Card with pop up gift card holder

I found this awesome video tutorial at heroarts.com and instantly wanted to give it a try. This card style gift card holder really appealed to me. And it turned out to be so quick and simple to make, but it packs in a coolness factor at the same time. The finished card is 4.25 x 4.25 so it will fit in a standard envelope, that's another plus.

I am also attempting to make a few samples of only CTMH products, a friend is wanting to host a party and I figured I better get a head start because confining myself to just CTMH is very difficult for me. But I'm actually really happy with how it turned out. This uses the wishes paper pack and coordinating vineyard berry cardstock and twilight ribbon.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Pull out shadow box thank you cards

Hello! To say I have missed my craft room and my blog would be a huge understatement. It has been a super cruddy week around here. I caught bronchitis (self-diagnosing since I have had it before and REALLY hate going to the doctor) and missed a couple of days of work and just as I was on the mend we had a family emergency that has kept me busy and drained. So, finally today I have a small amount of energy and time to play in my craft room. I see this fabulous video on you tube and decide these are the thank you cards I am making for some sweet friends, clergy and caregivers that were invaluable this week and the week to come.

Here is a close up of the card, it would probably be easier to figure out if I had already typed and printed the thank you message for the inside. Sorry, about that. I just haven't gotten around to that yet. But I will print it on vanilla card stock and cut it down to 4x4 square and tape it to the inside back panel. The card is super easy with the great video tutorial found here. I used some K&Company designer papers from a stack called Roam. It is one of my fave go to packs for guy cards. Great weight and quality and really great colors and patterns. Love it!!!

It looks like I have still had lots of visits while I was not posting anything new, thanks for hanging in there. I hope to be back to 100% soon and crafting like a mad woman.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

A repeating border stamp card

I just got these eclectic border stamps from CTMH, and this one spoke to me. It looked kind of tribal, kind of bohemian to me. So I thought of island colors and tie dye and was off and running. I used 6 or 7 CTMH inks in shades of teal and blue to repeat the border stamp with.

Then I found that CTMH round sentiment stamp that seemed just perfect. So for the rest of my stamping play time I was humming that Bobby McFerrin song from the late '80's if I remember right. Yikes, am I showing my age?!?! I kept it simple and hopefully masculine. I want to play with this design idea some more, in more color combos and different border stamps.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

A dreamy card

A dream is a wish your heart makes!  Can you tell what I have been dreaming of?  I love the playfulness of this card. I love polka dots. I love Disney.

Here is a close up of the sentiment, a favorite of mine. It is a CTMH stamp, and I just love it. The polka dot frame is a brand new stamp from SU! I think I am going to love it too. Who doesn't love polka dots?

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Pazzles Graduation announcements

I designed a tuxedo shaped card for my sons graduation announcement, on my Pazzles, with my moms help.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Here is the inside, designed to look like a tux shirt and bow tie with the announcement information printed on the paper before I cut it with the Pazzles. I added a baby photo and a senior portrait on the inside of the jacket lapels. So cute.

I would be happy to share the Pazzles cut file with anyone who would like it. Please leave me a comment with your email address here and I will send it out to you.


Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

A stash building, card making frenzy

I had a fun Saturday, spent with girlfriends chatting, snacking and making cards. First on my to do list was an 18th birthday card and a graduation card for my son, Brandon. He graduates and then turns 18 in the same week. It is coming up very soon, so I did those cards first. I love how both turned out. The blue with the compass print paper is the birthday card, kind of appropriate for a boy turning 18 and trying to find his way into adulthood. The black and tan is for graduation, I used map paper hoping he finds his way in the world. Or maybe he will travel the world, that would be wonderful too.

6 of the cards I made were just the same layout as the sketch card I posted here. I really liked the finished results and it went together so quickly. That's a win-win in my book.

I made it easy on myself and used DCWV mat stacks. Everything coordinates, than I just added some sentiments from CTMH in ink colors I could match as closely as possible and layered on some flowers and it is all done.

These were inspired by the beautiful birthday card my friend Tanon gave me. You can see it here. I will be needing a few retirement cards so that is the plan for these bright beauties.

A close up so you can see the tone on tone stamping detail above the punched out circles.

Another close up of different stamping details. This is another cute and quick card design. I enjoyed copying this design. I hope you enjoy them as well.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

My first sketch challenge card

So I can't believe I have never participated in a sketch type challenge. For all of my perusing the internet stealing inspiration where ever I go, this has escaped me until now. I really liked this, I liked the basic sketch so I could tweak it to my tastes.....but, I also loved the linked photos from everyone who is participating and seeing how they ran with the design. Very cool idea.

You can see the sketch and all the participants cards here. I hope it inspires you like it did me. I think I might have to make a few more cards from this sketch alone, it went together so quick and I really like the end result. Fun stuff!!!!



Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Mother's day gifts

My mom made these for me on her Pazzles. The cool gift bag with all the embellishments and the step card too.

Here is a close up of the gift bag. The gorgeous delicate butterfly was run through Xyron I think, and covered in chunky glitter. The writing "Just for you" was even written with the pen tool in the Pazzles. Pretty awesome.

Here is a close up of the step card. All the layers and the butterfly layer on the steps were all cut with the Pazzles. The random butterflies on the rest of the card are a SU! sizzlet.

Really pretty and inspiring. Thanks mom!

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Mother's day card

This is the card I made for my mom this year. I took my inspiration from danniesdesigns.com, what a fun site.

Since my moms favorite color is blue I went in search, AND FOUND, the perfect paper. This is from a SU! DSP patterns stack. Way cool! Now they call this concord crush, but I think it is a nice bright navy. I used CTMH Star spangled blue ink and my new stamp set D1452 Find your style for the sentiment. A little dollar tree satin ribbon and it is ready for giving. I hope she loves it.


Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Triple play thank you card

Woo Hoo! Cranking through the thank you cards for all my birthday goodies.

I case'd (copy and share everything) myself for this card. I had forgotten how much I loved this size, shape and design. You can see the original card here. I also love the black and white with a punch of color. I really need to do this type of card more often. 

I used the stamp set that came with a CTMH mini album kit called Triple play. I believe it was a discounted purchase with a purchase offer last year during May, national scrapbook month. The eyelet border, the cute daisy all came from this set. I used CTMH sunny yellow and black ink pads. A little gingham ribbon from my favorite Really reasonable ribbons online shop and some Ranger enamel accents in black for the center of the flowers and Voila! It is finished.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!
 

Wings thank you card

I used the new CTMH wings paper pack and a recent stamp of the month set to make this pretty card. I am really happy with how it turned out. I used the vineyard berry organza ribbon and ink to stamp the butterfly and sentiment.

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Magnifique thank you cards

I used my Magnifique workshop on the go kit for these cards. I had to try the embedded embossing technique again. So I created a quilt square pattern on a 4x5 scrap piece of paper and then ran it through my Cuttlebug with the SU! top note die and then the square lattice embossing folder.

Close up, detail shot.

The inside, with a little embellishment.

A close up of the second card. Can you see the gems, there are quite a few.

The inside of the second card.


Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

SU! card class

Friday night I went to a SU! card class put on by my friend, Brandy. We had a raucous good time as always. And jokingly advised as each was leaving, that what happens at card class, stays at card class.

Above is my first embedded embossing project. Where you attach DSP designer series paper to card stock and then run the whole thing through a Sizzix or Cuttlebug in an embossing folder.

The nature card is my first use of flocking. That was fun and a great affect. We also colored using a blender pen touched to an ink pad.

These are two beautiful bright and spring-y cards. The pink is called a bendy card. Very unique.

Close up of the bright floral card. We pop dotted up one flower and the butterfly.



This is the bendy card close up. We used the Hope stamp set that is currently being sold with partial proceeds going to a breast cancer charity. Very pretty.

Another detail shot of the bendy card. We cut a slit in the back piece of the card, and one slit in the larger of the fold over front pieces. Both front flap pieces have a tab that slides into the slits creating the arched detail.


Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!

Birthday cards, present & a thank you gift

It was my birthday last week. My mom has spoiled me with birthday weeks for a long time and now so do my guys and my friends. I don't know how that happened, I don't question it, I just enjoy the heck out of it. So I came into work Monday morning and my desk is covered in confetti and Dove dark chocolates and Hershey's dark chocolates with almonds. They know what I like!!!!

Above you see the first birthday card I received. Handmade by my sweet friend, Angela. B-E-A-U-tiful! Love it.

Beautiful card by my mom on her beloved Pazzles.

And a beautiful quilted personalized Pazzles cover, made by my talented and creative mom. Variegated thread to look as similar to tie dye as it could. It's really pretty!

Sweet Disney bag and coordinating card by the very talented Brandy and one of a few SU! demonstator friends of mine.

A gorgeous paper mache C, collage covered and embellished up. Very pretty, I am so blessed Carmy made this for me.

This is the back side, every bit as pretty as the front.

And a coordinating card to boot. Isn't she so talented?!?!

Darling cupcake card by my friend, Dana.

Super spring-y beauty from my friend and another super SU! demonstrator, Tanon.

An adorable Easter bunny, made from a.....toilet paper roll. Too cute. Brandy made this for several of her friends here at work. She is super talented....and sweet, she filled it with a Hershey's chocolate bunny. Yum-o!

This was my wonderful gift from my hubby. A Disney watch with changeable bands, for the seasons. Love it.

This a beautiful thank you gift from, Brandy, again. She has been very busy, and is super talented. I did a very small favor and received this darling surprise. Ok, lesson learned. ;)

This is the inside. It's a notepad, inside a dvd type cover and a matching pen. Super-dee-duper cute!

And check out the back. It has its own cuteness going on! Love this gift. What a great idea, and a fun surprise.

So I have not been crafty this past week, but I have been surrounded by crafty goodness and having TONS of fun!

Find inspiration everywhere! Go... Create something fun & fabulous. Enjoy!