Elegant Birthday Card...

Today I have what I'm going to label an elegant card. Not so sure if it's elegant, but it is pretty. As ya'll know, I have a love an obsession for those gorgeous 6X6 pads of patterned paper. The reason I find them so perfect is that I don't have to sit there and wonder if the colors and patterns I'm mixing really work together or just look retarded. Honestly, I used to spend soooo much time doing that that it was pathetic!! The little pads of patterned paper has already done the work for me, what's not to love about that????

I needed to make a birthday card for my Mother. She's not into bright colors or bold patterns so I pulled out a little 6X6 pad that's chocked full of darker papers along with some light & medium colors that coordinate so well together and are perfect for her tastes. 

This layout was super simple -  a light colored card base, layer a piece of large patterned pattern paper, layer a wide strip of cardstock, punch a coordinating smaller patterned piece of patterned paper on both long edges and layer on the cardstock strip then embellish however you want. I thought the elegant word plate was perfect for the look I was trying to capture and Nami's writing is sooooo pretty and perfect for my sentiment. I added some pearl and lace trim that a sweet friend had sent me along with yummy seam binding from Paper Sweeties and finished it all off with a little twine and a rose button. Thinking I'll revisit this layout again, it really worked out well. :)

Sending you love...

Hi everyone!! I know that I've been kinda quiet here on the blog and seriously quiet on Facebook over the last couple of weeks. Let me fill you in just a bit....I started off this year with great hopes, but unfortunately 2014 has not been too kind!! I ended up with a horrible bug that was going around. It was mostly like a bad sinus infection that no over the counter or prescription meds would help clear up. After that little bundle of fun was mostly cleared I had a little abdominal surgery. The surgery went off without a hitch but unlike previous abdominal surgeries I've had in the past, I had a LOT of trouble with the after effects! Not sure if y'all are familiar with the procedures or not, but anytime they go into your abdomen they pump it full of gas. This helps distend your tummy and move things apart so that they have room to work. Normally over the course of a few days after the surgery you've expelled all that gas in a most un-lady like fashion. ;)  However this time the gas traveled up into my chest and behind my shoulder blades causing extreme pain and pressure and according to the doctors, this sometimes happens and is completely normal. My lungs still had a bit of gunk from the sinus junk I had had going on and this did not help in the least...uggg! It's taken almost 2 weeks, but the pain and pressure from all that gas is just about all gone....WOO-HOO! I'm feeling really good and getting back on track. I hope to be able to get back into my crafty groove right away too. I received my order for all the new DeNami images (boy are they awesome!!!) and haven't been able to even play at all! I'm soooo sorry that I'm behind and haven't been able to show you any pretty little things using the new release. It's something I plan on working on this weekend...promise!!!

Until then, how about a little cutie I made before all this junk got started?? I had this large flower in my stash for a while now. Normally I don't use large embellishments but this flower is soooo pretty in real life and I've been trying to find a way to incorporate it on something. Since the petals are like little hearts I thought it was perfect for a little Valentine. Since it's so large I knew it had to take center stage. After MUCH thought and trial & errors galore, I came up with this....

Well, that's it for me today. I hope you liked my little Valentine and I'll talk with y'all soon!!



I like graaaapes....

(hehehehehehe) One of my favorite lines out of the Willy Wonka re-make! It's become a family joke, anytime you want to say you like something, we say....I like graaaapes!! I know, dumb and corney, but hey, we amuse ourselves (rather easily, lol) and that's all that matters, right???

I wasn't going to enter another challenge this week, but I sat down at my crafty desk to unwind a bit Tuesday night and I made this little card. I was pretty sure it fit the current The Shabby Tea Room challenge (and it did indeed fit) so I decided I'd make a quick post for today since I promised y'all a start to finish card video for Friday.

We are to use fruit or veggies and text

I changed up a little card that I had made when I guest posted on the DeNami blog back in June. I've been wanting to do this card ever since I made that floral card but just never got around to it...

I started by cutting the center out of my panel then stamping the resulting frame. After LOTS of coloring I popped it upon my card base with foam tape (previously added a length of ribbon).  This time around I used the elegant word plate for my sentiment...so much prettier! Wish it was available when I made the first card...I may go back and change it. When I was all done putting it together I decided it still needed a little sumthin-sumthin' so I added a little purple Chrystal Lacquer and cream Pearl Pen along with just a touch of glitter.

I just love the shadowed effect lifting the fame up on the foam tape gives...what fun dimension! That's all for me today, I will see you back here tomorrow with my latest start to finish card video! :)

Blogger note: Today is a big day over at Paper Sweeties Stamp Company! You know, the darling paper dolls that I dress up and use on my cards?? Well, they've been celebrating their 1st birthday with LOADS of fun and today they are releasing not only new images, but launching a new product!! I've been keeping a HUGE secret and today i finally get to spill the beans :)  The Paper Sweeties dolls now have coordinating metal dies to cut them out with called, Sweet Cuts!! The dies will work in all the machines like Big Shot, Cuttlebug, etc. I'm so very proud of my friend for all that she's accomplished in this past year and wish her continued success and inky fun!