One Crazy Week

I have a quick card to share with you today. It's one I made awhile back because I haven't made anything this week. Our sweet little 5lb. Yorkie, Maddie had a seizure on Monday, and we've pretty much been on dog duty this week testing medicine. It was a really bad seizure, but we are hoping the medicine will work. However right now it's too strong and she is like a little deer trying to learn how to walk. Since Chase and I don't have kids, Maddie is our kiddo. So it's been a rough week.

So here's the card!

 

 1. Make card from cardstock, adhere rub-on.
2. Punch border and adhere to card.
3. Stamp sentiment on cardstock and adhere with foam tape.
4. Cut heart from cardstock and adhere with foam tape.
5. Tie bow.

Rub On: (Out on a Limb, Antique White) Hambly
Stamps: (Key to My Heart) Practicing Creativity
Ink: (Onyx Black) VersaFine
Cardstock: (Innocent Pink) Gina K, (Hibiscus Burst) Papertrey Ink
Ribbon: (Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink
Punch: (Starburst Border) Fiskars

And I know this card is way way way too pink for me. But I kind of like it... (shhh..). Thanks for stopping by!

Practicing Creativity January Sneak Peek

Happy 2011! It's so hard to believe, but this release marks our one year anniversary! What a journey it has been so far. Thank you all for your support and encouragement with our first year. It really means so much.

And speaking of firsts, today the design team and I are showing off some cards from our very first stamp set, Key to My Heart.

These keys have a very special place in my heart. I always love breaking this set out and of course it's perfect for Valentine's Day next month.

And check out these super cute cards:

 

Karen 

 

 Paulina

Dana

Today we've hidden a phrase on our blogs to help you guess our next stamp set. I'm starting with:

HAPPY

Go visit Paulina , Dana, and Karen to complete the phrase. Come back here and leave a comment or just leave a guess and I'll pick one person to win BOTH sets we are releasing this month! We'll be back tomorrow to start the real fun! Thanks for stopping by!

Cards for St. Jude + Keys.

Tomorrow I'm teaching a card making class at my local scrapbook store, I'm working on finalizing the next PCD stamp set (woo hoo), and next week I'm leaving for CHA (more on that later). I had set a goal of ten cards to send to Winter for her card drive. I'm really not a fan of mass producing, so I knew ten would be a good goal (especially from a girl that STILL does not own one (seriously) kids stamp set). Tonight I knew I needed to get the cards done and sent!

I decided to create something close to a one layer card, and I ended up making a large sentiment and printing of several. Here's what I came up with:

I create the background by just grouping my stamps together and stamping over and over, occasionally flipping. Here's how they looked on my block.

On a side note, Julie told me about cleaning my blocks with a magic eraser! Works like a charm. That cloudy film all gone!  Thanks for all of your tips. I'm going to try some others as well.

Next I just punched the bottom and added an accent color. Pretty easy.

If you are interested in the Happy Valentine's Day file, just email me and I'll send over the file after my class tomorrow night.

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I'm working on next month's stamp set and I'm so excited. I'm loving it! While you're waiting for the next one, don't forget about Key to My Heart!

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I'm leaving for CHA next week! What all do you want me to find out? I'll be blogging and taking my camera along for the fun! If there are some certain brands you want me to check in on, let me know!

The obsession continues ... argyle.

Well, I just can get enough argyle. Really I seriously love the stuff, but actually this card started when I wanted to use this amazing ribbon. I've had it for over a month now, and I've been completely unable to use it. However, as I have a rule that I can't buy until I use ribbon ... I'm finally breaking it out.

Back to the argyle. I stamped several roles of black diamonds on naturals ivory cardstock, then I used my text style set and stamped vintage cream over it. I honestly meant to use vintage cream cardstock, but apparently my filing system isn't 100% fool proof. In the end I like the different shades of cream. You know me I love my neautrals!

And of course I have to keep using my favorite key. I just love it hanging sideways.

So that brings me to a questions. How do you clean your acrylic blocks? My largest one has this gross film on it. I've cleaned it every way I know how and it just isn't a clear as I need! Help!

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I've started to see some cards made with Key to My Heart out in blogland! So exciting. See Julie's card here. Isn't it cute?

And you can purchase your own set here!

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Don't forget about Winter's St. Jude card drive! You have the rest of the month to send her cards! I know she has started to receive cards already. As a girl that has recently stepped out there to do something new, it certainly helps confirm what you are doing when you have others participate!

Key to My Heart Argyle

If  you haven't seen the big reveal of the stamp set you can find Key to My Heart here.  Or scroll down to see the post from last night!
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Guys I love, love, LOVE argyle. I wanted to show you a few tricks with the argyle pattern stamp.

First stamp the solid diamond pattern. It's much easier if you use an acrylic block with lines. Just line up the points and stamp.

Next, use the outline diamonds and stamp over the pattern. Again, I find it much easier to use an acrylic block with lines. You want to make sure your stamp is perfectly straight. Also, I like to stamp the line image so that it crosses in the non-stamped diamond the pattern creates (in the above that would be the white).

The other day you say another card I made with these stamps, and to add to the argyle I used the small little heart from this set (see it here). But don't limit yourself, you can add all kind of small stamps to add to the argyle pattern. Below I use a small polka dot to add to the design.

I also wanted to show you another cool pattern you can make with the line stamps.

 

Just fit it into each other over and over. And check out this card I made with the same pattern.

Don't you love that? I think it's just a fun design.

Now I have to show you Heather Jensen's card. Heather was the winner of a Key to My Heart back when I announced my stamp set back in January! And check out her argyle! Isn't it so cute?

Thank you to all of you who have already purchased Key to My Heart! If you are interested in purchasing the first set you can find it over at the shop.

Lastly, I've got a flickr group set up for Practicing Creativity Designs. I would love, love, love to see the card you make with the set! You can find the group here.

Key to My Heart

So excited to type this post! I hope you are as well! And here it is...

Key to My Heart is a 4x6 set with 14 high quality photopolymer stamps. This set is perfect for Valentine's day but versatile enough to use all-year round!

The large key measures 2.5" x 1.5". The smallest key measures 1.75" x 3/4". The argyle pattered stamps measure 2.5" x 1".

Did I mention it's only $12.99? 


Purchase the stamp over at the shop HERE.

And a huge thank you to all of you that have been so supportive as I start this new adventure! I can't say that enough.

Key to My Heart Release Day 4

Hey friends, well tonight is the night. Key to My Heart will be available at midnight eastern time tonight. Are you all excited? I know I am. Also, today is the last day to comment to be in the random drawing for two sets of Key to My Heart! I'll post the big winner tonight at 10 eastern time.

But today I've got another card to show you and then a few cards from some of my very first blog friends.

Still in love with that key and that sentiment. And notice that little scroll line... that's from the set too!

And now some of my very dear friends have been playing with the set. Make sure you check out their blogs to see these cards and more:

  

 

  

Lynnette
Kelley  
Winter
Ann

Just click on any of the links above to go check out these cards in more detail and more!

Thank you all again for your kind words and support! It really makes a girl's day and calms some of the nerves!

Now I'm counting down the hours until midnight!

Key to My Heart Release Day 3

Wow just two more days until you can purchase Key to My Heart. It seems like just yesterday I decided I was really going to try to do this! Actually after a year of always saying to Chase "What I'd really like to try is designing my own stamps" I read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller and decided that living a better story would involve me following those dreams. After six weeks worth of design classes at a local college (during week four I almost decided it was too much), learning to work with local stores, manufacturers, paypal, taxes, shipping, etc. etc. etc. I can now say that I have done what I really wanted to do. And hopefully something I'll get to continue to do.

But let's get back to Key to My Heart. Another part of this set that I just love is the two background stamps that I included. They are basically 100% made for me because I adore argyle. really I couldn't not make these. I'm actually really looking forward to using them for a manly card. But here's a Valentine's Day card I made with them and the smallest heart:

Isn't it sweet?

Thanks for stopping by, and if you missed the past two days just scroll down and catch up on the fun! For all comments between now and January 5th at 10 pm eastern, I will give one commenter TWO sets of my new stamp set. One for you and one to giveaway!

Also, if you are interested in the blinkie you can get it from my sidebar. Thank you again to all of you that have already added it to your blogs.

Lastly, for those of you that are interested in purchasing on the 6th I wanted to let you know that shipping for this set in the continental US will be $3.00 and $5 for Canada.

Be sure to check back tomorrow to see some of my friends cards using the set!

Key to My Heart Day 2

I loved seeing so many of your guesses yesterday. Many of you were correct with the keys, but my favorite comments were those of you that thought I had done a distressed background image! I got a good chuckle out of that, and then worried how many others turned away and thought that was the stamp set! Ha.

Now for the real fun.

This first card is just a simple card I made, but it showcases one of the keys and one of my favorite sentiments. I just think it's sweet, but of course I'm biased! 

 

This next card has another one of the keys along with one of the background stamps (you can just barely see it on the black cardstock). I have a hard time deciding on my favorite key, but I think my favorite key you won't see until tomorrow!

I did want to show you how I made the pattered paper piece. The pictures above just really don't show it off. First of all the torn edges are really torn out and I think give it some fun dimension. First I started of with some scrap cardstock and 5 pieces of pattered paper.

Isn't that paper pretty? Next up I tore one edge on each piece except the bottom piece. Also, did you know you can guide the rip? If you are tearing with your left hand use your right thumb to keep the rip going the direction you want by placing it right where you want the rip to go. I think it really helps when you are working with thick paper.

After that's done I just roll the paper on a pencil or pen to make it curl out and glue the top edge!

Thanks for stopping by, and if you missed yesterday's post, I will be releasing Key to My Heart on January 6th and for all comments between now and January 5th at 10 pm eastern, I will give one commenter TWO sets of my new stamp set. One for you and one to giveaway!

Also, if you are interested in the blinkie you can get it from that post as well here. For all of that posted it yesterday seriously THANK YOU. I wish I could give so many of you big hugs. I can't tell you how much your support means!