Another Lovely Chipboard Card

I really like this card from the Bittersweet card kit. It has so many elements to it. I started with the pink background card and then added the pre-designed paisley/dotted cardstock, then added the pre-designed rectangle after distressing the edges. The kit came with the bracket and heart chipboard along with the die-cut letters 'love.' It also had the rub-on words that I added above the word 'love.' The kit came with directions for putting all the cards together and I had originally considered making each of the cards 'my own' in some way, but I like the way the cards have turned out. I have thought about making up my own card kits and how easy (yes, and time consuming) it would be - but think about those times when you want to 'play' but don't have alot of time. Or you want to meet with a friend to craft and you aren't sure what to take with you - these kits are perfect for days like that.
Thanks for visiting ~ Paula

Catching up and making cards

I have been out of the loop the last couple of weeks, trying to get the Civil Air Patrol Publication 'Bear Facts' out to the publisher. I am the editor and it consumes quite a bit of my time when I wait until the last minute to work on it!! What can I say, I would rather be crafting!!
I am still attempting to complete ALL of the 365 card blog challenges. Yes, I am BEHIND in a big way - missed the opportunity to SCOR a mini scor-it, but that is ok, there will be other opportunites, right? Anyway, on to the challenges.
This morning I put together several cards (I have two more to go) that are part of a Basic Grey 'Bittersweet' card kit that I got from Memories From The Attic. A year ago I won a years subscription to a card kit a month and this kit was for January - of course, I am JUST now getting around to putting it together but as I have been working on these cards, which came with die cuts, chip board die cuts and the pre-scored cardstock for the folded cards, as well as the envelopes to send them in - I thought about the Day 37 challenge for 365 cards which was to dress up chipboard and use it on your card. WELL, I didn't dress up the chipboard, as it was already coordinated with everything else on the card, so I left it alone. The chipboard on the card are the letters 'you'. I also added coordinating brads to the top of the card and distressed the edges. The kit also came with some lovely rub-ons, so I added that behind the heart. I attached the heart with dimensionals so it sits above the rub-on design. I hope you like my take on the challenge. Thanks for visiting
~Paula

My Birthday Girl

Today is my youngest daughter's 13th birthday. This means I now have FOUR teenagers living at home, and one lives in Washington. I haven't been crafting alot this past week, however, on the 365 card blog the challenge for day 43 was to make a gift card holder. Well, what TEEN doesn't like GIFTCARDS? I figured this was a great opportunity to get Naomi a gift card and present it in a fun way. The gift card in the pocket is just for looks - and it really isn't a gift card, it is one of those store cards - you know the kind, buy something, get a punch, or in this case, they swipe the card and credit me 10% on every purchase so someday I will be able to 'buy' for 'free'.

Spring Vacation

I have been away for a few days with my four younger kids (well, they aren't really THAT young, they are teens) - visiting friends in Las Vegas. It was a nice time to get away and catch up with my best friend, Pam - after 20+ years apart!!! We also got a chance to get to know her older daughters a little better too. We did have a few minutes of crafting time together - too much talking kept us from doing any more! We also visited with another newer friend - Sue and her daughter. The kids got to shop and we found a few good deals, we also visted the M&M Store and the Coca-Cola store. On Wedensday, before we had to head back home, we got another couple of hours with Pam and her girls, so we went downtown to the Forum - a BIG indoor shopping mall. I knew the minute I walked in that Larry and I had been there before. This place is AMAZING!! The architecture in this place is worth going there just to see. The shops have outrageously priced items - but we did buy some chocolate - just because it was DIFFERENT!! When I get a little more time I will post some pictures of our trip - probably in a slide show, so watch for it early next week. Until then, I will be working and crafting - hoping to do more crafting than work!! :)

Thanks for visiting,
PaulaM

365 Card Challenge Day 34

Today the challenge was to make a card using either an egg image, or an oval shape for the dominanting shape. The card did NOT have to be an Easter card, but I chose to use that sentiment on my card. I have many of these types of images where there is a shape in the center. This was the first one I came across and thought I could spruce it up a bit. I used the new Liquid pearls in lavender and white and then added a bit of stickles around the oval to make it sparkle. I stamped using Brilliance ink. This card is really simple and it was quick to do, but yet elegant - at least I think so!!

Thanks for taking a look at my blog today. ~Paula M~

What's with all the CIRCLES!!

As I look back over the card challenges that I have been doing these last few days, I realized that many of the cards had CIRCLES as the main element. So, this post is all about those 'round-ish' cards.
On Day 7 of the 365 cards challenge we were to create a card using a circle as the dominant shape. The card could have the shape or be made in the shape of a circle. I chose to do the latter.
Oh, how I love this card!! There are so many things about this card that are just FUN!! I first cut the basic shape using the largest nestibilities scallop circle. I centered the die just slightly above the fold on a folded card. I then used a printed paper from the Basic Grey Bittersweet line that I just HAD to have!! I layered it with solid cardstock and then added the sentiment. I felt the card needed a little more - so I changed the color of the bracket - it was YELLOW!! I used alcohol inks to change the color. I then gave it some shimmer using Moon Glow - a product I bought AGES ago. It is similar to the pearl whatever it is called! lol The card was STILL not complete, so I cut flower shapes with my new die cut from SU out of mulberry paper!! There were two TINY holes left from the die cut at the top of the fold that was PERFECT for adding the ribbon.

My next card was for Day 8. It was a sketch challenge. I actually made this card several days ago, but realized that I had a 'circle' theme running and wanted to wait to post with all those round-ish cards. The card is quite simple. I layered close to cocoa on top of chocolate chip on top of blush blossom. I had the circle from a Wish RAK exchange (Splitcoast Stampers)and decided it blended well. I added the flower from a set of primas I bought a couple months ago and added the button to the center - WITHOUT changing it in ANY way!! Oh, and the ribbon was actually on a package that I received from a friend - it is ribbon from SU.

This last card in the circle theme - at least for today - came together quite quickly - however gave me fits at the end. The blotches of white you see are a result of the card falling over, not once, but twice!! I have pearlized pants now as a result!! lol This was for the sketch challenge on Day 29. The sketch called for a banner type image - on which to stamp a sentiment? Well, I don't have any stamps that fit that category - surprisingly - if you saw my stamp collection you would understand why I say that - I am sure I have more than 2000 stamps - someday I will count them and let you all know!! Anyway, I got out my cartridges for my cricut and found that the Marriage cartridge has a banner, so I cut it out and very carefully stamped the sentiment on it - however, I think I did the banner shape backwards - oh well!! I had the turquoise pearls in my stash and added them as the sketch called for something 'splattered' across the circles.

Thanks for visiting today - Paula M

And now for Today's Challenge

The challenge for today at 365 cards blog was to make a card and use only the top 1/3 or the bottom 1/3 of the card and leave the rest blank. As I thought about this one, I knew just how I wanted to create this card. I decided to make another anniversary card - we have a few coming up in our family and used the same stamp as I did on my Day 6 card so you can actually see what the sentiment looks like! :) I used Fire Brick distress ink for both the sentiment and to distress the edges. I love this border punch from fiskars.

I am not caught up with all the challenges from March, however I intend on working on those challenges as time allows. What a wonderful source of inspiration. I may also work on a card for the Res-q-challenge blog if I get the time before heading off to work.

Back to 365 card challenges

Yesterday was the start of the second month of challenges at 365 cards blog. The theme was to use 'water' on your card. Well, I have had this sentiment stamp for quite some time. I used to live in Washington State where it rains pretty close to 365 days a year!! So, when I found this stamp at a convention some years ago, I HAD to get it and knew that someday I would use it. This challenge was PERFECT for it.

Flower Soft

I visited my LSS on Tuesday and decided to buy a kit of the Flower Soft. I have looked at this several times when I have gone into this store and it has fascinated me, so I decided to finally give it a try. This is the card I created to begin with. I was actually looking for another stamp to use and while looking came across this 'lavender' stamp and thought it was perfect. My cardstock is Lavender Lace with a nestibilities classic scallop oval cut out of the front. The image is layered inside the card.
Here are a couple closer pictures of the flower soft:



Flower Soft is so versatile. You can use it to bring 'life' back to an old stamp. You can also make flower stems and create a flower arrangement as I have done on this card:
You can get Flower Soft in pastel colors, dark colors and multi-colors. I chose the pastel kit and have saved the leftovers into a seperate container where I am creating my own mix of colors.

Sparkle!

Yesterday I went out to pick up an item from one of the LSS that I had ordered. It is this very cool craft product from a company called Dufex Crafts. The product is called Pyramex Decoupage. You punch out each picture and then layer with either glue dots or foam - I used foam. It seems simple, but the results are stunning. The pictures are printed on a foil type background, so it gives it a shiny look.
WELL, I knew that one of the challenges on the 365 card blog was to do a glittery card. It was for Day 6. Here is the card I created:

I started with a metallic cardstock and mounted a lighter color of metallic cardstock on this. Then I added my image using foam to lift it a bit. I stamped (though it is hard to see) the sentiment - Happy Anniversary - using Brilliance Pearlescent Purple and then added three swarovski crystals below the sentiment. It really is a lovely card IRL.