Happy Birthday

Hello, crafty friends!  Yesterday I needed a quick birthday card for my niece's birthday and since her gift wrap was all owls I decided to go with the owl theme.  I pulled out the Lawn Fawn stamp sets You're a Hoot, Chit Chat and Argyle Backdrops and used the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #201 to put a card together.

 I used some girly colors like raspberry fizz, real red, hawaiian shores and limeade ice with some polka dot paper, scallop circle and of course some googlie eyes just for fun.

Hope you have a great Monday!

Fly

 Hello.  It's time for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

The card that I created using this week's sketch was for my daughter who is going away to college for the first time.  I made this card for her and gave it to her with the poem below, which I found on the internet included inside along with a special note and a bracelet.  I handed it to my daughter after my husband and I hugged her goodbye this last Friday.  If you've ever had a child go away to college than you can relate, you're excited for them, your nervous about them being so far away and your emotional because you realize that this is just the beginning of them leaving the nest.  Yes there were a few tears after dropping her off, but I know she's going to do great.  Our daughter is a strong, independent beautiful young woman with a good head on her shoulders and I know she will spread her wings and FLY.

To My Daughter

as you go off to College

While you’re away at college,

I’ll think of you each day.

Before you leave

there are just a few more things,

I really need to say.

You’ve made me proud

as I’ve watched you grow,

it’s time for you to fly.

So take a step and don’t look back

because you may see me cry.

Remember all the important things

I taught you through the years.

Study hard and have some fun

and you’ll work through your fears.

Make the right decisions

as if I were standing by your side.

You’ve grown to be a beautiful woman,

you fill my heart with pride.

Keep this bracelet with you

and I’ll be close at heart.

Know my love is always there

even though we are apart.

When I created this card, I had all the materials out from one of my last post which was from the August Papertrey Ink blog hop and Make-it-Monday so I decided to create another card using the Beautiful Butterflies set and the kissing technique.  It's hard to see in the photos but the butterflies are actually quite sparkly because I used a wink of stella glitter pen on the bodies and die cut border pieces that were attached to the wings.

Time goes by too fast, hug your babies because before you know it they'll be moving out to start their life.

Papertrey Ink August Blog Hop

 Hello, welcome!  Today is the Papertrey Ink August Blog Hop and I'm excited that this month I actually have time to play along.  I was so inspired by this month's inspiration photo (see below) and the colors and textures that I created three different cards.

For my first card, I used the Bibliophile stamp set and coordinating dies (this set is fantastic) along with the Fancy Tea Cup die to create a birthday card for one of the ladies in my book club.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I love reading.  If I don't have a book that I'm reading I feel lost.  I carry a book with me everywhere I go, I mostly read at night (sometimes very late into the night/morning) but if I'm really drawn into a book I will read while cooking dinner, waiting in line at a store or waiting to pick up one of my kids.  People have asked me how I find the time to read so much and my answer is simple, I watch very little television and I make time to read because it's something that brings me joy.  Yes I had to add the little tea label with string because there's nothing better than curling up with a good book and a cup of tea especially on a cold or rainy day.

For my next card, I used the stamp sets Noted along with the coordinating Hello die and the set Ombre Builders.  The one stamp within the Ombre Builders set made me think of the strands of wool in bright colors from the inspiration photo.  I used that stamp and stamped it twice for each color, then trimmed down what I stamped, adhered it to the front of a white card base and added my die cut Hellos and a few sequins in the matching colors and stamped my sentiment.

For my final card, I created a birthday card inspired not only from the inspiration photo for the hop but from Betsy's Make-it-Monday #222: Die Cut Kissing.  Click on the link and be sure to watch Betsy's video because it's a fun technique where stamping and die cuts come together to create something unique. I used the stamp sets Beautiful Butterflies and Think Big Favorites #13 along with the Filigree Border Die to "Kiss" my inked up butterfly stamp to (Butterfly Kisses, lol).

That's it from me, thanks for stopping by and enjoy the hop!

Happy Halloween

 Hi ya!  I know what you're thinking, Halloween already, really?  Yes! Why not.  I purchased this Spooktacular Lawn Fawn stamp set late in the season last year and didn't get a chance to create very many project before it was too late and Halloween was done and over so this year I'm starting early. The card I have for today is for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #283 and for the Lawnscaping Challenge #112.

 For my card I started out with a summer sun card base, then added a white panel and a enchanted evening panel which I stamped using the Lawn Fawn stamp set Starry Backdrops and heat embossed in white the Happy Halloween sentiment.  Then after die cutting and coloring all of the stamped images, I arranged them on my card popping up the center kitty with the witches hat on and adding a touch of yellow stickles to the stars.

Have a great day!

Snail Mail for You

Hello!  Happy Saturday!  Today I have a card that I created using the fun Lawn Fawn stamp set Gleeful Gardens.  I finally broke down and ordered this set since its been on my wish list since it came out, I've seen so many cute cards created with this set.  I'm entering my card in the current Lawnscaping Challenge #112 which is all about embossing.

I started out with a white card base, then added an embossed strip of real red cardstock.  On top of that I added a popped up rectangle of so saffron and then the stamped scene with my popped up snail, mushrooms and die cut Stitched Hillside Borders.  I sponged on some ink for my sky and after coloring all of my images with Copic markers, I added some glossy accents to the snail shell and spots on the mushrooms (see close up photo on bottom).  Once that was complete, I added my sentiment and small pumpkin banner.

Thank you for all of your visits and comments, I truly appreciate it.

Morning by morning

 Good morning!  It's time for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

 I created two cards using this week's sketch, both using the Papertrey Ink stamp sets Morning by Morning and Scripted.

I don't know about you but usually I have a difficult time creating tilted panel cards, even photographing these cards I wanted to tilt my head and straighten them out.  Both of these cards have white card bases, have a "tilted" panel of summer sun or raspberry fizz with a strip of the opposite running vertical and they both have a watercolored panel.  For the top card I used picked raspberry distress in for watercoloring and for the bottom, wild honey.  I die cut and stamped the morning glories in raspberry fizz, summer sun and new leaf and popped the die cut pieces up using foam tape. The final touches after stamping my sentiment were to add a few sequins for a bit of sparkle.

Think happy thoughts :)

Giving Thanks

 Hello, friends!  Happy Thursday!  Today I'm sharing a card that I created using the new Papertrey Ink stamp sets Morning by Morning and Scripted.  As soon as I saw this set, it reminded me of the morning glories growing in my yard, I actually have morning glories in the colors I used on my card today but the pink within the flowers is more muted.  It's fun to take inspiration from nature especially when it's in your own backyard.

 For my card I started out with a white card base, then added a rich razzleberry panel which I tore along one edge.  Then I used a piece of watercolor paper and some spun sugar distress ink to add a soft watercolor look to my background.  Once that was dry I stamped my sentiment and added my die cut and stamped flowers popping a few of them up with foam tape and trimming a few of them down to arrange them on my card.

Have a wonderful day!

I Wheelie Like You

Hello!  Thanks for stopping by!  It's Sunday and you know what that means, it's time for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

For my card, I used the Lawn Fawn stamp set Wheelie Like You with the coordinating die to create a friend card.  I also used the colors from this week's Colour Queen Challenge #302. I started my card out with a white square card base, then added a so saffron panel that I stamped along the bottom using the Lawn Fawn stamp set Argyle Backdrops and the friend sentiment from Critters at the Dog Park.  Next I added my banner and popped up a square piece of tropical teal cardstock and added my stamped and die cut circle.  I used Copic markers to color my die cut/stamped images (that hamster is so darn cute) and used foam tape to pop those us too and after adding a button with bakers twine my card was complete.

Have a great day!