Birthday Cupcakes

Hello! I'd like to share with you another new set of stamps that were released this month at The Stamps of Life (one of my favorite companies, if you can't tell!).  This set is called stamps4cupcaketriplit and they coordinate perfectly with the previously released Sizzix Triplits Cupcake Dies.  I loved making this card.  These new patterned stamps just add so much more texture and life to my paper cupcakes.  And they're super easy to use!  For my card base, I used the Sizzix Basic Step-ups Card Die Set and added some beautiful but simple pink patterned paper from the Stamps of Life Sweetheart Patterned Paper Collection.  I added another background element with my dot background embossing folder by Darice and then layered it with some scallop edges using the Sizzix Borders Thinlits Die Set by Stephanie Barnard.  The cute little flowers were die cut using the Stamps of Life exclusive mini flower dies.  My small "Happy Birthday" sentiment came from the mini4circles stamp set and was heat embossed onto a fancy framed tag by Spellbinders.  I love these tags!  This set comes with 10 total dies.  Five label/tag dies that each come with a coordinating die that layers perfectly.  I added some glitter to the candle top, some white ribbon and rhinestone embellishments to finish the card.

I'll be sending this to my niece who turned 3 yesterday. (I'm a bit behind since there have been so many birthdays this past week!).  She LOVES cupcakes, so I'm hoping that she won't be disappointed that she can't actually eat these ;0)

Thanks for looking!  I love to hear from you!  Feel free to leave any comments or questions.  

Birthday Flowers!

Hello!  I'd like to share with you a couple of cards that I made using this month's club stamp & die set by The Stamps of Life.  The stamp set is called flowerpower2fill and it has both matching dies and another coordinating stamp set called patterns4flowerpower.  This new set is awesome!  It's also very versatile.  For my first card, I decided to stamp and color my flowers using my Copic alcohol markers.  I wanted a more bold look for this bouquet of flowers.

I used the Sizzix Jar Stamps & Dies for my "vase".  I used some of the leaf & stem dies from the Stamps of Life Box Card Die Set for my greenery and then added what I hoped would slightly resemble something that looked similar to baby's breath using Sizzix Flowers & Vase Stamps & Dies.  To finish the card, I tied some green & white twine around my vase and added a "Happy Birthday" tag.

By die cutting a folded vase for the base, I was able to attach my bouquet and use the base as my area to write my greeting for my recipient (my wonderful mom, whose birthday is today!).

This next card, I made for my Grandma.  She will be turning 89 in a few days.  But, you wouldn't be able tell that by looking at her!  She stills loves to go out and have a good time.  She goes dancing, out to lunch with friends and plays golf once a week!  Sometimes I think that her schedule is busier than mine!  I thought that this card would be appropriate for her because she is such a sweet and beautiful person both inside and out!

As you can see, this card has a completely different look from the card above, but I used most of the same products.  However, on this card, I used only die-cutting for my flowers.  I did create my own flower patterned paper with a coordinating background stamp called flowerpower4backgrounds.  It's pretty subtle but was exactly the look I was going for.  Most of the word dies came from various Stamps of Life Card Die sets.  I used the Sizzix Windows Stamps & Dies for my butterflies.  Lastly, I added some ribbon and a bow.

Thanks for looking!  Feel free to leave any comments or questions! 

Happy Father's Day!

This blog is dedicated to two very important men in my life.  My husband and my father!  Father's Day is a special day to let them know just how much they mean to me (although hopefully they know it the other 364 days of the year!).

This first card, I created for my husband.  Both of my cards were inspired by a card that I saw on the Silhouette Design Store designed by Lori Whitlock.  However, on my husband's card, I decided to try a different approach on creating what  I hoped would look like an actual 3D tool box.  For the base, I used my Exclusive Box Card Die Set by The Stamps of Life.  I cut off the front flap of the box to leave room for my drawers.  For the sides of my tool box, I simply used some silver foil paper and dry embossed it with my Diamond Plate Embossing Folder by Darice.  For my toolbox drawers, I measured and cut four drawers with the same color cardstock as my base and added that same silver foil paper strip to the top of each drawer for a more authentic look.  I used corkboard paper for my pegboard.  For the cut of the pegboard itself, I used the Die-namics Pegboard Coverup Die by My Favorite Things.  I also used their Die-namics Tool Time Dies to create the tools that I placed in and around the toolbox.  These dies are just so cute! For my sentiment, I used the "You're the MAN!" stamp from the "Man Cave" stamp set by Scrappy Moms Stamps.

I thought that this card would be perfect for my husband because he can literally fix almost anything! Electrical wires, cars, clogged pipes, appliances, dry wall.....you name it and he can most likely fix it!  Not only is he handy, but he's a wonderful and devoted father as well.  Just ask any one of our kids!

This next card, I made for my dad.  This card looks more like the example that I saw on the Silhouette Design store by Lori Whitlock.  However, instead of using my Silhouette Cameo, I decided to make it completely by hand.  Most of the products that I used are the same as the ones that I used in the card above.  However, for my base, I used the Sizzix Baby Dresser Card Die Set (also designed by Lori Whitlock).  Once cut, I simply trimmed off the ornate base of the dresser to give it that straight edge that looks more like a toolbox than a fancy dresser.

My sentiment came from the "For The Boy's" stamp set by Scrappy Moms Stamps.  I chose this sentiment because, if you knew my dad, he literally knows a little bit of SOMETHING about pretty much EVERYTHING!  He's like a walking dictionary.  My dad is an amazing man.  Growing up, (again there were 6 of us, not including my parents), we didn't have the money for many material things.  But like I mentioned before, we never felt like we were lacking in anything.  A lot of that has to do with my dad!  He worked LONG hours 7 days a week to provide for us.  Our house was the place for all of the neighborhood kids to come and play!  We had a bunch of swings, two play sets, a huge tree house,  a half-size basketball court and even baseball field in our backyard!  Why?  Because my dad made every single one of them by hand!

So, all that to say, I just want to say "Thank You" to both my dad and my husband for being such wonderful fathers.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and Happy Father's Day!

Thank you all for dropping by!  If you liked this card and want some more crafty inspiration, don't forget to check out my INSTAGRAM feed!

♥ Rachel

             

More Flamingos!

Hello! We recently got back home from our vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Even though it rained most of the week due to a tropical storm, we still had a wonderful beach vacation with my family.  I usually only get to see some of my extended family once a year, but when we get together we always pick right back up where we left off.  Lots of fun! 

So, I created this 5x7" shaker card with the beach in mind.  Once again, this stamp set is called flamingos2stamp and it was last month's club stamp set from The Stamps of Life.  I used the coordinating dies to cut my images and place them on my card front.  Now, there's a little trick to this.  A few months ago, Stephanie Barnard came out with a new product called pallete4mirror that allows you to stamp a reverse image of almost any stamp that you own.  It doesn't look like much but let me tell you, it's awesome!  I used this to create my matching flamingo that is now looking in the opposite direction of my original one.  For the heart shaped background and scallop border, I used both the Sizzix Framelits Hearts #2 and Sizzix Framelits Hearts Scallop #2 Die Sets.  I added some waves and a setting sun which I cut using a simple circle die and then sponged some distress ink to give it various hues.  The patterned paper in the background came from Thank You Card Club Kit sold by The Stamps of Life.  I knew that I wanted to add some flowers and after various attempts with different products, I finally settled on cutting some white felt flowers from the Stamps of Life Mini Flower Dies and added some leaves.  Lastly, I used my stitched oval dies to place my sentiment.

Thanks for looking!  Please feel free to leave any comments or questions!        

Graduation Card

This graduation card means a lot to me.  Not because of what it is, but because of what it represents.  I made this for my 5-year old son who is just about to graduate from Kindergarten!  It might seem silly to some but let me tell you, the finalization of this school year did not come easy!  My husband and I decided a few years ago to try and homeschool our kids.  So, last August, my son and I embarked on this new journey.  And what a journey it's been!  My son takes more after my husband who is literally (what most people would label) a "rocket scientist".  Unfortunately, my mind doesn't work that way.  I don't always need to know why things work the way that they do or feel the need to take everything apart and analyze it.  I don't need to know why there are 26 letters in the alphabet or who created the letter "D" or why Jill walked up the hill instead of ran if she was obviously being "chased by a T. Rex".  So, needless to say, it's been an interesting year teaching him!  Some mothers seem to have it all together.  I am not one of them.  I am definitely not the world's most organized mom or patient one at that.  Before kids, I worked in Cardiology for years. I could work all day long seeing life threatening things without breaking a sweat. However, homeschooling my son was a whole different ballgame.  There were days where I thought that we wouldn't make it, days where I felt like ripping out my hair and days where I desperately scoured the Internet with the thoughts of moving so that we could live near a school that I could send him to.  Needless to say, we made it!!  It's been a huge learning experience for me.  One that I wouldn't change. He has done so well!  And I am so proud of him.  By the end of this school year, we have finally found a way that works and he is thriving!  Because my son is so curious, he knows that I am making a "secret" card especially for him.  However, he keeps telling everyone that he can't wait to get his fierce "T. Rex fighting a Triceratops" card from Mommy...   Oh well!  I'll be the first in line the day that those stamps and dies come out!

For the base of my card, I used the Sizzix Rectangle/Gift Card Flip-its Die Set.  I added some patterned paper from the Happy Collection made by Stephanie Barnard and The Stamps of Life.  I stamped and colored this cute dog using the friends4cookie stamp set.  The hat and diploma came from the graduation2celebrate stamps and dies sets.  I die cut some stars and the "super" sentiment from the Sizzix Triplits Star die set.  Lastly, I added a few small clear rhinestone embellishments so that the card could "twinkle".  I plan on giving this to him next week!  On some level, I suppose that I could also be making this card for myself because I feel like that I graduated too!

Thanks for looking!  Have a wonderful week!  Please feel free to leave any comments or questions!