Sew Thoughtful

I still have a couple of thank you notes to send out from my birthday, so I created this vintage style thank you card for one of my crafting buddies who admires copic coloring. This is a classic little image from LSS called Sewing Stuff. You can grab it for less than $2 and there's also a great companion set in the shop called Sew Pretty. There are lots of very pretty options between these two stamp sets.
I played along with the Shabby Tea Room challenge this week which was a one, two, three challenge (one ribbon, two button, and three punches/dies). I colored some white seam binding to create my ribbon and make the bow, grabbed a couple of buttons from the jar (I don't even know any more where these buttons came from), and used two deckled rectangle dies from spellbinders and a SU border punch. I had to, of course, add some sewing to this and a little distressing.
Don't forget to head over to Lindsay's blog today to see what all she has for you. There's usually a digital freebie involved, and you definitely want to check out what the rest of the design team has created! Be sure to see all the gorgeousness over at the The Shabby Tea Room, too.
Cheers!

Need a Lift

My dear, sweet friend Melissa at Tuesday Morning Sketches is celebrating her first birthday. Her challenge blog is one year old! Happy birthday, Melissa. Lindsay's Stamp Stuff is helping her celebrate this week by grabbing one of her sketches from the past year and giving it a go. If you play along this week, you have a chance to win a digital stamp set from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff like the Steampunk set I used to make this card.

I used TMS #35 and flipped and tweaked it a little for this card. I loved the vintage look of the DCWV Mariposa matstack paper combined with the antique bicycle and the paper flowers. The sentiment is from a PTI set called Everyday Buttons and it works perfectly with the image in the LSS stamp set.
Be sure to visit the other members of the design team to see what sketch they used. Then, stop by Tuesday Morning Sketches and grab a sketch of your own to play with after a quick visit to LSS for a cool digital stamp set to use on your card (LSS image not required but it would  be great to see what you do with them). Also, if this has put you in the mood for vintage, be sure to stop over at Lindsay's blog for a digital freebie. I believe you could "walk" away with a vintage car image.
Cheers!

Monday With Mom 11

What a great weekend! Saturday was my birthday and I spent the whole day doing the things I love the most: reading, crafting, and hanging out with friends and family. I had a stack of homework that needed doing but I set it aside to enjoy my day! I got some wonderful gifts including the Martha Stewart score board and a $50 Stampin' Up gift card! (lots of other great non-craft related items, too!) My husband and my father cooked a bunch of fish and shrimp for me and about 15 guests. It was totally yummy. Not a bad way to turn 44!
I received several hand-made cards from my crafting buddies, but I had to showcase this little cutie that my mom made for me! She used a Sweet n Sassy digital image called Milton Mouse. She colored Milton and his bouquet with copics. Isn't she getting sooo good with her copics! I love the grey and purple color scheme, too!

So, I grabbed a Sweet n Sassy digital stamp, too, and created a furry little cutey! This is a recently released digi called Praying Fuzzy.

I used some old Making Memories paper flowers to create the little roses in the corner. And, isn't the little paw prints punch cute! That was kind of a birthday present to myself. It's a newer EK Success border punch.The sentiment on the bow is from the SNS Poppies and Greetings clear stamp set. It is certainly perfect for this image.
I better get busy on my homework that I neglected this weekend!
Cheers!

It's a Twofer

Two for one special today! I wanted to play in the The Shabby Tea Room Challenge this week and I wanted to play with Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Steampunk stamp set and I just wasn't clever enough to combine the two, so I created two separate cards.
This first one is for the The Shabby Tea Room Christmas in July Challenge. Honestly, I'm not ready for Christmas cards, but I grabbed the LSS Christmas Potpourri Digital Stamp set and gave it my best. This is the second Christmas card I've done this week, but I'm just not feeling it! Still I am pretty pleased with how all of this turned out. It has a quaint, vintage feel to it which is what I was going for.

I kept the greens handy for this next card, too, but went much softer with the color scheme. This card uses the

 LSS Steampunk Stamp set and I just think it's super cute! 

 I printed out the stamp, aged it with some distressing ink, lightly colored in the floral pattern in the image with my copics, and then I sponged some VersaMark ink over the image. I sprinkled the image with some antique gold embossing powder so that it looks muted and weathered. I found the tutorial for the little flower here. It was fun to make, super easy, and a good way to use up some unused flowers.
Now, you are all set to see what the rest of the design team has created for today. It's sure to provide loads of inspiration. Stop off at Lindsay's blog if you haven't already done so. She's sure to have a surprise or two up her sleeve, and don't forget to visit the store to take a look at this cool Steampunk set.
Cheers!

A Sweet Little Sketch

I saw the sketch and Korin's great card over on the The Sweet Stop and decided to play around today with it. I haven't been able to spend much time up here in the craft loft lately, but I spent most of yesterday waiting on my Directv upgrade to be installed so I had time to play!
Usually, sketches kind of scare me, but for some reason this one grabbed my imagination. I especially liked using the 3D sticker butterfly. If you've read my blog very much, you've pretty much figured out that I don't like to hand cut things. I'm good with a Cricut, dies, and punches, but actual cutting with scissors totally scares me off (and craft knives make me hyperventilate). So, it was great to find an image that was all precut for me! The sentiment was the real source of inspiration for me! The sentiment is from a Sweet N Sassy clear stamp set called Sentiments for Him, but obviously this isn't just for the guys.
Project Recipe

Paper: Prima The Breathe Collection and The Sasha Collection PP, PTI White, Orange Zest, Spring Rain CS

Stamps: SNS Sentiments for Him

Tools: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Scalloped Heart Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, the Bow Easy, EK Success Zig Zag border punch

Embellishments: PTI Orange Zest Saddle-stitched ribbon, Studio 18 Dimensional stickers

Monday with Mom 10

Now that the plane has landed, I'm back home, and I've unpacked and sorted through stuff, it was time to do another Monday with Mom segment. However, I'm running a little late. I got a new tv for the craft loft and directv was scheduled to come this morning and upgrade my receiver. Therefore, I had everything under the tv moved off to another corner of the room out of the way. Directv serviceman did not show up this morning and so photographing my card has been a challenge. I've also been tied up with getting everything ready for them when they do show up, so long story short...this is running a little late! What else is new!
We were inspired again by GinaK's project of Stamptv which was Christmas in July. I've seen a few Christmas in July projects out in blog land, but it sure is hard to start on Christmas cards in this heat! Making things a little easier for me, is this adorable new set of clear stamps from Sweet N Sassy called O Christmas Tree which should be released July 26th!

It's the cutest little Christmassy stamp set but I kept blowing it with my coloring. Finally, I opted to create a vintage photo look with it using a washed out (faded) color scheme and lots of warm gray. Then, I sponged all but the very center of the image and distressed the edges. I added a little crocheted ribbon to the bottom of the "photo" to further the vintage feel of the card.
Now, let's take a look at Mom's fab project! She makes the best Christmas tags, packaging, and cards!!

Isn't that cool! She added Stickles to the antlers for cheery Christmas sparkle and, of course, a red nose for Rudolph!The paper and embossing are so perfect for this card. Maybe Mom can make all my Christmas cards for me this year (wink)!

Happy Birthday, Lindsay!

Lindsay's got a birthday coming up! I whipped her up a basket of fresh strawberry candies using her luscious set Strawberries and Watermelon set.

This uses a brown lunch sack which I rolled down the top to get the size I wanted. I added some pre-ruffled ribbon and "ruffled" some more ribbon to decorate the top. Then, I added some Prima flowers to serve as the "bow" and filled the sack with candies. The image is colored with copic markers.
Be sure to stop by the store because Lindsay has a birthday present for you--34% off everything in the store! Also don't forget to stop by her blog because she's sure to have a freebie as well, and the design team has lots of birthday inspiration this week. We've discovered that we all have a lot of birthday celebrations this month, so if you, too, are needing to create a birthday card or present, you'll want to get some great ideas from the rest of the team!

Cheers!
Project Recipe
Paper: Neenah Solar Crest CS, DCWV Citrus Stack
Stamps: LSS Strawberries and Watermelon, PTI Vintage Picnic Sentiments
Tools: copic markers, Score-Tape
Embellishments: Prima flowers, Ribbon FX (HL), SU Certainly Celery Satin ribbon  

A Watermelon Kind of Day

The super hot temperatures remind me that it is definitely summer, and what's better on a hot summer day than a juicy slice of watermelon! If you're looking for some great, fruity summer digi stamps, look no further than Lindsay's Stamp Stuff and this Strawberries and Watermelon stamp set.

Don't those images look absolutely juicy!!! I chose the seed packet and colored it with my copics. I added some ruffled ribbon and a leftover heart-shaped paper doily. A few little buttons were added to the corner for a homespun look. The sentiment is from the GinaK set Heartily Yours.
Be sure to check out what the LSS design team has created and make Lindsay's blog your first stop if you haven't been there yet. She's got a great little freebie as well as some inspiration for one of her newest sets!
On a personal note: I'm so glad to be home after two weeks in New York and Washinton, DC. It was a fantastic trip, but I've been dying to get back to my husband and my craftroom (and my own private bathroom!). I'm very slowly going through all my trip purchases, dirty laundry, and souvenirs. And, I've got loads of homework that still needs doing. It seems like as soon as I finish one thing, two more things pop up! Know the feeling? I so want to spend the weekend in the craft loft but I'm not sure how much quality time I will have up here. Stay tuned, though, as soon as I can, I will be crafting away!
Cheers!

Project Recipe

Paper: PTI Kraft CS, SU Real Red CS
Stamps: LSS Strawberries and Watermelon, GinaK Heartily Yours (sentiment)
Tools: ScorePal, copics
Embellishments: Heart-shaped paper doily (Walmart), Ribbon FX (Hobby Lobby), Prima Holiday Poinsettia buttons