#Masculine #CAS #CleanAndSimple Stamped Card for Father's Day

I have always enjoyed knowing that I could always donate handmade cards and card fronts from my mad SU Demo swapping days to the non profit From Our Hearts organization.  I just didn't have the heart to throw away perfectly gorgeous card fronts lovingly and diligently hand crafted by my group of SU Demo friends.  When I look at the total count of cards donated to FOH, I'm dumbfounded that I swapped that much! Those were some amazing fun days!!

Our country is finally drawing down our troops overseas so our men and women are coming home!! Thus there just aren't that many locations for FOH to send boxes to anymore. With their last deadline for cards approaching, I've been working feverishly to convert the stash of SU card fronts my good friend Eva found when she was moving at the end of last year, AND yet another stash of SU card fronts I found while purging my parent's house.  (I still have about a dozen or so boxes of scrapping stuff of my own that I've stubbornly put off sorting that probably comprise of half completed class kits, etc.)

Part of the stash my friend Eva gave me were boxes of supplies she no longer wanted because the pre fab stuff no longer fits her style.  I asked her for them since I figured I could use them to make cards for the troops or forward the supplies for FOH's card making events.  But, alas, FOH is closing down.....

In her stash, I found a few ziplock bags of pre-cut coordinating cardstock that just needed to be stamped and embellished.  I found some appropriately sized stamp images and this is what I came up with. Considering all of my scrapping stuff is packed up and I only had my tool bag, this card is pretty much the most basic and flat design I've ever come up with, and I'm pretty happy with it.

I figured the color scheme was masculine so I chose the father son image from the SU Seaside Sketches set. Then I arranged various sentiments from my Verve Father Figure clear stamp set on the base in lieu of background stamps, patterned paper, embossing folders, etc.  I had no embellishments and didn't feel like opening up a few boxes to search for appropriate ones.  Y'all know what an ordeal that is! So I just used the one long dotted border the embellishment by using a coordinating ink color to tie in with the contrasting cardstock color.

My card apparently falls along the lines of this week's CAS316 No Patterned Paper Clean and Simple Weekly Challenge over at Splitcoast. 

Lol, I further challenged myself because I forgot to dig out my stack of clear acrylic blocks so I just improvised and used the back of a very small SU clamp shell case.  While I was working on this project, I was really surprised that most all of my SU dye ink pads are still juicy.  I did have to re-ink my black ink pad to add greetings on some other cards I was putting together using paper pieced embellishments obtained again from my mad swap days.  

Unfortunately, there was only enough to make 8 cards in this set because that's how many pieces were pre-cut.

Conversely, I'm grateful my good friend Eva FORTUNATELY did already pre-cut these 8 blank card sets so that all I had to do was stamp and adhere them together.

These 8 cards go out to the women in our US forces overseas via From Our Hearts.  Your sacrifice is so very much appreciated by those of us back home.  Thank you for all you do!

FYI: From Our Hearts will be mailing off boxes of hand made cards through May 2015, so click on their logo below if you want to find out more info on how to contribute before they close down. :)

I'll update my tally in a few days as I'm trying to finish up with as many cards as I can manage to send in this last shipment.

"I'm So Glad You're My ... Husband (Father's Day)" Card
Paper: SU Naturals CS, SU Mellow Moss, SU Night of Navy
Stamps: SU Seaside Sketches (father son image); Verve Father Figure (sentiments)
Ink: SU Mellow Moss, SU Night of Navy
Embellishments: None
Size: 4.25" x 5.25" rectangular 

Found a little bit of mojo.....

This past Thursday was my friend Jon's birthday and so we all got together on Saturday night at a lounge for some wine and then a pizza joint for their famed pizza and pasta.

I was signed up for a free crop at one of my local lss' earlier that day, so I threw a few things into the car with no real plans. Once there, I somehow got the mojo to create a masculine birthday card for Jon. I was inspired by a rawkin' layout on display using this Teen Angst paper line from We R Memory Keepers, and I just thought the rock out guitar vibe was a perfect fit for Jon's personality.

What do you think? Is it masculine enough? I couldn't help it at the end as I added that last thin border of polka dotted black ribbon at the top and finished it off by tying it off!





"They Say 38 is the new 18"
Paper: WRMK Teen Angst
Embellishments: WRMK Teen Angst Cardstock Stickers; May Arts Ribbons; Kaiser Bling; MM Journalling Spot Sticker; Creative Memories number stickers
Accessories: Spellbinders Pinking Edge Circle Dies; QK Lemonade Alpha Die

Cuttlebug Be Inspired Challenge #16 & My Scrapbook Nook Feb Kit Card

Wednesday and every Wednesday, please join us over at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog for our Be Inspired Challenge Series. This week, our DT was asked to create a distressed card or layout. Yep, that's it! That's the challenge! :)

Here's the card I made for this challenge using the February My Scrapbook Nook Kit featuring all this Jenni Bowlin yumminess. This card is inspired by my new attitude in life due to chucking the 'ole "dark and twisty" girl I used to be. Valentine's Day is just 3 weeks away. I'm hopeful, else, I'll be just as perfectly happy to spend the day alone doing what I want to do! So either way, its going to be a happy holiday for me instead of a sappy Hallmark one.

And here is a detailed shot so you can see that I actually did use a Cuttlebug folder, LOL! since that is the POINT of the challenge blog. I used the Birds and Swirls folder to emboss the Kraft Cardstock before I laid down the rest of my elements.

I then distressed all the edges of my various layers of cardstock to satisfy the challenge. I notched the corners of my first two panels with my SU ticket corner punch so that I could adhere some manilla colored mini brads in these corners. I did foam pop dot these two panels onto my larger Cuttlebug dry embossed Kraft Cardstock peice.

I then handcut a small vine from one of the Jenni Bowlin papers and adhered it onto the right side of the card. I then placed the JB calendar and scalloped circle journaling spot in the lower left corner of the card.

For the bottom left corner, I pulled out my trusty Sizzix Flowers #3 Die to cut some flowers out of the JB dictionary paper that came in the kit. I scrunched these up a bit to further distress them, and added a MM Valentine Ticket and Maya Road Felt Flower in red to finish up the card.

Lastly, I did add a touch of sparkle in the center of the cut out flower vine by using Red Stickles and I also tied ribbon at the top of the card using the cream grosgrain that came with the kit.

Everything came from the February My Scrapbook Nook Kit with the exception of the Red Stickles and the Cream Mini Brads. :)

Voila!!

Please join us at that Cuttlebug Challenge Blog to check out the other DT work and play along with us. We're giving away a Basic Grey Paper Pack next Thursday to a winning participant!! And I believe there are still just a few limited February My Scrapbook Nook Kits still available.

Date Night - February 14th (Majority of items are from Feb MyScrapbook Nook Kit)
Paper: Jenni Bowlin Patterned Papers; Bazzill (Black, Kraft & Dark Red) CS
Embellishments: Jenni Bowlin Scalloped Notecards & Calendar Cards; Maya Road Felt Flower; Cream Grosgrain Ribbon; Cream Mini Brads; Red Stickles; MM Valentine Tickets
Accessories: Cuttlebug "Birds and Swirls" Embossing Folders; Sizzix Flower Layers #3 Bigz Die; SU Distressing Tool; SU Corner Ticket Punch; EK Success Cutter Bee Scissors; Scrapbook Adhesive Foam Pop Up Adhesive.
Size: 4.25" x 5.5" rectangle

My Guest DT Gallery Reveal @ Moments-2-Remember

I'm still pretty giddy about being chosen as the October Guest Design Team Member for one of my most favorite sites, Moments-2-Remember, which I dub the "Charmed Place."



Well, today, Oct 1st, is my DT Gallery reveal over at Moments-2-Remember!! Come on over and check out ALL the talented DT Work from Valerie, Holly, Zoa, Shannon and Sarah by clicking HERE. (Note: You may be required to register and sign in into the message board to view the thread.)

We got to work with the gorgeous "It's a Beautiful Life" papers from Bo Bunny this month. For those of you that know me and my style, you're probably thinking "Ching......Bo Bunny? huh??" Seriously, take a look at these papers and you'll know why I absolutely fell in love with this October BEAUTIFUL LIFE kit. The paper peicing is an exclusive designed by DT Member Shannon. And get this.....this kit is ONLY $15!!! What a deal, huh??

Celebrate Fall with this BEAUTIFUL collection of papers and embellishments! Our October kit includes: Bo Bunny Beautiful Life Leaf double sided paper (2), Bo Bunny Beautiful Life Stripe double sided paper (2), Bo Bunny Beautiful Life Dots double sided paper (2), 3 matching solids (various fall colors), Basic Grey Sublime Letter Stickers Sheet, Maya Road Chipboard pieces (5), Fall Silk Leaves (4), Hand Crochet Fall Flowers (3), Hat Pin with Bead, Jute, Journal Square and 2 pieces of fall colored mulberry paper, Apple paper piecing, Exclusive "Owl" paper piecing by Shannon Morgan, Cello Treat Bag. Perfect for ALL your fall photos and projects! Be sure to see what our amazing Design Team has done with this kit!

And here is what I created with the kit. Can you tell that I absolutely had a ball with all these yummy goodies??



I blame my good friend Karen for this. LOL! I was at a crop with her recently when she suddenly turned to me and said, "Do you have any corrugated board, or know where I can get some?" To which I replied, "Don't you just use boxes?"

Soooo, when I saw this Bo Bunny "Its a Beautiful Life" line of papers, I knew instantly that I'd HAVE to get my hands on some corrugated boards. I recycled an older box that was used to house items I had ordered to be delivered to home, cut off a large panel and started to peel the top layer to expose the corrugated areas. I wanted an uneven random look so I didn't spend too much time trying to neatly remove everything.

I decided to use my corrugated board as the base of my layout. I used some Glimmer Mist (in Moonlight which I got from Barb at Embellish-Online) and some metallic gold acrylic paint to customize it a bit to better match the mood I was going for in my layout. The colors also perfectly compliment the Bo Bunny papers I think.

Here's some close ups of my "imperfect" corrugated areas which were beautifully filled up with goopy shimmery teals and golds!! The glimmer mist and the acrylic paint really added a beautiful subtle texture to the corrugated board.







And here are some close ups of the details of the layout:





And here's a card, based on this week's sketch at 2Sketches4You, that I made with the adorable exclusive paper peicing that was designed by DT Member Shannon:



I really love these papers and I will be posting a few more projects later on this weekend when I have more time to play with this very yummy kit. Please do drop by Moments-2-Remember as we really do have a warm, fun and friendly community there. If you do, tell them Ching sent ya!! (You'll help me earn my October virtual charm bracelet!)

Its the 5th AND its Friday - Lots of DT Gallery Reveals and New Challenges

Man, its like all the cosmos have aligned on this very day, Friday, the 5th, or something because there are lots of releases today to share. So please get comfy in your seats. I've got lots to share with you today.

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First up is Paper Popsicles. Today, September 5th, is the big reveal for our design team projects using the second set of September kits from Paper Popsicles.

Now, you're probably thinking....Already?? Didn't she just debut her projects recently??

Paper Popsicles is releasing these second set of kits in order to synch up the kit month with the actual calendar month the kits will be available for purchase and ship (i.e. September kits will now be ready to order and ship on Sept 1st, etc.). There is no subscription required. Kits will ship in a few business days after payment. We're all very excited with these awesome changes. Melissa really listens to her customers...so be sure to stop by the message board and join in the fun!

So, with no further ado, this is the kit I got to work with this month "The Year 1974":

12 double sided sheets of 12x12 patterned papers from Paper Trunk

4 12x12 sheets of cardstock by Core'dinations

1 sheet of green hopscotch alphabets by Doodlebug Designs

1 pack of flower rinestones by Blue Hill Studio

1 pack of Rain Dots by Cloud 9

1 sheet of brown loopy love alphabets by Doodlebug Designs

1 package of Rub-On Transfers by Daisy D's

1 chipboard wheel by Paper Trunk

1 chipboard couple by Scenic Route

1 bottle of scrapbook cream paints by P. Inc.

And here are my projects I created using this kit:

Check out the rest of the Gallery to see what Lynda and Jennifer created with the other two September 2 kits by clicking here. Stop by, too, to leave me some love in the DT Gallery. :)

Melissa at Paper Popsicles is also putting together an awesome monthly card kit as well, which contains the following:

5 Cards and envelopes

Miscellaneous flowers by Irene's Garden

1 package of felt flowers by Heidi Swapp

3 sheets of 12x12 papers to coordinate with cards

1 package of eyelets by P. Inc.

1 Rub-on transfer by Daisy D's

1 velvet paper square

1 paper triangle

1 exclusive to Paper Popsicles greeting stamp by That's Jazzy Stamp Dreams

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Today, Friday, September 5th, and the 5th means its the debut of our September Design Team Gallery over at Embellish-Online, so please come on by and give us some love.

This month, we were sent the Archaic line by Basic Grey and the Papa line from Fancy Pants to work with. So here's what I came up with in keeping with our Fall and Fella's theme for the month.

Goings On at Embellish-Online: (borrowing from Suzy H)

Sales and New Discount Code - Right now at Embellish-Online.com you can save $5 on on 12x12 BasicGrey paper packs. There is also a new discount code ~ GLITTER will save you 20% off your whole order (put the word in the voucher box on the order form)- I am not sure if this applies to the $5 off papers, I have to check on that, but it is good for your entire order including the other sale items. Click *here* to get to the store.
Guest Designer Kim Frantz - be sure to see the wonderful work Kim has done for us this month. She won our first Friday Free For All Challenge. Her gallery is a must see - that is one talented woman. Wait until you see the CAR CARD she created! No wonder she was named Memory Makers Master for 2009. Shock and awe, people. Shock and awe! Stay tuned for her Halloween cards next month - we just had to have her for two months.
New Basic Grey - Ambrosia, Eva and Offbeat patterned papers are in the store right now; the matching chipboard stickers and albums etc will be arriving later this month.
Cuttlebug Folders are still on sale.
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TGIF Everyone!!! And Friday means another weekly challenge hosted by one of our very own talented Design Team members over at Embellish-Online. (The one I'm hosting is coming up in 2 weeks!)


This week, Norma Kennedy is heading up our newest Friday Challenge today which is to make a project or card using Glimmer Mist, Stickles, Shimmery Chalk - anything as long as it shimmers! Do please stop by to check us out and play along.

You're sure to be inspired!

NOTE: The DT Friday Challenges and the Teapot Tuesday Challenges that occur WEEKLY have been added to my BLOG CALENDAR that's located at the TOP LEFT of my blog. Check it out!! (you know this is mostly for me so that I don't forget, right? lol)

Yep....that's some TGIF huh?? Whew, I need a drink now after ALL of that!!

Some BELATED Basic Grey TOOTS!

I"m still up tonight and its already 5:30AM. Damn this ice tea!! Guess this stuff is caffeinated? (yeah, I knew that) At least, I'm taking advantage of being wired by being productive. LOL....I know I've been remiss in updating my blog the past couple of weeks. I've had some personal stuff happen to me that left me quite heavy in the heart, and then I was bogged down at work with some projects.

Soooo, here we go with my marathon blogging tonight, er, this morning. I just wanted to jump up and down (on my blog) because earlier this month, I submitted my Embellish-Online DT projects to Basic Grey and 3 of them were accepted to be displayed in their gallery! I'm totally stoked!!

Here they are:







When I got the confirmation email from Basic Grey, I have to say that I probably kinda felt like this! (if any of you were watching the Olympic Swim Meets)



He he, are you proud of me that I was able to legitimately relate an almost naked picture of Michael Phelps to my blog post?? Michael, baby, keep wearing those speedos REAL low....we love it! Now, please try to give your fans a REAL wardrobe malfunction one of these days??