Arden's Garden: PPA35

I have been waiting for the right moment to introduce my daughter's blog and the PPA35 "anything but a card" challenge is the perfect opportunity! She is my (not so) little crafting buddy and has a fondness for Stampin' Write markers and Dazzling Diamonds--well, who can blame her, right? She cheers for me and my creations and I couldn't wait to design a blog to showcase her crafts. So, my PPA35 entry is the blog header I designed for Arden's Garden of Crafts using My Digital Studio. Arden picked out a free blogger background, courtesy of Hot Bliggity Blog, and I designed the header to match. So much fun! Please go check it out--she adores getting comments and reads every one!

Too Cute to Resist

Sometimes you have to be a little sneaky...like when you go to that big box store that sells scrapbooking supplies or browse other stamp company goodies. As a SU demonstrator, I can't tell you where this stamp set came from or direct you to their web site but I just have to share it because it is so stinkin' cute! I made this for a co-worker and had so much fun stamping all the little parts to make up this cozy setting. Look close and you will see the mug, pillows, table, lamp & couch are all individually stamped. The couch is stamped on coordinating paper (SU Thoroughly Modern DSP) and then hand cut. Isn't it just the cutest?! It just makes you want to curl up and drink the warm tea doesn't it? What do you imagine in that mug? Thanks for indulging me in my non-Stampin' Up moment ;-).

supplies:
ink: soft suede
paper: bermuda bay, soft suede cardstock; thoroughly modern dsp
xtras: sending love notes 'hugs'; stampin' dimensionals; soft suede & bermuda bay stampin' write markers

Lucky day

A little bit late but...top o' the evenin' to ya! Since green is my favorite color and I do feel like a lucky person, I had to make this St. Patrick's Day card--even though I didn't send it to anybody!! The shamrock was made with 3 full hearts punched from garden green cardstock, run through the polka dot impression folder and folded in half. My favorite on this card is the piece of garden green DSP left over from the Merry Moments holiday paper. It looks quite Celtic don'tcha think? May the luck of the Irish be with you!


supplies:
stamps: define your life
ink: chocolate chip
paper: certainly celery, garden green, very vanilla, chocolate chip cardstock; merry moments dsp
xtras: full heart, 1" circle & 3/4" circle punches; polka dot impression folder, xtra large bird punch (for the brown stem); rhinestone (from my stash)

Just Because

This is the first card I've made in awhile just because. Just because I had a stampin' buddy, just because we had both been itching to try this flower technique...just because! Pretty simple layout, really. I think this is one of my fall-back layouts, I seem to use it a lot. The distressed flower technique is really fun--these flowers are all over stampin' blogland but I first saw it on the Me, My Stamps and I blog, here. So simple but the results are stunning, dont'cha think? Sahara Sand, Rose Red, Taken with Teal and Old Olive are the colors we used with fabulous paper from the Sweet Pea DSP stack. The Big Shot and the Little Leaves Sizzlit make some quick greenery while the Polka Dot Impressions folder on the card base mimics the polka dot designer paper. The sentiment is just one of several from the Whimsical Words set--a Sale-a-Bration freebie! This has become my go-to sentiment stamp set--love it! Oh, and can't forget the whisper white Sending Love "Hugs" notes from the mini catalog--precut and pre-scalloped they make the perfect focal point for this card. And at $4.95 for 20--they're a springtime steal! Thanks for looking!


supplies: stamps: whimsical words ink: chocolate chip paper: sweet pea dsp stack; sahara sand, taken with teal, rose red, old olive cardstock xtras: big flower, 3/4" circle & SAB scallop edge punches; bone folder; polka dot impressions folder; big shot; little leaves sizzlit; adhesive pearl (my embellishment stash)

Mom in Blogland

Just wanted to share my Mom's new blog with you. It's called Nanc's Niche of Stampin. She visited us this last week and, as I mentioned, we had a great time crafting, laughing and spending some quality time together. We also put the finishing touches on her blog! She chose the background design and colors that she liked while I put together this header to match using My Digital Studio! How cool is that?! I am certain that my crafty nature came from all those years watching my Mom sew, craft and experiment with different designs of the time (including a handmade matching mother-daughter, 2-piece maroon polyester pantsuit--yikes!). She's always making things and has a great sense of style, well...the polyester pantsuit was in style then :-). In fact, my Stampin' Up obsession started when she gave me a catalog! She's sure to have some fun projects and craft ideas in store, so take a look and subscribe today.