Christmas in August!

I love the challenge of round cards and this week's WMS Sketch Challenge was a great opportunity for me to practice! Even though it feels like fall, I immediately thought of this great stamp and wanted to make a Christmas card! I just got this great Graphic 45 paper and thought it would go perfectly with the vintage-style sentiment!
Well, I'm sneaking in under the wire tonight and got this card made in a flash. No time to chat but have a great evening and I'll chat with you all very soon!

Supplies: Stamps - Very Vintage Christmas (WMS), DP - Christmas Past (Graphic 45), Ink - Riding Hood Red (SU!), Cardstock - Navy Shimmer, Stampers Select White (PTI), Felt Poinsettias, Pearls (Hero Arts), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Spellbinders

Double, Double

Welcome to the Craft Critique Halloween Blog Carnival! Head over to their website to see lots of Halloween crafty goodness!!

I made this card for the Simple Sentiments challenge over at Paper Crafts. There are so many great sentiments out there to download - I had no idea! I debated shrinking the cauldron but thought the huge cauldron and the little witch would look cute and I'm happy with the way it turned out.

I downloaded the cauldron sentiment from Paper Crafts, printed it out on white cardstock and cut it out. I stamped Wanda in Versamark and used black embossing powder, cut her out and popped her up standing on the edge of the cauldron. I added some fun rhinestone "bubbles" and some bats for an extra Halloween touch.

Supplies: Sentiment (Paper Crafts), Stamps - Halloween Party (WMS), DP - Debbie Mumm and an old sheet of spider web paper from my stash, Ink - Watermark (Versamark), Basic Black (SU!), Cardstock - Old Olive, Whisper White (SU!), Miscellaneous - Rhinestones (Michaels), Black
Embossing Powder (SU!), Foam Squares

You're Sew Lovely

I just got my first few sets of Lawn Fawn stamps and am just in love with their whimsical (or, quirky, cutesy, if you will) style! :)

I immediately went to the Sew Lovely set for latest Embellish Color Challenge because I knew I had some great sewing-themed, peach papers that would work perfectly with it! I stamped the dress form on patterned paper and again on the card base, cut it out and popped it up. I finished off the card with some coordinating papers that I hand cut into the scalloped shape, shabby seam binding, and a gorgeous vintage button.

Supplies: Stamps - Sew Lovely (Lawn Fawn), Cardstock - Stampers' Select Cream (PTI), DP - Crafty Stack (DCWV), Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Seam Binding (Etsy), Vintage Button (eBay), Foam Squares

Better Get Better

I'm so happy to participate in the first ever customer blog hop over at The Cat's Pajamas! I'm a fairly new customer - bought my first stamps from Alma about a year ago but just got a few more sets from the Clearly Swanky line and I just adore them! This cat reminds me so much of our boy, Yoda, I've been in love with this character ever since I first saw it! I thought bold colors would compliment these characters well and ended up finding a sheet of paper that had cute licence plate-looking frames and found one that said "In a State of Pain" then added a Thicker question mark. The cat nurse and the sentiment were the perfect accompaniments!

To finish off the card, I found a big tangle of twine in my stash. When I was trying to untangle it, I had some help from the wee man -

Supplies: Stamps - You Sick Thing (TCP), DP (Recollections), Cardstock - Basic Black, Select White (SU!), Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Miscellaneous - Stickles, twine, Thickers, Corner Chomper, foam squares

The Road Less Traveled

This is my take on this week's challenge over at Cinema Saturday - the movie inspiration was Gandhi and the challenge was to use a quote! Yes, I am one of the few remaining people on the planet who has not seen this movie and I am embarrassed by that! I pride myself on the number of Oscar-winning movies I've seen but there are a number that are on the "I need to get to these" list and Gandhi happens to be one of them.
Without having seen this movie but knowing a bit about this history, I chose to fashion my card after the flag of India using saffron, green and white. I also chose the background paper as it reminded me a bit of batik which I learned to do in 7th grade crafts (c. 1982!) See how nicely it all ties together? :)

I knew I didn't have any stamps with Gandhi quotes and so I searched for one on freedom but stumbled upon one of my favorites from Robert Frost instead. Gandhi certainly chose the road less traveled and while not the easiest road, it certainly made all the difference!

Supplies: Stamps - Very Vintage Labels 10 (WMS), Beautiful You (Verve), Cardstock - More Mustard, Barely Banana, Select White (SU!), DP (K&Co), Ink - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive (SU!), Twine (Pink Hedgehog), Corner Chomper, Foam Squares, Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Nestabilities

Happy Foreverness

I made this card for this month's Waltzingmouse Stamps waltz - if you've stumbled here by accident, head over to the Mouse House to get started!

This month's theme is "vintage/shabby chic" and I chose one old and one new set to make this wedding card (now all it needs is something borrowed and blue, right?) I started the card with the lovely background paper and some lace, then made the labels, distressed the edges in a number of ways, and finished the card off with some shabby seam binding and a wonderful vintage button. I think this fits the bill, don't you?

Supplies: Stamps - Irish Blessings, Fancy Phrases (WMS), DP (DCWV), Cardstock - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Ink - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Lace (Crafta), Seam Binding (Etsy), Button (eBay), Distressing Tool (Making Memories), Foam Squares

Take Joy in the Little Things

I just adore this stamp set and was so happy to see it was the set featured for Verve's "Ready, SET, Stamp" challenge this month! I've always loved to see this set featured in Julee's or the other divas' projects and I was so happy to get it and put it to work!

The inspiration for my color palette was a vintage button that didn't end up being used on the card - a wonderful deep coral that I decided to use to ink up the small flowers instead. I thought the celery and the aqua papers were great compliments and had a wonderful time digging through my other vintage buttons to find centers for the flowers. I finished the card off with some shabby seam binding.
Supplies: Stamps - Petals and Stems (Verve), Ink - Melon Berry (PTI), Certainly Celery, Blush Blossom, Basic Black (SU!), Cardstock - Aqua Mist, Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Certainly Celery, Whisper White (SU!), Die Cuts/Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug, Spellbinders, Seam Binding - Etsy, Buttons, Twine (eBay)

Cute Cosmo

Sometimes the simplest cards are the most friendly and what isn't to love about this adorable Cosmo Cricket paper?! This is one of my favorite patterns from the Girl Friday deck and I'm crushed that I'm almost out of it! Hopefully this line will be around for a while so I can get a bit more!

Supplies: Stamps - Fancy Phrases (WMS), Cardstock - Aqua Mist, Berry Sorbet, Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Berry Sorbet (PTI), Ribbon - Crafta, Corner Chomper

Spooky

This is my first week playing along with Cupcake Inspiration and my first official Halloween card of the year! When I saw the photograph this week I thought of Halloween and broke out a couple of great sets of stamps (believe it or not, only the bats are from a Halloween set!) and got to work!

I tried to replicate the lacy bow on the cupcake with a lacy background stamp on chocolate cardstock, stamped the frame and filled it with a spooky tree, some bats, and a glittery moon. I finished with a lacy orange border punch topped with a sheer black ribbon.

Supplies: Stamps - Victorian Fripperie, Halloween Party, Asian Gardens, Very Vintage Labels 10 (WMS), Cardstock - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest (PTI), Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Glitter, Two-Way Glue Pen, Lace Punch (Martha Stewart), Ribbon - Crafta, Foam Squares

Just Married

I made this card for this week's American Crafts challenge featuring punches! I simply adore my spring Dear Lizzie collection and can't wait to pick up the new lines that I've seen a little bit of from CHA coverage from some blogs I follow.

I layered Golden Gleam and Puddle Play papers, punching the bottom edges of each. I cut and stamped a label and finished off the card with some lovely American Crafts ribbon and a dimensional sticker. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies: Papers - Golden Gleam, Puddle Play (AC), Stamps - Inkadinkado, Ink - Blush Blossom, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Cardstock - Kraft, Whisper White (SU!), Punches - EK Success, Martha Stewart, Ribbon/Sticker - AC, Heart Pearls (Hero Arts)

More Fun Than a Barrel of...

One of the coolest things about this hobby of mine is sending these little creations out into the world! I started making cards about a year and a half ago because I craved handmade and heartfelt greetings and a return to life before email and online invitations. While handy, there is certainly nothing like getting a special card in the mail, right?!

I received an inquiry last week for a custom order for eight of these adorable thank you cards and I finished them up on Sunday. I'm so pleased with how they turned out and hope they are all safe and sound and enjoying their journey to Madison Ave, NYC!

Supplies: Stamps - Thanks a Bunch (SU!), Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Barely Banana (SU!), Ink - Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, Barely Banana (SU!), Watermark (Versamark), Embossing Powder, Vine Ribbon (PTI), Foam Squares (3M), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Spellbinders, Corner Chomper

Ooh La La!

I've been eying the Embellish Magazine challenges for weeks but haven't been able to participate but one other time. I had some time tonight after work so I decided to play along.

I dug out this Parisian patterned paper for another card over the weekend and when I saw it, the concept for this card just sprung to life! I distressed every layer with ink and distressed the background paper with a tool to give the card a vintage feel. The punch I used on the bottom reminded me of a skirts of can can dancers or a curtain in an old burlesque theatre.

I've been LOVING playing with my feathers lately and I thought they were the perfect add for these Parisian love birds!

Supplies: Stamps - Love You Much (SU!), Cardstock - Pretty in Pink, Garden Green, Vintage Cream (SU!), DP - Recycled Stack (DCWV), Parisian Nights (GCD Studios), Ink - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Punch (Martha Stewart), Distressing Tool (Making Memories) Rhinestones (K&Co), Feathers (Michaels), Foam Squares (3M)

Pom Poms

Today is the day I finally finished all of the thank you cards for my birthday! Not too shabby and I even did them all within 3 weeks of my party! This one is for my friend, Dana, and I think she will love it!

This card was inspired by the sketch over at the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge this week. I thought the puff balls of the ribbon would be a unique take on the floral border of the sketch. So I didn't completely alter the sketch, I added a tag stamped with "Merci" and a few gorgeous rhinestone buttons. Supplies: Stamps - Victorian Fripperie (WMS), Cardstock - Whisper White (SU!), DP - Dear Lizzie (American Crafts), Ink - Pretty in Pink, Basic Black (SU!), Ribbon - American Crafts, Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Spellbinders, Misc - Stickles, Buttons (vintage, eBay), Foam Squares

I Love You

Just a quick post for today - this week has been busy at work and we've had some evening activities that have kept me from the crafting room!

This is an oldie but a goodie and a CASE of one of my own cards. It is so simple but the colors are striking together! As always, all of the mushy cards are inspired by my husband. He's pretty great.

Supplies: Stamps - Sweethearts (WMS), Because of You (Verve), Cardstock - Riding Hood Red, Whisper White (SU!), DP - Dutch Girl (Cosmo Cricket), Ink - Riding Hood Red, Basic Black (SU!), Ribbon (SU!), Distressing Tool (Making Memories), Foam Squares

Happy Birthday, Verve!!

Welcome to the Anni-VERVE-sary Blog Hop! Verve turns three today and we’re celebrating with a hop, hop, hop! If you've arrived here from Libby's blog, you're on the right track. If you just happened by, head on over to Julee's Blog (Verve Owner, extraordinaire), to start from the beginning.

I was in love with the Blue Skies set the moment I laid eyes on it and this sentiment really spoke to me last week for this card inspired by my husband. We've been through a tough loss recently and his strength has really helped me look to the future with hope rather than dwelling on the past in sadness.

Crafting has been such a blessing to me, too! I think I understand songwriters, lol! Once you can get the thing you're feeling out, you can move on. And, one of the things I love most about Julee's designs is that they are all filled with hope - I always feel great when I use her stamps! And, she also chooses scriptures that immediately remind me of the hope I have in Jesus!

I used a pretty background paper and a couple of layers of cardstock to create this card. The butterflies were cut out of chocolate chip cardstock and layered on the card using foam squares. I love the way they look like they just landed on it! I masked the stamp image to stamp their antennae on the card since they intimidated me to try to cut out! :) Their bodies are pink Stickles that I think match the color palette perfectly.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Head on over to Lynn's blog, for a little more Verve-y goodness. Oh, and I hear there are prizes, too! What's a birthday party without presents, right?

Supplies: Stamps - Blue Skies (Verve), Cardstock - Old Olive, Blush Blossom, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Ink - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), DP - Porcelain Collection (Basic Grey), Misc - Corner Chomper, Stickles, Edge Distressor, Foam Squares