Lovin' This $1 Stamp - Preggo Card for a Friend

This was a different sketch for me, which I found to be a challenge because I made quite a mess of this card as I was creating it. Once I was finished all of the individuals elements for this card I realized that I wanted to mat the embossed background to a piece of celery cardstock. I had already cut and punched the notches for the original dimensions, so I had to then keep wacking it down until everything fit correctly again. (Card base, mat, embossed BG, etc.)

I LOVE using Primas but had noticed after putting a brad through the large pink flower that it looked...well...a bit odd, so I pulled out a strip of stitched flowers that I had picked up a long time ago at the local fabric store. It's nice to have pieces tucked away when you need them. ;) I simply cut of of the flowers off of the ribbon and centered it with the brad to the original flower.

I hope my friend enjoys this card as much as I enjoyed making it for her.

Supplies
Stamps: Michael's $1 Maternity Stamp, SU Fancy Flexible Phrases
Ink: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Black
Paper: Glossy White, Whisper White, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Apricot Grosgrain, Silver Brad, Prima Flower, Stitched flower, Circle Punch
SCS Challenges: Color Challenge 104, Sketch Challenge 115

Ok...Last One for Tonight...I Promise!

Do you ever just try something and it comes together just as you had imagined? For me, I would say "not very often". For some reason this card did! Woohoo! I LOVE the colors and simplicity of the sketch.

The background reminds of antique embossed ceiling tiles gilded in gold. I used the Cuttlebug Textile Embossing Folder, Versamark and gold Perfect Pearls to create the effect. The background glossy white paper was first sponged with three inks (celery, rose and saffron), dry embossed with the texture plate, dabbed with Versamark then dusted with the gold Perfect Pearls. The background was then layered onto the rose card base.

The focal point was colored on the stamp with light rose (outlined with a deeper rose shade) and celery. The sentiment was stamped on top of the flower stems in black. The edges of the vanilla cardstock were sponged in the light rose color, matted with celery and embellished with the apricot grosgrain and gem. Love it!

Supplies
Stamps: SU Happy Harmony
Ink: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Black, Versamark
Paper: Glossy White, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Gem (Hero Arts), Apricot Grosgrain, Cuttlebug Textile, Gold Perfect Pearls

Cool Color Combination

While trying to choose a SCS color challenge I ended up making my own. Thank goodness that I can be creative on my own. ;) I used Cool Caribbean, So Saffron and white. The real inspiration for the colors came from the patterned paper that I used as the secondary layer.

I am going to head off to try another challenge! Either that or take a nap. lol.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU Happy Harmony
Ink: Cool Caribbean, Basic Black
Paper: Cool Caribbean, White, DCWV Patterned Paper, So
Saffron
Accessories: Apricot Grosgrain, Primas, Gem Brads, Cuttlebug Script

A "Cuttle" of my Bug Creations

Bah...it's funny, right? Ok, only to a gal whose due date with #1 was today with no signs of anything happening. Anyhow, back to the good stuff...here are a couple of my Cuttlebug Creations. One is a birthday card for my favorite (and only) niece Kamala and one for DH who actually braided the copper for the card.

I completely loved the patterned paper from Die Cuts With a View. It came pre-glittered!! How can I argue with genius like that?? I used the Happy Birthday embossing folder on the patterned paper and also a sheet of shimmer white, then cut out "happy" and "birthday" from the latter sheet and adhered it to the patterned paper. I layed the patterned paper to a SU orchid opulence card adding a prima with a gem brad and a strip of apricot grograin ribbon.


Supplies
Stamps: NONE
Ink: NONE
Paper: DCWV Posies, SU Orchid Opulence, Shimmer White
Accessories: Cuttlebug Happy Birthday, Apricot Grosgrain Ribbon, Prima Flower, Joann's Gem Brad



The inspiration for this card was actually the braided copper wire to the left of the main image. DH likes stripping old electrical cords, saving the copper and decided to braid a few of them for me to use on cards and things.
I used brushed copper paper and the Textile Texture embossing folder for the sheet metal look beneath the celtic cross image. This was then layered onto the green card base. The braided copper wire was attached with two copper brads. The card was finished with hemp twine tied at the base of the copper embossed sheet.

Supplies
Stamps: Celtic Cross
Ink: SU Basic Brown
Paper: SU Brushed Copper, SU Glorious Green, SU Very Vanilla
Accessories: Cuttlebug Textile Texture, Copper Brads (Joann's), Hemp Twine, Copper Wire

Cuttlebug Crazy!!

Thanks to DH for forwarding to his family my birthday gift request I now have a Cuttlebug! I know that sounds horrible..."birthday gift request", but generally DH is always asking what I want, his family is asking him what I want and a lot of times the message never gets out. This time it did!!! How awesome! My SILs Loretta and Shari went in together to get me this great gift. From what I understand from Loretta it was quite a fiasco finding it not to mention finding a store that would honor the coupon and have the product.

I didn't have any dies/embossing envelopes until yesterday when DH and I headed to Columbus to return/exchange so baby items before I was unable to do so. Conveniently enough, there is a Michael's right next to Babies r' Us and a Joann's right down the road from Michael's. Both carry the Cuttlebug accessories, however, I found that Joann's prices are at least $1 less per item than Michael's. In addition, all of Joann's Cuttlebug accessories were 25% off. (Bonus!) Because I stopped at Michael's first and purchased one embossing folder, then headed to Joann's I had to make a return trip that same day to return the more expensive one to Michael's. I totally wore myself out!

When I got home yesterday afternoon, I (took a nap first) decided to break out the EF (embossing folders) and try them on a few different paper thicknesses and some metal.
Results:
Patterned Paper: Likes to crinkle a bit unless you put a little bit larger piece in the folder. This was a fairly thin patterned paper. Firmer PP may not yield the same result.

SU Cardstick: Perfect. Nice and firm paper with deep impressions

SU Metallic CS: Nice firm paper with deep impression, however, the faint squares on the EF showed through slightly on the finished product.

Metal Adhesive Duct Tape: A bit thin, but still a great impression. Not sure how well the impression will stay after adhered to project.

Copper Flashing: Wonderful deep impression on this firm surface. Again as with the SU Metallic CS the faint squares/rectangles on the EF made an impression on the finished product.

I am so excited to keep experimenting with the dies and embossing folders as well as trying various brands of the same products with the Cuttlebug. As the result of my first review I am completely "impressed".

Baby's Birth Announcement

Since I am at the end of week 37, I thought it wise to get the birth announcements pre-made to take the hospital with us. All we will have to do is fill in the information and pop them into the pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelopes and send them on their way.

This is the (again) simple design that I came up with last night at my friend Kerry's house, whilst stamping at her kitchen table. There are many other baubles/embellishments that I could have added, but I don't really want to deal with any complexity at this point it time. Since baby's gender is still unknown (our choice) I went with the celery color as something neutral. DH picked out the elephant and I used the "information" stamp from a baby set given to me at the last shower. The card has no inside to it. I could actually simply send it as a postcard, but am a bit leary about that idea at present. It would be less expensive...

Supplies
Stamps: Wild About You (SU), Bundle of Joy (SU)
Ink: Burnt Sienna (Palette Ink), Certainly Celery (SU)
Paper: Chocolate Chip (SU), Very Vanilla (SU), Certainly Celery (SU)
Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch, Scallop Punches, Sakura Stardust Clear Gel Pen, Chocolate Ribbon

Simple Baby Shower Card

My second baby shower was on Saturday....only one more to go, which will be next Tuesday after school. In all honestly, I am glad to see them coming to an end. I am sure I will miss everything baby shower and bridal shower as I get older, but at this point I am worn with showers. ;) Saturday's shower had all relatives and friends of DH's side of the family. Can't wait to post pics of the cake that my SIL made! She is so creative!

This is actually the card created for gifts that I received in the mail between the shower for my side of the family and the shower over the weekend. I see myself getting progressively more fatigued, thus my cards are getting much more simple. I hate to think that they will look like after the baby is born. lol!

Supplies
Stamps: Hero Arts (Baby Set), Stampin Up
Ink: Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, Black
Paper: White
Accessories: Celery Grosgrain, Dazzling Diamonds, Glue Pen