SEW Glad We Are Friends

The upcoming workshop on 3/25 is titled "Sew Glad We Are Friends" and these are the cards that will be showcased. The papers are Material Girl by Cosmo Cricket! Stamps are from Crafty Secrets, Vintage Sewing. I love the aged look of the cards. Reminds me of my mom and grandmom. Both of them were seamstresses- my mom made her wedding gown, my dad a leather coat, and eventually reupholstered our living room couch. While I was taught to sew, I certainly lack the advanced skill that these ladies had in sewing. Unfortunately, I am finding that today, it is more economical to shop for clothing (I am a second hand girl at heart) then it is to buy a pattern, find a great fabric, and find time to create. Oh well, the best I can do now is make cards featuring something nostaglic from my childhood!!!

Each guest will be able to choose 3 of the 4 designs to create (kits are all ready to assemble). 2 of these cards are basic, while the other 2 are more time consuming- intermediate in level of crafting.

Email me for more information. Address located on the sidebar, near my profile.

Thank you for looking!

Kelly

Funny Valentine

I think everyone has love on the brain this week! I cannot believe how many blog challenges out there are asking for red, pink, hearts, love, love, love!! So today, I am sharing the love. I am trying to plan for this weekend's Valentine's Day Dinner with the family. We decided collectively to eat on Saturday, with the 5 of us each choosing one part of the meal to make. DD1 is making dessert, DD3 is making salad, DD2 still undecided, Hubby is in charge of meat, and I am choosing twice baked potatoes. I am very excited about this, see our entire family has really gotten into cooking! We have become addicts to Food Network anything, Cake Boss, Top Chef, anything related to baking/cooking. Yummy!

Kristen passed my way some great Bo Bunny Love Bandits paper she had lying around and I just had a ball making the girls their cards. Now I need to come up with something for Hubby- romantic, funny, cute....still undecided. Maybe blog surfing the Valentines challenges will get my mojo cooking!LOL!

Crazy 4 Challenges: #73, valentines
Crazy Challenge: #53, Lots of love
Totally Stampalicious: 3 hearts
Crafty Cardmakers: #39, hearts
Cupcake craft challenges: #128 seeing red
Paper Play Time: #37 cupid or hearts
Cute Card Thursday: #151 hearts and flowers
stamp with fun: #97 Love
My time to Craft Challenge: #127 hearts and flowers
For Fun Challenge: hearts

Getting Creative with Shapes

I have been in a very creative mood lately, trying different techniques and varying my card shapes. Next week, I am hosting a Folding Card Workshop, highlighting "thinking out of the box" card shapes. The easiest one to change is the Stair Step fold. This card uses a 5.5 x 12" cardstock, scored on the 2", 5" and 8" marks, valley/mountain fold. As you can see by the first photo, it easily fits into a standard envie since the card is 4.25 x 5.5". It is also easy to decorate using larger pieces of scrap paper.

Supplies: CTMH cardstock, ink, stamps. Glitter on B'fly, 3d foam tape, Kaiser craft dew drops. DP is misc from scrap bag.

It is for the following challenges:
crazy challenges #52, Happy Birthday and it is this blogs 1yr anniversary
Claudia and company #73, unique fold
Anything challenge: butterflies
my time to craft challenge: #126 flourishes
papertake weekly: anything goes, extra: flowers
for fun challenges: snow or spring? i choose spring!
sew many challenges: #42 anything goes

sweet stamping challenge: spring flowers

Love Grows

I cannot believe that we are in February already, my oldest DD is choosing classes for HIGH SCHOOL next year, getting ready for taxes, and thinking spring. We have birthdays galore over the next few months and my sister and I are getting things together for our big vendor fair in April. Whew- I am tired already!

The weather here today in PA, ice, ice and more ice. It is now melting like crazy- however, I am hoping that the arborvetae surrounding the property recover. They look like such sad little creatures, all bent over, like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. 8 foot 'trees' now bent to about 4 feet....... so, another day off from school: kids are reading, playing games, and I am crafting!

This card was so much fun to make! Kristen, my wonderful generous sister, lent me this Poppy Stamp from Hero Arts, and I am in love! Coloring in with pencils, using copics to blend- pop dotting and glitter, oh my! She also made this fabulous crinkled ribbon- lettuce green is the color. She is running at Etsy sale on all of her colored seam binding ribbon- check it out http://www.scrapinkris.blogspot.com/, to get to her store.....

I made my own background paper, using a Teresa Collins stamp, harlequin diamonds, stamping tone on tone in blush ink. Kraft paper for matting, green and pink cardstock from CTMH. Misc heart button, nylon string, and prisma glitter, pink stickles, doodlebug glitter brads round out the embellishments factors on this card.

Entering the following challenges:

the Shabby Tea Room #47: Get Creative, no patterned paper, stamping only and to make all embellishments
for fun challenges: more snow? spring? which one?

tuesday taggers: feel the love theme

totally stampalicious: Hello Card- anything but a birthday greeting

flourishes timeless tuesday: #103, valentines creation (the heart button and love sentiment make this card a unique take on the typical heart card)
papertake weekly: anything goes, extra option flowers
paperplay challenges: #4, layer it up!

Friendship Butterfly

 

 

This is my second post of the day- go from 5 months absence to 2 posts in one day!

This butterfly card is called a Joy Fold Card and it is the second card to be featured in my Folding Frenzy card workshop in February. The beauty of this card is that you can customize it to open the way you would like. Put the flap on top, to open upwards, right side or left side, or even on the bottom. You choose!

I used BoBunny Flutterbly collection, chocolate ink, Cricut for the butterfly, yellow rhinestone and lots of glitter, MS seam binding and doily punch. The inside sentiment is Stampin'Up and the butterfly is the BoBunny stamp that matches this collection. The heart pin plays double duty. It adds an element to the card as well as holds the flap shut!

thanks for stopping by today-

Kelly

Happy Birthday

 

This card is a style I have loved to do, but is time consuming. It is called the Stair Step Card and it is going to be featured in an upcoming card workshop, February 11th, Folding Frenzy!

I actually broke out the Cricut machine to help make some cuts: the cupcake and the Birthday Blessings sentiment. bo Bunny Papers (Petal Pushers) is the paper line I used. Hero Arts stamp set for the candles, The Twinery pink twine, buttons, glitter and the Cuttlebug HB embossing folder "happy birthday" completes this card.

Enjoy and I will be back with some more cards!

Monday Monday

 

I love my compter and I hate my computer. Last week we had to buy a new desktop and in the transfer, I lost my new wonderful photo editing program. Hopefully using Picassa will give me some good photo shots, at least until I get a new program.

In the interim, I have been able to create, just not upload. Here is the latest color craze I have been going through, Pink and Brown! Love love love these colors together!

Created for the following blogs:
our creative corner weekly sketch: sketch
aud sentiments challenge: #9 anything goes
party time tuesdays #12 pink brown and white and b'day sentiment

Back to the Beach- more cards

I couldn't resist playing with more of the scraps and beach shells that I had sitting on my craft table. I have a habit of using up the supplies on my table while they are out. What surprised me is how much "beach themed" items I had in my stash. Don't get me wrong, I love the beach, but we are not beach people. Our summers are not booked with trips to the shore and when we do go, it is for the day. Hubby does NOT enjoy the sand, kids don't know their limitations with the ocean, and the traffic makes the day very LONG. As a kid, every year my mother booked us a week in September after the "season" was over. The weather was perfect, the boardwalk still open, the prices dropped, oh the memories!

These are for the challenges: Curtain Call #41: desert sand, navy, light blue and white and for The ABC-challenge: A is for August and Cute Card Thursday #124 "Whateva" is the theme.

Beach Cards- the Dog Days of Summer....

I love the beach. However, the other half of me, doesn't. Plus, the state of New Jersey charges for the use of the PUBLIC beach...don't ask me why, I think it is a dumb rule. I grew up in MD and the beach was free. So we take our yearly jaunt in September, after the crowds, the weather is perfect, and the roads are not congested with shore traffic. Here are some of my tributes to the wonderful sandy beaches...


This card is for the challenges: Crazy 4 Challenges 48: sketch


Challenges: ABC-challenges: A is for August (vacations) and for fun challenges: water as a theme (i think the beach counts...)


For the challenge: Unscripted Sketches #66

Weddings Abound

And they say that the month of June is wedding month....I guess our cousins didn't get the latest memo! Our anniversary is in September and DH's cousin is getting married in September. I made this card with them in mind. Elegant, yet casual. No kids, but I think the girls will be excited just to witness a wedding in the family- most likely the last one!

CARDS blog was asking for a challenge to use pearls, so I incorporated some baby blues in with embossed diamonds on the cardstock. The large round gels are Anna Griffin. Large satin ribbon and a small tag with the sentiment BLESSINGS finish off the card.

Challenges:
Cards Blog: pearls
Twisted Sketches #18: sketch and to use a tag
The Wildflower Patch: use embossing (the diamonds with my score blade)
Crafty Creations: #79 to make a wedding or anniversary card
also for Sarah Hurleys Challenges: #4 Romance (someone was kind enough to send me a link to this new challenge site! Thank you!)

Blinged Out!

Challenges for Snow Card: fresh brewed designs #11, Christmas in July, Cute Card Thursday #121, Head Start on Christmas , Christmas Stampin' #57, Bling it up! and The Pink Elephant #76, BROWN color challenge

Challenge for this card: DRS Designs Sketch Challenge and Charisma Cardz #28 PINK color challenge

Challenge for this card: CARDS blog

Bling is the operative word today. Gems and glitter- 2 accessories a girl should not live without!! The Let it Snow card is probably my favorite Chrismtas card that I have designed to date! I love the browns and blues together, and the pop of orange... yummy! The snowflakes are MS snowflake punch, bobunny papers, the snowman stamp I won from a challenge site, watercolor pencils and gems are miscellaneous.

The Confident card came together this morning. I woke up to absolutely no electricity. Called PECO and was told that power would be restored at 8:20 am (of course it is 6:20am by my watch...) so, is PECO doing scheduled outages during this horrible heat wave the east coast is having? So somewhat in a dark and foggy lit room, I was able to use the remaining pieces of the Sabrina MM line and "button" as well as Kaiser bling rhinestones. It is also my second entry in the Charisma Color challenge of PINK.

The last card incorporates PINWHEELS, per the Cards Blog challenge this week. This was a card I designed for a workshop where the guests made handmade flowers for their projects. This seemed easy at the time, but actually took some nimble fingers and patience! Paper is Bobunny, stamp sentiment was gifted to me from my sister, MS leaf punch. Glitter and buttons finish off the card.

Stay cool!

Pretty in PInk

Remember John Hughes, all of his teen angst movies? Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink....the brat pack. Oh, how I miss those movies. Funny to look back upon them now and see how young the actors were and how lame the story lines are. But in the 80's, so appropriate for our generation.

I created this card in part for my oldest daughter- aged 13. The lovely teen years. Can I fast forward 5 years??? She loves to shop and is caught in between the "junior" styled clothes and the clothes that I will approve of. Not childish, but "appropriate". And if any of you are going through this, they don't mean the same thing. Boy friend shorts? Are you for real- the line from the limbo comes to mind "how low can you go".... So I have been trying to show her how to dress smartly, trendy, classy and she will end up being fabulous. The image has the same styled top that she is wearing today, with a ribbed tank under it. Still in keeping with fashion, but hiding things I am not ready for the world (code for boys) to see.

2 Sketches 4 you #56
Charisma Cardz: PINK
Just for Fun challenges: use an image and color in
Colour Q: #41, dark pink, light pink, gray, black and white

supplies: Flair clear sticker sentiment, Hannah Stamps "vogue", CTMH glitter, watercolor pencils, lace doily, Making Memories Sabrina paper line.

Vintage

Challenges: Mojo Monday sketch #147, Party Time Tuesdays #7: anything goes birthday card, Crazy Challenges "it's hip to be square", and The Play Date Cafe: #37 Provencial Theme, and CAS-tastic #12 SIMPLE (stamped image, inked edges, lace doily)

Challenges: Unscripted Sketches #63, Just Scraps "Create a Wedding Card", Stamping Sisters in Christ #47 "what brings you peace or rest?"


I have gotten into the vintage look lately. Love the papers- creams, blacks, pinks, greens and blues all together in muted designs....yummy! For me, though, finding the right embellishments was always tricky. I was able to find some old stash: prima flowers, ribbons, and pearls that I was finally able to put to use. If you were to see my table, you would be amazed that I could actually find anything! All items were set out- separate piles of goodies to sort through for each card.... add in punches, scissors, glitter and glue, buttons, 3d foam tape, stamps and doilies, more paper (see the emerging pic in your head...?) Total chaos on the table. A cluttered table leads to a cluttered mind.

Onto the cards...
The butterfly wish card was such a fun card to make! The scrunched ribbon is American Crafts that was found in the clearance aisle of Michael's. Found doilies too, which seem to be the in/out new/past fad that I finally decided to try. The papers are Websters, Lullaby Lane. Don'tcha love the vintage?

The Cherish card evokes feelings of love for me. The romantic colors, flowers, butterflies with glitter....Simple elegance. In keeping with the feeling of love, God loves me. It is a constant reminder daily that even when I fail here on earth, my heavenly Father cherishes me, gives me this beautiful gift of Encouragement to which I use heartily here (making and sending the homemade cards) and that as long as I believe in Him and follow his ways- my hiccups along the road can be turned to good for His purposes.

I am ending my entry with this thought as I have been going through some growing pains. My daily walk has suffered, my mind/table are cluttered with too much mediocre stuff, and our family's faith/relationships have been put upon the shelf lately. Time to get back to what really matters in this life. Tonight I will go to bed with the last thought that I am loved and that I am cherished.

How many cards could a cardmaker make.....

if a cardmaker could make cards? 13. Yes, that is how many I made on a rainy weekend. I was bound a determined to use up a mat stack from DCWV that I purchased sometime last year. Used the stash of flowers, brads, twine and.... some stampable linen that I purchased from CTMH about 3 years ago. Love this stuff- makes its own statement and when you pull on the threads, you can make it look like a well worn garment label.


This card was made using the sketch over at Clean and Simple Stamping #98. Though my card is clean, simple it is not. I had to add the flowers, twine, leaves and brads to finish off my card.


This card is inspired by the sketch challenge at Get Sketchy #46. The base of the card is just a patterned piece of paper from the stack, added the scraps to make the top sentiment focal piece. Chocolate grosgrain and LOTS of gems finish off this card.


Hoot loves u? I have seen so many lovely banner cards I wanted to try my own. This used the sketch from Christmas Card challenges #31, Charisma Cardz #27 Watch the birdie, and 365 cards day #131 banners, and Paper sundaes #26, lots of layers.


And finally this card is for a dear friend of mine. Haven't seen her since school let out- between the 2 of us, our 6 kids keeps us running around to camps and the pool. Not much of a mommy social life during the summer! The bird stamp is from the dollar section of Mike's! What a bargain! Used the sketch at Inspirational Card Sketches #73, Charisma CArdz watch the birdie, and Stamp Challenges recipe: 1 image, 1 Designer paper and 1 ribbon (twine).

monochromatic blues

Have you ever worked on an acetate card? This was my first try and I love how it turned out! I will do these more in the future for workshops- great technique idea!

I decided to enter the CARDS blog challenge again, monochromatic in all blues. I thought that the acetate would work perfectly with a Snowflake design, add to the cold frozen image. The stamp is from CTMH and used MS glitter to add pizazz. Blue rhinestone to finish it off. Also used lots of scraps for this card. The only part that becomes tedious is making sure to hide the glue strips, using lots of larger cardstock pieces inside the card (one to write a sentiment on and the other to finish off the front.

Also for the challenges:
Paper Sundaes#25: white plus one color
AudSentimentsChallenge: #6 no sentiment
Christmas Stamping: #56, free challenge

More Christmas in July

Yes, I have officially cleaned off my table and put away all of the Christmas papers! Whew! Finished making the workshop samples and am looking forward to making some "vintage" cards. Have to say that my mojo took a beating this week. With this heat wave of 100+ temps, making cool cards took more of an effort. But, here are some cards that I designed for some blog challenges:



This card is for CARDS blog, to make a monochromatic project, as well as for TreeHouse Stamps blog (mono). I also took the sketch over at STamping411.blog. I decided to make a blush/wine colored card- a combo that I adore for winter. My sister gave me this stamp from TAC and the idea for this card. It is one for the workshop, I think the girls will LOVE! Used the technique of paper piecing for the scarf and hat (took patience cutting pieces this small!!!) Misc papers, bobunny word paper, misc button, twine, glitter, markers and CTMH HO HO HO set for Merry Christmas.

This card uses the sketch at CPS, sketch #174. The only change I made was to move the circle embellishment to the other side of the card. For some reason, the more I looked at the sentiment on the bottom left- it just made the right side off kilter. Moving it made more sense and complete. This is also another card for the workshop. Papers are CTMH and Cosmo Cricket.

And this card, came from the Get Sketchy challenge, #45. I am one of those people that haven't gotten on board with the coloring in. I prefer sentiment stamps. I guess less thinking about coloring matching and quite frankly- there are some PHENOM copic masters out there and I just don't want to compete! Those of you that do, I bow down to the floor to you. Wow, that just takes some serious patience to master the coloring and shading! Cosmo Cricket papers, ctmh stamp set, juniper ribbon- ctmh, MS snowflake punch, markers to color.

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a lovely "cool" day!

Christmas In July

"Oh the weather outside is frightful...." Today, the temps in PA are to be 100', very hot, humid, and hazy. What a great day to spend inside crafting winter themed cards! Actually, I am doing a workshop in a few weeks with "Christmas" being the theme. So, with a table full of winter papers, I couldn't resist doing a fun mitten card! In making this I was able to meet a few challenges:

Color Throwdown: #99 Cream, Chocolate and turquoise (with a bit of green and red too!)
a lot a rubber stamps: #38 Inside and Out ...decorate the inside of your card too!
the pink elephant: #74 3 layers, 2 die cuts and ribbon
stamp for the weekend: #42 christmas in july
corrosive challenges by janet: christmas in july
crazy challenges: make it in an hour
stamping sisters in christ: #46 to red and/or blue
just scraps: #14 make it a double...to use at least 2 of something and use what is on your table
one stitch at a time: #20 use ribbon, lace or a bow (used ric rac and waxy flax)
crazy 4 challenges: use 2 or more ribbons

Tuesday "blues"

No, this isn't a sad post! Quite the contrary! I am happy that I was able to make a "blue" card at 6:30am, no interruptions, no kids, no dogs, no hubby around....pure joy at being able to craft for a bit!

This card came together quite easily today. The cupcakes (EK success dimensional stickers) were my starting point. Then, found paper that coordinated with the paper on the cupcakes, and viola! Instant birthday card!

Today, this card meets the following challenges:

2 Sketches 4 You: sketch #55
CAS-tastic: #9, blue, yellow and neutral
Stampin' for the weekend: #41, blue and yellow combo
Party Time Tuesday: #5 Anything Goes Birthday

Scrap Happy

What to do with the left over pieces on the crafting table? Sometimes, if they are small, honestly I pitch them. Usually when the pieces are that small, I am just plum tired of seeing the paper and don't want to even begin to think of another use. If the pieces are still salvagable, I may put them away for another day. However....lately, I have been making extra cards. For sale. The first card (pink and brown) I only had a 4" piece of the flowered DP. But I adore the bracket edge and wanted to make just one more card. So, using the same Get Sketchy sketch, just on a smaller card, put my scraps to work. Even the ribbon is a scrap about 10" long- and it was completely used up! The chocolate background paper is down to a 1x4" scrap- tossed (quite freeing actually!) I looked at my challenges for the day and it even met the Corrosive Challenge: use lots of flowers.

The next card uses up the remains of K&Co paper. But I totally LOVE this card, the color combo just pops! Now, this makes me wish I had more of the paper to make a few more cards with this combo!! The tissue flowers are a kick of mine lately. Just about finished off the sewing pattern on the table as well. The thicker the layers the puffier the flower. The button is from K&Co as well. Twine instead of ribbon (which I rec'd a package in the mail and my order was wrapped in this raffia. I kept it for a "rainy" day and love being able to recycle!) The card meets 2 challenges: Unscripted Sketches #61 (I used to be on the DT and LOVE the sketches! It was fun to participate again!) The other challenge was for Our CReative Corner: color combo keep it cool to use greens and blues.

Happy Birthday America!

I cannot believe that the 4th of July is next weekend! Seems like summer is just starting, the 4th hits, then BAM! back to school will be here before you know it!

Using some old papers that have been lying around in a pile, these papers were perfect for creating the card that I wanted to today to CELEBRATE the upcoming holiday. Perfect for the CARDS Blog challenge: 4th of July.

Here are the other challenges that I was able to meet:

Card Positioning Systems #173 sketch (turned sideways)
Paper Sundaes: create a birthday card (happy birthday America!)
Stampin' Sisters in Christ: #45, use stripes on the card (on the DP, swirling like a flag in the breeze...)
Stamptacular Sunday Challenges: #65, to use stars and stripes on your card

come back tomorrow for 2 more cards that I made for blog challenges......