MASCULINE BIRTHDAY CARD - AHOY

HEY BLOGGIES,

I forgot to post this birthday card I made for one of my son-in-laws for his birthday this week.

 I love how this card came out.  So cute with the nautical theme and so pretty with the blue and white colors. I used Open Sea stamp set.

 I used blue and white bakers twine around this little panel of the anchor, and even glued the twine on the rope part from the stamp and had it coming out the hole where the rope came out.  I really like this part a lot, very personalized, I think.

On each side of the anchor panel are two very large rivets/brads that I hammered into the card.  But I left the middle part from the background paper so it looks like a port hole on a ship.

I stamped Happy Birthday inside the card, but sorry that I forgot to get a photo of that part.  The "Oh Hello" is stamped on the decorative label punch and slipped under the layer so only a portion of it shows.

Thanks for stopping by.  This idea could be a great Father's Day card as well with the new GOING GLOBAL Occasions stamp set.

THE OPEN SEA - CARD #3 - AHOY MATIES!!

Hope you are enjoying my cards this week from THE OPEN SEA stamp set.  I certainly am enjoying making them.  I don't make masculine cards very often because they just don't seem "fun".  But I have to admit this stamp set IS FUN to use and to make these cards!!

Today I have a card made with SOFT SUEDE AND RIVER ROCK for you:

 Ahoy Maties, isn't she a beauty?  I saw a similar card to this on the web but it did not have a name with it.

I used the edge tool to rough up and rip the edges of the card stock.  Then I used my bone folder to stress the corners until the layers separated.  I think it gives it the feel of old documents like perhaps a treasure map?  LOVE IT.

I put brads at the corners of the ship image, which I used my aqua painter and added a bit of water coloring on it.  I also put a brad in the center of the compass and painted the spindle a bit with my aqua painter and some ink.

The background behind the ship layer is made from stamped images on river rock.  LOVE that distressed look, don't you?

One last look at the complete card.  The first layer on top of the card base is some retired DSP, but you could easily make a layer yourself with the stamps included in this set.  The manifest stamp works really well as background.

Here is the index of all the stamps in the set, which is only $18.95 in the clear.

If I can help you with any supplies, please click my signature below which will take you to my Stampin' Up! store.

Stay Creative, My Friends!!

PAPER PLAYERS CHALLENGE

Well, it is amazing to me, but I actually am participating EARLY in some challenges today!!  I usually have great INTENTIONS of participating and either don't get to it in time, or come in under the wire!! ( I am SURE that never happens to you, right?!)

The PAPER PLAYERS CHALLENGE for this week is SEWING.  Something to do with sewing.  That's pretty broad and easy, right?

Here is what I came up with:

 A spool of thread, buttons and scissors.  How much more SEWING can you get, huh?  I free handed the spool shaped card and then embossed at the top and bottom so it would look like wood.  I traced my little snips and cut those out of card stock and attached with an antique brad.

I LOVED this stamp set when it came out and it was gone way too fast for me!! I put some bakers twine on my spool, which is almost empty because THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS TO ME WHEN I AM SEWING!!  And added fun designer brads on the button card to look like buttons.

Hope you enjoyed my interpretation of the PAPER PLAYERS CHALLENGE this week.  Won't you leave me a comment?

LITTLE TREAT PURSE

I HAVE THE CUTEST FOLDED TREAT PURSE TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.  I GOT THIS FROM MY FELLOW TEXAN DEMO ERIN AT HAND STAMPED STYLE.  THANKS ERIN!!

 AREN'T THESE PRECIOUS??!!  I MADE THEM FOR SOME SPECIAL FRIENDS.

 THIS BLUE ONE WAS MADE WITH HAND MADE PAPER.  I USED THE ISLAND INDIGO CS FOR HANDLES AND THE PRINTED BRAD IN ISLAND INDIGO.  THE PRINTED PEACH PARFAIT BRADS HOLD THE HANDLE IN PLACE.

 HERE IS THE CUTE PEACH PARFAIT PURSE WITH SOME DSP AND THE ISLAND INDIGO PRINTED BRADS.  THE FLOWER ON THE CLASP IS MADE WITH THE LARGEST FLOWER ON THE BOHO BLOSSOM PUNCH, WET AND CRUMPLED AND GLUED TOGETHER WITH A PEACH PARFAIT PRINTED BRAD.

 HERE IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE MIDDLE.  THE PURSE ITSELF IS ONE PIECE OF 6 X 6 CARD STOCK OR DSP, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER.  THE SCORING AND FOLDING MAKES THE BOTTOM POCKET TO HOLD THE NUGGETS OR TREATS OF YOUR CHOICE.

SIDE VIEW OPEN SO YOU CAN GET A BETTER VIEW OF WHAT THE FOLDED POCKET LOOKS LIKE.

THANKS FOR LOOKING,.  IF YOU WANT THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS PURSE, GO VISIT ERIN AT HER BLOG AND SIGN UP FOR HER NEWSLETTER. (PLEASE TELL HER I SENT YOU,OK?)  I DON'T FEEL IT WOULD BE CORRECT TO PASS IT ON TO YOU SINCE IT IS ERIN'S PATTERN.

GET CREATIVE AND HAVE FUN!!
p.s. Check out this CUTE and CREATIVE blog of  ANGELA and possibly win a prize of a $50 gift card to Michaels!!  She has a goal of reaching 75 followers! Tell her I sent you please.  :-)

SEW, WE MAKE MORE CARDS...

AS YOU SAW THIS PAST WEEK, I WAS GOING TO TOWN ON MY SEWING MACHINE WITH SOME QUILTS FOR SICK KIDS IN THE HOSPITAL.  I LOVE TO QUILT AND SEW, AND THE ADDED BONUS OF DOING IT FOR CHARITY SURE MAKES IT EVEN MORE FUN TO DO.

IN KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF SEWING, I THOUGHT I WOULD CASE A CARD I SAW WHEN I WAS BLURFING (BLOG-SURFING).  THIS SEW SUITE STAMP SET WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SETS AND I WILL NEVER GET RID OF IT.  I FEEL CERTAIN SOME MORE IN THIS SEWING THEME WILL BE COMING BACK AND PROBABLY VERY SIMILAR TO THIS SET.

THE CARD BASE IS CRUMB CAKE THAT HAS BEEN HAND CUT TO LOOK LIKE A SPOOL.  IT IS THE REGULAR 4 1/4 BY 5 1/2 SIZE, BUT FOLDING FROM THE TOP AND CUTTING THE LONGWAYS FROM THE FULL PIECE OF CARD STOCK.  I USED AN EMBOSSING FOLDER ON THE ENDS TO TRY TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WOOD, AND SPONGED SOME SOFT SUEDE OVER THE EMBOSSING AND ALONG THE EDGES.

THE SCISSORS ARE MADE WITH GUMBALL GREEN AND BASIC GRAY CARD STOCK.  I USED AN ANTIQUE BRAD TO HOLD THE TWO SIDES OF THE SCISSORS TOGETHER.

AREN'T THESE LITTLE "BUTTONS" SO CUTE ON THIS CARD?  HERE THE BUTTONS CARD IS STAMPED ON VERY VANILLA WITH EARLY ESPRESSO INK. I USED THE IN-COLOR DESIGNER BRADS TO LOOK LIKE THE BUTTONS, IN ISLAND INDIGO, POOL PARTY, CALYPSO CORAL AND LUCKY LIMEADE.

THE LITTLE LABELS STAMP SAYS "FOR YOU" AND I DIE CUT IT WITH THE BIGGER LABEL FRAMELITS DIE AND MY BIG SHOT.  I HAVE IT RIPPLE-WAVE UP A BIT AND USED MINI GLUE DOTS ON EACH END.  OH YES, I PUT SOME BAKERS TWINE AROUND THE SPOOL AND TIED IT WITH A KNOT.

THANKS TO HEATHER CSERNI FOR THIS CLEVER IDEA ON HER BLOG.  YOU ROCK HEATHER!!

ANOTHER VIEW OF THIS FUN SEWING THEMED CARD I MADE.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME OF YOUR CARDS IN THE SEWING THEME.  CAN YOU SHARE THEM WITH ME PLEASE?

HERE'S TO INKY FINGERS Y'ALL.  GET CRAFTY AND HAVE FUN!!

I HAVE BLOG CANDY WINNERS!!

I used Random.org to find out who wins the blog candy from our blog hop this past week.

The first winner is CHRISTINA W.  She wins the packet of designer papers, buttons, brads and ribbons.

Our grand prize winner is CARRIE K.  She wins the same as above PLUS a Stampin' Up! stamp set.

Congrats to these ladies and thanks again to EVERYONE who visited my blog and left such wonderful comments.

I had so much fun with our first blog.  We are going to do another one in the beginning of October, so don't miss it!!

Inky fingers y'all!!

TWO CHALLENGES, TWO CARDS - FRIDAY MASHUP #20 AND STAMPING ROYALTY #59

HERE IS MY FIRST CARD FROM THE CUTE SUMMER SUITE STAMP SET FOR THE FRIDAY MASHUP CHALLENGE (http://fridaymashup.com/).  I HAD SO HOPED FOR THIS SET TO BE IN THIS CURRENT CATALOG.  MAYBE IT WILL BE IN NEXT YEARS?  ANYWAYS, I USED BUTTONS IN TANGERINE TANGO, MELON MAMBO AND DAFFODIL DELIGHT ON THE BUTTON CARD THAT WAS STAMPED FROM THE SET.  I MADE A TAPE MEASURER WITH YELLOW CARD STOCK AND THE STAMP, AND BROKE DOWN THE FIBERS SO I COULD MAKE IT BE UP AND DOWN ALONG THE CARD BY USING GLUE DOTS UNDERNEATH CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE TAPE.  I PUT A REAL NEEDLE IN THE SPOOL OF THREAD.

I USED TANGERINE TANGO CARD STOCK AND PRINTED PAPER FOR THE CARD ITSELF.  YELLOW SCALLOP OVAL BEHIND THE STAMPED SPOOL.  MELON MAMBE BEHIND THE BUTTON CARD. 

I LOVE BUTTONS!! 

MY STAMPING ROYALTY CHALLENGE (http://stampinroyalty.blogspot.com/) ENTRY IS THE FOLLOWING CARD:

I USED CAJUN CRAZE LAYER ON THE BASE.  ON THE I USED AN UNUSUAL TEXTURED WALL PAPER SAMPLE THAT SEEMS LIKE IT IS BAMBOO OR STRAW.  I LIKED THE TEXTURE AND THE COLORS MATCHED MY CARD.  I STAMPED MY ONE LARGE IMAGE USING MY MARKERS TO COLOR IT WITH OLD OLIVE, GARDEN GREEN, DAFFODIL DELIGHT, AND CAJUN CRAZE.  I LIKE HOW THE DIFFERENT COLORS ALL WENT SO WELL TOGETHER AND GAVE IT A MUCH MORE DECORATIVE FEEL.  I USED 3 BRADS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAMPED IMAGE IN THE ORANGE, GREEN AND YELLOW COLOR.

I FINISHED IT OFF WITH TWO RIBBONS TIED INTO A KNOT AND GLUED ONTO THE WALL PAPER SAMPLE ON THE LEFT.

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING.

Please leave a comment.  I love to hear from YOU.

DEMO GROUP CARD SWAP LAST NIGHT

We had so much fun at our demo group card swap last night.  It was at Carolyn's home and she had the cutest card for us to make.  Have I mentioned before that I LOVE all the wonderful embossing folders for my BIG SHOT??   Well I do and Carolyn used the Framed Tulips embossing folder for the front of this beautiful card, along with the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set and some yummy satin ribbon.  Early espresso and crumb cake are some of my favorites for a clean and simple look.  Wonderful!!

Rhonda made this next card in fun bright poppy parade.  She used the Strength and Hope stamp set, DSP, and some little pearls.  She also used the poppy parade polyester ribbon to match.  She fussy cut the butterfly out and popped it up so it's wings could flap.  I love how she put the butterfly on the white circle and had it slightly askew off the page.  Great Job Rhonda.

This next card is mine.  I used the Season of Friendship set for my card, stamped on Sahara Sand.  The card base is crumb cake (see I told you it is one of my all time favorites).  I stamped each leaf image three times to get the different gradation of the leaf colors for some depth.  And for a fun touch, I heat embossed the tummy of each bird with tangerine tango.  The sentiment is from the same set and I finished it off with our bakers twine in chocolate chip.  What do you think?  I would love to hear your comments please.  I enjoy hearing from you.

This next card is so cute and bright.  I believe it is Susan's card.  She used her Fun Flowers die for the Big shot to make the bright flower, added glitter inside the center button of the flower, and used brads to hold her sentiment on the card.  She used a border punch for the green dsp and Pacific Point striped ribbon down the center ties it all together.  I love this paper and am still hoarding some of it from this year's Sale-a-bration.  Really cute card Susan!!

Pat used her new Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch for these flowers.  Such a bargain to get three different punches in one!  The leaves are stamped and then fussy cut individually and she added a border punch at the top.  Brads were used as the centers of the flowers.  Bright and fun.  Who wouldn't love to get this card in the mail?

The last card here is Dee's card.  The two tone blues are so pretty together, aren't they?  She used a delicate DSP for her background and some layered punches for the flowers which have brads in the center.  Her Baja Breeze striped ribbon.  That is what is so wonderful about SU papers, inks and ribbons, as well as accessories - they all match perfectly.  I LOVE IT.



Sorry about the shadow on my photos at the bottom.  It is not my finger in the way, there is something inside the camera blocking my lens.  I can't get it out so will have to take it to a camera shop to see what I can do.

As always, I am just an email or phone call away.  I would be happy to help you in all your crafting projects, won't you drop me a line?  You can order anytime from your home, on line at my stampin up website.

Have a great day and inky fingers y'all!!

I'M BACK - DID YOU MISS ME??

HI Y'ALL, I am back from a mini vacation to go get some grandkids lovin'.  My daughter and family live in Utah and I don't get to see them enough.  So every chance I get, I JUMP ON IT.  It was so fun to spend time with them.  They are growing waaaay too fast.  9 and 11.

We even got some crafting time in at the end.  and GUESS WHAT??  My 11 yr old granddaughter taught me how to make jewelry!!  She is so talented and amazing.  I made some cute necklaces and some earrings (well, my daughter made the earrings for me - it was a bit harder and I wanted to watch how she twisted the wire).  Another thing to add to my list of FUN THINGS TO DO.  I can't wait to get to the store and get some more stones and beads and make MORE JEWELRY.  I will show you a few photos next time, ok?

This posting I wanted to share a scrapbooking workshop I held just a day or so before I left on my grands vacation. ha, get it? grands vs grand?  I know, kind of lame...

We made 6 x 6 flip and fold albums with the designer paper of their choice.  It was so fun to see their books come together and then they started having ideas about decorating them, etc.

Here they are working so diligently on their albums.  Each of their albums showed their own personality and special touch.  It was awesome.

 For the front of the album, we used my BIG SHOT and designer paper that matches their album to create a FUN FLOWER.  After cutting it out with the FUN FLOWER DIE, we crinkled and crumbled all the pieces up.  (Very hard for some of them!)  Then carefully unfolded them and using my mat pack and the "pokey tool" we put a hole in the middle of all layers to attach them together with a BRAD.

Here is one flower attached to the front of an album.  Cute, huh?

 My FAVORITE NEW DESIGNER PAPER is MOCHA MORNING.  It is very elegant and several sheets have velvety embossing.  LOVE IT.

One little SMARTIE ( I won't mention any names GRIN) figured out how to make all the pages inside to be the same pattern.  then as you open them up, they are again in matching different patterns.  I WAS VERY IMPRESSED!!

They PROMISED to show them to me once all the photos are attached.  I can't wait to see how cute they are all filled with memories.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A FLIP AND FOLD ALBUM with some yummy designer paper and card stock?  Email me and I can get a kit ready for you and mail it out.

Here is one of the albums nearly completed.  It is an album for a little one "LITTLE WONDER" is the stamp on the front.  Isn't it darling??!!  GREAT JOB EVERYONE.

SCRAPBOOKING WORKSHOP THIS PAST WEEKEND

HEY Y'ALL

I HAD A SCRAPBOOKING WORKSHOP THIS PAST WEEKEND AND WE HAD 12 ATTENDEES.  IT WAS SO FUN AND EVERYONE HAD A BLAST.

I HAD CREATED 4 DIFFERENT PAGES FOR THEM FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE.  I USED  THE SIMPLY SCRAPPIN' KIT CALLED PRIMARY COLORS.  HERE ARE THE PAGES I CREATED FOR THEM.  THEY ARE 6 X 6 INCH PAGES:

THE COLORS OF THE PAGES ARE REAL RED, BLISS BLUE, MORE MUSTARD AND WILD WASABI.  THE PHOTOS WILL GO SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE WITH A CS FRAMING THAT WILL MATCH.  HERE THEY ARE UP CLOSE SO YOU CAN SEE THE DETAIL:

WE TORE THE DSP DOUBLE SIDED PAPER INCLUDED IN THE KIT TO ADD AFTER WE STAMPED THE BACKGROUND FLOWERS WITH BLISS BLUE.  ONE OF THE SELF ADHESIVE LABELS WAS ALSO STAMPED WITH BLISS BLUE LARGER FLOWERS TO COORDINATE.  THE THREE DOTS ARE FROM THE KIT AND ONE HAS A BRIGHTS BRAD IN THE MIDDLE.

THE REAL RED PAGE WAS STAMPED WITH THE LARGE BACKGROUND MEDALLION STAMP WITH PACIFIC POINT INK.  A MORE MUSTARD FLOWER BRAD WAS ADDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEDALLION STAMP. MORE TORN DSP IN TWO PATTERNS FINISH THIS PAGE.

THIS MORE MUSTARD PAGE IS MY FAVORITE PAGE AND A LITTLE MORE TIME INTENSIVE.  FIRST WE STAMPED WITH SUNNY FUN ACROSS A 6" PIECE OF CONFETTI WHITE CARD STOCK.  THEN WITH AN AQUA MARKER AND THE INKS WE WATER COLORED THE PICTURE OF THESE LITTLE CUTIES IN THEIR TUBES IN THE WATER.  SO CUTE. RANDOM BACKGROUND STAMP SAYS "FUN IN THE SUN" FROM THE SAME SET, THEN SELF ADHESIVE CIRCLES TO LOOK LIKE BUBBLES IN THE WATER, AND PHOTO CORNERS FROM THE KIT.

THIS GREEN PAGE IS THE LAST ONE AND THE MOST STAMPED.  WE STAMPED OLD OLIVE AND WILD WASABI LEAVES ON THE 6" CONFETTI WHITE STRIP, AND THEN THE HYDRANGEA FLOWER ON THE ENTIRE BACKGROUND OF THE PAGE.  THEN MORE MUSTARD INK SMALL BUTTERFLIES HERE AND THERE.  WE EMPHASIZED AREAS OF THE FLOWER WITH AN OLD OLIVE MARKER TO MAKE THEM STAND OUT.  WE SPONGED THE EDGES OF THE WHITE STRIP WITH WILD WASABI AND THE GREEN PAGE WITH MORE MUSTARD.  A SMALL BRAD ON TOP OF THE POLKA DOT FROM THE KIT COMPLETES THE PAGE

ALL PAGES HAVE COLORS EITHER IN INK OR THE DSP TO COORDINATE WITH ADDITIONAL PAGES.  THAT MAKES IT ALL FLOW AND COORDINATE SO WELL - THESE DESIGNER PAPERS FROM STAMPIN UP ALL COORDINATE AND ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.

I HAVE MORE PAPER AND CARD STOCK LEFT FROM THIS SIMPLY SCRAPPIN' KIT AND WILL FINISH MY SCRAPBOOK WITH THEM.

HAPPY SCRAPPING AND STAMPING TO Y'ALL.