Girly Halloween

Hello, a couple of really girly Halloween cards to show you today.

First up is a card TOTALLY cased from Betsy Veldman. I loved how she framed her focal image with the scalloped chipboard. I covered it in heat and stick powder and dipped it in some Martha glitter. The image is from 2009 Halloween tags, my first tag set and I LOVE it !!

Second card is an ABSOLUTE fav. I love my Halloween party set from Waltzing mouse. I actually used Christmas patterned paper for this..but I love the colours in Halloween Cheer. I used the witch image from the stamp set and i wanted to pair it with this cute little sentiment that I had kicking around....but wanted to have the witches mirror images. SO, I stamped one witch in Hibiscus burst, and one in Scarlett Jewel on Vellum...and the just flipped it around! Love this technique and definitely will be using it again if I need my stamp to change direction.

You do have to be careful when stamping on vellum - it's easy for you stamp to slip around...and when I heat set my ink to dry faster, I think the vellum slightly shrunk so the scallops do not match up evenly...

Hope you like them !

WCMD - The best stop of all

If you happen to read this on Tuesday night then you still have time sto stop by Nichole Heady's blog and enter her World Card Making Day Contest found here.

I only had time to make 3 of the 4 challenge cards but this was my favourite by far.

India....perfect for a card makers inpiration. Never to much and never to over the top !!

I first brayered my paisley embossing folder with some fushia ink- it's a bit more more purple that I thought, but that's ok in India !!

I ran a peice of PS Chartreuse through it- love this technique. Card base is PS Poppy.

Some PS patterned paper, extra big rhinestones (never thoguht I'd find a use for those !) fushia satin ribbon and 3 fushia elephants finish it off !!!!

Second Stop on the WCMD tour !!

Next stop is Japan, and of course right aways I jumped to pull out the pure poppy for a red card...then I happened on this beautiful paper from Paper Source and thought it would be even more perfect. Card base is PTI rustic cream, and blue is Lake from Paper source - PS.

I wanted to use PTI's linen vellum, but it was too stark so I died it with the tea dye duo - chamomile. I coloured part of a long peony branch stamp - also from PS- with my Not quite Navy SU marker. Matted it with SU bordering blue, and used their basic grey tafetta ribbon. Snaps are PS. I used the mojo Monday sketch # 107.

Hope you like it !

WCMD Post #1

World Card Making day is here and I am finally well enough to make and upload some cards !!!

I wanted to follow the challenges on Nichole Heady's bog here.

I'll start with the card I like the least, my Australia inspired card.

I cut up some Quick Cutz adhesive cork into a frame, and stamped the tree from beyond basics borders in memento cocoa. The cardstock base is Island Breeze dark prism cardstock. 2 thin strips of cork on either side, and the white dodts Nichole was talking about on her blog.

Off to the next stop !

Postings.............

I wish I could find time to post one card at a time instead of saving them all up for weekly posts !!

I have a few cards to show you that came together so beautifully ! Don't you love it when you sit down to create and things just flow.........

First is a little card that took me less that 10 minutes !!

I found this great Martha tape on sale..I've never used it and didn't know how I would like the fact that it was adhesive...but it worked out really great.

The Flowers are Prima's and dictated the colour scheme for this...melon berry and ripe avocado...not one I would have thought of myself. Little brad is paper source. The leaf is leaf ribbon from PTI, and the for you sentiment is from SU's set great friend.

I love it when things just seem to FALL together......

I recently asked my grandmother to show me how to crochet little flowers when she had a chance....kind of in passing. Well she remembered, and in her spare time has been making little flowers for me !!! She surprised me with a bag of about 25 flowers last night !! I LOVE THEM...I love that they are all different, asymmetrical...imperfect and perfect at the same time.

So of course I made her a thank you card with one of them........

I used the In Bloom patterned paper pack from PTI - FINALLY !! I found a great in my melon berry tin...layered some white Micheals grosgrain on top of Melon Berry Sating ribbon and tied it with some button twine...

Stamped the thank you from Beyond Basic Borders..cut with my rick rack blade on my Martha rotary cutter. Lots of thanks to the ladies in the PTI forum for suggesting this great tool, i love it ! The card was inspired by a set Nichole made during the launch for In Bloom.

And last if you are still with me.....I guess my mojo ran away after the the first few cards.....

I made these neat little punched out squares with a paper source punch and a SU scalloped square punch. Ripe Avocado matted on Sweet Blush..and that was it. The rest of the card kind of ran away from me.

I created 2 versions...if you have some time let me know which one you prefer............

Or what I can do to fix it !!

Thanks !

Many Happy Occasions

I've had a lot of happy events lately that I created gift for, thought I'd share them with you.

First off my husbands birthday was last week. We had a very low key day- just like my husband- but I wanted to make him something special to show him how much he means to me - us.

This card was CASED from Debbie olsen - she's fantastic, it was exactly the type of card for my no fuss, manly husband. It's still out on display so I guess he likes it !!

Next up we have one of my best friends baby shower gifts. I took cues from her bedding and made her a little door knob hanger onesie inspired by Becky Oehlers - what a fantastic idea. It really was quick and simple, and there was NOT a lot of sewing involved.

Based the card on the doorknob hanger. Used Lisa Johnsons great saddle stitch ribbon technique - LOVE IT !!

Here is a pic of her bedding, it's funny how I had stamps to match.......the sing of a true addiction !

I had a very successful table at a recent vendor sale- i work in a large building and we have them often...so I've some more pics to share from then......

Soon !!

Love………..

I can only use that word to describe my brand new love. My Janome Sew Mini !!
NOW AVAILABLE IN CANADA through overstock.ca (however they are refurbished)
I got it last night, and got it up and running in NO TIME at all - and I've never used a machine. I thought I would start using it with a really simple one layer card. THEN I got brave and thought why don't I try my take on the whole messy ribbon thing. SO here is my very fist sewn-on card.

I used Blue Bayou and DSP is Urban Garden- all retired SU stuff. The ribbon is some plain grey American crafts. Not sure that I like how the ribbon turned out, but proud enough to put it up here !!!
Next is a little card that I made inspired by Geny Cassady. I love the embroidery floss frame she made on her card for the Autumn Elegance countdown at PTI, and decided to do something similar. Stamp Set is vintage picnic, basket stamped onto Summer Sunrise bitty dots. Buttons are from a Wal-Mart grab bag.

And last, used the new Timeless Template from PTI, Tucked Away. It is ssssooooo adorable. I love it and I can't wait to play with it tons more- and like everyone said, it was super easy to make. I used Kraft and Berry Sorbet for the box. I also used Lauren's binder clip idea to make some cute handles. Some more American Crafts ribbon and Berry Sorbet button finish it off.

off for a while

Lots of notecards !




Yellow and Kraft is PTI, ribbon is PTI, button is from a Walmart grab bag, faux stitching stamp, and coloured in with my copics.



Stamps are fun and fast notes from SU















Finally getting to do some things with my button bits- LOVE it and it was so easy to make this little set of cards. I used a rhinestone from the dollar store for the eyes...Berry sorbet with some clear embossed polka dots on the bottom, and the wing is cognac stamped on rustic cream.
















Last is something I took straight out of the PTI forum, it's Debbie Olsens take on Made of Snow. It was an extremely labour intensive card, and I made five of them !!! I used Versamark and chalks for the sentiment. PTI Aqua Mist and White, polka dot ribbon, and copic finished it up. TONS and TONS of cutting out later, and the set was finished !!!


I've got some more great cards for you tomorrow !

NOT AT CHA PTI Challenge

Hello all, some of the ladies on the PTI forum had a great idea for and event for those of use who could not attend CHA this weekend, and I thought a challenge to use some much ignored or your first PTI set to make a few cards.





I pulled out Green thumb which was the first set I received and used the star burst image to make a Christmas card- gotta keep those up !!



Used both images on Guidelines 2 cardstock. I heat embossed the large image, and stamped the small one with some brilliance ink. Matted on EE with some EE satin ribbon, and then on some stardream cardstock.

It was a very easy card and I think it will be easy to mass produce, although I think next time I'll leave off the sentiment and put it on the inside.


Stay tuned, the glue is just drying on my next card..................

Some more cards

Hello all, I've been busy busy busy as a beaver, but the awful weather has made it hard to photograph.

TODAY I finally finished my custom order invites, I'll post those up a bit later…this post will be long enough !!

A bunch of card to show off today, featuring mostly my new PTI stamps sets. The first two feature In Bloom and the middle flower from that set, I LOVE it !!
I made this card for my Grandmother who had a little surgery done this week - no biggie, she's home already but she loves anything I make her !
Her name is Rose (where I got mine) so I thought the flower from in bloom and these pretty reds would be perfect. Used my copics, put it up on some PP whose name has completely escaped me- I'll get it if you like just leave me a comment. The green dots is the reverse of this gorgeous paper- and the ribbon scarlet jewel from PTI. Backed on some Smokey Shadow PTI card stock, EK success damask border punch, and Spica glitter pen on the flower.

This next card is a technique I found while scrolling through Nichole Heady's Blog, the Faux Silk. It's just a stamped image (or patterned paper ) cover it in glue and then wrinkled tissue paper. I'll use a different glue next time, mine did not dry as clear as I would have like. I added a little snippet of the original coloured image before the glue, cause it's just so pretty !! The little wire flower is from the dollar store (love the dollar store finds !!) and the brad is making memories. I used a magnet to close it just like Nichole did, as the faux silk panel gets REALLY heavy with all that glue !! Scarlet jewel base, scarlet jewel twill tape layered over ripe avocado grosgrain.















A good luck card for an agent who is leaving our team, I used Pure poppy and Enchanted evening, love those 2 and they look great with Kraft. I love how the saddle stich ribbon (EE) almost looks like the road !

Last Card is an almost complete and total case of a Niki Estes card with the exception of the taggy thingy..……whew, 4 cards in one post, hope you're still with me !!!

PTI BLOG HOP

Hello Ladies !!! Hope you are enjoying Blog Hop.......and hope this posted correctly !!!!

Tonight's card could not have turned out further away from my vision if I tried !!! Still trying to decide if I like my card or not...oh well !

Text Print sent my mind to books, which turned the wheels toward the Martha Stewart Library paper I have, which for some reason brought the thought process to fairy tales....and that's when things got a bit scary !!

The Library paper (think bookbinding) is actually a gorgeous berry sorbet kind of pink, although it looks red in the picture. I took the print papers from Chocolate remix and cut them to size (antiqued with tea dye duo) brown PS eyelets and some PTI twine keep it closed. I used 3 different - wait 4- punches on this card- MS Scalloped edge, scalloped circle and butterfly, and SU! curly label. PTI brown, kraft and berry sorbet cardstock, and Wishing you stamp set.

The Happily Ever After was written by hand, and I'm just proud that it's legible.

I always say that I stamp cause I cant draw, and I should add print to that list !!

You can actually open the little book, the tabs/word help to turn the pages.

Good night, good luck and off to dinner.......enjoy the party I'll be checking in from my Iphone !!!!

Why it's been quiet

I wanted to show everyone a little of what has been going on in my craft room to explain why it's been quiet......

I've been working on 2 custom orders of baby shower invitations, one of 30 pieces and one of 40. Takes up lots of my crafting time !!














I was looking forward to some crafting for pleasure time, when I got some terrible news that one of my employee's suffered a brain injury. Thankfully she is alive, however it has affected her so greatly, we don't know how long or arduous her recovery will be.

I created 2 cards for her, so my team can pick the one they want.

I used PTI Rustic Cream and a Micheals cheap card stock that was just a little darker that Ocean Tides. I clear embossed the leaves on the first card, and then sponged on some Ocean tides ink over it. MS scalloped scallop punch on the bottom. Rustic Jute twine, random button from my stash. On the second card ribbon is PTI Ocean tides saddle stitch- it thought the stitches were a little white so I dyed it with the vintage tea dye from PTI to make it darker. Stamp sets are Life and Beyond Basic Borders, and Vintage picnic from PTI

I hope that you can keep my employee in your prayers, she is a fantastic young girl and I know that she is a strong fighter.

Thanks

Out of this world

Does anyone have a special niece/nephew out there ????

I was still living at home when my brothers little boy was born, and my mom was babysitting him during the days from about 6 months. He was the first niece/nephew of my siblings, and the first baby in the family for a long time. For that reason, he has a very special place in my heart...i remember his first words and steps....and I"m so glad my little monster loves him and looks up to him.

Today was his fifth birthday (FIVE!!!) and I wanted a very special card for him...so the labour intensive pajama's from last week were perfect.



PTI paper is Soft Stone, Pure Poppy and Smokey Shadow. I stamped the sentiment with PTI's Fresh and Simple Alphabets and Fresh Snow ink. (spaceship is Paper-Source) I coloured in with my copics some red, some gray and left some spaceships outline. I purposefully skewed the "world" to make it seem as if it was shaken from take off. I Crystal Effects the mirrors and put some Spica clear glitter pen on the smoke. Some red eyelets finished it.....next time I'll punch the eyelet hole BEFORE I stamp the sentiments !!

Off to enjoy the birthday party ............

Background Pajamas

Happy Friday !! (Although, I actually work a Tuesday-Saturday week....so it's just Thursday for me)

I went down into the basement (just starting to put some stuff back in it's place, I will have my room back by the end of the weekend !!! ) With the intention of making a short and simple card inspired by my son's pajamas.

I had this fantastic rocket ship stamp from Paper-Source, stamped randomly on Soft Stone CS from PTI. I coloured some in with my W7 Copic marker, and some with my R29. I also really liked leaving some just the outline. In the end, this card was not simple and colouring around all those little white circles took a looooooonnnnnngggggg time. Also, When I had cut and scored an entire card (font and back) for this, It didn't look right. So I cut it up and have some wonderful background paper and card fronts to use in the future.....will post my card when it gets done

Waiting for PTI - And Pink Christmas

Happy Almost Weekend to all.

This ADORABLE little card is an invention I saw on another blog- Christmas Card Tuesday. Start making a Christmas card every Tuesday and then come Christmas you are not swamped. Thought it was a fantastic idea, and I went to work using my Waltzingmouse stamps- see link on sidebar. Claire from Ireland designs these adorable little stamps, and I thought this October Afternoon Paper was a good match. The circle sentiment "For my Favorite little Gingerbread Girl" and the Gingerbread girl are 2 separate stamps - and I coloured the vest in with my glue pen to add some MS glitter. Edged it in Chartreuse palette ink- LOVE pink and green - and added this fun Michaels ribbon.Tied to tag - Spellbinders- to the ribbon with some Karen Fosters paper floss. Finishing touch are these 2 button brads with the backing cut off and glued together.

Back from Holidays

Hello one and all, I came back from my wonderful month long vacation- feeling very well rested and filled with inspiration. However, my creative plans hit a bit of a roadblock when my dear hubby decided to renovate my scrap room in my absence (and by renovate, I mean build a scrap room- I stamp on a fold out table in an unfinished basement staring at insulation !!) and is about 3/4 of the way done ! So a very grateful me is running around the basement trying to find all my things- not very conductive to creating.

I was able to create the one card that I thought up on vacation




It`s a little card I made using the Roses of Sharon stamp from Lockheart (I`m a bit partial to it...my name`s Rose !!) I coloured it in with my copics, matted it on some Crate paper, and then on some PTI Spring Rain.

The red ribbon is PTI Pure Poppy Twill, and the blue was a bit of ribbon included in an order from Ellen Hutson........Love it ! A couple of vintage button from PTI, and an October Afternoon sentiment stamped on Ripe Avocado finish off this happy little card.



I also wanted to include a card I made for my husband for fathers day.

It`s a cute little Changito stamp from 7kids, that I coloured in with my Copics. After the colouring, I rubbed it all over with New Canvas pallet ink to give it a bit more of a fuzzy look. I made the background using the stripe image from Beyond Basics Border- PTI- as I saw on Nichole Heady`s blog recently.
She also showed us to customize our ribbon with copics, and I made a stripe of brown on the blue gingham ribbon. A couple of button and a brown brad finish if the front of the card.




I`ve got tons of half finished cards and half formed ideas, and I`ll post some pictures of my space once my hubby finishes it........

Passle of cards

Antother long week gone by, and I am posting up a big lot of cards, with many more photots still on my camera! I have been creating, just not so much blogging.....too busy drooling at all the sneak peaks over a Papertrey Ink for the June release........................WHICH I WILL NOT BE HERE FOR!!

I am going on a fantastic summer holiday, and am leaving on the 12 of June, just in time to miss the festivities at PTI, HOWEVER I will be returning July 12, and will be in just time for NEXT MONTHS !!

Here are a few cards I had up my sleeve.

First up is a congratulations/graduationey type card, I realized I didn't have much of those on hand. Cardstock is Hibiscus burst that just looks fantastic with Black (and black pp from PTI)

I saw a similar concept at a store on some pillows, and a shirt I just bought. I wish I had a sewing machine to create the same look, however I used some score tape and Martha Stewart glitter and I think it looks great ! Hibiscus Burst saddle stitch, flower, word window and scalloped circle punch, and some Karen Fosters paper floss finish it off. I even decorated the inside !

Next up is a card inspired by my Impress Newsletter I got yesterday, creating little paper lanterns. I used PTI's Spring Rain, Spring Moss, Summer sunrise for the sentiment, and PS blossom pink. Used the background basics retro for the pattern, backed them onto Dark Chocolate, tied my paper floss and some PTI button twine as a clothesline. Sentiment stamp is from stampingbella. Background paper is from Crate.

Last up is a little card inspired by Niki Estes, who used the Maya Road clear flower and some score tape and created a gorgeous glitter flower. I used the same technique. Glitter is Martha, PP is Basic Grey, ribbon is some random Micheal's ribbon, prima on top of the glitter flower and random flower brad. The sentiment inside is from Star prints, and some Martha glitter as well.

ONE more card, I finnaly used my scor tape double sided adhesive sheets to create a gorgeous glittered flowed. I used the Cuttlebug flower dies to cut out 4 flowers, and the layered them while completely glitterafying them. I LOVE the way it looks, wish I used more colours to show off the different sizes. Backed it on a flower punch, double layered. Leaf is Maya Road flowed coloured with a Copic, i think next time I'll stick to ink and sponge dauber.......

Victorian Inspired Card

Hello All. I am new to this whole stamping world, but I already have a very distinct style-clean and simple. All the way. I see cards with glittered embellishments over ribbon over pp over stamps over- blech! I actually call these barf cards- as in it looks like my embellishment drawer barfed all over it.

SO......it would only be logical for me to create one! As a challenge to myself...I decided to make a very victorian inspired card....and THIS is embelishment overboard for me !!







I used PTI's Kraft, aqua mist and green tea leaves PP for this card. I was inpired by Nichole Heady's recent post on make your own embelishments, so I made these little flowers to go along my "vine" (PTI leaf ribbon)

I punched some flowers out of Aqua cardstock on my Mcgill flowers punch (my CS is still stuck in it !!) and inked the edges (tead dye duo)
I then dipped some black rhinestones in glue, gold leaf, and then scracthed them up with some scissors to age them.










I used an antique peice of tulle I had off a hat I bought in my high school vintage craze....but I was a little scared of the delicacy, and found I could duplicate the look very easy using the tea dye duo..I just didn't feel like sewing the tulle into rosette's. So I went ahead and used the old peice.....must makes ome tulle rossettes soon. I made a mask with the EK success damask border punch....and antiqued the edges of the whole card.








And here is the inside of the card. Leaves from PTI's beyond basic borders, and sentiment from year round puns. Bracket stamp is Paper-source- my other online addiction.

This is probable more what I normally do for the OUTSIDE of my cards !!!!


SO, here is my foray into victorian/vintage (barf!) cards. Not too sure what I think, would love to hear what you do !!!