Lulu and Her Pies

I've been really itching to color a larger image lately.  So itching.  Sweet little Lulu to the rescue.  There are quite a few challenges right now that helped me come up with the colors and the concept (I'm thinking thanks for hosting type card 50s style).  Love it when it all comes together.

You see the button?  I tried a flower brad there but hated it and then had a gaping hole--and I do mean gaping.  Crevasse comes to mind. Thank goodness for that button and its color coordinated concealing ways!  For a touch of glam, I added shimmery gold Smooch to her buttons and flower centers but it's hard to tell in the pic.  I also used a gel silver pen to color the pie tins.

The Details:  Stamping Bella Lulu's Two Pies stamp, Spectrum Noir, Basicgrey Hey Girl! flair stickers, yellow ribbon from kid sis, Sizzix embossing folder, Spellbinders label die, PTI white card stock, foam dots, Zebra Jimnie Gel silver pen from old stash (can't believe that thing is still juicy after 8+ yrs!), Smooch in gold

I'm entering this in CAS on Sunday #32 Sparkle and Shimmer, Make My Monday Food and Drink, Sweet Stampin' No DP, Cure for the Monday Blues #15, Sentimental Sundays #204 CAS, Daring Cardmakers 3 Elements (colors, ribbon, buttons, flowers), Color Throwdown #290, Simon Wednesday Anything Goes

Check out these challenge pics--are they not fabulous and inspiring?

Enjoy the Moment

Been sorting through my patterned papers for inspiration and to encourage myself to use it (how did I collect so many?!).  The soft colors of this 12x12 pack are really soothing to me and reminded me of the photo for the current Cure for the Monday Blues--particularly the plate in the upper right corner and the pops of red throughout.  Bold yet soothing. I used the current HOC sketch for the layout.  Totally differently look from my GDT Eek! card, huh?

The Details:  12x12 Green Stack designer paper, Amy Tangerine ribbon, Colorbox white pigment ink, clear embossing powder, TPC Studio Playful Expressions sentiment, mystery sticker flower from stash, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, Lifestyle Crafts circle die, cream cardstock from ancient stash

I'm entering this in House of Cards April Challenge #2 Classic/Elegant and Cure for the Monday Blues #14

Color Blended Butterfly

More office birthday mini cards.  These are like the card world  equivalent of knitting baby booties--small and quick to make with lots of variations possible.


Here I only used 3 colors of markers:  medium blue, pale yellow, medium red.  I allowed the blending of the inks to create the colors in-between.  Neat!  I colored the butterfly twice so I could fussy cut (ugh) the second and make it pop out.  Also, the alcohol inks bled so the backside of the second butterfly is subtly like the front--just like a real butterfly!  I wish I had thought to take a pic of that.  On the inside it says "Enjoy your special day."  I

The Details:  Hero Arts Artists Butterfly, Tim Holtz chartreuse paper, Spellbinders scalloped die, Lifestyle Crafts circle die, Spectrum Noirs, Smooch, Wow black embossing powder

I'm entering this in The Crafter's Cafe #59 CAS, Sentimental Sundays #203 Photo Inspiration (see below), Little Tangles #35 Mini Cards, Simon Says Wednesday Animal Antics, Time Out Challenge #3 Birthday, CASology #92 Garden

Eek!

I'm guest designing over at House of Cards' April Challenge Part 2 which is a sketch in either CAS or Classic/Elegant styles.  I created the plain white version originally and made many iterations of the color scheme.  Notice how I placed the "eek!" beneath the larger monster to draw the eye; this allowed me to one-layer the sketch rather than use a mat or something like that.  I love the punny sentiment; puns always make me smile.

Anyway, I had the card on my desk the other day and promptly dropped the lid of my inkpad smack dab on it.  @#*$%!    No way to cover that up so I did it a few more times to create my own background.  I rather like the second version better.  What do you think?

The Details:  Crafter's Companion white cardstock, Pop Tone Black Licorice cardstock, Spectrum Noirs, Memento Tuxedo Black and London Fog, printed the interior sentiment on my computer, Technique Tuesday Monsters Ink stamps

I'm entering this in Less is More #168 Makes Me Smile!, Crafting Cafe One for the Boys, Simon Says Wednesday Animal Antics, Seize the Birthday without topping

Birthday Tags

A couple of mini birthday cards for people at the office.  I don't usually mention the birthday on the card because I sometimes forget to secret office gnome them before their birthdays.  I had run out last week so rushed to make these for this coming week.  So cute and fun and destashy.

The Details:  PTI white cardstock bases, Doodlebug Designs jellybean paper, scraps for everything else, Spectrum Noirs, Marianne grass die, Memory Box butterfly die, embossing paste, Smooch, Memento Tuxedo Black, the sentiment on the left is Penny Black, the one on the right I found with scraps, Darice embossing folder, star dies from Hobby Lobby, Lil Inker bunny, inked up the boy ages ago

I'm entering this in Little Tangles #35 Mini Cards,  Loves Rubberstamps #99 Easter or Spring,  Cuttlebug Mania Easter Eggs, Incy Wincy CAS, CAS on Sunday #31 A Birthday to Die For, and Seize the Birthday without White on White Topping 

Arrested Development Pinata

Another Arrested Development card for the archives.  I CASed a card I found online (FS blog plus another I don't recall) using the same Fresh Squeezed stamp.

I love how the various sequins sparkle and shine, don't you?  So does Frankie apparently.  I left out a pile of sequins and came back to my craft space to see him munching away.  Seriously, cat? 

The Details:  Hammermill white cardstock, aqua cardstock from ancient stash, AR Herman font, Spectrum Noirs, Fresh Squeezed pinata, sequins, orange baker's twine, Memento Tuxedo Black, Glossy Accents as glue, foams dots

I'm entering this in Curtain Call Confetti Crush (see below)

Japanese Cow Bunny

I'm particularly fond of the jellybean paper bunny which reminds me of a cute Japanese version.  For this card I stamped the hopping stitches thrice then the bunny and sentiment.  I then ran the white panel through for the embossing.  I stamped the bunny again on designer paper and fussy cut it out, adhering it with foam tape.  I took a scrap of yellow cardstock and added it between the white and rainbow panels.  It's rather like faux piping.

The Details:  Lawn Fawn Happy Easter stamps and rainbow paper, Studio G sentiment, Doodlebug Designs jellybean paper, Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI white and kraft cardstock, yellow cardstock from scrap stash, Quickutz embossing folder

I'm entering this in Simon Wednesday Easter and/or Sweet Treats, Moving Along With the Times Easter/Spring, Sweet Stamps #164 Easter, Stampin' Royalty #223 Picture Inspiration (see below), Cute Card Thursday #316 Easter, Crazy for CAS #42 Easter, Alphabet Challenge E for Easter, Shopping Our Stash #146 Pieces of April 

Flying By to Say Happy Birthday

 

I cannot believe I forgot to post this card.  Remember my Persian New Year's card?  March 21, the first day of Spring and the Persian New Year, also happens to be my partner's birthday.  He works on helicopters which I did not have but a plane is close enough.  It's also okay that it's a jet versus a whatchamacallit plane that would actually be trailing a banner.  Picky, picky!  ;-)

The Details:  PTI white cardstock, designer paper scraps, Darice embossing folder, Memory Box cityscape die, MFT airplane die, Lawn Fawn flying by sentiment, Hero Arts Operation Write Home interior sentiment, Memento Tuxedo Black, chipboard

I'm entering this in Seize the Birthday w/o Topping, Alphabet Challenge D for Diecuts, Without Words For Gentlemen Only  

Update:  I  missed the Simon Says Birthday challenge--poo--so took out of my list above

Hopping by . . .

I'm guest-designing over at House of Cards this month.  It's an interesting challenge concept where you're given an element (a sketch in this case) and then you make a card using one of the styles listed.  I so had to go with Cute and Fun.  My little bunny is on a wobble which rachets up the cuteness factor by like a million.

3 things I really like about this card:

1. I finally found a use for the vellum I had embossed ages and ages ago.
2. It draws on the sketch but isn't a slave to it.
3. The scallops on the curved border mirror the scallops on the flower mat; plus, dots everywhere.
4. Wobble!  (I couldn't resist adding a 4th--dude, it wobbles!)

The Details:  Papercraft Essentials digi, Crafter's Companion white cardstock, PTI Spring Rain cardstock (love this color), Spellbinders curved border and flower dies, vellum, Embossalicious embossing folder, MFT stitched circle die, scrap designer paper (I think from a baby pack of 12x12)

I'm going to enter this in Love to Create #110 Anything Goes for Kids

Hola, Mi Amigo!

A friend asked about Cinco de Cuatro cards the other day.  Estás loco?!  Don't you mean Cinco de Mayo?  Apparently not--check it out!

I just had to make a card with that theme.  OMG--the possibilities!  With this one I colored the image using Spectrum Noirs.  The sentiment I printed using Word (CK Oddball font).  For the shaker I cut out the frame using 2 nested dies twice in yellow.  I did this so I could glue the acetate to the frame then add another frame for greater depth.  The candy balls (oh, yes, those really are Xmas sprinkles which are also conveniently the colors of the Mexican flag) needed just a touch more room than one layer would have given.

I originally tried music notes instead of paw prints but they seemed too busy and took your eye away from the image.  The paw prints are more subtle and still convey a sense of movement.  I swear it looks like that dog is going to have a heart attack!

The Details:  Crafter's Companion cardstock, PTI yellow cardstock, Spectrum Noirs, Xmas candy sprinkles, MFT stitched squares dies, transparency film, Glossy Accents as glue, Darice embossing folder, my score board for the line

I'm entering this in CASology #89 Joke, Cardz for Guys #12 Make Us Laugh, Make My Monday One for the Boys, Addicted to Stamps and More! #89 CAS, Cuttlebug Mania Make Us Smile,

I scream. You scream.

I had so very much fun with this design.   I hope the ice cream cone reminds you of a bullhorn!

I took my PTI cloud dies and cut them out of pink then embossed them to create the ice cream (mmm, strawberry).  Then I hand cut the cone from scrap and embossed with a chicken wire folder.  The sentiment is from Riley & Company which has a bunch of funny ones.  I'm going to keep this card in my stash and use it for a birthday, just because or apology.  Versatile!

The Details:  PTI white & kraft cardstock and cloud dies, Riley & Company sentiment, Cuttlebug swirl embossing folder, Lifestyle Crafts chicken wire embossing folder, Memento Tuxedo Black, My Favorite Things stitched rectangle die

I'm entering this in CASology #89 Joke, Cardz for Guys #12 Make Us Laugh, All Sorts #252 Use Those Dies, Alphabet Challenge D for Diecuts, Make My Monday One for the Boys, Addicted to Stamps and More! #89 CAS

also entering this in Cuttlebug Mania Make Us Smile

Easter Scene

Um, self, you have 3 nephews and 1 niece of Easter card age plus a commission for 3 more kiddy Easter cards.  Hello?  I could just die with the cuteness possibilities!

For this card I sponged the bunny with desert sand then applied just a bit of rich cocoa, well, richness along the edges.  I added black Enamel Accents for the eye. I hand cut the daffodil stems from scrap and used leftover Spellbinder die bits to construct the daffodil--I was flipping through my dies and noticed I hadn't removed all the tiny bits from a couple of them--fortuitous.  And honestly I don't think there's anything that says Easter more to me than Swiss dots.  Plus the Cadbury cat-bunny:  bwak meow!

The Details:  PTI White and Spring Rain cardstock, PTI sentiment, Memento Rich Cocoa, Desert Sand and Tuxedo Black ink, Marianne fence and grass die, Impression Obsession bunny die, Memory Box butterfly die, My Favorite Things Stitched Squares die, black Enamel Accents, Glossy Accents as glue, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder

I'm entering this in CAS(E) this Sketch! #70, CAS on Sunday #30 Stitched Faux or Real, Charisma Cardz #7 CAS, The Sisterhood of Crafters Animals, Alphabet Challenge D for Diecuts, Allsorts #252 Use Those Dies, Sweet Stamps #163 Dies, Simply Create Too #58 Easter or Use Bunnies, Addicted to Stamps and More! #89 CAS, and City Crafter #205 Easter/Spring

Baby Whale

I've been tossing (get it?  ha!) this idea around for a while.  Finally inked it up this weekend in the moments between coats of paint.  Guest bedroom almost done--yay!

The Details:  PTI white cardstock and sentiment, Memory Box Big Splash Border die, My Favorite Things Pierced Square die, Craft Medley cup sequins, Memento Nautical Blue and London Fog, Hero Arts Tide Pool, Zig glue pen, Glossy Accents as glue, foam tape

I'm entering this in CAS(E) this Sketch! #70, CAS on Sunday #30 Stitched Faux or Real, Charisma Cardz #7 CAS, The Sisterhood of Crafters Animals, Alphabet Challenge D for Diecuts, Allsorts #252 Use Those Dies, Sweet Stamps #163 Dies, Inkspirational #53 CASE Inspiration and Penny Black So Sweet.