Birthdays ROCK!!!

Ever make a card you just love? I mean REALLY love? I made one such card last night.

I needed to make a card for Eddy's eldest nephew and making cards for adolescent boys is hard enough, but somehow I pulled it off and made a card that just ROCKS!!

There's a lot going on with this card and I just wish you could hold the card, in the light, and see it. It's really something. I was worried it was maybe a little girly, y'know? But, it's really not. It's got a lot of black and some faux leather cardstock (yes, you read that right...faux LEATHER black CARDSTOCK)!! Then with the label maker I was able to make the perfect sentiment for the budding bassist. I think he'll dig it.



and a close-up since the regular shot just failed to capture all its glory:



So even though he's not really a "boy" anymore, I hope he likes the card and has a GREAT birthday.

{Supplies:
Paper: Cardstock - White (Gina K), Faux Black Leather (Paper Temptress), Ballet Blue (SU!)
Ink: Distress Inks - Variety (Tim Holtz for Ranger), Versamark (Tsukineko), Black Maya Mist (Maya Road)
Embossing: EP - Holographic EP (Ranger), Cracked Texture Fade (Tim Holtz for Sizzix)
Accessories: Grungeboard #'s, Square Fragment & Staples (Ideaology), Black Twine (SU!), Label Maker (Dymo), Die-cutting/Embossing Machine (Cuttlebug by Provocraft).}

All my best,

CAS94 Splitcoast Stampers Favorite - What?!?!

Now. You all know me. I am soooooooo not a clean and simple (CAS) stamper. I like putting lots and lots and LOTS of embellishments and shiny things on my cards. Ribbons, pearls, embossing! Oh yes! I. MUST. Emboss!! Hence the challenge of the clean and simple challenges over at Splitcoast Stampers.

This weeks challenge...or is it now last weeks?...anyway the challenge was clean and simple with sponging. Hmmm. I know how to do sponging. But how do you sponge something AND keep it CAS?!?! ACK!

I decided I'd use a piece of DSP with a very subtle print from Basic Grey's Jovial line, stamp on it with Distress Ink (and, yes, I embossed it...so sue me), then...sponged all over THAT!! Turned out pretty cool! I had pre-cut and embossed the paper using Petite Oval Nestabilities and my Cuttlebug. Once all the sponging was done I stamped my sentiment at the bottom, then using foam squares I popped up my oval, and rounded the two opposite corners of the card. DONE!





I posted the card on Splitcoast with relatively low expectations since I haven't been very crafty lately and the talent pool over there is WOW!!!! But...today I get notified that my card was part of the Faves of the Week! From two different people!! YAY!!! How cool is that? I'm so excited. Makes me so happy. And I feel a little good. I think there may even be a smile forming. ;)

{For all supplies used please click HERE<--click.}

All my best,

Ornaments are FUN!

I was determined to clear out my Google Reader today, but one of my beloved Tweeps (Twitter friends, in case you don't know the lingo) has been blogging non-friggin'-stop!! Leslie (aka the crookedstamper) claims it's her Thanksgiving Marathon or somesuch nonsense. I think she's just making the rest of us once in a blue moon bloggers look bad.

Anyway, as I was actually reading all her posts I noticed she made this really fabby paper ornament. AND she gave a tutorial! SA-WEET!!! It actually looked like something my tortured little brain could handle. Even better!

So I broke out some DSP and started reading through the tutorial (which you can find HERE <-- Click ). Please leave her some love & let her know I sent you, won't you? So here's my version of Leslie's paper ornament. I always have to bling things up, or make it "fussy". ;) But, I'm telling you the possibilities are ENDLESS!



I really hope you try these. If you do, please let me know & link to me in your comments. I'd love to see what you come up with, too!

Wishing you a warm & wonderful weekend. Happy creating!

{Supplies:
Paper: DSP - Jovial (Basic Grey)
Ink - Fired Brick (Distress Ink - Tim Holtz for Ranger)
Accessories - Pearls, Ribbon, Brad (SU!), Holographic EP - used as "glitter" (Ranger)}


All my best,

Stay Tuned!

Just a quick no-card (yet!) post to draw your attention to a little somethin'-somethin' that's been in the works for a while now.

COMING SOON!! MY WEBSITE!! Woohoo!!!

papergrace.com


Yes, my own little teeny piece of the Interwebz. ;) Hope that anyone who DOES follow me (my few and mighty) will stay tuned for everything that's going to be happening.

I'm SUPER excited!!


All my best,

I Wanna Feel Creative..

...sung to the tune of I Wanna Be Sedated. ;)

I haven't really been feeling too creative lately. Life just seems to have a way of dragging me down lately. But, today I decided to get reacquainted with all of my crafty stuff. Just to see if I actually COULD make something.

AND I DID!

I made two cards. One is really a belated birthday card. (The belated wishes are on the inside.) And, the other is kind of a trial to see if I could make something holiday-ish. Not sure if the result is what I want to use for MY Holiday cards, but it didn't suck too bad. I'd really love your feedback on it to see what you think.

So, first. The birthday card. I was trying for something masculine. Hope it doesn't look girlie, but...me and my ribbon (which is from the FABULOUS Nicole Maki, btw) I just neeeeeeeeded to add it on there. Plus, it provided a place for me to pin on a Tim Holtz wish metal tag. Bonus!



And, for the second card. I was trying to make it as simple to make (for myself) as I could, but stay true to my style. Not sure about it yet. Hmmm...



May have to play around more with the basics and see if I can come up with something else, but I'd love some opinions...so fire away!

So that was my brief creative burst for today. Crossing my fingers that I'll find it in me to make more soon.

Thanks for taking a look and I wish you all a very wonderful week ahead.

{Supplies:
Paper: All cardstock (SU!), DSP - Oliver & Jovial (Basic Grey)
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray & Shimmer Paint (SU!)
Stamps: Daily Designs Sentiments (PTI)
Dies: Sizzlit - Joyful (SU!), Double Ended Tags (Spellbinders)
Embossing: Northern Flurry (Textured Impressions by Sizzix for SU!)
Accessories: Metal "Wish" tag, mini-safety pin, & Tissue Tape (Tim Holtz for Ideaology), Pearls & Ribbon (SU!), Handmande Crinkle Ribbon (Nicole Maki), Large Scallop Punch (EK Success), Corner Rounder (We-R-Memory Keepers), Embossing/Die-cutting Machine (Cuttlebug by Provocraft).}


All my best,

I made a card...she's worth it

I've been in an EXTREEEEEEEMMMMMEEE creative slump lately. I mean, I'm so slumped over you can't really go as low as I've been. Really quite pathetic.

But, I knew that I needed to make a card for Eddy's mom whose birthday is tomorrow. This is a woman who has been through so much. If I didn't get it together and make her a card...well, I may as well just sell all my crafty stuff. ALL OF IT!!

So, needless to say I made her a card. I love that woman. And she deserves a really pretty card. I hope she likes what I made her. It was made with love.



There's some really shimmery parts on the card, other than on the rosette, but I really didn't feel like posting more than one photo. I think you get the idea, and it REALLY is shimmery. Very lovely, actually. :)

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend. xoxo

{Supplies:
Paper - SU & Webster's Pages
Ink - Distress Ink (Ranger) and Shimmer Paint (SU)
Stamps - Deseos pequeñitos (SU)
Dies - Rosette Strip (Tim Holtz for Sizzix)
Accessories - Clear EP (Ranger), Button (Tim Holtz), Pearls (Hero Arts), Ribbon & Linen Thread, Metal Tag & Tag punch (SU) ,Corner Chomper (We-R-Memory Keepers), Embossing/Die-cutting Machine (Big Shot, Sizzix)}

All my best,

Tim Holtz Holiday Workshop

I was very, very, VERY lucky and was able to attend 2 (out of the 3) Tim Holtz Holiday workshops that were held this past weekend at Stampers Corner in Elk Grove, CA. I could've actually signed up for all 3, but I didn't want to make the book thingy that was the first part of day one. (Though it does look pretty cool as a finished product.)

Anyway, it was 2 days of whirlwind activity. Lots to take in!! The staff at Stampers Corner was amazing and Tim's crew was exceptionally prepared, as well.

The two projects that I made were the "Creative Festive Blocks" and the "Configuration of Your Imagination". If you go to the link above you can even see me somewhere in the pictures. Look real hard. I promise I'm in at least two of them. ;)

Both projects were a lot of fun to make and were a LOT less inky than I'm used to , but pretty technique-y. If you love his Tissue Tapes (or any tissue tapes for that matter) then these may be the projects for YOU! We used a lot of it!

If you go to the link above you can, of course, see Tim's gorgeous originals. But, here are MY creations:



and...



I really had such a good time. Just what I needed. Hopefully I'll get that creative juice flowing again. (Cross your fingers for me, light the smudge, say some prayers, do a dance...WHATEVER!!! OK?!?!)

And if that doesn't work, maybe having a picture with Tim Holtz will help me? ;)



Wishing you all well, and happy Fall!

All my best,