{A Little Crafty}

Well, I've wanted to get crafty for sometime now, but I honestly haven't had time---but, I did decide I HAD to make the program for the wedding. On Saturday morning, May 8, a group of my friends---my crafty friends---and I got together and began the process of putting the programs together. I had formatted everything the week before and cut the orange paper---the program was a 5.5" square. The cardstock was  beautiful bright orange textured paper that I ordered online from The Papermill Store. The inside paper was a nice linen from the same place---I had gone to Archivers to look for paper, but the price was insane, so I began to shop around online and I found this to have the best price....and, by the time I got a decision about what was wanted, I needed to GET 'ER DONE! We used a beautiful Bazzill paper for the lime green---it's a shimmer paper and it was so perfect for the accent on the front of the program. We used this monogram on several things for the wedding---stickers for the favor bags, napkins, etc. I wanted to find this font that we had used on all of these items. It's called Liorah.
I did have to buy it---but it was worth it because it matched all the other things we had used--- The formatting of the inside did take a long time, but again, it wasn't really hard---just time consuming. We had 2 full pages (well, what I mean is---two pages folded in half cut to 5.25" square and copied on all eight sides of the pages---make sense?)

Anyway, my friends and I probably put in about 20 man hours that morning and it ended up taking over 80 when I ended up counting it all up. I had NO idea it would take so long---some of the bridesmaids ended up coming over and threading & tying ribbon----lots of ribbon! I was pleased with how they turned out---and Caitlin was---and even though this was my little contribution---that was the most important thing! The truth is---she really didn't care----so, she just indulged me! Isn't that sweet of her?

Here's another picture that has some of the gift bags I made in the background. I printed all the tags on the computer (using the same font, of course!) and then just layered it using my Spellbinders Labels Four Dies and tied them onto Kraft paper bags that I had stuffed with orange and green tissue paper----that I bought in bulk----if anyone needs some.....or alot!  Seriously---everything I give for the next 3 years will use these colors! I hope you don't mind!

Thanks for stopping by---Friday is our last day of school, so I do hope to be around here much more often---goodie for you~ hmph!

{SFYTT Snowman}

Hello all---

YIKES! Another week has gone by without a post---I can't believe it! I'm working on a lot of Christmas presents, so I haven't gotten much done that I can post yet!

I did decide to do Jen's Sketch for You to Try this week. I always like her sketches, but I hadn't done one in awhile.

I LOVE this little snowman and I had been itching to use this new Papertrey Ink Patterned Paper Polka Dot Parade. I thought the pattern with Ripe Avocado, Ocean Tides and Aqua Mist were perfect for this little guy.

I need to run an errand before I pick up Joshua, so this will be short (OK, as short as I can do!) I used Jen's sketch and the patterned paper, so I already had a layout and a color scheme---what else did I need?



I stamped the snowman and then paper pieced his hat and his gloves. I glued his gloves onto linen thread and stuck them to the dimensional glue dot on the back of the snowman. I used buttons as my accents and I didn't use ribbon---it's a miracle! I decided that linen thread could pass as a ribbon---of sorts---yeah, that's my story! So, there it is--a quick card---just for fun!















Snowman stuff:
Stamps: Made of Snow Paper: Ocean Tides, Ripe Avocado, Aqua Mist, Polka dot Parade Ink: Palette Noir, Ripe Acocado, Ocean Tides Accessories: Foof-a-la buttons, Corner Rounder, Linen thread (SU!), 3-D glue dots (Zots), Swiss Dot CB embossing folder, Cuttlebug

If you are still here---I have to show these two pictures---the first one is honestly just minutes after Joshua woke up on Monday morning--remember he had been to church the day before, so he had the leftover "gel" in his hair. I knew it was time for a haircut---but WOW---nothing tells the truth like a picture. SO, what do you think? Should I have left it?Or, should I have done this? It's really too late to ask, but I just thought I'd get your thoughts!! Ahhh, much better!
Have a great day~
Kathleen

{Happy Labor Day}

I hope you are having a lovely long weekend. I don't know how I could be so excited about having a day off when I just started back to work, but I sure am! I love not having to get up at 5:20....I think that's what it is! This will be a quick post. We're having 14 of Caitlin's friends over for dinner tonight---and you know how college kids can eat---it's that nasty dorm food. It just ruins them!

Saturday night we went to a party that some of our best friend's had for their son and his new wife to celebrate their recent wedding in the Virgin Islands. The mom is one of my closest friends (and my most committed blog reader). It was a lovely affair with great food and CUPCAKES for dessert! She had this lovely tiered cupcake holder---it was really great. I had gotten the gifts ahead of time, but of course, it was an hour before I needed to leave and I was starting this card and trying to get ready. Hmmmmm, now, let's see....if you know you have a party/wedding/birthday coming up, wouldn't it be a good idea to make the card, let's say, AT LEAST A DAY AHEAD OF TIME? Just a thought. Anyway...I did the quick go to wedding card again---

I think this one is pretty self explanatory, so I won't go into a lot of details. I used my Cuttlebug embossing folder for the brown paper.














I have a close up of the monogram made with my Just Rite Stamper that I purchased here. I'm looking forward to some more time to play with this. I love it for wedding cards, but you can do so much more with it. I used the small letters for the first time to spell out "Congratulations" and the date of the actual ceremony.

I used my Stampin' Up! corner rounder to make the scallops---I don't have that cool new scallop punch yet. On the Celery scallops I added a 1/16" punched hole to each one. I had planned to add buttons on the cream sentiment line, but I was already 10 minutes late leaving----so you can imagine how nice that would have been (not the arriving late, but the buttons)!! This is the blog of the hurried stamper---perhaps that should be a new title....hmmmm.
Well, I need to close. I still have two pans of brownies and some home made ice cream to make---not to mention the laundry and cleaning I have to do! I hope you have a blessed day and enjoy some relaxing time with family and friends...until the insanity again tomorrow!!

Hugs~
Kathleen

Here's what I used:
Stamps: Just Rite Stamper Special Occasions font, small letter set (Just Rite Stamper) Mixed Messages (PTI)
Paper: Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate (PTI), Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Dark Choclate (PTI), Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: 5/8" celery grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, corner rounder punch, 1/16" hole punch (SU!), circle and scallop circle nestabilities (Spellbinder's), Embossing folder & Cuttlebug (Provocraft)

{Let's Try this again}

I'm so sorry I haven't been back on to let you know that my pictures are safe!! I am backing them up this weekend, however, after that big scare! Something had happened with the USB port, so the computer wasn't reading what was plugged into it. I'm sure if you are a computer person you are laughing right now, but that's what I picked up when my husband came downstairs to look at it and fixed it in about 3 minutes---ahhhhhhhh, deep breath!

Here's the card I made for my parents---I didn't spend enough time on it---this is always the case for me--let's think about this. I have known for a year, yes, an entire year, that my parents would have this anniversary---but I didn't make the card until the night before I needed it---AND, I started REALLY late. Now, this wouldn't be a problem for some people, because they could just sneak into their stamp room and go crazy. BUT, my stamp room is IN my bedroom, so when I'm up stamping I'm right in my husband's space. Fortunately, he really doesn't mind---but I always feel bad making those stamping noises when he's reading, watching TV or sleeping! All of this is just a disclaimer, that this isn't the finest card I've ever made!

I started out with Lauren Meader's sketch from last week (8/16/08)---you can find it here.
For the card base, I used PTI's Dark Chocolate and layered it with Vintage Cream, then I embossed the Pretty in Pink cardstock with the Stylized Flowers Embossing folder. I find that when I need a fast card, I go to the folders----it makes the card seem pretty without taking very long! Anyway, I colored my flowers from SU's Merci with SU markers. (Until I get some Copic markers, I'm limited to how I can use my papers that don't have markers....I have other mediums to use, but when I'm in a hurry, I always go back to my SU markers!) I added a strip of dark chocolate satin ribbon and actually covered up a mistake with the sentiment---from Wedding Favors by Papertrey Ink. The circle is from Boxes, Bags and Tags. I added the Bella Baubles down the side and I was done. Of course, after I photographed it and finally pulled it up today, the card was already at my parents' house and I thought of all sorts of changes I would have made...maybe some distress ink on the edges of the image, or some score lines at the top.....I guess I'll just have to stamp some other card today and see if I can make it look like it should! ; }

Thanks so much for stopping by---I have another Cupcake Challenge from Taylor and some First Day of school teacher gifts to share in a few days! I hope you enjoy your Saturday!

Hugs~
Kathleen



Stuff I used:
Stamps: Merci (SU!), Boxes, Bags & Tags, Favor It Weddings (PTI)
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream (PTI), Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery (SU!)
Ink: Dark Chocolate (PTI), Pretty in Pink (SU!)
Accessories: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron Markers (SU!), Bella Baubles (Stamping Bella), Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon (PTI), Slot Punch (SU!), Cuttlebug, Stylized Flowers Embossing Folder (Provocraft)

{Blessings}

My Aunt Doris is sick---really sick. She is in the hospital hoping to have a heart stent put in, but she isn't stable enough right now to do it. We are all praying that she will get stronger and be able to handle the surgery. I needed to make her a card---probably more for me than for her, but I wanted her to know I am praying for her recovery and some more years of health. I didn't want to take a lot of time, so it's not my most beautiful card, but it says what I want it to say: "Blessings".

I started out with a piece of Papertrey's Dark Chocolate cardstock---I LOVE this cardstock! I have always loved SU's Chocolate Chip, but this is really darker, and richer---"dark chocolate" is the perfect name for it (IMHO!). I added some Spring Moss cardstock that I had run through my Cuttlebug using an embossing folder. I stamped an image from Papertrey Ink's Out on a Limb Revised set and added a scalloped oval behind it. I stamped Blessings from that same sentiments set on a piece of Stamper's Select White cardstock and ran it through the Cuttlebug using a Ribbon tag die from Spellbinder's. I used the yummy Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon from Papertrey Ink and added a button to finish it off---the picture makes it look like the button doesn't match, but it looks perfect IRL~whew!

Any prayers that you could lift for my aunt would be appreciated. I know she is ready to meet the Lord if it is her time, but we'd love to keep her around a lot longer~


Thanks for stopping by~
Kathleen

Stuff I used:
Stamps: Out on a Limb Revised Edition, Out on a Limb Sentiments (PTI)
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Spring Moss, Stampers Select White cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Spring Moss (PTI)
Accessories: Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon, Scallop and regular Oval Nestabilities, Cuttlebug machine, Stylized Flowers embossing folder, button, DMC thread

{Ten Minute Card}

I keep seeing these---"ten minute card" posts and I think to myself, "yeah, right"---but, yes, I actually made a ten minute card--so I must quit complaining to myself when I see one! My oldest had a wedding to go to and she was leaving in---you guessed it--10 minutes.

So, I pulled out my Just Rite Stamper and went to work. I used the Special Occasions Font and the wooden stamp mount. I used the Flowers Cuttlebug Folder for the pink paper and tied it with organdy ribbon. I am still a newbie when it comes to these Nestabilities Dies, so my circles were a little large and I was running out of time, so no scallops. BUT, I did get it ready in time for her to leave. I added a monogram stamp on the envelope and I was done!


So, not the most elegant/fancy card on the planet, but it had the couple's new monogram and it was in the wedding colors--pink and black, so what's not to love?

So, do you have the Just Rite Stamper? What's your favorite thing to do with it?

Thanks for looking~
Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps: Just Rite Stamper
Paper: Stamper's Select White (PTI), Pretty in Pink, Basic Black (SU!)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Circle Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, Organdy ribbon from Wal-Mart (a scrap, so I don't know the brand)

{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)

{SFYTT}

Hello~as I've mentioned before, I have been trying to use people's sketch challenges because I'm not very good with the layout of a card. So, here's a card using Jen Del Muro's Sketch For You to Try. She does one every Saturday---and usually I have a little time on the weekend to try it.

I always need birthday cards---even though, any family that is reading knows I rarely send them---and if on the rare occasion a card appears in the mailbox it's always late.....what is that? I used to be so good at it---I think it's kids---yes, that's what I'm going to say---Having children makes me send cards late----sounds....uh......reasonable. ANYWAY, here's a birthday card that I could send to a party for one of Joshua's friends.

I used the set Crab & Company----I think it works for kid's cards---and, I already have it, so I don't have to spend anymore money! I remember thinking when I first started stamping how much money I would save if I made my own cards.....yeah, well, how's that going? NOT SO GREAT! But, it's fun and keeps me occupied when I should be cleaning or cooking, so that's a good thing....in a twisted sort of way! BACK TO THE CARD---

I used Prismacolor pencils and baby oil---I don't have any Odorless Mineral Spirits and I have seen that some people use baby oil instead, so that's what I did. I think it turned out OK for my first try---I definitely need to keep working on it--At the last minute I decided to add the hat to the card---it makes it look more like a birthday card---I was too lazy to photograph the whole thing again, so I just took another closeup---truly lazy!!!

The recipe is below--have a great day~
Kathleen

Recipe: Stamps: Crab & Co.
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Creamy Caramel
Paper: Black, Ruby Red, Cameo Coral, Pumpkin Pie, Creamy Caramel CS, Watercolor Paper- SU!
Accessories: Spots and Dots CB Folder, Dimensionals, Prismacolor Pencils, Baby Oil, River Rock, Double-Stitched Ribbon

{WSC49}

Just a quick post---this is an unusual baby card---but I really like this Berry Bliss paper, so I used brown with my pink! This is another sketch challenge---this time it's Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge 49.

I hadn't used my So Many Scallops (Sale-a-bration set) yet, and I wanted to ink it up. I wasn't crazy about the pink ink---it's just soooo subtle that I think it's a little overwhelmed by all that brown! I also didn't notice how crooked that piece of Close to Cocoa was until I looked at the picture---not too happy about that, but, such is life!

Joshua and I are here alone since everyone else is in Turkey. We are planning to do some planting tomorrow and then just hang out---a nice relaxing day at the end of a school year....just what the doctor ordered (not literally, of course!) Well, I'm going to run---I have some things to do. I hope you have a great Memorial Day!

Hugs~
Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps: So Many Scallops
Ink: Pretty in Pink
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Berry Bliss DP (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug, D'Vine Swirlz, Photo Corner Punch, Scallop Punch, Blue Marvy Scalloped Circle Punch, 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack

{My first Cuttlebug card}

Well--it took me a week, but I finally pulled out my Cuttlebug and put it to work. I was shocked at how easy it was---I used the Stylized Flowers Embossing Folder and put a piece of scrap paper in it---literally just one that was sitting on my desk and voila, I had a lovely piece of embossed paper that looked like I had spent the morning embossing.



I was so excited I had to take a picture of it---it's kraft paper (SU!) and it's really nothing exciting, but I was THRILLED!! (I'm easily amused!) I put together a card for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge with it---you know I HAD to use it---just to say it was my "first"!!

The sketch this week was simple and provided so many opportunities---I'm still trying to color with my watercolor paper and SU ink---my aquapainter just gets water EVERYWHERE---is it supposed to do that? I just don't know. I need to ask someone. It frustrates me, so I finally trashed the first one and just used my blender pen---the "heart" in the picture has WAY too much ink, but I just finally left it--again, I'm still learning....this does make me re-think the idea of buying Copic markers---what if I can't make them work either? Enough blah, blah, blah---

Here's the card--- It's just a 5.5 x 4.25 card--nothing special--the recipe is below. David is at a conference this weekend and then he is headed to see his Mom. She isn't well. Please pray that it will be a sweet visit....too long of a story to share here. I have nothing special planned, so I'm hoping to get a lot of stamping done....but that always seems to change once the kids are home! Enjoy your weekend. I hope to be back with some other Cuttlebug Cuties!

Have a blessed day~
Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps: Merci (SU!)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Ruby Red, Old Olive, Watercolor Paper--all SU!
Ink: Timber Brown Stazon, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Old Olive, Going Grey
Accessories: Stylized Flowers Embossing Folder, Cuttlebug, Blender Pen, SU! Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, 5/8" Ribbon, 2 way Glue, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

{Lookie, Lookie, Lookie...}

Well---look what the birthday fairy brought me---yes, it's a full day before my birthday, but I had a 50% coupon that was only good on Tuesday and I felt like it would be a waste of money if I waited---right??

I told my husband (who had no idea what to buy me for my birthday this year) that I'd really like to have a Cuttlebug and he just looked at me with sheer wonder---then when I brought it home, he commented that we'd have to come up with another area for me to stamp if I got much more stuff. Once again, in the theme of the "Frugal Stamper"---I don't have a stamping room, nor do I have much of a room at all---I have a card table in the corner of my bedroom and I use quite a bit of our very little closet space! Fortunately he's so easy going that he really doesn't mind that often when he comes home at the end of the day there are numerous stamp sets on our bed and I've totally overtaken his night stand with my stuff......ink pads, stamps, scissors, paper, etc.

So, this post will be short. I have some reading to do---I have a dear friend who is writing a book and she wants me to read some her first drafts. I want to try to play with my new toy, too--I did get some embossing folders and one die set---I will go get some more stuff later when I really know what I want (I did save 50% you know---so, I know I should spend that on ME since it was my birthday gift, right?) My sweet husband keeps asking me what else I want....I think I'll just send him to the Papertrey Ink website and tell him to go crazy!!! What could be sweeter than that? I hope to be back later with a card or two and maybe some soccer pictures from my daughter's game yesterday! I'm sure you are dying to see those! Hugs~

Have a blessed day~
Kathleen