we interrupt the regular programming...

...for my first published card!!!

It's kinda crazy.  If you start to play the submission/publication game there are three things to get your head around:

1.   You have to be in the mood for Christmas in Spring, Valentine's Day in Summer, etc.
2.   You need to know your supplies.  Did I mention you need to know your supplies?
3.   There are lightyears between submitting and seeing your project in the magazine!

But the wait is over.  You can see it here or in the Birthday Creations  edition of Paper Crafts Magazine on page 55.  (Still pinching myself!)

As I mentioned in this post, I kept to a theme/technique for my cards when I submitted for the first time. Thought that if they kept seeing the die cut "hb2u" idea it might grow on 'em ;)  I doubt that that makes any difference to tell you the truth.

Funny thing about this card was that it came together as an afterthought!  Some of the die cut letters that were left over from the die cut negatives that I used on other cards for the submission were laying around in a little pile on my ironing board... and looking at them I got the idea for the "Scrambled Happy Birthday." 

I do like this card as I look at it again.  Guess it's a good one to have as a "first."  I was a little nervous, wondering if it would actually appear in the print issue or just the digital one.  DD was embarrassed at the book store when we were flipping through the issue and I saw it was actually in the print issue and I may have let out a little shriek!  There it is, paired with a great "29 forever" card from Wendy S.   Of course I wonder why this card and not another from the bunch I submitted, but hey, that's not my job. Oh, this was kinda nice too!

Thanks for sharing in my happy news today.  There is a great blog hop going on at Paper Crafts Connection. Check out some of the great cards from the issue as well as newly-designed ones based on some cool sketches.

Supplies Happy Birthday:

Paper: (solar white) Neenah, (gray graph paper, backside of Seen & Noted 4x6” phrase cards) Pebbles

Stamps: Hero Arts

Pigment ink: (Versafine Smokey Gray) Tsukineko, (Iris, Carrot, Curacao, Lemon from the Vitamin 10-pad collection) Aladine

Accent: (white iridescent sequins 5 mm) Eurocrafters, (yellow iridescent sequins  6mm) Rayher

Sticker: (Yellow Chevron washi tape) Bella Blvd 

Dies: (Circle Stax Set 1) Dienamics, (Parker Lower Case Alpha, Parker Numbers) Memory Box

twine away (Twinery, KIS)

Quick post here... deadline approaches and I'm squeakin' in.  It's Anything Goes over at the Twinery.

I've been wanting to try this with twine, kinda like with sequins as in this card, so here goes.

Glued twine onto CS to fill the negative die cut heart and used some at the top of the tag.  Can't see my white embossed sentiment too well in the photo.  Added some fringed washi to the tag and (Kelly G. are you listening?) used two pieces of PP from my stash.  You may recall I cut my 12x12s up into 6x6s in hopes of using it more since it's now more accessible.  It worked!  These cool pink/black PPs are from Bella Blvd.  Um ... it says 2008 on it!  Did I just admit that? Shame on me.

Joining the fun at Keep It Simple #16 - Negative Die Cuts.

Again, happy weekend to ya.

Supplies Happy Anniversary:

Paper: Bella Blvd,

Stamps: sentiment Hero Arts

Ink: Versamark

Tools: heart die Sizzix, tag die Hero Arts

Other: twine, washi, white embossing powder

saved by sequins (1) (muse, SCS)

 I played at Muse for the first time.  Marion Vagg is the muse for Challenge #5.  This is her card:

This is my card.  I went with the colors, the washi, die cutting and the message.  The card was actually to use up the die cut flower which was laying on my ironing board.   I actually created the next card first.

I am entering the SCS Lovefest2013B (sponsored by Sweet n Sassy Stamps) with this although I kinda turned the sketch on its side.

I think the dark blue panel is a bit much.  Those three delicate little sequins are doing their best to compensate :)  And I definitely need to keep practicing my die placement to get a striking negative...
I gave it another try and that was this card.

Thanks for looking.

Supplies :

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, PP Basic Grey, CS DCWV

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink :Hero Arts

Tools: label die PTI, sm. label die and flower die Memory Box

Other: washi Rayher and Bella Blvd., sequins, letter stickers October Afternoon

saved by sequins (2) (muse, CASE, SCS)

Finally took the time (I'm actually procrastinating on another project) to play at Jackie R.'s new Muse, where we're to be mused by the Monday muse.  This is Marion V.'s card for inspiration:

There was (as there often is) a creative journey behind my card.  I'll share it with you tomorrow.  There were actually two other cards born before this one.  But let me say that I was mused by Marion's colors, washi, use of dies and Debby H.

Do you get a Debby H. vibe on this?  Suffice it to say I had an idea, but it didn't work like I'd planned.  The birch bark paper came to mind (maybe that's what makes my card limedoodley?!?!?) so I tried a better placement of my die and am happy with the result.  Tomorrow you'll see what I mean...

Also joining the fun at:

CASE Study - #128

SCS - LOVEFEST2013E Die Crazy sponsored by Simon Says Stamp

p.s.  I know birch bark grows the other way.  Creative liberty, ya know ;)

Go get (a)mused.

Supplies for just saying hello:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, PP Basic Grey

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink :Hero Arts

Tools: label die PTI, flower die Memory Box

Other: washi Rayher and Bella Blvd., sequin

tag a la Teri A. (Ellen Hutson, CFC, PDC, Ribbon Girl)

I've really enjoyed the Feminine Twist on 12 Tags of Christmas over at Ellen Hutson's Classroom.  Here is my first take on Teri Anderson's tag for Day 6.

Heat embossed the trees and fussy cut.  Created snowy hills.  Distress Inked tag for a fun pinky sky.  Attached trees and knotted bows.  Heat embossed sentiment.  Added pearly accents to hills and the sky.  Used washi and a fun foam snowflake at the top.

Also playing at the Cafe:

And CASual Fridays:

And The Ribbon Girl - Ho Ho Ho December challenge.

Thanks for visiting.

Supplies for winter wonderland:

Paper: manila tag, scraps

Stamps: tree Bella Blvd,  sentiment Prima

Ink : Distress Ink, Versamark

Tools:

Other: embossing powder Zing, twine, washi, pearl glue pen, foam sticker