Baby's First Photo ...

Yay, it's Friday! Hope you have lots of fun stuff planned for your weekend!

Today's card project was created using a "frame" I created with card stock, the track of a paper trimmer, and a bone folder. Once made, I distressed it and sponged on a variety of Distress inks.

I framed my stamped image, added some die-cuts, leaf punchies, a twill ribbon, a felt bird, and a Prima flower. I'll add the sentiment to the inside later ... when I figure out how I'll use this card!

For all the heart-pounding deets, check out the supply list, below.

So last night, Sheila and I went out for our 'dessert and monthly meet up' with some of our friends.

'Cuz Sheila's DH was out on a glass job, Reid-the-Wild-Child had to come with us.

When we arrived, Sheila plopped him down in a chair and gave him some pencils, crayons, and paper to draw on. And strict instructions to pipe down and mind his own business.

After dessert and a milkshake, Reid piped down and got busy ... drawing pictures of all us.

We "oooohhhhh'ed and ahhhhhh'ed" over each of our likenesses as he finished them. Finally, he turned to our friend Barb, who's just the weensiest l'il bit overweight, and said, "Here ya go, Aunt Barb, here's you!"

Barb reached across the table to have a look at it and said, "Hey, that's great, Reid! You made me look so tall and slim."

"Yeah, I know," he said, "but I was running out of paper."

Hope you're weekend is full of cake and milkshakes!

~Hugs,

• Card Stock: Bazzill Basics Textured Card Stock; "Dark Chocolate" Card Stock by Papertrey Ink; "Very Vanilla" Card Stock by Stampin' Up!
• Stamp: Diva Impressions
• Ink: "Old Paper," "Antique Lace," "Vintage Photo," Distress Inks by Ranger; "Chocolate Chip" Dye Ink by Stampin' Up!
• Accessories: 3/8" Twill Ribbon, Unknown; Felt Bird by Maya Road; Black Pearl by Mark Richards; Flower by Prima
• Tools: 12" Paper Cutter; Bone Folder; Sharp Scissors for Distressing Edges by EK Success; Die-Cut Machine; Shapeabilities Flourish Die by Spellbinders; Rock Fern Punch by Punch Bunch; Pine Branch Punch by McGill; Sanding Block; Scotch ATG 714 Adhesive; The Ultimate Glue by Api
• Finished Size: 4 7/8" x 5 3/8"
  

Earth Laughs in Flowers?

Hello, my wonderful stampin' friends! I've missed all of you bunches ... and the rest of the Internet ... and email service and stuff.

Due to worthless Comcast circumstances beyond my control, I haven't been able to post to my blog OR respond to comments and emails. I apologize in arrears ... I can double-back on the post comments, but if you've emailed me, oops! Please resend.

I promise to get around to all of your blogs as soon as possible to see all the beauteousness y'all been creating while I was incommunicado.

Today's belated card project was created for SCS's "Sketch Challenge," SC231 ... right in time for this week's sketch! For all the challenging deets, including a look at the sketch I followed, clicky HERE. To go straight to the SC231 card photo gallery, clicky HERE. To see the ginormous view of my card, just clicky there on my photo.

So, one of the kewl things I wanted to mention to all of you is that Janlynn, the makers of Stamps Happen craft stamps, is having a HUGE sale!! And I do mean huge! The prices, 80% off!, are phenomenal and the items on sale are all paper-crafting-must-haves. You need to race over there right. now. and check out all the sale-priced goodies. Sale ends on June 14, 2009. Clicky HERE to check it out.

I'm gonna hustle over there myself and fill up a cart ... provided I don't lose the Internet between now and then ...

And now, your Sheila-fix for June 10th:

So, this past Sunday while I was hangin' out with Sheila enjoying her donuts company, her DH, Ken, was sitting opposite us, reading the paper.

He came across an article about a beautiful actress that was about to marry a celebrity ... who was known primarily for his lack of smarts and common sense.

"I'll never understand why the biggest idiots get the most attractive wives." Ken said.

"Why, thank you, dear!" Sheila responded.

And that's when I left. But I'll be back tomorrow ... the mediocre-Comcast willin'!

~Hugs,

• Card Stock: "Stampers Select" White by Papertrey Ink
• Designer Paper: "Bali Breeze" Collection (Retired) by Stampin' Up!
• Stamps: Sentiment from "Make My Day" Set by Close to My Heart
• Ink: "Cote d'Azure" Hybrid Ink by Stewart Superior
• Accessories: Pearl Rhinestones by Michaels
• Tools: Die Cut Machine; Nestabilities Dies by Spellbinders; Shapeabilities Die by Spellbinders; Pine Bough Punch by McGill; Tag Maker by Making Memories
• Finished Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
  

O, Joy. A Joyful Card Opening Technique ...

Does anyone have any idea why this card is called a "Joy Fold" card? I mean, it was fun and all, but fell w-a-y short of being a "joy." Successfully completed childbirth is a "joy." This was more like a "not unpleasant" card fold ...

You can find the joyous directions for this card on Splitcoast Stampers. Click HERE for all the joyful deets.

The top photo shows a full frontal; oh, joy!

This ^ is the partially-open-joyful-view.

There are a variety of different ways you can create the closure for this joyful card; I used BasicGrey magnetic closure snaps. The round silver object you see on the left is one piece of the said magnetic snap closure set.

TIP: To easily match up your magnetic snaps, attach one to your card stock in the desired position. Attach the second magnet to the first, and mark the back of the second magnet with chalk or a charcoal pencil, then close. The chalk or charcoal will leave a faint mark on the exact position where the second magnet should be adhered.

FUN FACT: Snappin' this card closed IS a joy! The fun is only achieved by using magnetic snaps, though ...



Joyous semi-interior view ^.




Joyous full interior view ^. The round silver disc you see on the right is the other piece of the magnetic snap closure set.

I created my "Joy Fold" card using "Blue Bayou" card stock from Stampin' Up!; the DP is from Daisy D.

My sentiment was stamped with Brilliance ink and cut with a die from Spellbinder's "Ribbon Tags" collection, then threaded with grosgrain ribbon and mounted on dimensionals.

Oh Joy.

Hey, quick question: Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Isn't it just stale bread to begin with? Food for thought ...

Anyway ... thanks so much for spending part of your busy day with me!

~Hugs,

• Card Stock: "Blue Bayou" by Stampin' Up!
• Designer Paper: Daisy D's Paper Company
• Stamp: "Simple Little Things" by Papertrey Ink
• Ink: "Graphite Black" Brilliance by Tsukineko
• Accessories: Magnetic Closure Snaps by BasicGrey; Grosgrain Ribbon; Derwent Charcoal Pencil
• Tools: Die-Cut Machine; Ribbon Tag Die by Spellbinder's; Scrap Fusion PA; Black Dimensionals
  

PS: I've added more stamps, stamping magazines, and kewl stamp catalogs to my eBay store inventory. Most auctions are starting at just .99 with low shipping; click HERE to go to my store and see if you can find a treasure or three. Now THIS is joy!

Just Because ... I Wanted To

Happy Wednesday, K-Mart shoppers! Sorry; I don't know where that came from ...

Today's card project was created 'just because' I felt like it ... no, I kid! This card was created for Sharon's "Stamp Simply" challenge. This week, Sharon challenged us to create a card using 1.) a flower; and, b.) the color purple. And so I did. Both.

I stamped my flourish, from Pink Cat Studio, on my card stock base using "Royal Purple" Staz-On ink, then created some flowers using card stock and craft punches. I added some gold rhinestone-like thingies for the centers.

My sentiment was also stamped in royal purple ink on DCWV card stock, then cut in the 'Bug using a die from Spellbinder's Shapeabilities "Ribbon Trio Tags." I added some yellow grosgrain ribbon, and tah dah!

Normally, I credit the various stamp manufacturers right on my image, but for some crazy reason, my image editing program won't allow me to today. I'm hoping this is just a temporary thang, but who knows ... and I don't want to reinstall 'cuz I'll lose dozens of really kewl plug-ins. Anyway, the stamps I used in this project are copyright to Pink Cat Studio (the flourish), and Cornish Heritage Farms (the sentiment).

Thanks so much for sharing part of your busy day with me!

~Hugs,