Sweet & Simple

Whew, where has this year gone?  I can't believe that we are already nearing the end of November!  I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday, celebrating Thanksgiving.  We had family over, and did the traditional cooking.  Smoked a brine prepped Turkey, candied yams, mashed potatoes, corn pudding, cranberry relish, stuffing, and of course, my yummy dinner rolls.  The dessert table was well stocked: pumpkin pie, pecan tart, and apple pie, all served with fresh whipped cream.

So, on to todays challenge from Sketch Frenzy Friday.  As usual, the sketch is wonderfully adaptive.  I sound like I'm tooting my own horn.  Only because I designed the sketch!  It has my signature colors: pink and brown.  Hope you get a chance to play along.  I know this time of year is spent shopping, visiting, baking, and decorating.  But if you get a chance to play along, please do.  We would love to see what you create!

a quick card I made

The card base is made from Midnight Muse card stock.  For the card front, I used a bright floral pattern from Gingham Garden DSP and matted it onto a piece of Melon Mambo card stock.  For the long banner pieces, I used scrap pieces from Gingham Garden & Sweater Weather DSPs.  I inked the sentiment in Midnight Muse classic ink, and then colored the blossoms with Melon Mambo  and Old Olive markers.  The sentiment piece is actually shimmer white card stock.  Just to give it a bit of shimmer.  I used the Labels Collection of dies to cut the shape.  I wrapped white taffeta ribbon around the top portion of the card, and tied a simple bow.  I wanted to add some more sparkle, so I added three random rhinestone jewels to the card front.
Please stop by the SFF site, and see what the rest of the design team has created! And play along with us!  We would love to see what you create!  A holiday card, a birthday card, or anything your heart desires.  {smile}

a New Mom-To-Be

Hello.  If you found my blog, kudos to you.  For whatever reason, blogger is being a bit difficult.  These last few days, blogger couldn't find my blog, so I could fix a few type-o's, so it's been frustrating.  And then this morning I couldn't log-in to get this post up early.  So, I had another latte, and organzied some of my dies, and embossing plates.  This week, I am determined to tackle my whole craft room.  It has become a bit disarrayed.  So, I'm planning on going through boxes, bags, piles, and stashes, and purging.  So, look for a few 'bag bags' in my Etsy shop.  I will be providing free shipping for those.  

Yesterday, a very wonderful lady that I use to work with, threw her sister a baby shower.  Her sister is expecting her first baby.  A boy! And how exciting is that.  Well, my friend asked me to make her cake.  I love to bake, and cakes/cupcakes are a joy.  And since she is a wonderful person and a dear friend, I wanted to make her sister a lovely gift.  You know me.  Everything comes out match-y match-y.  A baby boy.  Then the cake board must be blue.  And I have an infinity for polka dots, so yes, the cake board was baby blue with silver polka dots.  

I love how yellow and blue compliment and contrast each other, especially when you select the perfect shades.  Authentique and My Mind's Eye helped me with that.

Here is the card and matching bag:

The card is a standard A2 size (5 1/2" x 4 1/4") and the paper bag is 8" tall.

I started with creating the card.  I wanted something pretty, but not too feminine.  So I selected this beautiful pattern paper by Authentique: Renew.  The colors are simply pretty.  The colors match very nicely with Stampin' Up!'s Baja Breeze, Pool Party, and So Saffron.  I like how the pattern papers have a bit of distressing.  

The card base is Baja Breeze cardstock.  I cut a piece of Pool Party cardstock a bit smaller to create a matt.  I used my Tasteful Trim die to create the collection scallop trims.  I just love the larger scallops.  It really shows off the pattern papers.

I machine stitched each layer of scallops.  I then tied a strip of So Saffron Taffeta ribbon around the top of the card.  I created a multi-loop box and tied a white clear paper trey button to the center of the bow, with some yellow bakers twine.

I used my Modern Label punch to create the sentiment tag.  I stamped the sentiment with a stamp from the Something to Celebrate stamp set, by Stampin' Up!. (sorry, that stamp set is retired.)

I saw this adorable rubber stamp at a local stamp shop.  The baby lamb is actually from an Easter collection of stamps by Prickley Pear.  But, isn't it just too cute?  So, I stamped the lamb onto white cardstock with Jet Black Staz-On pigment ink.  I used my 2-way glue pen to adhere some white flock to the body.  I left the lamb's face and inner ears flock-free.  I used my Pear Pizzazz and Pool Party markers to color the flowers and foliage around the lamb's neck.  Then I dotted some more 2-way glue to the flower centers and dusted them with some dazzling diamond glitter.  

I matted the lamb the same  way that I matted the card's main panel: pool party and baja breeze cardstock.  

I added the trio of pearls, because the card seemed to be missing something to me.

I used a template that I purchased from Paper Trey Ink, called Around Town Tote.  I love the size.  It's 8" tall, and the bottom narrows down to just under 5".  The bag can be made to 1 1/2" deep, or expand up to 2 1/2" deep.  Depending on what you want to add.  So, I really love that!

For the decorating, I just copied what I did on the card.  The body ofthe card is made from Baja Breeze cardstock.  I layered and cut the pattern papers in the same manner as the card.  

I set out to make a matching set.  I purposefully made them 'the same'. 

For the sentiment, I wanted a more decorative tag, so I used my Lots of Tags die set to create the shape.  I used the same sentiment stamp: Welcome Baby stamped in Jet Black Staz-On pigment ink.

Instead of adding the trio of pearls under the tag, I added them to the decorative label.

The other thing that I changed on the bag, from the card, is that I didn't machine stitch each row of scallop trimmed pattern paper.  Instead, I machine stitched the taffeta ribbon.  Because I had a mis-stitch with my sewing machine, I added the multi-loop bow to the opposite side of the bag, compared to the card.

I stuffed the paper bag with yellow tissue paper, and added a hand-crafted altered baby onesie.  Yes, the fabric I selected was yellow and blue.  {smile}

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope I have inspired you to craft something today.  And yes, I consider baking/cooking as crafting.  I'm off to machine sew some tiny scallop squares together to alter a few more onesies.  It's good to have a few on-hand, and in my Etsy shop.

Sweet Valentine

Welcome.  On this Friday, Patrice, over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday, has a wonderful sketch for you to try this week.   This sketch has alot of potential!

Here is this week's sketch:

This sketch looks pretty straight forward.  But, what if you replaced the squares with. . . .?  

Sometimes, you need to think out side of the perverbial box.  You could replace the squares with tags, hearts, circles, butterflies, etc.

here is what I created:

I replaced the right lower square with an oval.  I also replaced the right upper square with a rectangle.  I added a few hearts, a button, a blossom, and a few tiny tags!

The card base is basic grey card stock.  I ran the main panel of very vanilla card stock throught my swiss dot embossing folder.  I wrapped a piece of basic grey taffeta ribbon around the top of the main panel and tied it in a bow.

To start, I created the largest piece.  I used pink pirouette card stock and an oval embossing folder.  I tore around the edges.  I used basic black card stock and white craft ink to added the faux chalk board technique.  I used a clear heart-shape button, a tiny piece of real red card stock, and white baker's twine to add a whimsical embellishment.  

The two square pieces that I kept, are the postage stamps.  Those I stamped twice, and layered.  I wanted to add a sweet embellishment to the 'Paris' stamp, so I created my own blossom from card stock.  I sponged some pretty in pink classic ink.   I added an embossed grey heart, to help 'connect' the hearts.

The top right square, I replaced with a rectangle.  I have a weakness for ticket stubs.  Just so nostalgic.  I wanted to add something, but I didn't want to distract from the ticket.  So, I embossed a pink heart, and added two tiny tags, stamped with 'Love' and {love}.

The sentiment, was actually the easiest piece to create.  I took a scrap piece of very vanilla card stock, and cut it 1/2" wide.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig, to position the sentiment.  I used a square punch to create the banner ends.  I used some dimensionals to lift the sentiment banner off the front of the card.

So, give Patrice's sketch a try, over @ SFF.   Let's see what you create!

Surprise Birthday

Howdy!  Glad that you could stop by today and see what I've been crafting!  A girlfriend had asked me to make her some Birthday invites for another friend, but it's a surprise party!  How fun!  I think those parties are generally the best!  You get to make it all fancy and special, and the recipient  gets to bask in the special efforts, surrounded by her friends!

here is the invite:

I used four different pattern papers from three different companies.  Once I figured out what I wanted to do, finding the perfect pattern paper wasn't soo hard.  Just a few minutes to hunt and peck!  I have to admit, I just love the scallop trim piece from the Tasteful Trim die by Stampin' Up!  I think it helps give any project a little feminine touch, without being over whelming.  I sprayed the whole card with some 'home-made' shimmer mist.  I used the champagne shimmer paint by Stampin' Up!, a drop or two of Sahara Sand re-inker and rubbing alcohol.  The champagne paint has gold mica flakes, so it gives a soft golden shimmer.   The 'shh' was stamped each letter at a time.   I 'painted' the 'flame' from the candle with white craft ink and then added some dazzling diamond glitter by Stampin' Up!

Paper Cone

Well, it's time for another challenge over @ Our Creative Corner. Vicki, is our hostess this month. If you have a moment, you really ought to check out her blog: It's a Stamp Thing. She is pretty talented!

Our challenge is to make an Easter project, but NO cards. I made a paper cone filled with May flowers. It has a spring theme, but no Easter type images: chicks, bunnies, eggs. Just in case someone doesn't celebrate Easter, but would like to play along, I guess.

So, here are some photos of my paper cone. The image on the far right, is the one that is posted on the Our Creative Corner blog site. The other three I wanted to add. The image on the far left, shows the paper cone suspended, so you can see how it hangs. The next image (moving left to right) shows a closer view of my hand-made medallion. And the last image, is a closer look at my hand-made paper flowers. I used as much of Stampin' Up! products as I could. There are three pieces that aren't: the floral trim at the top on the pink ribbon, the layered pattern paper, and the fabric rosette at the bottom. All other materials used, are Stampin' Up! If you have any questions about specific product used, or how I did something, please contact me.

Thank you for stopping by. Post a comment, they really do make my day! And play along with our fun 3-D Easter/Spring themed challenge over @ Our Creative Corner! We'd love to see what you create!

March Project for Card Club

This is the project that we are making at card club this month - all supplies used are from Stampin' Up!. The pillow box is made with a die and the Big Shot. The flower is made with a sizzlit and white card stock. I sponged some mellow moss classic ink onto the flower to help define the dry embossing. The base is mellow moss card stock. The pattern paper is from the level 1 hostess gift (pattern paper pack III). The ribbon is white taffeta.

Early Christmas II

Yes, more cards on vacation. (actually, I'm posting two today.:) This will be my last post this weekend. I'm pretty sure my family would actually spend time with me that doesn't include crafting of some sort. (all supplies are from Stampin' Up!)

I created the top card yesterday. I love the simplicity of it. I used the Curly Label punch to punch out three different holiday papers. I tied a piece of Very Vanilla Taffeta ribbon around the top of the card, and stamped the greeting from Christmas Greetings in Old Olive classic ink. Quick and easy.

I used the same layout, and just added a little more to it. The snow flakes are from Winter Post, the greeting is from the new holiday mini catalog Four the Holidays. The card base is Bashful Blue card stock. Kraft card stock and Shimmer White card stock are matted on top of the card base. The snow flakes are stamped in Encore Silver ink, and a rough cut-out. The snow flake edges are dipped in chuncky white glitter and are attached with two silver brads and one blue round ice rhinestone brad. The ribbon used is bashful blue and kraft taffeta ribbon. This card was quick and easy, too. Thank you for looking. Enjoy the rest of your weekend:)