Step to the right... and clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap

Has anyone else ever done that line dance?  Whenever I think of a "step card", the dance tune and lyrics spring to my head!  Anyways - I saw this sketch for a card on Sketch Support and immediately saw a little different design in my head!

Here's my take on the card... umm, can you tell that I have a little boy??

I used my Silhouette for the buildings.  I really loved this shape from Silhouette, you could cut the outline of the buildings from a solid, then it gave you the option to cut the actual buildings from different paper!  I used Basic Grey's Wander paper, which worked out great because of the double sides!  The trucks are from Sassafras Felties.

I debated about putting the sentiment on a cloud, popping up from the top of the sun, next to the sun but then decided to stamp Happy Birthday on the inside.  This also lays flat, it would fit into an A2 envelope IF I hadn't over hung the sun off the top of the card.

I just have to say, that when my little 3 year old saw this card sitting on the table after I'd completed it, he stood and looked at it for a good 5 minutes and then told me that it was a beautiful "thingy" and he then said "Ohh, thank you so much for making it!  I love it, Mama!".  I'll probably just leave it up in the playroom since he likes looking at it so much!  You could use this same side step for any number of themes, the skies the limit!

I found the tutorial for the side step card here.  Please check it out!  Also, Michelle did an awesome tutorial on the Pages Blog today, or you can always admire all of her creativity on her blog.  Hope you're feeling inspired today!

Andrea

Spring sniffles

have really made my head fuzzy.  I've been fighting a head cold since last week, I kept telling myself that it was just allergies - which could've totally been it since our weather is slightly unpredictable.  We have rain and 40 degree temps and then we jump up to 84 degress the next day.  I'm not really complaining, except that it's really reeking havic on my sinuses.  So, we've been doing our normal day-to-day activities - we've had a few playdates (sorry for spreading my germs, ladies!) and I've been trying to work on samples but my head is just so full of junk that I cannot find the creative spark that I need!  So, again, here's some more cards from scraps!

I actually made this card for a little girls birthday that is coming up in a little over a week!  I LOVED the little girl image from Hometown, it reminded me of Princess Maya who'll be 2!  I made a little pinwheel from a 3 inch square... I like this card but feel that it needs something... maybe just the Happy Birthday sentiment?  I'll figure it out...

{Close-up - paper covered with Glossy Accents}

Here's another card - this is still one of my favorites and it's all done with Jillibean paper.  I think that I've shared it before, but figure, why  not share it again?

Hope your day is filled with creativness - not gross head cold stuff!
Andrea

 

I've been trying for 1 hr and 10 minutes

To get Adam to nap!  What!?  I know, it's been kinda ridiculous.  He's now doing raspberries in bed... so this is going to be quick because I'm afraid that he'll get out of bed in about 2.5 minutes and be super crazy since he didn't nap!

Here's a card that I created while on my little retreat from scraps... does the sketch look familiar?



{Anything Card}

Does this card look like a sewing card from the past perhaps?  I'm telling you, if you're in a time crunch, you a card sketch that you're familar with and that you know you like!  I decided that this card can be for anything, I just loved the Pink Paislee Hometown line!

I'll share the pages that gave me all of these great scraps soon!
Okay, I was right, he's not jumping on his bed, its time to intervene!
Andrea

Scrappy Cards

Hello Everyone!

A few weeks ago I was able to get away to work on my "There's No Place Like Home", along with some of my personal pages, and I had a TON of scraps left from these 2 projects!  So, instead of packing up my scraps for the future, I  just went ahead and took a few minutes to throw some cards together for me to use in the future.  On most of the cards, I didn't included a sentiment so that I can use them when I need them - here's a few to take a look at. 

{Blank Card}

{Close-Up}

For this card I used scraps of Pink Paislee's Hometown and Echo Park's For the Record.  I rolled my flower from a punched 2 in. circle, then punched a butterfly and ran it thru my Zyron X, when poured vintage glass glitter on it.  I hand cut a leaf, punched a label, and added these elements to a basic card front.  This will be a great "Thank You" card, or birthday card or possibly a Mother's Day card... and it took me less than 15 minutes!

Here's a boys card that I created using Crate Paper's Toy Box collection.  I LOVE this paper because it's so fun for little and big boys alike!  I also used the chipboard sticker shapes, which make added dimension and layers super fun and easy!

{Boy's Card}

I had left over circles from a page layout that I did, so I decided to use them for the card in place of a border.  I added some bakers twine around the card, which adds a lot for a little!  I then took a BINGO sheet that I had from a previous kit and kit it down so that it would fit inside the chipboard frame.  I just kept layering chipboard pieces and element stickers till I had the card the way I wanted.

I also put Glossy Accents on the "Toy Solider", I just wanted a different finish somewhere on the card.

Just a reminder, I'll be at Pages from the Heart tomorrow for the Spring Time banner and card class.  The cost is $22 and the class starts at 10 am.  If you can't make it to the class but would like a kit, just let me or Kathy know!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Andrea



Peep's Banner & other Springtime Fun

Is anyone else amazed that Easter is just around the corner?  I wanted to share some past projects that have a Spring-ish feel to get you in the mood!

Last year I made a Peeps Bunting Banner that I saw on Made's Blog, which is a great resource for fun ideas and sewing projects that I dream of having time to make.  But, the Peeps banner was so easy, I couldn't resist!  She even has a PDF that you can download for the Peep banner.  Here's my banner,

{Peep's Bunting Banner}

{Peeps Gift}

 Here's an Easter Page that I created for the QuicKutz Design team 2 years ago!  I used a ton of dies on this one, can you see them all?  And the flowers... coffee filters!

Let's see, there's the QK Nesting Flowers, 2x2 Rabbit, 2x2 Bird, English Rose Font, 2x2 chick, Nesting Ric-rac Circles, I know that the "grass" that the rabbit is jumping over is something, but I cannot remember - it was 2 years ago!

Here's a Spring Card - I was inspired by a card that I saw using patterned paper and stamps in a magazine.  I made the card my own by using my QuicKutz collection and some My Mind's Eye paper. 

{Hello, Spring Hedge Hog Card}

Don't you just love the little hedge hog?!  He's still one of my favorites, and since the forest theme is still pretty strong in the crafting world, you can't go wrong with him!  The tree's are from QK Recycle Kit, Hello is from the Olivia Font, the bird and the hedge hog are both 2x2 dies.

And here's my last Spring inspiration for the day!  It's a fun little table banner that I created last year for Pages From the Heart Die Cut Club- it's using a Cottage Cutz chick and egg die, QuicKutz Blossom Font, circle punches along with fun WeRMemories paper and Martha Stewart Fringe Scissors...

{Peep Table Banner}

{P Chick Close-up}

I hope that you're ready to welcome Spring!  I would love some stability in our weather, last week we had days in the 90's, this week we're putting on sweaters and expecting showers!  It's doing a number on my sinuses, and I keep putting away my sweaters only to get them back out!  Oh well, at least everything out here is green and beautiful, maybe all the rain will help with the fire season later in the year!

See you soon!

Andrea

Please Sir, may I have some more?

More?  Okay... here's another card.  I feel like I have cards coming out my ears!  I totally lifted this sketch (altho it wasn't really in sketch form...) from wipkits.  I used my own paper, my own stamps, etc, but the bones are all Trish's from WIP.  I did manipulate it a little, but I'm not even going to lie, it's pretty similar - I couldn't help myself, it was the cover of a mini-album and I fell in love with it!




{Card Picture Removed for Publication}

I love this card... and it's so easy.  I actually made it for Crate Paper's Color Challenge, and ended up liking it so much that I'm using it for my "Flower Power" class at Collective Journey this Thursday. 

The yellow patterned paper and the wood grain paper are both from Crate Paper.  The doily is cut in thirds, the gray/white dot is an OLD one from DCWV - like, 6-7 years old!  The typewriter is a stamp from October Afternoon's Thrift Store line.  I love this stamp.  The flower is a punched circle that I put a brad thru and then cut slits into the center, not quite reaching the brad.  Super easy, very fun.  I used a coffee filter behind my flower, but I stamped random words on it and crunched it up then distressed it.

I love all the texture in this card, from the heavy twine to the coffee filter, and the doily then the flower. 

I am hoping to get some new projects done on Monday, tomorrow is the "Happy Camper" mini-album in Monrovia! 

Don't forget, we're still taking submissions for the Pages From the Heart Design Team!

I'm taking tomorrow off, I'll see you back here on Monday!

Andrea 

I just couldn't stay away...

From my 16 followers - lol - just kidding!  I think I'm going to have to go to Bloggers Anonymous.  "Hello, my name is Andrea and I am a blogger."

I just sent in my Jillibean Design Team submission.  I know, I know, I didn't tell you guys... in fact, I wasn't going to tell anyone because I didn't want to have to admit to the whole cyber world if I wasn't selected!  But I wanted to share the page layout and the card that I created this morning to submit.  I didn't have as much time as I wanted to create samples for the submission, I received the Jillibean supplies that I ordered yesterday - yikes!  But I do really like the page -

 I used all Jillibean patterned paper for this layout - I also used the little flowers and journaling doo-dads.  Very fun.  I loved the element paper - a friend of mine is a science dork, I'm wanting to use this paper for his birthday card.  The possibilities are endless!  Of course, my cute little leprechaun helps make the page!

Here's the card that I created.  It's a kind of hybrid of 2 of my go-to card sketches.  Take a look - can you tell which ones?

Again, all the paper, the canvas flower, the tag, the banner is all from Jillibean.  I really like this card, it's a good mixture of their different lines, which just goes to show that their paper is very interchangeable.

Here are two cards that I didn't submit because they're more about the technique than the actual looks of the cards.  They're both in upcoming classes.

I used all Jillibean paper for this card, but this card is for my Flower Power class.  Technique= flower rolling.  Fun = endless.  I don't know what it is that I don't LOVE about this card, I think the proportions are off to me....  So, come take my class!  Way to sell it, Andrea!

And I do really like this last card, but it's a little more simple.

Again, all the paper is Jillibean, the cloud pin is American Crafts, the buttons are misc.  I made the sun from a star punch... wha-wha-what?!  Yes, you can make a sun from a star punch.  After all, the sun is a giant star... or are stars little suns?  I don't know, but I think that one of those statements is spot on... "You are my sunshine" is a song that I sung to Adam in the NICU, which I still sing to him today.  The clouds are from my Cookie Cutter cloud border die by QuicKutz, I just cut it into pieces and put the fluffs where I wanted them.

Anyways - I'll be back tomorrow since I have a serious problem.

Happy Tuesday!

Andrea

In honor of my boy

and his BIG 3 year old birthday, lets look at some "masculine/boy" cards that I created for an upcoming class!  The layout's on each of these cards can easily be turned into any occasion, it just depends on the paper and embellishments!! 

{Cool and the Gang Card}

{Basic HB Card}

The Cool and Gang Card is very little paper, but quite a bit of ribbon!  The dominoes and the playing card, along with the wood grain printed paper is all from Crate Paper Restoration line - I LOVE this line because I felt like it was very versatile, some of the papers are super pretty-girly, some are masculine.  It's a great line! 

The HB Card is all Basic Gray's Wander Line - which is a super fun travel or boy line with images that remind me Dr. Suess' Whoville!  I made my own Polaroid picture, which was super easy, just punch a large square from a 3.5 x 4 in. solid white... easy cheesey!

If you'd like to sign up for this class, please call Collective Journey @909.793.2200.

 

Andrea

So tired but...must...post...blog...

Hello All!
I am TIRED - but I'm trying desperately to stay awake till the Hub's gets home from watching Jackass 3-D (I know, I know, I'm not even going there...) and I really wanted to do a post tomorrow but I am hoping to take my little man to Disneyland, so, here goes a post that will probably ramble and make little sense. So, enjoy!

Okay, so here's a few Halloween cards that I made LAST year but that I lurve! I won't be a ton of help since I can't remember the names of the paper that I used (I'll make note to look at scraps and find out), but they're such simple but awesome cards!! I luurrrve them - did I already say that?

I also am sharing a beautiful picture of Adam that I took today up at a local Pumpkin Farm - called Soffel Farms - which was tucked away into the hills behind our house - I'd never been there but was enthralled with the beauty of the place. It's been a wet weekend around here and the hills were surrounded by fog and a light mist, the tress were all green and orange and yellow and it was truly magical. I have to say that while living in SoCal has it's advantages (ocean, mountains, Disneyland, outlet malls on every corner) that I lloooonnnngggg for "Seasons". I long for "sweater weather" in Sept, October and November and I pray each year that I'll be able to wear long sleeves on Christmas Day and that a fire in the fireplace will be a necessity instead of ridiculous! So, today was a perfect to pick a pumpkin with my lil' Pumpkin who said things like "That's a great idea. This is just great!" and "What a fun day, thanks Mama" and "This punkin is perfect, we must get it for Daddy". He's 2.5 going on Prince Charming...

Happy Fall, ya'll!

Andrea