Monday, January 26, 2015

My Mind TRULY DOES wander!!

Hi everyone and happy Monday to you! I hope you had a good and restful weekend :)

 I was cleaning up the back area at The Stamp Pad where I work weekends and teach and came across this random sentiment stamp by Deep Red and immediately fell in love with it and wanted to make a card and since we need some new store samples it was a win-win so I checked to make sure it was still available and got right down to playing! ;)  The card turned out so cute that I've held it back to be one of the cards for my February class...oops, lol! 


I thought this sentiment describes me perfectly on a daily basis, lol! It also called for a belated birthday sentiment on the inside - story of my life, I'm such a bad card maker these days ;)


What I really like about the sentiment too is that it is color-able so you can really make it match your card by coloring it a complementary color like I've done for this card or make something funky by coloring all the letters in different colors for a fun and bright card.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Thinking Of You

Hi everyone!! Have you ever found yourself in need of a card and have about 5 minutes to get one done? Well, recently I was in that position and managed to throw something together. It's not the prettiest card in the world it's still a nice card and worked out just as I had hoped. 

While I have a ton of dry embossing folders, I never use them as a main focal point. I normally use them to add a touch of dimension as a panel mostly hidden under my focal point. However, for this card I used a new folder that I recently purchased that's meant to be the focal point....

DeNami recently put all of their folders on sale for $3/each AND I was lacking a couple of dollars to qualify for free shipping so I added the Scrolls embossing folder to my order. Like I mentioned before, I would normally not use this type of folder but at the time of purchase I was thinking that I just needed to try something new and here was a great opportunity.

I started with a navy A2 sized card base. I cut a light blue panel and ran it through my Vagabond with the embossing folder. Then I took a scrap of white cardstock and ran that through the embossing folder too. All I wanted was the center so using a scrap was just perfect. I cut out the center panel and stamped the sentiment from the new Heartfelt Blessings clear stamp set in the center. It looked like it needed a little something so I stamped one of the little "extras" from the set at the bottom of the panel. I attached the light blue panel to the card base then using foam tape attached the white sentiment panel. To finish it all off I added a navy grosgrain ribbon/bow and some cupped flower sequins from Paper Sweeties with a little Stickles in the center.

Like I said...super easy card that took about 5 minutes and I was able to rush out the door on time! I'm thinking I could get to like using dry embossing folders as a main focal point! ;) 

Monday, January 19, 2015

The Shabby Tea Room - Challenge #244

Week #244 - January 19, 2015


Hello shabby friends and welcome to another fun week of inspiration and creativity here in the Tea Room!  This week our challenge is called 'Forecast?  Freez'in'!  Please create a card/project INSPIRED BY THE PHOTO!

FOR YOUR SUBMISSION TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE WEEKLY PRIZE AND HONORS: Because we are sponsored weekly by wonderful businesses who have graciously donated products and in the interest of fairness to all participants, any entries that do not follow our simple challenge rules will remain in the gallery but will not be eligible for the weekly prizes and top honors. Thanks for your understanding and participation!

Well, as soon as I saw the picture I pulled out burlap and lots of browns and even a piece of plaid paper and was going for a total rustic look, well, as you can see, none of that worked out for me, lol!! 

I started off with a chocolate A2 sized card base and set it aside.  I cut a piece of rustic looking snowflake paper and knew I wanted to pick up the blue from that paper so I made a little blue banner and attached it in the center of the patterned paper. I debated weather or not to run the banner through my snowflake embossing folder and decided against it due to laziness, lol! I then attached a large doily in the center at the top and tied on some yummy seam binding. I added some twine and (my LAST set - yikes) rusty jingle bells. I die cut the snow drift from glitter paper and attached it by adding glue to just the ends and slipping it under the seam binding. I stamped and die cut the snowman and snowflakes (did the snowflakes twice). After coloring the snowman I slipped him under the snowdrift just a little (that's why I only added glue to the 2 ends). I glued the first set of snow flakes down flat then added foam tape to the 2nd set and placed them on top of the flat ones turning them slightly so they were staggered. 

 The Shabby Girls are pleased to welcome this week's sponsor:  Paper Sweeties!




Paper Sweeties offers high-quality, on trend acrylic stamps, coordinating metal dies and pretty embellishments. Our heartwarming images allow paper crafters to create handmade from the heart treasures that will be keepsakes for years to come!  We carry adorable dolls with interchangeable outfits and accessories ... plus we also have a wide variety of wonderful all-occasion sentiments, labels, frames and accessory sets - perfect for every paper crafted project! You'll enjoy using your Paper Sweeties stamps, dies and embellishments to create projects for card making, scrap booking, party invitations and favors, home decor, gifts and so much more!

Winner will receive a $10 gift certificate from the Paper Sweeties boutique!

 
Please link your creations at The Shabby Tea Room by Sunday, February 1st to play along. Winner and Tea Time Terrific Top Three will be announced Monday, February 2nd. We will have an all-new challenge for you to play along with on the 2nd as well, so please come back and visit with us again for another chance to win!

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Are You Ready For Wedding Season

Hi everyone! Are you thinking about wedding season already? I'm sure not even close to being ready to think about it but after last weekend I think I may be behind! As you know I work a lot of weekends at The Stamp Pad, a local small family owned stamping store. Well, last weekend I had 2 separate gals come in looking for wedding themed things!! They both said they were gearing up for wedding season...who'da thought, it's only January after-all? I feel like such a slacker since I don't even have Valentines under control, lol!

Who am I to stand in the way of you over achievers, lol, how about a pretty wedding card today?


I simply LOVE black and cream together, probably one of my fave color combos for sure. I started out with a black A2 sized card base. I cut a cream panel and dry embossed it then ran a strip of cupcake seam binding across the middle before adhering it to the card base. I die cut 2 panels and stamped my image and adhered them together then adhered that to the center of the card. I stamped the frame and sentiment on a piece of scrap cream cardstock and fussy cut it out. I looked through my stash and came up with the key and roses. I added more seam binding bows and the little roses to finish it all off.


Monday, January 12, 2015

YAY!! - introducing DeNami clear stamps

Ohh my goodness, I had this post all planned then got so wrapped up in life that I didn't write it!! I'm sooo sorry!! Well, better late than never so they say...but really, who is "they" anyway and what the heck do they know, lol!! Let's get to the post and forget that I'm late, mmk?? ;)

Did you see that when DeNami came out with their latest release of images that they are now offering CLEAR stamps?!?!? I'm was giddy over the fun news and couldn't wait to get my hands on them and play. I wanted to feel the overall quality, depth of the image, see-thoroughness, how well they "stuck" and how well they cleaned up. I'm giving them a thumbs up across the board! I love the set that I played with and as soon as I get a little free time I'm breaking open the other!

If you follow the DeNami Addict Facebook page you may have seen this little peek....I had a hard time deciding which set to use first so after a little "iney meany miney moe" session I chose the Monster Celebration set.

I pulled out some fun colored cardstock and some yummy patterned paper I knew I had stashed away in my scrap pile from last spring.

Ready to see the finished card? Let's see these cutie monsters all colored up!


I started off with some hot pink cardstock for my A2 sized card base. I cut a piece of patterned paper and attached it to the card base then set it aside. I cut a white panel, stamped on the image from the Monster Celebration set and then trimmed it to to what I thought was a good size. I then cut another piece of the hot pink to mat the white panel making sure to keep it a bit longer and punched the edge to make scallops. I took a scrap of the left over patterned paper and turning it over to the contrasting side, made a little banner/flag by notching one end with a pair of scissors. I set all of the pieces aside and colored my image and then to fill in around it I randomly stamped one of the sentiments in the set along with the mini polka dot stamp (a long time fave of mine). I layered the white panel onto the hot pink then added a bit of twine with a little button/bow before adhering it to the card base. After deciding where I wanted the little flag I put a little adhesive across it's top (front & back) and gently lifted up the edge of the scalloped panel and slipped it under. 


You can't have a fun little card like this and not add glitter, right? I pulled out my quickie glue pen and Extra Fine DeNami glitter and added some blingy love to my little monsters ;)


Monday, January 5, 2015

The Shabby Tea Room - Challenge #243

Week #243 - January 5, 2015


Hello shabby friends and welcome to another fun week of inspiration and creativity here in the Tea Room!  This week our challenge is called 'Baby It's Cold Outside'!  Please create a card/project INSPIRED BY THE PHOTO!

FOR YOUR SUBMISSION TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE WEEKLY PRIZE AND HONORS: Because we are sponsored weekly by wonderful businesses who have graciously donated products and in the interest of fairness to all participants, any entries that do not follow our simple challenge rules will remain in the gallery but will not be eligible for the weekly prizes and top honors. Thanks for your understanding and participation!

Ready to see what little thing I came up with?? 






 The Shabby Girls are pleased to welcome this week's sponsorThe Cutting Cafe

The Cutting Cafe is your one stop for affordable cutting files and printable stamps. We offer a huge selections on just about any occasion.

This week's lucky winner will receive three cutting files from The Cutting Cafe!

 
Please link your creations at The Shabby Tea Room by Sunday, January 18th to play along. Winner and Tea Time Terrific Top Three will be announced Monday, January 19th. We will have an all-new challenge for you to play along with on the 19th as well, so please come back and visit with us again for another chance to win!