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

You make my heart hop

I'm still on a Valentine kick. This time I pulled out a Flopsey set that I've had for years and has remained uninked until now. (shock, I know) I paired the bunny image with a paper-pieced background that I cut with the Top Note die from Stampin' Up. First time it's been used! (yet another shock - I can hear the gasps from here) My mantra continues to be "Use my stuff." So far I'm doing pretty good!

The patterned paper squares were punched out and then adhered to a piece of cardstock before using the die. I used a white pen to add some faux stitching along the seam lines. The sentiment is actually vertical, but I used masking to make it all one line. I managed to stamp it a wee bit wonky, but that just adds character, right? :)

Stamps: Valentine Flopsey (My Favorite Things)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento); Fresh Snow (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: White, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); Urban Prairie (Basic Grey)
Copic: 0 Colorless Blender, E55, E57, e59, RV13, RV14
Misc: Top Note die (Stampin' Up); 1-1/4" square punch (EK Success); white opaque writer (Zig)

Be Mine

I can't count how many times I printed the weekly MFT sketch last year with intentions to make a card and then never did it. Not this time! It took a while playing with patterns and walking away to come back with fresh eyes, but I made a card for the current sketch challenge. The stamping part was quick. It was the design part that took the most time, even with a set sketch. I don't typically use multiple patterns on a card, but I fell so in love with the great patterns in my Sultry 6x6 Basic Grey paper pad that I just had to use them all!

I adore the sweet Pure Innocence line by My Favorite Things and this particular image is so versatile. I had planned to color her, but ran into a snag. (see #1 below) I chose to keep it simple instead and rather like the results.


A few things I learned in the process:

1. I need the Rich Cocoa Memento inkpad so I can use my Copic markers.
2. I don't have a small heart punch. I must have gotten rid of it in the great purge of 2010.
3. I really DO need the small standard circles dies for layering.
4. Light pink embossing powder would be nice to have on hand.
5. I can make do without all that in a pinch. :)

I wanted a thin mat margin on my layers for this card and quickly realized the gap was too big between circles on the dies I have. I ended up pulling out my Cricut and cutting the two brown circles with it. Since I haven't used Cricut Design Studio in quite some time and our current printer is wireless, you should have seen me hunting all over the attic for the missing USB printer cable. My son scared the pants off of me when he brought the stronger flashlight and I didn't hear him coming. lol Still, my mission was a success and the problem was solved. Giving myself a big ol' woohoo!

Since I didn't have a small heart punch, I used a light pink inkpad to stamp a heart from the Hooga Booga set on the same light pink paper used for the central image. Then I just cut it out and glued it to the sentiment strip. Very subtle but it works. I used my cream pigment inkpad to stamp the sentiment.

So there you have it! Now I can cross that goal off my list. :)

Stamps: PI Being Cute is What I Do, Hooga Booga (My Favorite Things); Heart's Desire (Verve)
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink); Pink Pirouette (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); Sultry 6x6 pad (Basic Grey)
Misc: Standard Circles Large dies (Spellbinders); Accent Essentials cartridge (Cricut)

Love ya bunches

Here's another Bella card, this time with the second image I pulled out in my search for love-themed stamps. It's nice to finally ink these up!


I used some gorgeous decorative paper from Stampin' Up called Razzleberry Lemonade. (retired, unfortunately). It goes along with my favorite in-colors Stampin' Up has released so far. I didn't actually use my inkpads for this card, but I love the colors and patterns in this paper. I kept the layers simple and then used dies to make a sweet little flower to echo the flowers in the heart wreath.

Stamps: Loveybella (Stamping Bella); Love Ya Bunches (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink); Razzleberry Lemonade (Stampin' Up)
Copic: E000, E00, E30, E55, E57, E59, T1, T4, R20, R83, R85, Y11, Y13, Y15
Misc: Blossom die, Labels Five die (Spellbinders); pink brad (Stampin' Up)

Valentine, Be Mine

I decided to tackle this week's Mojo Monday sketch and use one of the Verve Stamps sets that I had pulled out in my quest for love images. It's called Heart's Desire and has cool sketchy-style hearts along with great sentiments.


I chose this set because of the circle image (to match the sketch) and the card just evolved from there. I didn't like the empty solid center in the circle (felt like too much kraft), so I cut out the center so it became more of a frame for the cutout heart. The kraft layers needed just a little something so I edged them with a black marker. It gives the appearance of another layer without the bulk. The red banner looked too plain so I crumpled the paper and smudged it with red ink. I added tiny dots with red Stickles and called it good. I'm pretty happy with the result!

I have another Bella card that's scheduled to post tomorrow morning. (first time trying out that feature) Feel free to drop on by!

Stamps: Heart's Desire (Verve)
Ink: Noir Black (Palette); Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Kraft, Pure Poppy, True Black (Papertrey Ink)
Misc: Standard Circles dies (Spellbinders), Xmas Red (Stickles), Basic Black marker (Stampin' Up)

Sending you a great big hug

Posting those old Valentine cards got me in the mood to dig out all my Valentine sets and images. The rubber sets are in a stack on my desk, but I haven't even touched all the clear sets. This might take a while! I pulled out two Bella images I have and made a card with one of them. It's called Balloonabella and since the balloons are heart-shaped, it fits the theme.


I did minimal coloring with Copics and paper-pieced the rest using decorative paper from Basic Grey. (love their paper!) Then I used strips of the same paper behind the main panel to add more punches of color. The sentiment is from a clear Changito set. That wasn't planned but it fits the space nicely and works perfectly with the cute Bella.

Stamps: Balloonabella (Stamping Bella); Changito Valentines (Stampendous)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink); Urban Prairie (Basic Grey)
Copic: T1, T4, E000, E00, E30, E55, E57, E49, R20, RV14
Misc: Labels Eighteen dies (Spellbinders), pop-dots

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!