Fan Mail

Happy Thursday!  I spent a little time in my craft room today while trying to encourage my extremely sleepy, crabby DGD that she really DID need to take a nap!  Finally, we have success!  Anyway, I really wish I could say I loved this card, but it’s not one of my favs…..but it will be good for a guy card—they really aren’t picky, are they??  It fulfills several challenges:

• WT317 at SCS:  Decorative scissors; I used an older pair of SU scallop scissors—I’ve held on to them all these years!
• PPA87:  A color challenge of Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight and Pear Pizzazz:

• CCMC145:  A sketch challenge, which I turned on its side:

• and The Kraft Journal theme challenge 13:  Spring Cleaning

So here’s my card:

I used an image from Puns from the Past…..as far as spring cleaning, I always remember getting the fans out from the attic and having to dust all those slats….ick.  But if you didn’t, you’d be showered with a blast of dirt & grime the first time you turned it on!!  I am thinking I should have made a card with the brighter Daffodil Delight so that it wouldn’t have been so dreary---that’s about how it feels outside today.  I am SO ready for some sunshiny weather!!!  Anyway, thanks for visiting!

• Stamps: Puns from the Past, Bring on the Cake (inside)
• Paper:  Crumb Cake, WW, Daffodil Delight, Pawsitively Prints DP, Basic Black, Pear Pizzazz
• Ink:  Stazon, Pear Pizzazz
• Acc:  Scallop Scissors, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Brads, Seam Binding, Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals

CTD136 & MFTWSC14

I just had to take a peek at today’s Color Throwdown colors, ‘cuz I missed them so much!  Here are Laura’s colors:

and I paired them up with the MFT sketch for this week:

I just bought the PI Beach Bum set because my DGD’s birthday is in August and I thought it would be cute for her, but I couldn’t wait that long to play with it!  The colors seemed beachy to me, too!  Here ya go:

I also used some CC Salt Air paper , a little beachy border punch, some sparkly twill, a few little pearls and pleated seam binding for my creation!  There’s also some DD glitter on the “sand” too, but you can’t see it here. :(

Fun sketch, fun card!  DGD is fighting her first cold, poor thing, and although her mood is fine, she is taking a much longer nap today---so I had more stamping time!  Thanks for stopping by today!

• Stamps:  Beach Bum, PI
• Paper:  Crumb Cake, Shimmery White, Basic Black, Soft Sky, Salt Air by CC
• Ink:  Memento, Crumb Cake, Craft White
• Acc:  Beach Punch, Nesties, Pearls, Twill, Seam Binding, Copics, Dimensionals, DD Glitter, Jelly Roll Pen, Scallop Circle Punch (for clouds) 

ColourQ79 & JUGS78

It’s Tuesday, and that means ColourQ!  Arielle has challenged us with this delightfully fresh color combo today:

I wish I had cute little legs so I could wear this pretty outfit!! LOL!  But I have to satisfy my desire with making a card!  We have a close friend from church who is struggling with breast cancer, so I combined the colors with SU’s new Strength & Hope and Four Frames sets to make a card for her.  They are both beautiful sets, but SU will be donating $2 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for every Strength & Hope set that’s sold…another great reason to add it to your collection.  Anyway, I used the JUGS sketch 78:

and here is my card:

I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the sentiment block on the circular panel, inking it in Melon Mambo and stamping once on my scrap paper so the color would be lighter.  The butterfly was stamped in Melon Mambo also, cut out, then smooshed into a Versamark pad and heat embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder:

I just LOVE these colors together---this will be one of my favorites for sure!  I even used a few leftover flowers to adorn the inside of my card as well:

I sure hope you’ll be able to play along with them too; why don’t you flutter on over to the ColourQ blog to see what the other courtiers have come up with?  And share your creation as well!

• Stamps:  Strength & Hope, Four Frames, Ribbon of Hope, Thoughts & Prayers
• Paper:  WW, Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Whisper White, Night & Day and Old Olive Patterns DP
• Ink:  Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Versamark, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink
• Acc:  Nesties, Grosgrain Ribbon, Pompom Trim, Itty Bitty Punch Pack, Decorative Label Punch, Iridescent Ice EP, Rhinestones, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch

Look at these sweet little feet:

A La Card Monkey

Happy Monday! I got an invitation to a new challenge blog called A La Card Monkey! There's a name for you! They have a lovely first challenge featuring nature, with this sweet little photo:
I know the design team used some of these same stamps for their samples, but I took it a step further and used the same colors of the inspiration photo of Almost Amethyst and Old Olive. And I apologize; my computer keyboard died, so I am forced to use Blogger on my laptop instead of LiveWriter for my posts. (Don't ask me how much I dislike Blogger!) So my posts may not be quite the same-- please bear with me until I get my issue resolved! So here is my creation:

I used some BG paper from the Wisteria line, stamped with some images from Nature Walk; the new Four Frames stamp set along with a retired sentiment, and some shabby seam binding I dyed Old Olive. A sweet little touch is the tiny dragonfly charm! I found it at a yard sale and this seemed like the perfect time to use it. I made a "frame" for my image using the Decorative Label punch on some Old Olive Patterns paper and cutting it in half, separating it, and attaching it behind the image.

The final touch was a little shabby flower. Hope you like it! Be sure to come back tomorrow for the ColourQ!!

• Stamps: Four Frames, Nature Walk, Inspired by Nature, Small Sayings
• Paper: Confetti White, Almost Amethyst, Old Olive Patterns DP, BG Wisteria
• Ink: Almost Amethyst, Old Olive, Elegant Eggplant
• Acc: Decorative Label, Eyelet Border & Boho Blossoms Punches, Seam Binding, Brad, Charm

Paper Players Theme Challenge 41

Happy Sunday! Today is my turn to be the hostess at the Paper Players, and our theme challenge is “Recycling”!

We want to see something recycled or repurposed on your creation! This is one time where it’s okay to go digging in your trash! I got the idea for this challenge while on vacation….I was trying on some jeans in a department store and this tag was left behind:

Even though there was still a staple in it, I loved the colors; the “laugh” was a perfect Peach Parfait! Into my luggage it went, making the flight home from Puerto Rico and waiting on my desk to be added to a card! So here we go:

I used several “repurposed” items on my card besides my tag:

the flower is diecut from a soda pop can; did you know that SU’s Bigz dies can cut through them like butter? Fun! Edited to add: Queen Mary asked if the edges are sharp when these are cut using the die; the aluminum is surprisingly soft when you cut the can open, but the edges are a little sharp but not razor sharp; it would take a bit of pressure to cut your skin, but if you're careful, you'll be fine. I would not hesitate to send this card out.

My hearts are from some corrugated packaging; the buttons are from my grandmother’s button tin, and the twill is from a package of place mats that I got at Big Lots!!!! The background of my card was stamped with various SU sentiments and images, creating a collage effect that I just love!!!

I hope you’ll put on your recycling thinking cap and create a treasure that you’ll share with us at the Paper Players blog! We can’t wait to see it!

• Stamps: Three Little Words, A to Z, Always, Warm Words, On Your Birthday, Defining Alphabet, Lovely Letters, Simply Said
• Paper: Peach Parfait, Basic Black
• Ink: Basic Gray, Silver Encore, Peach Parfait
• Acc: Curly Label Punch, Twill Ribbon, Large & 3-Heart Punches, Fun Flower Diecut; Glimmer Brad, buttons, floss, twill, non-SU silver bling, dimensionals

Scraps to Cards

Am I the only one who has piles of scraps laying on her table??  I collect these little bits and pieces of previously stamped images and then they just sit there.  I finally went through my pile yesterday and made three CAS cards, each using at least two of my scraps!  Woohoo!

The first used a Crafty Secrets image and a panel of Basic Black that I had zigzagged around the edges:

I colored her in very quickly, “vintaged” up the paper a bit, added a sentiment from the same set and found a button that matched my paper!

The second used a retired SU Thanksgiving image that I had watercolored and I even had the brads already on it! 

The background panel was a CHF backgrounder image already mounted, so I put them all together on an Always Artichoke card, added a sentiment and it was done! 

The third one will be my Christmas card for the week, a little early!  I had this sentiment and image stamped for a stamp camp I did a couple years ago; the branch is stamped in Versamark and embossed with Iridescent Ice:

I already had the poinsettia panel embossed, and I even had the ribbon already tied!  I added some Always Artichoke DP, made an AA card and quick as a snowflake, it was done too!  What a productive afternoon!  Any questions, just shoot me an email!  And be sure to come back tomorrow when I am the hostess for the Paper Players with a fun new challenge!

Special Thank Yous

I received a couple of very special gifts and thought some thank you cards were in order!  The cards use a couple of new sets from MTME and I am in love with them!  I also used some new Cosmo Cricket and My Minds Eye papers---happy, happy!  Anyway, here is the first, which has a vintage feel:

The seam binding is “captured” by a glimmer brad—very pretty IRL!  And here is the second, which has a totally different feel, even though I used similar elements:

Both are pretty clean & simple, both use crinkly seam binding and both use an outline, floral image and sentiment!  I just love how the button from my old button tin mimics the swirly pattern in the CC paper!  For any details on these cards, just email me!

This is what we woke up to at 6:30 am:

BIG snowflakes---it stopped for a while, but it’s snowing again!  I could only wish it was an April Fool’s joke!  Thanks for visiting today---I hope it’s warmer in your neck of the woods!