Go Team Go!!!

Tomorrow my friend Stephanie is running the San Diego Rock N' Roll Marathon as a participant with Team in Training. She has been doing a lot of events with TNT since she lost her sister to Acute Myelogenous Leukemia in 2002. As a matter of fact, Steph and I met as TNT teammates in 2007. This year she set her fundraising goal at $4000, she is closing in on that goal (if you want to check out her page, it is here). She has been doing a lot of races the past year, some for causes and others just for fun. I last saw her at the triathlon I did on May 3rd. She had several friends participating in it, and she came out to show us support. She really is an awesome woman! I am going to meet her around the halfway point tomorrow, to show my support. I wanted to make a card for her, and here is what I ended up with:

I followed this week's OCC sketch, which I turned on its side. I tried to match the TNT colors as much as possible (which isn't easy--it's a funky purple and a funky green). I used DCWV(green) and CTMH cardstock (White Daisy), and CTMH Enchanted paper. Stamp sets used were CTMH Be Yourself and You Rock. Inks used were Black and Pansy Purple, I also used Bella's Baubles in an unknown shade of purple.

Getting my Mojo back

I made it through the ENTIRE week last week without making a single card. It certainly wasn't for lack of desire to make a card, or lack of inspiration. I actually had quite a few challenges that I fully intended to do last week. I even went so far as to choose inks, stamps and papers for a few cards. Somehow, time managed to get away from me and the next thing I know it is Tuesday, and all of last week's challenges went unfulfilled. So, even though I should have been doing classwork (this week is the first week of my college algebra class), I decided to make a card.

This card was made following this week's Mojo Monday sketch. I used the CTMH Animal Cookies Creative Basics papers, Clover Meadow, Sunflower and Tulip cardstock, Tulip ink, and the new Thank You stamp set. Embellishments were Bella's Baubles (I have NO IDEA what the color is--I split a pack with a friend. It may be apricot jam from the Tutti Frutti bauble set) and stitched ribbon from my stash. Circle and scalloped circle were cut with Nestabilities, and the rectangles were mounted with 3-D Mounting Foam. When the Summer Idea Book came out, I wasn't a big fan of the Animal Cookies paper. After seeing it in person, especially the Creative Basics pack, I actually like those papers a lot.

Rockin' Birthday Card

This is the birthday card I made for my husband, following Card Patterns Sketch #13. I used the new CTMH Moon Doggie papers, along with Desert Sand, Chocolate, Honey and Indian Corn Blue. Stamp sets used were Happy Birthday, Star Struck, and You Rock. Inks used were Cocoa and Indian Corn Blue. The star was mounted using 3-D Foam Mounting Squares.

Teacher Appreciation

So, apparently last week was national teacher appreciation week. Which I didn't find out until late one evening (I think Wednesday). I won't say anything about my teacher BB's not telling me in a more timely manner. Anyhoo, so on Thursday I made a Thank You card for K to sign and take to his teacher. Then today I get an email from our classroom parent that NEXT WEEK is Teacher Appreciation Week. I have NO idea why our district is doing it during a different week, but I guess I'll be making another card. I don't mind, though. For now, here is the card I made for teacher.



I used the sketch from Card Positioning Systems for this card. Papers used were CTMH Animal Cookies and CTMH cardstock in Clover Meadow, Dutch Blue and White Daisy. Buttons are CTMH, and the ribbon is unknown from the stash. Tools used were Cuttlebug with Nestabilities and EK Success Corner Rounder. Sentiment is from For Every Occasion and is stamped in Sunflower.

Yet to be

This baby congrats card was made following this week's Mojo Monday sketch (which I took minor liberties with). This card will be accompanying a late baby gift (which I will post at a later time). I really love the blues and yellow together. I would have liked to have had (wait for it Sue) orange flowers that matched the thin orange stripes to add a bit of contrast, but I think it turned out well. The patterned papers and textured (darker blue) cardstock are DCWV. I also used CTMH cardstock in Crystal Blue and Sunkiss Yellow, CTMH inks in Crystal Blue and Buttercup, CTMH buttons, Imaginisce flowers, and Karen Foster Design floss. Stamp sets used were CTMH Reminisce (sentiment in the box)and Moments (flourish).

Cameo

Today I chose patterned paper by 7 Gypsies to make this card for the OCC Sketch Challenge. Originally, I planned to use a flower of some sort. When I started visualizing the card, I started to think of how just the two colors made me think of those cameo brooches that my grandmother had (and the cameo images she had on the wall in her living room). So I decided to use Be Yourself (the May Stamp of the Month) for the image. This card went together rather easily, I actually spent more time choosing the papers than I did making the card. In addition to the 7 Gypsies paper (Requiem Quad), I used unknown cardstock and black rhinestones from my stash. Ovals were cut with Nestabilities Petite Oval Large. The card base was made from black, and I put a slightly smaller square of the red cardstock on the inside for sentiment and signature. The ovals were mounted with 3-D Foam Mounting Squares.

Mother's Day Card for the MIL

I made a Mother's Day card for my husband to send to his mother. When I took the card in and handed it to him, his response was "you made yourself a card?" @@ Men...



Once again I'm completing two challenges with one card. The sketch is from Mojo Monday. Make sure you participate in this week's challenge, they will be giving away up to seven Verve Stamps stamp sets. The OCC challenge for this week was to create something for the moms in our lives. I made this card in 5 X 6 1/2, I just didn't think an A2 size was good for a Mother's Day card (is it just me, or are all of the store-bought Mother's Day cards HUGE???). The papers are CTMH That's Amore, with cardstock in Garden Green, Blush, Chocolate Brown, and Tulip. The ribbon is also CTMH. I used my Fiskars Threading Water punch, Cuttlebug Textile embossing folder and Nestabilities Labels One. The green label was actually cut out by using my Coluzzle swivel knife to trace around the same die I used to cut out the pink label. Stamp set used was CTMH Say It In Style. Inks used were Blush (sponged on the pink label) and Tulip. I was about to say that I didn't go crazy with this card because I wasn't sure that my MIL would appreciate the effort that goes in to a handmade card, but once I typed it all out, I realize that I did put a lot of work into this. She'd better appreciate it!!

I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

So this week I used the Mojo Monday Sketch to do Sparkle's Christmas Card Challenge. This week Sparkle challenged us to use snowmen, with bonus points for using pink. Since I can't seem to turn down a challenge (which is part of why I will be doing a triathlon on Sunday), I decided to use pink in my cards.

The first card was made using a pretty paper I bought specifically to do this challenge (Jolly & Bright Holly Stripe Shimmer Glitter Paper by Heidi Grace Designs). It is hard to tell, but this paper has a very light pink base color. I also used CTMH Evensong Background and Texture paper, and CTMH cardstock in Baby Pink, Garden Green, Barn Red and White Daisy. Stamp sets used were Snow Friends and Christmas Melodies. Circle and Scalloped circle were cut with Nestabilities and mounted on 3-D Mounting foam, and the Snowflake brads are from Michael's. The snowman's hat was colored with CTMH markers, and his shadow lines were accented with White Snow glitter by Inkadinkadoo. Organza ribbon is from CTMH.



The second card was made using DCWV papers, and CTMH cardstock in Barn Red, Colonial White and White Daisy. His shadow lines were dusted with tiny glass beads, his hat was stamped on and cut from the striped paper, and the sparkles are from my stash. The snowflake was heat embossed in white powder on Barn Red cardstock and mounted with 3-D Foam Mounting Squares. Stitched ribbon is CTMH. My Christmas card box is getting full, I like it!!