Birthday's Birthdays Everywhere

I've had several birthdays recently...and I ACTUALLY sent out the cards...so impressed with myself! Here are a few rushed BD cards...they were bright and fun. I was just playing with some paper...not sure if I like these results or not...but thought I would post them as I haven't really been stamping lately.

Can you tell I totally *heart* my cuttlebug embossing folders? I can't seem to stop using them. I used the Happy Birthday Embossing folder, some patterned paper from DCWV Stack 3...my Giga scallop punch...Love my punch! And a TAC GWP Happy Birthday stamp. Pretty simple, but I think they look okay.

Some upcoming things are, a Card Holder that SANDY1955 from SCS was kind enough to share the instructions to. And the absolutely cutest Baby Card for my friend that is having a baby...and I can't post it until she gets it! So some good stuff coming up!

A very sad day for me....

a good family friend from my childhood died. Now he was 80 and lived life to the fullest so although I'm sad...I know he is happy. How can I explain Galba...he was a dreamer that pulled you into his dreams...even the biggest cynic couldn't help but see the dream. He was a friend of my dads...his family lived in NYState and worked in NJ where I grew up. We very occasionally saw each other...once a year the Easter Dinner at Germana's an Italian Restaurant in NY State...yes every year we all (the NJ Italians) would travel 2 hours to Upstate NY to eat a wonderful Pasqua dinner at Germana's. In between courses was dancing to a band with an accordion...us kids would run wild outside feeding grass to the chickens, climbing trees and playing ping pong. It was where I learned to waltz...myself and my 'NYState friend' Michelle would practice in the ladies room, so we could get it right before going outside and trying it out in 'public'. Where does Galba and his family fit into all this? Well Ricky his son played the accordion in the band...and Galba owned a farm a few miles away...as a complete farm/animal nut I would occasionally have the opportunity to hang out with the Manganini's. It was heaven...they had pigs, grapes, chickens and a horse. Their daughter, Marlene used to let me sit on her horse...and Ricky patiently let me help out with all the chores...I loved it. They even had hunting dogs, a German Shorthaired pointer...Max and Toby an springer spaniel...that would fetch rocks for hours...okay until Galba would tell me not to throw rocks because it would chip their teeth...oops! What did I know...I grew-up 30 minutes outside NYC!!!

Galba was my buddy...we would walk, go to the pond...and he would always snooze in the afternoon...begging me to massage his tired shoulders (cuz he worked so hard)! Wherever he was, it was fun. When Germana's closed down, he built an addition onto his garage/workshop and began serving meals on his farm...afterall, how hard could it be. He already made wine, all his own salami, proscuitto and capricolla (handy when you raise pigs) Everyone thought he was crazy...but he built the classiest place...a European showpiece, with GREAT homemade food...and I mean they make the pasta that gets formed into the tortellini, and the broth and well everything...alot of work but an amazing dinner...the best one outside of Italy. He got his brother a famous painter to paint some murals in the dining area...even a nude...which horrified a few people, but Galba stuck to his guns (and it is beautiful). He hand cut the wood for the balcony to resemble the Tyrol Houses from Italy as well as a gorgeous wood bar...no detail was missed.

It is so sad to see him pass, but at least I am lucky, I get to visit Magnanini Winery, drink the wines Galba envisioned (but his son worked hard to bring to life) and see his ghost around the dining hall in all those touches that were just him! If you are ever in NYState...you should definitely make a trip...and eat the food.

Magnanin Winery
Walkill, NY


And now finally for the card...not sure which one I'll send...I truly hate making sympathy cards and unfortunately it shows.

Which do you like the better?

The Brown Roses Card or The Black Roses Card

Baby Boom!!!

Okay it seems like today I found out everyone is having babies...except me. Don't worry I'm not even trying, but somehow when I see or hear about a precious little one...I want another! But as my husband says...the two we have are enough...and one more means we are outnumbered ;-). He does have a really good point. I see all these women with 5-6 kids and wonder how the heck they do it!! I mean my kids are awesome...but they are very, very active! My son can hike for 3 hours without blinking (he's 3) and my daughter...well Bella doesn't hike...but I have yet to see her walk anywhere...she is always at a constant jog...for hours. The only thing that saves her is the fact that she is a GOOD sleeper...by the time it is bedtime at night...I'm about done. I don't know how I would handle it if she kept waking up, or was a pain about going down...but not her...you put her in the crib and don't hear from her until the next morning...she has been this way since about 4 weeks old. I know I'm lucky...but then again she keeps me on my toes all day.

So my friend just had a precious baby girl! My other friend had a successful IVF and is pregnant with twins...so happy for her. And my final friend is having a baby girl in October! So in honor of all these babies...and yes they all happened yesterday...I made a few baby cards. I've actually had them cut out for awhile, but finally assembled them last night. I made both a pink and a blue, because I'm sure someone is going to call me up soon and let me know they are having a boy!!

Pink Giraffe Card:

Guess how I made the cute little design on the main image...a circle punch. I used the punch to clip off just a little bit...note it is easiest to do the white sheet, then glue down then do the mat sheet.

Stamps: Wild Animals LE; TAC All Occasions
Paper: PC Pastel Pink
Ink: Palette Belle Rose
Accessories: Cuttlebug Divine Swirls; circle punch

Blue Giraffe Card:

Stamps: Wild Animals LE; TAC All Occasions
Paper: PC Pastel Blue
Ink: Palette Starry Night
Accessories: Cuttlebug Divine Swirls; circle punch

Love Notes - Part 2

I gave my husband the Red Roses Love Note...on Friday. He was so awesome this week helping out...and being just soo sweet. I slipped it in his laptop case...I even slipped it into the laptop to be sure he found it...afterall he would NEVER not use his laptop ;-)

So now I'm posting the other two little Love Notes...aka Love ATCs.

The Miss you in Pink is made with White and Pastel Pink Cardstock. I used the Creative Memories Friendship punch to make the flower and a 1/8" circle punch to make the hole...the stem is 1/8" strip of white cardstock. Miss You is stamped with Palette Noir.

The second card is made with Bright Green Cardstock...I made the flowers the same way...and put a 3mm rhinestone in the center for some extra bling. I stamped "Hello I love you" with a TAC set (sorry I got it in a grab bag, so I have no idea what set it was)...with Palette Chartreuse.

Little Love Notes

Well I've been bitten by the ATC bug...I really liked the 3X3s but these are even MORE fun!

My husband has been working a lot lately and traveling...so I've been missing...and not JUST for evening kid duty ;-)

I plan to sneak them into his briefcase or lunch...and funny part he NEVER reads this blog so I don't even have to worry about spoiling the surprise!

So the Red Roses Love You was made with DCWV Stack 3 Rose paper and the sentiment is PaperTrey Faux Ribbon. I tried to do the paper piercing...but it moved and my line was crooked, well taking a creative opportunity I decided to unearth my Majestic Scissors...and cut around it.

The Tri-Color friend was inspired by a card on SCS...I had this SU! stamp that was solid...so decided to use my Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea stamp pad...I LOVE these spectrum pads...so bright and fun. I used the Friend circle stamp as well...which looks like I hand colored each circle...but no it was just the ink pad! The paper is from my trusty DCWV Stack 3...boy do I use it alot (okay it is on top...and I'm trying to be less of a paper hoarder). The sentiment "miss you" is from TAC and came in a grab bag so I have NO idea what set it is from...it is stamped in Palette Noir.

Love Letters

As you know my husband has been working a lot lately...he has gone to NYC twice this week for meetings. So the following cards were inspired by thinking about him. I think I am going to make a few ATC size and start hiding them in his stuff. I started with the Anniversary Card using my NEW Scallop Circle...so excited I finally have one. I ordered the scallop punches and the "love you forever" acrylic stamps from PaperTrey....they even offered free shipping! These cards are pretty simple...the red rose paper is the one from DCWV Stack 3, white and black cardstock is from TAC. The Happy Anniversary stamp is stamped in Palette Noir and is from the TAC Trendy Greetings set.

The new thing I need to emphasize is the paper punching...now I know there are a TON of templates around and what not, but frankly I'm cheap...I didn't want to spend money on something I may or may not use. I also tend to like the geometric accents (ie all straight line grid type things).

So what did I use you ask...Plastic Canvas...you know the stuff that people use to make tacky yarn tissue boxes and those cute ornaments that you squeeze and out pops the candy? Best party...you can cut it to whatever size/shape you need and a huge sheet is like $0.99.

I conquered the Origami Shirt!!!

If anyone keeps track my origami shirt looked like a shirt that needed to be laundered (see Virtual Stamp Night)! But I have persisted and finally came up with one that well looked like a shirt.

I needed to do a Father's Day Card for my FIL for next year...I know we get a whole years worth of cards done at once...and I was on a roll last weekend!

This card was a case of the Challenge Example. I took white cardstock, stamped it with Palette Seascape and the recently retired TAC Harlequin stamp. I then used the "Happy Father's Day" stamp from the TAC Trendy Greetings set using Palette Starry Night.

The shirt itself was made using the directions Beth wrote for a "card sized" shirt. I used a sort of denim looking paper and a striped piece for the tie.

I made this little thank you for a person that gave me some rare heritage breed laying hens. I love fresh eggs and we live in a development that is chicken friendly. I only live on 2 acres...but I like to see what type of 'farming' I can do...I'm a terrible vegetable farmer...but I have had a modicum of success growing blueberries, blackberries and red raspberries. The vegetables might have a chance this year as I finally put in a raised bed and have a sprinkler set up...so they actually get watered!

The girls I received came from Freecycle and are Egyptian Fayoumi (Faye), Golden Campine (Goldie); Buff Minorca (Buffy) and Silver Laced Wyandotte (Dottie)...who join my Australop (Sweet Pea)...although Sweetie isn't being very nice!

Now back to the card...I used the DCWV Grass Paper from Stack 3, thin strips of pastel yellow cardstock and then I stamped the white strip showing...with the TAC More One Liners in Palette Noir and the little flower from Paisley Rocks set in Palette Giverny Green. I also glued some little rhinestones on the flower center, although it is hard to see in the picture!

This card is very simple, but I think it came out great!

Simple Love is Best

I had to make an anniversary card for my sister and brother and law (part of the 15 card pack I need to send to the UK). So I went for simple (I was just getting my creative juices flowing). But in this case, I think less busy is better!

I cut a thin strip of TAC Uptown Girl Paper, stamped the TAC Squiggle Hearts with Palette Claret and cut out. I stamped "love" from the TAC Be Authentic...I just LOVE this set...in Palette Noir. Then I punched a small heart from a scrap using the Creative Memories Friendship Micro Maker Punch.

OSW Wonder Kid's BD

I mixed and matched a few OSW templates (basically using up scraps) to make a few bright and cheerful cards for my 3 nieces in the UK. I guess I should explain...no they don't all have BDs in August (well the middle one does). My MIL is awesome in that we send over a whole package of cards for the year...and she doles them out to everyone when the event occurs! And get this...she does it ON Time. This is big for me, considering I make the cards just fine and with plenty of time before the event...then TOTALLY forget to send them (yes that beautiful 4th of July's friend's BD...totally forgot until the 5th!!! So needless to say this is the reason my nieces in the UK actually think I'm cool...besides the postage costs are ridiculous...I would rather buy gifts for the girls instead of forking it over for postage (hence why Christmas is bought all on-line shipped within the UK now)!

So here goes...Stripey Balloons
These cards are made with the colorful stripey paper from the DCWV Stack 3 (I have other stacks I'm just hoarding...eventually I will use them...I will)

I used a scrap of purple to edge the triangle. Beneath that I stamped "happy birthday" from the TAC More One Liners set with Palette Noir I stamped the balloons with the TAC Birthday Blessings Set and colored in with markers and watercolor (I'm a terrible a coloring...I think I failed it in kindergarten).

Anyway...on to the next card.

Stripey Flower
This wasn't my favorite card, but since then it has grown on me...and of course other people have ooh'd and ahh'd so it made me reconsider. I guess the reason it doesn't appeal is I have this flower diecut that I bought and had high hopes for...but no mater what I do to layer it I'm still not thrilled...and I want to be thrilled.

The second thing is I'm really mad at my scanner...no mater what I do this gorgeous apple green shows up as watered down, pastel green! Can't figure it out...but will keep on trying. The little "happy b-day", stamped in Palette Noir, comes from one of my favorite and most versatile sets...the TAC Tag Tidbits...this set comes with a mindblowing 36 sentiments (all for $10.95) and they fit anywhere...tags, 1"circles, vellum tags, teeny tiny cards or the corner of a regular card...you name the place, they'll fit. I find I use it all of the time!

Finally the "Modern Art" Card
I saw this as a OSW card, but not sure if my rendition of it works or not...perhaps I was supposed to line up all the pieces instead of mixing them up...I tried both ways, I seemed to like mixed-up better...which if you knew how anal I am is a really big step for me. The sentiment is stamped in no other than Palette Noir...and while I wasn't looking very hard...I am pretty sure it is a Michael's $1 stamp...it was wood mounted so it wasn't my TAC stamps.

So that is it for now...but I am really proud of myself...the end total of cards made this weekend was 15!!! Plus a card holder...that is a miracle for me...usually I get sidetracked or fuss about layout.

Catchin-up with Cards

Well I've been pretty busy this week, I've been a work widow! My husband has been working around the clock (along with others) on the LiveEarth site. So I've been home, watching him sleep when he does come home. Yesterday, we watched part of LiveEarth on TV and watched all the people that pledged go across the screen (he was personally involved with coding that...it was like his 3rd child was born *grin*).

So yesterday I finally took a pause on my Etsy site (well...it wasn't like it was doing anything anyway)...and focused on making some projects...for family and friends! So this week I'll be uploading the results of my Crafting session!. I used templates and OSW (parts of them) to make a variety of cards...I made 7 cards and a card holder yesterday...a record for me.

So my favorite card (and boy am I going to be CASEing my own design often!) used my NEW and wonderful Gig Scalloped Oval punch. I already had a Mega Oval so thought it would be a good addition...would you believe they don't exactly line up...I mean good enough for government work, but that peeved me.

So I used a scrap of DCWV Stack 3 paper (the cream roses), punched a scalloped oval with my NEW FABULOUS punch out of ProvoCraft Stack V paper (brown) and a tab with the Su! Word Window punch. Finally I stamped (yes there was a little stamping) Happy Birthday from the TAC Trendy Greetings Set using Palette Burnt Umber. I then accented the punch with dots using a black marker (didn't have a brown one...I have a white one but have misplaced it :-(. And would you believe that Gorgeous ribbon with a bit of sheen...is from the Target $ Spot!!! It didn't come with much (only a foot) so I really scrimped by gluing it to the front and not using any under the main image!

Magnolia Monogram Madness

Monograms are my favorite things! I don't know I always think they lend just that extra little bit of class. And I just got this new AlphaBet set...so just HAD to use it! So thrilled with it worth every penny!

This set of note cards was made for friends that are hosting a 4th of July party...and I thought they would make the perfect hostess gift! I even decorated the envelopes!

So they are pretty simple, Magnolia Pink Paisley and blue dot paper mounted on my white cardstock, with coordinating ribbon...don't you just LOVE that paisley ribbon? Wish I had bought more! Then a Scalloped Square...stay tuned for more scallops...I found a source! The square was punched with a mega (pink) scallop square punch and the stamp is the TAC All Occasion Uppers Alphabet...using Palette Noir.

I cut a lovely strip of paper for each enveleope to make them coordinating...I have illusions that someday I will learn how to line the envelopes...but this is quicker and has the same effect!

Here are some close-ups!

Fun in the sun!

These tags took about forever to finish...not because they were hard but I would get creatively distracted. I started them last week when it was incredibly hot and I wanted to actually BE AT THE BEACH!!! But these suffice.

Essentially they are the Giga and Mega Tag Punch...a flip flop stamp I got in a mega set from Michael's and flower brads from MM. I paper pieced the sandals from various paper scraps I had lying around.

Virtual Stamp Night - in lieu of the real one

Well over on SCS they have Virtual Stamping Nights with challenges and what not...well they aren't planning on having another one until SEPTEMBER!!! I just couldn't wait that long.


So my friend Brenda of HodgePodgerie and I did our own...with the wonders of technology and Free Long Distance we had quite the time! Not sure how much 'crafting' we accomplished and the 45 minute time limit went right out the window, but in the grand scheme of it all it is sharing time with friends...making beautiful things...and sharing them with others!!

So here are the results so to speak!!

Amy Butler criss cross card by Brenda (she plans to have a whole Amy Butler collection of things in her two etsy shops...MyHodgePodgerie and PlayinWithPaper in the next few days.

Brenda's Amy Butler Criss Cross Card















My Criss Cross Cards...using the My Mind's Eye Magnolia Collection (I am REALLY loving this paper). I criss crossed them both ways so I could use the same piece of paper.














Brenda's An Iris Fold with a Twist Card


My Iris Twist was so bad I'm embarrassed to post it (I thought I could do it without the template...yeah right!)
















The insides of my Criss Cross Cards...not sure which I like best!

Finally I decided to make a Paper Bracelet and Earring set to match the criss cross cards I made (it was VERY, VERY late here by then...Yawn.

We tried to do the Origami Shirt...Brenda's turned into a mess of folds and creases, as did mine...soo I guess that technique might need a little work! Hopefully we can do this again next month...it is soo much fun!


Keep posted, I have so many ideas right now, just so little time...I want to do a circle scrapbook...and a really cool packaging of my cards!