inkling 2 stamp

Bellariffic Friday starring Teddybella

2011-06-10T13:42:00.000-05:00

Paper piecing is this week's theme for Bellariffic Friday. Plus for the month of June, Stamping Bella is the sponsor of Jen del Muro's SFYTT (sketch for you to try). A combo of my favorite things to jump start my creativity and get me back to blogland.

I bumped up the size of this card to 5-1/2 x 8. I thought it worked better for my image & the sketch. I colored Teddybella with my Copics, then paper pieced her shopping bags out of dsp scraps that coordinated with my color scheme. Don't be afraid to try a small area, it's not as hard as you might think. Just have a sharp fine tip scissor.

Here's my quick list of supplies:

stamps: Teddybella by Stamping Bella, sentiment from Mixed Messages by Papertrey Ink

paper: floral & stripe dsp from Chloe by Three Bugs in a Rug, solid cardstock by Bazzill, PTI

embellies: ribbon by Papertrey Ink

misc: Nesties

Thanks for stopping by.

Update

2010-03-18T09:54:00.001-05:00

It certainly has been a while. I'm feeling MUCH better these days. I'd like to be able to say the pulmonologists were able to find something definitely wrong with me, but they didn't. The docs suspect I had a severe viral respiratory infection that has left me with a moderate asthma-like condition. I say asthma like because my lungs and bloodwork show no markers for asthma. I am being treating with inhaled steriods & a rescue inhaler, just as an asthmatic would. The treatment is working. As of last week, my breathing tests were FINALLY in the normal range. Hurray!!!
Now I just have to wait for all the puffiness caused by four months of oral steriods to go down. My parents were here at Christmas, and my mom said my face looked like a cherub. (Thanks mom... you sure know how to make a girl feel pretty ;-) I am happy to report, I am starting to see cheeckbones again. Plus my double chin has thankfully disappeared. My energy is returning. And since I'm no longer on multiple daily nebulizer treatments, "the shakes" are gone. This means I can get back to crafting. Double hurray!!!
I'll be back soon with a lil something!

On A Serious Note

2009-11-28T01:22:00.000-06:00

Some of you may know that I have been struggling with some sort of bronchial condition since mid-July. Well, it seems I'm not improving. In fact I've been on a laundry list of medications for months. The most serious of which is a high steriod dose to prevent bronchospasms. To date, this has only put a band-aid on the problem. In mid-December I'm scheduled to see a second pulmonologist to see if we can get to the root of the problem. Until I get this resolved, or at the very least under control, I'm putting my blog on hold. It pains me to do this, however I really feel now I need to focus on my health. Thanks to everyone who stops by. I enjoy chatting with you, and I look forward to restarting this creative outlet soon.

Mwah & Ink,
Tiffaney in VA

Hockeymomabella

2009-11-23T07:58:00.001-06:00

My boys are obsessed with hockey! My 2 & 3 year olds play hockey with mini sticks and absolutely anything that might pass for a puck. Their ride-on toys are Zamboni's (ice resurfacing machine). My white linoleum flooring is their "ice". LT, my 3-1/2 year old, is chomping at the bit to go ice skating. He & daddy go nearly every weekend as soon as the outdoor rink opens. When Stamping Bella released the hockeymomabella stamp, it was a no brainer that I would have to own it.
Hockeymomabella is colored to match our NHL home team, the Washington Capitals. I hand drew the red V-neck border & the number 3 to her jersey. I picked the number 3 since I have three boys AND Stamping Bella is celebrating their third birthday. This card uses sketch SC255 from Splitcoast Stampers.
Here's my quick list of supplies:
stamps: hockeymomabella by Stamping Bella, Say It with Style by CTMH
paper: PTI Stampers Select White, DCWV La Creme stack, Bazzill
embellies: square metal tips (self adhesive) from JoAnn's
misc: 1/2" circle punch, white paint pen, silver gel pen

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday. We will be staying put, with a small family meal. My boys keep asking to get our list for Santa ready so they can take it to him. Perhaps we'll sneak in a visit soon.

Wishing for a Kenyan Safari

2009-11-18T08:14:00.002-06:00

I LOVE images from Stamping Bella! They make me grin ;-D. They're cute and whimsical, like me. Yeah -- modesty is my best quality. One of my BFF's from high school lives near by and we've been trying to reconnect. She recently celebrated her birthday. Kenya Ketto reminds me of her in high school.

I kept this layout super simple. Layouts are a constant struggle for me. I really enjoy the coloring part best. That's why I tend to use sketches. Once in a while, I'll envision of a card from start to finish. Alas, not with card. In the end, I think it turned out okay. Before I forget, for tips on how to make a sure fire button bow, check out this quick tutorial from Joanne B.

Here's my quick list of supplies:

stamps: Kenya Ketto by Stamping Bella

paper: Papertrey Ink white, girl Friday by Cosmo Cricket

punches: Fiskars threading water, corner rounder

embellies: ribbon from my stash, button by PTI, twine from Clear Dollar Stamps

tools: Making Memories Slice, Basic Designs & Noteworthy design cards

One last thing... I finally got around to creating a watermark. Kurt, a.k.a. Stampin Kub, has a great video tutorial on how to create one using Adobe. Unfortunately, my version of Adobe was not as updated as his. After an embarassing amount of trial & error, I managed to figure out all the steps. Let me know what you think of it.

Who'll Come a Waltzing Matilda with Me? (Chichiboulie blog hop)

2009-10-31T09:58:00.008-05:00

Happy Halloween!! Are you enjoying the blog hop so far? There is a lot of fantastic creations posted today. You should have come here by way of bella babe Karen (a.k.a. Paper Playhouse), but if you happen to stumble across my blog, you can surf to the beginning of the hop by visiting the original Blogabella, Emily.

My cherubic fairy is Matilda Muffinbread from the Chichiboulie line. She's colored with Copics. I fancied her a bit with clear Spica pen on the flowers in her hair & shoes. I added teeny dots with gold Spica to her yellow skirt. Her wings are done with Shimmerz paints in Angel Wings. Matilda's cupcake is sprinkled with purple pigment powder and Stickles over liquid applique. The designer paper is Bohemia from My Mind's Eye. The flowers are Primas with a bella bauble center. I used Kohl-I-Noor & Prisma colored pencils for the grass. Ms. Matilda reminds me of an iris, which is one of my favorite flowers. Hopefully you think she's as adorable as I do.

Now who'd like the opportunity to win a prize? As a bonus to the phenom eye candy, a prize is hidden somewhere along the hop! One pre-selected blogger will draw a random winner from the comments on her post. The winner will receive a $25 Gift Voucher to Stamping Bella!!! The tease is...we're not telling you who it is! So as you hop, make sure you leave comments on every post to ensure your chance to win!! The winner will be announced Monday, November 2nd in the Splitcoast forum.

I'm delighted you stopped by for a peek. It's time to hop on over to Miche's blog where I'm sure you're in for a real treat.

I Confess, I CASE'd It

2009-10-06T15:06:00.000-05:00

My DH celebrated our 13th anniversary this week. I knew I wanted to make a sentiment focused card for him. I happened to stumble across THIS card on the SCS gallery and I opted to CASE it.

The quote is a computer generated find from brainyquote. I used publishing software to design the fonts. The quote suits the phase our marriage in. We've been married long enough to be comfortable in our relationship, but have had our ups and downs as well. Believe it or not the leaves are from a stamp set found in the $1 bin at Target. Surprisingly, the images stamped like a dream! I colored them with my Copics, cut them out & popped them up on the paper. I kept the colors pretty subdued... just like my hubby. While we had an uneventful anniversary celebration, I do have to give my DH major kudos for giving me a beautiful, heartfelt card and oodles of Copics {which I ordered, of course... hee, hee}. What papercrafter wouldn't be thrilled by that "surprise".

Changito Trick or Treats

2009-10-03T22:50:00.000-05:00

I hope you enjoyed "World Card Making Day". I didn't get a chance to hermit down in my craft room. Instead we went out to enjoy the beautiful Virginia weather. We stopped for ice cream at our local favorite: Jo-Jo's. Then went to Home Depot to do "guy stuff". With a DH & three boys, I'm obliged to drag along for all the guy activities. Luckily I don't mind.

I made this card a few days ago, but I'm just getting around to posting it. I had to laugh when I showed it to my 3-1/2 year old, LT, he shrieked "Oooh scary!!" He's very animated, which cracks me up.

Here's my quick list of supplies:

stamps: Vampire Changito by Stampendous; sentiment from Spooky Treats II by Papertrey Ink

paper: Eerie by Basic Grey, Bazzill

punches: drippy goo & bats by Martha Stewart

embellies: googlie eyes, black diamond stickles, orange Spica pen, clear glaze pen

I'm attempting to learn to use my Photoshop software (after a few years... hee, hee). Hopefully the photo doesn't look to pixely. Now I'm trying to create a watermark. That's a work in progress. If you have any tips how to use Photoshop, be sure to send them my way.

Upon The Blush Of A Faire Ladie (a LuLu blog hop)

2009-09-26T09:59:00.005-05:00

Hello blog hoppers! I hope you are enjoying all the delish creations along the hop so far. This LuLu blog hop is sponsered by Stamping Bella. Hey did you know, SB released a ton of new stamps {plus a fab T-shirt} just a few days ago?

You should have arrived from the phenom blog of Jen del Muro. However, if you stumbled across my blog, you can start at the beginning of the hop by visiting the one & only Bloggabella herself, Emily.

This lovely 'ladie' from the LuLu collection is Henrietta. She is my absolute fav! Her coquettish expression makes me giggle. Henrietta is colored with my Copics. She is truly blushing in real life. I used my Sakura clear glaze pen on her hair in a mottled pattern to add shine as well as texture. Prismas with OMS produced the yellow "glow" behind her. The outside edges of the image are dusted with chalk in shades of pink. To compliment my fair ladie, I selected paper from My Mind's Eye -- Ooh La La collection. Could that name be any more perfect for my flirtatious Henrietta? I also added delicate Prima flowers & teeny rhinestones; both altered to match with my Copics. Isn't she sooo pretty?
Now for the best part... a prize. {insert cheer here} Not only do you get to be ultra inspired from the bee-u-teeful projects, there is a bonus hidden somewhere along the hop. One of bloggers participating in the hop has been pre-selected to draw a random winner from the comments on her post. The winner will receive a $25 gift voucher to Stamping Bella!! The kooky part is... we're not telling you who it is. So to ensure your chance to win, leave a comment at every stop along the hop. The winner will be announced Monday on the Splitcoast Stampers forum.
I'm thrilled you took a few moments to stop by. Next along the hop is the terrific Cindy Haffner. I hope you enjoy today's blog hop.

Coffee? Tea? Me!?!

2009-09-21T11:12:00.003-05:00

"Coffee? Tea? Me!?!" My favorite line (delivered by the ever quirky Joan Cusak to Harrison Ford) from the 80's movie 'Working Girl'. I couldn't resist borrowing the line for this card set.

Since I've been putting my stamps into clear cases, I realize how large a collection of stamps I have amassed. Let's keep that our little secret, okay? No special occassion for these cards. I'm trying to build up my stash, and ink up a few neglected stamps. I kept the layout identical for all three cards. Changing out the sentiment & color scheme for each one. I opted to paper piece the cups as it was an easy way to add color & pattern.

Here's a list of supplies used:

stamps: Let's Get Together by There She Goes; candy sticks by Clear Dollar Stamps
buttons: Papertrey Ink

ribbon: Papertrey Ink & American Crafts
rhinestones: K&Co. black and clear (colored with Copics to match)
paper: Amuse, My Mind's Eye, Debbie Mumm, Cosmo Cricket, DCWV, Bazzill

I'll be back Saturday with a card for Stamping Bella's LuLu blog hop. It should be loads of fun! I hope you'll stop by & see what I've whipped up. OR if you want to be a stop on the hop, sign up here.

Purse-onally I Love Paper Piecing

2009-09-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

I'm back with another Mojo Monday sketch. This has to be my favorite sketch challenge. I've been organizing my stamps this week; putting sets into clear cases and so forth. Tedious work, but now I see all the stamps I've been neglecting. (Shhh... don't tell the DH) Anyway, I ran across Retro Boutique by Gina K. Designs & had a lightbulb moment. Instead of coloring the purses, why not paper piece them? One of my favorite dp collections is Urban Prairie by Basic Grey. I thought the patterns would look fantastic on these modern handbags. I deepened a few of the dp colors slightly with my Copics. All of the handles, trim & buckles are done with gold gel pen & gold Spica. I used my Making Memories Slice to cut the outline for the main image. I think the card looks much better in person than I could capture on camera. Too overcast today to get a great shot. I'll see if I can get a better one this weekend.

It's been a busy week at our house. School is back in session & ET was thrilled to get on the school bus Tuesday morning. LT had his first day of preschool yesterday. He was such a big boy hopping off to class. He told me he had lots of fun, too. It's strange to think my boys are slowly growing up. My baby talks (constantly), asks questions and converses with his older brothers. When I think about it, I can really see how much our family has evolved over the summer.

And the WINNER is.....

2009-09-07T15:24:00.000-05:00

Jenny. She wrote:
"Got you linked up in my sidebar! And I'm now following your blog. Thanks for the chance to win such great candy! My favorite stamp set...oh that's so tough...I did just recently buy the Friendship set from the angel company and I LOVE it, so I guess that's my current favorite."

CONGRATS JENNY! Send me an e-mail with your address & I will get your tasty treat in the mail.

WHO WANTS {BLOG} CANDY!?!

2009-09-06T23:00:00.002-05:00

**ETA -- Comments are now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered. I will post the winner before 5pm eastern time.**

I promised I'd be back later this week with yummies and here I am. Here's the spread of divine goodies I'm offering to one lucky winner...

Included in this blog candy is:

7 stamps / stamp sets including Stampin' Up, Magnolia, Studio G & other snag 'ems
Prima flowers
Dew Drops in clear & assorted colors
Buttons
Christmas ribbon
a variety of Halloween crafting treats
stamped images from Whiff of Joy, Magnolia, Stamping Bella & Karen Lockhart

Isn't it just delish? Here's how to enter:

Leave a comment on this post telling me the favorite stamp / stamp set you own.
If you link this blog candy to your blog, I'll give you one additional entry. Just let me know in your comment that you are doing so.
Finally, if you check out my blog & leave a comment on any other post, I will give you one additional entry. Don't forget to leave a comment on this post, too.

That's three chances to get entered. You have from now until midnight Sunday, September 6th, 2009 to enter. I will draw & post the winner on Monday, September 7th (Labor Day).

Thanks to everyone who has visited my blog throughout the past year. I'm thrilled to read your comments. You truly do brighten my day!

Summer's Last Hurrah

2009-09-03T14:52:00.000-05:00

The summer is winding down with the most wonderful weather here in VA. Mid 70's with a slight breeze. I love this kind of weather! I want to say thanks to all my cyber friends for their get well wishes. It has really kept my spirits up hearing your concern. I had a little set back this weekend that involved a visit to the ER. However, the ER doc was sharp. I'm hoping the new drug regime I'm on will finally do this d@#* bronchitus in, and stop the bronchospams that have been alarming me.

Can you believe, I've had kinibella from Stamping Bella colored up since June. Seemed terrible to let it sit idley by a moment longer. I've followed Jen del Muro's blog for a while, but haven't participated in her "Sketch For You To Try". My creative mojo has been on a down turn while I've been sick. Sketches / challenges are a helpful way to keep me going. I found the paper at my LSS after I colored the image & knew it would be super cute together. It's Frenzy by We R Memory Keepers. The buttons are from Papertrey Ink. A huge THANKS goes out to my fabulous sister, Andrea, who spoiled me with a booming box of PTI buttons for my birthday. Love ya, sis!

Back in Blogland for my Blogaversary

2009-08-17T08:42:00.014-05:00

Did you think I'd abandoned my blog? It's been a LONG hiatus, and unfortunately I've been sick for most of it. I've got this coughing crud & I just can't seem to get rid of it. I've coughed so much my lungs, back muscles & abs are all sore. I'm headed back to the doctor {again} today to see if there is anything that might chase the germies away.

I just love Stella by Stampi ng Bella. STELLA!!! I like her goofy style & quirkiness. I made this card for my Grandma. She had foot surgery last week. She and I both love to get mail so we write each other for fun. This card uses the Monday Mojo sketch 99. I had a difficult time working with a red & purple color scheme. Honestly, I had this card done and I hated it. I tore it all apart for a do over. Now I think she's a cutie, especially her "blue rinse set" hairdo. The inside reads: "getting old ain't for sissies" ~ Bette Davis. A great sentiment for this occasion.

I do have some blog candy planned, but since I've been feeling so poorly, I haven't gotten it photographed. I will be back later this week with my yummies.

Fun Puns

2009-06-16T08:14:00.012-05:00

Just a quick post today to share the card I made for my DH & my Dad for their birthdays. Yep, they got the same card. Bad, I know. Their birthdays are only 2 days apart and with prepping 3 boys and myself for a 3 week trip, I ran short on time. I love, love, love puns. Naturally when I saw this sentiment from Amuse at my LSS, I had to have it. Amuse had a hippo & bird stamp to coordinate, but I chose this Snag 'ems stamp ($1 bargain) from Imaginisce instead. I popped up the hippos head with foam tape for added dimension. The button is tied with jute.
I had a fantastic time at my high school reunion! It was so much fun to catch up with old friends and classmates. We had some great entertainment Friday night compliments of Deuces Wild! Dueling Pianos. If your not familiar with the concept... two guys play piano & involve the audience in their act. They pull people up on stage or go out into the audience. If you look like you're not having fun, they will get you involved! I learned that the hard way. But it was all in good fun, right?
So far, my boys are enjoying their trip. They are definitely enjoying the cooler weather North Dakota offers over Virginia. Hopefully they won't get too homesick the next couple of weeks.

Teachabella

2009-06-16T08:13:00.005-05:00

Our school year is finally ending. ET is enjoying his last day of school today. We were lucky this year he had an amazing teacher! She loves working with special needs kids, and it comes across in her classroom. ET really enjoyed being her class, he learned a lot, and made many friends this school year. I wanted to make her a card expressing our thanks for all her hard work this year.
If your not familiar, this image is teachabella by Stamping Bella. I got her from a image swap. Swaps are an easy way to acquire more images in a way that's easy on your pocket book. The down side is you don't know what kind of paper or ink the other people use. The image is colored with my Copics. Except for the chalkboard which is done with Kol-I-Noor pencils & OMS. I used my Copic multiliner to draw the wooden floor. Then colored the floor with more Copics. This is a handy way to ground your image. If you're interested in learning how to do it, there a great tutorial on the MFT forum at SCS. I've included the link here. The patterned paper is from DCWV's Grade School stack. I used scissors, crayons, & ruler stamps from School for Changito set by Stampendous to create the subtle background on the blue. The polka dot ribbon is from the $1 Target bin.
Can you believe it is already mid-June? We're "leaving on a jet plane" tomorrow. We're going to my hometown for my 20 year high school reunion. The boys & I are staying 3 weeks, but the DH is only able to join us for 5 days. The visit should be a lot of fun. I'm sooo looking forward to it. The boys will get spoiled rotten by Grammie & Papa. Plus they will get to play with their cousins. Wish me luck, I usually have a panic attack when I fly with the kids. I always keep my fingers crossed that this time it won't happen. If I don't get packing now, I'll be up all night.

Apple Pie 4th of July

2009-06-10T07:04:00.011-05:00

Help! My laptop is broken. Obviously, it still works, but it really is broken. GT, who ventured into his terrible two's a wee bit early, got hold of my laptop & ripped off the H & J keys. He tore off the silicone cup underneath & broke the plastic clips that hold the keys on. Needless to say, my typing is sucky at best. Now I have to buy replacement keys off E-bay or go for a whole new keyboard. Curses!!

I've had this image from Karen Lockhart colored up for a for a while. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. This weeks Mojo Monday sketch #90 seemed interesting so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

I used my MM Slice to cut "4th" from red card stock. I colored that up with my red Spica pen for tons of glitz and ran it through my Xryon. The large stripe & dainty floral stamps are backgrounders from Cornish Heritage Farms (CHF). They stamped like a dream. I added a few tiny red rhinestones for more sparkle. It really pops IRL!

I'm going out of town for 3 weeks. While I'm gone, I try to send my DH a couple of cards to let tell him I miss him. I think any snail mail that isn't a bill is fun, fun, fun! This will be part of my stash that I send to him.

Sake Anyone? (and a Blog Hop, too)

2009-05-30T09:15:00.001-05:00

Hello my fellow hoppers! Are you eating up all the delicious eye candy in the blog hop so far? This is the first Ketto Blog Hop sponsored by Stamping Bella. If you happened to stumble across my blog, you can check out all the superstars from the beginning by visiting the original Bloggabella herself, Emily.This is my first time inking up Sake. I had such fun with her, it definitely won't be my last! I colored Sake with my Copics, adding a little dot pattern to her kimono with blue & gold Spica pens. I decided to paper piece her obi (belt) just for fun. Her hair has Sakura clear glaze pen to give it a pretty shine. The dp is from My Mind's Eye. It's from their 29th Street Market collection. They have yummalicious papers! Such pretty colors & textures. I've been playing around with my Making Memories Slice lately. I used the Noteworthy design card to cut the {shapes}. I grow more attached to that machine each day. I added a little sparkle to Sake with teeny dots of teal glitter glue. I used tiny rhinestones from Memory Box for the rest of the card. Sweet Sake wouldn't be special without a splash of sparkle.

Well, I loved making this card & sharing it with all of you. Time for you to jump to your next stop on the Blog Hop. Jessica Wilhson has another sassy Ketto to share on here SCS gallery. Don't forget to leave a comment! You never know which one of us will be the lucky one chosen to draw a winner on Monday, June 1st. I wouldn't want you to miss a chance to win that fabu $40 gift voucher from Stamping Bella.

Elegant Wedding Card

2009-05-25T18:20:00.007-05:00

My DH's cousin will celebrate her wedding soon. She choose to get married on the same day as her parents & grandparents. Isn't that wonderfully sentimental? She played violin at our wedding and is exceptionally talented musically. We won't be able to attend the wedding so I wanted to make her an extra special card. I used one of my favorite wedding cards as inspiration. You can see it on the SCS gallery here. My card is 5 x 5. I ran 3-1/2 inches of the card through my Cuttlebug using the 'textile texture' embossing plate. Using the score blade on my Fiskars trimmer (I say use what you've got), I scored a diamond pattern on the remaining 1-1/2" of space. I punched tiny 1/4" flowers out of vellum then I nicked between each petal with the tip of my scissor. I glued them in a scattered pattern onto the scored portion of the card. When the flowers dried, I used my MM Slice spatula to lift the petals for added dimension. I added liquid pearls in white opal to the center of each flower. The "Mr. & Mrs." tag is computer generated. The ribbon is from my stash.
We had a wonderful holiday weekend. We found a new Robin's nest in our yard, which fascinates LT, our middle son. We took the goof troop to two different parks to play. The boys got to help their dad do their favorite chore: mow the lawn. It's so cute to watch them trail around behind their dad wishing they were big to it. Once they are big enough, they probably won't want to. I hope you enjoyed your weekend. It's back to the grind tomorrow.

The ABC's of Me

2009-05-18T16:56:00.003-05:00

I got this from a fellow blogger & thought it was fun to pass along...
Copy and paste my list to wherever you write (word, works, etc.) Change the answers to your own, then post to your blog with a link to mine ( or when your blog friends copy yours, they link to you). Let's see how far this gets.
Age: 38
Bed size: Queen
Chore you hate: Dishes
Dad's Name: Mike
Essential start your day item: Mt. Dew (in a bottle)
Favorite actor(s): Cary Grant
Gold or Silver: Depends on what I’m wearing
Height: 5’6-1/2”
Instruments you play(ed): Violin (in elementary school)
Job title: Domestic Manager (fancy for Stay-at-home mom)
Kid(s): 3 boys ages 6,3, almost 2
Living arrangements: 4 bedroom Colonial in northern VA
Mom's name: Sue
Nicknames: Tiff, Tiffers but NEVER Tiffy
Overnight hospital stay other than birth: several ear surgeries
Pet peeves: Lying
Quotes you like: “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.” Henry David Thoreau
Rightie or Leftie: Rightie
Siblings: 1 older sister, Andrea & 1 older brother, Mike
Time you wake up: whenever the kids do, usually about 6:30
Umbrella: why, it’s just water?
Vegetable you dislike: cooked cauliflower
Ways you run late: trying to get 3 boys ready & they’re all going in different directions
X-rays you've had: foot & ankle, hand, chest
Yummy food you make: Calzones
Zodiac: Leo

Now that you know a little more about me, let's hear about you. Leave a comment & I'll check read your ABC's.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T09:04:00.014-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all mom's in blogland, but especially to my mom & mother-in-law!
I'm lucky to have a very close relationship to my mom. She has been there to support me through the most difficult times. She's there to help me out when I'm burnt out and just need a break, and she's not afraid to tell me when I'm wrong. I value her opinion and welcome her advice. I like to make cards for my mom & MIL that are similar, but identical. I've had this Tilda with Tag stamp for ages, but this is my first time inking her up (gasp). I actually started out completely coloring these Tildas. In the end I decided to paper piece their dresses & I'm very happy with the end result. The dp for both cards is Basic Grey's Urban Prarie line. I love this line! The card above is for my mother. I used Primas with jeweled brads. The bee is from a set a picked up at Wal-Mart ages ago. I painted the wings of the bee with Shimmerz paint in Angel Wings. The scallop border is Fiskars Threading Water punch. The bottom of the card uses a pleated paper technique. Amy Sheffer shares a great tutorial on the MFT forum at Splitcoast Stampers. It's not too complicated once you start doing it.
This card is for my MIL. Isn't it neat how two cards with the same layout can seem so different? I opted for one large layered Prima flower secured with a glitter brad. BTW, these glitter brads are easy to make yourself. Take a brad & sand the head slightly, cover with a good tacky glue, let the glue dry just a bit, then dip into glitter. Set up right to dry completely & well-ah. The wavy border punch is from EK Success' new line. I popped up a little lady bug (from the same Wal-Mart set), then added a pierced trail. Both cards have sentiments using CTMH's Say It In Style & My Favorite Things Essential Sentiments. I liked the look when combining the two fonts.

I'm spending my day nearly free of mom duty. That's the best gift I can imagine! Thanks to my DH for taking charge of the goof troop today. I love you honey!!

Bella BFF

2009-05-04T10:34:00.007-05:00

First off, I have to confess I don't really love how this card turned out. I'm not sure exactly why. I feel like it's missing something. Got any ideas how to reform it? I'm serious! Leave me a comment, if you have suggestions. I do love the dp, though. It's Urban Prarie from Basic Grey. I'm a big fan of their paper, and I use it a lot. The image is "best friends forevah" from Stamping Bella. I was lucky enough to have it RAK'd to me last fall. I think it's adorable. The girls remind me of my friend, Renae's two daughters.
I used another sketch challenge for the layout. I am really layout challenged. If I could just pick out the paper & color the images I would be happy pass off the layout & assembly to someone else. This time is used Jen del Muro's Sketch For You To Try. You can check our her blog, i{heart}2stamp here.

I need to work on Mother's Day cards this week. They really should get in the mail asap. Truth be told, I haven't gotten a plan together yet. Oh the pressure... teehee! It rainy & gloomy here today and the next several days. That means lots of time in my craft room since my boys can't play outside. Hopefully I can get lots done.

Butterfly Sympathy

2009-04-28T12:43:00.009-05:00

I made a sympathy card a short time ago to send to my DH's godmother. She lost her father. She is a fellow stamper & visitor to my blog. I really like this sentiment from Art Gone Wild & wanted to make it the focal point of my card. It says:
"Nothing is harder than the loss of someone we love. Perhaps their greater purpose is to love us from above."

How comforting is that? I used my MM Slice & Noteworthy card to cut out the shape. The black background is stamped & embossed with Swirls by Autumn Leaves. I used a simple floral stamp from Clear Dollar Stamps & a leaf stamp from Fantastic Foliage by Stampin' Up. I altered some Primas then added tiny twinkles to the centers. The larger butterfly is hand cut accented with black rhinestones from K & Co. The smaller butterflies are $1 punch I spied at Michaels.
I really enjoyed my parents visit! We got out to see a few things in DC... for the first time since we moved here 2-1/2 years ago. We went to Annapolis & visited my nephew. I got some "me time" to organize my craft room. My boys are really missing their Grammie & Papa. Me too! Such is the life of a military wife.

Magical Birthday

2009-04-20T16:52:00.008-05:00

My adorable niece had her 3rd birthday recently. None of my nieces or nephews live nearby so I like to mail them special cards. When I was a young girl I was in love with Unicorns. I had a little collection of them throughout my bedroom. This Unicorn digi stamp from The Greeting Farm brings back many memories. I was really impressed with how easy it was to use this digi stamp. I opened the file with Adobe & sized it down about an inch to better fit my layout. The image is colored with my Copics. I did use colored pencils with OMS for the grass & sky. Since Unicorns are so magical, I added lots of sparkle with Spica pen, gelly roll pen & rhinestones. The ribbon is some white Martha Stewart twill I altered with my Copics to match my paper. The dp is a left over so I can't give you a name for the paper :-(
My parents are visiting for 10 days. It's so fun to watch them hang out with their grandsons. It's a nice break for me, too. We enjoyed a scenic drive through Shenandoah National Park over the weekend. This week we're planning a few day trips into DC. Hopefully the rain we've been having won't impede our plans. I hope you have a great week!

Heaven Sent

2009-04-13T15:51:00.012-05:00

My sweet friend, Holly, just had baby as well as my BIL & his wife. I wanted to make similar cards, but not identical. One of my favorite stamps to use for baby cards is this image from Uptown Designs. I paired it with Mojo Monday sketch #79. A great layout for this stamp.
I colored the image with my Copics and added Liquid Applique to the ball & brim of the hat for softness. I also added a light blue background in chalk, but you can't see it in the photos. The paper is from a DCWV stack. I wanted the "girl" card to have a more feminine look so I used soft edges throughout the card. While the "boy" card as a distinctly more angular look. I made the buttons for the "boy" card from Shrinkydink, and the background is gutterguard run through my Cuttlebug. Want to know how to do it? Check out this great tutorial from Valita's Designs & Fresh Folds. The edge punches are EK Success & Martha Stewart.

I'm really happy for both couples! I hope they are enjoying their new heaven sent arrivals despite the sleepless nights the lil' darlings might bring.

I'M BAAaaack!

2009-04-13T12:59:00.008-05:00

I've had the blogging blues lately. Think of it as kind of like writer's block. I haven't been motivated to write or share any creations. I have done a little crafting, but I've been so exhausted by the end of the day that I didn't have the energy to post. Forgive me?
It's been a busy month since I last posted. My DH has been TDY, which is basically military speak for out of town, 3 times this past month. Well 4 times, since he left today for another trip. I'm not even sure where he's going this time. Is that bad? My oldest son is finishing up his spring break. We had a delightful week hanging out at home, being goofballs & enjoying the lovely spring weather.
I did have a little Copic fun earlier this month. I attended the Copic Certification class offered at The Queen's Ink in Savage, MD. What a fantastic store! The staff was super! I learned a lot of valuable information from Sally Lynn MacDonald, our instructor. Plus I got to meet a bunch of fellow bloggers. Here's a couple of pics from our class. The first is Jacquie aka Javabluestamper & me. The second is Lori from Inking Aloud, Larcy (sorry L. I don't know your blog), and myself.

Now, I'm a Certified Copic Designer. WooHoo!! Finally somebody recognizes I'm certifiable. Bad pun, I know. Tee hee ;-) I'm coming back later today with some baby cards. Plus, I've got more cards up my sleeve for future posts. So stay tuned...
ETA:

I forgot to post a quick little birthday invite, I did for a friend. The party is science based with most of the experiments involving things that launch. The rocket is from Starving Artistamps. I added a little Diamond Glaze to the window for some shine. The lil' boy is from MAMBI. The text is computer generated. Simple, quick & fun!

Thank You Ian

2009-03-10T09:47:00.014-05:00

I'm a relative newbie to sketch challenges, but I thought I'd try Amy R.'s Friday Sketch Challenge. I paired her sketch with "Hello Ian" from The Greeting Farm. I think he's quite charming with his lil cap. I wanted to cross-0ver the plaid pattern of the dp to Ian's cap. This is my first attempt at adding stitching to a card. I was surprised how simple it turned out to be. I'm fairly intimidated by a sewing machine.

The past week my 3 year old has become a mischief maker. LT climbed my baker's rack, took my house keys and unlocked the front door. He & ET took a "stroll" all way up the block. All while I was changing GT's diaper! Luckily a school bus driver saw them & drove cautiously beside them until I could catch up. Needless to say, they got their very first lecture.

Egg-tra Special Invite

2009-03-05T17:40:00.017-06:00

A friend asked me to help her out with some invites to her annual kids Easter party. I was thrilled, by the compliment! My mind leapt into Spring mode. I had carte blanche on the invite so I tried to have fun with it. I created this invite using a 4.25" x 11 piece of paper. I folded each end to the middle so the invite opens from the center. I used the Martha Stewart zig-zag punch to create the "cracked" egg appearance. The chick stamp is from Starving Artistamps. I decorated the egg using some Mrs. Grossman stickers, a small flower punch, & some border stamps from my stash. The "your invited" sign is computer generated.

I had a really busy couple of weeks. LT turned 3, and suddenly he's a bigger handful than ever. Climbing

everywhere, getting into the off limit drawers, and causing general mischief. He's definitely all boy! My heart just melts though when he comes to say "I got boo-boo. You kiss it?"

While my porcupine card didn't work out, my cupcakes were adorable. I used an egg shaped muffin pan for the cupcakes. To decorate I frosted with chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles. The "spines" are just small slivers of black licorice inserted into holes made with a toothpick.

ROAR-ing like a Lion

2009-02-23T16:29:00.010-06:00

I haven't been creative this week. I'm trying to work on one of my New Year's Resolutions which is to organize my craft space. It's been challenging since my youngest, GT, wants to "help". Next week is my middle son's 3rd birthday. Who can believe it! I thought I'd post his birthday card & cupcake from last year. At birthdays I make cupcakes since I can't decorate a cake to save my soul. Kooky little cupcakes bring out my inner child! I usually do an animal theme and I try to coordinate the cupcake & birthday card. Last year, LT was all about lions so the choice was a done deal. To make the card, I used a combination of punch art ideas I saw on Splitcoast Stampers. I used a balloon punch and circle punches of various sizes to make most of the lion's facial features. The mane is cut free-hand. I kept the layout simple since the card was for a 2 year old.

These cupcakes were a hit! Plus, they were easy to boot! The lion is just yellow orange frosting with orange "Dots" candies cut in half for the mane. Yellow "Dots" halves for the cheeks. Two green mini M&M's for the eyes. One chocolate chip for the nose and shoestring licorice for the whiskers. Simple, quick and sure to get a shriek from any little lion lover.

This year is slightlly more challenging. LT wants a porcupine {cup}cake. I've got the details for the cupcake pretty well figured out. It's the card that has me on pins & needles. (Bad pun, I know.) If anyone has an idea, leave me a comment. I'd love to hear your suggestion.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T17:52:00.012-06:00

Just a quick post to show the treat bags I made for my son's Kindergarten class. These are an easy & fun way to wrap up a small gift for kids. I used my hearts Cuttlebug folder along with some playful animal and robot stamps. I used Making Memories heart brads to close the bags. The stamps were: Toucan of my Love from Stampin' Up, Bonjourbot by BamPop, and Zebra is by a company that is out of business. I had a blast putting these together.
I hope you are having a great Valentine's Day. We are just hanging out doing our usual routine. We kept it simple with exchanging cards and giving the kids some "Cars" themed cookies. I know, quite the romanctic day! Such is the life with three young boys.

Whiff of Joy Valentine

2009-02-11T08:43:00.012-06:00

I'm finally able to work on a few Valentine's Day projects. This card is one of my favs. I think this Whiff of Joy image, Melinda Blowing Kisses, is darling. She looks like she's playing Cupid or blowing a little fairy dust down from her cloud (which I free-handed). I had a great time coloring her with my Copics. I tested one of my new purchases on her wings; Shimmerz paints in, what else, Angel Wings. I love how the wings have a subtle shimmer to them. I put a little more sparkle on the hearts & her jewelry with my Spica pens in pink, red, gold & clear. As usual, I'm layout impaired so I checked out the Whiff of Joy Challenge blog for a some inspiration. I thought sketch #13 looked fun. I changed the layout up just slightly. I cut out hearts & put them to one side. The glitter brads I used are from my stash. I added a double border using my Martha Stewart heart lace punch. I really debated about getting it, but now I'm so glad I did. I don't think I could find it in stores now. Her holiday border punches seem to be hot ticket items. The background paper is Basic Grey's Bittersweet. Every time I complete a card, I check my supplies and think "mmm, I used Basic Grey again". I just can't seem to get enough of their paper lately. I'll try to branch out on upcoming projects.
I'm finishing up Valentine's for ET's class. I'll whip up a short post on Saturday to share them. My DH & I don't have any special plans for Valentine's. We'll probably hang out with a movie and popcorn on the couch. I'd love to here what you're doing.

Snail Mail

2009-02-02T08:38:00.011-06:00

I've been trying to shoo my kids out of craft room lately. Not that I don't love their company. I enjoy having them in my room, playing with toys about my feet. However, lately LT (3) and GT (1-1/2) are bound and determined to color with my beloved Copic markers. It's been more stressful than enjoyable to be in there lately, so I have avoided it all together.
The 6 year anniversary of my son, ET's, heart surgery is this month. I send out updates every couple of years to the team of doctors, nurses & other specialists who cared him during that precarious time. I wanted to send a card using the new Stamping Bella image, Snaily Huggabugg. Don't you just lovey that whole adorable line? Thanks to Mekel for RAK-ing it to me. The dp is some of my new favorite Basic Grey "Urban Prarie". I'm just crazy about their designer paper lately.
The card layout is unique. In fact, on the reverse side of the green card stock are pictures of my son. One is a picture of him in the hospital after surgery and the other is his 6 year pic. I like to show the hospital staff how much he has changed.
{ETA: ET had heart surgery at 4 months old and while he was gravely ill, he made a full recovery}
I'm keeping my post short today. My son is home sick from school. Another stomach bug for him. Yucky! Oh yeah, one more thing.... I'm changing my posts to Mondays. I think it will be easier to post since I don't have to wrestle with my DH for control of the laptop. LOL!!

Getting a Jump Start

2009-01-22T11:04:00.011-06:00

Where did my week go? I missed my ususal Sunday post so I meant to do it Monday instead. Suddenly it's already Thursday and I'm just now posting my card. The days are a blur. My littlest guy, GT has been teething. He just had two molars pop through. I'm sure he feels much better now. He usually a very clingy boy attached to mommy's hip. However, the past few days he has discovered that his older brother, LT makes for a cool playmate or partner in crime.
I'm trying to get a jump start on Christmas card for 2009. Hopefully I can avoid the rush to complete them that usually ends up as pushing them aside for next year. I'm embarrassed to admit, I have holiday cards I have been working on for 2 years now.
This card uses stamps from Clear Dollar Stamps. I really like Lori's stuff. The sets are inexpensive, they stamp beautifully and alot of her stamps have a little air of whimsy about them. This set was November's stamp of the month, Deer Wishes. I also used Rodney deer stamp as well. I think "Rodney" is an odd name for this stamp since I think of it as a doe, not a buck. Since "Rodney" was facing the other direction, I used pigment ink and stamped the image onto a reversing stamp. If your not familiar, a reversing stamp is simply a smooth block of rubber you stamp your image onto & then stamp the reversing stamp as usual. I highly recommend using pigment ink when doing this to get the best result. Even then you may have to fill-in with a fine tip art pen. I colored all the images with my Copics. I tore some paper and added chunky glitter to the edges to look like new fallen snow. I cut out the cardinal & mounted it onto the snowy edge. I used Basic Grey's Wassil paper for the background. I liked the colors inspired by nature. I punched the leaves with a Martha Stewart punch & colored some clear Dew Drops red with my Copics. This card was a blast to make. I felt my creative Mojo flowing and I'm tickled with how it turned out. I hope you enjoy!
Oh, in case you were wondering my trip to Texas was a total blast! I slept in. I saw a movie in the middle of the day. I bought myself some new goodies. I had lots of girl talk. Now that I'm home, I miss hanging out with my girlfriend. Best of all, the boys survived a few days without me.

Quick & Easy Midwest Modern

2009-01-11T06:30:00.004-06:00

I'm a big fan of Amy Butler's Midwest Modern collection. I was thrilled when K & Co. came out with their collection of papers and embellishments. I made this simple card for my new bella sistah, Pat. I just wanted a quick, easy card to send to her before I headed out of town. Keeping my New Year's resolutions in mind, I headed for my stash of embellishments in search of Amy Butler dimensional stickers to coordinate with the paper I recently snatched up at the LSS. I selected the handbag I wanted & used my brand new Making Memories Slice & Noteworthy card to cut out the background shape. I pierced a border on the background. Then layered the papers onto a light lime green card stock from Bazzil. I added little flowers (more K&Co. stickers) & rhinestones to complete the look. The sentiment is from Gina K. Designs "Retro Boutique" and it works perfectly.
I'm keeping this entry short & sweet. I'm on a 5 day trip to Texas visiting a girlfriend. It's my first trip without any kids... EVAH! We're having lots of fun enjoying the sunshine, shopping & girl talk. Thanks to my DH & MIL for making it possible.

My First Magnolia

2009-01-04T06:27:00.004-06:00

I hope you had a wonderful New Year's. Truth be told, I didn't make it to see the ball drop. Not even close. I did however make a few New Year's crafting resolutions:

organize my craft room
use more layers to my cards
use the embellishments I think are so cute, but never quite get to using

I received a variety of new stamps for Christmas, including a few Magnolias. I couldn't wait to ink up "Tilda with Vine and Basket". You purchase this adorable stamp from Summer at Roses on Paper. She has the best customer service, a great selection of Magnolia & Whiff of Joy stamps, and quick shipping.
I tried my hand at drawing the stone path little Tilda is standing on. That's about all the further my drawing talent goes. Her skirt is paper pieced using card stock from a stack by Debbie Mumm for JoAnn's. I colored her with my Copics & added some accents with a red & clear Spica pen and Crystal Stickles. The background is layers of additional card stock from Debbie Mumm as well as red & golden yellow from my stash. The sentiment is computer generated.
I'm pleased with how she turned out, plus she meets two of my resolution criteria. Thanks for stopping by in 2008 & I hope you continue to check out what new creations I'll be featuring in the coming year.

Crafty Christmas poem

2008-12-25T13:15:00.006-06:00

Merry Christmas!
I wanted to pass along a little poem for you to enjoy.

'twas night before Christmas.
I'm glued to the tree.
Wondering what Santa

will bring just for me.

"Will it be cardstock

or chipboard or lace
or a Slice," I thought,

with a smile on my face.

And thats when I heard him.

"Hi Santa," I said.
"You know, good girls

should be tucked in their beds."

"I know I should Santa ,

and now I've been caught.
I was just too excited

to see what you'd brought."

"Well, let's take a look

in this room where you work."
He shook his head quickly

and left with a jerk.

I heard him exclaim

as he put it in gear,
"You've got enough crap,

I'll see you next year!".....

Holiday Gift Bags

2008-12-23T08:25:00.006-06:00

Whew! What a week it has been. A stomach virus has wrecked havoc on our household. It has passed from kid to kid, even my DH & MIL have not been immune. I have been lucky enough to thwart it so far, however I have strep throat again instead. Needless to say, my crafting has been nearly non-existent. I did put together gift baskets for ET's teacher, therapist, bus driver and assistants. I found these felt gift baskets in $1 bin at Target & snatched them up immediately. I knew the snowflake theme would work perfect for Christmas or Hanukkah. I filled the baskets with treats I had been stock piling. The baskets contained hot chocolate tins, hand dipped chocolate spoons (made by me), snowflake marshmallows, chocolate dipped pretzels, peppermint bark, mocha truffles, peppermint & hot cocoa taffy. I made simple holiday tags using Sweet Sampler by Stampin' Up. I used turquoise & red ink for the image then layered the tags with coordinating paper from my stash. The color inspiration comes from the treat bag I used to hold the snowflake marshmallows. I even cut up one bag as to use as background paper on my tags. I lucked out when I found I had two rolls of American Crafts ribbon with similar colored snowflakes. I used that to tie the tags to the baskets. This project was a fun way to show all the staff who work with my special needs son how much I appreciate their help.

Happy Holidays!

Angel of a Teacher

2008-12-14T12:16:00.011-06:00

I'm so sorry I didn't post last week. I have been overwhelmed with trying to get all my holiday obligations done that I simply didn't have time. This week I had to take a break from my Christmas list & do something less seasonal. I want to make a card for my son's Kindergarten teacher. I think she's wonderful! She is concerned with ET meeting his educational goals as well as learning life skills. She's strict, yet kind which my son really responds too. He seems to enjoy going to school more than ever.
I was given some Whiff of Joy images from my friend Kim. To be honest, I wasn't in love with them at the time. But once I colored this "Melinda reading book", I was a convert! I was amazed how much I enjoyed coloring her & how she sort of came to life. Melinda is colored with my Copics. I added pink Spica pen to her heart necklace and glaze pen to the flower on her bookmark. Her angel wings are filled in with lots of Diamond Stickles. Don't they look pretty? To fill in some of the open edge space I used Autumn Leaves "Swirls V 2" in mustard & moss ink. I stamped the swirls on scratch paper first then on the image edges to get a more subtle effect. I layered her up using paper from Basic Grey's Sugared line. The embellishments on the side are Stamping Bella dots that I darkened from celery to olive with my Copics. The ribbon is from my stash (it matches much better IRL).
BTW... If you like Whiff of Joy images, Katharina Frei, owner of WoJ is having an Advent calendar giveaway on her blog. Now through Christmas she is giving away WoJ stamps each day. She has really taken the spirit of giving to heart. You can check it out here.
The whole family is off to another Holiday party today. There shouldn't be a dull moment while we're there. I just hope I get to talk to some adults for a change. The party is near a not-so-local scrapbooking store. MMmmm... I wonder if I can convince my DH to stop by?
Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays Card

2008-11-30T21:33:00.010-06:00

I have been diligently working on my holiday cards & letter for 2008. Unfortunately, on the best weekend to work on them, I've been sick with a horrendous throat infection. I'm doped up on antibiotics, antihistamines, and pain meds. My DH has me on strict orders to rest.
I wanted to show our 2007 holiday card. Since I was still reeling from the dramatic change of going from 2 boys to 3, I kept my holiday cards super simple. I used a modern color scheme of blue & brown. I stamped the Holiday stamp out of Stampin' Up's set: Block Party. I love that you can use the whole image or just portions of it. This 3 piece set includes a holiday, birthday & thank you stamp. I mounted the stamped image off center onto a brown textured layer that I punched with Stampin' Up's spiral punch. I included a photo tag our 3 boys with brown & tan Martha Stewart ribbon. The picture is actually 3 separte pictures that I Photoshopped together. I added the "noel" wording to tie the picture in with the stamped image. The layers were mounted onto a blue card stock base. This card was quick, simple & people loved seeing the boys' picture incorporated.
Despite my being ill, we marked a major milestone in our household this weekend. Our youngest son, GT, crossed over from baby to little boy. He finally got his first haircut. Can you believe the difference?

Ode to a Sistah

2008-11-30T20:38:00.008-06:00

This week I wanted to say a HUGE thank you to my bella sistah, Kim. We have been matched up for the past 3 months as "sistahs". It's been a ton of fun getting to know this perky little ball of energy. Today our "sistah"hood officially comes to a close. Over the weekend, I was treated to a gift box from Kim filled to the brim with goodies. I was blown away by all the items enclosed.

There were images galore from: Whiff of Joy, Magnolia and Sugar Nellie. As well as: ribbon and many fabulous embellishments, stickers, Liquid Applique, flowers, stampable cards, trims, flowers, an adorable snowbunnybella ornament. Not to mention a Christmas stamp set, a snowflake set of stamps, 3 Stamping Bella sentiment stamps & cosmobella. WOW!! Thanks Kim for spoiling me. You truly are a wonderful person whose friendship I am lucky to share.

Dino-Mite

2008-11-17T12:53:00.011-06:00

Last month my oldest son, ET had a birthday. He's loves to play with dinosaurs. Okay only two: T. Rex & Apatosaur. He plays with everything in two's... yes, it's a little OCD. Here's a picture of my little cutie pie. If you're not familiar, ET has Down Syndrome. Some of the characteristics of Down Syndrome are small hands & hindered fine motor skills. These attributes can make it challenging for ET to open objects such as presents or cards. I thought this pocket card would be a fantastic alternative for him. With his fondness for dinosaurs in mind, I chose this retired Stampin' Up set: Prehistoric Party. I made a simple pocket by folding 4.25"x11" paper leaving the back 1" higher than the front. I used red polytape to secure the sides. I opted for teal, purple, rust & golden yellow. Not a typical color combo, but it worked here. The image is stamped with Ancient Page waterproof ink in Coal Black. I colored the Dino's with a watercolor brush and Stampin' Up ink; going back in with colored pencil & blender pen for highlights. I added Platinum & Crystal Stickles to the confetti around the Dino's. I know there is a lot of embellishment that could have added to this card. I would have loved to pop up the sunglasses, cake & Pterodactyl. However, I know ET would have ripped these objects off the card immediately. That's just another quirk of his. Since this card is taylored to him, I tried to keep his needs & personality in mind.

Wedding Card by Cuttlebug

2008-11-09T08:14:00.008-06:00

My DH's cousin got married this weekend. Unfortunately we were unable to travel to SD for the wedding. We were really bummed about missing it. On the upside we missed out on the first snow storm of the season up in the Dakota's. Since we were sacrificing the wedding, I wanted to make a wonderfully elegant wedding card to send. I remembered a card posted by Susie B on Splitcoast Stampers that was one of my all time favorites. So I paid her the ultimate compliment & CASE'd it. I changed the paper to ivory pearlized (to coordinate with the wedding invitation), and altered the layout slightly as my card stock was too thick to scallop cut the edge. I ran a 5 inch square of paper through my Cuttlebug using the birds and swirls embossing folder leaving a small edge at the bottom for later. I colored white pearls with my Copic E53 marker to make them ivory. I set placed the pearls on small dots throughout the pattern. I also ran white ribbon through vanilla ink then washed it to create the soft ivory ribbon you see now. I don't own a Score-Pal, so I created the lines with the scoring blade on my Fiskars paper trimmer. The "Mr. & Mrs." tag was computer generated on a scrap of pearlized ivory. This was a straightforward card to CASE, but the end result is simply stunning.

Stella's 40th Birthday Wishes

2008-11-02T06:24:00.015-06:00

I made a 40th birthday card for a fellow blogger who had confessed she wasn't looking forward to hitting this milestone. I knew from reading her blog that she was a big Stella fan so the image was an obvious choice. I wanted the card to be dramatic & include black without being dreary. I also wanted the layout to have flair so I choose a sketch from Splitcoast Stampers (SC06).

I colored Stella with my Copics except her dress. It's is my very first attempt at paper piecing. All the black & white patterned paper is from DCWV. The red is just from my stash. The flowers are Primas with pearl embellishment centers. The polka dot flower is a Prima I colored black and added Liquid Pearls to create the dots. Stella's lips have Diamond Glaze added for a big pouty feel. The comb in her hair is Black Diamond Stickles while her shoes are done with metallic silver gel pen with Copic gray highlights. I really enjoyed making this card for Lynn a.k.a The Queen's Scene. I also wanted to thank her for taking the time to post it on her blog along with all her other birthday cards.
My 3 boys had a fantastic Halloween! ET insisted he did NOT need to wear his cowboy hat. LT felt it was his duty to double dip into every candy dish. While GT, who is normally shy, thought this trick treat thing wasn't too scary afterall. BTW... the alien costume was made by Grandma Sue. It turned out super cute and I have to give her kudos. Here's my little cast of Toy Story starring:
ET - Sheriff Woody
LT - Buzz Lightyear
GT - Toy Alien doll (from Pizza Planet)
DH - as himself

Hauntingly Delicious & Best Witches

2008-10-30T11:53:00.013-05:00

Happy Halloween my fellow bloggers! This is one of my most favorite days of the year. I'm excited to dress my 3 boys up in their Halloween costumes tonight to go trick or treating. They are going as Woody, Buzz & the little alien doll from Toy Story. Hopefully we will have nice weather here in Virginia.

I'm posting two Halloween cards. The first is Three Cupcakes by Lockhart Stamp Co. I altered the cherries on top of the cupcakes and made them bats. The image is colored with my Copics. I used my Spiderweb embossing folder and Debbie Mumm for JoAnn's paper pack for the background. The bats are a Martha Stewart punch done on some glitter paper from DCWV with orange & purple layers behind them. I used my Sakura glaze pen on the icing of the cupcake.

Next is an older card that I glitzed up with some new products. This is stamp is called Cycle Witch. It's from a little company called Stamp of Excellence. Most of this stamp is black so I tried to brighten her up with some shading and then glazing the body so it would pick up the light. Her cape is popped up with mounting tape, then I used Black Diamond Stickles for sparkle. Her hat is colored with Spica pen. The bats were done freehand with googley eyes for one. I added Black Diamond Stickles to those as well. The sentiment is some old ribbon from Michael's that is mounted with lime green eyelets. The background of the image has blue & purple chalk sponged all over for a night sky. Unfortunately, the picture doesn't do this card justice. I like it much better in person.

I'm off to prep for our night. I hope you all have a fun & safe Halloween. Happy Hauntings!

Two Fall Birthday Bellas

2008-10-26T05:00:00.017-05:00

Don't you just lovey when a card comes together, and it's not what you envisioned, but evolves into something sooo much better? That's what happened when I made this birthday card for my mom. I choose cakeabella from Stamping Bella as my main image. I knew I wanted to use soft Fall colors so I selected this stripe from my Basic Grey Sugared paper pack. I just adore the color combos & patterns in this line. I colored cakeabella with my Copics pulling colors from the stripe. I used my Sakura glaze pen on the cake frosting & flowers. These pens are great. They give just a hint of shine without a lot of gloss. The yellow paper is stamped in Versamark ink with the flower from Boho Backgrounds by Stampin' Up. I used Detail Clear embossing powder on the flowers. I laid everything out & ended up turning my paper so the stripe went horizontal. The yellow paper seemed too bright as well. I sponged it with More Mustard, Mellow Moss & Creamy Caramel ink to tone down the color and pull in a more Fall feeling. I still needed a spot for my sentiment so I thought I'd try something new & position it vertically. I ended up sponging it too. The card still needed a little something. I dug around in my embellishment stash & found these glitter brads. I added the burgundy corner tab glitzed up with Crystal Stickles to the opposite corner for balance. Well you know that I lovey her, what do you think?

My mom and MIL have birthday's just a week apart. I usually end up making them similar cards. For my MIL's card, I used same Basic Grey Sugared paper. I choose several prints and cut them into 1/2" x 3" strips. Then layered them at angles for a background. The idea comes from the "Cardmakers Sketch Book" by Tanya Fox. This is an excellent book for anyone who needs a little layout inspiration, as I usually do. I colored curly surpriseabella with my Copics. I added a little sparkle to her presents with my clear Spica pen. The sentiment is from CTMH's Say It In Style. I added a felt flower with green glass brad to one corner and a Prima flower I altered with my Copics to the other corner. The other little embellies are Stamping Bella dots. This card is more out of my comfort zone, but I do like the end result.
With my birthday frenzied months winding down at the end of October, I look forward to working on & sharing cards for other occasions soon.

Stinkin' Cute Halloween

2008-10-18T22:19:00.004-05:00

I'm posting a simple Halloween card this week. These spooky little stinkers are from the retired Stampin' Up set Stinkin' Cute. The pumpkins are from Carved & Candlelit. I started this card by stamping the large pumpkin in Really Rust & Pumpkin ink. I stamped the boy & girl skunks on either side. I stamped the smaller pumpkin on a scrap & cut it out, then mounted it with pop dots. I added Black Diamond Stickles to the pumpkin face for some depth. The witches hat is an adorable stamp from Eat Cake Graphics. She makes some really cute images. It's definitely worth checking out. I colored the hat in with my Copics & added some highlights with my clear Spica pen. I drew the boys' mask freehand, colored it with Copics, then went over it with the Spica pen for lots of sparkle. Both the hat & mask were cut out and mounted over the images (no masking technique... no pun intended). I used some small alphabet letters to stamp 'Boo' in white craft ink onto black paper. I punched it out using Stampin' Up tab punch. I secured the black bat to the corner of the card with glue dots. I finished the card by layering it in some simple Halloween colors. A pretty boring layout really, but a super cute image, IMHO.
Halloween is second only to Christmas on my list of favorite holidays. I'm looking forward to dressing up my 3 boys this year. They are going as Woody, Buzz & the little alien doll from Toy Story. I can't wait!

Owl 12th Anniversary

2008-10-12T05:17:00.004-05:00

My DH & I had fun celebrating our anniversary last weekend. We had a wonderful, slow paced dinner for two at The Melting Pot. It was great to be able to talk about the kids at dinner instead of talking to them. Living away from family and having a child with special needs can make getting that much needed couple time a little challenging. We're very fortunate to have a fantastic babysitter who adores our boys and takes great care of them.

Have you ever checked out Taylor VanBruggen's blog: Taylored Expressions? For those of you that haven't, every Friday she posts a sketch challenge called the Cupcake Challenge. She picks a winner the following week & features their card on her blog.

I used a modified version of her TECC36 sketch for my anniversary card. Instead of adding a diagonal layer, I peeled back the layers to reveal the base of my card. I started off with an image from Owl Always Love You by Gina K. Designs. I received this image from a swap on Splitcoast Stampers. I colored the image with my Copics. Since it's October I colored the leaves as if they were changing colors for Fall. I cut the image out, removing some branches (setting those aside for later) then layered the image onto circles of yellow & smoky blue card stock. I used a Fiskars punch for the stars on the light blue card stock. I added more sparkle to the night sky with Crystal Stickles. I added a small glitter heart done freehand to the "girl" owl. I mounted the owls & moon with pop dots and added the small branches back to card to fill-in any blank spaces. I also hand wrote the sentiment with a Copic pen. I don't care for the way my handwriting turned out, but C'est la vie.

My DH really liked the card & that's what matters. I don't know why I feel pressured to make him something more special than I would typically do. I just have to remind myself, it's the thought that counts and the love that goes into the project that makes it special.

Gone to the Dogs

2008-10-03T08:14:00.013-05:00

For those of you who don't know me well, I am definitely an animal lover. At one time I debated about being a vet tech. Instead I choose to pursue a career in fashion. Makes sense, doesn't it? The DH & I have had several dogs over the years. All mutts gotten from shelters or off the streets. To me, they're the best kind. Currently we have a 4 year old dog named Frankie. He's very mellow & super good with our 3 boys. His only down fall is he steals food off the table. This is Frankie below. I lovey his big ears and super soft fur! Any guesses what breeds he might be?
My middle son, LT, had constant ear infections from birth - 2 years resulting in a large speech delay. We enrolled him in speech therapy and I'm happy to say he's gone from no talking to 3 word sentences in under a year. I even have to tell him to hush sometimes. I wanted to say thank you to one therapists in particular. She & LT had a real bond. Whenever they would meet he would run to her yelling "Taci -- taci". I knew Woofin' It Up from Stamping Bella would be a great match since Staci has 2 furbabies of her own. I colored the image with my Copics & added the grass to ground the image. I used my Spica pen on the collars & hair bow. I also used my Sakura Glaze pen. Then I made my own background paper using Cloud 9 rub-0ns and a Woof stamp from Judith. I stamped "woof" in beige & then went over it with a clear Spica glitter pen. I ran the light teal card stock through my Cuttlebug using the dots border from Just My Type embossing set. (the dots are slightly bigger than Swiss Dots EF). I computer generated the Thank You sentiment on card stock then mounted it to chipboard & cut it out. I colored the color & tag with my Copics. The tag was is finished with more Glaze pen & mounted to the collar using a mini brad. The collar is jazzed up with some tiny rhinestones I found at Hobby Lobby.
Today is my 12 year wedding anniversary! My DH & I celebrated last night with dinner for two. Next week I'll post the card I'm giving him. Thanks honey for all the great things you do, for being a wonderful father to our goof troop and for laughing with me during the times when the 3 ring circus takes command.

Thank you!

2008-10-01T06:45:00.003-05:00

I wanted to thank Christine for giving me this blog award. It was very sweet of you & really helped perk me up. You should check out Christine's blog here.

Since all of the talented women whose blog I read already have this award, I will just say thanks!

Retro Footwear

2008-09-28T07:36:00.017-05:00

What a hectic week it's been. All 3 boys have been battling colds. My youngest, GT has ear infection and hasn't sleep through the night in well, let's just say a while. He & I have spent many nights sleeping in a very comfy Lazy Boy chair in my bedroom. Yesterday, ET started swim lessons. He loved them. Luckily his swim instructor is blonde. ET is over the moon for blondes. I think it's because when he was born he spent 4 weeks in the NICU & his primary nurse was blonde.
My girlfriend, Janelle, got a fabulous new job! Big promotion, big pay raise, huge opportunity. I'm super excited for her. When I saw this sketch on Lynn in St. Louis' blog, I thought it was the perfect choice for my congratulations card.

Since Janelle works in the fashion industry, I knew I wanted to ink up my Retro Boutique set from Gina K. Designs. I paired the shoe with DCWV Retro paper pad. I love how the femininity of the shoe contrasts with the masculine pantsuit stripe of the paper. BTW... the stripes on this paper are further apart so I added more by cutting additional stripes from the paper, running them through my 1.5" Xyron, and laying them on. Since the background color is so dark & DCWV paper is thin the added stripes blend in wonderfully. I didn't have any blue paper to match the stripe so I colored white card stock with my Copic markers then used the Fiskars Threading Water punch. I used K&Co slab paper for the tab & added a blue rhinestone flower from Michael's bargain bin. The sentiment is computer generated, but you can find it in the Stampin' Up set Humor in High Heels. The rub-ons are also from Stampin' Up.

Okay, Okay... I Give! I've Been Tagged

2008-09-22T18:21:00.008-05:00

I've been lucky enough to be tagged. So lucky in fact, I was tagged not once, not twice, but three times. Wow! Plus when I visited the blogs of the creative women who tagged me, I found out I actually inspire some people. Double wow!! Oh the pressure of having to keep that up. LOL! Thanks ladies. You should check out the blogs of the women who I was tagged by.
Kim
Christine
Amy

Here are the rules of the game:

Link your tagger and list the rules on your blog.
Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Well, here you go...7 facts about me:

I am horribly afraid of spiders. A fact my DH likes to laugh at whenever I encounter the tiniest of spider.
I'm a Mountain Dew fanatic. I will only drink it from a plastic bottle (12, 20, or 24 oz.), no cans, no 2 liter bottles. Seriously it tastes different in cans & 2 liters. I can even tell you some bottles are a better brew than others.
In high school I would have NEVER dated a guy in the military. However, I married my college sweetheart who is officer in the Air Force. My high school friends were ROFL.
My favorite place to live is Omaha, Nebraska. We plan to move back there when my DH retires from the Air Force.
I love to shop at Target! I just like it soooo much better than Wally World.
I don't like my food to touch & I don't like to touch other people's food. In fact clearing the dinner table is really icky for me. Luckily my DH helps out a lot!
I love to read, especially historic fiction.

Most of the blogs I read & are inspired by have already been tagged. I've listed them below. More sites for you to blurf (that's blog surf in case you didn't know).

I've Got Mail

2008-09-21T13:09:00.009-05:00

I have to tell you I won my first blog candy evah! Lynn a.k.a The Queen's Scene was offering blog candy if you nominated a friend. I nominated my bella sistah, Kim from Bellaholics Anonymous. Lynn said your nominated friend would receive the blog candy & you would get a little something, too. Now, this was not what I was expecting. In my package of yummy blog candy was a bunch of images, ribbon, clear stamp set, dimensional stickers, designer paper, Papercrafts Magazine, and an adorable Halloween card. It was fun to win because I had the chance to brighten my bella sistah's day & get a little surprise myself. BTW... if you haven't already, you should check out Lynn's blog.

If that wasn't enough, I received a special box of goodies from my bella sistah, Kim G. You can check her blog out here. She sent me a box filled to the brim with stamping delights. It included passion flower home scents, ribbon, small ink pads, raffia, stamps, fall / Halloween buttons, epoxy brads, small photo album, personalized notepad, stamped images, and a charming cosmobella card.
In case you are wondering a bella sistah is a kind of get-to-know you activity you sign up for within the Bellaholics Anonymous Yahoo group. It's been fun getting to know Kim. I enjoy chatting with her on a regular basis.
I absolutely love to get mail! What a lucky girl I am to get two packages in two days.

With Sympathy

2008-09-14T08:28:00.014-05:00

My DH's uncle passed away unexpectedly this week and my girlfriend's father, too. So I needed to get a few sympathy cards done this week. Not exactly the task you want. Fortunately, I had just received my order from Papertrey Ink. I ordered Boards & Beams, Everyday Blessings & a bunch of cardstock. I could have ordered oodles of stamp sets. I think their products are amazing.
For this card I used the PTI set, Everyday Blessings. I used my Swiss dots embossing folder on the Aqua Mist cardstock. I only ran 3/4 of the page through. I stamped the remaining portion of the page with a small filigree design from the set using Versamark ink. I stamped the cross onto white cardstock then notched the corners. I mounted it onto Aqua Mist & Spring Moss CS. I added black & white pearls from Kaiser to the cross, notched corners and sentiment. The "sympathy" is from My Favorite Things' Essential Sentiments. The stamp is clear photo polymer so I was able to bend it into a curve on my mount before I stamped it. The sentiment is punched out with Stampin' Up oval punches. I accented the card with simple black ribbon. I hope the receiptants find comfort in knowing we are thinking of them.

Not Jackson 5. She's Turning 5!

2008-09-09T16:12:00.023-05:00

Sorry this post is soooo late. That's what happens when you have 3 sick boys at home and a husband gone on TDY (that's Temporary DutY for you civilians).
Well, our trip to South Dakota was a blast. Our boys enjoyed seeing their grandparents & cousins. Plus, they had so much fun at the water park in our hotel. I think the prize winner was our afternoon at the Omaha [Nebraska] zoo. ET loved the aquarium, LT ran wild in the Gorilla tunnel, while GT learned he does not like goats.

This week I made a card for my niece who turns 5. I'm loopy for this ribbon from American Crafts. I finally found it at a not-so-local scrapbook store. I used it as my color inspiration. The cupcake is a 2-step stamp from Big Bold Birthday by Stampin' Up. I stamped it in Rouge and Jumbo Java chalk ink then added some glitter glue "sprinkles" in diamond & cherry. Next, I cut out the cupcake and mounted it with pop dots onto another cupcake that was stamped with the candle. I added Diamond Glaze to the candle for a more waxy appearance. I mounted the cupcakes onto red card stock with scallop cut edges. I ran the pool blue card stock through my Cuttlebug using the Number Collage embossing folder. I scallop cut the edge of the lime green card stock with my Basic Grey Notch & Die Cutting Tool then punched holes in the center of each scallop. I think it gives it a similar look to the Fiskars Threading Water border punch. I made the number 5 charm by coloring some polyshrink with my Copic markers then cutting and heat setting. Remember to punch the hole before you heat set (Guess who forgot to do that the first time). I used some white wire to secure my #5 charm to my ribbon then topped it off with a simple bow. I like to keep my little kids cards unfussy yet bright and cheery.

I'm working on sympathy cards this week as well as a welcome card for our new neighbors. I should be back to my usual Sunday post this weekend. Ta-ta for now!

Here Comes the Bridal Shower

2008-08-31T05:00:00.019-05:00

While we're in South Dakota over the long weekend, I'm going to a bridal shower for my DH's cousin. She was part of our wedding 12 years ago & it's a little strange to think of her as grown up enough to get married.
I found this DCWV paper on clearance at Michael's. Who doesn't love a bargain? I have been hoarding it for the perfect occasion. I paired it with blingabella. (don't worry... cards featuring other companies are coming up.) She's colored with my Copics. I just love using them BTW. I gave her ring extra shimmer by coloring it with my Spica pen then topping it with Diamond Glaze. I double matted her with a slim edge of silver & Stampin' Up Purely Pomegranate. Then I jazzed her up with some layered Prima's and a Dewdrop for the center. Since I'm giving her a gift card, I thought this "Joy Fold Card" was an ideal layout choice. It's really not too difficult to do. Just think of it as two cards; one opening left, the other opening right. You can check out an easy to understand tutorial from Beate on Splitcoast Stampers here.
I hope you'll check back next week. I'm going to show a card for a little girl & possibly a masculine birthday card. Why do those masculine card ideas have to be so difficult?

My Girl Likes to Party All the Time

2008-08-24T05:00:00.014-05:00

I have another Stamping Bella card to show this week. This birthday card using partygirlabella is for my niece who's turning 14. I'm swamped with birthdays from June to October. I hope you'll bear with me through all the birthday postings.

I stamped the blue background with polka dots from a Stampin' Up retired set called Simply Circles using Versamark Ink. I wanted a little suble texture to the background. Next, I cut the DCWV Retro Pad paper in a half circle with my Fiskars circle cutter & colored the dots with my clear Spica pen. This bella beauty is colored with my Copic markers & Kol-i-Nor colored pencils. I jazzed up her hat & the heart balloons with more sparkle from my Spica pen. The sentiment is mounted onto chipboard that I colored & added Stickles around for some pop. Can you believe this sentiment was a discovery in the $1 bin at Michael's? I really like how it ended up. I know my niece will be thrilled!

The whole family is flying to South Dakota later this week so I'm off to prep for the adventure. Traveling with 3 little boys will either be a total blast or complete nightmare. I'll let you know which in upcoming posts.

Stella's No Cupcake

2008-08-17T10:18:00.010-05:00

I love this little pudgy gal from Stamping Bella. This stamp is Leaning Tower of Stella. I got her image from a swap over on Splitcoast Stampers. What a great site! I colored her with my Copic markers. I've only had them a couple weeks so I still have a lot to learn. Don't you just adore her polka dot dress? That's my favorite part. The cupcake is decorated with brown glitter. I used Diamond Glaze for the cherry on top as well as Stella's lips. I put yellow Stickles on her wand. Finally I used my clear Spica pen on the jade comb in her hair. I wanted Stella to look like a little tart. I think I've achieved that. The patterned paper is from Cosmo Cricket while the solid is just from my stash. I colored some gold eyelets with my Copics to make them darker. I finished the card off with the sentiment "who you callin' cupcake?" from Just Johanna that I got from my MIL. It doesn't pop as much as I'd like it to, but it's still cute. I sent this card out to my girlfriend, Janelle, in Florida for her birthday tomorrow. I hope she likes it.

It's My Birthday and I can Blog if I Want to!

2008-08-17T09:21:00.002-05:00

So here it is, my very first blog post. It's my birthday treat to myself. I wanted a place to show my cards to people who shared the same excitement about papercrafting that I do. You know that crazy jump up and down thrill you get when a card is complete. My DH tries to act enthused, but I know he doesn't get it. That's okay, I know he will continue to indulge me with his fained interest.
How about a little about my life... I'm currently a stay-at-home mom to three boys ages 5, 2, & 13 months. My oldest son, ET, has Trisomy 21 which is a type of Down Syndrome. He also has ADHD. He's a bundle of energy that's hard to keep up with some days. He's also stubborn yet goofy. My middle boy, LT, is your typical 2 year old. He wants to do it his way on his time. He's dramatic. He loves trucks & dirt, and he's recently discovered he can talk, talk, talk. My youngest boy, GT, is just developing his personality. He's definitely mama's boy. He's my little tag-a-long. But boy, does he have a temper! Can anyone say screamer?!
I've been married for nearly 12 years to a wonderful guy. He's an officer in the Air Force. What he actually does for a living, I don't really know. He brings home the paycheck that enables my stamping habit. That's the important thing, right? LOL!
I am a self professed rubber stamp collector, paper scrooge, embellishment hoarder. (I know there are more of you out there like me.) I got into rubber stamping a number of years ago because a girlfriend of mine found out how much I loved to color. When I brought my own coloring book & box of 96 crayons to her house while babysitting, she knew she had to introduce me to a little company called Stampin' Up. I was instantly engrossed in a new hobby. For the past few years, my stamping has slowed way down. Partly because ET has had many health issues and needed much attention & care. Partly because I had lost my zest for creating and had gotten bored with coloring. Then I discovered a new stamp company while flipping through Paper Crafts magazine called Stamping Bella. I loved her girls and placed an order right away. That lead me to the Yahoo group, Bellaholics Anonymous which introduced me Copic markers. Now I have re-discovered my love of coloring & with that a renewed enchantment with rubber stamping. My goal is to post new creations every Sunday. I don't know how some of you do it every day. I envy that ability. I just hope some of you enjoy checking out my creations from time to time.