I am Sending Warm Wishes

I have been having some fun making handmade flowers this weekend, so I put together a card using this one.  I used the sketch from Card Positioning Systems and the inspiration from Our Creative Corner.  It's taking me a while to download pictures here at the retreat, so please follow the links to get to the sketch and photo inspiration.  I've grabbed the circles and flowers from the inspiration photo.

I added Glitter Glitz Gel to the flower to give it some shine.  This is CTMH Caboodle paper, Sorbet ribbon, TLC stamp set, and a kraft colro-ready border.  The trinket pin is from LYB.  Hope you are having a great Sunday!!

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)!!

A Little Basket for You

I saw the instuctions for making this basket on Stamp TV, and I thought it was the cutest little thing! 

I think this would be a really fun way to hand deliver an Easter gift!  I make my own paper shreds from scraps that aren't really useful for anything else.  Perfect way to recycle paper and that way they always match the project.  All supllies for this project are from CTMH.  I cut the ovals using nestabilities, and I cut the dimensional butterfly using my Spring Slice design card.

I can actually enter this into quite a few challenges (yippee! - that's pretty good for me!):

• Totally Papercrafts - spring time
• Tellen's Place - Easter
• Frosted Designs - handmade embllishment
• Our Creative Corner - 3D Easter project
• Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - Easter

Snowflakes

Second post for today!  With this one, I think I'll show you the card before I get on to explaining the details:

I diecut my snowflakes for this card with my Slice FaLaLa card.  They are just so yummy when they are layered like that! 

This card was actually inspired by a several challenges:

1. Wee Memories - ribbon
2. Sentimental Sunday - winter themed card and a sentiment
3. Moxie Fab - Neutral Challenge for Color Inspiration Week
4. Our Creative Corner - Dressing Up this sketch

It has been a lovely Sunday - I hope you are having the same!  I slept late, my husband made brunch (and cleaned up!), did a little catching up on  blog reading, took a nap (yes, I've needed some sleep!), made some cards and projects (some I can show you now - some have to wait till reveal dates), and now I'm heading into the kitchen to make a blended coffee before I craft some more.  You just can't ask for a better Sunday than that!

Santa & Winter Wishes

I so wanted to use the image that Laurel provided for her blog candy challenge.  It's such a sweet vintage Santa, and I found it to work perfectly with kraft paper:

I used the sketch from CPS for the week, and this also fits the challenge for Frosted Designs - ribbon.  This is a much simpler card than I am used to making, and it was fun! The paper is Canvas Home Basics, the ribbon is May Arts, and the pewter brad is from CTMH's Mistletoe collection.

I used the sketch at Our Creative Corner for the next card. 

I made this card using two stamps - New Fallen Snow from CTMH and the Unity freebie from Paper Crafts magazine.  How generous were they to put a free stamp in the last issue?!  The paper is Midnight Frost from Bo Bunny, and the ribbon and gems are from my stash. This cards fits the Sentimental Sunday challenge - Let it Snow with a sentiment and Frosted Designs - ribbon.

Christmas Ornament

I wanted to make something for our tree this year rather than buy a new holiday ornament.  Now mind you, this won't guarantee that I won't stop at Starbuck's for this year's ornament!! 

The ornament I made is relatively easy, just a  little time consuming.  I was thinking that the materials would be a great thing to prep and then put together while watching your favorite tv show or movie.  Maybe a Christmas movie?  Anyway, I cut 2-1/2" strips of CTMH cranberry and colonial white ribbon.  I hot glued them onto a styrofoam ball.  I added a touch of Martha Stewart gold ribbon, and it was done! This week, Really Reasonable Ribbon is asking for a Christmas theme, and Our Creative Corner is wanting a 3-D Holiday project.  This works great for both of those!

Hello

I have been so focused on scrapbooking that I haven't made many cards lately.  I saw a sketch I liked on the OCC Sketch Blog and Our Creative Corner and thought I'd give it a whirl.

I used papers and rub-ons from Lily Bee Design.  Such bright and cheerful colors!  I have just recently discovered this yummy paper, and I can't wait to keep working with it!

Other items used:  May Arts ribbon; Martha Stewart daisies; Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder

Lots of Pink

At least a lot more pink than I am used to working with!  There is a challenge over at Play Date Cafe using some colors that I am not accustomed to working with.  I guess this week is all about true challenge for me!

I combined these colors with the sketch from OCC Sketch Blog:

Items used: Bo Bunny Petal Pushers; Petaloo Color Me Crazy flower; Unity stamps; May Arts ribbon, Stickles

I was truly inspired to do this other piece of artwork from a sketch I saw on Inspirational Sketches:

I love this sketch because it leaves the crafting world wide open!  I grabbed an Art Blanche clipboard from my stash and covered it with Bo Bunny Petal Pushers.  I built two flowers using paper, Bazzill flowers, Imaginisce flowers, and brads.  The chipboard phrases are Melody Ross, and the ribbon is May Arts.  Truly quick and easy!

Both of these pieces actually fulfill the challenge over Our Creative Corner, too - creations showing what summer means to you.  Summer is all about the flowers to me!

A Couple More Cards to Share

I have had a productive day so far today - yippee!!  This is my third post for the day, so scroll on down for more artwork.

The first card I am showing you is for the Heart 2 Heart challenge.  Here are the colors:

At first I wondered about ocean and topiary.  Those are just not "my colors."  But you know, CTMH makes beautiful white core paper, so sanding everything down gave me just the look and warmth I desired.  I used the Wishing Star stamp set to make the stars.  Because this is a man's card, it also fits the Our Creative Corner challenge.

My next card is for the OCC Sketch Blog:

I wish I could remember the company where this cloud paper came from.  A 6x6 piece has been sitting in my stash, and I finally used it.  The scallops are the backside of the cloud paper.  The flowers, stem, brad, and stamp are CTMH.

Now I'm off to work for the evening.  The best part of my job is that I get to go play some more!!

Purples & White

I saw a color challenge on The Play Date Cafe, and I couldn't wait to sit down with these colors!

This picture reminded me of my lilac shrubs.  It will be about a month when they are in bloom, and I spend a great deal of time out on that side of the lawn taking in all the fragrance.  I have all of these colors of lilacs the white being a Japanese lilac tree in the middle of the front yard.  When those big beautiful white flowers bloom, I smell them all over the house.  I'll be sure to share pictures this year!  Anyway, the card I came up with is a sketch from Just Add Ink and the idea of bows from Our Creative Corner.

Except for the white ribbon, all the product on this card is CTMH.  I random stamped the big flowers on white daisy cardstock.  I stamped them in petal ink and rolled them in pansy purple.  It gave a very nice color!  then I just used a paper towel and sponged petal ink between all of the flowers.

Okay, So I Have a Couple More Cards Today!

This is my fourth post for the day, so if you'd like to see some other cards with different technique, scroll on down.   This post is for several challenges - OWH Stars and Stamps, Papertake Weekly (x2), Bo Bunny, Our Creative Corner, and Play Date Cafe.

Now, first I'd better say this.  I really do other things during my days off besides creating!  I know I've shown you a lot today, and I've been blessed with the time to craft today.  With it being Easter weekend, I don't foresee much time to create this weekend, so I wanted to get my fill in today.  Got keep up that "paper therapy," you know!!

In this post, I am going to show you a sketch from OWH Stars and Stamps:

For the card, I've used:  CTMH Dutch Blue Textured CS (front and back), CTMH stamp sets Just Because and Picture Perfect, CTMH White Embossing Powder, and random ribbon.  This card will also go in the Papertake Weekly challenge to make a spring card, and Play Date's challenge to use different blues.

Next, I'll spring you another spring card (for Papertake Weekly and Bo Bunny) that I've created with Bo Bunny Abbey Road paper.  I used the Our Creative Corner Sketch for the week.  Along with the paper, I've used CTMH ribbon, gems, and pearls and Prima flowers.

Tomorrow is my birthday - 48!  Gosh, I am certainly reaching that 50 mark awfully quickly!  I am not certain where time goes, but I think it is absolutely true when they say that time goes faster as you get older.  Mind you - I am not "getting older" by any means!  I am firm believer that you're only as old as you feel.  Today when I was raking I felt my age (LOL!), but otherwise I am as chipper as a 28 year-old.  Glad to say I am much wiser than I was 20 years ago though!!  Jerry is taking the day off of work to help me celebrate tomorrow.  Macy's has a huge garden display on their 8th floor, so I am thinking I would like to go there.  Then, of course, we'll have dinner at Tryg's where Shane will be working.  Spending time with both my men is the best present I could ask for!!

OCC Sketch Blog & Our Creative Corner

I want to know if this has ever happened to you.  I woke up at 3:00 am this morning with a card design in my head, and I couldn't go back to sleep.  I ended up coming to my craft room and creating the card.  Well, if I'm tired by mid-afternoon, we'll all know why!!

The challenge over at Our Creative Corner was to think Easter.  I tend to send traditional cards for Easter, so I wanted my card to be something striking.  Have I ever told you that this is my favorite holiday?  I find huge comfort in my life every day knowing that Jesus is real and His resurrection was real.  This holiday is a precious reminder to me that I can live Easter every day of my life.

All products from this very simple card are CTMH.  Purple represents the royalty of Jesus.  White represents purity and life.

I also created another spring card using the sketch from OCC Sketch blog.  For this card, I used Cosmo Cricket paper and K&Company paper flowers.  I used a little glossy accents on my butterfly wings and top flower to add shine.

More Mama-Razzi

I had a little of the Mama-razzi paper (Bo Bunny) left, so I thought I'd use it up to create some cards. I can't tell you how much I love this paper. Gosh, it's the rich colors I love to work with, and it's oh, so very nice for any-gender cards. Lovely!

The first sketch is from Our Creative Corner:

Along with the Mama-razzi paper, I used Outdoor Denim ribbon and the Coffee Stain stamp set from CTMH. I used the photo corners punch from SU, and I created my scalloped border with my EK Success corner rounder.

Next, I played with Inspirational Card Sketches:

Lots of pivotal stampling in this card. The ribbon and buttons are CTMH, and the stamp is Hero Arts.

My third sketch today is from the OCC Sketch Blog:

I used my scalloped circles and regualr circles form Nestabilities. The brads, ribbon, and stamp are CTMH.

Finally, the sketch from OWH Stars and Stamps:

Such a simple card - love it! The title holder, rub-on, and ribbon are CTMH. This is perfect for a man's birthday.

Live Wonderful with Hugs and Laughs

This is my second post for the day, so scroll on down if you'd like to see some more artwork!

I have a few cards to share with you this afternoon. I've used different colors than what I normally create with, so I've had a lot of fun playing! All of these sketches had something in common. They are simple yet filled with loads of possibilities. LOVE that in a sketch!

Here is the sketch from OWH Stars and Stamps:

Items used: Best Creations glittered paper, Bo Bunny ribbon, and Hero Arts sentiment

The next sketch is from the OCC Sketch Blog:

Items used: Cosmo Cricket Early Bird paper, Mary Engelbreit gems & cherries, CTMH grosgrain, Slice Basics 1 design card

Finally, I have a sketch from Our Creative Corner:

Items used: Cosmo Cricket Joy Ride paper, Hero Arts cling stamp, CTMH brads, buttons, and hemp.

OCC - Clean & Simple Challenge

I was making cards today for Operation Write Home. Can you believe that I finished 47 cards for mailing tomorrow? I made 12 of the St. Patrick's Day cards, and they will fit perfectly into the clean & simple challenge for Our Creative Corner. So few supplies for this one - yet so cute! I love the holographic shamrock and shimmery paper. I used my Slice to cut "lucky."

I also made 35 Valetine's Day cards to send. Except for the pink ribbon and pink pearls all supplies are CTMH. I embossed the hearts with baby pink powder on petal paper.

My house is suffering so tomorrow I won't be in my craft room. Can you hear me frowning? I am so lucky not to have to clean very often, but it's time. Sassy and Chanel are already suffering from cabin fever, so if it's warm enough, I've got to get them outside for a length of time. Hope you all have a great Tuesday!!

Our Creative Corner

This is my fourth and last post of the day! Be sure to scroll down to see what I've been up to today!

The challenge over at Our Creative Corner is to celebrate food and drink in your artwork. I was so excited about this! I purchased Cosmo Cricket Early Bird collection awhile back, and I loved being able to use the elements for this card. I put square window charms over the stickers on the bottom, and I hung a "fresh milk" charm on the ribbon. Cute! Of all the cards I've finished today, this was Jerry's favorite!

When I am an Old Woman

I shall wear purple. What a beautiful color to use for a card! This wasn't my thought at all. Our Creative Corner was having a challenge to make a purple card based on the above quote. I love color challenges because so often I end up bringing out colors that I may not normally use.

For this card, I used Basic Grey paper form the Wisteria collection. Ooh, I can never turn down a piece of Basic Grey! The large flower is actually cut from a piece of Wisteria paper. I am so sorry you cannot see it, but I put Liquid Glass on that entire flower. The sentiment is from CTMH's Life's Creation set and the ribbon is from stash.

I am going to take a little creative time off for a bit. That's why you've seen so many posts the past couple of days. Be sure to scroll down! I've got a lot of scrapbooking to do, so I'm going to take some time to organize what I'd like to get done and then get myself in gear! In the meantime, here's something for you to think about:

When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple – Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me,

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick the flowers in other people’s gardens

And learn to spit. You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and a pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street.

And set a good example for the children.

We will have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old and start to wear purple.