Always in My Heart

Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a good start.

The card I'm sharing today is for a bunch of challenges: Card Patterns Sketch 49, CARDS valentines without red or pink, Lucy's glitter challenge, and Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge--Titanic! The heart reminded me of the famous "Heart of the Ocean" necklace, and the sentiment seems to fit the way Rose and Jack felt about each other.

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Always (SU)
Paper: PTI & Bazzill white, glittered gray (unknown)
Ink: Enchanted Evening
Accessories: PTI ribbon, SU Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, Michaels pearls, SU Heart to Heart punch, SU ticket corner punch, SU Designer Label punch, Barbara Trombley glitter

Cinema Saturday Guest Designer

I'm SO thrilled to announce that I'm a guest designer this week for the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge! The site is featuring a movie that's near and dear to my heart: To Kill a Mockingbird.

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those rare films where the movie is (almost) as good as the book. The movie is #25 on the American Film Institute's greatest movies of all time, #1 on its courtroom films list, and Atticus Finch is listed as the greatest movie hero of the 20th century.

I have the privilege of teaching both the novel and film to my ninth-graders every year, so I wanted to make something special to keep in my classroom. I chose to focus on one of my favorite quotes from the film to create this framed piece.

I started with a $1 wooden frame from Michaels and painted it white. I printed out the quote on my computer, then stamped and embossed the bird in the corner. I finished it off with some Primas and bling.

I would LOVE to see you play along with us this week. Head over to Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge for all the details. Oh, and there's blog candy up for grabs if you participate--one random winner will be chosen. Click on the link to see what you can win...

Stamps: Always (SU)
Paper: Pink Pirouette
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: black ep, flowers & rhinestones (Prima), white paint, wooden frame

Singin' (and Dancin') in the Rain

This week's movie for the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge is Singin' in the Rain, with an added challenge to use a water element on your card. (I used Water Dew Drops.)

Singin' in the Rain is my all-time favorite movie musical. I can remember seeing it as a very young girl (around age 5). I was already taking dance lessons by that time, and I just fell in love with the fabulous dance scenes with Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. I remember trying to reenact some of the dance moves. In fact, I remember singing and dancing in the rain while delivering the newspapers on my paper route (around age 10).

So why does my card feature a butterfly? Because when I'm dancing, I feel like I'm flying. Dancing gives me a joy that not many other things on this earth do. This weekend my school is presenting their annual musical, which I choreograph. That means long hours and low pay, but I don't care. I love every minute of it!

I love this sentiment, too: "Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance." I really do dance almost everyday. My husband often chuckles because I've been known to dance in the kitchen while dinner's cooking. I just can't stop dancing, dancing, dancing...I'm a dancing machine!

Stamps: Beautiful You (Verve)
Paper: PTI white, DCWV winter glitter stack
Ink: Tempting Turquoise
Accessories: Nestabilities butterflies, Water Dew Drops (Robin's Nest)

As You Wish

I am thrilled to be a guest designer this week for the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge! Those of you who follow my blog regularly know I try to participate in these challenges every week, so when Sankari emailed me and asked if I'd like to be featured on the Cinema Saturday blog, I jumped at the chance!

This week's challenge is extra special because there is a sketch challenge involved. If your project uses the sketch, you will be entered to win Gina K.'s Hand in Hand stamp set, designed by this week's other guest designer, Melanie Muenchinger. How cool is that?

This week's movie is one of my all-time favorites, The Princess Bride. (Before we go any further, if you have never seen this movie, watch it today!) I have adored The Princess Bride for years, and it’s one of those movies that I can quote practically word for word. I just love how the movie maintains some of the traditional fairy tale elements while weaving in all sorts of humor—from the witty banter of the “man in black” to the utterly ridiculous (anyone else love the scene where Inigo and Fezzik start rhyming?).

I had lots of ideas for this challenge, but I kept coming back to Westley’s famous line, “As you wish” and the idea of fairy tales in general. So I created a wish journal—the perfect place for a princess to record her most secret wishes. I can almost picture Buttercup scribbling inside its pages.



I was inspired by Buttercup's dress seen here. I love this style of dress so much, the sleeves and neckline of my wedding gown had a similar feel.







I covered a mini composition book (like this one from Office Depot) with patterned paper. I also adhered a blue ribbon to serve as a bookmark. I embossed the words "Wish big" in white, then used my oval punches to frame it. And what self-respecting princess would be seen with a wish journal that didn't have a few jewels?

If you want to play along, visit the Cinema Saturday blog for all the details. Thanks again to Sankari and Brooke for letting me be one of their guest designers this week.

Stamps: Short & Sweet (SU)
Paper: Summer Picnic (SU)
Ink: Kraft white
Accessories: white ep, oval punches, ribbon (Martha Stewart), rhinestones (Michael's), sanding block, mini composition book

You've Gotta Have Heart

This week's Cinema Saturday pick is The Wizard of Oz. Not only is this one of my all-time favorite movies, but it's taking on special meaning this year: It's the musical I'm choreographing for my school right now.

The Tin Man was always my favorite character, so I used him as my inspiration. I wanted to capture not only his sweet personality, but also the relationship he had with Dorothy.

I filled a clear card box with Hershey's kisses to represent the Tin Man. The red ribbon and cardstock represent his heart and Dorothy's ruby slippers, and the blue gingham ribbon represents her dress as well.

The sentiment is something I can picture the Tin Man saying to Dorothy. It reminds me of the moment in the film when she's heading back to Kansas. The Tin Man says, "Now I know I've got a heart, 'cause it's breaking."

I placed a Heidi Swapp clear heart over the sentiment and added a silver brad to further reinforce the image of the Tin Man. I also used my ticket corner punch on the sentiment to make it look like a movie ticket.

This will be a gift for the director of our show. She was out last year on maternity leave, so I wanted to let her know I'm glad she's back.

Stamps: Friendship Blooms (SU)
Paper: Real Red, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: ticket corner punch, gingham ribbon (SU), sheer ribbon (Hobby Lobby), Heidi Swapp ghost shape, brad (SU), clear card box (PTI), Hershey's kisses

Play It Again, Sam...

Casablanca is the featured movie for this week's Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge. Brooke and Sankari added a color challenge as well--black, white, and one other color.

I wanted to make something for my husband, not only because Valentine's Day is nearing, but yesterday was the 13th anniversary of our first kiss...this time of year is very nostalgic for us.

Since the movie is centered around the nightlife of Rick's Cafe--and, in particular, the music of Sam, the piano player--I decided to make a mixed tape. I started with this shot of Sam and Rick. I cropped it a bit and added some softness around the edges, so those two would be the focus of the picture. I colored the title with a Real Red marker, then added the red hearts down the side of the piano. I couldn't add thick embellishments, because I do want it to actually fit in the CD case.

I titled my CD "Play It Again, Sam: A Soundtrack to Romance." I included special songs that remind me of our years together.

The first song, "It Had to Be You," appears early on in Casablanca (obviously not the Harry Connick version, but it's what I own, so I went with it). The lyrics really fit our relationship:

"Some others I've seen might never be mean

Might never be cross or try to be boss

But they wouldn't do

For nobody else gave me the thrill

With all your faults I love you still

It had to be you."

Other songs hold even more special meaning. "Can't Help Falling in Love" is "our song" and was the first dance at our wedding. "Wonderwall" was a hit when we first became friends, and Oasis has always been one of the bands we share a love for. I won't share the details of every song, but you get the idea.

This will be my husband's Valentine gift. Hope he likes it!

Stamps: Tag Time (SU)

Paper: Real Red, Whisper White

Ink: Real Red

Accessories: heart punch

An Affair to Remember

An Affair to Remember is this week's featured film for the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge. I almost didn't get to play along this time. I'd never seen this movie (a longtime member of my "must-see" list), and I looked all over town for a copy. I finally was able to watch it online last night using Graboid.

OH, MY! I LOVE this movie!!! I knew the basic premise of the movie (Thanks to Rita Wilson's tearful, yet hilarious, scene from Sleepless in Seattle), but I was so pleasantly surprised by how good this movie was. As a writing teacher, I was blown away by the witty dialogue--so funny and charming. Cary Grant was his usual debonair self, and I loved Deborah Kerr's beautiful costumes in every scene (I love older movies for this--women always have a great dress, with perfect accessories like hats and gloves).

Okay, enough blather--on to my card. I chose pink champagne as my inspiration. Near the beginning of the movie, Terry mentions that she loves pink champagne. Then in a follow-up scene, she enters the bar and orders a champagne cocktail, only to discover that Nickie has ordered the exact same drink. To me, this scene shows the beginning of their falling in love.

I started with this week's CPS layout. I colored my champagne glasses with a clear glitter pen and used Cotton Candy Stickles to create pink bubbles above each glass. The circles were paper pierced, then mounted on glittered white cardstock. And how fun is this ribbon from i {heart} papers?

Thank you, Sankari and Brooke, for finally giving me the push to watch this wonderful movie!

Why don't you stop by the Cinema Saturday blog and play along with us?

Stamps: Cheers to You (SU)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, PTI white, DCWV glittered white

Ink: Basic Black, Pretty in Pink

Accessories: Nestabilities circles, paper piercer, clear glitter pen (Spica), Cotton Candy Stickles, ribbon (May Arts), dimensionals

Guardian Angel

This week's inspiration for the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge is It's a Wonderful Life. Even though I'm busy with last-minute Christmas preparations, I just couldn't help but play along with one of my all-time favorite movies.

I'm a strong believer in guardian angels, both in heaven and here on earth. We all have people in our lives who guide us along in our journey. I had to use an angel to represent the "Clarence" we all have looking out for us.



I felt like making a sparkly card today, so I used Versmark Dazzle on the background, a clear glitter pen on the dove, rhinestones around the sentiment, and added icicle Stickles to the angel's wings to make her extra sparkly.










I think this sentiment fits perfectly with the message of the movie. As Clarence says, "Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" I'm sure we've all had those times in our lives where we thought the world would be better off without us. This movie always reminds me that I may be touching others' lives in ways I'm not even aware of.

I often relate this idea to my teaching. Although my high schoolers might not appreciate me now, I hope that I leave a positive effect on their lives, even if it's in some small way. As Mother Teresa once said, "In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. "

Stamps: On Angel Wings (SU), Out on a Limb (PTI)
Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, PTI white
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Adirondack Pitch Black, Versmark Champagne Dazzle
Accessories: designer label punch, circle punch, ticket corner punch, Copic markers (E00, V09, Y15), rhinestones (The Paper Studio), icicle Stickles, clear glitter pen (Spica), dimensionals

So Long, Farewell

You may have guessed from my title that The Sound of Music is the featured film for the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge this week. Like many of you, I love this movie and watch it every year on television.

I was inspired to use the song, "So Long, Farewell" for my card. It's for a foreign language teacher at my school who's leaving at the end of the semester, so I thought "auf Wiedersehen," "adieu," and "au revoir" would make the perfect sentiments.

I typed some of the lyrics on my computer, then printed them out and used them as the background. I also drew inspiration from the dresses the girls wear in this scene, pulling out the colors, flowers, and lace for my card.

Papers: Barely Banana, PTI white

Accessories: scallop edge punch, flowers (Prima), paper lace & pearls (unknown)

Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street is one of my favorite Christmas movies, so when I saw it was the featured film for this week's Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge, I had to join in on the fun. Plus, Brooke and Sankari are giving away blog candy this week, so why don't you stop by and play along, too?

At the end of the movie, the little girl, Susan, is disappointed that Santa didn't bring the house she wanted for Christmas. Still trying to keep the faith, she says, "I believe...I believe...It's silly, but I believe." Then on the way home, she sees her dream house, and once inside, the characters discover Kris' cane by the hearth and realize perhaps he really was Santa Claus after all.

I didn't have a cane stamp, so I used the Santa hat instead to represent that final scene. I thought this sentiment was perfect for a movie that's all about faith and believing in miracles.

Stamps: Cold Play (SU), Beautiful You (Verve)
Paper: Real Red, PTI white, Ski Slope dp (SU)
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Nestabilities circles, Cuttlebug Snowflakes, liquid applique (Marvy Uchida), clear glitter pen (Spica), rhinestones (The Paper Studio), ribbon (Hobby Lobby), dimensionals

Inspired by Scarlett

This week's movie for the Cinema Saturday Challenge is Gone with the Wind. One of my most vivid memories of this movie is the scene where Scarlett grips the bedpost while Mammy pulls that corset tighter and tighter. As a girl I remember watching it and thinking, "Thank God I was born in the 20th century!"

In honor of that scene, I made a corset card following Sara Sandberg's corset template. I ran the corset through the Cuttlebug to add a lacy effect, then added the eyelets and laced the ribbon through the holes. I finished it off with a few rhinestones just for fun.

Paper: Lavender Lace, Whisper White

Accessories: Cuttlebug textile texture, eyelets (Making Memories), ribbon (Offray), rhinestones (The Paper Studio)

Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee

This week's Cinema Saturday pick was Grease! Who doesn't love this fun musical? The only challenge I faced was narrowing down all the ideas I had.

I chose to focus on the slumber party scene, where Rizzo makes fun of goody two-shoes Sandy by donning a blonde wig and singing, "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee."

I used lots of pink on this card for two reasons. First--duh--the girls call themselves the Pink Ladies. Second, I thought all the pink was almost sickeningly sweet, which is exactly how Rizzo feels about Sandy. The satin ribbon reminded me of the Pink Ladies' satin jackets, and this sentiment is something I could hear Rizzo saying as she and the other girls try to pressure Sandy into smoking, drinking, and piercing her ears.

Isn't this layout cute, too? It's Beate's sketch for this weekend.

Stamps: Beautiful You (Verve)

Paper: PTI white, Pink Pirouette, Prints Pack dp

Ink: Pretty in Pink

Accessories: Nestabilities circles, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots, scallop edge punch, Sweet Blush ribbon (PTI), dimensionals

The Nightmare Before Christmas

This week's Cinema Saturday movie is The Nightmare Before Christmas. I am not a fan of Tim Burton, so using this movie as inspiration was a challenge. I find his images odd and quirky, which is not my style, not to mention that the darkness of it all just gets on my nerves after a while. I don't think this movie was scary, just strange. Anyhoo, on to the card...



I started by cutting out a Summer Sun circle, sponging it with Chocolate Chip ink, then stamping the sentiment on top in Basic Black. I also used Basic Black to stamp two of the house images, then cut the whole thing out and mounted it to the moon. The skeleton is a dimensional sticker, and I added a few rhinestones to mimic the white swirls in the poster. I'm not happy with the way this one turned out, but I don't think I'd do any better if I attempted another card. The mojo is just not there for this one. Ah, well, maybe next week...

Stamps: Happy Halloween & Scary Happy Halloween (Hero Arts)

Paper: Summer Sun, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: dimensional sticker (K & Co.), rhinestones (The Paper Studio), sponge

Breakfast at Tiffany's

This week's Cinema Saturday challenge is featuring Breakfast at Tiffany's. This is such a fun, fashionable movie, I knew I'd have to play along. If you haven't visited Brooke & Sankari's blog yet, check it out. They feature a different movie each week to inspire you. Head over there and join in the fun!


The first things I think of when I recall Breakfast at Tiffany's are Audrey Hepburn and fashion, which finally gave me an excuse to ink up this dress. I wanted to keep the card simple, yet elegant, since that is how I'd describe Audrey Hepburn's style. I used black embossing powder and ribbon to represent Holly Golightly's little black dress, then mounted it on a Cool Caribbean panel, which I thought closely resembled the famous Tiffany blue. I finished it off with some clear rhinestones, because it's not Tiffany without the diamonds!

Stamps: Inkadinkado
Paper: Cool Caribbean, PTI white
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: black ep, ribbon (Michael's), ribbon slider & rhinestones (The Paper Studio), corner rounder punch

Inspired by Mr. Darcy

I found a brand new challenge blog this week called Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge. Each week they will feature a different movie to serve as inspiration for your paper crafting.

The first movie to be featured is Pride and Prejudice. Now, as an English teacher, I'm probably prohibited by law from saying this, but...I've never seen this movie nor do I have any desire to. That being said, Colin Firth is a yummy piece of eye candy, and any inspiration involving his fine self is not to be missed!

I drew my inspiration from Mr. Darcy's wedding attire. I needed a masculine card for my hubby (our anniversary is on Monday), so I figured a manly man like Colin Firth would be a fitting inspiration piece (and that is one fine piece of...inspiration).


I used the colors, patterns, and buttons from his outfit to create my card. I embossed the heart and added a bit of twine to give it some texture.

Stamps: Always (SU)
Paper: Naturals Ivory, Night of Navy, SU dp (retired)
Ink: white craft, Night of Navy
Accessories: white ep, buttons (SU), hemp twine (SU)