Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Embellish Challenge w/ Stitching

I saw the new Embellish color challenge last week quickly as I was doing my morning blog visits.  Unfortunately, I didn't study the colours closely enough because I thought the colours were Kraft, Pink and Baby Blue--and I created a card with that colour scheme which I ended up posting about here.  When I went to go post the card I realized I hadn't used the right colours--I felt so stupid!

However, I couldn't let this challenge go by, especially since it involved stitching!  Have I mentioned before how much I've become attached to my sewing machine?!  Here's Embellish's challenge:


My orginal card had more hand stitching on it, but on this card I used a new sewing technique for me--swirvy lines.  I sort of wish I put more stitching on the card--perhaps on the pink strip.  Hard to know when to stop sometimes. Any way, here's my card:

The book print totally gives this card a Dawn McVey feel--not surprising since she's one of my favourite designers!

Supplies:
PTI Kraft cardstock; PTI Beautiful Blooms stamp set; Inkadinkado sentiment; vintage book print; Prima flowers; MM buttons;  Versamark Ink; Distress Ink Walnut Stain; pink embroidery floss.


Thanks 4 your time!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Curtain Call--Act #23

Okay--so I'm not typically a fan of pink--as you can see from my blog I love blues and teals (oh, and kraft, of course).  However, when I saw Stacey's Curtain Call Act #23 Color challenge--I couldn't resist.  I was drawn to the damask wall in the inspiration photo and went from there.
Here's what I created . . .

   I cut the flowers with the Cricut Storybook Cartridge.  The text stamp is Hampton Art; the damask type stamp (in pink) is TPC Studio; and the sentiment is Inkadinkado.  Here's a closer look . . .

    I love how 3 of the 4 colours are neutrals--you can swap out that pink with any other colour and the look would still be fab!!

Thanks 4 your time!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

CARDS Blog--Easter Card

I made this Easter card last week, and since this week's CARDS blog challenge is to create an Easter card, I figured why not submit it--afterall, I was happy with how it turned out! 

    I used the top of a Kleenex box for my kraft paper--I got the idea a while back from this card by Virginia Lu.  I save all my Kleenex box tops now--love how they have a detailed edge.  I inked it up with Walnut Stain DI to highlight the detail.
    I also LOVE that ribbon--sort of a perrywinkle colour.  Reminds me of hydrangeas.  It was also the colour of my bridesmaids dresses 6 years ago, so it's definitely a colour I'm always drawn to.  Love how easily the silky ribbon ties into a bow as well.

Since I liked my Easter card so much, I created a similar Baby congratulations card.  I just found out this week that my cousin and her husband are expecting their first child!  I know they've been trying for a while--so I was so excited to hear the news.  I originally made it for the Embellish challenge, but realized after I made it that the challenge asked for Light Aqua, not Baby Blue (silly me).  The challenge also asked for stitching, "sew" that's why I hand-stitched all the buttons!

I stamped a small button from PTI Tiny Valentine set repeatedly with Versamark ink.  I also stamped my new Hampton Art background definition stamp with Versamark onto the PTI Sweet Blush card base.

Okay--gotta run and get ready for first day of swimming lessons--my 3 year old is starting his Tadpole class, and I'm in the pool at the same time with my 9 month old for a Waterbabies class!!  Have a great weekend--I'm hoping to get some crafting time later this evening!

Thanks 4 your time!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

1 Recycled Wedding Invite = 2 Cards

My friend got married last Saturday--and a beautiful wedding it was!  I was about to throw away the wedding invite yesterday but couldn't resist the B&W patterned card base . . . so I took apart the invite and ended up making these two cards.
 
Actually, I made the first card for the EBTKS sketch challenge (my second attempt), but then realized the deadline was yesterday (silly me).  When I looked at the patterned paper--I could see the 3 circles from the sketch.

I printed the sentiment right onto the card base (I created a whole bunch of sentiments on Word several days ago and they've become my new favs).  This is my first BIG bow on a card too--definitely one that will have to be hand delivered.

Here's the other card I created with that gorgeous patterned paper.  The muted tones made me think of a sombre occasion.
Thanks 4 your time!

Color Cue Challenge #2

Dawn has another great color combo over on her blog here
I ended up making 2 cards with this combo (one is a mini gift tag card).  I did end up using black for the sentiment on this first card (I'm hoping that's considered a neutral).

I used two petals from a flower to create the soft yellow heart on this mini card:




Thanks 4 your time!

Afternoon @ the Farm

This week's challenge over at Practical Scrappers is to use something you've had for over a year.  I've had these letter stickers (the red ones and brown ones) for well over a year, and I've also had the tree branch and leaf cut-outs for just as long.  The photos of my son are from last summer (not quite a year--but feels like it). I faux stiched the brown letter stickers with my white gel pen--I think it gives it a sort of country feel--which is perfect for this page.

I'm not crazy about how it turned out, but just glad to be getting caught up on some photos I've been wanting to scrap!

Thanks 4 your time!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Chocolate and Teal

Well, while making a card for the current EBTKS Sketch challenge, I ended up making another card for the current CARDS blog challenge . . . and they both use Chocolate and Teal--two of my favourite colours!

Here's the EBTKS Sketch:

That scallop threw me off--oh, where to put the sentiment??--, but I knew I wanted to use the intricate flower from the Cricut Storybook cartridge for those circles--I've been wanting to use that cut for a while, but haven't found the chance . . . until now:

I'm challenged by this sketch--which makes me want to take another stab at it . . . so I may submit another entry if I get time!
----------------------------

Then, since I had these colours on my desk and the Storybook cartridge loaded, I tried my chance at the CARDS blog challenge which is to incorporate a bird on your card.  I'm quite please with how it turned out.  I created a whole page of sentiments on Word last week and printed them off, and used one of them here:

A closer "bird's eye" view . . . okay, not really bird's eye, but closer ;)


By the way--that teal "paper" is repurposed from a gift bag--it is a glossy stock, and cut amazingly well on the Cricut!
We're off to Rochester, N.Y. tomorrow for a trip to the big Toy Museum there.  Anyone been there before? Owen is really excited about it--let's hope he's still excited after the 3 hour car ride!! It's our first long trip with our 9 month old, Caden, too--so I'm praying that goes well too!  Hoping there's not a big line up at the border crossing either!

Thanks 4 your time!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Just Scraps Challenge #2

I came across a new challenge site--just what I need {wink}!!  This week is only their second challenge and it's Black and White and Red all over.  My creation is a Scrapbook layout of my son--and it's mainly RED, and my "white" is more of a vintage/distressed white.  My inspiration for this page first came from the colours in the photos (which is where I always draw my colour inspiration from for layouts), and it worked well for this challenge.  I picked up the "True Love" painted wooden embellishment in the clearance bin at Michaels after Valentine's day.  I love that it adds some sparkle to the page.

I heat embossed my swirls for a bit of shine on the page; hard to tell in the photo though.

Thanks 4 your time!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Hello . . . it's been a while!

Hello . . . haven't posted a card in over a week . . . been catching up on some scrapbooking (I'll post some photos of those later today).  After getting a chance to blog hop this morning, I got some inspiration to create this card, which I'm submitting to 3 challenges (that's a record for me--I've only ever combined 2 challenges, I think).

Embellish Color Challenge with Fabric (I used felt)

2 Scrapbook Friends Sketch (link is to DT member Deanna's page; I'm still trying to figure out how to post to their forum):
365 Cards Day #12 -- Circle Frenzy Include 20 or more circles from at least 2 different sources

Here's my card:


Supplies:
Paper: PTI Kraft cardstock; Canson Watercolor paper    Stamps: Inkadinkado Dots and Circles; Heidi Grace Borders; MSE sentiment  Ink: SU! Not Quite Navy, Ruby Red, Old Olive; Versamark Ink; Colorbox Dragonfly Black; Distress Ink Walnut Stain   Other: ribbon, felt and button from Michaels


Thanks 4 your time!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Precious Moments . . .

I love this photo of my husband and baby boy--the moment I took it, I knew I was going to scrapbook it!
I'm submitting this layout for two challenges:

Wplus9 Design Studio's Color Cue Challenge #1
Practical Scrappers--White Pen  I highlighted the Bo Bunny patterned paper with my white UniBall Signo gel pen; the left side of the layout needed some white to accent the white strip and the white behind the photo; I also used it for handwriting part of my title and my son's age next to the photo.

Thanks 4 your time!

Monday, March 8, 2010

EBTKS Fabric Challenge

So I made this card about a week ago, but my DH (who was away the last 4 days) had our camera.  I tried a few fabric card ideas for the current EBTKS challenge, but this is the only one that I finished.  The blue fabric is from an old T-shirt.  Not a very original idea using fabric, I guess.  I was thinking of a back pocket as I stitched it.  I thought about making one with a neck tie--for Father's day too--but given the EBTKS deadline is tonight, I'll not likely get that done.  Any-who . . . here's my card:

The leaf stamp is from PTI's Beautiful Blooms set.  I used the kiss technique to add the polka dots to the wider base of the leaves.  Sorry, I can't remember the company for the sentiment--it's from a set of about 15 round holiday sentiments/images (bought it a couple of years ago)

Thanks 4 your time!

Curtain Call--Act 20

WARNING--another butterfly card!!  ;)

I can't resist Curtain Call's Color challenges!  Here's this week's--Act #20:


   I've used this dot/circle stamp (Act 18) and a similar butterfly (Act 19) in the last two color challenges, and I didn't intentionally use them again--just worked out that way. 
   The sentiment is from PTI's Big Bold Wishes--I love how you can manipulate clear stamps to the shape that you want.

Thanks 4 your time!