Thinking of You

This week has been hairy, and I'm exhausted so my creativity is in the basement tonight. But with the help of Pinterest, I was able to CASE this cute little card. I've been trying to make myself create SOMETHING everyday. I think maybe it's my mental justification for my need to hoard craft supplies?

I am so addicted to this "Hardwood" stamp, it's ridiculous!

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Soft Sky, Sahara Sand

Ink ~ Early Espresso

Stamp Sets ~ Hardwood, Banner Blast, Thinking of You

Embellishments ~ Pearls, ribbon, string

Sweet ~ Make a Wish!

Kylie (my little girl) is invited to a Birthday slumber party tomorrow. Do I have Birthday cards for little girls in stock? Nope. So, since I was short on time, I decided to CASE a card that I saw on Pinterest. Thank GOD for Pinterest and Sweet Sorbet!

This DSP pack from the Sale-a-Bration catalog absolutely SCREAMS birthday to me! Especially this one with the cute little dots. I think it was the perfect little addition to this card. 

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Soft Sky, Pistachio Pudding, Summer Starfruit, Crisp Cantaloupe

DSP ~ Sweet Sorbet

Ink ~ Soft Sky, Basic Black, Crisp Cantaloupe, White StazOn

Stamp Sets ~ Oh Hello, Quintessential Flowers, Perfect Pennants, Memorable Moments

Tools ~ Vellum, square punch, 1" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, paper snips, paper trimmer, hole punch, Dimensionals, adhesives

Embellishments ~ Pool Party ribbon, Rhinestones

Fascinating Feathers ~ My infactuation

Today has been a long day. Shuttling kids to and from school, doctors appointments, moving hay, cleaning house, feeding critters, homework and dinner. To say the least, this week is catching up to me in a hurry. Come on Friday! Despite being totally exhausted, I decided to sneak to my She-Cave. I was only going to tidy things up, but I got sidetracked and fell into some stamps and ink. Oops! I don't know how that happened!

I think I am on a new kick. After making yesterday's card, I am hooked on a Southwestern theme. What better to show that off than wood, arrows, and feathers? I wanted to go with softer, more subtle colors, so I chose Sahara Sand and Soft Sky. I know that the Soda Pop Tops are retired, but I stockpiled them and need to use them. Besides, they're pretty amazing! I really like how this turned out. It is masculine enough for the manly man in my life, but it's also soft enough for any occasion. SCORE!

Supplies

Cardstock > Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Sahara Sand, Whisper White

Ink > Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Soft Sky, Basic Gray

Stamp Sets > Hardwood, Perfect Pennants, That's the Ticket, Peachy Keen, Off the Grid, Chalk Talk

Tools > Distress tool, paper snips, paper trimmer, Ticket Duo Builder punch, 1" circle punch, Dimensionals, adhesive, sponge daubers

Embellishments > Soda Pop Tops (retired), thread, Natural Chevron Ribbon

Finished Size: 4" x 5 1/2"

Hello Sweet Sorbet!

Good Morning! The sun is actually shining! I couldn't believe it when I went out to feed my horses. It totally made my day... and that was before 9am! It's gonna be a good one, I can feel it. 

I created this card late last night. I don't know about you, but that's when I work best. After everyone has gone to bed. Of course it helps that I'm an insomniac. I'd much rather play in my craft room than stare at the ceiling. 

I used the sketch from Mojo Monday. It's a fun one with lots of layers (my favorite!). I may have derailed a little along the way, but this was my take on it. I am totally obsessed with this Sweet Sorbet DSP from the Sale-a-Bration catalog. It's FABULOUS! Since I'm a horsey kinda gal, I wanted this card to have a southwestern kind of feel to it. When I saw this DSP in the catalog, I knew that was how I was going to use it. I'm also totally obsessed with the arrows too. So, I wanted to cram as many as I could into this card. It was a perfect way to end a crazy busy day!

Supplies

Cardstock > Coastal Cabana, Whisper White, Summer Starfruit, Pool Party, Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe

DSP > Sweet Sorbet

Ink > Basic Black, Summer Starfruit, Basic Gray, Coastal Cabana

Stamp Sets > Oh Hello, Gorgeous Grunge, Geometrical, Peachy Keen, Hello Lovely

Tools > Stamp-a-ma-jig, paper snips, paper trimmer, Paper Doily Sizzlit, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch pack

Embellishments > Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons

The Garden Gate ~ Carved with Love

I absolutely LOVE the new "Hardwood" stamp from Stampin' Up! It's so earthy and warm and manly. Perfect for a Valentine's Day card for my hubby! He is the most rugged, manly man I've ever met so a pink cutesy frilly card just wouldn't do it for him. I immediately thought of cutting this stamped image up and adding depth to it by shading the edges with a sponge and adding a darker piece of paper as the base. It worked! Once I did that, I added mini brads to each end to make it look like a gate. I added a few of the new embellishments from the Occasions catalog and a quick sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes and it was done! 

I wanted the heart to look like it had been carved with a pocket knife. How sweet is that? So, I pre-stamped the heart in Soft Suede and traced around it with Soft Suede and Early Espresso markers. I used a masking technique to stamp the arrow from the Geometrical stamp set (I'm slightly addicted to those arrows!). 

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Sahara Sand, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake

Ink ~ Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler

Stamp Sets ~ Hardwood, Hearts a Flutter, Geometrical, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Tools ~ Stampin' paper trimmer, 3/16" Corner punch, Word Window punch, Dimensionals, Paper Piercing tool

Embellishments ~ Mini Brads, Natural 5/8" Chevron Ribbon, Basic Metal Buttons, Linen Thread

Hello There... Love

Oh I love this card. Believe it or not, it was actually a pretty quick one to put together...and so FUN! I have had this Flower Trim for a long time and have never used it. Sad, I know. Especially since it is retired. Retired or not, it's still GORGEOUS and I couldn't let it go to waste. I entered this card in Try Stampin' on Tuesday's challenge #155. A Hearts and Flowers theme.

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Pool Party, Whisper White, Pool Party (Core'dinations), Crisp Cantaloupe (Core'dinations)

DSP ~ Sweet Sorbet

Ink ~ Summer Starfruit, Basic Black, Pink Pirouette

Stamp Sets ~ Oh Hello, Perfect Pennants

Tools ~ Decorative Dots embossing folder, Oval framelits, paper snips, Small Heart punch

Embellishments ~ Flower Trim, Hardware Clips Essentials, 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim in Crisp Cantaloupe

Misc ~ Ribbon

Measurement

4" x 5 1/2"

Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration Birthday card! A Sweet Sorbet Birthday

Today at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration, we're highlighting Birthday cards! So, I decided to do something OUT of my comfort zone. A clean card. No distressing, no aging, no antiquing. Just clean lines. I'm quite surprised that I really like it! I am totally in {love}with the new Sweet Sorbet Designer series paper. It's available in the SALE-A-BRATION catalog from Stampin' Up! This paper just SCREAMED Happy Birthday to me. I'm also completely obsessed with the new stamp sets that are available in the Occasions catalog. Especially all of the amazing arrows! 

Take a quick minute and stop by Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration to check out some amazing Birthday cards!

{inside}

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit, Basic Black, Whisper White

Designer Series Paper ~ Sweet Sorbet

Ink/Markers ~ Sahara Sand, Pool Party, Crisp Cantaloupe, Basic Black, Summer Starfruit, Chalk marker, Whisper White Craft ink

Stamp Sets ~ Peachy Keen, Geometrical, Hello Lovely, Chalk Talk

Tools ~ Chalk Talk Framelits, Artisan Label Punch, Stampin' Up! paper snips, Dimensionals, Sponge daubers

1. Using the Artisan Label punch, punch out two shapes and glue them together 

2. Cut out your pieces

Crisp Cantaloupe ~ 5 1/2 x 8 (makes a 4 x 5 1/2" card)

Pool Party ~ 3 7/8 x 5 5/8"

Sweet Sorbet DSP ~ 3 3/4" x 5 1/4"

Pool Party (strip) ~ 1 1/2" x 3 7/8"

Basic Black ~ 2 3/4" x 3 3/4"

3. Chalkboard effect ~ Using Whisper White craft ink and a sponge dauber, lightly swirl ink onto the cardstock. Smudge until smooth. Draw dotted line around the outside with the new Chalk marker.

4. Stamp arrows from Geometrical stamp set in Sahara Sand in opposite directions.

5. Stamp arrows from Peechy Keen and Hello Lovely in Crisp Cantaloupe and Pool Party and cut out with paper snips.

6. Stamp the "Happy Big Day" form the Chalk Talk stamp set in Summer Starfruit and cut out with paper snips. 

7. Using the Chevron stamp from the Geometrical stamp set, stamp with Whisper White craft ink onto the chalkboard. I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to line them up perfectly. 

8. Assemble your card. Use Dimensionals underneath the "Happy Big Day" piece and the two arrows. You can just glue them on if you'd like, but this adds a little depth to the card. 

{Inside}

1. Cut Summer Starfruit cardstock to 3 7/8 x 5 5/8"

2. Cut Whisper White cardstock to 3 3/4" x 5 1/4"

3. Lightly stamp arrows from the Geometrical stamp set around the outside of the Whisper White piece.

4. Stamp "Hooray for Today" from the Geometrical stamp set in Basic Black. 

5. Stand back and smile, you did a fabulous job!

I hope you've found this helpful. I've noticed that I get so wrapped up in the project that I forget to take photos along the way. Let me know if you have any questions and I will gladly help you out. Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Success #153: Valentine's Treats for Teachers!

Can it be? Really? I'm ready for a Holiday before it's here? Today I decided to make treat bags for the kids' teachers. These are SO cute! They each hold a little chocolate. Who doesn't love to get chocolate for Valentine's Day? I had so much fun creating these. I still have some retired embellishments, so this was a great way to use them up. I still am in {love} with the Soda Pop Tops and the Designer Builder Brads. I'm crossing my fingers that Stampin' Up! will bring them back.

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Real Red, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana

DSP ~ Fresh Prints

Ink ~ Coastal Cabana, Real Red

Stamp Sets ~ That's the Ticket, Hearts a Flutter, Banner Blast

Tools ~ Deco Labels Collection Framelits, Circles Collection Framelits, Ticket Duo Builder punch, Banner punch, 1" circle punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, 

Embellishments ~ Designer Builder Brads, Soda Pop Tops, Pool Party ribbon

Fishin' Around #152: A fishy little Baby card

As soon as I saw this stamp, I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. Unfortunately, it's the SAME thing that everyone is doing with it. Oh well, I still wanted to make my own. I've tried this technique before with clear hair gel but it didn't hold up well over time. It became too thick, so I decided to try something else. This time I used hand sanitizer.

I'm absolutely LOVING this {Sweet Sorbet} Designer Paper Series pack from the new Stampin' Up! Sale-a-Bration catalog. It's so versatile! I love something that has many purposes. Especially in my cramped up craft room.

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Sahara Sand, Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White, Summer Starfruit, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party

DSP ~ Sweet Sorbet

Ink ~ Pool Party, Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight

Stamp Sets ~ Fishin' Around, Ciao Baby

Tools ~ Scallop Edge Border, 7/8" Scallop Circle, Itty Bitty Banners Framelits

Embellishments ~ Crisp Cantaloupe Ruffle Stretch Trim, Treat Cups

Other ~ Hand Sanitizer

How To Fish Bowl:

1. Use a couple pumps of Hand Sanitizer and a few drops of Stampin' Up! ink in a Treat Cup.

2. Mix together with a toothpick

3. Stamp with Black StazOn onto Whisper White cardstock.

4. Color with Markers.

5. Peel the back off of the adhesive and apply a circle cut from Window Sheet. 

6. Use Sticky Strip to apply to the card.

PCS - Venetian Valentine

It is time to release the 5th year of the Paper Crafters Sampler.  We start the first issue by preparing for upcoming Valentine's Day.  We've made a few changes this time around by avoiding the most common color associated with Valentine's Day, red.

Inside the January issue, Venetian Valentine, you'll find soft and subtle colors, fancy flourishes, embossed surfaces and splashes of gold.  Tres le femme! The template of the month is the Fliptop Heart Trinket Box.

Click {here} to visit Paper Crafters Sampler

Sneek Peek!

Please stop by the Paper Crafters Sampler website to purchase your January subscription. I'm so excited to be part of this group. There are so many wonderful things to see!!

Ahoy! #148: A Nautical Birthday Wish

I have been obsessed with nautical themes lately. I don't know where it's coming from. I am always short on masculine cards so maybe that's the reason? One look at the new Fresh Prints Designer Paper Series and I KNEW this card had to be nautical. How does one NOT love this stuff? I really like the size of the new pack. It's perfect for cards. So I set to work. What do you think about when you think "nautical"? I think ocean, ships, lots of studs and metal rigging. Here is what I came up with. I hope you like it! I've used the sketch from Mojo Monday's challenge #327.

{Inside}

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Midnight Muse, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler

Designer Paper Series ~ Fresh Prints

Ink ~ Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Baked Brown Sugar, Real Red, Craft White

*clear embossing powder over the "Make a Wish" stamp

Stamp Sets ~ Woodgrain, Perfect Pennants, The Open Sea, Perfectly Penned (inside), Geometrical (inside), Gorgeous Grunge (inside)

Embellishments ~ 1/8" mini brads

Other supples ~ Shaker Frames, Window Sheet, Dimensionals

How to:

Stamp "Woodgrain" onto Crumb Cake cardstock using Early Espresso ink.

Cut into strips measuring 3/4" x 3 3/4" and round the corners.

Distress, crumple, mash, and sponge with Baked Brown Sugar ink.

Cut Fresh Prints DSP to a 1 3/4 strip. You'll have to double the length as it wasn't quite wide enough to cover. Distress, crumple, and sponge with Early Espresso, and Baked Brown Sugar ink.

Time to make the compass! I used the compass stamp from The Open Sea, the 1" circle punch and the 1 3/8" circle punch, Shaker Frame, and Window sheet. Assemble the compass with a small piece of Dimensional. There you go!

I hope you've found this helpful. I'm sure I missed a step or two. I constantly become so engrossed in the project that I forget to take pictures as I go. I'll have to work on that!

Paper Crafters Sampler: Early Bird Special!

Happy New Year everyone! 

Exciting things are about to happen! 

It's time to start kick off the 2014 earlybird special of the Paper Crafters Sampler.  Get your 2014 full year Sampler for $89.00.  This earlybird special ends in just 3 days.

Following on the heels of the earlybird special is the release of the 2014 January issue, "Venetian Valentine".  Pop on over to the main page of the site for more information and a partial sneak peek of what's in store for this elegant issue.

Have a great day!

Click here to be taken directly to the Paper Crafters Sampler!

Beautifully Baroque #146: A Soft Subtle Thank you

This card totally strikes my fancy. I love the subtle tones. I think these two colors complement each other perfectly. I created this card for Retro Sketches challenge #96. It's a fun sketch with lots of room to play.

Supplies:

Cardstock ~ Smoky Slate, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White

Ink ~ Smoky Slate, Pink Pirouette

Stamp Sets ~ Beautifully Baroque, Gorgeous Grunge, Lovely Little Labels

Tools ~ Beautifully Baroque Embossing Folder, Brayer

Embellishments ~ Pink Pirouette Chevron ribbon, Frosted Finishes Embellishments

How To:

*You will assemble these with Dimensionals