Yellow Rose

A spring time card tonight using the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch and the color scheme over at Colour Queen.  Love that color scheme!  The leaves of the flower I sketched and stamped with a flourish stamp.

SPIES:

Stamps: Flourish stamp - Prima Clear Stamps. Rose digital stamp - Delicious Doodles. Sentiment - Digital from TLC Creations.
Paper: Cardstock from stash; DP - Pink Paislee.
Ink: Old Olive - Stampin Up! and printer ink.
Extras: Ribbon, brad,dot and garden vine emboss folders; oval nestability; scallop square Grand nestability; tag, and scallop circle die from Sizzix.

Challenges:

Colour Q Challenge - Challenge #76
Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch #108
Paper Play - Week 11 Embossing
    

Brighten Your Day

Good Evening again!  Kind of on a roll now so even with it late I wanted to get this posted.  Here is a template card from Paper Crafts (Jan/Feb 2011).  How adorable is this lamp card?   So easy to put together too.

While away from my crafting, I not only perused many card creating magazines but I managed to purchase a few new supplies too, including the paper used for my lamp card from Crate Paper.  Off The Wall Craftiness' challenge this week correlated very well with this paper. I also used a new embossing folder to create the texture of the lamp base.  While it looks like a border punch for the lampshade base, I actually just cut out the edge of some of the DP paper that had a stamped scallop design to create the red ruffles.  And, the photo does not pick it up, but I crimped the floral section of the lampshade to give it that ribbed lampshade texture.  The top flower layer with the sentiment is a die traced and cut from a chipboard flower.  I didn't like the look of the chipboard on the back of the flower so instead, I added a silk flower behind it.  For a more authentic look, I added a small chain with a metal brad firmly wrapped around the end.

Off The Wall Craftiness - Challenge #48

SPIES:

Stamps:  Digital Sentiment - Squigglefly.

Paper:  DP from Crate Paper.  White cardstock.

Ink:  Printer.  Some Distress Ink on lamp base.

Extras:  Stitched emboss folder; paper crimper; cream silk ribbon; silk flower; buttons, gem, chain and metal brad.

Well, hate to say it but it's lights out for me for now!

Goodnight!

Flyin' By

 

I can't believe it has been a month since my last post!  Time is"flyin' by"!  Pun intended! So much for staying in the creative flow  Had a little health backslide, but finally I am on the upswing for a change {knock on wood}. The only "illness" I want now is Spring Fever! 

Of course, while away from my crafting corner, I acquired a slight obsession with Paper Craft Magazine. With no creative mojo or energy myself, I soaked up the creativity of others. The current issue has this great hot air balloon download and I decided to give it a try.   What a jumpstart!  I had so much fun with this card!  The balloon basket did give me a little challenge until I decided on this white embossed one. Needless to say, I now have a small array of balloon baskets for future use.

I borrowed the color scheme from last week's Play Date Cafe challenge, so bright and cheery! Eat Sleep Stamp provided me with some sketchy inspiration. 

SPIES:

Stamps: Digital Sentiment - Whimsy Stamps, Raindrop Echo Designs. Cloud digital stamp by Meljen Designs.

Paper:  DP and cardstock from stash.
Extras:  Balloon template -Paper Crafts Mag (March/Apr2011); Seeing Spots embossing folder; mini dot emboss folder; corner punch; scallop border punch; pink/white baker's twine; pink gems; royal blue plaid ribbon.

CHALLENGES:

Eat Sleep Stamp - Sketch #121
Stampin Royalty - #63 Texturize

As I reread, unfortunately my creative writing skills are rusty also as this is really a dry posting!  So, til next time ---

Hi & Bye!

I Can Be Me - Revised

This card is a revision of another card I did last week and the more I looked at it the more it bugged me.  I just wasn't satisfied with the result so I revised it to this.  I think the three emus do actually add more pizzaz and I decided to forgo the flower and make it a little more masculine.

 Original Card

Well, it's late so I should try and get some shut eye.

Valentine Angel

This card won the Delicious Doodles Challenge on 2-18-11

Hello again!  I got sidetracked and now here it is Tuesday! Here is a cutie pie Raggedy Ann angel digi stamp, thanks to StitchyBear.  When I was a child, my grandmother got me collecting dolls, mostly small ceramic dolls but then my collection grew to include all kinds from ceramic to stuffed, cornhusk, and of course, Barbie!  I even have a doll that belonged to my great-grandmother when she was a child, which probably makes it close to 100 years old or more.  So Raggedy Ann here stole my heart and pretty fitting for Valentine's Day.

I used the colors from last week's Color Throwdown challenge and the sketch challenge from last week's The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #94, but missed their deadlines.

Color Throwdown #128

The Sweet Stop #94

SPIES:

Stamps: Raggedy Ann digistamp - StitchyBear; Sentiment Digistamp- Squigglefly.
Ink:  Laser printer
Paper:  DP from stash. Black, pink and white cardstock.
Extras: Red and pink gems.  Heart gems.  Red satin ribbon.  Scallop border punch, scallop circle die.  Nestability scallop square.

CHALLENGES:

The Sisterhood of Crafters - In Love With Valentines
The Pink Elephant - Be My Valentine
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - #69 Valentines/Love
Delicious Doodles Challenges - #12 Valentines Day

  

Love Blooms

Good evening and Happy Valentine's Day!  It's almost over.  I spent the weekend creating cards so I am just now getting them posted.  Hope everyone had a wonderful {Heart}day.  We got a surprise spring day here in central North Carolina with temps in the low 70s and VERY breezy! It felt more like a March day than a February one.  It was just warm enough to enjoy a nice meal on the patio before the hubby had to go off to work.

My first card is not a typical Valentine card.  Last week's Wee Memories challenge was to use paper from your scrap pile and as my scrap pile is beginning to grow, I decided to thin it down. 

SPIES:
Stamps:  Flower with Sentiment stamp from My Favorite Things.
Ink:  Staz On Jet black; Craft pens.
Paper:  White, purple and olive green cardstock, DP from scrap pile.
Extras:  Lace border punch; fench border punch; sage ribbon; purple felt flower; polka dot brad.

CHALLENGES:

Raise The Bar - Challenge #53 -Valentine with No Pink or Red
Sisterhood of Crafters -  In Love With Valentines
Stampin for the Weekend - Challenge #3, St. Valentines Day

Butterfly Hearts

A Fave Fluttering on 2-16-11

Hearts, swirls and butterflies.

SPIES:
Stamps:  None
Paper:  Kraft, red velvet and DP from stash.
Ink:  N/A
Extras:  Sizzix heart dies; small heart punch; rhinestone swirl sticker; red gems; white lace button.

CHALLENGES:

Whoopsi Daisy Challenge: Give Us Your Heart challenge
Flutter By Wednesday: Challenge #141
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge: "Hearts a Flutter"

With Gratitude

It seems like forever since I have been actively blogging and crafting.  It is amazing how much we truly tend to take life for granted when it sails along smoothly.  Add one or two little hiccups and it can feel like someone either 'switched channels' or hit the pause button, especially when one of those hiccups winds up being a health issue.  I just spent four months with not only physical pain, but the uncertainty of whether it was serious and/or would require surgery.  The good  news came earlier this week confirming I can now get on with life.  No surgery and no serious issues.  To borrow a pun, "Oh what a relief it is!"  I am now taking some time to catch up on my creativity and crafting while I get back into the swing of things.

So, it only seems fitting that I begin with this card, '"With Gratitude", as I am thankful that life is getting back on track with less worry.

This is a card for the Paperplay challenge this week.


SPIES:
Stamps:  Sentiment:  Fiskars.
Paper:  DP:  Sandylion and Stampin UP!  Brown, Tan cardstock.
Ink:  Staz On Timber Brown
Extras:  Spellbinders Impressabilities Floral & Stone; Spellbinders label and peony dies; Sizzix Tim Holtz Floral die; Cuttlebug emboss folder; tan ribbon; light blue eyelets; metal label; heart brads; twine; flower stickers.

CHALLENGES:
Paperplay Challenges:  Week 6 - Hearts & Flowers, But No Valentine

I Can Be Me

I just love this cute Emu digi stamp!

SPIES:
Stamps:  Sentiment Digistamp from Whimsy Stamps and Emu Digistamp from Stitchy Bear Stamps.
Paper:  Cardstock and DP from stash.
Extras:  Mosaic emboss folder; Destresser;  Fabric flowers; coral raffia; white heart buttons.

Bright Hearts

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #96

SPIES:

Stamps: Valentine Sentiment Digital Stamp by The Cutting Cafe.
Paper:  Brown and white cardstock.  DP from stash.
Ink:  Printer & Photoshop
Extras:  White heart brads; brown polka dot ribbon; flower stickers - Sandylioin; scallop heart punch; wavy heart die from Sizzix; emboss folder.


CHALLENGES:
Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #96
Get Sketchy #73

Cupid Silhouette

Off The Wall Challenge #43

A valentine card tonight.  I just purchased some silhouette digital stamps and decided to try one for the Off The Wall challenge this week.  I love it when a project comes together!  The photo didn't turn out so great to show the cream color of the DP totally.

SPIES:
Stamps:  Cupid Silhouette Digital Stamp - Stitchy Bear Stamps; Sentiment - Hampton Art.
Paper:  Black and cream cardstock; DP - DCWV All Dressed Up.
Ink:  Staz On Jet Black.
Extras:  Heart doilie; Black/white stripe ribbon; various border punches; heart punch; scallop circle die; pearl gem; pearl buttons.

Candles Chic

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

My mother's 77th birthday is today!  A very special and elegant card for a very special, elegant lady and my best friend.  If I were with her personally today to celebrate we would probably be going to lunch and a movie and maybe even doing a little scrapbooking or crafting and eating lots of chocolate!  Many miles separate us as she lives in WV and I in central NC, but she is always just a phone call or email away and I have to admit we pretty much wear the phone lines out every week.  Enjoy your card and your birthday, Mom.  I love you.

SPIES:
Stamps:  Sentiment - Hero Arts; Candelabra - Inkadinkadoo.
Paper:  White, black & lilac cardstock; DP - Anna Griffin and Me & My Big Ideas.
Ink:  Versamark.
Extras:  Black emboss powder; Black leaf dies; Lavender ribbon; lavender gems.

CHALLENGES:
The Play Date Cafe: Challenge #66 - Colour Splash

Swirly Hearts

Pals Paper Arts #76

My first post of 2011 and trying to get back in the creative groove!  I've started off with a simple Valentine for Pals Paper Arts Valentine theme challenge.

SPIES:

Stamps:  None.

Paper:  Metallic red cardstock; white cardstock.

Ink:  None.

Extras:  Swirl accent die; Swirl emboss folder; pink tulle, red lace ribbon, red heart gem.