Soap Gift Packaging

One day I was browsing through Pier One and found some great little soaps (sized about 2 inches by 3 inches) on clearance, and now I finally found something to do with them. And it's such a quick and easy "something".

I stacked two soaps together and wrapped them with green paper first, then a slightly smaller patterned paper from Basic Grey. I topped that off with the strip of pink paper, stamped on each side with "thanks for everything", from the April Mix, It's Good to Be Queen. Then I finished it off with a pretty tag (a Spellbinders Labels Four die cut), featuring these modish trees, also from the April Mix, and a nice fluffy organdy bow.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you find some stamping inspiration today, too.

What's In It?
Stamps- It's Good to be Queen (LAD)
Paper- green, pink, Basic Grey Eva, PTI white
Ink- memento black
Other- Spellbinders Labels 4 die, Copic markers, ribbon, pink eyelet

Bright, Sunny Days

With the beautiful weather we've been enjoying, I haven't been doing too much stamping. I did find time for this bright and happy card though. It reminds me of our bright, sunny days. I cut a mask with scalloped scissors, then used it to ink the clouds. I need a little practice with this technique, but it is very cool. The bike and sentiment ("The road to a friends house is never long.") are from the April Monthly Mix set, It's Good to be Queen.

What's In It?
Stamps- It's Good to be Queen (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- white, pink passion, summer sun, Ooh La La (MME)
Ink- soft sky, pink passion, not quite navy
Other- ribbon, Martha butterfly punch, scalloped scissors, sponge, PTI button, thread

Papertrey Ink Hop

Hello Hoppers! Or if you haven't come from the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop and would like to check it out, you may do so here. This month's challenge is to use buttons. Now that's an easy one. I kept my card simple and just used the button as an accent, because I'm considering mass producing this one for baby shower thank yous. But hey, I love clean and simple anyway.

I used a bird punch on some My Mind's Eye pattern paper for my bird and added the graphic, modern legs from Bird Watching Additions. The elegant, yet clean and simple senitment is from Damask Designs. And the single little button is from the Holiday Mix. I would guess it's Raspberry Fizz though. Cardstock is white, kraft and spring moss. Die cut is Spellbinders Labels 1.

A few little tips for threading your buttons:

• Set the button in place and pierce the holes with a paper piercer (or needle) first, then do the actual sewing. (Yes, I read that somewhere else, but maybe you haven't yet.)
• Pull the thread through starting from the back and just tape it in place with a little bit of scotch tape. That way you won't accidentally pull it the whole way through, and it secures it permanently.
• When you're doing an "x" stitch, do all of the stitches one direction first, then do the other direction. It makes a neater looking x.
• Then just secure the end of the thread to the back with another little piece of tape. Personally, I find it much easier than trying to tie a knot.

Button Thanks

I deviated a little bit from the sketch, but this is basically Fall-To Layout 83 from Clean & Simple Stamping. I really had fun with this simple little card. I love the bit of scalloped trim on the sentiment layer. Cute, hm? Not to mention those buttons! Fun! I pulled out an older PTI set for the sentiment, Butterfly Kisses. And the pattern papers are from a Nana's Nursery DCWV stack.

Thanks for stopping by today!

What's In It?
Stamps- baby button bits, butterfly kisses (PTI)
Paper- hibiscus burst, new leaf, dark choc, white (PTI), Nana's Nursery (DCWV)
Ink- black (Memento)
Other- holiday mix buttons (PTI), border punch (SU), copics, dimensionals, needle, thread

Birdie Mom

I sat down with no particular card in mind, but I did want to use this really cute Mom stamp from Queen for a Day. And I also wanted to use my bird on a branch punch that has gone unloved since it arrived. Now that I'm done, I think it could be for "your mom" obviously, but wouldn't it also be cute for a new mom? I just love how it turned out with some of my favorite papers, colors, and yummy polka dots.

What's In It?
Stamps- Queen for a Day (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- white (PTI), old olive (SU), Ooh La La for Her (MME)
Ink- black Memento, saffron SU
Other- SU bird punch, AC ribbon, Labels 4 die, sponge, dimensionals, Taylors tiny twinkles, PTI holiday mix buttons, thread, needle, sewing machine, copics

I'm sorry that I forgot to get back to you about last week's ultrasound. It was Friday afternoon, and baby is doing just fine, thank goodness. Of course, I got no definite answer on the age old boy/girl question. I simply can't imagine my child being obstinate and not giving us a clear view, but we're pretty sure it's a girl! Just no painting the nursery pink or buying clothes yet since it's not a sure thing.

Going Green

It's design team challenge day for Lizzie Anne Designs, and today we're Going Green! Click here to see the challenge details, and get a link to all the eye candy the girls' have whipped up for today. By the way, you'll also find a pleasant surprise or two while you're there...a SALE...and...blog candy! I pulled out Cute as a Bug, because I thought this little creepy crawler would look fab in green. I colored him with some Copic markers and added just the tiniest touch of pink to my otherwise green card, for his smiling cheeks. A sentiment and a decorative strip of layered papers, and he's ready to go bug somebody.

What's In It?

Stamps- Cute As a Bug (Lizzie Anne Designs)

Paper- vanilla, wasabi (SU), perhaps (BG)

Ink- black Memento

Other- Copic markers, corner punch, white gel pen

Wonderful You

This is a quick, but fun little card I whipped up using Queen For a Day, Lizzie Anne's April Monthly Mix set. You can see the whole set here. I think it has some really great unique stamps, a little different than the regular LAD sets. Have fun perusing. The whole team will have a challenge hop for you this Wednesday.

What's In It?
Stamps- Queen for a Day (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- hometown (October Afternoon), rasp fizz, new leaf, white (PTI)
Ink- onyx black (versafine)
Other- border punch and ribbon (SU), spring mix buttons (PTI), dimensionals, Copic markers for coloring ribbon, thread, needle