Shovel Toss

Card Front

Inside

Envelope

Ok - honestly, I've had the idea for this card for at least 4 years......why haven't I made the card before now?? Time or lack there of seems to be one of my top 3 enemies..........so when I was in my cruel stamping funk, I decided that I needed to grasp at any and all ideas I may have ever had - and this was one of them. Definitely happy with the results - and oh boy do I feel exactly like this more times than I'd care to admit. Thankfully I can picture this card and it'll make me giggle - maybe that will snap me out of the doldrums??? I can only hope.........

Stamps: Ink Antics, Memory Box

B&T: CTMH

Ink: Memento & Colorbox

Misc: QuicKutz -Shovel die-cut; Martha Stewart Butterfly punch; Deckle scissors

Home Tweet Home

Close-up of the awesome "copper" roof!!

So here's a blue bird (versus yesterday's pink bird...) - I'm please with how it turned out. I'm actually surprised the paper took the Copics so well. It's just some text-weight (well, probably a bit stiffer than regular ol' printer paper but only just.....) Kraft-looking paper with some speckles in it. I picked it up at the now-defunct Paper Zone ages ago (it was marked down ridiculously low) and have just hung onto it until it was needed.

I thought having a crimped copper roof would be snug & cozy AND add a nice bit of texture. The wood grain CS is from A Muse (been hoarding that for way too long!). And did you see the sentiment?? It's from the Birthday Buddies set but it works wonderfully well here!

Want to try the FREE bird digi-stamp/image?? Well then, you can get it (and a "thanks" sentiment too) lickety split for yourself right here !! Poke around and you'll find some cool card sketches there too - I used one for yesterdays card but today's card just popped into my noggin on its own.

• Stamps: Digi-bird image and sentiment - Paper Smooches
• Inks: Memento & Colorbox Chalk Inks
• CS: Wood grain - A Muse; Cardbase - Memory Box; Metallic Copper & black textured CS - CTMH
• Copics
• Crimper
• Twine
• Marvy Circle punch
• Fiskars mini-scalloped decorative edgers
• Signo white pen

FREE Digi-stamps from Paper Smooches...

I've never done digital "stamping" before.....and I know there's tons more to it than what I've done (so far). Actually, Creepella did the downloading (into PowerPoint) and printing for me. I......ahem....put the cardstock and speckled Kraft text paper into the printer so at least I helped - right?

So Paper Smooches is going to offer FREE digital stamps each month - since I'm completely enamored with Kim's designs thus far, if anything is going to prompt me to try digital "stamping" it's going to be this!! Care to try it out?? Well here's a link: http://www.papersmoochesstamps.com/

And as far as the stamps themselves go - gotta say, I'm totally digging them!! You know me, I'm a Pun Fiend - well, I must say I'm beyond pleased with the selection offered. Ordering online is fast and easy (hmmmm, perhaps TOO easy....) and within 3 days, I had some brand spankin' new stamps in the mailbox. They stamp wonderfully well - and they're cuter in person than on the website. The next release is just days away.....I can hardly wait!!

I've done a couple of cards with the free digi-bird image (I'll post my other card tomorrow) and I'm making several cards with the new stamps themselves - I'll post when I can, but honestly it seems as if I start on one card - and WHAM......another card idea (or two) comes to mind. I've got multiple Post-It Notes on each package of stamps.....just hope I can get half of the ideas into cards before the next batch of stamps land in the mailbox.

Such fun, Fun, FUN!!!

• Stamps: digi-bird image - Paper Smooches; sentiments - PTI
• Memento Inks
• Copics
• White Signo pen
• Flower sequins & mini brads
• BasicGrey B&T paper; CS - CTMH

A Julie Copy....with a Twist

Julie Ebersol made this card using A Muse stamps and cardstock. Well I just LOVED it - and I actually remembered I loved it and finally COPIED it with glee. I used a few different stamps and of course I couldn't help but make the little thought bubble of "Oh Crap!!" because the little penguin just looks like that's what he's thinking!!

Thanks for your continuing inspiration Jules - it's MOST appreciated!!!

Stamps: Memory Box - Penguin; A Muse - Fish; CTMH - alphabet & inside sentiment
Inks: Memento & Colorbox chalk ink

Copics & Stickles

Misc: Card panel, Epoxy sticker & sheer ribbon - A Muse; small oval punch - Marvy; handheld circle punch

New Stitching Treasures

Look at this!!!

Come on - take a closer look......aaaaah, the beautiful colors and ooooooh, the wonderful sheen of the silk................simply heavenly...........

Creepella has deemed this her FAVORITE color (of course - slime green.....)

I got a killer deal on these fibers........less than half price!! For 12-strand silk fiber - whoa Nellie!! You couldn't select the colors (which normally I wouldn't agree to - I'm too controlling and heck, it's MY money), the shop owner selected them for you (but she promised not to send duplicates) - I was very nervous AND excited and when the package arrived, I ripped into it and ooooohed and aaaaaaahed all over the place.

Working with silk is such a special treat (it's pretty pricey) - generally I work with 6-strand cotton floss (whenever it's on sale at Michaels, I stock up!). I was so excited in getting these new silk fibers, I've already started on a little something for Creepella. It's a small design and since there are no color changes it's moving along at quite a nice clip. Once I figure out how I'll finish it - pillow, framed, inset in a tray, etc. - AND finish it - I'll show you how it turns out.

OK - I'm off to stitch.........!!

Happy B-Day?? Kinda Sorta Maybe??

Drat it another cool CTMH set that's retired (for years now)................of course I'm giddy with glee because I have it both in an acrylic and wood-mounted sets (which I don't need and will be looking to get rid of). But this card idea just popped into my head and worked out exactly how I pictured so YIPPPPEEEE!!!! Besides the border punch.....everything else is VERY old, using stuff up is a very good thing!

Stamps - CTMH & Hero Arts & inside sentiment is hmmmmm, I don't recall...

Ink - Memento

Martha Stewart Border Punch

B&T - no idea...like I said - it's really old!!

New Home

The house is so teeny-tiny, but I like it!! Trees are paper-pieced for some texture.....I liked it so much I decided to use the same B&T paper for the grass. Love that grass border punch from Martha Stewart too. The smoke wisp is a fine line of Diamond Stickles.

Stamps - Trees/CTMH; House & sentiment/Obsession Impression

Inks - Memento

Paper - CB/Memory Box; B&T/CTMH

Misc. - Copics; Stickles; Grass border punch/Martha Stewart

Sweetie Pie

When I was just thinking of this card, I started thinking of "French Kiss".....and for anyone who remembers the movie - when Kevin Kline says "sweetie pie??".....well that's when the card idea gelled for me. So it's appropriate that while I was making some Sweetie Pie cards I had to watch "French Kiss" - love that movie, love him.....such a talented actor!!!

I made this card for MY Sweetie Pie - Chef Bo-Bo Head.........he cooks up wonderful meals and dishes, bakes treats galore. And while he doesn't fully understand the whole stamping "thing" he appreciates and encourages it - and he supports it.........literally - for V-day, partial b-day and partial Mom's Day I am now a Slice owner......it's pretty darned cool!! Oh, and he got an extra design card too - can you guess which one?? Yep, Bon Appetit - so fitting!!

The letters and pie are from the Slice (Bon Appetit), I sponged on some chalk inks to the pie for definition (gottal have a golden crust) and used some Stickles for sugar crystals. I also cut another pie out of the metallic CS for the pie tin and ta-dah, piping hot pie!!

Hope your V-Day is a fun one!!

Slice - Bon Appetit design card

CB - PTI

Stamps & Ink, Metallic CS - CTMH

Stickles

Green For Joy

I've got a friend who absolutely detests Valentine's Day. She explained why and I see her point. She also happens to believe that Green is The Only Color one should recognize. So every Heart-Day, I make cards for my friends....usually in reds, pinks, purples - but for Joy, I ALWAYS make a GREEN card - same card design but any red/pink/purple component is done in GREEN. This year as I was finishing up the cards, Creepella popped into the stamp room just as I was working on Joy's card. She laughed and asked, "Is that Joy's card??" - then she took a closer look at it and announced, "You know mom, she's got a point....it's a cool card - green is good....I like green...." and then she just looked at me with such expectancy I was nearly at a loss for words.

But only nearly - I took a deep breath and told her to go away..................

Stamps - CTMH (background border & heart flourish on envelope); Hero Arts (Sentiments)

Inks - Memento & Colorbox Chalk inks

Punches - EK Success single heart; EK Success zig-zag mini-heart border & Martha Stewart's heart clusters

Misc - Scritchy/Scratchy jute/twine, scraps & bits of ribbon; Memento marker; scraps of Stardream CS and other CS

P.S. to Gina -

This is basically a 4-bar sized card that duplicates the heart on the bakers twine card that I posted earlier this week......I didn't use the bakers twine here because the card was so much smaller and I just didn't like how it looked. Soooo, for these hearts, I just glued them directly onto the card - tons easier (and waaaay faster) than the whole mini glue dot ordeal!! I did the twine/jute on the rest of the cards too but I added a couple of bits of the bakers twine in the knot (replacing the green ribbon bits here).

Awwwwwww........So Sweeeeeeet

Fast and easy "sticker" card (stamped sentiment & envelope only). Gotta love it when you can get those Martha Stewart stickers at a discount (I got these for 45% off.....they were discounted by 25% AND I had an additional 20% off coupon - happy, happy, happy!!). I pondered and pondered over these - wasn't sure if I really "needed" them - finally reason prevailed and I tossed them into my basket.

Very happy with how this card turned out - have had the lacy heart doilies for years (always seem to forget to pull them out when making V-Day cards!) and the cool border punch is from EK Success - it's not too fussy and I like that! Sentiment (Hero Arts) was a perfect fit - ahhhh, a big sigh of contentment........

Stamps - Hero Arts (sentiment) & CTMH (heart burst on envelope)

Martha Stewart Sweet Stickers

EK Success border punch

Memento Ink

Spica pen

Heart Doily

Crazy Hugs & Kisses

This is a total knock-off of a card by Julie Ebersole. Julie's card was a Birthday (same Stampin' Up stamp set though), but all you need to do is switch out the sentiment & background stamps and there you go!! I replaced the dot on the "i" with a smallish heart gemstone to carry the love-theme a bit further and if I had a heart-themed embossing folder in my stamping arsenal, well.......can you ever go too far in a card's theme???

Stamps - "Hugs & Kisses"/Stampin' Up; small heart in circle & "I Love You"/CTMH
Inks - Memento
Misc: Swirly ribbon/???; embossed CS panel/CTMH; heart gemstone/Hero Arts

String Of Hearts

I'm not sure why the Kraft cards come out so crappy photgraphy-wise. It looks like a weird sickly brown/gray combo....ick. I love the look of Kraft cards and since I've "found" an entire ream of it (along with several other reams of various CS.....), I'll be using more of it. I love the spin it gives in comparison with white or cream CS.....very casual and comfy - am I making any sense here??

Anyhow here's my Inspired Creation v-day card......got the idea from Paper Crafts' "Color Inspiration" issue. Tons of cool card ideas and if mixing and matching colors isn't your thing, loads of inspiration in that area as well. Their card was monochromatic which was nice but I really wanted to make the punched hearts POP out at you so I switched out to the Kraft cardbase (I also added a ton more hearts to the bakers twine......wanted the card LOADED with hearts!).

Creepella was watching me finish up these cards and told me this was one of her top favorite cards - guess which one she'll be getting on the 14th??!!

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink: Memento

CB: CTMH

CS scraps......well, they were scraps!!

EK Success small heart punch

Martha Stewart Heart Cluster punch & baking twine

Pucker Up

Creepella loves the colors on this one - nontraditional I agree but ooooooh, I like it too. Trying REALLY hard to get as much use out of my stamping tools as I can. You know, being responsible, wise and moderate in my spending naturally spills over in trying to get the most use out of every purchase that is made. So you might notice a running "punched hearts" theme on many of my V-Day cards this year.

Love those PTI tag and mini stamp sets - have you seen the latest celebration set??? If I were to ever win a lottery, I would place a PTI order and just say "one of everything" please!!

It seems that I've got quite a bit of a lot.......so I'm really trying to USE some of it. I had all but forgotten about all of the Pretty Little Papers from A Muse so I've set out a couple of packages on my desk to serve as a visual reminder to myself.

CTMH Spring/Summer catty is here and my Wish List seems a mile long. However, I plan on sharing sets of the B&T paper and I'll be reviewing that Wish List on a regular basis - trying to whittle it down to a more manageable size. Haven't even seen the new Hero Arts catty (absolutely deadly for me) and I'm holding out as long as I can!!

Trying to use up the Memory Box cardbases whenever I can - while I like having a nice variety of color, I don't like a wimpy-weighted cardbase!! I like to layer B&T paper (both text-weight and lighter CS), I use foam mounting tape every chance I get so I need a substantial cardbase......Memory Box (while beautiful) aren't sturdy enough and I'm finding a lot of them are cut kind of wonky - not squared up, you know??? So now I've decided that for the most part, I'll be sticking to neutral cardbases (white, cream & Kraft)......heck, I've got tons of it already - being thrifty and all means I need to use it up before I even consider getting anything more in the way of cardbases!!

Stamps: PTI (V-Day minis); Hero Arts ("Happy V-day"); CTMH ("U" & "R")

Inks: Memento (Brown) & CTMH (Gypsy)

Copics & Spicas

Martha Steward Cluster Heart punch

CS scraps (Stardream & solid CS)

U + Me

I think I picked up this Bo Bunny 6 x 6 stack in December while Creepella and I were browsing for Jolee stickers. I liked that there was so much RED and BLACK and not so much pink. Not much coloring, it's mostly playing with paper!!

Stamps: Stampendous (2 flowers) & CTMH (sentiment & alphabet for "u" & "me")

Paper: CB - Memory Box; B&T - Bo Bunny

Inks: Memento & Colorbox chalk ink

Misc: Martha Stewart border punch; sheer ribbon & mini twinkle stickers by A Muse; Stickles

Key-Holder

Needed to make new Valentine cards this.....I ended up with 6 designs since my card-making buddy totally flaked (yes, I'm talking to YOU Heidi......) and I think all but one card was my own design (shaking off those designing cobwebs one card at a time). Here's one of them.

Just a giant background stamp for some interest and having at it with punches and die-cuts! While it's a super simple card, it took FOREVER to complete. I love the Eliza alphabet die-cuts (I think it's retired now) - it's usually my "go-to" alphabet of choice when I think "romantic" or "elegant". Of course since I only have about 6-ish alphabets to choose from but they're all pretty different - gotta be able to fit the mood of the card, you know?

Love those Martha Stewart border punches on borders but I love how they can perk up a square layer too!! Some metallic cardstock for the key was spot-on!

Stamps - Hero Arts & CTMH

Ink & red CS - CTMH

Die-cuts - QuicKutz

Punches - Martha Stewart border punch & heart filigree

Blue...

Love CTMH stuff....true, this isn't the brand-BRAND new stuff, but it's still pretty new. Loved the monster stamp set as soon as I saw it (it was on my first order of that catalog....naturally). The B&T paper is soooooo pretty - I rarely "remember" to stamp on it directly but hey, this time I did!!. As you can see, the card is pretty easy and straight-forward and it's uh, very blue!!

Stamps and B&T paper - CTMH

Ink - Memento

Copics

Martha Stewart border punch

Kissing Couple

Originally made as an anniversary card, I figured by changing the sentiment inside it would be great as a Valentine's Day card. A little masking of the kissing couple allowed for that hint of the hearts background (second generation stamping softened the ink perfectly). The extra large heart gem really screams LOVE to me.......and it's rather sparkly too!!

Stamps - A Muse/Kissing Couple; Heart background/CTMH; sentiment/-can't remember!!

Ink - Memento

Cardbase - Memory Box

Misc. - A Muse/sheer ribbon; Marvy/scalloped heart punch; Heart gem/Hero Arts; corner rounder

Brunch Thanks

Hmmm, I don't remember when or where I saw this card sketch. I liked the simplicity and by using those beautiful Basic Grey papers, understated elegance emerges - it's like magic!

Stamps - A Muse/table setting; PTI/Flowers & sentiment
Inks - Memento & Colorbox chalk inks
Paper - Basic Grey B&T paper
Misc. - Organza ribbon