Thanks So Much

Hey there! It's my first week back at school, and boy, am I tired! I came home last night and crashed HARD. Feeling just as exhausted today, but darn it, I am trying to keep up some kind of regularity on the ol' blog, so here I am.

I thought I'd share a quick card I made for this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge: Thank You. I wanted the focus to be on the sentiment, so I stamped it using two different fonts. Then I colored the "thanks" with a white gel pen to make it pop. I finished it off with a few snowflakes, since I'll be using it as a Christmas thank you. Flat = easy to mail!

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Chit Chat (Paper Smooches)
Paper: PTI white & kraft
Ink: Adirondack Espresso
Accessories: All Over the Page Punch: Snowflakes (Martha Stewart), white gel pen

Happy New Year!

Hey there! Hope you had a fabulous Christmas! I've been enjoying some down time with my hubby & the rest of my family, but I've also been itching to get crafty.

Today I'm playing along with TWO challenges--the ladies at CAS-ual Fridays have teamed up with 10 Minute Craft Dash for a holiday themed challenge. Fun, right?
 
This was an easy combo for me, since my CAS cards rarely take more than 10 minutes (this one took 8). And, since Christmas has come & gone, I decided to make a New Year's card!

I knew I wanted to play with some of my new American Crafts glittered ribbon, so I started there, added a sentiment, & threw in some rhinestones for good measure. New Year's cards MUST sparkle, right?

Happy New Year! Here's to a crafty 2013!

Stamps: Signature Greetings (PTI)
Paper: Bashful Blue (SU), PTI white
Ink: Brilliant Blue (SU)
Accessories: American Crafts ribbon, Kaisercraft rhinestones, dimensionals

Desires of Your Heart

Happy Saturday! Mine is especially happy after the Cardinals pulled off that AMAZING comeback last night! Woot! Woot! for October baseball! 

Today's card is for this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge--use a heart on your CAS creation. I was in a sparkly mood, so I used some American Crafts aqua glittered cardstock & some of their red glittered ribbon. I am in LOVE with AC glittered ribbon--really can't get enough of this stuff! I finished it off with a "hearty" sentiment.

Hope you love it as much as I do!

Stamps: Signature Series: Dress Form Mini (PTI)

Paper: Aqua Mist, Kraft (Papertrey Ink), Aqua Glitter (American Crafts)

Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black

Accessories: American Crafts ribbon, PTI dies

Amazing Women

Hey there! Hope you're enjoying the three-day weekend! I'm grading research papers today...you know you're jealous.

Here's another card I managed to squeak out on World Card Making Day. This one's for the current CAS-ual Fridays challenge--For the Girls. In honor of breast cancer awareness month, most of the entries were done up in pink, so I decided to join in on the trend, too.

I made this for a very special friend of mine who does a lot of great things for ALL her friends, including me! Being a little cryptic here, as she might see this post before she gets it in the mail! *wink*

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Hey Y'all (Hero Arts/Studio Calico), Chit Chat (Paper Smooches)
Paper: Raspberry Fizz & white (PTI), My Mind's Eye pp
Ink: Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Adirondack Espresso
Accessories: PTI ribbon, Kaisercraft rhinestones

Hey There, Chickadee

Happy Monday! I've been busy putting together projects for pub calls...it's been over a year since I've even tried, so I figured it was time...BUT, I did find time to whip up a quick card for this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge--use two circles in your design.

I went with this cute little birdie from one of my all-time fave PTI sets, Everyday Button Bits. I had to throw in some twine, too, since The Twinery is this week's sponsor.

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits (PTI)

Paper: Lavender Lace, Green Galore (SU), white (PTI)

Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black, Lavender Lace (SU)

Accessories: lilac twine (The Twinery), button (PTI), Polka Dot Basics II Impression Plate (PTI), Nestabilities circles

Think Pink

Happy hump day! Hope your week is going smoothly. Today is supposed to be the first of many HOT days ahead...hoping the weather forecasters are wrong, but then again, it is almost July. Can you believe it?!

Today's card is for CAS-ual Fridays 58--Pretty in Pink. I used my new die from Simon Says Stamp (designed by Kristina Werner--love her!) & played with some color blocking, using 4 varying shades of pink. I love how it turned out!

And while we're on the subject of love, can I just say how much I love Simon Says Stamp? I placed my first order on Thursday, & it was here by Monday! Woohoo for fast service!

Have a great day!

Stamps: Birthday Basics (PTI)

Paper: Sweet Blush, Raspberry Fizz, white (PTI), Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose (SU)

Ink: Adirondack Espresso

Accessories: Oh Happy Day! die (Simon Says Stamp)

Get Well Wishes

Hey there. I haven't posted in a while...it's been a rough week. Last Wednesday, my best friend was rushed to the emergency room with complete heart failure. She was on a heart pump, ventilator, etc...we weren't sure she'd make it through. It was a HUGE shock as she is only 35 & has no history of heart problems. 

Thankfully, she has been slowly but steadily improving. She was moved out of ICU late Sunday, but she still has a long road ahead, so prayers & positive thoughts are appreciated.

I also found out a co-worker & friend had her gallbladder taken out on Thursday. It was a scheduled event, but in light of what happened on Wednesday, it only added to my stress. Thankfully, she is doing well & healing at home.

Needless to say, I'm back today with a get well card! I'm playing along with two of my favorite challenges: The Play Date Cafe 136--azure, raspberry, blackberry--& CAS-ual Fridays 57--to use vellum or acetate.

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Simple Sentiments (PTI)

Paper: PTI white, Elegant Eggplant textured (SU), SU pp, white vellum (stash)

Ink: Elegant Eggplant (SU)

Accessories: PTI butterfly die, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Making Memories brad, Kaisercraft rhinestones

Brighter Day

Hey there! Hope your week is going well so far. Just popping in with a card for the current CAS-ual Fridays challenge. This week they're asking you to "put a bling on it"--use rhinestones, glitter, etc.

I used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist to spray my background, then created a two-layer butterfly using glittered paper. I finished it off with some rhinestones I colored with a Copic to create some custom bling.

Now, I LOVE bling, but darn it if I can ever capture sparkle in a photograph! You'll just have to trust me that this one is full of shimmery goodness. *wink*

If you have any photography tips, please leave me a comment letting me know how I can pick up the shine in my projects.

Stamps: Lighten Up Sentiments (PTI)

Paper: white, kraft, pp (PTI), glittered papers (DCVW)

Ink: Raspberry Sorbet (PTI)

Accessories: PTI butterfly die, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Coral Reef Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels), Copic marker, Kaisercraft rhinestones, dimensionals

A Real Fun-gi

Hey there! Hope you enjoyed your three-day weekend. It was hot, hot, HOT here in the Midwest. I'm not a fan of the heat, especially when it's still only May!

Today I'm sharing my entry for this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge--masculine cards using patterned paper.

Killing two birds with one stone here--I used up some paper from my ever-growing stash AND I finally inked up this Unity set that's been sitting around unloved for ages.

This one's got two things I love--paper piecing & a good pun. Hope you like it, too!

Stamps: You're a Real Fun-gi (Unity)

Paper: Basic Black, PTI white, Jillibean Soup pp

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: Copic marker, dimensionals

Hello, Foxy!

Hey all! Happy Monday!

Just a quick post to share my card for this week's challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays. This time around the challenge is to use punches or dies. AND...since the sponsor is Lawn Fawn, I couldn't resist using some of Kelly Marie's adorable stamps!

I used dies for my clouds & circle & a border punch to edge my grass. Love how cute that paper-pieced fox turned out!

Hope you like it, too!

Stamps: Critters in the Forest (Lawn Fawn)

Paper: Green Galore (SU), Spring Rain, white, pp (PTI)

Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black

Accessories: Nestabilities circles, PTI cloud dies, Fiskars upper crest punch, dimensionals

Temping with the Girl Fridays!

Fun news: I'm today's guest designer over at CAS-ual Fridays! I LOVE designing CAS creations, & I'm so excited to be joining the Girl Fridays this week!

Our sponsor for this challenge is EAD Designs! They make the CUTEST rub-ons, stickers, & vinyl wall art. Just wait 'til you see what they have for the winner this week!

In keeping with our sponsor, the theme for this week is "Here's the Rub." Use rub-ons on your creation; if you don't have any, you can use stickers, too.

Talk about an awesome sponsor! Not only did EAD provide the DT with rub-ons to play with, but they sent some along to me, too! Yay!

I chose this adorable deer & coordinating sentiment from the Sweet Nothings kit. I kept the overall design very CAS but chose a fun color combo to keep things fresh.

So, ready to play along with us? Just link up your *new* CAS creation using rub-ons or stickers to the CAS-ual Fridays blog. You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, July 27 to be eligible for the prize.

I can't wait to see what you create!

Paper: Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, PTI white, Hawaiian Shores

Accessories: Sweet Nothings rub-ons (EAD Designs)