Watercolouring

I love watercolouring, I'm still trying to get it just right with shading and all but I think it's coming along nicely. Here's a quick card that I did a few minutes ago, I created a frame by reverse masking, I used that technique a lot over Christmas so today I wanted to use that technique for a flower card. I think it turned out okay, something that I could easily do at a workshop.

Another good friend of mine has also joined the blog world. She's actually my upline, the demo that I signed up under so you'll definitely want to check out her blog to get ideas. It's on the left hand side under Blogs I Love, it's called MariAnne's papercrafts. Have a look!


Recipe:
Stamps: Morning Soft, Refuge & Strength
Paper: Bravo Burgundy, Watercolour pp
Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand
Other: Clear Rhinestone brads

Thanks for stopping by!

Make & Takes

So I've been busy today brainstorming on what sort of make & takes to have at a workshop that's being held in my home this weekend. There will be beginner stampers there so I wanted something simple and not too overwhelming for them. I think after a day of trial and error, I have found the cards that I'll use. I had horrible lighting in the house today so some of the colours are not showing like they should.

This first card allows stampers to use SU's punches which I love, and you can faintly see the dots on the butterfly which will be embossed with clear embossing powder. New stampers usually love embossing, I was like a giddy teenage when I first learned how to emboss.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip
Other: Chocolate Chip ribbon, eyelet punch, clear embossing powder

I saw this card on Splitcoaststampers and absolutely fell in love with it. I wish I could give credit but I can't remember who originaly made it. This allows new stampers to once again use our punches, but also try the vellum. I love vellum but I never use it, I finally opened a brand new pack of this stuff to make this card, it adds such a soft touch.

Recipe:
Stamps: All Holidays, Thoughts & Prayers
Paper: Basic Grey, Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Vellum Cardstock
Other: Scallop border punch

Thanks for stopping by, have a great evening!

Let's try That Again

I redid the baby card, something about the colour wasn't working for me as well as I wanted it to. So the recipe is exactly the same, just using a different dsp, I think I like this one better.

Have a great day!

Something in the Water

A lot of people I know are having babies, including my sister so I figured maybe it was time to start making a bunch of baby cards. I love baby cards, there's something so cute about them and it reminds me of just how adorable little babies are, not that I want to have another one, lol.

With this card I was going for a soft look, the hands and feet stamps are actually not from Stampin' Up (gasp), I found them at a dollar store for a buck, can't go wrong with that. I am also in love with the kraft taffeta ribbon, the other colours are nice too in the taffeta but the kraft is my favourite by far.

And here's the inside, very simple but I think sometimes simple says it best.

Recipe:
Stamps: Nursery Necessities, dollar store stamp
Paper: Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze, Kraft, DSP-Parisian Breeze
Ink: Baja Breeze
Other: Halfback pearls, kraft taffeta ribbon, eyelet border punch

Thanks for stopping by!

I bought this cute set right away when it first came out thinking I would have so much fun with it. Well it's almost embarassing to admit this was my first time using it. I've struggling with figuring out how I want to use it. Well today I sat down and made myself use it and I actually like this card, I think it's fun and works well together. For the frog, I first stamped it in versamark and then straight into the old olive ink, this keeps the ink wet long enough to allow me to sprinkle clear embossing powder for a nice embossed look. A very easy technique. I also finally used my library clips. Once again I bought those thinking of all the great things I could use them for, and now I hoard them. Shame on me.


And here's the inside of the card. I try to make all my cards with a pretty inside too, it makes the card feel a little more balanced to have weight both in the front piece and back. Plus it makes it look so much more finished.

Recipe:
Stamps: Hoppy For You
Paper: Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Old Olive, DSP-Maine Blueberry
Ink: Basic Black, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Always Artichoke
Other: Library Clips, Old Olive grasgrain Ribbon, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Have a great day!

Sorry about the lack of posting yesterday, I was having a blue Monday and didn't do a thing. Hopefully that'll be different today. Today's card is a CASE from one of the talented cardmakers over at Splitcoaststampers. I loved the layout of the card and so I chose to case it. I changed the colours but otherwise, it's a copy.

Recipe:
Stamps: Spring Song, Refuge & Strength
Paper: Sahara Sand, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, DSP-Delicate Dots
Ink: Basic Black, So Saffron, Sahara Sand, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue
Other: Halfback Pearls, SAB Ribbon, Generic Vanilla Ribbon, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Embossing folder

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

I am getting ready to have a great evening of scrapbooking. The church we've been attending is having a scrapbooking day from late afternoon until evening, I'm so excited. And a little nervous, we're still so new here that everyone is a stranger to me and meeting new people is always a little nerve wracking, at least for me.

A good friend of mine has decided to join the blogging world. She's a very talented scrapbooker and cardmaker so why not check out her blog if you have a minute. It's listed under my list of blogs that I love, it's called Creating Cards With Tina, very nice.

Here's a quick card I made last night. I'm one of those people that once I find something I love, I'll use it until I'm so sick of it. I do this with everything from baking, clothing, stamps, etc. I've made the same batch of oatmeal cookies now for almost a month, at least one or two batches a week. I know eventually I'll be sick of them and I'll find myself a new recipe to love but for now, it gets made a lot. You've probably noticed that with my cardmaking too, I fall in love with a stamp set or a certain style of card and I'll duplicate it until I'm sick of it. But I'm okay doing things this way, love what you're doing and once you want change, make change.

Recipe:
Stamps: Refuge & Strength
Paper: Bravo Burgundy, Pink Pirouette, Sahara Sand, DSP-Parisian Summer
Ink: Pink Pirouettte, Bravo Burgundy
Other: Bravo Burgundy Ribbon, Halfback pearls, Eyelet border punch

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Do Post or Not to Post

I debated on wether I should even post this card since I really don't care for it, but here it is anyway, in all it's...glory? Sometimes you make a card and everything just seems to fall into place, well that was definitely not the case with this card. I struggled with everything. Oh well, it's not that it's ugly, but just not one that I love.

Recipe:
Stamps: Spring Song
Paper: Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, DSP-To The Nines
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, More Mustard
Other: Chocolate Chip ribbon, 5/16" Neutral brads, Nestabilities

Thanks for stopping by, have a great afternoon.

Two cards, one day

Sometimes I think I should get another hobby so I'm not always cardmaking, but then I think why bother, if it's something you enjoy doing it can't be all that bad. Here's another card I made today, it's for today's challenge over at splitcoaststampers, using some sort of stripes on your card. Very easy, I love the ribbon and dsp that you can get now during the SAB promo.

Recipe:
Stamps: Upsy Daisy, Fundamental Phrases
Paper: Kraft, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, DSP-Delicate Dots
Ink: Certainly Celery, Sahara Sand
Other: Rhinestone brads, SAB ribbon, Stitching, Nestabilities

Have a great day!

SAB Goodies

Here's a simple card I made last night using some of the product that I got from the Sale-A-Bration promotion that's on right now. I love this stuff. One thing I have always struggled with is using buttons on cards. I love the look but whenever I try it, it doesn't look right. But this card seemed to call for buttons and I think I like it.

Recipe:Stamps: All Holidays
Paper: Sahara Sand, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, DSP-Delicate Dots
Ink: Sahara Sand
Other: Ribbon from the SAB bundle, SU! buttons, Nestabilities

Thanks for stopping, have a great day!

Birthday Wishes

It's my Dh's nephew's Birthday this weekend so I quickly made him a card, he'll be turning 5. I haven't used this set nearly as much as I should. It's a little too cute for a mature Birthday card and I don't make a lot of kids Birthday cards, but now that we've moved so far away from family, maybe I'll get more use out of it.

Recipe:
Stamps: Older & Wiser (used it for the sentiment), Birthday Whimsy
Paper: Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, DSP-Maine Blueberry
Ink: Bashful BLue, Old Olive, Not Quite Navy
Other: Silver brads, Certainly celery ribbon from the SAB set, love it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Good Morning!

I hope everyone had a good weekend, ours was a nice lazy one. Well except on Valentine's Day, we ended up going to Grand Prairie and spent the day shopping, eating and watching a movie with the kids. We had a really good time.

I'm really enjoying my new stamp sets, up until now I hadn't gotten any inspirational sets and they just seem to go so well with my designer pp. The colors of the paper are also what I really love, soft muted colors. As you can see on the card my stitching is a little sloppy, I will admit that this was the first time in a looooooooooooong time that I used my sewing machine on a card. Practice makes perfect right!

Recipe:
Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers
Paper: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze, DSP-Parisian Breeze
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Other: Taffeta kraft ribbon, 5/16" neutral brads in very vanilla

Thanks for stopping by, hope everyone is having a great Monday!

My Long List

I have a long list of things I need to do today, laundry, dusting, walking on the treadmill, etc. and yet here I am making cards and sitting in front of the computer. But this is so much better than all those other things so why not enjoy it and maybe the list will take care of itself, yeah right.

I made this card this morning going for a monochromatic look, I think I achieved it but I had to laugh at myself when I was done. I didn't even realize that the cross is inked up with sahara sand, there is no kraft ink. So my first concern, Stampin Up! really really needs to make a kraft coloured ink pad, so many of their dsp in this cataogue use kraft, I love this color. Now that I've said it, everyone will look at it and notice the colour difference. While I was making the card I kind of thought to myself that wow this ink really doesn't match the paper as well as it should, now I know why! Oh well, don't we wise up as we age...

Recipe:
Stamps: Refuge & Strength
Paper: Kraft, Very Vanilla, DSP-Bella Bleu
Ink: Sahara Sand, (not kraft), Not Quite Navy
Other: Half Back Pearls, Taffeta ribbon in kraft, Cuttlebug embossing folder

Thanks for stopping by!!

On A Roll

Who knows how many cards I'll get made today, but I am enjoying myself! I love using cuttlebug embossing folders on a card, it instantly adds some texture to a card and can take it from blah to beautiful with one easy step. Now that Stampin' Up! has them, I'll definately have to order them as well.

Recipe:
Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers
Paper: Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand, DSP-To The Nines
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Other: Rhinestone brads, Always Artichoke ribbon, Cuttlebug Embossing folder, oval punch.

Good Times

I finally got to play with my new loot this morning, do you have any idea how hard it was to see all this stuff yesterday, sitting in the box just waiting for me to come play?! It was hard, but I enjoyed making todays card so that makes up for it. As soon as I saw this dsp I knew it would be one of my first purchases. It's called Parisian Breeze Specialty. It's heavy like regular cardstock and it's sooooooooo pretty! Love it.

Recipe:
Stamps: Refuge & Strength, Eastern Blooms
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, DSP-Parisian Breeze
Ink: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip
Other: Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, 5/16" neutral brads, Cuttlebug embossing folders, SU eyelet border punch(love it!)

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day!

Guess What Came Early?!

Wohoo, I was pleasantly surprised to see the delivery man today as I was not expecting him until tomorrow. This is so great but I'm suppossed to be making 42 little Valentine's treats for the kids to take to school tomorrow. Urgh, I want to test my new stuff so badly! So no card today but there will be a lot of them coming soon!


Thanks for stopping by!

Happiness is...

This card might look familar to you, I did one almost identical to this a while ago, but I'm so limited with my dsp until I get my new order in and I needed something simple for the limited supplies challenge over at SCS. Today's challenge was to use only words stamps, no other stamps allowed. I think it turned out okay, although sometimes I think my cards are all starting to look the same. I think I'll have to branch out a little more. Anyhow, it's a very basic card, using halfback pearls again, my new favourite.

Recipe:
Stamps: Happy Harmony
Paper: Basic Grey, Very Vanilla, DSP-Urban Garden
Ink: Basic Grey
Other: Black grosgrain Ribbon, Halfback Pearls, Nestabilities

Thanks for stopping by, have a great weekend!

Valentine's Treats

Our twin boys are in Kindergarten this year and will need to bring treats for the other kids on Valentine's Day. So I made these cute adorable little candy bags, I got the template from splitcoaststampers.com. These are so easy to make and I think the kids will love them.


Thanks for stopping by

My Pet Peeve

I hate waking up to a dirty kitchen and that's how my morning started. I left right after dinner last night to have a little mommy time (aka, went for a movie), I didn't feel like cleaning up when I got back, so it was my own fault, but I still hate it. But on a positive note, my kitchen is now gleaming, the dishwasher is going and I was able to make a card, not bad huh.

I am getting a little sick of the dsp that I have, I'm eagerly waiting for my new stash that should arrive next week. This catalogue has such beautiful designer paper, it was hard to pick which ones I wanted first.

Recipe:
Stamps: Dream a Little, Fundamental Phrases
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Tangarine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, DSP-Hawaii Papaya, watercolor pp
Ink: Tangarine Tango, Basic Black, Chocolate Chip
Other: Hemp Twine, Cuttlebug embossing folder

Thanks for stopping by!

Good Morning!

I couldn't sleep last night so I stayed up late making this card for the sketch challenge over at SCS. I discovered that it is much harder to get your creative juices flowing when it is late, but overall I'm happy with how the card turned out, even if it took me longer than usual.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly
Paper: Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla, DSP-Maine Blueberry
Ink: Bashful Blue, Not Quite Navy
Other: Old Olive Ribbon, Clear Rhinestone Brads

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day!

Word from the Wise...or not so wise

Every single time I make a card I tell myself not to put it together until I know exactly what I'm going to do with it, and every single time I glue it together and then I decide I want to change it. Well this card is another one of those. I had decided to add some faux stitching to the one piece, totally forgot until I had already glued it. I hate any holes pierced through to the middle of the card so I tried poking holes through just the front. Well if you look reaaaaaaaaaally closely you might be able to see the holes. Otherwise I like the card but once again I was too hasty in putting it together.

Recipe:
Stamps: All I have Seen, Easter Blooms
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, DSP-Green Tea & Parisian Summer
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze
Other: Half Back pearls, Chocolate Chip ribbon

Thanks for stopping by!

SAB is here!

How exciting is that! I stayed up until 1:00am on Saturday going into Sunday so that I could get my order in as early as possible. I was able to get 7 SAB sets! Wohoo, now I'm oh so impatiently waiting for my loot so I can play.

Today's card is one of those that I couldn't get right, so I kept adding to it, taking away, changing things until I finally said enough. It is what it is, like it or not.

Recipe:
Stamps: Upsy Daisy
Paper: Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, DSP-Green Tea
Ink: Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa
Other: Old Olive ribbon, Clear Rhinestones

Thanks for looking and don't forget to take advantage of the Sale-A-Bration sale!