Painted Flower

Paint. She used to paint all the time in high school. She painted some in college. She felt rusty as she pulled out the paints in the bright colors. She timidly dipped the paint brush in the first color and let the bristles touch the paper. The creativity came back through her fingertips and she continued on with the other colors. Paint.

This card brought me back to the time when art was fun! I don't usually combine so many challenges, but the card kind of fell together with them in mind. I knew I wanted to use paint for Teri Anderson's Playing with Paint Challenge... and the colors of the paint were to be the bright and fun hues at Off the Wall Craftiness-not to mention that I loved the flowers in the corner, which brought me to... the tissue paper medium to fit with the 365 Cards Challenge... and the sentiment Mr. & Mrs. for the Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World. The layout of the card is derived from the sketch at 2S4Y.

Supplies Used: Cardstock: White (Georgia Pacific) Taken with Teal (Stampin Up) Ink: Taken with Teal Marker (Stampin Up) Embellishments: Sticker Sentiment (SRM Stickers) Rhinestone (Oriental Trading Company) Teal Twine (May Arts from Practicing Creativity Designs) Tools: Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Flower Dies (Provo Craft), Acrylic Paint (Apple Barrel), Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Lemon Sunshine

{Wouldn't Lemon Sunshine be the perfect name for a new ink color? Or if its out there, I want some!}

Shhh... I'll let you in on a little secret... I was going for a lemon, but it ended up looking like the sun. The wedges/rays need to be wider, I reckon. Sometimes you just have to roll with it, right? Especially when you are a late night crafteress and time is limited. Gives me a new goal to work towards. Mission: Make lemons.

This colors and general summery vibe of the card were inspired by the uber awesome photo inspiration at Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge. The sketch from 2 Sketch for You- a clean and simple approach to it. To make the lemon, err, sun, I stamped a ray with yellow chalk ink and then kissed off some of that ink with the lace stamp. I also used a circle punch on the sticker sentiment to separate it from the dots around the lemon, err, sun.

Supplies Used: Cardstock: Naturals White, Barely Banana (Stampin Up) Blue (Reminisce) Stamps: You're Dandy and For the Love of Dots (Practicing Creativity Designs) Ink: French Blue, Yellow Citris and Creamy Brown Chalk (Colorbox) Embellishments: Sticker Sentiment (SRM Stickers) Gold Hemp Cord (Elements from The Beadery)

The Private Plane

Someday my sister and I are going to travel to Ireland. I understand it is as beautiful in real life than in the novels. We are going to fly and we are going to have one amazing time. In the forty or so years we have to wait, we'll just have a good time when I travel by car to see her!

This card was created with the Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge in mind-to create something related to travel. I've never made a card for such occasion but it was rather fun! I used the sketch at 2S4Y (flipped) and lots of layers and stitching. The pink panel and black and white panel or both zig stitched to the card base, the tag is also stitched. All the edges are inked to give it that well-worn, time to go home look. I think I shall give this to my sister who will more than likely fly somewhere exciting soon for her job, I'm sure!



Supplies Used: Kraft Cardstock from Archer's Paper, Making Memories Just Chillin' Girls DSP Collection, Making Memories Passport Embellishments, Fiskars Airplane Stamp, Practicing Creativity Designs Look Up Clear Stamp Set, SU Sincere Salutations Stamp Set, Chestnut Roan and Creamy Brown Chalk Ink, SU Corner Round Punch, Thread, Envelope

***If you've made it this far: This is my second post for tonight and I would be honored if you wanted to meander down and see my first post!***

Conquering Fear

I'll admit, I'm scared of a lot of things. Some of which I share (like clowns), some I keep inside. I can proudly cross off my fear of using a number of bold bright color in one small area.
For this card, I created my own patterned paper using pigment inks and large polka dots on white paper based on the colors from the Curtain Call Color Challenge. I went back and softened the white with a yellow rub. I heed and hawed around with what to do with the paper and decided on a birthday tag based off of the sketch at 2S4Y, bright and cheery! Not too much to share today, I've got to get back to being the nurse-it's a lot easier today.




Supplies Used: Georgia Pacific White Cardstock, SU Pixie Pink Cardstock, For the Love of Dots Clear Acrylic Stamp Set from Practicing Creativity Designs, SU Only Orange, Green Galore, Yoyo Yellow and Pixie Pink Pigment Ink, SU Butterfly Die and Chit Chat Rubons in White, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Fiskars Scallop Border Punch, Making Memories Jumbo Eyelets, Gems from Reminisce, White Satin Ribbon from Offray, Button from Cloud9

Cherish

My boys are so fortunate to be able to know and cherish their two grandpas, two grandmas, two great-grandpas and three great-grandmas! {We should visit the ones that live close by more often} I thought it was a nifty idea to make a card for my boys to give to one of these five very special ladies. Trying for a homespun feel, I grabbed some paper that reminded me of my time with my grandmas, added some old style elements and distressing and hand-wrote and stamped the sentiment, since I don't own any such grandparent stamps. This is my first time featuring my own hand-writing on a card..not sure if I am completely sold on the idea, I'll have to keep trying. The sketch for this card is from 2S4Y-with the panels flush to the edges and the card also fits the latest Poppy Seed Challenge: Use a light moss color, polka dots and buttons.

Supplies Used: SU Very Vanilla Cardstock, Bo Bunny Cherrie Pie DSP Collection, SU Baroque Motifs Stamp Set, Ranger Distress Ink in Walnut Stain, SU Always Artichoke Marker, Fiskars Scallop Border Punch, SU Corner Round Punch, CM Circle Punch, Fiskars Cloud 9 Button, SU Linen Thread, Thread




(Thanks for sticking we me, I know I've been hopping around with different style cards. I am enjoying trying to find out what I like best. Although sometimes I tend to believe its ok to have more than one style, and to just create in a way that strikes me at that moment!)

Happiness...Always

It was a wonderful happy feeling to open up Adobe Illustrator and be able to create again, it seems like its been too long! Before beginning this card, I had a particular bird style silhouette in mind and was happy that I could cater it to my needs. After printing the image in light yellow ink on my laser printer, I stamped it, clear embossed it and distressed the edges. I placed it in front of some wood grain patterned paper, capped with acetate brackets and added the button and twine for a rustic feel. I couldn't resist adding the stitching, probably because I really like my little Janome Mini. I'm enjoying stretching my creativity and taking creative liberties by playing with different products, textures and styles. Today was a long and stressful day at work and I was so happy to come home to my boys, enjoy the nice weather while it lasts, tuck the little ones to bed and make this card. A good way to end the day. Oh, and my husband's sister had her baby boy! I wish you and yours Happiness, wherever you may find it...today and always.

Inspiration for this card came from the following fantastic challenges: Sketch by Kazan at 2S4Y, colors from Wplus9's Color Cue and the CARDS Blog (use a bird image-but not an owl!).



Supplies Used: SU Natural White and Regal Rose Cardstock, SU Happiness Always and Baroque Motifs Stamp Sets, SU Barely Banana and Versamark Ink, Colorbox Chalk Ink in Creamy Brown, SU Clear Embossing Powder, Making Memories Clear Tags and Button from Passport Collection, SU Linen Thread, SU Scallop Trim Border Punch, Thread

Making a Wish...

When you were little (or to this day...) did you ever take one of those dried out dandelions, blow, and watch all those little seeds float in the wind as you made your latest wish?
I love this new set by Courtney from Practicing Creativity Designs for that reason, well...to be honest, a lot more reasons than can be mentioned (like being able to create your own patterns and textures with the graphic images) and wanted my first card to recreate that feeling of being able to wish for anything.
I also wanted it to be really soft and airy as well so I that is why I chose the white on kraft with a touch of sky blue. The layout of the card is from 2S4Y.

Supplies Used: SU Kraft and Sky Blue Cardstock, Practicing Creatity You're Dandy Stamp Set, SU White Craft Ink, Heidi Grace Velvet Stickers, Half Back Pearl Embellishment, Fiskars Corner Rounder Punch.

Hello Chip!

Chip might be my new best friend, chipboard that is! Everything but the Kitchen Sink gals' latest challenge is to use box tops, and in this card I used tops from the generic Cheerios cereal, Captain Crunch with Berries cereal (because the box is yellow and not red!) and lastly, ummm, some case tops from my hubby's beverage of choice. Each box top had its own unique blend of bright colors and patterns and therefore I decided this would be a "modern" card and my VERY first circle card, based on the sketch at 2S4Y! The talented Sarah Martina from the design team inspired me to try my hand at the non-linear world. There is a whole lotta texture in this card and it first started from the indented circle rings caused by thee said beverage of choice on the box. I added some additional circle elements with the black rings and the clear embossed dots. I balanced out the off center butterfly by the three red chipboard dots. Funny thing is that the card really smells of Sharpie Marker, because that is what was used to color the naked chipboard letters and the white floss (I suppose I could have waited until tomorrow to purchase some black floss, but you know how it is when the ball gets a rollin'!)

Supplies Used: White Cardstock, Box Tops, SU Butterfly Die, Fiskars Chipboard Letters, Embroidery Floss, Creative Memories Circle Punches and Circle Cutting System, SU 1/2 in. Circle Punch, 1/8 inch Hole Punch, Foam Adhesive, SU Fun with Shapes Stamp Set, SU Spunky Spots Large Wheel, VersaMark and Black Stazon Ink, Clear Embossing Powder

Anne Taintor Inspired

The fabulous challenge over at Moxie Fab is to get sassy: the Taintor-Tude Challenge (replicate the famous design and style of Anne Taintor). I searched a couple of nights for images, thought a couple more nights for the "sentiments" corresponding to the images, and spent a few nights putting them in a card format (ie. editing in photoshop, printing the panels out and then adhering to a card base and adding embellishments). Finally getting around to posting them. I admit that I'm not a witty person, nor am I really that sassy... But, I AM a graphic designer and love to create, so I based all my sayings around card-making (I have so many more that I came up with, I might share them later in a non-card format.) I realize now that a couple other gals were on the same track as I was, man, great minds sure do think alike! Regardless, I hope you can take a minute to see what I've come up with and perhaps smile once or twice...or even laugh out loud!

She knew she was a genetically blessed crafter.



She was the hostess with the mostest



Yes dear, our outfits would make delightful patterned paper



Why yes dear, I do hoard embellishments



Little did he know that his paycheck went towards the new releases!



So there you have it. Ever experienced any of these? I think I shall give them out to my fellow crafting friends, my mom and my relatives to brighten their day! I used so many different supplies so if you are interested to know what they are, please email me. The bottom two layouts were based on the sketch at 2S4Y.

Paperclip Hearts

Kristina Werner posted on her blog a year or so back on how to create these paperclip hearts...do you agree with me that they are a fun and simple embellishment for a Valentine's card? The quarky sentiment is computer generated, the black cardstock is folded ruffles and I pierced a line of dots on the bottom. The sketch is from 2S4Y and the colors are based off the Embellish Magazine Challenge. I'll be sending this card to the Cards for St. Jude project. It might not be the littlest of kid friendly, but one would think that older kids are cured at the hospital too. You've got to work with what you have on hand, or at least I do because my craft area is a closet!

Here's the Goods: Target Notecard, SU DSP, Black and White Cardstock, Fiskars Scallop Edge Punch, SU Mat Pack, Paperclips