More Cards for PakMail

Today I have more time to give you some deets on the cards that I just completed for PakMail. For this batch, I went back through my photos of cards I've made this past year and chose the layouts I liked best. It's fun to get to make these again!

This first one utilizes that lovely print from the Ski Slope DSP in Baja Breeze. A hot combination in the stamping world is BB and Kraft, so I used that to make the spinning greeting. The ribbon really makes the layout, I think.

Card #2 puts to use a template I created of this coffee cup card that was originally sent to me by Amy Voida. I think this one won't be in the bin long! It's just so eye-catching and relevant to the culture. The 2-year-old Riveting Hostess set continues to be pressed into service for this card. The stripes and the circle are from Garden Green and, while not a perfect match of the Starbucks green, a fair facsimile.

I had fun with this next card. It's not a repast of an old layout, but a nod to Kristina Werner, who frequently uses chipboard letters! Since I received some in my freebie pack of goodies at convention, I decided they needed to be made the star of this card. I inked them up using Craft White, allowed them to dry awhile, and then sprinkled them with a mixture of white detail embossing powder and Dazzling Diamonds. A little heat from the heat gun and they look sparkly and sassy! I attached them using glue dots, and they weren't goin' anywhere. The asterisk, or whatever you want to call it, is from the Wow Flowers set, and I LOVE how it looks inked up in the Bold Bright color family. A Basic Black base with some Whisper White card stock on the inside and this card was complete.

I needed some thank yous to fulfill the order, so I pulled out all the different stamps I have that use the word "thanks" or "thank you" in any way. It took some work with the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to get these where I wanted them, but the Always Artichoke base and the Manchester DSP really help create a great coordinated look. That ribbon is a scrap I've had in my ribbon drawer for over a year--I save nice ribbon when it comes my way--and it really looks good with that DP.

Speaking of providing new life for ribbon that would've ended up in the trash, this next card made use of a scrap left over from some gift baskets I made at work. Too short to make a bow out of doesn't mean it's not good for anything!

This card was also inspired by this shirt that I saw in the J.Jill catalog. I loved the cascading flowers, and thought immediately of my Garden Silhouettes set. Basic Black card stock, versamark ink, and Clear Embossing Powder were the recipe components for this cool look. Figuring out a sentiment was the biggest challenge, and I finally settled on one from the Always set. That was heat embossed with Silver Embossing Powder. I like it!

I hope you're enjoying all these photos! The last card I made was a blank card using Pacific Point and an oldie but goodie layout with Garden Silhouettes. The sentiment is from God's Blessings. As I signed it and dated it, I thought about how something I started as my way of expressing my specific message of love to my family and friends has expanded to include people I will never meet. I am excited to know that even though I won't know the hands that ultimately hold this card, someone will be encouraged by my creative efforts just the same. Cool...

I just realized that 2 of the cards weren't photographed! Oh well...they were made using the Wow Flowers Simply Sent kit, and let me tell you those stickers and DP really make for quick and easy card making! Sometime I'm going to host a class using a kit so that you can see how many cards you can get from one set of goodies!

I'll leave you with one "proud mama moment" photo from last night's piano recital. There were 18 students who participated in the program, and Michael is one of his intermediate level students. He played his own improvised rendition of "Amazing Grace" and an arrangement of "O Holy Night", which, next to "O Come All Ye Faithful", is my favorite Christmas carol.