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I had originally made this card over a crafting weekend (just for fun!)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...

a quick and simple Christmas thank you

I really wanted to make Christmas thank you notes this year! I always have the best intentions of doing this and with the New Year rolling in, one of my goals for 2012 is to be better at actually SENDING out cards! I think in the past I have spent so much time and energy on making cards for upcoming events that I didn't take enough time to send them to my friends or family often enough. I get so much joy sending out cards...I need to do it more often and stop over-thinking it!

With these cards, I decided that I wasn't going to make them complicated because a) I had 12 cards to make, and b) I needed to get them out ASAP before January came and went! It's not always about making it over the top, so I decided to go simple. I was inspired by a card created by Mary Fish that I found on Pinterest and inked up the Best of Everything stamp set for the first time. The "thank you so, so much" sentiment is from the Delightful Dozen stamp set.

I've been wanting to try the white on white technique for awhile.


I cut the top white card stock a 3-1/2 inch square and then popped it up with some Dimensionals.

All the cards are stamped, written on, and already in the mail!!

And, my new motto for making cards this year...

Don't over-think it...just do it!