Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Happy Mother's Day Card

Amazingly, I haven't made a single Easter card this year. Usually I make a few to send out, but not this year...yet I made a ton of Valentine's Day cards. Go figure...I guess I needed to change it up a bit.

So I'm skipping Easter and moving right into Mother's Day. Barb put the bug in my ear to start my Mother's Day cards. They do sell really well at work, so here I am...

And I'm back with doing another challenge at Die Cuts R Us this week. Not only are they a crafty little place, they're super friendly! While you're over visiting them, have a peek in their store. Wonderful products at really good prices.

I changed the sketch a tiny bit. The patterned paper is from Basic Grey (Eva). I used more of the handmade paper dry embossed with Cuttlebug's candy cane stripe folder. Ribbon is from May Arts, flower is from Prima and the sentiment is a stamp from Anna Griffin.

Thanks for stopping in today. I'm off today so I get to enjoy some gorgeous weather out there. I'm starting my morning with a coffee date with friends and then running some errands.

Ivanka

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

CPS 160

I love the sketch at CPS this week. It's clean and simple and has so many possibilities. It came at a perfect time to help me make the cards for a swap I'm in.

Here's my take on the sketch. The paper is from Basic Grey (Eva), the hand made pink paper was embossed with Cuttlebug's candy stripe embossing folder. The sentiment is a digital freebie from here. Love this!! 1/2 pearls are from Martha Stewart.

I love it when a sketch fulfills a need! Perfect.

Thanks for dropping by today.

Ivanka

Monday, March 29, 2010

Monday's Card

Were you around earlier today when there were some issues with Blogger?? All of my pictures had disappeared. There were only red X's where the pictures used to be. For a minute I thought I had really done it, but soon realized it was a Blogger issue and not my fiddling with the new blogger templates. I was sure glad to see all the pictures back this afternoon.

It' time for OMM (Oldie Moldie Monday), where we dig out some products that have been in hiding too long and give them some love. Today's card is based on the sketch at the Clean and Simple Stamping blog. I'm so glad to have found this blog, great inspiration for clean and simple stamping. Right up my alley!

The image is from Serendipity stamps stamped with Versafine ink. The paper is ???. It's one of the pieces that's been in my pile for many, many moons. The border is from Colorbok and the sentiment is from SRM stickers (still loving them!).

Now for something that will make someone smile...I came across this great blog while following a link from Becky Higgins...it's eighteen25. Have a look...Download and print this sign and let the fun begin.

I've got my sign printed and my plastic eggs ready to go. I'm going to 'egg' the girls at work this week. I can hear the giggles already!!
Hope your week has started off well. I'm off to watch Dancing with The Stars. Last week was certainly interesting. What will this week bring??

Ivanka

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Caardvarks Lacy Days

The challenge at Caardvarks is to make a stamped card and use some lace on it. While I'm not an expert stamper in the least, I have been having fun digging through my stamps and using some that have hardly seen any ink in the past few years. For a non-stamper, I sure have a nice collection of stamps!



The stamp is from Serendipity Stamps, colored with chalks, sentiment is from Papertrey Ink. The background paper is from K&Co, lace is vintage from a second hand store. We have a wonderful little Bibles For Missions second hand store in town and I make regular stops in there to check out their craft drawers. You wouldn't believe the great deals I've gotten on ribbon, lace and buttons.

Here's another card with the same image. Sticker sentiment is from SRM, ribbon is from Offray.

Thanks for dropping by today...Ivanka

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Thinking of You Card

One of the Drs. in our clinic is just a very sweet man. Well past retirement age, but he still keeps going. We'll really miss him when he does finally retire. His wife has recently not been well, so this is a card for her.

It's based on this week's Taylored Expressions sketch #105. The only stamping though, is the sentiment by Studio G. The rose is a sticker from PSX. These are the stickers I fell in love with years ago and now that PSX is no longer around, I almost hate to use them. I still find them in stores occasionally, so I'm not desperate yet. Everytime I make a card with one of these stickers, I just love how it turns out.

The papers are from Basic Grey, Nook and Pantry.

Thanks so much for dropping by,
Ivanka

Monday, March 22, 2010

Rainy Monday...

Wasn't there a Carpenter's song like that? About rainy days and Mondays? Yes, I'm that old....

Rainy Mondays are ok sometimes, they let me not feel guilty about hiding in my room and putzing about.

So, I checked out the challenge on 365 Cards Blog this morning. It's Movie Monday and today's movie is Alice in Wonderland, not necessarily just the movie, but anything that inspires you from the theme. That was never one of my favorite stories, but then thinking about it and doing a bit of research, I came across this image of a tea cup that I fell in love with.

The image came from The Graphics Fairy. It's a fabulous site for all kinds of images that are great for card making. The best part of this site? It's an Angel Company, so you are free to use the images on your cards and the images are great quality.

I used Basic Grey, Nook and Pantry paper, Colorbok border, May Arts twine and Papertrey Ink sentiment.

And since it's Oldie Moldie Monday, I'm sharing a card where I've used supplies that I've been lovingly hoarding over the past several years. The card stock is from Prism Papers embossed with Cuttlebug HB folder, the patterned paper is from Basic Grey (Motifica-one of my faves), tree stamp is from Serendipity Stamps, sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and the photo turn is from Stampin Up.

If you'd like to join Barb and I in our Oldie Modie Monday challenge, we've set up a Flickr group where we will admire your cards in all of their oldieness! We may have a prize from time to time.
Thanks for dropping by...Ivanka

Sunday, March 21, 2010

2 New Challenges

What I love about the blog world is that you never know where you'll end up with each click. I had some time earlier today and found all kinds of beautiful blogs to save to my faves.

One of the blogs I ran across today was a familiar face. I had met Linda years ago on a card message board and it was nice to come across her blog today. And through her blog, I found a couple of new challenge sites and was inspired to play along.

The first card is for a color challenge on Die Cuts R Us. The color choices come from the prize pack of My Mind's Eye products. I chose pink and off white.

The stamp is from Serendipity stamps, colored with chalk. The background is a Bazzill Journalling note and the sentiment is a sticker from SRM.

This card is for today's sketch challenge 21 on 365 Cards. The chipboard shapes are from Recollections, bling is from Prima and the sentiment is from K&Co. I used the tiny dots embossing folder, glued some crepe paper to the back and folded the rest over the front. It's neat to find a new use for my stash of crepe paper.
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It's been so nice to run across an old friend and to also find some new ones today.
Thanks for dropping by. Hope you have a great evening.
Ivanka

Friday, March 12, 2010

SRM Stickers...

My personal shopper Barb from Wisconsin, has come through once again. I just have to make a tiny little mention of something that I'd like, and next thing you know it's in my mailbox! With all the latest buzz over on the SRM blog about their stickers, I really wanted to try some. And yesterday they showed up in my mailbox courtesy of Ms. Barb! I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful personal shopper...and such a fabulous friend!

Here's my first card based on Laura's sketch at 2S4Y.

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Prism PapersPatterned Paper: K&Co.Sticker: SRM PressRibbon: OffrayRhinestones: Kaiser CraftBorder Punch: FiskarsI crumpled the circle and rubbled it with Craf-T metallic rub on.
Here's the same K& Co. paper on a card for Moxie Fab World's Doilies and lace challenge.

I'm loving the SRM stickers. They're so easy and fun to work with and are made especially for card makers. Gotta love that. Keep checking their blog, the daily inspiration from the design team in amazing.

Thank you Barb!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

It's a Green Day

Moxie Fab's Tuesday Trigger-Lovely on the Green set this card in motion. I seldom use green, but this was fun. The clean and fresh look of the white and green together really do make me believe that spring is just around the corner.

So here's my card. It's also based on the current Caardvarks photo inspiration challenge which incorporates birdcages. As well as the Tombow Blog's challenge to create a spring themed card or project. And finally, I'm still stalking the Flourishes blog with all of their beautiful creations. The celebration for their grand opening runs all week. On day 3 the challenge was to case a designer's card. I chose this gorgeous creation by Cindy Haffner.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill Dotted Swiss
Patterned Paper: unknown
Border sticker: Colorbok
Punch: Marvy Uchida
Stamp: Hampton Art Stamps stamped and colored with Tombows Dual Brush Markers

Sticker: SRM
Gems: Studio G
Adhesive: Tombow Mono Adhesive permanent dots



Thanks so much for dropping by today. See you soon.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Baby Cards

Welcome to another Oldie Moldie Monday. When I saw what the challenge on Cuttlebug Challenges was this week, I knew that's what I wanted to use for my OMM card. I had to dust off the UTEE container before I could use it, I think it's been years since I've used it last. I was a bit worried that it may not work having sat for so long, but it worked like a charm. And it's so much fun watching it melt under the heat gun...yes, I need a life!! :)

So here are my 'cracked glass' baby cards for the Cuttlebug Challenge blog. They were very fun to make. The stamp is on old one from Anna Griffin and still one of my favorites.


Both Baby Cards are for the monthly challenge on the SRM Stickers Blog, it's baby month! I didn't have any of their baby stickers (they're coming in the mail, Barb found some in Milwaukee), but I did have a sheet of their Retirement sentiments and 'joy' and 'New Beginnings' worked well on baby cards. Their stickers really are perfect for cardmaking and so easy to use. I can't wait to get may hands on some more.
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The baby girl card is also based on a sketch I found on a new site I ran across earlier today, Flourishes. Be warned though, once you visit their blog, you may never want to leave. The stamps are beautiful and the DT cards are stunning! Really WOW cards!
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Thanks for dropping by. Hope your week has gotten off to a good start.
PS...if you'd like to join Barb and I in our Oldie Moldie Monday cards, all you have to do is make a card using older product in your stash and add it to our Flickr gallery.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Tuesday Trigger

Check out Moxie Fab's Tuesday Trigger this week. Don't you get a wonderful feeling of spring from these images? I love all the colors and textures. The sun was out today and the snow is melting slowly. Spring is almost here....(I hope!)

Here's the trigger...
And here's my card. The patterned paper is from My Mind's Eye (Breaking Free by Jen Wilson)
letters are Thickers from American Crafts, butterfly die cut is from Sizzix.


My youngest turned 14 over the weekend and here's the card I made for my 'Jonas Brother's loving' daughter! This was just fun...the images are leftover Valentine's.
She loved it...I can't believe my baby is 14!

Thanks for visiting. Have a great evening.
Ivanka

Monday, March 1, 2010

Thank You Cards

A friend of mine recently lost her MIL and asked me to make a few thank you cards for her. It's never easy to lose a loved one and I know that she has wonderful friends who were generous in their time and support. I knew that she'd want these cards fairly quickly so I turned to some sketches to get these done quickly. For the first one I used CPS sketch # 156 .

The paper is from My Mind's Eye (Wild Asparagus). I had bought a paper pack with the whole Wild Asparagus line a while ago at Winner's (like Marshalls). I love, love this line and find myself using it a lot.

This next card is for Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge # 102. This is my first time playing with Taylored Expressions. My friend Barb has been playing with them for a long time now. Such amazing inspiration over at their site.

And so from there, I just kept going...

And going...
These all fall under my Olide Moldie Monday challenge. The paper is from 2007 and I'm sure I've had that stamp from Inkadinkadoo for many moons now. I think this is the first time it has seen any ink (gasp!). If you'd like to join Barb and I in our Oldie Moldie Monday challenge, we've set up a Flickr group here. The only requirements are that you use something that has been in your stash for a while. It doesn't really need to be that moldie...
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I'm sad that the Olympics are over, it was so nice to sit down in the evening and catch up with the day's events. It sure ended with tons of excitement yesterday frm the men's hockey game. Sad for the US to lose, it was such a nail biter! But I'm so glad Canada won it on home ice. Were you watching?
Ivanka