Mmmmm

I have been thinking about Melanie Muenchinger's newest stamp set, "A Charmed Life" for quite some time now. I've had it for awhile as well... but wanted to do something "different" with it than just use it as a wine glass as everyone else is doing. I've seen it with red wine, white wine, champagne, margarita and even some pink drinks in it... but... never had I seen it with a yummy treat inside!! HA! I just KNEW someone would beat me to the punch (no pun intended) doing it this way.. but.. alas.. I was first!! Woohoo! Like that NEVER happens!!! I admit, with all the Crystal Effects, the Liquid Applique and such I used on this.. it took me a couple days to actually finish this card, but I had so much fun putting it together. I also used Melanie's set called "Have a Cookie". It was fun coloring the "Oreo" and then ripping it apart so that it looked like I had an Oreo pudding in the bottom. The little "Nilla wafers" were actually sugar cookies from her set that I cut apart. AND.. lastly, the "banana pudding" was honestly a portion of the cookie dough rolled out from that same set. I had to add a few blings to it... what girl doesn't want her diamonds WITH dessert??? Huh??? *wink* Oh and by the way... everytime my husband walked by and saw this he'd moan and ask... "can you make that tonight?" LOL

Silver Anniversary

I thought this card would be perfect for a couple celebrating their silver anniversary. Then again... it would be good as a wedding card as well. I loved the black glittered paper I had and don't have much left so when I found these two pieces I knew I'd have to make something with it that "shined"... hee hee. The stamp is from Gina K Designs called Heartfelt Hits1. Kind of a retro look I think... one of my favorites of her stamps as well. I popped up the "Mr. & Mrs." on both levels to add a bit of dimension to the card. I think it would be easy to change out the colors of the Dew Drops. This sort of reminded me of my parents big 40th anniversary bash we had and mom had a red dress similar to this design. Just swap out the silver Dew Drops and add red and it would have a been a great card for a 40th as well.

Check In???

I love this little chicken with his chicken marks! LOL I decided to do a very basic card here and let the message speak for itself. This was one of the 12 cards I made for my ex-mother-in-law as a birthday gift. I am sure she got quite the chuckle out of the chicken. Hmmmm... do I ryhmn all the time? Hee Hee! Ok Ok... so chuckle and chicken don't really ryhmn but it sounds cute together, huh? *smiles*

Garden of Thanks

I love this Wreath of Wishes stamp set Gina K Designs has as their "Free with Three" this month. I decided to add a few more flowers and use my Dew Drops as a sort of rock garden/grass area... whichever you prefer. I had a bit of a problem while coloring the wreath. My green Copic marker started dripping just as I was coloring in the stems and leaves. But... fortunately for me... it ended up being on the side. I hid it under the ribbon on the right!! How awesome that we can fix a boo boo and no one can tell... hee hee. The DP and stamped flowers below are from StaminUp.

Hang with Me!

I'm not sure what made me put these colors together, but, I kinda like it.. ha! Once again, Melanie Muenchinger has a set I couldn't live without. This is from her "Little Tees" set offered at Gina K Designs. The Diva shirt and the brown DP are from yet another FREE set of digital papers offered at Stamp TV. Gina is so generous and it never ceases to amaze me how much FREE stuff she gives her customers and members of Stamp TV! FYI: If you purchase three stamp sets from Gina K Designs, she GIVES you a FREE set!!! AND... if you purchase six stamp sets... you not only get the free set offered, but she gives you a set of your choice valued at $24.95 or less!!! Now... tell me that's not a DEAL!!!!! Once again I used my pearl Dew Drops and colored them with my Copic markers to get the color I wanted. I couldn't quite find a stamp set I wanted with a saying long enough to stretch across the bottom, so I free handed it. Hee Hee Somehow I think it makes the card look even more personal, don't ya think???

Hip Friends

Well here I am again, TRYING to post a few cards and not let "someone" know they are for them! HA HA Seems every time I post to my blog and make a card for someone else, they come here BEFORE they get it and see it. As in with my Valentine card for my hubby... when I gave it to him he said.. "Ooohhhhh Yeah... I've been waiting for this." HA HA I'm not even going to say who this card is for!! *wink* I made this card using Melanie Muechinger's set, Hip-Hop Accessories. I'm telling you, she has some of the cutest stamp sets and it seems I love them all!!! Good for her... bad for my checkbook! I can't help myself, what's a girl to do??? I embossed the background with my Cuttlebug. Pretty simple card but I love these hippos!

Spring Bunny

Wow.. Easter is almost here!! Time seems to drag on forever with the cold weather still around. But, I'm trying to get in the mood for Spring AND Summer!! One of the challenges over on Stamp TV a week or so ago was to use a tool in our craft room that we had been ignoring for awhile. It was easy for me to pick one 'cause it seems to always be in my way... LOL This cute bunny is from Melanie Muenchinger's set "Just So Hoppy". I grabbed my Crimper and ran some green CS thru it and then sliced away on the paper trimmer making my own "Easter basket" grass affect. I used it on the label too but not sure it shows up real well on the computer. I also used some Crystal Effects on the grass to make it shine, sort of like wet grass. My bunny I wanted to leave white so to highlight him a bit I used my Copic marker and shaded him with a bit of yellow. I mean come on... is there REALLY a white bunny that doesn't have SOME bit of dirt/stain on him?? *smile* I also used my Gel pens to add a bit of a texture to the little butterfly and his "trail". Then put a bit of sparkle on the flowers. The basket I simply colored in stripes with my Copics.

Take Flight

I had probably three ideas in my head last night as I started this card. The first was I was going to do a card to enter in the Color Challenge on StampTV.... then I was going to make a card for one of the members' daughter who was in the Navy training... then... selfishly, it ended up being a card to ummmm celebrate my new watermark????!!! I know... I can be sooo self-centered. But anyway... hee hee... onward and upward.

I made this using Gina K's Take Flight stamp set. I've always loved butterflies so this was just fitting for me to use in my watermark. Also, I used Emily Giovanni's new digital paper (which for a limited time you can download for free on StampTV), as the background... also love my purple!

Sadly, when I was using my Stickles... I ended up with a clump where I didn't want it.. sooooo that meant... MORE Stickles where I didn't really want to add any at all! Ugh! Oh well.... more chances for bling, right??? I also used clear Dew Drops and turned them over and added my color to match using my Copic Markers. Love the fact that I can just buy clear and color them any color I want. Saves on $$$$!

Make-Up!!

There were many ideas running thru my head on how to use Rupa Shevde's set called "Perfectly Polished"... yet another great set offered by Gina K. Designs!! In the end, I decided I wanted to use ALL the make-up stamps in the set and somehow incorporated the mini library clips from StampinUp along with mini pom pom which would hopefully resemble a cotton ball... make up ball... you get the idea. I used Crystal Effects on the nail polish bottles to make them look glass and put some Stickles on the mirror of the compact. Wanted it to be different from other cards I seen using this set that actually either used silver paper, or a small circular mirror to adhere on it. I also loved the DP I found... not sure where it came from, but it had a bit of "sparkle/glitter" to it and I thought the colors were perfect for a make up inspired card. Once again, excuse the blurriness... camera charging, vacation, remember?? LOL

Band Memories

I wanted to use Melanie Muenchinger's stamp set, The Best Things In Life..., so I decided to make a card for my son using his school colors and also using another stamp set of Melanie's called Just So Sporty. I drew the little "sheet music" and added a small "library clip" which StampinUp sales... LOVE these clips!! I also wanted to make sure I acknowledged the blue ribbon Steven got for his clarinet solo so this card seemed very appropriate for him. *giggle*... he thought I was making it for his cousin who is also in her high school band that actually has the same school colors. Mom is so sly... hee hee.

Sister's Invite

My sister's boyfriend asked me to make a card for him to use for invitations to her birthday party he was throwing for her. I quickly knew I wanted to use the "Hey Chica" stamp set from My Favorite Things Stamps since the attitude of this gal alone fits my sister to a T! Also... she is always calling everyone "Chica". I used the FREE digital paper that Gina K offered on Stamp TV a while back knowing that pink was my sister's favorite color. I also used my Copic markers to color and highlight the hair so it matched what my sister's looks like. Hope he likes the end result! Excuse the blurry pic... my camera was charging and I was in a hurry... heading off on vacation!!

Tulips for Dad??

I have been wanting to make a card with tulips for my dad... it's his favorite flower. He always grew the red ones that bled into the top with white. Well.. I made the card, but now I'm not sure I should give THESE to him. I mean... look at what I did!!! It's on a PINK card base!!!! Yikes!

Not sure HE worries about his femininity so perhaps I should create him a new one??? LOL

I tried a new technique this time using Gina K's OMS and blender stumps with Kooh-i-noor pencils. As usual... the technique is posted on the StampTV site and her example is beautiful!

I also used Melanie Muechinger's "A Year of Flowers" set which includes the tulip. I love this set, you can do so much with it.

The vase was made from StampinUp's new large Oval Punch. Simply cut across the bottom of the punch then I used the same punch to cut out an opening at the top. Cute, huh? The dots????... well... I just wanted to get silly and freehand them. LOL

Soothing Retirement

I LOVE the new "Branch Out" stamp set from StampinUp. This is the first time I've had time to play with it. I'm going to a StampinUp Regional tomorrow and decided to use it to make some cards to "swap" with the other demonstrators. I thought the tire swing and the boots at the base of the tree looked relaxing.. soothing.. reminding me of carefree days. I think something is missing though. Maybe some brads or something. I didn't want to add ribbon since, to me, it looks more of a manly type card.

Tea Time

My husband and I have shared a "tradition" of sorts since we started dating. We bought a cappuccino machine and would have a cup together after my son went to bed.. usually on Friday and Saturday nights. As we got older (for me at least) the caffeine wasn't a good idea at night. And, since he drives truck at night for the Post Office, we don't have Friday and Saturday nights together anymore. So, we switched to tea (decaf for me) on Sunday and Monday nights (his only nights off work). Recently, we started going to a new tea shop in Des Moines called Gung Fu Tea. It is such an awesome quaint little shop. They have hundreds of loose leaf teas!! For Valentine's Day he went for the first time alone and bought me a cool "Brew-in-Mug" cup and a bento box of little tins with different loose leaf teas to try and some crystal brown sugar. It's our "special time" together and we both really enjoy it. Moreso now that we've gone to loose leaf teas and have a really cool shop with which to go browse and buy! I made this card to send him (YES "send"... I love mailing him little cards and love notes still and he really enjoys getting them) as a little "love our time together" note. Also, over on the StampTV site, this card fit for the "Sketch Challenge" this week so I got two uses with it.

Breath..... and Relax.....

I'm really getting into the Stamp TV challenges lately and it's giving me new ideas and sketches to play with. Monday's colors were "pink and a neutral color". Well... I decided vanilla was a good choice since I had satin ribbon to match and couldn't seem to find ANY satin at my local Hobby Lobby!! As I was coloring the candle tray I thought I wanted it to look somewhat "stoneish?" LOL Silly words I make up... hee hee. Then I decided it was ok to just add a layer of grey around the stamped image. What do you think?? I have to tell ya though... as usual... I brought the card upstairs after I had finished and showed it to my husband. As usual... I had to EXPLAIN the card *sigh*!! Men!! He says... "Sympathy card?" Uhhhh... no! So then... my son decides to take a peek at it... "Oh that's pretty mom... is it a wedding card?" Uhhhh... no! Sheesh!!! Didn't anyone see the "Relax" at the bottom??? Husband... "Ohhhh nooooo... let me see it again. (Puts on his glasses... duhh.).... Ohhh yeah... I see it now!" *eye roll* tsk tsk tsk So much for getting opinions, huh??? I used Rupa Shevde's stamp set "Perfectly Polished" which I ordered from Gina K. Designs. Hope you can get a bit of a serene feeling from it... NOT death or marriage!! Two completely opposite opinions!

Split Screen STVPF1

I've never tried many "challenges" before and I'm finding that joining some of these stamp groups online has really given me tons of inspiration. Not only am I finding new techniques and layouts to use, but I am actually going outside comfort zone and adding in some of my own "tweeks" here and there. For instance, I actually put the "shadow" marks in around the giraffe's feet AND... free handed the little clumps of grass around him. NOT like me at all to try and draw my own thing. Afterwards Melanie informed me there was a stamp that is a clump of grass... hee hee. I was flattered that she said she liked mine better though. YEAH ME!!! What a compliment from such an artist as she. The giraffe actually came from Melanie's set called "Hip-Hop Accessories" which you can get at Gina K Designs! This card was done for StampTV's technique challenge posted my Melanie Muenchinger, Potluck Friday. Melanie used a "Split Screen" layout and I really liked trying it. I thought the giraffe was soooo appropriate to "stretch" out even more... hee hee. Give it a try... I think you'll have fun with it!