Love Never Fails

or

We are attending the wedding reception of some friends tomorrow who actually got married in May (on the beach in SC--amazing, right?). The groom has been a friend of mine for many years. We met online and dated for a short while before realizing we weren't really a good match. *chuckle* But he became very good friends with my fiance and then he found the greatest girl and they had a baby and now we all hang out together and try to plan double dates!

Here's my issue...I can't decide which placement of the word "LOVE" that I like better!

I intended it to be near the bottom right, and have had a few crafty friends agree that that's where it belongs, but my fiance and my son and two other friends think it should be near the top left. 

Ugh. The struggle. 

I know, I know...first world problems, right?

Either way, our friends throwing the reception party will love it and that's what counts:)

Thanks for stopping by, 

Dana

Stamps are: Botanical Bounty, Botanical Bounty II, and Inspired: Love by Papertrey ink.

Simply...SueAnn

Happy Monday!

I created this card for my friend SueAnn, who truly IS simply amazing:)

Today is her birthday and while I intended to mail this off last week, here it still sits on my desk. *hanging head in shame*

SueAnn is a superwoman. She's funny, smart, loving, and oodles of fun! She's like the awesome mom we all WISH we had. She's an incredible cook, artist, and crafter. She makes me want to schedule play dates with HER! 

I really hope she's being celebrated in a HUGE way today. She deserves all the best:) 

Happy Birthday girly! (((big hugs)))

Flower die is the Chloe Stem by Memory Box. Sentiment stamp is from WPlus9. Background patterned paper is by Papertrey Ink. Ruffled patterned paper is The Sweetest Thing Tangerine by My Minds Eye. Large rosette lace flower with pearl is by Prima. Small paper rose, ivory ruffled lace, and pearl dots by Wild Orchid Crafts. 

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

Bridal Shower Favors

Hi All! Sorry for the few and far between posts.
I've been so incredibly busy lately because my BFF is getting married in a few months. I am the MOH and sole creative consultant! *chuckle* She's pretty crafty too so we are doing a LOT of things ourselves:)
I threw her a shower yesterday and these were the favors I made for the guests.

A handful of Juicy Pear Jelly Beans, wrapped in two layers of coffee filters, gathered with ribbon and twine and topped off with a sweet tag!

I made 20 of these little packets and hung them on metal trees on the tables.They have the added benefit of looking like flowers from the top...see?

They were a huge hit!

BUT, that's not all.
I knew some folks wouldn't want sugar so I also made these...

I purchased seed paper in the shape of hearts and put them into glassine envelopes and added another sweet tag! So, if a shower attendee didn't want the handful of jelly beans, they took this awesome plant-able paper favor instead. You just place the heart seed paper on the soil and add water. Beautiful wildflowers will grow!

And isn't it CRAZY that this month's Denami Blog Hop theme is Fancy Favors??

Talk about serendipity!

If you are following along the hop you came from Pattie's Blog, right? She's AMAZING that lady!

Well, your next stop is just as incredible... LARISSA!

Don't forget to comment for a chance to win one of TWO $20 Gift Certificates to the Denami Store. Each comment increases your chances:)

A full list of participants is on the Denami blog if you get lost.

Denami Supplies Used

Solid Sweet Heart

Small Pear

Spring Twine pack

Confetti Twine pack

Confetti Cardstock sampler

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you were inspired!

XOXO

Hipster

Hi all! I'm posting a card I created last week just for fun. Sometimes it's cathartic to just stamp and be creative for no reason other than you are "feeling it!" I'm sending this to my friend Travis. He's a total hipster (he READS my blog!), and I know he will appreciate this:) *waves* Hi Travis! 

I received this cute set from Avery Elle in the mail and couldn't wait to ink it up. I LOVE that mustache ! *giggle*

Papers are Echo Park (a walk in the park), cardstock and stamps are Avery Elle. 

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXOX

Birthday Blog Hop for Michele!

Hello!

Some friends from CAS-ual Fridays and I are participating in a Birthday Blog Hop for our fearless leader and pal,  Michele Gross.

She is such a great person. Talented, clever, kind, hardworking, generous, and amazingly organized! 

Us Girl Fridays would be utterly lost without her, and we all love her dearly!

I tried to keep it CAS, but could not resist adding the lace and ribbon...*hanging my head in shame* 

Michele always makes me think of pink. She's a happy, cheerful girl and pink is a happy, cheerful color! 

Sentiment and image stamps from My Cute Stamps.

If you'd like to check out all the birthday cards for Michele, begin with Karen, who's idea this hop was. (Thanks Karen for all your hard work organizing us!) 

Your next stop on the hop is Stephanie, but here is the entire list too.

Karen
Dana (me)
Stephanie
Karolyn
Angie
Debby
Lorena
Suzanne
Kimberly
Jenny
Virginia
Julie Ranae
Christina
Laurie

Lisa
Deb

Gayatri

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELE! 

I hope it's a fabulous day filled with love and laughter and you feel celebrated!

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

P.S. for those interested, yes, we did (and are continuing to) get snow. Anyone up for skiing in April? LOL

Yesterday's card was inspired by the pink tuplips and green grass in my lawn, but today it's all white, white, snow and ice everywhere! *sigh*

Happy Birthday Sue Ann!

Good morning!

Today's post is dedicated to the sweetest person in crafty blogland...my pal Sue Ann. 

Today is her birthday and I want her to know how much sunshine she has brought to me.

Kind, generous, intelligent, talented, forgiving, and funny. Sue Ann is all these things and more.

She is forever creating amazing projects to give away to teachers, friends, and random strangers! She can cook like nobody's business, bake like a mad woman, and is just about the best Momma one can imagine.

I wish we lived closer together and could hang out and drink tea and do pilates and bake strudel!

This song is for you Sue Ann!!

I sent you this BD card earlier this week, and hope it has already arrived. 

Wishing you a day filled with love and laughter Sue Ann. I hope you feel celebrated! I'm so glad you were born! Have a piece of cake (Pineapple coconut with cream cheese icing and glazed pralines), made last night in your honor!

Love you to pieces my friend,

XOXO

Karen's Birthday Hop

No, you are not at the wrong blog my crafty friends!

Today's post is for the incredibly talented, dearest, sweetest, kindest person in blogland...Karen Baker. 

Today happens to be her birthday, and some of us were invited to take part in a birthday blog hop for her.

You should have arrived here from Jen's blog, but if you want to go to the beginning, check out our hostess Erin's blog!

I brought cupcakes to the party.

I have discovered that even if you AREN'T invited to a party, if you show up with cupcakes, you will most likely be asked in! *chuckle*

I make cupcakes on a regular basis, so I wanted something special for Karen.

These are mocha mini-cakes with espresso buttercream (and hers has semi-sweet chocolate shavings on top).

Not only is Karen a talented card maker (have you seen her blog?!), but she's really great at blog design (she made the gorgeous header up above *wink*) and she's a sweetheart to work with (we are on two DT together).

I think she's giving away a pretty nifty prize on her blog today in honor of her birthday (does that tell you what a great girl she is?), so be sure to stop by and wish her a happy birthday!

I used a stamp set that she designed for Practicing Creativity...called Nature's Wonder.

I'm so happy to have "met" you Karen, and I wish you the happiest of birthdays today! 

Your next stop is Michele!

Thanks for stopping by, have a cupcake if you'd like,

*mwah*

CAS-ual Friday!

Oh my goodness!

You challenge players have outdone yourselves! 

We had 242 participants to last week's Clean & Simple BLING challenge at CAS-ual Fridays!

What a turnout. *whew*

I'm still commenting on your work even now!

But today is the beginning of a new challenge...

Yes, it's that time of year, so lets see those graduation cards!

 Pre-school right on through to Graduate school.

 We want to see what you have up your sleeves (or should that be cap and gown?) *chuckle*

The sponsor this week is Market Street Stamps, and they have some really fun sets. 

This card is going out to my bestie, who just graduated with her 

Master of Public Administration from Binghamton University! 

Congrats Mary, I'm so proud of you!

So, celebrate the accomplishments of those you know and love

 by linking your clean and simple graduation card to the CAS-ual Fridays challenge!

Thanks for stopping by friends, it's FRIDAY!

Hat and sentiment by PTI, nestie frame by WaltzingMouse. Twine from the Twinery, and CB folder.

CAS-ual Friday!

Thank goodness it's Friday!

And that means it's time for another Clean & Simple Challenge 

at the CAS-ual Friday blog! 

Thanks to everyone who played this past week---what a great turnout!

Woo hoo!

This week's challenge is all about the bling.  Yes, BLING!

You all know that I am terrible at actually USING 

the rhinestones that I purchase and hoard, 

and I tried... 

honestly I did. 

Alas, I just could NOT add more than three to my card. 

*sigh* 

I know I know.

I'm working on it.

This BD card goes out to my pal Bobbie, the sweetest paper crafter I know. She turns...29 is it today darling? *wink wink*

Our CAS challenge is sponsored this week by Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker!

We had so many awesome entries this past week 

and I really LOVED checking them out.

 It's so fun to find new blogs and see new designs!

So if you are feeling the sparkle and want to create 

something with shine and glam, 

check out the bling challenge at CAS-ual Fridays.

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you have a great weekend!

Goodness

So I got together this past weekend with some other stamping fanatics and online friends and we had a blast!  It was so nice to be with folks who "get" cardmaking and stamping.

Although I spent most of that time chatting and getting acquainted with my supplies, I did manage to get three cards made. *hangs head in shame* yeah...only three.

And this one was the hardest. It just wasn't working for me, so I would put it aside and come back to it later only to discover I couldn't "fix" it. *grumble*

Finally, Tara, genius that she is, suggested stamping the same BG again in white, instead of in a darker ink like I had planned. LOVE the way it looks 3D now...the lighter berry ink underneath and to the right of the white ink makes it look really neat.

Good friends, good food, good conversation + stamps = FABULOUS TIME!

Thanks Tara, Belinda, Jennifer (with the beautiful hair), Pat, and Kirsty for a great time.

Thanks for stopping by today,

*mwah*

For my girl

This card is going out to my girl, Sue Ann! 

Happy Birthday darling! I hope you are surrounded by lots of love and hugs today, and everyone celebrates YOU.

Hopefully she already received this in the mail, but if not, then she knows what to expect. *chuckle*

I used my PTI gingham stamp for the first time on the tiny panel under the yellow gingham ribbon,  the large yellow PP is almost 7 years old and I have no idea who makes it, the flowery PP scrap is Basic Grey, sentiment and pink ribbon by PTI, flowers by Prima. Card idea cased from Angel--so cute. The yellow ribbon is from my stash too, and I've been waiting for the perfect moment to use it. 

Sue Ann is like sunshine for so many who know her...she really is. I hope this card brightens her day!

Thanks for stopping by,

*mwah*

Butterfly birthday

Through the years I've talked about how I'm just NOT a butterfly fan when it comes to stamps. Yes, I've used them, and even liked a few but generally they "aren't my thing." But because this card is for my BFF I decided to use my newest butterfly stamp from FireCrackerDesigns! And I LOVE how this card turned out!

I left the sentiment off because the inside says it all, and I like how simple that leaves the front.

What do you guys think? Should I add something? Leave it alone?

Gimme some feedback here people!

PS. In a serendipitous turn of events, this card matches the sketch at 2S4Y, Kazan's sketch 61!

Orange Zesty Sweet potato pie Fall card

My favorite color is orange, so when Papertrey ink decided to realease Orange Zest, I was delighted. Of course the first card I made with it was this autum inspired leafy one.

The leaves aren't actually..well, leaves. At least not leaves like you think of when referring to fall; oak, maple, ash, birch, hickory. But, I think given the colors of ink I used, they work just fine!

The image and swirly stamps are from the Spiral Bouquet set. Sentiment is from the 2009 Autumn Tags set, and the surrounding border is from the new Vintage Labels set.

Here's a photo of the sweet potato pie that my BFF and I made last weekend. We actually made two pies and now she has one in her freezer! I thought the colors in the pie were a perfect match for the card above!

SWEET POTAOT PIE RECIPE

(courtesy of my mother in law, Beth)

1 1/2 c. cooked, mashed sweet potato

2/3 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. evaporated milk (can use soy)

1/2 c. flaked coconut

6 T. melted butter

1/2 t. lemon extract (or 1 T. lemon juice & 1/2 T. lemon zest)

2 egg yolks (can use vegan versions)

1 9 inch pastry shell, unbaked

2 T. dark brown sugar

Blind bake the pie shell in a 375 degree oven for about 9 minutes--no browning should occur. When removed, sprinkle brown sugar over bottom of hot crust and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine rest of ingredients and pour into pie crust. Bake at 375 for 15 mintues, then lower the temp to 350 and continue to bake for another 30, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

I like to top mine with a butter, brown sugar, pecan, brandy drizzle and some whipped cream, but feel free to experiment to your liking!

Thanks for stopping by today. If you try the pie, let me know how you like it. Sweet Potato pie should NOT be a 'remake" of pumpkin, so no adding cinnamon and all those other spices, you hear me! *grin*

Birthday Buttons

I thought I had this post scheduled...appears I was wrong! I couldn't figure out why no one was leaving me comments! Duh. *smacks forehead*   So this is the birthday card I made my best friend about a month ago. I just loved it and really enjoyed inking up Guidelines II to create the background. At the time it was still summery out so the colors stemmed from how warm I was feeling, but now the nights are cold and the days are cooler and trees are changing color rapidly. Here comes Autumn!

I had a fun time visiting my BFF, Mary, in her new place. We made sweet potato pie, and vegetarian philly cheese steak sandwiches on kimmelwick rolls, ate blueberry coffeecake, scrumptious ratatouille, and even some yummy seaweed at a tiny Korean restaurant. We also did a lot of shopping. More than I would do in a month to be honest! (I'm not a big "shopper", unless it's online for stamps!) We laughed, gossiped, and hung out with her boyfriend Erik, (who is an AMAZING artist, BTW. Check out his website here!) who creates giant chalk art on commission.

Thanks for stopping by today friends, hope you have a wonderful afternoon.

PTI Princess Challenge & a contest

First up, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my best friend forever, Mary. She's my girl! And she turns...what is it this year Mary? The big 3-oh?!? *grin* (It's actually 33, and let me just say that I am delighted she is a year older than me!) We've been friends since we were 2 and 3, can you believe it? She's the best I tell ya.

Secondly, Belinda, a fellow PTI Princess, issued a challenge on her blog Friday. And I met it! She went dress shopping at Anthropologie and picked out three dresses for the rest of us PTI Princesses to be inspired by. Here's the one I chose: Isn't it funky? I decided to go literal for my inspiration piece and am happy with how it turned out. I love it when it comes out looking like you planned in your head! But in case it didn't, I made another card too (from a different dress) to use as a backup. *wink* Maybe I'll share it later this week. Here's my challenge card:

I started with a base of Vintage Cream CS and just built it up from there. Flower after flower it became that little dress! I do wish I could have used the border punch at the top instead of the bottom to more closely resemble the dress, but no such luck.

So, here's where the contest part comes in.

To celebrate Mary's birthday, I will be drawing a random name from the list of participants who can correctly name ALL of the PapertreyInk stamp sets I used on this card. Each one! (and there are seven, folks. Yep, SEVEN different sets!) But I'm not giving you anymore hints. nada.

And I promise that you will not be disappointed by the prize. After all, I did just win a $600 gift basket filled with crafting goodies! *grin* I can afford to share!

So post away with your guesses...you have until Saturday night at 8 PM EST to enter.

Have fun, and thanks for stopping by today!

Friends 'till the end Challange

I can't stop with the challenges that Nichole keeps issuing along with sneak peeks of the new Papertrey Ink products. The newest thing is monthly Kits! Each with samples of new paper, inks, and ribbon so you don't have to purchase EVERYTHING in order to make some gorgeous cards.

She has issued a challenge for a chance to win TWO of the newest kits (one for you and one for a friend).Here's the card I made for my BFF, Mary. Our mothers introduced us when I was 2 and she was 3. She's been my best friend ever since. She's really smart, hard working, dedicated, and thoughtful. She's just the best.

Supplies

Paper: Black, aqua mist, white CS (PTI), patterned paper (PTI)

Stamps: Ladies Drinking tea and blue hair sentiment (VivaLasVegasStamps)

Ink: Black (Ranger), Aqua Mist (PTI)

Accessories: ribbon (PTI), paper piercer, pop dots, blender pen, nestabilities