Classic Thank You

Good Morning.  And welcome to my little slice of blog-land.  I am still crafting with what I have in my craft room.  Let me just say, that it can be both overwhelming and liberating at the same time.  I have grown into quite the paper craft hoarder collector.  I believe with all honesty I could open my own paper crafting supply store with what I have on hand.  {yikes}

But, one of my New Year's Resolutions, has been to start using what I have instead of purchasing new supplies.  Now, don't get me wrong, I still make purchases, just a lot smaller in quantity and $$$.  {a whole lot smaller}  

I am playing along with two groups of wonderfully talented paper crafters today.  

My first stop is @ Paper Craft Crew Challenge #309.  Their current challenge is a sketch.  And I love a good sketch.  To me, a good sketch is one that is super versatile and can be embellished or clean and simple.  Here is their sketch:

(Stampin' Up! products used: card stock, glimmer paper, and thin silver cord)

See what I mean!  The circle can be any shape, or item (blossom, doily, star, witch, etc) and the scallop border can be just that, or any other decorative border, or lace.  Can you see it?

My next stop is over @ Word Art Wednesday  This beautiful challenge site, is always Anything Goes, Family Friendly.  Now who wouldn't love to play along with them.  They provide a scripture that you can use with your paper craft, but is not required.  

and here is what I created:

Recipe:  this blank inside greeting card is the typical A2 size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").  The card base is made with Lagoon card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I just love the hue of this blue.  The blue pattern papers are from American Crafts.  I just love the aquamarine color.  And those grey and white blossoms are just gorgeous!

I used some glitter paper from Stampin' Up! for both the scallop trim and a small banner piece under the sentiment to add sparkle.  I had a scrap piece of a grey plaid pattern paper, so I'm not sure who the manufacturer is, but I believe it is core'dinations.  

I did a slim dark grey matt under the blossom pattern paper, and machine stitched all the layers together.  I also machine stitched the ribbon across the card.  I tied a double bow with the ribbon, and tied the bow to a vintage Aqua Mist button, by Paper Trey Ink, using  thin silver cord by Stampin' Up!.  I hot glued the bow-button combo to the card front.  I added a light grey faux half pearl to the center of the double bow.

I stamped my sentiment: Thank You, in a basic grey classic ink onto a scrap piece of shimmer white card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I used a favorite stamp set by Altnew: Label Love.  I used foam tape to lift the sentiment off the front of the card.

I used my one and only dark grey fabric blossom by CTMH.  I thought it worked perfectly.  And my final touch, was the addition of a trio of brushed silver sequins.

Thank you for looking, and I surely hope you get a chance to create something beautiful today! {smile}

Office Boss Card

Howdy, and welcome.  Sorry that I have been 'missing' from my blog.  I have posted a few things on my Facebook page.  You are always to welcome to check that out.  I try to post different images there.  Only to help keep it fresh {smile}.

I made a card today for my bestie.  She is a terrific lady, and our lives have gotten very busy with our own families.  So, we haven't been hanging out as much as we use to.  We have started scheduling 'dates' each month, just so we don't loose touch.  Todays world has become so hectic and overwhelming, that most of us don't have time for ourselves, let alone some of our most cherished friends.  {frown}  It's not always by choice, but rather a simple lack of time.  

I am entering my card into three different, but equally beautiful challenges.

Let's start with the sketch.  I headed over to the Paper Craft Crew Challenge.  Their current challenge is a beautiful sketch.  One that is simple, but easily expandable.  Great, right?

My next stop was to get a bit more direction.  So I stopped by the Tic Tac Toe Challenge.  A super fun and creative challenge site.  They use tic tac toe boards, so it allows you structured freedom.  Gotta love that!

stripes, ribbon, floral

And last, I wanted a bit more influence, so I stopped by the Double D Challenge.  This creative site has themes, items, and just a great variety of different challenges.  Their current one: twine!  How super fun is that? and twine is very easy to work with.  Give it a go!

and here is what I created:

Recipe: this card is a typical A2 size (5 1/2" x 4 1/4").  Blank inside.  

I used bashful blue card stock by Stampin' Up! for the card base.  (its a discontinued color)  I just love the softness, and the true blue color.  I also used not quite navy card stock by Stampin' Up! for the matting.  For the same reason.  The pureness of the blue, the beautiful heavy-weight of the card stock.

The pattern papers are from a digital collection I purchased.  I printed the stripes and small print onto whisper white card stock by Stampin' Up!.  The slick-ness of this card stock takes ink beautifully.  The large print, base pattern paper was printed onto white linen card stock by Paper Trey Ink.  The sturdiness of this card stock, along with the texture, makes it beautiful to print on.  {smile}

The stripe panel is adhered to the card front with foam  tape.  The sentiment is adhered to the card front with foam tape, as well.

I tied bashful blue satin ribbon from Stampin' Up! (retired) to the 'tag' piece.  I tied a blue button to the center of the bow with a copper & cream twine.  The star I made.  I used sparkle white clay, and a star mold.  

The sentiment is hand-stamped.  I used ultra detail antique copper embossing powder for the sentiment.  I used the Label Love stamp set by Altenew.  And the final touch was the trio of copper sequins by Prima.

Thank you for looking.  I need to get this card in the mail!  Have a great day!  And I hope that you have a chance to play along with any/all of these challenges.  {smile}

Butterflies & Tickets

Howdy.  Whew, I've been a bit busy!  I almost feel like I have been pulled in 6 different directions at once.  But, I am happy that my life is settling down, or will be back to 'normal' tomorrow.  I don't know how some folks live everyday with so much stress {grimace}.  

All of my grandchildren are in Elementary School, and well, that translates to several fund raisers from each grandchild.  Now, if the fund raiser is unique, or something a bit more creative than candy bars, I will schlep their products or schpeel to work and pitch to my co-workers.  My oldest grandson's class was selling car wash vouchers.  Everyone needs a car wash, and well, I haven't seen this one.  So, I took the order form to work, and went around pedaling car wash vouchers.  And viola! I sold over 30 car wash vouchers!  Now, I need a way to present them.  And let's face it, if the packaging is pretty, and you already bought the product, it just makes it better!  And now, I just need a little inspiration from some favorite challenge sites, to get the creative juices flowing!  This also gave me a chance to play along with a few of my favorite paper crafting challenges - sounds like a 'win-win'!

My first stop was Mojo Monday.   I needed a sketch to get me started, and it's contest week, so why not! Right!  These talented folks always have consistent user-friendly sketches.  And since this is the first full week in the month, it's a contest.  3 random winners are selected.  How exiting is that!  

here is their current sketch:

You know, when I first saw the sketch, I instantly thought of a doily for the large circle.  Well, so did everyone else.  And no one likes to be a sheep, so I switched it up!

My next stop was Word Art Wednesday.  Now, if I was to give an award, to a challenge site for having the nicest design team, they would win hands down!  This team, is talented, but also very nice.  You always feel welcome to join their challenges, and the inspirational quote is just begging to be used in your paper craft.   Their theme is: Anything Goes & Family Friendly.

I don't always use the scripture that they provide, but it is always fun to see what their design team comes up with.  Very, very talented group of crafters.

here is what I created:

my card was selected as a 'winner' for Mojo Monday card contest

and as a 'top 3' for Word Art Wednesday challenge

I switched the large circle element for a rectangle.  

And I replaced the red blossom with a sentiment.

Recipe:  This is a traditional A2 card: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  And it fits in the envelope beautifully!  I used a random butterfly pattern paper for the main panel.  This pattern paper is from Crate Paper, and is from the Notes & Things collection. I just love the artsy version of the butterflies.  

I used a 'ticket' for the large  circle shape on the left of the card.  It is actually a pattern paper of random tickets.  The 'ticket' pattern paper is from Crate Paper also, but from their Confetti collection.  I just cut a 3 3/4" x 3 7/8" piece off.   (when I find a pattern paper that is very versatile and easy to use, I purchase the whole package = 25 sheets.  And that is what I did with both of these collections.)

I didn't want too much pattern on my card, so I opted for a ribbon piece in place of the long rectangle.   And I tied my bow upside down, so you could see the silhouette I stamped.

I stamped my silhouette in Soft Suede classic ink, by Stampin' Up! onto white shimmer card stock.  I wanted a little more character from the card stock, so my circle wouldn't look too flat.  I picked up the silhouette stamp from a clearance bin @ a big box store for 72 cents.

I stamped my sentiment onto white card stock in basic black classic ink, by Stampin' Up! and then fussy cut the sentiment.  I used my Label Love stamp set from Altenew.  I am really loving this stamp set.  I adhered it to the card front with foam tape.  To help elevate it off the card front.  Viola.  Quick, and easy.  I had over a dozen of these to make, so I wanted something I could mass produce, but not too plain.  I had so much fun creating this card, that I will make a set of these and put them in my Etsy shop for sale.  I'll add some machine stitching and a few other pieces.  So, look for those soon.

Thank you for looking.  I hope you get a chance to carve out some crafting time, to create something beautiful!  It really does the soul good, to just create!  This weekend, I will be baking something sweet! and I'll share a photo or two!  Fingers crossed that it comes out just as I planned.  {smile}