Tuesday, May 21. 2013

Ok, so who out there hasn't been bitten by the chevron fever that has taken over the paper crafting industry??
I think the patterns are sweet and fun and a nice change from just polka dots and stripes. But, don't get me wrong, I LOVE polka dots and stripes, too!
A fun way to really showcase a pattern is to play it up in a few different colors. I did that on my card today with a simple layout and a few bright accents.
[It took some precise measuring and lots of buttering up of my paper-cutter to get the patterns to line up just right.]
You can see this card on the Little Yellow Bicycle blog here.
Canvas Hello Recipe
Cardstock: PTI white, new leaf
Decorative Paper: LYB Fern & Forest Girl Dark Pink Chevron, Green Chevron, Tan Chevron
Stamps: Lawn Fawn So Much To Say
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: LYB Canvas tag, LYB Tiny Clothespin flowers, Sticky Thumb dimensionals
Saturday, May 18. 2013

Ok, the gloves are off! Nicki from Clear and Simple Stamps issued some of the design team a challenge a few weeks ago. We're having a Sparkle-thon!

Each designer is to use the Spread the Love image any way we'd like to create a project. And our added twist was to include glitter.
I'm paired against the amazing Kim Duran- all I can say is that I don't expect to make it past the first round!
I created a fun little gift set. This is the card that goes along with the gift.
I'm in love with ombre everything lately, so I couldn't resist using some of my favourite CSS pinks for ombre stripes. And for a little fun, I mixed it up and added glitter to the top and bottom stripe.
It was so easy to add the glitter. I just cut a strip of 1/4" Simple Adhesive, laid it across my card base, sprinkled on the glitter, then brushed off with a tiny paint brush. [This is actually the least messy way I've found to work with glitter!]

The coordinating gift set is up on the Clear and Simple Stamps iPhone App today. Thanks for stopping by and, as always, for the love!
Glittered Thanks Recipe
Cardstock: CSS A Blanc Check
Stamps: CSS Share the Love, Create-a-Plaid Large
Ink: CSS You're Such a Gray-cious Host, Coral Necklace, Paint the Town Pink, I'm a Princess Pink
Accessories: oval nestabilities, Sakura rose star gelly roll pen, CSS 1/4" Simple Adhesive, clear glitter
Friday, May 17. 2013

I'm sorry it's been so quiet here on the blog this past week or so. I've had a lot of things going on at work and in my personal life that have left no time for crafting or even snapping photos of my garden to share with you!
But, today I'm up on the Little Yellow Bicycle Blog sharing some fun cards I made using their Fern & Forest Girl collection. So I wanted to share one here with you! [You can see my full post here on the LYB blog.]
You know how much I adore making quilt cards, and I couldn't resist with these fun papers. I think I tend to stick with more subdued colors in my quilts, but this time I went for bright, fun, summer colors. Love how this turned out!
I added a journal card stamped with a sentiment, lots of fun ribbon, and a little pin to finish everything off.
Best Wishes Recipe
Cardstock: PTI kraft
Decorative Paper: LYB Fern & Forest Girl 6x6 paper pad
Stamps: Lawn Fawn So Much To Say
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: paper piercer, Copic Multiliner .3 black, LYB Fern & Forest Girl Journaling cards, Webster's Pages white tutu tulle ribbon, Creative Impressions white glimmer ribbon, LYB Stick Pins cork flower, Sticky Thumb dimensionals
Saturday, May 11. 2013

It’s been three years since the Clear and Simple Stamps Daily app first made an appearance on the crafting scene. Each day the app features a brand new project complete with instructions and photos. You can save to your favorites for quick reference, and search through previous months for even more inspiration.

In celebration of the CSS Daily App, we have 25 Days of inspiration. That’s right- we're bringing the App to the blog! Each day the design team will feature fun projects and for an added bonus we will have a coordinating project on the app – it’s a great way to see even more fab inspiration using your Clear and Simple Stamps.
With Mother's Day, graduation, summer parties, and so many wonderful events coming up- what better way to say thank you or I love you then with a little gift?
I love to give nature-inspired gifts, especially plants instead of flowers that can be planted in the recipients' garden and enjoyed year after year. They're simple & easy to dress up, too- just make a little tag, tuck the plant into a bucket or pot, and attach the tag with some ribbon.

You can give the plant just like this. But I also made a coordinating card to go along with it, so I can write a sweet little note inside.
You can check it out on the Clear and Simple Stamps iPhone App today!
Gratitude Tag Recipe
Cardstock: CSS A Blanc Check
Stamps: CSS Flowers
Ink: CSS Green with Envy, Purplicious
Accessories: Tags 1 die-cuts, CSS Purplicious ribbon
Wednesday, May 8. 2013

Wake up call everyone- Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, in case you're like me and can't keep track of these things!
I decided to play along with the latest Sweet Sunday Sketch and make a soft card for my mom this year. It has a couple more layers than I usually work with, but I like how it turned out. I hope she will, too.
I did a little stamping with this gorgeous Petals and Stems set from Avery Elle. Layered that over my decorative paper. Then added on some scallops and a little ribbon.
Thanks for stopping by!
Soft Mother's Day Recipe
Cardstock: PTI kraft, vintage cream, sweet blush
Decorative Paper: Echo Park Sweet Girl
Stamps: Avery Elle Petals and Stems; Verve Because of You
Ink: Palette Toile Pink; Hero Arts Soft Granite
Accessories: Fiskars cloud decorative edge scissors, paper piercer, Copic Multiliner 0.3 gray, May Arts white satin ribbon, Zva self-adhesive taupe pearls
Monday, May 6. 2013

My tulips are still going strong here. I mentioned last week how I seem to plant in color blocks. The front of my house starts with flushes of yellow- first the daffodils, then tulips. Then it pops with red before summer hits.
Here is Endless Spring Yellow with some of my daffodils mixed in.
I'm sorry to say I don't know what the name of this daffodil is, but she's hardy and a prolific bloomer. She's a very light yellow color.
You can even see one of my tulips in the background about ready to pop.
And this daffodil is Thalia. She's a wild variety, which means she's smaller, but was hybridized in the past for commercial garden use.
She's supposed to be fragrant, but I really didn't notice until I picked a couple stems and brought them into the house.
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