Butterfly Stationary

I'm at it again! I made a very simplistic stationary set featuring my favorite insect, the butterfly! These are super simple and a breeze to put together a bunch in a hurry. I wanted something for when I needed to send a quick note for no particular reason. No greeting means they're good for any occasion.

See? Easy peasy. Just two stamps and they're super cute!

I made them in 10 different colors because, as always, I love my colors!

Stamps: Best of Butterflies, Flourishy (Recollections)
Paper: Whisper White
Ink: Sahara Sand, Blackberry Bliss, Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Night of Navy, Lost Lagoon, Tangelo Twist, Tempting Turquoise, Perfect Plum

Happy New Home!

Some friends of ours just moved into their first home together and my husband and I wanted to send them a house-warming gift. Since we live in Arizona and they're back in Missouri, we have to send a gift card rather than something large. I decided to try my hand at a New Home card.

If you've seen my blog before, you know that this is not my typical style. I searched through my stamp sets until I found this seriously old one that I bought when I first started stamping (and honestly, I bought it for $4 in a clearance bin!). The set itself is by Hampton Arts and I don't even know the name of it. It has all sorts of childlike images for a home (houses, trees, clouds, and even a couch and chair!). It's really the only set that spoke to me.

I stamped each house on whisper white paper and then fussy cut around them. I also did the same with the trees, sun, and hearts. The clouds were embossed with white powder directly on the Pool Party cardstock. The sentiment was from a different set by Fiskars. To make the grass, I simply tore a piece of the Gumball Green cardstock that I had in my scrap pile.

Stamps: Unknown Hampton Arts, Petals from Scratch (Fiskars).
Paper: Pool Party, Gumball Green, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark (for embossing powder), Gumball Green, Early Espresso, Soft Suede. Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight, Real Red
Embossing Powder: Snow (Recollections)

Nice Day for an Orange Wedding

I decided to take another stab at a wedding card for my friends. Their main color is persimmon (orange family), so it's definitely been a trial for me. (In case you missed my earlier posts, I HATE orange).

I definitely like this one better than the last, but I think I'll keep trying.

Stamps: Label Love, Mosaic Madness
Punches: Artisan Label, Mosaic
Embossing Folder: Modern Mosaic
Ink: Tangelo Twist, Crumb Cake
Paper: Whisper White, Tangelo Twist, Crumb Cake
Accents: Ribbon (random from my stash), Flowers (random from my stash)

Another Flower Patch Birthday

I'm seriously loving this stamp set! My matching dies are still on backorder, so I had to fussy cut with this one, but I will definitely be using this over and over. Such pretty images!

Did I also mention that Lost Lagoon and Blackberry Bliss are my two new favorite colors? I think Blackberry Bliss may just knock Raspberry Ripple out of my number one spot!

Stamps: Flower Patch
Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Blackberry Bliss, Pool Party, Lost Lagoon
Paper: Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party
Accents: Rhinestones

Sea Street Birthday

I decided to play with a set that I haven't broken out in a while: Sea Street. I think the images are so cute for kids' cards.

I can't resist googly eyes on that octopus!

Stamps: Sea Street, Itty Bitty Banners
Dies: Bitty Banners
Embossing Folder: Tide (Lifestyle Crafts)
Ink: Night of Navy, Real Red, Coastal Cabana
Paper: Night of Navy, Coastal Cabana, Real Red, Whisper White
Designer Paper: Maritime
Accents: Googly Eyes

A CASE Study

I was playing around on Pinterest and discovered this little beauty by LeeAnn Greff. (Honestly, all of the cards in the kit she's advertising are beautiful.)

I just love the blues in this card and it uses my new favorite stamp set, Flower Patch. I just knew I had to CASE it, but I wanted to make it a little girlier.

I switched the blue tones to versions in pink and the pink she used to Hello Honey. Then I switched it up and made it a birthday card because I always need more of those! I'm in love! I think you'll be seeing a whole lot more of Flower Patch in the future. (Especially when the matching dies come in...they were backordered...)

Stamps: Flower Patch
Paper: Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Strawberry Slush
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride, Strawberry Slush, Hello Honey
Accents: Rhinestones
(All products by Stampin' Up!)

Thank You Set

So my birthday wasn't a bust after all. My husband had to work, but he made it up to me by taking me out to a nice dinner. Plus, we're going to Phoenix tomorrow, so I get a trip too!

Today I decided to make a card set. I don't really do that very often, but I was feeling ambitious.

There are all 10 together. I decided to do each one in a different color because I just like playing with my colors!

A close up of the Night of Navy card.

So pretty! I love my colors!

Stamps: Bloom with Hope, Operation Write Home (Hero Arts)
Paper: Crisp Cantaloupe, Tangelo Twist, Wisteria Wonder, Blackberry Bliss, Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron, Blushing Bride, Pool Party
Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Tangelo Twist, Wisteria Wonder, Blackberry Bliss, Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron, Blushing Bride, Pool Party, Garden Green
Tools: Aqua Painter

Happy Birthday to Me

Today's my birthday, but it's already started as a not so good day. Here's hoping that things will start looking up soon.

I made myself a card out of my favorite color, Raspberry Ripple! (Too bad it's retired.)

Stamps: Petal Parade (retired), Good Greetings (upcoming hostess set)
Paper: Whisper White, Raspberry Ripple
Ink: Raspberry Ripple, StazOn Jet Black
Accents: Raspberry Ripple Stitched Ribbon (retired), Rhinestones

Next, I decided to create a Thinking of You card for a friend. I've moved away from all my family and I have yet to really make any friends in the area, so I've really been thinking of my friends today. I guess that's why my birthday doesn't seem to be very fun this year.

Stamps: Flower Shop, Petite Petals, Sketched Flourishes (Inkadinkado), Wetlands
Punches: Elegant Butterfly (Martha Stewart), Pansy, Petite Petals
Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Pear Pizzaz
Embossing Folder: Swiss Dots (Cuttlebug)
Accents: Pearls

Birthdays and Break-ups

I made a couple of cards this morning, but I really wasn't working with a theme in mind. I just created to create. That's how I got such a disparity between my cards!

I think I was channeling my 3-year-old niece, Lucy, when I made this card. She LOVES pink and anything girly (like butterflies). I'm a little early for her birthday, but I think I'll hang on to this one for her.

Stamps: Best of Butterflies (retired), Banner Greetings (retired)
Embossing Folders: Swiss Dots (Cuttlebug), Honeycomb (Cuttlebug)
Paper: Blushing Bride, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Whisper White
Ink: Blushing Bride, Pool Party, Soft Suede
Accents: Candy Dots

I made this one just because I had never used the flower stamp before and I just wanted to ink it up. I thought it looked cute as a simple wedding card.

Stamps: Sincere Salutations (retired), Flower (Hero Arts)
Ink: Melon Mambo
Paper: Whisper White
Accents: Rhinestones

This card was inspired by a cute stamp I got at Rubbernecker Stamps. I thought this would be a really cute card to give to a friend after a break-up. Especially if you show up with a bottle of wine.

Stamps: Six-Sided Sampler, Good Man (Rubbernecker)
Punches: Hexagon
Ink: Strawberry Slush, Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake
Paper: Whisper White
Accents: Rhinestones

Bunches of Birthdays Continued

I finished my grandmother's order of birthday cards, so I thought I'd share the last couple I made.

I'm not a huge fan of this one, but she liked it, which is all that matters in the end.

Stamps: Sincere Salutations (retired)
Embossing Folder: Elegant Bouquet (retired)
Paper: Perfect Plum, Lavender (Recollections), Clear Vellum
Distress Marker: Seedless Preserves (Tim Holtz)
Embossing Powder: Violet (Recollections)
Accents: Brads

I ended up really liking this one. I love the swirls from Inkadinkado!

Stamps: Sincere Salutations (retired), Dot Flourishes (Inkadinkado)
Ink: Raspberry Ripple (retired), StazOn Jet Black
Paper: Raspberry Ripple (retired), Smoky Slate, Whisper White

Stamps: Wetlands, Thoughts and Prayers, Best of Butterflies (retired)
Ink: Night of Navy
Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White
Embossing Folder: I can't remember the name, but it's retired
Accents: Pearls

Bunches of Birthdays

My grandmother asked me to make her a bunch of birthday cards she can send to her friends. So today I sat down in my craft room and got to work. My grandparents are snowbirds and spend half the year in Indiana and the other half in Florida. I thought it would be fun to incorporate some beach themes into a few of the cards to portray their dual lives.

Stamps: By the Tide, Banner Greetings (retired)
Paper: Marina Mist (as close as I could get because I haven't gotten my new shipment yet!), Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Ink: Versamark, Marina Mist, Crumb Cake
Embossing Powder: Snow (Recollections)
Accents: Pearls

Stamps: Wetlands
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Ink: Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, StazOn Jet Black
Accents: Ribbon from my stash

Stamps: Secret Garden (retired), Sincere Salutations (retired)
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Wild Wasabi, StazOn Jet Black
Accents: Pearls

Stamps: Blooming with Kindness
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana
Ink: Coastal Cabana
Stampin' Write Marker: Coastal Cabana, Basic Black
Punch: Multiple Flower (Martha Stewart)
Accents: Pearls

This was a card that I remade to use a birthday greeting, so it may look rather familiar.

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Best of Butterflies (retired), Sincere Salutations (retired)
Paper: Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe
Ink: Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Baked Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chip
Punch: Multiple Flower (Martha Stewart)
Accents: Rhinestones, Pearls

This one should also look familiar since I made one just like it yesterday for a sympathy card. I just switched the sentiment and there you have it.

Stamps: Bloom with Hope
Paper: Whisper White, Raspberry Ripple (retired)
Ink: Raspberry Ripple (retired), Gumball Green (retired), StazOn Jet Black
Tools: Aqua Painter

I still have a few more to make, but I just wanted to take a break and update with what I have. I'm sure I'll have more to show you soon!

Watercolor Sympathy

I made another quick card today (my fur-children are highly demanding of attention for some reason).

I stamped an image from the new Bloom with Hope set and used an aqua painter to quickly water color the flowers and stems. It was easily finished by stamping the sentiment and then matting the panel and attaching it to my card base. Easy-peasy lemon-squeezy.

Stamps: Bloom with Hope
Ink: Raspberry Ripple (retired), Gumball Green (retired)
Paper: Whisper White, Raspberry Ripple (retired)
Tools: Aqua Painter

Quick & Easy Birthday Card

Just a quick update today. I've been engrossed in a book that I bought when it first came out a while back and really should have finished a long time ago, but am just now reading. I made a quick and easy birthday card using inspiration from the color combo at Pals Paper Arts.

Stamps: Blooming with Kindness, Sincere Salutations (retired)
Ink: Night of Navy
Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight
Punch: Decorative Label Punch
Embossing Folder: Spotted
Accents: Ribbon from my stash

Now back to my book!

You're In My Thoughts

It's a brand new day and some brand new colors! I'm branching out from the orange for a little bit.

I decided to make a card for one of my oldest friends who happens to be going through a bumpy patch. I think she just needs to be reminded that people are supporting her in the decisions she's making. I think maybe next time I would make the card base in Smoky Slate and the sentiment in Night of Navy (or maybe heat emboss in white), but I am a lover of white space!

Stamps: Flower Shop, Gorgeous Grunge, A Dozen Thoughts
Ink: Smoky Slate, Night of Navy, Wisteria Wonder
Punches: Pansy
Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Wisteria Wonder
Accents: Rhinestones

Personal Challenge Day 5 (and more!)

Working with orange...yet again... Today may be my last day for a little bit. I think I may need a break from the orange!

Today I used a darker orange (Cajun Craze).

Stamps: Petal Parade (Stampin' Up!), Thank You (Recollections)
Ink: Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand, Cajun Craze, Chocolare Chip
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip
Accents: Random ribbon from my stash

And because I needed to do something with colors other than orange:

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Best of Butterflies (both Stampin' Up!), and Greetings (Inkadinkado)
Ink: Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Baked Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chip
Paper: Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe (OMG, it's orange!)
Punches: Martha Stewart flower punch
Accents: Pearls, Rhinestones

In case you were interested, I finished another project last night and I'm super excited about it. Not only do I papercraft, but I have a soft spot in my heart for cross stitch. My husband and I aren't quite ready for kids yet, but I've started thinking about how I want to decorate our first child's room (we're thinking maybe next year...??). I love Harry Potter and I'm sure I'm going to pass on that love, so I started thinking of things I can do in my spare time to put together a fun room.

I still need to press it and frame it, but I finished the Hogwarts Crest last night and I'm going to start the Gryffindor crest today. Good thing I like working like a house elf!

Personal Challenge Day 4 (plus an extra!)

I made yet another card in a shade of orange today. (Even though it looks peach in the pictures!)

 

I'm liking this one better than my other orange ones (probably because it doesn't really look orange!).

Supplies:
Stamps: Petite Petals, Flower Shop, Greetings
Embossing folders: Swiss Dots, Spotted
Inks: Crisp Cantaloupe, StazOn Jet Black
Accents: Pearls
Papers: Random pattern from my stash, Whisper White, Basic Black, Crisp Cantaloupe

Then, because I was tired of orange and wanted to branch out a little bit, I CASE'd this card. (Her blog is in German, but she's so good at linking all the supplies that it was easy to figure out.)

I discovered that I got a better effect if I stamped off each of my stamps before I actually stamped on my panel. So each stamp is actually a second stamping except for the flower (third stamping for the gray because my ink pad was juicy).

Supplies:
Stamps: Happy Watercolor (retired), Gorgeous Grunge, Petite Petals, You're In My Thoughts
Inks: Blushing Bride, Sahara Sand, Basic Gray, Soft Suede
Accents: Hemp twine, rhinestones
Papers: Whisper White, Blushing Bride

Personal Challenge Day 3

Today I decided to try my hand at another wedding card for two of my friends. Their wedding color is going to be persimmon (in the orange family) and since that's my challenge I thought it fit quite nicely.

I don't really like this one though. I'll have to take stab at it on another day. I had to re-stamp the sentiment about 10 times because I kept getting it crooked or smudged and then my adhesive was going all crazy on me. I guess it was just an off day for me. Tomorrow's another day!

Stamps: Mosaic Madness, A Dozen Thoughts
Embossing Folder: Whimsy
Inks: Tangerine Tango, Basic Black
Punches: Mosaic

Personal Challenge Day 2

Another day of orange-ness.

This time I made a sweet thank you card featuring floral images from Flower Shop and Petite Petals. The leaves are from the die cut set Secret Garden and also the bottom layer of leaves are stamped with the coordinating Secret Garden stamp set (both now retired). Inks used were Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie, Crisp Cantaloupe, and Wild Wasabi (stamped off and then stamped on my panel). For simplicity, I used the coordinating punches to cut out the flowers (Pansy and Petite Petals).

To finish, I added the sentiment from Happy Watercolor (another retired) and some enamel dots that I made from perler beads.

My opinion may not change about the color orange, but at least I'm finding ways to use it in my crafting!

A Personal Challenge

I hate the color orange. I've always hated it. It's glaring and ugly. Well, maybe I'm a little bit biased. I'm a fair-skinned blond, so I can't wear orange or I look washed out and awful. I've had a lifelong aversion to the color. Because of all of this, I've decided to challenge myself to use orange more often.

I constantly find myself reaching for neutral colors or "safe" colors (you know what I'm talking about: red, blue, green...).For the next few days, I'm going to keep my orange ink on my desk and use it whenever possible.

(Side note: Sorry I've been absent for a while again. I've had several doctors appointments to try to figure out why I've not been feeling well. Turns out, I'm allergic to Arizona. My husband and I moved here in September, so this is my first summer in the area. I'm allergic to pretty much everything that grows here! Now that my meds have been fixed, I'm hoping to be able to craft a whole lot more often!)

Today's project: Butterfly Birthday cards.

I started out with this neutral one using Sahara Sand ink and the Best of Butterflies set with a sentiment from Wetlands. The panel is stamped randomly and then the flag is added with dimensionals. I stamped the butterfly on the tag and then restamped on a piece of scrap paper and cut it out. I added the second butterfly over the first with a small glue dot and added some rhinestones for some shimmer.

Then I redid the card in Tangerine Tango. Same instructions for making it, just a different ink.

Amazingly enough, I like it. (Even though it is evil orange!)

I'll let you decide, which is your favorite?