What I'm Up To

Just thought I'd update anyone reading this on what I've been up to. Pirate Party VSN (Virtual Stamp Night) is this weekend and I get to hostess a challenge! You have until Monday evening to play so head over to SCS and check it out! I made this card for one of last night's challenges. (And no, your cards do not need to be pirate themed.) You have 45 minutes to make your card so it's great for slow, indecisive stampers like me to just make a card and not change my mind 400 times.




The cute pirate Ollie image is from the huge stack of images I collected from Wish Rak and Pay it Forward on Splitcoast. I think this card took about 30 minutes. Coloring took the longest and then finding something the right size to trace for that red circle mat. One of these days I will get the full set of circle nestabilities, but today is not that day. ;)

But mostly, we're up to this:

We are almost 19 weeks along and will find out in two weeks if we're having boy #3 or girl #1. Exciting! And exhausting. I have almost no energy for crafting and don't even ask what state the house is in. I don't know if it's because it's the 3rd pregnancy in 4.5 years or because I'm over 30 now, but I am tired ALL the time. Happily, everyone is very understanding and the only thing suffering is my to-do list. ;)

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Supplies:
Stamps - Ollie pirate image from Stampendous, Yo Ho Ho sentiment from Odd Bird Planet
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper - Papertrey White, SU Real Red and Brilliant Blue
Other - almost every brown and grey Copic I have plus some red and blues, circle punch, scissors, Divine Swirls cuttlebug embossing folder, square punch to make the banner notch

Holiday Rejects

Hello! It's rejection time again. :) And I really don't mind. Several friends got good news and I have a headstart on the holidays. Of course, I'm blathering on about another Reject Blog Hop that Amber at Damask Love is kind enough to put on for all the lovely cards that will not be gracing the pages of Paper Crafts magazine. My rejects are from Holiday Cards and More. I could have resubmitted them for the December call, but I decided eh, I'll try again next time. ;)

This is a double reject. It was originally for Go To Sketches, but I thought it was cute enough to give it another try. Apparently not, lol! Still, it was loads of fun to actually use some of the glitter colors I've had forever and was, all things considered, surprisingly not messy. Stamped the frame from Waltzingmouse Stamps in Fresh Snow ink and cut 8 strips of 1/4 tacky tape the same size (an inch, I think) and 1 strip slightly longer. Attach em, peel the liner off and glitter one at a time just giving the card a few taps before you move on to the next color. Easy peasy. I handcut the flames and stuck them on with small gluedots. Found the Celebrate sentiment in Scattered Showers. I submitted this one in the No Holiday Products category for Holiday Cards and More, but maybe it's *too* no holiday? Perhaps a Happy Hanukkah sentiment would have been better? Maybe having the frame on another layer from the base giving the card some dimension? Most likely there were just some really rockstar cards that got submitted and glitterati here had to stay home. ;)

This one is very straightforward. The menorah is stamped repeatedly in alternating silver and gold encore inks - word of warning, they take FOR-EVER to dry if you don't heat set them. These are from a cute stamp set from There She Goes that Alyssa gave me. (Thanks again!) Stamped the sentiment in black and matted it with some gorgeous GinaK metallic silver cardstock and tied a fabulous gold ribbon from PTI. Seriously, who wants real metals when you have these beauties around. I could eat them up! (The supplies, not the cards.)

Anyway, these are my rejects! Check out all the fabulousness at the blog hop on Damask Love.

Celebrate Supplies:

Stamps - Frame It by Waltzingmouse Stamps, Scattered Showers by Papertrey Ink

Ink - Papertrey Ink Fresh Snow

Paper - Papertrey Ink Enchanted Evening, Stampin Up Daffodil Delight

Other - 1/4 Terrifically Tacky Tape, Martha Stewart Glitters - fire opal, peridot, turquoise, garnet, tourmaline, golden beryl, crystal fine, kunzite, charoite

Menorah Supplies:

Stamps - Home Sweet Home Hanukkah Additions by There She Goes Stamps

Ink - Silver and Gold Encore inks, Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - Papertrey Stamper's Select White, GinaK Silver

Other - Papertrey gold ribbon, pop dots, craft knife (for the mat)

Surprise! It's a Birthday Blog Hop!

Woohoo!!! It's a very special someone's birthday. One of the LuvLee-est people you could hope to encounter in the wide world or the world wide web! ;) And some of her friends decided we should celebrate with a blog hop and I am tickled pink to be included!


Happy Birthday Lee!!!!


Lee is just as sweet and fun in person as she is on the computer. Not to mention a truly righteous stamper. But in all seriousness, ;) she has some real addictions. I mean, the amount of bling she uses is practically unreal. You know how some people want a coffee IV? Lee's would be full of glitter. But I'm not here to judge. Especially on her birthday. So here's my very blingy, very pink, using a small smackerel of Basic Grey, and a fun Gina K image colored with copics birthday card for one of the very nicest people I know!

(There are, count 'em, 3 sizes of rhinestones and pink Stickles!) Awesome retro lady is from GinaK Designs Sew Pretty set and, yes, I know it includes a Happy Birthday stamp but Lee is too punny and hot to not use this one.



Check out all the birthday fun on all the blogs!


Alison


Carole


Christi


Crafty Math Chick


Joanne


Lori


Lydia


Misti


Nancy


Have the best 21st birthday ever, Lee!!!! Love ya!

Here's her blog so you stop by and wish her happy birthday in person.


Supplies - Stamps: GinaK Sew Pretty
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Stampin' Up! Pink Pirouette, Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz, Georgia Pacific white, Basic Grey hmm, Bittersweet? Sugared? (bet Lee knows!)
Other: Copics (YR04, E09, E00, RV21, RV23, 0, E30, E31, E33), Paper Studio Gemstones, Pink Stickles, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, Papertrey Sunshine Impression Plate, Paper Shapers square punch (for the banner notch)

Family Cards

I'm trying to be better blogger, which is proving difficult since my wireless network card is on the fritz, so I thought I'd share a couple of family occasion cards. First, my cousin is living in New York looking for a job in the fashion industry. She ended up in the hospital for an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago. She has friends there, of course, but no family remotely close by and was feeling a little lonesome. She loves her coffee so I thought a card and some free Starbucks would cheer her up. The colors are from the (small) gift card I sent her. Super quick and easy. Took me longer to clean up my area to take a picture than it did to make the card.

Next up, my uncle got married this past weekend. It was a very pretty wedding in my aunt's (not the same couple, my mom is the oldest of 7 kids) backyard. I have to confess that I actually made this card for a Paper Crafts call, although now I can't quite remember what the specifics were. I liked it and thought it would be great for an outdoor wedding.

There ya go. Some random cards from me. :) Today is my little sister's birthday so maybe there'll be something new here tomorrow! :) I hope so, anyway! Not really sure what I'm gonna make her just yet. Also random, I am totally trying these Mocha Cream Cheese Phyllo Triangles sometime this week. Anyone wanna visit?

Perk Up card: Stamps - Waltzingmouse Stamps Frame It, GinaK My Cuppa Joe, Crafty Secrets Coffee and Tea

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - PTI Aqua Mist and Stamper's Select White, Basic Grey Urban Prairie, Nook and Pantry, and Origins 6x6 collections

Growing in Unity card: Stamps - Unity Growing in Unity, Eco Chic

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black and Rich Cocoa, Ranger Distress Ink Vintage Photo

Paper - PTI Rustic White, Stamper's Select White, Dark Chocolate

Other - Copics (been too long for me to know which ones, sorry!), scissors, PTI woodgrain impression plate, PTI small scallop border, Martha Stewart blush seam binding, Marvy Mega circle punch, sponge, PTI Ripe Avocado button, SU linen thread, pop dots

Make It Monday - Wish Big

Oh dear. It's been almost a month since I've blogged. Sorry about that. I have a good reason! I'm 11ish weeks along with baby #3 and I'm pretty much 24/7 exhausted. Hope, hope, hoping that once I'm past the first trimester I get a little energy back!

Love this week's Make It Monday video at PTI. (Loved last week's, too. Made a card, never blogged it. Doh!) I have decided that I am definitely investing either in the Ranger blending tool with multiple pads like Betsy Veldman uses in the video or giant sponge daubers - one per ink color - like Theresa Momber at Crafting the Web uses. The little daubers are just not that awesome at blending. Still, it was lots of fun. I wasn't too sure about this card while I was making it but I think I'm happy with how it turned out. My sweet sister-in-law's birthday was, ahem, a couple of weeks ago so I will be putting this in the mail pronto with her birthday check.

Thanks for looking!

Supplies - Stamps: Papertrey Star Prints

Ink: Memento Angel Pink, Grape Jelly, Bahama Blue, Summer Sky, Lulu Lavender, Tuxedo Black

Paper: Stamper's Select White, True Black

Other: sponge daubers, rhinestones, pop dots

Rejects! It's the New Cool

Oh my, oh my! It was Paper Crafts submission time for Go To Sketches Vol 2 last week. I am shocked and thrilled to say I got a happy email. But today isn't about that. Today is about the rejects. Dr. Amber at Damask Love is hosting a reject blog hop for all the lovely cards that won't be in the magazine. There is some fabulous stuff and I just have to join in! Now, the two cards I'm showing I'm not surpised they made it to the reject pile. Don't get me wrong, I like them and I'm glad I made them, but they're not ones that leave you scratching your head wondering what the editors were thinking. ;)

This card is for sketch 57. It's very plain, but a smiley face is the first thing that popped in my head when I saw the sketch. I wanted it to be bright and cheery while still keeping it simple. I stamped the letters on white, colored them, cut them out, and then sanded the snot out of the middles so there wouldn't be much white showing. There's a great tip to run a black marker around the edge for things like that, but I don't have a steady enough hand and always end up making a bigger mess.

This one is based on sketch 63. The idea of using real bandaids seemed fun to me. I wanted to use "Feel better friend" from the same set, but it wasn't long enough to be balanced. I do like this general idea and will probably use it again with kid bandaids if I ever need a kid's get well card.

Thanks for looking and you should check out all the fabulous rejects from everyone over on Amber's blog. And definitely pick up a copy of Go To Sketches Vol 2 when it hits the stands in August! It's gonna be fabulous! Thanks for looking!

Supplies:

Happy card: Stamps - Papertrey Ink Paper Tray and Outlines Alphabet Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black Paper - Papertrey Stamper's Select White, Stampin' Up! Dandelion Delight (is that what's it's called? Can't remember now) and Peach Parfait Other - Papertrey Ink Sunshine Impression Plate, Copics (RV00, RV02, RV04), Cutterbee scissors, Basic Grey sanding kit

Under the Weather: Stamps - Papertrey Ink Scattered Showers Additions Ink - Vivid Raspberry Paper - Stampin' Up! Pink Pirouette, Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz Other - Stampin' Up! Two-Step Owl Punch, bandaids

VSN and Make It Monday

VSN is still going strong! One of the challenges is to make a card based on your first love, no, not your kindergarten crush, even before that. Whatever toy or lovey you carted around everywhere or what your kids are carting around now. Only problem is I don't recall having one special toy and my kids are equal opportunity carters at the moment. I've also been wanting to participate in the new PTI weekly challenge, Make It Monday. This week is to use double sided tape to make glitter strips. On top of that, I needed a birthday card for the twin girls down the street and they were having a bee themed party. Then I thought of the Fisher-Price bee pull toy that my mom gave me when I was pregnant with my first, which just happened to be the first toy she bought when she was pregnant with me. Everything clicked into place. :)

You can watch the great video Dawn McVey made showing how to make the glitter strips here.

I only have 1/8" scor-tape right now so I used red tacky tape. It worked the same, scor-tape is just a bit more user-friendly. My mom got me one of the Martha Stewart glitter sampler packs a few years ago and I love having tons of colors. The actual bee image is from the Unity Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety set. 'Happy' and 'day' are from PTI's Paper Tray set and the 'Bee' is from Honey Bee Sentiments. I feel weird using a non-PTI stamp for one of their challenges, but I don't have any of their bee images and I really do love this little guy. You can check out all the VSN challenges here and all the Make It Monday entries here. Thanks for looking!

Supplies: Stamps - Unity & Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety; Papertrey Honey Bee Sentiments, Paper Tray

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - Papertrey White, Hibiscus Burst

Other - Terrifically Tacky Tape; Martha Stewart Onyx Glitter, Yellow Barite Glitter; Papertrey Limitless Layers Die, Copics (Y11, Y15, Y17, BG000, C0), clear Spica pen; foam tape