Country Morning

Hi All!

Happy Weekend!  I have a sweet little country lovin' card for you today.  I've had this stamp set (Country Morning) forever and have never inked it up.  But, I couldn't bear to get rid of it either.  I knew there would be a use for it someday.  When I got this card together, it just called out country to me and this set just happened to be perfect for it.

Wisteria Wonder was a new In Color a couple catalogs ago.  It didn't grab me then, but this time around, I had to have it.  Not to mention, it is paired up gorgeously with so many other colors in the Afternoon Picnic DSP (Coastal Cabana, Pear Pizzazz, Crushed Curry and many others.)  This card uses one of the hexagonal prints from this pack.  I chose to pair it up with Crushed Curry.  The colors are actually much softer IRL, but seemed to be a bit brighter once photographed.

As if this paper wasn't enough of a show-stopper, the new Chevron ribbon is the perfect accent.  Chevrons are so hot right now and I can't get enough of them.  This ribbon comes in 11 more colors and I'm pretty sure I NEED to have them all!

This paper pack and ribbon are both must-haves.  If you'd like to add these to your collection, just click on the Order Online icon in the top right hand corner: Afternoon Picnic DSP (Item 131390) and the Wisteria Wonder Chevron Ribbon (Item 130017).

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Country Morning (Retired) & Postage Collection (Hostess)
Paper: Wisteria Wonder, Crushed Curry and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Afternoon Picnic DSP
Ink: Wisteria Wonder and Elegant Eggplant Classic Ink Pads
Accessories:Wisteria Wonder 3/4" Chevron Ribbon, Scallop Circle Nesties, Circle Nesties, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, 1/16" Hole Punch and Crushed Curry Brads

Praying for Comfort

Hi All!

I hope you're not tired of the sweet Swallowtail that I've been sharing with you this past week!  I have one more for you today...And, I think this one may even be my favorite.  It was inspired by this card from Mary Brown. 

I loved how she incorporated the DSP with the butterfly. The floral print is the perfect match!  This print is from the Afternoon Picnic DSP.  What a beautiful pack of paper.  I love the colors and was sold on the Wisteria Wonder and Coastal Cabana color combos.  One of the other colors in the pack is Crushed Curry.  This is one of the prints.  I paired it up with Basic Gray.  They are gorgeous together. And, I also found that they were subtle enough for a Bereavement Card.

This design has two 'Must-Have' items: the Swallowtail stamp (Clear 129216 / Wood 131943) and the Afternoon Picnic DSP (131390). My next couple of cards will be featuring these beautiful papers.  If you'd like to add either of these to your collection, just click on the Order Online icon in the top right-hand corner.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Swallowtail and Thoughts & Prayers
Papers: Basic Gray & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Afternoon Picnic DSP
Ink: Basic Gray and So Saffron Classic Ink Pad
Accessories: Basic Gray Satin Ribbon

Enjoy

 Hi All!

Happy weekend!  I hope you're enjoying it!

I have another sweet Swallowtail card to share with you today.  It's the same background stamp I used in my last post.  This time I used the whole image on the card.  As you can see, when I said it was big, it's pretty big!  So, I kept this card CAS (Clean and Simple) as well.

The Swallowtail has been clear embossed onto Purely Pomegranate card stock.  Yes, this is a blast from the past.  It was one of the first colors that I ever bought from SU....many, many years ago.  It is still one of my favorites.  Rose Red is a shade lighter and a great alternative. 

I love the clear emboss technique.  You stamp your image with Versamark and add the clear embossing powder.  Heat it and your image is set.  It adds a nice glossy effect.

I kept the sentiment simple.  It was stamped and then punched with the Artisan Label Punch.  I folded it over the Pomegranate panel and adhered to the front/back.

What do you think?  Clean and Simple enough?  I sure think so.  That's the nice thing about this stamp.  It doesn't need much embellishing.  It speaks for itself.  If you'd like to add this stamp to your collection, just click on the Order Online icon at the top of the page.  It is Item# 129216 (Clear) or 131943 (Wood).

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps:  Swallowtail & You're A Gem
Paper: Crumb Cake & Purely Pomegranate Card stock
Ink: Purely Pomegranate Classic Pad & Versamark
Accessories: Artisan Label Punch, Clear Embossing Powder and Embossing Buddy

Swallowtail

Swallowtails.  Butterflies.  Who doesn't love them?  People plant gardens to get them and here in AZ we go to the Botanical Gardens to see lots of them.  I have butterfly papers, butterfly punches and butterfly stamps.  But, what I didn't have was a jumbo butterfly stamp.

Well, I added one to my collection.  It's a background stamp called Swallowtail.  And, it is BIG, which offers quite a few options when using it.  I got the idea for my card from this card by Marisa Gunn. She had stamped the butterfly and then trimmed it down to create a very interesting fold for the card. 

Loved that idea!  I cut my card stock to 4 1/4 x 11.  I lined the card stock up on the ruler at the bottom of my grid paper, and stamped the butterfly a little to the left of center.   Once the ink dries, you can trim the edge of the butterfly and score at 5 1/2.  You'll want to be sure you leave plenty of room to the right of the edge to add a piece of card stock or stamp another image or sentiment. 

I thought this was a fun design to try.  It would actually be a pretty quick and easy one layer card if you wanted to replicate a bunch of them.  If you'd like to add this stamp to your collection, you can purchase it by clicking the Shop Online icon in the top right-hand corner (Item# 129216 Clear / 131943 Wood).

Hope you like it!  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Stamps: Swallowtail, Fresh Vintage and Curvy Verses
Paper: Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Raspberry Ripple and Early Espresso Classic Pads
Accessories: None

Happiest Birthday!

Hi All,

Happy Football Weekend! As usual, there were some good games and some bad games.  Unfortunately, my team (The Steelers) were on the losing end of the stick.  Injuries are always our biggest weakness.  Oh well, we'll see what the rest of the season has to offer.

The one nice thing that did come out of today, I did get some crafting time in this afternoon.  We'll see that card later in the week.  For now, I have the third, and final, card that I've made with the Oh, Hello stamp set.  This card uses the "arrow" stamps from the set.  One is the full stamp and the second is the outline.  These are to be used together for 2-step stamping, but I used them separately.

My other two designs focused on DSP, so I wanted to do one that was a bit simpler with just stamps.  As always, my first thoughts are of color.  I pulled out my Color Coach and set to work to find three colors that would work well together. In the end, I settled on Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz and Early Espresso.  They offer such a nice soft touch.

So, what do you think?  Great stamp set, huh?  It's definitely worth having in your collection.  If you'd like to add it, click on the Order Online icon in the top right hand corner.  This stamp set is
Item # 130733.

This week we're moving on to Butterflies.  Be sure to stop back in to see what I have in store for you.  Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Stamps: Apothecary Art & Oh, Hello
Paper: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz and Early Espresso Classic Pads
Accessories: Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons, Linen Thread and Glue Dots

Gorgeous Print Poetry

When I tell you that I fell in love with this card by Jenny Peterson, I mean I really fell in love with it!  I could not wait to sit down and play.  It's a wonderfully simple design that is made fabulous with the many pretty papers that you could add to it.

This is the second card that I made using the Oh, Hello stamp set.  This card is definitely girly with the Raspberry Ripple color and the polka dot prints.  I just love it!

 

This is the same design using blues and greens.  The focal color is Gumball Green.  Although it's not pretty pinks, it's still gorgeous! 

If you follow my blog, you know that I love to play with different paper patterns.  I could sit around all day pairing up different prints.  That's how I got started with these cards.  The prints I chose for these cards are from the Print Poetry DSP pack.  It was in the 2013 Spring Mini. It's one of the 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 packs.  You get 24 different prints. They are a great deal and usually available in the Minis.  Snatch them up if you see them!

As I sat down, I just started pulling the pad apart and pairing up prints that I liked.  In the end, these are the two pairings I chose.  They are pretty much perfect!  I ended up keeping the basic design that Jenny had used, but instead of the background stamp, I used the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder.  I love the texture that it adds.

The stamp set, embossing folder, Gumball Green products and the Dahlias are currently available in the catalog.  If you would like to add any of these to your collection, just click on the Order Online icon in the top right-hand corner or pop me an email.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamp: Oh, Hello
Paper: Gumball Green, Raspberry Ripple, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Print Poetry DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake, Gumball Green and Raspberry Ripple Classic Pads
Accessories: Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Dahlias-In Color, Oval Nesties, Linen Thread, Mini Glue Dots and Pop-Dots/Dimensionals

Oh, Hello

Hi All,

I'm baaaack! I told you I would be, right?  All I needed was a little motivation from some crafty time with the girls.  We spent a couple of hours together on Saturday and I was in the craft room the rest of the weekend.  It felt really good!

I tried something a little different when I sat down this time.  I took one stamp set and used it three different ways.  The Oh, Hello stamp set made that very easy.  I think it could become one of my favorites.  Here is the first card that I made:

It is a CASE of this fabulous card by Julie Davison.  I loved the design and colors that she chose.  This gorgeous paper is from the Tea for Two DSP that was in the 2013 Spring Mini.  This color combo is Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral.  They are so pretty together.  A perfect addition to these pretty papers is the Doily.  It adds a nice feminine touch.  Not to mention, they are a great deal at $2.95 for 24. 

As I'll show you in my next couple of posts, this stamp set is very versatile. One of my favorite things about it is the chevron background stamp I used for the sentiment. It stamps in an oval and can be die cut in an oval.  Love it! If you're interested in adding it to your collection, just click on the 'Order Online' icon in the top right hand corner.

So glad you stopped by!

Stamps: Oh, Hello
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso & Whisper White Cardstock; Tea for Two DSP
Ink: So Saffron, Lucky Limeade and Early Espresso Classic Pads
Accessories: Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, Oval Nesties, 1/16" Circle Punch, Everyday Enchantment Brads, Pop Dots-Dimensionals

Happy Father's Day!

Well, with my last post, almost three l-o-n-g months ago, we were headed to Oregon.  Our trip was great and we got to spend time with family...not to mention, the weather was fabulous!  We were actually in Portland for Father's Day, so we celebrated once we got back home...and that happened to push into July.  Better late than never, right???  This is the card I made for my husband.

I had seen some cards that incorporated a few different sentiments centered around a theme.  I thought this would be a good idea for a Father's Day card.  Luckily I had a few sets to pull from. The sentiments were stamped in Crumb Cake onto Crumb Cake cardstock and the "grungy" stamp was stamped in Pool Party on Pool Party cardstock. I love this look.

I know my last couple of posts have been more on the masculine side, but I assure you that I have been in my craftroom ALL weekend and I have some fabulous cards coming your way!  Tune back in later this week to see what I've designed just for you!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: My Hero, My Dad (PTI) & Grunge Me (PTI)
Paper: Pool Party & Crumb Cake Cardstock
Ink: Pool Party & Crumb Cake Classic Ink
Accessories: Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Happy Graduation Jordan!

Hi All,

I hope your week is getting off to a great start!  We're heading out to Portland, Oregon next week, so mine is a bit busy at work. But, it's worth it...I am looking forward to seeing family and cooler temps.  If you haven't heard, it's HOT in Phoenix already.  So, it's the perfect time to get away!

The card I have for you today was made for one of our good friend's son, Jordan, who just graduated high school.  We were at his graduation party and I found myself remembering how good it felt to have graduated.  So happy to be done with high school and looking forward to a fun, free summer and a new journey on your own at college.  What a great time in your life.  We wish him the best.

I kept it simple and used some of my favorite colors: Island Indigo & Lucky Limeade.

I don't have a Graduation specific stamp, but I found that this sentiment from Word Play works perfectly.  Many graduates are full of dreams as they start on their new journey.

Simple & Sweet.  Perfect for an 18-year-old boy.  Hope you like it!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamp: Word Play & Grunge Me
Paper: Island Indigo & Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade and Basic Black Classic Pads
Accessories: None

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?

There's Only One You

Hi All!

I hope everyone has had a great weekend!  With all of the great movies out this month, we headed to the theaters on Saturday.  We saw Iron Man 3 last weekend (which was great), so we headed out to see The Great Gatsby this weekend.  I read the book a few weeks ago and was excited to see it on the big screen..  I must say, this movie is Fab-u-lous!  It is one of those rare instances where the movie is better than the book (The Notebook being the other exception.)

I adored everything about this movie: the clothes, the hair, the parties, the music and, of course, Leo.  This role was made for him and in my mind, there couldn't have been a better Gatsby.  This movie was made to be seen on the big screen, so be sure to get out there and see it.  I'm already giving it my Oscar nod.  It's that good!

OK...now that I've given my ringing endorsement of the movie, I can move on...lol!  My card for you today is a CASE of this card by Nichole Heady.  I loved the colors and the simple design.  I thought it would work perfectly with the Vintage Verses stamp set from Sale-A-Bration 2013.

I wanted a color combo that would be fresh & fun for spring/summer.  I chose this print from the Summer Smooches DSP.  I paired it up with Peach Parfait, Tangerine Tango and Certainly Celery.  The flowers were stamped from the Apple Blossoms stamp set, cut out and popped up.  I added a flat backed pearl to finish them off.

I had a REALLY hard time not adding layers to this, but I persevered and left it as is.  I do appreciate the simplicity of it.  Hope you like it too!  Thanks so much for stopping by...and don't forget to go see Gatsby *wink*!

Stamp: Apple Blossoms & Vintage Verses
Paper: Tangerine Tango & Whisper White Cardstock; Summer Smooches DSP
Ink: Peach Parfait & Pear Pizazz Classic Pads
Accessories: Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon, Half-Back Pearls and Pop Dots//Dimensionals

A Day as Perfect as You Are

Hi All,

Happy Mother's Day!  I hope you each had a wonderful day whether you were spending it with your mother, as a mother or someone who has touched someone as a mother would.  I had a fabulous weekend with my husband and son.  As long as I'm not cookin', I'm a happy camper :)

The sentiment on my card today says it all, "Wishing You a Day as Perfect as You Are".  It's from the Sale-A-Bration stamp set called Vintage Verses.   I love the font and the stamp works perfectly with the Labels Collection Framelits.

The print is from the Twitterpated DSP.  I paired it up with Island Indigo and Cherry Cobbler.  They're a great combo.  To add a bit of texture, I used the Honeycomb Embossing Folder.  I finished it off with Floral Fusion Sizzlets and a Scalloped Border. It turned out to be a pretty simple card to make.  I hope you like it!

If you'd like to add any of these products to your collection, just click on the Order SU! Icon in the top right hand corner or pop me an email.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Vintage Verses
Paper: Island Indigo & Whisper White Cardstock; Twitterpated DSP
Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic Pad
Accessories: Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Floral Fusion Die, Labels Collection Framelits, Scallop Border Punch, White Brad, Pop Dots/Dimensionals and Glue Dots

Thanks!

Hi Friends,

Wow, it has been quite some time since I last posted. I had no idea how long it had been.  2 Months!  I can't even believe it.  Where does the time go?  I guess I did have a bit of an excuse.  I change jobs about 6 weeks ago, so  I guess I've been a bit distracted with all of that.  I haven't done any crafting and that's probably the longest stretch that I have gone.

But, luckily, I did have a workshop a while back that I made a few cards for.  My friend Mary Beth has been reminding me that I need to get these up.  So, Mary Beth, I am sitting down at my computer this weekend just for you ;)

The card I have for you today, has a bit of a different color scheme than I would have normally gone with.  I wanted something different, so I went for it.

The focus of this card is the center panel using the Honeycomb Embossing Folder.  I love the hexagons!  I paired it up with Primrose Petals Core'dinations Card Stock.  This paper is sandable, so of course I had to pull out the Sanding Block.  Once embossed, I just rubbed the sanding block lightly over the top of the paper.  It removes the top layer of color and creates a bit of texture.

I knew I wanted the heart to have a pop of color.  The Print Poetry DSP stack has lots of pretty prints, so I started flipping through the stack.  The polka dots immediately popped out.  The Primrose Petals and Summer Starfruit are just perfect together.  I needed a third complementary color, so I pulled out my Color Coach.  What I found was surprising.  Basic Gray/Primrose Petals/Summer Starfruit are one of the Creative Combos. I don't think I would have ever paired Gray with these two colors, but it works.  Love the look!

I embellished the card up with some Summer Starfruit Stitched Satin Ribbon and a Raspberry Ripple Dahlia.  The stamp is called Vintage Verses and was from Sale-A-Bration.  I love the font--it's so fun!

All of these supplies, except the stamp set, are available for purchase.  If you'd like to add any to your collection, just pop me an email or click on the Order Online button in the top right hand corner. My must have item: the Honeycomb Embossing Folder.  So fun to use and you can dress it up or down.

Sorry I've been away for so long.  I'll try to not let that happen again.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Vintage Verses
Paper: Summer Starfruit, Basic Grey, Whisper White Cardstock; Primrose Petals Core'dinations Cardstock; Print Poetry DSP
Ink: Basic Grey Classic Pad
Accessories: Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Hearts Framelits, Sanding Block, Dahlia, Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon and Crystal Effects (for the Dahlia)

Key to my Heart

Hi All,

Happy Saturday!  I, for one, am glad the weekend is here.  I'm enjoying my Saturday morning tradition: coffee, Project Runway and Blogging.  Usually I'm surfing, but I'm lucky enough to have another card for you guys this week.  I had made it for Valentine's Day, but I just haven't gotten it posted yet.   

My design was inspired by this card from Jenn Sannes.  I love the simplicity of it and the fact that you could sit down and make this with any paper patterns or colors.

The focal point squares are all punched from the Postage Stamp Punch--Easy Peesy!  For the prints I used some Love Letter & First Edition DSP.  Peeking out behind these are some embossed horizontal lines that were created with the Simply Scored Scoring Tool.  It was finished off with some seam binding.

I had leftover pieces from my workshop, so I also made some extras of this card and added a Birthday sentiment.  Just as cute!

My must have item on this card would be the Postage Stamp Punch.  It's so quick and easy to use and I love the look that it gives.  If you'd like to add this or any other goodies to your collection, pop me an email or click on the Order Online button in the top right-hand corner.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: You're A Gem
Paper: Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Love Letter & First Edition DSP
Ink: Basic Black Classic Pad
Accessories: Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Postage Stamp Punch, Small Heart Punch, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

Sending a Kiss

Hi All,

Happy Belated Valentine's Day! Did everyone have a special day?  We usually keep it low key and avoid all chain restaurants at ALL costs on February 14th.  We ended up at a trendy little restaurant here in Phoenix called the Cornish Pasty.  They serve traditional Cornwall (Southwest England) pasties and they are delicious.  My favorite part of dinner....Banoffee Pie.  Have you ever had it?  If not, you must!  It sounds soooo simple, but it is soooo delicious!  It's a delightful combination of a graham cracker crust, homemade caramel, fresh whipped cream and bananas.  Honestly, heaven on a plate!  Gonna have to try it at home.

Now that I've gotten you all excited about this sweet goodness, I hope you get equally as excited about this card.  It was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest.  I loved the rounded edges.

 

I needed a fabulous paper to kick this card off.  I chose this print from the Candlelight Christmas DSP.  The original card used actual lace for the horizontal border, but I chose to use my Eyelet Border Punch. For a pop of color, I added in the Bashful Blue Satin Ribbon.  Love how it all came together!

My must-have item on this card is the stamp set.  It's called Petite Pairs (122495/122497).  I had never noticed this set until Kristen Driessen used it on her blog at ZoKris.  I fell in love.  The sentiments come in pairs (Sending a Kiss / To Make it Better, Sending Sympathy and Prayers / To Heal your Heart).  There's one for Christmas, Birthday, Baby, Thanks and a couple more.  It's a versatile set that will get a lot of use.

If you'd like to add this or any other products to your personal collection, send me an email or order online by clicking the Order Online button in the top right-hand corner.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamp: Petite Pairs

Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso and Whisper White Cardstock; Candlelight Christmas DSP

Ink: Early Espresso Classic Pad

Accessories: Small Heart Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Bashful Blue Satin Ribbon and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

A Patchwork Heart

Hi All,

Happy Sunday!  For some of us, it's the middle of a 3-Day weekend, for the rest of us (like me) it's a normal plain 'ol weekend.  My family will be home tomorrow, but I'll be heading into the j-o-b.  I am definitely still trying to make the most of the weekend.  Went to the movies yesterday and am crafting today.  I have a workshop on Thursday, so I have to get to work.

The card I have for you today is based on this video from Melissa Phillips.  It's a great tutorial on making patchwork hearts.  Perfect for Valentine's Day, don't you think???  I saw it and knew I had to make it.

I've seen a few really cute cards with these hearts, but couldn't get any of them to work with my style.  So, I went in search of a sketch and found this one over at Mojo Monday.  I thought it would work perfectly with what I wanted to do:

Here is the card that I created:

The stars of this card are the patterned papers.  I've paired up the new More Amore DSP with the Twitterpated DSP.  The colors worked perfectly together (Real Red & Baja Breeze.)  I'm pretty sure I've used this combo before for Holiday cards.  Love it!

I didn't realize it until the card was done, but do you notice anything else?  There are no neutrals (Whisper White, Very Vanilla, etc.) on this card.  Not sure if I've ever done that before.  I think it works because of the lighter colors on the heart.

I love playing with patterns and colors, so this technique is a lot of fun!  I hope you'll try it out! You could even use other shapes.

Just about everything on this card is available for purchase if you'd like to add some fun new items to your collection.  The new More Amore DSP is a must have!  To order, just send me an email or click on the Order Online icon in the top right corner.

So glad you stopped by!

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Real Red, Baja Breeze, More Amore DSP & Twitterpated DSP
Ink: Real Red Classic Ink
Accessories: Hearts Collection Framelits, Large Scallop Edgelits, Designer Buttons-Brights, Linen Thread, Grosgrain Ribbon-Real Red, Pop Dots/Dimensionals and Glue Dots

A Candlelight Christmas

Hi All,

Happy Saturday!  We are enjoying a wonderfully rainy day here in AZ.  Perfect for hanging our house lights, huh?  Luckily, the hubs got the lights up before it really started to come down this afternoon.  We were lucky to actually be hanging them, as we couldn't find any A4 lights anywhere.  He cleaned out Target as soon as they got back in stock :)

I have a super simple card for you today, but it packs a big punch! I got the idea, once again, from Kimberly Van Diepen over at Stampin' by the Sea.  She created this fabulous DSP circle that I couldn't resist trying.  Here is my version:

For my circle, I chose to use the Candlelight Christmas DSP.  I cut out multiple circles in the size that I wanted.  I then stacked the circles and cut them in half, in half again, and then cut each section in half. This will give you eight sections to piece together.  I decided on a pattern and pieced them together on a scrap piece of paper.  Once glued down, I cut the patterned circle out.  This is much easier than trying to design with eight separate sections.

I found through trial and error that it's better to stack the circles together, as this way, they are pretty unison in size.  I cut them individually the first time and they were all a bit different in size.  In the end, it really doesn't matter.  When you piece them together, focus on getting the outside of the circle uniform.  If the centers don't perfectly match up, you can cover them with the sentiment and it won't be seen anyways.

This is the perfect way to use up those scraps.  Pair it up with some embossing, a cute punch and a button and twine, and you have a perfectly beautiful card that you could easily make over and over with many different print combinations.  I love it!

My must have product from this card: Candlelight Christmas DSP (Item #126901) .  The prints in this pack are gorgeous. If you'd like to add this to your collection, just pop me an email or click on the Shop Online button in the top right hand corner.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Four the Holidays
Paper: Early Espresso, Lucky Limeade, Real Red & Whisper White Cardstock; Candlelight Christmas DSP
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Ink
Accessories: Stripes Embossing Folder, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Circle Nesties, Designer Buttons-Naturals, Linen Thread, Glue Dots and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

A Merry Little Penguin

Hi All,

Happy Saturday!  We are lucky enough to have another beautiful day in Arizona.  I'll take the 70s in December any year.  We are dropping down into the 60s next week, so maybe winter is finally gonna settle in.

The card I have for you today is a shameless CASE from Kimberly Van Diepen over at Stampin' by the Sea.  I saw this card and Had.To.Have this stamp set!  I fell in love with this adorable little penguin. Is he not the cutest thing you've ever seen???  Well, this set also has an adorable deer (that was on my last card) and a sweet little snowman, both of which are just as cute.  These critters were the star of the show the other night.

My cards are definitely not usually this colorful, frilly or spritzed, but I LOVE what she did with all of these elements.  Your eye is immediately drawn to these fabulous colors: Rich Razzleberry,  Lucky Limeade and a pop of Melon Mambo.  That fun Lucky Limeade print is from the Summer Smooches DSP (Item 125409). Check it out, it is full of other fun colorful prints!

This card also has plenty of heat embossing.  The sentiment, our cute little penguin and the tiny tag are all embossed in black.  I think it really helped them pop against everything else that's going on.  Any time you're embossing, be sure to have the Embossing Buddy (Item 103083) on hand.  If you're wondering whether it's really worth it to have, it is!  Just rub it on your paper prior to stamping and it removes any static that's there.  This keeps the powder from sticking to the places you don't want it to.

I had looked through the catalog dozens of times and had never looked twice at this stamp set.  It's amazing how seeing it used one way, can totally open your eyes.  So glad I got it...as it has easily become one of my favorites!  It would also be great for tags.  So versatile!  If you're like me and can't wait to add this to your collection, it is (Item 126290 in Wood & Item 126292 in Clear).  You can order it by popping me an email or clicking the Order Online button in the top right corner.  Hope you enjoyed this card as much as I did.  TFL!

Stamps: No Peeking, All Holidays & Tiny Tags
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Lucky Limeade, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla cardstock; Summer Smooches and First Edition DSP
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Color Spritzer Tool, Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Marker, Distressing Tool,  Decorative Label Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch, Circle and Scallop Circle Nesties, Vintage Trinkets, Melon Mambo Polka Dot ribbon, Rich Razzleberry 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain ribbon, Gumball Green 3/8" Stitched Satin ribbon, Brights Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Pop Dots/Dimensionals and Glue Dots

MOJO 268: Corduroy Christmas

Hi All,

Happy Sunday!  It has been a great end to a wonderfully long holiday weekend.  I had planned on getting in my craft room yesterday, but we decided to head out and see some fall colors instead.  Unfortunately, with our warmer temps here in AZ, we didn't have a whole lot to see.  But, it was nice to get out of the house and enjoy some 80 degree weather before it's gone for good.

The reason I was so excited to get in to my craft room?  This adorable new stamp set called No Peeking.  I hadn't even given it a second glance in the catalog, but I've seen a couple of super cute cards with it, that I had to get it.  It has three images: a deer, a snowman and a penguin.  They are all equally adorable!  I chose the deer, as it is a little bigger than the others and it fit my focal image.

I joined in with the Mojo Monday girls and borrowed their sketch #268.  I love to play with printed papers and different colors so their sketches actually come together pretty easily for me. 

I wanted a more whimsical color combo and decided on these prints from the Letters to Santa DSP.  They are coordinating prints and are, therefore, on the same double-sided sheet.  So easy!  The prints are used as accents for my focal image, but I decided to do a little paper piecing and added in the pink plaid print for the scarf.  Adorable!  I finished it off with a pink corduroy button, as I thought it was a nice wintery touch.

I love this set and will be making a few more cards to share with you soon!  The stamps , ink and the card stock are all available for purchase.  Just email me or click on the icon in the top right hand corner to get these added to your collection.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: No Peeking & Teeny TinyWishes
Paper: Early Espresso, Old Olive, Blushing Bride and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Letters to Santa DSP
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Ink
Accessories: Snowflake Embossing Folder, Circle Nestabilities, Petal Cone Die Cut, Pretty in Pink Corduroy Buttons, Linen Thread and Glue Dots

Mojo Monday 263: A Nontraditional Thanksgiving

Hi All!

Happy, Happy Thanksgiving! Finally, our visions of sharing turkey and stuffing with family and friends have come to fruition.  It's my favorite meal of the year, by far.  We usually have family over to our house for the big dinner, but this year we are going non-traditional and heading out. We decided to give it a try.  We'll see how much we miss all of those home-made fixins, but,  I definitely don't miss the 24 hours of preparation :)

Since we're going non-traditional at home, I have a non-traditional Thanksgiving card to share with you today.  The colors were inspired by this card over at Pickled Paper Designs.  She paired up orange and blue and green perfectly. The sketch, I borrowed from a Mojo Monday Challenge. This was the perfect sketch, as it let me play with all of these colors.  Here's what I came up with:

The colors and the DSP are really the stars of the show.  The pop of blue comes from the World Spectacular DSP and the green panel is from the retired Spice Cake DSP.  They really are so unexpected and fabulous together.

Making it a quick post today, so I am off to clean up the house.  Hope you all enjoy a very special Thanksgiving Day! Thanks so much for stopping by.

**The World Spectacular , card stock and most accessories are available to purchase.  Just email me or click on the icon in the top right hand corner to get these added to your collection.

Stamps: Falling Leaves, Always  Thankful
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Island Indigo and Whisper White Cardstock: World Spectacular, Spice Cake & Love Letter DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Curly Label Punch, Petal Cone Bigz L Die, Circle Nestabilities, Brights Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Glue Dots and Pop Dots/Dimensionals