Hello Lovely

Going back to school after Spring Break was hard this week, especially since the sun and weather decided to improve since we were off. I think Mother Nature knew that it would get those preteens all riled up to see the sun and not be able to enjoy it. 

I honor of the beautiful weather, I decided to whip up a spring inspired card. I was excited to mash together supplies from both Stampin' Up and Papertrey Ink. I used the Watercolor Wonder DSP along with Coastal Cabana, Apricot Appeal, and Primrose Petals ink and cardstock from SU and I got to play with Papertrey Ink's Wet Paint stamp set. It is too cool!

This all meshed together to match two challenges this week:

The Friday Mashup #154

and for Papertrey Ink's April Inspiration Archive

for this sunshiny card! Hey Spring is finally here!

Bundle of Joy

There has been a long running joke at school for about the last two years: don't drink the water. In a school building with a majority of female teachers, the baby bug hits hard. It was wonderful to be able to take time off from school to be with my baby when he was first born, but hard as a teacher to walk away at any point of the school year and give control of your class and your kids to someone else. Fortunately, we have and had some pretty amazing long-term subs in our building. And God knows, middle schoolers can be tough. 

That's why when this combination of challenges came along, it was like kizmet. 

Curtain Call's Baby Booties Challenge provided the inspiration

Colour Q #235 provided a "challenging" color selection (I used Crumb Cake because I didn't have anything River Rock in my stash)

and Cas-ual Friday's #130: Good Egg gave me a bit of added direction

to create my take on a congrats baby card.

I used the Oh, Hello stamp set and Oval framelits to cut out the chevron oval. I used a variety of sequins and the wooden arrow for added elements. I used Signature Greetings by Dawn McVey (love her) for Papertrey Ink. 

In the end, I felt like using Coastal Cabana on the chevron may have been like trying to create an image only 3-D glasses could see. I think I should have done the sentiment in dark brown and create an additional oval layer and Coastal Cabana. Oh well. Practice makes perfect...but does that really apply to card making, I don't think so.

Happy crafting!

Pucker Up: A Punny Card

I love a good pun, especially on a stamp. My students and I watch CNN Student News everyday and we always look forward to the puns at the end of the episode. Naturally, Cas-ology's Joke Challenge was the right spot for a sweet (or sour) little pun!

I took a bit of inspiration from Papertrey Ink's Sketch and this month's On Trend topic: Twine

as well as a combination of color combos (they were virtually the same) from Pals Paper Arts #198 and Color Throwdown #286. 

From this, a super simple, punny card...

Although I love Pool Party, I used it in a subtly in the twine pieces I wrapped around the base of the card. I love twine as it provides an alternative to bulky ribbon. I first took and inked up the lemon stamp (from the Crazy, Mixed-Up Love set) with Daffodil ink and then rolled the edges in Summer Starfruit to get a bit of dimension. A little yellow button to tie it altogether and wahlah!

Have a "pun"tastic day my friends. 

Dude, You Rock!

I don't know how many times I can say this, but I loooove Dawn McVey's super cute, scrawly handwriting in the Signature Greetings set. She is fabulous and I adore this set. I love the mix of handwriting with traditional text. 

I've been in the mood lately to make some man cards, as I never seem to have enough around. I think making a good man card has a lot of elements to it: color choice, use of stamps vs. creative use of paper, and how all the elements come together at the end. I think less is more when it comes to these cards. 

I used Cas(e) This Sketch #71 for a very simple layout and the rest they say, is history. 

I used a previous die cut frame (with Hardwood image already stamped) that I had lying around forever. I rounded the edges for a more finished look. I stamped a variety of circles from Sketched Shapes (another favorite) and then, BAM! a cool sentiment like, "Dude, You Rock!" right over the top of it all.  

Dude, I'm in love!

Hoping you are loving all you are creating as well. 

Party Felt Bunting Banner

The sunshine today gave me inspiration to make something beautiful. I'm trying to get a head start on Owen's birthday party decor. I've been obsessed with fabric bunting for quite awhile. I even made some for Owen's first birthday, which now adorns my classroom at school. I very well could have used the same bunting banner again this year, but I thought I would branch out and try something new this time. 

I found this heavy duty gray felt at the fabric store and I have a ton of scraps from sewing projects. At first I thought about doing Owen's name, but thought "Party" might have more uses between my sister and I. Overall this project couldn't have been simplier. I can't wait to make more and maybe even sell a few!

Happy sewing and crafting my friends!

Wonderful Friend

Mother Nature obviously didn't get my previous message because it is snowing today. I was so happy because the last of our snow melted yesterday when it was in the upper 50's. I guess that is what I get for living in Wisconsin. 

The weather has given me an excuse to craft (like I needed one) and I put together this pretty little card with inspiration from Poppy Sketches #1.

I used a variety of leftover materials to put this together and off course some big sequins. 

A sweet and simple card for using in a moments notice. I love having cards like this on hand that can be used for a variety of occasions.