papers and polka dots and paints, oh my!

The She Art Workshop Starts Tomorrow!

2011-02-27T09:23:00.008-05:00

I'm starting this online workshop tomorrow and I'm so excited. I love Christie Tomlinson's artistic style.

Graduation Gifts

2010-08-18T09:30:00.003-04:00

Our gift this year for some special graduates was "dorm art". It was fun taking their color scheme and creating a special piece for them.
For Dani at Georgia College and State University,

for Margot at Coastal Carolina,

and for Kate at University of Georgia

Thanks for visiting,
Susan

Just Saying "hi"!

2010-02-18T06:28:00.005-05:00

Cath over at Moxie Fab World is talking about using embroidery floss on cards, so I thought I'd share a little "hi"

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Supplies: Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper: Little Shoe Box; Die Cut Letters : Cricut "Lyrical Letters"; Other misc supplies: Embroidery floss, buttons, and beads; A paper crimper was used on the orange cardstock.

Lots of Owls!

2010-02-15T15:02:00.004-05:00

I thought I'd share a few pieces I did for my daughters Chi Omega sisters. Their symbol is the owl so I've been busy making owl paintings, owl cards, owl bookmarks, owl blankets.........lots of owls in my life these days and lots of Mod Podge

I painted the backgrounds and borders, then added paper owls with Mod Podge and covered the whole project with Mod Podge Gloss

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

2010-02-13T18:12:00.006-05:00

That title is how I'm feeling right now - I'm so happy to get back to my much neglected blog. No excuses, just happy to be back at the computer!

The entire month of February has been a huge celebration at Papertrey Ink. Finally, on day 13, I'm jumping in and creating something for today's contest. The challenge was to design a floral project, I made a card for a friend, and then make an "embellishment sheet" to go along with it so the recipient can have some fun pieces to create their own projects. I made a "just for fun" card and included a sheet of flowers, leaves and butterflies that could be used on some more cards or even on a scrapbook page.

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Supplies: All papers and stamps are Papertrey Ink, the butterfly punches are by Martha Stewart and the ribbon and pom poms are from Michaels.

Polka Dots!

2009-09-28T00:27:00.006-04:00

I'm very excited about a new interactive on-line magazine that will publish their first issue in December. Embellish Magazine has also posted their first challenge and it's all about color and polka dots! As you can tell by my blog title, I LOVE polka dots! My card has a little different take on polka dots this time. I stitched a fabric to the card as my background of dots, then added some more dots with buttons. Not your typical polka dots, but I love them just the same!!

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Papertrey Ink September Blog Hop

2009-09-25T17:27:00.005-04:00

It's so much fun on the 25th of every month to hop around and see what all the creative folks over on the PTI blog have posted. This month Nicole challenged us to "be green" and reuse and recycle portions of our PTI packaging in an earth-friendly way. I love to reuse the shipping boxes on cards and scrapbook pages. I just cut the sizes I need then peel away partial layers to get a multi- textured feel. I really liked the contrast on these Prom pictures - everything else was so "fluffy", I wanted the rugged look and feel of the brown box.

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Another Color Challenge

2009-09-04T12:32:00.011-04:00

As you can see, I love taking part in Dawn's color challenges. Maybe it's the cooler temperatures, maybe the color scheme, but it got me thinking about fall. I thought I'd put together a Thanksgiving favor. I used one of Lauren Meader's Timeless Templates to get me started. These are so well thought out which makes them so much fun to work with.

I made my own paper shred by putting a grocery bag through our shredder. Every little bit of recycling helps, right?

Thanks for visiting,
Susan

Supplies: Besides the brown ribbon, everything (cardstock, patterned paper, stamps, button and twine)is from Papertrey Ink

Busy, busy

2009-09-02T21:22:00.003-04:00

When I decided to start my blog, I really had plans to update it daily.....well OK....at least weekly, but I let a whole month slip by! I've been keeping very busy, lots of crafting - painting mainly, and a little sewing. My scrapbooking and card making have taken a back seat to all the other projects. Here is one project I made for my daughter's sorority's bathroom. These are the wood frames for three mirrors.

I forgot to take a picture after they were installed, but I'll post it as soon as my daughter takes one for me (I'm sure it's way up on her "to do" list).

Thanks for letting me share,
Susan

"Hello"

2009-07-31T15:31:00.004-04:00

Another color challenge! I'm beginning to sound like a broken record. I'm working on lots of other projects, but nothing else is quite finished enough to photograph - so until then, it may just be more challenges. I love these colors together.

I decided to turn this card into a set by just rearranging the colors on each card.

I saw these new Hero Arts Clings at Archivers last week and decided to pick up a couple. They are perfect for a quick card.

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Supplies: Cardstock - All Papertrey Ink - White, Pure Poppy, Spring Moss, and Berry Sorbet; Stamps - Hero Arts; Embossing Powders - Zing(green and pink), Ranger (red distress); 3MM moving eyes.

"Congratulations" Card

2009-07-17T20:58:00.006-04:00

I wanted to try another one of Dawn's Color Challenges this week.

I've always loved pink and green together, but it was a little challenging adding in the dark red. The coleus plant is certainly beautiful, so why not a card. I think I may even use this combination again. All of my materials (except two flower petals) are from Papertrey Ink. I used Rustic twine to wrap around the card and to serve as the flower's stem and leaves.

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Supplies: PTI Cardstock - Scarlet Jewel, Raspberry Fizz, and Rustic Cream; PTI Patterned Paper - Spring Moss Bitty Dot and Bitty Box; PTI Stamps - Polka Dot Basics, Background Basics - Text Style, and Scattered Showers (sentament) ; Ink - PTI Scarlet Jewel; Buttons and Twine - PTI; Punches - Fiskars; Flowers - Prima and Kaiser

Papertrey Ink's June Blog Hop!

2009-06-25T16:41:00.006-04:00

The challenge Nichole issued this month is for us to get inspired by the lazy days of summer, and create something that means "summer" to us. I saw the cover of Martha Stewart Living and of course it reminded me of the 4th of July, and even though it was ice cream, it reminded me of a cup cake!

This is my card that was inspired by that magazine cover. The gingham at the bottom is two rows of ruffled trim and the blue/white ribbon is white twill that I stamped with polka dots.

The 4th has been a special tradition for us for many years. We have spent the holiday with the same family for at least the last 20 years - and we've lived in different states the whole time.
This was in Atlanta in 1996 during the Olympics.

The kids are now 19, 22, 18 and 17. They'll be joining us again next week in Atlanta and Lake Hartwell so stay tuned for an updated picture!

Thanks for hopping by!
Susan

Supplies: Cardstock - Papertrey Ink (white and red), Bazzill (blue); Stamps - Papertrey Ink (Polka Dot Basics,Cupcake Collection, and Let Freedom Ring) Star jewels - Hero Arts; Ink - Papertrey Ink (Pure Poppy) and Color Box (blue).

One more "FUN" Color Challenge!

2009-06-24T06:07:00.006-04:00

This is another challenge I have fun with - Kristina Werner's #55.
This combo was very different for me. I do like the look of these colors together, especially the "fun" skirt in the challenge photo.

Thanks for stopping by for some "fun" today!
Susan

Supplies: Cardstock - Papertrey (new Smokey Shadow); Patterned paper - K& Company; Clip - 7 gypsies; Punch - Fiskars; Sticker - Paper Studio; Other - ribbon, embroidery floss, ticket

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge #10

2009-06-23T14:12:00.008-04:00

I love these color challenges that Dawn gives us!
It gets me out of my comfort zone - on my own,
I tend to use the same colors over and over.

Here's my card using melon and berry together.

The flower petals are vellum, but when lifted
off the paper, they seem a bit more opaque.

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Supplies: All papers, buttons, and stamps - Papertrey Ink; Vellum flowers - Fiskars - Cloud 9 Design; Other - felt, ribbon and embroidery floss

A Few Card Sets to Share

2009-06-22T11:58:00.003-04:00

I made a few card sets to give as gifts and packaged them in Papertrey Ink's Glassine Bags

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Supplies: Cardstock - Bazzill; Patterned Paper - K&Company; Stamps - Hero Arts; Punch - Martha Stewart; Pearls - Hero Arts, Scallop border and flourish - Cricut

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge #9

2009-06-15T15:42:00.010-04:00

I was thrilled to be chosen for the spotlight last week. Thank you Dawn! These challenges definitely get my creative juices flowing!

Here's the card I made for this challenge.

Green, cream and black, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.....
My work desk in my studio, my calendars, my clock, artwork, see my point? I've surrounded myself with these colors!

Thanks for visiting!
Susan

Supplies: Cardstock - Papertrey Ink (new leaf, true black, vintage cream);
Patterned paper - 7 gypsies; Stamps - Papertrey Ink (Background Basics - Text Style, Damask Designs, Mega Mixed Messages); Gems - Hero Arts; Ribbon, buttons, embossing powder.

Sending Happy Thoughts!

2009-06-12T10:59:00.006-04:00

Yeah! It's Friday! I did this card for Kristina Werner's latest color challenge. I LOVE this combination - it reminds me of summer. I pulled a lot of different brands of papers from my "collection"to make this card. I've had this ribbon for a long time and I thought it was perfect for this combo.
Thanks for visiting!
Susan

Supplies: Card - white, Papertrey Ink; Patterned papers - Cloud 9 Designs (pumpkin), Crete Paper (green), Fancy Pants (teal, sky blue, and white circle); Hero Arts - Stamp and pearls (colored with a marker); Autumn Leaves - turquoise ink; and Hobby Lobby - ribbon

Betsy Veldman Challenge

2009-06-10T08:03:00.008-04:00

Betsy Veldman's paper crafting style is my favorite, so a chance to be challenged by her really got me thinking about what my style really is. I think her style is so appealing because she uses lots of color - I LOVE color, she mixes patterns - I have no problem doing that, and she doesn't need everything to match - this is my challenge. I'm always trying to make sure everything goes together - but no more.....I've searched the internet for design inspiration and I'm ready to start mixin' it up!
Here's my card -I may still be a bit too "matchy", but I'm working on it!

I love the colors and patterns on this cake - it definitely looks good enough to eat!

This calendar is from a company I love, Sticks. It is a great source of color and pattern.

And finally, you can always count on MacKenzie-Childs for some fun, whimsical inspiration.

Supplies: Cardstock - Papertrey Ink Rustic cream; Patterned paper -K&Company(light green, blue-green); Center die cut - My Little Shoebox; Sentiment - Hero Arts; Gems - Kaiser; Butterfly punch - Martha Stewart; Rustic twine - Papertrey Ink; Ribbon - Offray

Just Sharin' a Little Love

2009-06-08T23:41:00.003-04:00

Just a quick card I made using a K&Company sentiment

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge #8

2009-06-04T13:23:00.011-04:00

I thought I'd join in on another one of Dawn McVey's Color Challenges. I don't use a lot of brown but I liked this combo. I love kraft and I love anything pink so pairing those with brown and cream was fun! This card has lots of different textures from rustic jute to satin ribbon and flowers.

While I had all my supplies out, I whipped a couple of small thank you notes too!

Supplies: All cardstock PTI: Kraft, Dark Chocolate, and RaspberryFizz; Patterned Paper: Paper Studio; Stamp: PTI Mega Mixed Messages; Flowers: Prima and Kiser; Pearl Brad: K&Company; Punch: Martha Stewart; Misc. Ribbons and Trims

Happy Summer!

2009-06-02T10:22:00.003-04:00

It may not "officially" be summer yet, but here in Georgia, school's out, it's 90+ degrees, our AC is on the fritz, so I'm feeling SUMMER! We love to entertain and it's so much fun to do different themes. These colors are fun and summery - I couldn't believe I found flowers that matched the plates and napkins!

Schools Out for Summer!

2009-05-30T07:06:00.005-04:00

I'm not a big Alice Cooper fan, but that is the song that always comes to mind this time of year. We attended lots of graduation parties this year. One of the gifts we give a lot is a tool kit. Several kids have told us it was the hit of their dorm floor. My daughter got one last year and used it a LOT! This pink one is perfect for the girls.

I just added a name tag to it, and it was ready to wrap! I used my Cricut to cut the label (Storybook) and the name (Lyrical Letters). So it would withstand a lot of handling, I cut 6 labels from cardstock and glued them together - resulting in a chipboard feel. I punched a hole with my Crop-a-dile and added a beaded key chain.

In case you're looking for beaded key chains, I looked all over Michaels and asked 3 employees and nobody knew where they might be. They finally told me that if they weren't with the jewelry supplies, they didn't carry them. I refused to accept that because if a craft store didn't carry them, who would? I finally found them with the leather supplies - and yes I did go back to the employees to tell them of my find (nicely of course, just trying to help out where I can!) .

Dawn Mc Vey's Color Challenge #7

2009-05-27T10:23:00.016-04:00

I've wanted to try one of Dawn's challenges since she started them, and now that she's to #7, I'm finally hopping on board. Dawn picked out one of my favorite combos this week.

And here's my card

Thanks for stopping by,
Susan

Supplies: All paper, stamps, and buttons are Papertrey
Ribbon and stars , unknown mfg from my collection

May Papertrey Blog Hop

2009-05-25T18:30:00.003-04:00

I am so excited to join in my first Papertrey blog hop! I can't wait to see everybody's creations. Yellow is definitely a cheery color that makes me smile! I hope the big yellow ribbon and "bird buddies" send a happy message!

Thanks for stopping by!

Susan

Supplies: Papertrey papers: New Leaf, Melon Berry, Lemon Tart Bitty Dot, and Melon Berry Bitty Dot
Papertrey Stamps: Bird Wathing Additions and Star Prints
Ribbon: Basic Basic
Pins: The Paper Studio

Cards for Heroes Blog Hop!

2009-05-23T08:20:00.002-04:00

I hope you're having a beautiful holiday weekend! As we celebrate Memorial Day, I wanted to share some cards that I've been making for our servicemen and women. If I'm your first stop, hop back to the Cards for Heroes blog to start the entire hop from the beginning! You wouldn't want to miss any of the fun! This group is dedicated to supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.

Now hop on over to Tammy's blog to see what she has to share. She gets beautiful results with colored pencils!

Have a great weekend!
Susan

Party Favors!

2009-05-20T07:31:00.000-04:00

I love a reason to make party favors! These were to celebrate a good friends birthday. Each cupcake has the recipients initial on it.

Wild Card Cricut Cartridge

2009-05-18T08:09:00.000-04:00

I love this Cricut cartridge - it makes cards and envelopes!
These were both "thank you cards".

Graduation time!

2009-05-18T07:35:00.000-04:00

As we are heading into a weekend full of graduation parties, I can just relax this year and enjoy being a guest. Next year will be our big bash ,when our youngest graduates. We were very busy last year going from party to party and having one of our own! I thought I would share some of the fun we had last year. Some plan their parties around their high school colors or the colors and mascot of the college they'll be attending, but Sarah wanted pink and green! We had some very nice friends offer to host it at their house, so I could concentrate on decorations!

Sarah's Home from College!

2009-05-13T08:44:00.000-04:00

We traveled this past weekend to help our daughter pack up her dorm room after completing her freshman year. It took us HOURS to get everything packed and loaded. We totally filled my very large SUV - my husband should win an award for his excellent packing skills. The larger items: frig, desk chair, TV, lamp and fan went into her much smaller SUV. We had to off load some of that at a friend's house temporarily so the three of us could all get in one car to travel a couple of hours for a short visit with our aunt. We picked up everything on our way back through and continued on our six hour drive home. I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of what her dorm room looked like when we got there - it looked SO different from the day we moved her in! Here's the before

Branching Out

2009-03-19T12:32:00.002-04:00

I've never tried using sketches to help crank out a layout - I always figured that was kind of cheating since I figured I am capable of designing a layout myself! I just tried my first one and I now love the idea! Reality is, not much was getting accomplished trying to do it all on my own. I have the pictures, I have the supplies, and now I have a plan! I just found 52 sketches52weeks and submitted my sketch. It is already week #11, but that's OK, I'll keep plugging along forward and not put any pressure on myself to backtrack and catch up.

Trying to Get Organized

2009-03-18T09:33:00.000-04:00

I confess, I'm kind of a hoarder (is that really a confession if I say "kind of"?). My husband and I have spent several weekends lately digging through our storage room, getting rid of LOTS of things. We've made trip after trip to our local Goodwill and have thrown out more than you could imagine. I have run across some good finds (forgot I had them and couldn't have found them if I had remembered). I found at least a dozen magazine holders. I'm sure at one time they were put to good use, but they've been gathering dust in the storage room for a couple of years. I decided to add them to my craft room, but of course they needed to be "prettier". I quickly added some patterned paper, cut some flowers and leaves with my Cricut, added a few brads and now they sit proudly on my shelves.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T08:31:00.000-04:00

I'm not Irish, but it's still a fun day to celebrate - plus I love GREEN! So in honor of the Irish, I'll share one of my green projects. I have a terrific circle of girlfriends that took me out to dinner to celebrate my birthday, so I thought I'd take some "party favors" to thank them.

A Set of Notecards

2009-03-16T08:33:00.000-04:00

I have been spending a lot (too much) time over at the Papertrey Ink blog. Their design team is so creative. I fell in love with one of Betsy Veldman's card sets and had to create a similar one using Dawn's Damask Designs.

It's Blog Time!

2009-03-12T20:54:00.000-04:00

This has been a long time coming, but the day is finally here - I'm starting a blog!