My Last Design Team Card

It is with great sadness and joy that I announce this as my last design team challenge card.  I will have one more new card to reveal as a design team member outgoing :(  What a fabulous way to spend my summer!  I am eager to try (and likely get rejected) for another design team position, as I have enjoyed it so much.  I will have to seek some feedback and see if folks think I have improved through this venture!

This little number is for today's CAS challenge, to be inspired by a word...Delicious!  I love sweets and this was a no brainer for me.  I also love blush blossom, such a soft color.  I paired it with some gray and some sparkle and called it done.  I had to unload coolers and dirty laundry and everything else, so I could only make one sample for this challenge.  Hopefully, I will find time to play this week, but I am not holding my breath.  I have to work two days this week before starting back to school full time on the 8th!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Blissful Bride; Paper: Whisper White, Going Gray, Blush Blossom; Ink: Going Gray; Accessories: pastels, blender pen, Sakura Clearstar gel pen, basic gray taffeta ribbon, glue dot, Nestabilities, stampin' dimensionals, paper snips.

One Last Trip

Last week we bought a pop-up tent trailer.  This weekend, almost the last weekend of summer, we took it camping!  Here is my family posing for a picture with the Yakima River in the background!  So you know, I wasn't crafting this weekend!  It's tough to design by the light of a campfire :)

I will post one more card from last week's CAS challenge, a wonderful color combination I hope to repeat in the near future!  I have always wanted to give that double button thing a try and did so on this card.  I used my linen thread to tie it all together.  I really love that sentiment and use it whenever I can!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Watercolor Trio, Vintage Vogue; Paper: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Welcome Neighbor dsp; Ink: Crumb Cake, Tempting Turquoise; Accessories: linen thread, random buttons from my stash, glue dot, MS arch lattice punch.

Back To School

Back to school is the theme for this season's CAS design team search.  As I am saddened by my term coming to an end, I am excited to help chose the next team!  This card is in support of those ladies trying out for the next team.  The challenge is to make a card using a teacher's pet theme.  I think my stack of books will do nicely!  I stamped the books a few times and then paper pieced them.  Next, I thought that a "thank you" type sentiment was most appropriate.  I found my trusty rub-ons and put them to use.  I almost forgot the second part to the challenge.  It was to use a punch.  Seriously, I almost had it uploaded and then thought, "Whoa, I forgot the punch!".  I quickly took my card upstairs, corner punched it and then photographed it again!  I am really please with how it turned out!

Thanks for stopping by!

As you read this, I am camping with my family. I am attempting to craft while camping.  I'll report back about how it goes :)

Details - Stamps: Hodge Podge of Happiness (Unity); Paper: Whisper White, Pattern Pack I, II, III dsp; Ink: StazOn Timber Brown, Real Red; Accessories: paper snips, Chit Chat rub-ons, two-way glue pen.

An Anniversary in the Middle of Nowhere!

I have been thinking that I need to sit down and sort through my stash to make a few extra cards for occasions that I neglect.  Anniversary cards are cards that I normally neglect.  So I whipped one up!

The sketch is from SRM stickers.  When I saw the three little accents, it made me think of the heart gems I couldn't resist at Michaels.  So I went with it and here is what I came up with.  This is more designer paper than I normally use, but I like the way it turned out!

I have another busy day of swimming lessons and then packing for camping!  Wish me luck!  Have a great day!

Details - Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red, Summer Picnic dsp, Pattern Pack dsp; Ink: Basic Black; Accessories: word window punch, white gel pen, paper snips, M's self-adhesive heart rhinestones, stampin' dimensionals.

Yikes, Tuesday disappeared!

I can't believe it is Wednesday already!  This week is totally flying by me!  Here is another CAS challenge card from Monday.  This is my daughter's favorite from the bunch.  She likes the stars on it.  I made it to send to me nephew in Germany when I finally get a care package built up.  It's not too girly, right?

I am already saddened to think that school will start in two weeks.  I am not ready for my summer vacation to end as I have so many crafting projects (and home projects) that I want to complete!

Oh well, c'est la vie!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Seeing Stars, Woodgrain Background (All Night Media); Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Tempting Turquoise; Ink: Crumb Cake, Tempting Turquoise, Versamark; Accessories: White ep, heat tool, Nestabilities, large star punch, small star punch, stampin' dimensionals, Chat Room rub-ons.

CAS Monday, Second to Last

Oh my goodness, only one more challenge after this one left on my term as part of the CAS Summer design team.  Wow, that has gone fast and been very, very enjoyable!  This is my favorite card from this week's CAS challenge.  this week is a color challenge:  kraft, turquoise and white.  These colors make such elegant cards, it is amazing!  You should check it out if you have the chance or even play along.  Really, who couldn't use another card in their stash??

While you are checking it out, there is just a bit longer to enter the CAS Fall Design Team search.  Here is a link to the first challenge.  If I can make the design team, than anyone truly has a chance :)

Today was a bit better day, more back to normal.  Except for canning peaches, things were really back on track.  Canning peaches, what a hot mess!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Echoes of Kindness, Fresh Cuts, Canvas; Paper: Crumb Cake, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, vellum; Ink: Versamark, Tempting Turquoise, Crumb Cake; Accessories: Stampin' dimensionals, kraft taffeta ribbon, linen thread, glue dots, 1/8" hole punch, blender pen, Bazzill mini brads; Techniques: CAS, embossing.

My Theme for Today

When I loaded this to SCS, I titled it "Distressed Wildflowers".  I think that is me today!  I am creating and making nice things, but I feel a little edgy!  It could be that I need a little more alone time.  I am determined to craft most of today.  It's not possible to go through an entire day at my house without doing chores, but I am going for minimal chores today!

The sketch here is one of Julee Tilman's five for the most recent Verve release.  I really like the colors on this card and in fact, wish I had a shirt in that buttery yellow color.  Well, back to the craft room to get some more done!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Feel The Sun (Verve); Paper: Very Vanilla, Parisian Summer dsp, Spring Flowers dsp; Ink: Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Old Olive, Creamy Caramel; Accessories: Textile ef, Nestabilities, sponge dauber, neutral buttons, glue dot, stampin' dimensionals.

Wish I Could...

Enjoy Today, but lots of things are conspiring against me.  Suffice it to say that today is not following its normal routine and I am a creature of habit!  My husband loves to fly by the seat of his pants and is "flying" today. 

Anyway, I did manage to complete all five of the Verve Anniversary sketches, even if they didn't all turn out stellar!  This one is so Halloween-ish, I can't get over it!  I have noticed that Fall and Halloween cards are popping up everywhere.  No good for me as I don't make Halloween cards and I am not quite ready for Fall.  I am still knee deep in Summer activities.  It seems that our Summer arrived so late.

Oh well, I think I will adopt this phrase as my theme for today! (I just noticed that my main panel is crooked :(  I guess that is the chance you take when you craft with a 4 year old!)  Thanks for stopping by and here's to you, Enjoy Today!

Details - Stamps: Enjoy Today (Verve); Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Razzleberry Lemonade dsp, unknown black dsp; Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Basic Black; Accessories: WCC, blender pen, corner rounder, 3/4" circle punch, apricot grosgrain ribbon, stampin' dimensionals, MM snaps, crop-a-dile.

How To Build A Barn

Well, this little barn is destined to be a baby shower invitation.  I am sure that someone has posted some sort of tutorial on this type of card somewhere, but I couldn't find it!

I had to resort to building it myself.  I fiddled and fiddled and here is what I came up with.  It's a modified version of a gatefold card.  You can find the tutorial here on SCS.  I left my card 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  I sliced the barn doors in a 3 1/8" and then punched out the loft window/door with a square punch!

I colored my barn with a woodgrain technique in Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla.   I added the boards with a brown sharpie and then edged my doors with Chocolate Chip ink.  I backed my loft window with Creamy Caramel and then punch the frame with a couple of square punches.  Finally, I trimmed the roof with a thinner strip of Chocolate Chip paper. 

My animals were embossed on white with black or on vanilla with Cajun Craze, a new SU color!  I found it perfect for my hen!!  Here I embossed my sentiment in Vanilla, but on future cards I plan to emboss it in Early Espresso. 

Here is a glimpse with the barn doors open.  I just stamped a place for the shower particulars to go.  I will leave that to one of my girlfriends with nice handwriting. 

Okay, now only 14 more to assemble!  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Details - Stamps: Simply Home (Ippity), Hugs & Wishes; Paper: Ruby Red, Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip; Ink: Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla Craft, Versamark, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze; Accessories: black ep, clear ep, heat tool, scor-pal, 1 3/8" square punch, 1 1 /4" square punch, , two way glue pen, SAMJ, brown sharpie, paper snips.

Feeling Like Fall Today

Oh boy, does it feel like Fall today!  After several days of temperatures in the high 80's, today's temperatures in the low 60's have me missing summer.  I made this card for a Dare To Get Dirty challenge hostessed by Jeanne!  I tried to go out of the box with this color challenge. 

I'm feeling in a bit of a lull right now.  As much as I love my daughter, I am not used to working around her.  I have to pay for her daycare spot year round, so she goes and I get all my chores done unimpeded.  Now, if I didn't have to pay for daycare while I was off for summer I am sure that I would have a system worked out by now.  But....I am just stymied.  So, I try to include her in all I do and my speed is significantly reduced.  It is nice to have company, though!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Because I Care; Paper: Chocolate Chip, Versamark; Ink: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Old Olive, More Mustard; Accessories: Leaf punch, sponge dauber, D'Vine Swirls ef, stampin' dimensionals.

CAS Monday, Baby-style

Don't ask me why?  I have babies on the brain!  My baby is 4 years old and she is definitely going to be an only.  It's probably because my girlfriend is going to have her first in November and we just started the planning of her baby shower!

Anyway, this is for this week's CAS challenge, a sketch challenge by Emily.  We are using this card that she designed.  I think of this card that Emily designed and that prompted me to add the ruffles.  Do you like it?

My daughter is home with me today as daycare is closed, so I will have to make this a short post.  Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Little Ones (Rubber Stampede), Occasional Quotes; Paper: Blush Blossom, Very Vanilla, Petal Patch dsp; Ink: Versamark, Close to Cocoa; Accessories: eyelet border punch, Kaisercraft blush pearls, vanilla taffeta ribbon, glue dot.

Back To Being Dirty

I made this little backpack box and matching card for one of my girlfriend's birthday presents!  It was also for a Dare To Get Dirty challenge.  Love that Basic Grey designer paper and used the same colors to sponge life onto my butterfly.  I gave it to my girlfriend last night at our monthly get together.  She squealed and said you have to teach us how to go this.  Another girlfriend said, " I will make one of these for Ryan's teacher".  Her daughter is just starting kindergarten in a little more than two weeks.  A third girl friend opened it up and began inspecting how I had put it together.  Overall, it was well received!

Love that butterfly and I glittered him up plenty for this card (and popped him up too).  I hope it shows.  If not, check out another shot of the card by itself, here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - (Card) - Stamps: Blue Skies (Verve); Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, BG Urban Prairie; Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Baja Breeze, Taken With Teal, So Saffron; Accessories: Scallop Trim Border, TE tiny twinkles, glue pen, stampin' dimensionals, Waterfall Stickles, sponge dauber, paper snips.  (Backpack) - Stamps: Canvas; Paper: Soft Sky, BG Urban Prairie; Ink: Soft Sky; Accessories: scor-tape, MM eyelets & snaps, black grosgrain ribbon.

CAS Friday?

For today, it is a CAS Friday.  I really should be getting ready to start my day, but I couldn't help but sit down to post this one!  I made this for Susan's One Layer Wednesday challenge to create on OLC with unexpected colors.  It's also a card that meets the Stamp 2 Spend challenge to create a Valentine's Day card in non-traditional colors.  I don't think that Teal, Celery and Gray are the colors you would normally expect to find on a Valentine's Day card, but here they are.  I really like how it turned out.  I like the whimsy of the tilted hearts and that it left me a constant open space for my rhinestones.  And....I love that I can personalize my rhinestone color with my Sharpie.  That makes me super happy!

Have a fabulous day!

Details - Stamps: Happy Hearts, Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper: Whisper White; Ink: Taken With Teal, Going Gray, Certainly Celery; Accessories: M's self adhesive rhinestones, teal sharpie, celery sharpie.

Kids Play at Flourishes

Tic-Tac-Toe, Three in a Row!  This card is for the Kids Play challenge at Flourishes.  The challenge is to make a card inspired by a children's game.  I let the game inspire my card layout, with the three teacups in a row.  Since we are being inspired by children's games, I let the card lean toward the whimsical side with tipping cups and fun colors!

I hope you had a fun day!  Mine was super busy.  I packed the car early this morning and we left the house at 9:45am for swimming lessons and didn't return until about 5:30pm.  We had PB&J for lunch in the car on the way to my Grandmother's house!  There I spent the rest of the afternoon tending to her with her one broken foot and a possible second broken foot as well.  My grandparents are really self-sufficient and I just want to give my Grandfather a break.  I did some household chores and then worked in her garden for her.  I think my daughter just entertained her.  I haven't heard her laugh so much as when she watched some of Horton Hears a Who with her great-granddaughter.  I knew she would like it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Coffee With Friends (Flourishes), Tag Lines (Flourishes); Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Bermuda Bay, Welcome Neighbor dsp; Ink: Basic Gray, basic black marker; Accessories: paper snips, 1 3/8" square punch, light pink grosgrain, stampin' dimensionals, glue dot.

Just Because!

Have A Great Day!










Details - Paper: Daffodil Delight, Basic Black; Ink: Basic Black, White Craft, Daffodil Delight; Accessories: Nestabilities, stampin' sponge.

Rise and Shine

Did you hear that rooster?  Well, I did and I do, almost every morning.  We have three :(  Hubby says they are a nuisance, but will not do anything about it and you know you can't give away a rooster!

This card is for this week's Etsy Inspired challenge.  It's challenge number 100!!!  The site featured is {Cathy Walters} and I chose this darling little pendant as my inspiration for this card. 

This was such an easy card to make.  I let the designer paper do all the work for me.  I used my edge distresser and my sponge and that is about it.  Oh yeah, I also dyed my ribbon and attempted to crinkle it up.  It looks distressed so that is good, but it didn't crinkle so well.  Maybe I really need silk or seam binding and taffeta isn't working here for me!  Oh well!

Thanks for stopping by!


Details - Paper: Very Vanilla, Poppy Parade, Flair Designs: Farmer's Market; Ink: Creamy Caramel; Accessories: MM edge distressing tool, stampin' sponge, moss taffeta ribbon, linen thread, random button, Log Cabin Smooch spray, glue dots, random button.

CAS Monday and FTL

Another CAS Monday and this week, the challenge is a garden theme challenge.  I have ladybugs in my garden and they were all over my dill when I was out picking on Saturday.  I bought 1500 ladybugs for my husband for his greenhouse.  He had an aphid problem that he wanted to control naturally.  It only cost about $30.00 and was highly entertaining for my 4 year old.  The added benefit being that after the ladies escaped the greenhouse, they found their way to one of our gardens.  Those lovely ladies have set about work in there!

I used this week's Fall To Layout from the clean and simple stamping blog.  The sketch just screamed ladybugs to me!  After perusing other submissions today, I wasn't the only one who got that impression!  You know the saying, "great minds think alike", it must be true!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Daisies4You (Stamps of Life); Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black; Ink: Basic Black, Versamark; Accessories: Black ep, heat tool, paper snips, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1/2" circle punch, stampin' dimensionals, corner rounder.

How About Fun and Happy?

This, my friends, is fun and happy!  This is not my usual style and I love it!  Look at that fun cloud paper.  It just makes me smile.  And that is more than I can say about the awful weather we are having since returning home from vacation!  It rained all day yesterday and that was a total drag!

Back to my card, it was made for Taylor's Dare To Get Dirty Challenge on SCS.  I had a good time putting all the pieces together and popping things up here and there!

Here's to you and my hope that you have a fabulous, crafty day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Blue Skies (Verve); Paper: Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Welcome Neighbor dsp; Ink: Bermuda Bay, Accessories: Heart to Heart Punch, paper snips, stampin' dimensionals, Nestabilities, sponge dauber, WCC, blender pen.

Back from Vacation

We did a lot of this over the last 5 days!  My hubby also surfed behind the boat too.  Seriously though, my favorite is just riding around in the boat.  Good thing because they always need an extra body in the boat!  We went to Pearrygin Lake over the week to camp with some friends.  This is our third year in a row and we just love it!  We always go to Winthrop for cinnamon rolls and put-put golf on one day.  The whole week is really about having fun with the kids!  Last year, we survived lightning and this year it was a rainstorm one day!  It's no fun to be soggy, but 95 degree weather takes care of that pretty quick!

But you didn't come for my vacation blurb, you want to see a card?

How about another Dare To Get Dirty challenge card.  This is for Julie's Dare To Get Dirty challenge and also for the Free For All challenge on SCS.  Bev hostessed this week and made the challenge about side swiping.  So I dirtied up my edges for this one!  I had almost all of my challenges done with the exception of about 5 sketches.  I just talked myself into using some similar flower stamps and dp to get it done!  I really like how this one turned out!  That skinny taffeta ribbon is super cute on there!  Very dainty!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Fast & Fabulous; Paper: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke; Ink: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Recollections dsp; Accessories: spong dauber, 1/8" espresso taffeta ribbon, glue dot, Nestabilities, stampin' dimensionals.

CAS Monday, Again! Teddy Bear Style

Just a quickie post today, friends!  If hubby gets home from his abbreviated work day and I am not all packed for our week long camping trip, I am in for it!  So, you can find the details of the CAS challenge here. 

This little cutie was for a daycare friend of my daughter.  She turns two tomorrow and her party was yesterday!  I thought a teddy backed by a cute polka dot strip would be perfect for this sweet little girl.

Thanks for looking!

Details - Stamps: Little Ones (Rubber Stampede; Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Sweet Always dsp; Ink: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Bordering Blue; Accessories: WCC, blender pen, Chat Room rub-ons, scallop trim border, corner rounder, M's self-adhesive pearls, pink Sharpie, stampin' dimensionals.

CAS Monday, Just a Bit Early

 This week's CAS challenge is all about polka-dots!  Fun, huh!  One of the first things that came to mind is this polka-dotted little beauty by Verve.  And wouldn't you know it, Julee is running a challenge with it right now!  Soo......I whipped it out and whipped up a little CAS number!  Okay, not necessarily, as I hand stitched it!  I also used this week's Fall to Layout from the clean and simple stamping blog. 

If I don't post this next week, it's because I ran out of time during all of the camping packing to type out any posts ;)  Next weekend, I should be back in full force!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Fluttering By (Verve); Paper: Whisper White, Almost Amethyst, Welcome Neighbor dsp; Ink: Almost Amethyst, Versamark, So Saffron; Accessories: needle & thread, mat pack, piercing tool, paper snips, stamping dimensionals, clear ep, heat tool.