Masculine Card

I've had this Papertrey set for quite a while and just haven't sat down and played with it. My supply of ready-made blank cards has dwindled, so I decided to make a few. This design lends itself to many uses - thinking of you, sympathy, birthday, get well, etc. I opted not to stamp a sentiment of any kind on the front or inside of the card until I'm ready to send it. I adapted my layout from this card by Dawn McVey.


Cardstock/Paper: SU - Patterns Pack DSP III (hostess), very vanilla, chocolate chip
Ink: SO - timber brown
Stamps: PTI - Through the Trees
Misc.: SU - antinque brads, ticket corner punch; SEI - twine ribbon; Zig - glue pen; glitter; ScorTape

20+ Days of Cards: Day 19

I have a gift card holder to share with you today. I used Jennifer McGuire's tutorial on the Hero Arts blog found here. It came together in a snap.

Cardstock/Paper: SU - real red, whisper white; misc. print
Misc: Sizzix - Top Notez, Texturz #10; Prima - Holiday Poinsettia; MM - rhinestone brad; misc. ribbon

Alternate view

20+ Days of Cards: Day 18

Unfortunately, I neglected to photograph all of the cards that went into the gift set so you won't get to see all 20. However, I still have plenty of things to share over the next several days.

I don't know about you, but I give a lot of gift cards these days. While I hate that it feels so impersonal, I feel like I'm saving the recipient a trip & a return. So to spice things up, I try to make the packaging fun. Just before Christmas, Jennifer McGuire posted several tutorials on the Hero Arts blog for gift card holders. I thought they were wonderful and set out to make them myself.

Today's card is a creative way to give money. Jennifer's tutorial can be found here.

Base: SL - frosted card
Cardstock/Paper: SU - delicate dots, whisper white, real red, basic black; DCWV - mi casa
Ink: CB - frost white, platinum; SU - handsome hunter
Stamps: SU - Solemn Stillnes, Happy Winter
Misc: MM - black mini brads, blue brads; Reflections - star; MS - chunky glitter; SU - crystal effects; pop dots; black pen

TIP: When using a frosted or acetate card base, be sure you have the right kind of ink to stamp on it. I didn't, which means that despite my best efforts the ink never dried properly.

20+ Days of Cards: Day 8

I like having a multipurpose card in the stash. By leaving the inside of this card blank, you are free to celebrate anything from a birthday to a piece of good news to a beautiful day. I saw this card in the Papertrey idea gallery and knew it was the perfect design.

Cardstock/Paper: SU - wintergreen, windsor knot, good morning sunshine, chocolate chip; kraft; watercolor paper
Ink: SO - timber brown
Stamps: PTI - Autumn Abundance
Misc: SU - linen thread, watercolor pencils, blender pen, ticket corner punch; MM - pewter brads; brown pen

20+ Days of Cards: Day 5

It can be difficult to find a sympathy card that isn't too frilly or flowery. Sometimes you just want something simple, perhaps even a bit more masculine. That's what drew me to this design when I first saw it. It adapted very well. Enjoy!

Cardstock: SU - always artichoke, barely banana, real red, very vanilla
Ink: SU - really rust, more mustard, garden green, ruby red, mellow moss, creamy caramel; SO - timber brown
Stamps: SU - Thoughts & Prayers
Misc: MM - square brads; Sizzix - SU Texturz #1 Flourish

20+ Days of Cards: Day 1

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope yours was as good as mine. Now that all of the gift-giving is through, I can finally show you what I've been up to the last several weeks. I've been a busy bee, I tell ya.

I hope you enjoy 20+ Days of Cards!

Cardstock: Michaels - pre-scored card; SU - taken w/ teal, kiwi kiss; DCWV - Mi Casa stack; white
Ink: VF - onyx
Stamps: TCP - Smells Like Cake
Misc: SU - watercolor pencils, blender pen, tangerine tango brad, kiwi kiss brad; EK - scalloped diamond punch; pop dots; Sizzix - SU Texturz Backgrounds #1, Stars #2
Inspiration card

4 Baby

This seems to be the year for babies. I have five friends with babies due before the end of the year. Needless to say, there are lots of baby gifts to give & cards to make. I really like the way this one turned out. I based it on this card by TravelingMama. I've had this SU! paper for ages and use it here & there but hadn't yet found a way to incorporate the oh-so-cute birdies into a card. I was pleased as punch when I saw the inspiration card & knew exactly what I was going to do to adapt it. (No stamps/ink required!)

Cardstock/Paper: SU - Good Morning Sunshine, pink pirouette

Misc: Prima - aloha petals; AMM - chipboard 4; Sizzix - Broadway Melody; MM - gem brad; gems; Zots; Xyron; corner rounder; chipboard; Stickles - cotton candy


Did you notice my new floral frog? I've admired Dawn's for a long time and finally happened upon this one in Michael's last week. And it was only $3 - what a steal!

It's a Boy

I had to make a quick card before attending a baby shower this weekend. I'm pleased with the design and how quickly it came together (for a change). Not to mention it's my own design. Go me!

Cardstock/Paper: SU - Parisian Breeze; kraft
Stamps: SU - Office Accoutrement; VV - Practically Perfect
Ink: SO - timber brown
Misc: EK - binding edge punch; SU - choc. chip clip, choc. chip brad, baja breeze buttons, linen thread; pop dots; Zots

Hilo Botanical Garden

While in Hilo, we enjoyed a day-long excursion on which we toured Volcano National Park, the Thurston Lava Tube, the Mauna Loa macademia nut farm, and the Botanical Garden. I was enamored by the beautiful flowers and plants in the garden. This layout is but a small sampling of the many wonders of the garden.


Cardstock/Paper: TLC - Runway; Luxe - Simply Luxe
Misc: buttons; Michaels - flower; MM - big brad; Sizzix - alphabet; Luxe - adhesive tag; TLC - parens; Xyron; Zots

Good Luck

This week my most favorite bus driver is leaving. It's an unfortunate part of riding the bus. We only get to keep our drivers for six months before they move on to other routes. I've been riding the bus for six years, and I cannot recall a driver I have liked more. Michael is courteous, polite, and takes a genuine interest in his riders. He notices when we don't ride. He holds the bus a few minutes when we're running late. He takes pride in his job. And it shows: he was selected as Driver of the Year for 2008. In short, Michael is a real gem. I made this card to wish him farewell and good luck as he moves on.

Cardstock/Paper: TLC - black, cream underground; SU - real red, very vanilla

Stamps: Luxe - Swirls; SU - Figures of Speech

Ink: Versamark; SU - real red

Misc: Stampendous - midnight black embossing powder; MM - red star brads; white satin ribbon; red velvet ribbon; Zots; Zips; pop dots; Sizzix - top notez; circle cutters; star punch

Inspiration layout

Bow-Wow Birthday

August seems to be one of those months chocked full of birthdays. I've worked fast & furiously to keep up. I made this card (inspired by this card) for a co-worker who turned 50.

Cardstock/Paper: SU - pacific point, real red, tangerine tango, sweet always, whisper white
Stamps: TCP - Smells Like Cake
Ink: VF - onyx
Misc: zips; zots; pop dots; MM - crystal brads; SU - pacific point brad, watercolor pencils, blender pen; misc. grossgrain; Sizzix - Texturz #15, #17; Stickles - crystal; CM circle cutter

Sweet One

I was hired to make this card for a baby shower. The mom-to-be is having a boy, but I didn't want to make the card too masculine so I pulled the softer, more neutral colors. I wanted it to look like a wall with beadboard (though that is really difficult to see in this photo...sorry!), chair rail, textured wall on top with a baby-themed wall hanging. It turned out even better than I'd hoped.

Cardstock: white; SU - barely banana, bashful blue (banner), brocade blue (frame), so saffron (moon)

Stamps: SU - So Many Scallops

Ink: Versamark

Misc: Stampendous - midnight black e.p.; Sizzix - Texturez Tween Stripes; MM - FA Trims (Sidney), silver star brad, thin black wire; Zips; tacky tape; CM - circle cutters; Xyron

Class of '09

It's hard to believe that my "little" cousin graduated this weekend. The same kid I babysat from the time he was born! Sheesh - where does the time go??!!

I saw this post last week and thought it would be perfect for Scott's card. I tweaked it to include his school colors & to work with my smaller dies. I'm pleased as punch w/ the result! *pat myself on the back*

Cardstock/paper: SU - Good Morning Sunshine, Western Sky, So Saffron; dk. kraft; green crinkle (that's technical, right?)

Stamps: PTI - Fresh Alphabet

Ink: SO - timber brown

Misc: Sizzix - Aphrodite alpha, Stars #2; MM - FV trims (Lizzie), star brads; SU - clear embossing powder; green grossgrain; pop dots; tacky tape; Xyron 250

Father's Day

This is the card I made for my father-in-law. It's a little variation on yesterday's theme - a little different color scheme, a little truer to the inspiration layout, and a little turn on the stripes. 

Cardstock/paper: SU - windsor knot, baja breeze, chocolate chip; lt. kraft; dk. kraft

Stamps: VV - Father Figure; PTI - Around & About sentiments (small star)

Ink: SO - timber brown

Misc: Sizzix - Stars #2; pop dots; MM - brads; La Plume - dk. brown pen

Proud

It's hard to believe it's already time to celebrate Father's Day. We'll be mailing our cards from Alaska this year. Won't that be fun? This is the card I made for my dad. I used this card as inspiration.

Cardstock/paper: SU - parisian breeze, baja breeze, chocolate chip; lt. kraft; dk. kraft

Stamps: VV - Father Figure; PTI - Around & About sentiments (small star)

Ink: SO - timber brown

Misc: chipboard star; Sizzix - Stars #2; pop dots; MM - brad; La Plume - dk. brown pen

Sympathy

I made this lovely card for a friend of mine who rides the bus home from work with me. Her daughter-in-law passed away after a very long battle with cancer. I found this card on SCS and used it as my inspiration - only tweaking a few things here & there. Very simple design but stunning none-the-less.

Base: white pre-scored card

Cardstock: black; white

Ink: SU - pink pirouette, always artichoke; VF - onyx

Stamps: PTI - With Sympathy

Misc: flowers; MM - large gingham brad, FV trims (Ruby); SU - eyelet border punch; Stampendous - midnight black embossing powder

Blooming Birthday Gift

I'm waaaaaaaay far behind on Dawn's color challenges, but that does not mean that I opted not to do them altogether. On the contrary, I continue to think on them and use them as inspiration hits me. Like with this gift card holder, for instance. It was my co-worker's birthday this week, and I wanted something fun, yet feminine, for her "card." Raspberry Suite Color Challenge #3 was perfect!

So here's the color combo:










And here's my take on it. What do you think? (I got the gift card holder idea from this post on Sheetload Shortcuts.)

Cardstock/Paper: TLC - Slumber Party; SU - Autumn Vine; kraft
Stamps: PTI - Around & About Sentiments (inside tag only)
Ink: VF - onyx
Misc: red flowers; Imagination Project - save the date circles; MM - lg polkadot brad; pink gem; SU - grossgrain, eyelet border punch, scallop circle punch; TLC - Slumber party circle tags; Zots; Tacky Tape; SS - gift card holder

Happy Thoughts

One of my friends is a little down this week. Thought I'd send him a little note to perk him up. Kinda a "this too shall pass" & all that.

Cardstock: SU - baja breeze, bashful blue, windsor knot

Misc: SU/Sizzix - top note die; SU - hodgepodge; MM - pewter brads; TLC - lt. blue floss; K&CO - Addison chipboard, Happy Trails felt flower & brad; misc. olive buttons; Zots

Inspiration here

Gift Set No. 14

I was drawn to this card for its unusual color scheme - definitely way outside my usual box. But it really worked for me in this instance.

Base: white pre-scored card

Paper: TLC - dill thin line plaid

Cardstock: white; SU - perfect plum

Ink: SU - mellow moss, perfect plum

Misc: MM - brads; SU - ticket corner punch; Crop-a-dile

Inspiration here

Gift Set No. 13

I hope you're enjoying the gift set thus far. We only have a few more cards to go & then ... well, I'll have to get to work on something new. *grin*

Base: white pre-scored card

Cardstock: DCWV - luxury stack; SU - brocade blue; black; lt. grey

Ink: VF - onyx; SU - brocade blue

Stamps: SU - Close as a Memory

Misc: MM - black brads; SU - black grossgrain, ticket corner punch; Zips; Crop-a-dile 

Inspiration here