Happy Admin Assistants Day!!

For the record, I think that my department has the best admin assistant ever! Here is the thank you card that I made for her to let her know just how much we appreciate ALL that she does for us. I am so very proud of how this card turned out!! The paper clip keeps the file folder closed....

Then when you remove the paper clip and open the file folder, there is a greeting inside! The background and the little ruler are from the 2-sided Designer Paper Notations (Spring Mini). I punched the notebook paper border with the Sprial Punch (also from the Spring Mini). The file folder is from the Pockets & Pieces die cut set. I used a handful of retired stamp sets (So Very, Think Big, Simple Type Alphabet) in addition to Office Accoutrement and Much Appreciated. And to finish off the card, ribbon of course!


Hopefully I'll have more pics to post this week. I'm almost finished with the little blog-projects that I want to show you all!! Thanks for visiting!

I Cuttled in My Craft Room All Weekend!

No, that isn't a type-o...and no, I didn't spend the weekend huggin' on the hubby in my craft room! I finally got to sit down and play with my Cuttlebug! The embossing folders are my favorite, if you couldn't tell...Here are some of the projects that I came up with:

This card was CASE'd from a card designed by Debbie Olson. I used the textile embossing folder to emboss the background and then I rubbed chalk over the raised areas for a little bit of definition. I used the Coluzzle to cut out the oval and then roughed up the edges with a pair of dull scissors (because lately it seems like everything needs to be distressed - at least a little!) The flowers and the sentiment are from the Sell-A-Bration stamp set called Happy Harmony.

I used a similar layout and design for this card, too. I used the textile embossing folder to emboss the background of the card front. On this one, I used PearlEx powder instead of chalk to a little added definition and shimmer. This was also CASE'd from a card I saw on SCS. Before I brushed the PearlEx over the card, I lightly rubbed a VersaMark pad over the raised image. This helps the PearlEx stick to the card. I found these great button brads at Michael's (shhh - don't tell). I think it makes a fabulous embellishment when paired with a piece of wide grosgrain ribbon! The vintage baby buggy is from one of my favorite baby sets, Buggies & Booties.

This card didn't turn out as I had planned - I think there is a bit too much negative space on the Whisper White. Maybe with a different flower image, this would look much better. Truthfully, if I hadn't spent 10 minutes cutting the blades of grass, I probably would have scrapped the idea all together. But, hey, I started the card I might as well finish it! Right?? The dots embossing folder coordinates perfectly with little pieces - so I used 3 of the images to stamp my "flower" blooms. I pierced the Whisper White cardstock and then used my Green Galore Stampin' Write Marker for the faux stitching/flower stems. I finally inked up Riveting for the greeting - I thought that it would go well with the whole circle theme. I've ordered the Big Blooms stamp set out of the Spring Mini, so once that gets here I may try this one again!

I had started this card at an in-home workshop...this was the perfect time to finish it! I used the Rough Texture jumbo wheel to wheel the background. Then I stamped the flower image from Petal Prints in VersaMark and chalked it. The ribbon tag is a Cuttlebug die - its sized perfectly for Circle of Friendship! Add a little narrow organdy ribbon and the card is complete!

And last, but not least, my favorite card of the bunch. This one was cased from a similar card on SCS. The background is first embossed with the swirls embossing folder. Then, using the direct to paper technique, I rubbed my Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin' Pad over the embossed image. I used the slit punch for my scalloped border. The heart image is stamped on to Very Vanilla, then cut out and popped up with a dimensional. The greeting on the inside says "Sending you Warm Wishes". Love, love, LOVE! I just wish I could take the credit for the original design!

I hope these projects were well worth the wait! I already have a few more that I'm working on for next week. In addition to these projects, I hope to be adding another tutorial! Thanks for being so patient!!

PS - Feel free to leave comments or ask questions - Just click on Comments beneath the post you'd like to comment on! If its a question about a technique or a project, I'll try to get back to you promptly!!

Happy Easter!

Well...its been a crazy week...and it looks like the goal of updating my blog at least twice a week may have been a little ambitious. I'm trying though! Don't give up on me yet!!

I couldn't let all of you get away for the holiday weekend without showing you my Easter card. Let me start off my saying, the card I had planned was much more fabulous than this one...but like I said, it was a crazy week and life just got in the way of stamping! Don'tcha hate when that happens?!? Instead I went with a simple layout that would be easy to mass produce. I'm saving my more fabulous card layout idea for Mother's Day...so don't worry, you'll see it soon!

Anyway, here is my Easter card! I'm in love with the long open end envelopes, so I wanted to do a long card for Easter. I used Cool Caribbean as the card and Certainly Celery as a mat for the Whisper White front. I spelled out Easter with the Big Deal alphabet (love it!) and used "happy" from the So Very SAB stamp set. Then I used Little Pieces to create a background. Since I'm on a "No Naked Envelopes" kick, I also used Little Pieces to decorate my envelope!

Notice anything new? (Hint: Bottom right corner) Its my new watermark. I tried and tried to do a cute watermark in Photoshop Elements but I just wasn't happy with what I came up with...so I went to a pro! Beth Silaika makes FABULOUS watermarks - and her prices are so reasonable! Check out her blog!!! http://freckledfundesigns.blogspot.com/

I'll be spending part of the holiday weekend crafting, so hopefully I'll have more for you on Monday!! Till then...have a BLESSED Easter weekend. :)