PTI Blog Hop: May

Hi friends,
Today, I'm participating in:

 This month, we had this inspiration pic:

So here's my card:

 I used the color palette of Simply Chartreuse, True Black, & SS white. I tried to incorporate all the patterns & layers in the pic. I embossed all the panels of paper with CB & T!m embossing folders. I also did not use any pattern/printed paper. To create the harlequin, I inked up that embossing folder with black ink & embossed a piece of white cardstock. The flower is from the Friends 'Til the End stamp set cut in two pieces so I could layer them along the edge of the paper. In between the layers I added foam tape for dimension. They also got a coat of Angel Wings Shimmers (which is why it looks wet or shimmery :) then I added some pearls with my viva pen. The ribbon & button are from my stash. The sentiment is from Just the Ticket.

Here's a peek at the innies:

 I stamped the flower (2nd generation) in the corner & added the sentiment from Inside & Out: Birthday.

I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch:

I'd like to join in the following challenges:
Creative Card Crew: Dimension
Flourishes: Flower
Ribbon Carousel: Fancy Flowers
Hooked on Crafts: Flowers

Thanks for hopping by today!
Have a lovely crafternoon!

Congratulations!

Hi friends,
Today is Friday! The bar is open and I'm your guest bartender! So raise the roof for a new challenge at Raise the Bar :)

This week, your challenge is to create a "Congratulations" card. It's perfect timing for those grads in your life. This is a special year of grads for me since my oldest is graduating from High School ---> squeal! <--- and my little one is being promoted to Middle School. I have lots of cards to make so I was really looking for a CAS (clean & Simple) card. Yikes, my kryptonite! :( So I turned to my sketch files & found the *perfect* one to help me pull it off!
Here's what I came up with:

 Oh my gosh, was this super easy & best of all, it's all scraps!!! I made a card base with white cardstock, free-handed the wave design on black cs, cut it out, & used my gold Krylon pen along the edge for an extra kick. Then, I punched out some stars in 3 sizes. They are on different widths of foam dots, so they are at different heights for dimension. I adhered a little mortar board to the last largest star. The stamp is from the PTI set Signature Greetings. Do you see the little gold stars? I'll tell you where those came from in a bit :)

Here are the innies: (which are also created with scraps :)

I created a pocket for ca$h since that's what grads want and need :) I punched out the star border from gold foil cardstock. Remember those little gold stars on the front of the card? They were the left-overs from the punch (where the black stars are!) The sentiment comes from another PTI set called, For the Graduate.

Here's the MOJO sketch that inspired my card:

Thanks to Joni for inviting me to tend the bar this week. Hope you'll join in on this challenge & maybe YOU will be the next guest bartender---> like me!

Thanks for peeking!
Happy crafternoons!

Oh Boy!

Hi ya friends,
 How goes it this fine weekend? Hope you're enjoying some lovely crafternoons :)
Well, if you follow my blog, you know I like 3. Three is a good number, so today I bring you the 3rd Magnolia card.
Here it is:

 This sweetness is called Baby Edwin. So Adorable! I know I say that about them all :)
Here's a closer peek:

He's colored with Copics. I added some blingies to his crown & gold Stickles to the little stars. The papers are from the Little darlings collection from Graphic 45. (This collection of papers is exquisite! Baby perfection!) I added faux stitching around the edges, and sprinkled a few pearls with my Viva pen. The ticket is a Whimsy stamp called Whimsy Ticket Sentiments (luuuuv). That's a Fair Isles Pendant Spellbinders die Edwin is on. It looked like a baby blanket to me :)

Now for a peek of the simple innies:

 I punched some buttons with the pattern paper scraps using the MS button punch.

I used this week's sketch at Just Magnolia:

Baby, I'm joining the tots in the following challenges:
Chocolate, Coffee, & Cards: For the Boys
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge: New Baby
Hot Shot Crafts: Die Cuts
All That Scraps: Anything Goes
Creative Belli: Baby/ New Arrival
Whimsy Inspiration Challenge: Anything Goes

Thanks so much for peeking today!
Gotta Go!

Princess Party

Hi ya friends,
It's almost the weekend, and I am sooooo glad! We've got 3 weeks of school left & we're all antsy to start summer vacation!
Today, I have another one of my new Maggies to share.
Here she is:

 This little girl is called Princess Party Tilda. Look at that glorious hair! Luv it :) She's colored with Copics. Her crown got a good dose of Stickles for a diamond-look and her shoes got some Glossy Accents for the patent leather look. The papers are from the Olivia collection from BasicGrey.
Here's a closer peek:

 That swirly die is called Fanciful Flourish by Cheery Lynn. the flowers are WOC. All the edges were distressed with my T!m Holtz Distressing tool & then I used my Viva Pen & sprinkled a few pearls around.

Speaking of T!m, guess what I got in the mail???? Yes! I got my prize for the 12 Tags :)
Here's what I got:
THE *NEW* DISTRESS INK COLORS!!!!

I was SOOOOOOOOOOO happy cuz I was waiting for more to come in stock online, but now , thanks to Mario & T!m I have my set. Yaaaay! So I guess I better get going on my May tag so I can break in these bad boys ;)

Now, back to my card....
 I used this sketch from Magnolia Down Under + the doily

I'd also like to play along in the following challenges:
Totally Tilda: Princess Tilda in Pink Dress
Cute Card Thursday: A bit of sparkle
Divas by Design: Tickled Pink
Truly Scrumptious: Anything Goes
Whimsy Stamps: Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash: BINGO- glitter, pearls, distressing, blue, & flowers
BasicGrey Challenges: Anything Goes

Hope you have some lovely crafternoons this weekend!
Gotta Go!

Ballerina Tilda

Hi there friends,
I have a card to share using one of my new Maggies. I thought the Prince & Princess collection was a really cute one so it was hard to exert some self-control & not buy 'em all :)
Here's my card:

 This one is one of my favs. It's called Tilda with ballet shoes. Isn't she so cuuuute!?

Here's a closer peek at her:

She's colored with Copics. I've been looking for a good color combo for med African-American skin, but just haven't pinned down the right one :( I used E33, E35, & E37 for her. Hmmm, I gotta keep looking... well, her tutu & the flower on her headband got a double dose of Cotton Candy Stickles. I let the thick layers dry in between applications & that helped to create a chunkier effect. The tulle flowers are from Prima & I've had them forever! They finally found the right card to make their debut. The papers are from the London Market collection from Pink Paisley.

I used this week's sketch at The Cutie Pie Challenge: but I forgot it's also supposed to be an easel card. Doh! No can do this challenge :(

I'd like to play along in the following challenges:
Bunny Zoe's Crafts: Anything Goes
Make it Monday: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp & Show: Anything Goes
Magnolia Stamp Lovers: Flowers
Do You Stack Up: Use a flower

Thanks so much for peeking.
Gotta Go!

I Just Love You, Grandma

Hi friends,
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms & those amazing women who take on that role for others who need some mothering.
Before I share my card today I wanted to share some sweeeeet news. I was one of the winners from last month's 12 tags with T!m Holtz! Wooo Hoo! I am so over the moon excited :) I already got a confirmation notice that my prize is on it's way! Mario & T!m are fast :) So when I get it, I'll give you a peek at what I received. 
OK, so on to my card for today, Mother's Day. It goes to one of the most important women in my life---> my Grammy.
Here it is:

 I used papers from the Fabrications collection from Teresa Collins (luuuv those papers!) The bloom is the Royal Rose from MFT, the sentiment comes from the Delightful Dahlia set from PTI. The ribbon is seam binding from SU.

Here's a peek of the innies:

I used this week's fab sketch from Mojo Monday:

I'd like to also play along in the following challenges:
Secret Crafter: I love you Mum
Raise the Bar: Mother's Day
Simply Create Too: Mother's Day
4 Crafty Chicks: Sentiment Only
Celebrate the Occasion: Mother's Day
Crafty Sentiments: Mother's Day
Creative Card Crew: Sentiment as focal point
Creative Craft Challenges 2: Anything Goes
Deep Ocean Challenge: What a Wonderful Woman
Tuesday Throwdown: Motherly Love

I'll be popping in to my grammy's to deliver her card & gift & then I'll be with the boys. I wonder what they've got planned for me??? Hope it sounds like "nift nard" hehehe :)

Thanks for peeking!
Gotta Go!

Yo Quiero Taco Bell

Hi ya friends,
Yes, I'm still around :( sorry I haven't posted too much. I thought the state testing at school last week was gonna kill me, let me tell ya! and I'm still deaf in my right ear :( my ear infection went from bad to worse. ugh... With the craziness that has been my life lately, teacher appreciation snuck up on me this year, so I had to pull an all-nighter to get this one done mainly because I was hoping my son would give me some help inspiring me to create something for his teacher. I kept asking him what he saw his teacher eating or drinking & he said "She always gets stuff from Taco Bell." So after 3 months or so I gave up on my son noticing much else & decided that if Taco Bell is what she likes (oh poor woman!) then, I needed to rise to the occasion & come up with something tasty.
Here's what I came up with:

Here's a gable box I created with my Cricut using the Bags, Tags, Boxes, & more 2 cart (Luuuuuv it!) I wanted it to look like the Taco Bell taco box. I printed the Taco Bell logo & adhered it to the front of the box. 

 Here's the back of the box (which gives you a clue about what's inside :)

 The taco came from the Olé Cricut cart.

Here's what's inside:

 It's a trio of tacos which double as gift card holders :)

Here's a closer peek:

 To create the tacos, I simply cut out circles & folded them in half. I added brown marks with a brown pen to resemble those bits of corn which tortillas have. I cut strips of green paper for the lettuce, red squares for tomatoes, and yellow strips for cheese. Then I tucked a gift card inside. (It was nice to finally find a use for the Crushed Curry cardstock. It's the perfect color for corn tortillas!)

To hold the tacos upright, I created a special insert:

Here they are inside:

The meat are the gift cards :) There's a gift card for Starbucks, itunes, and of course, Taco Bell.

Here's the card that's getting tucked in on top of the tacos:

I know it totally doesn't match the taco motif, but I seriously was running on empty! (Please don't look at my horrible coloring... I'm rusty from lack of practice :( This cutie is called "You Make the Grade- PI" from MFT.

BTW, I used this week's MFT sketch for my card:

I hope she likes another one of my crazy concoctions! I do appreciate all the work, patience, & more patience it takes to be a teacher---> especially to my kiddo!

Note: The Cricut Olé cart is super cute, but I recommend you wait if you've been thinking of getting it. Why??? Well, cuz there are several mistakes on that cart :(  ---> grammatical, spelling, and content. The word is PC may be fixing the carts. They could have saved themselves some embarrassment & $$$ by hiring ME as their Spanish consultant ;) I would cost them just a small arm & a leg ;) EDITED TO ADD: GOOD NEWS!!! Provo Craft contacted me to let me know it has been updated for the new machines! The carts will also be updated. Yaaay! My new cart is on it's way :)

A couple more deets: the completed box measures 5 3/4" x 4 3/4" x 7 1/2" cut on "fit to page" on a 12 x 24 mat. It turned out to be a *perfect* sized box. The papers used on my card came from the Grade School Stack by DCWV.

Well, thanks for hanging in on a long post. Mother's day is coming up so there's no slowing down for me just yet!

Thanks for peeking! and Happy Teacher Appreciation Day to all my teacher friends! :)
Gotta Go!