Sending Birthday Wishes

Today's card was inspired by Maile Belles. She often does an offset design with clean and simple stamping so I decided to give it a try.  Here's my card:

The paper is from Basic Grey's Hipster line. When I saw this particular pattern, I thought that Papertrey Ink's  Happiness in Bloom set matched perfectly. Lucky for me, I had just purchased it!

This is a top-fold card.First I adhered a strip of patterned paper down the left side., Then I trimmed about an inch off of the side of the Soft Stone cardstock and began stamping. I used liquid glue to adhere the strip of TIm Holtz Core'dination cardstock. I then popped the entire panel on foam adhesives. Yes, I used a lot of dimensional adhesive on this card but the impact it adds made it worth it.

I am submitting this one to The Birthday Linky Challenge.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink (Soft Stone); Tim Holtz Core'dination (Shattered)
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey (Hipster)
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Happiness in Blooms)
Ink: Papertrey Ink

Simple Summer=One Layer Card

I was inspired to create a one layer card for the simple summer challenge on the Hero Arts blog. Since I had several thank you cards to make, I knew this was a good idea for mass production. I pulled out a really old v vintage stamp set that I bought at Scrapper's Playground many years ago. The sentiment came from another oldie but goody Hero Arts set. Add to that some kraft cardstock, VersaMark ink and white embossing powder and, well, it doesn't get much simpler than that.  Here's my card:

The stamped image at the top of the card is actually made from just two stamps. To make it easier to mass produce, I positioned them on my Fiskars stamp press.  I added the sentiment separately. This card would definitely qualify for a 10-minute dash!

Supplies
Cardstock: Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Hero Arts (CL386 Stencil Art; CL148 Happiness Messages)
Ink: VersaMark; American Crafts Zing embossing powder (white)
Tools: EK Success Corner Rounder; Fiskars stamp press

10-Minute Craft Dash #21 and Exciting News

I needed a quick card for my friend who was having a 4th of July BBQ so I decided to challenge myself with the 10-Minute Craft Dash. This weeks challenge was to make a card that features stars in under ten minutes. For those of you who don't know me in real life, let me just tell you that I am a slow crafter. Making a card in under ten minutes is way out of my comfort zone. But I managed to pull this one together in 9:52. It definitely helped to have a plan limited number of supplies out on the table ready to go. Just so happens that also works for Simon Says Stamp Patriotic challenge. Here's my card:

To create the focal image, I stamped the stars with VersaMark ink, added clear embossing powder and zapped them with my heat tool. To add the red and blue, I swiped the Tim Holtz distress inks on a craft mat. After spritzing each color with a little water, I painted it onto my image for a really simple resist technique. I stamped the sentiment with StazOn ink, added a few sequins and gems and took a deep breath!

Now for my news....I have been chosen to be a card designer for Scrapper's Playground, my local scrapbook store! I will be making two cards a month for them. I just submitted the first one and will let you know when it is posted.

Supplies
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink;
Stamps: Stampin' UP! (Simply Stars); Hero Arts (Celebrate Everyday -- sentiment);
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Barn Door; Salty Ocean); StazOn (Jet Black);
Misc.: Stamp 'n Stuff Embossing Powder (clear); Darico sequins; Recollection rhinestones   

Pomp and Circumstance

It's officially graduation week around here. Mark graduated high school on Sunday and his party is tomorrow. In between all of the preparations, I did manage to find time to make a card for him.  I just haven't photographed it yet. Therefore, today's post features a card I made for my niece who graduated college last month. Here's the card:

After cutting all of the cardstock, I stamped the background using Papertrey Ink's Background Basics: Inspiration stamp set. Although this set wasn't intended to be a graduation set, I knew it offered the perfect advice for any graduate. After marking off a spot for my banner, I stamped the caps. Next, I stamped my sentiment onto a banner that I had cut out using my Cricut. Since I wanted a thinner shadow than my machine would cut, I hand cut the yellow banner. Finally, I added a rhinestone to the top of each cap, adhered the layers and my card was done. Here's a closer look:

I will leave you with a picture of the tossing of the caps from Sunday's celebration. What a fun tradition! I still can't believe that I am the mother of a high-school graduate! 

Supplies:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink (white); Amercican Crafts (purple) Stampin' UP! (Crusched Curry)

Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Background Basics: Inspiration; For the Graduate);

Inks: Memento (Tuxedo Black); Stampin' Up! (Crushed Curry); Color Box (Rainbow Pallet

Misc.: Recollections rhinestones

Tools: Cricut

Hope Your Day Is Fabulous!

When I saw the reveal of  June's Simon Says Stamp card kit, I was drawn to all of the geometric patterned papers in Basic Grey's Hipster collection. I knew that they would be great for masculine cards. However, once I had the kit in hand, I was surprised at all of the feminine cards it inspired me to make. Maybe it's because the sweet flower prints reminded me of the Papertrey Ink Happiness in Bloom stamps. Or, maybe it's because the colors were a perfect match to PTI's Melon Berry and Berry Sorbet inks. In either case, I couldn't stop creating cards for the gals on my list with this so-called masculine kit. Here's a card I made for a friend:

To create the flower pot, I used Papertrey Ink's Mat Stack 3 die. I stamped the flower images on the top of the mat and then used the Hero Arts Envelope Pattern stamp on the bottom. I stamped the center flower again on PTI's coaster board which was cut with the matching die. The leaves were stamped on coasters and then fussy cut. I topped the flower pot with PTI's Boutique Borders: Birthday die and stamp.  Here's a closer look:

I always feel a little guilty about throwing away scraps so I usually save them ... and then forget about them. I am trying not to do that anymore. Lately, I find myself using scraps to decorate the inside of my cards and I like the finished look this extra detail gives.

So do you use your scraps right away? Save them for later? Or, throw them away?

Supplies:
Cardstock and Patterned Paper: Simon Says Stamp June Card Kit; Papertrey Ink (Soft Stone);
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Happiness in Bloom; Boutique Borders: Birthday; Stylish Sentiments:Birthday); Hero Arts (Envelope Pattern);
Inks: Papertrey Ink (Melon Berry; Berry Sorbet); Color Box (Chocolate); Stampin' Up! (Crumb Cake);
Tools: Papertrey Ink dies;
Misc.: Papertrey Ink coasters, embroidery floss

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mother's birthday. In honor of her birthday, I am sharing the card I made for her. Here it is: 

 When I saw the "Best Mom Ever" stamp in the May Simon Says Stamp kit, I knew I wanted to use it to make my own patterned paper. I added the heart and dot stamps to give the pattern a little interest. It's hard to tell from this picture but, I used clear embossing powder so in real life there is a nice shine. The flower and leaves were fussy cut and the center part of the flower is popped on a foam dimensional.  Here's a closer look.

This is just one of the ten cards I made this weekend and just one of the 20 cards I need to make by the end of the month.  I'll be back with another card later this week.

Supplies:
Cardstock, Patterned Paper: Simon Says Stamp June 2013 Card Kit;
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp (Best Mom Ever); Papertrey Ink (Boutique Borders Birthday, Happiness in Bloom;
Inks: Papertrey Ink (Melon Berry); Color Box (Chocolate); Stampin' Up (Gumball Green; Old Olive):
VersaMark; Stampin' Up pen(Chocolate Chip);
Tools: Martha Stewart border punch

Making Cards from Scraps

I am a little embarrassed to admit that there are times when I fail to clean off my scrap table dining-room table in between projects. Sometimes, this leads to a bigger mess to clean up. Other times it leads to inspiration. Today's card is an example of the latter.

After using this die to cut the Polaroid frames for the layout I showed in the last post, I was left with a lot of scraps. One of the negatives fell on top of a stamp set I had out and ... Voila! Here's the card :

To make the focal point image, I adhered four pieces of identical patterned paper scraps, one on top of the other. This adds dimension to the piece, much like chipboard. I then stamped the sentiment onto a square piece of kraft cardstock and used it to back the frame. After adhering the sentiment to the center of the card, I added some wood veneer chevrons with a dab of Glossy Accents.  Here's a closer look:

The card is a little more clean and simple than my usual style but I wanted to showcase the wood-grain paper. So, do you clean up after each project or only when there's no more room to create?

Supplies

Cardstock: Simon Says Stamp (wood grain); Bazzill (kraft);

Pattern Paper: Studio Calico Penn Station kit;

Stamps: Hero Arts;

Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black); Black Signo pen;

Embellishments: Studio Calico Wood Veneer.