Mustache Knows Best

Here's a shaker card using a set of Mustache stamps by husband picked out for me:

I stamped the 'stache in rows, using different colors and various amounts of blue inks to create a "wavy" pattern. I've got to do this again! I used the same stamp to create a border on the inside. I cut out another and covered it with blue Sparkly Fluff (top right corner). I hand-cut the frame from a Pebbles DP, cut the bottom with the Die-namics Notebook Edge die by MFT, and heat-embossed the sentiment (Fiskars) in shiny blue (Stampendous).

I couldn't resist making this a shaker card. I enclosed it with some scrap plastic (from old packaging), and mounted it with a double layer of 3M foam tape onto a DP by Little Yellow Bicycle. It's filled with glass microbeads (Martha Stewart). I finished the card with some Denim baker's twine from The Twinery (bought at CYDI?).

It certainly has character, like the best dads I know!

Inspiration/Challenges:
Can You Digi It #34: Sketch
Lollipop Ladies #67: Mustaches/Facial Hair



Thank you for visiting,

Cinco de Mayo

Growing up with the ridiculous Mexican stereotypes that dominated kitschy culture in Arizona, I tend to shy away from themes that might remind me of them, but I couldn't resist using this silly "Tequila Worm" by KennyK to make a Cinco de Mayo card featuring lyrics from the classic jam by War:

Cinco de Mayo has definitely become an American holiday, and I've been known to take a bit of tequila in celebration! I put the worm on Wobbles, lining it up with the background. The lyrics are set in the font Chalkduster.

The background, patterned paper is from Reminiscence's Celebration series; the multi-colored pattern at the bottom is actually part of the "cut-off" strip. I cut some swirls out of a DP from my stash, using a Sizzix die.

I can't remember the last time I had Aguila beer, but this bottlecap was in my stash! I flattened it in my Big Shot (using this YouTube tutorial) and decorated it with some tiny pearls. The pearls and bottle cap are glued on with Glossy Accents, but I used ZipDry for everything else.

The image is colored with Copics, except for the gold on the sombrero (Sakura metallic pen). I added blue Sparkly Fluff to the hat as well.

The white background is trimmed with deckle scissors & ink-distressed with SU! Wild Wasabi. I finished the card with some red Raffia ribbon.

Challenges/Inspiration:
Cuttin and Stampin Challenge #16: Cinco de Mayo
Jellypark Challenges: Humor
Kenny K's Krafty Krew: Tic Tac Toe / 3rd row: Swirls, Digi, Ribbon, Die Cuts (plus pearls for good measure!)
613 Avenue Create Challenge #17: Photo Inspiration/Cinco de Mayo


Update: This made the Top 3 for 613 Avenue Create Challenge #17!

Here's the song "Cinco de Mayo" by War (I wanted to find a live version, but oh well):

Thank you for visiting,

Wonderella Cross Stitch

My husband introduced me to the web comic The Non-Adventures of Wonderella, so I just had to make this cross stitch character created by Robert Bolyard (scroll down to "Double-cross / May 20" for links to the pattern):

I framed it with a plastic hoop set Mom sent me, and it had a little hook on the back so it was easy to add the baker's twine. I colored the visible edge of the hoop with a gold Sharpie, and used an adhesive ribbon for the outer border.

Thank you for visiting,

April Showers bring May Flowers

This week at Pile It On we're working off of the theme "April Showers bring May Flowers", which certain has been the weather's theme here! We have plenty of April flowers already, the yard is speckled with purple and yellow. 

Our challenge is sponsored by Gingerloft, so I used her Flower Field digi stamp:

The current Gingerloft Challenge is Torn & Distressed, so I made a grassy border with torn strips of Core'Dinations cardstock. I sanded it, and ink-distressed it with Wild Wasabi (SU!).

The top rainy border is made up of the negative parts from the Die-namics Notebook Edge die by MFT. I cut it on several blue papers (Core'Dinations again), and sanded and inked the pieces with Faded Jeans distress ink by Ranger.

I colored the image with Copics and Sakura glaze pens. I added a little Barely Banana SU! ink to the edges of the white background and the cloud die cut (Impression Obsession). The sentiment is from the Let It Shine set by Verve Stamps, and I stamped it in blue Brilliance ink.

The butterfly and flower and wood embellishments by Prima, colored with matching Copics and Sakura glaze pens. Love these!

This card was inspired by many fun challenges (see below), including the Support Your Favorite Charity challenge Sweet Pea Stampers; I chose to support the Sunshine Mail Foundation by sending in this card. Here's the inside, all signed and ready to go:

Inspiration/Challenges:

1. Art Impressions Stamps Challenge #107: Layer it Up
2. Crafty Calendar: Sunshine & Showers
3. Cute Card Thursday #266: Can't Stop the Rain
4. Die Cuttin' Divas #112: Flowers + Die Cut
5. Gingerloft Challenge: Torn and distressed
6. Papertake Weekly: Weather
7. QKR Stampede: Favorite Things ("droplet" die cut, wood embellishments, sentiment, leaf ribbon)
8. Stampin' For The Weekend: Die Cuts/Punches
9. Stampin With The Dragon: Spring Has Sprung
10. Sweet Pea Stampers: Support Your Favorite Charity (Sunshine Mail)

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

Roy Lichtenstein-esque

I just had to try a "pointillist" technique on these fabulous digi stamps by KennyK Downloads: 

The sentiment stamp is from Rogue Redhead Designs' Just Sayin' set. I've been saving this last bit of this "hello bubble" ribbon in my stash for so long... need to find more!I added some microbeads with Glossy Accents.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More #42: Markers (images colored with Copics)
Card Crafter's Circle #72: Boys to Men (Masculine Cards)
Crafty Ribbons #44: Anything Goes with Ribbon
Charisma Cardz #16: Polkadots
Kenny K's Krafty Krew: Anything Goes (2nd entry)
Paper Playtime: More than 1 Fold


In a fairly hilarious coincidence, I got this flyer in the mail while working on this card:

Judging by the clutter on my table, looks like I could use a cleaning break! Oh, but there's so much crafting to do...!

Thank you for visiting,