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!

BEACH FUN - LO

The hardest part of this LO was taking the photos.  Nothing like tempting fate while standing on a rolling chair on new wood floors trying to snap that perfect photo.  I guess you can say I like to live on the edge.  I hate taking photos of LO's.  They don't fit in my light box, the light is never great for taking pics when I get around to doing it, and there's also that whole tempting fate thing.

This was a quick and simple LO of our trip to the beach last year with our niece and nephew.  I used a few different Cricut carts to complete it.  The title was cut using Pack Your Bags cartridge at 2".  I altered the title a bit as it had a chair and bucket attached to it, but it looked a little busy to me. So I cut them off.  The sun is from the Doodle Charms cart cut at 2", the ball and bucket were both cut from the Simply Charmed cart.  The ball at 3 1/2' and the bucket at 4 1/2".

I'm hoping someone out there has a easier way to photo LO's.  Any suggestions?  How do you all do it?  Or does everyone risk life and limb and stand on a rolling chair like me?

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.  ;)

LET'S GET PHYSICAL!

Most of you are not aware that this past December I ran my very first, and hopefully not my last, full marathon.  Yep, 26.2 miles of pure insanity in some of the worst weather ever.  I survived but have had some trouble getting my running mojo back.  I saw THIS EXAMPLE of an exercise journal on STAMPFAIRY'S blog and thought that maybe if I had a cute running journal it might help kick start my motivation.

The stamped image is called Barry Diet 1 from STAMPFAIRY. I colored the image with my Copics, added a few bits of scrap paper and added it all to a 50 cent notebook I picked up at Ben Franklin.I think it turned out super cute.  I also made one for my oldest daughter to help her get motivated in running with me. 

Starting today, I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things and start running again.

Hugs,

HIPPITY HOPPITY, EASTER'S ON IT'S WAY!

 Just a short and sweet post to share with you all that WHIMSIE DOODLES has a free bunny basket template available for download on their BLOG.  You can see my attempt at it in the above pic.  It was easy to put together and is perfect for a little treat.

In case you were wondering what was in my little bunny basket look at the picture below.  Just how stinking cute are these Ghirardelli chocolates?!?!  I found them at Target and could not resist them.  Two of these chocolates fit perfectly in the bunny basket.

You only have a few days left before Easter so hurry on over to WHIMSIE DOODLES and grab your template while you can!

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!!

HONEY POP EASTER - CARD

 

I will start this blog post by saying, I am SO in love with the inside of this card!!  I have never seen the inside of a card done like this before.  I discovered it while on a recent trip to my LSS.  I'm sure it's old news as I am always WAY behind on what is trending in the card making/scrapbooking world. 

 

This card was created using the INKY ANTICS HoneyPOP clear stamp collection - Basket Bunny.  The set comes with 15 clear stamps and I used 14 of them to create this card.  Every little image; the grass, the flower, the butterfly, each of the eggs, etc. is a separate stamp.  The set includes a stamp (in this case the basket) that you stamp on the Honeycomb Paper Pad to get the 3-D effect.  It was a lot of work with the stamping and cutting for a simple card with very little detail, but it was really easy to put together.

 

I'm thinking that I need to purchase a few more of these sets.  They would make fun cards for children, don't you think?

 



 

SCRAPBOOK ROOM RE-DO

 

 

I can not even begin to tell you how excited I am that I do not have a crafty post to share with you all today.  No crafty post because my scrapbook room has been emptied and torn apart for two whole weeks.  I should be upset but I'm not because look at what my sweet hubby has done for me!!!!  New flooring!  Bye bye yucky carpet, hello gorgeous!!  LOL 

 

The new flooring is done and I am slowly moving things back into the room.  I say slowly because I am taking my time going through every little thing before putting it away, dusting and reorganizing. 

 

I am loving my room re-do and can not wait to share some pictures when I get it put back together this weekend.

 

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??



HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY - CARD

 

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope everyone is well rested from their weekend.  I am bummed that our vacation is over. That means I have to cook our meals and make my own bed now.  :P  So this will be a super short post as I need to get ready for all my daycare babes to show up this morning.

 

Here is my final Valentine's card that I have to share.  This one was made for my oldest daughter Brittany.  It was really quick to throw together.  A few heart brads, a rub-on and a sentiment stamp is all it took.

Thanks for stopping by,

LOVE - CARD

I hope everyone is enjoying their week.  As you read this the family and I are enjoying our vacation at California Adventures in Disneyland.  Our favorite ride is the California Screamin' roller coaster.  You start off at a complete stand still, they count you down for the blast off and then you literally shoot off like a rocket.  You have to be careful to keep your head back or you can get some serious whiplash upon takeoff.  I LOVE that ride!!

The card I am sharing with you today is a Valentine's card that I made for my youngest daughter, Caitlin.  The patterned paper is from my scrap stash and the sentiment is a rub-on. 

I hope everyone is enjoying their quiet Thursday....I'm sure to be screaming my head off like I am being chased by zombies as I am riding California Screamin'!!  ;)

FOREVER & ALWAYS - CARD

I know Valentine's Day is over and done with, however I have three more cards to share with you that I could not post earlier so that my husband and daughters would not see them prior to me giving them out on Valentine's. 

Today, I am sharing my husband's card with you.  How darling is this image??  I stumbled across this free digi image by accident while on Pinterest.  HERE is the link to all four adorable digi images provided by Shery K Designs.  My original plan for this card was to have it only be one layer with just the stamped image and a sentiment.  I was happy with the finished coloring product until I decided to add in some shading between the two and that's when I totally screwed it up and had to cut them out and change direction to save the image.  I'm still happy with it even though it is not what I had in mind. 

As you are reading this the family and I are headed out for our annual trip to Disneyland!!  I am so excited. So I will be MIA from visiting your blogs until I return.

Have a GREAT week!!

TEST TUBE TREAT HOLDERS

 

 

As promised on yesterday's blog post, here are the holders for the test tube treats.  These were really quick and easy to whip up and I only used scraps from my scrap stash to make them.  You can find the directions and the template I used for making them HERE.  The link will take you to Lisa's blog and to her most recent post, however on her left hand sidebar you will find the link to the test tube holder templates. 

The images used on all three of my holders are from WHIMSIE DOODLES.  They are one of my favorite sites for digi images.  As a side note, I would like to thank my daughter, Brittany, for the photos you have seen on my blog recently.  She has volunteered herself as my project photographer.  She does a much better job at it than I do and has more patience for it.  Thanks Britt!!

Oh and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!