Homemade Wedding Shower Card and Wedding Card

Jessica, a co-worker, was married on Saturday. I had the good fortune to be invited to the L' Auberge in Del Mar, California. Her destination wedding afforded my husband and I the opportunity for a weekend away for the first time since our 14 year old was born. Time flies.

Wednesday before the wedding, we had a small celebration at the office. I made this simple (Tuesday night after work- real simple) card. We were to bring a gift that "made marriage easier". So, I brought a mini- food chopper on the pretense that it saves many tears in marriage. Tears from dicing onions, tears from fighting over who will dice the onions, many different tears...

The umbrella is from Cricut's Tie the Knot cart. I found the overlay that the cart provides to be too delicate and intricate given my simple design idea. In addition, the patterned paper was not cooperating and would tear rather than cut cleanly. This is probably a function of my blade age, but I was satisfied with the final design and left it at that. Ultimately, I cut one of the blackout images with brown cardstock and a second with the watercolor green patterned paper. I trimmed the handle and each of the "rain drop" edges on the canopy to allow the brown to show through. The sentiment was created in Word and printed out using my computer. A small scrap of white satin ribbon tied in a bow and glued in place and we're done!

Saturday was a fine affair and everyone enjoyed the ocean breeze as the sun set over the ocean.  Jessica was beautiful in her gown and Hunter was dapper in his chocolate brown suit.  I used Cricut's Tie the Knot cart once again to cut out the sentiment.  The black was cut using the shadow feature and the white was cut using the original image.  A piece of soft green paper to mat and a few pieces of bling was all it took to dress up this minimalistic card.    Dan and I thoroughly enjoyed our weekend away.  We filled our time with seaside excursions to enjoy the ocean which included a tour of the carrier museum, Midway, Point Loma and our trip to Del Mar and the L' Auberge.  It's Sunday morning- we're off again for home, kids, dogs and our regular life.

Andie

Additional Cards for Operation Write Home

I decided to make a few more cards with my new Land of the Free stamp and the final leftovers of my BoBunny Liberty collection patterned papers.  Again, I wanted to make sure that I kept the focus on the stamp as it just plain charmed me.  These cards will go into the package for Operation Write Home. 

Cardstock: The Paper Company

Patterned Paper: BoBunny Liberty Collection

Stamp: Stamping Up, Land of the Free

Ink: Colorbok, Magenta and Close to My Heart, Midnight

Ribbon:  2" blue organza and 1/4" red organza

Card Camp Week 4

We were on staycation in Scottsdale this week.  We made a week of swimming and eating.  One of the more concrete traditions that our family has developed on our own is "vacation food".  Since we have a time share which we typically trade for a suite with a full kitchen coupled with the fact that as a working mom I am not the regular cook for dinner and our family and particularly my preference is to eat at home each night while we're on vacation.  We usually indulge in easy, but delicious comfort food like chicken stroganoff, steak and baked potatoes, and homemade pizza.  Dessert is often a chocolate milkshake made in the blender.  I've worked each day- coming home a little early to swim and also make dinners.  So, needless to say, I've not had much time for card making though I have enjoyed the inspiration and fun of watching all the other ladies make their contributions.  Here are the two cards I've made so far.  As a relaxing end to our week (we're home tonight), I may try to make a few more before Sunday night.  Don't, however, hold your breath!

The colors for this week are:

Trust the Goodness of Life

This card was inspired by a sketch provided by Kristina Werner.  I altered the sketch a bit, but  found the patterned paper from Basic Grey's Sweet Threads to be very pleasing in this design.  The stamp is from Close to My Heart and the flower is an embellishment from Basic Grey's Sweet Threads line as well.  A little Vintage Photo Distress Ink and we're all done.  Yeah, me on vacation!

A little of the Vintage Photo Distress Ink on the edges of the flower petals helped to distinguish between the very light blue of the flower and the white of the card.  Pop dots were used to lift the flower off the card for added dimension.

In Everything Give Thanks

This card sketch by Kristina Werner was the inspiration for my second card.  We'll use this card for a thank you to our wonderful neighbor, Cheryl, who once again watched our two beasts while we were away.  They don't hurt for a thing, but the fact that they really enjoy Cheryl as much if not more than the family says a lot about her dedication and attention while we're gone.  Thank you, again, Cheryl.

Cardstock Card: White, untextured cardstock and various solid and patterned paper scraps from The Stash.  I know for a fact that two of the green and blue patterned papers come from a sample set I acquired while working at a LSS approximately 5 years ago.  I know- hilarious ain't it.
Ink: Distress Ink- Vintage Photo
Stamp Set: Close to My Heart

 

 

 

 

I've enjoyed summer card class.  It has made me dedicated to taking time to craft, relax and enjoy the summer.  The kids are back at school Monday (we're a year round school system- 8 weeks off for summer) and our routine will settle into the busy but satisfying normal that is school, softball and church group activities.  Thanks for checking in on my progress and the encouraging words this summer.  Plus, haven't you just loved the posts Brandy has contributed lately.  She's got more, we just need to get them up.  Look forward to more in the future weeks.

 

Andie

Lady Notes

 These are simple note cards that I just put together by using the Graphic 45 Fashionista paper, three burnt red brads, and Cosmo Cricket printed paper, with some left over green ribbon from what, I don't recall.

 I plan to use these as simple note cards for any time I want to give a dressed up thank you or just a nice "hello" card.

Summer Card Camp Week 3

Time for another card for summer card camp.  I sure can say that I enjoyed working with this color scheme this week.  I've made many different card embellishments, though they haven't translated into different cards yet.  Here's my Live All the days of Your Life card:

 

Cardstock Card: Cream, untextured cardstock and glossy white paper
Patterned Paper: Unknown- they're from the Stash and probably have been around for ages.
Fiber:  Rich red felt rick rack
Ink: Distress Ink- Vintage Photo, Colorbok- Chestnut Brown
Glimmer Mist: Sunshine Yellow, Chocolate Covered Cherries, Chocolate

Stamp Set: Close to My Heart

Dies:  Cricut Picturesque

 

 

I actually used one of Kristina's techniques- fingerinking on the die cut embellishment.  The technique is simple in that you press an ink pad onto a craft mat (my Ranger girl, Brandy, gave me one like this) and spray a tiny bit of water creating a type of watercolor ink.  Then, you use your fingers and dab the mixture on the paper.  I also used Glimmer Mist for the same process layering on color to create this rich color.  I simply sprayed the mist onto the craft mat, didn't add water, and used the resulting mixture just like the stamp pad ink.  I tried a couple of times to create a lighter, more varied result and in the end chose this version I fussed over with quite a few layers of color.  I will confess my poor picture taking skills doesn't do this card justice.  Fingerinking is a new trick that I intend to use over and over again.

 

Andie

Summer Card Camp Week 2

I decided to get out my alcohol inks and see if I could create a card for this week's camp.  I'd mentioned earlier this week that orange isn't my favorite and the result is that the Stash doesn't have much orange included in it.  What better way than to make your own out of a piece of glossy white paper. 

Cardstock Card: White, untextured cardstock and glossy white paper
Alcohol ink: Adirondack Sunshine Yellow, Sunset Orange and Watermelon

Ink: Colorbok, Magenta

Tissue Paper: Cream, Orange, Pink, Green with polka dots and lime green

Dies:  Quickutz stem and leaf and Sunshine Sunburst






Then, I found myself with an hour or so this afternoon.  Considering I enjoyed the alternative color combinations for this week's camp, I thought I would give a try at another card or two.  The first Happy Birthday card features a shiny teal organza ribbon off a dentist office's promotional basket that arrived at my office this week.  I admit to shamelessly asking to take home this great ribbon for use in paper crafting and couldn't resist using it first thing.  The second Happy Birthday card features papers from the Paper Crafts Connection blog prize I won earlier this year.  I will continue to collect cards for shipping to Operation Write Home which means that at least one of these will go in the package with the other cards.

Happy Birthday Card

This card was made with the color combination suggested by the Summer Card Camp Week 2 Additional Combos:

Cardstock Card: White, untextured cardstock 

Cardstock: Bazzill olive green and lime green

Ink: VersaMagic Spanish Olive
Flower Die Cut: Scrap of yellowish, orange paper from the Stash die cut using Cricut's Accent Essentials
Bling:  KaiserScrapbook, orange rhinestones

Happy Birthday Card 2

This card was made with the color combination suggested by the Summer Card Camp Week 2 Additional Combos:

 

Cardstock Card: Green, untextured gatefold card

Patterend Paper: American Crafts City Park
Ink: VersaMagic Spanish Olive
Dies:  Quickutz circe die and Cricut's Graphically Speaking layered butterfly

 

This card was inspired by another sketch suggested by Kristina Werner, one of our camp counselors (oooh, I love have a counselor at age 41!).  I didn't follow the sketch exactly, but was inspired by the linear lines and the suggestion to use printed paper with different pattern sizes and color combinations. 

Lastly, all this card making this afternoon inspired me to make one more attempt at this weeks featured color combination.  Here's my last card for this week.  I guess I can say that I've recieved my creative inspiration this week.  I hope you have to.

Andie

Summer Storm

Phoenix usually doesn't make national news unless it is in regards to some crazy political person or topic that has risen to prominence and suddenly becomes the object of discussion.  Okay, maybe that is a little extreme, but with the shiny vastness that is California so near, it sometimes feels true.  Either way, Phoenix made national news this week for our Haboob- ABC covered it, Yahoo News! covered it, I could go on.  However, my Timothy decided to take some pictures out in our front yard just minutes before we were enveloped.  During the worst of the following dust storm, we could not make out the telephone pole (definately not the wires) seen in the first photo.  Taken so close and in an enclosed neighborhood, these pictures don't accurately provide an indication of the massive size of the Haboob which stretched some 5,000 feet into the sky and spanned somewhere near 100 miles wide.  When temperatures rise to 110 degrees, we look for any reason to take our minds off of the temperature.  Apparently even dust will do. 

Harley Davidson Mini Album

Born to Ride

I will apologize up front for the number of pictures and how long this post is going to be, but this Harley Davidson paperbag mini album has been quite the project and I have quite a few people to thank for the inspiration: 1.  Laura Denison (Following the Paper Trail), if you don't know about Laura, all I can say is, pure genious, between her and Tim Holtz I can't quit thinking of new projects! I just wish I had time to create them all.  Laura (like I know her personally), inspired this by using paperbags to create the pages in this album and the fantastic use of canvas for the cover as well. 2. My friend Cecilia and the Arizona Bike Week.  Other than Cecilia, I have no one my immediate social or family circle that ride motorcycles so without her this would have just been a random project.  Cecilia and her husband were going to bike week and for some reason I got this type of book in my mind as perfect for a Harley Davidson album; of which I gave her as a gift and I hope she enjoys it. 3. "My cousin Shannon, Shannon, you know the rest.... (inside joke, not a mistake)". When I  started this project I thought I would have no problem finding Harley Davidson items and not have to spend a lot of money, WRONG!, that is a very expensive brand!  So, when I couldn't find Harley Davidson scrapbook items, and Harley store prices were not in the budget, Shannon suggested we hit the thrift stores, and that resulted in quite a few items, most significant, is the outside cover; which is cut out from a Harley Davidson t-shirt. 4. The wonderful lady at Mystic Paper in Mesa.  When I was at my end on trying to find items to include in the book, she offered me what she had from a Harley Davidson themed book she started a while ago and didn't finish, at no cost, not to mention she went and looked for it from her storage for me, that is customer service. 5. The nice girl at the Chandler Harley Davidson store.  I bought a few items there and when I explained what I was doing she gave me their gift box, which resulted in the inside covers! 6. Last, but no least Andie, who encouraged me to finish this project each time I thought I would give up because I was busy or frustrated,that is a good friend. I guess you could say it took a village to make this book.

The eight (8) pockets are made from an organge lunch bags (Michael's Crafts) being glued together. Each  has a large tag that can be used as a photo mat or for journaling.  No two are the same and some are stamped with black or silver ink flourish desings.

Some of the tags in the pages.

That pocket for the tag is a Harley Davidson post card ($3.99).  The concept of sliding tags behind pockets, etc. is done throughout this book and is a great idea for extra space in mini albums.

My favorite tag is the three stars with the orange motorcycle.  When Shannon and I went to the thrift store we stopped to get a scoop of Thrifty ice cream, and they had that keychain for sale ($1.99), FANTASTIC, it was perfect and much less expensive than the ones at the HD store.

The book closure was the biggest challenge because I had a completely different idea, that just simply didn't work.  So, I got a black ring and just ran it through the stitched twine from the back cover to the stitching on the front cover and close. 

I think this is my favorite page!  Behind the photomat you can slide in a tag, and the flowers are cut from vellume with gray accent.

The picture frame is open at the top so a photo can be slid in.  The pocket on this was made from a scrap of leather, stamped with white Staz On and the Harley Davidson embellishment is a hatpin ($9.99) and no, I didn't realize I was paying $10.00 for one pin that broke when I put it in the canvas and had to be moved to the pocket.

 This is the front inside cover with the giftbox mentioned above.  I really like that it worked out, it is a quality giftbox and cost $0.00.  The front page is cut from Cricut's Blackletter cart.  I had to recut the "r", it was fixed before I gave it to Cecilia.  I absolutely loved making this album! The one thing to make sure of is to make sure the canvas fits the final project, I had to measure mine several times and even with allowing for shrinkage when the paint dried, it barely covered the flaps.  Check out Laura's paperbag mini album tutorial on Youtube, she makes this all easy!  This book can be used for so many different themes, enjoy.  Brandy

Oh Tim!!

Miss Andie may have already posted this, but I have to have my say too!  First, we all know Tim Holtz is amazing and that he has a way to teach you a technique and let your imagination create the final product unique to you!  In, I believe February, I was invited to the Michael's Crafts, first Gold Member awards event (sorry if that isn't the exact marketing term), and Tim Holtz was the featured special guest! Since he is the rockstar of scrapbooking, it was akin to meeting the Beatles!  I also want to give Michael's props on the event and how we were treated.  I was so happy they allowed Andie to share the moment I met my creative idol!  It was great, we got Ranger product and best of all, my best friend and creative partner got to share a great memory.

Christmas In July

Merry Christmas in July! I know Andie has been very creative and has kept you all interested in her beautiful creations!  I however, have not kept up with posting my creations...so, there is nothing like Christmas in July!

These are three (3) of the five (5), yes I said 5 different versions of the Christmas cards I made last year. These are tri-fold cards inspired from Splitcoast Stampers video, great instruction, the images on roughly eight (8) Cricut carts, and amazing paper from Bo Bunny, Graphic 45, and Bazzil! I found so many papers, I couldn't stick with just one.

 I absolutely LOVE the purple, aqua blue and light green, it made for a very unique Christmas card.  The middle sections were perfect to handwrite a message and not take away from the design.



 This is probably my very favorite, I fell in love with the Santa and his list.  You may not see it very well, but the boots, beard, and trim of the had and coat are layered in flock.  Be careful when using the tri-fold design that you make sure the larger elements will fit over the zig zag fold without getting bent.  If you choose this style for your cards, and need to make more than 10, start now! 

Andie, thanks for reminding me why we did this and getting me to post. Brandy

Summer Card Camp- Week 2

This week's card camp colors are definately a challenge to me.  I'm not a fan of the color orange and it's variants.  So, this means that I am being forced to stretch outside of my comfort zone.  I guess that is why most of us go to camp- the unusual experience outside of our everyday.  So, I wade in confident that I can rise to the challenge and combine the colors to create something to be proud of.   

I have been playing with the idea of using tissue paper.  Many of the trendy new card ideas incorporate tissue paper.  I went to the Stash to see what patterned papers and/or cardstock that I had to match the color combos.  I came up with slim pickings so I went to the tissue paper mini-Stash.  Sure enough I had the colors I wanted.  I loved the look of these little circle flowers that I decided to go very minimalist and make the flowers the center of attention. 

Cardstock Card: White, untextured cardstock
Tissue Paper: Cream, Orange, Pink, Green with polka dots and lime green

Dies:  Quickutz stem and leaf and Sunshine Alphabet H and I