Girlies Projects and a B-day...

Hello everyone and happy Sunday.

Sorry for the late post but for those of you that didn't know, I headed to Maryland to surprise Sissy for her 40th B-day. We walked in on her and John at a restaurant in Frederick on Friday afternoon and she looked so confused when she spoted me - almost like she didn't recognize me. When the shock faded, she squealed with delight that we had planned this for her. She was also still reveling in her happiness from winning the Bind-It All on Thursday so she was thrilled to share it with me. We of course left the guys on their own and headed to Michaels and a small scrapbooking store. Whoo Hoo.

When we got home, John set up a table for me in the basement so that we didn't have to clean up our crative projects. While Linda worked on her scrapbooking in her office, I made cards. Madison and McKenzie (now 7) were excited to use the Cuttlebug and make cards of their own and I promised them that I would post them here for you to see. Don't forget to leave them some love at the end of this post so they know what you think. We used the Cuttlebug Zoo Animals diecuts and paper pieced them inside. We also used embossing folders to "give the paper texture" said Miss McKenzie. Gosh is she my twin or what? Then we used the Nesties and made frames for the opening on the front of the card to add some color. I think they did a great job and their friends will be happy to receive these from them.

Here's a better look at the insides...



Now on to the B-day...




Lastly, I can finally share with you the card I made for Linda's birthday. This is also the card that I submitted to the Etsy challenge and won with a few weeks ago. The challenge was to NOT use design paper. I used both the Diamonds in the Rough and Swiss Dots embossing folders to "give the paper texture" as McKenzie so astutely recognized. I also spent a great deal of time using my Copic Markers blending colors to give the flowers depth.

I also brought the colors of the outside in and colored an additional tulip to embellish the inside Label I panel. Check it out...




We're cleaning up our play space now and getting girlies ready for bed. Shaun and I have a long drive tomorrow so we will be up early and heading out. McKenzie left me some guest mail and asked if I would move closer (like next door when the old neighbors leave) so that we could make cards, do homework together and do everything together. It sounds wonderful - we love it here!

Have a great week!

Cath

Supplies:

Girlies Zoo Sentiments:

Paper: Bazzill cardstock
Stamps: Inkadinka do - Expressions
Ink: Memento Black Tuxedo and Brown StazOn
Accessories: Nestabilities Square scallops and classic large, Cuttlebug Zoo Animals dies, Swiss Dots and Leafy Branch embossing folders, Art Glitter clear glue

Linda's B-day:

Paper: AC Cardstock
Stamps: SU Mini Mates, Unmarked Tulip rubber stamp
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
Accessories: Nestabilities rectangle scallops large, Labels I, Cuttlebug Diamonds in the Rough and Swiss Dots embossing folders, dimensionals, The Paper Studio black brads

Blogcandy

Hello everyone!

Just thought I would pass on the opportunity for you to win some blog candy. Tonya is celebrating the one year anniversary of her blog - Olde Country Creations, her wedding anniversary and her daughter's birthday with treats up for grabs. This is her lucky month because she won the Etsy challenge on Ashley's site and she won the cricuit machine last week. Well, I guess the luck of the Irish has found it's way to her door.

You are welcome to play along and there is little for you to do. 1) post a comment on her blog 2) post a comment on your blog to link back to hers and 3) you get an extra entry if you become a follower on her site - Old Country Creations. You have until the end of March so give it a shot and play along.

Last week I asked for Jessica's and Linda's help on a blog that was offering a cricut machine - for free girls! Danielle has some generous donors. Unfortunately for us, the cricut was won by Tonya from Olde Country Creations in the wee hours of the morning. But - you can still try to get in on the fun to win a Bind-it-all. Linda would love this I'm sure. I'm trying for ya Lin. You are allowed to leave five posts a day and if you are lucky enough to be the 1500th post you win! Here is the link.

Danielle is also giving away two Slice cutters. Check it out her blog for more info.

Talk to you later...
Cath

Mother's Day - Verve Style

Whoo Hoo - I got another card done. This one is heading to Michelle to sell at the knitting shop. She called me last week and said that Pam was wondering if I might like to make some Mother's Day cards - baby tags - and Notes to sell in the shop. I said sure. Why not turn my creative fix into cash if possible. I love to make new cards and try techniques so this might be an outlet for that.

Any hoo. I was visiting the Verve Blog again and looking through the cards submitted for the weekend challenge and found one from Jodi Collins that I loved. I loved the colors and the butterflies and thought - let's try it and turn it into a Mother's Day Card. I also made one with the "My life is richly blessed by you" from the Verve Thankful Blossoms set. That card I'm sending to a friend that hosted a lovely dinner last night.

Ok - so the new Nesties are out and getting used. I layered the white and green classic circles and added the scallop with a bit of paper piercing. I then added a white scallop border but for this I had a twist - I don't have a plain scallop border, mine is the Fiskars with the center hole. So, put the white paper through my long rectangle Nestie. I just made it smaller than the length so that the edges wouldn't be scallped. Yes, I am quite pleased with this.

I also added a Martha Stewart butterfly adorned with Kaiser adhesive pearls. And then I trimmed the inside to match the front...






Let me know what you think - I'd love your input.

Have a great night.

Cathy

Card Details:

Stamps; Verve Thankful Blossoms, Sentiment Inkadinkado
Ink: Anna Griffin - Green, Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Imaginisce Baby Powder - King of the Crib DP, KaiserCraft Country Grove DP, AC Cardstock
Accessories: Nestabilites classic circle small and large, scalloped circle large, long rectagle Nestabilities, Martha Stewart Royal Butterfly punch, Kaiser adhesive pearls, silk ribbon from Lizzie's shop, dimensionals

Reaching for the Stars

Happy Sunday everyone! I started my day early - except with the time change it was actually late for me. I had been to the Verve Blog yesterday to see if there were anymore sneak peeks and found a sketch challenge posted over the weekend. This is just one more chance to catch one of the new Verve sets that are being released tonight at 8pm. If you haven't seen the samples made by the Verve Design team then you might want to head over to check it out.

For my card I chose the Starlight Starbright set. The sayings are full of motivation and you all know how much I love stars. I just got my new Nestabilites classic circles small set so I was able to nest two layers before the scallops. I can't tell you how happy I was to get them in the mail the other day. I never see them in the shops around here but found them at JoAnn.com with free shipping. I love a deal. Anyway now that I can layer, I think it helps incorporate the colors from the DP better. I used dimensionals to help raise the stars and layer the circles.

Using scraps I did the inside as well. Here's a look...



Hppe you enjoy your day and thanks for looking!

Cath



Card details:

Stamps: Verve Starlight Starbright
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: SU Ruby Red, AC Cardstock, Out and About DP by My Mind's Eye
Accessories: Nestabilities classic large and small circles, and large scalloped circles, Cuttlebug stars die cuts, Making Memories star brads, Fiskars border punch, sheer red ribbon, dimensionals, paper piercer

Mojo Monday and the New Verve Release is almost here...

Ok - you get a second post today. I finished my card for the Mojo Monday sketch challenge. This week offers special incentive - a chance to win one of the new Verve Stamp Release sets. The release is Sunday March 8th at 8pm. Check out the sneak peaks at the Verve blog.

On to the card, I used the flowers from the Verve Meditations set. I first stamped them with VersaMagic chalk ink in Jumbo Java and then added clear embossing powder. To give a little extra color I went over them with my Copic marker. I hand trimed and added them to the ivory cardstock with brads from The Paper Studio. I bought a new paper piercing template and was eager to try out the swirl to follow the sketch. The sentiment came from the Verve Thankful Blossoms set. The decorative border came from a border punch by The Paper Studio. The design paper and colored teals are all from an ATD paperpack called a Family Affair. I finished the card off with a satin ribbon bow. Easy peasy as they say.

Thanks for looking.

Have a great night!

Cath

Some Info for you...

First I would like to tell you all that I won my first blog challenge yesterday. I made a card for Linda's birthday and submitted it for an Etsy challenge that closed Tuesday night. I received notice yesterday that it won!!!! I can't tell you how great that felt. Of course, I called Lin to let her know and now she is chomping at the bit even more to see this creation. She'll just have to wait two more weeks for it to arrive... By the way, I won four stamps (one looks like a set) from Katie Cotton's new line Paper Makeup. There are lots of swirls and fairies to be colored. Katie does some awesome coloring and I sure needed some new images to try out the Copics on. By the way - Linda's card was focused on an image that I used the Copics on. I really got the hang of blending on that one and can't wait to show you all...

Next is a bargain site I found through an e-mail from Creating Keepsakes called PeachyCheap.com. This is for a daily deal (up to 90% off) of one item. The item is available until it sells out but for that day only. I like to check it each morning now because there is a new item for sale every day. It's a great way to start your day!

Happy bargain hunting...

Love ya,

Cath

Birthday Greetings - Verve Style

Ok - I know it's only Tuesday but I finished a challenge that I saw tonight following an ETSY Blog Hop. This one was timed! I had to create the design and complete the card in one hour. Not only that - we had limited supplies, One ribbon, three layers and two colors plus one neutral. It was tougher than you might think but the time constraint made you think keep it simple and sweet. So here is my take. I used the red, black and white combo. I just got my order of Verve stamps and decided to pull out the birthday birdie. I think she is so cute! I love the flourishes on her hat, tail, balloons and sentiment. I'm a flourishes girl - what can I say? Since you couldn't layer or add embellishments I kept it simple, just added the black grosgrain ribbon.

Hope you are having a great week.

I made my first March Verve challenge card as well. I'll post that later - need to get some sleep first. DH is already off to bed!

Thanks for looking!

Cath


Card details:

Stamps: Verve - Birthday Surprise
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics markers
Paper: Bazzill cardstock, My Mind's Eye - Out & About DP
Accessories: black grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, Nestabilities Label one die cut

Jen's SFYTT

Hello Everyone!

I finished another card today and thought I would share it with you. This is for Jen del Muro's SFYTT (sketch for you to try) which she posts on Saturday. I had bought a new stamp and thought I would try to incorporate it into this week's sketch. The sketches make light work of the design - ths choices get reduced to the colors, paper and embellishments - the fun stuff! If you haven't tried these yet you might want to give it a whirl. Head to i(heart)2stamp to check it out.

Since I had the DCWV Citrus stack DP out I decided to use it again. I love the colors and settled on a peach, lime green and black color mix. While Jen used a sentiment in a circle in the bottom right corner it just didn't seem to fit this stamp which had a sentiment outlining it. I decided to add some pretty flowers and pieces of the QuickKutz Flourishes die cut interspersed to help it pop. I was pleased with the result.

I'm also trying to incorporate designs from the front of the card inside as well. I think it not only finishes the card - it also cuts down on remaining scraps. I often have some pieces left over but not enough to make a card with so this is a great way to use them up!

Here is a picture of the inside:



I hope you enjoy the card - perhaps you can give the challenge a shot yourself.

Have a great week.

Love Ya,
Cath

Card Details:

Stamp: Art Impressions (from Lizzie's shop)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (it really does work great with Copics)
Paper: DCWV Citrus DP, Bazzil cardstock
Accessories: Prima Flowers, buttons, Swarovski crystal, lime green grosgrain ribbon, Rectangle Nestabilities, QuickKutz Flourishes die cut, Copics markers