LOVE for Cardabilities and Jillibean Soup - Anniversary

  I really enjoy using paper scraps, especially when I eke out a card from them.  This card in particular makes me happy...I fussy cut the hearts from a scrap and the floral pattern is also a scrap piece.  Even the card base and matching envelope are the last of a package.

  And of course a great Cardabilities sketch is always helpful:

  I hope you will play along with this sketch challenge...you have until April 14th to play along!

Supplies:
papers:  Jillibean Soup kraft card base (and envelope, not pictured);  Jillibean Soup "Hearty Barley" papers; SU early espresso card stock
gel pen:  SU
scallop border punch:  SU
rub-on sentiment:  American Crafts "Ginger Sidekicks"

Happy Saturday!

Seize the (Masculine) Birthday!

  I am enjoying having my daughters home for Spring break.  We have had fun playing games, doing puzzles, and visiting family.  And I have been able to squeeze in some craft time too...I have made three cards in the past three days!  I made this one this morning after coming across the "Seize the Birthday" challenge to create a masculine birthday card.

  The pennant pieces and scallop border strip are scrap pieces lying on my craft table (from my BasicGrey "life of the party" kit), so I started with those bits.  Then I perused every collection I own for some masculine papers yet fun colors and patterns.  I opted for the Echo Park orange chevron (from "a walk in the park") and Echo Park green hexagon (from "for the record").  I stamped "Happy Birthday" (My Pink Stamper "Birthday Crazy") and added the "BIG" alpha stickers (Creative Memories).  The black gems are Imaginisce...I love that i-rock tool and the adhesive gems; so easy and they adhere so well.

  I looked through my Thickers stash to add "wish", but I was out of "w" and "s"!  I opted for some very old alpha stickers by Making Memories.  They didn't stand out, so I stuck extras on top of each letter (for a total of four each).  A good way to use old sticker alphas :)
  The "wish" still washed out a little, so I traced around each letter with a fine tip black marker and added other doodles:

I hope you are all enjoying time with people you love for the holiday weekend.  Happy Friday!

Victoria Gardens and Style Essentials

  I recently purchased a new Cricut Cartridge called "Creative Cards."  I think this cartridge is going to see a lotta love from me.  I thought this particular card would work well with a large floral print behind the trellis cut and possibly with a quatrefoil patterned paper.  What do you think?

  My Echo Park 12x12 papers came out to play today!  "Victoria Gardens" works well for Spring and for Mother's Day and "Style Essentials" is a great collection when I need a coordinating paper.  I have used "Style Essentials" with other Echo Park collections as well as My Mind's Eye and Carta Bella; it makes terrific monochromatic cards too.  I also used my i-rock heat tool and black gems on my sentiment tag.

Supplies:
paper:  Echo Park "Style Essentials" pink quatrefoil (background); Echo Park "Victoria Gardens" Rose Garden (large print), Wind Chime (trellis), and Rose (small green floral print on sentiment tag); card stock by Stampin' Up! (old olive)
Cricut cartridge:  Creative Cards
punches:  Stampin' Up! (sentiment tag)
sentiment:  Stampin' Up! Teeny Tiny Wishes

Happy Thursday!

Lucky Challenge

inside:

  There are just two more days to enter the "Lucky" challenge at the Shop Pumpkin Spice blog...and a chance to win $25 worth of product from the Shop Pumpkin Spice store.  I purchase all of my 6x6 paper pads from Shop Pumpkin Spice; they are always priced at $4.20, which is a 30% savings over my LSS.  I used Carta Bella "Traditions" 6x6 papers to make this card.  I may need to use this collection to make my Mother's Day cards this year.

  I hope you will play along and link up your "Lucky" card here.  Maybe you will be the lucky winner :)

Supplies:
paper:  Carta Bella "Traditions" 6x6 papers
brad:  My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Two Blush "Beautiful Girl"
sentiment stamp:  My Pink Stamper "Friend-tastic"
Cricut cartridge:  Creative Cards

Happy Wednesday!

Thanks a Melon, Joy!

  This is my final post for the Joy's Life Winter 2013 design team.  But it is not goodbye!

I am sure that her sentiment stamps will continue to inspire me.  Joy is super sweet to work with, as are all the ladies on her team.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to represent Joy's Life stamps.

My card today was completely inspired by the

"Thanks a melon" sentiment from

Yummy Pun Stamps:

Supplies:

stamp:  Yummy Puns Stamps

papers:  Three Bugs in a Rug "ellie" (striped background paper); Echo Park "Style Essentials" Runway collection

ink:  My Pink Stamper "Darkest Night" hybrid ink

gems:  Imaginisce i-rock tool and black hot rocks

Cricut cartridge:  Pretty Pennants cut @ 5 1/4 fit to length

banners:  PTI die

Happy Tuesday!

Inspired by Nature Joy's Life blog hop

Welcome to the Joy's Life "Inspired by Nature" blog hop!
You should have arrived here from sweet Patty,
a long time blog friend of mine :)

If not, please start at Joy's blog!

 I am ready for Spring!  Spring makes me think of Echo Park's "Country Drive" papers and stickers.  The adorable Country Drive lady bug and bee stickers caught my eye, so I sorted through the papers for a paper combination that inspired me.

  I really liked the white and yellow flower sticker too, so I attached it to a scrap of white card stock and fussy cut it out (as well as the bee).  Bees make honey, honey is sweet, so I chose "Friends make life SWEET" for my sentiment.  This sentiment comes from Joy's Life "Yummy Puns" stamp set:

Supplies:
sentiment stamp:  Joy's Life "Yummy Puns"
papers:  Echo Park Country Drive "Bees Knees" and"Just Dandy"
stickers:  (bee and white/yellow flower)  Echo Park Country Drive Element Stickers
brad:  My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Two Rosy "Ordinary"

blossom:  Bo Bunny Denim Blue Blossoms Bouquet Flower

Your next stop is:  Jenny

Happy Hopping!

Rainbow challenge

  Have you entered this week's RAINBOW challenge at Shop Pumpkin Spice?  There is still time...you have until tomorrow at midnight EST/ 9pm PST Friday, March 22, 2013.  This is my entry...a layout!

  I much prefer to create cards (instant gratification).  A card can take me anywhere from an hour to a day, but a LO takes me at least a day. This one actually took a few days.  I agonize over it and want it to look like fab LOs that I see from my personal blog idols like Jana Eubank, Linda Auclair, and Stephanie Buice.

  This LO is of my dd Julia in 2005.  Yes, that is where I am in my scrapbook...spring 2005.  I developed the pictures years ago and my goal for 2013 is to finish up LOs from 2005.  I have made LOs of every month of my twin girls from birth (2002)-2005.  I have made a few LOs in the past few years, but I no longer stress over chronological order.  After I finish 2005, I probably will develop pictures from 2006, but I won't worry over getting pictures from every single month.  I will let the pictures inspire me for holiday LOs or the girls at play.  That's the plan anyway :)

Supplies:

Cricut cartridge:  Elegant Edges (scallop border) p. 24 cut @ 1"; Doodlecharms (flower stem) p.96 cut @ 4"; Plantin Schoolbook font ("GROW")

paper:  Doodlebug Bazzill (purple card stock); Doodlebug "Hello Spring" collection

stickers:  Doodlebug "Hellow Spring" collection

I purchased the Doodlebug "Hello Spring" collection from Shop Pumpkin Spice.  Link up your RAINBOW project HERE for a chance to win either a $25 prize package or a full refund of your March order at Shop Pumpkin Spice store. 

Happy Thursday!