easy peasy milestone birthday card

First off - Happy Memorial Day weekend to my US peeps.

OK, this one was easy. Like real easy. Needed an 80th bday card. Absolutely LOVE the Boho Landscapes card fronts. Just pulled out a couple dies and voila!

Boho Landscapes card front

Ellen Hutson Essential Rectangles die

MFT number die

washi

There. Easy peasy. Did I mention that this set of card fronts is absolutely my fave? 

Don't forget about my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off should I have convinced you to do some shopping ;) 

Speaking of shopping...  take a look at the Spring Cleaning Sale going on now. And instead of the monthly challenges, STAMPlorations is going back to the Never-ending Anything Goes using STAMP products as the focal point. Check out the deets here.

mini accordion album - what fun!

So did you see the first ever SBCfest over at Scrapbook.com? I happened to catch some of the videos and in this one Andrea L totally inspired me to give a mini album a try. I had never created one of these! SUCH fun. 

So many ideas. So many supplies. So many hours ;) I'm just going to share some photos of the completed project. It's on its way to Australia as we speak.

Action Deutschland PP

Essentials by Ellen rectangle dies

Renke numbers die

Waffle Flower greenery die

PTI tag dies

Lawn Fawn Milo alpha stamp

 inks, vellum, stickers, washi, sequins, pearls

Unfortunately I'm way too late for her birthday so I decided a little book to record this moment in time could be fun too rather than a card. I used the letters of her name in page titles (9 plus cover) with interactive pieces for lists of favorites - movies, fashion, eats, etc. Also included a few pages where she can add special photos - her at 30, her cake, etc. Used all the fun techniques too - shaker, flaps, belly band, pockets.

Hope she has as much fun completing it as I had making it! Have you ever made one of these? If not, I strongly recommend it. How about in a smaller size to hold a gift card? I know there are more of these in my future ;)

I'm playing at:

Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies October

Cut it Up - #262 Big

letting my scraps inspire me

Continuing with my summer programming...

Still on a roll using up scraps , I let the scraps inspire my card design for these cards.

This first one... pretty funny. Those darn raffia strips were another too-fun-to-toss-but-constantly-being-moved-from-left-to-right-and-back. The lantern halves were leftover pieces from a rainbow die cut many moons ago. I was finally inspired to combine the two, just needed a stenciled BG to pull them together.

STAMPlorations stencil

Studio Calico sentiment die

MFT Magical Rainbow die (negative pieces)

More die cut scrap next. Why not put it over some scrap paper from an inking session and then dress it up a little with washi and Nuvo drops?!?

Ellen Hutson Many Thanks die

Nuvo drops, washi

Another piece of scrap paper from an ink smooshing session ended up peeking out of the slats of a cover plate die cut and topped with a stylistic bloom from my scrap bowl.

MFT Dienamics Stripes cover die

Happy weekend! Have you had a go at your scrap pile yet?

valentines with scrap strips

I seem to find myself a theme when I make Valentines each year. I'm on a scrap strip adventure right now (avoiding the hard work of moving my craft room as I explained here) so that became my theme for this year.

Scrap strips, scrap cardstock and a glue stick. Made myself some "patterned paper" and then played with it.

Essentials by Ellen Nice of you stamp

Essentials by Ellen Folk Hearts die

Die cut a square of my "PP" with the love die and made cards with the negative and positive pieces. I'm entering the pink one into SSS Monday - Love is in the Air challenge.

Dienamics Love Centerpieces die

Then I rediscovered a flop card die (NBUS) so gave it a run in a card for DD. Used some 6x6 PP from my stash (which could last me 120 years). I'm hooking this Clean and Layered one up over at The Card Concept #168.

Dienamics Flop Card Heart die

Reverse Confetti Lovely Words die

SSS you die

Charlie and Paulchen Hohlsaumrahmen die

And while I had that heart die in my hand from the flop card heart die, I cut two of them and made this, personalized with the couple's initials. It's actually going to Americans who live in Germany so I'm joining in at Pinspirational February Challenge.

Dienamics Flop Card Heart die

Papertrey Bookprint Alpha die

 

having fun (avoiding the hard work)

Hi peeps. I'm in the midst of moving my craft room from my basement laundry room to a kid's bedroom. What a luxury. What a hard task! At least I'm making it difficult for myself. Should have purged first but I didn't. When it all gets too overwhelming, I submerge myself in some irrelevant little project. But man is it FUN!

Scrap paper strips. I am assuming we all have them or is it just me?

I've got a little bucket full of them. So I sat down with them, scrap cardstock and a glue stick. First I cut a large circle, and then a word from the circle...

STAMPlorations You Word die

STAMPlorations Art Marks 3 stamp

Then I cut multiple circles from what was leftover and created this card! Doesn't it look like a bunch of planets? Thought the sentiment was fitting.

STAMPlorations  Wonky Stitched Grid Texture die

Essentials by Ellen Nice of you stamp

I had more strips (of course) so I made more things (of course). With some of my manila tags and dies that haven't seen the light of day for a while. Guess that's one very good thing about moving/organizing your craft room ;) Figure I'll add a die cut initial on a vellum circle to these to use as gift or wine bottle tags.

And I'll be back with some Valentines made with, any guesses? Scrap strips of course.

I'll leave you with a shot of my current situation. It's still a work in progress. Moved into DD's old room. But now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have moved into DS's old room. It's a bit larger and has more light...

 

happy camper in the alps

Another one of my commissioned cards for a gal who truly enjoys giving handmade cards. And she claims the recipients enjoy receiving them too! Yaaaaay.

Today's card - a birthday card for her boyfriend who owns and operates campgrounds. So glad I picked up the little Papertrey Happy Camper set years ago! It pairs so well with Essentials by Ellen Alpine Windows die. Added a crisp, clean sentiment from Hero Arts Birthday Hugs and Kisses and voila!

The die does all the work for you to create this great scene with depth. All you need to do is stamp and a little fussy cutting.

I'm taking it over to The Card Concept, where the winter color scheme inspired me to go with kraft on this design and heat emboss snow onto the mountains.

heute ist dein tag plant lady

Another one of my commissioned cards (love that this gal enjoys giving handmade cards!) I was asked to make cards for various occasions and asked her for little tips to make my creation process easier. Do you do this too?

Next up - a card for Mom. Should have to do with gardening. I knew there was a reason I added Essentials by Ellen Plant Lady to my stash!!! She came out to play.

Added a light dusting of Distress inks to the cardbase to hint at grass and sky and Glossy accents on her boots - cuz why not? A German sentiment from Klartext So Viele Kerzen for her garden sign completed my scene.

No multiples on this one. Copic coloring takes me forever. I used this card by Francine as my guide. And to watermelon the apron was Michele's genius, BTW.

so raise your glass...

Someone in our household turned 60. And it ain't me. But it's still shocking!

The kids and I got DH tickets for Pink in Frankfurt. This is the card I made, inspired by the line in Pink's song AND the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. (OK, I missed the challenge due to a busy weekend) but still inspired by the sketch...

Spellbinders Bottle Tag die

Essentials by Ellen Hands die

Memory Box Parker Numbers die

patterned paper

nail polish
Dymo label maker

Pretty self explanatory. But did you notice the polished nails? Yep, used red nail polish ;)

I'm joining the fun at:
Tuesday Throwdown - AG
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Any Occasion

washi made me do it

Two more beachy creations for you.

I'm still captivated by the gorgeous Korallenriff from Charlie und Paulchen. And I have some pastel washi tapes that were begging for attention.

So thinking I'd mask a wonky rectangle, stamp images and then frame them with washi, I first made the mask.

Then I chose my images to fill the wonky rectangle based on the washi tapes. Then I stamped. Used a cream cardbase, which I ended up not liking so much. And yes, the images are kinda hard to see but pastel was the whole idea. 

Because the washi frame gave the design a playful feel, I pulled out a fun Essentials By Ellen sentiment.

 Charlie und Paulchen Korallenriff stamp

Essentials by Ellen Inner Mermaid stamp

various inks

washi

Liking the color combo, but the final result not so much, I tried it again on a white cardbase. And used Abandoned Coral DO for the coral. Duh! Me likey. This oh-so-dainty-but-oh-so-sweet sentiment reads "another year prettier" :)

 Charlie und Paulchen Korallenriff stamp

Inkystamp Winzige Gruesse stamp

various inks

Now me likey. Me hopey you likey too! Happy Thursday. Come back this afternoon for some fun with the new STAMPlorations release...

I'm joining the fun at:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - CAS

Happy Little Stampers - CAS

Addicted to Stamps and More - CAS

when the challenges align...

Don't you love it when your mojo is on overdrive?

There are so many challenges and cards that have caught my eye since I've headed back into my craft room after summer in MI. So this card happened. Do you know what aligned and inspired me?

 Essentials by Ellen Gordjus die

Spellbinders Barrel of Sentiments die

Hero Arts Life of the Party BG stamp

white embossing powder

Twin alcohol markers

There's a hard-to-photograph BG there too, heat embossed white on white. And an Ellie ;)

1. I saw that Ellen Hutson currently has a sketch challenge. Unusual, but hey, I can do that.

2. I saw this card at the Ellen Hutson blog and fell in love with the color combo.

3. I saw this photo at Just Us Girls #459 and it fits the Fall weather we're having too.

4. I saw the Background challenge at Stamp, Ink,  Paper - which brings me back to #1. How about using a BG stamp to create those three panels in the sketch?!?

And because it's good old AG over at Simon Says Wednesday challenge, I'm headed there too! Thanks for looking. Come back later today when I'll be sharing my takes with Shirley's newest layered stamp set, this time it's poinsettias!

guest designing at cas on friday

I'm joining the talented ladies over at CAS on Friday today for this fortnight's challenge which is "Tag It". I decided to use a tag along with the spotlight technique for this wedding card for a friend's daughter.

Altenew Sketchy Floral stamp

WPlus9 Timeless Tags die

Ellen Hutson Congrats die

Altenew inks - Blush, Grapevine, Paper Bag, Deep Iris

So this wonderful stamp does nearly all the work for you. And as lovely as it looks colored, it's also pretty amazing in B/W, especially with a small portion colored for interest. I used Altenew inks and my water brush.

And take that interest up a notch by popping it up a notch. I stamped the image onto CS and die cut the tag shape, then adhered it with foam tape in the appropriate spot. I added a sentiment die cut from rose gold foil CS. On the inside I stamped the bride and groom's names (with this great alpha set) and a strip of washi.

I chose my colors from the Pantone Quietude palette over at Ellen Hutson.

Thanks for having me, CAS on Friday. I hope you'll play along. Happy weekend!

spellbinders petal'd poetry - CAS for pinsights challenge

Back today with two CAS cards made with Petal'd Poetry etched die from the Good Vibes Only collection by Stephanie Low. Did you see yesterday's post?

Here is the die. Again I've used the flower with leaves (outline and shadow).

I was inspired by the current Pinsights Challenge at Ellen Hutson. (BTW, I used black on yesterday's creations because I hadn't read the fine print at EH to know that that top color is actually navy!)

So for today's cards I went with PP from my stash with a navy, pink and green color scheme, although I chose bolder colors since I was pairing the PP with lotsa white.

Spellbinders Petal'd Poetry Etched die

Essentials by Ellen Up the Happy stamp
American Crafts PP
Nuvo drops

I die cut the shadow from the white panel and backed the hole with polka dot PP. Die cut the intricate die from white and adhered it. Filled in the negative spaces with bits and pieces from one I'd cut from a bold floral print. And since portions of the die cuts were left over, it became a twofer.

 Spellbinders Petal'd Poetry Etched die

Hero Arts Everyday Occasion Messages stamp
American Crafts PP

Super easy. Just a bit time consuming to adhere all the tiny pieces ;) But isn't this a fun way to use intricate dies? Especially ones that have a shadow die too.

Starting tomorrow I'll be working with Heart like a Wildflower. Hope you'll come back. Thanks Team Spellbinders for this lovely die to create with.