Bookworm Back to School Card

My niece started school this year on August 10th, but I neglected to send a card. Last week I found out she made the 7th and 8th grade Academic Team, so I figured a card was a must. I thought the Woo Hoo! sentiment was perfect to recognize her accomplishment and the bookworm image is classically studious. Hopefully she will like it!

The image is from a Back to School digital set by MyGrafico and patterned papers are by American Crafts and Studio Calico. Copic markers were used to color the image and it was die cut using a stitched square die by Lil'Inkers. The Woo Hoo! sentiment is from the Party Pants Sale-A-Bration stamp set by Stampin' Up!. Glossy accents was added to the little worm's glasses and a little clear Wink of Stella added to the apple. The final touch were three banners along with three star sequins for sparkle and that's it! Thanks for stopping by and come back again soon!

This Bookworm Back to School Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Make My Monday: Back to School
• Crafty Gals Corner: Anything Goes
• Going Grey with Scrap Creations: Back to School
• The Crazy Challenge: Getting Ready for School

Simple Miss You Card

Hello and happy Tuesday! It's time for a new challenge at Tuesday Throwdown and this week we want you to make something Clean and Simple. Our sponsor is Fred, She Said Designs and I'm using the adorable Rosey with Flower image. The coloured set comes with four different versions of Rosey. I printed them all out and because they are all so cute, I let my hubby decide which one I used. Keeping in mind this is a clean and simple challenge, I went with a scalloped frame die cut by Taylored Expressions and a die cut Miss You sentiment by Impression Obsession. The big debate was over the sequins, to use or not to use was the question... well, I went for it.

We would love for you to join us this week! Click here for all the challenge details and design team inspiration. You have until mid-day Monday, September 5th to play along. Hope to see your creation in the gallery.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Glowing Ghost Halloween Card

Happy Friday! Today I ran errands and met my hubby for lunch. After putting all the groceries away and doing a load of laundry, I finally made it to my craft room. This time of year I'm ready to start making Halloween cards. Most of the stores have their decorations and Halloween merchandise on display, so I thought I would get into the spirit and make a Halloween card. This Glowing Ghost Halloween Card was made for the following challenges:

• Paper Craft Crew: Sketch #208
• 4 Crafty Chicks: Let's Get Sentimental
• DRS Designs: Monsters, Witches & Ghouls, oh my!

The ghost was stamped onto a piece of Smoky Slate cardstock using VersaMark and embossed with Wow! Glow-in-the-Dark embossing powder. When heat embossed it didn't have the normal gloss, so I then heat embossed it with ultra thick embossing enamel by Ranger. Now it's glossy and it still glows. I tried taking a picture in the dark but it didn't turn out that great! It's pretty neat though and I'm sure my niece with be surprised when it glows in her bedroom. 

Here is the supply list*:

• Paper: Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango and Rich Razzleberry cardstock.
• Stamps: Current-You've Got This (background stamp), Timeless Textures, Gorgeous Grunge, Crazy About You. Retired- Fall Fest, Haunt Ya Later and Googly Ghouls. 
• Inks: Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Tangerine Tango and Rich Razzleberry. Basic Black Stampin' Write marker, VersaMark clear and Wow! Glow-in-the-Dark embossing powder.
• Other Stuff: Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel by Ranger, Word Window punch, small oval punch, scissors, sponge daubers and stampin' dimensionals.  

*All supplies by Stampin' Up! unless noted.

Fairy Kitten Card

Hello crafty friends! My neighbor and I got together yesterday and did some coloring. She bought some new pens and was ready to try them out. So, I loaded my Copic markers up, printed a few digital images and spent a few hours coloring at her house. It was fun!

This Fairy Kitten image by Aurora Wings was one I colored. Isn't it sweet? This image is a little different from my normal but I just loved how delicate and pretty it is. Since I printed the image a little larger it didn't leave much space on an A2 card for embellishment. I kept it simple with some twine and three sequins.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you come back again soon!

This Fairy Kitten Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Creative Craft Cottage: Things with Wings
• Crafts Galore: Use a Digi or Stamp
• Sunny Day Crafting: Anything Goes
• Show Us Your Pussies: Any Cat Creation Goes

Penguin Pop-Up Card

Yesterday my neighbor and I went to the Creating Keepsakes Convention that stopped in Tulsa, Oklahoma and took a Penguin Pop-Up Card class taught by Lickety Split Scrapbooks. We made this card in class and in the kit there are directions for three more cards. This is my first attempt at this type of card and it was a lot of fun, especially when everything came pre-cut and ready to assemble. The hardest part will be waiting to give this card to my niece on her birthday next April.

It seems the vendor part of the convention is getting smaller every year. I'm happy to say I stuck to my budget and still had money left over when I walked out the door. Don't worry, I'll find a place to spend it!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Casual Just for You Card

Each of us have our own interpretation of how casual is defined on our card creations. To me it's simply having one main focal area with minimal embellishments. When it comes to patterned paper... I say use it! This Casual Just for You Card is a good example of my casual definition.

Update: Okay, I now know that CAS means clean and simple. Ha! I should have looked this acronym up. So, for those of us who love patterned paper and struggle to leave enough "white space" we can just call our cards casual.

All supplies for this card are by Stampin' Up! The Bella & Friends image was stamped using Memento black ink and colored with ink pads and a blender pen. On either side of the turtle and Bella I added some flowers from the Sprinkles of Life stamp set. The patterned paper is from the Affectionately Yours dsp, Cardstock colors used include: Whisper White, Watermelon Wonder, Night of Navy and Daffodil Delight. Two retired items were used to add detail... the Sizzix butterfly embosslit and the decorative scalloped edgelit. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and come back again soon.

This Casual Just for You Card is entered into the following challenges:

• SU-Only: Cute and Cuddly
• Addicted to Stamps and More: Make Your Mark

Brentwood Cupcake Card

Have you fallen in love with the adorable owl named Brentwood? Well, I have! He is designed by Jessica Lynn Original and she has digital images and clear photopolymer stamps available featuring Mr. Brentwood. This card features the Birthday Digital Brentwood Owl image. He was colored using Copic markers and then die cut using a stitched square die by Lil' Inkers. Since I love using cupcake liners when I bake cupcakes, I did a little paper piecing with a small floral pattern. The layout on this card just evolved as I played around with paper, but I think it turned out pretty cool. The Birthday Wishes sentiment is a die cut by Impression Obsession called Birthday Top Edgers. That's it!

This Brentwood Cupcake Card is entered into the following challenges:

• The East Wind: Paper Piecing 
• Crafts Galore: Use a Digi or Stamp
• Critters and Creatures: Focus on Critter/Creature
• Crafty Awesomeness: Anything Goes with Colored Image

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Get Whale Soon Card

Hello and happy Tuesday! It's amazing how fast two weeks goes bye but it has and that means it's team B's turn to host the challenge at Tuesday Throwdown. Our theme this week is the ever so popular Anything Goes. It does have to be something new, no links to a previous post but other than that... it's anything goes. Our sponsor this week is the Cutting Cafe and the design team have used the Under the Sea printable stamp set to create our inspiration. The set includes 11 different images and 18 sentiments in pdf format. With all the choices I decided to use the cute whale image for a more masculine "Get Whale Soon" card. We would love for you to join us this week! Click here to check out the design team inspiration and all the challenge details. You have until mid-day next Monday, August 22nd to link your creation. Hope to see you in the gallery! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This card is entered into the following challenges:

• Craft Your Passion: Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap: Anything Goes
• CCC Digi Creations: Shades of Blue

Military Brentwood Owl Cards

Happy Saturday! Today is the launch of a new stamp set at Jessica Lynn Originals called Military Brentwood Owl. The full set will be launched live tonight at 8 p.m. (central time) on the Jessica Lynn Original Facebook page. You will definitely want to join in the fun!!! There will be a giveaway, coupon codes for free digital images and shipping along with a scavenger hunt. During the live event we will be making a card with the new Military Brentwood Owl stamp set. This is going to be a fun event and I hope you will join us.

To create my cards I decided I wanted to use papers that would be widely available to everyone, so I went to my local Hobby Lobby store and found papers in the open stock section. Once the images were stamped I colored them with Copic markers and then die cut them with stitched dies. The embellishments were kept to a minimum just the way I like it and these cards were done.

The second card is entered into the following challenges:

• Brown Sugar: Anything Goes
• Pattie's Creations: Anything Goes
• Addicted to Stamps and More: Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Military Brentwood Launch on Saturday

Hello crafty friends! If you're a fan of Brentwood the adorable owl by Jessica Lynn Original then you will want to put 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 13th on your schedule for the live launch of the new Military Brentwood Owl stamp set.

All day on Saturday the design team will be posting our sneak peek inspiration for you. It will start at 10 a.m. (central time) and throughout the day until the live Facebook launch starting at 8 p.m. You can find all the details on the blog, click here.

Link to Jessica Lynn Original Facebook page CLICK HERE.

There will be a giveaway, a scavenger hunt, plus during the live event we will be making a card using the new stamp set. I hope you will set your reminder alarm to join us on Saturday.  

Best Birds Thoughts for You Card

If you asked me what my favorite stamp set is from the current Stampin' Up! catalog, I would tell you it's Best Birds. I truly adore this set mostly because I adore birds but also because there are so many uses for this set. It comes with some great sentiments and can be used for many different occasions. Have I convinced you of how much I love the Best Birds stamp set yet?

To create this card I combined three challenges and they include:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: Sketch #364
• Paper Craft Crew: Designer Series Paper
• Cards in Envy: Wings

All supplies on this Best Birds Thoughts for You Card are by Stampin' Up! with the exception of Copic markers used to color the bird and branch. Some supplies are new and some are retired and here is the list:

• Paper: Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Pacific Point and Basic Black cardstock, along with the retired Pretty Petals designer series paper.
• Stamps: Best Birds
• Inks & Coloring: Memento black and Classic Stampin' pad in Mint Macaroon. Retired Calypso Coral Blendabilities markers and Copic markers: W1, W3, W5, E31, E50, E57, G99, Y23, YG61 and YR21.
• Other Stuff: Big Shot, Birds & Blooms Thinlit dies, decorative edgelit die and Stampin' dimensionals.  

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Thoughtful Branches Card

This morning the UPS guy delivered my latest Stampin' Up! order. I've been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the new Thoughtful Branches stamp set and coordinating dies. It's a limited time set that will only be available for the month of August or while supplies last. Click here for all the details.

When creating this card I was going for a gender neutral design, just in case I decide to send it to my uncle in Texas. The embossed cloud background was sitting on my desk from a previous project and I decided to rescue it for this card. I colored around the clouds with a B000 Copic marker and used the blender pen to eliminate the harsh lines. The streaky lines at the bottom were stamped using the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set and colored in with a G12 Copic marker. Some linen thread was added for detail along with three Soft Sky sequins (they will be available in the upcoming 2016 holiday catalog). The little red bird was stamped using Real Red and adhered flat to the tree. Using the Thinking of You sentiment from the Wetlands stamp set, it was punched with an oval punch and layered to a scalloped oval punch. The cardstock colors include: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi and retired Pistachio Pudding. That's it!

This Thoughtful Branches Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Happy Little Stampers: Anything Goes with Dies
• Craft Your Passion: Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments Designs: Use Dies

Floral Thoughts of You Card

There are so many wonderful framelit dies available and I love using them. Although, I need to find a good organizational strategy to keep them put away. Right now I'm keeping them in their original packaging and they are placed in a drawer. If you have any tips you would like to share I'm open to suggestions.

To create this Floral Thoughts of You Card I combined the color challenge at Create with Connie and Mary with the Delightful Dies challenge at SU-Only. The colors include: Sweet Sugarplum, Rich Razzleberry and Mint Macaroon. If you've followed my blog for awhile, you may know that greens and purples are my favorite colors. So, when I saw the challenge to use these colors I knew I had to play along.

The layout for this card started by casing another one of my cards using the Falling Flowers stamp set (click here to view) but then I was playing around and the focal panel was tilted and I went with it. The only thing I would change would be leaving off the Dazzling Diamonds in the flower centers. It's getting goopy and didn't turn as pretty as I had envisioned. The list of Stampin' Up! supplies are below and thanks for stopping by!

Floral Thoughts of You Card Supplies:

• Paper: Whisper White, Sweet Sugarplum, Rich Razzleberry and Mint Macaroon cardstock, along with Blooms & Bliss designer series paper.
• Stamps: Timeless Textures, Falling Flowers and Watercolor Wishes.
• Inks: Sweet Sugarplum, Rich Razzleberry and Mint Macaroon.
• Other Stuff: Big Shot, May Flower Framelit Dies, Dazzling Diamonds and Stampin' dimensionals. 

Pretty Kitty meets Playful Palette

Do you like to play around with color? I love making similar cards and changing the colors to compare the differences. That's exactly what I did with this Pretty Kitty meets Playful Palette Card*. It is a remake of the Pretty Kitty meets Gorgeous Grunge card I posted yesterday. I added an additional strip of patterned paper and twine to this card to show how small changes can make a difference. The background stamping on this card was done using the Timeless Textures stamp set. The splatters in this stamp set are small and it was turned and repeated several times, using the stamp off technique occasionally to give the ink a lighter shade. So, which one do you like better, Playful Palette or Gorgeous Grunge?


This Pretty Kitty meets Playful Palette Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Southern Girls: Anything Goes
• Crafting By Designs: Anything Goes

*All supplies are by Stampin' Up! unless noted: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Peekaboo Peach, Sweet Sugarplum and Blushing Bride cardstock, Playful Palette paper pad, Pretty Kitty stamp set, Timeless Textures stamp set and Papillon Potpourri stamp set. Classic stampin' pads in: Peekaboo Peach, Blushing Bride, Emerald Envy and Sweet Sugarplum. Memento black ink pad, Copic markers in warm gray tones, Bitty Butterfly punch, Emerald Envy twine, stitched circle die cut by My Favorite Things and basic pearls. That's it!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Pretty Kitty meets Gorgeous Grunge

If you are anything like me when you get new supplies you may neglect your older stash. This especially happens with patterned paper and retired ink colors! I'm a patterned paper junkie and I'll never use it all. So, today I pulled out the retired Moonlight paper pad and created this card using the new Pretty Kitty stamp set with the current Gorgeous Grunge stamp set, both by Stampin' Up! Some of the colors are retired and some are current and they include: Basic Gray, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon and Whisper White. The flowers in the kitty image were colored with a blender pen and ink pads, while the gray pot was colored with Copic markers. A butterfly from the Papillon Potpourri stamp set was added with three rhinestones for sparkle and that's it. The layout is simple and everything was adhered flat for easy shipping.

This card is entered into the following challenges:

• Cards in Envy: Wings
• Crafty Boots: Use a Stamp
• Critters and Creatures: Use Critters or Creatures
• Show Us Your Pussies: Any Cat Creation Goes

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge at Tuesday Throwdown

Hello crafty friends! This week at Tuesday Throwdown we have one of my favorite kinds of challenges... a Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge. We are sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and they provided the design team with some lovely images to create our inspirational projects. I've used the image called A Little Birdie Told Me and colored it with Copic markers. The image is so sweet and can be used for many different occasions. Now, I know you want to play along with our challenge this week and you have until mid-day on Monday, August 9th to link your creations. Click here for all the challenge details and design team inspiration. I hope to see your creation in the gallery!

To create this card I selected diagonally on the Tic-Tac-Toe board to use Flower, Marker and Ribbon/Twine. Then I picked patterned papers from the Vintage Bliss paper pad by Simple Stories. I really adore the colors in this paper collection. The image was die cut using stitched rectangles by Lil' Inkers and then colored with Copic markers. The cardstock colors are by Stampin' Up! and include: Bermuda Bay, Pear Pizzazz, Calypso Coral and retired Crisp Cantaloupe. Some Bermuda Bay twine was added along with three Crisp Cantaloupe sequins. A little music note by Stampendous! was stamped and punched with a Martha Stewart heart punch. The You make my heart sing sentiment is from Impression Obsession and was stamped with Memento black ink. That's it!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Pansy Turtle Smile Card

Hello to the month of August! At this point I'm counting down the days until Fall/Autumn, which will arrive this year on September 22nd! I don't enjoy the summer heat in Oklahoma, so I spend a lot of my summer indoors in my craft room. :) This weekend I cleaned my craft room and found several digital images that I printed and set aside to use later. Then they got covered up and forgot about. This darling Pansy Turtle by Doodle Pantry was one of them. The size of the image was perfect for the sketch I found in the archives at Sketch Saturday. The sketch was from the April 6, 2013 challenge #253. I love using circles and this sketch was a lot of fun to use. This Pansy Turtle Smile Card was created for the following challenges:

• Sketch Saturday: Archive Sketch Week
• Doodle Pantry: Any Digital Image Goes
• Love To Scrap: Take Two, two butterflies
• Crafting When We Can: Squares
• Glitter 'N' Sparkle: Include a Butterfly

The finished size of this card is 5.25" square. All patterned papers are from the Dots & Stripes paper pads by Echo Park. The little butterflies were stamped using the Papillon Potpourri stamp set by Stampin' Up! and punched with the Bitty Butterfly punch. The sending a smile your way sentiment is from the new Love & Affection stamp set by Stampin' Up! and the final touches were some sequins and rhinestones for sparkle. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!