Scallops

It's the little things that really matter in life.

Today I took my youngest (4) to his first day of school. (He was evaluated for Speech Therapy for next year and the teachers offered to start him a bit early to get a grasp on improving his speech during the summer.) He was so excited. So excited! Grinning from ear to ear as he placed that backpack in his very own cubbie, chest out, strutting around his new room, happiness spreading through his body as he noticed the lego table, and... giving me a hug with all his might around my legs and saying "Have a good day Mama" as I left him, and his brain, in the care of someone new.

Are you up for a challenge? Design a card with scallops based off the below sketch at Limelight Papercrafts and link it up to Mandy's blog by Monday for a chance to win a Pink Cat Studio stamp set of your choice. Did you hear? Limelight Papercrafts is also offering an extra discount at their store, enter APRIL at checkout for a 10% savings!

I received some much needed color assistance for this card from the challenge at Off the Wall Craftiness, as well as trying to replicate the femininity and delicacy of the inspiration board. Congratulations Kim and team, on 50 challenges!

He Says it is So Trendy

 

I do believe any sense of normalcy has left my house and taken a vacation... Just a quick post inviting you to play along too with a few of my favorite challenges!

First, this card was inspired by the current sketch and product challenge at Limelight Papercrafts. These sketches are so versatile, as you can see I've taken a bit of liberty with a few placements and scale, but the inspiration is there. Link up your creation, with a birthday theme to the Limelight Blog by Monday for your chance to win a Kaisercraft train album.
 

Additionally, I am playing along with Yvonne's Guest Designer Challenge over on her blog, Do More with Less. Debbie Standard sure does amazing things with sanded cardstock and I wanted to try my hand at it as well. The woodgrain pattern has been sanded down to a lighter shade, and the texture is kind of fuzzy in person. Love it!

I laughed out loud when my boy said I was "so trendy" with this card...perhaps its the colors, textures, patterns and little metal pearls? I like to think so anyway, but I think he was trying to make me feel good.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max, (Teal Black Magic Cardstock) Coordinations

Stamps: (Woodgrain Silhouette Additions, Brothers and Sisters) WPlus9, (Communique Sentiments) PTI

Ink: (Pink) Clear and Simple Stamps, (Onyx Black) Versafine

Embellishments: (Black Corduroy Ribbon) May Arts, (Metal Pearls), (Black Pen) Pilot

Other: (Woodgrain Embossing Folder) Craft Concepts

On St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day = Irish, Irish = Ireland, Ireland = History, History = Vintage Green Blooms. Some day my sisters and I are going to visit Ireland where we will take in all the culture, history and beauty. Some day.

This bit o' green card was inspired by the St. Patrick's Day Waltz for Waltzingmouse Stamps. (I'm not one to give out cards for this holiday, nor to use a ton of green-just not my color, I guess-so I much more inspired by the history of the holiday...) I used a combination of distress inks and shimmer spray to create the vintage, old background. Most of the same techniques were incorporated into the blooms, from Roses in Bloom. I added the delightful pleated ribbon, twine and a sentiment from Teeny Trees. The sketch layout is from Limelight Papercrafts, where Mandy has the challenge to incorporate some green into the layout!

(Remember, you can play along with Limelight too, just use the sketch and a bit o' green in honor of St. Patrick! Upload your creations to Mandy's blog before the weekend is up for your chance to win a Glitz Bubbles Roller Doodle stamp AND a package of Basic Grey Sparkling Rub Ons! Check out the links for the other design team members too!)

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI, (Natural White) SU
Stamps: (Roses from Roses in Bloom, Sentiment and Lines from Teeny Trees) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Ink: (Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Pleated Ribbon, Natural Burlap String) May Arts
Other: (Kermit the Frog Mist) Shimmerz, (Marker) Copic
Tools: (Mini Mister) Ranger

The Recycling Bins Talk.

Seriously. The Recycling Bins talk to me. You see, working in a print shop has benefits. Boundless papercrafting possibilities just lying there in vast, bottomless recycling bins, reaching out and saying "Use me, use me! Rescue me. Oh please!"

Seriously. That is what this large remnant of glossy die cut paper said as I passed by the machine on the way to the envelope press. The large circle was perfect for today's Limelight Sketch Challenge and Product Challenge.

One lucky winner will receive an Odd Bird Planet (justjohanna) stamp of their choice. Card entries must be linked to the Limelight post by next Monday afternoon before a winner is drawn! Stop by for links to the other fabulous cards from the design team, and remember, there are still so many great deals at the store! Stock up for the holidays and for every day!

Red Canvas

This next card features For the Love of Grids as a focal point. I stamped it repeatedly in the same color (red!) to create a great base for my sentiment. The layout is based on Limelight's Sketch Challenge. Come play along with the sketch and be sure to use the color red! Links to the other sketch gal's takes are right on Mandy's blog and then link your entries on Mandy's blog by Monday for a chance to win a White Liquid Applique Pen and an Odd Bird Planet Me & You stamp!

***Remember, there are some great closing deals at the Limelight Papercrafts Store!***

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Kraft (PTI), (White) Georgia Pacific

Stamps: (For the Love of Grids, Another Year) Practicing Creativity Designs

Ink: (Ruby Red Pigment) SU, (Onyx Black) Versafine

Embellishments: (Brad) SU, (Black Ribbon) RibbonX

Tools: (Labels Eight Nestabilties) Spellbinders, (White Gel Pen) Signo, (Corner Chomper) WR Memory Keepers

Hi There

Watching my youngest son (he's four) develop a relationship with our yellow lab (he's nine!) has been amazing. He's taken to calling Tulley "his puppy" and is constantly quite concerned about his whereabouts. Often times I find him sneaking food to the dog, explaining to the dog duties of a being a partner in crime, or resting his head on the dog's belly. It's really sweet and I need to remember to let him savor these moments while I can (even if it means a couple extra pounds of weight for the dog or possibly being hit with a nerf bullet...)

   

Mandy at Limelight Papercrafts has this fabulous sketch challenge and this week you can have a chance to win a prize of Basic Grey Sugar Rush Woolies if you participate and use chipboard! I'd love to see your interpretation of this challenge for sure.

My card started with the negative image of a chipboard flower that I covered in paper. I stamped this cute puppy onto a panel and then glued it behind the chipboard piece. I slightly offset the big circle so I could have room for a sentiment. 

Limelight has some super amazing store closing deals-including sales on a few Lawn Fawn Stamp sets!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI, (Ivory) The Paper Company
Patterned Paper: (The Boyfriend Collection) Cosmo Cricket
Stamps: (Puppy from Critters in the Burbs, Sentiment from Sophie's Sentiments) Lawn Fawn
Ink: (Night of Navy Pigment) SU
Embellishments: (Chipboard Circle) May Arts, (Red Stitch Sitckers) Cosmo Cricket
Tools: (Colored Pencils) Prismacolor

Sixth Grade Sunshine

 Taking on a dare, six or so of us sixth graders grabbed our sleeping bags and planted ourselves on the grass in front of the subdivision sign. They thought that we couldn't, and wouldn't, spend the night on this not-so-safe corner, but we did. And we saw the most beautiful sunrise ever...because we all might have been a little bit afraid to fall asleep...

Come play along with the Limelight Sketch for a chance to win a Nutmeg 6x12 Read-Set-Chip Alpha set! Also, try to incorporate some fabulous ribbon. I created my card by first dying a few lengths of white satin ribbon with pigment ink and water, attaching them to a cardbase and then stamping a silhouette image. Super fun, and the color options are endless!

Upload your cards to Mandy's blog by Sunday, January 9th. Please check out her post too, for links to other uber talented designers! Remember, everything is on sale at Limelight Papercrafts!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Georgia Pacific
Stamps: (Nature's Garden) CTMH, (Fillable Frames #2) PTI
Ink: (Onyx Black) Versamagic, (Earth Elements Pigment) SU
Other: (White Satin Ribbon) Offray, (Thread)

Understated Sparkle

Not that glitzy. Not that glam. Just understated sparkle on a clean and simple card. I tried all sorts of other things, I had all sorts of layers and tricks and gadgets...but it just wasn't my thing. So I started over and went back to clean and simple.

I started with a die cut butterfly and painted on some Distress Antique Linen Stickles. Then I adhered him to a bigger green body with some Ivory Burlap String and attached him to the card that was previously embellished with decorative tape, twine and the sentiment.

Wanna play along with us for this Limelight Papercrafts Challenges? Follow the sketch below and be sure to add some sparkle! I'd love to see your creations! One lucky random winner will receive a Kaisercraft Bauble (Ornament) Album from the store. Please be sure to check the great bargains over at Limelight!

***Today is the last day of the TiffanyDoodles Blog Hop! For a  chance to win a free digi, please stop by this post here!***

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Green) Archer Paper, (Olive) CTMH, (Vellum) SU
Stamps: (Nature's Wonder) Practicing Creativity Designs
Ink: (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Decorative Tape) Pink Paislee, (Ivory String) May Arts, (Antique Linen Distress Stickles) Ranger
Tools: (Butterfly Dies) SU, (Corner Chomper) WR Memory Keepers

Oliver

The story chronicles a boy's life as he finds courage, a family, joy and love. It's a classic and it warms my heart reading this story, about this Oliver Twist.

It's time for another Limelight Papercraft's Sketch Challenge with a twist to focus on your favorite patterned paper! I recently discovered this adorable boy pack available at Limelight, Oliver by Basic Grey (which happens to be on sale at the store!). Yes, a-dorable! I made a few clean and simple, easy to mail thank you cards for a mama-of a baby boy-to be to send out after he's born. (Thanks to the very talented Valerie for reminding me about the cute little safety pins, perfect for baby cards!)

Check out what the other Limelight gals have in store for you-Mandy, Lisa, JenMarie,  and Lynn. Post YOUR creation on Mandy's blog- I'd love to check out what papers strike your fancy right now! Oh, and did I mention that a random winner will receive a sticker prize package from Limelight?!!!

A quick thanks on my part to all those veterans that have served for our country and to make life free for my boys. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Supplies Used:
Patterned Paper: (Monkey and Train Paper from Oliver Collection, Green Paper from Green at Heart, Blue Paper from Kioshi Collection) Basic Grey
Stamps: (Thank You) Heidi Grace, (Fillable Frames #2) PTI
Ink: (Basic Grey Pigment) Stampin' Up!
Embellishments: (Bakers Twine), (Green Rhinestones) Mark Richards, (Gold Safety Pin)
Tools: (Labels 4 Nestabilities) Spellbinders

How Many Cards?

How many cards can a cardmaker make...out of one 12x12 sheet of patterned paper?

I'm tickled to stay on another month as a Guest Designer for Limelight Papercrafts! Mandy has issued one doozy of a challenge: Use one piece of 12x12 paper and create a card set with different designs. Oh, yeah, I think that Mandy might not have known my fear of patterned paper. But low and behold, I made six cards using one sheet of patterned paper, Crate Papers Sweet Branch Rubons, six cardstock bases, a scrap of neutral paper, some Kaiser Rhinestones and distress ink!

Here's my recipe, including some leftovers (I was getting tuckered out, but I could have made many more cards...)! I think these would look splendid wrapped together utilizing some of the leftover paper and given as a gift.

Hop on over to the blogs of Mandy, Lisa, JenMarie,  and Lynn -they have fantastic interpretations to share as well!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft, Vintage Cream) PTI, (Cream) The Paper Company
Patterned Paper: (Stripes from Earth Love Collection) Cosmo Cricket
Ink: (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Sweet Branch Rubons) Crate Paper, (Champagne Rhinestones) Kaiser
Tools: (Scalloped Border Punch) Fiskars, (Circle Punch) Creative Memories
Other: Thread

On How to Name a Baby

This is how the conversation all went down:
Grandma: What should Auntie name her new baby?
Cole: Dot.
Grandma: (with an awkward pause...) Dot?
Cole: Yes, Dot.
Grandma: Why Dot?
Cole: Uh, I don't know.
Grandma: Can you think of another name for the baby?
Cole: How about Cole?

I used Limelight's Sketch Challenge with Halloween Colors for this Thank You card for after Baby Dot arrives. The mama wanted bright, bold boy colors for the layette and nursery, so I thought to continue that with the thank you's. I've decided that Halloween colors can be fun outside of Halloween too! I pulled out Lawn Fawn's Bannerific and Sophie's Sentiments and used Schlosser Designs Hexagon-A-Thon to fill in the banners with a solid and contrasting woodgrain pattern. I slightly inked the edges of the banners for a bit of dimension and then sewed them onto the card. Oh, and a drew some hair on the little smiley face to transform it into a baby! A flat card for a quick and easy mailing!

The other Limelight Gals also have a fantastic take on this sketch, so please check out the blogs of  Mandy Lisa, Lynn and JenMarie! You don't want to miss out on playing along with this versatile sketch and color challenge, as one lucky winner will receive a Pink Paislee Father Christmas 6x6 Paper Pad and Artisan Tape Roll!
(I just ordered mine today!)

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Georgia Pacific
Stamps: (Bannerific, Sophie's Sentiments) Lawn Fawn, (Hexagon-A-Thon) Schlosser Designs
Ink: (Purple, Green, Yellow Chalk) Colorbox (Onyx Black) Versafine, (Basic Gray Pigment) SU
Other: (Thread), (Corner Chomper) WR Memory Keepers

A Prima Congrats

It was their special day. Guest after guest lined up to hug them and say congratulations and best wishes. They offered that this was just the beginning of the bright path that's filled with their hopes and dreams. Nobody quite mentioned that it would be a long, winding road or there would be bumps along the way, but they knew. They knew what they wanted and they were determined to get there...together.

Limelight Papercrafts has a new sketch challenge with a focus on flowers (primas or handmade!). One lucky winner will receive a package of Webster's Pages Bloomers! I don't often make cards with big ol' flowers on them so I really appreciated the challenge presented-I made a card that was different than my normal style yet a card that I still really like.

Hop on over to the blogs of Mandy, Lisa, JenMarie,  and Lynn -they have fantastic interpretations to share as well! Post YOUR creation on Mandy's blog before Monday, October 17th.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Blue) Archer's Paper, (Cream) Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper: (Olivia Collection) Basic Grey
Stamps: (Sophie's Sentiments) Lawn Fawn
Ink: (Chestnut Roan Chalk) Colorbox, (Walnut and Antique Linen Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Urban Cosmos Paper Flower) Prima, (Burlap String) May Arts, (Rhinestones) Michaels, (Altered Vintage Button)
Tools: (Labels 4 Nesties) Spellbinders

A Penny Pinched Pumpkin

He searched up and down the brown muddy aisles. He would pick one up and then not so gently set them down. One was too crooked. The other was too big for his arms to reach around. One was too pale, the other too green. Then, a big Oh escaped his little mouth and he bent down as only the little ones can and examined it, forever. Yes, he shook his head, yes, this was the one.

A tiny, slightly imperfect pumpkin was the one to be decorated with paper crafting supplies.

Mandy and the rest of the Limelight Papercrafts gals (Lisa, Lynn and JenMarie) were challenged to use paper crafting supplies to spruce up a pumpkin! I started my decorating by spraying heavily the top of the pumpkin with Penny Pincher Shimmerz Vibes, continued by adding a few Crate Paper Sweet Branch Rub-ons and then finished with twine and styrofoam balls stuck with gold pins. And to not make the little pumpkin lonely, I created a little card using many of the same supplies found at Limelight.

And just a quick remember that there is a super fun challenge over at Practicing Creativity Designs! Make any card using a Practicing Creativity stamp, and link it up to this post by October 8th! There are two prizes! One winner gets to be the guest designer next month and there is also an awesome Tattered Angels prize pack!

And check this out! Be(e) Stamped has one inspirational blog and she is offering up some wonderful candy!

Supplies Used: 
Pumpkin: Shimmerz Vibez in Penny Pincher, Crate Paper Sweet Branch Rub-ons. Gold Stick Pins, Twine, Styrofoam Balls, Metallic Spray Paint
Card: Cardstock, Crate Paper Sweet Branch Rub-ons, Shimmerz Vibez in Penny Pincher, WR Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, SU So Saffron and Pumpkin Pie Markers

In the Limelight at 30

I think I've figured it out. Being in your thirties is all about meeting and exceeding your dreams that most of us had when we were five. My dreams were all about being married to the most handsome man, have a little one running at my feet while pushing another in a stroller, all the while eating bon bons in my two story house with a huge smile on my face. (Well, three out of the five isn't bad for me!)

I'm not quite sure of the fairytale dreams you had when you were little, Mandy, but here's to hoping that you've met and exceeded them! Happy Birthday! I hope that your day is full of relaxation and fun!

Hop on over to Lisa's blog next and JenMarie and Lynn have some to share as well!

A little bit about the card: I love (and love and love some more) the colors over at Off the Wall Craftiness and wanted to also incorporate offset scallops for Moxie Fab World's Offset Scallop Gallop Contest. I got a little help from the Mojo Monday Sketch (rotated 180 degrees) and the idea to use alternative shapes for the scallops from Courtney's card in Paper Craft's Holiday Cards and More, available from Paper Crafts Magazine.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Vanilla Creme) PTI
Patterned Paper: (Pyrus) Basic Grey
Stamps: (Look Up!) Practicing Creativity Designs, (Communique Curves) PTI
Ink: (Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress) Ranger, (Buckaroo Blue Pigment) SU
Embellishments: (Jute)
Tools: (Labels 4 Nestabilities) Spellbiners, (Corner Chomper) WR Memory Keepers

Just a Quick Note

So very excited and so very thankful for Mandy at Limelight Papercrafts for giving me the opportunity to guest design for the month of October! And wowza, what a way to start off with a bang! I'm off to place my first order tonight, and it even includes some fabulous patterned paper. (A promise to myself to conquer using it on cards soon.)

In celebration of World Card Making Day, Limelight has some great deals!
* Jillibean Soup Monster Stew 50% off
* All Prima Embellishments 50% off
* New Cosmo Cricket Matilda (& Coordinates) 30% off
* All Lawn Fawn Stamps 25% off
* Stampendous Ice Cream Float Stamp ONLY $1

GOODY BAGS:
Tonight through Monday ONLY, Limelight Papercrafts is including a free goody bag in each order! Each bag is different, but they all contain some fabulous crafting goodies!! You can expect to find some 6x6 patterned paper, ribbon, and a treat for sure. You may receive stickers, Prima flowers, buttons, or even stamps in your goody bag!


***Please check out my previous post today, there is a chance to win the newest releases from Practicing Creativity Designs- one is a set I designed!***

Blessed

This card took a life of its own. I do rather like it because it is like no other card I've ever made. It slowly morphed into reminding me of the days of Sacajawea-so I turned it into a Thanksgiving Thank You card. I also liked the fact that I tried out feathers, I've been wanting to for a while. Have you seen Windy Robinson's card here or many of Savannah's cards? No birds were harmed with the making of this card as I raided my husband's bait making/fly fishing corner of the garage. I invite you to please click on the picture for a larger view, the feathers and textures are absolutely beautiful, if I can say that.

To help me get to the final product, I used the lovely colors from the Play Date Cafe and the sketch (with rhinestones!) from Limelight Papercrafts. I'm also throwing my hat into the Moxie Fab World's Classy & Elegant Challenge with this card. The background was first embossed and then sanded for a nice soft feel, then cut apart, distressed and sewn back together. The edges were inked lightly to bring out the dots again.

Supplies Used: Cardstock: (Tan/Black from Black Magic Collections) Coordinations (White) Georgia Pacific Ink: (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger Sticker Sentiment: (Blessed) SRM Stickers Other: (Metal Dots, Rhinestones) Prima, Feathers, Thread Tools: (Swiss Dots Embossing Folder) ProvoCraft, (Oval Cutting System) Creative Memories

Bird Watching & Coffee

She's a wonderful woman, always seeing the good in people and taking time to notice the little things in life. She's conquered most obstacles that presented along the way, making her wise and beautiful. She drinks her coffee and watches the birds from her patio every morning. Perhaps I should do this as well, it seems to be the trigger to living each day in the moment and having a happy life like hers.

I'm on a quest to make some flat and easily mailed cards to give to my grandma for her 82nd birthday, the woman referenced above, who still believes in the power of a handwritten note. My card draws inspiration from the line of yellow coffee mugs at Octavia & Brown's shop for the Etsy Inspired Challenge and uses the layout from the sketch at Limelight Papercrafts (plus background stamping). The birds were stamped in chalk ink and given a bit of dimension with colored pencils. Love them, aren't they cute?

Supplies Used: Cardstock: (White) Georgia Pacific (Yellow Gold) Recollections Stamps: (Bird and Leaves from Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions) Wplus9 Ink: (Yellow Citrus Chalk) Colorbox Other: (Colored Pencils) Prisma, (Black Marker) Pilot, (Black Floss) DMC, Staples

Super!

I've been told she doesn't care for glitter, she doesn't care for the color pink. She likes baby animals, the color orange, and everything earthy and bright. This teenager has a heart of gold. I've never met her, but hopes she likes her birthday card just the same.

The delicious Color Cue Challenge combination and Limelight Papercraft's sketch challenge from last week were a perfect match for this card. I first stamped a background pattern of the outlined fern and butterflies on blue, then ink distressed the edges and sponged a bit of color inside each element. I then stamped a woodgrain pattern on the orange pattern and gave it the same treatment as the blue. I took the digital file found here, created colored silhouettes in my photo editing program and printed on white paper. I went back to add the spots with a brown maker. I like the contrast of the distressed treatment on the colored paper against the stark white and clean design of the printed fawn patterned paper.

Supplies Used: Cardstock: White (Georgia Pacific) Blue, Orange (Recollections) Stamps: Woodgrain Silhouttes (Wplus9) Digital Image: Skinny Fawn (TiffanyDoodles) Pigment Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise (Stampin Up) Other: Rustic Twine (PTI) Button (Fiskars) RubOn: ChitChat (Stampin Up) Tools: Corner Round Punch (Stampin Up)