New Baby Card

My niece Stacy had a baby boy a couple of days ago.  She lives in another state so I'm glad my sisters have posted pictures so quickly to facebook.  He's a cute little guy - only weighs 5lb 5 oz.  Stacy and Will are home now and are doing great.  Congrats to Stacy, her husband Eric and their sons Ian and Bradley.

I used Taylor's Challenge layout to make the card for Stacy.  I found the soft sky patterned paper pieces near the top of my dp stash, so that determined the colors I used.  The sweet bundle of love stamp is from Sweet Celebrations, the little baby from Tag Time and sentiment from Congrats (all retired SU sets).  I used Blue Bayou ink for the image and sentiment. 

On her post, Taylor said this was an easy layout and she was right. Check out her blog and see some of the other great cards using this layout.

Happy Birthday Taylor

Today is Taylor's birthday...Happy Birthday to one very talented lady!
The layout for the card is today's cupcake challenge. A couple of months ago I ordered some stuff from Taylor's store, so I pulled out some of it to make today's card. The paper, ribbon and flowers are all from that pack. The image is from TE Sweet Spring. I cut out a party hat, added a brad and some "fru-fru" ribbon (I have no idea what that stuff is called).
You know what, today's Stamp Simply challenge is "half circles" so this card meets that challenge too.
That's cool...2 challenges.

Anyway, it was nice to be making a challenge card again...it's been a long, long time.
Check out all the great cards on Taylor's blog

Yummy Bunny

I didn't think I would have the time to make a card for Taylor's sketch challenge this week, but thanks to Jill I had an excuse to make this one. She needs a card for her nephew and everything I've made so far has too much "girl" stuff on it. So I took out TE's Sweet Spring set and chose the cuppie and bunny and used lots of blue. The bunny and little boy blue cuppie were both colored with SU markers. I used a white glaze pen on the bunny's tail. I could probably add another layer of glaze and make the tail "pop" a bit more.
The background paper is from SU SAB paper set.
So that's it...simple, but cute.

Cupcake Challenge #61

This is the card layout from yesterday's Cupcake Challenge. It also fits the Stamp Simply challenge found here. That challenge is called "Let's Forget the Rules." It requires the use of either stripes or dots and if desired another print or pattern. That was easy...I chose one of the patterned papers from Taylored Expressions Easter Key Ingredients Kit. It had stripes on one side and polka dots on the other.





The image and sentiment are both from TE Sweet Spring set. I used SU markers to color the cupcake and jelly beans and of course added a TE brad on top. Bree really likes this brad...it sparkles. The felt flowers and light pink brad are from SU. I remembered to stamp a cupcake on white paper for the inside of the card.
The black border is one that Julie made for me.She sells her absolutely fabulous textures and borders (for printshop) on dvd. The dvd also includes a video tutorial and extra photoshop brushes. This is how she describes her textures and borders dvd:
Each texture and border was handcrafted for the purpose of making art. By mixing the elements of texture and line you will discover techniques to bring fine art elements to your own imagery. The video tutorials introduce techniques to get you started, but I encourage you to experiment with your own digital manipulation techniques…there are so many possibilities! Here are the specifics of what is on the disk: 31 different textures (I know, why couldn’t I have made it an even 30), 11 borders, 8 bonus Photoshop brushes and 4 video tutorials to get you going. Fun Stuff!

Check out her blog...

Cupcake Challenge #60

Both Bree and Ty spent the night Thursday...it was Ty's first overnight visit. We all did fine even though I kept waking up to check on him. I took time to check out Taylor's sketch early so I could think about what I wanted to make. I just needed to find a few minutes to hide out in my stamp room. So after they were gone (and after dinner at the Mexican restaurant), I pulled out TE Sweet Spring stamp set and got busy.
I inked the image in basic brown and colored it with SU markers. Then I put this aside and finished the card this morning.
Instead of the oval layer on the sketch, I used the basket for the "oval." The egg on the left is cut out from dp from TE Easter Key Ingredients. The black dots on the egg and the eyes were made with a black glaze gel pen. I cut out the basket, added a pastel green brad on the ribbon and then popped up the middle of the basket with foam dots. I used a SU real red marker to color the dot on the top of the cupcake. Then I put Crystal Effects on it to make it look like a brad. The scallop border looked plain and boring, so I added a bit of bling. This could be considered a simple card if the basket was not cut out. To me, simple does not mean this much cutting.
Hop on over to Taylor's blog to see more cards using this week's card layout.

Hello There, Somebunny Loves You Challenge Cards

Last Wednesday I got my first Taylored Expressions stamp set (Sweet Spring). What can I say? They are soo cute. Unfortunately I had to wait until Saturday to try them out. Thursday I was helping a friend make her daughter's wedding programs. Friday was a mad rush cleaning and cooking for book club - and tea at my house. Julie came home Friday night (she photographed the wedding and she also brought an assistant with her). Of course when she comes, Jill comes. After all Julie needs to see Bree and baby Ty. Then some other friends stopped by. It was like old times. And what a great day for them to stop by...lots of goodies and chocolate.
So Saturday afternoon, I found an hour alone and pulled out my new goodies from TE...Sweet Spring and Easter Key Ingredients. I used Friday's sketch challenge and made this card. The blue and patterned paper, along with the green rick-rack, brads and flowers are all from the Easter Key Ingredients pack. The other papers are SU Gable Green and Pretty in Pink. I colored the images with SU markers. I'm sending this card to Bree. She loves getting stuff in the mail and is sure to love the bunny, especially the pink brad!










I also made a card for Jen's SFYTT. SU's Cheep Talk provided all the stamps for this card. I used SU markers to color the branch, leaves, and birds. The ribbon is from the SAB catalog...love that free stuff! I used Jill's CM oval cutters to make the oval layers and a punch to make the dragonflies. You can't see it in the picture, but there are 2 white dots on each of the dragonflies. They were made with white glaze pens.
Paper: Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Always Artichoke designer prints, white, and a 5x7 card from my "stash"
Ink: SU markers - night of navy, always artichoke, so saffron
Accessories: So Saffron ribbon, SU button, dragonfly punch, CM cutter

So here I am at the end of a fantastic weekend...tea with my very best friends, both girls were home...and Bree and Ty, saw some friends I haven't seen in a while, church was awesome today...and I made some cards.

Taylor's Cupcake Challenge

Taylored Expressions is one year old and they're having a Par-tay. Hop on over to her blog, say congrats, and join the TE Birthday Bash.

This is the card that I finally finished for yesterday's sketch. Those little squares and I were really struggling last night. I tried different images, stamps, techniques, and colors. Then I said "enough" it just isn't happening. So this afternoon I pulled out the SAB designer pack Stampin Up and tried again. I cut the squares with a CB scallop square die, then used some temporary adhesive to keep them together so I could apply the black rub-on (from Love & Happiness - retired SU). I didn't do a very good job of lining them up when I attached them to the white card stock. Oh well.
I layered that on bashful blue cardstock and added a button and butterfly (MS punch). The certainly celery layer is stamped with Sanded, the sentiment is a rub-on from Love & Happiness, and the ribbon is one of the freebies from SAB. I guess what's so nice about participating in challenges is that I make myself make things that are out of my norm. And then even better, I get to see some really great cards made with the same layout. I loved Stephanie's card. Such talent!

Cupcake Challenge and Becky's Visit

Wow...lots to share today. First of all, last Sunday my sister Becky came for a visit. This is her with my grandson Ty. We stayed so busy that we didn't realize until the last minute that we hadn't taken pictures. So she got one with Ty, but not Bree (she was in Wilmington at ballet and gymnastics).




I'm going to jump ahead to the card I made for Taylor's challenge,

It was a quick and easy card for me. I used my Inkadinkado cupcake stamps and made a birthday card that Bree can give away or for Gary and I to give to one of the girls in his small group. I used chocolate chip, regal rose, pretty in pink, mellow moss, and brocade blue markers to ink the image and sentiment. The bottom edge of the mellow moss layer was punched with the scallop border punch. The mellow moss strip was embossed with the dotted swiss cb folder, inked with white craft ink, then tied with pretty in pink grosgrain ribbon. The dotted paper is from a designer prints pack. That's it...done.



Now back to Becky's visit. Besides eating, spending time with family,eating, seeing the new baby, and eating, we managed to make a few things. Becky made 15 cards that she took home with her (I'll post some of them tomorrow.) She also made 2 mini photo albums and 2 flip scrapbooks for her boys Jon and Caleb.
One of their favorite vacation spots is the beach. So the set Shore Thing provided perfect images of enjoying sand and sun. After using Jill's cricut to make their names, Becky realized that she needs her very own cricut.





The last 2 things we made were flip scrapbooks. Jon plays a lot of sports and I think the colors of his team are red and blue, so that's what we chose for him. Jon is in the 7th grade and will have no problem filling his book with pictures and stuff.






We used chocolate chip and mellow moss for Caleb's book. He's in the 3rd grade and I hope he has fun with his book. Both of the title pages were made on my computer. I used RGB color numbers to match the books colors. We used some stamps, punches, cricut cut-outs and designer papers to decorated the inside. And Becky will finish embellishing them with stickers and stuff that she has at home. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Cupcake Challenge

It took a couple of days, but I made a card for Taylor's Cupcake Challenge. OK...why did it take a couple of days? Well, I was waiting for Sunday when I knew I would be purchasing an Inkadinkado set from ac moore. It's so nice that the store is not too far from my church (PC3). It only takes a minute to run in with coupon in hand and make a quick purchase. Yesterday Gary took a coupon in with him and bought the MS butterfly punch for me...he's so nice...doesn't complain about stopping there and is always willing to help me use coupons!
Moving on...for the card, I used wild wasabi designer prints paper and so saffron cardstock for the layer beneath that. The scallop is chipboard which I inked with So Saffron craft ink and then added tiny rhinestones (from Walmart). I punched out a purely pomegranate circle and attached it with dimensionals. I used a water pen, purely pomegranate ink and brown colored pencil to color the cupcake. I cut it out and added some stickles. The celebrate sentiment is from the same cupcake stamp collection. After I stamped it, I went over the letters with a glaze pen. The 3 brads are from my brad stash. I think these were the last of this color :) yeah! I'm gradually using these things and will be so happy when they are gone. The next thing I want to do is sell some of my older and seldom used stamp sets. They need a new home. Watch for a list in the next couple of days.
Have a blessed week!

Friday's Challenge Card

I learned late last night that a friend's father passed away a couple of days ago. I wanted to make a card and mail it right away especially since I was not able to attend the visitation nor the funeral. It's difficult to suddenly lose someone you are very close to and I am praying for the family.



I was hoping Taylor would have a challenge sketch today to help get some creative juices flowing...and she did.




It was difficult choosing colors. Many of my sympathy cards are done in softer colors. I hope these brighter colors will help convey the hope that she has in God that she will see her father again.


The Purely Pomegranate layer is embossed with a cuttlebug folder (I think textile). The tulips are from the retired SU set Watercolor Garden II- one of those sets I can't seem to part with.
The sentment is from Hero Arts.
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, and Purely Pomegranate (one of last year's in-colors.
Ink: same colors as paper
Accessories: Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Curly Label Punch, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, brads

Taylor's Cupcake Challenge

This is the sketch for the Taylored Expression Cupcake Challenge #53. And here's my card. The hogs and kisses stamp is by Inkadinkado and is probably 20-22 years old. I found the stamp among some seldom used stamps and remembered how much fun we had with this stamp oh so many years ago. I wish I knew then (about stamping) what I know now. I used a corner rounder on the black card base and pink pirouette and white layers. The little black dots were added because I just couldn't leave the white layer plain. The patterned paper is from Bella Rose dp series. And the black gingham ribbon was found in my ribbon stash. I'm really working on trying to get down to 1 drawer for my non-SU ribbons. I think I need to give some away!






I stamped the image with classic black ink on pink pirouette paper, then used a 2" circle punch to cut it out. I trimmed around the top of the hogs and layered it on a black scallop. I used Jill's new creative memories heart punch and used the inside heart for to add to the mix. Can you see all the little kisses on the hogs. Wouldn't it be cute if the kisses were in red. Maybe next time.
Thanks to Taylor for another great sketch challenge.

Busy, Busy Cupcake Day

Last Friday Taylor posted her Cupcake Challenge #52 It was the one anniversary for her cupcake challenges on her blog. There were 8 other sketches to try from 8 of her friends. They were all great, but I only had time to make 3 of them.
This card is Taylor's sketch.
Bree has a pink cap with a cupcake applique'. It is so cute. I used her cap as inspiration for my cupcakes on this card and the next 2 cards. She said it is a "beautiful card" and so I guess she gets this one.
The only stamping I did was the "sweet" sentiment and the little red heart. The cupcake is made from Bella Rose designer paper. I used the scallop edge punch for the top of the cupcake paper and the 1 3/4" punch for the cupcake. The pretty in pink layer is embossed with the CB Swiss Dots. The "sweet" flower is punched out with the boho punch. I added flower fusion with pink brads. What a fun card to make!
This is Stephanie's sketch. Again I used Bella Rose designer paper. I made the cupcake with the designer paper but replaced the ribbon with a rhinestone brad.
I used the chocolate chip marker to define the edges and add dots to the cupcake. The cupcake is actually attached to the inside of the card. I punched a 1 1/2" hole on the front of the card. It's had to see but I used a stipple brush to give the cupcake a background.











Monika's sketch was a bit more challenging for me. I have a mega scallop punch which is great, but it was difficult to cut through 2 layers. It would definitely be easier to use the scallop circles with the Big Shot. (Those are on my list.) Again I used Bella Rose designer paper for the cupcake. The pink with brown stripe ribbon came from Gary's store (I ordered a roll when I had to order merchandise bags...so easy to just slip a little roll of ribbon on the order.) The pink organza ribbon is from the many rolls of ribbon left over from Julie's wedding. I'm thinking about getting red suckers and attaching them to the inside. This could be Bree's valentines for the kids in her Cubbies class. I guess I could change to colors to blue and brown for the boys.
Vicki's sketch took me away from cupcakes. Bree needs a birthday card for one of her friends. The card base, the ribbon and the ink for the sentiment are certainly celery. I stamped the tugboat with tempting turquoise craft ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder. The blue strips and wave are bashful blue designer papers. The life preserver is attached to the boat with black hemp. The circles on the turquoise layer were made with a cuttlebug embossing folder. And last of all, there are 2 rhinestone brads. At this age, I don't think her little friend will even notice the bit of bling!

One Little Baby for Taylored Expression Cupcake Challenge #51

It's nice to be back at home and really nice to be able to post a new card on my blog. I have been at Jill's house for the past few days helping her take care of her new baby and Bree. She had an infection and has been on antibiotics and pain medication...so I've been changing a lot of diapers...all that baby stuff! She's better and I'm home! I miss the baby!
So that said...I'll move on to stamp stuff.
I really enjoy looking at Taylor's blog and especially enjoy her cupcake challenges. This was last Friday's challenge and the card I made.


















If you look at Taylor's blog, you will see a card by Jenn Diercks. When I saw her card using the elephant from Happy Heart Day, I knew this was what I wanted to do for a card for Ty. I used markers to color the image so I could put different words over the elephant. The "one little baby..." is from Curvy Verses. I inked the first half of the verse with certain celery marker and used the stamp-a-ma-jig to place it over the top of the elephant. I wrote "Ty" inside the heart. And it's true..."One little baby...many happy hearts!"
Thanks Taylor for a great card layout and a big thanks to Jenn for a great card to CASE. Check out her work on her blog I Got Stamps