Happiness is a cup of coffee.

Hello and Happy Saturday.  I have a bazillion things do do and what am I doing?  I'm playing with stamps and bits 'n bobs.  I managed to create 5 cards this morning, of course I'm a roll because I have to leave the house soon.  Here's my first batch:

I haven't inked up my Stampin' Up Coffee Cafe in much too long.  I teamed it up with the coordinating designer paper.  

I seldom stamp with my Memento Rich Cocoa but doesn't it looks great with the aqua?!

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I have a bunch of crafty stuff...today I worked on my bits 'n bobs pile.  I have so many little embellishments...I need to use them more often.  

I generally tend to be a clean + simple designer but all these layers make me a happy crafter.  The colors scream spring, don't they?

I spied the newest Global Design Project and knew I wanted to play along!

CASology: enjoy

I'm always thoroughly inspired by so many paper crafters.  I know I'm not alone when I say that I'm continuously inspired by Debby Hughes...gah, such gorgeous style!  I've been smitten by THIS card which was my overall inspiration for today's card.

cardstock:  recollections/white/110, cherry wood veneer paper  stamps:  altenew/persian motifs, papertrey ink/warm happiness  ink:  stampin' up white embossing powder, fresh ink/teal, memento tuxedo  other:  create a smile/chipboard/enjoy, LYB canvas tag, pretty pink posh stitched duo two

A clean & simple card with a lot of stuff going on...LOL.

I tend to hoard my cherry wood veneer paper a lot.  I know that I'm not alone with the whole hoarding business but really crafters, it's best to use those goodies...it's the same thing with those chippies from Create a Smile.  Dontcha love that 'enjoy'?  The PTI set was a score of a deal on a FB page!

Did you notice the Persian Motifs on the Cherry Wood?  I heat embossed it but it does make the wood panel, well, funky....so then I cover the back with foam adhesive to maintain the shape.  Yes, I should just recut the die in craft foam but I always forget that tip :)

This card was also inspired by

CASology

Are you a 

coffee, tea and/or cocoa lover?

There's a new Facebook page for you!  We'd love for you to join in the fun!

CASE Study 198 July Guestie: hey!

Hello!

I'm so very thrilled to let you know that I'm a July guest designer for 

CASE Study!

I'm actually 1 of 2 guest designers & I can tell you that the other guestie is definitely awesome...Tenia Nelson!  

Make sure you pop over to the CASE Study blog for all the deets!

Here's the inspiration for this week:

Shari Carroll is the FANtastic Muse for the Month!  I'm such a huge fan of her work!

Here's how her card inspired me:

I love her neutral background and knew that I wanted to start with that gorgeous panel from Teresa Collins' Memorabilia Collection.

The Priority chippie is from the Memorabilia line, the Crystal Clear sequins are from Neat & Tangled.  I recently bought a ton of Technique Tuesday goodies, the 'hey' is from their With Flair set.

So I have a basket full of bits & bobs....pretty much everything else is from that basket. 

I CASE'd Shari's overall design and although I was going to go with colorful embellies, I ended up staying with a more monochromatic look...and I like it.

Make sure you pop over to the CASE Study blog for TONS of inspiration!!!

We're 'enjoying' super warm temps here in the PNW.  Personally, I'm happiest when it is 70 degrees so 90+ is too warm for me.  I keep trying to convince Darin that we need AC in the house but he isn't on board (boo!).  The kids and I recently returned from an awesome trip to NY, but I'm grateful we don't have to deal with that type of humidity.  

How about you?  What's you FAV temp/weather?

happiness... (& the EAD Designs Blog hop winners!)

This is a disclaimer, I'm so not a purple girl but when I saw THIS card by Julie, I was inspired!

I told Julie that I'd play along with the 

Color throwdown challenge

I have to tell you that this card took me forever!  I picked up some Little Yellow Bicycle white canvas stickers at Michael's (clearance for $1.49!).  I used Distress stain to color the bloom:

dusty concord

milled lavender

I also hit the bloom with water too.  I believe that the purple panel is almost amethyst.   I had my SU cardstock all alphabetized in a humongous paper sorter and well, the sorter is in the garage sale pile and the SU cardstock is in a couple magazine holder/bins.

Color challenges are a good exercise for me.  More than 2 colors and it gives me vertigo.

Dontcha love the sentiment...who doesn't love a good coffee sentiment?  It's by Lil' Inker.

I was also inspired by

Freshly Made Sketches

LOVE this sketch! 

I'm also linking up to Ribbon Carousel

coffee = love

Lovin' that hemp twine!

I'm also posting the EAD Blog Hop winners!

I picked a random winner from all the comments left on my post:

Colleen, you're my winner!

I'll be sending you this little prize package.  I actually have a fresh sheet of EAD Designs birthday sentiment Stickerz!  There are some Prima Chalk Inks, a Xyron Glue stick and a very large bottle cap!

The other 2 winners:

from Julie Smith's Blog:  wienerhoneymooners  

from Wendi's Blog:  Debbie P

(kimberly & debbie, please contact Julie & Wendi directly with your mailing information)

Thanks to everyone that hopped with us!

Avocado Arts: Nuts About You!

Howdy and a big TGIF!

I'm up on the Avocado Arts blog today with 3 cards I designed using the new release

Nuts About You

I'm sharing one of my cards with you on my blog today...you gotta go check out the others HERE.  Would love for you to leave me some bloggie love and let me know which is your favorite!

Okay, who doesn't know that I love coffee and Starbucks?

I live in Starbucks country.

I'm a fan of all their graphics/design & merchandise...this card was inspired by

PSL

10

I've been creating much more clean & crisp designs so I really enjoyed designing this particular card.  I love the textures and layers!

This card has been inspired by Valerie Stangle.  I've been really noticing how Val layers elements but still keep her cards fresh.  Valerie tends to layer up on a journal card size or tag, LOVE that.  Thanks for the inspiration Val!!!

What I've been trying to do with my Avocado Arts projects is to create 1 card that includes another set:

Perfect Blend

I topped off my card with Timeless Twine Chocolate Chip Brown:

Thanks so much for stoppin' by, I'll be back at 9 am with the newest Fusion Challenge!

Stop by the Avocado Arts blog and say Hello!

so happy for you...

Click HERE for the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Blog Hop!

Happy Saturday!

I typically have a Paper Made Bakery post, but my bloggie friend Glenda is up on the PMB blog today...make sure you go check her project out!

Yesterday morning I struggled to design a going away card for my boss.  I've really enjoyed working with her, she has thee best perspective on things, nothing seems to upset her...she's laid back and easy going.  I'm super going to miss her, more than she probably knows but I'm also really happy for her new venture.

She's an orange girl, which is fab since I love to design with orange:

You probably can't tell from the photo, but the fishtail banner has been stitched down with gold metallic thread.  

I'm still working on the  Basic Grey Hey You paper pad.   The burlap flower is Little Yellow Bicycle.  

The sentiment is by WPlus9, Strictly Sentiments 2.  Such a fun font, dontcha think?

I'm playing along with the gals over at

The Play Date Cafe

Cream

Melon

Cantaloupe

Such a fun color combo...my melon color is the button on the burlap bloom.

Lotsa stuff going on on this side of the world today:

Impress Birthday Party

Scrap Expo

Fusion: thank you

I like that Fusion is running through July 24th!  

It gives the Design Team to play along with the other challenge:

I originally decided to just do the sketch but then remembered I had this Jillibean paper squirreled away:

You just gotta love that Savvy Pinwheel die!

I do have a confession.  This is a re-do of sorts.  

This is what it originally looked like:

It wasn't hitting me and I figured out why.  Although I adore that red/kraft paper, it wasn't part of the whole inspiration photo so I swapped it with the yellow paper...much beh-tah., dontcha think?

I'm also playing along with the 

Timeless Twine July challenge

Tags & Twine

I used

Timeless Twine

Black Kraft Twine

I'm doing a birthday shout out!!!!

This sweet boy of mine turns 16 today.

My mom is disgusted that there isn't a stereotypical "Sweet" 16 special birthday for boys...well, I'd totally call it his sweet 16 but let's go with Super 16!

This boy was so calm and easy going as a baby but as soon as he turned 1, WATCH OUT.

We've gone through:

self grooming x2 {with the help of his sister he literally had sprigs of hair}

writing on the face with marker {yet again, with the help of his sister}

lipstick on the face, like all over the face

Chocking on an orange, literally chocking, so his Dad had to perform the heimlich. 

{honestly I was more upset by it than anyone else.  I made him 'lie down to rest' for awhile before preschool.  I come downstairs and his dad and sister are laughing.  Instantly agitated I snapped at them, "What's so funny?".  Only to have my girl, who had the sweetest little voice, say:  "If he would have chocked to death, would we have been able to get a puppy?"

Oh the memories.

But seriously, he is thee most empathetic, kind, funny boy and I love him to pieces.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Here's his birthday card:

The paper is Basic Grey Hey You and the stamps are Avery Elle, along with Nina's tag dies!

I'm patting myself on the back for the masculine card...those are always a challenge for me!

I was inspired by Nina's sketch on the right:

I used Timeless Twine's Tag & Twine challenge again and

Timeless Twine Cherry Red

Thanks for making it down to the end...I know it was an unusually long post for me!

lavender sugar...

Happy Sunday!  

For someone that isn't a huge purple fan, I'm back with a card with purple...or lavender.  I'm determined to use the set of Prima blooms that I bought:)

The damask paper is flocked...gorgeous stuff by Little Yellow Bicycle, I used black seam binding ribbon and topped off the card with PTI buttons and Kaisercraft pearls.

Do you see the Maya Road Trinket pin?

I was inspired by PDCC66:

My card design was inspired by the Get Sketchy Scrappy Saturday Challenge:

Just a reminder...

Flashback Friday 7.0 is running through Friday, February 4th until 11:59 pm PST.  The current challenge is

Glitter!!!!

Our sponsor is 

{ippity} Chick!!

JenMarie

So what are you waitin' for?  Link UP!

Thanks so much for stoppin' by!

Dear Santa,

Hello and Happy Thursday!

I tell you the week is just flyin' by!

I have a fun Torendi card to share today!

Have you seen the Pink Paislee Parisian Anthology line that Torendi is carrying?!!!!!

My base is actually an old sheet of velvet/flocked Little Yellow Bicycle.  I snuck in a thickers shape and making memories glittery number stickers...everything else is from the Parisian line...the Ribbon Strips are out of this world...I actually cringed when I cut it :)  Isn't the little Note sweet?  I topped off the collage-y look with a double decker Parisian Anthology Flair!

Here's a little close up:

Did you catch the "Dear Santa,"??!!!!  I did some creative clipping using E.A.D Designs Merry n Bright Stickerz!  Kind of an unexpected 'sentiment'...

Here's card #2 from my Echo Park Paper self-challenge...I managed to crank out a couple of these...using different die cuts {on pop dots} but the same overall design.  I love the contrast of the brown and green....

I'll share my December Daily for Dec 2nd tomorrow:)