long and short, just a note

I tend to be long winded, so the "long and short" of this card is the CAS-ual Friday 9x4, embrace the white challenge and the Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger.  I drew inspiration from the locker and flower and added a bit embroidery floss on the bottom to tie in the beautiful quilt.  

Materials: PTI Gracias Vases, PTI Happy Trails sentiment, Tim Holtz Core'dinations card stock, water color paper, gray embroidery floss, Tim Holtz Distress ink Tumbled Glass and shabby shutters, Versafine black ink, Encore Ultimate metalic ink

a note of thanks

I should be doing a million other things, but I couldn't resist and I'm sure I'll be running late for the rest of the afternoon.  A quick card using this week's Skipping Stones sketch, Play Date Cafe colors and the Passion for Papertrey "The Sky's the Limit" challenge.

Materials: PTI Happy Trails set & dies, GCD Spring In bloom patterned paper, Core'dinations Sugar and Spice card stock, PTI kraft card stock, Versafine black ink, Spellbinders Nestabilities Label 8

boo!

Why am I making a Halloween card in July?  Creativity sure works in interesting ways.  I loved Emily's card and she keeps posting all these amazing cards for the Paper Smooches July SPARKS challenge, so I kept thinking, "Oh I'll make one..." but life is a bit busy, so I hadn't gotten around to it.  But then this morning I saw Claire's amazing card on Waltzingmouse's blog and thought of the great little Paper Smooches bat a dear blogging pal had gifted me, so inspiration hit.  I used the sketch on the left, second down and the colors black/kiwi/kraft and orange.  I think Paper Smooches and Lawn Fawn critters should hang out more often.  Perhaps I'll actually celebrate Halloween this year living in the US, my poor deprived children have never done a proper Halloween, do you think the over the top American approach will scare them?

Materials: Paper Smooches Falling For You bat, Lawn Fawn Heebies Jeebies sentiment and spiders and web, PTI Limitless Layers 1 3/4th inch die, Tim Holtz embossing folder, Studio G orange ink, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Antique Linen, Brillance Moonshine ink, Versamark, Versafine black ink, water color pencils and blender pen, PTI kraft card stock, Stampin Up Kiwi Bliss card stock, Black card stock, black sharpie

sending love

I've made a simple one layer card (something I'm a bit out of practice at) with this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge layout.  I keep having to pay extra postage for my fat multi-layer cards, so I thought a nice flat one would be good for one of my int'l gal pals.

Materials: Waltzingmouse Stamps Very Vintage Labels 4, Paper Source frame, Waltzingmouse Stamps Say It Out sentiment, PTI Postmarked, Tim Holtz Distress inks (antique linen, aged mahogany, weather wood, tumbled glass), Versafine black ink

PTI July Blog Hop

This month's PTI Blog Hop is to draw inspiration from this photo and normally I've very literal, but I'm trying to expand my take on photos- so I've just used the butterfly and the blue pillow as my source of inspiration.  Nichole's Stamp-a-faire challenge #10 is to stamp a focal image over a background stamp and I've done that here with the butterfly, I like how it ties together the background on the top layer.  And since Moxie Fab World is having a "Fanatical About Botanical" challenge I'll enter this in there too.  Thanks for stopping by and leaving some blog love....

Materials: Unity butterfly, PTI Happy Trails, Impression Obsession background stamp, PTI In Bloom Impression plate, Spellbinders Nestabilities Label 1, May Arts natural fiber, Tim Holtz Distress ink Faded Jeans and Tumbled Glass, Versafine black ink, PTI kraft card stock, Fiskars corner rounder

congratulations laundry line

It's a Unity Friends with Flair day and since I just won the April KOTM (small things Matter Most) it was high time I make a few of those baby congrats for one of the several friends who have had baby boys in the last week.  Since my world at the motel is insanely busy you might understand how laundry is on my brain (we hang dry all our sheets, bedding and rugs).  I've used a SRM sticker for this week's CAS-ual Friday "here's the rub" challenge and my fun little clouds made me think of Lawnscaping, so while I don't have any Lawn Fawn stamps on this card (I know, I know, you've said it's okay in the past, but I still feel bad- had visions of a similar card with the my Swim Suit Season, just haven't gotten around to making it),  I'm going to enter this in their "Stamp a Scene" challenge.

Materials: Unity KOTM April 2011, SRM Sticker, PTI cloud die, Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder, Tim Holtz tumbled glass distress ink, Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 patterned paper, Patterned paper from my stash, Versafine black ink, Fiskars corner rounder, Martha Stewart Scor-pal.

thanks my friend

 

I've used this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge and the Play Date Cafe (b/w and one color) and the Wee Memories CAS challenge to create this simple thank you card for a friend who sent me an entire box of old craft magazines!  My mojo is a bit zapped with the crazy motel business...  but I've got some ideas for other cards, now I just need to find the time to make them.  Beyond excited about my blog candy win from Stephanie, check out what arrived at my door today.

Materials: Waltzingmouse Stamps Frame It, Say It Loud and Big Blooms, Core'dinations card stock, Versafine black ink, Recollections rhinestones

Waltzingmouse Blog Hop

Birthday cheer for the Waltzingmouse Blog hop this month. I've used this week's Play Date Cafe colors.  CAS-ual Fridays is celebrating sweet treats this week and what's not to love about a cupcake?

Materials: WMS Frame It, cupcake sticker, Core'dinations card stock, black card stock, Versafine black ink

fancy a cuppa?

I recently won some fabulous Waltzingmouse Stamps and this sentiment (from Frame It) makes me think of all my fabulous New Zealand friends, who would ask if you "fancy a cuppa" within minutes of anyone walking in their door (winter or summer).  So yes, my fabulous friends, "I'll put the jug on," which is how the rest of the conversation would go.  The other fun bit about this card is that I asked my youngest son what he thought the card said (he's 3 1/2, so it's not like can read), and he said with a big grin "I love you."  Too precious.  I've used the current Card Patterns sketch.

Materials: Waltzingmouse Stamps sentiment, PTI Warm Happiness stamp and die, Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934, PTI kraft card stock, May Arts ribbon, Versafine black ink, Tim Holtz Distress ink antique linen

watering can happy birthday card

When CAS-ual Fridays posted a shaped cards challenge I immediately thought of the free downloads on the Waltzingmouse Stamps website, so I thought it'd be fun to throw in the Waltzingmouse Sketch challenge with my WMS free watering can template.  I kept thinking I should add more to this card, but since it's a CAS card challenge I've left it fairly simple, which is perfect for Yvonne's new Do More With Less challenge of "go minimal".  And is anyone surprised I made a kraft and red card?  

Materials: Waltzingmouse Frame It sentiment, Hero Arts Classic Fabric cling, Waltzingmouse watering can template, Studio112 dimensional stickers, PTI Mat Stack 1 die, PTI In Bloom Impression plate, Core'dinations card stock, PTI Kraft card stock, Versafine black ink, Tim Holtz Antique Linen distress ink, Versamark

Elephant cards and some winners

I made these cards as a gift for a friend who loves elephants.  The lack of sentiment means she can use them for whatever reason she wants.  And since I wanted to come up with some cute sort of way to give them to here I made a vellum envelope and put a fun colorful elephant on the front for Yvonne's Do More With Less gift giving challenge.

This card uses this week's CR84FN colors. 

This card uses this week's Play Date Cafe colors.

 This card uses this week's ColourQ colors.

Now let's get down to some birthday party business.  Once again, many, many thanks to all of you who participated or commented in the birthday blog hop.  It was such a treat to see such fabulous cards and to read the super sweet comments and well wishing.  So without further adieu here are the winners.  

The Hero Arts set from Lynn's blog goes to:

Denise said...

Love your card! The paper choices and embellishments are great! And the kraft/red combo that I love! Happy Birthday to Erin! Very fun hop! So many great birthday cards to see!
DeniseB

July 5, 2011 12:51 PM

The Stampendous set from Lora's blog goes to:  Emily Keaton said...Oh, my gosh--this is totally fun!!! I love your flapperesque embellishment at the top--three cheers for Target!! (Whatever would we do without it? What a super take on Karen's sketch!

July 5, 2011 12:10 PM

The PTI sentiments from Jen's blog go to:
 Trinh said...
Love your card, Jen! Those pinwheels are perfect for Erin's birthday.
July 5, 2011 7:42 PM

The Unity stamps from my blog go to:

 Sylvia said...

Happy Birthday, Erin! Love your idea and your fun card! Hope your day is wonderful!

July 5, 2011 8:43 AM

And the party favors (envelopes of scraps and random crafty goodies) go to: 

From Savannah's blog
 Emily Leiphart said...
This is gorgeous, Sav! I love your interpretation of the sketch and that acetate embossed butterfly is beautiful! Erin is going to love it!!

July 5, 2011 10:51 AM

 ~amy~ said...

Such a fun monogram card is zing! Love the butterfly! Great birthday hop!

July 5, 2011 9:06 AM

From Lynn's blog:

Laurel said...

Gorgeous card, love the buttons!

From Lora's blog:

 Karen B. said...

Oh oh oh oh! I'm lovin' this creation! It is so totally feminine, so totally well composed, so totally fun!! Thank you for helping make Erin's day a little bit extra special, and thank you for the kind words!

July 5, 2011 5:18 PM

From Yvonne's blog:

 Jenny said...Gorgeous card, love all the patterns :) Jenny x

July 5, 2011 10:35 PM

From my blog: 

 Michele Gross said...Happy Happy Birthday Erin! I hope you enjoy the hop-such a fun way to spend your birthday :) Thanks for letting us all in on the fun! :D

July 5, 2011 6:45 AM

From Michele's blog:

 Erin said...What a sweet little story for a sweet little card!

7/5/11 4:07 PM

From Emily L's blog:

Scrapcollectr said...Love this Suzi girl. I'm definitely behind on buying her girls.... Love how you paperpieced her clothes... She looks so sweet and it's a wonderful birthday card...*smile*
JULY 5, 2011 4:42 PM

From Karen's blog:

Lynn said...

Wonderful design Karen!

July 5, 2011 4:59 AM

From Emily K's blog:
Indy said...Love your card. Just love the trailers!
July 5, 2011 10:24 AM

thanks-thank you-thanks

I inked up the PTI In Bloom impression plate last week while playing around with it and loved the look it has when you spritz it with water before embossing it... Then it sat on the space once known as my craft desk while I couldn't figure out what I was going to make with it.  One of the other ones I was working on turned into my birthday card blog hop card, which is still accepting comments till Saturday if you want to be in the draw for the blog candy.  Since I got a fabulous card in the mail today from Savannah I knew I had to try to squeeze in the All Things Unity challenge before time ran out, so I added a Unity butterfly and some SRM stickers and now I'm going to send it to my grandmother as a thank you for her generous birthday present to me.  Because it's Friday I'll add this to the Friends with Flair fun.

Materials: Unity Life Is Fabulous butterfly, PTI In Bloom impression plate, SRM stickers, PTI double sided banner die, Little Yellow Bicycle lace sticker,  vellum, Tim Holtz Distress ink fired brick, water color paper, black card stock, PTI kraft card stock, Recollections rhinestone, Versafie black ink