Friday, February 26, 2010

Good morning.  Yeah another week coming to an end. Yippee! So do you have any big plans for the weekend?  We have a very quiet weekend planned.  I currently have 3 books on my nightstand that I plan on digging into.  I finally got The Shack so I think that is what I will be reading this weekend.  I will let you know what I think.  I've heard mixed reviews on it but I never go by the reviews.  I will draw my own conclusion.

So I have made another sympathy card and I must give credit to the original designer as I totally cased this card.  It's in the recent special edition of Paper Crafts mag- Stamp it! Cards, page 86.  This card was designed by Ashley Newell and I just loved it!! I changed up the cardstock colors to play along with a challenge.  I also used a different stamp set but comparable.  I used my newest stamp set from Stampin Up called Vintage Vogue. This set is awesome.

Isn't this a great layout! I wish I had come up with it, haha. Ashley's card is just so pretty.

I am playing along with this weeks Tuesday Morning Sketches.  Mel changed things up this week and went with a color challenge.  The colors are Always Apricot, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla.

I love the flowers in this set- so pretty. I stamped them with Stampin Up Soft Suede ink and accented with the half pearls. The leaves are from Martha Stewart- it's a punch, stamp combo set and I love it!  I don't normally case cards I see in magazines but I just loved everything about this one.

Well I hope you have a great weekend and can fit in a little card making!
Take care,

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Good morning y'all!  I have been in card maker heaven this week.  I love when I can fit time it to make at least 1 card.  Yesterday while blog hopping I decided to visit Moxie World for this weeks Tuesday Trigger.  I have never played along before but decided to this week and it was very inspirational.  So how many of you buy every cardmaking magazine out there but never try the features?  I have tried numerous techniques but have never cased a card...until today.  The Tuesday Trigger featured this card from Stamp It! Cards magazine by PaperCrafts made by Kim Crawford.

Now here is my take on the card.  I switched the kraft to the base and used the black to highlight my yellow dp.  The whole card is much brighter in real life.  I think my next purchase is going to be a light box.  This has been the longest, darkest winter ever and I just can't get good lighting!

Here is my 2nd card- I made two because I just loved the outcome and you can never have too many thank you cards.

Supplies used: Cardstock in kraft, black by Stampin Up, DP by K&Co., ribbon, buttons, pearls and the black you see in my buttons is actually black wire for jewelry making. It's very pliable and much bolder than just using embroidery floss.  My sentiment stamps are from Stampin Up's Vintage Vogue set.  I just got this set on Monday and I love it!!

Join me tomorrow for another cased card from this issue of Stamp It.  It will also feature stamps from the Vintage Vogue set.

Have a great day & see you tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Good Morning.  I'm really wishing I could stay home today.  Do you ever just get tired of the daily grind?  I don't know what is wrong with me but I only last 4-5 years at a job and then I find myself bored to tears.  I think I must have ADD.  The one saving grace is book club is today.  There is a small group of us at work (13) that meet once a month.  This months book was The Alchemist. It was an interesting little book.  I think I will go back and read again a little more leisurely.  It has alot of good messages in it about finding your real calling.  I think that is my problem- I haven't found my true calling yet. Hmm.

Ok on to todays card.  This was such  a fun little card to make and it covers several challenges.  I will list the challenges at the bottom of the post.  My image today is from Michelle Perkett and is called Queen of Hearts Birthday Girl- and yes it is a birthday card.  I think it will make some little girl happy!

Isn't she the cutest! This is such a fun image.  I used both bazzil and stampin up cardstock and various dp, however, I don't know who it's by.  I used my heart corner punch from Stampin Up on my top corners.  It' hard to see all the layers in this photo but there are 2 cardstock layers and then the dp.  My sentiment is computer generated.

Now on to the challenges.

Friday Sketchers- provided the sketch

Fuzzy & Fancy Fridays- want to be dazzled.  To see the dazzle you will have to click the image to enlarge- I used shimmerz on her crown and wand and ruby red stickles on the bow of her dress.

Copic Creations-this weeks challenge is to color embellishments with copic. I colored the crocheted flower-it was originally a very pale pink and I also colored the pearls- they were white and I colored them begonia pink- #RV14.

Etsy Inspired Challenge- these challenges are always so much fun and feature some pretty awesome etsy shops. This weeks shop is Enchanted Beehive.  They feature some really pretty soaps and pendants. My inspirations came from these 2 items- 1 for the heart and the other for color. I think my pink heart ribbon is a great take on this heart soap. 

There you have it -1 card and 4 challenges. Hope you enjoy your day and may you find time for whatever calls to you!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Good Monday morning to you all! Well we survived the weekend but it was rough.  Saturday night was Jordan's 7th birthday party and we let him have a sleep over this year.  He's been wanting a sleep over since kindergarden.  We had 4 guests- he wanted to invite 7, I wanted to invite 2, lol, so we compromised.  Five boys- 5 very rambunctious boys.  I swear they are worse then girls.   They are all very competitive and very argumentative.

All in all I think it went pretty well. We did pizza, cake, games and a Star Wars movie.  They are all into Star Wars.  We only had to take 1 child home at 11:00 but the rest made it through the night.  Not too bad considering it was a first for the most of them. They were up by 6:30 and we had a big pancake breakfast, more game time on the WII and then everyone was picked up and gone by 10:00...whew!

My card today is for the weekly edition of Sunshine Mondays where the team features a card made with an image from Sunshine & Giggles stamps.  I decided to do a male themed card this week and used the Angus the Golfer image.  I got my inspiration from this weeks sketch challenge at Midnight Madness.

Here is the sketch:

And here is what I came up with:

My card base is in black card stock the background green houndstooth is by Making Memories.  The green checked paper is Basis Grey from the Origins collection, my new favorite!!  I did a little sewing, accented with the golf stickers by Creative Imaginations, my other green & black corner accents are by Recollections.

Be sure to check and see what the other dt members have come up with to make your day sunny!  They are listed on my sidebar.

Giggles,

Sunday, Frebruary 21, 2010

This is a super fast post- I need to get this entered for this weeks Tuesday Morning Sketches.  They provided a great sketch this week and I had this card envisioned since Tuesday and finally got it done.
My image is from Sugar Creek Hollow and although the image was size rather small it is very legible in person.

My background dp is from Basis Grey origins and though it already has a distressed look and did a little additional distressing and sewed the edges. The note paper is from a fabulous pad I picked up at Michaels and I don't know the name but I love it!  I distressed this too and also sewed along the edges.  My image is printed in brown ink on champagne paper and was lightly accented with color pencils. I used a bit gem brad on my ribbon and my new bow easy.  I have to admit it took me numerous attempts to figure out the bow easy but now I love it.

I was trying for a very vintage look for this card and think I've achieved it!

See you tomorrow for Sunshine Monday!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Good morning.  I have a really quick post for you this morning.  We again have no school today due to inclement weather.  I swear I have seen more snow in TN this winter than I have seen in the last 15 years combined.  Time to move further south, hehe.

My card today covers no challenge- a first.  Jordan wanted me to share his really cool birthday invitations.  He picked everything out- the image on the front of the card and all the colors.  I myself would have selected bolder colors-something that popped but they are his.

His party this year is a sleep over and is Star Wars themed. He found the movie poster on the front of his card on the internet. It just amazes me what 6 year olds can do on the computer.  Won't be long & his skill will pass mine, lol.

I used my cricket for the blast and shadowed in silver paper- it does pop a little in real life.  Jordan wanted the sentiment in silver and the only bling he wanted was the stars and he told me where they had to go.

For the inside of my card I used a microsoft template and the Star Wars font and Jordan selected the frame colors.

I added just a brief little itinerary on the lef hand side - and if you read that page first the card reads

You're invited to....a galaxy far, far away.  Jordan though that was kinda dorky but I thought it was fun, lol.

A very quick, easy card to put together.

Have a great day....and may the force be with you.

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge 40

My 2nd posting of the day...I know very unusual. This is a quick post and then I am off to make Jordan's birthday party invitations.  I was ready to get started on them this morning only to discover I was out of color ink.  He found a very cool movie poster for his invites- Star Wars theme- so you know it will suck up the ink.

My card is for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge and you all know I love their sketches.  I've made a sympathy card for this sketch so I have kept it rather simplistic- by MM standards. So it is kind of in between the 2 sketches they provided.

The photos aren't the best because it was such a dark, dreary day here-goes well with the sentiment, though.  I actually made 3 of these cards yesterday.  I made them for 3 of my cousins whose mother passed away last week.  My aunt was 80 so she had a very good run but she will be greatly missed.  I hadn't seen her in 10yrs, the last time at my wedding actually, but she was always my favorite.  I spent a summer with her when I was in college.  I grew up in a small town and jobs were scarce so she found me and a girlfriend a summer job in her company- the department of tourism for the state of Oklahoma. I will always cherish the memories of that summer- we had a blast!

Ok back to the card- the sentiment is computer generated, the beautiful cross is a digital image from Sugar Creek Hollow and if you haven't visited them you need to. They have some beautiful images! Tracy's has done an outstanding job with her site and it is just beautiful.  I printed the image on cream colored card stock and then embossed the cross with black embossing powder. (very hard to tell in these pictures).  My dp is from the Basic Grey Origins collection- this is my new favorite for basic grey!  I've embellished with ivory colored lace, black ribbon and the white pearls.

Ok that is it for today. I will be back tomorrow with some really cool Star Wars birthday invitations. haha

Monday, February 15, 2010

Good Morning.  I am getting a very late start today- technical difficulties you know, hehe.  I am off today and am very fortunate as we got more snow last night, ugh!  I think I've seen more snow this winter than I have in the entire 15 years I've lived in TN.  We only have a dusting, however, it is covering ice.  At 6:00 this morning there were 102 accidents in the metro Nashville area!! So glad I am home today.

My card today is for the weekly edition of Sunshine Mondays, where we feature an image by Sunshine & Giggles stamps.  Today's card features a new image that is being released later today.  The image is called Lucky Charm and I have made a good luck card using the sketch challenge from Sketch Saturday.  I just loved this weeks sketch and this card came together very quickly.

I just got the new Basic Grey Origins pad on Friday and I think I've gone through 1/2 of it already. I just love this paper.  This card looks much brighter in person but I think you can see the beautiful greens in it.  I just love this little image.  Hope that doggie plays nice with the poor little leprechaun, haha.  I picked up the little shamrocks at Party City and the only other embellie is my little gold rhinestones.

I will be back later with a card I made for the Midnight Madness challenge.

Be sure to check out what the other dt members have in store for you think.  You can find their links on my

sidebar.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Good morning! I hope you all had a good weekend and survived the Super Bowl.  I watched up until half time and then had to get to work on todays card.  I had an unexpected long weekend being off on Friday and still only made it into my scraproom last night.

Jordan was home sick on Friday which means I had to call in.  Greg & I take turns and, thankfully, it doesn't happen often.  Poor little guy inherited my sinus problems.  I spent all day reading my latest book purchase and finished it Saturday morning.  The book was The Help and if you haven't read it I strongly recommend it.  That was the first time in a very long time that I spent the entire day curled up with a book and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it!  Saturday afternoon I went to a Stampin Up card party and I will be back tomorrow with my make & takes- we made 10 cards- 2 of each design.

Ok on to todays card which is for Sunshine Monday.  I have made another Valentine card, this one for Jordan to send to Nana & Papa and used the image Love Soars. 

I must say I really love this little image and is perfect for Nana & Papa!  My cardstock is Stampin Up and my dp is from Reminisce- it is double side- with the stripes and phrases. I used my nestie for the scalloped circle and my cricut for my heart charm and tag- it's from the Fabulous Finds cartridge.  I used pink flocks on my heart and brown embossing power on the heart outline and accented with a half pearl.  I found a wonderful tutorial somewhere on how to create clouds on your paper and it worked so easily!!  I found it on someone's blog but can't remember whose but I know you can probably find it on You Tube.

Jordan has the card all ready for me to mail and included a print out of a picture of a toy he wants for his birthday- it's on the 18th.  Children are so subtle, haha. If Greg knew he would be disgusted but my mother, I am sure, will be amused.

There is still time to get this image or any of the other Valentine images offered- that's one of the beauties of digital- just head on over to Sunshine & Giggles.  We currently have blog candy being offered too! It's open to ALL bloggers and is in honor of the One World One Heart bloghop.  If you are not familiar with OWOH you can find all the details there.  It is so much fun- so far I have visited 200 of the over 1000 blogs that have entered and the talent out there is just incredible- talent from every genre imaginable.

Ok- this is getting quite lengthy- now I need to cover the challenges

Sketch Saturday - provided the awesome sketch for my card

Stamp Something- Love Somethings

Stampin for the Weekend- Valentine Themed

Be sure to check out the Sunshine & Giggles design team to see their wonderful creations.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Good morning. How is your week going. We have here another day of no school.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was closed again tomorrow with the snow & ice we still have on the roads.  I wish I could use this excuse to stay home but Jordie is off to daycare.

My card I have for you today is for 3 challenges and has a couple of first trys to it- for me.  Charisma Cards Challenge this week is white on white so I thought I would give it a go. This is my first white on white card. I just love the look of an all white card. I have used the sketch from Mojo Monday, which are always great to work with.

I have used a sheet of white parchment paper over my card base that I've had in my stash forever.  In my 1st trial I had embossed the parchment paper but it was just to fine to handle the embossing.

My 2nd new technique is my butterflies. I must say I am quite pleased with the outcome and they were super easy to make.  I found the technique in the lates issue of Paper Crafts Stamp It Cards.  My butterfly stamps are from the Lockhart Stamp Co (love their stamps) and were 1st water marked on a transparency and then embossed with Sea Foam White embossing power.  I then attached my transparencies to a sheet of very pale blue parchment paper (that came with the white I've had for years!) and cut them out.  They give the card just the right amount of pop, I think.

The 3rd challenge I am covering is Cute Card Thursday which this week is Blooming Gorgeous.  Now I know my card only has 1 flower but is it not gorgeous!! I loved these Alabaster flowers from Prima.

Well there you have it and now I am off to work.

Enjoy your day!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Happy Monday morning to ya'll!  Well another day of no school here in middle TN.  I so want to call in this morning but I don't think it will go over real big with the powers to be.  They really take their jobs much to seriously, haha.  The roads are still a mess but I guess I will head in- pray for me. (I'm not kidding- these drivers scare me!)  Friday I left work as soon as I saw the 1st snow flake. A few hours after I got home there was a 12 car pile up on the interstate not too far from my exit! It makes me so nervous!

Today for Sunshine Monday I have made a little valentine card for my funny little valentine, Jordan.  I made it as masculine as I could, haha.  Nothing to girlie cuz girlie stuff is yuck!

My inspiration today came from the sketch over at this weeks Stampin for the Weekend challenge.

I love a card with lots of layers and this sketch definitely provided that.  Todays image from Sunshine & Giggles is called Puppy Love- a perfect image for a masculine (boy) card.

For my base I have used black cardstock. The red paper with the black distressing is basic grey.  My x's and o's is by Little Yellow Bicycle and the word paper (which you can no longer read) is by BoBunny.  My sentiment is computer generated and my letter J sticker (you know how kids love personalized stuff, haha) is by Creative Imaginations.  I used a paw punch that I purchased a few years back and found today still in its package.  I knew I would get around to using it one day.

Here is a close up view of my little puppies.

I am also entering the challenge at A Spoon Full of Sugar which this week is a free style theme and the Cupcake Crafts Challenge which is 4 legged friends.

Be sure to visit the design teams blog to see what giggles they have in store for you today.

Jeanette   Tracy   Janet  Stef  Tenia

Hope you all have lots of Sunshine & giggles in your day today.