No Gustav!

Yep, no stamping for me...we're just trying to keep a good outlook on things here and of course, prepare for evacuation, if necessary. Katrina's anniversary is Friday and it is way too ironic that we're going through this again right now. I have faith that God's going to take control. Say a prayer for all of us here in New Orleans and South Louisiana...I'll post later when things calm down.

Inque Boutique Action...

Finally, finally, my new Silhouette Inque Boutique stamps have seen the light of day...and ink! I have had this set for a while now and made myself use them when I was playing around over the weekend. I started out with a rectangle on my nestabilities and then kept the frame on it to keep my 'border'. I stamped different colors of the Silhouettes set to match my Autumn Leaves Foof-a-la paper. I backed the image with a scalloped border of CTMH Blush. I used CTMH garden green organdy ribbon and added three clear dew drops to the bottom of the card (you can't see them too well on the small image but if you double click and blow it up, they're there!). Not sure I like the dew drops, but the card is pretty cute! I added a sentiment from my go-to Papertrey Faux Ribbon set. LOVE those sentiments, obviously!

You will be so proud of me--I sent out cards to over five people last week! Anyone that knows me will tell you I'm horrible at actually sending cards! But, I did it...it was heavy on my heart to tell those around me how much I cared about them and so I just did it! Go me, go me...can you hear me cheering myself on?! I challenge YOU to send out cards too--anyone else have the same problem that I do?

Friendship Cards

I made a couple of friendship cards with a new stamp I got a Hobby Lobby (brand is Stampabilities). I loved the quote and knew it would be a go to for alot of my generic friend cards.

I started off with some Autumn Leaves patterned paper my friend Robin gave me--yes, Robin, again! She really hooked me up for my birthday with some fabulous stuff, including tons of Olympics stuff! She is sooo good to me!
Anyway, the cards are pretty self explanatory. I used my nestabilities on both of them, including embossing my sentiment. It makes the card look so crisp I think when you do that. I added buttons to the bottom which really give it that last touch. So cute! On the one card I used my ticket corner punch for a little decorative touch to the corners. I used CTMH cocoa organdy ribbon on both.

How's everyone's week going? I am hoping to be sticking to my goal of going to the gym. I want to go every week day and I'm hoping that happens. I want nothing less than 4 times per week. I will be very upset with myself it it doesn't happen! If Michael Phelps can train every single day (including weekends and holidays) for over 5 years then I can force myself to do 45 minutes of cardio a day, right?!?! lol

Sketch Challenge

I know many people, including myself, missed Beate during the summer. I hope she had a good relaxing time--I know how it goes to need a break sometimes! I have never had a blog to participate in her sketch challenge before, but now I do, so here goes! For her Sketch Challenge #54, I started out with some fun paper from Foof-a-La (Autumn Leaves). My friend Robin gave me this great pack of papers and I took my inspiration from there! (Are you lovin' it, Robin?!?!)

It's pretty self explanatory and copies the sketch to the 't'! I used a sentiment from a CTMH stamp of the month set, D1187 For Every Occasion. I matted the sentiment with Blush cardstock and used my Fiskars punch to add a little bit of wow. I went with the pearls for a shabby chic look to match the paper. What do you think? I think I like it...the pearls are a lot, but I think it looks good.

I'm so SAD the Olympics end tonight...I wanted to get this post up so I could go check out the closing ceremonies. I guess you'll be back to seeing a lot of me since my Olympics break is over! Just to update you, Fay didn't really affect us too much so far. It's been REAL windy and rainy all day, but nothing too bad. We'll see how it goes overnight. I live on the water, so it's already windy and it's been like a Nascar wind tunnel through our buildings today! :)

Monogrammed Birthday Ensemble

One of my closest friends, and roommate from LSU's birthday was this past week. I wanted to get her something, but decided the best gift would be if I made her something. She likes all the things I make and appreciates them, which, as I'm sure most of you know, isn't always the case.

I started out with three sheets of coordinating paper from Hobby Lobby. I rarely buy 'cheap' patterned paper, but this sort of spoke to me and I'm glad I did! I'm not trying to be snobby, I just like a heavier paper and sometimes I get frustrated at the flimsiness of the cheap stuff.

Anyway, I knew I wanted to use my Papertrey Trojan monogram set, with the Borders and Corners set. It makes the cutest little scallop monograms that are perfect for notecards. I just used a standard cardstock base and then added a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of the patterned paper. I made a 1" strip of coordinating cardstock to 'ground' my scalloped monogram and then put the monogram in the center. I added a couple of brads to each side and it was the perfect finishing touch! Sarah isn't really bling bling, so this was great for her.

I added in a coordinating checkbook cover, notepad and pen, and card, which are all pretty self explanatory. I used my Papertrey Piece of Cake stamp set for the card. If you have questions, let me know...What do you think? I am thinking of making these sets for my family and friends for Christmas. I know they're pretty 'old' business in the paper craft community, but I really think everyone will like them. If you're a friend or relative reading this, pretend you didn't read this and be real surprised if I give it to you for Christmas, k? lol

Anyone have big plans for the weekend? We're on the Fay lookout this weekend, so I know it'll be pretty soggy here and hopefully, not too much flooding. Poor New Orleans gets a big thunderstorm and we're still flooded in the streets. Yuck! Hope all of you are high and dry...and cool!

I'm back...sort of!

My cousin was in town visiting for a while before she starts her first semester at LSU! We had a great time hanging out--of course, watching the Olympics and catching up on all of our favorite Bravo shows (any other Project Runway, Flipping Out and Shear Genius junkies out there?!) I am an LSU alumni, so needless to say, I'm excited for her and all the good things the new year is going to bring her.

I wanted to send her a special card to let her know I was thinking about her and missing her, of course! I started with some fab Amy Butler paper from Michael's. I love the mat packs of this paper--it's perfect for card makers. I used my Lockhart pencils stamp, that yes, Michelle sold me on! I colored it with some copics and added a little liquid glass (CTMH) to the bowl to give it a little pizazz! I used my Marvy scallop punch and added some Stickles dots to the scallops for some bling. Gotta have that! I used a piece of velvet ribbon I found on those wooden spools from Michael's and voila! I think she'll like it...I hope she does at least. Oh, and the sentiment at the bottom is from the Faux Ribbon Papertrey set. Here's a close up of the image.

Well, I'm sad--the Olympics are almost over, but, hey, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. I think it was a well deserved couple of weeks 'off'! Sorry the pictures are funky--my camera is acting funny. Hopefully a new batter will do the trick and I'll have some better pics for you in future posts.

Oldie but goodie...Bella!

Well, I confess, this isn't a card I just made, but it is one that I thought came out too cute. So I figured since I am still on my Olympics stamping hiatus, I'd share!

I used my Cosmobella stamp and focused mainly on my fun patterned paper--don't know the manufacturer. I started by matching it with some Hollyhock, Chocolate and Sweet Leaf cardstock. I stamped the cutie 'Bella and then knew I wanted to use the $1 sentiment that I had picked up at Michael's. I couldn't find a good place to put the sentiment, so in the end, this is how it turned out! I like the end result...lots of sparkle, bling and I especially liked the layered Prima flowers with the rhinestone brad in the center. I gave this card to my roommate from college after she FINALLY got a degree...um, only five years after I got mine! lol

Whew, I just watched the end of the beach volleyball match and Ithe US men were making me a little nervous! I'm happy they pulled it out--3 and 0! Tonight's going to be a good time--girls individual gymnastics and of course, the one and only Michael Phelps going for another gold. I am super stoked! :)

M.I.A.

I swear I haven't fallen off the face of the planet! Seriously, though, I usually take two weeks off from LIFE when the Olympics are on, so that's where I've been...after they're through, and maybe even before then, I'll have something fabulous to show you. I have been taking some time to color images while I'm in front of the tube, so I'll have lots of things to work with by the time it's all said and done!

Today, I'll show you my scrap space though...I love seeing people's spaces, so I'll just post a quick photo of my desk area. I have a very small corner of my bedroom in my 600 sq ft condo that I use as my area. It's never, I repeat NEVER this clean, though...but here it is:I have a few more pictures of the closet (that has a metal bookshelf with different tools and such on it) that I'll post on another day.

Anyway, GO USA and I'll be back soon! :)

P.S. Do you not love Michael Phelps?!?! I have been a fan for so long--yes, I have a scrapbook of Michael pictures from the 2004 Olympics...so cheesy, I know, but they were awesome pictures that I collected from USA Today's all through the Olympics. SO silly, but, hey, I'm a scrapbooker, of course I was going to do something with those great pictures! He's doing so well and it's so great to see him use the talent God has blessed him with. He's a joy to watch, that's for sure!

As promised...

Here's my Olympic card! It's pretty basic, but my little cousin loved it! I used my CM circle cutting system to make the rings. I used my Xyron to adhere them to the white cardstock. I used my Fiskars threading water for the border and then glammed it up with LOTS of gold brads! Goin' for gold, ya know?! I thought the blue stars patterned paper by itself was too plain so I added a small strip of white and a little more red, which was red stars patterned paper, though you can't really see the stars on it. Both blue and red stars paper was from Hobby Lobby.

Well, I'm off to watch some volleyball! I will try and have another post for you tomorrow but things are a pretty busy this weekend, so I'll do what we can...and besides, you know I have lots of Olympic action to watch! ;) Hope you all enjoy your weekend!

WOOHOO! Olympics today!

Good morning! I can't believe it but I stayed up last night making my little cousin a card for the Olympics and I left my memory card at home! I was all excited to post it this morning and now I'm bummed that I'll have to wait until tonight...Oh, well!

I hope you're all as excited as I am...listening to Matt Lauer yesterday talking about the opening ceremonies tonight gave me chills! I think it's going to be pretty spectacular. I hope you all get a chance to watch...I'll check in again tonight when I post my Olympic creation! :) Have a fun day!

GO USA!

Quick and Easy

Well, the card I'm posting this morning is a really quick one...I think it came out pretty good, however, it's sort of plain, but it is sparkly, so I guess that's something!

I wanted to use more of my K & Co Berry Sweet papers (as well as the 3-D felt embellishments that matched). I pulled out this Penny Black stamp that I've had forever but never inked up. I was worried when I was making it how plain it was going to look, but I think it came out good in the end. I colored it in with my copic markers and added stickles to give it a little pop. I put the 3-D flower in the top corner just to make it pop.

Here's a picture of the sparkles up close:

I didn't get a chance to add some Olympics stuff yesterday, but here's a link to the Top 8 storylines to follow! I hope you enjoy...I can't wait!! I've got my red, white and blue outfit all planned out and everything for tomorrow! LOL

LOVE this card!

So, as I sat down last night I wanted to use three things--my stamps that I won as blog candy from the one and only Nichol Magouirk, my lined paper background stamp, and my new Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie paper. Nichol is a legend so I can't believe I won stamps from her--a CK Hall of Famer! CRAZY! Also, yes, Honey Pie paper is old, however, I just got my hands on some with a 40% coupon at Hobby Lobby, so to me, it's new!

I am in LOVE with this card...you don't even know...I struggled with it because I couldn't get it right and just perfect, but in the end, I think I outdid myself, if I do say so!
I started by layering different pieces of Honey Pie paper--I was trying to go off of a sketch I had but finally just had to scratch that idea. I wanted to use the fun Making Memories letter stamps but wanted to do something different than just stamping them. I pieced them onto my lined paper background sort of ransom letter style--I think those letters are perfect for doing that! I tilted the main image and it was still kind of plain. I sorted through and came up with the perfect accessory--hand sewn on buttons! Now, I had never done this, so it was a new thing for me, but I think it came out great! I used embroidery floss with my foof-a-la clear buttons. I placed the main image on 3-d zots and there you have it! I think these would be great for Valentine's Day--even if I am six months early! lol

Here's a close up of my sewn buttons--I'm proud of myself, I gotta tell ya!

Hope ya'll have a fun day--I'll be back later to post a little Olympics somethin' somethin'! :)

Steubenville Treats

I pulled an old project out to show you...I mentioned that I do youth ministry in an earlier blog post. I go to St. Margaret Mary in Slidell, LA and every year we take kids to a retreat called Steubenville Atlanta. This past June we took over 275 kids on five buses...let me tell you, it was a BLAST! I have a lot of fun doing it and I know everyone thinks I'm crazy when I say it's really a FUN thing to do, however, it truly is! The kids are all blessings.

Anyway, here's what I made for my small group--I used just small canning jars and put candy, a prayer card, an Immaculate medal and a friendship bracelet in them. I tied ribbon around the jar and added a hanging tag which I put a Prima through. I used a cute stamp from Hobby Lobby (don't know brand) to put on the lid, along with some CTMH patterned paper underneath the stamped layer.

Hope you like--these were super easy to make and came out SO cute! I loved them and the girls in my group were ecstatic when they got them!

Counting down to the Olympics!

So, I had to do the Wal-Mart/grocery shopping thing last night so I didn't have any time to stamp! I was exhausted (and $133 lighter!) by the time I made it back home.

I did have to watch the Teen Choice awards--I know what you're thinking--Linzi, you are SO not a teen. Well, that's right, BUT, I do college and youth ministry at my church, for those of you who don't know me. Right now, a huge thing at our church is dance 'crews' and all the movies that go along with it. I have a huge respect for anyone that can dance the way these people can dance--I mean, I can barely shake my booty, much less do flips, headstands, you name it...so, anyway, on the TC awards last night, there was a 'dance off' between Miley Cyrus and her crew and the ACDC, who is the crew in the movie Step Up 2. I thought they both did a good job, but, in case you watched it too, I was NOT thinking that Miley's crew 'won!' ACDC was definitely and is definitely the best! Here's a link to what started it all. You can watch all their 'battles' online, and I'm sure by tomorrow you'll be able to find the TC performances on YouTube.

Well, I digressed, but I did want to post a little bit about the Olympics--I am a HUGE Olympics fan...I watch EVERYTHING, even if I don't particularly like the sport or know anything about the sport. I think these Olympians are so special--I mean, God has graced these people with such a huge talent and they have really used what God has given them. I have such respect for them. I know a lot of people don't really care, but watching is just a small part of it--knowing the stories of these athletes can take it to another level. One interesting story I took note of today was a story I found on Todayshow.com. There is a family that has three siblings competing for gold--all in Taekwondo on the U.S. Olympic team. WOW! That's awesome...Here's the link for that story.

I hope all of you try and get into the spirit of things--these people are competing for our country, standing up for everything we believe in and trying to make us proud. We should make them proud too, by knowing we're back home cheering them on...

Hope you have a great day! I hope that I'll have something to post card-wise for you tomorrow!

Question

Do you think my blog background is too busy? I am just trying to figure out if it's overwhelming my actual cards and posts...

Let me know what you think! :)

Eh...

Well, that's how I feel about today's card...I had great intentions and liked it about half way through and then, it came out eh, alright. Hurrying did not help! I was trying to fit in a post before I go with a friend of mine to run some errands, and let me tell ya, it shows!

Anyway, I based the card off of one of Michelle's sketches...yes, her again! I can't help it that she's genius! It looks about as far removed from her card, though, than anything I could've made! Mine is bright and funky whereas hers is all nice and sweet.

I used some scraps and just mix and matched 3/4" squares on the bottom of my card. I don't even know the maker of half of the papers. I used a hollyhock (CTMH) cardstock base and then stamped in Palette Noir Black my Inkadinkado bird stamp. I slipped a piece of sweet leaf (which was cuttlebug'ed with my swirls folder) underneath to sort of 'ground' the image. It left some space so I put 3 black CTMH bigger brads in the middle.

So, what do you think? I haven't had much luck adding sparkles to this image so I was scared to do it this time and ruin my whole card...and yes, I know it's crooked--I think that is why I don't like it the most! Most people won't notice, but, hey, we're stampers, we notice these things, right?!?! Give me some suggestions if you think I can liven up the card somehow! I will give myself props for using ALL SCRAPS! Go me...I tend to not do that and that's why my scrap pile is pretty large!

Enjoy the rest of your day--I can not WAIT to go to mass tonight! I am needing it, bad! :)

Finishing the 'Ensemble'

I just finished packaging my friends' notecards and added in a cute checkbook cover for her. I used the same paper and used my Amuse friendship stamp because it was still sitting on my desk staring at me from the last project I did! lol

Anyway, here it is...

Woohoo for Saturdays!

Well, happy Saturday to you! I am having a GREAT weekend so far...a little relaxing, some obligations, some errands, you know the drill! However, I did find some time to make a friend of mine a birthday present!

I have a stamping 'hero' so to speak...I don't think she knows it, but Michelle Wooderson over at Mish Mash is my all time favorite stamper--I mean, all time! I strive to be like her when I grow up, I swear. She is my Becky Higgins (those of you who know her know what that means!) :) We sort of have this love hate relationship...I love to look at her blogs and some days I am so in awe, and then some days I feel like such a sucky stamper, saying 'why, oh why, can't my stuff look like hers?!' I have never met Michelle, but if for some chance she does get over here to my blog, I would just tell her thank you, thank you, thank you, for all the inspiration she's brought me! I swear, she does things I would never think to do. And they're simple! That's what I love about her designs, just simple, sleek and heartwarming. Thank you for inspiring me, Michelle!

Anyway, I cased an idea she had for my cards today...I had been seeing her make these note card sets which were just adorable, and I have to say, something I made of hers finally looks almost as good as hers!

I started off with some awesome K and Company paper. I found it at Target--it's the Sophie line of papers. This pad is special, because it's 12x12. I am so not a 12x12 paper girl--I am a cheapie so I buy mat packs 85% of the time. But, this one I just could NOT pass up! I matched it up with some CTMH cardstock--sweet leaf, blush and buttercup. In case you all were wondering, yes, I am a CTMH representative, so that's why you'll always see me using CTMH cardstock and ink. I use all sorts of other things, but I started using CTMH and I'm pretty loyal when it comes to the basics like their ink and cardstock. Anyway, I made bases for my notecards--5 1/2" by 4 1/4" inches. I put a piece of white on top of that piece--5 1/4" by 4". I made 4" x 1" strips of the patterned paper and then used my SU! scalloped punch to make the background for my stamped pieces. I have had this stamp FOREVER and never could figure out what to do with the small image...VOILA...I love it! I got it from Hobby Lobby--it's Hampton Arts Angel Blessings, in case you wanted to know.

Anyway, what do you think? Did I do Michelle proud?! I hope so! Here's the link to Michelle's set. I wish I had those itty bittys she has. I love the birds and the nest! I also hope my friend likes them! Hope your weekend is relaxing--I am so not looking forward to the laundry tomorrow! :) Don't forget to go check out Michelle's blog!

TGIF!

Well, I have to say it's Friday and I am SO glad! I am really going to be quick about this post...work is crazy on Fridays so I'm slipping it in!

I started the card with some of my favorite Cosmo Cricket paper from the Dutch Girl line. I used a super quick and simple layout. It doesn't really need a lot of explanation! I used some Crafty Secrets stamps, which I love, but always seem to have trouble getting 'just right.' I think I did okay here. I used the large bird image and then watercolored my birds. I didn't really want anything too 'bright' if you know what I mean. I used CTMH bamboo ink for the bellies and CTMH twilight ink for the tops. I added a little glitter to the bellies, which I think turned out just right.

When I finished the image was still a little too 'bright' so I sponged chocolate ink on it which gave it a little more vintage feel. I added the sentiment and used a ribbon technique which I thought was cute. I'm not sure I like it or would do it all the time, but, hey, it's different from just your normal knot or bow, I guess.

Hope you all have a great weekend...I'm off to a candidate forum (yuck) tomorrow and then hopefully going to do some relaxing and cleaning on Sunday. I am also going to fit in some stamping time because I need more stuff to show ya'll! :)

By the way, thanks for all the sweet comments...I'm excited to have started the blog and yes, I'm sure it'll become one more addiction!