Merry Monday: Blessings

I sat down yesterday and counted how many Christmas cards that I had left to do.  Ugh.  I'm definitely glad it is only September and I have a few months left. It also added incentive to sit down at the last minute and play in the Merry Monday Christmas Challenge.

So many directions came to my mind for this one!  But I settled on using a recent purchase.  I just got the Stampin' Up die set - Starlight.  It's full of fabulous Christmas stars, small and large, many are layerable, and this one that is cut right into the paper.  I did not get the coordinating stamp set because I have an old Stampin' Up set (from 2007) that I got off ebay called Star-Studded Season.  I think it's a perfect pairing.

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The stamp is from the long-retired Stampin' Up set called Star-Studded Season.  The silver paper is my favorite glitter paper from Michaels.

SU Starlight Thinlits

SU Real Red CS

SU Real Red Ink

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Share Joy with Birthday Balloons

I needed another birthday card earlier this week (I know a lot of folks with September birthdays!)  I was struggling a bit because it's a lady at work whom I don't yet know well.  I know she has a strong personality; I know she is an avid baseball and football fan; I know everybody was quite shocked that she wore pink once last week; and I know there's a dog in her life that some people are intimidated by. Based on those limited facts, I didn't want to go frilly or girly or cutesy, and I totally perked up when I saw the colors at this week's Share Joy challenge.

These aren't colors I would ever have put together for myself.  Maybe that's why they strike me as fresh and unique.  LOVE the final look!


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There's an interesting comparison on this card.  One of the colors in the challenge is Blue Corn, but as Taylored Expressions is releasing a few new colors of ink each month, they have not yet released Blue Corn.  So I found another company's ink (which shall remain nameless) that matched the cardstock.  Look at the difference in coverage.  I've been saying good things about the TE ink - this is proof!!

Bold Balloons	Bold Balloons Dies	If Balloons Could Talk Stamp & Die Combo	Little Bits - Birthday Confetti
Stitched Rectangle Stacklets	TE Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube	TE Premium Cardstock - Toffee	TE Premium Ink - Toffee - Full Pad
TE Premium Cardstock - Granny Smith	TE Premium Ink - Granny Smith - Full Pad	TE Premium Ink - Lollipop - Full Pad

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Freshly Made Sketches: Celebrate

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Narelle.

Do you ever feel like everybody in your life has a birthday in the same month or two? September is one of my months.  So there was no doubt that this was a birthday card and I immediately knew the circle was going to be a cupcake!!

I had a not-yet-used layering cupcake set in my stash.  I pulled out some paper that I thought might work well for the recipient and then started matching colors.  I didn't totally follow the sketch in that I moved the entire thing to the right.  I didn't do it on purpose, but I stamped the cupcake and picked the papers before I went looking for a die cut word.  I struggle with birthdays because "happy birthday" is a really long sentiment.  The best I could do was "celebrate" and I still had to move it to fit it.
I did mess up my dates so it's quite likely the recipient is going to see the post before she gets her card.  I am truly sorry.  Just know that I had you in mind while I was making it.  Also - check out the photo because the glue smudge that you'll see on the actual card can't be seen on the photo!!
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I don't know where the paper is from, it's just some scraps that I liked.

TE Simply Stamped - Cupcakes	TE Simply Stamped - Cupcakes Dies	Neat and Tangled Celebrate die	MFT Blueprints 13 Die
SU Blushing Bride Ink	SU Flirty Flamingo Ink	SU Watermelon Wonder Ink	SU Flirty Flamingo CS
SU Watermelon Wonder CS	SSS Fog Ink	SSS Smoke Ink	White Glittered Sequins

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Curtain Call with Altenew

Welcome to the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge!!

We are inviting you to join us for a very special blog hop!

Altenew invited the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge to be part of The Ultimate Challenge Blog Hop, along with many other fabulous challenge blogs!

Curtain Call has some extra inspiration to get your creative juices flowing!  One can't think of Altenew without thinking of their amazing floral designs, so we threw some fall floral inspiration into the mix!

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One of my all-time favorite floral sets comes from Altenew so this challenge was a no-brainer.  I also knew these flowers and these colors would be perfect for a 30th anniversary card for some wonderful friends.  (Happy anniversary Kirk and Michele!!)


I put the "happy" die on the paper and cut just the h and a bit of the a - that way I could tuck my flowers underneath.  That also let me stamp the "anniversary" right over top of the "happy".  

This challenge is going to run a bit longer than usual.  Typically we close this one down on the 25th and get ready for a new challenge on the 1st.  This special challenge is going to stay open clear to October 5th.  Then the next Curtain Call Inspiration is scheduled for October 15th.  Be sure to check out the inspiration from all of the other designers at Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge, then play along!!  We'd love to see what you create.

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Altenew Hennah Elements	Altenew Hennah Elements dies	Altenew Halftone Happy	Altenew Happy die
SSS Slate Gray CS	SU Mint Macaron Ink	SSS Sunshine Ink	White Glittered Sequins

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Taylored Expressions: Make it Personal

My family has lived with my cardmaking obsession passion for a very long time.  I used to make at least 1000 cards a year with about 950 of them going to the church cardmaking ministry.  (Now with life changes, I only make 2-3 a week so I've cut back to around 100/year.)  I also have to say that I've never missed making a card for one of my kids' birthdays or special events.

One time, and one time only, I forgot to sign one of my kids' cards before I gave it to them.  Shouldn't have been a big deal, but somehow they became convinced (probably with prodding from my jokester of a husband) that I didn't sign it because I intended to re-use it by taking it to the church.  I'd never have done that. Really and truly. The cards that I make for friends and family are labors of love. Now, every darn time my family opens a card from me, the story gets retold.  So to avoid the sarcasm, I make a very conscious effort to personalize their cards in some way - the most obvious way by adding their name.


I love this alphabet for my teenage sons.  It's not frilly and it's totally fun. I made this card for my youngest a couple of days ago.  He started at a new school this year and it's not going as well as he had hoped.  First, I pulled out the owl set, then it occurred to me to sit the owl on his name.   (Also notice the little logs in the above picture.  My son happened to be with me when I wandered into Hobby Lobby last weekend to get a few props for my photos.  He found these logs - so I had to include them with this card!)


To add interest, I cut his name out of the main panel, then I sponged inks on a small scrap of paper to set behind the letters.  That prompted me to bring those colors into the owl's wings.  I'm sure my son will inform me that owls don't have colorful wings!


I know a card isn't going to solve any of his problems, but if makes him smile for a minute - or even sigh - maybe it will give him a bit more strength to face each day.  And that is the joy of this hobby we all love!

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Hoot Hoot Hooray stamp & die combo	Tall & Skinny Alpha	Stitched Rectangle Stacklets	TE Premium Cardstock - Toffee
TE Premium Cardstock - Granny Smith	TE Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube	TE Premium Ink - Oreo - Full Pad	TE Premium Ink - Cookie Monster - Full Pad
TE Premium Ink - Granny Smith - Full Pad

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