The Christmas Scramble

It feels like I haven't had any time for crafts lately. But then I look at this blog and my posting really hasn't slacked off much more than usual! haha!
I got a "real" job that has kept me busy between training and then working.
The week of Thanksgiving we rearranged half the house...we split the office (craft room!) around the house and gave the kids their own bedrooms. That was a huge project and it eliminated my easy crafting space. That's really just fine, I hadn't spent a lot of time in that room for the past year...but it was so handy all in one spot.
Thanksgiving itself took some time, we spent a few days away from home enjoying lots of family. And now getting everything ready for Christmas...! Of course the holiday season is always busy, no matter how simple I try to make it. and I'm a really simple kinda girl. hee hee! But last night I discovered that I need to make 41 more Christmas cards.... whoa! So I started by making 8 of this card....

Supplies:
Stamps: Welcome Christmas, Occasional Quotes (retired)
Ink: Night of Navy
Paper: Whisper White & Night of Navy card stock, misc unknown super old DP
Accessories: White Taffeta Ribbon

Retiring, but very pretty!

My mom ordered this stamp off the almost-gone list (seriously, you only have a couple more days!!) which is not very surprising. She has been to Japan and hosted 5 Japanese girls through a foreign exchange group. Anyway, she asked if I had any suggestions for using it. Yes, I do actually! So I played a little today!

This first one uses a sketch off the Stamping 411 site, found HERE.

Supplies:
Stamps: Dream Gardens (RETIRING!), Occasional Quotes (RETIRING!)
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Basic Black
Accessories: Black grosgrain ribbon, Fire Square Brads

And this one uses another Stamping 411 sketch, found HERE.

Supplies:
Stamps: Garden Dreams (RETIRING!)
Ink: Poppy Parade
Paper: Peach Parfait, Whisper White card stocks, Sunny Garden DP (RETIRING!)

annnd I have another Stamping 411 sketch for this one, found HERE.
The photo came out really weird... I might try again tomorrow when the sun is up higher in the sky...

Supplies:
Stamps: Garden Dreams (RETIRING!)
Ink: Certainly Celery
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Crochet Ribbon, 1 3/8 inch circle punch, 1 1/4 inch circle punch

What do YOU think of this stamp set?

Card Class - Last Chance!

I had a little masculine themed card class last night, in honor of Father's Day. We made six cards that are great for Father's Day, men's birthdays or even just a nice birthday or sympathy or thinking of you kind of card for anyone.

This card uses Sense of Time, which is going away at the end of the month! I have used it for a lot of masculine things, check it out on my sidebar under "Find my Stamps"! I also chose to make this a birthday card, and used words from Occasional Quotes- a hostess set that will also be gone at the end of the month!

Supplies:
Stamps: Sense of Time, Occasional Quotes
Ink: Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake
Paper: Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Artichoke seam binding, Vintage Trinkets, Stamping Sponge

Card Class!

Yesterday's card class was almost forgotten, I've been so busy!! But I had people coming and threw together a few ideas they hadn't made yet, even if you've already seen them here, lol!

I picked a birthday theme because March is my birthday and there's not a major holiday. (As fun as St Patrick's Day is, if you want to make cards for it, you'll have to buy your own supplies...!) and because birthday cards are always good to have on hand!

Stamps: Birthday Bakery
Ink: Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Blushing Bride marker, Pear Pizazz marker, Poppy Parade marker, Chocolate Chip marker
Paper: Pear Pizazz, Chocolate Chip & Whisper White card stock, hostess In Color DP stack
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, tiny punch...

Stamps: Pick A Petal, Occasional Quotes hostess level 3
Ink: Real Red, Elegant Eggplant marker
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Accessories: Mat Pack, Brights Buttons, Mini Glue Dot

Stamps: Pun Fun

Ink: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie & Whisper White card stock

Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Blender Pens, Spiral Edge Punch, White grosgrain ribbon

Stamps: Sock Monkey
Ink: Basic Black, Old Olive
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive & Whisper White card stocks, Wicked Fun DP
Accessories: 1 3/8 inch Circle Punch, Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Blender Pens

Stamps: Nature Walk

Ink: Chocolate Chip, So Saffron

Paper: Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Naturals White card stocks

Accessories: Always Artichoke seam binding

Green Birthday

So the other night I used the Mojo 178 sketch to make this card. Looks like a very nice masculine birthday card to me!
Do you ever design a card for someone waaaay in advance knowing perfectly well you'll either forget about *this* one, or make something better later? Well, this is one of those cards. I have someone in mind whose birthday is not for several months. Nice. LOL!

Supplies:
Stamps: Sense of Time, Occasional Quotes
Ink: Always Artichoke, Pear Pizazz
Paper: Very Vanilla, Pear Pizazz, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Always Artichoke seam binding, Vintage Trinkets, Mat Pack

Nature Walk

I love this new stamp set from the Occasions Mini!! I have played with it quite a bit, and here are the three main things I've made:

Supplies:
Stamps: Nature Walk, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
Paper: Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Always Artichoke seam binding, Stamping Sponge

Supplies:
Stamps: Nature Walk, Occasional Quotes, Upsy Daisy, Fresh Cuts
Ink: Pure Poppy, Always Artichoke
Paper: Whisper White, Blushing Bride, So Saffron, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Red taffeta ribbon


Supplies:
Stamps: Nature Walk
Ink: Always Artichoke, So Saffron
Paper: So Saffron, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Always Artichoke seam binding

Heart Rub-On's

I thought I'd use a few of these rub-ons in a different way than you might first think. Why not a fun birthday balloon ride? *grin

Supplies:
Stamps: Ink: Real Red
Paper: Real Red, Basic Gray, Whisper White card stocks
Accessories: Red taffeta ribbon, Love Impressions rub ons

Different way to color...

I was asked to make some thank you cards. I love this flower, is it a lily? Well, I think it is, lol, and it seems to me it is a peaceful kind of flower. I was having trouble coloring it with ink and blender pens so I tried a sponge. FUN! So quick and its pretty and has that blurred watercolory look too!

Supplies:
Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Occasional Quotes
Ink: Basic Black, Baja Breeze, So Saffron
Paper: Baja Breeze, Whisper White
Accessories: Blender Pen, Stamping Sponge, White Grosgrain Ribbon

Variations on Cards

In September I had 4 card events in a 15 day period. I am pretty sure that is a record for me and my little buisness! I loved it, but that meant I needed to use the same (or at least similar) ideas over and over. Some of these events were up in the air as far as attendance. That's a challenge in an of itself. I needed to provide 'enough' but not too many of each sample. Consequently, I have a nice stack of card kits ready to go!

While trying to tidy up my crafting space I decided to use those kits but differently than the original. Here's my first set! What do you think?

Original:

Variations:

Thank You x 3

Happy Labor Day! What are we celebrating exactly? That my husband and children are home? Oh good. We could use a little down-time.

Anyway, I was in need of a few thank you cards. Okay a lot. And I ran out of my whole stash! So I pulled up some go-to sketch sites and created these!

This card is based off of Mojo Monday #154. I left off a few edges and the corner bit, but its close. Supplies:

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, Occasional Quotes

Ink: Always Artichoke, So Saffron

Paper: So Saffron, Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke, Whisper white card stocks

Accessories: Artichoke seam binding ribbon, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8 in circle punch, Scallop edge punch

~~~~~

This card used Jen's SSFYTT for this week, and this seriously sweet new set. Goodness I love it. I have so many plans for it! tee hee!

Supplies:

Stamps: Greeting Card Kids, Tart & Tangy

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Certainly Celery

Paper: Real Red, Certainly Celery & Whisper White card stocks

Accessories: White Grosgrain Ribbon, Real Red grosgrain ribbon, Bold Brights Buttons, watercolor Wonder Crayons, Blender Pens

~~~~~

and this card uses the OCC Sketch Challenge. The problem? Um...I love this one a leeeetle too much. I can't part with it quite yet and it is going on my display board. Now I gotta make another thank-you card!

Supplies:

Stamps: Uncharted Territory

Ink: Basic Black, So Saffron, Night of Navy

Paper: Whisper White & Night of Navy card stocks, In Color Patterned Paper Pack

Accessories: Watercolor Crayons, Blender Pens, Sponges, White grosgrain ribbon

~~~~~

tip for the day: I don't yet have the circle cutter. So how do I make circles? stamp the image you want in the circle and set a button case lid or ribbon spool on top of it, then trace and cut your circle!

Just for me!

Remember I said I needed to fill my display board? I slightly exaggerated. I have 13 on my board. So this card is going on my display board! I used Taylor's Sketch from last week and had some fun! She had circles on her upper section and I wondered what stamps would fit in place of circles.... And I love the result! Supplies:

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Occasional Quotes

Ink: Basic Black

Paper: Rose Red, Daffodil Delight, Basic Black card stocks

Accessories: Black grosgrain Ribbon, Bitty Buttons

Super Simple!

This is the end of my August card class sneak peeks!

Its really simple, almost single layer, but I really like how it turned out.

Supplies:

Stamps: Pendant Park, Occasional Quotes Ink: So Saffron, Old Olive, Soft Suede Paper: So Saffron, Whisper White

Change of Plan...

really. Who leaves home with watercolor-able stamps and forgets any watercoloring tools?! Sigh. LOL! I got to play with my new stamps tho, and threw in a little of the new colors. We will make *some* version of these cards at my August card class...! This is the one I would have really liked to watercolor, but it turned out just fine in black. Supplies:

Stamps: Uncharted Territory, Occasional Quotes

Ink: Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Basic Black

Paper: Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand, Whisper White

Accessories: Twill Tape, Staples

Peach & Pumpkin!

Are you ready for my classes to start up again? I sure am!!! I have missed you all this summer! So this week I'll post a few sneak peeks to my August Class! This is the first!

I used a fun little color combination. I have the brand new Peach Parfait ink and ribbon, with Pumpkin Pie card stock and ink for the words. Very Vanilla is the card front. I also used my new level 3 hostess set for the words! Yeay!