Elements of Style for The Friday Mashup and Fab Friday

This card is for this week's challenge on The Friday Mashup (a color combo or a fruit image) and the challenge on Fab Friday ( a sketch challenge).

As I was writing this post, popping back a forth to check on the details posted on each blog, I realized that I didn't use the same colors listed on The Friday Mashup.  Oh well... I do love Cherry Cobbler more than Real Red.  That'll teach me to pay closer attention to detail.

I added a small saffron colored rhinestone to each of the apples, popped them up, and added the sentiment from Elements of Style.

Thanks for looking! 

Big Announcement!

Whoot-Whoot!

As you many know if you've checked out my blog, I have entered a few calls to be a member of various design teams.  I haven't had any luck yet... UNTIL NOW...

I am honored to announce that I have been chosen to be a design team member for a BRAND NEW CHALLENGE BLOG!  Some of my favorite designers have created this fun new card challenge for Christmas cards.  Every other week they'll be announcing a new sketch or color challenge for your Christmas card.  I am so psyched.

Will you go check them out?  You can play along (which would be awesome!) or just show us some love.  Either would be greatly appreciated!

Let the fun begin!

Perfectly You and Freshly Made Sketches

 I have had the Perfectly You set for a while and haven't added any ink to it.

All that changed today.

I created this card for the sketch over on Freshly Made Sketches.

I started with a Very Vanilla base.  Next is a layer of coordinations in Cherry Cobbler.  I embossed it with an ornament embossing folder.  Then I sanded  it a bit to really bring out the image.

Next I have a Gumball Green strip, which is also embossed with a Merry Christmas embossing folder.  I sponged that piece with Early Espresso, again to bring out the words.

Then I used the "Merry Christmas to you" banner from the Perfectly You set.  I stamped it on Very Vanilla with Early Espresso ink and colored it with my cherry and gumball markers.  Then I used my Hears A Flutter Framelits to cut it out.

Here's a close up of the panel and the sentiment.

Don't you just love it?!?

Thanks for looking!

Another Hand-Penned Holidays and Perfectly Preserved Card

 This card was born from two challenges.  The sketch is from the challenge this week on Freshly Made Sketches.  The theme of the card is from The Friday Mashup (the challenge is to use fall/harvest food theme or paper piecing or both).

This challenge just screams for Perfectly Preserved, so I used the apple and stem (my apple is More Mustard and the stem is Pear Pizzazz).

My base is Crumb Cake.  Very Vanilla is the base of the sentiment on top a layer of Early Espresso.  There is a banner of Soft Suede DSP.  

When the card was done, I just felt that it was missing something.  I decided to add a small, pear colored rhinestone to the apple.  I love how it turned out!  Super cute!

Thanks for looking!  

Hand-Penned Holidays and Perfectly Preserved for the Mashup

 Third times a charm!  I finally made one for The Friday Mashup's weekly challenge that is not a Halloween card!

I've moved on to the next major holiday, Thanksgiving!

This week, the ladies on The Friday Mashup have brought us the challenge to create a fall/harvest food theme or use the paper piecing technique or mash-it-up and do both.

Colors used: River Rock, Early Espresso, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede

Sets used: Hand-Penned Holidays, Perfectly Preserved

Other: Cannery Framelets, Stampin' Dimensionals, Spice Cake DSP (retired)

Thanks for looking!

Delightful Dozen and The Friday Mashup

I created this card for this week's challenge on The Friday Mashup.  This week, the ladies on TFM had a Fall/Harvest Food theme.  Or we could use the paper piecing technique.  Or we could mash-it-up and do both.

I'm not sure why, but each card I started to create for this challenge has become a Halloween card.  (I am determined to make one for this challenge that is not a Halloween card.)

I created this pumpkin using three small ovals of an old DSP.  I inked the edges of the ovals up using pumpkin pie.  I used tips from the star punch for eyes and free-hand cut a mouth out.  I have a sliver of Soft Suede for the stump on the pumpkin.  I used strips of the same DSP set as banners behind the Basic Black, chevron embossed Label.

Oh, that little jack-o-lantern is sooooo cute!  Love him! I did make two of this, as I usually do (to keep a large stock of cards) but as I was attaching the completed white layer to the More Mustard base, I must have had some ink on my finger because I have a smear of ink (and a bit of my fingerprint) on the front, bottom, left side, opposite the sentiment.  URG!  Does this every happen to anyone else?  What do you do?

Thanks for looking!

Using Gift Givers for The Friday Mahsup and Pals Paper Art

 These are the two cards that I created in an answer for the weekly challenges this week on The Friday Mashup and Pals Paper Arts.  

The Friday Mashup's challenge was to use a Fall/Harvest Food Theme or paper piecing, or to mash-it-up and do both.  (Although I have to admit that every time I see "Paper Piecing" I think it says "Paper Piercing."  Luckily, I caught my mistake in time, not that some piercing wouldn't make this even cuter!)



The challenge on Pals Paper Art was this sketch:

So I pulled out some old Halloween DSP (long retired).
I liked both sides of the DSP, so I made one card with one side, the other card with the other side.  That's what I love about the double sided paper!










Here's a close up of the paper piecing. There are three pumpkins that were stamped on Pumpkin Pie DSP and then cut out and pieced on.  The two pumpkins with the faces are colored using a blender pen and Pumpkin Pie ink.

Thanks for looking!  

A CASE for The Friday Mashup

 This is a card I created for The Friday Mashup this week.  Their challenge was to create a thinking of you or condolence card, or donate your card to a charity or organization of your choice, or mash-it-up and do both.

This card is a total CASE.  I changed very little, but I love the elegant simplicity of this card.

I chose to use Naturals White.  The base is natural.  There's a layer of natural that's embossed.  The next layer is also natural with a natural stem of leaves.  That layer is popped up using stampin' dimentionals.

I used "With Sympathy" from Loving Thoughts.  I stamped that in Early Espresso and added three little espresso pearls.

Seriously?  How sweet is this card?

Thanks for looking!

Three Times the Fun with Mosaic Madness

 I am always so impressed with the people who make one card and it fulfills 10 different challenges.  This card does meet three different challenges (yeah, me!)

This meets the challenges on Pals Paper Arts (a color challenge of Baked Brown Sugar, Calypso Coral, and Very Vanilla), Sunday Stamps (a sketch challenge), and The Friday Mashup (to create a thinking of you or condolence card and donate it to a charity or organization of your choice).

I seriously LOVE these colors together.  Very fall.

I used Mosaic Madness to create this card.  The sentiment is from Best Dad Ever.  I added baby pearls to each of the pieces as you can see in this close-up.

I am pretty pleased with myself!  :)

Thanks for looking!

Name Frames!

 One of my favorite things to make is name frames.  I've been creating framed art for a while now, and I have lots of experience creating name frames.  I ask for the name, room colors/themes, favorite things, a target price for the frame, and then the freedom to create a unique piece of personalized art.

Here are three frames that I have recently created for a very good customer.  She has purchased name frames for most of the children in her life: her grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and the kids of her friends.

If you are interested in commissioning me to create some name frame art for you, you can email me and I'd be happy to help you.  

For these boy frames, she told me the names, the ages, and the fact that the boys are brothers with a John Deere, farm life general interest.

These were a $35-$40 price range.

For this frame, she gave me the name and asked for a owl/woodland friends theme in pinks, browns, and greens.  The price range was the same on this one.

Often the price depends on the quality of the frame and the amount of work required.  All three of these frames have punch art with lots of little, bitty pieces that are put together to create the animals or tractors.

These frames make a great gift for a child.

Please let me know how I can help you!

Dreaming of The Friday Mashup

 This Friday, I checked out the challenge over on The Friday Mashup, as I often do.  This week, Heidi has given us a really awesome challenge: to create a thinking of you or condolence card, to donate the card to a charity or organization of your choice, or to mash-it-up and do both.

I didn't get a chance to create on Friday, but I did dream about making this card.  I know it's hard to believe, but I seriously figured this card out in my sleep.
I dreamed of using Midnight Muse and the new stylish stripes folder.  I dreamed of using three of the banners, embossed, from the new thinlits circle card that were placed vertically with the middle banner popped and not in line with the bottom two banners.  Also, I dreamed that the sentiment should be along the bottom.

My dream did not tell me what color to use at the base so my conscious self chose Natural Ivory.  The banners are also in natural. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

As I often do, I made two with slight changes.  On the second card, I changed the embossing folder for the banners (to the wood grain), and I decided to sponge those banners up a bit using Crumb Cake.

This is not my most exciting card ever, but I decided to stick with my "dream card."  I will be using these for my card ministry, Caring Cards, where I send three cards a week to people the church offices identify to me as people in need of a little extra love in the mail.

Remember people, follow your dreams!

Thanks for looking!

Fifth, and Final, for The Friday Mashup- Flower Shop

 This is my fifth, and final set, for this week's Friday Mashup.  The challenge this week was to use washi tape, or create a quick 3 x 3 card set, or mash-it-up and do both.  I don't have washi tape, so I just make a quick 3 x 3 note card set.  And let me tell you, this one was quick!

I kept up with my theme of using retired DSP (well, I'm not just going to throw it away!)

This set starts with a base of Real Red.  Then there is a  layer of Regal Rose, and that's topped with a layer of dotted DSP.  Finally, I used Flower Shop, red and rose ink, and my blender pen to create this lovely flowers.

The flowers are finished off with a layer of Crystal Effects and dazzling diamonds glitter.  That was the longest part of this quick set... waiting for the Crystal Effects to dry.

I love the simple beauty of these cards!

Thanks for looking!

The Friday Mashup, Fourth Entry... This Week

This week on The Friday Mashup the challenge is to use washi tape, create a quick 3 x 3 card set, or mash-it-up and do both.  I don't do washi tape so I have been going crazy with these 3 x 3 sets.

My goal was to use up as much of my old DSP as possible.  I don't have the name of this old set of DSP, but I remember that when I first saw it, I loved these circles.

This was a QUICK set.  Tempting Turquoise base, white layer, layer of DSP.  Next a turquoise pansy.  Then a stamped turquoise flower with a bright and shiny turquoise brad in the center.  The pansy is popped up.

A simple little note card.


Well, four of them actually.  :)

They'll make a sweet little gift I think.
Thanks for looking.

Can you say motivated?

 I have to thank the ladies over on The Friday Mashup for their inspiration this week!  This is my third set of 3 x 3 cards for their weekly challenge.  I don't have any washi tape, so guess, once again, I am just doing one part of the challenge.  That's okay, right?

All I can say is that I am in LOVE with this Too Kind set on this recycled dictionary paper.  I mean, I am seriously L.O.V.I.N.G. this look!  I made bigger cards a few weeks ago like this, and that is when I believe that I fell in love.  We are talking head-over-heals love.  

This mini card set is probably my favorite.

There's no other way to say it.  I adore it!

I used Primrose Petals as a base.  I could have used newsprint DSP, but this old dictionary fell in my lap (not literally, but I was in the right place at the right time to snag it and use it for my art).

The flowers are stamped in Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, and Gumball Green.  I used Primrose ink to sponge the edges of the sentiment.  The sentiment itself is stamped in Raspberry Ripple on Very Vanilla. Do you see the difference in the 4 cards?

Thanks for looking!

Groovin' with The Friday Mashup

 This is the second set of cards that I made using the challenge on The Friday Mashup.  Their challenge was to use washi tape, to make a quick 3 x 3 set of cards, or to mash-it-up and do both.
I don't own washi tape (gasp!) but I was truly inspired by the 3 x 3 set challenge.

I am also in a "clean-it-out-and-use-it-up" kind of mood.  I have tons of great DSP that is retired (but still beautiful and loved) So I decided to use some on this set of cards.

This was a SAB DSP.  I used a Sahara Sand base.  I have a layer of DSP on each.  I added a thin white ribbon, and one of my newest stamps (the name of which I am too lazy to go down to the studio to figure out).

They are simple, but I know they will help make someone's day.  And they are super versatile.  They can be for a bad day, a birthday, for whatever.  I love a card that can do that!

Thanks for looking!
(Set two if you are counting...)

The Friday Mashup Inspiration

 This week on The Friday Mashup the lovely ladies have given us the challenge to use washi tape, or to make a quick set of 3 x 3 cards, or mash-it-up and do both.

[Psss.... lean in.... I have a secret.... are you listening?  I don't own any washi tape... in fact, I don't really "get" it.  I mean, I've seen it.  I've used it a class my upline held, and the card we made was very cute.  But I just can't envision using it regularly.  It's just not my thing... not that there's anything wrong with it.  It's just not for me.]

 Needless to say, I have found incredible inspiration in making quick 3 x 3 cards.  This is the first set of MANY that I've made for this challenge.  I'll post them later this week.

For this set, I used a retired DSP (I didn't write the name of this one down on the folder...sorry).

I used Very Vanilla as a base.  I used a layer of DSP, a different one on each card.  I have a layer of vanilla stamped with the Happy Birthday bomb.  It was stamped in Early Espresso and put on top a layer of Baja Breeze, a retired color (how sad am I that color is retired?  I have lots of it, and I'm not afraid to use it!)  I also rounded all the corners.

Inside each card, I stamped the sentiment "You don't look a day over however many years you are willing to admit."

I think that these little cards are perfect for the birthdays of co-workers.  I am also going to make envelopes once I get my not-yet-ordered envelope maker.

Thanks for looking (and stay tuned for more great sets)!

Paw Print Punch Art

 A colleague of mine recently (and suddenly) had to face the death of a family member... his dog.

I am certainly a dog person, and the thought of suddenly losing one of my sweet babies turns me into a puddle of tears.

I had the day off today, and I wanted to make a special card for him.  I was looking at some punch art on Pinterest (how much do I love Pinterest?)  I saw someone who had made a congratulations card for a new dog.

I will make a congrats card when my BFF gets her new dog, but for now, I need a condolence card, and I think this is perfect.  I recently made 4 other condolence cards for friends who had recently lost their 4 legged babies (yes... 4!  Can you believe it?), and this card is just perfect for the occasion.

Inside the sentiment reads, "for the loss of your beloved pet."

If you are in the market for cards like this, send me an email.  I can meet your needs!

Thanks for looking!

For Merry Monday: Warmth and Wonder

 I cannot even begin to tell you how in love I am these cards!  I made them in response to this week's challenge on Merry Monday's Christmas Card challenge.

First of all, this sketch was from a week ago from Pals Paper Art.  I ran out of time to do that challenge, but I really liked the basic sketch, so I wasn't going to throw it away just because I couldn't enter the challenge!  So, in a way, this is a two-fer on my part, too!  

So... Merry Monday's Christmas Card challenge is to use red, green, and Crumb Cake and ribbon, twine, or burlap.  For this card, I used Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, and Crumb Cake.  I also used Season of Style, my most favorite new DSP.

I also used Warmth & Wonder, my newest Christmas set, which also happens to be a hostess set in the Holiday catalog.

Finally, I also used two more pieces that have been laying in wait on my counter, just wanting, begging really, to be used: an embossed oval and frame.  I made extras for a project I did a LONG. Time. Ago.  And they've just been waiting, being patient, knowing that one day, I would find the perfect spot for them.

I am confident that I did (and cleaned two more pieces off the counter... that's three different things cleaned off in case you're counting).

Thanks for looking!

Express Yourself with Dynamic Duo

If you are counting (and I know I am) this is my second card this week for Dynamic Duos.  I think I am kind of into the "you choose the second color" thing.  DD's color challenge this week was to use Perfect Plum and you got to choose the second color.  As you can see, I picked So Saffron.  I used two neutrals, Whisper White and Smoky Slate.  I also used the sentiment from Express Yourself along the bottom in Smoky Slate.

I have had these three white stamp punches with the butterfly also punched out of them sitting on my counter for... months, really.  Maybe even longer.  I finally used them!  I love that!  Cleaning house!  It's the second thing from my counter that I constructively used this weekend.  Couldn't every weekend be a three day-er?  PLEASE?!?  I would accomplish so, so much!

Thanks for looking!

The Truly Grateful Paper Player/Freshly Made Sketches Challenge

 Whoot-whoo!  Another two-fer!  I love those.

I combined this week's challenges from The Paper Player and Freshly Made Sketches and came up with these two babies.  Both different, both sweet.

I used a base of Crumb Cake.  Then I used Very Vanilla and stamped the wood grain stamp from Truly Grateful in Early Espresso.  I definitely had to use my stamp-a-ma-jig for this one!

For my banners, I used some old Spice Cake DSP and burlap ribbon.

Then the differences kick in.  On one I have the wheat stalk from Truly Grateful on top of some circles of vanilla and mustard.  The wheat was stamped in espresso and colored in mustard using the blender pen. I also used that blender pen to add some mustard color to the wood grain.

On this one, I added some mustard and Soft Suede leaves.  Plus, I added a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Thanks for looking!

Joyful Christmas for Merry Mondays

I had about an hour left to get this posted To the Merry Mondays Challenge when I started this card.  I don't know if I'll make it! I decided to turn the card because I had two of these big (5 x 7) natural colored cards (with matching envelopes), and when I saw this challenge, I knew I wanted to use the poinsettia from the Joyful Christmas set.  I also knew I wanted to emboss the flower (and I know it's hard to tell, but there are two layers on this flower. The smaller set of leaves in the middle is separately stamped, embossed, cut out and popped up).  I used my gold gel pen on the berries in the flower, my gold ink pad for the sentiment, and skinny strips of gold paper on the left.  On the inside of the card is the longer sentiment from the set.

Simple but cute... now.... did I make it in time?

Thanks for looking!

Truly Grateful (for the idea!)

I wasn't really sure what to do with my new set, Truly Grateful. In fact, I was thinking, "Why did I get this set?"  It's cool, but I was stumped.  So... I looked around online and tried to find out how other people used it.

I am fairly sure that I copied this from someone on Pinterest (thank you, Pinterest!)

I have a base of Crumb Cake that is embossed with the wood grain.  I used the wood grain stamp on Very Vanilla in Crumb Cake.  I stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso, and there is a layer of Early Espresso under the vanilla.  I added a little green button with linen thread knotted in that.  Finally, I added a banner of burlap ribbon under the whole panel (another product I love but wasn't sure how to use.)

All in all, I do really love how it turned out.  And, I am truly grateful today for all I've been blessed with.  I am one lucky girl.

Thanks for looking!  

Dynamic Friday Challenge Perfect Blend

 As you may remember from other blog postings, I love combining challenges.  This one is a combination between the challenge on Dynamic Duo and on The Friday Mashup.  Dynamic Duos challenge was to use Perfect Plum and any other color choice.  I chose to use Elegant Eggplant (and my neutrals are Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake... and there's a bit of Very Vanilla in there, too).

On The Friday Mashup, there was an ABC 123 challenge.  To add elements that start with the letters A, B, and C (you know, like Cup of Coffee) or use 1 embellishment (ribbon), 2 stamp sets (Perfect Blend and Six-Sided Sampler), and 3 colors (Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, and Chocolate Chip (and Crumb Cake... ooops... that's 4 colors... really 5 if you have to count the Very Vanilla lid).

So, I've been saving my empty tubes of toilet paper and paper towels to make these cute little holders.  If you cut down a long paper towel tube, you can make a sweet gift card holder.  The shorter toilet paper tubes would make great small gift or candy holders.  Can you say recycle?

I started with a large piece of Elegant Eggplant and crumpled it up and really broke down the fibers in the paper.  Then I embossed a strip of Perfect Plum.  Next I stamped the coffee cup from Perfect Blend in Chocolate Chip on Crumb Cake and cut that out.  I stamped the sleeve again on Perfect Plum and then stamped "thanks much" in eggplant on it.  I cut that out and attached.  Next the lid was stamped on vanilla and cut out.  I had to add a little flower (in eggplant) and then added a little pearl (ooops... a second embellishment?)

Here you can see an empty toilet paper tube folded the way that I folded down each side.

So cute!

Thanks for looking!