Our Sweet Family with RRR

Hey there, everyone!  I'm posting today for Really Reasonable Ribbon, and I'm so grateful that you've stopped by.   I'm sharing a sweet paper bag mini album I created using lots of great trims from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  Paper bag albums are easy and fun.  This album has many pages, and I only shared on the RRR Blog the pages of my album that include ribbon.  However, hold on to your hat because I'm posting them ALL here on my blog.

This is the cover of my album.  As you can see.....I put a big red rose on the cover.  This is actually a Wild Orchid Crafts 40mm Tea Rose from the Mixed Reds Collection, and is one of the darker reds in the selection.  All the roses in this package are just SO sweet.  It made the perfect accent to the cover of my album, and they come in several color assortments.

I added some sweet little ephemera pieces from Jilli Bean Soup (milk cap), an October Afternoon sticker with Melissa Frances rub-on (family), and the sweet wooden embroidery hood is from Crate Paper.  I set a doily in the center of the embroidery hoop, added some sequins, letter stickers, and a chipboard "family" sentiment.

Above you will see the first page of my mini album.  It has no ribbon (insert sad face), but it has patterned papers, machine stitching, a scalloped die-cut border, an October Afternoon date sticker, a remember ephemera from Jilli Bean Soup, and a 3-D heart from Crate Paper.  Everything in this album is from Crate Paper's Farmhouse line.

This is the second page of my mini album.  I added a smaller envelope to the middle of my album (giving me a total of four additional pages/sides to decorate) which is slightly smaller/shorter than my paper bag album, so I had to use a paper clip to hold the pages while photographing.  This second page (which is the first page of the inner envelope - does that make sense....LOL) has some sweet Gold Metallic Baker's Twine that is wrapped several times around a small wooden jar.  Baker's twine is just a great way to add an extra touch to something and kick it up a notch.

Page three (above) includes a doily, stickers, Melissa Frances rub-on (heritage), a chipboard (notes) piece, a photo space, and a die-cut felt flower and leave.  Inside the felt flower, I added a chipboard button and I threaded some Blue Solid Baker's Twine through the holes of the button.  It really made the chipboard button POP!

Here is page four of my mini album (above).  This is my personal favorite page of the album because of all the cute chipboard pieces.  No.....there's no ribbon on this page, but I had the leave some photo mats somewhere, right friends?

And this is a close-up of page four.  Yes, I'm a little bit over-obsessed with the chipboard elements on this page.  I also included a Tim Holtz card (family), some washi tapes, and an October Afternoon date sticker.

This (above) is actually page five of the mini album, but it happens to be the next page that has Really Reasonable Ribbon on it (or any ribbon for that matter - I wouldn't use anything else).  I ran a long length of the Solid Red Baker's Twine around the left-hand side of my card and tied it into a hanging knot.

The really nice thing about using paper bags to create albums is that they come with built in pockets (the inside flaps of the bags themselves), so you get an automatic place to store photos, tuck in some journalling, etc.  I created this tag for one of the pockets and tied it with the AWESOME 2 1/2" Cotton Blend Plain Ribbon.  You may also notice that I tied the mini album shut with this same 2 1/2" Cotton Blend Plain Ribbon.  This has become one of my most favorite trims at Really Reasonable Ribbon.  It can be very easily ripped/torn into narrower strips giving it many more uses; and I just LOVE the shabby looks it lends to my projects.

Here is page six - the final page of my album (other than the boring back side of the album which I didn't photograph, but you can see in some of the photos).  I added a journalling spot, left room for a photograph, added some ruler paper, a PTI decorative border trim, and a length of Debra Natural Crochet Lace on the right-hand side of my page.

Really Reasonable Ribbon has so many great ribbons, trims, laces, flowers, leaves and more that will enhance all your projects.  I encourage you to stop by today and do some shopping.  We'd also love to have you play along in our FUN CHALLENGE that's taking place now on the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog.

I'm linking my album to these fun challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Work it Wednesday - Use Flowers

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy ribbony crafting, everyone!
Karen

Her Children Arise....

One of my sweet blog friends, Gail, told me about some fun challenges taking place this week.  I knew that I wanted to play along, but I didn't have anything new that I hadn't already posted.  So I sat down at my craft table this afternoon, and this is the card I came up with during my creative time.

I once again used lost of great Crate Paper products including patterned papers, stickers and ephemera.  I also used two different stamps on my project.  One is from Verve (the scripture) and the other is from V's Sweet Ideas (happy mother's day).  I stamped the scripture verse on vellum using black ink, and I used a Verve die-cut banner to cut the vellum.

You will also see that I inclued lots of fun ribbons and trims on this card.  I added a scalloped border die, a piece of Deborah Crochet Lace, a piece of pink seam binding, and an old piece of green Making Memories trim from one of their older lines.  I also added some washi tapes here and there for a little bit of extra personality.

The little heart is also from Crate Paper, and I placed a tiny pearl sticker on it.  I just love this sweet color combination, and it was fun to combine two completely different stamp sets together on my card.  That leaves room inside for me to leave a hand-written sentiment for mother.

I'm sharing my card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown #291 - Anything Goes - I used two different stamp sets on this card.  What an AWESOME challenge, and such a fun sponsor.  I'm delighted to play along.

Simon Says Stamp Blog - Work It Wednesday - Flowers - I have flowers on my patterned paper and on that sweet, tiny little heart I added to the bottom right of my card.  Just a sweet little "floral touch".

Mary's Cardz TV Mother's Day Sketch Challenge - My card was created using Sketch #9 (although it does have some elements of Sketch #3).  I followed the sketch loosely and put my own spin on it, but it did inspire me.  I also used two different stamped sentiments on my card (see details above).  The only Cardz TV stamps I own are Easter stamps, unfotunately.  It's still fun to play along.

Verve Stamps:  April Diva Inspirations Challenge - This beautiful inspiration photo and inspiration colors of pink, yellow and turquoise are amazing!  I also used a Verve stamped sentiment (scripture stamped on vellum) using a Verve banner die-cut.  This was just the inspiration I needed for this card.  Thanks, Verve.  Your DT Members really inspired me.

Thanks for visiting my blog, and have a blessed week.

Karen

....hello friend

Hello friends!  Welcome back to my blog, and please accept my apologies for not posting in so long.  We actually had a chance to visit our daughter and son-in-law again in California, and we had a wonderful time together.  They're getting ready to go on tour for the summer, so it was our last chance to visit with them until late August when our oldest daughter gets married.  Busy times, indeed!

This card was inspired by one I saw this morning on Pinterest.  I had a inkling to pull out my October Afternoon goodies to create something, and I needed a bit of "pinspiration" so to speak.  Pinterest is always good for that.  I found the inspiration for this card on Pinterest, and it was originally shared on the October Afternoon gallery page, but I was unable to find the original artist.  I always try to give a shout-out to those I "scraplift", but in this case, I don't have a name.    It was, nonetheless, inspired by some fellow October Afternoon lover.

I used October Afternoon's sweet Farmhouse line for this card - including all the patterened papers, the stickers, the chipboard butterfly, the buttons, and the sentiment strip.  The only things that are not OA are the ribbons (grey striped baker's twine and grey solid baker's twine in buttons), and they are both from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  It's really a very simple card.

I plan to link my card to these fun challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says "Anything Goes"

Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday Linky Party

Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I am quite grateful for your visit.

Karen

Baby Cards and Really Reasonable Ribbon

Hi, all my ribbon-loving friends.  Today I'm sharing a post today to show you some sweet baby cards I created using lots of great ribbons and trims from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  It's always nice to have a wide variety of cards on hand; including baby cards.  I thought I'd get ahead of the game by creating a few at one time.

Really Reasonable Ribbon made it easy for me to come up with a few cards that would become cherished memories for these new mothers-to-be, and Really Reasonable Ribbon can help YOU to do the same.  They have all the right ribbons, laces, trims, flowers and more to adorn your next project.

My first baby card was made for a sweet baby girl that was born to a friend of mine from church.  They moved away a few years ago, but she just gave birth to her 12th child, and I knew I couldn't miss sending her a very special card.  I tied some Lemon Baker's Twine around the horse's neck and topped it with a tiny button.  By the way......YES, I said it's her 12th child (and no multiples).

My second card is one for a baby boy.  I used some patterned papers, sticker sentiments, a journalling tag, and then I added a chipboard button that I threaded three times with Silver Metallic Baker's Twine.  I also ran Solid Gray Baker's Twine around the card several times, and tied a nice big bow with it.

And that brings me to my third baby card.  This one is also a baby boy card, and it sure is sweet.  Really Reasonable Ribbon's sweet trims just give the softest touches.......even to BOY cards.  LOL  Ribbons are always OK when it comes to babies.  This card has a sweet chipboard Little Lamb tag that I tied up with a big bow of Grass Green Seam Binding.

At the bottom of the card, you will see a little 3-D spiral with a button in the center, and it's tied with a small length of the sweet Solid Yellow (Lemonwood) Baker's Twine.  Isn't it just the sweetest touch?  Ribbons and trims don't always have to be overwhelming on a card.  They can be also be used as small, soft accents that just step up your card a notch.  I encourage you to check out ALL the fabulous ribbons, seam binding, baker's twine, laces, trims, flowers and more that Really Reasonable Ribbon has waiting for you!

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Don't forget about the FUN CHALLENGE we have taking place now on the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog.  We always love to have you play along.  Have a blessed week!

Sharing my first card (the baby girl card) in the following challenge:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Girlie - I'm entering my first card (at top of page/blog post).  It was, obviously, made for a baby girl.

Blessings,
Karen

Happy B-Day With RRR

Hello friends!  One thing we all have in common is that we all need LOTS of Birthday cards.  That's another great thing about Really Reasonable Ribbon.....they have EVERYTHING you need to help you create the most lovely Birthday cards for all the special people in your life.  Here's one I made this week using some of Really Reasonable Ribbon's AWESOME supplies.

I started with some patterned papers and chipboard, added my sentiments; and then I got down to the fun part - adding ribbons and flowers.  The pretty flower and ribbon cluster on the upper left-hand side of my card was created by using some of the gorgeous Wild Orchid Crafts Open Roses including the Black Open Roses and Pink Open Roses.  I also included a 30 mm Mulberry Paper Leaf.  They come in many lovely colors, and each one compliments the next so nicely.

The bigger ribbons (on the side) include some wide May Arts Ribbon and some 2 1/2" Cotton Blend Plain Ribbon.  I used them to create a little "tab".  I also incorporated some Ivory Burlap String, Black Burlap String, and some sweet Raspberry Baker's Twine.  Across the background of my card (under the sentiments), I placed a length of the 1.5" Champagne Netting which gives the card such an awesome texture.  I also tied several lengths of the same Raspberry Baker's Twine around the bottom of my card, and into a knotted bow.

So you see.....Really Reasonable Ribbon really makes it easy to create a super special Birthday card for all the amazing people in YOUR life who deserve something that expresses just how special they are to you.  Why not treat yourself today?  We also hope that you will play along in our Current Challenge, and I thank you for visiting my bog.

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge Blog - April Showers Bring May Flowers - I love using flowers on my cards, so I'm having a lot of fun with this challenge.

Happy crafting,

Karen

.....happy anniversary

One thing I really dislike is when friends or relatives are celebrating a wedding anniversary and I'm not prepared for it.  So, with that thought in mind, I decided to whip up a few anniversary cards so that I would have some on hand and (hopefully) not find myself in this predicament again any time soon.  I'm really trying to keep track of these things better so that I'm sure to send congratulations and good wishes when they are due. 

I made this card using Simple Stories Summer Fresh patterned papers that I machine stitched, half of a doily, some sweet Moss Green Gingham Ribbon, and both red and ivory Burlap String.  The sentiment is hand-stamped using a Hobby Lobby stamp and Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Ink.  I inked the edges of the sentiment strip with Tim Holtz Peeled Paint Distress Ink, and there's a little My Mind's Eye Lost and Found button in the cente of my bow.

I'm sharing my card in the following challenges which I LOVE, and I will always hold out hope of someday winning.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog - Let's Do The Polka - I used green polka dot patterned paper from Simple Stories Summer Fresh collection for this polka!

DRS Designs Challenge Blog - Challenge #222 - 2+2+2 - I used two patterned papers, two colors of burlap string, and two colors of Tim Holtz Ink (see details above).  What a fun and creative concept for DRS Challenge #222

Docerela Stamps Challenge Blog - Challenge #100 - Anything Goes - I love playing along in Docerela's challenges, and I really hope to win a stamp set from them some day.  I've even applied to their DT before.  LOVE their awesome stamps.

Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday Linky Party - I love playing along in this fun challenge, and would love to win some of Karen's GORGEOUS hand-made seam binding.  Com and play along!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - April Showers Bring May Flowers - I just LOVE those May flowers, and love putting them on my projects.

I'm so grateful that you've stopped by today, and I want you to know that I appreciate every single comment left here.  I do my very best to try to visit everyone's blog to say hello, and I always want to invite you all to play along in our challenges Word Art Wednesday.  We would LOVE having you join us.

God bless you,

Karen

Things With Wings at Really Reasonable Ribbon

The new challenge starting today at Really Reasonable Ribbon is "Things With Wings" and I hope you will all play along.  Since nature offers so many pretty things with wings, I decided to create something really different using two lovely winged creatures.  They were created using some decorative wooden embroidery hoops from Crate Paper.  I attached some vintage music paper underneath each one as the base, and then backed each one with cardboard for a sturdy backing.  The first one has lots of great Crate Paper ephemera, including the bird, the tag, vellum piece and the leaves.  I love the gold accents on these pieces.  I also added some sweet little sequins to make the project sparkle a bit.

Those who know me are aware that, for me, no project is ever complete without some ribbon.  Really Reasonable Ribbon helped me top this project with the perfect touches.  I added a torn piece of the yummy 2 1/2" Cotton Blend Plain Ribbon along with a piece of Bay Leaf Seam Binding and Cream Seam Binding.  I topped it with a vintage button and a tiny tag with a stamped sentiment.  My daughter already claimed this green one for her bedroom.

The second hoop is quite a bit smaller than the first.  Again, I placed music paper as the base and added some sweet Crate Paper ephemera, some sequins, vintage tape, and little touches of cuteness.

The top of this second hoop is adorned with a torn narrow strip of calico material, a length of Cream Seam Binding, and a torn strip of the 2 1/2" Cotton Blend Plain Ribbon.  Again, I topped the sweet bow with a small button that's threaded with Ivory Burlap String, and has a tiny tag with a stamped sentiment.  

It really is true that Really Reasonable Ribbon can make ANY and EVERY project just a bit sweeter by topping them with the perfect finishing touch - RIBBON!  They also carry lots of great flowers, leaves and other lovely embellishments.  You will definitely want to check out all their great products.

And don't forget to stop by and take part in the Things With Wings Challenge starting today on the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog.  We look forward to seeing what you will create, and Really Reasonable Ribbon has all the best trims to help you get started.

Blessings,

Karen

Bless Your Little Heart

I've been working with my Crate Paper products for so many projects now that I've somehow forgotten my poor, neglected October Afternoon goodies that were tucked away in my hoosier.  For some reason, they were calling to me this morning and I pulled them out to create this little card.  I knew that I wanted to use this GORGEOUS red and white Houndstooth Ribbon from this month's ribbon assortment at Really Reasonable Ribbon, and I knew that I'd have just the right papers in my October Afternoon stash to put with it. This is actually one piece of patterned paper, but I used both sides of it so that they'd compliment one another and match perfectly.

I cut a small panel of the polka dot paper and glued it towards the bottom, and machine stitched it into place to secure it.  Then, I added a strip of the red and white Houndstooth Ribbon and tied a nice big bow with it.  I also added an October Afternoon journalling card and sticker.  Then, I attached some Mulbery Flowers to the sticker, and also tucked in a small red tag and a milk cap from October Afternoon.  The stamped sentiment (bless your heart) is an old favorite of mine, and the red stamped hearts are a sneak peek from Simon Says Stamp's brand new My Favorite stamp set which will be released April 21.

With fingers crossed (once again), here's where I'm linking my card:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge Blog says "Let's Do The Polka" - I used some sweet red and white polka dot patterned paper and gave a sneak peek of a new Simon Says Stamp set (My Favorite) being released April 21 (small red hearts).

Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge Blog says "April Showers Bring May Flowers" - I always love using flowers on my projects.  We wouldn't have flowers without the rain, so let's always remember to be grateful despite the weather.

Thanks for visiting, and have a blessed week.

Karen

April Blog Hop with Really Reasonable Ribbon

It's that FUN time of the month once again for the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop,  and you should have arrived here from Nancy's Blog.  If not, you can always get started on the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog.  This month's Ribbon Assortment is a gorgeous collection of read and turquoise.  It's filled with different textures, prints and combinations to accent your Spring projects with that perfect touch of class.  You will LOVE the monthly Ribbon Club Assortments, and it's a great way to always have the perfect ribbons and trims for every season.  Here's a peek at this month's lovely collection:

As always, I'm sharing a big beautiful hair bow for my Blog Hop project.  The reason why I love sharing hair bows using the monthly Ribbon Club Assortment is because I am able to implement all the ribbons in the collection to show you how gorgeous they all are, and how well Really Reasonable Ribbon's trims work together to compliment one another so nicely.  The same is true of ALL the fabulous ribbons and trims carried at Really Reasonable Ribbon.

The base of this bow is made from a wider red lace which was used as the foundation.  On top of that, you will see lengths of the beautiful 3/8" Shell Print on Red Satin Ribbon, 3/8" Checkerboard Turquoise Satin Ribon, 5/8" Sheer Cherry Red Print, 5/8" Plaid Turquoise Ribbon, Red and Turquoise Diamond Print Grosgrain, Red and White Plaid Houndstooth Print Ribbon, 5/8" Sheer Cherry Blue Ribbon, 3/8" Diamond Satin in Red, and finally the 3/8" Quatrefoil Print on Turquoise Satin Ribbon.  They all work together so well.

Your next stop on the hop is at the blog of my ribbon-loving friend Kathy, and I know her project will excite you.  Thanks for joining us, and don't forget to stop by to play along in our fun challenge. We always enjoy seeing your wonderful cards and creative projects using ribbon.

Blessings,

Karen

Baker's Twine and Birthday Cards

Hello, to all all my ribbon-loving friends.  Today I'm sharing some birthday cards I created for Really Reasonable Ribbon, and I'm so happy that you've stopped by to get some inspiration using more of Really Reasonable Ribbon's AMAZING products.  Today I'm focussing on all the GORGEOUS varieties of Baker's Twine carried at Really Reasonable Ribbon.  Like many of you, I've always loved baker's twine.  But did you know that Really Reasonable Ribbon carries 40 different varieties of Baker's Twine including 11 colors of Solid Baker's Twine?  Well, it's true and they're all beautiful.

All three of my cards were created using Crate Paper's Party Day line.  For my first card, I used the Solid Red Baker's Twine to add some streaming color to the green tag at the top of the page.  Baker's Twine can easily be used for tags. for making bows, decoratively threading buttons, or even for tying up party favors.  It's such a super versatile product.

The second card again wraps a nice long length of the Solid Red Baker's Twine around the card. Wrapping baker's twine around a card is a great way to fill in empty space where you know you need a little "somethin' somethin' " but you don't know just quite how to fill in that space.  I recommend having baker's twine in every color so that you will always be able to match it to any project.  And at just $0.15 per yard, Really Reasonable Ribbon is a great place to stock up on all your favorite colors and styles.

My third card has a long length of the sweet Solid Yellow (Lemonwood) Baker's Twine wrapped around its bottom, and I also tied a sweet bow with it.  Like I said, there are so many great colors of Baker's Twine available at Really Reasonable Ribbon, and you're sure to find just what you need for your next project.  I encourage you to stop by and check out ALL 40 VARIETIES of Baker's Twine at Really Reasonable Ribbon.

And don't forget about the FUN CHALLENGE taking place now on the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog.  We always LOVE having you play along with us.  We're also hoping that these simple little birthday cards will make you want to pick up some new Baker's Twine.  It's always the perfect touch!

I'm linking my birthday cards here:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says "Happy 7th Birthday" - This is Entry #5 for me.  I'm really trying to scoop up on the BIG Birthday Celebration give-away.  Happy Birthday, Simon Says Stamp!

Happy crafting,

Karen

Make a Wish

As you may have noticed, I've been making a lot of birthday cards lately.  One of my problems in doing this is that I tend to use and reuse the same stamp for the birthday sentiment.  I need to remind myself to take out ALL my stamps and use the different birthday sentiments I have.  This way, I'll be far less likely to give someone a card using the same stamp I used on their card the year prior.  So for this card, I pulled out one of my stamp sets from V's Sweet Ideas that I haven't used in a really long time.  It's from V's Birthday Wish Stamp Set.  I heard from Vanessa that she has some new stamp sets coming out soon, and I look forward to seeing those.

My card was created using patterned papers from My Mind's Eye On Trend collection.  The papers are beautiful mint and coral with touches of gold in them.  They're very different from what I usually use, and they were a lot of fun for this card.  I used three different patterns from this set.  One is the background, and two other patterns were used to cut six small squares that I machine stitched and attached by following this sketch from Sketch Saturday Challenge Blog.  I added a mint button, and some bows of Gold Metallic String as an accent.  The sentiment was stamped in Black Soot Ink by Tim Holtz onto a strip of vellum that I attached with some tiny gold accent stickers.

Following a sketch is a great way to get started when you're stuck.  It gives you a starting place, and yet you're still completely free to put your own twist on it as you can see from the DT Members' sweet sample cards.  They really inspired me to play along this week with their great cards.  Well, that and the fact that Simon Says Stamp is their sponsor, and I am such a huge fan of theirs as well.  Isn't the gold in these papers beautiful?

Here are the links to the challenges where I'm sharing my card:

Sketch Saturday Challenge Blog - Challenge #407 - I really had fun with this sketch

Little Scrap Pieces - Saturday Linky Party - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog - Simon Says "Happy 7th Birthday" to their amazing challenge blog.  I have loved playing along all these years, and some happy day I will be a winner.  I wish them the HAPPIEST birthday, and sincerely hope that they'll be around forever.  This is my 4th entry.

Well, that's all for now my friends.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my card, and I will be stopping your blog as soon as possible to see what you've been creating this weekend.  Enjoy yourself, and thanks for visiting.

Karen

Happy Birthday....You're 8

Well, I've been busy making birthday cards.  Since I had my Crate Paper Oh Darling supplies sitting out on my scrap table, I just decided to dig back into them and create another card.  I don't know exactly who this particular card will be given to, but I know that when I do need to use it someone will enjoy receiving it.

I started with the Oh Darling patterned papers which I inked and machine stitched.  I added some of my coveted vintage tape to it, and also cut two scalloped border dies that I attached to the top of the card where I also added a Pebbles birthday rub-on.  Then, toward the bottom of the card I added a Maggie Holmes journalling sticker (date grid) and a piece of 3-D ephemera from Oh Darling.  I attached a bow using sea foam green and pink seam binding with a pice of solid mint baker's twine and a button that's tied with mint baker's twine.  The number 8 is also a piece of ephemera from Oh Darling.

I absolutely love how the scalloped border adds so much to the card, and by sewing them on at the top, it really helped them stand out the way I hoped they would.  Die cuts are so much fun and can really add great layers of dimension to your cards and projects.  This particular die-cut is a set I use quite often.

I'm sharing this sweet little 8th Birthday Card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says "Happy 7th Birthday" (Entry #3)

Dies R Us Challenge Blog - Challenge #46 - Use Scallops - I used a scalloped border die from Die-Namics which I absolutely love.

Scrapy Land Challenge Blog - Challenge #39 - Anything Goes - I used a scalloped border die from Die-Namics MFT which is a favorite of mine.

DLART April Linky Party - Anything Goes

Thanks once again for stopping by today.  I am always so grateful for your visits and for the sweet comments you leave for me.  It makes my day to read them, and I really am grateful that you've taken the time to visit me.

Blessings to you,
Karen

Look Who's Turning 2

Being that our three children are now 16, 24 and 29, the one thing that I always try to tell expectant mothers is how INCREDIBLY fast the first year of their new baby's life will pass them by.  And no matter how much you try to warn them, they are never prepared when it actually happens to them.  You just wake up one morning, and it's their first birthday.  Much was the case with my first Great-Niece.  She turned one before her mom even had time to realize it; and now she's about to turn 2.  Where do those years go?  At this point, I'm looking forward to having grandbabies (all in God's perfect timing, of course).  I created this sweet 2-year Birthday Card for my Great Niece.

I used Crate Paper's Oh Darling line.  I took some of the sweet patterned papers and inked them and machine stitched them.  I also used another patterned paper from this line to die-cut some scallops using a Die-Namics scallop border die.  I added two tags (one a sticker and the other a journalling tag) from Oh Darling and then added some sweet ribbon and seam binding.  I placed the 2 on the journalling tag.

I'm linking my Happy 2nd Birthday card for my Great Niece to these fun challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says "Happy 7th Birthday"

Dies R Us - Challenge #44 - Use Scallops - I used a scalloped border die-cut to add some sweet scalloped borders to my card.

Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - You're Turning HOW Old? - I created this sweet card for my Great Niece who is turning 2, so I added a big pink #2 to the front of the card, and my Happy Birthday sentiment is stamped.

ScrapyLand Challenge Blog - Challenge #39 - Anything Goes - I used a scalloped border die from Die-Namics on this card.  FUN challenge, I love die-cuts!

I'd like to thank you for your visit to my blog, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on my card.  I hope that you're having a great week making cards.  I look forward to seeing them.

Blessings,

Karen

Birthday Celebrations

As I make birthday cards for the many upcoming birthdays in our family, I can't help but get excited for the fabulous blogs that are also celebrating their birthdays, and it makes me want to play along even more.  Did you know that Simon Says Stamp is celebrating their 7th Birthday, and that Aud Sentiments is celebrating their 6th?  How lucky are we to have such awesome challenge blogs where we can share our artistc creations?  We need to let these blogs know how very grateful we are, and show them our support.  I'm so happy to play along.

I created this card using Crate Paper Farmhouse collection.  I used patterned papers that I machine stitched, and then I stamped a Happy Birthday sentiment onto an October Afternoon journalling sticker, added a small piece of washi tape, some flowers, a leaf, and I also ran several length of baker's twine around my card and tied it into a bow that I topped with a pearl accent sticker.

I will be linking this card to these AWESOME challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says "Happy 7th Birthday"

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog - Challenge #152 - Happy 6th Birthday

Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday Linky Party

I'm so grateful that you've stopped by today, and I want you to know that I really appreciate your visit.  I hope that you're having an awesome week.

Blessings to you all,
Karen