Good Luck

I use to work in an office full of fun and crazy women for years and last night I went to a semi-retirement party for one of them and this was the card I whipped up to give her. Its super simple and there is not a lot to it, but it did the trick. I knew I wanted to use the office Accounterment stamp set, that was a given and only made sense and the whole card was a case of a case. I searched through the Splitcoast gallery and found this card and liked it, so I used it for my own except mine is simpler.

Supplies: Office Accounterment, Sincere Salutations, East Coast Prep designer paper, Spiral punch, Ribbon, Rhinestone brad. Colors: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard, Whisper White.

Thanks for stopping in!

I Hope You Dance

Today's card is for my daughter Gabrielle who has her dance recital on Saturday. I'm so excited for her to dance and I know she is too, shes dancing to the song The Roof is on Fire and her costume is bright red with lots of sparkle and silver pom poms! Shes in one dance which is jazz pom (a combination of jazz and cheer leading) and watching her at practice I know shes got it down and she was having fun! I'm going to give this card to her on the way to the recital when its just the two of us. My DH is going ahead with other family and I'm staying to help get Gabby ready and bringing her later. I know shes going to do great!

Its hard to see but Stella's costume, shoes, crown and wand are all out lined with a Spica glitter pen and dots of silver on her costume with a gelly roll pen.

Supplies: Stellarina, Dance like no one's watching - Stamping Bella, Doodlebug designer paper, Ribbon, Copic markers, Gems, Family Treasure scallop scissors, SU corner rounder, Spica glitter pen, Silver Gelly Roll pen, Pop dots. Colors: Real Red, Basic Black and Whisper White.

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This card is for today's sketch challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers, the sketch looked interesting but I'm not so sure if I can say the same about how my card turned out.

This is a new Lockhart Peaches stamp I just got, I liked the image because of the bowl the peaches are in, I have a set of dishes and bowls that look just like this. I colored the bowl of peaches using my Copic markers and cut and embossed both the image piece and the mat with my Nestabilities, then added pop dots before adhering it to the card. I wish I could remember who makes this designer paper, but I taped down the piece that had the name on it.

This week is flying by fast, I can't believe tomorrow is already Thursday!

Craft Cube & Copics

These pictures show the craft cube that sits in the corner of my work area. I love this baby because it holds a lot of my tools that I use every day when I'm stamping or scrapping. Again this is what works best for me I am in no way stating that my way is the best and that I am miss organized (you should see some of my closets), its just that I know I like seeing how other people store their tools and supplies and I can usually see something I like or learn a new way of organizing my supplies. Anyway, I bought this cube at Target for $19.99 and what I like about it is that it not only holds a bunch of my stuff, but it doesn't take up a huge amount of space.

There are drawers on two sides, one side holds my acrylic blocks for stamping and some bling and on the other side I have some baubles/dew drops. The whole top compartment can be taken out and you could use it separately if you wanted. In the top compartment I store my prisma colored pencils & pop dots, Copic markers, Coluzzle mat and templates, Piercer with mat & guide, glues, scissors, extra adhesives, you name it!

I'm in love with the Copic markers as many of you are and have been slowly collecting them. As I get new colors I've been using this chart that I found on Sharon Harnist blog which I saved on my computer and printed out on the Whisper White card stock I use. This way I don't have to guess as to what the colored marker really looks like, I can also match it up with colored card stock or designer paper and I can see which colors I have and would still like to get. I've purchased most of my Copics with a coupon from either Mary Maxiums or Hobby Lobby, but I have ordered some on line from both Ecletic Paperie and Ellen Hutson's store. I know there are Copic marker clubs out there for people to join, were you get so many markers a month, but I had already started purchasing mine when I found this out, so I had to pass. If you have never tried using a Copic marker you should give it a try, the colors are so vibrant and blend without leaving sketchy lines, that and coloring goes so fast. The markers are a alcohol blend which means that you need to use a permanent ink to stamp your image in, I use Brilliance black ink that you can find at most craft stores and at first it wasn't working for me until my friend Deb told me to heat set the ink after stamping, now I have no smudging or smearing. I've been told you could also use Pallete ink as well and you'll get the same results. To see some great techniques and tips using Copic markers, visit any of the women on the Ellen Hutson design team and see how amazing their work is! You can find the link to these talented ladies in the left side bar of Ellen's blog Simple Dreams.

Edit: Deb had asked if Copic markers can be stored the way I have mine, vertically in my craft cube, or do they need to be horizontal. That's a good question, Copic markers can be stored either vertically or horizontally, click on the link for any further questions about Copic markers.

Foxglove

As much as I love the Lockhart rubber stamps and images, I have the hardest time pairing a Lockhart image with designer paper. I think it must have to do with the fact that the images are so illustrated and detailed that once I put it up against a slightly busy designer paper it gets lost. So as you can see on this card I took the simple route and used solid colored papers, one I embossed with my Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder and the other panel I used Bazzill textured paper and cut out the largest scalloped square using my Nestabilities die. I tied on some sheer pink ribbon and added pale pink baubles, then pop dotted the foxglove image after I colored it with my Copic markers and added some glitter using a Spica glitter pen.
Hope your week is starting off great!

Beauties

These are the roses that my DH came home with on Friday night. He got home from work later than promised so we could go out for our anniversary, but all was forgiven when he walked in with these beauties, LOL! We ended up going out for a nice dinner and we were going to try and make a movie, but then we would have had to rush through dinner so we skipped the movie and then went to Kohl's and Meijers to do some shopping. Your probably thinking wow what an exciting date, but honestly it was nice just being together and out of the house with no kids.

Thank you for all of the anniversary wishes!

Cuttlebug and Spellbinders Dies

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable holiday weekend! Today I thought I would share how I organize some of my supplies (this is what works best for me). In the pictures you can see that I keep my Cuttlebug machine right next to the basket that I keep my embossing folders in along with the plates that go with the Cuttlebug machine and my Spellbinders dies, all together and right at my fingertips. I found from several other bloggers that the best way to store the Nestabilities dies are in clear CD cases using wide strips of magnetic tape to hold them in. I have the small classic scalloped circles and squares and just this last week I got the matching straight circles and square dies to go along with them.

The Cuttlebug machine will work for both the Cuttlebug embossing folders and dies and also the Nestabilities dies, but you have to use different "sandwiches" for cutting and then embossing the Nestabilities dies. Below is the recipe I found on line that works for using the Nesties on the Cuttlebug (click on the picture to view larger). I can see why so many people love using the Nestabilities dies, they cut great and emboss very nicely. I purchased my first two Nestablitlies dies straight from Spellbinders and the last two I got from Ellen Hutson's store because I was already purchasing a few other things so I added them on, but I do know several women have purchased them from Cut-at-Home or even Overstock.com and have received a discount. No matter what you wont be sorry you got them, if you don't have them already!

Edit: Jana had asked how I decided to order and go with the classic small scalloped Nestabilities? I knew I wanted circles and squares to start, because they are such basic shapes and I could use my Coluzzle to cut the shapes for inside and I also knew I wanted the classic scallop verses the petite because the petite scallop was such a small scallop. And after looking at the measurements of the dies and comparing the small classic scalloped dies to the large, I thought that as a card maker I would use the small sized dies the most, with the largest scalloped circle (in the small dies) being 4" and a standard card size being 5 1/2"x 4 1/4". I hope this helps and makes sense!

Scrappy Sketch #18

Its that time again, its time for Cyndi's weekend scrappy sketch! I'm a little late in getting my pages posted because I haven't had much time in the last few days to do any scrapping or stamping (insert sad face here). I actually had no intentions on doing Valentine pages when I saw this weekends sketch, even though it had hearts on it, so its weird that after digging through my pictures that I did end up doing Valentines after all. These pictures crack me up, its funny how looking at pictures some times takes you right back to that moment. I remember all of us having so much fun decorating (and eating) the heart shaped cookies we made on this Valentines Day (the more sprinkles the better, right!)

Take a peek here to see how great Cyndi's pages came out!

Supplies: Designs by Reminisce love collection designer paper, Bazzill card stock, Cricut laser cutter - Opposites Attract & George & Basic Shapes, Heart brad.

Happy Anniversary

Today is my wedding anniversary, my husband Dan and I have been married for 16 years today, how the time has flown by! I made him this card for today, but now that I look at it, it looks so girly with the flowered paper and the Bella on it, oh well its the thought that counts. I feel like I've known my DH forever, we met when we were just kids and through the years have built a wonderful life together and have had three beautiful children. Dan is a loving husband and an excellent partner and friend, I can't imagine my life without him. I couldn't ask for a better father for our children either, hes always been a hands on dad and loves spending time with the kids and really talks and listens to them. Well that's enough mushy stuff, I guess I'm getting all sentimental. Tonight Dan and I are going to dinner and then maybe a show (a night without children, I'll probably start cutting up his meat and wiping his chin, LOL).

Supplies: Loveybella, Happy Anniversary - Stamping Bella, Ribbon, Brads, Copic markers, American Crafts designer paper, Stickles, Spica glitter pen, Pop dots. Colors: Basic Black, Old Olive, So Saffron, Ruby Red, Whisper White.

My Shinning Stars

Kreativ Blogger

This blog award was given to me by my blogging friend Deb, it was so sweet of her to consider me for this award.
Thanks Deb!

Now to pass the award onto a few other bloggers:
Jules from Need to Stamp
Debbie from Debbie's Doodles
Wanda from My Creative Corner

TLC169 and a RAK

Teacher Gift

Happy Mail!

Scrappy Sketch #17

These are my pages for Cyndi's Scrappy Sketch #17, yes more baby pages, I will be scrapping other things/people but for now I'm really trying to get some pages completed for my son Connor's scrapbook. Looking at these pictures makes me see how fast hes growing and how much hes changed already, this last Thursday he turned 1 1/2. I like this sketch layout because of the different panels behind the pictures, it really helps anchor your photos on the pages. For more examples using this sketch be sure to check out Cyndi and Heather's pages.

Supplies: Bazzill card stock, Doodlebug baby boy designer paper, Big Deal alphabet stamps - Stampin' Up, Hero Arts alphabet letters & numbers, Circle punches, Square punch, Photo corner punch, Jolee's stickers, Buttons. Ink: Cool Caribbean and Gable Green.

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This card is for Saturday's Inspiration Challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers, the inspiration is En Fleur candles that come in three different colors and I choose lavender. I was up making cards any way (since I can't sleep) so I decided to jump on creating a card for tomorrow's challenge, I've been sick as a dog with a bad cold which is now going into my chest. I must have jinxed myself because my DH and two of my children have been sick and I said to my husband, "wow I never get sick" yeah right! The worst is that my little one Connor is sick and its just so hard to see him so congested and can't blow his noise. Oh well enough of the pity party, this is a happy place and I won't be sick forever!

Supplies: Wonderful You, Stems & Silhouettes wheel, Wonderful Words, Watercolor pencils, Scalloped circle Nestabilites die, Velum paper, Ribbon, Hero Arts pearls. Colors: Basic Black, Elegant Eggplant, Lavender Lace, Almost Amethyst.

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This card is for someone in our family, but I won't say who because I'm not sure if he reads my blog or not. I used the color challenge from yesterday and the sketch challenge from today over at Splitcoast Stampers to help put this card together and I used a Riley the Moose image that I received as a wish rak from Sparkle, if you have a minute go check out her blog My Life, Creations and Tribulations, she's a very talented lady!

After coloring this Riley the Moose with my Copic markers, I see why these Moose stamps are such fun stamps to have, I may be tempted to make a purchase!

I'm still working on blending with my Copic markers, I think it would help if I had more colors (or at least that's what I'm telling myself).

In the close up picture you can see that I added Crystal Effects to the tropical drink Riley's having, I've been using this Crystal Effects on the last few cards I've made (I wonder if this stuff works as nail polish?).

Supplies: Hammock Riley - Hanna Stamps, Take Time for Yourself - Stamping Bella, Linen BG - Stampin' Up, Basic Grey designer paper, Ribbon, Large and small oval punches, Brads, Piercer w/mat, Crystal Effects, Pop dots. Colors: Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Sky, Old Olive, Whisper White.

Don't forget to check out the blog candy below!

You HOO Blog Candy

Cheers!

OK I hope your not sick of seeing these Stella cards I've made, tomorrow I'll move onto something else I promise. On this card I used a simple layout so the main focus would be on the Stella image. I used Old Olive for the card base and Hula Hoop designer paper from American Crafts for the middle panel and matted it in Night of Navy, then colored Stella with an olive on top using my Copic markers and added Crystal Effects to the whole martini glass and the pimento on the olive (see close up picture below).

I hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day. My DH, DD and my youngest son all have bad colds with coughs and I can't wait till they all feel better.

Thanks for stopping by!

You Make My Day!

I'm late in posting this (sorry), my friend Deb from her blog Sharing my Obsession gave me this You Make My Day Award, Deb is so sweet and is always leaving such nice comments on my cards and projects, she has no idea how much she helps make my day!
Thank you Deb!

Now to pass the award onto a few other bloggers:

Bonnie from Bonnie's Blog
Courtney from Created by Courtney
Danni from Danni's Dreams
Tina from Wooded Views

Thank you ladies for making my day!

More Stella

This is another one of the Stella cards that I'm giving to my mom along with her gift for Mother's Day. I started out matching this image of Stella up with this designer paper because of the big daisy like flowers all over it and now that I look at it, you can hardly see the flowers on the paper at all. I used my Copic markers to color the image and then added crystal effects to the petals on the daisy flower to match the glossy flower petals on the background paper (that you can't see). I did a row of piercing along the edge of the River Rock piece and added a strip of Rose Red scallops made with my slit punch underneath. I'm hoping that my mom likes these cards and images as much as I do and will send them to friends or family that appreciate homemade cards.

Happy Mother's Day!

PS I'm not switching my blog over to a scrapbooking blog, it will still be mainly rubber stamping and card making, but I will be posting a scrapbook layout each week. Doing this will allow me to get caught up on my scrapbooking for my children and family.

I also see that its time for some Blog Candy, my counter has seen 50,000 and more, wow thank you!

EXCITING NEWS!

This last week I was asked by my blogging friend Cyndi if I would like to be a member of her sketch team. I didn't even have to think about it, my answer was yes of course I would!

I've been using Cyndi's sketches since I started back up with my scrapbooking several months ago and I've enjoyed having her sketches as inspiration and a starting point to create my pages. So I'm happy to announce that I will be joining Cyndi and Heather to hopefully give some inspiration and another idea for Cyndi's weekly Scrappy Sketch.

Be sure to check out Cyndi's blog, The Scrappy Chick and Heather's blog Stamp with Heather for some wonderful examples using Scrappy Sketch #16

Supplies: Bazzill card stock, Paperfever ring-a-ding designer paper, Cricut lazer cutter for butterfly circles and lettering, Buttons, Pop dots.