Happy Easter - and a Challenge

 

Want a chance to win all of this?  Simply visit the Creating Memories in Time blog and follow the instructions.  (Make an Easter card, link it to the blog, and become a blog follower.)  Easy peasy:)

Here is the card I made.  I used a Lifestyle Crafts (formerly Quickutz) alphabet called Dragonfly. I covered the letters with Star Dust Stickles.  I embossed the yellow piece with a Scallops embossing folder, scored the lines with my Scor-Pal and added the pearls.  I matted with blue cardstock.  The background paper is from a Sizzix stack.

Join in the fun for your chance to win this awesome prize.  The contest ends on April 26.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

April Calendar Page

Oh my gosh - how did April get here so quickly??  Looking outside, one would never believe it was April here in Minnesota!  Maybe some day soon.  We can only hope.  I think there is more snow in our forecast - and I'm not foolin'! LOL!

At any rate, here is my April calendar page with a brief description.  The tulip was done with a Dreamweavers stencil.  I embossed it (with my BIGkick - saves a lot of time when making 13 calendars) and stippled with Stampin' Up!'s Old Olive and Summer Sun inks before removing.  I matted with a shimmery yellow paper. The background is stamped with a stamp from SU!'s Doodle This with Old Olive.

If you are interested in printing your own calendar pages to decorate, you can download my Excel files by clicking on the page called "2011 Calendar File."  The cutting instructions are there, also.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Why I'm a Bit "Scarce"

I thought I'd share a picture of why I don't have quite as much time for card-making as I used to:)

Meet our grandson, Owen.  I am taking care of him every day while his parents (our son and daughter-in-law) are working.  It's a big responsibility - and I LOVE it!  He is just so sweet and adorable and also so good.  What a joy!  So, if I go a day or two - or more! - without blogging, you'll know why.  Owen is three and a half months old now.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Repeat Impressions - Designer's Choice Challenge!

There is a new challenge at Repeat Impressions starting today.  We are calling it "Designer's Choice Challenge," or DCC.  Every other Wednesday, opposite the WHAT IF? Wednesday Challenge, one of the Rock Stars will come up with a "theme" and we'll make cards for it.  We invite you to join along!  Darsie has volunteered to be first.  Her theme is "Scenic."  How cool!  Please visit the Repeat Impressions blog, The House That Stamps Built, for the details and to see what the other design team members have come up.  Or follow these links to their creations:

Ayana ~ Darsie ~ Harriet ~Joy ~ Karen ~ Maki ~ Robin

For my card, I used these three stamps:  629-I Mountain Vista, 2908-I Shade of the Elm, and 3413-C Grass.  I stamped them all with Versafine Vintage Sepia ink, starting with the tree.  After stamping the tree, I masked it and stamped the other two images, stamping the grass several times.  I sprayed the image with my own "glimmer mist" - Perfect Pearls Gold and water, in a Mini Mister.  I matted with brown and mounted on foam squares.

We'd love to have you join us!  Make your card, upload to your blog or on-line gallery, and link to the RI blog.  One random winner for the month will win a full sheet of unmounted rubber!!!  You still have nearly a week to join us in the WHAT IF? Wednesday challenge, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Gee - Another Daisy Birthday Card!

 

I had fun last night taking a few minutes to make a card "just because" - not one that HAD to be done.  I still have plenty of those to do, though!

Not much time for description, so just let me say the embossing is done with Cuttlebug folders, I brayered yellow ink on the daisy panel, the daisy is from Martha Stewart, and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.  Oh, and I sanded the row of daisies just a little bit.

This is not for my granddaughter (I posted her card here) but I wanted to say that Amelia is one year old today:)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week - Easter Egg

 

It's time for another Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week.  This week's stamp is 4505-F, Easter Egg (sm).  You can find it on this page.  Please visit the Repeat Impressions blog, The House That Stamps Built, to learn how to purchase this stamp this week only at 50% off the regular price.  You will also see the wonderful examples made by the other Rock Stars.  Or you can follow these links:

Ayana ~ Darsie ~ Joy ~ Karen ~ Michele

For my card, I stamped an image of the egg, masked it, stamped another, then masked them both and stamped a third.  I colored them all with Stampin' Up! markers and added pearls.  I matted with SU! cardstock cut with a Nestability.  I sewed around the edge using variegated thread using a zig-zag stitch.  The sentiment was printed on my computer.  I cut and matted it using Nestabilities and mounted it on foam squares.  I choose the background paper because it reminded me of Easter grass.  It's from Sizzix. 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

A Day of Lovely Surprises

I haven't had any stamping time for about a week or more, so I just had to take a couple minutes and finish up this card.

I already had done the main image.  I had carefully cut the pieces when I made the birthday card for Wendy, so I used the leftover pieces on another image.  I simply matted it with the patterned paper and the solid paper, added a couple scored lines, and then the sentiment.  I NEED to get busy on some projects that are due!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Happy Birthday, Wendy!

Today is Wendy's birthday and we (the RI Rock Stars) wanted to do something to help make her day special.  We thought it would be great to have everyone stop by and wish her a Happy Birthday!  Wendy is the owner of Repeat Impressions (along with her husband, Bill) and she is also the artist behind the stamps.  So, please check out the birthday cards we have made for Wendy, and then stop by the Repeat Impressions blog, The House That Stamps Built, and leave her some love:)

I saw this card on my blogging friend Barb's blog in December.  I meant to try it out then, but never got around to it.  Then I saw someone else make one and I knew I had to give it a shot.  I used my own measurements.  I used the Repeat Impressions stamp called Rebecca for this card.  It's such a great stamp.  I paper pieced her clothing using Die Cuts With a View papers.  I used markers for her skin and hair.  I stamped the sentiment (from RI, of course!) on strips of white cardstock, embossed them with a Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder, and adhered them to the sides.  I also used the DCWV paper to cover the rest of the front of the card.  I used oval Nestabilities for the image panel.  Here is a side view, too, so you can see the dimension better.

Won't you please check out the other design team members' birthday cards, and then stop by and wish Wendy a happy day?

Ayana ~ Darsie ~ Harriet ~Joy ~ Karen ~ Maki ~ Michele ~ Robin

I just found a challenge for this design of card!  I think the measurments are even the same as what I came up with on my own:)  You can find the challenge here.  It's on the Sweet Stamps blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Repeat Impressions WHAT IF? Wednesday

 

Today is another WHAT IF? Wednesday challenge.  Wendy has given us a sketch to use and the Design Team members have used it as a basis for their creations. We ask you to do the same!  Here is the sketch for the current challenge:

Please visit the Repeat Impressions blog, The House That Stamps Built, for all the details and to see what the other Rock Stars have come up with.  Or follow these links:

Ayana ~ Darsie ~ Harriet ~Joy ~ Karen ~ Maki ~ Michele ~ Robin

Then, create your own card using this sketch, upload it to your blog or an on-line gallery, and link it to the Repeat Impressions blog.  You have until Tuesday, April 5 at 5:00 p.m. EDT to enter for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from RI.

For my card, I started by stamping the flowers with the Morning Glories stamp, found on this page.  I also stamped them on a piece of scratch paper and cut them out.  I used removable double-sided tape to stick it over the stamped and colored image.  Then over the mask, I stamped with the Live, Laugh, Love stamp (found on this page) and removed the mask.  I scored a couple lines along the sides and used a very thin mat of black.  The circles are Certainly Celery cardstock from Stampin' Up and are matted with black, also.  I used a punch for the circles.  I embossed the background with a Sizzix embossing folder and matted with black.  The ribbon is Certainly Celery.  Oh, I also added black brads, but omitted four of them:)

I hope you'll join us!  You still have time to enter last week's challenge, too.  It's to CASE Karen, and you can find the details of that challenge here.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Butterfly Birthday

I woke up early this morning, and used the "extra" time to make this card.:)

The butterfly is a rubber cling stamp from Hampton Arts.  I stamped it on a fairly solid-colored sheet from a Sizzix matstack, embossed with black embossing powder and cut it out.  Then I stamped it on a patterned piece from a Die Cuts With a View Summer matstack.  I also stamped the sentiment (from All Night Media) and embossed them both with black powder.  I glued the butterfly down by the body only, allowing the wings to be free.  I matted with black cardstock and added the swirl of black crystals from Zva.  Simple, but kind of pretty, I think. 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week - Celebrate Spring

Oh my gosh - it's Monday again!!!  Are you ready for a new Stamp of the Week from Repeat Impressions, available at 50% off this week only???  I hope so, because here it is:)

Check the Repeat Impressions blog, The House That Stamps Built, for all the necessary details and to find the other Rock Stars' creations.  You will see that the new SOTW is 3908-I, Celebrate Spring, and can be found on this page.  Here are links to the other design team members' blogs, too.

Harriet ~Joy ~ Karen ~ Maki ~ Robin

For my card, I started by choosing my papers.  The patterned papers came from a Die Cuts With a View Matstack called Cafe Mediterranean. I stamped the image directly on the yellow paper and colored with Stampin' Up! markers.  I punched a border on the blue cardstock with a Martha Stewart Birds on a Wire punch and used it to mat the yellow layer.  I added the pearls, and called it done!


Don't forget - you still have time to participate in the CASE Karen challenge and the WHAT IF? Wednesday challange and have a chance to win some stamps!  Check out the RI blog for details.


Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Wishing You ...

 

I do love my "white space." :)

This is another card using my new Cindy Loo Cuttlebug folders set.  The paisleys and the border around the patterned paper are just a part of one of the folders.  I allow myself to buy the bigger folders and then am dissappointed when they're too big for me to use!  This folder is 5 x 7, but my card is the standard size.  The whole front panel is a separate piece that I embossed.  The patterned paper is from Die Cuts With a View and the sentiment is from Verve.  The inside of the card says "a very happy birthday."

 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Flowery Thank You

I got this stamp in the dollar section at JoAnn's last week, and I wanted to use it right away.  I don't actually like is as much as I thought I did!

I colored it with markers and cut it with a Nestability.  I sponged some light yellow ink on it before removing from the die.  I felt it was really lacking something, so I put it back in the die and added the dashed black lines.  I embossed the patterned paper with a Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder and then used a sanding block to sand the dots down to expose the white core.  I used my Martha Stewart scoring board for the lines.  I matted those layers with black and mounted the image panel on foam squares.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Letterpress Thank You

Here is the other Letterpress (from Lifestyle Crafts, formerly Quickutz) that I promised you.

Today's card uses plates from the Flourish set.  It's hard to tell in the photo, but I used gold ink for the flourishes, and the matting is also shimmery gold.  This card would be very easy to mass produce.  The pearls add a touch of elegance.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Letterpress Thinking of You

I did a little more playing with my new Letterpress (from Lifestyle Crafts, formerly Quickutz) last week, and came up with this card and another I'll share with you tomorrow.

For this card, I used the Blossoms plates.  There is a very large background plate that I used for the piece on the left side.  I also punched the butterfly out of part of it.  The sentiment is from the same set.  I  added some pink rick-rack and pearls to the butterfly.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Repeat Impressions - CASEing Karen

Today's Repeat Impressions challenge is to CASE Rock Star Karen.  Here is Karen's card:

The Repeat Impressions design team members have CASED Karen, and we challenge you to do the same!  Please visit the Repeat Impressions blog, The House That Stamps Built, for all the details and for the Rock Stars' creations.  Create your own card, upload to your blog or on-line gallery, and link back to the RI blog.  One random participant will win a full sheet of unmounted rubber!!  You do not need to use RI stamps, but if you do, you will be entered twice - how about that!  Here are links to the Rock Stars' blogs: 

Ayana ~ Darsie ~ Harriet ~Joy ~ Karen ~ Maki ~ Michele ~ Robin

I took a little liberty with Karen's card.  I had to turn her oval panel sideways, and I eliminated the pearls.  My stamps, of course, are from Repeat Impressions.  They both can be found on this page.  I paper-pieced the bells and colored the rest of the image with Copic markers.  I added some of the purple to the patterned paper, to match the roses.  I used an EK Success border punch for the center matting and Long Oval Nestabilities for the sentiment panel, which is mounted on foam squares.  We'd love to see what you come up with!

EDITED TO ADD:  I'm also submitting this for the Flourishes challenge "A Cut Above the Rest" - to use some sort of a cut edge.  The border punch works!

Also, don't forget about your chance to win a $25 gift certificate from our WHAT IF? Wednesday Challenge, found here, and a chance to win a $35 gift certificate from our Blogaversary Hop, found here.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Welcome Little One

I hope you're not tired of my Clean and Simple cards. 

The main image on this card is part of a new Cuttlebug folder that came in a set that I picked up at Michael's.  I embossed it, cut it with a scalloped Marvy punch, and lightly brayered over it with Stampin' Up!'s Mauve Mist ink.  I then cut a circle with a Nestability and Mauve Mist cardstock and matted the image.  I mounted that on foam squares.  I embossed a piece of white cardstock with a Swiss Dots folder for the top.  The bottom is Sizzix paper.  I added a piece of olive green rick-rack ribbon.  The sentiment is from Studio G and stamped with Old Olive ink.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week - Bird and Blossoms

 

With a new week comes a new Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week.  This week's stamp, available through Sunday, March 20 at 50% off, is 1321-M, Bird and Blossoms.  You can find it on this page.  What a gorgeous stamp!  For all the necessary details, and for links to the other Rock Stars' creations, please visit the Repeat Impressions blog, The House That Stamps Built.  You can also follow these links to see the design team's cards.

Ayana ~ Darsie ~ Joy ~ Karen ~ Michele

Here are the specifics for my card.  I stamped the design with black, embossed with black embossing powder, and colored with Copic markers. The sentiment is 4025-F, Deepest Sympathy, found on this page.  I simply matted the image panel with black and mounted on a white card base.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Dotted Birthday

Another Clean and Simple birthday card - my very favorite kind. :)

The embossing was done with a Cuttlebug folder.  The butterflies and the sentiment are from a Papertrey Ink set called Wishing You.  I added two rhinestones to each butterfly for the bodies, and then drew in the antennae.  I used some old Memories ink from Hero Arts. (Edited to add:  Not that it truly matters, but the ink is NOT Memories.  It's called "Archival Ink" and it's from Ranger.  The color is Plum.)   I also matted the embossed panel with some wine-colored cardstock.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Super CAS Thanks

I really, really wanted to make a card last night.  Time is so short now:)  So, I made this super simple card.

I went to Michael's last week with my 50% off coupon.  I got a set of Cuttlebug folders.  The border I embossed was a part of one of the folders.  The sentiment and the butterfly are older Stampin' Up! rub-ons.  That's all there is to it.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!