Cocoa Loves Baseball - SNSDC3

It's time for the third challenge over on the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge blog.  This week the challenge is to make a CAS (clean & simple) card with a button.  CAS cards are not something I do a lot of and actually, they usually stump me.  Give me layers and layers.  ;) While searching the gallery over at SCS for some inspiration, I came across this card by Karen Dunbrook.  I knew I wanted to use the Cocoa Loves Baseball digi stamp and thought this layout would work well with that stamp.  I used her card as a sketch, and as I typically do, I stayed pretty close to the original.

For my button, I used the technique found in the Paper Button tutorial on SCS.  It was so easy to do.  I know I'll be using it quite a bit in the future.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
TLC325 - Paper Buttons
Paper Sundae Challenge #69 (PSC69) - Birthday
FS105 - Featured Stamper Kdunbrook {I changed the color scheme, image, my focal image does not hang over the edge, I used baker's twine and not jute}
RRR#24 - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown #49 - Baby/child card
CPC-CASS08 - Buttons and Bows


Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper - Echo Park (Little Boys)
Stamps - Sweet 'n Sassy (Cocoa Loves Baseball, Masculine Birthday)
Embellishments - button made from EP paper, baker's twine, Prisamacolor Pencil, SU Stampin' Write, Spellbinders Circle Nesties

I hope you'll play along with us at the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge blog.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a nice weekend.

Lots of Cats Birthday Card

I wanted to make a card for a friend who will be celebrating her birthday Saturday.  She just got a new kitten (and really likes cats in general), so I decided to use this adorable kitty image to make a card for her.  I used the sketch from Mojo Monday #123.

I used the Mother Cat freebie from Meljen's Designs for my focal image. I colored all six cats with my prismacolor pencils.  I used a sentiment from the Feminine Birthday set at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps on the front as well.

I used one of the sentiments from the Purrfect Friend set on the inside of my card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
RRR#24 - Anything Goes
Paper Sundae's Challenge #69 (PSC69) - Birthday
Paper Pretties PWC154 - Flowers
CPC-FOF63 - Polka Dots
CPC-FOF57 - Easel Card

Supplies:
Cardstock - Bazzill, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper - DCWV
Stamps - Meljen's Designs (Mother Cat), Sweet 'n Sassy (Feminine Birthday, Purrfect Friend)
Embellishments - Prismacolor Pencils, buttons & flowers from my stash, DMC floss, Fiskar's Border punch (apron lace), Spellbinders (petite oval, petite scalloped oval), Offray Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by!

Benjamin Bunny

We sent our daughter an Easter basket (well, it was in a small canvas tote bag this year) at college.  Here is the card I made to go with it.

I used the Benjamin Bunny digi stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  Isn't he adorable?! I did a lot of layering with my large & small circle nesties and my lacey circle nesties. Can you tell I love them?  :)  I used a little bit of glitter pen on the flowers.  I don't often make shaped cards and this is one of very few circle cards I've ever made.  It's much easier now with my nesties.

I am including it in the current Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge -- Challenge #22 Violets and Lilacs and Plums! Oh my!.


Supplies:
Cardstock:  Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  BG & Recollections
Stamp: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Benjamin Bunny)
Embellishments/Tools:  Prismacolor pencils, gamsol, Ribbon (Michael's), Nestabilities, Sakura gelly roll glitter pen

I borrowed this idea from Darsie over on the Crafting with Deedee's Digis blog and made these for our daughter's roommates as a little Easter treat.  Thanks, Darsie for the inspiration.

I used the same Benjamin Bunny stamp and a similar design to our daughter's card for the tags.  Here's a close up of the tags.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  BG
Stamp: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Benjamin Bunny)
Embellishments/Tools:  Prismacolor pencils, gamsol, Baker's Twine, Nestabilities, Sakura gelly roll glitter pen

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a great week.

Home Tweet Home

When I saw this Home Tweet Home digi at Deedee's Digis, I couldn't wait to turn it into a card.  There's just something about the two bird houses that just appealed to me.  I also tried my new gamsol technique with this image.    After I cut out the image, I sponged it with ink to tone down the white of my cardstock. This week's Mojo Monday Sketch #185 was the inspiration for the card design.  I'm also entering this card in the Really Reasonable Ribbon #21 challenge.

I used the Scripture from the set to help with my "interior decorating."

Supplies
Challenges:  Really Reasonable Ribbon #21  Mojo Monday #185,
Card base: Strathmore Bristol
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  Bo Bunny (Olivia)
Stamps:  Deedee's Digis (Home Tweet Home)
Ink:  SU (Creamy Caramel)
Embellishments:  Prismacolor Pencils, gamsol, Misc ribbon, Bazzill Just the Edge, Nestabilities deckled rectangle

A Quilt Inspired Card

This week I started thinking about using quilt block designs as a background for a card.  I did some looking around on the internet and found tutorials for a Quilted Card and a Bargello Technique (which I think looks like a quilt even though they say it's a needlepoint pattern) over at SplitCoast Stampers.  For this card I used the Quilted Card as my inspiration.  I changed my squares to 1" instead of the 3/4" squares used in the tutorial.  Also, if/when I do this again, a punch would be a better idea to make sure all my squares are exactly the same size.  This is a great way to use up those tiny scraps you've been keeping "just in case."

When I saw the Spring Blessings set at Deedee's Digis, I loved the Scripture verse because it was one of my Dad's favorites and I loved the butterfly/caterpillar sentiment. So, I decided to combine my quilt idea with this set and here's the result:

Here's a close-up of the details and then a pic of the interior.

I had the hardest time getting the words to be in focus.  I'm sorry if they're still blurry.  I'm going to try to retake the pics in natural light & will replace them if I get better results.

I am entering this card in this week's Stampin Sister's In Christ challenge #82 which is to include paper piecing in your main image and in the new Challenge #21 at Really Reasonable Ribbon which is to include die-cuts or punches and ribbon.

Supplies:
Cardstock - Strathmore Bristol, Recollections, Bazzill, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper - BG (Lemonade)
Stamps - Deedee's Digis (Spring Blessings)
Embellishments - Ribbon (Hobby Lobby), BG Opaline half pearls, Recollections swirl, Nestabilities (petite ovals and petite scalloped ovals), Fiskar's border punch (Threading Water)

Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome Landon Kenneth!!

If you're looking for the Time to Bloom blog hop, click HERE.

My nephew and his wife had their third little boy this week.  This is the card I made today to send to them. 

I colored the buggy with my prismacolor pencils.  The doodles were made with a Zig Writer pen.  The sketch came from CPC-ST100 and it also qualifies for Really Reasonable Ribbon's Challenge #20 (One for the Boys). 

Here's a closeup of the front and then a pic of the "interior decorating."

Supplies:
Sketch - CPC-ST100 
Challenge - Really Reasonable Ribbon's Challenge #20 (One for the Boys)
Cardstock - Georgia Pacific, DCWV
Patterned Papers - Paper Studio, Echo Park
Stamps - Sweet 'n Sasaay Stamps (Baby Blessings, Baby Buggy)
Pens/Pencils - Prismacolor pencils, Zig Writer Pen
Embellishments - Offray ric-rac, Queen & Co brad, Best Ocassions metal dots, Nestabilities (petite oval & petite scalloped oval)

Thanks for stopping by.

Slit Latch Gift Card Holder

When I saw this tutorial for a Slit Latch Gift Card Holder over at Splitcoaststampers, I knew I wanted to give it a try.  It was as easy as the directions made it sound and I'm sure I'll be making more.  Actually, I have another one half-made already.  :)  It qualifies for the Something New Plus Ribbon challenge on the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog since I used my new nesties, a new technique, and more of my new papers.

Supplies:
Cardstock - Georgia Pacific, Bazzill
Papers - American Crafts
Stamps - Sweet 'n Sassy
Inks - Colorbox Fluid Chalk, Memento Tuxedo Black
Embellishments - Offray Ribbon, Prismacolor pencils
Tools - Spellbinders Nestabilities (Lacey Circles, Standard Circles Large)

SSS89, RRR Challenge #15 & Project Photography

I used this week's sketch at The Sweet Stop for this card.  Using circles on cards is still a bit of a challenge for me.  I'm hoping the two sets of circles nesties my husband got me for Christmas will help make this easier. Using the new nesties ties into Challenge #15 on Really Reasonable Ribbon blog.  That challenge has you using something new plus ribbon on a project. I also used some new (to me) papers.

I punched out & hand-cut a couple of the flowers in the paper to make my own flower embellishments.

I also decorated the inside this time and added a verse stamp.  This card is headed tomorrow to a friend that's facing a tough week.

Supplies:
Cardstock - Georgia Pacific, Bazzill
Papers - American Crafts
Brads - MM
Ribbon - Michael's
Stamp - Stampendous (card front), Sweet 'n Sassy (inside verse)
Tools - Spellbinders Lacey Circles, Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder, Fiskars border punch, Paper Studio circle punches
Ink - Colorbox Fluid Chalk, Memento Tuxedo Black, CM journaling pen, Gelly Roll Clear Star pen

The heart isn't really gray.  I used a Gelly Roll pen to add a little sparkle and it photographed gray.  :(  I sure wish sparkle wasn't so hard to photograph.  Speaking of photographing....I tried a new set-up to get better lighting.  I followed some tips Patter Cross had on her blog Triple the Scraps in a post from Feb. 2009, Photographing Projects, to set up my "studio."  In my case, I took a white blanket, spread it over the back of the couch & a photo box (for height).  It's the closest I could get to natural light today since it's raining here.  Our daughter's cat thinks the back of the couch is his domain so he was my supervisor.  I couldn't resist sharing this picture of him observing {& patiently waiting to get his perch back} with you since he's looking so handsome.  :)