Monday, January 30, 2012

With Sympathy

Hello Everyone! Did you all have nice weekends? Mine was quiet, did a lot of resting and reading. I am feeling much better and now it’s catch up time! All the things that went undone while I was sick are now screaming for my attention. But I did want to pop in and share a card with you today. I don’t know about you, but sympathy cards are difficult for me. What colors? What images? What is too much? What is too simple? But, I needed one this weekend and this is what I came up with. I used the With Sympathy stamp set from Papertrey Ink. It’s a great set with a lot of nice, comforting sentiments.



Supplies ~
Stamp set: With Sympathy, Out on a Limb Sentiments (Papertrey Ink)
Card stock: Vanilla Cream, Garden Green, Colonial White (Close to My Heart)
Ink: Memento Bamboo Leaves, Cantalope(Tsukineko) Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate(Tsukineko) Hollyhock(CTMH)
Ribbon: Garden Green Organdy(CTMH)
Vellum: Michael’s
Pearls: Recollections(Michael’s)

Not too bad, huh? I made a few of them since I had everything arranged already on my stamp press. I created the butterfly by rubbing an ink pad onto vellum, letting it dry and then punching it with the butterfly punch. I like the light airy look of vellum and I thought it was perfect for this butterfly. I glued two of them together to add some dimension. This is how I finished off the inside.

It's a card for a male church member who lost his mother. I just didn't know what to do with it. So I kept it simple and used a neutral color palette.

Well, that's all I have for now. Thank you for dropping in today. I appreciate the visit...

Blessings~

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Makeover Monday Challenge #11

Hello Friends! Happy Wednesday! It's going to be a short post...I'm still not feeling all that well. Today I am sharing the card I created for the MMC's presented by Paper Crafter's Library. You can read more about the challenges by clicking HERE. I chose to make another Valentine.


supplies~
stamp set: Out on a Limb Sentiments(Papertrey Ink)
card stock: Cryogen White(Papertemptress)   Real Red, Pretty in Pink(Stampin' Up!)
patterned paper: Love Me Collection(My Mind's Eye)
ink: Hollyhock, Blush(Close to My Heart)   Memento Angel Pink(Tsukineko)
other: Deckle Edge Nestabilities(Spellbinders)   Heart Stick Pins(Maya Road)   Pearls(Mark Richards)  Ribbon(MemrieMare Etsy)   Mini Rolled Roses Die-Namics(My Favorite Things)   Pure Poppy felt(Papertrey Ink)

This one came together pretty quickly. I made the little rose you see there. I used a die to cut the felt and then rolled it! I've been waiting to use it and I thought this card was just perfect for it. Okay...I'm off to rest some more.

Thank you for visiting today!

Blessings~

Monday, January 23, 2012

Snow Day!

Hello Friends! Can you believe that January is almost over?! Whooooosh! It just zipped right by! I had plans to make lots of winter themed cards for this month and I don't think I made even one! LOL! Well today, I'm changing that. The card I am sharing is called Snow Day, featuring a digital image by the same name, from Mo's Digital Pencil.

click to enlarge.
supplies~
digital image: Snow Day(Mo's Digital Pencil 2)
card stock: Cryogen White(PaperTempress)  White(Georgia Pacific)  Spring Rain(Papertrey Ink)  Bordering Blue(Stampin' Up!) 
patterned paper: Snowmen(Echo Park)
ink: Memento Summer Sky, Blue Danube(Tsukineko)
other: Polar White Flower Soft   Copic Markers   Lacey Circles Nestabilities(Spellbinders)   Snowflake Punch(Martha Stewart Crafts)   Coarse Glitter(Martha Stewart Crafts)  Crystal Stickers(Michael's)  Crystal Ice Stickles(Ranger)   Spring Rain Swiss Dot ribbon(Papertrey Ink)

Isn't she just the cutest thing? So much joy on that little face! I printed her onto Cryogen White card stock and colored her with Copic markers. I've been focusing on clean and simple cards for two weeks and I really NEEDED to color something! I used Lacey Circles Nesties to cut her out. She is mounted on dimensional adhesive. I used a Martha Stewart punch for the snowflakes and I covered them in MS coarse glitter to make them sparkle.


I used flower soft for her jacket fur. I thought that Liquid Applique would look too stiff and I don't have any Fun Flock. I think the flower soft worked out just fine.

I hope your week is off to a fantastic start. I'm a little under the weather, but nothing too serious. I'm having lots of tea and I made a big pot of chicken soup. I should be back to normal real soon. Have a great day!

Blessings~

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Be Mine Card and SOC Give-away Winner

Hello All! I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I popped in today to share a few things...

I have yet another Valentine to show you. I don't usually CASE other card maker's work, but when I saw THIS card on Kristina Werner's blog, I had to make one just like it. I had the same patterned paper in my stash, so I whipped it out and whipped this up! It was SUPER easy and oh so cute!


It's a pocket card! The card is inside. She created this little envelope sleeve and the card slides inside it. Sooo clever!



supplies~
stamp set: Heart Prints(Papertrey Ink)
card stock: Dear Valentine Kraft 12X12 With Love Collection Paper(Pebbles)   Kraft(Papertrey Ink)
ink: Versamark(Tsukineko)   Real Red(Stampin' Up!)
Zing white embossing powder(American Crafts)   baker's twine and red glitter(Martha Stewart Crafts)   heart punch(Marvy)  circle punch(Stampin' Up!)   corner rounder(EK Success)

I made a Valentine, but this type of card could be used for any occasion. I'm really smitten with that envelope sleeve! I think it's adorable and it really was soooo easy to make. After I created the sleeve, I cut the little bird and the word bubble out of the patterned paper. I stamped Be Mine in Versamark and heat embossed it. I used a circle punch to punch a notch out of the sleeve. Then I added some glitter to the tiny red heart. Next, I tied on some baker's twine and adhered all the cut-outs with dimensional adhesive. For the inside card, I glued on the strip of XOXO's, tied on baker's twine, added a heart stamped in red on Kraft, rounded the corners and I was finished. Fun! Fun! Fun! Cute! Cute! Cute! I will definitely make more cards like this.

The Winner of the Scraps of Color Give-Away is.....  

KAREN!

KAREN: Jan 19, 2012 02:09 PM
"Love the food journals! I lost 68 pounds the last time I kept one. However, it was not nearly as nice as those. My resolutions all revolve around one word "NOURISH". This year, I want to nourish myself - body, mind, and soul. I want to nourish others. I want to nourish my faith. So, I have to put things in my body that nourish it, read and learn things to nourish my mind and pray and read the Bible to nourish my soul. I need to act and say things that nourish others. So, those are my resolutions."

Congratulations Karen! Please e-mail me at thebuzzfrombarb@yahoo.com  to claim your prize!

Thank you for dropping by today! I appreciate it!

Blessings~

Friday, January 20, 2012

Makeover Monday Challenge #10

Happy Friday! I'm sharing the card I created for the MMC given by Paper Crafter's Library. You can read all about the challenge HERE. I used one of the panels from this12 x 12 sheet of adorable images from Jillibean Soup. It's printed on a heavy weight, very pretty chocolate speckled Kraft card stock. Take a look...



Pretty cute, huh? I ordered all of my Valentine's goodies during Black Friday/Cyber Monday, I think I paid 69 cents for this sheet! Anyway...onto the card.



supplies~ 
card stock: Hearty Barley Beef Broth(Jillibean Soup)   Pretty In Pink, Real Red(Stampin' Up!)   Kraft(GinaK Designs)
Maraschino Bakers Twine(The Twinery)   Sweet Blush, Scarlet Jewel buttons(Papertrey Ink)   Playground green button(Stampin' Up!)

It came together very quickly, as there is no stamping on this one. I used my Fiskars Texture plates for the heart studded background. Then I adhered the focal panel down, added some buttons and Baker's Twine and I was finished. If I wanted to dress it up, I could have used Stickles on the hearts to add some sparkle, but I think I'm going to send this one to my brother...probably best to send it sans sparkle.

I hope each of you plans to see Red Tails this weekend. Some of you may know the story of the Tuskegee Airmen is near to my heart, since my Uncle Luther was one of them. You can see my scrap book page tribute to him HERE. It's a good story, I can't endorse the film, because I have not seen it yet. But, it's a George Lucas Production and he did a pretty good job with a little saga called Star Wars, so I think this movie will be alright, too. :) Whatever your plans...have fun, be safe and take some time out to do something beautiful for YOURSELF. Thanks for dropping in today.

Blessings~

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Thinking of You..

Hey there! I got a little side-tracked with the girls being sick, but they are feeling better and that leaves me with time to play in my studio. The CAS class is still in session, so the card I am sharing today is one I created for that. The lesson here is Plainly White cards. Yeah. That's what I said, too. But I watched the class video and looked at the samples and here is my take on making a card that is mainly white.


Click to enlarge.
 supplies~
stamp sets: Cocoa Bean Butterfly(Memory Box) Vintage Picnic Sentiments(Papertrey Ink) Little Lady(Papertrey Ink)
card stock: White Layering Weight(GinaK Designs)
vellum: Michael's
butterfly die: Memory Box
ink: Black StazOn (Tsukineko)
Copic markers
My Legacy Writers(CTMH)


I stamped the butterfly on vellum, using StazOn ink. Then I colored it on the backside with Copics. I cut it out with the coordinating die and adhered it to my card front. Easy Peasy!

Thanks for taking a peek! I appreciate the visit. Have a great Thursday!

Blessings~

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

New Year! New You!

Hello everyone! I know that many of us make resolutions at the start of a new year. And many of us resolve to take better care of ourselves, by making healthy food choices, dieting and exercising. Research suggests that those who write down every morsel that enters their mouths during the course of a day, tend to not only loose more weight, they also keep it off! Sounds like a good plan to me and having a pretty little journal to keep track of all those bites is essential in my book! Today I am sharing a few of the Food Journals I created for my friends and me...

supplies~
stamp set: Organize It!(GinaK Designs)
card stock: True Black(Papertrey Ink)   Ivory Layering Weight(GinaK Designs)
patterned paper: Picadilly Collection(Basic Grey)   Modern Homemaker(October Afternoon)  Recipe Time(American Traditions Designs)  I Heart You(Pebbles)
other: black gingham ribbon(GinaK Designs)   Classic Oval Nestabilities(Spellbinders)  spiral Notebooks(Staples)




These little gems are the perfect size for tossing into your handbag, briefcase or back pack. And they were super simple to make. I picked up the notebooks from Staples. They sell them in packs of 5 or so and only cost a few dollars, so I was able to make several. I have had this stamp set for a few years. I love it when the designers pull out the older sets and make them 'new' again. I also had some food themed patterned paper in my stash and thought it would be perfect for covering the fronts of the notebooks. The insides are lined paper, so there is lots of room for tracking what you chew! I got this idea from one of my favorite places to learn...StampTV. These nifty notebooks aren't just for food journals. You can use them for a multitude of things...you can make a prayer journal, a praise journal, sketch book, inspiration journal, I have one that I keep my craft shopping list in. When I plan to go out and about, I drop it into my purse in case I find a sale! 

Thank you so much for visiting today! Make it a good one!

Blessings~

Monday, January 16, 2012

Be My Valentine

Hi there! Just dropping in with another post for my CAS card class. I am LOVING all of the things I'm learning. The classes are jam-packed with information and most evenings my head is reeling with ideas and images of projects I want to make. I'm trying to keep track of everything and as I find time, I slip into my studio and create something. The good thing about the CAS style, for me, is that most of the planning is in my head. The execution of the actual project is easy, it's the design that takes time. I have to admit that I am embracing the CAS style a lot better than I was at the outset of this class. I'm not stressing out anymore and I think I may be getting the hang of it. The card I am sharing today, is for the lesson entitled, Simple Embellishments. We were to create our own embellishment using non-embellishment items. Ahhh...hard to explain, easier to show. Take a look...

click to enlarge.
  supplies~
stamp set: Tiny Treats:Valentine, Green Thumb(Papertrey Ink)
card stock: Real Red(Stampin' Up!)   White Layering Weight(GinaK Designs)
ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Memento Bamboo Leaves(Tsukineko)
punch: Heart to Heart(Stampin' Up!)
pearl(Mark Richards)

I created the flower using heart punches. I adhered them with dimensionals and placed them around the stamped stem and then added the pearl to conceal all the heart points. I really like how this turned out. Clean and simple. Less is more. :)

Thank you for stopping by today!
Blessings~

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Makeover Monday Challenge #9

Hello everyone! I found time to play along with Andrea Walford's MMC today. If you're not familiar with the Monday Makeover Challenges presented by Papercrafter's Library, you can read all about them by clicking HERE.

My card...


supplies~
stamp set: Cupcake Collection(Papertrey Ink)
card stock: Kraft, Pure Poppy(Papertrey Ink)  White(Georgia Pacific)
patterned paper: 2008 Bitty Dot Basics in Pure Poppy(PTI)   Porcelain Collection(Basic Grey)
ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Pearlescent Chocolate Brilliance,Versamark(Tsukineko)   Chocolate(CTMH)
ribbon: Pure Poppy(PTI)
other: Circle Nestabilities(Spellbinders)  White EP(American Crafts)  glitter pens(Sakura)  Legacy Writers(CTMH)



Thanks for dropping by today! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Both of my girls are sick, so I'm playing Nurse Maid today!


Blessings~

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Warm Winter Wishes

Hello everyone! What a hectic Wednesday I had yesterday! Whew! I am glad that day is over...on to fun stuff now. In Lesson 3 of my CAS class, Jennifer McGuire shared a really cool die-cut layering technique. She created a gorgeous tone on tone card and that is where I drew inspiration from for the card I am sharing today. I actually made two cards using this technique. I didn't like the end result of the first one, so of course, I had to create another one to show all of you. At the last moment, I decided to post the one I didn't like also. I really want you all to grasp how difficult this class is for me. I am really stressing out over these projects! LOL! Okay, enough babbling, onto the cards...

This first one, is my second attempt at applying Jennifer's techniques. I like this one.

click to enlarge.
supplies~
stamp set: Winter Wonderland (Taylored Expressions)
card stock: Crystal Blue (Close to My Heart)   Cryogen White (PaperTempress)
dies: Winter Wonderland Snowflakes (Taylored Expressions)
ink: Versamark (Tsukineko)
embossing powder: White (American Crafts)   Iridescent Ice (Stampin' Up!) 
other: plastic beads (Michael's)

I used regular thin dies to cut the snowflakes, but by using the layering technique, they look like chipboard and they feel like chipboard too, nice and sturdy. I stamped each snowflake with Versarmark ink and heat embossed with Iridescent Ice. Nice and Sparkly...just like I like it!

Okay so now on to the next one. I used the same layering technique, but I used patterned paper instead of plain card stock.  This idea was soooo pretty in my head. Oh well...here it is. I don't like this one. At all.

click to enlarge
supplies~
stamp set: Heart Prints (Papertrey Ink)
card stock: Scarlet Jewel (Papertrey Ink)   Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up!)
patterned paper: Love Me Collection (My Mind's Eye)
dies: Hearts (Sizzix)
ink: Scarlett Jewel (Papertrey Ink)

I can tell you now that I will re-make this using card stock. I just wanted to show that things don't always work out the way I planned them. I know we all have 'those days'.

Thank for you visiting me today! I appreciate it!

Blessings~

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Sending Smiles

Hello Everyone! Lesson Two from my CAS class is...Perfectly Flat Cards. Yeah. How about that? No layers. At all. Wow. I am really out of my comfort zone with this one. This is a technique that I have admired and never tried, so I was so glad to see a demo on it. Julie Ebersole was the teacher for this one and of course she did a fabulous job! She took the guess work and mystery out of it and made it completely do-able for me. I only had time to make one card today and this is it...



supplies~
stamp sets: Up, Up & Away and Up, Up & Away Additions (Papertrey Ink)
card stock: 120# Heavy Base Weight White (GinaK Designs)
ink: Memento Summer Sky, Danube Blue, Paris Dusk, Angel Pink and Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
other: Copic markers, Eclipse Masking Tape, Up, Up & Away dies (Papertrey Ink)


I had a ball creating this one! I love hot air balloons and living only minutes from Wine Country, I see plenty of them floating in the air. I like them so much I even created a Pinterest board for them. Anyway...I used the 120# Heavy base weight card stock from GinaK Designs. It is great for OLC's because you can color on it with Copics and you have no bleed thru to the backside. 

I'm glad you dropped in today. Thanks for the visit. I appreciate it!

Blessings~

Monday, January 9, 2012

CAS-Happy Birthday

This is my second post for today! I am really enjoying the CAS class! This card is based upon another sketch Kristina provided for us. I forgot to mention that Lesson One, is "Using Simple Sketches". The example Kristina shared was done in monochromatic blue. While I liked that idea, I opted to go with varying shades of pink. My card...





supplies~
stamp sets: Birthday Cupcakes (Inque Boutique)   You Take the Cake (My Favorite Things)
card stock: Sweet Blush (Papertrey Ink)
patterned paper: I Heart You (Pebbles)
ink: Versamark (Tsukineko)
embossing powder: White Zing! (American Crafts)
baker's twine: Blossom (The Twinery)
other: Copic markers, Spica At You glitter pens

There is one more sketch for us. I plan to play with that one after I prep dinner and in between loads of laundry. Thanks for stopping in again! This is fun! :)

Blessings~

Clean and Simple...

Hello everyone! I hope you all had nice weekends. With the Holidays behind us, I am anxious to get into my studio and play with my goodies! Since I have deemed this year, my year for growth, I will be trying my hand at some new styles of card making. I view many blogs and I see things I just love, so, I've decided to take the leap and see where I land.



For the next few weeks, I am participating in a Clean and Simple online card class. You can read more about that HERE. I am so excited about this class because the Clean and Simple style is one that I struggle with. I LIKE LAYERS!! I am looking forward to learning how to create beautiful cards the CAS way. Kristina Werner is one of the teachers for this class, and if you know her work, you know she is a Master at creating beautiful CAS cards. The card I am sharing today is based on one of the sketches she provided for us. Here is my take on it...



supplies~
stamp set: Heart Prints (Papertrey Ink)
card stock: Spring Rain, Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink)
patterned paper: Love Me Hearts (My Mind's Eye)
ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
ribbon: Michael's
heart punch: Stampin Up!

I can not tell you how difficult it was NOT to glitter that heart right there! Oh my goodness! There is not a sparkle nor a shimmer on this card...I think I may faint! LOL! But I do like the way it turned out and it was super simple to make. The hardest part was choosing the card stock and patterned paper! I finally told myself that I could make more at anytime, just make ONE for now to submit to class! I think I need to lay down for a bit...I stressed myself out!

Thank you for dropping by today! Have a great Monday!

Blessings~

Thursday, January 5, 2012

2012 Christmas Card Challenge Week #5

Hello everyone! Happy New Year! Were any of you brave enough to make resolutions this year? I made one for 2011 and I'm happy to report that I stuck to it! I resolved to help others more, get more involved with my church. And to that end, I volunteered weekly in our Food Pantry. I was even made Team Leader! :) Anyway, this year, I resolve to be nicer to Barbara; improving myself, body, mind and spirit. Hold me to it, and let's see if I can stick to it and have a happy report for 2013.

Today, I am sharing the very simple card I created for the Christmas Card Challenge with Sparkle and her Elves. The challenge was to create a Christmas Thank You card. Very fitting, I thought, since I have so many to thank for blessing my family and me over the Christmas holidays. I decided to go ultra simple and make use of my scraps.

supplies~  stamp set: Signature Christmas (PTI)
patterned paper: Jovial Collection (BasicGrey)
card stock: Kraft (PTI)  Ivory Layering Weight (GinaK Designs)
other: Snowflakes embossing folder (Provo Craft)  Chocolate ribbon (CTMH)  Chocolate Ink (CTMH)  Scallop border punch (SU!)

I embossed a scrap of patterned paper with my snowflakes embossing folder. I sanded it down a bit to let some of the white core peek thru. I took another scrap, the 'ornament' pp, and used my scallop border punch on it. I adhered the pieces together and put them onto the Kraft base. I stamped my greeting, tied on a bit of ribbon, gave everything a spritz of shimmer spray-so sad the camera doesn't show it-and called it done. I did decorate the inside, by adding ivory card stock and another strip of the 'ornament' patterned paper.

Things are settling down here. The girls won't be back to school for a bit yet, but they're gearing up for it, so I've got some sneak away time and I can play in my studio. When they are home, with no projects or assignments, I like to spend as much time with them as I can. Next week, SweetP and I will begin making Valentine's Day cards. We've been baking and cooking together over the Christmas break and I just LOVE that! Okay...enough gabbing!

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great weekend!

Blessings~