Rocket Birthday Card

I have a quick card to share with you today.  My son asked me to make his friend a card with a rocket landing on Mars so here is what I came up with.

 

I used five different Distress Inks on this card and two different techniques with them!  For 'Mars' I applied Barn Door and Fired Brick to my craft mat, spritzed with water, and then placed my watercolor paper on it to soak up the ink.  I kept repeating this process until my paper was covered the way I wanted it.  Using my circle cutter I then cut out my 'planet'.  

To make the sky I first stamped the stars and clusters using the Tim Holtz Embossing Ink and heat embossed them using clear embossing powder.  I then applied Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord, and Black Soot with my ink blending tool.  I covered the whole sky with Faded Jeans and used the Dusty Concord to add a little interest.  I used the Black Soot only on the edges to darken the sky.  Once I was done applying these colors I wiped the ink off the stars and clusters.   

To finish my card I cut out the rocket using my Cricut and the Boys Will Be Boys cartridge.  I also double stamped the sentiment (using two different inks and offsetting just a little) to make it look slightly dimensional. 

A simple and fast card today using my favorite inks.  Thanks for stopping!

Supplies:

• cardstock- watercolor paper, silver foil paper, misc scraps
• patterned paper- The Paper Studio (A Boy's Universe)
• ink- Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Barn Door, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord, Black Soot, Embossing Ink), Memories Dye Inkpad (Black)
• stamps- Close to My Heart (Wishes W2012), Stampendous (Flutter Frame), Stampin' Up
• Cricut cartridge- Boys Will Be Boys
• embossing powder- Ranger (Super Fine Clear)
• tools- Creative Memories (circle cutter)
• misc- dimensional adhesive 

Photo Friday- Just Because

Every year our boys' school does a fundraiser.  Adults enjoy a meal and can bid on auction items.  Some items are donated and some of the items are class projects.  The Pre-School class gets their photos taken in 'grown up' clothes and the parents have the option to buy their photos.  I was asked to photograph those cute kiddos again this year.  Last year not only were the parents able to buy the photos their photos were printed posted size and were the decorations at the fundraiser!!  Boy was I surprised!  Even though my little guys isn't in Pre-School I took his pictures anyway, along with the other kids.  Just because I can and just because they are adorable, I had to share.  So enjoy!  Thanks for stopping!!

Tummy Time Layout

I have a fun layout for you today that features a cute paper line by Little Yellow Bicycle called Babysaurus.  I just love the cute dinosaurs and the beautiful colors.  Let me show you what I created! 

I had these three photos of my son that I really wanted to feature.  I love clean block type layouts so a row of the three photos was the way to go.  I then had space on either side of the photos to fill.  I used that space to place embellishments, a title, and my journaling.  After picking three patterned papers from this line I got to work!

This paper line is adorable!  I just love the dinosaurs and knew that I wanted to feature one as an embellishment.  I fussy cut around this guy leaving a small white border.  I then placed him on one of the patterned papers matted with white cardstock.  A corner chomper and some brads finish off this adorable addition to the page. 

I also used some popdots to add some dimension.  I love how it stands out on the page.

Banners are in right now so I wanted to include some on my page.  This was the perfect spot to add my title.  Using the same blue and orange paper I made two banners.  The different lengths and widths add some fun to the page.  I also used more brads to tie this area with the embellishment and journaling spot.  I also used both the blue and orange paper in all three spots.  This creates a visual triangle to lead you around the page.   

Here is a closeup of these great Thickers I used for my title.  Both the font and color were just perfect for this page!   

I love how something as simple as a brad can have such a big impact.  I have so many brads and I'm always glad when I use them on a page.  I also used my Gellyroll Stardust pen to add a little sparkle to the orange paper.    

I love to journal on vellum.  Sometimes I'll print journaling on my computer but a lot of times I like to use my own handwriting.  I have a great tip for keeping that journaling straight.  I took a piece of notebook paper and traced all the lines with a black marker using a ruler.

When I want to journal on the vellum I just place it over the lined notebook paper and now my journaling is perfectly straight!

And just because he's so cute here is one last view of that little dinosaur.  Thanks for stopping!!

 

Supplies:

• cardstock- The Paper Studio (Textured Cardstock Brights)
• patterned paper- Little Yellow Bicycle (Babysaurus)
• alphabet stickers- American Crafts Thickers (Kensie Shadow)
• tools- We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper (Stub/Deco)
• pens- American Crafts (Project Life Black 03), Gellyroll (Stardust)
• misc- brads, vellum, popdots

    

Photo Friday- Don't Forget the Details

I had the honor to photograph a joint 40th birthday party last weekend.  The couple wanted some photos to remember their fun time with family and friends.  I was able to get lots of photos of them interacting with their guests and all of the children playing on the playground but I also captured some details for them.  Mostly of the food!  It's so easy to take photos of all the people but even little details like a leaf on the ground or a dripping can of pop can bring back memories of special days.  I see this detail in many wedding photographs now.  Photos of all the little things.  I wish I had more of those from my own wedding!  So the next time you are taking photos at a party don't forget the details, snap a picture of the food, the wrapping paper mess, prizes for a baby shower game, etc.  You'll be glad you did and so will the hosts of the party.  Chances are they were so busy entertaining their guests that they missed out on all of these little details.  Thanks for stopping!

 

Watercolor Floral Birthday Card

I had a challenge last week.  Our family was invited to help some friends celebrate their 40th birthdays.  Of course I had to make them a card but what to do for a couple for a birthday card?  I thought about this for awhile.  I didn't want the card to be too feminine or masculine.  Since he likes gardening I decided I could get away with a floral themed card.  Let me show you what I did.

I looked through my stamps and found this stamp.  Not one I would normally use but it reminds me of a garden and also a great fabric pattern.  I stamped it on watercolor paper using StazOn ink and then colored it using watercolor pencils and a waterbrush.

After I trimmed around the edges of the colored image I inked the edges with Black Soot ink.  I love to ink the edges of things to give them a more finished look.  

I really wanted the emphasis on the floral panel so the rest of the card is fairly simple.  I got out some black cardstock and a wood grain embossing folder to use as a background.  I lightly sanded it just to let a little of the white core show. 

I cut out Happy Birthday using my Cricut and after covering with embossing ink I covered it with white embossing powder to give the sentiment just a little bit of shine.  Because I used dimensional adhesive to attach the floral panel I used some Glossy Accents to attach just the edge of Happy to the panel.  This is a great adhesive for small areas such as this.  

Here is the completed card.  Aside from the watercoloring this card is fairly simple, but I think it has a very dramatic effect.  I love the pop of color against the black and the black woodgrain also helps keep this card from being too feminine.  I hope you enjoyed this card too.  Thanks for stopping!

Supplies:

• cardstock- The Paper Studio (Textured Cardstock Darks), watercolor paper, scraps
• Cricut cartridge- Gypsy Wanderings
• stamp- Tapestry Panel N6018
• ink- Tsukineko (StazOn Jet Black), Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot, Embossing)
• embossing folder- Darice (Wood Grain)
• embossing powder- American Crafts (Zing White)
• misc- Faber-Castell watercolor pencils, Ranger (Glossy Accents), dimensional adhesive, sanding block, waterbrush

Stamped Flower Birthday Card

Where do you find the inspiration for the cards and projects you make?  Sometimes I look in magazines or online and sometimes I need to look no farther than my bathroom cabinet.  Yes, my bathroom cabinet.  The packaging for some Pampers baby wipes was all the inspiration I needed to create this card.  Let me show you how. 

I was using this packaging as inspiration for both my color choices and as my stamping inspiration.  First, I started by getting out some inks in the colors I wanted to use and pulled out stamps that had circles and dots.  I had a lot of these stamps!  That gave me a lot of options to stamp my flowers with. 

I wanted this to be mainly a one layer card so I knew that my sentiment would have to somehow stand out against all of the stamped flowers.  I used some masking paper and stamped a border that my sentiment would fit in.  I cut out the shape and then applied that to my card where I wanted the sentiment to go.  Now it was time to start stamping!

I had this huge circle stamp that I love but I wanted to be able to stamp the outer circles and inner circles in two different colors.  I could have very carefully inked only part of my stamp or if I had stamping markers I could have colored on my stamp.  Both of these seemed too time consuming so I took a different route.  I cut my stamp.  Yes, I cut my stamp.  Did you know you could do that?  I used a sharp razor blade and carefully cut apart my stamp into two stamps.  I now had an inner set of circles and an outer set of circles.  This allowed me be able to stamp the four rows of circles in two different colors very easily!  If I want to use my stamp all as one I just have to put the inner piece back in and the stamp is as good as new. 

I then started stamping!  I used different stamps and colors of ink varying the height of the flowers to cover the front of the card.  I used some post it notes to cover the back of my card so it could lay flat while I stamped.  Some of my stamps were a little blotchy because I hadn't used them before and I should have sanded them a little.  I was on a time crunch though so I just let the whole look of the card be a little more distressed than crisp.  

Once I was happy with my stamping I removed the masking paper.  Now I had the perfect place to put my sentiment!  

I stamped the same shape that was on the masking paper right on the card by lining up the stamp using my Fiskars Stamp Press.  I next got out my Stamp-a-ma-jig and stamped my sentiment inside the border.  I love how it looks like it is standing out from the card but is really at the same level.  So fun!    

I needed one final touch to my card so I got out this little butterfly.  A little stamping, ink, and some gems and it was ready to fly.  This butterfly is in a little stash I keep on my craft table of left over supplies from other projects.  Bits of string, pieces of chipboard, and other cut out items are in a bowl and ready for me to grab.  Why throw it away when it may be perfect for another piece of art!  I attached the butterfly only on the middle with Glossy Accents and lifted it's wings up so it appears to be flying.  A little hand drawn flying trail finishes it off.   

Here is the whole card.  I love how it turned out!  I hope you will look around your home and find some unexpected inspiration.  If you find something great I'd love to hear about it.  Thanks for stopping. 

Supplies:

• stamps- Close To My Heart (Beauty W2007, Star Struck D1237), Recollections (Circle It), Inkadinkado (Circle and Dots), My Minds Eye (Dilly Dally "Adventures" Stamps), Fiskars (Garden Borders), Martha Stewart (Half Labels), Great Impressions (background stamp on butterfly), Stampin' Up! (sentiment)
• ink- Close To My Heart (Baby Pink, Sunkiss Yellow, Key Lime, Heavenly Blue), Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Broken China, Frayed Burlap), Inkadinkado (Cool Pastels Pigment Ink- Sea Green, Aqua)
• tools- Inkadinkado (Stamp-a-ma-jig), Fiskars (Stamp Press), We R Memory Keepers (Corner Chomper 3/8"), Imaginisce (I-Rock)
• misc- Imaginisce (I-Rock gems), Ranger (Glossy Accents)

  

Photo Friday- Cute Country Cousins

I have been waiting forever to get these photos taken.  It all started with this adorable little outfit I bought when I was pregnant with my second child.  It was John Deere colors and so cute.  We didn't know if we would be having a boy or a girl but it was on clearance so it came home with me.  I had visions of my oldest son in a John Deere shirt and the baby in this.  We ended up having a boy so in the closet it sat.  Then we had another boy and another.  I figured this outfit would never get used but then my brother and his wife had a girl.  Needless to say I couldn't wait until she fit into this outfit and we could do this photo shoot!  Luckily everything fell into place over the summer.  So with John Deere hats on heads we headed out to snap some pictures.  Let me just say that trying to get 5 pairs of eyes on you with good looking faces is not the easiest thing.  A couple other cool things about this shoot.  The little rocking chair was made by my grandfather (the kid's great grandfather) and the backdrop is the side of a building my dad (their grandfather) made.  I love all of the family history in these photos.  So here are my favorites from our little session.  I hope you enjoy.  Thanks for stopping.