Floral Congrats Card

This week I found out my neighbor is getting married at the end of this month. That meant I needed to make him a card quickly. To create this Floral Congrats Card I used the color challenge at Create with Connie & Mary for my inspiration. Color challenges are my favorite but I must admit that I find a three color challenge VERY challenging. The colors are:

• Coastal Cabana
• Hello Honey
• Baked Brown Sugar

To start I selected my patterned paper from the Moonlight paper stack and then used my Big Shot with the Top Note Die. At this point I sat at my desk for at least thirty minutes trying to figure out my layout. Finally, I walked away. When I came back I rotated my card and things started to come together. I was really happy I ordered the new Hey You sentiment stamp set (134519), it worked perfectly for this card. The flowers were stamped using Baked Brown Sugar ink onto Coastal Cabana cardstock using the Flower Shop stamp set and then punched using the Pansy Punch. The final step was creating the flower centers using the Bordering Blooms stamp set, the retired itty bitty scallop circle punch and of course a pearl in the center. Although I struggled with this card I think it turned out nicely. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

My Floral Congrats Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Create with Connie & Mary: Color
• Little Red Wagon: Wedding/Anniversary
• Crafty Girls: Anything Goes 

Greetings of the Season Card

Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy time with your family today. Our family gatherings are all done and it's just the hubby and I at home today. We are having a very quite day and that gave me some time to make this Greetings of the Season Card. I used the new Petite Petals stamp set and punch from the upcoming Celebrate the Everyday catalog from Stampin' Up! The stamp set and punch will be available beginning January 3rd. I used the Top Note die and colors in Garden Green and Real Red. The sentiment is from the retired Greetings of the Season stamp set and the final touch was the addition of Rhinestone Basic Jewels. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

My Greetings of the Season Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas: Last Minute Cards
• Just Add Ink: Just Add your Christmas Project
• Stampin for the Weekend: Anything Goes

Ready to Succeed Hanging

Success is a funny thing! It's a hard word to define because it means something different to everyone. Success could be landing that first job out of college or maybe just paying the bills this month. Then there is the pitfall of measuring yourself to others and feeling success will never be yours. I believe success is within each of us and it's up to us to find the success we are looking for. When I was teaching I used to tell me students that success is part motivation, part inspiration and part perspiration. If you want something, you have to go after it. You can't wait around for others to do it for you. Success is not easy. I made this Ready to Succeed Hanging for my cubical at work as a motivational tool and a reminder to keep reaching for my dreams. I found this motivational reminder from the May 27, 2013 issue of Woman's World magazine. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!

My Ready to Succeed Hanging is entered into the following challenges:

• The Paper Players: Fall, Anything but a Card
• Make It Monday: Anything Goes
• Our Creative Corner: Words, Words, Words

Ready to Succeed Hanging Supplies*:

• Paper: Elegant Eggplant and More Mustard patterned paper from the Regals retired designer series paper stack, Pear Pizzazz and Very Vanilla card stock and a comic book board.
• Stamps: Gently Falling and Flower Shop.
• Inks: Classic stampin' pads in Summer Starfruit, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Wisteria Wonder, Perfectly Plum, Elegant Eggplant, and Soft Suede.
• Other Stuff: Big Shot, Top Note die, Pansy punch, Adorning Accents Edgelit, Boho Blossom punch, colored brads from unknown source, Offray ribbon, personal computer and printer and stampin' dimensionals.

*All supplies by Stampin' Up! unless noted.

Mixed Bunch Sympathy Card

It's never a good thing when you get a phone call that someone has passed away. My brother's brother-in-law was hit while riding his motorcycle yesterday and didn't survive. He leaves behind his wife, and two sons five and eighteen years old. It really breaks my heart for their family. Again it's a reminder of how quick it can happen. I'll never forget the Tuesday I lost my sister. There was no warning! In the matter of minutes our lives changed forever. The grief journey continues for our family and it's not a journey you want others to experience.

This Mixed Bunch Sympathy Card was made using the sketch from The Paper Players. I've rotated the sketch to accommodate a sentiment that I stamp inside the card. I'm trying to decide if the patterned paper is "too much" for a sympathy card??? Please let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by!

My Mixed Bunch Sympathy Card is entered into the following challenges:

• The Paper Players: SKETCH
• Pause Dream Enjoy: Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar: Things with Wings

Mixed Bunch Sympathy Card Supplies*:

• Paper: Whisper White and Summer Starfruit card stock and Island Indigo patterned paper from the Sycamore Street sale-a-bration dsp.
• Stamps: Mixed Bunch stamp set, Betsy's Blossoms stamp set and sentiment from the Simply Sketched hostess stamp set.
• Inks: Classic stampin' pads in Baked Brown Sugar, Raspberry Ripple and Summer Starfruit.
• Other Stuff: Big shot, Top Note die, Blossom punch, 1" and 3/4" circle punches, Island Indigo ribbon from sale-a-bration, basic pearls, and stampin' dimensionals.

*All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Here for You Card

Wow... it's Wednesday already! This week is flying by and there is still a lot to do. The card I'm sharing with you today was probably the easiest card I've ever made. This Here for You Card is a casual design and the top note die gave the focal point interest without adding clutter. I've used Daffodil Delight card stock, En Francais stamp and the Blooming with Kindness stamp set. The flower was inked with Daffodil Delight then I rolled the edges and dabbed the center with More Mustard. I used a stampin' write marker in Gumball Green for the stem and stamped the sentiment with Baked Brown Sugar. The finishing touch was three small pearls and I popped the top note up with several dimensionals. A very quick and simple card that would be easy to duplicate in your favorite color scheme. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

My Here for You Card is entered into the following challenges:

• CASology: Yellow
• Word Art Wednesday: Anything Goes
• Heck of a Challenge: Bingo (flowers, die cut, pearls)

All supplies by Stampin' Up!.

One Year Blogiversary

Hooray! Today marks the one year blogiversary for Savvy Handmade Cards. So, today I am celebrating 42,000 page views, 65 card making enthusiasts (followers), and this makes the 301st post. Now, let me tell you a little story.... last year when I started this blog I had never looked up/searched for other handmade card blogs. I had no idea the vast amount of fun you could have creating cards for challenges. When I first started making cards I immediately started submitting my work to be published, not realizing the competition was steep. The only source of inspiration at the time was from published magazines. Needless to say, I had a quick reality check when I found the world of online card blogs. There are many amazingly creative people posting inspiration on a daily basis. Thanks to everyone who have left comments on my creations and chose to follow my blog. I enjoy sharing my creativity with you and I look forward to another creative year!!! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

My Zebra Floral Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Sunday Stamps: Color Challenge
• Stamptacular Sunday: To Die For
• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes with optional sketch
• Make It Monday: Anything Goes
• Oldie But A Goodie: Feeling Floral (old supplies: zebra patterned paper and black ribbon)

Zebra Floral Card Supplies*:

• Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Baja Breeze, and Cherry Cobbler card stock by Stampin' Up!, and Zebra patterned paper by The Paper Studio.
• Stamps: Secret Garden stamp set and Papillion Potpourri stamp set.
• Inks: Classic stampin' pads in Basic Black and Cherry Cobbler.
• Other Stuff: Big Shot, Top Note die, Fancy Fan embossing folder, Secret Garden framelits, Blossom punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Elegant Butterfly punch, black ribbon, ribbon slide, basic jewels, and stampin' dimensionals.

*All supplies by Stampin' Up! unless noted.