Happy New Year

Happy New Year! As is the norm for me around this time of year, I am always grateful for the year past but especially looking forward to the fresh start of the new year! I've been off work this week and busily "outing with the old" to give that true fresh start come Saturday! I hope you have a wonderful and blessed start to 2011!

Supplies: Stamps - Pic Nic Patterns (WMS), Card Stock - Lavender Moon (PTI), Ink - Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Gold (Encore), Corner Chomper, Rhinestones (Crafta), Postcard (vintage, my stash)

I'd Pick You

Welcome to another challenge brought to you by Papercraft Star! I hope you all had fun with our Christmas tags blog hop and that you had a lovely Christmas shared with friends and family! This year my husband and I have been talking about just how blessed we are and how much we have to be thankful for. Truly a lovely time of the year!

I was inspired by the three flower-looking images on the sketch to make this floral friendship card. I stamped, cut, and layered the flowers using foam squares to give them extra dimension. You can see how they are popped up from this side view:

I threaded a tag die cut with pretty satin ribbon and used vintage sheet music as the backdrop for this friendly card.

Head on over to the Papercraft Star blog to play along with us! Remember, YOU get to vote for your favorites and pick the winner! Have fun and I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies: Stamps - Dream Big (Verve), Card Stock - Confetti Kraft (SU!), Sheet Music (vintage, my stash), Ink - Basic Black, Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Riding Hood Red (SU!), Tea Dye Duo PTI), Ribbon (Crafta), Die Cuts (Cuttlebug, Spellbinders), Edge Punch (SU!)

Vintage Happy Birthday

Today I've got another fun card I created with stamps from Stampin' D' Amour! Pamela has lovely vintage-inspired stamp sets and lots of ephemera you can use to create lovely cards and other projects. Head on over to her shop to check it out!

I was actually inspired by the birthday tag I made a couple of weeks ago to make a birthday card using the same Vintage Children stamp set. I used a sheet of SDA collage paper as the background and just love the look of the vintage catalog. Cute!

Supplies: Stamps - Vintage Children (SDA), Collage Paper (SDA), DP - Holiday Stack (DCWV), Ink - Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Card Stock - Riding Hood Red (SU!), Ribbon (my stash), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 4 (Spellbinders)

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all are enjoying a lovely Christmas Day surrounded by loved ones! Today I am sleeping in, opening gifts and spending a wonderful morning with my husband, and then later today we are going to our friends' house to have a traditional English Christmas dinner.

This is the special card I made for my hubby this year. There is only one thing on my Christmas list this year and keeping the true meaning of Christmas (Jesus' birth) in my heart is it! May you all have a blessed day!

Supplies: Stamps - Seasons of Love Tags (WMS), Card Stock - Riding Hood Red (SU!), Ink - Gold Metallic (Encore), DP (Anna Griffin), Journal Card (October Afternoon), Twine (Crafta), Stickles

Happy Birthday

Today I'm taking a little break from the holidays to share a birthday card with you! My sister was in town last weekend, went through my card stash and declared "you need more birthday cards!"

I made this card with the first set I purchased from Lawn Fawn and paired it with some cute papers from Cosmo Cricket. Cutting out the banners was the most time consuming piece of this card but the effort was worth it given how nice the banner turned out.

Supplies: Stamps - Bannerific, Sophie's Sentiments (Lawn Fawn), DP - Wanted Collection (Cosmo Cricket), Card Stock - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Clothes Pins (Hero Arts), Twine (my stash), Stickles, Ribbon (Crafta)

Paris

Today I'm thrilled to share a card I made with a brand new set of stamps, French Vintage, from Stampin' D' Amour! I about died when I saw the images in the set and can't wait to show you more!

I chose the Marie Antoinette image from the set and coupled her with beautiful papers from a collection called Paris Nights. I distressed the edges of the paper to give it a vintage feel and finished the card with some bright red feathers to give it a whimsical touch and a pop of color.

Supplies: Stamps - French Vintage (SDA), DP - Paris Nights (GCD Designs), Card Stock - Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Spellbinders, Edge Distressing Tool (Making Memories), Feathers (Michaels), Foam Squares

Papercraft Star Tags of Christmas Blog Hop

Happy Holidays and welcome to the Papercraft Star Tags (and more) of Christmas Blog Hop!! We are so happy you could join us for this special event! You should have arrived at my blog from Cecilia's blog; if not, head on over to Papercraft Star to get started!

During this hop we hope that you'll find a wealth of inspiration among the beautiful projects our Designers have created especially for you! To add to the fun, we've got fabulous prizes along the way at many of our Designer's blogs and you'll be entered to win a full month subscription to Club InBox by sponsor Catherine Pooler. To be eligible to win, you must leave a comment on all of our designer's blogs by midnight Eastern Time on Saturday December 25, 2010. We'll draw the winners of the prizes and announce them beginning on Sunday!

I've been quite intrigued by snowflakes this year and couldn't resist another opportunity to indulge myself! I made this tag out of a large punched snowflake which I embellished with a fun snowflake brad! How pretty is that?! I created a tag base from navy shimmer and white glittery papers and added extra rhinestones around the scallop for even more bling! The snowflake was attached to the tag base using foam squares to give it some dimension.

Happy Holidays to you and yours and thank you again for joining us for the Papercraft Star Tags of Christmas Blog Hop! Head on over to Kim's blog for more crafty inspiration!

Supplies: Snowflake Punch (Marvy Uchida), Brad (Karen Foster Design), Card Stock - Not Quite Navy (SU!), Navy Shimmer (PTI), White Glitter Paper (Martha Stewart), Rhinestones (Recollections), Die Cuts (Cuttlebug, Spellbinders), Twine (Crafta), Foam Squares

Dashing Through the Snow

Do you all have trouble using scraps? Or, do you buy things and wonder what the heck to do with them? Or, do you alter things for one project and it just doesn't work? Well, this card was made with some of those things!

I made the silver "tag" but didn't like it for one particular project, sponged a chipboard piece with white craft ink but didn't end up using it for a different project, and stamped the music background card base for a third project where it didn't make the cut. I looked at all of these items and thought with a bit of navy and a winter theme, I just might be able to pull it together.

I ended up stamping the chipboard piece with snowflakes and a fun sentiment, added more snowflakes to the silver tag, and sponged the edges of the card base with navy ink to tie it all together. What do you think? Better than the sum of its parts?

Supplies: Stamps - Christmas in the Air (Verve), Musical Backgrounds (WMS), Ink - Encore Silver, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White Craft (SU!), Rhinestones (Recollections), Hole Punch (PTI), Foam Squares

Ho Ho Ho

Welcome to another fantastic Papercraft Star challenge!! This week is all about photo inspiration and this yummy photo from Martha Stewart just can't be beat! Head on over to the blog for more details and play along with us. It is a fun time and YOU get to choose the winner - how cool is that?!?

The first thing I decided on was the red/green/white color palette and found some pretty Basic Gray papers that went perfectly together! As I was looking at the photo, I thought the scene looked like Santa had already visited and the packages were waiting patiently for wee ones to run downstairs and tear into them! So, I found a stamp and made a little medallion stamped with "Approved by the Chief Elf." The little ribbon tails are velvet and the white backing paper is glittery for a festive touch to the card.

I can't wait to see how you were inspired by this photo!

Supplies: Stamps - Secret Set 2009 (WMS), DP - Jovial (Basic Gray), Edge Punch (Fiskars), Ink - Riding Hood Red, Basic Black (SU!), Card Stock - Select White (PTI), Glitter Paper (Martha Stewart), Cuttlebug, Dies (PTI), Ribbon (Michaels)

So Sweet!

Today I'm happy to share a Valentine that I made using one of my favorite images from Stampin' D'Amour's Vintage Children set! I adore all of the vintage images in this set and am enjoying the variety of projects I can make with them! If you haven't checked all of the great stamps from SDA, take a look! And, I hear there are more coming out soon, too!

This is a clean and simple card using great MME papers and a journaling card. All I did was take the big scallop card and cover it with the stamped image I cut out using a circle die, popped it up for some dimension and added a big, white bow.

Supplies: Stamps - Vintage Children (SDA), DP/Journaling Card - Be Loved (MME), Ribbon (Crafta), Ink - Riding Hood Red (SU!)

You're Just the Ticket

Just a quick post today to share a set of cards I recently made for my sister! She has always been involved in musical theatre and this year she performed in "A Cascade Christmas" and wanted to give some thank you cards to the cast. Easy peasy and I had just the right supplies for the job!

I immediately thought of the Hollywood Vogue collection of papers from Webster's (I adore those papers, seriously can't get enough of them!!) and the ticket die from Papertrey Ink. I stamped the tickets and finished the cards off with a simple white, satin bow. From what I've heard, they were very well received and that makes my day!

Supplies: Stamps - Just the Ticket (PTI), DP - Hollywood Vogue (Webster's Pages), Ticket Die (PTI), Ribbon (Crafta), Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Cuttlebug

Verve Project Parade

Today I want to share three projects I made for this month's Verve Project Parade! This month was a "triple play" so I decided to make a coordinating tag, card, and gift bag using two of my favorite new sets, Richly Blessed and Merry Wishes, and some incredible paper's from Webster's Pages. Richly blessed really speaks to me as all of the sentiments really get to the heart of the Christmas season and what I celebrate!

I tried to keep the color palette similar - creams, pinks, burgundy, and gold, and added different embellishments to each project such as glitter, rhinestones, gold twine, and crinkle ribbon.

Card Supplies: Stamps - Richly Blessed (Verve), DP - Home for the Holidays (Webster's Pages), Card Stock - Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Bravo Burgundy (SU!), Encore Gold (PTI), Crinkle Ribbon (Etsy), Rhinestone (my stash), Stickles

Gift Bag Supplies: Stamps - Richly Blessed, Sweet Scallop Tag (Verve), Bag (It's in the Bag), DP - Home for the Holidays (Webster's Pages), Ink - Bravo Burgundy (SU!), Encore Gold (PTI), Twine (Crafta), Stickles, Edge Punch (Fiskars)

Tag Supplies: Stamps - Richly Blessed (Verve), Gold Star (my stash), DP - Home for the Holidays (Webster's Pages), Ink - Bravo Burgundy (SU!), Ribbon (Crafta), Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 10 (Spellbinders), Scor Tape (PTI), Glitter (Martha Stewart)

Christmas Wishes

Thank you for joining me today where I'm showcasing a project for Challenge 24 at Papercraft Star! This week's challenge is all about green holidays! And by green, we mean using recycled or repurposed items you already have onhand in your crafting! Have you seen what Kim did with the acrylic box from a stamp set? Brilliant!

I enjoy going to estate sales here in San Francisco! There are so many lovely old Victorians filled to the brim with lovely old things that people just don't want to move around anymore. I came across the postcard and the sheet music at one such sale destined for the trash heap at the end of the weekend. As you all will completely understand, lovely paper goods shouldn't ever end up in the trash! So I rescued them and made this card!

The card was pretty simple to make - just trim the music and the postcard (I actually had to let them breathe a bit since they smelled a bit musty), distress the edges of each with dye ink, and pop the postcard up using foam squares. I finished the postcard off with some Stickles for a bit of sparkle. I do love how this came out - a vintage look using actual vintage items.

And, I have a new winner for the Verve stamp set! Drumroll please....Bonnie C! Congratulations and I've sent you an email requesting your address! Thanks for playing with us at Papercraft Star! True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 49 Result: 30

Supplies: Sheet Music/Postcard (estate sale trash heap), Card Stock - Rose Red (SU!), Ink - Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Stickles, Foam Squares

Happy Birthday Tag

Today I'm sharing a fun tag I made using stamps from Stampin' D' Amour! I love the vintage images Pamela has designed - they are so versatile! I chose another image and sentiment from the Vintage Children set and made this birthday tag. Here's how:

My first step is to chose a stamp image and color combo I want to work with. I wanted a pink birthday tag and love the papers and coordinating embellishments from Sassafras. Talk about a match made in heaven - these vintage papers with the SDA vintage stamps is perfection!

I always back my tags with strong chipboard so they hold up well when attached to a package. I still remember mixing up who gave us which wedding gifts because the tags had come off!

I usually recycle chipboard from cereal boxes or other package inserts. When you start looking for it, it will be everywhere so you won't have to buy it!

I cut a large tag in both chipboard and in patterned paper which I used to cover it the chipboard and cut a smaller tag out of cream card stock which I stamped on.

Here's a tip for crisp stamped images (this works particularly well with large/thick images that use a lot of ink) - use a piece of foam or an old mouse pad under your card stock so you can press the stamp into the paper. I promise this will eliminate those annoying holes and/or light spots you used to get when you'd stamp large images!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies: Stamps - Vintage Children (SDA), DP/Flower Embellishment - Sweet Marmelade (Sasafrass), Card Stock - Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Rose Red, Basic Black (SU!), Chipboard (my stash), Foam Squares, Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 10 (Spellbinders), Ribbon (Crafta)

We Need a Winner

The winner of my blog prize for the Papercraft Star Thanksgiving blog hop still hasn't contacted me! If you're Anna Massie, you have until midnight pacific time on Monday 12/6 to send me a note with your shipping information. If I haven't heard anything by then, I will draw and announce a new winner on my PCS challenge post on Wednesday 12/8.

In other news, if you're local to the SF Bay Area, I'm participating in the Lycee Francais Winter Fair tomorrow and would love to meet you if you want to stop by! The Fair last year was so much fun - lots of crafty goodness, yummy food, and games for the kids! It is definitely a good time!

I've been making cards/gift tags like crazy for this fair and will have a ton of new stuff to show you leading up to the new year. I'm so excited!

Have a great day!!

Birthday Wishes

This is a birthday card I made for my sister that was inspired by the most recent challenge over at Caardvarks which was to make a gift card/money holder. I'm so excited to have my sister come for a visit in a couple of weeks (just after her birthday) and can't wait to give her a little money to spend! Even though it is winter, these Garden Party papers from Webster's are the perfect background for a fun birthday sentiment!

For the interior pocket, I cut a panel of cream card stock (which I would ordinarily use to line the interior of the card) and cut a slit about 2/3 down. I stamped the lower portion with a fun sentiment from Stampin' Up!

Supplies: Stamps - Yummy (SU!), Big Wish (Verve), Fancy Phrases (WMS), DP - Garden Party (Webster's Pages), Card Stock - Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla (SU!), Ink - Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Ribbon (Crafta)

Christmas Tags

Today I'm happy to share two tags that I made for Challenge 23 at Papercraft Star! This is my first post as a new Design Team member and I'm so excited to hang out with such talented designers! If you aren't familiar with the site, head on over to take a look. The challenges are so much fun and everyone who participates gets to vote on the winner! Many weeks there are prizes to be won graciously donated by our wonderful sponsors and there is always a ton of inspiration! Have you seen Cecilia's tag yet? Love it!!

For the first tag above, I chose a fun color combo of aqua, silver, and pink and added lots of shimmer. The ornaments were stamped, embossed and stickled, cut out and adhered to the tag with foam squares to give them lots of punch. I outlined the edge of the cream panel with glue from a 2-way glue stick and sprinkled glitter for even more shimmer.

I chose a more traditional color palette for this second tag. Again, I stamped, cut, and popped up the ornament but this time I used distress ink around the edges to give a vintage feel to the tag.

Good luck with the challenge and most of all...have fun!

Tag 1 Supplies: Stamps - Vintage Ornaments/Additions (PTI), DP - Jolly By Golly (Cosmo Cricket), Card Stock - Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Encore Silver, Aqua Mist (PTI) Versamark, Whisper White Craft (SU!), White Embossing Powder (SU!), 2-Way Glue Pen (Martha Stewart), Glitter (Michaels), Twine/Ribbon (Crafta), Rhinestones (Bead World, Phoenix AZ), Stickles, Foam Squares, Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 10 (Spellbinders)

Tag 2 Supplies: Stamps - Vintage Ornaments/Additions (PTI), DP - Jolly By Golly (Cosmo Cricket), Card Stock - Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Encore Gold, Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Riding Hood Red, Whisper White Craft (SU!), Pearls (Hero Arts), Twine/Ribbon (Crafta), Foam Squares, Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 10 (Spellbinders)