Color

Hello friends! Once again, it is raining buckets here in Minneapolis! I really don't mean to complain about the weather (every. single. day) but it's really getting old! Our soccer fields are mushy and sloppy and I've washed mud caked soccer uniforms on heavy duty so many times this week it's amazing all of the lettering hasn't fallen off in the wash!! So, my pictures are again dreary looking and I apologize.

I made this card with Reverse Confetti's Dream in Color set and colored the wording with my Spectrum Noir markers. The DP is from Echo Park's Scoot collection and the layout is this month's Sketch For You to Try (soooo glad it's back!)

Thanks for stopping by!

stamps: Dream in Color (Reverse Confetti)

ink: memento tuxedo black (Tsukineko)

paper: crumb cake (SU!); Scoot DP (Echo Park)

accessories: button (MM); aqua twine (Divine Twine); spiral punch (SU!); Spectrum Noir markers; aqua gems (Kaiser Craft); sewing machine

Wish Big

Hello my crafty friends! I actually have a card to share with you today (shocking I know). It's been such a busy start to 2012 and my crafty time has been severely affected! I've also been fighting a nasty cold that has me thinking more about naps than making cards. . . Anyways, my card today is for a 14 year-old boy. They are always the hardest for me to create but I think this one is pretty good (at least my son thought it was- maybe he just wanted to get out of my craft room after I called him down there so many times to consult on my project?) I used this month's Sketch for You to Try by Jen del Muro for my layout and some Out of the Blue DP by MME. It was hard not to add ribbon so I settled on some hemp twine instead :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

stamps: Word Play (SU!)

ink: Dusty Durango (SU!)

paper: very vanilla, dusty durango (SU!); Out of the Blue DP (MME)

accessories: star punch, glitter (SU!); dew drops (Robin's Nest); circle and rectangle nestabilities (Spellbinders); hemp twine (Michael's)

Three Chicks

Hello Friends! Aren't these little chicks just the cutest all stacked up? I just carefully stamped them one on top of the other and colored them with my Copic sketch markers.  I colored them pink to fit another Hope You Can Cling To challenge and then added some glitter for a little sparkle! I used a mega curved rectangle nestabilitie to cut out the main image and then sponged around the birds with some tumbled glass distress ink. My Dp is from the Victoria Gardens collection by Echo Park.  I used the October Sketch for You to Try for my layout.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

stamps: My Peeps (Paper SMooches)

ink: memento tuxedo black (Tsukineko); tumbled glass distress ink (Ranger)

paper: basic black, whisper white (SU!); Victoria Gardens DP (Echo Park)

accessories: mega curved rectangle nestabilities (Spellbinders); Copic sketch markers; glitter (SU!); stick pins (Dritz); black lace trim (May Arts); black rhinestones (Kaiser Craft)

Love Generously

If you haven't noticed- October is breast cancer awareness month! I have 3 aunts who have been diagnosed with this cancer (all are doing fabulously) so I am diligent with my self exams and mammograms. I love how this campaign has garnered so much attention. Those macho NFL football players wearing the pink gloves and cleats- awesome! Anyways, my favorite stamping inspiration spot, Splitcoaststampers, is joining in the fun for the second year in a row. All month long there are challenges posted to benefit the breast cancer patients and their families that are treated at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. To get you to play along there are even PRIZES!! You can find all of the challenges here in the Hope You Can Cling To challenge forum.

I picked the challenge from the 7th to get me started. The challenge is to use the colors green, brown and yellow. I used a new (to me) set from CTMH called Treasure Life and stamped my silhouette flowers in so saffron, certainly celery, crumb cake and early espresso. I layered it on some Lost & Found 2 Rosy DP by MME. The sentiment is also from the Treasure Life set. My layout is this month's Sketch For You To Try.

Thanks so much for stopping by and give the Hope You Can Cling To challenges a try!

stamps: Treasure Life (CTMH)

ink: so saffron, certainly celery, crumb cake, early espresso (SU!)

paper: crumb cake, early espresso, very vanilla (SU!); Lost & Found 2 Rosy DP (MME)

accessories: celery ribbon, tag punch (SU!); flat backed pearls (CTMH)

Puppy Birthday

My oldest son and my niece share a birth date. My son just turned 14 and my niece was 11! We didn't get to see her on her birthday so I made this card and sent it off for her. Isn't this puppy just adorable?! I love his little spots- he would be a fun one to paper piece I think! This time I took out my Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits and did some coloring. I haven't done it in so long (guess I've been hooked on those Copic markers!) and I really enjoyed it! My DP is all from the Happily Lost collection by Lily Bee and my layout is this month's Sketch for You to Try. I know my niece will love this- she's crazy for dogs- and there's a gift card to her favorite tween store tucked inside!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

stamps: Tail Wagger (Unity); Sentiment Sampler (Paper Smooches)

ink: memento rich cocoa (Tsukineko)

paper: very vanilla, chocolate chip; crumb cake (SU!); happily Lost DP (Lily Bee Designs)

accessories: circle nestabilities, scallop circle nestabilities (Spellbinders); corner rounder; hot pink rhinestones (Kaiser Craft)

Graduation

We attended a high school graduation party of a beautiful young lady yesterday whose family has been our neighbors and good friends for 10 years! Over the years we have gotten to know members of their extended family and some of their friends so it was a good time visiting with them as well. I volunteered to help keep the food going in the kitchen so the rest of the family could mingle with their guests and I think I got to visit just as much as they did (I mean who isn't drawn to the party food?!) It was a perfect day for a party!

This is the card I made for the graduate. I used a fun stamp by Mo Manning (that I bought from Stampingbella.com) called Bye Bye Girl. I thought it was just the right image for a graduation! I colored her with my Copic sketch markers and added some polar white Flower Soft to her coat's collar. The DP is all from MME's Lime Twist Out of the Blue collection. My layout is this month's Sketch For You To Try.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

stamps: Bye Bye Girl (Stampingbella)

ink: memento tuxedo black (Tsukineko)

paper: vintage cream (PTI); basic black (SU!); Out of the Blue DP (MME)

accessories: Copic sketch markers; circle and scallop circle nestabilities (Spellbinders); vanilla seam binding (SU!); black twine (Creative Impressions); button (Basic Grey); polar white flower soft (Flower Soft)