I'mmmmmm Baaaaack!!!

Hello Fellow Bloggers!

Boy have I missed blogging and crafting. I recently hosted my first workshop. I haven't crafted or held any workshops in months. Somehow I got lost along the way, but I am back and ready to start making projects for my second most favorite holiday of the year.... Valentine's Day. Next to Christmas it is my next happiest day. I will start crafting and posting again.

In my time away I have been rediscovering my love for baking and some of my other crafts that don't have anything to do with paper. I hope you will indulge me as I share some of these other projects with you as we go along.

You may recognize this card project as an adaptation of a card published in the January 2010 Stampin' Discuss. I changed a few things to fit the supplies that I had on hand and was able to make this card work for workshop.

I used the In Full Bloom stamp set and stamped Pretty in Pink classic ink on Pretty in Pink cardstock. My ribbon accent is also Pretty in Pink satin ribbon; with the scallop edge punch I punched a small strip of Pretty in Pink cardstock and layered it on Rose Red. The flower was stamped in Basic Brown ink so that I could watercolor in the flowers with Rose Red ink and my aqua painter. The bee was stamped in Chocolate Chip and then stamped again without reinking so I was able to get a lighter look then I also used the Pretty in Pink again with the bee.

I really like how this card turned out with my modifications. I just might make a few more for my card box.

Check back soon to see what other projects I will be making to get into the spirit of Valentine's Day.

Happy Crafting!

Oh....and isn't this little binder clip holder too cute??

Baby Showers Bring Baby Dalia

Hello, hello, hello!!! I am back in the crafting saddle again. I have been invited to a baby shower this weekend. We know that she is having a girl and I could not be more thrilled for her. Of course, I could not give this special mommy to be just any card so I clicked on my computer and went to Splitcoast to look for some ideas. Once I decided that I wanted to use my Wash Day jumbo wheel from Stampin’ Up, finding inspiration was no problem. I found several cards that really caught my eye but the card that Karakae posted took the cake for me. I could not improve on such a great idea so I just CASED it. Isn’t it true what they say, that imitation is the best form of flattery. Thanks for the great idea. I hope my friend likes it as much as I had fun making it.

For this idea I used all Stampin’ Up products. Wash Day jumbo wheel, words from Great Friend, Scallop oval and edge punches, Large Oval punch, Pixie Pink and Certainly Celery CS, Bitty Backgrounds on one of the sleepers, and watercolored in the clothes on the line. Ohhh and the background is Cuddlebug’s Swiss Dots embossing folder.

Thanks for stopping by. See you again real soon.

Happy Hump Day

Can you believe it? I'm posting other than on Thursday's Utah Diva Challenge. I had to come up with a simple card for a bridal shower. One of my younger cousins is getting married and we wanted to welcome his new wife to be to the family. I didn't think she was a traditional type of bride but a little more modern, so I took this idea right from the pages of the Aug. 2008 Stampin Success. I loved the colors and the simplicity of this card. I didn't have the same stamps that the sample card had so I improvised. I printed the phrase of the computer. I changed the swirl to one of the ones from Stampin Up's Priceless set. I added a little chocolate chip, some so saffron, and a bit of baja breeze and Voila! Simple card.

Check back tomorrow for the next Utah Diva's Inspiration Challenge. I am particularly proud of this design.

Scallop Note Purses

Well, I'm back stamping again. One of my clubs decided that they wanted to make Scallop Note Purses. I found a great tutorial at Jan Tinks's fabulous blog. If you've never been there, you must take a peek; she's a hoot.

This is the one that I made. These were really fun and not as difficult as I thought they would be. Now you may notice that I have a Pretty in Pink scallop as my flap. You may be wondering which package of scallops did I find that one in, well, I didn't. I took one of my scallop notes and made a template. I wanted different colors than the Stampin Up! package offered so I made my own in the colors that fit my design. My club members absolutely loved their projects. They had so much fun and stepped out of their comfort zones and let the creative juices flow and WOW. These ladies all loved the projects that they created. Each one was so uniquely different. I know I had the most fun watching them.

On my purse I used Stampin Up's Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, and Close to Cocoa cardstocks, and Rose Red Designer Papers. I added some Hodge Podge hardware and ribbon from the Flirty Originals assortment.

Kristie was so proud of her project. All of the supplies used on her project were Stampin Up's too.

New Favorite Card

This is my new favorite card. Last Saturday I was getting ready to attend a Stampin Up unit meeting and I needed a swap idea. I new I wanted to use my Priceless set, but was stumped for a spectacular idea. Thank goodness Splitcoast gallery was to the rescue. I spied the perfect card to gather my idea from lesarapp, (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/605603? cat=10720&perpage=48 ) I made a few modifications to speed up the 20 card making process, and voila! I have my new favorite card. I glad not all 20 demonstrators showed so I had some extras to bring home.

I have fallen in love with whole BoHo collection, and this Outlaw designer paper....uhh, I have to order more. The funny part is that I'm not a western person, AT ALL, but I love SU's new western stuff. On this card I did use only the Priceless stamp set, Chocolate chip, Sahara Sand, and Soft Sky. For ink I used Really Rust and Chocolate Chip, I added a bit of Chocolate Chip grosgrain and I now have a card I can stamp any greeting on and it's perfect for every occasion.

Like I said, this is my new favorite card; I just love it!

The Return to Stamping

I haven't put rubber to paper in way too long of a time. Work has just exhausted me. So I joined a swap. I knew that would force me to sit down and start stamping again. I think the real reason I have been in a funk is not attending Stampin Up convention this year. I was not able to get a ticket to the coveted session I. I could not attend session II. Alas, I have been left to only read about the fun and excitement I missed this year. But mark my words, wild dogs will not be able to keep me away next year.

I received my inspiration for this card's design from a http://inkpad.typepad.com/from_my_ink_pad_to_yours/2007/07/not-quite-shady.html This is a blog I pop in on from time to time. She has a wonderful tutorial a technique I had not seen before, Not Quite Shady Layers. I adapted the basic idea for this card from her sample. I really love this Baroque Motifs stamp set there will be more creatons from this one. I am really happy with the way this card came out. For the swap I customized each person in the swap's card with their monogram.

For this card I used Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke, and Elegant Eggplant cardstock, for ink I used Elegant Eggplant, and Purely Pomegranate; stamp sets used were canvas background, Headline Alphabet, and Baroque Motifs. I used my cutter kit to rough up the edges of my layers and for a splash of bling, I added a rhinestone brad from the ice collection. I hope everyone liked their card.