Before Rubber Stamping

Hidden Treasures (pronounced tray-zures, like my dad says) in my closet.

Okay, I was rummaging through my craft closet the other day and came across my oldest daughter's first birthday invitation. I have to chuckle. I think I made at least 12 of these: strung the beads, cut out the pigs and fence, put backing on the fabic pants and cut them out (pants matched the dress she wore for her birthday), hand wrote each poem (maybe my printer was broken?), etc. It must have taken me at least five hours. Crazy! SOOOO glad I've found rubber stamping to streamline the card-making process.

And running across this old card made me remember a card that I had made before the piggy invite that I had forgotten about. It's a thank you card for my friends for letting me stay at their house while passing through the state of Idaho before I moved here. This one probably took two hours or more. And when you open the card up, it says "Spanks. Spanks a lot." I don't know how I cut all those pieces so well. It makes me shudder thinking about the complexity of it all. (I don't have a cricut or anything like it...yet. Hopefully for one of my birthdays down the road. DH even agreed to it last night!)

Actually, maybe I will create a stamp set after this card. ....hum....

Birthday Invitations for my 2- and 4-year old

All of the birthdays in our little family of four fall within five weeks of each other during the late summer. Courtney, who just turned two, wanted a princess party. And Mia, who will soon be four, wanted a My Little Pony party. Because I didn't have the right stamps, I just did a little graphic design for the focal image on each invitation. Add a little bling, and here you go. And Mia's My Little Pony (original design just for her) has her name written in the big heart on the pony's rump and the number "4" on the crown. The inside of the invitations may be hard to read, but they definitely add the final touch.

Tickled Pink Baby Shower Invite

My baby sister, Marni, is having her first child in the beginning of July. (I'm still trying to figure out how she grew up so fast.) She loves pink, and she's having a girl, so I created this cute little invitation to send out for her baby shower.

Stamp Sets: Very Punny, Delight in Life

Cardstock: Pink Passion, Gable Green, Basic Black, Pixie Pink, Whisper White

Inks: Pixie Pink, Basic Black, Green Galore

Accessories: Round Tab Punch, White Gel Pen, Aquapainter, Organdy Ribbon