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

Cheery Flowers

One of my co-workers is going through a bit of a rough patch. So I made this card to share a little cheer & just to let her know I'm thinking of her. I actually copied a card I made several months ago.

Base: white pre-scored card
Cardstock: SU - so saffron, real red; TLC - runway meadow brook circles; white
Ink: SU - real red, so saffron, pumpkin pie, old olive
Stamps: VV - petals & stems; SU - frames with a flourish
Misc: TLC - iceberg outerwear slumber party; misc. buttons; SU - hemp twine; SU/Sizzix - Top Note; pop dots; Stickles - pink, crystal; Zots

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

Finishing the Gift Set

Today I'm finishing up the set of cards I started a couple of weekends ago. I wanted lots of variety, so I've made 15 cards spanning everything from friendship to holidays to thanks, and one or two I've made with specific upcoming events in mind, like the wedding card.

Birthday
Base: White pre-scored card
Cardstock: SU - Rose Red; Luxe - Pashmina Piggy Bank; white; black
Ink: Versafine - onyx
Stamps: SU - Big Celebrations
Misc: SU - watercolor pencils & blender pen; Stickles - crystal; SU - black grossgrain ribbon; Zips; SU - pewter hodgepodge hardware; gems; pop dots
Inspiration

Wedding
Base: white pre-scored card
Cardstock: navy; white; SU - bordering blue
Ink: Versafine - onyx; Versamark
Stamps: SU - Big Celebrations, Delight in Life
Misc: Stampendous - white pearls embossing powder; gems; TLC - circle memory gems; Zots; CM - circles; MM - pearl glaze
Inspiration

Thankful
Base: DCWV - brown pre-scored card
Cardstock: white; SU - Western Sky, really rust
Ink: Versafine - onyx
Stamps: SU - Thoroughly Thankful
Misc: MM - light orange brads, green ribbon; K&Co - rust ribbon; Zips; pop dots; corner rounder; SU - watercolor pencils
Inspiration

Thanks
Base: white pre-scored card
Cardstock: white; dk. green; SU -really rust
Ink: SU - handsome hunter, really rust, more mustard
Stamps: SU - Flower Filled, Framed Greetings
Misc: MM - orange eyelets; SU - pewter hodgepodge hardware; Stickles - crystal; Zig - pure green pen
Inspiration

Birthday
Base: DCWV - lt. orange pre-scored card
Cardstock: white
Ink: Versafine - onyx; SU - pumpkin pie
Stamps: SU - Fun Filled
Misc: Zig pens; MM - eyelets

Sympathy
Base: white pre-scored card
Cardstock: SU - certainly celery, notebook; white
Ink: SU - certainly celery, so saffron; Versafine - onyx
Stamps: Verve - Floral Whimsy
Misc: SU - barely banana & certainly celery grossgrain, watercolor pencils & blender pen; Zips
Inspiration

Hawaii Layouts

Whoohoo! I finally have something to show for myself after several long weeks of nothing. In honor of National Scrapbooking Day, I spent Saturday afternoon in the craft room (instead of cleaning house...LOL). Here's a sampling of what I got done. All of these layouts are based on sketches by Becky Higgins - her formulas are so easy to adapt & use!

You may remember this layout from a previous post. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I was disappointed with some empty space on the left page. I couldn't think of anything to put to fill the void. I tried the flower, but it just didn't do it for me. Then I got my new Luxe prize pack & saw the stamps - perfect! The flower on the right page is not permanent; I can't decide if I like it or not. It's growing on me. (No pun intended)

All paper: TLC Runway - Tressie Circles
Ribbon: K&Co - Happy Trails
Rub-ons: TLC - Vacation
Dimensional stickers: K&Co
Sizzix: Circus

TLC Quicksand Kit
TLC Runway - Salt & Pepper Circles; Caroline Circles
Cardstock: olive & brown
Sizzix: Aphrodite & Sassy Serif
Misc: button, pop dots

Here are two layouts that are still in-progress. I opted to show only one page of the two-page spreads. They were the ones most finished/presentable.

Paper: TLC Runway - Salt & Pepper Circles
Cardstock: olive
Misc: green flower brads
Sizzix: Script

Paper: TLC Runway - Retro Shapes
Other paper: Luxe - Simple Dot Turquoise
Tag: Luxe - Simply Turquoise
Misc: brown buttons
All other elements from TLC kit

Celebrate

Background: DCWV-salmon
Cardstock: aqua, white
Stamps: Birthday Best, Big Celebrations
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Misc: watercolor pencils, blender pen, black glitter pen, square gems, TLC-Tressie ribbon, Stickles-lime green, waterfall, & Xmas red, Sizzix-scalloped tag, clear embossing powder

Birthday

Background: white cardstock
Stamps: Something to Celebrate
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Misc: brown & olive ribbon, tacky tape, silver metallic pen, Stickles-crystal, waterfall, lime green, & pink

Background: white cardstock
Cardstock: aqua*
Stamps: Something to Celebrate
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Misc: TLC-ribbon, tacky tape, watercolor pencils, Stickles-crystal, pink, platinum & Xmas red
*makes pocket

For the Boss

So the big boss' birthday is in a few weeks, and the whole office is throwing a party at the end of February b/c ... well, it's just what we do for her birthday. And it's a "big one" at that. Anyway, I'm in charge of the gift card holder/birthday card. And here's how it turned out. (I'm particularly proud of this one b/c I designed the card myself - no scrap lifting. Shocking ... for me!)

The outside

Background: white cardstock
Paper: TLC-pink patchwork
Stamps: SU-Birthday Best & Tag Time
Ink: SU-chocolate chip
Misc: brown ribbon, tacky tape, pop dots, CM-circle cutters, SU-watercolor pencils & blender pen, Stickles-crystal, platinum, pink, & Xmas red
Notes: you'll notice the two center circles are actually completely cut out allowing the 6 & 0 to peek through from the inside of the card

The inside
Cardstock: white
Paper: SU-Rebecca circles
Text: Adobe-Blue Highway Linocut
Stamps: SU-Something to Celebrate
Ink: SU-chocolate chip
Misc: pop dots, pink ribbon, Xyron 250, CK-stickers, pink & crystal jewels, Sizzix-Sassy Serif, Stickles-platinum, crystal, & Xmas red
Notes: The bottom is actually a gift card pocket, and you'll see a sample gift card peeking out the top of the pocket & just under the cake

Still Here

Yowsa! It's been a looooooooong time since I've posted anything. And it's not for lack of being busy in the craft room. I simply haven't taken the time to post. After the holidays, I'll have oodles of things to put up. I may post a card a day for a while. A slideshow just seems too anticlimactic after all of the hard work.

Here's a little teaser or two.

Cardstock: misc. red, green, white
Paper: TLC Hot Fudge Kit - Christmas stripe & circle pattern
Stamps: SU - Figures of Speech, Tag Time, & Crazy for Christmas
Ink: Versamark
Misc: SU - embossing powder

Cardstock: misc. pink, dk. pink, cream,
Treehouse Memories - Queen's dinner
Stamps: SU - Figures of Speech & Tag Time
Ink: SU - Cameo Coral

New Borrowed Layouts 08/02/07

Two more baby Sasha layouts. Cute!

Chatterbookz

My mom is a Topline Creations Consultant. For those of you unfamiliar with this company, they are an independent creator/distributor of scrapbooking products. This year they introduced a fabulous new line called Runway. The paper and embellishments in this line are first-rate and certainly up with current market trends. Take a look if you have a chance.

Chatterbookz are a new part of the Runway line. They're a quick and easy album that can easily be assembled in 3 hours or less and for anywhere from $7-$25. The Chatterbookz come in four themes--numbers, adore, family, friends--but could easily be adapted to just about any theme with a few simple adjustments. Here are a few photos of the sample she made using photos of her twin niece & nephew's first birthday.

For a limited time, my mom is offering to assemble Chatterbookz for $20 plus shipping in your choice of theme. These would make a terrific, inexpensive gift or simply help you "slap down" those important memories in an adorable book. If you are interested or would like more information, please post a comment & I will give you her contact information.

Mom's Digital Layout

Thought I would share my mom's most recent digital layout of her Father's Day lunch with grampa. One day I'll sit down long enough to actually convert to digital scrapping! I believe she used a pre-made layout from TLC.

Layouts 06/17/07

Here are some layouts of our recent trip to New York City. The pages for this trip are still a work-in-progress. These are the layouts that are just about finished.

Times Square
Background: American Crafts 39838
Letters: Aphrodite
Tressie
Memory Gems
Center: AC 39838
light orange cardstock
white cardstock
Journaling/small photos: AC 39838
light orange cardstock
white cardstock

Central Park
Background: Ice Motif
Photo: Urban Camo brown
Ice Motif cream
Elements: brown riboon
Enamored tags
chipboard D
pop dots











Tour
Background: Blue Raspberry Collage
Photos/Journaling: Urban Camo brown
Ice Motif cream
cream cardstock
Elements: Bonjour Brass brads
Serene Joy rub-ons
Burnished silver brad
Silver tag
Square metal buttons

Cards 06/17/07

Father's Day
Card base: brown
Center: aquamarine cardstock
white cardstock
Simply Said stamps
Chocolate Chip ink
Taken with Teal ink
Tressie ribbon
slide
aqua glitter gel pen


Birthday
Card base: blue
Center: black cardstock
white cardstock
Ballet Blue ink
Chocolate Chip ink
pop dots