Instagram Birthday

I bought Viva Las VegaStamps' Plate #917 for the great backgrounds it contains, but it also come with a stamp of the Instagram logo. I wasn't sure how I'd ever use it, as I don't currently use Instagram, but my sister-in-law uses quite a bit so I thought it would be perfect for her birthday card.

The Ribbon Reel

Tuesday Morning Sketches

Inspiration/Challenges:
The Ribbon Reel: Color/Photo Inspiration + 2 pattern papers + Ribbon & Twine
Tuesday Morning Sketches #192: Sketch, rotated 90° CC & square

Thank you for visiting,

Flowery wishes with Sunshine Mail

It's a new month, which means a new Sunshine Mail Foundation Challenge (April 1 - 15). Our theme is "Flowers" and the only real rule is that you send in at least one card (Donation guidelines here).

I'd also like to invite you to join our April Card Drive; Just enter either of our April challenges and send in at least one signed card (just write a nice little message inside and sign it with your first name) to be entered to win a bunch of awesome prizes! All the info is here.

I used Art Nouveau Vases by Hope Jacare Doodles to make this funky Shabby Chic card:

The image is actually printed directly onto the main background; I used an embossing diffuser and embossing folder from Tim Holtz so that the image itself isn't embossed. I added some color with Barely Banana SU! ink. I colored the image with Copics; I texturized parts of the images using Blender solution & Aida cloth. The flowers are colored with a yellow glaze pen.

Can you tell what die I used for the edge embellishments? I used my new Die-namics Notebook Edge die by MFT, but kept the negative part. Isn't it pretty‽ 

The sentiment, a quote from Shakespeare, is from a Clear Art Stamps set. I stamped it on manilla cardstock and cut the edge with the same die as the edge pieces. I finished the card with some peach baker's twine.

I'm entering this card into the following fabulous challenges:
613 Avenue Create Challenge #13: Anything Goes with Flowers
Hiding in my Craft Room #91: Freestyle
Lexi's Creations: Punches and/or Dies
Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything Goes
Stamp and Create April Challenge: Use at least 1 Die Cut
Sunday Stamper: Nature

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join us for the Sunshine Mail Foundation Challenge,

Final March challenge at Heart 2 Heart

Happy Easter! Here's the Easter card I made for my husband:

If you follow this blog, you know that I've had a lot of fun participating in all the March the challenges at Heart 2 Heart and playing with Close To My Heart (CTMH) products. Here I used CTMH papers (card base, background, circles) and one of their cute clips. I stamped the image onto kraft paper and colored it with SU! pencils and Sakura glaze & glitter pens.
(Sorry the photo isn't great; I took it really quickly without natural light).

Inspiration/Challenges:
Cards for Men Challenge 6: Easter
Heart 2 Heart: Easter
Make it Monday with Kraft Outlet: Chicks Rule + Kraft
My Craft Spot Challenge #92: Strings & Things
There She Goes Challenge #200: Sketch

Update: Wow, I was the March monthly prize winner at the Kraft Outlet!

Thank you for visiting,

More Fun with Close to my Heart

I'm having fun catching up on the March challenges at Heart 2 Heart, as they are having a special March Madness promotion with lots of prizes. You can see all my cards, featuring CTHM projects, here.

The papers and key & keyhole stamps are from CTMH, and the keyhole chipboard piece is by Graphic 45 (see the text inside the keyhole? that's a sweet CTMH stamp!). The polka dot digital paper is by Mel Stampz, and the sentiment is by {ippity}/Unity.

Inspiration/Challenges:
I {heart} Card Sketches #10: Sketch )Oops, missed the deadline!)
Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Go Green + CTMH products (paper & key stamp)

Thank you for visiting,

From One Mustache to Another

I really like the mustache trend that keeps coming back, so I'm eager for any opportunity to participate in a Mustache challenge, like the one this month at Heart 2 Heart; plus, it's also a chance to use more of my new CTMH products!

My father-in-law's birthday is coming up, and when I asked for ideas from my husband he said, "Clean & simple style with a Mexican theme." Oh he's so sexy when he talks crafty lingo! Anyhoo, this wasn't what I first thought I'd end up doing, but I'm very pleased with the result: 

My husband's dad's family is from Mexico, and actually he, his dad & his uncle have pretty impressive mustaches, so I gave myself the theme of "From One Mustache to Another". These CTMH papers reminded me of a certain type of Mexican tile, and I love using my Dilo en Español stamps. I used 3 stamps from their Queremos Pastel set (the original version; I see they have a lovely new version), heat-embossing the top in gold and the bottom in silver.

The mustache cut file is from Bea Original. I cut it from a brown CTMH cardstock – which cut beautifully by the way – ran it through my sticker machine & covered it with black Shiny Fluff/flocking (Our Craft Lounge).

I matted the pieces with a simple black cardstock, and made the border on the white cardstock with a PITT small-tipped pen.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Crafty Creations #214: Embossing
Creative Card Crew #33: Masculine
Heart 2 Heart: Mustaches + CTMH products

Thank you for visiting,