One More Valentine's Day Card

I know I've made a zillion, but I couldn't resist making another Valentine's Day card.  I've only got one Valentine, but I can't stop making cards.  So I'm either going to overwhelm my valentine and leave a zillion cards in places where he will accidentally stumble upon them, or I can give some away to people who would love a nice hand-made valentine to give to their someone special.  I've already got one taker.

For this card I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge layout.  I'm continuing to use my Sending Love dp (as part of my new year's resolution to actually use the dp that I buy!  So far, so good).  I just love this one.  Some of it (quite a bit, in fact) is glittered which really makes it extra cool.  The one featured here is nice soft pretty in pink with some whisper white outlines that look like they have been jazzed up with dazzling diamonds.  The effect is very pretty in real life. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

More Valentine Treats

After some early morning bird watching in FRIGID weather today, I decided that I needed to spend some quality time in my stamp room (if only to thaw out).  As I know everyone is well aware, Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I haven't finished making treat boxes to send to my niece who is away at school.  She and one of her roommates really love the things I make for them and that just makes me want to make MORE!

As I made each one, I couldn't decide if I really liked it so I kept trying new things.  Now that I see them all together, I can't help thinking:  "how cute!"  I think Steph and Meghan are really going to like these.  Especially once I fill them with chocolate!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MOJO123 Birthday

A round card?  Me?  Who'd have thought?  When I saw the MOJO sketch challenge this week I could hardly believe it.  We were given the choice of doing a round card or a square card.  I decided to go somewhat out of my comfort zone and do a round card.  I think it turned out pretty cool.  I saw this card from Mike Funke and was struck by the cool color scheme.  I decided to use the same dp, but I chose sahara sand instead of basic gray. 

The funny thing about this card is that despite the fact that I only used one button (I made some fake "buttons" with my circle punches and a basic black marker), the card kept being weighted down by the button every time I tried to take a picture of it.  (It rolled to the side)  I tried tilting my camera to get a straight shot, but all I got was dizzy.  So I had to resort to using a clear block to hold it in position.  I'm trying to pretend that it's a prop to sort of set the stage.  In real life, this card is quite cute (if I may say so myself).  Sometimes doing something out of the ordinary is just what the doctor ordered!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Two Challenges in One!

I'm not sure, but this may be the first (or at the least one of the first) times I've combined challenges.  Plus I don't very often do a Color Throwdown challenge.  I don't usually do color challenges, but this week the colors seemed pretty easy to put together so I decided to give it a go.  I'm not exactly sure this qualifies, because the challenge is supposed to be primarily the chosen colors with the neutral as a subtle added color and I seem to have gone in the opposite direction for this card.  Oh well.  I tried.  I also used the Splitcoast sketch challenge #264 for the layout.  And one more thing I tried:  layering the same color.  I'm not sure it shows in the photo, but the card base is Very Vanilla and my first layer is also Very Vanilla.  For a bit of contrast, I scored the layer all the way around at about 1/4 inch.  I think it came out ok.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Pink & Brown Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge

I've always loved pink and brown together and I love the Sending Love dp so I decided to throw it all together for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.  For this card I managed to use a whole bunch of new things I've been anxious to try:  a pretty in pink corduroy button, the big flower punch, and this super cute dp.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Napkin Inspiration

I was browsing through TJ Maxx the other day and came across some Valentine's Day party supplies.  One of the napkins struck me as kind of cool so I decided to turn it into a card.  Here's what I came up with.

The colors are different for a Valentine's Day card, but I like it all the same.  It was ridiculously easy to put together and I think it makes a dramatic card to give to your sweetie.  And since the base of the card is Basic Black, I had to do something for the inside so that it couldn't be written on without a gel pen.

Thanks for stopping by and I hop you have time to stamp today!

Thinking of You

I love this sketch.  Being Tuesday, early in the morning I head over to Mercy's blog to check out what awesome sketch she has in store for us this week.  Then for the rest of the day I contemplate what I'm going to do with it (when I'm at work and supposed to be working really hard).  I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with it at first, but then I spotted my stash of Bella Bleu dp and all of a sudden inspiration hit.  It all went together pretty easily.  My only deviation from the sketch was to add the extra ribbon layer - mostly because I've been hoarding the Not Quite Navy ribbon from the Elementary ribbon set and I figured now was the time to use it.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today.

MOJO122 Birthday

Today I had the day off from work and I had grand plans to spend it in my stamp room.  Alas, this did not happen.  I slept much later than I normally do, then I spent some time blog surfing (or blurfing as it is sometimes known) and before I knew it, it was time to go to the grocery store or go hungry for the night.  It was almost 5:00 before I had a chance to get up there, but I was pretty productive once I got there.  I made this card for the new MOJO sketch challenge (oh, how I look forward to Monday!).  And as a bonus, I made a card for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and a Valentine treat box.  Not bad, I say to myself.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Hugs & Kisses

I think I'm doing alright keeping up with the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenges.  I'm afraid to look back, but I think I've managed to do the last two (oh my!).  The funny thing here is that the stamp set I used for this card (Polka Dots & Petals) is in my eBay pile.  I chose the dp first, then I figured I needed some round stamps to finish it and these fit the bill.  So out of the eBay pile temporarily!  And another thing, I almost didn't buy the Sweet Pea designer paper that I used for this card.  Some people who read this blog may recall that I have a problem using dp once I've bought it (it's too pretty to cut!) and I figured the responsibility attached to such a large dp collection would be too much for me to handle.  But I'm weak, and I caved, and I bought it.  It's awfully pretty and I'm trying (really) to use it. 

Valentine Treat Box Redux

I really was not happy with that treat box I made the other day.  So I decided to go back to the drawing board.  Actually, I went back to my local craft store to buy a certain emobossing folder which does a much better job of making a faux alligator look than me and the squiggly lines I make with my bone folder.  I also decided to use Pixie Pink which I think is a much better color choice.  The Pretty in Pink was a little too wimpy for this box.  I like this one so much better!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Follow Your Heart

I used the Splitcoast sketch challenge #263 for the layout of this card.  It's such a nice simple layout and it all went together so smoothly.  I really like how it turned out, but I think that the credit really goes to the Sending Love paper.  The texture of it is what really makes this card special. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Flight of the Butterflies

I first saw this scrunchy, crinkly flower over at It's a Stamp Thing and immediately thought "how cool is that?"  Vicki very kindly gave the link to the tutorial, so I bookmarked it and vowed to try it out one day.  I kind of forgot about it then I saw it again on Mercy's blog yesterday and I was inspired to give it a go.   It's really quite easy to do, but the downside is that there is no way this card is getting into an envelope!  Even still, it would be fun to give it along side a gift just as it is - no mailing required.  I used the PPA25 inspiration challenge for the color scheme and the MOJO121 sketch challenge for my layout and after I put it all together I realized that I didn't use any stamps! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Valentine Treat Box

I saw these wonderful Valentine's boxes on Becky Robert's blog and was inspired to try my own.  I think I need to go back to the drawing board.  I've been trying to use up some old SU! supplies and I think I've been over-zealous to the point of sacrificing "art" for "I'm trying to use up some old SU! supplies."  I'm fairly certain that if I gave this to someone they would be very appreciative of all my hard work, but I know the truth.  I think I'll keep trying and my next Valentine treat will be better.

All that being said, thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today.

Sweet Sunday, Sweet Pea

Another Sunday, another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.  I broke out my new Sweet Pea felt flowers and DP.  I really love it.  The colors are right up my alley.  And the felt flowers are just the cutest things. 

I managed to escape to my stamp room after helping to stain THE BED.  I really needed the break and my head was getting all stuffed up from the stain fumes.   Stamping is like the miracle drug.  It makes all your aches and pains go away.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Valentine, Here I Come

I'm not ashamed to admit that this isn't the first card I made for the Pal Paper Arts Challenge.  Instead of all those cute hearts I had one big one and it looked awful.  So I prayed to the glue-dot gods to let me take it off and lo-and-behold they let me!  I replaced it with a big one covered in chunky glitter and a bunch of smaller ones and I like it much better.  And may I just say that this satin ribbon is absolutely FABULOUS.  I love that is now available in a multitude of colors.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Donna's Fabulous Scallop Box

The fabulous Donna made this awesome scallop box and offers the tutorial here.  The dimensions are easily adaptable to whatever you need it for and it's so darn cute!  I decided to make my box using Ginger Blossom paper and and some Groovy Guava (also retired).  There's no point in having this old retired stuff hanging around is there?  Not to mention I love the colors just as much now as I did "then."

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC55 For You

Although mentally I am in a Valentine's Day mode, I've decided to break out of that mode to use a color combo that I think is just fabulous.  When SU! first came out with Basic Gray, I could hardly stop using it.  It's still a favorite.  And when you pair it with Kiwi Kiss -  ooh la la.  Delish!  For this card I decided to use the fabulous Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.  Now that I'm looking at this card, I think it could quite easily qualify as a masculine {gasp} card!  For me, those are few and far between.  What about you?

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MOJO120 Love You Much

As I not so patiently await the arrival of my new Valentine's Day appropriate stamping supplies (reds, pinks, whites, hearts etc.etc.) I have decided to use some of my old retired colors.  Baja Breeze was (is) one of my favorites.  I think blue may be my favorite color and all the shades it comes in only make it better.  Especially the soft shades like Baja Breeze.  Anyway, I made this card for the MOJO120 sketch challenge.  I don't know about you, but I can't wait for Monday morning to see what the new challenge is.  Nothing like a little MOJO inspiration to get my creative juices flowing.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

This Might Be a Valentine

It's been a long time since I've done a
Splitcoast sketch challenge in the week the challenge was actually issued.  I feel like I've been challenge deprived, so I decided to give it a go.  I checked out the gallery of all the other cards and I was really struck by the black and white ones.  Somehow they seem to really pop out at me.  I thought I 'd use my Night & Day designer series paper and also added a little pink pirouette to give it a little splash of color.

Although this doesn't scream "valentine's day," I think it would make a really nice one for someone special.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a chance to stamp today!

Ginger Blossom Gift Set

I've been trying to keep my New Year's resolution to use my designer series paper. So, I've spent this weekend using my Ginger Blossom paper.  I scoured Splitcoast Stampers for ideas and some of what I have made is shown below.  Last year, I made a gift basket and donated it to a local group that raises money for the school system.  They will be having their annual gala this spring so I decided to make another basket and I wanted to make it in plenty of time so that I wasn't stressing about meeting a deadline.  This was a snowy weekend in Bridgewater so I had plenty of time to stay indoors and stamp.

The card holder was made using this tutorial.  The gift card holder is made using this tutorial, and the matchbox was inpsired by the uber talented Mary Fish.  Sadly, I still have some Ginger Blossom left, so I expect I'll be making some more things!

Thanks for stopping by, and have I hope you have a chance to stamp today!

I'm Blue Today

I've been trying to use up designer series paper.  I love to buy it, but I have a problem using it.  I hope I'm not alone in this affliction.  I have long had a fascination with paper:  I love the way it feels, I love the way it smells, and I love the way it looks.  So, for all those reasons, I buy it, but then I just want to look at it rather than use it.  And I know on some level that this is wrong.  I shouldn't be afraid to use it.  So another of my new year's resolutions is to use the paper.  Embrace the paper!  Don't be afraid of the paper!  Love the paper!  Anyway, I made this card using Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.  And I didn't even flinch when I cut the paper!!

Just a Note Please

I think my new favorite card size is 4 1/4 by 4 1/4.  I don't know what it is, but this size is just so darn cute.  For this card, I have used the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.  Karen does the cutest sketches and although I don't do them every week, one of my new year's resolutions is to try to.  Another thing I really like about this card is the black background.  No matter what a card looks like, a black background gives it a really dramatic look and feel.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Happy stamping!

MOJO78

MOJO78?  Am I kidding?  No!!  I absolutely love sketch challenges.  They are what I do and I am constantly searching for new ones.  Plus I think sketches are a great way to start a card.  So, I have bookmarked the Splitcoast sketch challenge gallery and I refer to it often if I need a little card inspiration.  And every month I print out the sketch gallery for the previous month over at MOJO and I keep them all in a binder.  That way if I need inspiration, I know just where to start. 

I recently got the Two Tags Sizzix die and wanted to try it out.  So as I was searching past MOJO sketches I came across one that was perfect.  And this is what I came up with.  The colors are gorgeous and lately I've been using quite a bit of Sahara Sand, which seems to look great with everything.  Thanks for stopping by!