Viva La Verve

This is a quick card I made using the Viva La Verve sketch, which can be found here. I love these little flowers from Verve, I think they are so fun to use! I got the dp at a local scrapbook store. I love the colors on it. When I came home and showed it to my husband he had just the reaction I knew that he would. He asked why I would buy paper that looks like it's old and dirty. I told him, "well, the name of it is 'dirty laundry.' "

Stamps: Verve Petals & Stems, So Happy
Ink: SU Rose Red, VersaMagic Pink Petunia
Cardstock: SU Rose Red
DP: Keeping Memories Alive Dirty Laundry
Accessories: Buttons

It's Friday!

My mom and dad came to visit us last week, and my mom and I love to sit and work on cards together. Whenever I show her something new, like my nestabilites, she and I talk about how there is always something new (or at least new to us) that would be fun to buy. Well, I got something new! I wasn't going to do it because coloring/shading/blending is not really my strong suit. But I bought 5 copic markers to try. I have a few stamps that I wanted a good skin color for and haven't been able to find a watercolor or anything else that I really liked. So I was looking on ebay and found a "skin color" copic and decided to give it a whirl. In the lady's store, she had a few other colors that I thought would be pretty, even if I'm not skilled at coloring/shading/blending. So now that I have a few, I will use them and see what happens. I figured at the very worst, I'll have some pretty colors to use to color with. This card uses the sketch found here.

Stamps: SU Bloomin' Beautiful, SU Upsy Daisy
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate, Copic R32, R35, R37, Bic Mark-its (for green and brown)
Cardstock: PTI Berry Sorbet, PTI Sweet Blush
DP: Scrapworks
Accessories: Glitter Glue, Cuttlebug, Stylized Flowers Embossing Folder

95 years old!

My husband's grandmother is turning 95 in March! One day a few years ago we were visiting her at her home and as we were leaving she gave my kids a huge stuffed animal. It's a soft, cuddly bear that my daughter calls "Grandma Mary's bear." She was only 3 at the time, and sometimes I can't believe that she remembers that day. Anyway, the family is having a party for her and this is the card I made for her. It's a case of a card on Split Coast Stampers. I'll put the link here. (If you're not a scs member, or not signed in, the link won't work. The stamp set is from Sale-A-Bration, so the link won't work for non-members yet. You can always sign up, though, it's free!) I am off to clean up my stamping space. I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Stamps: SU Botanical Blooms, River City Rubber Works sentiment
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate, PTI Ripe Avocado, SU Rose Red
Cardstock: PTI Lavendar Moon, PTI Ripe Avocado, PTI Vintage Cream
DP: Imaginisce Queen of the Crib (made me chuckle, since it's for a 95 year old woman)
Acessories: Martha Stewart Doily Lace Punch, Offray Ribbon, SU Blender Pen

B is for Button

The challenge at the Cuttlebug Spot this week is to use buttons on your card. I think that using buttons on cards is a lot of fun. The challenge for me evolved into something different: I've never tied anything on my buttons. I always just leave them plain. I think buttons look great just plain. But I decided to try something different and see how I liked it. I have some embroidery thread I decided to use and see how it turned out. I'm not quite sure what to think. So any feedback anyone has I would really appreciate.

Stamps: Inkadinkado Baby Boy (funny, huh)
Ink: VersaMAgic Pink Petunia
Cardstock: SU Old Olive, SU Regal Rose
DP: Imaginisce "Enchanted Garden"
Accessories: Buttons, Cuttlebug, Perfectly Paisley Embossing Folder

Clean and Simple Challenge

I love that at Split Coast Stampers they have added a weekly "Clean and Simple" Challenge. I like doing the clean and simple style, as well as cards with more layers and embellishments. So this is another weekly challenge I look forward to participating in. This week the challenge was to follow the clean and simple sketch, which you can find here. We have a lot of friends and family right now that are expecting babies, so I just keep working on baby cards. At this rate, I don't think I'll ever have too many!

Stamps: Inkadinkado Baby Boy (boat), Fiskars The Stork Has Arrived (sentiment)
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate, PTI Ripe Avocado
Cardstock: PTI Dark Chocolate, PTI Ripe Avacodo, PTI Spring Moss, PTI Spring Rain
DP: Me & My Big Ideas
Accessories: SU Spiral Punch, Fiskars Star Punch

52 sketches...52 weeks (week 7)

I have had a good scrapbooking week! This is my second sketch completed using 52 sketches...52 weeks. Granted, if I'd been doing one every week I'd have 7 done. But I'm catching up! This layout was really fun for me to follow.

Stamps: Inkadinkado Chelsea Alphabet
Paper: Die Cuts With a View
Cardstock: Bazzill White, PTI Spring Rain, SU Old Olive, SU Rose Red
Ink: SU Rose Red
Accessories: Martha Stewart Classic Butterfly Punch, American Crafts Brads

52 sketches...52 weeks (week 6)

Here is the page I completed using the sketch for week #6 at 52 sketches...52 weeks. I am determined to use these weekly sketches to get some more scrapbooking done. These pictures are from 2001! I have been staring at them on my desk for months now, trying to make a page I liked. Finally, when I saw this sketch, I knew that I could get this page done! I know I make it way harder than it should be, so it takes me way longer than it should. But I'm happy with how it turned out!

Stamps: Hero Arts Alphabet
Ink: PTI Dark Choclate
Paper: DCWV, PTI Dark Chocolate & Ripe Avocado, Provo Craft
Accessories: Buttons

New Sketch!

Browsing blog-land, I found a link to a blog where a card sketch is posted each Saturday. Here is a link to last Saturday's sketch. I haven't been feeling especially creative the last few days, and I know without a sketch to follow, I wouldn't have made a new card today. I got this stamp set from The Angel Company during their big sale in January. I hadn't had a chance to use it yet, and when I saw this sketch I thought the pregnant lady would look really cute as the main image. I couldn't find my favorite brown watercolor pencil anywhere (my kids have been playing in my craft desk too much lately), and I'm not very happy with how her hair turned out. But anybody that has that cute of a little pregnant belly can afford to not have perfect hair, I guess!

Stamps: The Angel Company How Swell
Cardstock: PTI Raspberry Fizz, random orange and green from stash
DP: Doodlebug Design, Inc. Birthday Girl Flower Garden
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate, Bic Mark-its, Derwent Watercolor pencils
Ribbon: PTI Raspberry Fizz
Extras: 1/2" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop Circle Punch

Blooming Mojo

Thank heavens for Mojo Monday. All day yesterday I kept trying to make different cards and nothing was working out. My husband was teasing me saying that it's because of my Algebra class. "Math and creativity are the total opposites. You can't be good at both at the same time," he said. I asked him if he was really trying to get me to drop my class this far into the semester. Then today I saw the Mojo Monday sketch. We had friends over early in the afternoon, and after they left my kids were pretty bummed, so they were being really mellow and I got a card done!!! No dropping out of school today! I realize I should probably color in the wheel barrow but every time I do, I make a mess of it, so I just left it plain.

Stamps: SU Blooming With Love
Cardstock: SU Rose Red, PTI Lavender Moon, PTI Ripe Avocado, PTI Spring Moss
Ink: SU Rose Red, PTI Dark Chocolate, PTI Ripe Avocado
DP: Basic Grey
Ribbon: PTI Raspberry Fizz

Simple Birthday

I hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend. When I was cleaning up my desk yesterday, I started to put my leftover paper from this card in the great pile of scraps to use later. Then I decided to hurry and do a very simple birthday card. I just layered some fun colors of PTI cardstock, added a Happy Birthday to the top, and that's it! I'd say that's about as simple as a card can get. But I love seeing all of these colors together.

Boy Valentine's / Just Because

My son loves anything military. So when I found this airplane stamp at River City Rubber Works I bought it, hoping he'd think it would make fun Valentine's cards. He was really happy with the idea. We kept them really simple since he was making them for his whole class, and since he's a boy. I don't think he really cared about a matching layer behind or any extra stuff, so this is what we did. We had a lot of fun making them together. He told me that "stamping's not so bad when it's cool stamps." And I'm really excited about this card. When I got all of my new PTI cardstock, I decided to make some kind of color swatch. So I just cut 2x2 pieces of cardstock and put an eyelet in the corner of each one. That way I can run a ribbon through to keep them together, and when I get new colors I can easily add to the collection. So I had this with me the other day when I went to the scrapbook store, and found this Basic Grey paper that I loved. And it matches lots of colors I have! I don't know why I never made a color swatch thingy before. I think it's going to be really useful, especially when shopping for paper. That way I won't end up with cute paper that looks terrible with all the cardstock I have. I cased this project from Split Coast Stampers. I finally bought a scallop circle punch, and I think I'll be using certain stamp sets more now. I like big pieces, and now that I can layer a scallop circle behind it so easily, I can see myself using it a lot more!

CAS Challenge #1

At Split Coast Stampers, I was browsing the forums and found a new challenge for "clean and simple" cards. The challenge was to find a fabric sample to be your inspiration and then make a clean and simple card. As I was looking for some fabric samples, I found this. The colors made me dream of a warmer place to be, and the pineapples just made me smile. How fun would it be to sit on the beach eating fresh pineapple right now!?! And these are the cards I came up with based on that inspiration. No pineapple involved, though. After making the first card, I decided it would be really easy to make another, and just changed the sentiment for fun.

Another Baby Card

I looked at the Mojo Monday sketch this morning and loved it, but was going to wait until tomorrow to play, since Mondays are my busiest day of the week. Then I quickly checked Nichole's blog to see what goodies Paper Trey is introducing today. They have a new stamp set that looks awesome and they will be releasing "quick kits" that contain ribbon, cardstock, and ink all together. And the challenge of the day is to make a card for one of your best friends. Well, that almost got me convinced to hurry and play along and not wait until tomorrow. Then, my friend called to tell me that she is expecting! Well, if that's not a sign, what is?!? She is the one that introduced me to stamping in the first place. And you've got to make a card for your friend when she gives you that kind of news! So I used the Mojo Monday sketch to make a card for her. I realize the card's a little busy with all the colors and pattern, but since she's pregnant with her 5th, I figured we didn't need any toned-down, soft and fluffy card. We can go for crazy and busy when you're expecting your fifth child!

For The Ribbon

The challenge at Nichole's blog today is to use her card sketch, and one lucky winner will be getting a whole lot of ribbon! What a great prize would that be. Yesterday I didn't have all the PTI colors that were being used in the color challenge. Since today we were given a basic sketch to follow, I decided I could use all the yummy PTI cardstock I wanted. And I found this dp in my stash that I bought a few months ago that I was excited to see goes well with a lot of the Paper Trey colors I have. In addition, I used my nestabilites labels one dies. I was having a fun card-making morning!

Over The Rainbow Color Challenge

Another day, another way to win goodies from PTI. Today Nichole is hosting a color challenge. I was really excited because I am loving using the new cardstock I got from PTI. Well, of course 3 of the colors I haven't bought (yet) are in the color challenge. So I had to substitute with what I had. The sketch is based on the sketch challenge this week on Split Coast Stampers. If you've been thinking of trying PTI's cardstock, with their February 15th release, they are releasing a combo pack of all of their colored cardstock together. Oh, I wish they'd have had this last month and then I'd have had all of the colors for today. My card would be a little more vibrant, as my red especially looks a little washed out next to the other colors. Enjoy your Friday!

Just Because

Okay, I had to post twice today. You might want to know why. Here's why: PTI is celebrating their 2nd anniversary this month. And they've got all kinds of goodies and giveaways going on. Today's contest enters participants in a chance to win a really cool Papertrey Tote and a gift card for $100. Oh, the supplies I could buy with that!!! For a chance to win all you have to do is "create, alter or decorate a bag of any kind." Then link back to Nichole's blog here. Now, the reason that I had to post this today, is because the contest is ending at 3am EST February 6. So grab some supplies and play along for a chance to win. And if you missed my earlier post from today, just scroll down a little.

PTI Plastic

If you read my post from yesterday you know that I got my first PTI order. Well, Chris always uses the cases that her stamps come in for something cool. Like this card here or this card here or even this card here. So I was really excited to use my case on a card somehow! I had made a card for my friend a few weeks ago, hoping that when she had her ultrasound it would be a girl. Well, she had her ultrasound this week, and it is a girl! So I decided to use my case to hold my card and some matching chocolate. I didn't have an envelope that would fit the card yet. I was in an office supply store I won't name the other day and didn't see any 5 1/2 by 5 1/2 envelopes and so I asked the clerk. "No, that is not a common size envelope at all. No one is going to carry those." Yes, that is what this person told me. It was kind of humorous, although frustrating at the same time. So, now I get to order more PTI so that I can make a card with a case!

PTI Sympathy

After reading about what great cardstock Papertry Ink has, I finally took the plunge and ordered some. I was just going to go with cardstock to try it out, but before my order was complete I found their new sympathy set in my shopping cart. I am really glad I decided to try their stuff. I will definitely buy from them again as well as recommend them to anyone looking for great stuff, with good deals (read: free) on shipping with a certain purchase amount. This was a simple and quick card I made using all of my new goodies.

Mojo Monday Madness

Finally! It took me longer than usual to finish my card using the Mojo Monday sketch for this week. I love these sketches, and a lot of them go together quickly for me but this time my brain was not cooperating. Then when I finally got going, I realized that if I used the full image of the little girl the way I had originally planned to, the card would have to be gigantic to fit it all on. So I just moved the scalloped circle up to cover the girl's feet, and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. And I finally used some Verve stamps! This is a card for my husband. The tag on the side has the saying, "he loves me, he loves me not," which might look a little odd with "so wonderful." The way I have it in my head is that it is so wonderful to not have to question anymore whether "he" loves me or not. I know that my husband loves me and all the hundreds of little things he does for me as well as the really big things make me feel very loved!

Soup Recipe Card

I've survived 3 1/2 days of feeling like a vegetable lounging on the couch, the lazy-boy, my bed, or anywhere I could get comfortable. I've had several hot baths a day to chase the chills away. And I've watched more of my recorded TLC shows than I ever thought I'd have time for. And while I don't feel great, I feel so much better that at this stage I am not complaining. I can get up and actually walk down the hall without feeling like my head is on the tilt-a-whirl while my body is on the platform waiting for my head to quit spinning. The last 3 days the thought I kept having was, "Thank heavens my kids are out of diapers and don't eat baby food." That was when it was really hard to be sick. Of course it's not fun now, but it's easier to handle knowing my kids aren't being deprived of basic care.
Here is a recipe card I made for a recipe swap over the summer, before I'd started my blog. This soup is wonderful anytime, but I especially love it if I'm feeling under the weather. It's got great flavor, but not so much that it turns my stomach, either. And even if I have a soar throat, I find it easy to swallow, because there is nothing too big and chunky. So I'm sharing my recipe, and hoping no one needs it because they are under the weather. But if you should find yourself under the weather, I do highly recommend this soup.
And I'm looking forward to catching up with what I've missed on your fun blogs the last few days.