Surname Signs

 Before I ever owned a Cricut I ordered the vinyl and stained my own board. To make  this sign.
 I had originally seen the Wall Art in my Sister In Laws home. If you want you can also order the whole sign pre-made from them. The company is Its ASign...I do highly recommend them. 

Since getting married my daughters have asked for one for their home.  They have each been waiting awhile. The main reason I have postponed it is lack of planning.  I always think of making them when there isn't enough time to actually get it made and in the mail in time for a birthday or holiday.  Another reason is I haven't wanted to layout the wording for the Scripture and do the welding, etc. on my Cricut.    I told myself if I finished the album in time I would tackle the long awaited signs.   I guess this  is a season of getting the long awaitied projects done. I have many.

Walla, They are finished, well actually only  two are finished. I still need to make another two, hopefully before their birthdays or Christmas.  It will be easier now because the layouts are done....it should be a piece of cake...I just need to buy or cut two more wood boards.
I used my Gypsy to layout the design using the 12x 24" mat option. 
I used a two page set up so I could layout the smaller font to a correct size over teh larger font when you use a 2 page option you can see the other page through each other so you can make adjustments to size visually seeing the comparison.
I cut the Surname  using Plantin SchoolBook, Shadow Option
I cut the scripture using Calligraphy Collection...
I own Opposites Attract which would be great for making this sign but I like the script look when welding better from CC...and the Block lettering of PSB better for the surname.
The letters will appear red on the Gypsy if you have chose the weld option for cutting...be sure to preview your design before cutting the script font.

I did have to re-cut the vinyl for the "erve" in Serve on the white script.  A piece of vinyl had managed to get loose and stick to the bladeand  some of the vinyl lettering.  To do this I just hide the cuts for the rest of the phrase and then cut only the partial cut I always save before I first cut so I can adjust and cut separate parts but I never re-save the design so I always retain the original cut design.  I will be able to open this cut and change the surnames. and cut one or two signs. as I wish.

I get my vinyl at SignWarehouse.com This link will take you to the hobby vinyl I use most. They do sell sheets pre-cut for a Cricut Mat, but when I cut my own vinyl I tend to use white or Black, and use these rolls.  The rolls I have purchased will last for ever, and I have used them for decorating tile, votives, and other glass at my daughters wedding. I have also made lots of glass gift jars and awards with candy etc.  It is well worth the cost if you plan on making lots of things from vinyl.
  I also have done vinyl shares in the past with other people so we could get several primary colors for the cost of one roll. In addition I have found assorted small vinyl pieces for a good price at Amazon. I did this so I could get  Gold and Silver for Cub scout career arrows, but have used the other colors on gifts.   If you are using it outdoors I suggest buying a more expensive outdoor option at sign warehouse.   I also will occasionally buy a Cricut Vinyl  tube if it is on clearance and a good price.

 For the signs I used a 24" by 6" pre-routed board I picked up at Micheal's for 7.99$.  I stained the boards using some old stain and then sealed the board after it dried with 3-5 coats Krylon Clear Matte Finish Spray paint. I like the look better if I do several light coatings of spray sanding after the first coating slightly and wiping with a damp cloth. After it dries well I affix the lettering and then resealed the vinyl and board with 3 or more coats of the same finish.  The letters on their sign are about 5", while my sign is at about 6".  I designed my letters to fit the board.
Until later... Happy Stamping!

GOOGLE GIRL that uses Bing for rewards

I have been doing BING REWARDS If you would like to try it You can earn gift cards and other items by searching with Bing...I have found the search challenge to be a little questionable....if you search and choose Google 2 times then you will get three searches and they remove all images from the search and you end up getting images from Bing and Not from Google.. they have you respond until Bing ends up the winner...not a fair comparison...But I do my daily searches to get my rewards so I can get gift cards to buy things with... maybe Google should do this for me so I can keep searching with Google all the time...

anyway if I post a link I get rewards don't know if Blogger will let a Bing Link stay but I am going to try.. feel free not to click on it...
hmm well I had issues using my standard methods ( as expected) things  didnt work like normal so I will just try to paste it...  copy and use it if you like

http://www.bing.com/explore/rewards?PUBL=REFERAFRIEND&CREA=RAW&rrid=_42df9fad-1df6-3448-2cc2-68df519a1219

 I think Google and Microsoft are just not friendly to each other...
In reality I am a naughty GOOGLE GIRL, I love Google + and all its advantages...

Scrapbook and Gifts Update

Just wanted to update and let everyone know my taxes I mean the Scrapbook is done...

What a relief.
I have taken a ton of Pictures, but I hesitate to show them all.  I want my Daughter to enjoy them first.
When I get back from delivering it I will post more pictures. For now though I will just upload a few, of the less exciting pages...
The first is the Layout from buying the dress.... I forgot my camera this day but luckily I had my iPod in my purse and captured these images. It surprised me how nice they looked when I printed them up as photos....

These albums always turn into a first year of marriage thing in order to fill them up. The second layout is really boring, but I have about 6 pages that either have a place name, or "memories", "sites" and "Adventures" on it.  I do not have images from the study abroad that her and her husband did together last fall.  She will have to finish these pages herself...hopefully she will.

The last layout page is for their anniversary...
again they will have to take pictures for this and add them after it occurs. I am doing my best to remember to bring the anniversary cake to  them when I bring the album.  The last wedding we had I for got the cake top and had to mail it.   It made for a great blog post and a funny memory for my other daughter and her husband, at least I hope it is funny to them.

I also finished up some Birthday Gift items for  two of my other daughters that I will be delivering. I scheduled a post so they will appear after I deliver them...
Until later ....Happy Stamping!

Supplies:  DCWV, Cricut, Gypsy
 SU the only new items used not mentioned on the previous post  is the  5 point Flower punch.  I used the same ones I used to make their wedding announcements....

Wedding Albums and Taxes

I have been working like crazy on my wedding album for my daughter.

Its funny how projects like this make me feel. I always have to black mail myself into starting the project. I tell myself "You can't make another thing until the album is finished."  Once I start it goes rather quickly.   This sort of explains my lack of post for the last year.  I love that I get to make one for my Daughters but  it is the one thing in life that makes me sorry I have 7 daughters.  There is only one other thing that I associate these similar feelings too, I realized Sunday Morning at 2 am., and that is Taxes.  I had just finished my 6+ hour ordeal of helping the same  wedded daughter with doing her last minute taxes....last minute in my book because I always do mine in Feb.  So why do I do it?LOVE!

  If  I was making a scrapbook like a lot of creative people out there it would be a better experience.  I am really making a paper craft picture album. That is not nearly as creative a project as it should be. The girls however as very happy and thankful that  one I help them with

their taxes and two that I make them a beautiful memento for their wedding day.  Though it is such an ordeal, such is the life of a mother.  Since I last posted I have picked  out and loaded  a scrapbook in order  for 40 pages using Die Cut  With A View "Storybook" paper.  DD wedding was Shabby Chic and in Purples and off whites...it was hard to find papers to go with those colors in a shabby chic everyone else uses pinks....(sigh). This DCWV paper was the best thing I could find in the shades of purple I wanted... and had an element of telling a story which her pictures certainly have a story to tell. I also have cut and laid out 6-12X12 Cricut mats of lettering. using my Cricut, Gypsy and  the "Plantin' School Book" Font Cartridge.  I guess I have a BOOK theme going! I went on a fun trip to Michael's to pick up  some  more Xyron "X" refills.  I didn't have a back up, now I do! I actually ended up picking up two more projects to finish before the trip.  I used the "X" to mount all the lettering on the adhesive and have spent 2 evenings and afternoons adhering letters onto 22 pages of the album. The pictures show the piles as they  currently exist.

This weekend was busy with other things so today I will be attaching more lettering, hoping that job is finished today.  I was too lazy to run up the stairs to grab the good camera to have a picture to post so I grabbed my trusty iPod and took a few quick shots.
Well its time to go back to work and finish up using those letters so I can start mounting pictures and some fun embellishments the fun part, but first I should probably order the pictures...
Until Later ... Happy Stamping!

Back Again...I think

I have decided I really do want to use my stuff that I have been acquiring over the past year. I have made a few things but I am always doing it at the last minute so I throw it in and envelope and mail it or head out the door with it, never actually taking a picture.

Here is a picture of one thing I made last month for church, a Lip Balm Purse. I ordered the organic Vanilla Lip Balms HERE . They were very nice and I would recommend ordering. The postage made it a little pricey(for me) at 8.25, but for the cost of gas and running around looking for some it was worth it. I would suggest ordering them  more than a week before you need them...without expediting  the order it took 8 days to get them.   I made 30 or 40 I can't remember. 

I used THIS to make the labels on a whole sheet label and then trimmed them on my paper cutter. I got 8 out of a 12x12 piece of paper the purse piece length was 6" but and I believe the width I cut to 3".  I used a Marvy Large Scallop for the top flap.
MS for the leaves and SU for the pointed 5 petal Flower Punch.  The satin  was a clearance ribbon  from my Local Craft supply store... same brand as I have grabbed in the past for wedding invites.


Now I really need to start my Daughters Wedding album since her Anniversary is coming up soon.
I should be try to get it finsihed before I head out of town in a few weeks.  In an effort to motivate myself I am making this blog post to tell you to check back and see how I am doing.  I am hoping that will motivate me to start the Scrapbook soon...wish me luck...and
Until Later...Happy Stamping!

Helping Tami

Just going to put this out there.. to ask for help getting the word out...and for donations...

this Link is for a fund raising site (Go fund me) 

 set up to help my High School friend.

When we were seniors in HS she broke her back in a fall doing Gymnastics...she used to have a van to get around in and got in an accident earlier this year.  The van was provided by the state of California, she had insurance for the van but the state of Calif. took the proceeds from the insurance and no long provides vans...so she has been left with no way to get around.  She can do a bus for some local things but has to often go out of town for medical treatments and other job opportunities, which depends on the generosity of others.  Tami's mother is deceased and she is pretty much on her own.   She was very careful investing and saving her money she received for her injury but lost most of it in the stock market fall 5 years ago...she does not have a way to get to work right now and my sister set up this go fund me site to help her get a van.   These vans regularly sell for over 100,000$. She is trying to find ways to get this used handicap van before it is sold...the van company is holding it right now in good faith for her.   I was hoping some of you might be willing to put a link on your blogs,  or post them in FB to help to try to get the word out to fund this van.   Many small donations can make a world of difference in her life. ..so... if you can 5$ will greatly help.
If you or anyone can help please do, or contact me with any other helpful information I will see that Tami and my Sister gets it.

Again Thanks for your help...Kathy

Graduation Cards 6 ways

Still timely I think since the celebration keeps going.  I had a grad at my house. This is one of my favorite pictures from the Day.
 She is busy  making arrangements for college registering for classes, and spending times with her friends before they all go separate directions. Just finished having an Open House for her the week before Fathers Day.
 This week I have a grad party for a Senior at our church. SO I needed to get my cards made, and I need to get some in the mail.

For Graduation this year I stuck to using my old stand by favorite QuiKuts Grad Cap die. I love it and since only use it for HS or College graduations it does the Job. I love teaming it with an Embossing folder From Provo Craft, and a sentiment from StampinUp. This year I used several different sentiments from my stash, some new and some retired.  For the first set I used the "Congrats" from  "Say It With Scallops". I really like how  they look together.  I  used the Music CB embossing folder, with one because the grad is in to choir, and band, and Music.  The  Colors are their School Colors if I know them.

The Second Set I used different sentiments, "Congratulations" from "Something to Celebrate" and "Happy Graduation" from "Teeny Tiny Phrases" I also used the "D'vine" swirl Cuttle-bug EF, because I always think of a cap being tossed in the air when I use it. The colors are mostly retired  or scraps from my scrap box.. the Black is Embassy Black from Wall mart, The white was an old Wedding Card left over of cover Stock from GP. The red on the second picture is Real Red, the green and Blue are Brilliant Blue and Green Galore... The colorful CS on the first set are mainly Scraps I had.  The brads are all mostly from old color combo sets from Making Memories, and the tiny ones are from color sets I got  from Queen Co. along time a go. I used my Decorative Label and Word Window Punches too. The Ink Jet Black StazOn.

So if you haven't figured it out yet, I am still sticking to the theme of using my old supplies.  And spending my money on  the occasional new punch die or stamp set.  "Trying" is the operative word here while I try to get my stash to a more manageable level.


Until Later ...Happy Stamping!

I'm Back....:)

Yes this is my craft space. Yes it is clean. Yes I have been busy.
Now the wedding and graduation and hoopla is over...today I intend to mess it up

Until later... Happy Stamping!

Wedding Announcements

 Last Week I finally mailed the 400 invites I sent. By Now I figure they should have made it to there destinations.  Since the first  Present arrived at our home yesterday i decided it was safe to reveal them...

The colors are Rich Razzleberry, Perfect Plum , and Elegant Eggplant.  the Base  is a Cream cover stock from Staples.  I used my old SU discontinued triple floral punch, I cant remember the name of the punch but it went with the "Looks Like Spring" stamp set.  I embossed with Cuttlebug's Musical Flourish embossing folder, and  Punched the panel with Martha Stewart's "Wildflower" Corner and Border Punches.  the rhinestones were bought at Micheal's and they are Recollections rhinestone ribbon in light purple. 



All the pieces were made to pull out.
the announcement info on the pull out, the back side was matted and had reception and registration info on it. after was a separate invite to the ceremony mounted on Rich Razzelberry...I used the large 5 petal flower punch and a 1/2" circle punch to dress up these and then the picture in the back.

The champagne ribbon was an after Christmas clearance item form Michaels.

Until later...Happy Stamping!

I Made Some Fun Cards Again

I got to make a bunch of cards(13 to be exact) tuesday night with my friend at Dawn Olchefski's Card Buffet...love going,visiting, making cards and catching up on my stash. It was so fun to make something other than a Wedding announcement, or decoration!

The wedding announcements are all ready to put in the mail next week so I should be making a post soon...my Daughter and her  Fiance really liked them when they finally saw them in real life...
Until Later... Happy Stamping!

Baby & Birthday Giraffe

I have been very busy!

 On Valentines my son in law called and told me they couldn't find a heart beat at their Dr. Appt. on Valentines Day.   It was 9 days before her due date so  pretty traumatic and unexpected.   So I headed out to UT immediately.   My Husband flew in later for a graveside service for my little  Granddaughter Anna.   We are all very sorry she can't be here with us, and we are all very heart broken for my Daughter and her Husband.

 

When I got back from out of town, I brought the paper back for the invites, I started making the 400 announcements for my daughters wedding in May.  I will post a better picture after they hit the mail.  but I took this one so you could have a Sneak Peek so to speak.  They are one page sliders, I am really pleased with my design and how they have turned out.

Today I finished the cards I started on the 12th of Feb.  These little giraffes waited for nearly a month to find a home on the base of these cards.

My little  niece will be happy to finally get her birthday Card in the mail.  A friends baby gift  has been waiting for this little Welcome baby card also.

For links and directions how to punch this cute little giraffe read this post on Wendy's Blog...

Until later...Happy Stamping!

Struggles on The Open Sea

The title sounds like a great book to read, but not so fun evening of card making! I don't know what it is, maybe too much working on the wedding, stress, or what have you, having to sit down to make a masculine birthday card was a monumental task.  This card took forever to design and create!

I used the stash to create this card but I believe SU Real Red, SU Chocolate Chip and GP White card stock were used.   I used Early Espresso ink to stamp the images and sentiment from Something to Celebrate, and The Open Sea.  I used Mosaic  Cuttlebug folder to emboss, and several SU punches,  namely Large Oval, Designer Label and Decorative Label.   I stamped a lot of other images and used more punches with them...I intended to make a series of 3 cards.   I think I was trying to hard...or just plain old rusty, but  one card is all I got!   SU bakers twine was a finishing touch.

Hope you enjoy it I still haven't decided if I like it yet... I guess I like it enough to post today last night not sure...Until Later... Happy Stamping!

More Wedding Projects

SO I have been busy as usual working on things I cant show you until April.  But after I finished the part I can do now, I managed to start another project...

DD's Bouquet

When My DD's get married I search the internet frantically for deals and inspiration to help me come up with a theme to go with my child and the wedding colors...In the searching this time I came across some paper rose garlands that cost about 20+ $'s for a 6' length...very expensive when you are coming up with decorating a big hall. I decided I could make some garlands myself so I ordered floral tape and wire online...Love AFLORAL for this  I always get my flowers for bouquet, boutineers and corsages from them..and a few to mix in for centerpieces and decorating.  Their flowers are a high quality, real looking silks... However I have a hard time spending big bucks on flowers to decorate a whole room.  SO I prayed about it alot and one day I had inspiration...We have hung white lights on the ceiling before nice lighting effect but a little bland...My white light source moved away, but MY new light source had lights with green wires, and in my want to make the green light cording more acceptable my inspiration came...  make your own garlands with the green wired lights.  I ordered  bulk Purple tissue paper on Amazon from  Buttons, Bags and Bows ...I got colors to go with her bouquet.  I  start fiddling with dies and things to make the flowers...the tissues proved too thin..they cut well but did not work for what I had in mind. Ultimately I did the old grade school fan fold and tore it in half and then used floral tape to attach it around every other light.

My daughter saw me attaching flowers and said gee that looks great, where did that Idea come from?... you should do a blog post...since she has never made an observation like that before  I decided to do a post.  I plan to dress them up more but I have to go in stages because I cant be over working at the end. So for right now I am only doing one color per strand.   I will be making 8-10 strands, so if I want to  I might add some green tissue leaves or add some more flowers in a different shade of purple. So for this DIY mom I will have roughly 650' of garland with lights to use in decorating..for the same price as buying 1-6' unlighted piece... In May I promise to post a picture of the finished product decorating my DD reception.  I love when inspiration works in my favor!
Until later ...Happy Stamping!

PS ...I do plan on making a nice paper one for decorating some lattice that will be more visually close to peoples eyes...if  I manage to have enough time I will post them after I make them.

Chocolate Cake Card!

This last week was very busy..I worked on getting a few odds and ends projects out of the way that I have been meaning to do for awhile.

When the F4A101 challenge was posted last Friday on SCS I imediately thought of chocolate roses and chocolate frosting on a Chocolate cake.  one day I will get to have some again but right now I am dieting and trying my best to get all the unhealthy excess fat off my body, so I guess a paper cake would have to do.  I also wanted to do the sketch challenge, SC367,  so I combined the two...imagine if you will  the center chocolate chip card sotck strip as the chocolate cake!

Still loving my Big Shot, I used my Musical Flourish, and Swiss Dots Cuttlebug EF's for the base pieces.  The roses were made using my SU Scalloped Circle Punch, and spiral cutting it, then rolling it up and tweaking it until it looked like a rose.
Since I was having glue dot issues I used 5mm sticker pearls by The Paper Studio in the centers.
the very vanilla Seam binding ribbon was the perfect touch to finish off the card.  The SU Designer Label punch was used twice once with Crumb Cake and once in Chocolate Chip to add the little shadow at the bottom, and since I made 2  the other side was used for a duplicate card.  The sentiment is from Sincere Salutations  a long time SU favorite.
the embossed background  card stock is SU Crumb Cake, with  my base a Staple's Cream cover stock.

I hope you enjoyed it!...until later Happy Stamping!

Hi I have been trying my best to keep up with post despite working on 400 invites I cant show you until Mid April.

Today I finished embossing the invites so I grabbed the same embossing folder and made a card to use for SU TLC361.

Wendy had red the challenge to me over Skype last night why I was embossing so with out looking I did what she said and this is the card I came up with.

I used scrap pieces of Cream Staples cover stock that I am using for the invites. I used it as the stamped and embossed and base of the card. The black is Embassy card stock I picked up at Wal-mart a while back. I embossed with River Rock on the negative space of the Victoria Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The ribbon is left over from the 400 invites I did 2 years ago.  So you see I have been using my stash proudly.  The black label is a Sizzix Label,Orante#4, I have been waiting to use that. The sentiment was stamped with Jet Black StazOn ink and punched out using SU: Decorative label punch.

Hope you like it!  Until Later... Happy Stamping!

Some Cricut Safari Fun

I made 2 of these cards for my little great nieces…one just had her first birthday. 

I have been wanting to make them ever since I saw this card on Wendy’s Blog months ago. 

  I have been trying to make time to make it forever. Today I was tired of working on the Wedding invites everyday so I decided to work on the Birthday cards I need the next few months.

I used DP from a K& Company, 10x10 paper pack called, “Itsy Bitsy Baby Boy”, I picked up  for a baby scrapbook album a few years ago.   I thought the blue and green dots would be perfect echoing the green grass and adding a bit of blue for sky.  I cut all the pieces out after laying them out on my Gypsy.  The two carts I used were Celebrate with Flourish and Create a Critter.  I need to use them both more. Colors of cardstock…Embassy Black, GP White, SU… Lucky Limeade, So Saffron, Early Espresso…the orange is from the stash scraps so I am not sure the color. I used th eSu Sweet button Embosslet for the center.  The ribbon you might recognize is from the first wedding  3 yrs ago., again using the stash, and  blue for the sky!

The layout was all Wendy.   I basically copied her card other than the grass, and using Designer paper.  I could have worked on the grass and merged and worked on it a bit, but all the home interruptions were just way to much today.  The sentiment is from SU’s… Up, Up, and Away set.   I am grateful Wendy did all the leg work on this card because I have been way too busy to design my own.  I just love  her Creativeness.   I am just happy to have something to blog about and glad to have time to make some cards. I was back at creasing all the lines I have been scoring the last few days.  I have another 200 to crease but I am making progress…Until later… Happy Stamping!

A Terrific Tip!

Today I was working on my daughters wedding invites. Punching 100's of corners is a pain under normal conditions,but I was having a terrible time with the punch after doing the first hundred invites(like pictured).

I kept having to tap the punch on the table to knock all the little pieces off after every piece, because it was keeping the punch from opening after the punch and having to double punch for about 25 I was beginning to wonder if punching the invite was a good idea. I thought those little pieces are such a pain.
I remembered I had a torn dryer sheet to help with plastic tabs from dimensionals and static, so I grabbed it. Like magic all the fine paper dust and little pieces fell off imediately after one swipe on the underside of the punch.

I held the punch "squeezed" so I could make contact with the upper metal. I used it for the next 25 and it worked perfectly. I then wiped all the plastic underside off too. The little pieces all fall to the table like the should now.

I am hoping to get a few birthday cards made and posted this weekend.
Until then...Happy Stamping

Inspired By Love Card

I started this card yesterday and finished it this morning...Its been one busy day. I have an event tonight that I am making decorations and food for and it has taken  up some of my time this week.  When I saw the IC318 Challenge I found this Frame that inspired me! (Shocking I know!)  However I didn't have anytime Sat to make the card.  Yesterday I looked at the Color Challenge CC357 and decided to combine the two Challenges and this is the card I came up with...I think it turned out cute.  I used several Embossing folders and Punches...I like the dimension and layers.  the fist thing I did was emboss the GP White card stock , and then trimmed it to the width of 5X5 heart blocks. then I got 2 Scraps of riding hood red and embossed the top and fifth row of the folder again. Then I trimmed the 1st and 5th hearts on each piece. Next I measured the inside square and trimmed another piece of card stock  to roughly 2 1/4" x 2 1/8". Embossed with QuicKuts Circles EF. I then matted it with Blushing Bride card stock and trimmed to roughly 1/16". Next I punched and embossed with SU Scallop trim border punch a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" piece of Baja Breeze.  After punching I line the inside flat edge on my paper cutter where the Black plastic is covers so It gets about a 1/16" edge. then I applied Adhesive to the edge of the BB matting and trimmed  trying to follow the Dots.  then I used 1/16" dimensionals to adhere the framed art to the White embossed backing and then adhered the Red hearts on dimensionals also.  the last mat piece of Baja Breeze was  Cut  1/2" wider on each edge than the white Heart Block embossed piece.  I then punched with SU Scalloped Trim Corner punch then lined up the border piece for the top and sides.. The top almost matched up perfectly. The suides however would not so I centered the Border on the piece of card stock then, used my 1/4" hand punch to double punch close to the rings on each side creating the little dip then used sciccors to trim out the little excess in between. I was going to use some brads in the dips but decided it looked nice with out. The last thing I assembled was the red Riding Hood Heart embossed with SU Embosslit Scalloped Heart to Heart. I used SU silver elastic cord to tie on the SU Tiny Tags love tag..First stamped in background of Baja Breeze ink and then using StazOn Jet Balk ink to stamp the *Love*. After I punched it out using SU Tiny Tag punch. The finished card is 4 1/4" BY 5" What  do you think??
Until Later...Happy Stamping!

SCS Challenge Cards

 I decided I need to make  cards more often so I decided to "Make" time for them everyday. Lately I am afraid the cards have been on the bottom of the list. they didn't make it all the way to the top but they are higher up on my list for sure.  I have decided following the challenges at SCS is a sure fire way to get me creating. Today I managed to work in 3 challenge cards.  This first one was the Sketch challenge posted last week...SC365. When I saw the pieces I knew I needed to use up some of my scrap stash  of Spice cake paper. It worked perfectly when I look a the completed card now I think I should have used my sewing machine and stiched it. Maybe next time.  I used SU: Triple Treat Flower.
Early Espresso, and More Mustard Ink
Pool Party, More Mustard, Old Olive and early Espresso card stock...I added a little Hero Art gem stone to the Embossed flower for a fancy corner small embossing folder that I punched out with a 1/2" circle punch.  The Espresso piece was embossed with Musical Flourish.

 My second card was for the CAS152 Challenge of Die Cuts. I pulled out an old Cuttlebug Die Cut of a flat tips 5 petal flower.  I used the scrap stash again  in dark and a light purple, and Certainly Celery, and cut out several times until I had a nice pile of flowers to work with and enough leaves. I think 5 times each color.  I drew a circle on the card added small glue dots along the line and started sticking down flowers to form the wreath. then I punched out a scrap of Barely Banana with my 1/4" hand punch. and added them to the centers. Melon Mambo scrap was used with the small Martha Stewart Monarch butterfly  Punch and then a bow was tied with the old wedding ribbon. the sentiment is stamped with Timber Brown StazOn ink using Celebrate Everything. I really like how this turned out.

The last card was for TLC359, which was titled "Best of 2011", so I had to choose a previous TLC challenge  for last year...I choose Follow the EdgeTLC318. basically  you cut away the front of the card to follow your stamped image.
I used SU: Fabulous Florettes to stamp the card. I used Daffodil Delight ink on the stamp and then used my Pumpkin Pie Marker to trace the outlines and then stamped them on the card front. then I masked them, and stamped the  leaf stems with Old Olive. making sure to wipe away the stems and part of the flower on it.
 Then after removing the mask I drew the straight stem part with an Old Olive marker. I used a scrap of old olive that was quite big but had something punched out of it. trimmed it to the size of the Card front and then followed the edge with my old shape cutting scissors.  I haven't used them in years.  They worked perfectly for this job. Lastly I tied the bow of dotted Orange organza and stuck it on with a large glue dot.

Hope you enjoy seeing more cards from me. I had fun making them.
Until later...Happy Stamping!

Triple Treat Birthday Card

Newly Engaged Daughter

I have been a very busy person of late, made a few more Family frames for Christmas Presents and then, Drove 2 trips back and forth to Pick up and Drop off my girls and one spouse from College.  Held a Baby Shower for my daughter who is expecting a little grand daughter for me in Feb.  I also had another Daughter get engaged, adding another guest to my house during the holidays. It was a fun few weeks but I am ready for the routine to kick back in!

The Expectant Parents and Cardmaker!

My DD used my craft space to make a stash of 52 cards to use in the next year and suggested I make a card a week and give her a set next year for Christmas...I am thinking it might be the motivation I need. to get a few more cards made and to have some projects to post.  I decided either I am going to do this blog thing a lot better this year or my Blog will disappear in 2013.

Wendy posted  a cute Free For All Challenge on SCS so I decided to make a card and play along. This is what I came up with.  I used the spice cake paper because I love it and I am hoping to see it again in the future! I stamped the sentiment and image with Jet Brown StazOn and stamped the Triple Treat Flower image on More Mustard, Baja Breeze and, Old Olive. The used the respective punches, (5 Petal Flower, Fancy Flower and 1/2" Circle)to make my flower 3D.  Iused my Lacey and Eyelet border Punches to deocrate the trims on the card.  The very Vanilla Panel was sent through the Sizzix with my Musical Flourish Embossing Folder an New Favorite of mine! I used the Decorative label and Designer lable to dress up the sentiment, and My Martha Stewart leaves to add some texture.  lastly I added a few 2 mm and 1 mm Hwero Arts Rhinestones to the flower to add some sparkle, I like how it turned out.   I think it turned out cute for a rusty card maker.  
Until Later... Happy Stamping!