Make a Difference

What a fun little sketch from Beate today! Really, really short with the blah, blah this morning. We’re having family day today and lots of good stuff planned. I used the Rummage Bin’s For the Men set to make a quick masculine card. The little star tag is from that set and says, ‘little cowboy, western star, sheriff wanted’. You can see other samples for this sketch from Beate’s regular girls: Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn, Mary Jo, Laurie and Sharon. I’m sure it will be well worth the click. Have a fabulous weekend!

• Stamps: For the Men & End Diamond Backgrounder - Cornish Heritage Farms
• Cardstock: Mystic Medium, Tawny Dark - Prism
• Ink: Cordouroy Distress & Espresso Adirondack and Denim Adirondack - Ranger
• Accs: Ribbon - May Arts, twine, Long Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities - Spellbinders

So, I adore all the little berry and floral Lockhart images that Sharon teases me with all the time, but I hadn’t had time to go through the agony of choosing and ordering yet. Then, my mom shows up with her 3rd (literally) load of stuff for a garage sale this weekend, and she has this adorable little Stampin’ Up! set from 1997 called Country Greetings.

I’m supposed to be purging, but I snatched it right up. It has a basket of berries, a cat, the quilt block and a few other things in the case. Of course, my mom isn’t an SU! purist, and there are some other stamps from other sets <gasp> mixed in the case. While I’m supposed to be clearing stuff out, I’ve decided that it’s ok….I can find a place to tuck this one little ole set.

This is for Beate’s Weekend Sketch Challenge, and I’m going to leave you to visit Beate, Cami, Jenn, Laurie, Mary Jo and Sharon for other inspirations while I peddle my old junk all in the name of new stamp room furniture. Have a great weekend!

• Stamps: Country Greetings (SU! 1997), Polka Dot Scrapblock™, Pretty Pattern Backgrounder - both from Cornish Heritage Farms

• Cardstock: Sunflower Medium, Spring Willow Medium, Desert Coral Light Prism

• Ink: Espresso Adirondack

• Accs: Ribbon - May Arts from Jacksonbelle, Copic Markers, Dew Drops

We have a wedding this weekend, and we’re all pretty excited about it, well the girls and I are pretty excited about it. Wes doesn’t get excited about much except for Disney World! I used Lizzie Anne’s Say it in Script and Beate’s sketch to put together a pretty fast card. The paper is Lily Kate by Basic Grey, the ribbon is sheer blue from one of TexasJodyLynn’s awesome bulk buys. The border punch was just stitched on my machine with no thread.

The flower from Lizzie Anne’s Jolies Fleurs is colored with Copics and highlighted with a Spica Glitter pen. I used Nestabilities to cut the panel. You can see lots of inspiration if you visit Beate Johns, Cambria Turnbow, Charmaine Ikach, Jenn Balcer, Laurie Schmidlin, Mary Jo Albright and Sharon Harnist.

And just because I haven’t made you look at my cute kids in a while (and their grandma reads this blog!) Here is a shot from our first swim meet of the summer taken last night.

I’m underneath a mountain of laundry and unopened mail as we’ve had a busy, busy week at the Craig house, so I’m keeping the blah, blah to a bare minimum. This is a super fast card for my sweet hubby who has really helped me this week! Hope you have a wonderful, restful weekend.

You can see lots of inspiration if you visit Beate Johns, Cambria Turnbow, Charmaine Ikach, Laurie Schmidlin, Mary Jo Albright and Sharon Harnist.

• Stamps: Everything - Stampin’ Up!

• Cardstock: Brown linen - Archivers, Spring Willow Light Prism, Poison Ivory

• Ink: VersaMagic Dew Drops: Jumbo Java & Gingerbread, Tsukineko Glue Pad

• Accs: Build a Brad, lace (Making Memories), Glitter

Every good little southern girl needs monogrammed notes! Sweet Ashley doesn’t know it yet, but she’ll be needing several notecards this afternoon. LOL! So, I used my new JustRite monogram stamps (a birthday gift from a sweet, sweet friend) and the sketch today to make a few cards. The monogram stamps are great for quick, easy and personal gifts!

When I got done with the cards last night and was stamping her monogram on the back of the envie, I thought that a scalloped edge would be oh-so-pretty. So, I used my large scalloped rectangle Nestabilities from Ellen Hutson and did just that! Here’s how:

Supplies: scalloped rectangle dies, envelopes and your die cut machine

Put the sealing edge of your envelope through the center of the die, and align just the edge of the envelope with the edge of the die. Make sure your scallops will point downward. If you used the other side of the die, they would be inverted.

Layer the envelope and die with the appropriate plate sandwich for your die cutting machine and press as normal.

One other thing I wanted to comment on: Square cards sometimes present a problem with square envelopes, so I try to use standard when I can. Don’t be afraid to hang your ribbon off the edge. This will still fit the envelope just fine without bending or messing up the tags.

Check out the other sketch samples by Cambria,  Charmaine, Jenn, Mary Jo, Laurie, Sharon and Beate while I encourage a 7 year old to complete her necessary social notes. I bet you’ll be done before me, and a whole lot happier! Have a wonderful Friday!  

In the spirit of better late than never, I’m posting my card for Beate’s Weekend Sketch Challenge. We had a great trip to Disney, but I’ve been kind of down with a sinus cold since we returned on Tuesday. I’m finally feeling better, but the days are just slipping by.  You can see more wonderful samples by stopping by to see Beate, Cambria, Charmain, Jenn, Laurie, Mary Jo and Sharon. I know you’ll be inspired to stamp yourself. Have a wonderful weekend!

• Stamps: Home of the Brave - Thomas Kinkade sentiment - CHF

• Cardstock: Blush Red Medium & Twilight Dark Prism, Jenni Bowlin red, white & blue papers

• Ink: Denim Adirondack, Timber Brown Stazon

• Accs: Jenni Bowlin tags, lace from Embellishment Studio and buttons from foofoola.

Finally Friday! And, Beate has another cool, light, hip sketch for you today! I had a ton of fun and this one came together very, very quickly. Good thing because my to-do list this week was 3 miles long! I’m going to keep the blah, blah, short today…but if you want to see something sweet…check out the other sketch designers: Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn, Laurie and Mary Jo. You’ll be inspired and ready to stamp, I’m sure!

• Stamps: Landing Pad & Pretty Birds by Kim Hughes; Pretty Pattern Backgrounder & Small Polka Dot Backgrounder - all by CHF

• Cardstock: Medium Teal, Birchtone Dark and Rose Medum Prism; Wild Asparagus Patterned Paper

• Ink: Adirondack Espresso, Aqua and Ginger Dye

• Accs: Copics, May Arts ribbon from sweet Jacksonbelle, thread, brads (in bloom collection) Making Memories, glitter, glassy accents from Ranger and Nestabilities

Have a wonderful weekend!

I can’t believe that school will be out in just 2 weeks. This new school set from Kim Hughes will be perfect for end of the year teacher gifts, but today I thought I’d try a thank you card. This card could go to any staff member at my daughter’s school. When people talk about wanting ‘this’ teacher or ‘that’ teacher, I sometimes don’t relate. There isn’t a bad apple at Southeast Elementary, we are blessed! 

The set will be available next Thursday, but for your info, I have not used any other sets to create this card (and I saved plenty of adorable images to show you next week, too!) If you have school aged children or grandchildren in your life, you will really enjoy this.

It’s another fast, frenzied Friday at the Craig house, and there is so much to do, I’ll leave you to check out the other sketch challenge babes: Beate, Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn, Laurie, Mary Jo and of course, Sharon. Have a fabulous weekend!

• Stamps: Making the Grade - Kim Hughes for Cornish Heritage Farms
• Cardstock: Classic Red, Iced Teal and Sunflower Medium - Prism - wonderfully delicious October Afternoon Detours collection (that I am painfully using up my 2×4 sample swatches and waiting the new shipment!)
• Ink: Red Pepper, Lettuce, Espresso and Slate Grey Adirondack Dye
• Accs: Copics, Nestabilities

Here it is: Weekend Sketch 45! I loved this sketch from Beate! And, even though I’m a few minutes late, this card came together very quickly.

Yesterday, Julie Campbell (sweet, sweet spirit, Julie Campbell) told the CHF design team about a card she had made for a co-worker to encourage her and let her know that she had noticed some wonderful changes in over the last few months. I don’t want to breech her confidentialilty, but it was a sweet story and Julie was blessed by giving the card. She encouraged each of us to stamp a card to make a difference. You know I was all over that!

This is for Trace. A sweet, good-looking little guy - all of 6 years old. He’s a good family friend, and despite all his athletic prowess (and it’s a lot!), he managed to break a leg on the ski slopes last week. Man, right at the beginning of baseball season, too! What a bummer! So, we’re sending this to Trace along with some good ole baseball snacks like peanuts, sunflower seeds, big league chew and some twizzlers…good stuff! To let him know that his light shines! and he can be as much of an asset to the team on the bench,  cheering them on and having a good attitude as he can in the field. 

What about you? Can you take the CHF dt personal challenge in the next few days? Can you think of someone to actually send <gasp> a card to that will make a difference! Let me know when you do! I’d love to share that joy with you!

To get you going, check out these cool chicks and their sketch samples. I know you’ll love ‘em…week after week (all 45 of them!), I’m never disappointed and always inspired! Beate, Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn, Laurie, Mary Jo and Sharon.

• Stamps: Supah Star - Kim Hughes for Cornish Heritage Farms

• Cardstock: Intense Yellow, Intense Red and Black Prism

• Ink: Red Pepper, Sunshine Yellow and Pitch Black Adirondack

• Accs: Black Glitter - Martha Stewart collection, Nestabilities & Star Brads

Remember when I talked about ‘hoarding issues’ back at Easter? Well, here’s something I have been hoarding since February 13: October Afternoon Detour papers. I spent some time in their booth at CHA with Emily….of course, I tried not to drool on her beautiful, beautiful displays…there is just something about these papers, the feel of them is different and the colors are so vibrant. Since I have pre-ordered and expect some more soon, I finally felt like I could cut up the few swatches that Emily gave me to play with.

This is for Beate’s Weekend Sketch Challenge. I hope you have time to play with it this weekend! This is a GREAT sketch to show-off those patterned papers or perhaps you might be interested in checking out the Backgrounder Blitz at CHF. From tonight til next Friday, you can participate in daily challenges and perhaps win prizes, prizes, prizes.

As for the sketch, you can see other wonderful samples from Beate, Charmain, Cambria, Jenn, Laurie, Mary Jo and Sharon. 

• Stamps: Dreaming of Dots - Lizzie Anne Designs

• Cardstock: Papaya Puree Dark, Iced Teal and October Afternoon Detour Patterened Papers

• Ink: Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, Artichoke, Real Red from Stampin’ Up! and Aqua Light Adirondack

• Accs: Spellbinders Nestabilities, Ribbon - May Arts, Glitter, Dimensionals