You are

....amazing! Thanks SO much for all the sweet comments lately! I just finished finals, had some friends over for a couple days, and now I'm sick, so it will be a while before I can return the compliment, but just wanted to know you are appreciated. :)

Anyways, here's an old Create: Vintage January '13 pub - the brightness of it just makes me happy, and I thought you might like it too. ;)

Not my usually pink and blue color scheme for shabby cards, but I like it for a change. :)

Pretty hemp cord, flower, and metal medallion....

A little navy ink peeking out at the bottom to bring out the navy in the die cut...

Thanks so much for stopping in today and God bless!

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Cardstock: LSS
Patterned paper: K&Company 'Cut N Paste'
Stamps: PTI 'Year of Flowers', Martha Stewart
Ink: Colorbox, Staz-on
Other: die cuts (K&Company), doily and metal medallion (stash), tag and hemp cord (Darice), brad and rose (Recollection)

Tools: sewing machine

On the second day...

Hiya!
I hope you all had a truly blessed Christmas, but don't stop the celebrations yet! We've got twelve whole days in this season, and eleven (including today) left! :)

I was debating on what to blog, since there seemed so much to blog about - a HUGE stack of paper I'm gonna give away, some new cards, some fun new product I wanna share with you - and I finally decided that  every day till New Years, a old, possibly published, card will be posted. With 200 drafts just gathering dust, I need to get these out. Plus, it's fun (for me at least) to see how my style has changed - cardmaking, photography, even blogging style! I'm even going to keep the original draft the same (anything I had previously written), with a little prelude before. ;)
So here's an '11 April pub with CARDS, with details on a little contest below....

Instructions: Cut and score card base, and round corners. Cut patterned paper out, and adhere to base. Adhere half doily to base, and tie ribbon around card base. Top ribbon with rose. Ink back side of chipboard flourish, and adhere to base. Adhere glitter to back of chipboard frame. Stamp frame and sentiment onto white paper, and adhere behind glittered frame. Adhere frame to card base.

So here's the deal - I'm gonna make this little 'countdown to New Years' blogging thing into a fun game: I want you to link up a card that has been in your drafts for at least a year! If you're not a bad blogger like me, and don't have a draft that old, then reach back into your archives, and get a post from a year back. If you're a new blogger, just post one of your first posts.
Also, comment on this post and you'll have another chance!
One last chance - mention this giveaway in a blog post. It doesn't have to be entirely dedicated to this - just a snippet. :) Link that post up as well, and you'll be entered again!
The prize? As many goodies as I can cram in a large flat rate box! Which I guarantee you is a big lot! I'll try and get little sneaks up. :)
You have until my birthday, January 9th, to enter!





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Card recipe
Cardstock: Bazzil
Patterned paper: Crate "Lillian"
Stamps: Hero Arts "Thinking of You messages", Studio G
Ink: Colorbox
Chipboard: K&Company
Ribbon: Seam binding available HERE
Rose: Remembrance
Doily: Available HERE
Other: glitter

Tools: trimmer, stylus, adhesive

hello

Hi all! I'm excited to start the 'Oh So Fun' week here on the blog! For my inspiration, I got THIS colorful and fun photo...

Um, what's NOT to love here? I had a million ideas floating in my head for this one, but ultimately realized it was the sewing and the chandelier itself that stood out most of me.

With some scraps from the Splendor collection, a bird die, and a plain dollar store note pad screaming 'Decorate me!'...

...I set to work.

First, I die cut a lot of little birdies (perfect project for using up those small paper scraps!) out of some pretty Splendor paper, and sewed 'em right on to the notepad.
Then, I cut out the large bird, and sewed on the top of the pad.

In case you're wondering, I covered up the sewing on the inside with some cute, coordinating washi tape. ;)

Isn't it adorable?
And of course, I couldn't give away something like this without a coordinating card (because I just couldn't resist)...

The set all wrapped up....

....even comes with a coordinating tag! ;)

Oh, and didja notice the stamp on the card? It's from a new set that's being released this month at Precious Remembrance - I love this set!

Thanks for stopping in today, and have a blessed one! :)

*************************************
Cardstock: LSS
Patterned paper: GCD Studios 'Splendor'
Stamp: Precious Remembrance
Ink: Colorbox
Other: blank notepad

Tools: adhesive, scissors, trimmer, sewing machine, PTI Tiny Tags and Tweet Talk dies, Cuttlebug

Important Nothings

Jennifer McQuire is awesome - as soon as I saw THIS video, I had to try out the technique. Of course, my mind went straight to the PTI Simply Jane dies, as you will discover over time, I am quite addicted to. ;)

And yes, she posted that video quite some time ago, and I made it soon after, so you can guess how long this post has been getting dusty in the draft pile. ;)

My sister looked at the sentiment, then looked up at me and said 'Clare, you've been listening to too much Pride and Prejudice music.' It's true. I love THIS song. :)

Using another material I'm addicted to - GCD Studios Splendor 'Tiny Blossoms'. Swoon.

Speaking of GCD Studios, I just got a box of more yummy CHA '12 release papers...mmmm! I want to share the fun with you, so just leave a comment and I'll pick someone to win one (or two) of the new collections. :)

*******************************
Cardstock: LSS
Patterned paper: GCD Studios 'Splendor'
Stamp: PTI 'Simply Jane'
Ink: Colorbox
Other: string (Bearydo Shoppe), button (stash)

Tools: trimmer, adhesive, scissors, sewing machine, Cuttlebug, PTI Simply Jane dies

Hexagons

They're all the rage, so of course, I had to try them out too. :)

Both my cards were inspired by the hexagon shapes in THIS photo...

Since I don't have a hexagon punch, I just stamped the hexagon stamp from the Rosie Posie stamp set, and trimmed them all out. A little time consuming, but way faster than trying to cut them free hand (I should know ;))
These cards were in the May issue of the Paper Cut - just in case you didn't know, whenever the new issue is released, Heidi gives away one of the new CHA '12 collections, so you might want to check out the June issue HERE. ;)
One last thing before I drop off to bed - I have a load of supplies I need to get rid of. HERE is a post showing some on sale, but there is also a TON of free stuff too (just pay shipping!).

Thanks so much for popping in today, and have a blessed one!

PS, thanks so much for your kind words on my last post! I've been wanting to design for a stamp company for such a long time, so this is so exciting for me! :)

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Cardstock: LSS
Patterned papers: GCD Studios 'Splendor'
Stamps: PTI
Ink: Colorbox
Other: string, pearls

Tools: trimmer, adhesive, scissors

Joy to the World

Sorry, my brain is fried so I can't think of original, interesting post titles. ;) Let's cut to the chase and get right to the card...

I didn't have any Christmas sentiment stamps small enough for the tag when I made this, but since I recently got some new Hero Arts goodies (yay!), I might switch this tag out - not clear enough for me. Tied up with Ivy ribbon.

A lovely Santa image along with some metal snowflake knick-knacks and pearls.

Used an old rub-on here in the corner, along with some stitching and ink distressing.

Card made for these challenges:
Little Red Wagon (Vintage Christmas), PTT (Holiday Greetings), My Time to Craft (Vintage Christmas), Creative Card Crew (Tis the Season), Pollycraft (Christmas Fun), Kaboodle Doodles (Colors of Christmas), Simon Says Stamp (Christmas Photomontage), The Paper Variety (Christmas song - mine is Joy to the World), Auld Sentiments (Winter holiday sentiments) and CIC (Christmas)

Thanks so much for stopping in and have a blessed weekend!

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Cardstock: LSS, Bazzil
Patterned paper: Websters Pages
Stamp: Hero Arts 'Ledger'
Ink: Colorbox
Die cuts: K&Company
Other: ribbon and metal snowflakes (Bearydo Shoppe), pearls (Core-dinations), metal pin (stash), lace (May Arts), doily (stash), rub-on (stash)

Tools: scissors, trimmer, adhesive, sewing machine, pinking shears, Glossy Accents

Butterfly birthday

I'm determined to start posting all the super old posts here in the blog, so here's one of them; a card published in the April '11 CARDS magazine...

This was in the days before I had my trusty Martha Stewart butterfly punch - I had to handcut these butterflies from a Martha Stewart stamp set instead. I still think they're pretty...I kinda wish MS had some punches to coordinate with that stamp set. :)

Anyways, thanks so much for stopping in and have a blessed day!

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Cardstock: LSS
Patterned paper: Crate Paper "Lillian"
Stapm: Sugarloaf, Martha Stewart
Ink: Colorbox
Ribbon: Websters Pages
Half pearls: Remembrance

Tools: trimmer, stylus, adhesive, Spellbinders Labels Four, Cuttlebug

Vintage kitties

You know, I was just looking at my dashboard, seeing all the new blog posts, when I realized I hadn't posted in awhile. It's kinda funny, when I started this blog, I made cards just to blog, but now, I completely forget about blogging at times! ;)

Anyways, here's a card that was going to be used for the Create blog in April (when I was CARDS featured designer), but I think that was around the time when something happened to the blog and it got all messed up, so this wasn't ever posted. Kinda stinks, as I love seeing how the photographer takes pics of my cards and I was curious about this one - I don't always like their presentation, but it's always interesting to see what they come up with!

Okay, so I was in this weird little "take-the-picture-at-a-strange-angle" phase, but not anymore. Mostly because I'm too lazy heehee. ;)

 

The image I used is from ClipArt on our computer...rather random, but sweet.

So, thanks for popping in today - enjoy your day! :)

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Card recipe
Cardstock: Bazzil
Patterned paper: October Afternoon "Fly a kite"
Stamp: Hero Arts "Thinking of You messages"
Ink: Staz-on, Colorbox
Image: Clip-Art
Ribbon: Darice
Doily: Wilton
Other: glitter

Tools: trimmer, adhesive, scissors

Best Wishes

...for the new year. - lol! I wrote this post in December and was planning on posting it for New Years! Obviously got a little off schedule. ;)

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos - I like to take my pictures outdoors, which doesn't really work in the winter (when I took these). Indoor photos always come out a lot duller than the outdoor ones, and the details are harder to see.

How 'bout that paper though? Gorgeous, isn't it? Websters Pages "Postcards to Paris", my absolute FAVE collection from them. Got the 6x6 pad about two years, and now there are only bits and pieces left, something that can't be said for any other 6x6 paper pad I've ever had. Yum! :)


Oh, and the ribbon is from my shoppe - it's called Chocolate Milk. Don't you think it looks like chocolate milk? I do, and I should know, since I had some today. ;)

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

PS: the latest SSC challenge is up! Check it out HERE!

PPS:

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Card recipe
Cardstock: Bazzil
Patterned paper: Websters Pages "Postcards from Paris"
Stamp: Sugarloaf
Ink: Tim Holtz "Walnut Stain", Colorbox
Ribbon: Chocolate milk seam binding
Other: Doily

Tools: trimmer, adhesive, scissors, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, fabric

hello there!

...these unplanned blogging breaks always seem longer than the planned ones, and they also seem more...relaxing, I think.
My eight siblings and I were scrambling this past weekend to get our annual Fathers Day album completed on time, and my sisters birthday dinner/party is tonight. Add a (first to go!) siblings wedding this week on top of all that, and I think my absence is pretty well explained for. ;)
I have been feeling naughty for not snatching some time to go blog hopping though, so I plan to do that later this night after the party. I just know you've been up to some amazing things. ;)
Meanwhile, I'll leave you with this mini card, using some new (to me) My Cute Stamps...

Paper piecing some tiny little flowers...

Then finishing off with a tiny tag and a pearl...

Well, I've gotta dash - I'll be going down on Wednesday to the area near the church where the wedding will be, and then coming back on Sunday night, so you're spared from any more annoying blog posts from this procrastinating cardmaker until then. ;)
Thanks so much for stopping in!

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Card recipe
Cardstock: LSS
Patterned paper: Stash
Stamps: My Cute Stamps, PTI
Ink: Colorbox
Other: ribbon (Offray), pearl (Prima)

Tools: trimmer, adhesive, scissors, Glossy Accents

Sing!

Well, you can if you'd like - right now I've got a sore throat and some aches&pains, so I'm not going to be singing for awhile. ;)

But, as long as my activities are limited by this throat, I may as well catch up on some posting now.
Here is a card published in the April issue of CARDS.

FYI - I opened another blogaroo for my ribbon, kits and knick-knacks. It was confusing for me to do in on this blog, so I decided to just have a separate one. It's still new, and in the construction period, but if you'd like to take a look (got some new colors!), go HERE.

Anyways, enjoy your weekend - we're holding my older sisters bridal shower here tomorrow. I sure hope this throat is better by then!

PS - thanks for all the sweet comments on my last post! I love when you chat back with me! :)

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Card recipe
Cardstock: Bazzil
Patterned paper: Colorbok, K&Company, Making Memories
Stamp: Hero Arts "Grid"
Ink: Colorbox
Ribbon: Seam binding
Half pearl: Prima

Tools: trimmer, stylus, adhesive, scissors, hole punch

Forever

Another April CARDS pub to share today - I've got a lot of new things to show you, but still haven't got around to editing the pics, soooo, they'll have to wait. :)

I'm obsessed with taking a single Websters Pages bloomer and nestling a small rose up with it...looks so yummy. :)

Lately, I've been trying my hand at graphic designing (or what my idea of it is, anyways), since I'm going to try majoring in it. So I got some pretties from Pugly Pixel (Lisa convinced me to go over there with all the lovely things she used from their blog), and played a bit with them.
My poor attempt at a blog banner...(because I am in desperate need of a cheap blog makeover)

...ah well, guess it'll have to wait until I have more time, a faster computer, and a better understanding of how to work these editing programs (couldn't figure out for the life of me why some of the images came out with gray stuff around them and some didn't!)
Anywho, hope you're having a great day and thanks so much for stopping in! :)

*******************************************
Card recipe
Cardstock: Unknown
Patterned paper: October Afternoon "Fly a Kite" and "Thrift Shop"
Ink: Colorbox
Flowers: Prima, Websters Pages
Image: Making Memories
Half pearls: Kaisercraft
Other: twine, embroidery floss, doily

Tools: trimmer, adhesive, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, scissors

Sweet friend

Just stopping in to share another CARDS pub...

 

Adorable owl from Hero Arts - I haven't pulled this set out much lately, now that I think of it. Guess I need to change that, since there are some adorable images in this sweet set. :)

 The whole ribbon treatment looks easy, but it was a pain for me to make sure that the angles were all the same and stuff. Still, it looks cute. :)

That's in for me today - I hope to be back soon with another little project. Till then, have a lovely day! :)



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Card recipe
Cardstock: Bazzil
Patterned paper: K&Company
Stamp: Hero Arts, Inque Boutique
Ink: Colorbox
Ribbon: Hug Snug
Button: Joanns
Other: thread

Tools: trimmer, scissors, adhesive, foam squares

Thinking of you

Long time, no blogging! ;)

I enjoyed my break, and made some nice little pretties in the process - I'll show you them sometime, once I get caught up in the 73 drafts I have gathering dust in Blogger right now. It's ridonkuluos how much I have to share with you!

This post was quite an old draft - all the way from August, when CARDS asked me to be their featured designer for April '11 (a BIG thanks to CARDS!)
I was expecting lots of new CHA products and stamps to come in so I could make cards with new product for the issue, but wouldn't you know it, nothing arrived until the day after I submitted my cards. :P haha

I had to stamp onto the reverse of some patterned paper I had because I was all out of quality white cardstock - this substitute works really well, unless you need white cardstock for a base...than, not often.

Anyways, I have a lot to catch up on - hope to stop by all my friends blogs as soon as I can find the time.

Thank you for popping in! :)

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Card recipe
Cardstock: Bazzil
Patterned paper: Girls Paperie, Basic Grey, DCWV
Stamps: Hero Arts "Tree, Birds and Messages", and "Thinking of You messages"
Ink: Colorbox
Ribbon: American Crafts
Other: thread

Tools: trimmer, adhesive, sewing machine, scissors

Sew nice

Just quickly popping in to share a March CARDS pub...

I was made this when I was on a run where I kinda stuck a bunch of pretty stuff together, and hoped it looked pretty! Ha! Actually....I'm still in that phase. Lol, oh well, moving on...

Instructions: Stick pretty stuff together. 

How 'bout those instructions? Gotta be my shortest ever. ;) But seriously, those are the instructions!

Thanks for all the sweet comments the last few postings - still trying to catch up today! Thank goodness Lent will be over next week! This no blogging thing is driving me nuts! ;)

Thanks so much for stopping in today, and I hope you enjoy your weekend!

******************************************

Card recipe

Cardstock: Bazzil

Patterned paper: Girls Paperie, Basic Grey, Tim Holtz

Stamps: Hero Arts "Sew Artsy"

Ink: Colorbox, Staz-on, Studio G

Ribbon: American Crafts lace, seam binding available HERE

Half pearls: Hero Hues

Button: Joann Fabrics

Tools: trimmer, scissors, adhesive

A set

...of notecards. :)
I made a set of four mini cards using Hero Arts new "Let's Talk" set - didn't think I was going to love this set THIS much, but it's not too big a surprise, as it's Hero Arts. ;)

This set is for a friend of mine who's always asking for cards - she's finally gonna get some! ;)

Now I bombard you with all the pics...

The recycled box for my cards - I used lots of pretty American Crafts ribbon on this project...

 

This card also uses Envelope Liner...

And for this card, I was trying to do this whole notecard set with "Let's Talk" but couldn't resist using these hearts from "So Sweet" for this phone, and so then I had to put hearts (from other random HA sets) for the other phones...

And the envelopes for the cards...

Stamped inside using (fittingly) Envelope Liner...

{sigh} sweetness itself. :) I used every single image in this set - I don't know if I can say that for any of my other sets yet, though some are quite close.

So how has your week been? We've been getting some nice weather, and it smells so good outside! Also, with the snow on the porch all melted away, it means I can take pics outside (for now) - yay!

Hope you have a nice weekend!

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Card recipe
Cardstock: Bazzil, Hero Arts
Stamps: Hero Arts "Just Saying Hi", "Envelope Liner", "Elephants", "Sending Happy Thoughts",  and "So sweet"
Ink: Staz-on, Colorbox
Ribbon: American Crafts, Offray

Tools: trimmer, scissors, adhesive, sewing machine, Glossy Accents

No patterned paper...

Hello there!

I've been such a bad blogger recently, I thought two posts in a row couldn't hurt. ;)

I've also been having some mojo problems lately - I don't know if you noticed, but I'm rather into the shabby style now, with lots of patterned paper. Well, lately, I haven't been able to work with any patterned paper, so I accidentally made my first card that doesn't use ANY patterned paper a few days ago. Yep, even though I've made some pretty CAS cards, they've always had at least one piece of patterned paper in there somewhere, so this card made me pretty happy. :)
I made it with the Waltzingmouse and Card Patterns sketches in mind...

Instructions: Cut and score card base, than tie ribbon around the middle. Taking some scrap cardstock (of the same color as the base), stamp grass in light green ink, than stamp elephants. Adhere this to base.

Those elephants were a total accident - I didn't mean to stamp like that, but the first one came out with ink darker in some places, so instead of stamping all the grass again, I just did the last two elephants like that as well. And you know, I think it's kinda cute - hope you do too. :)

Thanks for stopping in!

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Card recipe
Cardstock: LSS
Stamps: Hero Arts "Elephants"
Ink: Colorbox, Tim Holtz Distress Inks
Other: embroidery thread

Tools: trimmer, scissors, adhesive

Update

My Grandma did have a small stroke, but what was really worrying was that she was having seizures after that as well. Right now, she's still in the hospital, but she's doing better - she's now taking food and talking a little bit, which is a good sign. :)

Thank you so much for your prayers/hugs/everything!, and please continue to pray - this is/has been especially hard on my Mom!

Hugs!,

 

(a little something I made awhile back :))

 Clare

Nuts about you

Hi there!

Just a quickie post, before I head back to the tv to watch the hockey game (I'm a Pittsburgh Penguins fan!)
I used this weeks Waltzingmouse Sketch; my first time playing along with the challenge, and certainly not the last!

Anyways, onto the card; I didn't really know where to stop, so....yeah, that pretty much sums up this card. ;)

Instructions: Trim card case and score. Cut out patterned paper, adhering cream paper to base and tying bow around. Adhere rose to ribbon, and lace right below. Add tag to card base using foam squares. Stamp sentiment and add pearls. Stamp images onto cream and brown paper, than cut out and adhere to tag. Distress card.

Yup, that's pretty much it. ;)
Thanks for stopping in!

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Card recipe
Cardstock: Bazzil
Patterned paper: K&Company, Basic Grey
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Colorbox
Ribbon: Seam binding available HERE, American Crafts
Flower: Remembrance (Michaels)
Half pearls: Prima, Basic Grey



Tools: trimmer, scissors, adhesive, foam squares

Flowery birthday (because I couldn't come up with a better title)

Hi there!

{Sigh} I love Fridays - it means you're close to Saturday, which is my favorite day. :)

This is a recent card - I seriously hadn't made a card for almost two weeks before making this. Right now, cardmaking wise, I'm in this little rut where I think 'I'm not putting anything together unless I'm 100% sure it will work!' I was getting pretty desperate when I finally remembered this weeks 2S4Y sketch - I've been having a hectic week where everything is slipping my mind! So I pulled out my latest cardmaking faves - Girls Paperie paper, hand-dyed seam binding, a pretty sentiment and cream, speckled cardstock, and put this little number together.
Oh, and psst! You might want to take a look at the sketch I used - COTW wins a spot on the team! ;)

Instructions: Cut and score card base; round corners. Stamp images onto cream paper, and add glossy accents. While this is drying, cut patterned papers out and sew together. Cut two small slits in between the papers, and tie a bow through this. Adhere button on bow. Adhere image to patterned papers. Stamp sentiment and adhere to patterned papers. Adhere patterned papers to base.

I suppose you can't see the glossy accents from the photo, but they're there and I absolutely love them! I've been sticking it on everything, even embellishments I wasn't even planning on using! It's just so much fun. :)

And lastly, before THIS slips my mind as well, thanks so much for all the sweet comments yesterday! They are VERY much appreciated!
Have a sweet weekend!

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Card recipe
Cardstock: LSS
Patterned paper: Girls Paperie, Basic Grey
Stamps: Martha Stewart, Sugarloaf
Ink: Colorbox, Martha Stewart
Ribbon: Hand-dyed available HERE
Other: glossy accents, button, embroidery floss 

Tools: trimmer, scissors, adhesive, sewing machine