Rockin' Out - Graduation Card

I had a lot of fun creating this card for my friend Corey.  Her friend's daughter just graduated high school is off to UC Davis.

Big thank you to Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge for the wonderful sketch.

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge

Challenges Entered

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge - Challenge 107

Order of the Opus Gluei - Girl Things

Paper Sundaes - Challenge #73: Girly Girl

The Emerald Faerie Garden - Challenge #2: Lots of Bling (I hope the bead work counts) 

The Paper Shelter - Challenge 17: Celebrate

Road to Nowhere

Good evening fellow bloggers and anyone else who happens across my little blog.  A fairly productive weekend even with fighting off some bog.  Apparently there is something going around and I was privileged enough to catch it.  Oh well...at least it isn't as bad as the cold I had last December.

I'm trying to get some Father's Day cards done to post at my Etsy shop before the end of the month...can you believe it is already the 15th --- time sure does move fast.  I've been in a retro grungy sort of mood lately (might be because I am under the weather) so some of the latest creations have a 50s feel to them.  The Nifty Fifties Cricut Cartridge certainly has been very useful and has a ton of images I can't wait to use.  A lot of cool images to cure your retro urges.  I added some pearl glitter to the headlights for a little shimmer.

A close-up of the car and the panels.

A close-up of the greeting.

CPS - Card Sketch Weekly Challenge - CPS 218

I was inspired by CPS-Card Sketches Weekly Challenge - CPS 218.  This blog has one of the best sketch designs I have seen.  They are always coming up with something unique and fabulous.  I had a great time cutting out all of the panels and adding stitching to the borders.  The Tim Holtz Idea-ology Retro Grunge paper and sprockets really added a nice touch to the card.  Have I told you guys I am having a love affair with Tim.  Okay..not really with him...more like all of his products.  I would love to meet him one day to tell him face-to-face how much I love all of his stuff.


Card Challenges Entered:
Card Positioning Systems Weekly Sketch Challenge - CPS 218 
Creative Belli Blog - Challenge 117: Starts with an "S" Challenge (my "S" is sprocket)
Emerald Faerie Garden - First Challenge: Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes
Lothian Crafts Online - Easel Card
One Stitch at a Time Challenge Blog - Challenge 62: Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - Challenge 53 Anything Goes
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays - Old Supplies Challenge (old supplies used: red buttons, sprockets, brad, and glitter)
Wags n' Whiskers Stamps - Challenge 54: Circles 
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes

Recipe
Cream Cardstock
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Retro Grunge Paper
My Mind's Eye Complete Boy Paper
Red, Black, Silver Cardstock for the Retro Car
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Sprockets
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo
Buttons
Machine Stitching
Embroidary Thread

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

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

Fun Folds- Teabag Fold Challenge

Mom had her surgery today (all went very well) and I knew she was going to get a handmade card from me when she woke up.  I decided to check out some challenges and came across 365 Challenges' Day 313 - Fun Folds Challenge.  I have been doing Iris Folding for a while now.  Teabag folding sounded like the next logical step.  Also, I've been wanting to do an easel card for the last couple of weeks.