Sweet 16

Oh, Sweet 16! I remember turning 16. We all wore Gunnie Sax dresses to my party, sang Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Light at the top of our lungs, and danced to the BeeGees. My friends carried out the ritual of cutting off a lock of my hair, putting it into a brandy snifter with 16 pennies plus other memorabilia, and sealing the glass with wax. Anyway, back to the post. I have a Sweet 16 card to share with you today. This card was pretty simple to make... once I finalized the design. You would never know that from the pile of scraps left over from the numerous false starts I had. I think I spent more time on the cards that wound up in the trash than I did on this one. LOL! So, here is my card:

I started by stamping the swiss dot pattern onto my Stampin' Up! card stock with Versamark ink and heat embossing it. I added the patterned paper and covered the seem with my ribbon. Next, I arranged my alphabet stamps to spell out "Sweet." Again, I stamped using Versamark ink and embossed it. I ran that piece through my Cuttlebug using a Nestabilities die to cut and emboss the oval. I also cut the scalloped oval using my Nestabilities. Finally, I added the oval layers to my card using dimensional foam squares. Adding the bling probably took as long as it did to make the card but I think it was worth it. After all, it's not everyday you celebrate being Sweet 16.

As I was finishing this post, Melissa took one look at the card and said, "Mom, you scraplifted yourself." Check out this post: http://eterno-lyyours.blogspot.com/2008/11/all-she-wants-to-do-is-dance.html. I guess I did!

Ingredients: Stampin' Up! card stock; KI Memories Pop Culture patterned paper; Technique Tuesday (Swiss Dot) and Heidi Swapp (alphabet) stamps; K&Company Wedding stickers; Versamark ink; Stamp 'n Stuff Detail White embossing powder; Dashes, Dots & Checks ribbon; Michael's rhinestones; Nestabilities; and Cuttlebug.

All She Wants To Do Is Dance

I've been scrapping up a storm lately but more scrapping time has meant less blogging time. Sorry. Anyway, I did this layout a few weeks ago. I usually have trouble editing my pictures for scrapping. As a result, I mostly do two-page layouts with lots of photos. Melissa's dance pictures gave me the opportunity to do a one-page layout with just two pictures which is totally out of my comfort zone but I'm really happy with the result. I've also been trying to justify many of my recent purchases by actually using my stash. LOL! So this layout includes stamping, heat embossing, use of a border punch, ribbon, flowers and a brad! Here it is:

I loved this laser die cut but I wanted to personalize it so I used my Technique Tuesday Swiss Dots stamp and heat embossed it to match the embossed cardstock. I then added the Making Memories tiny alphas to make the die cut part of my title.

Ingredients: Bo Bunny Homespun Collection Pink Punch KI Memories Pop Culture and Bazzill papers; EZ Laserdesigns die cut; Fiskars Threading Water Punch; Technique Tuesday Swiss Dots stamp; Making Memories tiny alphas; Ranger Black embossing powder; Trademark ribbons; flowers and brad from QVC.

2 Nights in August

I just had to do a layout commemorating my two days on the concert circuit! My original inspiration for this project was the guitar paper from DCWV Rock Star. As, I worked on the project, I found myself using less and less of this paper until the final layout where only one guitar appears. I'm not sure how inspiring that paper was after all. LOL. ANyway, here's my layout:

The biggest challenge of this layout was getting all of the pictures to fit in a rectangular grid. Also, I know it's only a picture, but I felt guilty cutting that photo of Sting in half!

The title you see here is actually my third attempt. First I used stickers and didn't like the outcome. Then I used the mix of stamps you see here but it was stamped in grey ink which looked very dull and flat. Then a read about a VersaMark pen. (Yes, I have a new favorite tool!) I went over each letter with the Versa Mark pen (much easier than restamping the title) and embossed the letters with silver embossing powder. The metallic letters added just the right amount of glitz to this layout.



Journaling reads: Two concerts in two nights! Melissa and I sat seven rows from the back at American Idol. Sal and I sat seven rows from the stage at The Police!

Ingredients: DCWV Cardstock; Basic Greay Pattern Paper; Autumn Leaves Scribbles Alphabet, Stampin UP Small Alphabet stamps; Imaginisce Positively Pewter Brads; VersaMark Pen; Stamp N Stuff Sterling Silver embossing powder.

Feeling hot! Hot! Hot!

I finally got a heat embossing tool and immediately had to make a card with it. I'm a little behind on my cardmaking (you know, the ol' shoemaker's children have no shoes syndrome!) so I decided it was time I made a graduation card for my friend's daughter. I used her school colors and heat embossed the initial of her alma mater. The design is from this week's Card Positioning Systems challenge (http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/2008/07/cps-74-brought-to-you-by-just-rite.html). Here it is:

Here's a close-up:

I just loved watching the the dustlike embossing powder turn all slick and shiney. I wish I could do that to the dust that is gathering on my furniture! Anyway, I think I'm going to be playing with this alot in the coming days!!

Ingredients: Valuepack cardstock; K&Company patterned paper; SU! Small Alphabet; SU! Headline Alphabet; SU! Real Red ink; Versamark Watermark stamp pad; Stamp 'N Stuff Clear embossing powder; eyelets from EyeLet OutLet; Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder; Dashes Dots & Checks ribbon.