Caardvarks Challenge--stickers :D

so... here i am with another post for a challenge! woohoo... it's a fun one too. it comes from the Caardvarks website :D

The Challenge
Create a *new* card and be sure to use stickers! Link your entry to us by March 2nd at Midnight, PST.

The Prize
A huge SRM Stickers prize package including Quick Cards Stickers, Sticker Sentiments, Seasonal Stickers, Baby Stickers, and More!

so, i actually have a couple of cards here that feature stickers of one kind or another (i know they're not the SRM sort, where they're clear, etc, but they're stickers nonetheless!)

this first card is super super simple... some chipboard stickers from Basic Grey (Lemonade Collection--SUPER YUM!) and a little gem for the bird's eye, and some ribbon + a button. don't you love it when things come together so quickly and easily? literally i just pulled out a scrap of ribbon, a button, and VOILA! :D

i think it would work well for an 'all occasion' card, but i'll probably convert it to a thank you because i need to send some out to the AMAZING people who helped me move :)


then, here's another card featuring a few different stickers...

see that cute little owly? he's a Sassafras Lass owl i got from my friend Paulina for Christmas--oh what GREAT present :) and then there's some MM alphas, and the 'sweet' panel is cut from a DCWV sheet in the Girly stack... love it! there's even paper with bobby pins and lipstick on it... hehe :D so me.

anyway, it was fun to play along--thanks for stopping by, and hope you enjoyed.

and for those of you who were wondering... i have *almost* unpacked all the boxes in my new place. i absolutely LOVE all the pink around my apartment--it's perfect. if you want to see the dresser i painted again, check HERE... it's the same color for 4 bookshelves i have around the house too :) hehe, can you tell i'm somewhat girly??

LOL, thanks for visiting!

monster cards and a little about me

hey there! so last Saturday was World Card Making Day, and as i was surfing the web for all the fun stuff going on that day, i happened upon the Caardvarks survey regarding paper crafting. i thought at first--"there's too many questions," (ha! this coming from the English teacher), but as a dutiful sister would (*cough, cough* CHOKE) i followed my sister's encouragement to fill out the Caardvarks survey anyway. now i'm glad i did, even though it took some thought and typing :D you know, good things *DO* often take some time... BUT, the cool part is that some of my responses were actually highlighted on the blog on Sunday. :D

i've included my full responses below the pictures... i hope you enjoy learning a little bit more about me and my paper crafting style!

this group of cards uses the Doodle Stack from DCWV, a lot of red, green, and kraft. also, all the stamps are PTI sentiments that i borrowed from my friend Paulina.

don't you love those little faces of horror and delight? :D they make me laugh.

i showed these to my brother Peter, and he said, "When am I going to get my birthday card? Can this be my birthday card?" i just about fell over laughing--i said, "YES! ...just let me write something on the inside." anyway, i know if it passes muster when my brothers like it :D

all the layouts are similar, with just a few parts arranged differently. i had a fun time distressing the edges with an actual distresser as opposed to my scissors... SOOO much easier :D

anyway, here are the Q/A's as promised, and if you haven't already seen my BLOG CANDY from a previous post, you need to get going! go over and enter by leaving a comment--it's that easy :D

What is your favorite part of the card making process?
I love making the card… finding the right paper, cutting out the pieces I need, and putting it all together. I also really like adding the finishing touches—the glitter at the end, or the flower embellishment.

What's on your craft table right now?
A card in process: DoodleFactory “Santa” stamped in chocolate ink on cream paper. I’m working on a combo challenge card for Christmas—it’ll count towards Dawn Mcvey’s Color Challenge as well as 2sketches4you, Kazan’s sketch.

What color combos do you most enjoy?
Ooooh, I absolutely LOVE pink and black. I wear it a lot, so that may be a reason why.

Where do you gather inspiration?
Everything. I like looking at blogs and sketches, but really, when I’m not basing a card or layout on someone else’s art, I just kinda look around and ideas start flowing. I am not currently keeping an idea book, and luckily, haven’t *had* to keep one—my ideas haven’t stopped yet :D Pretty paper doesn't hurt one bit either--having things on hand helps me get going!

How many cards do you make in an average week?
Well, because I teach full time (9th grade English), and coach girls swimming, I generally only get to create on the weekends. Maybe 3-4?

How did your passion for card making begin?
My friend Paulina kinda got me started. She invited me to a scrapbooking convention last November, and I ended up going and spending a *ton* of money. Then I had all these things I was looking to use, so I started a blog, looking at work that I admired, and then it just kind of took off from there. I have always loved Paulina’s cards, and still point to her encouragement as the reason I started blogging/ card making.

What's your favorite card theme?
I love making cards for birthdays. I tend to go “whole hog” as my sister Cecelia would say, and the last couple of “cards” I’ve made have turned into booklets :D hehe. I especially like making cards for people I know intimately—family, friends, co-workers, because it gives me pleasure knowing I’ve created something they’ll love.

What 3 pieces of advice would you give to a new card maker?
Keep trying new things. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Update your blog/ photo gallery frequently. (Advice #4: participate in challenges and comment on other work—they’ll come back to your blog and leave you encouragement and good feedback if you ask.)

Other than card making, what other hobbies do you enjoy?
I love scrapbooking (even though it’s in the same category as card making), and watching movies. I’m something of a movie addict—I love watching movies just about all the time. I also love baking, when I get a free moment… anything with chocolate (banana nut chocolate bread, chocolate chip cookies, etc).

Do you send or hoard your cards?

Both. When I create something specific (birthday, anniversary, thank you, etc) then I send it right away. BUT, I usually don’t have a specific purpose in mind when I make all the cards I do—so I have ended up with a stash of cards that keeps piling up. I am working on de-hoarding that stash by slowly listing these cards on Etsy. We’ll see how it goes :D

thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to check out the candy HERE!

Love, Chickies, & Bachelorette Parties...

i have a friend who is getting married this weekend, and i am soo happy for her! she has been in a relationship with her fiance for about 8 years, and her big day is Saturday! i got to help kidnap her for a bachelorette party last night, and it was soo fun! (fondue, games, chocolate, and gifts, who wouldn't love it, right? oh, yeah--maybe a guy... oh well, that's why they're called BACHELORETTE parties :D) i made this card specially for her, and to hold the gift card i was giving her. the card has a built in pocket that was pefect for tucking something sweet inside.


Supplies: white and light pink cardstock, pink Impress card with pocket, Bazzill cardstock, textured & dotted; AC zebra print; Basic Grey "Urban Prairie" pp; DeNami Design button; twine; ribbon from Michael's - pink satin & and white w/ trim; Recollections lip embellishment from Michael's; $1 black fringe from Jo-Ann's, rhinestones from Michael's; Cricut cuts - Simply Sweet cartridge for the heart and "Love" sentiment; Making Memories stars and hearts - glittered chipboard embellishments, Fiskars "threading water" border punch.

i decided to use the Kazan's sketch #34 from 2sketches4you for the front, as well as the colors for the Caardvarks challenge, (even though i didn't meet the deadline: pink, black, and white, YAY!). it couldn't have made a happier marriage (ha, pun intended!) because i reallly wanted to keep this card for myself instead of give it away!

in the above picture, you can see where i wrote the note, and then the gift card tucked into the side pocket. i used some soft pinks as well as bright pinks, because really, that zebra print from AC needed some competition :D

oh, in other news, i went to see "The Time Traveler's Wife" with my sister (for free!) on Monday night. i was really surprised that i DIDN'T cry, because it was definitely a movie with themes that would normally make me tear up. but it was good, not something i'd see twice, or would recommend for *everyone*, but i enjoyed spending time with my sister :D

ooh, and speaking of love... i LOVE DeNami Design's chickies. seriously. LOVE them. i made a ton of cards recently using their stamps, and i have to say, there are so many possibilities, and i seriously doubt i will get tired of them, ever.

so here i used some tulle, floral stick pins with Maya Road butterflies, and a DeNami Design button with some blue polka dot ribbon and yellow twine for the embellishment.

the polka dot stamps are also DeNami Design, and the chickies are too... aren't those colors fun? i love the whole feel--it's very bubblebum-ish, but super sweet. also, if you have a hankering for more DeNami goodness, go check out my friend Paulina's blog... she just posted some really sweet designs using their stamps. PLUS, she's having a HUGE giveaway, and i mean, HUGE!

anyway, hope you enjoy, and thanks for looking!