Swirly, Whirly Bird

This card was inspired by the sketch I found on a friends blog, HERE. I used the basic layout, then seemed to forget about my goal, and for once I am glad my brain sidetracked, I LOVE how this card turned out. I will list colors and everything below. I always see people with sketch challenges and wish I could do them, I just have a hard time sticking to it, I will start, then it turns into something else. However, on this card, I think you can still see the layout inspiration.

SU Cardstock in Mellow Moss, Perfect Plum, and Pale Plum.

Pattern Paper is from ProvoCraft, a Bitty Scrap Pad called Soft Serenity.

Ovals are cut using CM cutting system.

Punch down side is SU Scallop Edge, green is pierced at edge.

Ribbon is a Hot Spot thing from Archivers, part of my stash I am working to eliminate.

Pearls are Crystal Stickers (pearl) from Mark Richards.

Bird and leaves are SU Sizzlet dies called Birds & Blooms.

Paper flower is Kaiser Scrapbooks.

Every layer went through the Big Shot in a CB folder called Birds & Leaves.

Happy Birthday is from It's Your Birthday from SU.

Button is just from my stash again, no idea where it's from, probably old clothes!

PS---Note that on every layer, the CB image lines up, I was that anal about this card...LOL!!!

All About The Big Shot...

I made this card tonight at a demo meeting with my upline, Sandra, who is just wonderful. This card is just great, I love it! Look at that gorgeous edge, that is the beauty of the NEW Eyelet Border punch from SU! The bird and flowers are dies from SU's Birds & Blooms. The branch (we used 2 of them) is SU's Little Leaves die, that is cut on Kiwi Kiss textured cardstock. There is a SU fire rhinestone brad in the center of the flower as well. The base of this card is Riding Hood Red, the pink is Pink Pirouette which was run through the Big Shot with the SU texture plate called SU Backgrounds. Sizzix did a great job with the Big Shot, this is one awesome tool. However, I must say, the exclusive artwork that's found on the SU dies just can't be beat. They are all so pretty. The bottom left hand of this card is where I will stamp a sentiment later tonight. I can't wait to make some more of these! And I had forgotten how nice it was to make something that someone else has cut, it's been about 6 months since that last occurred! I am thankful to her for making this card with us, and I am glad to be able to post it here as I haven't had much stamping time this past week. Hope you like it!

Baby Boy Card

A friend of mine had a just had a baby boy and I am taking dinner to their house on Wed to help out a little, and thought it would be nice to make a card to celebrate the new baby! Luckily, my friend Kelli just gave me a great deal on this wheel, and I had to get it from her, as I had been wanting in anyway. The wheel is SU and is called Wash Day. I rolled the wheel with SU Basic Black ink onto Watercolor paper. I colored with SU markers, using mostly Soft Subtle colors. I love coloring with markers on watercolor paper, as it absorbs all stroke lines and looks so great. Once colored, I put the panel on a Barely Banana piece, then on top of a Bashful Blue piece that I used SU Scallop Edge punch on. The card base is Certainly Celery, and I cut a circle of Bashful Blue DSP and layered that centered, then stamped the sentiment on the bottom of that piece, sentiment is from Holidays & Wishes. Then I added decided the scallops should be pierced, so I did that, then stuck it over the circle using Dimensionals. I really love this card! It's clean and fairly simple, and most of all I had a great time making it.

I guess I better get in the hang of baby cards. My friend Jas called me today from the hospital and she gave birth to her 3rd child, a little girl, today. My friend Lisa had her second little girl last month, and I still need to get a card done for her. Whew! Lots of babies!

My Best Friends Birthday Card...

I am SO lucky to have a wonderful friend who just celebrated her 30th birthday. You know that friend, who I hope everyone has, who is the only one you can tell everything? Well, this is her birthday card from me, and I hope she loved it! This is a pic of the card as well as the tags that fill the two pockets. Below is the card put together and a description of the card and supplies...

I used SU Fall Flowers DSP. The colors in this paper are Soft Sky and Old Olive, I didn't have any Soft Sky, so I used Bashful Blue instead. This card is made using an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of DSP folded and cut to make this double pocket card. Instead of using Sticky Strip to tape the edges together like I normally do, I stuck the sides in my Bind It All, then threaded ribbon through the holes. The flowers on the front are SU Die Cut Blooms, which I LOVE!!! Stamp set is Inspired by Nature for the grass and the flower, Flight of the Butterfly, and the sentiment is from It's Your Birthday. I wrote the personal message on the back of the larger tag.

All items SU except ribbon (source unknown) and pearl on front from Mark Richards. I also used the Round Tab punch (SU) for the top of the first tag. I really like how this turned out, and my friend loved it, so all is well. I hope I still have her in my life 30 more years from now!

Rachel's Blog Candy...

A blog buddy of mine is having a great giveaway..aka Blog Candy. HERE is her blog link, check her out, and see the goodies she is giving away and what you should do for your chance to win!!!

SBG1 Challenge #4

I am a member of a wonderful blogger group, where I am blessed to enjoy the work of some very talented ladies. This time, the challenge host was Mel, you can visit her blog HERE. Her challenge was a bit tricky for me, use CS only as a base for your card, and use ONLY pattern papers, stamping in such a way as to show the paper underneath (ie...on vellum, etc). I decided to keep mine fairly simple so I could still have time to clean the kitchen before bed...LOL! My card base is SU Kraft, which you can't see. I used some beautiful, retired DSP from SU called Porcelain Prints. I used the Big Shot and Top Notes Die (from SU) for the middle of the card. The sentiment and flower stamp are from the SU set, Close As A Memory. Sympathy cards are something noone likes to make, but it's nice to have them on hand as sometimes when tragedy strikes, there isn't time to make something special. I planned to use vellum to stamp on before realizing I only had 2 sheets of it, and they were White Vellum, and it's heavier so you couldn't see my pattern paper through it. So, I clear embossed the flower stamp so that the paper shows through the stamping. I stamped the sentiment in Not Quite Navy ink underneath. The flowers in the corners are from Kaiser Scrapbook, and are stippled with the navy ink as well, 1/4" circles punched out of the paper are under the brads, and show just a little. I added pearls from Mark Richards in the corners.

I really do like this card, the simplicity is perfect for a Sympathy card and this challenge really made me think! It's really hard not using cardstock!!! It's also a great way to use up your pattern paper stash! Let me know what you think about this one.

PS---This pic is dark, after 10 shots, I gave up. I take awesome pics of my kids, but can't get a decent shot of a card to save my life. I will try to work on that this year...LOL!

Prissy Valentine...

I just sat down and whipped this up. I must say ahead of time that I got the idea to make this box from a very talented lady on SCS, her SCS name is girls3boys0. Mine turned out bigger than hers as I added side panels to make it deeper, but it's her idea, I just changed it to work for me.

Supplies:
Sizzix BigShot for SU
Sizzix Bigz Scallop Envelope Die (exclusive to SU)
Pink Pirouette CS
Bella Rose DSP
Chocolate Chip ink
Sm Oval Punch
Pretty In Pink Organdy ribbon - retired
Silver brad
(Sentiment) Holidays & Wishes ('for you') All Holidays
Pearls are Crystal Stickers by Mark Richards (love these!)
Flowers are Kaiser Scrapbook

Ok, so I didn't stick to my clean out the stash rule on this one, I don't think I will keep that resolution...LOL!

I cut 2 envelopes and put Sticky Strip on the outside of the 2 small flaps (do on both). With the scrap CS, I cut 2 pieces 1 3/4x2 1/4 and adhered to those, using them to make the sides of the box. Then I added SS to the outside of one bottom flap, and stuck 'em together. Clear as mud? Good, I will move on! DSP is cut to 1 3/4 x 11 and I used SNAIL to glue it on, using SS only one the end in the back. I then put on the front of the flap (front side) and folded it down to create the front of the box. The GREAT thing about this die is that those preforations (sp, I am tired) are made into the die, achieving that pierced look. Then I glued the ribbon down in the back, again with SNAIL just so it doesn't slip down. Tied the knot in the front. Stuck the flower on with the Silver brad, and stamped FOR YOU in Choc Chip ink on a scrap of Bella Rose DSP (I swear I collect scraps...LOL!), sponged the edges, and glued it on sticking out from the flower. Then I decided it looked empty, so I added 3 pearls to the bottom corner, and VOILA! I love this!

PS--Before adhering box, I stamped Happy Valentine's Day upside down on the flap...got a little smear of ink, but in respect for my resolution to become a thriftier crafter, I kept going with it!

I made this just a minute ago, and loved it so much I had to blog it right now! I also sponged the edges of the entire box with Choc Chip ink for some depth. This will hold special chocolates for my Mom for V-Day...

***All items SU unless I specify otherwise in the description. Off to make another one!

Special Delivery...

These are Target Dollar Spot mailboxes that I bought about a year ago and have been stashing away waiting for something to use them for. I finally decided that they would be valentine's for my two little girls. I will fill them with sweet treats and a small toy item each. The supply list for these will be hard for me, as I have resolved to start using things I have had for ages, and this project appears to be my kickoff to using up those old things.

Paper is Miss Elizabeth's called Be Mine from Dollar Tree 2 years ago.
Thin ribbon is SU Pretty in Pink 1/4" Grosgrain
Organdy is SU, retired, Pretty in Pink
Chipboard letters are from Michael's, years ago, brand unknown.
Flowers are a couple years old, I do not know brand.
Frosted Lace Stickles.

---I cut a small slit in the side to the flag and used SU 1/2" circle punch for the flag.

Sorry for now knowing where all the products are from, I must get my stash under control!

I am finally working on V-day, on to cards, and gift sets for it, and I will for once, be ahead of the game!

Unique Necklace...

Well, I sat down tonight to make a little ornament to hang over a cars rearview mirror to give to a friend. About 1/2 way into this project, I thought it would be better suited to be a necklace. I am unsure which I will end up saying it is, but to be a necklace, I would need to talk to a friend of mine who makes jewelry as a hobby for a little help with clasps, etc. It's a gift either way (even though I am kind of fond of it now). The entire thing is made using retired SU Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware, which I still grieve the retirement of. I used two large oval pieces, and in between is watercolor paper stamped with StazOn and watercolored using Earth Elements WaterColor Crayons, and an Aquapainter. The stamp set is old SU called Sculpted Style, I punched that with the Large Oval Punch, there are two of them, this looks the same front and back. I also punched two large ovals of a very heavy acetate I salvaged from some plastic packaging. I used Crystal Effects to hold the pieces together, and used 4 small binder clips all the way around until it dried. The top little piece and bottom swirly piece, along with brads, are the Hodgepodge Hardware as well, Crystal Effects is under each piece to make sure it stays put. I dangled a little pearl button from the bottom, and added Pumpkin Pie ribbon at the top...

I saw inspiration from this in a SU mailing to demo's, mine is very different from what I got the idea from, and I like it a lot. So, what do you think? Necklace or rearview mirror decor???