Orange Gratitude

There a lot of people in my life that do things for me and my family and a lot of times they won't take payment for what they've done. {Thank You-you know who you are!} So, sometimes if I can afford it myself I like to give them a gift card to the place where they like to go. I found a description of how to make a gift card holder here and used the new SU DSP Sweet Pea in the oranges for the SRM Sticker Challenge. The main panel of the card is two stickers and I simply stitched more around the one word I wanted to highlight. Using up stickers from my scrapbook stash has been a lot of fun-these stickers were from a kit from Creative Memories and a bit too small for my tastes for a scrapbook page but just right for a card.

Supplies Used: SU So Saffron Cardstock and Sweet Pea DSP, CM Clear Stickers, SU Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Thread

Wise Owl

Today we attended a 50th Surprise Birthday Party for my uncle-what a wonderful and sincere man. I sure lucked out when my parents chose him for my godfather! Oh how I wish I had this card already made as he would have been a perfect recipient for this wise owl. I used the opportunity to create a masculine card from the colors at SPCC and devised the design based off the Inspiration in Action sketch. At first I had a butterfly die for the main image but decided that it wasn't that manly so I switched to the owl (from the template here) and viola! I don't have any sentiments related to owls or really any non-generic happy birthdays, so what you see here is my own handwriting. I'm really liking the textures on this card, from the woodgrain, to the bookprint and the linen.

Supplies Used: SU Creamy Caramel and Very Vanilla Cardstock, SU Close to Cocoa Ink and Marker, SU Woodgrain and Linen Background Stamps, SU Basic Gray Satin Ribbon, SU Metallic Brads, Book Pages, Glue Dots, Sponge Daubers

Anne Taintor Inspired

The fabulous challenge over at Moxie Fab is to get sassy: the Taintor-Tude Challenge (replicate the famous design and style of Anne Taintor). I searched a couple of nights for images, thought a couple more nights for the "sentiments" corresponding to the images, and spent a few nights putting them in a card format (ie. editing in photoshop, printing the panels out and then adhering to a card base and adding embellishments). Finally getting around to posting them. I admit that I'm not a witty person, nor am I really that sassy... But, I AM a graphic designer and love to create, so I based all my sayings around card-making (I have so many more that I came up with, I might share them later in a non-card format.) I realize now that a couple other gals were on the same track as I was, man, great minds sure do think alike! Regardless, I hope you can take a minute to see what I've come up with and perhaps smile once or twice...or even laugh out loud!

She knew she was a genetically blessed crafter.



She was the hostess with the mostest



Yes dear, our outfits would make delightful patterned paper



Why yes dear, I do hoard embellishments



Little did he know that his paycheck went towards the new releases!



So there you have it. Ever experienced any of these? I think I shall give them out to my fellow crafting friends, my mom and my relatives to brighten their day! I used so many different supplies so if you are interested to know what they are, please email me. The bottom two layouts were based on the sketch at 2S4Y.

Shabby Chic Treasury...

Back in college I worked in the library Preservation Department at North Carolina State University repairing old (and ancient) books. It was my most favorite job to date...And here I am, ripping those treasuries apart. But I had to, I had to try out Dawn's Flower Technique after I was inspired by a handcrafted flower from the Etsy Inspired Challenge spotlight shop Sweetie Pie Tutus! Really loved how the color graduated from the outside to in. Such an easy and quick embellishment to make, and "A Little Treasury of Modern Poetry", discarded by someone and picked up by me, came in quite handy. I attempted to conquer the colors from Color Throwdown and was inspired by the sketch at CPS. I say inspired because I had intended this card to be a bit more clean and simple, but I'm kind of liking the way it turned out. The flowers were punched from two sizes of circles, sponged with blue and purple inks and adhered with a rhinestone brad. The stems and leaves were stitched as well as a portion of the band behind the flowers. I also sponged the back panel with blue and purple. Thank you to Virginia for giving me the push to try out something I've never done before (and I think I will try them again). I know that I need to give my Janome Sew Mini a break, but sewing is so much fun-must be my mom coming out in me! (grin)

Supplies Used: SU Brocade Blue (didn't purchase the Baja Breeze) and Very Vanilla Cardstock, SU Elegant Eggplant and Brocade Blue Ink, SU Sincere Salutations Stamp Set, CM Circle Punches, Rhinestone Brads, Fiskars Scallop Edge Border Punch, Sponge Daubers, Green Thread

Thinking of You

I tried another go for the Embellish Magazine Challenge to use brown, kraft and purple...with stripes. After my first card was done, I had challenged myself to see if I could create something masculine. Well, I tried this, and I tried that. And then I finally settled on this! I think it is, hmmm...gender neutral? I haven't ever really tried this kind of collage-y style or design before, and I really like it! And look--my stitching is straight! Quite the accomplishment for me. Some of the stripes were computer generated (brown) and some were with craft ink and the letter "i" (white) and the rest with thread (purple)! I also used some supplies that I won from Inkedx2-lots of fun.

Supplies Used: SU Kraft Cardstock, Purple Paper, SU Chocolate Chip Classic and White Craft Ink, SU Kind Thoughts and Headline Alphabet Stamp Sets and Bird (not sure what set), SU Linen Thread, SU ChitChat Rubons, Fiskars Scallop Border Punch, Button, Thread

Together Forever

My children are so very lucky to still have parents that are together, both sets of grandparents that have been married thirty years plus, and two sets of great-grandparents that have been together forever. It is my dream that when they each meet the lovely woman of their choice that they will still have all of us happily together as examples to live by.

This card came together from the Caardvarks Red Heart Challenge as well as the sketch from Everything But the Kitchen Sink. My hope was to create a detailed yet subtle textured panel background with thread so that the heart (colored with prisma pencils) could pop and be the focal point. The sentiment was strategically computer generated and printed before sewing the panels. The ribbon was pleated, sewed, cut down and then glued to a full width panel of ribbon. There are three red gems on the kraft cardstock and then one placed on the heart.

Supplies Used: SU Kraft Cardstock, CTMH All My Love Stamp Set, SU White Craft Ink, Prisma Colors, Signo White Gel Pen, Gems, White Ribbon, Thread

Weeds

Weeds can't grow in places you have planted flowers.

What a lovey reference of better things to come for a friend going through a difficult time. The background to the sentiment was sponged first, then stitched. The sentiment is a sticker that was left over from scrapbooking. I'm so happy to have used it in a new application, having been inspired by the blog SRM Stickers. For the ribbon embellishment I stitched and then gathered two lengths of the same white satin ribbon (one being dyed in the same tone as the sentiment panel). The bottom white layer peeks out in a few spots. To reiterate the sentiment and add a pop of color, I attached two pins from a collection I had received as a gift (thanks Smokey Joe!) which completes the requirements for the color challenge at SPCC.

Supplies Used: SU Apricot Appeal Cardstock and Ink, Fancy Pants Harvest Pins in Red and Pink, Sentiment Sticker by EK Success, White Satin Ribbon, Thread

Wisconsin Winters

This is what makes me remember why twenty below zero, wide white open spaces on a frozen lake are worthwhile... {Clam Lake, Wisconsin: January 17, 2010}

Happy Together

Embellish Magazine has another interesting color challenge, with a twist as they always do. Purple, Kraft, Chocolate Brown...with Stripes. Seen as how I am not a purple person, and not really a stripe person, this cards was a challenge, and finding something in my stash was a no-go. So, I created the striped background on my computer, printed it on kraft, and attached it to the card after stamping the baroque in craft white to soften the harshness of the stripes. There is a border of chocolate chip surrounding the distressed panels. I also dyed the three white petals to match the stripes and topped those off with a chocolate pearl topped button. I added pearls here and there to add richness and a bit of femininity to the card. So Happy Together. My look was shabby chic, do you think I achieved it?

(If I have a bit of time this week, I'd like to try another go with this challenge using the leftover stripes from my printout in various shades of purple. I'm going to try the ever dreaded masculine card, wouldn't these elements be fantastic for men?)

Supplies Used: SU Kraft and Chocolate Chip Cardstock, SU Baroque Motifs Stamp Set, SU Craft White Ink, SU Chitchat Rubon, Pearls from various vendors, Silk Flower Petals, Fiskars Chocolate Button, Fiskars Corner Rounder Punch, SU Distressing Tool

A Box of Chocolates + GIVEAWAY!!

Pals Paper Arts had a really super inspiration challenge this week! I took the general idea of the chocolate candy as well as the colors for the inspiration of this card. I created the sentiment digitally since I didn't have any stamped images in the theme or size I needed. What other saying is more famous for chocolates than the words of Forrest Gump himself?! And, I couldn't forget the second half of the saying and wanted to try my very first Outside/Inside card (for Moxie Fab's Start to Finish Challenge). My thoughts are that this card could be a "Thinking of You" in that it could be given to someone going through a rough time in their life trying to understand what to do next, or on the other end of the spectrum, a "Good Luck" kind of card for someone starting a new adventure.

Is anyone interested in the digital file of the sentiment?
Please email me your request and I kindly ask in return for you to credit my image if you use it on your cards and posting. The file will come in a pdf format available six up on an 8.5 x 11 sheet in two shades of brown (one equivalent to Stampin Up's Chocolate Chip), black, and red (equivalent to SU's Real Red) ready to be printed on your home printer.

Supplies Used: SU Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Whisper White and Chocolate Chip Cardstock, SU DSP, SU Corduroy Brad, Fiskars Scallop Border Punch and Corner Rounder, White Ribbon, Dimensionals

Stay True To Yourself

Stay True To Yourself. Never Give Up. I have to keep reminding myself of this simple statement (and teach my boys this as well). This particular card was created for the Moxie Fab World Color Play Challenge. Whoosh, those are some colors! I tried this design..and I tried that design...and some other designs modeled after some great crafters... The initial cards were not my design, they were not my style and I almost gave up. I had to step back and stay true to myself and then I created this card. And I love THIS card. Great things happen when I stay true to myself and not give up. I used a lot of supplies that have been sitting around my craft closet for a while, I used unfamiliar and bold colors, I used patterns, and I thank Moxie Fab for giving me the push to do so. I didn't put a sentiment on here, I thought I could maybe put that on the inside of the card depending on the reason for giving.

Supplies Used: SU Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie and Lavender Lace Cardstock, Gray Cardstock, SU Lavender Lace Ink, SU DSP, Making Memories Acetate Tags, Heidi Grace Chipboard, In The Loop Ribbon, SU Woodgrain Stamp, SU Slit Punch, Clear Embossing Powder

Sunset

No matter where I am or what I am doing, I will always appreciate the beauty of a sunset. (And a sunrise for that matter, I just don't see them as often.) And the beautiful simplicity and grace of butterflies. This card uses the colors at SPCC this week, and the design is based from the sketch at Inspiration in Action turned on it's side. Even though the layered butterfly with a button body isn't a new idea, I'm proud that I think I thought of a unique way to create the antenna and head by wrapping the floss around the body of the butterfly and then securing it with a knot. All by myself, as my three year old says. (If you have seen this method before please let me know so I may give credit where credit is due. Thanks.)

Supplies Used: SU So Saffron, Very Vanilla and Only Orange Cardstock, SU Glossy Paper, SU Only Orange and So Saffron Ink, Colorbox Chalk Ink in Alabastor, SU Baroque Motifs and Happy Harmony Stamp Sets, SU Butterfly Dies, SU So Saffron Button, Vanilla Floss, White Embossing Powder, Fiskar's Scallop Edge Punch

Create and Enjoy

I really took to heart today an entry from one of my favorite bloggers and before I sat down to make this card I thought about what she wrote and added my interpretation: That sometimes I have to step back and just remember why I create cards (...to see the smile on a person's face that someone like me thought enough to remember their special occasion and make something just for them), and then I create and enjoy and end up really liking the card. I was inspired by the colors (green, pink and yellow/gold) of the cupcakes featured on the Hope Stamps Eternal Blog for their Cupcake Inspiration Challenge and the sketch at Card Patterns in which I didn't stray much from. There's a hint of green scallops poking out from the black rickrack on the tag and the paper has a wonderful and playful fuzzy texture and metallic shine. I added the black for a bit of sophistication in case I wanted to give this to a teenager or adult rather than a youngin'. Sure, there are things that I would change if I ever where to make this again (like not putting the brads directly over the yellow polka dots, now I see the Walmart Rollback guy...hey, made you look at my card again, eh? and the stitching could use a lot of improvement) but overall, this card makes me happy.

Supplies Used: Bazzill Textured Cardstock, Green Cardstock, Flocked DSP by Heidi Grace, SU Sweet Sentiments Stamp Set, Black Stazon Ink, Black Brads, Cloud 9 Button, Rickrack, SU Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Thread, Fiskars Scallop Edge Punch

Cards for St. Jude

Here are the seven cards that my husband will put in the mail tomorrow for Winter for her Cards for St. Jude drive. Please check out her site and read about her mission and donate cards if you can!
(Please leave a comment if you have a question regarding the supplies, as there are too many to list.)

Butterfly Trio

The color combo for these Butterfly Trio Cards is based off Kristina Werner's latest Color Inspiration Challenge. Whew, that's a lot of colors! I started with the Saffron Base Card first, then decided I wanted more of a clean and simple card so then I made the white base card. Kind of like a Science Assignment for Classification of Species. The front of both cards tucks into the slit from the base of the card, under the button. Which do you prefer?

Supplies Used: Inkadinkadoo Happy Days Stamp Set, SU Ruby Red, Cameo Coral, More Mustard Ink, SU White and So Saffron Cardstock, Making Memories Baja Blue Button, White Thread, White Signo Gel Pen, SU Slit Punch

The Sewn Butterfly

Sew. Sewing. Sewn. I did a lot of that on this card. And all who sew, please disregard the little (or big) imperfections that makes this card have charm. It was so much fun to attempt to sew straight lines and in circles for this card, which is for two challenges (Just Us Girls-Add Stitching and the Mojo Monday Sketch). After all the sewing, I didn't really have room for a sentiment which is fine with me because I could add one on the inside of the card for whatever occasion that I need it for. I really sort of like the quarkiness and complexity of this card.

Supplies Used: CTMH DSP, SU Big Shot Dies (Butterfly and Scallop Circle), SU Satin Ribbon, Fiskars Scallop Edge Punch, CM Circle Punch, Thread

Flower Pots

Here's the second card created during my absolute wonderful day. I used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge and like the design and colors enough to share despite the poor picture quality. (Maybe someday soon I can sneak away from home to spend another day with Mindy and then can update my picture...) The flower pots are paper pieced using last year's In Colors and the flowers colored lightly with ink.

Supplies Used: SU White, Purely Pomegranate, Groovy Guava and Wild Wasabi Cardstock and Ink, Basic Gray Ink, SU Blooming With Love and Sweet Little Sentiments Stamp Set, Fiskar's Scallop Edge Punch, Twine, SU Distress Edger

Paisley Love

I had an absolutely wonderful day. I was able to spend it doing crafty things with my cousin and her new baby girl. I had so much fun chatting with someone over the age of three, a girl and in person! In the seven and a half hours I spent with them I made two cards, and this one was one of them-I was also able to remember why I love scrapbooking and stamping again-to be able to share my creations with others and love what I am creating. It was a good day for my stamping mojo and my sanity. The colors used were based off the latest Color Throwdown Challenge, as well as for the Flourish Challenge to "feel the love".

Supplies Used: SU Paisley Background, SU Regal Rose and Really Rust Watercolor Crayons and Markers, SU Chocolate Chip and Really Rust Cardstock (sorry, no Dusty Durango on hand), SU Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, SU Hodgepodge Hardware, SU Rubons, Fiskar's Corner Rounder Punch, Mini Mister