for Cath (sans CHA) with love blog hop

Just wanted to join in the many crafters wishing Cath a speedy recovery!  Here's a little something to cheer you up:

This hot turtle is recovering in style!  Bright pink, thank you very much (too bad Lawn Fawn didn't have anything in the way of a feather boa...)

Hope you start feeling back in order very soon.

Hugs!




supplies
paper: PTI white cardstock, SU pp (retired)
stamps: lawn fawn: on the mend
ink: aqua mist (PTI), memento black, antique linen distress ink, copics
other: 2.5 inch circle punch, double-ended banner die (PTI)

Do-over.

Amber is celebrating her 1 year of blogging by taking old, what-was-I-thinking cards (even though her worst ones aren't bad at all...) and re-making them.  I'm joining her do-over blog hop.  Lawd knows I have plenty of cards to choose from...

This is one of the cards that I look back on and then quickly have to look away from:

Yikes!  I wish I could say it looks better in real life, but the splotches of color are really harsh and I haven't been able to send this one out to anyone.  It's still sitting in my craft room, so unloved... (time to gift it to my parents! ha.)

You all know I love me some color, but what's on the original card had me running back to white:

Ahhhh.... much better.  I used the same stamp set, but I simplified the number of flowers on my card, and took away almost all of the color...except for some light splotching of pink in the middle of each bloom, an ode to the old, cringe-worthy card.

I also outlined the flowers with a light-beige copic marker.

Thank you for reading my blog, even though I post some uglies sometimes.  And thanks, Amber, for giving us space to do it over :)

PDCC116

I haven't played along with a play date cafe challenge in awhile... but when the suggested colors of the week are listed as "plum, pear, and moldy cheese..." hmmm... I'm on it.

I used 3 colors for my card: pale plum, kiwi kiss, and not quite navy (all SU inks.)

I know it's "rosie posie" again, and you'd think after making 16 cards, I wouldn't pick up it up again for awhile... but I love it, and it. was. right. there.  hee hee!  Ever just use a set because it's on the desk-top?  Such a lazy crafter :) 

I stamped all the images in full-strength and then again without re-inking.  Made it really fast to fill up the space!  I then stamped the hero arts envelope pattern in the plum color over the whole thing.  The gingham border on the side wraps around to the back of the card, like a book spine.  Love that look.  On the front, I added a scalloped edge, peeking out from under... The gingham border was stitched down on either side.

I then cut out the large flower and some leaves.  The leaves were stuck down to the card, but I played with their edges to give them some dimension.  The flower was mounted on foam squares to give it some more height.  The card-base looks a bit purple in that second photo, but it's really a nice navy blue :)

Hope you like it!  Have a great weekend.

Rosie posie card set.

I'm a little late with my classroom homework *runs to the front of the class and throws card set on teacher's desk*

I stamped a chevron pattern (PTI) on all *16* of my card bases (I actually needed a very large number of cards, it's not that I got carried away and forgot how many I was making...).  Next, I stamped "merci" and the flower from "rosie posie" on my smaller white panel, and proceeded to CUT OUT 16 full flowers, and 16 smaller blooms.  You, know, because I had told myself I didn't need the die.  Haha.  Actually, they were very easy to cut out and I had them all ready to go by the end of a Criminal Minds episode...(if you've ever watched that show, I hope you understand when I give a little *shudder* right now... I really need to quit viewing it, especially right before bed...)

Thanks for peeking!

oh, and ps to anyone who commented yesterday on how great my hubs was to bring me random flowers:  he really is, and he thanks you with great big beaming eyes.

PTI blog hop: what's old is new.

This month's blog hop is all about picking a favorite project from 2011 and being re-inspired by it.

I did a round-up of my favorite project per month *here* - but I couldn't choose just one (that sounds conceited, doesn't it... let's just say for as many cards as I look back on with love, I have ones that bring on the cringe...)

I  decided to go with my favorite PTI stamp set of 2011: "postmarks."  It's such a dreamy set...

Here are the 2 projects from 2011 that inspired me today:

a missing-you postcard

a bulky note

Sooo, when my cute man walked in with these beauties 2 nights ago, for no good reason:

What else could I do but make this for him:

A shaker card full of glitter and punched hearts.  (You know I like my shaker cards to make noise, but this one works, too.)

An early valentine for my sweetheart of a guy.

ps - this one's getting thrown into the MIM mix, also.

Have a great day!  

MIM #50 - shake it!

I love shaker cards - I think it's the kid in me :)  I especially love it when they make noise when you shake 'em.  Seeds, beads, candies = such fun creations!

The tutorial over at PTI is fantastic.  But, since I didn't have any fun foam lying around, I made do with what I had.  Here's how I made my little tag (click on any of the photos to see them bigger):

I stamped a gingham background onto my tag shape.  I then created a "channel" for my shaker-fillings by laying foam adhesive all around (be sure there aren't any gaps or it will all fall apart!)  It doesn't have to be pretty - exhibit A is above.  Here's a small tip:  I used some glossy accents to fill in the spaces that I was nervous about.  The only downside to that is waiting for it to dry :)

Add the filling.  I found a jar of tiny white beads in my stash - yay me!

Add the top to seal it all up!  I die-cut a 2.5 inch circle 2 times: once out of acetate, and once out of white cardstock.  Into the white cardstock, I then die-cut a cloud shape.  I stuck the acetate to my white circle (using glossy accents, to make sure it's all secure!) and when it was dry, I then carefully stuck it down to the base I'd created.  I dare you not to play with your creation when it's all done :)

How 'bout seeing it on a prezzie?

A plain kraft box got dressed up for a party :)  The "ribbon" is actually the seam of an old white tee-shirt.  I save the weirdest things.  My crafting personality and my regular personality are so opposite.  Crafting Elena is a bit of a hoarder.  Real-life El chucks things like crazy without a backward glance... No idea how to make sense of it all :)  

I love all the texture for a baby gift.  Soft and cuddly and fun, don't you think?

Thanks for looking!

CAS-ual friday - the black & white of it.

In honor of penguin awareness day (who knew there was such a thing!), the challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays is to create a black & white card.  Oh, the restraint I've had to show.

I started out with a sheet of PTI's guidelines grid cardstock, and stamped the frame from "button boutique" where I wanted it.  I then stamped it again on some post-it paper, cut it out and put it down over-top.  While my framed area was "protected," I stamped a pattern-pieces background (SU) all around.  Thank you, stamp-a-ma-jig.  I've almost forgotten what's it like to use red rubber :)

When I removed the mask (always a ta-da moment!) I then stamped the sentiment (from "button boutique") and threaded a juicy black button with some black and white twine for some extra fun.

Thanks for popping by!

Popping up with a hello.

Just a sweet little card, using lawn fawn's "love 'n breakfast."  Substitute the "hello" for "i love you" and it becomes the perfect little valentine...

The 3-d toast gets me every time.  They look like little bready gymnasts, flying out of that smiley toaster.  Hee.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

a crafty break: lunchtime.

Part of being a stay-at-home mom, I think, is acting as your family's historian.  I mean, who else will document and be able to re-tell what life was like?  What it was all about during their childhood years?  When they get all angry and teenagery on me, I want to be able to show them what really happened.  It's as much for my protection as it is for nostalgia's sake...

I hope you'll forgive me this crafty break, but sometimes I feel like sharing something other than cards :)

This is the anatomy of a lunch-hour with miss Maia, age 20 months.

What'll it be today, Maia?  A peanut-butter sandwich (she's very vocal and determined to get what she wants.  On little things like what to eat for lunch and what to wear for the day, I'm already indulging her.)

A customary inspection of the meal usually ensues.

Pouring water on her food.  It also usually comes to this.

The now soggy sandwich no longer looks very appetizing.

The feet.  At the beginning of lunch, the feet are both dangling.  But, inevitably when the food becomes boring, one foot disappears from its proper position...

And finds itself here.  The peanut-butter sandwich takes a distant second place to looking for toe-lint.  So gross.

How'd you like me now.  

and the sandwich?  all over the floor.  start the lunch-time dance all over, mom.

nobody said it would be easy all the time, but nobody prepared me for how hilarious it can be, either.  

be back with some cards later today, promise.

an early valentine...

First off, thank you so much, everyone who was so encouraging yesterday about my white card (and the photography of it.)  It means a lot to me!  I've decided to leave the white cards to the experts for now, and, in complete defiance, have create a much more inky card for you today:

I've had this card on the brain for a while, so I thought I'd put ink-to-paper.  Some people prefer to express their love with real, loving words... I prefer to revive old rock anthems... (Full disclosure: my hubs is the more tender, mushy one in this relationship.) 

light my FIRE - hee hee!  Isn't he just the cutest flame-on-a-log?  

The card was actually fairly simple to create.  I started out with a sheet of white cardstock, and stamped letters from lawn fawn's "quinn's abcs" to create my sentiment.  I stamped the fire twice (lawn fawn's "cozy christmas"), once on the white card, and once on a separate piece, so that I could color it, cut it, and pop it up.  The little bubble with the heart inside is from my cute stamps - their monster set.  (Which, incidentally, I might be using a lot of, since my son has already requested a monster party for the spring!)

Once everything was stamped, I created a very quick mask (I just cut out pieces of post-it to hide the words) and stamped a textured background over the entire mat.  Then, the distress inks came out to play.  I thought it made the whole thing look a bit "campy."  As in, fire-campy.  Not kitchy-campy.

Thanks for peeking!

my problem with mostly white cards.

I don't usually like making plain white cards (I mean, doesn't the word "plain" sum it up?  ha ha).  I'm a color-lovin'-gal.  But so many designers make drool-worthy cards that are so simple and striking at the same time... and I am taking this class... so I thought I'd give it a go.  My main problem with plain white cards, is that there is no place to hide.  Everything has to be done to perfection.  And that's not always how I roll :)

I was inspired by this card that Jess Witty created for the recent PTI release (scroll down a bit to see the one I mean).  Her card is so vibrant and fun!  I took all the color out of it (almost), and came up with this:

My other problem with mostly white cards is I find them so much more difficult to photograph.... harrumph.

Thanks for looking!

baby, it's cold outside.

Like, freezing.

We took the kids to play outside this weekend, and the only sane one was Maia, who just stood there in her full snow-suit, crying, because it was so cold.  10 minutes later, I scooped her up and we stayed inside watching the other weirdos climb the mounds of snow and shoot white stuff at each other for the better part of an hour.  I think it was something like -22 degrees (celcius).  Now that is cold.

Only fitting, then, that Lawnscaping should post a "winter wonderland" challenge.  And only right that I should jump on that, since I'm currently living inside a snow-globe.

I grabbed a piece of PTI guidelines grid cardstock and ran it through my die-cutter with their "take 3" die.  It left me 3 little openings into which I could stamp those adorable penguins (from Lawn Fawn's "critters in the snow".)  I did have to mask off around the squares so that the penguins didn't overlap into their neighbors' squares.  Didn't want to cause an icy riot, you know.  I then masked off the penguins as well and stamped a layer of polka dots (PTI's polka dots basics II) in a light blue ink.  I outlined the penguins with a light grey copic marker, to make them stand out a little more.

On the white mat, I stamped the igloo from the same set, outlined it with a light blue copic marker, and sponged the edges with tumbled glass distress ink.  Then, I sprayed it with a healthy layer of Mister Huey's calico white spray.  Looks like the igloo was caught in a blizzard, non?

The sentiment was white-heat-embossed onto a light blue banner, and the whole mat was mounted with foam squares onto the kraft card-base.

Thanks for peeking!

MIM #49

I had a few minutes during the kids naptime (what will I do when they decide to stop napping??) to create a little something for this week's MIM challenge.  The ghost-masking technique is very cool, and I loved Betsy's use of "rosie posie" so much that I didn't stray too far from her tutorial.

I did all of my stamping on a piece of rustic white cardstock (PTI).  I starting by stamping my "mat stack 2" frame, and then punched a vellum circle to act as a mask while I stamped my "rosie posie" and "text style II" images.  Then, I used the rest of my vellum sheet (now with a circle cut out) to mask everything outside so that I could re-stamp everything inside the frame, but lightly (I stamped off on a scrap piece of paper first, so the ink appears lighter).  Hence, the ghost-effect.

I'm also linking this card to the current CAS-fridays challenge: scallops.  I added a jumbo-scallop-houndstooth-border to the side, and stitched it into place.  

Finally, I rounded the top-right corner of my card for a bit of visual balance.

Hope you like it!

hi.

I hate having things lying around,  incomplete.  I was cleaning up my craft area (can't call it a craft room, since it's just a little corner of our basement office/tv room/craft room/exercise room/sewing room) and I found a few greats elements that were begging to be turned into a card.

I had a leftover strip of diy patterned paper (made with PTI's "rosie posie", with a little "grunge me" hummingbird thrown into the mix), a chipboard frame, and a huge button on the table.

I sponged some peach ink onto my chipboard, added another bird-in-flight (from PTI's "happy trails"), threaded the button, and called it a card.

Sometimes my best cards are after-thoughts.  I really love this one!

How do you create?  Do your favorite cards take days to create, or come together more quickly?

CAS card class: 1-layer card.

I'm still trying to backtrack my way into all of the class material I missed while I was sick.  There was a fantastic card that Julie made on Day 2, a perfectly flat card, but with so much interest!  She used a lot of masking to create dimension, which I love.  I love that I can create a fun card with only 1 sheet of paper, my stamps and inks...

I know this card is at the busy end of clean&simple, but it makes me smile, so I thought I'd share it :)

I started out with a piece of PTI's rustic white cardstock.  I die-cut a label shape out of masking paper, tried to eye-ball the center of the card, and laid it down as a mask.  I then stamped a heart-background (PTI) onto the entired card-front.  Once I removed the mask, I stamped my images (from lawn fawn's "love 'n breakfast") into the center.  I then created masks for the images, and also laid down the negative from my label shape.  Into the opening, I sponged some antique linen distress ink, and stamped the hero arts envelope pattern background for just a touch of texture.  I went back in with copics to quickly color the images, and added glossy accents to the muffin-top.  I don't think you can tell from the pictures, but I double-stamped my greetings - once in black, and then right over-top in red.  It gives a quirky effect in real life!

I hope you like it!  Have a great weekend :)