In Everything Give Thanks

I really like how this card came out. I love pink and brown combo! I was inspired by a card on SCS, but I don't remember which one - I'll link to it if I can find it!

I cuttlebugged the background and sponged on Colorbok Chalk Ink. This was the first time I tried sponging, and I love the soft effect it gives.
I used the Happy Harmony set from SU! Ribbon from Michaels, and Prima flowers.

Monogram Note Cards

I made a set of monogrammed note cards for a giveaway on my main blog. This was the sample. The winner will be receiving 5 cards just like these with her monogram. They went out to her in the mail today. I hope she's happy with them!

I will talk more about this later, but sets like this will soon be available for sale!!

The big 4-0

I made this card for my friend who is turning 40. For some reason, I was having a hard time coming up with a design. I tried quite a few things before anything would "click" for me. I think I'm fairly pleased with the way this came out.


I obviously used my Cuttlebug for the background. (I think most of my cards are going to be using this - at least for a while!) I ran my ink pad over the top of it. I stamped the "40", but didn't use my Staz On and it smeared, even though I heat set it. If you look closely, you can tell. So after I took the photo, I took that off and redid it. This time I added clear ep to to the numbers and embossed it. Much better! But I didn't take another photo. The ribbon is by Li'l Davis Designs. I used one of the MM magnet stamps for 'celebrate' and then used my tag punch. I'm not completely happy with the way the white ribbon is tied into the other, but I'm leaving it. Tying ribbons and bows is just not my thing!

Anniversary Card

OK, I'm back from what was probably our last mini-vacation for this year. We left on Sunday and got home late Wednesday. I was too tired yesterday to work on much, so I didn't get anything posted here. Now time to get back to regular posting again!

I needed a card for my Parents' 36th anniversary, so I sat down to work on it. I was COMPLETELY UNINSPIRED! Nothing I had in my head was working.

First I came up with this one:


Can we say "Not Happy"? Because that's how I feel about this one. I really wanted to use my new Rhonna Farrer stamps that I won from Heidi. But I'm just not liking the way this came out. I embossed them with silver ep to match the silver wording on the ribbon. Then I added a couple eyelets. I don't hate it, I'm just not thrilled with it.

So, I tried again. This time in a totally different direction, except for the B&W. And this is what I came up with:


I am much happier with this one. I used SU! Happy Harmony set and my Cuttlebug. (Have I mentioned how much I'm lovin' this thing?) I used clear ep on the image and the sentiment, and added a piece of satin ribbon.

Funny thing - my kids were sitting at the table when I was working on these. I asked CJ (13) which one he liked better, and he said, "The one on the right" (which was the second card). Then I asked Ruthi (2.5). She looked at them and said, "The yite one." (yite = white) Then later on I asked hubby which one he liked better, and he agreed - the white one! So obviously, it wasn't just me who wasn't feelin' the first one. I just thought it was interesting that my family agreed!

So obviously, the white one is they one they received!

Just playing around...

With some of the scraps left over from the invitations for my neighbor's birthday party. These are nothing special - the first one is just like the originals, I just added a different image.


The second one I changed the LO a little, added a different ribbon and larger circle for the image. I was playing with some of the clear Michaels $1 stamps, and a couple of the flowers didn't stamp clearly - I need to work on getting these things more even if I'm going to use them.


Anyway, like I said - nothing special, just playing around. Now I need to get a couple cards done that need to get in the mail soon!

Cuttlebug Baby

I've been playing around with my Cuttlebug a little bit. I've only recently starting purchasing the "cool" toys, so I still have limited tools to work with. I have a few stamp sets and some stamps I've picked up here and there - mostly the Michaels $1 ones. I have a very long list of sets I want to add to my collection, but for now, I'm working with what I have. Also, there are several of the punches I really want - like the scalloped circles and squares. I've been hunting a Giga scallop circle for some time now, with no luck. So again, I'm working with what I do have until I can build up my arsenal! ;o)

So, I made a couple of baby cards with using the swirl embossing folder, a little baby feet stamp by Stamp craft, and some misc. ribbon. They are extremely simple, but I think they turned out cute.

Belated Father's Day Card

I didn't post this around Father's Day because my Dad was out of the country and we didn't get to celebrate until July 4. And yes, I realize that is was almost 2 weeks ago that I gave it to him and I'm just now getting around to posting it! Hey - I'm trying to get back on track!


All TLC products except the brads. (I think they are MM)

I think I have my mojo back! I've been in a creative mood, so the plan is to have something new posted at LEAST 4 days a week. More if I can manage it!!!

It's like Christmas in July!!!

I've been having so much fun the past few days! I've gotten so many new "toys" it's truly like Christmas!

First, I received an awesome box from Michele. I won her blog candy!!! This came on Wednesday - right after I came home from vacation, and I had so much fun digging through it all. It had lots of great things! I only sign up for blog candy that I really want, and now I've been totally blessed winning two different ones! Awesome! Thanks Michelle!

And then there was my shopping spree. My Dad gave me a very generous birthday check, and I had SO MUCH FUN spending it!! It is always tempting to spend my money on the kids and other things, but this time, I spent EVERY PENNY on stuff for ME! And I don't even feel guilty!

I got the two top things that were on my "list". A Crop-A-Dile and a Cuttlebug!!!!! I've been drooling over the Cuttlebug ever since I first heard about it!

Here are a couple of pictures of all my goodies:



Um, can you tell I like buttons? LOL! Those were 50 cents a package, so I got quite a few!

I also got a Crop-A-Dile, but didn't take a pic of it. (I got a pink one, of course!)

I also won two auctions for SU! stamp sets. Happy Harmony came in the mail a couple days ago, and Alphabet Soup will be here Monday or Tuesday.

PLUS I won a little challenge at Paper Petal Memories, and have a prize on the way as well - can't wait to see what it is!

So yes, I'm having LOTS of fun with all my new goodies. Now hopefully, I'll have lots of time to play!

Looks Like Spring

Back in January, I ordered my very first Stampin Up! stamps, and I couldn't wait to ink them up. But I actually haven't used them as much as I thought I would have by now. Shame on me!

I pulled out the Looks Like Spring set and put it to use. I had used the big flower and one of the background stamps, but the others were feeling neglected.

So I put them to use on this birthday card I made for Kelly - my cousin-in-law!



It's hard to tell in the picture, but I stamped the large flower in brown and then in pink and cut them both out. The brown layer is behind the pink layer. Then I stamped the smaller one in brown and added it to the top with a brad.

For the three small flowers, I used the LLS punch and punched them first in solid pink cardstock, and then punched the stamped flowers and layered them with brads as well. I LOVE that punch - I wish they made one for the larger flower!

This was the first time I used two background stamps together, and I actually found it a little challenging to get them lined up just right, but I'm pleased with the final outcome.

The sentiment is from the Sincere Salutations set and the ribbon is from Michaels' $1 bin.

Back in the Saddle!

OK - I'm back from our little vacation. We were gone for 8 days, so obviously I haven't had much of a chance to work on anything! But I'm back now, and getting back into the swing of things, and it's time to get really busy creating. I have so many things I want and need to work on!

So, I'm officially back in the saddle, and I plan to be updating more regularly again!

Today I worked on invitations for my neighbor's daughter's birthday party. She is turning 13 and having a pretty large party. She had gone to a specialty type store to pick out some invitations and was a bit shocked at what they were going to cost.
So my neighbor called me and asked what it would take to make them. I told her to send Allison over and we could look at some stuff, she could decide what she wanted, and I'd be glad to help her make them.

So that's what we did. She made a choice on a style of invite yesterday. This morning I took her shopping to pick out papers and ribbon. I think she had a lot of fun picking the stuff out.

Then we came back to my house to get busy. I cut the paper for her, and showed her what to do, and she did the paper and ribbon for most of the invites herself before she had to go to another friend's party. So I finished them up for her. They are simple, but cute. And she was extremely happy with them.

What was really cool was to see how proud of them she was. Most 13 yr. old girls can't say they had a part of creating their own invites. She was talking on the phone to one of her friends and she was telling her that she was working on the invitations, and how cute they were. Yeah - she was quite proud. She even told me these were way cuter than the really expensive ones at the store!

So, here they are - she couldn't decide which paper she liked better for the top, so she decided to do half with the pink and half with the orange, and switch up the ribbon. The party stamp is from one of the $1 Studio G sets from Michaels. Then I just used a pink Zig writer to make the dots around the edge.





They turned out cute, don'tcha think? We made 30 of these in about 3 hours - not too bad!

Happy Independence Day!

Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July celebration.

We are headed to my parents' house to celebrate, and we will be having a late celebration of Father's Day and my birthday as well. It's going to be a good time!

We will be out of town for the next 8 days, so I won't be able to post anything while we are gone. I'll be back the end of next week with something new to post.

For now, in honor of the holiday, I thought I'd post a card. I actually made this one last year, but you haven't seen it, so it's new to you! :o)


Pretty simple card - torn cardstock; I printed the sentiment on vellum and attached with buttons by Dress it Up. I don't remember exactly where it came from, but it was something I had downloaded from a website.

Well, I'm outta here - "see" you all soon!