a message for you...

A wonderful friend of mine sent me a birthday gift ('member I turned 40 in May?!) that was right up my stampin' alley! Well, I'm finally getting around to making a thank you card for her, and of course I couldn't just pick one out of my dusty card stash, I had to make somethin' brand spankin' new! You see, there are times that I can be a bit naive when it comes to the stamping world, whether it be intentional or not, but this friend of mine is always watchin' my back, throwin' me a bone here and there, and cheering me on from the sidelines (actually, she's pretty much the quarterback with me on the sidelines waitin' to be put in the game). She's true blue, AND...she deserves a card designed just for her!

I happen to know that my friend likes bright colors, and I think she has been using this Girl Friday paper from Cosmo Cricket, so I'm guessing she likes it, right?! Here's where it all comes together: while blurfing last night, I came across another of Heather Nichols/Pinefeather signature pocket cards and decided I just had to make one as my TY card. Here she is, folks.

Card highlights include:

• paper pieced leaves using the cover sheet from the Cosmo paper pack
• buttons tied with twine from PTI
• Crystal Effects on my birdie
• fun stamps from My Cute Stamps
• button tied ribbon tab on insert (Pine's idea)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Early Bird Heaven!

I am so smitten with Cosmo Cricket's Early Bird Collection! I have a few projects to share using them, including today's sketch challenge over at SCS. Let's get going, eh?! The first one (above) is my sketch challenge card using the papers along with cute stamps from My Cute Stamps and an alpha from CTMH. I embellished the main panel with a ribbon/flower/button cluster tied with button twine from PTI.

Next up is a name banner and tag using the papers, chipboard, button and stamps. Everything was created for our niece and goddaughter, Brea's 1st birthday this past weekend. I have to take the opportunity to brag a bit about DH because he made the pictured dollhouse/bookcase for Brea from an idea we'd seen online (trendy home furnishing catalog)--isn't it the bees knees?! I thought it would be fun to do something paper-crafty with the dollhouse/bookcase, so I channeled my good friend, Kelly Lunceford's cool banners. Keep scrolling down for a close up of the banner and the tag that accompanied Brea's other gifts (books, of course!)...

Thanks for stopping by today!

Matryoshka SFYTT

Today's sketch, with it's graduated circles, reminded me of the sweet Matryoshka Dolls stamp set I'd picked up at My Cute Stamps. I'd thought about using the smaller two dolls on each of the smaller circles, but in the end decided to showcase the entire trio front and center which makes more sense since they're always together, wink!

Paper is from Crate Paper--Birdie Collection, and whenever I use it I think of this bright orange ribbon, hoping it will pick up the bits of orange in the paper. The ribbon is a little wild for the subtle paper patterns but with the addition of the soft blue/green button, I think it tames it down.

Lastly today, I have to make a confession which you'll hear about today and see more of next week. Last night I finished what I thought was today's SFYTT card only to realize I'd used next week's sketch, aack! Here I thought I was coming out of my clumsy/forgetfulness slump, but it reared it's head once more. Actually, I'm a little nervous about publishing this post, wondering if this is today's sketch or not?!

Let's see what the other SFYTT girlies have been up to:

Jen & Julie (May guest designer)
Kelly
Susan
Amy
Carole

Have a great weekend!

Eeek!

I mentioned on my Saturday SFYTT post how I'd toiled with a card on and off for over 2 hours before I finally gave up and made this SFYTT card with my new love, Damask Designs. Well, wouldn't you know, the next morning, I took another look at my original card and decided it wasn't so bad after all. I poked at it here and there over the course of the weekend and came up with this version which I like very much! It couldn't BE more different than my Saturday SFYTT card.

Paper is from October Afternoon; stamps from My Cute Stamps; and embellishments include a mini library clip, machine sewing, and a half circle/star in the corner. Oh, and the notebook edge was inspired by my good friend, Carole Burrage. Instead of a larger notebook edge, she created a mini version using a small hole punch to make a smaller scale edge as shown on this card. Ain't it sweet?!

That's all for now, folks!

Whoot whoot, it's a Mojo Monday sketch!

For Mojo Monday #80, a fun sketch that allowed for mixing and matching patterned papers. I chose SU!'s Good Morning Sunshine DSP paired with an adorable new stamp set from My Cute Stamps, My Forest Friends. The entire stamped area is paper pieced and popped up for a little extra dimension, and the darling leaves are hanging over the main image panel just a bit. I love the look of going beyond the box, so to say, and it's so easy to achieve when paper piecing. You simply trim "the box" and then add your paper pieced portion over top, kwim?! I think you can tell what I mean as you look at the picture.

Other details include the sentiment from Kim Hughes' URA Hoot (CHF), a felt fusion flower topped with a corduroy brad (SU!), 3 Old Olive mini brads (SU!) and chocolate twill from Taylored Expressions.

Hope your day is full of "whoot whoot" moments!