December Birthdays

It's my opinion that persons born in the last month of the year have it rough. (My little boy was welcomed into this world one day before Christmas). Here are a few things I've learned:  Wrap birthday presents in birthday wrapping paper and Christmas presents in holiday paper. It's important to have a birthday cake on the 24th and sing happy birthday, no matter how busy you are this day. My most favorite holiday song will forever be Happy Birthday.

 

When I saw this gorgeous pointsettia image from Jane's Doodles, our awesome sponser this week for the CAS-Tastic Wednesday Challenge, I knew I was going to create a birthday card. Something special for those December birthday people. Super simple to create-I just printed it twice in colored ink, added filler color lightly with blender pens, cut and layered and added some gems in the center.

This weeks challenge is to be inspired by a card from one of the design team members:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
You won't want to miss this challenge, as Jane has offered up some of her digital images and a set of her handmade buttons to one random participant!

***Please check my other post today featuring an altered item using the newest sets from Practicing Creativity Designs! They are being released tomorrow, August 5th!***

Supplies Used: Cardstock: (Very Vanilla) SU Stamps: (Mega Mixed Messages) PTI Digital Image: Pointsettia (Jane's Doodles) Ink: (Cranberry Crisp Pigment) SU Other: (Rhinestones) Tools: (Blender Pens) SU, (Corner Round Punch) Fiskars

Rhinestone Wishes

The tune of Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell rang in my head during the entire time in the making of this card. Not familiar with the lyrics?-here's a portion (you may or may not thank me later as you hum this throughout the day): Like a rhinestone cowboy / Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo / Like a rhinestone cowboy / Getting cards and letters from people I don't even know...

Super simple creation, another card that can be sent through the good ol' postal service without much fuss.

This week's CAS-Tastic Challenge is to "Bling it Up"- use rhinestones, stickles, etc in your creation! There is a random prize of a $15 gift certificate offered up by Whimsy Stamps!

Please check out the other sparkly designs from the CAS-Tastic Design Team:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI (White) Georgia Pacific Stamps: (For the Love of Dots) Practicing Creativity Designs Ink: (Lavendar, Blue Lagoon, Pink, Citrus Chalk) Colorbox Other: (Pink, Purple, Blue and Yellow Rhinestones) Michaels (Clear Rhinestone) Prima (Sticker Sentiment) SRM Stickers (Silver Cord) Stampin Up Tools: (Square Punch) Creative Memories

Celebrate...Summer!

She'll do anything for anyone without batting an eye. She's fresh, funky and oh so fun! We are related so we can be honest and open with each other without the fear of hurt feelings. We share our stories of child rearing and offer support. In my boys eyes she is the best doctor around, even though there is no MD title attached. The best part of it all (other than the above, of course) is that she likes to stamp too! Her birthday's coming up soon and this card is the perfect fit.

This week's CAS-Tastic Challenge  is to create clean and simple summer inspired design! There also is a random prize of a $10 voucher offered up by Tiddly Inks!

Please check out the other fresh and clean summer inspired designs from the CAS-Tastic Design Team:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: (White) Georgia Pacific (Pink) The Paper Company (Flower Rubon) (Aqua Ribbon) Offray (Black Pearls) Queen & Co.

Cattails

I live in a town and work in a city that were both "built" on a marshes. You can go for a walk in any remotely, half country-esque area and you will find marshy things like cattails. You can walk in my balk yard and find cattails, if you don't want to travel that far. They are ever so pretty in real life...these tall simple plants waving in the wind or standing sturdy and proud.

S.I.M.P.L.E.
Stamped or Inked Image, Inked Edges, Masking, Paper Piercing, Lace, Embossing

Please join us at CAS-Tastic Wednesday Challenge by creating a S.I.M.P.L.E. card, using three of the elements listed above!  There also is a random prize of One Stop Card Crafts £10.00 Voucher to one lucky participant.

Please check out the other S.I.M.P.L.E interpretations from the CAS-Tastic Design Team:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: (Naturals White) Stampin' Up! Stamps: (Cattails from Leap for Life) Unity, (Sentiment from Fillable Frames #2) PTI Ink: (Antique Linen, Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger (Mellow Moss, Bashful Blue, Really Rust Pigment) Stampin' Up! Tools: (Paper Piercing Kit) Stampin' Up!

The Loveliest of Sounds

It was amazing...the little guy's mouth opened every time in surprise. It only took the mama hiding behind her hands then revealing her face and saying "Here I Am" to make the most loveliest of sounds fill the room. Giggles, chuckles, laughs...they kept coming over and over.

Here I am!... Whew, it feels as though it has been ages since my last post. I stole some time away from here to spend with my parents while they were visiting from out of state. Thanks for your patience.

Today's card features Kraft-for this week's CAS-Tastic Challenge! I wanted to showcase the versatility of kraft paper-it can be so classy and sophisticated, manly, yet feminine, too. I combined all of these to create an Anniversary card (or it could be a birthday card for a man or woman as well!). Softpencil is offering up a generous $10 gift certificate to one random participant.

Please check out the other krafty creations from the CAS-Tastic Design Team:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: (Kraft) Papertrey Ink (White) Georgia Pacific Clear Acrylic Stamps: (Medallions and Sentiments from Mehndi Medallions) Wplus9 Ink: (Onyx Black) Versafine (Antique Linen Distress) Ranger Other: Thread

My Dear, Kind Friend

I have the great honor of knowing more blogging friends than I have fingers and toes, as my husband likes to say, and I am ever so grateful for you.

This week's CAS-Tastic Challenge is a sketch challenge! I'd love to see what you've created using the sketch that I designed for this week! There also is a random prize of four images by Sassy Studio Designs.

Please check out the other sketch interpretations from the CAS-Tastic Design Team:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: White (Georgia Pacific) Lime Green (Archers Paper) Green (Close to my Heart), Rubons: All Family (Heidi Grace) Other: Button (PTI), Twine (PTI) Tools: Scallop Border Punch (Fiskars)

Hybrid?

I like to blog hop like the rest of them and time after time I am so inspired. Do you ever get the itch to try something new?

I guess I could say that this is my first try at a purely hybrid card. I downloaded a scrapbook page, altered it a bit in my photo editing program, printed and sanded the edges before adhering. After adding a few embellishments, (rub-on sentiment, rhinestones, gel pen and glossy accents on white leaf...) I was done! Thanks to Alice and Natalie for their inspiration in creating hybrid cards and layouts that inspired me to take a leap of faith for this card.

This week's CAS-Tastic Challenge is a Color Challenge: to create a clean and simple design using Yellow, Blue and a Neutral. I would be tickled pink (er, yellow, blue and a neutral?) if you would join along. Plus, there is a fabulous random prize up for grabs, offered up by Michelle's Scrapbooking & More!

Please do check out the other yellow, blue and neutral combinations from the CAS-Tastic Design Team:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: White (Georgia Pacific), Gold (Recollections) Free Limited Time Digital Image: Blue Leaf  from You Are Awesome (Jessica Sprague), Rub On (Stampin Up) Other: White Gel Pen (Signo), Glossy Accents (Ranger), Rhinestones


***Voting is still open for Round 3 of the 2010 PaperCraft's Gallery Idol Competition! Have you checked out the fantastic ribbon cards yet and voted for your favorite?***

Bolts for Dad

Hmm, funny. No story for this card, no memories recalled during the creation process. Gasp! I imagine it was because I'm fresh out of masculine card ideas.

I stamped the bolts in black, colored and shaded them with colored pencils and went back to highlight with a white gel pen. There is also additional shading along the bolts for dimension. I suppose a normal stamper probably would have used Copics but my budget doesn't like them so I don't have any. For added interest, the white sentiment panel extends beyond the card itself and is cut at an angle. The weather has been awful-terrible, raining...which makes photographing cards a bit difficult. I also can't see my table top to use the photo bulb-suppose it is time to clean it up.


I'd love to see your Father's Day Cards for the CAS-Tastic Wednesday Challenge! Do you have a great story for me since I've been missing one? The sponsor this week is Di's Digi Downloads, Diane is one talented lady! Check out the fantastic masculine creations of the other CAS-Tastic Design Team Members:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: Riding Hood Red (Stampin Up) White (Georgia Pacific) Stamps: You're the Man (Practicing Creativity Designs) Ink: Onyx Black (VersaMagic), Citrus Chalk (Colorbox), Embellishments: Brad (Stampin Up) Other: Prisma Colored Pencils, Pilot Marker, White Gel Pen (Signo)

***Voting is still open for Round 2 of the 2010 PaperCraft's Gallery Idol Competition! Have you checked out the fantastic masculine garage themed cards yet and voted for your favorite?***

The Sewing Machine

We were safe from the ceramic figurines that lined the shelves as we played under Grandma's dining room table and the surrounding spaces. It was a new world under there and one of our favorite discoveries was the antique sewing machine table with the large foot pedal. Always cold to the touch, heavy and black, but even then it was oh so beautiful with the wrought iron carvings and steel mechanisms.

I thought of that old machine and how it intrigued me even back then while making this card. The background panel is from the digital download of a the sewing pattern instructions found here. I tried to reinforce the sewing theme through the sentiment and the big ol' button.

Speaking of buttons...please join me for this week's CAS-Tastic Wednesday Challenge by making a clean and simple card that showcases Buttons! The week's featured sponsor is Inktegrity Designs.
For more CAS cards featuring buttons, please hop on over to the blogs of the CAS-Tastic Design Team:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: Ivory (Wausau Paper)  Chocolate Chip (Stampin Up) Other: Comptuter Generated Sentiments and Background Pattern, Button, Thread

***You still have time to vote for the 2010 PaperCraft's Gallery Idol Competition!***

Beautiful You...

They are so very brave, they are so very beautiful, all the women that come to the hospital for their treatments, hoping to get rid of the poison that is trying to eat away their body, and their souls. I can tell at first glance that they are fighters, they are striving to conquer the beast. They come in with a smile and they leave with hope. I admire the ladies for their strength, their beauty.

Please join me at CAS-tastic Wednesday Challenge - Focus On Sentiments! I'd love to check out your clean and simple creation that packs a punch with just a few words. This week's sponsor is Your Next Stamp. Check out the below design team links for some out of this world creations:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Thank you all so very much for your kind words and encouragement in my previous post! I'm trying to play catch-up from a nice relaxing holiday weekend and hope to have many cards to share in the near future! Please check back in later...

Supplies Used: Cardstock: Cream (Archers' Paper Co.) Stamps: You're the Man (Practicing Creativity Designs) Ink: Creamy Brown Chalk (Colorbox) Close to Cocoa Pigment (Stampin Up), Transfer Title Rubon: Girl (My Mind's Eye) (thanks Jessica!) Other: Gems (Prima), Thread Tools: Corner Round Punch (Fiskars)

Jelly Bracelets

The search for the birthday gift did not start off well. I have two little boys and am too old to remember what it was like to be turning 10 myself. I searched the store and finally found a fun beach towel-blue with green and white polka dots. I then noticed a girl about her age looking at some jelly bracelets...so I quickly grabbed some of those in green and blue (sheesh, I had those when I was little!). After thinking some more, I found some coordinating nail polish in green and blue too and then some headbands. Whoosh, I think I did ok--she seem pleased with the results!

After seeing Winter's post regarding a coordinating baby gift set, I was inspired to create a matching card for my gift too. I started with the blue card base cut a tad smaller than an A2 size, added the hand drawn circle element and strip of patterned paper. The sentiment is a sticker backed on white cardstock with a piece of black twill attached underneath. Easy!

Please come and join me at CAS-tastic Wednesday Challenge - Touch of Green! I'd love to see your creations with just the pop of green-make me envy you! This week's sponsor is Squigglefly! Check out the below links for some more fantastic creations:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

The Telephone

My twin sister lives 1700 miles away. We hardly communicate via the "new" age of technology--i.e. email or text messaging or the like. We pick up the good ol' telephone and talk. I should clarify: most times I talk and she listens. It is wonderful to hear her laugh about stories of my boys and it warms my heart when she says that I've made her day better. I love how the telephone keeps us close.

The challenge this week at CAS-tastic Wednesday Challenges is the famous One Layer Card. Our sponsor is a fabulous digi shop Busy Beauties Boutique.

Creating a one layer card is a lot of fun, but I'd be fibbing if I said it was easy. It does take some planning. Here's what I did: I opened up the telephone image in Photoshop, sized it, erased the telephone cord, added the text and printed it out on cardstock. I finished the design by adding a loop of floss to resemble the telephone cord that I eliminated, colored it lightly, ink distressed the edges and added some glossy touches to the telephone itself.

Please come and join us at CAS-tastic Wednesday Challenges as I know that you will end up with a brand spankin' new creation that you will truly admire for yourself. And, it's easy on the pocketbooks when mailing too! Check out the below links for some more OLC fantastic creations:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: Very Vanilla (SU), Digital Image: **CallMe** (Busy Beauties Boutique), Font: American Typewriter Ink: Close to Cocoa (SU) Accents: Glossy Accents (Ranger), Floss (DMC) Tools: Corner Round Punch (Fiskars), Awl

Round and Round

Round and round and round we go, where we stop nobody knows! Do you remember saying that when you were little? I do...as I spread out my arms and circled and circled until I fell down...

This week's CAS-Tastic Wednesday Challenge is to use circles! Any kind of circles! The featured sponsor is The Cutting Cafe, where you could win your choice of any three sets!

Why not do something different? I decided to pull out the acetate to make a fresh and funky Good Luck card. When someone graduates or starts a new job, there is no telling where you will stop or how far they will go! It was quite fun deciding the mechanics of the card-leaving a enough space for a handwritten note, covering your adhesive, etc.

So I invite you to stop on over to the CAS-Tastic Wednesday Challenge site, check out the other wonderful design samples from the design team and create a *new* CAS design of your own! We'd love to see it, and you could win one fantastic prize!
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: Basic Black, Taken with Teal (SU) White (Georgia Pacific) Acetate, Digital Images: (The Cutting Cafe) Other: Scallop Border Punch (Fiskars), White Gel Pen (Signo) Alphabet Rub-ons Beach Collection (Making Memories)

Cupcake Liners

To my soon to be three year old son and me some months ago...
Me: Chase, what do you want on your birthday cake? Chase: Cupcakes. Me: Oh, you want cupcakes instead of a Spider-Man cake? (Spiderman being his most favorite superhero at the time-everything was Spiderman related..Oh, how to make a hand-made Spiderman Cake?) Chase: Yep, Blue Cupcakes. Me: Ok, good. Blue cupcakes it is then! (With a secret exhale from me.)

It's birthday time over at CAS-Tastic Wednesday Challenges! Our first sponsor is the digital shop The Wildflower Patch, home of this cute cupcake image. The blue cupcakes did turn out, but I wouldn't care to repeat the process again, let's just say we were all looking a bit blue. Today's card features some yummy rainbow speckled frosting instead. The cupcake is paper pieced with patterned paper for the frosting and vellum for the lining. I topped it with a covered red cherry button and some green colored floss for the cherry stem. To bring interest down to the bottom of the card, I added a scalloped border with faux stitching.

I invite you to celebrate with CAS-Tastic by creating your own birthday themed CAS card and upload to the gallery for a chance to win 5 free digi images at The Wildflower Patch! The following ladies created some great CAS birthday eye candy for you as well:
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina

Supplies Used: Cardstock: Kraft, Vellum, Real Red (SU) Patterned Paper: Polka Dot (CM) Clear Acrylic Stamps: You're Dandy (Practicing Creativity Designs) Ink: Jet Black (Stazon) Embellishments: Button (Cloud 9 by Fiskars), Floss (DMC) Tools: Handsome Hunter Marker (SU) Black Journaling Pen (CM), Mat Pack (SU) Scalloped Border Punch (Fiskars)

I Am Honored

Kind of late to the game here with my announcement because of the long day at work, but I am so excited I still had to share!
I made it onto the inaugural design team at CAS-Tastic Wednesday Challenges! There is a great group of ladies that I get to share this honor with and we look forward to you joining us as we debut another challenge on May 5th! Please take a minute to congratulate and check out the work of these wonderful Clean. And. Simple. designers.
Angie
Deb
Maylee
Agata
Barbara
Bonnie Rose
Regina