Happy Happy Birthday

Hello all! Yesterday my good friend Kim Wilson and I went shopping at IKEA, for my very first time. Wow, what a fun store and a great place to find tons of inspiration! I picked up some organization supplies, which I have desperately needed, and can't wait to get my self and supplies better organized. What are some of your favorite organization idea?!

Ok, for today's card you all are going to have to take it easy on me. It's another first for me... I've finally made the plunge into the Copic craze! I picked up a few of the Copic trios from Papertrey Ink and boy are they fun. I have no idea what I am doing, but I hope with practice to improve. I kind of cheated on today's card and simply just scribbled onto each of the butterfly wings, from Butterfly Dreams. I really like the way it turned out though!

Tied some Summer Sunrise twill ribbon over the edge, attached a label from Fillable Frames #2 and a sentiment from Fillable Frames #1, then embellished with some black rhinestones.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a great day!

Maile

Happy, Happy Birthday:

• Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Fillable Frames #1 & Fillable Frames #2
• Ink: Palette Noir & True Black
• Cardstock: True Black, Summer Sunrise & White
• Accessories: Summer Sunrise Twill Ribbon, Black Rhinestones, Copics & Fillable Frames #2 Die

Hello Friend

Hello all and happy Monday! It is such a gorgeous day today, I thought it would be fitting to share this blooming card with you all...Using the Beautiful Blooms II #3 Collection Dies, I die cut flower negatives from my white cardstock block, rounded the corners and stamped the sentiment from Springtime Doodles. You all probably know this already, but here is a Clean and Simple tip: For a visually pleasing CAS design, group your images and embellishments together to create a main focal point and white space.

Debossed the front of the card base using the Polka Dot Basics II Impression Plate and carefully placed and attached the Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise & Raspberry Fizz buttons. Completed the card by attaching the flower negative block, using dimensional adhesive.

Hope you all have a great start to your week! Thanks for stopping by!

Maile

Hello Friend:

• Stamps: Springtime Doodles
• Ink: True Black
• Cardstock: White
• Accessories: Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Raspberry Fizz Vintage Buttons & Crochet Thread, Beautiful Blooms II #3 Collection Dies, Polka Dot Basics II Impression Plates & Corner Rounder

Embellish Color Challenge With Stitching

Hello all! It's Embellish Challenge time again, hooray! Just check out these photos taken by the talented Ashley Newell, what inspiration! This weeks challenge is of course to use the gorgeous colors pictured above, but also to incorporate stitching into your creations. Either by machine or hand, faux or stamped. Our sponsors this time around are Your Next Stamp. You must check them out, they have got some adorable images!

I went with hand stitching and this is what I came up with... My inspiration came from the sentiment "Hoppy Easter". I kept things super simple and let the eggs do the hopping. :)

That crooked sentiment is something I would (usually) never live with. In my creative mind everything has to be perfectly straight, but I thought it kind of added to the movement that the hopping eggs gave to the card. So I left it, and it doesn't even bother me! Lol!

So, stop on by the Embellish Magazine blog for all the details, to check out the prize that's up for grabs and to post your creations. Can't wait to see what you all come up with for this fabulous challenge!

Maile

Hoppy Easter:

• Stamps: Hoppy Easter Fhiona (Your Next Stamps)
• Ink: Aqua Mist & Sweet Blush
• Cardstock: White & Kraft
• Accessories: White Crochet Twine & Fillable Frames #2 Die

With Deepest Sympathy

Hello my friends! Hope you all are having a wonderful day! It's been a while since I last made a sympathy card, but I do have a simple one to share with you today... Using the Giga Guidelines 1 Impression Plate, I was able to add a subtle but very elegant textured pattern to the white cardstock block. This helped to break up the stark whiteness of the card and to let the sentiment circle really stand out.

The sentiment circle was stamped using a sentiment and border image from Asian Fusion, using Dark Chocolate and Melon Berry inks. Layered it over a strip of Melon Berry Twill and embellished the border with brown rhinestones.

If you don't have the need for a sympathy card, simply changing the sentiment and this card would work perfectly as a wedding card.

So glad you stopped by today!

Maile

With Deepest Sympathy: (Card Measures: 5 1/2" X 3 1/2")

• Stamps: Asian Fusion
• Ink: Melon Berry & Dark Chocolate
• Cardstock: Dark Chocolate & White
• Accessories: Melon Berry Twill Ribbon, Brown Rhinestones, Giga Guidelines 1 Impression Plate, Marvy Uchida 2 1/4" Circle Punch & Corner Rounder.

Thinking of You Beautiful Blooms II

Hello all! Thought I would pop in and share a Beautiful Blooms II card with you today... Using a springy color combo of Plum Pudding, Hawaiian Shores and Melon Berry I hand stamped pattern papers using the large and small solid blooms (from Beautiful Blooms II). Attached a row of the blooms across the front of the card and made sure to extend it over the edges. The card base measures 4 3/8"wide so that, with the extended edges the entire card measure 5" square.

Wrapped the hand stamped blooms with Melon Berry Twill and attach a sentiment frame, from Fillable Frames #2. For a different take on the sentiment frame idea, I cut off part of the frame to line it up with the edge of the card.

Hope you enjoyed and thanks for stopping by!

Maile

Thinking Of You:

• Stamps: Beautiful Blooms II, Fillable Frames #2 & Springtime Doodles (Sent.)
• Cardstock: White
• Ink: Plum Pudding, Hawaiian Shores, Melon Berry & True Black
• Accessories: Melon Berry Twill Ribbon & Fillable Frames #2 Die

Get Well Soon

Happy Tuesday to you all! I've really been enjoying my new Terracotta Tile color collection. For me, it was one of those colors I had no idea what to do with at first; but once I pair it with just the right colors, it looks amazing. Today I have paired it with Melon Berry and New Leaf. I've also found that Terracotta Tile look great with Hibiscus Burst too. The text background (from Background Basics: Text Style) on the scallops and for the flower, were stamped in Melon Berry. Wrapped the Terracotta Tile cardstock with Melon Berry twill ribbon.

The flower was created by using the large Beautiful Blooms II #2 Die, to cut a negative space from the Terracotta Tile and sentiment (from Fillable Frames #2) cardstock block. Stamped the sentiment and leaves (from Beautiful Blooms II) in New Leaf and embellish with a button strung with silk ribbon, which has been my new favorite way to thread my buttons lately. :)

Hope you all have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Maile

Get Well Soon:

• Stamps: Background Basics: Text Style & Fillable Frames #2 (Sent.)
• Ink: Melon Berry & New Leaf
• Cardstock: Kraft, White & Terracotta Tile
• Accessories: Melon Berry Twill Ribbon, 1/4" White Silk Ribbon, New Leaf Vintage Button, Beautiful Blooms II #2 Large Die, Medium Scalloped Border Die

Precious Baby

Over the weekend I had attended a baby shower for a very dear friend of mine. She of course is having a girl and when creating her card, I found inspiration through the crib bedding she had selected for the babies room.The bedding is brown with a pink damask pattern. I flipped the colors and stamped Dark Chocolate damask, from Damask Designs, onto Sweet Blush cardstock. Scalloped the top edge using the Small Scalloped Borders die, wrapped with Sweet Blush ribbon and a button.

Attach the hand stamped pattern paper over a white cardstock strip, stamped with a sentiment and embellished with a couple more Sweet Blush buttons. She was very pleased!

Thanks for visiting today! Hope you all had a great weekend and have a wonderful start to your weeks!

Maile

Precious:

• Stamps: Damask Designs
• Ink: Dark Chocolate
• Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Sweet Blush & White
• Accessories: Sweet Blush Grosgrain & Vintage Buttons, Twine & Small Scalloped Border Die

Springtime Doodles Thanks

Happy Friday!!! Got some Springtime Doodles for you today... I love to create cards using a rainbow color theme, especially now that spring is literally around the corner (tomorrow). I stamped the butterflies from Springtime Doodles onto cardstock rectangles and embellish them with matching buttons.

Attached them to the base, making sure to pop some up for some dimension.

Stamped the sentiment in black. To help it stand out a bit more, I added a matching black button and ribbon tab. Super easy!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Maile

Thanks:

• Stamps: Springtime Doodles
• Ink: Raspberry Fizz, Terracotta Tile, Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado & Hawaiian Shores
• Cardstock: Kraft & White
• Accessories: True Black, Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado & Hawaiian Shores Vintage Buttons & True Black Satin Ribbon.

Color Cue {2} Challenge

Come and play along with us over at Wplus9 Design Studio, in the latest Color Cue {2} Challenge. Here is what I came up with... The colors I used were PTI's: Stamper's Select White, Ocean Tides, Lemon Tart & Raspberry Fizz. The Ocean Tides panel was stamped, in white with a branch & hearts from the Love Birds set. Then the tree's were touched up with a little glitter glue.

The birds were stamped in Lemon Tart, cut out and mounted above the branch together. Used the single heart image to create the birds wings and the heart grouping for the Raspberry Fizz hearts.

Stop by Dawn blog for the challenge details and to see what she created. Be sure to check out Elise Durenberger and Savitri Wilder creations as well. Thanks for visiting me today, hope it's a good one!

Maile

I Love You:

• Stamps: Love Birds
• Ink: Fresh Snow, Lemon Tart, Raspberry Fizz & True Black
• Cardstock: Stamper's Select White & Ocean Tides
• Accessories: Rangers Stickles Glitter Glue & Corner Rounder

Babies & Botanicals

Hello all! Hope your day is going well! Thought I'd share a card using some more goodies from the latest Papertrey Ink release, Background Basics: Botanicals and Outlines Alphabet... This card utilizes a simple and very common layout, but yet I gave it a fun uniqueness by adding a few properly placed details. First off, the rectangles were stamped using three of the Background Basics: Botanicals images (in Sweet Blush). Attach a Dark Chocolate button, strung with white silk ribbon.

Gave the sentiment (stamped using Outlines Alphabet) some dimension by cutting out and popping up a couple of the letters. Then finished the card off with a double ribbon tab, using Dark Chocolate grosgrain and more of that wonderful silk ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by today, hope you have a good one!

Maile

Baby: (Card Measures 5 1/2" X 4")

• Stamps: Background Basics: Botanicals & Outlines Alphabet
• Ink: Sweet Blush & Dark Chocolate
• Cardstock: Kraft & White
• Accessories: Dark Chocolate Vintage Button, 1/4" White Silk Ribbon & Dark Chocolate Grosgrain Ribbon

Wonderfully Whimsical Smile

Happy Tuesday everyone! I gave my Wonderfully Whimsical set a bit more love the other day and this is what came of it... Stamped the row of houses in Pure Poppy, Hibiscus Burst and Summer Sunrise. Gave them each lawns, using New Leaf cardstock cut with the new RickRack Border die and stamped a happy little sentiment.

I am loving the new Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs set, can't you tell?! Stamped and cut out a couple polka dot tabs, to create cute little button tab embellishments. Such a fun detail to match those adorable houses, wouldn't you say?

Thanks for stopping by, hope you are having a great start to your week!

Maile

Smile:

• Stamps: Wonderfully Whimsical & Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs
• Ink: Pure Poppy, Hibiscus Burst, Summer Sunrise & True Black
• Cardstock: White & New Leaf
• Accessories: Hibiscus Burst Vintage Buttons, Twine & RickRack Border Die

Papertrey Ink - Mar 2010 Release Projects

It's the day after the Papertrey Ink release and it's time to share the rest of my projects. What a fun release this month had in store, full of gorgeous flowers and springtime fun.


Lets get started...
Dawn McVeys new set for the month is Delightful Dahlia and it's a stunner! Using the new color for the month, Hawaiian Shores, I stamped a few flowers onto the Aqua Mist card base. Attach a label, from Fillable Frames #2, just over the edge. I just can't get enough of the Fillable Frames Sets, very versatile and such a great deal. Stamped a couple stripes from Distressed Stripes at the base and embellished with buttons.

Wonderfully Whimsical, what a fun set! Paired it up with a fun color combo of: Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise and Plum Pudding. Here is another take on the tabs from Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs, again using the Large Scalloped Border die and then stamping each scallop with a different color. A couple touches of glitter to finish it off.

How cute it the Springtime Doodles?! Stamped a row of lady bugs across the card, cut a few apart, attached button bodies and spread there wings to make a few look like they are taking off of the card.

Next up in the Year of Flowers Collection is Year of Flowers: Daffodils. These flowers are gorgeous! I wanted to let them stand alone and created a simple card set using a springy color combo. The base of each card was stamped using a different image from Background Basics: Botanicals.

Beautiful Blooms II and it's coordinating dies are the perfect tools to create your very own embellishments. There are so many different images and sizes, the sky is the limit. The Picnic Plaid Impression Plate created the perfect subtle background to really let the bloom shine. Finished the card off with a border cut from the new yummy felt, using the RickRack die.

Check out the PTI Gallery here for all the details.

Hope you all enjoyed the release and I can not wait to see what you all create using your new goodies!!!

Maile

Embellish Color Challenge With Fabric

It's time for the latest Embellish Magazine Challenge, and what inspiration we have to work with this time! Thanks to Ashley for taking her camera along with her to Thailand and snapping these fabulous photos. This time the challenge is to use the colors pictured above and to incorporate fabric into your creations. Our sponsor this week is Whimsie Doodles and they were gracious enough to provided us with this brand new and adorable set called How Sweet.

Here is my take...

Aren't those falling cherries too cute?! They were created using the single cherry image, randomly stamped in Pure Poppy.

By using Kraft colored muslin, cut with three sizes of the Cuttlebug Flower Dies and assembled into a flower, I was able to incorporate the fabric for the challenge. Attached hand cut and distressed leaves (made from New Leaf cardstock), then layered the flower over an Enchanted Evening cardstock strip and Twill ribbon loop. Finished the card off with a cute little label and sentiment.

So, stop on by the Embellish Magazine blog and submit your creations for a chance to get your hand on this adorable set! Can't wait to see what you all create!

Maile

You're So Berry Sweet:

• Stamps: How Sweet (Whimsie Doodles)
• Ink: Pure Poppy & Enchanted Evening
• Cardstock: Kraft, Vintage Cream, Enchanted Evening & New Leaf
• Accessories: Enchanted Evening Twill Ribbon, Pure Poppy Vintage Button, Cream Rustic Twine, Kraft Muslin Fabric, Cuttlebug Flower Dies, Corner Rounder & Distressing Tool

Trendy Tabs

This months release is a huge one! Are you all ready for it?!

Heather Nichols has a fabulous new set coming out this month called Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs. This set is part of a new mini scrapbook collection series, that will be released quarterly. Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs is a collection of half-circle mini tabs and words and phrases, sized perfectly to fit into the tabs. These tabs are a perfect match to the brand new "tab" and "book page" dies which are also coming out this month. You can find more info on this over at Nichole Heady's blog.

Nichole has given us, the Design Team, the task of showing off just how versatile this set really is. Some of us will be creating or using this set as intended, in a mini-book format. Others are creating a 3D/notebook or a card related project. I chose to incorporate these fun tabs into a card...While playing around with this set, I discovered that the tabs fit perfectly into scallops of the Large Scalloped Border Die. So I decided to create rows of colorful and fun polka dot scallops, to embellish my card.

To create this look: cut scallops from white cardstock and stamp polka dot tabs into each scallop using Pure Poppy, Hibiscus Burst & Summer Sunrise inks. Layer and attach to the bottom of a cardstock block and trim edges. For a clean and polished look, top scallops off with a Pure Poppy grosgrain ribbon bow.

Finished the card off with a few butterflies from Butterfly Dreams, buttons and a sentiment.

Be sure to stop by and see what the other Design Team girls have created, they are sure to blow you away...

• Betsy Veldman
• Dawn McVey
• Debbie Olson
• Heather Nichols
• Lisa Johnson
• Melissa Phillips
• Michelle Wooderson
• Niki Estes
• Kim Hughes
• Erin Lincoln

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy all the countdown!

Maile

Happy Birthday:

• Stamps: Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs, Butterfly Dreams & Delightful Dahlia
• Ink: Pure Poppy, Hibiscus Burst & Summer Sunrise
• Cardstock: White
• Accessories: Pure Poppy Grosgrain Ribbon, Vintage Buttons (Pure Poppy, Hibiscus Burst & Summer Sunrise), Large Scalloped Border Die & Corner Rounder

So Thoughtful

Hello all, hope you had a great weekend! Here is a little button goodness for you today... Stamped the card base with Background Basics: Diamonds (in Aqua Mist) and attach a Melon Berry cardstock strip, stamped with Polka Dot Basics II.

Instead of just a row of Aqua buttons, I switched it up a bit by adding a pop of Melon Berry. I love it when I can put those huge buttons to good use. When attaching the button row I made sure to leave room for the sentiment, from Signature Greetings.

Hope you all have a fun start to your weeks, thanks for stopping by!

Maile

Thank You For Being So Thoughtful:

• Stamps: Background Basics: Diamonds, Polka Dot Basics II & Signature Greetings
• Ink: Aqua Mist, Melon Berry & Versamark
• Cardstock: White & Melon Berry
• Accessories: Aqua Mist & Melon Berry Vintage Buttons, Twine & Corner Rounder

Just Us Girls #23 Sponsored By Wplus9

Today's card is based off of the latest Just Us Girls Challenge, sponsored by Dawn Woleslagle of WPlus9 Design stamps. Check out the fun sketch...Up for grabs are two Wplus9 stamps sets! So stop by JUGS for the details and see what their design team has come up with, using Wplus9's stamps.

Here is my take...
Using a few of the tree top images, from the super fun Funky Foliage stamp set, I was able to create these adorable little flowers and leaves.

The sentiment is from Funky Flowers, another fun set! Used a fun color combo of Hibiscus Burst, Melon Berry, New Leaf, Kraft and Dark Chocolate. A new combo for me, since I finally got my hands on some Hibiscus Burst goodies.

Be sure to stop by Dawn's blog to see her gorgeous creation for the challenge, and for the latest on the new release coming up very soon! Also... my fellow talented Design Team members Savitri Wilder and Elise Durenberger have joined in on the JUGS fun too.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Maile

Happy Birthday Friend:

• Stamps: Funky Foliage & Funky Flowers (Wplus9)
• Ink: Dark Chocolate & New Leaf
• Cardstock: Kraft, White, Dark Chocolate, Hibiscus Burst & Melon Berry
• Accessories: Hibiscus Burst Saddle Stitch Ribbon, Hibiscus Burst & Melon Berry Vintage Buttons, White Twine, Medium Scalloped Border Die & Coluzzle Circle Cutter

CARDS 2010 January Publications

Hello all! Thought I would share a few cards that were published in the January edition of CARDS magazine...The detail on these Spring Rain buttons looks a lot like tire tread, which made them a perfect match for this bicycle image from Everyday Button Bits. Wouldn't you say?! I made this card back when my Polka Dot Basics II set was brand new and I used it on just about everything.

Here is a card I have never posted on my blog before. Those adorable hot air balloons and the embossed sentiment are from Everyday Button Bits. Again with the Polka Dot Basics II, this time they are embossed.

This is my favorite out of the bunch, this card was pretty much the card that started my In Bloom craze. I still love that set! I really like the way the Background Basics: Retro image looks stamped in Dark Chocolate Ink on Kraft.

This one was a fun one to create. Doesn't the cupcake topping (from Cupcake Collection), heat embossed in white, look so yummy! Again, gotta love those embossed Polka Dot Basics II.

Thanks for visiting today!

Maile

Love Overflows

Happy Wednesday!

Aren't these houses just too cute! Row of Houses (by Hero Arts) was stamped in versamark onto Aqua Mist cardstock (it may be a little hard to see but they are there), to create a hand stamped pattern paper. Used a bright and cheery combo of Aqua Mist, Lemon Tart & Raspberry Fizz. I've really been getting into yellow these days, have you noticed?! Stamped the houses again (in Lemon Tart) onto a white cardstock strip, over that layered the sentiment from PTI Boards & Beams (in Raspberry Fizz). The buttons were strung with 1/8 in. white silk ribbon, just tied the ribbon into a knot then threaded it through the buttons and attached. Finished the card off with a Raspberry Fizz grosgrain ribbon bow.

My hubby and I are celebrating our 9th anniversary today, time sure does fly by!!!

Thanks for stopping in today, hope you have a good one!

Maile

Love Overflows:

• Stamps: Row of Houses (Hero Arts) & Boards & Beams (PTI)
• Ink: Raspberry Fizz & Lemon Tart
• Cardstock: Lemon Tart, Aqua Mist & White
• Accessories: Raspberry Fizz Grosgrain Ribbon and Buttons, 1/8 in. White Silk Ribbon

Poppy Birthday Wishes

Hello and happy Tuesday! Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Here is today's card... This gorgeous poppy flower image (Poppy Background from Hero Arts) was stamped in Berry Sorbet, cut out and the top corners were punched with a corner rounder. Mounted the poppy panel onto a Kraft card base and a Lemon Tart cardstock strip (stamped with Background Basics: Tin Types in Ripe Avocado), then wrapped with Lemon Tart satin ribbon.

To add a bit of dimension to these beautiful flowers, I stamped the image a second time, cut out the flower layers and attached them with dimensional adhesive. Attach a torn Ripe Avocado cardstock edge, for some fun texture and stamped the sentiment (from Asian Fusion).

It's hard to believe that spring is just around the corner! One of my favorite things about the spring season are the beautiful new blooms, daffodils are my favorite. Just the other day I was admiring the new daffodil plants popping up in my yard, a few of them with flower buds already. Yesterday, being such a gorgeous day, I let my son go out to play. Seems my son had admired the new daffodils too, he admired them so much that he plucked all the buds off! Lol! Silly boy, guess I'll have to wait a little longer to admire the new blooms.

Anyways, hope you have a great day!

Maile

Poppy Birthday Wishes:

• Stamps: Poppy Background (by Hero Arts), Background Basics: Tin Types & Asian Fusion
• Ink: Berry Sorbet & Ripe Avocado
• Cardstock: Kraft, White, Lemon Tart & Ripe Avocado
• Accessories: Lemon Tart Satin Ribbon, Corner Rounder