{CPS 122}

I got a chance to play this morning before my kids woke up (yes, I do LOVE summer---because I get to play in the morning before my kids are up)! Anyway, I decided to do a quick anniversary card using CPS 122. It's a nice simple layout this week, so I knew I could get it done before I had to make breakfast!

For this card, I cut my paper 9.25" x 8" & scored it at 4". This will fit in a regular no. 10 envelope. I used Smokey Shadow as my card base and punched the bottom with the Flowers Border punch by Fiskars. I used some Ever After paper---the "Something New". This is my first time to use Ever After and it's really beautiful paper. I stamped the sentiment from Damask Designs in Vintage Cream ink on Smokey Shadow cardstock and embossed and cut it with a Spellbinder's Double Ended tag. I popped that up on dimensionals and threaded it with Vintage Cream Satin ribbon. I added the buttons with a glue dot after I stitched them with embroidery floss. (I know, it's cheating, but remember, I'm trying to beat the clock here!!)

That's all for today! Joshua and David are about to have a major nerf battle---they have both built a fort in their bedrooms and are preparing for war---yes, David is my husband---not my second son!! :) You gotta love a dad who will do battle with his son.....er....you know what I mean!!! :)


Stamps: Damask Designs (PTI)
Paper: Smokey Shadow, (PTI), Something New, Ever After (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: Vintage Cream
Accessories: Double Ended Tags (Spellbinders), Vintage Cream Satin ribbon & buttons (PTI), DMC thread, Dimensionals (SU!), Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Flowers Border Punch (Fiskars)

{Giving Thanks}

Well---it IS a little soon to be thinking of Thanksgiving since I don't want to rush my summer away, but I colored this picnic basket with pumpkins in it and wanted to make a card---this will be one card that I have done ahead of time!

I started with Pumpkin Pie cardstock. I used my Swiss Dots embossing folder on Kraft cardstock. I had colored the basket ahead of time with Copic markers---e-mail if you want specific colors---I can't believe anyone cares about MY coloring! I tied some saddle stitch New Leaf ribbon around the Kraft cardstock. I cut & embossed my focal image using a Spellbinder's Labels Two die. I antiqued the edges and added some buttons tied up with jute twine. The sentiment was added before I attached the Kraft cardstock~

I hope your day has been a good one. I began peeling wallpaper in my bathroom today----I've needed to do this since we moved into this house 9 years ago, but I have been busy peeling all the OTHER wallpaper in the house. Yes, every room except two bedrooms had wallpaper---my dining room and the kids bathroom had TWO LAYERS. SO, I just decided I needed to start---it's the LAST ROOM to do! (I've actually redecorated several rooms since we moved in, but I just couldn't deal with anymore wallpaper!) Anyway, hopefully I can finish peeling/scraping tomorrow---I don't really have any money to redo my bathroom right now, but if I'm in the mood to get rid of the wallpaper, I should go with it! Paint is pretty cheap and I can finish everything else up as I get the money! SOOOOO, that's what I'm up to this week! What's going on at your house?



Stamps: Vintage Picnic
Paper: Pumpkin Pie (SU!), Rustic Cream, Kraft (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories/Tools: Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provocraft), New Leaf Saddle stitch ribbon, Vintage New Leaf buttons, Rustic jute twine (PTI), Dimensionals (SU!), Antique Linen distress ink (Ranger), Copic markers

{Americana}

A⋅mer⋅i⋅ca⋅na

–noun

1.	(often used with a plural verb) books, papers, maps, etc., relating to America, esp. to its history, culture, and geography.

2.	(used with a singular verb) a collection of such materials.

---

Origin:
1835–45, Americanism; Americ(a) + -ana

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

This is what I think of when I see this Vintage Picnic basket with the Fourth of July items sticking out! I grew up in a very patriotic family----I love this country and I like to celebrate it's birth. I love reading about Michelle Wooderson's big Fourth of July party she has and seeing all the cool stuff she's using to decorate. I must say---I looked at her site to see how she colored this image---I'm still new to the Copic world and she's a pro---so, I just copied it---I admit it. Now, I didn't copy her card---just the coloring---AND, mine is not so great---but I'm trying!

I love Vintage Cream ink on kraft cardstock. This card was simple to throw together. I stamped the image on Rustic Cream cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink & then colored it with Copic markers. Since I had colored the image ahead of time, it took almost no time to make a card. I layered the image on Scarlet Jewel cardstock. Then I punched the stars out of Scarlet Jewel and Spring Rain. I added a Rustic Wood button tied on with Rustic Jute twine. I finished the card up with some Scarlet Jewel twill. So fun! I've been using Vintage Picnic a lot to color lately, so hopefully I'll get some more cards made with the images.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Stamps: Vintage Picnic, Polka dot Basics
Paper: Kraft, Scarlett Jewel, Spring Rain, Rustic Cream cardstocks (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Vintage Cream
Accessories: Copic markers, Star Punches (SU!), Rustic Wood button, Rustic jute twine, Scarlett Jewel twill

{Card Organizer}

Hello Friends~

One of my dearest friends had her 40th birthday party last night---(finally, she's joined the club)! She's a stamper, so I knew she would love a handmade gift---you know, all my stamping friends tease that some people just aren't "card worthy". Anyway, she REALLY is---so I used one of Lauren Meader's Timeless Templates and made a Card Organizer for her.

I used Filed with Flair (this is a link to Lauren's blog where she introduces this template)---I LOVE it---I'm going to make one to put on my night stand to hold the various junk that I just can't seem to live without. Perhaps I can get to that soon.

Anyway, here's my gift--I made three "file holders" and put them in a tray (all of this comes in a template in PDF format. You just put cardstock in your printer and push print---amazing!)

Anyway, I used Cosmo Cricket (Tuesday and Thursday) papers and PTI cardstock---details are below.

One of the things I love about this template is you can make this gift in any color and make it to hold ANYTHING you can think of--it's so versatile.

For the tags at the top of each folder, I stamped one of the circles from Simply Stationery in Hibiscus Burst ink and then embossed cut it out with a nestability die & added a scalloped die behind that. I couldn't figure out what to do for the words, but I decided I should just print them off and make little tags out of them.

Here's a picture of the side of the organizer. All three of the containers had this paper on them. That's Old Olive cardstock and Cosmo Thursday paper that I sponged with Antique Linen distress ink. I added the scallop on the tray in Sweet Blush at the last minute because it just looked a little plain compared to the boxes.

Anyway, I couldn't give her this holder EMPTY, so I quickly made some stationery---this really just took a little bit of time to make 10 cards and envelopes---the only really time consuming thing was the embossing. I simply embossed a circle on Stamper's Select White cardstock and then stamped the same image from Simple Stationery that I had used on the tags. Then I added a "K" from an Alphabet Stamp set from My Sentiments Exactly. I like the size of the letter better than my Fresh Alphabet (I used that on the envelopes).

I did the same thing and added a simple Thank You from Vintage Picnic. I love the fonts in this set.

Here are the envelopes---I used the smaller image of the same design and used my Fresh Alphabet "K" inside it. I have gotten a lot of use out of Simple Stationery---what a great buy that was for me. I tied all the cards up with some Aqua Mist grosgrain ribbon.

To present this, I just tied it up with some tulle and added a tag, but I forgot to take a picture--duh!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope to have another post tomorrow---more Vintage Picnic---I'm enjoying coloring that set!!



Stamps: Simple Stationery, Fresh Alphabet (PTI), Alphabet (My Sentiments Exactly)
Paper: Kraft, Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist Stamper's Select White, Hibiscus Burst (PTI), Old Olive (SU!) Tuesday & Thursday papers from Girl Friday line (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: Hibiscus Burst (PTI) Antique Linen Distress (Ranger) Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories/Tools: Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Nestabilities circle & scallop circle dies (Spellbinders), Aqua Mist grosgrain ribbon (PTI), Tab punch (SU!), Threading Water punch (Fiskars)

{June Blog Hop}

I'm a bit late posting my PTI Blog Hop card---and I'm so sorry!



Here's the info from the PTI website about this month's blog hop:
Summer is FULL of so many wonderful colors, sights & sounds! This month your challenge is to get
inspired by the lazy days of summer and reflect your inspiration in a project of your choice! Whether it
be the colors in your favorite summer treats, the pattern on your bathing suit & beach towel or even the
texture of the sand between your toes, use any or all of these things as a springboard for your design.
Please be sure to share an image found online, in a magazine or a photo you have taken yourself that
communicates your point of inspiration within the body of your blog post! With everyone's amazing
contributions, this ought to be one of the most colorful Blog Hops yet! We look forward to seeing you there!

I was able to buy some new things at Crate & Barrel for my den this year thanks to the parents at my school who so graciously gave me gift cards during Teacher Appreciation week this past year.

I had been eyeing these pillows for awhile---so when they went on sale in early June, I snatched them up---and a bunch of other things.





Since I didn't remember to read the blog hop information until this morning, I decided these would be my inspiration. I started with Berry Sorbet cardstock and stamped the largest print from Damask Designs in Pure Poppy. I added "stripes" from various colors of cardstock and then embellished with some buttons. I glued everything down to a separate piece of cardstock and then added that to my card. I think this is the easiest way to do something like this with all these little pieces of paper. The sentiment is from Vintage Picnic Sentiments. I need to run and "hop"---thanks so much for looking!
Kathleen

Details are below!




Stamps: Damask Designs, Vintage Picnic Sentiments
Paper: SS White, Berry Sorbet, Ripe Avocado, Summer Sunrise, Lavender Moon, Pure Poppy (PTI), Night of Navy (SU!)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento, Pure Poppy (PTI)
Embellishments: Vintage Buttons, Vintage Twine

{Simply Enjoy}

Here's another card I made while I was stamping with my friends---I totally stole this idea from Dawn McVey. She made this card that was AMAZING and then posted this "tutorial" on how to make these cute little flowers. Well, clearly, I should have read back through this before I made my card---but I didn't and while I was sitting there with my girlfriends, I just did what I remembered---one tip---CUT out your leaves and then distress them---don't tear them---Oh, and another tip---don't glue down the flower and then decided to "roll up the edges"----it doesn't work as well! BUT, here's my take on the flower. THIS is why SHE'S published a gazillion cards, and I haven't! I will do this again, but I'll do it the way she suggests next time! :)

Anyway, this one is pretty self explanatory---it is a cute, fast card and it will look even better the next time you see it! :)

I started out by stamping Polka Dot basics on Kraft cardstock using Vintage Cream ink---I love this ink! It covers SOOOOO well. Then I made my flower and leaves---colors are listed below. I stamped the leaves with Background Basics: Text Style using my versamark pad (well, actually Susan's, but that doesn't matter!). I put the flower together with a Rustic Wood Vintage Button and some jute twine. I added a piece of Bitty Box Basics paper in Summer Sunrise and used my scallop edge punch at the bottom. I stamped the "enjoy" sentiment from Vintage Picnic Sentiments in Dark Chocolate ink and was finished. That was my THIRD card at my stampin' with friends get together----they were all so proud---because I just can't usually do this! Anyway, that's all for today---I hope you enjoy your day---thanks so much for stopping by---sadly, it makes me happy---yeah, I'm really that pitiful! :)


Stamps: Background Basics: Text Style, Vintage Picnic Sentiments
Paper: Kraft, Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, 2008 BItty Box Basics patterned paper (PTI)
Ink: Dark Chocolate (PTI), Versamark
Accessories/Tools: Rustic Wood Vintage Button, Rustic Jute Button Twine (PTI), Scallop Edge Punch, paper piercing tool (SU!)

{Stamping Time}

I got together with some of my dear stamping friends yesterday----now, usually, at these events, I don't get much accomplished because I'm so distracted with chatting. ; } I also have so much stuff (don't tell) that I can't ever decide what to take---SOOOOO, I stayed up until 1:30 the night before to get some projects together.






I pulled out my birdhouses from Melissa Bickford's Birdwatching set. These were the reason I had to have this set! I just love them---I'm not really a bird person, but I do love these birdhouses---and the birds in the set are really great, too. I hope to show you some of those later this week......I digress~

I made two cards with this set that I want to show you tonight. I was also able to use some of that yummy Cosmo Cricket paper that I won from their site~~






I started with the horizontal birdhouses and colored them with my Copics. I pulled the color combo from the yummy Girl Friday---Saturday & Sunday papers.



I layered each image with Ocean Tides cardstock and used Ocean Tides grosgrain ribbon as well to accent. I antiqued the edges of the cardstock and patterned paper using Antique Linen distress ink. I really like what that does to the edges of the paper---this line of paper has some antiquing on it, but I just added it all around. I also sponged the image a little, too. For this card, I just added a sentiment from this same set and finished it off with some Melon Berry & Aqua Mist Vintage buttons that I had tied with Rustic Jute button twine.


For the vertical birdhouses, I colored them with the same colors and used the same Cosmo paper, but I added an old Stampin' Up tag (I mean OLD) from my stash---and tied it onto the ribbon using the same twine. The buttons on this card are Melon Berry as well. Thanks so much for looking---I hope you enjoy your day. I have a project to do tomorrow---I hope to be able to post it this weekend~













Stamps: Birdwatching, Mixed Messages
Paper: SS White, Ocean Tides (PTI), Girl Friday (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories/Tools: Vintage buttons, Ocean Tides grosgrain ribbon, vintage jute button twine (PTI), Distress Ink-Antique Linen (Ranger), Copic Markers

{Lilacs...}

Since I'm trying to figure out this Copic phenomenon and actually USE this major investment my husband gave me, I bought my first Karen Lockhart stamp. WHAT?????.......it was for educational purposes! I bought Lilacs in Pitcher. I had seen Debbie Olson's video tutorial on it and I really liked the lilacs. They also could pass for bluebonnets---the state flower of TX, so I thought I could make some great cards with "bluebonnets" on them! You know, multipurposing my stamps---this is how I rationalize such a purchase---it works for me!

Since the flowers ARE lilacs, I knew I needed to at least try them in purples---even though I'm not really a purple person! So I used some of my Papertrey Guidelines patterned paper. I haven't used this in so long---they are pretty papers---I should use this color scheme more often....anyway, I colored my pitcher and cut it out using the Labels One dies. I used Plum Pudding paper to layer the focal image. Then I placed that on top of two different Guidelines papers and tied a piece of Plum Pudding satin around the paper. I added it all to a piece of Stamper's Select White paper. I LOVE finally having a "praying for you" sentiment---this is from Dawn McVey's Damask Designs set. I send a lot of cards that need this sentiment---again with the multipurposing (I think I made this word up, NO?) I added the sentiment and finished it all off with a bow that I slid through a slot punched hole in the image. I thought about some buttons or other embellishments, but I liked it simple---so, that's how I left it. I am surprised that I like it---since it's purple, but it works for me--

I hope you have a great Saturday! My sister is coming over later today, so I need to run. Thanks for looking~
Kathleen


Stamps: Lilacs in Pitcher (Lockhart Stamp Co.)
Paper: SSWhite, Plum pudding, Guidelines patterned paper (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories/Tools: Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Label One dies (Spellbinders), slot punch (SU!), Plum pudding satin ribbon (PTI), Copic markers

Father's Day

I finally had a chance to take a few pictures and I wanted to share my Father's Day card that I made for my dad. I used CPS 120 and I really liked this sketch---what a great resource that CPS site is---especially for me. I REALLY love some help with a layout. We celebrated Father's Day with my parents last night because they are leaving town. I'm trying to use my Copic markers more, so I stamped the truck from an old Stampin Up! set that I love, Loaded with Love on Vintage Cream cardstock (even though in the pictures it looks a bit white---but I couldn't really tell until I uploaded it. In real life it's quite cream!) I colored the truck and it turned out OK---still not great, but everything I read about Copics say I need to practice, practice, practice---and since my Daddy loves any card I make for him, I went for it!

For the card, I cut out my truck using a Nestabilities square and layered it with two scallop squares in Ocean's Tide & True Black. I used some of my new Double Deck paper pack from Cosmo Cricket's Lil' Boy line--the Cheerful Charlie papers. I really like those polka dots and stripes together. With the sketch, it made this card happen pretty quickly (and it's a good thing, too, since I started it yesterday afternoon!!) I added some black hemp twine around the card and then put some buttons on the bottom. I think it's pretty self explanatory---but if you need some explanation, let me know and I'll help!

My sister is still here, so I'm going to go watch the TX Longhorns in the College World Series and hang out with her. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to be able to have some regular posts now that Hannah is home from Africa!

Stamps: Loaded with Love (SU!)
Paper: Kraft, Ocean's Tide, True Black, Vintage Cream (PTI), Cheerful Charlie (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories/Tools: Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Nestabilities Square and Scalloped Squares (Spellbinders), Hemp Twine, Scallop Edge Punch, Dimensionals (SU!), Foof-a-la buttons, Copic markers, Antique Linen Distress Ink (Ranger)

{No camera---no pictures!}

Well---I'm sure most of my (two) loyal readers have just about given up on me, but DON'T!!!! I haven't quit stamping---I've just quit photographing! Hannah is in Africa and even after the thorough cleaning of her room, I couldn't find her camera. SOOOOO, she has my camera in Africa---I mean, really, you can't take a trip to another continent and NOT take a camera. So, I promise to be back to my regular posting (whatever that means) as soon as she returns! I do have a picture of a few things I've been working on since I've been out of school.

I made thank you cards for the numerous gifts I received at the end of the school year--and for various other cards I needed to send. I cased this idea from this post by Lauren Meader---these were so fast. I made about 13 cards in less than 2 hours---that's really fast for me! I wanted to make them just like hers, but I decided I'd use the stars from the Star Prints set---anyway, I did them in four colors and used some and brown bitty stars pattterned paper. I just cut the paper into 1 1/2 inch strips and then cut the "wave" free hand. I stamped the stars with Palette Noir ink or PTI Dark Chocolate---added a ribbon and button embellishment and was done.

Here it is in Raspberry Fizz

And in New Leaf


And Melon Berry
And finally Hibiscus Burst


Well, one final thing before I go---you know the 462 times you have entered a comment to win some blog candy? Well, I actually won some---and some REALLY COOL CANDY, too!

I won this from Cosmo Cricket! I love their paper lines--and for you sewing types out there, they have fabric, too! SO pretty! It's TWO Double stacks of their paper---the first pack includes Girl Friday and Everafter. The second pack includes Snorkel & Lil'Man. These packs include the entire paper line (two of them) in one 12x12 pack! Ahhhhh---I can't wait to get into these! What a treat for Mr. Brown to drive up and deliver such goodness---and NO MONEY LEFT MY WALLET! Even better!

Well, that's all for now---I can't wait to get some pictures of some of the other things I've been working on---including 300 tags for my neice's wedding favors---yep---I got those in the mail today---so, I have been busy, just camera-less! Many hugs and thanks for looking!

~Kathleen