Cards, cards & more cards...

Just a quick little post to share some more cards I made this week...all designed to be Mother's Day cards but could really be for any occasion if redesigned slightly differently with a small sentiment change. I like these kind, so that I can make them into anything! Kind of like card stem cells...k, it must be getting late and I'm getting tired..where did I come up with that one? ;)

Keep scrolling for awhile because there are a bunch of pictures in this post..







I got some super cool bunches of new Spellbinders dies, including Fleur de Lis Rectangles and Squares and Ribbon Banners...and I'm gaga over all of these! I had so much fun making these cards below...












I'll have to add my supply list later, because I'm wiped, and this one is a LONG supply list! Ta ta for now...have a great night!

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #44

I'm crankin' to try to get all the Mother's Day cards that I need to make for friends who have ordered them...(yay! thank you all!) so this week's WMS sketch was definitely going to be Mother's Day cards! I made two very similar with only a couple slight changes to each. Both are shown below...

So here's this week's sketch:


And what I came up with:


I like the sketch because it's simple & neat, but once my cards were done, I couldn't help feeling that they needed just a touch more...so that's when I added the velvet bow.





On every card I sell, I design & stamp inside & out, as well as including a coordinated envelope with liner & front strip...just trying to go a little further to make them extra special for someone (unless they want them left blank, of course!)



Every time I go to make a card for the WMS challenge, I realize how I'm somewhat limited in the WMS stamps I have (I didn't have the right sentiment in the right size for these cards, so I chose to use the Holiday Labels No. 14; love these Nesties sets)...I mean, I have about 10 sets, but compared to the 80-100 sets that I've accumulated with other companies...it makes me feel like I need to stock up on some more WMS goodness! ;) In all seriousness, though...if I were to win the lottery or something tomorrow, the first thing I'd be thinking about buying is craft stuff! No new house or furniture or fancy cars or whatever, just stamps and paper and tools and all kinds of other crafty candy...am I sick or what? ;)

Supplies used:

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink (SU); Key Lime, Colonial White (CTMH)
Patterned Paper: all from Sending Love Designer Series Paper (SU)
Stamp Set(s): Holiday Labels No. 14 (WMS); Because of You, Wishing You (Verve); Four Frames (SU)
Ink/Colorants: Garnet (CTMH); Dark Chocolate (PTI); Bravo Burgundy, Pretty in Pink (SU)
Embellishments: Green velvet ribbon (stash)
Tools: Labels 14 dies (Spellbinders); Damask and Flourish Texture Fades embossing folders (Sizzix/Tim Holtz); Designer Frame punch (SU)

PDCC78 and CAS Sketch - FTL137

Well, it's only a few hours 'til the Play Date Cafe challenge closes for the week...I always seem to be getting my contribution in at the last minute!! I think it has something to do with not getting much crafting time on the weekends, then I didn't get any done yesterday because my youngest had no preschool...(Easter Monday...anyone ever heard of that? ;)

Anyway, I'm pairing up the PDCC with the Clean & Simple Sketch again (seems like a natural thing to do...as I really need to practice doing CAS)..

Sketch seen here:


And the inspiration photo for Play Date Cafe (I love these colors, they're right up my alley!):


I have a lovely friend who has asked to purchase 10 Mother's Day cards from me, so I began cranking with these...



I like being able to do more than one card with a single sketch, but I have so many stamps and am always itching to use ones I haven't used recently (or ever), so I made the same card with slightly different color arrangements and two different sets...





Supplies used:

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Bashful Blue (SU); Daisy White (CTMH)
Patterned Paper:
Stamp Set(s): Blooming Button Bits, Sending You (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive (SU); Blush, Garden Green, Dutch Blue (CTMH)
Embellishments: Buttons, Paper flowers (stash); Flower brad (SU); Blue organdy ribbon (CTMH)
Tools: Small rickrack die (PTI)

Birthdays are delicious...

Here is just a fun little birthday card...not for any particular challenge, just because I was renting a cute stamp set from Raisin Boat and wanted to use it! It's called Gals on Masterpiece Place, and it's not typically the kind of set that I would normally buy and use a lot of, so I like that I can borrow it from Raisin Boat and then send it back! :)

I used paper from a cute kit from Oriental Trading called "Second Helping" (a kitchen-themed paper that they unfortunately no longer carry)...they're such fun, 50s-styled designs...

I stamped the girl image from one stamp set, and the other two images from a coordinating stamp set called Goes with Masterpiece Chef Gal, also from Raisin Boat. This one has such cute kitchen images and coordinating sentiments.

Then I just stitched around each image, colored with Copics and voila! Done! :)



Supplies used:

Cardstock: Baja Breeze (SU)
Patterned Paper: from Second Helping paper kit (OT)
Stamp Set(s): Gals of Masterpiece Place, Goes With Masterpiece Chef Gal (Raisin Boat)
Ink/Colorants: Tuxedo Black (Memento); Copic markers
Embellishments: Red thread
Tools: Double Banners dies (PTI); sewing machine

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #43

Another week, another opportunity to play along with the Waltzingmouse Sketch challenge...I'm still going for that free stamp set!! ;) Seriously though, it's fun no matter what.

Here is this week's sketch:



I built my card around a quote from Words of Wisdom that I really wanted to use...it felt perfect for an upcoming Easter celebration! Since the quote is oriented length-wise, I had to turn the sketch 90 degrees left and I went from there.

I finally got to pull out some absolutely gorgeous Bo Bunny paper from their new Gabrielle collection. The frame that was already placed on that beautiful paper, this sheet called Unwritten, made this card relatively quick to make.



Supplies used:

Cardstock: Deep Sea Swiss Dot (Bazzill)
Patterned Paper: Unwritten from Gabrielle collection (Bo Bunny)
Stamp Set(s): Words of Wisdom (Waltzingmouse)
Ink/Colorants: Cocoa (CTMH)
Embellishments: Gabrielle collection brads (Bo Bunny)
Tools: Turning a New Leaf dies (PTI); Craft knife

Tatyana's 4th Birthday party invitations

So my baby is turning 4 very soon!! Time to make party invitations...since she'll be only 4 and her little 3-4 year old friends in her preschool class will likely not give one hoot about the invitation, I decided to TRY to keep these simple (as I had to make 15!)...it still took me quite some time, but it was fun. Now let's just hope it doesn't rain on that day! Praying and fingers crossed! ;)

I ordered all of her party theme decorations at Oriental Trading...they always have such cute stuff for great deals! The theme this year is Butterflies...(last year it was Ladybugs) so along with all the adorable plates, napkins, cups, etc, I found a cute butterfly paper kit there. I put together all the invitations with the paper and die cuts..all their papers are double-sided, so I had way more than enough to make my 15 invitations, although many of them were not the same. (I kind of like that though!) These pictures are just of the 6 that I was able to make all the same (except for the orientation of the cards...I cut those differently in order to make full use of each cardstock sheet...I'm so frugal!); the rest were different, though all coordinating. Still, you can get the general idea from these photos.









Supplies used:

Cardstock: Lavender Lace (SU)
Patterned Paper: from the Butterfly Paper Kit (OT)
Stamp Set(s): Just the Ticket, Tiny Tags, Fillable Frames #4, Butterfly Dreams (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Twilight, Black (CTMH); Perfect Plum (SU)
Embellishments: Petal organdy ribbon (CTMH)
Tools: Eyelet lace border die, Fillable Frames #4 die, Tiny Tags dies (PTI)

PDCC77 and CAS Sketch - FTL136

Today's Play Date Cafe color challenge was very bright and spring-y...lots of fun to put this one together. Green is not usually one of my favorite colors, but I really like the bright happiness of this color combo.



I'm still working on my ability to create clean and simple cards that feel finished to me...I don't know if my card qualifies and clean and simple because I added the sofa image, but I just LOVED coloring it! It is a new stamp (my first one!) from Serendipity called Rattan Sofa...such a pretty image.

Here's the CAS sketch:



And here's my card (I'm very happy with how it turned out!):



Supplies used:

Cardstock: Leprechaun green (Core'dinations); Textured Key Lime, Colonial White (CTMH)
Patterned Paper: Marbled off-white (from scraps)
Stamp Set(s): Rattan Sofa (Serendipity)
Ink/Colorants: Black (CTMH); Wild Wasabi, Garden Green (SU); Copic markers: E33, E44, E47, E19, E53, E55, E57, YR00, E00, YG03, YG06, YG09, YG11
Embellishments: Green buttons (stash); Vanilla Cream organdy ribbon (CTMH)
Tools: Ribbon Tags Trio Two (Spellbinders); Swiss Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

To everything there is a season...

I was just going through a stack of cards I made a long time ago and I found this one...I usually don't have cards I made a long time ago because I always give them away long before they have a chance to be "old"!! But I really loved how this one turned out and since I didn't have any specific recipient in mind, I just kept it. Now I've added it to my gallery of cards for sale...





Ah yes, cards for sale! :) Again, since I doubt I'm at the point where I have a humongous readership here on my blog, this announcement will probably not go out far and wide, but for little ol' me, finally getting my stuff together enough to humbly offer my little cards up for sale was a big task! Mostly because I'm intimidated and don't want to fail...but I just love making cards so much, and if I can make them and sell them, thereby making a little money back to fund my supply purchases (and maybe then some later on... ;) AND provide handmade cards to people at a reasonable price that they can give and touch their loved ones' lives...then it's a win win! So I'm having a go...

You can go here to view my gallery of cards for sale.

The address is -->> photobucket.com/rachelpcrafts_cards4sale

Check it out if you'd like to buy handmade cards for any of your special people! I custom make them too...

Supplies used on Ecclesiastes card:

Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie (SU)
Patterned Paper: from the Lime Rickey collection (Basic Grey)
Stamp Set(s): Make It Count (CTMH)
Ink/Colorants: Ocean, Outdoor Denim (CTMH)
Embellishments: Gold brad (stash)
Tools:

My Mind's Eye Challenge #22

My Mind's Eye is one of my favorite paper companies, and every month they host a sketch challenge...I love the opportunity to dig into their gorgeous papers & accessories to create a fun card!

I just happened to need a card for a friend of mine who is having a baby shower this weekend that I can't attend, but I wanted to send a card....

In addition to the sketch, My Mind's Eye assigns a theme to the project. This month's was "April Showers"... :) How perfect for my shower card!

The sketch:


And my card:



For this shower card I pulled out an adorable paper collection called Alphabet Soup. This is the girl version, and though my friend is having a boy, I felt like the colors on the particular piece of paper I chose (Zoo Cuties - with all the little animals) worked for a boy also. I used some of the back side of paper as well which is a nice gender neutral blue-green with white polka dots. Actually, I used this paper only on the inside of my card, so you can only see a bit of it in the photo. I put the zoo animals side on the top inside of my card and the polka dots on the bottom.

The collection comes with a sheet of really cute coordinating die cuts, which is where I got the rainbow scalloped border (love it!)

I also used some paper from another adorable My Mind's Eye collection called Good Day Sunshine. This collection also has girl and boy versions, and though I of course have the girl version (I have two girls and NO boys!), there was another sheet that worked beautifully for a boy. I used Head in the Clouds, both front & back for the card base and the border punched piece at the toward the bottom of the card. This collection also has a coordinating die cut sheet and I used one of these die cuts for the center of the card...(the red "sun rays")

Finally, I have an adorable stamp set from Papertrey called Scattered Showers which fit the occasion perfectly. I used it to stamp the umbrella and the sentiment. A companion set called Scattered Showers Additions has a raindrops background that I used to stamp over the umbrella as well.

The little crystals on either side of my focal point are also from MME, but from their Fine & Dandy Tickled Pink accessories.

That's about it! Have a beautiful day!

Supplies used:

Cardstock: Old Olive textured (SU)
Patterned Paper: Good Day Sunshine - Head in the Clouds, Alphabet Soup - Zoo Cuties (My Mind's Eye)
Stamp Set(s): Scattered Showers & Scattered Showers Additions (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Real Red, Baja Breeze (SU)
Embellishments: Die Cuts from Good Day Sunshine Girl and Alphabet Soup Girl collections and Rhinestones from Fine & Dandy Tickled Pink accessories (MME)
Tools: Bracket border punch (EK Success); Scallop circle die (Spellbinders)

WMS Sketch Challenge #42

Just a very quick & simple card for today's Waltzingmouse Sketch challenge...my husband's nephew is about to become a new daddy any day now, and it's a girl! I made this card for to send to the soon-to-be new parents...

Here's the sketch:



My card is a fairly loose translation, but I think the basic point is there... ;)



Supplies used:

Cardstock: Pink Shimmer (Colorbök); Colonial White (CTMH); Vellum (PTI)
Patterned Paper:
Stamp Set(s): Wreath for All Seasons (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Chocolate Chip (SU)
Embellishments: Pink button (stash); Colonial White embroidery floss (CTMH); Pink Thickers chipboard letters (American Crafts)
Tools: Parisian Lace Doily die, Double Banners die (PTI)

For a friend

This card is actually not for any challenge or sketch whatsoever! Wow! I'm really trying to get going on selling my cards, and I have a lovely friend who has an anniversary coming up and so I offered to make a card for her...she requested a "beach" theme, so this is what I came up with:



I worked for quite awhile on this card, so there is lots I could say about it...but I know I'm far from having a huge readership at this point...so I'll just say that if there's anything in particular you want to know about how I made this card, just ask!! (leave me a comment)

Supplies used:

Cardstock: White, Kraft (OT); Bashful Blue (SU)
Patterned Paper: {numbers} from Ooh La La for Him collection (My Mind's Eye)
Stamp Set(s): True Happiness (CTMH); {sentiment} Mat Stack 3 Collection (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Grey Wool, Cocoa, Crystal Blue, Dutch Blue, Heavenly Blue, Moonstruck (CTMH); Distress embossing powder (Ranger); White gel pen (Sakura); Copic markers - E43, E44, C1, B00, Clear blender; Broken China, Faded Blue Jeans (Distress Inks)
Embellishments: Copper brads, Desert Sand organdy ribbon (CTMH); Twill ribbon (SU)
Tools: Dot Matrix Texture Fades embossing folder (Tim Holtz); Double Banner dies, By the Numbers dies (PTI); Chizzel-it Tool (Provo Craft)

PDCC76 and my first Clean & Simple Sketch (135)

It's Tuesday again, which means I'm submitting my next Play Date Cafe challenge card! This week I was trying to keep it "clean & simple"...I really like this style (in addition to a more elaborate style, of course) and I need to practice, because I see others' art that is simple & elegant (Nichole Heady is awesome at achieving a gorgeous look with simple...my most recent faves are here) and I'm always in awe of it! I've realized, however, that it is a special skill that must be developed..of appreciating the simplicity and knowing when to stop, even if it looks "unfinished" to me! ;)

So without further ado, here are my PDCC colors and the sketch:





And here's my card:



I must admit that it's not my favorite card I've ever made...I had a bit of a hard time...oh well, live & learn!! I'm not giving up, because I want to master this skill! :)

Supplies used:

Cardstock: Pacific Point, Brilliant Blue (SU)
Patterned Paper: {blue butterfly} from Good Day Sunshine (SU)
Stamp Set(s): {sentiment} from Mat Stack 2 Collection (PTI); {tiny embellishments} from Calendar Basics (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: White Daisy (CTMH)
Embellishments: green organdy ribbon (CTMH); green rhinestones (Michaels)
Tools: Love Lives Here butterfly die (PTI); In Spades Borderabilities die and Blossom Two Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders)

H2H Challenge -->> April Showers bring May Flowers

So for this week's H2H challenge, we were supposed to create something bright & springy (so the theme might suggest)...but as my card evolved, I really felt the desire to try out a vintage look in a sepia tone! I love the way it turned out...it's not all bright and springy, but I'm really happy with the look, it was just as I was picturing in my mind.

The thought first came to me when I was going through the papers from my new Melissa Frances Kitschy Kitchen paper pad...there are so many cute papers in it, but I was looking for something a bit more elegant...then I happened upon one of the last papers in the pad...an off-white, vintage looking paper with muted dots & just a hint of some text...perfect!

From there, a bit of sponging with some Ranger Distress Inks, some edge distressing and muted coloring with Copics, and I had my card! (oh, and not to mention the use of a cool stamp set called Coffee Stain that mimics the stain from a cup & drops from your coffee from long ago...fun stuff!)



Supplies used:

Cardstock: Kraft (PTI)
Patterned Paper: Elly May from Kitschy Kitchen collection (Melissa Frances); Dark brown marbled (from stash)
Stamp Set(s): Enjoy the Moment, Coffee Stain (CTMH); Fillable Frames #4 {for sentiment} (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Dark Chocolate (PTI); Walnut Stain, Tea Dye, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Aged Mahogany (Distress Inks); Copic markers - E02, E00, R00, R02, YG91
Embellishments: Vanilla Cream organdy ribbon (CTMH)
Tools: Notebook Texture Fades embossing folder (Tim Holtz)

Mojo Monday 185

It's another contest Mojo Monday! Since I'm needing lots of Mother's Day cards for the upcoming holiday, I'm taking the opportunity to make a Mother's Day card for every challenge I participate in the next week or so. I loved this week's Mojo Monday sketch:



I had just made a pink card, so I wanted a little different color combo, but still feminine. I pulled out my (very thick) stack of Stampin' Up Designer Series Papers and found one I bought ages ago but haven't had the chance to use yet...it is called Bella Birds...it was retired a while ago, but you can see a picture of the collection here...it's a really pretty collection of muted lavenders, yellows & blues with just a hint of pink with elegant patterns...looks a lot like wedding paper.

I started with that and it just kind of grew from there! I initially was going to go with the scallop circle embellishment that's in the sketch, but as the card evolved, I really wanted to use that flower from Love's Flower...and there really wasn't room to put it in/onto a scallop circle, so I adapted!

I wanted a little bigger sentiment strip than the one that was in the sketch, so I used one from a Cuttlebug Plus die that I have...it cuts & embosses in one pass - very cool! The sentiment wouldn't fit properly on the label the way it's arranged on the stamp from Because of You, so I just inked each part of the stamp separately and stamped it in 2 passes. Voila!





Supplies used:

Cardstock: Ballet Blue, Pretty in Pink (SU)
Patterned Paper: from Bella Birds DSP (SU)
Stamp Set(s): Love's Flower & Because of You (Verve)
Ink/Colorants: Moonstruck, Spring Iris, Garden Green (CTMH)
Embellishments: Rosette ribbon trim (Making Memories)
Tools: Abstract Flower border punch (EK Success); Fanciful Labels Plus Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug)

WMS Soap CASE challenge

Waltzingmouse stamps is having their bi-monthly SOAP event, which is an in-between releases opportunity to play with all the new goodies from the previous month!! A great idea...

Unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to get any of the stamps from last month's release, but I can participate in the CASE challenge! Taking inspiration from one of WMS' designers, you were supposed to copy and share with everyone! :)

I took my CASE card from Anya Schrier...I've been following her blog for a little while now, and I'm a big fan! She mentions in this post that she has a hard time doing clean & simple, which I do too!!

I was doing the CASE from memory, so I actually forgot that instead of using the little basket, she put her eggs inside a Labels 18 frame, but oh well...the general idea is there. I tried, Anya, to keep it simple! ;) I don't know if I succeeded or not...

Here's Anya's lovely, clean & simple card:


And here's my version:




I have mentioned in recent posts how much I'm LOVING my new Copic markers, so I'm coloring everything I can find! ;) Here's a detail of my little basket:



Supplies used:

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Pink textured (SU)
Patterned Paper: from Sending My Love DSP (SU)
Stamp Set(s): Spring Baskets (WMS)
Ink/Colorants: Dark Chocolate (PTI); Tuxedo Black (Memento); Copics - many, I'll have to come back later and edit to add the ones I used
Embellishments:
Tools: Border punch [can't remember the name] (EK Success); Plus Label dies (Cuttlebug)

WMS Sketch Challenge #41 & PDCC75

I am down to the wire on this Play Date Cafe color challenge...I have less than thirty minutes to get it posted before the deadline! :) Procrastination, anyone? ;)

Actually, I do have somewhat of an excuse...my kiddos are on spring break this week, so that means less time in my craft room for me...I have to squeeze it in here & there and I just didn't get to it until the last minute! :)

I combined Waltzingmouse's Sketch Challenge with the PDCC colors, and had some fun with Copics! (I just invested in a bunch of Copic markers and I'm completely in love with them...hooked, addicted, sold, etc, etc...they are SO much fun!)

Here is the PDCC photo inspiration for the colors:



And here is the WMS sketch; cute little mini cards!



And here's what I came up with using these two wonderful inspirations:



A close-up shot to see a little more detail:



Supplies used:

Cardstock: Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise (SU); White Daisy (CTMH)
Patterned Paper: none
Stamp Set(s): Roses in Bloom (WMS)
Ink/Colorants: Smoothie & Ocean dye ink, Silver embossing powder (CTMH); Versamark; Rose & Blue chalk inks (Colorbox); Copic markers - R20, R22, R32, R35, R43, BG02, BG11, BG13, BG15, BG49, E37, C1
Embellishments:
Tools: Double Banners die (PTI)