Happy 21st Birthday Alison!

I made this card for a special friend's niece who turns 21 today - how exciting!  To be that young again....

I have been wanting to stamp for a while, but haven't had much of a chance and I really wanted to use some stamps I haven't used yet.  So, I broke out the stamps and Copic markers and had a good time coloring it up!  I love this image - isn't it cute?  Alison is an animal lover, so I think she'll like this birthday dog :)

I used some old SU! scrapping kit papers (birthday) and thought it was perfect for this card.   I don't think you can see it, but I used some Copic Spica pens on top of the colored hat and candle to give them some sparkle.  I love the bone in the cupcake - makes me laugh!

Anyway, Happy Birthday Alison!  May you have a wonderful day today and always.

January Design Post

Hi!  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was fun filled and I got a lot done :)  I actually had a chance to stamp this weekend and it sure was fun! 

Anyway, I wanted to post our cards for the January challenge.  Here was the challenge:

Michelle designed the sketch and chose the colors.  Her card is AMAZING!  Look how beautiful this is!  I just love this winter card.  Her snowflakes are so beautiful, but they don't take away from that adorable snowman.  They really enhance this card and I like that they cover the white space and add texture.  Nice job on all counts, Michelle!  To see more of Michelle's work, please visit her blog here.

Next is my card.  I had a heck of a time with this challenge.  I love the colors and made a card with them, but then realized that I hadn't followed the sketch!  So, in talking to my sister, she helped me think of what to do.  My friend recently had a beautiful baby boy and I wanted to make her a card to send with the baby gifts.  My sister (Debbie) suggested a rattle made with punches.  It was perfect!  The colors were good for a boy and the rattle filled the sketch perfectly.  Because of all of the white space, I ran the white piece through the embossing folder.  I love that satin ribbon!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!  I'll be posting February's challenge next weekend.  Please join us if you can!

January 2012 Simply Paper Design Challenge

Happy New Year!   I don't know about you, but we are ready for another year of challenges.  I know I need to get busy crafting and creating as it has been too long and I miss it!

Michelle created this month's lovely color and sketch combo.  I hope you'll join us in this challenge.  Debbie will be taking a couple months off, but should be back in March :)

Have a wonderful day!

A Belated Thank You to Regina!

I was totally surprised to receive yet another awesome package from my friend Regina.  She sent me these Christmas gifts and I was floored!  Look at all of these goodies she sent.  And, to make them even better, she made toppers for all of the goodies inside of  the altered suitcase and made a matching card and notepad.  The notepad is super cool - she used magnets to keep it closed, but you can't see them. The card had a beautiful poem inside, in German and English!  Also, check out the adorable Santa clip on the suitcase.  I just love all of these gifts.  Thank you, Regina.  I'm so glad to have met you and hope we can meet in person one day!  Craft hugs to you!

Ich war total überrascht, dass wir noch ein tolles Paket von meinem Freund Regina. Sie sandte mir diese Weihnachten Geschenke und mir die Sprache verschlagen! Sehen Sie sich bei all diesen leckereien ließ. Und, damit sie noch besser, machte sie toppers für alle goodies in der veränderten koffer und machte einen passenden Karte und notizzettel.  Der notizblock ist super cool - sie verwendeten magnete geschlossen zu halten, aber da kann man sie sehen. Die Karte hatte ein wunderschönes Gedicht im Inneren, in Deutsch und Englisch! Sehen sie sich Auch die adorable Santa clip auf dem Koffer. Ich liebe alle diese Gaben. Vielen Dank, Regina. Ich bin so froh sie kennen gelernt zu haben und hoffe, wir können treffen sich in person eines Tages! Handwerk hugs to you!

Please visit Regina's totally crafty blog here.  Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Awesome Design Challenge Card by Regina Alber!

Regina played along with our design challenge again.  Look at her adorable reindeer card.  I love this image.   Isn't this a cute card?  I love that she covered the white space with speckles of red ink.  I also love that she off-set the green frame behind the reindeer image.  I'll have to do that more as I really like the way that looks!  The Ho Ho Ho ribbon is just so cute too.

Regina spielte zusammen mit unserem design Herausforderung erneut stellen. Sehen Sie ihr adorable wild card. Ich liebe dieses Bild. Ist das nicht eine süße Karte? Ich liebe, die sie deckte die weißer Raum mit sprenkelung der roten Tinte. Ich liebe es auch, dass sie die grünen Rahmen hinter den rentieren Bild. Ich werde zu tun haben, dass mehr als die Art und Weise, wie ich wirklich aussehen! Der Ho Ho Ho ribbon ist einfach so süß.

Thanks for creating with us, Regina!  We love your work and hope you'll continue to create some more with us each month.  Please join us!

Vielen Dank für die Schaffung von mit uns, Regina! Wir lieben ihre Arbeit und hoffen, dass sie weiter schaffen etwas mehr mit uns jeden Monat. Bitte beteiligen Sie sich an uns!

Please visit Regina's awesome blog and creations here!

December Design Challenge Cards - Merry Christmas Everyone!

Well, here we are - Christmas day!  Merry Christmas to everyone.  I hope Santa has been good to you all :)  I'll find out in a bit ;)

Here was the design challenge sketch and colors:

This first card is mine.  I think when I was making the sketch, I was thinking of a Christmas ornament.  How can you not, right?  Well, I was trying to use stamps/sets I haven't used before.  I don't care for the Build-a-Bear bears, but loved the Christmas accessory stamps.  I've been wanting to use it since I got it!  I just got this adorable little polar bear stamp and thought it would be the perfect match to the tree and sentiment.  I din't want to use too much of the colors on him and the tree - just added some marker to the hearts and scarf.

Next, we have Michelle's beautiful card.  Again, she did such a great job!  I love the sentiment and then the matching ornament hanging below with that great string.  She also spritzed the card to get rid of a lot of white area.  I just love this card - very merry indeed!  What a joy it is to receive a Michelle Arthur card :)

Thanks for looking and I wish you all a very merry day and a Happy New Year!  Michelle, Debbie, and I will be back with new challenges next month.  Please join us!  We'd love for you to create with us.

Last challenge of the year!

Well, here we are!  Here is the December Simply Paper Design Challenge.  Please join us if you can!  I'll be posting our card on the last week of December.  Have a wonderful day.