Masculine Birthday

Catching up on all the Verve sketches I have missed due to the craziness of the past month, and this sketch was perfect for a birthday card I need to make for my brother.   Since it is a masculine card, this month's Diva Dare challenge of Stars and Stripes was perfect as well - double score :)

I love this Birthday To You Plain Jane as it makes such a wonderfully bold statement and fits perfectly into a few of the Banner Bundle dies.  Ii used the two largest for this card and added some brads down the side in keeping with the masculine theme -- plus I still have tons and would like to use them up LOL!

Some twine and a big star balance things out nicely and though you can't see it very well, the white background panel is embossed with the Seeing Spots embossing folder for some added texture.  Best part:  my brother loved it :)

Thanks for popping by today.  Another short week for us here which means packing five days into four and as long as I remember which day I'm on I'll be good LOL!



What's In It?
Stamps:  Birthday To You Plain Jane (Verve Stamps)  
Paper: Costco DP Pack, Black, Night of Navy 
Ink: Black 
Accessories:  Banner Bundle Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Seeing Spots Embossing Folder (Provo Craft), Star Die (Sizzix),  Twine, Brads, Button, 1/4" Black Satin Ribbon, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls Challenge #147

 
This week's JUGS inspiration challenge is brought to us by Vicki. I am just loving this colour combination!  So bold, dramatic and in your face type of combo.  Well, at least it is for me since I normally tend to stick to softer colours.  But then, that's what a challenge is for, right?!  Stretching us out of our comfort zone :)


My card is a based on Card Patterns last sketch they posted before their sketches will be no more.  I did change it up a bit but kept most of the elements.  The big circle was perfect for a focal sentiment, and I was happy to use my Stampin' Up butterfly die which hasn't seen some love in a while.  

The verse is one of my favorite verses, and I try to reflect on it often.  It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and the world we live in, neglecting the importance of just sitting still and grounding myself in the knowledge of who I am and what I believe in.  Making room this summer to just be still :)

The rest of the Design Team and our guest Designer Jen have some wonderful inspiration for you. Just head on over the the JUGS Blog to check them out.  Then, once you have created your card, simply add it to Mr. Linky and you could be the lucky winner of this week's JUGS badge :)  If you are using a public gallery, use keyword JUGS147.

Thanks so much for giving me a few minutes of your summer.  Trust you are enjoying yours as much as I am enjoying mine :)

 

What's In It?
Stamps: Psalm 46:10 Plain Jane (Verve)
Paper: Black, White, Real Red, Wild Wasabi
Ink: Black
Accessories:  Lacy Circle and Circle Nesties, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Flourish Die (MFT), Butterfly Die (Stampin' Up), 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Retro Sketch 14

This week's Retro Sketch is fabulous for a CAS card.  I took the sketch very literally - no need to ask me if I want to use a butterfly on a card LOL!  Bonus: it qualifies for this week's  Crazy for Challenges.

Found a great Recollections paper pack at Michael's and this paper came from it.  A pink and green color combo in any hue makes me happy so this card was great fun to work on :)

Just love the script of this Stampin' Up sentiment and it was the perfect fit for this card.  Kept wanting to add something to either the top left or top right corners and finally settled on rounding the right corner.

Thanks for sharing a part of your day with me!

 

What's In It? 
Stamps: Best Yet (Stampin' Up)
Paper:  Recollections DP, Mellow Moss, Rose Romance, Pretty in Pink 
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Sizzix Butterfly Die (SU), Button, Twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Creating Retro Fun

 This Retro Sketch was too fun to pass up as I'm really enjoying using tags on cards and it provided the perfect opportunity to use one of my PTI tag dies.   I combined it with this week's CR84FN challenge as the colour combo was delicious :)

You may be thinking I may have lost my marbles or gone off my rocker as there is a "skewed" element on the sketch and I'm not squealing like a pig LOL!  However, when the skewed panel is a tag, I can somehow deal with it just fine - go figure?!

Used lots of my favorite dies on this card, tossed in some dots for good measure and had fun with all the buttons.   A truly fabulous colour combo I will definitely use again.

Yesterday I became quite knowledgeable about window replacement after my son purposely broke our front window when he got mad...thankfully it is double pane and just the first pane broke.  Needless to say, he is out half the replacement cost and has learned a very valuable lesson - we hope!  The joy of having boys!


 

What's In It?
Stamps:  French Script (SU), Great Friend (Verve) 
Paper: Certainly Celery, Lavender Lace, Going Grey, Grey 
Ink:  Going Grey
Accessories:  Tag and Medium Scallop Die (PTI), Sizzix Butterfly Die (SU), Elegant Leaf Die (Verve), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Crimper, 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (Michael's), Buttons, Twine, Blue Dots, Dimensionals

Just Because It's a Three For

 

 
Had to play along with this week's clean and simple FTL (Fall To Layout) as I just loved the sketch.

The card become a three for - whoo hoo!  I combined the FTL sketch with this week's Dynamic Duos challenge (yellow and black and even managed to include the dessert option of dry embossing), and this week's Paper Players challenge (a CAS card using polka dots).  Just missed qualifying for the  Play Date Cafe (black and white and mustard yellow) as I've got the wrong colour yellow...oh well...maybe next time :)

 Hard to keep away from the bumble bee look when you use black and yellow, so I went with a butterfly as an ode to the bumble bee (it's a fellow winged insect), minimized the black, and used lots of white.  Hopefully I was successful - have one vote from hubby saying I was :)

Thanks for dropping by.  Have some Verve sketches to catch up on so should be back soon.

 

What's In It? 
Stamps: Great Friend (Verve) 
Paper: Recollections (Michael's), Black, Yellow 
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Butterfly Die (SU), Border Punch (SU), Crimper, Embossing Folder, Button, Twine, Black Half Pearls, Blue Dots, Dimensionals

Last Mother's Day Card - Promise!

This is my last Mother's Day card this year - promise!  That being said, I just had to go out with a bang and use my new Verve flower die....happy sigh.... :)  

I paired it with this fabulous sentiment from Verve's Love Deepens.  Just love this set as it has so many different words you can pair with the "you're an amazing" sentiment!  

Think I may have to swear off flowers and dots on cards for a while as it's gone viral in my craft area LOL! 

What's In It?
Stamps: Love Deepens (Verve)
Paper: Recollections DP (Michael's), Pretty in Pink, Rose Romance, Certainly Celery, Early Espresso
Ink: Black, Rose Romance
Accessories: Lacy Circle and Circle Nesties, Sizzix Leaf Die, Joyful Blooms Die Set (Verve), Scalloped Border Punch (SU), PTI Button Die, Twine, Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Dimensionals.

SFYTT Mother's Day Version

This month's SFYTT is a nice easy layout, and the sky is the limit regarding what you want to put in the circle - love it!

Since I'm on a Mother's Day binge, here is one more for you.  Used the loopy bloom dies by Verve for the flowers  and went a bit crazy with the polka dots LOL!  April SFYTT sketch is done - yeah!

Big night tonite, it is the invitational night for soccer tryouts for my son.  He made the cut from the open tryouts and is basically guaranteed a spot on the silver team.  However, there is a chance he could make a gold team...just depends how badly he wants it and how he "shows" at the tryouts tonite....we will just have to wait and see....I'll be happy no matter where he ends up playing, but I do hate waiting to find out LOL!!

Have a fabulous day!



What's In It?
Stamps: Make a Statement, Beautiful You (Verve), Polka Dot Background (SU)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Kraft
Ink: Black, Versamark
Accessories:  Lacy Circle and Circle Nesties, Sizzix Leaf Die (SU), Loopy Bloom Dies (Verve), Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Circle Punches, Bling, Dimensionals

Mojo Throwdown

This week is contest week over on the  Mojo Monday blog so the housework took a back seat to getting a card done before the weekend craziness hits.

I combined it with this week's Color Throwdown as I have the MME line on the photo and it was a no brainer as to what papers to use.

I love Verve's Words of Wisdom set and this sentiment was a perfect fit for the space I had.  I cheated a bit by adding a yellow butterfly, but made up for it with the turquoise ribbon - or so I tell myself  LOL!

You already know about my busy weekend so I won't be around until it is over as my craft area is also our spare room and with company over for three nights, that means I don't get to stamp...the upside, I can spend some time reading the Hunger Games trilogy :)

Thanks for sharing a bit of your day with me and I'll be back with a new card as soon as I can.

 

What's In It?
Stamps: Words of Wisdom (Verve)
Paper: Stella Rose (MME), Dusty Durango, So Saffron, Certainly Celery
Ink: Black
Accessories:  Circle Nesties, Flutterby Die (Verve), Leaf Die (Suffix), Scalloped Border Punch (SU), Crimper, 5/8" Turquoise Satin Ribbon, Button, Black and Green Half Pearls, Twine, Glue Dots

JUGS - Zip It

   
First and foremost, I would like to thank the JUGS team for the wonderful opportunity of being their Guest Designer in March.  I have had a fabulous time working alongside this talented DT.

This week's challenge is to use a zipper on your project - as an accent or to create focal point.  My first thought was to make a zipper flower as I have never made one and always wanted to try one.  However, while following a You Tube tutorial, it became painfully obvious that my zipper was waaaay too short to make a flower (I had removed one from an old pair of my daughter's jeans).  So....necessity became the mother of invention and I made a flower center from the zipper instead.  

I rolled the zipper, stitched it together, placed it on a denim circle cut from the same jeans, stitched it on and formed a flower around it by pleating and stitching the denim circle from behind.  The back isn't a pretty sight LOL, but the flower from the front passed inspection and that's what counts! 

So, if you have ever wanted to try a zipper flower or just wanted to let your creative juices flow by using a zipper as an accent or the focal point of your card, now is your chance.  Just link your creation up to the JUGS Challenge Post and you could be this week's winner.  If you don't have a blog, you can use a public gallery and use key word JUGS130.  Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Off to Campus Christian Fellowship's 40th year celebration/reunion on the Western Washington University campus in Bellingham, Washington this weekend.  They were life changing years for me, and it is always good to catch up with those who you shared great experiences and memories with - can't wait!

Thanks for popping by, and hope you have a fabulous weekend too :)

 

What's In It?
Paper: Recollection Garden Floral DP, Night of Navy, White
Accessories:  Zipper, Denim, PTI Tag Die, Martha Stewart Border Punch, Sizzex Leaf Die, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, 5/8" Navy Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Twine, Button, Silver Half Pearls, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Fall Flower

Loved this week's Verve sketch - no skewed panels or multiple layers to have to contend with...happy sigh... :)   Thanks, Amber!

This Stella and Rose DP has some great fall colours so out it came.  I resisted the urge, though it was touch and go for a while, to make another card with a maple leaf  LOL!

Instead, I used my favorite card them of flowers.  These PTI flower dies are so much fun and I used all three dies in this set to create this flower.  SU's leaf die finished the flower nicely, the turquoise ribbon gave the card a nice pop of colour (though it looks much more blue in the picture than it actually is) and since the right side seemed a bit empty and no stamp image or sentiment I used worked for me, I added a few butterflies.  Also entering this at the Ribbon Carrousel.

Finished my work for hubby for the time being so I get to spend some time creating today - yeah!   Hope your day allows you a little creative time too :)



 


What's In It?

Paper: Stella and Rose, Early Espresso, Real Red, Kraft, So Saffron, Cream Linen
Accessories: Medium Scallop Die (PTI), Sizzix Leaf Die (SU), Flower Die (PTI), Crimper, Button, Twine, 5/8" Turquoise Satin Ribbon, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch,  Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Getting My Mojo Diva On

This week's Mojo Monday sketch is brought to us by Mojo diva Debbie.  I combined the sketch with this month's Get Your Diva On summer themed contest and unintentionally qualified for this week's Friday Mash Up as well :)   I opted to go with the colour combination and added the butterflies as they remind me of summer too (okay, I confess....it was the perfect excuse to use butterfly punches...).

Love this Echo Park polka dotted DP.  Got it in four different colours I liked it so much - yup, feeding my polka dot addiction all the way LOL!  I added some kraft leaves for a bit of contrast and some black pearls for some pop.  Couldn't decide on which colour butterfly to use so I used both LOL!  Just layered the light pink over the rose ones and got some great dimension.  Best of all, I saved  three butterflies from going to the black hole of my extra's pile ;)

Busy day ahead as we noticed a shoot growing out of one of our back gutters the other day when we were playing Frisbee in the back yard - not good!!  We are thinking the starlings have built a nest somewhere on the back roof and plugged one of our drain pipes, which in turn provided a lovely growing area for some air born seed to take root in.  Can you tell we don't look at the gutters in the back very often - oh my!  Hopefully the extension ladder will reach up there.  Hubby is scared of heights so yours truly gets to go up the ladder with the hose to see what can be done about the issue - oh joy!!

After surviving the aforementioned gutter cleaning adventure, it is off to do my daughter's piano activities (exam and recital) for the rest of the day.   Needless to say, I'm looking forward to Sunday afternoon already LOL!  Have a great weekend!




What's In It?
Stamps:  Amuse
Paper: Cool Caribbean, Pretty in Pink, Rose Romance, Kraft, Echo Park DP
Ink: Black
Accessories: SU Sizzex Leaf, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punches, Distressed Stripes Embossing Folder, Scor-Pal, SU Border Punch, (Verve) Charming Oval and Charming Banner Dies, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Sailing Away....

Julie over at Paper and Such Designs blog had a sketch challenge this week. Since I just go this Stampin' Up image, I decided to combined it with Deb's Last But Not Least challenge to create a card with a nautical theme

A few pieces of  Costco DP later and I was good to go :)  I made a Sailor's Knot for the bottom and anchored it (no pun intended LOL!) with the jumbo brads (that was a tricky adventure, let me tell you!).  Some twine up top and a star with the sentiment and I was done like dinner.

Our school is part of a district track meet today and I'm hoping the rain will hold off and my son does well in his event :)   Always a long day, but so much fun to see all the kids competing individually and as a school.  Last year we finished in the top three so we'll see how we fair this year.

Back tomorrow with my Inkspirations card.





Challenges Entered:
Simon Says - Masculine Card
Sparkles Forum - Use Something Metal
Little Miss Muffet - Use A Metal Embellishment

Stamp Something Sentimental - Sentiment On Your Card

The ABC Challenge - Variety



What's In It?
Stamps: (SU) Sail Away, Fancy Flexible Phrases
Paper: Costco DPs, Black
Ink: Black
Accessories:  Sizzex Star Die, Twine, Jumbo Brads, Half Pearls, DImensionals

Mojolicious Diva Dare

Absolutely LOVE this week's Mojo sketch! So much so, that I think I will make a square card as well!

My starting point was this yummy Fancy Pants Gerber Daisy DP.  Sure wish it hadn't been the last piece and with flowers and Spring come butterflies, right....?!  At least they do in my book and it is a great excuse to pull out this wonderful butterfly die.

I pulled my colours from the DP -- sure wish this hadn't been the last piece on the shelf as I would have stocked up! - and just had to use my lacy nesties again...I know, it's an addiction LOL!  Paired it with long standing Swiss Dots embossing folder addiction and some paper roses from Michael's.  Just realized this card has no stamping on it!  Doesn't happen very often, that's for sure! 

This card also qualifies for this week's Shabby Tea Room challenge to use butterflies (easy peasy for me LOL!) and Verve's current Diva Dare.  Though black isn't really a spring colour, butterflies and flowers sure are, so I think I can sneak it in :)  Will no doubt make a second one as I love my Verve flowers, and with this month's fabulous release of flowers and matching dies, I can't wait to use my new goodies to make another card for this Diva Dare that is perfect for me :)

Wishing you a day filled with sunshine and a few butterflies ane flowers too :)




What's In It?
Paper: Black, Fancy Pants Gerber Daisy DP, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Lacy Circle and Circlel Nesties, SU Sizzex Butterfly Die, SU Scalloped Border Punch, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, 5/8" Saffron Satin Ribbon, Recollections Roses, Half Pearls, Button, Twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Butterflies and Flourishes

This week's Verve sketch was a hum dinger!  After much pondering, I decided my sanity was worth more than having to struggle with the "sun rays" so I decided to take a few liberties with the that part of the sketch as I saw a few of the Divas do the same.  So if Shannan questions me, I can say "the Diva's did it" LOL!
.
When I saw the sketch I immediately thought of a butterfly (surprise, surprise!) and the butterfly trial subbing in for the rays.  I started off with this fabulous Cosmo Cricket DT and my colours came from there.  I double layered the lacy circle nesties and added my butterfly.  Then I realized there was no way my butterfly trail (I used this wonderful flourish from the There She Goes Flourish set) could match up properly unless my butterfly was flying sideways or downward, so the butterfly is flying properly and the butterfly trail works right where it is, right (wink, wink).  Phew!! I can't believe I've finished all the Verve sketches for this month so early - feels good :)

This weekend is a special one as my son and some of the other Grade 5/6 Youth are doing a God Rod performance to Arise My Love at our church's Easter performances.  He has the lead and I had tears streaming down my face at the rehearsal last night.  All the kids did an amazing job with the choreography and my little guy did a great job as the lead and has quite the stage presence the little rotter!  Proud mommy moment - happy sigh...   

It's going to be a crazy busy weekend with two Easter performances and then a big Easter dinner on Monday to play sues chef for (hubby is the chef in the family and we are having lamb and ham), so I'll take this opportunity to wish you all a blessed Easter weekend.  Blessings.






What's In It?
Stamps: (There She Goes) Flourish

Paper:  Cosmo Cricket DP, Certainly Celery, Orchid Opulence, Pale Plum, So Saffron
Ink: So Saffron
Accessories:  Lacy Circle Nesties, Stampin' Up Sizzex Butterfly Die, SU Scalloped Border Punch, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Baker's Twine, Button, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Inkspirations Colour Challenge #66

Keesh continues to come up with fabulous colour combinations and this week is no exception :)

Julee's Mojo Monday sketch was perfect for these colours and Verve's Kind Words set was calling my name as this flower image looks fabulous with sentiments.  Another "if spring won't come then I'll make a flower card and pretend" project LOL!

I used the small flowers from Verve's Love's Flower to create a pattern on the turquoise panel, added a butterfly (cheated a bit bit here by making it pretty in Pink versus Regal Rose...shhhhh....), some seam binding, half pearls and a bit of twine to finish things off.

The Design Team has some fabulous cards for your inspiration.

Cindy Kirsty Makeesha Renée Brandi Carrie Helen Ilina Lee-Anne Marisa

Each week Keesh will select a winner and an honorable mention and post their cards on the Inkspirations Challenge blog.  We'd love to have you come and play along and see your card featured one of these weeks!

Can't wait for the Verve release tonite!!  Hoping to add some new stamps to my already large Verve collection - happy sigh :)  Have a great weekend everyone! 

What's In It?

Stamps:  (Verve) Kind Words, Love's Flower
Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Sahara Sand DSP, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink

Ink: Sahara Sand, VersaMark

Accessories: SU Border Punch, SU Butterfly Die, Seam Binding, Baker's Twine, Button, Half Pearls, Dimensionals