Sending Thankful Thoughts.....

Today I'm sharing a card I made using a sketch from a fairly new blog called Fetch A Sketch If you haven't visited them yet you should stop on over...they have some great sketches. Here is a picture of the sketch I followed....

I decided to so something patriotic and I dug out an old set from SU called Thankful Thoughts. This set has a couple of patriotic images in it that I love to use.

I started out with a card base of crumb cake. I then used some patriotic DSP that I purchased from my local craft store. That is sponged and matted with naturals ivory for the background.

Next I cut a strip of naturals ivory and cherry cobbler and matted them each with crumb cake. Tan crochet ribbon was added and each piece was added to the card using dimensional adhesive.

My image was inked up with some chocolate chip craft ink and clear embossed. I cut that out using a round nestabilities then matted it with crumb cake and cherry cobbler. That was also added to the card with dimensional adhesive.

Lastly I added 3 matching buttons to the right corner to complete the card.

The inside was finished off by adding some naturals ivory CS and a stamped sentiment from my set called Service & Sacrifice.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

{SMILES}

Chapstick holders

Good morning everyone.  I know it's been a while since I've posted on here.  I"m trying to spend every free second I have in my craft room but I've neglected my blog long enough and have some things to share.  I'm going to make this post as short and sweet as possible without leaving out too much info if you'd like to try to make your own.

I remember at a swap quite a few years ago I received a chapstick holder.  Of course it's long gone now but I never forgot how cool it was and filed it away in my noggin to someday make my own. 

I pretty much just winged this whole thing...and I think I actually came up with a design I like.  It's simple a couple pieces of CS surround the chapstick and a matching piece of ribbon holding in the chapstick  (which by the way I got from myself through Avon.)  :P   I'm hoping there is some interest in these at the craft fair I'm setting up at.

I determine the size of my CS by measuring my chapstick and going from there. The outside piece measure about 5 1/2 by 3 inches. I did the inside piece of CS about 1/4 inches smaller all the way around. Each was scored in the center...just enough so the chapstick could fit perfectly once folded up. I added a small oval hole in the center of the inside piece of CS. Before adhering the 2 pieces together I added a piece of ribbon, pulling just enough through the whole so the chapstick fit nice and snug. (The ribbon is what is holding the chapstick in place. I adhered the inside piece of CS then added the chapstick and folded up the sides. The ribbon ties at the top.

The last step was to decorate the front which I did with SU's Spice Cake designer paper and Gently Falling stamp set.

In all I made 8 of these fall themed chapstick holder...all with varying colors to match the chapstick.

I made a few more using spring colored chapstick. These feature flowers on the front that I created with my sizzix dies.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

{SMILES}

Extremely Bright & Cheery Cards

************************WARNING....SUNGLASSES NEED**************************

I don't usually make too many bright cards but these two would definitely fall under that category!  These came about simply because I have a lot of retired DSP that I have to use up.......I racked my brain and tried to design something I could be happy with.  I have such a hard time with brighter colors...but in the end I'm pleased with the final product and hope you like them too.

I used the same layout and design for both of these cards....I just changed the main focal point and of course, theme.

The first card I'm sharing uses the Bird Builder punch as the main focal point. I started out with a card base of river rock. The DSP used for this card is from my pack called Island Oasis.

I cut out a small strip for the top and matted that with a piece of tempting turquoise CS. At the bottom portion I added some more DSP...but this piece is matted with river rock then adhered to the tempting turquoise with dimensional adhesive. I added some lucky limeade ribbon along the top.

Next I cut out some circles with my nestabilities. Each one was lightly sponge then adhered together with dimensional adhesive. Small crystals were added to each scallop.

My bird pieces were each sponged with soft suede and the bird is double layered. I adhered that to the card using dimensional adhesive.

Lastly I stamped my greeting, using my SU set called Tiny Tags and added that to the bow with some twine.

The inside was finished off by adding a greeting from my set called Touch of Kindness.

My next card was made the same way, except the main image uses a cupcake die that I cut using my sizzlits. Each piece was sponged and the bottom was run through my crimper. I used shimmer mist on the frosting portion.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! :)

{SMILES}

Blue Rose Anniversary

I absolutely loved the sketch this week from Create with Connie and Mary and knew exactly how I wanted my card to look. I love it when an idea instantly pops into my head upon looking at a sketch......that's something that doesn't always happen for me so I relish those moments! LOL

Here is the sketch I followed for this card....

The main design element of this card...the background...is what I based all the other elements off of. I knew I wanted to use the Manhattan Flower embossing folder as the focal point....the rest just fell into place as I went.

I started with a card base of soft suede. Some crumb cake CS was embossed with my Manhattan Flower embossing folder and then i lightly chalked the raised image with marina mist chalk. After that was all chalked I sprayed it with a fixative to set the chalk then lightly sponged the CS with some crumb cake classic ink. That was matted with marina mist and added to the card base using dimensional adhesive.

Next I cut a strip of crumb cake CS and matted with with some soft suede. Baja Breeze seam bind ribbon was added, as well as a row of flat back pearls. I added an antique brad to the center of the bow and adhered that strip of CS to the card using dimensional adhesive.

My SU stamp sets called Four Frames and Whimsical Words were both inked up with soft suede then clear embossed. I used my blender pen and chalks to color in the frame then matted with with some soft suede. I added that to the card using dimensional adhesive.

Lastly I added a fabric rose to finish off the look.

The inside was finished off by adding a stamped sentiment inside of the frame image, just like the front.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! :)

{SMILES}

Ticket to my Heart

Happy Friday! I actually got to sleep in today...if you can call getting up at 7 a.m sleeping in.  My kids are on "Fall Break"  (I know...what?...fall break)!  They had yesterday and today off for parent teacher conferences  and then this whole coming week.  I will literally have no food left by the time they return next week!  LOL   Majority of it, I'm sure, will be eaten by my son!

Anyways...today I'm going to share with you a card I made using the Mojo Monday sketch. This week I'm actually posting it on time! SHOCKER!!!! Here is a picture of the sketch I followed....

I started with a card base of basic grey for this card.   The background uses some Basic Grey DSP from their pack called Love Nest.  Each strip on the DSP is lightly glittered so it's super glitzy IRL.

I then added another piece of DSP from the Love Nest collection....that was matted with some blushing bride CS.  I adhered that to the card using dimensional adhesive.

Some basic grey and sahara sand CS was cut into an ornate frame using my nestabilities.  They were sponged then added to the card with dimensional adhesive.

I added some cream seam binding ribbon at the top corner then adhered all that to the card base.

The tickets were created with my stamps from Close to My Heart called Just the Ticket.  I stamped them in a row, using sahara sand for the BG and basic black for the words.  They were embossed then I cut them out and sponged them before adding them to the card with glue dots.

Lastly I inked up some chipboard hearts with bravo burgundy and pretty in pink craft ink.  They were clear embossed then added to a the card with crystal effects. 

The inside was finished off by added some very vanilla CS and a stamped sentiment.

If you like this card check out my ETSY

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

{SMILES}