Pink & Green Day

it's a pink and green day here in the burg... or rather in my house (in the burg). Even though I would tell you my favorite color is blue, it seems that green shows up in a heck of a lot of cards for me. I had a couple of birthday cards to make for the coming week and the first thing I reached for was the green cardstock. Then the pink. (and anyone who knows me knooooooows I'm not a pink girl. well, I never used to be and ya see it's also a color I seem to be drawn to more lately. go fig)
I actually scanned this card in, then ripped off the oval, pulled out my sewing machine, stitched the gingham portion, then put the oval back and quick snapped a photo. phew! The scan looked prettier but the stitching really finished off the card - so there.  I used Papertrey Ink's 2012 Birthday Tags as well as Background Basics: Gingham and finally, the Polka Dots Basic stamp sets.  The white scallop and the oval were cut with the Limitless Layers 2-1/4" Oval Dies.

For my second birthday card I used the same 2012 Birthday tags set as well as the oval dies, some Basic Grey paper as well as the BB: Gingham. I used the Double Ended Banner die in the center there and used a little StampinUp! punch to create that little scallop at the bottom (but I cannot remember what it's called to save my life and I'm sure it's long since retired. Note to self: buy a scallop border die already!)
Okay I believe the troops are pacing outside my door here, wanting to be fed. I am hoping to get more time to make things this week (hopefully I'm almost finished with the workmen invading my home everyday). Have a good one!

Lily of the Valley Thank you's

I needed a few thank you cards and since it's Spring (well despite a few 80 & 90 degree days) I decided to pull out one of most favorite stamp sets - Papertrey Ink Year of Flowers: Lily of the Valley. It's just the most elegant stamp. And it's really pretty stamped on kraft cardstock and colored with Prismacolors and Copic markers. But it is a large stamp - takes up a lot of real estate on a card front. I decided to fill space at the bottom with two different solutions.
The card on the left has a PTI Double Ended Banner die that I stamped with PTI Background Basics: Gingham in Versamark then stamped the sentiment in black. I cut a strip of the same color cardstock and ran it through the Fiskars crimper.
The card on the right has the sentiment stamped in black onto a an image from the PTI Sweet Spring stamp set. That image was cut out using the PTI Christmas Label die. I used that gingham stamp again and stamped a strip and cut it to fit in the space at the bottom of the card.
Alright - hope it's a great day wherever you are~

Celebrate - with a little glitter

I needed a little birthday card for a friend so I picked out some pretty Basic Grey paper (from the Wisteria pad) and a Papertrey Ink stamp and die (Celebrations stamp set and frame die) and created this card. It needed a little something else and I remembered I had a little dragonfly Quickutz die. I cut out the wings from vellum and added a little superfine Diamond Dust glitter.  Don't you love when you actually remember to use the supplies you already have? I haven't cracked out that dragonfly in ages but he came in quite handy today.








Here's a little closeup of the dragonfly.
Oh and one more thing. That frame die - I wanted another layer underneath the white frame - but there is no die for a larger frame. (I knowwww!) So what to do? I cut the frame again in the lavender (purple - whatever you want to call it) cardstock, then cut it down the middle and offset it under the white. Voila. I like the way it came out along with the crimped band of cardstock (sorta faux ribbon).

Have a good one!

Hello

Hello there :-)
Back for the 2nd day in a row huh?
Here's a little hello card.
I used the Mat Stack 3 Collection Stamp set as well as the Mat Stack 3 Dies from Papertrey Ink to create that main frame. The flowers are from Papertrey's Year of Flowers which I colored with Prismacolor pencils. The little sentiment is from the Mat Stack 3 stamp set too - such a simple but elegant font. I stamped it on cardstock cut out from PTI's Double Ended Banner die. That banner die actually has two banners on it. I cut one out of white which I stamped on then I cut the larger banner you see under it in Fine Linen cardstock. I inked up that main large frame image and stamped the edge of the larger banner with it - if you look closely you can see the larger banner has that canvas/linen pattern on it. It  helps tie it all together - along with that lovely patterned paper (I can't remember the manufacturer - sorry) - which appears to have a linen like texture.
Have a great day!

Leafy Birthday

Hi there.
Been a few days - and I'm getting a little impatient with the construction going on in my house. The floors are done but we still are working on getting a new bannister installed - that should be completed today (it's hard typing with my fingers crossed but I'm doin it anyhow). Then the final staining and I'm thinking the torture will be over next Wednesday. Sigh - I want my house back.
Onward to the leafy card you see to your left. I used Papertrey Ink's Lovely Leaves and the sentiment is from PTI's Think Big Favorites #12. I used the kiss technique using a retired Canvas background stamp from StampinUp!. I'm not sure you'll be able to see that Canvas image kissed onto the leaves - but trust me it's there and it looks pretty - kinda makes each leaf look plaid - very cute!.
I'll have another card tomorrow (really... 2 days in a row!)
Have a good one ~

What goes up and never comes down?

Here's another birthday card. Again, the picture - not so good.
If you could've seen the state of my house you'd understand that I'm lucky I got this picture and the ones to follow. It's major pandemonium in my house with new floors going in and everything is upside down. It's making me a littly loopy but I did have to get a pic of the card. If I didn't take a picture of the stuff I make, I would never remember all the details. And me - I like the details.

So on to the card. This one is for my sister who is celebrating a birthday this weekend. Since she is younger than me I don't think she'll mind the punch line when she slides open the card. I used those Movers & Shakers dies from Papertrey Ink to create the moving element to the card. The sentiment is from the Movers & Shakers Collection. For the backgrounds I used to sets: Flower Fusion #7 (the flowers on pink cardstock) and the Stitches & Swirls set for the backgrounds you see on green and yellow cardstocks.

I wrapped up her gift and sent it along with a little pack of supplies for her to make stuff but it needed a little explanation. The explanation had to be written on something cute hence this stamped piece of cardstock. (explanation on the flip side) Those leaves are from that same Flower Fusion #7 set. I'd been playing around with the stamp on some paper and kinda like how it could make a pretty little pattern. So I stamped it on some cardstock and cut it out with the Top Note die from StampinUp!. I'd cut out some flowers using the die for the Flower Fusion stamp set and glued those down for the To and Love :-) While I was playing around with stamps I stamped out this cute little tag from the PTI 2012 Birthday Tag stamp set. I cut it out with an oval die and decided I'd cut out the scallop mat for it from another piece of cardstock I'd been stamping on - more of those same flowers from Flower Fusion #7 - I kinda like the colored mat - as opposed to a plain white scallop. Anyhow that little tag was attached with a ribbon to the gift itself.
So there you have it. Now I need to get on some more birthday cards and eek - Mother's Day is practically around the corner!

a 21st birthday

here's a card I made for a 21st birthday being celebrated today. I can hardly believe it but the calendar doesn't lie. Anyway I used a number of Papertrey Ink products: the main sentiment is from the Movers and Shakers Sentiments Collection (as well as that little "pull here" ... didja see that?); also the Background Basics: Tin Types. I cut the ovals from my Nestabilities and cut the dies for the sliding feature of this card using the PTI Movers and Shakers Sliders Dies.
This is what the card looks like until you pull that little tab - and when you do it looks like this:

 The 21 is cut from some Papertrey Number dies.. cute huh?
ok... gotta run!

fringe fun

  Now I have had these Martha Stewart Fringe Scissors for forever. I've used them a few times to create just that - fringe. But I saw a video recently that made me want to try and make these little fun fringed bows. Now aren't these just the cutest things? I had shared the video with my sister - who also likes to make things :-) - and asked her if she'd like some fringe scissors for her birthday.  She said "oh yeah".
So I'll be packaging up some tissue paper, doilies, along with a pair of  fringe scissors and sending them off this week to my dear little sister so she can be a fringe bow makin fool too!
I made these 3 bows last night in no time - really it takes just a few minutes and its almost foolproof. I used the recommended hot glue and it's been a while since I've glue gunned (translation: a few burned fingers... ) but once I made the first one I was on a roll.  Now I need to wrap up some goodies I'm mailing off to my daughter who is celebrating a special birthday this week :-) I'll be back with a few cards soon.

pink polka dot birthday

So first I have to say - not the best picture. Forgive.
I was in a bit of a hurry. Story of my life. HA!
Bigger part of the story is I've been packing up a lot of stuff on the first floor of my house as I'm about to refloor it all (new hardwood replacing carpet, new kitchen tile replacing other flooring - ooh it's gonna be purty but in the meantime - big fat mess - ugh!) So I made this card for a work friend and I had a time trying to find a place to take a photo.

Regardless I used a Papertrey stamp set called 2012 Birthday Tags which has such wonderful images - and you can make a card in no time flat I'm telling ya! I stamped that cute tag, cut it and the scallop circle with the Limitless Layers 1-3/4 Circle Die Collection. I thought it needed a bit more than just the ribbon so I pulled out an old favorite I've had for probably 10 years? - the Fiskars Paper Crimper and crimped a band to go across the card. Oh and the polka dot paper? Well that's from a paper pack called Polka Dot Parade - also Papertrey. Here's another not so hot shot :-) of the card - but you get the idea, no?
I'm hoping to sneak in a little cardmaking on this day off in between packing more stuff (I have a few days left to get the packing finished).
 Have a wonderful day!

another busy week but what's that... it's a card

sorry about my absence. I really thought I'd be back last week but life is like that now isn't it? But I do have a card I made. I'm looking at the pic and it's not the best but I think you get the idea. I used the first Papertrey Ink set I ever bought - Boards & Beams. I just love that house as well as the typeface on the sentiment.  I also used the Double Ended Banner Die and the little decorative flower is from another PTI set called Mat Stack 5 Collection. I colored the house using my prismacolor and copics.

Here's a little closer look at the house.
Alrighty - I'm off again. I'm hoping to show you a few more things I've been making in between less fun stuff! Have a good one!

busy week

You know I've been busy with things-other-than-papercrafting when I received my new Big Shot (yes I finally bought one - the deal was too good and I'll still use my Cuttlebug) on Monday. I forgot that I'd ordered it even when the doorbell rang and I went to see who it was and I saw the box on my doorstep. Get this - I thought it was a package for my son - let him bring in the box when he got home and I said whaddyaget? He said "It's for you, Mom". I did a little doubletake and thought what could it be? Then realized it was my Big Shot. And it is now Wednesday and I still haven't taken it out of the box! I know - how is this possible? LOL
Well suffice it to say I've got a lot of stuff going on and I hope to be back in card making mode tomorrow. I will confess that this afternoon I had a golden hour of scrapbooking. Yes! And since I've been using Project Life by Becky Higgins page protectors (and also We R Memory Keepers page protectors for maybe the last year or two? - the divided up kind) I actually got a bunch of pics scrapbooked memorabilia included. Happy happy girl here.
So stay tuned. Oh - tonite is Survivor and American Idol (the DVR is a wonderful thing) - loving them both this year - how bout choo?

Green cards

Green as in St. Patrick's Day cards of course!

I knew I wanted to make some quick simple cards to send to family and also knew I'd be using this very cute Purple Onion Designs logo stamp.

I took a quick look through my scrap papers first. I have a milk carton with file folders of scrap cardstock and scrap patterned papers - it is often my first stop when getting supplies together to make cards.  I have one file folder that just has scrap pieces of Chatterbox papers - remember Chatterbox? Ahhhhh. I loved their patterned papers. It was almost like working with beautiful fabrics. Sigh. But I digress. I found several nice sized pieces to make a few cards. This card - you're right - not the most traditional card with the pink plaid but really it's quite pretty! I made some with a blue plaid as well.

I stamped the logo with ink on white cardstock and on a linen cardstock. I cut out the logo with Limitless Layers 1-3/4 Circle Collection (it was the perfect size!) and then cut out the center with a 1inch circle EK Success punch - then used a foam square to assemble the two pieces. I also used a bit of white grosgrain ribbon.

Ok that's all for now - enjoy your Sunday!

on second thought

I was trying out a few things and made a card then I decided I wasn't done. Ever do that? You find something not quite right or perhaps lacking? Well here is the original card

And here's the updated version
I'm still deciding if I'm happy or not LOL
I used Papertrey Ink's Heart-2-Heart #1 mini stamp set and their Spiral Notebook Die. The papers are My Mind's Eye Lost & Found and that addition in the right hand corner is a stamp from the Fresh Vintage Stamp Set from StampinUp (I think its a Sellabration set).

Oh I've been meaning to mention a few good books I've read lately: The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings (yes, the book from which the George Clooney movie was adapted), The Litigators by John Grisham, and the book I finished yesterday (actually I couldn't stop until I finished - that kind of book) called Defending Jacob by William Landay. Anybody have a book they'd like to share - I need a new one!
Alrighty - this weekend is short enough as it is with it being Daylight Savings Time (waaah) so I'm off to get going for the day. Have a wonderful weekend!

Hello

Yes I've been a little busy. We went away over the weekend to see family and ever since we returned I've been playing catch-up.
Here's a little card I made with a Papertrey Ink set called Sweet Spring which also has a coordinating die (ms. die-a-lot here) for the label - making it so easy to put together a card dontcha know (now I wish they'd come up with a die for that oval in the middle of the label. now that would be cool...) I colored the flowers and butterfly with some copics, stamped the green background using the single flower stamp in versamark and I used an embossing folder in the center bottom section.

Cupcakes x3

I'd been wanting to make some birthday cards - girly ones with cupcakes and I finally got a few minutes and  came up with these three. I used papers from a Basic Grey 6x6 paper pad I had (I love those things alot - so now I need to use them up!) Green at Heart. The cupcakes and sentiment are from Papertrey Ink Cupcake collection. I also used some dies from Papertrey as well: Cupcake Collection, Double-Ended Banner, and Mat Stack 3 and Mat Stack 3 Layerz. Oh yeah  - to make the "frosting" I stamped it using the Glue Pad and covered it in Diamond Dust glitter. It looks very cute in person I gotta say. Okay - that's all for today - have a good one!

You're so sweet

I did this card maybe a week or so ago - had plans to maybe make another and perhaps stitch a little straighter this time LOL but you know it's not driving me absolutely crazy so I think I'll leave it be. I used a few Papertrey Ink stamps and dies: Flower Fusion #12 for the flower, Polka Dot Basics for the background, Cupcake Collection for the sentiment and the Rickrack Border Die and the Flower Fusion #12 die. Have a good one!

a card and a cookie (tag)

Okay so here's a card that went with the cookies mentioned previously. Used Papertrey's Celebrations stamp set. Such a versatile set. Oh and of course the die to cut out that frame. And a little stitching going round the edge to finish it off. And a few brads.

Then of course I decided to make a tag for the gift of cookies. I got to thinking as I was cutting out said cookies that I might be able to make a "paper cookie" using my round scalloped Nestabilities dies.. and a little Glossy Accents to resemble jam. When I had that assembled I decided to brown the cookies LOL a bit with some Antique Linen Distress ink. Then I created the tag to display the cookie - using a bit of that paper I'd embossed with hearts from the previous tag. Add a little of that My Minds Eye Lost & Found paper and a bit of my handwriting (cookies make you..... Happy is on the paper). I think she'll enjoy the tag but not as much as the real cookies!

My first ever Blog Hop Challenge - PTI

ok so i decided to have a fun afternoon (translation:- making a card with some new stamps :-)) and since they're having a blog hop challenge over at Papertrey Ink it seemed like a good starting off point! The challenge is to create an interactive card and here's what I came up with.
I used the Movers & Shakers Sentiments as well as the Zipper Die, the Double-Ended Banner Die, Limitless layers Circle Collection, Mat Stack #3 die, oh and the Border Basics Medallions. I was going for a masculine card so I used Black, Fine Linen and Kraft cardstocks and inks.
Okay now I must actually go do some un-fun things. Thanks for looking!

Cooking up Cookies and Cards

Did some baking and some card making during the last week. The cookie making definitely dominated at the beginning of the week.
Here's a pic after many hours of rolling, chilling, cutting, chilling, baking.  Oh - they are Linzer cookies. An amazing recipe found years ago by my sister in a magazine. It comes from a chef that worked at the White House. We made these cookies for Christmas and they have always been a family favorite. But because they are labor intensive I'd given up making them at Christmas. For the last couple of years I've made them for my Mom (the number 1 fan of these cookies) for her birthday.







Now for years I'd made these cookies with a scalloped round cookie cutter. And yes, they are a sandwich cookie. And the topper cookie has a hole cut into it. For years I used a decorating tip - pressing it into the cookie and pulling out that center piece - it was a bit of insanity but I didn't have a very small round cookie cutter to cut out that center piece. Quite by accident I came upon this Wilton Cookie Cutter set in a store at Christmas time - I practically did a happy dance in the store - knowing I would be able to easily cut out that center hole!

So on Monday of this week I made the Linzer cookie and put it in the fridge to chill. On Tuesday, I rolled, chilled, cut, chilled, and baked the cookies. Then on Tuesday night I assembled all the cookies. In between the sandwich is raspberry jam spread onto the bottom cookie. You place the topper on then add a small amount of jam in the hole.
I was doing all this ahead of time as I needed the jam to set up so I could pack the cookies up and mail them off to my Mom - who is visiting my sister - and get them to her in time for her birthday which is Sunday. Wednesday night I packed up these delectable little treats and mailed them off on Thursday.
The new cookie cutter is slightly smaller then my original cutter so I made approximately 8 dozen Linzers. Do the math kids - 8x12x2 - yeah.. i cut out close to 200 of these rascals. But trust me when I say they are some pretty ridiculous cookies and my mom - she deserves something special. I'll be back to share a few cards tomorrow.

I turned my back for just a second

well first - don't the colors just make you think spring?
That's what I thought at least.. I was in a store looking at some new kitchen towels and I saw this and thought - how springy! And considering my bulbs are shooting up and - horrors - I'm beginning to see flowers forming... remember it's February and this shouldn't be happening and of course we're being promised a little snow tomorrow......sigh...
Regardless, some days are cold but others are decidedly not - and I'm thinking spring is just around the corner (if only in my mind).





So this patterned piece is, in reality

a countertop drying mat. I buy coordinating towels (in a solid color) and also pick up this mat. I always am using my towels on the countertop to dry the various and sundry things that don't go into the dishwasher so I figure this will be quite handy instead of said towels. It's a nice thick mat but folds easily and I'm thinking I'll be happily drying this and that over the coming months and feeling quite springy 'round my kitchen.
I get home and put it on my counter. Then I wash a few of the cat bowls and put them on top of the mat as well as the coffee maker filter holder (is that what you call that thang?) and go about the rest of my afternoon.

What do I find when I go back to this spot later in the day?
Apparently, my little Westley finds it a great spot for surveying all that is his LOL!
I immediately think - yegods.... now there is cat hair all over this mat I was drying dishes on. And then I just started to laugh my head off. Westley goes where he wants (usually in close proximity to where I am ;-)) and is so darned cute I could not be mad. I did remove him but won't be surprised to find him back there again.
Hope you're having a good day!