April Swap Card

 So far, so good. Keri and I met again this month and we were both really excited about our cards and we both used die sets.

I used the Spellbinder Pie Perfection set and yes, I had to get most of it! It's going to be fun playing with all the pie combinations and the tin foil pie plate is just too cute. I made a chocolate chip pie and styled my card after something I saw on the Net. I purchased 4 coordinating die sets. 

Keri made a sweet card combining the Lawn Fawn tea cup die and some cute Jolene Boutique bees. Sadly, I used all my bees up for a Loonies for Lindor themed fundraiser.

On to next month. Best get started before golf season starts.

February Swap Card

 Can I even still call it that? Keri and I finally got together again and swapped 2 cards, but I'm calling this one Feb even though its currently April. 

I've been wanting to use these adorable bunnies from Sunny Studio for a long time now.  I also used the inverted circle? die from Lawn Fawn for the first time. Felt good to haul out the supplies and finally make something.

Keri did the sweetest Easter themed cards as well, all in a variety of pastel colours. I chose yellow and I can't remember off hand what company it was. I'll have to ask her again.

Love the embossing on Kraft. This might be too sweet to give away this weekend.

Happy Easter!

December Swap Card

We are sticking with it! Almost caught up now.
I needed more Thinking of you cards to go with my February Goals (sending more cards) and I wanted to use my Stitched Blooms set that I purchased when I was in Florida. I've already used it a few times (borrowed from a friend) but it was a must for me to own as well.

Here's the card I made...

I was going to use it for Sympathy but I thought it was a little too chipper, I changed the flower colour and I think it works...

I also added a little impression? along the top of the blue paper using another set from MFT. I think it finished off the edge.

Keri used the fun YETI set from MFT. Funny, that we both chose MFT sets this month....

She paper pieced those cute Yeti's and used paper from her favourite company; Doodlebug. The best is Yeti to come. I love the sentiment, you could use it for so many occasions.

We are both really happy that we didn't give up on our monthly Swap. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be making cards right now since I'm lately obsessed with working on my Planner.

November Swap Card

Slowly but surely we are getting our Monthly Swap cards completed...

I needed a Retirement card, they're hard to come by. I used an MFT die with some cute confetti paper and the Happy stamp and die from Lawn Fawn. Of course, I had no suitable Retirement sentiments in my stash so I computer generated it and I think it looks pretty good.

Keri used a cute chicken set from Sugar Pea and a chicken wire embossing folder to coordinate. This would be a fun card to send someone. Maybe for my February Goals. Stay tuned for those.

April Swap Card

Still getting caught up after a busy spring, but Keri and I actually exchanged these cards back at the beginning of May. So we are all caught up and I even have my May card ready to go for the end of the month.

Keri did not one but TWO sweet baby cards. I can't remember what line of stamps she used but she coloured them with Prisma pencils and hung them on a clothesline with the most adorable mini clothespins. And now I have one ready for a boy OR a girl...

I used an MFT Cat set that I've used before but I wanted to use a peek a boo die set that I hadn't used before. I actually cut off the doors as I wanted to directly showcase the cats....

I thought about it after I was done and realized I used dog bones as my background paper but I don't think its TOO noticeable. Here are the products that I used....

And there you have it. All caught up. Off to do some yardwork. The Sun is finally shining after days of gloom and rain so it will be nice to get outside for a bit.

February Swap Card

It feels good to be caught up with our monthly swap. I love that we are keeping it going. It's probably the only thing that encourages me to make a card a month (other then what I'm working on for Loonies for Lindor).

This time Keri used another set from SaleABration to make this cute birthday card....

I love all things gingham and the purple is such a change of pace. Beautiful colour that isn't used that often. Here's the set she used....

I was lucky enough to borrow a set of dies from another friend. Even though I have my own Stitched Blooms dies, this set was just different enough that I wanted to try it. There are so many possible colour combinations. I can't wait to cut out a few more for a totally different look.

I even put a little flower on the inside and one on the envelope for an extra special touch. Here's the set I borrowed. It's MFT Dienamics Stitched Blooms...

I've been doing quite well with my regular posting. I hope to continue the trend.

June Card Swap Challenge

It usually takes me to the middle of the month to post our Swap cards but I'm right on the ball this month. Maybe it's because we are in the middle of a heat wave and it's almost unbearable to go outside.
Keri used a set from Stampin Up. The gold on the card is washi tape to coordinate with the gold edged envelope. I love that the envelope is special. She stamped the flower several times and used pencil crayons to colour. I really want to use this multiple stamping style one day soon.

I used a set that I purchased recently at my local SS. As a baker, I just knew I had to have it. The little cross hatches for the peanut butter cookie were just too much. The stamp set had matching dies and I used a couple different techniques...

I inked the edges of the cookies to give them a freshly baked appearance and I heat embossed the Milk in white. I wanted to use Nuvo drops to make the red sprinkles look more authentic but I didn't have the exact shade of red that I needed. I will definitely try that technique another time.

So I'm off to a roaring start for the month. Happy July 1st.

April Challenge

We're on a roll. Keeping up the monthy card exchange and using new products as we go. This month I borrowed the Your Next Stamp Monster set from Keri and she used her own previously untouched Tea cup dies from MFT.

And here is her card...

These are the monster stamps I borrowed....

And here's the card I made...

Very versatile. I think I should make a few more of these.

Freshly Made Sketches

As soon as I saw this week's Freshly Made Sketches 248,  I knew I wanted to use my wheat dies which I had never used before since they reminded me somewhat of the feathers. Who knew I would have to cut them out several times attempting to find the right colour. I'm not happy with my final colour selection even though I tried to darken them up by inking but I wasn't going to start again. It's a beautiful die but very intricate so it was fussy to glue down and this was NOT my first attempt. All in all, it turned out not too badly.... they always look better in person.

And here's the Sketch I based it on ...

I guess that's why they call them "challenges".

MFT Sketch Challenge- A Wedding card

I needed a wedding card for a customer/family member and I don't usually make this type of card.  Fortunately, I picked up a cute Impression Obsession wedding cake die, like, yesterday and was able to put this card together. I kept it pretty neutral as I don't know the colour theme and thought it would work well with this week's MFT Sketch challenge....

I love paper piecing and even though it was a bit intricate, I thought it turned out great.

I hope she likes it too.

Thinking of You

I've been fairly productive lately and once I get going on an idea, I usually make a bunch.
I saw this idea on Pinterest and since I had both of the dies decided to make up a few. I originally did them in this colour combo...

but when my friend Robin, did one with the red birds, I had to copy it since the Cardinal is my favourite bird.

Either way, I think they are both lovely cards and I've been trying to add a little interest on the inside of my cards lately so a little bird diecut was perfect...

Sizzix Circle Flip Its Card

What is it about that 50% off Michaels coupon that just screams "buy something". So I was moseying around the store coupon in hand thinking this would be a good time to stock up on some cutting blades. BORING! when I happened upon these dies. I had my eye on a different set a couple weeks ago but this little beauty seemed too good to pass up. It was so fun and easy, I immediately whipped up a card when I got home that evening and THAT doesn't happen very often. What do you think? Cute, eh?

This set came with 11 different dies. Not a bad deal for $20. The card will fit neatly in an A2 envelope. I can see lots of uses for this in the future.

Furry Friends

I found another challenge to participate in over at Simon Says Stamp. This week it just happened to be Furry Friends and I thought, hey, I can do that! Since I have about a million dog themed papers, dies and stamps. I also had just purchased the MFT Dog House dies and I was anxious to use them.
Here's what I came up with....

Lots of paper piecing but I think it was worth the effort. Love this card. Just waiting for the right occasion for the sentiment for the inside.