MIM #65

Hi all!

I feel like I've been doing parties for so long that I don't know how to make cards anymore... I struggled to create this one  for the newest MIM challenge: mixing scraps to create background paper.

When I don't have the brain-capacity to sit down and mix any old patterned papers, I just reach for ones that belong to the same pack: if the manufacturer thinks they go well together, then I won't argue.

I adhered different strips of Studio Calico papers to my white cardbase, and layered everything on top.  I die-cut a label shape into my kraft mat, and ran it through with the woodgrain impression plate.  It's faint in the pictures, but it's there.  I then created a sentiment flag, and stamped and cut out 3 peonies (from the "pretty peonies" set.)

Thanks for peeking, and for everyone who left sweet comments on my parties - not all of the 5 year olds were able to vocalize their appreciation of  my monster sweet table, you know.... hee hee!

CAS-ual fridays: ribbon

Hi peeps!

This is my 3rd day of keeping all the kids at home... on the up side, everyone is starting to feel better... but I didn't want a repeat of yesterday, where Sofia lost her breakfast on the school bus riding into school.  Poor kid. And also, I felt like parent-of-the-year.  Whoever had to clean the bus probably thought so too...

Onto the crafting.

I thought I'd throw my hat in the CAS-ual Fridays ring.  I'm not much of a ribbon gal - I mean, I hoard the stuff, but just don't use it much.  But as I watched a PVR-d episode of Top Chef, I decided I meant ribbon-business.  I present to you: ribbon, 3 ways.

1. I cut out a cardboard ring (using circle punches) and wrapped green ribbon around the entire thing.
2. A huge, floppy, gauzy bow at the top.
3. Pom-pom ribbon trim, rolled into a makeshift flower.

BAM.

Ribbon challenge, accepted.  and served.

PTI anniversary, day 4: color challenge.

If you are looking for my giveaway post, click *here* - there's still time to join in the fun for a chance at a great gift-certificate!

I chose to work with Lisa's favorite color scheme:

The first thing that popped into my head was to create something floral.  The color palette just screams blue sky, green grass, and red blooms, doesn't it?  But I can't seem to get out of my "love" rut :)  The hubs better watch out: I'm gonna have to start hiding these cards in his sock drawer or something...

I stamped the fancy flourish in spring moss, created a bitty aqua mist envelope, punched out some "pure poppy" glittery hearts, and mounted it all onto a kraft base.

I created the little envie in a flash:  just grabbed a 1 3/8 inch square punch and scored around the edges.  Fold everything in and you have the perfect tiny envelope.  Good things come in little packages, right? (that's my motto, since I measure a measly 5 feet in real life... lol.)

Hugs to all my new followers!  I look forward to getting to know you better, and thanks for helping me start off my 2nd year of blogging with a bang :)

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 :)

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.

Thank you, Leigh!

I got some new stamps in the mail the other day, courtesy of the awesome Leigh Penner (click on her name to check out her blog - she's got serious scrapbooking/cardmaking chops!)  

I'm only sorry that my first card with the "daydreamer" images had to be a sympathy card.... but I think it turned out so soft and pretty, and will hopefully lift the spirits of a family going through a tough time...

Apart from the button and the embroidery floss frame, the card only has 2 layers:  a kraft card-base, and a mat of PTI's "guide lines grid cardstock."  I used the negative of a mat-stack 5 shape to create a mask on my white paper.  I then sponged in some tumbled glass distress ink and then stamped images from the set in various soft colors.  The sentiment was added once the mask was removed.

To stitch the frame all around, I used a little SU kit that comes with a paper-piercer and a paper-piercing template.  I made the holes, and then made quick work of passing the pink floss through them all.

Thanks for stopping by!

MIM #42: backgrounded sentiments

This week's MIM challenge is to make a layered background, using sentiment stamps.

I layered some "think big sentiments," and a few sentiments from "tiny treats: christmas" and "friendship jar holiday fillers."  I stamped them in full strength, but kept them tone-on-tone to still treat them as a background pattern.  To add some extra depth, I opted to stamp the hero arts envelope pattern background stamp over the whole red mat.  I love that stamp so much - it's subtle, and adds the perfect amount of texture.

My snowman duo was die-cut from the "in the meadow" dies and propped up with foam squares.  The tiny snowflakes to the left of the "merry and bright sentiment" are from lawn fawn's "making frosty friends."

I also dry-brushed some shimmer paint onto my little snowmen.  They glimmer in real life, even though they may look a little dingy here...

I'm also entering this card into the CAS-ual fridays challenge - I used their lovely sketch for my card :)

MIM #40: reverse applique

This week's challenge on Nichole's blog is to add stitching around the negative of a die-cut.

I didn't trust myself with a sewing machine for these delicate snowflakes, so I drew my stitching lines instead.

I used my MFT snowflake dienamics to cut into a sheet of kraft cardstock.  I stamped Hero Arts envelope pattern background over the entire area, and used a brown marker to add my stitching lines.  The sentiment is from PTI's think big favorites.  I love that font!

Thanks for taking a peek!

from the scrap pile

Do you keep a little scrap pile of stuff that didn't work on other cards?  I do!  I made the embossed-woodgrain-brayered background for last week's MIM challenge, but never got around to creating a card with it before we left for Henderson Harbor.

The cupcake image (from PTI's baby button bits) was stamped onto a bookprint and colored in with copics.  And then I never used it.

A blank mat stack shape was also in that pile.

And a strip of leftover brown cardstock, stamped with lawn fawn's "schoolhouse backdrops".

Put it all together, and I have my entry for this week's CAS-ual Fridays.  In about 10 minutes.  'Cuz sometimes, that's all the time you've got.

card tote.

I have a sweet customer who has commissioned 4-5 cards from me in the last few weeks.  Just to say thank you, I wanted to package her last 2 cards in a special way.

I was totally inspired by a new product that PTI is previewing right now: the front and center die (scroll down a bit to see it.)

Their version is all cute and scallop-y, but I wanted to make something work with the bigger, clear boxes that we get with each PTI stamp purchase.  I chopped about an inch off the top of the clear box and measured the width to come up with a bag front and back that I could adhere to the clear box.  A few strips of patterned paper (scalloped - my nod back to the new PTI die), a felt heart, and an oval punch for the handle... and I had a cute little tote for my cards.

supplies (all PTI, unless noted)

stamps: think big favorites, hero arts envelope pattern background

ink: chocolate chip (SU)

dies: large scallop, heart prints, half and half

punch: large oval (SU)

papertrey princess challenge

I'm a papertrey princess!  They had an opening in their group, and I asked if I could join - so happy they said yes!  (ever since being dubbed a papertrey princess, I've had to stop myself from humming "I feel pretty, oh so pretty..." ha!)

Diane's challenge was to make a card using only the outline of flowers.  No problem.  I'm not a great color-er... (although my Sofia thinks I'm fabulous just for staying inside the lines) and this saves me the trouble of all the fussy-cutting I usually do to paper-piece my florals.

I hope I'm not bending the rules by offering up this card:

I used YOTF: marigolds (the only one I own...).  Before stamping the outline in memento black ink, I flipped the stamp over and created blotches of yellow, red, and blue using the "wrong side" of the stamp.  The "hello friend" sentiment and a little rhinestone finished off my bright & fun card.

Thanks for looking!

window card, camp-style

I'm taking another stab at the camp colors of the week and making a window card. Jennifer shared some tips & tricks for creating a window card with our steel dies.  So fun!

I used my mat stack 5 die to cut into my card front, and created a frame for it using SU's peach parfait card-stock.  The clouds and kites are from PTI's up up & away set, and the sentiment from think big favorites. I'm loving this card!  The summery colors and the acetate window are so fun!

Here's a close-up so you can see the "floating" greeting. I used part of the clear box that PTI stamps come in and stamped on it with staz-on ink (the acetate is slippery so staz-on is necessary!).

Hope you like it!

CAS-ual Friday... gettin' edgy wit it!

It's that time again - CAS-ual Fridays challenge time!

My oldest kidlet just finished her kindergarten year - and their class celebrated in style!  THIRTEEN french songs performed (we live in a french-speaking province, for all you non-Canadians reading this blog!) and I couldn't believe that she mouthed every single word.  In September she knew under 20 french words and now... she is basically schooling my husband - ha ha!

Her teacher deserved a pretty card for all her hard work.  Enter this week's "getting edgy" challenge.

I cut some yummy melon berry felt with my largest scalloped border die, x2. Then I took some twill ribbon and pleated it as it went through the sewing machine.  I stamped "merci" (from PTI's think big favorites #3) and then stamped the floral fusion image so it would nestle into the curve of the sentiment.  To hide the stitches, the panel is adhered onto a white card base.  I like the white-on-white... very chic!

Thanks for looking!