Best Friends

There are a few great things happening today! First, I'm the hostess again this week over @ Our Creative Corner.  Second, it's my birthday!  And third, my family is sharing a meal with me this evening!  When I say family, I mean it, in every sence of the word: my folks, my husband, my daughter and her family (including two of my grandchildren), my husband's mother, and my son-in-law's mother.  

But, first things first.  I am hosting again this week @ Our Creative Corner.  The challenge that I have for you this week, is to create a paper craft item (a card, scrapbook layout, 3-D item, an altered item) for a Best Friend.  It can be for a Birthday, Thank You, or any other occasion.  The only requirement I have for this week, is to include a flower.  But it can be a hand-made flower, or an embellishment, or a floral stamp.  Sounds pretty broad, but that is so you can make a papercraft item that is special to your Best Friend.

Here is my card:

Now, for some words about my card.  I love some specific paper craft companies.  But, I probably own products from almost every paper craft company out there.  So, I am a big fan of using what you have.  You loved the product enough to spend your hard earn cash on it.  Use it!  

To create this card, I used paper from Stampin' Up!, Webster's Pages, Cosmo Cricket, and Echo Park.  I stamped a script text from Hero Arts onto the center panel, to give it some 'weight' on the lower third of the cardstock, since the top portion of the card is pretty busy.  The reason I mentioned the different paper companies, is to show you that even though the greens and blues aren't a perfect color match, they are from the same color families and look great together!

The bird is actually a glitter rub-on.  The stamped sentiment, 'best FRIENDS to the end' is a collaboration of two different stamp sets from two different companies:  Stampin' Up! and Paper Trey Ink. 

The 'ribbon' is seam binding from Stampin' Up!  I made the multi-loop bow by hand and used a CTMH rhinestone brad to hold the bow together.

I used a 'lace' hand-held punch to create the decorative strip at the top of the main panel.  I punched this delicate piece out of text pattern paper.  This was to mimic the text script at the lower third of the same panel, and to introduce a soft beige color of the flowers that encircle the medallion.

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule, to stop by and view my Best Friend card.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!  I'll have a piece of birthday cake for us all  :)

Not Big on Pink

Happy Saturday to ya'll!  Well, I am hosting Our Creative Corner this week.  And I have to admit, I love coming up with some fun challenges for you.  For those who know me, know that I am a girl-y girl.  I love all things pink, and little feminine touches of ribbon, buttons, bling,  and pearls.  But I have girl friends who don't like pink.  Crazy, I know.  So, for this week's challenge, I thought we could make something pretty for those who aren't a fan of pink.  

Make a paper craft item (card, layout, scrapbook page, 3-D item, etc) using any shade of blue, add some texture (ribbon, fabric, floss, etc) and something metal (push pin, charm, brad, etc).  And the twist is to add a smidge of pink.  Any shade of pink.  And not too much.  (if you need a number, make it 1/5 or less pink.)  To get some extra inspiration, please stop by Our Creative Corner and see what these super talented ladies have created.  You won't be disappointed!

Here is what I have made:

 

 And if this seems too busy for your taste, I made another sample to show that less can be more.

Both cards were made from my scrap box.  I'm on a thrifty kick these days.  Please join us for this fun and create challenge!

Triple Challenge

Happy Saturday to you!  To me, the best part of the weekend, is not sleeping in, but rather getting into my craft room and 'playing' for several hours! and this weekend is no exception!  I have 11 gifts to create by Wednesday, so I need to get crafting.  I will post photos on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday for sure.  The rest of the week, I have design challenges, but who knows, there may be two posts on any of those days :)

The wonderfully talented Holly is our hostess this week from Our Creative Corner.  Holly, has a clever challenge for us: she wants us to stamp on our pattern paper and create something new.  I know what you're thinking, 'this should be easy, because I stamp on pattern paper alot.'  Well, it was a bit of a struggle for me, but once I got started, it was like riding that old bike!

I also used some inspiration from two other challenges: Mojo Monday for a sketch, and CR84FN  for a color challenge.  Here are their inspiration boards:

And here is the card I made for all three challenges:

So, for this card, I used a hundred different products.  Sorry.  It was a collaboration of what I have on hand in the craft room.  I didn't want to go out and buy anything.  Boy, does that make me sound cheap!  Ok, I'm a super big fan of Stampin' Up! so I used quite a bit from them.  

Cardstock:  soft suede, bashful blue, first edition DSP, beau chateau DSP, and bashful blue DSP.  Also, a scrap piece of a soft blue pattern paper.

Ink:  classic inks: soft suede, tempting turquoise, sahara sand, bashful blue, early espresso.

Stamp sets: friends 24-7 (flourish), established elegance (body form, and  small flourish), kindness matters (butterflies), clearly for you (butterfly, No. 5, and Amour),    you're a gem (friend), hero arts (clock, and swirl).

Misc. items: SU! rhinestones, tim holtz embossing folder, spare parts crochet trim, prima flower, and the push pin was created with a variety of different items: the pin came from wal mart,  the pearl is from my stash, and the square rhinestone bead is from a big box store.

I sprayed the whole card with some home-made shimmer mist: rubbing alcohol, sahara sand classic ink re-inker, and champagne shimmer paint.

I love to create unique and pretty things, and I'm sure you do too.  So, join us over at Our Creative Corner for this weeks challenge: stamp on pattern paper to change the original look, and create something unique and pretty, and share it with us!  

Have a wonderfully fun, and relaxing weekend!  Let me know what your plans are.  And be safe, we cherish you!

Stamping 411 Challenge

I have completed another card from another challenge. This time, I decided to try my hand at the challenge for this week from Stamping 411. This looked pretty fun, so what the heck.

I was searching a local craft store for some brown flock, when I came across a totally cute Christmas stamp set from Hero Arts. Hero Arts has been doing some adorable oriental girl doll stamps. The stamp set I chose is Holiday Dolls. I thought this set would be fun to work with, so I purchased it. Ok, so you know that I said I originally went into this local craft store for some brown flock (to flock a reindeer) well, I spent alot more than flock costs, if you know what I mean... I also like to use non-traditional Christmas colors in my Christmas cards. Everyone can make a green and red card, or a silver and blue card. But what about a pink and green card? Anyway, I just had to create a card using this stamp set. I would like to dedicate this card to my friend Morgan. She use to live in Japan, and doesn't have one bad story about the time she spent there.

The solid card stock I used, is from Stampin' Up! The pattern paper is from momenta. I used stamps from two different sets and two different companies. The greeting is from Stampin' Up! - Heritage Holiday (retired). The oriental doll is from Hero Arts - Holiday Dolls. The buttons are from Close to My Heart - Winter collection. The velvet ribbon is from Lasting Impressions - cashew. I used watercolor pencils to 'color' the doll, and a brown ink to stamp.

Thank you for looking, and have a wonderful weekend!