Finding inspiration

I have to confess, I'm not the most creative or original when it comes to card making. Many (most) of my ideas come from things I've spotted on other people's blogs. Another blog I go to for inspiration is Hemidemisemiquaver Design Blog. I love Becky's creation that she did for the PTI design team challenge. The challenge was to use 4 or more different patterned papers in one card. When I read that, I admit I was pretty skeptical about how that could look good. One look at her card set and I was converted. Here's my take on her layout---you can see I wasn't as brave, I stuck with a monochromatic color scheme.


Recipe
Cardstock: PTI White, black and smokey shadow
Sentiment: PTI Everyday Classics
DP: PTI, Daisy Bucket Dinner with friends and Cocktail Party. Also one little scrap of paisley paper that I've long since forgotten the details on.
Flower embellishment: Making Memories Black Tie

This one uses the PTI raspberry fizz DP.

Recipe
Sentiment: PTI Handwritten notes
Cardstock: PTI white and raspberry fizz
Ink, DP, button, ribbon: PTI raspberry fizz

Another great place for inspiratory is Nichole Heady's blog. I love what she did here with the On my couch and Damask designs sets...so I CASE'd it. I also love how a lot of bloggers are using decorative paper inside their cards. It adds such a nice touch. It also helps me to use up some of this DP that I've been hoarding!!!

Recipe
Cardstock: PTI kraft, white, and enchanted evening
Stamps: On my couch, Damask designs
DP: PTI

Where do you go when you need a little crafting inspiration?

Happy crafting!

Everyday Button Bits

I've never been big on buttons in my cardmaking, but it has to be said that I LOVE this stamp set. I'm not sure you could make an "un-cute" card with it if you tried.

Recipe
Cardstock: PTI soft blush, raspberry fizz, white
Stamps: PTI Everyday Button Bits
DP: PTI
Ink: PTI ripe avocado, raspberry fizz
Buttons: PTI
soft blush, raspberry fizz, melon berry
Ribbon: PTI melon berry

I was a little bit upset when I realized PTI hadn't released buttons in pure poppy until I saw how pretty this turned out with scarlet jewel.

Recipe
Stamps: PTI Everyday button bits
Cardstock: SU mellow moss, PTI scarlet jewel and white
Ink: PTI Ripe avocado and scarlet jewel
Ribbon and buttons: PTI scarlet jewel

Could these birds be any cuter???

Recipe
Cardstock: PTI Spring rain and white
Ink: Palette Noir and PTI enchanted evening
DP: PTI
Buttons: PTI white, enchanted evening and spring rain
Ribbon: PTI spring rain.

Loving this set!
Happy crafting!

Even more challenges

These are more of the fourth of July weekend challenges. The first was just to use a bird.

Recipe
Stamps: SU Always, sentiment PTU Handwritten notes
DP: Basic Grey Lime Rickey
Cardstock: PTI Lemon tart, hibiscus
Ribbon: PTI hibiscust

This challenge was to make a yellow card.

Recipe
Cardstock: PTI Summer sunrise, pure poppy, white
Stamps: PTI Floral Frenzy
Ink: PTI Summer sunrise, pure poppy
DP: K&Co Wild Saffron Collection

Only one more post of these July challenges. Then it's on to the August challenges. Oh yes, there are August challenges too...

Happy crafting!

More challenges

So these are more of the fourth of July weekend challenges. The challenge on this card was to use fabric. It's not super creative, but I do like that the heart punch was able to punch through this this material. It's an old scrub top of mine.



Cardstock: PTI kraft, white
Sentiment: PTI handwritten notes
Ink: PTI Spring rain
Button: PTI vintage with hemp/twine


This challenge was actually to do something to do an "explosion" image. I love this little humming bird. It's from a really neat stamp set (one of Kimberly's). Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the set.

Recipe
Stamps: humming bird- unknown, sentiment CHF motivational centers
Cardstock: PTI soft stone and scarlet jewel
Ink/ Ribbon: PTI scarlet jewel

More to come...
Happy crafting!

Can we pretend this is really JULY 4th???

These would make a little more sense around the 4th of July, but oh well...
These are more challenge cards from 4th of July weekend.
If I recall correctly, this first card challenge was to make a card with as many buttons as possible, and still have it be pretty. Not very imaginative in my button use, but I like it.

Recipe:
Stamps: PTI Star Prints and punch
Cardstock: PTI kraft and pure poppy
Ink: PTI vintage cream
Ribbon: PTI vintage cream
DP: K&Co Blue Awning
Buttons: PTI vintage


Recipe
Stamp sentiment: PTI Star Prints
Ink: PTI pure poppy
Cardstock: PTI pure poppy
DP: K&Co Blue Awning, SU Summer Picnic

More to come...
Happy crafting!

June

Hi all, as usual it's been quite some time since I actually posted something here. It's been a busy month. I went to Camp Aldersgate for Muscular Dystrophy camp for a week, then lots of birthday festivities, my dear old friend Esther and her kids were in town visiting, I went to Memphis to see Wicked, and finally my nephew Will was Baptised this weekend.
Here are a couple pics from the Baptism.




Now seriously, don't I have the cutest nephews ever???
I was overstaffed at work yesterday and today. Monday I was completely lazy and caught up on some much needed sleep. Today I was actually a little bit productive and had a little creative burst.
This first card is a CASE of one I did a few posts ago. This time, I used tissue paper for the flower. Sorry, I can't remember which blog I got that idea from, but I love it!


Recipe:
Cardstock Lavender moon, ink raspberry fizz, button, DP, Sentiment (Handwritten Notes) all PTI. Flower tissue paper.


This card was inspired by this cardand she was inspired by the SCS Color Challenge #225, and a Monday Mojo sketch #93.

Recipe: Cardstock PTI Vanilla, SU Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, DP K&Co Wild Saffron, Ribbon PTI Summer Sun, Stamps Retro Boutique by Rupa Shevde for Gina K. Designs, Sentiment PTI Damask Designs.

Hope all of you are having a wonderful summer!
Happy crafting,

The latest

The past couple of weekends I've been pretty productive (As far as crafting goes; housework, not so much).
This is a CASE of Dawn's card's color scheme and layout. Check out her blog. You'll be glad you did.

Here's a close up of the sentiment- "Tanks a lot". How cute is that?

Recipe: PTI Cardstock, DP, Ink, ribbon. Images and Sentiment Amy's Boutique from Amy R. Stamps

These next two cards were made with decorative paper scraps and a cute little chick.

Recipe: Cardstock, ink, ribbon, sentiment PTI, DP K and Company, Chick stamp ?clear dollar stamps--I've thrown away the packaging

Recipe: Cardstock, ink, ribbon sentiment PTI, DP Basic Gray Lily Kate, Chick stamp ?clear dollar stamps--I've thrown away the packaging

This card was inspired by me wanting to try out this paper pleating technique. YaYa Kimberly shared this ribbon that worked perfectly with the paper and buttons.


Recipe: Cardstock,ink, buttons, sentiment PTI, ribbon ?Michael's. DP PTI and Basic Gray

This next card is my attempt at this Splitcoast sketch challenge:


Recipe: DP, ink, cardstock, stamps SU, sentiment PTI
Below is my favorite. It was inspired by this wide paisley ribbon that Kimberly shared. I also tried out this little technique I've been seeing out in the blog-o-sphere. I layered graduated circles/ scalloped circles. I crumpled the top black circle then straightened it out and distressed the edges. The cardstock actually started separating into two pieces. Very cool.


Recipe: cardstock, ink, DP PTI, ribbon and brad unknown treasures from Kimberly's stash.

Anyway, that's about all I've got to share. Have a great week!
Happy crafting!

A few cards

This month I had a couple of baby cards to make. First is a card made for Audra and the soon-to-be-born Mason.

Recipe:Cardstock PTI, DP Basic Grey Lily Kate, Stamps Whipper Snapper Bundle of Joy, Ribbon PTI

This card was for Wendy and her twins Cason Paul and Marcy (I'm not too sure if that's how they're spelled). Wendy's twins came a bit early and last I heard were doing well in the hospital trying to figure out the whole eating thing.

Recipe: Cardstock PTI, DP Basic Grey Lily Kate, Stamps Whipper Snapper Designs Bundle of Joy

Here are a few cards I made at a crop night. I still haven't gotten too into the scrapping thing so I made cards.

Recipe: Cardstock, Stamps (Everyday Classics), ribbon, ink all by Paper Trey Ink, DP Stampin Up


Recipe: Cardstock (kraft,black, raspberry fizz and white), ribbon, ink, stamps all by Paper Trey Ink


Recipe: DP Stampin Up Summer Picnic, Sentiment PTI Handwritten Notes

YaYa Stacie had a card making class at the crop night. She showed us how to make two cool pop-up cards. She got the templates off of this site. Robert Sabuda is an incredibly talented pop-up illustrator. I have a couple of his pop-up books. They are so intricate and detailed. Our cards were very basic, but still give a neat "wow" effect when you open them. I had lots of fun opening mine up repeatedly once I got all the kinks worked out.

Recipe: Robert Sabuda pop-up template, white cardstock, markers


Recipe: Cardstock and ribbon Paper Trey Ink, DP Stampin Up Summer Picnic, Sentiment Paper Trey Ink Everyday Classics


Recipe: Cardstock, Ink, DP, Stamps (Life) all Paper Trey Ink

Back to work...

Ten days of not having to go to work has been wonderful, but all good things must come to an end. I'll be reporting back to work bright and early tomorrow morning. Can't wait to see all the mail and other fun stuff that'll be piled up for me...
I got in a little crafting today with YaYas Debbie and Kimberly. Here's what I came up with:

Recipe: PTI Melon berry paper, ribbon, buttons, dark chocolate DP, new leaf buttons. Stamps ??? a cute set I gave Kimberly for Christmas. The sentiment reads: "Trees teach us to stay grounded but also to never stop reaching for the sky".

A sympathy card:

Recipe: SU Soft Sky cardstock, Spring silhouettes DP, PTI New leaf cardstock and ribbon, PTI sentiment.

Here are some springy/ summery cards:

Recipe: PTI Summer sun and Pure poppy cardstock, PTI sentiment from Handwritten Notes, SU Washington Apple DP, Dress image Retro Boutique by Rupa Shevde for Gina K. Designs.

Recipe: PTI Pure poppy cardstock, Summer sun grosgrain ribbon, SU Washington Apple DP, Bikini image Amy's Boutique from Amy R. Stamps.
Hope you have a great week. Happy crafting!