Childhood playtime

Can you tell I'm going back to my stamping roots with this one? *grin* If you look back through my blog over the years you'll see that a lot of my first posts here were very similar to this. A mix of PPs and a lot of vintage images with distressing everywhere!

Stamps here are from Artistic Outpost. I just love the jacks from this set, Playtime. Aren't they fun? Cutting them out wasn't so delightful, but hey...all in the name of art, right?

This card is based on Sasya Sketch #9. Come play along with us!

I used some cream twill that I've had for years (thanks to my friend Bobbie!) and ran the old formula Spring Rain ink pad from PTI along it to change the color. Crown and buckle from my stash too.

Stamps: Artistic Outpost

Ink: Distress Ink, PTI vintage cream, spring rain

CS: PTI

PP: no clue (from my stash)

Thanks for stopping by today friends, have a good one!

PCD Release day!

Today is release day at Practicing Creativity Designs! Have you seen all the samples that the DT and guest designers have showcased? All of a sudden it's fun to create guy cards...and no longer a chore!

I wanted to show you another card using You're the Man that is very different from my other two. Simple, but still very guy-ish, right? 

I love this sentiment because it reminds me of those silly beer commercials from the 90s...something like "I love you man, but you're not getting my Bud light!" Remember that? lol

I decided that sometimes it is ok to use brighter colors on a guy card if you balance it with neutrals. Here, the bright greens, blue, and rusty color are offset with the kraft, cream twine and tarnished eyelets.

Here are the details:

You're the Man
Price: $12.99

Shipping and Handling: Flat Rate $4 for continental US; Flat Rate $6 International

Stamps are made in the US from high-quality photopolymer.

If you do decide to get You're The Man and make something with it, let me know because your card or project can be added to the gallery in the actual store for everyone to see!

Oh, and don't forget to submit your card or LO using sketch #9 to Sasya Sketches for a chance at an awesome prize! 

Look at the gorgeous vintage trims, jewels, lace and ribbon package that the winner will receive. Yum.

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope your day is fabulous!

Sweet peas

Happy Wednesday friends! How is everyone this morning? The sun is shining here and even though I fell down the stairs yesterday evening, I'm feeling happy. (with a very swollen leg) *rolling my eyes*

Today's card is a bit different from my recent posts, but I was feeling a wee bit guilty about the boxes and boxes and BOXES of patterned paper that I've been collecting for almost 7 years, so I decided to challenge myself to start using it!

Scarlet Jewel base, Lemon Tart mat, PP from my stash (and I have no earthly clue of the manufacturer), Summer sunrise twill, Spring Rain CS under sentiment, YOF: Sweet Peas stamps. I also threw in some vellum to highlight a few of the flowers that I stamped on the PP, a button and some stitching.

Although I've ruffled up ribbons on my cards before, Ashley's video inspired me to do it along the entire length for a change. Whadda ya think?

Don't forget to drop by Courtney's blog again today for one last peek at the new set You're The Man, to be released tomorrow, May 6th (midnight tonight actually)!

Thanks for stopping by today! I love you guys!

You're the man!

I've really been digging masculine cards lately because they are such a challenge. But not with the newest stamps from Practicing Creativity! This set is soooooo easy to create guy cards with. I love the sentiments that come with it...very hip yet classic too.
See those awesome Phillips head metal eyelets? I've had them in my stash for almost 5 years and finally found a use for them! I placed them around the frame image included with You're the Man, but I was thinking you could also make it look like a license plate too!

Courtney also challenged us to create a non-masculine card using this set, and I have to admit that it was a true challenge! With most guy stamp sets there are usually a few ambiguous images that can lean either way, but You're the Man is (in my humble opinion) TRULY a guy set! Never-the-less I persevered and came up with this cute card above.

I actually LOVE the chevron/tire track images on the pink! I surprised myself. lol! The BG on the card base was stamped with the letter "O" from the word "BRO" to make that fun chain type pattern, and the sentiment is of course, part of the set (but actually 2 separate words). 

The wide twill pink ribbon was so easy to work with. Not stiff at all, but perfectly soft and easy for bows. I am loving the May Arts ribbon that Practicing Creativity carries.

So be sure to stop by Courtney's blog again today for more samples from her and a video featuring tips and tricks on using the new set! This is definitely a must-have for your collection. It fills the gap!

Thanks for stopping by today, hope you do something creative!

OH, one more thing! Click here to see some more exciting news! *eeeeek*

Spring has sprung!

Spring has finally come to our house!

I took this photo yesterday while the hubster was doing some landscaping maintenance. He was going to mow our front lawn too (he despises dandelions) so I quickly snapped this because I love the mix of yellow and green and pink.

Just so pretty and the flowering Cherry tree makes me happy too.

So I have no crafty goodness to share today, but I wanted to remind all you Practicing Creativity lovers to check out Courtney's blog for yet more samples using the newest stamp set due to be released on May 6th!

Alice has some fun things to see at her blog too, so stop by there if you get a chance.

Thanks for stopping by friends, be sure to come back tomorrow to see a few things I whipped up using the new May release. I can't wait to see what you all think!

Boxwood silhouette

This was my contribution to the DT for Sasya Sketches sketch no.8. You have until May 4 to upload your project using the sketch. A random winner will be drawn and also 2 guest designers will be chosen for the next week's sketch! How fun is that? *smile*

See the spring moss panel on the left side of my card? I've had that scrap of paper in my "stamped" scrap pile since February of 2009 when I made THIS card. So glad I finally used it! The stamp is from the 2007 PTI anniversary set. The main image panel stamps are from Cornish Heritage Farms Kim Hughes collection called Nature Silhouettes. I also used a Text Style stamp from PTI but stamped it with the Chamomile ink from the tea dye duo to soften it up.

Thanks for stopping by today, have a good one!

Oh, I almost forgot! *slaps hand to forehead* To see the first samples made with Practicing Creativity Designs newest release, head over to Courtney's blog! She's showcasing some really fun cards today you don't want to miss!

The skies are above are clear again...

My dad used to have a 45 record with the song "Happy Days are Here Again" on it. I can still hear it in my head and I think I know all the words. Such a fun uplifting song. I was inspired to create this super-quick card when I realized this stamp set was just sitting on my desk un-inked. And then the song became stuck in my head!

We used to have a 1961 black VW bug convertible when I was younger. Man I loved that thing! Ahh, nostalgia.

Stamps: Enjoy the Ride by PTI

Today is the first sneak peak of the newest release at Practicing Creativity Designs! Go check out Courtney's blog for your look-see! EEEEEK, I'm so excited! And each day starting Sunday, sample cards will be shown on her blog using the set to be released on May 6th!

Thanks for stopping by today friends! Have a great weekend!

You and me

It's FIRDAY!  Whewww, for me this week has flown by because I've been so busy and had some exciting things happen. *wink* Later this morning the Kindergarten class is throwing a Mother's Day Tea Party and my 5 year old insisted I attend. So I've taken a few hours off my work day to participate.  But I've also got a super-scheduled weekend ahead of me with volunteer work and a huge function at the kids' school. 

Todays card is actually a mistake of sorts. *smile* I originally had another image panel on the card, but when I dropped it, it fell off and I decided I liked it better without it! Do things like that ever happen to you?

Here is the original.

It's nice too, but maybe a bit too fussy...?I don't know. You can see I moved the sentiment. I just love this sentiment! I thought it was perfect for an anniversary card for my hubster, so I'm going to put this card away and keep it until August.

So did you see the news yesterday? *squeal* I am officially a Design Team member for Practicing Creativity Designs! The uber-talented and super sweet Courtney Baker picked lil' ole' me to be on her DT.  Check out the incredibly talented team: Courtney, Alice, and Paulina.  I just know we are going to have lots of fun.

I wanted to thank all of you who showered me with sweet comments yesterday. *blush* I felt so uplifted by everyone's congratulations. I love what I do and don't need accolades, but man is it nice to be "pointed out" occasionally! *Smile* You all raked in the good karma yesterday for sure! I hope you'll stick with me on this new journey...where would I be without all of you?

Thanks for stopping by today friends! Hope your weekend is stupendous!

Good news.

So maybe you noticed this little picture and logo on my sidebar. I am on the Sasya Sketches DT!  Each Wednesday they post a sketch and you have one week to enter your card. There is always a really great prize package for the winner.

Yes, the majority of the blog is in Russian, BUT they do translate the important parts, and we all know how to add our links using MR. Linky, right? *grin*

Go check out this weeks sketch and create your card. You can't win if you don't try! THere is a chance you will be selected as a guest designer for the following week too! How fun is that?Plus you can see my first contribution as a new DT member!

Here is a card I created for fun using sketch #8. It is NOT the card used for my DT commitment though, so make sure you go see that one all the other amazing designer's cards too. Lovely stuff there at Sasya Sketches, I promise!

Stamps: For the Love of Dots by Practicing Creativity Designs, Everyday Classics and Birthday Basics by PTI.

Thanks for stopping by today. Do something creative!

Oh, and if you get a chance, stop by Courtney's blog too for another fun announcement...*squeal*

Embellish Challenge

Happy Wednesday! Any plans for today? There is just something about this day that I love. I usually wake up cheerful and happy on Wednesdays....strange!

This set of 3 1/2 inch square notecards was made for the challenge being issued by Embellish Magazine and spondered by Practicing Creativity Designs.

You can enter until May 6th, so go make something!

I love bright colors but this was a stretch for me! So instead of incorporating them all into one card, I made a set of small notecards with no sentiment so they can be used for most anything. The green one and the yellow one are my favorites!

Stamps: Background Basics: Retro, Everyday Classics, and Friends till the End by PTI. For the Love of Dots by Practicing Creativity Designs.

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope YOU have a good Wednesday too!

Lighten your load

I'm not feeling talkative today, but wanted to post this fun 70s-feel card I made a few days ago. Most of you know that orange is my favorite color, and I LOVE creating with it!

Stamps: Background Basics: Retro, Polka Dot Basics, On My Couch,  On My Couch Additions, Chair-ished

Paper: Orange Zest, Kraft, Vintage Cream, Dotti Biscotti

Thanks for stopping by today, have a great Tuesday!

PTI Princess Challenge no.6--Spring (WARNING anniversary set used)

Good morning! Did you all have fun blog hopping last night? I only got through three pages, but I'm going to see the rest today. WOW, there was some really inspiring stuff!

Todays card is for the PTI Princess challenge that Bethie issued--Think Spring!

Spring means green buds on the trees, bird chirping everywhere, and mud. *grin* So I used my woodgrain stamps to signal trees, and the new Anniversary set from PTI for the birds and buds! Sorry, no mud on today's card...

I used a Glaze pen to add some color to the berries. I love that it was the exact color as Terracotta Tile!

Thanks for stopping by today, have a good one!

Cherry Blossom branches

Greetings! This post is for the Blog Hop with Papertreyink. The theme is TISSUE PAPER!

I remember making really funky things with tiny tissue paper squares in elementary school. We squashed them up around a pencil eraser, dipped them into glue, and placed hundreds of them into a drawn shape.

Instead of smooshing them all together into a shape, I decided to see if I could make cherry blossoms on the branch from Take a Bough. I'm really pleased with how they turned out. So pretty! Paired with a strip of PP from the Pretty Pastels collection, some thin silk ribbon, a sentiment from Communique Sentiments, a few buttons, some stitching, and lots of inking...it turned out well, don't you think?

Here's a simple photo tutorial on how I did it in case anyone is interested. Add some color to the tissue paper, crinkle it around a pencil or large stylus, dip in glue (I used Mod Podge), and place on your cardstock.

Thanks for stopping here on your Blog Hop journey this evening!

Fly away birthday

ETA: This post was scheduled for this morning but apparently didn't work!

Howdy everyone! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. I'm actually away in the Finger Lakes so I've scheduled this post for this morning. Fly Away is the newest release from Becky Oehlers. It's perfect for little boys (and big one's too!). My oldest sister Janet is a pilot, so actually the set is perfect for anyone who likes planes!

See the cool bubble looking paper along the bottom of the card? I made it using a stamp from the For the Love of Dots set by Practicing Creativity Designs. It's so cute! I alternated Summer Sunrise, Spring Rain and Orange Zest ink. The card base and a few other details on the plane are Terracotta Tile.

Quick and easy really! This card is for my nephew Joey who turned 9 in February. I still haven't seen him to give him his gifts, so he won't realize I made the card late! *grin*

Thanks for dropping by. Have a creative day!

Woodgrain thanks and sugar cream pie

I love it when a plan comes together! (sorry, a bit of 80s tv there...remember The A-Team?) I was super excited to get the woodgrain impression plate from PTI, as it was my first impression plate purchase. Unfortunately, my Wizard doesn't work too well with it, but I made do. After impressing on kraft, I used my Cognac Palette Hybrid ink pad and rubbed it accross the entire surface to make the ridges stand out. I love that color BTW...wish PTI would make a cardstock to match.

The trees, bird (see her in the trees?) and sentiment are from Through the Trees by PTI, stamped in Burnt Sienna Palette Hybrid ink. I think the Terracotta Tile and Aqua Mist colors pair well with the kraft/cognac color.

I made this Sugar Cream pie on Wednesday evening. It may not win any beauty contests, but MAN, was it good! I think this has beaten out my all time favorite pie (Key Lime) in the taste category!

I serioulsy suggest you try it. No frills, no fancy-shmancy embellishments needed, just unfussy pleasures of taste. (It did NOT need the soy whip I put on top at all.)

I'm posting the recipe with my adjustments in parenthasis.

SUGAR CREAM PIE

(AKA Hoosier cream pie, Amish sugar cream pie, and a few others)

2 c. heavy cream (soy creamer)

1/2 c. all-purpose flour (whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar plus 3 T. for sprinkling

1/2 c. whole milk (soy milk)

2 t. vanilla extract

1 9-inch piecrust, unbaked

1 T. unsalted butter (soy butter)

1 t. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine first 6 ingredients in mixing bowl. Fit crust into a 9-inch pie pan, and dot bottom with butter. Pour filling into crust. Combine cinnamon and 3 T. sugar and sprinkle over top of pie. Bake until set and center is firm, about 1 hour (mine needed an extra 10 minutes). Cool.

(we liked it better chilled, but could not wait that long the first night because the whole house smelled of warm snickerdoodle cookies!) I love that it doesn't have eggs, because our youngest is allergic.

So what does everyone have planned for the weekend?  We're heading to the Finger Lakes to pick up our youngest who spent the week at "grandma camp." Spring Break ends today for our boys, so it's back to the grindstone come Monday!

Thanks for stopping by, TGIF!

Fabulous one layer challenge

Kristina Werner has issued a challenge for one layer cards using only stamps and CS. I dug out a set that hasn't seen ink in porbably 4 years! Fontwerks Flower Power by Elsie Flannigan. It's so cute and full of doodled flowers that I just love. Stamped with black and white on a HS card base, and added some piercing and dashed lines with a gel pen.

Here is my FAILED second attempt:

This card, while one layer, did not turn out so well, but I wanted to show you all that mess-ups DO occur, most of us just don't show them on our blogs! lol The idea I had in my head wasn't executed well and this card did not turn out correctly. I think maybe if I turn it long-ways and redo the masked/embossed part it might be better. This just isn't visually appealing. When masking, it is so difficult to keep things in line and even. You can see my blue sponged rectangle is all wonky, and it should be further down the card base too.

Oh well, It was fun playing around with my new stamps from PTI, called Masculine Motifs. 

Thanks for stopping by!