Cards for a great cause!

Hello! Today I pulled out some of my old Unity stamps to create this fun card.  I made it for one of the Hope You Can Cling To challenges on Splitcoast Stampers.  In case you don't know what HYCCT is all about, it is a card drive for the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.  The cards are donated to help lift the spirits of women fighting breast cancer.  They can use them to send to loved ones, or their friends and family can use them to send to the patients.  What a cool cause, right?

I was inspired by the following photo from Pinterest for this challenge:


I paper pieced the couch, pillows and frame using Sugar Chic paper from heidi swapp.  Added some velvet ribbon for the "carpet" and some sequins to glitz up this very girly card. :)

Thanks so much for visiting today!

Emily

FWF: Winter Wonderland...

Hi, there! Happy Friday.  Today I have a card using a new set I recently purchased from Unity.  I love the large snow globe and the images that go with it.  This deer silhouette was calling to me, so I paired it with some patterned paper from My Mind's Eye, All Is Bright collection.  I stamped the deer directly onto the patterned paper, and then added some champagne glass glitter around the border.  The brad is from the All Is Bright collection, too.  I stamped the doodle scallops at the bottom of the horizontal piece of patterned paper. I also tied some baker's twine from The Twinery around the bottom.  I stamped the snowflakes in Old Paper distress ink and used this to sponge around the card base.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

December Daily: Day Two

Day two is done! I am on a roll (no pun intended)! Will had a football skating party at a local roller rink.  They ordered pizza, and also had their awards ceremony.  Will was super unsteady at first, but he was a trooper and kept trying!  He was much improved by the end of the evening.  I took a photo of a pair of skates and used Instagram to make it look a bit more retro.  I love that instagram photos are perfect for the 4x4 pockets in this album!  I also included a "motion" type photo of will zooming past me in the lower left corner.  The stamped sentiments are from Unity, and the letters and numbers are from a few The Stamps Of Life sets.

I bought a new printer last night! I think it will make printing out photos a lot easier, and it is an "air" printer, so I can print from my iphone! HOORAY!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

HOPE and LOVE...

Hi, there!  I have a shabby chic kind of card to share with you today.  I used some patterned paper from Prima called, London Market. LOVE!  The sentiment is from the Unity/ippity set All Things Are Possible.  I added some lace and burlap twine to the top and an old button in the middle.
This card will be going to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.  SCS is having an entire month of challenges devoted to card donations for patients and their families.  Such a good cause!  Even if you can not participate in the challenges (prizes involved), if you have a bunch of beautiful, homemade cards laying around, why not package them up and send them to Texas? Just sayin'...

This card is for the Drunken Stamper's challenge- to use buttons!

We had a great time camping with our neighbors, this weekend.  Here is a photo of the kiddos! Will is in the red sweatshirt in the back. Luke and Max are in the front in the orange sweatshirts.  We took a haunted hayride, carved pumpkins and had lots of laughs with friends.  We managed to squeeze in a football playoff game on Saturday, too (and we won)!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

FWF: Happy Fall!

HOORAY! It's Friday.  I am itching for a weekend of fun, fall kinds of things! Last weekend, I was taking care of poor little Max.  I think he is well enough that we can go to the pumpkin farm and squeeze in a showing of Hotel Transylvania!
Today, I have a card using an ippity set called, Fall For You.  This is one of my favorite sets! I kept it supper simple.  I recently purchased a set of Gelatos from Faber Castell. I colored the pumpkin with those, and love the look I achieved.  I have never been quite as into coloring, but lately I am intrigued. It is super therapeutic to sit down and try to get the shading just right.
This fits the Unity WCMD challenge-fall theme.  I wonder if I will get ALL of those challenges done in time? We shall see...

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Emily

Trick Or Treat!

Hi, there! Today I have a card for several different challenges. First, the HYCCT1211 on SCS.  To make a card based on the song, "Monster Mash".  Second, the Ways To Use it on SCS-to make a card with at least two circles. My sentiment is stamped on a white circle and I matted it with a black circle. Third, it is for the Unity WCMD challenge to use texture on your card. I used glitter on the witch hat and made horizontal stripes with some baker's twine behind my sentiment.
I used two different Unity sets for this card. The "tick or treat" is from the ippity set, That's Creepy. The cute little trick or treaters are from the set, A Little Trick Or Treat.
I have been using my Prisma pencils a lot more lately.  I colored these guys with some.  It takes more time to color with Prisma pencils, then with my copic markers, but I love the effect. A softer look, I think.

In other news...can you believe I finally am on Facebook?! SHOCKER! I can hardly believe it myself.  I am going to use it as a way to stay further connected in the papercrafts community. Probably will not see a lot of personal stuff over there, but I am there none the less. LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Unity WCMD challenge-embossing

Hi, there! I decided to try my hand at another Unity WCMD challenge. This challenge calls for embossing.  I do not heat emboss very often and it shows! LOL!  I took a Versamark marker and colored over my berries and added some clear embossing powder with glitter in it.  This picture does not show it very well, but it is the perfect touch! I used two ippity sets on this card-Bit of Burlap and The Simple Things. I am also going to throw this in today's SCS CAS gallery-to use plaid on your card.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Thinking of You...

Hello! Today I have a card to share using some of my older ippity stamps.  This particular set is called Music Of My Heart.  I wanted to try to participate in some of the WCMD challenges, so this is my entry for the "coloring" challenge over at Unity!  I colored my sweet, little birdie with Prisma pencils.  I also made this card for Tenia's HYCCT challenge over on SCS.  She challenged us to use a music theme, and the color pink, so I immediately thought of this set.
One more challenge-The Drunken Stampers challenge 100-think pink!
I hope you have had a fun and fabulous weekend!  Max had to have a tonsillectomy, and a new set of ET tubes in his ears on Tuesday, so we have just been hanging out at home.  We have had some very yummy meals prepared for us this week from my mom, sister and friend.  He has been a trooper through it all, with a couple of "break mom's heart" moments mixed in.  Not fun to see your kid in pain, and a couple of mornings he woke up screaming and crying, just not sure what was going on!  He even said to me one morning, "Mommy! What is happening to me!"  He is such a sweet, quiet, docile kid, that I knew he had to be hurting really bad.
I hope to have him back to school on Tuesday, so we shall see.  I hate that he has missed an entire week of school.  Max has some speech and motor delays, along with learning disabilities.  He has done really well so far in kindergarten, and I am so thankful that I held him back an extra year in pre-school.
Those decisions are so hard to make at the time, and even though you know in your gut it is the right thing to do, there are always those lingering questions that grab at your heart. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Emily

FWF:Do What Makes You Happy.

Hello and happy Friday!  Today I have a little vintage beauty that uses different Unity stamps.  The sentiment is from the ippity itty bitty called Do What Makes You Happy.  Vintage paper crafts have definitely been making me very happy, so it was perfect to add to my card!  I also used several stamps from the Iron Orchid set My Dear (I think this kit is retired).  I stamped the script in antique Linen distress ink onto the ledger DP.  I also stamped the single postage stamp.  You can see it peeking out from behind the bow, and also I cut a circle out of a one of the stamps, and added it to the vintage lady image.  The scrolly stamp in the right corner is also from this set.
The vintage lady image is from a free vintage clip art site here.  I loved the smoky blues, but didn't realize that it was an advertisement for cigarettes!  So....I covered up the word "cigarette" with the circle and gem.
I die cut the flower with Spellbinders dies (Tattered Florals) for Heartfelt Creations with text from an old book. I inked all of the edges with distress ink, and added some chunky glitter to all of the petals.  I just free hand cut the leaves.
The designer paper is from Authentique.  The white twine is from my sweet friend and ippity chick, Noelle.

This is for Crafty Ribbons Challenge 28-vintage theme!

So that's about it! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I may be in a minority group of ladies, but I am so super excited that football season is here! HOORAY! When I am not watching the games, I will be hanging with my guys outside. It is supposed to be GORGEOUS this weekend.

Have a good one!

Emily

FWF: So Thankful...

Hello!  Today I have a card and tag that I made as a teacher "thank you".  My boys have LOTS of teachers these days, so it is always nice to have a little something on hand when someone does something special for them.  I used stamps from the Apple Cheddar Soup set.  I used some old Scribble Scrabble DP.  The tag will go on whatever it is I decide to give to them! LOL!

I am thinking it would be perfect on a bag of caramel-apple cookies.  I love that fall is almost here.  It is by far, my favorite season.  I love the warm colors, the smells, and definitely love all of the foods. Halloween and Thanksgiving are bonuses that make it that much better! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Halloween Harvest...

Hi, there! Today I have a card to share using a sentiment from Unity, and the pumpkin and wagon are from Heartfelt Creations.  I pulled out my My Mind's Eye Mischievous paper pad for this one. I love orange, aqua and brown for fall themed cards.  It is a more refreshing, vintage color theme for fall. I distressed all of the paper edges, and added distress inks to everything including the baker's twine.  I love the look the distress ink gives to the twine!  The wagon is popped with foam dots, and I cut a slit in the wagon to tuck that pumpkin down into.  I added an old button to a memo pin to stick through the baker's twine bow.  I used a woodgrain embossing folder on the brown card stock panel, and then sponged white ink over it.

Last night we had some storms which cooled everything off. It was a beautiful evening and a cool, foggy morning getting boys on the bus today. I am happily awaiting fall's approach!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

FWF: Happy Blessings

Hello! Happy Friday.  Today I have a card using some old ippity sets that have been neglected in my collection.  On this card, I used Regal Greetings and Life Is The Journey sets.  I was going for a shabby chic look.  I think this card will be perfect for a couple who just found out they are expecting!
I used papers from My Mind's Eye Stella Rose/Hattie collection.  I also added some chunky glitter to the frame behind the stamped bird and the text leaves (using SU punch).  I made the rolled roses myself.  I tied some butchers twine to the top of the pleated paper and frayed the ends.  I also frayed it a bit on the twine going through the tag towards the bottom.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I have been quite the slacker lately because I have been glued to the tube. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Olympics.  I love hearing the different stories the athletes tell from different countries.  I love seeing the families of the athletes in the stands, so proud, scared and nervous.  I cry a lot during the Olympics.  Sigh...My family knows that for two weeks-they are on their own! LOL!  My oldest came to me on Wednesday and said, "Will you PLEASE go to the grocery, mom"?  When the twins are older, we would love to take the boys on a big vacation during the Olympics.  I see Rio in our future....

Thanks for stopping by,

Emily 

FWF-Santa Has The Right Idea...

Hi there and happy Friday!  I used this week's sketch challenge over on SCS for my card today.  I pulled out my fab Authentique Wonder DP and my matching Unity stamps(itty bitty Wonder of It) to make this one.  I inked all of the edges of the paper with Antique Linen and Walnut Stain distress ink.  I used the Fancy Label die from Sizzix for the panel centered in the holy circle and then stamped the images on top.  I tied some May Arts green burlap twine and added a vintage button from my stash.

I LOVE the quote on the postage stamp from this Authentique collection-"Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year."  This makes me giggle every time I read it!  I am sure we all know someone who visiting once a year is MORE than enough! LOL!

I hope you all have a great weekend.  It has been horribly hot, and humid here.  We have been waiting until after 7pm to let the twins go out and play, and it is still nasty!  Will had football camp this week, and they let out early every day because of the heat.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

FWF-Good Friends Are Like Stars...

Hello! Happy Friday.  I have an easy peasy CAS card for today.  I have always adored this sentiment from Unity's January 2011 KOTM.  I decided this little, felt star was the perfect embellishment for it.  As simple as it is, I love the way it turned out.  Sometimes the simple things can make me the happiest!
The package of felt stars is from KI Memories and is several years old. I have been working hard to use things in my stash.  I have passed on oodles of paper to my boys.  I have been going through my stash and weeding out the things that are just not "me" anymore.  I think some elements you can use in different ways that will never go "out of style" such as stars.  They are rather timeless, right?
Several times a year I attempt to reorganize my studio.  The next day, my desk area is a mess, and there are stacks of paper, stamps and inks. However, I always know where everything is.  I have come to the conclusion that it is organized chaos. It is what it is, and that is how I roll!  I am not one of those people that everything is in perfect order all the time, and frankly, I don't think I ever will be!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Go Fish Challenge #18 and FWF-A sketch for Father's Day

Hello! It is time for another Go Fish challenge! This week we have a sketch for you and would like you to use the sketch to make a Father's Day card.  This card will go to my dad. i used papers from echo park's This & That collection (LOVE), and the stamps are from the Unity/ippity set Authentic Man. I distressed all of my paper edges with Antique Linen and Walnut Stain distress ink.  The card image is stamped in the Antique Linen ink, too. I love the scrabble tile stickers that come with this collection from echo park. The colors are just YUMMY, too.
I made this card for Unity's FWF.  You can buy this cool ippity set from my pal Noelle. She ships for free, and gives 25 yards of free baker's twine with every order!!!
Below you will find the fab sketch photo:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Emily

Twisted Tuesday Challenge: Vacation!

Hello! I am excited to share that I am guest designing this week for the Twisted Tuesday Challenge!  This week's challenge is to make a card using the word vacation as inspiration. The twist-keep it simple! I love a good CAS card, so this was perfect for me.
As some of you know, we bought a camper last year, so I decided to pull out this Unity oldie but goodie stamp for my card.  I used text from an old book in the background, and copics to color my image.  I sponged Antique Linen distress ink over all of my paper edges, and added a loopy baker's twine bow and heart button.
I thought about making a couple more of these cards and creating "travel" goodie bags for my boys to take with them on our first trip of the year.  Our trips are usually just weekend trips. I can not imagine going on a trip for longer than that, but maybe we will try it someday! :)

I hope you get a chance to join the Twisted Tuesday Challenge!
Thanks for stopping by,

Emily

FWF-The Man

Happy Friday!  Today I have a card I made with the ippity set, The Man.  I bought this a while back from the fabulous Noelle,(Noelle offers free shipping, 25 yards of free baker's twine, and discounted prices!) and it has been sitting in a drawer until now. I thought it would make the perfect Father's Day card for my hubby.  He usually wears a suit and tie to work, so this is so him. I will tell ya, that he would probably NEVER wear an orange tie, but it looked cute, so I went with it. :)
I pieced the tie with some Making Memories DP. The shirt is bashful blue from SU. I took a copic marker and added some highlights.  The words are stamped in Night Of Navy in the background. I was soooooooo tempted to add some baker's twine to the top or bottom, but my oldest son told me NO. "No bows for dad! Come on, mom!" to quote him exactly.  Well okay then...no baker's twine bow for dad.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Emily

FWF-Bicycle Birthday Wishes...

Hello.  Happy Friday!! Today I am sharing a bicycle birthday card I made with a Unity itty bitty (bicycle image) and the sentiment is actually from the July 2010 KOTM.  I use the type font sentiments from that kit a lot.  I am getting an arsenal of birthday cards ready for the spring.  We have a ton of spring birthday's in our family, including all of my boys.  My birthday card stash has dwindled, so time to restock!  The strip of DP is from Basic Grey's Life of The Party collection.  I added some baker's twine from The Twinery to the top and to the button on the pennant.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  We are off to buy a new TV.  Our TV is mounted over our fireplace in the family room.  About a month ago, my oldest was throwing a tube of chapstick at the wall (why he was doing that, I have no clue)!  It ended up hitting right smack dab in the middle of the TV screen and shattered something inside, so now we have two lovely, bright pink lines going through the middle of the screen!  We decided to wait forl all of the Super Bowl TV sales to replace it.  Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

FWF-Shine!

Hi, there! Happy Friday.  I am excited to be participating in a Unity Friends With Flair.  It has been too long!  I inked up the ippity set Shine, Shine, Shine.  I bought it months ago and it has sat unloved in my craft studio.  I inked the lamp in black and red ink.  I then went back and added some highlights with grey copic markers.  I also added some rhinestones to the lamp.  I used this week's sketch over on SCS (367). LOVE this sketch.  Super CAS, just how I like them!  The paper used is from echo park's "For The Record" collection.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Emily

my heart is yours....

Here is a very CAS Valentine for you!  The sentiment is from a Unity itty bitty.  I colored the heart with some copic markers.  The strip of blue heart DP is from Pink Paislee.  I have had that paper for a few years and I pull it out whenever Valentine's Day is near. I added a felt heart and some baker's twine from The Twinery.  Easy peasy!

I am still trying to squeeze out the last 5 days of my December Daily album.  I am so over Christmas! LOL!  I think that is why I am "stuck".  It is just sitting on my studio table glaring at me.  Sigh.....5 days in nothing, right? I can do it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily