I Need a Cupcake!

I bought this cute Greeting Farm stamp called Cheeky Rockabilly as soon as it was released last month and haven't been able to color her hair good enough to post a card. That is until I watched one of Amy R's copic tutorial videos. I've seen many other copic tutorials but for some reason Amy's "clicked" for me. If you are new to copics or you need more practice, check out all of her tutorials. They are excellent!

I was really excited when I realized that I had the exact Copic markers she used to color in Anya's hair. I used YR04, YR07 and Y38. I have a tough time deciding where shadows should go, for some reason I am really dense in that way. So I cheated and looked at the picture on the TGF stamp package and I just followed along. I love that her hair almost looks like my 4 yr old's hair!

I propped her up on a cupcake and added some bling. I also added a cute little flower to her hair. 

I was completely unmotivated to stamp yesterday due to some bad news. But I saw Amy's newest sketch and thought I really needed to give it a try. So glad I did, it was a great distraction! I used the sentiment "Cupcakes make everything better" because I thought it went well with the Greeting Farm image and I suppose because I needed a little cheering up myself. So I say if you are feeling down go do what I do...eat sugary stuff! Or go shopping. Heehee!

Stamps: The Greeting Farm Cheeky Rockabilly, Verve Cupcake Affair

Ink: Black Memento, PTI Hibiscus

Paper: PTI Hibiscus, SU Pumpkin Pie, SU DSP

Misc: Stickles, rhinestones, Copics, pop dots

Dancing With The Stars Inspiration

Last night I was watching the "Dancing with the Stars" episode that I recorded Monday night. I just LOVE all of those dresses! The frills, the sparkles, the colors, the designs...they are so inspirational. Maybe I am way too obsessed with paper crafting. LOL! I saw this dress on The Bachelor's partner and immediately thought of PTI's new Hawaiian Shores.

So then I started composing a card in my head and ran up to my craft room and played around. This is what I came up with. It was SO much FUN to make! I have been in such a slump recently and this definitely helped me get over it. I've wanted to try the ribbon technique that I see so many people doing. Mine isn't that great, but it'll have to do for now.



I used my ATG gun to adhere the glitter onto the cardstock. I layered the flower and used dimensionals. If you look at her dress she has a poofy turquoise flower on her shoulder. I can't perfect the poof just yet. I'll have to try out Dawn McVey's technique one day.

Inside of the card I stamped a couple of sentiments. And viola, done.

I'm eyeing a few other of the dresses from that episode so I might whip up another DWTS Inspiration card soon. If anyone is interested in joining me, I'd be so delighted!! (haha, get it?) Just put your link in the comments section so I can check it out. Thanks for stopping by on your busy day! :)

Stamps: PTI Delightful Dahlia & Mother
Ink: Versafine Black
Paper: PTI Hawaiian Shores, SU Black
Misc: PTI Hawaiian Shores Satin Ribbon & Button, SU Dazzling Diamonds, EK Success Punch, pop dots

Sugar Nellies Easel Card

I have wanted to try to make an easel card for some time now. It looked really cool to me but a bit complicated. Surprisingly it was a snap to put together. I wanted to get it entered into a challenge given by Sugar Nellies on SCS. So I threw this together while dh was cooking dinner and the kids were running amuck. I need to go round them up for bed now. Have a great night!

Stamps: Sugar Nellies Daisy, PTI Butterfly Dreams
Ink: Memento Black, Adirondack Lettuce, Martha Stewart blue chalk ink
Paper: SU Old Olive, PTI Sweet Blush, Imaginese & Chatterbox Patterned Paper
Misc: Sewing Machine, Nestabilities, EK Success Punch, MS Butterfly Punch, Prima flowers, PTI button, flat back pearls, Copics

Butterfly Dreams

I have wanted this stamp set since PTI released it in February. I just love how Niki designed it!! Butterflies are one of my all time favorite images. And they have a special place in my heart. Whenever I see one, I always think of my sister-in-law who passed away from Hodgkins Disease 15 years ago. It's like a sign that she is near me. It's funny, I just now realized that rainbows used to be the sign (long story) and here I made this card in rainbow colors. It was definitely not intentional! But I am loving the coincidence!!

Anyway this card was made for the PTI swap that I am in over at SCS. Angela gave us sketches to choose from and boy was this one a tough one for me. (Sorry, I can't find the sketch right now.) But once I got it together, everything fell into place. I love how that happens.

Stamps: PTI Butterfly Dreams
Ink: PTI Hawaiian Shores, Versamark
Paper: PTI White, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, SU Old Olive, PTI Hawaiian Shores, PTI Bitty Dots paper in Summer Sunrise & Berry Sorbet,
Misc: PTI Butterfly Die, flat back pearls

Papertrey Peeps Challenge #4

This is my first time doing a Papertrey Peeps Challenge. You can find their blog here. This challenge was to CASE one of Nichole's cards made from one of the last two releases and using a set NOT from that release, make a similar card.

This is the card that I chose:

I used an image from the first PTI Anniversary set to create my background. I don't have the new Dies so I cut out my vellum with my Silhouette machine. This card was super quick and easy to create. I am so used to wasting time making decisions on color combos, which images to use, type of ribbon. I think I need to CASE more often!! As a matter of fact, I just might do that today. :)

Stamps: PTI Simple Little Things
Ink: PTI Sweet Blush
Paper: PTI White &; Sweet Blush, Vellum
Misc: PTI Fresh Snow Grosgrain Ribbon, Sweet Blush Button, Vintage Cream Twine, Silhoutte Machine

Masculine Thinking of You

{you can click the pictures to enlarge}

Hi everyone! I want to thank you for all of your comments on my blog. It truly makes my day!  I haven't had too much time to visit all of your blogs recently and I apologize for that. I've been either too busy or my 7 yr old is on the computer. I think we need to get her her own. We used to have a laptop but the hubs took it apart one day several months ago. And it still sits in a thousand pieces in the box! Although if it were fixed I think I wouldn't get so much stamping done. ;-)

This is my second card for the Manly Card swap I'm in over on SCS hostessed by my friend Jen. I'm not sure the ribbon belongs but at least it's not Satin. Or polka dots. Or pink. :-D

Did you notice that I used PTI's Spring Moss pigment ink again? I am SO happy that I now know how to use this ink properly. I am seriously getting more and more addicted to Papertrey products. Didn't think it was possible! Look for more cards this week. I should be getting the new release items on Tuesday!!!!
Stamps: PTI On My Couch & Homemade
Ink: PTI Spring Moss, SU Chocolate Chip & Really Rust
Paper: PTI Spring Moss & Vintage Cream, SU Really Rust & Chocolate Chip, My Mind's Eye Wild Asparagus Patterned Paper
Misc: SU Certainly Celery Twill Ribbon, Misc Button, Heidi Swapp Distresser tool

The Case of a Masculine card

 

I always struggle with Masculine cards. In fact, I only owned one set by SU and I just sold it. (To buy more PTI. Surprise!)  I cased this card from a lovely one that I found on SCS here. I used some twine for the swing rope and the very last of the PTI Wood buttons that my sweet friend Angela had sent to me months and months ago. It feels good to use hoarded product. I must remember that. ;) I have another masculine card completed that I will post later on. I'm so happy because I was in a huge creative slump but I think my Mojo is back. And just in time for my huge PTI order to arrive next week!

 

Stamps: SU Thoughts & Prayers, PTI Birthday basics & Turning a New Leaf

Ink: SU Old Olive, PTI Spring Moss, Adirondack Lettuce, Versafine Sepia

Paper: PTI Spring Moss, SU Textured Chocolate Chip

Misc: SU Top Note die, twine, PTI Wood Buttons

PTI Ink Success!!!

After I watched Nichole Heady's videos last week, I decided to give the PTI inks another chance. I just love PTI and I refused to give up. Plus I can be a bit stubborn. Just ask the husband. ;) I noticed that she did a lot of soft dabbing on the ink pad. That definitely wasn't my technique. It was more like smush, smush, smush, dab, dab, dab...stamp. She has also suggested to use the back of a spoon to get the ink incorporated. I'm too lazy to go all the way downstairs for a spoon so I just used my finger. My new technique is to smush the ink pad with my finger, dab, dab, dab, dab, dab, dab and lightly press onto the paper. IT WORKED!! I was soooo happy!! Especially since the new Hawaiian Shores ink pad is on it's way to my hot little hands!


Stamps: PTI Floral Fusion, Fancy Flourishes, Communique Sentiments, BG: Texts
Ink: PTI Sweet Blush, Spring Moss
Paper: PTI Spring Moss, Sweet Blush
Misc: PTI Sweet Blush Ribbon, copic marker, CB Butterfly die, flat back pearl

Thank you for your Hospitality

I've been kind of blue lately, so I thought I would make a nice Spring like card for our PTI Swap over on SCS. We take turns hostessing and it's my good friend Angela's turn. I've been in lots of swaps before, but our PTI swaps are hands down, the best. I've basically stopped swapping except for our PTI Swaps. Anyway, I always have a difficult time coming up with something new and fresh every time. I thought this one turned out cute. But I'm hoping it's not too cute. (Sometimes I go overboard with the cutesiness. Ahem.)

I tried using PTI's new formulated Spring Moss ink but it just doesn't seem to like me. I ended up using a Martha Stewart chalk ink for the door. (I like Martha's pigment inks much better than PTI's. Shhh..don't tell!) But that's okay because I just can't get enough of those PTI stamps. Or ribbon. Or buttons. Or cardstock. Never enough. It's an illness.

I hope that wherever you are, you are staying warm, spending time with your family and are surrounded with love. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: PTI Home Made, On My Couch additions, Floral Fusion

Ink: Versamark, SU Old Olive, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa,Versamark Sepia, Martha Stewart Chalk Inks

Paper: PTI Spring Moss & Vintage Cream

Misc: PTI Spring Moss Satin Ribbon, clear embossing powder, brad, pop dots

Crafting away those Winter time blues

Hiya!! Have you missed me? I sure have missed blogging!! I got too busy with life and then I lost my Mojo. Luckily, a sweet little contest given by PTI got me back into the groove. In case you live under a rock, Nichole issued a challenge for her anniversary festivities here.

We got a record breaking 7 inches of snow the other day. It's extremely rare in this part of the country to get any snow! The kids were ecstatic and we jammed packed the day with every snow activity possible. I was frozen to the bone! So I thought some Spring Time colors were in order for today. I used PTI's Friends Til the End set. I definitely do not utilize it enough. I just love it. I thought it was perfect for the flower embellishments challenge. I am going to send it to my Mom since she has been going through a rough time taking care of my father after his bypass operation. Hopefully it will brighten her day. Take care blogging friends! Hope to be back again soon!!

Stamps: PTI Friends til the End, Communique Sentiments, Turning a New Leaf, Background Basics: Text Style
Ink: SU Whisper White Craft ink, PTI Raspberry Fizz, Memento Black, Ranger Lettuce
Paper: PTI Sweet Blush, Raspberry Fizz, Spring Moss, New Leaf, White Select, Clearly Creative Cardstock
Misc: White embossing powder, PTI Buttons & Twine, Rhinestones, glue dots, pop dots