Wishing You Sunny Days

This card was inspired by the sketch over on the Mojo Monday blog. I usually try to make a round card at the end of the month since I'm not very good at them but when I started putting the card together, it just looked better square.
I've had this Sassafras paper kit for a while and got it out to make a few summery cards this week. I think this one came out cute and the color palette totally works for fall, don't you think?

Supplies: Stamps - Let it Shine (Verve), DP/Chipboard Stickers - Vintage Yummy (Sassafras), Ink - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Seam Binding (Etsy), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Foam Squares

Beware

This card was so fun to make! I've had this set of MME Halloween papers for a while but didn't have any idea what to do with them. I know - how can I be stumped with kraft, right? But, there was just something about this that didn't scream Halloween to me. Anywho...

I had three spiders to go with the three strips in the sketch but thought the card needed a couple more. I even finished the web off with some black Stickles for a shimmery touch. Head on over to the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge blog, there are several more days left to play along!Supplies: Stamps - Halloween Party (WMS), DP - Haunted (MME), Cardstock/Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Black Stickles

Mom and Dad

I've had a package of Cosmo Cricket Blackboard for a while and completely forgot about it! I was so glad to see a challenge over on the Cosmo Cricket blog yesterday asking us to use it! I love the challenge of using a hoarded supply but I also love the challenge of using my letters! I have a number of chipboard letters and letter stickers that lie around just waiting to get some love.

I decided to use my Blackboard to make some gift tags for my mom and dad. I chose the papers for each of them - my mom loves to sew and my dad is a teacher. While a bit on the bigger end, they would work great for a large gift bag.

Supplies: Cardstock - Vintage Cream (PTI), DP - Honey Pie, Boyfriend (Cosmo Cricket), Retro Blackboard letters (Cosmo Cricket), Ribbon (Crafta), Cie Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 10 (Spellbinders)

To the World

This card is for this week's Cupcake Inspiration Challenge - those little apple cupcakes are adorable, aren't they? I decided to use both the apples and the colors as inspiration for this card keeping the palette simple. Since I have a lot of teachers in my family, I'm always partial to this stamp set and I think the sentiment would be great to use for a teacher as well!

Supplies: Stamps - Teacher's Apple, Out on a Limb Sentiments (PTI), Cardstock - Glorious Green, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Ink - Glorious Green, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Ribbon (Kate's Paperie), Twine (Pink Hedgehog), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 10 (Spellbinders), Foam Squares, Red Stickles

A Perfect Day

Nothing like coming in under the wire, right? I'd wanted to make a card for this week's Embellish Magazine challenge well before tonight but burned myself out a bit last weekend and didn't get it done. To make matters more complicated, my husband works from home (our formal dining room does double duty as his office and my craft room) and has had a very busy week so I haven't had a chance to do much crafting.

Because us crafters are nothing less than, well, crafty, I decided to take the bare essentials and work in the living room. While transferring supplies, I forgot an acrylic block and didn't want to go back to bother my hubby. Voila, making due using my iPhone! And you thought it was only for checking email! ;)
Supplies: Stamps - Ducks in a Row (October Afternoon), DP - Ducks in a Row, Thrift Shop, Fly a Kite (October Afternoon), Halloween Orange (DCWV), Cardstock - Confetti Kraft, Certainly Celery, Old Olive (SU!), Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Black (Staz-On), Felt (PTI), Foam Squares

Ticket or Treat

Can you tell I crafted up a storm over the weekend? It was nice to get so many cards done when I'm not trying to juggle work, my hubby's work (we share the office/craft room), the gym, other after work committments, and cooking dinner and just have to worry about getting cards photographed and blogged about. That is a much easier pursuit in the evening following a busy day! Anywho...this card was made for this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge.My "rule" has been that, in order to participate in a challenge (instead of making holiday cards like I should be doing), I must tweak the challenge so that I can make a holiday card! You see, the holidays are looming large and I'm starting to feel the pinch to get cards made in time! I punched a bunch of tickets for a few other cards and had a strip left over that I thought would be the perfect centerpiece for this sketch! I stamped each of the tickets with a Halloween image and finished the card with some lovely Basic Grey papers. Halloween card - check!

Supplies: Stamps - Halloween Party (WMS), DP - Eerie (Basic Grey), Cardstock - Lavender Moon, Select White (PTI), Ink - Basic Black, Only Orange (SU!), Ticket Die (PTI), Lace Punch (Martha Stewart), Rhinestones (Michaels)

Season's Greetings

I made this card for the Cinema Saturday Challenge. The movie this week is Iron Man and the challenge was to use metal in our creations.

I loved Iron Man but never did see the second one - must go put that in my Netflix queue! Because I've been forcing myself to make either Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas cards for as many challenges as I can these days, I took my color combo inspiration from the Iron Man suit and thought it would be perfect for a Christmas card! I can't believe how fast we're moving into fall and how fast the holidays will be here!

I found my giant snowflake punch and popped a snowflake out of this bit of patterned paper. I thought the gold and burgundy color scheme was pretty close to the colors of the Iron Man suit and thought the jingle bells were another good metal element that went well with the gold/burgundy. I finished the card off with an outline of stickles and some heat embossing for some extra shimmer.

Supplies: Stamps - Many Merry Messages (SU!), Punch (Marvy Uchida), Cardstock - Bravo Burgundy, Very Vanilla (SU!), Gold Embossing Powder (SU!), Ink (Versamark), DP - Handmade (K&Co.), Jingle Bells (Crafta), Crinkle Ribbon (Etsy), Stickles

Baby Boy

I made this card for this week's challenge over on the American Crafts blog. This week the challenge was to use two or more AC products and our "favorite technique." I'm not sure if you can call this a technique or a style but lately I've been loving a couple of layers that are done in a clean and simple way. I've had these papers for a while but haven't used them yet and think they worked perfectly with the Thickers for a baby boy card.

Supplies: DP - Blue Skies (American Crafts), Thickers (AC), Cardstock - Kraft (SU!), Stamps - Night, Night Moon (PTI), Ink - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Ribbon (Etsy), Notebook Die (PTI), Foam Squares

Trick or Treat

Welcome to another blog waltz with Waltzingmouse Stamps! When we were in Holland for the TT last year, there was a vendor selling horns and wigs that kept calling out "fun for fan!" Well, that is how I like to think of these waltzes - fun for fans, of WMS, that is! If you've stumbled here by accident, head on over to the 'Mouse House to get started!

The sketch I used is courtesy of this week's WMS Sketch Challenge and I had a lot of fun putting this card together! Unfortunately I think some fairies have been by with michief on thier minds and hidden my Halloween papers. Thankfully I still have my new pad of Halloween in Wonderland and am using the heck out of it, lol. I heat embossed the spider and the "Trick or Treat" sentiment to give the card a bit of texture and love the play of the black "lace" edge.

Supplies: Stamps - Halloween Party (WMS), DP - Halloween in Wonderland (Graphic 45), Cardstock - Confetti Kraft, Basic Black, Very Vanilla (SU!), Ink - Only Orange, Basic Black (SU!), Versamark, Black Embossing Powder (SU!), Lace Punch (Martha Stewart), Ribbon (my stash), foam squares

Something Old, Something New

I made this card for the "Something Old, Something New" challenge over on the Verve Stamps blog. The challenge is pretty straightforward - use an older Verve set along with a set released in August. No problemo!

I adore my new Love Story set but haven't had a chance to use it yet - yes, I just cracked the seal on it tonight! I had some leftover scraps from a baby shower card (the pink ribbon covers the seam - clever, right?!) and thought they'd be pretty for a wedding card as well. I cut the a label, sponged the edges with a bit of tea dye and pink inks, stamped the heart frame from Heart's Desire and finished with a sentiment from Love Story.

Supplies - Stamps - Love Story, Heart's Desire (Verve), DP - Thrift Shop (October Afternoon), Cardstock - Very Vanilla (SU!), Ink - Rose Red (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 10 (Spellbinders), Ribbon (Crafta), Pearlie Hearts (Hero Arts), Button (vintage, eBay), Corner Chomper, foam squares

A Style Question

I peruse a lot of design blogs for inspiration - both for cardmaking and for the home we're hoping to buy someday soon. When my hubby asks "are we in the market for X?" whenever I send him a link to a listing I like or a car that I like, I have to say "no" but a girl can dream, right?

I digress....inspiration from decor8 runs the gamut from photos to art to papers to you-name-it. Today I saw a photo from dottie angel with a piece of art that I adore (!!) and was wondering if any of you crafty-savvies know what type of art it is so that I can start looking for some. I'm guessing some type of folk but I'm sure there is a genre, right? Help?



I promise I'll be back with another card tonight. I've got a bazillion cards to show you that I made for all of the publication calls recently. Now I have to make time to share them!! Happy Tuesday!

Sweet Confections

I was a bit intimidated by all of the layers that were included in this week's sketch over at the WMS Sketch Challenge but once I started working with them (translated "took a few liberties"), am pretty happy with how this card turned out!

I just ordered/received this great Graphic 45 paper (Halloween in Wonderland) and thought the vintage look of the papers would work great with the Rescue Remedies set! My hubby and I thought about which label would be better for Alice and both immediately agreed that the sweet confection was the best bet. "Eat me!" The card is finished off with some lovely lilac shabby seam binding and a wonderful vintage button. Hard to see from the photo but it is VELVET! Yummy!

Supplies: Stamps - Rescue Remedies (WMS), DP - Halloween in Wonderland (Graphic 45), Cardstock - Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!), Ink - Lovely Lilac (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (Papertrey Ink), Distressing Tool - Making Memories, Brads (SU!), Seam Binding (Etsy), Vintage Button (eBay)

Awesome Inspiration

I've been in a bit of a crafty-mojo draught lately and am not sure what has me blocked. Yes, I am busier than I have been and rarely have an evening without an after work activity anymore and weekends have been packed lately. I am thrilled with my new gym routine and have to be honest in saying right now I wouldn't trade it for more time with my craft. The challenge will be integrating all of it and getting that personal fulfillment from everything.

One source of inspiration for me lately has been this book - The Book of Awesome - which usually has me giggling at least once per chapter. One chapter, "Old, Dangerous Playground Equipment" reminded me instantly of my childhood - metal slides, high bars, and tanbark! Remember tanbark?!?

When I pictured those old playgrounds of my youth, I immediately thought of some Sassafras Lass papers I have had languishing in my stash for a few months. Tonight I plan to use some! How will you be inspired today?

Happiness

Hello! I know I've been awol from the blog for a bit but everything I've been crafting lately has gone out for publication calls! Now I'm hoping I'm lucky and something gets picked but if not, I will have lots of goodies to show you over the next week or so.

I made this card for the the Verve release challenge in August and quite like how it turned out. After a 90-degree day here in the city today, fall feels pretty far away but as soon as the fog rolls in again, I'll be ready! I did notice today that the sun feels a bit further away and the light temperature is just a tad different in the evenings on my way home from work. Fall is on its way!

Supplies: Stamps - Happiness Found (Verve), DP - Debbie Mumm, Cardstock - Papertrey Ink, Ink - Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Yoyo Yellow, Certainly Celery (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (Papertrey Ink), Lace (Crafta), Punch (Martha Stewart)