OMG - I Won!

Thank you Craft Project Central! I am speechless. I can't believe I won a card challenge. So super excited, and so super proud! Wow...really, I am speechless.

I won a subscription to the project month of my choice. I chose October, so I will be taking full advantage of all those tutorials to make some really great projects. I think the Flirtatious Gift Packaging Ensemble was what sold me on this month. The Masculine Card Set also appealed to me as I have trouble doing masculine cards. Mine always turn out floral and girly.

I entered myself in this challenge to get more experience in card making, to challenge myself, and to see if I could really be creative enough - and yes, it seems so. I guess I will just have to submit another card for the February Challenge.

The card I won with is right here!

Thanks again CPC!

Triple Treat Flower

Without actually having any of the Sale-a-Bration products, I can still make a card using things I have on hand from the Sale-a-Bration catalogue. I used Pool Party cardstock, and I used Pacific Point cardstock, but I could have just as easily used Island Indigo from the in-colour pack.
I stamped with the Triple Treat Flower stamp (which I adore - especially the fact that each layer has a co-ordinating punch), and I used the Stripes Textured Embossing Folder.

Simple and sweet for my swap on Thursday!

Stamp Sets: Triple Treat Flower, Tiny Tags
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Whisper White, Pool Party
Ink: Pacific Point, Wils Wasabi
Punches: Fancy Flower Punch, 5 Petal Flower Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Jewellery Tag Punch
Big Shot: Stripes Textured Embossing Folder
Other: Bitty Buttons, Pool Party Seam Binding, Stampin Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Mini Glue Dots

Enjoy!

Mixed Bunch Simple Swap

A simple swap, and a hasty swap. I joined in with a swap celebrating the Occasions Mini and had to have this done by the end of December. I had to beg, borrow and steal product to make this happen. I asked my friend to let me have 2 sheets of any designer paper that she didn't want, one stamp set and some kind of embellishment - and this is what I ended up with. A little simpler than I would normally do, but nice and simple, and easy to follow for a workshop or class.



Thank goodness for great friends!

Stamp Set: Mixed Bunch
Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White
Designer Paper: Twitterpated
Ink: Baja Breeze
Punch: Blossom Punch
Big Shot: Scallop Square Duo Bigz Die
Other: Baja Breeze Pleated Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Basic Rhinestones

Enjoy!

Monday Makeover Challenge #11

Wow - the Monday Makeover Challenge, well, it took me a little while to figure out what to do for this one. I love the Valentine's insipration card, but for me the first thought was "busy" and "how does she pull that off"? The card is so wonderfully put together, if I even tried something like that it would end up in a jumbled mess and definitely not suitable for public viewing.
I figured my starting point should be the designer paper, and I picked Pocketful of Posies (SU). I had a brand new package and it needed to get some use.

Then I picked my colours to match (love the way SU makes it easy for things like that), and really, by following the layout of the inspiration cards, it just came together. You know, that's what I totally love about Stampin' Up - for someone like me who tries to be super creative, but in reality not quite there yet, they make it so easy. Everything matches - cardstocks,. inks, ribbon, designer papers. So easy. 
I didn't notice until afterwards but I like the way there are balloon images on the DSP and my sentiment is "uplifting" too. You would think I had planned it that way!

A little bling with glimmer brads added for a touch of luxe finishes off this card well. The brads are oversized, so in a busy card they won't get lost.

Stamp Set: Word Play
Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Rich Razzleberry
Ink: Early Espresso
Designer Paper: Pocketful of Posies
Punch: Corner Punch
Other: 3/8" Satin Ribbon Rich Razzleberry, Basics Glimmer Brads, Snail Adhesive, Paper Piercing Tool, Mat Pack

Enjoy!

Creating Pretty Cards #7

Since coming across the Mocha Morning Butterflies card, which I totally stole from Craft Project Central, I decided to take part in their monthly challenge of Creating Pretty Cards. But now, looking at my card, compared to the artists already submitted, I fear I am way out of my league.
Did you see their cards? So pretty and so very vintage. And such great use of paper, ribbon and embellishments. I don't know.....how do you become more vintage? Is it learned, or is it in your nature to begin with?
I admit, I am a fan of clean lines and not too fussy for me. I like sharp images. I am not cutesy. I'm a little girly and I like flowers and clear images. But every now and then, I see a vintage card and I fall in love. And I try, and then I fail, to recreate it.

As usual, I finished my inside. You can write a heartwarming message of any kind. I didn't add a sentiment to the front, you could use it for anything - thanks, birthday, thinking of you, get well soon, anything really.
So, I will submit it to CPC and watch for other amazing entries. And, maybe along the way, I will pick up a trick or two. I'm still learning this craft, and I am loving the learning.

Stamp Set: Button Buddies
Cardstock: Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Certainly Celery
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Definitely Daffodil, Pumpkin Pie
DSP: Beyond the Garden
Punch: 1-3/4" Scallop Circle Punch
Other: Pumpkin Pie 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Snail Adhesive, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

Enjoy!

PS - I am confused with this challenge - the header of the post on CPC says Week 3, but this is challenge #7. Oh, maybe it's week 3 OF challenge #7. Blonde moment.
PPS - I am also confused as to whether you can use retired SU products....I see some entries have done this. I will keep watch :)

Flower Fest

I jumped on this stamp set when it was first released - I think it was the Occasions Mini in 2011. I know, it's already a year old and I haven't used it once before today. I admit, I buy a lot of stamp sets, paper and embellishments dreaming of all the wonderful things I will create, then time ticks by and a year later I haven't opened them.
This stamp set is so pretty. When you stamp the images, it looks as if they have been almost hand drawn on the page. Very nice. I will have to dream up some other creations to use the rest of the stamps.
I used my Curly Label Punch with Whisper White card stock to create the pattern. Basically, I punched out a label, then trimmed off the ends and it this design you see, which I made into the lattice pattern.

Petite Pairs is another favourite of mine right now. I don't seem to own very many stamps for "inside" sentiments. I like the way you can match this up, or use completely different outsides and insides to say exactly what you want to say.

Stamp Sets: Flower Fest, Petite Pairs

Cardstock: Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Island Indigo, Whisper White

Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Island Indigo

Punches: 5 Petal Flower Punch, Large Oval Punch, Curly Label Punch

Other: Whisper White 3/8" Satin Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive

Enjoy!

Welcome!

Welcome stampers, to my new blog. My new blog dedicated exclusively to stamping, cards and sometimes other crafts - when I get the time to do anything else. I love stamping, I love beautiful paper and I love colour. I can't wait to continue to share that with you.

My other blog, Take Another Bite, is all about food, and somewhere along the way my card making snuck it's way in - so it ended up being a bit crowded and a bit mismatched. I will keep up the other blog too, as food is another of my passions. You can see some of my earlier creations there.

I am looking forward to sharing new ideas, new techniques and getting to know some new friends.I also look forward to continued learning about stamping and paper crafting.

I hope you enjoy following along. I will try to post at least three projects a week, with maybe some updates in between. You'll hear about my family - we are a busy family of six, a mom, a dad, a 3 year old and almost 1 year old twins. It makes six if you count our mini wiener dog, she really was our first baby - our little fur baby.

Crafting is "my time", so if it doesn't happen by itself, I guarantee, it will be scheduled in. There are some days I just need to get away and have some "me time".

Enjoy!