Sunday Stamps Challenge #214

I'm on a challenge roll today!  I created this card for Sunday Stamps Challenge #214.  I'm in mass Christmas card mode here lately, so this one just fit.  I love this Santa Claus stamp from Rubber Stampede, so I designed the whole card around him.  I also went for a more rustic look, which is a bit out of my wheel house.  All in all I think it turned out ok.  Here is the sketch from Sunday Stamps Challenge.

I also went a little bit differently and decorated the inside of the card too, which I normally don't do.  All in all, it was a fun challenge, thank you Sunday Stamps!

The Paper Players Challenge #461 - Tic Tac Toe

It's fall! Time for pumpkins and cooler weather (soon I hope!)!  I created this card in response to The Paper Players Challenge #461 - Tic Tac Toe.  I have never done a Tic Tac Toe challenge, and I have to say, it was so FUN!  Here is the challenge:

I chose Fall, Orange and leaves., and here is my card!

Materials Used:

Kraft cardstock

Brown textured cardstock from AC Cardstock

Burlap paper from The Paper Studio

Pumpkin cut apart

Leaves from The Paper Studio which I colored with alcohol ink markers

Button from Tim Holtz

Twine from Stampin' Up

Happy Crafting!

August Papercraft Challenge #21 - Use a Circle

Good morning friends!  I am so excited to have been chosen to be a Design Team member for Papercraft Challenge, and I couldn't wait to participate in the August Papercraft Business Challenge #21 - Use a Circle!  You can find the challenges over on the Papercraft Business Challenge blog HERE.

I find quite frequently my themes are coffee/tea or bees, however, I love to create using these themes, and have tons of beautiful stamp sets with those themes, so I say, Go with what you know!  Here is my Papercraft Business Design Team inspiration card for the Papercraft Challenge #21.  If you have a moment, create something and enter the challenge, it's so fun to see what you can come up with using the theme or sketch given!

If you love to enter challenges, or even if you're a beginner to challenges, and are just getting started, check out this new Papercraft Business Challenge Planner!  It truly is a life saver for those of us who may be a bit organizationally challenged!  And now, without further ado, on to my design...

Materials Used:

Kraft cardstock base

Stampin' Up cardstock in Coral

Bo Bunny Paper Pad - Early Bird

Martha Stewart Butterfly paper punch

Recollections tea rose embellishments

Recollections pearl embellishments

A button (Sorry don't remember the company)

Offray lace trim

May May Made It Teacup stamp

Glossy Accents

As always I look forward to your comments and questions.

Happy Crafting!

July Papercraft Challenge #20 - Up in the Air

Hello friends!  Being a new design team member for Papercraft Business, I could not wait to create something!  While my first required month is August, I just could not wait to join the fun, so I created something for Papercraft Challenge #20 - Up In the Air.  

I am a proud participant in the Urban Beekeeping Movement - we have two hives on the roof of our coffee shop in down town Sanford, NC.  It was only natural to create this card, because bees are "up in the air"!

Materials Used:

Black Cardstock base

Gold Glitter Cardstock

Mixed Media Paper

Distress Inks in Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed and Wild Honey

Tattered Angel Mist in Queen's Gold

Deep Red Rubber Stamps - Honey Bee Vintage Label 

Faber Castell Honeycomb Stencil

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Markers

Glossy Accents for the wings of the bees

A sentiment I printed on my laser printer

As always, I welcome your questions and comments!

Happy Creating

I'm So Excited!

Good morning friends! I trust you all had a lovely weekend?  Mine was relaxing, and I woke up to a wonderful surprise yesterday morning! I was chosen to be part of the Papercraft Business Design Team!  I'm both excited and nervous!

The blog holds monthly challenges that are designed to be fun and also help your papercrafts be seen and get the recognition they deserve!  You get to use your supplies and talent and have your work seen by others, what more could you ask for?  I'm so excited to announce that starting in August, my work will be shown for inspiration.  

You can join the Papercraft Business Facebook Group and participate with some lovely folks in awesome papercrafting.

If you love entering papercraft challenges like I do, you can download this awesome challenge tracker for only $7!

If you've entered any challenges in the past, you know that keeping track is a valuable tool.

I sure hope you all will visit the Papercraft Challenge Blog and craft along with us!

Using Supplies on Hand #2

Hello Friends!  When 2019 rolled around, I looked around my craft room and said "I won't ever be able to use all these goodies before I expire."  So, I put myself on a "No Buy" for the year, with a small stipulation that if it was consumable (glue, pop dots, etc) I would be able to purchase them, and excluding Halloween goodies in moderation. (I can't resist!)  So far I have only broken my no buy twice, and I haven't accumulated nearly as many things this year, and I'm even using some items that I had been "hoarding" for.......I'm not sure what.  Either way, it's forcing me to work with things I hadn't even opened yet!  One of those things was Tim Holtz distress inks and Tattered Angels sprays!!  I must admit, in the past, distress inks had sort of intimidated me, although I loved the cool effects I had seen in videos!  This past week I finally opened them and started playing, and I must say, I'm in LOVE!  There are so many cool effects to be created, and they make very eye catching backgrounds, I can't wait to experiment more!

Materials Used:

White Cardstock base

Navy cardstock mat

watercolor paper

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Sprays

Tim Holtz Architecture stamp

May May Made It Sentiment Stamp

Alcohol Ink markers

Glossy Accents

As always, I welcome questions and comments.

Beginning Cardmaking for Under $50

Deciding to try a new hobby and quite possibly work it into a business (eventually) can be a daunting thing to do.  For those who want to dabble in card making, there are so many products out there to choose from, and when you watch videos on YouTube, everyone's craft room looks so neat and orderly and then you decide you just don't know where to start.....so you don't. 

I've been crafting for 20 years, and I've accumulated a LOT of stuff.  However, I created this video sharing how YOU can get started making gorgeous cards for under $50!

As always I welcome your feedback and comments!

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #393

Good Monday morning friends!  Today I bring you a holiday card that I created for Freshly made Sketches #393.  I had so much fun with this one, and these clean challenges are really pushing me to create outside my comfort zone.  Normally I like a card that's full of bling and embellishments.  The clean sketches have made me realize that not every card has to be over the top, clean and simple has it's own beauty!  So here is the sketch:

And here is the card I created for the challenge.  I'm having fun fighting the heat by creating cards for Halloween and Christmas!

Materials used:

White cardstock base

glitter pink cardstock from The Paper Studio

Present print paper from The Paper Studio All Seasons 5 pad

Rubber Stamp from The Angel Company

Unknown rhinestone accents

As always, I'm here to help!  Please feel free to message with any questions or comments.

Using Supplies on Hand

I finally bit the bullet and purchased some alcohol ink markers several months ago. I've seen many beautiful cards created using them, and I wanted to try my hand.  Up until this point, they've sat on my desk, completely intimidating me.  While I didn't purchase the Copic brand ($6-$8 per marker), as they just aren't in my budget right now, I did purchase a lovely set of Spectrum Noir markers.  I don't have ALL the colors, but I do have quite a range.

Last night I finally sat down and dabbled, and I made this card.  While it's not perfect, and my technique needs LOTS of work to become semi-proficient at it, I LOVE The effect.

I used a stamp set that I had for years and never opened, a paper that has been floating around my craft room for months in a pile of other papers,  (Honestly, I think it's from a holiday paper pad - but it worked!), and some washi tape, which I've never used before.  I have rolls and rolls of washi, too many to count, however, it's just not something I reach for.  

Hopefully this is the beginning of a craft my stash era for me!

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #392

I couldn't wait any longer to post a Halloween card.  I've been creating Halloween cards in full force this week, because it really is the only thing I have been interested in - LOL.  Still longing for cooler weather I guess. This one was created for Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #392.  

Thank you Jacquie, for a fun challenge!

I have to admit, I am totally into glitter and bling and all the things - ALWAYS, but as I've been creating cards for these awesome sketch challenges I've been participating in, I'm becoming a fan of the 'clean' look also.  I am absolutely in LOVE with the way this Halloween card turned out.  The paper was so cute that it's not muddled up by other things.

Materials Used:

white cardstock base

Orange heavyweight cardstock from Hobby Lobby

Jack O Lantern paper from DCWV Spooky Halloween Mat Stack

Recollections Rhinestones

Stampin' Up sentiment stamps from "Good Greetings" stamp set

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

Sketch Saturday Challenge #567

It's been a few days since I've created much really, life and all getting in the way, and once again I'm coming down to the wire with my submission for Sketch Saturday Challenge #567.  I havebeen creating a few Halloween cards and sets for my new Etsy shop, Bean Street Paper.  (Get it?  A Crafty Barista and Bean Street Paper?  At least I thought it was clever!)

However, I chose to go in a different direction with my submission, even though all I can think ab out is fall and Halloween!  I chose a 4th of July themed card.  This is not a holiday that I normally make cards for, but I'm feeling relentlessly patriotic this week, so I thought "Why not?"

Here is my card:

Materials Used:

white cardstock base

The Paper Studio red glitter cardstock

The Paper Studio Navy textured cardstock

4th of July papers from The Paper Studio All Season's 5 paper pad

Stampin' up Celebrate stamp from "Good Greetings"

Blazing Red Staz on Ink Pad

As always, if there are any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

UPDATE: I'm honored to announce that this card was chosen as one of the top 3 for this week's challenge.