One-layer Sympathy

It's been a jam-packed week, so to get in any crafty time at all, I've been keeping it simple with 10-minute and one-layer cards. Today I'm adding this one-layer sympathy card to my stash:

I won the Calla Lilies set from Flourishes when it was released earlier this year. Now, calla lilies are far from my favorite flowers. I have always associated them with funerals (for which I think they are fine!) and was mortified when, in the 80s, they became a popular decorating motif. Back then, I was appalled when the high school prom decorating committee adopted the calla lily as the "official prom flower" my junior year! But I do love this stamp set from Flourishes, which is filled with much-needed sentiments of sympathy and this beautiful (and large!) floral image. The image itself is shaded perfectly, so it was easy to do a 10-minute colored pencil coloring job on this card without it looking horrible (although I readily admit it's also not prize-winning!). One note: I learned the hard way that if you plan to use white colored pencil on solid colored cardstock, don't try to blend it with odorless mineral spirits. That takes away all of the white pigment and you're left back where you started!

This card is one last entry for Flourishes' Gimme Ten challenge.

Thanks for swinging by!

Emily

Stamps: Calla Lilies by Flourishes
Paper: Spring Moss CS by Papertrey Ink
Ink: Palette Noir Black
Accessories: scoring board, colored pencils

10-Minute Nurture Yourself

So, I mentioned on Sunday that I was waiting to pick up my daughter from her Girl Scout camping trip. Well, she returned safely and had a great time, but came home with a few hitchhikers. Three to be exact:  deer ticks. You know, the tiny kind that can carry Lyme disease, and we live in--you guessed it--prime Lyme territory. We removed them successfully (with tweezers, the best method according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are a lot of folklore removal methods out there, but some can actually increase the likelihood of disease transmission {something to do with increased salivation; I know, ewwwwwwwww!}. Our motto: when in doubt, yank it out!). Anyway, I consulted with our pediatrician yesterday, and because we have no way of knowing if the ticks were attached for less than 24 hours, we'll have her tested for Lyme disease in four to six weeks. (Yeah, it takes that long for it to show up in tests!) In the meantime, we'll keep our eyes peeled for that telltale bullseye rash, which apparently presents in only 60% of Lyme disease cases, so testing will be crucial. Our pediatrician mentioned that the practice has been seeing a lot of Lyme disease recently, most likely due to our very mild winter. Darn, and I was kind of liking that! I guess I'd better hope for lots of cold, snow, and ice next year!

Enough of the yucky stuff, let's get on with a card!

Today I am sharing, appropriately enough, a get well card! I realized last week that my supply of such cards has been depleted, so it was time to re-stock. Because I've been so time-crunched, I decided to play along with Flourishes' Gimme Ten challenge again, to make a 10-minute card.

I used three sets from Flourishes to put together this card: Sunflowers, Tiny Flowers and Tags, and From the Garden. I made a super-quick background by scoring a 3.75" x 3.75" piece of cardstock in a grid and stamping a tiny daisy in each square. I already had that handmade spiral fabric flower in my stash, and all that was left to do was quickly stamp and trim a few leaves. Done! I'm linking this up as my final entry in Julie Koerber's Celebrate Five challenge.

I also used some more Bazzill Card Shoppe cardstock to make this card. Today's colors are Peanut Cluster (for the card base), Gumball (for the blue scored panel), and Easter Grass (for the leaves). I am so impressed with how will this cardstock scores: nice crisp lines and no danger of accidentally perforating the paper. And even though this is nice heavyweight cardstock (100 lb.), I had no trouble fussy-cutting those leaves, although I admit I wasn't going for precision here. It is, after all, a 10-minute card!

Well, I already have dinner in the crockpot, and the kids are off to school,  so it's time to get cranking on my freelance work for the day. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Emily

Stamps:  Sunflowers, Tiny Flowers and Tags, and From the Garden by Flourishes

Paper: Peanut Cluster, Gumball, and Easter Grass from the Bazzill Card Shoppe collection; white from Papertrey Ink

Ink: Versafine Spanish Moss, SU Bashful Blue

Accessories: handmade rolled fabric flower, pearl, SU label punch, scoring board, baker's twine from the DeNami Design Spring Twine 3-pack, Corner Chomper

Techniques: scoring, rolled ribbon flower

10-Minute Thinking of You

Hi and Happy Monday, everybody! We're gearing up for the LAST week of school here. I just sent my third-grader off to school for his field day today. Ahhhhh, there's nothing like the smell of sunscreen first thing in the morning! (It's waterproof/sweatproof stuff, so I have a feeling the scent is going to be with me for several more handwashings today!) Hat? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Water bottle? Check. Awesome weather forecast? Check. I think he's all set for a super fun day. :D

It's been far too long since I've been able to play along with the Flourishes release week festivities. The DT will start revealing the new sets on Wednesday, and there's a pre-release challenge to play while we wait: Gimme Ten. The challenge is all about 10-minute creations. Boy, do I love quick and easy cards! So easy to jot a quick note in and pop in the mail without the hassle of bubble mailers or extra postage.

Here's my 10-minute creation for today:

Super easy! And making monochromatic cards is so much fun. I used three Flourishes stamp sets to make this card: A Year in Flowers Set 2, Calla Lilies, and Country Charm Labels.

I'm also entering this 10-minute creation over at Julie Koerber's Celebrate Five challenge.

I also enjoyed playing around some more with my sample pack of Bazzill Card Shoppe cardstock that I mentioned yesterday (click HERE for details). Today's card features Circus Peanuts (the lighter orange shade) and Candy Corn (the darker orange shade) cardstock. I do like the smooth surface of this cardstock--it takes ink very nicely. I also love having coordinating color shades within the same color family! Makes for effortless monochromatic projects. Anyway, I'll have more on Card Shoppe as the week goes on!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my 10-minute creation. I hope that wherever you are, today brings you your own little slice of bliss!

Emily

Stamps: A Year in Flowers Set 2, Calla Lilies, and Country Charm Labels by Flourishes

Paper: Circus Peanuts CS and Candy Corn CS from the Bazzill Card Shoppe collection; white CS from Papertrey Ink

Ink: Habanero Versafine, Vintage Sepia Versafine

Accessories: EK Success Dotted Scallop border punch, orange grosgrain ribbon, Corner Chomper

DeNami Cards for Guys Blog Hop

Welcome to the DeNami Design Cards for Guys Blog Hop! Today the DeNami Design Team and customers alike are showcasing some of those often-hard-to-create masculine cards made with DeNami stamps.

 
Hopefully, you've arrived here by way of Stacy M.'s blog, Sweethearts & Sweet Tarts. If so, you are on the right track! If not, you'll want to head over to the DeNami blog to start the blog hop at the beginning. (And remember, if you get lost along the way, you can always head over to the DeNami blog to get pointed in the right direction.)

Don't forget, there are delightful DeNami prizes to be won! Two luckies will be drawn at random from among the comments left along the blog hop to win a $20 DeNami Design gift certificate! You have until Monday, June 11, 2012, 11:59 pm PST, to leave comments on all the blogs to be eligible for a prize. 

Now, I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm not sure how to approach a card for a guy, I just go with humor! Guys are always up for a laugh, right? And I'm sure most would take something funny over something mushy any day. So for my card for a guy today, I paired this punny You're a Hoot! stamp with the bespectacled owl from the Owls Petit Four stamp set. 

 
I chose some My Mind's Eye patterned paper in guy-ish colors to stitch down for the background of my card. I stamped the owl in Versafine Vintage Sepia ink on watercolor paper and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. Then I watercolor painted that fun little owl with various dye inks to match the colors of the patterned paper. 

DeNami Design has a fabulous assortment of boy and masculine-themed stamps. Not familiar with them? Be sure to click HERE to see the entire collection!

Well, I'm sure you can't wait to see more guy-card inspiration! Before you leave, be sure to leave a comment to be eligible for the randomly drawn prizes and then you can be on your way to the next stop on the hop, the very sweet DeNami addict, Tina Milbourn, at her blog, A Timeless Treasure.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Enjoy the blog hop,

Emily

Stamps: You're a Hoot, Owls stamp set by DeNami Design
Paper: white byPapertrey Ink; Mudpie by Bazzill Basics; Baja Breeze by Stampin’ Up!; bubbles patterned paper from Fine and Dandy Boy collection by My Mind’s Eye; watercolor paper by Canson
Ink: Antique Linen distress ink by Ranger Industries; Baja Breeze, So Saffron, and Pumpkin Pie by Stampin’ Up!; Versafine Vintage Sepia by Tsukineko
Accessories: clear embossing powder by DeNami Design; brown buttons from my stash; brown burlap string by May Arts; wonky rectangles dies by Spellbinders
Techniques: machine stitching, heat embossing, watercolor painting

Houndstooth Greetings

I'm waiting for the call that my daughter is on the way home from her Girl Scout camping trip so I can go to pick her (and her gear) up. I've been working on a card (for fun!) while I wait. Here it is:

I really wanted to play in this month's Market Street Stamps Block Party, so I inked up my MSS Houndstooth background stamp so I could make a graphic design with a girl's best friend! Here's a closeup of all that fabulous houndstooth goodness.

My card base is also stamped with the houndstooth background. The (partially inked) sentiment comes from MSS Prancer.

I took my colors from this week's Play Date Cafe challenge.

I also finally had time to play with some new products today. A while back I was contacted by Bazzill Basics Paper to see if I'd like to try out their brand new line of Card Shoppe cardstock, a collection of smooth heavy-weight cardstock developed specifically for cardmakers. They sent me a sample pack of 56 sheets of gorgeous cardstock (2 sheets each of 28 different colors with fun candy-themed color names). I have been soooooooo busy with so many things recently that I haven't had time to try them--until today! Today's creation features Candy Necklace (a beautiful aquamarine color) and Whirlypop (a deep blue color). They both took ink and punched beautifully! My Candy Necklace card base also scored and creased perfectly. I'm looking forward to playing with more colors from this pack throughout the week and will definitely report back on my findings. Bazzill was kind enough to send along a second sample pack of Card Shoppe cardstock, so look for a giveaway here on my blog soon!!

Thanks so much for dropping by to check out my little slice of bliss for today!

Emily

Stamps: Houndstooth and Prancer from Market Street Stamps

Paper: Candy Necklace and Whirlypop cardstock from the Bazzill Card Shoppe line; white and Melon Berry from Papertrey Ink

Ink: Versamark and Onyx Black Versafine

Accessories: diamond punch, sewing machine

Techniques: machine stitching

Emboss Resist Live in the Moment

I saw yesterday that Julie Koerber, of Out to Impress, is celebrating her fifth anniversary of blogging with a challenge. Her Celebrate Five challenge is to either make a 10-minute creation or a creation using a resist technique. Today I went with a emboss-resist technique because I had a bit of time to play. I'm hoping to play again with a 10-minute creation. I love those!

So here's my emboss-resist card:

I used three different Flourishes stamp sets to make this card: the medallion is from the Medallion Motif set, the trellis pattern on the paper medallions is from the Country Charm Borders set, and the sentiment is from the Life Lines set. I have to say that the pretty medallion from Medallion Motif is perfect for the emboss-resist technique. It really seems to bring out the details!

My colors come from this week's Play Date Cafe challenge:

A huge congratulations to Julie on five years of blogging! I always love seeing what she creates, and her work with Flourishes stamps is just outstanding.

Thanks so much for taking a peek at what made me happy today!

Emily

Stamps: Medallion Motif, Country Charm Borders, Life Lines from Flourishes

Paper: white, Melon Berry from Papertrey Ink; Marina Mist from Stampin’ Up!

Ink: Marina Mist from Stampin’ Up!; Onyx Black Versafine from Tsukineko; Versamark by Tsukineko; Water Lily Green Palette hybrid ink

Accessories: clear embossing powder, heat tool, sponge daubers, scoring board, We R Memory Keepers buttons, sewing machine

Techniques: heat embossing, emboss-resist

God's Love

This week just absolutely flew by, and here we are: another Friday! Huzzah!! (I was going to say "yee-haw," but that hardly seemed dialectically appropriate, given that my humble abode is located in New England, less than 20 miles from both blue-blooded Boston and Concord, Mass., the setting for the "shot heard 'round the world." After hearing tales of candle dipping, silhouette drawing, hornbook making, and Johnny cake cooking from my third-grader's Colonial Day festivities yesterday, this exclamation seemed far more suitable.)

Anywho, where were we? Ah, yes: FRIDAY! It's time, of course, for another Friends With Flair blog hop with Unity Stamp Co. fans. You can find a list of all of today's participants on the Unity blog.

Today I'm sharing a sympathy card.

 

I really like how this turned out. It's muted but not overtly sympathy-y or  too somber, and I like the modern look. I used two {ippity} sets to create this card: What Matters Most and Just Wanted to Say.

I'm also linking this up to the new {ippity} challenge to use red on a project.

Any plans for your weekend? My 13YO leaves after school for a Girl Scout camping trip all weekend, so hubby, the boy, and I are on our own for the most part. I think I have a To-Do list that's about a mile long and needs tackling, but I'm trying not to think too much about that right now! We're so excited that there's just one more week of school left. I only need to pack lunches four more times!!! I am so over the lunch-packing thing.

Have a fabulous weekend, whatever you plan to do!

Thanks for stopping by,

Emily

Stamps: What Matters Most, Just Wanted to Say from {ippity} by Unity Stamp Co.

Paper: PTI kraft, cream, and chartreuse; patterned paper by My Mind's Eye

Ink: Versafine vintage sepia

Accessories: red gel pen, corner rounder, SU hemp twine, foam tape

Polka Dots for CAS-ual Fridays

This week DeNami Design is proud to sponsor the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge. The new theme? The Girl Fridays are calling it the "Sweet Spot," and it's all about polka dots.

Some of the DeNami DT gals are playing along with the challenge to show off our CAS polka dot creations featuring none other than DeNami stamps! I made two cards with the same design but different color schemes. I couldn't decide which I liked better, so I'll share them both!

I recently realized that I didn't have *any* "thinking of you" cards left in my stash. Because those are the most versatile (you can make them fit for get well, sympathy, birthday, tough times, anniversary), I made a note to make more really soon. And I love having one-layer cards in my stash, too. So easy to write in and mail! Those were the two main criteria that guided my creating, along with the polka dot requirement, of course. I used just two DeNami stamps (Medium Polka Dots and the "thinking of you" stamp from the All Occasion Sentiments set) and a single sheet of cardstock to make both one-layer cards. Well, and some ink, too!

This challenge runs through Thursday, June 14, until noon EDT. The prize is a $25 DeNami Design gift certificate! I hope you'll play along. Just remember to use polka dots and keep it clean and simple. :)

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you find a little slice of bliss somewhere in your day today, too.

Emily

Stamps: Medium Polka Dots background and All Occasion Sentiments set by DeNami Design

Cardstock: PTI white

Ink: Onyx Black Versafine, Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea spectrum ink pad, Versacolor Wild Berries spectrum ink pad

A New Photo Tutorial

Several months ago, I was contacted by Splitcoaststampers' Beate Johns who asked if I'd be interested in writing a tutorial for Splitcoaststampers. I was sooooooooooooooo honored and immediately said yes! She requested that I put together a photo tutorial on making dryer sheet flowers, and I'm so pleased to say that my tutorial went live over at Splitcoast yesterday. So far the response has been wonderful!

Today I wanted to share the card I made as part of my new tutorial. The flower on this card is the one I show being assembled in the tutorial.

You can find all of the details on how I made this flower in my Splitcoast tutorial, and all the card specifics are listed below.  I had so much fun using my DeNami Design stamps to make the perfect card for showcasing this dryer sheet flower!

Thanks so much for dropping by and sharing my little slice of bliss for today!

Emily

Stamps: DeNami Design: Medium Solid Filigree, Polka Dot Background, Thoughtful Greetings stamp set 

Paper: DeNami Amethyst CS, DeNami Celery CS, PTI white CS  

Ink: Versafine Imperial Purple, Versamagic Aloe Vera, Colorbox Frost White pigment 

Accessories: Ditto Glimmer Spray by Hampton Art (purple), Corner Chomper, Martha Stewart Cherish PATP set, used dryer sheets, silver Stickles, decorative brad (Making Memories), Kaisercraft rhinestones, silk leaf 

   

God Bless America

Today I have a patriotic card to share with you, and boy, did I have fun making this card!

Isn't that God Bless America stamp fabulous? It's by DeNami Design, and it just happens to be our Product Spotlight stamp this week, which means it's also on sale.

I really like how fancy and star-studded this is! Wouldn't this stamp be fabulous for Operation Write Home creations? I also used the ultra-cute DeNami Sparkles stamp to add "fireworks" to my design and DeNami's Teeny Star Background on my blue stripes.

I think this stamp has soooooooooooooo many possibilities! Be sure to swing by the DeNami Design blog today to see what the rest of the design team has whipped up with this stamp!

Thanks for dropping by to check out my little slice of bliss for today,

Emily

Stamps: God Bless America, Sparkles, and Teeny Star Background by DeNami Design

Cardstock: DeNami Red, PTI white, The Paper Company blue

Ink: Satin Red Versafine, Majestic Blue Versafine

Accessories: oval cutting system, Sakura Stardust pen, red rhinestones, red/white/blue grosgrain ribbon from Target's Dollar Spot