Christmas Greetings

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday

I made this birthday card last night and mailed it off to my aunt this morning.  A few days ago I was looking through some of my older craft magazines to get an idea for a layout.  Ever have an idea in mind but the project turns out a bit different? :)  It's not much different so I'm happy with how it turned out! 

Supplies:  JustRite stamps (2" floral center from 15 pt round wood stamper set and sentiment from Topsy Turvy Cakes stamp set ); VersaFine ink (vintage sepia); Papertrey Ink card stock (scarlet jewel, ripe avocado & vintage cream); patterned paper (My Mind's Eye); Spellbinders circle nestabilities; EK Success double scallop edge punch; Basic Grey button; DMC floss; Morex ribbon; Marvy scallop circle punch; Prismacolor pencils

Cookie bars- Yum!

I have a sweet tooth and when I have a craving for something warm and sweet to sink my teeth into, usually on a Friday night, I opt to make some cookie bars.  After a long week of work, this quick, no fuss treat can satisfy the craving!  I took this recipe and tailored it to my own liking and boy do I like them including my son!  Why not cookies instead?  Well, I do like cookies but, 4-5 ingredients (butter, graham crackers crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips and sometimes a bit of peanut butter chips) about 20-25 minutes of baking (depending on your oven) and they're ready!  Mmm, so delicious!

Celebrate today

It's sparkly!  Crafty Friends Challenges #9, add some glitz and glam to a project.  I started with some Creamy Caramel card stock from Stampin Up for the card base.  I also used this card stock and stamped the sentiment from Papertrey Ink's Autumn Abundance stamp set using Stampin Up's Almost Navy ink.  I used an oval punch to cut out the sentiment but then I used scissors to straighten off two of the sides.  I used the Sew Easy stitch piercing tool to add holes onto a piece of My Mind's Eye patterned and I hand stitched it with some DMC floss.  For the glitz and glam part, I added some turquoise glitter to a Sizzix butterfly die cut. I die cut one of the tags from the Spellbinders Fancy Tags Two Shapeabilities and threaded some ribbon from Michaels through the ends as an added embellishment to the back drop for the focal image.  I also stamped a sentiment from Hero Arts on the inside of the card in addition to adding a few strips of My Mind's Eye patterned paper for some added color.  I thought I was going to add this card to my stash but as soon as I had chosen the ribbon and butterfly, I realized that I can give this to one of my coworkers next month who will be celebrating her one year anniversary for being cancer free!  She is such the nicest person I've ever met!  Our office will be surprising her with some flowers too!

Friends Always

The current Crafty Friends Challenge, #8, is to use dry embossing.  I used my Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder to emboss the white background card stock panel which I adhered to a piece of yellow card stock.  I edged the two corners of this double panel with some Michaels' double edged stitched ribbon.  I layered 3 Prima flowers and joined them together with a Recollections brad.  I also added two Recollections brad to the main background panel for a bit of embellishment.  The sentiment are single word images from the Say it with Flowers stamp set by Gina K Designs.  I liked how Beate used the words on her card here so I thought I would try it out and add some playfulness to this friend card.  This is a standard size card and I used Papertrey Ink's black card stock for the card base. 

Boo

Boooo....it's almost Halloween!  Inspired by the current Crafty Friends Challenges, CFC#7, I created this quick card using die cuts from a Halloween scrapbook paper kit.  The fun die cut images have some glittery edges and I backed the circle opening with some black card stock so the boo and ghost would pop.  Also, because of the size of the circle die cut shape, this card turned out to be 5 1/2 x 6 1/8 in size.  I used the Cuttlebug spots and dots embossing folder to create some texture on the orange card stock.  Happy Crafting! 

A challenge card with video

Kristina Werner has put out a challenge to use what's currently out on your craft table to use it to make a project.  My table was covered but I cleared it, thank goodness, and moved my leftover supplies from the closet area to the table.  I can't believe it took over 15 minutes (well...yes I do, it was quite a challenge, lol) to make this card but I was up for the challenge and I completed this card.  I even made a video which was quite fun---don't worry, I cut it down to under 5 minutes, lol!

Supplies:  KI Memories patterned paper, sentiment - My Favorite Things It's a cupcake kind of day stamp set, Studio G stamp-cupcake image, Papertrey Ink kraft card stock, Marvy LePlume II markers: aqua grey, yellow, wisteria and yellow green.

Cupcake Day

I stepped it up a notch and did some masking on this card.  I used the It's a Cupcake Kind of Day stamp set by My Favorite Things.  The main panel was cut using a Spellbinders labels eight die.  I stamped the cherry topped cupcake, masked it with some Inkadinkado stamping mask paper and stamped the second cupcake twice.  I colored the cupcakes using Prismacolor pencils and Marvy LePlume II markers.  I applied Diamond Stickles to the cherry for a little sparkle.  The patterned paper is by KI Memories and card stock (dark chocolate and spring moss) by Papertrey Ink.

Make a Wish

A 5 1/2" x 5" square card. 
Stamps:  Birthday4Cookie (The Stamps of Life)
Patterned paper:  KI Memories
Prismacolor pencils

Thanks

Last year I saw and liked the bag in this video and I finally got a chance to make one.  The Crafty Friends Challenge #4 is to make something other than a card.  The bag base is card stock from DCWV's the Christmas Stack collection.  I cut a diamond from some SU baja breeze cs and did some partial embossing on it using the Cuttlebug spots and dots folder to frame the sentiment.  I matted it onto a  piece of black cs also cut to a diamond shape for the focal image of the bag.  The handles are cut from some Michaels ribbon and the eyelets are by American crafts.  The sentiment is a die from the Cuttlebug Olivia font die set.  The to: and from: images I stamped onto the die cut Cuttlebug tag are from the Birthday4cookie stamp set by The Stamps of Life.  A few sheets of some tissue paper finishes off the bag. 

Take Two of These

I participated in a challenge on StampTV a few weeks ago to case a card by design team member Michelle Woerner but it also required you to change at least two things on your card.  I chose her white gardenias card.  I used images from the 100% Sweet stamp set by Gina K. Designs.  Images are colored using a blender pen and Stampin Up ink colors, tempting turquoise, lovely lilac and pixie pink.  I used a Nestabilities scallop square die to cut the matching Stampin Up card stock colors to mat each colored image.

Thinking of You

A photo is the inspiration for the current Crafty Friends Challenges #3.  This is the project I created, a card that measures 4 3/8 x 6 3/4.(I ended up with this odd size because I didn't like how the first card front panel looked so I had to cut it and redo (ever happen to you, LOL!).  Anyway, I like this outcome much better!

I used a Cuttlebug die for the black and white flowers.  I used a combination of Marvy Uchida daisy flower punch outs and a few sizes of another Cuttlebug flower die to make the orange flower.  I topped it with a rhinestone for a little bling.  Other Supplies:  ink - Distress Ink (Spiced Marmalade), StazOn (Jet Black), striped paper - from my stash, green pp - My Mind's Eye, brads - Recollections, greenery - SU Sizzlits little leaves die and DCWV textured cs, sentiment - Studio G stamp, circle panel - SU Sahara Sand cs, card base - GKD Soft Sand cs, ribbon - Joann's.

Let's Eat Cake

This is the card I made following the My Favorite Things' Wednesday sketch challenge #71.  The image and sentiment are from My Favorite Things' a la modes Time to Celebrate stamp set.  I water colored the image using Marvy LePlume II markers-numbers 1, 12, 30, 48, 52, 75, 80 and 85.  Other supplies:  patterned papers - My Mind's Eye, Papertrey Ink kraft cs, Prima flower, brad, ribbon, and rhinestones.

How Sweet

I made this card to participate in the My Favorite Things Wednesday sketch challenge #70.  The main image and sentiment are from My Favorite Things's How Sweet It Is stamp set.  I paper pieced the chair and foot rest using some My Mind's Eye patterned paper.  I used Prismacolor pencils to color in the rest of the image.  The sentiment is stamped in Stampin Up's pixie pink ink.  Other supplies:   PTI card stock, SU card stock, Prima Flower, Making Memories brad, Fiskars threading water border punch, rick rack ribbon.

Just Because

The JustRite Friday Challenge JRC_071, is a color challenge - Perfect Pastels.  Create a project using pink, yellow, peach and a neutral.  I embossed yellow card stock using the Cuttlebug Dvine swirl embossing folder for the background panel and adhered it to card front.  The oval frame image is from JustRite's The Greatest Joy Set and the sentiment is from JustRite's All Occasion Nested Sentiments set.  I cut the oval sentiment panel and the scalloped oval using Spellbinders dies.  The peach ribbon is a great recycled item I saved from a package.  I adhered two Prima flowers to frame the oval and I added pink rhinestones to their centers.

Mojo Monday 238

This is my card for the Mojo Monday 238 sketch.  The card base is Gina K Designs' soft sand card stock.  I used a Spellbinders' scalloped square die to cut the squares from three patterned papers by My Mind's Eye.  The panel for the focal image is more soft sand card stock cut using Marvy Uchida's scalloped circle punch.  The floral image and sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Autumn Abundance stamp set.  To color the floral image, I used Marvy LePlume II markers #68 daffodil yellow and #36 manganese blue and for the leaves, Prismacolor pencil #PC912 apple green.  The sentiment was inked with the manganese blue marker and stamped onto white card stock and then cut into a tag shape.  I attached the tag to the Offray ribbon bow to finish the card.

Party - CFC2

Challenge #2 over at the Crafty Friends Challenges blog is to make a project and include two die cuts on the project.

The card I made is quite simple but you wouldn't believe how long it took me to make it, LOL!  I used patterned paper by My Mind's Eye which is where I began with this project.  As you can see it has several different colors and I had the hardest time trying to figure out the color combinations I wanted to use.  I was determined to use this paper and after hours of comparing it with some Stampin Up and Papertrey ink card stock, I finally decided on colors to use from each company -- woo, thank goodness!  I have a card base of Papertrey Ink's Summer Sunrise card stock which is cut to 6 3/4 x 6 1/4 and scored at 3 5/8.  I made this size card because as I was looking through my craft stash, I stared at the box of 6 3/4 standard size envelopes I bought from Office Depot a few years ago (oh my, LOL!) and thought it was time to make a card to fit it!  I'm quite impressed!  I think I like this size--I better--I have 99 more envelopes to use, LOL!  Anyway, I paper pierced the perimeter of the patterned paper and adhered it to a piece of Stampin Up Ruby Red card stock.  To decorate the card front, I used die cuts as required for the challenge.  I cut the large present and the word Party using Sizzix Sizzlits dies from their Doodle Dies birthday set.  The smaller present and the party hat are cut using Cuttlebug dies from their birthday dies set.  These dies were all cut using Stampin Up's Ruby Red and Pixie Pink card stock.  I cut the images twice, one in each color, because as you can see, I decorated the Ruby Red with the Pixie Pink.  But for the word Party, I layered the Pixie Pink card stock on top of the Ruby Red and offset it a bit for that double font shadow look.  Wow, a card with no stamping, LOL!

Happy Birthday

A birthday card I made for my cousin.  The cupcake image is from a stamp I bought at the local craft store.  I colored it with various markers; cupcake base - Marvy LePlume II marker #85 mocha, candle - Marvy LePlume II marker #52 yellow green, flame - Copic markers Y38 Honey and Y15 Cadmium Yellow, and the frosting - pink Sharpie marker.  I cut it out with a Spellbinders oval nestibilities die.The sentiment is from a mini stamp set of I found at Target.  I stamped it with Stampin Up chocolate chip ink to tie in with the Stampin Up chocolate chip card stock used for the card base.  The patterned paper is by My Mind's Eye and I adhered it to white card stock cut with the EK Success double scallop edge punch.  The ribbon is by American Crafts.       

Mojo Monday 237

I had a chance to participate and make a card for the current Mojo Monday 237 sketch challenge.  The flower image is an Inkadinkado stamp.  I stamped the image several times and colored them with Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits.  It's a small image but it made for good practice because this was my first time using the mineral spirits.  The patterned paper is by Hot Off the Press.  I adhered it to some light purple card stock from my stash that I had punched with the Martha Stewart zig-zag edge punch.  I cut out the flowers and adhered each with some dimensional adhesive.  I added some lovely sheer ribbon by Michaels.  The sentiment is from a stamp I found in the dollar bin at a local craft store.  The card base is Stampin Up's Perfect Plum card stock.

JustRite Challenge 070

The JustRite challenge 070 is to design your own patterned paper.  I used images from the Topsy Turvy Cakes stamp set to create my card.  I stamped the flower image on white card stock and colored in the images with Marvy LePlume II marker colors yellow green, manganese blue and persimmon.  I stamped the cake image and also colored it with the same markers in addition to the black and pale orange marker colors.  I used a scalloped edge punch on some Pacific Point card stock by Stampin Up and a strip of Papertrey Ink's black card stock.  I used Spellbinders oval nestibilities to cut the cake and the scalloped mat.  The ribbon is from Michaels and I used it to bring in more of the red color to tie in with the flowers on the background design and on the cake.  I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.

Crafty Friends Challenge 1

Beate with the help of some friends has started a new challenge blog called Crafty Friends Challenges.  The first challenge is to create a vintage project.  I joined in on the fun and made this card which I hope fits the theme.  The card base is Stampin Up's creamy caramel card stock.  I cut it to 5 1/2 x 11 to get a 5 1/2 in square card before inking up the edges with tea dye distress ink.  I covered the front with patterned paper by My Mind's Eye.  The main focal image is Stampin Up's stipple rose and I used Versafine's vintage sepia ink to stamp it on the solid color paper also by My Mind's Eye.  I cut the oval using the coluzzle tool and I distressed the edges a bit before inking them up with some tea dye distress ink.  The sentiment is a Brenda Walton die cut sticker from K&Company and I adhered it to a piece of creamy caramel card stock to add a bit of stability.  It has a fun shape so I cut around it exposing a bit of the card stock, inked up the edges with the tea dye distress ink and adhered it to the card front with dimensionals.  To finish the look, I added some ribbon that I had saved from some packaging a while ago because it was too nice to throw away. 

Follow Your Dreams

I had this extra stamped and colored daffodil image from the other day so I decided to make another card for the current JustRite challenge #069 to use soft Spring colors and a butterfly.  The daffodil image is from JustRite's The Greatest Joy stamp set.  I colored it with Marvy LePlume II marker colors yellow green, daffodil yellow, beige, as well as Copic markers Y15 and Y38.  I wanted the petals to look white so I highlighted the veins with what I thought was a grey Prismacolor Premier marker but it turned out to be the color cloud blue--oops. But, it doesn't look too bad.  I used my Coluzzle to cut out a circle in pink patterned paper to use as a mat for the daffodil.  I used the Fiskars grass border punch on some green patterned paper and adhered to the circle.  I then stitched around the circle for some added detail before adhering the daffodil image.  On the card base, I covered some pink paper with vellum to soften the color and I stitched the top and bottom for decorative edges.  I then added three strips of patterned paper as a platform for the image and sentiment.  I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment which is from JustRite's All Occasion Nested Sentiments set onto blue paper and rounded off two of the corners.  To finish the card, I added two punched mini butterflies to frame the sentiment. 

Celebrate - JRC_069

The current challenge at the JustRite blog is to create a project using soft Spring colors and a butterfly.  I decided to join in and I created this card.  I stamped and colored the daffodil image from JustRite's the Greatest Joy set using Marvy LePlume II marker colors, yellow green, beige, daffodil yellow as well as Copic Y15 and Y38.  I then used scissors and a craft blade to cut it out to adhere to the background paper for the card front.  The sentiment is from JustRite's All Occasion Nested Sentiments set which I stamped using Versamark and then heat embossed with white embossing powder.  I cut some green patterned paper using the Fiskars grass border punch and adhered it behind some grass patterned paper that I hand cut to add some shapely hills for added detail.  I stitched around the perimeter of the blue and green background papers before adhering to the card front.  I created the clouds and sun using some Cuttlebug flower dies.  The butterflies were cut from card stock scraps and a mini punch I had found in the $1 bin from Michaels a few years ago.

Sweet 16

My first card in the new year!  I made this card for Julie's daughter and this was a great motivation for me to get a little crafty!  I'm an admirer of her work and hope to bring some cheer to her daughter!

My card base is aqua mist cs from Papertrey Ink. I used patterned paper by My Mind's Eye and embellished a few flower centers with some rhinestones.  I cut the rick rack embellishment using a Papertrey Ink die.  I die cut the letters using Cuttlebug's Red Tag Sale font set, the numbers using their Harmony font set and a tag from their Tiny Tags die set.  I stamped the interior with images from Fiskars' Birthday Cheer stamp set.