Challenge Cards

I have taken on two challenges with this one card. First is the sketch 47 by Kazan over at 2S4Y . The other is a color challenge #56 from The Pink Elephant. I must also give credit to Maria aka Momo for her video which inspired this peek-a-boo card. Please visit her blog for this and other great videos.

Now for the details on my card. I started with a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of green cardstock (basically a standard 8 1/2" x 11" cut in half portrait style). Next I scored the 11" at 2 3/4" from both the left and the right hand side.

The pattern paper is from DCWV Animal Crackers. I cut two pieces at 2 1/2" x 4" to layer on the front flaps and I cut another piece 5" x 4" to layer on the inside. I used the Doddlecharms cartridge to cut the leaf and shadow at 3 1/4".

The monkey and tree stamps are from Autumn Leaves Mindy's Zoo. The saying is from Inkadinkadoo Just Saying collection. Finally I added the gorgeous ribbon and the flower bauble from my stash of odds and ends.

The front of the card

Opening the card

A closer view at the adorable monkey

The inside of the card

Hope you enjoy the card as much as I enjoyed making it. Now.... who should I send it to? Have a blessed day!

Springy Cards

I am ready for SPRING. We have missed six days of school for snow just this semester. We have two Saturdays we have to go to school. We have lost most of our Spring Break and there is more snow in the forecast.

In a desire to encourage spring to arrive sooner I designed some cards with that theme in mind.

I embossed the bottom half of the yellow layer with the cuttlebug folder Swiss Dots. The little chick I found last year at AC Moore in the $1 bin after Easter last year. Isn't it cute?

I was inspired for this card from one of the many books I have. I used strips of paper to create the basket weave then cut out the center square. I love how the bunny peeks out the window. The pink pearls were a last minute addition that I think accents the window well.

I thought this card would make a good Mother's Day card. I experimented with some paper folding and I really like how it turned out. Hope you enjoyed and have a blessed day.

More Valentine Cards

I have really enjoyed the time to make cards again. There for about 4 months I was swamped with work, school, family, and holidays that I didn't touch my craft area. The past month I have found so much needed time to indulge. As the title of my blog implies - crafting is a retreat for me.

I have made more Valentine cards. I have even addressed and plan to mail tomorrow (especially if I want a Saturday delivery.) I love these cards. In November I went with the ladies from my church (and my DH who graciously provides chauffeur services) to Pigeon Forge, TN. There is a huge Scrapbooking Store and a clearance store. I found this fabulous DCWV stack called All Dressed Up. The papers are marvelous and full of glitter. Those papers were my inspiration for these cards. I hope you enjoy.

I used my punches on this card from the circle, heart, and scalloped edge.
The hearts are cut from the Doodlecharms cart. Don't you just love the pom-pom ribbon I picked up for $1 at AC Moore?
Have you ever made a cut that didn't work for your project but you held on to it for some reason? This boy and girl cut is from A Child's Year and it was too big for the project I was working on. I put it away in a box I have for 'spare' cuts. It was perfect for this card. I used some glitter pens to color the flowers and a pink bow in the little girl's hair. I wrapped black ribbon on the bottom and tied a pink ribbon for accent.

This one is a lot like the first. I really like the simple phrases to add to cards. I find many of them in the $1 bin at Michael's and AC Moore. The clear stamps have certainly made stamping more affordable. (If you ask my DH he may say it made it possible to buy more stuff.)

Well, Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Love Bird

Today I took on the challenge from 2S4Y: Kazan's Sketch 45.

I made a Valentine card for my Grandmother. I cut the bird from the Indie Art cart and pattern paper from the Bloom and Grow pack from My Mind's Eye. I used some stickles to make the bird shine. I embossed a vellum circle with my cuttlebug and wrapped some feathery type yarn around the outside of the card. I stamped the LOVE phrase on a leaf cut from a cuttlebug die.

Thanks for looking and have a blessed day.

Preschool Valentine Cards

After Fisher and I finished making the Valentine treat bags he took off to play with toys. This gave me some time to work on making the valentine's for his preschool class. I used the Doodlecharms cart and found all the little animals too cute to pass up. These were super simple and I really like how cute they turned out to be.

I created 4-6 of each style. After looking at all of them together, I wish I had made the ladybug with some pattern paper like I did the others. The dragonfly was a little difficult. I sometimes have problems cutting thin patterned paper. I can't seem to get the settings just right. All in all though I am pleased with the results. I really like the faces on the bug and dragonfly. They are from my new PeachyKeen stamps I got for Christmas. Here are close ups of each one.

They have already called a Teacher Workday for tomorrow. Normally I would go in, but I can't get my car out yet. I plan on a few projects so hopefully I will post again soon.

Please leave a comment. I love to read your feedback.

Valentine Treat Bags

Another snowstorm has hit. As I was leaving work on Friday the snow was already coming down. Many were stopping at the grocery store for milk and bread. What did I do? I stopped at the craft store and purchased some adhesive. I knew I was out and did not want to spend days in the house without a way to do some papercrafting. I cleaned house yesterday so I could play today.

Today I planned on helping Fisher make treat bags for his teachers and the ladies in the main office. We cut a tag from the A Child's Year cartridge at 1 1/4". Fisher found one of the Valentine stamps he liked. He stamped it six times and colored them all with colored pencils. I cut them out for him and we assembled the bags - chocolate, Tootsie Pop, Starburst, and Skittles.

When they were completely assembled Fisher wrote his name on the back. He did the F and i on his own and only a little help with the other letters.

We had a blast and he did a great job. I know the ladies at the school will enjoy these.

A Doggie card

As we were going through some of my stamps, Fisher found a stamp set with this dog, phrase, and accessories. He just had to make a card for Papa. Fisher is a determined young boy and knows exactly what he wants. He chose all of the colors, including the ribbon. He even decided where to stamp the images. He will hardly take any advice. I did suggest and tie the little bow but that is about it. I am glad my son likes to make cards with me. It is something we can do together that is just our time. I think he did a fabulous job and I know his Papa is going to love it!