Blogher Book Club Review: Faithful Place

Hey guys!  Wow, two posts in one day.  I just wanted to pop on here for a minute and let you know that I have a book review up over at Blogher Book Club.  The latest book club selection is called Faithful Place by Tana French.  This book has love, family drama, mystery, suspense as well as a little comedy.  Read my review by clicking here.

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A {Thinking of You} Card...

Hi there!  This is a really late post for me, but I've gotten so much stuff done today that I don't even feel bad about that.  Okay, this little number I made today is just like a card that everyone made (and I fell in love with) at PTI's Stamp-A-Faire.  I changed the layout just a tad by making the card a square and I obviously changed the colors.  

The ribbon that used started off white.  I used a copic marker to color the ribbon so it would coordinate with the Creamsicle Cardigan flowers.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great day!

{Thinking of You}

Stamps: Iconic Images (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: Vintage Cream, Scarlet Jewel, Sweet Blush (PTI)

Ink: Creamsicle Cardigan, Green With Envy, Perfect Little Black Dress, Paint the Town Pink (CSS)

Accessories: Button, Floss, Grosgrain Ribbon (Offray), Edge Distresser

Copic Marker: Y38-Honey 

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Papertrey Ink: August 2011 Blog Hop

Today is the 25th and that means the Papertrey Ink blog hop!  I really debated posting this card.  To be honest, I'm not in love with it.  It's just sort of meh.  This month's challenge was to be inspired by the phot on their blog.  The photo had a summery feel, so that's why I chose to use butterflies and polka dots.  There are smaller polka dots on the yellow panel, but they are hard to since they are stamped in white.

For the sentiment, I used a little trick I picked up at PTI's Stamp-A-Faire, and that was making a banner that didn't fold.  It's just one piece of card stock with "flags" cut on each end and then a smaller rectangle with the sentiment on it popped up on foam adhesive.  Pretty clever, huh?  

Have a great day!

{Hope you're feeling better...}

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits, Polka Dot Basics, Butterfly Kisses (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: Dark Chocolate, Lemon Tart, Lavender Moon, SS White (PTI)

Ink: Vinatege Cream (PTI), Dish All the Dirt Brown, Brown Leather Satchel, VIP Purple (CSS)

Accessories: Spiral Notebook Die (PTI), Corner Rounder Punch, Rhinestones (Michaels), Foam Dimensionals

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A {Let's Chat} Card...

Hey guys!  I have happy card to share with you today featuring one of my favorite colors, Glamazon Green.  Ahh, I just love it.  My card today uses the couch stamp from House Notes II.  I stamped it on the white oval first and then again on Glamazon Green, cutting it out, embossing it and then paper piecing it on the white oval.  I added a little white square button to act as a pillow.  I love that little touch.

If you look closely you can see that I "grounded" the couch by adding a floor.  I used a W3 copic marker and then took a 0 Colorless Blender Copic to make the diagonal lines.   Here's another view:

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out today's card.  I hope you are all having a great start to your week.  So far so good here.  See you all tomorrow!

{Let's Chat}

Stamps: House Notes II (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Kraft Like A Rockstar, Glamazon Green, A Blanc Check (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress (CSS)

Accessories: Labels 9 Nesties (Spellbinders), Oval Nesties (Spellbinders), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Birds & Swirls Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Button, Floss, Foam Dimensionals

Copic Markers: W3, 0

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A {Thank you for your kindness} Card...

 Hello & Happy Friday!!!  I'm happy to report that I survived the first "week" of school.  I'm starting to feel better about the whole thing and getting used to the idea of the kids being gone all day.  I actually miss them, which is something I don't get to feel very much in the summer when I'm with them 24/7.

This is a fun little card I threw together today, right after I ran on the treadmill (nice how I slipped that in there! I haven't been on the treadmill in months, but it feels so good to have that first workout out of the way).  Anyway, where was I? Oh, I made this card and I sewed again.  My little trick is working great and I can hopefully record a little video of that over the weekend.  

This card has lots of dimension and is a little bottom-heavy.  But I like how it turned out.  A happy little card.  

I thought I would share a couple pics of my kiddos on their first day of school.

I can't believe I have a 1st grader and a 3rd grader.  Time flies!

Well, I hope you all have a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!!!

{Thank You}

Stamps: Iconic Images (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: Kraft, Vintage Cream (PTI)

Patterned Paper: Hattie (My Mind's Eye)

Ink: Your Style Blue Me Away (CSS)

Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch, Flower Punch (Paper Shapers), Circle Punch (SU), Button, Floss, Sewing Machine & Thread, Glue Dots

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A {Thinking of You Today & Always} Card...

Hello there!  Look at me, posting before noon!  The kids are back to school and I am filled with mixed emotions.  They were so ready to go back to school and I thought I was ready for that too.  This is the first year that they will both be gone all day.  I have a list a mile long of things I want to do and accomplish, but I'm just feeling like I'm having an identity crisis this morning.  I did feel better make this card for one of my besties.  She is having a rough day today too.  I love making cards with a particular person in mind.

I'm loving this card for two reasons.  I broke out my sewing machine (because I'm going to attempt to hem my Mom's curtains) and I sewed in a straight line.  I think I even learned something.  If it continues to work for me, I'll share that tip with you later.  The other thing is the ribbon.  I really love those knots.  I don't really know where the idea came from, but I loved that it worked.

Are you all enjoying these larger photos?  I was playing abound with the html the other day and figured it out. I'll hopefully be working on a new banner soon.  I have plans, big plans.  Just hope I don't screw anything up and delete my blog by accident!  That would be a rough day.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Have a great day!

{Thinking of You Today & Always}

Stamps: Iconic Images (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar, A Blanc Check, Paint the Town Pink (CSS)

Ink: Simply Blue-tiful, Paint the Town Pink, Green With Envy (CSS)

Accessories: Edge Distresser, Sewing Machine & Thread, Corner Rounder Punch, Oval Nesties (Spellbinders), Foam Dimensionals, Ribbon (Offray), Stamping Sponge

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Clear & Simple Stamps: App Sneak Peek...

Hey guys!  I took a little bit of a blogging break, but I hope to be back in full force soon.  My kiddos are going back to school tomorrow and I can finally start to have a daily routine again.  I have really neglected running (although I'm still doing great with my healthy eating- 8+ weeks eating plant based).  Anyway, I am a creature of habit and can't wait to get back in the swing of things, although I will miss my kids dearly, they are ready to go back.  


Anyway, I have a really cute card featured on the Clear & Simple Stamps App for the iPhone today.  So if you've come here looking for some inspiration, that's where it's at today :)

For more info about the app, click here.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  See you all soon!

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Clear & Simple Stamps: Group Project

Hello!  Today is our group project day at Clear & Simple Stamps!!!  This time we are using the new SOTM: House Notes II on things around the house (for instance coasters, message board, mini notepad for phone messages, magnets, guest towels, etc).  

We received some coasters as a wedding favor, and it was really sweet.  But, I took them apart and put a new picture in it.  I used the chair image from House Notes II and paper pieced it with some fun patterned paper for the chair cushions.     

Here are all four of them.  Click on the photo to see it larger.  


I hope you'll stop by the Clear & Simple Stamps Blog to see all the design team creations.  You are sure to be inspired by those talented ladies!

Have a great day!

{Relax Coasters}

Stamps: House Notes II (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: On the Catwalk Cream (CSS)

Patterned Paper: Gertie (My Mind's Eye)

Ink: Dish All the Dirt Brown, Simply Blue-tiful (CSS)

Accessories: Glass Coasters, Scissors, Floss

Copic Marker: W5 

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A {Thinking of You} Card...

I think this is the first card I'm sharing using the new limited edition stamp set that I received at the PTI Stamp-A-Faire.  This set is full of iconic images like the silhouette I used on my card.  I also love that this set includes a few larger than normal sentiments.  


I masked the center of the card with a square post-it note, stamped the text, then outlined the pot-it note with pencil to create a frame.  I removed the post-it note and stamped the silhouette and sentiment.  The finishing touches are the rhinestones and the floss.

Have a wonderful weekend!

{Thinking of You}

Stamps: Iconic Images, Text Style (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: Vintage Cream (PTI)

Ink: Coral Necklace, Dish All the Dirt Brown, Brown Leather Satchel (CSS)

Accessories: Brown Floss, Rhinestones, Pencil

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A {Thank You} Card...

This was such a simple card to make.  I discovered that these two dies (top note and labels 9) really fit together well.  I just had to use them on a card.

My wreath is stamped using two colors of green for the berries.  Green berries don't really make sense on a wreath, but papercrafting doesn't have to make sense, right?  I think the buttons really make this card, it gives it a finished look.


Well, that all for me today folks!  Today's going to be a catch-up day.  I'm way behind on quite a few things.  


Have a great day!

{Thank You}

Stamps: Wreath for all Seasons, Signature Greetings (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: A Clean Slate, A Blanc Check, Kraft Like a Rockstar (CSS)

Ink: Glamazon Green, A Clean Slate, Dish All the Dirt Brown (CSS)

Accessories: Top Note Die (SU), Labels 9 Die (Spellbinders). Buttons, Floss

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A {Have a Fabulous Day} Card...

Hello there!  The card I'm sharing today is one that I made at the PTI Stamp-a-Faire.  I started with a kraft card base and then cut a rectangle of berry sorbet card stock slightly smaller than the card base.  I used that panel to layer the scallops on.  I started from the bottom adhering the strips of scallops, overlapping them and shifting the scallops so they were offset.  When I was finished, I trimmed the edges.


The gems that go across the top are a new product that I bought at Michaels (they are the Recollections brand) called Bling on a Roll.  They come on a roll just like they are seen on my card.  They are hard to cut apart and are meant to be used in a line.  

When my card was finished I lifted up each scallop to add some dimension.  I used pti card stock and that paper is really thick.  You can see that I didn't get the cleanest cut on my scallops.

Have a great day!

{Hope Your Day is Fabulous}

Stamps: Signature Greetings (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: Kraft, Spring Rain, Ripe Avocado, Terracotta Tile, Orange Zest, Berry Sorbet (PTI)

Ink: Your Style Blue Me Away (CSS)

Accessories: Bling on a Roll (Michaels), Corner Rounder Punch, Scallop Edge Punch (SU)

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Clear & Simple Stamps: August 2011 Release

Can you believe it's August all ready?  School will be starting in  just a few weeks for my kiddos.  Since it's the first of the month, you know what that means, a brand new set from Clear & Simple Stamps!!!  This set is called House Notes II (it coordinates with House Notes) and is my current obsession.  I am addicted to paper piecing that couch.  

This is the first card I made with House Notes II.  I chose patterned paper for the couch that actually looks like a design you would find on a couch.  I think that's my favorite part.  Before I paper pieced the couch, I stamped the image on kraft and outlined it with a gray copic marker.  It's hard to see but it really makes the image pop off the page.  With the sentiment "your couch awaits," I think this would be a great retirement card.

For the text strip on the side, I took one of the sentiment stamps and stamped it repeatedly moving it around a bit.  

Make sure you check out the Clear & Simple Stamps Blog to see all the Design Team creations.  They never disappoint.

Thanks so much for dropping by!  Have a fantastic day!!!

{Your Couch Awaits}

Stamps: House Notes II (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Perfect Little Black Dress, Kraft Like A RockStar (CSS)

Patterned Paper: Hattie (My Mind's Eye)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress (CSS)

Accessories: Foam Dimensionals, Corner Rounder Punch, Stamping Sponge, 

Copic Markers: W3 (Warm Gray) 

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