Mad for Paper

I am guest designing for the current challenge at the Shabby Tea Room . This is a new one for me. Here is the inspiration photo: Gorgeous, isn't it.   I learned a little about my process while working on this card.  When I first received the inspiration photo a few weeks ago, I pulled out a couple of different size doilies and stamped them with an old SU New Year stamp I have.  I thought I might roll the doily up, cone shaped, to look like the party hat in the inspiration photo.   I realized pretty quickly that was not going to work.   I left the doilies on my desk while I worked on other things.   About a week later, I die cut the Memory Box Twig die and added black Stickles.  I wasn't exactly sure how I would use it but knew it was going onto the card. I realized that I spend a lot of time thinking about projects.   I go back to my craft desk many times, looking at the pieces I have made,  walk away and think some more.   Look back at th

Today I am participating in Lindy's Stamp Gang's December Color Challenge . I have written before about how much I love these sprays.   I added a bunch more to my collection a couple of months ago. Here is the inspiration photo: Aren't the colors gorgeous? I made this as a card but I think I may frame it and hang it in my craft area.  I wanted it to have an ethereal look to it.  I actually made a mistake when stamping "dream".  I embossed it and when I first stamped it with Versamark I had forgotten to swipe the are with the dust bag and so, of course, the EP stuck to the entire area.  I brushed it all off and re-stamped it.  I am really bad at lining things up.  I went ahead and embossed it the second time because I actually liked the way it looks, almost shadowed.  I thought it added to the ethereal-ness of it.  I used LSG EP on the tree trunk and the sentiment.   I have only the one EP but love it too.   I will definitely be addin

Hi there, Today I am participating in the Runway Inspired Challenge #50 . Here is the inspiration photo:    I love the greenish/yellow color.  I would call it chartreuse?  I used SU Summer Starfruit for my card:  The vertical stripes were inspired by the long legs in the photo. It is a little hard to see but the SU paper is popped up and there is vellum in the background.  The flowers are one of my all time favorite dies.   It is Prima Donna Petals by MFT.   This die probably gets used more than any other in my stash.  Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you soon. Ang

I hope everyone's holiday was all that they hoped it to be.     My latest challenge submission won the Simon Says Designer Spotlight :   I was so excited to get the news and add the badge to the left side of my blog. Thanks, Ang

Hi there, I snuck in a little more crafting time to make a card to participate in 2 challenges today. The first challenge is Simon Says Monday Challenge . They asked that we use tissue paper. The second challenge is Seize the Sketch #10 . Here is the inspiration sketch:  And, here is my card:  When I saw the tissue challenge, I remembered a technique I had learned a while back.  It is either called faux linen or faux silk?  Basically you stamp onto tissue, crinkle it up and then glue it to card-stock.  The secret is not to smooth it out too much when you adhere it to the card-stock.  A few flags and stars and we are all set. I am back to gift making tomorrow so may go missing for a couple of days.   Thanks for visiting, Ang

playing in all my challenges this week.  I have been making Christmas presents most of the week.  Still have more to go but I really enjoy making gifts.  Except for the kids and DH, I make just about all of them.  I will share as soon as they are gifted. So today I was able to sneak in a card for the Shabby Tea Room Challenge . Here is the inspiration photo:  We are to use polka dots and buttons.  I was inspired by the tree. Here is my card: I wanted something serene and peaceful. My polka dots are embossed and swiped with white ink.  and the best Christmas wish, in my opinion, PEACE.  Hopefully I will get more play time today. Have a good one! Ang

House of Cards is having a Holiday Blog Hop Challenge . Here is the beautiful inspiration photo:      I was first struck by how elegant the inspiration was.  Looking more closely, the plate rim really caught my eye. I really wanted to make an elegant card and pretty quickly came up with a few ideas.  I did a little stamping;  spent a few days thinking about my idea and this morning sat down to put it together. Let me tell you, it was Hideous, with a capital H.  The hideousness of it made me laugh out loud.  I didn't take a picture of it but even if I had I would have been too embarrassed to show it. Here is what I changed it to: My original actually had a crystal and pearls hanging from the center where the lamp is.  Ugh.   I found some old Magenta Style brand stickers in my stash that were perfect. A quick silver stamped sentiment from SU.  In the end I went back and added the touches of red and green even though they were not in the inspiratio

I was making a card the other day, looked down at my desk and started laughing out loud. Here is what I saw, from left to right:  Yes, that is my Vagabond under all that stuff and it gets used more than anything.   I end up with about a 6X6 space to actually work. I can hardly believe that I get anything accomplished this way, but it seems to work. It's a miracle that I don't lose more stuff.   I do clean it up after each project for a fresh start. I can't be the only one out there that works this way. How about you? Ang

Or I should say Squeeze the sketch, because I am squeezing this in at the last minute. Here is the sketch :  This was a fun card to make:  I love the TH Kraft-core paper, it is so fun to emboss:  The stamps, sentiment and reel, are from a Cocoa Daisy: The dies are from MFT.  Love the little die set with the cameras. Can't really see it but I put a sequin behind the flash on the camera, it's pretty cute. Till next time, Ang

Hello, Participating in the WMS Fanatics Challenge #7 today. It is a sketch this time: It feels good to be home, creating again. Here is my card:  Waltzingmouse Stamps, of course, except the sentiment is from a Wplus9 set:  The EF is an Anna Griffin one with SU Summer Sun rubbed over it.   I love the way it came out. The flower centers are from an MFT flower die.   Love it and use it for a lot of other flowers.  After several false starts, I am pretty happy with the way this came out. Thanks, Ang

Hi there, It feels good to be back.  We were out of town most of last week visiting my son at college.  The motel had the worst WiFi ever.  Luckily I had scheduled a couple of posts for while I was gone.  I could barely look at anything and I certainly could not leave comments on anything, which I really enjoy doing. Anyway, my first project back; The Shabby Tea Room Challenge . Here is the inspiration photo: There is kind of a lot going on in the photo.  I saw gold, pink, black, a touch of silver and sheet music.   They asked us to include a tag. So I made this tag:  It is hard to see but the paper is a subtle gold. First I stamped the sheet music:  then embossed the wreath and bow from an Avery Elle set: Embossed the sentiments in gold.   Painted some small SC wooden stars with my silver Krylon pen,  a pretty pink and silver bow and we are good to go:   Funnily, when I looked at the photo again after I was done, I noticed the blue.  

Hello, Hanging out again over at the House of Cards .   This week we are to use the same photo and/or colors to create a  Shabby & Vintage card.  I went with the colors. Here is my card:  I really like sketch challenges because design/layout has always been the hardest part of making a card for me. Or so I thought. Then I  discovered the HOC Challenges with a different theme each week. Are just the image, pearls and lace enough to make this shabby & vintage.  I have no idea, my brain just doesn't work that way.   I hope so!   More Wink of Stella on the corset and flowers. I added the hat pin at the last minute. The lacey stuff on the pin is really cool.   It is elastic, kind of like a net. Not sure where it came from, but sometimes it is just the perfect touch. Yes, you are right. Those pearls are covering up a mistake. I got a smidge of ink at the end of the sentiment. Luckily, I am loving the pearl cluster

Hi, I am participating in Chupa's Sketchbook Saturday Challenge . Here is the sketch:  Sometimes, I make a card and feel like I have knocked it out of the park.   And sometimes, I am just eh.  Know what I mean?  I am sure someone will appreciate it but it doesn't really do it for me. This is one of those cards:  Eh... maybe I am just not a pink girl?  Can't quite put my finger on it.  Tried many different things in the place of the flower.  A little die cutting. Maybe I will mess around with it some?  Will let you know. Ang