Little Kitteh ;)

Happy Saturday everyone! Each week, one of the Cuties has a designated day to post a fun new card on the 2 Cute Rubber Stamps DT blog. You guessed it - Saturday is MY day! if you aren't a follower over there you should definitely go sign up (you'll be entered to win a free stamp!!)

This week my card is cute and simple. I used darker cardstock colors to help the ultra-busy Basic Grey dp stand out. I handstitched the two pieces of dp together and then handstitched those two pieces to the orange cardstock. I also added two small "x" shaped stitches to my scalloped frame for the sweet little kitty.

My kitty is colored with Copics and I just think he is the sweetest image! His name is actually Cat-Knit and guess what? He, along with the other images by 2 Cute Rubber Stamps, are available in cling cushion AND digi now! How great is that? Check them out at the store.

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: SU Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Prismatics White, Basic Grey dp (Lime Rickey)
  
• Stamps: Cat-Knit
  
• Ink: printer
  
• Tools & Accessories: nesties, cuttlebug, ribbon, paper piercer, thread, Tim Holtz design ruler, copics

Call Me!

The other day my bestest girlfriends and I were discussing our aversion to the phone - more than a few of us avoid it! We text, IM, chat on Facebook and Splitocaststampers, and email like crazy. But actually call someone - no way! We will call each other, but not the "grown up" calls that are no fun (utility company, doctor's office, etc). It is so amusing to me that we all have so many funny little quirks in common.

This card was inspired by them, and one of them will end up with it I'm sure. I used an image from the January 2010 monthly mix, From the Heart. I've been trying to figure out how to use this phone and sentiment since I got the stamps a while ago. I *never* want anyone to call me. I usually let people leave me a message, and then try to figure out how I can get back to them by text or email. I'm odd, I know!

I hope my girlfriends are as amused by this as I am ;) They all share my sense of humor, so they should get it!

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: SU Old Olive, Bordering Blue, Basic Black, Prismatics White, Basic Grey dp (Offbeat)
  
• Stamps: LAD From the Heart
  
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
  
• Tools & Accessories: nesties, cuttlebug, ribbon, white gel pen, black zig pen, copics
  

Christmas Card Challenge

Several of my friends and I are doing a 2010 Christmas Card Challenge for ourselves. We each picked a number of cards to make that seemed manageable each month, and by the holidays we'll have enough without having to scramble! I love things like this - they keep me focused, motivated, and interested in the cards.

For January I chose a soft color palette that is a departure from "normal" holiday colors. I love to use non traditional schemes like this! I kept the card very simple, and made six (yes - 6!!!) in under an hour. Woohoo! What a productive morning :)

The only thing on my card that isn't made by Stampin' Up is this small white dew drop - but I could not resist adding it to the tree. I haven't made an all SU card in a while so this was a good exercise for me. I'm really trying to keep up with my New Year's goal of *using* what I have!

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: SU Groovy Guava, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, SU dp
  
• Stamps: Scandinavian Season, Warm Words
  
• Ink: SU Groovy Guava
  
• Tools & Accessories: paper piercer, Tim Holtz Design ruler, dew drop, guava ribbon

Valentine's Day Kit

Last spring I discovered an Office Depot that was going out of business and all of the goodies in the store were marked down to dirt cheap. I bought this pre-made set of cards for about $3.00 -- it is 20 mats with pre punched holes, 20 panels, 40 eyelets, and 20 long red envelopes. No way was I passing that up!

I finally got around to using them this weekend when I made ultra simple Valentine's Day cards for my girlfriends. They don't care if they get easy-peasy cards, lol! I used the Vintage Valentine set from Lizzie Anne Designs. I just stamped the tag, the sentiment, and stapled on a small piece of ribbon. I added sponging to three edges of the panel. On the envelopes I stamped candy hearts from the A Little Love set.

Here's a close up view of the tag I stamped on there. It's a great image to have in a set - everything coordinates with it so well!

Have a great day!

My Sketchbook

I *know* this is a terrible picture! It just wasn't happening for me today. My Ott Lite usually does the trick but perhaps the ultra gloomy weather had an impact. Oh well - hopefully you can at least get me general idea.

I recently bought a 3 pack of Moleskine Cahier squared notebooks. They are filled with graph paper so I can use them for quick and easy card sketches. They are also small enough to go in my tote bag, so I can pull one out whenever I have an inspiring idea!

I love Kraft and I knew that the journals would get knocked around inside my bag. I wanted to keep the decoration on the no-frills side, no embellies, nothing that could get detached. And I didn't want to cover up the Kraft with any dp. I simply stamped a flower (from the Garden Inspirations set) on it, added some leaves, and colored with Copics, Spica Glitter pen, and a white gel pen. Easy, quick, and I love it!

On the back of the journal is this stamp (again, awful pic). It's a bookplate and is part of the Singing in the Rain set (Lizzie Anne Designs' February 2010 Monthly Mix). I colored the swirly flowers with the Spica Glitter pen and dotted the circles with the white gel pen.

The whole project took about twenty minutes, and now I can sketch away!

It's Launch Day!

I'm SO excited today!! Why, you ask? It is launch day for the brand new stamp company 2 Cute Rubber Stamps, and I'm on the DT (aka The Cuties)!!! How stinkin' adorable are Heidi's first images? Be on the lookout for more, too - a little birdie told me a new line will be released in February.


Here is what you need to know right now about 2 Cute Rubber Stamps:

• each month on the DT blog there will be a challenge and everyone who plays will be given a chance to download a free digi image!
• the winner (who creates a card with the digi image) will get a free wood or cling mounted stamp from 2 Cute!
  
• stamps are currently available in wood mounted only, but red rubber cling mounted is coming soon!
• If you sign up as a follower of the DT blog this week, you will be in the running to win a *free* stamp from 2 Cute!
• Heidi absolutely loves input about what people would like to see on a stamp. So feel free to leave her a comment, or leave one on the DT blog, or contact a DT member and we'll pass it along!
• Everyday the DT blog will showcase a NEW project from a DT member. These girls are super talented, so be sure to check them out!!
  

Now for deets about my card. I love this Memory Box Sugar Plum dp so I wanted to be sure it played a large part on this. I chose the image because I thought it paired really well together. My owl and tree are colored with Copics, and the little guy's glasses have Ranger glossy effects on them. I hand stitched around both the image panel and the square of dp I added. On the tree I added small primas centered by dew drops, and I put some larger ones just above the image panel. Finishing it off is a piece of white organdy ribbon.

Be sure to check out the DT blog today for cards by all of The Cuties, and check their blogs as well! Links to their blogs are on the DT blog as well as on my righthand sidebar!


Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: Prismatics Suede Dark Brown, White, Memory Box dp (Sugar Plum)
  
• Stamps: Best of Friends Owl
  
• Ink: SU Mellow Moss
  
• Tools & Accessories: paper piercer, thread, prima flowers, dew drops, white organdy ribbon, Ranger glossy effects

I Never Use Gold!

I'm still making Valentine's Day cards, which is so much fun! I am also digging through my paper stash so that I can donate a whole pile of it to Beth Silaika and her amazing fundraising effort for Hannah's Hope Fund. I'm so glad I can help! This paper has been part of my collection for no less than five years - what a hoarder I am :)

I used one of Lizzie Anne Designs' newest sets, Vintage Valentine. I got out my gold Encore ink, which I have *never* used (gold isn't my thing - silver is) and decided to go nuts on this card. I added a small gold heart charm for fun. I don't have any jump rings so I used a small piece of black thread to tie it on. It worked, happily.

Have a wonderful day!

Rex

Nine years ago today I lost my stepfather to cancer. It was a long, hard road for him, and I'm still thankful every day that he is at peace. But I miss him terribly - the ache never goes away. I wish he was here, to give my daughter a pony and teach her how to ride it. And to help teach her so many of the valuable life lessons he taught me.

I'm so very glad he got to know my husband before we got married, and that I had a chance to tell him everything I needed to before he died. Honestly though, it is never enough time. He was 53 when he died. Far too young.

I will love you always, Rex. Everyday.

Exciting News! (Post #2 for today)

There is a new stamp company launching on Monday, January 25th, and it has the cutest images! I'm so excited to announce today that I was lucky enough to be chosen to be on their brand new design team to help launch the stamps! Joining me are six other super talented ladies:

• Heather's Heavinly Stampations
• Random Vintage Finds
• Crafty Paper Girl
• Stampin Twilight Mom
• Raindrop Echo Designs
• 62Cards-Creative & Crafty Chit Chat :)

And check out Heidi's blog (she's the creative mastermind behind these darling images)!

We officially launch on Monday - so stay tuned for new projects from everyone! In the meantime, check the 2Cute Rubber Stamps DT blog for a preview :)

Sparkly Wendy

I made this cutie card for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge this week - it's a great sketch! Like Mercy, I flipped my sketch. I loved the way hers turned out, so I had to do the same thing.

My super sweet image is by The Greeting Farm, from the set Never Ever. I can't find the set on their site anymore, so it may have retired. It has this Wendy image, a Peter Pan image about the same size, a tiny Tink, and several sentiments. I love it so much! Peter Pan is one of my all time favorites. I had kind of forgotten I had this set and rediscovered it by accident today - happiness!



I added stickles to the book and her hair bow, and used Inkssentials Glossy Accents on her glass lenses. I think the sparkle, combined with the glittery paper, is awesome!

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: Prismatics Butter Cream, SU Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise, DCWV Garden Party dp
  
• Stamps: TGF Never Ever
  
• Ink: Brown Stazon, Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Ink Walnut Stain
  
• Tools:cuttlebug, oval punches
  
• Accessories: skittles, ranger glossy accents, stickles

Two Challenges in One!

I love it when I can get more than one challenge accomplished in just one card - it always feels like a victory. This card's sketch is from the Lizzie Anne Designs Weekly Sketch Challenge, and the color palette was inspired by this week's Cupcake Inspiration Challenge at Hope Stamps Eternal.

I asked my friend Victoria to randomly pick a stamp set for me to use, and she suggested In the Meadow. It turned out to be a perfect match for this sketch (she's a genius, that V!). The extra twist on the sketch challenge (if you aren't a regular player - Lizzie Anne sketches always feature an "extra" challenge along with their sketches) was to add layer - think embellishments.

All of my panels are sponged to help add to the depth of the layers. I used two grosgrain ribbon colors to add to the effect, too. My square doodads are Pez-a-Bling - cute, huh? i thought the square shape echoed the card well. The bottom edge of the card is punched with a Martha Stewart edge punch.

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: Prismatics Butter Cream, SU Cameo Coral, Barely Banana, Kiwi Kiss, Prima dp (Lucid Collection)
  
• Stamps: LAD In the Meadow
  
• Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Cameo Coral, So Saffron
  
• Tools: Martha Stewart edge punch, sponge
  
• Accessories: ribbon, pez a bling

Flowers for a Friend

A very good friend lost someone close to her this weekend and I wanted to send her a card to let her know how much I cared. I really loved this month's Design Team Challenge at Lizzie Anne Designs - to use an older stamp set, so I decided to do it again.

I pulled out Heaven & Nature, which is actually a Christmas set. But I think the peace lily image is perfect for sympathy cards, too. I paired it with the "peace" sentiment from Just Words (which I am fairly sure is retired). I kept the color palette earthy and warm, like my friend likes. For once I didn't sponge anything - I tried to be simple. The lily panel is hand stitched to the panel with the dp and ribbon. And see the frayed edges on my ribbon? Try as I might, I could not stop it from doing that. I suppose this could be an excuse to buy new snippers!

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: Prismatics Suede Brown Dark, Herbal Garden Dark, Butter Cream
  
• Stamps: LAD Heaven & Nature, Just Words
  
• Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Walnut Stain
  
• Tools: paper piercer, Tim Holtz ruler, oval punches
  
• Accessories: brown thread, green satin ribbon

A Design Team Challenge

This month the ladies at Lizzie Anne Designs threw down a challenge to make a card using an older set. So fun! I needed to make a birthday card for a good friend, so I dusted off High Hellos and went to work.

The card may look simple, but looks can be deceiving! The stack of presents was stamped five times. Once on white cardstock to provide a base, and then again on four different colors of Basic Grey dp (Eva and Urban Prairie). Each present was cut out separately and adhered to the white base. The multicolored dp on the bottom is also BG's Urban Prairie. I cut the piece along the diamond edge of its design, for an interesting edge to the piece. The ovals were also cut from dp.

On the long rectangular panel I used my Tim Holtz design ruler to paper pierce around the embossed edge and then hand-stitched it with a combination of green and black thread. To make the thread appear thicker I doubled it up, so that there are actually four threads per stitch.

Finishing off the card are a piece of green striped American Crafts ribbon (I found a bunch of little spools on sale at AC Moore, and who can resist a sale??) and six white dew drops. I can't resist the dew drops!

I forgot to take a picture before I wrote in it, but the inside of the card features another set I haven't used in quite awhile - Fun to Be Floral (which is retired and no longer available). I used the largest flower images in the top corner, a smaller one around the edges, and the happy day sentiment in the bottom corner. It's really cute!

I really hope my friend likes this card - she is an amazing stamper and wonderful person so I wanted to make her something special for her birthday.

Be sure and check the Lizzie Anne blog for more challenge cards, and the blogs of the other ladies on the DT - lots of amazing samples with older sets today!

AJ Otto

Jeanne Streiff

Jeni Allen

Joslyn Nielson

Kendra Wietstock

Maren Benedict

Tiffany Ervin

Tricia Ulberg (Lizzie)

Wendy Price

It's Missing Something

This is most definitely missing something, but I cannot decide what. I tried some ribbon, some dew drops, a small metal clip, and a button. I didn't like any of it. So for the time being I gave up, and will revisit this card in a few days!

Why am I showing you a card I don't love yet? Well, for one, it uses a sweet new sentiment from the Card Quotations set by Lizzie Anne Designs. Card Quotations is one of the four new Sixlets that were recently introduced into the product line! My other reason is to share with everyone that things don't always go smoothly during crafty time! We all make mistakes, cards and projects with flaws, and things that need more "hatch time". I'm trying hard to remind myself of that everyday - things are much more enjoyable when you don't worry as much about the end product and have fun with the process!

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Prismatics White, Basic Grey Mellow dp
  
• Stamps: LAD Card Quotations, School Days
  
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Pacific point
  
• Tools: aquapainter, circle punch, paper piercer, Tim Holtz ruler, sponge
  
• Accessories: green thread
  

February Mix Preview!

It's preview day for the February Monthly Mix! The mix this month is called Singing in the Rain and it is FULL of adorable images! I'm having a hard time picking favorites out of this bunch.

Here are a couple of cards I've made with images from this set. Look for lots more to come in the near future! If you aren't a member of the Monthly Mix Club, you seriously should be. For information on all of the discounts and benefits and how to sign up, go here.



And here is a look at the whole set - fabulous, isn't it?

Also, be sure to check out the other rockstar blogs today - lots of samples are being shown with this set. Links are to the right -------->

Have a great day!

From the Heart Samples

I have an article over at Craft Critique today - it is all about cardstock. For the article I made these two samples, each with different kinds of cardstock. For both samples I used From the Heart, the January Monthly Mix from Lizzie Anne Designs.

Check out my article if you have time!

Little Pink Princess

This cute little card is for this week's Mojo Monday sketch - it was perfect for this princess! She is from the new set of sixlets by Lizzie Anne Designs, A Little Love. If you don't know about the sixlets yet, here is some info:

Sixlets are meant to be a step in between our Simply Singles stamps and our Little Bits stamp sets. Each Sixlets stamp set has (you guessed it) six stamps. Sixlets are also unique because they utilize the same packaging that we are currently using for our Monthly Mix stamp sets. We will be posting a PDF file of the cover design with each product that you are welcome to print out for FREE. The stamps come in a simple envelope, and if you would like to purchase a storage case you may do so for an extra $1.00. This saves money on packaging so that we may offer you these stamp sets at a great price... $11.99 per set (only $2 per stamp!)

I used the newest digi paper that coordinates with this adorable set. It is also called A Little Love (so it is easy for me to remember, lol)! I love that Lizzie Anne makes digi paper that compliments their stamps :)

I promised my 4 year old I would share with everyone that she is the mastermind behind this card. She picked the stamp (it's her absolute favorite image ever, I think), the two dp's, and the card base color. She also asked me to put a big flower on it. Not bad choices for a munchkin, huh? She's going to be an awesome crafter!!!

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise, Prismatics White, LAD A Little Love dp
  
• Stamps: LAD A Little Love
  
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
  
• Tools: copics, spica glitter pen, corner rounder
  
• Accessories: prima flower, handmade heart accessory
  

Yellow Flowers

Here is another card using the newest product from Lizzie Anne Designs - sixlets. Sixlets are smaller than a regular set (and less expensive too!). This set is called Spring Rain. My sketch is from this week's LAD Sketch Challenge (yay - check another challenge off my list this week!). Meridith's extra twist was to use complimentary colors in the design. I went with yellow and peach; not only are they complimentary they turned out kind of monochromatic!

My dp is actually digital paper by Lizzie Anne Designs. It's called Grungy Dots and has an awesome spread of colors in it! I had a lightbulb moment the other day about digi paper and realized that if I printed on both sides of my paper I'd end up with double sided dp -- duh!!!!! The cool thing about Lizzie Anne's digital paper is that it is available for purchase in either 8.5"x11" or 12"x12", which is so convenient. They have so much paper available and lots of the packs are designed to go with existing stamp sets.

The edges of each panel are sponged for a little extra depth. I added the black dots around the flower image to help set it off some. The final finishers for the card were the ribbon and dew drops - I just love the one in the center of the flower.

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: Apricot Appeal, Barely Banana, Prismatics White, LAD Grungy Dot dp
  
• Stamps: LAD Spring Rain
  
• Ink: Apricot Appeal, So Saffron
  
• Tools: sponge
  
• Accessories: ribbon, dew drops, brads, zig marker
  

A Vintage Valentine

I *love* vintage cards! The sponging, the distressing, the pretty images - they give me such a warm, fuzzy feeling! I was SO super excited when I first saw this new Lizzie Anne Designs set, Vintage Valentine - I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!

You can't really tell in the picture, but I stamped the old SU background French Script on my main panel. I used the flourished heart from the Vintage Valentine set at the top of that panel. The edges are sponged with Tim Holtz Distress Inks. For my darling cupid image, I embossed him using Tim Holtz Distress ep in walnut stain. I added a sentiment from the set inside the heart and then sponged and distressed the edges.

Finishing off the card are two pieces of ribbon and two dew drops. I was stressed out because I couldn't find my plain chocolate grosgrain ribbon anywhere but I have decided I like this ribbon!

If you haven't seen all of the new release stamps, be sure to check them out here, or in this post on my blog! Have a great day!

Materials:

• Cardstock/Paper: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Prismatics Butter Cream
  
• Stamps: LAD Vintage Valentine, SU French Script
  
• Ink: Tim Holtz Ranger Distress - antique linen, walnut stain; Versamark, Riding Hood Red
  
• Tools: sponge, heat gun, Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - walnut stain
  
• Accessories: ribbon, dew drops

NEW Stamps from Lizzie Anne Designs!

Lizzie Anne Designs released their winter stamps yesterday, and this release is huge! All of the stamps are available for purchase in the store.

The Little Bits sets are:

In The Kitchen



Vintage Valentine
And introducing a BRAND NEW product....Sixlets! Lizzie Anne Designs says:

Sixlets are meant to be a step in between our Simply Singles stamps and our Little Bits stamp sets. Each Sixlets stamp set has (you guessed it) six stamps. Sixlets are also unique because they utilize the same packaging that we are currently using for our Monthly Mix stamp sets. We will be posting a PDF file of the cover design with each product that you are welcome to print out for FREE. The stamps come in a simple envelope, and if you would like to purchase a storage case you may do so for an extra $1.00. This saves money on packaging so that we may offer you these stamp sets at a great price... $11.99 per set (only $2 per stamp!)

Here they are!


A Little Love
Card Quotations
Banner Birthday


Spring Rain



The mailman JUST showed up with my stamps, so I am planning to play tonight after dinner while we watch football! I'll have fun new samples to show you tomorrow or Monday, and in the meantime you can check the Lizzie Anne blog for samples. Also, check the other rockstars' blogs -- samples will be popping up everywhere! Links are on the right side of my blog.