Happy 50th To Tony

I have a guy friend who lives in Austin, whose 50th birthday is tomorrow. Hopefully he won't pop on here and see this before he gets the card. We met not long after my divorce and became fast friends. He comes down to San Antonio every couple of months and we wander through antique shops here in SA, or go on day trips Boerne or Fredricksburg for the antiquing and wine tastings there. Tony was the first person I had ever heard describe himself as a "metrosexual". Didn't want to appear dumb so waited until I got home and googled that. Yep...was like Tony was posing for that description. :) Hence the birth of this card...the image and sentiment for the trips through the wineries. Used burgundy CS base, as it has a story of its own. We were in an antique shop in Boerne and I saw this beautiful burgundy leather chair. As I sat down in it, Tony said "I have a pair of shoes that would match that perfectly". Before I burst into peels of laughter, I know I gave him that - you did NOT just say that - look. :) SU! crackle background, torn and distressed, edge-inked. Inkadinkado image colored with Prismas/baby oil, cut out and embossed with curved rectangle Nesties then attached on foam tape after inking the edge. Crafty Secrets sentiments embossed with silver and copper EP that I mixed together before sprinkling it on. Can't tell in the pic, but has a really pretty patina look to it. One cut out with Spellbinders Label, inked, brads added, and attached on double layers of foam tape. Second sentiment directly on CS base.

Stamps: Inkadinkado Wine & Cheese, Crafty Secrets Wine Lovers.
Paper: The Paper Studio, manila folder.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels & Curved Rectangles, copper and silver EP, brads, foam tape, metal ruler for distressing.

Happy Birthday to My Shelbie Delaine!!

Delayed this post to 12/16 so my daughter would not see it until she got home to get the card (she checks out my blog from school - ~grin~).
Today is my daughter's 18th birthday. She won't be coming home from college until tomorrow, but thankfully will be with some friends from here at home who are also attending Norwich, and they are taking her out for dinner this evening. Here is the card I made for her. I used stamp glue on the Flourishes Damask background and sprinkled it with lavender glitter. The flower is from Rubbernecker. Inked it up with lavender and then "tipped" it Sapphire Silk. Green and Stucco on the leaves. Then inked the edges and sponged over the image. Then did the cracked glass technique with UTEE. Attached it to the background. Used the Spellbinders ribbon tag for the sentiment which is a rub-on, threaded gold ribbon through it. Added the gold Dew Drop at the top. The mushy stuff is inside. :)

Stamps: Rubbernecker Flora and Flairs, Flourishes Damask.
Paper: The Paper Studio.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Spellbinders, UTEE, ribbon, Dew Drop, glitter, stamp glue, Making Memories rub on.

Happy Birthday Alicia

A little side-step from Christmas stuff. Today is my niece's birthday and these are a couple cards I made. She's 19 today, but she loves Anime , pinks/purples, and fairies, so that's why these cards. This first one is going to be for my daughter to give her. They are best buddies and have been since they were itty bitty. Both actually love Anime, I even took them and my son to an Anime convention in Dallas five years ago and they had such a great time. This image reminded me of the girls, so I had to have this set. I stamped it with Stazon, colored with Prismacolors. I cut it out with a square Nesties, inked the edges. Then scalloped Nesties used for the matt. The background paper and the matt are from Black Market. Stamped the sentiment directly onto the DP, added flower rhinestones. Used some new Milled Lavender Stickles on the scallops. Since my daughter is in college in Vermont, I her to write a message, sign it, scan it and e-mail it to me. I then printed it out and put it inside the card. That way it was actually her writing and not just something I printed.

Stamps: Best Friends fron Gina K., Stampendous Happy Messages.
Paper: The Paper Studio CS, Black Market Let it Bloom DP.
Ink: Stazon, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Nestabilities, Prismacolor pencils/baby oil, Stickles, rhinestones.

This is the card I'm giving her. Background and colored DP are Basic Grey Two Scoops. Inkadinkado fairy was stamped with Versamark and embossed with silver EP. Colored her with Prismacolors, then I did sparkly chalks all around the image with colors to pick up the background, and inked the edge. Once I attached her to the card, I stamped and embossed another fairy trail going across the papers. Added Icicle Stickles to some of the trail and it looks holographic when the card is moved, though can't see it in the pic. Sentiment is from MFT, inked edges. Added rhinestone flowers, and Icicle Stickles to two of the rounded corners.

Stamps: Inkadinkado Beautiful Fairies, MFT Time For Bubbly.
Paper: The Paper Studio, Basic Grey Two Scoops.
Ink: Versamark, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Silver EP, rhinestones, corner rounder, Stickles.

Pretty Simple Notecards For a Wonderful Teacher

On day 4 of Sharon's Celebration party Deb Saaranen issued a challenge to create a simple gift of packaged note cards for a teacher or acquaintence. I made this set for the lady who was my first teacher many years ago when I started Montessori School. We have kept in touch all this time. In fact, she sent me an e-mail the other day with her "reveal" of my first day of school - in September of 1968! Ack! : ) I used burgundy CS for the base card again, rounded the lower corners. The DP is from Anna Griffin. I used three different coordinating papers for the "ribbon", with different border punch on each. There are 8 cards, 2 with the green and 3 of the other two colors. Used JustRite Special Occasion font in one of the Damask borders. Cut those out with Spellbinders circle Nestabilities, then a mat from scalloped circle. Added tiny pearls above and below the letter. These cards went together very quickly. I also put the initial in smaller font on the return address part of the envelope - can see it there with the cards. The box was made from the burgundy CS. The top was covered to match the cards. I cut a strip of the yellow paper and on one end used the ribbon punch. Threaded the burgundy ribbon through that and attached the strip to the box top over the ribbon. It then wraps around the bottom of the box and ties on top. The medallion was made JustRite monogram stamper and border, spelling out her name, with tiny decorative stamp from Brayton font set, and then a tiny pearl. All layers were cut with Nesties. It is actually a little card, with that final shimmery scallop attached to a circle of CS cut on the fold so it opens and I have written a message to my teacher. :)

Stamps: JustRite Special Occasions font and border, Brayton set, Damask border (how about that product placement behind the box). hee hee.

Paper: Anna Griffin DP, Hot Off the Press DP, The Paper Studio CS.

Ink: Colorbox Queues.

Accessories: Ribbon, Spellbinders, ribbon, tiny pearls, border punches, envelopes.

A SSC Day 5 Sketch Challenge

To celebrate Sharon's Party a sketch challenge was hosted by Cathy Tidwell. Here's the sketch, and my card. Base is kraft CS. Bottom DP is Memory Box Winterberry, then DP from Sandy Lion. Peace dove from Flourishes embossed with gold EP, cut out with oval Nestabilities. The two flowers stacked on each other are from Michael's, with rhinestone added. Then the gold Dew Drops on the left. Another quickie card. I really like how this turned out.

Stamps: Flourishes Peace.
Paper: SU! Kraft stock, Sandy Lion DP, Memory Box Winterberry DP, The Paper Studio CS.
Ink: Versamark.
Accessories: Gold EP, Dew Drops, Nestabilities, die cut flowers, rhinestone.

A Mass of Christmas Cards

I did several of the challenges on Sharon's Stamp Simply Celebrates Party, so I have several posts today.

First up is Tammy Hershberger's mass card production challenge. I made 10 A2 size cards for this. Started by cutting out all the parts so it could go assembly line fashion. Burgundy card base. Cut and embossed smaller curved rectangle Nestabilities from manila folder (have boxes of these things from company I used to own), then burgundy rectangle. It was perfect width but too long, so cut it in half nad overlapped to the size I wanted. The seam is covered with the ribbon. The background DP is actually some pretty Christmas wrapping paper I got at Hobby Lobby for $2, and it's a huge roll. So everything is cut out. Attached the DP to the card base. Stamped SU! Scandinavian tree (LOVE this set!) with Versamark, embossed with gold EP, added a rhinestone in the big flower. Used the ribbon punch and threaded ribbon through the back and wrapped around the bungundy rectangle. Attached that stack to the card. Took about 65 minutes from the time I started cutting all the parts until I finished the last card.

Stamps: SU! Scandinavian Season.

Paper: The Paper Studio, wrapping paper, manila folder.

Ink: Versamark.

Accessories: Spellbinders, rhinestone, gold EP, ribbon.

Day 12 of 12 days of Christmas on PCP

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 12 drummers drumming. Since we already did a music theme, this one will be to add 12 embellishments to our project. As if that's difficult! hee hee! Here's the cardinal from Inkadinkado's Winter Birds set. It is stamped with red ink and embossed with a very light sprinkling of holographic EP. Then added iridescent glitter just to the tips of the wings and tail. Cut and embossed with oval Nestabilities. Cut the scalloped oval from shimmery paper. Attacked the birdie with 12 rhinestones, then layered all of the papers on Kraft CS. Background DP papers are Basic Grey Wassail. I lightly inked the edges of the base card and DP's. Sentiment from Flourished Christmas, embossed with copper EP. Ticket corner punched and attached with foam tape.

Stamps: Inkadinkado Winter Birds, Flourishes Flourished Christmas.
Paper: Basic Grey Wassail, SU! Kraft CS, The Paper Studio.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Copper EP, Nestabilities, rhinestones, corner punch, foam tape.

SK120608 on PCP

I've been wanting to break into these Crafty Secrets stamps, so when I saw the Saturday Sketch challenge on PCP I went for it. Clear embossed the snowflake circle from Verve, then embossed each letter in gold. Cut the circles out with Nestabilities. Green DP is Cosmo Cricket Wonderland, other gorgeous DP is from Sandy Lion. Stamped the sentiment in the lower right corner with gold EP. It barely shows up in this picture for some reason, blasted by the flash maybe, but IRL it looks great. It says "to the world". This was an easy peasy, put together in about 10 minutes kind of card.

Stamps: Crafty Secrets, Verve.
Paper: The Paper Studio CS, Cosmo Cricket, Sandy Lion.
Ink: Versamark.
Accessories: Clear and gold EP, Nestabilities.

Day 10 of 12 Days of Christmas on PCP

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me Ten Lords a Leaping. For today's challenge could make something with a boy; thought of this Whiff of Joy stamp - Lying Matthew. He actually comes with that same sentiment, but this one here is not "his". Couldn't find it though, so used this one from Verve. Kraft CS base paper, My Mind's Eye DP on top of that. Matthew was stamped with Stazon onto a scrap of manila folder, colored with Prismas/baby oil, and cut out/embossed with long rectangle Nestabilities. The shimmery blue mat was also cut with the long rectangles. Attached the SU! label after doing the sentiment, and mounted it to the card. Rounded the lower corners of the card, inked the edges.

Stamps: Whiff of Joy, Verve.
Paper: Kraft CS, My Mind's Eye, Hot Off the Press, manila folder.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: SU! curved tag, corner rounder.

PCP 12 Days of Christmas / Whiff of Joy #11

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Nine Ladies Dancing...We can use another girl for the 12 Days of Christmas Challenge on Papercraft Planet. Since I was pressed for time I decided to combine this challenge with the Whiff of Joy Challenge #11 as well. Heather has provided another great sketch for this week's WOJ challenge. The image is Melinda Blowing Kisses, but I have her blowing glittered snowflakes instead of her little hearts. I colored her with Prismacolors and cut her out, put Stickles on her wings and on the flowers on her jeans. All DP is from Cosmo Cricket Wonderland. Circles were cut with Nestabilities and Melinda was mounted on them. Ribbon is from Michael's dollar bin and flowers stacked from Michael's bridal section, with rhinestone added to center. Sentiment was from Verve, cut out and corners rounded, attached on dimensionals. Three little Dew Drops on the bottom.

Stamps: Whiff of Joy - Melinda Blowing Kisses, Verve Winter Wonder.
Paper: The Paper Studio, Cosmo Cricket Wonderland.
Ink: Stazon, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Ribbon, Nestabilities, corner rounder, Dew Drops, rhinestones, die cut flowers, glitter.

Day 8 of 12 Days of Christmas on PCP

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Eight Maids a Milking...Obviously we could use a girl or a cow (or both) for Papercraft Planet's 12 Days of Christmas challenge. I inked up pretty girl "Crystal" from Rubbernecker; she's been in my stash for a couple months now. Colored her with Prismacolors blended with baby oil. I cut her out and embossed with long rectangle Nestie matted on scalloped long rectangle. Here's where the bling almost got out of control. :) I used Tiara Stickles for the tiny beads on the chain and between the stars. Frosted Lace Stickles was used for the white part of her hat, and also for the lower part of her skirt. Like how you can still see the coloring through the glitter. Burgundy Stickles for her sandle straps. I put a pink rhinestone in the center of the upper star then covered that with Icicle Stickles. Over the lower star I attached the star-shaped rhinestone that fit perfectly over the stamped star. The base DP is from Cosmo Cricket Wonderland, and the snowflake was cut from the same paper pad. I glued chunky glitter to the flake and attached it to the background, then the image over that. Finally, added the gold Dew Drops. Any more glitter/Stickles and it might have been illegal. :)

Stamps: Rubbernecker "Crystal".
Paper: SU! Kraft CS; Cosmo Cricket CS.
Ink: Stazon.
Accessories: Lots of Stickles, glitter, rhinestones, Spellbinders, Cuttlebug, Dew Drops.

Day 5 of 12 Days of Christmas on PCP

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...five golden rings. Something round or with circles/rings is the theme for the Papercraft Planet 12 Days of Christmas Challenge.

I love gold and silver ornaments, so made this ornament card. Cut it out of shimmery silver CS with the largest circle Nestie. The "cap" was cut from SU! curved tab punch. I stamped a Verve filigree on it with Versamark and embossed with gold EP and attached the tab to the card then punched the hole. The main image was a stamp by Martha Stewart, also embossed with gold EP and overlapping a bit onto the cap. Finally, stamped and embossed the Flourishes sentiment in the center. Added tiny rhinestones below the sentiment and also around the edge of the cap.

Stamps: Verve Floral Filigree, Flourishes Flourished Christmas, Martha Stewart stamp.

Paper: The Paper Studio.

Ink: Versamark.

Accessories: Circle Nestabilities, SU! Curved Tab punch, rhinestones, embossing powder.

Day 4 of 12 Days of Christmas on PCP

On the fourth day of Christmas...four calling birds. Today's PCP 12 Days of Christmas challenge we can use birds or something showing communication. Don't have any phone images, so simply chose the Hello sentiment to go along with my four ladies, all from Crafty Secrets. Pretty simple one this time. I stamped the ladies on little squares cut and embossed with Nestabilities, inked the edges with silver and then ruby ink. Did the same inking on the sentiment tag, which is a Spellbinders ribbon tag. Ran the ribbon through it and put rhinestones on the ends. Also added a rhinestone to the center of the ladies, and then framed them with outline stickers. Cut the corners then inked the straight edges with silver.

Stamps: Crafty Secrets.
Paper: The Paper Studio.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Spellbinders, ribbon, rhinestones, outline stickers.

Day 3 of 12 Days of Christmas on PCP

On the third day of Christmas (you're seeing a pattern here, aren't you?) my true love gave to me three French hens. Papercraft Planet's 12 Days Contests continue with today's project featuring a rooster, hen or owl. Don't have a rooster or hen, so here we go...
Base card is forest green DP. Wrapped the ribbon around Basic Grey Wassail DP and attached it to the base. Stamped the owl with Versamark then embossed with Red Dragon EP; it's a deep red with lots of gold glitter. Cut out and embossed the image and a mat with Lg and Sm Labels dies, inked around the owl using a cotton circle. Layered glittered Spellbinders and Cuttlebug snowflakes, topped with a rhinestone. The sentiment was cut and embossed with a Spellbinders Label Tag, then added some rhinestones on it for more bling.

Stamps: Inkadinkado Birds Galore, My Sentiments Exactly.
Paper: Basic Grey Wassail, The Paper Studio.
Ink: Versamark, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders dies, ribbon, glitter, rhinestones, EP powder.

SK112908 on PCP

Today's Papercraft Planet Saturday Sketch Challenge is another fun one. Background DP is from Memory Box Winterberry pad. I embossed acetate with the Winter House CB folder then cut it out with a circle Nestabilities. I put some Diamond Glaze around the edge and rolled it in chunky glitter, also glittered the snowy part in front of the houses. I attached that to the shimmery blue DP I cut with Labels One, attached that stack to the background. Used MS branch punch (have had it for weeks and ignored it, now can't get enough of it) on some scraps of vellum, inked and blotted them. The snowflakes are from my ever trusty CB die, covered with chunky glitter and a little rhinestone in the center and then attached on top of the branches. The sentiment is Stampin Up! Wonderful Words II. Looks like snow on the houses and smoke coming from the chimneys, but that is how the acetate embossed. Cool, huh? :)

Stamps: Stampin Up! Wonderful Words II.
Paper: Memory Box Winterberry, The Paper Studio CS, vellum.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Cuttlebug folder and die, Nestabilities, MS branch punch, rhinestone, glitter, Diamond Glaze.

Day 2 of 12 Days of Christmas on PCP

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves, or a turtle, or...a reptile (?) hee hee! Alrighty then, any of the above apply to this one on Papercraft Planet's 12 Days contests.
I chose this dove from Penny Black. Stamped it on Kraft CS with Versamark then embossed with copper EP and cut it out. The sentiment is done the same way, from Flourishes Peace set, then rounded the corners. For the background I picked this purdy plum colored paper from Hot Off the Press. I stamped the SU! French Flair background with a glue pad, then sprinkled MS Rose Quartz glitter across the glue and let it dry. Brushed it off and oh my is it pretty! I attached the dove and the sentiment up on dimensionals, then attached the little jewelry charm just beneath the sentiment.

Stamps: Penny Black dove, Flourishes Peace sentiment, SU! French Flair.
Paper: Hot Off the Press DP, Kraft CS.
Ink: Versamark.
Accessories: Copper EP, glue pad, glitter, charm, dimensionals.

Day 1 of 12 days of Christmas on PCP

I got home from spending Thanksgiving at my brother's and saw Papercraft Planet is doing some 12 Days of Christmas fun stuff. Today's card should have a bird, a tree, or both. I had this Inkadinkado bird already stamped with burnt copper and silver ink, and embossed with iridescent powder. It's pretty and sparkly, but that got blasted out with the flash. I cut it out with the Labels One, embossed and then chalked a bit aroud the border. Added a few tiny rhinestones to it. I wrapped the ribbon around the DP from Basic Grey Wassail pad and attached to kraft CS. Then attached the main image. Added some branches cut from MS punch after inking those with green, and a snowflake from CB die that I attacked with chunky glitter. The sentiment is from Flourishes Peace set, cut/embossed with Spellbinders Label, and attached with dimensionals.

Stamps: Inkadinkado Winter Birds, Flourishes Peace.
Paper: Basic Grey Wassail, The Paper Studio CS.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels One and Label, MS branch punch, CB snowflake die, iridescent embossing powder, dimensionals, ribbon, rhinestones.

Pop-up Gift Card - TLC196

I was browsing on Lynn's blog and saw this TLC challenge to make a pop up gift card and decided to play along. A few swishes with the paper cutter, swipes with the Scor-Pal, add some embellies and you have a great gift card holder! Kept this pretty simple but I like how it turned out. I used Cosmo Cricket paper. It's double-sided, so I just flipped it over and mounted the card to the other side for my base. Even I couldn't mess this up. :) Cut out the Kraft CS with circle Nesties, and scallop for the burgundy. Embossed the circles for the front. The burgundy flowers came in a little paint can from Michael's bridal department. Stacked two together, and if you close one eye and turn your head to the side they kinda look like poinsettias. Okay, maybe you have to have a lot of coffee to make that work also. (You tried it didn't you? hee hee!) Added another pseudo-poinsettia to the inside, Stickled the center of all three. I used this sentiment from Flourishes because this is for a Starbucks gift card. Will come up with something clever to write on the circle inside.

Stamps: Flourishes - Coffee With Friends.

Paper: Cosmo Cricket, The Paper Studio.

Ink: Colorbox Queues.

Accessories: Flowers from Michael's, Nestabilities, Stickles.

Seeing Spots

Polka dots actually. That's the theme for this week's House Mouse Challenge. I had dotted paper laying out all over the place and finally decided on this one with the pastel dots and designed the rest of the card around that. Punched the border of the polka dots and attached it to the base. Ran the lavender CS through Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. The image was colored with my Prismacolors/baby oil for blending, cut out and embossed with oval Nestabilities, chalked while still in the die. Then cut pink mat and the tiny oval for the sentiment, which is from Verve. A really simple card, nice and flat for easy mailing.

Stamps: House Mouse "Sweet Kiss", Verve Artful Elegance.
Paper: The Paper Studio, My Mind's Eye.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders, MS border punch, chalks, Prismacolor pencils/baby oil.

Triple Delight

Got lots accomplished last night. Shelbie's plane was delayed out of Burlington, VT - twice; thought she would miss her connection at JFK but that one was delayed as well. So I worked on cards throughout the evening while continuing to check on her flight status. Finally her flight into Austin was due to arrive at 1:46 this morning instead of 11:30 last night. So left here at midnight with my niece and Shelbie's boyfriend (my son wanted to sleep) to pick her up at the Austin airport. Cheaper by hundreds, even with gas, to fly her into Austin rather than straight into San Antonio. Crazy. The three of us almost tackled her; I think we were all crying, and we sure were getting stared at. : )
So here is some of what I got accomplished last night. More still in stages all over my desk. :) For all three of these cards I used paper from Cosmo Cricket's Wonderland pack. Gorgeous stuff.

I love WOJ images; this one just arrived last week so inked her up for Heather's sketch for Whiff of Joy Challenge #9. I colored Lizzie with Prismacolor pencils and baby oil, inked around her a bit and added some corners behind her. Layered all the Cosmo Cricket papers and the ribbon onto green CS base. Used gold vellum for the snowflakes. Sentiment is from Verve.

Stamps: Whiff of Joy Lizzie With Muff, Verve Winter Wonder.
Paper: The Paper Studio CS and vellum, Cosmo Cricket.
Ink: Stazon, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Prismacolor pencils/baby oil, ribbon, Cuttlebug.

For Sharon's SSNOTIME62 challenge this week, got to do something I haven't tried yet, writing on ribbon. I had this pretty wide satin ribbon in my stash so ran it through my printer. It's a little fuzzy, but I'll take it because I wanted the sentiment vertical. Cosmo Cricut DP attached to manilla folder, both punched with MS border punch. Also stamped the Inkadinkado angel on a piece of manila folder with Versamark and embossed in gold EP. Cut out and embossed with the Curved Rectangle Nestie, inked the edges. Added some gold vellum CB snowflakes. Finally, added some rhinestones on the flakes and on the angel.

Stamps: Inkadinkado Christmas Silhouettes.
Paper: Manilla folder, Cosmo Cricket, vellum.
Ink: Versamark, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Ribbon, computer, embossing powder, Cuttlebug, Spellbinders, MS border punch, rhinestones.

I have been wanting to use this owl image from Inkadinkado, and thought it was perfect for Papercraft Planet's Saturday Sketch Challenge. I flipped the sketch on its side. The DP is attached to a cream CS, then ribbon from Michael's over the seam. I stamped the owl with Versamark and embossed with copper EP. Cut out and embossed with the oval Nestie, then scalloped one. Inked around the image while still in the die. The sentiment and cute little snowflakes are from Verve. Attached image and sentiment on dimensionals.

Stamp: Inkadinkado Winter Birds, Verve Winter Wonder
Paper: The Paper Studio, Cosmo Cricket.
Ink: Versamark, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Nestabilities, ribbon, embossing powder, dimensionals.