blooms and birthdays

whew, it's been an interesting week here in Washington. we've had really great weather all summer, but today we got a little taste of fall--RAIN. which is good. i like rain. without rain, we wouldn't be the "Evergreen State." i like it like that. it also keeps our plants pretty... and speaking of, here are some pictures of flowers. i took these in Ecuador (i went about 2 weeks ago for a missions trip), so don't worry if you don't recognize them. truthfully, i don't know their names, and i wasn't able to ask what they are called. but they sure are gorgeous!

i really like this purple one... so striking.

both of my middle brothers have birthdays in August, so it's always a fun month to make guy cards... sometimes i can get away with some frillier, "girl" things, but i have to make sure i stick to the right colors: blue and green. my brother Lincoln got his card via mail, because he's been gone all summer. i thought he'd like a reminder of all the ice cream we chowed down on as kids... we went through gallons of ice cream like there was no tomorrow! (oh wait, it's still kind of like that when the whole family get's together... hehe, oh well :D)

i embossed this "elegant" sentiment in light blue and definitely stuck to the whole blue theme... (pom poms, polka dots, ice cream shakes-in blue, ha!) all the stamps aside from the sentiment come from DeNami Design. love their stuff!

i almost forgot to take a picture of this card before it got mailed off, that's why it's in a cellophane wrapper... but i think he'll really like it. oh, almost forgot, this card also qualifies for day 185 at 365 cards for the "feeling blue" day :D

hope you enjoy, and thanks for looking!

a little bit of Ecuador and a lot of cards...

oh my goodness. i had a wonderful time in Ecuador! i spent 2 weeks working with my church group doing some short term missions, and i got to spend the majority of my time working with 8-10 year old Ecuadorian kids. my group was the best, and i got really attached to a few of the cuties... here are just a FEW of the pictures i took (and i literally mean, a few. i had a total of 650 + all the videos i took.)

this is me with Joselin at our first VBS (we went to 2 locations a day for a week. that meant i told stories for 2 very different groups of kids [in numbers and dispositions] and did skits twice a day as well. fun stuff!)

here i am with Daniel... who could resist that little face? he was something of a trouble maker, but i really loved being around him and his smiles. he loved giving me hugs and showing me his coloring. too adorable. wish i could give him a hug right now just thinking about it.

anyway, i made a WHOLE bunch of cards today after i went to see the movie Julie & Julia with my friend Paulina (totally recommend it for EVERY blogger out there... so hilarious and TRUE!) we were cracking up the whole entire time, and totally felt a connection with the Julie and her blogging obsession :D we also had some lovely lunch (with my sister, Cecelia, as well) at The Cheesecake Factory. can you tell i was spoiled today? i was going to come home and nap because i'm still getting over a sickness from Ecuador, but was coughing too much and just decided to make some cards for 365 cards. i'll be posting more later, but here's what i have:

Day 177 - Monogram Monday

i stamped the background on the white CS, and actually embossed a bit too. the rest is Basic Grey and some rub-ons :D

Day 178 - Back to School

oooh, October Afternoon papers are lovely, eh? i used a DCWV panel for the "A+" part. plus, the pom poms make the grade, eh? :D

Day 179 - Checkerboard Background

here i used some more DCWV Indian Summer paper. i paired it up with my Martha Stewart punch, AC ribbon, random button, and some Bazzill CS. i distressed the edges of the purple panel to add some interest.

thanks for looking :D

thanks a bunch + i'm back!

hey guys, i'm back home! whew, it feels good, but weird. i'll post pictures and tell stories from my trip later, but FIRST, today's card is really dedicated to you, my blog readers. thank you for leaving all your sweet comments on my posts while i was away in Ecuador, and also for your well wishes--they meant a lot to me! glad you didn't have to miss any cards while i was gone, though :D

but really, thank you!

well, here's a card i made using only Cricut cuts... from the "thanks" sentiment, to the flower stem, to the flower itself. it looks really neat all layered and put together, don't you think? i LOVE that "thanks" font--cute stuff.

the only "non-Cricut" elements used were adhesive (foam tape, quickie glue pen, and ATG adhesive) and the button/ twine in the center of the flower.

this card fits into a business size envelope, so it's a "long and skinny" card. hehe. i love how i can just cut out pieces for cards, and assemble and voila--there's a beautiful card!

thanks again, and check back soon for news on my trip :D

i didn't know they had buttons!

here is a SUPER quick and easy card i made with some pretty patterned paper from a huge value pack... just cut the card to the preferred size, cut down the patterned paper (1/4" smaller), and find embellishments to match! you may recognize the same paper from *THIS POST* a while back...

in my case, the embellishments i pulled out matched the paper perfectly, and were super fun too! (who doesn't love orange :D) i layered some Prima flowers, and tied them all together with some orange twine and an Yves Saint Laurent button. yes, a button! i didn't know they made/ had buttons (i mean, i KNOW they had them on clothing, but i bought the button pack from Michael's that contained this orange cutie...) anyway, i was like, wow!

and there ya go. nothing fancy today, just the basics. i'm coming home today--from Ecuador (read about it in THIS POST). i'll be super super super busy the next few days transitioning into teaching/ coaching from summer, and i'll be re-adjusting to having my sister, Cecelia, home too, but never fear--i've actually pre-scheduled a post for tomorrow, so come back and check it out!

whale of a tale!

check out this cute little whale punch from Martha Stewart! i think it just screams "baby" card to me... and i *have* made a baby card with it, but for these cards, i broke out some blue/ teal, and yellow paper... and here i have a semi-sophisticated look using this darling punch. the first card is super simple--layered shapes, small strip of patterned paper, and two buttons with orange stickles in the middle (they sank into the holes when they dried).

and for this card, the ribbon, flower, and tiny bit of bling add to that sophisticated look on this card, eh? i LOVE the loops on this ribbon... perfect detail. i also added a few touches of orange stickles to the patterned paper to add some interest around the flowers.

i think i'll be breakout out this punch again (along with the scoll-like curvy square punch from McGill)... they make a great team! thanks for checking this out, i'll keep you posted with more cards soon :D

(also, my apologies to my blog readers et. al. for not commenting on your awesome cards lately, i'm actually out of the country... in Ecuador, for a church missions trip. fun stuff! just means i can't look at and "oooh" and "ahhh" over your beautiful creations. i'll make up for it later, promise!)

sweet stuff (DeNami Style!)

here's a colored image from DeNami Designs... i've seriously fallen in love with their lovely stamps... just about every single stamp i see i want! agh! keep my wallet away :D hehe. well, i punched out the image with a McGill curvy punch, and then there's some DCWV Sweet Factory paper in the background... cutest cupcakes EVER!

super simple with the buttons, paper, and punched out image. no ribbon even! well, i'm keeping this post short, but thanks for looking :D

i've been in Ecuador for about 5 days now... i probably look somewhat haggard and don't smell as pretty as i do at home, but i'm sure i'll be having good times no matter what!

retro happy birthday + 2S4U Laura's #32

here i have a post the day before i leave for Ecuador--ah! (no, i haven't started packing, but that's what i'm doing IMMEDIATELY after this post :D) this week over at 2sketches4you, Laura had a really cute sketch, and since i haven't played in a while, i thought i'd submit my card before taking an almost 2 week absence (don't worry, i've scheduled posts for when i'm gone--promise!)

here's the sketch:

as always, i tend to change the sketch to "make it work" for me, so this card wasn't any different.

for this card base, i decided to use kraft. i LOVE kraft paper... it's so *neutral* and *versatile* :D with all the loud colors i used on this card, i think the neutral was needed...

well, this is the first time i've ever done faux stitching on a card... not too bad, eh? (well, at least if you don't look closely.) i actually really like the composition of this card... it's the colors i'm somewhat iffy about, but still, i like trying things at least once.

so here's a shot of the embossed sentiment attached with a cute little clothespin + ribbon. oh, and the bling & pinking sheared edge are great too, huh? i like 'em!

and here's my finished card! the red behind the stacked squares looks really orange in this picture, but IRL it's not... don'tcha love that ruffly ribbon? i got it in a random bag pack from Impress Rubber Stamps in their clearance bin. oh! and that purple scalloped square is a cut from one of my Cricut cartridges. somehow i end up using one or two elements from Cricut cuts to make my cards... which is good for me. i just know that some people make cards ENTIRELY from cuts they've made with their Cricut.

the coolio patterned paper comes from DCWV's Mod-Retro stack (or is it Retro-Mod stack? can't remember), and isn't it a great 70's flashback? not that i was alive to know... but! see that print behind the button? the words? that's part of a page i ripped out of a book.

it's a cool card. i like it. i'll have to find a special recipient. what do you think? nice or meh? thanks for commenting, i love reading 'em!

i'm leaving, on a jet plane...

i'm going to Ecuador!

i was just looking through pictures on Flickr, and Ecuador is simply stunning. i'm sure i'll be seeing some of the same beauty, and taking pictures too! (...just not of that quality)

i'll be leaving on Tuesday, August 11th, and i'll be traveling with my youngest brother Joey, and a missions team from my church. we're going to Quito (the capital), and Otavalo to teach some conferences, reach children through Vacation Bible Adventures, and fellowship with the local church bodies down there.

i am so excited! i've been to South America before (last summer, actually--Brazil, with my sister, Cecelia), and i had an absolute blast. i'm looking forward to going again, and actually understanding a little more of the language. i picked up the main ideas in conversation while i was in Brazil (they speak Portugeuse), but i've taken several years of Spanish (although i'm rusty), so i think i'll understand a lot more when i go down this time :D

fortunately our whole trip will not just be missions--we're going to spend one or two days seeing some sights and hiking around. i'm so excited to be ministering with such a great team of people (hey guys--you're awesome!), and also to try something new.

well, wish me luck, i'm off to do laundry so i can pack :D hehe, yes, i know, i should be *finished* packing by now. well, i'm a procrastinator!

hope you have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for looking...

pirate pink :D

super fun paper from BoBunny and these sweet leather flowers just add the perfect touch to that pirate image, eh me maties? hehe. i couldn't resist adding some bling (and those button brads are too cute, right? Making Memories.)

finished card = fabulous. the border punch is threading water by Fiskars. currently there's not sentiment, but when the time comes, i'm sure i'll find the perfect one.

any suggestions?

been working on my writing class and getting ready for leaving for Ecuador on Tuesday, August 11th! agh, so busy! i'll post some more cards soon, promise!

take care, and thanks for looking!

stamp + cricut cards :D

here's a similar card to one i posted a while back in THIS POST. i love that damask stamp, and the little scalloped circle is fast becoming my favorite cut with my Cricut :D and dude! who doesn't like that butterfly? it's great! it adds just the right touch, and that paper piercing trail is so cute :D this first picture is good, but this second one got totally messed up, so my apologies.

here again, i used a simple cut from my Cricut--the label accent, and i used my super sweet flower stamp from Paulina (via Impress Rubber Stamps... great store!) with some stickles :D

here i have one with an elegant look instead of funky style... black, white, and pink, one of my fav "go-to" colors. very sweet stuff, all of it.

so far this weekend has been a mess of lots of things, and i'll try to catch you up later. it consisted of pranking offices, crashing on a bike (no broken bones, but lots and lots of pain meds), decorating for a bridal shower, a meeting for an upcoming trip to Ecuador, and let's face it--crying. i've been super overwhelmed, and i'm surprised i didn't break down sooner. so yeah, i'll just share the good (or mostly good) stuff later :D thanks for looking, and don't forget--i LOVE reading your comments!

Card Patterns - Sketch 22

here's the sketch for this week's Card Patterns blog--#22!

it's my second time participating with Card Patterns, and i'm quite excited to submit more cards for the wonderful sketches. i also loved browsing through the DT's work--really fabulous stuff!

here's my card...

i thought it looked cute without a sentiment, but if i add one (which would be inside), it would say, "Hello Nutty" or "You're Nutty!" i had a lot of fun pulling out some paper that i've never used before, and then breaking out my new border punch that embosses a bit. since i used textured card stock and kraft, i thought i'd add some distressing to give the card a more "woodsy" feel. i love that swirl i cut using my Cricut--it was just the right size and everything. and who can resist that little chipboard chipmunk from Colorbok? the vintage button is from my stash, and the ribbon is American Crafts. and those FABBY fat jewels are from K&Co. so sweet!

hope you enjoy, and thanks for looking! this week is the last week before i start helping with VBA's at church, and things are bound to get a bit crazy then :)

p.s. COUNTDOWN TO ECUADOR = 35 DAYS!

happy birthday to me!

WOOHOO! it's my birthday :)

it's birthday time, and i figured i'd share some of my latest birthday cards (in a simpler mode of card-making). i made a batch of these birthday cards using identical supplies and design idea a while back...

i used:

*buttons from my stash

*patterned paper from me & my big ideas

*twine

*chocolate fresh ink from impress

*happy birthday from jo-ann's (company... no clue)

*corner rounder punch

these are fun and easy cards to make... measure and slice, stick and tie. it's a cinch. these are easy to make, but often the simpler, the better. i think these could even work for some "man cards"if need be. i may be donating some cards to a neighborhood pool auction coming up, and who knows? maybe these will be included...

anyway, i'm so excited for my birthday today! i just know i'll be getting questions at school from my 8th graders who have no concept of age, "How old are you? 40? 32?" i keep telling them, "Thank you for thinking I'm so young. I have really young skin. You're so sweet for saying I'm only 32..." :D they honestly don't have a clue. i'm a perfect age, and God has blessed me mightily with every day up to this point (thank you Lord)! i am so blessed with so many things:

• generous and loving family (even loving enough to tell me the truth and correct me when it hurts)
• many talents (scrapping, teaching, storytelling... and did you know i threw shot put and won state in hs?)
• a job (that i take for granted and complain about too often--forgive me)
• FRIENDS! (you know who you are: Cecelia [double duty: family + friend], Paulina, Tabi, Helene, Maryke, Sara, Rochelle, Shawna, the list goes on and on...)
• a cute car :D
• a summer of serving (looking forward to 3 VBA's, 3 weeks of teaching, and a missions trip to Ecuador!)
• a great education--thanks GCC
• so much more... there's too much to post in one shot... i'll keep adding, don't worry. i'm also thankful for YOU (my blog reader) and your COMMENTS. they really encourage me and lift my spirits :D you bless me.

may you be blessed on your birthday and throughout the year, as i feel i am. thanks for stopping by! :) XOXO