BIRTHDAY WISHES - CARD

Hi everyone, it's Thursday which means one day closer to Friday, which is one day closer to the weekend!!  Wooo hooo!!  I plan on getting lots of crafting done this weekend so I am really looking forward to it.

A quick birthday card to share with you all today using a freebie image I downloaded from WHIMSIE DOODLES.  They are another one of my favorite stamps sites! She was super fun to color using my Copics and I added a little detail to the hem of her dress and sleeves with my white gel pen.

It appears that Blogger once again is being a pain and won't work with the links that I add to my blog posts.  Is anyone else having this problem?  Or am I just Blogger challenged.  I swear I think I'm doing it right.  :D 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY - CARD

 

Happy Monday everybody!!  I hope everyone had a restful and relaxing weekend full of crafting.

For those of you that have followed my blog for a little while, you know how much I hate trying to create boy/masculine cards....hate with a passion!!  No sparkle, no bling and well, they just aren't as cute in my opinion.  However, I am really happy with how this birthday card turned out.  How cute is this digi image from BUGABOO?!!!  I just loved coloring him in and I think he will work well for a toddler's birthday card, don't you?  The sentiment is from LAWN FAWN, a newly discovered company to me.  Love all of their stuff...LOVE! 

Thanks for stopping by and as always I am looking forward to checking out every one's blogs to see what you all have been up to. 

CUPCAKE ANYA BIRTHDAY - CARD

Does my blog avatar look familiar?  Right now this Cupcake Anya image from THE GREETING FARM is my new favorite!!  She's  too cute and easy to color.  If I do say so myself, I think I am getting slightly better with the whole brush stroke thing in the coloring of her hair.  I still need ton more practice but I think the coloring of this image is greatly improved compared to my much earlier colorings using Copics.  If anyone has some great Copic coloring tutorial videos that they can suggest, I would certainly appreciate it.  There are so many great sources of inspiration out in the crafting world and I am always looking for ways to improve.  :)

So blogger is being a serious pain and will not link up the Greeting Farm website.  You can find a link for them to the right of my blog under "Blogs I Love to Stalk" and "Places I Love to Shop"...sigh.

A COLORFUL BIRTHDAY - CARD

 

Yep, I'm back again.  There seems to be a pattern to my blogging activity.  I start off really great at the beginning of the new year, and then totally die off between May and June.  Then nothing again until January.  This year I'm going to challenge myself to be active until at least July.  LOL  We will see how that goes.  ;)

Super quick and easy birthday card for you today.  The idea for this card was CASE'd from Michelle of PRETTY PERIWINKLES blog.  She has a lot of really adorable cards on her blog. 

It's great to have my crafting mojo up and running again.  I'm looking forward to checking out every one's blogs to see what you all have been creating!!

JUST A LITTLE FUN COLORING - CARDS

Just a quick post to show you all what I completed this weekend.  I took my first ever Copic class on Saturday and completed these simple cards.  I am looking forward to taking another one real soon that hopefully is a little more advanced.  I was hoping to learn about shadowing, coloring hair and skin, etc.  However what I signed up for was Copic 101.  The class did have a few good tips but was not what I was looking for. Oh, and taking a Copic class WILL NOT help you learn to color inside the lines...don't look too closely at my cards.  ;)

The stamped images were pre-stamped and were given to me in a kit, so I am not sure who they're made by.  I think the instructor said it's a stamp/die combo set. Anyways, it's a gorgeous set and I think I need it. 

Happy Tuesday!!

LATTE FUN - CARD

I have been wanting this Latte Anya stamp from THE GREETING FARM forever.  Every time I went to order it, it was on back order.  Then I requested it for Christmas, alas on back order again.  I finally got her for my birthday several weeks ago and I LOVE her!!  She is my new favorite stamp.  I should mention that I did find her two weeks ago at my LSS, after trying for months to buy her on-line.  Go figure :P

You can find the tutorial for this k-cup holder created by Lori Tecler HERE.  The tutorial is for a 2 k-cup caddy. I wanted mine to hold 4 so I made two holders and then glued the backs together.  Here is a LINK for the  template for the card fold I used.  All of the patterned paper used for both the card and the holder is from the Paper Studio.

I am so excited for this little gift and card pairing.  I love how they turned out and can't wait to give them away!!

Challenges that I am entering this project into:
*THE GREETING FARM: FFF PAPER PIECING

HIP, HIP HOORAY!! - CARD

A quick card that I whipped up for one of my neighbors who is having a birthday this weekend. 

The image is called "Birthday Bear" and is a WHIPPER SNAPPER DESIGNS image.  I have had this stamp FOREVER and I believe this is the first time that I have inked it up.  Because the image is so large I decided to keep the LO of the card very simple.  The image was colored with Copics, a little bit of stickles and I added a few strips of glitter ribbon from American Crafts.  Doesn't get any easier. 

Happy Saturday!!

JUST CLOWNING AROUND - CARD

It was love at first sight when I saw this stamp set from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS at my LSS.  Seriously, just how cute are these guys?!!  There are a few more images that came with the set that I did not use for this card.  I wanted to try to squeeze them all on this card somehow, they are that cute!

The images were colored in with Copics and the little clown car was paper pieced.  I added stickles after this pic was taken to the hats and juggling balls.  The tutorial for this tri-shutter card fold can be found HERE. 

I hope everyone is having a great week so far and for all of my blogging Mommy friends out there, have a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday!!  I plan on spending the entire day tinkering in my scrapbook room!!

MAKE A WISH - CARD

Short and sweet post today.  A real quick and simple card that I made for a sweet child that used to attend my daycare.  Why is it that I never feel older when my birthdays come up, but my children or my daycare children's birthdays?  Yeah that's when I feel really old!!

This cutie patootie stamp is Simply Anya from THE GREETING FARM.  I received her last month for my birthday and could not wait to ink her up.  I can see so many occasions where I can use this image. 

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!!

SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS - CARD

 

So what happens when you realize at the VERY last minute you forgot to make your daughter's birthday card that you have been planning for weeks to make??!  You ditch your original idea of a card and go with plan B.  Plan B is to quickly throw something together that involves very little work.  

 

Brittany LOVES Mary Poppins!  So when I saw KRAFTIN' KIMMIE STAMPS came out with THIS Mary Poppins stamp I knew that I would have to make her a birthday card with it.  Like I said this card was not in my original plan.  I really wanted to play with coloring her up, but I knew with very little time left to make it, I would stress myself out if I rushed to color it.  I'm kinda weird like that ;)

 

The image is stamped on kraft paper, on white for the clouds and on some patterned paper for her umbrella and carpet bag.  I'm not quite sure if I like the card or not as it is not my style, kind of plain and very little color, but my daughter loved it so all is good.

 

Here is a picture of Brittany with Mary Poppins from our trip to Disneyland a few months ago.  You can just see in her face how happy she is to be standing next to Mary.  She may have just turned 23...but she is still 5 to me in this picture.  :)

A HEDGEHOG BIRTHDAY - CARD

 

I swear spring cleaning the scrapbook room is like going on a treasure hunt.  All of the loot that I discovered that has been buried and unused is ridiculous.  I found this image from a stamp image swap that I participated in many years ago.  I literally had to blow the dust off of this image before coloring it.  I seriously wish I owned this stamp because it is a cutie.

Thanks for stopping by and commenting.  All of your comments and feedback is so greatly appreciated!

A DIFFERENT KIND OF STAMP FOR ME

If you were to take inventory of my stamp collection you would discover that I tend to go for the more "chunky/cutesier" stamps.  Stamps that are chunky are easier to color.  I tend to stay away from stamps that have little or very narrow room for coloring.  I'm a three year old at heart and have trouble coloring in the lines ;)  I have no idea who makes this stamp as it is a unmounted rubber stamp that I purchased at a garage sale.  I still have no idea why I bought it, as it is not the norm that I go for, it just somehow spoke to me.

I realize that I need more practice with my Copics, but overall I am happy with the finished product.  I'm signing up for a Copic class in May at my LSS and am hoping that it gives me the confidence in my coloring to broaden my horizons in regards to the stamps I tend to purchase.  In the mean time, practice, practice, practice.  

BIRTHDAY HUGS & FISHES - CARD

Anyone that has followed my blog from the beginning will know that this mermaid stamp, from THE GREETING FARM, is my most used and abused stamp.  I don't think I can ever get tired of coloring this image. 

One of my sweet daycare babes turned 4 over the weekend.  For her birthday we bought her a Little Mermaid toy.  So, it was a no brainer that I would once again reach for this stamp to go with her gift.

All die cuts were cut using the Paper Doll Dress Up Cricut cartridge.  The shell was cut at 4 3/4",  the orange coral at 4" and the green coral at 3 1/4".   All the images were colored using Copic markers.  I couldn't resist adding a little bling to Mermaid Anya's hair.  Do you like the little sea creature images?  They were a lucky find last weekend in the clearance section at Michael's.  They are called Ocean Friends from Recollections.  There are several more little creatures in the set. 

I hope everyone is having a great week so far!  I can't wait for the weekend as my LSS is having a huge Saturday sale and I have been squirreling moola away like a mad woman for a little shopping excursion.  :D  Hurry up weekend!!

Challenges that I am entering this project into:
*THE GREETING FARM: FARM FRESH FRIDAY - BLING IT!

SOAK UP SOME FUN - CARD

Have you ever made a card or a project that you were so tickled with that you wanted to keep it for yourself?  This was that project for me!!  However, it was for a very dear friend's birthday so I JUST had to give it to her...darn it.

The inspiration for my card came from a blog that I umm, stalk, I mean follow regularly.  Sheri of  PAPER CRAFTY'S CREATIONS is truly talented!!  She creates some of the cutest cards ever!!  When I saw THIS card on her blog, I fell in love.  I adore WHIMSIE DOODLES' images and knew that the Bubble Leah digi image would be perfect for my gift of bath goodies for my friend. 

The image was colored in with Copics. I then added a little stickles to the bubbles and some Glossy Accents to the champagne glass.  I also used A LOT of bling on this card.  If you read my previous blog post, you'll know I had to make up for the masculine card that I was forced to make. 

For the gift bag I just enlarged the image and printed it out twice.  Once on my white cardstock for coloring and again on my patterned paper for her towels and bath rug.  Oh and I added lots of bling to the bag as well.  I went a little bling crazy.

I seriously hope my friend likes this as she almost did not get it.  Don't forget to stop by Sheri's BLOG to check out all of the cuteness she has going on there. 

BLAH BLAH BLAH - CARD

Don't you just love my post title?  That's how I feel about making masculine cards....blah blah blah.  I hate making them.  They are a total downer for me.  Boring colors, no cute stamped images, no flowers and worse yet, no BLING!  I always struggle in making them. 

There's not a lot to say about this one.  A few strips of boring paper, a few metal embellishments and the sentiment.  Another masculine card down.

I think the men in my life deserve better.  Maybe they should get used to flowers and a little bling.  ;)

BIRTHDAY BUTTERFLY - CARD

Occasionally, my daughter, Brittany and I like to put our two hobbies together for a combined gift to a loved one.  I dabble in paper and stamps and she is talented in the baking department.  When a birthday pops up we like to pick a theme for that person.  I make the card and she makes some kind of wonderful baked goodness to go with it. 

This year for a friend's birthday we decided on butterflies and color.  My card is a CASE'd creation from a card I found on Pinterest.  The original creator is Tracey Cuccia.  You can see her beautiful creation HERE.  Some white cardstock, colored scraps, a few rhinestones and a butterfly punch is all it took to complete. 

You can take a peek at Britt's blog, LOVIN' FROM THE OVEN, to see the gorgeous and yummy cookies that she made to go along with this card.  She did a really great job!!

Happy Monday!!

HANG TEN BIRTHDAY - CARD

Just how cute is this little surfer Anya image?!  I got her for Christmas and could not wait to ink her up!!  I decided to use her on a birthday card for a sweet friend who happens to be a very cool chick, just like Anya here. 

Surfer Anya can be purchased from THE GREETING FARM.  They are one of my most favorite stamp companies! The palm tree and sun were cut from the Life's a Beach Cricut cartridge.  The tree was cut at 4 1/2 inches and the sun at 1 inch.  I added a little Glossy Accents to her Surfboard and popped up the flower in her hair.  Do you like the little buttons?  They were a impulse purchase while on a recent trip to my LSS.  I just couldn't pass up those little sunglasses. 

HOP, SKIP & JUMP - CARD

 

This card was the fastest card I have ever put together....EVER!  I'm thinking I need to make a few more to add to my card box for those unexpected birthdays that always seem to pop up.  The image is a digi stamp that I found on a freebie digi site some time ago.  I neglected to make note of where it came from at the time I downloaded it.  :(  I hate when I do that because I like to give credit to those whose images I use.  So if anyone in blogland knows who makes this image could you please let me know so I can give proper credit?

I quickly colored the image in with my Copics, matted and punched a border in black and then added a few rhinestones.  It literally took me ten minutes, if that, to make this card. 

I realized in trying to get a decent photo of this card that I really really hate taking photos of white cards. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTT - CARD

 

 

This is another CASE creation.  I discovered THIS card on Pinterest and fell in love with it right away.  It's so simple and festive.  I love the bright colors that Laura Bassen used on her card.  However, considering I had to make a birthday card for my BIL, I decided to stick with more of a monotone look.

The circle punches and my BIL's name were cut out of paint sample cards that I had on hand.  Takes the guess work out of whether or not the blues I picked out looking good together.  I used the Diesel font from Quickutz for the name and a $1 Studio G stamp for the sentiment. 

This card would be cute in reds or pinks with little hearts instead of dots for that special someone, I'm thinking.  Make sure to check out Laura's BLOG, she has some really beautiful creations.

A STITCHED BIRTHDAY - CARD

 

The first thing I do when making a card is reach for my stamps.  If I want to do something different, then I reach for my Cricut.  I'm a creature of habit.  Even though I tell myself I should think outside the box and try a new technique, I cave and take the easy route.  I decided with the new year I am going to challenge myself to try some new techniques and learn some new skills. 

 

This card was completely out of my comfort zone.  No ink, no stamped images, no coloring, no die cuts, no decorative papers....what's a girl to do?  I was looking at my Oriental Trading Punch and Stitch border stencils when an idea came to me.  I ran with it, I think it was a bit of a stretch but I also think it works.  I used three different flourishes from the stencil to create what I think looks like a flower and butterfly.  Like I said a bit of a stretch, but maybe if you squint a little you'll see it as I do. I hand stitched it, added a $1 Studio G sentiment and a little bling. 

 

It's a little simple and plain for my tastes but it is something new for me, and that was the challenge.  What should I try next?  Any suggestions??