Simple Card Saturday and CFC50

Happy Saturday!  I hope everybody is having a wonderful weekend so far.  Today I'm sharing a simple little card I made for this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge:

CFC50: Spring is here so show us your Clean And Simple creations 

with flowers or trees.

I paper-pieced a cute little flower stamp by Hampton Art (Studio G) and embossed a sentiment from the Paper Smooches Simply Said set.  Now for the paper yummies:

 I machine-stitched around the edges, then scored diagonal lines across the card.  I also added Glossy Accents to the dots on the flower.  Here's a closer look:

Thanks for looking!

I'm playing along here:

CAS-ual Fridays CFC50: April Showers Bring May Flowers

Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge

Young Crafters Unite Challenge #9: No Coloring Allowed

Supplies: cardstock: Recollections; patterned papers: October Afternoon; stamps: Paper Smooches (sentiment), Hampton Art (image); inks: Staz-On (brown), Versamark (embossing); embossing powder: American Crafts; scoring tool: Martha Stewart; sewing machine: Kenmore; quilting thread: Americana; glossy accents: Ranger; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts

Paper Smooches April Guest Designer - week 4

Hi, everybody!  I'm back to share the final cards for my guest designer spot at the Paper Smooches blog this month. Boy, I tell ya', 4 weeks just flew by.  It's crazy...

For this first card, I knew I wanted to use the little coconut drink from the Get Outta Town stamp set.  And from the moment I laid eyes on that stamp, I knew I wanted to flock that little coconut.  I also wanted to incorporate some embossing on this card.  It just so happens that the embossing folder I chose looks an awful lot like the circle of dots from the Potpourri set.  So I combined all of those things to create this paper yummy:

I stamped the circle of dots using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen for a very subtle look. I stamped the coconut drink and colored it in using Prismacolor markers.  Then I added Fun Flock to the coconut:

I stamped the sentiment, added some machine stitching, and finished it off with baker's twine.  Here's another view of the flocked coconut:

For the second card, I wanted to create a card for Mother's Day coming up, or any day you want to show your mom how much you appreciate her.  I stamped and embossed the hibiscus from Get Outta Town several times, masking some parts and popping up others.  I colored them all in with Prismacolor markers.  For the sentiment, I used the "thanks" from Simply Said along with "mom" from Pretty Momma.

Here's a closer view of the flowers:

Thank you so much for looking!  I had such a blast being a guest designer for Kim Hughes and Paper Smooches Stamps.  I am so honored to have been chosen for this!

Card 1 is playing along here:

Creative Inspirations Challenge 160: Anything Goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #118: No patterned paper

Ooh-la-la Creations Challenge #103: Bold & Bright

Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge

The Ribbon Carousel Challenge RCC50: Anything Goes

Card 2 is playing along here:

Creative Inspirations Challenge 160: Anything Goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #118: No patterned paper

Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge PWC203: Clean and Simple

Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge

Lily Pad Cards April's Virginia's View Challenge  

The Ribbon Carousel Challenge RCC50: Anything Goes

Card 1 supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), The Paper Company (blue), Core'dinations (green); embossing folder: Lifestyle Crafts; circle die: Spellbinders; die cut/embossing machine: Cuttlebug by ProvoCraft; stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Tsukineko (black), Ranger (Antique Linen); markers: Prismacolor; flocking: Stampendous; Glossy Accents (flocking adhesive): Ranger; baker's twine: Divine Twine; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts

Card 2 supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black); stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Tsukineko; embossing powder: Hampton Art; markers: Prismacolor; scallop edge punch: EK Success; ribbon: Hobby Lobby; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts

Have you heard?

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! (Yes, I'm kinda yelling a little bit...) Do you remember back when I posted this card I was entering in the Paper Smooches SPARKS design team call? How about this one? Or this one? Or maybe this one will refresh your memory. This one? LOL!Well, it worked!!! I was chosen to be on the design team for the Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge blog!! I'm so ecstatic! I mean, to be working with such talented gals is really just unbelievable to me. I'm so honored and privileged to have been chosen for this team. Really.

Go check out the announcement, and see for yourself the rockstar design team. I still can't believe it...

Come back a little later, when I'll be sharing the final 2 cards from my guest design spot at the Paper Smooches blog. I cannot believe how quickly this month flew by...with the exception of yesterday, when I felt as if time was standing still, agonizing over whether or not I was going to get "the email". I did... :)

Special birthday blog hop - Sweet birthday wishes

Welcome and happy Monday! More importantly, happy birthday to Michele Gross, owner of CAS-ual Fridays!
Some of us Girl Fridays got together and arranged a super-double-top-secret blog hop to show Michele how much we appreciate her and to celebrate her big day. If you've been hopping from the beginning, you should've arrived here from Suzanne's blog. If you're just now joining in, welcome! Be sure to go back to the beginning and check out everybody's wonderful celebratory creations (I'll post the order after my pics, in case you get lost along the way). Okay, now for the paper yummies:I used this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch:

I really liked this sketch, and I chose it specifically to challenge myself and my brain. See that rectangular element that's off kilter? Things like that HURT MY BRAIN! I love straight lines and even numbers and symmetry, so I'm trying to do more of this kind of thing to get me out of my comfort zone. I even put the ribbon on at the same angle. ACK! Anyway, I replaced the flower element in the sketch with this cute lil' lollipop, then based my color scheme around the 4 colors from the lollipop. I don't know that I would've ever put together these colors/patterns on my own, but that little sucker pulled them all together (pun intended, LOL). Thanks, lollipop!

I used my favorite alphabet stamps from American Crafts to create this sentiment. This set never ceases to amaze me, with how the letters match up so perfectly to make it look like a "pre-made" stamp or a computer-generated sentiment:
Well thanks for joining this special blog hop. Next up is Jenny. Enjoy the rest of the hop, and don't forget to stop by and send Michele some more sweet birthday wishes! Here is the order, in case you get lost:

Karen <--who arranged this and created the fantastic badge above

Dana

Stephanie

Karolyn

Angie

Debby

Lorena

Suzanne

Kimberly <-- you are here

Jenny

Virginia

Julie Ranae

Christina

Laurie

Lisa

Deb

Gayatri

I'm playing along here:

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 157

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge #129: Stripes or checks ( I went with checks)

Paper Crafting Journey Challenge 7: Three or more patterned papers

Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge PWC202: Create a card for a girl

Supplies: card base: The Paper Studio; patterned papers: Crate Paper (yellow, red), KI Memories (blue); sticker: Crate Paper (green strip); punch out: Crate Paper (lollipop) stamps: American Crafts; ink: Ranger; ribbon: Making Memories; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer

Simple Card Saturday and CFC49

Happy Saturday! I hope everybody had a great week and is settling nicely into the weekend. Today's simple card is based in the sketch this week at CAS-ual Fridays. Have you checked out the blog makeover? Karen completely re-designed it, and Michele revealed the new look yesterday. It looks great! Here is a little sample of the new graphics, along with the sketch:

Now, since the term for the new DT doesn't officially start until May, I'm just playing along for fun until then. Let me give you a little background about today's card. I've recently SPARKED a little bloggy friendship with a super sweet and talented gal named Glenda. I think I first "met" her over on the Hero Arts Flickr group; but here lately, it seems as though everywhere I look, there's Glenda winning a challenge, or winning another challenge or being named May's guest designer at Paper Smooches (squeal!). I mean, the girl is on a roll, peeps! So I used the two square elements in the sketch as inspiration to create this paper yummy for Glenda:

I cut the dice using the Cricut Indie Art cartridge and patterned paper by Echo Park. I created the sentiment using the Ginger alpha stamps from American Crafts. I added a bit of machine stitching and finished it off with some embroidery floss. Here's a close-up:
I hope her "roll" continues (**wink**)! I'm sending this card to Glenda, but first I'm playing along here:

CAS-ual Fridays CFC49: Sketch

Card Makin' Mamas Getting Girly Challenge

Crafty Catz Challenge 129: Stripes or Checks (I went with checks)

Paper Sundaes Challenge #116: Anything Goes

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Recollections (brown), Georgia Pacific (white); patterned paper: October Afternoon; die cut machine: Cricut Expression; cartridge: Indie Art; stamps: American Crafts; ink: Tsukineko; brown pen (to darken sentiment): American Crafts; floss: DMC; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer; hole punch: We R Memory Keepers; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts

Paper Smooches April Guest Designer, week 3 (pic heavy)

Happy Thursday! I can't believe it's already the third week of my term as April's guest designer for Paper Smooches Stamps. I guess time truly does fly when you're having fun! Today I'm here to show you the cards that Kim featured on the blog yesterday. The first card, I made intending to be a wedding card, but you could also use it as a retirement card for someone special. Now for the paper yummies:

I created this card using the large "flower" from the Potpourri set, and the solid circle (sun/moon) from the Get Outta Town set. I stamped the large flowers in white ink, then stamped the circle four times in each center using navy ink. With a craft knife, I cut each flower out completely. I adhered a layer of navy polka dot paper under the kraft cardstock, filling in the negative space. Then I adhered only the center of each flower back in it's respective place. I curled each petal up, and added a pearl to each center. Here's a close up:

I combined two sentiments from the Simply Said set, and stamped one in white and the other (embossed) in navy. You can see that here:

I just love that patterned paper peeking through from behind the flowers.

And speaking of flowers, here is the second card Kim featured this week. I actually made two versions of this card, and the first is the one featured on the Paper Smooches blog:

To create the flowers on this card, I lightly free-handed some stems with a pencil to figure out my placement. Then, I used the solid heart stamp from the Pretty Momma set to make a flower, stamping the heart eight times per color. I stamped the sentiment from Simply Said, then erased the parts of the pencil lines that intersected the sentiment. I used green thread to machine stitch stems over the remaining pencil lines, and added a matching button to the center of each flower.

Now, let's just pause here for a moment, and let me issue an official

***SQUEAL ALERT***

for the second version of this card. No, really. I must.

Okay...are you ready?

I HEART THESE POM POMS!!! I made them using baker's twine, and just love everything about them! They match PERFECTLY and just add a little squeal factor to these flowers. And they were super simple to make. I used this tutorial that's all over Pinterest. Here's another view:

And the sentiment/stems:

Alright - thanks for sticking with me through all those pics! Have a great day!

Card 1 is playing along here:

Cupcake Craft Challenges #188: In the Deep End

Paper Pretties Monday Challenge: Embossing (I heat embossed the navy sentiment)

Paper Sundaes Challenge 116: Anything Goes

Card 2 is playing along here:

Lily Pad Cards Flower Challenge

Mojo Monday 237 Sketch

Ooh-la-la Creations Challenge 103: Bold & Bright

Pile It On #16: Pop It Up (I popped buttons up onto the middles of the pompom flowers)

The Ribbon Carousel Challenge RCC49: Color-a-licious with Totally Stampalicious

Sweet Stampin' Challenge: Girly But No Pink

Paper Smooches SPARKS DT call - Welcome

Hello, and happy Wednesday! Today I'm back with another card for the Paper Smooches SPARKS design team call. I think this is my last one (I've done 5 total), but that may change. Who knows. This is the inspiration photo I used:

I just love the color scheme, the stitching, the gingham, and the overall home-spun goodness in this photo. Martha for president!!!

Now for the paper yummies:

I paper pieced the apron from the Pretty Momma set and paired it with a sentiment from Simply Said. I used a bunch of different patterned papers from October Afternoon and DCWV. I machine stitched around the edges, and finished it off with a ribbon. (Note: this ribbon was originally brown and white, which looked much to stark against the rest of the card. So I dyed it with Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Antique Linen. Now it matches perfectly! I love it when that happens!)

Thanks for looking!

I'm playing along here:

Crafty Emma's Store Challenge #81: Paper Piece It

Lily Pad Cards Flower Challenge

Paper Crafting Journey PCJ7: 3 or more patterned papers

Paper Sundaes Challenge #116: Anything Goes

The Ribbon Carousel RCC49: Color-a-licious

Sweet Stampin' Girly But No Pink Challenge

Supplies: cardstock: Recollections; patterned papers: October Afternoon (red dot, green stripe), DCWV (flowers, green dot, yellow dot); stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Memento; circle die: Spellbinders; die cutting machine: Cuttlebug; edge punches: EK Succes (large scallop), Fiskars (small scallop); ribbon: The Ribbon Boutique; baker's twine: Divine Twine; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer

Paper Smooches SPARKS DT call - You are appreciated

Hello, all! Happy Tuesday! I'm back with another card for the Paper Smooches SPARKS DT call. There are just so many wonderful inspiration photos to choose from, that I'm not sure I can stop! I think I'm going to have to cut myself off at 5. Anyway, here is the inspiration photo I used this time:

I just LOVE that dark pink wall with the big ol' white polka dots, and the way it's paired with the green and white damask bedspread and pillows. And then that pop of black... I don't know that I ever would've put those together, but I kinda' want this room in my house now! I incorporated those elements into my card, and came up with this paper yummy:

I stamped the polka dots from the Paper Smooches Geo-Graphic set in Versamark ink to create the background, and embossed with white embossing powder. The damask "frame" stamp normally has the word "welcome" as the sentiment. I masked the "welcome", stamped onto patterned paper with Versamark, embossed in white, then replaced the sentiment with a Paper Smooches stamp from the Word Salad set. Even though the damask stamp isn't Paper Smooches (it's American Crafts), it was just too perfect to not use on this card. I finished it off with a strip of black cardstock, ribbon, and some buttons.

I just love the kind of "retro glam" feel this card has. Too fun!

I'm playing along with these challenges:

Card Makin Mamas Getting Girlie Challenge

CropStop Challenge #67: Bows and Buttons

Ooh-La-La Creations Challenge #103: Bold & Bright

Paper Pretties Monday Challenge: Embossing (I used heat embossing)

Paper Sundaes Challenge #116: Anything Goes

Pile It On #16: Pop it up (I popped a button up onto the center of the bow)

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Core'dinations (pink), Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black); patterned paper: DCWV; stamps: Paper Smooches (polka dots, sentiment), American Crafts (damask frame); inks: Tsukineko (Versamark for embossing, Versafine for sentiment); embossing powder: American Crafts; heat gun: Marvy Uchida; ribbon, buttons: craft supply

Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge - Congratulations (thrilled for you)

Happy Monday! I hope everybody had a lovely weekend. Today I'm sharing a card I made for the current Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge. I'll also be entering it into their DT call. Here is the inspiration photo:

That saying cracks me up. I didn't know who Dorothy Parker was, so I Googled her. Apparently she was a wisecracking poet and writer back in the day. Well, Dorothy, I gotta say, I think I'd be pretty darn darling at it myself. But since I didn't win that last huge lottery, there's probably no chance that me being a millionaire is going to happen any time soon. So on to the paper yummies:

I was inspired by the color combination and the layout of color. I used two sentiments from Simply Said, and the argyle from Debonair. I heat embossed the sentiments, and stamped the argyle with only Versamark, to give it that tone-on-tone look of the inspiration photo. I added some faux stitching, a ribbon, and some buttons. Here's a close-up:

Thanks for looking!

I'm playing along here:

Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge

CropStop Challenge #67: Bows and Buttons

Ooh-La-La Creations Challenge #103: Bold & Bright

Paper Pretties Monday Challenge: Embossing (I used heat embossing)

Paper Sundaes Challenge #116: Anything goes

Pile It On 16:Pop it up (I popped the buttons up onto the center of the bow)

Use it Tuesday Challenge 29: Anything goes (hoarded supply is ribbon - had that for YEARS!)

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Core'dinations (blue); stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Versamark; embossing powders: American Crafts; white gel pen: Uniball Signo; ribbon: Offray; buttons: craft supply; baker's twine: Divine Twine

Simple Card Saturday and Paper Smooches SPARKS DT call - Congratulations

Happy Saturday, everybody! I hope you all had as wonderful a week as I did. I've felt so honored and blessed recently, first with the April guest designer spot at Paper Smooches, then making the Design Team at CAS-ual Fridays. And, just a few days ago, I got 3 (yep. Count 'em. 3) requests for publication in the September issue of CARDS magazine. I haven't seen my work in print yet, and won't until August, but between August and September, I will have a total of SIX projects posted. I seriously cannot wait! I really hope my luck continues as I apply for the Paper Smooches SPARKS DT. This is my second entry for that call, as well as my simple card for today. Here is the inspiration photo I used:So, with inspiration photos and sketches, I usually do a pretty literal translation. I'm trying not to be so literal and give myself a little more freedom. I guess I can't really help the way that something inspires me, but I'm going to try to think a little more outside the box and outside my comfort zone, at least as it relates to the photo. I made this card without having the picture in front of me (usually I pull it up on my laptop and refer back to it several times during the card-making process). I didn't do that this time. Instead, I tried to evoke a sense of what inspired me about the photo when I last looked at it a couple days ago. This was, of course, after I pulled out a puffy pink felt onesie embellishment (to do my whole literal thing), and it just wasn't quite right. I remembered feeling inspired by the darker pink color of the onesie, the lovely fabric adorning the top, the pop of green, and the baby theme. That's when I arrived at this paper yummy:
I really love just how SWEET this card turned out. I paper-pieced this adorable flower stamp from Pebbles Inc., and the sentiment is from the Paper Smooches Simply Said set. I LOVE just how crisply the sentiment stamped (which can be said for all Paper Smooches stamps!). I added a tiny button, machine stitching, a big feminine eyelet ribbon at the top, and some dainty little scalloped strips to the top and bottom. Here's a close-up of that adorable flower:

I'm playing along here:

Crafty Creations Challenges #165: Flower Power

Little Red Wagon Spring Colors Challenge

Lily Pad Cards Flowers Challenge

Pile It On #15: All About S (sewing, scallops, stamping)

The Ribbon Carousel Challenge 48: Sketch (I flipped it)

Simon Says Stamp Challenge: April Showers Bring Spring Flowers

The Pink Elephant TPE143: Flowers

The Pixie Cottage Challenge 116: Paper Piecing

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 134: Make a Joyful Card - Something Celebratory

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (natural); patterned papers: KI Memories (green gingham), Echo Park (dark pink dots), DCWV (light pink dots), stamps: Paper Smooches (sentiment), Pebbles Inc. (image); ink: Tsukineko; scallop edge punch: Martha Stewart; ribbon: Offray; button: American Crafts; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer

I'm just a girl...

...a Girl Friday, that is! I'm so excited to announce that I am now a Design Team member at CAS-ual Fridays!!! Check it:

This is my first design team spot ever, so it's doubly exciting! I am seriously so honored and giddy to have been chosen for this, especially given the talent of the current DT. And Michele did a FANTASTIC job of picking the new design team members. No, really. It's pretty awesome! It's an international group of seriously talented designers. And Michele has created an additional CAS-ual Fridays Facebook design team (genius!). All in all, there are seven new design team members at the blog, and 5 new designers for Facebook inspiration! We will commence our DT term in May. AND, the look of the blog is getting a bit of a makeover in the coming weeks. So there's TONS of exciting things going on at CAS-ual Fridays! Ok, what are you still doing here? GO CHECK OUT THE BIG REVEAL AND THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE!!!

(To see my take on this week's challenge, keep reading.)

So, my term as a designer technically hasn't started yet, but I'm going to be playing along with the challenges just for fun until we officially start next month. Here is this week's challenge:

Using the color wheel, choose one color and it's opposite. Create a project using those 2 colors-adding neutrals is ok!

I picked yellow from the color wheel, and it's opposite is a dark violet color. I created a card to say thank you to Michele for picking me to serve as a DT member. Now for the paper yummies:

I stamped the background using a border stamp from Mint Motif. The sentiment is by Papertrey Ink, stamped on a Nestabilities die cut. I mounted the white die cut onto black cardstock and hand-cut a mat for it, since the next size up in the set was a little too big. I added a simple violet ribbon and finished it off with a pearl. Thanks again, Michele!

I'm linking up here:

CAS-ual Fridays CFC48: Opposites Attract

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black), stamps: Mint Motif (border), Papertrey Ink (sentiment); ink: Clearsnap (yellow), Tsukineko (black); cutting die: Spellbinders; die cutting machine: Cuttlebug by Provocraft; ribbon: Offray; pearl: The Paper Studio

Paper Smooches SPARKS DT call - Happy everything

Paper Smooches Stamps is taking applications to be on the design team for their SPARKS Challenge blog. Ever since I got my first set just a few months ago, I've been hooked on Kim's stamps. They are such fun and unique images and sentiments, and you can't beat her customer service. I am so honored to be the guest designer for this month, and have had so much fun creating all kinds of cute paper yummies. So when I saw that she was going to be holding a DT call for the SPARKS challenge, I couldn't wait to get started. Here's the deal: using any of the SPARKS inspiration photos (past or present), create a project inspired by that photo and submit it. Easy enough right? To make it even easier, Kim's not even requiring the use of Paper Smooches stamps on the project you submit! Of course, I HAD to use my Paper Smooches stamps though...it just wouldn't feel right otherwise. And there are so many great inspiration photos to base your project on - you're bound to be inspired by at least one! This is my first project (you can submit as many as you'd like). Here is the inspiration photo I chose:

I just love 1) the rainbow , 2) the gray, and 3) that little heart in the bottom right corner. Not sure if that's a watermark or an actual part of the image, but it sure is cute. I wanted to base my card on those three things and do a nice clean and simple card. Now for the paper yummies:

They look black in the photos, but the cardstock and embossing powder are a charcoal gray color. I stamped and embossed this awesome hexagon pattern from Geo-Graphic, then colored it in to resemble the rainbow of colors in the inspiration photo. I stamped and embossed the sentiment from Simply Said, and added a heart from Word Salad. I added some machine stitching and Stickles glitter glue. Super CAS card, but I love it! Here's a close-up:

So how about you? Are you going to apply for the SPARKS DT call? Good luck to all who do!

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Core'dinations (gray), Stampin' Up! (white); stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Versamark; embossing powder: American Crafts; markers; Prismacolor; glitter glue: Ranger; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer

Paper Smooches April Guest Designer, week 2

Hello, everybody! I'm here to share the cards for the second week of my guest designer term at the Paper Smooches blog. This week, Kim chose to feature these two cards, which were both made using the Get Outta Town stamp set. It's SO crazy cute! Lotsa great images and sentiments!

For the first card, I created a little island scene. My"island" is actually the oval around the cameo in the Pretty Momma set (which I used in last week's cards). I love finding other ways to use stamps! And if you'll look closely here, you'll see another example: the bird up in the sky is what I used to create the waves below. I just stamped him a bunch of times in succession, and fussy-cut each layer. I love the way it turned out. Now for the paper yummies:

So I've never really used watercolor paper, but I had some in my stash. So I pulled it out, and used it to make my sky background. But instead of using watercolor pencils, I used Tim Holtz distress ink and a blending tool to apply it to the paper. Then I went in with a water brush and randomly added some "clouds". I also used the cloud stamps from Paper Smooches Metropolis set. I stamped them in white ink, then colored them in with a white gel pen. I stamped and second-hand stamped the bird so one would look further away. Here's a closer view:

For my other card, I just HAD to use the cute luggage stamp. And it begged me to paper-piece it. The stamp itself is three stacked suitcases, but I just kept stacking them. First I stamped the Hip to be Square background onto the natural colored cardstock (very subtly - it may not be visible in the pictures). Then I stamped the luggage stamp three times, and fussy-cut the right edge of the cardstock along the lines of the luggage. Then I paper-pieced each suitcase using patterned paper from the Echo Park This & That Charming 6x6 pad. I colored the clasps and handles using Prismacolor markers. More paper yummies:

For the sentiment, I die-cut a ticket from ledger paper (from the same pad as the luggage) using a Papertrey Ink ticket strip die. I stamped the sentiment onto the ticket, and tied it on with baker's twine. Close-up:
I still can't believe I'm actually guest designer for Paper Smooches...although I am on a bit of a roll here lately with all kinds of exciting news coming my way. Stay tuned... :)

Card 1 is playing along with these challenges:

Lawnscaping Challenge 31: Coloring

Little Red Wagon Spring Colors Challenge

The Ribbon Carousel Sketch challenge

Card 2 is playing here:

Crafty Catz Challenge #127: CAS

Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge PWC201: 2 or more designer papers (I used 10!)

The Pixie Cottage Challenge 116: paper piecing

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! I hope everybody is having a safe and blessed holiday, however you're spending it. I'm back with another card for the CAS-ual Fridays challenge:

CFC47: Let the Hunt Begin! Clean And Simple projects featuring something you'd find in an Easter Basket

I used this sketch from Retro Sketches:
I again used stamps that had never previously been inked. I just love these cute lil' eggs! The grouping of eggs is a single stamp by American Crafts, and they just begged to be paper-pieced. I thought I would try something new (for me, at least). I stamped the eggs on white cardstock, then used a square die that was slightly smaller than the stamped image, so that when I paper-pieced them, the eggs hang off the die cut just slightly. I think it's a pretty cute effect. Now for the paper yummies:

I embossed the kraft cardstock background with this cutie patootie polka dot embossing folder from Provocraft. I'm such a sucker for a polka dot. Add in some cute eggs? Yes, please! I stamped the sentiment (by Hampton Art) onto some green dot paper, and added a pink gingham ribbon. Here's a close-up:

Thanks for looking! Stay tuned this week... I MAY have a bit of exciting news to share! Tiny squeal!

I'm playing along here:

CAS-ual Fridays CFC47: Let the hunt begin

Fab 'n' Funky Emboss It! Challenge

One Stop Craft Challenge #166: Pastels and die cuts

Retro Sketches #6

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), The Paper Studio (kraft); patterned papers: DCWV; stamps: American Crafts (eggs), Hampton Art (sentiment); ink: Tsukineko; embossing folder/machine: Cuttlebug by Provocraft; cutting die: Spellbinders, ribbon: The Ribbon Boutique