I'm Here For You ~ Mojo288

If you read yesterday's post you know that I have been mostly absent from my craft room the past few weeks.  I find when I go a week or more without creating that my mojo is stunted.  What do you do when you lose your mojo?  The easiest way for me to find mine is to start with a sketch.  The sketches at Mojo Monday never seem to fail me.

It took some time and MANY mistakes, but I'm pleased with the end result.  Thank you Mojo Monday for making it possible to create beautiful cards. 

The real reason I went into my craft room yesterday is I had a card due for the Design Team at StampNation.  Yikes.  I usually don't wait until the last minute, but it's been crazy here for the past month.  The challenge was to use 2 stamps to make your sentiment. 

In order to line up the stamps where I wanted them to go I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig.  The "always" comes from Affection Collection by SU and the "I'm here for you" came from a Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser from A-Muse studios. 

One last look at the card for you.  I hope I get to go back to the craft room today.  Although I think what I need to do next to spark my creativity is to CLEAN UP MY MESS.  It's so bad I couldn't find my scissors with the big red handles yesterday.  :)

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Affection Collection; Oh, Hello; Misc. (sorry I don't know the name of the stamp set)
Paper: More Amore DSP; Very Vannilla; Basic Gray; Primrose Petals
Ink: Basic Gray; Black Staz-On; Pool Party; Primrose Petals; Real Red
Misc: Punches; Basic Pearls; Delicate Designs Embossing Folder; Corner Rounder

Design Team!!!

I get to share my exciting news a bit early!  I thought I was going to have to wait until late January to tell you, but Catherine let "cat out of the bag" on January 1st.   In December I was asked by Catherine Pooler to join her design team for StampNation.   You should have seen me doing the happy dance around my house.  It's such a thrill and honor to be chosen.  I only hope I can live up to the job. 

The day after she asked me I went to my craft room to get started on the January challenges and it suddenly hit me.... "can I do this?"  Honestly, I wasn't sure I was ready, but the ladies at StampNation are so nice that I decided to just take the plunge.  It's only paper, and I can always make another card if the first (or first 10) don't turn out.  :) 

The first card I made wasn't good enough for me, but it gave me a great idea for another card.  This card is one of my all time favorites!  I can't show you the card I made, because it is for later in the month, but I can show you a sneak peek.  (shhhh, don't tell anyone, okay?)   Actually, yesterday's post had another sneak peek, if you want to check it out. It is my current most favorite card and sitting in my craft room for inspiration.

For those of you who aren't members of SN, don't worry, I'll be showing all my creations on the blog after they go live over there.

My first challenge card as a design team member went live yesterday.  If you've been following my blog you probably already know I love a good challenge.  Even those that frustrate and stretch me beyond my comfort zone, because I almost always surprise myself and learn something new.

This card doesn't use anything new.  I wasn't sure if I was going to be announced this week or if I was going to be a mystery guest, so I didn't want to give away that I was a SU Demonstrator.  Sneaky, eh?   

Thank you so much, Catherine, and your awesome design team for giving me a chance.  You have made it a great start to the new year for me!   Thank you to all of you who have come here from Catherine's blog to cheer me on.  If you haven't seen her post yet, click here, to go to her blog. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Affection Collection, Rue Des Fleurs (retired- currently in Clearance Rack)
Paper: Festival of Prints DSP Stack, Cherry Cobbler, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla
Ink: Bashful Blue, Cherry Cobbler
Misc.: Fashionable Heart Embosslit, Crystal Effects, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Designer Label Punch, Adorning Accents Embossing Folder



Affection Collection

***Note*** Holiday catalog ends today, 1-2-12, and the Affection Collection stamp set is in this catalog.  I do not know if it will carry over into next year, so if you love it, get it today!  :)  The DSP stack is from the Holiday catalog as well.


Rue Des Fleurs



Adorning Accents Embossing Folders



Fab Friday

To be honest, I'm not feeling so hot today.  I was going to show you a video of my DH's birthday card, but somehow I managed to get sick.  (Bronchitis and an ear infection)  I'm on antibiotics though, so I should be feeling all better soon.

In the meantime I'll show you another masculine card I made before I got sick.   I found a new challenge blog called Fab Friday, and I was able to use their sketch to make this card.

Here is the sketch if you want to play along.  The challenges run for two weeks, so I might just be able to join in more of these ones.  There is still one week left for this one.

Fab Friday 05

I used aluminum foil to create the shiny background.  If you would like to see how I emboss on foil, check out the video in THIS POST. 

This card is being sent to my Uncle Rod who is going through cancer treatment, so I stamped the inside with a sentiment from Word Play.  Even though I made it before I got sick, I'm going to wait until I feel better to address and send it.  Don't want to accidentally send him my germs too. 

What I really wish is that I had a stamp that said "Wishing you a Speedy Recovery".  We need to make that suggestion to SU!   The envelope is stamped with 2 of the images from Affection Collection.

Not sure if you can see it in the pictures, but I used Crystal Affects on the car after I colored it to give it a glossy look.   There is lots of texture and dimension on this card, but I think it will still ship with regular postage.   

Creative Blessings,
Heather North


Argyle Embossing Folder




Need for Speed



Word Play



Festival of Prints DSP Stack




Blog Candy Winner

Thank you so much for all the kinds comments.  It makes me smile each time I get a new one.  You are the best!  Now for my blog candy giveaway.  I thought it would be fun to film me choosing the winner.  This video is unedited except for adding captions.  You will see why I usually edit.  LOL

Congratulations!!!!  If I picked your name in the video, please send me an email at cr8tvblessings@hotmail.com and let me know whether you want me to send you the Seasonal Sayings stamp set or the Set of Cards along with your address so I can ship them to you! 



Seasonal Sayings



 

 

 

Just in case you couldn't view the video above....

CONGRATULATIONS MUM OF 4!!!!! and Thank You again for reading my blog and leaving me comments.  Yes, I read every one of them.  <3

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Friendship Blessings

Today I was blessed to go to lunch with a dear friend that I haven't seen in a loooooooong time.  It's been so long, that I cannot even remember the last time I saw her.  I knew we would have loads to chat about and would probably stay longer than most of the other lunch crew.  It only seems right that we leave our waiter/waitress a thank you note for putting up with all the giggles, tears, and drink refills.  :)  An extra tip never hurts either.  ;)

Hopefully Chandra was blessed.  I know Tammie and I were blessed just thinking of thanking someone who might not get thanked for often for her hard work. 

When I started making this card I knew I wanted it to be pink because that is Tammie's favorite color.  Lucky for me the designers at the Colour Q were in a pink mood too, because they picked Fabulous colors for me to work with.  I hope to make another card this week using these colors.  You have plenty of time to play along too!

In hindsight, I probably should have brought along a masculine card.  Soon after we sat down a male waiter came to take our drink orders and I thought, "I hope he likes pink".  LOL 

I wish I had taken a picture of what Tammie wrote inside.  It was so sweet, just like her.  Hopefully we made this young woman feel appreciated and cared for.

Here's my challenge for you!  If you are a cardmaker, make a card to thank a stranger who provides a service for you.  Could be the guy who changes your oil or the lady who helps you load groceries in your car.  If you are NOT a cardmaker, then use a store bought card, stationery, post it notes or index cards.  Just let the person know that what they are doing has made a difference in your day.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Stamps: Kindness Matters, Affection Collection
Ink: Basic Gray, Black Staz-On, Illuminate, Pink Pirrouette
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, (retired) Melon Mambo DSP
Misc.: Labels Framelits, Black Satin Ribbon, Pink Pirroutte Ribbon, Punches

Affection Collection



Kindness Matters

Labels Framelits



Illuminate Glimmer Watermark Inkpad

Friends Matter

Today's card was super quick to make.  The colors come from a color challenge on SN.  (Melon Mambo, Early Espresso, and Whisper White)    After I sponged the embossed layer with Early Espresso I wished that I had not inked it so heavily.  To offset that a bit I decided to add some glimmer mist.

The shimmer mist curled the sentiment and I was going to tack it down with two more dimensionals.  But I kind-of like the way it curled on both ends so I might not.   I love the little pearls, don't you?

I chose a friend sentiment because my friends have been neglected since baseball season started last Spring. <gasp> Once school starts I really want to send some of my friends notes letting them know I have not forgotten them.  If you are one of my poor neglected friends who needs a card from me just let me know in the comments below, or on one of the cards I post next week and I will send you the card you post on.  ;) 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Affection Collection

Modern Label Punch

Vintage Wallpaper EF

Happy Birthday, Nana... Again ~RS#23

Today is my Mother-in-law's birthday.  We sent her card out earlier, so she would hopefully have it by today.  After talking to her today and wishing her happy birthday I went to the hobby room and made her another card.    Poor thing wasn't feeling well today.  I thought another card for her birthday week might bring joy to her heart.

As I've said before, Nana likes yellow.  She also likes pink, florals and antiques.  I hope she will like this card. I used my new favorite stamp set, Affection Collection, and the colors Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette and So Saffron.

This week's Retro Sketches gave me the inspiration I needed.  As soon as I saw this sketch I knew I wanted to use that stamp set.  All I needed to decide were the colors. 



Isn't that a cute, CAS, card sketch?   Of course, I added some extra layers, but I kept a lot of "white space" like the original sketch has.  I want to make another card and try to copy the sketch exactly.

The inside of the card was a happy accident using some of my "leftovers".  I stamped several colors of banners to see which ones I would like together, and I had these 3 left over.   As I placed them on the inside they looked like they were hanging, so I went with that.   I "hung" them on a strip of paper, then punched out some little flowers and used them as "hangers".  This has inspired me to make another card.  :)   If it looks as cute IRL as it does in my head I will post it on this blog. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

All items used are Stampin' UP!

Paper: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette, So Saffron, Twitterpated DSP
Ink: Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette, So Saffron
Stamps: Affection Collection
Misc.: PP Taffeta Ribbon, Buttons, EF

Affection Collection

Lacy Brocade EF

Twitterpated DSP

PP Taffeta Ribbon