It's been a very busy week...

My craft room is clean!  And this is why:

I spent the last full week in the kitchen, and the first-ever family Christmas brunch turned out great!  Now, back to the craft room...and hopefully, more faithful blog posts in the coming year! Were you playing with paper, or flour this past week? 
I would love to hear what you've been up to...and as always, thanks for stopping by!

Birthday near the holidays? What does that card look like?

A birthday near the holidays means the card looks NOTHING like Christmas!  Well, at least in my world.  I always feel badly for the person who has a birthday near Christmas.  I make every effort to stay away from anything resembling Christmas colors!  So, this was the card for someone in my office that just celebrated her birthday.

I used the Magnifique paper and added some "feather-like" stamping on the large piece with the Lagoon color from the coordinating paper under the sentiment. Another quick and easy card, and she loved it!  So gratifying to see someone enjoy a card you made with them in mind.

Ok, that's the little break from Christmas cards...now, back to the red and green of the season!

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Gift Card for the Baked Goodies

Made this little gingerbread house for my cookie plates for the neighbors.  I rarely use my heat gun and embossing powders.  I forgot how easy it is!

I embossed the house on brown bag cardstock from Close To My Heart, then layered it on a card made from cranberry cardstock, and cut it out the shape of the house. The stamp is Around the Block. The November 2009 stamp of the month, also from Close To My Heart.  I'm loving the holiday prep this year!  Hope you are too!  As always, thanks for stopping by.
--Margo

Let the season begin!

I've been so excited for the holidays this year...not sure why this one feels any different than the rest.  Here's another card that is super simple for mass production!  Do you send handmade cards each year? How many cards do you send out each Christmas?

Have fun getting ready for the holidays!  And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Father Christmas - Not So Traditional

I had a lot of fun making this card.  Used brown Staz-On on glossy cardstock.  Painted the picture, then glittered him all up!  Just had to switch things up to see what would happen...well, this is what happened.
Enjoy, and as always...thanks for stopping by!

I really want that vintage look!

It was last Easter when I stumbled across a bunch of vintage'y Easter decorations.  You know, the kind with crepe paper, tinsel and glitter?  I was surfing Etsy at the time, and was absolutely mesmerized by all of  it. I knew I would have to try to make something and never got around to it.  What better time to try than for Christmas cards!  Go figure...when I want to see it again for inspiration, I couldn't find any.  So, I played around a bit and came up with this one.  Still feel like it's missing something though.  What do you think? I'd love to hear what you would add/change.  Do you know of any blogs or Etsy sellers who have this "sort" of stuff -- I'd love for you to share those with me too!

I'll play with this concept some more.  I found silver tinsel ribbon at Michael's yesterday.  I'm sure that will add more dimension.  Have a great day and as always, thanks for stopping by! --Margo

Noel - sing it with me?

Here's a card inspired by the A Card A Day book by PaperCrafts.  The music paper I used is from the Misteltoe collection by Close To My Heart.  The stamp was taken from their Father Christmas set.  I used my Cricut to cut out the NOEL letters (Plantin), then used the sheet they were cut out from...so that it is set "stencil style".  My little music notes are from the Cricut cartridge Joys of the Season. I had a great time making this card.  My bff Kate and I went through every step together deciding just how to mimic the sample card (which was actually a school days sample).  I distressed the edges on this one and shaded around the inside of the letters.  Not sure if you can tell the cardstock I used for the stamp was worked over quite a lot to make it very plyable, trying to get a really distressed look. Hope you enjoy this one, and as always, thanks for stopping by! --Margo 

O Christmas Tree!

Whew!  Just spent the last 3 days in the craft room with my bff, making cards.  We had SO much fun trying new things.  The polka dot ribbon is copy paper, stamped and folded.  I saw this on a live-stream tutorial by Tresa Black.  You can find the link here.  I wonder if there is anyone who doesn't follow Tresa's fabulous work!?

This "Evergreen" stamp set is from Close To My Heart, along with the cardstock. Cardstock was embossed with dotted swiss and then sanded down to the white core.  I layered my trees.  Far right is a single, far left is a double, and the middle tree is three layers total.  The star was a pain to get three layered, I need to come up with something dimensional for this, but cardstock was all I had at hand.  Yes it's true!  There are things that I NEED in my craft room still!  A dimensional star the right color of yellow is one!

I have several more cards to post over the next few days. These last few days were SO inspiring! I hope to keep working even those my dear friend is on her way home!  I hope you have a great weekend doing something fun. 

As always, thanks for stopping by!
--Margo

Christmas card using my Cricut and Mistletoe paper

Had fun with friends this weekend -- I designed two cards and here's the favorite of the group.  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and wishing you a fabulous week ahead of you!

(Sorry about the quality -- it's from my iPhone in really poor lighting!)

My how time flies...

Holy smokes...can it be almost 9 months since I added something here?  YIKES...good thing I don't have a paycheck riding on this!  I've made SO many cards since my last post I don't know where to begin.  I'm going to post a couple of pictures, and try to take time at least once a week to add more.  Now, after this much time, I may actually be "typing" to myself...as you may have just given up on me - LOL!  Wish I had a dollar for every hour I've spent on other blogs since the last time I posted on my own.  Hope you're doing well.  Leave me a note and tell me what you've been working on...include a link!
This first one uses the Magnifique paper.  I used Chocolate cardstock in the Cuttlebug and sanded off the color for a dotted swiss look.  The brown polka dot pattern in the center is actually a stamp set and the other 3 squares are added to the 2x2 cardstock.  Easy, but a nice way to use several papers from the paper set. 

This next card was a pattern from the Wishes book.  It's the Collage pattern.  This book always saves me when I need to complete a card and have no creative juices.  I just look at the pattern, grap a pack of paper (with all the coordinating patterns) and voila!  A card is born.  Just love this little bird!

Let me know if you have any questions.  As always, I want to thank you for stopping by for a visit! 

Happy Autumn!



Springtime Cards

Here is an example of a quick and easy card I used recently at a workshop.  I saw this done by a Close To My Heart consultant, and when I looked for her again to give credit, I couldn't find her...so, if you know who the orignator of this design is...PLEASE leave a comment.  Everyone loved making these -- it was a really fun day! Hope you like them!

These cards were done using the Cuttlebug and three different embossing folders, Smiles, a few sentiment stamps, and cardstock all from Close To My Heart.

Thanks for stopping by...

Notepad Holder for a Quick Gift

I made this notepad holder as a thank you gift.  You know how sometimes you see something and then everything else stops until you make it?  Well, this was one of those projects.  I totally "lifted" the idea and the details follow the pictures.

I saw this on Srappin' Becky B. and loved it!  She does great work and there is a very easy to follow tutorial.  I especially like how she keeps it quick and simple.
Thanks again for stopping by!

Happy Birthday to my sister...

There's a birthday happening tomorrow. I'm hoping the birthday girl has received this card already, or is TOO busy to peek at this blog.  I have a few minutes to post so I'm taking the risk! =)
This was a fun card to make. That's always the way when you know just who you're making it for, don't you think?
I used the Close To My Heart Veranda paper.  I can't remember what stamp set this is...and I'm still all packed from my last girls weekend so I can't even check.  I "painted" the bird and flower with markers and then used a glitter pen to add some bling.  As always, thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to!
--Margo

(Happy Birthday Kristi -- I love and miss you!)

Another Birthday Card -- Topstitch Perfect Day

Here's another really easy card that shows off the adorable Topstitch paper pack from Close To My Heart. I love the blue/pink/brown combination! This is one of the "birthday bunch" I'm doing for all the ladies in the office.  Nice thing about this plan, I have to come up with 10 different cards...no two can look alike!  Helps me keep the creative juices flowing! Thanks for stopping by! --Margo

My photography REALLY needs to improve.  I suppose one has to stop typing about it and DO something! =)

Sparkly Happy Birthday for Madeline!

I spent time with Madeline recently. She had just come from reading time at the library and the theme was pigs.  Although she'll only be 2 in April, she tells stories like a big girl!  And, I heard all about her love of pigs.  You know I couldn't resist the idea of pigs on her birthday card...so here it is. In her favorite pink, with lots of sparkles.

I added sparkle to just about every detail on the front of the card using a sparkle gel pen, even went over the polka dots on the pink ribbon.  Same on the inside, and the Happy Birthday is filled in with sparkle. The 2 was cut out of paper, glued over the original 2 and then outlined in sparkle.  Not sure there's enough sparkle on this card =).
Happy crafting and thanks for stopping by!

State of Mind Thank You + another SSSC57 sampling

I played all weekend -- last weekend, so it's time to post some of the work!  This first card is a very simple thank you using Boom-Di-Ada paper and State of Mind stamps from Close To My Heart.

I loved the Super Sunday Sketch Challenge (SSSC57) card so much I made another using the Veranda paper kit from also from Close To My Heart. This is now my FAVORITE paper!

Thanks for stopping by!

Animal Cookies - Sweet Sunday Challenge

Loved this Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge (SSSC57)and thought I'd give it a try.  I used Animal Cookies paper and stamped it with It's a Zoo, Solo's 2, and a limited edition Celebration set, all from Close To My Heart.

It's a Two-Card Day!

Whew! Where does the time go?  I don't get to play as much as I'd like these days.  I did manage to finish another baby card for the Women's Club.  This one was so simple and I was able to use some of the vintage Close To My Heart papers I've been hoarding!  As always...thanks for stopping by!

Here's the other card I put together for my birthday stash. I have vowed to have a handmade card for each of my 12 employees on their birthday this year.  You would think that would be a no-brainer...but honestly, I give cards away more than I use them myself! =)

By the way...I received my Card Creations I mentioned in my last post. If you don't have it...GET IT! It's wonderful. I had such a nice surprise in my package...Cammie included the she had published in the book. I'm not sure if I was more excited about the book...or the card! The link to her blog is in my last post!

Loving the randomness of it all!

Hi everyone,
Just a quick note to say WAHOOOOO!  I was the lucky winner of the new Card Creations: Start to Finish!

I entered at My Blog by Cammie ...this is one of my most favorite blogs and I check in almost daily! I hope you'll take a minute to go visit, and if you're not a subscriber...you might think about it.  My winning entry, selected at random, was my "extra" entry for subscribers!  This just made my day!

Hope to share some great inspiration with you from this publication very soon!
Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!

Memory Keeper - Felicity Papers from CTMH

Love, love, love this paper! Too bad availability is over tomorrow! I made this at the request of some friends who plan on doing the same! I had fun trying to figure this one out...wrote down all the measurements for my peeps! =)

Now I can finally take all my cards out of the drawer they are STUFFED in!
Thanks for taking a look -- happy crafting!
--Margo
PS -- I must have missed the notice that the formatting for posting blogs changed...no idea how this will look when I'm done! :o)

More cards from the crop

Here are a few more pictures from the 29-hour party!
This one is with the new Love Birds stamp from Close To My Heart (CTMH). I used the Cricut Accent Essentials for the card base, Nestabilities scallops and circles for the layers. The birds were stamped in black, then stamped again on patterned paper, and I cut the body out for color.



This next card is super easy. I used the Cricut again, with the Wild Card cartridge. The stamp is also a CTMH stamp, In The Month Of February. All paper/cardstock is from CTMH.

And here is a picture of the goodie bags I made for everyone, and a close up of the little flower monogram tag. Again, all Cricut...got it for Christmas, and just learned how to use it! (In case that wasn't obvious!) *grin*


I apologize for such poor photos. I actually have a really nice camera, but no way to get good lighting. I'm researching photo/light cubes. Think I'll try making one and see how that works! My last post, with a birthday card didn't show any of the "glitter pen" detail...and that was the final straw! LOL
As always, thanks so much for stopping by!

29-hours of total paper heaven!

I do believe I have completely recovered from the birthday-crop-till-you-drop weekend! We had so much fun. More than a dozen ladies converged on my house (10 actually stayed over) and played with paper from 10 AM on Saturday until 3 PM on Sunday! Two of them stayed an extra night...thank Heaven! They helped me get everything back to "normal", before their 4+ hour drive home!

There is one tiny little thing I would change...I would TAKE MORE PICTURES! They all got away without showing off what they accomplished. We had card making, scrapping, digital scrapping, quilling, and who knows what else they created...I missed half of it!

Here is a card I completed between eating, drawing names for "presents", and just relaxing! It was a wonderful way to spend a birthday weekend!

Piece of cake...

Yep, piece of cake...this is my new "favorite stamp set"...at least until I play with another new set!

I did play in the craft room over the holidays, just no blogging time. I miss surfing all the wonderful blogs I follow. Just want to say thank you to you, for coming here and for sharing your work through your blog!

Here's a little invite I put together for a "birthday party weekend sleep-over" I have coming up. Yep, 29 hours of cropping! As I've been telling everyone...the same number as my age! *wink*

I can't wait to spend the weekend with all my paper-addict friends! Happy New Year to everyone and again, thanks for stopping by!



The stamp is done in black Stazon and then I used CTMH markers and a water brush. Colored for hours...aahhh such therapy!