Jackie Solomon

Sneak Peek: Baby L

2012-02-21T09:24:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful little lady. Isn't she just a doll? She was bright eyed through just about the whole shoot and I love that we captured her sucking on her fist. Her Momma told me that when she was born there were marks on her little fist from sucking on it. Love that it is such a part of her personality.

Sneak Peek: K Boys

2012-02-21T09:12:00.000-05:00

I had a blast with this shoot featuring this adorable litle 1 year old and his big brother. Both boys were just amazing, and they're the cutest ever!! My son was super happy to have someone come and play with him too :) !!

Here's a little before and after where I had to clone out a bunch of distractions in the background. It's always fun to see the huge difference the post-processing makes.

Sneak Peek: Jennie Maternity

2011-11-02T10:00:00.001-04:00

Here's a long overdue sneak peek from Jennie's maternity session. How long overdue you ask? Well, we've already done her baby's newborn shoot, haha. Don't worry she hasn't been waiting this long to get her pictures, but I did want to show you all cause I think they turned out awesome. Keep an eye out in the next few days to see the sneak peeks of her newest addition.

Sneak Peek: Carlson Family

2011-11-01T09:43:00.001-04:00

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful little family and their newest addition.

Aren't they all just so adorable!

Sneak Peek: Audrey & Gary

2011-10-15T10:58:00.000-04:00

Sneak Peek: Cadence

2011-09-29T10:21:00.000-04:00

Here's the sneak peeks from Cadence's session. Such a pretty little girl and they are an adorable family!

Sneak Peek: Emma

2011-08-29T22:01:00.000-04:00

Emma was such a little lover for this shoot, she did soo good!!

6.24.2011

2011-06-24T08:57:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Life got a little crazy for me there for a while... and unfortunately when life gets crazy, the poor blog takes a backseat. But, I'm back today with a layout of my youngest son's birtday celebration. I cannot believe this was almost two years ago already! Seriously... where does the time go?

This one highlights echo park's a walk in the park collection. My all time favorite! Some PTI dies are used as well, clounds, notebook page, and eyelet lace die.

Hopefully I'm back to blogging for good. I've got lots to share.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sneak Peek: Emmi

2011-06-23T10:57:00.000-04:00

Here are a few samples from my latest shoot with sweet little Emmi.

Isn't she such a doll! You'd never guess that she was less than thrilled to be having this photoshoot. Big thanks to her parents for their patience and for sharing your little sweetie with me.

Thanks for stopping by!

03.23.11

2011-03-23T07:46:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone... long time no blog, hey? It's good to be back!

Today I've got a card for this week's Make it Monday challenge from Papertrey Ink. The challenge was to color with copics on non-neutral cardstock, which is my favorite way to color with copics. My crafting time is seriously limited and I want to make the most of it so sitting down to spend an hour coloring isn't feasible, but adding shading here and there is.

This card was made for my cousin's birthday. She's one of my best friends and like a sister to me, we grew up down the street from each other, got into plenty of trouble and have countless childhood memories to make us laugh. Love that girl :)

The rose, from year of flowers:roses, was stamped in smokey shadow ink on sweet blush cardstock. Background basics:sheet music was stamped in sweet blush over it. Then I shaded with my copics and cut it out. It doesn't show up very well in the picture but I used a sakura glitter pen to trace the rose outline, it's so seriously gorgeous in real life.

This bookmark was another part of her b-day gift. Since I gave her a book, she had to have an accompanying bookmark, right?

Well that's all I've got for today, thanks for stopping by!

PTI anniversary tags no.6

2011-02-06T18:07:00.000-05:00

Whew, I've never posted 6 times in a week, much less 6 times in a day!

Here's the last one, but it is, by far, my favorite! I seriously heart this adorable image from Melissa Bickford.

It's colored with copics and layered on a limitless layers 1 3/4" circle, a labels 1 nestie, and mat stack 5. Finished off with a couple buttons and some ribbon. Seriously, L.O.V.E.

Thanks for stopping by!

PTI anniversary tags no.5

2011-02-06T18:01:00.000-05:00

Love this cute image from Lisa Johnson! I was so excited to see that this sentiment (from fillable frames #11 I think) fit in just right when I curved it on the block

Also used a limitless layers 1 3/4" circle, double ended banners die and background basics hearts.

Thanks for stopping by

PTI anniversary tags no.4

2011-02-06T17:56:00.000-05:00

Told you my mojo was workin today, here's project #4 for the day. Been a loooooong time since I've been able to create like that.

This image is from Dawn McVey. Again, the colors got totally screwed up with my crummy printer. It's supposed to be orange and it looks more like kraft. Oh well, you gotta roll with the punches, right?!

The sentiment is from one of the FF series... number 9 maybe? I'll have to go check. Ric rac border die, tage sale #3 die, beautiful blooms die and a scallop circle punch.

Thanks for stopping by!

PTI anniversary tags no.3

2011-02-06T17:50:00.000-05:00

It's been so great for me to get back in the scraproom for a while and actually have some mojo, yey! :)

This card uses the tag image created by Heather Nicholls.

You might notice that my colors are completely wrong... I didn't change them, that's just how awful my printer is. It just looked more like lavender moon than melon berry so I went with it.

The bkg is stamped with turning a new leaf in versamark. Dies used are Mat stack 1 and limitless layers 1 3/4"

PTI anniversary tags no.2

2011-02-06T17:43:00.000-05:00

I'm back with my second entry using the tags from Papertrey Ink.

This is Maile Belles image. Can't wait to see Maile's stamp sets, I heart her style and can not wait to see what she'll do with stamps!!

This card uses a bunch of dies (limitless layers, doule ended banner and banner borders) and the numbers impression plate

PTI anniversary tags no.1

2011-02-06T17:30:00.001-05:00

Hello, I've got a couple posts for you today featuring the free downloadable tags from Nichole of Papertrey Ink. Here's the first one, this image is from Alli Miles.

I also used the mat stack 3 collection and big and bold wishes for the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!

PTI favorite

2011-02-05T10:51:00.000-05:00

Today I'm re-posting my favorite project from the last year using Papertrey Ink products for a chance at an amazing prize package. You can see the details for the contest on Nichole's blog.

This layout is my favorite for a lot of reasons. Craft, argyle, woodgrain, scallops, buttons and this picture of my boys which is my absolute favorite EVER.

Thanks for stopping by!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

Have a very merry Christmas and an amazing new year.

Sneak Peek: Santa Zach

2010-12-24T09:05:00.000-05:00

Here's a sneak peek of sweet little Zachary, who was just amazing for his shoot. We had this little sweetie sleeping with all kinds of props, wait until you see the rest of his pictures.... they're amazing!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:01:00.000-05:00

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sneak Peek: Mason

2010-12-11T11:49:00.000-05:00

Look at this little sweet pea! Isn't he just a doll? He did so well for the pictures too. The whole family is adorable and you can easily see just how loved this little boys is.

Sneak Peek: Lexi and Family

2010-12-11T11:45:00.000-05:00

You might recognize this sweet little girl from two posts back. They asked me to photograph the whole family after we had so much fun with Lexi's shoot. Aren't they an adorable family? I just love 'em!!

Sneak Peek: Jennie & Family

2010-12-11T11:29:00.000-05:00

So it's a little late to call this a sneak peek since the pictures have been delivered, but I wanted to show this cute little family off anyways :) Jennie is my cousin and she's like another sister to me and her girls are just the cutest! Tell me Maggie (the blonde) doesn't look exactly like her!

Sneak Peek: Lexi

2010-12-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

This girl is sooo America's Next Top Model!! She was soo great for this shoot. I had a blast!

11.28.2010

2010-11-28T16:55:00.002-05:00

Today I'm giving you a look at one of my latest big projects. I'm calling it DIY dining. Most of what you see here was made or altered by me.

WARNING: this is a very picture heavy post.

Here's a good look at the table I built by adjusting the plans for this narrow farmhouse table to make it a little wider and added some trim around the edges to make the top look chunkier. L.O.V.E. it!! It seats up to 10 if we add a chair on each end.

Another look at the end of the table you can also see the bench I made to match. There was no plan for a bench to match the table so I had to make that up, but I was really pleased with how it turned out. I'm working on some matching chairs, just ran out of time before Thanksgiving.

Here's a look at the bench.

I've got to find the before picture I took of these candle holders. They were this ugly, shiny, old looking gold. I picked them up for 50 cents each at my local goodwill. Add some spray primer and black patina spray paint and voila, pretty matching candle holders.

This was the first year we hosted Thanksgiving at our house for the whole family (both mine and my husbands) and I wanted to make a good impression. We bought some pretty white plates from Wal-Mart as well as some red cloth napkins.

I found some napkin rings 2/$1 at Michaels, they had leaves and turkeys on them. Those wouldn't work, so you know I had to decorate the napkin rings.

and a close-up of the napkin ring. I used a bunch of my Papertrey Ink supplies: a leaf prints die on simply charteuse felt, a pure poppy button with silk ribbon, a limitless layers die, the sentiment from 2009 autumn tags. As well as some Martha Stewart chunky glitter and practicing creativity's houndstooth background from retro christmas backgrounds

One last look at the whole ensemble.

I love my dining room, and hope you like it too. Thanks so much for stopping by!

edited to answer a couple questions

The table is 37 1/2" wide and 8 feet long, I basically just added an additional 1x8 to Ana's plans.

The trim I used around the edges is from my local Lowes.

It looks like this, only for my table I flipped it upside down so the chunkier part is at the top.

It's EverTrue Pine Modern Casing.

The high gloss finish ends at the edges of the table, it's self leveling so I was afraid it would just drip off the edges if I tried. It's a polymer compound that starts in two different bottles and you mix them together and pour it on. Then you smooth it out and it self-levels. The brand I used is EnviroTex Lite, I found it at Menards but I'm sure you could find something similar at any home improvement store.

I used a gel stain by Varathane called Early American and two coats of wipe on high gloss polyurethane on the rest of the table and bench (not the top).

PTI Blog Hop

2010-11-25T11:19:00.001-05:00

So, the theme this month for the blog hop is to make a tag for the holidays. In truth, I am just not prepared enough to have a Christmas tag to show you, so I've got one for Thanksgiving. haha. I really liked the overall design of this one and it could totally be adapted for Christmas just by switching out the colors. It's tied onto some banana bread in a little mini loaf pan from Michaels. Sweet and simple, just the way I like it!

Thanks for stopping by and have a safe and happy thanksgiving!

11.3.2010

2010-11-03T08:10:00.000-04:00

Wow, it seems as though the world has been spinning faster than ever. There just aren't enough hours in the day, are there?

Oh well, busy is good, keeps me out of trouble ::wink::

Today I've got a thankful card to share. I think I'll give this one to my in-laws. Truthfully, I'd be lost without them!

I used the leaf prints stamps and dies and a sentiment from 2009 autumn tags. So glad I decided to get leaf prints! I was on the fence about it, but it's great for fall and masculine projects and the matching dies are amazing!!

Well onto the to-do list, thanks so much for stopping by!

10.27.10

2010-10-27T08:51:00.000-04:00

How's everybody doin today? We're good here, it's a laid back kind of day today. The only day this week that I get to stay home all day and have no errands or school business to attend to, yey :)

Today I've got some Halloween favors that my kiddos will bring to school. They're getting really excessive with the peanut allergy awareness so we went with glow bracelets. Now, don't get me wrong here, a peanut butter sandwich is never worth risking some poor kids life for, but at our school it's to the point where they won't let the kids bring in anything. My son's pre-school class wan't even allowed to bring these to pass so I'm having the teachers give these out as if they're from them.

Sorry, got a little off track. Anyways, here's the project.

Don't they look so fun all together like that!?!

I bought this set simply to have this adorable sentiment, haha, lovin' it!!

I used spring moss cs and stamped with simply chartreuse for the background. Used palette ink for Frank and the sentiment and colored with copic markers.

This one is lavendar moon cs stamped with plum pudding.

and these are summer sunrise cs stamped with orange zest.

Arent' they fun?! I'm so in love.

Thanks for stopping by!

10.19.10

2010-10-19T09:20:00.000-04:00

Today's card was made for a friend of the family who retired after 37 years of working in the local mine. 37 years!!

This card features leaf prints form PTI and I was looking all over for a retirement sentiment when I remembered Practicing Creativity's Chatterbox. Love that sentiment set, there's a lot of different sentiments you don't find frequently. The size was perfect to fit on this tag with my leaf. I rock and rolled the leaf with orange zest and terra cotta tile and the background is stamped with terracotta tile on orange zest CS. The tag and ribbon are the beautiful fine linen, I'm more and more in love with this color each time I use it!!

I've also got my very first knock off wood project to share with you today. It's a bookshelf adapted from this amazing wall bookshelf.

The original sat on the floor, but because of that radiator, mine had to be wall mounted. What I love best about this bookshelf is how the books face outward. My kids always had a tough time getting the books put in library style so they would sit on the floor in a sort of stack until I picked them up. This way they can put them away so easily!! As you busy Mom's know, anything they can do themselves is always less work for us! I also simplified the tops and cut them rounded off, because this was my very first wood project ever and I wasn't quite sure how I'd do with a jig-saw.

This was seriously so easy and fun to build and it cost $27.72 including screws!!

and because I have two rowdy boys....

you can see that before I could even photograph it they did this.

Which is the entire reason I didn't want to pay big bucks for a bookshelf :)

Thanks for stopping by!

10.13.10

2010-10-13T09:58:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Sorry to leave the blog unattended for so long. I feel guilty not stopping in, but you know how it is, life just gets busy! So what have I been up to?

Well I got distracted by

Knock Off Wood

Which got me into building furniture!! So far I've built this Kids elementary table and these storage chairs, then a variation of this book shelf. I used this farmhouse table plan to make a workbench for my husband, and I'm working on a dining room table using that plan too but I adjusted it to be wider. Just yesterday I built these totally fun Truss shelves. Using my own plan I also made a side table for the living room and am working on a bench for the dining room table.

So, yeah, I got a little obsessed! Haven't taken any pictures of them yet, but if you'd like to see anything just let me know.

Besides that, the wood for our wood boiler so we've been cutting and hauling that like it's going out of style! There's been no crafty time for this girly, but I've got a couple more cards from Practicing Creativity.

This one uses the tree and sentiment from Retro Christmas and the presents from The Whole Cycle. Fun isn't it?!

Here's a tag using hte deer and striped tree from Retro Christmas and happy birthday sentiments from you're the man.

Here's a clean lined masculine card featuring the striped tree from Retro Christmas and sentiments from Chatterbox.

Thanks for stopping by!

10.4.10

2010-10-04T07:30:00.000-04:00

Last day of the Practicing Creativity sneak peeks!! Today we made anything but a card. I'm trying to simplify my Christmas craft to-do list this year so I made this sweet little hot cocoa packet holder to tie onto a gift bag.

If you pull up the bow it reveals the cocoa inside.

Don't you love this little reindeer? He begged me for googly eyes, so that's just what he got! :) I love that the antlers and nose are separate pieces and they are so easy to line up.

I glittered up the tree and put him on some felt snow.

Make sure you check out the DT gals blogs!

and my fellow guest DT members

Heather Pulvirenti

Christina Maclaren

Thanks for stopping by!

10.3.10

2010-10-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

Got another peek for you from Practicing Creativity!! Today the DT gals and I are featuring spray ink in our projects.

Using an oval nestability I cut and embossed some white cardstock. While it was still in the die I sprayed some glimmer mist to create my background.

The background is stamped with versamark and this sweet little tree was just begging for some bling.

Make sure you check out all the DT gals blogs for some more peeks!

and my fellow guest DT members

Heather Pulvirenti

Christina Maclaren

See you tomorrow for one more peek before the release!

Thanks for stopping by!!

10.2.10

2010-10-02T07:45:00.000-04:00

Sooo I can finally tell you all... I'm guest designing at Practicing Creativity this month!!! I'm a huge fan or Courtney Bakers and I LOVE, love, LOVE their stamps. I am thrilled beyond belief and honored that she'd have me!

Today I'm sneak peeking one of the new October release sets, Retro Christmas. It's amazing, you're going to fall head over heels for this one, I know I did!!

The ornaments are heat embossed with some gliter and bling thrown in for good measure ::wink::

Here are a couple close-up shots.

Make sure you check out all the DT gals blogs too, they're amazing!

and my fellow guest designers

Heather Pulvirenti

Christina Maclaren

Happy World Cardmaking Day!! I'm hoping to have a little fun time in the studio today, hope you can too!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you'll come back tomorrow, I'll have more sneak peeks from Practicing Creativity!

10.1.10

2010-10-01T07:14:00.000-04:00

Today's card, another from the archives features a bunch of papertrey. Sentiments from big and bold wishes, leaves from turning a new leaf, scallop border, twine and buttons

Stop by tomorrow, I've got some exciting news to share!

9.29.10

2010-09-29T07:51:00.000-04:00

Today's card is one from the archives, I made it quite a while back, not sure why it never got posted because I really like it. Loving the gradient color scheme. The background is text style 1, trees from through the trees and the sentiment is from big and bold wishes.

See how I repeated the colors in the buttons? just a fun little touch.

Not sure if I've mentioned it before but I am very passionate about photography, and I've got some fun news on that front. This week I've got TWO photoshoots scheduled, and they're not even for my own kids! haha :) Some day I hope to have a full time photography business. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Dark chocoalte, kraft, vintage cream, lemon tart, summer sunrise, orange zest, terracotta tile

Stamps: Through the trees, text style 1, big and bold wishes

Ink: dark chocolate

Other: twine, buttons (lemon tart, summer sunrise, orange zest, terracotta tile)

9.28.2010

2010-09-28T07:51:00.001-04:00

Hello! Happy Tuesday, we're that much closer to Friday right? ha! I've got plans to visit my son's 1st grade class to take some photos for the first installment of our school scrapbook. Yey, it's so much fun!! Don't have to be there for a couple hours so in about 5 minutes I will have a quiet house. BLISS!!

Today I've got a card featuring my favorite set from WPlus9, hooked on you. I wanted to keep this one super CAS. The fish was stamped on some Echo Park patterned paper, cut out and colored the spots with a copic marker. I also stamped his eye on white and cut that out. I cut a 1 3/4" circle for him to peek out of and punched the waves on the top with a fiskars border punch. Stamped the sentiment in black and the bubbles with versamark.

Thanks for stopping by! Stay tuned, I've got some pretty exciting things coming up!!

Supplies:

Stamps: Hooked on you WPlus9

Cardstock: White, Hawaiian Shores

Patterned Paper: Echo Park

Ink: Palette Noir, Versamark

Other: 1 3/4" circle punch, Wave punch Fiskars, copic marker

halloween wishes

2010-09-27T08:41:00.000-04:00

Hello everybody! Happy Monday, hope you had a super weekend. Ours was great, full of good times and great people. We've all been battling head colds, seems we always are this time of year.

The card I have for you today is a Halloween card using Damask designs and Halloween tags.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies (all PTI):

Cardstock: Vintage Cream, Orange Zest, Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Plum Pudding

Ink: Orange Zest, Plum Pudding, Dark Chocolate

Stamps: 2009 Halloween Tags, Damask Designs

Other: Large Scallop Border, 1 3/4" circle punch (Ek Success), Twine, Orange Zest Button

you're the man

2010-09-23T07:53:00.000-04:00

Today I've got a masculine card for you featuring Practicing Creativity's You're the man and PTI's It's Official. The bolts in the background are heat embossed on simply chartreuse cardstock. I stamped the ruler on kraft cardstock and stamped some woodgrain in dark chocolate over it. I stamped the sentiment, also from you're the man, on a fillable frames #4 die.

I really like the simplicity of this one.

Now I've got to run, there's a full 3 hours of quiet until my boys gets home from pre-school. Got to check some things off the to-do list and enjoy the peace and quiet! :)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fantastic day!!

1st day of K

2010-09-20T06:47:00.001-04:00

Today I've got a layout for you featuring my oldest boy on his first day of Kindergarten. This one is for Beth (babiestwo) challenge on the PTI board, the challenge was to create a layout using only paper, no other embellishments. It was actually easier than I first expected, and I really enjoyed this one. The background is glimmer misted for some interest. My cricut cut the title using the Sesame street font cartridge. The ric rac and large scallop dies were used, as well as Filllable Frames # . I love using those for little journaling spots! Patterned papers are Imaginisce.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Birthday Kiddo

2010-09-13T09:53:00.000-04:00

Today's card features some of my favorite stamps from Practicing Creativity, the whole cycle and chatterbox. I am so in love with this little tricycle, it makes me think of my youngest son. He has a little red tricycle like this only his has a little storage box on the back. You can always find it filled up with something, dirt or trucks or apples from the apple tree. Makes me smile just to think of it, then it makes me worried that I should check how many rotting apples are left in the back of it, haha.

Anyways back to the card, I stamped the tricycle and the ground on a mat stack 4 die cut. Then colored the tricycle with a copic marker. The sentiment is actually "a happy birthday" but that wouldn't work for this card so I just didn't ink the "a" and added the word kiddo after that. I sponged some aqua mist around the edges and tied some bakers twine to highlight the sentiment a little. Matted that onto some patterend paper from Echo Park.

Well that's all for today, thanks so much for stopping by!

welcome baby

2010-09-11T14:57:00.000-04:00

Today's card is a sweet little baby card. This one features the tin types impression plate and a sentiment from PTI's round and round anniversary set. The moon was cut using my circle punch. Other dies are the clouds and mat stack1 from PTI. I sponged some hawaiian shores around the edges of a spring rain mat for the sky.

Now that I'm looking at this photo it really does not do this card justice. In person this card is one of my all time favorites, it's subtle and sweet and I just love it to pieces!!

Tonight I've got a date to see Nanny McFee with my boys and my in-laws, should be good times. Talk at you all later. Thanks for stopping by!

26.2

2010-09-05T14:29:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was an important day for me. Yesterday I did somethings that not too long ago I would have considered unattainable. Yesterday I ran a full marathon! That's 26.2 miles people!

When I first started running I couldn't run 1/10 of a mile without stopping to catch my breath. I was so seriously out of shape it was pathetic. So I would run a little farther the next time and eventually I could run a 5K (3.2 miles), which to me was pretty great. Then I decided I was going to run farther, so I did. I've been training for a while, but I didn't want to start something I couldn't finish so I waited until I felt ready.

The Marathon was held in Marquette, Michigan. Wow it's a gorgeous course, the weather however, was not gorgeous. It was cold and rainy with 20-30 MPH winds. Luckily, much of the course has trees and buildings to block the wind.

My whole family was there through the cold and rain to support me. They helped me immensely. Here is the best part:

My Son, Dylan, wanted to run with me for a little while. Right before he ran with me I wasn't sure I could keep going, but he helped me through.

Here I am crossing the finish line with a time of 5 hours 15 seconds.

Now I wasn't the fastest, by far. But that's not at all what it was about for me. I wanted to prove to myself that I can go above and beyond anything I ever thought possible and guess what? I did!

A huge thank you to my family for supporting me through it all: My amazing husband and both of my boys, My Sister, My Dad, My Mom who was sick, My in-laws whom I adore. Thank you again.

Now if you made it through that I have a pretty card to show you. It's for Courtney Baker's sketch challenge over at Practicing Creativity.

I chose Courtney's sketch, which looks like this:

and this is my card.

This one uses a bunch of different sets from PCD. Sentiment is from the whole cycle, clouds are from you're dandy and the balloons are from look up. I love the subtle vintage feel of this one, it's so different from what I've been doing lately. It needed some glitter on the balloons and clouds so that's exactly what it got, hehe.

Oh and I FINALLY jumped on the Nestability bandwagon, and now I know what I waited so long... They're fantastic and now I want to buy them all!!! yikes my wallet hurts already!

I sure do appreciate you stopping by, especially if you made it through all of my ramblings today!

Supplies:

Stamps: Look Up, The Whole Cycle, and You're Dandy (PCD)

Papers: Vintage Cream CS (PTI), Patterned Papers (October Afternoon)

Ink: Noir (Palette), Aqua Mist, Simply Chartreuse, Dark Chocolate (PTI)

Other: Buttons (PTI), Twine (PTI), Labels 1 die (Spellbinders), Ripe Avocado Grosgrain ribbon (PTI), Glitter (Prisma)

On your wedding day

2010-09-02T14:47:00.000-04:00

Hello! The card I've got for you today showcases a gorgeous prima flower. I loved these flowers so much that I didn't even want to use them! Yes, I have hoarding tendencies. Anyways, besides the flower this card uses the tin types impression plate, turning a new leaf, a sentiment from YOF: roses, the eyelet border die and some october afternoon papers and label.

In other news, this saturday I will be running my first marathon!! I'm seriously nervous so if you could send me some good vibes, I'd appreciate it. Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Kraft, Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)

Stamps: YOF: roses, turning a new leaf (PTI)

Ink: Simply Chartreuse (PTI), Noir (Palette)

Other: Eyelet border die, Tin Types Impression plate (PTI), Flower (Prima), Label and patterned paper (October Afternoon), Pen (sharpie)

Praying for you

2010-08-31T09:14:00.000-04:00

Today's card features some colored delightful dahlias and some spotlighting. I'd never tried this technique, but I love how it turned out.

I wouldn't have added the ribbon to the left side of the focal point, but right as I was finishing up I smudged maker and there was no way that I colored it all for nothing, so an "opportunity for embellishment" was born. haha.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies all PTI unless noted

Cardstocks: Kraft, White and Black

Ink: Palette Noir

Other: Scarlet Jewel twill and Copic markers (the ones that coordinate with Scarlet Jewel)

Dot spot birthday

2010-08-30T09:10:00.000-04:00

Today's card is a bright and fun birthday card Featuring dot spot and a sentiemnt from Birthday Bash Sentiments.

I'm so completely addicted to this Label 4 die! Seriously, I LOVE this thing!!!

Stamped a couple dot spots off the edges. If I did this again I'd switch out the red for a lighter color, it's a bit hard to see the sentiment, but whatever, live and learn. Right?! I kept the colors gender neutral so the card could be used for either sex.

Supplies all PTI:

Cardstock: black, white, Simply Chartreuse

Ink: Palette Noir, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Hawaiian Shores

Stamps: Dot Spot, Birthday Bash Sentiments

Other: Linen and Canvas Impression Plate, Hawaiian Shores Grosgrain ribbon

Butterfly thank you

2010-08-22T13:05:00.000-04:00

Today's card is a simple little thank you. In May I won a free set from PTI during their blog hop, I chose Butterfly dreams. So today's card features a copic colored butterfly.

I really liked the proportions of this card with all the empty space it really focuses on the butterfly. The aqua mist paper is stamped in versamark with background basics: diamonds and behind the focal image is ripe avocado grosgrain ribbon. The craft background also has the canvas impression plate for some subtle detail.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies (all pti unless noted)

Cardstock: craft, aqua mist, white

Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Background basics: Diamonds

Ink: Noir (palette), Versamark

Other: rhinestones, Ripe Avocado grosgrain ribbon, linen and canvas impression plate

Happy Day

2010-08-18T09:10:00.000-04:00

Today I've got a cute and super simple card for you. Using the bottom half of the kite from PTI's Up, Up, and Away as a banner. I was a little late to jump on the banner band wagon, but I'm on it full force now!! Everything I make seems to scream to me "add a banner!" haha The sentiment is one from fillable frames #5

Can you see the impressing on the white background? It's PTI's tin type impression plate, in person it really adds a lot. I love the CAS design of this one, what do you think?

Supplies:

Cardstock: Craft (PTI), white

Ink: Hawaiian Shores, Orange Zest, Simply Chartreuse (PTI), Noir (Palette)

Stamps: Up, Up, and Away, Fillable Frames #5 (PTI)

Other: Tin Type Impression Plate and Twine (PTI)

Let's PARTY!!!!

2010-08-16T12:18:00.000-04:00

Here's one of the 30 invitations I made for my boys' birthday party this year. We did an undersea adventure theme, so what better stamps to use than Lawn Fawn Critters in the Sea. Echo Park's A walk in the Park line had the perfect bright colors.

Here's a sampling of the 30+ favors filled with goldfish crackers. All kids love goldfish so they were a crowd pleaser and the fish went with my theme.

This is my favorite part. Party Hats!!! The numbers were cut with my cricut using the Pooh Font cartridge.

The cupcake toppers are all Lawn Fawn stamps which were stamped, colored with copics or stamped on patterned papers. Using my cricut and the cupcake wrappers cartrdige I cut all of the cupcake wrappers out of 3 different Echo Park papers.

These cupcake wrappers were for the birthday boys, I wish I would have noticed the wave wrapper first because I would have cut them all with the waves. However, I like the plain scallops as well and they cut easier. These cupcakes are a kid favorite, party chip with buttercream frosting and of course sprinkles!! Isn't the turtle soo cute?!?

Here's a closup of the octopus topper and scallop cupcake wrapper. These cupcakes are sooo tasty! They're chocolate chocolate chip with butter cream frosting and chopped oreos, yum!!

Last but not least are my absolute favorite cupcakes ever!! It's peanut butter cake with peanut butter buttercream frosting and chopped peanut butter cups on top.

Now you know what's kept me so busy for a while. I was so happy with how everything turned out, wish you could have seen how cute the whole party was. But I think you have a good idea.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Supplies:

Stamps: Critters of the sea and Harold's alphabet (Lawn Fawn), A little argyle (Papertrey Ink)

Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Hawaiiand Shores, Simply Chartreuse, Orange Zest (Papertrey Ink), White and Black

Patterned Paper: blissful days border, tree tops, flutter, playful stripes

Ink: Hawaiian Shores (Papertrey Ink), Noir (Palette)

Punch: Wave Punch (fiskars)

Hello Friends

2010-08-05T22:05:00.000-04:00

Hello!!

Haven't forgotten about the blog, but I've been SUPER BUSY getting ready for my boys birthday party. My boys birthdays are only a month apart so we celebrate with only one big party. So far I've made the 30 or so invitations, 30 or so favors, almost 60 cupcake toppers, 60 cupcake wrappers, and two party hats. Needless to say I'll have a lot of fun things to show you real soon :)

Stay tuned, sorry I've been MIA.

Birthday Pinwheel

2010-07-23T13:28:00.000-04:00

Today I've got a fun pinwheel birthday card using a couple new PTI supplies. The notebook page die is my newest favorite thing ever! I think I've used it on 80% of my cards since it came in the mail. The sentiment is from Just the Ticket. Patterned papers are Echo Park. I also used the woodgrain impression plate on the kraft layer.

I'm lovin' it, what do you think?

Thanks fors topping by!

Just droppin' a line

2010-07-22T09:20:00.000-04:00

This stamp set is just too much fun! It's from WPlus9, it's called Hooked On You.

How perfect is this for a fisherman's birthday? Man cards are just not easy, so I kept it really simple. The only thing I don't like is my funky bow on the hook It's strands of embroidery floss and they just wouldn't stay together, grrrr. Other than that I really like it, what do you think??

Thanks for stopping by!!

Birthday Boy

2010-07-19T09:56:00.004-04:00

This card is for the Card Style Fun and Cute Challenge in the Moxie Fab World. I used last weeks sketch from 2S4Y, of course I'm too late to enter that one, but I really liked the sketch so decided to use it anyway.

These 'fun and cute' stamps are from Lawn Fawn. I totally love them, so much that I'm designing my boys' birthday party around them. The whale is from critters in the sea and birthday boy is using Harold's ABCs.

Last but not least, I've got a little toot today. I won the sketch challenge at Practicing Creativity!! There were some amazing entries so I'm proud to have been chosen. Yey me :)

Thanks for stopping by!

You're Dandy

2010-07-15T09:55:00.000-04:00

Today I've got a fun little card for the Practicing Creativity sketch challenge. The papers are Echo Park: a walk in the park and I am SOO in love with this collection!! The colors and patterns are fan-tas-tic! What better to pair it with than the fun kite and sentiment from PCD's You're Dandy set. Add a hawaiian shores bow and some felt clouds and you've got a little taste of summer.

Thanks for stopping by!

Best Wishes

2010-07-07T10:22:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post today, life has been crazy/hectic, but in a good way. We're heading out to a girlfriend's camp for the day today and it is HOT so we're bringing the swimsuits.

This one uses Practicing Creativity's You're Dandy set.

Well, better go or my kids just might take off without me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Color Cue 5

2010-06-24T08:40:00.001-04:00

It's time for another color cue challenge with WPlus9. How much fun are these colors?!?

and here is the card I created using them.

Don't have any Simple Chartreuse cardstock yet so I had to make do with Spring Moss. The heart background and sentiment are from WPlus9, cardstocks are PTI as well as the impression plate used on the background.

birthday wishes

2010-06-23T08:43:00.002-04:00

Here's a card using PTI's up, up and away set. I am LOVING this set, it's so much fun! The background is polka dot basics II stamped on Spring Moss with Simply Chartreuse. I used the eyelet lace border die to ground the kite. Not sure if you can tell but I used the linen impression on the spring moss layer and the canvas side on the focal point, I am completely addicted to that impression plate!

How is your summer going? Mine can be summed up in one word: BUSY. I'm not sure why it seems so much busier than any other time of the year, maybe because my kids are home all the time and it's the first summer my DH is working steady day shift? Whatever the reason it seems like time is just flying by.

Well gotta run, I guess I've got to feed my kiddo's, ha!

Have a good one and thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Cardstok: Enchanted Evening, Spring Moss, White

Ink: Palette Noir, Simple Chartreuse, Enchanted Evening

Stamps: Up up and away, Polka dot basics II

Other: Eyelet lace die, Linen and canvas impression plate

Wonderful Friend

2010-06-21T08:18:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone! Happy Monday, hope your week is starting off great. I've got a card today for you using this years anniversary set. I love this color combo aqua mist, hawaiian shores, ripe avocado and white.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dad's day card

2010-06-16T08:50:00.001-04:00

Just poping in with a super quick Dad's day card. "You're a super" is from Star Prints. I used the Mat Stack one die and baseballs from Have a ball. Dad was cut with my cricut using the Sesame Street Font cartridge.

The embossing really brings this card to life. I used the linen plate on the Enchanted Evening background and the woodgrain on the mat stack die cut.

Thanks for stopping by

Sharing Secrets

2010-06-13T10:31:00.001-04:00

Today I've got a layout to share with you. This photo of my boys is dear to my heart, it captures their relationship at it's best.

The patterned paper was stamped with A Little Argyle. I'm lovin' the woodgrain on craft for the title, isn't it fun!! Tied it all together with the small scallop border along the top and a few buttons for good measure.

boy birthday

2010-06-11T08:38:00.001-04:00

Today I've got a fun card for a birthday boy using Have a ball from PTI. The border along the bottom uses the dot strip from A little argyle with the small star from star prints stamped between the dots. Super quick and simple but for a teen/tween boy I believe that quick and simple are the way to go.

I heart new stamps :)

2010-06-06T14:14:00.001-04:00

My new stamps from WPlus9 came in the mail yesterday! I'm in LOVE with these little cuties and Dawn from WPlus9 is awesome. I had left a comment on her blog saying I was super excited to get my stamps and she personally emailed me to tell me my stamps shipped! Now how often do you get service like that?!?

Now you know I had to play with my new stamps right away, so I created another card for the current color challenge.

They stamps beautifully, I intend to get a TON of use out of these.

Just a quick and cute little ditty. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps: Background Builders: Hearts and The birds and the bees from WPlus9

Ink: PTI's enchanted evening, spring rain, smokey shadow and palette black

Cardstock: Spring Rain, Lemon Tart and white

Hello

2010-06-05T10:19:00.001-04:00

Today I've got a super simple little card for 2S4U. This one uses some of PTIs flower dies and a sentiment from fillable frames #1. Buttons in Hawaiian Shores, Plum Pudding, and Hibiscus Burst and some drawn lines finsih it off.

Fly away with me

2010-06-02T10:19:00.001-04:00

It's time for another color cue challenge!

Being a mom of two boys, blue is right up my alley, so this was do-able for me.

I'm not sure who the manufacturer or this plane stamp is, but it's cute. The sentiment is PaperTrey Ink's Up up and away sentiments.

Not sure if you can tell or not, but I used the linen impression plate on the yellow background piece, just to add a little something. The plane was masked and the puffs behind the plane are heat embossed so I could sponge the cloud background.

I'm also awaiting my first stamps from WPlus9 and can't wait til I get them. I ordered both of their new releases the birds and the bees and background builders: Hearts.

Fabulous Felt

2010-05-25T20:46:00.002-04:00

Woohoo!! It's my first Papertrey Ink Blog Hop!

I was inspired by Dawn McVey's coffe cozy but I only like the coffee I make and only drink it at home usually. Thus, no need for a coffee cozy. However, I've been known to drink an occasional twisted tea here and there. Those bottles will freeze your hands holding onto them, and the dirty old cozy's my hubster has are just that.... dirty and old. So here's my version, a cute stylish way to keep my drink cold and my hands warm.

Check it out.

I used the dirty old cozy for my pattern and simply traced and cut it out. Added the scallops and sewed it together, flipped it and decorated. Voila!

Supplies:

PTI felt: True Black, Hawaiian Shores, vintage Cream and Simply chartreuse

Dies: Small Scallop, Mat stack 2, Delightful Dahlia (leaves) Beautiful Blooms.

Other: Black and plum pudding buttons, sewing machine

You're the best ever

2010-05-24T08:54:00.001-04:00

Isn't that sentiment just the best ever?

Who's not going to smile receiving a message like that?

I think this one will go into my hubby's lunchpail just to say "thanks for all you do"

A bunch of stamp sets used on this one: Star Prints, BB:woodgrain, A little argyle and Big and Bold wishes. It also uses the mat stack one die and the star punch from fiskars that coordinates with Star Prints.

This weekend was a fantastic one, my girlfriend was home from Montana!! She's one of those friends who you could go years without speaking to but you can pick up just where you left off like you talked to her yesterday. Do you know what I mean? Do you have friends like that too?

We also went to see Shrek The final chapter with the boys, it was really cute. I was pretty concerned being that it's the fourth installment, but we really did enjoy it.

Well, dishes laundry and kiddos are calling me I'll see ya soon!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wedding Wishes

2010-05-20T11:26:00.001-04:00

Let me apologize right away for the terrible quality of this picture. I took a quick shot on my way to the wedding shower for the recipient of this card. It was a super sunny and windy day, so nothing was in my favor for this shot, oh well. I still really loved the card and wanted to show it to you all.

I used background basics: woodgrain in smoky shadow and soft stone CS for the main focal panel and layered two heart from heart prints in Scarlet Jewel. The rhinestones on the sentiment banner are colored with copics to match the Scarlet Jewel hearts.

Super simple but I think it packs a lot of punch.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Supplies all PTI unless noted:

Cardstock: Soft Stone, Black and White (from Hewlett Packard)

Ink: Smoky Shadow, Scarlet Jewel and Black staz-on

Stamps: Heart Prints, Background Basics Woodgrain, Enjoy the ride

Other: Rhinestones, Heart Punch

Miss me?

2010-05-17T08:44:00.001-04:00

Sorry to have been MIA for so long! Life has just been crazy for me lately. Nothing bad, the kiddos are just keeping me really really busy. I've still been creating, thankfully. There's just been no time to blog about it. Sorry for that.

Today I've got a quick little card using beautiful blooms II.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharing some YUM!

2010-05-01T09:41:00.001-04:00

Before I get to today's card I have got to share a fantastic recipe with you.

This, my friends, is Fluffy French Toast and it is by far the most delicious french toast I've ever tasted. It's like a hybrid of pancakes and french toast. Can you say YUMMY!?! We've had it three times in two weeks and I really don't ever cook breakfast, so that should tell you something.

Now I can't take credit for this recipe, it's from the Tasty Kitchen, but I will copy and paste it here for you.

Fluffy French Toast
Prep Time 5 Minutes
Cook Time 10 Minutes
Servings 5

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 cup Flour
1 cup Milk
2 whole Eggs
1-¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
⅛ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoons Maple Flavoring (Optional, See Note Below)
10 slices Bread, Your Choice
Note: if you do not use the maple flavoring, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Preparation Instructions
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush on just enough vegetable oil to coat the entire skillet. Whisk together all the dry ingredients, and in a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. Combine the wet and dry ingredients; stir until just combined. Pour the batter into an 8×8 square baking dish and dip single pieces of bread into the batter, flipping to coat both sides. Place immediately on the hot skillet. Flip when browned and brown the other side.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!

As sure as I am that you will enjoy that, you come here for the cards, so without further ado....

Here is today's card

It was a happy suprise that this sentiment from Through the trees fits perfectly inside of the fillable frames 1 stamp. The plaid background on the craft is the line strip from Let Freedom Ring. Overall, I kept this one pretty simple to give the beautiful sentiment a chance to shine.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies all PTI unless noted
Cardstock: White (HP), Craft, Scarlet Jewel
Stamps: Fillable Frames #1, Through the trees, Let Freedom Ring
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Scarlet Jewel, Tea dye duo
Other: Scarlet Jewel Ribbon, Large Scallop die, Fillable Frames #1 Die

Color cue kite

2010-04-30T13:13:00.001-04:00

WPlus9 has a color challenge and this week I got a chance to play along. Now let me tell you that these colors are completely out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed it. The colors are PTI's Melon Berry, Spring Rain, Summer Sunrise and white. The kite is from the You're Dandy set from practicing creativity and I added a little glitter to the kite and it's bows. Just a cheery fun simple card. Oh and check out the woodgrain in the background, I love how it adds a subtle texture to the otherwise plain background.

Thanks for stopping by!

Maile inspired

2010-04-29T14:36:00.001-04:00

Maile Belles is one of my stamping idols. I love the way she can make something CAS so striking. This card was inspired by one of hers from a couple weeks back.

The text background (from BB: Hearts) is inked in dark chocolate and stamped off before stamping on the craft. It just gives a more subtle look.

Supplies (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstocks: Craft, Spring Moss, Sweet Blush, White (HP)
Stamps: Polka Dot Basics II, Background Basics Hearts, Delightful Dahlia
Ink: Sweet Blush, Dark Chocolate, Black (staz-on), Tea Dye Duo
Other: Beautiful Blooms II flower dies, Delightful Dahlia leaf dies, Sweet Blush button, Embroidery thread, Corner Punch (Martha Stewart)

Just because

2010-04-26T08:16:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday morning everyone, hope you had a fantastic weekend.

Here's a quick CAS card using dot spot and vintage picnic sentiments. Since it's Monday that means I'm already on my 2nd cup of coffee, my youngest son and daycare daughter are picking on each other constantly and I've got a mountain of laundry to conquer. Just another day in paradise! :)

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day.

Supplies all PTI unless noted

Cardstock: Craft, white (hewlett packard)

Ink: Hawaiian shores, Black (staz-on), Tea Dye Duo: Chai

Stamps: Dot Spot and Vintage Picnic Sentiments

Other: Black Pen (Sharpie), Black rhinestones

Thankful

2010-04-24T10:41:00.001-04:00

Today I am feeling so thankful. For my silly, sweet boys, my wonderful husband, my friends, family and YOU! I'm thankful that you take the time to visit me and see what I've been up to. Thankful that you leave me such sweet wonderful comments that make me smile. It's nice to know I'm not just talking to myself on here! :)

Since I know I don't say it enough, THANK YOU!

Today I've got a layout to show you using Dot Spot, which is such a fun set, don't you think?

This is my little truck man. I've got to tell you a little story about him and just how much he LOVES TRUCKS (and only trucks). Last week, we bought a bike for our older boy since he had outgrown the smaller one. Well I didn't want Tyler to feel left out so on the way through the checkout I grabbed him a hotwheels car. He didn't seem to care that Dylan got a bike and he didn't get anything but then I showed him the car we bought for him and our conversation went like this

Tyler- "That's not a truck, you know I only like TRUCKS!"

Me- "Sorry bud, but there weren't any trucks"

Tyler- "Well you should have gone somewhere else to find one"

I'm not about to raise a spoiled and unappreciative son so I say- "Sorry, but I didn't have time to go anywhere else, if you don't like it I will give it to your brother, maybe he would appreciate it more"

Tyler- "Good, because I don't want it"

So lucky Dylan got a new bike and a new car. Tyler was just happy he didn't have to have a car.

The End.

It was so much fun stamping away and glimmer misting this page, and I love the result. It's bold and graphic but distressed, love it!

Supplies all PTI unless noted

Cardstock: Craft (bazzill), Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist, Black (Hewlett Packard)

Stamps: Dot Spot, Star Prints

Ink: Hawaiian Shores, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Tea Dye Duo

Other: Ric Rac and Large Scallop Dies, Star Punch (fiskars), Cricut Pooh Font Cartridge, Glimmer Mists, Chipboard Alpha (Basic Grey)

Dessert from my son

2010-04-20T17:54:00.001-04:00

Last night while eating dinner my son tells me "I'm not telling what it is but I'm making desert tonight"

Sounds interesting, that's for sure.

So what does he make me?

Mud pies!! YUM (you're jealous, right?!?)

.... stop drooling on your keyboard! (ha!)

The goofball was "faking" eating it, except he actually put the shovel in his mouth right after this and stuck his gum in it.

I didn't laugh at him at all.... if you believe that one....

A couple weeks back I became the proud owner of a whole bunch of copic markers :-D

I decided on getting a bunch of the trios that match the PTI colors, since I can't seem to use anything that's not PTI lately. For these copics and I it was LOVE at first WRITE. (okay terrible joke, I know. don't hold it against me please)

Anyways, these dahlia's are literally the first things I colored with my copics. If you have any tips or constructive criticism feel free to leave me a comment. Thanks.

These use the Pure Poppy and Plum Pudding trios. If you have any tips for blending that dark purple better, let me know.

These use the Raspberry Fizz and Hawaiian shores trio's. In my entire stash I couldn't find an appropriate size/shape sentiment so I left them sentiment-less for the time being, I'm sure someday the right thing will come along.

Supplies (all PTI)

Stamps: Delightful Dahlia

Dies: Delightful Dahlia and Large Scallop

Cardstocks: White, Pure Poppy, Plum Pudding, Hawaiian Shores, Hibiscus Burst and Craft

and the copic trios that PTI sells for Pure Poppy, Plum Pudding, Hawaiian Shores, Hibiscus Burst, Spring Moss and Ripe Avocado

Hey There

2010-04-02T22:07:00.001-04:00

Just dropping in with a quick little hello card for you tonight. Honestly, this picture does not do this card justice, but hopefully you get the idea ::wink::

Supplies: all PTI unless noted

Stamps: Polkadot basics II, Backgroudn Basics: diamonds, Big and bold wishes

Cardstock: Melon Berry, White, Aqua Mist, Spring Moss

New PTI goodies :)

2010-03-23T16:29:00.001-04:00

All of my birthday PTI goodies came on Friday!! What a happy mail day. I got Beautiful Blooms II and all the dies, Delightful Dahlia and the dies, the ric rac die, Hawaiian Shores CS buttons ink twill and grosgrain ribbon and dot spot. Hawaiian Shores has got to be my all time favorite color EVER, yum!

Here's a simple graphic card for Lisa's Poppy Seed Challenge.

Now, you can't see much of the spring moss, but the leaves are spring moss, just stamped with ripe avocado. I'm totally loving the hawaiian shores on aqua mist.

Today was a really happy mail day too, I got a whole bunch of copic markers!! They are SO MUCH FUN!

Supplies

CS: white, black, spring moss and aqua mist

Stamps: Beautiful Blooms II (flower, leaves and background dots), Delightful Dahlia (sentiment)

Ink: Terracota Tile, Hawaiian Shores, Staz-on Black

Other: Hawaiian Shores button, Black floss

Spring thoughts

2010-03-18T09:36:00.002-04:00

Can't even tell you how happy I am that spring seems to have arrived in my neck of the woods. Life just seems so much brighter when I can send my monsters, er... kids, outside to play. HAHA! Here's hoping spring is here to say, but I won't hold my breath, it's a little too good to be true! A year or two ago we got about 12" of snow on April 1st, yuck.

Today's card is a simple one layer card using Through the trees, Life, Heart Prints and a whole bunch of ink. I hand cut the hills out of spring moss and inked the edges of them with spring moss ink. The base is vintage cream inked with aqua mist. I stamped the tree from Through the trees in dark chocolate and the leaves in spring moss, adding some hearts with the bitty little heart from Heart Prints with rasp. fizz ink. Friends for in dark choclate and Life in rasp. fizz.

Supplies, all PaperTrey Ink

Cardstock: Spring Moss, Vintage Cream

Ink: Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Fizz, Spring Moss, Aqua Mist

Stamps: Life, Through the trees, Heart Prints

Did ya miss me?

2010-03-16T10:52:00.001-04:00

Sorry I've been away for a bit. Promise to be better about posting!!

I've got anoter quick little card for you today. It's a boy card, which I tend to struggle with, but I really like this one. Whaddaya think?

Supplies
Cardstock: White, PTI pure poppy, the green is bazzil and I don't know what the name is, the light blue is some random piece from my stash
Patterned Paper: My Minds Eye
Stamps: Star Prints and "birthday" is from Let Freedom Ring
Ink: PTI pure poppy and Enchanted Evening
Ribbon: Enchanted Evening

A toot for me :)

2010-03-06T20:40:00.001-05:00

So today I have some really super duper news! (does anyone still say super duper?!?)

I made the top 5 Poppy Seed Bloomers on Lisa Johnsons blog!! Yey, I'm soo thrilled!

I do have a card for you today as well. This one uses one of my fave color combos lately, aqua mist and terracotta tile. Can you say YUM! The background is stamped with the damasky looking image from Vintage labels with versamark and I made one of Dawn McVey's scallop circle bookprint flowers.

Well, I've got a sick kiddo so I can't stay and chat, but thank you so much for stopping by!

A super fun discovery

2010-03-05T10:45:00.001-05:00

While I was playing with my new PTI sets the other day I discovered that the little bitty shamrock fits perfectly inside this tin types background. Check it out!! How much fun is this?!? This got me thinking about all of those other itty bitty stamps we have, like the bitty star in star prints and the bitty heart from heart prints. I'm sure there are tons of other options out there too. Can you think of any?

I {heart} this tin types background so get used to seeing it around here, hehe.

Supplies all PTI

Cardstocks: Craft, White and Spring Moss

Ink: New Leaf

Stamps: Background Basics: Tin Type and Luck of the Irish

Other: Small scallop die, New Leaf grosgrain ribbon and 1 3/4" circle punch

Thinking Spring

2010-03-01T12:44:00.001-05:00

This card I made for Nichole Heady's challenge today, using Heather Nichols color combo of plum pudding, spring moss, spring rain and lemon tart. It feels really "springy" doesn't it, I can almost smell the flowers. I'm doing double duty with this card and submitting it for Lisa Johnson's Poppy Seed Challenge as well.

Supplies all PTI
Cardstock: Plum Pudding, Lemon Tart, Spring Moss, Spring Rain and white
Ink: Smokey Shadow, Plum Pudding, Spring Moss, and Spring Rain
Stamps: Life and Vintage Picnic Sentiments
Scallop Dies: Small and Large
Rhinestones: Crystal
Button: Plum Pudding
Ribbon: Spring Rain topnotch twill

Celebrate today

2010-03-01T09:10:00.001-05:00

Dropping in with a little cupcake card for you today. Using dark chocolate, scarlet jewel and melon berry.

All Supplies PTI
Cardstocks: Dark Chocolate, Melon Berry and white
Ink: Versamark, Melon Berry, Dark Chocolate and Scarlet Jewel
Stamjps: Polkadot basics II, Cupcake collection
Buttons: Melon Berry
Ribbon: Scarlet Jewel saddle stitch
Punch: Fiskars apron lace

quick and cute

2010-02-23T11:38:00.001-05:00

Just dropping in to show you a super quick and cute little boy birthday card. This one uses squares that were leftover from a layout I did a while ago (you can see it here). All that was left to add was a pen drawn border, cute little sticker and a sentiment.

See, super simple and quick, just the way a like it!

You're so sweet

2010-02-18T08:59:00.001-05:00

Thanks for stopping by today. Your comments always brighten my day.

This is a simple little card using PTI's everyday button bits and some Cosmo Cricket and October Afternoon papers. The sentiment is from PTI's cupcake collection.

birthday gift ensemble

2010-02-11T10:35:00.001-05:00

Here's a cute little gift ensemble using everyday button bits, cupcake collection and polka dot basics II.

I cut the tag with my cricut expression and the bitty butterfly is a punch that I've had forever.

PTI Paint by numbers

2010-02-08T18:22:00.001-05:00

When I was a little girl I used to LOVE those paint by numbers, or even better, do you remember the paint with water books? hehe, so much fun!

Here's my entry for the paint by numbers PTI challenge. I could not, for the life of me, get a decent picture of this card, that brownish greenish looking mat is actually ripe avocado. Yeah, I couldn't tell either!

In person these colors look really pretty, never would I have put them all together though so I'm glad that Nichole shoved me out of my comfort zone.

Supplies all PTI
Cardstocks: White, Ripe Avocado, Raspberry Fizz and Orange Zest
Stamps: Turning a new leaf and Communique Curves sentiments
Terracotta tile grosgrain ribbon
1/4" scor tape, Martha Stewart glitter, random button

Thanks for stopping by!

Mini Me

2010-02-08T14:17:00.000-05:00

Personality wise my oldest boy is so much like me it's scary! He's got a sensitive personality and it's easy to step over the line when you're teasing him, he'll start to take it personally. We've got the same silly sense of humor, that's why I call him my mini me!

Supplies:

Patterened papers: Bo Bunny

Cardstock: Bazzil Basics

Tim Holtz distress ink spray

Stamps: Turning a new leaf from PTI

Cricut expression: Title

misc. circle and scallop circle punches accents

Quick and easy valentine

2010-02-07T14:54:00.002-05:00

The blog is all fixed up, what do you think?

Here's a quick little card using Heart Prints and Vintage Labels. Easy, cute and gender neutral.

Supplies

Stamps: Heart Prints, Vintage Labels

Cardstocks: Craft, Pure Poppy, White

Inks: Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy

Thanks for stopping by!

Work in Progress

2010-02-05T21:17:00.001-05:00

Just want to give you a heads up that I'm going to be re-vamping my blog designer over the next day or so. If you stop by and it looks a mess, give me a break, it should be better soon!

Thanks for stopping by (and putting up with the mess).

PTI Emboss Resist

2010-02-05T16:30:00.002-05:00

Here's my card for Papertrey Ink's emboss resist challenge.

Now, this wasn't my first try. For the first attempt I embossed on spring moss and sponged spring moss and ripe avocado over it. It ended up like bright green pea soup, HORRIBLE!! There is no way I'm even showing it to you, hahaha.

This one however, I like a whole lot more.

Supplies: all papertrey ink unless noted

Paper: Rustic Cream, Ripe Avocado and Melon Berry

Ink: Ripe Avocado, Melon Berry, Spring Moss and Versamark

Button: Melon Berry

Stamps: Polkadot Basics II, Turning a New Leaf

other: DMC floss to match Ripe Avocado, Martha Stewart glitter

all things grow with love

2010-02-04T08:08:00.002-05:00

Here's another quick little valentine today. I love this color combo pure poppy, ocean tides, craft, chocolate and white.

Quick, Easy and gender neutral. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies all PTI unless noted
Cardstocks: Craft, Ocean Tides, and white (from Walmart)
Stamps: Heart Prints and Everyday Button Bits
Punch: Scallop edge from Fiskars
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy and Chai from tea dye duo.
Button: Ocean Tides
Ribbon: from Michaels

Happy Birthday PTI part 4

2010-02-02T20:44:00.002-05:00

This one was so QUICK and EASY! I literally just painted in all the colors in photoshop so all I had to do was trim it out, mat it and stamp the sentiment and hearts.

Now I've got a go to last minute birthday card that can be ready in less than 5 minutes. LOVE IT! Really though, you could switch out the sentiment for just about anything, fun!!!

Supplies:
Stamps: House scene from Becky Oehlers (digital), Everyday Button Bits, and Background Basics: Hearts
Cardstocks: Scarlet jewel, Craft from PTI and EL Cheapo white from Walmart
Inks: Staz On Black, and PTI Scarlet Jewel

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Birthday PTI part 3

2010-02-02T20:39:00.003-05:00

Here's another using Niki Estes downloadable circle stamp. I resized mine to fit a 1 3/4" circle punch (It was originally made to fit a 2" circle).

Supplies:
Cardstocks: Smokey Shadow, Aqua Mist and Melon Berry
Stamps: Let Freedom Ring and Niki's downloadable
Inks: Aqua Mist and Melon Berry
Punches: 1 3/4" circle and 2" scalloped circle and slimline bitty scallop from EK success (I think?)

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Birthday PTI part 2

2010-02-02T20:33:00.002-05:00

This one is using Dawn McVey's downloadable image, which coordinates with a 1 3/4" circle punch and 2" scallop circle punch.

Supplies:
Stamps: Dawn McVey's birthday download and Turning a New leaf
Carstocks: Dark Chocolate and Terracotta Tile
Ribbon from Michaels
Punches: 1 3/4" circle and 2" scallop circle from EK success (I think, they're the ones PTI carries)

Thanks for stopping by!

The last Chirper Challenge

2010-02-02T16:00:00.002-05:00

This is my last card for the Chirper Challenge, my life has just gotten too crazy and I can't keep up with it all. For me paper crafting is my get away, something that I do for fun and with all of the obligations of running a challenge blog it can seem like more work than anything.

Our final challenge was to create a thank you card. Here's mine.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Paper: Craft, Spring Moss and Vintage Cream from PTI. Pink from Michaels
Ink: Spring Moss from PTI
Stamps: Turning a new leaf from PTI
Cricut Cart: Storybook for Thank you
Punch: Martha Stewart big corner punch

Happy Birthday PTI

2010-02-02T14:56:00.003-05:00

Papertrey Ink is celebrating their third birthday this month and today they have a challenge. See that little cupcake? That is a free download from one of their fabulous stamp designers. The elephant is also from PTI, it's the rock a bye baby click simple template.

No time to head to the scraproom today so I had to make it digital, I think it's still pretty cute though. For me it's just not quite the same as playing with real paper though.

Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:

Cupcake image and elephant shape from PTI

Digital papers and elements from www.kevinandamanda.com

Love you!

2010-02-01T15:27:00.002-05:00

Got a whole bunch of Valentines cards lines up for you in the coming days.

Here's the first one. I love the colors in this, it looks so fun IRL.

Thanks for stopping by and for all of you who have left me such sweet comments.
Dany, I added a subscribe by email option, thanks so much for taking the time to ask.

Supplies:
All PTI unless noted
Cardstocks: Craft, Melon Berry and Spring Moss. Black from WalMart
Inks: Vintage Cream, Melon Berry, and Spring Moss. Black StazOn
Stamps: Heart Prints and Background Basics: Hearts

So sorry

2010-01-30T08:57:00.002-05:00

For bringing you another sympathy card today, ha!

I adore the turning a new leaf stamp set from PTI and if you don't have the communique curves sentiments yet, you HAVE to get them, they're only $5 and cover most of your sentiment needs.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

all supplies PaperTrey Ink

Cardstock, melon berry and smokey shadow

Ink, melon berry, spring moss, smokey shadow and black

Ribbon, spring moss saddle stich

Punches are the 1 3/4" circle and 2" scallop circle that PTI carries

Sympathy card

2010-01-25T11:26:00.000-05:00

Sympathy cards are the hardest to make, don't you think? I always struggle with trying to keep them from looking too somber but don't want them too cheery either.

Supplies:

PTI dark chocolate, vintage cream and terracotta tile cardstock.

PTI vintage cream grosgrain ribbon

PTI Terracotta tile buttons

PTI stamps, turning a new leaf, communique curves sentiments and vintage labels.

PTI cream button twine

Fiskars apron lace punch

Martha Stewart big corner punch.

1st steps

2010-01-24T11:19:00.003-05:00

Do you know where my baby boy went? This is how he looks...

It's funny. Where he used to be all cute and chubby (look at those leg rolls!!), now he's slim and much too big, but still darn cute.

I do so miss my baby, but do so love my big boy.

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm back with a Goofy Goober

2009-12-29T11:50:00.002-05:00

First of all I'm sorry for being MIA for so long. I had a power cord disaster and all of my Christmas to do's kept me away.

This is a layout of my little boy, he's my Goofy Goober.

Lovin' the simplicity of this layout and the bright colors on black and white.

The patterned papers are Basic Grey Lime Rickey and the buttons are Paper Trey Ink