Card for Kwerner's Color Challenge #53 and Big News about my Bro!

From Adriel:


So I'm late in getting this posted (even though it was done yesterday), but that's okay. =)


I used the colors from this weeks color inspiration to make a birthday card for my brother who is turning 17 next month!! I thought the colors were great for a masculine card.


BIG NEWS ALERT!! My brother finished 3rd place in the classical guitar competition today! Congratulations, Daniel! I've included a few links about my brother... hopefully he won't mind! =D


Daniel's website where you can find samples of his beautiful music HERE.
All the details about his latest competition HERE.
Article from 2008 about Daniel HERE.
An old video... he has gotten SO MUCH better since this video, but this is all I could find:





He is probably going to go, "Oh, brother!" when he finds out I put all this information about him on here, but that's okay! I'm very proud of him and glad for him... now he can take a break from the 3 hours of practicing a day!


Now that I'm thinking about it, hopefully he doesn't look too much on here, because he will see his birthday card! Oh well! =)

More from Texas...

From Heidi...

Here's a few more great cards we're sharing from Shirley in Texas. I hope you enjoy them :-)

Neglected!

From Adriel:

Has this blog been neglected or what the past few days?!?! Sometimes there are just things that come up in life that are a bit more important than blogging, know what I mean? =) I honestly haven't been creating all that much, either, so I don't have very many tricks to pull out of my hat... BUT, I do remember showing you all a boxed set of cards awhile back that I said I would show another version of sometime. This seems like the perfect time! =)

For all the details about where to get the template and what I did with the cards, click HERE to go to a previous post.

This beautiful project just so happens to be our monthly Stamp Club/Project Class for next month (June)! More details in our upcoming newsletter...

Cards from Texas

From Heidi...

Since I've been busy this week watching my grandchildren, I haven't had much time to stamp. I thought I'd share some cards from my stamping friend, Shirley, who moved to Texas. She's been selling her cards in a hand crafted store called Seller's Market in Kingsville, TX. Way to go, Shirley!

Last Four Blog Awards

Okay... Here's the last four Blog Awards.

Our 4th blog award goes to Karen Patterson. She creates the cutest little hand-crocheted embellishments for scrapbooking and cards and she also sells them on Etsy. Visit her site at:
http://www.treasureddreams.blogspot.com/

Our 5th blog award goes to Heather Mills. She creates handmade card and scrapbook embellishments. They are so cute...little buttons, handdrawn paper doodle embellies, and much more. She also has an Etsy shop. Visit her blog site at:
http://www.ascrappydesign.blogspot.com/

Our 6th blog award goes to Sankari. She has a special style which she uses in her cards and scrapping. Visit her site here:
http://www.sunnysankari.blogspot.com/

Out 7th blog award goes to Megan. She creates fun papercrafts which are versatile and creative. Visit her blog here:
http://www.withlove-and-affection.blogspot.com/

And here's the last 6 things about me:
#5 - One of the best vacations I ever took was with my daughter, Emily, to Hawaii. We had a ton of fun hiking, snorkeling and kayaking. I guess I have vacation on my mind and today was humid and grey...it reminded me of Hawaii.
#6 - My favorite restaurant right now is a local Chinese restaurant called "Mandarin Chef." Very yummy Chinese food...and they make the best Chow Fun!
#7 - When I'm not papercrafting I love to sew. Adriel and I started a quilt last year, which we've yet to finish...maybe someday we'll do that when we aren't having so much fun with paper.
#8 - I love camping and would rather go to all the work of setting up the tent, etc., etc., than spend a week in a hotel.
#9 - I have homeschooled all my children... Daniel is the last one, just another year and he'll be graduated. I will miss teaching him, he's been a very enthusiastic learner.
#10 - And lastly...hmmm, My husband and I will be celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. He's a great friend and companion and I'm so glad that he's the one I'm journeying through life with. He's probably the most honest and truthful person I know and that's one of the things I appreciate the most about him.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this list. Have a great day!

More Blog Award Recipients

Today we're naming two more blog award recipients.

Our second blog award goes to Susan (aka peebsmama). Her cards express fun and cheeriness, and I love that! If you want a pick-me-up today, go visit her site and it will put a smile on your face.

http://www.susansdayoffcreations.blogspot.com

Our third blog award goes to Linda Beeson. I love the details she gives to her cards...very inspiring. If you want to try something new on your cards, visit her site for some ideas.

http://www.pkod.blogspot.com

Okay... onto our list of 10 things about ourselves. Since Adriel's out of town this week, I guess this list is all about ME!...Wouldn't it be funny to make a list of 10 things all about Adriel? Since I'm her mom I have a lot of things I could list about her...things I'm sure she'd be absolutely embarrassed to have the whole world know. But, I won't do that, I'll just list things about myself :-)

#2 - I have an old Yellow Lab that's on her last legs (very sad!)...but the upside is that she still thinks she's a puppy, even though her body doesn't cooperate. She's a good old dog!

#3 - I'm in Romans 5 of my Precept Upon Precept Bible Study.

#4 - My son takes weekly guitar lessons about 1-1/2 hours away from our home...we estimate that we've made over 390 guitar lesson trips over the last 8 years. Today is just 1 more trip to add to our total.

I hope you all have a great Thursday!

Simple Thank You Card (using my Big Shot)

From Adriel:


Even though I'm out of town until Friday, I thought I would schedule a couple of posts this week so that the responsibility of the blog doesn't fall on my mom. She is taking care of my kids this week, along with getting ready to go on a trip of her own next week, so she doesn't need anything extra to worry about!


I thought I would share a simple thank you card I made recently using my Big Shot. Actually, almost everything on this card is made using the Big Shot (except for the small flower in the middle of the larger and the stamped sentiment).



I needed some thank you cards for my recent birthday, so I made a couple of these up. Very simple, and although it took me longer than it should have (because I was debating and planning and creating as I went along), this would be a pretty fast card to make. =)


I used:


Fundamental Phrases set (this really is fundamental and comes in handy so often!)

Sahara Sand CS
Baja Breeze CS
Ruby Red CS
So Saffron CS (or Barely Banana... can't remember which)
Whisper White CS

Ruby Red Stampin' Write marker (my ink pad was dry)

Sizzix Big Shot
Matchbox die
Daisies Flower #2 die
Scallop Circle #2 die
Backgrounds 1 Texturz plates


What is funny is a day or two after I made this, Kristina Werner posted her color inspiration challenge. All the colors I used here were used except for the Ruby Red! =)

Have a wonderful day!!

A Surprise Award

Thank you, Paula, for choosing us as one of the recipients of the Honest Scrap Award...fun! Paula is a scrapbooker who sells some of her fun paper items on Etsy. You can visit her site at:

http://lifeasweknowitbypaula.blogspot.com

So, the rules of the award are that we choose 7 blogs to pass this award onto and tell why we love their blog, we also list 10 things about ourselves, and then we're to leave a comment on the recipient's blog to let them know they were chosen. I like Paula's idea of choosing 7 over several days, as it does take a bit of time. So, that's what we'll be doing. Be sure and check back throughout the week to see who we've chosen and why we love their blogs.

Our first blog award goes to...Deb Rymer!
I love her style...clean and colorful, and she has a wonderful eye for layout. I'm always inspired by her cards. You can view her lovely cards here: www.debrymer.typepad.com

#1 - About us (Heidi)...I'll choose to live in the hot desert over anyplace that's cold and damp.

Thanks for visiting us and we hope you have a great day! - Heidi

Flower Tags

From Adriel:

I don't know what it is about gift tags, but they are almost instantly gratifying. They don't require an enormous amount of time to make. You can make them in all kinds of shapes and sizes. You can make a bunch in a decent amount of time. I think part of the fun of creating these is seeing how much detail you can cram on a small piece of card stock!




We recently bought the tag corner punch from Stampin' Up! and our tag horizon just broadened! =)

Thanks for looking and thanks for your comments! =)

Brayered Debossing Technique

From Heidi...

Another very cool technique being used with the BS Manhattan Flower EB plate is brayering with 2 to 3 different colors over the underside of the embossed image, so that you're braying over the recessed side of the EB image. This is also very fun! I really love color and playing with it, so this technique is right up my alley. I also this on Patty Bennett's site: http://www.pattystamps.com/

Again, I haven't had a chance to really create any finished card, but I took pictures of these with the colored CS I think I'll use.
This picture shows the two different sides of the Embossed rose. One side is raised, the other is recessed. You brayer over the recessed side of the image. Thanks for visiting our blog... have a great day!

Color, Color, Color!

From HeidiI've been admiring all the beautiful colors that other stampers have created using the very popular "Watercolor Spread." So today I thought I'd play with color. What fun! No wonder everyone is crazy about this technique...it's simple, you get to play with color and the end results are successful and beautiful. I only have one 3x3 notecard that I finished using one of the flowers, but I took pictures of the flowers I made on the backgrounds that I think I'll make my cards with. If you haven't tried this technique, you really should because it's very fun! I know that others have tutorials and examples posted that they have shared with others, but I saw this technique on Patty Bennett's site: http://www.pattystamps.com/

Have fun and thanks for looking!

KWerner's Color Inspiration #52

From Adriel:

So I had some thank you cards to make for my recent birthday and I saw Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge #52 was up, so I decided to use those colors for a couple of thank you cards. In addition, I had to get some stamping in before I head out of town on Tuesday with my husband for the Tropical Smoothie Cafe roadshow. We own the location in Tempe (@ Priest & Warner)... if you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by for a delicious smoothie! Okay, enough of the commercial, onto my card! =)

These colors are so "vacation". (I think I have vacation on my brain or something!) Really, they look like the Caribbean or the islands or something. Really refreshing colors! =) My card was inspired by THIS CARD, although it didn't turn out looking anything like it at all. I just loved how she used the flower from the Wow Flower set in different colors as the main focal point. I decided to do the same. =)

If you are interested in the supplies I used...

Wow Flowers set

Fundamentel Phrases set

Sahara Sand CS

More Mustard CS

So Saffron CS

Whisper White CS

So Saffron ink

More Mustard ink

Baja Breeze ink

More Mustard Stampin' Write marker

Corner Rounder punch

Paper Piercer

Pretty simple card... I tried a technique I saw HERE on Studio Calico's blog about pleating card stock. I think it's a fun addition. =)

Thank you so much for looking! I may have a couple of posts on here this week (thanks to post scheduling), but I'll be out of town until Friday, but my mom will be here (taking care of my kiddos!) You all have a great week! =)

A Pretty Pink Thank You Card

From Adriel:

The other day while browsing SplitCoast, I ran across THIS BEAUTIFUL CARD. Wow, right?! On Mother's Day, I was working on some card ideas (for a card kit) and also needed to make some thank you cards, so I CASED that beauty, although mine didn't turn out as beautiful... sometimes, that's just how it goes. =)

Wanted to share, because if anything, you can follow the link to the original and enjoy it! =)

Recipe:

Pink Pirouette CS

Basic Gray CS

Whisper White CS

Pink Pirouette ink

Basic Gray ink

Rose Red ink

All Holidays set

Fifth Avenue Floral set

Eyelet Border punch

Blender pen

Whisper White tafetta ribbon

Hope you have been inspired today! Thank you for checking in and have a wonderful day! =)

What We've Been Working On...

From Adriel:

My mom and I worked on 3 of our coupon organizers Tuesday. We got the covers all done and ready to assemble the rest together!

We recently got some new designer paper from Stampin' Up!, so it was fun to break it out and work with it. We will have these new organizers done and in our Etsy shop SOON!! =)

This one is made with the Bella Birds DS paper... soft and sweet! =) And I love that beautiful, blue, satin ribbon that adds to the elegance.

This one is also made with the Bella Birds DS paper... almost has a little western look to it. My ribbon needs a little work... =P

This one is made with the Urban Garden DS paper... so striking and gorgeous!

Who knew coupon organizers could be so stylish and fun!?!?!

Thanks for stopping by! We enjoy all your comments! =)

Simple Thank You's

From Heidi...

I made a set of 10 simple "thank you's" as a gift for someone. I crimped a piece of Old Olive CS and cut it into 3" sections and centered it just under the paper piercing I'd done on the front of the card front. I stamped my image in Old Olive and Basic black, punched it out with the 1-3/8" square punch and then roughed up the edges of the CS with my nail. I punched a 1-3/4" square of Night of Navy for the background for the stamped image and then centered and dimensionaled those pieces to the front of the card. Thanks for looking!

Boxed Cards

From Adriel:

I saw this idea awhile ago on someone's blog (sorry, don't remember who you were!), and was able to find the template on SplitCoast. I love that the box is made out of one sheet of 8.5" x 11" card stock and requires minimal cutting by hand. I just added some beautiful patterned paper to the front of the box for a little more interest, a scalloped edge and a ribbon that keeps the whole box closed. This box holds 6 cards and 6 envelopes (A2 size)! Check out the template HERE and if you have any questions, feel free to ask! There aren't very detailed directions, you just kind of put it together. ;-)

The cards are made with coordinating CS (Baja Breeze and Certainly Celery bases), along with more patterned paper. They are very simple, yet elegant cards. I used a combination of 3 different stamp sets for these cards. The leaf image is from the current hostess set "God's Beauty". This is a beautiful set and worth hostessing a workshop for! The other sets are "Oval All" (in the current occasions mini) and "Fresh Cuts" (in the current spring/summer 2009 catalog). They all pulled together for a beautiful presentation! =)




I first stamped the leaf image in Kiwi Kiss ink (on the green) and in Baja Breeze (on the blue). I then stamped the leaf image in white kraft ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder. I really like the effect of the more subtle leaf image and the white image as the focus.

The new scallop circle punch made dressing up my sentiments a breeze! I just recently got on the oval bandwagon and love that shape! =)

So, something fresh to show you today... even though I made it a week or two ago. I made another one in a different color scheme that I will show you another time. Bye for now! =)

Sympathy Card

From Heidi...

This is a special card that I made for a friend whose husband recently passed away. I found this paper that we'd had for awhile which fit perfectly, as it had words written on it about memories, good times, and remembering...very fitting. It's been a sobering reminder that our lives are but a vapor and eternity is only a breath away.

May Stamp-A-Stacks

Hi there...

Here are the SAS cards we'll be making next Tuesday, May 19, 7-9 PM at Heidi's. We make 5 cards for $10. Call or email us to reserve a spot and to make sure that we prep enough supplies for everyone. Class size is limited to 8.

Rockabilly Organizer

From Heidi...I just had to share this custom order coupon holder. I probably would've never put these papers together, but after I made this I had to admit that it made a very fun organizer. I didn't realize that SU's Rockabilly DS paper had such fun paper in it. The blacks are very cool...some have glossy stripes, like this one. This paper would make some very fun cards or projects. If you aren't into skulls, the back of the skull papers are red with white polka dots and the back of the other skull paper is the black with glossy stripes on it, like on the front of this organizer. Anyway, just thought you'd like to see how this turned out. Thanks for looking!

Adriel's Birthday Card

From Heidi...

This is the card I made for Adriel's birthday. Someone had posted this flower idea on Stampin' Up with Beate, but they had used the Big Shot Scallop flower for the solid cardstock and then used the oval punch to punch out the DS paper for the petals on top, the small Bojo blossom was used for the center of the flower. Since I don't have the Big Shot Scallop flower, I used my scallop circle punch and cut out every other scallop. I used the large heart on my 3-heart punch for the DS petals and cut the hearts in half, and since Adriel had the Bojo Blossom punch at her house, I used the small hearts on the 3-heart punch for the center of the flower.

Use the bone folder (I also used my nail) to curl both the cardstock and DS petals under. I placed a glue dot in the center of the Scallop Circle flower and then placed my DS petals on the glue dot. I placed another glue dot onto the DS petals and arranged the small hearts to make the center of the flower.

I also textured a piece of Vellum. It would have been so much easier had I had the texture plate for the Big Shot, but I did the dotted texture by hand. This flower turns out really pretty. Just thought I'd share. Thanks for stopping by!

Graduation Card

From Adriel:

We had a custom order for a graduation card from a local buyer whose husband is graduating from ASU (hence the gold and maroon). After sending her some ideas, she liked the spring-fold card. The shape of the square looks just like a graduation hat and my mom made a cute little tassle and this spring-fold card is so unique and fun! We also made a special blank insert card for the back the the giver can write a note on. Our customer loved her card and we ended up getting another order for two more last week. Anyway, just another fun idea to make with this spring-fold and just in time for those graduations coming up!!

My Big Shot!

From Adriel:

My birthday is tomorrow!! =) My husband bought me a Sizzix Big Shot for my birthday and let me order it early and play with it early, so I've been having fun with that. My favorite die so far is the Top Notes die. I love the shape and the little indent marks it makes!

Here's a couple of cards I've made using the Big Shot and the Top Notes die. I've noticed a lot of these quilt cards on Splitcoast and figured out that if you cut the DSP into 1-1/4" squares and adhere them to a 4"x5" piece of CS, this fits perfectly over the Top Note Die and you don't have a lot of paper waste. BTW, you need 12 squares. =)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! =)

May Newsletter Posted

From Heidi...
Wow, another month has passed which means it's time for another newsletter. Be sure and click on our Newsletter link to the right to view our May newsletter. We have fun news, a fun craft project tutorial, we're featuring 2 fellow stampers and their creations, plus details on our upcoming Stamp-A-Stack and Project/Stamp Club classes. I hope you all have a great Friday!