The Theme is Summer Picnic...

Hey, friends! I am playing with a new swap group on Yahoo called JustCards. I love it! The theme for one of the swaps last month was Summer Picnic. I do not know why, but this theme freaked me out. I stressed  about it for days. I don't have many summery sets, and certainly nothing that screams 'picnic'. After wrestling with the idea of weaving red and white ribbon to create a blanket and punching out a sun and ants...Ding...lightbulb! I remembered this old SU set called Ladybug Picnic. I hadn't used it in years, it is a set my kids use in their crafts. Well, I pulled it right out and this card was made in minutes! It's clean and simple, but it works. The grass is Old Olive DSP cut along the top and roughed up a bit. The sky is done on a small layer instead of the background and I love the simpicity that lends to this design. I went down the side with a few matching buttons. The ants are stamped in Jet Black Staz-On and colored with SU Markers. It was fun...I don't know why I was so stressed! Hope ya'll like it!

Sorry about the low quality pic...it was shot at midnight as soon as the glue dried:)

All supplies are SU!

It's been a while...I am still alive;)

 Sorry friends! I have been crafting a lot less lately, but my poor blog has been completely neglected. I am trying to get back on track. I recently started a new business, so I had to put some of my stamping aside for a couple months. This card was a fun one to make! It was a sketch for a swap group I play in. If you like making and swapping cards, you should really check out JustCards on yahoo! It's a great group! I cut out the three circles, did the faux suede technique, then balled them up and smoothed them back out. They're layered to created a fun, textured flower. The white background is speckled with blue ink using the Color Spritzer tool from SU! A little tear in one corner, and she's done! I have many more projects to blog, so I hope you guys haven't given up on me;) Supplies are all SU!

Happy Stampin'!

It's a HeAtWaVe!

 Whew ya'll. It's hot in NC this week! Temps in the 90's with horrible humidity! This month's theme for a month long swap I play in is 'SUMMER', so every Monday, I mail a summer themed card to my assigned partner for the month. Here are two that I have sent to her! The first card was SO MUCH FUN! Nothing but punches used to create this fun flamingo! I saw a card VERY similar on a demo site, and tweaked it a little, and it's one of my favorites! The flamingo is made completely out of the 2-Step Bird Punch! It's all in the details....the sand is sprayed, everything is sponged, the water is crimped, the birds are doodled. It took a while, but it was worth it! I will be making a couple more! These would be fun summer birthday cards!

This one is a whole lot more simple. It uses Awash with Flowers stamp set, and the sentiment is printed using My Digital Studio from SU, which amazingly...my new printer produces the exact SU colors! Bonus!!!!

Hope you guys like these! Supplies are all SU, like always! I will see you soon!

Happy Stampin'

A couple recent Masculine Swaps....

 I have been a little absent from my blogging lately and I apologize! But...I HAVE been stamping away! These are two masculine cards that I made for a month long swap last month. I sent 4, but really liked these two! The top card uses my all-time favorite, and go-to masculine set...Lovely As A Tree. This card features the thumping technique and I love how it looks like a tree in Fall! A bit (well...a LOT) of twine finish this card off!

This card was made using River Rock DSP, stamped with VersaMark, clear heat embossed, then heavily sponged for the scene. You only vaguely see the striped detailing in the background. Effective for adding depth with my usual massive amounts of layers;) I left it sentiment-free, as it's a great all-occasion 'man card' and I thought she could add one later.

Hope you like these! If you want more detailed instructions, just contact me! I will be catching up here. On to other news....I am now a Miche Representative and will be focusing much of my stamping time to this new business venture! I am THRILLED to be able to offer such an amazing product line...I just might post some pics here soon;) No worries...I will always stamp!

Gettin' Sketchy with it...

 I have been making this size card for a while now, and it's probably my favorite size! They are perfect to hold money, gift certificates and notes folded up inside. It measures 4"x8" and has a 2" pocket inside. I start with an 8" x 10" sheet of cardstock and score the long side at 2" and 6". This gives you three sections, and the short one gets glued in the corners to make the pocket. So easy! I used Early Edition DSP by SU as the background paper on this card. I LOVE this paper! This particular sheet happens to be an encyclopedia type page all about Cherry Blossoms, facts and info about them, what they represent, where they grow, etc. It was so fitting for the image! The black 1/2 pearls in the bottom right corner are SU Basic Pearls colored a few times with a Black Sharpie. I never need more than one coat for other colors, but black is really purple, so it takes a few times to get it dark. I LOVE coloring on both the Pearls and the Rhinestones! The shape in the left is a Labels Die from Nestabilities. It's cut, then embossing and sponged in the center, leaving the outside ridge uninked. Love it!

 Here's a shot of the inside. I added a pull out message card inside the pocket and stamped the corners to match. Another strip of DSP finishes off the inside. This worn look is just small tears in the paper (and roughing up all edges), and folding them a little, then sponging them heavily with River Rock ink.

This is the sketch I designed for a fun group I swap with. I design these monthly for the group, and still enjoy it very much. I thought for a while that blog design would be my new addiction, but nope, it's sketches! I do all my sketches exclusively in My Digital Studio.

***Most supplies are SU!***

Stamp: Embrace Life

Paper: Basic Black, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla & First Edition DSP

Ink: Basic Black, River Rock, Pink Pirouette, Rose Red

A fancy little flourish card...

This weekend I have really been getting caught up on the crafting 'To Do List'. This is one of the cards I made last night. It's for a special friend, and I mail it tomorrow, so I hope she doesn't see this before then;) We have had a lot going on in my little family lately, and I haven't been taking any time for myself. It feels really nice to devote some time to doing what I love...stamping and sharing it with all of you! Here's a little about this card.

The base is Certainly Celery. I haven't used this color in a while, and I forgot how much I like it! When it's paired with other colors, it tends to get 'lost' since it is so subtle. However, on its' own against neutrals...it's beautiful! I'll definitely be reaching for it more often! The background is Whisper White run through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper Textures Embossing Folder, then brayed over the raised portions with Early Expresso ink. The Certainly Celery ribbon goes around that and over the smaller Certainly Celery layer. And that beautiful flourish stamp is called 'Fine Flourish' and I got it FREE by spending so much during SAB this year....shhhhh! I had never really noticed it before. Now that I have it...WOW! It's inexpensive and it's gorgeous! The green stone in the center is one of our Basic Rhinestones colored with a green Sharpie before putting it on the card. That's it...Voila!

I just love when such a simple card comes together like this! I hope the special friend I made it for will love it!

Until next time....Happy Stampin'!

BuStEd!!!

I have been called out by a great friend for letting my blog get so far behind....OUCH! She was RIGHT! So...you aren't getting my usual picture quality and I haven't had time to edit the pics or watermark them...but here they are!!! I really HAVE been stamping...just not updating my poor blog regularly...LOL! Below is a card I designed for my club last month. The tulip is made with the Owl Punch, and some ovals. Isn't it great?

 And here's a really simple one I threw together for a swap! Super quick!

 Here's another swappie! I used the Inlaid Embossing technique for the striped background. The lantern is made by running a circle through the crimper...you know the tool collecting dust that you haven't thought about it eons! Pull it out! These lanterns are so much fun!

So...(ahem...KELLI) I have been stamping;) I am REALLY behind on my online life, but for once my real life is just about in order. LOL! I will be back regularly....promise (the pinky kind).

Till next time....Happy Stampin'