Wow That's Bright!

K, I really thought I was going to stop posting cards I wasn't 100% positively crazy about. But then Krista (!) walked in and looked at this card and said, "oooh, i really like that one, mom." K, you have to understand, Krista doesn't 'really like' anything. Everything is 'eh' or 'okay. whatever'. And it's not just cuz she's 11. That's just Krista. I looked at her in shock and said, "really? cuz i think that blue is a little...much." And she said, "the blue is what makes it." Ok, I'm not sure where this child came from or when she decided that colors other than green, black or brown were ok, OR that anything 'makes it'. But at heart, she IS an artist and I guess when she sees something that speaks to her, she's gonna let you know. I, however, wasn't crazy about this card and tried to do it over in pink, and that was even less successful than this version. This card has had a reverse effect on me, tho. Usually I'm not as in love with a card after looking at it for a few days. With this one, it's growing on me. Go figure.

Stamps: You Say It's Your Birthday (The Cat's Pajamas), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Versafine Onyx Black, Cool Caribbean (SU!), Paper: PTI white, Tempting Turquoise & Basic Black (SU!), Accessories: Making Memories brads, circle & scallop punches (SU!), Copics: BG000, BG01, BG05, Y38

Well, It Looks Simple

You wouldn't believe how long it took me to make this simple card. You would think something like this could just be whipped out and slapped together. And for normal people, that's probably the case. But for an obsessive, perfection chasing nutjob like myself, things like this can take a while. And when I'm done, I can sit back, relax and say...'hey, is that crooked?' Yes, I actually did that. But then I thought, 'well, I usually take crooked pictures, so no one will ever notice.' And then, wouldn't you know it, I took a straight picture. Whatever. It still looks pretty good. Although, I have to say, since I've been using Picasa, I've been able to straighten out my crooked pictures. Yaaaay Google! In case you don't already know, Picasa is the FREE photo editing program that's so easy, I (me!) figured it out all by myself. I'm just so impressed when I can do something without asking Shawn how to do it. And even then, I usually give up and just have him do it for me. I'd love to be all fancy pants like my genius brother and have Photoshop memorized, but alas, that is not me. I'm just glad I figured out how to do a watermark. And, yeah, I know the watermark goes ON the card, not UNDER it. But I have to build up to actually putting stuff ON my precious cards.

Stamps: Birthday Basics (PTI), You Say It's Your Birthday (The Cat's Pajamas), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Pink Pirouette (SU!), Paper: PTI white, Basic Black (SU!), Accessories: Copics: RV000, R81, R83, G20, YR04, YR31

Happy New Year!

First of all, Happy New Year to everyone. I'm really glad that 2008 is over and here's hoping that 2009 is better for everybody. Now, on to the card. How about that color? This green is called Kiwi Kiss for those who don't know. When it was first sneak peeked (peeked? poke? puck? whatever, it's my blog), people hated this color. They even tried giving it funny names, keeping with the SU! alliteration theme. Baby Barf, Peas Puree and my favorite, Very Vomit. And I have to say that when I first saw all of the new in-colors, I wasn't too thrilled. I remember thinking to myself, 'oh, surely we can do better than that.' I do remember loving Pink Pirouette right away. I wasn't crazy about Baja Breeze, and we all know how that turned out (love.it.). So now, after my first time using Kiwi Kiss, I have to say, I like it. It's a very strange color, but I discovered that a lot of colors go with it. And that horrible sin of sins (in my book, anyway), I really like red with it. See? Still growing. I do have to say, tho, that I still don't like orange no matter what. Orange just scares me. Ok, baby steps on that whole growing thing.

Stamps: Dream a Little (SU!), Fairy Tales (Verve), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Kiwi Kiss (SU!), Paper: PTI white, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black & Raspberry Tart DSP (SU!), Accessories: Nestabilities, Copics: R27, R29, R59

Gift Card Holder

Hey there. I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I just wanted to show you guys a gift card holder that I made for my brother. He's one of those people that only wants outrageously expensive gifts, that he's very specifically picked out. Mmm, yeah. So, he got this instead. I got this idea from Patty Bennett's blog and I just love this version. It's an open-ended envelope folded in half to give you a 3x3 card. And I had to use one of my favorite color combinations, Baja Breeze & Chocolate Chip. (ok, you got me. pretty much any color I love paired with chocolate chip is a favorite color combination.) Same papers on the inside and out, just reversed the layers.

Just one note should you decide to copy this idea. Please don't be a dork and put it together backwards. Yeah, I really wanted the pullout to be on the right side. Before I put the papers on the outside of the envelope I actually checked myself and was all, "Phew! That was close! I almost did it backwards!" And somehow, it still came out backwards. I really have no idea how that happened or what I was thinking. And I couldn't just fake it and flip it around, cuz the brads were attached to the paper before I covered the envelope, and they would have been on the back. Um, yeah. Loser. Anyways, do people really care about this when you're giving them money? I say no.

Stamps: Best Yet (SU!), Holiday Treats (PTI), Ink: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip craft (SU!), Paper: Ski Slope DSP, Choc. Chip, open-ended envelopes (SU!), Accessories: clear emb. powder, tab & designer label punches (SU!), Martha Stewart snowflake punch, making memories & doodlebug brads

Merry Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Dream a Little

Hey there! I'm so excited to put this post up. This card uses new Stampin' Up! stuff that comes out in the new catalog in January. First, SU! told us that we couldn't put any of the new products on our blogs until customers could get them. That was gonna kill me, cuz I really like this card. I really LOVE the new paper. But I guess enough people complained, so they changed their policy and here we are. Yay! And let me tell you, I am not one of those bird stamp people. But this one just didn't seem to bother me, so I said, what the heck. I'm gonna go for it. K, Christmas is just a few days away and I am finally ready. Got everything done that needs to be done, so all I need to do is wait for it to get here. And listen to my kids tell me they're bored. They have nothing to do. Gosh, I love that one days before Christmas. Even worse, hearing the same complaint just days after Christmas. Kids, ya gotta love 'em.

Stamps: Dream a Little (SU!), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Pink Pirouette & Regal Rose (SU!), Paper: PTI white, Basic Black & Raspberry Tart DSP (SU!), Accessories: Copics: RV000, RV10, RV13, G24

Merry Almost Christmas!

Ok, first off, I just wanna let you guys know that we did indeed put up our tree on Saturday and it went great. No worms. I had that tree boxed up so tight that there weren't any critters at all in it, and it's been sitting in the garage all year. Phew! That was a big load off, for sure.

Also, I feel like I should come clean. You know how I love being prepared and how I started my Christmas cards & projects in, like, September? Well, it is officially one week before Christmas (ugh! it always takes me at least 3 times to spell Christmas right! -Crh, no, Chrit, no...argh!) anyways, and I have not finished my C-day (ha!) shopping. Whaaaat? I know, right? Clearly I cannot be put in charge of the bigger things like getting presents for our children. I've done a lot, but it's the teenager in the house. I was stumped until this week, and now I've got the ideas, I just have to venture out into the wild with all the rabid (no, not you!) shoppers, looking for those last minute deals. Look, I wasn't holding out for the deals, I was trying to get some ideas. Of course, if I see a crazy awesome deal on something and there's only one left and it's between me & one of those previously mentioned rabid shoppers, I'm not afraid of a little smackdown to get my gift. Ha. Kidding. mostly. Tis the season, joy to the world and all that jazz.

Stamps: Smells Like Cake & You Say It's Your Birthday (Cat's Pajamas), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Pure Poppy (PTI), Paper: Ski Slope DSP & Basic Black (SU!), White & Pure Poppy (PTI), Accessories: Pure Poppy satin ribbon (PTI), word window punch (SU!), Stickles, Crystal Effects (SU!), Copics: RV000, RV10, RV29, E11, N1

Here I Am!

Yeah, I'm still here. Just been busy, busy, busy. I've about reached that point where I find myself asking, "How long til Christmas is over?" And we don't even have our tree up yet. We're planning on doing that this weekend and I'm dreading it, because as excited as the girls get, somewhere along the way (probably between "ooh, the tree!" and "hey, don't touch that. that's my ornament. i made it in 2nd grade!") they get bored and I end up doing all the work. Actually, to be fair, I should note that Tia will stay from beginning to end and help. She's awesome. Plus, it's really nice now that she's old enough to not lump all the ornaments in one spot, and leave a whole side naked. And after the "worm incident", as I like to call it, we {ok, me} decided a fake tree might be best. So I have to put it together and spread the branches apart, and by branch 20, I'm all scratched up and beginning to get grumpy. And, I'm not sure when it happened, but some years ago, Shawn decided that he would suddenly have something important to do once he's brought in the tree box and all the tree decorations. He used to help & be all over it. He loved it. Then, he would just untangle the lights and sit & watch. Then he was just the videographer. Now, he's a ghost. You can hear him, you just can't see him. Aaah, the things we {ok, me} do for our kids. But it's ok. It's tradition. And anything is waaaay better than having a living, breathing, wriggling worm fall out of your tree when you're under it straightening out the skirt. Bleccchhhh! Apparently you haven't lived until you've heard mom scream out of sheer panic and disgust and hop around like she's on fire yelling, "Is it on me?! Is it on me?!" And that's a true story.

Check out that card! Stamps: Lovely as a Tree (SU!), Fairy Tales (Verve), Inkadinkado, Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Bashful Blue & Baja Breeze (SU!), Paper: PTI white, Basic Black & Ski Slope DSP (SU!), Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds & word window punch (SU!), Making Memories brads

Ugh. More Christmas Cards?

First, lemme tell you, I made this card just to make it. It's not about to hit the assembly line or anything. I'm really done. This Santa was just so cute & he was begging to be inked! Even Darien thinks this fat little guy is cute. Can I just say that simple is soooo where it's at for me these days? Yeah, I know, I've always leaned toward the simple, but I'm really pressed for time lately. Who isn't? This card went so fast I just wanna stand up & cheer. I knew I wanted simple and I knew I was gonna use this stamp. It started out on white paper, but then his beard & all the trim just didn't stand out. So I went over to my new favorite, kraft. Why am I just now figuring out how awesome this paper is? I dunno, but I'm glad I'm just late to the party, rather than never showing up. The Santa & snowflake are part of those clear Inkadinkado stamp sets that you get at Costco, for like, 5 sheets at $15. Yeah, they started out as $20, but in these tough economic times when people can't buy food to feed their kids, but will still buy stamps to feed their fix *gasp! who would do that? nobody I know*, that's what happens. I kid. My kids eat. Most of the time.

Stamps: Many Merry Messages (SU!), Inkadinkado, Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Brilliance Moonlight White, Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Basic Black (SU!), Kraft & Pure Poppy (PTI), Accessories: Cuttlebug folder, Inkssentials white pigment pen (awesome!), Copics: C3, G05, R29

Fairy Happy Birthday

Fairies. I love fairies. I don't know what it is about them, but I just love them. So when I found this fairy stamp set at Michael's, I was so excited. You know, not all fairies are created equal, and some of them just aren't my style. But these are just right. I'll have to make cards using the rest of them. Will all the other stuff I had going on, I only got the chance to make this card with the set. Aaand, would you believe that I never sat at my desk & stamped the whole Thanksgiving week, even though we had no school & I had the time? Didn't go anywhere, but just never felt like doing it. I made this card a couple of weeks ago and just never got a chance to post it with all the birthdays I had going on. So here it is. The last (presentable) card I had in my stash. Guess I'm gonna have to sit my butt down & make some more cards. Either that or start combing through my stinkers. *shudder* Oh, yeah. Happy Monday!

Stamps: Beautiful Fairies (Inkadinkado), Birthday Surprise (Verve), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Lemon Tart & Summer Sunrise (PTI), Pink Pirouette (SU!), Paper: PTI white & Lemon Tart, Berry Bliss DSP (SU!), Accessories: Stickles, Nestabilities, Sweet Blush satin ribbon, Copics: BV000, BV11, B000, E21, RV10, RV13, Y000, Y02, Y06, Y17, YR04 & spica clear glitter pen