Happy 2014...Starting with a Little Merry Monday!

I have been so anxious to get back to card making!  I've had several obstacles preventing me from my goal.  First, we were gone for ten days around Christmas, visiting hubby's family out East.  Secondly, I bought a new computer about a week before Christmas (like I needed a project before Christmas.)  I have been waaay spending too many hours downloading programs, transferring files and generally tweeking it to run the way I want!  Grrrr....Windows 8!  But finally, I found some time in my craft room and was able to relax!

First order of business, make some Christmas thank you cards.

I still love this little bird from the Stampin' Up! set Always.  I don't think I'll ever get rid of this set, just because of this bird.  The Christmas thank you sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.  The designer paper is a brand new paper stack from Stampin' Up! called Fresh Prints....lots of great papers in there!

So, the latest Merry Monday challenge is:

I am linking my card to their challenge and I look forward to getting more Christmas cards done for the coming year!

I also have lots of new Stampin' Up products to play with, so I hope to have many things to share!

Thanks for stopping today!

Simple Sunflower

I didn't think I was going to make a card today.  Then, fate stepped in.  I saw today's Make-It-Monday video and couldn't resist trying this technique.  "Flocked Look with Dimensional Paste."

In addition to my hexagon plate die, I used the Papertrey Ink set Simple Sunflower along with the sentiment from Hello Sunshine.  I wanted a larger leaf, so that came from Turning a New Leaf.  Since I didn't have the paste or gesso mentioned in the video...I used Red Devil Lightweight Spakling!  I added refill ink, of course.  Time will tell if it flakes off!  It was fun, though!

As a bonus I managed to fulfill the requirements for Stacey's Stamping Stage challenge of Sunflowers!

I have to run...must take dear daughter to the ortho!

Carrot Barrettes For the Nieces

OK, let's just ignore the fact I've been away for almost a month!  Not what I had planned.  I think my absence started when I needed to take a little break, just a week.  Unfortunately, when I was ready to come back, I came down with a terrible cold!  I didn't feel like doing anything.  The last obstacle happened when I began helping my mom and dad settle my great aunt's estate.  Lots of days spent sorting and getting ready for a tag sale.  Each day I came home exhausted!  Well, that came to an end this past Sunday.  A few days of catch-up around the house....and here I am!

I recently purchased these barrette cover dies from Papertrey Ink and before they arrived I knew what my first project would be!  I have FOUR nieces under the age of 6 (with a 5th one due next month!)... so this die will get a workout!  I think they turned out adorable!

I wanted a cute way to send them, of course!  So, I used the library card stamp and stamped each of their names.

So, I still need to make Easter cards for my friends... and I will share the treat bags I made for the kiddies.  Guess you'll be seeing me real soon!

Branch Out...Birthday

I was spending the morning responding to posts, going through my e-mail and trying to visit a few blogs.  I felt behind, although I've felt worse!  Somewhere in hour two I had the overwhelming urge to make a card.  So, that's what I did!

Now, I also need to take care of a little business.  I was just tickled pink to win a few honors over the last week.  One at Freshly Made Sketches for THIS card.  I was chosen a "Perfect Princess" by the lovely Cindy Hall!

This week is a sketch by Allisa (also very lovely.)  So, my first thought for the shape was a Christmas tree, but that changed.  It may be a little obscure but the sketch is there!

The other challenge I did well with...Stampin' Royalty.  I made their top three with THIS card and have been given the title of "Goddess."  Hee!  Hee!  This week they have a gorgeous photo to play with!  I knew exactly what stamp I wanted to use.

Then, a glitter challenge over at City Crafter Challenge.  I don't use glitter too often.   Love the effects, not the mess!

Anyway, here's what I came up with:

I'd like to share a few tips about the glitter I used.  I hope you find them useful.

This is a close-up my test sample.  Sorry, it's out of focus!  But see how the pink glitter has migrated onto the silver?  Also, the black isn't very vibrant on that white paper.  I "fixed" that by adhering the glitter to strips similar to the glitter color BEFORE I adhered them to the card.

My favorite technique for making glitter stick is using adhesive like Sticky Strip (Scor-tape) or a sticker maker (like a Xyron.)  This is one of my strips before peeling away the backing and adding the glitter.

It worked great!  Super easy and my strips are very straight.  Success!

OK, now that I have that out of my system...I will go back to commenting and blog surfing! 

Dasher ... A Jingle Belles Challenge

This weekend has been great.  Just goofing off in my craft room.  It is darn cold here in Iowa so I love going into my craft room, cranking up the oil heater and hibernating in there!  I haven't done a Christmas card in a couple weeks so I thought I'd go visit the jingle belles.  They didn't fail me.  They had a sketch I could work with, it just took a little more time than I expected.

I had the basic idea of what I wanted, but it was just a little too plain for me.  That's when I decided to use up my scraps and make a patchwork background.  I LOVE using my scraps!  I took all blues and greens and I used strips of Heat and Bond, a fusible webbing, to put it all together.  Much easier than glues and tapes.  I think it should hold better, too.

Now you want to know the weird part?  As I am preparing this post, getting the URLs to paste here, I see a card already posted with amazing similarity to mine.  Go figure!  I'm always afraid of this happening, which is why I try not to look at the challenge post and I try and do the challenge soon after it's been posted.  Well, it's bound to happen.  I'll have to make sure and leave her a comment.

Blog Hop Day!

Hey friends!  I am so excited today.  I am participating in my first ever Papertrey Ink Blog Hop.  I hope to spend the day seeing lots of beautiful creations, get some new ideas and even more inspiration!

Speaking of inspiration.... here's our inspiration photo!

I knew upon seeing it, exactly what my card would look like.  That doesn't happen too often!  I used clear embossing powder and Turning a New Leaf to create the white, tone-on-tone background.  Then, added a layer of cardstock and gingham from the Smokey Shadow pattern pack, so my flower had a nice place to sit.  I stamped and embossing my sentiment from Signature Greetings on vellum because I didn't want to cover up any of the gingham.  I love gingham!

I really enjoyed this challenge.  I hope to get around to many other blog hop participants, but I will say, it's going to be difficult.  I have a very full day, which will be topped off with healthy drive to my son's baseball games this evening!  He's had three double-headers this week and the season is just beginning!  That's my summer!

A Glitter Explosion

Hee!  Hee!  More is more with this card!  This week's Papertrey Ink, Make It Monday challenge is to make glittered die cuts.  Immediately my thought was to use the large rick rack die with graduated colors.  Since my glitter selection is fairly small, so were my options.  The only stamp set that seemed to fit the bill was Fly Away.  I was pretty adamant about making a vertical card.  I wanted visual lines going in different directions.  I resisted putting the clouds on initially, but it just wasn't complete without them.  I would say I'm fairly pleased with this one.  My only question is, if I had to do it again, maybe the smaller rick rack?  Hmmmm.....

Anyway, it just feels great to make a card.  It's been a while!

PTI - So Glad We're Friends

OK, here's my second card of the night.  I wish I was working a little faster.  I changed the white strip through the center of the card THREE times!  I still think there's room for improvement, but in general I do like the waffle paper I used.

The sketch.....and my card.

I may be losing steam! I have to get up in the morning and take my son to the ACT test, then off to see my friend's daughter in a show choir competition.  Then, out to dinner with the neighbors!  I should quit now.....

PTI - Day 6 Challenge

I've been itching to get into my craft room since I read the current Papertrey Ink challenge on Nicole's blog this morning.  Well, the kids had the day off.  I have ladies coming over to stamp on Sunday, so I needed to clean the house.  It wasn't until 4:00 I even gave it another thought.






So, there are FIVE sketches to play with.  Each is appealing to me, so where to begin?  I ended up starting with sketch #2.

And this is the card I made, using Background Basics: Gingham and Year of Flowers: Daffodils.

Now it's after dinner and I plan to do as many as I can tonight.  So, stay tuned for more posts!

A Little Housekeeping with an Exciting Note!

I have been meaning to post this card for sometime.  It was the first Christmas card I worked on in December and somehow it kept getting neglected.  I made 30 of these for dear hubby to send out to his co-workers and work related friends.  It may seem obvious but these little buggers were time consuming...all that sewing!  I have been missing my sewing machine, so I didn't mind too much! 

Boy, do I love this die from PTI.  The Big Shot got a workout, though.  Running this die through 30 times.  One thing you may not know about me... I hoard wool!  So, I had a nice selection to make my trees.  I love this color.

I guess my procrastination paid off too.  The current Our Creative Corner challenge is Felt.  Yeah!

I am also happy, tickled and pleased to announce my glittery, sparkly Snowman Card made the Top Pick over at Stampin' Royalty!  I was lucky enough to be chosen earlier in the year, so I already had the badge, but I was pleased to add a little caption for my recent recognition!

Now that I appear to be on a roll...keep an eye out for more posts!

With Help From My Daughter

Today is the day...finally I will begin to work on my Christmas cards.  I plan to have them done and ready to go into the mail on Monday.  Yeah...right!  Not at my current pace!  Luckily, fate has stepped in, to help me out.  Maybe more accurately, my sweet daughter has stepped in to help me out.  She was one of two in her grade (7th) chosen in the annual Christmas card contest at school.

This is her design.  They where only given one requirement.  They had to use cross-hatch or stipple techniques in their design.  This is the second time she has been chosen.  I'm one proud mama!

Being a card maker, I couldn't resist a little embellishment.  So, with her blessing we added a sequin and bead nose, ribbon and a sentiment from PTI's Tree Trimming Trio.

Now I can't let her have all the fun, so I will be making my own cards, of course.  Thankfully I won't require quite as many!  Phew!!!  Stay tuned!

Big Clip

I didn't plan on posting today.  I spent the morning trying to catch up on my mail and promised myself I would play in the afternoon.  Although I didn't think I would accomplish anything!  I was sure I would sit in my craft room for hours with nothing to show for it.  Well, I did have a little help.  These clips were on my desk.  I had glued the base paper on them about a week ago.

So, it was just a matter of sprucing them up.  It was a lot of fun deciding how to embellish them.  Which one is your favorite?  I have a favorite.

They are mostly Stampin' Up! products, with the exception of the ribbons, a few brads and the sentiment on the blue one (it's PTI.)

These clips came from an auction box lot.  I bid because I wanted the basket they were in (an old wire locker room basket) so the clips were a bonus!  I have five more I could decorate....and I think I will!

Halloween Fun

I had to get some ink on this stamp right away!  Last Thursday was the kids first day of school.  I celebrated (not that I wanted them to go back) with a road trip to Mike's and a few quilt shops.  This stamp was the first to catch my eye.  Usually I can't resist  buying a few of these cheap thrills but this day I stuck with the ONE that spoke the loudest.

I also happened to pick up an embossing folder on clearance, so I had two new toys to play with.  I inked up my folder with a brayer and black ink before sending it through the Big Shot.  I've done this before with mixed results.  Today was no exception.  I probably did 5 "tests" trying to keep the ink from smearing.  Nothing totally fixed the problem, but once I started I had to include it in the card.  It fit the card so well!

I still love stitching on my cards and I should do more of it because it is so much fun.  So look out for more stitching!

Dot Spot - Curtain Call #41

After a busy week, Sunday came pretty quickly!  Time for another Curtain Call Challenge!  Here's our inspiration:

I immediately thought Dot Spot from PTI, so I didn't strain my brain and went with that!  This will make the perfect birthday card for my brother-in-law come October.  He loves blue and I think the dots will appeal to his analytical side (he has a P.H.D. in physical chemistry.)

Let's see what the rest of the Crew has for us this week!

Amy White @ Devlinwhite Designs
Andrea Roose @ Andrea Scrap - und Stampel-Blog
Iwona Palamountain (Chupa) @ Random Acts of Creativity
Julie Smith @ Paper and Such
Lea Lawson @ Lea's Cupcakes & Sunshine
Marisa Ritzen @ Rosemary Reflections
Melissa Hubert@ My Paper Obsession
Sue Kohler@ My Inner Reflection

And our August guest designer.  Teresa Kline @ Enjoy the VA Sunshine

And our leader....Stacey @ Stacey's Stamping Stage

Remember, if want to join us, link to your creation on Stacey's post.  At the end of the challenge period she will choose 5 great projects that will earn the Curtain Call Show Stopper badge.  One talented person will get the Lead in this week's Curtain Call!

Green Thumb - Curtain Call #37

Hey there Curtain Call stampers!  It's Sunday.  Are you ready for another challenge?  Stacey has picked a yummy cupcake image as this week's inspiration. 

I wanted to create a cheerful card to go along with these cheerful colors.  I have a lot of gardening friends and decided this cute little boot from Green Thumb would be perfect. 

BTW - Sorry this picture is so yellow, I couldn't use my normal set-up. 

I am really anxious to see what the rest of the Crew will do with these bright colors.  So, let's check them out!

Amy White @ Devlinwhite Designs
Andrea Roose @ Andrea Scrap - und Stampel-Blog
Iwona Palamountain (Chupa) @ Random Acts of Creativity
Julie Smith @ Paper and Such
Lea Lawson @ Lea's Cupcakes & Sunshine
Marisa Ritzen @ Rosemary Reflections
Melissa Hubert@ My Paper Obsession
Sue Kohler@ My Inner Reflection

Please help us welcome our July guest designer.  The fabulous Silke Ledlow @ My Life

And our leader....Stacey @ Stacey's Stamping Stage

Remember, if want to join us, link to your creation on Stacey's post.  At the end of the challenge period she will choose 5 great projects that will earn the Curtain Call Show Stopper badge.  One talented person will get the Lead in this week's Curtain Call!

Show CASE - Eastern Blooms by Beate

Well, the abundant free time I had been hoping for hasn't materialized just yet.  The kids and I are still busy with activities.  My son with baseball and daughter with golf.  I have been staying up later than sanity should allow just to keep up with daily life chores.  Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining in any way.  I love spending time with my kids and in fact I crave time with them.  Dear son will be off to college before you know it (3 years) and to this point he doesn't mind me being around Mom, so I'll take it.  Today we will be wild raspberry picking.  From the scouting we did last week, there will be tons ready to pick!  I may have to make some jam....yum!  So, until tomorrow when I have my Curtain Call card to share, we'll go with a CASE card.

When free time is in short supply, a card CASE (Copy And Share with Everyone) can be the perfect way to have a little fun!.  Show CASE is my personal attempt to have that time for stamping, without of the pressure to create something totally original.  I want to pay tribute to the many talented stampers out in the blogosphere that are so inspiring to me.  I hope you enjoy seeing my "take" on their creation.

Today's card is from Beate @ Fresh & Fun. 

My changes:
Green Tea DSP
Petals & Paisley DSP
Ribbon
Sentiment (PTI - Green Thumb)

Really, my card is not much different than Beate's.  Check out her's HERE.

Bee-u-ti-ful Weather and Card! - Curtain Call #26

Well, I had a FABULOUS Saturday! It was an absolutely beautiful day and I spent it out in my yard. The better part of the day was spent trenching a line for a new flower bed....by myself. Doesn't sound like fun? It went surprisingly quick and smooth, which was a pleasantly surprise! It left me time to mow, trim my roses and cage my peonies. It really made me happy. Now is it possible my euphoria had something to do with all the vitamin D that comes with all that sunlight? I don't know, but it was the shot enthusiasm I needed!

This week's colors for the Curtain Call Challenge? Sunny yellow with touches of gray.It's fitting that my card for the challenge is a sunny, bee-u-tiful, spring card!I was able to use my Daisy #2 Big Shot Die for the first time. Yeah! The bee and sentiment are from PTI set Honey Bees. I had to substitute Going Gray with Sahara Sand. In my anxiousness to rearrange my supplies according to the new Stampin' Up! color pallete I misplaced my Going Gray. I still haven't found it! Yes, my craft room is a little messy!

So, are you ready to give these colors a shot? Please do. Then, add your link to via Mr. Linky over at Stacey's! Make sure to check out the rest of the Crew, too!

Amy White @ Devlinwhite Designs
Andrea Roose @ Andrea's Scrap - und Stempel-Blog
Iwona Palamountain (Chupa) @ Random Acts of Creativity
Julie Smith @ Paper and Such
Lea Lawson @ Lea's Cupcakes & Sunshine
Marisa Ritzen @ Rosemary Reflections
Melissa Hubert@ My Paper Obsession
Sue Kohler@ My Inner Reflection

And our leader, of course....Stacey @ Stacey's Stamping Stage

I Love of Kraft!

I love Kraft cardstock! Do you love it, too? It seems to go well with EVERYTHING! I can definitely go on a binge of creating Kraft cards. I have to stop myself! Well, not today. Stacey's color challenge for this week gave me permission to use my well-loved Kraft.

Aren't these colors just great? Neutrals with a bit of color. I was very excited to work on this card!I also got to use my herringbone paper from the Sweet Pea pack! Along with Love & Happiness rub-ons from SAB a few years ago. My sentiment is from the PTI set Green Thumb. The rick rack is vintage. PLUS...I got to try the squashed flower technique! I used tissue paper for mine. I love making flowers and trying EVERY type of flower embellishment.So, what kind of beauties will the rest of the Crew create? Let's go check them out....

Amy White @ Devlinwhite Designs
Andrea Roose @ Andrea's Scrap - und Stempel-Blog
Iwona Palamountain (Chupa) @ Random Acts of Creativity
Julie Smith @ Paper and Such
Lea Lawson @ Lea's Cupcakes & Sunshine
Marisa Ritzen @ Rosemary Reflections
Melissa Hubert@ My Paper Obsession
Sue Kohler@ My Inner Reflection

And our leader, of course....Stacey @ Stacey's Stamping Stage

I hope to see what you've created for this challenge using Mr. Linky over at Stacey's site!