Hello Baby

 A colleague of mine is expecting her first baby at the end of March and I am hosting a shower for her in a couple of weeks.  I put together some invitations for the shower based on her nursery colour scheme...

Baby card featuring the Baby We've Grown stamp set with sentiment from Sweet Essentials.

Isn't that little bunny the cutest thing?? I just adore him...he reminds me of The Velveteen Rabbit.  I stamped him in Staz on and coloured him in using a blender pen and Smokey Slate, Summer Starfruit and Crisp Cantaloupe markers.  The tag the bunny is stamped on was punched with the new Scalloped Tag Topper punch...love that thing!  So easy to make tags of any size...I'm also using it to make the favours for the shower...more on those later ;)

I made 19 of these, so I got lots of watercolouring practice ;)  Since the mommy-to-be doesn't know whether she's having a boy or a girl I kept it as gender-neutral as I could but couldn't resist adding a bit of lace and some bling for mommy (who is a real girlie-girl).  She loved it!

On the actual invitations I replaced the Hello Baby sentiment with You're Invited and then printed the shower details on the inside of the card.  I figured you wouldn't really be interested in where this gal is registered and what time her shower is at, so I changed up the inside for you...

Inside view with sentiment from Cuddles and Kisses.

I'm excited about this shower!  I have some fun ideas for decor that I'll show you when I get it made.  In the meantime, it's back to bed for me as I work on getting rid of this yucky sinus thing.  Have a great day, everyone!

Birthday Bomb

Happy Monday!  Can you believe the weekend is over already??  I spent most of mine in bed with this yucky sinus thing...it just won't give up!  It sure makes doing much of anything difficult these days!
Today I have a project I designed a couple of weeks ago.  I love the grungy feel to it...check it out:

Masculine birthday card featuring the Bombs Away Birthday stamp set, as well as Gorgeous Grunge, Clockworks and Off The Grid.

I kind of went a little crazy with this one!  I used stamps from four different sets, but love the result!

 

I know I typically give you a run-down of how to recreate my projects, but today I am just feeling too darned crummy.  I hope you'll forgive me.  Here is a peek at the inside...

 Have a good week everyone.  I am hoping this week will see the end of this illness for me!  Enough is enough already!!  Time to start feeling better and get back to normal :)

Twisted Starburst Love

It's Saturday and I'm posting, which means it is time for a new challenge from The Technique Twist!  This time we are using the Starburst Technique...one of my favs!  Check out my project:

Valentine featuring the Just Saying and Hearts A-flutter stamp sets and featuring the Starburst technique.

So, most often this technique is used to create cool backgrounds, but I decided it too fabulous to hide in the back, so I made it my focal point!

I am so happy with the way this turned out...one of the few times the end result is BETTER than what I pictured in my head!

Here is how I created my starburst heart:

• I started with a card stock heart, cut using the largest non-scalloped heart from the Hearts collection Framelits.  It doesn't matter what colour card stock you use because it gets completely covered anyway.
• I cut a bunch of strips of Real Red card stock that were 4" long and 3/4" wide.  I cut each strip on the diagonal from corner to corner, leaving me with long, pointy triangles.
• I cut a bunch of Silver Glimmer paper strips that were 4" long and 1/2" wide and cut each of those strips on the diagonal as I did above.
• I applied a piece of a Multipurpose Adhesive sheet to the card stock heart, effectively turning it into a giant sticker.
• I placed the triangles on the sticky heart, alternating red and silver, trying to keep the points of the triangle centred (didn't do a very good job of that, but I actually like that its a bit off-centre!)  The triangles will extend way off the edges of the heart...let them!
• Once all of the triangles were placed, I flipped the heart over and trimmed around it with my paper snips, removing all of the overhanging strips.
• I stamped and die cut the word bubble and adhered it using dimensionals.
• The card base is embossed using the Adorning Accents TIEF and is stamped with one of the hearts from the Hearts A-flutter set using Silver Metallic Encore Ink.

Inside view with sentiment from the Tags 4 You stamp set.

For the inside of the card I stamped the heart again using Real Red ink.  The label is from the Tags 4 You stamp set (still available for order) and punched it using the Bracket Label punch.

If you haven't tried this technique before, you really should give it a go...it is great fun and a real WOW on any project!  When you do create a project be sure to link up over at The Technique Twist so we can all see your fabulous work!

More Saleabration fun

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope you've had a good week.  Mine hasn't been much fun...my sinus infection has returned and I'm feeling crummy.  I've not been able to take time off because we are into exams at school and my students are doing performance exams...which only I can grade!  Hence my silence in blogland lately.  Today I'm back with a project I designed using more fun Sale-a-bration freebies:

Birthday card featuring the Sketched Birthday stamp set and featuring the Sweet Sorbet DSP and Accessory Pack.

This was one of the projects at my All About Birthdays card buffet last weekend...it was a hit!  I ran out of kits for this one!

Here's a quick rundown of how to put this one together:

• I stamped each of the images in Sahara Sand ink and then punched them out using the Postage Stamp punch
• The size of the coloured squares is 1-3/8".
• The card base is Sahara Sand card stock and is embossed using the Decorative Dots TIEF - get it FREE during Sale-a-bration
• The DSP is from the Sweet Sorbet pack...also free during Sale-a-bration
• The scalloped white border is cut using the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die
• The twine (love this stuff!) is from the Sweet Sorbet Accessory pack - also FREE during Sale-a-bration
• The sentiment banner is stamped in Sahara Sand ink and then die cut using the Bitty Banners Framelits.

For the inside of the card I stamped the balloon image three times, once each using Pool Party, Crisp Cantaloupe and Pistachio Pudding inks.  Once again the banner is stamped in Sahara Sand and die cut using the Bitty Banners Framelits.

Now, I'm sure some of you are wondering about who won my SAB giveaway from Tuesday.  Well, the lucky winner is....

Karen D who left this comment:

Hi Leena! It's hard to choose just one favorite as they are all great! But if I had to choose one, I would say the Sweet Sorbet DSP. I love all the designs! Thanks for the chance to win! 

Karen, I need to you contact me via email (just click the "Email Me" button in the right sidebar) so that I can arrange to send you your pack of Sweet Sorbet DSP!  Congratulations...and happy Sale-a-bration!!

Have a great weekend everyone...be sure to check in tomorrow.  I'll have a new challenge project from The Technique Twist for you.  I think you'll like it ;)

It's time for Sale-a-bration...and a give-away!

Wahoo!  Sale-a-bration has finally arrived!  I am so excited for this year's event!  The brochure is fabulous, chock-full of wonderful new products and some special bundles to make earning those freebies even easier.
Today I have a cute card I designed using several Sale-a-bration products:

Farewell card featuring the See Ya Later Sale-a-bration stamp set.

I love this stamp set!  The images in it were the first thing to catch my eye when I first viewed the Sale-a-bration brochure.  I love this little alligator...

...so much so that I used him again on the inside of the card!

Inside view with sentiment from the Just Saying stamp set.

In addition to the See Ya Later stamp set I also used the Decorative Dots TIEF, Sweet Sorbet DSP, and some twine from the Sweet Sorbet Accessory pack, all of which are from the Sale-a-bration brochure.  I love how the Core'dinations card stock looks embossed and sanded...it reminds me a little of the gator's scaly skin.  I used the zig-zag strip below the focal image to echo the gator's teeth and the pattern on the DSP also reminds me a bit of reptile skin.
Lots of fun on this card...are you in love with the Sale-a-bration offerings yet?  Leave me a comment telling me which item from the Sale-a-bration Brochure is your absolute favourite and you might just win it!  How's that for a great way to kick off a great promotion?!?  I'll be choosing one winner from all comments left on today's post, so be sure to leave me a note!

Now, as if Sale-a-bration weren't enough excitement for a Tuesday morning, here are this week's Weekly Deals:

	Wisteria Wonder Classic Stampin' Pad Item # 126985 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.25 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$7.13 CAN
	Daffodil Delight 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon Item # 125583 Regular Price: $6.95 US/$9.50 CAN Discounted Price: $5.21 US/$7.13 CAN
	Labels Collection Framelits Die Item # 125598 Regular Price: $26.95 US/$32.95 CAN Discounted Price: $20.21 US/$24.71 CAN
	Flower Garden Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 123113 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Pool Party Classic Pad Item #126982 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.25 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.44 CAN
	Pear Pizzazz 3/4" Chevron Ribbon Item # 132567 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$12.50 CAN Discounted Price: $6.71 US/$9.38 CAN
	Winter Wonders Kit Item # 132567 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$10.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.97 US/$6.57 CAN

Get 'em while you can!

Mom's Birthday Card

So, I a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that it was my mother's 71st birthday and promised to show you the card I had made for her.  Well, today is the day!  Here it is...

Birthday card featuring the Backyard Basics stamp set with sentiment from Simply Sketched (Hostess) stamp set.

My mom is a HUGE gardener and loves orchids.  I thought this image, from the Backyard Basics set, looked like some of the orchids in my mom's collection, so I thought it would be the perfect focal image for her card.

She is also an avid reader, so I thought the Pretty Print TIEF would be a suitable way to add some texture.  Here is a quick rundown of how I put it all together:

• I stamped the floral image on watercolour paper using Staz On ink and then coloured it using a blender pen and markers.  Colours I used were:  Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Crushed Curry, Old Olive and Always Artichoke
• I die cut the coloured image using the coordinating Backyard Basics Framelits.
• The background is a piece of Crumb Cake card stock that I embossed using the Pretty Print TIEF and then lightly sponged using Soft Suede ink.
• The label is die cut using the Apothecary Accents Framelits.
• The sentiment is from the Simply Sketched hostess set and is stamped in Soft Suede.  The floral image on the label is stamped in Crumb Cake ink.
• I used Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon and a Vintage Trinket brad for the bow.
• The card base is Soft Suede

Inside view with sentiment from Full of Life (retired)

A special card for a special lady!  Have a great Monday, everyone!!

A Simply Sketched Birthday

Whew...TGIF!!  We made it to Friday...wahoo!  Tonight is my All About Birthdays Card Buffet and I am very excited!  It is going to be a great evening!  Here is a card I designed for the event using the Simply Sketched hostess set from the Annual Catalogue:

Generic birthday card featuring the Simply Sketched hostess set.

I love coming up with card designs that are generic...perfect for both men and women and suitable for multiple occasions.  This particular design could work as a sympathy card or a thank you simply by using one of the other sentiments included in the stamp set.

I really like this colour scheme...that pop of yellow is rather unexpected, but really adds interest to the design.  I used some of the twine from the Sweet Sorbet Accessory pack available starting next Tuesday in the Sale-a-bration brochure.

Inside view with sentiment from Petite Pairs.

I carried that bit of yellow inside the card, matting the sentiment with a label cut from Summer Starfruit card stock, using the Chalk Talk Framelits.

Try your hand this weekend at creating a generic card.  They are great to have on-hand! Have a super weekend everyone!!