You've Got Male

Well - we all had a busy family day today I think - but we're finally home or the company has left and we've cleaned up.... And off we go to our stamping rooms because we just really need to stamp every day - right!??! or at least look at something that someone else has stamped? We are all nodding our heads.... !

I checked out today's Featured Stamper's gallery late last night and had already chosen which card I wanted to CASE (copy and share with everyone!) and that is this masculine card by Amy - Pickletree on Split Coast. I changed the stamps and the shape of the metal frame but kept the colors and layout the same. I love the Stampin Up colors of Blue Bayou and Soft Sky together - I used it on yesterdays inspiration card in the post below. The added strip of Chocolate Chip just makes it more masculine I think. I used the fun computer stamps I have from the Lizzie Anne Designs set called All Guy. I distressed the edges and then sponged them with Blue Bayou Ink. This card would be great for the computer guy in your life!

Thanks so much for dropping by today - I'm sure you had a lot going on today and I'm so pleased that coming by here was on your list! I have jury duty tomorrow - hopefully they won't need me for a trial! Check back and I'll let you know!!

Stamps: Lizzie Anne Design - All guy
Paper: blue bayou, very vanilla, choc chip, soft sky
Ink: blue bayou; SU, Espresso Adirondack
Accessories: metal tag, glue dots, circle punches, dimensionals, sponge, distresser
Techniques: sponging

The Charming Sea and RAK's

This is my card for today's Inspiration Challenge over on Split Coast Stampers. We were shown this picture below as our inspiration. We can be inspired to recreate the piece itself - or just be inspired by the colors or shapes or where ever it takes us!
I am usually pretty literal in designing the cards I make for the inspiration challenge- don't know what that says about me!!?? but if I have similar stamps, colors, papers - I go with what I see.

I was inspired by the colors - blue and silver - and the bracelet seacost theme. I silver embossed my images and colored the seashell and starfish (from Crab & Co: Stampin Up) with different shades of blue Prismacolor markers. I used some of my brand new PapertreyInk stamps from the It's a Celebration set. I tied on silver charms with silver cording - added glass baubles and cut the Soft Sky card stock with my curvy paper cutter from Creative Memories.

I just loved this inspiration piece - it reminds me of Sanibel Island, FL where Kent and I have gone for several winters and I love to go walk along the beach and pick up shells - there are thousands there all the time! - and it makes me yearn for summer. Actually it would just be nice to have Spring at this point wouldn't it!!! LOL!!!

Stamps: Crab & Co: SU, It's a Celebration: Papertrey, Sentiment: Natures Images
Paper: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky
Ink: versamark clear embossing ink
Accessories: silver Embossing Powder, hot gun, prismacolor markers, curvy paper cutter: creative Memories, charms, silver cording, glass baubles
Techniques: embossing

I have been fortunate to receive several RAK cards and gifts (Random Acts of Kindness) in the mail this week from some of my Split Coast Stampers/Blogging friends and thought I'd share them with you here. It is so much fun to find happy mail in my mail box and to know that people all around the country that share my love of stamping are thinking of me! I am truly blessed by you all!

This card is from Cindy (Mothermark) and look how well it matches my Kitchen wallpaper! I had commented on her card saying just that and she sent it along to me! Cindy lives in CO

This beautiful Easter card and Nail pin are from Carolyn (Snowmanqueen) who lives in OK

This lovely card is from my fellow blogger Linsey (Scrapperlinsey) and she wrote a lovely note of encouragement inside regarding the upcoming workshops I'm going to be teaching. Linsey hails from WA.

This fun gift package arrived from Tina in OH (Gardendiva) and included a fun hand made crimped envelope with 4 cuttled panels inside and some silver charms to use on cards. I just love the eggs stamped on the envelope!

And this lovely easter card with the fun carrot DP and little cellophane and beed carrot was sent by Anne (jdmommy). She lives in MA - not too far from me!

I appreciate your stopping by and looking at my project tonight! Have a blessed Easter Day and I'll look for you again - right back here!

You Make My Day Award from Smilyn Stef!

Smilyn Stef of Ingenious Inkling gave me this You Make my Day Award & my instructions are to pass it along to five bloggers I find inspiring.

Thanks Stef for making my day with this recognition from you!

Please check out these fun inspiring blogs!

Linsey at Outside the Lines

Danielle at Wild Dragonfly Designs

LeAnne at Wee Inklings

Beverly at Beestamper

Michele at Freedom in Creating

Two Different Thanks

First - I just need to reflect on today being Good Friday and remember the great sacrifice that was made in Christian history for us. I served as a layreader at church this evening and it was a very moving service with the altar stripped and just the stark cross there. It was a good time to stop and reflect.

And we have the happy Easter Morning to look forward to! Has everyone cleaned their homes and bought all the food supplies if you are hosting dinner? We are going to my niece, Katie's, home this year so I just need to make scalloped potatoes which I will be putting together tomorrow!

I'm going to bring the supplies to make these two cards with my sister, Marcia, and nieces, Christie and Katie, on Easter - we have fun after dinner on holidays making cards together - and everyone can always use Thank You cards!

Today's Limited Supplies challenge on Split Coast was to make 2 cards using the same stamps and DP's but different layouts, tools and/or embellishments.

I just got a great book called Card Makers Sketch Book that has over 200 card designs in it with colorful samples shown for each sketch. I have found it to be a great help in designing cards. I used this book for the two sketches on these cards.

For the challenge - I used two different sketches, different Cuttlebug folders and different color ribbons on my cards. I held one card horizontal and one vertical and used different ink on the sentiment. I was surprised and happy to see that the Stampin Up Ruby Red Card Stock matches the Papertrey Berry Sorbet ribbon and the Papertrey Spring Moss ribbon goes well with the SU Certainly Celery CS.

Which one do you like best???

Thanks for spending some time with me here tonight - be sure to check out the Easter Carrots on the posting below!

Stamps: PapertreyInk: Mixed Messages, Borders and Corners-Circles
Paper: Bazzill Tan, Ruby Red, Certainly Celery, DP: SU Ginger Blossom
Ink: Pitch Black Adirondack, Ruby Red
Accessories: Marvy scalloped punches, circle punch, Spring Moss & Berry Sorbet Ribbons: PapertreyInk, dimensionals

Carrot Treat Box & Shredded Ribbon Tutorial

I wanted to make some treats for Easter dinner at my niece's home for her guests and I found this fun carrot pattern on SCS and thought they would look so CUTE on the dinner table. I wanted to make the ribbon that ties the top shut look sort of like a carrot top and so tried shredding it and I thought it came out pretty good!

This is also my project for the Ways To Use it Challenge on SCS - to use a tag.

Here is my first (!) tutorial on my blog on how I made this cute treat:


First I cut out and stamped my carrot pattern using a little flowers bg stamp (see supplies list below). Next I scored the lines indicated with a ruler and my scoring piece from my Scor-Pal. You can use a Scor-Pal but the lines are kind of irregular in their placement so I found it was easier using a ruler. I glued the edge using Scotch Quick Dry adhesive that I bought at Michaels.


Then I punched a slot on each of the larger tabs - one on front and one on back for the ribboon to go through.
The ribbon is 8" of 1/2" green grosgrain. I put it through the slot punches with even pieces on each side - then I tied it in a double knot.
Next I cut the bound edges off each side - just a thin sliver so it releases the cross threads. You want to cut up as far as you want to shred.
Then take a slightly thick sewing needle and stick it in the cross threads and pull down - you need to hold onto the ribbon above where you are pulling as it takes some tugging - just keep riping out the cross threads until you are up as far as you want - in other words - until you have the length of fringe that you are looking for - if you want more, just cut off more of the bound edge.
And here is the curly top to the carrot!


The final step was to stamp the cute rabbit from Lockhart Stamps, (it's on sale right now so check it out!), color her in with my Prismacolor markers and cut the petite ovals with my Nestability dies using my Cuttlebug. I attached an eyelet using my Cropadial and tied it around the ribbon using Baker's string from Martha Stewart that I got at Michaels.


Let me know if you try this ribbon shredding on your project and link it here in a comment - I'd love to see what you make!

I've used this ribbon technique on cards too - check out my 'How Frazzled Are You' card in an earlier post. It just adds a fun demension to what ever you put it on.


Thanks for stopping by today - I'd love to hear what you think about my first ever tutorial - you can click on 'comment' below and let me know!


Later Gater!

Paper: Only Orange, So Saffron, Hansome Hunter: Stampin Up
Stamps: Beyond the Basics - Flowered bg stamp: Stampin Up, Bunny: Lockhart Stamp Co., Sentiment: Rubber Soul
Ink: Only Orange, So Saffron: Stampin Up, Pitch Black Adirondack
Supplies: Green Grosgrain Ribbon, yellow eyelet, Cropadial, Slot Punch, Nestatilities Petite Ovals, Bakers Thread: Martha Stewart, Michaels. Sewing needle, Prismacolor Markers

Masculine Ride

I feel like it's a Saturday because I'm on vacation and I've been home all day puttering around!

I needed to create a masculine birthday card for our next card stamping workshop that 2 friends and I run at our church so I used today's sketch challenge as well as Monday's Try a New Technique challenge over at SCS to help me design it. I chose darker colors for my panels and card since it's for a guy. I had this fun cobblestone DP that I thought would look like a road or a wall around my antique truck. I purchased it at Michaels. I rubbed creamy caramel on the cuttlebug mesh folder before embossing it on the Kraft panel. This was the technique challenge - negative cuttlebug and the instructions from SCS are listed below. The edges of the car and sentiment are sponged and the car edges are distressed as well. I just used little pieces for the green around my panel - one on top and one on bottom rather than adding yet another layer to this card!! Both of my stamps are from Stampin Up - Classic Pickups and It's Your Birthday sets.

Here are Ann's instructions for the negative cuttlebug technique:

1. Take your CB folder and open it up so the negative side is facing down on your table. This is the side where the CB logo is. 2. Using whatever color ink, and whatever type of ink, ink up the negative side using either a sponge, brayer or the ink pad itself if you are using spots or the petal chalk inks. 3. Lay your cardstock over your inked side, close the folder and run it through your CB. Make sure to wash your folder ASAP, to avoid any staining from the ink. 4. Now you have an inked and embossed image to add that extra touch to your card!! Remember, if you are using chalk or pigment inks, you will want to wait for them to dry before putting your panel on your card. You can also use your heat gun to help them dry.

Hope you have a great rest of your night! I'm off to bed soon - I need to catch up on some sleep if at all possible!

Stamps: SU: Classic Pickups & It's your Birthday
Paper: Always artichoke, Kraft, choc chip, DP Rock Pathway by Jill Webster (Michaels)
Ink: Espresso Adirondack
Accessories: Cuttlebug folder: mesh, dimensionals, sponge
Techniques: negative cuttlebug, sponging

Just Hatched for Easter

I'm on vacation this week so I'm having fun getting in more stamping time and may even be able to clean up my Stamping Room!!

DH, Kent, and I just spent 3 days up in Vermont visiting his brother and sister-in-law. They have a beautiful post and beam house up there. We went snowshoeing twice - right from their front door into the hilly woods around their home. It was sunny and bright - and not too cold - perfect weather to be out there. Here are a few pics of our outing!




Chad & Kent surveying the land - Kent, Me and Blue - Carol giving Blue a treat.

Now on to my posting today! I made this cute Easter Treat Package using the PapertreyInk set released in February 'Just Hatched'. The stamps, DP's and ribbon are all from PapertreyInk. I had submitted this for their March Guest Star Stamper competition. I got the clear box from Clear Bags but Papertrey also sells them. I used shredded Easter paper inside that I got from Michaels. I love how it matched the Very Vanilla card stock. I cut the ovals with my Nestabilities. The candies are small York Peppermint Patties and I punched & stamped the circles that I put on them. It took a while to get them all in there with the shredded paper evenly distributed around them! The CS papers are Very Vanilla and Soft Sky. I thought this would be a nice gift to bring to a dinner host on Easter Day or to bring someone in a nursing home when you visit etc. A small token that looks nice and festive!

Note I got some inquiries about the size of the container: the clear box is 6" x 4.5" x 1/2" and also fits 4 cards and 4 envelopes if you wanted to package up some cards! They come with little clear bands )like elastics) to loop around the corners to hold the box closed too - what fun!


Here are a few more pics of our trip to VT.






Bear claw marks on a tree. The owl in their yard A Moose Statue outside a shop!

Thanks for spending part of your day with me here - I'll be back later with some cards!

Stamps: PapertreyInk Just Hatched
Paper: Very Vanilla, Soft Sky, DP: PapertreyInk
Ink: Pitch Black Adirondack
Accessories: clear box, nestability ovals, ribbon: PapertreyInk, dimensionals, circle punch