CFC#7 - Color Blocking

I'm trying to use up leftovers of old CTMH papers and I really have a hard time throwing them out when I think I can use them to make a cute project.

This card made great use of my leftovers and totally fit the bill for the CFC #7 challenge.

I used Hooligans papers - yes the Halloween pack.  :)  I grabbed my latest stamp set purchase - For Every Occasion and some sparkles from the M's dollar bin.  The final touch was the hand drawn border.  I've been anxious to try this hot technique, but a bit scared to.  It's really fun and not all that scary at all!  It leaves a super cute home grown feel to your card and you can't mess it up - love that.  If you're really feeling like it's got to be straight, just grab your ruler.

Cute, quick and totally CAS.  Love it for last minute creations.
Have a good one,

For my dear friend

I made a card before we left for our weekend.  It's for a dear friend of mine who retired on Friday.  While she's happy to be retiring (hello less stress!), it's one of those difficult situations where she'll also really miss some of the people she's worked with.  Since she's like a second mom to me, I wanted to do something special for her to let her know I was thinking of her and wishing her all the best with this change in her life.

I hadn't had a chance to play with the Sophia workshop stamp set yet, so I grabbed it and with some purple ink and cardstock (her favorite color) got to work.  Here's what I came up with.

It's actually not a thing like what I had in my head, but it turned out really nice and I hope she likes it.  I was trying to channel Vicki and Debbie at the time, but it was clearly not my day for a layered masterpiece.  I've got another one in the works that might be more ornate.

Recipe: Coming soon - I'm not at my desk and want to double check my colors first.

On a side note - our quick weekend away, while nice and we did have fun, was a bit of a cold fest.  B came down with something the day before we left and Joe and I both got it while we were there.  Horrible sore throat followed by massive sinus pressure, inability to breathe and feeling like you got hit by a bus.  It was quite lovely, and we're still recovering from it.  Last night I went to bed at 10:30.  If you know me, you know that's not normal.  So, needless to say, it might be another light posting week.

Cards, Carpets & Cars

Hello Everyone,

It's been a couple days since I was able to create.  We've had our carpets cleaned and then it rained so they aren't drying as fast as normal.  3 year old + wet carpets = oye!  Thank goodness for Grandma & Grandpas.  Anywho, I was able to sprint down the hall last night and get some creative time in to work on Father's day cards.

It's a tool belt card for my dad this year.

Recipe:
Paper: Desert Sand (CTMH)
Ink: Desert Sand, Cocoa (CTMH)
Stamp: D1408 A Little Everything (CTMH)
Embellies: Cream Floss (DMC), Tool Stickers (Jolees), Antique Copper Brads (CTMH), Twill Ribbon (CTMH)

My father-in-law, the movie lover, gets a clapboard card.

I found the instructions to this one through UStamp.  I sign up for these once and a while to get the juices flowing again.  Even though it's SU stuff, it translatable to anything.

Recipe:
Paper: Black, Cranberry, White Daisy (CTMH)
Ink: Versa Mark, Sunflower (CTMH)
Stamp: D1408 A Little Everything (CTMH)
Punch: Scallop (SU), Cupcake Top (EK)
Embellies: White Detail Embossing Powder (CTMH), Black Brad (CTMH)

This will most likely be the only post this week.  Friday we are leaving for a quick weekend at Greenfield Village & The Henry Ford museum, my husband's father's day present, so I'm busy prepping and packing.  No, I didn't make a card for him.  I will most likely have B create something for him on Friday.

See you on the flip side,

Crop A Card!

Nearly everyone has heard of Stampin' Up's Stamp-A-Stack that is put on by their consultants every now and again.  It's a great way to head on over and stamp yourself a bunch of cards to stock up all at once.  Well, it's high time I did something like this, but I'm a CTMH consultant so calling it Stamp-A-Stack seemed a bit strange and possibly misleading.  Wouldn't want someone to show up expecting SU!  Thus, I'm calling it Crop A Card.  :)   Here's the details if you'd like to join me:

Who: Everyone! Fellow consultants are welcome to come too.
What: Crop A Card...or 10...or more!
          Cards (with envie) are $1.00 each or 12 for $10.00
When: Friday, June 24 from 6:30pm - 9:00pm
           It's open house style so come when you can and leave when you want!
Where: My home. I would appreciate everyone to RSVP if you think you might be coming so I can make enough supplies for everyone to crop some cards.  Don't want to run out!  Just send me an email or comment or FB me or call me...you get the idea...and I'll send you my addy and directions.
Extras: If there are lots of extra card kits left over, I'll be packaging them up and offering them as a class/kit by mail for those of you who are out of town.  Kits by mail will be $15.00 and include supplies for 12 different cards.

Now, on to the fun part...previews of some of the cards that you'll get to make!  Each card has a specific embellishment or technique so you're learning while you're creating quick and cute cards.  Yippee!

Female Birthday #1 - Watercolor Pencils

Male Birthday #1 - Sponge Daubers

Thinking of You - Flat Pinwheel

Female Birthday #2 - Accordion Fold Flower

Male Birthday #2 - Stipple Brush

I'll be putting up more cards in a little while so you can see the other options that will be available.  Hope you'll be able to join me for some fun Friday night stamping at my first ever Crop-A-Card!

My First Studio J Layout

Ok, so it's not my actual first layout I created, it's just the first one I've gotten....and it was free!

Believe it or not, this layout uses the Fanfare papers.  I just changed a few of the colors around and played with the buttons and Stickease.  So much fun!  You can click on the layout to view it larger.

Thanks to the current CTMH special, you can get a free layout too!  During the month of June, everyone can create and get a free jpg of their layout.  You can have it printed by CTMH or any other printer you'd like.  Studio J layouts printed by CTMH use super high quality paper that will last at least 100 years.  Now that's archival safe!

To start your layout, just head to my website.  You don't have to create an account to start using Studio J, but if you do, it will save your layout should you get interrupted.  I promise no spam will come to your inbox because of it.  :)

Love your 3-D embellies too much?  Create your layout but just leave off the embellishments.  You can add them after it's printed!  It can be the best of both worlds.

If you have any questions about the program or getting your free layout, just ask!  I can help and there are many videos on the CTMH site to help you.

Have fun digi-scrappin'!

Bonus for Becky

I never got around to posting the cards/extra goodies I was going to make for the blog candy winner.  So, here they are.  These are the extra goodies Becky will find in her package.  Like the last post, I'm emphasizing what all you can do with the You & Me stamp set...and making cute stuff to send the winner.

I used the Miracle papers for both projects.  First is a thanks card.

The second project was a bookmark.  It's like a skinny card, but super quick to slip over your page to hold your spot.

I put time to dream on the bookmark because reading is such a wonderful way to send your imagination flying.  When I'm reading a really great book, I also always wind up having dreams about the characters or plot or things I've imagined - crazy huh?!  Then again...the new Idea Book will be coming out soon and it would be a great marker for your most wanted item in the new book.

At any rate, there is first and second generation stamping on both projects and some random embellishing for visual interest.  All products used are CTMH.

Recipe:
Paper: Wishes L2, kraft cardstock
Stamp: You & Me kit set
Ink: crystal blue, sweet leaf, desert sand
Embellishments: ribbon - colonial white grosgrain, pearls - opaques gems pearl

Have a happy Tuesday,

RCC5 - Ahoy!

This week over at the Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog it's anything goes.

The title to their post is "Mutiny...argh Matey...Anything Goes!" so my brain immediately went nautical.  I used the new CTMH Fanfare papers and the new bakers twine I just got from the RCC store - it was begging me to use it!  :)

 Here's a closer picture of the boat.  I popped all of the boat pieces with foam and tacked down the corners with glue dots for a 3-D type shape.

The wave flourish stamp is from the stamp set included with the You & Me kit that is on special this month (and last) with CTMH.  I accented the flourishes with some bling....gotta have bling!

Recipe:
Paper: CTMH - white daisy cardstock, kraft cardstock, fanfare L2
Ink: CTMH - pacifica, sky, desert sand
Stamps: CTMH - You & Me kit stamp, For Every Occasion
Embellishments: bling - CTMH bitty sparkles, twine - Ribbon Carousel

Thanks for stopping by,

Top Spool

Wowzers, what a nice surprise when I was blog hopping today to find that I was named one of the Top Spools over at the Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog.  Thanks so much to the fabulous DT who inspired my card.

Isn't their award too cute?  If you haven't headed over there to see Corinna and the gang, you really should.  It's lots of fun to play along - who doesn't love ribbon?!

I'm off to my room to create.  Just got some new twine that's calling my name!

Retreat Layouts - Last Group

Here's the last set of layouts I made while at retreat.  Just like yesterday, if you have any questions, just holler!

This layout uses the new Kraft cardstock and the stamp set from the You & Me kit.  Plus, it's got another flip flap!

 The title didn't really show well in the head on photos I took so here's a better shot.  It's a glitter rub-on type thing.

 This photo shows the flip flap open.  I only did one on one side this time.

 This layout uses retired CTMH sassy strands and some of our cardstocks to match the paper I had bought previously.  The title is cut with the Cricut.

 Last up is my half finished layout.  The title is cricut and so is the sign.  I made the pumpkins with some simple circle punches and our kraft borders.  Details below.

 Here is a close up of the pumpkins.  The vine part is one of the kraft color ready borders that has been inked with green.  The pumpkins are all circles that have been inked and put together and I free handed the stem from some cocoa cardstock.  Super quick, easy and fun to make!

Thanks for stopping,

More Retreat Layouts

Here is the second set of layouts from the latest retreat.  Enjoy!

I was using up some old papers...this is the Key to My Heart kit papers.  These photos were taken at the annual tulip festival in Holland, MI called Tulip Time....how appropriate.

 We had a staycation the year these photos were take and Ben loved playing in the backyard and with the hose.  This layout was also a kit I had designed and pre-cut for sale at a day crop.  It uses the Moon Doggie papers.

 Very old papers - can't even remember the name of the kit!  Shock!!  It was a level one I got from somewhere.....and it worked GREAT for the pool pictures.

 These are non-CTMH papers, but I still had to share the layout.  We were at the local "beach" at Millennium Park exploring the splash pad and beach.

If you have any questions about products used or layout dimensions, just give me a holler!  I'm happy to share.

Last set of layouts coming tomorrow - see you then!

Blog Candy Winner!

The phrase better late than never certainly applies to this post.  I'm tellin' ya'll, this no nap thing is killing me!!  Without any more delay, the winner is (thanks to random.org) #6.................Scrappin' Becky B!!  Becky commented (the #5 entry) and left me the note that she was already a follower (the winning entry) and even referred a friend to earn her more entries into the drawing.  Thanks so very much to everyone who played along!  Keep your eyes open as I'll be having more candy this summer.

Becky - can you please email me (gloriajrogers@gmail.com) your address so I can get your goodies in the mail?  Thanks!

Thursday and Friday I'll have the rest of the layouts I made at retreat.
Have a great day everyone!