A little Mother's Day Card mass production going on...

I finally finished making my Mother's Day cards for our mother's and my grandmothers. I need to work on teacher appreciation gifts too...I wish I did not require sleep :)

The cs I used is all from ACMoore (white, black, tropical green) except the Stampin' Up! (SU) Old Olive cs. Also from SU: dimensionals, white gel pen, top note die, designer series paper (dsp), and stamp. The ribbons are from Mike's. I used the SU top note die on the dsp, and the smallest oval is the stamped image. I used the gel pen on the flower centers of the stamped image. I used my Cuttlebug embossing folder Swiss Dots on the Old olive cardstock and the black oval. I also used the Martha Stewart Doily border punch.

The challenge this week (#29) at Cuttlebug Challenges is to make a coordinating envelope for your Mother's Day card. I used the scrap dsp for the envelope flap, and stamped the image on the front of the envelope (in Old Olive ink). I used my white gel pen to draw in flower centers.

Tea Bag Folding: The Cuttlebug Spot # 28

My first attempt at tea bag folding. I love entering challenges because it encourages me to think and create differently. The Cuttlebug Spot certainly did that for me with this challenge :)

I used text weight daffodil paper, since pretty tea bags are difficult to come by in the U.S.
I would like to try this technique again in the future; perhaps I will even try some different folds.

I didn't know how I was going to turn this into a card. I started with the large gem brad (Bazzill) and two primas behind it for the flower center. Then I went in search of coordinating papers. I decided on this textured cardstock and designer paper from a Stampin' Up! Simply Scrappin' kit. I cut the designer paper and used my Birds & Swirls embossing folder. I layered my tea bag flower on a scalloped circle I cut using my Nestibilities. Then I was stuck. I happened upon an old sketch by Julee; it was Mojo Monday # 46 sketch. I then went through my smaller gem brads (also by SU!) and found exactly four. Don't you love when that happens? For the sentiment I used my Nesties again and stamped the sentiment (by SU!). Not bad for a first try :)

Get Well, Memere :)

My grandmother, whom I call "Memere", had knee replacement surgery12 days ago. She is a remarkable woman because of her high tolerance for pain (that I did not inherit.) She was out of the hospital and moved to rehab 1.5 days earlier than the norm. She was expected to be at rehab for 8-10 days. She was there for four days and she is home :)

I started this card yesterday and finished it this morning. I was going to send it, but I will see her this weekend so I will pack it in my suitcase.

This card is 100% Stampin' Up! stamps, punches, ribbons, top note die, papers, dimensionals, and inks. The only non-SU! item are the flat back pearls; they are rhinestone stickers from Michael's.

Scrapsketch Blog

My Design Diva friend, Deanna, is so thoughtful. She e-mailed me to let me know about a blog she found called scrapsketch. Stephanie is having a design team call so guess what I did today??? There are 50 scrapbook page sketches currently on this blog. Lucky for me, because I need to start working on pages for my f-i-l's album. Father's Day is practically right around the corner...

Stephanie of scrapsketch has wonderful trendy sketches, so I hope you will check her out :)

My first page, "Beauty" is sketch #49. I used Bazzill cardstock, DCWV Pocket Full of Posies patterned paper, DCWV mini brads, SEI button, prima, QuicKutz Katie font (title), and Stampin' Up! window punch.

My second page, "Julia & Kathryn" is sketch # 40. I used Bazzill cardstock, Chatter Box patterned paperprima (white flower), Making Memories flower (purple), DCWV mini brad, Making Memories large brads, Making Memories alphabet stickers, paper piercer and white gel pen (faux stitching).

My third page, "Julia" is sketch # 48. I used Bazzill cardstock, DCWV Pocket Full of Posies patterned paper, Queen & Co. buttons, QuicKutz Paige font (title), Creative Memories corner rounder, and Stampin' Up! ricrac.

My fourth page is a companion page for the third page.

Please go check out Stephanie's scrapsketch blog...use the sketches for your cards or take a break from card making and scrap some layouts!

For Mom; BasicGrey Challenge # 32

The BasicGrey Challenges blog has done it again. Christine provided a wonderful sketch found here. I had so much fun making this card! I paper pieced even more than I did on yesterday's card; I pieced the dress, pot, leaves, flowers, and even those four small flowers in the corners of the stamp frame (Iused a white gel pen to make the centers white). You may think this much paper piecing is a form of torture, but sometimes it just has to be done :)

Recipe:
decorative papers: BasicGrey Oh, Baby Boy!
stamp: My Favorite Things
cardstock: white Georgia Pacific (Wal-Mart)
flowers: green (Michael's); white (Prima from LFL "lovely friend Lauren")
brad: Stampin' Up! Build-A-Brad
rub-ons: ("for mom") American Crafts Kate font
ribbon: Making Memories woven ribbon
scallop squares: Nestibilities
other: Stampin' Up! dimensionals and scallop border punch

Paper Piecing Extravaganza!

I purchased this stamp set (My Favorite Things), but this is my first time using it. I bought it about 2 weeks ago. It struck me that the flowers reminded me of Stampin' Up!'s designer series paper, Raspberry Tart. I stamped on SU! Whisper White cardstock, then I paper pieced her dress and the potted flowers with two different Raspberry Tart papers. I colored the leaves with SU! Old Olive, and paper pieced the pot with a coordinating SU! cardstock. I colored her arms with copic marker E00 (my first time using a copic!!!) I used an Xacto knife to cut around her arms and the inside of the frame. All this only took 1.5 hours :)

Today I endeavored to make it into a card. I used all SU! cardstock and Raspberry Tart designer papers, and dimensionals (the scallop border punch is SU as well). I used my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. The 3 mini brads are DCWV, and the two square scallops are Nestibilities.

This was A LOT of work, but even more fun to make!

The Cuttlebug Spot # 28: Take the Cake!

Does it seem like you are on the wrong blog? This post and my previous post are not my usual elegant or BasicGrey cards. They are June-is-using-up-old-stash cards :)

This week's challenge at The Cuttlebug Spot is "Take the Cake!"
My thought process: Cake = birthday. I have one Bazzill Birthday Chip left. Plan card around the Bazzill chip. No decorative papers match. Use only Bazzill papers. I need a cake. Drive to JoAnn's...everything is 40-50% off this week. Buy Sizzix cake die. I have to use my new Martha Stewart border punch (yes, another new punch!) Make cake from scraps of Bazzill. Use Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. Uh-oh. That cake is BIG. Where should I place the Bazzill chip? Top left. It is just floating up there. Add ribbon. Hmmm... Add piercing. Still strange, but don't know what else to do. The candle flames match the candles...the Bazzill chip has some "stitches"; add stitches to candle flames with white gel pen.

I guess we all have days like this :)

Cuttlebug Challenges # 28: Home Sweet Home

Quote: "Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." Oliver Wendell Holmes

When I saw this challenge yesterday at Cuttlebug Challenges, I knew I had a house somewhere in my stash. I found it! I actually had two of them. First I cut out one house from the sheet (from O Scrap!). Then I cut the heart and the tree from the other house, then popped them both up on the first house.

It needed more dimension. Hmmm...I used my Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip marker and doodled around the door, roof, added a door knob, and distressed the edge of the tree and heart.

The frame was also cut from the sheet. I found scrap cardstock in my scrap bags. I took the tan cardstock down to my computer and googled "home quotes". I found this quote, and printed it out. Then I scored the quote on each side to give it some dimension. For the olive cardstock I knew I wanted to use hearts to tie in with the heart on the house. Time for a field trip to JoAnn's to buy the hearts embossing folder :)

So what do you think? It came together so quickly! I wish that happened more often :) And you know I love using old stash!

Cuttlebug Challenges Prizes & A Blog Award

These are my winnings from Cuttlebug Challenges # 24: Cuttlebug Meets Cupcake. A heartfelt thanks to Maggie, for sending out my cool prizes, and to all of you who voted for me :)

My award comes from my dear Design Diva friend, Deanna:

"Thank you for influencing me to start a blog and helping me out all along the way! This has been such a fun journey so far! :)"

Isn't she a sweetie? The fact is Deanna has taught ME a lot about blogging. Just yesterday I started adding people from my favorites to my dashboard as blogs I follow. I hope to add a dozen or so each day until I complete my never ending list. So now instead of clicking a gazillion blogs from my "blog favorites" on my computer I now just check my dashboard to see if people I follow have posted. Before now I rarely had enough time to leave comments (I mostly lurked...LOL). Now I have time to leave comments more often.

The Karma Award: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I choose the following bloggers (in no particular order!!!)

Lauren ...all the GOOD blog names were taken...

Kristie Crafty Life, the Paper Universe & Everything Kristie

Corie Creations By Corie

Leslie The Crooked Stamper

Cassie For The Art Of It

Silke Silli

Chrissie Simply One of a Kind

Amy Pickled Paper Designs

In Loving Memory of Raymond Albert Erno, Jr.

My father passed away suddenly Sunday night. This is a picture of us when I was 4 years old. For as long as I can remember, he always had this photo in his wallet. For the past decade, he has resided in Florida with my stepmother, Bev, and their children. In recent years I have seen him twice per year. Doug, Julia, Kathryn and I went to Florida and visited him in February. He then came to visit us here in Virginia on March 31st. He treated me to lunch at our favorite place, Ledo's Pizza.

Creative Card Crew: # 7 Monochrome Madness

My Design Diva friend, Deanna, called me last night to tell me about great challenge blog called Creative Card Crew. This week's challenge is to create a card using black, white, and gray/silver.

This card is made from both old & new, but no borrowed nor blue :)

From my new stash:

papers: 6x6 Basic Grey Ambrosia collection

border punch: Martha Stewart lattice

From my old stash:

ribbon and mini brads: Making Memories

cardstock sticker (wine glasses): Pebbles Inc. Real Life Snapshot

other: SU! dimensionals and ticket corner rounder punch; white and black cardstock; paper piercer

Basic Grey Challenge # 31: Paper Piecing

This week's challenge at BasicGrey Challenges is to paper piece. I do this often; I think it adds so much dimension to cards. I used my 6x6 Basic Grey Ambrosia papers. The 3 butterflies and script background is a Magenta stamp. I stamped the butterflies two times each on three solids from the Ambrosia collection. I glued one set down, then used Stampin' Up! dimensionals to pop up the second set of butterflies. I wanted to add a little something, so I added Heidi Swapp bling to the three butterflies and the top left and bottom right corners.

The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge # 26: Shape It!

This week's challenge at The Cuttlebug Spot is to make a card that is not a square nor a rectangle. I immediately thought of this wonderful cat stamp by Stampa Rosa. I broke out my new 6x6 Basic Grey Ambrosia paper pad. I stamped the mouse twice on the grey paper in the Ambrosia collection (and cut him out twice.) Then I stamped the entire stamp on the Ambrosia orange pattern paper. I glued the orange cat to white cardstock, and ran it through the D'Vine Swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder. Then I glued the cat to a white A2 card, and cut it out in the shape of the cat. I glued one mouse flush with the orange patterned paper, then popped up the second one with a Stampin' Up! dimensional.

Mother's Day Card

I got the idea to make this card from my friend, Kaye, who made her card with our friend, Tamra. I believe their cards were in Stampin' Up! So Saffron, and they chose a Stampin' Up! sentiment and punch (I don't recall what they used.)

I went to Sue's monthly stamp camp on Wednesday of this week, where we get to play with Sue's Stampin' Up! toys. I used her embossing folder on vellum, then cut around the two blooms. I attached the vellum along the cut edge with a little dab of Scotch quick dry adhesive. Then I punched the holes for the ribbon (also a SU! punch), then tied the ribbon (SU! Certainly Celery).

My sentiment is a stamp from My Favorite Things that I stamped in Certainly Celery, then die cut with my Nestibilities Labels Four.

Cuttlebug Challenges # 27: Numbers

I used the word "TWO" instead of "too" as a play on words for both the Cuttlebug Challenges # 27: Numbers andthe fact that my girls are twins. I used my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder on the green flowers. In the top left corner (behind the three green flowers) I used a Cuttlebug die from "Flowers" on pink and yellow Bazzill cardstock.

I am getting together with my Design Diva friends tomorrow: Deanna, Sheryl, and Chris. Deanna came up with the alcohol inks challenge at our last meeting. For tomorrow's meeting, Chris thought it might be fun for us to each create a layout around a lyric. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but I didn't know if I would have time to do it. It actually came together rather quickly this afternoon (to be honest, my brain has been working on it for at least 4 days.) PLEASE click on the picture to get a better look! Thanks :)

I pulled out these pictures of my darling girls' one year portraits. My girls were such pretty babies! I can't believe they will be seven years old in less than two months...and they didn't even ask my permission to grow up so quickly :) We prayed for one healthy baby and we were blessed with TWO (hence the play on words in my scrap book title); just shy of our 11th wedding anniversary.

From the time the girls were infants, I used to sing some of my favorite songs to them. I love Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons "Can't Take My Eyes Off You." Ready? Sing!

You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you
You feel like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much
At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you

Pardon the way that I stare
There's nothing else to compare
The sight of you leaves me weak
There are no words left to speak
But if you feel like I feel
Please let me know that it's real
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you

Bada...

I love you baby
And if it's quite all right, I need you baby
To warm a lonely night, I love you baby
Trust in me when I say
Oh pretty baby
Don't bring me down, I pray
Oh pretty baby
Now that I've found you stay
So let me love you baby
Let me love you…

I used Daisy D's Lullaby papers; scrap green cardstock (using QuicKutz Paige font); yellow and pink Bazzill cardstock; a paper piercer and white gel pen (faux stitching); Got Flowers? (green); and silver mini brads.

Cuttlebug Challenge # 27: NUMBERS

This week's challenge at Cuttlebug Challenges is "NUMBERS". I immediately thought to use "Happy Birthday 2 U". I felt like a fun sentiment needed fun paper. Basic Grey's Color Me Silly collection is probably the most fun paper I own :)

I modified sketch #11 at Stamps & Smiles to make my card.

Recipe:
embossing folder: Cuttlebug Spots & Dots
papers and die cut "u": Basic Grey Color Me Silly collection and white cardstock
"happy birthday": QuicKutz Revolution die
"2": Thickers
brads: Making Memories
dimensionals (under "u"): Stampin' Up!

Basic Grey Challenge # 30: Chocolate Soft Centers

Basic Grey Challenge # 30: Chocolate Soft Centers

Yummm, chocolate! For soft center candies, I opt for cherry first. Those fluffy pink centers and a dark chocoate shell make me gain weight just thinking about them! For this challenge I had to use the Infuse papers by Basic Grey. I love this collection! I don't see it used often; but it is one of my faves. And I needed an excuse to use my newest Martha Stewart border punch (do you see it behind the top panel?)

Recipe:

decorative papers: Basic Grey Infuse

cardstock: chocolate chip by Stampin' Up!

flowers: Bazzill Bling (brown & pink) and Got Flowers? (green)

mini brad: American Crafts

rub-ons: Doodlebug Designs Sew Easy (faux stitching) and Basic Grey ("celebrate")

scallop circle & chocolate chip label: Nestibilities

other: Stampin' Up! dimensionals

Cuttlebug Embossed Vellum Easter Treat Bag

We're back from a week + of travelling to visit relatives. I don't know about you, but I was having major blog withdrawal symptoms. I created very little...not by choice, just due to limited supplies I was able to pack. I may be getting in on two challenges at the last minute with this treat bag. One being Cuttlebug Challenges 26: Cuttlebug and Vellum Make Great Easter Projects. The other being The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge #25: Easter Treat Containers. I used my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, my SU! Top Note die, my new EK Success border punch (I purchased while travelling...YES, I packed my ACMoore and Michael's coupons!) All punches are SU! The cardstock is Augusta Green linen and Ponderosa Pine linen (both from XPEDX), pink Bazzill, and white cardstock. The brads and butterfly are from my mom's stash. The "&" is a rub-on and the names are stickers I purchased from Michael's.

I also used a Michael's coupon to buy another box of DCWV cards. I used my new Martha border punch and DCWV decorative paper from the Nana's Kids mat stack. I also packed my scrap ribbon bag from Leslie. See that itty bitty white ribbon? Thanks to Leslie, I made 3 cards like this one :)

Happy Easter: Basic Grey Challenge # 29

When I saw today's Basic Grey Challenge for Spring/Easter, I immediately thought of the Phresh & Phunky papers. The sketch was inspired by my friend, Amy Sheffer, who posted this card today. I had just a small rectangle of the polka dot, so I layered it on white, leaving a thin border. Then I layered it on green Bazzil, and scalloped the edge with my SU! border punch. I always use dots with stripes, and I found a stripe scrap and mounted the same way. Now for a background...I chose the plaid, pierced, and used a white gel pen for faux stitching. I layered on white, then the base card (green Bazzill.)

I picked up the white pearls ("Rhinestone Stickers") earlier this week from Michael's. Eager to use them, I added one to each scallop.

Now for the sentiment??? I found a "happy easter" rub-on in my stash by Creative Imaginations. The BG Phresh & Phunky has tags included with the papers. I chose this circle tag, used the rub-on, layered on white and green Bazzill, then used Stampin' Up! dimensionals to pop it up. It still needed something. I found the purple flower (Jolee's Boutique) and added one more white pearl (Rhinstone Sticker). Still not enough. I asked dh his opinion. He said, "How about those Bazzill flowers I bought you for Mother's Day? I think they are too big though." I was so proud of him!!! He was right, the Bazzill flowers were too big, but I did find this smaller pink flower (Prima) that LFL (Lovely Friend Lauren Bergold sent me for my birthday. Thanks, dh and Lauren! It was just what the card needed :)

Shout Out To SheetLoad

Before I shout out to SheetLoad, I'm gonna give myself a shout out: I won "Challenge #23: Spring" today at The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge blog. I entered my "Cute as a bug thankzzzz" card first, then I entered my alcohol ink floral vase card. It was the alcohol ink card that was chosen :) Wahoo!!! Go me, go me, go me (I am doing a happy dance in my swivel chair.)

Back to SheetLoad...
I am entering this card in an intersite challenge. Yep, SheetLoad and Cuttlebug Challenge have teamed up. The winner of the challenge will receive both frosted and clear acrylic to play with!
SheetLoad is a free monthly e-zine to help paper carafters make the most of their time. You will be able to make lots and lots of simply elegant cards with only a few sheets of paper. Check out the April cover:

How cute is this card on the cover???
And check out their FREE current issue.

This card is for Cuttlebug Challenges #25.

Recipe:

Cuttlebug embossing folder: Swiss dots

decorative papers and cardstock: Stampin' Up!

stamps: "Happy Easter": Inkadinkadoo; flower: Stampin' Up! Heartfelt Thanks

flowers & dimensionals: Stampin' Up!

brads & ribbon: unknown

inks: chocolate chip: Stampin' Up!; colonial blue & sand: Memories

The Cat is Out of the Bag

Can I get a "WAHEY?" I won at Cuttlebug Challenges! A great big thanks to all of you who voted for me :)

Today's card is for the Basic Grey Challenge # 28: Follow the Sketch.

I used the Basic Grey "Color Me Silly" Collection to make this fun card. The base card is DCWV, and the blue Cuttlebug embossed layer is Bazzill cardstock. I stamped the stamp (by Magenta) on SU! Whisper White cardstock, and again on the orange from Color Me Silly. I paper pieced the cat, then colored the blue and tiny green rectangles with my Bic markers. I popped up that panel on SU! dimensionals. I love these fun colors!

Butterfly Alcohol Ink Card-- The Sweetest Thing

Thanks to my Design Diva friend, Deanna, I am in love with Karen Giron's blog, The Sweetest Thing. She has a sketch challenge this week found here. I had this one last stamped image I made a couple of weeks ago with alcohol inks. I am creating too many little piles again in my craft room, so it was time to clean it up a bit before I get big piles :) I decided to try to make this butterfly image work with Karen's sketch.

Recipe:

Cardstock: Bazzill: purple and black; Wal-Mart: white

Designer paper: Magenta

Brads: Making Memories

Sentiment: Basic Grey rub-on

Ribbon: JoAnn's

Punches: Stampin' Up!

Emboss It Twice-- Cuttlebug Spot Challenge # 24

Two posts in one day?! A first for me. Trust me, my previous post is MUCH cuter, so don't forget to scroll down...leave a comment there too, if you have time. Thanks!

The Cuttlebug Spot has come up with another great challenge! Emboss it twice. When you emboss the second time, the first embossed pattern gets smooshed, but you can still see it. I embossed with Stylized Flowers first, then Circle Flower.

This was a challenge for me! I could not decide which two Cuttlebug folders I would use or how I would use them. I have owned the circle flower embossing folder for many months...I just had to have it...but I had not used it until today :)

All papers, the felt flower, and the dimensionals are by Stampin' Up! The border punch is Threading Water by Fiskars. The white ribbon and brad are from my stash.

April is Autism Awareness Month

Happy April!

April is Autism Awareness month. Last year I learned an affectionate term for a person who has autism is "autie". These are my two auties! My girls are 6yo now. They are Julia (pictured on the left) and Kathryn (above/right). I snapped these pictures this morning while we were getting ready for school.

With the staggering numbers of children being diagnosed with PDD/ASD, it is likely you know an autie. What I would like to know is this: Have you hugged an autie today?

I've hugged two!