Coworker Commissions

Last year one of my supervisors had requested some cards from me for his wife, for Valentine's and her birthday (there's only 5 days difference between the two). Well this year I was pre-emptive and brought some for him to choose from beforehand. He was very appreciative and this is what he chose:

For his wife's birthday:
I love, love, LOVE punny things, so I had to get this set. I'm also digging this new DSP called Razzleberry Lemonade -- the color combinations are so perfect. It's probably the fastest pack I've gone through... I'm about to have to order more!

For this card I used:
Card stock - Kraft (base), Melon Mambo, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP and White
Stamps - Comfort Food (SU!)

And for Valentine's Day:
I learned a great watercolor technique from Kim at Stamp-a-rama during stamp club and that's how I made the rose. I had been on the fence about getting that stamp set but making this definitely convinced me to spring for it.

For this card I used:
Card stock - Kraft (base), Razzleberry Lemonade DSP and White (photopaper)
Stamps - Yummy (SU!) and Fifth Avenue Floral (SU!)

Graffiti Birthday Card

I tend to have lots of real cutesy stamps, but I wanted to make a card that had a bit of different feel, and I'm pretty happy with what I was able to do.

For this card I used:
Cardstock: Bermuda Bay (Base) and White
Stamps: Alphabet Soup (SU!) and Extreme Elements (SU!)

Card Catch-up!

Ok I've done a cruddy job of being up to date in the new year. I hardly remember November and December at all -- it's a big blur! It was super busy... it makes me think of the the John Lennon quote "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Regardless of how hectic it was, it has been an extremely happy time. (But I'm also glad for a little breather to pay attention to the blog.)

So today I'll spend some time catching up slowly until I get up to present day stuff. But first -- here's a look at some November birthday celebrations.

My older sister had a birthday (I'll refrain from posting her age, as a courtesy). I thought this Thoreau quote was perfect for her. She has lots of great ideas, so we bought her a book on entrepreneur/business type stuff. I think she'll do really well with whatever she chooses to pursue.

For this card I used:
Cardstock: Kraft (base), Chocolate Chip, Sweets Pack DSP and White
Stamps: Live Your Dreams (SU!)

This next card is for my younger niece's birthday. Her birthday was actually in September (on the same day as my brother's birthday), but I wasn't able to come out until November because of my work schedule. She likes sweets alot, so I thought this was a cute theme.

For this card I used:
Card stock - Kraft (base), Chocolate Chip, and Sweets Pack DSP and White
Stamps: Bitty Birthday (SU!)

This last one was for my older niece. She plays the viola so I chose a music background. It's neat seeing my nieces grow up and really become their own people.

For this card I used:
Card stock - Kraft (base), Soft Suede, Melon Mambo, Sweets Pack DSP and White
Stamp: Animal Crackers (SU!)

Work Birthday

My co-worker Meredith turned 22 yesterday, so I made this card. Birthdays are fun at work, we always get cake. I can't help but think about that scene in Office Space where Melvin(?) doesn't get to have a piece.

I've totally gotten my money's worth out of the Animal Crackers set. Who could hate it -- it's cute animals and puns! I used a few of these stick on pearls which I think are adorable... to the point that I sometimes hoard it, but I have been getting better about using things up. As long as I take a picture, I think I can part with some of these things now. I hope kraft colored paper doesn't go out of style anytime soon, it's so great to use!

For this card I used:

Card stock - Kraft (base), So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Tea Time DSP and white

Stamp - Animal Crackers (SU!)

Halloween Treats

Happy Halloween!

While I'm not super nutty about this holiday, I do love any reason to celebrate and make fun things. For work I made these cute little treat boxes. I learned it at Stamp Club last week with and you can see the instructions here: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/trianglebox/

At Stamp Club we made a Christmas one, so I adapted it and made my Halloween ones. I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out. First I cut and scored my paper. Then I ran it through the Cuttlebug and tied it off with orange ribbon.

Next I stamped this small spider image and mounted it on a piece of Pumpkin Pie cardstock (how appropriate!) I even put a bit of Crystal Effects on the spider part, for added cuteness.

Scored and folded it to make it a mini card on the outside of the box.

Then I stamped the outside with "Eek! You're Sweet"

It was fun making them (I made 16 in all). It's been awhile since I've made something that wasn't mostly pre-designed so I'm happy with the final product.

For this box I used:

Card stock - Black, Pumpkin Pie and White

Stamps - Random Spider (I'm guessing just a Hobby Lobby one, I got it as a bonus with an eBay auction I won) and Sweet Centers (SU!)

Sympathy Card

I made a sympathy card for a dear friend of mine. Unfortunately his grandfather passed away. But I told him that it sounded like his grandfather lived a long, full life and that he should be happy that he got to see him recently. I know that doesn't always make it easier to deal with, but I hope it brings even just a little comfort that his granddad was happy in life.

I always find sympathy cards difficult for many reasons. I never know if it's appropriate to even make anything that serves as a reminder, but at the same time I feel if properly expressed I would hope that there is a larger message to be understood... that even during a difficult time people want to be there to listen and to help with healing.

Death is a difficult thing though. I have known people who have died, but no one who has been extremely close to me. I am sure it would be absolutely devastating though if it were to happen. And I guess the sadder part is not so much the if it happens... but the when it happens. My father has always been preoccupied with death, I think it was largely in part due to him fighting in the Vietnam war. He's been saying for the last 20 years that he doesn't think he'll live much longer, but as I get older the words become scarier and scarier.

Making the card for my friend really forced me to be a bit more reflective about what is going on around me. Things like would I know what to do if something happened to the people I care about most, or even if I were to go, did I feel that I did my best? I find that the more you count your blessings, the more blessed you'll realize you are. So with this uber comtemplative mood I've been in, I have been choosing to make more thank you cards. I urge you today or any ol' day, to let people know they mean alot to you.


For this card I used:
Card stock - Kraft (base), Bermuda Bay, White
Stamps - Thoughts & Prayers (SU!)

Gothy Goodness Swap

It's been awhile since I did one, but I joined a swap many months ago with a gothic theme. It was due on my birthday (09-09-09! And by the way I turned 27 and 2+7=9... crazy o_O)

So anyway the theme revolved around goth girls. It's basis requires a little bit of the pop subculture of Japan, but there is a style called "Goth-Lolli" (a combination of Gothic Lolita) where girls dress up in these really decadent porcelain doll kind of outfits (I guess Victorian?) and it adds other gothic elements to it (dark colors, dramatic eye makeup, etc.)

Well I decided that based on alot of the imagery I've found of this Lolita

fashion, that I had to do a card with butterflies and lace.

So I started with a piece of photo paper and used Melon Mambo with my brayer.

Then I stamped this image onto it using Jet Black StazOn. The stamp was from a set called Friendship, but I don't know what company it's from. Isn't she pretty?


I then used a white paint pen to color in the whites of her eyes and adhered it to a piece of black cardstock.


Then I put it on the gray base cardstock and silver embossed a butterfly (from the same stamp set) on top of the ribbon.

I kind of like how it turned out, though I don't really know what it could be used for. Thinking of you? Or maybe some kind of dark valentine sentiment?

Speaking of sentiments -- I found a great book in the bargain section at Borders. It's called Finding the Right Words by J. Beverly Daniel. It's got phrases to personalize your greeting cards. While I am a big proponent of say what you want however you want to, it's certainly not bad to have a little help sometimes when you're just stumped.