Swipe It!

Hi All,

I saw this technique by Kim Jolley and knew it would be perfect for a masculine card. She has coined it 'Inkswiping'.

Kim has a great video here if you'd like to pop over to watch it.  All you need is an old credit card, acrylic blocks and some Reinkers.  The process is simple. First, cut your credit card into strips of different widths.  Second, place a few drops of Reinker onto an acrylic block.  Lastly, swipe a strip of the credit card onto the inked block and swipe onto your paper.  Continue until you have the colored effect that you're looking for.

Item# 122932 Island Indigo Reinker $3.75

Item# 100531 Old Olive Reinker $3.75

Item# 131158 Crushed Curry Reinker $3.75

This is such a simple technique and can be used as a background on any type of card.  I used Old Olive, Island Indigo and Crushed Curry for a more masculine effect, but the options are endless. Give it a go!

Everyone at my workshop loved making this card.  If you'd like to add any of these products to your collection, just click on the 'Order Online' icon in the top right-hand corner of this page.  Thanks for stopping by!

Stamp: Bring on the Cake
Paper: Crushed Curry, Island Indigo, Basic Black and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Crushed Curry, Island Indigo and Old Olive Reinkers; Island Indigo Classic Pad
Accessories: Old Credit Card and Various Acrylic Blocks

A Sweet Sorbet Birthday

Hi All,

How is your weekend going so far?  Ours is actually pretty good here in AZ.  It's been overcast all day and we actually got a little bit of rain.   Here's to hoping it continues into Sunday :)

The card I have for you today continues my Chevron theme from last weekend.  It is based on this card by Geri over at Geri's Paper Wishes. I loved how she tied in the silver chevron with the printed paper.  I did the same with the Sweet Sorbet DSP.  I chose two coordinating prints.

There are so many interesting details on this card:  First, I love the rounded corners mixed with the straight. It adds a bit of softness.  Secondly, the Pool Party (light blue) panel on the right is shorter than the main panel. I think it brings the focus in on the sentiment.  Lastly, these colors are fabulous: Summer Starfruit and Pool Party.  They have a retro feel but are still quite modern.

The highlight of this card is definitely the paper.  You can earn it for FREE during Sale-A-Bration when you spend $50.  It's definitely a great addition to your collection.  It has lots of beautiful prints.  If you'd like to add it to yours, email me or click on the Order Online icon in the top right corner.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Bring on the Cake
Paper: Summer Starfruit, Pool Party and Whisper White Cardstock; Sweet Sorbet DSP
Ink: Pool Party Classic Ink
Accessories: Chevron Punch, Yellow Rhinestone, Corner Rounder Punch and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Positively Chevron

Hi All,

Happy Sunday!  I hope you all are having a great weekend so far.  I had a few girls over for a workshop yesterday, so I've been able to get a bit crafty this weekend. It ALWAYS feels good :)

The card I have for you today is from my January workshop.  The theme...Crazy for Chevrons.  I LOVE them and was excited to play with my new addition: the Positively Chevron background stamp.

The inspiration for my card was this stunner by Amy Crockett.  The yellow is just gorgeous!  Since I wanted to coordinate the Chevron Ribbon with the Chevron stamp, I had to go with a color that I had in stock, which just happened to be Wisteria Wonder.  I paired it up with Crumb Cake and they are just beautiful together.

Do you notice anything new on this card...maybe a little stitching around the sentiment???  Well, when my mom was in town over the holidays, I had her help me set up the brand new sewing machine that had been sitting in my craft room for the past 18 months.  As I was playing with it, I realized that it's also an embroidery machine...so, it's got tons of stitches.  I must say though, the simple zig-zag is my favorite.

I love the softness of this card, and of course, the Chevrons are pretty awesome too!  Both the Positively Chevron background stamp and Chevron ribbon are currently available through Stampin' Up.  They are a "must-have" for your collection! And, now is the perfect time to buy.  It's Sale-A-Bration.  For every $50 you spend, you get to choose a Free item from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  To get your order in, email me or click on the Order Online icon in the top right corner.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Positively Chevron & Bring on the Cake
Paper: Crumb Cake & Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Wisteria Wonder Classic Pad
Accessories: Wisteria Wonder Chevron Ribbon, Brown Button, Linen Thread, Glue Dot, Sewing Machine and Kraft Colored Thread

Happy Birthday Mary Beth!

Hi All,

Today is my good friend Mary Beth's birthday.  She is an AVID card maker, so the pressure was on to create something really special for her.  Luckily, I had just gotten a new stamp that hadn't even been inked up or used at a workshop yet, so it was something all new to share with her.  How fun!

I stumbled upon the Post Card stamp as I was flipping through the catalog one day.  I was checking out the hostess sets and noticed that they had paired it up with the Postage Collection Hostess Set.  They are adorable together!  For Mary Beth's card, I just CASED the card from the cattie.

The Post Card stamp is a large stamp and acts as the background stamp for this card.  As usual, I went to my trusty Color Coach to get a combo to play with.  I went with River Rock, Rose Red and Not Quite Navy.  They are fabulous together!

What I love about the Post Card stamp is that you can use it so many ways.  You can make a Halloween postcard, a fall postcard, a winter postcard...the options are truly endless. Another plus, you can embellish it in sooo many ways.  I trimmed down a doily and added a punched stamp in  the corner.  I finished the card by spritzing on some Always Artichoke ink and adding some Rose Red Seam Binding.

Every once in a while, you make a card that you just fall in LOVE with.  This is one of those for me.  I adore everything about it.  If you'd like to add any of these must have items to your collection, send me an email or click on the Order Online icon in the top right hand corner.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Post Card, Bring on the Cake, Postage Collection (Hostess Set), and Collage Curio
Paper: Rose Red, River Rock and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Rose Red and Regal Rose Classic Pads
Accessories: Doily, Postage Stamp Punch, Spritzer Tool, Always Artichoke Marker, Rose Red Seam Binding and Pop Dots/Dimensionals  

Happy Birthday to the Hubs!

Hi All,

Happy 3-Day weekend!  I, for one, am looking forward to three days off.  At the top of our plans: Star Trek and quite possibly Fast & Furious (Vin Diesel anyone???)  This is definitely the best summer of movies that we've had in a very long time.  There is not much I enjoy doing more than hanging out in a theater for 2 hrs and being completely entertained.

But, since you stopped by my Blog to be entertained, I shall share with you a card that I made for my hubby's birthday.  I CASED this card from Alberta's Closet. I loved the simplicity of it...and you could do it with any color combo.  I chose to use blues and greens.

What is so perfect about this card?  It's soooo easy to make.  I just cut 1/4 inch strips and lined them up on my card.  I placed my stamp in the position I wanted over the strips and marked the top and bottom with a pencil.  I then cut the strips and trimmed to the lengths that I wanted.  After much deliberation, I decided that I preferred a staggered approach for my final placement.

Needless to say, my husband loved it.  He even said it was one of his favorites.  There is something to be said for keeping it clean & simple.  Hope you like it too!  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Stamps:  Bring on the Cake
Paper: Gumball Green, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Crumb Cake and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Basic Black Classic Pad
Accessories: None...can you believe it?

Fabulous Flower

Hi All! It's good to be back. I took a little hiatus for my brother's wedding in California and then just took the rest of the week off from crafting altogether. I feel so refreshed and ready to go.

This card was inspired by Vicki Burdick's seen here. She used a bit of embossing on the Flower Fest stamp set. I don't have this stamp set, but felt pretty confident I could create something similar. The first thing that came to mind was my Nestabilities. I cut three different sizes and stacked them. I recreated her embossed edge by sponging the edges with some Whisper White Craft Ink.

I needed a Mom Birthday card and a Petal Cone to match, so it was fun to try out a different style on the cone. I did the same flower and added the Little Leaves Die Cut. So feminine...so pretty. Hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Bring on the Cake & Non-SU Alphabet Set
Paper: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery and Whisper White Cardstock; Sweet Always DSP
Ink: Regal Rose & Basic Black Stamp Pads; Whisper White Craft Pad
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Little Leave Die, Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Half Back Pearls, Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon, Light Green Rik-Rak, Corner Rounder Punch and a sponge

A Pixie Pinwheel

OK, enough of all that masculine stuff! Here's a fun summer card using the pinwheel technique that I've seen popping up everywhere.

Although it looks very tricky to make, it's actually so easy. The hardest part for me, was finding a patterned paper that I liked the front and back of for the pinwheel design.

1. You're going to cut a square the size you want your pinwheel to be. This one is 3"x3".

2. Next, you take a pair of scissors and cut toward the center from each of the corners-Do Not cut all the way to the center. You want to leave some uncut paper.

3. Fold one corner toward the center and press on the back edge. Continue this clockwise until all of the ends overlap in the center.

4. Lastly, grab your paper piercer, pierce through the edges in the center of the pinwheel and add a brad. This holds everything in place.

These are so fun to make and you can make them different every time! My design kind of resembles a present. Too cute! I would love to see your pinwheel if you decide to make one, so be sure to leave me a link. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Bring on the Cake
Paper: Crumb Cake & Sweet Always DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Scissors, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Brown Brad and a Glue Dot

Note: Spoil Yourself Today

Wouldn't you love to do that everyday...spoil yourself? I sure would. One way I spoiled myself...pretty much buying everything in the Occasions Mini. Anyone else out there spoil themselves this way???

I think this is the last stamp set from the mini that I have to share. The 'Note' image and composition lines are from the Notes & Details stamp set. Not only is the font super cute, but the set is so versatile.

I actually did get to use the Springtime Vintage Fabric on this card. I used it as ribbon and also die cut a matching butterfly. I think they make quite the ensemble ;) Have you used any of the fabric? If so, I'd love to take a look. Be sure to leave me a link in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Notes & Details (122022 or 122060) and Bring on the Cake (121899 or 121958)
Paper: Very Vanilla Cardstock (101650); Springtime Vintage DSP (121782)
Ink: Pear Pizzazz Classic Pad (119784)
Accessories: Designer Fabric-Springtime Vintage (121817), Big Designer Buttons-Springtime Vintage (122301), Beautiful Butterflies Die (114507), Linen Thread (104199) and Anywhere Glue Stick (104045)

A Year Better

"Not just a year older, but a year better." That's the sentiment on this card. Fabulous huh? This is one of the many sentiments from the Bring on the Cake stamp set. It truly is a must have set.

This card is a CASE right out of the Occassions Mini. I would have never put these colors together, but they truly do work. I think this may also be the first time I've used Marina Mist. It's such a pretty shade of blue.

I needed a third card for my last workshop and my creativity just wasn't flowing. When all else fails, pick up a catty and take a look. It works every time!

Stamps: Clearly for You (121911 or 121976) & Bring on the Cake (121899 or 121958)
Paper: Marina Mist (119682), Old Olive (100702), Cherry Cobbler (119685) and Whisper White (100730) Cardstock
Ink: Marina Mist (119668) and Cherry Cobbler (119669) Classic Pads
Accessories: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch (119275), 3/16" Corner Rounder (119871) Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercer (116631) and Sending Love Epoxy Brads