Cheerful Birthday Card

Hi ya'll!

Today is one of my co-workers birthday's and I wanted to make her something really nice.  It's her first birthday card from all of us, she's new, and she's really sweet.  I had some Bo Bunny scraps from my trash to treasure layout still laying around on my desk, so I decided to put them to good use.  Here is what I did with them.

I stamped the flowers onto patterned paper then cut them out and "fluffed" the petals a bit before adding them to the card.  I love how versatile the cloud die from MFT is.  I used it as my sentiment panel on this card.  I also added a butterfly, of course.  I used this weeks Sweet Stop sketch, and love how it all came together.  I hope she loves it as much as I do! 

That's all for me today!
Hugs!

From Trash to Treasure

Hi everyone!

I was working at Scrappers Boutique and came across a piece of thick cardboard that one of the ladies at the crop had put on top of the trash can.  When I saw it, I had to investigate.  It's probably the thickest piece of cardboard I've seen in a while, and I wondered what I could do with it.  Well, after tearing off the top layer, I was left with this awesome honey comb looking canvas in which to play.  Check out what I did with it.

I apologize for the glare, but this was the best picture I got.  I've been kicking myself for not purchasing any bee stamps.  They would have been perfect for this!  Instead I went ahead and cut out a cool floral flourish from one of the new Bo Bunny lines.  I stamped and put together a few of my favorite Verve butterflies, cut out some MFT clouds, and added tons of bling.  I'm fighting the urge to fill in the empty space on this layout, but I don't want to cover up all of that honey comb goodness!  I love how this non-traditional piece I found wound up being one of my favorite layouts. :)

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful day!
Hugs!
Steph

Christmas Card Challenge Week #34

Hey ya'll!

How is your weekend going?  So far, I've been a lazy bum.  And I tell you what, I've enjoyed every minute of it!

So this weeks Christmas Card challenge is to include a wreath in your card.  I like the wreath I chose from one of my favorite, well loved, stamp sets.  For this weeks challenge, click HERE.

Now, before you say anything, I know, this card is WAY busy.  I'm normally not the kind of gal who likes that, but there were two things I wanted to do with this card.  I wanted to use the cool pine needles digi paper I got (strip on the right), and I wanted to try a cool embossing technique (strip on the left).  The color combo is a bit out there as well, but I'm loving the Kuler Color Combo site just for that reason.  So the embossing on the left is just your regular white cardstock, run through my Cuttlebug with a Tim Holtz texture fade.  Instead of running my ink over the raised side on the back of this piece to accent the flourishes, I inked all of the opposite side so that the debossed area stayed white.  I'm kind of digging it and will definitely be using it again.  Very non traditional looking, and kind of funky, but then again you know how I am about that. :) 

I'm going to submit this card for the following challenges:

Drunken Stampers #26 & Stamptacular Challenge #69 - Christmas in July
Creative Inspirations #39 - Anything Goes.
Jen's Sketch for You To Try - Sketch (I interpreted it pretty loosly)
Annabelle Stamps - Say It With Embossing

I hope you'll head over to see what this weeks guest designer has created, along with all of the wonderful DT cards.  Christmas is getting closer by the week so why not get a head start on the cards you know you have to make? 

Have a great day!
Hugs!

Christmas Card Challenge Week #33

Have you ever wondered what you'd be doing if you didn't have a hobby like paper crafting?  I often wonder that.  I've even had nightmares that someone broke in and stole all of my supplies.  Nothing else in the house was touched, just my stuff.  How stupid is that?!  Anyway, today I got to purging more stuff (yes, i've got another three or four boxes to fill today) and I wondered what I'd be doing now had I not gotten into scrapbooking years ago.  I'm sure I'd have a closet full of shoes, or clothes, or tons of jewelry.  I'm just a shopper and hoarder by nature I guess.  lol

Anyway, onto the reason why you're visiting today.  This week we have an inspiration photo for our Christmas Card challenge.  For this weeks challenge, click HERE.

I drew off of the colors in the photo.  I loved everything about the cute items that were stitched onto each stocking, but couldn't find a pig stamp or digi to use to save my life.  If anyone knows where I can find one, I'd appreciate the help.  I love the cute little truck that I cut out and used as my "tag".  This snowman image is one of my favorites, as you know I've used it several times, and I still continue to reach for it when I see snowmen in a challenge.  I used THIS sketch.  I may add some faux stitching to the circles, but haven't decided yet.  Guess we'll see what happens.

I can't wait for you to check out what our guest and the other designers have created for you today.  They're quite awesome.

Have a wonderful Sunday!
Hugs!

Re-do Layout #2

Howdy!

I got some time this weekend to put together another updated layout.  These pictures aren't the best, but I wanted to make sure I scrapbooked them as my other photos were lost when my laptop crashed. 

First, I'm LOVING this color combo!  I just love how the red pops against the other colors.  It's classy, and elegant, and fun.  I can definitely see myself using this color combo over and over again.  So, for the layout, I did lots of layered items.  It's not my normal style, but that's how you grow, right?  By trying new things.  For an extra added texture, I ran my photo on the top left through my Cuttlebug with a Tim Holts texture fade.  I'm digging the results, big time!

When I was living in Colorado, I woke up one morning and this was what I saw outside my window.  I was already in awe each morning at the view of the mountains, so this was quite a treat.  At the time, I had never seen a hot air balloon, except for on TV.  I immediately grabbed my camera and started taking pictures.  Little did I know, that the subdivision I was in, had a yearly hot air balloon festival, and all of them were inflated about 50 feet from our backyard, on the golf course.  Oh how I wish I would have backed up my photos onto a disk.  There were some amazing pictures!  I moved to the Dallas area from Denver, for my job, in 2006 and I have been trying to get back there as quickly as I can!  Oh how I miss Colorado! :(

I hope you have a wonderful day!
Hugs!

Christmas Card Challenge Week #32

Happy Sunday!

I'm SO excited to bring you this weeks Christmas Card challenge!  There's an awesome post over at the challenge blog today!  The reason you ask?  Well, because we are now featuring guest designers!  Yep, we sure are!  I spoke with Sparkle a couple weeks ago, and she agreed that it was a great idea.  So, I got to work and have a super fabulous line up of guest designers who were more than gracious to share their talent with us each week.  I can't wait for you to see!

So, now onto this weeks card challenge.  I have a funny story to share with you about my card this week.  First, check out this photo.

Can you tell what's in the photo?  Yep, it's a flashlight.  This is a picture of what I had to work with while creating my card for this week.  You see, a couple weeks ago there was a huge storm that came through the DFW area and we lost power.  Just about everytime a storm comes through we lose power actually.  It gets a bit frustrating.  This time, I was bound and determined to get the card that I had started, finished.  So, I taped my flashlight to my ott light, and pointed it over my workspace.  Ta da!!!  It was a little straining on the eyes, but ultimately, I finished my card.  So, do you want to see how it turned out?  Well check it out!  I'm totally happy with it!

Take that stormy weather! lol  I've wanted to try this quilted look for a while now, and this weeks challenge is to use stitching, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to put them together.  I just got the new Tim Holtz Texture Fades, and was totally stoked to use them for this card.  I think it all goes together really well.  As for the colors, again, non-traditional, but inspired by my sister (Hi Crystal!) who loves the color orange. 

I hope you'll head over to the challenge blog to see who our very first guest designer is and to see what everyone has put together for your viewing pleasure today.

That's all for me!
Hugs!

Re-Doing Old Layouts

Hi everyone!

While recently re-organizing my scrap area and purging a ton of stuff, I came across some of my very first scrapbooks.  I started out as a scrapbooker, but have gotten out of creating layouts as much as cards lately.  I was almost horrified at the old layouts I was looking through.  Anyone else have that kind of shock while looking back at old stuff?  I immediately started tearing them apart so that I could re-do them.  It all started with re-doing my sisters engagement album, and now I've got tons of photos that I'm going to re-scrapbook.  Here is the first of several.

I got the color combo from Color Combos Galore.  They were perfect for this picture.  This is the only photo I have of the sunsets I grew up with, and I wanted to try to do something that would be a good memory of many sunsets I got to enjoy while growing up in San Antonio.  We always had something going on outdoors, so we got to see many, many beautiful sunsets.  This photo was taken in 2005, on our way to the Poteet Strawberry Festival, that was an almost yearly tradition for my friends and I.  Talk about a fun event!  Awesome strawberries and food, great fun, and good people.  Not to mention a ton of country two step partners.  lol   Ahh, those were the days.  *happy sigh*

Anyway, I'll be back soon with another layout that has been re-done.  Have a wonderful day!
Hugs!
 

Christmas Card Challenge Week #31

Hi ya'll!

Happy 4th of July!  How's everyone's extended holiday weekend going?  I'd like to start off by saying thank you to all of the men and women serving in our military.  We are the land of the free, because of the brave, and I'm so fortunate that you're all doing everything possible to protect us.  To all of the families of these men and women, I also thank you for being so supportive of them.  I know it has to be hard on you as well.

Now, I'd like to share another Christmas Card with you.  I always giggle to myself when typing up my posts because I think it's kind of funny to be posting Christmas cards repeatedly, so early in the year.  Anyone else feel that way?  Anyway, this week Peggy has created a fabulous sketch for us!  For this weeks challenge, click HERE.

I'm a bit disappointed with my card this week.  I don't feel like I've done the sketch as much justice as I should have.  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to create another, so I'm going to roll with it. 

I hope you'll head over to the Christmas Card challenge blog to see what my friends have put together for you today.  And, there's something exciting that's starting next Sunday.  I hope you'll be back next week to find out what I'm talking about.

Have a wonderful day!
Much love,