Halloween/Fall Haul

It's been over two months since I've posted anything!  I've still made some cards but I just haven't had a chance to post them here or participate in any card challenges.  I know once the weather cools off a bit and fall really settles in, I'll be back at my craft table on a regular basis pumping out cards.

I wanted to share with you all the new stamps I've purchased recently.  The Wal-Mart by my house recently remodeled and along with that came a lot of new craft merchandise they didn't carry before so I got carried away and bought up a whole bunch of new stuff, which is mostly for Halloween.  Everything you see in the pictures were .97 cents each! (.62 GBP) (.72 EUR)

I'm still reading all of your blogs but I just haven't been commenting.  I'll be back soon!

Congrats Greg and Anna

Michael and I were in our friends' Greg and Anna's wedding yesterday.  Here is the card I made for them.  I used flat backed pearls and took three different embossed papers and created a wedding cake and used silver ink for the Husband & Wife and the decorative stamp.  

Less Is More Challenge Week 26

This week's challenge at LIM is Feeling Fruity.  I woke up with no plans for the whole day so when I looked at the challenge this morning and saw it has something to do with fruit, I was a little disappointed as I don't have a single stamp or anything that has to do with fruit.  It was a perfect excuse to go to the craft store, a place I've been trying to stay away from because I spend too much money there.  But being I've been pretty good for about 3 weeks, I rewarded myself with some fruit stamps.  I wanted to add more but left it knowing it is CAS.

Less Is More Challenge Week 25

Unfortunately, I missed out on last week's LIM challenge and that was the first one I didn't do since May when I started these challenges.  I was just too busy but I made sure I could do this one.  This week's challenge is to use ribbon or buttons.  I've chosen buttons for my card.  Glad to be back and a part of the group this week again. :)  The sentiment is yellow and heat-embossed to match the flowers.

Happy Birthday

My friend's birthday is next week and my aunt's birthday is Sunday so I made a card for each of them.  I do have to say that I was pressed for time on both of these but I thought I'd show them off here anyways.

My friend Jill loves coffee, especially Starbucks coffee so I decided to go with a coffee theme and I put a gift card for Starbucks into the card also.

My aunt Terri loves flowers and has a lovely garden of her own on their hobby farm so I took this gorgeous flower stamp and heat embossed it with gold.

Less Is More Challenge Week 23

This week's challenge as Less is More is a one layer card that has something with legs.  I knew immediately what stamp I wanted to use and decided it to keep it truly CAS.

5x5 card

Stampendous stamp

Fiskars Quote Clear Stamps-Just Married collection

LePlume II marker for the flowers 

Baby Shower

I am going to a baby shower for my cousin tomorrow so I made a card tonight for her.  She's due in August and will be having a boy.  They've decided to name him after the father, Paul.  So little Paul Junior will be known as PJ.  I am happy of how this card turned out!

Materials Used:

Core'dinations cardstock embossed with Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder-Sanded the swiss dots

Nesties Labels One

Cuttlebug alphabet dies

Cuttlebug Baby Die 

Flatback pearls as the baby carriage wheels 

Self-adhesive blue ribbon

Hello!

I want to say hello to all my new followers I have had in the last few weeks!  I apologize for not saying hi sooner.  I've pretty much only used this blog for posting my challenge cards however I'm going to make an effort to photograph my other cards and creations so you can see them. While I'm not new at blogging, I'm still very new at making cards and writing on this blog.  I'll be back posting very soon for you all!

I'll leave you with one of the first cards I made back in May.  I made this for my boyfriend's dad as he had just had full knee replacement surgery and this was his get well card.

Less Is More Challenge Week 22

When I first looked at this week's color challenge of shades of blue at Less is More I thought, easy!  Then I sat down and started making card after card with nothing that I liked.  I'm leery to even submit this card but I'm just not feeling it today.

Materials Used:

5x5 white card

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection- French Market

Sentiment: $1 stamp at Michael's

Ink: Memento in Bahama Blue, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Broken China and Inkadinkado in Sky Blue

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Less Is More- Week 21 Challenge

I look forward to waking up every Saturday morning and heading to my computer to see what this week's LIM challenge is going to be.  This week's challenge is a sketch as follows:

As long as the basic sketch was the same, our creativity is free to run wild.  Here is what I came up with:

I used a white 5x5 card adding matted layers.  I used three different types of patterned paper for the flowers which is a Cuttlebug die.  I then used a stamp that I got in the $1 bin at Michael's.  I haven't made a single card since last week's challenge so it was good to sit back at my craft desk again and I have a feeling I'll be making some more cards today.

Less Is More- Week 20 Challenge

This week's challenge at Less is More is a Monogram.  I couldn't come up with any ideas for this one right away but once I started working, it just started to flow.

The "S" I printed from the computer.  The embossing is Swiss Dots from a Cuttlebug folder and finally the swirls are from Sizzix.  The "S" is for my mom, Sheila.

Less is More- Week 19 Challenge

This week's challenge at Less is More is In The Frame.  It also has to be a one layer card.  Plain and simple, I like the way my card turned out and I'm proud of myself in my infant stages of card making.  This is the first time I've used a card of this size, which is 5 x 5 inches. I used Tim Holtz stamps for the frame and butterflies and the sentiment was a stamp I picked up at Michael's in their $1 bin.  I colored the stamp with Le Plume II markers.  Now if I can just figure out a better way to photograph my cards with just a digital camera.  I can't get enough light without a flash or shadow.

***Update*** I edited the card with Picasa as some of you have suggested on your blog.  Thanks!

Bike Ride

My boyfriend participates in a bike ride every year which raises money for Multiple Sclerosis, or MS.  The bike ride is 150 miles or 241 km for my metric peeps. :)  I've never participated in the ride myself, however I'm his cheerleader on the sidelines.  I usually give him a good luck card before the ride and of course this year, I decided to make it.

I wanted to buy a bicycle stamp but I didn't have time so I tried using a digi stamp for my first time.  While it's easy to download and resize, I still haven't gotten the hang of how to actually print the digi stamp on your card in the correct place so I printed it on card stock and cut it out.  It was hard for me to make this card because I'm used to making more feminine cards but I wanted it to have a masculine or at least unisex feel.  I have to admit I had a difficult time with any creativity and I ended up making it odd in my opinion.  I purposely chose patterns and colors that don't necessary match and the end result?  I think it turned out really good!  This was also the first time that I've used a 5 x 7 card. (I usually use A2 sized cards-5.5 x 4.25 in) Because I am so new to card making, I haven't invested in any type of markers/pens to color the stamp so it's just the way it printed off however I used some distressed ink to make some grass and sky.  The bike ride is tomorrow so I will be giving him this card later tonight or maybe tomorrow morning.  I also created a poem on the inside of the card, which is supposed to be serious and funny at the same time and stamped "Enjoy the Journey".  I know he'll love it.

Less Is More Challenge Week 18

This week's challenge at Less is More is Monochrome. The definition for Monochrome provided is as follows:

adjective

Definition:

1. in shades of one color: using or displaying only shades of one color or black and white.

I made two cards because I couldn't decide on just one.  My cards are so simple this week.  I used a floral stamp from Tim Holtz and different colors of Tim Holtz Distressed Inks (all within the same color scheme) on the beige card stock and then the same stamp in black on white card stock.  I'll let you be the judge of which one you like best!



Jamie's Birthday

For my sister's birthday, I made her two things.  One, her birthday card and two, a shadow box with butterflies in it.  I picked pink and black because those are the colors of my sister's room.  I embossed each butterfly and put a flat backed pearl on each one. I bent up the wings of the butterflies just enough where they don't hit the glass.  She loved it and she is going to hang it in her bathroom, which is off of her bedroom.  She has been looking for something to hang in her bathroom and she said this will be perfect.  While I didn't envision it in a bathroom when I made it, I think it will be perfect in there.

Wedding Card

My friends Brenna and Darnel recently got married and unfortunately I was unable to make it to their wedding due to being out of town.  I did make them a card though and instead of it being traditionally formal, I decided to mix it up a little and do something a little more contemporary.  I embossed both layers of the card and used Provo Craft Cuttlebug die cuts for the letters.  I then added flat back pearls to the first letter of their names.  The XOXO on the envelope is from a Martha Stewart punch.

Less is More- Week 17 Challenge

This week's challenge at Less is More is Squares.  We can pick a square and the rest would be white space.  This was not my first card I made for this challenge but this was the best one and I'm that fond of this one either.  I used distressed ink for the hearts.  

My Debut!

Now only did I just start this blog recently, I've kept it private until today when I've opened it up to everyone to read.  I also just started making cards earlier this month and I'm already entering my first challenge. I found the blog, Less is More and I've fallen in love with their ideas, challenges and all of the participants.  This week's challenge is Butterfly/Butterflies.  I thought this might be a perfect way to introduce myself into the challenge.

My card is black and green.  I just bought a heat tool and some glitter embossing powder so I heat embossed the sentiment and butterfly.  The butterfly is a stamp I cut out and then mounted to the card but you can't really see how raised it is in the picture. I probably shouldn't have used a green base and background for photographing but you get the idea.  One of the hardest parts was getting a decent picture.

Without further ado, here is my first challenge submission!  Critique away!

My (Un)Creative Story

I've always wanted to be creative.  I've never thought of myself as such.  Aren't left handed people typically the artsy, crafty, musical type?  Not me.  I'm quite the opposite in my little brain.  I have an analytical mind.  While I'm not particularly strong at math, I'm a number cruncher.  But I've always had that want to be creative.

I started out trying out scrapbooking.  I invested in many materials but once I actually sat down to create a scrapbook page, I was stuck...and frustrated.  I decided that I liked the idea of scrapbooking more than actually doing it.  That was the end of that idea.

A handful of years later, I tried knitting.  I taught myself using YouTube and pamphlet-type books.  Knitting is supposed to be a relaxing hobby but I realized I am a tight knitter and the process of actually knitting was tense. After making a coaster for my boyfriend, I hung up my knitting needles.

I don't know if people who bake are considered creative, but I consider them creative and an art.  I love making different types of Christmas cookies and food projects.  I've made chocolates with different colors and molds for a few years for Easter and while I don't always like my results, I like painting with chocolate and creating delicious desserts for people to eat.

And now here I am making cards. I made a New Year's Resolution that I would start writing and sending letters and cards more often.  Who doesn't love getting a card from someone whether they've passed it to you or sent it in the mail?  I want people to feel special with a letter or card.  To assist me in my resolution, one of my blogger friends sent me a homemade stationery set that she bought from one of her blogging friends Etsy shop.  I also checked out her Etsy store and purchased many different sets of cards that she made so I could send them to my friends and family for occasions and after having them for a bit, I was inspired...inspired to have a go at making my own cards.

I went to a local craft store and bummed around just looking at all the different papers, cardstock, stamps, ink pads, tools, etc.  I had a lot to learn.  I didn't even understand the concept of acrylic stamps just two months ago.  I didn't buy a thing but researched all different websites and videos of what all this stuff was for and how to use it.  I kept making trips to the craft store, again only looking.  For whatever reason, it was a big commitment to actually purchase materials to start making cards.  I finally took the plunge May 1, 2011 and purchased some items.  My biggest purchase was my Cuttlebug, which is an embossing and die cut machine.  I bought some cardstock, envelopes, ink pads, stamps and some embellishments.  My card making supplies keep growing and my most recent purchase is a heat tool and embossing powders.  I keep graduating to the next level of card making by buying additional supplies, which has become very expensive.  But you know what?  I love making cards.  Am I the best?  Absolutely not.  Am I good?  Maybe.  Am I getting better?  Absolutely.  I've made about twenty cards since starting and I can see my progression.  I'm excited to sharpen my skills and broaden my creativity.  Card making doesn't always come easy for me.  I sit there at my homemade crafting table and stare.  I look at my materials.  I stare some more.  It's only when the creative juices start flowing do I get on a roll and then I don't want to stop.

I plan to use this blog as a way to display my creations.  I don't care if I don't have any followers or visitors to this blog as it's for me.  But don't get me wrong, if you like my creations, please follow! :)

Mother's Day

This is the Mother's Day card I gave my sister. 

I forgot to take a picture of the one to my mom until after she had opened it and I had written in it.  The lighting isn't very good.

And finally the card I made for my boyfriend's mom, on behalf of him.  He wrote the poem in the inside of the card.