Fell off the Crafting Wagon...

Hi friends!  Long time no talk!  A lot has happened in the last few weeks and it's just busy and made me so tired.  The kiddos have finally hit a stride with school which is awesome!  We have small obstacles with that but I'm hoping we'll overcome them soon.

At the beginning of August, I tried to start The 100 Days Project.  I did ok for a few days and then fell off the crafting wagon.  I got some news from a doctor that took me off guard and I kind of just felt knocked on my bum.  I will be FINE, it's a set back and I just have to be proactive towards getting healthier.  However, it took me for a loop and I just didn't feel like crafting for a really long time.  Do any of you ever deal with this?  I just don't feel like I can craft through it when I feel confused or unhappy.  Do you have tips for this?  If so, please let me know!

Here are a couple of the cards I made before I stopped crafting.

I really like this card.  I made it with some Amy Tangerine Stitched paper and stickers.  I think that since I loved this little camera sticker so much that I was going to love this card no matter what.  I really like the generational stamping as well.
 

Then on the opposite side, I did not like this card at all.  I used Crate Paper Notes and Things for this one.  It's just the layout that I don't like.  I really forced this one night because I felt like I HAD to make something.  Perhaps this is why I feel like I can't craft when I don't feel so good.  I feel like everything I make turns out badly.  I do love the little heart though.

Have a great day, friends!  

Remember, You are First Place

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well!  We are ok.  We are wrapping up Brady's school year this week.  Wish me luck with having him home for the next three months.  Parker has another month of preschool to go then we'll have some time to hang out and do fun stuff.

Today, I'm sharing a card I made for a magazine call that wasn't picked up.  It's a shame because I LOVE this card.  I still do.  I made this with some Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Styleboard paper and die cuts.  I added some Gold Metallic Divine Twine to this.  I also used a little washi tape, some wood Studio Calico veneer hearts that I colored with Copics and coated with glitter glue, and some inking around some of the edges with gold ink.  The stamp is Studio Calico/Hero Arts from a Studio Calico kit.  

Have a great day, friends!  

Stampendous Jan 2014 Challenge

Hi friends!  I hope you're having a great day!  I'm doing good.  Yesterday was the first day I felt fully better since I got sick last Sunday.  It was brutal.  I think it would have been much much worse had I not had a flu shot.  It felt like a flu but not as severe.  Avery on the other hand isn't get better.  Mostly because she's being a stinker about her medicine.  She spits it right back out.  Every.  Single.  Time.  I have no idea what to do.  

Today, I'm sharing a card I made for the Stampendous Jan 2014 Challenge which is to interpret your New Year's resolution onto a card.  Well, I don't do resolutions but I do One Little Word.  My OLW for this year is Accomplish and part of that is blogging and creating more.  I pulled out the one Stampendous stamp I have and got to work.  If you've been around my blog for a long time, you know that I used to do some vintage cards.  I'm a bit rusty, not gonna lie.  But if I don't practice, it won't come back.  I used some Crate Paper Maggie Holmes paper and ephemera.  I used mist on the image, a doily, lace tape, and some sequins.   The sentiment is a stamp from Flourishes.

Have a great day, friends!  

FBW #245

Hi friends!  I hope you are all doing well.  We are ok.  Still having van problems but hopefully this is the last of our problems.  Please keep your fingers crossed for us!  And we are wrapping up our couple weeks of non-stop birthdays so hopefully things will slow down for us.

This week's Flutter By Wednesday Challenge is a sketch from Kathy.  All you have to do is use the sketch and have a butterfly or fairy on your card to enter.  I love this sketch and tried to go a little outside the box with it.  I took the Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper paper (which I love) and punched the holes in it then I adhered it to the card with foam squares so there are little windows.  I added some Studio Calico wood veneer butterflies and stamped a Lawn Fawn sentiment.  Clean and simple but I'm pretty happy with it.

Have a great day, friends!  And don't forget to link up your creations on the Flutter By Wednesday Blog!  

May Arts and CardMaker Blog Hop (Giveaway)

Hi friends!  I hope that you are all doing well!  Today, I have a very special post for you.  I'm participating in the May Arts and CardMaker Magazine Blog Hop.  To start the hop, please go to the CardMaker Blog.  Be sure to leave comments on every blog because May Arts is giving away a prize to one lucky person, FOUR spools of ribbon!

I haven't made many cards in the last few months.  Since I had the baby, I feel like my creativity is back but my time is really limited.  That and I'm really sleep deprived.  I'm a little rusty at making cards so please bear with me.

My first card is actually featured in the banner!  :D  I was pretty excited when I figured that out!  I used a bunch of colors of May Arts 3/4" striped twill and 1/2" white crinkle ribbon.  The sentiment is from Fresh Squeezed Stamps.  

Here's a more vintage card.  I used May Arts 3/4" lace with pearl center, 1/4" trimming ringlets, and gold metallic string.  The paper is Pink Paislee and the stamp is Hero Arts.  

My next card is for when someone finds out they are having a little girl.  I used May Arts 1" solid woven check ribbon, 1/2" crotchet ribbon, 3/8" grosgrain striped and stitched, 5/8" satin scalloped edge, 5/8" satin pleats, 3/4" twill stripes, and 5/8" faux suede.  The stamps are Paper Smooches and I added a velvet flower.

And for my last card, I made another baby girl card because apparently I have baby girl on the brain.  I used May Arts 1/2" crotchet, 5/8" satin scalloped edge, and the 1 1/4" silk ribbons.  The stamps are Paper Smooches and the paper is Crate Paper.  

I hope you enjoyed my creations!  Next up on the hop is Candy Rosenberg.  Don't forget to leave comments to be entered in the giveaway!  Have a great day, friends!  

Happy WCMD!

Hi friends!  Happy World Card Making Day!  I hope you all have a very fun and creative day!  I have a busy day so I'm not sure if I will get a chance to craft but I wanted to share a card with you.

Today, I sharing a card for a contest at one of my FAVORITE online stores, Paper Issues!  I adore this shop and Cassie, the owner.  I always get fabulous things and great prices!  Here's my baby card.  I used Crate Paper Little Bo Peep, a Paper Smooches stamp set, and some May Arts Paper Raffia.  The ruffle was made with the outside part of a doily.

Have a wonderful World Card Making Day, friends!

PS If you are on Facebook, please go "like" Paper Issues and tell them I sent you.  There's a contest going on.  :)  

Deer Little One

Hi friends!  I hope you are having a great day!  I'm blogging on the My Thoughts Exactly Design Team Blog and thought I'd share my creation over here too.    

Today, I've decided to make a baby card because I know SO many people who are having babies right now.  It's such a joyful thing, isn't it?  I've noticed that a lot of my baby sentiments are the same and I was so happy to find this "Welcome Little One" sentiment in my More Mini Thoughts set.  The fonts on this set really lend themselves to any style of card making.  For this card, I decided to go with a more vintage look.  The image is from Wilson Designs.  The paper is Crate Paper and the lace tape is from Love My Tapes.  I used burlap string from May Arts and added some pearls, a doily, and a button.

Have a great day friends! 

Cute as a Cupcake

Hi friends!!!  Today is the BIG day.  Well, the sort of big day.  We are going in for our ultrasound to hopefully find out the gender of the baby.  Please keep your fingers crossed that baby decides to cooperate.  :)  

I'm blogging over on the My Thoughts Exactly Design Team blog and thought I would share my card here as well.  Today, I decided to show an older set that some of you might not have seen yet.  It's called Sweet Thoughts.  This set is packed full of mix and match sentiments that go well with images of sweet treats as well as some more general sentiments that you can use for everyday.

Here's my card for today.  I decided to make a card that can be used as an everyday card to say hello OR a birthday card.  Is that sentiment and font super cute?  I really really like the font on this set!  The image here is a Stickerz from EAD Designs.  The paper is from Studio Calico and the ribbon is from my stash.  I used a punch for some added interest.

Have a great day, friends!

Beautiful Friend with Doilies

Hi friends!  I hope you're having a wonderful day.  I have been better.  :(  Still have this awful cough that I can't seem to kick.  I think I bruised a rib from all the coughing.  But other than that, most of my symptoms have subsided.  Hopefully, I'll be better soon.

I'm blogging today over at the My Thoughts Exactly Design Team Blog and thought I would share my card with you here.

For my card, I created a background or my own patterned paper by using Versamark (watermark) ink and the Dainty Doilies set.  Versamark is fabulous because it works on pretty much any color card stock to make a monochromatic background.  I used the Mother's Day Subway Art for the sentiment.  This set is great for sentiments all year long.  Perfect for moms, friends, teachers, wives, and grandmas!  I used some red washi tape from Love My Tapes, white satin ribbon from Creating is Fun, and some papers from Crate Paper for this card.
Have a great day, friends!

Butterfly in the Sky

Hi friends!  I hope you all are having a beautiful day!  We had a pretty nice day even though I wasn't feeling well.  We had lunch, walked for a little bit, ran a couple errands, and ended the day firing up the BBQ for the first time this year.  There's a lovely breeze and everyone's in a good mood. 

Here's a card I made while I was chatting with my friend Savannah the other day.  Something VERY bizarre happened that day.  I had mojo and she didn't.  This is the FIRST time in all the years I've known Sav that this has ever happened.  Poor dear!  Moral the story, it happens to the VERY best and most creative crafters so be kind to yourself.  Onto my card.  I used a Unity butterfly image from {...moment by moment} and the sentiment is from My Thoughts Exactly More Mini Thoughts.  The paper is Crate Paper Paper Heart and I used the Cards Mag sketch for this.  

Have a great day, friends!  

Crafty Friends Challenge 1

Hi friends! I hope you're having a great day! I'm not doing that great. Yesterday, I had a huge meltdown. After being sick for 7 weeks, I just wept. I feel better emotionally today but physically worse. Gah! I sense round 5 of antibiotics in my future. Oh well.

I decided to play along with the Crafty Friends Challenge which is a brand new challenge put on by some of my favorite crafters like Beate Johns, Jenn Balcer, and Nina Brackett and several other talented ladies. Challenge 1 is vintage. Now, I have a confession. I had to remake the wedding card for Dustin's cousin because I decided to keep the first one I made them so I could submit it. :( I know. I'm horrible! But don't you worry, I personalized this one so I wouldn't be tempted to keep it as well. I used Crate Paper paper and stickers. The doily and the lace are from Creating is Fun. You NEED to shop at this store if you love making vintage things! Everything is 40% off right now if you use code: APRILFUN40.

Have a great day, friends!

MTE: April Release Hop (Giveaway)

Hi friends! I hope you are well! Today, is April 1 and that means that it's My Thoughts Exactly release day! YAY!

We are having a release blog hop with a GIVEAWAY! Your name will go in the drawing one time for each comment you leave on the DT Blogs so be sure to comment on each stop! Start the hop at Alyssa's Blog, the MTB Blog. That's where you should have come from because I am the second stop today.

I'll just jump in and show you my cards for this release. This first card is made using More Big Thoughts. I love that you can use this same sentiment for some many occasions! I made this card kind a generic so that I can use it for a wedding, engagement, or anniversary. The paper is Crate Paper and the lace is from Creating is Fun.

Next up is a card using Mini Thoughts. This set is perfect for small sentiment and making tags. With tons of interchangeable sayings, you'll have just the right sentiment for every card. The paper is Authentique and I used some Black Licorice Divine Twine.

My last card uses two of the bigger sentiments from Big Thoughts. Just in case you wanted to showcase your sentiment instead of having a smaller one. You can do this and make it a bit more bold. The paper here is Authentique and the string is from May Arts.

Go to the My Thoughts Exactly Store to pick up your new stamps! There are special bundle offers where you can save up to 20% off on the new release! Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win!

Head on over to BEE'S BLOG to continue the hop!

Without Measure

Hi friends! I hope you are well! I am not. :( I'm on a 7 day round of antibiotics right now and I am feeling horrible! Thankfully, D is off work on Fri and Sat for his "weekend" and hopefully I'll have some time to recover. I should probably stop going out and doing things too. I always push when I'm sick, thinking that I can get lots done. Bad idea. Enough about me!

Here's a card I made for the Love My Tapes Booth at CHA. My favorite thing about this card is the beautiful trim I got from Creating is Fun. How pretty is that? The paper and sticker on this card are Crate Paper, the stamp is Unity Stamp Co, and the lace tape is the 21mm white from Love My Tapes.

Have a great day, friends!

Thanks a Bunch and a Winner

Hi friends! I hope you are having a great weekend! I'm going to be crafting with some friends so that will be fun! I did a little more shopping this morning and I'm happy with all the deals I got. I plan on patronizing some businesses for Small Business Saturday as well. We already went to a family owned restaurant for lunch.

Here's a card I made for The Craft's Meow Nov/Dec sketch challenge. I used my only The Craft's Meow stamp for this, it's a Frieda stamp. The paper is Crate Paper Random and I used some Glitz Stickles for this as well. The ribbon is dyed seam binding.

And for the WINNER of my EAD/Whisker Graphics prize pack... Spip78! You win! Email me through the sidebar on the right with your address and I'll mail your prize.

Have a great day, friends!

Miss You

***For my Whisker Graphics giveaway, CLICK HERE***

Hi friends! I hope you're having a great day! This week is kind of dragging by if you ask me. I can't wait for the weekend!

Here's a card I made for a couple challenges. First, the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge for Sept-Oct. I was inspired again by the colors and the lovely feel of this photo. Next is the Flutterby Wednesday challenge 173, to use a butterfly on your card. And finally the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge. I used my Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler on this card. The paper is Crate Paper Random and I added some pearls and Black Licorice Divine Twine to this.

Have a great day, friends!

Holy Crap! I Scrapped!

Yes, I really do amuse myself with the titles of my posts sometimes. Seriously, if I don't amuse myself, who will?

A week ago, a good friend of mine moved across the country. I'm still pretty sad about this but we have Skype and email and text messages, I think we'll make it through. :) Kimberly and I met through her sister in law, Karen. However, Kimberly and I connected because she's a scrapbooker and I'm a stamper. For her going away gift, she wanted everyone to make her a scrapbook page and put our addresses on the back so she could keep in touch with us. Me? Scrapbook? Sigh...

I made 2 layouts. One of just Kim and I since we have had our fair share of girls nights. I had an unopened crafting kit from Crate Paper that I decided to use because it is just so pretty. The collection is called Blue Hill. I added some Love My Tapes fabric and lace tapes to this. I also added bling to the flowers and a little pink burlap string. Other than that, all the elements are from the Blue Hill crafting kit.

Here's another layout I did with a picture of my whole family. Ok, so Brady's a little cut off. It was the best I could do on short notice. We don't have a picture of the 4 of us together since Christmas. I used Echo Park's Playground for this layout. I added a little trim and wrote our names and that is that.

Have a great night everyone!