Double Flap and Finished Swap

We finished all 51 of the swap cards yesterday and they are gorgeous!!  I can't show you the card until Thursday but I can show you the card I made for my father-in-law that I based the swap design on. This is how Kim and I work. One of us comes up with a design and the other tweaks it and we go back and forth until we have it right. Once I post the swap card on Thursday and you compare it to today's card, you'll see what our collaborations can achieve.

I started with a Flap Fold pattern from Technique Junkies Fancy Folds and Motion CD then, as usual, I did my own thing to it. The stamps, ink and cardstock are all Stampin'Up, the bikes were colored with Copics and the faint texture you see on the Baja Breeze cardstock was applied with the Papertrey Ink Linen & Canvas Impression Plate.

Card Closed:

Card Open:

Til next time...

Double Gate Fold

Have to do this quick.  I'm helping a friend make her swaps for the StampinUp Convention this week. 51 of the same stinkin' card!  Glad I'm not a Demo. So any who way...

One of the Father's Day cards I made for my husband was a double gatefold using SU's Plane & Simple set. I cut 2-  5 1/2 x 8 1/2 pieces of Wild Wasabi, scored and valley folded the at 4 1/4 then scored and mountain folded them at 2 1/8. I then overlapped the 4 1/4 inch ends to make a 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 card when closed.

Colors are Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake.

Til next time...

Katie's Kitchen

One of the main reasons I haven't posted in so long is the total renovation of our kitchen area.  We completely gutted the room and started all over from scratch with new electric, plumbing, insulation, wallboard, ceiling etc.  It was a much larger undertaking than I thought and took far longer than expected but it was definitely worth it.

Here is the old, dark, dismal, cramped kitchen. It looks way better in the photo than it was in real life.

And here it is torn apart.

On it's way back together.

Here it is waiting for tile backsplashes and a big tile something or other over the stove.

Our tile installer got involved with a big job out in California and while I was waiting for his return I realized that tile would be too overwhelming.  That and I really wanted the darn room DONE!  So out came the paint, roller, blue tape, then starch & iron for the curtains.  A trip to Hobby Lobby for something to hang over the stove and it is finally finished! 

The west wall.

The north wall.

The south wall.

This has been a dream come true for me.  The kitchen has always been the center of our home and family and now it is the heart and soul as well.  We have already shared some great times together in this room and are looking forward to many more to come.

 

Til next time...

Another Challenge

Wow! I've posted 2 days in a row! I'm on a roll. Today's card is using the technique for this week's PTI Make It Monday Challenge found here. The ink and cardstock is from StampinUp in Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz and Chocolate Chip. The flowers are from last years PTI Anniversary set, Round and Round, which is not available for purchase. All other stamps are from current Papertrey Ink sets. The dies are from PTI, ribbon from my stash, border punch from Fiskars and the buttons were made from cardstock using SU's embosslit, Sweet Buttons and coated with Crystal Effects.

Til next time...

Back & Up for a Challenge

I can't believe it's been over 3 months since I have posted anything.  I know I've been very busy but just not sure with what. I've made a ton of great projects but forgot to photograph any of them before sending them off to their recipients. Hopefully I can get back in the swing of things starting with this sketch challenge from Waltzingmouse.

The colors used were Real Red, Peach Parfait, So Saffron and Certainly Celery in inks and cardstock from StampinUp. Rubberstamps are from Waltzingmouse, Dies from Spellbinders, border punch from EKSuccess and ribbon from my stash. Flowers were colored with Copics in the colors shown.

Tomorrow I will be posting my card for PTI's Make It Monday Challenge.

Til next time...

Keep on truckin'

My chickens must have Spring Fever because they keep escaping from their enclosure to dig massive craters in my husbands rose garden.  In between chasing them back in where they belong every half hour, gathering all the info I need to do the taxes plus all the other stuff I have to do on any given day, I managed to complete all 5 weeks of March's Verve Challenges.  I just haven't managed to post the last 3 that I did. I guess I am really out of practice because these card designs are all over the place. One is great, one stinks and the rest are just "Eh" but I did do all 5 weeks. That should count for something at least.


For Week 3 I used some old Bo-Bunny paper from my stash. It was called Autumn Leaves but it sure looked like Spring to me.  I created the Medallion with an SVG set I downloaded from Lettering Delights, MTC and my electronic die cutter. The stamps are all Verve, the edge punch is Martha Stewart, ribbon from Ellen Hutson, twine from The Twinery and a button from an old shirt of mine. LOL  Oh, and the stitching was done by hand with some DMC Pearl Floss.

Til next time...