Back to School

Hi!  It's September 1st and for me that is the symbolic start of the Fall and Halloween seasons!  Confession time: I have actually had Halloween decorations up since last week!  Lol Hey, life is short.  Find joy where you can!  

School started here last week too.  My son entered 5th grade!  Where IS the time going?!?!  Our tradition is to have a big back to school breakfast every year.  He had bacon, pancakes, strawberries, the works!  I also make him a special card to kick off the school year.

This year I selected Laptop Tobie from Some Odd Girl.  Tobie is colored with Copics and cut using the Double Stitched Squares die from La-La Land Crafts.  The papers came with my Lawn Fawn order as freebies and happened to be fun patterns with perfect colors to coordinate with the 5th grade sticker I used. I love serendipitous things like that!

I used Sketch #165 from Sweet Sketch Wednesday for my layout.

I have a goal to clean and organize my craft room this month so I can get back into the swing of things.  I'll keep you posted!

{hugs}
Regan

Happy Frosting Day

 
Welcome back!   In my efforts to get caught up on my posts I have another one for you today!  This is a card I made for my co-worker's birthday.  The image is Party Hardy from Saturated Canary and she is colored with Copics.  The recipient had given me the pink glitter dots that she snagged on clearance at Michaels.  She wouldn't accept money for them and just requested they be used on her card.  So I planned my entire design around them!  The sketch is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday (#192).  There was a twist to use purple this time but unfortunately I couldn't use my favorite color and had to go with a pink color scheme for this.  Papers are My Mind's Eye - Lost & Found Two: Blush.  I added a few die cuts: Lovely View from Little Darlings Rubber Stamps and made by Spellbinders as well as Birthday Corner and Heart Banner from La-La-Land Crafts.  The Heart Banner is popped up with foam squares.  I finished off with some flowers, a metal filigree corner, and a Tim Holtz Pen Nib for details.  The inside features a sentiment from Create with TLC.  It says "Happy Frosting Day" but I forgot to take a photo of it.  

That Summer weather I was wishing for is here today and Kayne seems to be feeling better so we may venture outside for a bit.  But I definitely have some coloring in my future today!  First, though, I think it's about time I clean off my disaster of a craft desk.  That's what Sundays are for, right?

Markers used: Copics (E00, E11, E21, E23, E25, E31, E79, R20, R32, R39, R81, R85, R89).

Challenges:
- A Creative Romance: Girly Creations
- Craftitude: #66-Anything Goes/Pop It Up
- The Stamping Boutique: #19-Use Dots
- Stampin' for the Weekend: For the Girls
- Crafty Girls Challenge: #19-Anything Goes
- Paper Crafting Journey: Perfect in Pink
- Addicted To Stamps and More: #97-Make Your Mark
- Digistamps4Joy: #93-Girly/Feminine
- The House That Stamps Built: DCC521-Monochromatic

{hugs}
Regan

Yoda One For Me

As promised, here is the collection of Valentines that I worked on last week.  I had a few special requests from co-workers and I made a slew of Star Wars themed cards for Kayne, his day care friends and provider, and his dad and dad's girlfriend.  Here we go...

First up is an image from Jade Dragonne.  She is entitled Love is Everything.  I colored her with Copics and cut her out using the Lacy Circles Nestabilities from Spellbinders.  The sketch is from Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge (#206), but I missed linking it.  Papers are True Love from Basic Grey (as is the bottle cap embellishment).  I added a few other embellies: punched heart (Martha Stewart), fishtail flag (My Favorite Things Die-namics), film strip (Tim Holtz), metal binder clip (Stampin' Up), ticket sentiment (Recollections), and flowers from my stash.  

Next is a lovely from Saturated Canary.  She's called On My Heart.  She's colored with Copics and cut using the Romantic Rectangles Nestabilities from Spellbinders.  The sketch for this one came from Sunday Sketch & Stamp (#193) and once again I missed the link up.  Papers are Kiss & Tell - My Mind's Eye.  Accessories include a keyhole heart punch (Martha Stewart), Dizzy Doily Duo Die-namics (My Favorite Things), Banner Ribbons Shapeabilities (Spellbinders), metal key (Tim Holtz), and flowers from my stash.  The sentiment is from a Stampin' Up set called Something To Celebrate.

This next creation was for a 6 year old so I selected a darling image from La-La-Land Crafts called Sweetheart Marci.  She's colored with Copics and fussy cut.  I matted her on top of a doily (Stampin' Up) and the Scalloped Labels One Nestabilities (Spellbinders).  The flowers, key and lock, and pearls are from my stash.  The punched hearts and heart border are both by Martha Stewart.  Papers are actually from a winter pad but I liked it because I needed purple (the recipient's favorite color and mine too, however not to craft with).  It's from The Winter Basics Stack (DCWV).  The circle sentiment is a rubber stamp from Catslife Press.  Pleated ribbon from Stampin' Up runs across the bottom of the card.

And finally, my epic collection of Star Wars cards.  My son is OBSESSED with the movies at the moment and it just seemed like the way to go for Valentine's Day.  Lucky for me, Krista of Saturated Canary drew some galactic cuties!  Here is the card for Kayne's day care provider and the Valentines for his friends, using Krista's image The Force.  The latter are ATC size, cut using Spellbinders Classic Rectangles Nestabilities.  The sketch for the card is Tuesday Morning Sketches (#236).  Papers are Kiss & Tell - My Mind's Eye.  I computer generated the sentiment and cut them out using the Hearts Nestabilities from Spellbinders.  On the card, I added metal corners and baker's twine.  The image is colored with Copics, sponged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, and cut using Labels Twenty Two Nestabilities (also by Spellbinders).

 Next is the card I made for his dad.  This was made using The Force images as well.  I colored them with Copics, fussy cutting the girl and using the Lacey Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders) to cut out the boy.  I then popped the girl up using foam squares.  Papers are True Love - Basic Grey.  The layout is courtesy of Try Stampin' On Tuesday (#155).  They had an optional twist of Hearts and Flowers as well and I've incorporated both here.  I also added a couple of metal gears (Tim Holtz).  The fishtail flags were cut using my trusty Die-namics.   

 And finally, Kayne's card, using Saturated Canary's new The Force is Strong with You.  I chose to work with Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 (#6) for this one.  Spellbinders Octagons and Stars Five Nestabilities were used.  I created the star border with a Martha Stewart punch.  Papers are from my stash and I'm not sure of the manufacturer on those.  I doodled around the edge of the image panel and stamped a small sentiment from Stampin' Up.

The card was a big hit as were the Playskool Star Wars Heroes actions figures I spoiled him with as a special treat!  I baked over 40 cookie pops and made all these cards in 5 days!  Hence the Alex and Ani bangle for myself!  I deserved some love too!  (I also had my nails and a pedi done on Valentine's night!)  The little ceramic heart is the gift Kayne made for me at day care.  Isn't it sweet?

I hope everyone had a Happy Hearts Day!  Thanks for taking a peek at all these creations and for sticking it out through a lengthy blog post!  You guys are the best!

{hugs}
Regan

Christmas in Review

Well, Santa has come and gone.  Our Elf on the Shelf is back at the North Pole.  The gifts are opened and strewn across the living room.  And I finally have a moment to blog again now that there is no more shopping, wrapping, or baking to be done.  I love the holidays but they can be so busy and hectic that there is little "me" time.  I did squeeze in some crafting, though, and was able to make a few cards for some special people.  Now that things have calmed down a bit, I thought I'd share them.  First up is a trio featuring La-La-Land Crafts' Luka images: Christmas Present Luka, Christmas Elf Luka, and Letter To Santa Luka.

Christmas Present Luka is colored with Copics and fussy cut.  I added some Snow Writer to the trim on his hat and boots.  Papers are My Minds Eye Christmas.  The layout is a sketch from Addicted to Stamps (#71).  For dies I used several from Spellbinders: Fancy Tags, Labels Fourteen, and Lacy Squares.  The snowflake punches are Martha Stewart.  A single rhinestone adorns the center.  The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

Christmas Elf Luka is also colored with Copics and trimmed with Snow Writer.  I cut him out using Labels Fifteen from Spellbinders.  The Waltzingmouse Stamps sentiment is stamped on a Fishtail Flags Stax Die-namics by My Favorite Things.  Papers are My Mind's Eye - Vintage Christmas.  Snowflakes are again Martha Stewart with a K&Company snowflake brad added.  The sketch is Try Stampin' On Tuesday (#147).

    
Letter To Santa Luka is colored with Copics.  The sketch is the current Sketch N Stash Challenge (#128).  Papers are Basic Grey - Wassail (Mantle and Falling Snow).  I added buttons that have been in my stash forever.  The Fishtail Flags Stax appears here too and the ornament border punch inside is Martha Stewart.

  
Ugly Christmas Sweater is a cutie from Saturated Canary.  She is colored with Copics and cut using the Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles.  The gorgeous snowflake border is from Memory Box and the snowflake punches are once again Martha Stewart.  I also really love my Fishtail Flags Stax Die-namics and used it for the sentiment here too.  Papers are My Mind's Eye - Merry Little Christmas.  Layout is from the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #199.  The only embellishments I added were some pearls and a metal corner.

Noel from Saturated Canary is colored with Copics, cut with the Long Rectangles die and matted on a Long Scalloped Rectangles die, both from Spellbinders.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up and is stamped on a Ribbon Banners die, also by Spellbinders.  Papers are Authentique - Festive.  The design is from Tuesday Morning Sketches (#229).  Here I added some flowers, punched Martha Stewart branches, and a couple of pearls.

 

And lastly, a big announcement and my final card!  I am proud to share with you that beginning in January 2014 I will be part of the design team for KennyK's Krafty Krew!  My final holiday card was made using Christmas Shopping from KennyKdownloads.  Sketch is Sweet Sketch Wednesday (#237). The image is set in the Spellbinders Snowflake frame. Papers are My Mind's Eye - Merry Little Christmas. I added pearls and Stickles as my only embellishments.

We had a magical Christmas, and I am looking forward to new adventures in 2014! It is exciting to be joining such a fabulously talented design team, and I can't wait to get started!

Markers used: Copics

Christmas Present Luka (E00, E11, E21, E23, E25, E31, R32, R37, R39, R89, YG93, YG95, YG97)

Christmas Elf Luka (E00, E11, E21, E23, E25, E31, BG10, BG72, N4, N6, N8, YG93, YG95, YG97, R32, R37, R39, R89)

Letter To Santa Luka (E00, E11, E21, E23, E25, E27, E31, E33, E34, R32, R37, R39, R89, B32, B34, B37, YG93, YG95, YG97)

Ugly Christmas Sweater (E00, E11, E21, E23, E31, E34, E79, R32, R37, R39, R81, R85, R89, N0, N2, BG10, BG72, YG93, YG95, YG97)

Noel (E00, E11, E21, E23, E25, E31, E33, E34, E79, N8, R32, R37, R39, R89, YG93, YG95, YG97, Y28, Y32)

Christmas Shopping (E00, E11, E21, E25, E31, E34, Y28, Y35, B06, B32, B34, B37, BG10, BG72, R32, R37, R39, R81, R89, V20, YG95, N2, N4, N6, N8)

{hugs}

Regan