Changes?! Who Likes Changes?!?!

If you've popped onto my blog and think you're at the wrong place don't leave! lol  I've been making a few changes and updating my blog's look.  I haven't touched it since November of 2010 when I created it so I thought it was time to change things up a bit.  I'm sure I'll find something I don't like and try to tweak it here and there, but for the most part I'm happy with it.  I used a new set from the Occasions Catalog to create my header.  It's called Painted Petals and I downloaded the digital version of it onto MDS (My Digital Studio) and played around with it until I came up with something I liked.  I hope you like the updated look!

It's Valentines Day!

It's Valentine's Day so I thought I would show you what I came up with for my family this year.  First I'll start with my Paper Pumpkin goodies that I whipped up... 

Aren't these so fun!  When my Paper Pumpkin kit arrives I always open it up and check it out.  I knew when I saw what was in this kit I'd be making it up for the fam.  What I didn't pay attention to was how much was in the kit.  Enough to make 24 of these cute things!  For some reason I thought there were only eight, but boy was I wrong!  My next kit is on the way and I can't wait to see what's in it! If you like to have things ready for you to work on without all the fuss of prepping, then these kits are for you!  Right now Stampin' Up! is running a special during Sale-a-bration...3 months for $54.85.  If you'd like to order click HERE.  You'll be able to order by the month, 3 months, 6 months or a year.  Remember during Sale-a-bration for every $50 you spend you'll get to choose something for free from the Sale-a-bration catalog!

I made this card for one of my daughter's using the DSP Stacked with Love.  I NEVER buy DSP, but this year's occasions catalog has a bunch that I LOVE! :)

Here's another card I made for my younger daughter.  I know...it's dark, but for some reason I really liked it anyway.  Using DSP again for the hearts.

 Now on to the card I made for my son.  Yup, Valentine cards for him are hard.  I checked around for a guy card and found one HERE inspired by Weekend Warrior on Splitcoast Stampers.   I wanted something pretty simple and quick because...you know...he's a guy. lol  Funny thin about this card is that the ink I used is Real Red, but when it's put on Crumb Cake card stock it looks like Cherry Cobbler, so my small heart had to be punched from Cherry Cobbler card stock.

Thanks for looking and Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Sara

Supplies used on these cards:

Tags for You (retired set)

small heart punch

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I {heart} You

Today I have a CAS Valentine's Day card for you using the sketch over at Try Stampin' on Tuesday.  Since I like to make Valentine's cards for everyone in my family I figured this card would be the perfect way to start it out.  I created a window card using vellum paper instead of clear window sheets.  I wanted the red to be a little muted instead of really bright and standing out.  

I pretty much did an exact copy of the sketch because I needed the hearts, but make sure you head to Try Stampin' on Tuesday HERE to check out the other great cards using the sketch for a totally different kind of card.  Make sure you play along too!  We'd love to see what you create! :)

Just a couple more pics of the card at different angles.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

small heart punch (retired)

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Wondrous Winter Wreath

Yes, I have a Christmas card for you today since it's time for another challenge from 'Tis the Season.  I need to get busy and start creating more cards!  I've just been doing one at a time and that's not going to be enough if I don't get busy! I did do a second of this one, but didn't take a pic yet.  For some reason it takes about 30 minutes before my pics will load onto my computer.  Not sure what's up with that!

So here's the graphics for challenge #35 and it's an inspiration challenge.  I usually like to use some of the pics in the challenge to inspire me, but this time I used just the colors.  Make sure you stop by 'Tis the Season's blog HERE to check out the other great cards made by the designers and play along too.  Christmas will be here before you know it! lol

I couldn't resist using Stampin' Celebration's sketch this time around.  I really like it and though it would be perfect for the wreath that I was using.  Make sure you check out their great cards HERE.  

Thanks for looking and have a great day! 

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

A Friday Sunset

Last Friday when I was heading home from work the sky was an amazing mix of colors!  I wanted to sit down to try and recreate it, but this card just doesn't do it justice!  There was a ball of fire on the horizon (the sun had just gone down and the colors were still shooting up from it) and there was a pink stripe of light shooting up above it high into the sky.  Then on each side of this the sky was purple.  It also had horizontal stripes of pink throughout the sky.  I don't like how they turned out on my card though. :(  Well they're actually not too bad on the card, but they turned out really dark in the pic and that's what I don't like.  Anyway thought I'd share the beauty I saw in creation that evening.

I'm also entering this in the Sunday Stamps sketch challenge.  I needed a sketch that was wide open to do this on and it was perfect!  I guess it's a pretty dark card, but it was also pretty dark when I saw the sky. :)

Just a couple more pics. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolor Wash World of Dreams

Wowser did I have a time and half with this week's sketch at Try Stampin' on Tuesday! lol  I wasn't sure what to do because I kept pulling out different sets with different ideas.  I finally settled on the set World of Dreams and made two cards...one a birthday and one a thank you. :)  I used my stampin' write markers to color in each of my stamps and stamped them onto damp watercolor paper.  I also did a bit of watercolor wash...at least that's what I think it's called.  I don't have a lot of DSP because it's not my favorite thing, but wanted something other than plain watercolor paper.

Make sure you check out the sketch HERE at Try Stampin' on Tuesday and play along too.  I can't see what the rest of you create with this sketch.  The designers' cards are all so different and I love that!

Just a couple more pics for you to enjoy.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Butterfly Basics

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Today's post is a little different for me.  Why?  Because it's the last card I'll be posting on a Friday as a designer for the Friday Mashup. I've had a blast and learned a LOT being a part of this team and will continue to enjoy playing along with them in the future.  Check out the new design team if you haven't already.  Lots of creativity going on with them!  Now onto this week's challenge from Avery...

Create a project with the "Sketch". 

Create a project with "2 different embellishments". 

or Mash it Up! and create a project "with the Sketch and different embellishments".

I had fun creating this card and love that it's a very CAS card for me, but it was a little challenging to get the words and flowers to line up just right with the layers of banners.  Believe it or not I did it all in one try...whew!!!

Make sure you check out the design teams great creations HERE and play along too.

This is the only picture where you can see the shimmer on my card.  I definitely used shimmer on it. :)

Since I didn't have a lot of time to create this card and already had the sketch from Avery I decided to use a challenge for the colors too.  I love that they are out there and take some of the thought out of making a card, but on the other hand they put so much more into it...does that make sense to anyone but me? lol  I used this week's vibrant colors from Color Me...playful.

Seems like I had a lot of pics that I liked this time for my card. :)

Last pic, I promise. lol  I wanted you to see a close up of the banner pieces I used since it's a little harder to see in the other pics because I only used white card stock.  

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog