Friday, July 22, 2011

Card Patterns 124: Happy Birthday



Happy Friday! What a week, a lazy week, that is! hee! hee! I've stayed up until 5 am the last two nights reading books, yikes! That has to be my wake up time in just 2 1/2 more weeks! My poor husband, it is NOT going to be good! :)


Here's one more card I made during my virtual stamping session with Cindy, see here super cute card here, using the Card Patterns Sketch #24. I just love a long card, don't you? This card is 3 1/4" x 6 1/2", one of my favorite sizes, and SU has cute long envelopes that match. I first attempted making this an extra long card (like long business size, I forget what that ones called), but didn't like it, so shortened it up.


I used a super cute new sentiment set from SU called Perfectly Penned and some of my favorite retired paper. It's hard to see in the picture, but stamped the "Happy Birthday" in Real Red craft ink then embossed it with clear embossing powder. I need to get more colored embossing powder, but this worked for now. This card actually went postal to a dear friend for her, you guessed it, 32nd birthday. Hope she likes it!


On a side note, after Cindy and I stamped, we took pictures of our challenge cards and emailed them to each other. I took five pictures and this is the one I chose to edit and email:

I didn't even notice until Cindy emailed me back, I had an extra embellishment on the card! Yikes! Do you see it? So I chose the next best picture from my iPhoto library to edit and this was it:

Seriously?! What are the odds?! I've had this blog since May 2007 and almost 900 posts, but this was a first! (Plus, I think I need to check my glasses!) I guess this card is just super sweet or maybe since it's going to a super sweet friend...I know it's a stretch...ha!


Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Stamps: Perfectly Penned
Cardstock: Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Play Date DSP.
Ink: Real Red Craft.
Accessories: Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Thickers.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Friday Mashup #15



Happy Wednesday! Big day...humpday and I have plans to get out of the house, going a little stir crazy! ha!


I have another card to share from my virtual stamping challenge day with Cindy...see, I told you we got a lot done, ha! We used the Friday Mash Up Challenge #15, choosing to use both the sketch and the colors. I did flip the sketch, as you can see. Don't you love the new cameo paper from SU?! It just happened to match my new polka dot fabric so well!


Hope you have a great day and be careful in the heat...that's a note to self too, since I'm actually leaving the house today! Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Timeless Portrait DSP.
Accessories: Big Shot, Flower Folds Bigz XL Die, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Linen Thread, Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Cherry Cobbler button (retired), October Afternoon 5 & Dime Miscellany ticket, Janome Sew Mini.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Get your sunglasses ready...



Happy Tuesday! I hope you read the title of the post and complied!


This *colorful* card uses the Clean and Simple FTL #149 and Dawn's Color Cue 16, which I love, I just think some white space would have been beneficial here! ha! Cindy and I used these challenges during our stamping session on Sunday, you can see hers here, it is beautiful! She encouraged me to go ahead and share this card, even if it was outside my normal comfort zone! heehee! Maybe I can find a nice, small child to mail this to! :)


Well, I should go do some housework now, but I may just pop into my stamp room for a quick minute! Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Stamps: Under the Big Top
Cardstock: Lucky Limeade, Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Big Top Birthday DSP.
Ink: Staz-On Black; Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry, and Going Gray markers.
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot ribbon, Star Punch, Big Shot, Polka Dot embossing folder, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Aquapainter.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Button Buddies: SU catalog copy challenge


Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a great start! I'm on the final 3 week countdown of summer vacation, egads! But let's don't think about that right now...


Yesterday I was so lucky to get to spend the afternoon with my friend Cindy in Quebec! Not physically, unfortunately, but we had a virtual stamping get-together with Yahoo Chat and one-hour challenges. So much fun! We find we get a lot more done with one-hour limits and accountability...although I tend to go over 10 minutes or so occasionally, oops!


This card was for our first challenge...to copy the middle card on page 108 of the new Stampin' Up! catalog. We just changed up the stamps and color scheme. I also changed the rows of circles on the bottom part and used the Doily Triple Layer Punch. Because time was limited, I also copied the color scheme found on the Digital Content CD on page 14 of the catalog. Super simple, and it definitely makes me want to do some more catalog copying!


Enjoy your Monday, I find July 18th to be one of the BEST days ever! Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Stamps: Button Buddies; Up, Up, & Away ("miss you" sentiment).
Cardstock: So Saffron, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White.
Ink: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler.
Accessories: Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Doily Triple Layer Punch, Linen Thread, Paper Piercer/needle, stapler.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Button Buddies: Go Hog Wild!



Happy Saturday! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!


Since I was missing all of the excitement of the last day of the SU Convention, I decided to use another one of my new sets, Button Buddies, to play along with the Color Throwdown #150. Aren't these colors so soft and sweet? This stamp set is super cute and going to be wildly popular (in my opinion!).


Somehow I ended up using 3 other stamp sets too: "Celebrate" came from Under the Big Top, hat came from Pennant Parade, and "go hog wild" from Family Reunion. Since I didn't have letter stickers from SU to use, I just inked up different letters from different words in Family Reunion and cut them out. Easy peasy.


Okay, off to spend some quality time with dh since he had to work all day. We just got a Wii yesterday (we are slowly joining the 21st century!), and I hear him playing tennis already...can't have him practicing and getting better than me! ha!


Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Stamps: Button Buddies, Pennant Parade, Under the Big Top, Family Reunion.
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Rose Red, Taken with Teal, Whisper White.
Ink: Taken with Teal, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette (messed up-meant to use Pretty in Pink!).
Accessories: Pennant Punch, Pretty in Pink polka dot scallop ribbon, Linen Thread, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Pretty in Pink designer button, Certainly Celery Twill ribbon (retired).

Friday, July 15, 2011

Embellish Color Challenge: Nautical



Happy Friday, I'm back!


Between working out and getting ready to go out with some friends, I squeaked in this Nautical card challenge from Embellish! Somehow this is one of those cards that just fell easily into place, schwooo! I needed that! *smile*


The "Y" card is from the ABC Sticker set from Cavillini & Co, a gift from my a friend. The little tin was the first thing I picked up and it happened to have a boat in it, so lucky! I was thinking I *probably* have a stamp with "bon voyage" on it, but do I know?! No. Sigh. I need a better sytem! So I used standby letter stickers.


If you're going on a cruise anytime soon, let me know. I have a card ready to send to you! *wink*


Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Early Espresso.
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note die, Cuttlebug embossing folder, SU Cherry Cobbler extra large button, Linen Thread, SU fabric, Cavillini & Co ABC Stickers, Adornit letter stickers.

One Lucky Girl!

Happy Friday!


I had to share what I was lucky enough to win and say thank you to Paula and Deb from One Lucky Day, because look what they sent me! I could NOT believe I won this yummy kit!



They have the kits available in their Etsy store too, and it all comes together to make this...and I happen to have one of these spinners that has been sitting empty and forlorn in my studio for some time now:



If you've never visited their blog, head over...be prepared to spend some time...for inspiration you won't believe! Here are a few of my all-time fave posts: bibliophile, Dear to the Heart, Chalk It Up, No. 2 Good Junk, and Valentine Gift.


Thank you, One Lucky Day, for making me One Lucky Girl!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Under the Big Top



Happy Thursday!


I'm here with a card for the Colour Q Challenge #93. I'm afraid the card is not great, but what's done is done. *smile* This is what I get for trying to stamp while catching up on 7 DVRed episodes of Grey's Anatomy, and I'm sorry, but I'm on the one where Callie went through the windshield and she and the doctors are singing, NOT good! I guess I've been in denial, but I hear the "vroom! vroom!" as it has jumped the shark!


Back to the subject...I do love the colors in this challenge, so maybe I'll try again, ha! I used another new stamp set, Under the Big Top (and yes, I cut the sentiments apart from the main images!) and made this for a special little niece I know. I hope she likes it-she's not as tough a critic as I am!


What all is going on in your world? I'm feeling a little restless. (Please don't remind me that this is exactly how I wanted to feel when I was buried during the school year!) I started rearranging the kitchen cabinets to make room for some new dishes that are arriving tomorrow. I picked up some paint swatches last night and am *thinking* of repainting the living and dining room and hallways. I requested a teaching book at the library that's ready to pick up...all that young adult vampire/werewolf/fairy/angel reading was making me feel guilty I guess! hee! I definitely see some dilemmas brewing, so I'll be back for your opinion soon. Maybe on which paint swatch...


Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Stamps: Under the Big Top
Cardstock: Marina Mist, Peach Parfait, Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, Just Add Cake DSP.
Ink: Staz-On Black; Marina Mist, Real Red, and Peach Parfait markers.
Accessories: Aquapainter, Big Shot, Perfect Pennant Bigz Die, Circles Die, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Certainly Celery Designer Button, black pearl floss.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Up, Up, and Away

Happy Wednesday! Back with another swap card I gave my bff and downline Lori to take to the SU Convention and swap!


I used one of my fave new sets from the catalog: Up, Up, and Away. So cute! I love the circus set and paper that go with it too. The circus set involves coloring, we'll see if I'm brave enough to attempt it! Don't you LOVE the new Denim ribbon?! Swoon!


Here's a little tip for the paper peeking below the ribbon. I punched 1" circles, then tried lining them up perfectly. Took forever! And you know I'm a fast and lazy stamper. *smile* Since I was making 18 of these for swaps, I found this faster way (and humor me if this is obvious and I'm late to the game here, wouldn't be the first time, ha!): I cut a scrap of cardstock to 5/8", then used temporary adhesive on the back to hold it in place, and lastly, lined up my circles. So much faster! I attached the circles with mini glue dots, then adhered the star paper on top. Voila!




Side note: have you seen Bad Teacher?! SOOOO funny! I think my teacher friend and I were the only 2 out of 10 people in the theater laughing hysterically, so maybe you have to be a teacher, I don't know, but I loved it!


Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Stamps: Up, Up, and Away
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Big Top Birthday DSP, Just Add Cake DSP.
Ink: Early Espresso.
Accessories: Denim Ribbon, Pewter Brad, 1" Circle Punch, Decorative Label Punch.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Many Mustaches: Dilemma Resolved & Evolution of a Swap Card


Thank you for all of your help with yesterday's dilemma! You guys had so many great ideas, things that never would have occurred to me, so thank you!! Without further ado, here is the dilemma resolved:

It was a tough choice, but I cut it apart and attached it to EZ Mount so I could use it on my clear blocks. Michelle gave me a great idea to cut it apart straight, so I could easily line it up again. It didn't exactly work straight since the images are curvy and I like the rubber trimmed super close; BUT she made me realize I could leave a little bit on the sides straight for easy line up and reattachment! Genius! It also dawned on me that this set is only $9.95, so I could sell some plasma and order another one if I really decided I wanted them all together again. hee! hee!



Below shows how they looked on the block after seeing some action. The first time I pressed too hard and got some extra black marks (not pressing too hard is always a challenge for me, ugh!). But I readjusted the pressure and it never happened again. I stamped about 15 times and stopped to clean off some of the black on the edges about half-way through. This shows after all the stamping was done:



Now, for some actual cards! I wanted to make some swaps for my bff and downline Lori to take to the SU convention (I'm not going, boo hoo!). We were supposed to work on some together, but I had to bail on her, so this helped assuage my guilt. Ha! I had about 2 hours this morning to mount/prepare this set, come up with a sample and make 12 cards. Pressure! Here's what I started with, but during the process (yes, all parts cut, stamped, and ready to assemble!), I decided it was too plain:


So I tried to add some brads to give it up some, umph or something:


Wasn't crazy about that either, sigh. So, I texted Lori to see if I could have 30 more minutes before meeting her and frantically trimmed the Kraft piece down, adhered it to a new Island Indigo piece, then restamped the "happy birthday dad" on a longer Lucky Limeade piece and added a brad! Schwooo! I made it! Are you feeling as stressed as I felt after all that?! ha! Here's the final:


If you're still with me after reading all this, pat yourself on the back! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!


Recipe
Stamps: Many Mustaches, Family Reunion, Woodgrain background.
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Crumb Cake, Whisper White.
Ink: Black, Crumb Cake.
Accessories: Pewter Brad.