My Sew Pretty Butterflies

It finally happened, I got together with my sweet friend Nicole and we broke out her sewing machine. How fun! I think I could be hooked. I also think I know what I want for my next birthday present (psst...hint to the hubby ;)

I went through all my card samples to gather some ideas, but I settled on a card I saw in the Occasions Mini. That card used various sized hearts that were stitched up the middle. I switched it up and used butterflies. I think they worked perfectly with this DSP.

This was also the first time I used River Rock on a card. Up until now, I considered it a neutral color, but now I see it as a really pretty light green.

Have I inspired you to add some sewing to a project? If I have, I'd love to see it. Be sure to leave me a link. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Tiny Tags
Paper: Always Artichoke, River Rock, and Rose Red Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: Always Artichoke Classic Ink
Accessories: Sewing Machine, Thread, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch, Beautiful Butterflies Die, Buttons, Embroidery Floss, Linen Thread and Small Glue Dots

SC335: All Pieced Together

I promise that my next post will have different colors than green and brown...ha ha! What can I say...when you're inspired, you gotta roll with it.

I saw this sketch challenge over at SCS and was up for the challenge. You needed to take three patterned papers and piece them together to create a frame. I chose the Woodland Walk DSP because the whole pack has the same color combo, so it would be easy to coordinate.

I created my frame first and then worked on the rest
of the card. This one did not come together easily. I sat down with it on three different occasions over a
couple of days.

I struggled the most with the focal image. I was going to stamp it, but couldn't find anything I liked. I tried the owl punch, that didn't work either. I finally pulled out the XL Fancy Flower Punch and that was the ticket. I think it pulls everything together. The sentiment is from Bella's Bloom. This has truly become one of my favorite all-time stamp sets because it is so versatile.

I love how it turned out and I hope you do too. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Bella's Bloom
Paper: Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Woodland Walk DSP
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Ink
Accessories: XL Fancy Flower Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, 3/4" Circle Punch, Brown Button, Linen Thread and a Small Glue Dot

SC333: A Greenhouse Thanks

Well, the creative juices seem to once again be flowing. I actually sat down yesterday to create. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am totally hooked on the Greenhouse Gala DSP. The colors and print are fabulous.


Using that as inspiration, I went in search of a sketch. I stumbled upon this one over at SCS. It was perfect for what I had to work with.

I had saved all the scraps from the Fun Flowers I cut out for the Petal Cone dies I had done. There's not enough for a full card, but when trimmed up, I had enough scraps for the small portions of this design. It just goes to show...never throw away those scraps, especially of paper you love ;)

Hope you like it & thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Swirls & Curls Verses (Hostess)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze and Whisper White Cardstock; Greenhouse Gala DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Fun Flowers Die, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, Brown Button, Linen Thread and Glue Dots

Wedding Favors II: Greenhouse Gala

If you saw my previous post, you know that I've been busy making these Petal Cones. I needed to make 90 of them for a wedding.

This is the second set that I made. I chose to use the Greenhouse Gala DSP for these. The colors in this pack are gorgeous and just perfect for summer.

I decided early on, that since I had to make 90, I would keep it simple. All the Petal Cones are Chocolate Chip. Each flower is made with a half sheet of the DSP. I used one side of the sheet for one layer and the other side for a layer. It's amazing how these are designed to coordinate. It made my job super easy.

These die cuts are both a must have. They have become my favorites. Hope you like them!

Stamps: None
Paper: Chocolate Chip and Pear Pizzazz Cardstock; Greenhouse Gala DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding, Buttons, Glue Dots and a Hole Punch

Wedding Favors I: Woodland Walk

Hi Everyone! Remember me....Julie Marshall. Yes, I'm still here. It has just been a busy quarter at school and I've had very little free time. Of course, that can't happen for long, right????

About 2 1/2 weeks ago, I got an email inquiring about these Petal Cone Dies. They were interested in about 90 for a
wedding. My first thought: can I make 90 of these? My second thought: do I have time to make 90 of these?

Well...I made 90 of these and it actually wasn't that bad. After being given the color scheme, I decided on the Woodland Walk and Greenhouse Gala DSPs. They had the majority of the colors we needed. Then it was off to decide on cardstock, ribbon and buttons. I loved playing with all these goodies and pairing them together.

The Woodland Walk DSP didn't jump out at me in the catalog, but the colors are gorgeous. This pack produced some of my favorite cones in the project. The greens and browns are fabulous together. Which is your favorite? Be sure to leave me a comment...I'd love to hear.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: None
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi & Garden Green Cardstock; Woodland Walk DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Die Cut, Fun Flowers Die Cut, Very Vanilla Seam Binding, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Linen Thread, Buttons, Glue Dots and a Hole Punch

Baja Bliss

This color combination is one of my absolute favorites. I love Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze and Very Vanilla together...and, these prints from the Springtime Vintage DSP are just perfection.

The Fun Flowers Die Cut is the newest addition to my collection. I LOVE the (3) different flower designs and how they layer together. In addition to these three flowers, the die cuts two different size circles that could also be layered and used instead of/in addition to a button.

I've also seen this die used with fabric. I just happen to have some and can't wait to play. Hopefully I'll have a card or project soon to show you that. In the meantime, I'd love to see how you've used these two dies if you have them. Be sure to leave me a link and share!

Stamps: None
Paper: Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Bigz Die, Fun Flowers Bigz Die, Big Designer Buttons-Springtime Vintage, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Linen Thread, Glue Dots-Medium and a Hole Punch

Springtime Flowers

This is the second Petal Cone Die that I put together for the Fabulous girls that run the front office of our school.

When run through the Big Shot with two sheets of cardstock, this die will cut all the supplies needed to put this together. You get (2) Main Body pieces, (2) Scalloped Half Circles and (2) Banners. Everything is then glued together in less that 2 minutes. It's that easy.

There have been plenty of times that I've hand cut these banners for other projects, but this die does the perfect cut for you. You could probably even use the Scalloped Half Circles as well...I just haven't given those much thought yet ;)

These Petal Cones are very versatile and could be used for Baby Shower or Wedding Favors, Teacher's Gifts and can even be hung on hooks as a decoration. They are so fun and can be done in so many different ways. Hope you enjoy them!

Stamps: None
Paper: Pear Pizzazz & Rose Red Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Bigz Die, Fun Flowers Bigz Die, Big Designer Buttons-Springtime Vintage, Rose Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Linen Thread, Glue Dots-Medium and a Hole Punch

Petal Cone Perfection

A while back, I offered to swap some die cuts with my sweet friend Jamie over at Shabby Horse. I had the super cute Mini Milk Cartons and she had the gorgeous Petal Cone Dies. How nice to share with fellow crafters ;)

I wasn't sure if I wanted to buy this die cut, so I was glad to try it out. I am now quite certain, that this is a must buy. They go together so easily and you can decorate them up in so many ways. I had just gotten my Fun Flowers Die and decided to finally sit down and put these together.

It is Administrative Professionals Week, so I made these for the Fabulous girls that work in the front office of our school. They truly do keep everything running smoothly, so I wanted to make them feel special. I filled these with some Hershey Kisses and they were a hit!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: None
Paper: Rose Red & Baja Breeze Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Bigz Die, Fun Flowers Bigz Die, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Designer Buttons-Subtles, Linen Thread, Glue Dots-Medium and a Hole Punch

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 Springtime Friend

This card is a CASE of Ilina Crouse's card here. I love how she combined all of these elements. I did change out some of the accessories on my card. I don't have the Beveled Windowpanes, so my focal image is just stamped and layered. A simple approach, but just as effective.

My favorite part of this card...the Springtime Vintage DSP. I love this paper pack! It is everything feminine and in just the perfect way. I got the matching fabric and hope to have a project to share with you soon. Hint: Think Fun Flowers Die ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: You're a Gem (122268 or 122270) & Bella's Bloom (Retired)
Paper: Crumb Cake (120953), Not Quite Navy (101722), Early Espresso (119686) and Whisper White (100730) Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP (121782)
Ink: Not Quite Navy Classic Pad (103008)
Accessories: Framed Tulips Embossing Folder (121809), 1/2" Baja Breeze Seam Binding (122331), Big Designer Buttons-Springtime Vintage (122301), Not Quite Navy Marker (100059), Old Olive Marker (100079), Linen Thread (104199), Paper Piercer (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

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

PPA89 & SR#67 Bella's Parisian Bloom

It's everywhere...Spring is in the air! Pals Paper Arts challenged us to use flowers in a design and Stampin Royalty says 'Spring has Sprung', stamp anything from birds, blossoms and babies to baseball. My inspiration was this bloom from Bella's Bloom.

I love the simplicity of this flower and paired it with the french images from French Foliage. I thought the water droplets were a perfect representation of the April Showers that many of us are/will be getting.

The hint of DSP is from one of my all-time favorites: Raspberry Tart. I paired it up with Rose Red and Old Olive. What a pretty spring combination. I hope you like it ;) Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Clearly for You (121911 or 131976), French Foliage & Bella's Bloom
Paper: Rose Red (102544), Old Olive (100702) and Whisper White (100730) Cardstock; Raspberry Tart DSP
Ink: Rose Red (101778), Old Olive (102277) and Early Espresso (119670) Classic Pads
Accessories: Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882), Modern Label Punch (119849), 1/16" Circle Punch (101227), Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercer (116631) and Sending Love Expoxy Brads.

Monkey 52: I Like it a Latte

There's a new kid on the block: A La Card Monkey. Shirley and Terry just kicked off a new Challenge Blog at the beginning of April and they are off to a great start. You should definitely pop on over to check them out for some inspiration!

I was more than happy to help out when they asked me to be a Guest Designer. It has been quite some time since I've been creative in my craft room, so it was time to get back in the saddle.

The challenge was a coffee or tea card with this sketch. Since I only have one coffee set, it was easy to get started. I had seen a card some time ago by Laurie Schmidlin that used microbeads on the coffee cup. That's what I did here. The cup is stamped in Black Stazon, smeared with 2-Way Glue and dusted with Clear Microbeads. I love the effect that it gives and how it works perfectly with this DSP.

I think this will make the perfect Thank You card and I can't wait to send it. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Like it a Latte (Retired) & Tiny Tags (118091 or 118592)
Paper: Basic Black (121045) & Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock; Love Letter DSP (117162)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon (101406) & Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Accessories: Jewelry Tag Medium Punch (117190), 2-Way Glue (100425), 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon (117285), Basic Black Brads (119736), Sponges (101610) and Clear Microbeads

SCIC45: Simple Elegance

Hi All! Is this photo full of inspiration or what? I was asked to be a guest designer over at Stampin Celebration and upon seeing it, I was immediately drawn to the colors, those beautiful polka dots on the cupcakes and the punched heart images.

I decided to work with the color combo, as I LOVE Crumb Cake and Basic Black together. I tried to work in some Very Vanilla, but decided against it. I wanted to keep the card simple with clean lines and the Fifth Avenue Floral set immediately popped to mind.

The flower images on the left came to me naturally, but I really struggled with the right half of the card. One flower in the bottom corner didn't see like enough to balance it, so I improvised and added a flower in between. The line is a bit straight to me, but I think it works.

Do you see the flowers peeking out from the back panel on the card? I popped up the front panel and added these to give the card a bit more dimension. Love the effect!

If you've found inspiration in this photo, I hope you'll join us in sharing your creation. I would love to see what you do. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral (113734) & Because I Care (118384 or 120118)
Paper: Crumb Cake (120953) & Basic Black (121045) Cardstock
Ink: Basic Black Classic Pad (101179)
Accessories: Modern Label Punch (119849), Movers & Shapers-Punch Windows (115953), 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon (117285), Rhinestones (119246) and Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430)

Visions of Spring

From the first day that I received my Occassions Mini in the mail, I have wanted to recreate this card. My card is a CASE of the card on the front cover. I fell in love with the bright colors and of course, this stamp set: Nature Walk.

I had to be patient, as I knew I wouldn't be ordering these goodies until the end of February. Yes, I do plan ;) So, when I finally got to play with them this week, this is the first card I made.

If you are currently comparing my card to the SU card, you may see some differences. I kept the Melon Mambo, but swapped out Pear Pizzazz for the Orange/Pink they used. I switched up the First Edition DSP and alternated it with my torn cardstock at the bottom. My favorite addition...the Yellow Tulle that I added to the card. I would have never even thought of it, but this is one of the few Yellow ribbons that I have and I thought the shear look would be perfect. I think it was the final detail to bring everything together.

This card just yells spring to me and I absolutely love it! I hope you do too ;)

Click here to order any of these Fabulous products.

Stamps: Nature Walk (121925 or 121997) & You're a Gem (122268 or 122270)
Paper: So Saffron (105118), Pear Pizzazz (119795), Melon Mambo (115320) & Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock; First Edition DSP (121878)
Ink: Pear Pizzazz (119784), Melon Mambo (115656) & Basic Black (101179) Classic Pads
Accessories: Lots of Tags Sizzlet Dies (114508), Paper Piercer (116631), Mat Pack (105826), Yellow Tulle and Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430)

Framed For You

This card is a CASE of Deb's beautiful card seen here. I loved everything about it.

The pretty antique frame around this card is embossed from the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder. It's hard to see here, but it is sponged with some Crumb Cake ink to age it up a bit.

The frame is paired up with this raspberry twig image from the Clearly for You stamp set. I was lucky enough to grow up around blackberry bushes as a child and this reminds me of them.

For my card, I switched out the butterfly image and used Rik Rak instead of ribbon. I love the simplicity of this card!

Stamps: Clearly for You (121911 or 121976)
Paper: Cherry Cobbler (119685), Old Olive (100702) and Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock
Ink: Early Espresso (119670) & Crumb Cake (121030) Classic Pads
Accessories: Framed Tulips Embossing Folder (121809), Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (118138), Cherry Cobbler Stampin Marker (119681), Pear Pizzazz Stampin Marker (119801), Stamping Sponges (101610), Oval Nestabilities, Vanilla Rik Rak and Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430)

Click here to order any of these Fabulous products.

Rich Razzleberry Bliss

I saw these fabulous cards on Splitcoaststampers and just had to recreate them. Thank you dbarry for the inspiration!

I love the simple color combination and design that she used. Her Pear Pizzazz version is my favorite, but I went with Rich Razzleberry on mine. We made these in my last workshop and I had already used Pear Pizzazz on a card, so I needed to switch it up. I also had the Rich Razzleberry ribbon on hand to use.

The original designer created these in all the current In Colors and gave them as a gift. What a great idea! I love Crumb Cake and can't wait to pair it up with all these different colors.

Stamps: Bliss (121851 or 123217) & Warmest Regards (Retired)
Paper: Rich Razzleberry (115316), Early Espresso (119686) and Crumb Cake (120953) Cardstock; First Edition DSP (121878)
Ink: Crumb Cake (121030) & Early Espresso (119670) Classic Pads
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Grosgrain Ribbon (119957), Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402), Rhinestones (119246), Embossing Buddy (103083), Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Sponges (101610) and Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430)

Click here to order any of these Fabulous products.

Liebster Award

To say that I'm in the company of some fabulous ladies is an understatement. Last month, I got three different awards from three very talented ladies. I am truly flattered to be recognized by each of them.

Miss Lesley Croghan awarded me the second of my three awards. Her wonderfully creative work can be seen here at her Always Playing with Paper Blog. Lesley, thanks so much for sharing this with me. I am more than happy to pass it on!

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bring newer blogs to light and originated in Germany. It's a great way to share blogs that might not otherwise be seen or ones you want to share with others. They should have less than 150 followers.

As a recipient of this award, I must share the love and pay it forward by:
1. Creating a post where I blog about the Liebster award & reveal my 3 blog picks
2. Let the honorees know that I selected them
3. Copy and past the blog award on my blog

My picks are full of inspiration. Be sure to stop by and check them out!

1. Tara at Tara Bee Ink - I actually just discovered Tara's blog very recently. I saw her beautiful quilled flowers and I was sold. As I spent more time on her blog, I fell in love with her soft subtle use of color.

2. Jackie at Jackie's Blog - Jackie's Blog is also a newer blog to me. Her approach to card making is very simple, but her cards are full of style. The way she brings together different textures is true perfection.

3. Deb at Artfelt Impressions - I was drawn to Deb's blog because of the wonderfully clean lines that her cards have. She takes simple images and makes them big. She is also great at showing you different looks for different sets. Her creativity is endless.

Ladies, be sure to grab the award for your blog. Thanks for being an inspiration for us all!

Many Lucky Shamrocks

The rainbow colors of this card remind me of my last day of work on Friday with a class of 1st Graders. They had propped up a little box in the back of the room with a note on it: 'Pot of Gold Inside'. This little trap was to help catch a Leprechaun over break. How cute is that???

Well, this card would surely attract a Little Leprechaun looking for his pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I was inspired by this super cute card made by Erica Cerwin. She does rainbow colors so perfectly.

Since you never see this much color popping up on my blog, you know it was a bit out of my comfort zone...but, I enjoyed creating it and I love the colors!

Stamps: So Happy for You (121853 or 123220) & Afterthoughts (118388 or 120121)
Paper: Daffodil Delight (119683), Cherry Cobbler (119685), Peach Parfait (119794), Pear Pizzazz (119795), Marina Mist (119682) Concord Crush (119792) and Whisper White (100730) Cardstock
Ink: Cherry Cobbler (119669), Peach Parfait (119783), Daffodil Delight (119667), Pear Pizzazz (119784), Marina Mist (119668) and Concord Crush (119785) Classic Pads
Accessories: Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882), Curly Label Punch (119851), 3/4" Circle Punch (119873), Paper Piercer (116631) and Mat Pack (105826), Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430) and Green Rhinestones

Click here to order any of these Fabulous products now.

Got Green?

Since hearts seem to make the most perfect little shamrocks, I pulled out my I {Heart} Hearts Set. With so many options, it was hard to choose, but I settled on this dotted heart image. It's also cute if you stamp another heart inside of these ones, but that's not the route that I took.

I needed something to tie everything together and this Fabric Brad does the job perfectly. I love these brads and they are a must have from the Occasions Mini. They would also be fabulous for flower centers as well.

I had already made a card with a ribbon bow, so I wanted something different. I had seen where someone had broken down the 'Got Green' sentiment and punched both images with the Jewelry Tag Punch. I tied those with my next go-to accessory: Linen Thread. I love the darker green color of this card and the simple design. Sometimes less is more ;)


This card also works perfectly for the challenge over at Stampin' Celebration. They are celebrating St Patty's Day, so if you need some last minute inspiration, check them out here. Thanks for stopping by!





Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts (117010 or 118571) & Got Treats (119114 or 120627)
Paper: Garden Green (102584), Early Espresso (119686), Crumb Cake (120953) and Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock
Ink: Pear Pizzazz (119784) & Garden Green (102272) Classic Pads
Accessories: Paper Piercer (116631), Sweet Stitches Fabric Designer Brads (121880), Jewelry Tag Punch (117190) and Linen Thread (104199)

Click here to order any of these fabulous products now.

3 Lucky Shamrocks

This card was inspired by one of the hundreds that I have saved in my files. It was made by Julie Smith here at Paper and Such. First, I loved the colors...Secondly, the Rik Rak. This was before I had my own stash of Rik Rak and I was drooling over everyone else's.

The colors were perfect for a St Patty's Day card and the challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments. There were some elements I just couldn't make work, so I switched it up a bit. For instance, I loved her little green banner at the bottom, but I opted for just a stamped image. I think my card was already busy with ribbons and buttons, that it was just too much for me.

These shamrocks are from the Got Treats set. I was actually amazed when I looked through all my products to see so many options I could use for this holiday. Check out your stash and see what you have hiding out ;)

Stamps: Got Treats & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Crumb Cake & Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Pear Pizzazz & Chocolate Chip Classic Pads
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Green Rik Rak and Stitched Ribbon, Designer Buttons-Subtles and Linen Thread

So Lucky

Ahhhh...it feels so good to be posting...it's been too long!!! I just haven't had the time to squeeze in any creative time for myself. Luckily, with this being the week before Spring Break...there's no homework...which means I'm not tutoring after school....Yay!!

A friend of mine requested some Saint Patty's Day cards. I think these are the first St Patty's cards I've ever made. I've seen different ideas over the years, so I at least had some starting points.

This card is actually very simple. I pulled out some Old Olive prints from the Autumn Spice DSP and punched out (3) hearts with the Full Heart Punch. Put together, they make the cutest little shamrock. The 'Lucky' image is from the Lucky You, Lucky Me for Knowing You stamp from the Afterthoughts Hostess Set. I just used a Stampin Marker and colored that part of the image. The font just works perfectly...love it!

Hope you like it. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Apple Blossoms & Afterthoughts
Paper: Very Vanilla and Old Olive Cardstock; Autumn Spice DSP
Ink: Old Olive Classic Pad
Accessories: Full Heart Punch, Old Olive Satin Ribbon and Paper Piercer & Mat Pack

Stylish Blogger Award

Tuesday morning started like every other...until I sat down to read my emails. Imagine my surprise when I saw that my sweet friend Jamie Pierson had given me the Stylish Blog Award. She's just fabulous and I'm quite flattered that she thought of me. Her blog is Shabby Horse and if you haven't been there, you need to hop on over. Thanks so much Jamie!


When you receive this Award, you are to Pay it Forward and follow these rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award and link it back to their blog
2. Share 8 things about yourself
3. Pass this award on to 8 other individuals that you have discovered
4. Leave them a comment so they can pass along the recognition

It wasn't easy coming up with 8 things to share, but I think I got some good ones. Here we go:

1. I L-O-V-E Ice Tea...the sweeter the better! Homemade with Lemon is pure perfection, but the next best thing: a Venti Iced Black Tea Sweetened from Starbucks. I once got it 3 times in one day. What can I say...it's hot in AZ!

2. In 1991, I was the Mt Pleasant Glass Festival Queen. Oh yes, this is vintage footage from the Wilkins archives. And, hubby just mentioned that this gown is still hanging in our closet. Do you think it still fits???

3. I love Math. I'm probably one of the few people who enjoyed taking the AZ Certification test for Middle School Math. Now I just have to figure out how to work these skills into my card making....hmmmm.

4. I've traveled to 37 of the 50 states. With the exception of Hawaii, I've traveled by car to all of them. Most recently, we drove to Oregon, where I got to see Goonie's Beach. (Yep, I'm an 80's girl at heart)

5. I would go to a concert weekly if I could. I love live music, pretty much everything from Alt Rock to Country. I would love to learn the electric guitar...so, I love listening to it being played. A few years ago, I was in the Pit for Motley Crue. That was awesome!

6. I love to read. If it's a great book, I have no problem staying up till 2-3 O'clock in the morning...which is why I have to wait till Friday to start a much anticipated new book. My favorite read lately: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. One of my faves!!

7. I'm pretty sure I've seen the movie Titanic more than anyone. If it's on TV (which it is a lot) I have this compulsion to watch it. It's pretty much the perfect movie: great story, beautiful costumes and endless love. I'll be going to see it in 3-D in 2012, which would make it the 4th time I see it in the theaters ;)

8. Finally, I've had as many different hair styles as I've seen Titanic. I would love to scrapbook it one day to see the evolution of Julie.

Now...as if coming up with all of these wasn't hard enough...and getting these pictures just right on Blogger, I have 8 wonderful artists that Inspire me to share with you:

Joanne Leddy at Creative Stamping Ideas
Susie at Inspired by Nature
Julie B at Julie B's Stampin' Space
Jenny Peterson at Lakeshore Stamping
Emma Fewkes at Lady & the Stamp
Maureen Merritt at Mama Mo Stamps
Alison at Nice People Stamp
Robin Merriman at Trinity Designs

Spool 'O Ribbon

I was lucky enough to get some card making time with a girlfriend this weekend. It was a nice rainy day to be inside crafting. If you're like me and heading somewhere else to craft, it's hard to narrow down what to take. That's when I'll usually print out a layout challenge or a CASE that I've been wanting to work on.

This time, I picked a CASE to work on. I saw this adorable card by Angie Tieman. I loved her spools of ribbon. The Spool is from the Sew Suite stamp set. I stamped it and cut it out. I then picked out some coordinating ribbon and adhered it to the spool. How fun is that???

Angie used real buttons for her card, but I went with some of my favorite designs from the Button, Button stamp set. I think they work just as well.

The challenge on this card for me, was using so much color. I usually use a lot of neutrals with a splash of color. This has no neutrals and is all about color. I turned to my trusty color coach and pulled out the Creative Combo of Pear Pizzazz, Rich Razzleberry and Tempting Turquoise. I must say, I do like them together and although this isn't my usual color style, it has grown on me.

Stamps: Sew Suite, Button Button & Afterthoughts
Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Gray and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry and Basic Gray Classic Pads
Accessories: 1/2", 3/4" and 1" Circle Punches, Scallop Border Punch, Paper Piercer and Mat Pack, Basic Gray Satin Ribbon, Rich Razzleberry Grosgrain Ribbon, Green Stitched Ribbon and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Oh Sew Suite

This is a shameless CASE of a card in the Occasions Mini. It uses just about everything offered in the Oh Sew Suite: Sweet Stitches DSP, Sew Suite Stamp Set, Sweet Stitches Fabric and these Fab-u-lous Fabric Brads. They were the hit of the workshop.

Where's the fabric on this card you might ask? It is the Very Vanilla and Pretty in Pink strip on the right hand side. One of the prints in the fabric has different styles of stitching on it. Pick a stitch design that you like and cut it out. A secret for adding the fabric to the card, adhere it to a thin piece of cardstock first. I used the Anywhere Glue Stick (it was my first time using it.) If you want a clean edge to the fabric, adhere the edges to the back of the cardstock. If you want a rougher edge, leave the edges loose and pull the fabric threads off.

The sewing machine is two-toned. I stamped one machine in Daffodil Delight and the other in Melon Mambo. Trim all of the Pink machine and just the top half of the Daffodil machine. Adhere the Daffodil top to the back of the Pink machine. Cut out the Daffodil machine knob and add it to the front of the Pink machine. It adds such great dimension to the card.

Yes, this card is a lot of work...but it's worth the blood, sweat and tears. So many elements, but they all work so well together.

Stamps: Sew Suite and Short & Sweet
Paper: Pretty in Pink and Whisper White Cardstock; Sweet Stitches DSP
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo and Pear Pizazz Classic Pads
Accessories: Sweet Stitches Fabric, Sweet Stitches Fabric Buttons, Curly Label Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Pattern Pieces

My mom will tell you that when I was little, I was a true girly-girl. Skirts and dresses only...for a very long time. I was lucky because she was a sewer and made a lot of my clothes. If I remember correctly, she may have even made some clothes for my Cabbage Patch Doll.

This stamp reminds me of the many patterns she would have laid out ready to cut. I didn't have time to play with colors and cardstock, but I'd like to try and find a combo that looks more true to the color of a pattern. Of course, I should go check one out, they may come in different colors now ;)

There aren't a lot of sentiment stamps that go with the sewing theme, but Tiny Tags has a handcrafted stamp that works perfectly. I tied the ribbon off with some linen thread and then added the two tags with a brad. Love the look!

Stamps: Pattern Pieces & Tiny Tags
Paper: Crumb Cake, Pretty in Pink and Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Rose Red & Chocolate Chip Classic Pads
Accessories: Jewelry Tag Punch-Medium, 1/16" Circle Punch, Linen Thread, 1 1/4" Rose Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Pink Button and Mini Glue Dots

Buttons, Buttons

I saw this card by Ilina Crouse and I was sold on all the new sewing themed products in the mini. This card features the Button, Button and Sew Suite stamp sets.

The Measuring Tape and 'Buttons' images are from Sew Suite and the cute little Buttons are from Button, Button. This set comes with 17 stamp designs in all different sizes. Some of the images even coordinate with the 1/2", 3/4" and 1" circle punches. It doesn't get much better than that.

Along with these stamp sets is the perfectly coordinating Sweet Stitches DSP and this adorable Melon Mambo Pompom Trim. This Trim is great because it has a flat surface on the back that allows you to adhere it to the card. I used Crystal Effects and it worked perfectly. I think I may need to get this in the two other colors as well. It's just so fun!

I was talking to a friend about these stamps and she asked if I was into sewing. I'm not, but it didn't stop me from buying just about everything in the Suite. It is all so feminine and perfect for any female in your life...even if they aren't sewers ;)

Hope you like...and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Button, Button, Sew Suite & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Very Vanilla and Sweet Stitches DSP
Ink: Melon Mambo, Garden Green, Tempting Turquoise & Early Espresso Classic Pads
Accessories: 1/2", 3/4" and 1" Circle Punches, Melon Mambo Pompom Trim and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Nursery Suite Gift Set

This is a gift set I made for a friend of mine. She wanted an altered Comp Book for a Baby Boy, so I decided to make a matching Baby card. They'll be perfect together!

The Nursery Suite DSP has a couple of 'Doily' type sheets: (2) are square and (2) are round. I thought it would be cute to add the square one to the cover. The sheet is too big to carry the whole way around the edge, but trimmed down, it works.

This diamond print is my favorite in the pack. It would have been pretty in pinks or purples, but unfortunately, they only did blue/green. I paired it up with Baja Breeze and Marina Mist cardstock on the Comp Book and Bashful Blue and Marina Mist on the card. I think Marina Mist may be growing on me ;)

I have a workshop this week with all the fun new Oh Sew Suite goodies, so I'm off to clean up my train wreck of a craft room. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: A New Little Someone (Retired) & Whimsical Words (Sale-A-Bration 2010)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist and Whisper White cardstock; Nursery Suite DSP
Ink: Early Espresso (Bunny) & Bashful Blue (Card)
Accessories: Designer Buttons-Subtles, 5/8" White Brads, Old Olive Satin Ribbon, Scallop Border Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Sizzix Letter Dies and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

A Mambo Crush Wish

It feels like forever since I last posted. I actually finished this card up two weeks ago, but forgot to take a picture last weekend. So, I am guiltily sitting here through a Glee marathon, working on my blog.

Do you watch the show? I haven't till now and am wondering where I've been. I just got through with the Madonna episode, and being an 80s Girl, it was great! I LOVE the music and can't wait to see what they do with Lady Gaga and Britney ;)

Since we have to, I guess I'll get on with my card. I had the urge to work with some purple and pink. This print from the Razzleberry Lemonade DSP immediately came to mind. I tried to pair it with a few different colors, trying to get something different, and ended up with Concord Crush and Melon Mambo. Love them together! It's so fresh and vibrant.

My focal image is from the Valentine Defined set. I think the little heart tips are just perfect. I'm already trying to think of other ways to use this stamp. As you can see here, it doesn't have to work with just Valentine's Day ;)

Well, that's it for today. I'm off to get ready for the big game tomorrow. Being from Pittsburgh, I'm rooting for my hometown boys, although I'm a thousand miles away. It should be a good game! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Valentine Defined and Short & Sweet
Paper: Melon Mambo, Concord Crush and Whisper White Cardstock; Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink: Concord Crush Classic Pad
Accessories: Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Pink Rik-Rak and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

Got Love?

I've made a few of these Mini Milk Cartons, but this one is by far my favorite. Could it possibly be the Love Letter paper and the Rik Rak I used? You bet. How fun are they together?

The Mini Milk Carton is a die cut that you can get through Stampin' Up!. It cuts and scores all the lines for this little guy. All you have to do is fold the lines and adhere together. So easy...and so cute.

The stamp on the tag is from the Got Treats stamp set. That wonderfully glittery heart was stamped and cut out of the new Glimmer Paper. It's a must have!

I made a couple of these and plan to fill with some sweet treats and give to a few of my teacher friends. It's a little something to brighten up their desks.

Stamps: Got Treats
Paper: Basic Black Cardstock; Glimmer Paper; Love Letter DSP
Ink: Basic Black Classic Stamp Pad
Accessories: Mini Milk Carton Die Cut, Mini Library Clips, Rik Rak Ribbon, Tombo Multipurpose Glue, Pop Dots/Dimensionals and Sticky Strip Tape

My Love Line

For some very odd reason, we were looking at our love lines at dinner the other night. You know...the ones on our hands that we obsessed about in middle school?

Well, this is my version of the Love Line. This card is a CASE from the Occassions Mini for the Valentine Defined Stamp Set. I love to make this card size and the design was just perfect. Who doesn't love ribbon, buttons, tiny tags, and scalloped borders...all on the same card??? I surely couldn't resist.

The design was originally what drew me in, but once I was done, I fell in love with my newly found color combo: Baja Breeze, Rose Red & Chocolate Chip. They are just divine together.

I must say, the tiny tags on this card are pretty cute too ;) To make them, I used a marker to color and stamp each part of the image separately. I then punched them with the Tiny Tags Punch. If you try to stamp the whole image, you can't punch out each portion. The image will overlap on the punch outs.

Do you not just love this color combo? If you decide to give it a try, be sure to leave me a link. I'd love to see what you do with it.

Stamps: Valentine Defined
Paper: Baja Breeze, Rose Red and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Stamp Pad
Accessories: Jewelry Tag Medium (Tiny Tag) Punch, Rose Red Marker, Designer Buttons-Subtles Collection, 1" Rose Red Double Stitched Ribbon, Linen Thread, Scallop Trim Border and Brown Brads

A Quilted Heart

My inspiration for this card is Julie Davison's card here. I loved the simple layout and this fabulous heart. Her heart was a different take on the Irish Twist technique.

I tried a few different prints for my heart, but settled on some Sending Love DSP. The bolder colors and hints of glitter made a nice contrast. The options are endless with this. You could use any DSP scraps that you have laying around.

I'm loving all these heart themed ideas out there!

Stamps: Because I Care
Paper: Real Red, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Sending Love DSP (Retired)
Ink: Soft Suede Classic Stamp Pad
Accessories: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, Heart Punch, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack

Valentine Defined

Now, I ask you, how many layers can a card possibly have? I think I have maxed this one out. I do say, I believe it may take 3 stamps to mail this one ;)

It started out like this fabulous card made by Kimberly Van Diepen. Then it took on a life of it's own. I flopped the layout putting my focal image on the left and I added some ribbon instead of DSP.

Have you ever started out simply trying to CASE a card and found it impossible to keep it the same? We all have different card 'personalities' and I think mine is layering. It is nearly impossible for me to make a card without them. What is your card 'personality'? Is it paper piercing, layering, printed papers, ribbon, I'd love to know. Be sure to leave me a comment!

Stamps: Valentine Defined
Paper: Crumb Cake, Real Red and Basic Black Cardstock; Glimmer Paper
Ink: Basic Black Classic Ink Pad
Accessories: Top Note Die, Circle & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities, Lots of Tags Die, Modern Label Punch, Scalloped Edge Punch, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Rhinestones, 1/4" Red Grosgrain Ribbon and Red Polka Dot Ribbon

Friday Mashup #27 Guest Designer

Well, I must admit, I was tickled pink to find out I was a Mashup Maven last week AND that I was going to be a Guest Designer this week. I was totally up for the challenge.

I got a sneak peek of this week's color challenge: Poppy Parade, Not Quite Navy and Sahara Sand.

Confession #1: My Poppy Parade Stamp Pad has never been used

Confession #2: I don't even have a Not Quite Navy Stamp Pad (thank goodness for SU Markers ;)

Confession #3: I had no idea how I was going to pair these three colors up

How many of you are like me...I tend to use a lot of Pinks, Browns, Black and some Light Blues. These were way out of my comfort zone. So, I pulled out my Color Coach and guess what I found. These colors are actually considered a Sweet Set. Who knew????

It turns out I love them together! I had no designer paper in these colors to draw inspiration from, so I created my own. I used a stamp from the Vintage Labels set with the Poppy Parade Ink and used that as my print. I added some crocheted lace...that just happens to match the Sahara Sand paper perfectly.

All in all, this card came together pretty easily, which for me is a triumph ;) If you are so inspired to give these a shot, upload your card to the challenge here. I'd love to see what you come up with. Happy Stamping!

Stamps: Afterthoughts (Hostess) & Vintage Labels (Sale-A-Bration 2010)
Paper: Poppy Parade, Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand and Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Poppy Parade & Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Circle & Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Crocheted Lace, Clear Button, Linen Thread and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

A Heart that Glitters

I saw this challenge over at 365 Cards - The 3 G's: Green, Glitter and Grosgrain. I immediately thought of a technique I did a long time ago using Sticky Strip. You take a piece of sticky strip, add it to your cardstock/DSP, peel the top and add glitter. So easy!!!

As I was looking through my DSP, I realized that I do not have a lot of green prints. I did stumble across this sheet in the Sweet Pea DSP. The pink definitely works for Valentine's Day and I happened to have some green and pink glitter.

Blinging up the heart was easy...designing the rest of the card, not so much. I finally did what the DSP was telling me, "Cut on the Diagonal!" So, I did. I really like how it all turned out.

I'm back to work tomorrow *sigh* so I won't get to create as much as I have the past two weeks. I will miss it. Enjoy your week!

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Blushing Bride, Wild Wasabi, Garden Green & Whisper White Cardstock; Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Pear Pizzaz Classic Pad
Accessories: Full Heart XL Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Green Brads and Green & Pink Glitter