For You

I made this Tilda card last night using the February Magnolia Sketch. I used "Pink Tilda with Rose." She and other Magnolia stamps can be ordered Here. My card is a bit smaller than what the sketch requires. To do the sketch so that you see all the layers, it would be better to do a 5"x 5" or larger card. I used a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" layout. I find it easier to mail the smaller cards, because I always have this size of envelope on hand. I used one of my favorite packs of CTMH paper called "More to Adore." I haven't used this paper in a while. Once I used it, I realized how much I really do love this paper. I love the colors in it...Chocolate, Blush and Hollyhock. Very Valentine like. You can order it Here. I used my Fiskars Border punch to creat the scalloped edge and some Bella dots on the Prima Flowers. And, speaking of Valentine's. Have a great Valentine's Day. What are your plans? Bill and I are going to take a ride out to the Ocean and have lunch at a restaurant over looking the water. I love the ocean even when it's stormy. It's one of my favorite places to be. I remember when I was in my 20's, whenever I had troubles in my mind I would drive out to the ocean and just sit on the sand and stare at the waves and let my worries escape me. Have a wonderful day no matter what you do.

Huggabugg Valentine

Lexi and I had fun making Valentines tonight. I found this paper in a container of forgotten paper that I had in the garage. The stamp set used is from Stampingbella and is a Huggabugg called Lovebeetle. On the inside of the card, I stamped "Valentine I followed my Heart and it Lead to You". This sentiment and the "Be Mine" are from CTMH February Word Puzzle. I love these word puzzles because they are filled with words and images for the month. Lexi let me use some of her rubber hearts that she received today from a friend at Ballet. They fit perfectly with this card and are so sparkly. To add more sparkle, I added Stickles to my card. The sketch is Bella Sketch #67.

Sweet Treats Birthday Card

Everybody in my department at work gets a birthday card from me. This one is for a guy. I tried to keep it "guy like." I asked Bill what he thought and he liked it. So, I hope Eric at work likes it. For the sketch, I used Mojo Monday Week 73 sketch. The stamp is Sweet Treats by C.C. Designs. The paper is appropriately called Two Scoops by Basic Grey. The birthday sentiment is from CTMH.

Captured Memories

I have had this stamp set for over a month now and have not used it. I love it but just wasn't sure where to begin. Yesterday I was blog hopping and came across Kari's blog and totally had to scraplift this layout. I just love how she used the flourishes. Bill said to me "Ahh, your stealing" and I said "Hun, they have a name for it." And he said "Yeah, Plagiarising." "No, I told him. It's called Scraplifting and it's okay. In fact, it's the best compliment that you can give someone. As long as you give credit to where it came from, it's okay." Since, I love this layout so much, I want to share it with you. The patterned paper is from the "Notebook" paper pack and the cardstock is "Blush". The flourishes are stamped in "Cocoa" ink. Thank you Kari for the wonderful inspiration.

Love Our Little Sweetie

I made this layout yesterday after I came home from work. My inspiration came from the cover of the Spring CTMH catalog. I followed the layout pretty close but changed up the paper, title and some of the embelishments. The paper pack is called "Perfect Day" and the layout design is from Reflections "Main Frame Details". The stamps used are Friendship Alphabet, Charm Upper Case, Annotations (for the little frame) and Love Language. I used Dimensionable Elements - Fresh Shapes and Rub-ons. The ink colors are Tulip, Cocoa and Juniper. For the embelishments I used Holiday Buttons, copper brads, Blush Ribbon and a paper flower.

Sushi Bowl Party

Yes, you read the title right. Bet you were thinking Super Bowl Party. I bought this cute set yesterday. It is from Stampendous and is called Super Bowl Party. When I sat down looking at the set and trying to figure out what pieces to use, I saw the cute little heart hook and thought how perfect. Yet another Valentine card. The sentiment is from CTMH and is called Happy Endings. The paper is from Basic Grey. I colored the images with Copic Markers and then sponged CTMH Heavenly Blue all over for the water. I then cut out the fish bowl and adhered it with pop dots. The little hooked heart has stickles on it.

Lil Artist Birthday Card

I know this looks more like a Valentine card than a birthday card. But, I can't help it!!! Something about February says pink and red to me. My mother's birthday is in February. It must go back to when I was a child and had to pick out a card for her. Maybe all the cards were in pink and red. I don't know. But, anyway my friend Debbie is going to get this card for her birthday next week. There are 5 people who I work with that have birthdays this month. I have 3 more cards to make. Two of the birthdays are for men...I hope I can get past the pink and red. hee hee. For this card, I used Lil Artist by Stampingbella. The paper is DCWV The Sweet Stack. The scallops are made using a Fiskars Border Punch. And, the sketch is Bella Sketch Challenge BSC66.

Balloon Tilta

This is another card that I created this weekend. Lexi was watching me blog hop yesterday morning and saw a Tilda card that had glitter on it. Immediately she jumped down and said "we can make that", and proceeded to get out the Tilda's and glitter. Just like me, she was truly inspired. This is one of the reasons that I love blog hopping. It get's me excited and gets those creative juices flowing. This card sort of has a valentine feel to it, but I am going to give it as a birthday card to a friend whose birthday is this month. I think she will like it.

Sending my love

I received this Paper Prettie in the mail on Friday and had fun coloring her this weekend. I decided to give a try at the Mojo Monday Sketch. I find it very helpful if I have a sketch to start with. So, I have been searching blogs to find different sketches. Once I have the sketch, then my creative juices start flowing. I can't remember who makes this paper, but I love it for a Valentine Card. I'm not sure if you can see, but I added Stickles to the hearts to give them a little Sparkle.

TGIF and a Paper Prettie

TGIF!!!! It has been a busy week for me at work and I have been too exhausted to create. Lexi has been really missing our time together. I received this stamp from Paper Pretties on Monday and hadn't even had a chance to get a good look at it. Last night Lexi and I had a great time together. She is developing so much creativity. I even let her use my Copic Markers to color the card you see below. Once I put them away, she went to her second choice of markers. LOL The paper used is CTMH Aspen. And the sketch is SC213. I had bought the snowflake stickers at Target in December but never got a chance to use them. I love how the colors work with the paper. Have a great weekend. I have a workshop tomorrow using this paper and I am excited to get together with my friends.

Lilly & Billy

This stamp is a new release from Pink Cat Studio. It is called "Lilly & Billy Sweetheart Stamps." There are so many other adorable stamps that came in this set. I stamped my image first and then colored a little dirt path below the bicycle. I added some grass by making quick little strokes forming an offset "v". Then using a different shade of green, I added more strokes. Once my image was colored, I used a sponge to apply Heavenly Blue ink for the sky. The patterned paper and cardstock are from SU. The sentiment is from CTMH's "Soul Mates" stamp set. I used my Marvy Heart Punch for the scalloped heart. To make the inside of the heart, I used the punch and cut off the scallops. It would have been easier if I had had the smaller punch. So, I just had to make due. I always have to add some kind of bling to my cards, whether it be flowers, ribbons, brads or sparkles. I found this cute little heart sparkle in my embellishment stash.

The Baby Shower is on!!!!

Boy that sure was a close one. Bill kept telling me that a "surpise baby shower" was not a good idea. He would say "what if she doesn't come?" Little did I know that his prediction would come true. But, I have talked to Jennifer and she is going to come. So the shower is on!!! Everyone who is coming to the shower is making a scrapbook page for her. It's hard to see in the picture, but the little bar code says "Handle with Care. Special Delivery". I want this to be the first page in the book so show the new arrival. I used some of the things that I learned at Retreat to make this page. I sanded the cardstock. It brought out the white core of the paper and gave it texture. I used rub-ons for the word "blessings" and the bar code. The chipboard frame was sponged in baby pink ink. The flower is pink and the edges are sponged in Blush ink. Over the flower is a lavender button. To make it look like it's threaded through the button, I tied a knot in a piece of ribbon. With a glue dot I attached it. All used are from CTMH.

Yummy Blog Candy

There is some yummy Blog Candy up for grabs on Kim's blog. So stop on buy for a nice Valentine Treat.
Hugs,
Lori

http://craftsbykim.blogspot.com/

A Baby Shower Card

I am suppose to be giving a "surprise" baby shower this Friday night for a friend in my scrapbooking group. But, it's a possibility that it might not happen. I get together with some friends from work once a month at the local scrapbook store or my house to scrapbook. One of the girls is going to have a baby in March and we thought that it would be nice to throw her a surprise shower and invite people from work. She used to work with us, but works somewhere else now. The plan was to make her think that it was our ordinary scrapbook night and then when she showed up, she would be surprised. So, we planned this party and everyone is making food and getting excited. I sent out the reminder to the scrapbook group that we would get together at my house, but I hadn't heard from the mommy to be. Yesterday, I sent her an email asking if she was planning on coming. And, her response was "no". She has company from out of town coming for the weekend. So, now we are all frantic. I had no choice but to email her back and spill the beans about the shower. I haven't heard from her. So, keep your fingers crossed that she can work it out. I made this card for her using "Craveabella" and Bella Sketch #63. The paper, ribbon and bigger buttons are from CTMH.

More Retreat Pictures

The retreat is finally over and here I am all relaxed!!! Bill and I stayed an extra day after the retreat to do some sight seeing or whatever. While I was scrapbooking he was at Deer Valley Skiing. This turned out to be the perfect trip, because he got to do his passionate hobby, skiing, while I did mine. Yesterday, we went into Park City and had lunch and did some shopping. They had the Sundace Film Festival going on, so it was pretty crowded. Afterwards we went up to Deer Valley and Bill watched the football game and I relaxed with a wonderful Mojito. It was topped with blueberries. It was just what I needed. Here are pictures of the items that they gave us at retreat. I got this adorable tee shirt with a matching tote bag filled to the brim with stamps, rub ons, stickers and embelishments. Under the tee shirt is a Cocoa colored album. I had Janette sign it for me. I was so stoked.

Here is a picture of me with a couple of the girls in our group. This is the room where we did all of our scrapbooking.

Here I am trying to finish up a page while everybody went off to lunch.

I was so happy to see a photo shoot going on with the CTMH team. And, fortunately for me I had my camera handy.

The retreat was very long, but well worth it. It started on Thursday. Registration was at 3:00 and the retreat started at 7:00. Once we were all registered, Bill and the group of girls that I was with went over to Olive Garden for dinner. That night at the retreat, we made a mini album. It was titled "10 Things that I love about you" The album was taught by Nona. I wasn't able to finish it, because it was a 4 hour project and we only had 2 hours!!! So, I will be working on that this week. On Friday morning, the retreat started at 9:00 and went to, I think, 6:30 in time for them to feed us dinner. They fed us well. There was way too much food all day long. After dinner we came back into the room for an open crop that went on until 11:00. I needed all of that time to finish up my pages. We started again at 9:00 on Saturday morning and worked until 6:30. I have never worked so hard. I was so exhausted. Afterwards, Bill and I and a couple of the girls went over to the Blue Iguana for Mexican food and Margaritas. Then afterwards back at the hotel I crashed. We got home last night and I have nothing but happy memories. I hope they do this again next year at this same time. This way Bill can ski and I can scrapbook.