Pink Lemonade

Happy Birthday cards...get ready for the deluge...

It seems like I have about FIVE HUNDRED birthday cards to catch up on so for my next few cards you will see "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" on most of them!!! LOL

This week was a "Sponsor Free" week over at CPS! And so I took out some of my favorite papers by K & Company - Blue Awning Collection, and WENT TO TOWN! :) Throw in a few dies by Spellbinders (Have you been to the Spellbinders Blog lately to see all the newest releases???), Some stamps and ribbon by Renaissance By Design, some cardstock by Prism and BAM!!! I was in business! Enjoy!! (ps - you really should hope on over to the Prism Blog also because there is a WONDERFUL BLOG GIVEAWAY going on over there!!!)

Supplies:
Cardstock: Kraft, Espresso, Vanilla Cream Prismatics - Prism Papers
Stamps: Everything Birthday - Renaissance By Design
Ink: Dark Brown Fluid Chalk Ink - Clearsnap
Patterned Paper: Blue Awning Collection - K&Co.
Dies: Nested Flowers, Flower Bouquet Miniabilities - Spellbinders
Ribbon: Raw Silk Sateen Ribbon - Renaissance By Design
Brad:  Creative Impressions
Sewing Machine
3-D Foam Squares - Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L
Corner Rounder

Using Acrylic Paint - Butterfly Topiary

As some of you know I write for Scrap & Stamp Arts Magazine. I usually do technique articles, and sometimes I do a product / manufacturer spotlight article. I love to write and I love to teach and so these are kind of the best of both worlds for me. One I get to pick what I write about and usually I teach something in my articles! LOL Anyway, back in March I wrote about using acrylic paint on your projects. I love to use paint to add dimension and texture! NOTE: Be sure to wash your stamps AS SOON AS YOU ARE DONE with the paint!!! (Ask me how I know the importance of this one!)
For this card, I only used acrylic paint as my final layer of stamping. It allowed me to keep the detail needed for the first layers of my main image, as well as add a bit of dimension and texture to the top layer. And before the paint fully dried I added a bit of extra sparkle by sprinkling on some colored glitter. Enjoy!


Supplies: 
Cardstock: Vanilla Cream, Blush Red Light Prismatics, Natural Smooth – Prism Papers 
Patterned Paper: K&Company 
Stamps: 3 Step Hydrangea – Kitchen Sink Stamps 
Paint: Plantation Pine, Butter, Lamp(Ebony) Black Americana Acrylic Paint – DecoArt 
Ink: Creamy Brown, Chestnut Roan, Dark Brown, Bisque, Pastel Olive, Rouge Fluid Chalk Ink – Clearsnap 
Dies: Long Rectangles Small & Long Scalloped Rectangles Large Nestabilities Dies; Tan Embossing Mat; Wizard Die Cutting Machine - Spellbinders 
Sparkly Maroon Brads – Creative Impressions 
Sparkling Snow and Green Nugget Glitters – Sparkle N Sprinkle 
Zip Dry Paper Glue – Beacon Adhesives 
½” Cream Sheer Ribbon 
1” Foam Brush

I am getting all sorts of caught up!

Well our sweet little blessing is a very stubborn baby and is now three days over due! LOL I am feeling good but must admit I am SERIOUSLY AGITATED tonight...I just want to get it over with already! I am just feeling a bit out of sorts...luckily we have friends coming to visit in a few minutes and I have planned to make them some banana splits! It is horribly hot and humid here today so I think a nice cold banana split will cheer us ALL up! :)

And since the baby is not yet here I have been able to get caught up on all sorts of stuff....I mailed out five packages and two cards today!!! The postage alone was nearly forty dollars!! WOW has postage gone up or WHAT???

Anywhooo...I made a cute little set for my friend Hilary's son...I had told her I would send him a little secret pal RAK THREE MONTHS AGO and it totally slipped my mind! So today I decided it was HIGH TIME I got busy and made him a fun little gift...so this is what I made! I filled the bag with candy and side walk chalk.... Enjoy!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Blush Red Dark, Black, Sunflowers Med, Intense Mint - Prism Papers
Patterned Paper: Reminisce (I think)
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento Ink - Tsukineko
Dies: Pinking Circle, Stars 5 - Spellbinders
Ribbon: Red & White Gingham
Paper Crimper: Fiskars
Rosy Red Glitter - Sparkle N Sprinkle

It is time to have some fun

This month marks Pink Persimmon's first Birthday and they are THROWING A PARTY ALL MONTH LONG!!! :) They have challenges and prizes planned for all sorts of fun all month long! This week is the The PINK and ORANGE Challenge here are the details! ( And the details can be found here too. )

June 1st thru June 12th
The PINK and ORANGE Challenge. Create a card, layout, home decor, or any type of art, as long as it uses the colors of Pink and Orange.  Link your image to a comment in the blog post and we'll do a random draw from all the participants on June 13th.   Winning Prize: $25 gift certificate to the store, plus the 2009 Stamping Ideas book from Scrapbook Trends.  

Here is my card that I created to help them celebrate... It also uses this week's Unscripted Sketch 08 one more time. :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY PINK PERSIMMON!

 

Supplies:
Cardstock: Espresso; Simply Smooth White; Rose Medium, Intense Orange, Intense Pink, Frosted Pink  Prismatics - Prism Papers
Patterned Paper: California Collection - Urban Lily
Stamps: Dutch Journal Circle, Banner Set Small, Little Cuties - Pink Persimmon
Ink: Rose Bud & Tangelo Memento Dye Ink - Tsukineko
Dark Brown Fluid Chalk Ink - Clearsnap
Pens: Spica Glitter Pens - Copic
Dies: Classic Circle, Classic Scalloped Circle, Labels One - Spellbinders
Ribbon & Brads: Creative Impressions

{Find Joy}

Well this week our sponsor over at CPS is Hero Arts...and let me just say, THEY HAVE GOT SOME KEYUUUUUTE STAMPS!!! I had an absolutely fun time coming up with this one! :) I hope you will all play along with us at CPS this week!!! I had a new die combo that I tried out with this one...what do you think of Scalloped Ovals layered onto Labels Three? Let me know ok?? Thanks!

Enjoy~

Supplies:
Stamps: Sky's The Limit, Anytime Messages Clear Stamp Sets - Hero Arts
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento- Tsukineko
Frost White Pigment Ink - Clearsnap
Copic Markers
Cardstock: Simply Smooth White; Classic Red, Baby Blue Medium, Sunflowers Light Prismatics - Prism Papers
Dies: Labels Three, Deckle Mega Rectangles & Scalloped Oval Nestabilities - Spellbinders
Punch: Treading Water Border Punch - Fiskars
Ribbon: May Arts
Glitter: Waterfall - Sparkle N Sprinkle
Brass Brads, Edge Distresser

Wishing you rainbows...

A friend of mine suffered the loss of her grandmother last weekend. A loss is never easy and sorrow is sure to accompany such a keen loss. But rather than go the traditional sympathy card route I felt it better to wish her rainbows in amidst her rainy days ... and this stamp set really hit the spot. It is a new Spring Release from Hero Arts and I adore it! You will be seeing alot more of it in weeks to come because it is so fun and cute! :) I loved that the happy little rainbow fit so well on my Circle & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities Dies from Spellbinders! :) I stamped my main image onto Simply Smooth White cardstock from Prism Papers and colored it using Copic Markers. What a perfect pair!!! :)

To add just a hint of depth I made sure to use 3-D Foam Squares by Scrapbook Adesieves by 3L and also threw some Liquid Applique onto the clouds for added dimension of the actual image! I added just a bit of Starfire Glitter by Sparkle N Sprinkle to make the clouds shine...Enjoy!~

Lots of stuff this week....

But it is not the fun creative stuff..it is the fun Family stuff! :) My sister in law, niece and nephew are coming all the way from New Jersey to visit with us this week! My kids are so excited I am not sure we will last until two this afternoon when they are scheduled to arrive! LOL Anyway I thought this week would be a good week to post some stuff that was published in the Dec issue of Crafts N Things. These were featured in the December Editorial....

I came up with a fun and DELICIOUS Recipe for the cupcakes too! Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes
Duncan Hines®Moist Deluxe Dark Chocolate Cake Mix – make just as directions call but add 3 tsp coconut extract. Once cooled frost using Whipped Chocolate Coconut Frosting and top with toasted shredded coconut.

Whipped Chocolate Coconut Frosting

6 TBS  butter, softened
4 TBS milk
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
6 TBS baking cocoa
2 tsp coconut extract

Combine butter and milk. Add in enough confectioners' sugar to create a good spreading consistency (about 1 – 1 ½ cups). Add cocoa and coconut extract. Whip until light and fluffy.

Toasted Shredded Coconut – Place ¾ cup coconut on baking sheet and toast under broiler set to high for 1 -2 minutes or until lightly golden.

Recipes and Photography by Keri Lee Sereika

Supplies:
Cardstock: Classic Red Prismatics & Natural Smooth -  Prism Papers
Stamps: Holidays - Innovative Stamp Creations
Ink: Olympia Green & Toffee Versafine - Tsukineko
Dies: Classic and Scalloped Long Rectangle Nestabilities - Spellbinders

Christmas carols, Christmas Cards, oh the joy of the Season...

I love this time of year...even with all the hustle bustle I love to reflect on the real reason we celebrate Christmas...CHRIST....what an amazing gift....and I love to think about how we translate that gift to others...One was we as cardmakers can share love is to send cards...I like to send a few out to people who might just be surprised to get a happy note! :) Well this card I decided to send to the gal coordinating our homeschool groups Christmas party....I had to send her a check so I just dressed it up a bit...well I saw her tonight and she was like "Oh my gosh you could have just sent a check...you didn't have to send a beautiful card!!!" I just laughed, smiled and got that happy warm feeling I get when I know I made someone's day just a bit brighter....

For this card there are a few things I want to point out...one...see the Curved Rectangles from Spellbinders? Don't they just add a hint of sophistication to this card??? I LOVE EM!!!
And second....don't you love the greeting??? It is from Holiday Greetings a set by Flourishes that you will be seeing ALOT more of this month....talk about fabulous!! The background was created by stamping the small poinsettia image from their set Poinsettia and Boxwood...another set you will be seeing more of...I can not wait to watercolor the larger poinsettia image! And last but not least..this fun layout is this week's Card Positioning Systems sketch! If you haven't done it yet go do it!!! It is a fun one! Enjoy~

Supplies:
Stamps: Poinsettia and Boxwood, Holiday Greetings - Flourishes
Inks: Rhubarb Memento, Toffee Versafine - Tsukineko
Cardstock: Tawny Med, Butter Cream & Creabapple Dark Prismatics, Natural Smooth - Prism Papers
Dies: Curved Rectangles - Spellbinders
Ribbons: Creative Impressions
Copic Airbrushing System, Caramel Sketch Marker
Krylon Copper Leafing Pen
 

Who doesn't love Labels One??

Ok so this is going to be a QUICK post... I know everyone LOVES Labels One some of the newest dies released by Spellbinders. :) (you have to go check out the new site...it is FABULOUS!)
Well I do too! So I whipped up a quick little card using the largest Lables One. Don't you just love this shape?? Well what I did was first fold my cardstock in half to make my card base and I cut it using the largest die in the set. I laid the die just higher than the fold so that I had a folding card...then I cut another piece the full die size and glued it to the card...that way the entire card is shaped like the die! :)

And don't you love the cupcake...well sorry I can't really help you there...this is an original drawing by my friend Mary over at MoeJoeDesigns... And while she is not just giving away her drawings...she does have an AMAZING BLOG CANDY going on!!! SHE IS GIVING AWAY A LABELS ONE SET!!!! So you really need to hurry on over and leave her a comment so you have a chance to win this HIGHLY COVETED set!!! Runnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, enjoy the card!!!

Still time to do the sketch!!!

Well if you have not yet done the CPS Sketch for this week you need to hop on over there! Unity Stamp Company is our sponsor this week and we have all had a blast using our different stamp choices!!! Talk about a variety of styles! OH THE FUN!  Enjoy!

Supplies:
Stamps: Growing In Unity - Unity Stamp Company
Cardstock: Vanilla Cream, Suede Brown Med Prismatics - Prism Papers
Ink: Dark Moss, Chestnut Roan Fluid Chalk Ink, Cream White Colorbox Pigment Ink - Clearsnap
Patterned Paper: Webster's Pages
Dies: Classic Scalloped Oval, Classic Scalloped Rectangles Lg & Sm - Spellbinders
Punch: Treading Water Border Punch - Fiskars
Embellishments: Copper Wheel Brass It Up & Professional Touch Hot Fix Applicator - Kandi Corp
Sparkling Snow Glitter: Sparkle N Sprinkle
Ribbon: Wide Organdy