happy b'day SueB!

I'm planning on sneaking to Sue's (no, not me - I have three friends also named Sue, actually ... and three of us hang out together) house today and taping this card on her front door so she sees it when she returns from church as I procrastinated and didn't get it into the mail in time. As her birthday falls on the first day of fall, I thought this card that I made at the lovely and talented Angie Jarman's stamp camp last week was oh-so appropriate; don't you?! Thanx for stopping by!

Sorry for the dark photo. The light by my computer's not cooperating today and it's early so the glare is off my glass-topped end table. 

no deets today; a class project, everything is Stampin' Up!

September make-'n-take

I've been taking part in a continuing project make- 'n-take class that started at a local paper crafts store that shut down in May 2013 but thankfully the lovely and talented Joyce Johnson has continued the class out of her home (thanx Joyce!). It's offered in either a 6x6 or 12x12" version, but one seems too small and the other too large to me (thinking Goldilock here?!) ... anywho, here's this month's two page spread, slightly altered as I make 'em in an 8x8" format!

And can I take a moment to gush over Simple Stories? I love Love LOVE their DP and this one's no exception. It's from their Year-o-graphy line, and I found the last remaining 6x6 pad at the Sterling Heights Archiver store on a recent shopping expedition w my stamping buddy Kim!

So, do you have a favorite paper vendor?

S&CT's fall issue is here!

hi folkes! just a quick note to let you know that the fall edition of Scrapbook & Cards Today mag is now available. You can EITHER download the digi version by clicking on the picture at left OR view the entire mag online - thanx, S&CT!

It's one of my fav scrapbook mags and Canada’s first FREE magazine dedicated to scrapbooking and card making. It showcases the latest techniques and products, presents interesting and easy-to-follow ideas and instructions, and displays beautiful photography and inspiring design. Try it, if you haven't already ~ you'll like it!

part deux celebrations

Happy Independence Day, all! I've a few reasons to be celebrating. First, it's a nice, long weekend! Second, I got time to play today, and third, I have a stamping buddy who's celebrating a birthday on Sunday. I decided to make it a red, white, and blue birthday card and I based it on the DDWS6 sketch challenge from the dahlhouse designs blog. Tune in for a new sketch challenge each 3rd Sunday, and thanx for stopping by today!

stamps: n/a (sentiments are PC-generated); paper: Neenah's Solar White, SU's Cherry Cobbler, Brilliant Blue, and Vellum card stocks; ink: n/a (PC-generated sentiment); tools: Cuttlebug w Provo Craft's bloom dots embossing folder, and tonic's butterfly flutter punch

a CASE study wedding greeting

Sigh ... I have the printout of the card this is based on and know it was something I found on Pinterest ... and I THOUGHT that I'd saved it in my inspiration directory to papercraft later but alas, I can't find the original now to credit the originator. I entered the URL printed on the top of my printout but it's no longer available online, and a search for "you make me smile" didn't turn it up either. If anyone knows the originator, please share, ok?!

I had the same embossing folder and bird die, and thought of this card immediately when a coworker announced he was getting married. All I did was reposition the birds to the right side (a pet peeve of mine, I don't like photos or dies looking off the page as they were when placed to the left on the original) and skipped the outside sentiment. My inside sentiment is PC-generated and reads, "congratulations on becoming Mr & Mrs."

Thanks for stopping in!

stamps: n/a (sentiment is PC-generated); paper: Neenah's Solar White, SU's Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, and Old Olive card stocks; ink: n/a (PC-generated sentiment); tools: Cuttlebug w Provo Craft's birds and swirls embossing folder, and memory box perched reed bird, and unknown small heart punch

Happy Bee Day in 3D

The prior Happy Bee Day card was a one-layer Wednesday challenge card, so I used a few conversation cloud dies I had to pop up another version of the same card ... so, which do YOU prefer?!

stamps: PTI's Melissa j designs' Flower Fusion #1, Heart-2-Heart #4, Simon Says Stamp's Circle Friends, Talk Bubbles 2 sets; inks: SEI's cumquats, Ranger's black soot distress ink; paper: Neenah's solar white, SU's crushed curry, cameo coral, and taken w teal card stocks; tools: Cuttlebug w Simon Says Stamp's Talk Bubbles 2 dies, Paper Shapers circle punch

Welcome SUMMER!

Ah, Summer! Lots to be thankful for - the cookouts, that everything's so nice and green, arts & crafts fairs, my day lilies are starting to flower ... AND ... I just finished my first quick perusal of Scrapbook & Cards Today's Summer 2013 issue, just released today! Offered in both print and online editions, you can click thru on the photo or link to read it! Enjoy!

OLW142 Happy B'day Ardyth

This week's OLW142 one-layer challenge is to make a card in Ardyth's style or something that would speak to her ... and she's a fan of clean lines and bright colors, especially rainbow and aqua so I went with that! I pulled out some bright chalk inks to play with and made this easy peasy card - stamped the various backgrounds and added some birthday sentiments.

stamps: PTI's Melissa j designs' Flower Fusion #1, Heart-2-Heart #4, Simon Says Stamp's Circle Friends, Talk Bubbles 2 sets; inks: Color Box teal, SEI's cumquats, lime, moss, and rose petal, Ranger's black soot distress ink; paper: Neenah's solar white card stock

happy b'day Joyce

I needed a card for this week for a coworker's birthday and tho' I have close to a gazillion on hand that I could choose from, I felt like putting one of the little butterflies I'd picked up during my last visit to Mike's to use. I seem drawn to CAS cards of late, and this one's no exception. I simply ran the white card stock thru my Cuttlebug using an embossing folder - clouds seemed appropriate here - and then popped up the butterfly onto a popped up matted piece. I have some sparkly ribbon that matched, but it seemed like a "less is more" card for today so I simply wrapped some twine around the bottom and applied the popped up matted piece on the base and voilà! Easy peasy!

Here's a peek at the cloudy day embossed background:

stamps: Melissa J Designs' flower fusion #1, heart-2-heart #4; paper: Neenah Solar White, SU unknown card stocks; accessories: The Twinery's ocean baker's twine, Mike's butterflies

another one bites the dust

So sorry to see the passing of another of my local (Flint MI) haunts - Capture-a-Memory announced plans to close on May 14 and worse yet, that they anticipated their last day of business to be the 24th. I've been heading there for Saturday make-'n-takes for what seems like forever and I feel very displaced! A t'riffic group of ladies, I know that at least a couple plan to offer classes from their homes, so I'll be able to continue some of the classes I've been participating in.

But omigosh, they had such an extensive card stock and die collection, and were t'riffic at taking suggestions and had in the past year been carrying the Authentique DP line which I've loved ... and were great about carrying multiple DPs in lines along with accessories - more so than any other local shop I've been to.

Ladies, I wish you the best in your future endeavors!

musings on the 4th - 5th - 6th

If today is "May the 4th be with you," and tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, does that make Monday "revenge of the 6th?"

you are loved, M&D!

Here's to the initial inking of my latest Avery Elle stamp set - Fanfare! It's a combo card in more ways than one. Firstly, I used Studio Calico's Sunday Sketch AND drew inspiration from Avery Elle's April AEI{heart}U challenge (I think the repeating fanfare swoops mimics the inspiration photo's floating Japanese lanterns, don't you?)! Secondly, tomorrow's my folkes' wedding anniversary and I'm thinking of them, AND Mother's Day is fast approaching, when I'll give this to my Mom (you see, my Dad passed away 8+ years ago and my Mom's got Alzheimer's BUT she still reads every card I give her, God bless her)!

The AE Fanfare stamp is a single line of swoops so I repeatedly stamped them using VersaMark on some SU Sahara Sand, then tied on some white cotton string, glued on the dies, and popped up the punches on some Neenah Solar White card stock. Easy peasy!

stamps: Avery Elle's Fanfare; ink: Ranger's black soot distress ink, Tsukineko's VersaMark; paper: American Crafts' Textured White, Neenah's Solar White, SU's Real Red and Sahara Sand card stock, unknown green DP; tools: EK Success Spiral, Marvy Uchida heart,SU's bird builder punches, Cuttlebug w Simon Says Stamp's you, and Sizzix Branch w Leaves dies; accessories: white packaging string