Celebrating 23725 Days of You

The dearest Jan, my co-worker of the famous sage bush incident,  had a momentous birthday last week.  I made this special card for her to highlight the occasion.  I'd kept the post from you to keep it a surprise for her and forgot all about it until now.

It's tough to say where all the patterns came from.  Most are MME's The Sweetest Thing- Tangerine.  However, there is a bit of scraps from here and there including the solid cardstock which are pieces from the scrap pile.  It feels good to use these scraps- so efficient.  However, with all the paper in the Scrapbox, I sometimes wonder if I could afford to let a scrap or 1,000 go.  Oh well, no sense changing who I am now.

The chipboard elements (border on the left and the buttons) came from MME's The Sweetest Thing- Lavender collection.  One of the ladies at work was taken aback by the "60" on one of the chipboard buttons.  Then I pointed out how each button has a different number, the theme??, get it???  O.K., I'm weird I know.  We've established this before (remember the sage bush flower incident mentioned above?).  Moving on... the swirls were cut using my Floral Flourish dies and the frame for the "of you" portion of the sentiment was cut from my Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents Framelits.  The oval was cut using my Creative Memories oval cutters.
 

 

The inside demanded some attention.  The sentiment was stamped using my Peacock Feathers Distress Ink (a new favorite, perhaps?).  I ended up using my Stampin' Up paper piercing Essentials Pack to pierce the shape into the cream cardstock and fussy cut the shape following the piercing.  The patterned paper creates a ribbon like effect and it just seemed like some pearls would add to the feel.

What do you think?  Great card for a milestone birthday?  She loved it and was very touched.  Not nearly as touched as I feel when I think about my friend who I hope will stay close long after the work is over.

Happy Birthday, Jan!  I love you!

ETA:  I entered this card in the Ready-Made Embellishment Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.   There's still a few weeks to come join the fun.  The challenge closes on October 21st.  I also entered this card in Simon Say Stamp Monday Challenge: Say It With Stamps.  There's still a little time to join the fun.

 

Another milestone birthday card- a Man Card this time

 

This card is brought to you by Brandy, but because she is so busy and hasn't the time for writing, let me fill you in.

This milestone birthday card really picks up on a timely pastime here in Arizona.  It just so happens that the birthday coincides with hunting season and so a celebration in the woods while hunting just demanded a manly card.  The elk and hawk images were cut from Cricut's Lite cart- Wildlife.  The shadow images make great focal points for Brandy's card.  This stairstep card used a variety of camo patterned papers from the stash.  The Bow Hunter's Prayer was picked up from the internet, printed out using the computer and die cut with a Spellbinders frame die.  A little Distress Ink applied with the blending tool significantly aged the frame and added interest.  How much do you love that tiny little paper clip from Tim Holtz?  The sentiment was printed out on the computer and then fussy cut  and applied using some foam tape.  A gift card tucked into this card and she had the card and gift all  wrapped together.

What do you think?  Pretty fabulous man card, yes?!

Day 1- Hawaii Scrapbook Page

Bear with me as I figure out the best method for photographing these pages.  I'm finding scrapbook page photographing to be very different than card photographing.

This page shows a picture right after our very long flight to the islands.  We're all washed out, tired and a little weary.  That's one of the reasons I chose to use my Here Comes the Sun stamp from the now defunct Market Street Stamps. 

I used my Scattered Straw Distress Ink to stamp the sunburst and my Worn Lipstick Distress Ink using a second gen image of the hibiscus flower from Hero Arts Luscious Frames stamp set.  The Hawaii 2008 was printed on the computer, the flower stamped and then circle cut with my Creative Memories circle cutters.  The Day 1 Tired sentiment is a set of rub-on letters from the stash applied to a corner piece of patterned paper from the Maggie Holmes Signature Series.  The flags at the top are scraps from the stash.  The two little die cuts are pieces of my new Heartfelt Creations Ornamental Add On dies.  

Ooohh!  The kids are so young....  I'm linking this project up with the Use It Tuesday Challenge #64- Use Two Hoarded Items.  You'll see how I used a hoarded stamp, some scraps for the flags, some really old rub-ons, and pictures printed in 2009.  Do the pictures count? :)

Our Beautiful World- Week 13 Fall

I've been following Kirsti Vittetoe over at Handmade Little Things for a little while now.  She has such an eye for design- a real skill for art that I often think that I lack.  It is for this kind of inspiration I'll check in on her activities.  Also, she's involved in a diverse group of activities, scrapbooking, crafting, home decor and posting pictures over at Our Beautiful World.  Each week Our Beautiful World has a one word trigger and the idea is to post a photo you've taken that the word inspires.

Kirsty has been inspiring me for a few weeks.  I don't consider myself a stellar photographer, but I think photo evoke moods, thoughts and emotions so that the idea of pictures inspired by a word is challenging and intriguing.  Plus, I think the point is that everyone sees this beautiful world of ours differently.  So, when I saw that this week's word is Fall, I just felt moved to join in.  Check out the pictures over at the Week 13: Fall post.  Most are beautiful pictures of nature.  My picture is sort of about nature, but not quite.

You'll notice the bright sun, green leaves and green grass- all parts of an Arizona fall

Each fall since my daughter was 4, fall was softball season.  My husband coached her team and I supported in all the ways that I could.  This is the first fall without softball- she's joined her high school band and it *consumes* her.  We're hoping she'll make the high school team in the spring, but until then, we mourn the loss of our Arizona fall where the temperatures are still in the high nineties and softball is something you grunt out.

Hawaii- Catching up on scrapbooking efforts

I am going to admit to feeling overwhelmed and tired.  I've volunteered for a couple different things this fall and my work has exploded on me this past week.  I know I need crafting more than ever, but I can't seem to squeeze it in like I would like.  Having said that, I am so excited about my current project.  I mentioned I'm getting caught up on some scrapbooking projects and one involves our 2008 trip to Hawaii.  I always intended to make a book and never got around to it.  When I saw the Maggie Holmes Signature Collection with a coordinating wood mini album I realized what I had been waiting for.  This collection is filled with the colors and style that I think of when I think of our trip.  Today I'm sharing the front cover.  I elected to keep it simple and use the

Polaroid fabric frame from the kit to highlight this family picture taken up in the mountains.  We'd stopped at a tourist attraction and thought the view breathtaking.  The doily was fussy cut out of one of the patterned paper from the kit.  The little swirls were die cut using my Floral Flourish and the flower cut using my Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret.  The circle was cut with my ancient (I like saying that, it feels like I'm using my stash!) Creative Memories circle cutters.  I intend to add some fibers and ribbons to the book rings, but will wait for the finished product to do so.  I'm really pleased with the front cover.  I've a photo to take of the first page which I've already done, but haven't had the time to capture the photo.  Maybe things will ease up enough for just a little blogging.  Hope your crafting is contagious, I could use an innoculation.

Wedding Celebration Card

So, earlier this week I posted about a birthday card for my 7 year old nephew.  This is my sister's kid.  My sister and my brother both had kids around the time.  My husband, on the other hand, is the seventh kid.  I married into a family with a many nieces and nephews.  This should mean that I am a great-aunt many times over.  That's not the case, although things seem to be changing this year.  Two nephews have announced plans to marry.  This card was made for my nephew getting married on the East coast.  We'll not be able to make the trip for the wedding, so I wanted to spent a little time to create something fabulous.

The inspiration for this card came from a piece of glitter patterned paper I found in the stash.  I honestly can't remember purchasing this paper.  I've a matching sheet, both are from Best Creation, Inc.  The frame came from the Pleasure Moments- Beauty in the Mirror.  I used my ancient Creative Memories Oval cutters to cut out the oval for the front.  I scored the white cardstock background with my Scor-Pal creating a cross-hatch pattern.  The frame is set up off the embossed background with some foam tape. 

The sentiment was stamped with a grey Brilliance ink.  What a huge mistake!  I almost ruined the entire frame as the ink pad was mostly out of ink.  You could barely read the sentiment.  Enter Glue Pen to the rescue.  I simply applied the glue pen to the poorly stamped image and applied some microfine glitter.  I think the save worked really well, a happy accident that probably made the card must improved.  I applied tiny pearls to the end of the swirls around the frame, but the glitter was originally on the paper from the manufacturer.  I double tied a bow into a scrap of organza ribbon edged in satin.  A large pearl finished the center of the bow and accents the frame.  I was so pleased after my original horror at my bad stamping job.
 

The inside needed to be dressed up a bit in order to provide a space for our gift.  as this was a long distance gift, I knew I would go straight to a gift card.  The inside patterned paper comes from the coordinating paper, Best Creation, Inc. Love Birds.  I simply fussy cut the flower detail from the pattern and only applied adhesive to the straight edges.  A plain piece of black cardstock to accent behind really sets the paper off.  The sentiment was printed out on a piece of white cardstock using Word and my computer.  I used my Stampin' Up Essential Paper Piercing Set (thank you again, Loly!!) to pierce the holes in a patter and fussy cut around the pierced holes.







A piece of embroidered ribbon- wrong side facing out- creates a nice accent behind the sentiment tag.  I was thinking the plain black ribbon would be nice and the ribbon happened to fall upside down as I was playing with the placement.  That makes two happy accidents that went together to make this card.  'Course I don't believe in accidents, so I am just going to claim pleased with the effort!

Remembering...

Brandy and I are remembering a very fun and exciting online card class- namely Creative Chemistry 101.  This class was taught by none other than the rock star of paper crafting, Tim Holtz, and was hosted by Online Card Classes.  The class is chocked full of fabulous techniques using the Distress Ink product lines.  We've posted projects using those techniques regularly since the class, however, here's a few examples of our class work:

Blend and Spritz technique

Wrinkle Free Distress technique

Water Color Technique with Distress Markers

Nostalgic Batik technique

Rusted Enamel- oooh I've used this one!!!

 
There are many more techniques.  You can find most of them running in the blog history during the months of March and April of 2012.  Check them out.  I believe that if you haven't taken this class, you should consider it.  The Creative Chemistry 101 class can still be viewed and the information read.  It is no longer a dynamic class with Tim dialoging with the students (we were able to post questions in a forum and Tim would answer them to the best of his abilities!!!  Rock star!!!).  However, the techniques and examples he shared are all there- two sets of videos for each of a total 10 lessons.  You have lifetime access to return to the class and review the videos, forum and gallery of student projects.  It's a class that keeps on giving instruction.

So, the really cool news is that they are now offering Creative Chemistry 102.  Students must have previously taken Creative Chemistry 101.  Online Card Classes is offering a $2 discount to students who enroll in Creative Chemistry 101 until October 7th when the 102 class starts.  That makes the 101 class a total of $33 dollars, well worth the instructions provided.  I can only guess that there will be more techniques with some of the supplies added to the Distress Ink line- Distress Paints, Distress Glitter, yummy!  The structure sounds like it will be the same- Tim posting an instructional video (typically 5-15 minutes long) and an inspirational video (same length with Tim doing samples and showing projects he's used the technique on).  Unfortunately, the class is only scheduled to last one week- basically 5 days of instruction.  The whole point of the class was to make tags of samples to be used by you in the future as an example of the technique.  You can see the Smash book of my finished samples here. 

I've enrolled the 102 class- moving up in my studies.  Won't you join me too?!


I am also remembering this day 12 years ago.  My prayers today are with those families who suffered that day.  May this day be one of remembering good things and honoring losses.








I've been in no way prompted to write this post by anything other than my enthusiasm for the classes.  I am not affiliated with Online Card Classes.  This is simply a friendly opportunity to spread the disease of paper crafting with you.  Consider yourself infected!

Honorable Mention over at The Shabby Tea Room

Thanks to a heads up from the very best Karon over at Karon's Krafty Korner, I rushed on over to The Shabby Tea Room see what had happened.  See, I check out The Shabby Tea Room when time allows and I checked it out yesterday right after I came downstairs that morning.  I didn't have a chance to check them out last night. 

I am soooo blushing right now. This card:

was included in the honorable mentions over at The Shabby Tea Room's Week #182- Sweet Summer Time Challenge.  Now, if you've not checked out those that posted completed works for their challenges, go.  Right Now!  This is a regular place for spectacular works of art.  I am inspired and awed on a regular basis.  Well, as regular as I have time to check them out.  To be included in a list of those honored by this great group of women, this is really humbling and exciting and thrilling.  I was pleased with this card when it came together and to have someone agree.. Nice!

So, I thank the ladies over at The Shabby Tea Room for challenging me and for noticing.  Yay!  This should inspire you to come on and join the fun.  They post a challenge most weeks and if nothing else, check out the posted works.  I guarantee you'll be inspired. 

Little Boy Birthday

My nephew turned 7 last week.  I knew this was coming, but the little boy cards are not the easiest, so I found myself scheduled for a Peter Piper Pizza party and no card.  I've just completely taken a vow that I will not spend money on greeting cards.  No.matter.what.  When you own enough stuff to fill (and then some!) a scrapbox, you have no business spending hard earned cash on cards.  What does it mean to own a scrapbox, you might ask?  Check it out here. 

So I reached into the scrapbox and found a primary paper stack.  Fun stripes and stars throughout, I simply cut 3/4 in. strips and adhered them to a kraft paper card.  The sentiment came from a Fiskars set I've had for a long time.  I stamped the sentiment with Faded Jeans Distress Ink and then die cut the frame with my Apothecary Accents Framelits.  I left the cut in the die after running through my machine and used my Ink Blending Tool to apply some Faded Jeans Distress Ink to the edges of the tag.  This card doesn't scream 7 year old, but I'm pretty sure the 7 year old doesn't notice a store bought card any more than they notice a hand made card.  The focus (fortunately?) is on the present.  Still, it's a passable card and I had fun making it.  I can claim 20% of eight different 4 x 6 pieced of patterned paper were used up out of the stash.  It sure doesn't seem like I'm going to consume this stuff anytime soon!!  I'm having fun trying!

A Wedding Shower Card

I had a need for a wedding shower card.  Not knowing the happy couple real well, I stammered for inspiration.  I knew that I was going to include a gift card as the shower is a long distance away.  I wanted to make something appropriately formal for the occasion that was also quite functional.  Thus this card was born.  The black and white paper is from the stash.  It's actually from a friend's stash that she "de-stashed" years ago.  I picked out my favorites and in the stash this matching set of papers stayed until just such an occasion.  The shower invitation sparked the color scheme, black and white with an accent of teal.  I so love the Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret because it has a classic elegance all it's own.  I stamped with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink and die cut the layer of flowers.  I used a glue pen to randomly apply a translucent glitter on the petals.  The flower centers were made using a Pearl Pen.  Looking at this close up, I'm wishing I went with a pre-made pearl, but you don't notice the shape of the pearl drop in the overall card.  At least that is what I'm telling my perfectionist self...

The inside was created to provide a little pocket to slide the gift card inside.  I printed the sentiment on the computer and used my Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents framelit die to cut the shape.  The teal mating was fussy cut to match.  Simple, yet functional card that I hope the bride enjoys.  Now, to get working on that wedding celebration card...

I entered this card on Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Stamping All-stars.   There's not much time left, but those flowers are a stamping all-star in my stash.  They are a go-to tool when I need pretty!  There's not much time left.  Head on over and join the fun! 

Happiest of Birthdays

This lovely card was built around the Stampin' Up stamp and die set, Apothecary Art stamp set.  The flowered frame was stamped with black Archival ink and the sentiment in the same ink.  The flowers were colored using my Distress Markers (Scattered Straw, Worn Lipstick, Stormy Sky, and Peeled Paint).  A little Scattered Straw was applied to the frame and then cut with the Apothecary Framelits.  The framelits set didn't come with stacking dies, so I fussy cut the piece of pink cardstock to frame my sentiment.  The flowers come from a Making Memories set of paper flowers that is likely at least 3 years old.  I random pearl accent in each center adds to the romantic feel as does the bling swirl out of the flowers.  I used my Scor-Pal to score the eight lines framing the front of the card and then sanded the paper with an emery board.  I really like this technique to frame the card front and with the bold pattern of the paper, it works very well.  The leaves were cut using the Cricut my Picturesque cart and shaped and inked to create dimension. 




The inside begged for a finish.  Here I die cut a Tilted Banner and stamped with the matching sentiment stamp inking the edges with Vintage Photo Distress ink.  A layer of the same patterned paper creates a decorative inside. 







Just a couple tiny pearls to accent the sentiment and the inside is done.  This card was made for my boss' birthday from the team.  We needed a black Sharpie to write on that patterned paper, but she knew who we were and it worked lovely.  Happy Birthday, Nancy!

I've entered this card in Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog: Stamping All-Stars and  their Wednesday Challenge blog: Anything Goes.  They are always good fun, come on over and join us.

I've also entered this card in The Shabby Tea Room's Week #182 Sweet Summertime.  Check it out.