Rewind to September - CARDS Magazine

Rewind in your minds to September for me please... summer is ending and the kiddos are sharpening pencils for the first day of school.  You've bought new shoes, new backpacks, and new lunch boxes - and of course, you've made a card to get on the good side of the new teacher. ;)

This "Back to School" card was published in the September issue of CARDS magazine.  I used lots of Papertrey Ink goodies and thought the tickets were an unexpected and fun way to add little embellishments.  If you changed the sentiment this card could work any time of year for your favorite teacher - I'm certain that notes of encouragement are always appreciated. ;)

I hope you're enjoying the weekend and getting some crafty time in - HUGS.

ALL Supplies are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: School Time, Just the Ticket, and It's Official, Ink: All SU! - Soft Suede, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, and More Mustard; Cardstock: Kraft, Rustic Cream, Harvest Gold, Lemon Zest, Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss, Ocean Tides, and Aqua Mist; Tools: Just the Ticket border die; Notebook Page die; Sassy Somethings: Dark Chocolate twill and button, twine

Mister Scarecrow

Let me introduce you to my Mister Scarecrow from Market Street Stamps.  He is an adorable straw man from the Autumn Greetings stamp set and I just love him to bits.  Plus, I'm in the mood for fall... I've told you how much I love all things pumpkin, Thanksgiving, and sweater-weather, right??

I colored Mister Scarecrow's face and straw with Copics but paper-pieced his outfit.  The paper-piecing was a bit tedious but I just love it - something about concentrating on the detailed cutting that relaxes me.  I stamped a little "Happy Fall" sign for him to hold and thought it was a perfect touch.  I'll be adding this to the Market Street Stamps Flickr gallery as an entry to their monthly Cream of the Crop contest... because who doesn't love the chance at a great prize?

Just a note that I'm in love with pumpkin orange paired with aqua.  You might have heard the BIG news that a card I made is featured on the cover of November's CARDS magazine.  Seriously??!  Pinch me!  You can get a little sneak peek on my sidebar... pumpkin orange and aqua.  It works for me. ;)

Stamps: Market Street Stamps - Autumn Greetings; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & SU! Soft Suede; Cardstock: PTI Kraft & SS White, SU! Really Rust; Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye - Mischevious; Tools: PTI Mat Stack #1 Mega & Layerz, Picket Fence die, MFT Upsy Daisy die-namic; Sassy Somethings: MME burlap trim

Grow A Dream - Play Date Cafe #105

Hi-ya crafty friends!  I'm returning this week to The Play Date Cafe and getting back into a creative mode. Thanks so much to all of my sweet friends in the Cafe for giving me the time that I needed with my family over these last few weeks - we are deeply grateful for the calm after the storm.

Our color story this week is creamy and sweet: 

Kraft, Flesh, and Cadet Blue

We hope you'll join us for this week in the Cafe and are inspired by these lovely colors.  I just love the smokey blue paired with two light neutrals.  So many directions you could choose... and I was very tempted to run full speed to winter and snowflakes with this color palette, but in the end I decided I'm not quite there yet and opted for something soft and all-occasion.  I used Papertrey's Garden Variety stamp set and dies paired with papers from My Mind's Eye.

The prize this week in the Cafe is fantastic and is being offered by Kraft Outlet.  You have most likely noticed that I am smitten with all things kraft, so this is right up my shopping/creating/adoring it alley.  Pop over and check them out - you will fall in LOVE with all things kraft.

Looking forward to seeing what you create this week for The Play Date Cafe Challenge #105 - enjoy the kraft! ;)

Stamps: PTI Garden Variety and Year of Flowers Collection; Ink: SU! Soft Suede and Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers; Cardstock: PTI Kraft and Rustic Cream; Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye; Tools: PTI Seed Packet Frame, MFT Medium Scallop border; Sassy Somethings: Memrie Mare (etsy) cabbage rose ribbon, Crate Paper button, Prima vintage trim

Mini Book Love - Play Date Cafe #100

Welcome to the 100th challenge for the Play Date Cafe!!  What a benchmark for success and inspiration.  I feel so blessed to be a part of this team and I hope that I am adding something sassy to the samples each week.

I decided to veer a bit from "status quo" this week and dive into a mini book project.  Only one page today... but there will be more to come soon, so stay tuned.  The series of photos I'm working with are very soft... they have a warmness to them without being bright and fit perfectly with the color story this week:

Terracotta, Sunflower, and Olive

Play Date Cafe Challenge #100

I have been obsessing over mini book ideas and inspiration for quite some time but I've never been brave enough to leave my card comfort zone.  Oh friends, this is a whole new era for me and I am beyond thrilled with what's in store.  I think this is going to be a perfect fit for me because the "canvas" size is still small enough to feel comfortable (card-like) and I get to capture memories of my sweet family/darling kids.

The Cafe is being sponsored this week by Lawn Fawn... such cute, whimsical images.  I have a soft spot for Kelly Marie - she was one my very first blog friends and I am so proud of her incredible successes.  I used the Say Cheese set on my book page - {love} the Polaroid frame!  You have the opportunity to win your own Lawn Fawn goodies by participating this week in the Cafe - don't miss out on a great opportunity to add some of this cuteness to your stamping stash!

click to shop Lawn Fawn

Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Say Cheese; Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye - Sunshine collection; Tools: PTI Double-ended Banner die, Parisian Lace Doily die, By the Number dies, and Tiny Tags dies; Sassy Somethings: Melissa Frances resin embellishment, PTI Fine Linen buttons

Happy Fall!

Click HERE for my Pink Persimmon "Home Sweet Home" card.

Pumpkins - love 'em.  When I saw the Autumn Greetings stamp set from Market Street I was instantly smitten... pumpkins and a scarecrow... sign me up!  This week I had the perfect excuse (who needs an excuse?) to ink them up for the Paint the Town Color Challenge over on the Market Street blog.  Plus, it just so happens that Market Street is sponsoring the Card Patterns challenge this week as well.  Two for the price of one... yes, please.  Here's the inspiration:

Paint the Town 

Card Patterns

So fun to combine a simple, striking sketch with a great color combo.  One last peek at my paper-pieced pumpkins (say that 5 times fast):

Stamps: Market Street Stamps - Autumn Greetings; Ink: Memento; Cardstock: PTI Kraft, Rustic Cream and Dark Chocolate, SU! So Saffron; Patterned Paper: MME Stella & Rose; Tools: MFT Scallop Border die (medium), PTI Double-ended Banner die & heart dies; Sassy Somethings: PTI twine and button

Home Sweet Home

Happy fall, y'all!  (Just a little bit of Texan for you).  Fall is my favorite season and I will be blowing the blog up with pumpkins, leaves, and all things burnt orange.  To kick things off, I've got a cute card using the Pink Persimmon set: Little Christmas Cottage.

The cottage is cute for ANY season and the little roof is perfect for paper piecing.  Actually, that sweet roof is perfect for lots of things... can you envision Flower Soft to make it look mossy?  Or mica flakes for winter and Christmas?  I've got a few ideas that I'll be sharing with you over the next few weeks so be sure to go ahead and snag it from the Pink Persimmon store.  It's a great set full of versatility that will have you whipping up cards from fall to winter and back into spring.  And while your popping things into the cart you should also snag the Carnival Alphabet that I used to make my custom HOME sentiment.  It's my all-time favorite alpha.

Stamps: Pink Persimmon - Little Christmas Cottage & Carnival Alphabet (small); Ink: SU! Soft Suede; Cardstock: PTI Dark Chocolate and SU! More Mustard; Patterned Paper: MME Stella & Rose; Tools: PTI Double-ended Banner die, heart dies; Sassy Somethings: PTI Terracotta Tile double-stitch ribbon and Crate Paper button

Paper Make Up - Play Date Cafe #99

Hi-ya friends!  I'm back after a few much needed personal days of rest... ready to get back into the swing of things with you and at The Play Date Cafe.  This week we are being sponsored by Paper Make-Up Stamps and had the opportunity to use some of the beautifully detailed images for our projects.

The color story this week for Challenge 99 is: 

Pale Yellow, Lilac, and White.  

Pastels can be hard for some but they can also be a great opportunity to stretch your creativity.  This color story has a very feminine feel, would be perfect for welcoming a baby, or could be used for one last spring/summer card before launching full steam ahead into fall and Christmas.

I wanted to share a close-up shot of the image: Fall Moody.  I colored her with Copics and then used VersaMark ink and 2 coats of UTEE powder to give her a glossy coating.  Reminds me a bit of a cameo.

I hope you'll join us in the Cafe - it's always so much fun to see your interpretations of the color story and to admire your fabulous projects!

Stamps: Paper Make-Up - Fall Moody (rubber); Ink: Memento and VersaMark, Copic Markers; Tools: PTI Banner Border dies; Cardstock: PTI Rustic Cream and Kraft; Patterned Paper: Webster's Pages - Hollywood Vogue, MME Sunshine collection; Sassy Somethings: PTI Lilac buttons, KaiserCraft paper flowers, Prima trim