Thursday, July 30, 2009

I've been a busy "Crafty Critter" today!

Whew! I've been crafting the day away :) (in between housework). I start my new job next week so I'm trying to get my swaps (SCS) caught up.


This is a Stationary Swap I'm in where we're asked to make 4 cards and a coordinating accent, whether it be a tag, altered pen, note cards, etc. Then, package that set in a cellophane bag with a decorative topper. Wouldn't you know that I have my cards and bookmarks/tags done and I'm out of cello bags! Darn, I'll have to make a trip to HobLob Saturday! :0)
I love the look of this rose (from the Fifth Ave. Floral Stamp Set, SU!). For the bookmark/tag, I stamped it on a piece of white c/s then backed it with a piece of chocolate chip c/s. Then I just punched a hole and threaded chocolate chip ribbon through it.
On the card I started with white c/s (4.25 x 5.50 folded) then a piece of chocolate chip c/s, then a strip of Sweet Always DSP (retired). For the rose I stamped with chocolate chip ink on not quite navy c/s (twice), cut one down, then layered them with pop dots. Oh yeah, I sponged chocolate chip ink around the edges of the rose (both layers) to give it depth.


This is a Months of the Year ATC swap I'm in. I made 13 of these ATCs and I'll get one of them back along with 1 from each month of the year made by other ladies. I love these kind of swaps where you make all the same of one thing and then get a "set" back. I used basic black as my base (ATCs are 3.5 x 2.5). Then wrapped a piece of real red c/s with white ribbon and centered it on the black. I stamped "Love" and "XOXOXO" (Fundamental Phrases stamp set, SU!) in white craft ink. I stamped the heart (Love You Much stamp set, SU!) with real red ink on pink pirouette c/s and placed it on the rr c/s and under one piece of ribbon. I put a white brad in the bottom corner of the rr c/s. then layered paper flowers with a silver brad at the top of the heart. I thought they turned out sweet. Duh, can you guess what month I had? hee! hee!


And lastly, this is for a swap I'm hostessing. I had 3 ladies "flake" on me, so I got some "angels" to take their place and I decided to try it too. This is a stationary set swap, but unlike the other one, this one the swappers only had to cut white c/s into 4.25 x 5.50 pieces and stamp an image in the bottom corner (4 per set) then alter a pen to match (1 per set). It's a "cardfront", notecard that can be used for quick note, grocery list or a small thank you. I used the small flower from the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set, SU! I stamped it in certainly celery ink, rose red ink and bashful blue ink. I got the pens from Wal-Mart. I stamped one of the flowers on a scrap piece of white c/s and cut them out. then I punched a hole in the center of each and pulled my ribbon ends through, then tied in a knot. I still need to add envelopes and place them in cello bags. They are simple but (I think) elegant.
Well, this was my day...in between taking my DD to Camp Kindergarten, washing clothes, cleaning the kitchen, cooking supper, giving baths, reading cute little books...etc....etc....etc. You know, all the things we moms do each and everyday!!! :)
Let me know what you think.
Have a great weekend!!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

If a tree falls in the Forest...

Okay, I'll be the first to admit, I don't do boyish/masculine cards/pages well. When I have to get out the blues, greys and blacks...I stop for a glass of tea. hee! I don't know what it is I just never have had the ability to make any crafting project that "manly" looking. I love ribbon and paper flowers and neither of those embellishments really say "Hey look at me I'm a manly man!" So, when I joined a swap on SCS called "Forest Card Swap", I knew it was going to be a challenge for me. I'm not saying that girls don't enjoy the forest, wild woodland creatures, camping, poison ivy and such, but this girl does not! I'm a girly girl and my scrapbooking and card making reflect that. I wanted to make great cards for the hostess of this swap. She joined my very first swap I ever hosted on SCS and now this is her first and I wanted to return the love.
I found a paper stack by DCWV called, "The Green Stack", very cute. Here's my cards I made today for her swap ~



Give me your honest opinion, would you give this to a boy?
The creatures are cut from a page in the stack.
The base c/s is wood grain (from DCWV stack)
The sentiment is computer generated.
I used a sponge dauber to ink the sides of the oval with Soft Suede and Certainly Celery inks.
I placed the creatures on with mini glue dots. I used snail adhesive to glue down the small plaid piece of ribbon then punched two holes through it and thread/tied the linen thread.

Supplies:
"The Green Stack" by DCWV
Whisper White C/S - SU! (40 - 8.5x11 sheets for $7.50)
Plaid ribbon cut in 1/2 inch squares
Linen Thread - SU! (15 yds for $4.50)
1/16" circle punch - SU! ($8.95)
Large Oval Punch - SU! ($15.95)
Mini Glue Dots - SU! ($4.95)
Snail Adhesive - SU! ($6.95)
Sponge Daubers - SU! (12 for $10.95) These last forever!!
Certainly Celery and Soft Suede Classic Ink Pads - SU! ($5.95 each)
Let me know what you think...whew after this I've got to go make another gallon of tea! :)
TFL!
Blessings...

Friday, July 17, 2009

Ooooh how fancy!




One more post for the day before I start supper. I made this card for a swap on SCS. You had to send in cards with "fancy folds". I used pink pirouette as my base. Cut it just like you would for a 4.25 x 5.5 card. Fold down the front, adhere patterned paper to the fold (I think that's Daisy D's). I used blue textured c/s to mask the pp. Then I cut white c/s 1/4 inch smaller than the pink and adhered it "backwards" inside the card. I punched out some matching pp with a circl punch for decoration. My favorite part of this card is the "Oval All" sentiment by SU! I colored the rubber stamp with always artichoke and rose red markers, stamped it and punched it out with the lg. oval punch then backed it with certainly celery c/s punched out with the scallop oval punch. I tied a piece of crean sheer ribbon to finish it off. All you do is slide off the ribbon to open. I think this is the most elements I've ever done to a card and once I got my "assembly line" going, it didn't take long to put them all together.
I hope you like it!
Have a blessed weekend :o)

Life, Kiddos and Pretty Cards--Do dah! Do dah!

Hello All!

I hope you all had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend! Our kiddos are gone "camping" with my in-laws. My husband took them yesterday morning to his parents house (they live an hour away). They're going to "camp out" at their house! Our children think it's the grandest thing! It's very rare that we don't have our children with us due to Aaron's special needs, but my MIL and FIL are very trustworthy, caring and compassionate people and we rest easy when they are with them. Soooo, I've been deep cleaning my house...ugh! But, it needed it and it's hard to get done with kiddos running in and messing up what you just cleaned!
I did get my crafting area straightened up and lots of scraps thrown away that I was never going to use. Ahhhh, it's clean and I can find everything now.
I wanted to share a couple of cards with you that were made by some friends of mine on SCS. I hosted a swap called "Animals and Insects Card Swap". The cards these ladies sent were wonderful. I had a little contest going that my kiddos were going to pick their favorite card from each group.


This is the card they picked as their favorite insect card.
Created by Diana


This one was the one they picked as their favorite animal card.
Created by Vee

Aren't these great cards! Thanks ladies for participating in my swap! :)

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Circle Circus Card


Here's a Clean and Simple card I made for a make and take at one of my workshops. It is 4.25 x 5.50. I used the new "Circle Circus" stamp set from SU! I stamped on whisper white c/s with Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry & Dusty Durango inks. I used Bermuda Bay c/s & stamped in Rich Razzleberry & punched the image out with the scallop circle punch. I used "For You" from the "Fundamental Phrases" stamp set by SU! I punched the phrase out with the Word Window punch then punched a tiny hole in the side and tied linen thread. I thought it was a cute "beginners" card.

My Very First Post!!


Yay! I'm blogging. Wow, never thought I would say that. Oh well here is my first post. I'm going to attempt to upload a card I made the other day using the new Stampin' Up! In Colors and new "Medallion" background stamp.

This is a 3x3 notecard. I used Bermuda Bay c/s and a round rhinestone brad in the middle of the stamped image. I used Soft Suede ink.
I stamped "Thank You" (from Enjoy Every Moment stamp set) in Soft Suede ink and punched it out with the word window punch. I used Stampin' Dimensionals to pop it off the card.
I hope you like the card. Now I can't wait to post again. :)