Oh, how apropos...

Yours truly inadvertently took a lengthy, holiday season induced blogging break. Now that the holidays are over and most of the Northeast is experiencing the first real winter day, also referred to by some as the blizzard of 2010, I'm home and I have some artistic catching up to do.

Inspired by the blizzard raging out there, I created this card. So very apropos, non?

Supplies

Cardstock: white

Embellishments: Reminisce bling in silver, Cuttlebug Winter wonderland collection - embossing folder

Ink: Adirondack in Red Pepper

Stamp: Hero Arts

A very simple, yet striking design, well suited for mass production, which is exactly what I needed to do to thank all the wonderful people out there, who showered me with most generous gifts this holiday season.

Hope you stay warm and drink plenty of cocoa today!

Ribbon Goodness

Hey guys, ya heard that scream last night? Yep, that was me, when I found this new Penny Black stamp set at Wiggles. Squee!

Isn't is just beeeeeeeautiful?! Luckily, I'm nowhere near done with my Christmas cards, so, of course, this works out great and comes in very handy!

I wanted to play with ribbon again, haven't really done much with ribbon in a while. Here's what I came up with:

Supplies

Stamps: Penny Black - Mimi's Christmas, Hero Arts

Embellishments: ribbon, pearls, COPIC

Cardstock: Martha Stewart

Have a great night!

Dear Santa Paws....

I just couldn't but make this card, for all of you animal lovers out there :). I saw the "Santa Paws" stamp at my local favorite store "Wiggles and Giggles" . Even though I have no animals except for a tiny beta fish (thanks allergies!), I knew I would use it and therefore had to purchase it. Here is one way to use it:

Supplies

Cardstock: Martha Stewart

Embellishments: Martha Stewart punches, bling

 

Also behold real life cardstock embossed buttons! Squee! Thank you, Martha Stewart, for your impeccable sense of style when it comes to scrapbooking... Button punch = genius!

Have a relaxing evening!

Snowflakes

I wouldn't want the holiday weekend to wrap up without producing at least one more card. Here's a quick one:

Supplies

Embossing: Cuttlebug

Stamp: AMuse

Ink: Memento in Bahama Blue

Embellishments: Hero Arts bling, EK Success border punch, ribbon, corner punch

I made it entirely for one reason and one reason alone - to take my newly acquired (but not so new on the market) Cuttlebug holiday embossing snowflake folder for a spin. Yummy, I must say! Love the size of the folders -  5x7 definitely means business!

Those snowflakes begged for bling and ribbon and my A*Muse snowflake stamp. Time start to finish - definitely under 10 minutes. Excellent for mass production projects.

Enjoy the new week tomorrow!

If you give a mouse a cookie...

...a dark chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips, that is...

Play Date Cafe, why do you challenge me so? Talk about a challenge!! Brown, silver and gray this week? Really?

Well, bring 'er on! I offer you this mouse :) and the cookie, too...Don't you just love the Martha Stewart white pearls "white chocolate chips"?

Supplies

Ink: Memento in London Fog, Adirondack in Espresso

Stamps: Inky Antics

Embellishments: COPIC markers, silver gel pen, ribbon, Spica pen, Martha Stewart pearls, silver staples, brown cord, SU border punch

And I bet you, if I stay up long enough tonight, I might produce something with penguins, too...

Ha!

Have a great day!

I fell out of bed

...I think. That was the only feasible explanation why I was wide awake at 5:30am on a peaceful Sunday morning. Given that I couldn't run around the house doing chores and waking up my boys, that was also the invitation to go downstairs to my craft area and create something beautiful out of paper (hm, like I need an invitation...right :)).

The Play Date Cafe is hosting a challenge with a color combination that wouldn't leave my system. Red, olive and turquoise, much like the picture below:

I also have a stamp that I have been impatiently waiting to use for the first time. Behold the cuteness:

Supplies

Cardstock: Martha Stewart

Stamp: Snow Kiss by Penny Black

Embellishments: Hero Arts Bling, Martha Stewart Border + Corner Punch, Fiskars Border Punch, COPIC Markers

Ink: Memento in Cottage Ivy

I'm entering it into their challenge. I had a great time doing the same last week. That also is when this card got the honorable mention over there, the Cream in Our Coffee status (cream is, if you ask me, the best part of the coffee experience :)).

Have an amazing Sunday!

Waaaaaait a minute....

...is what I thought earlier today, when I realized that colors on this card I just made last night

Supplies

Cardstock: Martha Stewart Wonderland, Echo Park

Embellishments: Buttons, Ribbon

Ink: Adirondack in Red Peper

Stamp: Impression Obsession

perfectly work with this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge colors, which are as follows:

Now, that's what I call joy! Of course, I'm submitting the card and am finally able to play along at the Cafe...I've only been watching the challenges and following the happenings over there for....oh...maybe 6 months :). It's time!!

Have a wonderful evening!



Brrrrrring on the Holidays...

Gotta love holidays and days off, which give you a chance to reunite with your papers and stamps. A result? See below:

Supplies

Cardstock: Martha Stewart

Stamp: Hero Arts, Inky Antics

Embellishments: Martha Stewart

Tools: Tonic Studio Snowflake Punch

Have a fantastic Veterans' Day!

Very Merry...

...is how I feel. Now that we finally put Halloween to rest, it's time to break out the Christmas papers and other goodies! Finally!! Yes!! Can't wait!

Since I can't contain my excitement, I must share the two projects I have completed so far...My brain is exploding with ideas, so I suspect several more posts, if time and lack of sleep allow for any creativity :).

First up, Inky Antics. I can't get enough of their stamps! Plus, that deer is so stinkin' cute!
Fiskars edge punch, Martha Stewart paper, and some gorgeous deep red bling is what you see here:

A completely different feel, softer and very snowy, peaceful is this card. Thank you A*Muse, Martha Stewart and Hero arts. Your goodies combined made this card possible :).

Have an awesome evening!

One crafty chick

I know this blog is all about cards and cardmaking, but I couldn't resist sharing two project made as a result of my new found passion: pottery painting.

It's getting to the point, where it's pretty safe to say that I never met a craft I didn't like. Yet, it also is safe to say that very few things offer the same amount of tremendous peace and satisfaction like crafts do.

Have an excellent Sunday!

Thank you, thank you, and thank you!

I work with some of the best people on the planet - that's a fact! Three of them took me out to lunch and cupcakes recently. We had a great time, and I wanted to thank them for that...

The beauty of card making is in the fact that one can highly customize the card based on the recipient. So, here I have three different individuals, all of whom I wish to send a thank you note to, and here are three different takes on a thank you note:

First, we have some gorgeous October Afternoon paper in action (I'm a recent fan), with a very simple frame and stamped message. Tres chic, non?!

Secondly, we have the Hero Arts Exotic Decor along with some more October Afternoon paper and bling. Note the same stamp as above, but a completely different feel

Last, but certainly not least, A*Muse and Imaginisce stamps in combination with the EK Success border punch. Simple, yet effective:

Have a great night!

Welcome baby Aria!

As you may recall, my rule is that new babies always get a card from me.

My friend and his wife welcomed a baby girl a few days ago. They are both from India. I couldn't but to use this very cute Indian elephant from Hero Arts' Exotic Decor set for their card. MS punch in arch lattice works very well with Fiskar's upper crest. DCWV's Citrus and Glitter card stock stacks were used, too. I think it's very Indian and non-baby card-typical, but that's exactly why I like it so much, too...

Very important to mention are Spica pens, which I just found out about today. I think it's safe to say that they will revolutionize the way I make cards. I fell in love at first sight...they add glitter, shimmer, dimension and oooomph! I used them profusely on this card.

I found out about these glorious pens at Wiggles and Giggles during the Copics 102 class held by the very talented Dawn Emanuele. I was taught several blending techniques (yes!). I was explained the whole numbering system, which I largely ignored until today ;). I also realized that the blending pen is basically the solution to world peace - it can do ANYTHING! Very cool! I sure will be using the Copics now more than ever.

Have a fantabulous night!

I did not forget you!

I was just a tad busy, that's all...(and "a tad" is truly an understatement)

Visions of these two cards have been following me around in my (day) dreams...so I had to get them made.

Inky Antics stamps shine in the Thank You note for a co-worker. She's a fellow card maker, so I had to produce a serious card...
This is the first time I worked with Inky Antics acrylic stamps, and I must say, they're excellent. They even smell nice (yes, I pay attention to that stuff ;))

Another first, for me, is using Memento ink (in Black Tuxedo). Yes, I am hanging my head in shame: here I am calling myself a card maker and I haven't used Memento ink yet...Yup, I know...but I am a believer now.

 A friend of mine just moved into a new home, so that called for breaking out my Hero Arts stamps as well as my beloved Copics and staying up past my bedtime to finish it. But lookie here, it came out about exactly the way I envisioned it.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic and crafty weekend!

Happy World Card Making Day!!

Happy World Card Making Day to you!

Plenty of inspiration today, plenty of need for cards, too. Babies being born to friends, friends feeling unwell, friends to thank all around me. I don't need be told twice anyway, when it comes to making a card. Today, I made a total of four (and yes, I kept the baby and husband fed, too)

Got to use many a new stamp, also a new punch or two. I am particularly pleased by the Recollections paper punch I obtained at Michael's - very smooth. Also noteworthy is the hot air balloon stamp by the Shabby Green Door - excellent quality.

My beloved Copics also got a workout. See for yourself:

This card will be entered in the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - it is directly inspired by their sketch!

Also a personal favorite is this card:

Found the ship at Michael's and immediately knew that my new Unity stamps would be perfect for it. The rest, as they say, is history. Love the way it came out.

Little babies ALWAYS get a card from me. The most recent baby arrived on a stormy evening of September 30 and here's his card.

I just HAD to make this card once I saw the cute Imaginisce stamps in the $1 bin at Michael's. The vision of it has been haunting me for over a week. There, I made it...

Have a splendid day!

i got asked at Michael's last night, if i'd be interested in teaching scrapbooking/card making/stamping classes there.

this means two things:

1) they recognize me there (scary).

2) woot woot!

gotta investigate this further, but once again: woot woot!

I'm going in!

This Waltzingmouse sketch challenge finally did it - I'm entering a card for the very first time and I couldn't be happier about it (a bit nervous, too).

So, here goes nothing:

I sure need a cupcake now!

And so it begins...

Welcome!

Here is what I've wanted for a long, long while - my very own card design blog!