A Floral Wreath of Birthday Wishes

The fall is an amazing season of birthday celebrations in our family.  What is stunning is the amount of friends and family who enjoy the same birthday season!  What a perfect time to make a soft, pretty card for a gift.  This lovely went to a co-worker before Christmas and I'm just getting around to editing the photo and posting on theblog.  Here's the details:

• Those flowers are Heartfelt's Arianna Blooms.  Stamped with black Archival Ink and die cut with the zero edge die.  Such an innovation!  I'm loving this stamp and die set a bunch.  The flowers are cut from the Authentic Grace paper collection I bought earlier this year.  All papers are from the coordinating backsides of patterned papers.  The centers of the flowers are gems adhered with my iRock tool, taken out of the tool shed for the first time in a while.

• The greenery is cut from green cardstock from the stash using my go to Our Daily Bread Designs Fancy Foliage.  Still one of my best buys this year!
• The sentiment was stamped in brown Archival Ink with a wood stamp onto cream cardstock.  

Simple, but a very effective result.  I'll admit to a bit of inspiration using this image from Pinterest.  Not a direct take, but definitely inspired by.  

Another Mother's Day Card

I made another Mother's Day card with my Authentique Grace paper collection.  This paper just goes together all on its own.  Here's the details:

• All papers are from the collection and they are all edged in Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  The pink patterned paper was embossed with a Darice embossing folder.
• The swirls are cut from matching patterned paper using my Sizzix Decorative Swirls.

• The flower is store bought and has long since been separated from it's package.  I also rubbed on some Vintage Photo Distress Ink to tie this in.
• The crochet ribbon came from the stash.  
• On the inside, I used a sentiment from the collection.

I'm all set, a card for my grandma and one for my mom.  I'm even a little ahead of the game.

I decided to enter this card into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Not So Mellow Yellow.  Even though my yellow flower is a bit mellow, I think that it qualifies as yellow and wanted to join in the fun.  Come on over to see all the yellow-y inspiration.

Don't forget that I've posted a comment party for some blog candy.  Please click through the link, read about my great fortune that, in the end, I am hoping will result in a small fortunate event for you.  All you have to do is follow my blog and comment to win!

A Happy Mother's Day Card

Well, I'm on a roll.  I don't know how many Mother's Day cards a person needs, but I've now at least one in spare.  This card was also made with my Authentique Grace paper pack.  Here's the details:

• All papers are from the collection, except the  brown cardstock paper and they are all edged in Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  
• The brown cardstock medallions are cut suing my Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Motifs die.

• The flowers are Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters that I put a pearl accent right in the center. 
• The sentiment on the outside and on the inside come from the tag sentiments from the collection.

Now, I have a spare card.  Who knows where I'll use this one. 

Just a Touch of Paris

Just a little card today made to brighten my Grandma's day.  I used this as a notecard to wish her well and update her on some family busyness- kids school and my work.  I just couldn't resist using some more papers from the Authentique Grace collection.  Here's the details:

• All papers come from the collection.  The large floral piece is edged with some Krystallos Shard Glass from ArtGlitter.  I picked this up from the stamp show at Heartfelt Creations.  It really is small pieces of glass shards.  I had to be really careful not to cut my skin.  However, once glued in place, the finish product is very beautiful.

• The image is stamped in black Archival Ink using my new KaiserCrafts Bonjour stamp set.  The fine detail that this stamp created- a good quality.  I then stamped the very detailed Eiffel Tower inside the frame.  A few gem pieces add a flare of bling to the stamped image.
• The flower is cut from patterned paper from the collection using my Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters dies.  The center of the flower is some more Krystallos Shard Glass.
• The greenery was cut as a part of other products and I just picked pieces that fit.
• A pearl swirl finishes off the look.

This one is pretty and I hope it brightens my Grandma's day.

I'm linking this up over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog: Transparent because that shard glass is transparent and I'm loving it!  I also linked up at Word Art Wednesday Challenge #124: Anything Goes.   Come join all the fun.

A Small School Project

My daughter, Katie, approached me a few weeks ago with this sheepish request.  She had a project due on Monday to create a journal for Juliet (based on the Shakespeare play).  Her English class had read the play and a writing assignment required the students to imagine a journal written by one of the star-crossed lovers.  They were given permission to be creative in the process.  The question from Katie was "will you help me?"  Ahhh, yes!

We started with a browse through Pinterest pins for ideas.  Katie found this example that she really liked.  Next was a selection process for patterned paper/color scheme.  I had recently purchased (on discount from my LSS) a paper pack of Authentique's Grace collection.  Katie quickly decided that the soft peach, pink and mint green of this collection coupled with gold and cream was just the right mix of romantic.  I was home one day over the weekend when she was out with a commitment and die cut a bunch of leaves, ornamental die cuts, and flowers for her to choose from.  Here's what she ultimately selected and pieced together:

• Brown cardstock floral icon using my Heartfelt Creations Ornamental Add On die.
• Mint green patterned paper leaf and swirl die cuts using my Spellbinders Floral Flourishes and ODBD Fancy Foliage dies.
• Dark green cardstock leaves with my Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters leaf die.
• Pink patterned paper flowers using my Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters dies. 
• Frame die cut with Juliet printed out from the computer using my ODBD Ornate Borders die.
• Floral patterned paper border from the Authentique's Grace collection.
• Pearl accents and a pearl swirl from Michaels clearance bins.  
• Mint green ribbon from the local ribbon store (been in the stash quite a while now).
• Everything edged with a bit of Vintage Photo Distress Ink and most edges worn using my Tim Holtz distress tool.

The book was made by stapling the computer printed pages (figure out how to get those puppies printed double sided on 1/2 of an 8 1/2 x 11 paper was... challenging) inside a cardstock cover.  The staples covered by the patterned paper both in the front and in the back.  Simple, effective and didn't take a lot of time.  After we'd made the cover, we didn't have much time left!

I think I might have had more fun than Katie.  At least I thought that until the report was turned in and Katie came home with the same sheepish grin to tell the story of how her teacher responded.  Apparently Katie was part of the group that was singled out because they "put in a little extra effort".  Truthfully, Katie's writing was mostly what she was singled out for.  Here's a sample:

The cover was shown to the class.  Too bad it's totally not-cool to be pleased by this kind of attention in high school.  She did tell me the story though, high praise and a kind of real 'thank you' from your teenager.

From the too proud mama.

Best Mom Ever- A Mother's Day Card

I'd mentioned that I picked up a clearance priced package of Authentique's Grace collection at my LSS.  The package came with many different embellishments mostly geared to mothers and Mother's Day sentiments.  I just couldn't resist the opportunity to put together a card with these colorful and stylish papers.  Here's the details:

• All papers are from the collection, even the brown matting paper and they are all edged in Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  
• The floral and swirls are cut from matching patterned paper and cardstock using my Our Daily Bread Fancy Foliage, Sizzix Decorative Swirls, Spellbinders Floral Flourish dies.

• The flower is store bought and has long since been separated from it's package.  I also rubbed on some Vintage Photo Distress Ink to tie this in.
• The pearl swirl came from the stash.  
• On the inside, I stamped the sentiment on a piece of patterned paper to create the flag and used foam squares to adhere some of the tag sentiments from the collection.  

I'm linking this card up at Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge blog: Mother's Day or Special Girl.  Come join the fun!

ETA:  I'm linking this up with The Shabby Tea Room's Week #210: Anything Goes challenge.   Come join the fun or have a look around.  The ladies who share at these challenges are sooooo talented!