Having fun with shaped cards!

Hello! This week at The Friday Mashup, Avery has a great challenge for us with some fun spring colours and the added challenge of creating a shaped card!

The hardest part of this challenge was deciding what shape to make my card! I finally decided to whip out my Labels framelits (I don't use these nearly enough!) and make a nice spring "you make me smile" kind of card. 

I stamped the flowers from Happy Watercolour on a piece of velum and used the Stained Glass technique to colour them. I then matted it with some Whisper White and popped it up with a dimensional. 

Check out the challenge this week:

1. Create a project using the colors "Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Wiseria Wonder & Wild Wasabi"
2. Create a "Shaped Card"
3. Or Mash it Up and create a "Shaped Card using the above colors"

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Tara

xox

Supplies

Stamps: Happy Watercolor, Petite Pairs

Paper: Wisteria Wonder CS, Whisper White CS, Vellum

Ink: Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder, Wild Wasabi, Black Stazon

Embellishments: Calypso Coral baker's twine, Design Button

Tools: Labels framelits

A rustic birthday at Dynamic Duos!

This week at Dynamic Duos we have an absolutely fabulous colour combo - perfect for fall... or masculine... or anything really ;)

It has been forever (and a day!) since I last used Apothecary Art, so I whipped it out for this simple and rustic birthday card.

The background panel is embossed with the woodgrain embossing folder, and I tied a little knot with some linen thread on the end of the burlap to give it a little something extra.

The image was cut out with the label framelits, and I framed it by cutting a second frame the same size as the original and cutting it in half. I just wanted to give a little pop of colour behind the sentiment without putting on another frame altogether.

Finished off with a little popped up banner, et voila!

Today would have been my grandmother's 91st birthday. This is the first "major" occasion since she passed away in May, and I'm missing her a lot today. I knew this challenge would go 'live' on her birthday, so this card was in honour of her. I'm also using her Apple Pie recipe today to bring to an early Thanksgiving dinner we're having with my family :)


Check out the challenge this week:

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Tara
xox

Hopping by to say hello!

Happy Friday!

Amanda has a great challenge this week with a fun sketch at The Friday Mashup!

I made a very tiny twisted easel card - it's only 3"x3", but it's the perfect size to slip into my kiddos lunch for school, or into a little treat bag.

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge:

1. Make a project "using the Sketch".
2. Or Make a project with "Bunnies".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project with the "Sketch featuring Bunnies".

Why not hop on over to The Friday Mashup and see what the rest of the design team has come up - then you can link up your own creation :)

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Tara

xox

Colour challenge at The Friday Mashup

Happy Friday!!

A great colour challenge is waiting for you at The Friday Mashup today!

This card is for my grandma for her 90th birthday today!! I always used to say to her that blue and green didn't go together and she would respond "every flower has a green leaf".... meaning everything went with green. So, there you have it. Turns out she's right :P

Here's the challenge for this week!

1. Make a project with the colors "Pacific Point, Marina Mist, Gumball Green, and Lucky Limeade". 
2. Or Make a project using "Rectangles".   
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project with the "Color Combination and Rectangles".

 I ended up using only one rectangle, but I was very caught up in the colour combination! haha

Happy 90th birthday, grandma!!

our little man and his great-grandma last halloween

Thanks for stopping by today - look forward to seeing what you create with Erica's fun challenge this week :)

-Tara
xox

Spooky Sunday!

Hello!

A quick check-in this morning to show you the new Sunday Stamps challenge... then back to laying down! It's 'that' time of year... the time when everyone is sick and seems to stay that way for months. 

I'm your hostess this week and bring you a sketch to play with! The shapes may seem specific in the sketch image, but please feel free to change them up - just look at the Design Team! We've all interpreted it differently :)

Happy Halloween

*See end of this post for a list of supplies*

To create the 'mist' around the stamped image, I had to work very quickly. I sponged the image with sponge daubers and then went over that spot again with the lightest colour to make it moist, then quickly stamped the image in VersaMark and covered in black embossing powder. The black embossing powder sticks to the background that was sponged. 

Here's the sketch: 

Thanks for stopping by! Check out what the rest of the design team has as inspiration for this sketch, then link up your creation!

-Tara

xox

List of Supplies: 

Stamp: Toxic Treats, Teeny Tiny Wishes, En Francais

Papers: More Mustard CS, Tangering Tango CS, Basic Black CS, Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP

Embellishments: Striped Satin Ribbon, Rhinestones

Tools: Elegant Lines EF, Framelits, Decorative Label Punch, Word Window punch

Stick a pin in it!

Let me just put this right out there - I love making vintage cards. In fact, I love vintage altogether. My house has a very odd combination of ultra-modern and antique/vintage decor. I like to think of it as bringing old into the new... but it's probably more that I have commitment issues when it comes to decor elements and style :)

This week at The Friday Mashup, Erica has a great challenge for us! She's got us using a stick pin and creating a vintage card. Yes, please!!

*The hat pin that I used is not Stampin' Up!... It's left over from our wedding. I feel like I've said that before ;) Pretty much the only time I use non-SU product, it's something that's left over from that day.

Hope

 Stamps: Blooming with Kindness, Elements of Style

Colours: Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

Embellishments: Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon, Antique brads, Hat pin (non-SU)

Tools: Big Shot, Labels framelits, Scallop Circle punch (small roses)

I'm working on a tutorial for the large floret on this card - I'll be posting it very soon, on a new 'Tips/Techniques/Tutorials" page!

Here's the challenge for you this week.

1. Make a project with a "Stick Pin on it."
2. Or Make a "Vintage" project.
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Vintage project with a Stick Pin on it."

 
I can't wait to see your vintage card!

-Tara
xox

Freshly Made Flip!

I've been wanting to try the flip card for so long now, and just never found the 'get up and go' to get it done. Well, the day has come, my friends! The sketch at Freshly Made Sketches finally gave me the push to do it :)

Happy Birthday

(closed)

 (open)

Colours: Midnight Muse, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

Stamps: Petite Pairs

Ink: Midnight Muse

Paper: Comfort Cafe

Extras: Soft Suede Taffeta Ribbon, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Naturals buttons, Linen Thread

Tools: Labels collection framelits

Here's the awesome sketch I was working with today from Freshly Made Sketches:

Thanks for stopping by :)

-Tara

xox

Get out your snips!

Hello friends!

Here it is; my first time hosting the challenge at The Friday Mashup! as a designer. I'm really excited about this one, not only because it features some bright, fun colours, but also because it showcases one of my favourite techniques - paper-piecing.

Support

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project using the " Paper Piecing " technique.
2. Or Make a project using " Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight & Pool Party ".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a " Paper Piecing Project using the above colors."

If you've never tried paper-piecing before, do give it a go! A tutorial can be found on The Friday Mashup! "Mashup Tutorials" page along the top header. Each time there is a technique as part of the mashup challenge, one of the design team members will create a Friday Mashup tutorial for you to follow along!

Can't wait to see the fun, patterned-filled project you come up with this week! :)

Sympathy in Pear Pizzaz

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Even though I'm currently on maternity leave, the weekends are still so sweet! My (big) boy always wakes up on Saturday morning with big eyes and excitement in his voice and says "it's Saturday? we get to spend all day together!!" It's incredibly endearing, and makes me long for Saturday mornings almost as much as when I was a kid.

However, while I long for Saturday mornings, I'm also overjoyed on Wednesday mornings because it means a new Freshly Made Sketch! :)

Sympathy

 

Check out this week's sketch by Lesley! Versatile and fun, it lets you get your craft on with DSPs or embossing. Love it :)

This is it... officially the 'last' of my Pear Pizzaz paper. Pear Pizzaz, I will miss you and your ambiguity. Were you a subtle? were you a bright?... you just always kept me guessing with each new colour combination I used you in.

-Tara
xox

A little love

Hi neighbour! I'm glad to be with you :)


I was so sad to have missed last week's Freshly Made Sketch challenge. It was so fun and unique! So, I made sure this week to get on top of it right away, before time slipped out from under my feet again!

Love

This card uses an element from one of my favourite sets that is retiring on May 31st; Happiness Shared. It's a beautiful flower and a lovely sentiment. I may just have to keep this one for a little longer - not sure I can part with it yet :)

Here is the sketch I was working with today, from Rita Wright:

The Beau Chateau DSP is such a soft, subtle collection. It's wonderful for baby, romance, sympathy, male, female... just about anything! And I love the simplicity of the colours. This set is all about the designs and nostalgia. If you've overlooked it in the past, go check it out again and imagine it's versatility!

Thanks for stopping by. Off to go watch more TV intros on YouTube of my favourite childhood shows. So far, my (little) boy is not too impressed with any of them! ... With the exception of Fraggle Rock, maybe!

-Tara

xox

 

Fly away!

I've been all about the 3D projects lately, but I think you'll agree, the Friday Mashup challenge left me little choice :)

It's the Fan Favourite this week at the Friday Mashup, and I've been super excited for it! The mashup was to:

1. Make a project using "Colorful Twines".
2. Or Make a "Kite themed" project.
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Kite themed project using some colorful Twine".

I made a kite for my son's door. The other son is getting one too, but I want him to be able to pick out the colours he wants, and this was made in the wee hours of the morning when I had some quiet time... so I started with the baby's. He has no say in the colours he gets ;)

Jackson Kite

Some details:

Colours: Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral

Ribbons/Twine: Bashful Blue grosgrain, Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral Ruffled Ribbon, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral and White baker's twine.

Embossing on the bashful blue kite pieces is Perfect Polka Dots

The cloud 'paper' was made using the scallop circle punch out and marina mist sponging. The letters were cut out using the Big Shot and the naturally serif decorative strip. The bows on either sides of the name are made with the grosgrain and both coloured ribbons. The tail of the kite is made using all three baker's twines braided together for extra thickness. The other ribbons were tied on. The edge around the kite is made from the Fancy Flower punch that was cut up, and I usedthe two largest framelits from the wicked Labels Collection for the name plate. 

It measures approximately 12 inches wide (at the widest part) and about 14-15" long. 

I think that about covers it! 

-Tara

Elements of Style

I recently purchased the Elements of Style set, and I couldn't wait to use it. The flowers in this set are just too gorgeous. Love, love, love it. So much so that I'm wondering how I lived without it all this time?!

The sketch is from Freshly Made Sketches:

Materials used in this card:
Cardstock: Old Olive, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
Stamps: Elements of Style
Inks: Old Olive, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral
Embellishments: Calypso Coral baker's twine, Old Olive designer button
Tools: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Labels Framelits, Blender pens

I can see myself reaching for this set a lot in the next little bit... so I hope you like it ;)

-Tara
xox

Edit to add: So excited - This card was chosen as a "Perfect Princess" with Freshly Made Sketches! Thank you, Lesley! :)

Friday Mashup Fan Favourite Challenge

There's something really exciting going on at the Friday Mashup! They are currently having a "Fan Favourite" challenge, where we get to put forth a mashup that we would like to see as a challenge. I was very excited about this, but I must admit, it took my quite some time to come up with something! I have a new-found respect for what these ladies do each week!

My Mashup Challenge would be:
1. Create a "birthday card" project.
2. Create a "custom gift bag",
3. Or, "Mash it up!" and create a "birthday card with matching gift bag"!

The birthday card opens like one of those old-school file folders, where the string rolls around two little circles (in this case, brads). When it's undone, it folds down and the inside holds the birthday greeting. We made a version of this card at a meeting I had gone to, and I loved it so much I had to make it my own. (Edit to add: I was told that the original idea came from Becky Roberts)

I hope you like the idea for a mashup. If you want to make a birthday card and matching gift bag, you can vote for my challenge idea here on the side panel! I'm #8 :)

Until next time - Happy Stamping!

-Tara
xox

Sneaking in...

Wow, I'm sneaking in just under the wire here! My blog post of late have been quite sporadic, I know.

My husband was in a bus accident last week and although he's alright, he hurt his knee quite badly. That night, my (little) boy got really sick and we spent all night at the hospital... Then, he started to get better and my (baby) boy got really sick! It's been a mess of injuries and germs around here, and we're just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel :)

So, all that being said - I absolutely needed (!!) to play along with the Friday Mashup this week. I love participating each week, and I've sadly missed a few lately. But challenge me they did!

Happiness Shared (yup, again! hehe)

This is the challenge I was working with:

1. Make a project using the "Spotlighting Technique".  
2. Or Make a project featuring "Penguins".  
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project featuring "Penguins using the Spotlighting Technique"

Sadly, I don't have any penguin stamps. I borrowed Punch Pals from a good friend over the holidays, but returned it and am left 100% penguinless! It's sad, I know. 

This is  my first time using the spotlighting technique, and I found it quite challenging, but also super fun! I made about 3 cards before I finally settled on this one... The just didn't feel the others were "right". The spotlighting in this card is very subtle.

Materials used in this card:

Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Stamps: Happiness Shared

Inks: Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black, Old Olive

Embellishments: Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, Rhinestones

Tools: Labels Framelits, Blender pen

For the sentiment, I used two of the larger framelit dies and and trimmed them so I was just using a section from the middle to frame my sentiment. I like the shape it gave it, and it just screamed for some jewels! After all is said and done, I wonder if maybe the pearls would have looked nicer... Thoughts?

Also, for fun, even though it's a day late, I wanted to show you the Valentine's card I made for my wicked, awesome husband. 

 

Hope all you lovelies are doing well out there in blogland!

Until next time - Happy stamping :) 

-Tara

xox

It's your day!

I intentionally waited for the last minute to post this. My brother's birthday is tomorrow, and this was made for him, so I wanted to leave as little time as possible for him to stumble upon it by accident.

The gift card holder was made awhile back, back when the Friday Mashup team posted this challenge! The challenge asks for you to either use the sketch provided, use something new in your stash, or mashup it up and use something new whilst using the sketch!

Oddly, one of the newest things in my stash right now is the Curly Label punch... and I've had it for a little while now. Regardless, it's the "new" item I chose for this project :) I also wanted to use it a little different... so I used the tutorial by Mary Fish using the Decorative Label punch trick and applied it to the Curly Label.

It's your day - Opened

Materials used in this card:

Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Paper: Just Add Cake DSP

Stamps: Up, Up & Away, Outline Occasions (SAB)

Ink: Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze

Embellishments: White baker's twine

Tools: Curly Label punch, Labels framelits, Scallop Circle punch (for the cloud details)

Now, for some awesomeness! Stampin' Up! is offering free 30-day trials of My Digital Studio Express! Yes, this is very, very exciting. If you have ever thought about digital scrapbooking or cardmaking, now is your chance to grab the proverbial bull by the horns and download this fantastic program! I've only had it a few short hours and am head-over-heals in love. 

This is my first project using the product that came with the MDS Express, as well as some other freebies that I've been collecting over the months knowing that some day I would have this program in my hot little hands.

Until next time - happy stamping! :)

-Tara

Happy New Year!

Ok... so I'm a bit late with my "New Year" greeting! But I do sincerely hope that each of you ended 2011 on a high note that will last you well into 2012!

In my last post, I mentioned how instead of a New Year's resolution to change something, I've decided to make a list of the things I am happy with now, and continue to put effort and love into those things. I think that if you're going to change something in your life, you aren't going to wait for New Year's to do it - and if you do wait for New Year's to do it, it might not have been that important in the first place.

Before I get to my list though, I have a little something to show you! Yesterday was a glorious day for me - Not only was it my birthday, but the 2012 Occasions Mini went live!! I would give you all a minute to rejoice, but since I'm a day late in my announcement, many of you have already been rejoicing! In which case, I'll give you a minute to keep rejoicing... Ready? Ok...

The challenge over at Pals Paper Arts this week was a lovely monochromatic colour palette, which I really dig.

Sadly, I thought I was supposed to be working with Night of Navy, when in fact Not Quite Navy was the colour of choice. Obviously, I was 'not quite' thinking!

Nevertheless, I bring you the following!

Thank You

 (PPA126)

I so desperately needed to make a card featuring some of the gorgeous new products from the Occasions Mini! Framelits, ribbon, stamp sets... yum!

Let me get onto the rest of this New Year's thing before I write anything else. I'm rather verbose, and we could be here all day...

2011 Awesomeness that's going to continue in 2012 (AKA - The things I won't change):

1. Our family dynamic: I don't know how it happened, but we have something amazing going on here! The birth of our son Jackson in September has only added to the warmth and comfort of this home. Our oldest son, Hunter, is incredible with him, and it brings us such joy to watch them.
2. My love of stamping and giving myself the time to do it: I don't know what I'd do without stamping. As soon as I have some free time (read: naptime), I slip away to my little corner and get lost in colour. It's a therapy beyond any other I've come across thus far in my 28... wait... 29 (!!) years.
3. "Pizza Night": For those of you who have made a resolution to become healthier this year, I applaud you. Realistically, I should have done the same. And I will get to very soon ;) But no matter how many vegetables I vow to eat, and how much exercise I commit to doing, I will not give up this little gem. It pleases me.
4. Sending cards "just because": Having a mother out of town gives me a great excuse to mail "just because" cards. How many have I sent, you ask? 1. Maybe 2... Not acceptable! We are going to one a month this year. Mom, if you're reading this, we'll mail them on the 15th of each month ;)
5. Our TV-free home: We donated our TV to the Salvation Army awhile ago. Not because we think they're evil, or we have anything against them, we just don't have enough room in our family living space to accommodate one! That, and we could never find anything to watch anyways. Some people think we're crazy and ask what we do in our spare time. Turns out, we have very little of that anyways :P Do I ever miss it? Of course! Particularly Bob Ross reruns and Divine Design.

See, told you I was verbose ;)

How about one more sneak peek from the Occasions Mini and Sale-a-Bration which is coming up so soon! Those gorgeous brads, that irresistibly vintage paper, and the oh-so-delicate ribbon are all from the sale-a-bration event. Excited?!

Until next time - Happy Stamping! :)

-Tara

P.S. Card materials for "Thank You" are as follows:

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Paper: Night of Navy DSP

Stamps: Apothecary Art, Curly Cute, Mixed Bunch

Inks: Baja Breeze, Night of Navy

Tools: Framelits dies, Dotted Scallop Border punch, Pleated Satin ribbon, Scallop Circle punch