Bridal Shower

I had a bridal shower to go to this past Saturday, and of course I waited 'til the last minute to make a card. I figured on just using one from "my stash", but then I couldn't stand not having one that matched the brown and green swirled gift bag. So Saturday morning saw me throwing this together quickly before heading out the door. Fortunately it came together pretty easily.

I printed the sentiment from my computer, being sure to leave enough room to stamp the cake (Lizzie Anne's Dream Big) above, which I did using Memento rich cocoa ink, and colored with a bit of green and gray Copics. I layered it on celery, then chocolate chip with a punched border. The background, I ran the edges along my brown ink pad before embossing with the birds and swirls cuttlebug folder. The greens of the flower, cake and butterflies really do match much better in real life, I promise. I wished I had snapped a pic of the inside too. It looks so pretty with matching wedding rings in green overlapping the matching sentiment. I love having something to stamp on the inside of my cards. That way I don't have to come up with something to say myself. I can just sign my name.

BABY:
I've had a few questions about how the baby is doing, so if you're interested...Things are going quite well. I can't complain other than the typical heartburn and back pain type things. And, well, I guess that's just par for the course. There's lots of movement going on in there which is exciting and reassuring. The ultrasound technician couldn't be sure if it's a girl or a boy, but she said "probably" a girl. I go back for another in a couple of weeks or so, so maybe we'll get a better view. I haven't bought any of my nursery furniture or decor yet, but I have it all picked out. We just went to look at paint this morning before Josh had to head out to work. I'll be sure to share a photo in a couple of months when it's all put together. Thanks for asking!

New Stamps!

Yay! Lizzie Anne Designs is releasing EIGHT new sixlet stamp sets today. These sets each contain six cling mounted rubber stamps and sell for only $11.99. What an awesome deal. And now I have a little eye candy for you. And I didn't even get a chance to use my very favorite set yet. So just you wait.

This first card uses Brilliant Blooms and I started with a sketch from page 9 of the new Go-To Sketches magazine. I plan on getting my full use out of that great publication, so be ready to see more of their sketches in the near future. I stamped the stem and flower on the right, then stamped the flower on the left. I very lightly drew in the remaining stem, and after coloring with Copic markers and giving it a few seconds to dry, I went over the pencil marks with a dark brown marker. I cut out a couple of extra flowers so that I could pop up the flower/stem combo once, and just the flowers a second time for lots of dimension.


For this second card, I started with a label die cut from My Mind's Eye paper, added a couple of swirls (love those things) from the previously released Fanciful Flourishes, and layered my sentiment on with dimensionals. That gorgeous sentiment is just one of six in the new Vintage Verses set. Be sure to check out all the others. I can never have too many sentiments. I really like putting together cards with no images, and these work perfectly for that. I used my paper piercing template and a brown marker to dot the frame around my die cut, and I mixed turquoise and clear glitter (to tone it down just a bit) and sprinkled on a strip of tacky tape for the glitzy embellishment on the bottom.

What's In It?

Purple Blooms Card
Stamps- Brilliant Blooms (LAD)
Paper- PTI and MME
Ink- Memento, dark marker
ribbon, button- PTI
rub on- crate paper
other- red line tape, pop dots, thread, pearls, corner rounder

Good is Beautiful card
Stamps- vintage verses (LAD)
Paper- Georgia Pacific, MME
Ink pad, marker, piercing template- SU
ribbon, button- PTI
labels 4 die- spellbinders
pop dots, thread

You can see all the new releases on the Lizzie Anne website, under new releases, and check out the eye candy from the rest of the design team girls, too. Links are on the right. Have a great weekend!

Make Life Big

Hello! Just popping in briefly to share a card I made last week using Fall-To Layout #85.

What's In It?
Stamps- May Monthly Mix Dream Big (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- caribbean, melon, teal, pumpkin, kraft, vanilla (SU), My Mind's Eye
Ink- rich cocoa (Memento)
Other- SU border punch and beautiful wings embosslit, PTI moss ribbon and twine, MAMBI gems, button, Copics

Thinking Out of the Box

I'm ususally pretty literal with my stamps, so I really had to put my thinking cap on when Tricia (Lizzie) announced this month's design team challenge: to use a stamp other than for its intended purpose.

I came up with using this circle sentiment and making it work double duty as some sunshine as well. I think it turned out pretty cute with a colorful kite and a blue sky background. All three stamps, the third being "you made my day", come from the newly revealed May Monthly Mix, Dream Big. The set will start to ship on out May 1, so you still have plenty of time to get it at the discounted club rate. I know the girls are working on the website this weekend, so you may need to stop back, if you can't get past the homepage. Trust me, this set is well worth it!

Now, don't miss what creative ideas all the other Lizzie Anne girls have thought up for this challenge as well. Links to all the blogs are listed over there ------> on the right under Lizzie Anne Designs.

What's In It?
Stamps- May Monthly Mix Dream Big (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- vanilla, red, pumpkin, summer sun (SU), white (PTI), Earth Love (Cosmo)
Ink- pumpkin (SU), black (Memento)
Other- circle punch, photo corner punch (SU), Copic markers, PTI buttons, wavy scissors, glue dots, pop dots

Dream Big

"Dream big and reach high". I love that sentiment all the more so when paired with these great little hot air balloons from Lizzie Anne's new May Monthly Mix set, Dream Big.

I used this week's CPS sketch, and stamped each balloon individually in different vibrant colors. I also stamped the little balloon on scrap pieces, cut out and cover with Glossy Accents to use as embellishments. I doodles the frame and added just a few gemstones to finish it off.

Thanks for stopping by! I'll see you again tomorrow with Lizzie Anne's design team challenge. It's a good one!

What's In It?
Stamps- May Monthly Mix Dream Big (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- pink passion, caribbean, olive, white (SU), Greenhouse (K & Co)
Ink- same as above and chocolate chip
Other- glossy accents, gemstones, pop dots

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