Serenity Sympathy cards w/Jenni Bowlin butterflies

   I have no sympathy cards in my stash, and my subconscious has been working on an idea for days.  My inspiration came from my package of Jenni Bowlin butterflies.  I used one out of the package last year, but four more remained in the package.  I decided I should try to use them all up.  Then this weekend I perused my 6x6 pads and I realized that I had never cut into my BoBunny "Serenity" papers.  I think they go well together, don't you?  I added some dry embossing below the papers (see picture above).

 Here is my set of four:

These papers are gorgeous!

The 6x6 BoBunny "Serenity" was purchased at Shop Pumpkin Spice.  My Jenni Bowlin butterflies were included in my Artful Delight kit (August 2011).  The embossing border is Cuttlebug "Winter Borders" and the sentiment is by Stampin' Up!

Happy Tuesday!

Whooooo Hello You're a Hoot Thanks!

(SUPPLIES  papers:  Echo Park 6x6 "Hello Summer",

"So Happy Together", and My Mind's Eye Fly a Kite "Soar" Fly paper;

EAD "Owl Friends" stickerz (owls and sentiments);

Fiskars cloud punches;

SU white gel pen and chocolate chip marker)

 Do you have an abundance of certain themes in your stash?  When I first started stamping I collected lots of stamps of pears, leaves, flowers, and dragonflies.  Now I also like cute birds, specifically owls.

(SUPPLIES  papers:  Echo Park 6x6 "Hello Summer",

 My Mind's Eye Fly a Kite "Spring" Stars, 

October Afternoon "The Thrift Shop";

EAD "Owl Friends" stickerz (owls);

My Mind's Eye Lush 2 Buttons Orange;

The Twinery "Cappuccino" twine;

My Pink Stamper "Punny-licious" sentiments;

Spellbinder's Nestabilities scalloped circle die;

SU  chocolate chip marker and 1 3/4" circle punch)

I have been hoarding a sheet of EAD "Owl Friends" stickerz because these owls are so darn cute!  But every week I see my blog friend, Amy T. and more recently sweet Rose use their EAD products to create lovely cards.

Truthfully, I have tried to make cards from this sticker sheet quite a few times, but then a card does not evolve.  I have had a pile of papers I chose to coordinate with the stickers on my floor for a couple of weeks.  After I saw Rose's recent post using EAD, I made up my mind to create something with my EAD owls.  I am so glad I did!  These cards turned out super cute (can I say that?)  I want to give them to my daughter's resource teacher for a back-to-school teacher gift for the first day of school.  He is fabulous; he was my daughter's teacher when she was in 2nd grade and she will have him again for fifth grade.  I am so happy for her!  She has a strong team of teachers this year.  Yay :)

Happy Friday!

Fiddlesticks butterfly card

  My basket that I store my 6x6 paper pads in is overflowing...and I just purchased three NEW 6x6 pads last week from Shop Pumpkin Spice.  How can I resist?  I can make a gazillion cards from a single 6x6 pad, and they are only $4.19 each.

  I need to get organized in my crafting.  So many times I am under the gun to create a last minute card or gift.  Time to work ahead a bit!  My mom's birthday is coming up and she loves butterflies.  I perused my newest 6x6 pads and I think this My Mind's Eye "Fiddlesticks" will work well for her.  I also pulled out all of my My Mind's Eye glazed brads from various collections to coordinate with the Fiddlesticks paper.

  I took some liberties with this July 2011

Clean & Simple Stamping sketch:

  I originally planned to put the sentiment in the bottom left, then decided I liked it on the top right and I moved the horizontal layer (crinkle ribbon) up a bit...

I am entering my card in the current challenge at Shopping Our Stash:  Sketch It!
(Use any sketch, show the sketch in your post, and explain how you used it.)

Supplies:
paper:  My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline "Fiddlesticks"
brads:  My Mind's Eye Lost and Found 2 Blush "Beautiful Girl" & Indie Chic Citron "Grow"
crinkle ribbon:  ballet slippers
butterflies:  Cricut cartridge "Wall Decor and More"
eyelet:  Making Memories

CAS Nutmeg & Wassail and blog candy WINNER!

  

 Remember this Clean & Simple stamping sketch

that I was so enamored with in my previous post?

I just had to try the circles...easy peasy!

I used My Mind's Eye Indie Chic "Nutmeg" 6x6

and My Pink Stamper "Birthday Crazy" stamp.

Then I tried to make my weekly Christmas card:

The paper are BasicGrey "Wassail"

and the sentiment stamp is by A Muse.

And now for my 1,000th post/ 5th blogoversary candy winner.....drumroll...

#11 Rose:

 Rose said...

your card is stunning!!!!
congrats on 5yrs and 1000 posts girl :)

Congratulations, Rose!  Please email me your snail mail address and I will get your goodies ready to mail.

Happy Wednesday!

CAS cards from scraps

   This week's challenge at Shopping Our Stash is to try something new or revisit an oldie.  I've been racking my brain as to what I might do.  Then I saw this week's sketch at Clean & Simple stamping:

I am so inspired by this sketch!  I can't wait to grab some of my 6x6 pads, punch some circles and create some fun cards following this sketch...but then an idea tickled my brain:  three years ago I tried a technique of embossing scrapbook paper and sanding it (click here to see my 2009 card.)

 I cut a sheet of whisper white to 8 1/2"x 8 1/2", then cut in half to create two square cards @ 4 1/4".  I cut a scrap of black card stock 2 @ 3 1/2" square.  Then I cut a scrap of SU dsp ("So Saffron" pattern paper) 2 @ 3 1/4" square.

I embossed with my SU "Elegant Bouquet" embossing folder and sanded the paper with my Making Memories sanding block.  I stamped my sentiments both by My Pink Stamper:  "Around the Corner" and "Birthday Crazy" that I purchased from Shop Pumpkin Spice.

Do you think I should use up that SU paper and make bunches of these?  I may grab some 6x6 pads and start punching circles to use that fantabulous Clean & Simple stamping sketch again.  *LOVE*

Happy Monday!

Just a little bit of sunshine!

I found some mojo!  I was at Amy Tsuruta's blog (truly one of the sweetest bloggers on the planet) and saw here recent Paper Issues post.  I clicked over to Paper Issues (I've been stalking that blog for months now) and saw the Summer Fresh 12x12 prize pack.

Paper Issues:  Summer Lovin'

If you follow my blog, you know that I am totally enamored with my 6x6 Summer Fresh pad.  I love cutting up the journaling card pages and making it the focal point of my card, then layering with other papers in the collection.  My favorite collection of the summer, hands down.

Now in search of a sketch...I found a new sketch blog!  New to me anyway...they have been around since December 2011.

Seems a Little Sketchy

All of my papers came from my Artful Delight June kit.  I just added some My Mind's Eye burlap trim and small buttons from my stash.

Happy Sunday!

Wedding Invitations/ Deconstructed Sketch

and the inside:

Whenever my mojo is waning, I go in search of inspiration.  This week I just can't seem to create anything....but then I found inspiration on Amy Sheffer's blog.  I first met Amy eight years ago when I asked her to hostess a Stampin' Up! party in my home.  We shared the same passion for CAS cards and I found a friend in Amy!  Her cards were so crisp and professional looking.  Since then both of us have evolved in our card-making styles.  Amy's cards and projects are still all works of heART.  I admire her use of all types of supplies to create her stunning cards teacher gifts, and projects.  Amy is one of the most talented bloggers, and a sweet friend.

Here is the sketch that Amy used:

Sketch 65 at deconstructing Jen

I sell my cards at a local coffee shop.  Heidi, my most loyal customer of 4+ years, asked me if I would design her wedding invitations.  At first I said I don't do wedding invites (mass producing 100+ cards does not appeal to me.)  Heidi said she only wanted 25 cards and something really unique.  Her colors will be green, fuchsia, orange, and brown.  You should see her place settings and flowers...stunning color combo!  I found the best paper collection to mimic her colors to be Indie Chic Saffron.  I emailed Heidi the links to check out which papers she liked the most from the Indie Chic Saffron papers at Shop Pumpkin Spice.

Here is the evolution of Heidi's card:

Using Echo Park "Style Essentials", SU card stock and ribbon, scraps of BasicGrey "Infuse", and some   pearlized swirl paper, I asked Heidi if she liked this style of card:

Then I made two versions using Indie Chic papers that Heidi chose:

 (this one uses the yummy textured 12x12 Indie Chic)

(this one uses the smooth texture and smaller print of the 6x6)

Heidi's final choice was the last card, but using the textured 12x12 versions of the same papers:

And this gave me an excuse to buy the Cricut "Sweethearts" cartridge to cut those hearts.  I am so good at justifying my craft spending :)

Happy Sunday!

My Pink Stamper retiring

  This card is for you, Robyn (aka My Pink Stamper.)  It has been a joy being on your design team for the past year.  I love the quality and versatility of your stamp sets.  I created this card with the cupcake from "Birthday Doodles" and the sentiment from "Yummy-licious" purchased from Shop Pumpkin Spice ($16.50/set).

  Bloggie friends, you know I love to use my scraps...this is one of my old DCWV card bases and the rest of the card is all paper scraps of card stock and papers from Echo Park "Life is Good."

  Once Robyn's retailers have sold out of her stamp sets and DVDs, they will be gone forever.  If you've had your eye on any particular stamp set, I would grab it now.  I hope you will hop over to Robyn's blog and leave her some love!

THANK YOU, Robyn!

My 1000th post! Jingle Belles Sketch challenge +blog candy

 This week Jingle Belles challenge blog has a sketch...a great one too; you can keep it CAS or embellish away.  I chose to pull out My Mind's Eye "Lost & Found Christmas" papers and stickers that I purchased last year at Shop Pumpkin Spice.  I layered the Christmas Trees paper on early espresso card stock, then embossed it with my D'Vine Swirls embossing folder.  The 3 rectangles were too long to fit in the embossing folder, so I covered the demarcation with ribbon to cover it.  I had a scrap of red glitter sticker paper and used a Spellbinder's "Lacey Circles" to die cut.  Then I added the two MME stickers.  Easy and all from paper scraps :)

  Follow this sketch and link your card to Jingle Belles "Oh Christmas Sketch" challenge.  Every two weeks Lauren & Stef have a new challenge.  It is so much fun to make a Christmas card every week (or two) than to frenzy produce at the last minute. I first "met" Lauren and Smilyn' Stef over five years ago via blogging.  Yep, my five year blogoversary was June 1, 2012 and this is my 1,000th post!

Time for a little blog candy:

  Please leave a comment below and I will post a winner on August 22nd.  You do not have to become a follower to win; I prefer that you follow because you want to follow.

Happy Friday!

Bright Side Birthday

  Last year I asked my grandma if I could have her sewing machine, since she rarely uses it anymore.  She said, "yes."  Last week was her 90th birthday, so I wanted to also use her machine to stitch on her card.

  This card is totally My Mind's Eye with a My Pink Stamper sentiment purchased from Shop Pumpkin Spice.  The 6x6 paper pads are always just $4.19 and the My Pink Stamper stamp sets are only $16.50!  

Here is a picture of my grandma...I think she is so pretty!

Supplies:

paper:  My Mind's Eye On the Bright Side TWO; black card stock; white card stock

sentiment:  My Pink Stamper "Invitation Only"

glazed brad:  My Mind's Eye Indie Chic Citron "Grow"

Happy 90th Birthday, Gram :)

Many thanks!

 

  I am very behind in my thank you notes...about two months!  But it is never too late to show appreciation, right?  My brain was trying to come up with a way to make 10 identical cards...I shopped my 12x12 papers and decided to make use of my Echo Park "Style Essentials: Runway" papers that I purchased from Shop Pumpkin Spice.  There are 3 double-sided sheets in dark pink, green, brown, and soft pink each in 6 different patterns; 12 papers for $6.64!

Here are the six patterns in the dark pink:

I cut the scallops from my Cricut "Accent Essentials", stamped a sentiment (My Pink Stamper "Yummy-licious" set), and added five tiny pearls across the top.  Easy-peasy.

I am entering my card in the current challenge at 

Shopping Our Stash:  Monochromatic.

Here are some masculine thank you cards I made using the brown patterns:

(Cricut "Pretty Pennants" cartridge, jumbo eyelets, and ribbon)

Have you added Style Essentials to your cart yet?

Happy Wednesday!

Teacher Gift Card sets

   Summer school teacher gifts:  I try to show my appreciation to the teachers with some paper crafting goodness.  I made this set for Kathryn's teacher.  Here is a closer look:

I am entering my card in 3 challenges:

• Artful Delight monthly sketch challenge

• Crazy 4 Challenges:  Creating a card/project for a teacher
• Die Cuttin' Divas:  Anything Goes

And I couldn't leave Julia's teacher out...she had a terrific teacher this summer too.  Her first male teacher, so I tried to come up with a masculine card set:

Supplies:

Cricut cartridges:  apple from Plantin Schoolbook and strawberry from Preserves

paper:  Doodlebug Designs "Sweet Cakes", green Bazzill bling card stock, and red linen card stock (strawberry card); My Mind's Eye Indie Chic "Nutmeg", early espresso card stock and navy linen card stock

sentiment:  My Pink Stamper "Fruit & Veggie Puns" stamp (strawberry card); my handwriting (apple card)

twine:  My Mind's Eye Fly a Kite "Spring" (strawberry card); The Twinery "Cappuccino" (apple card)

embossing folders:  Cuttlebug "Seeing Spots"(strawberry card); Cuttlebug "Argyle" (apple card)

flower & brad:  Queen & Co. (strawberry card)

library clip:  Stampin' Up! (apple card)

border punch:  EKSuccess

Happy Monday!

Masculine Funday Birthday/WWIT

  A walk down memory lane...when I began shopping at scrapbook stores for patterned papers to create my cards and LOs (circa 2003), Making Memories was the most well-known scrapbook paper manufacturer to me.  Their collections included polka dots, solids, stripes, watercolor, plaid, sponge, speckle, etc.  They also had eyelets and twistel to coordinate.  Yes, I had to have them all.  Does anyone else remember this?  By 2004 I also got hooked on Doodlebug, My Mind's Eye, BasicGrey...since then even more new paper companies have emerged and my hoarding has spun further out of control.

  I rarely use that twistel now (or eyelets; I prefer brads).  Twistel is kind of like raffia, but not exactly.  Anyway, I was perusing my 6x6 paper pads and I realized that my My Mind's Eye Funday papers have not been used recently...and for some reason I purchased a lot of those kraft-y papers... I was going for a masculine birthday card, so I wanted to avoid ribbon.  But the card needed a little something, and I went digging through my fibers bin for some twistel.  I uttered a mental groan:  why do I have sooooooo many fibers?  I have at least six fibers in greens, blues, yellows; I had to have every color of those too.  Sigh.  WWIT?  (What was I thinking?)  And a single 6x6 pad can make TONS of cards...why did I need two of the Funday pads?  Don't get me wrong, I *LOVE* My Mind's Eye, but they continually produce new collections that I fall in love with...probably best if I just pick one favorite and enjoy it...

  I was inspired to create this card from the current challenge at Shopping Our Stash:  WWIT?
Simple.  Done.  Shopped my WWIT stash :)

Supplies:
paper:  My Mind's Eye "Funday"; black card stock
sentiment:  My Pink Stamper "Girlie Doodles" (ironic, isn't it?)
border punch:  Fiskars
twistel:  Making Memories

Happy Monday!

Shop Pumpkin Spice...it's FIN-tastic!

  It's that time again...to hop along with the Shop Pumpkin Spice design team!  Lots of variety along the way from papers and supplies purchased from Shop Pumpkin Spice.  Don't miss out on the August monthly kit either; I may skip on over there right now and put it in my cart, unless you beat me to it.  The kits are always a super value.

  I was inspired to make this card from the current challenge at

Creative Card Crew:

On the Beach/ Under the Sea

Check out the happy creations by the CCC Dt as well as all the link-ups.  Fun stuff!

Here is our line up:

Diana
Courtney
June *YOU ARE HERE*
Lenae
Lezlye
Carissa
Saundra * Saundra is rockin' the August kit...check it out! *
SPS Blog 

Supplies:
paper and stickers:  Echo Park "Paradise Beach"
sentiment stamp:  My Pink Stamper "Even More Punny-licious"
twine:  "Cappuccino"

Hop away!

Simple Stories, You Are My Sunshine

  "Summer Fresh" is the first Simple Stories collection I have ever owned.  I have the 6x6 pad and I am addicted to it!  I love the bolder colors and the fact that it pairs well with my navy Bazzill card stock (my picture makes it look black, but it is truly navy.)

  This pad is different from all of the other 6x6s I own because some of the papers are not just a pattern (like the red check or green polka dot pictured.)  There are papers that can be cut up and used as journaling tags or as the sentiment (e.g. "you are my sunshine" panel above.)  Here are some earlier posts of other cards I have made from the same 6x6 pad:

Sooooooo much fun in one little pad.  Do you see the clouds behind the sail boat?  I fussy cut the clouds from one sheet in the pad of paper...so many flags and other goodies to fussy cut.  The "waves" in the sail boat card were the negative image from using my scallop border die.  Then I used the actual scallops for this card:

  The hot air ballon panel is one of the rectangles of journaling cards; I just added the bit of twine on the basket and a navy snap in the corner.  Easy-peasy.

  Now I am motivated to give some love to my other 6x6 pads because I may need to make room to buy more Simple Stories...they sure are easy to work with!

Happy Wednesday!