Over the Hill?

It's been a quiet Sunday, and I wanted to make a masculine card for the Mojo Monday challenge last week.  I think I am right under the wire in getting it done, but I was having so much fun stamping!

Ever since Reel Life was introduced, it has been one of my favorite stamp sets.  I love that view master slide, and I really love the border I can create with the hexagon patterned set.  It is retiring on July 31st, but it will stay in my collection for a very long time!

The birthday sentiment is from the Hostess Rewards set Birthday Punnies.  I thought the touches of red shimmer trim and the red glitter circles and clip from the Cranberry Fundamental Assortment finished this card off perfectly!

I hope that you've had a restful and blessed Sunday!

Pin It

Thinking of You

The Mojo Monday sketch this week is a bit of a stretch for me.  It's a lovely sketch, but the mat is not a straight line on the card.  So it was really a challenge for me to angle the mat!

So I needed to take out some Laughing Lola because that design worked for me.  I am such a straight lines girl, and this was a good exercise in stepping out of my box!  I cut the flowers out of the Laughing Lola paper and then clustered them with the Laughing Lola Assortment, Black Mini Medleys, Purple Glitter Gems, and Black Shimmer Trim.

So I balanced the angled lines with some mega clustering, and in the end, it was a happy balance for me!  

Thanks so much for stopping in on this fine Monday!  May it be one of your best yet!

Pin It

Christmas in July

It's pretty hot and humid here in Minnesota today, so it was a pleasure to pull out the new winter paper that will be released on August 1st.  I grabbed the Mojo Monday sketch, and did a little work with Frosted.  

If you read my blog, you will know by looking at it, that this WILL be one of my favorites!  I love the soft muted tones of the paper.  The color ready ribbon inked with cashmere was a really nice match.

I am also going to enter this into:

• The Paper Players (Christmas in July)
• Simply Create Too (Christmas in July)
• City Crafter (Photo Inspiration)

Pin It

Guest Designer at ABC Challenges....You Are My Anchor

I am so excited to be a guest designer at ABC Challenges for this challenge!  I was even more excited that the challenge is to create a masculine card.  That means if you need masculine ideas (and I think we all do), you should check out this challenge to get your juices flowing!

I grabbed the sketch over at Mojo Monday for this one.  I will officially say that this is my favorite paper in the Spring/Summer Idea Book (it only took me almost 6 months to decide that!).  It is bright, bold, and cheery, and it screams masculine.  We spend a lot of time on the lake in the summer, so this is perfect paper for scrapping those memories.  "You are my anchor" is from the Sail Away stamp set.  I cut the circles and banners using my Artiste cartridge.

Be sure to run over to ABC Challenges and play along!

Pin It

Wishing You Peace

It has been snowing here the last couple of days, so it's a good opportunity to sit in my craft room and create.  It looks like we've got about 9" of fresh snow so far, and it's still snowing.  I can't deny that it's awfully pretty!

It seems as though the Mojo Monday sketch always make me want to sit down and create something pretty.

I pulled out my creme brulee ink and realized that if CTMH ever discontinued this color I'd have to make a personal plea.  This shade of yellow really is so versatile and speaks to me in a way like no other color.  It matches almost every color, and it's just so plain beautiful!

There is no patterned paper on this card.  I've used Lovely Lily (B1401) and Universal Background (D1477) stamps to create the pattern.  The embellishments I've used are hemp baker's twine (Z1837), garden wooden shapes (Z1718), and pearl opaque gems (Z1336).

I'm also including this card in the following challenges:

• Dynamic Duos (color challenge)
• Heck of a Challenge (spring, butterflies, and pearls)
• Addicted to Stamps (bring on spring/flowers)
• Heart 2 Heart (Spring forward)

Pin It

Sun is Shining

I always like when it's circle or square week at Mojo Monday!  When I saw the sketch this week, I knew I wanted to make a circle card, and because I still had my Surf's Up paper sitting out, I had just the right stamp set in mind!

This is the April Stamp of the Month again (I can't help but give you sneak peeks!).  I cut the circle card and scalloped base with the Art Philosophy cartridge.  I cut the sun and cloud with the Artiste cartridge.  Really, this card was super easy to make.  It reminds me of the summer, and I like that about it!

Pin It

Merci Beaucoup

I am always in need of thank you cards, and this morning I put one together using the Mojo Monday sketch.  What could be prettier in someone's mailbox than the beautiful La Belle Vie paper and Jardin stamp set?

I used the Jardin stamp set in three areas on the card - although I think it's hard to tell with the beautifully patterned paper.  The background on the mauve square in the center, the bee and bow were all stamped.  I cut the bow out and covered it with Liquid Glass to make it stand out.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you are having a great day!

Pin It

Back in the Saddle Again

I've had a wonderful day of crafting today.  I got a two-page layout done that finished off my book for 2011.  Yes, I am a year behind...but actually I have several years to do before 2004.  2004 was when I started doing a yearly book.  I am not very good at keeping up with a year because I'm just not a chronological scrapper.  Once in a while a year gets finished, and that's what I did today.  After I was finished with that, I moved on to the Mojo Monday sketch, and this is what I came up with:

I so seldom use Dakota, so it was great fun to work with the colors in the paper packet - Slate, Pacifica, and Barn Red.  A few embellishments along with the paper, and this card was done!

I hope you are enjoying this time between Christmas and New Year's.  Be sure to take some time for yourself to re-charge!

Pin It

Christmas

I had a few more scraps of Mistletoe sitting out, so I thought I 'd keep making Christmas cards today.

I love this paper, and I think I only have enough for one more Mistletoe card.  Guess I'll have to play with it in Studio J!  I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday, and I kept pretty true to the design:

I hope you are having a great week!

Just Beecause

My second post for the day - that's a good day in my book!  

I saw the inspiration photo at Inspired By

and the sketch from Mojo Monday

and I knew exactly what I wanted to do! 

The floor in the Inspired By photo reminded me of bees, so I knew I had to pull out my Pun Fun stamp set.  I had some scraps left from the Spellbound WOTG - I love these black polka dots!!  I think they work wonderfully with cranberry and a touch of honey.

It was triple the challenge fun when I found one little piece of black embroidery floss to create the bow.  That  fits the challenge at Shopping Our Stash (Odds & Ends Waiting to Be Used).  It may be the time when we are needing to create Christmas cards, but I love this little bee!  It's also a pretty simple card that lets the paper and stamp speak for itself.

Speaking of Christmas cards, I haven't designed mine yet.  Yikes!  I'm not usually last minute, but this really crept on my quickly!!  I hope I am not the only one feeling like that!  Thanks for visiting today!

Gratitude

I was in the mood to just sit and play in my craft room this evening.  I love when I have the time to do that! So I grabbed my Flirty paper and got busy!

I sponged all the pieces of the card with bamboo ink.  Naturally when I have the time I make flowers. (Does that surprise you?)  For this card, I made a yo-yo and a rolled flower, and both were cut with the Cricut Artiste cartridge.  In order the match the color ready ribbon to the card base, I sponged it with goldrush ink.  (One of my favorite techniques!)  The sentiment is from a beautiful Thanksgiving set called Abundance.

I'll be entering this card into three challenges:

•  Mojo Monday sketch 
• {PIN}spirational inspiration photo
• Moxie Fab Hello/Thinking of You challenge

Our Thoughts

I spent the day yesterday at a 12-hour MS crop.  The organizers of this crop are just marvelous women - a mother and two daughters - and it was a perfect day!  I was able to spend time with old friends and new friends, and I even managed to get a couple of projects done!  I thought I would share them with during the next couple of days.

The first is a card that was inspired by the shaped card challenge at Creative Cutter Room and Mojo Monday's sketch.

As you can see, I chose the square option.  Well, kind of!  I used the bracket square card from the Art Philosophy cartridge.  (Don't forget, you can get the Art Philosophy collection FREE this month from Close To My Heart!  Read the details HERE!) In fact, the border and flowers were also cut with the cartridge.  I love that there are just so many things that can be done with this versatile cartridge!  I also used Pemberley paper, A Blossom stamp set, Wooden Garden Shapes, Crocheted Colonial White ribbon, and a round stud for the center of the flower.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fun Easter project!

Mojo Monday on Thursday

I am wondering if you think I haven't been creating much lately.  The truth is I have been creating at an overtime pace!  However, I have not been able to show you everything quite yet.  As the month progresses, you will see all of it, I promise!  Tonight I sat down to create with the Mojo Monday sketch.  It is either a round or square sketch:

I pulled out one of CTMH's clear cards.  I love these!  One package is round or square, and another package is standard cards  If you've ever wondered what the best adhesive is for clear cards, try Liquid Glass.  It has a very fine tip on the bottle, so you can put a tiny little bit on your paper, and it is hardly noticeable on the other side.  Other items used on this card are Dreamin; Level 2, Dark Chocolate Striped Grosgrain, Harvest Charms, Mocha Opaque Gems, and Treasure Life stamp set.

I hope you've been having a good week!

Mojo Monday and Some Fun News!

While I had my Wings paper out, I used it to make a card for the Mojo Monday challenge.

I love this paper and the warmth it gives to a card.  I added a matching butterfly stickease, May Arts organdy, Making Memories trinket pin, and a CTMH sentiment (retired set).

As you know, I design cards for Sassy Lil Card Sketches.  There are putting together an eBook, and I was selected to create a card for the book!  I am so excited!!  Keep reading because I will let you know the publication date and when it is ready for purchase!!  Now, how fun is that?!

Explore

I have been working a lot in my craft room the last few days, but most everything is for design teams, so I can't show you yet.  But I did see the sketch for Mojo Monday this week and wanted to play.

I combined it with the color challenge at Heart 2 Heart.

I love these colors together, so I had a great time making this card!  I had this pretty piece of Outdoor Denim ribbon that I have been hoarding saving for just the right card.  It is discontinued, so I had to make sure I used it well! LOL!!

CARDS blog has a challenge for accordian folded flowers, so I will also be submitting this card to their challenge!

Items used:  Passages Level 2; Live Inspired stamp set; Clear Sparkles; Outdoor Denim brads; Clear Button

Celebrate

I liked the sketch at Mojo Monday this week. I followed it quite closely as the simplicity of was just wonderful!

All items are CTMH, and I used paper, ribbon, chipboard and stamps from the You and Me kit.  Purchase the You & Me scrapbooking kit for only $15.00 (a retail value of $34.95), and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross Spring 2011 Floods and Tornadoes relief operations. You’ll win by getting the kit at a phenomenal price, and those in the weather-devastated regions will benefit from your charitable contribution.   This offer is valid through June 30th.

Congratulations

Hi again!  My second post for the evening, so be sure and scroll down whenever you visit me.  I am going to get a lot done at this retreat!
I am combining the sketch from Mojo Monday and Our Creative Corner's wedding theme challenge.

I used some Bo Bunny Gabrielle with a couple Imaginisce Roly Rosies to make this card.

The Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch added just the right touch to this delicate wedding card.  Other items used are CTMH Gracious Greetings stamp set; Really Reasonable Ribbon organdy; CTMH Mocha Opaque Gems; and CTMH Glitz Glitter Gel.  I have to tell you something about this Glitz Glitter Gel.  It is comparable to Stickles, so you might wonder the difference.  It is sooooo shiny (it's hard to tell in the picture), and it is already dry on my card.  I think the drying factor makes the biggest difference to me!  Back to work now (or I should say back to play)!!

Wednesday's Cards

There were quite a few card challenges I like this week. Wow, I can't believe the creativity of the card pattern designers! I do want to start by saying that all the sketches are at the bottom of the post.

The first one is a standard card I did for Card Patterns. I pulled out some All Fall paper and accessories from Fancy Pants. Such cute paper to use for back-to-school cards! All product used is Fancy Pants except for the rub-ons and waxy flax. They are from CTMH.

I decided to use some very different colors (at least for me) for the next card. I really stepped out of the box, and I am not sure I am comfortable with this card. But here it is made and posted! The challenge was from Inspirational Sketches, and we were to make a holiday card. I used Juniper and Tulip paper from the Perfect Day packet (CTMH). I've always been very traditional when it comes to Christmas colors and cards. I love rich reds and greens. I'm not much for the new bright colors of Christmas. However, I will never be able to say now that I didn't try something new! The stamps sets are Holiday Joy and Life's Creation from CTMH.

Now we've got some All Fall paper from Fancy Pants again. The circle chipboard is from Soft Spoken. I thought this was a very inspirational card for the CPS challenge!

Finally, my last card is for Mojo Monday. I took some creative liberties with the sketch, but I really want to fit everything in a way I liked it. I love this stamp set - Life's Creation from CTMH. The dp is from the Perfect Day packet, and the ribbon is from my stash.

You Hold the Key To My Heart

This is a great color combination in this paper packet. It is the Key To My Heart packet along with the matching stamp set. This is the pattern from Mojo Monday. I've chosen to make a 5x7 card with sanded Tulip cardstock. The piece of Creme Brulee to layer that is stamped with the images from the Key To My Heart stamp set. I've used Circle Window Charms, Sparkles, and a variety of designer ribbon to complete the card.

I don't think I'll get tired of these colors. They are so warm and pretty. I seem to pull this stamp set out often.

Mojo Monday Sketch #91

You'll take a look at my card and think it looks nothing like the sketch! But tilt your head to the left, and you'll see the sketch in this card!

For this card I pulled out some very favorite paper of mine. It's called Serendipity, and it was a Heart of Winter special two years ago. I am very fond of the rich blue and chocolate in this paper, but more so that there is a matching stamp set! That matching stamp set is what I used to create the different flower petals. I stamped them in Outdoor Denim. The chocolate bracket was a die-cut in the packet, but there is a dotted bracket stamp in the Serendipity stamp set. So I thought it was fun to continue the dots! The phrase is from the new TLC stamp set. So small and perfect for this 3-1/2 x 6 card. All materials on this card are from CTMH.