mmm... FRIDAY!

so excited for the end of the week... i've been super tired lately and VERY busy with some shopping, painting, and organizing (i'll share soon, promise), and i even took a day off of school yesterday, but somehow that got filled up even faster than my 'regular' days do...

so hooray for Friday. here are more of the promised bridal shower invitations. i made these for my sister who is throwing a bridal shower for a friend.

you can see the first two i posted HERE.

what do you think? do you like these or my first couple? :D i personally like *all* of them, but i made them, so i'm biased :) hehe.

thanks for looking again, and have a great weekend yourself!

Papertrey Blog Hop + bridal shower invites

okay, so this is my first PTI blog hop, and i think it's the perfect one to show you the custom order from Etsy of bridal shower invites i made for my sister Cecelia who's the maid of honor in her college roomie's wedding.

the blog hop challenge was to create a card that incorporated the "whole" deal... i.e.: front + inside of the card + envie decoration. well, this was a lot more fun than i anticipated! :D let's look! (note: apparently i'm SUPER late for the blog hop, but if you're stopping by anyway, THANK YOU!)

i was a little cautious regarding the color choices for the wedding--cantaloupe orange, rose pink, and ivory. well, let me tell you--working with these lovely colors, i honestly couldn't love them more... and they look FABULOUS together :D i love how i was able to get different looks each and every card (not too different) just by switching the paper colors a tad, or the ribbon choice, etc.

here's the first one--it uses the Big and Bold stamp set from PTI as well as some Heidi Swapp images (the little couple, and the heart border). i got to play with the inks for these stamps and vary the colors a little more than i did with the paper and the ribbon--i think that a little bit of bright on these goes a long way, don't you? plus, Liz (girly who's getting married) is a really sophisticated gal, and i thought that these would work for her shower just perfectly.

see what i mean? the invite looks completely different just by moving some things around. i really love the patterned paper i used--by the paper company, and all the cardstock was from coredinations (minus the stamped panel).

oh, and here's the cutest idea i had for the whole card... see that little car with the gifts on the inside? another Heidi Swapp stamp, plus the "and they lived happily ever after" from PTI. ahh, it's just perfect for the inside of the card. this is at the very bottom, because i needed to leave room for my sister to write out the shower info details above it.

ooh! these are the coordinating envies i stamped quickly before i shipped the twenty invites out. *yes, i said 20--but i didn't get bored with this project... i wish i had more custom orders!* isn't that little touch on the flap so perfect?

here's a group shot of some of the invites... omgoodness--i seriously had the greatest time making these, and almost wish i knew someone who needed something similar so i could keep on making some! hehe.

also, beware! i will be posting more of these cards (they're all different, like i said) so prepare yourself :D

also, if you haven't been over to my friend Paulina's blog, you should TOTALLY check out her version of the blog hop--SUPER cute :D

well, thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful night! :D

bridal shower (pretty packaging)

so i recently coordinated the games for a church bridal shower for a friend that's getting married (woohoo! congrats Tabi!) and i put some cards in this cute little gift bag. you can never have enough 'thank you' cards, can you, especially when you just open up a ton of gifts!

the games were super fun, and since this girly is musically talented, i created a game that combined popular (or sometimes not too popular) love songs + a random object. teams had 8 minutes to create lyrics that incorporated their selected object and then practice their song to PERFORM in front of the group at the shower. i was the judge (hehehe! when you're the one making the game, you make the RULES!)

here's a snippet of the winning group's song. they combined the love song (it was a bridal shower, but you can totally modify it--i used this game for a Christmas party and i had a list of Christmas carols... so fun!) "My Heart Will Go On" and the random object of 'appetizer.' it was a blast!

now here's a close up of the top of the bag:

then here's a side view of the tag/ mini card that i created to attach to the front of the bag. i used the PTI Big and Bold stamp set and some MME glitter paper, a border punch, and eyelet lace from Jo-Ann's.

oh how i love those clothespins--the little red one and the bigger one that clips the tag onto the bag.

again, a close up of the lace and the super cute border punch from Fiskars. totally recommend this crest punch--one of my fav's!

oh, and recently i haven't been posting and commenting on your blogs because i've been transitioning--i have a huge life 'change' coming up... it's exciting (and positive, no, nothing bad!), but nerve-wracking at the same time.

also, i've been busy with a custom Etsy order--woohoo! btw, i am going to INUNDATE you with pictures of said project--it turned out SO WELL! :D

so, yes, i realize i'm leaving you in suspense, but i kinda want to coordinate some blog candy for the big announcement. so check back soon, and you'll hear some of my news.

thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!

more mini card love :D

yay! another quickie post. i'm almost halfway done with the bridal shower invitations (all the supplies are assembled, they just need to be put together), and OMGOSH. i am in LOVE with how they look right now. each one is just a little different, but overall, it's the same 'concept.' kinda wish i had more of these custom orders--i think they're fun! and don't worry, i will take and post pictures when they're done... be patient, LOL.

well, i'm back with these mini cards using scraps/ elements you've seen from previous posts... these are just a tad different. the one above uses that embellie that i made multiples of, and then some glitter from DeNami Design. i also used my Big Bite II again (from Paulina) for the bit of ribbon coming off the corner. not sure that it turned out like i wanted (and the picture too--something got washed out), but it's all good :D

lately i've been using a lot of glitter, and aside from the accidental swipe on my face that leaves glitter all over, i LOVE it :D the inside of this card with the birdie image says "you're a sweetie," a sentiment from DeNami Design.

oh, and guess what? tomorrow is MLK Jr. Day, and there's no school! HOORAY, YIPPEE, HALELUJAH :D i will relax and have fun. yay 3 day weekends. hope yours is just as fun and relaxing.

mini card love

mm, i love mini cards for the ultra-satisfaction of being able to complete one of these 3x3's in a matter of minutes. plus, they're super cute to use as tags, or just as little notes in someone's lunch, etc.

these are valentine's themed, and this post will be super short, because i'm in the middle of a big life change (more about that to come), and i also have my first Etsy custom order sale to complete!

this card with the flower actually has flocking in that blue stripe... pretty fun, huh?

but now i'm back to my craft table--i need to get cracking at the bridal shower invites. i'll post some pictures of those when i'm done--they are in really pretty colors :D

a love note

no, i'm not talking about a love note that i've received--i'm talking about some love notes that i've made recently. i'm still busy digging through my scrap pile (solely in Valentine's type colors, so that's why you've been seeing lots of red, pink, and white), but i'll be making some custom ordered invitations for a bridal shower along with some matching paper-crafts party favors. i'll make sure to post the pictures of them when they're done--they should be cute because the color scheme is bright and cheery! (rose pink, cantaloupe orange, and ivory) **speaking of bridal showers, i was an emcee for a larger bridal shower last night--fun times and fun games had by all**

so, the simple cards have been my friends lately--slap a little patterned paper, ribbon, and a few heart stickers, and we're good! the red card above has a stamped image from Impress Rubber Stamps, and the one below (the cute mailbox) comes from DoodleFactory Country set... i thought i'd convert it for Valentine's day :D

do you notice anything funny about the card above? i was a little upset with myself for the mistake, but it was so cute (and i don't have anymore scraps to recreate it) that i thought i'd show you anyway.

hope your 'over the hump' day went well--i think i'm off to get a haircut... my ends are in need of some attention :D don't you just love the "post haircut" feeling? i love running my fingers through--something i've enjoyed every time :)

anyway, i'll pop in later, but have a lovely day!

2sketches4you Kazan's #43

yay, i'm back, and it's saturday! :D i've been trying to continue posting regularly so i don't get off track. today i'm posting some more of my Valentine's scrap cards that i've been posting lately (watch out--there's still more to come!) and i've really enjoyed seeing what comes out of that box and onto a card. most of the time i like the end result, even if the card isn't quite as much "me" as it normally is.

do you know what i mean?

well, here's a quick card--patterned paper from K&Co, a couple previous cuts from my Cricut (square outline and circle), and then some stamping, bling, and my fav. new doo-dad embellie with the hearts. what do you think? is this typical 'Ginny' style, or is this something different??

i know what i think, but want to hear what you have to say too :D
okay, on to the sketch i used for this card--it comes from 2sketches4you, one of my all time favorite sites for sketches.

this week, Kazan had a fabulous sketch (#43) and i couldn't resist playing along. i might make another card using this too!


i used similar papers and supplies as with THIS card earlier this week, and i just love that velvet silhouette paper so much, i *had* to use it again. these are all scraps, remember, so i pulled a lot of different manufacturers together--Bazzill dotted paper, SEI for the brown, DCWV for the silhouettes, some kraft and white card stock for the embellie and card base. the hearts are punches, and the ribbon is from Michael's.

mmmm, i LOVE that combo of bling, button, embellie, and pins on this card--somehow it all gelled, you know? thinking i'll have to send this to someone special ;)

i also inked up a lot of edges on this thing--definitely helps to tie things in, don't you think?

hope you enjoy and have a wonderful weekend--relax a bit!

Embellish Hearts Color Challenge

thank goodness it's Friday!

whew, made it through the first week back of teaching after break--let me tell you, it was close!

i thought i'd have some fun by playing along with the Embellish Magazine Challenge for this month--red, pink, black + hearts in honor of Valentine's Day.

so here we go--i actually used scraps of everything except for the ribbon--lately the pile has been getting smaller and smaller--so cool to see what i can make with what i already have!

such a huge funky knot here--love it. an it's sort of hard to tell, but the tree stamp is in red and has some of the heart leaves glittered with prism glitter. sweet stuff.

i have another "love" card--this one features stamps solely from DeNami Design (well, actually, i lied--the little heart stamp isn't but close enough!) let me tell you--these stamps are too fun to play with sometimes--i have to hold myself back quite often. here i used a little fun fluff and lacquer to add texture.

if you're interested in seeing more DeNami goodness, check out Paulina's blog--she is on their design team and does a fabulous job! she's also holding a giveaway too, so definitely head her way.

hope your Friday was awesome, and that your weekend is equally so! thanks for stopping by :D

love is in the air

i love making Valentine's Day cards... they're just so fun!
this first one is a bitty 3x3--made from scraps (again! can't believe i'm getting these used up, yay!) and a DeNami Design glitter and button too!

super simple stuff... but so cute :D

i have a little birdie here i picked up from Michael's in the $1 bin--SO CUTE, don't you think? i went for "fun" with this card, and i love the little bit of coloring and glitter that i added to the wing and breast of this chickie!

here's the full card view--sorry for the poor picture, something wonky happened in between shots... hmm, have to check that out later.

and lastly, i'm using another DoodleFactory stamp which i LOVE ...so appropriate for so many occasions, don't you think? also, this paper has flocking on it, and it is AMAZING... this piece looks great with the brown polka dot ribbon and pink gem & cardstock combo i have. what do you think?

okay, and lastly, i have this card featuring some yummy Amy Butler paper and a row of tiny pearls. also, see that little DeNami "love you" sentiment? so great!

this card also features an embellie that i made in a batch along with THIS card from yesterday.

so what do you think--which one is your favorite? glad you could stop by :D

Brazil favorites + some craftiness too

oy! it's been a while past when i thought i'd be posting, but here i am! (better late than never is what i tell my students about assignments, and it can apply to blogging, too, eh?)

today i wanted to share some pictures with you that i took when i went to Brazil with my sister, Cecelia, in Summer 2008. yes, it's been a while since the trip, but these pictures are really gorgeous.

both of these buildings are churches that we saw in a mining town that still has the original colonial architecture throughout the whole city--there were probably 50+ chapels/ churches throughout Ouro Preto (which means"black gold" in Portugeuse) and all of them are amazingly beautiful.

this picture below is one of my favorites, and happens to be gracing the background on my computer desktop at the moment. this was the view from the patio of the hostel my sister and i were staying out... i'm telling you--AMAZING stuff!

and yes, yes, i do have some cards for you! these were made using some scraps and a fun new tool i got courtesy of my dear friend Paulina. she knew that i wanted an eyelet setter/ punch for crafting, so for Christmas she got me the Crop-a-dile Big Bite II! :D *big grin*

that girl is so good to me. speaking of good... we had an amazing chat and dinner the other day (at Panera! love!)--the very first day back to work from vacation for both of us. i think it literally may have saved me from breakdown! love you Paulina :D

okay, so back to the cards. i was inspired by Nichole's post on her blog about using scraps. Lord knows i have drawers full of them... so i pulled out all the red, pink, coordinating patterned paper (plus some neutrals) from my pile and cut down TONS of card bases for mini's and A2 size cards. i have a stack to create with now...

but, since the goal was to use up some scraps, i put some pieces through a punch, some got stamped on, distressed, punched again, chopped in little tiny pieces, etc :)

all of these have Valentine's themes... and there are more to come--so bear with me :D

the first card i made combines a few things--DeNami Design sentiment, DoodleFactory birdie image, ribbon from Michael's, pillow heart stickers from MM, some swirl stamps, fabric pins from Wal-mart, and some Bazzill dotted cardstock. the patterned paper is from me & my big ideas i think?
he turned out so cute, right? i normally wouldn't put the big circle right in the middle of the card, but since it was left over from a Cricut cut, i figured i'd try to use it up.

next up i have some DCWV paper from the green stack, a stamped image from Impress, more pillow stickers, Michael's ribbon, lace from Jo-ann's, MM staples in pink, a pink square cut from my Cricut, and some pearls to boot :D i love that tree image--it actually goes with the pattern in the background... kind of an environmental Valentine, right?ooo! on this next one i have some lovely texture! DCWV has some velvet silhoutte sheets in one of their stacks, and i just LOVE it! also, the red/ white polka dot is actually leftover Christmas cardstock paper, there's lots of punching on this one--the scalloped square, and both hearts are punched out. i had a TON of fun making the little kraft embellies with the hearts, buttons, and pearls. sooo fun!

so here's what i did... i got some patterned paper with text on it, punched the little heart, inked up the edges with pink, and stuck some pearls on top. then, i punched the big heart, inked it up, and attached it to the kraft square with a 1/8" punch + red eyelet using my new Big Bite! i also inked the edges of the square and layered a button beneath the square.

totally loving making Valentine's Day cards... they're fun! i even had one approved by my brother Joey--hehe :D

okay, off i go to sleep and school tomorrow... this week will NOT end soon enough :/ we just came back from break and i need another one! what about you? do you feel like you rested up over your vacation time, or were you running around like me?

well, thanks for stopping by, see you soon!

happy new year!

wow, we're into 2010 already! here's to a great year ahead--one filled with many goals met, surprises (good and bad, let's be realistic), and love.

hope you had a great holiday season... my Christmas was great, and so was New Years--looking forward to getting back to my craft table more often now that the festivities are starting to die down.

thanks for stopping in, and happy new year again! :D