More Thank You Notes

I forgot that I hadn't posted the rest of the thank you cards that I made for my surprise shower gifts, I've made quite a few cards this year! I just stamped some of my favorite images and played with different coloring and watercoloring techniques. I did some embossing. I broke out some precious papers that I have been hoarding since Chrismastime. I also broke out some dies and did some diecutting (I got some new Paper Smooches dies I just had to use! LOVE the pinked circles!!!)

Watercolored with Distress inks and the stamp set is Paper Smooches: Cosmos

Background is distress inked and then sprayed with some Perfect Pearls Mist in Perfect Pearl. I used the Paper Smooches Dies : Pinked Circles. Images on this card are from Lawn Fawn: Yeti Set Go, Here's the Scoop

The Papers on this card are from American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charms 6x6 paper pad, the folded "ribbon" is fabric tape from Maya Road. The twine was a piece of scrap twine just in my stash. The enamel shape is from the Amy Tangerine Stitched Collection, I also used the Paper Smooches Pinked Circle Dies and Lawn Fawn Yeti Set Go Stamp Set.

I'm sure you can tell that I just had a blast coloring the Yeti from Yeti Set Go. I love this little critter! I had also just gotten those Pinked Circle Dies and really love using them, they came on their own magnetic piece and I can't tell you how awesome that is! Great Job Paper Smooches!! The papers again are from the Dear Lizzy Lucky Charms paper pad and the glittery pieces are American Crafts Glitter Tape, that enamel dot is from Amy Tangerine Stitched Collection. Those butterflies are from a Martha Stewart Punch that was the best money I ever spent on a punch because I have used it so much!! The Thanks is from the Lawn Fawn Love you a Latte stamp set.

One last card, and I really really love this one (who am I kidding I love them all and had so much fun playing with these stamps and papers. Still papers from Lucky Charms, Glitter Tape from American Crafts, My fav punch from Martha Stewart and and enamel shape from Amy Tangerine (I really wasn't sure if I'd use these shapes and LOVE that I incorporated them into the cards. They came in a Clique Kit and this is why I love kits, they send me things to try I might not have picked on my own.) The Thanks is from Lawn Fawn and their Love you a Latte set.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, thanks to the snow I'm catching up on getting posts ready, this one I thought would be up last week. :)

Quick Little Thank You Notes

So as you know from this post, I had a surprise shower at work, I finally finished and delivered all my Thank you cards to my friends at work, and I wanted to share them with you. I love watching process videos, especially for cards because at times I really struggle with making cards. I started out with my new Paper Smooches Stamp Lovely Thoughts which I think is one of those stamp sets that works for any occasion. I love the designer Betsey Johnson and so I channelled my inner Betsey when I worked on the following cards, some I like more than others, but all of them were made with love!

The background was created using Geo-Graphic and the large thanks sentiment came from Chit Chat.

I colored in my roses with copic markers. I have more cards coming up later in the week, so stay tuned!

Jen McGuire Inspired!

I have some favorite inspirational people that I like to watch to learn new techniques, or how they may use techniques the I already know, but in new ways. Jen McGuire posted this video last week:

I LOVE distress ink and this technique inspired me to get out some Lawn Fawn and Paper Smooches stamps to see 1. What did I already have in my own stash that would give me a similar card and 2. What would other images give me? So here is what I came up with: (the chevron paper is from the Sketchbook Collection by Amy Tan... using my stash you see :)!

Paper Smooches Calico and Chit Chat

Paper Smooches My Peeps and Chit Chat

Lawn Fawn Woodgrain Backdrops and Here's the Scoop

Lawn Fawn Woodgrain Backdrops and Here's the Scoop

Lawn Fawn Woodgrain Backdrops

Christmas Cards 2013, the sick and the twisted...

I was shown a "funny" a cartoon from the paper that made me laugh so hard I cried... and I turned it into some sick and twisted Christmas Cards for a few I think will appreciate it as well. I copied the cartoon on my printer then printed it out on white cardstock. Then I used some distress inks to watercolor in the image that was just in black and white. The cards are very simple, a couple of sheets of the Studio Calico Magical Christmas paper line and some trim and I'm done.

I hope they made you smile! Remember to look everywhere for ideas and inspiration!

Christmas Cards 2013

I generally like to have my Christmas cards made early (if I'm making them). I didn't make it this year... but since I need some kind of count in the twenties and I needed them quickly I decided to come up with some ways to make them faster and get them finished. I had purchased the Studio Calico Holiday collection because I didn't have any Christmas paper and it was available locally and I could go ahead and make my cards. This was before Thanksgiving and I still didn't get them made early like I thought I would, LOL. But I do really like this collection. So yesterday I decided to take a cue from Shimelle Laine. She has talked about cutting up her papers into sizes that she uses (she never measures btw and that is so refreshing to me because well, I don't measure a lot myself) and just has a pile of pre-cut papers that she can use. So I pullout out some patterns from this collection that I liked and thought would work well together and hacked away until I had three piles of papers. I punched a few of the peppermint circles out but then my punch decided it wasn't going to work anymore so I gave up on that for the meantime and started just slapping papers together onto premade cards to see what I thought looked pretty. I made ten cards in just a few minutes and you know what, they look fine. They are handcrafted and I'm happy with them. I just Cut out some tags and embossed a sentiment Here they are...

Holiday Happenings...

So I'm now officially behind on making Christmas Cards. I made a few during the summer.

And... I stopped right there ;)

I have been working with my Silhouette for HOURS this evening and have nothing but a couple of little stars to show for it. I ordered a couple of mats Monday while they have a BIG SALE with FREE SHIPPING going on (it'll be going on for a few days yet... go over if you need anything...) and they aren't here yet. So I have been unsuccessful in cutting out this ADORABLE house that I pinned from Samantha Walker and she put out a new one today and will probably be putting out more this week so EEK I want them all!! SO CUTE!! 

Ok, so check out those cut files, they are on sale too! Let me know what you are working on and check out my Santa Sack Haul :

Puppy Card

So here's another card using mostly the October Afternoon Thrift Store line. The black is just Micheal's brand cardstock and the heart i from the DCWV Pet's Stack. This little puppy shadow is from Sweethearts. Those butterflies are from a Martha Stewart Punch. (and they are covered with Rock Candy Stickles) Nothing holds these little butterflies on better than mini glue dots. I roll them up and pop them under the mini ones and just stick them under the large one. (I heart GLUEDOTS)

I know I know, it needs...SOMESTHING. If you know what that is  then please let me know :).  Maybe a sentiment...but right now this little card can be for whatever i need a card for. TFL!

First Gypsy Cuts!!

Ok, so I have "used" a Gypsy before, but this is mine! I got the G for my birthday and loaded my carts onto it. I have updated it myself (that means you can use it too LOL) and look, I have learned to weld! The two fonts are from Gypsy Font and Plantin Schoolbook. Made this for Pink Stamper's Challenge...wish me luck!

Last week's cards

Ok, so I was really busy getting some cards made last week. I know they are all sympathy cards, but I made them to be used at work (I work at an animal hospital) and I'm so happy I was asked to do them because it's so much nicer than getting a stock card from a company don't you think! Those butterflies are from my new Martha Stewart butterfly punch. The dog on the card is from the cart Nursery Rhymes (yes, that is something I cut with my cricut!) I love the Nursery Rhymes Cart...so much I had to pre-order it right when it was announced LOL! Anyway hope you enjoy these and let me know if you'd like to see the ones that got rejected. (I made ten but only posted half because I was rushing to get the first ones to work.)

I hope to be showing you all some even better stuff soon because today I am 35! Yes, it's my birthday and my wonderful husband got me a Gypsy! I'm so excited!!! I also won a Gypsy A-Z dvd from Tammy Skinner (and of course Above Rubies Studio)! I am so hoping my dvd gets here before I go to visit the AL family tomorrow (is that asking too much? LOL) anyway I have my G all synced (it came yesterday so yes, I got it a little early). Can't wait to put this baby through it's paces so you guys can see what's spinning in my noodle!
Hugs!!

Finishing up Mother's Day Cards...

I think I am finally finished with all the cards for my work peeps, LOL! Never knew I would be making so many but the money went into my scrap fund (I want a G...) anyway here are some I have been saving for you (my own mom's isn't included for two reasons: 1. I haven't made it yet and 2. she reads my blog ...of course!).

This paper is from the Penny Lane Collection by My Minds Eye, Flowers from a giant assortment that I got free at Archivers (you know one of those coupon freebies...they actually had some of the tubes for sale after the freebie day) and assorted bling, ribbon and  tulle from my stash. the butterfly is from Petaloo and it was also free from an Archiver's coupon giveaway.I used Glue Dots for both the flowers and butterfly. I use TONS of mini Glue Dots on my projects. If I ever have a doubt about what will stick, I default to glue dots. I wrote on the front of the card: For you, Mom in my black Sakura Souffle pen (LOVE THESE). It shows up much better in person than in my photo (sorry about that!)

This one is not really my colors but I'm really happy with the way it turned out. The flower is made by hand, just me gluing down some ruffles that I got from the fabric store (Hancock's...the ruffles were attached to the same color pink background and I just cut them off) The lettering is felt alphas by Making Memories and the trim is from the Poolside collection from Doodlebug Designs. The Bling here is from Kaisercraft and the Fozz Felt looks to be Kaiser as well! (I had to go look at the packaging LOL!) The background paper is a "b" side from Crate Paper Orbitz collection. Love the Crate Paper. 

The colors on these cards are so bright and sunny. They make me smile. I got the Summer Vacation Limited edition Cricut Cartridge last Thursday (I had pre-ordered this at my LSS). Can't wait to go back and do some 12x12 stuff SOON!! Hugs and thanks for commenting...it really makes my day!!

Another Card down!

Did I mention that my work peeps think it's the greatest thing since Doughnut Wednesday that I'll make and deliver cards to work for them? I had NO IDEA that people would be so thrilled about this idea. My "scrap" book of scraps is dwindling and I'm getting to try new things and not just have pieces laying around. I found some 4inch copper squares at Joanns last week and since everything else in my cart was on sale, I used my coupon on these. It's Creative Metal by Walnut Hollow. They have other colors as well but the copper was my fav (and the most expensive of course) so that's what I picked. It worked out wonderfully in my Alterations dies. The four inch square was not big enough to get a birdcage out of, but worked great for the bird. I also used the Ornate just the edge die and so here are those cards:

The paper used is Making Memories Vintage Findings I believe the pattern is Wallpaper. Flower from Petaloo (this was in a free gift pack from Archivers for being one of the first 50 shoppers on a big make and take weekend earlier this year.) The Petaloo flower is similar to a Prima in that it does not come sticky...you will NEED GLUE DOTS! (nothing holds them better!) The bird is cut from the copper mentioned earlier. The blue border is not a punch, it's a doodlebug trim from a variety pack. The rick rack is from my stash. The brown paper was a free pack of Bazzill with however many dollar purchase from Archiver's. My Vintage Findings and Doodlebug goodies came from my lss Eclectica who I LOVE!!! And the Birdcage die came from the Paula Dean of Scrapbooking herself...Sudie Alexander from Unkit.

The polka dot paper is the "b" side of the Wallpaper from Vintage Findings collection. The Mother Stamp is from 7 gypsies. The ribbon is unlabeled but may be from the Vintage Findings collection as well (I just ordered two yards to be cut at my lss but I know there was a familiar label on it.) I did actually tie the ribbon all the way around the card and the knot is secured with Mini Glue Dots to keep it secure...love my Glue Dots! The cuts are both edges from the Ornate just the edge die...oh and the brown paper is Bazzill (also from a free gift pack from Archivers). I did use my Tim Holtz texture hammer (the little lines end) to give the copper some texture and I actually did this LIVE on VOKLE while at the UnKit Book Nook show this past Monday. If you don't normally watch UnKit on Mondays, you should it's too much fun!!!

Cards from Sunday 04/18

 

Made all these beauties to fill special orders from my work peeps! Loving the new October Afternoon Thrift Shop mini deck!