Time to Celebrate

I needed to make a birthday card for a former co-worker......a masculine card.  Ick.  I never look forward to coming up with a masculine card.  Then I thought, "What guy wouldn't want a cute chick presenting a birthday cake to him?!"  I paired the sassy MFT a la mode "Time to Celebrate" stamp with patterned paper from Basic Grey's Marjolaine paper pad.  I colored the image with copics and added some glitter to the frosting.  I finished it up with sime PTI simply chartreuse ribbon.  Yep, ribbon on a masculine card.....but I think it works!

Stamp set:  MFT a la mode "time to celebrate"  Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black  CS:  PTI vintage cream and simply charteuse  PP:  Basic Grey Marjolaine paper pad  Tools:  1.25" circle punch, 1.5" circle punch, and copics  Accessories:  PTI simply chartreuse ribbon

Cardabilities Sketch Callenge #24 - Hearts & Flowers

Woke up a little early so I decided to play along with the Cardabilities Sketch Challenge #24  using some more of the SWEi paper that I found at Michael's yesterday.  I also bought myself the Nestabilities Label One to play along. I twas the excuse I needed.  ;)

Will post supplies later!  Off to work!

SSSC102 - For You from Emma

Playing along tonight with Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #102 before I call it a day!  I was wandering around Michael's today and I found these great SEI packs of PP with coordinating cardstock and stickers on sale for $7.99.   I love the papers in the "Winnie's Wall"  kit so this card was based around that paper.

I printed this cute image by Lori Boyd once on white card stock and printed it again on PP so that I could cut out the dress and bow and adhere it to the oriinal image.  I then colored the rest of the image with copics. 

Stamps:  By Lori Designs "Birthday Emma" and SU Teeny Tiny Wishes
CS:  PTI white, berry sorbet, melon berry, sweet blush, and SU wild wasabi
PP:  SEI Winnie's Walls
Tools:  1.5" circle punch, 1.25" circle punch, copics

Birthday Boy Invites and Thank You's

Last week was my son Jack's 7th birthday party.  This year he wanted a karate party so I thought I would first share the invitiations I made for his party.

Mo Manning saved the day and had this perfect Karate Boy digital stamp available for download for only $3!  I used Microsoft Publisher to make the invitations and then colored the Karate Boy in with copics.  I mounted it on PTI's black and pure poppy card stock.

And then, of course, I made the thank you cards.  Here's what I came up with:

This time I used this adorable Lori Boyd digital image called SugarStick George for just $3!  I colored him with copics.  I used my Sizzix Stars #2 die and a Cuttlebug embosisng folder.  The card stock it PTI's pure poppy, white, and ocean tides.  The sentiment is by Saavy Stamps.  Cute, huh?!

SSS93 - Being Cute

Happy weekend!  Saturday morning means another Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge!   I had a couple days where I couldn't pull a card together, but this sketch got the creative juices flowing again!  My style seems to have taken a turn since I started practicing with copics and incorporating patterned papers into my cards which always intimidated me.......but not anymore!  I'm definitely finding my groove!  I just love these Pure Innocence images by MFT!

Stamp:  MFT Pure Innicence Being Cute is What I Do Ink:  Momento Tuexedo Black  CS:  PTI white and scarlet jewel  PP:  Echo Park A Walk in the Park  Tools:  copics, PTI Beautiful Blooms II #3 Collection dies  Accessories:  SU corduroy summer sun brad

MFTWSC4 - Love You

Time for another My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club Sketch Challege.  It's week #4 and I am on a roll playing along!  Sadly, I do not yet own this lovely Die-Namics dainty lace doily die which I think would have been so pretty with card I created.  I improvised and used a Nesties scalloped circle die instead.  I finally got some MFT Pure Innocence stamps so inked one up to play along with this challenge!  I paper pierced her dress in coordinating PP and sponged some SU pretty in pink pastels around her while the image was still in the die.

Stamp:  MFT Pure Innocence Love You With All of My Heart  Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black  CS:  PTI black, kraft, and white  PP:  Bo Bunny Crush Collection
Tools:  Nesties circles and scalloped circles, SU pretty in pink pastel, copics  Accessories:  Black satin ribbon and black rhinestones

mojo 175 - 40 and Fabulous!

Tonight I played along with the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge 175.  This sketch seemed like the perfect one to ink up my new PTI Big Birthday Wishes stamp set and By the Numbers Collection dies! Oh, I also played with my new MFT rolled flower die for the first time, too, with this card!

Stamps:  PTI Big Birthday Wishes  Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black  CS:  PTI pure poppy and white, SU delightful daffodil  PP: October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker  Tools:  PTI By the Numbers Colelction dies, PTI double ended banners die, Nestabilities circles, MFT rolled flower die, SU polka dot embossing folder  Accessories:  red rhinestones

SSSC101 - Sittin' pretty

It's Sunday!  Time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch!  This week's fun little sketch is Challenge #101. 

I played along using this adorable C.C. Designs Swiss Pixie Sweetheart Birgitta digi image.  I colored her with copics and added a lillte shimmer to wings with a clear star gelly roll pen.  I sponged some SU bashful blue pastel around her while still in the die.  The rest of the details are below.

CS:  PTI kraft, white, and plum pudding,  PP:  Echo Park's A Walk in the Park,  Tools:  Nesties ovals and petite scalloped ovals,  Accessories:  white satin ribbon

Sittin' here thinking of you

Came across these super cute digi stamps by C.C. Designs!  This is Sugarplums Cherry Emma sitting on top of the Sugarplums bench.   I colored the images with copics and paired it some PP from October Afternoon's Thrift Shop paper pad and some PTI gold harvest, ociean tides, and pure poppy card stock. Added some PTI harvest gold saddle stitch ribbon to embellish.   That sentiment is by A Muse Art Stamps.  It goes perfectly with the image!

Birthday Ella

Somewhere along my blog surfing way I stumbled upon Lori Boyd digital stamps.    I love this "Lollipop Ella" digital stamp and it gave me another chance to color which I am totally into right now.  I used a stamp from PTI's Backround Basics: Retro stamp set to make the PP.  I stamped Momento rich  cocoa ink onto kraft paper and then used a white gel pen color in the circles in the pattern to coordinate with the dots in Ella's dress.  I was bored with the card and wasn't loving it until I stamped that background and then it all came together!

Stamps:  By Lori Designs Lollipop Ella, sentiment from SU Fun & Fast Notes, Ink:  Momento Tuxedo black and rich cocoa, CS: PTI white, kraft, and dark chocolate, PP: Echo Park Life is Good, Tools:  Nesties circles and scalloped circles, white gel pen, Accessories: brown satin ribbon

I just love you

I fell in love with this Lili of the Valley Together Forever stamp the minute I saw it.  I have been so hooked on playing along with sketch challenges that I automatically started looking for a sketch that would work with this image and then I realized that I can just use my creative noggin to throw together a card.  All this coloring I have been doing has me wishing for more copics. 

Stamps:  Lili of the Valley Together Forever, sentiment from PTI Delightful Dahlia, Ink:  Momento rich cocoa, CS: PTI kraft, white, dark chocolate, and berry sorbet, PP: Echo Park Life is Good, Tools:  Nesties circles, SU square lattice embossing folder, and copics, Accessories:  brown satin ribbon

MFTWSC3 - Ring Bling

It's time for My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club sketch challenge #3!   I've been looking forward to this!   I played along for the 1st two challenges and I loved my cards.................and now I love my 3rd!   I played along using another one of the fabulous MFT a la mode stamps "It must be love."  I added glistening glitter to her rock and some bling to match in the corners of the card.   It's hard to capture the bling in the photograph, but it really is pretty in person if I do say so myself!  ;)

Stamps:  MFT a la mode "It must be love."   Ink:  Momento tuxedo black  CS: PTI pure poppy, black. white  PP:  Bo Bunny Crush Collection  Tools: copics, SU heart punch, white gel pen  Accessories: glitter and rhinestones

Together Forever

I saw the Cardabilities Sketch Challenge #21 and knew I had to play along!  This just screamed patterned paper to me & since I have been trying to incorporate patterned papers & copic colored images more into my style, this seemed like the perfect sketch to have a go at it.   I  got to ink up another new stamp I got today - Lili of the Valley's "The Little Things."  I think it is so sweet for Valentine's Day cards or Anniversary cards!  I did some paper piecing to get the patterned paper onto the present on which the little girl is sitting.  I added some little roses using my favorite MFT Die-Namics mini rolled rose die to add dimension &mimic the roses in the image itself.  I love how it turned out! 

Stamps:  Lili of the Valley "The Little Things," sentiment from Lili of the Valley "Together Forever"," Ink:  Momento Tuxedo black and rich cocoa, CS:  PTI pure poppy, white, and ocean tides, PP: October Afternoon Modern Homemaker, Tools:  copics, MFT Die-Namics mini rolled rose die

SSS91 - Birthday Fairy

I received my new Lili of the Valley stamps today and so I decided to ink up "Birthday Fairy" to play along with The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #91.  Isn't she so sweet?!?!  I colored her with copics & added some shimmer with a clear star gelly roll pen. This challenge included a "spin" which was to add some dry embossing to the project. I used my SU polka dot embossing folder to mimic the polka dots in the PP & the polka dots on the  present. 

Stamp:  Lili of the Valley Birthday Fairy, Ink:  Momento tuxedo black, CS: PTI plum pudding and white, PP: PTI polka dot parade, Tools:  copics and clear star gelly roll pen, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 1/2" circle punch, Accessories: PTI hibiscus burst saddle stitch

This card was featured on the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge blog!

Mojo 174 - Sweet Elephant

Mojo Monday - another one of my favorite sketch challanges! I look forward to these! I played along with this week's Sketch Challange 174.  I flipped to sketch on its side to make it work with my image. I haven't inked up this adorable Penny Black elephant in a long time.  I think it is so sweet!

Stamp:  Penny Black embrace. Ink: Momento tuxedo black, CS:  PTI white and sweet blush, SU so saffron, PP:  SU, Tools:  Nestabilities circle, MFT rolled rose die and mini rolled rose die, watercolor pencils and blender pen, Accessories: felt, rhinestones, yellow stickles, orange peel stickles, and white satin ribbon

CSP 201 - There's no one like you

Playing along with the Card Positioning Systems Sketch Challenge 201! I loved this sketch as soon as I saw it and had the perfect stamp in mind to ink up!  I LOVE patterned paper and the more I play with it, the more comfortable I am using it.  I've really starting to enjoy coloring images and pairing them with patterned paper!  I was so intimidated by that until recently!

Stamps: Whipper Snapper Designs "Riley"," sentiment from PTI Year of the Flower: Larkspurs
Ink: Momento tuxedo black and rich cocoa
Card Stock: PTI vintage cream, pure poppy, and ocean tides
Patterned Paper: October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker
Tools: Copics and SU scallop border punch
Accessories: PTI pure poppy button and twine

SSSC100 - Chicken parade

Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch challenges ar eone of my favorites and I look forward to them each week.  This is my entry for her Sketch Challenge 100 today.  I flipped the sketch because I really wanted to use these cute little chickens.  I actually had to lop off one chicken to make it work.  Sorry chicken! 

Stamps:  Penny Black Cluck! Cluck! Cluck, sentiment from MFT  a la mode Lets celebrate, Ink:  Momento tuxedo black, Card Stock:  SU real red, delightful daffodil, PTI white and orange zest, Patterned Paper:  PTI autumn abundance, Tools:  Nestabilities circle, sizzix birthday stripes embossing plate, water color pencils, and blender pen, Accessories:  red satin ribbon, PTI pure poppy button and pure poppy baker's twine

Flower Frenzy

Hooray!  I came across another sketch challenge while blog surfing today!  This time I am playing along with Card Positioning Systems Sketch #200.  This card is made with all PTI supples.  I wanted to make something vibrant this time so I went with plum pudding, new leaf, harvest gold and white card stock.  I llove the contrasting colors!  I pulled out the ever versatile Turning a New Leaf and Beautiful Blooms II stamp sets to create the backgrounds.  I stamped in versa mark and added the floral centers with fresh snow ink.  I used the Mat stack 4 die and the Beautiful Blooms II #1 die collection for the center piece. 

Oh, and I scored the lines on the harvest gold card stock using my Martha Stewart score board and added some twine.  Lastly, I hand cut those leaves and added some faux stitching with a white gel pen.   The sentiment is from the Birthday Basics Stamp set.   

Birthday Cake

Got another new MFT a la mode stamp this week - "Time to celebrate!".  I just love those images!   I have so many birthdays coming up over the next couple of months that I need to start to building up a selection of birthday cards to have handy.  Here's one I did at the crack of dawn this morning.  I added some faux stitching, bling, and ribbon.  Birthday cards deserve lots o' embellishments!

Stamps:  MFT a la mode Time to celebrate, sentiment from PTI birthday basics, Card stock:  PTI berry sorbet and white, SU certainly celery, Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye tickled pink, Ink: Momento tuxedo black, Tools:  Nestabilities, white gel pen,  and copics, Accessories:  rhinestones and white satin ribbon

Beautiful Day

All I see is snow when I look outside my window, yet I am already counting the days until spring.  Thoughts of spring on a winter day were my inspiration for this card.  I used twine to create the window panes and stamped the "snow" in PTI fresh snow ink onto kraft card stock.  I added the saddle stitch ribbon flower in the corner of the "window" to represent my thoughts of spring time.  I hand cut the leaves out of PTI simply chartreuse and did the faux stitching with a white gel pen.     

Stamps:  MFT Framed Greetings stamp set, PTI Polka Dot Basics Ink:  SU choclate chip, PTI fresh snow, Card Stock: PTI sweet blush, dark chocolate, kraft, white, and simply chartreuse, Tools:  MFT Die-Namics framed greetings die and white gel pen Accessories: PTI saddle stitch sweet blush ribbon and rustic jute button twine

Floral thank you

I picked up my MFT rolled rose die again.........because I got the MINI rose rolled dies in the mail today! Ya whoooooooo!   Of course, I had to try them out!  I also received that pretty flower border die by MFT as well today.  So sweet!  This time I am playing along with Cardabilities Sketch Challenge #20.  It's a pretty sketch and I love the results! 

Stamp:  sentiment from PTI Delightful Dahlia stamp set, Ink: Momento Card Stock:  PTI white, kraft, ripe avacado, terracotta tile, and harvest gold , Patterned Paper:  PTI distressed dots, Tools:  SU little leaves die, MFT rolled rose die and mini rolled rose die, MFT flower border die, and PTI Mat Stack 3 die, SU square lattice embossing folder

Friends make life blossom

I started out playing along with a Viva la Verve sketch challenge, but my card took a turn of its own so I went with it. PTI's sweet blush and berry sorbet are 2 of my favorite colors and I think they look so pretty paired with kraft card stock.   I used my copics to color the flowers and I added glitter to the blooms.  I'm rarely add glitter to my cards, but for some reason this card screamed glitter to me so glittered I did.  It is difficult to see in the picture, but it really does look beautiful if I do say so myself!  :)

Stamps:  PTI Year of flowers: Larkspurs, A Muse Art Stamps Friends Blossom, Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black, Card Stock: PTI white, kraft, sweet blush, and berry sorbet, Tools:  Copics, Accessories: PTI sweet blush ribbon, pearls, glue pen and glitter



MFTWSC2 - Picture Perfect

I am in love with MFT's a la mode stamps and I am so excited about their MFT's new weekly sketch challenge!  I get inspired to play with patterned papers when I use MFT images.  Head on over to SCS to see the thread on this week's challenge here.  I used October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker and Thift Shop papers for this card.  I love the vibrancy of the colors against the black!  This sketch is so much fun!

Stamp:  MFT a la modes in "Picture Perfect"
Card Stock:  SU basic black and very vanilla
Patterned Paper:  October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker and Thift Shop
Ink:  Momento Tuxedo black
Tools:  copics, watervolor pencils, and blender pen
Accessories:  rhinestones and red satin ribbon

Welcome Baby

It's a pajama day!  We are all home from work and school with over a foot of snow already and it not expected to quit any time soon.  So, I get an extra day of crafting!  I started making a list of challenges for myself since I am officially hooked on challenges.  Sketch challenges are my favorites so I was happy to have stumbled upon Friday Sketchers when I was blog surfing. So, here is my submission for the Friday Sketch Challnge #136.  Please note - I finally put down my MFT rolled rose die.  ;)

Card Stock:  SU early espresso, PTI kraft, white, and sweet blush, Stamps:  SU welcome baby and baby bundle, Tools:  oval nesties and scalloped oval nesties, 1 1/4 " circle punch, 1 1/2 circle punch, SU polka dot embossing folder, Accessories:  PTI sweet blush ribbon, pearl, glossy accents

SSS90 - Babycarriageabella

Nobody does a better job with pregancy images than Stamping Bella!  I think they are the cutest stamps around for pregnancy themed cards!  I used  The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #90 for my layout. 

Card Stock:  PTI ocean tides, white, and kraft, Patterned Paper: PTI polka dot parade, Tools: sizzix birthday stripes impression plate, copics, Acccessories:  PTI ocean tides ribbon

Grateful for You

It's Monday!  Mojo Monday!  This is my entry for Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge 173.  So, I used my MFT rolled rose die again.  So?  I can't help it.  I loooooooooove it!  I did try to use a color combo that was new to me.  The inspiration was actually the cover of the Stampin' Up color coach.  I never even made it to looking inside of the color coach.  The cover was so pretty! 

Card Stock:  Stampin Up crumb cake, pacific blue, old olive, whisper white, and rich razzleberry
Stamps:  PTI Turning a New Leaf and MFT Die-Namics Framed Greetings Stamp Set
Ink:  SU rich razzleberry
Tools:  MFT rolled rose die and Framed Greetings die, PTI Guide Lines Grid impression plate
Accessories:  SU rich razzleberry ribbon, pearls

Welcome Home

Our neighbors are moving right around Valentine's Day so I wanted to have a card ready to send to their new home so it will be there upon their arrival on moving day.  I wanted something warm and inviting and wanted to tie it into Valentine's Day so I knew I wanted to use red.  I love red and brown together and so it was easy to pull this card together using PTI's Boards & Beams stamp set.  Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 99 was the inspiration.  I just love her weekly sketch challenges!

Card stock:  PTI pure poppy, kraft, stampers select white, and dark chocolate
Stamp set:  PTI Boards & Beams
Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black
Tools:  PTI Guide Lines Grid Impression Plate, SU watercolor crayons & blender pen
Accessories:  PTI pure poppy swiss dot satin ribbon

Card Patterns Sketch 97 - Love You Much

Gettin' sketchy before I call it a night!  I am obsessed with my new MFT Die-Namics rolled rose die!  They are SO pretty and SO easy to make!  I just ordered some more Die-Namics and I am anxious to get my hands on them!  Anyway, being the sketch-a-holic that I am, I came across the Cards Patterns Weekly Sketch Blog and decided to try out this week's Sketch 97.

Card Stock:  SU Pink Pirouette, chocolate chip, crumb cake, whisper white, pretty in pink, and regal rose
Stamp:  SU Well scripted and PTI Polka Dot Basics
Ink:  PTI fesh snow and SU chocolate chip
Tools:   MFT Die-namics rolled rose die, paper quilling tool, corner chomper
Accessories:  pink rhinestones

Celebrations

I was asked to make invitation for a combined Baptism and Birthday Party.  Hmmmmmmm.   I had the sentiment in my head that I wanted to use, but I was just plain 'ol stuck on the executing the invitation design itself.  So, I turned to my talented blog buddy Laurie Willison for a bit of inspiration and I decided to do as CASE of THIS gorgeous card of hers.   I embossed the card with the Stampin' Up elegant bouquet embossing folder.  I printed the sentiment from my computer and then I used my all time favorite Stampin' Up stamp set, Watercolor Trio, and colored the stamp with Stampin' Up perfect plum and old olive markers.  The card stock is PTI white, perfect plum, black, and simply chartreuse.  I added some black satin ribbon for the finishing touch.  Now I just need to add the invitation info inside the card and this project will be complete!

Colour Q challenge #66

I am playing along with this week's  Colour Q Challenge #66. 

I got my paper quilling tool in the mail today from Hobby Lobby so I was finally able to try out my rolled rose die by MFT as well as my new stamp set with coordinating die by MFT, too!

Off to work!  Will post details later!

MFTWSC1 - Peace

I've said it before......I am a sketch-a-holic so I was thrilled to learn about the My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club's weekly sketch challenge!  This week is the 1st sketch challenge and since I received my new a la mode Groovy Girl stamp set in the mail this week, I thought this would be the perfect time to ink it up! 

Card Stock:  PTI sweet blush, berry sorbet, white and SU chocolate chip, Patterned paper:  My Mind's Eye Tickled Pink, Stamps:  MFT a la mode Groovy Girl, Tools:  Nesties ovals, copics, Accesories:  Rhinestones and stickles

Mojo172 - You warm my heart

Yikes!  This week's Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge 172 was a tough one for me!  After three attempts, I finally have a card that I like.  Third time's a charm! 

Stamp Set:  PTI Warm Happiness Too, Card Stock:  PTI kraft, SU very vanilla and cherry cobbler, Patterned Paper:  Bo Bunny Crazy Love Collection, Ink:  SU chocolate chip, Tools:  Nesties circle, SU square lattice embossing folder Accessories:  silver brads

Curtain Call 63

I took a deep breath and dove into my first color challenge.  I don't know why, but I have stayed far away from color challenges.  I am a sketch-a-holic.  But, it is a new year and I decided to challenge myself to try new things so here goes!  I played along with Stacey's Curtain Call Color Challenge 63.

I pulled out a sheet of each of the 5 colors above and, well, stared at them for quite a while.....and then finally the wheels started turning and this is the result:

:

All CS is by Stampin' Up as well as that awesome owl punch.  I used my Papertrey Ink Double-Ended Banner die.  Then I stamped it with that cute sentiment by Gina K. Designs.  Oh, and I stamped the owl's vest with a stamp from Papertrey Ink's Background Basics: Diamonds set and accented the pattern using a white gel pen.  I would NEVER have put these colors together, but I do love the end result.......and THAT, I suppose is a reason to play along with color challenges!  :)

Birthday Lift

I had to put my other blog candy win from Stephanie Mino at I'd Rather be Stampin' to good use!  This cute image is called Birthday Lift by Squigglefly Digital Stamps. 

 I colored the image with copics.  I used SU delightful daffodil and PTI white CS and paired it with patterned paper from October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker paper pad.  I added a few rhinestones for some bling and to add balance to the card.

SSSC98 - Dancing Debbie

I received my blog candy this morning that I won over on Stephanie Mino's blog.  I won two digital stamps from Squigglefly Digital Stamps!  Thanks again, Stephanie!  I used the "Dancing Debbie" image to play along with Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 98.   

I colored the image with copics and used SU tempting turquoise pastel to sponge the background around the image.  Paired it with fun patterned paper in My Mind's Eye Tickled Pink paper pad.  I printed "Birthday Girl" from my computer and added that turquoise flower gemstone.     Gotta love that PTI eyelet lace border!  The card stock is PTI's berry sorbet, dark chocolate, and white.