Princess For A Day and more

Hello there!  It's Saturday March 21, 2020, and we've been home (except for a couple of quick trips to a store for supplies) for a little more than a week.  I hear that today, our state of New Jersey will be joining other states with the "stay at home" edict.  We have been doing our part by social distancing, working from home, schooling from home, and getting out in the fresh air to exercise daily.  These are indeed interesting times we are living in.  Praying for our medical professionals and anyone who works in an essential business, who are still out there working in the public.  GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!  I am also grateful for the ingenuity of people, who are trying to connect with others despite these new guidelines.  I saw on our town's Facebook group that  neighbors played bingo on their individual front porches, shouting out the numbers and having fun while social distancing.  How cool is that?!

Well, I have some more cards to share with you today.  Let's begin!

Gina Marie Designs Small Butterfly die; Pebbles Ever After Phrase sentiment;
Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Rectangles die; pearls; crochet lace

American Art Stamp Hello My Friend; Studio Calico wooden heart; pearls; Gina Marie Designs Peekaboo Circle die

Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch; Kaisercraft Lady Rose patterned paper and flourish die cut; sentiment unknown; pearls 

Stampin' Up! wooden shape; iamroses-dot-com paper rose and leaves;
Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames #5 sentiment; peach rhinestones

Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags sentiment and tag die; Inspired By Stamping Graceful Hydrangea stamp; pearls; Stampin' Up! family blue die cut; K & Co. egg sticker and 'family times' sticker; Kat Scrappiness - Stitched Postage Stamp Edge Rectangles die

Martha Stewart blue flower sticker; Stampin' Up! ivory doily; crochet lace; pearls; Inspired By Stamping Creative Tags birthday sentiment; My Favorite Things Mix and Match Banners die

Hero Arts Precious Baby Boy sailboat, airplane, sentiment; clear sequins; My Favorite Things Catch A Wave die

Hero Arts Precious Baby Boy sailboat, airplane; clear sequins; My Favorite Things Catch A Wave die;
Technique Tuesday Sweet Baby / Ali Edwards

Stampabilities Small Sewing Set scissors, thread, thimble and button stamps; Fiskars Vintage Farmhouse frame stamp; pearls; Martha Stewart Royal Butterfly punch; Inspired By Stamping Graceful Hydrangea small flower cluster stamp 

Inspired By Stamping Oh Baby! dress stamp; Papertrey Ink Filigree Border die, With Sympathy: Loss of A Child feet stamp; Technique Tuesday Sweet Baby / Ali Edwards sentiment; pearls

My Favorite Things Lucky shamrock, sentiment; Gina Marie Designs Frilly Lace Rectangles die; rhinestones

Martha Stewart violet stickers; white glitter frame; pearls; Echo Park Trust In The Lord sentiment and flower cluster (very faint in background) stamps

Stampin' Up! Weathered background stamp; Studio Calico wooden star; Verve Psalm 94:18 Plain Jane sentiment stamp, Notebook Paper stamp; K & Co. 'believe' sticker; gold metal button; Kat Scrappiness - Stitched Postage Stamp Edge Rectangles die

 Keep washing those hands - and if you pray, you can pray while you wash your hands!  It's a great little reminder to lift up (others) as you clean up!

I will 'see' you again soon, everyone.  God bless!

Red Pear & graduation pics

Hello there!  Just popping in a with a pear card, to say hi to you, and let you know we've got TWO graduates in the house!

Last week, both of our girls graduated - one from 8th grade, one from high school. What an exhilarating time it was! Our oldest received two scholarships, which helps tremendously with her college expenses. 

Receiving her diploma

Overwhelmed by the emotion of it all

Our girls, moving onward and upward!

We're so proud!
xoxo

Loving lavender!

Welcome!  It's no secret that I love purple, if you've followed my posts for some time.  I don't always reach for it in crafting, but when I do, I get a little thrill.

I found a card with this sketch in one of my older issues of Papercrafts Magazine, and earmarked it. It's simple in design, but those two rounded corners give so much more interest.  All supplies used are at the end of the post, but I want to point out the sentiment:  it's from Verve's Joy For The Journey.

I love this sentiment!

Stamps: Joy for the Journey - Verve Paper: Pale Plum; Wild Wasabi - Stampin' Up!; white - Papertrey Ink; damask - Luxury Stack - DCWV Fibers: lace Accessories & Tools: assorted roses - iamroses.com; Branch With Leaves die - Sizzix; corner rounder punch - Fiskars

The Sweetest Friends

Welcome, everyone!  I've got a golden-oldie stamp set featured today.  Remember Tender Toile from Stampin' Up!?  I fell in love with it after stalking Splitcoaststampers in my early stamping years.  It had already been retired for a while, but I found it on eBay and I was the lucky buyer.  :-)

So, this card is another one that I had been saving to feature at the Seize The Sketch challenge, before it shut its proverbial doors.  I'm glad I can still share it with you.

I love the old-fashioned feel of this image.  Last summer, I colored it when I had been laid up in bed after foot surgery.  Then, it sat in my Images Box for a while before finding a home here.

I truly hope you've enjoyed seeing this week's cards.  I really appreciate you letting me share them.  <3 p="">

Stamps: sentiment - Happy Moments; scene - Tender Toile - SU Paper: white, Vintage Cream - PTI; stripe, floral - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Tumbled Glass, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap - Ranger Fibers: moss green satin ribbon Accessories & Tools: Tiny Tags die - PTI; Copic markers; doily - Wilton; ivory flower

Springtime Sprig

Hello all!  Thank you SO much for the wonderful comments about me joining the Seize The Sketch design team! I can't wait to begin.  =)

It's been ages since I used Tres Chic background stamp from Stampin' Up!  I let it drift off the edges so I could enter Addicted To CAS's "Off The Edge" challenge.

This Spellbinders Fantastic Flourish One die reminds me of a sprig of mistletoe at Christmastime.  With these colors, and some amethyst gems, I think of it as mistletoe for spring!  "Oh, hubby, where ARE you?..."

The high school prom is this Friday evening, and my 15 YO is so excited.  I already showed you her dress, and I'll make sure to get pictures of her all dolled-up on Prom Night.  =)

Have a great weekend!

Stamps: Tres Chic - Stampin' Up! Paper: Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss - SU Ink: Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss, Elegant Eggplant - SU Fibers: white satin ribbon Accessories & Tools: Fantastic Flourish One - Spellbinders; amethyst gems - Queen & Co.

Tranquil Hills

One of my birthday gifts was Summer Hills stamp set by Papertrey Ink.  Love, love, love.  This sweet little scene stole my heart.

To create the base beneath the scene, I adhered a pretty floral pattern from Stampin' Up! (retired, no idea what the name is) and a strip of scalloped punched white cardstock to the plum base.  Then, I sent it through the Big Shot with a Paper Studio embossing folder, Ornate Flourish.

The sentiment comes with the same stamp set, and there are boundless occasions this card could be used for.  God's grace is truly amazing!

Stamps: Summer Hills - PTI Paper: Pale Plum, Going Gray, So Saffron, white, floral pattern - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; So Saffron - SU Fibers: Violet seam binding - Hug Snug Accessories & Tools: Copic markers; Dotted Scallop border punch - EK Success; tag - SU; pearls; Ornate Flourish embossing folder - The Paper Studio

Aviary Postcard & a prom dress

Hello everyone!  The rustiness I felt with card-making is gone, eased away by a stretch of vacation days (well, not really vacation...but rather just some time off).  I have been in the craft studio quite a bit, mostly making Mother's Day cards for the shop.

This card, however, is a 'just because' project.

It started with a piece from my Bits & Pieces box...this large Victorian birdcage (from Victorian Eccentricities by Blockheads Paper Arts, which is sadly no longer available).   A few years back, when I served on the Blockheads team, I had stamped the image on white cardstock, then cast it aside.  It stumped me for a good, long while.

I decided to turn this into a postcard by using the Inspired By Stamping sets, Vintage Postcards and Summer Postcard Add-On.

And since it still looked too clean, I added speckles from Itty Bitty Backgrounds (Stampin' Up!).  That's a keeper of a set!

My daughters and I went shopping for a prom dress over Spring Break.  She is a sophomore, and the prom is for juniors and seniors.  All others may attend by invitation only.  A friend asked her to go, so my girl is very happy and excited.  She loves to feel like a princess (most girls do!), and this gives her a chance to dress like one.  We chose this:

It's twirly and bejeweled and very, very regal.  :-D

Stamps: bird cage - Victorian Eccentricities - Blockheads Paper Arts; Vintage Postcards, Summer Postcard Add-On - IBS; Itty Bitty Backgrounds - SU Paper: Sahara Sand - SU; white - PTI; shimmery paisley pattern - Luxury Stack - DCWV Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen - Ranger; Crumb Cake, Sahara Sand, Early Espresso - SU Fibers: Mottle Brown seam binding - Hug Snug Accessories & Tools: topaz gems - Want2Scrap; rhinestones - Queen & Co.; Copic markers

Bits & Pieces Make For A HUGE Post!

Okay, so about a month ago, before I started the new job, I was on a ROLL with my cards.  The creative juices just burst forth, and I was cranking them out.

Believe it or not, all the cards you are about to see were created in the span of less than a week.  AND, I used TONS of 'Bits & Pieces' that were cast-offs from other projects.  I am so proud that I was able to successfully work them into new creations.

Bits & Pieces used:

•  a panel stamped with Market Street Stamps' Vintage Wallpaper (brown ink on white cardstock).  It looked too stark, so I inked up a piece of waxed paper from the kitchen with Tattered Rose Distress Ink.  I let the ink bead up, then wiped the cardstock through the ink.
• a hand-trimmed banner stamped with a Hero Arts sentiment. 

 Bits & Pieces used: 

• panel of white cardstock stamped with Market Street Stamps' Grace background, in navy.
• a scalloped square punch, stamped with a Stampin' Up! image/sentiment.  I don't know the name of this set, because this little piece was in a Scrap Bag from my SU demo.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• the Verve Joy For The Journey sentiment, already stamped on an oval die cut
• a butterfly from Lost Coast Designs' Butterflies that was colored and trimmed

Bits & Pieces used: 

• Stampin' Up!'s Eiffel Tower from Artistic Etchings, already trimmed.
• clouds from Inspired By Stamping's The Sky's The Limit.
• a bit of twill tape - I stamped a sentiment from IBS's Celebrating Two Years.
• shimmery aqua cardstock from California Paper Goods.  It was sent as a sample with an envelope order years ago.  I used an oval die to cut it and made it part of the background.
• a manilla tag from one of my daughters' clothing.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a flower from Stampin' Up!'s Sweet Summer, already stamped and colored.  I added a sentiment from Wplus9's Fresh Cut Florals, surrounded by a Darice Doily Lace embossed background.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a cream-colored panel, stamped with I think a Stampin' Up! flower spray.  I cannot recall where this came from!
• the sentiment from Verve's Joy For The Journey, done up on two sizes of oval punches.
• a bit of burlap ribbon, which I had hacked up for use on another project.  The ribbon had French wire along the edges.  On the other project, I did not want the wire, so I cut out the center portion of the ribbon only.  I was left with a raggedy edge of burlap with wire.  I wound it around and around to make a nest.  Pearls became eggs. 

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a pale yellow die cut tag from Stampin' Up! from a LONG time ago, stamped with a Verve Joy For The Journey sentiment.
• white Lattice / EK Success strips to use as edging.
• K & Co. photo mat paper, already cut up from another project.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• another bit of twill tape, again stamped with the same IBS sentiment mentioned up above.
• the vellum flower with gem, lifted from a store-bought card that was sent to my daughter a few years ago.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• an embossed panel of cardstock from a Stampin' Up! Scrap Bag.  I added iridescent Stickles to parts of the snowflakes.
• a piece of shimmery mint cardstock, sent as a sample from California Paper Goods years ago.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a red die cut, made with Spellbinders' Persian Motifs.
• pipe clean candy canes, lifted from a store-bought Christmas card we received.
• a scrap of floral Real Red patterned paper (SU).

Bits & Pieces used: 

• pretty much the whole front panel!  LOL  A thoughtful friend, unwilling to throw away the Christmas card I made for her, asked if I would like it back so I could use parts of it for a future card.  I cut off the back of the card, trimmed the front panel a bit, and mounted it onto a Soft Suede card base.  I added a few red gems to the corners. 

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a sliver of fancy black striped Stampin' Up! designer paper.
• a scrap of white cardstock that had been stamped in black with Market Street Stamps' Vintage Wallpaper.
• a black panel, featuring a poinsettia image from Mark's Finest Papers, which had been stamped and embossed in gold.  I added a little gold bow. 

Whew!  Because of the quantity of cards in this one post, I am not going to list all supplies used.  If you're wondering about any particular item, please leave a comment with your question (and a way to reach you), and I'd be happy to answer!