Growing in Unity - Day 4

Hi Everybody!

Welcome back for the fourth of my week long posts as the Growing in Unity Gal.

Another big part of my Unity stamp collection revolves around sentiments that would make cute/romantic cards for my sweetie. In some respects though, my definition of cute/romantic might differ from what other people think of as a lovey dovey card.

In my house, we are both BIG geeks/nerds (see the picture in the left sidebar? The Whovians among you will understand). Anyways, when I saw "Talk Nerdy" I knew it was another stamp that had to be added to my collection (I had the perfect papers to pair with it hoarded in my collection just waiting for the perfect stamp).

card details:

• finished size: 6 x 6 inches, CTMH Chocolate card stock base
• stamps: "Talk Nerdy". Glasses are coloured with Copic BG11, Y35, YG23 and B01
• patterned paper: Jillibean Soup "Atomic Soup" (just the names of each of the patterns makes the geek in me squee with delight)
• embellishments: Basic Grey "Jovial" buttons, CTMH Colonial White Waxy Flax

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to leave a comment below to be entered into the draw at the end of the week for 25 stamps from Unity Stamp Company. There will be two winners chosen from all of the comments left this week. I moderate the comments so you won't see your comment below until I approve it. And be sure to stop back tomorrow for my final post as the Growing In Unity Gal!

Have a sweet day!

Hi folks,

Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend! I've been puttering the days away, going with the flow. I HAD planned on playing in the craft room today but got side-tracked by the critters outside. In particular, by THIS intrepid chipmunk.

That bird feeder hangs about three feet or so off the ground from a shepherd's hook. This little chippie spent rather a lot of time running back and forth from the family burrow to the hook. (S)He would then climb the hook, size it up and then leap across to the feeder. Every time a success. I spent the better part of an hour trying to capture him/her in this action shot (thank goodness for digital cameras)!


Anyways, even if I didn't go the craft room it was a good day to spend outside, patiently waiting for my chipmunks.


I figure, though, if I'm not in the craft room, at least I can share a recent creation with you. This is a card and matching gift card case I made for dearly beloved's niece for her birthday. I like decorating these little cases and tucking in some birthday $$ for the kidlets. The family is planning a big trip later this year and I thought it would be nice if the kids could have some extra spending $$ for their trip for some memorable outings or treats while they are on vacation.

Here's an up-close photo of the card itself.

And one of the decorated gift card tin - personalized for the birthday girl herself!

card and tin details:

• finished size (card): 5x5 inches, white card stock base, brown card stock matsy 
• patterned papers: Jillibean Soup "Homemade 6 Bean Soup"
• stamped image: Some Odd Girl "Tiny Baker Tia", coloured with Copic Markers (E000, E00, E01, E02, E11, E93, E23, E25, E27, E33, C00, C0, E04, R29, R20, R21, R22, R24)
• embroidery floss and CTMH buttercup buttons from my stash (on the tin). I think the chipboard letters are Basic Grey.
• layout: MFT Wednesday Sketch 170

challenges for this card:

• One Crazy Stamper May Challenge: Anything Goes + Embellishment
• Seize the Birthday: Anything Goes Birthday

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Back to School with September SFYTT

Hi folks,

bright and early this morning - okay maybe not bright as the sun was not yet up, but definitely early, I found myself heading into the craft room at 6am to FINALLY get around to working on some cards for my nephew and nieces. I usually make end of school year cards for them but this year my colouring mojo just wasn't into it. So, the images that I STARTED colouring back in July are now being finished in September as back to school cards.

Last night, Jen Del Muro previewed the September SFYTT for her Facebook followers so I knew exactly which sketch I wanted to use for this card for my nephew.

Here's the sketch:

and here's the card:

card details:

• finished size: 4.25 x 5.5 inches, CTMH Sunflower card stock base
• patterned papers: Jillibean Soup "Atomic Soup"
• stamped image: The Greeting Farm's "Oliver and Amelia - Little Dreamer", coloured with Copic Markers (E000, E00, E01, E50, E51, E53, E55, Y38, E31, E33, E35, E37, YG23, YG25, YG13, YG17), CTMH Heavenly Blue sponged sky
• Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles
• CTMH Sunflower brads

Challenges for this card:

• No Matter Which Challenges #2 - Die Cuts and/or Punches (Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles)
• Shopping Our Stash Challenge #66: Favourite things (Let's see - there are so many, TGF Stamps, Spellbinders Dies and Patterned papers - I probably have too many of ALL of the above!)
• CCEE Stampers 1235: Back to school
• Unique Crafters Challenge Blog: Anything Goes
• DYSU #87 - Back To School

For Mom for Mother's Day

Hi folks,

with Mother's Day just around the corner I guess it is time for me to share the cards I made this year.

This one is for my Mom.

card details:

• finished size: 6x6 inches, CTMH Chocolate cardstock base
• patterned papers: Jillibean Soup "Dutch Mustard". Since my Mom likes yellow, I HAD to use these papers.
• stamped image: "Big Shoes" by Mo Manning for Stamping Bella. I didn't realize that I coloured it so much like the image on the product page until I linked it up! Coloured with Copic Markers (E000, E00, E01, YR09, YR15, Y11, Y21, Y23, Y32, Y35, E50, E51, E53, E57, E59, E27, E37, E35, YG05, YG06, YG07)
• paper flowers from my stash (Recollections)
• Spellbinders Labels Four and Labels Four Small
• brown floss for stitching also from my stash

challenges for this card:

• Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #184: layout
• Stamping Bella Bellarific Friday: Stitching
• Card Crafter's Circle #21: Mum's the Word
• Tuesday Throwdown #97: Motherly Love
• Paper Sundaes #119: Mother's Day
• Sentimental Sundaes #101: for a special woman
• One Crazy Stamper May Challenge: Mother's

Hope you are all having a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by!

Viva La Verve April 2012 - Week Two

Hi folks,

well I better check the calendar and see if there was a blue moon last night. I actually ventured into my craft room on a "work night" and made a card. For those who know me well, you know I rarely craft during the week as there just aren't enough hours left at the end of my day to get crafty. But, I needed a card to put into the post to mail to a cousin for her birthday next week and didn't find one in my stash that I felt was suitable.

So, I grabbed the Week 2 sketch for the April Viva La Verve challenge (shown below) to make a card.

And here's my card:

card details:

• finished size: 4.25 x 5.5 inches, CTMH Chocolate card stock
• patterned papers: Jillibean Soup Dutch Mustard
• stamps: Verve "Tag Time", "Birthday Surprise" (balloons coloured with Copics YR15, YR16)
• dies: Verve Tiny Sweet Scallop Die, Spellbinders Petite Ovals (sponged with CTMH Buttercup ink)
• white satin ribbon from my stash. I can't tell you how old this is...but it is pretty darn old!

additional challenges for this card:

• Paper Pretties Monday Challenge: Three or more layers
• Use it Tuesday #29: Anything Goes! (my white ribbon!)

Viva La Verve February 2012 Week 4

Hi folks,

playing along again with the Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge. Here's the week 4 sketch - another very clean and simple layout.

Soooo...I went with some seriously patterned paper for the background....

I know what you are thinking....Valentine's Day is LONG gone. But I like to give my sweetie cards randomly in his lunch....and I thought this paper would be great for an "I love you" card for him. With the browns, green and orange it's not quite so girlie. Or at least that's what I think.

card details:

• finished size: 4.25 x 5.5 inches, kraft cardstock base
• patterned papers: Jillibean Soup Dutch Mustard, edges are ink distressed with CTMH Chocolate.
• stamps: Verve "Love Notes"
• Verve Jotted Heart Die

Thanks for stopping by!

Bacon Appreciation Day

Hi folks,

so are you sick of Christmas yet? If you are then you are in for a treat today (well, that's questionable but...whatever).

A friend of ours has a birthday on Saturday and in recent years it has come to be referred to as "Bacon Appreciation Day". The birthday dinner consists entirely of dishes that somehow involve bacon -- yes, beverages, appetizers, entree and dessert. It's only fitting therefore that his birthday card involve bacon...

And here is this year's entry....

I've had this stamp set for a while. I won it from Totally Stampalicious and have been saving it for this particular birthday boy even though it is really more of a thanksgiving kind of set when you look at some of the sentiments that are included. But for this particular birthday, this set definitely works.

card details:

• finished size: 5 x 6.5 inches, kraft cardstock base
• stamped image: Farmer Hawg from Totally Stampalicious coloured with Copic Markers (RV00, RV02, R00, E04, B91, B93, B95, B97, E30, E31, E33, E34, E35, W00, W0, W1, YG63, YG67). Sky sponged with CTMH Heavenly Blue - one of these days I WILL use my airbrush....one of these days.
• patterned papers: Jillibean Soup's Chicken Noodle Soup (did you see the "Old MacDonald" music score??? Perfect!!! I also have it on the inside of the card)
• layout: Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #147

additional challenges for this card

• Corrosive Challenge #139: Anything Except Christmas

Anyways, thanks for stopping by at this busy time of year! Hope you are all taking at least a few minutes each day to sit back, take a deep breath and ....relax.