New Baby Girl!

One of our staff members just had a little baby girl and I needed to make a card to give with our gift.  I wanted to do something a bit different and I had seen a little paper carriage somewhere in blog land. 


I think that blog had a cutting layout, but since I can't remember where it is I needed to come up with my own pattern.  I wanted to use the tools available to me and I was not about to cut out the pieces by hand (bad idea!).  So, I used my Cuttlebug and Spellbinder circles to do the work for me.

I have both the small and large circles, which came in handy.  I used the 3 1/4, 3, 2 3/4, 1, and 3/4 inch circles to cut the base and two layers of designer paper.

After cutting the two base circles I needed to find the center of each and cut out 1/4 of the circle.

The carriage backing is cut from the same card stock at 2 1/4 by 7 3/4 and scored at 1/4 inch on both of the long sides.  To make it fit better around the circle you will need to cut out little triangles along both edges near the score lines as shown.

Carriage Base Pieces

Next I cut out my coordinating and designer papers.  The handle is a little piece 3/8 by 4 inches.  You can make it thinner or wider depending on the sentiment you want to use.

 Next, I layered all the pieces and began the construction process.  I quickly found that the backing strip needed to be made with really strong adhesive, so be sure to use something like Scoretape instead of a glue runner. I placed the Scoretape on the circle instead of the backing strip.

Working with one side at a time, gently ease the strip around the edges of the circle and press firmly to make it stick.  Make sure that your two edges line up for a clean seam.

After I had the base put together I attached the wheels with brads, then added my embellishments of pearls, lace and a ribbon.



We are going to slip a gift card for baby supplies into the carriage and deliver it this weekend.

Have a go at your own version and let me know how it turns out.

Happy Stamping!

Meeting New Friends

Shortly after starting my blog in January I met (on line) a fellow blogger and card maker Sheree who lives just 30 miles north of me in Campbell River.  After looking at blogs from all over the world it was cool to know that there was someone else doing this who lived close.

So anyway, we resolved to meet someday and that day was Saturday!  Sheree and I met at a SB store in Campbell River, She Runs With Scissors.  What a great store!  If you ever make a trip to Victoria BC you'll have to take a day trip up the island and check out all our great SB and stamping stores. Contact me and I would be happy to give you a list and personal tour.

Well wouldn't you know meeting Sheree was like meeting a long lost friend.  Sheree brought some of her Stampscapes cards to show and it is a good thing because they are soooo beautiful.  The pictures on her blog are great but they don't do justice to the real thing.  We exchanged little gifts too.  I gave Sheree some of my new paper flowers that I am working on and a couple of my quilled sunflowers .....

I had a great time and it was very cool to meet a fellow blogger in person.  I also made a great haul at the store and added to my bling stash, found some amazing designer paper, as well as a couple of really cute stamps.  Here is a card I made with some of what I found at She Runs With Scissors.

I just love this Basic Grey Curio dp.  The flowers are a lovely peachy color and surely helps me work through all this rain in hopes of a nice Spring day.  The image is Kiki LaRue from C.C. Designs.  I used my new EK Success Retro Flower punch to make the little buds and used some coordinating Basic Grey brads to finished it off.

Reach out to someone new and make a friend.  I highly recommend it!
Have a great day!

Princess for a Day

My card for the Totally Gojuss challenge uses C.C. Designs Sweat November Arabella colored with Copics and framed inside a Spellbinders oval on a bed of lace.   I love this image!  It is going to be perfect for my little grand daughter's birthday as she dresses like a princess most days and certainly is her dad's princess. 

Arabella is surrounded by SU pearls and the hint of flowers from the Cuttle Bug embossing folder.

 The paper is from So Sophie - Open Your Heart - Royal Paper.  Such fitting dp for a princess!  I used Copics BV0000, BV000, BV00 and a hint of V17 for the dress.  I also air brushed the oval to give a gentle frame to the beautiful Arabella.

The royal flower was made with mulberry paper using Becca's folded flower.  Check out her great video instructions.  I only used the smallest 3 sheets as this size fit best with the card.  The brad is from My Mind's Eye.

This card was also entered into Aly's Sunday Challenge.

Well, I have to get back to work.  I just took a break to post this card.  I'll have more tonight as I am working on something for a couple more challenges.

Happy Stamping!

7 Kids College Fund Challenge

I am definitely having fun this weekend catching up on my card making.  I Copic colored a few images while I was away and this little C.C. Designs Sweetheart is one of them.  She gets entered into the 7 Kids College Fund challenge.  You have to use one of the images they sell and fortunately they sell C. C. Designs.

I have been in kind of a green mood lately (I guess that is a desire for Spring) and colored a few of my images with a variety of greens.  For this one I used YG21, YG23 and YG25 along with some browns.  The flowers include one of my Sizzex 3-D flowers and a couple of Prima.

Oh yeah, got a new punch from Martha Stewart - the green sprig.

Happy Stamping!!

Black and White

I made a little card for the Cupcake Craft Roon Challenge this month.  The theme is black and white.  Funny, this theme, people used to tell me I was as black and white thinker.  Fortunately, not so much any more - age has a way of mellowing us a bit.

The designer paper is from Momenta - Story of Us cardstock pad.  The layered frames and sentiment is from JustRite Baroque Nested Frames.

I have a couple more cards made and ready to post through the weekend.

Happy Stamping!!

Making Cards Again

Hi everyone,

I have had a bit of a dry spell being away on holiday and then coming back to a mountain of work to catch up on.  Well, last night I couldn't take it anymore and made a couple of cards.

First, let me show you the Magnolia package that arrived when I got home.  I subscribed to the Magnolia stamp club late last year and have just received my second shipment. I can't wait to stamp these images and see how cute they are and make them up into cards.

The other piece of news is about a wonderful lady I met at the ceramic table in Cancun.  She is actually from Texas but living at least part time in Mexico.  One of the things she does is arrange weddings for Americans while in Mexico and she asked if I made wedding invitations.  Well ya'know any of us card makers can make wedding invitations.  Her next one has a seahorse theme so I made up a sample card, not as an invitation but just a card .....

I added Stampin Up's Crystal Effects to the bubbles, and

a little bit of gold Stickles to the sand.

You can see the sparkle on this picture a little better than the standing image.

The card base is Bazzil layered with Creative Imaginations designer paper.  I stamped the SU seahorse from a set I got back in 2003 (can't remember the name).  The other image is Great Impressions.  I stamped them both onto Velum paper and then Copic colored the back side of the velum.  It produces a subtle effect but still maintains the vibrancy of Copic markers.  The sentiment is from another SU set from 2001.

I entered this card into Penny's Paper-Crafting Challenge #48 and MelJens Designs #49.

Well, I need to get going.  There are challenges to enter and many more cards to make.

Have a great day!!



Stylish Blogger Award

Wow, this world of blogging is fun,exciting and full of surprizes!  I just returned home from two fabulous weeks in Mexico. Here I am at the hotel making a ceramic plate, painted in the Mayan style.  I had to keep connected to crafting evan while enjoying the sun and sand down south.

I returned home to learn that I have been awarded a Stylish Blogger award.  Thank you Sheree for thinking of me.  I love your stampscapes cards and your blog.  It's full of information and links to lots of blog candy!  I also love that you are close - just about 30 minutes away in Campbell River.  I hope to meet you in person some day.

So, I am supposed to tell 7 things about me and then pay this award forward.......

1. I am passionate about my family - I have four grown children and five grandchildren.
2. I am passionate about my relationship with God - we attend Central Evangelical Free Church.

3 I am passionate about my dog - "Sasha" a 6-month old Yorkshire Terrier.
4. I am passionate about my work - I work as a Business Analyst for the BC provincial government.
5. I am passionate about making cards and stamping - I have been making cards since the 80's (thanks mom!) and just started blogging in January.
6. I am passionate about knitting - I have a small knitting group on Tuesday nights that has been meeting for the last 9 years.
7. I am passionate about learning new things! 

Here are a few other bloggers who surely deserve this award:

• Roxie - she has a wonderful site with fabulous cards and tutorials.  She is also a DT member for a couple of companies.
• Tracy - she is a fellow Magnolia lover!
• Linda - a fellow grandma and great card maker.
• Janeen - a blogger of more than cards - I just got a great bread recipe!

I could go on and on with the blogs that have shown me great cards, tutorials and that something extra that deserves to be called a Stylish Blogger.

Thanks Sheree,
Nancy

P.S. Tomorrow I will post a card!