A Thousand Sheets of Paper

Seriously, Amy at A Thousand Sheets of Paper has, literally, a thousand sheets of paper up for grabs on her blog. I've never actually looked at that much paper all at one time before. Can you imagine winning something like this? Well, actually, I CAN! :) :) Head on over to Amy's blog to enter!

Fifty Years--Wow!

I made this card for my mother to give to some dear friends of hers who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary today. I loved Mojo Monday's sketch, which is both easy to follow and absolutely gorgeous, and really like how it turned out. 

I am always excited when someone asks me to make a card for them, because it gives me an excuse to buy more paper! Something I never have enough of! Which is exactly what I did here! Beautiful beautiful paper! Paper paper paper!!!!

Can you tell I have a bit of an addiction? :)

Recipe:

K&Company Elegance papers (LOVE THIS!)

K&Company Elegance bling

Recollections tiny roses

Recollection gingko leaves

Spellbinders Circle and Scalloped Circle dies

EK Success border punch

Martha Stewart border punch

Recollections pearl and lace border

Tim Holtz button

Stick pins I made

Scrunchy seam binding from stash

Challenges:

Mojo Monday--sketch

Little Claire's Designs--anniversary

Totally Gorjuss--something round

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog--scallops and/or fancy borders

Wags 'n Whiskers--sparkly

Ruby's Rainbow--gems

The Sisterhood of Crafts--anniversary

Stamp 'n Doodle--ribbon, die cut and pearls

Quirky Crafts Challenges--numbers

Perfect Timing

This card is the result of the perfect timing of two of my favorite challenge blogs: Midnight Madness (sketch) and Lily of the Valley (thank you card), plus one blog new to me: Gltter Geeks (photo inspiration). I had already bought the paper on sale from Michael's, and immediately knew the California Poppy Thank You digistamp I had nabbed from Operation Write Home would be perfect for it, but I had no immediate need for a Thank You card, that is, until I came upon LOTV's challenge. So, with all three challenges in mind, I went for it, and the result is the card you see above. 

Recipe:

K&Company Watercolor Bouquet paper

Recollections Hot Pink Gingham paper

Recollections light blue pearl paper

C'oredinations yellow pearl paper

Thankful Thoughts digistamp from Operation Write Home

Spellbinders Nestabilities Lacey Squres 

EK Success border punch

Sizzix branch with leaves die

Copics

Button and Pearl Cotton thread from stash

Challenges:

Midnight Madness--sketch

Lily of the Valley--thank you card

Glitter Geeks--photo inspiration

The Poodles Parlor--Round and Round the Garden

The Stamp Man--anything goes with summer colors

Craft us Crazy--anything goes

Truly Scrumptious--lace

I'm on a roll!

I have yet another card to show you today. I've sold a few things on e-bay, and I always include a Thank-You card in the package. I've only done this about six times, so it's not a big deal, but it always gives me an excuse to play, and I had a lot of fun making this card. I followed Inspirational Card Sketch's sketch on this one, and quite like it. 

I wish I were a better photographer, because the colors are much more vibrant IRL. I've been playing around with lighting and stuff, trying to get more accurate pictures, but this one just wouldn't cooperate. I even purchased an "Ottlite" lamp, hoping it would make the colors more accurate, but it obviously didn't help, for this card's pink is very pink, not coral like it's showing here, and the colors of the flowers are much deeper than what you see.  I've seen some people set up very elaborate photo staging, and to be honest, I thought it was much ado about nothing. Now, I wish I'd paid more attention, because I could use some of that ado!

Recipe:

Basic Grey's Out of Print papers (Still love them!)

Recollections light-blue pearlized paper

Stampendous Flower Fields Woodland stamp

Spellbinders Lacey Squares die

Spellbinders Pennant die

EK Success Border Punch

Stampendous transparent embossing powder

Copics

Colorbox black pigment ink

Recollections sparkly butterfly

Seam binding ribbon from stash

Challenges:

Bearly Mine--Charm the spots off you (use spots)

Ladybug Crafts Ink--favorite stamp (This really is my favorite stamp, even though I don't use it much. I was very happy to see it work on this card.)

Incy Wincy Designs--Something Old and Something New (the stamp is old, the Spellbinders Lacey Squares die is new ((just bought it today!))

The Poodle Parlor--something found in the garden

Notecard for My Sister-in-Law

  

I am making a set of monogrammed notecards for my SIL's upcoming birthday, and absolutely love how this one turned out, so much so that I decided to enter it in a few challenges.

I started out with three musts: the paper, the bling, and a layout different from the other notecards I'd already made. It took me the better part of the day to finally make it work, but once it did, it became my favorite card of the set.

Recipe:

Blue flowered paper from Joann (I'm not sure of the designer's name, but it's always in stock at Joann's.)
C'ordinations pearl white and navy papers
Recollections light blue pearl paper

Monogram "S" stamp

Recollections bling swirls
Tim Holtz button
Spellbinders Square, Scalloped Square, Circle and Scalloped Circle dies
EK Success border stamp
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Kassie's Brocade
Colorbox Midnight Pigment Ink
Seam binding from stash
Stick pins I made

Challenges:

Crazy Amigos--anything goes
Sweet Stamps--bling
Karen's Doodles Challenge Blog--buttons and bows
Ellphantastic--layers

Sweet Sketch Wednesday sketch.

My newest favoritest choicest bestest-loved paper is Basic Grey's Out of Print. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! So, I went in search of a sketch I could follow that would highlight the paper and found one the fit perfectly at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. In fact, while paper is always a fundamental element to any card, I would say these papers, literally, decorate the card.

I don't have anyone in mind for this card, and will probably add a sentiment when an occasion arises, but maybe not. Hmmm. . . I'm thinking. What do you think?

I used a fun technique on the birdcase. First I heat embossed it in opaque white, then in clear enamel, and it looks like an aged white birdcage IRL. This probably sounds weird, but I really like it when I use a technique that makes an element almost look like I purchased it that way, yet anyone who takes the time to look at it will know I did it myself.

Recipe:

Basic Grey Out of Print papers
Tim Holtz Alterations birdcase and bird die
Stempendous white opaque embossing powder
Stampendous enamel embossing powder
Tim Holtz decorative button
Stick pins I made
Trim and crinkled seam binding from stash

Challenges:

Bearly Mine Challene--Charm the spots off you.
Clearly I Stamp--Things with wings.
Glitter Geeks--Furry and/or feathered friends.