Too busy

Hi stampers!  I'm not talking about my schedule....I'm talking about the card I have to share today:-)  I had good intentions when I started making it but I think it went astray and became too busy.  I don't always share my cards that don't turn out like I planned (purely to make you think I'm a stamping genius and everything I turn out is stunning, LOL!!!!!) but I don't dislike this one enough to hide it, ha!  There are parts of it I like but I think it is way too busy.  I think I had good ideas that would have turned out better separately.  What do you think?

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Kidness matters (SAB option), apothecary art
Paper:  Very vanilla, poppy parade, calypso coral, peach parfait smooth and textured, everyday enchantment DSP (SAB)
Ink:  Poppy parade, calypso coral, peach parfait, crumb cake
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, circle punch, crochet trim, basic pearls, dazzling details, everyday enchantment ribbon & brad pack (SAB)

So too busy?  My idea was to use a lot of SAB offerings including the kindness matters set which is a set out of the regular catalog that you can get for FREE!!!  SAB is going on through the end of March so there is still time to earn a FREE product for every $50 spent!  Anyway, enough of my sales pitch, ha!  I just love those butterflies though!  And that DSP pattern but I'm not sure how well I like the other elements.  Oh well...better luck next time right?

Happy stamping!

HSS 107

Hi stampers!  Happy Tuesday!  It's time for a new challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  Join us this week for a BANNER BASH!!!

This week is all about banners!  Personally, I LOVE banners and they are sure popular right now!  And I LOVE our pennant punch, it makes banner making so simple! I'd been working on some scrapbook pages using MDS in the past few weeks and came up with this fun page!

Stampin' Supplies:
My Digital Studio

Aside from taking some time to line up all the banners and letters it really came together quick and I love that we have two banner punches in MDS!

Now, head on over to the HSS challenge site and check out what else the DT came up with and play along in our banner bash!

Happy stamping!

Mailable Monday - More cake

Hi stampers!  Time to start another week with another edition of mailable Monday.  In my quest to make more birthday cards it is of course just that, a birthday card.  I've been using the same basic sketch a lot lately so this may look familiar:-)  I have been wanting to use the cupcake print pattern from the sweet shop DSP so I combined it with the cupcake punch!  I just LOVE how our products, even those in suites, coordinate to well with other products!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Create a cupcake, petite pairs
Paper:  Whisper white, soft suede, pool party, calypso coral, sweet shop DSP
Ink:  Soft suede, pool party, calypso coral
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, circle punch, smooch illuminate accent ink

I based my color combo off of the DSP and normally I'd be afraid to use a brown on this card but it goes well with the DSP and I think it looks like chocolate!!!!!  I didn't have any cake at my birthday party last night so now I think I want some cake...chocolate cake:-)  This card will have to do I guess.  It's hard to see in the photo but I did cover the cupcake with smooch accent ink so it's kind of shimmery!

And just a note about my "mailable" cards as I've had a few comments and questions on them.  I KNOW that I can mail some of my more embellished cards by backing them with a scrap piece of cardstock or taking them to the PO to see if they fit through the template BUT I don't always have time to mess with that, especially going to the PO so I like to have some cards that I know I can pop in an envie and mail off from home without worry of them coming back to me or being damaged.  Plus, our PO seems to be rather strict about any cards with lumps or bumps and always wants to charge me extra postage.  I even had one lady scratch through the envelope trying to find out what the "bump" was one time...it was just something popped up on dimensionals:(  So, these are all cards that can be mailed without a second thought.  I even do mail some of my heavily embellished cards using our padded envies but only when I have time to go to the PO. 

Happy stamping!

Belated

Hi stampers!  Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes yesterday!  Your comments always brighten my day but they were extra sweet yesterday!  I also had a ton of good wishes on Facebook...I really need to get better at reading the little thing on the side that says when birthdays are...I realized I rarely look at it. 

Anyway I had a wonderful birthday!  We had a healthy dinner at home since I'm saving up for my party Saturday night (lol) and then got some McDonald's ice cream!  A cone has only 150 calories, did you know that?  It's a favorite treat and I knew I wouldn't have to twist my hubby's arm very hard to take me;-)

And I got a Kindle Fire!!!!  It was funny because I guess my hubs had the idea since Christmas but he kept bugging me for ideas.  He was hoping I'd tell him little things as to "set the bar" low and then he could blow me away with the Kindle BUT....about a week ago when he was bugging me for ideas I happened to think of the idea myself, lol!  He was "mad" that I kind of ruined his idea....well....he should have quit bugging me for ideas, HA!!!!  Anyway, I LOVE to read so I'm very excited but nervous since I'll probably buy a ton of books now, hahahaha!  Gotta remember to save money for stamps!!!!

But as I mentioned yesterday, I realized I was sorely lacking in birthday cards....at least ones made with recent stamp sets.  So, I set to work and came up with this card which uses the sketch challenge over at Create with Connie & Mary this week:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  You're my type
Paper:  Very vanilla, daffodil delight, soft suede, poppy parade textured, attic boutique DSP, first edition DSP
Ink:  Soft suede, basic gray, poppy parade
Accessories:  Triple heart punch, decorative label punch, basic pearls, poppy parade ribbon

I did flip the side I put the ribbon on but otherwise it's pretty true to the sketch.  I based my colors off of the antique boutique DSP as I wanted it to be bright but still be kind of vintage.  I love the combo of daffodil and poppy!  And of course the first edition DSP was MADE for this stamp set!I probably should have saved this for mailable Monday but I wanted to share it before that!  It does have one small pearl but those little ones go through the mail pretty good:-)  Now, I need to make a bunch more birthday cards.....

Happy stamping!

Hey hey, it's my birthday!

Hi stampers!  So today is my birthday:-)  Someone on facebook wished me happy birthday and asked if I was going to spend all day making myself birthday cards!  LOL!  I think that sounds like a FABULOUS birthday to me!  Sadly, I have to work today but maybe I'll stamp tonight.  My birthday didn't seem to bother me too much last year...I could say I was 30....NOW, I'm IN my 30's....not liking that so much, hahaha!  That "s" on the end is freaking me out a bit, hahahaha! 

Anyway, I SHOULD have a birthday card to share today but I don't!  I realized I have not made a birthday card since I don't know when!  So, birthday cards are on the to do list for sure!  I do have a thank you card that I whipped up yesterday though.

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Apothecary art, elementary elegance (SAB), fabulous phrases
Paper:  Very vanilla, lucky limeade, pool party, calypso coral, everyday enchantment DSP (SAB)
Ink:  Crumb cake, basic gray, lucky limeade, pool party, calypso coral. staz-on
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, adorning accents edgelits and embossing folders, polka dots embossing folder, itty bitty punch pack, basic pearls

I just love this pattern out of the SAB paper!  It's very vintage wall paper-ey to me!  I did lots of sponging on this card to fit with the vintage theme and I also stamped the birds after stamping each one off on scratch paper to get a softer effect.

Anyway, maybe I'll be back with some birthday cards soon:-) 

Happy stamping!

Back at 'em

Hi stampers!  I'm back....sort of...I hope...lol!  I've got my stamp studio up and running even if it does still need some work.  Still lots of organizing and cleaning to do as well as buying some more storage solutions but I can effectively stamp/create in here now!  I need to decorate as well but that's fun stuff!!!!

I should have a little more time this week to stamp too!  And my mojo seems to slowly be finding it's way back to me, hooray!   Let's hope it stays put and I end up having more time!!!!

When I first glanced at this color challenge from the Colour Q I wasn't sure I liked it.  But, when I came back later I found that I really DID like it and it was just what I needed to kick start the creativity!  I kinda want that quilt!!!!

So I dusted off my dusty durango (since it's named dusty that means I don't have to dust it right, lol) and went to work!  I was able to make this card yesterday afternoon after lunch with a dear friend from college and before work...which is saying something for my mojo....I haven't been able to get much done lately, especially in a time crunch!

 Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Raining flowers, It's your day
Paper:  Whisper white, basic gray, baja breeze, lucky limeade
Ink:  Basic gray, baja breeze, lucky limeade, dusty durango (retired)
Accessories:  Everyday enchantment ribbon & brad pack (SAB), lucky limeade ruffled ribbon, dusty durango polka dot ribbon (retired), triple blossom punch, labels collection framelits

I really like the soft blue and gray with the pop and brightness of the orange and green!  I wasn't sure I was going to love this card in the making but it turned out great in the end!  And I used raining flowers again...maybe I was trying to make up for last week when I missed the deadline, lol!

Happy stamping!

HSS 106

Hi stampers!  Happy Tuesday!  It's time for another challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  This week it's another technique I hadn't tried before....color blocking!

This card is special for another reason too...it's the very FIRST card I made in my new studio!  I haven't had much time to stamp in it yet between working a lot and going to see my mom this past weekend. Hopefully I can get all caught up this week!  I have to say I wasn't thrilled with the technique or my card as I was working on it BUT it ended up turning out SO CUTE!  I love when that happens:-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Send me soaring
Paper:  Whisper white, pool party, lucky limeade
Ink:  Pool party, lucky limeade, calypso coral
Accessories:  Adorning accents edgelits dies & embossing folders, labels collection framelits, organdy ribbon (SAB), pool party ruffled ribbon

It turned out so cute!  I was kind of at a loss of what stamp set to use for the color blocking and then it hit me!  I think the kites look totally awesome this way!  And all I did for the blocks of color was use my smallest clear block!  I did make sure not to ink it up too good because I wanted the color much lighter than the kite image I was going to stamp over it.  I will be doing this again for sure!

Now, go check out what the rest of the DT came up with and then play along and do some color blocking!

Happy stamping!