Lovin' this image...

You'd think that I would own this image, but I actually got it because I happen to be a good eP customer LOL. The image came with my last BIG order filled with 12 copics, a scor-pal (I finally got one!), that adorable space boy set from Lizzie Anne, some different ink, as well PP and embellies from BG's Cupcake and Archaic collection (lovin' these papers - I can see myself doing a lot with this in scrapbooks and cards!). So lots of fun goodies - and soooo excited. On a side note, I can't believe that I went this long without a scor-pal. I love how crisp I can now make the folds for my cards. Even when I used the scoring blade from my paper cutter, it didn't seem to come out straight and I would still get those crackles on either side of the fold. Soooo not the handmade look I am going after. My cards need enough help as it is!! And the funny thing is that I have only used it to make regular folds in my cards, and I am already so pleased with the purchase. Next I still have to try making a container or at least one of those cool folded cards, LOL!!

So anyhoo (where did that word come from - it must be a direct by product of the internet, right?)... back to the card. I made it for my cousin, who is celebrating her birthday tomorrow. She is someone I am close to - she is sooo fun and full of life. I love being around here - we are always having a ball together. So I wanted to make a vibrant and fun card for her. I wish I had a better pic to post. I struggled to take good pic (you should see the other ones - yikes). I think I better start shopping for new camera! :O

I colored with copics - I really need a lot of practice when it comes to blending, but I really like how the final product looks. I can see myself just biting the bullet and building up my collection - that is what I am doing anyway. I don't have any other markers anyway, so I will treat myself to these over time (notice how I didn't specify the time period - LOL!!!!) I used one of those cool BG glazed brads, and a scrap of PP - I think it is from the Oh Boy collection from a couple of years ago. If you even saw my scrapbooks, you would see this collection EVERYWHERE - I loved it, and only have scraps of it now which make their way onto card often, it seems. A PTI sentiment from Birthday Basics (love this verstile birthday set), a little bit of green apple ribbon and it is good to go!

Bad Blogger... but "Good" Stamper

It's been a few weeks, but free time has been short and I have opted to use it crafting (hence the "good" part of the entry title). It still takes me some time to take the pic, edit and insert a watermark, so I have just been taking pics all along with the intention of uploading the pics at a later date...

So here is one that I made awhile back but haven't gotten a chance to upload until today. My February challenge with my stamping bud, Jennifer, was to make a bookmark and incorporate our oldest Basic Grey PP. I used PP from Oh Boy.

We both like to read and have exchanged book suggestions in the past. And she has a monthly book club, which is what inspired my bookmark for her. Her book club sounds like a blast and right up my alley, complete with wine, as they talk about the book selection. So I thought that this Inky Girl looks like someone on her way to my kind of book club too - LOL. Thanks, Jennifer, I LOVE IT and I love our monthly challenges!!!!

Black and White

I TOTALLY jinxed myself when I last blogged saying that I had been starting my Saturdays with Beate's sketch challenge. So naturally last weekend seemed to fly by in a blink with this past week no better. I wasn't able to start my day today either with the sketch challenge - it was more like starting my afternoon with it! But in any case, after skipping last week, I used this weekend's sketch challenge for the basis of the bridal shower card that I need for tomorrow's party. A family friend from my childhood is getting married this May and tomorrow is the shower. I used her invitation as the inspiration for the card - her invite has a very classy black and white motiff with lots of swirls, which reminded me of the SU set Baroque Motiffs - so that's what I used. I don't know if I have ever made a black and white card - I don't even usually use black, I don't think. But I do like how this turned out... although considering I only used black ink (Palette Hybrid - Noir), a couple brads, ribbon, little bit of paper piercing (under the sentiment in the oval and around the big panel) and EVEN HAD A SKETCH TO FOLLOW - it still took me quite a bit of time to finish it! I have now idea why... I will sit there and fidget with my cards to no end (not that they look any better because of it! - oh well). Good thing this isn't my day job...

But I have been scrapping quite a bit, relatively speaking. I have been challenging myself to finish a page a weekend (yes, this is a challenge for me...). I have been staying on track and have even come close to finishing a 2-page spread tonight. I just love the quiet of the night - it is such a relaxing time for me, that I really don't mind forgoing sleep just to have this time to myself. I love having this time especially when I am scrapping because I get to slowly go through pictures of the people who are most important to me and maybe times, it is almost like I am seeing the pics for the first time. I have come to realize that I get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and the important events (baptisms, family weddings, holidays, vacations, etc.) that I am photographing that often times there are so many things that I have forgotten about already or maybe even missed the first time. I know that I really have to slow down... but it is easier said than done, right? In any case, this is why I really want to stay on top of my scrapping, because for me, the process has become just as important as the final project.

Random thought for the day...

Sunday, already??

Where do the days fly? It seems liked I blinked and here I am on a Sunday afternoon with a new work week just around the corner. So before the day gets away from me again, I wanted to post this card that I made yesterday morning. Over the last few weekends, I have been getting my Saturday started with Beate's latest sketch challenge. The kids and I usually head down to the basement where I do all of my papercrafting after we get up in the morning and I have been able to kick out a quick card before I go to start breakfast and we are off to the usual Saturday activities (sport of the season, birthday parties, errands, etc - you kwim!). For this weekend's sketch, I used one of the stamped images that I got with my latest eP order. I guess this must be a Stampendous image?

I really liked this flower bunch - it is so fresh and sweet. And I used my copics for the first time to color this image! I bought 6 copic sketch markers to try out and I really, really like them. They are pretty easy when you want to color in something quick - vs. prismas/gamsol/stumps or watercoloring with re-inkers and aqua painter. I am going to have to get a few more though - most of the ones are kinda dark - more of what you would use for shading, but I didn't take that into consideration when I bought these - I just bought colors that I liked! :P Oh well. I think that I did ok with the ones that I had. I even add a little grass to the flowers, so they would look like they were planted in the ground.

Have a great week! See you again hopefully before next weekend. :)

Quick birthday tag and entry!

Happy (early) Tuesday morning! Just wanted to get in one post before heading to bed. I wanted to squeeze it in after I finished my February challenge with my stamping friend, Jennifer. I can't post it yet, as she stops in from time to time on my blog and I definitely want it to be a surprise. AND I am actually getting it out during the month of the challenge - LOL Hey, it's the little things, right?!

So anyhow, back to tonight's post. Birthday parties are a very regular occurrence when you have 3 children who are all in school. I don't think it is an exaggeration to to tell you that we have one almost every weekend - and sometimes more than 1. I seriously should just stock wrapped gifts in my pantry to save myself time each weekend going out to get gifts. Luckily there is great toy store in the next town over that has a great assortment of gifts, most of which are educational and make for great birthday gifts. AND THEY WRAP and MAKE THE PRESENT LOOK GREAT there at the store. Definitely works for me. Love that one-stop shopping experience.

Birthday presents obviously need birthday cards, or lately it seems for me, tags. Quick and easy - and a bonus considering no one is keeping these cards anyway. This is the one I made for this weekend's party. My middle guy went to a karate party, so I knew which one to use right away. All I had to do was write the To: and the From: on the back of the tag and he was good to go.

I love this karate stamp from IA. It is perfect for the my kids and their friends at this age, since they are young and love dinosaurs to boot. Plus, do you know how hard it is to find karate stamps for kids? ....Well, I guess not that hard anymore! ;)

Hope you are off to having a great week!!

Stamps Used: Karate stamp from Inky Antics, Sentiment from PTI's Shapes by Design; CS: SU Brilliant Blue, Green Galore, PTI: White CS; Ink: Palette Hybrid Noir; Other: SU Ribbon and Twine, Prismacolors and Gamsol to color the dino

Birthday Shapes

Happy Friday (at least that is when I started this entry, although now that I see what time it is, I'm sure it will be early Saturday morning by the time I finish!)!!

We got a few inches of snow today (ughh! - I can't wait for spring already!) and the kids had the day off from school - SNOW DAY! So I decided to work from home to save myself the agony of the commute and also so my husband could do some work that he had to get done out of the house today. I was hoping that I would get a chance to get some extra stamping in given no commute, but oh well, not meant to be. I was pretty much logged in all day and on calls as well, plus all of the stuff that goes on when all the kids are at home - getting food on the table, trips to the bathroom (for my 2 1/2 year old), answering all of their queries for all sorts of things and of course, refereeing the squabbles! ;) But I can't complain because they were overall so good today - I got a bunch of work done and I made it through all of my calls without their voices inadvertently being heard! :) I didn't get a chance to sit down at my stamping table until after I put the kiddos to bed. But that's ok, because I did get a card done and I still have the whole weekend to be with my family.

I knew exactly what I was going to use to make my card - my new PTI stuff. My order came on Wednesday, but I didn't even get a chance to open the box up until today. I got a ton of stuff this time - up to this point I only had a couple of sets and the white CS, which I loved. But as I told my stamping friend, Jennifer, I really drank the kool-aid and bought myself a ton of stuff LOL! So here is the first card that I made with my new stuff. This is the first time in awhile that I didn't use PP on my card. It took me a little while, but I came up with my own panel for the card, which is btw, based on Beate's newest weekend sketch. I used one of the new sets they just released - Shapes by Design. The floral disk is definitely my favorite image of the set, so of course I had to use it first. I also really like the font used for the sentiments of this set. All of the CS is PTI-including their 2 new colors, which I am LOVING! The colors are so pretty and I love the weight of the paper. I only use the PTI white CS now, and can definitely see myself amassing all of the colors as they are released each month. Plus with the matching ribbon and inks, how can you go wrong?

Sweet Heart

Happy Monday night! Aren't Mondays are so much better when you have the day off?! ;) I had an awesome weekend with my family - just the right amount and balance of busy-ness and relaxation so that I am not too tired for work tomorrow or wishing that we made more of the weekend.

Today I made this card using AmyR's latest Friday sketch. I think that it is going to be for either my new little nephew or for my husband's soon to be born little cousin. Either way, I am really happy with the way it turned out. I've been feeling better with the cards that I've been making and I have also been making very good head way on my scrapbooking. I don't know if I ever will catch up and have books for every memory since the kids were born, but I've decided to scale down my expectations and just work on keeping current for 2008. I have done Christmas 2007, New Year's and a couple of events in January, so I'm off to a pretty good start, imo. I stamped the giraffe (isn't he just the sweetest?!) on shimmery white CS and colored it in with an aqua painter, dew drops and SU craft ink. I cut him out and popped him up on dimensionals on the layered oval. I made the oval piece with my CM oval makes and the largest Marvy scallop oval punch.

I love the style of this SU stamp set - it looks great watercolored, even if it isn't perfect. The PP is from Chatterbox (used both sides) and the base CS is SU Bashful Blue. Another scrap that goes back in the box just a little bit smaller! ;)

I hope that you have a great week, and I hope that I get a chance to drop in before next weekend.