It's Time for a Wedding

Our cousin, Jason, is getting married today and I needed to throw together a quick wedding card. I took the PPA Challenge #171 colors Baked Brown Sugar, Calypso Coral, and Very Vanilla

as well as Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #103

to put together a simple and rustic card. 

I am a big fan this summer of using Stampin' Up's Sweet Essentials and Embellished Events stamp sets together for weddings and baby cards. They are a perfect match. I love the two champagne glasses and rhinestone bubbles. It is sweet, but not overdone. I also took a play on the sketch and instead of adding brads or buttons (which I was about to do) and I hand stitched twine X's along the two colors of paper. I think it gives the card a shabby chic quality. 

Family is in town, going to eat great wedding food, and can't wait to get my groove on. Looking forward to a great night!

Back to School

Back to School began this week for us. I had lots of mixed feelings at the beginning of this school year. On the one hand, I'm a teacher. I am beginning my 10th year of teaching and I love it. I always look forward and get nervous about meeting new students and having a routine. There is no job I would rather have. On the other hand, I'm now a mom. Owen has been a hoot this summer and is getting more fun by the day. I have enjoyed all the time I've gotten to spend with him and know now that I will have less time with him. 

My nephew, Austin, is beginning his first year of school and couldn't be more excited. He even let Aunt Manda take some pictures of him to capture the moment. 

Back to school reminds me of a quote from the movie Hope Floats. 

"Beginnings are usually scary. Endings are usually sad, but it's what's in the middle that counts."

There's more, but this is the part I really need to keep reminding myself of throughout the tough parts of the year. 

In honor of Back to School I decided to join a couple challenges this week with a Back to School theme. 

Cas-ual Fridays Challenge #114

Cas(E) This Sketch Challenge #44

Casology Cue Card #60

The Friday Mashup #126

I was excited to use the Vintage Picnic set by Papertrey Ink. I love the mixy-matchyness of the set. It reminds my of summer and fall at the same time, which is what going back to school reminds me of as well. I used my Copic markers again to color in the apples and picnic basket. I layed down a piece of washi tape to act as a blanket under my basket. Cute. Clean. Simple. Just my style. 

Everyone, have a great school year!

Hello Sunshine

It is no secret that kraft colored paper or Crumb Cake if you use Stampin' Up's color pallette is by far one of my favorite colors. I was excited when CAS-ual Fridays had the use of kraft colored paper and text in challenge #113. 

I used Crumb Cake cardstock as my card base and build from there. I used Papertrey Ink's Banner die to cut out a piece of polka dot craft paper from the Season of Style Paper Pack from Stampin' Up. I love this design because of its huge white dots. It adds a lot by just using a little. 

Next, I used the Papertrey Ink Hello die to cut out a shimmer sentiment using Champagne Glitter Paper. I love this pop of sparkle. Last, but not least I added a little extra text by stamping in Crumb Cake ink "Sunshine" from the Wonderful Words: Hello stamp set from Papertrey Ink. 

I think this card looks sophisticated, yet spunky and fun. Enjoy a sparkly day and a great Labor Day weekend. 

Bright Bubble Talk

I just got a box with a bunch of new Papertrey Ink stamps and dies this week. I couldn't be more excited. I am absolutely obsessed with the Bubble Talk set by Maile Belles. It reminds me of the doodles I draw during staff meetings. Oops, was I not supposed to admit that. It's cute, young, and fresh. 

Colour Q Challenge #204 and Pinspired Challenge #16 gave me a bright and youthful color selection to totally match this cool stamp set. 

I decided that because these colors were so vibrant that I really didn't need a lot and that keeping it simple and clean would really balance the bits of brightness. I even love the cute sketchy sentiment. This is a great card for a friend or possibly a student. 

Do you have a stamp set, color combo, or accessory that you are obsessed with at the moment?

Sweet Tea Anyone?

Yesterday I made a second birthday card and saved it to show today. It is sort of a companion piece to the card posted yesterday because I used the same color palette and a few of the same challenges. 

Again, Dynamic Duos #76 provided the fresh and sweet color selection with a couple neutrals thrown in for good measure. 

This time the Fusion Card Challenge #16 provided both inspiration and the card sketch as I decided to use both pieces for this card. I really love mason jars, have I mentioned that before? So, naturally I decided to use Papertrey Ink's Friendship Jar stamp set and die again. 

This time, though, I decided to fill it up with sweet tea. One thing I love about summer. The tag pieces are a combination of ribbon and scrap pieces of paper. I love that flags are a simple way to use small scraps. 

Simple, but sweet. Just like tea! Enjoy!

Mason Jar Love

Not only is my birthday coming up in September, but a bunch of teacher friends of mine have birthday's in September as well. I thought I would do a bit of sketch combining again and create a couple birthday cards with a hint of summer in them. 

Dynamic Duos Challenge #67 provided a summery and romantic color story. 

Fusion Card Challenge #16 gave us a little mason jar inspiration. Who doesn't love a mason jar?

And Retro Sketches #78 provided a simple, but amazing layout. 

I used Stampin' Up's Gorgeous Grunge set for the background and Papertrey Ink's Friendship Jar stamp set and die for the mason jar. I also used Papertrey Ink's Think Big #1 for my birthday sentiment. I stamped on vellum and then decided to sew the vellum to the cardstock because I never know how to attach vellum without seeing the adhesive. 

Here's a close up of the stamped vellum and mason jar. 

This makes me want to enjoy a cool glass of lemonade in my own mason jar on this very hot Wisconsin weekend. 

Update: You can also view this card at 52 Card Pickup 235 at Old Back Porch. 

Cupcakes Galore!

Our next door neighbor is having a birthday party tomorrow and she invited Owen to her birthday party. I think this is so cute, even though Owen is only 1. We are not real close with our neighbors, we've always had the impression that they didn't like us...that may mostly be due to the fact that Nick has mostly had loud cars while we've lived here. 

In fact, we didn't know our neighbors' names until more than a year after we moved in. It makes me sad because while growing up we were very close with our neighbors. All the parents got along and all the kids played together. I hate to think about a world where we all keep to ourselves and we don't enjoy the company of the people around us. 

With that said, I keep to myself and hesitated to introduce myself or even have a conversation. I wonder if others feel this same way. Maybe the birthday party invite is a way to get over the hump. 

Since we don't know much about our neighbors, including the age of the birthday girl, I just needed to make a guesstimate in terms of birthday gifts and of course the card. I know she likes pink, what little girl doesn't, and princesses because that is what comprises the walls of her bedroom. 

Pink...I can definitely works with. I decided that pink and sparkly were the only way to go. 

So I took my cue from Sweet Sunday Sketch #191 and I pulled together a cute and very pink card. I used the Cupcake set from Papertrey Ink and added lots of "frosting" which really means bling and sparkle. 

I hope our little neighbor loves her card. 

Duck Dynasty Door Sign

I have been scouring the internet and Pinterest all summer to prepare for the upcoming school year. I started following Tracee Orman and all her amazing educational pin boards. One day she posted a classroom sign for her door that I knew I just needed to have or make. It was a poster using Uncle Si from Duck Dynasty on A&E to welcome her students. 

Using Photoshop and PicMonkey I did my best to recreate her door sign and I think it turned out pretty well. I still have a long way to go on the decorations, but I think this will give kids a chuckle as they enter on the first day. 

Thanks for visiting!

Warm Thoughts

I'm in the midst of getting my classroom put together for the upcoming school year and therefore I have neglected our blog, but never fear...I am armed with a new post. 

I was trying my best to get several card challenges taken care of with one card, but my timing was off and I missed the ability to submit this beauty to one of the sites. 

I am in LOVE with the Perfect Blend set from Stampin' Up. I didn't think I would be, but it is sketchy brilliance. I'm not even a coffee drinker, but I want to put that cute little coffee image on everything I make. I like coloring the outline of the middle section to create adorable coffee sleeves. 

CAS-ual Fridays provided the color palette this week and the background was created using none other than clear stamping blocks and ink. I love the geometric look and color block vibe. 

I couldn't find a sentiment stamp that spoke to me so I hand wrote my own. I added a bit of extra pizzazz by making and watercoloring a clay flower. 

Thinking of You

It isn't very often that I make sympathy cards. I prefer to anticipate happier times when I make cards, but unfortunately sometimes the best time for a card is a time of tragedy. My sister Lindsay asked if I had anything sympathy cards lying around of if I could whip one up. Her friend Amy's father just passed away from a long battle with cancer. I told her I was on the job. 

When I started using the sketch from Retro Sketches Challenge #74 

and the color palette from Dynamic Duos Challenge #63, 

I certainly didn't think I was making a sympathy card. However, the simple layout and fresh green colors are hopeful, but not over the top. It's bright, but not loud. 

I hope that the sentiments of family and friends comfort Amy and her family during this difficult time.