YCU - November Challenge

Welcome back. This month's Young Crafters Unite challenge is to create masculine cards. I know that these are sometimes a struggle for some, but for me, they are so much fun to create. I've already submitted one of my YCU Blog Hop cards for the challenge, but I had this one to throw in to the mix as well.   

Cardstock: Crumb Cake (SU), Solar White (Neenah) Ripe Avocado (PTI)

Patterned Paper: Wander collection (BasicGrey)

Stamps: Critters in the 'Burbs (Lawn Fawn), Fillable Frames #1 and #11  (PTI)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Fresh Snow (PTI), Bahama Blue (SU)

Other:  Copics, Sunshine IP (PTI), Sponge Daubers, Glitter (MS)

Thanks for visiting. And {{hugs}} to my two newest followers.

YCU Blog Hop

Welcome to the next stop on the Young Crafters Unite blog hop.  If you hopped here from Jessi's blog, you're on the right track.  I've never participated in a blog hop, but this hop's theme was too hard to pass up -- I LOVE making masculine cards.  So much in fact, that I've got a couple to share. 

Cardstock:  Spring Rain (PTI), Charcoal (Bazzill) / Paper:  Oxford Collection (BasicGrey)

Stamps:  Birthday Bash Sentiments (PTI)

Ink:  VersaMark, Fresh Snow (PTI)

Other:  Clear EP, ribbon (SU), buttons & twine (PTI)

And the Runner - Up ...

Cardstock:  Solar White (Neenah) / Paper: Wander Collection (BasicGrey)

Stamps:  Say It With Style (PTI), Bake Me a Cake (Lawn Fawn)

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento), Malted Milk (Jenni Bowlin),

Faded Jeans & Tea Dye Distress Inks

Other:  Copic Markers, Glossy Accents, Ad Sense die (PTI)

Thanks for visiting.  Your next stop is over at Neelu's blog.  But before you leave, be sure to leave some love below.  The talented ladies at YCU have some great prizes for lucky random commenters.

Happy Hopping!

For My Dad

For Father's Day I just had to CASE this card from the April countdown for Grunge Me and My Hero, My Dad.  To make the card a little less funky and a little more "my dad," I took a more outdoorsy, approach since my dad is obsessed with landscaping and his garden.  I absolutely love the blue background behind the silhouette image from Through the Trees.  It was one of those times where it was okay to be messy with the Copics and not worry about the streaks.  And it looks just like watercolours. 

For the inside, I used the same colour palette and combined a few of the sentiments from My Hero, My Dad to finish it off.  The plan was to have say it all in stamps, since I hate trying to come up with the right words to write. 

Overall, I am thrilled with the finished result and I know my dad will be too.  He's a tough guy, who rarely wears his heart on his sleeve, but we all know that he loves his girls.  And I LOVE the fact that he saves every card we give him.

I hope you all have a wonderful day with the men in your life. 

hooray for me

Hi Friends.  Remember me?  It has been a crazy month with very little stamping (although LOTS of stamp buying, heehee).  But, school's almost out so that's gonna change soon.  This is just a super quick post to get my blogging feet wet again.  I recently made a graduation card for a friend who just finished his teaching degree.  Even though the colours of his alma mater (and mine) are red & white, I couldn't resist using this red and kraft print from BasicGrey's Life of the Party collection on a Fine Linen base.

Now, the goal for the summer is to have no uninked sets by Labor Day.  And man do I have my work cut out for me.  LOL  The last few Papertrey releases have been right up my alley.  This card uses an old favorite, Enjoy the Ride, and a new favorite, Wonderful Words.  I love those word dies.  They look SO cool with the glitter.  Thanks for coming back to visit.  I promise it won't be such a long time between posts. 

Have a good one. 

MIM #9 - Heat Embossing

Oh, my.  How time flies.  I had every intention of scheduling posts for this week and totally forgot.  Today's post is a quick update using lots of PTI goodness.  I made this card on Friday during a rare "ignore the family and stamp"-a-thon where I got 5, yes FIVE, cards done that are actually blog-worthy.  Colour me shocked.  This first one is not my favorite, but it is perfect for this week's MIM challenge of using heat embossing.  I love the gold sentiment on Enchanted Evening.  And I love the academic look.   

This card uses a variety of PTI sets.  In fact, each stamped element is from a different set.  Can you guess which ones?  Let me know your guesses in your comment.  Knowing the super-sleuths from the PTI forum, I'm sure you'll get them in no time.  Hope things are going well for you in your neck of the woods. 

Thanks for visiting!

Make It Monday #6

I know.  Two posts in one day.  This week's challenge was right up my alley.  I LOVE my PTI impression plates.  The only thing I don't enjoy is trying to photograph the cards so that the impression is as impressive on screen as it is in real life.  The card was made with all PTI products (minus the inks and label). 

The main layer was cut from Fine Linen cardstock and I impressed the top half using the By The Numbers plate.  I used Erin's trick of adding a score line to hide the dent.  I then used chocolate twine on either side of the score line before adding the focal image.  And here's the finished product: 

So, that's it, folks.  Thanks for stopping by and checking out what I made on Monday. 

See you tomorrow.

my all star

Well, hello again.  So, did you remember to set your clocks forward last night?  Every year I am SO paranoid that I'll forget.  Thank heavens for my alarm clock which automatically springs forward and falls back all on its own.  (Thank you Sony).  I've sorely depeleted my stash of cards to give away, and have been trying to fill that box back up.  The baby card mojo has been free flowing lately, but I need to focus on making masculine cards.  Like this one.

The patterned papers are from BasicGrey's Marjolaine collection (you must be getting sick of this stuff.  I use it on almost everything.) and two of my favorite PTI colours, Spring Moss and Rustic Cream.  The card base was impressed with the Woodgrain plate, then I used a foam blender and some Pumice Distress Ink, to bring out the impression.  Of all the Fillable Frames, this is my favorite.  I stamped the frame in Baja Breeze (SU)and the sentiment in Pear Tart (Memento) and Pumice before I stuck it on with foam dots. 

Hope you like.  Hope you have a great rest of the weekend.  And, I hope you'll drop by for another visit.  Happy Sunday!
 

dude, you're 16!

I've been having so much fun with Big Birthday Wishes and the By the Numbers dies that I had to make another milestone birthday card.  This spring, my oldest nephew is turning 16.  Where the years have gone, I do not know.  Even though his birthday isn't for a few months, I couldn't resist whipping this up for him.  His mom's birthday is in a few weeks, but somehow I don't think she'd appreciate some big ole die cuts announcing her age for all the world to see!  LOL

The card base was cut from Stampers Select, and covered with a light grey text print from SU's neutrals dsp pack.  The Smokey Shadow mat was run through my Big Shot with the By the Numbers impression plate.  A scallop die cut of Ruby Slipper cardstock (Bazzill) was the perfect mat for a crisp white circle.  The numbers were cut from a black glitter cardstock and popped up on foam dimensionals.  I guess this card is a work in progress, as I just realized that I haven't finished the inside. 

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you found a little bit of inspiration here today.   If you've got the time, leave a comment.  I love knowing who's been by for a peek and what you think of my work.  

See you soon!

happy 30th

Happy Monday!!  Oh how I LOVE holiday Mondays.  It's Family Day here so I've got a whole, blessed day to stamp, craft, and lounge around in Lululemon.  Gotta love it.  So, now that Valentine's Day is over, on to the March birthdays.  I've got a few, and as the mojo would have it, the card I got done first, happens to be the last card I need for the month.  Figures.  LOL  Anyhow, this is a little something inspired by a square card base covered in that fab Pure Poppy polka dot from the Beautiful Blooms paper pack that has been knocking around my craft bin for months.

The huge white polka dots always make me think of summer, so I used Enchanted Evening as a mat and stamped on Stamper's Select white.  The sentiment was from last month's release, Big Birthday Wishes, which I masked and inked up with Memento inks.  I really wanted the year to stand out, so I die cut the 30 from a springy green dot from Bo Bunny.  Love this paper!! 

The last line from the sentiment was the start of a well finished interior.  I added a present die cut from the Make A Wish die collection, and created a mat to mirror the one on the front that goes off the edge of the page.  So, here it is, a card full of my favorite things, for one of my favorite people.  Now, I just have to order the gift and I'm all set.  Weeks in advance, too!

Not much else other than, thanks for coming by.

January Blog Hop

New Year's Resolution

With the new year comes a clean slate along with many resolutions. This month's blog hop challenge involves you challenging yourself to use a Papertrey stamp set that has yet to see ink or even one that might be collecting a little dust! Go through your stash and see what little used treasure it might hold. 2011 is the year where what's old is new again!

This month's challenge was a bit of a challenge because I didn't know which set to use.  Yes, I have lots of sets that need to be inked up.  Saturday was a glorious snow day so I made two cards for this month's hop.  I think a personal challenge for the year will be to ink them all before ordering more.  HA!  That should last until 11:59 PM Feb. 14th.  Then all willpower seems to go straight out the window. 

First Set:  All Star

 

I needed a card for my teenaged nephew and I just know that cutesy Tiny Treats or heartsy everything else would not work for him.  So, I zeroed in on one of his great loves, soccer.  Even though this Valentine doesn't say I love him, he knows that I really am one of his biggest fans.

Second Set:  Little Bitty Bird

Can I just say that Audrey was absolutely right.  She told me I'd love this set and oh how I do.  In fact, I've got another idea rattling around in my head just dying to get out.  Hopefully I won't forget before I find time to hide out in my craft room. 

This year, I'm aiming to participate in all 12 Blog Hop's.  Wish me luck!!  Thanks for stopping by.  Follow along if you like what you see, and hopefully I'll see you next month, if not sooner. 

Happy Hopping!!

cake & polka dots

Surprise, it's another birthday card!  This one uses one of my favorite image sets Bake Me a Cake from Lawn Fawn.  I just {heart} this company.  The card was supposed to be a masculine birthday card, but I realized the only manly paper I had was either this or a camoflage print.  Since my buddy is not the army type, he got the dots. 

I don't usually do square cards, but I'm finding that it's so much easier for me to create a layout from scratch on a square base instead of the usual A2 base.  Good thing I bought a 50 pack of square envelopes.  I love the finished look.

It's hard to believe that the entire Christmas vacation is over and it's back to work & school this morning.  Where did the time go?  And why am I still exhausted?  Guess that's what happens when you cram lots of fun, family, and friends into two weeks. 

See you all soon & thanks for taking time to drop in for a visit!

Supplies
Paper:  crumb cake (SU), spring moss (PTI), solar white (Neenah), all prints (retired SU)
Stamps:  Bake Me a Cake (Lawn Fawn)
Colouring Mediums:  tuxedo black ink (Memento), Copics
Other:  Limitless Layers dies (PTI), rustic button twine (PTI)

Lest We Forget

Hope you don't mind me taking a break from the festive but, I couldn't let today go without sending birthday wishes to a dear friend in the Canadian Armed Forces. I admire the support that Americans freely give to their troops and wish that Canadians were a little more openly supportive of our men and women who serve every day and not just on Rememberance Day.



Thanks for dropping by. And if you're a praying sort of person, don't forget to remember the men and women who willingly leave their families to keep us all safe.  Lest we forget all that has been done, and is still being done, to ensure our freedom and liberties. 

Have a great one!!

Details
Paper: green (SU), kraft (PTI), camo print (MM)
Stamps: Happy Birthday (Verve)
Ink: Fresh Snow
Other: wonky squares (Nesties), white EP, twill tape, brads

A Blast from the Past

Just a quick post of some older cards that never got their 15 minutes of fame. An old friend from camp is visiting which means, my guest bedroom has to be used as a guest bedroom. My poor little stamps are all tucked away in their little homes in the closet for the next few days. I know. I weep for them too.

The first started out as a Father's Day card. However, my dad doesn't fish & hates boats, hence the Happy Birthday sentiment. In all honesty, I bought the stamp for me, not my dad. I love lighthouses, boats, & the ocean because it reminds me of being a kid, family vacations, and summers at camp.


Paper: Kraft (SU), Plaid (K&Co - retired), watercolour paper
Stamp: Rowboat (Artistic Impressions), Teeny Tiny Wishes (SU)
Colouring Mediums: Black (StazOn), watercolour pencils (Staedtler)
Other: Modern Label punch (SU), DMC floss, eyelet & Crop-a-Dile, Corner Chomper



The second card is an attempt at the shabby chic-ish vintage style that's all the rage. I'm not big on vintage and don't do them well, but I know you are all a very forgiving audience. The patterned paper is from the same Sea Glass collection by K&Co. as the plaid in the card above. I sanded, distressed, and inked up the edges. In hindsight, I now realize the true importance of using fine grade sandpaper in the absence of a real sanding block (and the reason we shouldn't whatever grade sp is in the basement).

Paper: yellow (Bazzill), K&Co. Sea Glass dp, Kraft/Crumb Cake (SU)
Tools: Slice & design card (MM), paper piercer & template
Embellishments: Flowers (Petaloo), rhinestone

I pray that you'll make the most of today. And if possible, take some time to do something you love with the people who mean the most to you. The memories we make today do last a lifetime.

Thanks for coming by and I'll see you soon!

hip, hip, HOORAY!

I am so excited about the July release from Papertrey Ink. Last week, Nichole Heady posted this fab sneak peek which sent me running to my craft room. You see, I love Papertrey dies & the new Book Prints impressions plate will eventually come to live with me BUT ... I had been saving some alpha paper and neglecting my EK spiral punch. Until today.



I just love it when the mojo's flowing, the supplies are all at hand, and the card just comes together in a snap. Especially when you finally use stamps, tools, and paper that you have never put to good use. It's such a good feeling.

I don't know if I can give this baby away, but I definately wanted to share it with you all. Have a great one!!

Supplies Used:
Stamps - Fillable Frames #3 (PTI), Songwriters (Sassafrass Lass), Get Funky (scraptivity)
Paper - enchanted evening (PTI), alpha print (unknown), pen pals (WRMK)
Ink - creamy brown (ColorBox), dandelion, rich brown, new sprout, tangelo (Memento), fresh snow (PTI)
Tools - spiral punch (EK), paper piercer (MM), piercing template (SU)

Enjoy the Ride

This summer is shaping up to be crazy hot and crazy busy. But, I did steal an hour last night to create something to share. With the exception of the card base, everything was raided from my scraps bin. I could say I do this as a way to recycle and help the environment, but really, who am I kidding? This is nothing more than a feeble attempt to justify buying more PTI paper!!



For this card, I inked up Everyday Button Bits. The base and black scallop circles are SU cardstock. The striped patterned paper is from BasicGrey's Ambrosia collection. For the image, I used London Fog dye ink from Memento and Midnight Black chalk ink (Tsukineko). The buttons were also from my stash of embellies and jazzed up with some red DMC floss.

Sorry about the poor picture quality. The clouds have rolled in this afternoon & rain is not far behind. However, this still hasn't given us a break from the heat and humidity. But, I'm not complaining 'cause this is 10x better than snow!!

Happy Stamping!!

Tools Used:
- Slice & Basics 1 design card (MM)
- paper piercer (MM) & template (SU)
- Corner Chomper (WRM)

A High Flyin' Birthday Surprise

Welcome back!! Another post of a birthday card I sent to a friend a few days ago. As usual, it's a melange of Papertrey Ink stamp sets. I just love how you can mix and match different elements from several sets and they all just work together perfectly.



For the base, I stamped the solid diamond pattern from A Little Argyle in Fresh Snow ink. The dotted argyle line is done in Rhubarb Stalk Memento Dye Ink. While that dried, I stamped two clouds from the Up, Up, and Away set and heat embossed it with kaleidoscope powder to give it a nice shimmer. The plane was done in Bamboo Leaves and embossed in clear powder. I actually enjoy cutting things out and even did the inside of the airplane. Although, I should admit, I was watching a so-so movie at the time.

I wanted a more manly coloured ribbon but didn't have enough in my stash. Since I was too lazy to go buy some, I thought a red star on a military green plane would butch-it-up a bit. I don't know if my friend has received his card in the mail yet, but I do hope he likes it. As an airplane mechanic, I think it's quite appropriate, don't you? Hope you have an amazing day!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Kraft, Chocolate Chip (SU), Solar White (Neenah)
Stamps: A Little Argyle, Fly Away, Up, Up, and Away (all PTI)
Ink: Fresh Snow (PTI), Summer Sky, Desert Sand, Rhubarb Stalk, Bamboo Leaves (Memento)
Ribbon: Offray
Other: Kaleidoscope & Clear EPs (Stampendous), DMC Floss

Blustery Days

Today is an absolutely incredible day. Bright blue skies. Fluffy white cotton-ball clouds. And a breeze that is perfect for two things - flying kites and drying laundry. I've been having a total love affair with clouds lately. These ones were drawn and cut out by hand (thanks to all my former art teachers) as were the pennants.

PaperTrey Ink has saved me a truckload of time by releasing a fantastic new set, Up, Up, and Away that comes with clouds, hot air balloons, kites, and ... get this ... cloud dies. (insert hallelujah chorus here). No more drawing and cutting for me. WOOHOO!! Now if only I had white felt, I'd be on cloud nine.

For my second card, I used one of my favorite PTI sets Dot Spot to create my own patterned paper. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out because it's a gender neutral card. Even though I used satin ribbon on it. The hammered silver buckle gives it a more manly appearance, don't you think?

That's all for today. Have a blessed one!!