Fun in the sun!

As soon as I saw the sketch for the first week of the Verve challenge, I knew I wanted to make this. I think I will send it to my coworker for her birthday because she is going to spend it in San Diego with her family. I cut out the crab and placed him on some SU kraft paper to give him a sandy looking base. The scallop shapes were cut with my Cricut and Elegant Edges cardridge. I made the little rosette using my Martha Stewart scoring tool. I took a close up of the top two elements to give you a closer look. I had to add googlie eyes to the crab. I think it makes him look even cuter. I made this into a square to follow the sketch. I sure like regular-size cards better. I think you can get more out of your scraps.

Supply List: Bazzill (white), SU (daffodill, kraft, melon mambo), Recollections (red, orange and white polka dot), Unknown (pattern), googlie eyes, Heidi Swapp paper distresser, Martha Stewart scoring tool, Martha Stewart punch, Ribbon, Cricut, Elegant Edges cartridge.

heart u

I made this card for the VLVJuly2011 - week 4 sketch. I used a letter sticker, paper pieced the little heart, used corregated cardboard paper for the heart, a heart shape to trace. There is a double bow but it doesn't show up that great in the photo. I made the stick pins myself. I took a close up of the heart cluster as well so you could see the detail a little better.

Supply list: Bazzill (white), Recollections (red and black), coregated cardboard paper (unknown), DCWV (pattern), Studio G, Making Memories sticker, Ribbon, Stick pins, SU top note die, Sharpie, Cuttlebug, SU dots embossing folder.

The best is yet to be...

This card was made for Ceylan and Mark for their anniversary and for the VLVJuly2011 - week 3 sketch. I will send it off in the mail tonight. If she happens to look here, she will see it early. I used the free digi from Taylored Expressions for the cute penquin couple. I think their wedding colors were purple and black but I'm not sure. If they weren't...she loves purple.

Supply List: Bazzill (white, purples, black), Recollections (red), Basic Grey (patterned), Taylored Expressions digi, button, bakers twine, SU chipboard shape to trace, other heart traced, SU Love Matters, Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug circle embossing folder, sharpies.

Well Wishes Christen

I made this for a coworker who is leaving the company for greener pastures or bluer (wasn't sure that is a real word but I looked it up and it is...lol) waters. She is moving to Cali so I had to do a beach-ish theme. I used Verve July sketch, week 2 for this card. I hope she likes it. My sewing machine was a little wonky at the top, but I hope it's not overly noticeable. In real life...this card is much brighter and more vivid.

Supply list: Bazzill (white, turquoise), SU daffodill (yellow), DCWV (orange), MME front porch (stripe and polka dots), sewing, hand made bakers thread, Martha Stewart score tool, Cuttlebug, SU lattice embossing folder, SU scallop border punch, SU Garden Greetings (masked what I wanted from two sentiments), Inkadinkadoo flipflop stamp, Sharpie markers (turquoise and yellow), SU clear button.

Happy Birthday Little Ballerina - Ceylan

I made this card for my friend Ceylan. She collects elephants and owns a dance school. What is more appropriate than a dancing elephant in ballerina slippers? I found this picture in an online coloring book about 5 months ago and saved it so I could make it for her birthday. I just love this card. (Yes...I said it). It makes me smile when I see it. I paper pieced all the pink, dark pink tutu, and then I hand sewed the netting for the pink tutu. I wish I could see Ceylan open it so I could see her face. (Also hoping she isn't hopping on the computer to look at my blog in the next few days before she receives it in the mail--yes, it's mail bound and even early at that). There is a lot of hand cutting on this one.

I used a sketch from The Pink Elephant. The only exception was that there are supposed to be 3 flowers at the top sideways and I used a larger flower with a second center flower instead.

Supply list: Bazzill (white and black), Recollections (pink and white and black and white polka dot), Ribbon, Prima flowers, rhinestones, SU Circle of Friendship, Making Memories bling brad, Circle punches, Cricut shape hand cut. The digi is from either Coloring.ws or coloring-pages-kids.

VLVJune2011 (week 3) - Happy 4th of July

This is my June card for my grandma and great aunt. I used the VLVJune2001 week 3 sketch. I rarely send 4th of July cards...and will have these mailed for June so they can enjoy them for the 4th of July. It seemed like if I sent them for July, grandma and Aunt M wouldn't be able to enjoy them as long for the holiday. This is one of my very favorite cards I have ever made. The firecracker definitely is my favorite part. I stuck a piece of silver ribbon inside the rolled firecracker and made cuts down it to resemble the spark for the firecracker. The papers are shimmery and the cardstock is shimmery also. I made the rosette with the Score-Pal (thanks Laurel for letting me use it). I scored a lot of paper strips this past weekend so I can have them to make more rosettes in the future. I'm sure the Post Office will love me!!

* Updated to say: I have not mailed the 4th of July cards yet. I forgot they were in my craft bag. Guess gram and Aunt M will get two in the month of July. Geeze.

Supply list: Recollections (red, shimmery white), SU Night of Navy (navy), Reminisce Freedom Collection 2 (blue stars, both red/white/blue stars), Cricut shape, ribbon for card and firecracker Offray, SU scallop border punch, Score-Pal, SU star punches, bling from JoAnn's, button Michaels ($1 bin), SU silver cording through button holes, SU stamp - Liberty for all set, black ink, cuttlebug, SU Lattice EF.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

I made this card for my dad for Father's Day. It's an explosion card. The inside, looks like the guy on the motorcycle is driving off the page when you open the card.

Supply list: Bazzill (orange and black), Harley Davidson papers (not sure of manufacturer), Harley Davidson embellishments (not sure of manufacturer). White gel pen.Yes, the inside piece I wrote on was straight in real life.

Hi - Mojo194

This is the first time I have actually made a card for a Mojo sketch the week it came out. WOW. This is the MOJO194 sketch. It's mostly paper. This was a great sketch. Especially if you are like me and have lots of patterned paper.

Supply list: Bazzill (white), Recollections (red), SU (carribean), American Crafts (patterns - including flowers and leaves), Hero Arts, Offray ribbon, acrylic paint, stylus, Corner rounder, circle punch.

Fresh greens with Strawberries, Blueberries and Citris Vinegarette

Wow! I must say I'm impressed. This salad is so good. I wanted to try and duplicate a dressing that my friend gets on her salad at one of the restaurants we go to a lot. I think I did it, maybe even like this better. I also made some of this same sauce (minus the poppy seeds) for marinade and have chicken breasts marinating for me to grill tomorrow. I have assorted greens, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries (they were on sale and they are so good for you so I am trying to make me like them), fresh avacado and the dressing with a little salt and pepper added. I don't really follow recipes exactly. I just kind of dump stuff in and hope it's right. This salad would be perfect with cold grilled chicken or accompanying either quiche (I don't make that but our restaurant does...lol), or with a steak, or simply by itself as a healthy meal. There really are more slices of strawberries, more blueberries and more avacado in the salad. The restaurant serves this salad with just spinach and usually adds pineapple. I think they sunk to the bottom when I was taking the picture.

Ingredients: Fresh assorted greens, juice of one fresh lemon, juice of one fresh naval orange, fresh avacado, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh garlic, poppy seeds, garlic salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. YUM!

More Vere sketch challenge cards

Here are the rest of my VLVMAY11 sktech cards. These cards also worked for the Ways to use it challenge on Splitcoast Stampers to use die cuts (WT325). Yes...used the Cricut with the Elegant Edges cartridge. Weeks 2 and 5 are already posted below (Congratulations Gary and Best Wishes).

VLVMAY11 (week 1)

Here is a link to the sketch

Supply list: Bazzill (white, black), The Paper Studio (polka dots), SU green galore, Cricut, Elegant Edges, paper piecing, brads, prima, SU cute converse, Studio G.

VLVMAY11 (week 3)

Here is a link to the sketch

Supply list: SU Very Vanilla, SU chocolate chip, My Minds Eye Tres Belle, SU border punch, Cuttlebug, Quik cuts Embossing Folder, Sewing Machine, Primas, brads, corner rounder, SU chocolate chip ink.

VLVMAY11 (week 4)

The butterfly, sentiment, and blue element are all on pop dots for added dimension.

Here is a link to the sketch

Supply list: SU Very Vanilla, Bazzill, My Minds Eye Tres Belle, Cricut, Elegant Edges cartridge, SU Best Blossoms, SU So Very, Ribbon, SU Old Olive ink, SU Chocolate chip ink, Bling. 



Congratulations Gary!

This card was made for my friends son who graduated high school. It also fits for 3 challenges on Splitcoast Stampers.
- VLVMAY11 (Verve sketch)
- F4A66 - (Free for All - must use something free)
Free digi from Bird @ http://www.birdscards.com/
- WT324 (Ways to use it - stars)

These were fun challenges.

I made this card faster than any other one I think I have made. I made it before finishing the food I made for the party.

I made 10 pounds of potato salad (using Grandma Wallace's special recipe), a double batch of pasta salad (my special recipe I concocted a few years ago), a huge veggie tray with ranch dips mix, and spinach dip (the best from Knor). My potato salad was pretty darn close to grandma's even though there is NO Seven Seas creamy Italian salad dressing in the entire state of Arizona and I had to use the only "yellow" creamy Italian available. I emailed my aunt on Facebook. Luckily for me (and the party goers) she had written down the recipe years before when we all watched grandma make it, and took it to TN to see my cousin over Memorial Day weekend, and typed it all out for me.

Supply list: Bazzill, SU Night of Navy, SU Old Olive, Scenic Route, SU Year Round Fun, Star digi from Bird, Ribbon, Cuttle Bug, SU dots embossinfg folder, corner rounder, pop dots under sentiment and hat.

May VSN Challenge Cards

Last weekend was May Virtural Stamp Night (VSN). I only had time to make four cards for the weekend. I was helping my friend Ceylan on Saturday at her dance school's recital. I even had to speak on stage...I will be prepared next year.

The first card was for MAY11VSNA - Blue Waters challenge. It was a color challenge to use kraft, aqua, light green, and the dessert was to use yellow.

Supply list: SU Kraft, SU bashful blue, Recollections green, Cuttlebug, SU lattice embossing folder, SU dot embossing folder, Cricut, Elegant Edges cartridge (imagine that!!), SU bodacious boquet, Katie & Co, Offray ribbon, sewing machine, Sharpies (for colors around border and to color the bling, bling, Heidi Swapp paper distresser.

This card was for the MAY11VSNC ARRR! challenge. We were to use 3 things that started with R for this challenge. I used ribbon, the color red, ric rak, and a round image (I know...I used 4 instead of 3. That tapped out my R supplies.

Supply list: Bazzill (white), Recolletions (red, black, striped paper, and polka dot paper), Paper Trey Inc ric rak die, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, Corner rounder, Offray ribbon, Hole punch, Katie & Co.

This card is for the MAY11VSNE - Land Lubber challenge to make a beach scene or something you would see at a beach. I really had invisioned this to look more real in real life. That didnt' happen.

Supply list: Bazzill (white, charcoal, navy), SU kraft, SU bashful blue, bright blue misc, SU orange from in color a few years ago, DCWV (wood grain paper), Cuttlebug, SU lattice embossing folder, SU dot embossing folder, Cuttlebug swirl embossing folder, studio g (clear, 2 sets), twine, paper piecing for the beak and stumps.

This last card is for the MAY11VSNF Polly wants a cracker challenge. We were to use bright colors and a bird image of some sort. I cased myself from an earlier Verve sketch challenge (see older post of Blue Bird of Happiness). I bet you are suprised that I used SU melon mambo...lol. This card just makes me smile. The bright pink and bright colors just makes me happy.

Supply list: Bazzill (white), SU melon mambo, SU daffodil, SU orange from in color a few years ago, DCWV (patterns), bling, Cricut, Paper Lace cartridge, Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug circle embossing folder, paper piecing.

Wishing you the best!

I made this card for a co-worker who is leaving the company and on to greener pastures. I used the VLVMay2011, week 2 sketch for this. I paper pieced the drink, umbrella, and orange slice (yes...they are very small pieces). I added gel over the top of the drink to make it shiney and look like liquid. Also used my Cricut, elegant edges and lacy labels cartridges. To make the tag look more like the one in the sketch, I added red dots around the inner edge.

Here is the link to the sketch.

Supply list: Bazzill, Recollections (red, orange and white polka dot, and red and white polka dot), Sonborn (yellow), Offray sheer ribbon, VAP stamp ($1 Michaels a long time ago), SU Riveting, Cricut, Lacy lables cartridge, Elegant Edges cartridge, SU circle punch, Fiskars circle punch, SU border punch, Marker, paper piecing, button, bakers twine.

Beautiful Tulip card from Laurel

I can't take credit for this pretty card but I wanted to post it for you to see. Isn't it beautiful??? Laurel, my neighbor and friend, made this for me for my birthday. WOW. I love it. I don't know how many of you know this, but purple tulips are my favorite. I love them. When I go back to Iowa, I hope to see them. I'd grow them (or the royal purple climatis) in AZ but they wouldn't hold up in the heat here. : ( I could sit and look at these flowers all day.) It's kind of strange because I don't normally love purple but I sure do love those purple flowers and this card is no different. LOVE it Laurel. Thanks for giving it to me. It's made my card board!!! Isn't the white on white under the main element awesome?

If anyone wants to know how to make the tulip, let me know and I will ask Laurel. All I know is that she used the SU owl punch and some ovals...but that's all I know. The SU top note was used and I cut the center ovals for Laurel using my Cricut and Elegant Edges cartridge.

Thinking of you Mom - F4A64

This card will be mailed off to my mom for a belated Mother's Day. I called her that day but didn't get the card made in time to send. I'm running on normal time...late. Mom, as I know you check my blog, this will hit the mail tomorrow! It's much prettier in real life. I liked the sunburst look so much I wanted to try to see what it would look like coming from the center of the card. I really really like how this turned out. I love the colors and the overall look. It's a Shannon card for sure. I used my Cricut and Elegant Edges cartridge again. Can you tell I really like that one? It has so much to offer card makers. I stamped in the center of the sentiment area again. I like that look and what a way to use more stamps and the inks we already own. This was for the Free for all challenge on Splitcoast Stampers (F4A64) where we were to have the sentiment on the card be the main focus...that's most of my cards, so I had to participate. I added the felt flowers tutoril on Betsy Veldman's blog here. I also used Prima bling on this because I know it won't be thrown away. : )

Supply list: Bazzill, Me and My Big Ideas, Mira-Mi, SU in color from a few years ago (orange cs), SU Melon Mambo, Prima bling, bling (two sizes), Felt from Joann's (major sale after Valentine's Day), Offray ribbon, Paper Trey ink rick rack die, Cuttlebug, SU dots embossing folder, corner rounder punch, Cricut, Elegant Edges cartridge, i-cling stamp, studio G clear stamp, SU scallop border punch, sweing machine.