Masculine Birthday Card - 3

One more card to share.  This one is using My Creative Time's Bingo stamp.  It came out cute.  The star is a cutout using a Fiskars punch.  :)  the sentiment inside is from My Pink Stamper.

Have a great day!

You Rock!

I made this card using My Mind's Eye Lemon Twist.  I love the quality of this paper.  It's double sided.  Totally love it!!!The sentiment is My Creative Time.

Masculine Birthday card - 2

So, I'm still on the quest for a great masculine card.  I was inspired by a Sunny Stampin blogger.  You can check her out by clicking Andrea Walford.  She created a card very similar to this one. I used My Mind's Eye Lemon Twist Designer Paper and Stampin Up.  The sentiment is from my computer on MSWord. I think it came out pretty.  The ribbon is from We Are Memory Keepers.  I will tell you, it took me a little bit to get the flags to line up and the picks to adhere properly.

After taking the picture, I noticed that my ribbon was crooked, so I'll take care of that.  Also, I have a Pixie.  My BFF came over to take a look at it and showed me how to properly run it...the tension was too tight.  So, I will venture out into sewing onto cards.  I've always wanted to do that. :)

Have a great day everyone!

this card is very pretty.  The pictures don't do it justice.

Masculine Birthday Card-1

Hi friends!

A friend asked me to make a card for a gentleman.  I have to tell you...this was a hard one...and I'll be making three more to let her choose from, but I did want to share what I had done so far.

I was inspired by a card in the SU Idea Book page 142, so I had to try it out.

I used Stampin Up Soft Suede as the card base.
The designer paper is from My Mind's Eye (I bought it on ebay and I am not convinced it's MME...it's very thin)
The sentiment is on Very Vanilla by Stampin Up from the stamp set "Congrats".  I used Lucky Limeaid.
The rust element is Cajun Craze (I think...Norma...where are you???) and I put it through the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embosser just for fun.
The floss is from Iris in a gold color.
The three little semi circles are 1 1/2" circles cut from different designer papers and folded in half and hung over the floss.
I didn't want the vanilla to just be flat...so I put it on dimensionals and lifted it some.

I kind of like this card.  What do you think?

Christmas Wreath

Hi friends,

I can't believe it.  Three posts in one week.  That's a record for me!

I have been eyeing a card on Lorri's blog Confessions of a Stamping Addict.  I didn't look at the card just before making it...I just decided to sit here and make one.  Like I've said before, "Crafting is my therapy" and when I want to disconnect and unwind I come into my crafting wall (because I only have a wall) and I always feel better.

So...my card base is PTI Pure Poppy (beautiful color).  The door and wreath are both Recollections.  I used a 2" scalloped circle with a 1 1/8" circle for the hole in the wreath.  The larger scallop is 3" and I used a 1 1/2" circle for its hole.  I took my chalk pastels and added a little dimension to both the wreath and the panels in the door.  I also used a bronze brad for the doorknob.

I did not recreate the interior of this card like Lorri's, although I do plan on doing so for my own cards.  I really love this card.  It is very pretty.  I added stickles to mine. In fact, I made several wreaths and no two are alike.  Some have diamond stickles and others have red, red & blue, and others are plain.  I think that's the beauty of a hand made card - no two are the same...and they are never "perfect".

I can't wait to make some more of these.  Goodnight!!

I just saw the adhesive peeking out of the bottom panel - problem has been solved with a little eraser!

Wreath is popped up on dimensionals.  I wish you could see the shading.  It's so pretty!

My Creative Time DT Call

Hi everyone!

If you knew what kind of day I've had...well...to make a long story short, my little one, Bryan (6) has been under the weather.  When I took him to the doctor today I was told he has pneumonia.  Yes...pneumonia.  So, we are taking extra special care of him.

Tonight I'm going out on a limb.  I have only recently discovered Emma at My Creative Time.  She truly has a great product.  I have four different sets (dies and stamps) and the quality is great.  The best part is that she is very quick to help.  The first time I purchased a set from her, she sent me a link to a video so that I could learn how to use them.  She's really awesome.

That said...she's having a call for design team members.  I decided, "hey, why not?"  If she doesn't select me, I'm still going to love her stamps and will keep buying trying to improve.  As a stress relief, I sat at my desk tonight and came up with a Thanksgiving card.  I love Thanksgiving.  This was my dad's holiday.  He was always in charge of the turkey.  As long as I can remember, I would stay at mom's house to smell the turkey in the oven and watch the parade.  Those days are gone now, but I hope that this year (only the second one without him), we will start new traditions and honor the ones he set for us.

Without further adieu, here's my little turkey using My Creative Time's Small Talk set.  Check out her store HERE.

WOW I just noticed my dad's picture in the background from Thanksgiving 1996 or so...wearing his chef hat.  Miss him!

Recipe:
Turkey cut at 3.5" from Simply Charmed using Stampin Up
Base is Recollections ivory
Layer 1 is Sahara Sand from Stampin Up
Layer 2 is from DCWV
ink - Stampin Up Chocolate Chip (I always gravitate to this one)
gold gel pen for the squiggly lines
Cinnamon Stickles on turkey feathers
I also used a Fiskers corner rounder

I sure hope you've enjoyed this card.  Brought back great memories for me.

Guest Designer Lala-Palooza : Havana Nights Party Centerpiece

I am thrilled and honored to be a Guest Designer for Alex today at You Had Me @ Craft.  Let me tell you that from the day I found Alex, I have been hooked.  I read her blog often and check it several times a week.  She is such an inspiration to me.  The best part is she's Cuban just like me!!!!  I love my heritage and my Latin flavor and am thrilled to share it with someone as special as Alex is.

My project is a centerpiece for a Havana Nights Surprise birthday party for my cousin who turned 40 last month.  This was a fun and easy centerpiece to make and I am blessed to have a secret weapon - my BFF, Marisol!  She is the Martha Stewart in my life and she makes all things possible with a little glue. :)

Materials:

• straw hats (I purchased them on ebay for next to nothing)
• Plant of choice - we used Lavender Flower Spikes because the leaves look like areca palms...and they were only $2 at Lowe's.  
• Linen paper for the guayabera shirts (I'll show you how to fold them)
• Cuttlebug embossing folders (small strip sized ones)
• Bamboo skewers
• burlap bags - we had them ordered at a Cuban store here in Miami.  They were even personalized.  We paid $6 for a package of 12.  One package says Sugar and the other says Coffee. 
• Cigar boxes - we went to a local cigar shop and had them donate them.  We don't smoke, but it was a good theme. We will also put Dominoes down on the tables for interest and will be wrapping small espresso cups and saucers with coffee candy inside them in cellophane paper as favors.  Fun!
• Paper bags (lunch size 5 3/8" x 3 1/8")
• jute twine
• Ziploc Bags 
• Glue Gun

Step one was to make sure that the pots were placed into Ziploc bags so the moisture wouldn't destroy the paper bag.

Place the plant inside the paper bag and wrap a piece of jute twine around it .
 

UPDATE: Click HERE to watch a tutorial on how to make this shirt

Build A Banner

Hi friends,

My son was invited to a birthday party today for a sweet little girl named Alexia.  I wanted this to be a special card.  Bryan is so excited to have been invited.

I used My Creative Time's Build a Banner set, which I love.  The base is Papertrey Ink.  The patterned paper is all from JoAnns, from several different companies.  The background paper is beautiful and is double sided.   On the pink bursts, I used Smooch Spritz that I ordered from Stampin Up a while back and had never used.  I had really pretty glittery cardstock, but the pink didn't match, so I thought I could use that technique and it came out really pretty.  I still don't have an alphabet stamp (I just ordered one) so I used Rubons.

The dimensions are 8 1/2 x 3 1/2 and I'm using a regular #10 envelope.

I'm sure he's going to have a ball with his friends!

Have a great Saturday everyone!!

Pumpkin Carving

Hi Friends,

I have a couple of cards to share, but they aren't ready yet.  So....I wanted to share our pumpkin carving night.  I am a Disney fan.  Each year, we carve our pumpkin to look like Mickey.  I hope you like.

Pumpkin carving is hard work.  Had to call in the big guns!

Lizzie Turns 12!

Good morning friends,

My niece and Goddaughtter, Elizabeth, is turning 12 on Sunday.  TWELVE!  Where has the time gone?  She is a beautiful, kind-hearted, sweet-spirited young woman.  She truly is beautiful both inside and out.

She is not having a birthday party this year. Instead, my sister and brother-in-law asked her where she wanted to go and she chose EPCOT. So, they're off to Orlando today.   (This is where I pout for a second because it is, after all, the Happiest Place on Earth!...okay. I'm over it).   So, I bought her a Disney gift card and made her a very simple card.  Almost too simple.

I used Stampin Up Designer Paper and the butterflies are cut at 1.5" from Gypsy Wanderings.  Of course, I had to use Stickles in Lavender.  The sentiment is from PaperTrey Ink and the ink is really poor quality ink from Scrappy Cat. I bought it for very little...it was probably dried out.  I am sure she's going to have a great time at EPCOT and will remember this birthday for years to come.

Happy Birthday, my Lizzie!!!!

Bird Houses

Good morning friends!

My friend, Arlene just moved in to a new little apartment.  I wanted to remind her that home is where she and Mike can be together.  The place is irrelevant.

I saw this card in Cricut Magazine (April/May 2011, page 43 by Jennifer Gallacher) and decided to put my own little spin to it.  The dimensions in the magazine are different, so I used a standard A2 size.

The cuts are from Winter Frolic (branch and birdhouse is 3 1/2 and cloud is Create a Critter at 3" .  Paper is all Stampin Up.  I didn't use a sentiment.  I just put A&M on the little heart at the entrance to the birdhouse.

The cloud swirls are from the Cuttlebug Divine Swirls folder.

Have a great day!

I used Stampin UP Pastels to ink around the edges so it wouldn't look so flat.

Fall Banner

Hi friends!
It's a rainy rainy rainy rainy rainy day here in Miami.  In fact...discovered a leaky roof in my bedroom last night.  Unfortunately, the water is landing right on top of my bed.  Not a happy girl.  Well...we will pray for brighter days and for the roof to hold up.

I made a banner to hang in the office.  I have to admit that I had to do some engineering corrections to it because  I had tied it together in the middle, but it was not working out when hanging.  To fix that problem, I used the acorns and maple leaves to hold the panels together.  Putting it away is going to be a challenge, but it's small and I'm sure we'll find a good place for it.

I mostly used Stampin' Up and Papertrey Ink paper.  The designer paper in green gingham is My Mind's Eye and the letters are Heidi Grace Designs.  The flip side of that paper is Halloween themed, but I loved the stripes so I went with it.  The little cinnamon color ribbon (believe it or not) is left over from my wedding NINE YEARS AGO.  Wow...I can't believe I still had some.  Actually, I can totally believe it.

Anyhow, I used Create a Critter and Storybook for this little banner.  I sure hope you like it.

Have a great weekend.

I used Stampin Up Pastels to add some depth to the acorns and Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder

My colored pencils did wonders to these leaves. I also used the Stampin Up pastels to add some color
 and so they would look less flat.

That acorn on top is holding both panels together.  
I also used Dimensionals to pop the letters up.

A card for a cowgirl

Hi friends,

We're still celebrating Bella's third birthday.  I created this cute card to celebrate her.  I need to share that Bella is not really a cowgirl type, but more like a pageant queen type.  I'll ask her mom if it's okay to post pictures of her on this blog and you'll see what I mean.  She is gorgeous.  The perfect little beauty queen face.

I created this cowgirl using the Paperdoll Dress Up cut at 3.5".  The jute cord gives it that country western look that I wanted.  I forgot to cut boots, so I eyeballed it and cut my own...I'm cuban, not cowgirl, so I had no idea what I was doing.  Regardless, though, it came out pretty good, don't you think?

The sentiment is My Pink Stamper and the ink is chocolate chip by Stampin Up (so are the butterflies).

This is Isabella.  She calls me Her Coco!  

Have a great day!!

Cowgirl Banner

Hi friends,

My great niece is turning 3!  Her mommy asked me to make her a banner for her cowgirl western party this weekend.  I created it and added embellishments with jute cord.  I love this banner.  The horse is from Create a Critter cart.  The stars were handsewn and made with a Martha Stewart star punch.  I used stickles as well.  The paisley design is a stamp from Pink by Design.  On the horse panels, I heat embossed it and on the red panels I used snow white ink from Papertrey Ink.  The base is all kraft cardstock.

I sure hope Isabella likes her banner!