Pinterest Inspired Holiday Cards

Merry Christmas!   I thought I'd share a few cards that I made this year to send out to friends and family.  I actually made all of the Christmas cards I sent this year - about 50 of them!  I relied on my pinterest board "card inspiration" for the inspiration for my cards, but made them each my own.

For this card, I used the phrase from a card by Lisa Spangler from Studio Calico but then cut out a snowman using my Silhouette Cameo.  The idea came to me from seeing a package of six adorable Studio Calico bows sitting on my desk and thinking that I could use them all up making six holiday cards.

This poinsettia card was inspired by this card on my pinterest board.  I didn't have any other use for the gold doilies from a Studio Calico kit from a few months ago, so I thought this would be a good way to use them.  I used the Silhouette again for the poinsettia.

Finally, I was inspired by this card to create four of these cards using different holiday words from Heidi Swapp.  I actually used bits from the Heidi Swapp "Believe" line on each of these cards.  

I hope every one has a wonderful holiday!

Halloween Cards

For whatever reason, I just love Halloween scrapbook products and making cards for Halloween!  I just don't like anything else about the holiday - I don't even pass out candy!

Here are two Halloween cards that I made recently :

Both cards use shapes cut from my Silhouette and some Studio Calico wood veneer stars that I inked black

My collection of Halloween cards from last year can be seen HERE if you are interested in a little more inspiration

Have a great week everyone!

Brenda

Easter Cards and Scrappy Resolution 2013 - March

I shared my 2013 scrappy resolution in this post.  Three months into the year and I'm still keeping up with it!  I'll admit that I did only use one sheet of paper from past March kits, but I have had a slow month creatively.

I wanted to make some Easter cards and went to Danielle Flanders' blog for some inspiration.  She had created an adorable Easter card with a bunny instead of the "A" in the word happy and I borrowed that idea.  I went through my past March kits and found a cute pink plaid patterned paper from Jenni Bowlin and used that as the base.

I made a few more with a little bit different design using some Crate Paper and Echo Park papers from my stash.  I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the bunnies, flowers and grass.

Have you made any Easter cards this year?  Please share if you have!

Have a great week!

January 2013 Studio Calico kit - Block Party

I've enjoyed putting all of the layouts that I create from the current month's Studio Calico kit all in one post, so I'll continue this monthly feature in 2013.  I only post the layouts that I create from the time I get the kit until the next kit arrives at my door.  This challenges me to get as much done with the kit before I put it away.  I created four layouts and one card with the January kit.

This layout is probably my favorite of the month.  I love the photo of my kitty snoozing in the sun!

I did a lot of hand-stitching on this layout which was time consuming, but a lot of fun.

For this layout, I decided to try using circles.  I had cropped with Jennifer Larson in December and she said she loved using circles on her layout. I never really do, but was inspired to try.  I did some hand-stitching on this layout also.

This patterned paper was bright and fun - I thought it would be perfect for a birthday card.  I cut a circle out of the front of the card with my Silhouette.  The word "birthday" is layered over the empty space.  The word "happy" is actually on the inside of the card.

The last layout "Best Vacation Story Ever" was picked up by Scrapbook Trends to be published in the July 2013 issue, so I can't share it here yet!  

I was pretty pleased getting these five projects done with this kit.  It has been a few months since I got this much done.

How did you do with January's Studio Calico kit?

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Birthday (to me!)

I have a birthday coming up this Saturday, so I thought I'd share a few birthday cards that I have made recently.

I found this adorable piece of paper at my LSS from the KaiserCraft collection, "Save the Date."

I've made three cards with it so far and have a few scraps left to make a few more.  I cut a couple of balloons out on this one and adhered them with foam dots.  The "HAPPY" stamp is from a Studio Calico kit (April 2012) and I use it all the time for cards.

The next two cards used a sketch by Paper Crafts Magazine.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

September 2012 Studio Calico - Central High

Today I'm sharing all of the layouts that I created with the September Studio Calico kit from the time the kit arrived at my door until the time the October kit arrived.  I only got the main kit this month, Central High.

The first layout I created, "the green muenster" was created for the "Pop off the Page" class Challenge #2.  "The Green Muenster" is the name of a grilled cheese sandwich from a food truck near my work.   It is made with muenster cheese, avocado, and bacon.  I don't know what they do to it, but it is the most fantastic sandwich ever!  I'm obsessed!  (Clearly, since I am scrapbooking it!)

The second layout that I created with the kit was based on a sketch for the Create Magazine for their Sketches Idea Book call.  Here is the sketch:

Here is my layout.  I haven't created a 8.5" X 11" layout in ages - it was kind of fun!  

I also created a card with this kit for the Cards Magazine call for St. Patrick's Day cards.  Not something I would normally do, but the green papers in the kits and the gold sequins gave me an idea.  I kind of hate those sequins, so I'm happy I used them up!

That's all I have for this month!  I wasn't feeling this kit as much as I normally do, and I'm ok with that. October's kit is very promising though!  I've already created a layout I love with it and have ideas for more floating around!

Have a great week everyone!

Halloween Card Inspiration

Halloween is my least favorite holiday.  I remember not even liking it as a kid.  I don't even pass out candy - I turn my porch light off and hide upstairs - I'm THAT neighbor.

That being said, I LOVE Halloween themed scrapbook supplies!  I love looking at it, but don't really ever buy any - well, because I have no Halloween pictures to scrapbook.  I do make a few Halloween cards though, just for fun.  (I don't send them out though - they just sit in my drawer!)  I thought I'd share them today if you are looking for Halloween card ideas.

Boo!

This card has really great textures.  The bat is adhered with foam dots, lifting him off of the page.  The word Boo! is cut out from orange-core Coordinations paper with a bit of the black sanded off to show the orange center.  The tree is inked with black and then painted with Tim Holtz crackle paint (I still love that stuff!)

I made this card last week while staring at my January 2012 Studio Calico kit.  The orange stripe patterned paper, the black cardstock and the black washi tape were all from the kit.  I added the stars, the happy stamp and the orange dot paper from other kits.  The pumpkin and the word Halloween were cut with the Silhouette Cameo.

This card I made for a Cards Magazine style challenge.  The challenge was to use pea-green, purple, black and spiderwebs (or was it spiders?) on a card.  The card didn't get picked up for publication, but I love it!  I used POW glitter paper for the pleated circle behind the spider.

Have you made any Halloween cards this year?

Have a great week everyone!

I AM a cardmaker!

(She tells herself, a bit unconvincingly.)

  I never considered myself a cardmaker.  I don't make a lot of cards.  I struggle with them much more than with a scrapbook page.  I make them mostly to use up excess supplies.

However, I have made cards that are good enough to be published - three of them!  So, I decided to embrace calling myself a cardmaker.

With cards, I generally start out with a sketch, a challenge, or I lift a card I saw somewhere (but only if I am  just sending the card to someone - not if I am submitting it.)  Cards magazine has a sketch and a style challenge each month, so sometimes I create something for that.  The style challenge for January 2013 is:  the colors chartreuse, aqua, light grey, with the element tags.

 

I went through my stash of Crate papers because they always have the best chartreuse colored patterned papers.    I found a chartreuse and an aqua in the Pretty Party collection pack.  I had a great tag from an older Studio Calico kit that I knew that I wanted to use.  I cut two more tags out using my Slice and decorated the card with butterflies, a border sticker and my favorite embellishment - a mini clothespin.

I think it came out pretty cute!!

So, do you scrapbook and make cards?  Do you enjoy creating one more than the other?  Are you better at cardmaking or scrapbooking?  I'd love to know!

Have a great week everyone!

Happy 43rd Birthday!

I had to bring my husband to the airport today for a flight to San Francisco for a week and then on to Tokyo for a week.  I'm really sad that I won't see him for 15 days!  I'm not used to the fact that he has to travel for work now.  We got to spend some quality time together this week though, going out for dinner for his birthday on Wednesday and then cooking a nice meal together on Saturday night and watching a movie (although a bad movie!.)  I thought I'd share the card that I made for his birthday.

I made the card with the April Studio Calico kit, City of Lights (with the exception of the yellow dotted paper.)  The three different colored washi tapes that were in the kit went together perfectly and then the ad card from the kit just happened to have the same colors.  This card is really liftable - please feel free to borrow it!  Just grab three coordinating washi tapes and find some scraps of paper to make into pleated folded flowers.  I think I'm going to lift it myself and make a card for my niece who has a birthday coming up!

Have a great week everyone!

Very Americana

I was thinking about what to post this week and I realized that the last three projects that I made were somewhat similar, so I thought that I would include them all in this post.  These three projects all had a vary Americana feel - red, white, and blue; stars; and gingham!

The first project is a layout that I created about my chance meeting with Warren Kimble.  My husband and I spent a summer weekend at our condo in Vermont and went for a drive on Saturday morning to find a fun  spot to have lunch.  We ended up in Brandon, VT and took a walk around the town.  We passed a Warren Kimble studio and I saw an older gentleman in the store.  I said - Craig, could that be THE Warren Kimble?  Is he still alive?  We looked it up on Craig's phone and sure enough, it was him working in the studio.

We went in and were surrounded by original artwork of one of the most famous American folk artists.  He had unique items that he had collected - say maybe an antique chair - that he had painted on.  He had some really unique pieces that we asked about and he explained the process of creating them to us.  He was so nice!

I didn't get a photo (even though my camera was hanging around my neck), but I did grab some business cards.  I used the business cards and a photo from the internet for my layout.

My next project is a card that I made using some of the product from the January 2012 Studio Calico kit. I wasn't crazy about the Basicgrey banners from the kit, but they were perfect for a card.

And my last project was a layout about my nieces who spent time at the ocean for the first time on their visit to see us in Massachusetts.  It was such a hot day - over 100 degrees that day!  

I used the December Studio Calico kit for the most part, but added a few bits from the November kit.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Birthday happy2create!

I just wanted to wish my sister, Amy, a happy 40th birthday!  Here is the card that I made for her:

Happy birthday!

Love, Brenda

Ho ho ho!

I thought I'd share a Christmas card today that I made quite a while ago.  I had received the reindeer sticker on the card in a care package from Making Memories when they sent me a new Slice to replace the broken one that I had.  Around the same time that I got the reindeer sticker, Cards was having a style challenge to use green, red, brown, and reindeer on a card, so I thought I'd try it out.  This is the card I came up with.

The green and red patterned papers are from a company called Memory Box.  The background die cut stamp and the fabric brad are both from BasicGrey.  The pin is from Maya Road.  I cut the "ho ho ho" shape out with my Slice.  

I'm so glad that I saw this challenge otherwise I don't know if I ever would have used that sticker!

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to share a quick Thanksgiving card I made for my husband's grandmother.  She's 91, so she really enjoys getting cards in the mail (especially handmade!)

I used a lot of random scraps on this card.  I don't really have any Thanksgiving themed supplies, but I found these chipboard acorns from Basicgrey and a "THANKFUL" rub-on from Pink Paislee. 

I took a vacation day today, so this morning is the official start of a five-day weekend.  Yay!  Off to start the day with a hot yoga class and then grocery shopping for the big meal. 

Have a great holiday everyone!

I've been pinned!

I was on Pinterest recently and saw that a card of mine was pinned for the first time ever.  I'm not afraid to admit that it made me happy to be pinned!  You can see it here.  I thought I'd share the card here as I know that a lot of people are looking for holiday card ideas.
I used a sketch for this card that I found on Pinterest.  The sketch that I used can be seen here.  It is from cardabilities, which I was unfamiliar with before I found this sketch.  Looks like a fun blog if you like to make cards, which I do on occasion.

I used mostly scraps from the October 2011 Studio Calico kit, Field Guide.  The velvet trim was from an older kit. The Merry Christmas stamp that I had planned on using ended up in the garbage (very cheap one from Michael's or something - apparently not worth the 99 cents or whatever that I paid for it), so I just typed the words MERRY CHRISTMAS several times and added a strip of it.  I used Mr. Huey SHINE on the snowflake and it added just a perfect touch of glimmer.

I've been adding twine to everything lately and I think it was a perfect touch on this card.  

I loved this sketch as it is so versatile!  I have also used it for a birthday card already with a ladybug instead of a snowflake.  

Enjoy your day everyone!

Happy World Cardmaking Day!

I don't know if I will be making any cards today to participate in World Cardmaking Day, but I thought I'd share a Halloween card that I made a little while ago.  

 I opened a box of goodies from Northridge Publishing this summer for being published in Scrapbook Trends magazine.  When I saw the mini Maya Road chipboard trees and I immediately envisioned one on a Halloween card or layout, covered in Tim Holtz crackle paint.  This is the card I ended up making.

The patterned paper is from Memory Box.  The "BOO!" and the bat were both cut from my Slice.  I used black Coredinations paper with an orange core and sanded just a bit of the black away.  I inked the edges of the card and I also inked the entire tree in black before applying the crackle paint so that the black would show through the cracks when it dried.

Happy World Cardmaking Day, everyone!

Brenda

Christmas in September!

I know, it is only September, but I was soooooooooo inspired by this video by Jennifer McGuire that I drove to my LSS, bought some metallic green ZING!, and came home to make Christmas cards.  What inspired me about the video was using the banner stamps from Studio Calico as Christmas trees.  How clever!  (I also was inspired to put some Mr. Huey Shine in my shopping cart!)

I used the same sketch for my cards as I did in this post last week.

This sketch offers so much variety - I loved using it for pinwheels one week and Christmas trees the next.  I made a set of four cards.

Here's a close up of the stamping:

The background paper that I used is from a company called Memory Box.  You don't hear of it that much, but my LSS carries it and it is beautiful paper.  I had a 6X6 collection pack of their Christmas line from a few years ago.  The various greeting are from Making Memories - I received a package of them when my Slice was broken - they send you some supplies to make you happy.  I used some Cosmo Cricket and some Jenni Bowlin stickers for the borders.

Anyone else starting their Christmas cards early?

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Card Inspiration

I'm relatively new to making cards and I find that I need a little inspiration in order to create them.  I found this "Style Challenge" from Cards Magazine for their March 2012 call:
Style Challenge - Colors: lime green, lemon yellow, melon pink / Element: honeybees & honeycombs

Interesting combination, I thought - I have a bee stamp from Studio Calico - I can do this!  I really struggled with the color combination though.  They just didn't seem to work.  Three days later (yes, three days!), I came up with this card.

It came out pretty cute!  I used bits and pieces from a lot of different Studio Calico kits.  I love making those rolled flowers.  I think they add a lot to a card or a layout.

I decided to try another challenge - this time a "Sketch Challenge" for their April 2012 call.  Here's the sketch:

Here is my card:

I used the August 2011 add-on kit from Studio Calico "Sandcastle."  I loved the sweet colors from this add-on.  The buttons and string were from my stash.

Thanks so much for looking!  Have a great Saturday everyone!

Brenda

Cosmo Cricket/Cards Magazine Sketch Challenge

 I thought I'd give this challenge over at the Cosmo Cricket blog a try.  I think that trying to decide what line to use is the hardest part!  I recently added the entire Circa 1934, Upcycle, and Social Club lines to my Cosmo Cricket collection so I had a lot to choose from.  This is the sketch that I got to play with:

I ended up using mostly Upcycle with a chipboard butterfly from the Earth Love line.  Here is my take on the sketch:

The solid background color is "elephant" and the patterned paper is "repeat."  I cut a tag from the elements sheet, scalloped the top edge with my Fiskar's edge punch and then added some cardstock stickers (the alphabet across the bottom of the label and then the gold above 'happy birthday.")  The Happy Birthday rub-on is from Pebbles.  I took my sewing machine out for the finishing touches.  Love the way it came out!

Thank you Cosmo Cricket and Cards Magazine for another great sketch challenge!

Have a great Friday night everyone!

Easter Cards

I made a few Easter cards with some of the scraps from my layout last week.

I'm kind of excited about Easter this year because it falls after tax season ends and I will actually have time to plan for a great meal and enjoy taking the time to cook.  I asked my husband what he wanted to do for the day and he said that he had just signed up that morning at church to deliver Easter dinner to the elderly.  Love him. Seriously love him.

Have a great Sunday everyone!