Special Card for My Pink Stamper w/ a Video

I made this very special card recently, and I sent it to Robyn.  We all know her as My Pink Stamper.  If for some reason you haven't heard of her you NEED to go check out her blog at mypinkstamper.com   Soon I will have a page of links that will surely include her :)

Robyn was one of the first bloggers I found and she inspired me so much.  Her projects are truly adorable, but often simple.  She really helps newer crafters or Cricut users out by slowly explaining each step of the process as she creates.  After finding her blog I discovered that Youtube is a wealth of crafty information and I found other bloggers too.  She is a big reason why I am blogging and having a blast making videos. 

Also, I just ADORE her for being so real, sweet, and honest.  She never claims to be perfect, and will happily show her little crafting mistakes on camera, never making a big deal out of things not being perfect. 

I have slowly been letting go of the perfectionist in me having 2 small children and crafting so much, it's been like therapy, and I thank her for telling all of us it's OK to have imperfect projects!  She is such a joy to watch.

I was completely honored and beyond excited when she mentioned me tonight in her live broadcast and showed this very card.  I just about died.  I ran down the stairs screaming to tell my husband and he thought something bad had happened because I was running so fast!  *LOL*

Thanks Robyn, you ROCK!!!!

Stitched Layout

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For some reason I had a hard time getting a decent picture of this layout.  I just adore it!  I love this fake stitching look and I have been dying to use it more, so I finally did it on a layout.  I just love the colors and the way everything ties together.  I got to use some adorable embellishments I've been saving for a special page too, knowing they would go perfectly with photos of my little man in this particular outfit.

For my first time doing swirly stitching I think it came out really well. It's always fun to push myself to try new things, sometimes I do something once and am not real anxious to do it again, but other times I find something I really love.  You never know until you try!

Lollipop Card

Isn't this just the sweetest?

The patterned paper is Die Cuts With a View from the Sweet Stack.  The stamp is from Unity Stamp Company's Mix Up of Cuteness set.  I colored it in with Stampin Write markers and added some Fruit Punch Stickles for bling.  I added a bit more bling to the scalloped oval with some Diamond Stickles.

Thanks for stoppin' by today :)

Elegant Purple Pansy Card

I made this beautiful card just playing around with my new Glimmer Mist, and the Martha Stewart Pansy Around the Page set.  I also did some stamping with the Always set from Stampin Up and added some lavender Stickles to the centers of the pansies for detail.  I made a video of this process so be sure and check it out!

Baby Cube

I puchased a photo cube and covered it in paper.  Then I added adorable die cuts to make this sweet baby gift.  All the cuts are from the New Arrival Cricut Cartridge, except the top, which is a scalloped circle and a letter from Ashylyns Alphabet.  I love that because it has the baby's first initial.  When making a handmade gift it really is so special to be able to add those extra personal touches!

What a Pair

The page isn't much, but the PHOTOS!  Oh my goodness!  How adorable are they?!

Like a good little scrapbooker I had brought my camera to my in-laws for our usual weekend visit and we took these in their front yard.  My daughter hated the feel of grass at the time so we knew she'd stay good and put on her Daddy! 

I love the way the arrangement came out.  Of course I wanted her sweet face to be the largest photo, and down below the first one she hasn't made eye contact with him yet, the second one she locks on, and in the third one you can see my husbands face just starting to smile at her.

I've been continuing to move along at lightening speed getting my pages done.  Just keeping at it.  I love not feeling behind and stressed about it anymore!

Baby Boy TP Roll Album

I got the idea from Mary, Miss Card Crazy 09 herself (on Youtube) to do a mini album using flattened toilet paper rolls.  I made this adorable mini album for a brand new baby boy.  Check it out :)

Diaper Cake

Here is my first ever diaper cake!  There's a ton of presents in it.  Shoes, socks, hats, onesies, etc.  So, after I finished and wrapped it in tulle I cut a very large tag so that I could list all the goodies for the mother to be.

Wild Pop Up Card

This was my first attempt at a pop up card.  I had a hard time with it, having trouble with positioning and then a mishap with misaligning something, but I stuck with it, and I really love the results.  I'll have to try another one and see if I can improve.  Sometimes you just have to stick with it!

Daddy's Little Monster

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I made this page last night and I just love it!  The two monster stickers are from an Autumn Leaves set.  They actually have glitter around the edges, which I find really fun.  I went ahead and tried threading my buttons with slivers of cardstock for a change, and I really love the way it turned out!

I have been getting just a ton of scrapbooking lately.  I feel it's really important for me to stay at least mostly caught up.  A  lot of my pages end up being really simple, but sometimes done is better than creative!  In 10 years I'd rather be looking at a nice, large collection of pictures and journaling than 2 or 3 "perfect" pages.  This page is certainly my favorite from last night, and took a little longer just because of the cardstock button threading, but I sure love the look that extra touch gives!

Embellishment Cluster Page - Personal Challenge

So, like many people I get into ruts and habits, and crafting is no exception.  So, in an effort to push myself into being more creative I gave myself a challenge.  To make an embellishment cluster!  Normally I like things pretty symetrical, and I always use things on a page in 3's.  3 flowers, 3 brads, 3 buttons, whatever.  Real simple stuff.  So, I saw a video on Youtube the other day about embellishment clusters and I thought I really should try it out.  I found it VERY hard. 

I pushed myself even further by making myself use up some embellishments that aren't really my favorite.  I figured if I couldn't make them work in a big cluster then I should just get rid of them.  So, the page is a pretty far cry from my usual style and preferences, but in the end I think I like it.  Not my favorite page of all time, but not something I want to trash and start over either.  As an added bonus I used my Threading Water border punch too!  I don't use my border punches as much as I should, and I really love this one!

So, I challenge all of you, either try an embellishment cluster, or use up some embellishments you've had sitting around for awhile!

Simply Beautiful Page

Another simple page.  This paper is so pretty it did most of the work for me.  It felt a little strange cropping my daughter's eyes, but it did allow me to size down the photo and focus on them.  I also like how the angle of the main photo is sort of non-traditional.  Just something totally different.

Sparkly Tag

This is just a simple tag I made.  I used my Gypsy to place this B inside of a scalloped oval.  I cut another, slightly larger oval to act as a shadow or border of sorts, and also provide a nice backing to write on. 

I used double sided tape.  The red, thick kind, I think Provo Craft makes it.  I added Martha Stewart Glitter in silver to the front, and then used the other side to attach the front to the back.  This made it really easy.

So, the tag was monogrammed for personlization, but it also matched the gift bag I purchased perfectly because I was able to select the colors.

Cupcake Birthday Card

I had a real blast making this fun cupcake birthday card.  It wasn't a super quick project, but I did really enjoy it.  The inside is very much decorated as well, and I love the look it has.  It came out very thick, and a bit heavy too, but has a lot of nice detail and texture.  Watch the video for more details and to watch parts of me stamping and putting it all together :)