Happy Birthday

Hey there!! Happy to be stopping by with the newest Retro Sketch for you today!!

I love this sketch--I love little fun bits that make the sketches all special!! I love the details here!!

So, here is the stetch

And here is my card....

 I pulled out some fun word dies--Avery Elle, Lawn Fawn and PTI!

Can't wait to see your take on the card!!!

Just a note

Well, hello there!!

I am happy to be popping in with this card...It was a crazy busy weekend and well, this post just didn't quite make it to the top of the list before I fell asleep!! So,

I have a card for the new Retro Sketch for the week!!

Here is the sketch

And here is my card!

I pulled out some pastel colors...oh, I have started to see pretty pink and purple flowers popping their head out of the dirt...be still my flower loving heart!! I used a couple of PTI tags. The flower is from Frantic Stamper. The stitched double ended fishtail label is from Frantic Stamper and the beautiful sentiment is from Ellen Hutson!

I hope you have a great week!! Love to see your work over at the Retro Sketch blog!!!

See you over there soon!!

Love

Hey there friends!! Happy weekend!! I hope you are doing great!!

I am happy to be sharing in the fun for the new Retro Sketch for the week!

I am loving this new sketch!! And yes, I need to ramp up my stash of Valentines, as that wonderful day is almost upon us!!!

So here is the sketch,

And her is my card!! I have rediscovered some oldie collection of paper that still have a little life left in them...this one from MME oh, I love it so!!!

Have a great weekend friends and see you soon!!!

Can't wait to see your take on the new sketch for the week!!!

Hello There,,,

Good morning!!

I think I am finally "back"!! It felt so good steal a few minutes the other day to sit and as one of my favorite people Heidi Swapp would say, "make pretty stuff!!"

I've got the new Retro Sketch for you for the week!! Love, the clean and simple on this one!!!

And here is my card! I think I am ready for sunshine and flowers again...how about you!!?

 Little hints of gold, a little bit of sparkle...perfect!!! The florals and frame are from Maggie Holmes and the sweet little sentiment is from Avery Elle.

Have a super day!!! Can't wait to see what you come up with for this week!!!

Hello Sweet Friend!

 Hey there and good morning!!

 I pulled these sweet little pine trees from the Mistletoe Kisses set. I fussy cut...it's been a while, but oh how it makes my heart swell with these trees!! 

I also pulled this sentiment, which I happen to LOVE, from the Yappy set. 

 My paper is from Avery Elle...don't you wish all green hills looked like that!? Well, maybe it looks life a freshly mowed lawn!? The frame die is from PTI

Happy Birthday!

Morning!!

I just finished an order for a bundle of birthday cards. This is the one I made for the "boy" cards that were ordered. Don't you think a balloon animal is totally "boy" cardish!? I tell you, that image makes my heart so happy!!! 

I paired this cute Avery Elle image and sentiment up with some yummy blues and green from my PTI inks...and a little strip of patterned paper and there you have it!!

Hope you are well!! Thanks so much for stopping by today!!!

See you soon.

Birthday Wishes

Good Morning!!!

I'm back today with the new Retro Sketch for the week!! 

Here is my card!! I just finished an order for a bundle of birthday cards and this is the one I made for the "little girl" cards! I pulled out some Avery Elle goodness! I just love this little balloon dog!! Isn't she so cute!? And with a bit of glossy accents...in real life she looks beautiful and glossy!!

I used the Rounded Diamonds stamps and dies, and that cute sentiment is also Avery Elle!!

I hope you get a chance to play along with us at Retro Sketches!!...the gallery has been full of such fun cards!! Take care and see you soon!!

Sending Hugs

Good morning!! I hope you are doing well!! We are loving the sunshine and warm weather! Swimsuits and towels are strewn across the balcony drying in the sun...and many an Otter Pop wrapper are filling our garbage can! Summer is in full swing and it feels great!!

Today I've got another fun card with the Flying Geese Quilt Square card panel from Frantic Stamper! I pulled out some fun papers and ran them trough the big shot with the card panel and had all sorts of beautiful pieces to play with for my quilt blocks!!

I added this fun sentiment from Avery Elle and used a banner from Mama Elephant.

I hope you have a great one!! Thanks for stopping by!!

Thinking of you

Happy Saturday again!! I'm back with the new Retro Sketch for this week!!

As usual, it's a fun one!!

I pulled out some Avery Elle stamps that hadn't seen ink for a while!!:)

 I hope you have a fantastic Saturday and weekend!! Enjoy spoiling the Dads and Fathers in your life tomorrow!! Take care friends and see you next week!!

 

Can't wait to see what you come up with this week!!! See you in the gallery!!

Happy Birthday!!

Good morning, did you make it to Friday!? Crazy how quickly the days are going! May is going to run full steam a head...with baseball, basketball, gymnastics....so thankful we've been enjoying great weather!!

Speaking of great weather, I wanted to share this fun card that I made with a new Frantic Stamper die!! Look at that fun Hot Air Balloon! I was thinking it would be fun to make it into a shaker...and I used some really chunky American Crafts glitter to make it shine!!

I started by smooshing some distress inks onto my craft mat and then adding some water. I laid my watercolor paper into the ink and loved the result as it dried!! I stamped my greeting on the bottom of the panel. I cut my hot air balloon from some double sided foam adhesive sheets, then again out of white cardstock. I took the release paper off the front of the balloon and added a transparency, then cut my transparency with scissors and attached the white cardstock to the front of the transparency. I turned the image over and added my glitter, just using a rolled up piece of paper to direct the glitter, so it didn't go everywhere! I VERY slowly pulled off the release paper from the back of the balloon and then took my water colored background and laid it on top of the balloon--so I didn't need to worry about spilling the glitter!

It came together really quickly and I love the result!! I am sure it will bring a smile or two!!? I am linking up today to the Simon Says Stamp challenge--anything goes!!

Love you

Hey there friends!! I have a little something to share today! I've been really loving the sunshine and the flowers coming up in my yard!!

 

My card for today was inspired by the colors in my yard!!

Bright colors...man, I am so happy it is springtime! 

I used the Bold Blooms stamps from Ellen Hutson for my main image. I stamped them with versamark, heat embossed them with clear embossing powder and then heat set them--onto watercolor paper. I added some color with distress inks and a paintbrush. I just smooshed the ink onto my craft mat and then used my paint brush to pick up the color. Then I pulled a move I generally don't--I pulled out a Jennifer McGuire technique! I went to my ironing board and placed the watercolor paper in between two sheets of computer paper and then ironed the embossing powder off. Now, it doesn't look really very different in a photo--but in real life it looks awesome, because there isn't the shiny embossing powder showing how the flowers stayed white...it's really a cool and easy WOW to add to a card!!

 

Then I used my Lawn Fawn script love die and cut it out of pink fun foam! Yep, it works awesome...and adds great dimension!! The little white you is from an Avery Elle die.

 

I made my card base, added a nice big square of Lifestyle Crafts shape 'n tape, and isn't it a great yellow!? The perfect color!! I added a couple of Bold Blooms dies behind my watercolor paper and then added a few Doodlebug "sprinkles!"

 

I am linking this card up to Ellen Hutson's Mix It Up challenge--using Ellen Hutston

 and Lawn Fawn!

 

I am also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Challenge! Spring Flowers/Showers!

 

 

Thanks a bundle for stopping by!!!

Love you!

Hey there!! I'm excited to share my 2nd post for today, the new Retro Sketch for the week!!

The sketch this week was taken from this super fun card of Arielle's! I love this sketch!! And I even made a real square card!! I know just who it is going to and that makes me so happy!! So, here is the sketch! Isn't it a goodie!?



And here is my take on the sketch!

 

 I started with a new pad of Dear Lizzy paper, I loved the paper airplane paper--isn't that so fun!? The "love" is from Avery Elle, and the "you" is from Simon Says Stamp. My cute little hearts are from Lawn Fawn.  I was trying to decide what to use as the little underneath layer from the sketch, the recipient will be male, so I needed a masculine option! I pulled out the red paper from the pad and it landed like this on my card--not in this exact spot, but as I saw it laying there I thought it was perfect to just have a big chunk of paper!:) 

 

It's that time...time to start stock piling the Valentine mail!! I am from a large family and I love getting all sorts of love notes into their mailboxes!! I think there aren't many things better than love notes in the mailbox!!! So, adding this card to my valentine card stash...yay!!

 

Can't wait to see what you're going to come up with!! This past week there were so many great cards!! I am hoping to get to stop by all your blogs, so link up and let us all see what you create!!

Sending Prayers

Good morning!! Happy Saturday to you all! Saturday means a new Retro Sketch!! The card that inspired this weeks sketch is this one, from Laurie!  Isn't it a fun one!? So, here is this weeks sketch

And here is my card!

I used my new Avery Elle pigment inks. I have to say, I am totally NOT a fan of most pigment inks. In fact I haven't used any very often because they always smear and make a mess of my stamps! Well, I am happy to report that I LOVE the Avery Elle pigment inks! They are divine! Great colors, wonderful formulation that says wet--but not too wet-just long enough. The color stacks great...they are really great!! I would definitely recommend them! I used a heidi swapp diagonal stencil and some black soot distress ink for my little back ground. Since I made my own background, I decided to link up to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge for the week, "making your own background." I am also playing along with the AEIHeart Challenge, CAS! My stamps are Avery Elle. I added a sprinkle of gold sequins and just a touch of gold thread.

This week has been super emotional and a bit heavy. I lost a dear friend last Friday morning, and today is her funeral. I made this card to send to her family...I see them a lot, they live quite close to me, and we go to church together...and I am challenging myself to get a card in the mail to them for many weeks to come. Their mom/wife died too young and oh, how she will be missed. She was one of my friends that found my card in her mailbox often and she always told me how much they meant to her...and how thankful she was that I took the time to fill her mailbox....so I will continue to fill her mailbox and tell her family just how much I loved their wonderful Momma!!

Our time is precious, hold your dear ones tight today and make today the best one yet!! Thanks a bundle for stopping by!!

Thinking of You

Good morning friends! Happy weekend! I am super happy that today arrived...that means my husband is back after being out of the country for a week and I am SO happy to have my partner in crime home!! Know what I mean!?

 

Today I'm happy to share the new Retro Sketch with you all! The sketch this week is based on a card by Arielle, here. It's a super fun one!

Here is my take on the card! I pulled out some Maggie Holmes paper and started with that for my inspiration of where to go with this one! I love the colors in these papers...maybe I'm getting ready for fall in my mind!?



I used Avery Elle Petals and Stems flowers and sentiment, and Turning a new leaf from PTI for my leaves. My little border along the top is from Paper Smooches. I've got a little bit of gold thread...and some delicious shimmery gold sequins...because "My name is Jeni Allen, and I am addicted to sequins!"

 

Hope you get a chance to play with the sketch this week!! It's so fun to see what everyone comes up with!! Take care dear ones and I'll be back tomorrow...yep, three days in a row...might even make it to 5 days in a row...getting back in the saddle is sure fun!!

 

Thanks for stopping by!!

Retro Sketch

Hey there dear ones! Happy Saturday--can you believe that August is upon us!? What in the world happened to July! Wasn't the 4th just last week!? Crazy...

 

I'm happy to be playing along with the crew over at Retro Sketches this week! The card was inspired by this awesome card by Arielle!! So, here is the sketch



 

And here is my card to go along with the sketch! I flipped the main panel around at the last minute, and felt the need to make this a shaker...kind of stuck on those for the moment! I actually have the person in mind that will be receiving this card, and they needed a shaker!;)

My dies for the shaker are from the PTI Sprinkle and Shakers Make it kit! I have a couple of other cards from the kit that I'll be sharing soon...LOVE that kit!! My paper is from an AC pad...I LOVE the colors of the paper...I could wear them all day!  My hello die and stamp is from Avery Elle. I'll see you next week! Off for an adventure!!

Thanks...

Good morning! I am SO happy that today has arrived! We've got a whole bunch of excitement at our house today!! First off, my oldest child is celebrating his "golden" birthday today! He is turning 12, on the 12th! We've got all sorts of fun birthday plans for him today, as he will be returning with my husband from 6 days at scout camp! We are THRILLED that daddy and Myles will both be home today...it's been a great week, but I am SO ready to have another adult in the house! I have to say out loud, that my daughter, who will be 10 in September, has been a HUGE help with the other peeps this week, and I am so thankful for her...but when everyone is back together again I feel best!

 

So, in other excitement, I'm sharing a bit of fun time! This week's Retro Sketch was based off a card of mine, here.

 

Here is the sketch:



And here is my new card! I am still in serious need of thank you cards...I can't seem to keep up with my demand to send them out! Isn't that a wonderful problem to have...so thankful for the great people in my life!!

My paper is Heidi Swapp, stamps Avery Elle Petals and Stems (which I can't seem to put away!!!), PTI Thank you kindly stamp set, and PTI wet paint dies. I used some Delicata Gold to ink up my "thanks" and oh, I LOVE the way it turned out!! That ink is divine!!

 

Thanks for stopping by friends!! I know my blogging has been crazy, and will continue to be that way for a bit...getting back to what "normal" is after a baby takes a while!! I appreciate your taking the time to stop by!!

 

Be sure to stop by the Retro Sketch blog and play along with us this week!

Merci

Good morning friends! I hope you've had a great week! We had a super fun 4th of July yesterday...super great chance to remember how thankful we are for the freedom we enjoy! Our day was complete with a parade, swimming, kayaking, good food, friends and some GREAT fireworks!! It was perfect!

 

Here is the new Retro Sketch for the week, #122. It is a super fun one! It is based on a card design by Erin, here. I love hexagons...and my brain got to working!

 

Here is what I came up with! 

I used my PTI hexagon cover plate and cut some white cardstock, then (I could have stamped it before sending it through the big shot, but didn't know exactly what my plan was at that point;)) and pulled out my Neon ink pads from Hero Arts. I used these beautiful flowers from the Avery Elle Petals and Stems set. My leaves are pretty and glittery-with some neon green glitter from Martha Steward. My pretty sequins are from Pretty Pink Posh...there you have it! My front panel is mounted with foam tape to give some fun dimension.

 

Hope you have a chance to give the Retro Sketch a try! Thanks a bundle for stopping by!

Thanks So Much!

Good morning friends!! I hope you're having a great summer!! We are enjoying our first week of no school...and we had all sorts of excitement! Basketball camps, a small wrist fracture(1st day of bb camp!), 6 week old Graham, sprinklers, bubbles, bikes, otter pops...happy to say summer is in full swing!! It felt really good to take a few mommy minutes and get a hold of some paper and

pretty things!!

 

I am happy to be playing along with the girls over on Retro Sketches today! Arielle has a great sketch for you this week, sketch 121!

Here is the sketch:

And here is my card!

 I did something really fun on this card...and the photo doesn't do it justice! I used a large paper doily for my "card front." I laid down a bunch of adhesive on my soft stone cardbase, (I didn't want to add adhesive to the doily, too fragile and didn't want to tear it, and I wanted it to adhere really well! )then laid the paper doily down and trimmed off the excess. I had a bit of adhesive coming through the doily, but it is stuck down well!;) SO, I cut a piece of window sheet (aka, transparency!) the size of my card front and just slapped it over the top! The effect is super cool, because you see the doily in all it's fragile detail and texture, but you feel the slick/shiny window sheet...I LOVE it!! 

 

I added some Amy Tangerine patterned paper, and that sheet of paper is where the whole inspiration for the doily came from!! I used the Avery Elle Oh, Yea! speech bubble die and cut some two white speech bubbles. I then stamped one of them with my new "Thank you kindly" stamps from PTI, in soft stone ink. I pulled out some circle dies, made me a little window, stamped a Raspberry Fizz thanks so much, attached more window sheet, foam adhesive, and filled my little window up with some sequins! There is a bit of beautiful silver thread thrown into the mix too...love that feel!!

 

Hope you get a chance to play with us on the sketch this week!! Take care and thanks a bundle for stopping by!! I've got some fun to share this next week...Cupcards To Go Summer Kit will go live on July 1st, so stay tuned!!