card for a friend

I wanted to make a card for a friend who needed a little encouragement and I needed a little inspiration to make just the right one, so I headed over to A La Card Monkey to play along with their sketch, and for some color inspiration I used the colors at Create with Connie & Mary.



I kept it fairly simple because I wanted it to be a card I could easily mail...

Stamp Set: Pocket Silhouettes, Pursuit of Happiness(available in clear or wood mount)
Paper: Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeade, Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade DSP (polka dots)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, markers - Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade
Accessories: Pearl Accents, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: Adorning Accents Edgelits, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

february 2012 card making night!

Last night I held my monthly 3 for $6 card making night ("Third Thursday" of each month, January - June). It came so fast...I feel like we just wrapped up January card night! It was a much smaller group than last month, but fun nonetheless! I enjoyed having a few more personal conversations since I was also able to stamp with the ladies. I really like both sides of the spectrum...lots of stampers or a small group. They both have their advantages. We were kind of chuckling last night because this time around we could hear my kids running around and playing upstairs, whereas last month, there were so many of us downstairs having conversations and such, it drowned out the chaos upstairs! ;)

Card #1
I had originally made this card over a crafting weekend (just for fun!) at the beginning of February and later on decided it would be a great one for a card making night. I originally had buttons in place of the flowers, but to make my supplies stretch a little further I changed it up by using a small flower punch and adding a rhinestone.

I love the Petite Pairs stamp set...I put the other half of the greeting on the inside of the card.

Stamp Set: Best of Everything, Petite Pairs (both sets available in clear or wood mount)
Paper: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi, Pretty in Pink
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip, markers - Melon Mambo, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie (coloring in the bird)
Accessories: 1/2" Melon Mambo Polka-Dotted Ribbon (retired), Rhinestones Jewel Accents, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: 2-1/2" Circle punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack (small flower), Eyelet Border punch, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Card #2
This one might look familiar since I shared it last week. The only thing I changed was the size of the ribbon. This was a quick, but fun card!

Stamp Set: Friendly Phrases, Sweets for the Sweet (available in clear or wood mount)
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Big Top DSP
Ink: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive
Accessories: 1/4" Real Red Grosgrain ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: 1" Circle punch

Card #3
For the last card of the night, I used the Freshly Made Sketch #22.


I have been wanting to ink up my new Mouthwatering stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog, so I decided to go with the popsicle image and created a "sweet" card.

Stamp Set: Mouthwatering, Fabulous Phrases, (both sets available in clear or wood mount)
Paper: Whisper White, Lucky Limeade, Elegant Eggplant, Sweet Shop Specialty DSP
Ink: Lucky Limeade, markers - Wisteria Wonder, Soft Suede
Accessories: Rhinestones Jewel Accents, Stampin' Dimensionals, Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine
Tools: Small Heart punch,

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Hope you can join me next time!! For any of you who live in the Portland-Metro, Oregon area, mark your calendars for "Third Thursday" Card Making Nights...3 cards for only $6!
March 15
April 19
May 17
June 21

Contact me for more information if you're interested...

class valentines

Both of the kids had their class parties today. I am the Classroom Coordinator for Mikayla's class (Kindergarten), so I was able to be with her today. Austin is in pre-school and the teacher said they were going to have a low key day at school, so his teacher said not to worry about missing his activities. They mostly just passed out the valentines, had a special cupcake, and sang some songs. Even though I know it was on a much smaller scale than the Kindergarten party, I was bummed to have miss being with my little buddy, too! There is always next year to be involved with his class, I suppose...

It was fun to make classroom valentines and I kind of took over on that part this year...when they get older they can help more with the process, right?

Mikayla brought butterflies for all of the girls...

{I originally posted these last year}

And little note cards with sports candy hearts attached for all of the boys...

{so fun to use the Hearts Framelits Dies}

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And for our little Austin-monkey I was sooooooooooo excited to make his valentines! He only has nine other classmates, so I could be a little more detailed with his valentines. I originally found the idea on Pinterest (of course!), but they used banana Runts in their baggies. I couldn't find just banana flavored at the first store I went to and didn't want to go from store to store to find them, so Laffy Taffy candy it was! (I am assuming it was cheaper anyway?)

For the girls in his class, I added a little bow using two hearts placed end to end and added a rhinestone in the middle. Aren't they adorable?!

Making valentines is so much fun!! I just need to remember to do it way earlier and next year I'll have the kids help...maybe. *wink*

birthday bash cards!

On Saturday night, my upline and friend Andrea and I co-hosted a Birthday Bash Card Making Night that was held at my home. Both of us have birthdays in February and we thought it would be fun to hold an event to help celebrate with what we love to do...card making!! All of our guests made 8 cards for only $15 (2 each of 4 designs). I designed two and Andrea designed two. We wanted to showcase products from the Mini Occasions Catalog and Sale-A-Bration products, so our cards mainly highlighted those products. We also had an ice cream bar with lots of toppings! It was a great turn out of 14 stampers. We prepared for just a few more, so I have a handful of cards to make, but I love having a chance to do more stamping!

My first card was inspired by a sketch from a blog I recently found called Freshly Made Sketches. The designers encourage clean-lined creations with lots of "white space" and clean edges, but also encourages lots of details and embellishments, avoiding distressing and torn edges. Yippee...my kind of cards!!

This is the sketch...


And, my take on the sketch...


Stamp Set: Friendly Phrases, Mouthwatering (available in clear or wood mount)

Paper: Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Sweet Shop Specialty DSP
Ink: markers - Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral
Accessories: Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine, Calypso Coral Baker's Twine, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots (for Baker's Twine bow), Rhinestones Jewel Accents
Tools: Big Shot, Stripes Textured Embossing Folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch

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This second card was inspired by a card I saw here. I just changed up a few things, but loved the design layout and mostly the colors!!! Adding the butterflies with the pearls was a fun little accent.


Stamp Set: Outlined Occasions (SAB product!)

Paper: Very Vanilla, Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Poppy Parade, Lucky Limeade (polka dots), Everyday Enchantment DSP (SAB product!)
Ink: Early Espresso (inking edges), Black Stazon, markers - Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Pool Party
Accessories: Pearls Jewel Accents, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: Big Shot, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, Scallop Trim Border punch

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These are Andrea's cards she brought to the party...aren't they adorable??

sweets for the sweet & big top birthday

I was blessed with a couple days away last weekend (thanks, Sarah!). I was going to bring scrapbooking because I rarely get the chance to pull it out, but after looking through the pictures on the computer I got too overwhelmed and decided I would bring my card stuff instead. I really went into the weekend as a chance to relax, enjoy myself, and put no pressure on the amount I was going to get done. On my last craft weekend in the Fall, I spent too much of the weekend trying to be in work-work-work mode and didn't enjoy just being away. This time was different and I had more fun!!

I decided to make four cards of each design. My intention was to come away with as many cards as I could just to have on hand...I am always needing cards either to use myself or people are interested in buying. To make it easier, I tried to grab a couple packs of DSP and then any coordinating colors, stamp sets, etc. that went with it.

Here are a few of the cards I made using the Big Top DSP and Sweets for the Sweet stamp set...

With this first card, I was inspired by something I saw in the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog.


Stamp Set: Sweets for the Sweet (available in clear or wood mount), Petite Pairs (sentiment-available in clear or wood mount)
Paper: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Peach Parfait, Big Top DSP
Ink: markers - Peach Parfait, Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso
Accessories: 1/2"" Poppy Parade Taffeta ribbon, Rhinestones Jewel Accents, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: 1" Circle punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack (smallest circle), Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Big Shot

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I fell in love with Melissa Stout's "sweet" card (found here) and knew it was a great layout. I changed the sentiment and used Dazzling Diamonds Glitter instead of Dazzling Details, but just couldn't resist those cute lollipops!

Stamp Set: Friendly Phrases, Sweets for the Sweet (available in clear or wood mount)
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Big Top DSP
Ink: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive
Accessories: 5/8" Real Red Satin ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: 1" Circle punch

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This one was a little more of a process as I cut out each of the three pinwheels using my Paper Snips.

Stamp Set: On Your Birthday (let's celebrate!)

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Big Top DSP
Ink: Real Red, Tempting Turrquoise
Accessories: 1/8" Daffodil Delight Taffeta ribbon, 1/2" Real Red Taffeta ribbon (retired), sponges, Tempting Turquoise brads, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: Large Oval punch, Paper Snips, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, 1-1/4" Circle punch, 1" Circle punch

More cards to come!!

sending a kiss

Just one more week left until Valentine's Day...
have you been making some fun little treats lately?

{Hershey Kisses baggies I made for a relative to hand out to her grandkids}

card making night - valentine's day style!

Every other month I travel to my mother-in-law's house house (about a 45 minute drive) and I hold a 3 for $6 card night there with her and her friends. We've been doing this just a little over a year now. Everyone seems to have a great time and it has worked really well into my schedule of having one more event I can count on to create cards! The turn out has always been really good, but last week there were 21 ladies, which was awesome!! This time around we decided to make all Valentine's Day cards. What fun!

The first card I designed using the sketch from The Paper Players.

Card #1
It's difficult to see but the Bashful Blue background has polka dots using the Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate created with the Big Shot.

Stamp Set: Send Me Soaring (available in wood & clear mount), Teeny Tiny Wishes (sentiment)
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist
Ink: Bashful Blue (clouds & inked edges), Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Red Glimmer Paper
Accessories: Sponges, 1/4" Real Red Grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: Pinking Hearts Border punch, 1" Circle punch, 1-1/4" Circle punch, Owl punch (for extra small hearts on the bottom), Word Window punch

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Card #2

Stamp Set: I {Heart} Hearts, Delightful Dozen
Paper: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Pearl Accents, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: Heart to Heart punch, Small Heart punch, Adorning Accents Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

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Card #3
I wanted to use some different colors out of the normal Valentine's Day red and pink, so with the third card I used the beautiful Sweet Shop Specialty Paper in the Occasions Mini Catalog!

I added some Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the words to give it a little extra sparkle.

Stamp Set: Outlined Occasions (Sale-A-Bration)

Paper: Whisper White, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Sweet Shop Specialty Paper

Ink: Black Staz-On, markers - Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder
Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds glitter, 3/8" Wisteria Wonder Ruffled ribbon, Rhinestone Accents, Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools: Fashionable Hearts Embosslits Die, Labels Collection Framelits Die,