Babies and Birthdays and Weddings Oh My!

Danica's best friend, Kassidy, got married last weekend, so of course I had to make a card. Lucky for me a wonderful artist and CTMH buddy, the fabulous Ms Vicki posted a lovely card that inspired me to (almost completely) scraplift. I believe the original is posted on Vicki's blog (see link list at right) and here is my version.

The only changes I made were that I used Technique Tuesday's Eiffel stamp set for the ampersand (inked with Grey Flannel, then overstamped with Platinum Planet), and CTMH Elegant Script stamp set for the Mr. Mrs.(in black), and also CTMH Curly Sentiments (in red) for the inside sentiment which reads: Wishing you the Best, today, tomorrow and always. Also, I ticket punched the corners and added the red sparkles and used Holiday Red organdy ribbon on the bow. And of course, the background texture was achieved with the Cuttlebug embossing folder 'Textile'.
I hope you likey and thanks again to Vicki!

My neighbor was blessed with a baby girl a month ago, so I made her an 8x8 scrapbook and a set of cards she could use as either thank you's or announcements. This is the card:

CTMH Sweet Pea paper pack, Flower Child and Express Postage stamp sets. Colors are Baby Pink, Key Lime, and Amethyst.
She liked them so well she asked me to make 30 more! (I'm getting on it, Susan, I really am!)

Last but not least, I jumped on the Stamping Bella bandwagon. I am sooooo addicted to these little beauties - they are so versatile and FUN! This card goes out to my buddy in Ohio who will completely understand the sentiment on the front

(I know my photography skills stink, so I will type it out: Stamps: $6457.33 Supplies: $7872.58 handmade card: priceless) Truer words were never inked! LOL
CTMH Boom Di Ada paper pack, marker inks Barn Red, Taffy, Grey Flannel, Hollyhock, Blush, Sweet Leaf; Cardstock in Hollyhock, Garden Green and Buttercup. Garden Green Bigger Brads, Hollyhock grosgrain ribbon.
There are many more bellas to come ... I've only put a dent in my Bella Wish List. I am going to play enabler now .... www.scrappingbella.com. You can thank me later. LOL
Well I've got 10 more cards to make tonight to finish a swap I joined. Better move it! G'nite!!
*inky hugs* Ava
ummm ya, I don't know if the last two cards got rotated in photobucket, or what, cuz they look like they's lyin down to me! grrrrrr Hopefully it will correct itself cuz I rotated and saved twice! arrrrrrggggggh photobucket!!!!!

And so the month of May comes to a close ...

I cannot believe how quickly the month has flown by. Several birthdays this month ... school activities winding down ... graduations ... cookouts / bbq's ... 80 degree weather followed by 40 degree weather ... (seriously, what is the deal with that????) a brand new puppy for D&P ... a brand new baby for the neighbors next door ... who can keep up with all this activity!?! And of course these events all merit some sort of papercrafting, whether cards or gifts or scrapbook layouts! Well I need to get the camera out and document some of the creations which have resulted - I have a lot of catching up to do!
So here's a card I made for a very kind teacher who gave of her talent and time to make a CD of the music Olivia will use for her Jazz Choir audition. It holds a Starbucks Gift Card inside, hence (who still says 'hence', besides me???) the title "Thank You ... a Latte" 5x5 card
Twilight, Bamboo, Cocoa inks; B&T paper from Simple Pleasures pack, Cocoa, non-CTMH beige CS, vellum; May08 Stamp of the Month "Say It In Style", Coffee Shop, Spot On Backgrounds, Simple Stitches Stamp Sets; Scalloped Oval Nestabilities; Brown polkadot organdy RibbonFX. Steaming coffee cup mounted on scalloped oval is pop-dotted for dimension. And the inside has a little pocket to hold the Starbucks Card.
*inky hugs* Ava

Sweet Sixteen Birthday

My niece is turning 16 next week! She's the second-youngest of the 9 cousins and this only makes me realize how quickly they've all grown up! I sent her this birthday card, and I hope she doesn't get a peek at my blog before the card arrives in her mail! Oops I think the photo is kind of crooked... I do seriously lack in the photographic skills department :-/

I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the Pink Carnation CS, ran the heart block paper thru my corrugator (after stamping the 16's in the blank squares), hand cut the cupcake base and frosting shapes, painted the frosting with CTMH Pearl Create-A-Shade paint, added colored rhinestones with a dab of crystal Stickles, the cherry on top is a larger acrylic rhinestone with a stick of black CS. 'Sweet' sentiment from Girly Girl, '16' from Doodle Alpha My Acrylix™ stamped in Crystal Blue ink. Precious Paisley background paper, mounted on a generic orange piece of CS, clear sparkles at the corners, all mounted on a 5 x 6.5 White Daisy card base.

Off to make some baby cards for my neighbor who just delivered a girl last week! Busting out the Petite Scalloped Circle Nestabilities that just arrived! YAY! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

*inky hugs*

Ava

New Close To My Heart Catalog/Idea Book!!

Yay! It's time to share the new book with you! There are many wonderful new papers, stamp sets, and embellishments - I've been playing already! You can see the whole catalog online from the company website http://www.closetomyheart.com/ (then click on 'products')
The May Stamp of the Month "Say It In Style" is a must-have set of over 40 sentiments (yes, forty!) all in one set perfect especially for card-makers! http://www.closetomyheart.com/stamp_of_the_month.aspx

Something to Crow About

Remember that cute little guy from 1995? Well he's in college now - and last month he informed us he did well on his mid-terms. So I sent him this cute little rooster card. Inside it reads: Congratulations on your grades - that's something to crow about!

CTMH Free Spirit B&T papers, Autumn Terracotta brads, Technique Tuesday stamp set for the rooster and sentiment (I stamped him with Star Spangled Blue, and used markers in Autumn Terracotta and Sunflower.) Swiped the focal point mat with Cocoa.

When he got the card he told me his roommates think I have way too much time on my hands! the nerve!! Oh and ya, never heard the expression "something to crow about". Does that make you feel old? It did me!

*inky hugs*

Ava

Best Buddies

I'm feeling nostalgic today, so I pulled out this layout of my son and my nephew from back in the good ole days (1995) when we lived in Northville, Michigan. These two young'uns are only 6 months apart in age, and though we lived miles apart, they were best buddies growing up. They are also sons of twins ... ya they look like their moms! No confusion there! LOL

I used CTMH's Imagine book for the layout map, with changes to accommodate photo sizes. Some CTMH CS and Daisy D's papers from the School Days pack (I altered the striped paper with Moonstruck stamped lines to create the plaid, and also added blue dots to the multi-dot pattern) My Acrylix™ Stamp Sets used: Genuine Fun, Solo B, Atomic lower case alpha. Inks used: Cranberry, Moonstruck and White Daisy (pigment)

Lots of other goodies from my misc. stash include button, embroidery floss, white alpha rubons. I did a bit of distressing with my CTMH tool as well as swiping with ink pads. It's so much fun :)

to the right, to the right ...

Well, lookit me! I managed to add links to my favorite blogs! YAY!
You will love them -- sooo much creativity! Soooo much inspiration! Warning: take a bathroom break, then grab a snack and a beverage, before beginning to click on the links. You will spend some delightful time browsing :)

Enjoy!
*inky hugs*
Ava

My very first blog/post

Well this is me jumping in without testing the waters with my toes. It's sink or swim ... or with any luck, at least float. This is going to be a strictly trial by fire process, so please bear with me as I learn by doing and excuse my oopsies as I go.

I have been lurking and admiring the work of many bloggers, whose blogs I hope to link to mine at some point, somehow. So if you happen to stray upon mine, you'll at least have the benefit of finding theirs!

OK so enough babble ... I expect you'd like to see something a little more creative. So here you are, my very first blogshared piece of scrap.

'Ur sweet' is a standard size card with matching envelope. CTMH Ink Colors: Holiday Red, Kiwi, Black.

Textured CS: DCWV stack, CS: Holiday Red, White Daisy. Sizzix dies: Girly Girl alpha. Gingham paper: retired CTMH. Mini-brad and ribbon - from my misc. stash.

My Acrylix ™ Stamp Sets: Random Thoughts, Girly Girl, Spunky Greetings.

Gosh, I have so much more to learn. But for now, I'll have to be content with my first post.

*inky hugs*

Ava