Creative Concepts - First Quarter 2009

It's sharing time again! Here are some cards that I had published in the 1st Quarter issue of Hobby Lobby's Stamping, Stationery and Scrapbooking Magazine. If you haven't picked up a copy of this magazine, you are really missing out. For only $3 you get dozens of great cards, scrapbook pages and altered projects from a variety of designers. Check it out!

My first card is a birthday card with one of my favorite lines from Making Memories: 5th Ave. Sophia. It was my first time playing with Maya Road sheers on this also. Details are here.

This card was actually created for a Caardvarks challenge with Becky Fleck. Fans of my work (or at least people who tease me the most) will notice my gratuitous use of fibers, thank you very much. Details are here.

For this card I went a little old school. I used Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE) with Pearl Ex powders and made my own snowflake embellishment. Details are here.

My final card was made during the finalist phase for the Purple Onion Designs DT call. I stamped the hearts and embossed with white powder. Then I used watercolor paints to create the swirly, soft background colors. Remember that you can click on each page to get a closer peek. Thanks for looking!

A friend...or what?

So I'm enjoying my bounty of Hero Arts stamps and thought I'd make a silly card for my friend Celeste based on a recent brush with nature she had recently. (What that really means is that she found a dead raccoon under her deck!) After chatting with her online friends, several phone calls and a discussion with a poor man whose phone number is being given out as an animal removal service, the critter is finally gone. May he rest in peace.

I stamped this card using the Hero Arts Woodland Creatures and One-Line Messages sets of stamps. I used half of a sheet of paper from the DCWV Green 8 x 8 pad. It was too tall to make a card, so I folded the piece into a Z and stamped the sentiment inside. The entire thing is attached to a gray card base. I wasn't quite sure how to photograph it, but I did the best I could by clipping it closed. Details for this card are here. (I just hope his spirit doesn't come to haunt me!!)

My second card doesn't have a funky story or anything, it's just a good old card! I used bamboo from the Asian Frames set and the sentiment from the Woodland Creatures set. The two papers are new Graphic 45, and I love them. Details for this card are here.

Krafty Kreations

It's challenge day at Caardvarks! Make a *NEW* card using kraft paper and upload it using Mr. Linky at the 'Varks blog by midnight March 3rd. The top TWO entries will each receive this yummy kit by our sponsor Kraft Girl Kits. We couldn't have gotten a more perfectly-matched sponsor, huh?

My first card started with a totally fun journaling card from Michael's. I worked with the fresh and fun color scheme and threw in some of my favorite goodies as well. Details for this card are here.

My second card started with some Tinkering Ink printed papers. I jazzed up the main butterfly image with (shocker, I know!) several colors of Stickles. This one definitely ended up a lot more plain than my usual cards, but I still like how it turned out. Details for this card are here. Can't wait to see your krafty kreations!

Sharing Some Cards

I have been enjoying some new stamps from Hero Arts lately. I made this card for my 'Varks friend Lauren a few weeks ago and got a chance to play with Gamsol a bit more. Details for this card are here.

Speaking of Hero Arts, guess who's sponsoring an upcoming Caardvarks challenge? Yep, you guessed it! We'll have a fun stamping challenge for the readers along with some terrific HA prizes! The 'Varks crew is putting together a full-blown Hero Arts Gallery of projects using their stamps, so be sure to stay tuned. These are a few cards that I have made using these Hero Arts stamps: Hello Tree, Asian Frames, All Occasion Messages and Heart Winged Butterfly. I also used Hero Arts rounded clear gems. Details for the butterfly card are here.

Lately I've fallen into a pink and brown rut with my cards (not that it's a bad thing!) I decided to try something different for this card and landed on the other side of the color wheel. Maybe I'm yearning for blue skies and green grass, but this is where I ended up. Details for this card are here. Lots more stamped projects are on their way in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned!

Complete

Valentine's Day is the perfect day to tell the one you love how much you care. This layout does exactly that! Di Hickman shared her wonderful February sketch several weeks ago, and the puzzle piece icon reminded me of an old school Sizzix die I own. I paired it with one of my very favorite photos from our Bahamas vacation in July, and this is where I ended up. I had to giggle when Di shared her layout - complete with the very same title as mine! What can I say? Great minds think alike. Details for this layout are here.

I hope you shared some special time today with the people you love. I know I did. ♥

We ♥ You!

This time there's no monkeying around...unless you count my card! The Caardvarks crew posted its new challenge today called We {Heart} You. Just create a new card that includes hearts and enter the direct blog post or gallery upload info into our new Mr. Linky box at the 'Varks blog. The winner receives the February mini kit from CupCards {to go} kit club. Cards are due by midnight PST on February 17th.

My monkey card above features a stamp by Stampendous and the awesome Prismacolor Pencil and Gamsol technique as shared in this fabulous tutorial by friend (and Caardvarks owner) Jen Pohl. I also used some yummy paper from Basic Grey's Bittersweet collection. Details for this card are here.

My second card also uses BG Bittersweet but focuses on Mr. Romeo. He's from the new DCWV Go Green line which I discovered from my friend Patti. I added all the usual Jolene touches such as Cuttlebug embossing and sanding, Stickles, fiber and some more stamping. Details for this card are here. Who knew that Valentine's Day was for the critters, too? ♥

my Stamp BOX news!

I can finally share my good news! I got the email a few days ago that I was invited to join the first-ever Design Team for my Stamp BOX! How exciting! Here's the full list that was posted today:

Cathy Schellenberg (DT Coordinator)

Allison Cope

Cherie Nymeyer

Gudrun Loennecken

Jolene Johnston

Kryssi Ng

Lara Brooks

Leica Forrest

Marci Knecht

Trace Geworsky

Tracey Taylor

Congrats to everyone to made the team.

Can't wait to work with you! ☺

We Have a Winner!

Congrats to LexisMom who wins the fun lovey-dovey RAK!
Email me your address so I can send you the goodies. ♥