The Pink Elephant Challenge #50

This week's challenge is a sketch challenge, here's the sketch we're using this week.

And our challenge this week is sponsored by

My inspiration for my card, my precious 13 year old chocolate lab Amber, was sitting nearby when I was ready to take the pic of my card so I thought I should get her in the picture :) She doesn't seem too thrilled lol, she's usually not that pitiful, I think I had some food nearby or something that she was waiting for and pitifullness helps lol.

Anyway onto my card, I used one of Stampotique's stamps and did some paper piecing with the image on some patterned paper. All the background paper is from Reminisce. I thought this would be a cute card to give someone for a thank you for dogsitting.

Be sure to head on over to see what the rest of the Design Team at TPE made this week using some of Stampotique's rubber stamps.

The Pink Elephant Challenge #49

Our theme this week at TPE is a Birthday theme

I'd like to thank our sponsor this week, Kraftin' Kimmie. She let us play with some of her new stamps that were just released for our challenge this week.

I was immediately drawn to the Bird Fairy stamp but was intimidated by the details and the coloring involved. I decided to give it a try and after my third try I finally came up with an image I liked. Instead of a card this week I did a gift bag, something I never have enough of in my stash. I always spend all this time on creating gifts and run out of time to package them up cute. The pic isn't too great, the sun had already gone down by the time I was ready to take a pic.

Be sure to head on over to TPE to see what the rest of the design team made this week.

Mini of the Week

I love mini albums and I'm always looking for new designs for them. I decided that I would share a mini a week on my blog for all you other mini lovers. This week's mini is perfect for a keychain or to clip onto a bag. It has 4 double sided pages to hold 8 pictures. This mini measures approximately 2-1/2" x 3-3/4". What I like about this little album is that it has a little case to protect its pages.

I found the tutorial on how to make this album at splitcoast stampers. If you're interested you can find it HERE
I did make a few alterations to the instructions for my album but it's pretty close.

I used Reminisce pattern paper and Coredinations cardstock for this album. Isn't that monkey paper just the cutest!? I have this little mini up for sale in my Etsy store but I'm thinking I just might have to make another to give my nephew & his wife for their little boy.

If you give this album a try I'd love to see what you make.

First Card For My Birthday Card Challenge

I mentioned that I wanted to start a Birthday Card Challenge this year. I fail badly at getting Birthday cards made and sent out to family members and friends. I always have these great intentions but I just don't follow through. So this year one of my resolutions was to get my birthday card list ready the first of the month and get them made so they are ready to send out. Actually Im going to work a month ahead so this month I'll make January & February's cards then in February I'll do March's etc. so if I do slack a little it won't be too bad to catch up.

It's a pretty basic challenge just figure out what cards you need to do for the month and get them made AND sent out. I have challenged the gals over at Wisconsin Scrappers to join me, if you would like to join along feel free to share your cards with me by just leaving a comment with a link to your blog. Maybe once things get going I'll over some goodies :)

So for my first card I used a sketch I found online. I love working with sketches, they inspire me. So here's the sketch I used (and I can't remember where I got it from).


And here is the card I have made for my nephew who is turning 19 or is he turning 20? I don't remember lol. His birthday is tomorrow so he'll be getting it late but I will get it out (that's the 2nd part of my challenge, actually mailing it)

Recipe
Stamp: Northwoods
Embossing: Cuttlebug on Coredinations cardstock
Diecutting: Spellbinders (oval and tree)

I just have one more birthday for January, my mother's is the 31st. I'll be posting hers late though because she reads my blog, "hi mom over in warm Phoenix!" :) They're lucky to not have to be in this cold weather in the winter. I'll be working on my Feb. ones too, there's 3 total and they're all male cards.

The Pink Elephant Challenge #48

2 Designer Papers, 3 Buttons and Snowflakes

This week's challenge is sponsored by Stamp Happens We got to play with some of the beautiful Bo Bunny Snowy Serenade papers and embellishments that Stamp Happens sent us. As soon as I saw the goodies I immediately thought layout. I was hoping to find some great snow pics but the ones I had just weren't right so I still made the layout with the amazing papers and I'll be making another page for photos. So now I have the challenge to get some beautiful pics our next snowfall or while Im out snowmobiling.

Head on over to TPE to see what the rest of the team did this week.

The Pink Elephant Challenge #47

It's time for another challenge over at TPE! We have another sketch challenge this week which is sponsored by Totally Stampalicious. Here is the sketch

And here is my card using the Old Brawd set

Be sure to stop by TPE to see what the rest of the team came up with this week.

TPE Challenge #46

This week we have a sketch to use for our challenge. In Style stamps is sponsoring us this week and we got to play with some of their stamps. I used the Swinging Cynthia stamp for my card this week.

Here's the sketch we used

And here's my card

Now head on over to TPE to see what the rest of the design team did with the
In Style Stamps this week.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with family and friends

Friday Favorites-Birthday Card Organization

I have been slacking on my Friday Favorites, guess I've been too busy trying to get things done for Christmas.

For the past two years I have been making my Christmas cards throughout the year so I have them all done by November, this has really worked out for me so I've been thinking I need to implement a similar idea for birthday cards (I don't send out anniversary cards but maybe if I get organized I just might). So I've been searching for ways to get organized with my birthday cards. Im even going to do a monthly challenge for the gals on Wisconsin Scrappers, maybe I'll even bring it over to my blog if I get things figured out and organized by the 1st :)

So, as I've been looking around I've found some ideas out there. Nicole Heady has a post on her blog about this with a free downloadable calendar. Here's the post with some ideas. And here's a pic of her calendar. I actually have a notebook with a calendar in it but I just don't seem to use it. So that's my 1st goal, to get something that I will utilize I also like her tip about putting a reminder in your phone to send your cards out. Usually I can get the card made (basically the day before lol) but I never seem to get it filled out and dropped in the mail.

Do you have any tips or anything to share with how you keep organized with your Birthday cards? I'd love to hear/see what you do.

TPE Challenge #45

This week's challenge is a Christmas/Winter theme challenge. I put together 2 cards and a tag for this week.


For some last minute Christmas card inspiration be sure to head on over to The Pink Elephant to see what the rest of the design team made.

TPE Challenge #44

Are you getting all your holiday crafting done? It seems like my list just keeps growing and my time is running out. I'll try to share what Ive been creating as I get things done, thing is my family reads my blog so I can't share too much :)

This week's challenge at TPE is to use your favorite Christmas color combo. I love the retro looking colors so I made my card with some lime green, pink and blue. Our challenge this week is sponsored by Your Next Stamp and we got to play with some of their images.

Be sure to stop on over to TPE to see what the rest of the team did this week.