Simple love note...

This one is self explanatory. I used Lauren's new set "You've got mail". I love snail mail, this set is great for that! :-)

Playing around: my own color challenge

Yesterday, as I was taking my shower I saw this...

So I decided to turn it into this....

I think the recipient will think this is the weirdest card she ever got, but I had fun in the process! :-) I never participate in color challenges because I just don't have the time, but I always love seeing other people's take on them.

Hope you have a creatively challenging day! :-D

Embossed planner

This is a project I just LOVE! it started with Post-It notes and a little planner and a new Cuttlebug folder. I had a few issues because of the size of the planner and pad (just a tad too big so that my cover paper didn't fit in my Cuttlebug anymore....) so I had to change directions like 3 times, but I do like the end result and it came out better than I envisionned. If it wasn't for a few little glue smears (grrr) it would be almost perfect! I was going to use my cool ATG gun, but a project I put together with it the other day came undone (to my big surprise since I used the permanent tape!) so I decided to stick with the yucky tacky glue... the monogram is made with PTI stamps and my Nestabilities.

I made this as a gift to someone but I like it so much that I think I will make another one for myself (especially since I have the same planner...;-)), using different colors, and maybe this time I'll add some stitching with the sewing machine. It came as an afterthought, and I had already glued the things inside, that stitching the perimeter would have kept my layers from ever coming undone! ... ;-)

Red Hello

Another card for "my soldier", using 2 new Cuttlebug folders, Herringbone and Moroccan screen. Now if you think my card is crooked because of the bad picture, maybe a little, but it is also in real life! LOL I noticed it actually after taking the picture, and since everything was put together I just let it be! *shame*. Apparently the herringbone folder distorted the cardstock, I guess I need to try with thicker cardstock next time... :-S Cute stamp is by Stampendous, I just added a tiny leaf because to me it was missing!... ;-)

Layered Thanks

Other quick layered cards. The 1st one has a white base, the 2nd one a cream base. I have been using more cream lately, I love the softer feel.

Paisley Thank You

By now you have guessed that my favorite accessory for paper crafting might very well be my embossing folders!... :-) Here I embossed vellum cardstock and rubbed some ink on it.

"Apple-pie"

Another simple card with the same model as the previous one. Can you tell I love that punch?.. ;-)

Flowery Thanks

I needed a quick simple Thank You card. This was it! (Although it wasn't that quick because I am a little rusty... ;-)) The cool punch is by Martha Stewart.

Fleur de Lys

I made this card for my cousin's birthday, mainly to try out my new Cuttlebug folder... ;-) I always liked Lily flowers, although it's funny that in the US it is seen as a symbol of France but in France it is a symbol for monarchists!... White lilies were actually my favorite flowers till I realized their strong smell made me incredibly sick. :-(
Obviously my goal here was to make the flower centerstage, hence the extreme simplicity of the card. I just rubbed metal paste on the embossing, so it has a more shiny effect in real life. And the medallion is heat embossed with gold powder. And I used cream cardstock and ribbon for a softer effect than white.

Happy Birthday Nathan!

Today is my sweet little Nathan's 1st birthday!

Waow, where did that year go? One thing for sure is that there was way less papercrafting and sleep than the year before!... :-(

But he's obviously worth it, my little ray of sun, and I absolutely wanted to make a card for him today, even though all 3 kids are sick and so am I.

I was very proud of my clever gingham bear (whose purpose was to match the lovely ribbon...), until I remembered, halfway through the process, that Nichole (Heady, who created this set) made a card with a Copic-colored-gingham-look bear when the stamps set was introduced. Oh well... Guess it made its way into my subconscient... ;-)

I also tried to do a fuzzy brown bear with fun flock but I don't have a glue pad so it didn't go well... LOL

Now this isn't any ordinary bear, it's stamped 4 times actually, once on cardstock for rigidity, once on the gingham paper, then once on blue vellum to kind of give a more weathered look (didn't want a new bear, wanted a 1 year old bear ;-)...), then the last detail is the nose stamped on cardstock again. And then of course the bear is mounted on foam tape.The "one" is colored with markers and then I added a tiny higlight on each letter with my white gel pen (also on the bear's nose).

Now I wish you could have seen the smile Nathan gave that little blue bear when he saw it! Priceless!... HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHAN, love you to pieces!

The Love Boat

I love that card, simple and colorful. It's a mini that I made yesterday to leave on hubby's nightstand. The boat circle is on foam tape. Love the vintage carstock, also from PTI, with little flecks in the paper.

Pink, pink, pink...

Another simple card for "my soldier". I used scraps of paper I found while attempting to clear my desk, LOL! I just adore polka dots and gingham, and especially together.
I am not personally a fan of hot pink actually, but I think it makes for a happy card.
It would be perfect for a cold rainy day, wouldn't it?...

Lauren's butterfly

This is my 1st card with Lauren's new set "Flutter-by". If you read my blog you are familiar with Lauren's templates... what you might not know is that she's now flying solo and just opened her own business called My Time Made Easy (www.mytimemadeeasy.com). She sells templates, photopolymer stamps, and digital paper. This butterfly and sentiment are from her 1st stamp set, so I had to use them with purple, which is her favorite color, even though the card isn't actually for her, (it's for "my soldier" ;-))!

So for the details, easy background with Cuttlebug and DP, then a little flourish made with the Cricut Expression and a double butterfly. Stamped once on the same DP, added little rhinestones and some Stickles, then stamped on a piece of light blue vellum then cuttlebugged and glued over the 1st one that was raised with foam tape.

Now I am aware that butterflies look nothing like that in real life, with 2 sets of wings, but that's called creative freedom right?... ;-D

Condolences

This is one of those cards that don't photograph well (at least not in my crappy setting, LOL!), but I love it anyway because it's simple. The sentiment is heat embossed with silver powder and there is a tiny bit of silver also on the flower buds.
I love that sentiment from PTI, it reads: "Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us, to let us know they are happy."

Melanie's blog hop and my frog prince...

Melanie Muenchinger is celebrating two years of blogging and illustrating for Gina K Designs, and today she has invited 25 designers and YOU to join the party!

First hop through the following designers' blogs using every set she has created since January 2008, from the first to the 25th! Then go to Melanie's'blog to leave a comment for a chance to win a number of different prizes! So let's get hopping!

Here we go!

Just So Hippy-Charmaine
Just So Hoppy-Donna
What's in Your Tin 1 & 2-Donna
Hip Hop Accessories-Bee (you are here! :-))
Jumping for Joy-Barb
Cuddles and Hugs-Jessie
Little Tees-Cat
Just So Sporty-Pam
A Year of Flowers-Theresa
Say it with Flowers-Selma
Have a Cookie-Carolina
Tee Talk-Gabby
Hand in Hand-Ally
The Best Things in Life-Shannon, Sankari
A Charmed Life-Cathy
Wee Tees-Libby, Laura Jean
Arranged with Love-Selma
Sporty Accessories-Tina
Inspiration Mosaic-Jennie
School Sports Spirit-Melissa
A Year of Leaves-Geri
Hip to Be Square-Karen
Festive Frame-Linda
Tech Talk-Tech Talk- Lee


Finally, Nina and Jessica from the GinaK Senior Design Team have joined in, too!
You can also get in on the hop yourself and increase your chances of
winning a prize by creating your own project with any one of Melanie's sets and linking it in the Mr. Linky in her post, see full details here.
Hope you can join the fun! Enjoy your first hop of the year!

As for my card, it's pretty straight forward. I chose the little frog in honor of the new Disney movie "The princess and the frog" that I enjoyed with my daughter the other day. I made a simple pop-up inside with a little heart that says "kiss me".

Wishing you a wonderful NEW YEAR! May it be happy, healthy and peaceful! :-) <3>