Row, Row, Row Your Boat ...

It seems that everything crafty comes in waves (bwahahaha!! Waves??? I am sooo punny!!) I have had many a discussion within fellow crafty people over the years and we have often wondered where the big Secret Meeting is?? You know, the one where all the different crafting companies and head wizards get together and decide what colors/trends are gonna be popular NEXT??? It is sooo weird how they all seem to come out with stuff simultaneously ... and it's all the same stuff!!! (Like, remember a couple of years ago when Sock Monkey made a go at it?) (Okay ... so this is NOT a Sock Monkey, but he IS cute!!)

Anywho ... it seems one of the big trends lately is nautical. Which is okie dokie with me, since I am LOVIN' it!! I was inspired to make this card by one of my fellow Dirty Dozen friends (and brilliant stampers, by the way), Bridget Finlay. And I WOULD post a link to her creation, but many of you won't be able to see it ... unless, of course, you are a Fan Club member over on SCS because it was in her Dirty Dozen gallery last month. TOTALLY loved it!! I ended buying this wave die from My Favorite Things because of it, actually. Suffice it to say, her card was BRILLIANT!!! (Okay, okay ... I'm posting a link here ... but if you can't see it and really NEED to, then you'll hafta get a Fan Club membership over on SCS ... which is a GOOD thing!!)

Bridget's Favorite

This was also created for one of the VSN challenges last weekend on SCS. The challenge was to use a boat image of some sort. Which totally made me happy since I got to use that wave die!!

Soooo stoked for the long weekend ... it's Memorial Day here in the US of A ... time for us to reflect and be grateful for all of those who have served our country ... sooo grateful for them!!! I am gonna go take some flowers to my Dad's grave this weekend - he was a former Marine. Hats off to ya, Dad!!

Now ... I just need to go find something GOOD to barbeque!!

Stamps: Nursery Necessities, Create a Cupcake
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Patterned DSP, Sweet Slumber DSP
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, Circle Scissor, 1" Circle Punch, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Baja Breeze Button, Word Window Punch, Wave Die (MFT), Pop-Up Glue Dots

Criss-Cross Revisited

I have always loved criss-cross cards. One of the challenges during VSN this past weekend was to make one. After looking at a few of them I realized it had never even OCCURRED to me to make a vertical one. I have always made them horizontally ... wow!! How fun is this???

I have recently pulled out some of my Papertrey stamps, too. I have a whole BOX full of 'em ... which has been gathering dust as of late. I really like this Honeybees set ...

It is supposed to be sunny with a high of 72 degrees today ... YAY!!! It has been rainingrainingraining for what seems like ETERNITY!!! Sooooo glad that sun is paying us a visit!

Stamps: Honeybees (Papertrey)
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Pacific Point, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point, Basic Black
Accessories: Large and Small Oval Punches, Assorted SU Brads (retired), Pink Gingham Ribbon, Pop-Up Glue Dots

For My Darling Daughter ...

It is amazingly difficult for me to believe that my baby ... my youngest ... my only girl ... is turning 17 today!! Where on EARTH did all those years go??? I am happy to watch her grow up and am excited for the adventures awaiting her in the years ahead. On the other hand, I am sad that my little baby ... my snuggler ... my climber ... my explorer ... is not so much a baby any more!!

I made this card for her birthday. I was inspired to make it as part of VSN over on SCS this past weekend. Didn't get to play NEARLY as much this time as I did last time ... but the color combo laid out in this challenge was just too-too tempting. Just had to take a stab at it!!

So .... happy birthday, my dear-darling daughter. Looking forward to many adventures ahead with you ... love you much!!

Stamps: Beautiful Blooms (Papertrey)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Cool Caribbean, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Sweet Slumber DSP
Ink: Cool Caribbean, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: 1/2" Circle Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Whisper White Satin/Organza Ribbon, Dimensionals

Laaaaassssttt One!

I am finally down to the very last card I made for VSN a few weeks back. I was trying to make this look less like everything else I do ... and, as a result, I'm not really loving it. I seem to be stuck on the horizontal ribbon thing, too, no matter how hard I try!!!

Saw some beautiful, blue sky earlier today ... apparently, it's gonna be replaced by some more gloom and doom tomorrow ... kind of a pre-spring tease. I'm hopeful that I'll see Mr. Sunshine again sometime soon ... he makes me happy!!

Stamps: Studio Sketches, All Holidays
Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White
Ink: Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat, Paper Distressing Tool, Pearls, Corner Rounder Punch

NOW I CAN SHOUT ABOUT IT!!

Sorry for the all CAPS title, but I just couldn't contain myself any more!!! I've had the most EXCELLENT secret for the past several weeks. Now that it's official, I can FINALLY share it with all of you!!!

I have officially jumped into the Dirt Pile!!! Yesterday, I was unveiled, along with my good friend, Vicki Dutcher, as one of the newest members of the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen!!!! HOLYCOWOHMYGOSHICAN'TBELIEVEIT!!! Big deep breath ... in/out ... I am soooo very honored and excited to have been asked to participate in such a wonderful group of creative people. I still am not quite believing it myself!!! In any event, I am totally STOKED!!!

And this little birdie anniversary card is one of the last ones I made for VSN (I know, I know ... will I EVER get to the end of these???? Only one more, I PROMISE!!)! In any event, I'm happy that I am finally able to share my news with all of you, as you will probably be more excited about it than the men in my house ... who don't have absolutely ANY clue how incredibly COOL this makes me!!! Bwahahahaha!!! Seriously, though ... I feel sooo blessed to have been asked to participate in something so amazing!!! The next six months are going to be a wild ride, that's for sure!!!

Have an absolutely FABULOUS day!!

Stamps: Aviary, All Holidays
Paper: Concord Crush, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Perfect Plum, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Perfect Plum
Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, 1 1/4" and 1" Circle Punches, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Monday Already??

What a weekend!!! I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say I made a little trip to the ER on Saturday for myself!!! Had a respiratory thing going on ... they thought it was asthma and they kept asking me where my inhaler was! I kept telling 'em I didn't have one!! Anyway, long-story-short it turns out I have bronchitis! Luckily, things seems to be getting back to normal, so all is well ....

Here are yet two MORE cards that I did for VSN (I tell ya, I was busybusybusy!). When I make cards for little people I really like to use my "Create a Critter" Cricut cartridge. There are just sooo many cute images to cut out on there! This was for my little grand-niece, Lucy, who was celebrating her 1st birthday last week. Sigh ... it seems so weird that my nieces - who I remember being born - are actually having babies of their own!!! I am SOOOO not old enough!!!

Stamps: Wild About You
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, More Mustard, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Cricut Create a Critter, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Sizzix Animal Print Embossing Folder, Ticket Corner Punch, Hemp, BoHo Blossoms Punch, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, Pop-Up Glue Dots

And this was probably my LEAST favorite card from VSN ... I wasn't even going to do this challenge - which was to make a card about dreams coming true. This was an ode to the airplane that my husband finished building last spring after ten years of hard labor on it!!!

Stamps: Plane and Simple
Paper: Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red, Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Ink: Riding Hook Red, Early Espresso
Accessories: Circle Cutter, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat, Large Oval Punch, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Tulip Frame Textured Impressions Folder, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Kids Say the Darnedest Things!!!

Okay ... funny factoid ... the human brain is a complex organism. Especially when it is implanted into the skull of a teenager!! My last post, entitled "Stamping With Vellum" made a really sharp impression on my 19-year-old son. I have my blog linked to my Facebook page, so all my blog posts show up on there. Some time during the day Wednesday my son saw my blog post ... and decided to comment. Something he has NEVER done on ANY of my blog posts. He said, "I initially read this as: 'Embossing with Valium'. Just thought I'd share that." Niiiiice! Wonderful!! My response? "Now THAT would be interesting!" Bwahahaha!!! I guess his brain doesn't see all the vowels!!!!

Which has absolutely NOTHING to do with this card, but here it is anyway!! Another VSN card ... 'cept my older son immediately pointed out to me that the acetate music sheet I put on it is stinkin' BACKWARDS!!! (Which, by the way, I have fixed since I took this photo.) Guess it goes to show that (a) one's senses aren't always at the top of their game when they are trying to do a challenge in 45 minutes, and (b) this is what could happen if you really DID emboss/stamp with VALIUM!! DUH!!!! So, there ya have it ....

Stamps: Easter Blossoms, Watercolor Trio
Paper: Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Acetate Sheet Music
Ink: Marina Mist
Accessories: Large Oval Punch, Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Embossing with Vellum

Vellum ... I love it, yet I'm afraid of it!! Ink slides off of it, embossing folders can tear it, it is tricky to adhere to other stuff without seeing the adhesive ... you can overheat it with a heat gun and ruin it ... but it is soooooooo purdy!!

This was for a VSN challenge to dry emboss on vellum. I hafta admit I kinda cringed when I read the challenge. I don't always have the best success when doing this ... but I really love how this turned out. Sent it to my aunt and uncle for their 54th wedding anniversary. That made me happy!

After having had about 6 inches of new snow between Monday night and Tuesday morning, I am happy to report that the sun is shining, the snow is melting and it should get back up into the 50's today. Hooray!!

TTFN!

Stamps: Together Forever
Paper: Whisper White, Concord Crush
Ink: Concord Crush
Accessories: Marvy Double Scallop Corner Punch, Decorator Label Punch, Emily's Bouquet Embossing Folder, Whisper White Satin/Organza Ribbon, Pearl Stickers

Sooo Many Choices!

I have a room full of toys, um ... tools. I have cardstock, punches, ribbon, diecutting equipment, embossing folders ... and, oh yeah ... stamps!! It represents years' worth of accumulated spoils. It is silly how, being an SU demo, that I get so focused on "new" or "current" product, that I can quickly forget the stuff that came before. I mean, seriously, just because it "retires" doesn't make it any less cool or beautiful, right??

And, let's face it ... I DO own a LOT of other stuff that isn't SU. I have finally decided to allow myself to use BOTH my retired SU goodies AND some stuff that might perhaps be made by someone else. GASP!! I know, I know ... that's why my BFF, JanTink, refers to as "rubbah-dultery." We ALL do it ... and I am not going to feel guilty about using stuff that I like ... so there ya have it!!

Here is a card with old stuff, new stuff and everything in between. I love my new "Seeing Spots" embossing folder. Nice big, juicy polka dots. I {{heart}} polka dots of ANY kind!! Too-too fun!! Did I mention that this is yet ANOTHER card I did for VSN over on SCS? I had WAAAYYY tooo much fun!! I did more different cards in less than 24 hours than I think I have EVER done in such a short time period.

It snowed a BUNCH here today ... sigh ... I'm still longing for blue skies, warm temps and shorts n' flip flops!!! Soon ....

Stamps: Beautiful Borders (retired)
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Melon Mambo
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo
Accessories: 5-Petal Flower Punch, Word Window Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, Diamond Lace Border Punch, Whisper White Satin/Organza Ribbon, Large Pearl Stickers

New Year's Resolution

I have been the family's "Keeper of Dates" for MANY years! (Okay, so maybe it was a self-appointed duty, but now the whole family knows that I know everyone's birthday/anniversary AS WELL AS the fact that I have everyone's current address!). This all came about since I make a family calendar every year ...

I have had the same New Year's Resolution for the past several years, but this is the first year that I am actually DOING it!! I decided to send out birthday/anniversary cards to everyone. NO SMALL FEAT, let me tell you. My family is BIG!! Anyway, this is a little anniversary card I made during VSN on SCS last weekend for my niece and her husband ... they are coming up on their first-year anniversary!!! Totally COOLl!! Hugs and happy wishes, Russell and Debi!! Love you guys!!

And I finally got around to adding a little spring to my blog header/sidebars ... I am WILLING spring to come!! (Besides, all those snowflakes were making me COLD!!!)

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Everything Nice
Paper: Basic Black, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Scallop Square Bigz Die, 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Flower Trio Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Pearl Stickers

Feel It in the Air!

It's a-comin' ... I KNOW it is 'cause I can feel it in the air ... SPRING!!! Ode to Joy!!! SPRING!!! This has felt like the unending winter .... y'know that scene from "Groundhog Day" where Bill Murray's character says, "It's gonna be cold. It's gonna be gray. And it's gonna last you the rest of your life!" That is how this winter has felt to me .... soooooo happpppyy to see some blue sky once in a while. And the temps have actually gotten up into the 50's a couple of times. WAHOOOOO!!

So, this card is a salute to the coming of spring. Can't WAIT!!! It is yet one more I did for VSN last weekend on SCS. I swear I had more fun doing that than I ever imagined. Hadn't really even planned on doing it. For those who don't know, VSN (Virtual Stamp Night) is usually a day-and-a-half event. They start on Friday night, then resume on Saturday afternoon through late Saturday evening. A theme is chosen, and challenge hostesses post a new challenge every hour on the hour. They will give you a sketch to follow, a picture to inspire you, a song or verse to draw inspiration from .... lots of different things. It was totally fun. AND I tried something new ... it's called "clean as you go" ... literally and seriously ... I totally tried it. GUESS WHAT??? It totally WORKS!! I sat at my desk ... as soon as I was through with a punch? Back in the drawer! Done with that piece of cardstock? Back in the file! Finished with that stamp? Cleaned and back in the box! WOW!! It made VSN soooo much fun! By the time I finished my card, took a picture and uploaded it, I was ready and rarin' to go!! What an AMAZING concept ... "Clean As You Go" .... hmmmm .... may hafta try that again some time ....

This challenge was particularly "challenging" for me ... this was a sketch challenge. I stared and the sketch and thought, "What the??? No way! Can't even go there!" It was posted on Friday night. So I went to bed and slept on it. And here is what I came up with the next morning ....

YAY FOR THE WEEKEND!!!

Stamps: So Happy for You
Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions Folder, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon

Birthday Birdie ...

I feel like I keep doing the same ol'-same ol' type of card all the time ... I have really tried to shake up my layouts a little bit lately. I still think they all look kinda similar ... but how many different things can one really do with a piece of paper that is 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" anyway???? (Okay, I guess the answer to that is a LOT!!)

This is another card I did for VSN over on SCS. The challenge for this one was to put some sort of bird on your card ... easy enough, so here ya have it!

Got to drive down to where my oldest son goes to college this evening. We went to dinner than to a Chanticleer concert. It was AWESOME!! The best part?? Having a date with my son ... the best, the best, the BEST!!

Stamps: Nature Walk, Bring On the Cake
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Spiral Punch, Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, Rich Razzleberry Taffeta Ribbon, Big Designer Button

Gotta Love Glitter!!

Here's another card I made for VSN (FEB11VSNE) over on SCS - the challenge was to incorporate a little red dress...what???? I don't HAVE any dress stamps!! I was lamenting to my BFF, Kathy, about it. She basically said, "Duh!!! Don't you own a Cricut???"

Well, DUH is right!!! Have LOTSA images on there I could use, so this is what I made. I soooooo love glittery paper ... don't you??? (Okay, don't tell me if you don't, 'cause I can't imagine that anyone WOULDN'T!)

Stamps: Fabulous Phrases
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Night and Day DSP, Glimmer Red DSP
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Cricut Forever Young Cartridge, Large Oval Punch, Small Oval Punch, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon, Pearl Stickers

Bargello???

I wasn't quite sure what this meant when I first saw it for the Technique Lover's Challenge over on SCS (TLC313). I mean ... what the heck???? In the end, I ended up LOVING this technique. You can check out Joan Ervin's tutorial HERE.

Pretty danged cool, eh? I actually did this for VSN (Virtual Stamp Night - FEB11VSND). The challenge for THAT was to use at least two different techniques on your card, so I tried the Bargello thing with some good ol' dry embossing. Have to say that I {{HEART}} this Bargello thing!! I'm DEFINITELY gonna do it again!! Too-too fun!! (And I LOVED pulling out some of my old-time-fave DSP - Bella Bleu!!)

Stamps: Friends Never Fade, Fabulous Phrases
Paper: Not Quite Navy
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Bella Bleu DSP
Accessories: Decorator Label Punch, Small Oval Punch, Perfect Polka Dots and Elegant Lines Textured Impressions Folders, Crumb Cake Taffeta Ribbon, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Enjoy your weekend!!