The Overnight Report...#3

When I last reported in, there were 7 cards left to make. This post is long, but there's plenty of eye candy, so enjoy! The descriptions are to help me remember what materials I used, so you can read the narrative or just view the pics. I'm going to drop off all 30 tomorrow after work.

This one is one of the female birthday cards. I used a favorite retired set called The Art of Life. The color scheme is Sahara Sand for the card base, with Sage Shadow and Cameo Coral and Mulberry paper.

The area near the store is horse country, so Leah asked if I might be able to do something with horses or a western theme. I went with the Wanted set and chose to incorporate some Pretty in Pink with Sage Shadow and Creamy Caramel and the retired Outlaw DP. This turned out cuter than I expected, and I hope it makes some cowgirl happy.

Then I went back to the bridal category and chose a classic black, white, and silver color combination. I heat embossed the hearts from the Always set on the silver metallic card stock and used a fitting sentiment from God's Blessings for the interior message.

This was a bit difficult to photograph because the heart closest to the black card stock was picking up that color and the other side was picking up the white of the table. They really are the same color! I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to "split" the heart in half on each side. Two hearts becoming one; get it?

Leah had also mentioned that she'd like something with pink and brown, so I used the Doodle jumbo wheel inked with waterproof Basic Brown for this last bridal card, and colored the flowers using the Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose. I used the sentiment from Full of Life stamped on vellum and popped up on a double layer of dimensionals to create this look.

I needed to create a second Thanksgiving card, which was a bit of a stretch, since I don't own any stamps that say "Happy Thanksgiving". I pulled out one of the first sets I bought as a demonstrator--Gorgeous Grapevine. I inked up the main leaf image in Cranberry Crisp, Old Olive, So Saffron, and Pumpkin Pie. I stamped a second leaf in SS and popped it up on dimensionals to give the card a bit more visual interest. The sentiment is from Best Yet.

Making two Christmas cards meant that the finish line was in sight, and I was happy to pull out Peaceful Wishes and make use of a mat that had been laying around on my craft table for weeks. I heat embossed Always Artichoke craft ink and added some pinecones and one that was embossed with Copper Embossing Powder (which is retired). The Copper Metallic paper is also retired SU! product, and I can't understand why it was removed from the product list! It's so stunning! I stamped the sentiment--Peaceful Wishes--with the copper EP as well, and it looks so good against the AA card stock.


I pulled out a set of DSP from last year's Holiday Mini catalog--the name of which escapes me--and found that I'd stored some snowflakes with it. These snowflakes are made using both sizes of the tag punches and mulberry paper, and I just love the focal image they create! I put two on the card, paired it with a snowflake patterned piece and a Handsome Hunter mat, which is a coordinating color with Sage Shadow. Snowflake Spot snowflakes for the envelope and I was DONE!

I'm FINISHED!!!

THIRTY unique cards are ready to be delivered tomorrow. All that remains to make is the signage for the baskets!! Thanks for cheering me on--and giving me freedom from making good meals (you know who you are)--to accomplish this task. I'm super excited to get them to Leah and see what happens.

Pictures to follow later today.

Miles to Go Before I Sleep

I'm sure my friends Cookie or Robin could tell me who the author is of this saying, but whoever he was, he spoke prophetically and correctly about my day! As I stare at the clutter on the dining room table, the dog hair tumbleweeds on the carpet, the folded, but as yet not put away laundry on the bed, the untidied kitchen, and the disastrous state of my crafting space, I can tell I've been on a tear for too long.

All that will need to be done and more card stock will need to be cut before tomorrow's SAS. I did get 4 cards made yesterday, but I'm growing weary, friends.

Okay, here's what I made yesterday. This first card is a CASE of Wendy Janson's layout, and I used Manchester Designer Series Paper. The color scheme for these patterned papers is Always Artichoke, Baja Breeze, Kraft, and Very Vanilla. I found her work perusing through the SAS gallery for cards made using the Party Hearty set. I hope you can see how versatile this set is, now that I've posted a few cards using it! I wrestled a bit with this color combination, but I like this card for a guy. Very masculine and quick and easy. The circle with "celebrate you" is heat embossed, which is a nice subtle detail. I contemplated using twine for some sort of embellishment, but it was too much. Simple is better!

The next card is a reprise of an origami shirt card we made at the June SAS. Here's the link to the instructions I found online. Once I refreshed my memory on how to make it, it went together fairly quickly, and I'm pleased with the results. Do you like the little pocket? There's a piece of Baja Breeze card stock inside for writing a little message. The sleeves have to be folded in in order for it to fit in the envelope, but I put instructions regarding that inside the card for whoever purchases it.

So, that covers the two masculine birthday cards, leaving the female ones. Should be easy, right? Fatigue is effecting my creativity, but I soldiered on last night. I have to tell you, though, that the temptation to plop down on the couch beside Bob and veg out in front of the TV was great. I resisted, though.

Here's another example of incognito retired InColors showing up in current papers. The Haiku Designer Series Paper has two sheets of borders, meant mainly for scrapbookers, I believe. This one seems to use Wild Wasabi. Perhaps these DPs are carryovers from last year or something. I don't care; they allow me to put this stash of card stock into play! With the base of WW decided and the panel large enough to serve as focal image, all that needed to be added was an appropriate sentiment. It's from Heard from the Heart (which always makes me think of sheep... as in "herd of"). The border picks up the colors of So Saffron and More Mustard that are in the panel.

I was uninspired to complete the female birthday category, so I picked up Baroque Motifs and made a bridal card. I don't have much experience with brides or weddings of late, so I did a little poking around online to find out what colors are popular in weddings these days. I read that jewel tones, which I used in my wedding, are making a comeback, but the author of the article quickly advised not to make the 'maids wear a dress in said colors. That's what I did, and I'm sure my 'maids weren't happy about it almost 20 years ago, so the advice is best heeded.

All that said, I went with Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip, since BB is the closest thing I have to Tiffany Blue that is all the rage. I really hope this card does not become popular, as it was a pain in the butt to make, but since I invested the better part of an hour on it, it's going in the pile! It's not a traditional card, but a postcard with an envelope. Found this beautiful sheer ribbon that matches perfectly at Michael's.

Well, that's the blow by blow from last night. I have 40 min. before I need to leave for work, so I'm going to try to go tackle something on the domestic front before I depart. We have corporate visitors today, so there'll be a little more than the usual level of stress at work today. I'm hoping it's over before I get there, but I probably won't be so fortunate. Happy FRIDAY!!

While You Were Away...

After a quick pizza dinner, your heroine returned to her craft room to continue the work at hand. I enjoyed the process of creating last night like I haven't in awhile. Bob was at rehearsal--the band is singing "Grand Illusions" by Styx to open the service, to set the tone for the sermon series called "Illusions"--and Michael was practicing piano, so I had the evening to do what needed to be done.

This card came to be because I was captured by the whimsy of the dot design in the Autumn Vine Designer Series Paper. I was about to completely detach the circle I'd cut with the Coluzzle, when the idea of a little window occurred to me! BTW, that is Groovy Guava as the card base because it's clearly there in the design. Who said InColors retire? I think they just go undercover...

In my last post, I didn't specifically identify the name of the set that has this sentiment and a few others in it. It's called Best Yet and is, as I mentioned, a Level 1 Hostess set. This and all other hostess sets will go away soon when we get another new catalog, so be making a list and checkin' it twice so you don't miss out on the sets you want before they disappear.

The last card I made last night was helped along by the fact that the main panel was already completed and staring at me from my craft table. Leah, the PakMail manager, was completely wowed by this card when I showed her some samples, so I adapted that layout for this quickie. I'm showing you the envelopes because I'm photographing everything I'm selling so that I can remember what I did if someone wants a duplicate! The ol' memory ain't what it used to be! This uses Pocket Silhouettes and the color scheme is Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, More Mustard, and Very Vanilla. One of my favorites, for sure.

After a good night of sleep, I woke naturally at 5:30 this morning and came back to the table to work on thank-you cards. I'm not going to end up showing you all the cards I'm selling her in these and subsequent posts because I'm using some from my stash that you've already seen. This card reprises another favorite combination from this fall, Upsy Daisy and Urban Garden DP. I also used the layout I created the first time I made this card, so that helped move things along. I really like Baja Breeze much more than I expected to, and it pairs so well with that DP! The little white satin ribbon and silver hardware flower add just the right accents to spruce up this addition to the pile.

Last but not least is my CASE of Amy's card I showed you yesterday. I used the Autumn Vine DP again, and went with So Saffron for the inked images in order to use every color of the DP on the card. I really like the Sage Shadow ribbon. It brightens up this fall card. Again, you'll recognize Pocket Silhouettes. I think it's interesting how different the same stamps can seem when used in different layouts!

Well, I'm going to try to tackle 2 masculine birthday cards before I head into work, but I'll be continuing this morning and evening crafting routine until I get all of them done. It's going faster than expected, and I may be done by my SAS on Saturday! That would be a relief, because I still have to type up some sort of small labels for those cards that have interior sentiments, since the cards will be sealed in plastic bags to protect the art from fingerprints. Never a dull moment around here, that's for sure! Have a great day...

Productivity and Creativity=Progress

I woke up at 5:30 this morning, thinking about the cards I have to make by Monday. It's a bit disturbing to have your first thoughts be about a card layout. I decided, after laying there for 15 min., to go ahead and go with the creative flow and start tackling the 30 cards I need to produce by Monday.

I went after the baby cards first, since these were the ones I knew would challenge me the most. I'm just not in that stage of life, so I don't really have warm fuzzies that would help drive the creative juices. It did help to have the list of cards that Leah had said she liked. This reminded me of some cards I'd made that fall into this category that I had forgotten about. The first one was the Lauren Meader baby onesie card. A classic, if you ask me! And it never fails to turn out cute. If you look for "onesie card" on my sidebar, you'll find a tutorial link in that post. My favorite detail is the scalloped "collar", which is made by punching out half of a 1 3/8" circle on a piece of scrap paper, and then punching around it with the scalloped circle punch. Genius!

Next, I made a quilt card in neutral greens and yellows. Can I just tell you how many sleepers I had in these colors for Michael? We didn't go the route of finding out what sex he was until the obstetrician delivered him, so he wore his share of mint green and pale yellow! I love being able to put to use some retired designer paper. I think this is Polka Dots & Paisleys or something like that. I'm still struggling to find a white marker that is bold enough to simulate stitching. I threw away a gel roller ball pen that I wrestled with and couldn't get to write, and the marker I found at Michael's this afternoon just doesn't have enough "umph". If anyone has a suggestion, I'd be really grateful! BTW, this uses that cute baby stroller from Fun & Fast Notes.

After work, I pulled out some more retired DP and went with this brown and pink combination, since Leah indicated she likes it. This saying is ANCIENT SU!--but it's sweet. It may not have photographed well, but there are little pink footprints behind that saying. (Click on any of the pictures to enlarge.) A decent sized length of wide chocolate chip grosgrain was put to use making those little knots above and below the sentiment.

I had two of these little tri-fold cards unassembled and they are the perfect boy colors--Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery. The medallion is made by double punching the scalloped edge punch, and the sentiment "a little something for a little someone" is from a new hostess Level 1 set I earned. A nice addition to the stash, since it's all sentiments! I created the rounded flap by using my Coluzzle Circle cutting system. The DP is from Cutie Pie, one of my favorites from the last catalog.

I also finished a few blank inspirational cards, but I'm going to save those for tomorrow. I completed 8 cards tonight, so that has alleviated some of my nervousness about whether or not I could make the necessary number by Monday. I have to keep plugging away, though, so there'll be plenty of posts forthcoming! Thanks for the prayers, positive thoughts, and encouragement in this new venture.