Thanks for the lift...

Hello (again) Blogger friends!

As promised, I'm popping in with creation #2 of 3 produced on a very productive Saturday!

If you'd like to go in order, check out the first card.

For this card, I tried something that I usually feel not-so-sure about...Masking.

Most of my attempts at this beautiful technique usually come out leaving a LOT to be desired..lol.

This card, on the other hand, quickly stole my heart.

So ignoring the tad bit of ink bleeding, this card has become one of my favorites!

This was my first time using my Papertrey Ink "Up, Up & Away" stamps and die. 

Boy, oh boy, how I love it!

I masked the sky area using neon pink post its, which ended up being a not-so-great idea because it bled a little. I colored the blue with a Copic marker and stamped a couple clouds from the set.

I didn't really care for the clean edges of the clouds, so I tapped a Q-tip in my ink and softened them and created a couple of them free hand. I used the same stamp and soften technique on the sun.

I heat embossed and used colored pencils to create the hot air balloons. A sentiment from the set and a sprinkling of tiny rhinestones completed the card.

Do you love it as much as I do?

(I really hope so...)

This creation is a submission for 2 challenges:

CAS(E) this Sketch #5

&

The Play Date Cafe #157
 (Yes, I know there's no blue in this scheme...but I couldn't help myself! Hope I still qualify)




Thanks so much for stopping by!
Please take a moment and join me...I love making new friends :o)

Pretty in purple...

Hello Blogger friends!

OMG...I'm so excited to see the number of people joining me is going up!

(That means there'll be more people to play along when I start my challenge blog...yay!)

Thank you, thank you, thank you! 

Anyhow, I'm here today with the first of three (yes 3) cards that I created today for a couple different challenges...

Here it is :o)

This creation was inspired by the layout from my last creation. 

I ended up loving the simple layout so much that I wanted to use it again (and again in the future, I'm sure).

This is a submission for 2 challenges:

The Play Date Cafe #157

&

CAS-ual Friday #78 (Using torn paper)



Here's closer view:

Despite looking a bit on the 'retro' side, I really like how it came out. However, I still have that sinking feeling that something's missing. If you see it, tell me what it is...I sometimes struggle with know when a card is really finished...I'm sure you know what I mean.

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Please take a moment to comment and let me know if you feel like it's missing something and let me know how you deal with that 'I-don't-quite-think-it's-finished' feeling.

P.S. Join me if you haven't already...I'll be releasing details on my upcoming challenge blog very soon!

(I'll also me looking for a couple of members for the design team)

Have a great day :o)

Thinking of you...

Hello Blogger friends!

I just wanted to pop in with a quick submission for this weeks CASology challenge.

I must say that I LOVE the one word cues that they give you, they instantly light my creative fire...

As you can see, this weeks cue was ORANGE.

Here's what I came up with...

I love that this card was created with a stamp that only cost me $1! 

A closer look at the coloring and detail.


Unfortunately, you can't see from the photos that the medallion has shimmer from my trusty gel pen and the orange mat is also shimmery. (sigh)


I really hope you've enjoyed today's card!

Please take a moment to comment and join me...
Have a wonderful day :o)

Getting Krafty...

Hello Blogger friends!

I've popped in this morning after a late night of card making to share one of my 'Krafty' creations.

Having been inspired by a number of talented paper crafters, I armed my stash with kraft card stock in the very beginning of my card making journey. I have to admit though, I wasn't really a huge fan of it. Being an admirer of the clean and simple style, I couldn't really find the charm in creating on what reminded me of paper grocery bags!

Despite my distaste for the kraft variety, I used it because everybody else did  it's always on trend.

Then one day, I saw this beautiful card created by Jennifer Mcguire and my love affair of kraft began...

Skip ahead to yesterday, when CAS-ual Fridays presented us with this Kraft On challenge!

Create a clean & simple project using Kraft

Challenge accepted!

I'm so, so, so happy with the way it turned out!

Loving the slight sparkle from the gel pens :o)


Okey Dokey, that's it for now.
I have another krafty creation that still needs to be photographed, so look out for Getting Krafty II.


Thanks so much for stopping by and please take a moment to comment and join!
Have a wonderful day!


P.S. I read EVERY SINGLE COMMENT and APPRECIATE them ALL! Thanks for the wonderful words, they mean so very much to me <3

Happy Day...

Hello Blogger friends!

I'm back today with another CAS(E) This Sketch entry. I'm really loving the clean and simple sketches that they offer, and this sketch did not disappoint! 

So many things ran through my mind when I saw it, but I had to resist overwhelming my creative senses. I'm sure that I'll create a few entries for this sketch because it really melted my butter (thanks for that one Truvy*)

Here's what I came up with:

As I dissected the sketch, I couldn't get the idea of a creative fold out of my head, so I went with it!

(I'm not sure if you can tell from the photo, but it's an asymmetric trifold card that opens from the top.)

Here's a close up of the juiciest part:

I really, really, really love how this card came out!

I'm so excited to dive back into my stash of goodies and create something else from this awesome sketch. 

If you haven't already, go check the super talents over at CAS(E) This Sketch! I know you'll enjoy it.

Please take a moment to leave a comment and join me! 

P.S. I'll be starting a challenge blog soon...the only way you can stay up-to-date is to add your lovely face to the list to the right  --->>>

*P.P.S. That's Truvy played by Dolly Parton from one of my absolute favorite movies: Steel Magnolias

The holidays are on their way...

Hello Blogger Friends!

It's been a looong time since my last post. I know. Please forgive me.

I've been working really hard at trying to get my affairs in order with my new life her in the big apple, and as a result, my crafting (and blogging) has suffered. 

Despite not actually DOING a craft projects, I've been keeping up and drooling over  admiring my favorite blog challenges. 

In my internet hopping, I've come across and joined a brand new challenge blog called CAS(E) this Sketch. It's a cool clean & simple card sketch challenge which is right up my alley. I missed the 1st sketch, but I just had to make time to play along with the 2nd one:

As soon as I saw it, I had a MILLION ideas! 

(Don't you hate/love when that happens?)

In addition to this sketch, I decided to play along with yesterdays challenge over at 365 Cards.

The challenge was to use 3 items, colors, images, etc. that started with the letter "B". Fun right?!?

Here's my creation:

The inspiration from the sketch is obvious, and the 3 "B's" I used are:

Blue (navy), Bling, and Bakers twine. 

For good measure, I added Bows and a Background stamp :o)

Ok friends, that all for now. Thanks so much for coming by and checking me out. 

Please take a moment to leave a comment and follow me...I'll be starting my own challenge blog very soon and it would be great to have participants. 

I'm also looking for a couple people to be a part of the design team. 

Leave a comment if you're interested.

So very grateful...

Hello Blogger friends.

It's funny how things work sometimes...

Last night, I created this card for the CAS-ual Friday 70 Challenge. 

The theme this week was to create a black & white card with one color. 

After much brainstorming, I came up with this design using a floral type swirl stamp and my newest Papertrey Ink stamp/die combo.

While browsing through the blogs I follow, I came across another challenge that it may work for too

CASology: Week #11 White.

I'm not 100% sure if the bits of black and green would disqualify it for a white challenge, but it's worth a try right? This is my first time playing over on this blog, but I liked it so much I started following it!

Once I'd finished photographing it and getting it to look halfway presentable, I began wondering who I would send this beauty to...

I immediately decided that I wanted to send it to my former boss/good friend/second mother, Kathy.

There really wasn't anything specific that I was thanking her for, it was just for being who she is in my life...

Then, my doorbell rang.

There was the mailman with an unexpected package...

Who was it from? 

KATHY!

Crazy right?!? It was just a few items that I'd left behind in the move, and a quick catch-up letter, but it was the timing that was so awesome...

It's just like Kathy to send me a little piece of the place I miss so dearly, at the very moment that I needed it. 

Now there's a tangible reason for this thank you card.

I can't wait for her response when she gets it!

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day.