Card Creations, SEI and Jillibean Soup

I have so much to share with you today! Are you ready for a crafty show and tell? First up, this Thanks card I created with Pebbles' beautiful Front Porch collection was published in Paper Crafts; Card Creations, Volume 12. 

It's funny how I drop everything to peruse this magazine from cover-to-cover when it arrives! It's full of amazing card designs and I'm always left with lots of ideas! 

Second, the SEI March Cardmaking Kit is now available and I have a couple card creations to share with you here. And here's a little peek...

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm guest designing this week at Jillibean's Card Kitchen blog and have these cards to share. Following is a peek at one of those. 

Whew! I've been busy!

2014 Album Cover

It's official! I'm taking the plunge into a week-by-week family scrapbook for 2014 and here's my cover page. 

 I've wanted to to document all the 'little things' of family life for years, but I've been terrified about being able to keep up with it for 52 weeks! So, I decided to keep the design simple and to use only supplies I already have in my stash. For this cover, I used Pebbles beautiful Front Porch collection and the album and inserts are from Storybook by Doodlebug.

This quote has topped my blog for eons, it's one that resonates with me and I think it's perfect for this project, don't you?

One of my biggest challenges will be getting photos of Christopher week after week. To say he dislikes having his photo taken is an understatement! Time to get creative! ;)

I had to put our big, yawning, fluffy kitty on the cover...he symbolizes the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere we work to maintain at home.

Thanks to all of you who have been creating Project Life albums, you've inspired me with your amazing pages over the years! I'm excited that my family will have one to treasure too!

Die Cut Embossing

I'm back after a lovely and restful weekend spent with the hubs. Christopher was at mini camp over the past few days so Dan and I had time to dine, wine, visit the history museum and catch a movie.

I also got to spent a little time in the craft room playing with a new set of Top Dog Dies called Leafy Flourishes.

I thought it would be fun to make a faux dry embossed background with this set.

It's super easy! Just create a few cuts...

...glue them to the same color card stock...

...and use a white ink pad to wipe across the design. Looks neat, huh?

Then I added my 'embossed' design to some lovely Pebbles patterned paper from the Front Porch collection.

(Buy Now - $2.99)

To finished the card I added patterned paper hearts and a sentiment card along with a mini clothespin and a jute bow. I love all the texture, how about you?

Well, I've got some more crafty ideas I want to work on so I'm going to play some more! ;)

Thanks

Tis the week before Christmas and all through the house there's a flurry of wrapping, baking and crafting...it's not quiet as a mouse! 

In between the hustle and bustle of holiday hoopla, I'm making time to craft thank yous and Valentine's too.This card went out in the mail yesterday, created with my favorite Pebbles' Front Porch collection.

So what's happening around your home this week? I'm eating entirely too many sweets and enjoying every morsel! ;)

Holiday Gift Giving

Finding the perfect gift for Christmas is no easy task! Personally I love giving gift cards so that my friends and family can get exactly what they want or need. To make gift cards more fun to receive I'll make a small handmade gift to go with them. 

For this gift card project, I used a cut file to make a simple pillow box from white card stock and then dressed it up with some pretty patterned paper and accents from Bella Blvd's Christmas Countdown collection.

See the little spool ornament? Recently while on Pinterest I saw a similar one made by Linda Aclair, design team member from Epiphany Crafts. I wanted to make one of these myself using Bella Blvd's colorful buttons.

For my next gift card project I dressed up an unfinished wood frame in more Christmas Countdown goodness and then used a thin metal die to create a matching envelope for the gift card.

Long after the gift cards are spent, my recipients will have pretty little holiday decor pieces to deck their halls with each year!

To see more gift card giving creations, head over to Bella Blvd.

Before I rush off I have more gifting projects to share with you over on the Pebbles blog. It's the post I mentioned yesterday...there was a small glitch, but it's available now. Enjoy!

T.G.I.F!

Thank You

Now that I've managed to chase our kitty, Oreo, out of the Christmas tree, I can share with you a thank you card I made recently using Pebbles' beautiful Front Porch collection. 

Wouldn't this be great to send to your Thanksgiving hostess? Actually it could be used any time of year...that's what I love about Front Porch...it's versatility. I've been using it a lot for Christmas themed projects too that you will be seeing soon.

(Buy Now - $2.99)

The card's is pretty simple, just a couple patterned papers, a couple die cuts, a pretty flower sticker and jute. A quick question for you...do you prefer clean and simple designs or my more layered with lots of goodies? Or both?

Since I began my post telling you about Oreo climbing the tree, I thought I'd share this photo. It was taken last Friday when we put the tree up. It's currently Oreo's favorite holiday activity! He lays on the branches as if perched comfortably on the sofa! Notice the Hallmark ornament? Kitty trying to reach the mistletoe? It's from the Mischievous Kitty series! ;)

I wouldn't know a thing about mischievous kitties now, would I? ;)

Let it Snow!

I've got it bad for snowflakes lately! They're appearing on just about every wintry Christmas project I've made in the past couple weeks! And my favorite snowflakes are these I've been creating with the Top Dog Dies' Snowflake Trio Die Set. 

They're my favorite because of the gorgeous detailing and varying sizes. I started this card by making negative snowflake shapes and then filled them in with the die cut snowflakes.

I love the texture and dimension this technique creates!

The soft colored patterned papers I used are from Pebbles' Front Porch collection.

(Buy Now - $2.99)

I finished the card with a few glittered snowflakes accents, some baker's twine and a couple jingle bells.

The weather in North Carolina has been below normal for days now so this card is quite fitting, don't you think? Each morning we've been waking up to a blanket of frost. It's so pretty when the sun comes up and makes everything sparkle!

Thanks for dropping by! :)

Hello!

Hello, hello, hello! It's Monday. How about we start the week off with a dose of creativity? I have two cards to share that I made with the lovely Front Porch collection from Pebbles. 

(Buy Now - $2.99)

(Buy Now - $2.99)

One of my favorite patterned papers in the Front Porch line is the conversation bubbles! For my first card I used it for my background and for the second card I fussy cut some of the bubbles for the focal point. What do you think? Like? I think Front Porch is such a fabulously fun and versatile collection!

Hope you have a great Monday! Thanks for spending a bit of it with me! :)