Put a bird on it.

A good friend recently introduced us to Portlandia, the ultra-hip TV show, and further introduced me to their catch-phrase: "Put a Bird on It!" See, everything's prettier with a bird on it. And I couldn't agree more!

I wanted to make my friend a thank-you card, and this design just popped into my head. I guess it's my hip-est card to date... I even included baker's twine, which is hipness at its best in my book.

I've accumulated several die-cut alphabets, so I was happy to have a reason to use some of them. The corrugated Kraft and small framed letters are from Jillibean Soup, and the glittered orange foam stickers are from Future Publishing (probably a freebie from one of Mom's magazines).

I covered the framed letters with Crackle Paint and distressed the edges with my Prima tool. The corners are embellished with my favorite Marvy corner punch. 

The wood bird is from Prima's Birds & Owls collection; I adhered one to adhesive foam and used it as a stamp to heat-emboss the row in translucent yellow. Then I heat-embossed the wood piece with the same powder and perched it on the "u".

I had too much fun making this, and I think my friend will get a real kick out of it. 

Inspiration/Challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations: Photo Inspiration/Birds
Divas by Design: Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays: Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesdays #109: Anything Goes


Update: This was a featured project for Inspire Me Fridays #97.

Here's a clip from Portlandia:

Thank you for visiting,

CAS Kisses

I've really been enjoying making CAS cards, but I have so much trouble getting a good photo! For example, I made this card a couple of days ago and only now was able to get a good image:

I got some chocolate-scented ink second-hand from Mom, which she got second-hand from a friend, so it's really old but it certainly smells like chocolate! I free-cut the Hershey's Kiss template, and cut 5 white pieces and one brown piece, which I inked with the chocolate-scented ink. I ran the white pieces through my sticker machine and adhered them to foil (which I saved from a Pringles container). 

I used blue ink & vellum to recreate a Kiss tag; the text is much easier to read in person. I used a sentiment from SP & Company's Lucky Day set. It reads, "So lucky to have you in my life."

I wanted to hand-pierce the border but I couldn't find my piercing template (I found it about the second I finished this card, of course), so I whipped up a template using Stroke Styles in InDesign (you can do this in Word too). I pierced the border using my awl & Sew-Easy piercing mat.

Inspiration/Challenges:
CAS-ual Fridays #91: Use Silver
Less is More Week 108: Paper Piercing
Little Red Wagon #174: Vellum  
Retro Sketches #52: Choose a past sketch (I chose #18) / 2nd entry

Thank you for visiting,

Rock on

The owners of Scraps of Love (my mom's local craft shop) went to the recent Winter CHA conference, and they've been getting in great new products ever since. They posted KaiserCraft's Retro Texture Clear Stamp on their Facebook page, and I just had to ask Mom to order it for me! It's so different from anything I have. I've already made several cards with it, but this was my first take.

Actually, I played with a lot of new goodies for this card. I bought the 2-sided Kraft DP and metal tags at Scraps of Love, and the hexagon rubber stamp is from my new Viva Las VegaStamps set. For the notebook paper, I used a free image, printed it on bright white cardstock, and cut the edge with the Die-Namics Notebook Edge Die I won from Loves Rubber Stamps (for their Blog Challenge #38).

I used one of my favorite sentiment stamps for one of the tags; I heat-embossed that in the same shiny orange as the hexagons. For the VW detail, I inked just that portion of the Retro stamp and heat-embossed it in green. The main image is heat-embossed in brown, and I added some color with colored pencils. It's difficult to see in this photo, but I machine-stitched a border on the base card. It's empty stitching, and I stitched it from the opposite side so that what you see is nice and rough!

 

Inspiration/Challenges:
Retro Sketches #52: Choose a past sketch (I chose #19) 
Make It Monday with Kraft Outlet: Use Any Sketch
Whimsy Stamps Challenge #56: Add Some Metal
Addicted to Stamps Challenge: Use Kraft

Thank you for visiting,

Wonder and Joy... with Buttons & Bows

I love the stamps that Red Rubber Designs provided the Design Team for the current "buttons and/or bows" Sunshine Mail Foundation Challenge, so I just had to make another card. Plus, I wanted to remind you that you have until Thursday (Feb 28) to enter the challenge! The only real rule is that you send in at least one card (Donation guidelines here). 

This time, I used Red Rubber Designs' beautiful and brand-new set Wonder and Joy:

click to enlarge

The base card is cut with a die (which I used at Scraps of Love), and I covered it with this 2-sided DP. I cut out the images & sentiments with deckle scissors and edged everything with Pear Tart ink (Memento). 

Inspiration/Challenges:
Avadares: St. Patrick's or Green
Cards by Lady Anne - Sentimental For Friday: Anything Goes + sentiment
Cards in Envy: Polka Dots and/or Stripes
One Stop Craft: For the Kids
Pattie's Creations: Fancy folds

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

Pilin' on the Sunshine

This week at the Pile It On challenge we're groovin' the on theme Sunshine.I really like this time of year in Maryland... Spring is starting to show her signs but it's still definitely winter. We haven't gotten a ton of snow this year, but I like the occasional snowfalls (that don't require shoveling)! And I especially love sunshine in the winter... the sky seems bluer, and of course there's no sunshine like sunshine off of snow.

Anyhoo, soon we'll be having some nice bike-riding weather, so I used our sponsor MilkCoffee Stamps' Bicycle with Flower Basket to make this Spring-y card:

I colored the image with Copics, and used blender solution and some Aida cloth to create a pattern on the basket. Using Glossy Accents, I added Flower Soft's "Spring" mix to the flowers on the bike.  


The sentiment is from the Let It Shine set by Verve Stamps, and I stamped it in black Brilliance ink (such a gorgeous, true black!).

For the background, I used a shiny black paper (Recollections) as the backing for the DPs (Jillibean Soup and Graphic 45), and machine-stitched a zig-zag border in white.

I used a sponge dauber to distress the edges of the blue pieces with Faded Jeans and the white pieces with Antique Linen inks. I added Key Lime Stickles to the large star.
For the green "ribbon" I heat-embossed a Chevron pattern (Viva Las VagasStamps) with Peacock embossing powder. I finished off the card with a bicycle charm from Prima.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Crafts and Me: Add a Charm
Digi Makeover Challenge: Anything Goes
Fetch-a-Sketch #44: Sketch
Penny's Paper-Crafty: Anything goes
Sparkle & Sprinkle February Challenge: Color
Stamp n Doodle: Anything goes
Whimsical Designs: Going Green

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join us this week at Pile It On,

Photo fun

Hope you'll join the Use a Digi challenge at One Stitch at a Time this week (and be sure to check out my teamies' fabulous projects). For entries using a StitchyBear Store product (be sure to add a # after your name when entering), you'll be eligible for our main prize. You're welcome to enter the challenge using different products, but instead you'll be entered into the draw to win a £3 coupon to StitchyBear Digital Stamps. Can't wait to see what you create! 

I used Me And Snowman by My Heart Pieces: 

Ticket digi stamp from Scrap-a-lious Times
Papers:
Mark's Finest/ Blue linen
Authentique / Splendid Richness
Sweetwater / Family Ties


Inspiration/Challenges:
Happy Campers: Use a favourite Stamp (This digi is one of my all-time favorites; I love the perspective) 

MilkCoffee Challenge: Make it Cute

Sweet n' Sassy Digi Challenge: for a child

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join us this week at One Stitch at a Time,

Buttons, Bows and Butterflies

It's time for a new 2-week Sunshine Mail Foundation Challenge (Feb 15-28). The only real rule is that you send in at least one card (Donation guidelines here). 

We're sponsored again by Red Rubber Designs, and this time I got to play with their Happiness Is set:

This is a rubber stamp, so the images & sentiment are actual size (this is a 4.25x5.5 card). Just right! I stamped the jar over the first image, and colored everything with Copics.

The buttons & butterfly were made using Embosslit dies from Stampin' UP! and distressed with SU! Barely Banana ink. I drew thread on the buttons with a PITT artist pen, and added a shaped button to the butterfly on the tag.

I used a black Sakura Glaze pen for the border on the front, but a pen for the tag & inside border.

There's just enough room to write a message.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations: Buttons & Bows
Crafty Ribbons: Button up
Created With Love: Things that Fly
Forever Friends February Challenge: Animals and/or Butterflies
Marker POP Challenge: Embellish with Buttons 

Stamp and Create: Spring

Whoopsi Daisy: Girly

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

Viva las Bebes!

Today begins a new challenge at Pile It On; we're sponsored by Pin & Tack, so we have the theme of "Clips and/or Pins." 

I've run across Viva Las VegaStamps several times over the past few months, so I just had to sign up for their free stamp grab bag, which you get when you post their logo permanently on your sidebar. I got lots of fun stamps, including this funny sentiment I thought be perfect for my sister-in-law who is expecting a baby boy in June (her other boy is only 11 months old right now!): "The only time a woman came change a man is when he's a baby."

I machine-stitched the blue-and-white striped fabric swatch onto a cream cardstock for the base. I taped, and then machine-stitched, white silk and net ribbons together (both from May Arts). The tag is made from cream fabric and machine-stitched with white thread. I attached it to the ribbon with two mini safety pins from Creative Impressions.

And yes, that's an actual Baby Wipe in the middle!

Inspiration/Challenges:
by lori designs: Sentiment
Craft Room Challenge: Handmade Embellishments
Cute Card Thursday: Eye For Detail (I spent a lot of time on the details)
Inspire Me Fridays: Always Anything goes
Simply Create Too: Mothers Day or Female
Tammy's Scrapin Corner: Handmade Embellishments
Tuesday Throwdown: Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join us this week at Pile It On,

Cheery Chevrons

So I know Chevrons have been in—and out—of fashion for many years, but I only just now bought my first Chevron stamp. I bought some fun background stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps and they just arrived in the mail today, so you know I had to ink up those Chevrons! Well, actually I stamped it with watermark ink and heat-embossed it.

The cloudy background was embossed on my BigShot with a Darice embossing folder. I embossed a scrap and stamped the sentiment onto a cloud, which I fussy-cut and glued to the main image (the sentiment & balloon are from the same set). 

I used foam tape to pop up the Chevron strip, the cloud and main image, and the balloon pieces. So there's a lot of height!

Inspiration/Challenges:
Less is More Week 107: Up in the Air
Hiding in my Craft Room #85: Embossing
Natalie and Amy's Challenge: Something old and something new (I've had the balloon & sentiment stamps for several years, but the chevron stamp is brand new)
The Play Date Cafe #169: Colour

Update: Color me honored! This was chosen as "Cup of the Week" for The Play Date Cafe Challenge #169.


Thank you for visiting, and may all the clouds in your life be fluffy!

Because hot pink embossing powder is awesome, that's why!

Judging by the wonderful projects that keeping coming up on my Google Reader, lots of you are enjoying the black & white + one color challenge at CAS-ual Fridays! I knew what I wanted to do as soon as I as I saw the theme...because, as the post title reflects, "Hot pink embossing powder is awesome"!

I also used a recipe from the BINGO challenge at Stamp n Doodle (diagonal right-to-left): Emboss, Ribbon, Sparkle.

I really like matching this Cuttlebug embossing folder with this medallion rubber stamp from my stash (You may remember my Roman Bath card). The black-and-white ribbon and printed tag are also from my stash; I just added the embossed sentiment (Hero Arts) and some shimmer to the little circles. I used the same glitter pen for the frame on the medallion piece. The sparkly white ribbon is actually decorative tape.

Thank you for visiting,

Punchy Wreath

I really enjoy visiting the Flourishes blog, and since I have two practically un-inked sets of theirs I thought I'd try a hand at their Hearts challenge.

I wanted to try a little punch-craft, so I made this little wreath. I embossed the yellow cardstock with the Fiskars' Lace texture plate on my BigShot, then punched out the hearts. First, I framed the circle (cut with a Spellbinder's die) with flat hearts. Then I scored more hearts (using a hand embossing tool), folded them in half, and used Glossy Accents to make them 3D.

For further inspiration, I turned to the Photo Inspiration/Recipe Challenge at The Ribbon Reel (below right) and the simply lovely layout at Sketch Saturday (below left). I also included the elements Heart, Stamp, Love per the BINGO challenge at Addicted to Stamps.

The Ribbon Reel

Both the background & sentiment stamps are by Flourishes Boutique. I used the "step on it" technique for the background stamp; I was really pleased with how even it came out. The background is stamped in Memento Rose Bud ink, and the sentiment is stamped in SU! Wild Wasabi.

The ribbon & lace seam binding are from my stash, and I bought the tissue-paper rose at an artist's market in Mexico. 




Challenges/Inspiration:
Addicted to Stamps: BINGO (right vertical column: Heart, Stamp, Love)
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday: Put Your Heart On It
Sketch Saturday: Sketch
The Ribbon Reel: Photo Inspiration + Yellow & Pink + Ribbon, Flower, Lace/Twine

Thank you for visiting,

A Perfect Match

Happy Valentine's Day! I know that a lot of people consider this a Hallmark Holiday, designed to get people to spend money out of fear of losing a lover's affection, but I think that any excuse to tell someone you care about them is a good one! I didn't send out a ton of Valentines this year, but I did send some to my folks as well as a bunch to Mom's crafting buddies I met while visiting.

Then it occurred to me that I should probably at least make a Valentine for my husband! I wanted to make him laugh, so I made a card that reflects some of our inside jokes.

He's been growing out his mustache, and when he curls it up I tease him that he should be boxing a kangaroo! I got the Vintage Poster off of TV Tropes.
 
I made the Mustache paper with free images from Digital Scrapbooking. I coated it with Crackle Paint,and distressed it with Antique Linen ink. I machine-stitched it as well as the poster piece.

The button was cut/embossed using a Stampin' UP! Embosslit die and sprayed with a gold glimmer mist (Tattered Angels). I hand-sewed some brown thread on it. I generated the sentiment using Eccentric Std, cut it with an a•muse studio die, and added some color with Pear Tart ink (Memento).
 
The vintage envelope image is from a Valentine's decoupage sheet. I painted it with Creative Medium and popped it with foam tape.


I cut the heart garland by accordion-folding Kraft paper and cutting it with a die. I ran it through my sticker machine & covered it with Green glitter from Michaels (I got this second-hand, and on closer inspection I see that it's for fabric... oh and I just got glitter on my keyboard!)

Here's me & my husband, and the famous mustache:

Inspiration/Challenges:

1. Anything Goes Challenge: Vintage/Shabby Chic
2. Cards For Men: Love
3. Craft Your Passion: My Valentine 
4. Creative Stamp Friends: Hearts/Valentine's Day
5. Digi Darla Challenge: Be My Valentine
6. Inky Chicks: Valentine or Anniversary Card
7. LEJ Designs: For Someone Special 
8. Ooh La La Creations: Love Story
9. Scrap-Creations: Bingo (diagonal left-to-right: Glitter, Die cuts, Button)
10. The Sweetest Thing: Sketch

Thank you for visiting, and love to you & yours,