Floating Away....

Something about hot air balloons says Spring to me. Maybe because it would be not a lot of fun and a whole lot of work in the winter and really much too warm in the summer here in Minnesota, lol! Oh, but wouldn't it be amazing in the fall when the colors are changing? Now there is a thought for a future adventure!

I was inspired by Katherine's card here, and I just had to make a pile to send to Operation Write Home. Whimsy is something we can all use :)

Now, after I had made a pile of these, I thought maybe they would have been better with a light blue card base. The Soft Suede doesn't bring it down does it?

• Stamps: Up, Up, & Away
• Ink: Midnight Muse, Gumball Green, Primrose Petals, Soft Suede
• Paper: Soft Suede, Naturals White, Whisper White
• Other: Big Shot with Cloudy Day ef, Paper Snips, dimensionals

So, Thank You Katherine for your inspiration!

Sunny Birthday

February was a busy card-sending month for me with 3 birthdays and 3 anniversaries. This is one of the birthday card designs I did for this month, which I made a few extras of again for Operation Write Home. No point in wasting good time!

Lots of stitching and paper piercing on this one, and more of the chalkboard technique. I added bright strips of DSP to some Core'dinations paper and stitched it down. I like the linen-like texture of the Core'dinations paper. You don't always have to sand it :)

• Stamps: Best of Birthdays
• Ink: Illuminate
• Paper: Whisper White, Core'dinations Primrose Petals, Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray, Floral District DSP
• Other: Blossom and Extra-Large Oval punches, Occasions Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercer and Mat, Signo white gel pen, sewing machine and thread, dimensionals, Embossing Buddy, White embossing powder, Heat Gun

The Best of Birthdays  is part of Stampin' Up!'s 25 year Anniversary celebration. Each month, Stampin' Up! will release a stamp set featuring 4 of the all time best stamps for a specific theme and 1 new, never before seen image with the same theme. So far, we have Birthdays for January, and Love for February. For each set that you purchase, you will get a sticker to be saved on the the Stampin' Up! Collector's Card. After you fill it with 6 stickers, it can be redeemed for any stamp set 14.95 or less. Go check it out!!

Marine Life

I have a co-worker/friend whose passion is scuba diving. She is determined to get me to take me to Mexico to get me hooked too. I might even let her :)
This card was made with her in mind. The colors are a bit subdued. I might make something with more color soon, but she told me to wait until she gets back from her March trip so she can get me some little seashells to use instead of the button. Think how cute that would be!

This was the first ink this set got. I think maybe I should have made the fish Crumb Cake....

• Stamps: By the Tide
• Ink: Pool Party, Crumb Cake
• Paper: Pool Party, Naturals White, Crumb Cake
• Other: Big Shot with Chevrons EF and Ovals framelits, Occasions Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercer and Mat, Naturals Designer Button, Natural Trim ribbon, White Baker's Twine, Signo white gel pen, dimensionals

 A little bit of the sweet little poem that is included in the set for the inside of the card. 

Ta for now!

Ears to You!!

Aren't these bunnies adorable?! This is one of the single stamps that is available thru March 31, 2013 and I could not resist getting it as soon as it came out.

I made this version first as I was just playing around with the stamp and is evolved into this! Sometimes you make a card that you just can't stop staring at because it is such a perfect combination of vision and end result. This is one of those cards for me :)
The polka dots are made with the circular leftover from a stamp that I saved. (I have used it a lot over the last few years)

• Stamps: Ears to You, circle 
• Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso
• Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake
• Other: Paper Piercer with Essentials Paper Piercing Pack and Mat, Pool Party and Lucky Limeade Ruffled ribbon, Primrose Petals Stitched Satin ribbon, Signo white gel pen, dimensionals

 I decided to make this with an oval too, and I made a pile of them to send to my nieces and nephews next month :)

Of course, the bunnies had to make an appearance inside the card too :)

I also have a special announcement, I am the Featured Card Maker on the Operation Write Home blog, Stars & Stamps, today! It is a very special honor and a wonderful cause, go check it out!

Birthday in Motion

Time for a little masculine stuff. And the perfect time to pull out a new addition to my ever-growing collection of stamps! I am going to have to start thinning the herd again, as painful as that can be...
I needed a good birthday card for my nephew who turned 12, I think, this month. He loves all the big-boy toys, and so does his father, my brother. I thought this might fit the bill :)

 Lots of bold colors and texture. No frills, but lots of details. I think I am happy with this card, even if it is a bit busy. I made a few extras to send to Operation Write Home. I hear they always need masculine themed cards, as I know a lot of people struggle with masculine cards.

• Stamps: Need for Speed
• Ink: Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Raspberry Ripple, Basic Gray
• Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Raspberry Ripple, Basic Gray
• Other: Big Shot with Woodgrain, Chevrons, and Houndstooth embossing folders, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercer and Mat, Signo white gel pen, dimensionals

 So, what do you think? Too busy, or just right?

Owly Birthday

I am trying to get into using challenges more, and I found a really cute color challenge that fit an idea that had popped into my brain while trying to decide on a stamp set out of the SU main catalog to use for a swap I just joined. (That was a really long sentence. More like a paragraph in one breath!)

See, isn't that adorable?!!

Polka dots have been calling to me again lately. Love the little buggers, and these were made with the rubber leftovers from the Daydream Medallions set. They work very well with A Fitting Occasion don't they :)

• Stamps: A Fitting Occasion, Daydream Medallions
• Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso
• Paper: Whisper WHite, Primrose Petals Core'dinations and regular cardstock, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral
• Other: Curly Label, Modern Label, and 1" Circle punches, Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine, dimensionals, Big Shot with Woodgrain ef, Simply Scored, scotch tape, Sticky Strip

This little box will hold all kinds of things, including 4 tealights. I made a tutorial for them ages ago here.

I don't normally post twice in one day, but I really wanted to get this submitted to the challenge and the deadline is midnight tonight! 

Silver and Yellow Wedding

The new Two-tone ribbon in the Occasions Mini was really speaking to me the other day and this is what I was inspired to make. I think it turned out quite elegant, even if my photography skills were not wuite up to the task of capturing it.

My stitching got a little crazy on the top edge, but we all well know, there is no re-do once you poke holes in the paper! I love the richness of the Pewter embossing powder, and the elegance of this embossing folder and DSP (part of the SAB offerings this year- don't miss out!).

• Stamps: Love and Laughter
• Ink: Illuminate
• Paper: Whisper White, Naturals White, Summer Starfruit, Silver Glimmer, Sycamore Street DSP
• Other: Big Shot with Ovals framelits and Lacy Brocade embossing folder,  Embossing Buddy, Pewter embossing powder, Heat Gun, Occasions Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercer and Mat, 1¼" Gray Two-tone ribbon, dimensionals, sewing machine and thread, 1¼" square punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, Rhinestone Basic Jewels

 Some of the Tuscan jumbo wheel along the inside edge and the sentiment finish off the inside nicely.

And the Fish Talks!

You might want a little backstory on this one, lol. We live and grew up in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. Actually it is more like 25,000, but who's counting? Our families hail from the Little Falls, MN area. Little Falls was home to not one, but two boat manufacturing facilities: Crestliner and Larson Boats. My Dad spent about a decade there, designing boats at Crestliner for part of that time. my hubby's stepdad has been doing customer service for Crestliner for a long time. My hubby, his stepdad, and all of his brothers have appeared in more than one Crestliner catalog. Hubby's grandmother worked at Larsons sewing the boat cushions before it closed. So, fishing is pretty much a given recreational activity for us. Lots of family bonding has happened around fishing.

Well, my hubby's brother gave him a gag gift for Christmas a few yeas ago. You guessed it. The talking/singing fish! Said brother has a birthday coming up. I am seriously thinking about giving him his fish back, along with this card.

And this lovely sketch from Retro Sketches was just the ticket for me to whip out this card in about 20 minutes from inception to finished creation. That is some kind of record for me. It is not unusual for me to take 2 hours to design and create a single card!

I love it!! I can't wait to sent it to him, I know it will make him smile.

• Stamps: By the Tide
• Ink: Soft Suede, Always Artichoke, Old Olive, River Rock
• Paper: Whisper White, River Rock, Soft Suede
• Other: Big Shot with Hexagons and Designer Frames EF, Paper Snips, dimensionals, White Baker's Twine, buttons, Blender Pen

I also used the Friday Mashup Challenge to use my markers, I colored the fish with River Rock, then added Old Olive and Always Artichoke accents right on the stamp. Love that technique!

Thanks From the Heart

So, I was playing with the chalkboard technique last month, and I had just made some fun paper lunchbag treat holders for one of the blog hops. The SAB paper from last year was still sitting there needing to be used.... I do so love last year's SAB paper (and did you know it is on the Clearance Rack for 2.19 right now!!) So I couldn't resist  making a couple more of the treat holders!

This is the larger of the 2, and it is really blinged out. Lots of rhinestones and ruffled ribbon. And lookie! the sentiment fits so nicely in the Window framelit! The lacy detail from the Delicate Designs embossing folder adds just the right touch to the top of the pocket flap. I left the bag pouch open to add cookies or some other treat.

• Stamps: From the Heart, Papillon Potpourri
• Ink: Illuminate, Craft White, Peach Parfait, Pool Party
• Paper: Everyday Enchantment DSP (2012 SAB), Basic Gray, Core'dinations Pool Party, Very Vanilla
• Other: Big Shot with Windows framelits and Delicate Designs embossing folder, Festive Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercer and Mat, Embossing Buddy, White embossing powder, Heat Gun,  Signo white gel pen, sponge, dimensionals, White Seam Binding ribbon, Sticky Strip, sewing machine and thread, brown lunch bag, Sanding Block, Rhinestone Basic Jewels

 Here is a little close up of the chalkboard technique, which is really easy and a bit addictive, lol!

This is the matching insert which is note-style. The sentiment is from From the Heart and the butterflies are from Papillon Potpourri.

This is a smaller pocket with another insert, I used the Crochet trim at the top edge of the pocket, and make a rose with Seam Binding ribbon I colored with Crumb Cake ink.

The insert note card for this one has some sponging but is otherwise blank. It isn't very big and I wanted plenty of room for a personal message.

Be sure to check out this year's SAB offerings, they are also quite spectacular!!

Romantic Roses

So, I have to work tonight and can't spend Valentine's day with my sweetie, but he came home last night with a dozen roses in a gorgeous red vase, a giant box of chocolates, and plans to take me out to dinner on Friday night since we are both off that night. Oh, and did I mention lots of extra random hugs & kisses? Yup, I married a romantic :)
What better time to share what I think is an incredibly romantic spray of roses on this card?!

Sylvia's card here is the inspiration for this one, and mine is almost and exact replica. I think hers is prettier though. I stamped the main image in Stazon on Naturals White and colored it with reinkers and Aquapainter. This is a single layer card, but if I ever make another one, I would probably use watercolor paper and layers... I also like how Sylvia added yellow centers to her flowers.

• Stamps: Elements of Style, non-SU hexagons and sentiment
• Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Lucky Limeade, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake
• Paper: Naturals White
• Other: Aqua-painter

 Inside, the roses are stamped in Crumb Cake

So, what are you doing for Valentine's Day this year?

Peeking Umbrellas

There is a cute technique that involves folding back parts of a layer of paper to reveal another image or message. OI thought I would give it a try with the Rain or Shine set.

The cheery umbrellas peek out of the bright and vibrant DSP. I think this will brighten someone's day soon :)

• Stamps: Rain or Shine
• Ink: Basic Black, Lucky Limeade, So Saffron
• Paper: Whisper White, Floral District DSP
• Other: Brights Designer button, White Baker's Twine

 A little fun on the inside too :)

Fluttering Anniversary

February is a romantic month, we all know that. Here in Minnesota, there isn't all that much to do in the middle of winter, so snuggling with your special someone sounds darn good right about now :)
And as I was going through my perpetual birthday and anniversary calendar, I noticed that I have three, count 'em, three anniversaries in the family this month!!!

So guess what kind of cards were on my to-do list this week!

 

This one is going to be for one of my brother-in-laws and his wife. Not too girly, and kind-of modern... I think it turned out great! I even stitched down the ribbon.

• Stamps: Hears a Flutter, Memorable Moments
• Ink: Crumb Cake, Primrose Petals, Early Espresso
• Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White
• Other: Big Shot with Woodgrain EF and Hearts a Flutter framelits, Natural Trim ribbon, Rhinestones and Pearls, sewing machine, dimensionals, Signo white gel pen

Inside I added some more hearts and outlined again.

I made this one with some non-SU stamps and I got my inspiration from Heather Nichols, who is one of my favorite stampers. I am sure many of you know her work, she is quite famous :) AND she is a fellow Minnesotan! She made a tag that was stamped with woodgrain and had several snowflakes scattered over it, and it was all stamped on Kraft paper. Ok, so my imagination went another way with it, but that's what inspiration is all about!