Queen and Co. candy

Are you a fan of Queen and Co. product? Yeah, me too. They've come up with a new line of bulk embellishments in a cute little bucket that's reusable. Go check them out. If you hurry you could win one!

Double duty again...

Well, this card is also playing double duty to fullfill two challenges. I can get more challenges in that way (wink). The design of the card is from this week's Sketch Saturday sketch challenge. It's also for the challenge at the secret crafter saturday challenge. And yes, I know it's not Saturday, it's Thursday, but hey... it's almost Saturday and I get these things done as soon as I can.
Enough digressing.. you want to know what the challenge was... 1, 2, 3. 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellies. I technically added a fourth embellishment but I just thought that square was too plain without something.


Papers: Basic Grey Urban Prairie
Stamp: VAP!
Accents: Ric Rack, American Crafts; epoxy stickers, Michaels
Tools: Nestabilities circles, Cuttlebug vintage corners

Thanks for coming by. Hope you have a great day!

Trust in the Lord...

I love scriptures and I'm so glad that there are many stamps readily available in scripture. I used such a stamp for my take on this week's sketch at CPS.



Paper: Bazzill; Basic Grey Urban Prairie
Stamp: Stampendous
Tools: Cuttlebug argyle embossing folder, Vintage corners
Accents: Brads

Two for Tuesday

Need a classy Valentine gift for a friend? Nothing mushy, just something that says I'm glad you're my friend?? Check out this weeks pairing.

Bookmarks by sundownbeaddesigns

And this card from SouthernScraps

Recipe

The challenge this week at Stamp Something is recipe- whatever that brings to mind. Well, the first thing I thought of was those cake in a cup recipes, the ones where you can bake a single serving cake in the microwave. ( Here is one.) So I made a tag to go on a cup as a gift for someone. The recipe is on the back, or rather the directions to make the cake.

Special Delivery

I've got a couple more cards to share and they have a special destination. The first one I created using card sketch 79 at sketches! by tamara.



Paper: Bazzill cardstock (card base)
Stamps: Inkadinkado, sentiment; Heidi Grace Designs
Tools: Martha Stewart zig zag punch, Cuttlebug vintage corners

The next one is for this week's sketch challenge at Paper Craft Planet.



No stamping involved in this one. I've also forgotten who these papers are made by. I used my Cuttlebug D'vine swirls folder and cut the heart and flower with my Big Shot and Sizzix dies.

So.. where are these going?



To the Etsy Special Delivery Project. Etsy is teaming up with Citymeals-on-wheels to deliver meals and Valentine's cards. What a great project! Check out the link for more info. You can send cards or buy from my shop to send. Better do it quick though, the cards have to be there by Feb. 2.

Dots, Dots Everywhere

Polka dots that is. This card was created for two challenges. The Caardvarks challenge this time is to use polka dots. I based the design of the card on Mojo Monday Sketch 70.



Paper: Pink dots, Making Memories ; purple, unknown
Stamps: Studio G
Accents: chipboard heart, Bo Bunny; ribbon, Dots, Dashes, Checks
Tools: Nestabilities, Big Shot, Texture plate Dots Daisies

It's a long card

That's what hubby said when I showed it to him.(It's a long card) I like to change up the shape sometimes, and I thought this would fit the sketch at Limelight Papercrafts. It's an 8 in. x 3.75 in. card. This was a very quick and easy card to make. The "white hearts" were just outlines on the stamp but I filled them with stickles.

Paper: Basic Grey sugared
Stamps: Inkadinkado, Happy Valentine's Day; Studio G, hearts
Accents: Stickles; ribbon, American Crafts










I'm off now to finish supper and maybe do some more stamping later. I hope you had a great day. My friend and I went on a 3 mile run over a bridge- The bridge is 7,780 feet long with the main span distance between towers being 1,250 feet. The climb up the bridge is about 200 vertical feet within ¾ mile or a greater than 6% grade and then down ¾ mile and then you do that again to get back to where you started. It was fun to break up the running routine.

Pearls and Purple

I just love using purple on my cards. Here is another one I finished this week. This time I managed to use the sketch (#34) for Sketch Saturday. They have some of the best sketches.



Stamp: Inkadinkado Garden Delight
Ink: Marvy markers
Paper: Making Memories Vintage, Bazzill cardstock
Accents: Pearls, Michaels; silk flower, bow
Tools: Nestabilities circles and scalloped circles, Marvy circle punch, Fiskars treading water punch

Scroll on down to my previous post. It's National Handwriting Day. What a great time to send someone a handwritten note in a handmade card! Look for my sale coupon in that post too.

Friday Feature

Today is National Handwriting Day. According to Holiday Insights " National Handwriting Day was established by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association in 1977. Their motive is obvious...to promote the consumption of pens, pencils, and writing paper.
January 23rd was chosen because this is the birthday of John Hancock. John Hancock was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence. "

With the use of computers and email, handwritten notes seem obsolete. But think how special you would make someone feel with a handwritten note. Here are some etsy finds to help you keep this art alive.

Vintage Bingo Card Coptic Handbound Notepad by niftythriftyowl
TRY NOT TO CRY THIS TIME - notepad by TerriTaylorDesign

Red birds mixed paper notebook by thephantomlimb

Lampwork Bead Pen by SunKissed
Thank you notes by SouthernScraps

In Honor of this holiday, convo me with the word HANDWRITING for 20% off anything in the notecards or all occasion section of my shop.

A Masculine Card

Today's share (that's three days in a row!) is a masculine card I created for High Hopes Challenge 14. I used CPS 89 for the design. Over at CPS it is your choice of any of the sketches 1-99. I had this image stamped and colored for a while. I even had the papers picked out but could not get it to come together. With these two challenges, it finally did. I won't say its the best card I've ever made, but I'm satisfied enough to move on.



Paper: Basic Grey
Stamps: Sentiment- See D's; shells, unknown
Accents: eyelets, brads
Tools: Prismacolor pencils

Happy Birthday

Tonight's share is a card I created for the Stamp Something challenge ( another great challenge blog I've discovered since the first of the year). The challenge is to create a birthday card. I can always stand to have those on hand. I used this week's sketch at Paper Craft Planet for the design.



Patterned Paper: Unknown (Isn't it horrible to have so much stuff around for so long that you forget who made it?)
Stamps: It's Your Day, VAP!; hat, unknown
Tools: Provo craft decorative scissors, Nestabilities, color pencils, Marvy markers Accents: Bling, Heidi Swapp and Michaels

Sympathy card

I discovered another great blog a couple of days ago with a sketch challenge. The Sweetest Thing has started a sketch challenge. The first one is a simple sketch that I thought would be quick and simple for a sympathy card I needed. I hate to put those off too long. So... here is my card



Stamp: Rubber Stampede
Papers: Bazzill cardstock, HOTP patterned paper
Accents: Flowers, Prima and other, brads
Tools: Cuttlebug embossing folder, floral screen

Two for Tuesday

Want to get someone a unique Valentine with a card that coordinates? Check out this etsy match.

Earrings by knotartWA



Card by SouthernScraps

Blog candy

Mycreative-cafe.com is having a blog party and candy for $150 worth of goodies. Check it out. This includes some new Accucut dies which I believe will work in your Cuttlebug, Wizard, or Big Shot.

Golden Anniversary

A couple in our church is having their 50th anniversary celebration tomorrow, so I used today's Sketch for You to Try to make a card for them. Here it is with a few quick details.



Papers: Gold metallic (unknown); white cardstock
Stamps: Heidi Grace Designs; Special Messages by Stampendous
Tools: Nestabilities, Cuttlebug D'vine swirls folder, Sizzix texture plate flowers #3, embossing powder- Stampendous jeweled gold, Gold leafing pen, Victorian border scissors, stickers

Simply Red

Here is my take on Laura's Sketch 17 at 2sketches4you.




These sketches are always so much fun. I used my hearts block Cuttlebug embossing folder on a piece of red cardstock. I made the panel that extends off the card with my treading water punch. I stamped it with a Studio G stamp from Michael's dollar bin. Some Offray trim, ribbon, and a rhinestone heart (Darice), also from the Michael's dollar bin, add the finishing touches. Very simple, but I like it.

(I've edited the photo due to some of the comments I received. I'm having problems with the camera and always have problems with the lighting in here. It was late last night when I posted and I didn't realize until I got some of the comments that my red card looked orange! It still seems to have an orange cast, but hopefully this picture is better.)

Friday Feature/ Paper Crafts

The nationally known scrapbooking and stamping company Close to My Heart has inaugurated January as National Paper Crafting Month. So that spawned me to think beyond cards and layouts and see what other things can be made with paper. Here are some of my etsy finds.


Treat boxes by tagitandbagit
Pendant by sushipot


Love banner by sweetisobella

Love Birds Cake Toppers by lillybonbon

Time to say thanks

Did you get some unexpected gifts this Christmas? Did someone do something nice for your over the recent holidays? Now is the time to say thank you and what better way than with a handmade greeting card! Participating Etsygreetings shops (ME included) are offering free shipping on thank you card sets from now until Jan. 15. More details at this site:

http://etsygreetingsthankyou.weebly.com/

Double duty

I'm sharing some cards tonight that are doing double duty for challenges. First let me tell you about the wonderful blog candy at i{heart}2stamp. The wonderful part is that to enter you must take part in GIVING. You've got to send a card to the Dallas Baptist University that can be given to the students. Click on over and check this out. You have a chance to win another tart if you played with this week's sketch.

Here is my take on the sketch:

Cardstock: unknown

Stamps: Inkadinkado, Studio G

Accents: Buttons, Bazzill (from a few years back!)

Tools: Nestabilities/ Big Shot/ Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls embossing folder

This is the card I'm sending. I also made it to fit the OCC Color Challenge- two shades of blue and a neutral color.

The next card is based on this week's sketch from Card Positioning Systems. It also fits the bill for the High Hopes Challenge to use embossing on your card. (Can you tell I finally got those embossing folders I ordered?)

Stamps: Inkadinkado, Studio G

Patterned Paper: HOTP

Ink: Versamagic Chalk ink Perfect Plumeria

Accents: flowers, Making Memories; bone and paw buttons, Dress It Up

Tools: Cuttlebug argyle embossing folder

Inspired by Home

Tonight I'm sharing a couple of challenge cards I created this week. First of all, Flourishes stamps is having a challenge on their blog to go along with a new release. The challenge is to find something in your home to inspire you and make a project inspired by it. (I don't have any Flourishes stamps yet but I read some of the design team blogs and these are on my wish list.)

Here is my inspiration piece. I got this plate for Christmas and my sis-in-law said she COULD NOT leave it in the store because it reminded her of my house and goes perfectly with my decor. And I love butterflies.






I colored the butterfly with my Prismacolor pencils and added the color around it with chalks. I cut the circles with Nestabilities.

Stamps: Inkadinkado, Studio G
Tools: Nestabilities/ Big Shot, Martha Stewart zig zag border punch
Cardstock: Bazzill

The next card is for Charisma Cardz Thursday Challenge. The challenge was to use pink in your project. So here is my pink card. It's based on this week's sketch at Paper Craft Planet.


Stamp: Inkadinkado

Cardstock: Bazzill

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey sugared

Accents: ribbon (Offray): felt hearts, cut from Sizzix Big Shot- die: Originals Hearts, primitive #2, flowers, prima; eyelets; pearl (Michael's)

Two for Tuesday

It's time to get your girl something special for Valentine's Day. No, it's not too early, get your order in at etsy now before the good stuff is gone. Ladies, if you are reading you can direct the men here for a matching gift and card. Pair this purse from simplestitches101

with this card from SouthernScraps

See how those swirls compliment each other!

A Challenge card and Blog Candy Alert

I'm making a quick post to share a card I made for a new site and challenge I discovered this week- the Six Chicks Sketch Challenge (#12) at Limelight Papercrafts. I don't have any product from them yet but that will change soon considering the great products they carry and the awesome shipping price!

Here is the sketch

Here's my take. Not only are you to follow the sketch but you are to use textured elements. Now.. I usually make lots of textured cards and scrapbook pages. That's the one comment my hubby always makes is something about the texture and he always wants to feel the card or page... but for some reason this stumped me on this one. I think it was trying to find something in my stash that would go together and look good with the sketch. Anyway, here is what I came up with. The ribbon has some slight texture to it and I added stickles to the image.



Paper: HOTP Florals and Patterns
Ribbon: Offray
Stamps: Inkadinkado, Studio G
Ink: Versamagic chalk ink purple hydrangea
Accents: brads, brand unknown

I also added a piece of patterned paper inside the card and will later mat a message on cardstock to add to the inside.

Also, check out Heart's Delight Cards for a chance to win some awesome blog candy.

Friday Feature/ Tea Time

January is National Hot Tea Month. Mmmm... a cup of hot tea can be so soothing. I found some great teapots and cups at etsy.



Cherry Blossom Tea for Two set by soule

Dandelion Square Tea Cup set by soule

Don't care for tea? That's okay if you don't need the real thing. You can still put out this set to admire
Crochet tea set by annamadeit

And how about some art to enjoy while you sip your tea?

Tea time canvas art by irinashop

Trying new things

I tried some new things this week on my 2sketches4you card. This is Kazan's sketch 17



Here is my card:



I used my new cuttlebug embossing folder in my new Big Shot. I am so in love with this machine and these folders. And I have more embossing folders on the way to me! So you'll be seeing more cards with embossing from me in the future. The other new technique is the dahlia flower. It was new to me because I have never tried it. I wasn't happy with the whole flower once I was done (your folding needs to be pretty precise) so I made a bud out of three of the sections. You can see a tutorial for this technique HERE.

A close up of the flower.

Paper: Daisy Bucket Designs
Stamp: Inkadinkado
Tools: Cuttlebug D'vine swirls embossing folder, scallop punch

Two for Tuesday

Dazzle your Valentine with some bling - in the gift and the card!

Earrings by beadsme

Card by SouthernScraps

Our Creative Corner Challenge

The challenge this week at Our Creative Corner is a sketch.
Here is the sketch.

Here is my card:



Stamps: Birds- Inkadinkado, together- Heidi Grace designs
Ink: Versa Magic Chalk Ink purple hydrangea
Patterned Paper: Jacie's Vintage Papers, HOTP
Accents: Pearls, Michaels
Tools: Martha Stewart Embossed Zig Zag punch

I did some fussy cutting on the rose. That is simply cutting the roses out of the patterned paper. I cut a little less of the second one and layered it on top of the first.

P.S. This card has been listed for sale in my shop.