Bundle of Joy

 Sorry for the wonky picture-taking here-I'm failing at my photography skills these days.

I created this cute card for a colleague who just had their first grandchild this weekend.  He's a huge Penn State fan so I tried to stick to that color theme for the card.

I used the current Freshly Made Sketches #537 as I thought it would make a great masculine card.  Hope you enjoy the idea!

Card details:

Stamps: Reverse Confetti Sentimental Sayings

Cardstock: Not Quite Navy (SU), Balmy Blue (SU), Rustic White (PTI)

Inks:  Not Quite Navy, Balmy Blue, Smoky Slate

Embellishments: Taylored Expressions Little Bit Stars and Mini Strips Flags die (I used the stars and stenciled it onto my cardstock), embellishments from Let's Celebrate You Kit from TE

Welcome Baby!

Created this card a few months ago for a neighbor who had a little boy.  Wanted a card that wasn't too traditional in colors and love this color combination.

I created my own "washi" tape for the little aqua strip.

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Card details:

Stamps: Banners2Cut, Sweet4Babies and Onesie4Baby from The {Stamps} of Life

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Whisper White from Stampin' Up, Fancy Pants Memories Captured Patterned Paper

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Pool Party from Stampin' Up

Embellishments: Basic Grey Candy Buttons, Circle dies from Spellbinders, Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares

Sweet Baby

Today over at Blogger's Challenge is "Things with wings".

This is one of my all time favorite winged images from Stampotique.

I used the honeycomb background to stamp the base of my card and then added just a strip of washi tape for some contrast.  I loved this design so  much I thought I should make one of each color for my stash.

Thank you all for stopping by and sticking with my blog.  My stamp time has still been very limited due to my new job which has been great, but challenging.  I'm itching to get inky again...maybe tonight.

Hope you will join us over at Blogger's Challenge this week with your winged things.

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Stamps: Medium Bee 3000 and Honeycomb Background 8116 from Stampotique Originals

Cardstock: Soft Sky, Blushing Bride, Whisper White and Basic Black from Stampin' Up!

Inks: Ranger Archival Ink-Jet Black, Soft Sky and Blushing Bride from Stampin' Up!

Embellishment: Stephanie Barnard Chunk Glitter Sprinkles, circle punch, washi tape

Bundle of Joy

The past week our challenge over at Blogger's Challenge was a baby theme.  Worked perfectly as our neighbors just had a little baby boy.  I hope she doesn't sneak a peek at this as I haven't gotten her gift over to her yet.

I kept my card pretty simple without a ton of stamping, using the patterned paper instead.  My little carriage was colored with copics.

Sorry this is short, I started a new job last week that has kept me on my toes.  I'm loving it and the change, but it has me extremely busy.

Hope you will join us over at Blogger's Challenge and show off those cute baby creations.

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Card details:

Stamps: Borderline and Treasured Words from Verve Stamps

Cardstock: River Rock, Chocolate Chip, Simple Stories Baby Steps

Inks: Chocolate Chip, copics

Embellishments: Tim Holtz stapler

BC304: Cut It Out

Happy Friday!  This week I'm glad that Friday is here even though the kids are off school today.  We are looking forward to attending Cheersport Nationals this weekend in Atlanta for Sydney's  cheer team and enjoying the remainder of the long holiday weekend.

Today over at Blogger's Challenge our theme is Cut it Out (use die cuts or an electronic die cutting machine).   Mine is very simple today but hope you like it just the same.

This card was for my stampin' friend, Ashley who had a sweet baby girl in December.  I pulled out a journal card from one of my old Project Life kits and stamped my sentiment on it.

I stamped my cool carribean paper with the Animals4print stamp and then die cut it using the butterfly die from PTI.  I added some rhinestones to the body of the butterfly and drew the antennae and trail behind it.

I decided to straighten the corners of the project life card and adhere it using some washi tape.  I love how quick and easy this came together and how it looks.

Hope you will join us at Blogger's Challenge this week and show us how you rock the die cuts!

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Card details:

Stamps: Animals4print from The {Stamps} of Life, Simple Sentiments from Sweet Stamp Shop

Cardstock: Basic Black, Cameo Coral, journal card from Project Life

Inks: Perfect Little Black Dress

Embellishments: Butterfly die from PTI, washi tape, date stamps

Congrats

I've skipped the last few weeks of Blogger's Challenge but I'm going to get back into the swing of things now that it's a New Year.

Today our challenge is Celebration-any celebration.  The obvious choice is celebrating a New Year, but I decided to go with something more fun than celebrating the New Year.  How about celebrating the birth of a new baby?  

Hope you will join us for this weeks Blogger's Challenge and show us how you are celebrating.

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Card details:

Stamps: Thatched Banner, Treasured Words and Text Objects from Verve Stamps

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake from Stampin' Up! , Gina K. Luxury White

Inks: Copic makers B21, B23, E40, Dish All the Dirt Brown and My Favorite Blue Jeans from Clear & Simple Stamps, Crumb Cake from Stampin'Up!, Memento Rich Cocoa

Embellishments: 1 3/8 circle punch from Stampin'Up, Mix & Match Banner dies from My Favorite Things, Janome sewing, Linen Thread from Stampin'Up!

Congratulations

Currently Stampotique is sponsoring the Party Time Tuesday challenge and ringing in the New Year with the theme celebration.  Want a chance to win a $30 gift certificate for Stampotique stamps?  Now's your chance!
(you also can join us for the current Stampotique Designer's Challenge for another chance to win some goodies)

I created this baby congratulations card using Maria's bunny...love this bunny and watercoloring it, or using my copics.  Thought this Authentique paper would work well for a little girls card.

Hope to see you over at the Party Time Tuesday's challenge this week!

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Card Details:

Stamps: Congratulations 9008 and Hung Out to Dry 7302 from Stampotique Originals

Cardstock: Basic Gray and Watercolor Paper from Stampin' Up!; Patterned Paper: Authentique Carefree

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Crumb Cake, Regal Rose and Going Gray from Stampin' Up!

Embellishments: Aquapainter, Dimensionals and Round Tab punch from Stampin' Up!, Janome Sewing 

BC2564: Baby Theme

Over at blogger's challenge today isn't all about BABIES.  I have got a LOT to share today as I love to make baby cards and had a new set to play with.  I went a little crazy with making some baby stuff so hope you'll stick with me.

First up I made this cute little card by stamping the onesie from Onesie4Baby on patterned paper and then coloring it with my copic.  I kept it pretty simple just stamping a teddy bear border on the bottom.

For my second card I kept with the little boy theme and just used the little sailboat image and stamped my sentiment directly on the patterned paper.  I love this card and think I'm going to duplicate this layout and make a variety of cards using a different image.

Next up I went with a more feminine card and embossed my background with the Sizzix Textured Embossing Folders and then stamped the little butterflies across the onesie and added a little hand drawn trail.  For the onesie I colored the sleeves and then stamped the dot to make a pattern.

For my last one I created a scrapbook page of my friend's twins.  They are the cutest little things and I love all the photos she sends me.  I asked her if she'd mind if I created a page of the twins.  For my strip I again embossed the background and then just added a few of the images along with the You are So Sweet from Standup4Sentiments.  Aren't they cutie pies????  Sorry my pictures aren't that great, I'm not quite certain the best way to take pictures of scrapbook pages.

Want to join us at blogger's challenge this week? Create something with a baby theme and link in over at Blogger's Challenge.  Can't wait to see what you create!!!

BC250: Altered Item

Today is Blogger's Challenge and while I did not have as much creative time as I would have liked this week, it was because I was busy creating some baby shower invitations and favors. 

So, I cheated a little bit and I altered a die that I haven't used or shared on my blog yet.  This favor box is from Clear & Simple Stamps and I knew it would be perfect to go with the invitations I made for my friend's friend. 

The die is super easy to use and as you can see from below,  it's smaller than a standard size card.  I think it actually measures about 2.5" wide x 3.5" tall.  I suggested she put a little baggie of candies in it, and I hope to make some more of these for Valentine's.  I used it in my cuttlebug and I did have to run it through twice as I don't have any long plates, but I was able to do about 20 of them in a short amount of time.  They pop out of the die super easy as well.

I love how these invitations turned out, they were quick to put together in a few nights once I got the design down.  You can't tell too well from the picture, but the strip panel is sewn on the invitation.  I used the Blessings stamp from Verve Stamps for the flourish on the front of the invite and the stamps4fancylbel from The {Stamps}of Life for my party favor.

Want to join us this week at Blogger's Challenge?  Link up your altered creation at any one of our blogs with the blog hop.

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Card details:

Stamps: Blessings from Verve Stamps

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Simple Stories Baby Steps

Inks: Pretty in Pink

Embellishments: Scalloped Punch, Janome sewing, Amuse jewel stickers

Party Favor Details:

Stamps: stamps4fancylabels from The {Stamps} of Life

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Simple Stories Baby Steps

Inks: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink

Embellishments: Party Favor die from Clear & Simple Stamps, Pretty in Pink brads from SU!, Fancy Labels Framelits from Sizzix

Bloggers Challenge 115: Baby Theme

If you visit my blog frequently you know how much I love to make baby gifts, they are probably my most favorite cards/projects to make. Our theme this week for our blogger's challenge was BABY. I just posted a cute little baby frame yesterday.

Today I thought I would make a card for a friend who is having twins next month. This friend is someone I have been blessed to have met. My son was born 12 1/2 weeks premature and spent the first 8 weeks in NICU (believe it or not he's a healthy 10 year old -well he'll turn 10 in 3 weeks). Chelle was one of his nurses and she was spectacular not just with him but with me. I was a basketcase even though he was very healthy, but I hated leaving him every day. I was back to work before he was released from the hospital and I had really wanted to nurse. Chelle was there every step of the way encouraging me when I was feeling like I couldn't do it anymore. I went on to nurse him for about 7 months which is spectacular as the first 4 months I pumped exclusively until he caught on. I've keep in touch with Chelle all these years, we've written letters back and forth and shared triumphs and disappointments. I've watched her go on to have 2 little ones of her own, and expecting the twins now. I'm so thrilled to have been introduced to this wonderful person who made a big impact on my life.

Anyway, last night I was in mojo gear and got quite a few cards done. Unfortunately I can't share most of them as they are for publications-my first submissions. I don't care if they get accepted or not, I know they probably won't and I'm okay with it. I'm thrilled with how they turned out and they got my creative juices going which is most important.

I combined two other challenges with this Blogger's Challenge. I just went back to my blog and found one of the last challenge cards I did for Mercy's Sketch was also a baby card LOL. Mercy has fantastic sketches and she's super sweet too. Hoping one day we'll have the chance to meet since we don't live too far away. I also opted to do a non-traditional colored baby card by using Dawn's Raspberry Suite Color Challenge. I follow Dawn closely, I love her style and her color combos are fantastic!

Make sure to check out all the other blogger's by clicking on the logo on the right hand side --->

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend and BE SAFE!!

Card details:
Stamp Set: (another favorite) Kim Hughes Baby Love
Cardstock: Summer Sunrise, Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate (PTI) and Kraft (SU)
Inks: Summer Sun for sponging, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Copics W1, YR14, Y35, Twill Tape, Rustic Buttons & Rustic Cream Twine, circle nestabilities, Swiss Dots Cuttlebug

Welcome to the world Bailey!

Blogger's Challenge week #88: Alter anything

My friend just had a baby girl this evening and I had been planning on making her a little something. Baby arrived just before she's moving on Monday. It really stinks as there have been 4 of us getting together for years, with a few others joining at times, to stamp and scrapbook. We've already decided we'll have to stamp via webcam when she moves.

This is her 2nd daughter and I'm proud that I'm her oldest little girl's godmother. I was there when she was delivered and to watch her grow has been fun. We are going to miss having them around!!!

This frame (from the Target $1 spot (3 4 x 4 frames for $2.50...bargain!) was perfect for some High Hopes images my girlfriend Kristen sent me. I don't know why I have never bought any of them, as it was so much fun to color and practice with my Copics. I really wanted to do the ribbon at an angle in the corner, but it just wasn't working.

Make sure to check out the other blogger's by clicking on the blogger's challenge icon to the --->

Have a great weekend, baseball tournament here, so we'll be at the park. And my goal is to work out at least one more time before Sunday arrives.

Frame Details:

Stamps: Oops Ellie from High Hopes (thanks Kristen!)
Cardstock: Regal Rose, Whisper White, Pink Piroutte
Accessories: White ribbon colored with RV11 Copic, Ellie colored with Copics, Bailey tag printed on computer and circles and tag cut with nestabilities, Fire Rhinestone square brads, Swiss Dots cuttlebug

Baby Thank you's on parade

While making the round of baby thank you cards I decided to try the Friday Fun Challenge #18 from last week. I changed it up just a bit by not putting the 3 embellishments on the side.

Trying to stick with the theme of pinks and browns for the baby thank you's, pretty simple card that was easy to come together and is helping me perfect my sewing skills. If you need some tips on sewing, Jody has some awesome one's here. She has several tutorials that really helped me to make my sewing look better on my paper and STRAIGHT!!!!

Card details:
Stamp Set: Event Full by Stampin'Up, Much Appreciated by Stampin'Up
Inks: Copic markers, Basic Brown, Craft White
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! patterned paper, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose
Accessories: Chit Chat Rub-ons, Janome Sewing, Soft Subtles Brads

Technostampers Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge #54

Mary Jo sure knows how to challenge us!!! Once I got the layout going and cut all my layers, I love how it turned out! I'm making some baby thank you cards (no, not for me!). Hope my friend likes them when I give them to her. This week I'll be showcasing a few of them and although they may all look the same, they are different ;-)

I love this set from Rubber Soul called Baby. I love baby sets, doesn't matter who makes them!

Join us in the sketch challenge and post a link to Mary Jo's blog via Mr. Linky. Love to see what you come up with!

Card details:
Stamp Set: Baby by Rubber Soul
Inks: Copic markers, Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! patterned paper, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose
Accessories: Chit Chat Rub-ons, Janome Sewing, Oval & Circle Nestabilities, 5/8" chocolate grosgrain.
Stamp Sets

ETA: Guess it would help if I had the picture uploaded to post huh???

Whew!!! Baby Shower Invitations

I apologize, I have not been participating in many challenges or doing any other extracurricular stamping in the last few weeks as I have been working diligently on making some (70) baby shower invitations for my best friend who is due in the beginning of December.

First I had to find the perfect set that had some versatility to it. I was trying to incorporate the colors of her nursery with the invitations and something a little quirky which I think I found when I finally splurged (on a lot) from Cornish Heritage Farms. I chose Kim Hughes' Baby Love collection as well as the "shower" word from Baby from Rubbersoul. Then I had to get some nestabilities, which I have since ordered more of them, from U Cut at Home (thanks to my friend Stefanie for helping me to save some $$$). I got the small scalloped and regular ovals for this and was originally going to emboss them ovals as well, but after 140 passes through the cuttlebug and plate changes, I decided the invites still looked great with out it. The paper selection was easy once I saw this awesome sample from Debbie Fisher. The colors were perfect and so off I went to Storage Units Ink and More to order my Core'dinations paper (you can also see in the right hand far corner my wonderful storage unit from them).

I figured I used about 7 sheets of 12 x 12, 56 sheets of 8.5 x 11, 140 brads, 140 runs through the cuttlebug, 140 dimensionals, 1260 colored spots on the giraffe, 490 colored onesies and lots of experience perfecting my assembly-line stamping ;-)

I had fun making them, my friend hasn't seen them so I hope she likes them and doesn't look at my blog before she gets hers in the mail. I have to address the envelopes and they will be off hopefully by weeks end. The card below shows my prototype which did not use the textured paper that was in the final card.

Sunday Dress

I made a card to showcase a way to use black rub-on flowers for a friend and had this card in mind as soon as I told her I would make something. Granted, it took me a few trays as I had another sentiment in mind for the bottom of the card and that just didn't work out.

I'm so excited that I stamped for a good 4 hours tonight and got 6 cards done. Ha ha!!! Hey, I was having fun by myself down here in the basement with some peace and quiet stamping time so I'm happy.

I'll be sharing a few more in the next few days...I was working on some challenge cards to share for next week, so you'll have to wait for those.

Card Details:

Stamp Sets: Stamping Bella Sunday Dress, SU! Small Sayings (retired)

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Basic Black, Whisper White

Inks: Black Staz-onAccessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Blender Pens, Soft Subtle Eyelets, Doodle Rub Bloom Borders by Polar Express

Baby Card-Bundled in Love

When I saw this set in the new catalog it was a must have. Being pregnant and loving this set, it was the first on my list of items to get. Now, I'm not great at watercoloring, blending, etc. so it's been a trial for me to get some nice clean images when I'm coloring.

This card I made for a new catty swap on my SSUS group. The cards we received back were phenomenal and are now proudly displayed on my "inspiration" board to get my rear motivated to stamp some more.

Sets: Bundled in Love
Cardstock: Whisper White, So Saffron, Rose Red, Bashful Blue, Cutie Pie Designer, Certainly Celery
Inks: Black Staz-on
Accessories: Soft Subtles Brads, Photo Corner Punch, Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Blender Pen, Bashful Blue Taffeta Ribbon, Paper Piercer

Here is another I made similar for another new catty swap. I used the pencils with this one and didn't like the image as much no matter what I did...so I left it as is.