Happy Easter Cards

Created some new Easter Cards for the shop here.  Just love this Lawn Fawn set, completely adorable.

I love Easter it usually signifies Spring is really here and we need it after a long Winter.  We have family over for dinner and sometimes an Egg Hunt if the weather permits.  As the kids have gotten bigger and bigger we have added Cascarones (eggs with confetti in them) to the celebration.  They like to smash them on each other.  It's funny to watch.  

Hope your day is going well and you're getting excited for Easter and Spring.  Thank you for taking a look today.

You Made My Day - Quick and Easy Card

 

A quick card as a note of Thanks.  This used mostly scraps I had laying about on my table.  It to about 10 minutes to make.  I feel so accomplished  with I complete something, quick or not. 

 inside the card

This is a fabulous way to jump start your creativity.  Just grab you scrap basket or box and pick out 2 pieces of paper and one die cut(this one is Cheery Lynn).  You can pick one stamp set, one tool and one embellishment.   Here I chose a greeting set from MFT, a corner rounder and pearls.

Next time your in a rut just grab a card base and a few scraps, set your timer for 10minutes and make something quick.  You'll fee accomplished and have a card to show for it.

Thank you for stopping by today hope your having a wonderful weekend.

Tropical Card Series - Tiki Guys and a Bonus Box

 I fell in love with these Tiki Guys from the Tim Holtz Tropical die set.  As I was making this all I could think about was the Tiki Curse from the Brady Bunch episode that totally sucked me in as a kid(did I just date myself like that?).   I do love how these dies cut watercolor paper.  I washed the paper with browns and then inked up the dies after I cut them for more texture.

The tropical leaves are cut out of Echo Park Paper from the 6x6 pad A Perfect Summer.  The blue background is from the same pad.

So to give these cards as a gift I created a Gift Box for them.  I have a tutorial on this box from 2013 which you can find HERE.  I used one of my new 12 x 12 paper pads from Michael's for the patterned paper for the lid and cardstock for the base.  The flamingo is cut with my silhouette and the stamp is from MFT stamps.

This made a lovely Hostess Gift for a Dear Dear Friend from High School that hosted all of our friends for a BBQ this Summer.  It was a wonderful evening with Friends supporting Friends.  

So this is the end of this Series.  I feel like cards are getting a bit boring to me I've made some others for my Etsy shop I will share later but I have an itch to Scrapbook so I think layouts are in my near future!  Not that cards are gone for good but I have to go back and forth to keep the mojo alive!

Thank you for joining me for this Series and I hope you return for everything coming up in the future!  Have a Great Weekend!

Tropical Card Series - Pineapples and more Pineapples

 Had so much fun using my Distress Oxide and Distress Ink to make the pretty background for this card.  The stamped greeting is from MFT Clear Stamps Written in Watercolor it is stamped in Versamark and embossed in black.  The Pineapple comes from Silhouette and is cut out of Mirracard Gold.  I've added some mini sequins in various pinks as well.

  

I love how the watercolor turned out I just need to work on the warping.

 Here we have the same Pineapple as above and a greeting from Hero Arts.  The patterned paper is Echo Park A Perfect Summer.  I've used one of my Daniel Smith watercolors in  yellow for the drops on the white.

Those pink stripes are from some scraps sitting out on my desk.  It definitely needed more color!  Especially with the Kraft card base.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Summer now that we are right in the middle.  My kids are busy with their summer activities but starting to look forward to school again!  Have a wonderful day!  Thank you for stopping by.

Shoot For The Stars - Stars and Stripes Card Series

Good Morning.   I have been working on getting this series started since Monday.  But you know how you get into that cycle of being tired and not having enough time to get everything done in a day. Then can't fall asleep at night thinking about all of the things you haven't completed, which just adds to the vicious cycle of not getting enough things done while being exhausted all day.  That's about how it was coming out of May and recovering from my Spring cold.  Now we are all back to our regular selves I hope to get back on track.

This series will be a somewhat Patriotic one to there will be 5 cards with Stars and Stripes hopefully they will jump start you to make your own Patriotic Inspired card for upcoming events in your life or maybe you will find a technique you just have to try or revisit.

Today's card uses a clear stamp set from My Favorite Things Stamps.  I've heat embossed the greeting in Gold and stamped the stars all around in shades of red and blue.  Everything is layered onto blue cardstock and a red card.  I have of course used a ton of Stickles on the stars and some striped ribbon to add the stripe part of our series!

Hope you enjoy it and your having a wonderful start to your Summer.  Thank you so much for stopping by to see me today!

Hearts and Love

 

I've been busy creating Valentines.  Which really wasn't my intention but I guess I've been inspired by all of the beautiful projects around the web I just can't help myself.  Well that and a lot of the cool color challenges have a Red element, which makes it a no brainer.

Today I have a card using my current favorite watercolor medium Brushos and Tulip Tie Dye powder.  The red strip is created using those two items on watercolor paper.  Once it was dry I used a Memory Box stencil Hearts Heart Confetti and white embossing paste.  The patterned paper is from my stash.  The Love in the heart is a MFT die Heart Full of Love cut from a blue scrap and silver mirror card.   For a little more texture I've added some twine with a bow.

 This card is for three challenges:

1.  Daring Cardmakers - January Inspiration Picture
I've used 3 things from the picture first the color, second the twine and third the heart shape with silver around the edge.
 

2.  Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge - Stencil It

3.  Mojo Monday - Sketch #430
   

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Hope your having a Happy Sunny Day!

For A New Heaven Sent Puppy

Good Afternoon.  It's a cold snowy day here so I've been at it some more creating some cards.  I was so excited to use this new stamp set I got last week from MFT - Top Dog.  Mostly because of all the little long dogs as you can see, they are stamped and cut out of patterned paper.  I also ordered the paw print background which I've stamped in Versamark and embossed in Clear all over the background.    The greeting is a combo because I wanted it to represent a new Puppy in the family.  The Heaven Sent is from Mama Elephant - Starry Night the Puppy Dog Kisses is from the MFT - Top Dog set, I just cut apart a longer greeting.  I'm pretty happy how it turned out kinda like I saw in my mind.  I did add a bit of glitter on each puppy but it really doesn't show in the pictures it's so tiny. 

 This card is for a few challenges first the MFT Sketch Challenge #262:

Then the Color Throwdown - CTD #374 -

Lastly the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Something New 

Thank you so much for stopping by again today, I know 2 posts, but it's fun right?  Have a Happy Day filled with Puppy Dog Kisses.  Stay Warm!

Let It Snow Bunny

Good Freezing January Morning!  It's below zero here and it's snowed so this card is very appropriate.  I love love love how the little bunny is looking up at the sky watching the snow fall down.  This one is done for the current Lawnscaping Challenge #121 - Winter Wonderland - Create a Winter Themed Project.

I've used a few LawnFawn stamps here today the bunny is Hello Baby, the snow is a New one for me Snowy Backdrops,  and the trees are from Let it Snow.  The "let it snow" phrase is die cut Let It Snow Border.  The scallop pinpoint circle is Memory Box where I stamped the trees with Wendy Vecchi Archival ink then masked and airbrushed the sky with Copics.  The snow is stamped over that and embossed in white.  I Copic colored the bunny, cut it out and popped it up with foam tape.   I was excited to use some plaid paper I got this past week from MFT and a New to me embossing folder from Sizzix.

Hope you like it thank you so much for stopping by. 

Enjoy

As promised NO more Holiday cards.  Today I have one that could really be anything.  All of the products used are My Favorite Things Stamps.  I love this cloud background die and had to finally use it.  When I saw the sketch below for the Wednesday Sketch MFTWSC261 I knew immediately what I would be doing.  Using my airplane and the clouds was ideal.  This would make a great birthday card or even any type of celebratory event! 

I had so much fun playing along with this challenge!  I can't wait for the next one my new MFT order will have arrived so I will have new things to play with!  Woo HOOO!

Thanks again for stopping by.  Can you tell I'm excited the kids are back to school?   Have a great day!

And So it Begins - A New Year of Swaps

It's that time the final swap list is out for the Chicago Area Rubber Stampers or C.A.R.S. stamping group.  We meet at CraftFancy on the second Tuesday of every month except December.  The group has been around for a very long time since Desiree(she is the founder) had her stamp shop in town years ago.

This year I have decided to do only Christmas/Holiday Cards except for September and October where the theme dictates either a season or non-card.   In doing so I will create a couple of extra each month above and beyond the 16 required and keep them for my Holiday cards in December.  I'm excited to be getting a head start on the things I rarely get done around the Holiday's.  Seems wrong when  a card maker doesn't send out holiday cards. 

This is the first month's card the theme is Paint Chips so here is what I came up with.  I wend to the hardware store and let the color that inspired me lead me to what I would create.  As always I try to use those supplies I have collected and never or rarely use and/or a technique I've been wanting to try.  (I know you know it's never but I added rarely so I don't sound like a hoarder of craft supplies.....)  This time I've used some Stampin Up snowflakes(had to mount them) a Martha Stewart border punch and the greeting is from a My Favorite Things set which I do used but it was the perfect size.  The patterned paper is from my BoBunny Double Dots stash and just a bit of silver mirror card to give it some sparkle.

If your curious here is the entire swap list for the year:
January - Paint Chips
February - White on White
March - Bargello
April - Faces
May - Scene Behind a Window
June - Circles
July - Washi Tape
August - Stamp a Container
September - Fall/Autumn
October - Gift Tags
November - Recycle/Upcycle

As always we create 16 to swap with the group.

Thanks so much for stopping by hope your having a wonderful day!

Copic Coloring People

Ciao Bella

EEEK we had a snowday Yesterday so I got to do a little playing while Abbi slept and Emily was out sledding and fort building with her friends.  Just a quick Clean & Simple card for a friend.   The stomach flu seems like it's almost over.  Thank Goodness.  Everyone goes back to school and work tomorrow.

Thank you so much for stopping by!  

Holiday Fun - Poinsettia Gift Card Holder

It's never too early for a bit of Holiday FUN!  Here is a gift card holder created using my Sizzix Gift Card Folder die and a stash of 3D embellishments.  I love these flowers from I Am Roses.....  I have a box just for Holiday Flowers!  Hopefully this inspires you to get a head start on some Holiday Items...

Today is a day off for me.  So there will be lots of family time.  Abbi and I are planning to Color for awhile she got some new pictures and she wants to color together.  I have new crayons so I'm very excited.  We're all going to bed early tonight since Emily has to be up bright and early to sing the National Anthem at a Wrestling meet at Fremd.  Then we'll probably all come home and go back to bed.  HA  at least until I have to get up and get to work.  

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! 

Fab 5 - Day 5 - Love You More

A really quick card using a Marvy Heart Punch and a stamp by My Favorite Things.   Again using the Doodlebug Papers.  These are Christmas papers but the backs are just red and white perfect for Valentines.  

Woo Hoo the weekend is here.  At 8am this morning the kids asked if they could play out in the snow.  Had to get back to the fort building.  I'm teaching Copic Basics today at Craft Fancy.  Most rewarding class ever.  I love how people leave the class amazed at what a few markers can do.  Dinner tonight at our house with friends I'm going to try a new marinade for pork tenderloin.  YUM.

Happy Happy Weekend!  Hope everyone is having fun!  Thanks for stopping by to take a look!

January Folds Class

Three of the folds for January Fabulous Folds Class at Craft Fancy.

Thank you so much for stopping by I really appreciate it! 

January Fabulous Folds Preview - Valentines

For Fabulous Folds in January we are creating Valentines using Carte Bella papers and some fun Stamps, Dies and punches.   See the Craft Fancy website for the current class calendar.

Thank you so much for stopping by I really appreciate it.   Have a GREAT Day!