Random thoughts of a Confessed Stamp-A-Holic

It's a Two Cup Day

Have you seen the new Changito stamps Kate has over at i {heart} papers??!?!?!?!  I *think* I might have mentioned before but I love this monkey!  I'm not sure what it is about him but I just adore him!!!  So naturally when I saw the new ones I just had to have them too, especially this one even though I don't drink coffee :)

I was actually able to play along with the card sketch challenge over on SCS this week.  I always try to play along with at least one or two challenges a week but time is just not always on my side.  Well this week I got to play along with 2 of them!!!  This card uses SC236 and what a fun sketch it is!!  Now I changed it up just a little by adding the Changito on the side but that's what creativity is all about right??  I'm not sure if you can tell but I gave him some fuzzy bunny slippers too!  I colored them a light pink with my copics first and then coated them with a thin layer of white fun flock.  It adds just the perfect amount of fuzz while still allowing the pink to show through *grins* The patterned paper is from the new Lemonade stack by Basic Grey.  LOVE the colors in this paper!!!  SO so yummy!!! Then a simple ribbon at the bottom of the card "ties" it all together!!  Just a fun and simple card!

materials used: changito coffee, sentiment (stampendous); stamper's select white (papertrey); lemonade dp (basic grey); black noir (palette); copics; silver brads (SU); small corner rounder; fun flock (stampendous); reversible ribbon (may arts); spica glitter pen

Keeping things really short today.....I have my hostess club coming over tomorrow and as usual have nothing planned yet.  One of these days I'm going to plan ahead of time......maybe.  I am just a last minute, work best under pressure, kind of gal.  The only thing I do know is that we are going to be using some of the new In Colors....other than that it's a free for all :)  I'm sure I'll figure out something before they get here..I always do :)  Thanks so much for stopping by today!!  Hope you have a great day :)

I {heart} you!!!

Nine years ago today I married my best friend :)  It seems like just yesterday that I was up early having my hair and makeup done and getting ready to put on that big fluffy white dress.  I was so nervous and so very excited at the same time!!!  I couldn't wait to walk down that aisle and promise to love my husband for the rest of our lives.  Flash forward to today and I am still just as excited to be his wife!!  Today actually reminds me a lot of our wedding day....it is a beautiful sunny July day.  The breeze is blowing, the humidity is low (which is always a good thing for my curls), and then temperature is not too hot but not too cool either..it's just a perfect day.  

I made this card for my sweet hubby.  You'll notice it's not at all masculine, as I've mentioned before I don't really *do* masculine, well I try but it just never seems to actually be masculine at the end :)  My husband is ok with my cutesy cards (at least he's never said he's not) so I don't mind giving him this one!  I love these little bears!  I think they are so sweet just standing there holding each other....they remind me of us (except I promise you-we both wear pants!!!).  I got the color inspiration from this week's color challenge over on SCS.  I can honestly say that I would have never put these colors together on my own, but I do like the end result!!!

Materials used: Furry Friends (Lelo Stamps/stampavie); I {heart} you (cc designs); stamper's select white (papertrey); apricot appeal, baja breeze, tempting turquoise, creamy caramel cs (SU); tuxedo black (memento); copics, spica glitter pen; white gel pen; nestabilities; swiss dots forlder (provocraft); silver stickles, shimmery flowers (brides); kraft taffeta ribbon (SU); small oval, scallop oval, small corner rounder punches (SU)

Well I'm going to have to keep it really short today....it sounds like the little lady is up from her (very) short nap.  I promised her we could go back outside to play once she woke up.....so I guess we are headed out back :)  Hope that you have a wonderful day today!!!!  Thanks for stopping by :)

Purple Princess

As you know if you read my blog I am a complete sucker for cute!  I seem to have this need to own every cute stamp I see....well this adorable little gal was no exception.  I had my eye on this little cutie for quite some time but I finally couldn't resist and had to get her (she came with a few friends too *wink*).  I don't remember who's blog it was that finally pushed me over the edge but I thank them because she just needed to come and live at my house with me :)

This card is actually my first time using the new SU In Color-Rich Razzleberry.  I LOVE how this color looks with Pale Plum and (sadly retired) Kiwi Kiss (it looks great with Old Olive too if you don't have any Kiwi Kiss on hand).  The colors just pop don't they!??! I also got to use some of the very yummy Rich Razzleberry polka dot ribbon- I think I am as big a sucker for ribbon as I am for cute stuff.  It's a grosgrain ribbon so it ties nicely.  It is a touch wider than what I am used to though so that cute little bow took me a few tries to do.  I colored the cute little fairy with my copics and then spica glitter penned and stickled her up so she is super sparkly and shiny.  Then I added a few hot fix crystals around her and in the corner of the card.  This card just shines in the light, I LOVE it!!!!  I cut out the image using my Nestabilities Label Three.  Since I used the largest size but still wanted a mat (and didn't trust myself to cut one freehand) I cut another (same size) in the Pale Plum.  Then I cut it in half and layered it behind my main image.  You can kind of see where it's cut-it's where the polka dot ribbon goes around it.  It's not perfect but it works :)  And it's probably *really* tough to see but for a little extra I texturized the Rich Razzleberry with the large polka dot SU texture plate....it gives just the most subtle effect *grins*

Materials used: Rachelle Anne Miller Magic Fairy (stampavie); pale plum, rich razzleberry, kiwi kiss cs (SU); stamper's select white (papertrey); tuxedo black (memento); copics; stickles; clear and red spica glitter pens; scalop edge punch (SU); white gel pen; rich razzleberry polka dot ribbon; hot fix crystals (swarovski); polka dot texture plate (SU)

Things here have been crazy but so much fun! We ordered the furniture for the new baby's room tonight.  It should be in to the store within 7-10 days....which means that my stamp room needs to be moved NOW!!!  Yikes!!!  It's been a slow process but now we really can't drag our feet any longer I guess (only 10 weeks until my due date!!!!!)  Currently I have stamp stuff up in the old room, in the new room, AND in the sun room (that's the room that I normally hold all of my SU clubs).  It makes it a little difficult to stamp right now because I have to remember where everything is but I'm hoping to be down in my new room completely soon.  Then I can organize everything and get back to daily stamping....that's the plan at least. My husband is going to bring all of the stuff I use the most down into the sun room so I can work from there until everything downstairs is ready but I think that some of my stamp time over the next few weeks is going to have to be given up to moving/organizing time *sigh* It will be SO worth it in the end but right now it is just plain old overwhelming!!!  Wish me luck!!!  

I hope you had a great day today!! I'll be back tomorrow with a special card that I made for a very special person in my life :)

IHP June Challenge-Add a little bling :)

Have you seen the fabulous self adhesive crystals from Zva Creative in the i {heart} papers store?!?!?!  They are so super shiny and so easy to work with, I {heart} them :)  This month the ihp DT has been challenged to make a project using these fabulous crystals, or some other form of bling.  I have been looking to jazz up this frame for a while so I thought this was the perfect excuse to do so.  

The frame is from the unfinished wood section at Michaels, even though it's not wood, I think it's MDF but anyway....that's where I found it.  The frame measures a full 12x12 which allowed me to use the entire sheet of this adorable paper Fancy Free paper from Moxxie.  I will totally admit that I have been hanging on to this paper for a while.  It was one of those "too pretty to cut" papers but with this project I didn't have to cut any of the prettiness. I added some silver stickles in the center of each of the flowers on the paper. Then I added one of the small crystal flourishes framing the top and bottom corner of the picture.  To finish off the sparkle I adhered a sparkling flower to a scrap paper and cut it out and then put in in the upper corner of the picture opening.  A few pieces of glimmer ribbon finished off the sparkle and shine for the frame :D  

Materials used: fancy free (moxxie); glimmer ribbon-magenta, pink, pastel blue (creative impressions); small flourish crystal, sparkling flower (zva creative); silver stickles (ranger)

I do have to apologize for the quality of these pictures....it is really difficult to take a picture  of a frame and even more difficult to attempt to capture all the shimmer and shine of the crystals and stickles.  Sorry!!!  You'll just have to trust me when I say this baby shines!!  Here is a close up of the sparkling flower in the sunlight...you can *almost* see how shiny these crystals are....almost.

Make sure you check out the blogs for the other ihp design team members today to see what sparkly creations that they have come up with :)  I promise you won't be disappointed!!!    

The sky is the limit

We are off to a graduation party this weekend for my husband's cousins.  Kevin is graduating high school and Danielle is graduating from the 8th grade.  I can not believe that they are graduating!!!!  They were in my wedding party as little kids.....I just can not believe how grown up they both are now!!! 

I made this joy fold card for Danielle.  It's not a true graduation card in the sense that there are no grad caps or whatnot on them....but I think that the sentiment is perfect for an 8th grade graduation.  It's a very simple card, actually I keep staring at it and trying to figure out what it is missing-because it IS missing something over on the blue panel...... The paper is from the Sassafras Lass paper stack Sunshine Lollipops.  This is such a fun collection of papers.  And a fun set of papers needs a fun set of stamps, right???  So in comes the Hero Arts set Sky's the Limit.  This set is SO much fun and totally totally cute!!!  I colored in the star with the lemon spica glitter pen so it's super sparkly and pretty :) Then I finished the card off with some yellow/orange reversible ribbon making sure that it's the yellow side that's exposed.

Materials used: sky's the limit (hero arts); dark chocolate, stamper's select white (papertrey); sunshine lollipops dp (sassafras lass); black noir (palette); lemon spica glitter pen; yellow/orange reversible ribbon; paper piercer 

 

{Almost} no stamps

were "hurt" in the process of making this card *wink*  I love making these fun little trifold cards.  They go together so quickly and are just so cute. How can I resist :)  This card uses the Bloom and Grow collection from My Mind's Eye.  I used the cute little flower paper that reverses to orange polka dots.  SO cute!!!!  Then I used one of the flowers from the die cut sheet for the cover.  I used a little sheer orange dotted ribbon to tie the card closed, it's not a perfect match but since it's sheer you can't tell that much (I hope).  I also used one of the smaller circle die cuts in the upper corner, that one I "adhered" using a small silver grommet.  A few brads to balance it out and ta-da total cuteness!!!

It's totally cute when you open it too :)  Oh and look there it is....the one little stamp used  on this card.  The sentiment is from the Hero Arts set Thinking of You Messages.  What a fun and versatile set!!!  And just for a little something extra, I used some silver stickles on the little dots that surround the sentiment.

Materials used: thinking of you messages (hero arts), bloom and grow (my minds eye); black noir (palette); orange sheet ribbon (may arts); silver stickles (ranger); silver brads, silver grommet (SU)

Have you made one of these cards yet??  They really are lots of fun to make and so so simple.  I used the tutorial found here on SCS except that I made my card to be 4x4-after all I wanted it to fit my beautiful flower :)  If you make one I would love to see it!!!  Send me a link if you get a chance, I love to drool over beautiful cards!  Thanks so much for stopping by today!!!!

Just hanging

I {heart} Changito!!!  He is such a cute (and troublesome) monkey-he reminds me of my little lady-always getting into something but cute as a button!  This is a very quick and simple little notecard, the operative word being little.  It measures about 4 x 3-it would be perfect for a little gift card, a tea bag, a notecard, a tag on a bag of chocolate....... And since it is so little it was SUPER easy to make!!!  Aside from the coloring it was done in minutes-honestly.  The coloring took a little longer only because I couldn't decide on which colors to use.  

Materials used: changito the monkey (stampendous); pumpkin pie cs (SU); dark chocolate, stamper's select white (papertrey); pal parade dp (sassafras lass); burnt umber (palette); copics; nestabilities label four (spellbinders); silver brads

Hope you are having a great day today!!!  Hopefully I am currently on the beach enjoying some relaxation time and getting some sun (don't you love scheduling blog posts?!!?!) even though I have a feeling if the weather reports are right there will be no beach time for us. I guess we'll see :)  Thanks for stopping by today!!!

Quick and Easy Thanks

This card could totally qualify for Kate's Five Minute Friday!  I think it took me longer to run all the dies through the Big Shot than to actually assemble the card!  This is one of the many thank you cards that I have made for end of the year thanks for Elizabeth's many teachers. This card uses 3 of the soon to be retired in colors (which I will miss very much) as well as some also soon to be retired Candy Lane paper *sigh*  As much as I love getting a new catalog and lots of fabulous new stamps and papers, I do hate to say goodbye to my old favorites.  Actually aside from the dies, I think the so saffron paper is the only thing not retiring on this card.  

The crazy week is almost over.  Elizabeth is finished with school, her dance recital is tomorrow....things are just winding down.  I am ready for some down time and relaxing.  Now if only summer would decide to show up.  We have been under what seems like a constant rain cloud for weeks now...I am so in need of some sunshine!!  I wouldn't mind a little warm weather either...remind me of that in a month or so when I am complaining about being huge and pregnant in the crazy summer heat and humidity *wink*

Keeping this really quick tonight so I can finish up some last minute things......fingers crossed that the recital goes smoothly for us tomorrow night :)  Have a great weekend!!!

I'll always remember you

Today was Elizabeth's last day of preschool.  It seems like just yesterday that I was bringing her there for the very first time, hoping that she wouldn't cry.  This has been such a fantastic year for her.  She has learned SO much since September and I can't thank her teachers enough!!!!  She was so lucky to have had 3 wonderful teachers this year.  They were so caring, so patient, and best of all so much fun!!! What a perfect way to start off Elizabeth's school career :)  

I thought the sentiment in this set was perfect for this card.  It is just as much from me as it is from Elizabeth.  These were her first ever teachers and that is not something to forget...and for me these women were the first I have ever left my child with (she's never had a babysitter!!).  They will always hold a special place in our hearts.  And I LOVE that Elizabeth calls everyone "sweetie" because Miss Susan calls her sweetie :)  I am hoping that in 2 years they will be my new child's first preschool teachers too.

Materials used: teacher label (mft);baja breeze, pretty in pink, basic grey, close to cocoa cs (SU); urban oasis dp (SU); london fog (memento), fresh snow (pti/palette); baja breeze ribbon (SU); large grommet (SU); small corner rounder (ek success); white gel pen; white shimmery flowers (brides); yellow stickles (ranger)

Well all the end of year gifts are given, we've said our goodbyes for the summer, now to just wait until the dance recital on Saturday for life to settle down a bit. There are 2 shows (one at noon and one at 6) and somehow I have to try and convince the very excited little lady to take a nap in between.  I'm hoping that she will just be so exhausted from all the excitement of the show that she will sleep well......well that's how it works in my head at least *wink*.  Then it's time to sit back and enjoy the summer and spend as much time spoiling my little lady until the new baby arrives that I can.  Thanks for stopping by today!!! I hope that you are enjoying life :)

Big Thanks!!

Today was the last day of my gymnastics (well until summer classes start in two weeks).  When Elizabeth first started in September she was in a mommy and me class.  She has since graduated up to a preschool class.  She has been lucky enough to have the same two wonderful teachers the entire year.  They have both been fabulous and Elizabeth just adores them both!!!  

I don't have any gymnastics stamps (shame on my I know) so I just got to play for this one!  I brought out a favorite of mine, Elephants (which just happens to be on sale right now over at i {heart} papers).  I stamped the large elephant on some fun dotted paper from the Sunshine and Lollipops Wee Bundle 6x6 pad by Sassafras Lass (have I ever mentioned how much I {heart} these papers???  They are so much fun!!! AND I just noticed it's also on sale-sweet!!!).  The cute background paper is also from this paper pad...see I told you-it's just fun paper!!  Then I stamped the thank you sentiment from Thoughtful Messages (wow, also on sale!!!!  I totally didn't plan to make my card out of sale items but wow how awesome!!!!) with some burnt umber palette ink.  Then I cut out the sentiment using the Nestabilities Labels Four (holy cow!!!!  also on sale!!!!).  The cute polka dot ribbon is a very sheer orange/white dot ribbon...so cute and goes perfectly with my little polka dot elephant :)  Then I finished off the card with a few yellow shimmery flowers from the bridal dept at Micheals dotted with some frosted lace stickles in the center.  Totally cute right??  :)

Materials used: chocolate chip, pumpkin pie, regal rose cs (SU); sunshine and lollipop dp (sassafras lass); burnt umber ink (palette); scallop edge punch (SU); labels four (spellbinders); stickles; white gel pen (ranger); silver brads (SU); orange dot ribbon (may arts); flowers (brides)

And just because you know I have to......here's my little gymnast and her first trophy.  Hope you have a great day!!!  thanks for stopping by :)