Technical Difficulties

We're experiencing technical difficulties over here. :(

I haven't had the use of my laptop since last week, and expect to not have it at least for another week. :(  We think it's just the adapter, but Dell wants us to send the whole computer in to figure it out. Thankfully we're still under warranty...but it's a pain to be without my laptop!

Just wanted to let you know (man...I was on a roll with posting, too!) that things may look a little spotty for a bit. We DO have an older computer we call "the dinosaur"...which I finally gave in and turned on yesterday. Oh, MY.  From turning it on to being able to actually type online...over 25 minutes! Not the best speed when using programs and online, either.

Hence, I use it sparingly.

Just wanted you to know that I really want to be here, and hopefully I can...it'll just be a bit spotty. :)

Thanks for your patience and stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Last Hurrahs

This week has been a bit sad for me.
Why?
Because it is the last week before school starts.

Now, some of you may be laughing. Why on earth would that make a momma SAD?  Honestly, I'm not ready to send them off just yet. Maybe it's because it seems like the Summer took FOREVER to get here, lol!

Yesterday, we spent a LOT of the day making my daughter's 5yr. Bday party invites. I'm really excited with how they turned out!  You'll see them...someday. ;-)  Just not sure if I'll show them before party happens, or on an after-party post. :)

EDITED TO ADD:  Here are the finished invites. :)

Anyways...being indoors for most of a REALLY nice day...a little depressing.

Today, it's supposed to get up to 90*, which I believe is the hottest yet this Summer...so...since it's supposed to be nice, AND it's the last Friday before Fridays are school days...I think I'll try to do something fun outside with them.

One last hurrah, if you will. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Flower Garden Thank You

Quick post today...I'm in the middle of making 5th B'day party invitations for my daughter. :)

Judging from the title, you probably pictured today's project as something full of color and flowers, maybe?  Well, it's completely opposite of "full of color," but there IS a reason I titled it that way. :)

I used my Big Shot for this card...along with an embossing folder called "Flower Garden," which premiered in the Summer Mini catalog (6 days left!). :)

A clean & simple card...soft, serene...could maybe be used for wedding??

Not a whole lot more to say about this one...again, I used the Big Shot and Flower Garden embossing folder.

Ran a length of white taffeta ribbon along the side, and stamped "thank you" from the set Short & Sweet with Crumb Cake ink. Punched it out with our Large Oval punch, and adhered with dimensionals (of course - wink). :)

Well, what do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Splish, Splash!

Here is the THIRD card I made last week in an afternoon of stamping (read more here)!

I really like this one...and I love that it could work for so many occasions! :)

Again...I used Just Add Cake designer paper and the lovely Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch! :)  Can you tell I like those two products?  Yup, totally do - check out Monday's and Tuesday's posts! :)

This time, I used a stamp set from the Summer Mini called Touch of Kindness. Only SEVEN days left to get this set!  It's cute, no?

The cardbase is Crumb Cake, separated by the Just Add Cake designer paper with a white border (Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch)! 

I stamped the image on Whisper White cardstock with black Stazon ink, then colored in with my Watercolor Wonder Crayons and blender pen. Mounted it on Soft Suede cardstock, and popped it up on dimensionals (of course - wink). :)  The Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon sets it off nicely, don't you think? :)

Well, what DO you think? It's awfully quiet around here, lol! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Poppy Field Flowers

Okay, so yesterday's post was a warm-up card...and this one I like a little better. :)

Again, I used the Just Add Cake designer paper, and Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch as a cute lacy edge. LOVE that punch! :)

This time, I inked up a new stamp set called Field Flowers, a 2-step stamping set (images perfect for layering).

Are you ready to see it? OK...here goes!
The base is Early Espresso cardstock.

I stamped the flowers and stems (outline stamps - there are more images) with Poppy Parade and Wild Wasabi ink on Whisper White cardstock.

The sentiment is stamped in Early Espresso ink, and punched out with the Large Oval Punch. See the dark shadow behind it? It's a matching punch in Early Espresso!

Well, what do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Friend to Friend

Soooo excited that I FINALLY had the chance to create! In fact...I made 3 (count 'em), THREE cards in one afternoon!  WOOO HOOOO!  However, in order entice you back, I'm not going to share all three today. ;-)

Here's the first one I made - consider it a warm-up, if you will. I really wanted to make a card for a friend of mine whom I haven't chatted with in awhile, and wanted use this stamp because I know she likes it. :)

I'm kinda disappointed in how it turned out. I mean, I like it...but liked it better before I looked at the picture of it, lol. Sound familiar? Like a card you've made, but the picture of it doesn't really do it justice?? Well, hopefully she likes it anyways, because this one was definitely a labor of love, with MUCH time spent, lol! :)


The image is from the stamp set On The Grow from the Summer Mini Catalog - available only until the end of August - that's only 9 more days, people!

Want to see more made with the set On The Grow? Go here, and here (scroll down to the flowers on the 2nd one).

Don't forget August's promo - buy 3, get 1 FREE designer paper!  I used a new dp called "Just Add Cake".


Details (All Items Stampin' Up):  On The Grow scooter stamped with black Stazon ink onto watercolor paper, then colored in with markers and aquapainter. The card base is crumb cake, and the designer paper is "Just Add Cake." The sweet lil' scalloped border you see is the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch. I stamped the sentiment "friend to friend" from the stamp set Teeny Tiny Wishes, and made a double bow out of linen thread, to match the crumb cake cardstock.

Well, what do you think (dare I ask)? :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Come Sail Away

I have a card to share with you today - yay! :)

It's a very CAS (Clean & Simple) birthday card for a guy friend of the family, and I used a few "new" things, I'm happy to say. :)

I used the new In Color Island Indigo, and a new stamp from the Summer Mini catalog, Sail Away.  It's one that I've actually been meaning to use for awhile, but like I've said before...I just haven't had much time to stamp this Summer! So I was thrilled to finally put it to use. Remember the Summer Mini is done at the end of August!

Sorry 'bout the picture quality...I forgot to take it at home, so I had to make do with where I was and take it with my phone. :)

It's kinda funny...I tend to go monochromatic when making guy cards. I wonder why that is...

Details: Card base is Not Quite Navy, Sailboat image and sentiment are stamped in Not Quite Navy ink onto Naturals White cardstock, then  layered onto Island Indigo cardstock. The sentiment is punched out with the Word Window punch, and layered on the Modern Label punch.

Well, what do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Loads of Birthday Fun!

HAPPY AUGUST!  The Summer is flying by, and I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted (1 post in a month???!!)!  Wow. I haven't had many chances to create, that's for sure! Mojo? Pretty much on hold. At times, I thought maybe indefinitely. :-(  Didn't even get to check in on my favorite blogs much in the last month! :-(

Well...I'm happy to say...I'm back! :)

I had a great reason to create...my dad's birthday (which is actually tomorrow), and I'm pleased okay with how things turned out. :)  Considering it's one of my first cards made in a long time (made 1-2 others, maybe CASED? - wink), I'm happy. A few things bug me, but other than that, pretty happy. :) This was completely my own, and it felt SO GOOD to get back in the saddle again. :)

Enough rambling...on to the project! :)

I used Old, Current, and New Stampin' Up products for this card - yay! :)
An old favorite of mine (still current), is the stamp set Loads of Love.

Old - "Hawaii Papaya" Designer paper, Kiwi Kiss cardstock
Current - Chocolate Chip cardstock, Watercolor paper, Stazon ink, Watercolor crayons, Aquapainter, Dimensionals, Circle punch
New - Baker's Twine! Made it's debut in the Summer mini catalog, then continued it's journey in the new Idea Book & Catalog - you can view either one by clicking on the SU Catalog tab above! :)


WHEW!
Well, what do you think?

That's all for today...thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal