Baby box

You might remember this memory box I made for my sister-in-law who was expecting: http://dare2beecreative.blogspot.com/2008/02/baby-memory-box.html, she didn't know the baby gender so I tried to go with something somewhat neutral, and I really didn't feel like yellow or green. (She actually had a girl, I'm glad I put those 2 little pink buttons there!... ;-))

I had one box left (they're from Papertrey Ink) that I had bought for myself so I decided to make a memory box for MY baby! :-) And of course I went all blue (and a little light green) this time!... ;-)

The pics are a little overexposed but you get the idea.... It's the same concept anyway.

You go girl!

This is a card I made for my hubby's cousin who moved to NY a few months ago. She is french and has been working for a little less than a year in NY now and was first living with my husband's family on Long Island. But now she's living the NY life, in the center of the Big Apple and with a roommate, just like in the movies... I think this is a pretty big deal! ;-) She is in her early 20ies, and I can't say I would have been brave enough to take NY all on my own when I was this age, LOL!

Golden Thank You

I finally got around to make a card for Rae who sent me the huge blog candy. Of course I used some of the supplies she sent me!... :-)

It's hard to see on the pic but I used the metallic rub-on paste again, this time gold.

Flowery Thanks

A few months ago Kim (http://www.paperhugs.typepad.com/) posted on her blog that she had Prima leftovers from her old designer's days and she offered to send some randomly to her readers who would e-mail her their address. A couple of weeks ago I got an enveloppe in the mail with Prima flowers in it... :-)

I am so behind that I didn't get a chance to send her a Thank You card yet, but I knew I wanted to find a way to use some of those primas for her card. I also experimented with rub-on metalic paste and I think I was a little heavy handed there... ;-)... It's hard to see on the pic but it's green and gold on the cuttlebugged background and gold on the flowers themselves. The sentiment is embossed with copper powder to match the brads.

I think there is something missing on that card (probably a mat behind the cuttlebugged panel for starters or a more obvious sponging of the edges...) but with all those flowers already I was afraid to overdo it...

Paper play birthday

A quick birthday card I made for my sister-in-law whose birthday is in 2 days, I doubt she'll get it on time but it's the thought that counts, right?...

I don't know why the color of the flower is off on my pic, it is much lighter in real life or I wouldn't have used it (yellow is NOT my color!). The sentiment is stamped onto gros grain ribbon. I love those papers by Making Memories and I wanted a simple card to showcase them.

Coupon Book

When you get a new baby, at least at the beginning, companies such as Huggies, Pampers and Gerber send you coupons for diapers, baby food and such if you register with them.

Those sure are welcome and, in order not to lose them, I made myself a little coupon book...

You'll recognize the little bear from the baby planner (a piece of gift wrap) glued on the cover. I then made faux stitching with an opaque marker (Martha Stewart for Walmart) and covered it all with Contact paper since it will travel in my diaper bag. (I always have Contact paper at home since I cover most of my books with it, I'm a little obsessed with books that way... ;-)).

Then I glued the inside part that I had assembled with my sewing machine (I didn't want any sticky tape or glue coming undone or staying stuck to my coupons...) against the spine, sandwiching the ribbon in between the 2 layers. Once I was done I realized 4 tiny pockets likely wouldn't be enough, so I added the central panel as an afterthought, and just sewed it to the spine of the booklet.

I did consider stamping the "categories" with a mini alphabet, but thought it would just be too much! ;-) Since it is for me anyway I can do with the sloppy handwriting! :-)

Now hopefully I will remember to take the booklet with me before I go shopping! ;-)

Wine tag

Just a simple and quick little wine tag made with the new PaperTrey Ink set "Mazel Tov". It's so nice to have something for jewish Holidays now! :-) The little grapes at the bottom are by Jolee's, I just love their stuff!♥

Sympathy leaves

This is my card for the Judd family (Cammie's friends) who lost their 13 months old daughter out of the blue. (If you'd like to send them a card too, more info a few posts below in the World Card Making Day entry.)

I took the pic in the sun, sorry about the shadows and weird colors!... :-s

I don't think I have ever made a sympathy card before, I don't think anyone is comfortable making or writing those kind of cards... I kept the design pretty minimalist but, when I thought about them, I knew I wanted to use that paper. I just LOVE that paper (from Target $ spot), and someone you love passing away makes me think of a leaf falling from a tree. I can't even imagine the pain this family must be into after losing their child. But I didn't want to make a very sad or dark card though, those months spent with their little one were happy ones even if they were too short. It just makes you want to hug your children extra tight and not let them go.

Glittery birthday

A quick card I made for a friend whose birthday I just missed... Did I mention how behind I am in everything crafty (and not crafty too, LOL! ;-))?

The pic isn't really good because the sun is going down and I took the pic at my desk...

Happy 2nd birthday

This is the card I made for Janessa, the little girl with down syndrome and fighting leukemia, who is about to turn 2.

If you'd like to send her a card there is still a little time, check my previous post for info.

I have to confess that making cards for young children makes me as uncomfortable as making cards for guys! I never know what direction to take, I don't quite know how to make goofy or funny cards and don't have a clue what kids want to see on their cards (beside my daughter, but she is 7 1/2 already and easy to please since she's happy as long as I made the effort to make a card myself! ;-)).

So anyway, here I just used my dear Fluffles, colored with Prismacolor markers.

About 2 months ago a new Michaels store opened like 15 mn from my house! :-) I used one of their grand opening 50% off coupon to treat myself to some Prismacolors markers. I have been coveting Copics markers for a while now but I just can't swallow the $150 price tag! :-S Prismacolors markers are a cheaper version (of alcohol based markers) and for a beginner like me it is definitely enough! ;-)

This coloring was my 1st attempt at using them, and I can already see that it takes some practice to get the hang of it and get the shading right, but I'm looking forward to experiment more with them! I think this image is a little bright but for this card it works well since I wanted something cheerful. I added some stickles on some of the petals and the bee's wings and a few colored rhinestones at the bottom to make a little rainbow.

Make a (few) differences(s) for World Card Making Day

It's World Card Making Day and what better way to celebrate it than trying to be there for others!?
I am sure there are loads of things going on today but I wanted to bring your attention on those 3:

* Head over to Korin's blog http://sweetnsassystamps.blogspot.com/2008/10/stampers-can-make-difference.html .
Korin's niece is fighting leukemia and about to turn 2, she might spend her birthday in the hospital and b-day cards would certainly be welcomed.
Cammie's friends unexpectedly lost their 13 months old daughter and could certainly use some prayers and kind words at this difficult time.
Details are on Korin's blog, along with the addresses for those 2 families, and Korin is even generously offering a $100 gift certificate to Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps if you participate in that RAK.

* Our Gina K., always thinking about others and ways to make a difference, is offering great prices in exchange for a few holiday cards to send to the troups in Irak so that they can write to their loved ones. Details are here: http://blog.ginakdesigns.com/2008/10/03/world-card-making-day-with-gina-k-designs.aspx?ref=rss

Thanks in advance! :-)

In the spotlight: Creativity Prompt

If you don't know Avital's blog, you should pay her a little visit... It is called "Creativity Prompt" and, as the name suggests, it is full of ideas to get your creative juices flowing. This can inspire you for your scrapbook layouts/journaling or cards or craft projects of all kind, but also just in your everyday life, help you re-focus on yourself or the people around you... ;-)

Check it out here!: http://www.creativityprompt.com/ :-)

Birthday Carte Postale

This is a card I made for my Dad's birthday (which, ahem, was a month ago...)

I am still not very comfortable with masculine card so that is an area that needs more practice... ;-)

My dad loves to write and he's the one sending postcards to people when he goes on vacation so I thought "Carte postale" was the set to use, especially since I had found this paper with pics of old postcards. My attempt at making the paper look more vintage didn't go so well though since the distress ink I used was obviously too dark, but I like the end result nonetheless. The sentiment and bird are heat embossed with copper powder so it has a nice patina IRL.

I don't know that it is very masculine but I like those colors, and if you can't send cards you're not too sure about to your close family, whom can you send them to? ;-)

Organizing and updating my blog life...

I am trying to make my life easier, you could say the prospect of handling 3 kids in a mere few months sends me slightly into panic mode... ;-)
I LOVE google reader and have a lot of blogs listed there, there is obviously no time to read everything or it would be a full time job!
Last week-end I was completely caught up with my list, I was so proud!! When I logged in Monday there was already more than a 100 new posts!! So I took the (hard) decision to remove some craft blogs that I only visit very occasionally from my list so that I could devot my time better for the ones I actually visit more often. The only problem is that I keep finding new blogs to add anyway!!... ;-)
{Speaking of blogs, my petpeeve is blogs with music! :-( I often listen to Pandora while on my computer and it irks me to no end when someone else's music come bother me!! If your blog has music on and I still read it, you must be really talented or a very nice person because this is enough to make me want to ban that blog from my list forever! LOL!}
I am updating my blogroll as well, I realized some blogs were there that I haven't visited in ages and some were missing that I visit more often (when time permits!!)...
If you disappeared from my blogroll and would have liked to stay there, contact me, I will add you back... ;-)
I have added the "blogger follower" option and if your blog is on Blogspot I encourage you to get this little widget, it takes 2 seconds to install and it would enable me to follow your blog more easily! When I have the time I also plan on making a Blogger blogroll, it will likely be updated slowly, so please bare with me as I make a few tiny changes around here! Thanks! :-)

Crazy win!...

I don't usually post pics of blog candies or such but I just couldn't resist!!! The mailman dropped this box on my doorstep today and when I lifted it I knew I was in for a good surprise!... I dumped everything on my bed and my jaw dropped... I'm giddy with excitement!
Rae was crazy (and incredibly generous!) to send so many goodies my way, after I won the surprise blog candy on her blog!! (http://simplyrae.blogspot.com/) and she even made a beautiful card for me!♥ Can I say I feel loved right now? ;-)
My daughter was ecstatic also and asked right away if I was gonna share some of those goodies with her! LOL So now I have to make cards with her this afternoon! ;-)...

And as you can see from the pic below, really everyone was thrilled with that package!!:

I have to say the timing was perfect, because I am on a "no-buying papercrafting supplies-strike" that might last a while. Hopefully I will soon post pics of cards made with those goodies! ;-D ....