Mommy's Day Cards

Well we're back from sunny Florida. We had such a blast. We visited Epcot, the Salvador Dali Museum (uh, incase you didn't knowI love art hehe) went to lots of yummy restaurants, visited with Ian's parents, experienced some night life and shopping (yay for shopping) and of course spent countless hours on the beach in the sun and surf. Since we've been back it been back to reality and back to work. Lately I've been busy with creating wedding invitations...more to come on that later. Also let's be honest I'm still new to the whole blogging thing as well so every time I sit down it takes me a while to prepare the post. I do have some new cards to show you though which I'll be posting over the next couple of weeks. While we were in Florida I planned ahead of time and ordered a bunch of new products from Papertrey Ink that was waiting for me at the beach condo. So much cheaper to order and get it shipped in the states than it is to get it shipped to Canada. Let me tell YOU...great product, detailed images and thick good quality paper. I was NOT disappointed. However, the unfortunate thing is that now that I love it so much I'm going to have to get more and front the high shipping cost. Ouch. Oh the sacrafices a stamper must make. Here's a picture of all the loot I got.

Three packages of perfect mactch assorted cardstock, two packages of white cardstock, one package of kraft and vintage cream cardstock, a bunch of inkcubes, the new true black inkpad and reinker, and six stamps sets: friend's till the end, polkadot basics, damask designs, background basics: retro, simple alphabet, and mega mixed messages. Yum Yum!
My first card is the one I gave to the moms (Ian's mom and my mom) for mothers day. I like making duplicates of cards. Once I have a plan I don't find a problem recreating it. It's when I have to make something from scratch that makes the whole process longer.


The chipboard flower is covered with cardstock. I inked the edges and then ran it through my Xyron and adhered chunky clear glitter from Martha Stewart. The chipboard frame was first inked in whisper white craft ink so the dye inks wouldn't bleed into the piece. I then took the dye ink cubes directly to the chipboard. The the canvas type material on the ink pad created a 'canvas-y' type look on the chipboard. I love it when things like that happen. What might have otherwise turned out to be a mistake has turned into kind of a cool technique. Speaking of mothers day, here are the cards that I created last year for each of the moms.

Sorry about the slight blurriness in these photos. That's what happens when you remember at the last moment before you give the card away that you forgot to take a photo of it. I really am the definition of the word procrastinator!!
Enjoy

Supplies: Mother Card
Paper: kraft, lavender moon, vintage cream (PTI), textured cardstock (bazzil)
Stamps: thoughts and prayers (SU!) mega mixed messages, friends till the end (PTI) background patterns (martha)
Ink: lavender moon (PTI), antique linen (ranger), whisper white (SU!)
Accessories: brads, pearls, chipboard (maya road), corner punch

Supplies: MOM Card
Paper: chocolate chip, very vanilla (SU!) sultry (BG)
Stamps: label classics, love matters (SU!)
Ink: chocolate chip
Accessories: flower (prima), chipboard, glitter (martha), ribbon, brads, hardware

Two Pink Cards

Back again with another card for today. Actually I have a late V-day card as well...a week late! It was one I had made a week and a half ago and forgot to post it along with the others. This valentines card I struggled with a bit. It had originally started out as a different card and then I decided I hated it, ripped it apart and then reused some of the elements to compose the new card. Has that ever happened to you? You start making something and completely decide you don't like where it's going and start all over again?

Quite often when I sit down to make a card I don't have a plan. Basically I just look at all my stuff and start pulling out colours that appeal to me at the moment and maybe some new products that I recently bought that I want to play with. Sometimes when I'm inspired by something, say a picture or a group of colours I might jot it down in my notebook as to remind myself later of it when I'm playing in my stamp room. Most of the time though I just play. Sometimes, I don't even create anything in particular; I just experiment with new techniques and try new ideas.

The first card I used my stazon opaque ink pad (for the first time I might add, about time I think since I've had the thing for at least 6 months already) to stamp on an acetate sheet. If anyone has not used this ink before...just a few words of caution: this ink is thick, and sticky! The inkpad comes uninked and you have to load it yourself with the reinker provided. I suggest really mixing the bottle well before doing this since it's so vicous and might have separated out. Also, it really stays put. After using it with my rubber stamp and using stazon cleaner right away it still didn't come off totally. I had to scratch some it off to clean my stamp properly.

The second card I made my own back ground by stamping the same image over and over again. Because I used an acrylic stamp that was new and unprimed, and I used a dye ink, the image didn't come out as crisp as I would have liked it to. However in the end I like it more this way. It looks like it's a piece of vintage fabric or something. The stamps are from that same Lotus Floral collection from K&Co that I've been using lately. Getting sick of it yet? Haha. I just can't get enough of it. I promise I'll use something different soon. . ...maybe :) Enjoy
Thanks for looking

Supplies: Happy V-day Card
Paper: pink pirouette, whisper white (SU!) acetate sheet (3M)
Stamps: geometric flowers (cornish heritage farms)
Ink: stazon opaque (tsukineko)
Accessories: brads (basic grey) chipboard, glitter, word window punch, scallop border punch (SU!) ribbon, circle punch, scallop circle punch (marvy) black pen (martha stewart)

Supplies: Hi There Card
Paper: whisper white, cameo coral, basic black (SU!)
Stamps: lotus floral (K&Co) fancy flexible phrases (SU!)
Ink: black onyx (versafine) cameo coral (SU!)
Accessories: black ribbon, rhinestones, crystal effects (SU!)

V-Day and Papertrey

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!! Hope everyone is having a great day with lots of yummy chocolates and flowers. I myself received a beautiful bouquet of roses from my wonderful boyfriend amoung other gifts. I could never ever get tired of receiving roses ....for any occassion. I just love the way they smell and look so velvety. They are the ultimate flower, so delicate and decidant looking.

Well today is the last day of the Papertrey Ink challenges because at midnight they will introduce all of their new products, so I thought I would participate in one last challenge before the final hour. The challenge was to create a card using colours from one of Dawn McVey's prejects from her blog during the anniversary give away.
This card was definately out of my element. I used this card for inspiration. In the end I didn't think it was half bad. I actually like the colours together and I think I might do something like this again in the future. It was nice to be inspired to do something I wouldn't normally try.

Supplies

Paper: urban prairie (basic grey) chocolate chip, very vanilla, cool caribbean (SU!)
Ink: chocolate chip, cool caribbean, baja breeze (SU!)
Stamps: lotus floral (K&Co) fancy flexible phrases (SU!)
Accessories: scallop border punch, (SU!) glitter pen (sakura), 1/16 punch (McGill) rhinstone

Valentine's Day Card

Wow, it's February 1oth today and Valentine's Day is just a mere 4 days away. For some this may not be a day that you look forward to each year, but hey, it's a holiday, and with holidays come cards and I just love any chance I get to STAMP STAMP STAMP. Today I thought I'd post a picture of a recent Valentine's Day card I made. Nothing difficult, kind of simple and to the point. Of course there's pink, and glitter though. I love love LOVE glitter. It can make ANY card look good, don't you think?! Especially PINK glitter! Yum yum. The heart is made of chipboard and I inked it before adding the glue and glitter. Once it was dry to the touch I added a layer of crystal effects to the whole front to create a glossy smooth surface. I wasn't originally going to do this but I found that when I touched the heart I ended up getting glitter all over me and my hands. This just seemed like a better way to go since I knew the card would be handled quite a bit. Anyway, hope you enjoy. Thanks for looking.

Supplies
Paper: whisper white (SU!) dizzy dots (Frances Meyer)
Stamps: Love Matters (SU!)
Ink: basic black (SU!)
Accessories: silver gel pen, chipboard (SU! on board essentials) ribbon, glitter - tourmaline (Martha Stewart)

Another Papertrey Ink challenge

Alas I am back with another Papertrey Ink challege. Today's challege is to make a card for your best freind. My boyfriend Ian is my best friend ( ya..awwww) so I decided to use more masculine colours. Is brown and yellow masculine enough? I told you before I struggle with masculine cards....so my idea of masculine is NOT adding glitter hehe. (Actually I just noticed I DID use a little glitter...so sue me. It's an addiction I tell you!) I didn't do a whole lot of stamping on this card because I think the pattern paper is busy enough. Love it though. It's the Wild Saffron line by K&Co. I've been kinda into their designer paper lately. I just love the bright colours and flower prints. (I'm a sucker for anything bold and flowery) The stamps are from the Stampin' Up! set Pocket Sillhouettes. Simple yet sensational..no? Thanks for looking.

Supplies:
Paper: very vanilla, chocolate chip (SU!), wild saffron (K&Co)
Stamps: Pocket Shilloettes (SU!)
Ink: antique linen, walnut stain (ranger)
Accessories: glitter pen (sakura), scallop border punch, corner rounder, word window punch (SU!) circle punch, scallop circle punch (marvy) brown ribbon

Papertrey Ink Challenge

So, at the very last minute possible before the deadline...I'd thought I'd participate in the Papertrey Ink challenge they are having for their 2 year anniversary. The challenge was to use Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado, and Ocean Tides colours (or simalar colours if you don't have PTI cardstock) to create a card. I unfortunately, don't have any PTI cardstock (hence me entering the contest haha) so I used Real Red, Summer Sun, Old Olive and Baja Breeze all from Stampin' Up. Anyhow, here is what I came up with. The flower image is from a K&Co stampset called Lotus Floral. Thanks for looking.

Supplies
Paper: whisper white, basic black, baja breeze (SU!)
Ink: baja breeze, real red, summer sun, old olive (SU!) black onyx (versafine)
Stamps: lotus floral (K&Co) three little words (SU!)
Accessories: rhinstones, dew drops, black satin ribbon, old olive marker (SU!) crystal effects (SU!)

I think I'm finally ready...

After many days and countless hours spent reading, surfing and becoming inspired by other great blogs...I thought "Hey, I can do that too". I mean how hard can it be...really. Well let me tell you, for the HTML illiterate female I am....VERY! So I spent some time researching yadda yadda...and well, here I am. I'm not going to lie, this maybe a slow and painful process but it's a step through the door. I thought I'd share a bit about by hobby, obsession, um how about expensive addiction...STAMPING! I love stamping! I mostly make cards, but here and there I will branch out and create something out of my element such as a mini scrapbook or an altered project. I'm also a terrible paper horder. I must admit, I loooove patterned paper and cardstock. Especially anything from Basic Grey. If you haven't heard of Basic Grey yet, let me tell you..you're MISSING OUT! Anyway, for now until I get the hang of this whole 'blogging' thing, be kind to me. I'm sure I'll learn many more things along the way and who knows, I might even surprise some of you.


Today's card is one that I made my Dad for his Birthday. He's 65 this year! I find making masculine cards SOOO challenging since I hardly create anything that doesn't contain glitter, flowers, or at least a little shimmer. The patterned paper is by...of course Basic Grey from their Archaic line. I actually bought the paper specifically for this card since it's kind of masculine looking. I cut all of the circles using my Colluzle and added some paper peircing and black thread. I have to say I love circle cards lately. Such a nice change from the normal A2 size. Soooo, you may see more circles in the near future. The popped up elephant comes from Stampin' Up!'s 'Wild Things' set and is stamped in versa mark then rubbed with two different colours of Pearl-Ex to coordinate with the designer paper. It's hard to see the shimmer in the photos but it's actually very metallic looking IRL.

Thanks for looking