Beautiful Old People

I bought this sentiment from Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps years ago, and never got to ink it up until today. I love it, but had to use it on the right person. My grandmother is having a birthday soon, and I thought it would be perfect for her. She is mother to 8 children, grandmother to 20 (21?) and great-grandmother to a bunch, too. Everyone loves her and I hope she has a fabulous day!

For the layout, I took the sketch from Card Patterns (#102). The papers are Soft Sky, and Paper Salon Enamored in Swiss Dot and Blue Scrolls. I think I picked up the papers at the LSS where I used to live, but can't be sure. The flower is made with the gorgeous tissue paper that Verve stamp orders come wrapped in. I cut out a bunch of scalloped circles with the Nesties, layered them and scrunched them up. The center brad and the brads in the upper left corner are from my stash. See, I'm using up stuff!

I'm in the process of reorganizing stuff in my craft room. It's getting there, but it's never going to be perfect, is it? But thank goodness for IKEA!! I hope you are enjoying the tail end of the weekend. Thanks for looking!

Butterfly Birthday Wishes

I made this yesterday, and just got around to editing and posting tonight. What a weekend, and nothing even was going on! The sketch is from Mary Jo at TechnoStamper, Sketch 156. The card came together rather quickly - I had the butterflies, then found the dotted paper that matched just right. The ribbon is two scrap pieces tied together (there wasn't enough for a full bow!). The scalloped strip was even in my scrap pile, and I added some piercing. The sentiment is from SU! Curly Cute. Love those sentiments!

That's it. I hope you had a good weekend! Thanks for looking :)

Happy Bird-day!

Here's a simple, SIMPLE, birthday card that I made with Pun Fun and some pre-printed card bases. I made a set of them, and have actually used a couple of them!

Well, how's that for a short post? I'm watching My Sister's Keeper and don't want to cry on my keyboard. Have you seen it?

Have a good weekend. Thanks for looking!

Bee-lated Birthday Wishes!

My birthday book is updated, I just have to remember to look at it! We missed our niece's birthday earlier this week, and I feel horrible about it. This will hit the mail with a little something tomorrow...

I used Kim Hughes for Cornish Heritage Farms, The Birds and the Bees and some Heidi Grace alphabet rubons. The colors are Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry, along with a bit of Kraft. The bees are embossed with black and the rhinestones are from my stash. These letter rubons were so close together on the sheet it was very hard to cut them out and then place them in line! That is why they are a little crooked. The image panel is cut with Nesties Labels Eight. Love those right now! I offset the Melon Mambo layer on the Crushed Curry so it would peek out just a bit. The dp is from the Welcome Friends pack by SU!

Time to get ready to walk and meet Justin at school. I am loving these afternoon walks to get him and he loves being outside on the way home! He runs ahead and tries to go faster than the cars passing us - it's too funny. Sometimes I think I have a dog and not a boy. He also likes to push the stroller, too!

Have a good afternoon and thanks for looking!

Shoe Sale!

I should be working on my list of challenges to complete this week, but instead I made this fun card. My mom needs a birthday card for a friend in April, and I was playing with ideas. This was really fun to paper piece!! I used the BG Sultry pad and MFT's Window Shopping. Who doesn't love a shoe sale? The sentiment is from the SAB set I just got, Happy Moments. The ink is Melon Mambo. I am loving that color this week after using it for the SCS Color Challenge lately.

Well, I'm off to lunch with friends, which means I actually have to get dressed in real clothes and get Carter ready to go. Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday, DH!

I made this card for the Ways to Use It Challenge on Thursday over at SCS, but couldn't post it because DH actually looks at my blog! I had such fun making this card, using a website listed on my son's school site. It's Spelling City and you can make all kinds of word games using your own lists of words!

The papers are from my scrap pile, CTMH, maybe? The brads are Making Memories Antique Copper Squares and I used my star and circle punches. On the puzzle, I popped up the letters of Happy Birthday with foam dots. They just happened to be the exact size of the punched circles. Love when that happens!

Have a good day everyone! Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday, PTI!

Have you been over to the Papertrey Ink blog yet to see the birthday celebrations? Yesterday they had a fun scavenger hunt, today it's a card challenge. More will follow for the rest of the week!

Here's my entry for today's birthday card challenge. I chose the image from Becky Oehlers, from her new line of stamps. I can't wait to see the whole set, because this little house image is too cute! I had fun layering the elements and stitching (my first stitching on a card) :)

I used my Bic Mark Its to color and then stitched with embroidery floss. The sky and grass are sponged with Bashful Blue and Wild Wasabi inks. The sentiment is from my stash - don't know the maker. The button is also from my stash.

Happy Birthday to PTI - here's to many more years of great designs! Thanks for looking!

Another Junior Birthday

Still trying to use up that American Crafts Junior paper... But I've also been able to put a dent in the amount of Summer Sun cardstock I have, too. I never know what to do with those Bold Brights! Do you have other ideas?

This card is for the other boy whose birthday party we are going to on Sunday. The sketch is from CPS, and the images are SU! Toy Box. I had lots of ideas for the CPS sketch this week, and you may see it more in the near future.

While Carter naps I'm going to try to tackle more crafting. I'm feeling the mojo this week, just am running short on time. Have a good day and thanks for looking!

More January Birthdays!!

As I'm about to type "I never have enough birthday cards on hand" I realize that I can say that about any occasion. So that means I should really work on my stash, doesn't it?? I made this card using Mary Jo's Monday Lunchtime Sketch #105. The papers are American Crafts Junior, the leftovers from Justin's birthday party invitations. I still had a full sheet of each pattern, so you may see them a few more times in the near future as I try to use it up! The main image is from SU! Party Hearty and the sentiment is from CHF Birthday Centers. Birthday Centers is my go-to birthday set for inside and outside my birthday cards.

Well, Carter calls so I have to wrap this up. Have a good rest of the weekend. Thanks for looking!!

A Day Late and a Challenge Short

I have been thinking about the new challenge, hosted by the Allison and pals, all week. The challenge is called Everything Old is New Again and you are to use an old stamp set that has been collecting dust for a new card. Well, I have plenty of those stamp sets on my shelf and it was fun to revisit them!



Here are the cards I made, even though I missed the deadline. Justin has been invited to two birthday parties over the next two weekends, and they are both for 2 boys each. So I am in need of 4 birthday cards for boys ranging from 6-8 years old. I used Nice & Easy Notes, and some old dp that's been hanging around in my collection. I also bought these alpha brads ages ago and decided to use some of them up. I did discover in this process that I don't have many sets for this age group. Lots of my sets are very girly. So much for my resolution to not purchase anything new this year!!

On another note, I went to a Stella and Dot jewelry trunk show the other night. Have you seen this jewelry? It's so pretty!! I usually only wear my wedding rings, another ring from DH and my Tiffany diamond pendant, but I got myself some new stuff. Couldn't resist. It has already shipped and I should be getting it next week! Yippee for spending money on me :)

I hope you are all getting ready for a good weekend. DH is on another trip and will be home tomorrow. He was home this week on Thursday. That's it. It doesn't get any better till March! Thanks for looking!

40? Really?

What a great feeling today to be getting stuff done after the debacle of yesterday! DH is out of town on business (in New Zealand!) and the boys gave me a run for my money all day long. Carter was cranky and wouldn't nap; Justin was running a fever and starting to get sick again (he just got over a sinus infection last week!). I was so happy when my head hit the pillow last night, only to be woken up 3 times by Carter during the night. AH, but today is a new day and so far much better for everyone!

As a result, I got some crafting done during Carter's naps. My brother is turning 40on Thursday (yes, he is older than me) and I used Mary Jo's sketch from the Techno Stamper Monday Lunchtime Sketch (we're up to #99!) to make this card for him. The numbers are some grungeboard numbers that I heat embossed with black. I made them a little distressed-looking by not covering them completely. The sentiment is from Hambo Stamps and the dp is from the dollar store! I do have to get this in the mail today if it is to get to him on time.

Now I'm off to get some laundry done before it's time to pick up Justin from school. The day flies by too quickly, doesn't it? Thanks for looking!

Pretty Pleased With Myself On This One...

I really don't like to toot my own horn too much, but I am so pleased with how this card came out!! Toot Toot!! There, I'm done.

The great sketch is from Mary Jo at Techno Stamper. I was running out of days this week to complete the sketch challenge, but had some good nap time yesterday from Carter. The main butterfly is cut with a Cuttlebug die and embossed, then bling-ed up with pearls, rhinestones and my Sakura Stardust pen. The dp is (you guessed it) BG Sultry. The base is Melon Mambo. The sentiment is from CHF Birthday Centers and is traced with the Stardust pen as well.

Here you can see why I love this card so much - I used the main tag panel to hide a gift card! It is raised up on foam tape and is sized just bigger than the gift card so it slides in and out. I even decorated the inside of this card, which I never take the time to do. What a great finishing touch, though!


Well, time to run and get DS to gymnastics class, then hopefully a haircut. Today is Carter's 3-month birthday as well.

Time is FLYING!!! Hope you are all having a good day. Thanks for looking!

Cuttlebugger's Shoulder?

Anyone else suffering from this? I'm cranking out about 100 circles for my Christmas cards and my shoulder is sore!! Maybe I'm just out of stamping shape?

This is not a Christmas card, but is one that I had time to make this week for when someone needs a pick-up. I used BG Junebug and decided that the paper was pretty enough to star in the card, so I only stamped the sentiment.

I'm not sure who will get this, but it will go in the mail soon. I'm on a mission to USE what I have, clean out what I don't use, and not let stuff accumulate. This applies to my entire house, not just the craft room. So far, I'm making good progress. Let's hope it keeps up before the holidays and more stuff arrives! I hope you are all having a good day, and are safe from the remnants of Ida if you are on the East Coast. We are having a cold and rainy and windy day here as she blows by. Tomorrow should be nicer. Thanks for looking!

Creating While the Creating Is Good

Here's another card I got finished this morning! It's been a while since I've made two cards in one day!! This is a simple birthday card for a friend, using DCWV papers and SU! Certainly Celery. The small celery panel is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. The cupcake image is from Stampendous, Hey There, Cupcake. It's a fun clear set that has all the cupcake bottoms and tops separate so it's very easy to paper piece. The twill ribbon is from my stash, and there is an orange rhinestone on the flame of the candle.

The sketch is from Techno Stamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge. You can see it here.

Thanks again for looking!

PCP Birthday Card

Have you seen the Saturday Sketch Challenges at Paper Craft Planet? They are always great sketches, but I don't always get time to do them. However, this morning DS was in my craft room with me and he was making a card of his own, so I snuck in an attempt at the sketch. It is a 4.25 square with Basic Gray base, Bazzill textured layer, and some BG Perhaps dp. The sentiment is from MFT and the flower was made with the Nesties Blossoms dies in the Cuttlebug. The center brad and ribbon are from my stash.

Now we are off to enjoy this gorgeous day. We'll be headed into the pool in a little bit to cool off! I hope you are all enjoying a beautiful day wherever you are. Thanks for looking!

Birthday Mojo for Mom

It's been forever since I've tackled a Mojo Monday sketch, but today I was inspired to use #86. I feel like when using a Mojo Monday sketch, it has to be a very feminine card, and today I needed a birthday card for my mom. The papers are from the Basic Grey Sultry pad, and the stamps are My Mind's Eye Laundry Line, Flirty "Lil Girl" Clear Stamps.

The ink is Pink Pirouette, which was just the right shade I was looking for. You can't see in the photo, but the butterfly is painted over with Twinkling H2Os and the flourishes have some glitter pen on the ends. The scalloped and straight rectangles were cut with Nesties in the Cuttlebug. The rhinestones are from my stash. The only thing missing is a ribbon, but I wasn't quite sure where to place one. Oh, and the sentiment is from Little Paper Shop.

I have a few more creations to post over the next few days, including a sample of the 40 graduation invitations I made for my (much younger!) brother who is graduating high school next month. Hope you are all having a good week. Can you believe it's almost over already? Thanks for looking!

Have a "Tool" Birthday!

My stepfather's birthday is Sunday, and I bought this SU! Totally Tool set with him in mind. I can't use another car image for a card for him this year! On silver paper, I stamped and cut out all the tools, without the sentiments, and added some color with Bic Markit markers. They are hung on a piece of Kraft that I brushed with Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip to make it look like a peg board. It is also pierced for the peg holes. The tools are attached with pewter brads, as is the sentiment. I am very pleased with the final result!!

I'm off to get my hair cut and probably to grab some lunch. I have been SO hungry today I feel like I could eat the house! Hopefully later today I'll have more time to stamp. Gotta get those graduation invitations done (40 of them), not to mention the Mother's Day cards!! Yikes there are lots of things coming up. Hope you are all having a good day. Thanks for looking!

Two Posts in Two Days?

And if my plan goes well today, there will be more! I'm on a stamping roll the past few days and have lots of ideas to get out of my head.

May is a busy birthday month for us, and I made this card for my brother-in-law. His birthday is not until the last day of the month, but the inspiration hit me so I got it done. Now I just have to remember to mail it! I still have Mother's Day, teacher appreciation, and several birthday cards to make. Plus, I have to make 40 graduation invitations for my brother, who is graduating high school. Good thing I'm not working anymore, huh?



The sketch for this card came from Kerry at Three Clovers Designs. Each week she has a new challenge posted on Thursday. The overall size is 5x5 and the base is Bordering Blue. DP is from the same paper pad I used yesterday - The Story of Us. Beerafella is colored with Prismacolor pencils and blended with OMS. I stamped the beer cooler separately so it would fit in the circle. The twill is stamped with a sentiment from Birthday Centers by CHF and the square snaps are from my stash.

Thanks for looking!

Card for 2nd Birthday Girl

I have just spent the best week with my mom. She works in a school and had April Vacation this week, so she drove down to spend a few days. We are working on a project for a big event coming up, but I'm not able to share what we did just yet. Too bad, because we are VERY pleased with the final products!!

We crafted, shopped, lunched and just caught up with each other without feeling the rush of a usual weekend visit. Thanks, Mom!



Here is a card I made last month for a sweet little girl who turned 2. The image was a RAK and I colored it with Prismacolor pencils, blended with OMS. The "2" is from Tim Holtz Grungeboard, inked and blinged up with Stickles. The paper is from Target. Our weather is promising to be gorgeous this weekend, and we have soccer practice and a birthday party to attend. Isn't it funny how the weekends fill up with plans once the weather gets nicer? We are booked for the next several weekends already. But it's so good to be getting out and catching up with friends after being cooped up all winter. I hope you all have a great weekend. Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday to Lexi

Monday is our niece's birthday, and I hope this makes it to her on time. She lives across the country from us and I have not been keeping up with the birthday card creation lately. Inspiration struck this morning, though, as I spied my jar of Prima daisies next to these large alphabet brads from Queen & Co. The sentiment is from Studio G and if you can make out the little bug on the leftmost flower, it is from Studio G also. The dp is from Making Memories, yellow layer from Bazzill and the base card is SU!



I am still getting adjusted to being at home. Finally I am feeling better (should be by now at 17 weeks!) and am developing a routine. Unfortunately, that routine includes at least one load of laundry a day and a couple other household chores. I'd rather do a litte bit each day and keep on top of things than spend a marathon day doing everything. How do you all do it?

Well, off to switch that daily laundry and take a lunch break. Hopefully I can get back to my desk later and create more. Tomorrow we are off for the weekend, so I won't be back to it till Monday night. Happy Easter to everyone and thanks for looking!