I'm Tired of Texting

Hah! "I'm tired of texting."
What a perfect sentiment for those in my family who know the changes I've been going through...
A fun sentiment none-the-less, it really brings you back to the
joy and importance of card making and card giving.

There is a ton of bright, fun products included in the June Artful Delight Card Kit. Bright reds, yellows, subtle blues...Lots of embellishments too to go along with the paper, my favorite is the Hero Arts Stamp Set that I've used on my card today (along with the patterned paper and card base). {Always love the Artful Delight Kits...}

See, packed full of goodies!
There is a new sketch challenge up too, for both cards and scrapbooks.
If you play, you have a chance to win a free kit! Please check out the details here!
My card follows the card sketch.

A Child of Air

 

As from the house your mother sees

You playing round the garden trees,

So you may see, if you will look

Through the windows of this book,

Another child, far, far away,

And in another garden, play.

But do not think you can at all,

By knocking on the window, call

That child to hear you. He intent

Is all on his play-business bent.

He does not hear; he will not look,

Nor yet be lured out of this book.

For, long ago, the truth to say,

He has grown up and gone away,

And it is but a child of air

That lingers in the garden there.

 ~By Robert Louis Stevenson

 

Sometimes my weekends are quiet and I long for the noise and bustle of two little boys.
Being a mother is amazing, and when you have no kids to physically "mother"
it makes for some long days.

Mother's Day has come and gone for this year, however,
The Craft's Meow Stamps are so versatile that they can be used year round,
such as Mother and Father, by Nina B. Designs.

For this birthday card (or Mother's Day, if you so wish!)
I started by creating an intricate pattern with one of the small stamps
included in Inspired by Audrey.
The pattern itself looks intricate, but it was super easy to line up and stamp!
I ink distressed the edges, stamped the sentiment from
Mother and Father and finished with a silk bow.  

Such a super easy card to create with a vintage

vibe and just enough softness for a mother.

A Dollar Short

A Day Late and A Dollar Short...

My regular posting day for Artful Delight is Wednesday, therefore, I'm a day late and as the saying goes, a dollar short.

I made this at lunch break last week in the break room at work. I simply brought the contents of the May Artful Delight Card Kit, along with a paper trimmer and adhesive and a really old sentiment rub-on. What a fun and relaxing way to spend thirty minutes!

The June Kit will be revealed shortly!

Look Closer

What do you see, people, what do you see?

What are you thinking, when you look at me...

I remember the joy, I remember the pain,

And I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years all too few – gone too fast,

And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
~From a poem called Look Closer, See Me by Anonymous

I have one more card to show you as a guest designer over at Market Street Stamps from May using the Candy Stripe Background and Great Big Greetings. It went live this past Monday and I finally have time to show it here! This time it is a one layer, I love teasing the mind with one layer cards. I masked a large center panel and stamped the background in pink, then came back to add the two rows of smaller stripes in aqua from one of the fun bases included in the Great Big Greetings set. I finished with the large sentiment and tied it off with a bow made of Burlap String from May Arts.

I've really enjoyed guest designing for Market Street Stamp, there stamps are so much fun and the owners are amazing. Great customer service, great quality...which says it all in an online world.

A Leafy Clip

 

Scor-pal has some fabulous products that work amazing with any kind of May Arts Ribbon. Today I've teamed them up to create a cute little decorative clothespin clip that secures a sweet treat in a handmade, customized brown paper bag.

If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from Diane's blog!

(1) So, first I jazzed up a plain clothespin with some stain, and after drying, (2) attached a length of Scor-tape and (3) ran some May Arts' Faux Suede Ruffle Edge Ribbon in cream (NV09) on top. To keep the edges from fraying, I carefully melted the edges with a lighter.

(4) To make the leaf topper, I secured together three clipped May Art's green faux suede leaves (XL16) with Natural Burlap String (SM10), (5) attached a button and tied a bow. (6) The leaf topper was secured to the clothespin by wrapping a piece of burlap string tucked behind the button and around the clothespin front.

The treat bag was super easy to make as well. (7) I trimmed a piece of lightweight kraft paper down, used my Scor-Buddy to crease corners and (8) Scor-tape to secure the bag together. (9) I hand wrote the recipient's name with marker (not pictured) and filled the bag with a treat.

I am pleased with the final result. I think it is a classy presentation for a treat at a party, easy to put together, and the recipiant has a memento that they can keep for many applications!

Your next stop is Jennie!

I Thought I Was Smart

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps are some of the best for clean and simple cards that pack a punch with bold images. So here's what I did that led me to thinking I was the smartest, most innovative stamper in the world: I stamped the large image from Mums the Word in Versamark Ink and then began the process of heat embossing with clear powder. While it was heating and starting to emboss, I sprinkled Martha Stewart Fine Glitter in tanzonite on the wet embossing powder. It worked! The glitter mixed with the wet, hot embossing powder to form a stay-tight seal. I was so ecstatic!

That is, until I realized that not all the glitter stuck to the embossing and a lot got in my work area after being blown away with the heat gun. It was messy, because glitter got everywhere. Next time I will have a "catch bin" but I think the effect is really cool.

I finished the card with a sentiment from the same set. Wish I had more time to make some more, because a lot of the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps images are big and bold-which would be perfect for this technique, but alas, this being a more active mother kind of eats at one's time!

Bunches of Thanks

I really appreciate you,
Your helpful, giving ways,
And how your generous heart
Your unselfishness displays. I thank you for your kindness,
I will not soon forget;
You’re one of the nicest people
I have ever met. By Joanna Fuchs  

  Big, lovely pastel stickers are just one part of the Artful Delight May Card Kit so I took the opportunity to create a much needed note of thanks. I transferred a sticker onto a piece of cut white card stock from this month's kit, adhered a portion of the sticker, drew a stem and stamped the sentiment from the stamp set in the kit.

I also had the opportunity to create a custom, matching envelope for the card as well, because the kit contains various sizes of these fun envelopes. I used the remainder of the sticker from the card, affixed a button and replaced the generic twine on the back with some included in the kit.

Did you know Artful Delight offers a monthly card sketch and a scrapbook sketch challenge?  Details are here...try your hand for a chance to win a kit!

 

For A Kid or...

For a kid or an adult that pretends he's a kid...!



Welcome to The Craft's Meow May Release Blog Hop! If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from Julie Ranae's Blog. (There's a complete listing of participating blogs, plus additional details, on The Craft's Meow Blog.)

Nina once again designed the set debuting today called Chalkboard Birthday (this set is a FREE GIFT w/$50 purchase!) I stamped one of the sentiments in black ink and highlighted the word "party" with a marker. This notebook sentiment panel was adhered to the card base with a ribbon tab and staple. The base has been embellished with some shiny chevron like paper and a star banner. So simple, quick and fun, just like the stamp set.

Would you like to win all the five new sets from The Craft's Meow?!! Simply leave a unique comment on each of the design team member's blogs and a name will randomly be chosen from one of them. The deadline to comment is 9:00pm PDT, Thursday May 23rd.

I'll send you to the next stop, which is Lin!

Sunny Days

Please scroll down for my The Craft's Meow Release post!

So long sad times / Go along bad times / We are rid of you at last
Howdy gay times / Cloudy gray times
You are now a thing of the past
Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again / So let's sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again

{and this one}

The sun is shinin', come on get happy
The Lord is waitin' to take your hand
Shout Hallelujah, come on get happy
We're gonna be goin' to the promise land

{and you can find the really, seriously awesome combination of

these two amazing songs and ladies here.} 

What an exciting day because it is time for a Lil' Inker Designs Challenge!
The design team (along with the newest member, Taheerah and permanent core members
Alyssa and Isha!) has gotten together for an inspiration hop of our theme,
Sunny Days. 

You should have arrived from Jen Carter's Blog, but in case you missed the beginning,
it is all happening at the Lil' Inker Designs Blog. (Your next stop is Sarah.)

My Sunny Days card features a ton of Lil' Inker Designs goodness, including the
sun, cloud, banner, instant camera frame dies
(all featuring the signature Lil' Inker Designs stitching!)
and the Sun Sentiments stamp set! 

I affixed everything at various levels with dimensional adhesive for added dimension.

So you have the chance to play along too! Make a project inspired by the Sunny Days Challenge Graphic and Lil' Inker Designs products as your main focus. Additional challenge rules and the linky tool are on the Lil' Inker Designs Blog. There are some really amazing prizes (like gift certificates to the store!) and there is also a SALE that you can read more about on the store blog.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Ok, so the next stop on the hop is Sarah!

Only a Dad

Only a dad, with a tired face,

Coming home from the daily race,

Bringing little of gold or fame,

To show how well he has played the game,

But glad in his heart that his own rejoice

To see him come, and to hear his voice...

Only a dad, but he gives his all

To smooth the way for his children small,

Doing, with courage stern and grim,

The deeds that his father did for him.

This is the line that for him I pen,

Only a dad, but the best of men.

By Edgar Albert Guest

This set, called Let's Face It, by Nina B. for the The Craft's Meow May Previews is so much fun! There's really nothing like it out there in stampland.

Going with another clean and simple card, I embossed a card base in chevron to provide some interest in my simple composition. I used a banner from Good Times and a sentiment included in the new set. Then I added the collar and used a tie die cut for a bit of dimension. So simple and fresh, in my opinion.

There are some new designers showcasing their stuff for The Craft's Meow. Please be sure to stop by for a visit at the Blog and the Designer's Blogs. You've got a chance to win this beautiful set for free!