ABC Coaster Book

A friend of mine adopted a little girl from Russia.

I made this ABC book for her.  Its the first time I've tried anything like this before, although I've seen  lot of people on line make little books for various things. 

The book itself is made from the cardboard coasters from PTI.  I punched the hole with my Crop-A-Dile, punching only a couple at a time.  I had a loose lead ring lying around from some past project and used the to secure all the pages together

Here a few of my most favorite pages:

I had most everything in my craft room pulled out at one time or another for this, trying to find stamps a little girls would like that fit with the ABC theme.  I used my Sizzix Shadow Alpha die set, PTI and SU! stamps (including the infamous Sock Monkey :)  ...

plus some hand created and hand drawn/traced images ...

 I did a lot of coloring with my Copics, but that was super fun

and even added some fun details like Crystal Effects on the TV and the rocket window to make it look like glass and give some texture to the page

Thanks for stopping by!

Moxie Fab: Tuesday Trigger

I was so inspired by this week's Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger that I wanted to recreate the image ... lucky for me I have stamps for that :)

The image just felt so fresh and springy I wanted to continue that theme.  I started with a soft stone card base and added a piece of crumb cake CS distressed with Fresh Snow ink.  I stamped the jar then masked and stamped various medallions from Giga Guidelines.  The butterflies are from Bliss, a Sale-a-Bration set from SU!

I love this sentiment from Fillable Frames #8 ... all the FF sets are so versatile, because hey, you can never have enough sentiments!

Thanks for stopping by!!

{Supplies}
Stamps: Fillable Frames #8, Giga Guidelines, Ribbon Tails, Friendship Jar [Papertrey Ink];
            Bliss [Stampin' up!]

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Tempting Turquoise [Stampin' up!];
      Fresh Snow, Orange Zest [Papertrey Ink]

Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White [Stampin' Up!]
          Soft Stone [Papertrey Ink]

Other: Rhinestones [KaiserCraft];
          Jar and Lid die (for masking) [Papertrey Ink]
          Sticky Labels (for masking) [3M]

Make It Monday and CPS 211

I'm amazed that I actually had time (or energy) to make the Make It Monday challenge on the same day it was issued (I guess the exercise program is paying off in unexpected ways :)

I also used the layout from the CPS211 sketch challenge.  I wanted to make something simple but with a pop

For the center piece I cut a chipboard coaster down to 1.25" square.  I used the blending tips from Betsy's MIM video and colored it.  I used sponger daubers and Spring Rain, Aqua Mist, and Ocean Tides.

The pierced square in the center was made using an old SU! brass template

The sentiment and butterfly are from Round & Round.

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies - all PTI unless noted}
Stamps: Round & Round (2010 anniversary set)
Paper: Dark Chocolate; Crumb Cake, White [SU!]
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Spring Rain, Aqua Mist, Ocean Tides, Orange Zest
Other: Black rhinestones; brass template [SU!]

Blog Hop and Sunday Sketch

Today is the PTI March Blog Hop.  I combined this challenge of using embroidery floss in a fun and interesting way with this week's OWH Sunday Sketch and came up with this happy little card:

I created the scene by cutting out the Cloud #1 and #2 dies from a piece of spring rain CS and then attached it to a larger piece of white,  I used a piercing template to make the holes and embroidered using a dark brown floss to extend the tree branch.  I then stamped the sentiment in Dark Chocolate ink

For the focal layer I stamped the tree branch in Dark Chocolate and colored the leaves with a YG93 Copic Sketch marker.  I stamped the little birdie on  the branch and also a piece of scrap. After cutting out the scrap birdie I ran it through my 1" Xyron and then wrapped it with yellow embroidery floss.

I stamped the wing from Everyday Button Bits, outlined, cut out and then adhered with a foam dot.  I also drew in an eye using a black Sharpie.

Thanks for stopping by!

From Russia With Love

A very dear friend of mine returned home from Russia a week or so ago with her new daughter.  This has been a long time in the making and I couldn't be happier for them both.  After a bit of time to get settled some of us girls are getting together for a luncheon/baby shower so we can meet  this precious angel.

Here is one of the gifts I have in store :

Well the box anyway :)  This was also inspired by Debbie Olson's card from last week.  The box I whipped up myself ... I started with a 6" square piece of Sweet Blush card stock and stamped the Polka Dot Basics in Regal Rose ink.  I then scored at 2" on each side.  Snipped along score lines to make tabs and assembled using Scor-tape.

For the lid I used a 3 1/8" square piece of Regal Rose card stock and scored a half inch on each side.  Again, cut tabs and adhere with scor-tape

The belly band is a 12x1" piece of Sweet Blush card stock.  I stamped it with the gingham Bitty Background Block stamp and  scored every 2 1/8 ".  Trim the excess and assemble with Scor-tape (seeing a pattern here? )

The doily was punched using the Doily Details die and white card stock.  The flower was created using this dimensional flower tutorial from SplitcoastStampers.  The leaves were cut using the Leaf Prints die and then stamped in Garden Green (spines) and Wild Wasabi (solid leaf).  I also distressed the edges  little so they didn't look so uniform

I can't show you what's inside because I don't want to spoil the surprise ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

Make It Monday

Today has stunk like a lot of Monday's do, but its getting better as the evening wears on.  I watched "Across The Universe" (how can you be growly listening to the Beatles?) and I got to make a card for this challenge.  All in all Monday is looking better by the minute :)

Today's "Make It Monday" challenge was to use Copic markers on colored card stock (shout out to Jenn Ellefson for a great video)

Here is my card:

The other thing that made today better was I got a little box in the mail with new stamping stuffs!  I used Ribbon Tails and Modern Basics on this card as well.  The color scheme is Aqua Mist and Ocean Tides - two colors I love together!

I shaded the teacup using the Aqua Mist Copic Trio (BG11, BG13, BG18)

Thanks for stopping by!

So Happy Together (CPS 210)

OK, I admit it.  I grew up in the 70s .... I watched the Partridge Family, but I was not crushing on Keith Partridge.  I think I have a thing for drummers :)

When I saw the Happy Together set from SU! all I could think of was that show and that bus ... I loved that big color-blocked bus.  The CPS challenge this week gave me creative opportunity to re-live a little bit of that childhood memory

 Can ya dig it?

I just cut random scraps for the color block strip.  I actually did slice it up in 3 sections to match the sketch but since its black on black its hard to see unless you look really close.

I did check out the colors on-line for the birds, but not the bus. 

Enjoy this little trip down memory lane :)

Thanks for stopping by !

Debbie Olson CASE

This card by Debbie Olson absolutely blew me away this week .... she is nothing short of amazing!

Since I had most of the supplies on hand, I decided to try and CASe (Copy And Share) this card.  Here is my attempt:

 There's Debbie's original on the printout along with my scribblings.

 This was a little harder than I thought to make ... after all I was just copying, but I had to do some thinking about layout and composition all the same.  I think it turned out pretty nifty. 

I did have to make some adjustments.  I didn't have the Beautiful Blooms stamp set, but liked the look of the solid dot pattern.  I ended up using the polka dotted filling from Friendship Jar - pretty creative eh :)

The flowers were all die cut and layered.  Again I didn't have the floral stamp Debbie used (its a new one this month) so I substituted the solid small poppy image from Remember.  Again, I think it turned out pretty nice in the end


Thanks for stopping by!

Make It Monday On Thursday

This week's "Make It Monday" challenge was to try a new technique with impression plates.  I was kicking my self for not getting the polka dot one (it would have been da bomb) but the diamond patter worked just as well.

I took it up a notch and inked up the plate ... don't think I would try it again with this plate, but it turned out ok

I addition to scoring the edge where the impression plate ended (great tip from Erin Lincoln!) I also adhered a thin strip of card stock in between the score lines.  Hides the ink smear oops even better :)

TO get the circles I used a tag from the 2009 set and masked the center when I inked it up.  That gave me those nice double lines.  I masked off the sentiment before I stamped so there was a break in the circles.

Thanks for stopping by!

CPS 209

Getting back in the groove with weekly sketch challenges.  Hoping to get a bunch of things designed for an OWH card making party sometime next month ... I think I need to be more proactive to schedule these things.  Deadlines are deadlines after all :)

So here is my take on this week's CPS sketch

I've seen a few designers  (and one company) do a lot with little envelopes on card fronts.  Reminded me that I had this great scalloped envie die from SU!.  It was one of the first dies I bought way back when SU! first started carrying Sizzix stuff.  I can't believe I had forgotten about it!

To get a little crafty I actually cut it twice, once with Crumb Cake card stock and once with Friends til The End patterned paper.  I trimmed the patterned one down using the scalloped edge as a guide and made an envie liner.  The little card inside is cut to size.  I stamped the sentiment the used a black fine tipped Sharpie to draw int eh line to make it look like stationery and tied the whole thing up with bakers twine

The flower is Beautiful Blooms die cut twice and then layered together.  I added a pearl to the center to cover up the gap in the last little petal.

Thanks for stopping by!!

{Supplies - SU! unless noted}
Stamps: HodgePodge Happiness; Backgrounsd Basics: Newsprint [PTI]
Paper: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Whisper White; Ripe Avocado, Firneds TIl The End patterned - avocado [PTI]
Ink: Basic Black
Other: Pearl (pretties kit), Scalloped Envelope die; Raspberry Fizz felt, Beautiful Blooms die, bakers twine [PTI]; Label Two die [Spellbinders]

OWH Sunday Sketch

Its time for another Stars and Stamps Sunday Sketch (say THAT three times fast :)

This one was to make the 9box pattern ... instead of using scraps I stamped a larger image and sliced it up.  I mounted it on black card stock  to give a mosaic look.

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies}
Stamps: Bliss, Fresh Cuts [SU!]; Background Basics: Text Style [PTI]
Paper: Perfect Plum, Basic Black, Whisper White [SU!]
Ink: Tuxedo Black [Tsukineko]; Perfect Plum [SU!]
Other: Sketch Markers YG11, YG13, V91, V95 [Copic]

A versatile card for all occassions ... seriously!

I made this one for an upcoming stamp camp.  One of my regulars requested a new baby card, but I knew most people wouldn't need one of those.  So I figured out how to make it more versatile

The sample for my class is a wedding one, but if you look closely you'll see that the center circle is punched out.  I'll be bringing a baby carriage, birthday cake and the champagne flutes.  The congats sentiment can be replaced with baby or birthday wishes ... see versatile :)

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies}
Stamps: Bitty Background Blocks, Mat Stack 4 [PTI]; Cheer To You [SU!]
Paper: Plum Pudding, True Black, White [PTI]
Ink: Pudding [PTI]; Basic Black [SU!]

A little birdie ...

I love the Little Bitty Birdie set.  I haven't bought the dies yet {gasp} but the bodies are fairly easy to cut out and paper piece so I'm just doing that for now

My last birdie card was  a blue bird of happiness, so I thought I'd make this one a canary ... bright and welcoming spring

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies - all PTI unless noted}
Stamps: Little Bitty Birdie
Ink: Early Espresso [SU!]
Paper: White, Itty Bitty Dots patterned
Other: Copic Sketch YG93

CPS

Been a busy bee this week.  My CPS card is for Mother's Day.  It may go to my mom or into the soldier box depending on how much I get done before the OWH Mother's Day deadline.

Not a lot of time today so not a lot of chatter ... :)

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies}
Stamps: Well Scripted [SU!]; In Bloom [PTI]
Ink: Ocean Tides, Vintage Cream [PTI]
Paper: Tea Leaves patterned, Ripe Avocado, Oceans Tides, Vintage Cream, vellum [PTI]
Other: Scalloped border punch [SU!]; Copic Sketch BG78

OWH Sunday Sketch

Todays card started with the Operation Write Home Sunday Sketch #59

I pretty much knew what I wanted to do when I saw this one ... a one sentiment (from PTI Make It Monday first challenge) and put a cupcake where the OWH logo was.  Now the logo doesn't really count as part of the sketch but I saw the mark there and thought "cupcake, yeah a cupcake should go there"  :)

I used several sets for the sentiment layer.    The first Make It Monday at PTI did this technique and I just love it for creating unique background layers

I also got to use my cupcake dies and stamps again ... LOVE them!!!  The manly color scheme is because its for my brother-in-law ... he's not so much into pink :)

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies}
Stamps: Cupcake Collection, Big & Bold Wishes, Mat Stack 1, Birthday Bash Sentiments, Polka Dot Basics [PTI]

Paper: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Marina Mist [SU!]
Ink:Early Espresso, Marin Mist, Soft Suede
Other: Cupcake dies

I'm Baa-aack

I have felt so uninspired lately.  I can't believe that I haven't posted (or even made a card) for almost a month. But I was at a women's conference yesterday and the cover a friend's journal really inspired me.  Then I got up this morning and the SFYTT just fit so well with what I had in mind anyway that I got busy creatin'

The center layer and the color scheme was inspired by my friends journal.

 For the butterfly I used a Provocraft die/embossing folder set I bought years ago at Sam's club.  I colored inside the embossing folder with a navy marker then embossed the butterfly to get the two-tone effect.

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies}
Stamps: French Script [SU!]; Turning a New leaf, Round & Round [PTI]
Ink: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso [SU!]; Fresh Snow [PTI]
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Marina Mist [SU!]
Other: Rhinestone [KaiserCraft]; Butterfly die/embossing [ProvoCraft], wide oval punch [SU!]; Sticky Labels for masking [3M]