Big Sister Congrats

This is a card I made for a sweet girl who is so excited about becoming a big sister. I posted the baby card a few weeks ago here. Gabby and her parents have been praying for a baby for a long time and God has blessed them immensely with the arrival of Hannah. I don’t think Gabby would even notice that Hannah is receiving lots of attention, but I wanted to make a card for her as well. Hannah will soon be a month old and Gabby is still thrilled to take care of her. It will be so exciting to watch this duo grow up.

Sketch Inspiration ~ PMS June Release Sketch Challenge

Real Life Inspiration
Here’s big sister Gabby smiling SO proudly with her baby sister Hannah.

Color Inspiration ~ Summer

 The warm weather outside inspired me to use cheery summer colors.
The Diedrich Dare Challenge

Stampin’ for the Weekend #40 ~ Summer/Travel
Our Creative Corner ~ Summer Inspiration
ABC Challenge ~ W is for Weather

Inspiration
Creative Belli Challenge #93 ~ Rub-ons (the sentiment is a rub on)

Crafty Creations #71 ~ Child’s Play
Simon Says 123 Challenge ~ 1 image, 2 patterned papers, 3 embellishments (I used ribbon, brads, and a flocked flower for embellies)
365 Cards Day 62 ~ Look Who’s Talking (add a speech/thought bubble)

My Creation

Image Detail

Ins and Outs ~ Big Sister Congrats
Stamps: Build a Bear (Stamping Up)
Paper: SU scraps, DCWV Spring
Ink: SU Basic Black, SU Pastels
Accessories: SU Rubons, SU Brads, Spare Parts Flocked Brad, SU Ribbon
Techniques: Paper Piecing

Video Grad

I spent the weekend helping our nephew, JR, celebrate his high school graduation. Dear hubby volunteered us to bring deviled eggs to the party on Saturday. Unfortunately, his schedule didn't allow him to be at home to help. I was up L-A-T-E Friday night working on 7 dozen hard boiled eggs, washing hubby's (and my) laundry, packing our overnight bag, and tending to our cat herd. About 2 am, I realized I needed to finish his graduation card. He loves the cards I make and has saved them all. How sweet! I wanted it to be personal and had the idea for over a month. The eternal last-minute-Cat that I am, means I didn't put that idea into creation until the wee hours of morning.

In the end everything turned out wonderfully. In case you wondered, this is what 7 dozen eggs looks like halved and the innards 'devilized'.

I didn't get them scooped on my own. I packed everything into the cooler and coerced dear hubby into helping before the party Saturday afternoon. He's very creative in the kitchen and took part of my mixture aside to mix with a few mashed avocados. The sleep deprivation made me forget to take a photo (the green filling was a bit odd), but they were a hit! Saturday started out rainy but ended sunny and cheery for the end of the party - the pinata was so much fun to watch. Graduation was Sunday afternoon and I managed to stay awake in the hot gymnasium to cheer for JR as he walked across the stage. Our pride easily outweighed our fatigue. Can't wait to see what life has in store for this incredible young man.

I'm late with my One Stop Craft Challenge DT card, but I hope you'll join us for this week's challenge. Just create your own Designer Paper on your card and link it up here by Friday, June 11. I created personalized designer paper for JR's card on the computer. Stamping isn't the only way to make your own DP - get creative.

Sketch Inspiration ~ Midnight Madness Sketch #56

Color Inspiration

Crafty Creations Challenge #70 ~ Black, White and a Splash of Red

Inspiration

One Stop Craft #83 ~ Make Your Own DP
Hand Full of Stamps #30 ~ Hats Off to You
Rainbow Lady’s Challenge #106 ~ Faces
Stamp Something Challenge ~ Digi I LOVE Mo Manning's digi images.
365 Cards Day 95 ~ It’s So You Create a card that is a reflection of yourself. This represents me with the coloring technique - I love using my Copics and Mo's images are SO fun to do. I also included lots of personal touches for my nephew. He knew the moment he opened the card that it was from me.
Simon Says Challenge ~ Male Card or Father’s Day

Real Life Inspiration
That's my dear hubby and me bookending our handsome nephew. It was a 'bit' windy and humid, please excuse the crazy cat lady hair! LOLI added the graduation cap to Mo's image. I knew as soon as I saw this image it would be perfect for JR. Whenever we visit dear hubby and JR spend hours playing video games.

My Creation

Image Detail

Inside

I used my peronsalized paper to line the inside.

Ins and Outs ~ Video Grad
Stamps: Video Boy (Mo Manning)
Paper: DCWV, Computer Generated
Ink: Copics (E21, 30, 50; C00, 1, 3, 5, 7; R22, 24, 29), Spicas (Sand, Buttermilk, Silver, Lipstick)
Accessories: Pop Up Dots
Techniques: Hat was paper pieced from a different image. 

SEN10R GRAD

As I was trying to find my Mojo last night for graduation cards, I decided to CASE Jen del Muro’s cool idea to incorporate the number 10 into the word senior. (I mentioned it yesterday and finally remembered where I’d seen it). I needed one more card, this was at 2 am, and I realized if I didn’t CASE the idea now, it would be 100 years before I could do so again. So, I dove in. It must have been the lack of sleep, but I was able to find so many challenges to guide me on my Mojo quest.

Sketch Inspiration ~ 2 Sketches 4 You #53

Color Inspiration

Color Throwdown #95

The Diedrich Dare Challenge

Beach Colors: These colors make me think of multi-colored beach balls and sassy bikinis.

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #61 ~ Life’s a Beach; Creative Inspirations #63 ~ Beach Theme

Inspiration

Totally Stampalicious Challenge ~ TV Show Inspiration (Ugly Betty is one of my favorite shows. The overall feel of the DP made me think of early Betty’s fashion and colorful personality.)
Paper Take Weekly Challenge ~ Fun Fun Fun
365 Cards Day 92 ~ Tissue Paper
TIP: Keep all flame away from tissue paper. I know, this should be common sense. A trick I learned for ribbon edges (especially grosgrain) is to ‘seal’ the ends by running them over a flame. I don’t always like to tuck my ends under the paper (creates a bump) and I’m too cheap to run it all the way behind the base or layer where no one can see it. Try as I might to cleanly trim the ends, there’s always a bit of fray. I keep a lighter in my crafting tool box and just touch the flame to the ribbon end and it ‘melts’ just enough to tame the fray-aways. However, if your ribbon ends are adjacent to tissue paper, this isn’t a good idea. If you look closely, you’ll see a few ‘singed’ areas on the green tissue. It was nearing 3 am when this happened and I was too tired to start from scratch. Just an added ‘feature’.

My Creation

See how the numbers represent the letters?? Or did my bleary eyes deceive me in thinking this was a good idea?

Inside

Ins and Outs ~ SEN10R GRAD
Stamps: None
Paper: DCWV Spring and Citrus Stacks
Ink: None
Accessories: SU Ribbon, The Paper Studio Stickers, Tissue Paper, Royal EZ Rub On Alphabet, Lighter

School Pride Graduation

Welcome on a lovely Friday! At least the weather is lovely in my patch of earth; hope the same is true for you. Before you get too far, hop over to True's blog and check out the MEGA candy she's pulled together from her generous sponsors. I've got a link on my side bar with a snapshot of the sweet treat. Leave her some get well love while you're there and then come on back to see my card.

Okay, now that you're back from True's blog, let me share my latest.......can you guess.....wait for it......GRADUATION card! Graduations are kind of like Christmas for me. In that I have all year to make a card or gift but I’m always up late the week before trying to get them done. Staying true to form, I’ll be making my Father’s Day cards in a week. No need to rush, I’ve still got 15 days. LOL.

Sketch Inspiration ~ 365 Cards Day 91 ~ Super Sketchy Sunday
I think this is a first. I actually made a card for the Sunday Sketch the week it was posted!!!

Color Inspiration ~ Allsorts Challenge #54 ~ Black, White plus One Color I used yellow/gold as my third color.

Inspiration ~ PMS New Release Challenge June ~ Flowers

My Creation

Inside

Ins and Outs ~ School Pride Graduation
Stamps: Studio G Dollar Stamps Graduation Set
Paper: DCWV, The Paper Studio
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics (C3, 5, 7; 100 Black), Pitch Black Spica
Accessories: Felt Letters, Primas, Buttons
Techniques: Ink Distressing

Girly Grad

Still working on graduation cards. My local high school's colors are Gold and Black (hope you don't get tired of the theme). The colors don't seem that girly to me, and that's what I need. For this card I used layers of flowers for softness. I added S.E. (the high school abbreviation) and the year (10) as my 'image'. I didn't have black letters (these are felt sticker letters), so I used my Copic to change the green and red to black. The S (red) is darker than the others, but I think it just adds to the charm. I saw a great idea, but don't think I'll have a chance to use it. Someone (sorry I can't remember who) made a graduation card that said SENIOR on the front. They'd used numbers (1 and 0) for the I and O (and lower cased the other letters) so it showcased the graduation year! sen10r....trust me, this looks much better on a card or scrapbook page than in type.

Sketch Inspiration ~ Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #49

Inspiration

Saturday Challenge #85 ~ Buttons and Blooms
Die Cut Dreams #50 ~ Celebration with a Number
Cupcake Craft Challenge #93 ~ Summer Delights
The bright yellow makes me think of summer, as well as graduations. School's out for summer!
Charisma Cardz #22 ~ Flowers
Little Red Wagon #31 ~ Altered Embellishment I altered the color of my felt letters.
365 Cards Day 58 ~ Crazy 8’s use at least 3 different items in quantities of 8
I've used 8 buttons, 8 flowers (each bloom is double layered) and 8 squares (again double matted for the 'image' base).

My Creation

Inside

I can't believe I haven't used rub-ons for sentiments before. They are SO quick and easy!

Ins and Outs ~ Girly Grad
Stamps: None
Paper: The Paper Studio, DCWV Spring
Ink: 100 Black Copic
Accessories: Primas, Buttons, Felt Letters, Ribbon, SU Rub On

Star Graduate

Another graduation card that was very quick and easy. I used an existing (and decorated) chipboard star, paired with a punched star in my scrap pile. A bit of ribbon and a few other touches and it was done! I like to keep gender neutral cards on hand for those times I don't have a chance to make a personal creation. It seems there are always a few last minute Graduation Open Houses to pop up this time of year.

Sketch Inspiration ~ 365 Cards Day 46 ~ White Space

Color Inspiration ~ The Pink Elephant Challenge #68 ~ Gotta Wear Shades Use bright colors in your creation.

Inspiration

A Spoon Full of Sugar #105 ~ Celebrations
Cute Card Thursday #114 ~ No Designer Paper
Paper Play Challenge #21 ~ Up in the Air 
Stars are in the air, rights? And they kind of fly when they fall.

My Creation

Inside

Very simple, just tacked a brad onto a star die cut, drew a dashed line around the edges and stamped a simple sentiment. Plenty of room for a personal note.

Ins and Outs ~ Star Graduate

Stamps: Studio G Dollar Stamps Graduation Set, SU Star background stamp
Paper: Stamping Up, Misc Die Cuts
Ink: Versamark, SU Real Red Marker
Accessories: Brads, SU Ribbon, SU Star Element

Bugaboo Sock Monkey Graduate

Tis the graduation season; I'd better get busy! I have orders for a few cards and a few needed for personal use. I got this super cute sock monkey digi stamp from Bugaboo Stamps. Check their store blog on Fridays as they share a free image. I tweaked him a bit, as he was holding a flower and is wearing a stocking cap. By cutting out the image, I was able to remove the flower and trim the cap. I had the cap and diploma as separate images. A few snips and voila, my Sock Monkey is now a graduate! I used my TSG set for the sentiment inside and an SU rub-on for the Congratulations on the front.

Sketch Inspiration ~ Sweet Sketch Wednesday #51

Color Inspiration ~ 365 Cards Day 79 ~ Color Scheme

My Creation

Inside

Ins and Outs ~ Bugaboo Sock Monkey Graduate
Stamps: Sock Monkey (Bugaboo), The Places You'll Go (There She Goes)
Paper: DCWV (Shimmer, Adhesive Prints, Glitter)
Ink: Laser Printer, Copics (/R29; W1, 3; B39, 93), Clear Spica
Accessories: Star Brads, Nesties