Dance

Quick post today to share this card I made for the final Viva La Verve challenge in March! I've been really sick the past few days and it was a struggle to finish this card but I did! I couldn't play all 4 other weeks and not finish!!

More in a day or so once this fever breaks! Happy opening day, baseball fans!

Supplies: Stamps - Beautiful You (Verve), DP - On the Boardwalk (Graphic45), Ribbon/Stars (MemrieMare), Card Stock - Confetti (SU!), Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Cuttlebug, Dies (Spellbinders)

Celebrate

Hello friends - it is challenge time at Papercraft Star and this week, Simon Says Create a Card using this recipe - base 5 x 7, mat: 3 x 4.5, add rhinestones, add a flourish, add whatever else you desire!

I chose to use papers from my new Social Club collection and selected the peacock feather paper which looks flourishy to me, added rhinestone "bubbles" to the champagne glasses, and a couple of real feathers for an extra flourish of my own!

I'm looking forward to seeing what you create with this challenge and can't wait to see all of the flourishes but most of all, have fun! :)

Supplies: DP/Embellishments - Social Club Collection (Cosmo Cricket), Rhinestones (Crafta), Feathers (Michael's), Corner Chomper, Foam Squares

Ahoy Matey!

Today I'm sharing a card that I made for the Embellish Color Challenge. This time our challenge was to incorporate the colors and make a masculine card! While I'm not sure how "masculine" my card is, it would be perfect to send to a little boy or that guy in your life that is a kid at heart! Personally I'd give this to my hubby, my brother, or my dad but everyone is different!

I used my new Salt Air paper for the background and the Half Pint Heroes to make the card, some careful cutting and my Copic markers finished it off.

Supplies: Stamps - Half Pint Heroes (WMS), DP - Salt Air Collection (Cosmo Cricket), Card Stock - Aqua Mist, Select White (PTI), Ink - Forest Foliage, Basic Black (SU!), Copic Markers, Corner Chomper

Swim Party

I made this card for the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger using a stamp from the new Fabulous Birthday set from Stampin' D'Amour and my new Salt Air collection from Cosmo Cricket! I can't believe how much fablousness is in this card!

I was inspired by this photograph both in use of the color palette (though mine is a muted version) and the way this photo makes me think of summer!

One of the best summers I can remember was the summer of my 12th birthday and we had a big swimming party at a really popular swimming hole on the river. My mom hand drew all of the invitations which is why I'm probably such a fan of this handmade invitation! Thanks for such a fun trip down memory lane, Cath! :)

Supplies: Stamps - Fabulous Birthday (SDA), DP/Chipboard Stickers - Salt Air Collection (Cosmo Cricket), Ink - Only Orange (SU!)

It's Your Big Day

If it is Saturday, then it must be Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge day!! How are you liking the banner challenges the past couple of weeks? I've loved them and can't wait to see what you do with this one!I just got my Back in the Saddle set and knew I wanted to use it (you wouldn't believe how jam packed it is with amazing images and sentiments!! Love it!!) this week. I immediately thought of banners and bunting and went straight to my Americana paper collection. I mad the little bunting by simply punching a circle and then cutting it in half!

I strung the banner onto some thick rope twine and frayed the ends to give it an old time feeling. I stamped the card with a number of images and a sentiment from the set. Oh I can tell this one is going to get a lot of ink!

I finished the inside of the card in the way I saw someone do it (must have been one of the DT members but I can't remember who!!) during the previews. I simply stamped once in Chocolate Chip ink, then stamped off twice for the other two horses. I love the shadow effect - looks like an old western movie strip!

Have fun and I'm looking forward to all of your pennant'y creations!!

Supplies: Stamps - Back in the Saddle (WMS) - DP/Embellishments - Americana Collection (K&Co), Cardstock - Crumb Cake (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Twine (SU!), Circle Punch (SU!)

Thank You

Happy Friday! Today I'm happy to be participating in the March Papertrey Ink Blog Hop! This month it is all about embroidery floss and I went WAY outside of my comfort zone and actually stitched! I haven't stitched anything except a button since my cross-stitch days as a kid!

I've seen French knots showing up here and there and thought I'd give them a try! Luckily I had some embroidery floss kicking around but I only had red!

I first thought these cute little knots would make great spring blossoms so reached for my Out on a Limb Revised set and inked up a little scene on a deckle oval. I made some knot blossoms for the tree and mounted the panel to some pretty Fly a Kite paper and finished it with some shabby ribbon and a stamped tag.

Though knot perfect ;), I had a lot of fun trying this out and will be happy to try it again!

Supplies: Stamps - Out on a Limb Revised, Round and Round (PTI), DP - Fly a Kite Collection (October Afternoon), Card Stock - Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery (SU!), Embroidery Floss (Michael's), Ribbon (MemrieMere), Twine (PTI), Cuttlebug, Tag Die, Deckled Ovals (Spellbinders), Foam Squares

Within Your Heart

Hi friends! This is my second post for today and I want to share a card I made for the VLV Challenge - week 4! I've managed to keep up all month for February and March and I'm so happy! It is such a fun challenge!!

I've been making a lot of cards for others lately and actually made this card for me! I can't say 2010 was the best year of my life but in spite of anything and everything we're faced with, we always have a choice whether we keep on hoping and casting our cares to the Lord or we give up. Well, I've decided I'm not giving up! Verve stamps always share such fabulous messages and this one is just perfect.

For my card, I added all of the goodies I like - pink, glitter, puffy clouds (maybe they should have had glitter on them too...), flowers, rhinestones, and a fat, flowery ribbon. Perfectly girly in just my style. I love it and I'm pinning it up to help me keep my chin up when I'm feeling down. Here's to hoping you have that one special place where you keep all of your dreams, too!

Supplies: Stamps - Blue Skies (Verve), DP - Blue Skies Collection (American Crafts and not an accident, lol!), Ink - Versamark, Embossing Powder - Silver Zing (AC), Twine (Country Clean), Ribbon (AC), Button (my stash), Corner Chomper, Cloud Dies (PTI), Card Stock - Select White (PTI), Sweet Scallop Tag Die (Verve), Foam Squares

Felt Embellishments

Today I'm going to show you how to make a simple felt embellishment that I've decided to use as a book mark! I often remark that I have so much felt and never remember to use it and this week decided to make some embellishments that would be perfect for cards or layouts.

I chose a small flower die and cut out the large flower shape as well as the smaller shape in a different color.

You can use the embellishments a couple of ways - by themselves and attached using glue or glue dots, or glued around a fastener. I chose to glue these around a paper clip!

Let these dry for a good while using a strong glue so the paperclip adheres to the felt.

I finished the embellishment with a vintage button center.

The finished flowers can be clipped onto layouts or cards or to be used as a bookmark as I did here!

Supplies: Felt (PTI), Cuttlebug, Blossom Dies (Spellbinders), Paperclip, Vintage Button (my stash)

Re-Coop

Hello and welcome to another great challenge at Papercraft Star! This week we have a sketch challenge for you and I can't wait to see what you come up with!
I took the layout challenge and turned it into a get-well card for my mother-in-law. She had minor surgery last week and I hope this will help to cheer her up a bit! I chose bright yellow card stock and the adorable Li'l Buddies stamp set from Waltzingmouse Stamps to make the three framed chick images. I recently attended a Copic certification class and this is my first attempt at shading! "Pick a color and then pick two friends..." :)

If you aren't familiar with WMS and you love your Spellbinders, you'll love the frame stamps that are made to coordinate with all of your favorite dies! You can see that I used Labels 10 and the coordinating stamps to make cute frames for the chicks.

Supplies: Stamps - Li'l Buddies, VVLabels 10 (WMS), Card Stock - YoYo Yellow, Whisper White (SU!), Copic Markers, Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Washi Tape, Cuttlebug

C is for Camp Outs

Just a quick post to share a delightfully retro card I made using my new(ish) Campfire collection from October Afternoon! I adore the mid-century feel of the papers and embellishments in this collection!

There is no stamping on this card - I used papers and a Wild Card attached to a shipping tag. I distressed the edges of the papers and the tag with ink for a vintage feel. Have a great Tuesday and I'll see you tomorrow for my Papercraft Star challenge reveal!

Supplies: DP - Campfire Collection (October Afternoon), Tag (Uline), Ink - Tea Dye Duo (Papertrey Ink), Ribbon (my stash), Card Stock - Old Olive (SU!)

Celebrate

Hi friends! Today I'm sharing a card I made with the new Fabulous Birthday set from Stampin' D'Amour! I love that the banner image in this set spells "celebrate" as many banners are blank and a lot of alphabet stamps don't fit.

I used some replica vintage catalog paper along with some fun patterned papers to make this birthday card. I stamped the banner image on patterned paper and cut each pennant out and glued them to a length of baker's twine. The "Happy Birthday!" sentiment and the banner image are from the birthday set and the "Oh, goody gum-drops!" sentiment is a separate stamp from SDA.

Supplies: Stamps - Fabulous Birthday, sentiment (SDA), DP - Fly a Kite (October Afternoon), Ephemera (SDA), Card Stock/Ink - Night of Navy (SU!), Twine (Country Clean)

Spring Neutrals

Hello friends - today I'm sharing a card I made for this month's Get Your Diva On over at Verve! The challenge for us is to use all neutrals except for a splash of color to represent the arrival of spring. I chose the "Love's Flower" set to use the big bloom as my splash of color but when I started to make the card I decided to put the color in the background instead.

I stamped and distressed the background panel with the smaller flower and vine images, cut a label from some kraft paper and mounted the whole thing on a dark brown base. I finished the front of the card with a shabby ribbon.

I've been having some fun using my washi tape lately and thought the splash of pink on the inside would be a fun touch, too.

Supplies: Stamps - Love's Flower (Verve), Card Stock - Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI), Ink - Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Cuttlebug, Labels 4 (Spellbinders), Washi Tape (my stash), Distressing Tool (Making Memories), Ribbon (MemrieMere)

Birthday Wishes

Welcome to another wonderful Saturday and a fantastic sketch challenge at Waltzingmouse! As you may know, the March release was all about banners so what better way to celebrate than a banner card this week?! I'm looking forward to seeing what all of you have done with this sketch and hopefully get to see some lovelies made with your new sets! Unfortunately I had to make this card earlier than I expected to receive my new goodies so I made my banner the "old fashioned way" using a diamond-shaped punch. :) I stamped the branch from Asian Gardens on the edges of my paper to hang my banner from and created the little garden scene using the flower image from Pic-Nic Patterns. The Kioshi papers are ideal for spring and I've been having so much fun using them lately!

Have fun and link up by Thursday! Three of our favorite entries will be chosen Top Mice and one lucky entry will win the stamp set of their choice just by playing along!

Supplies: Stamps - Asian Gardens, Fancy Phrases, Pic-Nic Patterns (WMS), DP - Kioshi Collection (Basic Gray), Twine (Country Clean), Card Stock - Select White (PTI), Ink - Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, Pale Plum (SU!), Diamond Punch (EK Success), Rhinestones (Recollections), Foam Tape

Dream Big

I made this card for the VLV Week 3 sketch from Maureen Plut! She is one of the newest Verve Divas and I couldn't be more happy for her!

I first selected the stamp set I wanted to use, Dream Big, and immediately thought of my Hollywood Vogue papers from Webster's Pages. I love the big spotlight and the wonderful deco designs of the papers. If you look closely, you can see that the text in the small panel is some "script" from Wizard of Oz. Fun stuff!

Supplies: Stamps - Big Wish (Verve), DP/Trim/Embellishment - Hollywood Vogue Collection (Webster's Pages), Card Stock - Basic Black (SU!), Ink - Old Olive (SU!)

St. Patrick's Day Greetings

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone and welcome to the Waltzingmouse Stamps St. Patty's Day waltz! If you just happened by, head over to the 'mouse house to get started! I promise you many treats for the eyes!
I was very fortunate to come into a number of vintage replica postcards and found these two St. Patrick's Day cards in the stack. I used my Irish Blessings set to stamp the green backgrounds with shamrocks (first card) and the Celtic braid for the second one.

For the second card, I stamped a die cut label with shamrocks and a sentiment from the Irish Blessings set and adhered it on top of the postcard. I finished both cards with some shabby ribbon.

Thanks for joining me on the dance floor and I'm off to get some waltzing in myself! :)

Supplies: Stamps - Irish Blessings (WMS), Vintage Postcards (my stash), Card Stock - Old Olive (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI), Ribbon (MemrieMere/Etsy), Lace (Crafta), Ink - Old Olive, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Cuttlebug, Lables 10 (Spellbinders), Vintage Button (my stash), Foam Squares, Distressing Tool (Making Memories)

Irish Blessing

Are you feeling the luck o' the Irish this week? If so, head on over to Papercraft Star to play along with our challenge! With St. Patty's day only a day away, we've got a theme and photo challenge for you to play with - just link up your St. Patrick's creations based on this photo by Sunday! I used the pale greens from this photo to stamp a kraft card base with little shamrocks and a sentiment from the Waltzingmouse Stamps Irish Blessings set. Love them! I created the large shamrock by simply using a heart punch and adhering three hearts together with a jumbo brad! I popped the shamrock with foam squares and made a stem of some large rope-looking twine.

I am grateful to be referred to the Kraft Outlet Challenge this week which was to make a St. Patrick's Day card using kraft cardstock. I think I'll enter! Thank you, Beth!

Supplies: Stamps - Irish Blessings (WMS), Card Stock - Crumb Cake (SU!), Ink - Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip (SU!), DP - Earth Love (Cosmo Cricket), Rope/Brad (SU!), Foam Squares

Birthday Wishes

Today I'm thrilled to show you a card using a brand new set of clear stamps from Stampin' D'Amour - Fabulous Birthday and the fun Nerdy Bird paper kit from Sassafras. I think the vintage feel of SDA stamps is the perfect compliment to the vintage feel of these papers! The colors in this card and the rainbow remind me of what was popular when I was a kid in the 70s!

Supplies: Stamps - Fabulous Birthday (SDA), DP - Nerdy Bird Collection (Sassafras), Ink - Basic Black (SU!)