The 10th Annual Valentine Rakarama!

I cannot believe it's been 10 years since I started my little tradition of sending Valentines to my crafty girlfriends. I really look forward to it every year. Valentine's are probably my favorite card to make. I don't know why, but there is something about making Valentines. Even just sending Valentines. Love it.
I clearly remember - going back to elementary school - going to the Pharmacy in my little town in northern New Jersey (we moved there when I was 8 from New York) and buying my very own Valentines. They were Peanuts :-) You know, Charlie Brown, Snoopy... Yes, we normally made our Valentines.... using doilies naturellement! but I was in love with Snoopy at the time. And they were such pretty Valentines. I even had a red Flair marker (for those of us who are a certain age.... Flairs were big back then. It was the beginning of my life long obsession with pens. But I digress... you knew I would....) I wrote each Valentine with my best handwriting with that red pen and I was the happiest little girl. Ahhhh.

So fast forward (we shall skip the number of years ... suffice it to say The Beatles had played Ed Sullivan a few years before LOL) and I'm still doing my Valentine thing. With the hope that the recipients will know I'm thinking about them - sending lots of XOXO

For those of you who are familiar with my Rakarama (i've got some previous years linked up in the sidebar - just haven't gotten around to linking them all) in the past I've taken to challenging myself to making each Valentine different - sort of the "snowflake" of valentines... no one valentine exactly the same. Well, this year that wasn't happening. I've got some stuff preoccupying my life right now so I had to go a more simple route. Well... nothing with me is quite simple. I got started and kept adding things and well... it took a while to assemble them all. I'm up to about 30 Valentines this year.

I started thinking of these valentines back in December - knowing I wanted to use a tag and a wee paper bag (some of you know I love paper bags.... and kraft cardstock). January 1st rolled around and I started getting serious. I thought I had some little paper bags in my stash but they were no where to be found so I grabbed some at Michaels. I had been looking around online and found a very pretty patterned paper I just couldn't forget - and with me - that's the sign I must purchase LOL. So I bought a bunch of this patterned paper - from My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Record It!
The stamp set is from Wplus9 - Valentine Wishes - can I say how much I am in love with this set? I am in love with this set! The calligraphy, the banners, the fleurs. Too fabulous for words. I stamped the sentiment with StampinUp Purely Pomegranate (not even sure if they make that anymore?) - it was just the perfect red to go along with the patterned paper and the beautiful Bazzill cardstock (Juneberry).
I'm going to discuss the banner area in a minute.
A few more notes - the tag was cut from kraft cardstock using PTI's Tag Sale #7 die. The little heart tag tied on at the top was cut using Tiny Tags from PTI.
The pink cardstock - which is just the perfect shade of pink - is from Wplus9 - called Ballet Slippers - the most aptly named cardstock if there ever was one.
I used a scallop border die from PTI as well.
The heart doily - is just that - a heart doily - got a whole pack of those a while ago and put them away for a rainy day - or Valentines ;-)
Almost forgot - the Happy Valentines Day sentiment on the tag is from the Happy Day set from PTI. Also the pink heart was cut from the PTI Limitless Layers: Hearts dies

Okay now that banner. I stamped the banner on the wee little bag. Then I took the sentiment that goes inside it - bent it in the opposite direction - and placed it on my acrylic block. Sometimes you just need to work with what you have to make it work (I guess the banner was designed to work one way - but I wanted to use it another way)
Once that banner with sentiment was on that bag-  I wanted it to stand out - pop it up a little from the background (and I didn't want to do anymore diecutting). So I took a Copic Marker W1 - and colored all around the bottom section of the bag to get the effect I wanted. I think you can see in the picture that the banner looks much lighter than the surrounding bag.
Finally I used a lot of bakery twine (i have a huge roll - like the kind they use in the bakery). Tied the little heart tag to the larger kraft tag and put that large tag in the bag and I was done.
So that wraps up the Rakarama this year. As much as I loved every minute this may be the last. (well maybe til December of next year when I start to get vision of Valentines dancing in my head instead of sugarplums). Thanks for stopping by...and Happy Valentine's Day!
ETA: when I went to link up my card earlier today to the Step it Up Challenge at Wplus9 I wasn't able to - I was so disappointed. Now I just found out the deadline has been extended! YAY!

Building Blocks of Design Challenge - Papertry Ink 7th Anniversary Day 9

Okay so the challenge (over on the Papertrey Ink blog)  is to visit all the design team blogs and gather your building blocks (choices) to make a card. From each list (block) you need to randomly select an item to work with.
So my colors were: Harvest Gold, Enchanted Evening, and Melon Berry. Kinda hard I was thinkin.... I almost tried again with the random generator but figured I might as well try right?
My neutral selection was white; occasion selection was Birthday; technique was heat embossing (yay); embellishment was brads (ok... i got those); and finally Fiber selection was ribbon. I am going to say now I didn't include the ribbon - it just wasn't workin for me.
Oops there was one more element - a sketch. I picked #5 (which can be see on Dawn McVey's blog)
So with all that to work with I decided to use the following stamp sets - all from Papertrey Ink.
Background Basics: Super Stripes - for the background (duh LOL). I stamped using Fresh Snow ink on that Enchanted Evening cardstock. 
Background Basics: Birthday Fun - stamped in Versamark then clear embossed.
Polka Dot Basics: I had a scrap of Melon Berry cardstock that I'd previously stamped using Fresh Snow ink.I used the die from the Cupcake Collection set to cut out the cupcake liner.

Cupcake Collection Stamp set - I also stamped the frosting using Melon Berry Ink, hilighted that frosting with a Copic marker (W1) and added a little sparkle (which I don't think you can see in the photos with a Gelly Roll glitter pen).
I assembled the cupcake and adhered it to a piece of white cardstock that I cut with the Spiral Notebook die - then backed that up with a piece of Melon Berry cardstock.
(are you still with me LOL.... almost done.... hey there's lots of "building" goin on here)
I needed a sentiment. I used one from Boutique Borders: Birthday. Such a pretty sentiment and I thought the fit was good. I stamped that using Enchanted Evening ink.
And finally I went to a little mason jar where I've got a big pile of brads. I picked thru there and found a couple I thought worked nicely color wise.
I'm not sure how much I love the color combo - but I will say I kinda like how the embossed Harvest Gold background picks up the Melon Berry - kind of gives a cast of that color. (I'm having something of a flashback to Mrs. Gates- my advisor and professor in college. I did my Serigraphy Independent Study under her - it was more or less a color theory challenge back in the day ;-) I think she'd be amused.)
Okay kids, I'll be back tomorrow with .... the 10th Annual Valentine Rakarama!!! (shut up! yes... it's been 10 years...) You don't want to miss it!

Pocket Scrapbooking

I made three little 3x4 pocket scrapbooking cards for the Monthly Moments Trading Card challenge at PTI last night. I had a few minutes and decided I'd give it a whirl - but I didn't check the closing time on the challenge so.... didn't get these in for the challenge. But I had a quick bit of fun and that's what its really all about. I'm so into my Valentines I wasn't participating in all those fun challenges.

So here are mine. Sorry about the pics - its a little dark out this morning and I couldn't get a good pic to save my life. anyway....I'm gonna put them in my box of scrapbooking cards - yes I make little cards now and again with scraps or when the spirit moves me :-) That's whats so fun about these little cards. Just like ATC's - it's this wonderful little canvas and you can just have at it!

For all three I used Papertrey Ink's Big Ticket Basics stamp set. I used the coordinating die on the second one - to make that ticket. On the first one I used the Double-ended banner die. And on all three I used some pretty patterned paper from the Pacific Vineyard paper pack; cardstock colors are Fine Linen, Ripe Avocado and Royal Velvet.
Funny thing - I bought Big Ticket Basics primarily to use in my scrapbooks.
It's such a great set for that - and I've used it in my scrapbooks a few times already. And made some greeting cards as well. It was fun to pull it back out last night. I haven't really had time in the last 4 or 5 months to do any scrapbooking. I'm hoping when a few things fall into place around here over the next month or so I'll be able to get back into a regular schedule of scrapbooking.
We are planning a very big trip in April and May - so excited about that and I'll share more about it in the coming months. But I'd already decided to make something of a travel album ahead of time - to record as we go from place to place. I know from experience, coming home afterward and trying to remember all the details is really hard. I want to make sure I don't forget a thing!
Okay - off to begin my Sunday :-) Have a good one!

PTI Anniversary - Sketch & Color Recipe Card Challenge

So over at Papertrey Ink they're having all kinds of challenges in celebration of their 7th Anniversary. Here are the two recipe cards I used to make my card








I used the Tremendous Treats: Valentine stamp set and die to stamp the adorable puppy and stamp the sentiment. I also used the little heart stamps in the set to create the background with 2 different colored inks: PTI Pure Poppy and SU Purely Pomegranate (I need to get me some Scarlet Jewel ink but in the meantime I think it worked out just fine). I cut the little banner using the Double ended banner die from PTI. I cut the large circle with a Nestabilities die and then used PTI's Aida Impression plate to give the card some texture. The little hearts were cut using a Fiskars heart hole punch I've had for years.
I'm up to my ears in Valentine making right now and having such fun - it is probably my favorite card making holiday of all - no... it's definitely my favorite :-)  But I had to stop and create something with all those fun challenges going on over there at Papertrey Ink.
Thanks for stopping by!

Make it Monday #150 - Window Screen Cards

Getting this one in under the wire.....

Finally had some time this afternoon - Sunday- sheesh! to try this fun challenge. I used all Papertrey Ink stamps and dies. The stamps are from Birds & Blooms. It has such beautiful sentiment stamps and there are, of course, those cute little birds. My "screen" is the Hexagon Cover Plate Die. I chose to put some of the cut out hexagons back in place. I also used the Woodgrain Impression Plate for the kraft cardstock background. I cut my own little banner for the sentiment. Finally, I used the Fabulous Frames die collection to cut the frame from Aqua Mist Gingham patterned paper, and mount the whole thing on a piece of Aqua Mist cardstock. Then I added some bakery twine to finish the whole thing off.
I'm now off to make some dinner and probably sit down for a little while with my husband to see some Super Bowl (me- the commercials and half time show probably accompanied by some coloring with Copics :-) ; the husband.... well you know). Have a good one!
ETA: I'm entering this card in the Moxie Fab World Challenge: Hexagons: Happy for Hexagons

Therapy continues: More from Doodlie-do

So I mentioned I was playing with Copics and a new stamp set from Papertrey Ink called Doodlie-do. I have two more cards to share with you today.

Here's the Blue & White version.
I used Papertrey Ink Enchanted Evening and Spring Rain cardstocks and stamped the images as well as the sentiment in Enchanted Evening ink. I used B21 & B95 Copics.







 Next is the Blue-Yellow-Green version
I kinda like the way this one came out too
Again I stamped the images and sentiment in Papertrey Ink's Enchanted Evening ink and the  cardstock is Spring Rain. The Copic markers I used were B21, B95, YG63, and Y21

The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink mini stamp set named Happy For You.

I am sure I'll be making a bunch more cards with Doodlie-do.
That's all for today - have a good one!

Better than therapy

I recently purchased a stamp set from Papertrey Ink named Doodlie-do. And I have been playing with these stamps over the course of the last few days. Along with some Copic markers. And I swear it's better than therapy. Just sitting here, coloring, I feel so happy, calm and peaceful. And I wonder why am I not doing this everyday? If only right? However, when I can squeeze in the time it is just what the doctor ordered.
I stamped the flower image on white cardstock using Papertrey's Melon Berry Ink and colored it with Copics R11 and R20. The card base is Papertrey's Soft Stone cardstock which I also used for the sentiment matting. And you may be able to see I colored in the dots (on the flower image with the sentiment) with a white Gelly Roll pen.
I was having such a good time I stamped out more images from the set so I could begin coloring them when time allowed. Well lets just say I made time LOL! I'll post them in another day or so.
Hope you're staying warm wherever you are. I'm kinda tired of the cold already. When I was heading out to work this morning at 6:45 the temp was 14 but - with the windchill -1. Yeah. I have had enough.

Merci Hearts (Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Challenge January)

I needed a thank you card  - for a most wonderful Aunt-In-Law (is that a word?). My husband's Aunt. An amazing woman.
And I thought she'd like these hearts - from the Happy Hearts stamp set from Papertrey Ink. I also used the coordinating Coverplate:Hearts die to cut out those hearts. So cute. The sentiment is from PTI as well - Think Big Favorites #3.
Thanks for stopping by - happy Friday!
Editing to add I'm entering this one in the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop January challenge.

Happy Birthday with Ruby Reprise

Doubtful the recipient has received her card yet (dreaded snowstorm may've delayed the mailman)  but I'm going to post this regardless. Happy Birthday Michele! 
I sat down to make this card and had some lovely inspiration in mind when I did - check out this card by Betsy Veldman. I just loved how she used that tiny little flower stamp from Ruby Reprise (a wonderful little freebie stamp set from Papertrey Ink.)That little flower just dancing across the card. Kinda makes me think of twinkling lights. Anyhow...
 I stamped the flower all over my card in two colors (PTI Fresh Snow and SU! Lovely Lilac - which i think is retired? i have my reinker thank goodness!)  The sentiment is from PTI's Stylish Sentiments: Birthday and you'll note I continued stamping the little flower in the sentiment banner area only this time I used PTI's Fine Linen. The cardstock used is PTI Fine Linen, Winter Wisteria and Royal Velvet. I topped the whole thing off with a little grosgrain ribbon at the top and a button tied with some embroidery thread.
Okay that's it for today. I do have another card I'll be posting soon. I know... two cards in a week - I think... I think I'm back :-)

Thank you for

stopping back - I finally got to making something ;-)

I received a pair of slippers for Christmas. Now perhaps you're thinking - well.... isn't that special. But truly it was! I got just what I wanted and now I have warm tootsies. So I had to send my sister-in-law a thank you. (on my husband's side of the family we draw names for Christmas gifting - it's a big family.) I couldn't quite think of what kind of card to make. I think I'm just rusty LOL and then it came to me I could just draw those slippers - and that's what I did. Used a Pitt pen, Prismacolor pencil and a Copic marker. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Giga Guidelines.
Okay that's all for today. Have a good one

Happy New Year!

I promised myself I'd post on New Year's Day... and I'm just squeakin by. 2013 wasn't the best of  years and I am truly hoping that 2014 will be a very Happy New Year. I know I've been gone from the blog for many months now. Unavoidable. I've been taking care of business. Unhappy business. And there is still some residual business to be tended to but I wanted to check in and say hi. I'll be back posting soon.

Graduation Card: Gimme some tassel!

Do you remember this from Disney's Aladdin? Genie says "Yo Rugman, gimme some tassel!"

Well my daughter loved this movie as a child. (Actually any Disney movie. We love our animated movies.) So while I was pondering my options for cards I was thinking about "graduation" things. Mortar boards, robes, tassels. Yeah... tassels.  And I recalled this quote. I pictured her saying this when she was small. So cute. And then I thought of making this card using that line. I found a tassel at the Silhouette online store. Only problem was it had a different year. I managed to create my own year charm hanging off the tassel - score one big Silhouette software achievement for me (I'm still struggling but I'm getting better LOL!).
Alrighty - that's all for today. I'm at the graduation, then dinner out with family. Have a great day!

Graduation Card: Reach for the Stars

So, my daughter is graduating from college on Monday, tomorrow. It's a little crazy - it seems just like yesterday when she began. But here we are. I think since she's my "baby" that the time just kind of sped up. I remember having similar thoughts when my son graduated from college - but this REALLY went by fast. Anyway - special events require a card from me :-) natch. So I made two! Actually I couldn't make up my mind on what I wanted to do - I had several ideas. One funny and one serious. So here's my "serious" one ;-) I used PTI's Star Gazer Additions stamp set. It has some very nice sentiments as well as that large constellation stamp. When I bought this set I had in my mind doing the polished stone technique and I think, for the most part, it worked out well. I had a tough time getting a pic I liked - one that showed off the gold highlights.  I clear embossed the large image if that's not apparent then created the polished stone over it. The sentiment was stamped in Versamark as well but I used gold embossing powder.
So last week I mentioned we were heading up to New York City and I'd explain why. My daughter had one of her illustrations entered in a competition. And she was one of the winners. If you are an illustrator, this was a prestigious competition. So on Friday night, we went to the opening of the show for the winners. It was quite the night. For her, and for her proud parents :-0 After the opening we went out to dinner in the city - my nephew and his wife had driven in from NJ - a really wonderful time had by all. Then we had to drive back Saturday because today, Sunday, we have to drive up to Baltimore to attend my daughter's graduate exhibition. I guess that's what you call it LOL. All the seniors put on an exhibition of their work. We've got a bunch of family coming in for it. It's going to be another great day for her. Followed by the graduation tomorrow.
So I'll be back with the other card - have a good one.

Tinkerbell Birthday

So next Monday is the birthday of my youngest niece. My sister's baby. She will be 5 (goin on 15). And she is theee girliest girl ever. She loves pink and anything sparkly. Did I mention glitter? This girl loves glitter. And she loves Tinkerbell. She has decided her birthday shall have a Tinkerbell theme. (Yes, I said that right. She decided. LOL) As she lives on the other side of the country (much to my great dismay. No, sadness. I wish I could be with her on her birthday.  Maybe another year. This year in particular it's not happening. On Monday I shall be attending my daughter's graduation from college! But we'll talk about that in another post.) So I have sent the gifts already but I have to send the card and some tags for those presents - so at least I'll be there in spirit. And this child will be expecting an Aunt Tracy card dontchaknow.

Now, I don't have any Tinkerbell stamps. I don't even know if one exists. But the internet is a wonderful thing. I found a cute project online to make a magic wand that has Tinkerbell on it. I briefly toyed with making that magic wand (cos I know this kid would love it but I feared it would be crushed in transit) but decided to use the images to make a card and some tags. For the card I printed out the project itself. The main framed Tinkerbell and a separate star image. I cut those out and glued them together. I added some cardstock that I ran through my Big Shot with a Cuttlebug Swiss Dot Embossing folder. I used some foam tape to pop the main image up. I found a cute font and printed out the sentiment and handcut it to make a banner. And of course I had to add some glitter. In Photoshop I took the image of Tinkerbell herself and printed out a few and ran them through the Big Shot with PTI's Tag Sale #3. They really look cute - and I know she'll love it.
Alright that's all for today. I will be back to show you the graduation cards I made for my daughter. Yes, they're already done. I had to get them done ahead of time as we're heading out of town on Thursday for NYC. What's going on in NYC? Well that is a good question - and I'll be back to tell you :-) (It's "Proud Mom" stuff :-))
Thanks for stopping by. Have a good one!

Hello There Fabulous

So last week I was talking about cards being born out of desire to use a stamp set, or an idea you have for a card and then there is the technique you wanna try. Well this one is more in that last range. It's not exactly a technique - more of a media. I was stamping around making some more background "paper" with some Versamark clear embossed images. Little flowers from the PTI Mini Blooms. I'd clear embossed the images and was applying the ink and there was a piece of vellum on my drawing board - from some other card. And I got to thinking I should make some background paper with that - and what would it look like if it was layered on top of the cardstock paper with the same images. So I stamped some little flowers on the vellum and embossed with white embossing powder. I die cut the frame from PTI's Fabulous Frames, put the vellum behind that and layered it on top of the cardstock patterned paper I'd made. I also through on some sequins and used some embroidery floss I had hanging around.
Okay - gotta run - have a good one!

Happy Mother's Day

I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day. I'm hoping to get in some crafting time - specifically scrapbooking. But we shall see. In the meantime I thought I'd post this card I made for my Mom.
I was very much wanting to use my Silhouette Portrait. I've been working on using it - for me the learning curve has been big. Everything I want to do apparently isn't just straight up cutting LOL. I did cut some vinyl recently and a lovely little quote is adorning our bedroom walls now. I was very pleased with that accomplishment. (it only took looking at a bazillion videos on You Tube.... ok. I exaggerate a tad. But it took a while.)
So back to the card. Recently the Silhouette store had a lovely 50% off sale on all shapes and I bought a few with my gift card. One was the background you see here in the card. It's actually a card - but I only used the lattice part.  The peony was a freebie - the Silhouette store gives away a shape every week and I gotta say their freebies are pretty fabulous! This flower was so easy to put together - just cut and glue. My kinda flower! The tag is from PTI's Fillable Frames #9 - cut it with the coordinating die and stamped the border on. The sentiment is from PTI's Boutique Borders: Mother. Oh yes - forgot to say the latticey background there is cut from PTI's Spring Moss Bitty Dot patterned paper.
Have a wonderful day!

Even more cards (I didn't post) LOL

I know... You'd think I would just take the pics of the cards and post them right away but in the last month it just wasn't always possible so here I am with two more cards.
For this first card I had a tough time getting pictures - it didn't want to stay closed LOL.  The second pic will give you a better idea of the diecut feature. The black background is all one piece including the half circle. It was a little tricky getting that accomplished (the partial diecutting I mean) but it was worth it.
I don't know about you but for me -sometimes a card is born from a specific idea of what I want it to look like, or a stamp set that I want to use. But lately it's about techniques I wanna play with. Like in the case here. I was seeing all that ombre out there in the internet card-land. I think it is obvious I'm not too trendy LOL. I'm more of a classic kinda girl. Always have been. But I was liking the ombre. And everything old is new again now isn't it ;-) So I pulled out PTI's Polka Dot Basics stamps set and stamped a whole sheet of cardstock with some of the larger polkas. Oh yeah. In versamark. That was fun (like stamping in the dark!!!) Then I clear embossed those polkas. I grabbed some Aqua Mist ink and that Tim Holtz ink applicator with the foam - I hadn't played with that in quite some time. And I started inking up those polkas from bottom to top and left to right. The important part here is the left to right. Only going in one direction. If you click on the photo hopefully you'll see what I mean. It made the polkas 3D. They have a shadow on the right side and it just pops them right up. (it was a little squeal moment). So I became less intrigued with the ombre (which here is so very subtle) and more so with the 3D effect I was getting. I decided I had to work in a sentiment from PTI's Stylish Sentiments: Birthday and turn my little exercise into a birthday card.

I was going to post the other card but now I'm thinking that's enough for today LOL! I need to get a move on - busy week ahead. Big doings - graduation approaches and a side trip next weekend before the big day - very exciting. I'll tell you all about it soon.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a good one.

More cards I didn't post

Yes, I have a few more cards I didn't post. And I absolutely meant to do so but what can I say - I got busy. I definitely wanted to post these cos I had such a good time making them. I'd gotten the Stylish Sentiments: Birthday stamp set and saw that little diagonally striped stamp - it's maybe 1/2 inch by 1 inch. I wondered what I could do with it. And I started playing around. With one color then two colors and well here's what I came up with. I really like the way this one came out. I used Aqua Mist and Spring Moss inks and Hawaiian Shores Cardstock - the sentiment (from the same set) is stamped in Fresh Snow ink and I used white embossing powder. In case you're wondering I stamped in one ink in one direction then stamped over that with another ink in another direction and it created this cool pattern.


Then I made a thank you card using the same stamp, inks and technique - different sentiment (Think Big Favorites #3). Obviously I didn't mix the two colors just overlapped the stamping.
Pretty cool what you can make with one little stamp huh?














Oh yeah. Here's that cake I was working on. I had a few issues with the chalice at the last minute. It cracked. And there was actually leaves and grapes and wheat. But no matter. There was a time when I would have absolutely freaked out with things going wrong at the 11th hour. But I didn't. I just got rid of everything but the chalice and host, added the lacey looking frosting and voila. Cake done. And everyone, including the little Communicant, loved it. It tasted great too.

Oh and one more thing. I made cookies. I felt bad that we weren't able to attend the Confirmation for the other nephew last week (the brother of the Communicant). So I made doves - or in this case - Holy Spirit cookies :-)

Alrighty thats enough for the day. Off to make dinner. Have a good one!

Forgot to post

I realized today, while going through some pics, that I have a bunch of cards I haven't posted. So here's one -
I used Papertrey Ink's Cutting Garden. Such a pretty stamp set. I stamped all the images and used a brush and water to give it sortofa watercolor look. Then came back in and stamped over the same images again (this time leaving the ink full strength). I stamped the sentiment on vellum and clear embossed it. 
I've been busy today working on some decorations for a cake. I haven't done any cake decorating in years. I used to do quite a bit but the kids are grown up now and we don't have the same kind of cake spectaculars LOL! Some day I should dig out a bunch of cake pictures and post them. I was a little crazy (in a good way) back in the day when it came to cake decorating. I guess it's just more of that "I like to make stuff" thing. Cake, of course, come with a bonus feature - unlike cards, you can EAT what you make! And I do love me some cake! Anyhow this cake is for a Communion on Sunday (I told you... we have Communions aplenty in this family :-) and fortunately this nephew is somewhat local - only a little over an hour away - yay! so we get to go share in the festivities. ). I dug out the picture of the cake I made for my son for his First Communion and I'm recreating that cake - with some updates. Updates being I'm making the decoration ahead of time in Royal Icing (and not in buttercream like I did 18 years ago - which was crazy). Hopefully I'll have some pics to share by the end of the week. I gotta say I'm having a lot of fun. I'd forgotten how much :-)
Alrighty- thanks for stopping by and have a good one!

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop: Tilted

This blog hop challenge had me thinking since it was posted 10 days ago. Tilted could mean just about anything, right? I hadn't gotten a chance to make anything for it either in that time. Last night I had just finished putting some new Papertrey Ink stamps away - I put them in their new home :-) and take a long look at them wondering what I'm going to make with 'em. And one of the new stamp sets is called Sketched Shapes. It has a number of shapes but the one that got me thinking was the triangle. I pull out a clear block and slapped that triangle on it and grabbed the nearest ink pad and started stamping to see if what was in my head would transfer to paper. And it did. I had to go to bed (work comes so early in the morning... ugh) but after I got home I gave my idea a try on some typing paper (my stamping sketch paper LOL!) So here's what I came up with: it's three panels wide. I used that triangle and the arrow from Sketched Shapes. I also used a sentiment from PTI's Mini Blooms that I edited, separating it into three parts. When you open the card this is what you see next:

and when you open the card completely here's what  you get:

Blogger is giving me fits right now so I'm closing this up - I'm sending this card to my amazing daughter who is on the verge of graduating from college (illustration major) and I think she could use a pick-me-up right now - weeks to go and a ton of work. Thanks for coming by - have a good one! Oh  yeah.. sorry about the photos. I had a devil of a time getting pics to do it justice!