chocolate Chip and Bordering Blue card stock and Bella Birds Designer Series Paper

Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic and Versamark

Stampin’ Up! Accessories: 5-Petal and Boho Blossoms punches, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Chocolate Chip 5/8-inch grosgrain ribbon, glue dot, pearl from Pretties Kit

Always pocket card

I've combined two of my favorite things in this card: pocket cards and the Always stamp set. I like both because they're very versatile. I've used the pocket card for a birthday invitation and thank you note (I've still got one thank you note on my desk; maybe I'll post it, too), as well as for note cards like this or occasion cards (birthday, anniversary).

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: Always

Inks: Perfect and Pale Plum Classic

Papers: Whisper White, Perfect Plum and Pale Plum Card Stock

Accessories: ½-inch circle punch, 1/8-inch punch, Corner Rounder punch, Ticket Corner punch, Word Slot punch, Crop-a-Dile, Stampin’ Dimensional, Whisper White Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon, Sponge, Linen Thread

Thank you so much for looking!

Another challenge: Baroque Motifs in Purple!

This next challenge meant I had to work with scraps because I discovered that I'm out of my favorite purple card stock! The challenge also called for five circles. I hope you like this entry. I love this stamp set (Baroque Motifs) and I loved this challenge. In case they are difficult to see, the circles (requirements of the challenge) are the flowers, which are raised up on Dimensionals.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs

Inks: Lovely Lilac and Going Grey Classics

Papers: Whisper White, Lovely Lilac and Going Grey Card Stock

Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals and Whisper White Satin Ribbon

Thank you so much for looking!

My first challenge

So I've decided to take the plunge and enter in my first challenge. This challenge called for a card that followed a certain sketch:
Here's what I came up with...Stampin' Up! Supplies:


Stamp Sets: Best Wishes and More


Inks: Pumpkin Pie Classic


Papers: Whisper White, Bliss Blue, Pumpkin Pie and So Saffron Card Stock and Washington Apple Designer Series Paper


Accessories: Scallop Edge, Scallop Circle, Corner Rounder and 1/2-inch Circle punches, Button Latte, and So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon

I'm really excited about these challenges! They're so inspiring!

Thanks for looking!

Simple Cards

Here are some simple cards I made for my moms group to stamp. The group consists of new and experienced stampers, so I have to be sure that everyone is successful and enjoys their final products. I also love to throw in a technique or two. There are two major constraints on my planning, though. First, the projects have to be simple because we don't have a lot of time and my supplies of scissors, punches, stamps, inks, etc, are limited. I want all of the moms to have time to complete our project. No one wants to go home with something she couldn't finish. Second, we really have to watch our pennies. I have to look to things like sueded card stock as lower-cost embellishments.

These projects are also good make-and-take projects for workshops, because the aforementioned constraints apply there as well.

Dreams du Jour card:

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Dreams du Jour

Inks: Chocolate Chip Classic

Papers: Kraft, Night of Navy, Baja Breeze and Very Vanilla Card Stock

Accessories: Stampin' Pastels; paperclip; Linen Thread

Special Technique: Using a towel (I'm a weenie), I repeatedly crumpled and smoothed out the piece of Baja Breeze card stock until the layers started to want to peel. I gently peeled them apart, leaving me with two pieces of "sueded" card stock, which adds visual and textural interest (**Excellent for scrapbooks!**).

Love You flower punch card:

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Short & Sweet and Boho Backgrounds

Inks: Gable Green and Basic Black Classic

Papers: Gable Green, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White Card Stock

Accessories: 5-Petal Flower punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Whisper White 5/8-inch Satin Ribbon

Lovely as a Tree card:

I wrote about this card in an earlier post (see "Happy Birthday, Uncle Brian"). I love this design and can't wait to play with it! I made a few changes for this group:

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Lovely as a Tree; Fundamental Phrases

Inks: Chocolate Chip

Papers: Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, and Whisper White card stock

Accessories: Whisper White Grosgrain ribbon; Linen Thread; Sizzix Big Shot; Top Note Bigz Die; Handheld rectangle and 1/16-inch punches; Word Slot punch

Formal (First Communion) Projects

One of the reasons April was such an insanely busy month for us was that Jordan received her First Communion. What follows is the invitation, favor, and "Thank You" note.

Invitation:

Jordan was anxious to choose her color scheme; I got to design the rest...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Special Blessing, Simple Salutations

Inks: Whisper White Craft; VersaMark

Papers: Brocade Blue, Rose Red and Whisper White Card Stock

Accessories: Pretties Kit; Sizzix Big Shot; Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate; Round Tab punch

Favor Box:

Supplies:

Papers: Bashful Blue, Barely Banana and Whisper White Card Stock

Accessories: Sizzix Big Shot; Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate

*I word-processed the text and adhered the Whisper White to a tag cut out with my Cricut (Christmas Cheer cartridge). Then I ran the tags through with the Texturz Plate mentioned above.

"Thank You" note

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: Sincere Salutations and Elegant Thank You

Ink: VersaMark

Paper: Whisper White Card Stock

Accessories: Pretties Kit; 5/8-inch Whisper White satin ribbon; Sizzix Big Shot; Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate; Sizzlits 4-pack die: Stampin' Up! Birds and Blooms; Stampin' Dimensionals; Clear Detail Embossing Powder; Heat Tool; Designer Label punch

**This card was inspired by a white-only challenge posted on Splitcoast. I'll find the thread and give credit to the challenge creator (JuliaS?).

Thank you for looking!

May Newsletter!

I am taking comfort in the fact that there are 11 whole days remaining in the month of May. I just now finally sent out my May newsletter (did I miss you? Email me and I'll fire one off to you!)...


This month's issue focuses on May as National Scrapbook Month with a blurb on photography (most notably, the Rule of Thirds). What an interesting concept! If I get time today between loads of laundry and cleaning the kitchen, I think I'll play around with taking some pictures. If I have any luck, I'll post them here.


Anyhoo, let me know if you're interested in my newsletter and not yet receiving it.

Birthday Card for Mom

My mom's birthday was in April and I made this card back in mid-March. That's saying something, as I'm usually racing around at the last minute, sweating bullets because I can hear the postman's truck coming... The punchline is that *I LOST THE CARD* in my slovenly stamping area (I've been drooling over the pics of people's stamping areas, but that's another post). Back to Mom...

Here's the card I made (actually, re-made) to send for her birthday. Love you, Mom!Stampin' Up! Supplies:

• Stamp Sets: Fresh Cuts; Holiday Blitz
• Inks: Chocolate Chip; Bordering Blue; VersaMark
• Papers: Bordering Blue, So Saffron and Very Vanilla Card Stock; Bella Birds DSP
• Accessories: Chocolate chip 5/8-inch grosgrain; Linen Thread; Natural Hemp; Sizzix Big Shot; Petal Card Bigz Die; Distressing Tool from Cutter Kit; Scallop Edge punch; Button Latte

**A cute photo of my Crazy3 are inside of the Petal Card at the upper left**

Happy Birthday, Uncle Brian!

Here's a birthday card I made for Uncle Brian for his birthday. I CASEd the design from Mary Ellen Scheiber. I'm going to be futzing (sp?) with this one to see what else I can do with the base of this card...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

• Stamp Sets: Lovely as a Tree; Fundamental Phrases


• Inks: Chocolate Chip


• CS: Certainly Celery; Chocolate Chip; Very Vanilla


• Accessories: Vanilla grosgrain; Linen Thread; Sizzix Big Shot; Top Note Bigz Die; Handheld rectangle and 1/16-inch punches; Word Slot punch

Happy Birthday, Unc!

Thanks for looking, everyone!

Hannah Montana Birthday Party -- Cue "Girls Screaming..."

For Jordan's eighth birthday, she wanted to see the new Hannah Montana movie, which just so happened to open *on* her birthday. We rented the party room at the movie theatre, enjoyed cake and presents, and toured the projection room (which was a thrill for me, considering my past life).

Jordan was surprised to find out she'd be starting the film and then we joined her guests in our Rock Star (Reserved) seats. Awesome! The movie was cute, the music had the girls (even Anna) dancing in their seats and much fun was had by all... Being the nerd that I am, I was tickled by the symbolism of the butterfly in the movie (I'd used it as a focal point in her invitation and journal, which was one of the favors for each guest).


Here are the invitation, journal and "thank you" note:

Jordan's invitation:The "thank you" notes, which still sit on the dining room table, needing to be written:

All three of these are made with Sandylion scrapbook paper. The card stock is Stampin' Up! and it's Elegant Eggplant and Ruby Red. The grommet on the "thank you" note is from the Occasions Mini. The label holder on the invite is from the Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware (with the Design Label Punch).