Cupcakes, mmmm! Can't think of anyone I know that doesn't like cupcakes. Today's card is just for fun- no challenges involved. It's pretty straight forward, CAS.

Gotta run now and finish getting ready for work.

What's in it:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- Vintage Cream,Rustic Cream, Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist

Stamps: Papertrey Ink- Sweet Treats: Valentine

Spellbinders: Labels Eight, Lattice Border

Ink: Papertrey Ink- Tea Dye Duo Chamomile and Chai, Sweet Blush

Ribbon: Papertrey Ink- Vintage Cream grosgrain

Hope you all have a FABULOUS day! The weather is supposed to start getting nasty here sometime this evening.

Smooch!

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop!

It's time for the monthly Papertrey Ink Blog Hop! Woot! It's 2nd favorite time of the month! (first would be the Papertrey Ink release parties!) This month's challenge is the "total package". Often, the inside of a card is left feeling a little neglected; I confess, I'm guilty of that myself. While I often finish the inside of a card, I never put in quite as much effort as I did on the outside.  Since this challenge seemed to scream for a card for a special occasion, I decided to make my mother's birthday card for this challenge.

Where to start? I background stamped some Vintage Cream cardstock with Damask Designs and embossed with Filagree white embossing powder. The floral image is the large flower from In Bloom, stamped in Versamark ink on Vintage Cream cardstock and embossed with clear embossing powder. I stamped the image three times, cut each layer smaller than the one under it, and layered them with foam squares. The flower and leaves are colored with Copic Markers.

I liked the way the light hit the flower in this photo, so I'm including it, too. The swirled flourish under the flower is a Spellbinders die, Flourish Accent. The butterfly punch is from Emaginations. I stamped an image from Damask Designs on Vintage Cream cardstock, and embossed it with Filagree white embossing powder before punching the butterflies. The edges of the butterflies are inked with Lemon Tart and Summer Sunrise. The border punch is from Martha Stewart. Ribbon is Lemon Tart satin. The punched border was placed under the layers of Nestabilities, which are Scalloped Circle, Classic Circle and Labels Nine. The pearls are from K & Company, and were lightly colored with a Copic marker. The circle die has a border of an image from Damask Designs stamped in Summer Sunrise. The flourish under the sentiment (which is also from Damask Designs) is an image from Fancy Flourishes.  Next, the inside of the card. It has the same embossed background and layered Nesties as the front. The sentiment image is from Blooming Button Bits. All edges have been inked. I'll add a little handwritten note inside the card, because I just can't bear to write on it!

So here's something I've never done before. I almost always stamp and sign the back of my cards, but I've never used a die cut on them before. This die is a Nesties Labels Nine. The stamped image is from Trademarks.

I know we were supposed to show our decorated envelopes as well, but this fat little card wouldn't fit in an envelope. Since I'll be mailing the card, I'm going to put it in a bubble mailer, after wrapping it in the tissue paper that I stamped. I randomly stamped images from In Bloom, Damask Designs, and Fancy Flourishes, using Spring Moss, Summer Sunrise, and Orange Zest inks.  Below is a photo of the card wrapped in the tissue paper, ready to be mailed.

Whew! Kudos to you if you stuck it out for this extra long post. I hope you enjoyed the card I've shared with you, and I also hope you have a BLAST at the Blog Hop!

Smooch!

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch and Timeless Tuesday Challenge

I'm getting really good at submitting a card for a challenge the day before a new challenge comes out, Ha!

This one uses the sketch from Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge and it also fits Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (to create a scene with stamps). I sent this card to Erin G. from Inky Smiles. I won a stamp set recently from the Skipping Stones Design blog hop, and I won from her blog. (Hope she likes it).

What's in it:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- White, Vintage Cream

DP: K & Company

Stamps: Verve- Up, Up and Away, Fairy Tales (sentiment)

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Papertrey Ink- Spring Moss, Aqua Mist

Border Punch: Martha Stewart

Hope everybody has a FABULOUS day, and don't forget- tonight is the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop!

Smooch!

Mojo Monday (on Sunday)

Am I early? No, I'm that late with this. Here's my card for the weekly Mojo Monday sketch challenge. I sent this card to an incredibly generous lady (Katie Cotton from Paper Makeup Stamps). I was the winner of her blog candy recently, and you should see the GINORMOUS box of goodies I got. I haven't even gone through it all yet, much less organized it. I can't wait to start using some of those adorable Paper Makeup stamps.

The roses are from The Greeting Farm- Fancy Fleurs, and the "thank you" sentiment is fom Verve. The large panel is background stamped in Versamark with the image from Verve's Grateful Elegance. Over that, in Memento Rich Cocoa, I stamped one of the gorgeous images from Papertrey Ink's Turning A New Leaf, stamping a second time without reinking for a shadowed effect. The DP is from Die Cuts With A View, and the edges of everything are inked. The border punch is from Fiskars, and the markers are (of course) from Copic.

Hope you all have a glorious day-it's raining buckets here, so I think I'll just work on some Valentine projects.
Smooch!

Skipping Stones Design Sketch Challenge

I've got another Valentine's card to share today. I've seen several challenges floating around (none I remembered to print out so I could use this card for it, DOH!) asking for a Valentine's Day card without using red or pink. Well, here ya go! This card uses the sketch for the weekly sketch challenge at Skipping Stones Design.

Just a bit non-traditional, yes? I still think it's kind of neat, but I'm thinking I might make another one in pink and red just to satisfy my curiosity.

What's in it:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- Lemon Tart, Spring Moss, Kraft

Stamps: Papertrey Ink- Heart Prints

Ink: Papertrey Ink- Fresh Snow, Spring Moss; Versafine- Onyx Black; Versamark

Embossing Powder: Filagree- White

Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug- With Love

oops, musn't forget- Dew Drops.

That's it for now. I've got a TON of things to do, so wish me some superhero speed so I can get everything done and PLAY!

Smooch!

Caardvarks Red Heart Challenge!

Well, here's another first time challenge for me, Caardvarks, with a challenge so easy and fun, even I had no trouble pulling it off. The challenge is to use the color red (check) and incorporate hearts (double check) into your design.

Here's my Clean and Simple design; I really like it though, simple or not.

So all I did was score a little border on the Kraft cardstock, attach all my seriously inked hearts, and stitch a couple of rows across the hearts.

What's in it:

Cardstock:

Papertrey Ink- Vintage Cream, Kraft, White

Stamps: Papertrey Ink- Heart Prints

Ink: Papertrey Ink- Hibiscus Burst, Pure Poppy, Scarlet Jewel

That's it! I hope everyone is able to find the time to play tonight.

Smooch!

Some Bunny Loves U

Hi everybody! Hope this Wednesday is finding you all well (and inky). I've got just a quick little card to share with you; it's very simple, but I really do love how it turned out.

I'm just having WAY too much fun with PTI's Tiny Treats set. There are TONS of images in this set, each more adorable than the last. But anywho....

Here's what's in it:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- White, Vintage Cream, Kraft, Sweet Blush, Hibiscus Burst

Stamps: Papertrey Ink- Tiny Treats: Valentine, Background Basics: Hearts

Ink: Versafine- Onyx Black: Versamark; Papertrey Ink- Fresh Snow, Hibiscus Burst

Markers: Copic

Buttons: Papertrey Ink Vintage Buttons- Hibiscus Burst

Ribbons: Papertrey Ink- Hibiscus Burst Saddle Stitch

Border Punch: Martha Stewart- Looped Hearts

Well, that's it for me, thanks for looking. I hope everyone has a wonderful evening!

Smooch!

High Hopes Blog Hop

High Hopes is celebrating the arrival of a marvelous artist, Dustin Pike. It's also time for a new release. In honor of those occasions, they are offering you the chance to win some YUMMY High Hopes stamps!

To be entered into the drawing:

Grab the High Hopes blinkie from their sidebar.

Tell your friends the news!

Become a follower of the High Hopes blog (if you aren't already).

Leave 'em a comment with a link back to your blog.


Done!

The contest ends 7:00 PM Central time on Friday, January 22nd.

Verve Release Party Chipboard Challenge

Today I'd like to share the card that was my final entry for the Verve Release Party. Now that the new releases are available for purchase, if you haven't already done so, you should go check them out. They released some beautiful sets this month (well, they always do- just go check them out).

I confess I don't use chipboard often, so when I read the details for this challenge, my first thought was, "Umm.... you want me to use what?" As it so happens, though, I happened to have some chipboard buttons in my stash. I really need to do some spring cleaning. It's almost like Christmas time again when you go through a stash pile and find all sorts of things you forgot you had.

What's in it:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- Lavender Moon, Spring Moss, New Leaf, Plum Pudding

Stamps: Papertrey Ink- Blooming Button Bits, Turning a New Leaf, Polka Dot Basics

Inks: Papertrey Ink- New Leaf, Plum Pudding; Versamark

Clear Embossing Powder

Spellbinders: Nestabilities- Classic Rectangle

Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug- Swiss Dots

Border Punch- Martha Stewart

Glitter- Doodlebug

Ribbon: Papertrey Ink- Spring Moss twill

Well, that's it for me today. I've got to get started on my project for the upcoming Papertrey Ink Blog Hop. (that will be January 25th). Hope to see you there, you know you want to play.

Smooch!

Challenges for Doodle Dragon and Mercy's Sketch Challenge

Today I'm sharing a card for two challenges- the weekly sketch on Mercy Kerin's blog, and the first ever Doodle Dragon Studios challenge. Dustin was even kind enough to provide a free image for the challenge. The theme is Love/ Valentine's Day- I didn't quite get that, but it could be a lovey dovey birthday card, yes?

My poor little bear looks a bit wonky, because as I was trying to give him some nubby texture, I ran completely out of my Copic colorless blender. Completely! Don't ya know, I don't happen to have a refill yet either (which I intend to rectify as soon as I'm done with this post). I colored the wings and watering can with a clear Spica pen for a bit of sparkle, added a bit of Cotton Candy Stickles to the cupcakes and the cupcake "seeds", and added Gossy Accents to the water droplets.

I flipped the sketch to make my image fit, but I tried to follow it to the letter other than that.

What's in it:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel

DP: Papertrey Ink- Bitty Box; My Mind's Eye- Bloom and Grow (don't remember which, and I'm too lazy to get up and go look)

Stamps: Dustin Pike (Doodle Dragon Studios)- Cupcake Farmer; Papertrey Ink- Mixed Messages (sentiment)

Markers: Copic, Spica

Border Punch: Fiskars- Apron Lace (I think).

Well, I hope everyone has a fabulous evening. I now have to go place orders at Papertrey Ink, Verve, and Oozak (what a terrible life- Ha!)

Smooch!

Verve Release Party Shape Challenge

Don't forget about the Verve Release Party at SplitcoastStampers tonight! This card is for the Shape Challenge (to make anything other than the standard A2).

It's nothing earth-shattering, but it does use one of my FAVE nesties- Labels Eight. I just really enjoy the lines on that one and Labels One, but I digress.

I cut the 3rd smallest of the Large Classic Square and offset the medium sized flower in the Believe Set. Then I stitched the inner edges of the squares (and a special "thank-you" to my sewing machine, who chose to skip two very visible stitches) onto a piece of Aqua Mist. After that, I ran it through the Cuttlebug twice to cut my stitched piece. The sentiment is raised on foam squares, and even though I cut my ribbon tails WAY too short, the bow is adorable, thanks to the Bow-Easy.

Here's what's in it:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- Soft Stone, Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush, Rustic Cream

Stamps: Verve- Believe

Ink: Versafine- Onyx Black; Papertrey Ink- Hibiscus Burst, Smokey Shadow, Sweet Blush

Ribbon: Papertrey Ink- Sweet Blush

Spellbinders: Nestabilities- Labels Eight, Classic Square

Pearl: Martha Stewart

Marker: Copic

Hope you enjoy; have a fabulous day.

See you at the release party!

Smooch!

Verve Release Party Challenge

So.... tomorrow is the release party for Verve Stamps. I really do love Julee's designs; they're so elegant and romantic. This card is for one of the release party challenges the Color Challenge. It uses the sketch from the Skipping Stones Tuesday Sketch Challenge.

Ssshhh, don't tell him- this is the card I made for my hubs for Valentine's Day.

Sorry about the photo, it looks kind of washed out, not sure what happened there.

Anywho, I used Wishful Elegance to stamp backgrounds. On the Soft Stone panel, it's stamped in Versamark, then I stamped the sentiment from Hundred Hearts in Versafine Onyx Black. I embossed the images with clear embossing powder, and then inked around the edge with Smokey Shadow ink.

The same background is stamped on the Aqua Mist panel, this time using the Smokey Shadow ink, and then I inked around the edges again.

I used the Fleur de Lis CB embossing folder on the True Black panel, and finished it off with some True Black satin ribbon, and three pearls that were colored with a C3 Copic marker.

What's in it:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- Soft Stone, Aqua Mist, True Black

Stamps: Verve- Wishful Elegance, Hundred Hearts

Ink: Versafine- Onyx Black; Versamark; Papertrey Ink- Smokey Shadow

CB Embossing Folder- Fleur de Lis

Ribbon: Papertrey Ink- True Black

Pearls: Martha Stewart

Marker: Copic

Thanks for having a lookee; I hope everyone has a great time today.

Smooch!

Blog Candy Alert

A massive pile of candy it is, too.
Andrea at My Stamping Heaven has oodles and oodles of blog candy.
Entries are accepted until January 31.
Have a lookee!

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #55

Here's my entry for the sketch challenge on Mercy Kerin's blog. It's the first time I've participated in this weekly challenge, but the sketch looked so fun, I couldn't pass it up.

In fact, I made two, because when I was making the card and was assembling the panels, I almost attached the panels on the card (below) "wrong" according to the sketch. I liked the way it looked, though, so I just made two versions. (Isn't that what you're supposed to do when you can't make up your mind between two things? Choose both!?!)

I'm seriously having a lot of fun with the Valentine themed stamps from Papertrey Ink. Hearts, hearts, and more hearts (which I love), and the Tiny Treats is just out of this world adorable.

I'll be showing you more as time allows.

For today, though---

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- Vintage Cream, Kraft, Sweet Blush, Hibiscus Burst

Stamps: Papertrey Ink- Tiny Treats: Valentine, A Simple Valentine, Background Basics: Hearts

Ink: Papertrey Ink- Fresh Snow, Hisbiscus Burst; Versafine- Onyx Black

Markers: Copic

Border Punch: Martha Stewart

Spellbinders: Classic Circles

I hope to see you soon. Until then, stay warm and keep playing!

Smooch!

Feel The Love

I've managed to submit a card for a challenge after a very long break. Flourishes has issued a challenge to "feel the love", and create a project for the season of love. Sketch, colors, the type of project- they're all fair game and you have until January 15th to submit your project. Up for grabs is their entire January release.

This "love" card was for my wonderful, adorable, supportive husband, so I had to attempt to make a somewhat "manly" card. He seemed to like it......

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- Soft Stone, Vintage Cream, Smokey Shadow

Stamps: Flourishes- Ornamental Elements; Papertrey Ink- Damask Designs (sentiment)

Ink: Papertrey Ink- Smokey Shadow (images on Smokey Shadow cardstock were embossed with silver EP)

Spellbinders: Classic Heart, Scalloped Heart, Ribbon Tags Trio

Ribbon: Papertrey Ink- Scarlet Jewel

I hope you're all feeling the love as we approach Valentine's Day. It's my second favorite card making occasion- I'm just a sucker for a lot of hearts and the all the pinks and reds.

Stay tuned for more Valentine projects!!!

Smooch!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Well, as it turns out, I didn't have time before Christmas to show you all the Christmas cards I made, so we'll just move on.
My dad's birthday was just a couple of days after Christmas, and here is the card I sent him.
I love this little mouse, the look of sheer delight on his face makes me smile every time I see him.

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink- White, Spring Rain, Dark Chocolate
Stamps: Whiff of Joy- Celebrating Henry; Papertrey Ink- Polka Dot Basics
Cuttlebug Folder: Swiss Dots
Ink: Papertrey Ink- Vingtage Cream, Chamomile, Dark Chocolate
Markers: Copic
That's it for today; got to go to work now. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!