Blue for You Birdie

I had so much fun with yesterday's image, I decided to grab another adorable little birdie from the same set and try again. This is another image from My Grafico's For the Birds digital stamps. I wanted a little more of a peacock feel to this one, so I went with blues and greens and added a little shimmer with a Spica glitter pen. The centers of my flowers are actually some seed beads I had left over from another project. I liked that they, too, were a shimmery blue green. And that's more soon to be retired SU patterned paper in the background. Tomorrow marks the last day before its retirement, but judging from my stash, I'll be still be using it well into the rest of the year! I like the touch of elegance the black added to this card. Even though the black patterned paper is a modern pattern, black always adds some elegance.

Project Recipe

Paper: SU Blue Bayou (retired) CS, SU Parisian Breeze PP, PTI True Black CS, PTI Black & White Basics PP, Ginak Pure Luxury White CS

Stamps: My Grafico For the Birds digital stamp, All That Scraps CC Designs Olivia's Birdies (sentiment)

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders rectangle nestabilities, Prima flowers, seed beads (unknown), Fiskars Apron Lace border punch, copic markers and glitter pen

For the Birds

I love the "summery" feel this card has to it. Still trying to use up Stampin Up's current in-colors papers and cardstock before I become absorbed with the new in-colors. For this card, I used the DareU2Digistamp sketch challenge. Find it here. Grabbed some Tangerine Tango CS (only a couple of small pieces left in my stash) and some Haiku patterned paper, mixed in a little So Saffron, and I was set to digi stamp! The digital stamp, by the way is from My Grafico. It's a set called For the Birds. I colored this little guy in with colors to match my papers. One of my most devoted followers (aka my mother) wanted a pic of the copics I use in my project, so I included them with the image. The very thin marker on the right is a Spica Glitter pen. I added a little shimmer to my feathered friend. Hope you can catch a glimpse of that on the picture.

Project Recipe

Paper: SU Tangerine Tango CS, SU So Saffron CS, SU Haiku PP, GinaK Pure Luxury White CS

Stamps: SU A Little Birdie, My Grafico For the Birds

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Tags, a clear "bauble" from Michaels colored with a marker, copic markers

Finishing Details

Have you been to Becky Fleck's Page Maps site? Becky creates some absolutely fantastic sketches for scrapbook layouts and cards. I pulled this sketch from the archives. This is a sketch from December 2007. I had printed out the page some time ago, said I was going to pick one and use it, but never did. Know what I'm talking about? Ever done that? Well, I finally, just decided to buckle down and complete the whole project from selecting a sketch to complete design.

My friend, Amy, gave me some Close to My Heart clear acrylic shapes. It was a variety pack that had these two brackets which I thought would work great for a masculine card. I used my copic airbrush set with my compressor that my sweet husband and sons gave me for Mother's Day to color the clear brackets this rich brown. I need to use up my abundant supply of SU Baja Breeze CS and coordinating patterned papers so I can make room for the new in-colors, so I decided to use it here. I imitated the brackets with a Fiskars border punch.

Now I really liked this, but I kept thinking it didn't pop. I decided it needed some matting in a contrasting color. Everything was glued down pretty good, so I completed a whole new card with the same materials and sketch.

I didn't have another pair of brackets. Therefore, I dusted off my Cricut and pulled out some PTI clear cardstock and cut out another set of brackets. I airbrushed them just like I had the other pair and recreated the sketch. This time I added a Chocolate Chip mat behind the main image and used chocolate chip to create a mat for the border, too. I went with blue brads this time, but otherwise it's pretty much the same card. It just "pops" a little more now!

Project Supplies

Paper: SU Whisper White CS, SU Chocoloate Chip CS, SU Baja Breeze CS, SU Parisian Breeze PP

Stamps: SU Congrats (Sale-abrations)

Accessories: CTMH Clear Shapes, PTI Clear Cardstock, Cricut, Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, copic airbrush kit, compressor, copic marker E65, Paper Studio brads, Fiskars Upper Crest border punch

Birthday Cookies

Two of my bunco buddies have birthdays on the SAME day! So, I was trying to come up with some little something to give each of them. My cake in a can didn't work out like I planned. I tried cupcakes, but things didn't go right there either. I was going to do candy, but I found these two beautiful packages of cookies at Hobby Lobby. I don't really know if the cookies are all that good, but the packaging was just gorgeous!

I created cards for each that matched the packaging. I used my Sizzix flower dies on each card. In the blue and green card, it's just a background layer for a purchased green polka dotted flower. I also used SU's new Circle Circus stamps as flower centers for both cards. Flirty bows on each and some PTI papers finished off the look! Wish I could take credit for the packaging, but I must say I love it when things come together!

Project Recipe

Paper: SU Certainly Celery CS, SU Melon Melon Mambo CS, SU Old Olive CS, PTI Spring Moss CS, PTI Spring Rain CS, PTI White Shimmer CS, PTI Bitty Dots Basics and Friends Til the End PP, Paper Studio PP

Stamps: SU Circle Circus, SU On Your Birthday

Ribbon: PTI Hibiscus Grosgrain ribbon, green sheer ribbon (unknown)

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Sizzix Flower Layers and Flower Layers #3 dies, SU eyelet punch, SU Large Oval Punch and various circle punches, EK Success border punch, Paper Studio brads, buttons and flowers

Too Sweet!

I have been dying to try this ever since I saw these digital images. Lindsay at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff has some great cupcake images. I used the top of a cupcake for my "ice cream"! Just print out the cupcake after sizing it, color it with copics (of course), and create a "cone". Here's what I did to make my cone. I took some SU Close to Cocoa CS and cut it into a cone shape (yes, by hand!). Then, I ran it through the cuttlebug with a fiskars texture plate to create the waffled effect. I ran a Versamark pad over the raised part and then added chalk. I popped the ice cream part with foam dots to give it some dimension. I'm loving how "cool" this card looks.

On this next card I used a special digital image from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff and you can, too, for FREE! Lindsay is giving away this super cute ice cream float image to anyone who visits my blog this week. This is almost as good as an old-fashioned soda shop. Click here for an ice cream float!

I colored this with my copics again, but to give my ice cream some texture, I used Liquid Applique and "puffed" it with my heat gun.

Isn't that just too sweet! Do you feel the need for something cold and yummy now?

If this puts you in the mood for some more tasty treats, check out Lindsay's shop. You'll find cupcakes, cakes, candies, and more (keep in mind these will only satisfy your hunger for great stamps!). Lindsay has a special all this month--spend $10 in her shop and get a card kit free. Also, be sure to stop by Lindsay's blog, too, and send her some love for this great image! I think she has some more freebies over there. Isn't she sweet! For great inspiration don't forget to check out what the rest of the design team has done this week.

Project Recipe (Ice Cream Cone)

Paper: SU Close to Cocoa CS, SU Bermuda Bay (new stuff), PTI Agua Mist CS, Paper Studio Gingham PP, Ginak Pure Luxury White CS

Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Cupcake 3 digital stamp, GinaK Kindred Greetings For Him (sentiment)

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Fiskars Texture plate (squares), Basic Grey Two Scoops glazed brads, Versamark, SU Stampin Pastels, copics and spica glitter pen

Project Recipe (Ice Cream Float)

Paper: SU Brilliant Blue CS. SU Real Red CS, SU Real Red PP, GinaK Pure Luxury White CS

Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Ice Cream Float digital stamp

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Oval Nestabilities dies, Karen Foster Dark Rainbow Luster mini brads, Marvy Uchida Liquid Applique, Copics

5 Star Cake in a Can

As school came to a glorious close, I made eleven cakes in a can for my co-workers who had summer birthdays. Now, I had to cook the cakes in a couple of different batches since I only had so many cans to work with. (I don't cook much or I'd have had more cans, but oh well!)

I decorated the cans with some Papertrey Ink bitty dots patterned paper, PTI Pure Poppy and Spring Rain ribbons, and created some embellishments with the Star Prints stamps. I originally fell in love with this stamp set because it coordinated perfectly with the SU large star punch, but what did I go and do? Did I stamp on material that could be punched out? Of course NOT. I had to stamp on fun foam and felt which then had to be CUT out with scissors! If you know anything about me, you know that trimming out stamped images is not at all one of my favorite things to do. I own a Cricut, a Cuttlebug and half a million punches so that I don't have to cut, but wouldn't you know, I'd have to take a simple project and make it all time-consuming. Actually, stars are not that hard to cut out, but if I admitted that to begin with, then I couldn't complain!

Anywhoo, I did punch out some stamped stars to create candle holders for the tops of the cakes. I glued the foam and felt stamped images to the cans which gave the cans a little dimension, too. The sentiment on the cans is also from PTI's Star Prints stamp set.

I'm pretty much through with cakes in a can for my co-workers since school is now out, but I've thought of a couple of friends with impending birthdays who might like a special little cake of their own. Usually it is the mothers and wives who bake or buy the cakes for their loved ones, but these women are often forgotten when their birthdays come up. If you want some more ideas for decorating or making cake in a can see my earlier posts. Also, don't forget to check out Jackie Gannaway's website for her book Crafty Cans From the Kitchen. There are several cake in a can recipes in this book, and all are very simple to make. The book is only $3.95.

Project Recipe

(All supplies from PTI unless otherwise noted)

Paper:Spring Rain CS, Pure Poppy CS, Rustic White CS, Bitty Dots PP in Spring Rain and Pure Poppy

Stamps: Star Prints

Ribbon: Spring Rain topnotch twill, Pure Poppy Luxe Satin

Accessories: SU Star Punch, red felt (hobby lobby), blue fun foam (walmart), cleaned recycled tin cans, candles, cellophane bags (hobby lobby), curly ribbon (dollar store)

Tool Time

Yep, Father's Day is right around the corner. I never know what to get my father, much less my father-in-law. Usually we get him a gift card. So, I thought I'd get a little jump start by making the card to hold a gift card from Sears or Home Depot. Lindsay at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff has the perfect digital stamp for this project. I just printed it out and colored it in with a few copics. I added a couple of heavy-duty brads from Stampin Up, did a little sewing and piercing, and then just put it all together. It's hard to resist the urge to add ribbon and buttons, but it is supposed to be a masculine card, afterall. What do you think of that cardstock? It's from the new SU in-colors. The yellow is crushed curry and the brown is soft suede, and both are in textured cardstock. Now, I've just got to get that gift card....sounds like a job for hubby!

By the way, Lindsay still has her special for June going on through the end of the month: spend $10 and get a card kit for free! She's added lots of stuff to the store if you haven't been there lately. You really need to check it out. Oh, and here's a little heads up for you. One of Lindsay's design team members has a freebie this week. You need to do a little blog hopping to find it. Just a little hint: this one will put you in the mood for Independence Day, but I bet you'll be able to figure out other uses for it, too. You can start with the design team links over on the side of my blog or you can head right on over to Lindsay's blog to get the full list of links. Have fun, yall!
Project Recipe
Paper: SU Mellow Moss, SU Crushed Curry, SU Soft Suede, GinaK Pure Luxury White CS
Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Most Tools digital stamp
Accessories: SU star brads, Scorebug, ScorePal, Janome Sew Mini, copic markers

The Desk Set

Just wanted to show off a couple of graduation gifts I made earlier this month. I took pictures before I gave them out, but just hadn't had time to post them. I always give cash for graduation these days because I remember how it was always the favorite gift of my sons' when they graduated, but I wanted to do something a little more special than just hand them a card with some money inside. So, off I went to the dollar store to pick up a few study aides (small notebook, sticky tabs, highlighters, binder clips, small stapler, and some sugar-free gum) which I altered with some Papertrey Ink papers. One of the grads is a female and one a male, but other than changing a few design elements and choosing different papers for each, both got the exact same gift.
I used one of Lauren Meader's Timeless Templates to hold the study aides. This template is called From the Desk Of, and it will be perfect to put on a student desk to hold these and other desktop items a college student might need. I used my copics and my airbrush system to color a button, the chipboard B, and the hardware on one of the gifts. I personalized each deskset with the grads initial and then stuffed a little cash in the accompanying cards.
Project Recipe
Paper: PTI Black and White Basics PP (I colored the white in with a green copic) and Raspberry Fizz Mix PP, PTI True Black CS
Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Doodle Ladybug digital stamp, My Grafico owl digital stamp, SU Lovely Letters Alphabet, SU Congrats
Ribbon: PTI Raspberrry Fizz grosgrain ribbon, PTI black satin ribbon
Accessories: My Timeless Template From The Desk Of, Making Memories buttons and felt flowers, copics and an airbrush system, bookplates from Joann's, PaperStudio brads, twine

Green Trees

Just a quick post today. I'm totally exhausted! I made eleven cakes in cans. Hopefully, I'll get a picture up of those later, if I have time before I take them off to school to give to my colleagues who have summer birthdays. It's late and I'm tired, but luckily this card came together very quickly.

This is a new, yes new, digital image from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. Actually it's two new images and there are two other trees besides these two. Trees are so trendy right now, so I'm really excited that Lindsay created some in a digital format. There are lots of other new things in the store, and she's running a special throughout the month of June--spend $10 and get a free card kit!

Lindsay challenged us to go green for this week's peek. As you can see, I took her literally and used a lot of the color green on this card. But I also used a recycled item--the ribbon. It came wrapped around a package (can no longer remember on what), and at the time I thought it would come in very handy, but up until now I hadn't used it. But it just seemed perfect for this card. I cinched the ribbon on the side with some twine and ran the twine through the holes in my button. I colored the trees with my copics and stamped the sentiment from a SU sale-abration's set. Now, the tree in middle cannot be purchased yet in the store, but you can get it for free. How? Take a little blog hop to all the blogs of the design team. One of them has a little treat for you, and it is totally free this week. Happy hopping! (Check out the links to the side or start with Lindsay's blog.)