You Make me Smile.

I'm participating in yet another card exchange. For this one, I wanted to stay away from the "typical" greetings and go a bit more generic. A card that could be given as a just because.

I really liked this card once I finished it, but then my husband came home, said "Oh that's pretty, it's kind of Christmas-y though". For my husband, anything that is a red/green combination, it equates "Christmas".

So now I'm sitting here staring at it wondering "Christmas?" Too plain? Is it missing something? But I say that to myself almost every time I finish a card "Is it missing something?!?" I'm going to stop over-analyzing it, since I think it turned out to be a really cute card.

Recipe:

Ink: Stazon Basic Black, SO Moonlight White. Paper: Wild Wasabi DSP, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate chip, Real Red, Whisper White. Stamps: Fun&Fast Notes, Priceless, Lots of Thoughts (SAB). Accessories: Word Window Punch, Ribbon, Ticket Corner Punch, SU Markers, Mini Pewter brad circles.

Today is brought to you by the Letters A, B, C, D, E & F

I've always wanted to make a small 'brag book' for gifts to the grandparents but, I've never had the motivation to do one from scratch. When I saw Heather was using the SU "Define your Life" stamp set as well as the DSP paper sets from SU to make brag books I thought it was a great idea. What more could I ask for? She stamped/embossed and pre-cut everything, all I had to do was organize some photos, add them to the pages as well as the embellishments that are included with the paper.

What I learned was that it was/is not as easy as I had thought it would. As someone who has been scrapbooking for a long time, has all the tools, tons of paper and embellishments, I found this 'kit' a bit limiting. Sure it was easy to get it together, but it's taken me a month or more just to get A-F done! I'm finding it hard in the respect that I did not start it, I'm limited (in a way) to the coordinating embellishments and restricted in photo size. I think this is great for those that have not invested in all the papers, eyelets, punches, stamps that I have over the years, but for myself, even though I've enjoyed the 'short cut' I'm not sure it's something I could do too often. I like my creative freedom too much.


Stamps: Define your Life. Paper: SU Crew Girls & Embellishments

I was thinking maybe I could create something similar but instead use my cricut for some of the embellishments. I like the stamp set it is really cute.

Easter 2008

I can't believe I am only 1 page behind for N's 2 yr scrapbook album! I finished up this page today, it only needed a couple more photos to finish it. :0)



Recipe:

Paper: BB Yellow, Pink, Imaginsce - Spring Fling, Colour me Happy, Tip toe through the Tulips. Other: Imaginsce For Peep Sake Love Bugs, American Craft Ribbon, 1" and 1 1/4" circle Punch, Cricut Cartridge Alphalicious.

Another Flap Card.

Another week, another card challenge over on H! This week is to make a flap card. I made one a couple of weeks ago and posted that, but I felt I was cheating so today during N's nap I made another.

Anyone ever notice anything lately about my cards? I have a love of the Jumbo Wheels lately. I have a few of the smaller wheels but I have found through using them that I really do not like them as much. I like that the Jumbo ones are wider and make a nice, less busy pattern.

I debated putting some sort of wording on it, but I did not it to be 'tied' in to any particular occasion. I think it looks fine without one. :0)

For this card I used my Garden Whimsy set and the Whimsy Wheel. I actually ordered the Whimsy wheel a couple of months after the set as I was not sure on it, but I kept seeing cards that used it and the more I saw it, the more I started to like it.

I also got to try out my Mat Pack. For some reason I was excited to do paper piercing. I learned from this card though, that if you do not have your layered piece of paper perfectly aligned (which I can be bad for, oops!) it really shows when you go to line up your mat to pierce.

This is the inside;


Tomorrow I will hopefully have N's Easter scrapbook page to share!

Recipe;

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Garden Whimsy, Whimsy Jumbo Wheel. Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink DSP, Apricot Appeal. Ink: Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose. Accessories: 1" Punch, Scallop Punch, Mat Pack (paper piercing), Dimensionals.

My First Accordion Card!

I was inspired a while ago by an accordion card that Heather did for some of the pro pics of her son Nanthan, but I could not really find paper that inspired me. As part of a card challenge to use punches, and after getting my Bali Breeze DSP, I sat down yesterday afternoon and made this for my mom. It's going to be Natasha's birthday gift to her. :0) Each panel is 5"x5" for a total of 4 panels with one photo 'hidden' behind the last panel.

Recipe:

Paper: BB Yellow, SU Bali Breeze DSP, SU Flowers For You DSP, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip. Punches: 3/4", Round Tab Punch, Scallop Punch. Other: Checks, Dots, Stripes Ribbon, Dimensionals, Making Memories Flower Brads Silver, EK Success Rub-ons, SAB Rub-ons, Cuttlebug Bloom Dots Embossing Folder, Alphalicious Cricut Cartridge

More storage solutions!

In my recent issue of Stamp'n Success they had an article that highlighted a couple of crafter's craftrooms. One of them had very little space and she had come up with an ingenious idea (or saw it somewhere, this idea has been floating around SCS for a while now, although I never saw it there) on how to store her Punches.

She made a visit to her local IKEA store and bought 2 bygel storage bars and some baskets in the eating and dinning section. The other awesome thing about this storage solution? Not only does it utilize vertical space, it's very inexpensive! I paid 2.99 eac. for the Bygel Bars, $4.99 for one basket and $2.99 for the other Basket.

I love that it takes advantage of vertical space, because eventually, I'm going to lose my nice big craft room in favour of letting our 2nd child (no I'm not pregnant yet!) have a bedroom. I also like how clean it looks and esthetically appealing.

My proudest moment of this whole endeavour is that they are both perfectly level and lined up evenly. A quick note - make sure you have some sort of hardware for hanging them up. IKEA does not include any screws with the bars! I had heard they were no longer including an allen wrench with their products but assumed they'd still give you the proper hardware to hang items. Especially something like a shelf!

While there, I also picked up some Rajtan Spice Jars($4.99/set of 4). I had mentioned to M that even though I loved the new ribbon at the scrapbook store, it was purchased by the yard and did not come on a spool. She mentioned she bought storage jars from IKea for her loose ribbon and scraps and then used her rub-ons to pretty them up. She also used them for her brads, mixed them all together in the jar. I bought two sets and I have them all filled already with ribbon, brads and felt.

The only thing I do wish, is that I had bought two of each basket instead of just one of each. I filled them up quicker then I thought I would! As you can see, the top bar is empty, but I doubt I will have any problems filling it with more punches.

I was going to wait until I had less space to take advantage of this storage solution, but I got impatient and figured it's not that much work to take it down eventually and fill in 8 little holes. Trust me, I've painted almost every room in this house since we moved in last spring. I've become a real expert at filling in holes in the wall.

Snow Day

We have not had too many snow days this past winter. We've had snow, just never enough to make a snowman with or to take my daughter out and play.

While she sat on the patio steps, I built a snowman, which lasted a whole 15 mins before it toppled over. lol I guess my skill at snowman making has been lost since I did them as a child.

This page is the first page of her Year Two album, hence why it's a single page layout, something you will not see from me at all, I much prefer double page layouts.

Congratulations to those that were the first 3 commenter's on my last entry! I'll email you before the end of the week for your snail mail address to send your "candy" to. If you do not have a blog or your email on your blog, please email me your info to carleycat at gmail dot com.

Recipe:

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Snowfall (this one is such an awesome stamp set! Grab it while you can, it's on the S/S 08 dormant list and will be gone come June). Paper: Basic Black, BB Pale Blue, Allison O'Connor (patterned) Ink: Bashful blue. Other: Dimensionals, rhinstone brads Ice, Allison O'Connor Stickers, CC Alphalicious, CM Titletopia (something I've not used as much as I thought, but I really like it for curved/circle/spiral/straight lining titles), heat gun, embossing powder (snowflake).

Blog Candy

A few weeks ago Jes posted on her blog some blog candy she had received and said the first 3 ppl to respond she would pay it forward and send them some Blog candy, I commented on her post and this week, I received my blog candy;

Lots of goodies! As promised I'm going to pay if forward and share some blog candy with the first Three ppl who comment on this entry. :0) Oh and those that receive Blog Candy must also continue the chain and send out Blog Candy as well!

Have a great evening everyone!

Edit: If you are one of the first 3 ppl to comment on this entry, please email me your snail mail address and I'll mail out your blog candy this weekend! You can email me at carleycat at gmail dot com! :0)

My Silly Valentine~

Yay, my first page finished for Natasha's Year Two scrapbook! It won't be the first page in the album, that will be a winter one, but this is the one I had the inspiration to do last night, so it's the one I did.

I like it. It was a very impromptu photo shoot that day. I was not really planning to do a V-day page, but I just happened to put her in this onsie and bought her heart jeans on sale a couple of weeks before so it all worked out.

Recipe: Paper: Daisy D Designs (I think), Brazill Basic, Passion Pink. Other: Ribbon from the Scrapbook pantry, Circut Cartridge Mak'n the Grade, Flowers, Pewter Round Brads

I was looking last night, and I think I'm going to re-do her hospital page now that I have more pictures (thanks to my mom!) but other then that, I think her first year album is done! I re-took pics of all the pages today and will post a slideshow after I finish the last page. :0)

You did not really see...

a double page layout of Natasha's first birthday. Honest, I did not post some gaudy, bright coloured mess on this blog a few months ago. I don't know what I was thinking if you saw such a thing. I think I was drained. I was working so hard to finish her first year before Dec. 31st that I just slopped something together and called it a page.

The layout for this was cased from Heather's page that she did up for her little guy Parker's First Birthday. She was inspired by Cyndi's Scrap Challenge.

This time instead of that bright (and frankly it seemed a bit obnoxious!) blue for my main pages, I chose purple and pinks for frames. The toughest part of this page, surprisingly was the rub-ons. I have never had such trouble getting rub ons to adhere. They moved, they tore, they went crooked. Thank goodness for the rub on eraser I recently bought or I would have had to start over with the pink background.


I **think** this is the last page for her 1 year album. yay! I was going to do her 1 year pro pictures but she was not in the best of moods for them, and they are mostly christmas shots because they were done in November. Sooo...that would make this the last page! I may go back and change up her newborn page(s). At the time I had lost a ton of hospital photos bc of my h/d crashing, but when my mom was here last year, she brought the ones she had taken.

Recipe: Paper: Brazill Basics Pink, Purple, SU Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Heidi Grace Designs. Other: Yellow double stitched Ribbon, Heidi Grace Rub-ons, Cricut Cartridge Opposites Attract

Corpse Bride Re-visited.

I promised a scrapbook page today, but when I went to print out the pictures for it, I discovered I did not have much coloured ink left so..I went back to working on my Corpse Bride card. I tossed aside the idea to do this as a trifold because I really like the full bride and I could not do that on the Trifold.

Anywho, the colours for this card (ruby red, chocolate chip & soft blue) were inspired after seeing Fat Cat Stamper's card using the "Always" set. I think the colours really suit each other and are so pretty! Originally, I was going to use the entire Always set for this card, using the Heart and the Bird after I saw this card by Genistamps in the Gallery (I was going to cut mine out, put the heart behind the bird, and not use a top panel, just the 3 panels with the Heart embossed), but as I was working on it I had a "Wait a sec" moment and changed gears so that I could use my Bride. :0)

I *think* this is going to be the card for the H! exchanged I'm in, I just have to decide if I want to cut out about a bazillion panels since there are sooo many ppl in the group this time around.

I was also thinking it needed ribbon, paper piercing or something, but when I showed a friend, I was told I had been staring at it too long and it was great as is. heh

Do you notice anything else about it? See that circle? It was punched! I know I'm excited over something super silly, but finally after 3 weeks (from the time the punch was ordered until delivery) my 1 1/4" Circle punch showed up on my doorstep this afternoon (no more tracing circles!). Now I'm just waiting for my 1 3/8".

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Always, She's All That. Paper: Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky, Ruby Red. Ink: Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Soft Sky. Other: Dimensionals, Circle Punch(1 1/4"), Scallop Punch, 1/16" Punch.

Corpse Bride

N had a longer nap then usual, so I tried a different trifold card. When O saw it tonight he called it the "corpse bride". I'm not sure how I like it, I think the colours are not right for this, even thought I normally like these colours.

I've seen a lot of images on SCS where the 'cropped' the stamped image so I thought I'd try it for this. My corner punch is not SU so I can't do the scallop circles with it, so I had to improvise. I used scissors and as you can see it did not turn out quite right. I need to work on my embossing skills. It's kind of bubbly. I'm not so sure on this one. I liked the colours of the other one, but I felt the stamping was 'used'. I'm sure I'll eventually find a design I like.

I'm on a mission...

Or so it seems to try all these different shapes and ideas ppl have tutorials for on SCS. I had planed to try one of the accordion fold Tag cards today, but I could not really come up with an idea for one, or which papers to use, so instead I did a Trifold card. Super cute card that Beate did a Tutorial (you'll have to search for "Trifold card" as SCS is not working for me right now)for on SCS. I used my Garden Whimsy and Priceless set to do the front and my short and sweet sentiments set for the saying. (Gee I use those sets a lot!)

The card was inspired for another exchange I'm in, which is Thank You or Wedding cards. I originally was going to use the bride from "She's all That" set but I could not come up with a design I liked, and the card is a bit small for the stamp set. I had no 12x12 paper in the colour I desired (to do a bigger size) so I switched gears and made the front on this very similar to the gift card holder I did a couple of weeks ago. I like it, but I feel repetitive since I used this very similar look on the gift card. Maybe for the ones I do for the exchange I'll use a big flower instead but keep the swirls? I love the swirls!

Front:

Inside:

I'm not sure, it just seems like it's missing something - brads...ticket punch corners?? I don't know. Looking at it some more, maybe I should chalk/dust the edges of the white squares so they are not so 'sharp'?

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Garden Whimsy, Priceless, Short & Sweet. Paper: So Saffron, Purely Pomegranate, Certainly Celery, Cutie Pie DSP (I think it's called cutie pie?). Ink: Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate, Blue Brocade, Certainly Celery. Other: Ribbon.

Tomorrow I will hopefully have N's V-day scrapbook page to share. I know, shocking that I actually have a page idea!

Pretty in Pink!

I did another card challenge today while the bug was sleeping. The 3rd challenge was Monochromatic, using the same colour but in different shades. I was not totally set on using pink (for the last few days I thought I was going to use greens!) but because I'm still not set on the baby card I created over the weekend, I decided to try another one.

I really do not have a big stash of DSP from SU or any in my current stash I wanted to use, so I improvised and used Jumbo Wheels instead to create a pattern. I never thought I'd get so into Wheels, but I really like them! They are perfect for making your own patterned paper if you do not have any you like or a background stamp.

I also decided instead of using small brads to use my brads from my Build-a-Brad kit I got in my last order. Love them! Overall I'm pretty happy with how this card turned out and I hope my friend likes it. I'm not sure how keen she is on the colour pink, but I know she likes Bunnies. :0)

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: So Swirly Jumbo Wheel, It's Beautiful Jumbo Wheel, Short & Sweet, Always, Bundled in Love. Paper: Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Regal Rose . Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose. Other: Ribbon, Build a Brad, Dimensionals, Corner Rounder Punch. Card size: 4.5"x5.5". Inspiration from: Notimetostamp's Baby Girl Card.

When the Power Goes Out.

Edit to move this to the top of my entry instead of having it at the bottom since I was so long winded. :p

Click here for a sneak peek of the new SU "In Color" family - Pink Poruette, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point and Riding Hood Red! It also looks like there is a new cute little Owl stamp set in the new Catalog. Is it sad that I'm looking forward to getting an early preview to the July-Dec. Catalog (I should get an early copy mid-June if I'm reading other Demo's sites correctly!) almost more then Christmas?

-----

Yesterday between 9am and 9.30am the power flickered in and out about 4xs before going off for good. It remained off until 5.30pm, making for a rather dull day, and a bit frustrating since it appeared (after a walk around the neighbourhood) that it was only our street that was out. Minus that one neighbour who had a generator in his backyard and was blaring his music.

Anywho, after I had crochet'd a bit, then cleaned up the basement (O and his dad drywalled it this past week so it was a huge mess!) I decided to work on some cards.

This first card is for a friend. I did one for her already, but I was invited to her 'friend' shower (she had a family one yesterday), so I made another one and will be giving her the baby blanket I did not have finished when we saw them 2 weeks ago. I'm not sure how keen I am on this card. I'm still debating it actually. I bought this cute Giraffe stamp today while I was out so I might use that instead and make a whole new card. I like the "It's Beautiful" wheel along the bottom but I think it's the colours I'm not so keen on.

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes, Priceless, It's Beautiful Jumbo Wheel, Short & Sweet. Paper: Pretty in Pink, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum . Ink: Pretty in Pink, Pale Plum, Real Red, yellow marker. Other: Ribbon, and dimensionals.


This is for no one in particular, I just wanted a chance to try out my Pretty Petals background stamp I got a week ago. Love this stamp, I definitely know why now some ppl use brayers, it's HUGE. I had no idea they were this big, using a brayer would help ink it up so much faster. It just barely fits on my stamp n scrub pad to clean it.

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Garden Whimsy, Always, Pretty Petals. Paper: Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, River Rock, Whisper White . Ink: Pixie Pink, Old Olive. Other: Ribbon, Jumbo Eyelets.







This was a card I found on SCS. The tutorial for it can be found here - Flap Card. I might make this my card for the new card exchange I'm in. I'll pick a different colour combination though, and I'd like to use a paper piercer instead of a gel pen. A Mat Pack is on my wish list, but I'm waiting until I can get my SU markers first before I place another order. Hopefully in a couple of weeks. I think I'd also add some sort of sentiment to it since I'll most likely change the stamped image. I guess I should have said "I think I'm going to make a flap card for the card exchange", not "I'm going to make this card for the exchange". heh

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Cause for Celebration (Hostess set lvl 2), Pretty Petals Background Stamp. Paper: Brocade Blue, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa. Ink: Close to Cocoa, Blue Brocade, brown marker for outline and body of butterfly. Other: Coluzzle, Ribbon, ticket corner punch, scallop punch, and I once again traced my circles bc all the circle punches I ordered from SU in my order (1 1/4", 1 1/2 and 1 3/8" are all back ordered!!)

I also finished up the gift card holder I had started a while ago. I cased this card paper for paper, stamp for stamp from the Tutorial on SCS, which can be found here.

All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Priceless, Absolutely fabulous. Paper: Certainly Celery, River Rock, Groovy Guava . Ink: Certainly Celery, River Rock, Groovy Guava. Other: Dimensionals, coin envelopes.

It' needs something more, a bit of ribbon, a brad or something but I can't put my finger on it yet. Maybe a brad? In the Tut she used a brad + ribbon.

Is there room on that Bandwagon for me?

On Monday I received my big SU order and with it, 2 items I was really looking forward to - Tart & Tangy and Summer Picnic DSP. I've seen a lot of layouts and ideas for T&T but there were not really any out there that struck my fancy. I decided yesterday to hop on the bandwagon of two other crafty ladies and make crisscross cards.



I think they turned out well. I did not put any wording on the insert, so I could use these as a thank you, birthday or whatever.

Recipe: All images copyright Stampin' Up!. Stamps: Cause for Celebration, Priceless, Tart & Tangy. Paper: Summer Picnic DSP, Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Random Red paper I had. Ink: Real Red, Only Orange, Bashful Blue, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie Other: Clear Embossing Powder, Embossing Heat gun, 1/16 handheld punch, Scallop Punch, Ribbon from Michael's.