Wedding Card

Most of our friends are married so we haven't been to many weddings lately. But this weekend we were invited to a coworker's wedding--she's been with her partner for over 20 years and they have 3 kids together, and just now decided to finally "Seal the Deal." I recently got some Fiskars stamp sets on sale from Joann's, both which were perfect for a wedding card. I've made an engagement card before using Cricut bird cutouts, but this time I was glad I had some bird stamps that I could embellish. I stamped the love birds using the Sweetheart stamp set and used Versamark ink and heat embossed with black powder. I colored in the birds with alcohol markers and was happy the black did not smear.

I then busted out my Martha Stewart flocking powder using Tombo Mono glue on the wings.

I embossed Marshmallow Bazzil cardstock using a Darice embossing folder from Joann's (not only cheap, but on sale as well). I cut out a couple hearts using a Martha Stewart heart stamp and red glittered paper. I stamped and embossed the sentiment from the Just Married Fiskars stamp set in white on my favorite colored Bazzil paper. I placed the birds and hearts on foam circles. I could have put the white embossed tree directly on foam squares and onto the white card, but I love the way colored mats look, so I used the same teal cardstock as a mat. Lastly I embellished with some pearls from Queen & Co. Of course I had to match the envelope as well.

I used a quote on the back from the Just Married Fiskars stamp set. And I used my personalized stamp for the first time!

My card found its final home at the wedding in a bird cage which held all the wedding cards---how appropriate!

Monkey Baby Shower Card

I am on call at the hospital today, with a lot going on over the past week, so it's the perfect time for catching up on my blogging! Hence, the multiple posts today. I had my second special request for another card, this time by my mother-in-law. She requested a baby shower card, with monkey theme in green, brown, and yellow colors. Sex of the baby is unknown. My Cricut cartridges have very limited cute monkeys, but I used one from the Create a Critter cartridge. Here it is, with some added coloring using my alcohol markers and googly eyes.

Then I stamped a banner and vine using The Stamps of Life Banners4Life and Trees2Build stamp sets. I restamped the banner flags, cut them out, stamped "welcome" and "baby" on them in Versamark and embossed with a shimmery brown powder, and finally placed them on foam squares. 

The finished card, along with matching envelope. I love bows and the finished look it gives, and if there is a spot for one on my cards, I will find a place to put it!

The inside

Twig & Linen custom stamp

Yay for Special Deliveries!! I have waited patiently for this delivery from Twig & Linen. I learned about this cute Etsy product through another blogger, Jennifer McGuire. By far, their custom personalized stamp was the cutest I found on Etsy. I wanted to take my homemade cards to another level, so I ordered one of their stamps. It came today in a cute burlap sac with instructions. Their stamps come in 2 verions: wood stamp or self-inking stamps. Since I probably will be using this stamp with different colored inks, I opted for the (cheaper) wood stamp. 

A sample

Another cool aspect of this stamp is that there is a special place along its side where a label can be placed and it has its own special plastic cover so it doesn't get ink over it. LOVE IT! Can't wait to use it on all my cards!

Flounder Dog Costume

For this Halloween I wanted to have my two dogs dress up along with me since my husband usually hates dressing up--the more the merrier! My two top choices for a theme were Little Mermaid and Alice in Wonderland, since I already had an Ariel and Mad Hatter costume from my Disney Half Marathon outfits. PetSmart had cute dog Disney costumes, including the Chesire Cat and a Nemo costume. Unfortunately nothing that came in a pair for my theme. I did find a Lobster costume at PetCo, and decided to try to find something that I could make a Flounder costume out of. I found very few Flounder dog costume ideas online, but I knew that if I could just find a yellow base, I would be just fine. I found it at Petsmart! A Big Bird Sesame Street costume was exactly what I needed! And best of all, it was 75% off!

 I found some foam sheets in the appropriate colors at Joann's that I've used before for another costume. I knew they would stand better than felt. I removed all the Big Bird evidence, and created Flounder's eyes, fins and stripes from the foam. I glued the pieces together using craft glue. I sewed on the side fins and tail for extra support, and glued on the eyes and stripes to the yellow base. To get the main fin to stand I had to cut the yellow cloth along the middle, inserted the fin about a centimeter below the cut, and then sewed the fin to the yellow base. I don't have a sewing machine so I just did it by hand. It all took less than an hour to complete. 

The finished product

 The next day I entered us in our neighborhood's costume contest, and we won! My $25 gift certificate to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf more than made up for the cost of the costumes. FYI, my own costume was created using a wig from Party City, purple top and green bottoms from American Apparel--a totally easy getup.

Mother's Day Card

One of my most favorite cards I've made so far--my Mother's Day 2013 card for my mom. Yellow is her favorite color. I created the flower using an image from the Cricut Reminisce Accents cartridge. Black and yellow make such a good combo! I also used sentiments from the Mama=Love stamp set from Technique Tuesday.

Personalized Disney Growth Chart

Met this little dude when he was only about 6 weeks old. Now he's one! For his Cars themed birthday party I made the banners and signs that I posted earlier this month. Since his mom is a HUGE Disney lover I know that Nathan will be as well. I decided to make a Disney themed growth chart for his birthday present. I first checked on Etsy and to my surprise there really wasn't anything out there similar to what I had in mind. Unlike another growth chart I made before, I wanted one a little more portable and light, since Nathan and his family will be moving to NY in the next few months. I happened to find thin wooden sheets measuring 12 x 24 inches for $4.95 each at Joann's and got 2. Nathan's dad is way over 6 foot tall, but I figured that by the time Nathan reaches 6 feet tall he probably won't be using his Disney growth chart anymore--thus I only got 2 pieces of wood for the growth chart. Using my Cricut machine I cut out 6 inch letters and 2 inch numbers using Chalkboard font. Here I just laid the letters out to see where they would go.

Using the Disney Pixar/Pooh Bear/ Cars cartridges I cut out a couple of the characters and pieced them all together...

Too Cute!

I painted the plyboard with blue paint from Home Depot I had leftover from my previous growth chart...

After the board had completely dried, I then stuck the letters and numbers on using using my handy Xyron machine for the big stuff and Extra Strength Elmer's Glue Stick for the little stuff. I cut out the inch markers with white paper. 

 Here is my Xyron Creative Station essentially making stickers out of all my Cricut Disney cutouts...

This is how everything looked with the characters stuck on...

I then used Modge Podge and coated the entire thing. I found that this time around I had the good fortune of not having the paper bubble or get warped as the Modge Podge dried.

Maybe it was because I used the cool air setting on my hair dryer...I was a little impatient-I probably could have just air dryed it overnight too...

My hubby was kind enough to drill some holes for me (the electric drill for some reason scares me)...and I added the final touch with some ribbon to hang the chart with. Tah-dah!! Nathan's parents can use a regular Sharpie on the inch markers to mark the date when he's measured, or even a white paint pen will do on the blue base...

Me and the birthday boy at his party

Sympathy card...Same stamp, different effect

I had my first ever request for a card, by my mom. Unfortunately it was for a friend who recently lost her husband. I decided to try my new Spectrum Noir markers using a Hero Arts stamp I love and have used before using white embossing powder on a dark cardstock (see my first blog post). Must say that I love alcohol markers! It's like coloring in grade school all over again. As per everyone's recommendation, I used black Memento Ink (not a single smudge or bleeding with the markers) and heavy cardstock (Bazzil Marshmallow). 

 So far so good! I could have just stopped here and only had one flower colored in, but I decided to go all the way.

Used sentiments from a Hero Arts sympathy stamp collection and embossed with black powder.

 Used some Glossy Accents and purple Recollections micro beads to cover the centers of the flowers, which I originally colored in with pink markers but didn't like as much.

Stamped the inside with Versamark Onyx ink--my first time using, and I must admit I like how crisp and dark the ink comes out. I used the same stamp on the envelope as well. 

Thanks for reading!

Ontario Scrapbook Expo

I found heaven on earth...at the Ontario Scrapbook Expo. It was like being a little kid in the stationery store all over again. I had signed up for a lecture on Queen & Co. products and a card making class by Avocado Arts. Admission to the expo was included in the class price.

Free goodies just for walking through the door! Queen & Co had a "raffle" after their lecture, but everyone was a winner and went home with a prize.

The Queen & Co. lecture was totally worth the price of the class--look at all the embellishments we got! Probably over $50 worth! Attendants also got 15% off purchases made at their booth, which I used to buy more cute washi tape...

The Avocado Arts Stamp class included their Halloween/Fall Stamp set and the paper supplies to create 4 cards. I stamped 3 cards and finished them at home...The cool thing about this company is that digital dies are available to use for die cut machines such as the Cricut which accompany their clear stamps. Pretty cool for someone like me who does not have a Cuttlebug or Sizzix (but I am really close to maybe getting one!)

The Expo floor was totally overwhelming at first. I probably made 2 rounds through the whole thing, before I decided what I wanted and needed and from whom. I was a little starstruck when I visited the Stamps of Life booth, as the owner, Stephanie Barnard was there in the flesh! I had seen a couple of her videos online before, and I love her enthusiasm in every one. I decided I couldn't just buy one stamp set, so I bought a couple (okay, 6) and got a 2 free ink pads and mini stamps. I bit the bullet and became a club member as well...totally worth it I think. Their stamps are just way too cute. Plus I love that new stamp sets coordinate with older ones.

A couple of card ideas for my new stamp sets.

Free Stamps of Life bag and button

My Stamps of Life Loot

Two of my "must get" purchases, Wink of Stella glitter brush and Wobbles, both I learned about from two of my favorite card makers, Kristina Werner and Jennifer McGuire. 

My first intro to alcohol markers. Made this "make-and-take" card for $3 from the BeeCreative booth.

Fell in love with the Spectrum Noir markers, and their price couldn't compare to Copics. So I got the starter set. Will add more later.

Way too cute stamps that I just had to get from Sparkle N Sprinkle

Background stamps from the ScrapMart Booth

Couldn't believe I was at the expo until closing, but what a fun day! I probably could have gone another day. Will definitely be going to the main event, the Anaheim Scrapbook Expo, in March and hopefully attend more classes!

Found this photo of one of my first cards--a baby shower card for my Cubs fan cousin.

Another baby shower banner for a coworker