Happy Easter Eggs

Welcome to another beautiful day here at My Little Slice of Bliss! Today the DeNami Design Team is sharing designs over on the DeNami Design blog that show off the stamp in this week's Product Spotlight: F160 Happy Easter.

Recently, my hubby gave me a set of egg-shaped dies, and I couldn't resist using them for a trio of Easter-egg themed cards for today's Product Spotlight! Here's what I created:

A pair of egg-shaped cards! I used only two stamps on both of these: Happy Easter and Elegant Word Plate, but I amped up the "festive factor" with lots and lots of washi tape from the DeNami Design store.

DeNami products: Purple/White dots, Green Stripes, Yellow/White dots, Pink Stripes washi tape and baker's twine from the Confetti Twine 3-pack

DeNami products: Lime/White dots, Pink Chevron, Teal Chevron washi tape

I also tried a standard A2-sized card using another of my new egg-shaped dies. I was trying to recreate the look of this purple Faberge-style egg. To do so, I embossed my egg diecut with my Wire Fence Embossing Folder from the DeNami store, and rubbed a metallic gold ink pad across the raised embossing to give it a gilded look. Then I embellished each point of intersection in the design with liquid pearls.

You can see the sheen of the pearls a little better in these two photos:

Be sure to check out the rest of the team's lovely creations today on the DeNami blog. Like what you see? Then you can score a great deal on this beautiful Happy Easter sentiment--as our Spotlight Product, it's on sale at 10% off for the next week!!

Thanks for stopping by today!
Emily

Photo Tutorial: Shaped Cards

It's my turn to share another photo tutorial over on the DeNami Design blog today. This time I'm giving tips on making shaped cards--you know, anything besides a square or rectangular card base! Because it's February and Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I'm showing how to make a heart-shaped card. Be sure to check out the DeNami blog for all the details.

Thanks for stopping by today for this little peek of my photo tutorial. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Emily

My Brand-New DeNami Feature: EMBOSSED ELEMENTS + a GIVEAWAY

Hi there, everyone! I'm here today with the very first installment of my new regular monthly feature for the DeNami Design blog. With today's post I'm starting a series called Embossed Elements that highlights all of the wonderful new embossing folders being carried in the DeNami Design store. If you haven't checked these out yet, you should! You won't believe all of the variety in this collection: the DeNami store carries an amazing 142 different embossing folder designs!!

Now, I do have a confession to make. While I've been papercrafting for nearly 10 years now, I've only just acquired my very first diecutting machine (thank you, Santa!!). So for the first time ever, I'm able to dabble with embossing folders! I wasn't completely sure that embossing folders would be for me, but in the short time that I've been playing with the embossing folders that DeNami carries, I've become completely addicted to them! I love the fabulous texture that they add to my creations--everything is so crisp, and the designs are deep. They really stand out! And I can't believe how much visitors to my blog comment on the embossing I've been featuring on projects I've posted there lately. It must be really noticeable!!

So whether you are brand new to embossing folders like me, or an old pro, I'm hoping that my Embossed Elements feature will help you learn your way around DeNami's new collection of embossing folders--and maybe even give you some new ways to use or think about embossing!

Today I'm sharing with you two different projects for Valentine's Day, and both feature the very festive Layered Hearts Embossing Folder from the DeNami store. One thing I really love about this embossing folder is that, while many of the embossing folders in DeNami's collection are clearly designed for the portrait orientation, this one is perfect for the the landscape orientation. Let's take a look:

For this first project, I started with a panel of red cardstock and punched the bottom edge using the EK Success Deco Scallop border punch and then ran it through my Big Shot in the Layered Hearts Embossing Folder. I matted this embossed layer with white cardstock and then mounted the whole enchilada on a pink card base.

Next I added a pink cardstock panel that I had embossed with another Valentine gem from the DeNami embossing folder collection: the Heart Embossing Folder. I really like the look of both of these embossed patterns layered on top of one another!

I stamped the Elegant Word Plate on white cardstock with Onyx Black Versafine Ink, and used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to align the pretty Sending You Love sentiment, stamped in Satin Red Versafine Ink, right smack dab in the middle. I decided to glam up my focal point just a bit with some gorgeous Ruby Red Sparklets Glitter adhered inside the loops of the word plate with a Quickie Glue Pen. A quick fussy cut was all I needed to get this ready for attaching to my card. I finished off my design with a simple red grosgrain bow.

My second card is a reminder that embossing folders are perfect for adding texture not only to rectangular panels, but also any precut shape you care to pretty up!

For this card, I started with a pink heart diecut, embossed it with the Layered Hearts Embossing Folder, and layered it on a heart-shaped card base die cut from red cardstock with a larger nested heart die.

Next I built my very own cupid's arrow embellishment with a wooden craft stick, a wooden veneer heart shape, and some bits of chipboard. I colored the wood bits red using a Faber-Castell Gelato and rubbed the color into the woodgrain with my fingertips. I trimmed angled fringe into two bits of chipboard to make the arrow's feathery fletching and colored them with a white Gelato. After gluing all the bits together to form my arrow, I outlined the heart-shaped arrowhead with dimensional dots drawn on with a white Crystal Lacquer Pearl Pen. 

Finally, I stamped the Love Flourish sentiment on white cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, trimmed out the sentiment, colored in the heart-shaped O with a red Copic marker, and adhered it to the card with some foam tape. Done!

I hope that this opening installment of Embossed Elements has given you some ideas for using embossing on your Valentine cards!

How would you like the chance to win this beautiful Layered Hearts Embossing Folder? I have one up for grabs in an Embossed Elements giveaway! Want to be in the running? Just leave me a comment on this post using the word "HEART." There's no need to be a follower of my blog to enter, but if you are a follower (or become a new follower!), you can have a second entry in the drawing--just leave me a second comment telling me that you are a follower and how you follow. :)

I'll leave commenting open until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, January 29, 2014, and will draw one commenter at random. The winner will be announced right here on my blog on Thursday, January 30, and if I'm able to find an email address, I'll be sure to contact the winner as well.

Thanks for joining me today!
Emily

Friends Warm the Heart

It has been soooooooooo long since I've created anything with my Flourishes stamps. I love them so and have always enjoyed playing along with the Flourishes challenges, but life got to be too, too busy recently to do it all. I spotted the most recent Timeless Tuesday challenge, all about shaped cards, last week. I tucked it away in the back of my mind for a while and finally took a little time today to make a little something for it.

This is a very simple card, but it was lovely to be creative, even if for just a little while.

I used two nested heart-shaped cookie cutters as the pattern for my heart-shaped card and the nested white heart-shaped panel (and then cut them both out by hand). The image comes from the Flourishes set Joy is in the Air, and the sentiment is from the Flourishes set Warm Winter Wishes (which appears to now be retired?). I colored the image with my Copics and added a sweet little felt heart sticker that I picked up in a 10-pack at Target's One Spot last week. It will be perfect to send to a friend for Valentine's Day.

The kids will be home from school soon, so I've got to get this posted before I get completely distracted {in a good way, of course! ;) }.

Hope you've had a great start to this new week! Thanks for dropping by,
Emily

November Pinspired at DeNami Design

Hello, friends! Today I'm bringing you another Pinspired post along with a few of my other DeNami Design teammates. This month we were inspired by this photo:

Isn't that pretty? I'd love to have a front door that looked like that for autumn :). Those pretty colors make me happy! There's so much to see in this photo, but I think I was most inspired by that awesome wreath. Here's what I designed:

Look at what I used from the DeNami Design store to make my card:

Leafy Vine Wreath

Wheat Stalks

Berries from Classic Christmas stamp set

Pumpkin from Autumn stamp set

"Thinking of You" from Thoughtful Greetings stamp set

Rich Cocoa Memento ink

Habanero Versafine ink

Toffee Versafine ink

This round card is on the petite side: it measures just 3.25" in diameter. I used Copics to color in those wee bitty pumpkins and leaves. Each pumpkin is popped up on a tiny square of foam tape for dimension.

Be sure to check out what the other designers did with this inspiration photo on the DeNami blog today!

Thank you so much for dropping by!
Emily 

Growing In Unity~Day 3

Greetings! Thanks for joining me for Day 3 in my week as Growing In Unity gal!

Today's project is a birthday gift card holder!

I revisited the paper bag image from the card I shared on Monday.  It's included in the July 2012 Kit of the Month, Ol' Bag of Fun. It was so easy to form a little pocket for slipping in a gift card! I simply stamped the paper bag image on kraft cardstock, cut it out, adhered the bag cutout to another piece of kraft cardstock along three edges, and trimmed off the excess. Done!

The blue banner and flag are digital elements that I printed out from the Falala collection by Design by Dani (available from JessicaSprague.com).

Did you spy a little washi tape? If so, good for you! I used a little of my now-signature embellishment to adhere my sentiment flag to a pearl-topped stickpin. Both sentiments also come from the July 2012 KOM, Ol' Bag of Fun.

Gee, it can't possibly be true that my GIU week is now half over! Please leave a comment on this post to be in the running for two free Unity Itty Bitty kits, one comment per person please. But if you are a follower of my blog (or become a new follower), you can leave a second comment--for a second chance to win--on today's post:  just let me know that you are a follower and how you follow my blog!

And then come back tomorrow and Friday for more Unity inspiration and more chances to win in the random drawing! If you missed my GIU Days 1 and 2 posts, you should check out and comment on those as well to maximize your chances of winning ;). I will leave commenting open through 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 9, 2013, and will come back on June 10 to announce the winner here on my blog. If I can find a way to contact the winner via email, I'll be sure to do that, too. :)

Thanks so much for sharing a little slice of bliss with me today!
Emily

An Alien + a WINNER!

Greetings, Earthlings--and a happy Thursday to you! I'm here with a quick post to share a card and a winner!

First, my card (I know--I'm prolonging the agony and anticipation!):

Yes, kind of goofy, I know. It's an alien wishing the birthday boy a happy birthday! I made this a while ago for the tweenaged son of a very dear friend. Goofy is good for a tween, don't you think? I patterned it after some little clay alien figurines that my kids made for fun last year, and then gave him a Sing-A-Majig kind of mouth made from punches (yes, that's a heart punch that I used for his tongue!). Nearly all of the stamps (including the flourish I used for his skin texture) come from various The Craft's Meow sets (Just Sayin', Season's Greetings, and Timeless Tags), except for the dotted circle around his eye, which comes from a Flourishes set, I believe. Just for kicks, I'm linking this up to the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge.

Now, I've promised you a winner for my washi tape giveaway earlier this week. I used Random.org to draw a winner from all the comments left on my giveaway post and came up with lucky number . . .

. . . 14--and that was Denise Bryant!!

Congratulations, Denise! I'm off to email you next so I can get your new roll of Green Graph Washi Tape from DeNami Design mailed out to you. :)

A huge thanks to everyone who played along in my giveaway! As always, I had a ton o' fun reading all of your comments :). Be sure to check out my next Ways With Washi feature in March--it will be on the 4th Monday of the month (that will be March 25). Giveaways are so much fun--let's do another one then!!

Thanks for checking out my little slice of bliss today!
Emily 

Hang in There

We are off to march in our town's Memorial Day parade this morning. Both our daughter and son will be marching with their scout groups; my husband and I will be marching along with the Cub Scouts to help with crowd boy control and to lug along the mini American flags that the boys will be passing out to spectators along the parade route. Luckily our burdens will lighten the further along the route we get! This parade is always such a fun time, and the weather appears to be cooperating. Yay!

I wanted to pop in quickly to share the card I made for Paper Crafts' Gallery Idol competition, season six. The theme for the open auditions round is encouragement, and I thought and thought about it and finally came up with this card:

I figured that a frilly pink polka-dotted brassiere shaped card with an accompanying "hang in there" sentiment would be the perfect encouragement card for a girlfriend who's going through rough times! My daughter (13) thought this was the cutest ever. My 9YO son's first reaction was "I think that's kind of . . . um, inappropriate." When my daughter explained that "she wouldn't send it to a man, silly," his attitude softened a bit. But his response pointed out that what I thought hilarious and fun might not be received similarly by everyone else. So I do apologize to any and all who share my son's views!!

A few program notes: I designed this bra-shaped card myself. It's hinged at the top of the straps so there's a bra-shaped inside as well for a handwritten note. The card base is solid pink cardstock (The Paper Company), and the polka-dotted bra cups were cut from patterned paper in the Handmade collection by Lily Bee Design.  I glued some lace trim from my sewing stash to the back of the patterned paper, and then stitched the whole thing down to the card base. Remember when lingerie always had a little pink rose stitched to the center? That was my inspiration for the placement of this sweet little satin ribbon rose (a gift from my friend Carol--thanks, sweetie!). I stamped the "hang in there" sentiment (a retired stamp from The Angel Company, which is sadly no longer in business) on a strung marking tag from Avery to tie around one of the straps. A little bling on the tag was all I needed to finish this up. I love how it turned out, and really, it was pretty easy to make. A win, win!

I hope you had a fabulous weekend, and if you are in the U.S., that you enjoy the rest of your Memorial Day holiday! Thanks for dropping in for a visit.

Emily

DeNami Sneak Peek: BUTTERFLIES!

Welcome to Day 1 of the DeNami Design Spring Release Sneak Peeks!! Today DT Members Laurie, Lisa, and I are giving you sneak peeks of brand-new DeNami stamps about to be released in the Butterfly category! Be sure to read all the way to the end of this post for details on a great giveaway over on the DeNami blog :D.
First, have you heard the news? Starting with this spring release, DeNami stamps will be switching over to cling-mounted rubber stamps! They will use the same high-quality DeNami rubber but will only be available in the cling-cushion form designed to be used with clear acrylic handles. Not only will the stamps be less expensive, they'll be so much easier to store! And I just LOVE being able to see through my handle as I stamp. So easy to "eye-ball" alignment for quickly stamped designs! (More on that in a minute.) And just look at the new ultra-cute packaging for the cling stamps. Fabulous!

Enough chit-chat, right? Let's look at some cards I made with some of the new DeNami butterfly stamps!

What is it about hot pink and bright orange that just look so good together? I love this hot color combination, and I thought it was perfect to show off three stamps from the new release: the largest butterfly of five in the new Fancy Flutters stamp set (CL-GD001), the gorgeous border stamp in the four-stamp Spring Garden stamp set (CL-GD002), and lovely Happy Birthday Script sentiment stamp (CL-F216).

Additional DeNami products on this card:
Magenta cardstock
Desert Orange cardstock
Habanero Versafine ink
Onyx Black Versafine ink

Now, how about a peek at one of the eight new chickies joining the DeNami family on March 1? Behold, I give you the Chickie and Butterflies stamp (CL-D142)!!

Additional DeNami products on this card:
Teeny Heart Background stamp
Everyday Greetings stamp set
Celery cardstock
Desert Orange cardstock
Onyx Black Versafine ink
Aloe Vera Versamagic ink

You won't believe how quickly this 4" x 4" card came together, all thanks to the new cling-mount stamp design. I simply looked right through my clear acrylic handle to line up the {curved} bottom edge of the chickie stamp with the curve of the cardstock circle already mounted on my card.

After stamping the butterfly chickie at the 12-o'clock, 3-o'clock, 6-o'clock, and 9-o'clock positions {eyeballing it the whole way!}, I went back and filled in between the chickies. The clear handle makes it easy to center the stamp between the already-stamped chickies.

By lining up the bottom edge of the stamp with the curve of the circle for each chickie, they are all {approximately} the same distance away from the circle, all the way around. Perfectly positioned chickies (well, good enough, anyway) in less than five minutes!

And finally I'd like to share a shaped card I made from the new Large Butterfly stamp (CL-P96). I am SO excited about this one!! So many fabulous possibilities for it.

Additional DeNami products on this card:
Polka Dot Background stamp
Celery cardstock
Sky Blue cardstock
Lavender cardstock
Onyx Black Versafine ink
Deep Lagoon Versafine ink
Aloe Vera Versamagic ink

Do you spy some trendy chevrons on my butterfly? That's also a new DeNami stamp! It's a chevron border that's included in the new Modern Borders stamp set (CL-BD005). DT members Michele, Dana, and Paulina will be giving sneak peeks of all the new border stamps tomorrow--be sure to drop by the DeNami blog to catch those!

But I'm getting ahead of myself! Don't forget to check out all of today's BUTTERFLY sneak peeks made by Laurie and Lisa, as well as Paulina's sneak peek video on the DeNami blog.

Let's see . . . one last thing before I go. I did mention that there is a giveaway on the DeNami blog today, right? Here's what's up for grabs:
Aren't these new butterfly stamps beautiful? Be sure to check out the DeNami blog for details on entering. (Pssst . . . but be sure to leave me a comment here before you go--I understand that will give you a chance at a second butterfly prize package! And leaving comments on Laurie's and Lisa's posts will increase your chances!) The deadline to enter is February 29th at 6:00 am PST. The winners will be announced on the DeNami blog later that day.

I think that should do it for now. Thanks so much for bearing with me during this long-winded post! I had a blast sharing some of DeNami's newest stamps with you!!
Emily

Masculine Valentine

I've had Moxie Fab World's The Map to Your Heart Challenge in the back of my mind ever since it was issued on January 4. I do indeed love maps, and I think that re-using them in fun ways is rather satisfying. I've been mulling over the best way(s) to approach this challenge, which is to incorporate maps with a papercrafted project in an innovative way, and today was the day to tackle it.

Behold, my entry for The Map to Your Heart Challenge:


(To give you a sense of scale, this circle card measures 4 1/8" in diameter.)

Every couple of months I get a solicitation mailing from Doctors Without Borders that contains a scaled-down fold-up world map. I keep every single one! For this card, I trimmed a section of the map between latitude 60N and 75N, from the Bering Strait to Finland, and turned it into a pleated paper medallion. I turned the resulting card into a clean & simple and nicely masculine Valentine for my husband by adding heart brads, a non-Valentine-colored heart, and the "You make my world go round" sentiment from Lawn Fawn's Admit One stamp set, stamped and embossed on a vellum banner. Why vellum? I didn't want to hide too much of the map!! Anyway, we took a fabulous camping trip of nearly 9000 miles last summer and used maps every day, so I know my hubby will "get" the connection and is sure to love it!

This card was a lot of fun! But I have a couple more map ideas kicking around in my head, so don't be surprised if this isn't the last Map to Your Heart entry you see from me ;).

Do a little something that makes you happy today--I'm glad I did!
Emily

You Make My World Go Round

I've been having SO much fun playing with my new Lawn Fawn stamps! And I've also been playing with one of my Christmas gifts from my hubby: a Martha Stewart scoring board. Yay!! Combining these two new toys lead to another entry for the Lawn Fawn CHA Winter 2012 Challenge:


After giving the carousel from Lawn Fawn's Admit One set a whirl yesterday, I just had to try out the darling Ferris Wheel and that fabulous "you make my world go round" sentiment! Once again, I embossed the images on watercolor paper and watercolor painted them using dye inks. I used my new scoring board to make a medallion from medium blue cardstock, and decided it would make a very cool background for my card--and tie in with the "go round" theme perfectly!

My colors were inspired by the CR84FN45 Challenge:

I may have gotten a little carried away with accent colors on this one--I couldn't keep my eyes off all those extra (and very pretty!) colors in the inspiration photos!!

And finally, I'm entering this in Paper Sundaes Challenge #101: Out with the Old, In with the New (I used my brand new Lawn Fawn stamp set and scoring board along with some in-my-stash-for-a-while baker's twine).

I'm thinking that this card has lots of possibilities--an "I love you" card for my husband, an "I think you're great" card for my kids, a friendship card for a girlfriend, a thank you note (especially for someone who's done me a favor!), and even a birthday card. Have I mentioned how much I love flexibility??

Thanks for dropping by!
Emily

Another Round Card

So, I really enjoyed making that lacey circle card yesterday, and had to make another. OK, well, this one isn't a lacey circle (having used up my one and only yesterday!), but it is a circle card and another rare-for-me shaped card. I just cut two circles using my Creative Memories templates and used Noelle's wonderful method for joining them into a flat-front card. Easy!

I mentioned yesterday that I've recently exhausted my supply of sympathy and get well cards. I'm still trying to build up my stash, so I thought this one could go either way with its "Thoughts of You" sentiment (from {ippity}'s Regal Greetings kit)--with the right message inside, this could be an appropriately somber sympathy card OR an elegant get well card. I like having that kind of flexibility.

I'm still using the Chick Challenges {with Ippity} #5 sketch for this week and playing along with {ippity}'s Mini Cards Challenge (this card is 4" in diameter).

I like how this turned out. I think I may be making round cards more often!

Thanks for dropping by for a little slice of bliss today. I hope you are having a fantastic weekend!
Emily

A Little Sympathy for FWF

Happy Friday! It's time to share a Unity project for Friends With Flair. Check the Unity Stamp Co. blog for hop details and a full list of today's participants.

Recently I've exhausted my supply of sympathy and get well cards. So today I've made a simple little sympathy card to add to my stash. It features stamps from the Regal Greetings kit brought to us by Unity's {ippity} line.
OK, I imagine that the eyebrows of those who know me are sky-high by now. Yes, that is a diecut you see. In fact, it is a hinged diecut lacy circle card. No, I haven't taken the plunge with a Big Shot or Grand Calibur machine and an accompanying vast collection of Spellbinders. Nope, it's the simple truth that my friends take pity on me and occasionally slip me a diecut or two. This beautiful lacy circle card was gifted to me by the very sweet Lisa Lara, a fixture on SplitcoastStampers. I have been hoarding it for over a year now, but when I saw the sketch for this week's Chick Challenges with {ippity} #5, I knew I had to bring it out of mothballs.

With this card, I'm also playing along with the current {ippity} Challenge, Mini Cards. This one measures 4" in diameter.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend! Thanks so much for dropping by today!
Emily

Friends with Flair

It's been a jam-packed day with unforeseen tasks needing attention, so I'm arriving rather late to the Friends with Flair party this week. But here I am {finally!} with another Unity creation to share:
This card was inspired by this week's Finesse the Dress Tuesday Trigger in the Moxie Fab World.
And I'm playing along with a great sketch from the new Chick Challenges {with ippity}:

A huge thanks to Noelle for some insight on an easy approach to making an oval-shaped card. Making this shaped card was trivial!! The heavy lifting in this design is being handled by some beautiful gold-glitter-embossed patterned paper from DCWV's Indian Summer stack. My sentiment and frame from Just Wanted to Say from {ippity} by Unity. And my gauzy flower? That's a Bloomer from Webster's Pages.

This card was so much fun to put together! I love how it turned out. I'm running low on get well cards, so this will be a great addition to my stash.

Thanks for checking out my little slice of bliss today!
Emily

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Just Wanted to Say from {ippity} by Unity
Paper: SU basic gray CS, SU bermuda bay CS, patterned paper from DCWV Indian Summer stack
Ink: Versafine onyx black
Accessories: MS topiary border punch, Creative Memories oval cutting system, foam tape, Gold Lame Smooch, Webster's Pages Bloomers
Techniques: shaped card

Missing You

How is everybody on this fine Tuesday? We had a great weekend with perfect weather. On Saturday morning, we headed out for our family's annual apple-picking trip to a local historic farm. We picked a 1/2 bushel of Macintosh apples, my hubby's favorite apple. He certainly loves his "apple a day," always packing one in his lunch for at work. Anyway, it was a fun, relaxing outing. The kids are old pros at apple-picking now, and we all love doing it! It takes no time at all to fill our half bushel. After tromping through the orchard, we headed to the farm stand to buy a half dozen of apple cider donuts and a gallon of apple cider--it's all a {yummy} part of our tradition!! In all it was a fabulous trip, perfect for recharging our batteries!! And, oh, the memories we made as well. :)

Do you remember me telling about my dear friend who had to move away over the summer? I sent her this card to greet her at her new house. Yesterday I got a note from her letting me know that not only is the card I made for her now framed and hanging in the living room at their new place, the colors I used in the card inspired the all-new decorating scheme they used for their living room!! Talk about happy mail!! :D That made my day.

Ever since I opened yesterday's mail, my friend has been on my mind, so I had to make her a card to let her know how much I miss her.

My color scheme was inspired by Flourishes' Fall Fashion Challenge to make a project with one or more of these hot fall colors for 2011: The bamboo, emberglow, and cedar colors really caught my eye, so I used all three, with a splash of coffee liqueur.

I have also been intrigued by the card sketches featured in the current crop of challenges at the Moxie Fab World. I don't make shaped cards very often, mostly because they are so hard to make without dies (which, if you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I don't have). But the MFW shaped sketch challenge really caught my eye, and--having recently found my missing mojo--I was really feeling up to, well, . . . a challenge!! Working without dies meant that I wasn't tied to set die sizes, so I decided to make this big to really show off the pretty patterned paper I used. The card is massive (or seemingly so to me, at least) at 6.25" in diameter. And because I made a shaped card, I was able to play along with today's new Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge #135, which is to make--what else?--a shaped card!!

The scallops are 1" circles that I punched from cardstock and adhered to the back of my main circular panel. That pretty edge stitching is also functional--it's keeping my scallops from falling off!!

Finally, this card also gave me a chance to use some fabulous goodies that I won from two terrific bloggers over the summer. Both prize packages arrived just before we left on our month-long vacation, which was torture because I knew I'd have to wait a while before I could use any of these!! The Flourishes Country Charm Labels stamps and BasicGrey Nook and Pantry patterned papers came from the lovely and talented Christine Okken. That beautiful two-tone sheer May Arts ribbon came from the sweet and equally talented Jessi Fogan. Jessi sent a whole box of beautifully wrapped goodies, each parcel tied up in a length of lovely May Arts ribbon. You can't let something like that go to waste! So each and every bit was rescued to be recycled on future projects. And because I have recycled some of my saved ribbon on this card, I am entering it in Lynn's Recycling Challenge over at Do More With Less.

Thanks for stopping by to check out what's making me happy today!
Emily

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Flourishes Country Charm Labels, Flourishes Tag Lines
Paper: SU Dusty Durango textured CS, SU Crushed Curry textured CS, patterned papers from BasicGrey's Nook and Pantry collection
Ink: Versafine vintage sepia
Accessories: SU 1" circle punch, Creative Memories circle cutting templates, foam tape, sewing machine, May Arts sheer ribbon, grass green rhinestones from Queen & Co., Tiny Twinkles from Taylored Expressions, Bow Easy
Techniques: shaped card, machine stitching

A Teensy Valentine

I am about to try a new recipe for Velvety Pumpkin Soup for my lunch today. It looks quick and easy, but I'm a little nervous about the substitution I am about to attempt. My otherwise simple recipe calls for shallots and, today being the day before I do my weekly grocery shopping, I simply have nothing of the sort on hand in my nearly bare cupboards/fridge and cannot justify running out to the store for just a single item. Of course, I cannot recall a time when I have ever had shallots in my house--not that I have anything against shallots! They are just not the type of thing that ever seems to hop into my grocery cart. A search of the handy WWW suggests that I may substitute two parts sweet onion and one part garlic if I simply must make a substitution. We shall see!

Before I run off to start my experimental soup, I wanted to share a teensy tiny card I made yesterday.
I started out by wanting to play with the Unity Hip Hop Sketch #41, which looks like this:
Now, I've never been able to make round cards before because I'm lacking in the die cut machine area. But I received several oversized round punches for Christmas and thought I might be able to manage a small round card with those. I was right! And I'm so proud to show you my very first made-by-me round card. Yippee! It's only 3 inches in diameter, but I think this will make an adorable Valentine for my daughter. She'll love all of those rhinestones. ;)

I also squeezed in these few challenges for this card:

• SCS Color Challenge 307: to use soft suede, elegant eggplant, and riding hood red.
• {ippity} Hippity Hop Twist Challenge for January 2011: this is for Week 4: Final Twist, which is to use brads.
• A Spoon Full of Sugar: Valentine Creations
  
• Stamp Something: Stamp something cute

I'm hungry, so that's it for now. I'm off to make my soup!! Thanks for dropping by to check out my little slice of bliss. :)

Card Recipe:
Stamps: {ippity} Moonbeams & Heartstrings
Paper: SU soft suede, elegant eggplant, riding hood red CS; The Paper Company white CS
Ink: Palette moulin rouge, Palette violette
Accessories: EK 3" scallop circle punch, EK 2.25" circle punch, Fiskars 2" circle punch, EK 1.75" circle punch, foam tape, baker's twine, LOVE brad, rhinestones
Techniques: paper piecing