The 12 Kits of Holidays--June (2 more cards)

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream)

Patterned paper:  Basic Grey (Aspen Frost)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Iconic Christmas)

Tools:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Iconic Christmas dies), Papertrey Ink (Tag Sale #3 die)

Other:  May Arts (ribbon, twine), thread, gem

As promised, I'm back with two more cards for this month's 12 Kits of Holidays.  You can scroll down to my last post to see the first two.  :)

We spent the day hiking and bird watching along the salt marshes on Plum Island, a low-key but wonderful way to spend an anniversary.  I had a few minutes to photograph my last two cards before dinner and thought I'd pop in to share them quickly tonight before the week gets away from me.

The first card makes use of the lovely silhouette images from WPlus9 and one of my favorite layouts for using different patterned papers.  Just lay down a few strips and stitch them together.

Even though I normally shy away from large patterns, I managed to make use of the one below for a quick and easy card.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream)

Patterned paper:  Basic Grey (Aspen Frost)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Iconic Christmas)

Tool:  Spellbinders (Grommet Tags)

Other:  May Arts (twine), Michaels (bell)

That's it for tonight!  Off to enjoy the last few moments of June...

The 12 Kits of Holidays--June

It's time for another edition of The 12 Kits of Holidays, and this month has a Christmas theme.  Our hostess, Jeanne, sent a box overflowing with beautiful supplies:

Photo by Kara

I have two cards to share today, but I'll be back with a couple more later in the week once I get them photographed.

The papers in this kit from Basic Grey were so lovely, I wanted them to be the star of the show.  Isn't this intricate die cut beautiful, too?

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Aqua Mist)

Patterned paper:  Basic Grey (Aspen Frost)

Stamp:  Stampin' Up! (Tags 'til Christmas)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Real Red)

Tools:  Spellbinders (Fancy Tags Two die), Stampin' Up! (label punch)

Other:  gems, thread

My second card is also clean and simple, which makes it great for mailing.  The tips of the tree branches have been dusted with a glitter pen.  I adore the look of the birch patterned paper!

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream)

Patterned paper:  Basic Grey (Aspen Frost)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Iconic Christmas)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Real Red, Gumball Green), Versafine (Onyx Black)

Tools:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Iconic Christmas dies), Spellbinders (Nested Pennants die)

Other:  May Arts (twine), Zig Wink of Stella glitter brush

After visiting the rest of the 12 Kits gals, I always find myself saying "Why didn't I think of that?", and I know you'll be just as inspired as I am!

Joyce: Cards-by-the-Sea
Renee: ItsAPatchworkLife
Tracey: InMyCreativeOpinion
Sharron: OnPapillionWings
Marybeth: Marybeth's Time for Paper
Jeanne: AKeptLife
Amy: Stamp-n-Paradise
Kim: CupcakesCardsandKim
Kara: KandRDesigns
Kelly: GinghamGirl
Jessica: The Paper Parade

And as a special treat, we have Cathy Weber joining us this month as a guest!  Be sure to check out her beautiful creations, too.

My husband and I are celebrating our anniversary today, and we have some wonderful friends coming to stay with us later in the week, so we have lots of fun things planned!  I hope you have a fantastic week, too.

Thanks for visiting!

More Fresh Cut Florals (2 cards)

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Fresh Cut Florals, Very Vintage Florals)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, Certainly Celery), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Linen & Canvas impression plate), corner rounder

Other:  Zig Wink of Stella clear glitter brush

Today was (finally) my daughter's last day of school.  She asked if I could make a set of cards as a gift for her teacher, and when she spotted a card I made previously with WPlus9's Fresh Cut Florals, she wanted me to use it for this set.

The hardest part of designing this set was deciding on the colors.  I finally settled on making three each of the two designs you see here:  a birthday version using warm pinks, oranges, and yellows, and a thank you version with aqua, purple, and yellow.  I added some glitter to the flower centers and used the linen & canvas impression plate from PTI to give the panel some subtle texture.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Fresh Cut Florals, Very Vintage Florals)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, So Saffron, Certainly Celery), Hero Arts (Ocean), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Linen & Canvas impression plate), corner rounder

Other:  Zig Wink of Stella clear glitter brush

I have several projects keeping me busy at the moment, but I hope to be back soon!  Thanks for stopping by.

Weekend wish list

Just popping in to share a few more of my favorite finds from around the web this week.  Feel free to share yours with me in the comments!

I hope you're not tired of the nautical trend yet, because it's unlikely to ever go out of style in my house.  This beautifully detailed print of seashell illustrations would be perfect for the upstairs bathroom I just refinished.

From Pretty Chic SF on Etsy

Another home project we just completed was finally staining our deck, and I'm thinking a strand of warm amber bulbs would add just the right amount of ambiance on a warm summer night.

From Ballard Designs

I've always been a gardener, planting mostly perennials that grow bigger and more beautiful every year.  But this year I'm experimenting with a few fruits and veggies, hoping to expand a little each year.  These adorable plant markers would be just the thing to keep those seedlings straight.

From Leif

My mind has definitely been focused on the home lately, as summer is always prime time for DIY projects around the house.  Unfortunately I always have more ideas than time!  :)

What's on your wish list this week?

Little girl's stationery set--Sweets & Treats

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Wisteria Wonder), WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Sweets & Treats, Sweets & Treats Fillers), Papertrey Ink (Just for You)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Calypso Coral), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Tag Sale #3 die), WPlus9 Design Studio (Sweets & Treats dies)

Other:  ribbon, baker's twine

One of my daughter's best friends moved to our street last summer from California.  She's headed back to southern CA for most of the summer to visit family, and I know she and my daughter will miss playing together.  So I decided to make a simple stationery set to help them keep in touch.

Using WPlus9's Sweets & Treats, I stamped the cupcakes in aqua, coral, and purple on flat notecards, rounding the corners to give them a polished look.  The sentiments are from Paper Smooches' Chit Chat.

Cardstock:  Michaels (White)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Sweets & Treats), Paper Smooches (Chit Chat)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Calypso Coral), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  corner rounder

I came up with 5 simple designs and made 4 of each for a set of 20 cards.

Cardstock:  Michaels (White)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Sweets & Treats), Paper Smooches (Chit Chat)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Calypso Coral), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  corner rounder

Since the girls are only 7, I thought it would help to label the envelopes so they know where everything should go.

Cardstock:  Michaels (White)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Sweets & Treats), Paper Smooches (Chit Chat), Papertrey Ink (Label Basics, Boxes, Bags, & Tags, Postmarks)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  corner rounder

I bought sheets of blank address labels, printed the return address, and stamped each with a cupcake.  I also included a sheet of postage stamps and a purple gel pen.

Address labels:  Avery

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Sweets & Treats)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Calypso Coral)

This turned out so cute, and now my daughter is asking for her own set.  I have some ideas for making hers unique, so I'll be sure to share it when it's finished!

Thanks for visiting!  Have a wonderful start to your weekend!

June Cloud9 Blog Hop

I was saddened to learn that the Cloud9 Blog Hop is being discontinued after one fantastic year of challenges.  I was lucky enough to be a part of the Inspiration Team at Cloud9 for 8 of those months, and I have continued to be inspired by the creations posted there by WPlus9 fans each month.

This month's theme is Anything Goes, and I couldn't miss the chance to link up a new card using the recently released Fresh Cut Florals.  I have quite a few projects that require my attention over the next few weeks, and it's going to be hard to set these stamps aside to work on other things!  They are just so much fun to use.

I stamped the images onto Oatmeal cardstock, added some Diamond Stickles to the flower centers, and stacked two of the sentiments on this easy, flat-for-mailing card.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Oatmeal)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Fresh Cut Florals)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip), Hero Arts (Ocean)

Tool:  corner rounder

Other:  Diamond Stickles

Many thanks to Suzanne and the rest of the Team at Cloud9 for their hard work and beautiful creations over the past year!

Weekend wish list

Hello friends!  I have a different kind of post today.  I thought it would be fun to share some of the cool items I've been eyeing around the web.  I'd love to know what you think, and maybe I'll make this a regular feature.

Here's this week's wish list:

I don't eat pie or any other sweets, but I'm thinking of hosting a pie party just to serve up slices in these darling favor boxes with paint dipped wooden forks. Aren't they sweet?

From A La Modo on Etsy

I love simple.  Especially when it comes to jewelry.  I stopped wearing my diamond engagement ring years ago (mostly because it seemed excessive while changing diapers) and now only wear my gold wedding band, except on special occasions.  So the understated design on these stacking rings really appeals to me.

From SoftGoldStudio on Etsy

Have you heard?  Nautical is totally trendy right now.  Perfect for a gal like me, whose husband happens to study whale behavior and loves the ocean.  So I'm thinking this octopus wall hook would look right at home at our house.

Eight-Arms Hook from Anthropologie

What are you coveting this week?  I'm always on the lookout for unique gift ideas and cool sites for window shopping, so feel free to share your links in the comments.  :)

Have a great weekend!

Monday Mood Board #14 with Fresh Cut Florals

I picked up a few new stamp sets recently, hoping they would coax my creativity out of hiding. I'm determined to get back into the stamping groove, and the pretty little Fresh Cut Florals set from WPlus9 may be just the thing to get me back into my craft room.

I'm playing along with Dawn's Monday Mood Board for the first time:

In lieu of the ikat pattern in the graphic, I chose some dots and stripes from Echo Park and used shades of yellow, hot pink, and chartreuse.  Stamping and cutting these little flowers couldn't have been any easier, and I can see them getting a lot of use.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Harvest Gold), WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Patterned paper:  Echo Park (Dots & Stripes: Soda Fountain)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Fresh Cut Florals)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Regal Rose, Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeade, So Saffron), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Fresh Cut Florals dies), My Favorite Things (InstaFrame die)

Other:  sequins, thread

That's it for today!  I'm off to my LSS today to pick up some goodies for an upcoming project.  Hope you have a wonderful Friday!

The 12 Kits of Holidays--May, Take 2 (4 more cards)

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party), Papertrey Ink (Sweet Blush)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Pretty Patches: Umbrella), Papertrey Ink (Tiny Tags), Serendipity Stamps (butterfly)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (tag dies, woodgrain impression plate)

Other:  twine, Copic markers

As promised, I'm back with a few more cards made with last month's edition of The 12 Kits of Holidays.  Marybeth provided so many wonderful images, die cuts, and papers, I just had to spend some more time creating with them.

Patterned paper:  Bazzill Basics

Stamp:  Serendipity Stamps (Sun Garden)

Tool:  Paper Smooches (get well die)

Other:  Michaels (ribbon), Prismacolor Premier pencils, white gel pen

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Ocean Tides, White)

Patterned paper:  My Mind's Eye (Lost & Found Blush)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (Comfort Food)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Comfort Food dies), Impression Obsession (Circle Shaker Frame die), Lil' Inkers (banner die)

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Ocean Tides, White)

Patterned paper:  My Mind's Eye (Lost & Found Blush), Recollections (Aqua Screen)

Stamps:  Lil' Inker Designs (Rain Boy)

Tools:  Impression Obsession (Circle Shaker Frame die), Papertrey Ink (banner die)

Other:  sequins, glitter

Not much time to chat today, as I'm off to my daughter's school and then a softball game tonight (if the rain stops!).  Hope you're having a great week so far, friends!

Class of 2013

Hey friends!  I hope you're having a great weekend so far.  I've had a little bit of stamping time today, and boy am I rusty!

I wasted an incredible amount of cardstock making this.  The first version I made was perfect, until I smudged it with a blue fingerprint.  The next few attempts, I couldn't get the numbers lined up.  But I finally succeeded and managed to keep this one clean!

I made this card for our neighbors' daughter, who is graduating from high school this weekend.  The school colors are royal blue and white, and I was pretty limited in what I could use since the only royal blue item in my craft room was this ink from ColorBox.

The stripes on the base are from Avery Elle's Knotty.  I used Papertrey Ink's For the Graduate to add the graduation cap and "class of", masking the hat before stamping the border.  I also added texture to the die cut layer with the Linen & Canvas impression plate.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (For the Graduate), Avery Elle (Knotty)

Ink:  ColorBox (Royal Blue)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (By the Numbers dies), Papertrey Ink (Linen & Canvas impression plate), corner rounder

We're off to my daughter's softball playoff game this afternoon, and as much as I'm rooting for her team, I'm secretly looking forward to the end of the season and a bit more time to breathe.  LOL!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

Rainbow card set for teachers

My son's last day of pre-K was a couple of weeks ago (sniff, sniff), and I made a colorful but simple set of cards for each of his teachers.

All of the cards use the pencil image from Papertrey Ink's Happy Trails.  Three of the cards have the sentiment "just a note" from Ribbon Tails.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White), Stampin' Up! (Real Red, Lucky Limeade, Tangerine Tango)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (Happy Trails, Ribbon Tails)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Real Red, Lucky Limeade, Tangerine Tango)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Double Ended Banner die, Linen & Canvas impression plate), corner rounder

The other three cards use the "thank you" sentiment from Papertrey's Vintage Picnic.  I added texture to each card base with the Linen & Canvas impression plate.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White), Stampin' Up! (Not Quite Navy, Pool Party, Rich Razzleberry)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (Happy Trails, Vintage Picnic)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Not Quite Navy, Pool Party, Rich Razzleberry)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Double Ended Banner die, Linen & Canvas impression plate), corner rounder

I wrapped the stack of cards and envelopes with some baker's twine and slipped them into a kraft bag, which went into a gift basket with flowers picked out by my little guy.

Here's a closer look at the tag, made with Papertrey's Tag Sale #3 die and Vintage Picnic.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White), Stampin' Up! (Concord Crush)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (Vintage Picnic)

Ink:  Memento (Tuxedo Black), Copic markers

Tool:  Papertrey Ink (Tag Sale #3 die)

Other:  The Twinery (baker's twine)

My daughter is still in school until June 26, so I may be doing another set of cards for her teacher later this month.  I'll be sure to share if I do.

Thanks for visiting today!