Just Give Me Stamps...

Boo!

Hi friends!  It's been a while since I've posted...but things have been pretty busy here on the home front.  I'm also just spending more time with my family...which is always a good thing, right?  :-)

I did finally get back into my stamp room and thought I would share what I made with you!  :-)

I made this for this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge (#117)!  Yes, you read write...I actually participated in a sketch challenge!  I don't know why I don't do more of them...I really enjoy them.  :-)

For my card, I used some Lost & Found Halloween papers (from My Mind's Eye) combined with the Cicely at Halloween set, Opera Tags set, & the Opera Tags dies (all from Waltzingmouse Stamps). 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  ~Laurie

Explosive News...

Happy Tuesday!  It's a rainy and cold Tuesday here, but you won't find me complaining!  I love the cooler weather (notice I didn't say cold...that I'm not too fond of), wrapping up in a jacket, and sitting by the fire with some coffee...mmmmm!  :-)

Today I'm sharing a fun Paper Smooches card...

Isn't that scientist SO fun?  LOL!  He totally cracks me up!  I used several images and one of the sentiments from the new Great Chemistry set from Paper Smooches!

I couldn't resist adding some Crystal Effects on his glasses and the glass beaker!

Well, that's all I have up my sleeve for today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hugs, Laurie

Be True to Yourself...

 Happy Saturday friends!  Today our boys have a rural school basketball game (two games actually).  I love watching them play ball.  Especially the little ones...they really try to emulate their big brother!  :-)

While going through some of my photo files, I realized that I haven't shared this card with you yet!  I made it while I was still on my clean and simple kick!  :-)  Do you ever do that?  Go through phases in your card making or crafting?  For quite a while, I found myself drawn to the more graphic and/or clean and simple style.  I still love it, but lately I have been feeling the need to pile on the layers!  Teeeheee!

I used the Brighter Days set combined with the Scalloped Flowers Die Set from Verve.  All of the images are embossed using Detail Black embossing powder.  I just love to emboss!  Actually, the actual process of embossing isn't what I love so much as the results!  :-)  I love the crisp look to it...it just pops off the paper!

Have a GREAT weekend!  Hugs, Laurie

Welcome Autumn (and a Cookie Recipe)...

Hi friends!  Just like many of you, we've been busy, busy, busy!  Football, school meetings, Dr. and Dentist appointments, & ranch stuff all have me running around.  I have a couple of minutes and thought I would share a quick gift I made for my boys' bus driver.



I started with one of the super cute White Bakery Sacks that Kim has added to the Paper Smooches store.  I love these sacks...the circular window is so fun and they are the perfect size for cookies!  :-)  I decorated the bag using some Simple Stories patterned paper and stamps from the new Autumn Groves set!

As for the cookies...well, they are one of my family's favorites!  My kids request these often (I try to bake cookies once a week so I can include a couple in their lunches once or twice a week).  I'm not sure if I've share the recipe here before but just in case I haven't I will share it again. 

Yummy Snickerdoodles

1 c. sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. vegetable oil (I use canola)
2 lg. eggs
5 c. flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. almond extract
dash of salt

Cream sugars, butter, & oil.  Add eggs and beat well.  Mix all remaining dry ingredients together in separate bowl.  Mix into sugar mixture just until blended together (do not over mix).  Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten just a little bit with the bottom of a glass and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top.  Bake at 350 degrees (Fahrenheit) for 10-11 minutes.  They will not be completely done (this is important so they don't become too dry).  Take out of the oven and let them sit on cookie sheet for another couple of minutes (they will continue to bake while on the hot cookie sheet).  Remove to a wire rack.  I like to store mine in plastic bags with a piece of bread (this adds moisture to the cookies).

I hope you enjoy them!  If you do try this recipe, let me know what you think!

Hugs, Laurie

Mmmm, French Kiss...

...French Kiss Collection from Glitz that is!  :-)

With the onset of Autumn, I have found myself reaching for more neutrals and textures to add to my cards!  There is nothing more gorgeous and full of texture than the French Kiss Collection! 

For my first card, I layered a couple of pieces of patterned papers onto a kraft card base.  I added a Cardstock Sticker, a Glitzer, and an Epoxy Word (all from the French Kiss Collection).  The "flower" is one that I made by creating a rosette from some coordinating French Kiss paper, a scrap of burlap, and a Giant Rhinestone.  To add even more texture, I tucked in some leaves.

My second card features products from the same collection, but has a completely different look.  I kept this one simple so the intricate detail on the Peek-A-Boo would shine!  For embellishments I added a little tag (made from some coordinating French Kiss paper), a Layered Sticker, and some Epoxy Words!

I'm so glad you joined me here today!  I hope your day is a creative one!  ~Laurie

 

Joli Card
Glitz Design French Kiss Floral Paper
Glitz Design French Kiss 6" Glitz Paper Pack
Glitz Design French Kiss Cardstock Stickers - Journaling
Glitz Design French Kiss Epoxy Words
Glitz Design French Kiss Giant Rhinestones
Glitz Design French Kiss Glitzers

Amour Card
Glitz Design French Kiss 6" Glitz Paper Pack
Glitz Design French Kiss Epoxy Words
Glitz Design French Kiss Peek-A-Boo
Glitz Design French Kiss Layered Stickers

Some Very Exciting News!

 

I have some super fun news to share with you today!

 

 

I am SO excited to be a part of the 2012-2013 Bella BLVD Design Team!!  You all know how much I {heart} paper...not to mention cute embellishments and stamps!  Bella BLVD has all those things and more! 

 

I even have a couple of card to share today all made with Bella BLVD goodies!

 

Yum!!  Just look at those gorgeous Fall colors and textures!  My absolute favorite part...is that kraft colored Designer Tape (with polka dots no less)!!  All of these goodies come from the Thankful Collection.

For my second card, I used three of the Ciao Chips (Stars & Hearts), some green striped Designer Tape (I folded it in half to create the stems), and a couple of Bella Buttons.  To finish it off, I embossed the sentiment from the Celebrate in Style stamp from the Birthday Girl Collection.

Thanks so much for joining me here today!  And thanks also for sharing in my happy news!  ~Laurie

 

Friends...

Dare I say happy Monday?  LOL!  Our weekend absolutely FLEW by!  On Saturday, our oldest son had a football game several hours away.  It was so much fun to watch him play!  He is growing and maturing every day now it seems.  He's already taller than I am, and has almost reached the same height as DH.  At thirteen years old, he wears a size 13 men's shoe and we know he will grow into them!  I am still trying to get a good school photo of him (I shared the "first day of school" photos of my other three children).  I promise to share one soon...

I haven't been in my stamp room in far too long but I do have a card to share that I've had finished for a while!

You guys know me...  I'm definitely one of those "pile on the layers and embellishments" kind of girl.  Lately, though, I have been so smitten with the CAS style!  I know I'm never going to be a real clean and simple stamper, but it's fun to play the poser every now and then!  Teeheee!

I started with a white background and added a wood grain pattern (using a mask and some texture stuff).  After it was dry I sponged on some gray ink.  I had this color scheme in my mind for a while and couldn't wait to try it out!  Gray and white background with some pretty Fall colors...yum!  :-)  I used the flowers and sentiment from the Brighter Days set along with the Scalloped Flowers dies from Verve.  I SO love this set!

So there you have it!  Me trying to impersonate a CAS style stamper!  LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a GREAT day!  ~Laurie

Happy Birthday to You...

 Happy Wednesday!!  Honestly, today still feels like Monday!  The last few days have been such a whirlwind and time always seems to fly when that happens.  :-)

Today I have another birthday card to share with you (said while patting myself on the back for actually replenishing my birthday card stash and not just talking about it)!

I wanted to keep this one gender neutral, so I used some fun primary colors combined with Verve's new Birthday to You Plain Jane, Treasured Words set, the arrow from the Brighter Days set, Arrow die, Pennant Trim Die, and Rounded Rectangle Die.

I know I shouldn't say this...because I'm supposed to be a non-discriminatory card maker and all...but I much prefer making thank you cards!  There, I said it!  I know it's completely weird...I mean, what's not to love about making birthday cards?  I LOVE birthdays!  It's just one of my weird "Laurie-isms" as my DH would say!  LOL!  I guess if you're going to make birthday cards (and lets face it...my family and friends would never forgive me for giving them a store bought card LOL!) then at least I have cute stamps to make them with!  Heee!

Well, I have a million and one things to do today (scheduling lots of dentist, orthodontist, and Dr. appointments) so I better run!  Have a great day!  ~Laurie

Celebrate...

Good morning friends!  We've been super busy here on the home front.  Remember all of that smoke I've been telling you about?  Well, it's still around.  Ugh.  Unfortunately, it's causing coughing and other issues so they are postponing Ali's surgeries.  Talk about a roller coaster ride.  Because of the extensive anesthesia she will be having they aren't taking any chances.  I am happy about that...just not happy that this will all be delayed (and her healing delayed as well).  So while I'm waiting for more phone calls I thought I would share a bright and cheerful card using the new Hullabaloo set from Paper Smooches...

When I made this card, I thought about how I am always in need of birthday cards...I never seem to have enough.  So I created this CAS card with the intention of mass producing them.  I created several card bases but left the heart balloon uncolored (for the card in the photo I colored it red) so that I could color it to suit the recipient.  It's hard to see in th photo, but the open balloons and the three celebrate sentiments are all stamped in a shimmery silver.  Super easy!  :-)

Thanks for stopping by!  Hugs, Laurie

Good Things Are Going to Happen...

Hi there!  It's my turn to share with you how I answered this month's Diva Dare!  This month we dare you to show us your new creations inspired by projects made by Verve fans! Any little project made by someone other than yourself or one of our design team members works! To get your wheels a turnin', the Divas will be posting their Fanspiration creations using our newly released products every weekday over at the Verve Blog!

Not only is there a lot of eye candy for you to see, but there are a couple of opportunities for you to win some seriously awesome prizes!!  You can read all about it on the Verve Blog.

To say that I had a hard time choosing just one project to use as my inspiration was difficult is a huge understatement! Wow! You all are SO creative!! I finally decided on Stephanie's beautiful Miss You Like Crazy card! I just adore the fun, bright colors...not to mention the fab layout (which happens to be a Mojo Monday sketch)! :-)

Instead of a card, I turned my project into a little homemade notebook. I have filled up my other notebook that I have been using for sketches and thought it was time to make another one. I used the Brighter Days set (along with the cute little stitches form the Borderline set) combined with the following dies: Pennant Trim, Curvy Bookplate, Scalloped Flowers, & Leafy Sprigs. I chose the Good Things are Going to Happen sentiment...because honestly I thought it was perfect for a sketchbook! LOL!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hugs, Laurie

 

Stamps: Brighter Days, Borderline (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  For the Record 2 (Echo Park), Rectangle chipboard (2 pieces), Index cards, Vellum c.s.
Ink:  Black Onyx Versafine Ink, Chai Ink (PTI)
Accessories:  Pennant Trim, Curvy Bookplate, Scalloped Flowers, Leafy Sprigs dies (A Cut Above by Verve)
Daffodil Delight grosgrain ribbon (SU!), Oval Nestabilities, Corner Rounder, Buttons, Button string, Clear embossing powder (Judikins)