Thank You

...for being patient with this lazy blogger. ;)
A lot of fun things have been happening around here - right now my sister is actually in labor with her second baby, so prayers would be appreciated! :)

Anyways, just popping in with two cards for the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge...

I was inspired by THIS PIN - the card didn't turn out quite how I envisioned it, but it was still fun to make.

And this card was made using the cuts leftover from the card above. I used the Studio Calico inks for both, by just pressing them against a piece of plastic, adding water, and then just using them as plain 'ol watercolors. By the way, I LOVE the Studio Calico inks - I'm not a super inky/stampy person, but when they first came out with the bundle at a discount rate, I decided to go for it to spice up my pathetic color selection (mainly neutrals). I'm using them all the time now, and like Jennifer McGuire said, the second generation stamping works beautifully with these!

Thanks so much for stopping in and God bless!

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Cardstock: Canson
Ink: Studio Calico
Other: enamel dots (My Minds Eye), sequins (Avery Elle)

Tools: Cuttlebug, Mama Elephant Alphabet die

Paper Smooches SPARKS Anything Goes challenge

...I can't believe it, but it's my last week designing for Paper Smooches SPARKS.

Whoa.
In all honesty, this was one of my favorite design teams so far - everyone was so chill and relaxed, and I've never had more inspirational coordinator than Savannah! HUGE shout out to her for all the work she puts into the challenge, and to the rest of the amazing design team!

Now, on to the card....

I never realized what an awesome, chunky-yet-still-small sentiment THIS was until I randomly picked it out for the card. I also made a video for this card, which hopefully I'll add here later when it's finished uploading. ;)

Now, if you'd like to see the rest of the design teams samples up close (and I know you do!), I've got the links all ready for you;

Erin

Karin
Isha

Savannah

Also, if you're playing with any Paper Smooches products this week, you should totally enter the challenge.

Because it's anything goes.

So, it's super easy.

So, you should most definitely play along with us. ;)

Thanks so much for stopping in and God bless!

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Cardstock: Canson

Patterned paper: Crate Paper "Story Teller"

Stamps: Paper Smooches "Sentiment Sampler"

Other: embossing powder (Hampton Art), twine (Darice)

Tools: embossing gun

Weaning off

...of cardmaking.
So, I've decided to post my Gallery Idol entries on my blog - I usually don't, because I usually forget and not posting also helps me forget that, once again, I lucked out. ;)
But between school, and adventuring with siblings, I just don't "stress" at all with cardmaking much lately. I'm going to go a whole semester without making cards, so I'm trying to wean off this addiction now so I don't go crazy without paper and adhesive in my hands, in the coming months. ;)

You can't tell in this photo, but the "congrats" is actually an embossed silver, which adds a nice subtle shimmer.

This card uses some pretty fab washi tape from Pinkfresh Studio - Aztec Love.
You may ask, do I love it like an Aztec? No.
But, you may also ask, do I love it like a fabulous roll of washi tape? Oh yes.

Wink of Stella. There's really no occasion not to use this fantastic stuff.

Actually, this card was an occasion to not use Wink of Stella - a little voice told me it wouldn't sit quite well with the slick washi tape.

So, none of my cards use washi tape in a remarkable or cool way, but it was fun to pull them out and put the darn things to use! I tell ya, before I had any washi tape, I was constantly coming up with cool ways to use it, and then as soon as I had a few rolls, poof! All the ideas - gone! The really crazy thing, is that when I see more pretty washi rolls online, I try convincing myself that THIS PARTICULAR roll really will get me going! It's nuts, I tell ya.

Anyways, I'm going bonkers from a whole bunch of traveling (from Madison and back again!) and work, plus, I have a project to work on (the joy of summer classes), so, thanks for stopping in and God bless!

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Card #1
Cardstock: Canson, DCWV
Stamps: Mama Elephant "Inline Letters", My Favorite Things "Best Friends"
Ink: Brilliance, Hero Arts
Other: washi tape (SEI, Stampin' Up!)

Tools: Cuttlebug, Mama Elephant Alphabet dies

Card #2
Cardstock: Canson, Bazzill
Other: washi tape (Pinkfresh Studio), thread, Wink of Stella, sequins (Michaels)

Tools: Cuttlebug, Paper Smooches Quote Tag die

Card #3
Cardstock: Canson
Stamps: Paper Smooches "Scripty Sayings", Hero Arts "Miss You So Much", Papertrey Ink "Tweet Talk"
Ink: Stazon
Other: washi tape (Stampin' Up)

Beautiful sky

...I was gonna talk about how amazing it looks outside (sun is out! leaves on trees!), but my brain is so dead from staying up too late last night, that I'm just gonna cut right to the chase.

Or the card.

Hm....

I'm not gonna lie, the fact that I used ink blending on this card is a pretty big deal for me.

I made this card almost a year ago, thus the poor image quality.

Also, I'm not usually a fan of gems, but I find myself really liking the Doodlebug ones - not sure why it's their gems in particular I've taken a fancy to. ;)

Anyways, thanks for stopping, and if you're as tired as I am right now, may you be blessed with a nap sometime in the very near future!

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Cardstock: Strathamore
Stamp: Hero Arts "Made with Love"
Ink: Papertrey Ink, Tim Holtz
Other: gems (Doodlebug)

Tools: Tim Holtz ink blending tools, Fiskars cloud punches

Shining Simply

Wassup, fellow paper peeps? ;)
I'm over at the Pinkfresh Studio blog today, with two simple cards that really let the Pinkfresh products shine!
Here's a peek at the first card, where I had some fun using the Colorblock Geotags in a unique way...

...a cute little flower! I used some bright colors, as I intend this to be a graduation card (a theme you can't have too much of this graduation season!), so I used the Neon Instaframes, and topped the Geotag flower off with Neon Brad stickers. Fun fact: the neon brad stickers are super handy, in that they look like brads, but you're spared the struggle with the backs of the brad, as it's a sticker! 

To see my second card, head on over to the Pinkfresh Studio blog! 

Thanks so much for stopping in today and God bless!

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Cardstock: Canson, Bazzill
Stamp: Mama Elephant
Ink: Stazon
Embellishments: Pinkfresh Studio "Neon Instraframes", "Neon Brad Stickers", and "Colorblock Geotags"

Paper Smooches SPARKS Picture Perfect challenge

...stopping in today with a fun picture challenge from Paper Smooches SPARKS!

I chose to use the super fun color combo (not a combo I usually see with party pictures!)

For the sentiment, I took the "hello" from the Quote Tags die set, and die cut it out of masking tape. I then used the negative, placed it over the card, then watercolored the sentiment in using Hero Arts inks. Removed the masking paper, topped with Wink of Stella (of course) and oila!

If you'd like to play, please don't feel constrained by the picture colors - you could be inspired by anything, like the ruffles, balloons, wood textures - anything that sparks your creativity! ;)
Check out the rest of the design teams cards for more inspiration;

Erin

Karin

Savannah

Enjoy your Sunday and thanks for stopping in!

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Cardstock: Canson

Other: gems (Joann Fabrics), vellum, Wink of Stella

Tools: Cuttlebug, Paper Smooches Quote Tag dies, water, paintbrush

Four down

...one more final to go! Woohoo!!

Anyways, I'm taking a break from studying to post this card for this months CAS-ual Fridays challenge (three colors and three enamel dots), Less is More challenge (three colors) and the Simon Says Stamp challenge (anything goes)...

This was SUPER fun to make! I made a little trio using the same basic design - I'll pop back in later to update that.
ETA - here's the second one promised...

I used some older stamp sets, but they're so versatile and classic, and they fit perfectly.

When I layered the sentiment, instead of die cutting the red cardstock (which has a white core anyways) a million times, I just cut some thin cardboard packaging three times, and adhered those together using my mini Xyron sticker maker.

Anyways, I gotta get back to studying, so enjoy your day and (if you wouldn't mind) say a prayer for me on this last stretch! ;)

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Cardstock: Canson, DCWV
Stamps: My Favorite Things "Framed Greetings", WPlus9 "Heartfelt Holiday"
Ink: Studio Calico
Other: pearls, nail polish

Tools: Cuttlebug, Paper Smooches "Quote Tag" die