August 31 - The End

Well, I did it! I actually made 31 unique cards in August. I made multiples of several of them, and have a few to finish assembling to wrap it all up. I used up some of my stuff. I broke out some new stamps, as well as some old ones that have been in the drawer for a while - but never used. I even bought some new stamps this month (but am saving them for holiday cards!). Some days it was a chore. Some days it was not. Overall, it was lots of fun. Time to celebrate!

August 30 - Back in the saddle

This morning I spent a hour or so clearing my craft table of all of the things from the bridal shower favors - beads, ribbon, paper, etc. Making the favors for the shower turned into a much more time consuming project than I expected, and I procrastinated - as usual. I hope that all of the glue was dry before people started taking them home!

For today's card, I decided to make another Christmas card. I really like the set of stamps that I used for the August 16 card, and I had a couple of the sentiments left that I had stamped 2 weeks ago. The design for this card was inspired by a Father's Day card that I saw on Splitcoast. Of course, I have a huge stack of Christmas papers from last year that have hardly been touched.

August 29 - Birthday blah

This card needs something. The inspiration for it came from something I saw on the internet, but I used brighter colored paper. I might add glitter to the next one I make like this.

August 28 - Happy Everything

I embossed this purple paper a couple of weeks ago, and ended up not using it at the time. This card turned out okay, but it's nothing spectacular. I do like embossing and sanding on the white core cardstock - it's such a neat effect.

August 27 - More glitter

I admit it, I have a bunch of card bases cut and scored and some of them even have the sentiment already stamped on. This was one of them. The good thing about this is that it takes almost no time to put a card together and there are no stamps to clean. I like this assembly line approach. Plus, using up some of my pre-stamped card bases means I don't have to use them to make anymore of those ugly lime green cards from August 14. I like this one so much better. Maybe it's the glitter paper - it's hard to see in the photo, but the patterned paper on this card is more glitter paper.

August 26 - Birthday Wishes

I planned on making and posting this card yesterday, my actual birthday, but it didn't work out that way.

I found the idea for this card several months ago on Splitcoaststampers, and had to immediately run out to get some glitter paper (because that is actually something I didn't have). I am now the proud owner of LOTS of glitter paper. It was fun to use the Stickles too. Apparently, I am a sucker for sparkly things. What else explains the huge stack of glitter paper and 20 different colors of Stickles?

August 25 - Last class project

This card was the last one from last week's class. It was just a simple stamp and color card - much more my speed than the other technique-heavy cards. (even though they were fun and pretty to make). It's not a bad card, but it's nothing special.

August 24 - Paper flowers

This card used the same water/perfect pearl mixture as the butterfly card from Saturday. Unfortunately, it curled up the paper, which really bummed me out because it was really pretty. The flowers are some larger paper flowers that I happen to have several of in my collection. To make the flowers on this card, 3 paper flowers were cut and folded. I definitely plan to make some other cards similar to this.

August 23 - Alcohol Ink

The background of this card was stamped and embossed white on glossy white paper. I used 3 different colors of alcohol ink on a blending tool and stomped the background on. It has a really neat effect. Alcohol inks are messy! I'm not a huge fan of heat embossing (because I'm no good at it), so I can't see myself running out to stock up on alcohol inks to make more cards like this. I did win a bottle as a door prize, so we'll see.... I also put copper alcohol ink on the back of this clear button. It took forever to dry, and made a huge mess when I tried to assemble the card. I guess I was not patient enough.

August 22 - Watercolor paper

This card was made from watercolor paper. The butterfly was inked with 3 different colors of distress ink and then misted with a water/perfect pearl mixture. The background stamp was done the same way. The stamped images have a bit of pearly sheen to them that you can't see in the photograph. The card was cut using Spellbinders dies. I have them, but have not taken them out of the package yet. I guess I have an idea what to do with them now.

August 21 - Sticky backed canvas

This card was made using sticky backed canvas. The butterfly was stamped and embossed with white embossing powder. Blue distress ink was rubbed on using an ink blending tool. Other people in the class used different colors - red, orange, green, or some combination of the colors. The card was embossed with one of the new Cuttlebug folders. I can't wait to see the new folders in person. I really like how this came out, but I can't see myself stocking up on sticky backed canvas anytime soon.

August 20 - Class Project #1

Holy moly, that class was intense! We used all kinds of materials that I've never touched before - sticky backed canvas, alcohol ink, perfect pearls, etc. It was lots of fun, but I was completely exhausted when I got home! I finished up the final touches on all 6 cards this evening. Here is the first one.



On this card, we used a cling stamp (which I LOVE and will become part of my collection very soon) and stamped with VersaMark ink. Then we brushed it with Perfect Pearls and misted it with water to set. It was a very simple process, and really turned out really pretty. It's tough to get a decent photo with the pearlescent front. The center part (under the pearled flowers) is what opens on this card. The brown background was run through the Cuttlebug, sanded, and then the dots were colored blue with a marker.

August 19 - Another favorite

I really, really like how this card came together. It's definitely one of my favorites of all of the ones I've made so far. I played with lots of toys to make it - the Cuttlebug, ribbon, stickles, sanded white core cardstock, a new stamp, etc.! I made 4 of this card, but I think I'll be making many more!

Tonight I am taking a class taught by Jennifer McGuire. I wish I had a quarter of the talent and creativity that she does. I am really looking forward to it - even if it does mean a drive to Cincinnati and a really long day. I should have a bunch of new cards when I get home!

August 18 - One last love stamp

When I broke out this stamp last week, I stamped it several times on white paper thinking I'd make multiples of the August 11 card. I made a couple, but then I got bored and started making other things with it. I used the last one on this card. It is stamped with Rose Red ink from SU! which conveniently worked with both red and hot pink cardstock.

August 17 - Lots of love

This is another one with the Love You Much stamp. It's hard to see in the photo, but I embossed the black with one of the Cuttlebug borders. I'm glad to use up some of this ribbon. It came as part of a set, and I had no idea what to do with it.

August 16 - Halfway there!

Yes, it is nearly 90 degrees today. I know this because my computer tells me so - not because I have stepped foot outside. I hate this hot and humid weather. What better way to 'celebrate' the weather than to make Christmas cards! I bought this stamp set last year just after Christmas, so this is the first time I've used it. Luckily I found these cute felt poinsettas last week and had a piece of the ribbon and rhinestone brads in my collection.

Happy holidays!

August 15 - Sending Happy Thoughts

I have been wanting to make this card for a while. I used a cute little Hero Arts stamp set that I've had for a while to stamp the flowers, then colored them in with pencil. You can't see it in the photo, but I also put diamond stickles in the centers of the flowers for a little sparkle.

August 14 - Snoozefest

I don't like this card. I have a whole stack of unfinished cards just like it - made with the same papers. It seems too plain to me, but I don't know what else to do with it. I debated about what ribbon to use, and the sheer lime polka dots (what was I thinking when I bought that?) seemed to match the best. I still don't like it.

August 13 - Love you much

This stamp is from one of my newer SU! sets and made its debut on this card. I also used the coordinating punch to punch out the 3 hearts at the bottom. Overall, I'm happy with this card although I think if Love was colored in with orange, I'd like it better. The red pencil looks a little pink.

August 12 - More Love

I got the inspiration for this card from Splitcoaststampers, and used the same stamp that I used on yesterday's card. I don't normally make square cards, but I had this card base already cut from when I was experimenting with the bridal shower invitations. It turns out that my inspiration card was also square, and so it ended up being almost identical. The inspiration card uses burgandy ribbon, but I didn't have any of that so I used this scrap of velvet rick rack instead. I like it.

August 11 - Better Late than Never

I almost forgot to post this card today!


I used not one, but two sets that have been sitting in my drawer for about 5 years as yet unused. Not only that, I broke out some decorative scissors! Who said those things went out of style?


This one was simple, but I like it. It would be an easy one to make lots of duplicates and would work for many different occasions, especially if I used one of the others in the set for the main image.

August 10 - A quick one

I have a stack of pre-cut and stamped card bases that need to be made into something. Last night I was busy, so I whipped this up quickly using one of them. I really like these colors and I love, love, love the felt rick rack! I think all rick rack should be made of felt. The card is a variation of a couple of others I've made. I like this recipe, and it's a good way to use up some patterened paper or scraps.

August 9 - A Freebie

On the way home from the stamping convention yesterday, I stopped at Archiver's. They were having one of their make-and-take weekends and I made this card there.

It's not really my choice for colors, but it was really quick to put together since they had everything all cut and ready! I do have some of those inchie stamps like I used on this card, so it gave me an idea for another way to use them. They also used chalk ink to stamp the inchies, and it really worked a lot better than the dye ink I've tried with mine. Something else to buy!

Today it's supposed to be really hot, and my goal is to stay inside and play with my new toys from yesterday- and go to the store and look at chalk ink. :-)

August 8 - A Butterfly!

This one is another Splitcoast-inspired design that kind of just came together. I flipped through a stack of paper that I bought back in the spring and found these two patterened papers that looked good together. More colors outside of my comfort factor! Also back in the spring, I kept seeing cards with this awesome butterfly on it, and knew I had to have it. So, I ordered the Cuttlebug die (along with a couple of others) and it has been sitting in the craft room unused for a couple of months. Time to finally break that thing in! I cut it out and embossed it and I really like it.

Today is the Stampaway USA Convention. I hope I don't get myself into too much trouble there!

August 7 - A Wild One

I made this card with my newest SU! set called Wild About You. When I ordered it, I thought it was cute, but I had no idea what I'd actually make with it. I saw lots of cute ideas on the Splitcoaststampers gallery, and finally settled on this one:

It's nearly identical to one I saw on Splitcoast using different colors. Following the theme this week, this card used paper from my stash, a yet unused stamp set, and ribbon from my stash. The ink was one of my new acquisitions.

And with this one, the first week of my self imposed challenge is complete! Maybe next week I'll shake this cold and feel more creative.

August 6 - New Ballet Blue

I recently acquired 13 new stamp pads. Crazy, I know, but I needed some variety in my collection. I decided to give the one called Ballet Blue a shot for this card. I just happened to have some blue cardstock in a 4.5"x6.5" mat stack that I decided to use, and when I started stamping, the color matched perfectly! Also, that stamp that says "Celebrate"? It was the first time that one's seen ink and I've had that set for several years. The stars are Hero Arts and I stamped them, cut them out, and put some diamond Stickles around the edges (and you can actually see it in the photo!). It also has "Happy Birthday" stamped on the inside.

August 5 - No Love for this Love Card

I admit, I don't love this one. I don't use yellow or orange much, and maybe that's why. It was simple to make and I do love 3 things about it: using paper from my stash, using ribbon from my stash, and using a stamp I've had for probably 5 years that had never seen ink.

August 4 - A Favorite

I really, really like this card. It's another Hero Arts stamp and idea from their site. Did I mention that I like their stuff? I made 4 of these since I had 4 already cut out. My button stash is a little lighter now too.

August 3 Card

This card is actually a variation of the card that I made for the Cards for Heroes blog hop on Memorial Day. I've got several of this format in the works, and it's a great way to use up scraps. This one, however, used all new stuff - patterned paper from the spring stack, a new border punch, some felt rick rack (one of my favorite things EVER), and a butterfly stamp new in the package (a Fiskars stamp, if I remember correctly). The sentiment is Hero Arts.

A Self Imposed Challenge

While I was working on the shower invitations, I realized that I haven't even stepped foot in the craft room for most of the summer other than to iron. My supply stash has continued to grow, but my card box remains empty. I read a multitude of blogs with every kind of challenge imagineable and so I decided it was time to challenge myself - one card a day for the month of August.

As August 1 approached and I finished up the invitations, I was getting excited. I've been working on an ambitious organization challenge, and it seemed time to put my new 'system' to work. (I am working to convert my collection of ideas from a pretty un-useable notebook/page protector system to the 4x6-index-cards-in-a-photo-box system described in the Organize Your Stuff Challenge blog post. So far, so good....but very time consuming up front.) I pulled out some of my favorite ideas and got to work.

First, I decided that I'd finish up some of the unfinished cards. Surprisingly, there really weren't too many of those - not even enough for the first week!

And so...for August 1:

I actually made a few of these cards back in the spring, but I had a couple of the blue background pieces left. The blue background was made by running some white core cardstock through the Cuttlebug, sanding it, and inking it with lime green ink. The bird and the sentiment are Hero Arts stamps, and the idea for this card came straight from the HA website.

For August 2, I pulled out some more card 'parts' and finished up 10 Christmas cards that have been laying around since last fall:

This card was also an idea straight from the Hero Arts website, and the Joy stamp is one of theirs. Nothing fancy, but DONE.

Shower Invitations

For several weeks, I've had "make my sister's bridal shower invitations" on my things-to-list. It kind of slipped off my radar and even though I knew I needed to come up with an idea, I figured I had lots of time so I could procrastinate a while longer. My attitude changed drastically with one simple email which made me realize that not only had I not come up with an idea yet, but the shower was only 6 weeks away! Crap! After lots of internet research time and a little supply shopping, this is what I made:

This photo is bad. I had no natural light, and the flash reflected and washed the whole thing out. Thanks to a flashlight and Photoshop, I had an image that was acceptible to post.

Cards for Heroes Bloghop

A couple of weeks ago, I saw that Cards for Heroes was having a blog hop this weekend. It seemed like fun, and at the last minute I decided I'd dust off my blog and join in the fun - my very first one! If you are joining in the middle of the hop, click here to start at the beginning. I have actually never sent cards to Cards for Heroes, but I have sent lots of cards to Afghanistan - beginning with Golf Company last fall.

First, a Memorial Day tribute to United States Army Sgt. Ryan Baumann, KIA on August 1, 2008, from injuries received during Operation Enduring Freedom when his humvee hit an IED in Khowst Province, Afghanistan. He served proudly in the 101st Airborne based at Ft. Campbell, KY. He was my cousin.


For me, the card thing started late last summer, shortly after Ryan was killed. I was surfing a message board and saw a post about people collecting blank cards to send to soldiers. It seemed like a terrific idea - one where I could use a lot of supplies from my stash, be creative, and support a good cause. One of Ryan's best friends was preparing to deploy to Afghanistan, so I got in touch with him and asked him I could send cards to him for their unit. I even roped a few of my crafty friends into making cards. It wasn't until a couple of months later that I learned about Cards for Heroes. This group sends some cards!! I can't believe how many! Golf Company came home and life got busy, so I haven't made nearly as many cards lately. I'll definitely be sending them to Cards for Heroes from now on, including the one pictured below.

I sat down last night to put together a card for the hop. I found the inspiration for this card on the Hero Arts flickr site a while back. I wish I had the link to give proper credit (if anyone knows, please forward it on). It seemed like a great idea for using up some scraps, and I'm happy to say that some scraps were used in this project. It was relatively simple to put together, and I'm happy how it turned out.

Supplies: kraft cardstock from Marco's Paper, striped and dot paper from a DCWV Stack from years ago, red felt rick rack from Archiver's, and solid cardstock from scraps. Sentiment from Stampin' Up.

Now....on to the next hop: All Things Alicia. Alicia has made a really neat card for the hop and be sure to check out the awesome cupcake box on her blog too!

Before you hop, please take a second to post a comment. Cards for Heroes will be awarding prizes randomly chosen from all comments left, so be sure to leave a comment at every blog you visit.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend.

Valentines

It seems like Christmas was just 5 minutes ago, but I already had to get the Valentines on their way to Afghanistan. I made some super cute cards this time around. It was so much fun to use so many of my new toys!

And so, here are four of the cutest Valentines ever:

I saw a card similar to this at Archiver's. I used the Cricut Mini Monograms cartridge to cut the scallop. The flower stamp is Autumn Leaves. The pink center stamp is Stampin' Up from the Little Pieces set. I used a pink pearl gem for the centers. The sentiment is from a Hero Arts clear stamp set. All of the stamping was done using the best ink pad ever - the Noir Black Pallette hybrid ink pad.

When I started this project, I thought I'd be using up so much of my accumulated craft stuff. It was a great idea - in theory. I've bought SO much new stuff. At least it's been fun. I made this card using paper from my stash. The love design was cut using the Cricut Wedding Solutions cartridge. The red linen paper was from Marco's and the patterened paper came from one of the DCWV stacks from JoAnn's that I've had for ages. It was the Old World stack. The sentiment was from a Stampin' Up set and stamped with chocolate chip ink.

This was another card that used paper from my stash. It's the same red linen paper that I used in the last card and another patterned paper from the Old World stack. It was also cut using the Cricut Wedding Solutions cartridge. The sentiment was from a Stampin' Up set and stamped using chocolate chip ink. I added a few pink pearls to give it a little bling.

This was my favorite card of the bunch for a couple of reasons. First, it is super cute. I got to play with my toys and I used stuff from my stash. The idea was adapted from some really cute Christmas cards I made in a class in November. I used the same red linen paper for this card and some pink cardstock that I had in my collection. The ribbon was also in my collection. I embossed the pink square with the Cuttlebug using the Heart Blocks embossing folder. The bunny was from a new stamp set that I picked up at Archiver's last week. I stamped it with black and colored it in using colored pencils. The sentiment is the same Stampin' Up that I used in the second card. The picture isn't the greatest, but the red block is mounted on a white card.

Ryan and Lauren were supposed to get married this Saturday. I'm thinking about her a lot this week.