{ Cupcakes x 9}

Yum!!! I LOVE cupcakes! But I think that 9 would make me really sick! Taylor VanBruggen at Taylored Expressions had a great card sketch this week! (she always does!) This one was really fast....ok, it looks fast, too, but we won't go there. I think I need a new paper cutter---mine just isn't cutting straight consistently. Anyway, I'm frustrated with the lines on my card---but here it is anyway!

I started out with Stamper's Select White card that measures 5.25 square. I added some red and Old Olive layers and then the patterned paper. I used the polka dots page from Basic Grey's Cupcake pad as my color inspiration. I stamped 8 cupcakes from PTI's It's a Celebration and then added the sentiment in the middle from SU's Circle of Friendship. I paper pieced a few of the "tops" of the cupcakes with more paper from the Cupcake pad. I layered each 1" circle with two other circles and put them on the card with dimensionals. I added one piece of 1/4" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon and voila! It's done. This went pretty fast since I have all those punches (have I mentioned before that I love punches?).....anyway...there it is! You should check out Taylor's sketch---she does it every Friday and it's a lot of fun. She gives away a random prize every week and also chooses a Featured Cupcake Sampler every week.


Well, I need to head to the school---it's Meet the Teacher Night and I still have a few things to do. I'm SOOOO grateful I'm not a classroom teacher on a night like this. Since I teach music, I just get to "smile and wave" (this comes quite naturally to divas....not that I know any!) and I don't have to stress over everything else! I hope to be able to keep stamping & blogging during this school year. . . we'll see how this goes!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day~
Kathleen

Stuff I used:
Stamps: Circle of Friends (SU!), Boxes, Bags, & Tags, It's a Celebration (PTI)
Paper: Stamper's Select White (PTI), Old Olive (SU!), Basic Grey Cupcake 6x6 pad
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Summer Sunrise (PTI), Ruby Red, Brocade Blue (SU!)
Accessories: Dimensionals, 1 1/4", 1 1/2", 1 3/8" circle punches, 1/4" chocolate grosgrain ribbon (SU!)

{Weightwatchabella}

I made this card for a girl at church who has lost a lot of weight. You know how you'll see someone every week and then all of a sudden they look SOOOO much thinner? Well, I do see her most weeks, but I just happened to notice HOW GREAT SHE LOOKED last week, so I had to make a card to encourage her! As a person who has battled the weight, I really respect someone who "is a loser"---so to speak! I hadn't had a chance to ink up this great little stamp---Weightwatchabella from Stamping Bella. You have to be careful about sending her to people, you know---girls are testy about their weight!


I used Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #28 as the sketch. As I've mentioned before, I LOVE a good sketch and she always has a good one. I haven't been able to play for awhile, so I was so happy to be able to play today.



I was inspired by the patterned paper to choose the colors I did. I don't know if the recipient is a "girly girl", but I think Weightwatchabella looks great as one, don't you?



I used Papertrey Ink's Dark Chocolate as the card base (8 x 9.25) and then used two papers from the Basic Grey Sultry 6 x 6 pad. I colored the image with my trusty SU! markers and also used the aquapainter and some of my SU! ink for the skin and hair.

I pulled out my Designer Label punch and stamps---I'll bet I haven't used that stamp set in over a year---for the decoration and used "Enjoy the Moment" from Mixed Messages as the sentiment. I needed a "You go Girl" stamp, but I didn't have one, so I used this instead. Later I thought---"who enjoys the 'moment' of stepping on the scale?"---and then I thought---"someone who is losing weight"----yes, I know, it's scary, I talk to myself....I outlined Bella with the Prismacolor Warm Grey 20% Marker & put it all together. Anyway, I hope she likes it---

Thanks for stopping by~
Kathleen







Stuff I used:
Stamps: Weightwatchabella (Stamping Bella), Designer Labels (SU!), Mixed Messages (PTI)
Paper: Dark Chocolate & Stamper's Select White cardstock (PTI), Certainly Celery, Garden Green (SU!), Sultry 6 x 6 paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Close to Cocoa, Blush Blossom
Accessories: 1" circle punch, Designer Label Punch, (SU!) Hero Arts Crystals & Flower Crystals, Certainly Celery 1/4" ribbon (SU!), Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon (PTI), Prismacolor Warm Grey 20% marker, Aquapainter, Dimensionals (SU!)

{PTI Swap Card #2}

Well, here's my other swap card---I asked for two spots, so I'll get 10 cards back! I can't wait to see what people have done! (Let me apologize up front for the poor quality of the photo. I didn't think it was so dark until it loaded onto blogger and then I was too lazy to retake them.) I used the sketch that Taylor put up last week for her Cupcake Challenge. I had already made my cupcake card and loved the sketch, so I just used it again---is that bad form? I love a good sketch!

I'll put the details in the recipe at the bottom, but here's a little about the card. OK, I know I haven't seen a lot of trees with pink leaves---OK, none, but I LOVE this paper! (I used the Pink Patterns paper from Papertrey Ink.) It is so pretty. I wasn't sure I liked the two patterns I chose to put together, but I wanted to put some green on there, so that's why I chose it. I'm truly open to learn, so if you have opinion please let me know. I'm not great with patterns. If you are familiar with this paper package, what would you have done? Do you think it looks OK, or is it too busy?

I started this card with white brads in mind but I realized that I didn't have enough for all of the 6 cards to have white, so I used silver on the cards I'm swapping. I made a couple for myself and used white on those. (I actually messed this card up and put the paper on in the wrong places but I liked it OK---it's for me, so it doesn't matter!)

Again, I got everything cut and supplies out (this is when I realized I didn't have enough white brads) before I assembled.




I love how you can "two-step" stamp everything so easily with clear stamps----especially with Papertrey stamps. First of all, everything is MADE for two step (or three or four step) stamping and since you can see through the stamps and the clear acrylic block you can line things up perfectly. That Nichole Heady is a genius!

Thanks so much for looking! I hope you have a great weekend. I hope I can get some things inky today and have some more to show you!

HUGS~
Kathleen


Recipe:
Stamps: Father Knows Best
Paper: Kraft, Berry Sorbet, Spring Moss, Sweet Blush cardstock, Pink Patterns Patterned Paper (PTI)
Ink: Spring Moss, Berry Sorbet (PTI), Old Olive (SU!)
Accessories: Dimensionals, 1/2" & 3/4" circle punches, slot punch (SU!), Spring Moss Twill (PTI), Silver & White Brads (making memories), hole punch

{Cupcakes}

Hey guys~

I think I'll be back to regular postings now---I know you are waiting on the edge of your seat! Sit back---it's just not that exciting! Here's my card for Taylor's Cupcake Challenge this week (well, it was on Friday). I'm too late for the "competition", but I thought the card turned out pretty cute, so I'm posting it anyway! I know I used Stella a few weeks ago for this challenge, but my cupcake stamps are limited, so I used her again! She's pretty funny, don't you think?

I colored her with my aquapainter---I'm getting better at it (LeAnne!). I did use watercolor paper and that makes it a little easier for me to use that painter. I paper pieced the icing with this yummy Basic Grey paper from the 6 x 6 Cupcake pad. I really love the papers in this pad! I used Diamond stickles on the crown and star and Crystal Effects on the cherry. I think you can see it pretty well in this picture. OK, the stickles didn't show up---but the cherry looks pretty cute, right?

I also used the Warm Grey 20% Prismacolor marker to outline my image. I have read about this from several blogs---most recently on Melanie Munchinger's here, so I finally bought one. When I first colored it I worried if it really looked funny, but after I looked back at it later I could see how it helps. Here's a close up that shows what I'm talking about. It just seems to give the image some depth. If you click on the picture below, you can see it closer to really make sense of what I'm talking about.

Well, Joshua has a friend over, so I need to run~Thanks so much for stopping by!

Kathleen



Recipe:
Stamps: leaning tower of stella, yummalicious (Stamping Bella)
Paper: Real Red, Old Olive, Yo-Yo Yellow, (SU!) Watercolor Paper-Michael's, Basic Grey-Cupcake pad
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue, Real Red, Yo-yo Yellow, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Dimensionals, Aquapainter, 1/2" & 3/4' circle punches, Crystal Effects (SU!), Warm Grey 20% Prismacolor Marker, White Brads (Making Memories), Diamond Stickles, Cuttlebug, Scalloped Square Nestabilities, polka-dot ribbon (old piece from Wal-Mart)

{Stella}

I was in Atlanta when Taylor posted her Cupcake Challenge 21, but as soon as I got home I had to use her sketch! I made this little card. Taylor (from Taylored Expressions) always has a little drawing of all the people who use her sketch and gives them some little "candy". I missed out on that, but her sketch was so fun with that circle on the side that I had to try it.
I used my Creative Memories Circle Cutter (is that what that is called?) to make the circles. I have the Nestabilities Circles, but I didn't think they were big enough for this--so I just used the other.

Stella is from Stamping Bella and she's amazing. And, of course, she has a cupcake, so it was just fitting for me to use her on this Cupcake Challenge. (You don't have to use a cupcake, but like Taylor says, "if you have one, why don't you use it!") I used my Stampin' Up markers to color her dress and I used my aquapainter and SU! ink for the rest. She turned out OK---I'm going to try it all with watercolor paper next time and see if I can blend it with some water or alcohol in my aquapainter. Jody Morrow (aka TexasJodyLynn) has a tutorial on how to use alcohol in your aquapainter on her blog here . And Cambria Turnbow just did a tutorial this week using water in her aquapainter and SU markers. Now, don't get me wrong---I don't know these girls at all, so I'm not "dropping names"---I just read a LOT of blogs and I learn a lot from them---these are some things I'm going to try!

I used some more Basic Grey paper from the Romani paper pack. I LOVE that--I will be so sad when it's gone! I double coated the "icing" of the cupcake with Dazzling Diamonds glitter from SU! I was surprised at how thick it turned out. I put more glitter on the star and some Crystal Effects on the cherry--even though you can't see it. Well, I need to run~I hope you have a great day! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Kathleen


Recipe:
Stamps: leaning tower of stella (Stamping Bella)
Paper: Real Red, Ballet Blue Cardstock (SU!), Spring Moss, Stamper's Select White CS (PTI), Basic Grey Romani
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, More Mustard, Certainly Celery, Ballet Blue, Blush Blossom (SU!)
Accessories: Large & Small Star Punches, Slot Punch (SU!), Circle Cutter (Creative Memories), Celery 5/8" ribbon, Bella Baubles (Stamping Bella)

{Bella Birthday}

Here's my take on Taylor's sketch challenge. Taylor had a birthday this week, but I didn't really get this ready for her virtual surprise birthday party---oh well, this is typical for me! I hope it was a happy one! I had a lovely Saturday---I stamped all day long. I made some gifts for some friends and a few other cards. It was a great day!!! It's been forever since I've just stamped all day....

As I began coloring this bella I really wished I had some Copic markers, but I just don't think I can justify the cost, so I color with my SU! markers. I tried to use my aquapainter, but I'm just awful at it----I recently had a Stampin' Up party and asked my demonstrator to use my aquapainter to make sure nothing was wrong with it....and just as I suspected, it was fine....it's just user error!!! I think I need to just keep practicing. As I'm looking at this card on my blog, I think I'll change the little tag---it's too busy with that stamping on it. I think I'll just get a tag and stamp the writing on it---but not the little swirlies. (Again with a made-up word---can 'swirly' be plural?!) What do you think? Is it too busy?

Anyway--I had intended to use this card to fulfill another challenge besides Taylor's. It was from Sharon Johnson's blog....No Time to Stamp. The challenge this week was to use BOLD colors----and this, I did. But when I realized that the title was Stamp Simply, I realized that it didn't really fit the challenge....this is not a simple card...not that it's difficult, but it took some time, so it didn't work for her challenge....all of this to say, this is why I had the BOLD colors on this card today. It's much busier than I really like, but I do love this paper.

So, short and sweet today---Happy Belated Birthday, Taylor! Thanks for the lovely challenge.

Have a great Monday!!!

Kathleen

Recipe:

Stamps: Cuppacakeabella (Stamping Bella), It's a Celebration (PTI)

Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Tempting Turquoise

Paper: Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Pumpkin Pie, Stamper's Select White (PTI), Basic Grey-Romani DP

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Vintage Brads, Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds, Two Way Glue, Bella Baubles, 5/8" red ribbon, Tag---Cuttlebug die cut, Linen Thread, Markers: Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Close to Cocoa, Pixie Pink, Blush Blossom

{TECC18}

Here's another Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge. I love her sketches. I didn't have an image that size so I had to get creative. I needed a baby card for someone, so I just used these precious onesies by Papertrey Ink's Bitty Baby Blessings and went for it. The stamping is not my best ever----but overall I thought the card turned out cute. I should use a Stamp-a-majig or whatever that thing is, but I don't have one, so my onesies aren't quite straight and the little stamps on top===not so straight....why am I telling you everything wrong with it??? Sorry about that. Isn't that what we do? We do something nice, but it's not perfect so we disect it to death---

I really like this stamp set---I know I will have many opportunities to use it over and over again. And I got to use one of my favorite techniques---paper piecing. It's SOOOO easy and makes a card look special. The patterned paper is all from Papertrey, too.

Well, my husband and daughters are still out of the country, so Joshua and I are having a good time hanging out. He's enjoying a movie tonight---much later than he could usually stay up on a "school night"---since we are out of school! Do you remember that feeling as a child? All you could think of was the days upon days of summer fun in front of you!!! I remember it well~those were great times! What was your favorite summer memory growing up?

Have a wonderful day!!
Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps:PTI Bitty Baby Blessings
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Lavender Moon, Summer Sunrise, Spring Moss, Lemon Tart
Paper: Lemon Tart, Lavender Moon, Summer Sunrise, Stamper's Select White CS & Bitty Baby Blessings Patterned Paper-all PTI
Accessories: Lavender Moon Grosgrain, Summer Sunrise Twill, Spring Moss Twill--PTI, CB die for tag, Dimensionals (double stacked), Linen Thread, sponge

{TECC17}

Taylor VanBruggen has the greatest blog and every Friday she issues a "Cupcake Challenge". This is my take on it for this week. It's not QUITE right because I used a square image and not a rectangular one, but I stayed pretty close to the rest of the sketch. It's also not a very "cute" card, but I really like how it turned out.
I doubled up on the dimensionals so the focal point stands up a little higher. I sponged all the white cardstock with Creamy Caramel to make it look aged. I used the D'Vine Swirls Cuttlebug Folder, but you really can't tell in the picture. I was trying to get a picture of that when I got this "dimensional" shot, but I think I forgot to focus on the embossing---just believe me--it's there. The recipe is below, so if you don't want to read my blah, blah, blah, just skip down to that! Anyway, I know this set is an ancient Stampin' Up! set, but I'm a music teacher---I have to have some music sets!

I made this card for the Upper School Choral Director at school. She's leaving this year to pursue a new career. She has had a HUGE impact on my daughters and myself over the years. She's been at Trinity since it's inception and has filled ALL sorts of roles. That's what happens in a new place--everyone just pitches in and does whatever is necessary to make it work. I have worked very closely with her these last two years since I have been back at Trinity and I was affectionately known as her "choir slave" for years before that. (I just volunteered to help her---I said "affectionately"). She's much more than a colleague, she is a friend and I am so sad to see her go. She's not moving away and I know she'll still be active in the activities of the school as she is able, but she won't be there motivating our students to love singing, love each other and love this great God that we serve. She will be missed.

I have only had occasion to use this stamp set a few times---and I know at least 2 of them have been for her, but she won't care---the sentiment says a lot, "Where words fail, music speaks."--I'm going to type up the words to Irish Blessing and put them on the inside. Our students (current and alumni) sing an arrangement of this song at every graduation and it's lovely. It says what I want to say to her.

Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May rain fall softly on your fields.
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. Amen

Enjoy your Sunday!
Kathleen
ETA: I'm not sure what's up with the strange things on my blog today, so please forgive me and this novice will try to figure it out so it doesn't happen again!
Recipe:
Stamps:Musical Manuscript
Ink: Black Stazon, Creamy Caramel
Paper: Black & Whisper White SU Cardstock, Basic Grey-Scarlet Letter, both Pious & Rapture.
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Square Scallop, Slot Punch, Hole punch, Black brads (SU!), Black organdy ribbon from Michael's, Sponge