Harvesting Roses

Wanted to get this card up before I head off to work.  Will write up a little something about the card later.

Challenges Entered
Creative Inspirations Challenge Blog - Challenge 55: Easel Card 
Southern Girls Challenge - Flowers
2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Furry Friends 
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Easter Time 
The Creative Cottage Challenge Blog - Spring Has Sprung 
Stampin with the Dragon Challenge Blog - Bring on Spring
Miami Doodles: Digital Stamps Challenge: Celebrate Spring
Stamps R Us Challenge Blog - Celebrate Spring

Can't Get Enough Butterflies

Happy Monday peeps of the blog world.  I do have to say it is a good Monday.  I had a great night's sleep.  I didn't wake up once.  My cats let me sleep-in a little without one of them smacking my face to wake me up to feed them.  Birds are actually chirping outside my window --- too bad I have to go to work today. 

I'm posting and listing a new card that I created yesterday.  I'm also going to enter it in a few challenges that I found in my reading list.  How lucky am I that folks are having challenges that fit my card.  We must be in sinc. 

Can't Get Enough Butterflies

The card is pretty basic but I think it turned out rather pretty.  I have a thing for orange and especially a rusty colored orange.  A diverse color perfect for Spring and Autumn...what the heck..perfect for anytime of the year.  I had purchased these Spring themed die-cuts by K&Company back in December thinking that they would be perfect for my cards.  They are so pretty and very vintage looking.  The main image I used for the center of the card is from Susan Winget Spring Blossom Seed Packet Die-Cut Cardstock.  It has touches of glitter on it.  So pretty. The leafs and butterflies borders used at the bottom of the card are also from K&Company.  I ripped open the package so fast to put in my storage I forgot to keep a tag with the name of the adhesive borders.  Sorry.

Can't Get Enough Butterflies 

 

Materials: two layers of cream cardstock for base sponged with cocoa stamping ink; cantaloupe cardstock by bazzill basics; green woodland by dcwv; k&company die cuts; recollections' boutique fleus floral embellishment; vintage lace; machine stitching

I also used this beige vintage lace that I purchased from EKSupplies (one of my fellow Etsy sellers).  She's got some great stuff.  You should check her out when you get a chance.  I had to hand stitch the lace on the card which took a little time.  I think it adds a nice vintage touch to the card. I have also added machine stitching to the inside and back of the card.

Card Challenges
Lollipop Crafts - Lollipop Challenge 31: Butterflies...Butterflies
The Sweetest Thing - Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 109

Shamrocks & Irish Tartans

I know St. Paddy's Day has past but I thought I would showcase one of my creations this year.  I love the tartan ribbon and finally found something to do with it.  During the holidays I purchase those little bags of confetti because I love having some motion with my cards.  I added three shamrock confetti pieces to the card.  The bottom panel of the card is a stamped & embossed Irish Blessing.

Whatcha Think?

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Fab & Funky Challenges - Challenge 64 - All Things Green or Happy St. Paddy's Day
Crafty Purple Frog Challenge - Going Green 
Delightful Challenges - Show Us Some Green

Flowers & Butterflies

I've been in the process of working on collection of cards for Spring (including Mother's Day).  It seems that I have chosen to do a lot of cards with flowers and butterflies for my collection.  I guess when I hear the word Springtime...that's what I think of.

Spring is Time for Flowers & Butterflies

Anyway...I got the inspiration for this card from the Card Positioning System's #210 Card Sketch Challenge.

The flower and two butterflies were created using vellum paper and hand punches.  There are several layers to the flower and butterflies to give them some dimension.  


I have this great pad of designer paper from Penny Lane.  All the paper is glittered and embossed.  I love it a lot and have found myself using it quite a bit this past month.


My favorite part of the card are the butterflies.  They actually look like they are flying.  

Challenges entered:
Card Positioning System's -  #210 Card Sketch Challenge.
Aly's Sunday Challenge - ASC38 Happy Spring
Wags n Whiskers Stamps -  Challenge 50 - Spring

Frisky Cat

I woke up this morning...poured myself a cup of coffee..and started reading some of the blogs I subscribe to.  I came across a challenge using recycled items.  What a great idea.

I looked around my room and then ventured into the garage to see what I had laying around.  As soon as I walked back in my room, my cat came in after his morning restroom stop wanting his breakfast.  I opened up his can..washed it out for recycling...and was about to toss it in the recycling bin when it hit me.  I had the perfect item for a few challenges - the cat food label.

Needless to say, the label was wet after I washed the can out.  No worries..I just went to the grocery store the other day and had bought a ton of food for the my little darlings.  I ripped off a few labels, broke out the Cricut and the Nifty Fifties cartridge, got the sewing machine out, and started my project for the day.  The card is pretty heavy.  There are a lot of layers.

It is going to definitely be interesting the next couple of feedings...I have know idea what the cats are going to eat.  At least I ripped off labels from a variety of cans.

I have entered my Frisky Cat card in the following challenges:
Our Creative Corner - Don't Throw That Away
Card Makin Mamas - Challenge 17 - Animals
Paper Cutz Challenge - Challenge #83 - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Tuesday - Challenge #2 - Buttons
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Trio Tastic
Totally Gorjuss - Button It
Sugar Creek Hollow - Anything Goes 
My Grafico - Anything Goes Monthly Challenge 
Charisma Cardz Challenges - Challenge 11: To Die For 
Wild Orchid Challenge - Challenge 19: Dieing to Punch it Out  
Shelly's Images - Show Us What You Got: Anything Goes 

WISH ME LUCK!

Roses for You - Easel Card

I love easel cards.  The tutorial over at Splitcoaststampers is so easy to follow.  You can do pretty much any size you want to.  I chose to make the card about 5 1/2 inches when folded --- primarily due to the fact that I have some envelopes that I purchased that would fit the card perfectly.

Card Challenges:
Mojo Monday 174

Roses for You - Easel Card - Handmade Vintage Inspired Valentine's Day Card

I went to Micheal's on Saturday after dropping off my brother at the airport and ran across these Kelly Panacci Valentine Ephemera Die Cut Cardstock.  Super cute and definitely awesome for some vintage looking Valentine's Day cards.  I highly recommend getting yourself a pack for your card creations.  In making the card I started off using Vanilla Cardstock from Bazzill Basics for the base of the card.  I cut the 12"x12" sheet of cardstock to measure 5 1/2"x11".  Because I suck at figuring out measurements, I folded the card in half and then folded one section in half.  I used a scoring board to help make the folded sections more crisp.

Its all about layering when you are creating cards.  I layer my pieces first before I mount them to the base of the card.  Also a good idea to do this especially if you are going to do some machine stitching.  The front of the card is layered in Whirlpool (blue) Cardstock from Bazzill, cream colored cardstock and this cool designer cardstock by TPC Studio that I machine stitched together.  Before attaching to the base of the card, I added the ribbon to the layers card.  The inside of the card is layered in Whirlpool (blue) Cardstock from Bazzill.  I chose add a little more color and fashion to the card and layered the bottom of the card with a  piece of designer cardstock from the Lovely Valentine Paper Collection by K&Company that I had machine stitched.  I took another piece of  of designer cardstock (cut at 2" in height) from the Lovely Valentine Paper Collection and using the Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page Heart Chain, punched the top of the strip that I cut out and adhered it to the the inside of the card.

Using my Cuttlebug, I die cut three tags and machine stitched each tag  to serve as a background for the die-cut rose.   I mounted the rose (and the two smaller roses) and the two hearts with double sided tape to add a 3-D effect. Finally, I attached the little girl to the card, tied a little bow, and stamped Happy Valentine's Day.  There you have at. Oh...all the edges of the elements on the card have been been sponged with coffee bean stamping ink, water, and coffee to add an aged effect to the card.

Materials Used

Vanilla Cardstock from Bazzill Basics for the Base
Whirlpool Cardstock from Bazzill Basics (layer front and inside of card)

Little Lovin' Frames and Words by TPC Studio

Lovely Valentine Paper by K&Company
Kelly Panacci Valentine Ephemera Die Cut Cardstock 

Machine Stitching (pink & blue thread)

Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page Heart Chain

Happy Valentines Day Stamp by Craftsmart 

Cuttlebug - Stamps Die

Coffee Bean Stamping Ink by Brillance

Its Alright to Be A Little Blue on Valentine's Day

After making the Teabag Folded card for my mom, I went searching for some new and interesting techniques on card folding.  I came across StampARTic's blog and she had an interesting folding card tutorial.  She's got some amazing tutorials that I want to try out (and I recommend that you check them out in your spare time).

Her folding technique is gorgeous and definitely has a vintage feel.  She was gracious enough to grant me permission to use the technique for a card that I wanted to make to sell at my Etsy shop.  I wanted to go a little vintage and use non-traditional colors for the card.  I went to Michael's on Thursday on my way back from Fresno, and found some great blue and cream colored designer paper by My Mind's Eye 29th Street Market Classic "Everyday" Fresh Linens.   Now all I needed to do was get home and work on my card.

Card Challenges:
Creative Card Crew Challenge -  Lets See Some Fancy Folds
Paper Pretties - Wednesday Challenge PWC136
AllSorts Challenge Blog - Week 85 Fancy Fold

Its Alright to Be A Little Blue on Valentine's Day - Handmade Vintage Inspired Card

After two attempts of using the folding technique and the Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page Heart Chain (I realized the Whirlpool Cardstock from Bazzill Basics was a little larger than the 12x12 size used for the technique), I was able to get the fold for the card completed. The punched edge hearts got a little squished when folding the the edges of the paper but I think it adds more of a vintage feel to the card.

I used four different designer papers to decorate the card (you have to cut out different size triangles to do to this - again check out the folding card tutorial).  I decorated the inside and outside of the card.  For the larger triangle folds for the inside of the card, I added a some pale blue ribbon just to embellish the card a little.  The card is already pretty embellished with all of the different papers used...but what the hell....ribbon is pretty.

In order for the card to close, you need to create a belt to wrap around the card.  You can probably do whatever you want to keep the card close.  I decided I wanted to use a bow to fasten the card.  After cutting out two different strips of paper for the belt, I attached two grommets to the card to thread the pale blue ribbon through for the bow.  I cut out four hearts (using cream colored card stock) from the Love Struck Cricut Cartridge and stained the the hearts using Broken China Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad.  I layered the hearts to create two hearts which I mounted on both sides of the card.

There you have it.  It took me all day but I am very happy with the card.  I think it is perfect for Valentine's day.

Materials Used
Whirlpool Cardstock from Bazzill Basics for the Base
My Mind's Eye 29th Street Market Classic "Everyday" Fresh Linens
Linen Closet Paper Stack with Glitter by Die Cuts with a View
Complete Boy Paper Pad by My Mind's Eye
Cream Colored Cardstock
Broken China Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad
Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page Heart Chain
Love Struck Cricut Cartridge
Light Blue Ribbon
Silver Grommets