Friday, May 29, 2009

Birthday fishes to you


I made this summery card a while back now but thought I would share it today. Boundary Waters border punch by Fiskars is extremely cool when used with a family of Essential ColorCore cardstock by Core'dinations. For this card I used the Aqua Blues collection as it matched so perfectly with the Typo Thickers in Peacock.
I then lightly sanded the crests of the waves with my sanding block.







Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock, Jillibean Soup patterned paper, ribbon, twine and kraft paper, American Crafts Thickers, Cuttlebug embossing folders, Fiskars border punch, Quickutz letter dies (birthday), Stampin' Up! stamps, Tsukineko ink, other: foam layering tape.



In other news, if you haven't seen a copy of this book yet...get on it.
It's a new book out by Kimber McGray and it's for sale at Amazon.com, your local bookstore or your local scrapbooking store. You will find lots of great scrapbooking tips and tricks, inspiring layouts and cards and, yes, even a layout by me that features my cutie pie daughter, Ema (page 19).

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Cupcake craze continues

I made these the other night with a stamp that I had to have from Stampin' Up. My pal, Liz Goldhawk, set me up with this stamp after my birthday crop.

These are for Matt and Ema to give to their friends after their birthdays this summer. It's a great little stamp that you can use your scraps of patterned paper with....Jillibean Soup patterned paper scraps that is.
The cute little cherry on top is made from Core'dinations ColorCore Cardstock. I used the corner of my Making Memories sanding block to add the shiny/lighter effect.
* Removed for Publication *
Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock (Poinsettia), Jillibean Soup patterned paper (Minestrone collection) and kraft A2 cards, Stampin' Up! stamp, Sizzix texture plates (Stampin' Up exclusive), Making Memories brads, American Crafts brads, Tsukineko ink, other: foam layering tape.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Soup's on!

Today, over at the Jillibean Soup blog, they just posted a new sketch. I made a card based on the sketch but you could make a layout, card or whatever. Be sure to check it out.
Tomorrow I will be back with more cupcake goodness. Mmmm.... High calorie scrappin'!

Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock (Vanilla Cream), Jillibean Soup paper (Minestrone collection, kraft), Unity Stamp Company stamp, Creative Cafe rubons, Heidi Swapp edge distesser, Tsukineko ink, other: foam layering tape, sewing machine, thread.

Just an FYI: if you enjoy working with Core'dinations cardstock I would highly recommend picking up a Heidi Swapp edge distresser. In the card above, I used it along the edge of the Vanilla Cream cardstock. Also, a Crop-a-Dile can easily punch a hole in the top of your edge distresser and then you can hang it off your craft bag or tote so you don't lose it (sounds like advice from a woman who lost hers and had to buy a new one, right?).

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Inspired by colo(u)r

Linda Beeson, one the of design team members for Core'dinations, pointed out this inspirational blog out to the rest of the Core'dinations team.
KWerner Designs blog offers up some really delicious colour combos. This week's is:
So, I rustled me up some Core'dinations cardstock and some other stash and came up with this little love note:


Be sure to drop by this blog and spend some time cruising through all the sections. There's not just colour inspiration but scrapbooking pages, cards, photography...and the list goes on. Yeah. It's a goodie!
I'll be back tomorrow with another card that I made over the weekend. I did a huge clean up over the weekend and discovered some long forgotten supplies.

Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock (Midnight, Snowflake, Poinsettia), Riff Raff Designs chipboard (i love you - hand sign), Making Memories brads and paint, Ranger glossy accents, Sizzix texture plate (exclusive to Stampin' Up!), Font: Bernie, other: foam layering tape.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Giant Love

I think I have a new favourite layout.
It makes me smile every time I look at it.
I found this awesome section on the Scrapbook & Cards Today website...Sketches. This layout is based on the June sketch by Allison Cope.
I was pretty excited to see that Core'dinations Whitewash (Watering Can) matched perfectly with this new paper by October Afternoon. Ducks in a Row just arrived at my LSS and I wanted to get a sample done quickly for the store.

Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock (Whitewash-Watering Can), October Afternoon paper, Making Memories diecut paper and sanding block, Scenic Route grid paper, Doodlebug letters stickers, Bazzill brad, Stampin' Up! scallop circle punch, Creative Memories circle cutter, Sizzix impressions folder and texture plate, Font: Another Typewriter, other: foam layering tape. Based on a sketch by Allison Cope for Scrapbook & Cards Today.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

You look like a monkey...

...and you act like one too.
I made a card for a friend of ours. He just turned 38. He was feeling old. I thought this card would cheer him up a bit. It did.


Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock (French Roast), Jillibean Soup patterned paper, journaling sprouts, ribbon, letter stickers and printed kraft paper, Scenic Route worn grid paper, Storage Unit, Ink & More stamp (monkey), Stampin' Up! binder punch, Tsukineko ink, Font: Another Typewriter.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Four teachers. Yep. Four.

I realized the other day that I will need to make four teacher thank you cards. My son has two teachers (one in the AM, one in the PM), and my daughter has a teacher and an educational assistant. Yeah. I had better get crackin'!
Here is another one. This one was made based on Sketch This #86. And, if you just gotta know...the tree trunk is from Riff Raff Designs. Yum!
Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock (Vanilla Cream), Jillibean Soup patterned paper (Minestrone/Chopped Tomatoes, Cannellini Beans), Scenic Route worn grid paper, Jillibean Soup journaling spot, Jillibean Soup kraft paper, WorldWin kraft envelope, Riff Raff Designs chipboard tree trunk, Imaginisce stamp (best teacher), Unity Stamp Company stamp (numbers), Tsukineko inks (VersaFine, VersaMark), Stampin' Up! binder punch and heart punch, Making Memories paint (Chocolate), Heidi Swapp edge distressor (used on the Vanilla Cream Core'dinations cardstock to rough it up).

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

He's a man that can alter

What can I say. My DH can alter.

Yep. He had listened to me grumble long enough about my rat's nest of a storage system for my necklaces and came up with this little altered item for Mother's Day.

The stand on the right is actually used for holding photos. The stand on the left is meant for hand towels. He spent Mother's Day weekend dissecting my ball of necklaces and had this waiting for me when I got home from visiting his parents with the kids.
No wonder we love this guy as much as we do.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Contest now closed

The Jillibean Soup Bean Chase contest that I posted on Thursday, April 30, 2009 is now closed.
The winner will be announced on Saturday, May 9, 2009 over at the Jillibean Soup blog.

A dear friend of mine sent me an email the other day. It gave me a few giggles. Here it is:

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

WHEN YOU STOP LAUGHING -- SEND IT ON TO OTHER MOTHERS, GRANDMOTHERS, AND AUNTS.....and anyone else who has anything to do with kids or just needs a good laugh!!!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Time flies...

...when you have 3 million things on your to-do list.

First of all, I wanted to share a thank you card that I made for Ema's kindergarten teacher. Look at me. Getting a card made at least a month before I need it. Well. It was also my interpretation of this week's sketch over at Sketch This. Two birds, one stone.

Supplies: Core'dinations Black Magic (Abracadabra), Core'dinations Vintage (Ruby), Core'dinations Essentials (Curry), Scenic Route worn grid paper, Jillibean Soup journaling sprout and printed twill, Stampin' Up binder punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder (Tiny Bubbles), Basic Grey chipboard letters (for sanding technique), EK Success letter stamps, Tsukineko ink (VersaFine), Heidi Swapp chipboard numbers, other: foam layering tape, sandpaper, scoring blade.
In other news, I am very excited that Core'dinations announced their new design team on Friday, May 1st. I will be carrying on designing for them and have been asked to be the team "Core'dinator". Sadly, Kim Hughes will not be carrying on in that role. She will be sadly missed.

Here's a list of the new Core'dinations ColorCore Design Team:

Linda Beenson

Cari Locken

Kim Moreno

Sarah Hodgkinson (that's me)

Debbie Standard

Ellen Sosnoski

Heather Bowser

Hera Frei

Kandis Smith

Kimber McGray

Lydia Jackson

Melissa Oliveira

Molly Peckham

Paula Gilarde

I am off to bed. 36 years old today and feeling every year of it.

Night.