Happy Anniversary

A card I made for my Aunt Dottie and Uncle Jerry, who celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary today. Paper from My Mind's Eye, and cardstock, ribbon, and gold cord from Stampin' Up!. Starfish charm - unknown source.

Leaf Card

All too often I find myself cutting full sheets of paper to make a card, while my collection of scraps grows ever larger. So occasionally I try to pull all my materials from scraps only. That's how this little card was born. It measures only 3-3/4" x 3-3/4", and is constructed from pieces that were tossed aside from other projects.

I organize all my cardstock in hanging file folders, sorted by color, which makes it easier to keep track of all the tiny pieces I save. Rarely does anything go in the trash, because it all has a use eventually. My patterned paper isn't quite as organized -- it's all in the sturdy box-with-a-handle that D's MacBook was packed in.

Thinking of You Card

For a friend going through a tough time.

Supplies: cardstock, ink, and stamp from Stampin' Up!; Cuttlebug Divine Swirls embossing folder; metallic gold cord.

Handbag Greeting Card

If you've ever visited my other blog, then you know I love handbags. So when I found Angie Kennedy Juda's video tutorial for this handbag card, of course I had to make it. Angie uses four different punches in her demonstration to very quickly construct her card, but since I don't have any large punches I used my Coluzzle to cut my circles. This added a little bit of time to the project, but it was still very easy. I don't have any rhinestone brads, so I substituted a regular mini-brad. So cute!

Paisley Thank You Card

I'm just back from my trip to Alabama, and am trying to get back into the blogging groove. I've got tons of ideas, but I'm still tired from the drive yesterday, and my motivation is a bit low. I made this card before the trip, and just never got around to posting it here. Scrapbook paper by NRN Designs, stamp and cardstock from Stampin' Up!

Summer Card

Now that summer is nearly over and school has already started, I'm finally getting around to making a summer-themed card. This blank greeting card was a snap to make, with wavy-edged scissors from Fiskars, Pool Words scrapbook paper from the Paper Studio, grosgrain ribbon, and a stamp, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Hugs and Kisses Stamped Card

I keep pulling out those 2-step stamp sets lately. I usually just "stamp off" once for step 1, then follow up with the same ink color full-strength for step 2, but I've realized that the result can sometimes be boring. So this time, I used a contrasting color for step 2, and I think it's a lot more interesting. I finished everything off with a scrap of mulberry paper and some grosgrain ribbon. All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Christmas in June

The current challenge at Daring Cardmakers is Christmas in June. Not really a tough one for me, because I could make Christmas cards all year long and never get sick of them. I'm still trying to stick with quick, simple cards, and this one was very fast and easy. This time, I thought I'd depart from traditional holiday colors, so I used only black, blue, and white, plus a touch of gold in the ribbon. The background is embossed with the Cuttlebug, and the ornament is stamped with a 2-step stamp. Stamps, cardstock, and ink from Stampin' Up!.

Quick Cards - Daring Cardmakers

The challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week is Quick Cards - cards with a theme of our own choosing, but that take 30 minutes or less to make. Most of my cards are made quickly, so for me this was mainly a matter of deciding which one to show you today. For the card pictured here, I used a 3-stamp set for the basket, and since it's a fairly loosely designed image, there was no need to spend time lining everything up perfectly. For the background I repeatedly stamped a vine across the cardstock - simple! The ribbon is threaded through two 1/4" holes. This card came together in only 5-10 minutes. All stamps, ink, and cardstock are from Stampin' Up!.

Heat Embossed Card

Heat embossing continues to be a favorite technique of mine, and my heat gun, embossing powders, and Versamark pad are always on my work table, ready to go. I prefer Versamark over traditional embossing inks, because it seems thicker and stickier, and stays wet long enough to cover a large area before adding the powder. On this card, I like the subtle design of the background, as well as that little bit of texture created by the embossing. And since our family has lots of special occasions in June, someone will be getting this in the mail shortly!

"Thank You" Card with Eyelets

The current challenge at Wednesday Stamper is to use eyelets in our stamped work. For this card, I stamped both the background and the greeting, then added eyelets for threading the ribbon. Since eyelets are one of my favorite embellishments, I added some more at the bottom of the greeting just for fun. All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Daring Cardmakers - Quoted by......

At Daring Cardmakers this week, Jane has dared us to use a quote on our cards. The quote that I've included here is from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year."

Good advice, I think! All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Stamped Pink and Black Birthday Card, Plus an Update

It took me 2 weeks after the move to Arkansas to get internet access. Why is this always so hard? But now I'm back online and thrilled to be getting email and internet again without waiting for a computer at the public library.

Recent weeks have gone very quickly for me, but a lot has happened and I feel like my luck is finally changing, in a very positive direction. Today I started my new job in Little Rock, and I think that's going to be a good thing. Also, I learned a couple of days ago that a dispute I had with a major health insurance provider has been settled in my favor. My advice to everyone -- if you are dealing with an insurance company that repeatedly refuses a claim that most certainly was covered under your policy, do not hesitate to take the matter to the Office of Insurance in your state (at least, here in the US). It is their job to protect you.

While I was without internet access, I spent some time making simple cards. Pictured here is the only one I've scanned to date, but I'll try to get the others posted over the next several days. I've been itching to make a pink and black card (one of my favorite color combos), and this 2-step "gift package" stamp seemed a logical choice. This wasn't made for anyone in particular, but will go into my card box, to be used at a later date. All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Pelican Card

This card was recently made to satisfy a request for a fast and simple birthday card. It needed to go in the mail immediately, so I quickly attached the pelican to a stamped background and a bit of scrapbooking paper from Provo Craft. It needed a little something extra, so I added the cord as an accent.

Baby Card

I've been on a heat embossing kick lately, and as part of my "really simple card" series, I used that technique on this baby card. The flowers and the word "baby" were stamped with Versamark and embossed with winter white powder. I then attached eyelets to the greeting and threaded them with a pale yellow ribbon. I don't know anyone who is expecting a baby, but I guess it doesn't hurt to have an appropriate card handy!

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mother's Day here in the US. Best wishes to all the mom's everywhere, both here and abroad!

Stripes - Wednesday Stamper

The current theme at Wednesday Stamper is stripes. For this card, I used a forgotten but recently rediscovered sheet of blue and white striped scrapbooking paper, and heat embossed the flowers with Versamark ink and Winter White embossing powder. I've been challenging myself to limit my color choices, so this may be the first in a series of very simple cards.