Sweet Birdie Thank You

Good morning!

I was up early today to help my hubby and daughter get up and to the airport... Nana and Jordan are coming for a visit and thier plane came in pretty early! I can't wait to see them!! I am also too excited to sleep in today... I get to go on a road trip to CKC up in Valley Forge, PA! I am excited to be getting away for the weekend before the big move! We just bought our new house so next week, we are moving! All my stuff is packed... including my stamps! I squeeked out one last card yesterday before packing them all up! Here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Season of Friendship hostess set, Thank You Kindly set
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Soft Suede, Pretty in Pink classic inks
Paper: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo cardstock
Accessories: Melon Mambo polka dot grosgrain ribbon, Dimensionals, Scallop Edge punch, Stamping Sponges; Stickles by Ranger

I cheated on my Dazzling Diamonds by using Ranger's stickles... I have a nice brown color in them and don't have that beautiful Chocolate Chip glitter that SU! sells. Brown went nicely in the middle of my flowers!

I am loving this color combo right now. I've used it on my last two cards!

Also, if you've been following me in the Gallery Idol Contest over at Paper Crafts Magazine, we should find out tomorrow who the big winner is! Voting ends today at noon Mountain time. My competition is pretty tough so if I don't win, it is OK... I am happy just getting to play along through out the entire contest!! Thanks again for all of your votes and well wishing comments! They really do mean a lot!

OK! Enjoy your weekend!

-tessa

Yes, there is a toilet on my card...

Hee! I am laughing as I write the title of this blog! For the Paper Crafts Magazine Gallery Idol contest, the top 5 (yes, that includes me!!) were asked to make a funny card as the last challenge. I had a few ideas in mind but thanks to the urging of my friends, here is what I came up with:



The inside:



Goodies:

Cardstock by Bazzill Basics and Stampin' Up!
Patterned paper by Cosmo Cricket (Boyfriend line)
Letter stickers by Pink Paislee
Toilet Diecut by Quickutz... cut with my new Epic 6!!
Spiral Punch, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, paper piercer, and Dimensionals by Stampin' Up!
White Signo Gel pen

My friends and I have been joking about all the silly cards we could make with this die cut as the focal point since Quickutz released it in June... You should have heard some of our wacky ideas!! Remember Mr. Hanky from South Park?? Hee!

I couldn't help but add a little glitter to the bowl, either... if there is going to be a toilet on my card, it may as well be sparkly, right!

Anyways, hope you enjoyed my silly card... if you would like to check out the rest of the funny cards from the Top 5, check out the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol contest page! Don't forget to vote for your favorite!!

Hope you have a great Monday!!

-tessa

More Chic Boutique!

My new sets are always the ones I use the most! Chic Boutique came in the mail a couple of weeks ago and I am having lots of fun with it!! Today I used the Eiffel Tower image as my focal point... here it is...



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Chic Boutique set; Baroque Motifs set
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede, Creamy Caramel Classic inks
Paper: Very Vanilla, Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede cardstock; Thoroughly Modern DSP
Accessories: Very Vanilla wide grosgrain ribbon, Fire Circle rhinestone brads, Curly Label punch, paper piercer, stamping sponges, Dazzling Diamonds glitter

I stamped the Eiffel tower image onto Very Vanilla cardstock with Soft Suede ink. Next, I colored some of the image with my Pretty in Pink marker and added Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the same areas with my 2-Way glue pen. I have a brand new one so it makes the tiny parts pretty easy to get! Hee! When the glitter was dry, I sponged around the edges with Creamy Caramel ink and then Soft Suede ink to give it an aged look. I added two rhinestone brads to the corner. Next, I matted it with Rose Red cardstock and roughed up the edges with my Design Elements applicator. I used Dimensionals to pop it up and added another mat in Soft Suede. Next, I built up my card base, which started out as a A2 Soft Suede card. I cut my Rose Red DSP to fit and sponged around the edges with Rose Red ink. I adhered it to the base. Next, I cut a strip of Pretty in Pink cardstock and stamped over it using the swirls from the Baroque Motifs set. I added some pierced holes along the long edges and distressed them as well. I wrapped it with Very Vanilla ribbon. Before I tied it, I laced it through the mats of the Eiffel tower image so that it was under the top two but over the last. I added a hint of Pumpkin Pie by adding a torn piece of cardstock to the bottom edge. Before adhering all of this to the card base, I first stamped the swirly image underneath where I wanted my sentiment to be. I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to get it just right. I also colored in the swirl ends to make it stand out a little with my Soft Suede marker. Once it was all adhered down, I added my sentiment which was stamped on Very Vanilla with Soft Suede ink and punched out using the Curly Label punch. I inked around the edges with Pretty in Pink ink and popped it up using Dimensionals.

Well, it is a great afternoon for staying indoors (to hot and muggy out!) so I think I should have some more goodies to share with you tomorrow!!

Thanks for stopping by and if you get a chance, please pop over to Paper Crafts Magazine's Gallery Idol Contest to vote for your favorite! I am currently in the top 10! Hee!

Have a great day!

-tessa

The Button Tree Card

Hello!

Today I'm sharing my submission to the top 10 round of Paper Crafts Magazine's Gallery Idol! I am still a little shocked that I made it through last week! Did you see all those amazing cards?? Hee! This week's theme was great- we had to use buttons as an embellishment on our cards! What better way to showcase them then my favorite stamp set of all time! Here is what I made:



Goodies:

Stamps: Season of Friendship set by Stampin' Up!
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip Classic inks by Stampin' Up!
Paper: patterned paper by Fancy Pants; cardstock by Bazzill Basics
Accessories: Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon, mini clip, Dimensionals, paper piercer by Stampin' Up!; Upper Crest edge punch by Fiskars; White Signo Gel pen; Buttons by Making Memories, Creative Cafe', and some of them were loose from my stash...

I had lots of fun playing along this week! I can't wait to see what everyone else makes! Pop on over to the Gallery Idol page to check them out and of course, vote for your fav!

Hope you have a great day!!

-tessa

Fifth Avenue Floral Card

Today I'm posting a card I made using Dawn McVey's latest Raspberry Suite Color Challenge as my inspiration. The colors she chose were very interesting and nothing that I would ever put together! I thought it was going to be a real challenge to use them but once I had them all on the table together, it wasn't so daunting! Hee! Here is what she challenged us with:



And here is the card I made:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral set, Thank You Kindly set
Ink: Melon Mambo, Bravo Burgundy, Certainly Celery Classic inks
Paper: Very Vanilla, Melon Mambo, Bravo Burgundy, Certainly Celery cardstock
Accessories: Melon Mambo polkadot grosgrain ribbon, Dimensionals

I saw this card on Teneale Williams' blog earlier in the week and loved the simple design of it. I totally cased it! Hee! I also used my Fifth Avenue Floral set, which has been sadly neglected since I bought it... I had such plans of using it but every time I get it out, I have a hard time... I think the key is to keep it simple with this set... less is more! Hee!

Anyways, we are up for a busy Saturday! We are closing on our first house early next week so we are off to get some paint samples at Home Depot! I can't wait to decorate my girls' rooms! Hee! Then it's down to Scrapdoodles in Fredericksburg, VA for some shopping and to check out the new Quickutz machine- the Epic 6- they received theirs last week! I can't wait to get mine now! And after that, I get to go to dinner and crop at my good friend Dawnette's house... she is the most amazing cook! I'm excited to see what she comes up with tonight!

OK! Have a great weekend and I'll be back on Monday with some button inspired card- a special assignment for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol- I actually made the Top 10!!!

-tessa

A Fun Color Challenge!

Thank you Kristina for posting another one of your awesome Color Inspiration Challenges! I was in desperate need of something to inspire me today! Here is her challenge for us this time around:



and here is what I made:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: The More the Merrier set, Party Hearty set
Ink: Versamark; Riding Hood Red Classic ink
Paper: So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, Ballet Blue, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red cardstock
Accessories: White embossing powder, White Signo gel pen, paper piercer, Dimensionals; ribbon by Lil' Davis Designs

I loved the colors in the challenge this week but wanted to create a clean and simple card. I stamped one cupcake from the stamp on each piece of cardstock using Versamark and then embossed it with White embossing powder. I cut the cupcakes out and popped them up onto 1" square pieces of the same color cardstock. I added some faux stitching for a little detail and adhered them to my white background. I added the sentiment, matted it to the red cardbase and lastly, searched my stash for some matching red ribbon! I was happy to find this old, neglected polkadot ribbon... it just works! Hee!

Well, I hope you are all enjoying your day! If you have time, check out the other cards people submitted for the color challenge on Kristina's website- there is some great talent there!

Thanks for stopping by!

-tessa

What's Shakin' Card

So, today I thought I'd post another card I made for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol contest this week. It was a close second to the card I chose and ended up nixing this one because it felt a little too simple... it's some tough competition out there! Hee! Anyways, aren't these little Salt and Pepper shaker Chefs cute!



Goodies:

Cardstock by Bazzill and Stampin' Up!
Patterned Paper by Moxie
Ribbon and Thickers by American Crafts
Brads by SEI
Letter Stickers by Doodlebug Designs

The chefs were cut out of some cute patterned paper by Moxie. I loved the bright colors and their little smiles! I couldn't pass them up! Hee!

If you haven't had a chance to pop over to the Gallery Idol contest and vote, please don't forget! There are some really cute cards over there and I'm sure you'll find tons of inspiration!!

Thanks for peeking at my blog today!

-tessa

A Pretty Birdcage Card

I am really loving the new Chic Boutique stamp set Stampin' Up! came out with in thier most recent catalog. The images are pretty and almost have a dainty feel to them. It also has an Eiffel tower image that I could not pass up! Hee! Today's card has the birdcage image on it... It is a card I made for the Paper Crafts Magazine Gallery Idol and although I like how it turned out, I picked my boots card over it for the competition! Hee! Here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up! unless otehrwise noted

Stamps: Chic Boutique set, Hope Happens set
Ink: Baja Breeze, Going Gray, Basic Black Classic inks
Paper: Rose Red, Sahara Sand, Basic Gray Cardstock; textured cardstock by Bazzill; patterned paper by October Afternoon
Accessories: Paper piercer, White Signo Gel pen, Old Olive wide grosgrain ribbon, Photo Corner punch, Dimenionsionals, Aquapainter, Dazzling Diamonds, half back pearls from the Pretties Kit; yellow fuzzy ribbon by Cosmo Cricket; pink ribbon by American Crafts

While shopping in my LSS, I was drawn to the colors in the patterned papers I chose... They are by October Afternoon and I love their designs! I added a little glitter to my birdcage after I watercolored it, too but it is hard to see in the picture.

I don't have much planned for today, which I love!! I'll probably just hang out around the house and hopefully get to play with my stamps a little! I have a project that I've been working on for a friend that should be done this evening so hopefully I can share that later this week, too!

If you get a chance, stop by the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol Contest and vote for your favorite! The cards are so cute this week!!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you have a great day!!

-tessa

The Right Pair of Boots Card

I'm so excited and nervous today!! Our cards go live for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol Contest at noon mountain time... stop by and vote for your favorite here!

Our challenge for this round was to use a household item somewhere on our card... that means something you would find and use around the house. There is so many cute products in my LSS that would fit in this category! I ended up making four cards and had the hardest time choosing which one to submit! I'll share the runners up later this week but first, let me show you the one I chose...



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Scene from the Garden set, Fifth Avenue Floral set
Ink: Dusty Durango, Creamy Caramel, Baja Breeze, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou Classic inks; Jet Black StazOn
PaperL Very Vanilla, Sahara Sand, Dusty Durango cardstock; cardstock by Bazzill, Patterned paper by Pink Paislee
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Very Vanilla wide grosgrain ribbon, Aqua Painter, Paper Piercer, White Signo Gel pen, Stampin' sponges, Dimensionals

I ended up choosing this one because it was my favorite out of the bunch. I love the watercolored boots all in a row with the one pair standing out... and, I loved the quote! I had a hard time deciding if boots really were a household item and for me, they are. Growing up, they were a necessity... I lived in a small town near Seattle, WA and we had cows... I still see them every day around my house- just in smaller sizes! Hee!

The other cards I made might have fit the theme a little better but this one was still my favorite. I hope you like it, too!

Thanks for taking a peek today and don't forget to go vote at Paper Crafts!

-tessa

A Couple of Cards...

I've been busy running around town doing different things but in my spare time, I've still made a few cards! It was hard to resist spending more time at my crafting desk with all my new goodies to play with! Here is what I made...

I am loving the new Chic Boutique set! It was first on my list come time to order!!



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Chic Boutique set
Ink: Jet Black StazOn; Soft Suede, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay Classic inks
Paper: Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Rose Red and Sahara Sand cardstock; Thoroughly Modern DSP
Accessories: White Organza ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, Aqua painter, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, White Signo gel pen


Next is a birthday card I made (and didn't send yet- oops!) for my cousin Sara:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes set, Party Hearty set
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black Classic inks
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Bermuda Bay cardstock; Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Accessories: Kiwi Kiss striped grosgrain ribbon, Aqua Painter, Dimensionals

And the last one I made was a quickie... I CASED this card I made a few weeks ago... I am loving the layout!



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Ink: Real Red, Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede, Crushed Curry Classic inks
Paper: Real Red, Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories: paper piercer, White Signo Gel pen, Dimensionals


Well, I hope you are enjoying your week! I should find out Friday whether or not I'm in the next round of Gallery Idol over at Paper Crafts... I am a little nervous about it! I want to thank all of you for your wonderful comments and well wishing! Thank you for your votes, too! Hee!

Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

A Wedding Card for Gallery Idol...

Hi!

Have you heard about the Paper Craft's Gallery Idol Contest? I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the 20 finalists to participate in the second round! The cards go live today and you can begin voting for your favorite at noon (mountain time)!! Here is the link, in case you want to go vote right now! Hee!

So, today I can share the card I chose to submit. I absolutely love the quote! Here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Always set, Full of Life set, Petal Pizazz set
Ink: Basic Black, Going Gray Classic inks; Versamark
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Baja Breeze cardstock; patterned paper by Making Memories
Accessories: Valet ribbon originals ribbon, 1/2" circle punch, White embossing powder; glitter brads by Making Memories; flower rhinestones by Hero Arts

I am really happy how it turned out! I love black and white for a wedding and pairing it with Baja Breeze seemed to soften it a little. I used some of my favorite flower stamps... you can never have to many! Hee!

I can't wait to see what the rest of the contestants made!! Make sure you stop by the Paper Crafts website to check them out and vote!

Thanks for popping in today! Hope you have a great Monday!

-tessa

The Dress...

So, I've had this Lasting Impressions template for a couple of years now and really never took the time to play with it. I tried it out a few months back and didn't like how anything came out. I decided that maybe it was just one of those things that looked like a idea but never turned out right... well, I was wrong! With the theme for Paper Craft's Gallery Idol being wedding, I dug it out again with a little persuasion from one of my crafty friends, Kristen. This time I started with a different idea in mind and I think it came out great! It isn't the card I picked to enter in the contest but it is cute! Hee! Here it is:



Goodies:

Stamps: For the Bride set by Stampin' Up!
Ink: Basic Gray Classic ink by Stampin' Up!
Paper: Cardstock by Bazzill Basics; Patterned paper by Cosmo Cricket
Accessories: White Organza ribbon by Stampin' Up!; Edge punch by Fiskars, Wedding Dress dry embossing template by Lasting Impressions

I will post the card I chose for the contest tomorrow... I hope you all can stop by the Paper Crafts website to vote! Voting begins after noon tomorrow and I am so nervous! There is a really talented bunch of ladies participating!!

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend! I was pretty busy so it went by too fast! We enjoyed the fireworks and all the yummy food, too!

Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

For the Bride Card

So this week I've been busy working on wedding cards, the theme for the Gallery Idol Contest I am lucky enough to be participating in over at Paper Crafts Connection... I've made a few so I could choose my favorite out of the bunch to submit. This one is one of my favorites but it didn't make the cut! Hee!



Goodies:

Stamps: For the Bride set, Friends 24-7 set by Stampin' Up!
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink classic inks by Stampin' Up!; Versamark
Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink cardstock by Stampin' Up! darker pink shade cardstock by Bazzill Basics; patterned paper by Chatterbox
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Circle punch, Circle punch, paper piercer, half back pearls, White embossing powder by Stampin' Up!; White Signo gel pen


I love the fresh colors of this card. It is perfect for a summer wedding or bridal shower! My daughter also likes the bride stamp... she looks like a princess and is forever asking me to let her stamp it all over her creations! At least she has good taste! Hee!

I hope you all are able to check out the Gallery Idol Contest! The top 20 finalists will be posting their cards on Monday morning and then the voting begins!! You'll have to wait until then to see what I've decided to submit...

Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa