Bridal Shower Sweet Stop

I have been a busy little bee on my end. See my husband's cousin is getting married and I am helping throw her a bridal shower this weekend. She is an amazing woman and it may have taken longer than she expected to find her "One", but it was all worth the wait! And man are we helping her celebrate. So for her shower I did the invitations, party favor boxes, and an advice tree...all of this you will see in another post...really hoping she is excited about all of it as I am! So even though my week prior has been a lot of really late nights, it was all worth it to celebrate with her this weekend.

So obviously I needed a Bridal Shower card for her party, so I used the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #60 to create one. Now I will admit I took some artistic liberties here and I will say that I followed the guide of the sketch and not the specifics. Does my card look anything like the sketch? Anyway the flower from Verve Stamp's Beautiful You was stamped and embossed in black twice on the Pomegranate Splash cardstock and once on the Raspberry Cream patterned paper. Then I pieced it together and gave it some dimension. A large pearl sticker finished it off nicely! The greeting was embossed in black as well on the oval shape...my oval went a different direction that the sketch, but it is an oval...more than I can say about the flower that is taking the place of a rectangle! The same patterned paper was used for the strip across the card and I embossed the shimmer white (hard to capture that shimmer on the camera) cardstock with the Textile embossing folder. Then the card was finished with a white satin ribbon.

Now go check out the creations by the other Sugar Babies: Audrey, Candace, Dana, Julie, Kathy, Kelli, Nancy, Renata, and the Sugar Mama, Korin. Better yet make a card with the sketch and link it up to the Sweet Stop blog. Have fun creating and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Beautiful You (Verve Stamps), So Many Sayings (SU! - retired); Paper - Pomegranate Splash (Bazzill Basics), Shimmer White, Basic Black (SU!), Bittersweet Raspberry Cream (Basic Grey); Ink - Versamark; Accessories - Pearl Stickers (Oriental Trading), white satin ribbon (Offray), Cuttlebug Textile embossing folder (Provo), Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Scallop Edge Punch (SU!), black embossing powder, scissors, dimensionals

Purple or Pink?

I am officially declaring myself a gardener! Ok I may be jumping the gun just a wee bit. All I have right now are strawberries (big, juicy, yummy ones!), so I have no idea if the rest of what I planted will work out or not. I really should take no credit for the strawberries. I planted 6 plants last year and just let them do whatever...they kind of took over. I had no idea they had the sprawling nature. Now I have lots of strawberries...although some bugs have gotten to quite a few, we have a nice little supply in the fridge. Kind of fun! Anybody else trying to grow anything? We will have to wait and see about my pumpkins, corn, beans, sugar snap peas, and tomatoes....not real confident, but hopeful.

So it is Saturday and that means it is Sweet Stop time! Sweet Stop Sketch #59 is a nice simple one...definitely one to go back to a lot. I was in need of some anniversary cards, so I went that route. I stamped the background stamp, By Definition (SU! retired), in Orchid Opulence, rubbed it with my embossing buddy (the important step that I always forget!), then I stamped the first bird in Versamark. I embossed him with clear embossing powder, then masked him and stamped the second bird behind him which was embossed again. Then I sponged Elegant Eggplant over top of the birds and finally cut them out with an Oval Nestabilities. The branch was stamped with Elegant Eggplant and then stamped and cut out of the flower background paper for the leaves. I really wanted to use lace on the card, but none of the lace I had on hand looked right, so I used the Eyelets Borderabilities to create a pseudo lace. Some pearls to pretty every thing up and I felt complete.

I liked how it turned out so much and I needed a second anniversary card, so I gave it a shot in pink, vanilla, and gold. I think I like the purple on better...If I had a vanilla ink pad that actually was opaque instead of the gold, I might have liked it better. What vanilla ink pads do you all recommend? My Very Vanilla one from SU! is not so good...wasn't from day one. I would have sent it back, but I did not open it for like 5 months or something after buying it! Oh well!

So now you need to go check out the creations by the other Sugar Babies: Audrey, Candace, Dana, Julie, Kathy, Kelli, Nancy, Renata, and the Sugar Mama, Korin. Better yet, make a card with the sketch yourself and link it up to the Sweet Stop blog. Have a great time getting inky and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details - Purple

Stamps - Anniversary Birds (Verve Stamps), By Definition (SU!); Paper - Elegant Eggplant, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White (SU!), Hydrangeas (Paper Pizzazz); Ink - Orchid Opulence, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White (SU!); Accessories - Oval and Scallop Oval Nestabilities, Eyelets Borderabilities Petite, Crystal Clear and White embossing powder, pearl stickers (Oriental Trading), Ticket Corner Punch, sponge, dimensionals

The Engineering Details - Pink

Stamps - Anniversary Birds (Verve Stamps), By Definition (SU!); Paper - Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla (SU!), Hydrangeas (Paper Pizzazz); Ink - Pretty in Pink, Rose Red (SU!); Accessories - Oval and Scallop Oval Nestabilities, Eyelets Borderabilities Petite, Crystal Clear and Gold embossing powder, pearl stickers (Oriental Trading), Ticket Corner Punch, sponge, dimensionals

Superstar Sweet Stop

Whoopsie! I am a wee bit late on posting my Sweet Stop Sketch card! After my extremely busy week last week, my body shut down over the weekend...fever, chills, aches, you name it...so I am still recouping from that! Doing much better now, just still behind. I did get my card on the Sweet Stop blog, just didn't get my own blog updated till now!

Anyway, my Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #58 card was made for a graduation card. So I pulled out some paper from the High School Mat Stack (DCWV) and my Verve Seeing Stars set. The silvery crazy lines on the stars are part of one of the papers in the stack...I just stamped the stars on the back side and cut them out...a star punch would have been much easier! I crumbled, tore, and distressed the white panel behind the star and then ran my Crushed Curry marker over the edges. Same was done for the greeting half-oval. Finished it off with some sparkle silver brads in the corners. Well since I am late and catching up, I will leave you with that!

Go check out the creations by all of the Sugar Babies! Then make a card with the sketch and link it up to the Sweet Stop blog! Have fun getting inky and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Seeing Stars, Starlight Starbright (Verve Stamps); Paper - Crushed Curry, Whisper White (SU!), High School Mat Stack (DCWV); Ink - Basic Black, Crushed Curry marker; Accessories - silver glitter brads (American Crafts), dimensionals, scissors

Quick Sweet Stop

Ok I feel like I am slacking a bit again this week. It has been a rough week for me and I felt very lucky to have even gotten this card made! This week consisted of laying 10 yards of mulch on my own, making 36 bridal shower invitations (to be shown later), baking and decorating a cake for my daughter whom turned 2...all while being sick! Ugh! I am ready for a day off!

So in light of the fact that I am tired, I will keep this short. I obviously needed a birthday card for my daughter...totally cannot believe she is 2 already!...so I used the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #57. I loosely followed the sketch...but had to change a few elements to make it work for my daughter who loves Elmo! So I thought out this card ahead of time, but when I actually sat down to make it, it took me only 20 minutes...that is super fast for me! Yeah it is pretty basic, but I like basic and it only too me 20 minutes. I was shooting for 10 minutes, but I struggled with the rhinestone addition. Anyway, I made Elmo from punched/die cut shapes...found lots of renditions on Splitcoast Stampers. I stamped a "2" randomly on Green Galore cardstock in Green Galore ink and used a satin black ribbon to finish it off. I felt there was too much blank space at the top right corner on the dotted paper and rhinestones directly on the paper didn't look right. So I added a part of the word window punch there and put the rhinestones on top. I had wrote the text around Elmo...I just couldn't figure out how to get it around the bow and it was already stuck down so I couldn't move it up. So there you have it. Hopefully next week I will be a bit more "fancy" or "creative" than I have for the last two weeks.

Now go check out the creations by the rest of the Sugar Babies: Audrey, Candace, Dana, Julie, Kathy, Kelli, Nancy, Renata, and the Sugar Mama, Korin. Better yet make a better card with the sketch and link it up to the Sweet Stop blog. Thanks for going easy on me and for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - None; Paper - Real Red, Green Galore, Basic Black, Whisper White, Only Orange (SU!), Baby Safari (Little Yellow Bicycle, I think); Ink - Green Galore (SU!), Black pen; Accessories - Scallop Circle, Circle, and Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Black Rhinestone Stickers (Darice), Word Window Punch (SU!), 1/4" Circle Punch, Black Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals

No Mojo Sweet Stop

Wow why is it so tough getting back into things after a vacation? I think I got a little to used to no cooking, no cleaning, and lots of sleeping! It made it even harder when we came back to the squalls of May...seriously so many rainy days since we got back! But the weekend is suppose to be nicer, so I hoping my motivation should be better with the weather!

Well with the hard time getting back into the normal routine, I also had a very hard time trying to find my mojo...oh where did that little mojo go?? So I apologize in advance for my card for the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #56. I really gave it my best shot, but it just wasn't happening and I didn't have it in me to try again! Ugh! Anyway, in case there are parts you like (go easy on me...remember no mojo!) I stamped the greeting...my husband bought this one for me at Christmas...apparently he expected a card with it and there is a spin on the sketch: For the Guys...stamped it in Basic Black and then cut it out with a circle nestabilities. I embossed it and sponged the Bravo Burgundy ink over top. I used a gold Gelly Roll pen to highlight the "Dad". The paper is from the High School Mat Stack by DCWV.

Now go check out the far better creations by the rest of the Sugar Babies: Audrey, Candace, Dana, Julie, Kathy, Kelli, Nancy, Renata, and the Sugar Mama, Korin. Better yet make a better card with the sketch and link it up to the Sweet Stop blog for a chance to win a prize!!! Oh and don't forget the Spin: For the Guys. Thanks for going easy on me and for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - World's Greatest Dad (Greenbrier); Paper - Bravo Burgundy, Pacific Point, Whisper White (SU!), High School Mat Stack (DCWV); Ink - Basic Black, Bravo Burgundy (SU!); Accessories - Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), white star brads (Oriental Trading), Gold Gelly Roll pen (Sakura), Rub-on Black Stripe (SU!), White Gel Pen (Signo), scissors, dimensionals

Flowers for Grandma

Well our vacation was a blast! My son did awesome through it all. Couple moments of complete and utter crankiness due to not sleeping enough, but they usually ended in a nap, which is not something he does often. But when he wasn't going to bed till about 10 pm and only sleeping in an extra hour or so, his body just plum wore out a couple of times! My husband and I just had the best time seeing his reaction to Disney World, the rides at Disney, the Cruise ship, snorkeling, and the Atlantis Resort aquariums. I am not sure how he processed it all. And for anyone that is looking for a vacation with kids, let me tell ya a cruise is a fantastic way to go! The kids activities kept him entertained and he kept choosing "Camp Carnival" over having dinner and seeing the show with us...which was kind of nice to get some dinners where you weren't trying to keep him entertained the whole time. Overall, a wonderful experience!

So now that I am back, all of the sudden it is Mother's Day...so glad that I thought to make my last cards Mother's Day cards because I just wouldn't be able to get them together by Sunday otherwise! Anyway, obviously I made my Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #55 another Mother's Day card...this time it is for Grandma. Grandma is a pink fanatic, so I of course had to oblige. I pulled out the Raspberry Tart DSP from Stampin' Up! and stamped the flowers from Greenhouse Garden in Rose Red and Cameo Coral to match. All of the flowers were cut out and layered together and a pearl sticker was added to the centers that are visible. I pleated the ribbon mainly because I couldn't figure out where to put a bow or knot. Then the scallops below the ribbon also got some pearl stickers. Last touch was to pierce holes around the main panel.

Now you have to check out the creations by the other Sugar Babies: Audrey, Candace, Dana, Julie, Kathy, Kelli, Nancy, Renata, and the Sugar Mama, Korin. Better yet, make a card with the sketch and link it up to the Sweet Stop Blog...we would love to see what you do with the sketch! Have fun getting inky and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering.

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Greenhouse Garden (SU!), Women of Life (Papertrey Ink); Paper - Old Olive, Rose Red, Whisper White, Raspberry Tart DSP (SU!); Ink - Cameo Coral, Rose Red; Accessories - 5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain ribbon, Pearl Stickers (Oriental Trading), Scallop Edge Punch, Word Window Punch, Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, dimensionals

On the Beach

Well Happy Saturday to you! As you read this, I should be running around with my son and husband through the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom park. We are on a little vacation...just in time according to my husband. Isn't that funny when you finally get to the day you leave for vacation, you feel like there is no possible way you could make it one more day?! We decided to only take our son on the trip (quick Disney trip and then a Bahamas Cruise) and leave our daughter home with the grandparents. She still takes an afternoon nap and we felt like that would be tough to work around when you only have so much time at each port...plus she won't remember right?! Ok feeling a little bit guilty leaving her behind, but we will manage to have fun!

Since I will be enjoying some relaxing beach time (or at least relaxing deck time), I went for a beach theme for the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #54. I stamped the beach chair image from the retired Sketches set in Versamark and embossed it with Crystal Clear embossing powder. Then I bleach painted the image...funny thing, I overdid the bleach on the first one, so i had to do it again and the bleached part came out a completely different color (talking vanilla to blue!)...apparently different lots of cardstock bleach differently! The rest of the card is fairly self-explanatory. I separated the hemp twine which is made of three strands...it gives it a cool crimpy rough look.

Now go check out the creations by the other Sugar Babies: Audrey, Candace, Dana, Julie, Kathy, Kelli, Nancy, Renata, and the Sugar Mama, Korin. Better yet, make a card with the sketch and link it up to the Sweet Stop Blog. Enjoy getting inky and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Sketches (retired SU!), Women of Life (Papertrey Ink); Paper - Apricot Appeal, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum (SU!), Shell pattern paper (unknown); Ink - Versamark, Perfect Plum; Accessories - Antique Brass brads (SU!), Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), hemp twine, small starfish, dimensionals