Coffee Loves You Card

I love my life. I love my family. However...sometimes it feels like I need an extra day between each and every day to fit in anything I'd like to do as opposed to whatever is ON FIRE that day. Can days become 48 hours long? Or perhaps I could find an inter-dimensional pocket where time has no meaning...though I have to admit the first thing I'd do there is probably nap. No matter.... I will continue my quest to find both crafting time and blogging time. Coffee helps.

I just got the new Oh My Heart kit, and combined with this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and one of my favorite sets ever, Perk Up (which is totally on sale for a screaming good deal right now, just sayin') could this BEEEEE any cuter? Like seriously, folks, adding wiggly eyes to anything is just adorable. Fred Meyer has these little plants in plain ol' terracotta pots right now but someone stuck wiggly eyes on all the pots and I'm super tempted every time I grocery shop, which is like 7 times a week.  I added some cute XOXO washi tape from my stash, and added a lot of sequins, glitter, and sparkles like this cutie is throwing up a handful of confetti. I have a feeling that little stitch stamp might be living on my desk for the foreseeable future.

After I pieced together the coffee cup and added the little arms (hooray!!) then I attached it to some white cardstock and fussy cut the whole shebang to help it stand out from the bold background. There's a pastel heart print in the packet that I'm currently hoarding because I love it more than anything...but I'm hoping to get some time to cut into it soon. I'm linking this project to the Heart 2 Heart Celebrate Good Times challenge, because what is more worth of celebration than Love and Coffee?

Coffee loves you TTHHIISS much, Stampin' Friends, and so do I. Hope you'll pop over to Atlantic Hearts and give this week's sketch a try! 

You're In My Heart Card

Welcome back to another week of fun sketches over at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!

I just got this adorable new Avery Elle Heart Frame die and it put me in the mood for a sweet lovey dovey card. I grabbed some Whimsy Fundamentals dot paper and dug into my stash of washi tape to fill in the outlines of the sketch. Then I drew a line of stitches all around my card base.

I cut the Heart Frame twice, once in Bashful Cardstock and once in Bashful Glitter paper. Then I trimmed out the glitter hearts from that frame and glued them to the CS frame using Liquid Glass. I fussy cut the HEART part of the sentiment (a sneak peek of the September special) and added it to the white Cricut cut heart I popped up in the center of my heart frame. a few pink pearls finished off this quick and easy card. I hope you'll pop over to Atlantic Hearts to play along with this week's cute sketch!

A Blog Hop with Heart(s)

Welcome to the Blog Hop with Heart(s). This month's theme is, of course, hearts! You might be arriving here from BECCA'S BLOG. You can find a complete list of blogs at the bottom of this post. Let's hop!

I have the simplest little project this month. When I heard the theme was hearts I made a lot of plans, but today Mac came home from school complaining that he needs his Valentine's Box for his classroom. Ahem, what do you mean? I guess a note was sent last week, but moving is killing my last brain cells, so I missed that part. We duct taped a small box (something we aren't lacking around here right now, lol) with shiny silver duct tape. Then we used scrapbooking cardstock and more red duct tape to create a Harry face and scarf to fit on the top of the box. Everything was eyeballed and handcut, because dinner had to be made and time was of the essence, YKWIM? We filled his glasses with acrylic hearts, which I attached with strong glue so they won't pop off. Then I sawed a mouth into the face (sorry, Harry) so kids can stuff the Valentines in. Max is thrilled, we are all caught up, and Harry is pretty darn cute. We even wrote "alohamora" on the back where he can open the box to get his goodies out!

Next up on the hop is SHELLY'S BLOG. I'm sure you'll {HEART} all the projects, so be sure to keep hopping until you end up back here!

Amie

Stephanie

Jayma

Katy

Becca

**Wendy** You are here!

Shelly

Day 357: Hello Valentine Card

We went to the coast today (yay!) and somehow we thought it was a good idea to rent one of those surrey bikes. With three kids it turned out we couldn't all fit in the single bike meant for two people to pedal, so we got a double.  Double surrey bikes are heavy, especially when you are grabbing the child next to you to keep him from leaning so far out of the bike all the time.  Aaaand now I can barely move, so tonight's card became one of those simple one layer cards that did not require me to get up and reach anything. 

I started with the sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch. I grabbed my adorable new Share the Love Stamp set (which raises $7 for Operation Smile with every set sold). I stamped the HELLO sentiment in Black ink, then masked it off with a post-it. Then I stamped on that cute phone with only Pomegranate ink, stamping in first, second and third generation to get the varied hues. I colored over the center heart on each phone with a black Wink of Stella pen. Then I finished an episode of Gilmore Girls before limping to my computer to write this post. Thank goodness for CAS and one layer cards. Good night, Stampin' Friends!

Day 352: AHSC So Very Special Valentine Card

There's an adorable new sketch up over at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!

I still had all my La Vie En Rose Complements packets out from my project last night, so I decided to do another card with only white cardstock. I layered on arrow stickers for the bottom of the card sketch. Then I layered on polka dot washi tape for the smaller panel.  

I used three of the heart bull's-eye and a sentiment banner from the La Vie stickers. Then I topped the center target with my favorite little guy from Animal Greetings. He's holding a Fundamentals glitter heart. I hope you'll pop over to AHSC to play along this week!

Day 351: Sending Love Valentine Card

I wanted to make a sweet valentine card tonight using La Vie En Rose, but I couldn't find my paper packet, just the Complements, so I had to get a little creative...

I started with the new sketch from Retro Sketches and some white cardstock. I filled in the spaces using bits of stickers from the La Vie En Rose complements packet. I used the divider pieces between the border strips to create that striped background, and the polka dot border sticker to create the pomegranate dot piece.

I stamped the plane from Lifting Spirits (which is sadly retired), then masked the seat area and added the raccoon from Animal Greetings, the Operation Smile benefit stamp set. My markers are still buried in the cardboard towers yet to be unpacked, so I did a light wash of color with my waterbrush. I did have the essentials in my travel tote, which, of course, includes wiggly eyes! 

Day 338: Owl Miss You Card

The closer we get to our actual move date, the more torn the boys feel about moving. While they are excited about the new house, and happy/nervous about their new school, they are leaving behind so many wonderful friends and teachers who made Spokane a great place to live. 

This weekend I helped them with a little project, making thank you notes and pen pal packages for their teachers and best friends. I was in charge of the card making, and they were in charge of the heartfelt inner notes plus delivery. I used the new sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge to get this party started, plus some adorable wooden owls and polka dot skinny washi tape that I found at Hobby Lobby and hoarded saved for the right occasion. All the other papers are from La Vie En Rose.

I added bow ties to the owls using the La Vie En rose Complements, and that layered banner at the top was built from a La Vie kraft arrow that I split in half and layered back together. 

I think this quote paraphrased from Winnie the Pooh says it best. "How lucky we are to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." Thank you to Spokane, and especially to all of lovely, fabulous Spokanites. I know the boys and I will always be happy we had this #spokaneadventure.  

Day 336: Valentines Quick and Sweet

Whoo! I'm cutting it so close tonight, but it's been a busy, busy day around these parts. The Tuesday deadline is fast approaching, but I took a moment to whip up a few adorable little quick LaVie En Rose valentines using the Operation Smile stamp set, Animal Greetings. 

I used the same basic design for each card, just changed up how I did the little dudes. 

Don't they just make your heart melt? Cute and supporting a great cause! CTMH is having a contest around making valentines using this pretty La Vie En Rose paper. Check it out and good luck!

Day 331: Valentine Hugs SOTM Card

I'm back with another take on the January Stamp of the Month! 

This time I went bold and graphic with some help from CAS(E) this Sketch. I filled in the top of the sketch with Pomegranate cardstock stamped with the smaller bloom. The bottom half I added my favorite La Vie En Rose print. I trimmed out the break using my paper trimmer, then stamped the sentiment directly on the card base. I added a strip of super skinny washi tape I picked up at Hobby Lobby to define the bottom edge.

I added a few acrylic hearts and an arrow sticker from the La Vie En Rose assortment. Then I dotted by hand with a small journaling pen through the gutter, and popped on a couple bitty sparkles to highlight the sentiment. Hugs to you, Stampin' Friends!

January SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to the first SOTM blog hop of 2015! This month we are featuring This Moment, a LOVE-ly set of 12 heart themed stamps. If you've arrived here from JEAN'S BLOG, you're on the right track!

Today I'm sharing the front cover of this cute Hip Pics album all done up with the January SOTM. Throughout January I'll be sharing interior pages, all stamped with this adorable set.

I really loved this week's RetroSketches sketch, so I used that cuteness for the basis of my album cover. I sketched out a square using red Shimmer Trim, then added a line of rhinestone mesh ribbon I got for a sewing project. I just trim off rows and bits of the ribbon as needed and it lines up beautifully. I adhere it with Liquid Glass, A bit of stardust gel pen outlines the main focal point and the album cover with just a hint of shimmer.

I'll be sharing more pages throughout January, but that's all for today! Now hop on over to see more January SOTM goodness on STEFANI'S BLOG!

Here's another January SOTM project I've made:
Be Amazing Quick Card

New Product Blog Hop

I'm so excited for the new CTMH Idea book launch! For this hop I chose one of my favorite new Stamp sets, Pick A Posey! I love the texture in the flower petals and leaves. 

I layered one of the smaller flowers in the set twice over the top corner of the larger stamped posy for more depth. It was so easy to line up and double stamp my big posy image using CTMH's fabulous clear Acrylix! And don't you just love this trendy Gold dot washi? I tore it in half lengthwise (it's so nice and wide!), then hand pierced the stitch lines at the bottom. I'm linking this project up to Sketchbook Saturday Challenge (even though I already posted one version of the sketch this week - it's just too cute!) and 

Don't forget to scroll down and check out all the fabulous new product creations from my sister consultants!

Hey, Retro Foxy

This month I've learned that I find it very hard to be creative when I'm not allowed to make a mess. We done dozens of showings of our home, and my stamp room has been spotless each time...and the way it's stayed spotless is me staying out of the ink. No paper has been cut. No flowers glittered. I need to sell my house before my mind explodes with undeveloped ideas!! This week we thought that we'd sold the house, and my team was coming over for one last in person meeting, so I whipped out my February SOTM as fast as I could find it. That's a lot harder for me than my usual systems of everything I'm using right now is on my desk. Ahem...Thanks goodness the new RetroSketches was perfect for my project!

In any case, it was so much fun to ink up this adorable little fox. It's my favorite Stamp Of The Month from the new catalog going live on February first. I added wiggly eyes (of course), and a little dab of puff paint for his nose. I used my Spellbinders nesting circles to cut the circles for my focal point. I dotted around the circle with a fine tipped sharpie pen, and finished him off with a glitter gem and some washi tape. The background is a sneak peek of a new cardstock coming in February. One side is a printed pattern and the other is the same pattern in an emboss resist for inking!

I'm linking this cutie up to the Heart 2 Heart Spotlight Challenge. Golly that felt good!

B R Valentine!

This is what John and the boys cooked up this morning - sweet! It's on my screen saver, too. They were giggling with excitement that they made a project this morning. John said he could only get Max to stand for his picture if the other boys did too...he's such a little parrot right now! Gabe went back later and added an exclamation point over top of the "e" - because he says school says it means you are excited!

Happy Valentine's Day, Stamping Friends!

I Mustache U 2 B My Valentine!

Every year since preschool we've handmade the valentines that the boys will be bringing to school. Might they be happier with inexpensive Buzz Lightyear/Lego Star Wars/Thomas the Tank Engine cards? Perhaps...but I don't think they would take as much joy in the valentines without helping to make them!

This year, in honor of the countless mustache art related pin I've perused on Pinterest, I settled on a mustache Lollipop valentine. They boys are pretty thrilled with them. I did not have a mustache image to stamp and cut out (nor do I foresee myself making a gob of mustache projects) and I was unwilling to shell out the bucks to get a die or Cricut cartridge to make a handful of kid valentines. So I grabbed my awesome "A Paisley" stamp set (retails for 6.95!) and made myself a mustache template using the biggest paisley image. Then I just cut them out by hand while my team was stamping away at my quarterly Team Stamp! last weekend. A little Cricut banner took care of the cutting and punching of the sentiment tags, which I stamped with a combo of tiny alphabet fonts (Atomic which is retired and Tiny Typewriter) plus the valentine word came from Say It In Style, one of my all time favorite sentiment stamp sets.

How did the boys like them? A picture says 1000 words!

I linked this post to the Heart 2 Heart For The One You Love Challenge, because cutting out 40 faux 'staches is absolutely an act of motherly love for my funny valentines!

Also linked to the Paper Issues All We Need is Love party.