Welcome to the neighborhood

Boy, it's been an adventure trying to get this posted today!!  My internet connection keeps going out.  Technology is both a blessing and a curse sometimes.

Here's my final card for the Love Fest challenges at Splitcoaststampers!  This one was sponsored by Scor-Pal (found here) and we had to make a card with multiple folds.  I decided to try a stair step card and here is the result.  I posted plenty of pics so you can see the details.   :)

I had so much fun creating this card.  For my first attempt at the stair step card, it came out really great!  I used Spring Rain cardstock for my base and added multiple strips of grass on each step.  (I do mean multiple.  There are eleven of them counting all the layers!) I stamped and cut out the tree on white cardstock, and used the generational stamping technique for the leaves.  The bird, squirrel and tree swing are also cut out.

I added a strip of picket fence to the back step and a cute welcome sign to the middle step with an embossed sentiment.  It's also sponged to look more like wood.  I used the Tulip Garden punch with both Leaf Green and Poppy Parade cardstock, cutting off the red tulips and gluing them in place on the green.  Then each tulip sprig was placed individually in the grass strips.  Very time consuming process, but I love how it adds pops of cheerful color.  It totally makes the card!

I sure wouldn't mass-produce this card since it took me hours to make it.  It's one of my favorite cards I've ever made though!  I really had no clear vision when I started.  It was fun to experiment as I went along and see it evolve.

Stamps:  Trees & Things, Around the Block (Close to My Heart)
Paper:  Spring Rain, New Leaf, White (Papertrey Ink); Poppy Parade (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Dark Chocolate, New Leaf (Papertrey Ink); Poppy Parade (Stampin' Up); VersaMark
Misc:  Picket Fence die, Fresh Cut Grass die (My Favorite Things); Tulip Garden edge punch (Martha Stewart); white embossing powder (Filigree)  
Paper:

Sweet and simple with a touch of glitter

I used one of the techniques Nicole Heady posted on her blog (Make It Monday #3) to make the glitter strips on this card. Stick down some double-sided tape, add a healthy dose of glitter, and voila! I also scored two horizontal lines to frame the line of heart images. So simple, but oh so sweet!


Stamps: Sweet Love (Close to My Heart); Love Songs (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink); Noir Black (Palette)
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink)
Misc: double-sided tape, iridescent glitter

A Flashback and a Sneak Peek

I've been seeing a lot of bloggers post a "year in review" of their favorite twelve projects over the past year. Since I only did 37 blog posts (which feels like an accomplishment!), I thought it would be a bit redundant for me. It wouldn't take you all that long to scroll back through my posts thus far! This weekend, while searching for some papers, I stumbled across three cards I made for my husband in past years. I thought it would be fun to post pics of those instead.

This first card is my personal favorite. I made it for Valentine's Day in 2006. I stamped the flowers and layered them using brads. Stamped leaves were tucked in behind the flowers when I assembled the card.

Stamps: Paint Prints, Too Terrific Tags (Stampin' Up); alphabet (PSX)
Ink & Paper: ? (Stampin' Up)
Misc: brads

I made this next card for Valentine's Day in 2007. It was based off a card I made at a Stampin' Up party, just with different sets.


Stamps: Happy Hearts, The Wheel Thing (Stampin' Up); Sweet Talk, Country Burlap (Close to My Heart)
rest unknown

I also made this card in 2007 for my wedding anniversary. Very simple, but a sweet little card nonetheless.

Stamps: Wonderful Words, Weather or Not (Stampin' Up); Retro Caps (My Sentiments Exactly)
rest unknown

I hope you enjoyed the cards! It's a bit ironic that they are all love-themed, considering that Valentine's Day is coming up next month. I'm getting the itch to break out some stamp sets and play. :)

Now that I've taken a trip down memory lane, let me leave you with a sneak peek of a different project I've been working on. This is what has been finished so far. More to come upon completion! Happy New Year!

Kiss a froggie

Here's a quick card for the May SFYTT sketch challenge. I used a fun set I picked up at a used stamp sale earlier this month. Love those! Actually, at least half of my stamp collection are previously owned. :) It's a great way to diversify my stamps without spending too much. Of course, my DH might say my collection is diverse enough! lol But honey, my sister-in-law likes frogs and the set has a cute castle and lips and a crown..... ;)

Thankfully the sketch was pretty straightforward, since I did this card in a bit of a hurry. I would do a couple things different if I were to redo the card, but it's still perfectly fine the way it is. Not every card has to be a masterpiece! :)

Stamps: Princess (Close to My Heart)
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink); Sultry 6x6 dp pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Fizz (Papertrey Ink)
Copic markers: 0, C1, Y21, YG23, YG25
Misc: Standard Circles (Spellbinders Nestabilities); ribbon

Some random projects

I thought I would post a few random projects that I've done in the past. They were done several years ago, but they are the only ones for which I have semi-decent pictures. I haven't stamped anything recently because I've been knee-deep in some organizational projects. I plan to post about them when I finish, but here's something in the meantime!

I love this sweet baby card that I made for a Verve sketch challenge years ago. In fact, I still have this card because I can't bear to use it!

Stamps: Winter Wonder (Verve), Small Sayings (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Cool Caribbean (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Cool Caribbean (Stampin' Up), patterned (Close to My Heart)
Misc: Stickles, ribbon

Just a simple thank you card, but I love the bright color.

Stamps: Shapes & Shadows (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Basic Black, Yo-Yo Yellow (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Yo-Yo Yellow (Stampin' Up), white
Misc: ribbon

I made this card for Father's Day many years ago when folded origami shirts were all the rage on Splitcoaststampers. It took me a while to design the card but I love how it turned out. I have no idea what paper I used and I think the stamps are Antique Alphabet by PSX.

This is another card I made for a Verve sketch challenge. Again, pretty simple but cute!

Stamps: Fairy Tales (Verve)
ink and paper unknown (possibly Basic Grey)

I made this card for a friend who was celebrating two major birthdays for herself and her husband. I case'd a card from Splitcoaststampers and simply added the extra set of numbers.

Stamps: Crab & Company (Stampin' Up)
paper: unknown
Misc: Happy Birthday, Tiny Mosaic embossing folders (Cuttlebug), ribbon, markers, chalks