Stampin' Up! Apple Blossoms

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  Woo hoo!  When I saw the sketch, I was a bit afraid.  I started looking over my stamps, saw this cute retired set, and knew it was PERFECT!    I used another color combination from the Color Coach, Pool Party, Crushed Curry, and Old Olive.

Now my first thought was a window.   Then I thought I might stamp a scene and cut it up.   Then I realized I don't have very much mojo this week, so I went for easy and just stamped the simple stems and called it good.  Sometimes easy is best, especially when we are struggling.  

Laila decided to send her daddy a text she typed all by herself.   I'm not sure what she was meaning with the beer and ice cream, but she was a bit out of luck on both counts.   lol   

Success!

Woo Hoo!   This is card #35 and the LAST one of the Hope You Can Cling To challenges.  I finished ALL of them!!!   I'm so proud of myself.  I struggle to accomplish my goals lately, so completing this one that's for sure a great cause makes me so happy!    This card is for Teresa's ta ta toe challenge.  My squares were pink, patterned paper, and buttons.   I used Donna's card for inspiration as I thought it was such a perfect cheerful card.  

Stamps:  Apple Blossoms (retired)

Ink:  Melon Mambo

Paper: Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, retired Bashful Blue DSP

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, non-SU cloud die, Lots of Tags sizzlits, Brights & Subtles buttons, Brights brads, White Baker's Twine

Laila had her 4 month check-up today and was 15lbs 4 oz and 25 1/2 inches long!   She's staying right on her growth curve and doing great.   She wasn't very happy about her shots, but she calmed down fast and came home and crashed.   I hope she doesn't get a fever like last time as it took forever to go away.   I just love her doctor; you can tell that she just loves babies.  She kept talking about how cute Laila was.  I think both her and the nurse said she should be the Gerber baby.  :)   She's our little Ultimate Grand Supreme for sure.  lol

FMS2: School Kids

Lesley prepared another awesome sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.   While the sketch is a square card, you can choose to either make one of those or do what I did and go with a traditional A2 card.   That's the fun part of sketch challenges; you can use them as a starting point and see where your card takes you.   :)  

School started back the week I was working on my card and it just so happened that Greeting Card Kids was in the order that I received that week.   Naturally I had to do a school inspired card!   I did go back and pull out a retired apple stamp because teachers need apples.  I can hear all you teachers groaning over that; I bet you have quite an amazing apple collection.  :o)    I decided to go all in with my school theme and try to make my background layer look like a chalkboard.   I don't think schools even have those though; it's all dry erase and smart boards now.   I guess the kids are lucky; the bad ones always had to go beat the chalk out of the erasers back in my day.   I can only imagine what that would do to my allergies...

I hope you enjoyed my card and I hope you'll join us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!   I can't wait to see what you create!

Stamps:  Greeting Card Kids, Apple Blossoms, A to Z
Ink:  Whisper White craft ink, Staz-On Black, Stampin' Write Markers: Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Blush Blossom, So Saffron, Crumb Cake
Paper:  Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, Basic Black, Whisper White
Tools/Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Baja Breeze seam binding, circle punches

I actually made this card first, but I thought it was too dark.   Switching the Baja Breeze and the Cherry Cobbler really added a brighter, cheerier feel to it and I like that one much better.  Don't be discouraged if your first attempt at a card doesn't turn out; study it, figure out what you don't like about it, and change it for the next version!    Sometimes taking a picture and looking at it on the computer screen will inspire me to go back and add or change something as well.

Introducing...Pool Party!

It is almost time for the new catalog!   Only one more week to go and let me tell you, I can't wait!   There are so fun new stamps and accessories that I can't wait to get my hands on.    This card uses one of the new in colors along with a set we'll soon be saying goodbye to.    I love how bright it is!   It is always great to make a card that makes YOU smile.  

Stamps:  Apple Blossoms
Ink:  Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, Pool Party
Paper:   Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, Pool Party, Whisper White
Tools:  Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, stamp-a-ma-jig

Class Cards & a Challenge

I finally stamped this week!   I have had a pretty blah month, so I haven't felt like getting in my room and stamping very much.   I am trying to make myself go do it this week as it improves my mood so much.   I have a clean-and-simple class planned for next week, so I decided to work on some ideas for that and to do at least one challenge as well.   

This card was inspired by Maureen's card found here.   I love her style!    This one is my favorite of the three cards I'm posting today; I think it is lovely.   The layout uses the clean-and-simple sketch for this week's challenge on Splitcoast.  

Stamps:  Apple Blossoms, Vintage Vogue

Ink:  Baja Breeze

Paper:  Greenhouse Gala designer paper, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze

Accessories:  basic pearls

Tools:  mat pack, paper piercer, Itty Bitty Punch Pack, Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies die

Here's another simple, yet elegant card.   Here I used one of my favorite colors, Pear Pizzazz to give Elizabeth her first inking.    I find this stamp to be a tad bit challenging, but I like how this turned out.  

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes, Elizabeth

Ink:  Pear Pizzazz

Paper: Greenhouse Gala designer paper, Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz

Accessories:  basic pearls, Very Vanilla 3/8 taffeta ribbon

Tools:  Itty Bitty Punch Pack, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Finally, here is my challenge card for today.   This is for the color challenge on Splitcoast to use Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, and Very Vanilla.   This is one of those cards where the idea just didn't translate like I wanted, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it.    It might end up being one that I take apart or add to once I think about what needs to be changed to make me love it.  :)

Stamps:  Lovely as a Tree

Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Old Olive

Paper:  Jolly Holiday designer paper, Woodland Walk designer paper, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Very Vanilla

Tools:  Big Shot, Fancy Favor Die (I love the little border that it makes!)

Paper Players Color Challenge 3/13

Since today is my anniversary, I just did a quick card with almost no stamping. It is for a color challenge to use Blushing Bride, Baja Breeze, Early Espresso, and Very Vanilla. You can see the challenge here: http://thepaperplayers.blogspot.com/2011/03/challenge-38-anns-color-challenge.html

Stamps: Apple Blossoms (hostess)
Ink: Early Espresso
Paper: Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, In-Color Designer Series paper pack (hostess), Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper
Tools: Big Shot, Scallop Square die, Owl Punch

I'm still alive!

Don't you hate it when your real job interferes with the job you LOVE?   I finally found some time to craft this week and wanted to share a couple of projects with you.  These are two of the lunch box notes I designed for my upcoming class.   It was my first time using two of the new colors, Blushing Bride and Early Espresso.   Love them!  

I saw these cute treat bags on a few other websites and of course I had to make some for myself!   :)   I am so thankful for my wonderful husband and his endless patience!   He made a funnel for me to use to get the candy in the bag and it made them so simple to make.   I can't wait to make up more of them for Halloween and Christmas.

Need a project idea?

AUGUST 2010: Featured Project

Happy Thoughts card

Stamps Apple Blossoms* Paper Baja Breeze Card Stock Whisper White Card Stock Old Olive Textured Card Stock Ink Marina Mist Classic Stampin' Pad Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad Peach Parfait Classic Stampin' Pad Baja Breeze Stampin' Write Marker Marina Mist Stampin' Write Marker Old Olive Stampin' Write Marker Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker Accessories Bitty Buttons Stampin' Dimensionals Crop-A-Dile Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch White crochet thread *Level 2 hostess set

I have this set and I love it!    I am going to make it the stamp set of the week, so be on the lookout for more cards this week!

Open House Tonight!

My display board for my Open House.   

My prizes to give away!   Two of them contain chocolate and the other some 3x3 cards.   I hope the winners will like them!  I also have one stamp set to give away as well.

My make-and-takes.