Hey, Valentine ~ Glad You're in my School

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Real Red, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana

Ink ~ Coastal Cabana Blendabilities, Black StazOn, Real Red

Stamp Set ~ Hey, Valentine, You Plus Me

Tools/Embellishments ~ Fry Box Bigz L, Label Card Thinlits, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack (heart), paper snips, adhesive, staples, cellophane bags, filler, glitter heart want, googly eyes, ribbon

The Paper Players Challenge #203 ~ Let's Go to the Beach!

Good Morning fellow crafting peeps! I've been up since 3 a.m. surfing all of my favorite blogs. I'm blessed with insomnia AND I'm a crafting addict so I have a lot of project plotting time, so thanks to good ole' Pinterest I have quite the list! I'm lucky I'm still married. Thankfully I have a very loving and patient hubby that understands I suffer from chronic crafting.

Among the many different blogs I follow, The Paper Player's is one of my favorite and they have a new {really fun} challenge this week!

I absolutely LOVE nautical themes, so I jumped right on this one. This card isn't exactly "beachy" but it's close. So, I decided to enter it into this challenge. If you recognize it, it's because I created it a couple of weeks ago. But, it is still a recent creation AND it's still hanging on my "Gallery" wall at home!

Click here for card details!

Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration ~ Masculine Monday

It's Monday folks! At Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration, that means it's Masculine Monday! Once again, I've created a card with a nautical theme. I am addicted to them! I really need to jump out of this rut, but it's such a fun one. Since this card has such a fun summertime look, I decided to submit it to SU-Only for Challenge #99! 

Usually when I create a card I start from the base and work up. I rarely set out with a plan. I like to see where the paper takes me. Yes, it takes about ten times longer to create something this way... but that's how I roll. So, I get all the way to the end and then try to decide what embellishments to use. But with this ribbon, I knew it was going to be a nautical themed card. How could it be anything else? Okay, maybe that's just an excuse to get to do another nautical card.

I am extremely obsessed with creating things in a trio. I stamped the fish, colored them, and cut them out only to realize I didn't do three of them. Oops! But I was in a hurry and didn't have time to make another one so I added the cute little chevrons instead. I really really like the new SU Wooden Elements embellishments! Since there were only two fish, I decided to break my rule and put only two Antique Brads on the bottom. What?!? I guess it doesn't look too bad. I'll let it go this time. he he

What I Used:

Cardstock ~ Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

Ink ~ Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana, Cajun Craze, Pear Pizzazz, Night of Navy, Black StazOn

Stamp Sets ~ World Map, By the Tide

Tools/Other Supplies ~ Paper Trimmer, Paper Snips, Sponges, Blender Pen, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, All Purpose Liquid Adhesive, Sanding Block, Sticky Strip, Bone Folder, Paper Piercing Tool & Mat

Embellishments ~ Grosgrain Ribbon (Cherry Cobbler), Antique Brads, Essentials Wooden Elements, misc brass brads

Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration ~ Friday Favorites!

Today is Friday Favorites at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration! Once again, I've chosen {Hardwood} as my favorite. This card actually encases a lot of favorites for me. I really really love {By the Tide}. It makes for an easy masculine card. Something that is sometimes difficult to created. Another favorite is Tempting Turquoise. It is such a FABULOUS color! It was so much fun to put all of these "favs" together!

What is a great card without a great envelope? With the help of the Envelope Punch Board, I created this matching envelope. A big white envelope just seems boring to me, so I decorated it to match. Perfect!

What I Used:

Cardstock ~ Whisper White, Island Indigo

Ink ~ Smoky Slate, Tempting Turquoise, Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight, Pistachio Pudding, Cajun Craze, Calypso Coral

Stamp Sets ~ By the Tide, Hardwood, Something to Say, Gorgeous Grunge

Tools ~ Paper Trimmer, Paper Snips, Word Window Punch, Sponges, Dimensionals, All Purpose Liquid Adhesive, Glue Dots

Embellishments ~ Hemp Twine (non SU) 

Fish On ~ By the Tide

There is something very tranquil about fish. I am always mesmerized when I  see a beautiful fish tank, or better yet at the Aquarium. I could spend hours watching fish swim. 

I thoroughly enjoyed making this card. With my Audible book turned up, I set to work on this with only the idea that I wanted to use the {By the Tide} stamp set. I also wanted to use my Pacific Point ink. Shockingly, this is the first time I've used it. WHY is that? It's a gorgeous color! 

It was a pretty simple card to create. Only a little time consuming due to the hand cut fish. I really like the way it turned out. I decided to go with a neutral sentiment so it can go with any occasion. Now, I just have to find a manly man-person to give it to...

*The "Ombre" effect was created using a sponge

{Inside}

{Detail}

*I created the bubbles by mixing Pacific Point ink and Crystal Effects together, then used a toothpick to drop them onto the card surface.

Supplies

Cardstock ~ Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink ~ Pacific Point, Cajun Craze, Tempting Turquoise, Lucky Limeade, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie

Stamp Sets ~ By the Tide, Hello Sailor, Gorgeous Grunge

Tools ~ Paper trimmer, paper snips, 1" circle punch, Crop-a-dile, Dimensionals, Crystal Effects, Blender pen, sponges

Embellishments ~ Hemp twine, eyelets (retired su)

Stylin' Stampinn' INKspiration~ Masculine Monday

Today at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration, we're showcasing Masculine cards. I actually have come to really enjoy making "manly" cards. Stampin' Up! makes it fun! With the use of {Hardwood} and {By the Tide}, I was able to make a go of it. 

If you haven't already used the {Hardwood} stamp, YOU SHOULD! I absolutely LOVE this stamp. I've used it on so many different projects. It is so versatile... and just plain AWESOME. I'm a big fan of the natural, rugged look anyway so this stamp just floats my boat.

I used some hemp twine to create a "net" for the Lobster to sit on. 

Lots and lots of Dimensionals were used to make these little sea critters JUMP out of the card. 

I used the Fancy Fan embossing folder to add texture to the Window Sheet behind the fish. I wanted it to really resemble water. 

I really like to decorate the inside of a card as well. This one was really fun. I just brushed the Whisper White cardstock with Soft Sky and Marina Mist ink pads and stamped the coral in Cajun Craze. 

Supplies 

Cardstock ~ crumb cake, basic gray, marina mist, basic black, whisper white

Ink ~ basic black, basic gray, marina mist, pool party, not quite navy, so saffron, cajun craze, lucky limeade, pumpkin pie, soft suede, soft sky, crumb cake

Stamp Sets ~ by the tide, hardwood

Tools ~ circle framelits, window sheet, big shot, paper trimmer, paper snips, dimensionals, 1" circle punch, sponge daubers, fancy fan embossing folder, bone folder

Embellishments ~ twine, 1/8" brads

By The Tide Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$19.95

Hardwood

$13.95

Circles Collection Framelits Dies

$26.95

1 Inch Circle Punch

$12.95

Big Shot Die-Cut Machine

$99.95

Bone Folder

$6.95

Silver Mini Brads

$5.50

Blender Pens

$9.95

Medium Window Sheets

$4.95

Sponge Daubers

$10.95

Stampin' Dimensionals

$3.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

By the Tide

Last night I realized that I needed to make one more Father's Day card. I got my on dad taken care of, even got my hubby taken care of... but forgot my father in-law. Oops! We  normally don't do gifts for my father in-law because he goes on a week long fishing trip that ends on Father's Day. He always says that's gift enough. But, it's me we're talking about and I have to break the rules. 

I received this stamp set today. I know it's been out for a while, I have just been on the fence about whether or not I would use it enough. I have to admit, I really like it. This card went together so smoothly. It was so much fun to do. I hope you like it. 

Supplies Used:

Paper ~ Baked Brown Sugar Core'dinations, Whisper White, Island Indigo

Ink ~ Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Bermuda Bay, Cajun Craze, Midnight Muse, Island Indigo, Sahara Sand, Crushed Curry

Stamp Sets ~ By the Tide, Family Reunion

Other Supplies ~ Sycamore Street ribbon in Island Indigo