Kangaroo is Expecting

I made this sweet card a few days ago using the Kangaroo & Company stamp set for my daughter.  I thought it would so cute as a maternity card and to welcome in the new baby girl who will be joining our family in a few months!  I'm excited to finally make some "baby" crafts and I'm looking forward to becoming a "Nana."  :)

To make the card, I used some older designer paper that had pink flowers in it.  The set is so cute because you can put a small kangaroo or other designs in her belly.  I chose the hearts coming out and all around to celebrate her pregnancy.  And isn't the little envelope stamp so cute?  I signed the card, Love Nana for the first time.  :)

 

Fine Art Floral Suite

 This week I made four cards using the Fine Art Floral stamps and papers from the Mini Catalog.  Right from the first glimpse into this catalog, I knew that I would love this suite, and I do!

For this card, I folded back the front panel to make it a "fun fold" card.  I added designer papers to the front and inside panels.  You can't see it in the photo, but I added a piece of white behind the front flap to write your saying.

I used markers to color the flowers and cut them out with the die shape.  I also cut out the same shape in vellum to give it a little depth and interest.  I adhered the gold hoop using glue dots.  I don't remember which die set the scalloped trim is from, but it looks nice along the edge of the square.  I got the idea for this card from Anne Marie Hile.  

For this next card, I used the same color scheme, but added some more colors to the flowers.  I saw this idea from Vicki Burdick.

The base of these cards is Poppy Parade.  They look so bright and "springy!"  

This card uses mostly the Fine Floral Art designer paper and the Golden Garden acetate overlay.  I added a gold butterfly cut out to embellish the card.  I didn't think it even needed a saying.  It's just so pretty.  The idea is from Libby Fens.

I used to not like purple cards, but the Highland Heather is just so wonderful to work with.  I used Best Dressed designer papers to match the purple and added some flowers from the suite to embellish it with.  I used a small rectangle die to cut the holes.  The saying is from Sweet Ice Cream stamp set that I won at the last Stampin Up conference.  I saw this idea from Cindy MacLean.  

I loved working with this set.  I didn't get a chance to use the gold flakes so I still want to make more with it.  Another day.  :)

Touch of Ink

Touch of Ink is one of the stamp sets offered in the Sale-a-Bration promotion through Stampin Up.  It has pretty nature images and this week, I made 4 cards using the set.  

For this purple card, I used Highland Heather card stock and some gingham paper from last spring. I think anything made with gingham adds a touch of spring to it.  I saw this idea from Jan B on Pinterest.  

Next up is a pretty card made using Petal Pink with embossing in the background.  I added a scalloped cut out layer and then colored in some of the images with Stamping Blends, cut them out and added them on top.  I saw this idea from Martin's Mayhem.  I love how she added the white die cut strip and the white embossed banner for a different look.

For this card, I used the Ombre designer papers from the Sale-a-Bration catalog.  I added the oval focal point and the hummingbird.  He looks a bit psychedelic, don't you think?  I got this idea from Katie Drew.

This last card features paper from the Flower and Field designer paper pack.  I don't usually like to work with dark colors, but I saw this idea from Christy Gridley and decided to try it.  I actually love how it came out.  Different for me, but striking.  It kind of reminds me of a summer night when the fireflies are out.  :)

Four completely different cards, but I like using this set.  

 

Woodland Quilt

There are projects of all sorts lying around in the craft rooms at my house.  I guess if you're not a crafter, that's hard to understand.  But it's part of my life.  LOL

I like to start projects and don't always finish them right away.  This is one of those projects. Quilters like to call them "UFO's" - unfinished objects.  I found this quilt top already put together while I was doing some sorting in the sewing room the other day.  So I took it out, added some batting and backing and decided to finished it up!

The colors are very soft flannels and minky fabrics that I got at Joanns a few years ago.  The design on the print has little woodland animals on it.  The squares are about 3 1/2 inches big and if you look closely, there is a pattern to the layout.  

Here you can see the little animals.  I quilted simple straight lines on the squares and used minky for the binding so that the edges would be nice and soft.

While I was working on the binding, I set the quilt down for just a minute to answer the phone.  And when I came back, look who claimed it as her own!  Ginger loves her softies.  :)

 

Berry Delightful Cards

Featured in the Sale-a-Bration catalog this year is a sweet stamp set called Berry Blessings and coordinating designer papers with a Berry theme.  The papers are so colorful and the images cut out nicely to put on your projects.

I started out making a desk calendar for this year using the pretty papers.  I cut out the strawberries and the flower from the papers.  The saying is from a older stamp set but I thought that it went well with this set.  

Up next is another sweet strawberry card featuring a couple of the berries.  I also cut these out from the designer papers.  I got this idea from Tammy Wilson.  Sweet, right?  (Get it?)

I just love this card!  I cut out the "basket" from the designer papers and used a scallop punch for the top.  I used a ribbon punch to cut out the handle.  Then I just snipped a few blueberries from the designer papers, added a flower and saying.  I used the basket weave embossing folder for the background.  I found the idea for this online, but can't find the designer.  If this card idea is yours, let me know so that I can give you credit. 

The next card has a little envelope and a "letter" inside of it.  I found the cut outs for those in the new Snailed It bundle.  I know that I'll use the envelope die for a lot more things!  

Here's another card made using the raspberry paper.  The colors are just so rich.  

Lastly, I made this card using the die strip from the Ornate Borders.  I saw this idea from Su Mohr on Pinterest.  

Do you like the Berry cards?  Which one is your favorite?  

 

Flower Power Rainbow Quilt

Okay, I've been working on this quilt for a long time - like 3 years.  I keep taking it out to work on it, but don't quite get it done.  But this weekend I finally finished it!  

One dreary winter day about three years ago, I went into my sewing room and cut out lots of 5" squares from my stash.  I sewed a strip onto two sides of each square and then laid them out in some form of a rainbow.  I had to move the squares around a bit to get the look that I was going for.  But eventually I liked the layout.  

I worked on the quilt here and there throughout the years but finally this weekend, I put it on my longarm and decided to finish it up.

While trying to decide how I wanted to quilt it, I decided to do freeform flowers, kind of like Flower Power designs from the 70s.  I thought that theme went along well with my Rainbow quilt.  So it's the Flower Power Rainbow Quilt.  Catchy, don't you think?

I put a black binding on it.  I'm still not sure if I totally like it.  I tried some darker grays, but just didn't think that they framed the quilt as well.  What do you think?  Do you like the black border?

Here's a pic of me at one of my sewing retreats after I put a border on it.  Someday I'd like to make more rainbow quilts using different patterns.  Next time, I hope they don't take as long!

 

Darling Donkeys

 This week I was playing around with the Darling Donkeys stamp set from the Sale-a-Bration catalog.  I paired them with Flowers for Every Season designer papers.  I thought that the donkeys needed a farm fence or something to "ground" them, so I used the Ride the Range stamp set and Open Range dies to embellish my cards.

This first "Hee Haw!  It's your birthday!" card also uses the Oh, So Ombre papers from Sale-a-Bration.  I love the bright, happy look to this card.  The little donkey is kicking up his heels to celebrate with you.  :)

In this card, the donkey is showing his love to you by offering a rose!  He's on the farm, complete with windmill and fence.  I also used some flowers from Grace's Garden for his field.  Seriously, this makes me happy.  

In this card, the little donkey is sitting down.  He reminds me a bit of Eeyore, don't you think?  I even put a little bow on his tail.  He's sitting beside hay bales and just being thankful.  

I had a lot of fun using the donkey set.  I can't wait to try him in other settings.  

What would you pair him with for your cards?