Valentine's Pockets

Hello Friends! I have a cute little Valentine Pocket for you today.
Its made with half of a kraft envelope.  You seal up the envie and the cut it in half.  Now you have a nice little pocket.  Next you take some Valentine paper, cardstock and stamps and start decorating.  I used Simple Valentine paper, Tiny Treats, Simple Valentine, and Love Birds stamps.  Just start mixing and matching until you come up with something you like.  Stuff the inside with chocolates or whatever you have laying around.

I used the same sets and paper for this pocket as well.  My daughter liked this one, my son preferred the dog.  I guess we know who is getting what for V-day now!  LOL, thanks for stopping in!

Thank You!!

Good morning friends! Looks like its been a week since I checked in last! Hate when my real life gets so crazy I can't even upload photos! LOL! Today I have a card that features the free set that PTI sent out last month with people's December orders.  I got really lucky because one of my forum friends, JuneK, sent me her extra set!  I am always so amazed by the generosity of others.  I made this little card to thank her.  Of course in true slacker style, I just got it in the mail today.  So June- its on the way!  Anyway fairly simple construction,  I used Mat Stack 5 under the sentiment.  The polka dots are from Polka dot basics.  The glittery bits are made with a die cut, scor tape and martha stewart glitter.  Thats all I have for today- gotta get to work!  Thanks for stopping in!
Edit:  I am going to enter this in Rhonda's Thankful Thursday.  Have you seen it?  Its a cute idea.  Go here for the details.   Speaking of thankful... I am so thankful my little guy is loving his guitar lessons!  Finally something he is really into.

Happy Birthday Die Cut Card

Good Morning Friends!  Do you see a theme lately?  Its like once I cut a piece of cardstock, I cant stop!  This card used Beautiful Blooms 2 and Ad Sense Dies and stamps.  Pretty self explanatory construction, totally not at all what I was going for when I started.  I think it looks better in person than in the photos.  Anyway just thought I'd share.  I have a couple of new cards in different colors that I started last night so maybe something new and different tomorrow!  Thanks for stopping by.

Hello Friend

Good Morning Friends!  Today I have a different take on the card I shared yesterday.  Same stamp set, colors, and elements- but arranged differently.  I love this card.  Who knew Hawaiian shores and Orange Zest could look so good together?  Thanks for stopping by!

Moxie Fab Die Cutting Challenge

Hello Friends!  Have you been by Moxie Fab lately?  Perhaps you have seen this die cutting challenge?  One nice thing about this challenge was how long you have to get it done!  I saw it last week and have been working on it in my spare time.  Anyhow, on to the card!
I'm using PTI product here (yes, I have an unhealthy, obsessive love with PTI). The stamp set is Little Bitty Bird.  The white die cut is Mat Stack 4.  The blue die cuts are the leafy vine border and the Victorian Lace border.  I cut them out and then glued them down with liquid glue.  The die cut is adhered with dimensionals.  Thanks for stopping in!

More Stitches and Swirls

Good Morning Blog Friends! I have another Stitches and Swirls project for you today.  You can see the blue panel is essentially the same, in fact I made four of them at the same time.  If you are going to get out the embossing powder and the gun you might as well make it worth your while.  This time I paired  up the panel with some orange cardstock and orange pp from Echo Park.  Orange and Blue are across from each other on the color wheel making them compliments to each other.  The tag is from cuttlebug.  The sentiment is from one of the Fillable Frames.  Misc. bling and buttons.  Thanks for stopping by!

Stitches and Swirls

Good Morning Blog Friends!  I have a little something for you today featuring PTI's Stitches and Swirls.  I won this not long ago and I am so glad I did!  I stamped the background flowers on the blue cardstock using Versamark.  I embossed in white.  I matted it on some patterned paper- would love to tell you whose, but I have no idea.  I added a little tag (Provo craft) and some bling.  The sentiment is from one of the Fillable Frames series.  A little twine and some white ribbon and we are all done!  Thanks for stopping in!

Butterfly Thank You

Hello blog friends!  I am back from my trip to Colorado Springs.  It was awesome!  We had a little time to sight see and I got to go to Cave of the Winds.  Soooo cool!  Anyway vacation is over, its back to school tomorrow!  In the meantime I have a card for you.  Using patterned papers from Bobunny and Echo Park.  Stamps are PTI:  Inside and Outside Thank You and Life.  A bow and some bling and its all done!  Thanks for stopping in today!

Stitches and Swirls

Hi there blog friends!   I have been making the effort to post more consistantly but I wanted to give you a heads up that I am going to be MIA for the next few days.  However I should have a new post up next Sunday or Monday.  I was a card making machine a few days ago so I still have blog fodder for the next week or two.  Today I have a CAS card using Stitches and Swirls.  I wanted that set so bad and then I won it at the blog hop!  Yay for that!  Free stuff.  Layout and technique are really simple.  Stamped in versamark and embossed with white.  Added some velvet ribbon and some pp (not sure who its by).  That's all there is to it!  Thanks for stopping by.

A More Traditional Thank You

My Husband bought me this Penny Black stamp set for Christmas.  I love the little cat.  I love cats.  Rather than stash away for next year I decided to use it to make a few more thank yous.  I love coloring and Penny Black stamps are perfect for that.  The sentiment is from Inside and Out Thank You (PTI).  The base is Pure Poppy and the strip is Ripe Avocado.  Simple and easy to mail!  Thanks for stopping by!

More Thank Yous

Good morning friends. A few more thank yous left over from my color blocking fun.
The first card uses the negative image.   After I cut the butterflies I trimmed it up to match up with the card front.  I added a sheer ribbon, sentiment stamp, and some stickles.  The die and the sentiment stamp are both PTI.

And here is a little something using the positive image.  More stickles, some bling, a button and a little ribbon.  Trail is hand drawn and sentiment is from PTI Inside and Out Thank you.  Thanks for stopping in today!

More Colorblocking Fun

A few more Colorblocked cards. If you are interested in the technique check out Maile Belle's blog which is where I came upon the idea.
All of these are basically variations on the same theme.  For the actual die cut I pasted the cardstock on some very flimsy stock as my Cuttlebug can not handle two layers of PTI card.  I used some stickles on these and the stamps are from Inside Out Thank You.  All will be used for my Christmas thank yous.

Bundle of Love Box Set

Good Morning Blog Friends and Happy New Year to you!! Today I have the box that goes with the baby thank you cards I shared the other day. Click here to go directly to that post.

I have made these boxes before and you can find a brief tutorial here. There is no actual stamping on the box. It is made of one sheet of PTI plum pudding cardstock and a sheet of PTI vellum.
The tag is made using PTI's Tag Sale 4 die.  I die cut that in Plum Pudding.  Next I punched a large scallop circle out of the Happy Dot paper.  Next a circle of plain vellum.  I stamped the sentiment on the vellum.  I stamped the baby on some scrap white and cut it out.  I popped it up with a pop dot.  The tag is tied with string to plum pudding button that is wrapped around the plum bow holding the box lid on.  Quick and fairly easy.  Thanks for stopping in today!

Color Blocked Thank Yous

Hi there blog friends!  I was blog surfing today when I came across this post by Maile Belles.  It shows how to color block with dies and I just had to try it out!
My first card here features the Christmas tree die from Papertrey ink. I need some Christmas present thank yous and I thought this would work nicely.  I have the Christmas motif with fun non traditional colors.  I used some bling I had laying around and some extra strips to fancy it up.  The sentiment is from Inside and Out Thank you.

This second card also uses the Christmas tree. A slightly different layout to change things up.  What do you think?  I think I like the first one best.  Anyway I am off to sign them and get them in the mail.  Thanks for stopping by!

Baby Thank Yous

Hey there blog friends! Have you given me up for dead? Sorry for the long absences between posts- I have been busy and I haven't made a darn thing recently. Well haven't made anything except for these cute little baby thank you cards. Clean and simple. I used my newest acquisition- a mini T-Square to make the border frame. If you dont have one of these, you need one. Trust me on this.  It makes those straight lines so easy to do!  Also on this card is the baby from PTI's Bundle of Love.  So cute.  My mom got it for me for Christmas.  The thank you is from one of the Fillable Frames sets.  Not sure which as I keep them all bundled into one or two CD cases.
Some details for you:  Cardstock is Plum Pudding.  The white panel is 3.75 x 5.0.  I added the black border all around with my Micron pen and a mini T-Square.  Its a quarter of an inch all the way around.  I stamped the baby and the thank you in Memento Tuxedo black.  I added the coordinating bundle stamp in the original Plum Pudding Ink.  I colored the other pieces with my copic marker (V06 and V0000)  The baby is done with E00.  I made up some coordinating envies with the same stamp.  These will be going to my SIL who is going to be giving birth to my new little niece or nephew in March.

Teacher Gifts

Well hello blog friends! Its been awhile. Nothing major, just the usual December madness. I have a couple of paint cans that I decorated for my kids' teachers last week. The kiddos are now on vacation but the school district I work for has us working up until December 23rd!!!! No wonder I feel tired.  Anyway these little cans are from Target.  They were in the dollar spot.  I picked up four (they only had six and two were a little dinged).  I used some old Basic Grey patterned paper and some stamps from WMS and PTI to fancy them up.  It only took about 15 minutes to make both.

More Christmas

Hello there! Are you all busy with the holidays too? It seems I spend every free moment wrapping or decorating or shopping. No time for anything like my little blog! LOL! However I did find time to post this card that I made a few weeks ago. I really like the red and pink snowflakes. A little different then my normal style. Thanks for stopping in today! (All materials from PTI)

Christmas Cards

Hello Blog Friends!  I have a couple of cards for you today from my Christmas card frenzy a few weeks ago.

This card features the Tree Trimming Trio die cut from PTI.  I stamped it with the light string from Holiday Lights in silver ink.  I added some bling for lights.  I layered some MME patterned paper strips and some Pure Poppy Ribbon as a base and then stamped on the sentiment in Pure Poppy.

My second card features the same tree die cut this time stamped with stamps from the Tree Trimming Trio set.  More of the MME patterned paper and some Pure Poppy Twill.  The sentiment is stamped in Pure Poppy.  Nice and flat and easy to mail.  Thanks for stopping in today.

Stocking Tag

Hi there blog friends! I have a cute little Christmas tag for you today. I used some patterned paper by American Crafts.  I think it is called Merry Mint.  The stocking is from Stocking Prints (PTI) and the sentiment is from Holiday Lights.  Everything was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed.  The tag shape is from PTI, as is the bow and button.  Thanks for stopping in today!

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Hi there friends! Its the papertrey ink blog hop today. You can check out all the details here. My card uses some yummy My Mind's Eye papers with the Papertrey Ink tree die cut and sentiment from Tree Trimming Trio.  The light string is from another PTI set, Holiday Lights.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Friends! I wish I had a nice fall card for you, but just like the stores, I have already moved on to Christmas! Everything I have made recently is in the Christmas theme.
Today's card features the Papertrey Ink set, Tree Trimming Trio.  I bought it when it first came out, so I have had it for a few years.  Today I paired it up with the matching die.  The paper is New Leaf.  I stamped with versamark and embossed with sparkle embossing powder.  The ornaments are punched from Scarlet Jewel and embossed as well.  The sentiment is in Scarlet Jewel.  The card base is Fine Linen.  The patterned paper is Merry Mint by American Crafts.  I think this may be a line from last year.  I am a hoarder, I admit it.  I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow.  May your bellies be full and your troubles be few.  Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Tags and a Christmas Cat

Hello blog friends! I am back from my whirlwind trip to Oregon for one last goodbye to my grandfather. I have some more tags for you today. Like I said before, I was a tag making machine a few weekends ago.

This first tag uses stamps from hero arts and a whole lot of paper piecing. Its way to fussy to mass produce. I made exactly one. The tag die is from PTI.

Tag 2 uses an older set from PTI- Take a Bough. Love that set. Can not sell it, even though I think I should sometimes because I have so many Christmas sets. I am a sucker, what can I say.
Finally I give you my cat Tiger, Santa Cat. He is sitting with my daughter. I don't think he is too pleased at the turn of events. But he was a good sport.

More Tags

Hello friends! I am going to be in and out of town all week. We just got back from my Father in Law's place and in a few days I am off to my grandfather's memorial service. In between, I will be working. So if the posts are a bit sporadic, that's why. Its going to be mostly tags this week, although I am starting another project that I am pretty excited about, my SIL's baby shower invites! I am sure the first 5 will be fun (and the next 35 a chore! LOL).

And a little bigger....

This tag uses PTI Tiny Treats Christmas and a Waltzingmouse Christmas set (I am not sure which off the top of my head, sorry!)  The paper is from My Mind's Eye.  The ribbon and buttons are from PTI, as is the cardstock and die I used to cut the tag.  The twine is from Crate and Barrel.

Christmas Tags

Hello Friends!  Well I think I am finally over this stupid cold.  It had me down for a week, which for me, is really unusual.  Anyway, last night I was finally feeling well enough to get some crafting done.  I decided to break out the Christmas stamps and make some tags.  I made soooo many! So its gonna be all tags on the blog for the next week or so.  LOL!
This tag features stamps from Papertrey Ink.  The sentiment is from Holiday Lights and the little penguin is from Tiny Treats:  Christmas.  I am using 6x6 Christmas paper from My Mind's Eye.  I love this collection!  The ribbons, cardstock, and buttons are from PTI.

Same tag, different colors! The twine is from this massive spool from Crate and Barrel. I bought it last year and I dont think I will ever be able to use it all up!
Thanks for stopping by today! I should be back on Monday with more tags.

Friendship

Katie Renz died yesterday and it hit me even harder than I thought it would.  You see, Katie and I have never actually met IRL.  I have never spoken to her on the phone.  Yet, I considered her a friend.  I met Katie online on the Papertrey Ink Forum, way back when it first opened.  Katie was one of my first online crafting friends.  She visited my blog.  She left me sweet comments.  We chatted through email and later through facebook.  I visited her blog at least weekly.  We talked about silly things, like when the latest stamp goodies would be coming or if my husband was ever going to finish the club house he was building the kids, or what sugar cookie recipes were the best.  I remember going to her blog last year and reading that she had been diagnosed with cancer.  I cried.  Life is so very unfair.  No one can ever explain to me why good people have those kinds of things happen to them and rotten people run around enjoying good health.  Life. is. not. fair.  So I sit here thinking about Katie, hoping her little family is doing ok- though I know they are probably not doing ok, and wondering just what is it that makes a friend.  It seems there are no real "rules" for that.  Friendship can blossom anywhere. It can spring up in the most unlikely places.  Where ever you are now Katie, I hope you are happy and peaceful.  I hope that you know how many people you touched with your life.  I hope you know that you will be missed in lots of little ways, by lots of people who barely knew you.  I hope you know that many people, like me, counted you as a friend.

Random!

Hello there blog friends!  Its been a week.  I've done nothing crafty, so I have no crafty pictures.  The past three days I have been sick.  I am not a good patient.  I whine, a lot.  I want my mom.  Mom knows how to make a sick person feel good.  Alas,  my mom lives three hours away so I am on my own.  Lucky for me, I don't have to go to work until tomorrow.  Hoping to be partially recovered by then. So what do I have to show you? Lets start with this:  

That's my new nephew.  Isn't he adorable?  We call him baby Z.  That picture was from my husband's 40th birthday.  He is officially old.  LOL... yes, yes, I know 40 isn't old...

Next up we have my kitty, Duncan. He is attention starved. Every time I turn around he is there, begging to be petted. Its a good thing he is so cute.

This is science! We are using some new materials I got donated through Donor's choose. Have you heard of Donor's Choose? They are awesome. There is a link to their website at the top of my sidebar on the right. Check them out, a great way to see your charitable contribution put to good use, right away.

This is my hubby's head. He likes to celebrate Halloween this way. The black was sharpie and it did take a day or two to come completely off! LOL!  Thanks for stopping by today and reading my randomness.  Hoping to get crafty just as soon as I get well.  Have a wonderful week!

Halloween Make It Monday

Hello friends! Its Make It Monday over at Papertrey ink. Today's challenge was making your own background paper, which just happens to be something I love to do, so I decided to play along.  My background paper is made with the little characters from Tiny Treat Halloween.  The little stars are from Star Prints and Love Lives Here Christmas.  I colored with my copics, just quickly, it really didn't take very long.  Next I stamped the big Mat Stack 4 in Virdian Leaf green.  I added the little Jack O Lantern and the sentiment.  To get the green mat I traced around my Mat Stack die and then hand cut with scissors, not as easy as die cutting but it gets the job done.  Thanks for stopping in today!  Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Early Halloween Blog Friends! I thought I would share some quick little favor baskets that I made for work.  Sorry for the less than stellar photography.  It was late, I was tired.  My messy table is in the background... my excuses are many, but the result is the same! LOL! These are made with a combination of stamps.  I used the Mat Stack One and Two sets along with some Waltzingmouse- Wanda's Pantry.  I love those stamps.  Claire is a genius.    I used the PTI Favor It 1 box.  Its my favorite because it only takes one pass through the machine for the whole box. 
Most of the patterned paper is from Authentique.  It was gifted to me from the lovely and talented Michelle Phillippi.  The Favor It box fits perfectly on a 6x6 sheet.  And I found at that I can cut two boxes with one pass by doubling up the paper.  YAY!  Less work.  I put these together with my ATG gun.  It didn't take too long, I did it while watching Dr. Phil (yes I admit it!)

More Christmas

Hey there blog friends! Its been a few days. I had a really busy weekend. My sweetie turned 40. Its so weird to me, we have been together since we were 21 so its just bizarre. I mean I remember sitting in my college dorm room talking to him about how old 40 was! LOL, guess I will be eating some more words, eh? Anyway... todays card is more of PTI's Love Lives Here Christmas set. I love those little ornament stamps. So cute! I was hoping to get all inky this weekend, but nada. Maybe today after work- otherwise it will be a quiet week here on the blog, cause I got nothing! Have a great day!