Friday, May 27, 2011

Fintastic Father's Day!

Stamps:  My Favorite Things a la mode image, Papertrey sentiment.  Cardstock:  unknown source.  Ink:  Memento black, Copics, Versafine black, white gel pen.  Accessories:  dotted organdy ribbon, fish charm.

With three dads to send Father's Day cards to, I have to start the creative process early!  Thank goodness for talented, generous friends like Angela (Just Monkeying Around) who creates and shares such amazing card kits like the one used for this card!

Isn't this a fun image to send to my dad who loves to fish?

And the kit even included two of these fish charms!

One Father's Day card down, two to go.  Now if I could only come up with meaningful gifts that won't break the bank and are easy to mail!  Any suggestions??

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Tuesday Morning Sketch #95: Magical Days

Digi image:  Digital Delights 'Augustus the Dragon'.  Sentiment:  Stamping Bella.  Cardstock:  Textured black, blue and DP from unknown source, GP110 white.  Ink:  Versafine onyx, Copics.  Accessories:  Dazzling Diamond glitter, brads, satin white ribbon.

Welcome to Tuesday Morning Sketch #95!

Our sponsor this week is Digital Delights who generously supplied me with this whimsical cutie, Augustus the Dragon:


Every magical creature deserves a little sparkle, right?  Augustus' wings are acceted with both Dazzling Diamonds and a glitter pen for the fine details.

Be sure to admire the TMS Design Team's spin on this week's challenge:


 Then link up your creations HERE to join in the fun and so we can admire your take on this sketch!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Tuesday Morning Sketch #94: Who Can Resist Crayons?

Stamps:  Happy Harmony.  Cardstock:  Whisper White, Papertrey white, K&Co. 'Tim CoffeyCottage Garden'.  Ink:  Bashful Blue, Ballet Blue, Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery, Versamark black. 

Welcome to Tuesday Morning Sketch #94! 

This week we are hosting a non-sketch challenge, sponsored by One Stop Cards:  the Crayon Resist Technique!  You can find a Splitcoast tutorial by Beate for this fun technique HERE.  Basically, a white crayon is used to highlight areas of a stamped image; sponging over this area with ink will leave a halo effect:


The card above was my first try at this technique and I thought I could achieve a more obvious effect with a more liberal crayon application.  I needed a birthday card for my mom, so I thought I'd try again with slight modifcations to Clean & Simple Stamping's Fall-To sketch #140.  Here's the result:


I like the new card, but you know what?  I like the original CAS version just as much!

Be sure to admire the TMS Design Team's spin on this week's challenge:


 Then link up your creations HERE to join in the fun and so we can admire your take on this sketch!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Tuesday Morning Sketch #93: Hot Birthday Wishes!

 Digi image:  Sassy Design 'Little Honey's Firefighter'.  Cardstock:  Bazzill red, Papertrey coral, Paperstudio lips DP, textured black, and GP 110 white.  Ink:  Copics, Sakura sparkle red.  Punches:  Marvy heart, Martha Stewart scallop border. Ribbon:  grosgrain white



This week's sponsor is Sassy Designs who generously provided the definitely sassy 'Little Honey's Firefighter' for this week's card:


 Thanks to a computer-generated sentiment, it's time for a 'hot' birthday card!

Be sure to admire the TMS Design Team's spin on this week's challenge:


 Then link up your creations HERE to join in the fun and so we can admire your take on this sketch!

Monday, May 9, 2011

It's Twins!

 Stamps:  Papertrey sentiments.  Vanilla card set/envelope.  Quick Kutz Stripes Label embossing folder.  Making Memories 'Noteworthy' primas and buttons.

A friend of ours is expecting twins (boy and girl) this month, so I wanted a bit more personalized gift to go along with the registry item purchased.  Thank you cards are always needed, right?

Only one problem -- there's a severe shortage of images for twin baby cards!  I went the easy route and used a pink prima paired with a blue, created 10 cards, and packaged them in a clear case wrapped with pink and blue ribbon:


Can't wait to meet the newest bundles of joy!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Tuesday Morning Sketch #92: Sweet Treat Bears!

Digi image:  Prairie Fairy 'Lenny Cupcakes'.  Sentiment Paper Pretties 'Just Because Zac'.  Cardstock:  Imaginisce 'Twitterpated', GP110 white, unknown white and red.  Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Ink:  versafine black, Copics.  Ribbon:  white satin.

 Welcome to Tuesday Morning Sketch #92!  I'm thrilled to be rejoining the cardmaking world and such a fun way to jump back in with this adodorable teddy digi from our sponsor, StampFairy, and this week's fun sketch:


Since this week's sketch featured a row of dots, I dusted off one of my negelected Cuttlebug folders ('With Love' borders) and added texture:

Be sure to admire the TMS Design Team's spin on this week's challenge:


 Then link up your creations HERE to join in the fun and so we can admire your take on this sketch!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Where Have I Gone?

Or maybe I should say, 'What have we done?'

Sorry to leaving without a trace, but personal life has placed itself directly in the path of 'crafting' life.  As in, I haven't made a card since December or even cleared off my crafting table from the holiday frenzy. 

The cause?  The stamping dry spell just happens to perfectly coincide with our family's purchase of a new house.  'New' as in new to our family, but actually older than our current home.  The draw is 5 acres complete with pine trees, a stream, and plenty of wildlife.  We've heard coyotes howl, watched a possum amble across the backyard,  and the majority of the acreage is now aerated in the shape of deer hoofprints.

The downside?  The previous owners liked to decorate and they decorated to the hilt in 'classic' 90s style.  Who would have thought that pickled kitchen cabinets turn pink with age or that I could actually come to detest the color green?  And don't even get me started on wallpaper.

Here's an example of our current project:
See?  Pink cabinets, green striped wallpaper, green flowered vinyl flooring, and yes, even green countertops!

After a month of hard labor and several hard lessons on just how not-simple DIY projects can be, the wallpaper is gone, the countertops are gone, and the cabinets are mostly primed to be (evetually)  painted white, all in the hopes of achieving something close to a farmhouse/cottage/anything less 90s kitchen look.  New countertops are ordered and the flooring is still up for debate.

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention the six swatches of yellows and tans painted on every wall which means the wall color is still up for debate, too.

I did manage to finish painting the girls' bedrooms, but even that required four coats of paint.  You might understand why when I show you the previous lovely color schemes:


Note the wonderful painting technique bordering the ceiling and baseboards.  Obviously, the previous owners were not perfectionists, unlike the soon-to-be inhabitants.
Here's the point where I should insert the 'after' photos, or at least a picture of the house nestled into the beautiful acreage.  Uh, except I haven't taken those photos yet.  Seems that I've been rather caught up in diving from one project to the next without documenting the progress. Add that to my To Do list, please.

Long story not -so short, that's where I've been the past few months and probably will remain for the next few months.  Once we finally make the move, then we have to prep  the current house for sale.  Ulcers, here I come! 

Special thanks to my Design Teams for allowing me leaves of absence.  I promise to be back in action as soon as I can find my stamping supplies!