Another day, another challenge.

What a blast it was to join the gals over at CAS-ual Fridays yesterday.  I got the sweetest comments on my card and got to blog-surf while watching "So you think you can dance" last night... FUN!

In case you were wondering:  I can't dance.  At all.  I mean, I've got the rhythm inside of me, but it doesn't translate to bodily movement.  Best kept in snapping/clapping form. And maybe a little head-bopping...maybe...hee.

Today, I used the sketch over at the sweetest thing - I hope I haven't massacred it too much... I admit I used it loosely, but be gentle - it's my first time using a set sketch to build a design on.

The base layer is SU kraft card-stock, to which I added a red mat with a pretty, scalloped edge.  The strip of SU bashful blue, along with the white die-cut clouds, was embossed using a PTI impression plate.  The main image is from Lawn Fawn's "admit one".  I stamped the merry-go-round first, did some beyond basic coloring and then masked the image before repeatedly stamping a ticket background.  Here's closer look: 

I added stitching to each individual element to add some whimsy (with stitching like mine, it's got to be "whimsical" - it can't be "elegant", lol!)  I added some stitching for the balloon string to finish things off.

Thanks for looking!  

CAS-ual Fridays... better late than never!

I'm just getting the hang of this whole blogging-experience... there are so many different challenges, color-inspirations, company contests - it's hard to know where to begin!

I started this blog because

a.  I desperately wanted someone other than my husband to validate my work (hee hee)
b.  I needed a showcase for my style to show clients as part of the JustMePrints business I share with my sister (click here to check us out!)
c.  I wanted to enter a PTI challenge.

But some of the other challenges look like fun too!  And I want in :)

I like to think of myself as mostly a CAS girl (that's "clean-and-simple" for any non-crafters *coughhusbandcough* reading this blog) so this one's right up my alley!

The only graduate I have in my home is a pint-sized one.  My little Sofia is 3 weeks shy of completing her kindergarten year - the time has just flown by!  I'm so excited to give her this card:

It was an excuse to break open my new Lawn Fawn sets.  I created the background with the new "schoolhouse backdrops" set and then stamped the large sentiment with "Quinn's ABCs".  The apple is from Paper Smooches' "falling for you" - I stamped it on SU designer paper and cut an opening to make way for a little sentiment from PTI's "way to go, kiddo".

I couldn't help but stick a bit of bling to the bottom of the card - she's such a girly-girl.  The bling was completely necessary *wink*

Thanks for looking!

postmarked missing you.

I know I'm late to the whole post-card party, but I couldn't resist.  Have you been *wasting* time on pinterest, like I have?  (I could argue the whole "time enjoyed isn't time wasted" but for now, let's just say that there are sometimes more important things in life than looking at pretty things...) My friend recently said that if she spends time on pinterest before bed, she dreams pretty things :)

I've loved looking at all the wedding stationary that has this whole vintage postcard vibe....

I'm obsessed.  sigh.  If only I could re-plan my wedding... without actually having to go through a wedding again, lol!  

So, being completely inspired, I came up with an-almost-1-layer card (if you don't count the 2 popped-up elements).  I love the depth and interest that I managed to create on this one layer!  

Here's a close-up of the text portion... with a bit of masking, I kept the text-style II background within the blocks to make it look like a hand-written postcard (but prettier.  No one wants to see my handwriting, believe me.)

Thanks for looking!

happy monday!

Here's a quick card I made with PTI's botanical silhouettes:

I was inspired by this card.  I love the bright colors, the sponged-blue-ink around the edges and the twine around the bottom.  For the sentiment, I used the new PTI set, wonderful words additions - but without the dies.  I stamped Y-O-U from an alpha set I already had.  Gives it a different look, no?

Hope this was a bright and cheery way to start your beautiful day.  Happy Monday!

Flowers.

It's PTI blog-hop time!  I'm so excited to see what everyone's come up with - there are so many ways to use flowers in our work.  Since I'm desperately longing for a real spring (the kind that comes with sunshine and some warmth) I decided to go all "birds and blooms" with this one.

For each flower, I cut 6 flower-fusion #1 shapes.  Each layer was folded, folded again and then stitched in place.  I love the frayed edges, and that each flower looks a bit different.  I also die-cut the banners from an old t-shirt and stamped on them with text-style II.  I did the same thing on the leaf die-cut after stamping it with vintage cream.

I think I'm a little obsessed with banners lately.  Love making them, love looking at them.  There are a few that haven't been taken down in the house from the kids' parties...I even whipped up a cute banner for my kids to hold up during our family photoshoot this morning.  Speaking of which - time to put on some makeup and get everyone going!  I can't wait to sit down with a tea later this afternoon and make my blog-rounds!  Have a great day and thanks for looking.

MIM - sympathy.

Sympathy cards are hard enough to send out, let alone create.  It's a fine balance between somber, elegant, and uplifting at the same time.  When I saw that the PTI: MIM challenge was sympathy cards, I decided to add to my stash... I figure that when you NEED a sympathy card is probably not the best time to be creating one... you know?

I have never tried the "emboss-resist" technique before, but gave it a whirl here.  The clear-embossed florals (from PTI's "larger than life") "resist" the ink that I sponged and stamped on top - so cool!  The bird is from SU's "notably ornate" set, and was "kissed" with PTI's "text-style II".

birthday drive-by.

I know I said I would do an "elegant" card next, but ummm.... baby steps, m'kay?  There are no googly-eyes on this card, and only a mildly punny sentiment.  I would like to think I'm moving in the right direction :)

I stamped the truck (from SU's loads of love set) onto some Basic Grey designer paper.  The gifts got stamped on the other side of the same paper.  I love paper-piecing as an alternative to coloring the images sometimes - it gives such a different look!

The background was stamped with the Hero Arts clouds background stamp, and I softened it a bit by sponging some blue ink around the edges.  The grass was created by snipping a fringe all along a strip of Old Olive paper.  The whole thing was foam-mounted onto some Kraft paper.  I stamped SU's A to Z onto the kraft base, so it could peek through the "hole" I punch out of the cloud layer.  The "driving by" sentiment was tucked into the curves of the car.  Thought it looked smart that way.

On a completely unrelated note, do any of you moms with little ones ever get embarrassed by your kids?  Not when they're babies and throwing a tantrum.  That happens to all of us (I hope).  I mean, I took my 2 older ones to a birthday party and my usually too-cute-for-words 4 year old was yelling at some other little boy with his hands on his hips:  "you just don't do that!  that's not nice and don't ever do that again!"  The boy (who is older and much bigger than Thomas, which I think only makes it more ridiculous) was just standing there with his arms up in the air, all "what did I do?  what did I do?"  HA.  And that was just one of many off-putting moments for me.  So please, make me feel better by sharing your own story.  Or advice.  Or contempt for the fact that I was really embarrassed by my own son :)

Happy weekend!