Lovely Anniversary

Wow it feels like I may be starting to figure out how to get our new schedule working...only took me a month!  Sheesh!  Some days feel like some what controlled chaos...which probably turns into complete chaos on occasions.  I am definitely learning what nights I need to do crockpot meals!  Then my son is being bumped up a level in his swim classes, so the schedule will be changing again!  Ahhhh!  


But I can find my sanity with a little crafting, so I was happy to sit down and make a card for the latest Card Patterns Sketch #135...which by the way, Paper Makeup Stamps is sponsoring!!  So make sure to check it out and participate to get a chance to win some free PMS!  I also get to show off some of the amazing Paper Temptress cardstocks...make sure to check out all of the amazing cards and projects that the rest of the Paper Temptress Design Team has created on the Paper Temptress Blog.

I kept the design simple so that the Paper Temptress cardstock could shine.  The simple Love Heart from the Hugs & Kisses set from Paper Makeup Stamps was perfect.  I kind of blended my three circles from the sketch together and then accenuated them with pearls.  The heart was stamped on Iridescent Cryogen White with Versamark and embossed.  Then I colored over it with a marker and punched it out.  The beautiful Laser Silver Lustre cardstock that makes up the main face of the card is perfect since it has a subtle pattern to it. 


Well I will be back next week with some exciting news...can't let the cat out of the bag yet!  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Hugs & Kisses (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Laser Silver Lustre, Azalea Mica/Metallic, Alpine Aster Glimmer, Iridescent Cryogen White, Brown Basis #80 (Paper Temptress); Ink - Versamark (Tsukineko), Melon Mambo Marker, Early Espresso (SU!); Accessories - Crystal Clear Embossing Powder (SU!), Pearls (Oriental Trading), Brown 5/8" Splitz Ribbon (Paper Temptress), Circle Nestabilties (Spellbinders), 1-1/4" Circle, 1-3/8" Circle, Scalloped Edge, corner rounder Punches (SU!), dimensionals

Swimming By With a Sneak Peek...Again!

Time to get back to reality, right?  We have had a wonderful weekend of Fireworks (sort of...they didn't quite work out so they are actually going to do them again), Pool Parties (cake to be shown soon!), Movies (it's Movie week this week in my house...I know I kept meaning to tell you all about my theme weeks...this week I will!), and Beach BBQ.  But now the house is pretty much a disaster area with all of that fun, so back to reality!  


While we did do lots of swimming, we didn't get to do any snorkeling like little Miss Suzie on my card.  She is one of the Sneak Peeks from Paper Makeup Stamps today over on the PMS Blog.  Make sure to check it out...hint, there are prizes involved!  I love snorkeling...so the Suzie Fairy was right up my alley!  And see that sentiment...it comes with her!  The Design Team has been telling Katie (the owner of Paper Makeup Stamps), that we love it when sentiments are included with the images...I know I always struggle finding just the right sentiment for a card.


I actually printed out a digi version of Suzie and colored her with a blender pen and ink pads.  Not too bad...hard to get really good shading with the blender pens, but good to switch it up a bit.  The pattern paper is from the Sunshine pad by Me & My Big Ideas.  The layout is from the Card Patterns Sketch #122.


As I said before, check out the PMS Blog so you have a chance to win some free stamps!!  Then mark your calendars for July 7 for the Paper Makeup Stamps Blog Hop and Release Party (9 pm EST on the PMS Forum).  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Suzie Fairy and Sentiment (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Tempting Turquoise, Melon Mambo, Sage Shadow, Whisper White (SU!), Sunshine Paper Pad (Me & My Big Ideas); Ink - Melon Mambo, Sage Shadow, Tempting Turquoise, Crumb Cake (SU!); Accessories - Cuttlebug Bubbles Embossing Folder (Provo), white satin ribbon (Offray), Scallop Edge Punch and Corner Rounder (SU!), blender pen, dimensionals

Celebrate

So have you ever been so mentally exhausted that you were actually physically exhausted?  That is where I am.  We decided to bite the bullet and throw my daughter in underwear on Saturday to begin the potty training process.  We didn't have to go through this elaborate process with my son when he was little...he was in daycare at the time and daycare basically took on the potty-training process...kind of wish Adi was in daycare now too!  Actually, she was doing great...a couple accidents a day, but we were getting somewhere...and then today came.  Number 2 was overdue and trying to get a stubborn little girl that already tries to prevent ever going Number 2 to get the Number 2 into a potty...yeah it was a loooong day!  She did finally have success, but there was a lot of tears, screaming, and tummy pain before then!  


Ok enough potty talk...sorry there is lots of potty talking going on here...kind of my main focus right now!  Onto what you are really here for...I made a graduation card for a friend of ours that just got his degree.  Better late than never!  So since it was for a guy, I went the more simple route and used my most masculine graduation image...a star!  I know completely brilliant!  hehe!  The layout is from the Card Patterns Sketch #117.  

The fabulous cardstock is all from Paper Temptress.  The base is Gold Basis 80# and I stamped on the Heavenly White 100# (which is so beautifully smooth...maybe smoother and definitely heavier than SU! Whisper White cardstock).  But the best is the Incadescent Nero cardstock (which is on SALE right now!).  You can see in the detailed shot that this cardstock has a great texture too it and a gold sparkle too it.  Simply stunning making my simple male graduation card that much better!


Back to the watching for potty signs!  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!


The Engineering Details
Stamps - Seeing Stars (Verve Stamps), Wonderful Words (retired SU!); Paper - Gold Basis 80#, Heavenly White 100#, Nero Incandescent (Paper Temptress); Ink - Summer Sun (SU!), Tuxedo Black Momento (Tsukineko); Accessories - Labels 16 Die and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), black and white bakers twine, dimensionals

Presents for You

Is it truly spring where you are? I'll tell ya...it looks like spring around here...flowers blooming, trees getting leaves, grass the greenest it will ever be...but the temperature is no where near spring. It is still darn right chilly out and we are in May already! I tell ya, it is killin' me! I need warmer weather!!

Maybe that is why you need some sunglasses for my Paper Makeup Stamps Sneak Peek Card! All bright and cheery to make me think it is warmer out than it is. There is an adorable new boy fairy named Lars and he is surrounded by presents (you can get a peek at him from the other Makeup Artists on the PMS Blog). This is a separate image of just presents to go along with little Lars. I had the wavy striped pattern paper for a long time and finally decided to use it. I used the Card Patterns Sketch #113 for my layout. I originally didn't have the circles on the base, but decided it was just too plain...faux dry embossing to the rescue! I justed punched out a bunch of circles of the same color and adhered them to the card front. Just gives it a little more interest, don't ya think?

Make sure to check out all of the other PMS Sneak Peeks at the PMS Blog and then join us for a little fun at the Release Party in the PMS Forum on May 7th (9 - 11 pm EST). Oh and you might want to check out the Paper Temptress Blog for the latest post there...hint, hint...its my first as part of the Paper Temptress Design Team! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Lars Fairy Presents (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, Kiwi Kiss (SU!), pattern paper (unknown), watercolor paper; Ink - Regal Rose, Riding Hood Red, Pumpkin Pie, Kiwi Kiss (SU!), Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko); Accessories - white taffeta ribbon (SU!), Oval and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Striped Orange Brads (Making Memories), 1" Circle Punch (SU!), dimensionals, aquabrush

Love Bunnies

This post is going up significantly later than I had planned. See I created this card Friday night and went to bed with the feeling that I was starting to get a sore throat. Lo and behold, I woke up Saturday morning with a fever, body aches, monster sore throat, and a horrible headache. This continued through Sunday causing me to miss Easter. Yes, I missed Easter! I managed to get out of bed long enough to see the kids find their Easter baskets, and take pictures of them dressed for church, but otherwise I pretty laid in bed all day! Finally made it to the doctors on Monday, so I have medicine now, but the darn sore throat is just not going away! So bad that it is hard to find anything I can eat without pain...and this is which pain medicine from the doctor! Ugh! Anyway that is my sob story and hence why this post is late!

See it is late because I wanted to get it posted at the beginning of the Card Patterns Sketch Challenge #112 because Paper Makeup Stamps is the sponsor of the challenge! So make sure to join in the fun and get a chance to win a gift certificate to PMS!

I pulled out Billy & Bianca the adorable love bunnies from the Retro Cutie Critters line at Paper Makeup Stamps. I got my paper for my new design team, Paper Temptress, and just had to try some out. So I stamped them on the Beargrass Glimmer paper...it has a beautiful shimmer to it that you can see in the detail shot. I embossed the image and then watercolored it with markers/ink pads and an aquabrush. It worked beautifully and maintained that beautiful shimmer even under the watercoloring. Can't wait to work more with all of my paper from Paper Temptress! The sentiment is from the Verve Anniversary Birds set.

So make sure you check out what the Card Patterns Design Team created and link up your creation to join in and have a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to the Paper Makeup Stamps store! Thinking healthy thoughts and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Billy & Bianca (Paper Makeup Stamps), Anniversary Birds (Verve Stamps); Paper - Soft Suede, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss (SU!), Beargrass Glimmer (Paper Temptress), Stafford from Porcelain Collection (Basic Grey); Ink - Versamark, Basic Black, Soft Suede marker, Crumb Cake marker, Riding Hood Red marker, Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Accessories - Ribbon (SU!), scallop edge punch (SU!), dimensionals