A Lighthouse for a Birthday ...

I haven't done a sketch challenge over on SCS in, like, forEVER!! And I cheated on this one ... a little ... I just was not feeling it totally, so I just kinda fudged the red panel ... hmmm....

I have also decided that my stamp collection is significantly lacking in the "dude" stamp area ... I just don't have that many guy stamps! Sixty zillions stamps and only a handful of them are suitable for "dude" cards ... sigh ... which means I'm gonna hafta start investing in some ... which means I may hafta revamp my space some more to make 'em fit!!!

Stamps: Light of the World by Our Daily Bread, Perfect Punches, Print Pattern
Paper: Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake, Riding Hood Red
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, Wide Oval Punch, Hemp, Corduroy Button, Pop-Up Glue Dots

It's Concert Time Again ...

Each year at this time I spend about a week running my darling daughter back and forth and back and forth to rehearsals and performances for Children's Dance Theatre (a dance company she is involved with through the University of Utah). Their productions are NEVER anything but stellar, and this year was no different. She finished her last performance yesterday, so it looks like we survived another year ....

I mentioned last year that each year they assign each of the older dancers to a younger dancer ... kind of a "big brother/sister" sort of deal. This year was no different. It's so fun helping my daughter come up with ideas of what to give to her little friend every day. She thinks up some things, and I think up some things (this year one of the things we brought for one day was a fluffy pink bunny ... super cute and soft!!). Anyway, we have been giving these little chipboard coaster photo albums every year. They are fun to make and fun to give!!



Aren't they cute??? Here are a couple of photos I took of the girls ...





And I left the rest of the pages blank (7 of 'em!) ... so she could add her own photos. Pretty fun, right?? (Soooo glad I haven't thrown out all my retired DSP's and all the retired cardstock!!)

Paper: Berry Bliss DSP (retired), Pretty in Pink, Purely Pomegranate, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Cricut Create a Critter Cartridge and Alphalicious Cartridge, Cuttlebug Seeing Spots and Mesh Texutre Embossing Folders, Pink/Brown Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Pearl Sticker, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Chipboard Coasters, Bind-It-All, Label Maker, Corner Rounder

Laaaaassssttt One!

I am finally down to the very last card I made for VSN a few weeks back. I was trying to make this look less like everything else I do ... and, as a result, I'm not really loving it. I seem to be stuck on the horizontal ribbon thing, too, no matter how hard I try!!!

Saw some beautiful, blue sky earlier today ... apparently, it's gonna be replaced by some more gloom and doom tomorrow ... kind of a pre-spring tease. I'm hopeful that I'll see Mr. Sunshine again sometime soon ... he makes me happy!!

Stamps: Studio Sketches, All Holidays
Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White
Ink: Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat, Paper Distressing Tool, Pearls, Corner Rounder Punch

No One Does a Wedding Like a FREAK!!

Okay, now that I look at it, that blog post title is a bit bizarre ... but I'll bet it made ya smile!!! You should have just come from the blog of my good friend and fellow freak, Lisa Martz!! Ohmygosh!! Her "bride" and "groom" were AWESOME!!


As you can see, since 'tis the season, we are featuring wedding-ish (or is it wedding-y?) projects this month. I choose to use some of my brand-spankin'-soon-to-be-in-the-new-catty Paisley Petals DSP. I am LOVING this stuff!!



First off, I have this card, that would be great on a shower or wedding gift. It DOES have mui-many layers, but I guess that's kinda how I roll sometimes!! Something old?? "Together Forever" stamp set; Something new? Aforementioned Paisley Petals DSP; Something Borrowed? I borrowed this layout from MYSELF from a VERY old blog post!! Something blue?? Well, I'm not gonna insult your intelligence there ...


Next, I made this little wedding favor box. It's actually made from balsa wood. I just covered it with some of my fave new DSP, then rolled some little paper roses to embellish the top. That's my new favorite thing to do ... they aren't that hard to make, and they don't cost that much, either!! And what's a wedding favor box without ...

.. CHOCOLATE INSIDE??!!?? Oh man! I'm gonna hafta hide the bag of "leftovers" ... probably gonna hafta give it to my teenagers ... and my husband ... and my 22-year-old ... I could probably eat the WHOLE FREAKIN' BAG!! Wait!!! I could send some to JanTink!!! Ohhhh Jaaaaa-aaaaan!??!!


Which brings me to my last little project ... a thank you card for the bride and groom. Remember when this criss-cross cards were all the "rage" a few years back? I modified this a little bit. Instead of a standard "A2" size, this is actually 4.25" square.

Stamps: Together Forever, Fabulous Phrases
Paper: Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, Paisley Petals DSP
Ink: Not Quite Navy
Accessories:
Wedding Card - Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Elegant Lines and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folders, Large Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, 5-Petal Flower Punch, Very Vanilla Seam Binding, Dimensionals
Favor Box - Photo Corners Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Pearl Stickers, Elegant Lines Textured Impressions Folder, Very Vanilla Seam Binding, Dimensionals
Thank You Card - 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Large Oval PUnch, Pearl Stickers, Very Vanilla Seam Binding

Now go check out the darling penguins and gorgeous card made by my fellow Freaky-crafty friend, Jen Smith!

A Little Touch of Spring

Do you think if I keep making springy/flowery cards that I can help inspire Mother Nature a little??? I know spring is supposed to include "showers", but I am seriously ready for more sun and less precipitation!! How 'bout you?? (I know I keep harping on about this lately, but I swear this winter has lasted an ETERNITY!!)

For today's Free for All challenge over on SCS I decided to make the theme pretty broad - so I chose "How Does Your Garden Grow?" I figure that the gallery will be lit up with sunshine, flowers, and happiness, right??? I got this little adorably darling Pure Innocence stamp set just this week ... I think this little gardener is soooo stinkin' ca-YOOT!! I used to wear pigtails when I was little ... it just makes me remember those carefree childhood days!

Stamps: Pure Innocence - Blooming Good Day (MFT)
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
Ink: Black Brilliance, Copic Markers
Accessories: Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon, MFT Decorative Doily Die, Itty Bitty Punch, Pearl Stickers, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, Dimensionals

This sample was super quick and super easy!! Both the patterned paper and stamped frame image are going to be available in SU's catalog when it comes out this summer ... can't WAIT for that! New catalogs are always so much fun. But, they are expensive, too ... 'cause I end up wanting/"needing" so much new rubbah!!! What's a stamper to do if not just cave in??

Stamps: Four Frames, Pocket Silhouettes (Sentiment)
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Paisley Prints DSP, Whisper White, Marina Mist
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist
Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Decorative Label Punch, Small Oval Punch, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Pearl Stickers, Dimensionals

And don't forget that the Control Freaks are busy making some fabulous new and inspiring things for our Blog Tour this month ... which doesn't "officially" start 'til Sunday (the 20th) ... but I'll betcha if you come back tomorrow night you won't be disappointed!!

Later, 'gators!!

NOW I CAN SHOUT ABOUT IT!!

Sorry for the all CAPS title, but I just couldn't contain myself any more!!! I've had the most EXCELLENT secret for the past several weeks. Now that it's official, I can FINALLY share it with all of you!!!

I have officially jumped into the Dirt Pile!!! Yesterday, I was unveiled, along with my good friend, Vicki Dutcher, as one of the newest members of the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen!!!! HOLYCOWOHMYGOSHICAN'TBELIEVEIT!!! Big deep breath ... in/out ... I am soooo very honored and excited to have been asked to participate in such a wonderful group of creative people. I still am not quite believing it myself!!! In any event, I am totally STOKED!!!

And this little birdie anniversary card is one of the last ones I made for VSN (I know, I know ... will I EVER get to the end of these???? Only one more, I PROMISE!!)! In any event, I'm happy that I am finally able to share my news with all of you, as you will probably be more excited about it than the men in my house ... who don't have absolutely ANY clue how incredibly COOL this makes me!!! Bwahahahaha!!! Seriously, though ... I feel sooo blessed to have been asked to participate in something so amazing!!! The next six months are going to be a wild ride, that's for sure!!!

Have an absolutely FABULOUS day!!

Stamps: Aviary, All Holidays
Paper: Concord Crush, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Perfect Plum, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Perfect Plum
Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, 1 1/4" and 1" Circle Punches, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Monday Already??

What a weekend!!! I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say I made a little trip to the ER on Saturday for myself!!! Had a respiratory thing going on ... they thought it was asthma and they kept asking me where my inhaler was! I kept telling 'em I didn't have one!! Anyway, long-story-short it turns out I have bronchitis! Luckily, things seems to be getting back to normal, so all is well ....

Here are yet two MORE cards that I did for VSN (I tell ya, I was busybusybusy!). When I make cards for little people I really like to use my "Create a Critter" Cricut cartridge. There are just sooo many cute images to cut out on there! This was for my little grand-niece, Lucy, who was celebrating her 1st birthday last week. Sigh ... it seems so weird that my nieces - who I remember being born - are actually having babies of their own!!! I am SOOOO not old enough!!!

Stamps: Wild About You
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, More Mustard, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Cricut Create a Critter, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Sizzix Animal Print Embossing Folder, Ticket Corner Punch, Hemp, BoHo Blossoms Punch, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, Pop-Up Glue Dots

And this was probably my LEAST favorite card from VSN ... I wasn't even going to do this challenge - which was to make a card about dreams coming true. This was an ode to the airplane that my husband finished building last spring after ten years of hard labor on it!!!

Stamps: Plane and Simple
Paper: Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red, Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Ink: Riding Hook Red, Early Espresso
Accessories: Circle Cutter, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat, Large Oval Punch, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Tulip Frame Textured Impressions Folder, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Kids Say the Darnedest Things!!!

Okay ... funny factoid ... the human brain is a complex organism. Especially when it is implanted into the skull of a teenager!! My last post, entitled "Stamping With Vellum" made a really sharp impression on my 19-year-old son. I have my blog linked to my Facebook page, so all my blog posts show up on there. Some time during the day Wednesday my son saw my blog post ... and decided to comment. Something he has NEVER done on ANY of my blog posts. He said, "I initially read this as: 'Embossing with Valium'. Just thought I'd share that." Niiiiice! Wonderful!! My response? "Now THAT would be interesting!" Bwahahaha!!! I guess his brain doesn't see all the vowels!!!!

Which has absolutely NOTHING to do with this card, but here it is anyway!! Another VSN card ... 'cept my older son immediately pointed out to me that the acetate music sheet I put on it is stinkin' BACKWARDS!!! (Which, by the way, I have fixed since I took this photo.) Guess it goes to show that (a) one's senses aren't always at the top of their game when they are trying to do a challenge in 45 minutes, and (b) this is what could happen if you really DID emboss/stamp with VALIUM!! DUH!!!! So, there ya have it ....

Stamps: Easter Blossoms, Watercolor Trio
Paper: Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Acetate Sheet Music
Ink: Marina Mist
Accessories: Large Oval Punch, Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Embossing with Vellum

Vellum ... I love it, yet I'm afraid of it!! Ink slides off of it, embossing folders can tear it, it is tricky to adhere to other stuff without seeing the adhesive ... you can overheat it with a heat gun and ruin it ... but it is soooooooo purdy!!

This was for a VSN challenge to dry emboss on vellum. I hafta admit I kinda cringed when I read the challenge. I don't always have the best success when doing this ... but I really love how this turned out. Sent it to my aunt and uncle for their 54th wedding anniversary. That made me happy!

After having had about 6 inches of new snow between Monday night and Tuesday morning, I am happy to report that the sun is shining, the snow is melting and it should get back up into the 50's today. Hooray!!

TTFN!

Stamps: Together Forever
Paper: Whisper White, Concord Crush
Ink: Concord Crush
Accessories: Marvy Double Scallop Corner Punch, Decorator Label Punch, Emily's Bouquet Embossing Folder, Whisper White Satin/Organza Ribbon, Pearl Stickers

Sooo Many Choices!

I have a room full of toys, um ... tools. I have cardstock, punches, ribbon, diecutting equipment, embossing folders ... and, oh yeah ... stamps!! It represents years' worth of accumulated spoils. It is silly how, being an SU demo, that I get so focused on "new" or "current" product, that I can quickly forget the stuff that came before. I mean, seriously, just because it "retires" doesn't make it any less cool or beautiful, right??

And, let's face it ... I DO own a LOT of other stuff that isn't SU. I have finally decided to allow myself to use BOTH my retired SU goodies AND some stuff that might perhaps be made by someone else. GASP!! I know, I know ... that's why my BFF, JanTink, refers to as "rubbah-dultery." We ALL do it ... and I am not going to feel guilty about using stuff that I like ... so there ya have it!!

Here is a card with old stuff, new stuff and everything in between. I love my new "Seeing Spots" embossing folder. Nice big, juicy polka dots. I {{heart}} polka dots of ANY kind!! Too-too fun!! Did I mention that this is yet ANOTHER card I did for VSN over on SCS? I had WAAAYYY tooo much fun!! I did more different cards in less than 24 hours than I think I have EVER done in such a short time period.

It snowed a BUNCH here today ... sigh ... I'm still longing for blue skies, warm temps and shorts n' flip flops!!! Soon ....

Stamps: Beautiful Borders (retired)
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Melon Mambo
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo
Accessories: 5-Petal Flower Punch, Word Window Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, Diamond Lace Border Punch, Whisper White Satin/Organza Ribbon, Large Pearl Stickers

New Year's Resolution

I have been the family's "Keeper of Dates" for MANY years! (Okay, so maybe it was a self-appointed duty, but now the whole family knows that I know everyone's birthday/anniversary AS WELL AS the fact that I have everyone's current address!). This all came about since I make a family calendar every year ...

I have had the same New Year's Resolution for the past several years, but this is the first year that I am actually DOING it!! I decided to send out birthday/anniversary cards to everyone. NO SMALL FEAT, let me tell you. My family is BIG!! Anyway, this is a little anniversary card I made during VSN on SCS last weekend for my niece and her husband ... they are coming up on their first-year anniversary!!! Totally COOLl!! Hugs and happy wishes, Russell and Debi!! Love you guys!!

And I finally got around to adding a little spring to my blog header/sidebars ... I am WILLING spring to come!! (Besides, all those snowflakes were making me COLD!!!)

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Everything Nice
Paper: Basic Black, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Scallop Square Bigz Die, 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Flower Trio Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Pearl Stickers

Feel It in the Air!

It's a-comin' ... I KNOW it is 'cause I can feel it in the air ... SPRING!!! Ode to Joy!!! SPRING!!! This has felt like the unending winter .... y'know that scene from "Groundhog Day" where Bill Murray's character says, "It's gonna be cold. It's gonna be gray. And it's gonna last you the rest of your life!" That is how this winter has felt to me .... soooooo happpppyy to see some blue sky once in a while. And the temps have actually gotten up into the 50's a couple of times. WAHOOOOO!!

So, this card is a salute to the coming of spring. Can't WAIT!!! It is yet one more I did for VSN last weekend on SCS. I swear I had more fun doing that than I ever imagined. Hadn't really even planned on doing it. For those who don't know, VSN (Virtual Stamp Night) is usually a day-and-a-half event. They start on Friday night, then resume on Saturday afternoon through late Saturday evening. A theme is chosen, and challenge hostesses post a new challenge every hour on the hour. They will give you a sketch to follow, a picture to inspire you, a song or verse to draw inspiration from .... lots of different things. It was totally fun. AND I tried something new ... it's called "clean as you go" ... literally and seriously ... I totally tried it. GUESS WHAT??? It totally WORKS!! I sat at my desk ... as soon as I was through with a punch? Back in the drawer! Done with that piece of cardstock? Back in the file! Finished with that stamp? Cleaned and back in the box! WOW!! It made VSN soooo much fun! By the time I finished my card, took a picture and uploaded it, I was ready and rarin' to go!! What an AMAZING concept ... "Clean As You Go" .... hmmmm .... may hafta try that again some time ....

This challenge was particularly "challenging" for me ... this was a sketch challenge. I stared and the sketch and thought, "What the??? No way! Can't even go there!" It was posted on Friday night. So I went to bed and slept on it. And here is what I came up with the next morning ....

YAY FOR THE WEEKEND!!!

Stamps: So Happy for You
Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions Folder, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon

Birthday Birdie ...

I feel like I keep doing the same ol'-same ol' type of card all the time ... I have really tried to shake up my layouts a little bit lately. I still think they all look kinda similar ... but how many different things can one really do with a piece of paper that is 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" anyway???? (Okay, I guess the answer to that is a LOT!!)

This is another card I did for VSN over on SCS. The challenge for this one was to put some sort of bird on your card ... easy enough, so here ya have it!

Got to drive down to where my oldest son goes to college this evening. We went to dinner than to a Chanticleer concert. It was AWESOME!! The best part?? Having a date with my son ... the best, the best, the BEST!!

Stamps: Nature Walk, Bring On the Cake
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Spiral Punch, Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, Rich Razzleberry Taffeta Ribbon, Big Designer Button